Made with 100% organic essential oils of Lavender and all natural ingredients, this trio helps to soothe away stress and tension, leaving skin supple and creating a tranquil environment. HollyBeth’s Natural Luxury donates a percentage of proceeds each year to both local and global charities such as UNICEF and breast cancer research, so with every Gift Set you purchase, a portion of your money is going towards an important cause. Give and feel good with HollyBeth’s Natural Luxury!

Retails for $49 online at www.hollybeth.net

Lavender Essentials Gift Set includes the following:

Lavender Hand Cream

Made with 100% organic essential oils of Lavender and Sweet Almond Oil, HollyBeth’s Lavender Body Cream helps to soothe away stress and tension, leaving skin supple and intensely hydrated. Sweet and rich, this fragrant Lavender infused hand cream relaxes and calms, helping to reduce emotional stress and enhance feelings of wellbeing, while Vitamin E moisturizes dry skin without leaving a greasy residue. Moisturize into skin just before bed to aid relaxation and help balance mind and body.

Amor Lavender & Rose Geranium Candle

Sweet overtones of Lavender essential oil aide relaxation and soothe away stress while Rose Geranium balances the nervous system and helps to relive anxiety. This rosy bouquet blends beautifully and promotes a sense of peace and tranquility in any setting. Made from 100% eco-friendly soy wax and infused with certified organic essential oils HollyBeth’s AMOR Lavender & Rose Geranium Candle is hand-poured and contains no petroleum products, synthetic fragrances, boosters or colorants.

Blossom Lavender & Geranium Lip Balm

A sweet and fragrant, intensely rich balm that moisturizes, soothes and refreshes. The delicate blend of Lavender and Geranium impart a soft floral aroma while the antiseptic properties of the organic essential oils work to soothe and repair dry, parched lips. Ultra moisturizing Shea Butter, Kokum Butter, Aloe Vera and Coconut Oil provide nourishment to the lips, leaving them soft and supple.

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What I mean, more succinctly, is it’s time to get serious about shaving, and while we’re at it, saving the planet. LUSH suggests you take a step in the right direction with several new items made just for men – goods that promise to pick him up, perk him up and please his partner too!

Shaving Cream $14.95

Shave the Planet is perfect for those guys and gals who want to do their bit for the earth while keeping their skin soft, smooth, and stubble-free. This shaving cream soothes, reduces redness, promotes skin repair, and makes skin smooth with a blend of softening fair trade organic shea butter and cupuaca butter, rose absolute to help soothe sore skin, and lavender and organic jojoba oil to help heal damaged skin after shaving. It’s also rich in antioxidant Vitamin E, Acai juice, pumpkinseed oil, cold pressed rose hip oil and wheatgerm oil, which promote skin repair and help to slow down the signs of aging.

Business Time Massage Bar $8.95

It’s ‘Business Time’ when it’s time to get romantic and this new massage bar created especially for the boys can help. Business Time is made with quick melting Fair Trade shea and cocoa butters, with almond and coconut oils and scented with luxurious rose, fennel and lavender essential oils. Use on your partner to set the mood and elicit some serious business time!

Shave the Planet Gift $29.95

A quartet of LUSH products to scrub up your man: Shave the Planet shaving cream for super smooth shaves, Cosmetic Lad moisturizer to soothe sensitive faces, Bamboo soap to tone and leave skin smelling like the rainforest, plus a Business Time massage bar to get him in the mood to get busy. Wrapped with a fun comic strip, this is a great gift for the superhero in your life.

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“For celebrities, their livelihood is about how they look. However, many of them don’t know how to take care of their skin and they don’t have great resources for education because they often alternate between estheticians,” said Hilling, the founder of the discrete, must-have skin care line, Skin Authority. “Just like the rest of us, they want to be educated on how to do the right things at home for amazing skin.”

So, what is Hilling’s skin care weapon? A 10-minute, professional treatment that dissolves the top layers of dead skin without any peeling or redness. “This treatment uses sugar cane to reveal glowing, moist skin below the surface. Once you’ve removed the dead skin, not only is your skin smoother and hydrated, it’s also better prepared to receive the values of topical antioxidants and treatment products,” Hilling explained.

At Sundance, this treatment led to celebs and make-up artists telling Hilling that they have never seen skin so smooth. “Skin texture that is smooth and flawless provides the perfect canvas for a polished and natural look for make-up,” says Hilling. “With HDTV, every pore shows, so even male stars are seeking ways for their skin to look vibrant on camera. The key is to keep it simple with just a few highly effective steps.”

A great example of keeping it simple is Skin Authority’s specially formulated, low pH combo of Vitamin C, Retinol (Vitamin A), topped off with a full-spectrum sunscreen moisturizer. “The weather this year at Sundance has been unusually sunny and clear. At this high altitude, all of the beauty goes out the door if a client goes out unprotected. So, no one leaves the spa suite without SPF 30/4-Star UVA protection,” encouraged Hilling.

