2014 Spring Spa Week: Restore Your Radiance and Peace of Mind

Bring on the bliss, along with the soft, cushy robes and slippers. Spring Spa Week has arrived! 

This special event takes R & R to the next level. At participating facilities, spas across the country discount their service fees to make treatments more affordable for the masses. Massages, body wraps and facials that normally cost hundreds of dollars can now be experienced for only $50. These offers last until April 27.

Spas provide a soothing sanctuary to restore your well-being. They give you an opportunity to set aside some time for yourself to clear your mind as well as your pores. Massage therapists and estheticians use their healing hands to melt away aches and pains in your body, and signs of aging and environmental factors in your face. Many facilities also offer relaxation, ice and steam rooms, as well as saunas and whirlpools, to help enhance the therapeutic benefits of the treatments you receive. It's the ultimate mind/body/spirit experience.

Spa Week ends on Sunday, so book your appointment soon. And, if you don't have time to participate this year, we've compiled the latest, greatest skincare products to get that gotta-have-it glow for your face and body. They help you create a spa-like experience in the comfort of your own home. 

Pamper yourself. You deserve it!

FACE

SHINE: 100% Pure Brightening Tonique, Brightening Cleanser and Brightening Night Balm. BEAUTY: This trio helps you refresh and renew dull looking skin during the day and while you sleep with pomegranate seed oil, vitamin C and bearberry extract. BEACON: Vegan, and gluten and cruelty free. Also contains no detergents, synthetic chemicals, or artificial fragrances or colors.

SHINE: DeVita Optimal Rejuvenation, Evening Rich Nutritional Moisturizer and Revitalizing Eye Lift Créme. BEAUTY: Hyaluronic acid, aloe vera gel and peptides help provide support during the day and overnight to ease under-eye puffiness and dark circles, and fine lines and wrinkles. BEACON: Vegan and cruelty free. Contains no FD&C colors, lead, carmine, cochineal, gluten and parabens.

SHINE: Desert Essence Age Reversal Renewing Gel Cleanser. BEAUTY: Gently exfoliate and brighten your skin without stripping natural moisture with willowbark extract, glycolic acid and sugar cane crystals. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Sanítas Skincare Vita-Rich Moisturizer. BEAUTY: Hyaluronic acid, jojoba oil, and vitamins A, C, D and E minimize signs of aging, environmental factors and dryness. BEACON: Free of parabens and preservatives. Supports the Cinderella Foundation.  

SHINE: Sumbody Bright-Eyed Eye Serum and Detox Face Moisturizer. BEAUTY: Healing and hydrating oils, such as sweet almond and coconut in the serum, and jojoba, hazelnut and pistachio in the moisturizer, help smooth and soften your skin. BEACON: Free of parabens, animal oils, sodium lauryl/laureth sulfates, artificial preservatives and synthetic chemicals.

SHINE: Yonka Paris Pamplemousse Vitalizing Cream (normal to oily skin). BEAUTY: Pumpkin seed, lime and coconut oils, grapefruit extract and vitamin C aid in brightening and improving the texture of your skin, as well as keeping it supple and youthful looking. BEACON: No animal testing.

BODY

SHINE: Coola Body Lotion Bar (lavender chamomile). BEAUTY: Rejuvenate, revitalize and renew your skin with shea butter, and jojoba, sweet almond and avocado oils. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of paba, parabens, petroleum and phthalates. Supports Save Our Seas.

SHINE: Lalicious Brown Sugar Vanilla Sugar Scrub. BEAUTY: Cane sugar crystals, vitamin E, and sweet almond and coconut oils gently slough dead skin cells and leave your body looking luminous. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens, synthetic ingredients and sulfates.

SHINE: Pevonia Botanica Your Skincare Solution Spa-At-Home Essentials Kit. BEAUTY: Soothe your mind, body and spirit with this six-piece set--Silky Skin Body Scrub, Anti-Stress Bath Salts with Essential Oils, Anti-Stress Bath & Shower Gel, Preserve Body Moisturizer, Place of Serenity Lavender Votive and travel pouch. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens, alcohol, lanolin, mineral oil, PABA, urea, formaldehyde, artificial colors and sulfates.

