Essence of Vali Sleep Collection

The 100 percent natural sleep collection offers a relaxing blend of lavender, marjoram, cedar wood and ylang/ylang and is available as balm, mist, massage and bath oil, and concentrate. No more counting sheep here. I applied a drop of the Bedtime Ritual ($18) to the corner of my pillow case and was lulled to sleep by the clean aroma.

Image credit: Beauty Press.com

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Maui take me away!

Almond Body Scrub

¼ Cup Rolled Oats

¼ Cup Raw Almonds

¼ Cup Water

2 Tablespoons Oil (Coconut, Sesame or Olive)

(Optional: Few drops of your favorite essential oil)

Grind all ingredients in a blender or food processor.  In the shower, scrub entire body and rinse off.  Excellent for circulation and detoxifying your skin, this treatment will leave your skin feeling revived and smooth.  Enjoy!

Banana Avocado Body Mask

1 Whole Ripe Avocado

1 Whole Banana, Mashed

¼ Cup Plain Yogurt

Scoop out the meat of one ripe avocado and mix together with the mashed banana and yogurt.  Spread mask onto your body and cover yourself with a big bath towel.  Prepare a warm wash cloth to cover your eyes.  Play soft, relaxing music and unwind for 15 minutes.   Shower and rinse off the mask and pat skin dry.  Moisturizer or lotion is unnecessary as your skin will feel soft and naturally hydrated.

Image credit: John Carluccio

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Here are my picks:

Garden Girl Simmer Down bath salts

• Feeling frazzled? Garden Girl’s “Simmer Down” (8 oz, $15) blends pure, mineral rich dead sea salts and fragrant nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon oils to warm you up and relax your mind and body.

Socal Cleanse Organic Detox Salt Scrub, Lavender Blend

• Socal Cleanse Organic Detox Salt Scrub ($72) is a spa-ready blend of salts, botanical, herbs, seaweeds and plant oils.  This paraben, sulfate, and preservative-free scrub contains virgin coconut oil, and exfoliates, detoxifies and rejuvenates dry skin.  It also gently removes toxins, prevents destructive free radical formation, improves circulation, reduces cellulite, and helps treat acne, eczema and psoriasis.

Salt of Life

• Unlike other bathing salts, Salt of Life Himalayan Pink Salt ($18) contains all of the 84 trace minerals found in the human body. When bathing, the body uses Salt of Life to detoxify, rejuvenate, and self-correct itself. For the best results, use these salts during the lunar cycles.

Vermont Soap Aromatherapy Bath Salts

• Vermont Soap’s unique Aromatherapy Bath Salts (3.5 oz, $5.99) is a relaxing blend of Epsom Salt and Sea Salt, pure essential oils, and natural mineral pigments. These salts promise to “soothe your aching muscles, sore feet and tired brains!”

Devorah Naturals Lavender Dead Sea Bath Salts

• Devorah Naturals Lavender Dead Sea Bath Salts (18 oz, $12) are made with soothing Dead Sea mineral rich salt, skin soothing herbal extracts, and an uplifting blend of essential oils.  What distinguishes Devorah Naturals from other bath salts, is they’re available gluten and casein free.

Image credit: Devorah Naturals, Vermont Soaps, Salt of Life, Socal Cleanse, Garden Girl

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Win this Benefit Posie tint among other goodies!

Be among the first readers to Tweet this post and follow me on Twitter @TracyEHopkins. So that I can keep track, reply to this post and let me know you are following me on Twitter.

Increase your chances to win one of 9 great items from my beauty closet if you also share this giveaway on your Facebook page. Then respond to this post and send me a link to your FB post.

Winners and prizes will be randomly selected and the giveaway ends on Monday, Nov. 16.  So good luck and get to Tweeting!

What’s up for grabs?

• Benefit Posie Tint lip & cheek stain ($28 value)
• Whish Flawless Ingrown Hair Serum ($22.50 value)
• Napoleon Perdis Lip Lacquer ($20 value)
• Max Factor 2000 Calorie Extreme Lash Plumper ($11.50 value)
• Smooth Away hair removal strips ($10 value)
• Opi Nail Lacquer “South of the Cham-border ($6 value)
• Sally Hansen Salon Nail Lacquer ($5 value)
• Maybelline Great Lash blackest black mascara ($5 value)
• Clean & Clear Morning Burst oil absorbing sheets ($4 value)

Image credit: Sephora

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During Fashion Week, I visited the CVS/pharmacy Reinventing Beauty event, where I found out the store’s beauty aisle shelves are lowered to 5′0″ so products are easily accessible for the average height woman (5′4″), and was introduced to the latest beauty trends and products for the Fall/Winter season. Here are a few highlights:

DIY: Sally Hansen Hair Remover Wax Strip Kit ($5.99 for 44 strips) is a good example of a do-it-yourself product that will save you time and money. The dermatologist-tested strips are made with aloe, soybean, and Vitamin E.

Store Brands: Store brands are usually a better value.  And with CVS’ money back guarantee, you can’t lose.  I’d love to try the CVS/pharmacy Deep Action Power Cleanser ($13.99), which massages and exfoliates your face when used with your favorite skin cleanser or scrub.  Compared to the $195 Clarisonic Classic, that’s a real bargain!

