If you’ve ever suffered from a dull complexion then you know how much exfoliation can benefit you skin. Although the body does shed skin cells on it’s own those of us with oilier skin sometimes need a little help to keep our complexions radiant and smooth. Exfoliation has been a part of my weekly beauty routine since my teen years simply because it always left my skin smoother and my makeup application much easier.

Now that I’m making a move to cruelty-free products it’s opened a whole new world of ingredients and brands to sample. Since I needed a new exfoliator I decided to try Burt’s Bees Peach & Willowbark Deep Pore Scrub. The scrub uses finely ground Peach Stones, commonly know as peach pits to provide the exfoliation factor combined with Willowbark which a natural source of Salicylic Acid.

Ingredients: water, vitis vinifera (grape) seed oil, stearic acid, glycerin, prunus persica (peach) seed powder, cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, sodium borate, fragrance, salix nigra (willow) bark extract, glucose, anthemis nobilis (chamomile) flower extract, hydrastis canadensis (golden seal) extract, zingiber officinale (ginger) root extract, fucus vesiculosus (bladderwrack) extract, xanthan gum, sucrose stearate, glucose oxidase, lactoperoxidase

While I loved the results of the scrub, I must warn that the formula is a bit abrasive; the peach stone is finely ground so it didn’t leave my skin red or irritated. The scrub is in a creamy base that contains grape seed oil, goldenseal and coconut oil which are all great for the skin. I’d love to see a Burt’s Bees exfoliating formula that is a bit more gentle on sensitive skin. Overall (with a gentle touch) this scrub is a winner – its cruelty free and delivers a deep cleaning on par with luxury brands. What is your favorite facial scrub?

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This post, Review: Burt’s Bees Peach & Willowbark Deep Pore Scrub originally appeared on Lipstick and Luxury on February 3, 2012. [Tweetthis] Post!

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My Chihuahua, Princess Chloe

One day while playing with my chihuahua Chloe I took a really close look at her. I looked at her soulful eyes, felt her beating heart under my fingertips, felt the warmth of life in her body and thought “What makes my 3 pound dog any different from the chickens that we eat?” Why does a dog get love and life while a chicken gets abuse and death? It all made me reconsider going back to a vegetarian lifestyle; I was a vegetarian in high school and even into college. Over the years I slowly I started eating meat again because I liked how it tasted and I was constantly being told that it was okay and even necessary to eat meat. Well fast forward to the present day, I’ve learned a lot about how our animals are tortured treated and how ingesting meat effects our health in horrible ways so I made a vow to myself to never eat meat again.

Now I must add that a majority of my family and friend are meat eaters. And my vegetarian lifestyle is MY journey. I am not here to convince anyone to become a vegetarian or to force my ideas on anyone else. I do want to enlighten people to the reality of how we TREAT our animals. I want people to be aware of where their meat comes from and how it gets to their dinner plates. I want people to be conscious of where their clothing comes from and even where their pets come from. So I invite you to take a moment to ask yourself if you had to hold a lamb on your hands could you look in his eyes and could you then slit his throat? Would you skin a fox alive? Would anally electrocute a mink so that you could wear his fur? If the answer is no, you need to know that this is exactly what is happening to these animals before you see the finished product in the stores or in a supermarket.

Please take a look at this documentary called EARTHLINGS, I must warn you that many parts of it are shocking, I cried through a lot of it. It’s an honest, yet heartbreaking look at how we treat the animals that we share this earth with. “Might is not always right” and just because we can kill an animal doesn’t mean that we should…

EARTHLINGS is a feature length documentary about humanity’s absolute dependence on animals (for pets, food, clothing, entertainment, and scientific research) but also illustrates our complete disrespect for these so-called “non-human providers.” The film is narrated by Academy Award nominee Joaquin Phoenix (GLADIATOR) and features music by the critically acclaimed platinum artist Moby .

I really hope that everyone reading this will take the time to watch this truth and share it with one other person. If you’ve watched EARTHLINGS I’d love to hear your feedback.