SHINE: SpaRitual Instinctual Sand Scrub. BEAUTY: White sand, volcanic black sand and moroccan argan oil help eliminate impurities and lock in moisture for silky smooth skin. BEACON: Vegan, and free of synthetic dyes or parabens.

SHINE: Yonka Paris Neroli Orange Blossom Serenity Massage Oil Candle and Phyto-Bain Relaxing Bath Oil. BEAUTY: Leave your skin feeling refreshed and regenerated with a candle that transforms into a warm massage ointment and an aromatic bath treatment. BEACON: No animal testing.

New You Hairdos: Change Up Your Look for Spring with 7 Stunning Celebrity-Inspired Mane Makeovers

Photo by Eva Rinaldi

Katy Perry ends her purple reign.

Never underestimate the power of a new 'do. When a celebrity changes her hairstyle, it makes international headlines. In fact, it gets about as much attention as an engagement, a marriage or the birth of a baby.

As the season gets into full swing, mane makeover mania has blossomed. Katy Perry recently set the blogosphere ablaze with her new "slime green for spring" strands, while Nicki Minaj dropped jaws at the MTV Movie Awards last Sunday when she traded in her Crayola-colored tresses for (gasp!) a natural hair look.  

Spring represents the season of reflection and renewal. It's a time to think about rebirth and new life--especially as Easter approaches this Sunday and Passover concludes next Tuesday. So, if you're ready to freshen up your look, this might be the best time of the year to do.

However, it's not as easy as it sounds. If you need a little inspiration and motivation, check out the following must-have mane makeovers from style icons such as Taylor Swift, Kim Kardashian, Shailene Woodley and Jennifer Lawrence. They'll add lots of spice and everything nice to your Easter and Passovers get-togethers. 

We've also assembled the latest hair products to maintain your new you 'do. These shampoos, conditioners, serums, masks and sprays will help your strands stay strong, soft and shiny.

Have a lovely holiday celebration!

KATY PERRY

Photo by Eva Rinaldi

Before: Green jewels and dresses.

After: Green tresses.

NICKI MINAJ

Photo by  Philip Nelson

Before: Day-glo pink wig.

After: Glam-glo evening look with her natural color and highlights.

TAYLOR SWIFT

Photo by Eva Rinaldi

Before: Long blonde locks.

After: "Short hair, don't care!"

KIM KARDASHIAN

Before: Blonde bombshell.

After: Brunette beauty.

SHAILENE WOODLEY

Photo by Nick Step
Before: Long and luxurious.

After: Short and sassy.

KRISTEN STEWART

Photo by Tabercil

Before: Sleek brunette.

After: Messy orangette.

JENNIFER LAWRENCE

Before: Soft long waves to...

Photo by Georges Biard

Shoulder length to...

After: Super short.

SHINE: 100% Pure Kelp & Mint Volumizing Shampoo and Conditioner. BEAUTY: Purify and fortify your strands with aloe vera leaf juice, and kelp and peppermint leaf extracts help boost body, bounce and brilliance. BEACON: Vegan, and gluten and cruelty free. Also contains no artificial fragrances, chemical preservatives, sulfates or detergents.

SHINE: Bigen Protect & Repair Shampoo, Deep Conditioner and Semi-Permanent Hair Color (Intensive Ruby Red). BEAUTY: The shampoo and conditioner utilize rice water and sunflower seed oil to moisturize and mend your mane, while the hair color contains honey, shea butter and sunflower seed oil to aid in covering gray for up to eight washes and enhancing your natural hue. BEACON: Free of ammonia and hydrogen peroxide.

SHINE: Davines OI/Absolute Beautifying Conditioner, OI/All in One Milk and OI/Absolute Beautifying Shampoo. BEAUTY: This transformational trio for your tresses creates softness, shine and silkiness with sunflower seed and rose-extracted roucou oils. BEACON: Contains no parabens. To coincide with Earth Month and Earth Day on April 22, 10% of the proceeds from the purchases of these products between April 21-26, 2014, will be donated to The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation. 

SHINE: Fat Hair "0" Calories Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner (for fine, limp hair). BEAUTY: Wheat and soy proteins help expand each hair shaft to make your strands stronger and more healthy looking. BEACON: Vegan, and contains no sulfates or parabens. 

