For the uncommon year 2009, the CREEDs, Master perfumer Olivier Creed and his son, Erwin, found inspiration in the birthplace of the Renaissance: Florence, Italy. There 15th century innovators lit a new flame of beauty and culture, creating art that nourishes the spirit and still grows in value today. Ingredients for CREED Acqua Fiorentina, including greengage plum and luscious blooms, come from the farms, gardens and orchards around Florence.

Visually pink, Acqua Fiorentina also supports a Renaissance in health. Up to 5% of proceeds from U.S. sales of in October will benefit the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund, so you can do something good when you pick up a bottle.

Creed perfumes are available at in major department stores and online.  $130 for the 1 oz. bottle, $240 for the 2.5 oz bottle.

I mean – glycolic acid is acid, right?   I’ve always wanted to try a glycolic peel at the spa, or the dermatologists office.  However, I’ve always been chicken and plus it’s such a chore to schedule an appointment (and likely rush there because I’m running late at work!).

The idea intrigued me, thought.  As I surpassed 30, then 31… well who doesn’t want bright and healthy skin?  Glycolic peels can help exfoliate away your large pores, sun spots, fine lines, and and old acne scars.

Until Brazilian Peel, most at-home treatments only contained about 10% glycolic acid.  So for the best results, it was either suck it up and go to the spa, or try using those weaker treatments over and over!

The reason why most peels were only 10% glycolic acid is pretty simple.   Most glycolic peels are a two step process.  Step one is the application of the acid solution, and step two is a second solution that neutralizes the acid.  Let’s face it… we’re not professionals, and if I’ve learned anything from watching my friends experiment with at-home hair color, perms, or chemical straighteners… lots of us believe more is better.  So it’s safe to assume that an untrained person (like myself), may not time the second application right.  This could result in either leaving it on too long and burning the skin, or not leaving it on long enough to see results.

Brazilian Peel is the first 30% glycolic acid, medical strength peel for at-home use. 5x stronger than other retail products, this unique new Brazilian style peel is clinically proven to visibly brighten, smooth, firm and tone skin for a more youthful appearance. All the benefits of a professional peel, without the professional!

Brazilian Peel is so easy to use.  Amazingly, it’s just one step.  This eliminates the guesswork involved.   The peel comes in a double syringe, and you dispense two solutions: the 30% glycolic peel, and a neutralizing serum.  The serum completely neutralizes the acid’s action after ten minutes.  This means you get maximum results while reducing the risk or messing it up or overdoing it.

I’ve tried it myself, with glowing results.  My husband said my skin looked radiant (yes he actually used that word), and one of my coworkers did a double-take and told me I looked “so well-rested!”  I noticed my skin looks more even, softer, and brighter.

In addition to 30% glycolic acid, it also Brazilian Acai berry extract, an antioxidant that helps counteract free radical damage.  You can buy Brazilian Peel online at Advanced Home Interactives, Amazon.com, or find it at your local Sephora.  I just stocked up on the 4 pack for $78.  That makes it only $19.50 per treatment – way too good to pass up!

The Degree Woman Natureffects Deodorant Solid contains a body-responsive formula with a fragrance infused with the essence of honeysuckle and tea tree oil, providing highly-effective odor protection only, with a fragrance inspired by natural ingredients.

The fragrance was designed by world-renowned fragrance expert Ann Gottlieb, “the nose” behind many of the most prestigious and successful fragrances and is inspired by nature, incorporating fragrance ingredients known to fight odor.

How effective is it?  Let’s just say I made it through a hot day in the Bronx at Yankee Stadium and I still smelled super yummy!

So go ahead and infuse a touch of nature into your everyday.  It will lift your spirits and provide the odor protection you need to enjoy all of life’s outdoor activities.

Perfectionist [CP+] Targeted Deep Wrinkle Filler is an all-in-one concentrated treatment that immediately reduces the look of all types of deep lines – including smile lines, deep creases across the forehead, between brows, and around the eyes and lips. Instantly, the new Advanced Volumizing Spheres help plump and smooth the look of deep wrinkles. Additionally, Estee Lauder’s exclusive Wrinkle Lift Restructuring PeptidesTM Complex delivers “intensive therapy” to the depth of every expression line – helping skin amplify its natural production of redensifying collagen. Over time, deep wrinkles appear pushed up from within for a younger, smoother, more lineless look. With a precision applicator for targeted control, it’s Estee Lauder’s most effective, deep wrinkle-fighting treatment.

Research shows that the closer you live to nature, the healthier you’re likely to be!  According to a recent survey conducted by Degree Women, a little touch of nature will go a long way to improve your mood throughout the day. With Degree® Women Natureffects, women now have an easy way to infuse a little nature into their daily routine.

For nature-inspired fragrances and 24-hour wetness and odor protection, Degree introduces Degree Women Natureffects, featuring three new deodorants and matching body mists that work together to infuse a touch of nature in your daily routine.

The fragrances were designed by world-renowned fragrance expert Ann Gottlieb, “the nose” behind many of the most successful and prestigious fragrances.  Inspired by nature, the scents incorporate fragrance ingredients known to fight odor. Degree Women Natureffects comes in three vibrant scents:

• Honeysuckle & Tea Tree Oil
• Olive Leaf & Pink Pepper
• Orange Flower & Cranberry

The Degree Women Natureffects Collection is available nationally with a suggested retail price of $3.99 (3 fl oz) for body mist and $3.99 (2.6 oz) for anti-perspirant/deodorant.

For more information, visit www.DegreeWomen.com.

Last week I tried the Hana Elite and it’s absolutely the best.  Easy to use, and truly a beauty investment.

