Summer

elf Candy Shop Lip Tins Fish Bowl

If I had a teenaged daughter, I would absolutely buy her this adorable candy jar packed with glosses to keep in her bedroom! Anytime a friend visited, she could leave with a little flavored gloss of her choice as a souvenir. Who can resist these retro-styled sliding tin glosses, with flavors like Coconut Crazed, Mocha Maniac, Melon Mayhem, Frosting Fanatic, Candy Fix, Berry Pop and Cherry Bomb to choose from!

Truthfully… I want one for my own room, but I’m afraid its presence in the master bedroom might be grounds for divorce!

I’ve sampled three flavors: Mocha Maniac (a cool chocolate shade with golden shimmer), Melon Mayhem (a sheer peach shade) and Cherry Bomb (a luscious red shade). Love them all for their delicious scents, but lest you think Candy Shop Lip Gloss is for kids, let me inform you that these delicious glosses pack color worthy of a woman! My personal favorite? Cherry Bomb (of course). But why even pick a favorite when each is only $1?

Total of 72 glosses are included in the fish bowl! Retail price is $70.

Click HERE to shop for Candy Lip Tins individually at elf

Summer Must Have Beauty: Murad Activating Body Scrub

Summer is certainly the best time to stock up on high-quality exfoliating products. Dr. Murad delivers a superior exfoliation method with his Activating Body Scrub: a rich, creamy body polisher. Upon first touch, this product almost feels like body butter… it is that rich! Don’t be fooled by its creamy texture. This sugar and Jojoba scrub has a creamy base, but contains incredible exfoliating power. Perfect for use before applying a self-tanner or just to soften the rough edges left behind by old man winter.

A huge 8 oz. jar retails for $47.50.

Click HERE to purchase this product from the Murad website.

Click HERE to purchase Murad Activating Body Scrub from Sephora.com

Click HERE to purchase Murad Activating Body Scrub from Beauty.com

Summer Must Have Beauty: RAWMinerals Mineral Eye Shadow Trio

mineral makeup, desert eyeshadow, summer 2008, RAW Minerals, RAW Natural Beauty

After reading all of Christina Marcaccini’s great tips on earth friendly beauty that Raging Rouge published this past April, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on some product from her fabulous line RAW Natural Beauty.

Desert colors are sizzling hot this summer. RAW makes color selection and coordination a snap with these two kits containing three eyeshadow colors each.

Each kit contains three complimentary shadow shades in loose mineral powder form. Shake the container when the lid is closed, and a small amount of product will be dispensed through the sifter nested inside. Use a RAWMinerals shadow brush to create your own look, or follow the convenient application instructions inside for perfect results every time!

What you’ll find in these shadows:

ActivSilk to fill fine lines and impart a more youthful appearance.

Soybean Extract to protect delicate eye-area and improve skin texture.

Natural Corn Extract to energize the skin.

VitaFirm Complex to improve skin elasticity, reduce moisture loss and keep skin looking smooth.

What you won’t find:

Parabens.

Chemical dyes.

Chemical preservatives.

Chemical fragrances.

RAW Natural Beauty is a signer of the Compact for Safe Cosmetics, and all packaging is made from 30% post consumer recycled paper!

Tuscany- This trio contains earth-tones with pink like Chardonnay (light pink), Sunset (medium pink) and Terracotta (pink/brown).

Sahara- This shadow trio contains true beige shades like Sand (light brown), Camel (medium brown) and Spice (dark brown).

Click HERE to check out the RAW Natural Beauty website, and to purchase these mineral eyeshadow trios for $35 per set.

Summer Must Have Beauty: The Pefect Summer Palette, Hourglass Color Link In Island

Everyone should own at least one beloved palette for the Summer season. Why? As you dash out the door for a last minute trip to the beach, what is easier than grabbing your favorite palette to toss in your tote for après sun application? I searched high and low for the best summer palette, and finally it came to this: Hourglass Cosmetics Color Link Palette in "Island".

Six pigment-rich eyeshadows in neutral and pink shades are universally flattering, and can be creatively combined for both casual and formal looks. Daytime? Use the lighter shadow shades to brighten and widen the eye. Evening? Dip into the deep burgundy-brown shade for crease application, or to line the eyes. Two blush choices–bronze and pink–complete the set. The packaging is as chic as the contents. This palette is protected in a padded, magnetic-closed case adorned with images of trees.

Hourglass Cosmetics Color Link Palettes retail for $75.

Click HERE to purchase Hourglass Island Color Link Palette from Sephora.com

Click HERE to purchase Hourglass Color Link Palette in "Island" from Hourglass Cosmetics.

Click HERE to purchase Hourglass Cosmetics Color Link Palette in Island from Barneys.

Summer Must Have Beauty: Murad Oil-Free Sunblock SPF 30

There are those among us who absolutely, positively, will NOT use a physical sunblock. There are so many reasons to make this choice. Perhaps you hate that it’s a bit more difficult to massage into the skin. Perhaps you simply don’t need coverage impervious to water-sports, or prefer a sunscreen that allows you to get a little color in the summer.

For my readers in search of a 100% chemical sunscreen, I must recommend Dr. Murad’s Oil-Free Sunblock.

An SPF 30, this sunscreen should be applied 30 minutes prior to sun exposure. You’ll be amazed at the lightening speed with which this sunscreen absorbs into the skin. When it does, it barely feels like you’re even wearing sunscreen. This sunscreen wears like a light moisturizer, making it an ideal choice to wear when you’re headed to the office instead of the beach.

In true Murad fashion, this sunscreen doesn’t just shield from the damaging UVA/UVB rays of the sun! Other than providing broad spectrum protection, Murad Oil-Free Sunblock also hydrates dry skin, and is packed with pure pomegranate extract for it’s antioxidant qualities. Yay, Dr. Murad!

Retail price is $30 for a 1.7 fl. oz. tube.

Click HERE to buy this sunscreen directly from the Murad website.

Click HERE to purchase Murad Oil-Free Sunblock SPF 30 from Sephora.com

Click HERE to purchase Murad Age-Proof Suncare Oil-Free Sunblock SPF 30 from Beauty.com