MD Skincare vs. Desert Essence

My internal debate started when I stopped by the MD Skincare counter to pay a visit to my friend Tamar ( an excellent airbrush tanner among other things who will make you glow from head to toe in the privacy of your own home). She was on the clock, selling skin miracles to Bergdorf shoppers. She offered me a sample of the Alpha Beta Daily facial peel. I admit, I took it home, sampled it and loved it. My face felt softer, refreshed and I swear had a new glow! Although I do my best to stick to organic and natural skincare products, on occasion Sephora will seduce me and win. Products by MD Skincare also come with a price that I am not willing to pay right now which has forced me to search for something just as good but more affordable. So now I am at Trader Joes and for $3.99 I see Desert Essence Tea Tree oil facial pads. I grab some because I love Desert Essence products and am desperate for a good facial pad I guess. That night, I am shocked to find out that once you get past the very strong smell of the tea tree oil these pads are amazing! And ok, although it could be the outrageous humidity in NYC right now, I believe my face had a new brilliant glow to it! I am hooked.
What I am wondering is, does anyone else have products they just can't give up? Or spend outrageous amounts on brands just because?
For $3.99 I am more than satisfied but I still want to give a shout over to Tamar to hook me up! ;)

a spritz of cool...

It's mid-summer and hot! One of my favorite hot weather tricks is to keep all my toning and scented sprays in the refrigerator so I can pull one out for a refreshing cool-down. Use different scents for a quick pick-me-up or a toning spray with properties to best meet your skin needs. Also, another trick, throw one into your beach cooler for a quick beach cool down.
I've pulled together a few of my favorites for you...


For a hit of antioxidants hydrate with Juice Beauty's Hydrating Mist. To rebalance oiliness and enliven your senses give your face a spritz of Jurlique Citrus Purifying Mist.

For dry skin in need of added moisture use Twinlab Na-PCA spray. This spray also doubles as a hair conditioner and can come infused with Aloe. To help skin resist water evaporation try Scientifica hydro-pure Toner.

eleven quick tips for keeping your skin young...

I came across these tips for keeping your skin young and healthy. Do you agree? Disagree? Have anything to add? I agree on most but have heard mixed reviews on applying moisturizer at night.

1. Cover Up from the sun between 10AM and 2PM.
2. Upgrade your SPF to a broadspectrum SPF 30.
3. Sleep.
4. Moisturize at night when your body temp is higher.
   
5. Drink lots of water.
6. De-stress, don't make your defense mechanisms work overtime.
   
7. Do Cardio to move oxygen through the body and sweat impurities from the pores.
   
8. Give Yoga a try to tone and condition the muscles your skin is attached to.
   
9. Eat antioxidants, the skins best friend.
10. Trade your coffee for green tea and sip the powerful antioxidant EGCG.
11. Pick the right wrinkle fighters for your skin type.
    

fun in the sun...

When the sun is high and the weather is hot a good sunscreen is needed. Korres is great as I mentioned before. My latest favorite, as mentioned by Angelina as well, is Dr. Hauschka mineral sunscreen. Mineral sunscreen sits on the top of the skin instead of being absorbed which many believe can be harmful because of all the chemicals in sunscreen. Available in a range of SPF and as a spray as well. Order here are receive two free Dr. Hauschka trial sizes. Offer available until June 30th.

cool down with Saaf...

Summer is quickly approaching, time for quick cool down showers. Rinsing with cool water increases circulation in the body and adds a rosy glow to the skin. Also a good trick for people with dry or itchy skin which is easily irritated with hot water. While rinsing, clean with Saaf Pure Shower Gel. Light, refreshing and just right for summer with hints of mandarin, lavender, patchouli, ylang-ylang and Clove. Available at Beautorium. For an extra treat, moisturize your skin afterwards with Saaf Body Balm.

relax with Lulu...

Looking for an amazing facial? Expert skincare advice? I highly recommend LuLu at Scientifica. The space is private and calming. The experience uninterrupted. Lulu will make you feel instantly comfortable. She then works with you to develop a skincare plan, learning about your lifestyle and explains how it coincides with the glow and clearness of your skin. She developed and uses Scientifica products, my favorite is the Hydra-Pure toner, which contains properties that help skin resist water evaporation. For appointments or to order products click here.

silky smooth with a hint of mango...

I've been searching for a good aerosol-free (to help protect the environment) gel for shaving. Recently while wondering the aisles of Bed Bath and Beyond I stumbled upon the newly stocked "natural and organic" aisle. I definitely find a convenience in being able to pick up household supplies and organic products in popular super-stores. Anyhow, I noticed Alba had a "foam" version of their shave gel that I usually buy. I have to say, I was really pleased. The foam was not as thick as your average shave gel but this is a great start! My favorite scent is the mango-vanilla. Click here for more info. Also, don't forget about the recycled disposable razors from preserve.