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This post, Do you have pets, eat meat, wear fur? Then please have the courage to watch the film “Earthlings” originally appeared on Lipstick and Luxury on January 26, 2012. [Tweetthis] Post!

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Weekly at home facials are a relaxing yet beautifying treatment that I like to indulge in. I may have mentioned a time or two that mud and clay masks help to keep my oily skin acne free. And now that I’m trying very hard to keep my beauty routine “cruelty-free” it’s the perfect time to experiment with some new brands that I’ve never tried before, enter Alba Botanica. Alba Botanica has a huge assortment of good for you products that are 100% Vegetarian and are not tested on animals. Their products are also pH balanced, hypo-allergenic and are made up of 70% certified organic ingredients.

I chose the Deep Sea Facial Mask which is made from Kaolin clay, the mildest of all natural clays so it’s suitable for sensitive skin. Kaolin clay helps to draw out excess oils and impurities that can clog pores. The mask also contains aloe vera and Alba’s Marine Complex hydrate which help nourish the skin and stimulate cell regeneration.

The mask is creamy and soothing to the skin upon application with a light pleasant scent. One of the first things that I noticed about this mask is that it didn’t sting. I’ve used other mud masks that left my skin completely dried out and tight but this mask did not, it was surprisingly gentle, no tightness. After washing the mask off of my skin, my skin felt a zen-like balance that I have not felt in a long time.

What is your favorite mud mask?

Alba Botanica Deep Sea Facial Mask, $9.95

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This post, Review: Alba Botanica Deep Sea Facial Mask originally appeared on Lipstick and Luxury on January 22, 2012. [Tweetthis] Post!

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A few weeks ago myself and several other beauty bloggers were invited to a super-exclusive event at the Hotel Gansevoort in New York City to celebrate a new product launch by Pantene.

When we arrived at the event we had to sign a disclosure policy not to spill the beans about the new spokesperson for Pantene’s new Pro-V Nature Fusion Moisture Balance Collection. To our surprise the new face of representing the Pantene Pro-V Nature Fusion Moisture Balance Collection in print ads is none other than the beautiful actress Sanaa Lathan. As you can image it was extremely hard not to tweet or twitpic this event! However we did get a chance to sit down with Sanaa up close and personal.

What do you think of Sanaa Lathan as the new face of Pantene’s new collection?

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This post, Sanaa Lathan is the new face of Pantene Pro-V Nature Fusion Moisture Balance Collection! originally appeared on Lipstick and Luxury on January 19, 2012. [Tweetthis] Post!

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Although we all know that Photoshop use is rampant in the fashion and beauty industries but this epidemic has spilled out into real life. Many people have Adobe Photoshop in their homes and they use it on photos for their Facebook pages, Twitter images and blog pages. But what happens when reality set it and that reality does not match the expectations created by a Photoshop illusion?

By creating images like this, insecure women choose to use Photoshop to compete with images of perfection that they’re bombarded with. Why not create healthier images of real women with imperfections, real fine lines and real scars? Real people, not just women, have acne, dark circles and cellulite.

How do you feel about the excessive use of Photoshop in photography?

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This post, You too can look perfect with Fotoshop by Adobé originally appeared on Lipstick and Luxury on January 12, 2012. [Tweetthis] Post!

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As I prepped my kiddies to go to school, I also remind them to have good grooming habits. Yes, I raise my boys to never have ashy hands and to always use lip balm. Taking care of yourself isn’t just for women, men need beauty TLC too! So when I saw that the low temperature in NYC today was 30 degrees, I had to prepare my boys properly. So I reached into my lippy bin and fished out two plain lip balms for my boys to have. This got me thinking about lip balms and how amazingly awesome they are.

