Recently, I had the opportunity to try out a limited edition skin care set: the new Clarisonic Mia ™ Sonic Skin Cleaning System, Arcona Booster Defense Serum, and Arcona Magic White Ice. To be honest, I have seen the Clarisonic brushes in the past and been afraid to try it because I wasn’t sure if it would be too harsh for my skin. However, after just one use, I immediately fell in love with it. It left my skin feeling clean and smooth.

After cleansing, I applied the Magic White Ice all over my face and the Booster Defense Serum on my neck and around the eyes. Both left my skin feeling hydrated without the greasy stickiness.

If you’re looking for something new to help clear up your skin and hydrate without the heavy moisturizers, then I recommend checking out the Clarisonic and Arcona combination.

This partnership between Clarisonic and Arcona is fabulous and will only be around for a limited time! So be sure to order yours today.

Photo Credit: Beauty.com

Not to worry, we have two sets of Mother’s Day gifts for our Beauty Chat readers. The anti-aging set specially put together for moms who want to maintain their youthful glow. Our second set is for our “Glam” moms, which includes makeup and a lash enhancing serum.

So what do you have to do? Just leave us a comment below telling us which set you would like and why your mom should get it. Winners announced on Wednesday, May 5th!

Photo Credit: Bohemian Rose Bath & Soap

Here’s what she had to say:

“I would like to try this because I have acne ridden skin with large pores-most foundations simply peel off my skin after a few hours, sometimes little bits of foundation flake off on to my clothes or the flakes simply sit on my face until I brush them off. I haven’t been able to find a makeup that works and does not have the flaking issue.”

We hope you enjoy your prize!

Photo Credit: Saida Online Magazine

Beauty Chat

This multi-purpose product provides natural translucent coverage, corrects skin undertones, instantly smoothes fine lines, and boosts skin’s natural moisture throughout the day. It also provides antioxidant benefits all day! Dr Perricone created the “No Foundation Foundation” in order to help keep the skin looking dewy and flawless, without the heavy matte finish that sometimes emphasizes the tiniest imperfections.

So how do you enter? Just leave a comment telling us why you need or want “No Foundation Foundation” and we’ll choose a winner on April 21st. And be sure to check out a review on another great product from Perricone MD in the next few weeks!

Contest is open to US and Canada residents.

Photo Credit: Dr. Perricone

This weekend, I started to look into what is available to begin my battle with the signs of aging. In the skin care aisle at a local grocery store, there were many name brand creams like Olay® and RoC® that claimed to reduce the signs of aging. Though their prices were attractive, they didn’t seem very effective and I was sure the results would not last very long. Then I thought to go down to Sephora. There, I found a much more refined taste of specialty facial creams, but they were also quite expensive. There were so many to choose from too, and many of the creams came in 1 oz. or 2 oz. jars, small amounts that I’m sure I’d go through quickly.

Given that I like to see results right away, I started looking beyond facial creams and into non-surgical facial treatment. Fortunately, there are many facial treatments that do completely eliminate laugh lines, crow’s feet, and even deep wrinkles for older women. Botox® is by far the most popular choice to treat wrinkles; there are also artificial fillers that are used for wrinkles. From what I’ve read, many professional plastic surgeons assure that no matter what you hear about creams that promise to completely erase fine lines and wrinkles, there are no substitutes quite like Botox and injectables. They cost a few hundred dollars but results last several months. Despite the price, I like that I wouldn’t have to apply a cream every night and the results would be immediate and last five to six months.

To get rid of my dull complexion, I’m considering microdermabrasion or a chemical peel. In a microdermabrasion, the top layer of the skin is removed by a special exfoliate, revealing newer and fresher skin underneath. Microdermabrasion is usually over a hundred dollars and results typically last a few months. Chemical peels are another great way to rejuvenate the skin. For a more youthful look, a special combination solution of skin safe acid is used to remove the outermost, most damaged layer of skin, revealing a more even skin tone. These usually rub between $200 and $300; results for a microdermabrasion, while depending on the type of acid used, chemical peel results can last from a few months to over 20 years.

If I make a few adjustments in my budget now, hopefully sometime before summer I can have at least one facial treatment done. Meanwhile, I’ll continue to follow my favorite budget beauty tips and of course, daily basic skin care. Come summertime, I’ll be sure to wear sunglasses everyday. Not only do sunglasses protect the sensitive area around the eyes, which is often the first place on the face to show signs of aging, but they’re also a great fashion statement.

I am just beginning my battle with the signs of aging. Before I choose a facial treatment, what do you recommend? Have you ever considered any non-surgical facial treatments, or do you know anyone who has?

Photo Credit: Elle Magazine and Modern Mom

Patte

Big hugs to all who entered our contest. We asked that you fill out our survey and let us know your thoughts regarding Beauty Chat in order to participate (Jennifer will provide you with the results shortly).

So, much appreciation to those who took the time to do so!

Here is what Patte won:

• IMAAGE® eyeshadow, blush, and lipstick

• Shampoo and conditioner samplers by Aveeno®

• BAND-AID® Friction Block Stick (for your heels!)

• Lash & Brow Enhancing Serum by Lash Allure MD

• A Retinol Correxion® Deep Wrinkle Daily Moisturizer (with an SPF 30) and Multi-Correxion Exfoliating Cleanser by ROC®

• “How Not to Look Old” book by Charla Krupp

• “Living Beauty” book by Bobbi Brown

A pretty rewarding gift, wouldn’t you say? More contests and giveaways to come. Thanks for being such fabulous fans.

