Top Ten Tuesdays: Summer Essentials

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It is Summertime! Summer is all about outdoor time. From pool-time, to outdoor play, to trips to the beach, my beauty products need to stand up to the heat and the sun. Plus, I like to include more products in my day that help me to feel and smell fresh. 

This edition of Top Ten Tuesdays includes some new products that I think are destined to be Summertime Essentials! Check out these items that work great for you when you are in the heat of Summer. No matter if you are traveling or staying at home this Summer, these goodies can really perk you up! :)

Summer Essentials:

• Burt's Bees | Facial Cleansing Towelettes in Cucumber & Sage and Exfoliating Facial Cleansing Towelettes in Peach & Willow Bark: The Cucumber & Sage Cleansing Towelettes are so refreshing and cooling for Summer! These are so quick and easy to use. Plus, they smell amazing! The Peach & Willow Bark towelettes give a gentle boost of exfoliation as they are infused with Willow Bark which is a natural source of Salicylic Acid.

• bodycology | Whoopsie Daisy Moisturizing Body Cream and Moisturizing Body Wash: Bodycology body products are such a great deal: body washes, body moisturizers, and fragrance mists in such fun scents. Their new Whoopsie Daisy is a fresh new scent for Summer! Plus, the packaging is so cute! I just love Daisies! They are one of my favorite flowers :)

• John Frieda Beach Blonde | Sea Waves Sea Salt Spray: A sea salt spray is the quintessential Summer must-have! It helps to bring out your hair's natural wave. Get the sexy beachy hair look by misting product in and scrunching your hair to encourage the waves. Plus, it smells amazing! Stay tuned for a beach wave tutorial coming soon!!! :)

• Nois Shield | Leave-In Conditioner SPF 15: Get color protection, extra moisture, and sunscreen from this leave-in spray! With my super fair skin, I have had my share of scalp sunburns. I love that this product protects my hair while also providing the much-needed SPF for my scalp. I used to have to put sunscreen on my part and it would gunk up my hair. Now I just use this in my hair and concentrate it on my part area if I am going to the pool or will be outside for an extended time.

• Swim Spray: Did you know that Vit C breaks down chlorine? This spray neutralizes chlorine on your body and in your hair. Simply squirt this on after swimming and you will remove that chlorine odor and feel. It works great and is natural!

• Sun Bum | Lip Balm SPF 30: OMG! I am completely obcessed with Sun Bum lip balms! Their scent/taste is the epitome of Summer to me. I especially love the Coconut flavor. I like that these are not overly waxy. They smooth into your lips almost like an oil. My lips are so hydrated and protected from wearing these. Great for the pool and the beach!

• Sarah Potempa | Mini Touch Up Iron: Sometimes the best way to fight frizz is to smooth it out with a flat iron. I find that the humidity of Summer has the ability to ruin my seemingly straight hair in minutes: it turns into a frizzy mess! This little flat iron can come right to the rescue for your Summer frizzies. It is small enough to fit in your purse for emergencies while you are out or at work. Also, its small size makes it perfect for packing for Summer trips!

• Sarah Potempa | Wrap Up: With a daughter in ballet, I love bun hacks! ;) Seriously, another great way to fight Summer frizzies and unruly hair is to just throw it all up in a bun! My very long hair is often just too hot to wear down in the heat of the Summer. So, I am always looking for great solutions for up dos! It has a flexible wire on the inside and a foam outer cushion. Just stick your hair through and "wrap it up"! I have it in brown (I really do need it in blonde for my hair color but the brown works for my daughter).

• Conair | Wide-Tooth Comb: A wide-tooth comb is a must have for any girl with long-hair at the pool or on the beach! I keep this Conair Wide-Tooth comb in my pool bag for pool-side hair needs. Let the sun work for you by combing a conditioner through your hair as you sit outside. Then just twist up into a braid or a bun. The heat will help the conditioner to penetrate and condition your hair!

• RUSK | Anti-Frizz Spray: This humidity-resistant working spray can help your style to resist the heat and humidity of Summer. Plus, this little travel size is great for on-the-go and Summer travel! What is even better? It has ingredients to protect your color!

What are your Summer Essentials? Be sure to check out the thumbnails below to see what my fellow Top Ten Tuesdays bloggers are loving for Summer! 

