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Sun Protection is Vital, Kiehl’s All-Sport Year Round sun block is available in different strengths and applications. 

Choose from lotions or sprays and don’t forget those lips.

Protection for active adults, this stuff will stay on through your daily activity.  

A lightweight, moisturizing formula, contains Vitamin E and Aloe while providing UVA AND UVB protection.  Oh yeah, and did I forget to mention it stays on while in water?!  protecting you and your loved ones in water up to 80 minutes.

It’s great, it takes a little while to work in but once it’s there it gives your skin a little sheen.

Product:  L’Oreal Paris Skin Genesis, Oil-Free Lotion

L’Oreal Skin Genesis is coming up on it’s 1 year anniversary!  Skin Genesis first made it’s debut on local shelves in August 2007.  The premise of the lotion is to take care of all the strength of each layer of the skin.  As we age, skin weakens which causes it to be rough and uneven. 

Take advantage of the power of L’Oreals Green Chemistry and their Patented Pro-Xylane ingredient which is extracted from the beech wood plant.  Green Chemistry refers to the manufacturing process, an earth friendly bio-degradable and bio-assimilable (note to self: look up bio-assimilable!) solution to creating products of beauty.

The goal of Skin Genesis is to strengthen the upper layers of the skin, creating smoother skin and even skin tone.  I’ve been using the Lotion and I can tell you it’s great.  I love the pump bottle that keeps the last drop as fresh and potent as the first as well as the shape of the bottle that looks like a track baton.

I also love how accessible L’Oreal products are, available in your local stores as well as online.  The only problem is it’s not cheap, I usually don’t  discuss price values but I think this product is within reach of many women’s budget.  L’Oreal Skin Genesis is a great line and a way to indulgence yourself that is good for you.  Very light, fresh scent.

Use with L’Oreal Skin Genesis Daily Treatment Serum Concentrate (review coming soon) for best results.

It’s easy to take care of your skin if you do it in layers.  My first step out of the shower has been to slather Aveeno Active Naturals Daily Moisturizing Lotion with Sunscreen.  My next layer has been Aveeno Sunblock Spray SPF 45 because we’ve been outdoors so much.

Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion protects your skin from uva and uvb.  It feels great and totally non-greasy with natural colloidal oatmeal and ACTIVE PHOTOBARRIER COMPLEX™.  No added fragrance.

For best results your first step is Olay Definity Deep Penetrating Foaming Moisturizer.  Step two is to apply Olay Definity Correcting Protective Lotion SPF 15 for daytime use.  It comes in a pump bottle which I love, it’s so much more sanitary and keeps the ingredients nice and safe from the elements. 

Olay is a great brand that’s been around for a long time and never fails to deliver great skincare.  The best part is it’s affordable and accessible to many women locally. 

It’s got a great fresh scent that will make you feel happier immediately but there is also science backing this product and with an SPF 15 it is providing broad spectrum UV protection avoiding harmful sun damage.  In the morning when you may be in a hurry it’s nice to have something that will quickly absorb into your skin. 

Don’t forget to use Olay Definity intense hydrating cream @ night over your Foaming Moisturizer.

Cost Effective Luxury 

Olay Definity Deep Penetrating Foaming Moisturizer is your first layer of defense and skin nourishment.  It’s incredible because it comes out as a foam.  I must admit when it first came out I instinctively spread it to both hands like hair mousse but snapped out of it just in time.  I like the mousse because it is light, spreads easily and feels light on my skin.

A little goes a long way because it spreads so easily making it a cost effective luxury.  Layer Olay Definity Correcting Protective Lotion with SPF 15 for day and Olay Definity Intense Hydrating Cream for night. 

I’m so happy to see a classic brand like Olay keep up with modern life.

Miss Oops’ philosophy is to create products that help women solve the little problems in their lives so they can spend more time on the really big ones! I can totally relate to the concept and maybe it’s because the line was created by Jennifer Higgins, a mother of two. 

Today’s find is the Pedicure in a Bottle. Every summer there’s lots of foot display rituals most of us go through, sometimes it’s too much to keep up with.  Feet have to be presentable and soft but getting a pro-pedi can be time consuming and/or expensive.  That’s where Miss Oops comes in… Oodles of cute elegance in the packaging and a delightful product that is aromatic AND hydrating.   

Pedi in a bottle has some special ingredients to help you achieve a pedi with minimal effort, Salicylic Acid, gently exfoliates rough skin and calluses.  Shea Butter, hydrates skin and locks in moisture while Peppermint and Menthol soothes and cools your soles.  Lavender and Tea Tree Oils combat bacteria and odor. 

