So, at 29 years old you would think that would mean that I’m well past my acne days.  The key words here are YOU WOULD THINK.

It seems that, while I never had issue with acne as a teen or young adult, as a woman in my late twenties (ouch, it hurts to say that) I’m suddenly looking in the mirror going “Where did THAT thing come from?” Or, worse “where did all of THOSE awful things come from?”

I’m incredibly vain.  I am fanatical about my skin.  Looking in the mirror and discovering that my face has been overtaken is not exactly fun – so I end up throwing myself on the bed and pouting, all while trying to hide my face from everyone I know and refusing to leave the house.

And yes, I really am that dramatic.  Please, pray for my poor fiance’.

To make a long story short, Mom Central recently reached out with a campaign for Proactiv 365.  It’s like they knew.  Maybe my fiance’ contacted them on the sly.  Who knows?  All I know is that when they did, I wrote them back and basically said “OMG YES I WILL DO IT!”  Just like that, I swear.

I’m sorry, but I don’t have any photos to share with you from my “before”.  I know all too well how google works and those awful photos of me would be on the internet for so long that my grandchildren’s grandchildren will be pretending like I wasn’t related to them.  But trust me when I say it was not good, my friends.

I started using Proactive at the end of September on a daily basis.  I used the Renewing Cleanser, the Revitalizing Toner, and then the Repairing Lotion.  In a week I saw a dramatic improvement.  In 3 weeks I had totally clear skin.  Every now and then a small blemish pops up, but if I’m being honest, that’s probably because I get overly excited sometimes and skip a day of use.  And then I pay for it.

Here is a photo of my daughter and I from yesterday at the Pumpkin Patch.  You can see – my skin looks great (you know, if I do say so myself).

I logged into Proactive 365 to talk to a personal skin care expert who recommended that I use the refining mask on stubborn trouble spots while I slept.  Going to bed with white dots on my face was not so pretty, but totally worked.  They also recommended the daily oil control, because I do have trouble staying “matte” throughout the day.  Something about my clean skin increases oil production it seems – but who cares – I can go makeup free if I so desire again!

I’m sure you’ve been hearing about Proactiv for years, but tell me, have you ever used it?  Share your thoughts in the comments!

Disclosure:  I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Proactiv and received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Then I received an email telling me that ULTA, hailed as the ultimate beauty destination, is now making available a number of awesome brands in it’s brand spankin’ new Mom and Baby section.  I scanned the email – Philosophy, California Baby, Belli…

Mustela.

Mustela. Mustela. Mustela!!!!!

I did a double take and rubbed my eyes to make sure I had read it correctly.  Mustela.  Right there.  ULTA is now selling Mustela and Mustela Bebe products.

Maybe this means nothing to you.  But let me tell you, if you have a baby – run, don’t walk, over to your wallet, grab your credit card, and order yourself some Mustela products.  I fell in love with them in Europe – especially the baby wipes (which are AMAZING) – and when I got home I wished I had thought to buy a whole bunch more than I did to bring home with me.

I scoured the internet. I wanted nothing but Mustela Bebe wipes to touch my little one’s tushie.  Alas, it was not to be.

But 3 years later ULTA has come through for us.  You can buy them online now. They’re a bit spendy, but it is so worth it.

Trust me.

And for the record, I have absolutely no relationship with this company at all.  I just love these products and wish someone had found them for me when Audrey Grace was still little enough to need them.

So go, order, be thankful.

And thank you ULTA for my France fix.

I needed it.

This morning it hit me – I’m getting married 5 months from today. FIVE MONTHS, friends.

Frankly all I can think is OH. MY. COW.

There is so much to do. Like, urm, a location. Like, a dress. Like honeymoonclothesandweddingringsandinvitationsandOHMYCOWjustsomuchstuff. And very little time.

Of course, I want to look amazing in my dress. I want to walk down the aisle and take Morgan’s breath away. I want him to think, at that moment, that he has never seen anyone so beautiful.