The Hana Elite is 100% pure solid ceramic that never peels or scratches, with an integrated heating system so that the plates are always evenly heated.  The plates always stay black – good news for those of us who have had irons that discolor.

The Hana Elite uses ion technology that promotes high shine and conditioning, and heats from 140-450 degrees F which makes it suitable for many hair types and can be used for damp or dry styling.

The floating plates allow for curls and flip with no snagging (I love a sleek look with a flip – sort of like Sandra Bullock’s Oscar look).

I also used this with Hana ShineShield serum for added shine.  This advanced lightweight leave-in treatment that strengthens and protects your hair from heat and styling, UV rays (I really need this), and everyday stress.  It conditions without being greasy which is great for me because it doesn’t make me break out.

Hana Elite comes in a great tin with a storage bag, and my favorite part is the silicon mat – so you don’t gave to worry about getting your counters, vanities, or table tops too hot.  I’ll be wearing my hair straight and sleek a lot more often now.

Some of my other favorites include the Chi flat irons and the FHI flat irons.  A lot of the Chi flat irons have salon technologies such as nano silver and tourmaline to work with the most delicate hair textures. FHI Heat’s hair straighteners and dryers feature a range of professional features and settings for every price range, and they also use large ceramic heaters, tourmaline, and ion boosting minerals for beautiful, salon quality results.

If flat irons are not your thing or you prefer to do a traditional blowout (a look I love), try professional hair dryers. The complaint I hear most often about doing your own blowout is that it’s a pain in the arm! Your best bet is a professional, ionic dryer that works in minutes, leaving your hair shiny and strong. A good ceramic professional hair dryer is an investment in the health of your hair. Long term exposure to heat can cause serious damage, and if you use irons, you need to shorten your hair’s total heat exposure.

In the Winter in New York City it’s not so easy to keep up with pedicures!  For one thing, it’s way too cold to leave in flip flops (and who has the time to sit and wait for polish to dry?) and sometimes way too snowy as well!  Cold and wet feet are just icky.

Because of my love of smooth, pretty feet, I had to find affordable at-home alternatives for a trip to the spa. To soften feet, I soak them in a tub with bath salts (Epsom salts are also an affordable alternative).  Then I use my favorite foot care products from Bath & Body Works, True Blue Spa for Feet. I start with Toe the Line foot scrub and follow it up with Shea It Isn’t So foot cream, which has a nice, cooling effect on your skin.  So refreshing!  Have stubborn calluses or cracked heels?  Try the True Blue Spa Tough Love Spa-Strength Callus Treatment or the True Blue Spa Heel of Approval Cracked Heel Treatment.

My next step includes cutting and/or filing my nails and cuticle care.  I picked up a great pedicure set at Sephora, the Professional Manicure/Pedicure Nail Kit. This kit includes one each: cuticle nipper, cuticle pusher, nail clipper, nail buffer, nail file, nail brush, and a pumice stone, plus a set of toe separators, enclosed in a clear, zip travel bag.  It has everything you need and runs only about $42 (which pays for itself if you can do this at home!).

Lastly comes the polish.  This could be the most difficult part, right?  But why not do it yourself if you can do it at home in your robe and pajamas?  If you want to splurge, go for a pedicure dryer!  They can range from $19.99 and up, but it can be a life-saver if you don’t want any smudges.  The blow-dryer always works, too (if you can stand there holding the “cool” button for that long).  Happy toes!

According to celebrity makeup artist Christopher Drummond, creator of the all-natural, vegan, mineral makeup line Christopher Drummond Beauty, Spring 2010 makeup is all about beautiful but muted colors, coral lips, and the bottom eyelid. Here are Christopher’s trend predictions for spring 2010:

Color: Colors such as a slightly shimmery baby blue, a barely there soft pink, and a softly noticeable tangerine color are going to be the “go to” colors for spring/summer. These colors work on everyone and bring more focus to the skin, cheekbones and lips.  Soft colors work well with Spring clothing trends which range from muted and classic to accents of neon.

Lips: Coral, whether bright or muted, is the new classic that will be explored starting this spring/summer and throughout 2010. Also, anyone can wear coral because it is fresh and youthful looking and rich yet subtle at the same time. Try a lot of different corals – there’s one for everyone.

Eyes: Spring and Summer 2010 will be all about the bottom lid.

• Adding a light amount of colored liner on the bottom lid, which looks fresh and modern and is a way to add color to the eyes without going overboard. (Tip: this color should not match the top lid).
• Another eye trend is no makeup at all on the bottom. A nice thick liner with rich mascara and a colored shadow on top paired with a bare bottom lash line will open the eyes up and look youthful and fresh.
• Highlight the inner corners of your eyes to open them up and make you look more fresh and awake.

April is just around the corner, and I can’t wait to start enjoying these Spring trends!  For more info and where to buy, check out the Christopher Drummond website.

To get volume without teasing and crunchiness, I love to use product.  I start in the shower with John Frieda’s Root Awakening shampoo and conditioner.   Both the shampoo and conditioner formulas are available in three formulas: Strength Restoring, Nourishing Moisture, and Health Infusing.  I use Strength Restoring while I am trying to grow my hair back out. Always be sure to fully rinse your hair after conditioning – excess product will only weigh down your ‘do!

There’s also a line of Root Awakening styling products Strength Restoring Gel, Strength Restoring Hair Spray, Strength Restoring Smoothing Lotion, and Root Awakening Health Boosting Detangling Spray.

No teasing, no crunchies – just sexy volume!

This whipped formula gives light coverage (more than a tinted moisturizer and less than a thick foundation) and is available in four shades ranging from fair to dark.   My favorite part?  Not having to do all the steps separately.  Foundation goes on quickly without the hassle of priming, concealing, and setting with powder.