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Molton Brown celestial maracuja bathing nectar, $65; Molton Brown celestial maracuja body souffle $60

My love of Molton Brown cannot be easily described with words. I use the shower gel, bath gel, hand soap, lotion, candles and if they made food, I would change my diet. But my latest purchase of the celestial maracuja bathing nectar pretty much launched me to the stratosphere of an insane person. The bathing nectar is a mixture of oils and moisturizers, it does not bubble or foam, it works like a bath oil and turns your bath into a milky paradise. This scent is beyond heavenly, it is a mix of passion fruit and light florals like gardenia, tuberose and jasmine - it is not too sweet and not too floral. It is the passion fruit that is maddeningly divine though! Molton Brown is known for their over the top scents that pretty much pervades throughout your house once anyone uses it. Well, I want the entire world to smell like this. There are the 2 products featured here, a perfume and a sugar polish but they need to include every product in this scent just so I can have every part of me covered in it!! Celestial maracuja bathing nectar and body souffle at Spa Look, use code NT10 for $10 off and free shipping.

Left: Encore Spa Lobby; Right: Hallway that take you to the treatment rooms

On my recent trip to Las Vegas I had check out Encore to see Steve Wynn's latest creation. Encore's grand opening was Dec. 22, 2008. My husband had to work during the day so it was the perfect opportunity to get away for some much needed relaxation at their Spa (it was our alone time away from the kids). I made an appointment for a 25 minute Ayurvedic Body Restoration ($85), sounded like just what I needed and I didn't want to spend all my money there since the whole purpose was just to check out the spa and use the facilities. As soon as I stepped into the lobby I was floored by the grandeur. The spa had all the niceties - lounge area with comfy seating, fresh fruit, assorted beverages, fully stocked vanity, soft robes, etc. But it wasn't until I made it to the treatment rooms that I was stopped dead in my tracks from the amazing visual and opulence. And then there was my treatment, the Ayurvedic Body Restoration which begins with a dry body brush followed by a body polish of special Indian ingredients that was appropriate for my dosha (my intrinsic needs, which my therapist decided for me). I then showered off the polish in the steam shower in the room. At this point, I regretted my decision to book the short 25 minute treatment. Luckily, when I voiced this I was able to add in further treatments to my heart's content. Well, the contentment kind of ended when I got the bill for $235 ($85 plus another $150 for an additional 50 min massage) but this is the preeminent spa in the west and I certainly did enjoy myself. I was so impressed, I went to the Wynn Spa the next day which was nice but if given a choice, definitely go to Encore!! See a listing of treatments on the Encore website, prices are not listed but it is around $85 for 25 min and $150 for 50 min treatments and $250 for 75 min rituals that include multiple treatments. Spa is only available to guests of Wynn and Encore. Call 702.770.4SPA (4772) for reservations.

Most of us know that stinky underarms are caused by bacteria not by sweat, but most deodorants only mask the smell -- they don't kill the bacteria. Lavilin Hypo Allergenic Deodorants are really cool because they not only kill the bacteria, they are water-resistant and can last up to a whole week!! Yes it's a little weird, but I love that Lavilin gets at the root of the problem. All you have to do is rub a dime sized amount of the odorless deodorant cream under your arms and you'll be set for the whole week! And, because it's water resistant it will last through your showers, swimming, exercising -- anything:) Also from the story we did over on Couture Snob on Uggs, it's clear that many of you (and me!), are still wearing Uggs. If you're like me and wear them barefoot, you'll be happy to know that they make a foot deodorant ($16) as well!

