This week’s trend crush? Guinot’s Gel Douche Soleil. This shower gel is made especially for bathing after sun exposure.
Sun, salt, and chlorine dry the skin, and sunscreens leave minerals behind. This shower gel has been formulated to dissolve sunscreen residues and UV filters while neutralizing the effects of chlorine and salt water.
While all things relating to a day at the beach or pool tend to cause skin dehydration, so, too, do many ordinary soaps and cleansers. This after-sun superstar has jojoba oil to moisturize and soften, preventing dehydration and making it gentle enough for sunburned skin. Genius!
Spring’s hottest beauty must-haves just happen to be products you can prepare at home – with items from the grocery store. Yep! You heard right, ladies and gents. Now we’re talking beauty 2.0 here, people, so I won’t bore you with another mayo hair mask, nope, we’re creating lip plumpers, SPF, a glycolic acid peel and a cellulite scrub.
I dished the recipes this morning on Fox & Friends Weekend – here’s a recap and more information.
CAYENNE PEPPER LIP PLUMPER: Those expensive lip plumbers boast cayenne and cinnamon oil and can cost over $30! You can create your own at home with just some cayenne or Tabasco and Aquaphor!
Mix a small lip tub of Aquaphor (or Vaseline) with just a quarter teaspoon of cayenne to start. Mix in a bit more if you’d like to go va-va-voom. And guess what? The Aquaphor is so thick that you can’t even taste the cayenne once they get incorporated together!
COFFEE GRIND CELLULITE SCRUB: Let’s face it, these were going in the trash anyway. Save your used grinds to create a puff-blasting body scrub! Fancy cellulite creams on the market cost upwards of $50 – but you can put these caffeine rich grinds to good use constricting blood vessels and depuffing thighs on a major budget right in the shower! (Wrap in plastic wrap to detox further.)
Oh, want to look immaculate like those celebs with the perfectly chiseled chins? Makeup artists for years have used cellulite cream in the neck and chin area to depuff their clients before they walk down the red carpet. Use this scrub in your neck and chin area, but beware, just like the expensive creams, the effect lasts only about 3-4 hours so make sure to prepare for your Cinderella moment!
LEMON JUICE + BAKING SODA: When mixed together, equal parts lemon juice and baking soda bubbles over and creates a brightening and toning mask. The bubbles that form are great also for anyone with blemish-prone skin, there’s a certain strain of bacteria that causes acne that only grows in anaerobic (oxygen-less) environments. Rinse off after 10 minutes.
COCOA POWDER SPF: Studies have found that cocoa powder prevents sun damage! Topically and when consumed, people were able to resist more UV exposure before turning red (or getting mild sun damage)! Mix a half cup into bath water the day before you’re planning on being outdoors or create a face mask with just some plain yogurt.
PEANUT BUTTER INTENSIVE MOISTURIZER: PB is an amazing hydrator, especially for your elbows and knees! It’s full of magnesium which helps with skin elasticity and vitamins b and e which help with circulation and repair. Apply, let it sit for 10 minutes then rinse. The thick emollient envelops skin keeping in moisture and the chunky variety can also serve as a scrub!
Mom is special, so give her a gift that will help her relax and pamper – and indulge! Here are my picks for what you need to get mom this Sunday as seen on FOX Connecticut on May 9th.
FOR THE POLISHED PROFESSIONALMOM
For the mom who needs to be a polished professional at all times, the Sephora by OPI gelshine™ At-Home Gel Colour System ($159) delivers optimal results with salon technology. This kit is fully loaded with all the necessary tools for the perfect at-home two-week gel manicure, featuring the highest quality gel formula on the market, and one of fastest LED cures with the smartest removal system.
FOR THE TECHIE BEAUTY MOM
Mom is a beauty techie geek and loves her derm! Surprise her with the newest beauty gadgets on the market that she probably wouldn’t get herself, but cost way less than that MD visit!
The me smooth hair removal device ($395) is the only at-home hair removal device to use patented elos technology that is clinically proven and FDA cleared to be safe and effective for all skin types and tones. Gentle, easy to use, and just minutes a treatment, mom can experience the freedom of silky, smooth skin without the hassles of shaving and waxing.
Reclaim your skin’s radiant glow in just five minutes with the REDEFINE MACRO Exfoliator™. Used once a week, Rodan + Fields’ Redefine Macro Exfoliator ($279) sweeps away dead skin cells leaving behind a smoother, healthier-looking and more luminous complexion. The proof is in the filter where you can see the dulling, dead outermost skin cells and debris that have been covering up your best skin.
FOR THE ECO / HIPPIE MOM Lush’s A Mother’s Day in Paradise Gift ($56.95) is a pre-wrapped bright and cheerful hatbox full of springtime goodies for mom to luxuriously pamper herself. It includes a Secret Garden bath bomb; Madame Butterfly reusable bubble bar; Mumkin bubble bar; Lemony Flutter; Dream Cream body lotion; Sultana of Soap, Comforter bubble bar, Ro’s Argan body conditioner.
