Get Your Glow On: Faux Riviera Tan

Voda Swim String Bikini & Freewaters Sandals

Somewhere Warm & Sunny: Warm weather is on the way! I know I keep telling myself that because really one day it will be true. When that hot weather shows up, I don't want to show my pasty winter-white legs and arms! Here are some runway tips and tricks to go from blah to bronzed instantly. My simple steps to a Faux Riviera Tan:

First Get A Close Shave
If you like the Venus razor you will LOVE these Women's Five Blades by 800 Razors. These are amazing with no nicks or burns under the arms or the bikini area. The multi bladed head tilts to caress every crevice and the 360 lubricating soapy bars keep it smooth. These even come with a burn free guarantee.

800 Razor trumps Venus!

Next Exfoliate
I like to use my Clarisonic Plus daily in the shower for extra clean & gently exfoliated skin. Before I hop in the shower I do a quick dry brushing with a soft Boar Bristle body brush. To do a deep exfoliation try using Tree Nut's Olive & Shea Butter Sugar Body Scrub. Another good scrub is by Mio - Double Buff Dual Action Enzyme Exfoliator. Pay special attention to elbows and knees as they tend to be rougher and will absorb color more quickly than other body parts.  

Mio Double Buff and Tree Nut Sugar Body Scrubs

Moisturize & Firm
Right out of the shower, first apply a good cellulite cream like this Cellulite Firming Complex by TriLASTIN or Embryolisse 365 Cream Body Firming Treatment. The warm water and exfoliation will ensure maximum absorption of these products.

Time to Glow:  I've looked at quite a few self tanners and by far the best color you can get is with an airbrush. Once only available in a salon, now if you have even a basic airbrush compressor, you can do it at home. Otherwise get a pair of rubber gloves and a can of Quick Tan by Body Drench. This gives you a rich, instant tan that darkens over 3 days and lasts for almost a week. Spray it on and rub it in. Let it dry thoroughly before getting dressed. If you want a bit of EXTRA glow, add a layer of Hard Candy's Glow All the Way self tanner. It's infused with 24K gold and looks incredible in sunlight.

Firm and Glow essentials!

Full Body Glow
Just remember to really glow all the way! Do your arms and legs and all other areas of exposed skin. Don't forget to use a bit of bronzer on your face and neck to match up your look.

Glow from head to toe this spring!

Products featured in this article c/o these respective companies:

VodaSwim.com
Freewaters.com
800razors.com
EmbryolisseUSA.com
HardCandy.com
TreeNut.com
BodyDrench.com
Mioskincare.com
TriLASTIN.com
 

Get Glowing! Dry Brushing

What is Dry Brushing?
Dry brushing has been around for more than 25 years and was first made popular by health author, Paavo Airola.  It has been a long term staple treatment in European Spas.  Dry Brushing is a very simple yet effective way to stimulate the lymphatic system which is responsible for helping to rid the body of toxins.  Cellulite represents an accumulation of fat but also stored toxins from years of exposure to pollutants.  Dry brushing also improves the look and function the skin while stimulating the nervous system and improving muscle firmness.

You can best benefit from dry brushing by purchasing a natural bristle, boar's hair brush or even a loofah will work.  Upon arising, do not wet your skin or shower; save that for after your treatment.  Using a dry brush on your dry skin, begin at the feet and brush upwards towards your heart in smooth long strokes.  Do this while including the trunk, buttocks and upper extremities which should take between 2-5 minutes.  The main goal is to increase blood flow which will show with your skin turning a healthy pink.  Now you can shower and remove any loosened dead skin cells dislodged during your brushing.  In the shower, I like to use a natural Goat Milk bar soap with a glycerin base.  This type of organic soap is nourishing and non-drying.  If you wish an even deeper cleansing after your dry brushing, gently glide a Clarisonic Ultrasonic Skincare Brush over your skin.  You will find that your lotions & oils penetrate more effectively after doing so.

Skinny Tone Ultra Firming Cream 
Now that your skin has been exfoliated and purified, you'll want to capitalize on the toning that dry brushing is known for.  You should use something that will optimize the detoxification that the manual brushing has begun.  Skinny Tone Ultra Firming Cream is by Mission Athletecare and is rich in vitamins, antioxidants and botanics such as Butchersbroom, (Ruscus Aculeatus), Ivy and Goji Berry Extract.  All of these are herbs are prized for their ability to detoxify your system and can work synergistically with your dry brushing regimen.

After your dry brushing and shower, apply Skinny Tone to problem areas to help firm and smooth the appearance of cellulite.  You should see a marked difference using dry brushing and Skinny Tone together after one week or sooner.  If you want an extra dewy glow, layer a little sweet almond oil infused with lavender over your skin.  Your skin will look like 24 k gold!   Here is a very good demonstration video of how to Dry Brush by "Kiki Says" on YouTube.

Best Juice Cleanse

A successful Juice Cleanse includes more than just organic fruits!