SHINE: Kérastase Irisome Bain Satin 1 Shampoo (normal to slightly dry hair), K Lift Vertige Root-Uplifting Gel (medium hold) and Irisome Masquintense Fine (for fine, dry hair). BEAUTY: The gel utilizes castor oil to help add volume, while the mask and shampoo feature iris florentina root extracts and wheat proteins to keep strands smooth and supple without weighing them down. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Sally Hershberger Major Body 3-in-1 Volumizing Spray and Hyper Hydration Spray Serum. BEAUTY: The spray features caffeine, wheat protein and keratin to aid in building weightless volume, while the serum utilizes galanga root extract and keratin to create frizz-free shine. BEACON: No animal testing and vegan.

SHINE: Shu Uemura Ultimate Remedy Extreme Restoration Collection (for ultra-damaged hair)--Treatment, Shampoo, Conditioner and Duo-Serum. BEAUTY: This luxurious line for your locks serves to step up shine, softness and smoothness by blending a lotus flower infusion with a ceramide formula. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: TRESemmé Keratin Smooth 7 Day Smooth System--Shampoo, Heat Activated Treatment (designed for use with a flat iron) and Conditioner. BEAUTY: Infused with keratin, this collection helps remove impurities, create more manageability and calm unruly strands. BEACON: No animal testing. The parent company's Unilever Foundation supports Save the Children, UNICEF and the World Food Programme.

Rosacea Awareness Month: Does Prince Harry Suffer from the Royal Family Couperose Curse?

Photo by Glyn Lowe

Remember when Prince Harry made headlines for all the wrong reasons? In 2012, the youngest son of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana got called on the royal castle carpet by his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, after shocking nude photos surfaced of him playing strip billiards in Las Vegas. 

What a difference two years makes. Prince Harry now generates news for his charity work, such as his expedition to the South Pole in support of Walking With the Wounded last December. The organization raises funds to find new careers for disabled soldiers as they transition to life outside the military. Plus, the royal romance rumor mill remains on high alert about a possible engagement between the fourth in line to the British crown and his girlfriend Cressida Bonas. 

So why does the 29-year-old prince still appear red-faced with embarrassment? Experts speculate that he may suffer from a chronic couperose condition called rosacea (pronounced roh-ZAY-sha). Characterized by relapses and remissions, symptoms include redness on the cheeks, nose, chin or forehead, small visible blood vessels, acne-like bumps or pimples, and watery or irritated eyes. In fact, more than 16 million Americans suffer from the disorder, according to the National Rosacea Society.

The causes of rosacea remain unknown. Factors such as environmental changes, emotional stress, specific foods and beverages, or heredity may play a role. Although it's never been confirmed by Buckingham Palace, Prince Harry's father and brother, Prince William, appear to also suffer from the condition. Royal watchers reason that their ruddy complexions can't always be attributed to their active outdoor lifestyles on the polo field.

Photo courtesy Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Royal flush: Princes Harry, William and Charles.

No cure exists for rosacea, but it can be controlled. Irritated and inflamed skin responds well to products that contain nourishing fruit and seed-based extracts and oils, and vitamins. To keep symptoms at bay, sufferers should avoid facial formulations with ingredients such as alcohol, synthetic fragrance, eucalyptus and clove oils, and salicylic acid.

April marks National Rosacea Awareness Month. In honor of the celebration, we've assembled the latest healing products that help reduce redness and restore balance to sensitive and couperose-prone skin. They make headlines for all the right reasons!

SHINE: Fleur's Gentle Cream. BEAUTY: Shea butter, vitmain E and sunflower seed oil soothe sensitive skin, and aid in reducing redness and feelings of irritation. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens.

SHINE: Ling New York Vitamin K. BEAUTY: Treat couperose-prone skin and strengthen capillary walls with vitamin K, hyaluronic acid, and jojoba seed, apricot kernel and kumquat oils. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens, and artificial fragrances and colorants. Supports Habitat for Humanity.