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I am forever plagued with the worst of insomnia – but according to an email I received today, maybe – just maybe – I can now rest easy.

Apparently, Manhattan’s elite dentist, Dr. Arthur Zuckerman, has launched PearlyDreams, a new toothpaste specifically created to naturally aid sleep.

Formulated with Melatonin and organic extracts of Valerian, Balm Mint and Passion Flower, PearlyDreams uses natural ingredients to ease stress and enhance sleep.

Sleep deprivation has increasingly become one of the most common health concerns among Americans. According to the National Sleep Foundations’ 2008 Sleep in America Poll, 65% of adults report trouble sleeping at least one night during the week. This continual lack of sleep has serious outcomes both mentally and physically with effects including weight gain, premature aging, depression, heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke.

With such severe medical problems caused by sleep deprivation, it is somewhat surprising that only 7% of respondents cited using over-the-counter or store-bought sleep aids. A possible reason for people’s hesitance towards sleep medications is their long list of damaging side effects such as addiction, dependence, drowsiness the next day, confusion, and forgetfulness.

“My goal was to produce an effective and natural toothpaste that could reduce stress and enhance sleep without any dangerous side effects,” says the dentist. “I aimed to find the perfect balance of natural supplements known to relax, calm and help the body to sleep.”

Consulting a naturopathic specialist, Dr. Z formulated PearlyDreams by using the optimum combination of Melatonin and organic extracts of Valerian, Balm Mint and Passion Flower. Known for treating certain insomnias, Melatonin is the body’s own “sleep signal” – a hormone that helps regulate the body’s natural sleep pattern. Aging reduces the amount of Melatonin our body’s produce, contributing to adult sleep-deprivation. By combining one of natures most effective sleep inducers with Valerian, Balm Mint and Passion Flower (herbal remedies known for treating nervous tension and sleep disorders), PearlyDreams’ groundbreaking formula is one of the most efficient and natural sleeping aids available on the market.

Available online at www.pearlydreams.net

Image: Pearly Dreams

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Sound too good to be true? Here’s what you do:

Ingredients

• 1 table or flat surface
• 1 large bowl
• 1 large bath towel
• 4 cups boiling water
• 1 sliced Sunkist® Lemon
• 1 handful of mint leaves

Directions

Place the large bowl on the table and add boiling water, Sunkist lemon slices, and mint leaves. Place the bath towel over your head and lower your face over the bowl. Breathe deeply for seven to ten minutes, allowing the aroma of the mint and lemon to calm your senses and remove impurities. This is also great home remedy for opening breathing passages during cold and flu season.

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As this decade’s new fashion icon, Michelle Obama has a lot of pressure to look her best when by her husband’s side on Inauguration Day. Even if you won’t be in the spotlight, but face a day full of pressure and need to maintain a radiant glow and keep skin invigorated, try The Body Shop Vitamin C Energizing Face Spritz. The small spritzer can be kept it in your purse for emergency use and sprayed right over applied makeup. To maintain a gorgeous glow through the long day, we recommend a sweep of Brush on Bronze across the cheekbones. In just 30 seconds, she will look amazing!

Whether on the playground or in class, today’s youth do deal with a lot of stress and pressure at school, even without the Secret Service sitting in the corner of the classroom! Malia and Sasha are gearing up for their dad’s big day and are sure to steal some of the spotlight. The Body Shop’s Pink Grapefruit Lip Butter is great to keep smiles looking bright and staying confident when all eyes are on them…and it has a great flavor!

And for those who will be there witnessing history in the making, its going to be very cold in D.C., so throw the Aloe Lip Treatment and Vitamin E Hand and Nail Treatment into your bag to keep lips and hands from chapping.

Image: The Body Shop

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Wash up: If done right, oral hygiene is a contact sport. Before reaching into your mouth to brush and floss, make sure to wash your hands first. That way you won’t give viruses a free ride from your hands to your mouth.

Hygiene experts recommend plain soap and water over antiseptic products (use those when you are on-the-go without access to a sink). The key is good technique – wash every surface of your hands, not just the palms.

The suggested length of time for hand washing is the time it takes to leisurely sing a verse of Happy Birthday. If that is not on your favorites list, choose another song and let the kids pick their own special wash-up tune.

Toothbrush Hygiene: To serve you best, your toothbrush should routinely be replaced every 3-4 months. You should also replace your toothbrush after you have a cold or other infection. It’s a small investment to avoid re-infecting yourself or cross-contaminating a family member’s brush.

There are expensive ultra-violet toothbrush sanitizers on the market, but common-sense toothbrush hygiene is free. Beware of home remedies on the internet with instructions on how to sanitize your toothbrush in a microwave or dishwasher. According to the American Dental Association, they might not be effective and your toothbrush could be damaged in the process.

