When I found out Bobbi Brown had a new fragrance called Beach I was immediately intrigued. One because I had no idea the makeup giant even made fragrances and two because a fragrance called “Beach” sure has a lot to live up to (and could very easily smell cheap!). So, it was with a bit of skepticism that I sprayed on Brown’s new scent, but dang does it live up to its name! It really smells like a beach in a bottle! It has that alluring mix of salt water, and sunscreen that’s completely transporting. In fact it’s so transporting that I’ve been keeping the bottle near my computer and every so often I’ll smell it to give me a happy energy boost.

I have to say however that I do love my musk and sandalwood-based scent, but those tend to be very aggressive and for summer it’s important to switch things up and go with something lighter. I love that this scent is an alternative to run-of-the-mill florals while still being approachable. It has notes of jasmine, sea spray, and mandarin and there’s also a body oil, body lotion, and shimmering fragrance lotion. Check everything out here!

Image: Bobbi Brown

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While there may not be any cream, lotion, or potion that has been proven to effectively fight cellulite, there’s a lot to be said about tightening and hydrating products. With the weather heating up and shorts being pulled out of our closets most of us (especially those of us who are very pale!), are probably feeling a little bit more aware of how our bare legs look. Building up leg muscle is still the best way to fight cellulite, but Kneipp has come out with a slew of products to gives a little extra confidence boost. Better yet, the products are soothing so they’ll help alleviate tension post cellulite busting workout!

All of the products in the line are natural and holistic and combine grape seed oil, essential fatty acids, Vitamin E, and sandalwood fruit extract to firm skin and boost circulation. The collection includes:

Grape Seed Anti-Cellulite Exfoliating Body Scrub: Even though exfoliation isn’t as important during the summer as it is during the dry winter months, it’s still crucial to use a scrub at least once a week to boost circulation (to help prevent those pesky pockets of fat!), and remove dead skin cells.

Grape Seed Anti-Cellulite Massage Oil: This oil is formulated with avocado and jojoba oil and while I didn’t feel any immediate tightening, it’s incredibly soothing as a post workout oil and will work to hydrate your skin.

Grape Seed Anti-Cellulite Intensive Cream: This treatment contains 21% pure grape seed oil along with Vitamins A and E, shea butter, sunflower oil, and castor oil making for an incredibly hydrating body care product. It also has anti-aging effects because Vitamin A and E improve skin’s regeneration and overall tone.

Kneipp is a go-to drugstore brand in Europe (especially in Germany), but it’s still relatively under-the-radar here, which is a shame. Their prices are great considering their quality and, at least judging from their newbie cellulite collection, they smell refreshing and feel soothing on skin. Check-out their extensive line-up here!
Image: Kneipp

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You know you haven’t slept enough when you’re at the point where your under eye bags are so big that you can’t wear eyeliner without risking drawing too much attention to them (not that that’s me at the moment or anything…..). Almay has our back now that the warm weather has many of us out more than usual and, perhaps, not getting enough sleep thanks to their new Wake-Up products. In addition to an eye concealer and a powder foundation (pictured above – this is one of my fave drugstore foundation because it goes on smooth and doesn’t feel cakey), they’re launching four new products next month. I was able to get a sneak peak and here’s a look at what you can expect!

Eyeliner + Highlighter ($8.99): Tired eyes usually are best left alone, but this pen is formulated with caffeine, aloe leaf, and cucumber extract (i.e. all ingredients more typically found in skincare), to give you an energizing boost. While I’m still averse to eyeliner when I’m sleep deprived, I really love the highlighter part of this pen. Apply it to the corner of your eyes and it really helps to brighten your look.

Eye Shadow + Primer ($8.99): I can’t stress enough how important priming your eyes is if you’re using shadow (and priming your skin if you’re applying foundation). Not only will a primer allow your makeup to glide on smoothly, it will help keep your look in place. This mini palette makes it super easy because the primer is right next to the trio of shadows (three different combinations are available), so you’ve got no excuse!

Blush + Highlighter ($9.99): How genius is it that this too is formulated with caffeine? Caffeine is often found in eye creams because it has been shown to reduce puffiness and combined with the cucumber and aloe that are in this duo you’ll get nice color along with the possibility of “wake-up” benefits. I’m also impressed that this duo comes with a brush given that most high-end products that retail for three times (or more!), don’t come with brushes anymore.

