Honeycat Fishnet Gift Basket

 Is your bath time in need of some sprucing up? Well, Honeycat has just the remedy! Get the bath water warm and steamy to your liking, and drop in a Frisky Kitty Bath Time Fizzy. These bath bombs come in scents of oatmeal, cocoa butter, lilac and honey, and rose and lemongrass. After the long grueling workweek, what could be better than treating your woman to a gentle and body soothing bath? ($10)

Frisky Kitty Bath Time Fizzy

 Scrub it all around! You’ll have her meowing in the shower, once she gets a whiff of this peach, brandy, and brown sugar shower gel. Shower time should be filled with peace and comfort. Get that washcloth all soapy, lather all around, and have her body smelling divine. ($16, 120z) 

Honeycat Shower Gel

Pristine Beauty Bag

Pamper that special lady in your life with a Pristine Beauty Bag this holiday! Let her indulge in a No Scary Hairy Repair, Hooray for Brallywood Butta, and Take A Whiff! deodorant, which are all natural and organic, and provide your body and hair with healthy ingredient and smell divine.

www.shoppristinebeauty.com, ($85). 

Temptress Tote

Is your hair in a desperate need of emergency care, everyday of the week? Or you can’t seem to fizzle down that frizz? Treat your precious mane to a 100% natural Temptress Tote. Included you’ll find a Locks of Fame Shampoo and Conditioner, as well as a No Scary Hairy Repair, Condition and Protect Hair Serum.  Feed each strand with delicious natural ingredients, that won’t strip away your oils, but will leave your hair screaming for joy!

www.shoppristinebeauty.com, ($60). 

With each Pristine Beauty purchase, a portion of the proceeds go to the Young Survival Coalition(www.youngsurvival.org) and the Cancer Prevention Coalition(www.preventcancer.com).

Happy first of September everybody! Summer breezed by way too quickly. Thankfully there is a long weekend awaiting us, enjoy it wisely. Catch up on some much needed rest and time with your friends and family. I’m celebrating today with natural make-up additions.

Fruity Make-up. I recently interviewed the animal friendly and beauty concious founder of 100% Pure, Susie Wang and am head over heals in love with her fruit pigmented cosmetics. If you are a fruit lover, you too will swoon over her fruit pigmented beauty line. I’m always searching for healthier make-up alternatives that will still leave you feeling beautiful, yet won’t damage your skin and health. Now you can combine your love for fruits with beauty!

Turn Up the Volume.  Yes, here it is, 100% natural ultra lengthening mascara, in black tea, blackberry, blueberry, and dark chocolate. Not only does the mascara deliver a healthy tone to your lashes, but it smells edible too. Have fun with all four and mix it up. You’ll find oat protein, acai berry, lavender honey, and more yummy and natural ingredients each time you give your lashes as fruity swoop of color.

Butter Me Up. Pout those lovely lips of yours and treat them to your choice of a fruit pigmented lip butter. Pick a fruit, any fruit at all! There’s cherry, raspberry, watermelon, cranberry, peach, strawberry, and pomegranate. Give your lips some much-needed moisture, a hint of color, and make everyone jealous with your naturally scented smooches.

Find your ultra lengthening mascara and lip butters at: 100% Pure. Have a wonderful and safe Labor Day weekend!

          Our skin deserves the best and nothing less. Have a mini spa for yourself and love your face! Take care of your beauty needs with Doux me’s Caroline’s Cream and the White Rose Comforting Face Mask and Exfoliator.

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From the Ultra Delicates Line…

          Not only does Caroline’s Cream provide the face and neck with 99.2 % natural ingredients within the formula, but it also smells lovely, and moisturizes your skin. The main treat and active ingredient within the cream is organic beech bud extract. “Beech bud extracts have the property to regenerate skin cells in a very effective way. The beech buds contain extremely rich energetic preserves, which stimulate the metabolism of these cells. It boosts the skin’s metabolism, smoothes the micro-relief of the epidermis, and restores the hydration of the skin. It is perfect for dry and reactive skin,” says Caroline Wachsmuth, founder of Doux me.

          Awaken your skin by refrigerating Caroline’s Cream and rejuvenate your face and neck in the morning and before you go to bed. According to dermatological testing, there was “101% more moisturizing 4 hours after application” and “ 95% more moisturizing 8 hours after application” of the cream. When applied to your skin, the cream feels gentle and soothing, not harsh or oily. You’ll find other natural gems like shea butter, sweet almond oil, rose hip seed oil, macadamia oil, and more each time you apply the cream.

