Slideshow: Spa Luxury for Less

By Rozalynn S. Frazier
From Health magazine

Who says you have to spend a ton to pamper yourself? We found luxe stuff that won’t blow your bank account. View the slideshow: http://slideshows.health.com/slide_shows/10469/slides/12001

Last Updated: March 2, 2009
Filed Under: Spa Living

Gorgeous in the Bath: Top Spa Tricks for Your Tub

Anna Williams
By Jolene Edgar
From Health magazine

Relaxing in a tub full of warm, sweet-smelling goodness seems like the ultimate indulgence. But these baths, from top spas across the country, are anything but frivolous—they nourish winter-worn skin, ease achy muscles, even inspire creativity.

Most soaks suit all skin types and can be made with a few simple ingredients from your pantry or local market. (Experts recommend using a cooking thermometer when testing the water temperature of these baths. Expectant moms: Talk to your doc before indulging.) So gather some rose petals, rosemary sprigs, and oranges—and get ready to create an ahh-inspiring soak.

Last Updated: February 19, 2009
Filed Under: Spa Living

Wipe Away Wrinkles With New Makeup Remover

From Health magazine 

Now you can work on getting younger-looking skin even when you’re removing your makeup and mascara. Pond’s Clean Sweep Age-Defying Wet Cleansing Towelettes (.06; drugstores) are infused with retinol and collagen, ingredients thought to improve skin resilience and help fill in fine lines. They’re gentle enough to use around your eyes.

Last Updated: February 19, 2009
Filed Under: Skincare

Makeup Bag: Thymes Eucalyptus Hand Lotion

By Kate Stinchfield

I’m a bit of a hand cream snob, to be honest. I can’t stand anything greasy—I wind up wiping it off my keyboard all day. But I need a serious lotion to combat my seriously dry skin. Thymes Eucalyptus hand lotion is rich enough to take on my cracked hands, but it absorbs quickly enough that it doesn’t leave me feeling sticky.

Thymes Eucalyputus is the Levis of hand creams: It’s not super-emollient or extra-luxurious, but it makes me feel comfortable in my own skin and it gets the job done. Plus, it’s free of paraben, a preservative commonly found in shampoos, moisturizers, and other cosmetics that has gotten a bad rap for its questionable links to cancer. That makes one less thing I need to worry about.

The fresh scent of eucalyptus and lemon is inoffensive enough that it doesn’t bother my office neighbor, so I keep a dispenser bottle on my desk for a few hassle-free squirts throughout the day. And when no one is looking, I dab it on my elbows and knees for a little spot relief.

at thymes.com
Last Updated: March 16, 2009
Filed Under: Skincare

Makeup Bag: Naturia Dry Shampoo by René Furterer

By Colleen Sullivan

I’m embarrassed to say it, but these days washing my hair has taken a back seat to watching American Idol. I’ve discovered a fabulous new product, though—one that actually saves me time while extending the life of my shampoo. I simply spray rice-and-cornstarch-enriched René Furterer Naturia Dry Shampoo (.00 for 3.2 ounces, .00 for 1.6 ounces; Sephora.com) onto my hair in the morning (keeping a distance of about a foot), leave it on for a couple of minutes while I do my makeup, then comb it through my hair.

The directions advise against inhaling—and after swallowing a few mouthfuls of fumes, I understand why. The scent isn’t so bad, but the clay and silica powders (which absorb the oils that build up on your hair overnight) can cause a slight gagging effect. My best advice? Spray it on outdoors, if possible. Fumes aside, I love how this spray extends my blowout while giving my two-day-old (OK, sometimes three) hair a much needed lift.

Last Updated: March 13, 2009
Filed Under: Haircare

Makeup Bag: Neova Advanced Essential Lash

By Kate Stinchfield

I rarely leave the house without applying a quick swipe of mascara, so I was skeptical about a new product that promised to fatten up my light, wimpy eyelashes.

Neova Advanced Essential Lash is a non-prescription conditioner that you paint on your lash line every evening like an eyeliner. A patented copper complex—the mineral helps maintain hair health—promises to help strengthen thin and brittle lashes in as little as three weeks.

I diligently applied a few strokes each night and, to give it the rest test, I stopped wearing mascara. While I thought I saw a difference, I wasn’t sure whether it was all in my head—that is, until a close friend commented on my newly full fringe. For the five years we’ve known each other, she’s rarely seen me without my mascara, but over dinner last week she could have sworn my naked lashes looked lusher than ever.

Big lashes certainly don’t come cheap—Essential Lash will set you back 0 per tube. But Neova promises their product will last for up to six months, and I certainly don’t mind skipping my nightly eye makeup–remover routine.

