A New York City Health and Beauty Blog

Six De-Stressing Spa Products for Bath, Body and Face

April is National Stress Awareness Month. Maybe it’s got something to do with Tax Day, with everyone scrambling to find last minute forms or documents. Or maybe it’s the sometimes-gloomy, rainy weather that often persists throughout the month. Lots of spa junkies find that the best way to de-stress when you can’t get out for a facial or massage includes some home-spa pampering. If that’s your favorite form of stress release, here are six products that soothe and calm.

1.) Jurlique Rebalancing Sensitivity Kit: Although this is more of an everyday mini-regime, Jurlique’s Rebalancing Sensitivity Kit is incredibly well-suited to the purposes of relaxation. The four piece kit contains a half ounce each of Soothing Foaming Cleanser, Chamomile Soothing Mist, Soothing Herbal Recovery Gel, and Soothing Day Care Lotion, and it’s perfect for a home facial.

2.) Mario Badescu Azulene Calming Mask: Cult-favorite skincare line Mario Badescu’s Azulene Calming Mask is soothing both esthetically as a product and physically on your skin. Seamolliant is calming and moisture-binding (as well as really rich in skin-healing minerals), and Azulene and Balsam Peru have anti-inflammatory properties, reducing redness and balancing skin tone.

3.) REN Hydra-Calm Global Protection Day Cream: If you’re heading out after your stress-relief spa routine, a good anti-damage moisturizer will protect all your hard work. REN’s Hydra-Calm Global Protection Day Cream has Omega 3 and 7 to repair skin, and Calendula to calm. There’s also a proprietary “Global Protection Complex,” with ingredients to fight free radical damage.

4.) DermaDoctor Calm, Cool & Corrected: Fairer skinned types are more likely to be afflicted with rosacea during periods of stress or exposure to the elements. (Or even a long night of mojitos.) DermaDoctor’s Calm, Cool & Corrected battles the spectrum of rosacea symptoms (like excess oil, redness and broken capillaries) while also working to correct signs of aging. Squalene and dimethicone keep skin hydrated, and chamomile and aloe calm.

5.) BambuEarth Chocolate Truffle Organic Whipped Shea & Cocoa Butter Hand and Body Cream: One of the super-greatest things about the internet is the abundance of amazing indie beauty product makers that will ship their carefully crafted wares straight to your door. Etsy is a huge beauty marketplace, and BambuEarth’s Chocolate Truffle Organic Whipped Shea & Cocoa Butter Hand and Body Cream is one of the nicer choco-spa options. “Foodie” scents are not for everyone (although I will personally cop to being a lifelong Angel wearer and chocolate body butter addict), but refined and beautifully packaged options like this one are delightful if you’re a fan.

6.) Sonoma Lavender Pastel Paisley Spa Mask: An on-call esthetician to give pressure-relieving facial massages when needed would be a great thing to have, but in a pinch, the Sonoma Lavender Pastel Paisley Spa Mask is a pretty substitute. Microwave the mask for warmth and to release the lavender fragrance. It also makes a pretty design element on your vanity table.

How do you unwind at home with beauty products? Are there any you reach for after a rough, long or taxing day?

Seven Sunny Citrus Pick-Me-Ups

It’s mid-February, and spring is a month and ten days away. Roughly. Citrus-scented or citrus-based beauty products are one of the fastest and most efficient ways to feel a bit sunshiney, giving standard showers a bit of a spa feel- and offering a little reminder that even though there’s still (still!) snow on the ground in many places in the US, crocuses are closer than you think. Here are seven citrus options for facial skincare or bath and body:

1.) Philosophy Orange in Bloom Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath: Philosophy’s line of multi-tasking hair and body cleansers often come in limited-edition or seasonal variations, and the generous 16 oz. Orange in Bloom variety should last until flip-flop weather rolls around.

2.) Fresh Sugar Rose Tinted Lip Treatment SPF15: Blushy lip hues are flattering to all skin tones, and this citrus-flavored formulation also has a hint of rose- a natural foil for orange and lemon scents.

