Beauty of a Site Blog

So here we are, the week after Memorial Day, enjoying the first warm days of summer (at least that's what's happening here in the Midwest!).  We all flocked to the lake or to barbecues on Monday, stayed out all day, and now are suffering from our very first sunburn of the summer.  Here's a refresher on sun care for your skin and hair during the summer months ahead: 1.  PREVENTION:  As your mother and health professionals everywhere can tell you, the best way to care for a sunburn is to prevent it from happening in the first place.  Especially with the prevalence of skin cancer among our generation, we must be careful to protect ourselves from the damaging sun.  Here are some of our favorite protective sun products: Coola (SPF 45) is one of our favorite classic sunscreens, providing powerful protection, custom made for those leading an active outdoor life.  Endorsed by the American Lifeguard Association, this sweat-proof formula is the best we've got! If you're looking for a mineral alternative to classic sunscreen, Alba Botanica's Natural Mineral Sunscreen (SPF 30) uses a chemical-free formula that provides excellent protection from the sun without compromise. Orly's Sunscreen for Nails is a must-have.  As you beach-babes know, after long hours in the sun, your manicure can become discolored and faded.  Sunscreen for Nails is a high-shine topcoat that protects the colors beneath it with its UV absorbent formula. Rene Furterer's Protective Summer Oil (KPF 90) uses sesame and castor oils with UV sunscreen to ensure protection for exposed hair while swimming and sunbathing.  It's waterproof formula is a must for any beach bag. 2.  TREATMENT:  We know that there will be days that we didn't plan ahead and didn't apply the sunscreen as much as we should have.  Here are some treatments to refresh skin and hair after long hours in the sun: The absolute best in the business, Hempz After Sun Gel soothes heat and pain from sun-burnt skin, prevents peeling and uses the nurturing qualities of hemp seed oil and tea tree oil to start repairing skin damage and even minimize the look of fine lines and wrinkles! Bed Head Some Like It Hot Heat & Humidity Resistant Serum is not only treatment oriented, but also for prevention.  It, along with the Some Like it Hot Shampoo and Conditioner provide a shield to help hair that will be in the sun and water constantly.  This product in particular, though, is essential after sun, taming frizz and re-moisturizing burnt-out hair. Rene Furterer Repairing After Sun Shampoo is specifically designed to combat the drying effects of sun, salt water and even chlorine, enriched with palm butter to restore shine and softness to your hair! Awesome. So, enjoy the sun, ladies, but care for yourself while you're doing it! Check out these products and more at www.beautyofasite.com to help you enjoy the summer in style!

Happy Earth day to our fans and friends! Today reminded us about the importance of being green.  Saving the Earth and caring for nature is something that we can do one step at a time.  We have to remember that every step counts! Looking for ways to take care of our planet?  Here are just a few of our products who take caring for the Earth seriously: 1.  Tigi Love, Peace and the Planet is a range of superior quality hair care products that make earth friendly packaging their number one priority.  And not only does each eco-friendly bottle, tub or tube use only a minimal amount of synthetic material, but each product sports as many fresh and natural ingredients as possible.  Hug a tree with every style!  Click here to get started. 2.  Get Fresh Santa Monica Lifestyle Reusable Shoppers feature fabulously stylish designs on strong, market quality tote bags.  Save the earth using one less plastic bag at a time!  These are reasonably priced and HUGE!  Perfect for groceries.  Click here to see them! 3.  Organic Grooming is a men's product line featuring incredible organic products that carefully consider the earth when producing and packaging their products.  Many products, including their triple milled bar soap, uses completely biodegradable packaging, even printed in soy ink!  Click here to see all of their products.

New for Fall 2009, Beauty of a Site announced our more recent product addition: IKove by Florestas.  This range of haircare, skincare and bath & body products is completely organic and natural, using a botanical base full of oils and extracts from the forests of the Amazon. We have to label IKove products as some of the most guilt free beauty products we've ever seen.  A socially responsible company, IKove is dedicated to growing the economy of the Amazon, allowing local villages to stop cutting down trees and protect the region's beautiful and rare rainforests.  The company uses certified organic ingredients, avoids synthetics and potentially harmful chemicals, while also avoiding any animal ingredients. IKove also strives to use as many certified fair trade ingredients as possible. The lush and luxurious ingredients in the IKove products are what truly set them apart as unique- as must-haves!  Acai Berry is one of IKove's favorite ingredients, an Amazonian palm berry harvested from the forests of Brazil.  Totally PACKED with antioxidants, fatty acids & omegas, Acai Berry is truly a miracle fruit, fighting premature aging and encouraging healthy skin. We're totally excited about these new products and hope that you are too!  If you've tried, please let us know what you think!  You can see all of the IKove products here.

Take care of Mother Earth! Make good decisions about your lifestyle, your food, your routine, and even your beauty products!

Although my favorite way to utilize coconuts involves Margarita mix and those cute little umbrellas, I have found an even better way to celebrate and treat myself to an extra special skincare treat. Essie’s new Naturally Clean Collection Purifying Hand Wash is infused with the ultra rich and uber healthy coconut oil. Did you know?

• Coconut oil is not only an anti-bacterial, its can be used as an anti-fungal and an anti-viral solution for problem areas on your skin. This is due to is unique properties that mimic the processes used by breast milk to protect babies from infection.
• Coconut oil stimulates your metabolism and aids in weight loss. Next time you’re at the grocery store pick up some macaroons, cream soups and crackers – they all contain a good amount of lauric acid (the good stuff found in coconut oil). If you’re feeling exceptionally frisky, try some coconut milk – it’s akin to the nuttier flavored soy milks but not sold in most supermarkets.
• Researchers are studying the beneficial effects of coconut oil in treating diseases such as HIV/AIDS, herpes, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol, influenza and certain types of cancer.
• Coconut oil based products are effortlessly perfect for any skin. They serve as a great moisturizer as well as aid in the treatment of psoriasis, dermatitis, and eczema. Finally, products containing coconut oil assist in your fight against aging, wrinkles, and sagging – the things we dread the most! Ah!

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="125" caption="Essie Naturally Clean Purifying Hand Wash"][/caption] Now that we know a little more about the advantages of coconut oil, it’s time to spring into action! Transitioning from winter to summer can dry skin out and cause unwanted, flaky irritations. We suggest trying Essie’s Naturally Clean Purifying Hand Wash – it’s new, it’s natural and it smells remarkable! Got any other splendid natural products made with coconut oil? Leave a comment and let us know what works for you!