Fashion Stylist & Mila Amalia Jewelry Designer: Paulina Kajankova

Brunette Model: Katherin Schlegel

Make-up: Lindsey Jameson

Hair: Yajaira Daniel

Blonde Model: Rachel Tant

Make-up: Laura Stiassni

Hair: Marisa Bollman

I do love this shampoo and conditioner duo. A Beautiful Life has made washing your hair less of a chemical process and more fun. Move over those boring and blah hair helpers you currently own and make room for shine and bounce.

Since my hair tends to me on the dry side and a bit damaged from coloring I like to break up my usually routine of using some wonderful brands with something a bit more fresh. You know the ones I am talking about, you adore how they rescue your hair however they lack simplicity. As the saying goes, too much of a good thing is a bad thing. Keep these in your shower and you just might smile. 

Perfect for gentle use on your hair, Honey do shampoo and conditioner from A Beautiful Life HAIR. Best of all they are made from organic honey, my all time favorite beauty ingredient. SWEET!

Image of Honey Jasmine Natural Perfume by Spa Goddess

My fascination with certain beauty products extends to their history. I want to know how they were made, who wore them and why.

Since solid perfumes have become such a beauty trend in recent years, I became curious. What exactly is the history of solid perfumes? How did they become to be a appreciated as beauty product in the past?

Burt’s Bees natural solid perfumes

As suspected, ancient Egypt and Rome seem to be the places where enhancing your beauty with innovative ideas was appreciated and even expected. It seems solid perfumes, more commonly known in the past as unguents, have been around for a very long time now. They were actually the earliest forms of a perfume and were mostly derived from nature. The earliest forms of solid perfumes came in a form of head cones. Women in ancient Egypt commonly wore rose cones made of fresh roses immersed in a fat base. They were worn in the hair or placed somewhere on the head. Their body heat would melt the fat and trickle the rose scented oil down their face and neck.

In later times, solid perfumes were made of different type of ingredients; amber, rose buds, musk, gum tragacanth and other fragrances. At even a later time, my favorite forms of the perfume came in jewelery balls, which were worn on a chain or hung from the ceiling. They were called pomanders, a word derived from the french language (‘pomme d’amber’). As you can imagine solid perfumes were not the only thing that came in a solid form in a jar, healing essential oils were also used for medical purposes.

There you have it. Solid perfumes were most definitely appreciated in the past and I am more than happy to appreciate them today.

Some of this information came from suite101.com

image via Layermi

It was the strong, unapologetic and independent women of today that have inspired me to search for the right tools to make life easier in the new year. Sure we have heard of fashion tape, push up bras and quick do it yourself fixes from your grandmother but the renaissance woman of today needs something even better than that. No matter the issue, find the solution for it with these products. The same way you expect to reach for your aspirin in the bathroom mirror, these are your must haves as you step into 2011.

You have heard of “The Great Unwashed” being written up the New York Times and while we might frown at the lack of soap, your hair is rejoicing with natural oils. It is common knowledge that if you wash you hair every single day and apply hot tools to your mane it will become damaged and dry. The All Nighter Styling Powder is simply dry shampoo, which you can use to prolong your beautiful hair without washing it again and again. Apply it to your roots where oils are created and watch it being styled in the process.

Have an issue that needs fixing? Miss Oops! has made it their business to make the tricks that fix life’s little annoyances. Their list of products geared towards beauty and fashion seems endless and I am constantly checking for updates. Be ready to be the life of the party, because you will never have an oops moment with Miss Oops on your side. A great example are their Show Stoppers, which are reusable silicone nipple covers protecting you from an oops mishap.

We can all spot those those trendy sheer tops and sexy deep v neck shirts or dresses you’d love to buy. We also pass them up because no under garment in your drawer matches up to their level. Not if you are the creative fashionista of today. Layermi has solved that problem with their easy and lightweight bandeau bras. They are soft and comfortable, yet fit precisely to your body. I have become addicting to wearing them with everything. Try it and once you wear one you will never want to return to ugly under wire.

The multitasking sophisticated lady of 2011 does not pump gas unprepared. If you hate pumping gas all together and loathe the smell on your hands afterwards, Pump Glovesare your answer. The gloves have a classy look that make you want to wear them to more places than just your gas station. These gloves just might start a trend, however protecting your hands is always in style.

When the modern woman travels there is packing. La Fresh has saved me on more than one occasion. With their wipes in hand, life gets easier and a lot more convenient. There is a wipe for almost every need you might have; face and body for both men and women, cleaning, manicures, travel and personal care. My favorite product from La Fresh is their 100% biodegradable and waterproof make-up remover. These miracle wipes are not like any other, resistant makeup melts under their touch with no greasy residue or alcohol added to my sensitive skin.

