The Safe Gradual Tan

St. Tropez Everyday Gradual Tan for Body with Moisturizer, Medium Dark, 6.7-Fluid Ounces Tube (See all Self-Tanners & Bronzers)

Going to a tanning salon is not only bad for your health, it is also super obvious that you went tanning! You go from pale to tan in a day….  But now thanks to St. Tropez Everyday body moisturizer we can look tan gradually. This hydrating body moisturizer contains a self tanner that releases gradually to allow an all over tan.  Thanks to the patented aroma-guard fragrance technology there is no yucky self-tanner smell.

Buy/More Info (See all Self-Tanners & Bronzers)

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock, Spf 85 – 3 Oz. (See all Skin Protection)

Celeb Beauty Secrets under $15!

Insiders at My Beauty Match have uncovered celebrity’s summer beauty picks. From hair to skin these faves are all under $15! It is so important to protect skin from the sun and Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock, Spf 85 – 3 Oz. (See all Skin Protection)(Shiri Appleby swears by it) is just $11! Use this great sun block to avoid any real sun damage while you’re at the beach this summer!

Buy/More Info (See all Skin Protection)

This time of the year can seriously cause severe dryness to the skin and my weapons of choice are good quality body creams.

I know it might not sound all that glamorous, but if you have someone on your “winter birthdays” gift-giving list who has really severely dry skin in the winter, a good quality hand or body cream would be a really wonderful gift.

I should warn readers … in some cases these creams can only be found in America or the U.K. in most cases you will have the option to purchase them online, but I thought it was important to state that up front.

6 of my favourite body creams for the winter!

1) Bioelements Vitalization Body Cream: I had reviewed this product a few months ago and I have to say that considering that my legs are usually white and flaky at this time of the year, Bioelement is a wonderful find that has protected my skin. You can buy it at SpaLook or on Bioelement’s web site.

You can also read my original post here: Biolements body cream is amazingly moisturizing.

2) Ojon Rare Harvest Tawaka Ancient Tribal Rejuvenating Cream: This cream if very rich and moisturizing without ever feeling greasy. Ojon products are sold at any Sephora store in the U.S. and Canada. You can also find the treatment online via TheShoppingChannel.com and Sephora.com.

You can read my original post here: Ojon’s answer to dry skin: Ojon Rare Harvest Tawaka Rejuvenating Cream.

3) Shiseido Zen Perfumed Body Cream: I usually run like the wind the minute I see the word “perfumed” because it usually means strong synthetic smells I’m allergic to, but I have to say that Shiseido’s lovely and fresh scent was not offensive to my nostrils. This is a rich and opulent body cream that you should apply the minute you walk out of the shower for maximum protection. You’ll find Shiseido products at most department stores. This is a very popular international brand and you should have no difficulty finding it.

4) Kosmea Skin Clinic Rescue Body Cream: When they say “rescue” … they mean rescue! This cream contains organic rose hip oil that really helps nourish dry and flaky skin. If you have sensitive skin this cream should work wonders because it doesn’t contain any synthetic perfumes. For best results you should apply it right after the shower and you’ll see that you won’t need to use as much cream. You can find Kosmea precuts at most health food stores. You’ll also find them at Whole Foods Market. If all fails, you can buy the Skin Clinic Rescue Body Cream on the company’s Web site: Kosmea Australia.

5) J. R. Watkins Apothecary Lavender Shea Butter: At an affordable $7.99 USD, this product is a great salvation for dry skin. I know this is not a cream per say, but shea butter is extremely moisturizing to the skin. I’ve always liked shea butter and until recently, I was using the pure shea butter, but I found it was a bit greasy. This formula from J.R. Watkins combines other ingredients so the product is still very moisturizing, but it’s not as greasy. If you don’t love lavender as much as I do, you can always get the product in these scents: aloe & green tea, lemon, mango or vanilla! You’ll find J.R. Watkins at many natural health food stores and you can also buy it directly from the company on many online stores.