Back to Basics: It’s fun to test new beauty products,  but there’s nothing like tried-and-true standbys like Maybelline Great Lash Mascara ($5.29). America’s number one mascara in the pink and green container conditions as it thickens lashes, and is a stock staple at CVS.

Image credit: Tracy Hopkins

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Sweet Hearts Sparkly Body Lotion is paraben-free.

While parabens are considered safe because of their “low toxicity profile,” they can cause skin irritation in people with paraben allergies.  And parabens can mimic the hormone estrogen, which is linked the development of breast tumors and cancers. Yikes!  No wonder the industry is trending towards paraben-free products.

Hands2Go Instant Foaming Hand Sanitizer

Here are a few products I’ve tried and give the Hot Mama Daily stamp of approval:

Noah’s Naturals Grapefruit Shower Gel with Plant Cleansers ($7.99): The creamy, mild shower gel gently cleanses without stripping your skin of moisture. It nourishes with herbal extracts, vitamins, and natural emollients. 

Noah's Natural products are all natural.

Sweet Hearts Sparkly Body Lotion by Sparklehearts Natural Beauty for Girls ($12.49): Sparklehearts was started by best friends Hilary Orr and Darcy McMahon.  Once these industrious ladies found out that 60 percent of everything you apply to your skin is absorbed in your body, they decided to make their own organic products.  The products come in bright, playful colors and are perfect for tweens, teens, and fun gals of all ages.

Hands2Go Instant Foaming Hand Sanitizer ($2.60): This alcohol-free hand sanitizer comes with a handy pump. It’s moisturizing, fragrance-free, and has twice as many applications as alcohol gel.

Image credit: Sparklehearts/Facebook, Amazon.com, Walmart

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SA VA boutique in Center City.

The hip, sustainable boutique uses recycled hangers, natural fiber packaging and reusable shopping bags.

Chef Jose Garces' Distrito is one of Philly's best restaurants.

Stephen Starr's Parc is a popular spot for brunch.

Two of my fave Philly eateries are Distrito, a mouth-watering nouveau Latin eatery helmed by Chef Jose Garces (the top chef is a real contender to become the “Next Iron Chef”); and Stephen Starr’s classic French bistro Parc, overlooking Rittenhouse Square.

Philly's Hotel Palomar is a new Kimpton property.

So here’s your chance to win an unforgettable weekend vacation package to the City of Brotherly (and Sisterly) Love including a stay at the new, posh Hotel Palomar and a head-to-toe makeover, courtesy of GPTMC.

The package includes:

• Two roundtrip Amtrak tickets.
• Two nights at Hotel Palomar Philadelphia.*
• Dinner for two at a Philly dining hotspot.
• A full makeover, including hair, clothing, jewelry and accessories.
• Goodies from local boutiques and restaurants.
• Two tickets to dance troupe Philadanco’s 40th Anniversary Season performance.

The contest runs through 11:59 p.m. on November 5, 2009. The winner will be notified shortly thereafter.

*Stay is based on availability, restrictions and blackout dates apply.

(Image credit: Tracy E. Hopkins, John Carluccio)

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Reviva Eye Serum, $17.99 (image from Vitamin Shoppe)

“I’ve been using it for a few years now and it’s honestly the best eye cream I’ve ever tried. This is the only cream I’ve tried that quickly reduces puffiness (like I cried the night before and fell asleep on my face puffiness).

It also works on fine lines and dark circles. It’s by Reviva and contains, DMAE, Alpha Lipoic Acid and Vitamin C Ester. These are the same ingredients in Dr. Perricone’s eye cream but at a fraction of the cost. Years ago, after reading his book I tried a sample from Sephora and loved it, but couldn’t afford it ($95).

Shortly thereafter I found this Reviva cream at the Vitamin Shoppe ($18). I use it night & day. Over time you really notice a difference!”

Thanks for the tip Ferris!

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Fanci-full Temporary Hair Color (image from Walgreen's)

The instructions seem easy enough:  Fanci-full rinses in, shampoos out, and contains no ammonia or peroxide.  The enriched color formula has a citrus fragrance and claims to be safe for every day use (each cost efficient bottle lasts up to two weeks of 14 applications). Plus, it comes in a pretty pink bottle.

Have any of you Hot Mamas tried Fanci-full?  I’ll use it and let you know if it makes my gray go away.

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I’ve been using an astringent since I was an acne-prone teen, and always thought it was a necessary skin care step for cleansing your pores and getting rid of excess dirt before applying a moisturizer.  As I’ve become more beauty savvy, I discovered products that look like astringents called “toners.”

Cranberry Anti-oxidant Toner

Although astringents and toners are essentially the same type of products, an aesthetician recently explained to me that astringents are way too harsh and can strip the skin of its natural PH balance.  On the other hand, a natural toner like Cygalle Healing Spa’s Cranberry Anti-Oxidant Toner contains natural, refreshing ingredients (cranberry juice, Vitamin C, chamomile, plum, and sandalwood) and no alcohol.  Thus, it aims to soothe and hydrate the skin.

Unless I have a major acne flare-up, I’m going to shelve my alcohol-based astringent for a while and use  a natural toner.  

But I’m sure there is a lot more to the Astringent vs. Toner argument, and I would love your feedback.

Image credit: Cygalle Healing Spa, Clean & Clear

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