My skin suffers because of how dry it gets in the winter, but so does my hair and scalp! Thankfully I got some fabulous tips from the folks at Rene Furterer and Klorane that I wanted to share with you:) First, use a humidifier -- if there is one that can do the trick it's Air-O-Swiss ($229.99), though one might not be enough if your room is very big, which is what I realized my problem was -- sometimes you need two humidifiers! Then, treat the scalp once a week to a purifying massage with Rene Furterer Complexe 5 Regenerating Extract ($45). Massaging the scalp with Complexe 5's essential oils of orange and lavender naturally stimulate the scalp's circulation and create the optimal conditions for the scalp and hair to thrive as well as allowing better penetration of your other hair care products. As far as shampooing people always do it too much -- including me -- so hard for me to take my daily shower and stop myself from reaching over for the shampoo and conditioner, but as we all know that's bad! Too much shampooing can strip the scalp and hair of its natural protective oils. By shampooing a bit less frequently, you'll give your scalp a chance to maintain its natural balance. To keep hair clean and beautiful between shampoos, you can use a dry shampoo such as Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo With Oat Milk ($18) that cleanses your hair without stripping it. I have to say I get eecked by dry shampoos and had bad experiences previously with one from T3, but as far as they go the one from Klorane was actually soothing. More after the Jump!

In the Sunday Style section of The New York Times there was a round-up article on nine multi-tasking beauty products and one of them was Revolution Organics All-Over Body Balm, ($28) which I've been meaning to write about! I've been using it on and off for the last few months and it's wonderful for on-the-go moisture. The balm looks like an over-sized chapstick, but the cool thing about it is that it has over 22 different uses (from relieving chapped lips, to soothing dry spots, to nourishing dry cuticles)! Such a useful space-saver in both my bathroom and my handbag. More recently though I tried out the Revolution Organics All-Over Skin Creme, ($33)
which I've been using when I'm on the move as well (it's a travel-friendly size), on my hands (though you can use it anywhere, I don't find it greasy enough to use on my body). It has a lemon meringue pie sort of smell which I surprisingly like (the products are scented only with USDA-certified perfume blends). Plus like all of Revolution Organics products it has a certified organic USDA seal (meaning its held to the same standards as the food we eat), it's free of chemicals, parabens, synthetics, artificial ingredients, and fillers (including water!). All the products in this line come in small packages, but don't be alarmed by the seemingly high prices given their sizes (especially the Skin Creme) -- the products are potent enough that you'll only need a little (remember they don't use fillers!).

I think people with blindingly white teeth are creepy (especially a certain Scientologist movie star with his maniacal smile!)-- but clean and natural looking white teeth?? Very sexy! I got bleaching trays once but it made my teeth so sensitive that I stopped after a couple of months. I swore off all bleaching products since then and have been satisfied with my teeth but lately I feel like they aren't as bright as they used to be (normal with age and regular consumption of red wine). 

I don't want to do anything drastic so I started using Go Smile! after its PR rep sent me samples.   The sample only lasted two days but it was enough to get me to buy more.  It's been a couple of weeks and I am noticing a very slight and subtle change in my teeth.  They just look a shade brighter, though not much whiter.  I also like the application process, brush it on like any other toothpaste, no sitting around with annoying trays in your mouth! Try for yourself and let me know what you think.  At Go Smile!

On a totally different note, I had a dream last night that my dentist cut my hair when I went in for a cleaning.  Very bizarre.

I love my L'Occitane Amande Firming & Smoothing Milk Concentrate, but with this weather it just doesn't work for my body. I still use it on occasion because I'm just obsessed with the smell, but almost immediately after putting some of it on my legs feel dry and itchy. Luckily I got a sample of LAVANILA The Healthy Body Butter ($25 for 8oz) and it actually hydrated my body! Lavanila also makes wonderful body washes ($20) and candles ($32). The candles in particular are great because traditional paraffin candles contain at least 20 dangerous chemicals that release choking toxins and black soot upon burning. When released into the air we breathe, these pollutants are as harmful to our health as second-hand tobacco smoke!! The Healthy Candle is an all-natural alternative for a safe home environment -- pheww!! Most of Lavanila's products come in their four signature sweet scents: Pure Vanilla, Vanilla Grapefruit, Vanilla Blossom and Vanilla Coconut -- my absolute fave is the Pure Vanilla -- delectable! Jump for a list of they key ingredients that make the body butter so wonderfully hydrating!

I couldn't sleep over the holidays because I was worried about the dinner for 20 I was planning the next night on Christmas Eve, the gifts for 50 family and friends that haven't been wrapped (or shipped in some cases) and my son's double ear infection. By 3 am, I was panicked that I'd never sleep and then remembered a PR rep had sent me aromatherapy pillow liners that are supposed to help you sleep. I dug around in my "goody" box and found the liner, stuck it in my pillow, and waited for sleep to come.

I wish I could say that I fell asleep immediately but I didn't. The scent was lovely and it did relax me but all I could think about was how I needed a massage but haven't had time for one and my masseuse Tracy at Cooper Spa will be taking maternity leave in January so I better get in there. Then I started worrying about her giving massages during her tri-mester and what if she went into labor while giving me a massage and do I try to deliver the baby or wait for help. (You know how the busy mind works!)
 
Anyhoo, the liners last from two to five days and come in a collection of 12 scents. $24.99 for eight scented liners that you can travel with. Me, I plan on putting them in my lingerie drawer. At Sleepscentsations.com

Awhile back I had the chance to speak with founder of Envision Beauty and Living Foods Expert Kimberly Snyder about raw food, healthy lifestyles, and her face care product The Solution. She had so many interesting things to say that I turned to her once again for some advice! Below you'll find some wonderful tips that Kimberly Snyder put together exclusively for Beauty Snob! They're 5 Diet Tips to Prevent Peeling and Flaking Skin during the hard winter months!