SHINE: Murad Redness Therapy Soothing Gel Cleanser, Recovery Treatment Gel, Correcting Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 15 | PA++ and Sensitive Skin Soothing Serum. BEAUTY: This line utilizes pomegranate, goji berry, peppermint leaf and licorice root extracts to help comfort, cool and calm flushed skin. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Sanítas Skincare Rosacea Serum. BEAUTY: Minimize the appearance of inflammation and surface redness, and support blood vessel stability with vitamins A, C, D, E and K. BEACON: Free of parabens and preservatives. Supports the Cinderella Foundation. 

SHINE: Sumbody Simple Solution Serum, Square One Cleanser and Avocado Honey Soy Polishing Paste. BEAUTY: Healing oils, such as avocado, jojoba, sweet almond and argan, and moisturizing soy milk help repair rosacea-prone skin and restore an even tone to your complexion. BEACON: Contains no parabens, sulfates, artificial preservatives or synthetic chemicals.

SHINE: Yonka Paris Creme 11. BEAUTY: Soothe sensitive skin and reduce red patches with sunflower seed oil, and St. John's wort, arnica and witch hazel extracts. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens.

Kiss Me You Fool Lips: 7 Seductive Celebrity Pouts for April Fool's Day

Photo by Georges Biard

Kerry Washington

It's April Fool's Day! Let the celebration of shenanigans begin.

The art of the practical joke, or pranking, has become big business in Hollywood. Remember the "Worst Twerk Fail Ever: Girl Catches On Fire!" video hoax that went viral? It received more than 9 million views before TV talk show host Jimmy Kimmel finally confessed to staging the prank.

Before YouTube came on the scene, Ashton Kutcher created and hosted MTV's popular "Punk'd" in 2003. The hidden camera prank show played laugh-out-loud practical jokes on unsuspecting celebrities such as Halle Berry and Kanye West. Justin Timberlake almost broke down in tears after being convinced that the IRS was getting ready to repossess his home.

To pull off a successful prank of your own, let Hollywood's most seductive celebrity pouts serve as your inspiration. These mischievous and mesmerizing looks from A-listers such as Kerry Washington, Angelina Jolie, Scarlett Johansson and Rihanna possess the power to get away with just about anything, especially on April Fool's Day. 

We've also assembled several luscious lipsticks to create a similar allure. They come in playful prankster colors such coral, wine, pink, red and nude. No one will suspect a thing--good luck! 

Photo by mbtrama

Scarlett Johansson 

Photo by Mikhail Popov

Angelina Jolie

Photo by Neon Tommy
Demi Lovato

Photo by Eva Rinaldi

Kim Kardashian

Photo by Liam Mendes

Rihanna

Photo by Eva Rinaldi 

Miranda Kerr

SHINE: DeVita Absolute Lips--Pink Diamonds (pink blush tone with diamond sparkle). BEAUTY: Create a dramatic diversion with this creamy smooth sheer formula that doesn't leave your lips feeling waxy, sticky or heavy. BEACON: Vegetarian and cruelty free. Contains no FD&C colors, carmine, cochineal, gluten and parabens.

SHINE: Essence Lipsticks--Flirty Pink (shimmery light rose), Honey Bee (light metallic with gold and pink undertones) and Miss Peach (shimmery coral). BEAUTY: Present a playful pout with this tomfoolery trio of new spring shades. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Kevyn Aucoin The Matte Lip Colors--Infinite (warm nude), Everlastng (cool garnet), Persistence (deep violet) and Tenacious (medium bright pink). BEAUTY: You'll have the last laugh with these va-va-voom, velvety smooth matte finishes. BEACON: Contains no parabens.

SHINE: LORAC Lip Luxe 8 Hour Lip Color--Bordeaux (reddish brown). BEAUTY: You'll be nobody's fool, as this non-feathering/non-bleeding formula helps your lips look more full and flirty. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens.

SHINE: Mirabella Beauty Products Colour Vinyl Lipsticks--Coral Flash (deep orange) and Metallic Blush (medium red with shimmery undertones). BEAUTY: No joking around--you get the coverage of a matte-like finish and the shine of a luscious lip gloss in these pretty pigments for your puckers. BEACON: Contains no parabens.

SHINE: Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics Lipstick--Bistro (burgundy wine). BEAUTY: This lanolin-free formula creates a foolproof look that gives your lips a satiny soft appearance for extended periods of time. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens.