The Product Pasha » Summer’s Ripening Breath

A little bronzing everyday helps keep skin cancer away

PPasha — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:08:00 +0000

We have all heard the recent news about the dangers of tanning (both indoors and outdoors). But panic not my dear ones – it does not mean you are committed to a life of paleness. With a little help from some fabulous bronzers out there, your sun glow is just a few moments away.

For a little bronzing try Stila’s Bronzing Tinted Moisturizer. Acting more like a illuminating moisturizer with just a hint of bronzing than a bronzer per se, this illuminating formula contains just enough pigments to give you the ‘just back from the beach’ glow without any of the harm. It also boast a healthy SPF 15 as well as 24 Karat Gold. Wear it alone for a radiant subtle look, or mix with your favorite foundation for more coverage with a hint of sun.For bronzing in just the right places, try Stila’s Mineral Bronzing Powder, also with 24 karat gold. 100% natural and free of nasty chemicals, this finishing powder helps you accentuate your skin and create a healthy summer glow. Just dust a little on face, making the sideways W on both sides for an impeccable bronze.And for the bronzing aficionado, try Tarte’s Sunburst. This is not for the faint of heart – packed with bronzing beads that burst on contact with the skin, Sunburst delivers a gorgeous deep summer glow. I know you’ll find it hard to believe it that such a clear formula can deliver so much color! And try applying a little to your legs – even mixing a bit with regular moisturizer – for flawless golden color.

Summer’s Ripening Breath: Get Bronzed with Lancôme’s Tropiques Minérales

PPasha — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:27:00 +0000

The description reads: “Precious earths, exclusively selected for their luxurious silky texture and gentle quality, are layered with mineral pigments in this lightweight powder to mimic the true color of tanned skin.”

Could it be true? Could this bronzer really look as natural on as it claims to look? Could this be THE bronzer for the summer? After all, I do have a drawer filled with unsuccessful and too-good-to-be-true bronzer that promises sunkissed skin but only turns you into a distant cousin of the Oompa Loompas. Girls, I think we have a winner!

Part of Lancôme‘s 2009 Summer Collection, Tropiques Minérales is a dream come true. Oil, fragrance, parabens, sulfates, and synthetic dyes free, non-acnegenic and non-drying, this smoothing powder glides on the skin – it’s that light! – without making you look made up or unnatural. That means no orange, no brown, no I-can’t-see-your-face-under-all-that-bronzer! It gives you just the right amount of color and the subtlest shimmer. And because it’s a loose powder, it’s easier to use as a highlighter on brow arches or under cheekbones. The top has a great closing lid that makes sure your powder is sealed in the container and not in your makeup bag.

Available in 3 different shades (my fave? Natural Ambre!)

Natural Ambre Natural Copper Natural Golden

Summer’s Ripening Breath: Get Bikini-Ready with PFB Vanish Roll-On

PPasha — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:54:00 +0000

There are many pleasant things that roll around as June gives away to July and the temperature passes the 80 degrees mark – but getting our bodies bikini-ready is not one of them. All the exercising, sweating, and dieting that must get done can take a toll on a gal. And if we add to the mix all the shaving and waxing… you get the picture!

We have all been there before: the sun is shining, the sky is cloudless, and we must shave/wax if we want to strut our stuff out there. And with shaving and waxing, come ingrown hairs, waxing and razor bumps and burns. Until recently, we were pretty much on our own but not anymore! PFB Vanish Roll-On is here to help!

PFB Vanish is a unique in every way. Formulated to help relief burns from waxing and razors, and to help release ingrown hairs, this Roll-On gently exfoliates and moisturizes skin cells to “lift ingrown hairs” above the skin line. How? Acting much like an acne product, the camphor, glycolic acid, lactic acid, and willow bark (a natural source of salicylic acid) help clear away all that might be clogging your follicles and reduce inflammation and redness.

Simply apply it to the affected areas in the morning and at night. In just a few applications, you’ll see a smother skin surface, free of bumps and redness. Bikini, here I come!

Phillip Kingsley’s Swimcap – Don’t Leave Home Without it This Summer!

PPasha — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:14:00 +0000

It’s summer time. The living might be easy but the heat does not make it easy for your hair. The heat, the humidity, the sun, the chlorine, the salt, water, wind, sand… oh! So many things and your poor poor hair must face it all without much help.

We have all been there. It’s the weekend, the sun is shining and off to the beach we go. Before arriving, we slather a good amount of conditioner in our hair, in the hopes that it will keep it from drying and looking dull once we return from the beach. But we all know that as soon as we go into the water, all of our care will be washed away and that nothing can really prevent the harshness of the salt water mixed with the strong rays of the sun from hitting our loved locks.

Not anymore! Philip Kingsley, the “hair doctor,” has developed the ideal product to protect your hair during the intense summer months. Swimcap, a super moisturizing and nourishing formula, was design with all the natural elements that discolor, dry, and turn your gorgeous locks into brittle strings during the heat of the summer.

Boasting a healthy dose of castor and olive oil, Swimcap is water resistant (which means you don’t have to reapply every time you go into the water) and contains UV filters that protect and nourish your hair at the same time.