From what I hear, that takes work. So I’ve started exercising. I’m sticking to a healthy eating plan, I’m going to be working out, and I’m probably going to be complaining loudly about it until I start seeing results. Then I’ll slow down to a mild whine because while I might not like the process, I’m sure I’ll love the results.

I’ll confess though, that I’ve already had some help. Back in February I had the opportunity to try CoolSculpting – a revolutionary new procedure that helps to freeze off the fat cells and slowly help to eliminate them from your body. By slowly I mean it takes approximately 3 months to see the full results.

I was absolutely game. I’m not in the worst shape by any means – and I just needed a little extra help – nothing major. Or at least that’s what I like to tell myself.

I showed up at Dr. Kinsley’s office slightly terrified but rather determined. I met with Daniel on her staff, and she walked me through the procedure and helped me to evaluate problem areas. I hate my arms, so the first thing I asked was if I could CoolSculpt them. The answer was yes. I wanted to do that FIRST. We agreed to try that and my upper back – you ladies know the area I’m talking about – even the skinniest woman can have bra rolls.

I went in terrified. I’m a big baby and I heard that this was “uncomfortable”.

They put the giant suction machine up against my arm and poof, suddenly it was all being pulled into a suction cup. It was kinda uncomfortable – but not the suction – just the fact that I had to keep my arm at a really weird angle for an hour while the machine worked it’s magic. When that hour was up, they came in to break the suction.

To me, that was the worst part. My arm was so tender that I was tempted to utter words that I normally don’t say. I actually asked if I could wipe the goop off of my arm myself because I could barely stand to touch it, much less have someone else do it for me. The staff at Dr. Kinsley’s office happily obliged and let me recover while they set me up to do the other arm. I briefly considered bowing out at this point and not doing the other one – but after calling myself a big baby in my head and reminding myself that the payoff would be worth it – I begrudgingly lifted my arm in the direction of the machine and let them smush it up against my skin again.

Overall the procedure was more than bearable, and I was so excited about seeing the results. I bruised pretty badly that time around, and when I expressed this to the staff on my next visit, they gave me some Arnica to help with the bruising the next time around. I don’t think I’m a typical patient – I tend to bruise easily – and the Arnica made all of the difference for the next go round. (By the way – the staff seemed surprised that I bruised so badly – they said most patients don’t have that same problem.)

This time I decided to CoolSculpt my tummy and hips. Dr. Kinsley’s staff was very honest and told me that the stomach is the most uncomfortable part for most people. I couldn’t imagine it could be worse than the arms, but when they turned on the machine it literally took my breath away. It was bearable, and not worthy of tears, but I was very tense and had to convince myself to relax. Dr. Kinsley’s staff stayed with me the entire time and kept reassuring me that it would subside after about 10 minutes. They were right. After about 8 minutes it was totally bearable and I was kicked back, watching Hulu.

Because of the Arnica, I had no bruising this time around. My stomach was strangely numb for about 5 days and suddenly on day 6 I was in pain. It almost felt like I was being zapped with a bunch of little electric shocks from the inside of my stomach – and it got to be so uncomfortable that I had one sleepless night. I had 2 days of am-I-crazy-what-was-I-thinking pain, however, on day 14 the pain suddenly stopped – just like they said it would. My stomach was still numb (and itched like crazy!) for almost another month – but after the 14 day period I swear I started seeing results. I still hadn’t noticed a difference with my arms or back, but even my fiance noticed the difference in my tummy and hips.

I went back in for an evaluation and the measurements confirmed that I hadn’t lost anything in my arms – as I had suspected – after about 2 months. However, it takes a full 3 months to see results and I haven’t been back quite yet. However, my tummy was a no brainer. The results are so obvious that the little bits of pain that I endured (also, I’m a big baby) are so worth it. I want to go back and have my stomach and hips done one more time before my wedding so that I can look sexy in my bridal bikini.

Overall I think CoolSculpting is a pretty amazing procedure – especially considering that it is non-invasive. I emailed them and told them that I want to be their SpokesMom! It’s the perfect procedure to firm up those problem areas that showed up post-baby that even the most strenuous workouts can’t target. Also, I have to give a huge shout-out to Dr. Kinsley’s office and especially her amazing staff (xoxo Daniel and Ashley!) who I feel like I have practically become BFFs with. They made me feel at ease, and were so incredibly accommodating throughout the entire process – I cannot thank them all enough!