Photo Credit: Chicago Sun-Times

This every day at-home spa guide features inexpensive recipes, beauty treatments, and tips for head-to-toe beauty. Douglas and Pearlman are the best selling authors of The Black Book of Hollywood Beauty Secrets; in this new book they offer beauty tips to adhere to in these eco-conscious, economically challenged times.

Anything from fresh lemon juice to olive oil can help you achieve smoother, fresher more vibrant skin and hair – all in the convenience of your own home. Here’s a tip from a Victoria’s Secret model on how to restore hair after it is scorched and ironed; mix one tablespoon of fresh squeezed lemon and one teaspoon of olive oil, and slather your hair with it, focusing on putting more product on split ends. Leave on over night and wake up to restored, glossy, and super shiny hair. Be sure to sleep on an old pillow case when doing this, the oil residue will wreck your linens.

Women who have kids probably always have some spare Cheerios lying around the house – so why not use them for a facial treatment? Just grab a handful of the cereal, a teaspoon of honey, and few drops of fresh lemon. Blend the Cheerios until they are a fine powder, and once refined, mix in the honey and add the drops of lemon, and voila you have the perfect ingredients for a facial scrub. Apply the mixture to your face, and leave on for 10 minutes. Rinse with warm water, and feel smoother, more vibrant skin.

So, before leaving the house to buy expensive salon products, look in your pantry, fridge, and medicine cabinet first – you may already have the right mixture for an at-home facial, hair treatment, or moisturizer.

Want more tips that have been created and culled from Pearlman and Douglas? Beauty Chat will be giving away The Beauty Cookbook to one lucky winner. To enter to win this ultimate at-home guide, just leave a comment below with one of your “secret” beauty tips for your skin, hair, nails, or face. One of my useful tricks is to apply baby powder to my roots when I don’t have time to wash my hair. The powder absorbs the oils, and immediately makes my hair appear fresher. Share some of yours with me! A winner will be announced on April 12th.

And there’s still time to enter to win a basket of beauty goodies too! Be sure to check out our survey and giveaway!

Photo Credit: Amazon and Cheerios

In addition to providing Beauty Chat for y’all, our company is also home to several other websites, including iEnhance.com, PlasticSurgery.com, and CosmeticSurgery.com. So the writers of Beauty Chat also spend their time contributing to these online properties.

Beauty Chat was actually developed based on the idea that beauty isn’t just about surgery; it’s about finding beauty within and working your way outwards. Skincare, makeup, and fashion all contribute to enhancing your image, which are commonly the subjects of our conversations with you!

So, in order to serve your needs and continue to create a place where you can feel at ease browsing around and reading up on your favorite topics, we have created a survey for you to take. Not only would we simply appreciate this, as it will help to gauge the direction of our articles, but there is also something in it for you too!

As a thank you for being a loyal Beauty Chat fan, we have put together a basket of goodies. By filling out our survey and commenting on this post, you will be entered to win a basket of skincare and beauty products.

This contest, in which the winner will be randomly chosen, will last about two weeks – ’til March 19th! Thank you again for being so fabulous.

Chat with ya soon!

Elana

Photo Credit: Zazzle

Thank you for your patience, dear readers. Currently, Beauty Chat is going through various changes – as many blogs do! So we hope that you continue to enjoy our site’s thorough selection of articles.

Missed all of 2008’s skincare discussions? Want to see before and after celebrity plastic surgery photos? Visit our archive and see what’s up. We continue to receive your comments, and appreciate your involvement.

…This is a sincere message from all of us Beauty Chatters! Enjoy your summer, and hope to meet up with us again soon.

*Please refrain from sending products and e-mailing pitches until Beauty Chat is back.

Flowers and balloons are always a nice gesture, but your Mother deserves so much more (at least mine does!), so make her feel special with some of these unique gift ideas.

•    Pamper, Pamper, Pamper! You could buy your Mom passes to the spa, or bring the spa to her; it will show you actually want to spend time with her. Set a day aside and have an at-home pamper day with your mom.
Some products I recommend trying out with your Mom:
Thymes: They offer an array of body lotions, washes, scrubs, feet care, etc. The ladies at PlasticSurgery.com and I love the Naia Hand Lotion and Hand Wash! Visit their website to check out some of the kits and gift sets that they offer.
En Pointe Skin Solutions: From cleanser, toners, and moisturizers, they offer all the products you need to put together an at-home facial kit.
Philip Kingsley: To get your Mom ready for Mother’s day brunch, Philip Kingsley offers a wide range of styling products to add texture and volume or tame and smooth while protecting the hair. For bounce, control, and shine, you may want to try out their maximizer.
Adovia Mineral Skin Care: Another great facial care line! My fellow Beauty Chatter, Audrey, and I love their products! This is great for those with sensitive skin (like me), because they are made from minerals from the Dead Sea, providing a natural skin smoothing experience.

•    Expand her horizons: Take your mom on an adventure instead of the usual dinner and a movie. I am taking my Mom wine tasting! Pick a place you know she would like to go, but wouldn’t normally take herself to. I know my Mom likes wine, but she would never think of going to a winery.

•    Put on your chef’s hat: Make your Mom her favorite dish or introduce her to a new one. My favorite place to go for creative recipes is AllRecipes.com, which has reviews on the dishes and suggestions for additional ingredients, side dishes, etc.

•    Clean, scrub, and shine: You know your mother works hard, so why not give her a day off from her typical duties of cleaning up (after you!), doing the laundry, and running the house. Get your siblings together and clean the house for her and let her relax for the day!

Your mom most likely is not expecting much, so if anything, give her a day of you. I know that through the rush and chaos it can sometimes get hard to spend time with anyone for an entire day – the least you can do is give her the time. And for all you mommies out there, Happy Mother’s Day!

Photo Credit: Adovia Spa and Laura’s Journey