Easy to use (before going into the sun, apply to dampened hair – then just wash it off and style as usual!), this is the must-have hair product for the summer. My hair is getting quite long now and yet I just squeeze a dollop into the palm of my hand and run it through my hair, combing it for equal distribution. It’s almost fragrantless (which means you’re not overwhelmed by perfume while chilling at the beach) and makes detangling your hair after swimming a breeze. And when you come home and wash it off, your hair is just as it was when you left: shiny, healthy, and gorgeous! Yes – Do not leave home without it!

Ole Henriksen’s Must-Haves for the Summer

PPasha — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:09:00 +0000

Every summer I face the same dilemma: I don’t want to expose my skin to the damaging rays of the sun but I also crave a little color. And now that “to tan or not to tan” is no longer a question (we are all smarter now, aren’t we?), the question becomes how to best protect my skin while enjoying the sun.

I am so in love with Ole Henriksen’s summer products that I have been making up excuses to bring them to friends and family any chance I get. Can you blame me? Both the Sun-Light Protection Creme and the All Purpose Aloe Vera Gel are so ideal for the hot summer days that I cannot imagine anyone living through the summer without these. Here’s why:

Sun Light Protection Creme with Green Tea – where to begin? at the 30 SPF sunscreen that protects against UVA and UVB? at the green tea extract that helps slow down the aging process? at the shea butter that keeps my skin moist but not greasy? at the grape seed oil that acts as super powerful antioxidant, keep my skin youthful? nah! all of this you get to know pretty quickly by simply reading the label. What I really love about this creme is how quickly it is absorbed by the skin and the fact that unlike other sunscreens, instead of making you shiny, this one has a mattefying effect!

Formulated for those with dry skin, I find that I can still use this creme (though my skin is more on the normal side than on the dry side) and not get breakouts. This creme also does not have that oh so typical sunscreen smell. The lavender instead creates a nice subtle scent that is not overpowering or long lasting. Even after staying out in the sun all day, I came home looking as gorgeous and as protected as I had left. Hurray Hurray!

(Good old Ole makes the same creme with Chamomile for oily skin, so don’t feel left out.)

All Purpose Aloe Vera Gel – we all have at least one person in our lives who does not believe in sunscreen. Against all odds, they insist that sunscreen do work and brave a 90 degrees day at the beach after a long and cold winter with nothing but their bathing suit on. And unfortunately we all know how this story ends: you come home with a complaining lobster who cannot bare to be touched and has to stand for the next couple of days.

I have several of these people in my life, which has just been made easier by this cooling gel. With lots and lots of aloe, glycerin, and chamomile extract, and a texture that feels cool and refreshing, this lightweight gel provides immediate relief for even the deepest sunburn. It is moisturizing, calming, soothing, and nourishing all in one and can be used on all areas of the body. The chamomile works wanders for any kind of skin irritations, making this a great product also for rash, cuts, and for calming the skin after waxing.

Like all Ole Henriksen products, these are parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, petro-chemicals, and phthalates free.

Summer’s Ripening Breath: Innitially Yours Reusable Bags

PPasha — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:29:00 +0000

If you live in an urban area – as I do – and have to travel to the beach, you know there’s really no easy away to accomplish this task. There are always essential things that must be brought to the beach. Sunscreen, oils, hair products, music, reading material, sport equipment, chairs, cool beverages, munchies… the list goes on and on.

Finding the right away to carry all of these products has been an obsession of mine. And I think I can finally let it rest. Initially Yours reusable bags are everything you need and want (and even something you didn’t even know you needed and wanted!) in a beach bag. I stumbled upon them by accident in a fair not long ago and cannot stop bragging about them.

But these are not really “beach” bags. These totes are the perfect solution to any of your bag needs. Gym bag, shopping bag, grocery bag, overnight bag, pet bag… Initially Yours can be all of these!
Made from 100% polypropylene, available in 3 different sizes and in many fun prints and colors, and personalized with your initials, these bags are durable, strong, easy to clean and store. I have been using the Big bag, which is 18″ high, 14″ wide, and 9″ deep (yes, it is BIG!), for the beach, and can fit everything that I need in there and have a little left over room for a few non-essentials! When I come home, I simply wipe it clean and it’s ready to be used again.

Beauty Chant: Stila 24K Gold Indian Summer Collection Review + Giveaway

PPasha — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:06:00 +0000

Though we have been told again and again by our parents that all that glistens is not gold, in the case of Stila’s 2009 Summer collection, it is! As part of their fabulous comeback Stila has launched their 24 Karat Gold Indian Summer Collection, a collection of 4 limited edition absolutely must-have summer makeup. Infused with 24 karat gold, each item in this collection was inspired -and in turn, inspires! – in the sultry, golden, and exotic beauty of India. Think luxurious bronzes, deep reds, glimmering corals, intense teals, and smoky darks.
And I bet you thought you could never, like Cleopatra, clad yourself in gold!
Here are some favorites:
24 Karat Lip Gloss - This is much more than a lip gloss. First of all, and perhaps most importantly, it’s a truly non-sticky formula. The formula is rich in moisturizing ingredients to keep your lips naturally supple. Stila infused it with genuine 24 karat gold leaf to make this gloss shine and shine and shine. The tube comes adorned with a real Indian bindi. And it comes in 5 shades (Precious Coral will quickly become your fav!). That will do, Stila. That will do.

