Years ago, one of my best friends, an esthetician, gave me a wooden brush made with natural hair and short nubby rubber bristles. She told me to use it on my skin before I showered and that I would like it cause it would “help my poor circulation”. I’m not at all discriminatory, especially when it comes to health and beauty alternatives, so I did what she instructed, and lo and behold, I was hooked because it feels really good. Some years later, after further research into natural beauty regimens, I realized what I was actually doing had a name for it. Turns out it is called, dry skin brushing, which has the additional health benefits of removing dead skin cells and stimulating the lymphatic system, thus flushing toxins from the body. It also makes your skin incredibly smooth and soft. And shoot, I’ve had no complaints! Anyhow, this week’s tip is how to do it.

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I decided to give my apartment a new year makeover, since one of my resolutions is to get organized in 2008, and I thought I would start the process by putting my personal belongings away. While on my fist step to a more organized life, I unearthed a jar of brown sugar hidden under a pile of clothes in my living room. Some months back, I was helping a dear friend of mine pack up for her move to Portland, when she randomly gave this jar of brown sugar. I’m a firm believer in serendipity, so I made sure this week’s tip, my D.I.Y. Winter Body Polish, was inspired by this lost treasure.

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I’m obsessed with vitamins and dietary supplements. And it was through my latest quest for lasting good health, that I discovered this week’s tip. Originally, I started taking Omega-3 fish oil to protect my body against heart disease, since it helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels. After a few weeks of taking the supplement, I was pleasantly surprised by the marked improvement in the texture of my facial skin, which seems to be moisturized from the inside out, feeling softer than normal, and looking very clear and radiant. I researched Omega-3 fish oil, and turns out additional reputed health benefits include: aiding in weight loss, stabilizing moods, and easing joint inflammation associated with arthritis as well. So I’m omega wooed, and completely smitten with my new healthy habit.
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Each year, my plan for New Year’s Eve is to have that perfect party outfit to match party perfect makeup. And as most of us know, New Year’s Eve festivities can go well into the wee hours of the morning, and so I like to have eye make up that can hang tough throughout, since lipstick can always be applied quite chicly, discreetly, and with a quickness in public. So my last official pick for 2007 is: Shiseido’s The Makeup Accentuating Creamy Eyeliner.

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In winter, cold winds and freezing temperatures can wreak havoc on your skin, and it was just the other day, and quite by accident, that I found this week’s tip. So I’m a compulsive snacker, and while I was looking for something to nibble on in the fridge, I knocked over a can of coconut milk left over from a curry dish I made a couple days ago. As I was cleaning up the spilt coconut milk, I realized to my surprise it was leaving a nice, lightweight layer of moisture on my hands, giving them a very soft and supple texture, which ultimately was the inspiration for this week’s tip: Uses for coconut milk outside the kitchen.

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The holidays are always the busiest, and the most fun time of the year for me. Parties, dinners, shopping, last minute shopping, cooking, eating, drinking, and staying out late has me pretty much exhausted by the end of December. Yet somehow I make it thorough the festivities of the winter holiday, thanks to this week’s picks, a.k.a Santa’s Little Helpers, which keep me looking cool, calm, and collected, and best of all: jolly.

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The holidays are a dangerous time for an open-minded person like myself. It’s when I’m shopping for a specific person, looking for that perfect Christmas gift with them in mind, that I also happen to find many a perfect gift for myself, as I am a true optimist; inspired by all the wonderful things out there, seeing the hidden potential in each item I pass. You might think I’m crazy, but I’m serious; it’s the pleasure principle, and this week’s picks are great gifts to give and keep.

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I’m very loyal bordering on co-dependent when it comes to my make-up color selections, so there are times when I force myself to think outside of the box by buying a myriad of colors inside a box; or what we all know as make-up palettes.

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