Many celebrities are doing updated juice fasts for 3-5 days to loose weight, increase energy and simply feel better.  Some even have their own organic juice products that can be delivered to your door for a mere $60 a day.  I think we can do a LOT better than that!  I am a certified nutritional consultant and the author of several health & fitness titles (see some of my books in the bottom right hand column).  In The New Woman's Herbal & Nutritional Guide I caution breast cancer patients to beware of soy based products. Breast cancer survivors who are in remission should avoid phytoestrogens like soy.  Soy is often added to many liquid diet cleanse products because of its protein value.  However, it is not the best choice for your digestion.  A rice based protein source such as Rainbow Light's Protein Energizer is preferred.  No bloating, easy to digest and it will give you the added protein and fiber a pure fruit and vegetable juice fast will leave out.  The quick weight you lose when you don't get enough protein is often muscle, not fat.  You should also still take a multi-vitamin during your juice cleanse such as Rainbow Light's Organic Women's Multi.

Stainless Steel Polar Bottle- water is a must!

Juicing 101

First of all you'll want to pick fresh, ripe organic fruits and vegetables for your juice.  Organic blueberries can be purchased frozen and are loaded with high level (ORAC) rated antioxidants due to their dark color.  You can also purchase organic spring greens year round which will not alter the taste like cole family vegetables, (i.e. cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts).

Both frozen berries and organic salad greens blend easily into a delicious juice you won't mind drinking at all!  Here is one of my favorite blends:

East Coast Juice Cleanse

1 cup crushed ice

1/2 cup frozen organic blueberries

1/2 cup organic red seedless grapes

1 cup organic mixed spring greens

1 scoop Rainbow Light's Acai Berry Blast Protein Energizer

Whirl all of these ingredients on high until liquid, adding a bit of water if too thick.  I often make double and pour half in a stainless steel Polar Bottle and save it for the next day.  Be sure to get plenty of water during your Juice Cleanse both inside and out.  Accelerate your skin's detox by using a Clarisonic Mia shown here in in Spring BLUE!

Bridal Registry Give-Away

Dinair Studio Airbrush Makeup Kit

Ah yes, June is the month for weddings and anniversaries! If you are looking for the perfect gift, check out Gavethat.com's Bridal Registry Special. Not only will you get fabulous gift ideas for that special bride, (could it be you?), or an anniversary treat for someone special.

Better still is Gavethat.com's GIVE-AWAY of this fantastic Dinair Studio Airbrush Makeup Kit and Clarisonic's Skin Renewal Serum! Dinair is THE name in makeup artistry using the airbrushing technique. In fact they have been doing in longer than just about anyone else. This kit pictured here gives you all of these items including the airbrush compressor and gun. Once you see what a difference airbrushing makes, you may not want to go back to the old conventional way of applying makeup!

Be sure to visit Gavethat.com during the month of June to enter this beauty bonanza of gifts from Dinair and Clarisonic. Bells will surely chime!



Clarisonic Skin Care

Airbrushed Dinair Makeup is applied best over clean, exfoliated skin. That is why we recommend a deep cleansing with the Clarisonic Ultrasonic skin cleansing systems. Follow up with Clarisonic's Skin Renewal Serum and you'll have even better results with your airbrush makeup. The perfect compliment! Visit Gavethat.com during the month of June to enter to win Clarisonics Skin Renewal Serum AND a Dinair Studio Airbrush Makeup Kit!

Clarisonic & Opal Give-Away!

Right now, Gavethat.com is holding a Clarisonic Mia & Opal Skin Care Systems GIVE-AWAY!!!! Read our article: Spa Pleasures at Home to find out what these incredible products can do. Follow this link below and enter before midnight, May 31st, 2010!!!!


Enter Gavethat.com's Clarisonic & Opal GIVE-AWAY

Clarisonic & Opal: Spa Pleasures at Home

The Clarisonic Skin Cleansing System and the Opal Skin Infusion System make the perfect pair for your "home-spa".

Clarisonic & Opal: Spring Skin Detox is my article on the Clarisonic Skincare Line. It was published at Gavethat.com so click on the link to read the full review. One of the nicest things you can do for yourself is take a vacation away from the everyday. Now that may not be too easy but considering that stress can elicit a whole host of unhealthy symptoms, we should take time for ourselves.

I have gone away to some wonderful spas for European facials and herbal body wraps. They are wonderful for both mind and body. However for a bit more than you would pay for a visit, you can invest in your own home spa essentials such as pictured above.

The Clarisonic Plus Skin Cleansing System offers interchangeable heads for your face and body. It is completely immersible and does and incredible job cleansing your skin, much in the way the Sonicare toothbrush cleans your teeth. It is the same technology after all. The Opal is the newest addition to the Clarisonic line and offers a very effective skin infusion system to plump up fine lines and wrinkles. The target areas for the Opal are the eyes but it is just as effective around the mouth, neck and forehead. When used in tandem, you have a complete system that will give you spa results at home. In fact the Clarisonic Skincare brush is already used in some of the top retreats in the world. Now you can have these same spa pleasures at home for yourself!