PopSugar

Relax Already: Make Your Own Citrus-Mint Sugar Scrub

FitSugar — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Indulging in a hot shower or bath is one of my favorite ways to reduce stress. Couple it with a sugar scrub, and it's just as good as a full-body massage - well, almost). Why buy a sugar scrub, when it's so easy to make your own?

Here's a recipe that incorporates the summery scent of citrus. To see it read more.

You'll need:

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sweet almond oil
1 teaspoon fresh tangerine juice
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon fresh grapefruit juice
3 to 5 drops of peppermint oil

Mix the sugar and almond oil first. Then add the juices. Lastly, mix in the peppermint oil. Store in a sealed container.

If citrus isn't your favorite scent, try this recipe for Brown Sugar Body Scrub. Not only will a sugar scrub relieve tension, but it's also a gentle way to exfoliate dead skins cells from your body.

Anatomy of a Tattoo

FitSugar — Wed, 16 May 2007 03:30:00 -0700

I am ever curious about how the human body works, and recently I pondered the permanence of tattoos. Skin is always shedding layers of dead cells (especially if you exfoliate), so how can a tattoo remain year after year?

Let's start at the beginning with how a tattoo is created. Tattoos are made by inserting pigment into the skin with an electrically powered solid needle that punctures the skin between 50 and 3,000 times per minute (makes me think of a sewing machine - yikes!!). The needle penetrates the skin by about a millimeter and deposits a drop of insoluble ink into the skin with each puncture.

When you look at a person's tattoo, you're seeing the ink through the epidermis - the outer layer of skin. The ink resides in the dermis - the second layer of skin, just below the epidermis. Dermis cells are far more stable than the cells of the epidermis, so the tattoo's ink will stay in place, with only minor fading and dispersion (spreading out), for a person's entire life!

Fit's Tips: FYI - tattoo parlors are NOT regulated by the FDA and not ALL states require tattoo parlors to be licensed. If I were you, I'd go to a place that is licensed and inspected by the state. The licensed places will definitely follow all the correct sterilization and sanitation procedures. Since tattoos involve needles and blood, you want to make sure there is little risk for the transmission of diseases such as hepatitis, tuberculosis, and STIs. These regulations may make tattoos safer, but it sure won't make those needles hurt any less!

Want to see some interesting tattoos? Then read more

View 6 Photos ›

Source, Source, Source, Source, Source, and Source

Ingrown Hairs - Not a Fan

FitSugar — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 02:00:00 -0800

When you remove unwanted hair from your body by waxing or shaving, you run the risk of ingrown hairs. I've had women tell me to never wax my bikini line ever, because those hairs are thick and curly, so they tend to get trapped inside the hair follicle and grow in crooked more often than say your leg hair.

I'm not going to let a little ingrown hair keep me from waxing. Oh no. Here's a tip I picked up from a waitress when I was out to dinner one night (really). She said she was way into waxing (don't ask me how we got started talking about that), and she waxed everything, including her armpits (ouch).

Her advice: To prevent those irritating little red bumps you get from ingrown hairs, you must exfoliate the area daily.

Now I'm not saying use something harsh like a sugar scrub on your sensitive parts - I much prefer using loofah gloves. They are gentle enough to use every day.

And exfoliating consistently to remove dead skin cells really helps prevent those suckers. So you can wax and shave all you want and get silky smooth skin without those annoying red bumps.

Gloves in the Shower?

FitSugar — Fri, 24 Nov 2006 09:30:00 -0800

Is your skin screaming out for some love? Why not answer its call with an invigorating exfoliating experience? Exfoliation is the skin's natural process of shedding dead cells. A new layer of cells is formed at the bottom of the epidermis (that's fancy speak for skin), and it pushes the old skin cells to the surface where they eventually dislodge and flake away. By adding exfoliation to your daily routine, you can assist this natural process at the surface to encourage newer, healthier looking skin.

My favorite exfoliation tool is these bath gloves from The Body Shop. They're rough textured loofah gloves with little loops on the ends so you can hang them out to dry. If you don't dry them, they could get moldy which is totally disgusting and stinky.

Just get them wet in the shower, lather them up with your favorite soap or body wash and rub them all over your skin. They're gentle enough to use everyday and you can even use them on your face.

Fit's Tip: If you have sensitive skin, you might want to use the bath lily instead. The material is a little smoother and more gentle.

Beauty Mark It! A Gentle Exfoliator for The Red Carpet!

BellaSugar — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 11:33:33 -0800

With the Oscars red carpet quickly approaching celebs have already visited their dermatologists, and other "doctors," in anticipation of the ultimate scrutinizing. Now it's time to zero in on the ensemble, get a massage, or two, and refresh the skin so it is glowing on Sunday.

I have just squeezed out the very last drop of my Sweep by Remede facial exfoliator. I keep it in the shower and use a nickel sized amount twice a week on my face. Call me sick, but I like how you can really feel the little particles scrubbing away your dead/dry skin. The best part about this is that it's light and doesn't irritate - this is key since seasoned celebs know better than to experiment this close to the big day.

Since I am such a beauty junkie, I simply refuse to buy another tube. I'd really like to try something different, something that will gently exfoliate me so I shine on Sunday! Let's all go beauty marking to help me find a new facial exfoliator for sensitive skin. Be sure to come back and tell me when your Beauty Marks are up. Tag your choices with gentle exfoliator so I can find them. To learn what a Beauty Mark is and how to make one, click here.