You can purchase Caroline’s Cream at Doux me’s website here.

From the Specifics Line…

          What has apricot kernel oil, bamboo powder, white desert rose extract, Indian jasmine extracts, and more skin soothing organic ingredients? That would be the White Rose Comforting Face Mask and Exfoliator. As for me, I always have to be careful with what I apply to my skin, since it is extremely sensitive and goes from being oily one week to being dry the next. Skin varies from woman to woman on a daily basis. Doux me’s exfoliator, caters to those women with fragile and sensitive skin. You can choose to cleanse and exfoliate your skin every day or one to two times a week, which is up to you and what your skin endures on a daily basis. With the busy lives many of us lead, dedicating time each day to your skin may seem impossible, but it is worth the extra 10 minutes.

          I recommend exfoliating before bed, when you aren’t pressed for time to get to work or shuffling around the house. You may be wondering what’s so unique about this exfoliator as opposed to the others? Wachsmuth says, “We can use it in three different ways. Either just as a mask, as an exfoliator or both! Its smell like it is some kind of pastry and the effect that it has on the skin is amazing.”

You can purchase the Comforting Face Mask and Exfoliator at Doux me’s website here.

Caroline Wachsmuth

          Doux me is the first organic beauty and cosmetics line for women that launched in France in 2002. Today, Doux me is thriving with love from women around the globe. All thanks to the founder Caroline Wachsmuth, whose curiosity of what things are made of as a child, sparked her passion as a young woman to create her own cosmetics line.

Check out Wachsmuth’s three lines, Aromatherapy, Ultra Delicates, and Specifics at the Doux me online at the website: Doux me.

Jane:  What or who influenced you when creating Doux me?

Caroline Wachsmuth: I was born and raised in Switzerland and my parents were quite ecological and green. As far as I can remember when I was a child, I was interested in understanding what was within food, products for skincare, make-up, perfume, and any household products. Then of course, my personal research came later as I was a beauty and health writer.

Jane:  As a woman, what is most important to you when it comes to beauty products?

Caroline Wachsmuth: The safety and efficiency of the products and most important of all, how green they are (formula, packaging etc…). Then comes their smell and texture.

Jane: Who or whom supported you when you were working on your line?

Caroline Wachsmuth: My husband, my friends, a lot of faith, and hard work .

Jane: What is the importance of safe beauty products to you? And why do you feel more people should take a stand to create more natural products?

Caroline Wachsmuth: Anything on this planet that is created by man “should” be safe. We all know it is possible… anything that is a “product” such as: food, skincare, body care, clothes, and household products, anything that has a name! But we went so far in the opposite direction, that we have to struggle extremely hard to “reverse” it (beliefs, tastes, habits, knowledge…). Thank God there was a real awakening, for different reasons like green and conscious lifestyle brands. Whereas they are created out of fear for the next generation, political views, personal rebellion and beliefs or just to satisfy a narcissistic urge, are flourishing everywhere and that is what counts!

Jane: What is so unique about your Comforting Face Mask & Exfoliator?

Caroline Wachsmuth: The fact that we can use it in three different ways:). Either just as a mask, as an exfoliator or both! Its smell like it is some kind of pastry and the effect that it has on the skin is amazing, I love it!

Jane: How does organic beech bud extract within Caroline’s Cream help those individuals who have dry and sensitive skin?

Caroline Wachsmuth: Beech bud extracts have the property to regenerate skin cells in a very effective way. The beech buds contain extremely rich energetic preserves which stimulate the metabolism of these cells. It boosts the skin’s metabolism, smoothes the micro-relief of the epidermis, and restores the hydration of the skin. It is perfect for dry and reactive skin.

Jane: What is the most rewarding, exciting, and best part about creating a line for women that supports being healthy and beautiful?

Caroline Wachsmuth: Receiving messages from women from all over the planet saying they love my products and also seeing how loyal they are to the brand after eight years. From a complete day-dream, it became a reality and it still is and I hope it will be for a long time! It is also proof to myself that I actually did it. I am so grateful!

Jane: How does it feel to be known as the first line in France that is organic?

Caroline Wachsmuth: I am proud of what I did because it came from my heart. I didn’t create it to follow a trend.

Jane: Which product or products of yours can’t you live with out, you use, and why?

Caroline Wachsmuth: Caroline’s cream, morning and evening, because it is just perfect for my skin that is quiet dry and very reactive.

Next week, look out for a review of Caroline’s cream and Comforting Face Mask & Exfoliator from Doux me!

