The carnation has not always been revered as a worthy flower, often mislooked since it has been seen time and time again as inexpensive and not very high-end, but I truly believe this is one of the most overlooked and underrated flowers ever!  Not only are they an amazing substitute for the expensive flowers such as peonies and roses, they have one of the most amazing scents!  I have looked everywhere for a carnation fragrance.  It is such a beautiful, simple, and clean scent and I await the day when a company will come and bottle it up to sell!  The next time you are in a flower shop, take a moment to give these beautiful blooms another look and a whiff, as they not only make beautiful additions to centerpieces but would make one of the best-selling perfumes! I believe it!

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There is really no better feeling than getting a manicure knowing it will last for weeks, and this seems to be the case whenever I use OPI Nail Lacquer!  OPI polishes have a huge variety of colors, over 450 to satisfy every taste and fantasy!! They even pull out new collections every now and then with new colors that have been grouped thematically, for whatever your mood is!  Even with just two light coats, these polishes have been made to last and even after a few weeks, there are hardly any chips or cracks.  For only $9 a bottle, it is totally worth it, and with every color imaginable, my collection has already started to grow so fast!

Get your collection started by purchasing your Pamper Me Fabulous ticket, the first 500 ticket buyers will receive a FREE bottle of OPI nail polish!  Get going ladies!

Breathing, though automatic and absolutely vital to our being is something that we tend to forget about. Thank god, we don't have to think about taking a breath in and a breath out at every moment of the day and night, we would never sleep, we would never do anything else. It is a blessing that our human bodies have been provided for by nerves that function without command. Still as wonderful as that is, today I noticed again, something that I, like my breathing have mot thought about in a while. And that is, that sometimes we do need to remind ourselves to breathe, not for our bodies, but for out mind.

At my new job today in a physical therapy practice I noticed patients, holding their breath and concentrating on everything but their breath. They were trying to so hard to do everything right that they forgot to nurture the aspect of themselves that provides oxygen, energy to preform. I think that in our everyday life we get so wrapped up thinking about trying to do " everything right" - that we forget the essential part of taking a breather, to clear out mind and to focus on ourselves, so that we might perform on our highest level. Nurturing ourselves we actually are not being selfish, we are allowing a more energetic, happy Self. Remember today to take a breath, practice breathing into your belly, into your ribs and into your breast bone. Thats why I love Yoga, because aside from nuturing your body and making it strong and flexible - it focuses on the importance of breath. Inhale the new and fresh present moment and release the used no longer needed!

-Alison

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Everybody is talking about the green movement, it seems it has become stylish to go eco friendly. And why should it not be? The truth is, it is cool to care about our planet. Some people will argue and say, "what difference does it make if I recycle. I am just one person, my neighbors next door never recycle"?. Well it does make a difference, the power of the individual is not to be forgotten. You have to imagine the effect of watching a pebble drop into a pool of water, the impact may be small, but the ripples reach the outer surface. 

Every time you say no thank you to a plastic bag for one item that you can carry home or shove in your purse, do it. Eventually the the cashier will ask "do you need a bag"? , instead of assuming you do. One person at a time, we can change the world! We can do it! One of the most fabulous products I have seen yet, that represents all of the above is a company, that sells toothbrushes made of recycled yogurt cups. And it does not stop there, not only are they shaped with a curve that makes cleaning your back teeth so easy and enjoyable, you look forward to brushing your teeth, but you can send the toothbrush back to the company when you are done using it, and they will reuse it. I have so far found these awesome toothbrushes at Trader Joe's and at Wholefoods. Sometimes they even come with a sleeve that functions as a return envelope, addressed to the company, no postage needed. I say let's support that!

-Alison

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Coconuts are just about as fabulous as fabulous comes these days. This gift from earth has been terribly propagandized in the past. It is time to come clean and embrace this miracle nut. Coconut oil contain 50% lauric acid, sounds scary I know, but when I tell you that the only other place in the world where you can find lauric acid is mothers' milk, I am sure you will be less scared and more eager to learn more - it is this ingredient that gives coconut oil its antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties. It provides you with loads of energy, due to its MCTs ( medium chained fats) that are used instantly for energy and don't get stored away like other fats. Put it in your smoothie in the morning!

Also you will be excited to learn that this oil, is so stable and hardly ever turns rancid, a very scary true fact it, that most of the yellow colored oils in you kitchen ( especially the ones the in the see through containers) are already rancid when you buy them in the store, they are processed and heated before even entering your frying pan. Read this article for the whole truth, it will blow your mind, and make you want to stand on a soap box preaching to the world to use coconut oil! 

