The Five 8.24

The 5 best beauty products I've purchased in the last month:

* Aveda Shampure...leaves my hair amazingly clean and the scent makes me say ommm... $10.50

* Beekman 1802 Tub of Butter in Autumn...I was lucky enough to pop by the Sharon Springs store last week. This all purpose balm is divine. $10

* Peter Thomas Roth UnWrinkle Illuminator Instant Brightening Moisturizer...subtle glow and color with a dose of anti aging vitamins --- 'nuff said. $68

* Too Faced 3 Way Lash Lining Tool...triple tipped liner that enhances your lash line with a natural look OR a sexy cat eye! $22

* Nantucket Natural Oils fragrance oil in Fig...a delicious scent for Fall/Winter that will last far longer than traditional fragrances. $18

What's the greatest beauty product you've purchased lately? Tweet me @navigatewstyle!

Trying TRIA...on INsight!

For the last few months I've been testing the TRIA Beauty Laser for at home hair removal and I'm really loving the process. I took my beloved TRIA on air with Emilie & Charity on my last taping of INsight!

Earth Day 2012

In honor of Earth Day 2012 below are a few quick and easy ways to start greening your beauty & style routine:

* Buy shampoo & conditioner in "pro" sizes to cut down on the amount of plastic bottles you use. Aveda does a great job informing their clients of the cost savings and the environmental impact of this practice.

* Instead of bottled body wash use bar soap to cut down on packaging. I adore Beekman 1802 goat milk soaps.

* Be as vigilant about recycling your personal care bottles and jars as you are about your food and beverage packaging. Some brands offer an incentive for turning in old products. Kiehls & MAC have fab programs right now.

* Patronize socially conscious companies and buy from trusted stores and websites. For beauty products I look to Saffron Rouge & Whole Body at Whole Foods for their fantastic selection and high standards. As for clothing and accessories Eco Fashion World offers a list of ethical fashion brands.

* I try my very best to avoid plastic bags as much as possible so I always carry at least one reusable shopping bag with me. I am a HUGE fan of Baggu bags because they fold down into tidy, lightweight squares. I also love Envirosax and RuMe bags. All three companies offer multiple sizes in pretty colors and patterns, are easily washed and super durable.

Happy Earth Day!

xx

JDF

eos lip balms...

As a product junkie I am fully capable of admitting that packaging is a HUGE part of my selection process. If the packaging isn't cool or pretty I'll very rarely make the purchase.

I first tried eos {evolution of smooth} lip balm precisely because the packaging was so awesome. These spheres are colorful objet d'art with an effective, eco friendly moisture balm inside. The container is left very plain so there's no labeling to interfere with the design. Also, I loathe lip products that make me use my finger to apply {gag me with a spoon} so I was pleased to find the sphere was not a pot but the applicator itself.

My favorite formula is Sweet Mint, as I'm sure you can tell by the image above, but in the summer I also use the Lemon Drop version with SPF15.

Bonus: While I'm testing out laser hair removal at home I still have to shave. I've been using the eos paraben free pomegranate raspberry shave cream, which you can use dry or wet, as well as their beautifully packaged hand lotion.

Check out eos online by clicking....riiight...here!

Trying Tria...part 2

I'm a month in to my adventures with home laser hair removal and while I haven't seen any results just yet I'm certainly getting very comfortable with the device and the process. I started just with my underarms since the area is small but I quickly expanded the treatment to other parts. I mean, if I'm going to go through this process I might as well emerge on the other end like a hairless cat, right?

Since I've now treated my designated spots twice I'm anxious to start seeing the hair that does grow in become more fine and the overall growth rate slow down after subsequent treatments. I have yet to experience any real pain and have not had any skin irritation so I'm planning to increase the laser's intensity from 2 to 3 (on a scale of 5) for my next session.

Stay tuned for part 3 next month and if you missed part 1 click here.

xx
JDF