Liquid Makeup ($12.99): Formulated with SPF 20, cucumber, minerals, aloe and green tea, this lightweight oil free foundation will hydrate while helping to cover-up imperfections. It comes in six shades.

Check-out all of Almay’s products here and look out for these products at a drugstore near you come June 2012!

Image: Almay

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Frankel recently came out with a variety of $15 gift sets which, considering that they’re stocked with three full-size products, is pretty stellar. That said, smelling like margarita or sangria isn’t my favorite (I much prefer her pomegranate-scented products), but I can’t deny how cool the packaging is (that lime!) and the formulations in the above kit are among the best bang for your buck — especially the scrub. Check-out her kits here!

Image: Skinnygirl

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I had no idea TIGI even made cosmetics until I got two of their new lip glosses a few days ago. They’re a great drugstore haircare brand and, lo and behold, judging from my two new glosses, they’re reliable for beauty as well.

The lip products I got are part of the brand’s Luxe Lipgloss Collection and there are five new shades ($19 each):

Mega Whip (Marshmallow): Iridescent candy pink

Glaze Haze (Creme Brule): High-shine bright berry purple without shimmer

Sugar Shock (Spun Sugar): A no-shimmer, high-shine red

Sugar Dust (Tutti Fruity): A bright, candied apricot with a hint of shimmer

Totally Baked (Vanilla): A sheer gold, high-shine with hints of glitter and pearl.

I wish that the glosses came with a brush instead of a sponge applicator (because I think it would make the application a little less sticky) but the colors are fun, and if you’re keen on sweet tasting lip products, these are obviously right up your alley. The formulation also has Vitamin E in it to boost lip hydration, plus I like that there are a mix of finishes in the collection so, even though there are only five new shades, odds are you’ll find a good fit.

Image: TIGI

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The first polish I tried was the second one from the left shown above, which is a gorgeous glistening magenta called Sure Shot. Part of the 2012 Resort collection, the collection also includes Pink-a-Boo (a micro-glitter sheer), She’s Picture Perfect (a lilac), and No More Film (a deep violet). I love the mix of neutral with jewel tone hues, and both the sheer pink shimmer shade and the lilac (darker than it appears in the bottle, it has a very, very subtle light-reflecting shimmer), are perfect spring-to-summer transition shades.

Next up, I had to try Camera, the neon red pink pictured above. Part of the brand’s just-launched poppy razzi collection, it looks as good on as you might imagine — a beautiful fashion-forward take on a classic. We can thank essie for the bright highlighter shades we’ve been seeing everywhere — from the runways to the red carpets — and, despite countless other brands coming out with their own takes, essie’s shades are still near impossible to beat.

This collection also includes Lights (a bright pink), Action (a bright tangerine), and Bazooka (a bright red-orange).

Images: essie

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Now the make aficionado is at it again, teaming up with Estee Lauder for an amazing new product called Sumptuous Two Tone Eye-Opening Mascara. The new product is based on Pecheux’s backstage technique for a beautiful, wide-eyed look and brings a dual approach to lashes by combining two contrasting shades and two distinct brushes. So what’s Pecheux’s secret? He suggests dressing your upper lashes in a rich black and defining your lower fringe with a more subtle hue for an intense eye-brightening effect.

“My favorite woman is a woman who looks like herself at her best,” said Tom Pecheux. “I love eyes that are made up without looking too made up. This is a trick I’ve been using backstage and on ad shoots for years. The simple trick of using two different shades — darker on top, lighter on the bottom — works to really open up the eyes.”

The dual ended wand has the brand’s BrushComber brush, which defines, lifts and thickens lashes on one end and, on the other, it has a tiny micro-brush specifically designed to accentuate and define hard-to-reach lashes.

The wand comes in three shade combinations: Bold Black/Rich Brown, Limited Edition Bold Black/Rich Blue, and Limited Edition Bold Black/Rich Plum. Learn more about this newbie here!

Images: Estee Lauder

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No matter what that lotion, potion, gel, or cream you bought tells you, there’s no proven cure for cellulite and, sadly, almost every woman has those pesky pockets of fat somewhere on her body. But don’t despair! There are ways to minimize the appearance of cellulite.

I’ve always believed (and studies prove it), that one of the most effective ways to fight body dimples is by building up the muscles underneath the fat tissue by doing squats and lunges. These exercises will not only help with your existing cellulite, but will also work to prevent future lumps. However, that’s not all, because I recently discovered a miracle gadget that will not only help you sooth the sore muscles you’re working, but also help smooth your skin.