Whether you are walking through a department store, flipping through a magazine or scanning the television channels. We are clouded with advertisements for cosmetics and beauty products in every way imaginable. With so many products out on the market, who’s to know what’s good for our bodies and what is damaging our entire nervous system. We don’t. Unless, we each do our research and dig through information on each product and company. Susie Wang, founder and chief creative ambassador of 100% Pure fruit pigmented cosmetics line as well as beauty products made with pure food grade ingredients. Fruit is beneficial for our bodies when we eat it, so why not put some fruity vibrant colors on your skin, that won’t cause you damage. 

Jane: Can you give me a little background about 100% Pure and when and how your company sprouted?

Susie Wang: Previously to 100% Pure, I invented a way to stabilize natural ingredients from oxidizing in skincare. Just as you would cut an apple in half and watch it turn brown from the oxygen– the same thing happens in skincare. If you put vitamin c for example in a cream, the benefits of the vitamin c oxidizes. So, I invented a process of formulating skincare to prevent oxidation and patented this technology. Once I filed for this patent, I started getting calls from large cosmetic companies to work for them. I was very honored and dropped out of college to work for the cosmetic companies as a formulator. During this time, I discovered that a lot of chemicals were incredibly toxic and hazardous.

This is how 100% pure was created. I wanted to create a line that was free of all the toxins that can wreak havoc.  Whatever you apply on your skin is like eating it because it gets absorbed. There is an easy test to do at home to test this. Cut a garlic in half and tape the juicy side of the garlic to your wrist and in 30 minutes, you’ll taste the garlic.  

Jane: When formulating your line, 100% Pure, what or who influenced you?

Susie Wang: When I used to be a formulator for these gigantic cosmetic companies, I learned about how toxic some chemicals were and I learned that sometimes when companies claim no animal testing, it means the final formula was not tested on animals but it doesn’t necessarily mean the ingredients were not tested on animals. 

             Susie’s love for animals is heart warming. None of the products or at any point of production are tested on animals-at all. 100% Pure has rescued and found homes for 21 dogs and stands up for the rights of animals. As we all should and must.

Jane: Why is it so important to be cautious of what we put on our skin and body?

Susie Wang: Whatever we apply on our skin, we ingest, inhale, and it gets absorbed.

          While Susie was working in the lab formulating an eye cream, prior to her pride and joy, 100% Pure, she unintentionally knocked down a chemical that was to be used in the cream formula. The chemical ate away at the lab table, leaving Susie in utter shock. However, she was proactive, and decided to take a stand and do her own research.

           The unfortunate truth, is that many people work for cosmetic and beauty companies and have no idea what the chemicals they are playing with can do to the human body. Where as cutting costs for some companies, may mean using cheaper ingredients, that hurt us in the long term, yet leave us, as the consumer, deceived and with a list full of health issues and problems.

Jane: Have you always had a passion to create natural/organic products?

Susie Wang: Not always – it wasn’t until I learned first hand how dangerous some of the chemicals in cosmetics were and how much we actually ingest that turned me very passionate about natural / organic beauty which is why I developed 100% Pure.

            All of 100% Pure’s products are cruelty-free, vegan, synthetic fragrance free, paraben free, and toxic free.

Jane: By providing women with natural products that will keep them healthy and safe, how does that make you feel?

Susie Wang: The purpose of cosmetics is to indulge women and to make women feel beautiful and I feel grateful that I get to do this in a healthy way for so many women.

Jane: Why did you choose to create fruit pigmented cosmetics?

Susie Wang: I was blessed with the idea of color cosmetics with fruit, vegetable and flower pigments while I was picking blackberries one summer. Coloring cosmetics with fruit and vegetable pigments is so much healthier and more beneficial than with minerals or dyes because fruit pigments contain all the healthy vitamins and antioxidants of fruits.

Jane: By incorporating natural ingredients such as fruit pigments into your products, how are you also protecting the environment?

Susie Wang: The ingredients are healthy and biodegradable and so 100% Pure is not introducing any harmful or toxic chemicals into the environment.

Jane: What can natural beauty lovers and newcomers to your products expect to see in the near future?

Susie Wang: I love animals. My passion is to help as many animals as I can.  In the future, my goal is to open up an animal sanctuary that can rescue thousands of animals. I am also excited about a clothing line I’m currently designing.

          Susie’s clothing line is set to take off in the Spring of 2011. You can find the designed fashioned in recycled materials and vegetable dyed textiles. Get fashionable in eco-friendly clothing for your body and our environment.

