What Exactly is a Toner?

Have you ever wondered what a toner is? Until recently, I thought that you just needed to wash and moisturize your skin. But then I found out what toning is all about and I wondered how could I have missed such an important step in my skin care regimen? Basically a toner is an astringent that prepares skin for moisturizing and stimulates your skin's capacity to self-cleanse.

Using a toner invigorates and refreshens your skin. Since I am a big fan of dr. brandt products and have rather large pores, I thought I would give Dr Brandt Poreless Toner for Combination and Oily Skin a shot. The result was simply brilliant. I'm not kidding, from my first use I could noticeably see that my pores were smaller and my skin was oil-free. You see what happens with toning is that skin pores become more elastic because skin circulation is stimulated which helps to eliminate toxins resulting in healthier cellular renewal. I promise you, your skin will glow after using Dr Brandt Poreless Tone. My face felt revitalized; leaving it silky-smooth and satin-soft. If you have not been using a toner daily, you must start today. Your skin will thank you for it.

Tropical Paradise All Year Long

There is simply no better scent than kai. It is delicate, feminine, and exotic all at the same. Kai founder Gaye Straza Rappaport spent her youth vacationing in hawaii, and always wanted to recapture the island fragrances. The result is kai, an intoxicating blend of white exotics that will transport you instantly to your own tropical paradise.

I wear Kai Eau de Parfum spray all year long and it is wonderful. But when the cold season starts and my skin starts to get that dry, winter itch, I can't wait to lather on Kai Body Butter. It is a silky whipped soufflé that has an ultra moisturizing formula and of course, the irresistable scent of kai. It goes on smooth and is quickly absorbed. The Kai scent lasts all day long. Try it! I hope you love it as much as I do.

Rise & Shine

Do you ever feel like your skin is a little dull and needs a big jolt of caffeine to get it moving again?

When my face is looking and feeling like it needs a shot of espresso, I use Freeze 24/7 Ice Crystals Anti-Aging Prep & Polish. All you need to do is apply a dime size amount of Ice Crystals to warm, damp skin. Slowly and gently massage in an upward, circular motion for 1-2 minutes. Rinse well with warm water. It thoroughly removes all traces of dull, flaky skin revealing a fresh, healthy glow.

My skin feels renewed and radiant after each use. The Jojoba Oil in the Ice Crystals exfoliates lifeless skin cells and leaves overall skin feeling alive. The Ice Crystals also work on acne prone skin and diminishes the appearance of age spots, blemishes, skin discoloration and enlarged pores. Freeze 24/7 Ice Crystals Anti-Aging Prep & Polish is the perfect exfoliant for anyone who has tried others and found them too harsh, or went days with a red face after using the wrong one. Think of Freeze 24/7 Ice Crystals Anti-Aging Prep & Polish as that first cup of morning coffee to get you going and to get your skin looking alive!

Look what I just discovered!

I have just discovered Kevyn Aucoin - The Essential Eye Shadow Set Palette 2 with Black, Slate, Mocha, White and Cream. Hands down this is the best grouping of eye shadow colors I have ever seen put together. All five shades are packaged together in a burgundy, tortoise mirrored compact. It includes two unique tools: one with a sponge on one end and a brush on the other and another with two uniquely designed sponges on either end, assisting in expert application. The shadows blend beautifully together and hold their color all day. What I like best about the Kevyn Aucoin - The Essential Eye Shadow Set Palette 2 is that I can create a soft, sheer look for day and a more dramatic, eye poppoing look for the evening. This is my first time using Kevyn Aucoin and I can't wait to try out the rest of his products. After all, how could someone who created his magic on some of the most legendary faces from the worlds of fashion, music and film steer us wrong?

Allure Has Spoken….and I couldn’t agree more!

You know how every once in a while you come across a product that is simply the best and you just want to share it with the world. While I recently discovered one of these. Fresh - Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask is without a doubt a fabulous find. I’m not necessarily one who is big on using masks, but now I am all about a good mask. Fresh - Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask is an intense hydrating treatment mask. It has this velvety, whipped texture that literally glides on your skin. My skin literally glowed after the first time I used it.

I continue to use it because it has been clinically proven to have a significant moisturizing and firming effect that lasts for up to six hours after the mask is rinsed from the skin. Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask was voted Editors' Favorite in the September 2008 issue of Allure Magazine. And also as the Best Mask for dry skin in the October 2008 annual best of beauty issue. Clearly the secret is already getting out.

Soft Hands

My skin gets progressively drier as the temperature drops and my hands need to stay moisturized. I have tried everything out there from your basic drugstore brands to the best and most expensive paraffin treatments.

What I have discovered works best is L'Occitane En Provence Shea Butter Hand Cream for Dry Skin. Enriched with 20% Shea Butter, this cream easily blends into my skin and nourishes and moisturizes my hands immediately. Honey, almond extracts and coconut oil are also tossed into the mix. About a dime size portion is all you need to leave your hands soft and smooth with no oily traces. I just toss it in my purse and have easy access to it anytime.

If you’re like me and looking to keep your hands looking and feeling their best this winter, L'Occitane En Provence - Shea Butter Hand Cream for Dry Skin is the product for you.

All From the Glow of a Candle

One of the best things about Fall is the evenings. You get to curl up in a big robe under your favorite quilt and read the magazines you've been thinking about all day. To me the evening would not be complete without a glowing Votivo candle flickering on my night table. There's something so magical and soothing about a burning candle. But not just any candle. For me it has to be Votivo.