So, if you’re looking to make an investment in your appearance – I would absolutely, hands down, recommend CoolSculpting as well as Dr. Kinsley. I have had an amazing experience, and I know you will too.

I love it. LOVE.  My hobbies are reading, swimming, shopping, and makeup.  Seriously.

I mean, not that you’re surprised.

Maybelline approached the Walmart Moms and offered us the opportunity to review their new product line-up for 2011 and I was all “duh”.  Because, you know, makeup is my hobby.

I started with the new Maybelline Fit Me! product line, which includes 18 different foundations, 6 different concealers, 12 different shades of blush, and 3 shades of bronzer.  This lightweight formula is meant to allow your face to breathe which hopefully means fewer blemishes and breakouts, plus skin that is much, much healthier.  All of the different available shades allow you to completely customize your complexion to find the best shades that “fit you”.

I liked the Fit Me! line, and if you watch the video below, you can see me apply the line in real-time – and you can see how smoothly it evens out my complexion.  The Fit Me! line is very affordable and I would buy it again in a heartbeat.

Now, I’m a bit of a mascara freak, so it takes a lot to impress me.  I’m a big fan of anything that makes my lashes big, bold, and sorta out of control.  My all-time favorite is Dior Show Mascara, but it costs a whopping $28 a tube, and as a very famous makeup artist once told me “you should never have to pay that much for mascara”.  So, for the past year I’ve been on a mascara “diet” – hopping around trying to find the perfect one and I really, really think that I’ve found it in Maybelline’s One by One by Volum’ Express Mascara.  This mascara coats and separates every single one of my lashes with no clumping.  One coat is enough to make me feel like hot stuff, but two coats is enough to make me feel va-va-voom!

The last product that I tried from Maybelline is their SuperStay 24 Lipcolor – a 2-step color that lasts for 24 hours.  Let’s be honest – I was super skeptical.  According to Maybelline, this unique formula has 5 years of research and 10 US patents backing it up – and it won’t crumble, cake, fade, feather or transfer.  24 hours?  That’s a long time.  The first time I wore the color, I remember walking into the bathroom after eating lunch with friends and being shocked that my lipcolor looked like new.  Like I had JUST applied it.  That afternoon I brought my daughter home a few cupcakes from her favorite bakery, and we devoured them together – while my lipcolor stayed put.  So far we had made it though 8 hours and it looked great.  I started to notice a little fading around the interior of my lips, but nothing worth complaining about.  My fiance’ loves it too – he used to go in for a kiss to tell me how pretty I looked and then quickly pull back to avoid messing up my lip gloss.  Now he smiles and says “24 hour stuff?” and kisses me anyway.  That’s a keeper in my book!

Check out the video to see more of my experience with these three great products – and leave any thoughts that you have in the comments section!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for Walmart as a part of my role in the Walmart Moms.All opinions are, and always have been, my own.

Stella will leave her smelling like roses.

The gold-on-gold tones make this glittery polish sophisticated.

Makeup brushes are the perfect thing on any beauty-addicts list.

Rosebud salve is a perennial fave among gloss-fiends, and this updated more portable tube is a great alternative to the old pot version…no more greasy fingertips!

Add some pizazz to her pedi-every glam girl deserves a pair of sparkly toe separators!

This perfect peachy shade has just a little bit of sparkle and works on any skintone.

Argan oil is a miracle product-tames flyaways, fights frizz, increases shine…it does it all.

The party girl needs something shiny-this set gives her tons of choices.

Everyone can use a great hand lotion-what’s the use of a fresh mani if you’re hands aren’t soft?