It would seem that we are waking up every day this week in a holiday shopping frenzy. We are approaching the holidays very fast and quickly. Most find this stressful, I find the last minute buzz of the holidays very exciting. Once it is over there is a peaceful calm and nothing left but to watch your loved ones open those well thought out presents. The reason for my calm could also be that I refuse to be caught off guard, I mostly do my shopping at least two or three weeks ahead of time. There are of course those last gifts I never seem to get to. You can see me eyeing ideas to the very last possible day.

If you do fall into the stressed out category have no fear. If you haven’t even started your Christmas shopping how do you make things a bit easier on yourself? The good news is that if you live in a city like New York there are plenty of places to go. No waiting on the mail man and no running from one part of town to the other. If you are a last minute shopper and happen to live in New York, the holiday markets located in the Columbus Circle and in Union Square are a great one stop destination for everyone on your list. Even if you do not live here, most of the same vendors that sell at these markets have websites. You are sure to find and please even the hardest and most spoiled person on your list. Whether they want vegan skincare, crave warm handmade knits, creative jewelry or a selfless kind of gift. The place has it all. All it takes is a simple walk through the market and you will walk out with bags in hand. You will be pleasantly surprised at what you will find, who needs high end designer when you can prove you are a lot more creative than that.

Browse my finds at the Columbus Circle holiday market:

Mineral and Vegan skin care and makeup from cnaturals, I love everything about this skincare. Pure and simple, the handmade soaps smell good enough to eat and more importantly the products work! 

Seeking Spirituality and expression in words? Not all t-shirts are created equal,Seeking Serenity t-shirts are soft to the touch and the modern cut aims to please. 

Tell time just a little differently than everyone else. Chose to give ECOWRIST watches made from bamboo, tagua nuts, wood and other exotic materials that are unique and all eco. The handcrafted watches are truly impressive.

My only wishes this Christmas are; health, family laughter and happiness. It is the small things that can sometimes become the biggest gifts. I feel the same about beauty products. Giving yourself or your gift receiver a thoughtful gift only counts if it is not harmful, after all with so many options out there why chose a product that is unsafe. True beauty addicts know that if you use a product every day you avoid anything with potentially harmful ingredients. They like to lurk around in your beauty drawer, tis the season to replace them. 

Beautiful Lip gift ideas from Organic Glam

Visit the Organic Spa Magazine for the daily gift countdown to Christmas!

Visit the Daily Gift Countdown and let us do the work for you!

Hello beauty junkies. We already know the winged cat eye and dark smoky eye are the strongest makeup trends of the moment, yet it is a staple that has been around since the Cleopatra times. Some say eye makeup has originated in Egypt, but without arguing we know it looks amazing on just about anyone. The mystery that comes with daring black eyeliner and eyeshadow is alluring and many have tried perfecting its application. It goes without saying you want a great eyeliner that won’t be harsh on your eyes. Wearing it might be sexy but the smudging is not. If you like wearing this look often it is especially important to protect your eyes and the skin around them.

Organic and natural options are the best choices for your cat eye wearer. 

Physicans Formula 100% Natural Origin eyeliner, 100% free of harsh chemicals

The application is easy with this eyeliner from Lavera, it is made from pure organic Beeswax & Palm Oil.

When it comes to options, not many brands compare to Larenim. This brush applies your eyeliner with flawless precision and you can bet the eye colors are far from being harsh on your eyes. 

The most recent makeup floating around my bag is from Josie Maran. This eye liner is packed with natural ingredients and glides on easily, making your perfect smokey eyes in a snap.

Want more organic beauty? Visit the Organic Spa Magazine

Natura Organic Sleep Masks – Made in the USA with organic cotton and wool

I would consider myself somewhat of an expert on lip balms. My preferences might be personal however I have a good beauty idea of what a girl requires in a perfect lip helper. When purchasing your next lip balm to soothe those winter lips think natural, chemical free, packed with vitamins, hydrating, soft and of course swanky packaging counts. To me the overall package makes a difference, when a lip balm is presented to me in a creative way i love to keep it on hand at parties and I am not afraid to show it off. Of course there are exceptions to this, sometimes packaging is not all there is, however it does earns the extra points. A lip balm that has it all should put more than hydration on your lips, it should bring a smile to your face. 

Here are my top choices for the perfect cold weather lip balms you will want to use beyond the winter months. 

Lip balm smooth spheres by eos

H2O Lip Mender hydrating complex

Natural lip cocktails from Lip Elixirs

Bear Smooch lip balms in a tin from Mad Gabs

Weather Res-Q Lip balm from Burt’s Bees

Dr Hess  Udder Sticks