Case of the Mondays - 7 Beauty Products To Help Tackle The Week

Can you believe the Holidays are over? Christmas came and went so fast. I can't believe it's already time to say goodbye to 2015. This week, I'm gearing up for my annual New Year's Eve party. Family and close friends usually stop by my place for a night of games, food, fun, and laughs. Every year I vow to go out and every year we end up having a party at home. NYE is good time to reflect on the past year with family after-all. Did you guys have a good holiday? Any exciting beauty gifts to share?

For this week's Case of the Mondays, I'm testing a few new products and adding a few of these favorites to my New Year's routine. Keep reading for more info!


Chosungah 22 24H Raybeam Highlighter, $28

I'm all about glowing skin and this product from Chosungah 22 helps create the perfect glow. You can apply under or over makeup for bright, radiant-looking skin. It even comes with a puff to lightly apply.

Carol's Daughter Sacred Tiare Combing Creme, $10

I used this Carol's Daughter product on Christmas Eve and my family couldn't stop raving about my curls. I had washed my hair prior to dinner and my curls were completely frizz-free and pretty perfect. My hair looked unbelievably healthy and smelled divine. At only $10, I might be buying this in bulk very soon.

Colgate® Optic White® PLATINUM™ Express White Toothpaste, $3.99

Who wants dull teeth right before New Year's Eve? Not I. I've been using this toothpaste for about two weeks and can see a noticeable difference in my teeth shade. It's kind of like an instant whitening treatment without the dentist visit.

Amopé Pedi Perfect™ Extra Coarse Electronic Foot File with Diamond Crystals, Varies

Once upon a time, I had baby soft feet. My mother always said my feet were the softest as a child, and then, life happened. My feet are far from baby smooth anymore, but thanks to this product from Amope, it's pretty close. The brand is known for their Pedi Perfect, which buffs away hard skin in minutes. This version comes with diamond crystals. I'm sold.

Herbal Essences Naked Volumizing Souffle, $6.99

A boost of grapefruit & mint lifts hair, so it doesn't fall flat. Who doesn't need this during a New Year's Eve party?

Molton Brown London Vintage 2015 Body Lotion (Limited Edition), $44

There's nothing better than champagne-inspired packaging. I'm planning to apply this scented lotion for NYE and then leave on display for everyone to see. It's that pretty!

Burt’s Bees Lip Shimmer in Champagne, $4.99

Champagne will be on my body (in body lotion form as stated above), on my lips, and in my glass this NYE, of course!

What are your plans for New Year's Eve?

The Must-Haves: Body Wash

So listen up ladies, here’s the skinny on the best part of my workday. Door to door with my commute it’s a 12 hour day that I’m stuck in corporate causal but not so comfortable attire. So by the time I escape the misery that is the NJ Transit Dover line the only thing I can think about is stripping down and jumping into a nice hot shower. Add some of these shower gels and scrubs and the day will melt away.

First and foremost is your classic Dove Go Fresh Body Wash. I would recommend this most for sensitive skin. It has a fresh clean scent that won’t irritate skin and is the most gentle (and bang for you buck) product out there. Plus, have you seen that video on YouTube with the portraits? Adorable. If you haven’t you clearly are way behind the times and should probably go inform yourself and Google it.

Next on the agenda: the all-natural-good-for-you-good-for-your-soul kind of stuff. güd by Burt’s Bees is this amazing new line of all natural, parabens, phthalates and petrochemicals free body washes aimed at a youthful demographic. With different scents named things like “Pearanormal Activity” I’m not going to lie, at first I was skeptical. However they smell incredible, provide a clean feeling on skin and are super gentle and safe like all Burt’s Bees products. Another awesome shower must-have is Yes to Blueberries Ultra Hydrating Body Wash. This wash is Petroleum, SLS, & Paraben Free and is amazing if you have dry skin. It hydrates with Shea Butter and anti-oxidant rich blueberries. Oh, and it smells like a blueberry pie, so, yes please to that dessert.

Now onto the fancy stuff. My top two FAVORITE luxury shower products are hands down L’OCCITANE’s Almond Shower Oil and Tocca’s Cleopatra Esfoliante da Corpo (body scrub). These products literally make me feel like a million bucks after I use them. Not only do they both smell like heaven, I really feel like I’m treating myself when I use them. L’OCCITANE’s Almond Shower oil is super hydrating, and my skin feels like butter when I get out of the shower. Tocca’s Cleopatra Esfoliante da Corpo scrubs away dead cells and leaves skin polished, smooth and smelling like a boss.

So that’s the wrap up on my scrub down. Go out, buy, shower, be merry!

Written by Sara Shaffer

Fall Fitness: What's In My Gym Bag

I've had the pleasure of trying an array of incredible products for the gym this summer. Luckily all these products can easily transition into Fall. The gym isn't normally a place most people would equate with fun, but I am firm believer that the right gym bag contents can make workout time more pleasurable. 

Best of the Summer - Sunscreens

As the fall quickly approaches, those last few weeks of summer sun are all the more precious. These are the days where we all make that fatal tanning flaw – we forget the sunscreen. The base tan is there so why the SPF? My answer is this: just because you aren't burning, doesn't mean you aren't damaging your skin (think wrinkles). Here are my tried and true sunscreen faves of 2013 to keep your skin beautifully bronzed and healthy.

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