Luscious Lips

This week, I am returning to lip colors. The approaching summer heat gives us the chance to lighten face makeup and experiment with lips. Have fun and let me know what you think!

100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Lip Palette Juicy Antioxidants
Many women want fruit colored lips – berry stained, apricot tinted, even peach painted. 100% Pure utilizes these and other fruit pigments in the Juicy Antioxidants Lip Palette. The five colors provide superb coverage and easily mix together. Make sure to apply with a lip brush, as the colors smear onto face if applied with fingers.
Application tip: to create a smoother appearance, place a lip balm on lips prior to color.
100percentpure.com, $28

Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer
Easily glide Burt’s Bees Lip Shimmer to define and brighten lips. Enjoy the combination of a balm with soothing qualities and a tint. The eleven colors range from champagne to merlot and last for hours. Test shimmers on hand first; caps and names are deceiving.
Bonus: drugstore find!
Burtsbees.com, $5

Have a beautiful week!

xo

Perfume

Coco Chanel once said, “A woman who does not wear perfume has no future.” Possibly one of the most overused quotes; however, Ms. Chanel had a point. Women should smell clean and feminine. As an avid perfume lover, I have searched for the best natural scents. Enjoy and apply often.

Pacifica
With four perfume categories – florals, fruits, herbs and spices, and woods and resins – Pacifica is sure to please any nose. Find the fresh fragrances in a solid state, which are excellent for travel. Pacifica uses organic coconut and soy wax with natural and essential oils. The light and soothing fragrances never overwhelm and always please. Freely layer fragrance on skin or clothing. For an added punch of perfume, use in hair as a wax.
Best scent: Hawaiian Ruby Guava
Pacificaperfume.com, $9

Lavanila
For a more sophisticated fragrance line, look to Lavanila. The Lavanila founders packed six perfumes with essential oils, active botanicals, and antioxidants. An enchanting aroma with nourishing qualities? Sold. The intoxicating vanilla-based scents are sweet and alluring – exquisite for day or night. Crisp and unique, the scents remain light and never smell synthetic.
Best scent: Vanilla Grapefruit
Sephora.com, $56

Hair Conditioner

Good morning! With summer fast approaching, every cheeky peach needs help taming flyaways, hydrating curls, and smoothing frizz. Therefore, I return to hair products – more specifically, hair conditioners. Enjoy the recommendations below and don’t be afraid to ask for samples!

Hair Conditioners

John Masters Organics Citrus & Neroli Detangler
John Masters Organics has certainly mastered the art of silky hair with the Citrus & Neroli Detangler. It doubles as a leave in and a conditioner. The refreshing scent creates a luxurious atmosphere, while the protein packed product strengthens hair. Furthermore, the Citrus & Neroli Detangler does not weigh down hair, but produces a lightweight and natural effect.
Johnmasters.com, $16

Jane Carter Solution Nourish & Shine
Protect hair from styling tools with Nourish & Shine by Jane Carter Solution. The thick – almost waxy – product smoothes hair, creating a moisturized and never greasy, healthy shine. Nourish & Shine might seem expensive, but the 4-ounce container will last over a year. Scoop a small amount, melt between hands, and finger comb through hair. Style as usual.
Application tip: apply to damp hair, as freshly washed hair does not fully absorb the leave-in conditioner.
Janecartersolution.com, $22

Kitchen Beauty

This week, Kitchen Beauty continues. I love the cheap thrill of using ordinary items in place of beauty products. Enjoy the following recommendations and tell me about your kitchen beauty products!

Kitchen Beauty

Baking Soda
Give toothpaste a boost with baking soda. The added abrasives quickly remove stains and whiten teeth in one brushing period. Simply sprinkle baking soda on top of paste and begin brushing. If the taste of baking soda is not offensive, try brushing with it alone. Practice this method sparingly – twice a month. The soda may cause gum sensitivity.
Armandhammer.com, $1.99

Honey
Out of lip gloss? For a sweet shine, look to the pantry. Honey produces an incredible glow and tastes phenomenal. Any variety will work; however, clover is best. Application is smooth and not too sticky. Place some honey in a small container for travel and enjoy the delicious glaze anywhere.
Localharvest.org, $4

Kitchen Beauty

This week, I decided to write about products found in the kitchen. In many cases, the following items act as excellent substitutes and often surpass anything from a drugstore. Another advantage, you probably own most of these items – no extra purchase necessary! Enjoy, and go raid your cabinets!

Kitchen Beauty

Virgin Coconut Oil
Personally known as the multifaceted moisturizer, Virgin Coconut Oil is a hair conditioner, face lotion, and body moisturizer. The pure coconut scent intoxicates while the natural oil seeps into skin and hair. If using as a conditioner, know that coconut oil tends to weigh down hair – a small amount should suffice. Rinse completely and follow with a light shampoo if necessary. As a body moisturizer, coconut oil is best for legs. Quickly penetrating skin and giving legs a sexy glow, the oil is a choice accessory for short skirts.
Spectrumorganics.com, $10.99

Olive Oil
Good fats do wonders for skin – soothing, healing and protecting. Aside from cooking with olive oil, add olive oil to your beauty routine. Nourish skin nightly: Use a cotton ball to apply a thin layer to face and neck, avoiding eyelids. Dry lips? Spread oil over mouth and admire the radiant luster.
Spectrumorganics.com, $9.99

More kitchen beauty to come, stay tuned!