One of my favorite lip balms is from Avalon Organics because it’s not waxy or sticky like chapstick; they feel great on your lips. Avalon Organics is also USDA certified organic – which makes me feel good about using it AND giving it to my kids. The Nourishing Cherry Aloe lip balm contains organic olive and coconut oil to moisturize, organic shea butter to protect against dry lips and Vitamin E to nourish and heal. So there are lots of beneficial ingredients to not only make your lips soft but to keep them that way. This lip balm is also available in Vanilla Rosemary and Peppermint Green Tea which both sound heavenly, mmm!  I relish the company’s’ commitment to consciousness which really resonates with me, this is a statement is from the Avalon Organics website:

Our commitment to Consciousness in Cosmetics creates a larger vision that encompasses us all. Our goal is to honor the body with consciousness. This vision is alive and continually expanding and we are all a part of it. Five distinct elements comprise Consciousness in Cosmetics: Purity and Safety, Sustainability, Products that Work, Sensuality and Personal Choice.

PURITY & SAFETY – “Consciousness of Ingredient Purity”
We only use ingredients that we trust, knowing that they can be absorbed directly into the body through the skin. We relentlessly seek out and use ingredients that are purer, more natural or organic, creating products that are safer to use.

Unfortunately this lip balm doesn’t contain any SPF but it does have a subtle cherry scent that’s mildly intoxicating, if your into cherry scents that is. BUT you can now also sing “I kissed a girl and I liked it, the taste of her cherry chapstick..” without actually kissing a girl, unless you’re into that type of thing, then I totally support that! Plus is only $2.99 which makes lip balm one of the most awesome, useful and affordable beauty products out there. So go ahead and make your lips taste like cherry. ;)

Have you tried Avalon Organics lip balm?

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This post, Getting Lippy: Avalon Organics Nourishing Cherry Aloe Organic Lip Balm originally appeared on Lipstick and Luxury on January 10, 2012. [Tweetthis] Post!

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Ever since my Organic Avenue cleanse I’ve been hooked on juicing. It was really an eye-opening experience and tangible proof that clean eating can lead to optimal health. In just three days of an organic raw food juice cleanse, I felt so energized and alive. It truly amazed me. My wife also participated in the juice cleanse with me and we both agreed that we needed a juicer at home immediately so that we could make our own delicious blends of juice. Now if you’ve never juiced before, taking a real close look at a green drink can be off-putting, I certainly agree with that. However green juice doesn’t taste as bad as it looks – in fact it doesn’t taste bad at all if you have the right blend of veggies.

Why juice? Some of my friends have asked why I juice and it’s a really great question. When vegetables are cooked, sensitive micronutrients become damaged thereby limiting their nutritional value. Micronutrients help maintain the oxygen balance in your brain and fight free radicals – see very important! Juicing also allows your body to more easily absorb all the nutrients from the vegetables that you ingest. Lastly, the enzymes in fresh fruits and vegetables help to convert food into body tissue and energy and these enzymes can also increase your metabolic rate.

When I don’t buy my green juice, here is one of my favorite green juice recipes:

Green Juice Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Parsley
• 2 handfuls of Kale
• 4 stalks of Celery
• 2 handfuls of Spinach
• 1 medium Cucumber
• 1 Carrot

Once you have all of your ingredients just put them in your juicer, skim the top and drink! This serves 1-2 people.

Why these ingredients:

• Parsley contains more vitamin C than oranges, purifies the blood, dissolves cholesterol and can even kill bacteria leaving you mouth fresh.
• Kale was added because it contains two powerful antioxidants that protect our cells from free radicals that cause oxidative stress; it also contains vitamin C, vitamin A, and manganese.
• Celery it surprisingly powerful – it was used by the Greeks medicinally to treat arthritis, kidney stones and liver problems. Celery has also been associated with lowering of blood pressure and recent studies have shown that celery might also be effective in fighting cancer. The minerals found in celery juice effectively balance the body’s blood pH, neutralizing acidity and can even replace lost electrolytes and hydrate the body post workout.
• Spinach has a high antioxidant combination (zinc, selenium, vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, manganese) that can combat the onset of osteoporosis and high blood pressure.
• Cucumbers are very high in vitamin K which can improve bone strength and their high potassium level can help to reduce blood pressure. Cucumbers have also been used in the treatment Alzheimer’s disease patients. There are several studies that show that carrots can lower the risk of developing breast cancer, colon cancer and lung cancer.
• Carrots are rich in vitamin A and are effective in detoxifying the liver – which is great for your skin.