To see some of my favorite online beauty stores, read more

Saks Beauty Place
Strawberrynet.com
Nordstrom
Sephora
Beauty.com
Drugstore.com
Fred Segal Beauty

New Product Alert: Cornelia Essentials Retexturizing Thermal Exfoliator

BellaSugar — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 08:00:28 -0700

This product from Cornelia Day Resort is perfect for clearing out your blocked pores and getting rid of dead, dry, flaky summer skin. Cornelia Essentials Retexturizing Thermal Exfoliator ($45) launched in August and is perfect for achieving a fresh looking, flawless fall face. What makes this exfoliator just a little bit different is that it is made with calcium chloride to warm your skin upon contact.

Not only does this instantly open up your pores, but it increases oxygen flow to your skin, dissolves impurities, removes toxins and-supposedly-it feels amazing!

Using it is pretty simple: Gently massage a thin layer over a damp, clean face. Don't focus on one area only. Instead, use large circular motions so you don't scratch and irritate your skin. Rinse with warm water, and follow with a serum or moisturizer. It's safe to use once or twice a week.

Doesn't this sound great? It's like having a spa experience right in the comforts of your own home! I am anxiously awaiting mine in the mail and I'll be back with a product review soon.

Product Review: 5th Avenue Bath Co. Exfoliating Body Polish

BellaSugar — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 11:57:18 -0700

Judging by the name, you might expect 5th Avenue Bath Co. to hail from Manhattan's tony Upper East Side. Instead, the bath- and body-product company comes from suburban Columbus. I've been using its Exfoliating Body Polish with Shea Butter ($17.95) for about a month.

First, the good: I love the scent, Black Vetiver Cafe. 5th Avenue Bath Co. describes it as "a woody and ambery blend with a hint of citrus followed by notes of red cedar, sandalwood and musks." My nose isn't sophisticated enough to parse these notes, but lemme tell you, it has the "expensive and fancy, but natural" thing going on. Another plus is that because of the shea butter, coconut oil and jojoba oil, this scrub leaves a soft protective, moisturizing barrier on skin well after the shower. If you have dry skin, this stuff is a lifesaver!

For the rest of my review, read more

The only thing that I don't love about this polish is that it's really not a heavy-duty exfoliant. While I can feel the sugar crystals on my skin, they're not dense enough to give a large-scale sloughing. I like using this stuff right now, when my skin isn't flaky and overly dry-but during the winter months, I'll need a more serious scrub.

Cheap and Easy: An Affordable Way to Exfoliate

BellaSugar — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 07:00:18 -0700

The cheapskate in me has been inspired by an Ayurvedic spa treatment I recently had. Before beginning the massage, my esthetician used a stiff brush to briskly go over my dry skin. Not only did it exfoliate dead skin cells, it also increased circulation, and the herbal oil she used left me feeling luxuriously moisturized.

I was so impressed by how good the dry skin brushing felt that I've pulled a MacGyver and have started doing something similar at home. Before stepping into the shower, I gently buff my body with the rough side of a regular kitchen sponge. You can buy these patterned O-Cel-O sponges at your local drugstore for about a dollar, and as long as you use a light touch, you'll be able to get rid of dead skin. They're too rough for your face, so don't think about using this on your complexion; instead, use it on feet, elbows and any other tough, rough skin. After the shower, follow with moisturizer and you'll have the "aah" of the spa-without the "eek" of a high price tag.

Source

Back To Basics: The Best Body Exfoliators

BellaSugar — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 14:01:00 -0700

Welcome back to Back To Basics, the Cliff Notes version of my all-time favorite products. Since we've been talking so much about self tanner and body bronzer this week on beach week, I thought I'd give you a friendly reminder that the first step before applying any of these products is exfoliating. Your skin becomes shinier once you remove all of those unnecessary dull and dead cells, and it will feel softer and smoother too. Here's a look at three of my top picks for body exfoliators.

Lancome Resurface Microdermabrasion Body Polishing Treatment ($46) is a favorite among beauty editors. The small exfoliating crystals and pumice stone in the formula effectively buff away dullness, and they don't scratch your skin making it red and sensitive like a lot of other exfoliators can.

Since I've tried it, I can hardly shower without it! Your skin is left polished, radiant and it feels like buttah!.

For two more more of my favorite exfoliators, read more

YonKa Phyto Gel Exfoliant Shower Gel ($42) is the ultimate pampering experience to create a buffed bod! It's an ultra-light foaming shower gel and body exfoliant all in one. I love the aquamarine color, the botanical smell and the unrivaled gentleness of this product.

Dermalogica Exfoliating Body Scrub ($28) is more of a creamy textured body exfoliator. It deeply revitalizes and soothes, creating one heck of a polish on the surface of your skin! Plus, it smells really good and woodsy since it's infused with lavender, orange, sandalwood and rosemary. Even your guy won't be shy to try this one out!

Doing Drugstore: St. Ives Moisturizing In-Shower Exfoliating Body Polish

BellaSugar — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 13:00:01 -0700

I love body polishes that don't require excess force to work, particularly ones that use sugar, which is gentler on the skin. Over the weekend, I tried out St. Ives Moisturizing In-Shower Exfoliating Body Polish, Oatmeal & Shea Butter ($8), which contains natural sugar crystals for exfoliation, oatmeal to soothe, and shea butter for softer skin. While this polish is a little difficult to scoop out of the jar due to its texture (think of a dense Crisco), once it hits the skin and some water, it almost melts, creating a rich, spreadable lather.

The polish has a sweet almond scent and a finer, more dissolvable grit than the famous invigorating St. Ives Apricot Scrub ($4). Before shaving, I spread a little of the polish on my legs for a smooth, non-irritating result.

I like it for a pedicure, too. After scrubbing my feet with the body polish, I used my beauty shortcut to fake a real pedicure. A little goes a long way with this product, making for an affordable - and effective - drugstore find.