Gwen Stefani Turns 45: How Women in Their 40s Can Keep Their Skin Looking Youthful & Radiant

Gwen Stefani shows off her famous 

washboard abs at a concert.

Gwen Stefani turns 45 today. That's B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

The rock star and style icon may be "Just A Girl" (certainly not a "Hollaback Girl"), but she looks better than ever. In her new role as a judge on the hit singing competition show The Voice, she goes glam with an old Hollywood look--platinum-blonde hair coiffed in cascading curls, bright red lipstick, long beautiful lashes, arched dark eyebrows and flawless porcelain skin. 

The look: Old Hollywood style.

Stefani seemingly does it all in her career with effortless ease. The songstress became a fashion designer of her own clothing lines L.A.M.B in 2003 and Harajuku Lovers in 2005. She now collaborates with 7 For All Mankind founder Michael Glasser in a recently launched line called DWP (Design With Purpose). Plus, she has two more albums in the works--one as a solo artist and another for No Doubt, the rock band in which she cofounded and serves as the lead vocalist.

The mother of three boys and wife of singer Gavin Rossdale actively works with various philanthropic causes. The do-gooder diva donated $1 million to Save the Children's Japan Earthquake–Tsunami Children in Emergency Fund for the relief and recovery efforts in 2011. She also supports amfAR. 

A balanced lifestyle likely serves to keep Stefani looking a lot younger than her 45 years. Women in their 40s typically begin experiencing fine lines and wrinkles, a dry and lackluster complexion, loosened skin around the neck, and crinkles and furrows around the eyes and mouth. 

To slow down signs of aging, we present the latest treatments, serums and creams for women with maturing skin. They contain anti-aging ingredients such as shea butter, peptides, hyaluronic acid, green tea leaf extract, aloe vera juice, and vitamins A, C and E.

Will these products smooth and soften your skin to help restore radiance and youthfulness? No doubt!

SHINE: Altcheck MD Night Treatment. BEAUTY: Peptides, hyaluronic acid, and vitamins C and E replenish moisture and suppleness to your skin while you sleep. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens.

SHINE: B-Leve B-Youthful Face & Eye Serum. BEAUTY: Leave skin looking luminous and lifted with peptides and grape fruit cell extract. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens.

SHINE: DeVita Natuaral Skin Care Optimal Rejuvenation. BEAUTY: Alpha lipoic acid, aloe vera gel, hyaluronic acid and peptides aid in firming and filling in fine lines and wrinkles. BEACON: Vegan and cruelty free. Contains no FD&C colors, lead, carmine, cochineal, gluten or parabens.

SHINE: Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum, Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil and T.L.C Framboos Glycolic Night Serum. BEAUTY: Even your skin tone and diminish signs of aging with aloe vera leaf juice, green tea leaf extract, hyaluronic acid and marula seed oil. BEACON: No animal testing and vegan. Free of glutens, sulfates, PEGS, SLES, SLS/hydroquinone, dyes, lanolin, alcohol, parabens and phthalates.

SHINE: Fleur's Wrinkle Correction Cream. BEAUTY: Shea butter, passion flower oil and mango fruit extract help nourish your skin and reduce the depth of wrinkles. BEACON: No animal testing. 

SHINE: LATHER Vitamin C Peptide Renewal. BEAUTY: Liven up lackluster skin as hyaluronic acid, peptides and vitamin C aid the skin's natural ability to fight the effects of pollution and sun exposure. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of sulfates and parabens. 

SHINE: Nature Pure Labs Age Antidote Complex. BEAUTY: Hyaluronic acid, olive fruit and argan kernel oils, and green tea leaf extract act to stimulate collagen production in maturing skin. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens, and artificial colors and fragrances.

SHINE: Phytomer XMF Pionniere Reset Eye Fluid. BEAUTY: Reduce creasing, dark circles and puffiness around the eyes with Algoreset (marine sugar and blue micro-algae), shea butter and sunflower seed oil. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Refineé Age Recovery Cream. BEAUTY: Peptides, green tea leaf extract and aloe vera leaf gel maximize elasticity, and minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Robin McGraw Revelation Awaken Youth Regenerating Overnight Treatment. BEAUTY: Tighten and brighten skin while you sleep with edelweiss extract and vitamin E. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of dyes and parabens. Supports When Georgia Smiled. 

SHINE: Yon-Ka Paris Elastine Jour. BEAUTY: Coconut oil, shea butter, and vitamins A, C and E help repair and restore your skin's suppleness and smoothness. BEACON: No animal testing.

Mother's Day Gift Set Guide: Get the New Mom Glow of Kate Middleton

Photo by AshleyMott

Three cheers for new mom Kate Middleton. She looks better than ever after giving birth to Prince George last summer. 

