Mom's Day Gift Ideas: Moroccan Rose Body Butter by The Body Shop

As you might know, I LOVE body butters. Of all kinds. Since The Body Shop's body butters hold a special place in my heart, I was excited to see their Moroccan Rose Body Butter on sale for Mother's Day. For $15 (instead of $20) you can get your beloved mother a tub of yummy, luxurious body butter that smells like delicate roses. It has Community Trade shea butter to make her skin soft, smooth and supple, and Community Trade babassu oil to help repair skin's moisture barrier while restoring suppleness. Sounds like a gift you can feel good about giving this Mother's Day... and maybe grab one for yourself.

Butter Lovely!

Body Butter at The Body Shop: Stock up now!

The Body Shop is having their Buy One Get One Half off sale again on their great body butters and scrubs. I still have yet to find any other body butter I like more. The consistency really is like butter. It feels like it is melting on my skin. I am obsessed with the Grapefruit, but every so often I get the Coconut just to mix it up. So right now I can get both for $30! Not too shabby.

Butter Lovely!

Happy Earth Day!

Celebrate this special day with my favorite earth-friendly brands:

Everyday is earth day at The Body Shop. Check out all the things they do year round to better our world and provide great natural products, like their Hemp Hand Protector.

Celebrate with Ojon! Purchase any of there fabulous products for your hair and 10% of all their online sales at http://www.ojon.com/ through May with go to MOPAWI, a non-profit dedicated to promoting sustainable development in the native populations of Honduras' rainforests. Now that is a cause I can feel good about. Their signature product, Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment, is a must try!

Tarte Cosmetics is also offering a Earth day special, enter the code EARTH08 at check out, and recieve 20% off your order though May 2. Tarte's products are loaded with natural ingerients and free of mineral oil, sulfates, phthalates and synthetic fragrances. Their natural cheeck stain in Full Blossom is chalked full of super fruits to give you a double dose of color and anixoidants. Cool, huh?!

Earth Lovely!

Vacation Must-Haves

I'm about to go on a lovely little getaway before I start my new job and I am sooo excited. It's been ages since I had a real vacation and even longer since I spent it on the beach! I leave extremely early Friday morning and so I need to start packing today. Of course, I am thinking about the beauty items that are a must have for a relaxing fun vacay in Cabo! Here are a few I know I'll be toting (and causing me to check my bag...grrr!):

Purpose Facial Moisturizer, Redness Reducing SPF 30: I love this face lotion because it is super gentle, won't clog my pores and has SPF 30! I don't really need to reduce redness but I trust Purpose to give me a gimmic-free face lotion that will protect me from the sun!

Coppertone Sunblock Lotion Oil Free SPF 15: This sunblock is an old stand by for me. It won't clog pores, it's waterproof, and its not greasy or thick like some other sunscreens out there. I put it on before heading out to the beach and then re-apply a few hours in and all I get is a nice golden tan, no burn! Wahoo! Can't wait to get rid of this pastey-whiteness.

The Body Shop's Body Butter in Coconut: I swear by this stuff as an after sun bathing soother. It smells tropical and delish and moisturizes the heck out of your skin after the sun has dried it out.

Stila Sun Bronzing Powder SPF 15: Since I'll be protecting my face from almost all sun, I want to bring along a lovely bronzing powder to mimic the effect of the mexican rays. This one is gorgeous and has added sun protection!

Now I just need to find the perfect sun dress and I'll be on my way to Cabo.... Yay!

Getaway lovely!

Help! Winter Is Attacking My Face!

Seriously, I need some honest to god suggestions for excellent face creams and dry skin remedies. Some combination of trying a new cleanser (Murad's Clarifying Cleanser - think it was too drying for my right now), the crisp 50 degree weather, my heater, and my acne medication (Retin-A Micro, Rx only) has turning my face into a red, dry, scaley mess! I can't even wear foundation or powder, cuz they stick to the dry areas more than the not dry areas and I look like a clown!

I have been slathering on The Body Shop's Vitamin E Nourishing Night Cream multiple times a day, since it's the thickest face cream I have on hand. But it doesn't seem to be cutting the dryness, only creating a layer of moisture over it. I am only washing with Cetaphil, the super gentle one, but its doesn't seem to do much either.

