Skin As Soft As Your Favorite Well-Worn Tee

Splendid, the company known for its ultracomfy tees, pants, and loungewear, has extended its obsession with soft…to your skin. Splendid Body Care launched with the goal of getting your skin silky-smooth and touchable. The debut collection, which includes 5 pieces, launched in 3 signature scents: Coastal Musk, Golden Blossom, and Grapefruit. In a truly brand-aligned crossover, all products contain cotton extract to give your skin the luxe, cushy feel of the brand’s clothing.

Click through to see product shots and prices.

Easter Goodies

Who needs a basket filled with chocolate bunnies and eggs when you can have pastels for your body? Even if you don’t celebrate Easter (or aren’t into bunnies), you can still be a hot chick if you rock these pretty pastel hues. Tuck these into a basket for someone special, or treat yourself to these delightful, cheerful products.

1. Essie polishes in Turquoise & Caicos, Lovey Dovey & Tart Deco ($8 each): Because nails this colorful will rival the dyed eggs at the egg hunt. (Images via Essie)

2. Tarte Maracuja Divine Shine Lip Gloss in Amused, Dollface, & Tipsy ($21 each): I dare you to find a prettier pink for your pout! (Image via Musings of a Muse)

3. Lush Immaculate Eggception ($12.95): Inside this fizzy bath bomb shaped like an Easter egg lies a surprise: a bunny or chick that you can also toss into your tub for a sumptuous bubble bath. You’ll have to crack the egg to get it, but that’s half the fun! (Image via Lush)

4. L’Oreal Colour Riche Balm in Pink Satin ($8): A gorgeous pink that cushions lips in buttery balm. (Image via drugstore.com)

5. Maybelline EyeStudio Color Tattoo 24Hour Cream Gel Shadow in Edgy Emerald ($): (Image via drugstore.com)

6. NYX Stick Blush in Magnolia or Orchid ($6 each): Because pink or peach cheeks never go out of style. (Image via NYX)

FDA Finds Lead in 400 Shades of Lipstick; What Can You Do About It?

Yesterday The Washington Post reported disturbing news that the FDA tested 400 shades of lipstick and found considerable traces of lead in many of them. Lead was found in both mass-market brands and specialty brands. The biggest offenders (who all earned slots in the top 10 most contaminated) came from L’Oreal, Maybelline, Cover Girl, and NARS.

As I’ve mentioned before on the blog, there are no regulations in place for cosmetics, which is ridiculous, considering that we internally absorb a good percentage of what we put on our faces and bodies. For a refresher course on how this affects our bodies, see my post on the animated short film “The Story of Cosmetics” (you can watch the video here). The lack of regulations applies to “organic” items, too; any company can slap the word “natural” or “organic” on a product (regardless of what ingredients it contains) and face no repercussions, because nobody is regulating this stuff. Also, keep in mind that no regulations exist for products marketed for babies, either.

When you think about it, what we rely on to make us look beautiful could potentially be killing us. (A bit dramatic, but not entirely overhyped.)

So, what does all this toxic news mean for your safety and health? It means that in general, we need to be more diligent in educating ourselves on which ingredients are harmful and which are ok, and then checking ingredient labels carefully. Also, we need to be more vocal in demanding safer cosmetics and products. To start, contact your local representative and ask him/her to support the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011 (H.R.2359), which will allow the FDA to regulate which ingredients go into health & beauty products. If the FDA can ban harmful ingredients, we can feel better about the choices and purchases we make. If passed, H.R.2359 will also force companies to disclose any potentially harmful ingredients in their products–something they’re not required by law to do now.

Another option is to seek out more organic/natural products. They cost more, but when weighing the effects of toxic chemicals on your long-term health, they’re worth considering. Here are some of my favorites.

Click through for links to other organic products I’ve reviewed in the past.

Love Is In The Air With…Booty Parlor Flirty Little Favorites

Booty Parlor’s Flirty Little Favorites set ($36) contains 3 products designed to make you feel like a siren. These 3 bath and body items are infused with pheromone, which are said to help make you appear more attractive. I don’t buy it, but this luxe skincare kit contains 3 adorable ways to pamper yourself — no valentine required.

Stashed in the box are 3 products that will get you glowing and smelling great in just a few minutes. Click through to check out what’s inside the box.

Sugarcubes for the Bath

My cousin Sophie sent me these sweet little Sugarcubes all the way from Kansas. They’re for the bath; encrusted in sugar and salt, they melt as your tub fills with hot water. They release moisturizers into the water, and you can use the melted cube–which is now a scrub–to exfoliate. These cubes are scented with sweet pea and rhubarb for a light fragrance that fills the bathroom during your tub time. And they’re just as good when they’re gone; they don’t leave a sticky residue in the tub after the water drains.

Thanks, Sophie!