 Jane: When you start off your day, which of your products can’t you live without?

Susie Wang: I can’t live without 100% Pure’s coffee bean eye cream – it keeps my eye area looking refreshed and makes me look rested.  I am also crazy about 100% Pure’s apple products. The delicious smell of crisp green apples is my favorite out of all our delicious bath and body products.   

 Jane: Is there anything else you’d like to add as far as advice for women when it comes to transitioning over to natural products and to 100% Pure?

Susie Wang: We often take for granted our health and ourselves.  Eating healthy, exercising, drinking plenty of water and using natural products are all things to do for the sake of your own health and well-being.

 Learn more about 100% Pure and about Susie at her website, 100% Pure!

            Take a stroll through the ages of earth friendly clothing from the mid-18^th century all the way till today at the Fashion and Textile History Gallery within the Museum at FIT. Over 100 garments, accessories, and textiles are available for the public eye to view.

            Not only can you learn about a variety of techniques and designs, but you will take away an understanding of the positive and negative impact manufacturing clothes has on the planet.

            When we wake up in the morning and dress ourselves up, not too many of us think about the process our clothing had to go through before we put it on. Although our clothes protects us from harsh winters, blistering summer heat, and even keeps us cool, a lot of us either are too preoccupied or are not aware about what goes on behind textile closed doors. What we wear on our bodies should make us feel proud, comfortable, and confident in ourselves. Yet, we must not forget the impact our clothing has on our planet, the individuals who create our clothes, and on our furry creatures. The exhibit takes you through the history of repurposing and recycling of textiles, the growth and manufacture of fabrics, dyeing processes, quality craftsmanship, the health and treatment of industry workers, and the treatment of animals.

            What we wear on our skin not only shows people our sense of style and personality, but also our commitment to environment friendly clothing and manufacturing.

          The exhibit runs through November 13. More information is available at their website. Step up and join the eco-friendly revolution!

The gallery is open during the week from Tuesday-Friday (Noon-8 p.m.), Saturday (10 a.m.-5 p.m.), but is closed Sunday and Monday.

Admission: Free

       Set the phrase, “No Pain, No Gain” straight! There is absolutely no need to sacrifice your health and well being for beauty. I recently walked into a couples shared bathroom, and to my horror saw the whole sink counter cluttered with women’s beauty and men’s hygiene essentials. All of those products have a variety of chemicals we must avoid. According to the Campaign for Safer Cosmetics, a red flag should pop up when you see triclosan, synthetic musks, formaldehyde, nitrosamines, lead, parabens, phthalates, hydroguinone, and 1,4-dioxane listed within the ingredients of your product(s).

       Every single day we come into contact with a variety of substances and many of us forget to stop and think about what exactly our body is consuming. In a recent news release on July 21^st, “representatives Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc., introduced the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010, which gives the Food and Drug Administration authority to ensure that personal care products are free of harmful ingredients” (Environmental Working Group).  A seven-minute video, “The Story of Cosmetics,” was released by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, produced by Annie Leonard and Free Range Graphics whom crafted a powerful and eye awakening glimpse into the truth about the world of cosmetics. You can also see the video here at: The Story of Cosmetics as well as visit their website, Campaign for Safer Cosmetics and be proactive in the fight to create safer and healthier products for each and every one of us.

       “From lipstick to lotion, our medicine cabinets are filled with cosmetics that may contain potentially dangerous chemicals. This important bill closes a gaping hole in our Federal laws that allows potentially dangerous chemicals to remain in the cosmetic products we use everyday,” says Representative Markey. As of March 17, 2010 over a thousand companies have signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics (ranging from 100% Pure, known for their fruit pigmented cosmetics to Zuii Organic, who use certified organic flower petals, whose products and information can be found in Skin Deep’s database. Skin Deep debuted in 2004 and stands proud to be “an online safety guide for cosmetics and personal care products.” Check out Skin Deep and type in a product, ingredient, or a company to find out how harmful/safe a product is, the hazardous level of a company and more information about the hidden ingredients within your products.

       When it comes to your health, there should be no pain involved. The only pain that exists is the one many of us suffer, from constant use of products that deteriorate our body and overall health. Our government has sat far too long out in the sidelines and it’s time for it to get up and play the role of protecting us from harmful toxins. The Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010 “recognizes that consumers have a right to safe personal care products, that companies have a responsibility to understand the health effects of the chemicals in their products, and that we need government to help us get there,” says Janet Nudelman of the Breast Cancer Fund and the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.” Don’t be a guinea pig for a company, take a stand to protect your body, do your research, and be a part of the Campaign for Safer Cosmetics!