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Top 10 Tuesdays: Spring Break Beauty!

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It is time for another Top Ten Tuesdays Post! This time, we are talking Spring Break Beauty! These items are Spring Essentials! The weather is just perfect this time of year. It is time for outdoor activities and Spring break trips. Gone are the dreary days of Winter. My beauty routine is craving fresh products, lighter scents, and more vivid color! While we are not going out of town for Spring Break this year, we do have a week packed with fun activities! What better time to freshen up my beauty routine with some awesome Spring Products?

Top Ten Tuesdays: Spring Break Beauty! with Topganic, Essence, nyc

Lets dive right into my Top Ten Tuesdays: Spring Break Beauty items:

• Tommy Bahama | Island Life for Her: Island Life has luscious notes of pear and sparkling Mandarin mixed perfectly with the core of white rose, peony, and beach blossoms, and rounded out by Vanilla Bean, Sandalwood and Musk. This scent is perfect for warm weather! This is the newest addition to Tommy Bahama’s fragrance collection which launched in March. Retails for $78.00. 

• Orico LONDON | Orange Micellar Cleansing Water and Makeup Remover: Detox your skin with the newest trend in skincare...Micellar Water! I am completely obsessed with this product category. This 3-in-1 purifying micellar water from Orico LONDON instantly cleanses away toxins, eliminates impurities, and removes makeup for clear and fresh skin. Soothing calendula flower extract and amino acids help boost cell regeneration, hydrate and smooth skin while an invigorating blend of citrus fruit essential oils boost skin circulation and detoxify. Plus, it smells amazing and is just so refreshing to use! Retails for $24.00.

• Sol Scents Sunscreen | Broad Spectrum Spray Sunscreen SPF 30, 50: Spring weather means sunny day activities! Nothing beats a good continuous spray sunscreen for quick application. Sol Scents just released Spray Sunscreens in SPF 30 and 50 formulas. I have long been a fan of the gorgeously scented Sol Scents Sunscreens. So, I am happy that they now have a spray option, too! If you love fun and upbeat body mist type scents (think BBW), then you will love the scents of these sunscreens! Retails for $12.95.

• Burt's Bees | Sheer Body Lotion: This new Sheer Body Lotion from Burt's Bees is so light and fresh for the warm weather! If you’re looking for a lightweight moisturizer with a light-weight scent–look no further. It’s formulated with Safflower Oil Oleosomes, which are clinically shown to instantly moisturize skin and leave it feeling silky and smooth. So spritz away and let your skin (and nose) feel fragrantly refreshed. Retails for $10.00.

• bodycology | Cherish the Moment Fragrance Mist: Warmer weather means more sweat. I am just being real ya'll. I always crave feeling and smelling my freshest. So, I rely not just on great deoderants, but also body splashes/fragrance mists to refresh throughout the day! Bodycology has a ton of great scents and they are so affordable! Right now I am loving the Cherish the Moment (Cherry Blossom) scent. My Cherry Blossom tree is at the tail end of its bloom in our backyard. Yes, my tree inspired my love of this scent! :) 

• Dove Beauty Bar and Body Wash | Mandarin & Tiare Flower Scent: I adore Dove's body washes and beauty bars in the shower. Their brand new Mandarin & Tiare Flower scent is completely divine and perfect for the warm days of Spring Break! Hey-I am noticing a citrus theme here, are you?

• MirSkin 5/2 Pads: Have I mentioned lately that I am obsessed with peel pads? I have found that they give my skin the perfect anti-aging/anti-acne kick that it needs. I honestly don't discriminate. I have tried a few different kinds and like them all. Lately, I have been using these from MirSkin. They are so easy to use and I do feel that they are keeping my skin more clear! That is especially needed during the Spring time as my skin shifts from Combo/dry to Combo/Oily. 

• New York Color | Strip Me Off Base Coat: OMG! Where has this product been all my life? lol! This NEW Strip Me Off Base Coat from NYC does just that! As much as I love and adore my glitter polishes, I have always abhorred removing it! Well, this base coat eliminates that entire problem. No remover is needed when you use this base coat! You just "Strip it off"! Amazing! Especially great if you are traveling for Spring Break and don't want to pack a remover! Only $4.00.

