Spring Cleaning your beauty routine

As the weather turns warmer and the flowers begin to bloom, we’re reminded that it’s that wonderful time of the year… spring cleaning.  While it’s time to clean out the closets and put away our winter wardrobe, it’s also time to revamp our beauty routine.

          

Don’t just clean the house, grab a great facial cleanser: Atopalm Moisturizing Facial Cleansing Foam 

A rich, moisturizing cleanser that’s gentle enough for everyday use, this foaming formula melts away makeup and pollutants without stripping skin. Dirt and makeup disappear and moisture levels are replenished, leaving your skin feeling soft, clean and supple.  $18 at www.atopalm.com, Ulta, and www.ulta.com

Rejuvenate your face with a great mask: Clark’s Botanicals Intense Radiance Mask.  This clarifying white-clay mask helps revitalize tired skin. It delivers an instantly brighter-looking complexion that's visibly smoother and more luminous.  $72 at www.clarksbotanicals.com and Space NK

Detox and refresh your hair & scalp:  Davines NaturalTech Detoxifying Scrub Shampoo

This revitalizing, regenerating and detoxifying shampoo restores hair stressed by external environmental factors.  It combines delicate natural surfactants scrub particles for a gentle yet deep cleansing of the scalp, restoring tone and purifying while protecting against free radicals. $25 at www.davines.com for salon locations

Add a pop of color wherever you can: ONE Styling Crush 1” Flat Iron & Mini Iron

Perfect for at home and traveling, the flat irons in the Crush collection use crushed tourmaline gem stones to smooth hair, eliminating frizz and protecting against split ends. $30-80 at www.ONEstyling.com 

John Frieda creates the look for Zac Posen Fall 2012

For Zac Posen's Fall 2012 collection, John Frieda ® Global Creative Consultant Luigi Murenu's vision seamlessly blended the timeless glamour of the 1950's and the allure of Japanese sophistication, creating a sculptural style with a twist of couture. "For sleek, flawless up-dos with clean lines, I wanted the look to evoke not just a different era, but a special cultural experience as well," Murenu explains. "The structure and craftsmanship of the styles are meant to suggest an aspirational time and place. My goal was to make the models look like what I envisioned a modern geisha to be, infused with the sleek simplicity of 1950's Hollywood glamour." The Inspiration: Japanese architectureThe Zac Posen Fall 2012 collection evokes the exotic, delicate elegance of Japanese architecture. Inspired by the minimalist yet impactful aesthetic of Japan's structural designs, the innovative collection puts a modern spin on traditional silhouettes. The Look at the Show: To get the look, Murenu used the following steps: Step 1: Brush John Frieda ® Luxurious Volume Thickening Mousse evenly through dry strands, and blow dry completely to build texture Step 2: Pull hair back into a high, tight ponytail, and secure with elastic. Wrap elastic with black duct tape to get a sleek look Step 3: Spray hair with John Frieda ® Luxurious Volume Extra Hold Hairspray to smooth out flyaways, then split the ponytail into small sections, backcombing and crimping each section to create different textures Step 4: Add a small rubber band to the end of the ponytail, leaving about 3/4" from the end. Roll the ponytail under and to the left to create a chignon, and pin to the securing elastic Step 5: Flat iron the remaining 3" of ponytail, and position in an upward direction – it should have a modern Geisha feel. Follow with John Frieda ® Luxurious Volume Extra Hold Hairspray to keep style in place, and finish with NEW John Frieda ® Frizz-Ease ® Sheer Solution ™Lightweight Frizz Control for extra shine How to Get the Look at Home: Step 1: On damp hair work through 10 drops of NEW John Frieda ® Frizz-Ease ® Sheer Solution ™ Lightweight Frizz Control and then thoroughly blow-dry to smooth hair and fight frizz Step 2: Brush hair into a high ponytail. Pull hair parallel from the outer corner of the eye back to get the perfect height. Secure ponytail with an elastic and secure the end of the ponytail with a small rubber band, leaving about 3-4" from the end Step 3: Spray hair with John Frieda ® Luxurious Volume Extra Hold Hairspray Step 4: Roll the ponytail under and to the left to create a semi side bun, and pin to the securing elastic Step 5: Flat iron the remaining 3" of ponytail, and position in an upward direction – it should have a modern Geisha feel. Apply John Frieda ® Full Repair™ Touch Up Flyaway Tamer to smooth out flyaways Luigi's Backstage Tip: "Frizz-Ease® Sheer Solution™ Lightweight Frizz Control is a staple in my kit. Not only do I use it on damp hair to tame frizz, but I also use it right before models walk the runway to keep styles smooth and extra shiny," Murenu reveals. WHAT IT COSTS: Luxurious Volume Extra Hold Hairspray $6.99; Frizz-Ease® Sheer Solution™ Lightweight Frizz Control and Full Repair™ Touch Up Flyaway Tamer $9.99 each WHERE TO FIND IT: Food, drug and mass retailers nationwide

Bink'd Temporary tattoo Earrings for kids

Bink’d is our latest mom-invented product at the boutique and truly the first of its kind- temporary earrings that do not require magnets, stickers, or glue! Plus, they are more than just “ear fun” as they can be used on nails, baby dolls, race cars and more!