One cream helps all your troubles, it takes a couple of uses to see the softening effects.  My husband gives me foot massages a few times a week and he had some huge calluses that are slowly getting softer thanks to Miss Oops so there are benefits for all involved!

If you’d like to avoid buying online, click here to search Miss Oops retailers near you.

Soon I will post pictures of my Rose Garden, I’ve been tending it gingerly waiting for my rose crop to reward me with the slightest reciprocity for my hours of attention.  It takes a lot to grow roses, they are prone to lots of leaf diseases and infestations, not to mention little ones that want to make mommy a bouquet and cut down to the root with a sweet smile.

Weather it’s bugs or kids there are lots of things that can go wrong with a rose garden.  That’s why I was astounded to find out that the creams I’ve been slathering on use only Damask rose oil — it takes 60,000 roses to make a single ounce of Damask rose oil!! 

Berwick Balancing Day Cream is luxurious but it’s also necessary luxe because it has more than 300 organic compounds and is tolerated by all skin types.  Berwick provides Natural Beauty with  a scent (rose-y of course) and texture that could command a much higher price tag. 

I did not take it along on my trip making my homecoming that much better.  Everything’s coming up roses at Berwick with pore minimizing and even skin tone with a light-weight, hydrating formula.  It’s a great first step in the morning to prep your face for makeup or alone for a dressed down day.  Want one more especially noteworthy fact?  the first ingredient in all Berwick products is rose water.  You’ve GOT to give this line a try.

We’ve been using AMBI’s Body care Soft & Even Cream Oil Lotion for the past few weeks.  It’s a body moisturizer that I’ve been using for the whole family.  It’s very light, has shea butter and olive oil and relieves skin instantly, moisturizing for 24 hours.  It is important to note that cosmeticsdatabase.com has listed many AMBI products with a moderate to high hazard score.  In any case the products that I’ve tried are effective and pleasant to use. Look for AMBI products at any drugstore near you and for information check out www.ambiskincare.com 

Be fine food skin care Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15

with Rosemary, Pomegranate and Rice

Hello Drugstore Beauty Buyers!  Spring into gorgeous, vibrant skin with Be fine Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15.  I am totally in love with this product!  First off you’re killing two birds with one stone because it has the SPF 15 built in.  In addition it is paraben free and cruelty free - never using animal testing!  Icing on the cake is the fragrance which is allergy free and smells delightful and fresh.  There are 181 natural ingredients for your skin to feast on so you’re getting a lot of boost for your buck.  Hydrating and easily absorbed by your skin, I’m really loving it for my hands and arms which get way too much sun exposure this time of year with all the gardening I’m doing. 

Be fine Daily Moisturizer was nominated for a CEW Award.  Be sure to read more skin care reviews on Total Beauty

The Brand: Milbar Laboratories

Milbar Labs has been formulating skincare for dermatologists and plastic surgeons for over 25 years.  A few years ago, the lab team was presented with a challenge, create the most efficacious and luxurious, no-expense-spared, anti-aging formula. 

The project took on a life of it’s own and became M LAB.  The concentration of active ingredients immediately set M LAB apart from the rest.  Average luxury cosmeceuticals average 10-20% clinically active ingredients, but M LAB products range from 45% to 74% targeting all fine lines and wrinkles!  For the first time ever an unknown beauty brand was launched at Harrod’s prestigious White Hall in London. 

M LAB  7 Products

Get noticeably younger skin, improve color and texture as well as clarity with M LAB’s 7 part plan. 

• M LAB anti-aging treatment cream 68% clinically active ingredients (2.4 oz jar, $260)
• M LAB anti-aging cleanser 45% clinically active ingredients (6 oz bottle, $60)
• M LAB anti-aging toner 62% clinically active ingredients (6 oz bottle, $60)
• M LAB anti-aging treatment serum 74% clinically active ingredients (1 oz bottle $275)
• M LAB anti-aging day treatment SPF 15 65% clinically active ingredients (2 oz bottle $125)
• M LAB anti-aging eye cream 59% clinically active ingredients (0.5 oz jar, $170)
• M LAB body treatment cream 55% clinically active ingredients (6.7 oz jar, $185)

The M LAB collection comes in sleek black bottles which will appeal to lovers of clean, basic skincare.  These products are unisex, great for men, the packaging is strong and masculine.  All the products are designed to work alone but of course for maximum results each one should be used daily. 

Consider the 7 piece travel kit as an introduction to the line, just add a ziploc bag to get through airport security and you’re ready to fly off into the sunset.

M LAB products are available exclusively at www.mlabonline.com and Harrod’s London.