Alba also has a really great line, Alba Hawaiian, the scents are amazing! Perfect for summer. Over the years, I have tried almost everything offered in this product line and have not been disappointed yet. Whole Foods Market sells the line if you want to test for yourself.

Aguacate & Co...

I have been really into the skincare line Aguacate & Co. I've tried a wide variety of their products and am consistently pleased. Everything about this brand is straightforward and clean, from their packaging (perfect for men too!), to their philosophy, which is as follows...

"As a company, we strive to be good citizens within our industry, community, and the environment. To that end, we have developed our range of facial skin care products made with organic and natural ingredients cruelty free, and make every effort in our daily operation to reduce, reuse and recycle materials. And that is also why when you shop with us we give back a portion of all sales towards causes in support of the arts, community, and environment."

The soothing facial lotion, rejuvenating eye treatment, and facial cleansers are my favorites. Available online at Aguacate & Co.com.

lovely brows...

Threading is a technique that I have used for years as an alternative to waxing or tweezing. Threading is done with an actual spool of sewing thread pulling hair out one follicle at a time therefore leaving you with a beautiful natural looking eyebrows. Waxing can be less forgiving and forms eyebrows that aren't always well suited for your face. Tweezing can be a little tedious and lets face it, somethings are best left to the experts! My favorite eyebrow experts in New York City are the women at Madhu's Eyebrows. They charge 6$ and there is never more than a ten to fifteen minute wait. If you have really sensitive skin don't forget your sunglasses...you may be a little red afterwards.

Mandu's Eyebrows
3 Greenwich Ave
NYC
Mon-Sun 10:30 AM - 8:00 PM

a trip to the Beautorium...

Beautorium is a new online store selling organic and natural beauty products. Started by experienced beauty executives, Beautorium has a great philosophy and wonderful brand selection criteria. They stock some of my favorite product ranges from Saaf, Juice Beauty and Dr. Hauschka. The site is well organized, allowing you to shop by beauty issue, brand or product category. An added bonus...for all purchases over $75 you'll receive a fair-trade burlap sac to carry all your goodies in!

keep clean with citrus...

Last month I posted about Pattern, the new product line offering cleansers in refreshingly new scents suitable for hair, face or body. I've tried the citrus moisturizing body wash and was pleased. This all natural wash is great as a shower gel. The scent was faint, not too overpowering. The best part? The consistency works great for doubling as a shave gel! Available online at Pattern.

Happy Valentines Day!

Celebrate with skin softening massage bars by Lush. The massage bars serve as a luxurious massage oil or an after-shower body moisturizer. Almost every ingredient is organic and all are safe for the skin. If you haven't been to a Lush store be sure to stop in. Honestly the shop is a little overwhelming at first glance, but the products are intriguing and the sales staff are very helpful and friendly.

Naturalia's standalone organic beauty stores...

While spending time in Paris, one of my favorite health food stores was Naturalia. Naturalia also has a great selection of organic beauty products. Naturalia has now opened three bio boutiques dedicated to natural beauty. They are located in the Marais, Saint Germain and the 9th arrondissement. French beauty products are also nice because a lot have great shelf appeal and are just naturally more appealing to me because I'm not used to seeing them. I'm sure I'm not the only one whose gone into a basic pharmacy and been caught up for an hour! Naturalia also is pointing out that most materials used in the store design are organic, cleaning is done with ecologically-friendly products, and the lighting is designed to consume as little energy as possible. When in fabulous Paris, be sure to stop by...

Naturalia Beaute Bio
54 rue Lamartine
75009 Paris

126 boulevard Raspail
75006 Paris

52 rue Saint Antonie
75004 Paris

clearing troubled skin...

I think the most difficult product to find when looking for all natural products is something to clear blemish prone skin. It's frustrating enough to break out, let alone not be able to do anything about it! I want to share the quick fix tips I have as well as long term treatments. I'd love to hear if anyone else has any great home remedies to clear acne. Is there any organic products out there that really do the trick? Well, the most basic way to solve this problem is to make sure your eating a well-balanced diet and drinking plenty of water.

My personal favorite trick that works great to draw impurities out of a blemish is Tea Tree Oil, which can be found at any local grocery or beauty store. Just apply a drop on any pimple and this will speed the healing process.
For longer term treatment I have discovered two products that I really like, pictured above is a clearing Amino Derm gel offered by Aubrey Organics. This gel can be spread on wide areas of the skin, never bleaches or feels tight and always dries clear. Blue Green Algae is also known for being great for clearing up skin. I haven't tried any of Aubrey Organics algae products but I'm sure they are great, I'm always pleased with what Aubrey Organics has to offer!