Here’s the link to the company’s web site: J. R. Watkins Apothecary Lavender Shea Butter.

6) Kiss my Face Almost Butter Ultra Cream (Rosemary Melon scent): This cream has a lovely scent and it’s incredible at hydrating dry and chapped skin. It’s very rich so you won’t need to use too much at a time, but it won’t leave you skin felling greasy because it absorbs very quickly. You’ll find Kiss my Face products at most natural health food stores, Whole Foods Market and you can also purchase products on their site: Kiss my Face.

Photo by s-a-m

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Feature by our Editorial Assistant Colleen

It’s pretty annoying when I realize I don’t have any travel-sized toiletries before I leave for a trip.

Luckily, hotels usually have something that you can use but sometimes you have to go out and buy skincare products you like and know work for you.

I’ve just been introduced to Per-fékt Beauty and all of their skincare products are 3 oz or less!!!

There are three main gels that are part of this line: 1) skin perfection gel, 2) body perfection gel and 3) new eye perfection gel.

A detail that I really appreciate from this line that makes it a good candidate to bring on trips is that all their products are water, sweat and transfer resistant.

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The skin perfection gel comes out clear after a few seconds of blending it into your skin. Another bonus is that it feels super soft and you’ll notice how it evens your skin out. I would advise you not to put on too much because as my friend and I noticed, it starts to feel a little tight like your skin can’t breathe. So just put on a thin layer and you’ll notice the results almost instantly. There are vitamins A and E included in this product which also helps give your skin that ultra smooth feeling. There are four other colours if you don’t want to use the translucent one. The other colours are luminous (a light pink), radiant (more of a peach tone), rich (a light tan) and decadent (a browner tone). This gel goes for $57.50 USD/$65 CAD.

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This is a nice product to keep around or for when you’re travelling. There is nothing worse than having to stare in the mirror at dark circles. The Eye Perfection Gel claims that it will give you that coverage and at the same time it acts as a moisturizer. This gel also contains vitamins A and E and with ceramides (this an ingredient found in skin care that helps keep your skin’s natural water in) and cucumber extract (this is what actually helps take away the look of puffy eyes). For this product you have your choice between these four shades: clear (this is a good one when you normally find it hard to match your skin with colours), bright (a light natural shade, a good option for fair skin), refreshed (a medium beige tone) and vibrant (a darker tan shade). This is cheaper than the Skin Perfection Gel at $45USD (the product was out of stock at the Sephora boutique we consulted, but my guess is that it will be in the $50-$55 CAD range).

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This is an interesting one. Again, this Body Perfection Gel goes onto your body quite smoothly and leaves your skin feeling soft. The combination of many key ingredients are responsible for this effect: ceramides (like the Eye Perfection Gel) and shea butter that provide a slight glimmer. It gives a subtle airbrushed look that takes a little while to settle in. This product is a great substitute for bronzers and it comes in these three colours: brilliant (beige), golden (tan) and exotic (choclately brown). This is also a little less pricey than the Skin Perfection Gel at $48 USD/$52 CAD.

You can purchase all of these gels on their website or in Canada I’ve seen them available at Sephora.com.

Now here’s a product you don’t see every day! There are some who say that your neck gives away your age, but what if you could take that clue away?

And how often are you envious of those model shoots of women with nice long and silky smooth looking necks? I know I wish I was able to keep the skin of my neck as smooth as possible and I know for a fact that I don’t have access to air-brushing like so many models in magazines do.

Unfortunately for me, my neck isn’t all that great in terms of concealing lines, and that’s why I think the V-Neck Smoothing Creme by Bioelements is worth taking a closer look.

The selling point of this product is that it targets lines and wrinkles on your neck that give your age away and basically removes them.

The V-Neck Smoothing Creme aims at preventing and repairing any signs of aging on your neck and transforms it back to its smooth and soft appearance while capturing the moisture back into your skin.