During her recent visit to Australia with Prince William and their baby heir to the throne, the Duchess of Cambridge got rave reviews for her radiant glow and sense of style. She wowed in fashion choices by designers such as Tory Burch and Diane Von Furstenberg. In fact, after she wore a bright, fitted, "banana" frock by Roksanda Ilincic, sales of yellow dresses increased by 95% on ebay.

She's also known for her natural effortless look--minimal makeup and full, healthy long locks. So no need to dust off the crown jewels, as her bright smile and flawless face sparkle more than any royal diamond or sapphire. Her balanced skin tone and creamy complexion look as velvety smooth as an English rose.

On Sunday, the duchess will celebrate her first Mother's Day with Prince George. In honor of her fresh-faced, new mom glow, we've compiled the latest skincare gift sets and kits that create lift and/or luminosity. They contain anti-aging facial cleansers and creams, eye treatments and body moisturizers that address dry, damaged and uneven skin pigmentation. 

Take a look-see! These products make great gifts for your mom or to keep for yourself. No matter what your age, they'll help your skin feel as soft as a baby's you-know-what in no time. Happy Mother's Day!

SHINE: Gingi Eye Treatment Gift Set (Emmy's Official Presenter's Gift Box). BEAUTY: Instant Eye Lift Masks and Instant Eye Lift Cream minimize age lines, puffiness and dark circles to give the skin in your orbital area a more youthful appearance. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Murad Youthful Skin Renewal Kit. BEAUTY: Counteract the symptoms of hormonal aging and restore radiance with Renewing Cleansing Cream, Age-Diffusing Serum, Age-Balancing Night Cream and Renewing Eye Cream. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Pacifica Good Karma Skincare Set. BEAUTY: Purify your skin, protect your lips from the elements and prevent premature aging with Sea Foam Complete Face Wash, Dreamy Youth Day and Night Face Cream, Alight Multi-Mineral BB Cream and Natural Color Quench Lip Tint (Guava Berry). BEACON: Vegan and cruelty free. Contains no parabens, mineral and peanut oils, petroleum, carmine or FD&C colors.

SHINE: Pevonia Lumafirm Face and Body Gift Set. BEAUTY: LumaFirm Repair Cream Lift & Glow, Freeze-Dried Intensifier and Body Moisturizer help lock in moisture and maximize suppleness. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens, alcohol, lanolin, mineral oil, PABA, urea, formaldehyde, artificial colors and sulfates.


SHINE: 100% Pure Red Wine Resveratrol Skin Care Gift Set. BEAUTY: Prevent signs of aging, environmental damage and loss of elasticity with Red Wine Resveratrol Scrub + Mask, Antioxidant Serum, Nourishing Cream and Eye Cream. BEACON: Vegan, and gluten and cruelty free. Contains no detergents, synthetic chemicals, or artificial fragrances or colors.

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.

National Bubble Bath Day: Come In from the Cold & Treat Yourself to a Warm, Soothing Soak

Happy new year! If you didn't enjoy enough bubbles during your New Year's Eve celebration, you get a another chance today. National Bubble Bath Day has arrived! 

Life offers us lots of choices. So, when it comes to personal preferences such as a cup of coffee or tea, still or sparkling water, cats or dogs, or a Mac or a PC, we need to choose wisely. The same goes for bathing methods. Most people develop a fierce loyalty to a bath or a shower--rarely both. 

Photo by Joanna Poe

Baths and showers provide their own unique benefits. However, baths offer something that showers can't. They allow us the opportunity to schedule quality time for ourselves. At the end of a long, hectic day, you can fill up the tub with warm water, light some candles and incense, read a book and relax your tired body. Plus, a bath helps take weight off of your feet, joints and muscles, which ultimately serves as a revitalizing way to relieve minor aches and pains.

With frigid temperatures gripping most of the country, the time has arrived to embrace National Bubble Bath Day. So start running the warm water and check out the following bodycare products. They're designed to soothe and soften your skin, as well as stimulate your senses.

We're stoked for a soak. How about you? Bubbles optional!

SHINE: Avalon Organics Bath & Shower Gel (Lemon). BEAUTY: Replenish your skin and uplift your spirits with aloe vera leaf juice, lemon peel extract, and lime, orange and grapefruit oils. BEACON: No animal testing and vegan. Free of parabens, synthetic colors or fragrances, phthalates or sulfates.

 SHINE: Jason Nourishing Cocoa Butter Moisturizing Creme. BEAUTY: Sunflower seed oil, cocoa seed butter and vitamin E help relieve dry, damaged skin apres soak. BEACON: No animal testing and vegan.