Charmed Palette – Imagine all the summer colors you have always wanted but didn’t really know you wanted/needed them? Stila has once again understood what even we don’t understand and presented us with a palette that realizes all of our shadow fantasies. Both delicate and dramatic, the colors here have a subtle metallic undertone that mixes with the natural jewel tones to create the perfect summer look and can be worn wet or dry. The 24 karat gold lends itself to a mid-tone copper, warm gold, intense teal, and deep burgundy, i.e. endless possibilities! Also adorned with a real Indian bindi.

Golden Noir Smudge Pot – Nothing is more sultry than smoky eyes – I think it’s save to say we all agree on that. Well, now imagine what you know about sultry – black liner – and add a little golden shimmer to it. Yeap! Sultry has been raised a notch! The 24 karat gold makes this multi-tasking good-for-everything formula gild through the matte black. Add a little to upper lid for a daytime friendly liner, then add a little to lower lid for a to-dye-for smoky look.
Marigold Convertible Color Duo: We all love the convertibles (and no, I’m not talking about a Porsche here!). They are easy to use, carry, and the color combo is always dead on. This is not an exception. Also infused with genuine 24karat gold, the colors here are the epitome of summer. The creme side will get your cheeks the most natural bronzed look while the shimmer will get your lips and lids highlighted and gorgeous.

Are you ready to try Indian Summer? Here’s your chance:
Visit Stila and leave me a comment with the name of your go-to all-time favorite Stilla product (I know! There are so many!). On July 17th, 2009 I’ll randomly select 1 winner who will receive a 24 karat lip gloss. Contest runs from June 22nd to July 17th. Winner will be announced on or around July 18th 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.

Summer’s Ripening Breath: Korres Suncare

PPasha — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 14:40:00 +0000

Everyone who knows me knows that I cannot get enough Korres. Started in Athens, Greece, as a homeopathic pharmacy, this company has now taken the world by storm with their emphasis on eco-friendly and natural products . Their suncare line is a case in point. Parabens, sulfates, synthetic dyes, petro-chemicals, phthalates, GMO, and triclosam free, these products will keep you protected and glowing during the hot days ahead.

Watermelon Sunscreen Face Cream SPF 30 and SPF 20 – With super SPF protection, this face cream is great for those beach filled days or for simply trotting around the city. Water resistant and enriched with natural plant extracts, keeps your face protected against UVA, UVB, and IR. The watermelon extract helps repair the immune system of the skin while the shea butter keeps it hydrated. Ideal for sensitive and fair complexions, this cream is so rich in hydrating and antioxidants ingredients that you can easily use it instead of your regular moisturizer during the summer months (I am!).

Sweet Orange Sunscreen Face and Body Milk SPF 25 and SPF 15 – Just the right product for those who want broad-spectrum sun protection (UVA-UVB-IR) AND a little color during the summer months. Formulated for both face and body (and we know what that means: no ugly breakout due to oily sunscreen!), this formula is beaming with Active Aloe – to help support the immune system of the skin and reduce the ever so visible signs of ageing – and Orange extract – to help accelerate tanning and reinforce natural cell protection. Protection and a tan! What a wonderful world!

Watermelon Sunscreen Stick SPF 30 – Imagine all the ingredients of the Watermelon Sunscreen Face Cream with the added benefit of a stick. Super easy to carry, this is great for those areas that require constant application of sunscreen (lips, nose, around the eyes). But there’s more! The formula adds a natural, iridescent touch to the skin that functions a little bit like a highlighter. Not at all greasy, this stick is also great for children, who don’t seem to mind the application as much as they do regular creams.

Walnut & Coconut Suntan Oil SPF 10 and SPF 4 – For the conscientious tanner, this vegetable-based suntan oil offer a deep and uniform tan that last and last and last (I’m still enjoying mine a couple of weeks after vacation). With walnut and sesame seed oils (these protect you while tanning) and carrot oil (to enhance the tanning process and prevent premature ageing of the skin), this oil helps keep your skin soft and hydrated. The smell is absolutely delicious, and the best part is that all the natural ingredients (corn, jojoba, chamomile, and coconut) prevents peeling, so you keep your tan even longer.

To get the maximum protection apply to the face and neck at least 30 minutes before going out.

The Product Pasha » Summer’s Ripening Breath

A little bronzing everyday helps keep skin cancer away

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Summer’s Ripening Breath: Get Bronzed with Lancôme’s Tropiques Minérales

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Summer’s Ripening Breath: Get Bikini-Ready with PFB Vanish Roll-On

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Phillip Kingsley’s Swimcap – Don’t Leave Home Without it This Summer!

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Ole Henriksen’s Must-Haves for the Summer

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Summer’s Ripening Breath: Innitially Yours Reusable Bags

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Beauty Chant: Stila 24K Gold Indian Summer Collection Review + Giveaway

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Summer’s Ripening Breath: Korres Suncare

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