Now I’m not your run-of-the-mill bath products and scrubby stuff junkie, so I take most products on a little trial run-make them prove themselves before they get to live in the corner of my shower with the best of ‘em. So here’s what I did:

I started with a pair of legs that needed some shaving/exfoliating/moisturizing (think pre-VersaSpa routine). On my left leg, I used the scrub as directed and on the right, nothing. I proceeded to shave both legs and continue on with my routine, then moisturized both legs with the same ole lotion I always do. Fast forward to being dressed later that day and me having all of my friends feel my legs to compare. At a restaurant. Yeah. Anyway, the Peppermint-Polished Leg won hands down. It was noticeably smoother and felt much more moisturized than the other-almost silky. So imagine this feeling head to toe (head use not actually recommended)!

So, if you’re looking for holiday gifts, this body polish would be great for the bath junkie, spa-lover, or any overworked and under-spoiled girl in your life…

I just returned from a conference in Las Vegas and boy are my arms tired on Friday, completely exhausted but feeling pleased at all that I learned and ready to spring into action.  However, as I boarded the plane at an absurdly early hour on Friday morning, I had more pressing matters on my mind.  My hands, legs, and arms felt like they were on fire. You see, as a Louisiana girl, I’m used to copious amounts of humidity and moisture in the air, and while I typically moisturize on a daily (or if I’m being lazy – every other day) basis, I failed to pack lotion in my suitcase for my 4 days spent in the dry desert air of Las Vegas.

My skin felt tight and was aching.  I should have made it a point to run across the street to Walgreens to grab some lotion while I was there, but being the lazy person that I am, I kept putting it off.  In that moment I was more than paying for it.  Washing my hands constantly on the trip home didn’t help in the least, but being a germaphobe left me with no other option.

Fast forward 9 hours and I’m standing in front of my mailbox, collecting 4 days worth of mail – including a package from Social Spark.  Inside of the package I discover full-sized bottles of Carmex Healing Lotion and Carmex Healing Cream.  I promptly dropped my mail on the ground (all bills anyway, bleh) and flipped open the top of the Carmex Healing Cream and slathered it all over my hands.  (I think my neighbor was a little concerned for my sanity at that moment, but I digress.)

I have never breathed a bigger sigh of relief.  My hands instantly felt better and I could see a visible difference in my skin.  My skin immediately absorbed almost of the lotion, and felt smooth to the touch, not sticky or greasy.  The smell was a nice, soft scent, reminiscent of the Carmex brand that we’ve all come to know and love.  After my shower, I used the Healing Lotion on my legs and arms and they too immediately felt smooth and soft.  I used the healing cream again on my hands, and even on my ankles and feet.  I’m on my second day using the products, and I’m seeing a steady improvement in the quality of my skin.

Overall, I give the new lotions by Carmex an A.  I wish the cream was a bit thicker, but I suspect that if it was most of it would just sit on top of my skin and not be absorbed, so I can roll with it this way.  You can find each of these products at Walgreens (see – I should have run across the street!) for $5.99 each and Drugstore.com.

Have you tried Carmex products before?  What do you think of these new lotions – would you try them?

Bonus:  I have a set of these products to give away to one of my readers!  If you are interested, please leave a comment below!  The contest will end on November 22, 2010 at 11:59 pm CST.  US entries only.

Some of the KAO Brands products

I’m not sure it’s ever been this bad before.  My spring fever, that is.  I mean sure, I typically start daydreaming of beaches and sunshine sometime when the temperature hovers around 75 degrees, but I’m not DESPERATE for it.  This year I’m suffering much worse than usual, and when I saw this chance to win a trip to Las Vegas for myself and 3 friends from KAO Brands (did I mention that it included $1,500 in spending money?) all I could see was me, poolside, with a tall glass of water (and perhaps a tall cabana boy?).

Head on over to the Temptation is Beautiful website to enter (I would highly encourage it, then I would encourage you to take me with you if you win – I’m very entertaining!) where you can also enter to win a daily beauty basket in addition to the grand prize trip to Vegas!  While you’re there, try taking the interactive quiz to see if you’re Hot Hot Hot (ahem, I absolutely am, per my results!  See the proof below!) or Cool as a Cucumber, then share it with your friends for more chances to win!

