Recently in Body Category

Earlier this month I got back from two weeks in Munich and Tel Aviv where my days were spent surrounded by a little too much chocolate and waaay too many pastries (in Munich delicious pastries and chocolate-covered marble cake scream out at you on every block!), so when I got back I thought it's crunch time and decided to take back-to-back spin classes. To say I couldn't bear the thought of moving afterward would be an understatement! The longest REV class up until then I had taken was 1.5 hours and that was while I was exercising regularly (I did not workout once during my trip which came less than a week after being in Nicaragua for 10 days where similarly I did little besides sit on my bum). Needless to say I needed some pampering post-workout. I rarely take baths, but decided to break with my norm and try out bath salts from Ahava. They're HUGE in Israel. It's the only cosmetics company indigenous to the Dead Sea region which is shrouded in skin-healing natural resources (people from all over the world come to bath in the water to help treat everything from eczema and rheumatoid arthritis, to cardiac disease and respiratory illnesses). Jump for more!

Last chance to grab beauty goodies in time for Valentine's Day!  I'm ordering a few selections for my son's teachers (he said he wants them to smell good!) and my girl friends (strange that I have 6 friends born this month!).  Here are my faves--

·Sephora Brand Pink Grapefruit Bath and Body Collection ($12-$16) - Seriously, Sephora's private label will give any brand a run for their beauty.  Plus it's so well priced!  This smells refreshing and is oh so hydrating!

·Fresh Sugar Lover Set ($69 Value) Sugar Lover Set ($45, $69 Value!) - Cure your sweet tooth with this trio for the skin, lips and nose. This is a limited edition and it's at a discounted price, you'd be a sour puss to say no.  I never travel without the Sugar lipbalm and I can not live without my Brown sugar scrub!

·NARS Temptation Gift Set ($42 Value) Temptation Gift Set ($32, $42 Value!) - Gift yourself this V-Day with this pairing of polish and blush in the brand's most beloved shade, Orgasm. Hello, need I say more?

·Sephora Brand I Love Sephora Brush Set - Pink ($120 Value) I Love Sephora Brush Set - Pink ($28, $120 Value!) - A delightful pink and portable set of five brushes that will give your face, eyes, and lips a loving glow.

Booty Parlor is the latest craze in Hollywood among celebrities like Jessica Alba, Brooke Shields, Jessica Biel and Jennifer Love Hewitt (who throws Booty Parlor Sexy Shopping Parties at home!!). To celebrate the sexiest day of the year, we are giving away a custom Beauty Bombshell Love Kit (I put this kit together myself so it is a bit more prudish than what is representative of their selections). This kit ensures all the fun and pampering you deserve! Booty Parlor is the ultimate romance brand with great beauty products, La Perla quality lingerie and their packaging is totally posh - their kits come topped off with a pink feather boa, how divine!

Our Valentine's Giveaway has a total value of $200 and comes with:

Foxy Bombshell Panty - A super flattering hipster bikini with a seductive peek-a-boo cutout; Don't Stop Solid Perfume with Pheromones - the pheromones will turn you into a man magnet; Get Flushed Sexy Lip and Cheek Tint - universally flattering shade of red that gives an ultra-seductive and kissable pout and glowing cheeks, Skin Honey - a three-in-one kissable body topping, massage gel and lubricant that is as delicious as it is sexy; Bath Kitten - the ultimate bathtime escape kit with Naughty Bubbles Bath Milk and a Purring Massage Mitt; Don't Stop Massage Candle - a seductive soy-based candle that can be used as a massage oil that nourishes the skin; Kissaholic Kissing Kit - the kissing kit that will inspire desire with an aphrodisiac-infused plumping lip gloss and a cinnamint aphrodisiac-infused breath mist.

To win, share your sexy and naughty Valentine's Day ideas with us! Put them in comments. We will select one winner via a random drawing. Please give us a working email address so we can contact you if you win. US residents only please.

Thank you Booty Parlor (and Leigh!!) for this fabulously sexy and fun giveaway!

With the cold weather finally drifting on in, my body is starting to ache and get very dry. I love just sinking into a hot bath and relieve all my stresses. I've probably been taking a bath 2 times a week so far and it seems like I keep reaching for my Fresh Rice Sake Bath. This is a great way to pamper after a long hard day. And the smell is so intoxicating! Your bathroom smells so great afterward and really gets me in a happy mood. One tiny capful and my bath is full of bubbles. This relaxing bubble bath doesn't just help you relax, but it is also detoxifying your body, and your skin will feel silky smooth.

Real Sake (50%) and plant ingredients including pine, ginger, daikon radish, pomegranate, melissa and valerian - all help remove impurities from the body. Sake is known to lighten age spots, soothe irritations and regenerate the skin. Extract of young pine is noted for its anti-bacterial qualities; it aids in skin renewal. Ginger extract is deodorizing and purifying the skin is left so smooth by sake infused water.

They recommend to use this with the hottest water your can handle to get the full benefits. This is a bath best for a tired body, it will really get you in a sound state of mind, with the scent of sake and the heat of the bath. I usually just fall right sound asleep after this. And the price may seem steep, but that tiny capful is probably about 1 maybe 2 tablespoons, and will last you forever! You can get it at Sephora for $80. What do you do to relax?

Did you know what you put on your skin is just as important as what you put in your mouth? The skin is the largest organ on our body, yet we treat it as if it's disposable-- layering chemical after chemical on it. I am becoming more aware of what I slather on both myself and my 5 year old son these days and try to go organic for him whenever possible.  He travels with me and his toiletry case has become ridiculous what with all the organic baby products I still use on him.  Recently, I finally found an amazing product that will not 1. irritate his sensitive skin or 2. leave me smelling like I'm still in pre-school. 