• essence | Sun Club Bronzers: I am a long-time essence fan (even before they came to the USA!). This brand is so affordable and so whimsy and fun! When Spring Break rolls around, the weather change means it is time to bare the arms and legs...but, I am *so pale* this time of year! Don't get me wrong, I embrace my pale...however, a light dusting of a bronzer or a subtle self-tan does give me a little confidence boost when wearing shorts, capris, and sleeveless or more bare tops! An easy way to get quick color? Just take a huge powder brush and dust an inexpensive bronzer like Sun Club from essence all over! This matte bronzer comes in two shades: blondes and brunettes. Only $4.99 each for a huge pan! 

• Topganic | Brazilian Nut Oil Keratin Protein Intensive Repair Hair Mask: Warm weather brings the humidity and the sun...both of which can wreak havoc on my long highlighted hair. A good weekly hair mask is a must for me! This hair mask smells unbelievably amazing. Light and perfumy (but not in a bad way! I wish this was a perfume!!!) this leaves my hair smelling divine, feeling silky soft, and behaving manageably. Plus, it is only $11.00 for a huge tub!

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Find out what my fellow Top Ten Tuesdays bloggers are loving beauty-wise for Spring Break! Click the thumbnails below to read more:

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Holiday Shopping Guide 2014: Fragrances for Everyone on Your List!

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My Holiday Shopping 2014 Gift Guide continues with some great ideas for affordable fragrance gifts! I don't know about ya'll...but, I always love to both give and receive fragrances for gifts. The good news is that there are so many affordable options out there! Today I am going to highlight an affordable fragrance idea for 3 general categories: Men, Women, and Teens. 

For a Woman: Halle Berry Wild Essence: 

This sensual and sophisticated perfume was designed to capture the raw and natural beauty of a woman. This decidedly sexy fragrance has notes of fresh citrus and floral. To me it is predominately floral with added warmth. There is something comforting and soft about this scent. Notes: Top Notes: Sicilian Bergamot, Black currant, Mandarin Zest. Heart Notes: Freesia, Linden Blossom, Cotton Flower, White Roses. Base notes: Silk Musk, White Patchouli, Crystal Amber, Sandalwood Bark. Retails for $28, HalleBerryFragrances.com. You can also find this fragrance in package deals at Walgreen's for a really great price!

For a Man:Nautica Life:

Nautica LIFE is a romantic blend of uplifting freshness, mysterious aromatics, and seductive woods. With notes of Living Sea Salt, marine Seamoss and Natural Violet Leaf, Nautica LIFE unleashes a revitalizing splash of energy while creating a blissful feeling of magnetism and seduction. Top Notes: Sea Salt, Ivory Coast Ginger, Heart Notes: Natural Sage, Provence Lavender, and Violet Leaf, and Base Notes: Hinoki Wood, Tonka, and Marine Sea Moss. This scent is such a classic men's scent to me. It is powerful and clean. Nautica Life retails for $48.50 and is available at Macy’s.

For a Teen: bodycology's Moroccan Sunset: Nothing beats affordable fragrance mists for teens! Especially fruity sweet scents like this one! Granted, you do not have to be a teen to love these. ;) I know that I sometimes tend to gravitate towards "younger" scents for daytime and like to layer fragrance mists with my finer perfumes. Moroccan Sunset by bodycology is a exotic mix of sweet passionfruit and blooming hibiscus. The best part? bodycology has some amazing gift sets in a variety of scents this time of year! So, you can layer your favorite scent with foaming body wash, moisturizing body cream, and a fragrance mist!

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New Fall 2014 Fragrance Collections from bodycology! Review and Giveaway!!!

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bodycology's NEW Fall 2014 Fragrance Collection:

Can you believe that it is almost time to start talking Fall already? One of the very first things that I do when a change of season rolls around is to switch up my fragrances. While I am not quite ready to do that yet (since we are still in the heat of the Summer), it is still fun to scope out the new fragrance offerings for the upcoming season. Plus, it is fun to give you guys a sneak-peek, too! 