It is supposed to work with a variety of skin types as well: oily, very oily, dry, very dry, combination and sensitive.

It also helps to fade out any freckles that are threatening to peek out and decreases the deepness of creases in your neck. It is recommended to use this product daily.

You can also wear this during the warmer days that are coming to us because it also works well with sunscreen (lather this one before the sunscreen though).

I love what Modern Bride Magazine had to say about a woman’s neck and I couldn’t agree more:

“There’s nothing sexier than an elegantly exposed neckline.” – Modern Bride Magazine

There are a few places to find this product online: Spalook.com, demostore.com at $59 USD.

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Some mornings it’s just too hard to get going — hitting the same old city streets and the same old office job wearing the same old office garb and drinking the same old coffee. Some mornings, I need a bit of an adventure to get me going first. I know what you’re thinking, but Mr. Right Now isn’t always there … so when he’s not, I like to pretend that I’m a nubile rainforest goddess living under a jungle canopy and loving my perfect hair and skin … I know – I have an overactive imagination!

Testing Ojon Tawaka “The Ball”

It was great to have a chance to try out Ojon’s Tawaka “The Ball”!

The heady scent of coffee filled the shower with a wild wake-up call each morning I used this product.

The ball itself is a bit hard to hold and handle in the shower until you’ve used it a number of times and it shrinks down to a more manageable size.

It leaves the skin moisturized and smooth – all dead skin cells and dryness gone.

I should warn you that the whole thing looks a bit messy and muddy in the tub while you rinse off, but your skin feels better than any spa treatment!

Did I see any results? This full body polish did a great job, leaving my skin silky soft and hydrated. I didn’t even need to add more body lotion after each shower if I didn’t want to. That’s because it’s made of fatty acid-rich Ojon oil found only in the Tawaka villages of Central America

Would I buy it? YES, but I would consider it a splurge at this price.

Would I replace my exfoliating body treatment? I’d consider it … I’m thinking ahead here and wonder if the long terms effects are cumulative and would my skin get smoother and smoother and more glowing with prolonged use? That would be SO good.

So, how much is the Ojon Tawaka “The Ball”? This is a little luxury priced at $65 CAD/ $ 55 USD. You’ll find it on Sephora.com and Shopping Channel.

A last word on this … since it’s Mother Nature who is responsible for these Ojon Tawaka “The Ball”, the quantities are limited!

OVERALL REVIEW:

4-star16

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I just love a luxurious body lotion. Generic drugstore brands are okay and do their job, but sometimes a girl wants to feel more pampered … more like a princess or movie star. I was able to get that creamy, dreamy feeling using the Elizabeth Grant Vitamin C Body Lotion.

Testing Vitamin C Body Lotion:

Testing this lotion was a no-brainer. I applied it every morning after my shower while my skin was still slightly damp and able to absorb all the goodness. Adding vitamin C to this body lotion in the sunny yellow tube with its flip-top cap was pure genius. The consistency is the perfect amount of creaminess that absorbs quickly and keeps working for hours. The lotion has a very light citrus scent that doesn’t clash with perfume in any way.

Bottom line is I discovered that I also needed (or should I say wanted) vitamin C all over my body!

Did I see any results?

My skin felt soft and silky all day…even my hands stayed soft and they take such a beating at the office each day.

Would I buy it? Yes, I would.

Would I replace my current body lotion? Oh yes…

The Elizabeth Grant Vitamin C Body Lotion retails for $40 and you can find it here: TheShoppingChannel.com

OVERALL REVIEW:

4-star16

I have lately come across a new body cream that I never heard or tried before.

There are a few things I dislike about a body cream: super-greasy and creams filled with synthetic fragrances. I cannot be bothered with either of those types of creams.

I was a bit skeptical when I got the Bioelements Vitalization Rich Intensity Body Cream and dismissed it as just another cream … that’s until I actually tried it.

