Exfoliation has been a common beauty practice for thousands of years. By removing dead skin cells from the skins surface, radiant and more youthful looking skin is revealed. In it’s simplest terms, exfoliating is very similar to filing away a rough surface on a piece of wood with sandpaper. A piece of wood or a board may feel rough to the touch and look rough in appearance. After rubbing that same piece of wood with a piece of sandpaper, it becomes much softer to the touch and newer and fresher looking in appearance.

There are many products on the market that put the benefits of exfoliation at your fingertips. By rubbing the gritty products around on your skin you remove the dead skin cells and reveal the fresh skin underneath. However, some of these products contain things that are bad for your skin such as harsh chemicals. Those same harsh chemicals can cause problems with sensitive skin such as rashes or acne break outs.

One of my favorite things to use for exfoliation is a trick I learned from my grandmother and something that most of us have in our own kitchens. The ingredients, lemon juice and brown sugar, are good for your skin, and will leave it feeling super soft ~ you’ll feel like you’re living in the lap of luxury! It also works beautifully on all skin types…

I simply take a cotton pad and pour some lemon juice on it (just the lemon juice you buy at the grocery store). Then I put some brown sugar on the pad. Finally I pour a small amount of lemon juice on top of the brown sugar to moisten it a bit. Then I take the cotton pad and rub it all over my face and neck for about a minute or two. Make sure you are leaning over a sink when you do this, because some of the moistened brown sugar may fall off the cotton pad during the process. Once I’m finished rubbing it around, I carefully rinse the brown sugar and lemon juice off my face. It leaves my skin so soft and smooth. It is so refreshing and leaves me with a radiant more youthful appearance. I try to do this about 3 times a week.

The lemon juice acts as both an AHA and a BHA. The brown sugar contains Glycolic acid. So basically you are giving yourself an all natural mini-peel of sorts. Additionally, the sugar is also a humectant and draws moisture to the skin.

If you’ve never exfoliated before, be sure to give this a try! You’ll be amazed at the improvements it makes in your skin. If you have been exfoliating using one of the expensive chemical laden products available on the market, give your skin a break and try this recipe. Your skin will look gorgeous and you’ll save yourself some money. Just make sure you use a good sunblock on your skin, as the lemon juice might cause photosensitivity to the sun and you wouldn’t want to get a sunburn. A good sunblock should be a daily part of your skincare regime.

by Tracey Rosenblath

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My favorite facial mask is very simple to make using only milk and honey. Every morning, I mix 1 tsp. of honey and 1 tsp. of milk together and apply it over my face and neck areas. If you have fine lines or wrinkles, take extra care to apply more to those
areas.

How long should you leave it on for? If I have a lot of time in the morning, I will leave the mixture on my face for about 30 minutes prior to rinsing it off. If I’m short on time I only leave it on for about 5 minutes. Even 5 minutes can make a huge difference to your skins texture and radiance.

When I don’t use this mask my skin looks dull and tired. When I do use it my skin looks wide awake with youthful radiance. One of the benefits of the honey is that it plumps the skin to reduce fine lines and wrinkles… who doesn’t want that?

While 5 minutes to 30 minutes might seem like a long time, remember that you can go about your morning routine and do other things while the mask is on your face. When rinsing, be sure to rinse off all of the honey – especially near your hair line. If you miss some, you mind wind up with it piling as you try to apply your makeup… not to mention the potential discomfort of bees chasing you down the street…lol.

by Tracey Rosenblath

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NYX eyeshadow‘s are very pigmented and vibrant. They go only smoothly, blend beautifully and last all day with no creasing or fading. NYX currently has over 160 different eyeshadow colors in their collection, which is more than enough to keep you busy for a while…lol Many of the NYX colors are good dupes and in some cases exact dupes for MAC eyeshadow colors.

Prestige eyeshadow’s are very silky and last all day with no creasing. Their Golden Retriever eyeshadow is the prettiest gold shade I’ve seen this season from any makeup brand whether drug store or high end. They have a wide selection of shimmer and matte shades, many of which are good dupes for MAC eyeshadow’s. If you’re in the market for a dramatic thickening and lengthening mascara, Prestige’s “My Biggest Lashes” won’t let you down. Prestige bronzers give you just the right amount of bronze and glow for a healthy look.

Physician’s Formula is one of the most overlooked makeup brands. Their Mineral Wear Loose Powder Foundation goes on beautifully, and provides medium to high coverage depending on how you apply it. With beautiful eyeshadow’s, and Shimmer Strip Custom blushes and bronzers you just can’t go wrong. If you want well defined, dramatic lashes be sure to try their Plump Potion Mascara… you definitely won’t regret it!

Wet ‘n Wild products were all the rage when I was a teenager, and as an adult I forgot about them for a while. I have recently come to love their products again… Their colors are amazing and many of their eyeshadow’s are good dupes for MAC eyeshadow’s. Wet n Wild’s gel eyeliner is an amazing product for the price.