All of the vegetables in the green juice drink have many vitamins and nutrients and not just the few that I listed. I juice because it’s like I’m flushing my body with the most nutrient rich food possible and I’m feeding it with what it needs to function at it’s best and to stay healthy. I believe that juicing is essential for good health especially in the toxic environment that we live in. We eat everything from processed foods to artificial ingredients and on top of that we often use chemical laden beauty products on our bodies- so it’s important that we do something healthful to counteract some of the toxic things that we come in contact with daily. Many movies like Forks over Knives, The Beautiful Truth [video], Dying to Have Known[video], Food Matters as well as other documentaries show us that raw juices can not only prevent disease but can in some cases cure it. The rich antioxidants help to cleanse toxins and eliminate stored wastes that interfere with the proper functioning of cells and organs. Not only that but juicing is good for your skin, some raw food studies have shown improvement in skin conditions such as eczema, acne, dryness and oiliness. So have you gone raw yet?

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This post, Beauty Food: Green Juice + how to make it at home originally appeared on Lipstick and Luxury on January 6, 2012. [Tweetthis] Post!

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New Year’s is all about resolutions, self-improvement and fresh starts. Each New Year many people vow to exercise more and eat better; and I’m one of those people. However this year my only REAL resolution is to do better in every aspect of my life and that includes eating better. Great nutrition leads to not just a healthier life but a happier life. For 2012 I resolve to treat myself better by clean eating, working out, being kind and continuing on my spiritual path. We can all use a little self-improvement, what are your real resolutions for 2012?

I was presented the opportunity to try out a juice beverage from Tropicana® called Trop50®, I was very excited. I tried the orange flavor and I loved it, it tasted naturally sweet but not sugary, definitely less sweet than regular orange juice. Tropicana® Trop50®  juice beverage also comes in a delicious Pomegranate and Blueberry flavor; and all the juices are packed with a full day’s supply of vitamin c. I was curious as to how the juice could be so sweet without the use of artificial sweeteners so of course I read the label. Trop50® contain Reb A which is derived from the stevia plant; Reb A is more than 200 times sweeter than sugar and contain zero calories.

Tropicana^® Trop50^® delivers the goodness of fruit juice with 50 percent less sugar and calories, and no artificial sweeteners.

Trop50 True Resolutions celebrates the real reasons behind New Year’s resolutions. Share your secret motivation and you’ll earn a coupon for $1 off Trop50 for yourself and 50¢ off coupons for up to 50 of your friends. You can even submit incognito with a fierce disguise. Bonus: Whether you submit a resolution or not, you can also enter a sweepstake to win a $1000 gift card. Enter Now

Don’t forget to visit Trop50 True Resolutions to share your secret motivation and earn a coupon for $1 off Trop50 for yourself and 50¢ off coupons for up to 50 of your friends. You can also enter to win a $1000 gift card. I was selected for this Tropicana Trop50 sponsorship by Glam Media. I received compensation to use and facilitate my post.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Tropicana® Trop50® via Glam Media.  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Tropicana® Trop50®

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This post, Sponsored Post: Trop50 – 50% Less Sugar and Calories originally appeared on Lipstick and Luxury on January 4, 2012. [Tweetthis] Post!

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Thank you all for taking the time to read my blog over the past two years. Without your support there would not be a Lipstick and Luxury beauty blog. Here’s to wishing all of you a wonderful, healthful and prosperous New Year. Happy 2012!!

xo,

Nicole

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This post, Happy New Year, have a wonderful 2012! originally appeared on Lipstick and Luxury on January 1, 2012. [Tweetthis] Post!

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Vegan shoes have been on my mind ever since I gave up meat and headed down the vegetarian route. These blonde pine wood wedges by from Olsen Haus have me seriously weak!

See, we don’t have to kill animals and skin them for their hides to make sweet fashion love.

olsenHaus Millemium, $202

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This post, What I want right now: Ankle Wedge boots from olsenHaus originally appeared on Lipstick and Luxury on December 31, 2011. [Tweetthis] Post!

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