Bioelements Vitalization quickly passed the no-artificial/synthetic-fragrance test and it passed the non-greasy test. The question remained: would it actually moisture my dry skin?

The answer is YES!

Now, let me go back to the artificial/synthetic -fragrance test … Bioelements Vitalization has an amazing smell that is so soothing. I was using the cream on my body before going to bed and each night I would make a point of closing my eyes and smelling my hands because the fragrance was sooooooooooo lovely.

I know we’re only talking about a cream, but not all creams are created equally and this is surely proof of this statement!

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*Regulate moisture and banish dry skin

* Smooth away rough, brittle surface cells (my skin was radiant during the trial period)

* Restore radiance to the skin (yup, they’re right on that point)

*Surrounds your body with the enticing aroma of pure botanical oils (indeed … they were NOT lying)

And you know what? They are RIGHT on all points!

They also claim to that Bioelements Vitalization will help with the firmness of the body. I don’t have too many issues with loose skin so it was a bit hard for me to evaluate that … but everything else is right on the money.

Here are some of the ingredients you’ll find in the Bioelements Vitalization body cream:

1) Botanical oils: This cream is full of great oils like apricot kernel, olive, rice bran, grape, black currant, sunflower seed oil, bergamot, cardamom and clove. All of these will help at moisturizing your skin.

2) Shea Butter: This is amazing at protecting you from dehydration … I LOVE shea butter!

3) Red Tea: This super-rich antioxidant will protect against free radical damage.

4) Beta Carotene: this is a powerful antioxidant that converts into vitamin A and helps smooth skin

Here are some of the things you won’t find in your Bioelements Vitalization cream:

* No artificial colour

* No synthetic fragrance

* Not tested on animals

The cream retails for $49.50 and you can buy it at SpaLook or on Bioelement’s web site

Would I buy the Bioelements Vitalization cream? ABSOLUTELY!!! I would buy it again. I tried the cream for a good 60 days and I was truly pleased with the results!

OVERALL REVIEW: I LOVED IT a lot!

5-star4

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During your pregnancy you might have had to also deal with “pregnancy skin,” which means there wasn’t anything that you could buy or try that would soothe or rejuvenate your skin when you were expecting and in some cases months after you’ve given birth because of those temperamental hormones.

That’s why Dremu Oil has created a post-pregnancy-trio to help women deal with skin issues after giving birth.

The Pregnant Skin Care Package trio includes Daylight, Whistle and Cashmere:

Dremu Oil Daylight gives you a perfect combination of face-saving Dremu Oil and other anti-aging ingredients with protection against UVA and UVB rays thanks to their SPF 25.

If you have a newborn, chances are you’ll take full advantage of these summer months to go out on long strolls with baby … don’t forget to protect your skin before you leave your home!

Dremu Oil Whistle is a soap-free gentle cleaning liquid that actually helps maintain your skin’s natural moisture thanks to a combination of Japanese grapefruit, Dremu Oil and other hydrating ingredients.

Dremu Oil Cashmere does all the things you want a body moisturizer to do for your hands, feet, legs, arms, chest and back PLUS it helps re-build skin cells and collagen! In addition, Dremu Oil Cashmere could be the long-term answer to help vanish stretch marks and make scars disappear.

You’ll find further details here on The Pregnant Skin Care Package trio.

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Here are a few products you might want to seriously consider:

Isomer ONE 3000 for Body Cream with caffeine: This power cream contains key elements to jump-start your skin with ingredients like peptides, minerals, moisture binders, emollients, genestine, anti-oxidants, and caffeine. All these will help hydrate, soften, smoothe your skin while reducing roughness.

Isomers Pur Body: This would be one of your more luxurious purchases ($639 for the 240 ml/16 oz bottle), but if you are looking to regain some of your skin’s elasticity, you might want to take a look at this anti-aging nighttime treatment for your body. Isomers Pur Body is an anti-wrinkle, anti-aging and anti-stress cream formulated with powerful ingredients to bring your skin back to life: essential soy lecithin, soy phospholipids, soy sterols, soy isoflavones and soy germ.