I think I need to exfoliate all this dry skin off, but I'm scared to get a worse reaction. My face is already kind of red and irritated, I can't imagine having to walk around with it any worse.

Help me! If you have any suggestions on products that have helped you in the past, please let me know. I made an appointment to see my dermatologist, but the earliest I can see her is Thursday... I can't wait that long.

Advise lovely!

Holiday Beauty Gift Guide: Home Fragrance

With the weather getting colder and fewer windows being left open, my apartment tends to get a little stuffy. To scent my place without losing heat, I love to light candles, spray room-fresheners, and find other yummy smelly things to enjoy around the house. What a better holiday gift to give than Home Fragrances? Here are some great ones to think about this season:


For the fashion-conscious homemaker: Marc Jacobs 'Home' Room Fragrance Spray ($65) is a very stylish, modern way to keep a room smelling fresh and delicious. The scent is dispersed through the room by an elegant fabric atomizer. Gorgeous!






For the baked goods maker: Laura Mercier's Almond Coconut Milk Candle ($42) sounds like it's made of all the yummy things in your holiday goodies but it's calorie-free to burn. Along with almond and coconut, there is powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a hint of cinnamon. Can you say YUM?





For the trendy nester: Fresh's Sugar Lychee Scented Candle ($48) is a deliciously hip mix of citrus scents and lychee fruit. A favorite scent among those in the know, who wouldn't want this burning on their mod coffee table this holiday?






For the brand name lover: Henri Bendel's Fragrance Reeds in Lemon Verbena ($28) is a stylish and yet vintage way to scent the home. The name shows quality, but the price won't break your bank. At best of all, it's available at Bath and Body Works, just a mall away.





For the tree hugger: If you can't have the windows open to the fresh outdoors, replicate the sensation with Blue Spruce and Juniper Berry scented home fragrance oils ($7.50 each) from The Body Shop. Don't forget to include a rustic and stylish oil burner like The Droplet ($16).



Shop Lovely! More Gift Guides to come!

Scrubalicious

As the weather gets cooler and the sun sets even before I get home from work, I become super lazy. Instead of hopping over to the gym, I just want to take a long hot bath to soak out the chill in my bones. I know, I am such a weather wimp! I wouldn't last a week somewhere really cold! To prepare for bath times ahead, I thought I'd share a few body scrubs I love to indulge in. After about 10 minutes in a hot, steamy shower or bath, slather on one of these scrubs and your skin will feel baby soft:

The Body Shop's Spa Wisdom Africa Spa Salt Scrub ($26) is a great moisturizing scrub. Best part is you are supporting an association of Ghanaian woman who harvest and sell the Shea butter The Body Shop uses in their products. Its subtle scent and moisture are perfect for the winter months and you can feel good pampering yourself, knowing you are also doing something good for the women of Africa.

Being one myself (a daughter of a Carol), I love Carol's Daughter Groove Sea Salt Scrub ($25) because it uses actual sea salt to scrub and smooth your skin. The scent is a warm and sensual blend of peach, pineapple, musk, sandalwood, and vanilla. Delicious!

For a cheaper fix for dull winter skin, head to Target and pick up Boots Mediterranean Body Scrub in Almond, Olive and Pistachio ($9.99). This very reasonably priced scrub makes you feel like you're at a luxury spa in Greece. Creamy in texture with olive stone granules to exfoliate your dead skin cells, it is certainly a sweet deal.

Scrub Lovely!

Acne "Cure" Update and Body Butter Sale

Just a quick update on my purchase and experience with Philosophy's Acne Kit: I still love it! For the first time in week I don't have any new pimples, and my blackheads look like they are slowly rising to the surface (gross, huh?!), soon to be gone forever. I am using all the products in the kit, but I am staying on top of how dry the serum and H2O2 cream can make me, so as not to over do it! My favorite product by far is the Protection Cream. It makes my skin soft and smooth, perfect for makeup application, but you have to be sure and give it a full 2 minutes to set into your skin or you'll rub it off. When I do have a bit of dry skin from the Blemish Serum, I use a dab of The Body Shop's Aloe Soothing Day Cream on top, because it's gentle and won't clog my pores.

Speaking of The Body Shop, they just started one of their best promos ever: 2 for $30 Body Butters and Body Scrubs! Time to stalk up and save $10! The sale starts today online, and Friday in stores.