Who can forget NYC or New York Color in a list like this? Their products are notoriously the least expensive of any drug store brand, and yet their colors are undeniably beautiful. NYC’s nail polishes are comparable to many higher end polishes.

Next time you’re in your local drugstore, take a moment to check out the makeup section. You may find that there are some amazing treasures waiting there for you. Beauty doesn’t have to be expensive if you take the time to look for the alternatives.

by Tracey Rosenblath

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For a long time now La Mer has been making women more beautiful one jar of Creme de la Mer at a time. Now, they have taken all of this beauty-making know-how and applied it to the creation of a powder foundation that is every bit as fantastic as their creme.

With The Treatment Powder Foundation, La Mer continues to show women that a little can do a lot when it comes to your face. This formula is packed with good-for-you ingredients that help hydrate the skin, keeping it supple and youthful. Gemstones, including tourmaline and malachite, do all the work here, capturing light and erasing imperfections to reveal a flawless complexion.  But perhaps the best thing about this formula is the fact that it is perfect for layering. Today, for example, I work up feeling like I needed a bit more coverage than I normally do (could it be my late drive from PA yesterday? ). So I just applied one layer all over my face and added a second one to the areas that could use a little more loving: eyes, nose, forehead. The result? A gorgeous complexion (if I may say so myself!) that looks natural – not cakey! – and radiant.

And did I mention that it has SPF 15? Gets better and better…

A bit pricey? Yes, these babies retail for $95 but are truly worth it. They will last a while, so go ahead and splurge!

Now, if La Mer could only come up with a concealer they just might win my…. But wait a minute! They have! Stay tuned!

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Fab colors: Innocent, Truth, Integrity, Freedom, Vibe

These are not your generic lip glosses. Operating according to the same standards as other Revolution Organics products (formulated with 100% natural and 85% certified organic ingredients, free of chemicals, mineral oil, petroleum, artificial ingredients and parabens, and not tested on animals), these glosses contain plant proteins and extracts that deliver antioxidants and vitamins, organic jojoba oil to nourish and condition, organic shea butter to hydrate and moisturize, organic aloe vera and olive oil to soothe and soften, and natural pigments for color. The formula is also non-sticky and glides on so easily.

The colors are simply amazing and perfect for the summer months. Vibe, a warm peach shimmer, complements any one’s tan. Freedom, a strawberry red, as well as Truth, a sheer pink, fight for a place in my makeup bag. Innocent, a soft baby pink, and Integrity, a shimmering rose with golden undertones, complement the collection.

But you don’t have to take my word for it! Here’s your chance to all of my favorite Revolution Organics products: A Freedom Gloss of your choice, a Freedom Glow of your choice, and an All-Over Body Balm. Here’s how:

Visit Revolution Organics and leave me a comment with the name of your favorite Freedom Gloss and Freedom Glow color. On August 29th, 2009 I’ll randomly select 1 winner who will receive a super Revolution Organics package. Contest runs from July 29th to August 29th. Winner will be announced here and contacted by email.

Do you really really want one? Here’s how to get extra entries!

* 1 Entry – Subscribe by RSS feed or by email (must verify!) and let me know that you did in the comments (if you already subscribe, let me know that as well).
* 1 Extra Entry – Follow me on Twitter (button on the right sidebar) and let me know your Twitter name in a separate comment
* 1 Extra Entry for Tweeting about this giveaway. Please leave direct URL in comments or @productpasha.
* 2 Extra Entries – Write a post on your blog linking to my blog and leave direct URL in comments.

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Created by beauty Goddess and expert Shalini Vadhera, this super conditioning formula contains ample doses of Indian coconut, amla (a type of gooseberry), grapeseed, apple, nettle, and horse chestnut to strengthen lashes. From this new-found strength, lashes grow thicker and more voluminous.

Easy to wear (apply a coat nightly on clean lashes), this formula delivers results without the danger of other over-priced and chemical treated options. At only $28 per vial, Coconut Amla is the healthy way to fuller, longer lashes.

(I love wearing this under my mascara – think instant volume!)

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Neem Hair Oil – with neem oil and chamomile, this intensive oil treatment can save even the driest of hairs from a brittle and damaged existence. It really makes a big difference, and it does so seemingly over night. After one single treatment, my hair was silkier, shinier, and easier to handle. Even my scalp, which gets sensitive and itchy especially during the summer – due to so much heat – benefited from this: the chamomile extract helped relieve some of the itchiness and redness.
Neem Oil is extremely easy to use, requires very little prep, and -this is my favorite part- can be easily customized to your hair’s needs. For an every day treatment, just massage a small amount into hair and scalp before shampooing. For a bit more intensive treatment, massage a small amount into hair and scalp (or just hair) and tuck hair in a shower cap for 30 minutes. Going out to the beach? Apply some to your hair and take advantage of the natural heat! You’ll see results as soon as you wash your hair: silkier, shinier, stronger hair.