So what is your Temptress temperature?  Take the quiz and leave a comment to let me know!  Don’t forget, if you win (my US readers only, I’m sorry my international friends!), you definitely want to bring your favorite blogger along with you!  Can you just imagine renting a poolside cabana and being waited on hand and foot?  I can too!  Don’t worry, if I win, you can come along!

I’m a big fan of how I look with a little glow, nothing overdone, just a little color.  My mom always said that tan fat was better than pale fat (oh yeah, welcome to my world) – and well, I don’t consider myself fat in the least, but people, c’mon – I’ve had a baby.  Wait, better yet, I should say I’ve had a baby and my name is not Camila Alves or Heidi Klum.  There are parts of me that will just look better with a tan.

Don’t worry, I’m fanatical about doing everything in my power to prevent wrinkles and sun damage, so I know better than to lay in a tanning bed for a few weeks.  Instead, I think it will be best to spray a bunch of chemicals on my skin.  That’s gotta be better, right?

But, um.  I’m skeered.  What if it turns me orange?!  The oompa-loompa look is not good on me.  How do I know what level to choose?  What if I go from looking very French to looking very Italian in about 20 minutes flat?  That’s gonna be awkward, right?

Have you done this?  Tips/tricks/suggestions for me?

Then he starts thumbing through a copy of Lucky (MY copy of Lucky, that is) and pointing out things she would like.  Finally I offered for him to take it home with him, and reminded him to use it wisely – he basically had a perfect list and guide of items right at his fingertips.  He also took my card, so on the off chance that his wife is reading this post, all I can say is I TRIED.

In case you haven’t picked up a copy of Lucky lately or you just have a wife or mother that is exceedingly difficult to shop for – here is a short list of a few ideas that will hopefully make your shopping experience a bit less painful.

momAgenda — I received my first momAgenda back in January and since then have discovered that I am unable to live without it.  It’s a one-stop source for everything I need to keep me organized – it has sections for my personal schedule, then I take advantage of some of the “Kids” column’s to keep my professional life organized as well (I only have one, so why waste all of that space?!).  Conference calls, doctor’s appointments, travel arrangements, playdates, and birthdays all have their place in my momAgenda.  The two ribbon book markers help me keep track of my current week, and my month at-a-glance, but you can use them however you want.  Even my favorite wines have a place in my momAgenda!  There is currently a sale going on site-wide at momAgenda with 15-40% off of everything in stock PLUS free shipping!

Soft Hugwear – Soft Hugwear is the stuff my soft, fluffy cloud dreams are made of.  They make blankets, eyemasks, travel pillows, and spa wraps, like the one above (which I own and LOVE).  This new, uber-posh line is available at WalMart, and I have got my sights set on the travel set!

Keurig Platinum Single Serve Brewing System – Let me just start my opinion of this with a WOW.  This has become the #1 item in my house that I just simply CANNOT live without.  I’ve recently become a coffee addict — which is tough in a house where no one else likes it.  I would find myself brewing a whole pot of coffee and only drinking a cup, so I started cutting it down, but it really is a good bit of effort to go through for just one cup of coffee!  The Keurig has totally changed that for me.  I keep the reservoir filled, grab the flavor of coffee or tea that I want, pick my size, and in one minute I have the perfect cup of coffee, and no more than that.  The difference is in the K cup – this little cup pre-filled with different options of coffee or tea – that you pop in the top of the brewer, then close the lid.  When you’re done, you just throw the whole cup away.  No mess at all.  Already have a type of coffee that you love?  You can create your own K Cups as well, so don’t worry!  I can also choose the size cup I’d like – which is perfect for early mornings when I’m grabbing my coffee on the go.

Philosophy Skincare – I debated adding this under my beauty guide, but I’ve got to say – a little pampering goes a long way for moms.  Any mom would be ecstatic to find this gift set under the tree – it includes everything she could possibly want to care for her skin – including Philosophy’s signature face wash, an exfoliating scrub, their signature moisturizer “Hope in a Jar” as well as the version for the sensitive eye area “Hope in a Tube”, as well as a micro delivery peel.  This kit is skincare heaven, and probably a splurge that mom would never get for herself.  The Miracle Worker Kit that you see here includes $156 worth of products for $86 bucks – plus FREE shipping from Sephora right now!