            Also, coming soon is an interview with 100% Pure Founder and Chief Creative Ambassador, Susie Wang!

Every woman wants to look her best, so why not get glamorous? FusionBeauty ColorCeuticals provides a four in one LipFusion Balm Tinted Lip Conditioning Stick that will hydrate, plump, give you color, and protect your lips with SPF 15. Try the balm in all four vibrant shades of Buff (a light nude), Bitten (peach), Berry (plum), Butterscotch (baby pink), and in Clear. Within the lip balm, is FusionBeauty’s unique Amplifat technology, which boosts the body’s collagen production over the course of 28 days. Snatch your balm at a Sephora for $22.

Do you ever find yourself in a hurry, trying frantically to apply a powder blush with a brush, but can’t seem to get an even tone? Not everyone is as lucky as some to have natural rosy cheeks. Whether you have a light skin tone like me or have a darker skin complexion, FusionBeauty has a suitable shade for your cheeks. SculptDiva Contouring & Sculpting Blush comes in four gentle on your skin shades of Crave (pink/peach), Cherub (pale rose),Haute (neutral with a bit of pink), and Bella (a deep neutral shade). Infused in the formula you will find Hyaluronic Acid, which each of us is born with and helps to regulate our moisture level in the body. Yet, as we age, our HA level diminishes. Now, with SculptDiva, your skin can have a natural plump within 28 days of use. The next time you see grandma or grandpa, proudly show them your cheeks, and let them give you a little squeeze! Sephora, $29.

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Fall is almost near ladies! Start your days off the right way with REVOLUTION Organics. Luscious lips has a whole new meaning, and I’m not only talking about the colors. Say adios to synthetics, chemicals, parabens, mineral oil, artificial ingredients, petrochemicals and animal testing, because you won’t find any of that in REVOLUTION Organics beauty products. From the Freedom collection comes Freedom Gloss, which features five colors that are 100% natural and have 85% certified organic ingredients in Fresh Warm Peach, True Strawberry Red, Soft Baby Pink, Sheer True Pink and Shimmering Golden Rose. Give your lips a dose of happiness each time you apply. SaffronRouge.com, $25.95.

Who knew a lipstick, cheek stain and eye shadow all came in one recyclable and biodegradable package?  REVOLUTION Organics brings aboard Freedom Glow Beauty Balm in Fresh Peach Glow, True Rosy Blush, and Warm Golden Bronze Glow. This multi-purpose balm instantly gives you color, wherever you desire to apply it. With organic olive, coconut and jojoba oils, you can moisture and soften the area where you want that extra color to show. Do as their motto, and put on “guilt FREE glam.” SaffronRouge.com, $33.95.

My only answer to this is that women who don slutty wear past the age of seventeen (And that’s pushing it.) simply don’t know how to retain information that will help themselves.

This really should be a non-issue. Haven’t they realized that the type of attention that is gained through such ensembles is primarily negative? Other women, who are dressed appropriately aren’t typically inclined to be friendly to the girl who shows up wearing chest for dinner. And the men who approach these women, don’t usually take them seriously.

I’m sure these women have experienced one, two, or both, of the examples I have stated, so the only rational reason as to why they keep dressing the way they do, is that they refuse to learn what works and what doesn’t.

For some reason such women think that dressing like a street walker will hook a man. And it just might, for several nights, but that’s all they’re getting. ‘Pretty Woman,’ is a splendid movie, I watch it every chance I get. But it’s just a movie. Those things actually don’t happen. I have never met or heard of anyone that has experienced anything in the like of such ‘Pretty Woman’ experiences.

What these women need to do is put on a sweater and some pants. I promise it will only do good things for you. Maybe a blazer under a T-shirt? I want these ladies to know that skin isn’t even in right now. What’s in is covering up as much as you can, layering is in.

And if dressing skimpy is a way of having fun for you. Do it on vacation. Do not do it during everyday life. If you’re a mother, it is guaranteed that you are embarrassing your children. They’re embarrassed enough as it is by the process of growing up. They don’t need any extra stress. If the having of children is a non-issue, then I’m sure your friends  have their concerns about this. And if your friends dress like you, then they should reading this as well.

If you have to ask, is this too short, while in front of the mirror, that’s a yes.

The above is an example of well dressed women. These are office looks, but the office is a location where one should especially dress appropriately.