Are you familiar with bodycology? 

bodycology is a line of extremely affordable bath & body scents that are available right at your local Walmart, Walgreens, or Ulta stores. Priced at $3.99 each for a full size, you really can't get more affordable than that! Their scents are very similar to bath & body products that you would find at the Mall...but, for a much affordable price. The packaging is super-duper cute and the scents are really fun to wear. I tend to wear these lotion and body spray combos either on their own, or as a refresher to my everyday perfumes. Either way, I am one of those people who is constantly freshening up with a body spray.

This new Fall 2014 Collection has four fun new scents! To hear more details about each fragrance and to enter my Giveaway, please click "read more" below!

Great Scents for Spring: bodycology's Pure White Gardenia and be Delectable's Strawberry & Cream

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Spring is here, so it is time to rotate my bath & body scents to my warm weather rotation! For me, scents are, for the most part, seasonal. In the winter I opt for rich and heavier scents like vanilla, chocolate, and musk and in the Spring and Summer, I like more fruity and light floral scents. 

So, what are my newest additions to my Spring/Summer body scents? bodycology's Pure White Gardenia and be Delectable (from Cake Beauty)'s Strawberry & Cream!  

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One of my hands-down favorite floral scents is Gardenia. I love the scent so much that I have 4 Gardenia bushes in my yard! So, of course I love the scent in body products, too. :) bodycology's Pure White Gardenia is a great way to envelope yourself in the lovely scent of Gardenia. Plus, with bodycology's products are just so darn affordable! You can indulge in the scent without splurging. 

From the Pure White Gardenia line from bodycology, I am using the Nourishing Body Cream, the Fragrance Mist, and the Body Wash. Using these products together is a great way to layer the scent. The Body Wash is nicely foaming and leaves me soft and clean. The formula is conditioning with honey and aloe vera. You can use this in the shower or as a bubble bath. I like putting it on a body pouf in the shower for lots of nice suds. I apply the Nourishing Body Cream after my showers all over my body. The cream contains aloe vera, shea butter, and Vitamins E and C. It leaves me nice and smooth and very moisturized! I finish off my scent layering with the Fragrance mist. I simply mist it all over my body. The formula is very lightly conditioning with aloe vera. I refresh with this body mist throughout the day when I feel like adding more scent.

The Skinny:

You can find bodycology products at Target, Ulta, and Walgreens. Products are all under $5.00. Who doesn't love that!!!

be Delectable from Cake Beauty: Strawberry & Cream:
Have you spotted the be Delectable products at Kohl's? This Kohl's-exclusive line from Cake Beauty is certainly worth scoping out!

Deliciously blended with the finest Coconut Oil, hydrating Aloe, and rich Shea Butter, be Delectable products quickly absorb into skin without residue, to leave you feeling smooth, soft, and absolutely irresistible.

Be Delectable is as good for your skin as for the environment.  Up to 95% natural, be Delectable formulas are never tested on animals – and are free of Parabens, Sodium Chloride, Phthalates, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, GMOs, Mineral Oil, Petrolatum, Gluten and Triclosan.

If you are a fan of super-sweet foodie scents, then this be Delectable line of products is just for you. I am currently using and enjoying the Strawbery & Cream scent. I will admit that I am a bit obsessed with Strawberry scents overall. So, I knew that I would like this! I like layering the scents by using the Body Wash in the shower, following up with the body lotion and hand cream, and then finishing with a mist of the Hair & Body Mist. I particularly like that it is formulated for use in the hair! My hair is super long and I always want it smelling good. Sometimes I even spray this in my toddler's hair. ;) I must try the Hair & Body Mist in be Delectable's other scents! I seriously want to wear hair mist every day! lol I am dying to try all the products in the Coconut & Cream scent, too!

The Skinny:

• be Delectable is avaliable exclusively at Kohl's 
• Scents: Strawberry & Cream, Lemon & Cream, Coconut & Cream, and Vanilla & Cream
• Products available: Ultra Nourishing Hand Cream ($10), Decadent Hair & Body Mist ($10), Supremely Rich Body Wash ($10), Super Smoothing Body Polish ($14), Triple Moisture Body Lotion ($12). For gifting, travel, or self-indulgence, try the be Delectable Hair & Body Mist Set ($14), be Delectable Hand Cream Set ($14), or be Delectable Mini-Set Trios ($12).