Shop Lovely!

Product Review: The Body Shop's All in One Face Base

Well, I promised a review when I bought this powder in my $26 shopping spree at The Body Shop, so here it is: Not impressed. The All in One Face Base doesn't do any of the things I want my foundation or powder to do. I may have bought it in a too light shade but to me that's better than too dark (My biggest fear: looking like a pumpkin face!). As a powder this products gives little to no coverage and feels sort of chalky on. It doesn't last either, I was shiny by 11am! I guess its called all in one because you can apply it with water, for a more coverage, so I tried that. Still not impressed. It provided a bit more coverage, but I still had to breakout my concealer and dot everywhere to get somewhat of an even tone. Besides the texture was not improved by applying it with a damp sponge. Verdict: I'll use this powder in a pinch, with all my others have run out, but I won't purchase again. Body Shop, how I love thee, I haven't given up on you yet! The search for the perfect powder foundation continues...

The Body Shop Does it Again

I know I can be a broken record sometimes, but I just can't stop telling the world how much I love The Body Shop and its rewards program! Yesterday I went to the store that is 3 blocks from my office (at California and Drumm for those of you in SF). It has been closed for a few weeks being remodeled and so now they are doing a promotion. I was up for my $25 dollar gift as well, so I got all this great stuff and I only ended up spending $26! It was amazing!!!

I got: Pink Grapefruit Body Butter, my favorite fruity scent to remind me of the warm weather that is no more in this gloomy grey city; All In One Face Base in Shade 03, to further my quest for the perfect powder foundation; Glow Enhancer in Shade 01 Tinted, a shimmery light liquid highlighter for around the eyes or anywhere you want to glow; and a replacement bottle of Aztique Eau de Toilette, which I love to mix with Zestini for a fun fruity zesty scent!

Plus, I got a free gift for spending $20 as part of there new store promotion: a cute suede black and silver makeup bag with a sample sized Super Volume Mascara, a full sized Vitamin E Nurishing Night Cream, a sample sized High-Shine Lip Treatment in Red Gleam, and a full sized White Musk Eau de Toilette. What a freakin' good deal! I am stocked for awhile now... until the next time I feel like a little browsing on my lunch break! Now are you convinced that the Love Your Body rewards club is worth it?! To think of it, they are giving out the rewards cards for free at that location (a $10 value), so if you are in SF, you should run over there before the promotion ends!

Shop Lovely!

love your body shop

I could post a new post everyday about The Body Shop, that is how much I love them, evident in the fact that I am up for my second "gift" for the second time this year. The Love Your Body Rewards Club was the best thing that ever happened to me. I didn't even pay for it initially since it was my birthday month. I am addicted to their body butter, as I have mentioned before. I can't shave my legs if I don't have any to smooth on afterwards. Their shower gels are awesome, my roommates always comment on how good my showers smell! I have just started to discover their makeup line, which was recently revamped. Their skin care lines are extensive, with something for every skin type, and they are having a sale right now. That is my favorite thing about The Body Shop, all their great sales and promos. The semi-annual sales are AMAZING, held around July and right after Christmas every year. I get body butters and showers gels for a fraction of the price (i.e. $4 instead of $20). Its rediculous!

Anyways. I'll stop gushing and just give you the stats on the Love Your Body card because I think it is the best deal around, and even if you have to pay the $10 fee, it pays for its self a dozen times over!

• 10% off all qualifying purchases from


• A birthday gift when you come in during your birthday month (retail value up to $10)


• Earn 1 point for spending $20 or more, 2 points for $50 or more


• Earn your fourth point, and choose a free product valued at up to $15


• Earn your eighth point, and choose a free product valued at up to $25 and a free membership renewal


• Exclusive email updates on what's happening in our shops


• Special offers by e-mail and direct mail


• Special Savings during "Customer Appreciation days"

Love your Body Lovely!

A Tribute

Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop, passed away today at 64. Very sad. She revolutionized the beauty industry as we know it. Her passion for cruelty-free beauty products and natural ingredients will be not be forgotten. Here is a great article about her life and work.

Oh how I love my Coconut Body Butter! Especially after shaving my legs or being out in the sun, its more soothing than aloe vera and it smells and feels so much better on your skin.