Tela Dri Calming Crème is a USDA certified 100% organic formula that applies like a crème yet dries like a powder to soothe irritated skin.  I've been using it on myself and my tot and it really does dry fast which means I don't have to worry about grease stains on my clothes or bags!  It contains Reishi mushroom which repairs and strengthens delicate skin while marshmallow root adds protection from environmental pollutants (sounds yummy right?).  You can use this on your baby's bottom-- there is corn starch that will absorb excess moisture to help prevent chaffing and irritation.  The scent is calming and subtle-- a mix of almond and olive oil, shea butter and lavender to hydrate skin and relax the senses.  We will be packing this on our whirlwind European trip next month!  $20.00 At Barneys.com

I have no desire to glitter as brightly as a Christmas tree but a little sparkle never hurt anyone (right!?). The All Nighter All Over Shimmer PowderTM is an all-natural highlighter for hair, face, and body that gives you a gorgeous subtle glow (and I promise no one will mistake you for a pole dancer). This unique, multi-purpose loose powder is formulated with silk, rice, and minerals - gently scented with just a touch of cinnamon though I don't know why anyone would want to smell like pumpkin pie.  I tested this out and the color is fairly neutral, kind of champagne-ish.  Try brushing it through hair to add a bit of sparkle if you have a big night out (please make sure hair is clean, mine was not and it just made it look greasier).  All in all, a really fantastic shimmer for the entire body and the compact is really tiny so you can travel with it, too.  The All Nighter All Over Shimmer Powder here $18

I am chilled to the bone lately.  No matter how many layers of clothes I wear or how many hot baths I take, I am damn cold!  I've even taken my lotions into the shower with me so I can moisturize amidst the leftover steam (it helps your skin retain moisture to put lotion on while it's a bit damp).  Have you noticed most body lotions are in jars nowadays?  I love my creams but it's so much easier when body lotion has a pump!  My new favorite pump and go lotion is from SEED-- a line developed by a couple who wanted to detox and start a family.  I am not sure if they were able to start a brood but the wonderful line they did conceive is a gift to us all.  Made of nutrient rich ingredient grapeseed, which is intrinsically concentrated with incredible antioxidants and essential fatty acids promoting healthy skin.  the lotions are rich without being greasy and made of all natural ingredients to boot.  I love the lavender sage but there is also an unscented version if you don't like scented lotion.  Buy (seed)+ Nourishing Body Lotion, Restful Lavender Sage, 8-Ounce Bottles (Pack of 3) here $19.62!

To start off the New Year right I thought it would be great to highlight some of the most exciting new brands and product launches that we've come across these past 12 months. Can't wait to see what's in store from these brands for 2010! Check back this week to see more for makeup and fragrances.

Body Conscience -- The products in this line are so mild, you could actually eat them! I'm obsessed with their 3-Minute Shower Jar which is a smooth - and as far as I can tell odor-less - exfoliator that's gentle enough to use everyday. I've used it near-daily post shaving and it also comes with a wooden spoon and dish that were handmade from recycled wood.  


Rodial -- Though it's their Boob Job and Bum Lift creams that will be my perennial faves, Rodial launched a luxe faux-face lift kit in 2009, La Face Lift, that's become my new must-have for travel (will be taking it with me to Nicaragua when I escape the NYC cold at the end of this week!). It includes five travel sized, super-chic (love the metallic silver), products to tackle everything from hydration to wrinkles. Jump for More!

Guest blog by Celebrity Nutrionist and Beauty Expert, Kimberly Snyder

1. Celery. The organic potassium in celery is an important electrolyte that helps facilitate cellular cleansing. An easy and inexpensive way to maintain ongoing detoxification and our ideal fluid levels! Snack on celery sticks, add to salads, or put into my Green Smoothie. My simple recipe is available online at www.kimberlysnyder.net.

2. Figs. An excellent blood purifier. Since blood transports nutrients to cells throughout the body and face, the cleaner the blood the more beautiful the skin. The tiny seeds in figs are not only packed with nutrients, they help draw out and dissolve waste, mucus, and toxins from the intestinal tract. Raw and dried figs both give these great benefits.

3. Açai. Greatly popularized in 2009, Acai's importance continues into this new year. Açai is loaded with beneficial nutrients and antioxidants, including Omega 3 fatty acids, amino acids, minerals, key vitamins and fiber. The Omega 3 fatty acids found in Açai maintain the structure and fluidity of cell membranes, facilitating the inflow of nutrients and the outflow of waste products, promoting youthful, smooth and radiant skin by keeping skin cells hydrated and strong. Acai can be purchased frozen in health stores and made into smoothies.

I decided to try Blue Print Cleanse last summer when I had been traveling a lot and feeling sluggish. I have never cleansed before, in fact, I've never even been on a diet (this is a girl who's nick name in college was "are you going to eat that?"). So I was a little bit scared that my body would go into shock and chose the 2 day Renovation beginner cleanse (there are three levels, beginner, intermediate and advanced).

Last week, I was feeling cranky and tired and thought I needed to cleanse again (this time for 3 days). Blueprint cleanse follows me on twitter and read that I was preparing to cleanse again and offered me a discount if I'd blog about my experience. I chickened out of the 3 day but did do the 2 day cleanse again on intermediate Foundation level. Read on for my cleanse experience (random notes jotted on my iPhone). (Blue Print Cleanse is offering the same 25% discount to our readers til 12/30-- enter code GIFT25-- Go here to order!)

Day One:
8am- Juice has not arrived yet, so decided to meet a friend to choose marble for my new kitchen. 
9am- Very hungry and got cross at a couple of people, including my friend... oy-- gonna be a long day.
10am- Starving and now home pacing the kitchen while drinking warm water with lemon.