-Alison

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Got crazy, uncontrollable, rebellious hair?  Kerastase’s Serum Ole-Relax is the answer to uncooperative frizz!  I’ve been using this product for three years now, and I haven’t looked back.  I have long, thick, wavy hair - that if not conditioned correctly, can get pretty frizzy.  Like many women, I use a straightening iron and blow dryer so I’m sure you can imagine the damage.  My hairstylist pulled this out of her drawer one day and said that this will answer all my frizz needs.  Just apply a nickel-size amount into towel dried hair, and the results are smooth, shiny and touchable hair.  If I’m in a hurry, I apply this serum and I’m confidant that I’ll have gorgeous locks.  If I’m straightening my hair, this helps tame my fly-aways and gives me a sleek and healthy shine.  All I can say is try it and you’ll see why I’ve been a loyal fan!  

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No, I’m not talking about safe sex – I’m talking about protecting your skin from those harmful UVA and UVB rays.  Every beauty expert will tell you that using a sunscreen or moisturizer with SPF (sun protection formula) should be apart of your daily regimen in order to help your skin fight against wrinkles and to keep that youthful glow.  My SPF of choice is Murad’s Waterproof Sunblock SPF 30.

I first tried this product when a friend of mine who works in the beauty industry gave it to me as a gift.  I have a combination skin type so this formula has worked wonderfully for me.  Not only does it keep my skin protected, but I haven’t had one break out and its non-greasy formula allows me to use it as my daily moisturizer as well. Being an avid runner and hiker, I can also attest that this formula STAYS ON so I’m not constantly reapplying.  The pomegranate extract also enhances sun protection and gives it a slight, but sweet, scent.  Give it a try – your skin and pocketbook will thank you with this two-in-one formula!

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Let me begin by saying I am not vegan.  I don’t have the desire to be one, nor do I seek out vegan-friendly foods on the daily.  But living in Southern California, and specifically being in Los Angeles, you can’t help but being surrounded by something relating to the organic movement.  I am not too vain to admit when I’m wrong about something and these vegan friendly pita chips by Whole Foods brand 365 Everyday Value is just the thing that had me apologizing to all my vegan friends – at least for one night, that is!

Made with toasted whole wheat pita bread and flax seed, these chips are undeniably delicious and great for your health conscience side.  I had them in the onion flavor served with homemade hummus, but these can easily be enjoyed all by itself or crushed over a salad for a new twist on the crouton.  And the best part of it is that you don’t need to worry about ingesting all that processed bad stuff that causes your waistline to expand; just open up a bag and enjoy!     

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I have to share this skincare secret with you. It doesn’t smell so pretty but I promise your skin will glow! One of my amazing teachers at FIDM gave us this recipe for a natural exfoliator:

1/4 cup brewer’s yeast

1/4 cup chopped oatmeal

purified water

In a small bowl, mix dry ingredients and put into a jar to save excess for future use. In another small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of the scrub with enough water to form a spreadable paste. Allow mixture to thicken for 1 minute.

Using your fingertips, massage onto face and throat and allow to dry for 15 minutes. It’s important to not wash it off immediately.

Trust me on this one. I’ve become quite the beauty product junkie and have been searching for a perfect exfoliator. Before I tried this recipe I was doing a comparison between Fresh’s Soy Face Exfoliant, Kate Somerville’s Exfolikate and NaturaBisse’s C+C Vitamin Scrub. At the time I was in love with Kate’s Exfolikate. After using it, my skin was so soft, smooth and had the sexiest glow to it. However, the oatmeal from the recipe is so gentle that you won’t be able to go back to a product that has granules in it. I was stunned to realize how coarse and irritating these products truly are.

The other great thing about this homemade recipe is that it immediately kills any pimples. If I ever have a little breakout I just whip up a little batch, scrub and let it sit for 15 minutes. Every single time I’ve done it my breakouts are gone by the next morning. I promise.

-Crystal

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You buy a new designer purse.  You begin to question the amount you just spent for it.  You get home, open the canvas protector bag and out emerges absolute beauty and the aroma of brand new decadently soft leather.  A smile appears on your face as you caress your new love.

So what makes the smell of fresh leather on a brand new purse so intoxicating?  Does Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Fendi, Gucci or Coach infuse their creations with an invisible addicting that make you want to buy one, hold one and own one?  What is this soothing, therapeutic aroma that brings feelings of joy, excitement, accomplishment and pride?

Thank the Limbic System of your brain.  This is the system that deals with both emotions and the processing of olfactory messages.  The natural smell and oils found in leather, especially well treated leathers like those in expensive designer purses, evoke and arouse a neurological response linking scent to pleasure.  

So, the next time you fall in love with the smooth rich tan of a Chloé tote, know that it’s not your lack of restraint forcing you to purchase it, blame the genetic programming of your brain which is sending messages of pleasure directly to your credit card!

-Stephanie

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