0 at essentiallash.com

Last Updated: March 5, 2009
Filed Under: Beauty and Fashion

Are You Making Yourself Look Older?

From Health magazine

We asked makeup pro Jeannie Mai and wardrobe guru Alison Deyette of TLC’s 10 Years Younger, to name their top instant agers—the things women do that actually make them look older.

1. Heavy foundation cakes between fine lines, making wrinkles stand out, Mai says. Instead, lightly pat foundation onto trouble spots with a blush brush.

2. Clumpy mascara on upper and lower lashes creates a dated look. Try Mai’s “rock and roll” method: Curl lashes then, starting at the base of the lash, rock the mascara wand horizontally back and forth, and roll it out to the tip of each lash.

3. Side-swiped blush high on the cheekbones is so five years ago. Today, for a younger look, brush your blush just on the apples of your cheeks.

4. Light-washed jeans age you. The darker the wash, the more flattering,” Deyette says. Go for a midrise waist and boot-cut legs.

5. Anything boxy or tight works against your shape, Deyette says. Forget the size number and choose what fits your curves.

Last Updated: February 24, 2009
Filed Under: Makeup
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Good for Your Sole: Foot Products

By Tracy Teare
From Health magazine 

Turns out what’s good for your face is definitely good for your feet. Think microdermabrasion, fillers, exfoliation—even purifying masks! Here are our picks for beautiful feet:

1. Perk up tired feet with The Body Shop’s Peppermint Purifying Foot Mask (). It contains clay to absorb toxins from your skin and make your feet superclean. Plus, this mask refreshes with peppermint oil.

2. Avon Foot Works’ Watermelon Exfoliating Foot Scrub (.99), made from watermelon-seed powder and extract, will leave your feet extrasoft and smelling delicious, too.

3. Soothe cracked heels (which can lead to infections, if not treated) with True Blue Spa’s Heel of Approval (; Bath and BodyWorks). It contains glycolic acid, which will help tackle any dead skin cells, and shea butter to provide deep-down moisture.

4. After a long day in heels, treat your feet to Dr. Weil for Origins’ The Way of the Bath Matcha Tea Soak (). With antioxidants and Japanese sea salts, it’s sure to refresh your feet. (It won’t hurt your sanity, either.)

5. If your soles snag on the sheets when you slide into bed, buff away calluses and dry skin with the Artemis Woman Pedi-Buffer (.99), a pedicure “power tool” that uses a rotating tip made of aluminum oxide crystals.

6. Soak up some sweat (your feet produce about 1 cup of perspiration a day) with Earth Therapeutics’ Portable Clean + Cool Foot Wipes (.99 for 15 sheets), made with antibacterial tea tree oil and cooling mint.

Last Updated: February 19, 2009
Filed Under: Spa Living

America’s Healthiest Beauty Buys 2008: Hair Care

From Health magazine 

1. Shampoo: 365 Everyday Value Shampoo from Whole Foods Market. Worth a trip to Whole Foods, this shampoo (which comes in three scents, as well as fragrance-free) cleanses without stripping the scalp. It’s free of parabans, artificial fragrances, and genetically engineered ingredients. (.99)


2. Hairstyling product: Dove Intense Damage Therapy Heat Shield Spray. Flat irons, curling irons, and blow-dryers, oh my! Dry and damaged hair gets help from this conditioning spray. How it works: Silicone droplets coat the hair and absorb the heat, so your hair doesn’t have to. (.78 )

3. Deep-conditioning treatment: Garnier Fructis Strength & Repair Instant Melting Masque. This creamy conditioner with a subtle apple aroma uses moisture-carrying lipid molecules (known as ceramides) to repair damage caused by harsh chemical treatments and overuse of styling products, judge Sandra S. Tsao says. Its moisturizing avocado and apricot oils help make dry hair healthy again. (.99)

4. Hair conditioner: Biolage Cooling Mint Conditioner. A must-have if you’re prone to breakouts around your hairline. Glycerin controls oil production while a combination of green tea, mallow root, and aqua oils protect against self-imposed stresses like your high-watt blow-dryer. ()

Last Updated: October 23, 2008
Filed Under: America's Healthiest

The Best Anti-Aging Secrets

From Health magazine

We’ve all been there: That moment midappointment when you catch yourself shamelessly staring at your hairdresser, dermatologist, or dentist and thinking, How the heck does she pull it off? What’s the secret to her great hair, pore-free complexion, or flawless teeth?

Well, we decided to go straight to the source and find out, once and for all, how to get that ageless look—naturally. We asked the beauty industry’s most-sought-after stylists, aestheticians, and MDs to divulge their tricks for stopping the clock. If there’s no fountain of youth, their unexpectedly simple advice might be the next best thing.

Last Updated: March 16, 2009
Filed Under: Natural Beauty and Style