Pacifica Indian Coconut Nectar Body Butter: Another Coconut Dream

I hate the little kiosks by the cash registers in stores. It’s such a blatant last-ditch effort to get you to spend more money, and for me, it’s a total turn-off. I usually breeze right by, but when I was stuck in line at Sephora recently, I checked out what the kiosks had to offer to pass the time. I came across Pacifica Indian Coconut Nectar Body Butter ($5) and popped the cap open for a quick whiff. Oh my God, there was no way I could resist that.

Umm, how did I not know about this to-die-for scent?! It may just be the perfect coconut scent, straight from the beach. Although it’s slightly sweet, it’s not overpowering. I seriously want to bathe in this stuff. (There’s also a perfume spray, which I promptly added to my holiday wish list.)And if you are not as much of a coconut fan as I am, try out one of Pacifica’s other body butters in a scent that you’re more fond of (like Tuscan Blood Orange, Tahitian Gardenia, or Hawaiian Ruby Guava). The rich, thick cream will nourish and hydrate your skin and make it feel so silky-soft, you’ll be addicted after just one use.

Have you tried any of Pacifica’s products? What do you think?

Motif Cypress and Pear Hand Soap

Motif’s Cypress and Pear Hand Soap ($4) is kind of the equivalent of giving your hands a bath with a Christmas tree — if that makes any sense at all. This hand soap is seriously one of my favorite Target finds ever. The cute packaging (cable-knit mittens!!!), low price, and amazing pine-esque smell make it a holiday essential in my apartment.

And you know, washing your hands is one of those unglamorous things we all have to do, and in winter, it’s doubly worse, because it dries out your skin like crazy. This doesn’t — and instead, it makes them smell amazing.

Image via Motif

Cypress trees not your thing? Motif offers 2 other scents, each with equally adorable holiday packaging (if only I liked peppermint — those little birds on birch trees slay me!)

Pretty Ways To Support Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Image via Estee Lauder

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Although we’ve come so far in battling this ugly disease, it’s disheartening and discouraging to see so many women still affected by it. But there’s always hope: as of 2010, there were more than 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. alone. You can help that number increase by purchasing these beauty products. During the month of October, a portion of the proceeds from their sales will be donated to breast cancer research and awareness foundations.

Before I delve into all the great products you can buy to support this cause, a word about the photo above. Estee Lauder is one of the most active companies in contributing to breast cancer research and crusading for awareness. Their first campaign launched in 1992, and they have worked tirelessly year-round ever since to get the word out about early detection and prevention, which can greatly improve survival rates. This year, they’re launching a new campaign concept: “TOGETHER. Connect. Communicate. Conquer. For A Future Free of Breast Cancer.” Their campaign promotes the importance of life-saving early detection and regular screenings.

And now, onto the products.

Image via Addicted To All Things Pretty

OPI Pink Shatter: Pink of Hearts ($8.50) is a crackly vibrant pink topcoat that benefits Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Tweezerman Limited Edition Breast Cancer Awareness Tweezers ($20) are 2011′s answer to picture-perfect brow maintenance. The white Precision in Pink tweezers feature a Swarovski crystal pink ribbon, and are just as exacting as Tweezerman’s other excellent hair-removal tools. Proceeds go to various organizations devoted to finding a cure for breast cancer.

Image via Beautyblender

Beautyblender Travel Kit ($23.95) includes the iconic reusable pink foundation sponge and a mini squirt bottle of their blendercleanser to clean it with. 15% of all proceeds from this product go to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Scrubbing Up With Lush Ocean Salt

I have been hitting the self-tanner hard these days. Every few days, a couple of blotchy patches crop up on my body, usually around rougher spots like my ankles, knees, and elbows. When I see them, I know it’s time to exfoliate.

I got a sample of Lush Ocean Salt ($19.95-$34.95) scrub a few weeks ago, and have been using it as my pre-tan exfoliator. It’s fantastic.

It’s got coarse grains of sea salt sprinkled on the top (you can blend them into the scrub with a toothpick or cotton swab before applying). The salt really buffed my skin to whisk away all those gross dead skin cells and give me a radiant glow. I was polished and smooth after I used it.

The container says that you can use this on your face, too (it was actually formulated as a facial cleanser). I haven’t tried it there because, in my opinion, the salt grains are really coarse, and I fear they’ll irritate my sensitive skin. But, if your complexion normally doesn’t freak out over scrubs, go for it!

Fresh coconut and avocado are blended in to replenish hydration as you scrub away the top layer of dead skin. Lime is also included, as well as a touch of alcohol, for their antibacterial properties and blemish-busting abilities. The minerals in the sea salt also help, dissolving dirt as your scrub. If you have body acne, this is a great first step in unblocking clogged pores. And while I’m not crazy about the scent, it’s minor compared to how well this stuff works. I’m using it sparingly, trying to eke out the last drops from my sample jar!

Bottom line: Ocean Salt is an excellent body scrub that works well to slough off dull, dead skin and get you glowing in a snap.

Looking for more Lush? Go here and here.

Philosophy Friends & Family

Philosophy is holding a Friends & Family sale that’ll get you 25% off goods from their website. Use code “philosophy25″ at checkout before the offer expires on June 16.

Find more Philosophy posts here, here, here, here, and here.