The only thing I get from the sun is burns! And while seeing stars like Anne Hathaway and Nicole Kidman embrace their pale skin does make me feel a little bit better about my skin tone I can't help but think everything looks better with a tan. Plus with this chilly weather I've been even more ghost-like than my usual self! I've written about various tanning products I've tried in the past and I'm a fan of spray tan places like Sundara ($78, full body; $30 face only) -- though you have to be careful with them because the 3-4 hours after you get the spray done are crucial since the color is still fragile. When it's cold if you put too many layers on after, the tan may smudge, but if the weather is hot you risk sweating and the color coming off as well! It's way easier to tan at home since you don't have to worry about the weather or immediately covering your body with clothing. I tried-out Lavera Sunless Self Tanning Lotion on my arms and legs last week and was pretty happy with the results. It's made with organic soy extracts and unlike other tanning lotions it only takes 1-2 hours for you to see visible results. So you're basically building your tan because you can always add more to get a richer, darker color or just add a little bit each day to maintain the color you already have. Plus, unlike most tanners, the smell is actually pleasant (non-invasive floral) and it's moisturizing (there's aloe in the lotion). A side tip that I learned at Sundara is to avoided any moisturizers with milk (like a fave of mine L'Occitane Amande Firming & Smoothing Milk Concentrate), because they're bad for your faux-tan!

I've never used anything from Burt's Bee despite passing a huge display at Bed, Bath and Beyond at some point pretty much every week so when I received Burt's Bees Radiance Healthy Glow Kit ($15.99) I was excited to try out the different products. The kit comes with a LOT to play with! Its got: Mini Exfoliating Body Bar, Exfoliating Body Wash, Mini Body Lotion, Day Creme, Night Creme, Eye Creme (packette), and Full Size Lip Shimmer. Each product contains Royal Jelly which is packed with 134 nutrients, including 17 amino acids, and vitamins A, C, D and K, as well as multiple B-vitamins. I tried the Body Lotion (a slight shimmer), Body Wash (just the right amount of foam), and the Body Bar (is it just me or have solid soaps almost gone extinct!). The line kind of makes me think of Yes to Carrots because its got this earthy, natural feel to it and both lines definitely have a handful of products that can convert Sephora Snobs into Frugal ones:) Have you tried Burt's Bee? I've heard their Lip Balm is wonderful as well -- share your thoughts!

In the Sunday Style section of The New York Times there was a round-up article on nine multi-tasking beauty products and one of them was Revolution Organics All-Over Body Balm, ($28) which I've been meaning to write about! I've been using it on and off for the last few months and it's wonderful for on-the-go moisture. The balm looks like an over-sized chapstick, but the cool thing about it is that it has over 22 different uses (from relieving chapped lips, to soothing dry spots, to nourishing dry cuticles)! Such a useful space-saver in both my bathroom and my handbag. More recently though I tried out the Revolution Organics All-Over Skin Creme, ($33)
which I've been using when I'm on the move as well (it's a travel-friendly size), on my hands (though you can use it anywhere, I don't find it greasy enough to use on my body). It has a lemon meringue pie sort of smell which I surprisingly like (the products are scented only with USDA-certified perfume blends). Plus like all of Revolution Organics products it has a certified organic USDA seal (meaning its held to the same standards as the food we eat), it's free of chemicals, parabens, synthetics, artificial ingredients, and fillers (including water!). All the products in this line come in small packages, but don't be alarmed by the seemingly high prices given their sizes (especially the Skin Creme) -- the products are potent enough that you'll only need a little (remember they don't use fillers!).

I love my L'Occitane Amande Firming & Smoothing Milk Concentrate, but with this weather it just doesn't work for my body. I still use it on occasion because I'm just obsessed with the smell, but almost immediately after putting some of it on my legs feel dry and itchy. Luckily I got a sample of LAVANILA The Healthy Body Butter ($25 for 8oz) and it actually hydrated my body! Lavanila also makes wonderful body washes ($20) and candles ($32). The candles in particular are great because traditional paraffin candles contain at least 20 dangerous chemicals that release choking toxins and black soot upon burning. When released into the air we breathe, these pollutants are as harmful to our health as second-hand tobacco smoke!! The Healthy Candle is an all-natural alternative for a safe home environment -- pheww!! Most of Lavanila's products come in their four signature sweet scents: Pure Vanilla, Vanilla Grapefruit, Vanilla Blossom and Vanilla Coconut -- my absolute fave is the Pure Vanilla -- delectable! Jump for a list of they key ingredients that make the body butter so wonderfully hydrating!