Here is a toothbrush hygiene list from the Centers for Disease Control:

• Don’t share toothbrushes. This seems very basic, but supervise young children to be sure they know to use only their own toothbrush — an exception to the “sharing is good” rule! If there are extra (or unclaimed) toothbrushes in the bathroom, discard them to avoid confusion.
• After brushing, rinse the toothbrush with tap water, and allow it to dry in an upright position if possible. This allows for good drainage and air-drying between uses, a deterrent for germs.
• Do not routinely cover toothbrushes or store them in closed containers such as travel cases. These are more conducive to germ growth than open air.
• If multiple brushes are stored in the same holder, do not allow them to touch.
  

It’s Sore Throat Season
The same ingredient in The Natural Dentist that soothes and protects your mouth and gums is also recognized by the FDA to help to relieve your sore throat.

For temporary relief of sore throat pain or discomfort, gently gargle with The Natural Dentist Healthy Gums Mouth Rinse. Or, place the rinse in a sterile container and spray your throat for soothing comfort.

Here’s to good health in 2009!

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Double Fast Luck Emotibomb ($3.95) was created especially for the Chinese New Year. It is scented with the Karma scent and designed in the shape of a symbolic, lucky coin. Simply place it on the floor of your shower as it releases the spicy-orange scent and good fortune. (In theory. But it’s a cool concept!)

This limited edition Chinese New Year product is available in LUSH stores nationwide and online at www.lushusa.com.

Image: Lush

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Imagine if you could soothe dry skin and melt your troubles away in a warm bath of pure organic cocoa butter and essential oils! Treat Beauty turns bath time into a sweet indulgence of healing waters with new Organic Cocoa Butter Bath Bon Bons. These gourmet chocolate truffle shaped confections melt in warm bath water to soften and soothe dry skin.

Treat uses pure organic cocoa butter that has not been refined in any way so it retains all its natural healing and preventative properties as well as its delicious chocolate aroma to make these cocoa based confections. The best flavors come from nature so these organic bath bon bons are sweetened with blood orange and spearmint essential oils to help you feel calm and relaxed

Image: Treat Beauty

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Infusing grapefruit into your diet, along with following a balanced lifestyle can keep you looking lovely:

· Watch your waistline.

If you’re trying to maintain a healthy weight, consume fruits and vegetables with high water content, like grapefruit to feel satisfied. One-half of a Florida grapefruit is fat-free and contains 60 calories. Grapefruit juice is fat-free and has fewer calories than most fruit juices at less than 100 calories per 8-ounce glass.

· Great for glowing skin.

Studies have shown the natural vitamin C found in fresh grapefruit and grapefruit juice is essential for collagen production. With more than 100 percent of the recommended Daily Value of vitamin C in each serving of fresh grapefruit or 100 percent grapefruit juice, regular consumption can contribute to a radiant glow.

o Fountain of youth.

Collagen breakdown in the skin can lead to the formation of wrinkles. The natural vitamin C in fresh grapefruit and 100 percent grapefruit juice supports collagen production to fight signs of premature aging, such as wrinkles.

o Ease seasonal skin woes.

The vitamin C in fresh grapefruit and grapefruit juice can actually protect your skin from sun and wind burn. The nutrient is essential for collagen production, which promotes smooth, supple skin tone. To recharge after a day outside, add a few cups of 100 percent grapefruit juice to your bathwater to smooth skin.

· Marvelous mani’s and pedi’s.

The natural ascorbic acids in grapefruit help to exfoliate and smooth skin on hands and feet. Sweeten your next at-home manicure and pedicure by soaking hands and feet in a mixture of warm water and 1 cup grapefruit juice to soften cuticles, calluses and heels. Jennifer Iserloh also recommends rubbing fingers with a slice of grapefruit dipped in sugar to brighten nails.

· Sassy smile.

Gum health is essential for a bright smile and strong teeth. Grapefruit is loaded with vitamin C, which keeps teeth healthy by strengthening gum tissue by protecting against gum disease.

· Healthy hair and scalp.

Grapefruit extract has been shown to help fight dandruff by moisturizing the scalp. Mix ¼ cup of your usual conditioner with grapefruit juice to add extra sheen and softness to your locks.

Grapefruit Salt Scrub

Salt scrubs mixed with fragrant oil exfoliates and moisturizes at the same time! My version can be quite inexpensive compared to some store bought brands, though it is just as fragrant and keeps in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

Makes 1 1/2 cups
Ingredients

1/2 cup kosher salt
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon grapefruit zest, yellow or pink
1 cup almond or sesame oil

Directions
Stir all ingredients together and store in an air-tight container. Use all over body but not on the face or freshly shaven legs, ouch!

Image: Florida Grapefruit

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