* * *

So there you have it, a few awesome last-minute picks for mom — stay tuned for some amazing giveaways, and check our the Technology section of the guide for some suggestions for the tech-loving people in your life as well as some of our newest giveaways!

BLACK FRIDAY – NOVEMBER 27, 2009

H&M: On Friday, November 27th, receive 25% off items of your choice from 5AM until 10AM* and enjoy Fashion Finds all day from $5.

Store hours vary; call your nearest H&M for opening hours. Store locator.

*Offer valid Friday, November 27th from store opening until 10AM. Not valid on previous purchases, for H&M gift cards, or in conjunction with any other discounts. These three stores open at 5 am on Black Friday; 5th Ave and 52nd street, Penn Station, Herald Square stores.

Zappos: Zappos is opening the doors to their VIP Club!  From Black Friday through Cyber Monday, your readers can visit Zappos.com and join the VIP Club.  By becoming a member of the  VIP Club, members will receive free, overnight shipping – for the rest of their lives!  This invitation will only last from midnight on November 27th until midnight November 30th.

The link to sign up for the VIP Club will be live starting at 12:01 am on Black Friday morning and will be taken down on midnight November 30th.  From that point on, anything you purchase through vip.zappos.com will arrive at your door the next day fo’ free.  You read that right.  Sign me up.

Crabtree & Evelyn:  Crabtree & Evelyn is having a Black Friday preview sale with 20% off sitewide!   Free shipping on orders of $25 or more, Hand Therapy lotion is 50% off, and you can snatch up Body Lotion for $7.  Great stocking stuffers, teacher gifts, or girlfriend gifts!

Apothica:  Apothica is offering 20%-70% off selected items in their clearance sale. This amazing store offers beauty brands like Herve Leger, The Art of Shaving, and beingTRUE – upscale beauty products marked as low as 70% off. You’ll find anything and everything: cleanser, wrinkle cream, mascara, perfume – you name it!

e.l.f.:  This Black Friday, you can take advantage of special shipping rates at e.l.f – have your order shipped for just $1.98 with no minimum order value.  Shipping is usually $7 and their prices start at $1.  Great stuff for a great deal!!  I love their studio collection brushes and am addicted to the lip liner.  Yes, it is possible to be a lip liner addict.

Sephora:  With any $50 online purchase at Sephora, you’ll get a free metallic flower clutch stocked with eight samples. Just enter CLUTCH4U at checkout.  Valid while supplies last. (PS – need an idea of what to buy?  Try my ultimate favorite T3 hairdryer, or a gift set from one of my favorite skincare lines, Philosophy.)

Macy’s:  Macy’s is having a Thanksgiving Sale with 20%-50% off of thousands of amazing items.  The sale is online Thursday 11/26 through Saturday 11/28, and in-store 5 am – 1 pm on Black Friday, and 8 am – 1 pm on Saturday.

Payless:  Payless is having a sale through December 1st that offers buy one, get another half off, on any item in the store.  Shoes?  Now you’re speaking my language!  Squee! See those shoes to the right, there?  Those are CHRISTIAN SIRIANO.  At Payless.  I’m just sayin’.

DJ Premium:  At DJ Premium you’ll find brands like L.A.M.B, Vivienne Westwood, True Religion, Custo Barcelona, and tons of others.  You can take 20% off of full priced items with the code:  IE20J6, and 25% off of your Black Friday order with 1FUN1U.

Arden B:  Until Noon on Friday, buy one item get another for $5 at Arden B – storewide, but in-store only!  Free shipping on purchases of $15 or more, and mix and match basics are 2 for $14.  You can also get 25% off of selected sweaters online.  Check out the Holiday Lookbook for ways to create an inspired Holiday wardrobe!

Shopbop:  Up to 70% off of items at one of my all-time faves, Shopbop.  This awesome sale includes Tory Burch Flats, William Rast denim, and Pour La Victoire boots, among other huge names.  We’re talking major wow factor over here.

Hiiii, Errrikkkkaaaaa.

