Vacation State of Mind

Fresh off a restful yet adventurous, relaxing yet soulfulfilling vacation I'm back and submerged into the "real world." Gone to waking up to the sounds of the tropical birds and breakfasting while my eyes feasted on the visual serenity of the crystal clear ocean and back is waking up bleary eyed to the sound of my blaring alarm and scarfing my breakfast as I read the 1oo plus work emails received overnight (side note: why do people feel the need to send work emails at 11pm, 2am, 5am and 7am?! We get it, you're dedicated...aka. brown noser but seriously find something else more fulfilling to do with your time...hint hint!). So it is clear that I'm in severe vacation withdrawal mode.

Enter my vacation comfort food or in another words Kiehl's Imperial Body Balm. I open the jar and my nose picks up the notes of the ocean, seal salt and sand sprinkled with hints of coca butter, reminding me of my after-sun oil, and coconut, a divine snack we devoured sea side. I am transported back. Ahhh! But besides the sensory experience this luxuriously rich treatment nourishes my sun/sea salt exposed skin that is feeling a little less than soft and supple. Yes these environmental aggressors do deplete skin leaving it more leathery than silky requiring some serious tlc. This balm is like boot camp for your skin as olive oil, shea and cocoa butter deeply hydrate and fight free radical damage to combat premature aging resulting from dryness or harsh climate/environmental effects. Honey and glycolic acids help slough off dead skin cells and jump start cellular regeneration for softer more radiant skin. This treatment will remind you of an enveloping, soft cashmere that restores the comfort and goodness for your skin.

Usage tip: As always when is the best time to apply a moisturizer? Directly post-shower to "lock-in" moisture. In addition to the all over application this treatment can also be used for needy, stubborn areas like the elbow or feet. Make sure the product is properly absorbed before dressing.

The result: With just one whiff I'm transported back to the calming sea and with each application my skin is lulled back to baby softness!

Kings & Queens

It is sort of funny the way things transpire. Have you ever noticed how one thing can just lead to another without you ever expecting it? On a recent Target shopping trip I picked up a new, ribbon-weaved notebook for work (I need something pretty to look at while sitting through endless meetings). And in one of those meetings my co-worker complimented me onit. We started talking about the shopping utopia Target is and the endless things one never knew they needed until they browsed the aisles. As a fellow New Yorker who doesn't have the luxury of having a Target store within the city, she commented on how Duane Reade (the smaller, NYC answer to Target) has cultivated an equally interesting selection of products. She started raving about this body product line she had seen there after having once purchased it at Nordstorm. 9am sharp the next day she is at my desk clutching a heavenly body butter...

And that is the moment I fell in love with Kings & Queens Nefertiti Honey Body Butter. It is rare that a product can sweep me off my feet within the first few seconds. I tend to be the cautiously skeptical type who must use a product several times before recognizing any affection-like feelings. My eyes were fixated on this ornately designed tube as I thought "Wow I don't need to hide this product in my bathroom." It's so beautiful it can actually be a decoratory element. As I unscrewed the cap and squeezed the cream, the nourishing scent of honey sealed the deal. And of course with all that foreplay, the cream really delivered- rich, luxurious and hydrating. So off I went to my local Duane Reade and stockpiled this life-changing product. I also picked up the complimentary body wash to complete the whole experience. Used by the original Beaute Guru, Cleopatra, honey has been long revered for its natural humecant properties (meaning it attracts and retains moisture), utilized in combination the body wash and body butter nourish skin for a long-lasting silky softness. I had almost forget about the products until I went to put my sweater on this afternoon and noticed how unbelievably rose petal-esque my skin felt. I must have not been the only person to realize this, my poor coworker had the body balm stolen off her desk after showing it to me. Can you imagine?! Beaute readers run (not walk) to your Duane Reade for this lavish indulgence. For my non-Nyc friends checkout out Beauty.com which sells a set with the body wash and balm for $12. Now that's what I call pampering, recessionista style.

Usage tip: For optimal hydration, apply the body balm directly after getting out of the shower to seal in the moisture. Check out there other scents as well, although I must warn you that they're not nearly as amazing as the honey.

The result: Nefertiti, the royal wife of an Egyptian Pharaoh, was revered as beauty icon who relied on honey for all her beauty treatments to ensure she lived up to the essence of her name, which means "the beautiful woman has arrived".

Recessionista Goes Natural

Two huge trends - actually I take that back I don't think they're trends anymore, rather they have crossed that great holy grail and become mainstay consumer consumption patterns. Thanks to the Bernie Madoff's and Sherry Lehman's (no not the wine store in Nyc! Although wouldn't it be a better place if we just had more wine? My dad swears by it!) of the world we have all traded in our fashionista status for a recessionista preference. We have learned to become savvier shoppers (hell I traded my Starbucks lattes for the McD's version - same great taste and a $1.50 cheaper) questioning each purchase and appreciating the value of saving. At the same time with all the food recalls and terrifying water contamination stories (see this Sunday's NY Times about high concentrations of weed killer being found in local water supplies), we, as eco-conscious consumers, have become aware of the benefits of returning back to the fundamentals. Back to the natural and untouched version of our foods, otherwise popularly called organic or all-natural. While these two patterns may seem counter intuitive you may be surprised that they can overlap! And this brings me to my next beauty favorite....are you ready for it?

Coconut Oil! Ok so I'm guessing this isn't what you imagined but just bear with me. This naturally produced, nutrient-rich oil has been used for generations by South Indian woman as an intricate part of their beauty regimen. I remember my Indian neighbor always telling me that as a child her mom was constantly slathering her hair and body with coconut oil. Fast forward 20 some odd years she's still practicing the same beauty ritual and has the dense, ravenous hair and petal soft skin to show for it. Why? This unique oil has a dual nature: it forms an invisible barrier on the skin's surface to lock-in moisture while it's molecular structure allows it to deeply penetrate skin for an inside-out hydration. As you've probably figured out by now, I'm from the crackberry-ing, let me please juggle one more think generation so I expect my products to work all sorts of wonders. Unrefined pure virgin coconut oil has been revered for it's high antioxidant properties helping fight free-radical damage leading to collagen breakdown (wrinkles) and discoloration (hyperpigmentation). Gotta love the anti-aging benefits! I'm especially appreciative of this hydrating oil in the Nyc winters when the delightful wind is a constant companion literally sucking any moisture out of my skin leaving it obnoxiously dry. With it's anti-inflammatory properties, the coconut oil soothes and restores the suppleness. Now here's the best part for $8.99 you can buy a 16oz tub of certified organic, un-filtered virgin coconut oil from the Whole Foods brand 365. Used daily this tub of love will last you months on end. Don't you just love it when the stars align and you can embrace both your inner recessionista and naturalite preferences?

Usage tip: Use sparingly! A little goes a long way. Apply on damp skin directly after the shower for optimal results. Wait a few minutes before putting on clothes to allow the oil to penetrate and avoid any product transfer. And for my favorite part: as you're applying deeply inhale the transfixingly delicious scent of the coconut oil...in the cold months it's the closest thing to a vacation I will get!

The results: Supple, silky, youthful skin all courtesy of the best natural hydrating ingredient!