1. Bump up your consumption of Omega 3 Fatty Acids.
Omega 3 fatty acids will prevent peeling and flaking, and promote youthful, smooth and radiant skin by keeping skin cells hydrated and strong. Omega 3 fatty acids maintain the structure and fluidity of cell membranes, facilitating the inflow of nutrients and the outflow of waste products. A great source of Omega 3 fats is the Açai berry, which is native to the Amazon forest but has recently started to appear in health stores and even some supermarkets. Açai has a hefty serving of Omega 3, 6 and 9, as well as fiber, amino acids, minerals and key vitamins. Other great sources of Omega 3 include flaxseed and flax oil and walnuts.
2. Get familiar with hemp seeds.
Hemp seeds contain gamma-linolenic fatty acids, a powerful type of anti-inflammatory Omega 6, which can specifically help keep your skin hydrated and prevent flaking. Hemp seeds, which are extremely mineral-rich and also pack 11 grams of protein in just 3 Tbs., can be purchased in any health food store and are a great addition to salads and winter soups.
More of Kimberly Snyder's Tips after the Jump!

Forget airbrushing or using photoshop to enhance your complexion (so last year).  This year, you can look picture perfect in every photo. The latest camera from Casio will filter out flaws and give you magazine worthy skin, instantly.  Casio EX-Z3000 is on the hit list of every  beauty snob-- the Make Up function feature has a filter that essentially air brushes your skin to perfection just like they do in the movies. The camera will identify light areas (shiny spots) and dark ones (blemishes) and blur them out until they are undetectable. Sounds safer than laser or botox. Sign me up! At Amazon.com

Below is the second and final installment of 2008 Snob Trends!

11. Healthy Candles: Who knew that candles could be a health hazard? The folks at Lavanila thankfully! This year candle lovers could breath easy knowing that they weren't inhaling the chemicals contained in many traditional paraffin candles -- which release toxins and soot that cause damage comparable to second-hand smoking -- thanks to Lavanila's Healthy Candle .

12. Pricey Skin Care: At $400 for 6.7 oz Kanebo's Sensai Premier Body Cream is pricier than La Mer, so obviously this peaked everyone's interest! Haven't tried it for myself, but judging by the quality of the Kanebo products that I have tried, I imagine that it's simply divine..ahhhh:)

13. Diffusers: Everywhere I go --bedrooms, bathrooms, restaurants, boutiques -- they're all over! This year we couldn't get enough of diffusers! Sweet Grass Farm, Verikira, Thymes, and Moments Waterbead Diffusers by Upper Canada Soap take the cake as the best!

14. Neon Polish: The limited edition Essie Neon collection hit this summer and it was all the rage -- and come on, what screams fun in the sun like fluorescent nails!

15. Beauty with a side of Humor: Tongue-and-cheek packaging was all over the place this year. Who ruled over them all? Soap & Glory! The line comes courtesy of the same lady who founded Bliss and it's inspired by tabloid-style journalism!

More after The Jump!

Sure there has been some bad and there definitely has been some ugly, but overall when it comes to beauty trends, 2008 was a smashing success! Check-out the first half of our Snob Trends of 2008!

1. Women Secretly Swear by their Clarisonic: I am OBSESSED with the Clarisonic! It is THE beauty product of 2008. It will clear your skin, make your pores smaller, and leave your face as soft as a baby's bum! Hands down worth every single penny it will cost you.

2. Mascara Wars: It was the battle between Lancome Oscillation, Estee Lauder's Turbo Lash, Givenchy's Phenomen 'Eyes Mascara , and SpinLash's Rotating Wand. In my book, it's Givenchy all the way!

3. Michelle Obama: Head-to-toe, the world was obsessed with every piece of Mrs. Obama!

4. Gadget Madness: Ladies went gaga for technology this year with everything from Zeno's Pro Acne Clearing Device, which uses heat to kill pimples, to Clean & Clear's Blackhead Eraserwhich uses a vibrating motion and foaming pad to exfoliate dead surface skin and remove dirt and oil.

5. Crimson Lips: For when you feel like making a statement -- just don't forget to brush your hair or risk looking like a Courtney Cox-esque train wreck! Plus, loving this trend is the perfect excuse to indulge in Kanebo's Crimson Red shade, Ginza, which is made with 24kt-gold-infused silk!

More after The Jump!

I've been coming across countless wonderful beauty gift sets and like Beauty Snob Tina I ended-up getting a few of my faves for most of the people on my shopping list this holiday season! One that stand-outs when it comes to hair care is the gift set from Seva . Seva means "thread" in Sanskrit which the company says implies that all things are connected...nice little holiday message, huh?! Anyway, Seva is a new line of hair care products and they use some of the highest quality ingredients for their products. The line is also sulfate and paraben free, vegan and not tested on animals and given their ingredients Seva hair products are 100% color safe which is essential for me because I only get my hair highlighted twice a year and both times it's abroad (either at Dessange in France or with a German colorist when I go visit my family in Munich), so I gotta keep my highlights safe!! The products are wonderfully light so they won't leave your hair heavy or overly greasy. Plus, all Seva items are produced locally in Los Angeles and their warehouse employs people with disabilities from the La Puente Adult School. With that in mind, check-out the Seva Gift Set which retails for $75 (a $160 value), and comes with all of the products from the Seva line.