FOR THE SPA FANATIC MOM
A $100 Spa & Wellness Gift Cards by Spa Week® are on sale for just $79.99, or receive 20% off all other denominations on SpaWeek.com, now thru May 13th. They are redeemable year-round at over 7,500 spas and wellness locations across North American and never expire!
If mom is more of an at-home DIY spa-er H2O+’s Ultimate Marine Spa Favorites Gift Set ($98) includes a collection of spa favorites (which was one of Oprah’s Favorite Things last year) that restores and replenishes skin while soothing notes of water lily, mint and eucalyptus uplift the senses for the ultimate spa experience.
FOR THE MOM OBSESSED WITH FABULOUS HAIR
The Rowenta Beauty Infini Pro Dryer ($159) turns off when you set down and the iconic system prevents static and frizz to keep hair smooth and shiny! So genius.
Rowenta Beauty’s Versa Style Iron ($159) is a master tool that does the work of 5 salon tools (flat iron, roller set and 3 curling irons)!
Anna spotlights 5 Trends You Need to Try This Month on Good Day Philly including metallic hair chalk, tattoo jewelry, perfume jewelry, feather nail polish and numbing wax spray!
Detox from the errr – outside, in? The newest trend in makeup and personal care includes detoxifying BB creams, bio detox under eye concealers, detox deodorants, shampoos, hair cleansing sprays, nail polish removers, detoxifying nail polish conditioners and more!
PB for rough, dry elbows and knees? An at-home glycolic acid peel with lemons and baking soda? How about mixing up your own lip plumper with a little bit of cayenne pepper? I trolled the aisles to bring you the wackiest, and most-affordable, beauty fixes on Good Day Philly!
You don’t have to take a rain check on your looks! As we head into April Showers – it’s definitely time to shake up your beauty routine and ditch the frumpy rain gear for fashionable duds that won’t leave you all washed up.
RAIN AND SPLASH-PROOF BEAUTY COVERGIRL LashBlast Clump Crusher Mascara (in Waterproof), $6.99
A breakthrough in no-clump mascara. Get 200% more volume and zero clumps. Features an innovative double-sided brush with lash-loading and clump-combing zones to crush clumps.
By Terry Lash-Coat Mascara Aqua-Proof Topping Gel, $40
Let’s say you have a favorite mascara already that defines perfectly. This gloss waterproof mascara protects your favorite mascara by coating it in the waterproof glossy film; shaping, curving, extending and fleshing out the lashes. Its gentle care formula and its technical brush all contribute to dress and shape your lashes without clogging them, giving your look a lively effect even with no-makeup.
Secret Clinical Strength Stress Response Deodorant, $7.99
As the temperature changes, so does your pH! Secret Clinical Strength’s formula was designed to be activated at night to take advantage of your body’s natural temperature variations; a full 4x more effective. Apply at night for warmer weather protection.
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil, $19
Creamy, forever-lasting, award-winning and waterproof, 24/7 pencils delight you with lush tropical hues, deep metallics, and unusually vibrant neutrals.
CARGO Water Resistant Bronzer, $28
This longwearing water resistant bronzer has been especially designed to give a summer glow that stays put rain or shine. Its formula contains a silicone-coated talc to provide superior adhesion to the skin and withstands perspiration and water. Available in one perfect shade, Medium, to offer a universally flattering medium bronze look.
MAC Pro Longwear Lip Colour, $23
A longwearing lip colour that applies in two quick steps. Stroke on the special formulated colour base. Flip the stick, and apply the clear gloss. Soft and comfortable on…Kiss, drink, eat. Smudge, run, transfer and feather-proof. Pro Longwear Lipcolour is best removed with Cleanse Off Oil
DON’T DROWN YOURSELF IN FRUMPY RAINGEAR | FASHIONABLE FIXES FOR APRIL FLURRIES SWIMS Boat Shoe, $152
Unlike traditional boat shoes that are made out of leather or suede, SWIMS offers a water-compatible alternative. The loafers offers the utmost in versatile footwear: you can wear them on the beach, on a boat, in the city, at the office and even out for dinner. They are made with adaptable and breathable nylon and since they are entirely water-resistant, you can even throw them in your washing machine! The loafers also feature an anti-slip, natural rubber and non-marking sole and EVA insole with ventilation system.
Working in NYC I do a lot of walking. Everyone who lives here does because frankly, it’s the only option. I also love to wear heels, which, when combined with walking, is a deadly combination. I can’t even count the times I’ve come home from a long day of work to throbbing, tired feet. Usually I deal with it, as thoughts of my grandma soaking her achy feet in tub of hot water comes to mind, and I remind myself, I am not that old.
So, just as I figured tired feet were just a part of life, like gravity, I came across an interesting solution called TheraPED – a portable spa therapy for your feet. It’s the answer to prayers of women in heels everywhere, and I don’t even have to feel like an old lady using it!
You just place your feet into the zebra-patterned contraption and Theraped will pamper and stretch sore feet, while simultaneously aligning toes. The toe alignment is my favorite part because it fixes your cramped up feet and makes them feel fresh.
If you’re like me and can’t live without high heels, it’s the best thing around to refresh and pamper your feet after a long day in the office. And, if you strut the city streets of NYC, it’s pretty much a must-have.
