Just Call Me Bronzilla

The Product: L'Oreal Paris Sublime Bronze Luminous Self-Tanning Lotion

The Claim: Contains light-reflecting micro-pearls that create a luminous, streak-free, bronze glow immediately upon application. The lotion smoothes on effortlessly and is absorbed quickly. Rich in Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant, this lotion replenishes and hydrates while it develops your sunless tan. Apply daily until you get your desired tone and then repeat application once or twice a week to maintain your golden bronze.

The Results: I love the immediate bronze glow this lotion leaves on the skin. The feel of it is nice, too--it's more of a gel consistency than a lotion, and it absorbs quickly. The morning after applying I was shocked at how bronze I was. I looked like I had spent a month tanning in Rio; it was truly amazing. One warning: this product is really pigmented to give such a dark tan, so any streaking is really obvious. I actually think I would prefer it without the self-tanning action, and only as a shimmer product.

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick For Body. Finally!

When I heard that my favorite highlighter, Bobbi Brown's Shimmer Brick, was available for a the body, I almost passed out with excitement. Yay! The lightweight, silky powder can be used on arms, legs, decollete, or anywhere you want to glow. I currently use the regular highlighter on my shinbones to make my legs look longer and thinner, and I swear it works. The body brick is oversized and features three shimmering bars of color. At $75 it's pricey, so I'm going to use the body brick for both face and body.

RIP: My Favorite Body Shimmer

I am really feeling sorry for myself right now: Urban Decay is discontinuing their Flavored Body Balm. I seriously LOVE this product. It's scented and flavored (yes, you can lick it), and leaves skin smooth and glowy. It's a sheer, subtle shimmer that can even be worn in the day--a swipe of the balm with the included sponge leaves legs with a flawless sheen, as if you were wearing pantyhose. It's perfect for travel because it doesn't leak, and can even be taken through airport security. I can't believe they're discontinuing this--I'm really taking it personally. I'm stocking up now while they're still stock left; I suggest you do, too.

Beauty In, Toxins Out

Last month MD Skincare launched their Beauty In Toxins Out Natural Beauty Collection. "The full line is a revolutionary approach in body treatment and revitalization. The collection will successfully reverse damage our skin suffers from exposure to environmental pollutants. This is accomplished through a daily showering, bathing and moisturizing experience. Achieve results on a whole new level with high concentrations of botanical extracts, essential oils, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals along with a proprietary blend of detoxifying chelators."

I love that the line is all natural, and the Detox Duo left my skin hydrated and silky, but there was nothing amazing about this line that you can't find elsewhere for less. Ultimately, I'd buy it if it was on sale, but otherwise I'll stick to my Mountain Glow body exfoliator.

Do You Want to Look Like Lindsay Lohan?

Lindsay Lohan is coming out with her own line of self-tanners. Is anyone else as scared about this as I am? The notoriously orange-streaked starlet teamed up with tanning expert Lorit Simon to form her company, called Sevin Nyne. Why Sevin Nyne? It's misspelling of her favorite numbers (whatever).

The product's active ingredient is DHA, and the spray doesn't contain any chemicals. Other ingredients include caramel, Chardonnay extracts, gogi berry, and a sugar-coconut base. The color takes five hours to develop, and lasts for four to five days. Available April 15th on Sephora.com for $35. Will you try it?

Note: The company released a very cute (photo-shopped) picture of Lindsay to promote her line, but I think this photo better illustrates my point...Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Ylang Noir Pur Liquid Marseille Soap

How cool would this soap look by a bathroom or kitchen sink? The dark bottle looks like something you'd find on the shelf at an antique store in an exotic land. I am absolutely in love with the product, which smells exactly like you would expect--a Ylang-Lang based scent that combines intense floral notes with the deep, sensual notes of wood and leather.

Note: Candle and powdered soap also available in this scent, and equally as good.

Think Green. Live Pink.

Victoria Secret's Pink body collection is made of natural, organic, and 100% vegan ingredients. The simple, flirty packaging reflects their motto of "Think Green. Live Pink." The collection includes body lotion, body wash, sugar scrub, hand cream, hand sanitizer, refresher spray, and lip balm. My favorite is the Everything Refreshing Spray, which may or may not be my secret to after-gym happy hours. With Organic Citrus essences, it instantly freshens up hair and body with a light, clean scent.

"The Ball"...Gee, great name

So, Ojon's The Ball went on sale last month and I decided it was the perfect time to try it out. Since I'm such a huge fan of their hair products I was very excited to finally try out their body line. The ball itself is very cool, and was bigger than I thought it would be. Also, I love the bowl that's included--it makes it seem more authentic.



The Ball "contains a high dose of wildcrafted Ojon® oil, rich in essential fatty acids, Omega-3, -6, and -9...[and] contains the same antioxidant amount as 2,834 lbs of blueberries." I unwrapped it, took it into the shower, used as directed, and emerged with very soft skin. I didn't even need to use lotion. I was so happy!



I grabbed it the next morning to use in the shower again...and noticed that my entire shower was coated in brown. At that point I had to decide whether soft skin was worth the mess. My conclusion: it's not. I get the same results with a normal body exfoliant and lotion. Saving one step and having a cool ball in my shower is definitely not worth it.

Recession Obsession, Part 1

Lack of money is forcing me to get creative with my spending habits, so I've switched some of my more expensive beauty products for drugstore brands. Here are some substitutions I've found so far that hold up to the pricey originals.

--My normal Frederic Fekkai hairspray has been replaced with Pantene Classic Hairspray in Flexible Hold. Both provide soft, non-sticky hold.

--Bumble and Bumble hair powder has been replaced by Psssssst Instant Spray Shampoo, and I actually prefer the Psssssst.

--My Nars Body Glow is now Neutrogena Body Oil. Different scent, same results.

I'll keep you updated on more items as I find them! To be continued...

A Fairytale Scent for the Holidays?

Cute packaging? Check. Charming name? Check. Pink shimmer? Double Check. A scent to match? Ehhh...

The Philosophy Sugar Plum Fairy scent is back for the holidays, and I didn't want to let another year go by without trying it out. Excited, I pour a glistening blob of gel into my hand...and smelled cough syrup. Seriously. I had flashback to when I was sick as a kid and my mom would force feed my cough syrup at night. It has the same sickeningly sweet smell. Yuck!

A Parisian Treat

I had my first Kir Royale in Paris when I was twenty; I felt sophisticated and chic as I sat in the Ritz sipping on the Champagne and Creme de Cassis cocktail--I swear it smells exactly the same. It's a moment I'll never forget, and I can relive it daily when I use the Philosophy Pink Bubbly lip gloss, exfoliating wash, or shower gel. Simply amazing, and I love the pink color.

Body Scrub for a Winter Glow

Every few years I make it to Park City to go skiing. One of my favorite parts of the trip is spending time in the Mountain Body store. It's small and cramped, and has so many products and scents it's almost a sensory overload--I love it! A product I make sure I pick up every time is the Body Glow. It "exfoliates and softens your skin, using fresh fruit extracts, healing mineral salt from the Great Salt Lake Basin, & avocado, sesame, apricot kernal, and jojoba oils for superior skin nourishment." And it really works; I get out of the shower with a thin layer of the oils still on my skin, and the scent lasts all day. I'm partial to the Lavender & Tangerine, but they're all good. It's not necessary to fly all the way to Utah anymore, not only will they ship it right to your door, but they're on sale right now!