Called the HoneyBelle bodybuffer, it was developed by M.I.T and Harvard engineers and conceived by Nancy Donahue, who rose to the top of the modeling world in the 70s and 80s. Donahue had heard from a friend about a device used by massage therapists to help soften tissue after undergoing liposuction, but when Donahue, a fitness director and triathlete, used the device she discovered it not only soothed her muscles, but also helped diminish the appearance of cellulite.

I’ve been using the gadget for about three weeks now and, even though I didn’t take any “before” pics to know whether there is or isn’t a noticeable difference, I can say that my skin is significantly softer, and this beauty gadget is nothing short of a miracle worker for soothing sore muscles after a tough workout. You use it 5-10 minutes, twice a day, and can expect to see results after 30 days, but soothing relief will occur after a single use.

Additionally, a clinical study found that 70% of women who used the HoneyBelle noticed a significant improvement in the appearance of their cellulite after 30 days. Again, I’ve only been at it for about three weeks, but the soothing relief alone makes it worth using this gadget! To boot, like the Clarisonic, this gadget makes for an effective exfoliator, sloughing away dead skin cells and increasing circulation to the skin surface — crucial for smoother and younger-looking skin.

Learn more about the HoneyBelle here. They’ve also got a mini version called babyBelle bodybuffer that helps treat sore muscles and cellulite when you’re traveling.

Image: HoneyBelle

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I love Philosophy. Seriously, the brand is so fantastic that they can pull-off what no other brand can: shampoo, body wash, and bubble bath all-in-one products. From any other brand, those all-in-one products give me the creeps, but I could lather myself in Philosophy’s Cinnamon Buns or Margarita all day. Why? Because they smell THAT good! While their all-in-one products will always be my favorite (even though I never use them for anything besides body wash), they’ve just come out with a handful of new products that are perfect for summer.

Each product is part of the brand’s Here Comes The Sun collection, which protects skin from both UVA and UVB rays, while working to treat existing (and prevent future), fine lines and wrinkles. The collection includes:

• Here Comes The Sun Age-Defense Very Water-Resistant SPF 30 UVA/UVB Broad-Spectrum Sunscreen For Body (a mouthful!): This is a lightweight spray formula for body. I love sprays because you don’t waste any of the SPF goodness like you would if you had to rub it in with your hands.
• Here Comes The Sun Age-Defense Water-Resistant SPF 30 UVA/UVB Broad-Spectrum Sunscreen: This is a lightweight lotion formula for body.
• Here Comes The Sun Age-Defense Water-Resistant SPF 40 UVA/UVB Broad-Spectrum Sunscreen For Face: This is a lightweight lotion formula for face.

Expect all of the formulations to smell and feel great and the face product is light enough that it feels more like a serum than it does a suncare product.

The line also includes two self-tanners formulated with an amino acid complex for anti-aging benefits. They’re both oil and streak-free:

• Here Comes the Sun Age-Defense Golden Glow Self-Tanner For Body: This products works within hours of application, imparting a darker hue and a firmer feel.
• Here Comes The Sun Age-Defense Gradual Glow Self-Tanner For Face: I used this on my face and it did not streak at all. Plus I love anything that works double-duty to fight wrinkles.

Learn more here and, as Philosophy says, practice safe sun!

Image: Philosophy

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I have an obscene amount of nail polish. OBSCENE. I couldn’t even tell you how many, but there are multiple hoarder-like shelves. New polishes always get me excited (obviously…), but few to the point of HIPP x RGB’s latest collection.

Conceived by famed green nail artist Jenna Hipp and L.A.-based RGB Cosmetics, the collection follows up their debut foundation-inspired one that included four hues meant to match a range of different skin tones. The Sophomore collection offers sheer versions of their original opaque tones. Think of the two collections as full coverage foundation versus tinted moisturizer. Use one or two coats of the new nail tints for sheer to medium coverage or you can combine them with a HIPP x RGB Nail Foundation for a look that’s just your own.

The collection includes:

T1: Very Fair to Light

T2: Light to Medium

T3: Medium to Warm

T4: Dark to Deep Dark

I’ve been sporting T1 and apparently so has Miley Cyrus…so much better than tacky nail wraps!

The polishes retail for $16 and you can check them out here.

Image: HIPP X RGB

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