Recently in Scrub Category

Lush is one of those brands that not only thinks outside of the box, but you can tell that their products are developed by people with a sense of humor. They always name, describe, and package their products in such fun and witty ways (anyone remember those Mother's Day gift sets -- how amazing were those??). Their latest launches include two new Sugar Scrubs. They're solid scrubs that are meant for one-time use and in going with Lush's eco stance, they don't utilize any excess packaging. They're priced at $4.95 each and they're pretty big (I wish breaking the ball of scrub was possible so that I could use one of them twice!). The price point is a little high for regular exfoliation and the balls take up a lot of room given that you can only use them once. In light of those two points I wouldn't recommend them for regular exfoliation, but they're perfect for traveling -- no worries about anything liquid, they smell wonderful, work great, plus you won't have to lug back a container of scrub! Jump for more info on each of the two new scrubs!

I have written about the "Beach" collection from Bobbi Brown before and want to remind you again how heavenly it is.  It was 109 yesterday in Dallas, yes, you read correctly a hundred and nine friggin degrees!!!!!!!  I showered 3 times and still felt grimy and sticky.  Thank god for the Beach products, I may be sweating like a hog but I manage to smell pretty and fresh.  I've used the Beach shower gel for years and recently started the body lotion but now think I need the Beach scrub $35 and fragrance $55 to completely immerse myself in its beachness. It's the most fresh scent you can imagine, not the usual faux coconut scent that most 'beach' products have. I can't even describe it except just imagine you're standing on the shores of Hawaii....... and who says you can't bring the beach to you!?!?!? At Bobbi Brown counters worldwide.

Despite the schizo weather lately (it was 31 over the weekend and 71 yesterday) I'm going to go with the calendar and start preparing for summer. I use body scrubs in the wintery months but not as regularly as I do during bikini season! Some women say "who cares!  No one's looking and I'm a mom." Uh hello? I care, I'm looking at myself and I want to look as hot as I can for as long as I can. Oh, and the hubby is looking, too so it's good to keep him interested.

Anyhoo, I received samples of La Mer's "The Body Refiner" last week and gave it a whirl this weekend. The scrub is plushy, creamy and calming with a very light scent. While I was using it I didn't think it'd exfoliate as well as it actually did because it felt so gentle and creamy on my skin. I guess you don't need a heavy abrasive scrub to do the job (especially if you do a lot of waxing in the summer months) when you have pure diamond powder (each bottle has one and half carats of diamond dust!) and polished sea quartz as the physical exfoliants.  Even though it's made of fermented acidic sea muds it smells fresh and lemon-y.  Worth a try if you're looking for a luxurious body scrub that leaves the skin soft and glowing.  Seriously now, $110 for a carat and half of diamonds sounds reasonable to me.  At SAKS Beauty Place and La Mer.com

The beauty trend of late is definitely spiritual wellness and awareness. If you are on the coasts, especially the west, this is no longer a trend but a way of life. The Naturopathica line is all natural, all organic and formulated to lift your spirits in more ways than one. I am doing a juice fast that requires a detox of the skin and my go to product is the Naturopathica Bamboo Lemongrass Body Scrub. It will sluff away dead skin and renew your with nutrients and moisture. Even if you are not on a crazy fast or diet, exfoliating your skin is the quickest and easiest way to detox your entire system, after all, your skin is the biggest organ. Trust me, after a night of heavy drinking, doing something as simple as a body scrub will help the recovery much faster. Of course, it also makes your skin baby soft! Get it at Skin Botanica or at your favorite organic spa, $42.

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.

Just because it's winter it doesn't mean you should neglect your skin. I scrub, exfoliate, and moisturize all year round-- 24/7. And yes, my hubby is the only who notices but he is the only who matters! I have a plethora of body scrubs in my shower, I use different scents according to my mood and sensitivity of my skin (during the time of the month when I'm bloated I use a green tea scrub).

My latest body scrub obsession is Fresh Sugar Bath Brown Sugar Body Polish. Not only does it smell and feel good while applying it, it leaves my skin so soft and buttery with a hint of glow from the natural oils. $68 at Sephora. I met the founder of Fresh, Lev Glazman, at an event recently and found his unnaturally pale and perfect skin kind of scary. He was very nice though and told me that he and his wife were inspired to create a line of fresh and simple products that combine ancient rituals and modern technology. Their goal was to have products that both perform and pamper. I'd say mission accomplished! Jump to see the photo!