Of all the Votivo candles in the line I would have to say I like Votivo Lavendar Fields best. The clean, fresh scent takes me to a place of purple lilacs on a lush, green hillside. When I snap back to reality I'm reminded that I'm in my room with a candle. The entire Votivo collection is made of high grade paraffin wax candles with a paper core wick and packaged beautifully. Burn time is approximately 50-60 hours. The scent lasts forever. I like to keep 4 or 5 different candles around so I can alter the mood whenever I choose. Priced at only $25 Votivo is a perfect gift for your best girlfriend, yoga instructor, neighbor or whoever just needs a little pick me up.

Do your Nails at Home!

When it comes to the chicest nails in the industry, look no further than Deborah Lippmann, the celebrity manicurist and nail expert extraordinaire. Lippmann works with the biggest names in Hollywood, fashion and music to create trend-setting looks around the world. With elite personal clients such as Cher, Mariah Carey, Martha Stewart, Julia Roberts, Gwyneth Paltrow and Sarah Jessica Parker, Deborah Lippmann has built quite a reputation. What I like most about the Lippmann Collection is that it really is a collection. The line includes everything you could possibly think of and need for that perfect manicure / pedicure.

With high gas prices, it's not easy to make trips to the manicurist. Instead, bring the Lippmann Collection home to you.

Here's what you need to do:

Remove all traces of nail polish with Lippmann Collection, The Stripper Lacquer Remover. It has a great lavender scent. Be careful not to get any remover on the surrounding skin. Another option is to use the Lippmann Collection The Stripper To Go Pads which are nail polish remover finger mits. One pad does all 10 nails!

Next, use the Lippmann Collection Smooth Operator 4-way Buffer. All you have to do is buff, polish and shine. I then use the Lippmann Collection Cuticle Oil Treatment to soften and replenish my cuticles before I nip them. After I make sure my nail plate is completely clean and dry, I apply a coat of Lippmann Collection Rehydrating Base Coat nail treatment to hydrate nails.

And now for the very best part....it's time to choose a color. I'm a red girl so I'm partial to Lippmann Collection Since I Fell For You or Lippmann Collection, I Want Candy. If you prefer a lighter shade you may want to try Lippmann Collection, You Can Leave Your Hat On, Lippmann Collection Baby Love Nail Lacquer, or Lippmann Collection My Romance. And this fall, on my toes I've been wearing Lippmann Collection Dark Side Of The Moon. And the last stage is to apply Lippmann Collection On A Clear Day Top Coat. My manicure looks fabulous, almost as if I have just been to the salon.

Instant Facelift without Surgery

You know how some products claim to give you an instant facelift without the surgery?

And you know how you always think “yeah, right”. That’s exactly how I used to feel until I discovered Dr Brandt Laser Tight - Laser In A Bottle. This product does all that it says it will do and more. Dr Brandt Laser Tight Laser was designed to instantly tighten and firm skin by mimicking the action of a laser treatment. As I said, I’m skeptical by these claims but I can assure you that from the first application I could really feeling the tightening effect immediately. It feels soothing and moisturizing, never greasy. What Dr Brandt Laser Tight Laser has done for my skin is truly remarkable. My skin looks brighter and the very fine lines around my eyes are much less noticeable. The results are instantaneous and my skin is firmer. Next time you think “yeah, right, how could something that comes out of bottle help me with wrinkles?” you need to try Dr Brandt Laser Tight Laser.

I just discovered Rene Furterer!

A friend of mine just introduced me to a great line of hair care products, Rene Furterer. René Furterer has dedicated his life’s work to the following principle: Beautiful hair grows from a healthy scalp, just like a plant in fertile soil. This philosophy has served as the foundation for his expert haircare collection, which continues to make exclamation points to this day. Rene Furterer consists of a line of more than 50 products, which take into consideration each type of hair & scalp. Filled with powerful essential oils and plant extracts, René Furterer products offer earthly elixirs fully prepared to cure every hair ailment by infusing the scalp with the nutrients needed to leave luscious locks from root to tip.

I love what Rene Furterer Carthame Moisturizing Milk Shampoo does to my hair. Rene Furterer Carthame Moisturizing Milk Shampoo is rich in Carthame oil and Cimentrio. This shampoo gently cleanses, moisturizes and restores the hydrolipidic film for improved protection of the scalp and hair. Rene Furterer Carthame Moisturizing Milk Shampoo ensures hair's radiance and lightness, in addition to making styling easier. But what I love most is the way it smells and how shiny my hair is after I use it.

Rene Furterer has designed his line of haircare to ensure that no one is left out. Rene Furterer Complexe 5 is designed to strengthen your hair and scalp, Rene Furterer Tonucia treats lifeless, weakened hair, Rene Furterer Curbicia provides a cure for oily scalp and hair, Rene Furterer Carthame is wonderful for normal to dry hair and scalp, Rene Furterer Karite works on very dry hair and scalp, Rene Furterer Astera is excellent for treating a sensitive or irritated scalp, Rene Furterer Okara is specially designed for color treated hair and Rene Furterer Fioravanti is best for dull and flat hair. The Rene Furterer line also carries a full line of wonderful syling products. Whatever your hair needs, Rene Furterer is sure to deliver