Bink’d Temporary Tattoo Earring Designs are unique because they are made in the USA with only kid safe, FDA-approved, vegetable-based inks with collections specifically created and designed to be worn as earrings. The designs are made to fit perfectly on the ear and bink’d has collections for boys and girls.

Use as traditional earrings, double, triple piercings or positioned up along the side of the ear. Bink’d has no small parts to choke on and as bink’d says, no holes=more fun because kids (and parents) don’t have to deal with the pain associated with piercing and the risk of infection and/or tearing!

Even the packaging is fun. Sold in unique, durable plastic, jar like containers they stack easily so you can collect them all. Each container comes with a strip of 12 designs or 6 pair and a large cotton ball for your first application. Get bink’d! Not forever. Just for now.

Whitening Lightning... true rejuvenation of your smile

Why waste an entire afternoon at the dentist's office and spend $500 for professional teeth whitening? Why endure the pain? Now, with Dial A Smile by Whitening Lightning, you can whiten your teeth at home in only 20 minutes. It's painless, fast, and can be done in the comfort of your own home while you watch TV, clean house, or relax. This revolutionary treatment offers the same results as the dentist, only without the pain, inconvenience or the hefty price tag. Why not rejuvenate your smile today?

• Contains 3 complete professional whitening treatments
• Whiten your teeth at home
• Takes only 20 minutes
• Painless
• An outstanding value- Don't pay $1500 for 3 whitening treatments from a dentist
• 4-7 shades whiter per treatment on average
• Great for smokers, wine, and coffee lovers
• Great for teens that just got their braces off

Weathering the Winter Storm... hair health tips

 1.       Get Rich Quick.  No, not your wallet—your shampoo.  Pick up a moisture rich shampoo and conditioner for the winter months, preferably one with vitamins and oils.  Nick suggests L’Oreal Professionnel’s Serie Expert Liss Ultime shampoo and conditioner.  “It’s good to change up the product you use every few months so your hair doesn’t build up immunity to the ingredients,” Nick points out.  

2.       Be Exotic.  “One of the hottest new trends is incorporating Argan oil into your beauty routine,” reports Nick.  Argan oil contains fatty acids, Vitamin E and antioxidants that restore your hair’s natural luster without a greasy shine.   Nick recommends using the oil like a serum.  “Use about a dime sized amount and comb it evenly through damp hair,” says Nick. Or, look for a conditioning treatment that contains Argan oil like Shu Uemura’s Silk Bloom Restorative Treatment.

3.       DIY.  If you want a more wallet friendly way to add some essential nutrients to your ‘do, try adding a nickel sized amount of honey or olive oil to your daily conditioner.  Nick’s tips to creating your own spa night at home are to soak a hand towel in hot water and let it steam with you in the shower.  Massage your strands with the conditioning olive oil treatment and let it rest.  Wring out the hot towel and wrap it tightly around your head and relax for 30 minutes. Invite some friends over and you’ve got yourself a spa night!

4.       Go All the Way. While blow drying and using hot tools definitely dries up your hair, it is somewhat unavoidable during the cold months.  “If you’re going to blow dry, always use a thermal spray or serum that will protect your hair,” urges Nick.  Try L’Oreal Professionnel Serie Expert Absolut Repair Cellular Thermo Spray.   Moreover, Nick insists you go big or go home when blow drying. “Blow drying your hair half way will only create frizz and damage.  If you spend the extra 5 minutes using a round brush to blow your hair out to a smooth finish, it makes all the difference,” he says. 

5.       Avoid the Freeze.  “Never go outside with wet hair,” says Penna.  Wet hair and even damp hair can easily freeze once temperatures drop into the 30s, and frozen strands mean split ends.  “If you have to run outside, be sure to work a quick squeeze of serum in your hair before tucking your hair beneath a hood or hat.”  Don’t be discouraged by hat hair—the serum will keep your hair smooth and moisturized, so you won’t have to worry about frizz or flatness.

6.       Nourish from the Inside Out.  Be sure to indulge in the season’s offerings—proteins, fruits and vegetables are full of vitamins and essential oils that help keep your hair healthy from the inside out.  “Believe it or not, eating balanced foods will improve your hair’s natural shine, bounce and body!  Many of winter’s seasonal goods, like dark leafy vegetables, beans and carrots provide the exact nutrients to promote shiny, silky hair.”