3.) Jurlique Citrus Purifying Mist: Spray toners are a great way to freshen up, set makeup touch-ups or of course, bridge the cleansing and moisturizing steps of your skincare routine. In addition to essential oils of lemon and tangerine, Jurlique Citrus Purifying Mist has witch hazel and marshmallow to balance and hydrate skin.

4.) Eminence Citrus Lip Balm: This spa favorite can pair up with any color of lipstick or stain and locks in moisture with shea butter. Citrus oil, lemon balm, lemongrass oil, papaya and pineapple are among a list of pure but comprehensive exfoliating and moisturizing ingredients.

5.) L’Occitane Citrus Verbena Sorbet Body Cream: Clad in L’Occitane’s French-farmhouse style packaging, Citrus Verbena Sorbet Body Cream is fluffy, luxe and fresh. Lemon extract, grapefruit and verbena are the plentiful citrusy elements here- apply after bathing for full skin-softening benefits.

6.) Cake Citrus Squeeze Sinfully Smoothing Brown Sugar Scrub: One of the legacies of winter is dry, flaky skin. Even if you religiously moisturize each time you wash your hands or take a shower, skin can still lose surface moisture at a frustrating rates. Cake Citrus Squeeze Sinfully Smoothing Brown Sugar Scrub comes in a super-sized 21 oz. jar and has hints of vanilla and a sweet turbinado brown sugar base- which smell heavenly and gently slough off excess skin cells.

7.) Simpatico Solid Perfume #45, Coral: A retro-style tin not unlike the classic Smith’s Rosebud Salve, Simpatico Solid Perfume #45 at Anthropologie is comprised of rich beeswax, jojoba and reparative Vitamin E. Vetiver, citrus and ruby pomegranate notes are tempered by balancing musk.

Which citrus products do you reach for when you want to feel springy?

Review: Revitalising Skin Treatment by Jurlique

Jurlique enzyme exfoliant

As someone that has oily skin, I need to exfoliate on a regular basis. I also have very sensitive skin that get easily irritated so I need to get products that do the job…but gently. I’ve tried products by Jurlique before and I know that they pride themselves on natural products that are innovative and organic. While shopping I came across the Jurlique Fruit Enzyme Exfoliator and decided to give it a try since it exfoliates your skin with natural alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) instead of using grains, sugars or beads. When I got home I tried the product right away (hey who has time to wait)! I cleansed my face I applied the treatment and left it on for about 5 minutes as directed. There was no itching, burning of other discomfort while the treatment was on, thank goodness. After about 5 minutes I rinsed my face off with water and gently dried it with a towel. What I initially I noticed was that was face was not dried out or irritated and there were no signs of redness and secondly it felt smooth – very smooth. Ahhh success!

I have to say that I like this product very much, it does what it’s supposed to do. What I did not enjoy as much was the scent of the product, honestly it’s not very pleasant. The scent is not overly strong and it does not have a chemical scent but rather something more “bark” like, I could not really nail what it was. I do like that this formula is non-abrasive and that there was no redness after use (which is something that I have encountered more often that not with new products). The product over all is pretty good, but it is a little pricey for the 1.7oz bottle that I purchased. I also must mention that you will need to use sunscreen if you use this product (although you should use sunscreen every day) ;). AHA’s have been known to increase the skins sensitivity to the sun and this can result in sunburn, so while using this product be sure to liberally apply a facial sunscreen and limit your exposure to the sun.

Jurlique indicates that these are the key ingredients in their formula:

*Australian Desert Fruits Complex: Indigenous Quadong, Desert Lime, and Acacia (Wattle) contain fruit acids gently and naturally exfoliate the skin.
*Pumpkin Enzyme: Provides gently exfoliating, leaving skin refreshed and healthy looking.
*Willow Bark Extract: Improves tones, texture, and appearance with natural Beta Hydroxy Acids.
*Prickly Pear: Offers excellent hydrating properties and antioxidant help promote firmer skin.

Jurlique Fruit Enzyme Exfoliator retails for $45 and is available at Sephora and the Jurlique website.