Neem Hair Lotion – think of Neem Hair Lotion as the Robin of Neem Oil. In other words, this is a treatment to be used in between Oil treatments. It has much of the same benefits of the Oil, with the added convenience of being a leave-in treatment, thus requiring no forethought (or rinsing!). And because of its natural antibacterial elements, this lotions helps balance the ‘conditions’ in your scalp, turning too oily or too dry into just perfect!
Neem Hair Lotion is also easy to use (probably a little easier): just massage a couple of drops into the scalp and brush your hair. It goes direct into the root of the problems (no pun intended), leaving your hair soft and with lots and lots of shine. Some of its key ingredients (Neem leaf extract, Nettle leaf extract, and arnica Montana flower extract) can even help relieve more serious scalp conditions such as dandruff and scalp psoriasis. It smells a little woody when you first apply it, but very quickly the smell disappears and all that’s left is healthy hair! I like to put 1 or 2 drops directly into my flat brush and brush my hair with it before going out.

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Ecostore USA Citrus Spray Cleaner – with definitely “no nasty chemicals,” this gentle yet powerful cleaner is the ideal alternative to conventional, toxic products. The citrus helps cut through all sorts of yuck stuff, though it may require a little more elbow grease. But you won’t regret the extra effort: your bathroom will smell terrific and you won’t have to worry about breathing harsh chemicals.
Sonoma Soap Company First Crush Natural Daily Shampoo and Conditioner - made with certified organic ingredients, 100% vegetarian, never tested on animals, and paraben, phthalate, artificial colors or fragrances free, these super gentle shampoo and conditioner are so delicious to use that you won’t mind the task of hair washing. With grape seed, red raspberry and green apple extract, the shampoo leaves your hair squeaky clean while the conditioner restore moisture and shine to even the driest hair (like mine!).

Simply Organic Body Wash – Slightly citrus and abundant in moisturizing ingredients such as shea butter and olive oil, this body wash is gentle enough to be used on babies but makes for a great grown up experience. I love everything about it: the pump bottle that makes it easy to use, the organic ingredients used, the olive leaf extract that makes my skin look younger and more rejuvenated…

Revolution Organics All Over Body Cream – you get the idea: one creme, endless possibilities! With more than 15 nourishing organic ingredients, this is ideal for aftershower use, given its ultra-rich and non-greasy formula. I absolutely love the way it smells and sometimes even find myself smoothing a little cream on the tips of my hair. The essential oils, plant extracts, vitamins and nutrients help your skin stay hydrated and moist, while also looking young and youthful.

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What could otherwise be understood as a simple precocious drive has instead turned out into philanthropy. When Ms. L’Heureux finally found the perfection she sought for 30 years – a perfection that came in the form of Argan Oil, – she decided to not only launch her line of organic skin care but to also donate 25% of her profits to the women who help create her products. Argan oil is only found in the Argan region in Morocco and by law, can only be harvested by the Berber women who live there – women whose livelihood is extracted from the argan tree.

Huh… a beauty regiment that not only makes you beautiful and more youthful (’cause it must be said: argan oil?! where have you been all of my life? with your vitamin E, essential fatty acids and antioxidants? with your natural rejuvenating and antibacterial attributes?) but also makes you feel good about helping others in need… Can you say GENIUS?

Though the entire line lists argan oil as one of the ingredients, Kahina Argan Oil is 100% pure Argan Oil and can be used in so many ways and for so many things that I’m baffled. Light and non-greasy, this oil is quickly absorbed by the skin and immediately gives you a radiant glow. After using it for a few days, I began to notice that my skin was more even-toned, the lines around my eyes much much less noticeable, and the redness around nose completely gone. I also used it on my heels and knees, to help lock in moisture and hydrate the skin, and within days, both heels and knees looked and felt moist and supple.

The line also includes a Facial Cleanser, a Serum, and a Facial Lotion – all free of parabens, synthetics, sulfates, petroleum, GMOs, animal byproducts, artificial colors or fragrances.

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These micronized colour pigments can be used in so many ways I may even be able to do away with my makeup case and just keep these: wet your liner brush a little and use them as eye liners; sweep across your lid for shimmering shadows; fluff over cheeks for perfect blushing; pat over clear gloss for amazing lip color. Lightweight and super refined, these powders can be manipulated to reach your desired effect. A few favorite all-around colors:

Burning: a bright coral with subtle violet shimmer that looks amazing on cheeks, lids, and lips.

Copperwire: Not sure it’s meant to be used as a bronzer – but it works great as one!

Platonic: a go-to everyday pale champagne color that gives you just the right shimmer.

Brasstacks: did anyone say smoky eyes?

Gecko: favorite color, hands down. Would roll in it if I could.

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