As soon as summer announces itself with its warm winds and bright, shiny mornings, I want to lay out and bake in the sun. Nothing feels quite like floating in a pool - book in one hand, ice cold beverage in the other - absorbing those delicious rays. And nothing looks quite as good with almost every article of summer clothing than some nice, tan legs.

I am fully aware that skin cancer is scary business and not worth the fake-baking/laying out for hours on end. I also have a pretty healthy fear of getting wrinkley in the future, so, to protect myself, I wear my sunscreen. But I recently realized that maybe sunscreen wasn’t enough, and getting my glow a different way may be a better option.

I started investigating.

My former roommate loved sprays, but I personally don’t trust myself with them. I am mildly OCD and need a lotion to ensure I’m not missing anything. I went on a quest to find the perfect lotion and came across a new product: Jergens Natural Glow Express. It looked just like the rest, except that it claimedto show results in 3 days. Conveniently, I was heading on vacation in 3 days, so I grabbed it. Read More »

Confession: I’m a beauty product junkie. So much so that two dresser drawers and a large makeup table can’t hold all the hair products, makeup, and countless lotions I own—I keep the extras in “storage,” two large plastic bins hidden in my closet.

And despite the fact that my collection is so massive that I actually hide half the stuff when my new boyfriend comes over (seriously, it makes me look disturbed)—I couldn’t help but check out the new Botanical collections from the healing garden.

I decided to cover all my bases: CALM: Tender Lavender whipped body lotion on my desk at work to soothe deadline stress, INSPIRE: Uplifting Jasmine rainwater body mist by my laptop at home to cure writer’s block, and DESIRE: Wild Ginger whipped body lotion and rainwater body mist at my boyfriend’s apartment. Alleviating work stress and writer’s block is nice and all, but I won’t lie—I was most looking forward to trying out the DESIRE lotion and body mist. Read More »

A beauty regimen? Who needs one? Surely not my ‘messy bunned, bare faced, sweat-pant clad’ self who rolls out of bed, grabs a cup of Joe and is out to class in less than five minutes. Which- might I add-used to be sooo not me. Believe it or not pre-college and even during the summer months in between, I -gasp!- actually enjoy the getting ready process. I like the makeup, the lotions– the whole shebang. But post welcome week all my grooming habits are thrown out the window and the ‘me’ my mother would frown upon (ie- not very conducive to meeting the future Mr. ‘me’) comes out to play-er-study.

But alas- I have compiled a list of top ten products from body lotion to mascara that are the best of the best, will make you look/feel great, and best of all only requires that you hit the snooze button one less time.

Bliss Body Butter: this lotion is great because it comes in three different scents (I like the Naked because I wear perfume) and leaves your body so smooth no one will be able to tell if you shaved your legs or not.

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer: this is great because you can rub it on with your fingers- it has SPF (an essential for our young skin) and is sheer enough for day but still gives great coverage. And did I mention it comes in oil free? Read More »

Maybe she’s born with it, but for me, it’s definitely Maybelline. Like most women, I don’t even think about how many beauty products, from face wash to perfume, I layer on every day. Something I’ve given even less thought to is what’s in my products—until I found Kaia House.

Jumping on the organic bandwagon a little late, I just discovered Kaia House, the foremost source for organic skin and beauty care. Kaia House focuses on banishing the use over of harmful petrochemicals, parabens and other skin offenders, and offers 20 lines of premium organic and natural products including celeb-trendy Osea, Perfect Organics, Red Flower, and Biotique.

But when it comes to beauty products, is going out of your way to buy organic really worth it? Absolutely, according to Kaia House. And after reading their extensive list of un-safe (and common) chemicals that should be avoided when purchasing beauty products, I think I’m a convert.

Read up on the dangers lurking in your makeup bag and then head to KaiaHouse.com for a more comprehensive list. Your skin will thank you! Read More »

With spring in the air, (aka Jamie puts a bikini on for the first time since last July) naturally, all I want to do is eat everything and anything I can get my hands on.

But THIS year my friend, I’ve found the solution to curb my sweet-tooth cravings. Jaqua Mint Chocolate Luscious Lotion ($16, ulta.com) is seriously the solution to my current habit of staying up too late, drinking beer and eating mint chocolate chip ice cream at 3AM.

I also get a major kick out of how the packaging says “good enough to eat, but please don’t.” People are so stupid. But anyway, I’m telling you…just rub on some of this and it’s like you don’t even need a boyfriend.

Ok, so maybe it’s not that good but it’s a start….and didn’t grandma always say that the best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach?

Bottom line: it can’t hurt to smell like dessert. Hey, that kinda rhymes…