SHINE: MyBody Probiotic Bath + Shower Gel (Energizing Bergamot Lime) and Probiotic Body Lotion (Energizing Bergamot Lime). BEAUTY: Purify, protect and stimulate your skin's natural repair process with probiotic derived bioactives, and vitamins A and E. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of gluten, parabens, phthalates, sulfates and dyes.

SHINE: Phytomer Oligomer Well-Being Remineralizing Relaxing Bath. BEAUTY: Freeze-dried seawater and a green tea/jasmine scent help recharge your skin and your soul. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Skin Authority Well-Being Bath & Shower Retreat. BEAUTY: Turn your bathing experience into an aromatherapeutic adventure with lemon, lime, peppermint and pine oils. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens, dyes and added fragrances. Supports Look Good...Feel Better.

Spring Cleaning: Purify Pores & Revive Lifeless Skin with Facial Toners, Scrubs & Washes

Cardboard chaos.

As a beauty blogger, dozens of product samples arrive at my home almost on a daily basis. After I open the packages, the cardboard containers get stacked and stored in the basement. However, it doesn't take long before I feel like I'm buried in boxes. In fact, I recently decided enough was enough. 

That's when Operation Spring Cleaning commenced. This annual ritual serves as an opportunity to discard the old and freshen up with the new. In this case, I cleared out the cardboard chaos (see pics below) and created lots of needed uncluttered space. 

The removal process brought about two benefits. It helped refresh the basement and brighten my outlook. The same can also be said about cleansing rituals for your skin--especially the face. Sloughing dead skin stimulates cellular turnover, deep cleans pores and restores lost radiance.

Before summer arrives next month, we'd like to present 12 top facial toners, scrubs and washes to help you jump-start a spring cleaning ritual for your skin. They're designed to banish blemishes, and excess dirt and debris, and bring about a vibrant glow to your complexion. 

Shine on beautynistas!

Lotsa boxes await their fate.

Flattened and ready to be recycled.

SHINE: Abrioné by VB Cosmetics Microdermabrasion Facial Scrub. BEAUTY: Gently scrub, resurface and soften your skin with sea kelp extract, grapefruit and lavender oils, and aloe vera gel. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: CellCeuticals NeoCell Micro-Resurfacing Skin Treatment. BEAUTY: Pineapple and papaya extracts, and volcanic micro-minerals help promote cell renewal and smooth the skin for a more radiant appearance. BEACON: No animal testing and vegan. Free of artificial colorants and fragrances, sodium lauryl sulfate, phthalates and parabens.

SHINE: Éminence Organic Skin Care Stone Crop Gel Wash. BEAUTY: Diminish blotchiness and blemishes with stone crop plant and juice, and shea butter. BEACON: No animal testing. The company plants one tree for each product sold through its Forests For the Future program.

SHINE: Gingi Make-Up Removal Clarifying Cleanser. BEAUTY: Aloe vera gel, seaweed algae extract and sweet almond oil help to deep clean your skin and remove cosmetics without the usual drying effects. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment. BEAUTY: For a smoother and softer complexion, this treatment gently polishes your skin with lactic acid, papaya, pineapple and pumpkin extracts, and aloe vera leaf juice. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser. BEAUTY: Glycolic, lactic and salicylic acids dissolve dry surface cells to minimize dull skin and maximize radiance. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Nature Pure Labs Brightening Facial Fruit Wash. BEAUTY: Rejuvenate your skin by removing residue and impurities with salicylic acid, and aloe vera leaf, lemon peel and apple fruit extracts. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens, and artificial colors and fragrances. 

SHINE: Pevonia Botanica Ligne Speciale Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser. BEAUTY: Rose flower and safflower seed oils, and jojoba and horse chestnut seed extracts help tame toxins and gently polish your face without irritating the skin. BEACON: No animal testing. Supports the Beauty Bus Foundation.

SHINE: Refineé Micro-Derma Peel. BEAUTY: Stimulate your skin's renewal process by deep cleaning your pores with aloe vera extract, vitamins A, C and E, and green tea extract. BEACON: No animal testing. Supports the Noreen Fraser Foundation and Look Good...Feel Better.

SHINE: Sanitas Lactic Cleanser. BEAUTY: Lactic and hyaluronic acids, vitamin C and citrus oil help diminish discoloration and hyperpigmentation, and step up skin's suppleness. BEACON: Contains no parabens or preservatives. Supports the Cinderella Foundation. 

SHINE: Somme Institute Transport. BEAUTY: These soft cotton pads unclog blocked pores and exfoliate dead skin cells with green tea and aloe vera leaf extracts, vitamin E, and orange and lime fruit extracts. BEACON: Free of parabens.

SHINE: Vie Collection Smoothing Toning Lotion. BEAUTY: Lactic and hyaluronic acids, castor oil and vitamin E maximize cell renewal and minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. BEACON: No animal testing.