It’s true.  I don’t care if it is from Macy’s or Walgreen’s – I’ve tried almost every beauty product I can get my hands on.  When I discovered that I was pregnant with Little AG I suddenly realized that I had been largely slacking in one beauty product area – organic and natural makeup and skincare.  Being pregnant suddenly made me extremely aware of every single product I applied to my body, including things like sunscreen, makeup, toothpaste, and body lotion.  I spent hours using the internet to research every possible danger associated with every single product that I currently used – and it was then that my family forbade me from continuing to google information about beauty products on the internet.

They were all — um, crazy chick…step away from the laptop.  And I was all — must.do.more.googling!  After a brief intervention, they won.  It was a bit obsessive, I suppose.

So, in the absence of Google I turned to my two younger sisters, who had been using natural beauty products for quite a while, to help me figure out ways to incorporate organic and natural beauty and skincare products into my routine.  They pointed me in the direction of some fantastic products for both myself and for my then-still-a-peanut-sized daughter.  If you’ve ever found yourself wondering about these products but not really sure where to start – check out some of the awesome products I’ve suggested for you below, compiled with the help of my sister Dawn.  Most of these products aren’t completely organic, but they are all formulated without parabens and  without sodium lauryl/laureth sulfates.  Both of these have the ability to pass through the skin and to build up in the tissues of your body.  Yech.

1. Can You C Me? A makeup remover for both your visage and peepers, it combines organic carrot juice, minerals, and Dead Sea Mud and leaves my face feeling smooth and refreshed (isn’t it funny that mud makes my face feel refreshed?).  As a bonus – one of the ingredients is Aloe Vera so that it won’t irritate those pretty peepers, and will actually soothe tired eyes.

2.    Burt’s Bees Lemon and Vitamin E Bath and Body Oil – For an intensive moisturizing treatment, add some of this to a bath or apply it directly onto your skin.  After the birth of Little AG I used Vitamin E oil religiously after exfoliating, and it rid my tummy body of all of those pesky pregnancy stretchmarks.

3.  Pacifica “Mexican Cocoa” Solid Perfume – My sister Dawn let me try this stuff at the beach a couple of weeks ago, and I have to say that it’s true – good things absolutely come in small packages!  This delicious smelling perfume is created with organic wax and all-natural oils.  I would have never thought smelling like cocoa would be sexy, but I’ve gotta tell ya, dabbing a bit of this solid perfume behind my ears did not make me feel like a walking chocolate cake.  Bonus:  since it’s tiny, you can slip it in your evening bag or clutch and freshen up throughout the evening!

4.  Alba Sport Sunscreen SPF 30+ – Wearing sunscreen everyday is one of the most important things that you can do to combat aging – so next time you are in the market for more, try out this awesome broad-spectrum sunscreen.  This sunscreen is infused with all sorts of delish ingredients, including lavender, green tea, and aloe vera.

5.  Burt’s Bees Radiance Day Creme – Along with sunscreen, moisturizer is a product that should be used daily to fight off signs of aging, so why not give this one, with 134 different nutrients to nourish and protect your skin, a try?  Use it daily to help diminish the apperance of fine lines and keep your skin glowing.

All of the products are now paraben & phthalate free – which is great news for anyone trying to be a bit more “green”.  (And a smart move, in my humble opinion!)  The line now includes products to prevent blemishes and breakouts, treat existing blemishes, and control oil and shine.  The products are formulated to not be too harsh or to overdry your skin, while still being effective.

The Body Shop's Tea Tree Skincare Regime

Win It! To celebrate the relaunch of their new line, The Body Shop is offering 2 Chic Shopper Chick readers a prize package that includes all of the products that you see above ($115 value).  To enter to win, click on over to The Body Shop’s website and then come back here and tell me which one of their born-again Tea Tree products you would most love to try.  Leave a comment here, and stumble, subscribe, tweet (button at the top!) or blog about this contest with a link back here for additional entries. This contest ends August 20st, 2009 (ooh, on my birthday!). US entries only, must be 18 or older to enter, no purchase necessary to win.