Isomers Desert Youth: At $125 for the bottle of 16oz/240 ml, you might be wondering what’s so special about this cream. Well, Isomers Desert Youth is an anti-aging formula for the body that derives from ingredients that emerge from a natural source found in the desert that survives extreme conditions. Isomers Desert Youth will help protect your skin against harmful environment assaults and harsh chemicals.

Isomers Stretch Mark cream: Swimsuit season is upon us and stretch marks will soon become a real concern for a lot of women. The good news is that it’s NEVER too late to start treatments to help with your stretch marks. Isomers Stretch Mark has been designed to be used as a preventative treatment as well as post treatment to help reduce visible stretch marks and improve overall skin tone and recovery (you can use before, during and after pregnancy).

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It’s not only new moms who have to deal with stretch marks. Anyone who has experienced severe weight gain or weight loss will have to deal with these discoloured lines on your tummy and upper thighs.

Emu oil has been hailed the new power oil when it comes to natural anti-aging products, but it also is very effective at helping women deal with stretch marks.

Here’s what Vogue magazine had to say about emu oil

Vogue : “Beauty Phenomenon! Emu oil is a powerful moisturizer that penetrates deep into the skin. Studies done at Boston University have shown that emu oil may actually stimulate skin cell regeneration and help reduce wrinkles and sagging.” (Source: Dremu Oil web site)

Just in case this is the first time you hear about emu oil, I should explain that emu oil comes from the flightless bird of the Australian outback (just like chickens, Emus cannot fly). Dremu Oil has developed a special formula of emu oil that has been refined to offer better penetration.

I’ve tried emu oil on my body many times in the past and it has solved so many skin issues that even shea butter (one of my long time favourites) wasn’t able to cure.

Along with a long list of scientific studies, Dremu Oil has received a lot of praise from the media (from Chicago Tribune to Glascow Herald Scotland). It was even featured in Men’s Journal as an effective solution for men to protect their skin before heading outdoors.

There are countless testimonials from very satisfied clients and Dremu Oil was also featured on one of Queen Oprah’s beauty segments.

Finally, if you like to know which skincare and body care products celebrities are using, then you’ll want to know that Dremu Oil is adored by celebrities like Demi Moore (aka Mrs. Ashton Kutcher), Goldie Hawn (aka Kurt Russell’s long-term partner) and Angela Lansbury (best known for “Murder, She Wrote” and Mrs. Potts in the Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast”).

Another point I should make, Dremu Oil is all natural, so this is a perfect product to help you with your stretch marks.

You’ll find further details here: Dremu Oil.

If you are looking for a lighter alternative to a daily body moisturizer during summer months, you might want to consider a mousse.

Olay Quench is a mousse so it’s not as heavy as a cream and an excellent alternative for the summer. The best is to apply the Olay Quench Mousse is after your shower and it will disappear in a few seconds per body part.

The Olay Quench Mousse is not only very light, it’s also very moisturizing because it contains shea butter, vitamins E and B3 … which all help retain moisture to your skin all day long.

When you first go from body cream/lotion to a mousse, you might be tempted to really go for it and squirt a lot of product. You won’t have to do that with this mousse. In fact you should err on the side of caution and use a little bit at a time as you moisturize your body. You’ll quickly see that you won’t need as much product as you might think you do.

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These glittery sparkles are such an enigma that Olay weighed in on their Q & A. Here’s what they had to say:

“To instantly improve the look of your skin, we’ve added light-diffusing particles and natural oils to Olay Body Quench. These special ingredients reflect light, giving your skin a natural radiance. They’re harmless, non-irritating, and easily wash away with your next shower or bath.”

The Olay Quench Mousse is a fun and light moisturizing product that’s perfect for summer months where it can get very hot and humid and the last thing you want on your skin is a heavy oil-based cream.