I also have been using this active charcoal/zinc body wash from Collective Wellbeing. The only think I am not too crazy about is the texture of the body wash, it's an intriguing black color but has a hand feel that is kind of hard to work with, it just needs to be lathered up a bit! By the way, this is the same company that makes amazing foot lotion.

as soft as it gets...

Thanks to my roommate, I came across an amazing facial scrub that I am so excited to share... Eminence Organics Pear and Poppyseed Microderm Polisher. I instantly felt a difference on my skin, actually I don't recall my skin ever feeling this soft! I wish I could actually do a full body scrub with this, it's that amazing. The scent is nice as well and I love the directions it gives on the packaging, "Mix the polisher with an equal amount of water, tea or juice. For sensitive skin, mix with an equal amount of the Pear & Green Apple Masque. Gently apply to the skin with a circular motion for one to two minutes. (It is recommended to place a wet gauze or cotton strip over top). Steaming is possible while the masque is on. Remove with a warm wash cloth." I love how it says mix with water, tea or juice...fabulous. Eminence products are never tested on animals and packaging is 100% recyclable. Available online.

for your eco-conscious shopping efforts...

Image from pangeaorganics.com.

I have a great last minute offer for all Flawless Beauty readers. The people at Pangea Organics ( The makers of the new "it" mask from the gift guide) are offering all friends of Pangea an opportunity to purchase Pangea Organics products at WHOLESALE Pricing -that's 50% OFF. Yes, 50% OFF. They do ask, however, that each order meets a MINIMUM of $200 (wholesale), plus shipping & handling. That is a lot of product, lol, but makes for great gifts and maybe a few people could go in on one order. Hurry! Offer expires December 20, 2007. So get your holiday orders today! This offer is limited to the first 500 Friends.

To take advantage of this special offer, you must email info@pangeaorganics.com with FRIENDS in the subject line. They will then email you the Wholesale Order Form with instructions on how to place your order. This offer is not available online at pangeaorganics.com or in stores. This offer is available via email only. The website is a great way to familiarize yourself with the product though (and know what to order).

And here is a message from Pangea, "With this very special offer, we encourage you to continue to be part of the solution by choosing to be a responsible consumer this holiday season. It is because of people like you that companies with the environmental and social ethics of Pangea Organics have found success in a very competitive market. With your help and in combination with the work you do in your own lives everyday, together, we will change the world. Happy Holidays!"

On that note, I am off to California again for the holidays but will try to do my best to keep up on posts...

winter is here...

Winter is officially here tomorrow I believe and it has been in the 30's in New York. Time to stock up on winter products! I walk to work in the morning and find that by the time I get to the office the skin on my face feels cold and dry. I decided I had to get some heavier face lotion so at Whole Foods I picked up Weleda Everon face balm. I have to say, I am completely satisfied with my purchase. The lotion goes on thick but does not leave my face feeling coated or greasy. My skin also feels moisturized all day, even when I was running around the city outside doing errands. This product is also perfect for use during winter sports. I noticed they have a lip balm as well that I have not tried yet...

treat your feet...

Treat your feet after a warm bath or shower to this amazing Cardamom-Mint foot butter by Collective Wellbeing. It's one of my personal favorites and as the website says, this lotion melts into your skin, leaving even the driest pair of feet petal soft. The smell is soothing and exotic and the lotion is great for your hands as well.
All images from Collective Wellbeing.com.

And in other flawless news, Flawless Beauty has been recognized by Blogger on their blogs of note. So exciting! I want to thank all the Flawless Beauty readers and give an extra big thanks to Blogger!

skincare for him...

Just in time for gift giving season, the vedaPure line offers a little something for the males in your life, the vedaDude gift set! The set includes four items which you can read more about below...you can also purchase these great products separately as well.

Clean :: A Green Clay, and Vitamin C based cleanser that create a synergetic blend to protect the skin against free radicals. The Vitamin C Esters absorb readily into the skin without stinging and the Green Clay make this cleanser rich and effective in protecting the dermis from environmental toxins, aging and sun damage. Great for all skin types.

Glide :: A shaving gel made with Organic Aloe Leaf Juice, Bilberry Extract and Organic Orange Fruit Extract that makes this a refreshing and clear way to shave. The non-sticky gel glides on easily and stays clear and smooth for a protected shave, but washes off fresh and clean.

Splash :: An aftershave made from Organic Orange Fruit, Lemon and Cranberry Extracts that refresh and purify the skin after shaving, while the Organic Lavender Distillate calms and softens the freshly shaved skin.

Chill :: A wonderfully relaxing aftershave balm with Organic Coconut and Jojoba that moisturizes but leaves the skin feeling pure, refreshed and hydrated.

Available now at vedaPure.com.