Below is the second and final installment of 2008 Snob Trends!

11. Healthy Candles: Who knew that candles could be a health hazard? The folks at Lavanila thankfully! This year candle lovers could breath easy knowing that they weren't inhaling the chemicals contained in many traditional paraffin candles -- which release toxins and soot that cause damage comparable to second-hand smoking -- thanks to Lavanila's Healthy Candle .

12. Pricey Skin Care: At $400 for 6.7 oz Kanebo's Sensai Premier Body Cream is pricier than La Mer, so obviously this peaked everyone's interest! Haven't tried it for myself, but judging by the quality of the Kanebo products that I have tried, I imagine that it's simply divine..ahhhh:)

13. Diffusers: Everywhere I go --bedrooms, bathrooms, restaurants, boutiques -- they're all over! This year we couldn't get enough of diffusers! Sweet Grass Farm, Verikira, Thymes, and Moments Waterbead Diffusers by Upper Canada Soap take the cake as the best!

14. Neon Polish: The limited edition Essie Neon collection hit this summer and it was all the rage -- and come on, what screams fun in the sun like fluorescent nails!

15. Beauty with a side of Humor: Tongue-and-cheek packaging was all over the place this year. Who ruled over them all? Soap & Glory! The line comes courtesy of the same lady who founded Bliss and it's inspired by tabloid-style journalism!

More after The Jump!

Sure there has been some bad and there definitely has been some ugly, but overall when it comes to beauty trends, 2008 was a smashing success! Check-out the first half of our Snob Trends of 2008!

1. Women Secretly Swear by their Clarisonic: I am OBSESSED with the Clarisonic! It is THE beauty product of 2008. It will clear your skin, make your pores smaller, and leave your face as soft as a baby's bum! Hands down worth every single penny it will cost you.

2. Mascara Wars: It was the battle between Lancome Oscillation, Estee Lauder's Turbo Lash, Givenchy's Phenomen 'Eyes Mascara , and SpinLash's Rotating Wand. In my book, it's Givenchy all the way!

3. Michelle Obama: Head-to-toe, the world was obsessed with every piece of Mrs. Obama!

4. Gadget Madness: Ladies went gaga for technology this year with everything from Zeno's Pro Acne Clearing Device, which uses heat to kill pimples, to Clean & Clear's Blackhead Eraserwhich uses a vibrating motion and foaming pad to exfoliate dead surface skin and remove dirt and oil.

5. Crimson Lips: For when you feel like making a statement -- just don't forget to brush your hair or risk looking like a Courtney Cox-esque train wreck! Plus, loving this trend is the perfect excuse to indulge in Kanebo's Crimson Red shade, Ginza, which is made with 24kt-gold-infused silk!

More after The Jump!

I just got an offer emailed to me that I wanted to share with you before it's too late! Phyto Universe has a New Year's Eve Before and After Special. The luxe salon is located in New York City (715 Lexington Avenue at 58th St., 212.308.0270), and is the perfect spot to relax while prepping for the biggest party of the year - or unwinding after the party is over! Especially for any host of New Years parties -- like me! On December 31st, indulge in complimentary bubbly and strawberries while enjoying a hair treatment specifically designed for you. For example, The Thirst Quencher treatment, designed for dry hair, quenches thirsty hair with aromatic jojoba oil and essential oils of sage and rosemary. All treatments are finished with a blowout. January 2-4, you can enjoy complimentary vitamin shakes and juices while you enjoy a much needed post-fiesta facial or hair treatment:) They have countless other treatments on their menu, so pick what fits, indulge and relax!