Be sure to check out my Body Scents for Spring Luvocracy Collection! :)

Scrub-a-Dub Dub! What is in my Tub? Must have Summer Products from bodycology!!!

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It is time for an update in my "Scrub-a-Dub Dub! What is in my Tub?" Bath and Body Products series!!! Basically, this series just details what bath and body products I am currently using and loving! Despite the name of this series, I am not just talking about items for taking a bath. I am sharing all of the bath and body products that I love: lotions, body scrubs, shower gels, body butters, etc!

Are you familiar with bodycology? I am a huge fan of this drugstore brand!!! Basically it is the drugstore equivalent of Bath & Body Works. You are getting the exact same types of products for only a few dollars each! Even bodycology's packaging and scents are very similar (if not total dupes!) to Bath & Body Works. 

Bodycology just sent me an assortment of their new scents and products. I immediately put them to use! I love how bodycology is always releasing new scents and products with each season! These items are great additions to my summer body care arsenal!

Click "read more" below if you would like to find out what bodycology products are in my bath & body rotation right now.I even found a new favorite everyday body lotion for Summer!!!

Holiday Shopping 2012: Cute $5 Gift Set from Bodycology!

I am kicking off my Holiday 2012 Gift Guide series with this review for Bodycology's adorable NEW Frosted Sugar Plum stocking stuffer gift set!

When I shop for Christmas presents, I always try to pick out items that I, myself, would love to get. This little Frosted Sugar Plum gift set is right up my alley with cozy socks, a body cream, and a a fragrance mist. Plus, it is all wrapped up with a cute ribbon and a tag! No need to even wrap it. Perfect!!! Not to mention that it is so cute!!!

Great Price!
It seems as if I am always holiday shopping for cute little gifts in the "Under $10.00" category: Co-workers, babysitters, friends, etc. I find that I usually need at least 10-15 gifts in this price point. I like getting either the same or very similar items for everyone that I am shopping for at this price point. So, the gift really needs to carry appeal for a wide variety of people! This gift set certainly meets my criteria! What is even better? This item is only $5.00. Total! Isn't that great? It looks like a much more expensive gift!

Are you familiar with Bodycology? 
I find Bodycology products to be strikingly similar to Bath and Body Works products. So, if you are a huge fan of Bath and Body Works like I am, then you will likely love this affordable line! Previously, I reviewed some Bodycology products here: Scrub-a-dub-dub! What's in my tub? New products from Bodycology!

Frosted Sugar Plum:
Frosted Sugar Plum is a super sweet and fruity scent. It contains scents of dark plum, sugared blackberry, and sweet cream. In a sea of more typical "Christmas-type" scents like pine, spice, and mint, this scent really stands out! When you first spray it, the scent reminds me of a bit of air freshener or a spray cleaner. Well, don't let that sway you! After the scent dries down, the sweetness in it warms it up and it is very wearable. I really like this scent! If you like youthful, warm, sweet, and fruity scents, then you will like this!

In the Set:

• One pair of super fuzzy warm socks. The socks are white with purple polka dots. These types of fuzzy socks are exactly what I like to wear to bed when its cold. Love them!!!
• A 2 oz Frosted Sugar Plum Fragrance Mist
• A 1 oz Frosted Sugar Plum Nourishing Body Cream

You can find these cute gift sets anywhere that Bodycology is sold including Walmart, Target, Walgreen's, and Ulta!

Have any of you started Holiday Shopping yet? What do you have your eye on this year for your "Under $10"-type gifts?

Scrub-a-dub dub! What's in my Tub? New Products from bodycology!

Scrub-a-dub dub. What is in my tub? My "Home Spa" series continues with fabulous new products from bodycology: Wild Poppy, Sunkissed Citrus, and Toasted Vanilla Sugar!!!

Bodycology is a super affordable bath and body line that has a range of body washes, scrubs, hand soaps, and fragrance mists in a variety of enticing scents.  If you are a fan of Bath and Body Works or the Body Shop (like me!), then I think you would really enjoy the product offerings from bodycology.

For this review, I tested out bodycology's Fragrance Mist in Wild Poppy, the Nourishing Body Cream in Sunkissed Citrus, and the Body Scrub in Toasted Vanilla Sugar. These products all smell super yummy!