Beauty pro division

Two years after the launch of his hair care line, Nick Arrojo makes his foray into bath and body products. The unisex line includes three body washes, face wash and hydrating face mist. Like Nick’s eponymous hair care products, the new body line is driven by luxury and performance and targets style-conscious consumers in search of functional and modern product.

Nothing says summer like glowing, bronzed skin and as we all know tanning beds and baking for hours in the sun is the sure ticket for cancer. Self tanners are becoming more and more popular as people become more aware of the dangers of UV Rays, but the problem with the wrong self tanner or application leads to those weird looks as people spot you in the park with orange streaks all over your legs (we've all been there, you're not alone!) So which are the best self tanners to use?

I have tried a handful of self tanners and my personal favorite would have to be TanTowel. I am in love with them! The medium to dark ones give you an even and believable tan. The best is there is no streaks, you don't look like a Sunkist orange and its super easy to use. TanTowel comes in single little packages so they don't dry out and the tan lasts for several days. They also have fair-medium towels, so you can choose the desired level of tan that you want to be. They also have kits you can purchase that include everything you need from lotion to bronzer.

With any self tanner avoiding streaks and dark patches is key, so here are a few tips on how to prep and apply self tanner:

Love & Toast is the latest addition to Margot Elena Wells’ bath and body products. This multi-talented beauty entrepreneur is the mastermind behind cult beauty brands: Lollia (bath and beauty products in ultra feminine packaging) and Tokyomilk (whimsical products with illustrations of skulls, sparrows and Marie Antoinette.)

And now, Wells has launched Love & Toast, an all natural ingredients line of hand creams, lip balms and eau de parfums products. With this new line, Love & Toast products are adorned with these truly playful designs of bright colors, simple iconography and a nod to the 80’s. These designs closely resemble Swedish cartoon illustrations. Wells describes the conceptual design of Love & Toast as being loosely based off of her interpretation of “British Pop Folk Art” lending itself to create these aesthetically pleasing effects of bright, spontaneous, whimsical, and a very “now” look.

Although we hate to admit it, it can be easy to lose sight of how important sustainability is. To make it a bit easier for the everyday woman to go green, Paris Presents has created EcoTools, a line of beauty products that not only makes you beautiful, but helps keep our environment beautiful, too.

EcoTools recognizes the importance of not only looking good, but feeling good about it. The earth-friendly beauty products make it easy to give back a little to our environment. The products are all-natural and eco-friendly -- you can minimize your carbon footprint while applying bronzer!

The high-quality brush set is a user-favorite. The standard brush set is made from ultra-sustainable bamboo, and the cruelty-free bristles are made from soft taklon synthetics. For those who love mineral foundations, the recycled aluminum Kabuki brush is the perfect applicator to throw in your makeup bag.

Sephora isn't the only beauty retailer making waves...Ulta, beauty retailer of mass, prestige and salon products, as well as in-house salons to boot, reported an increase in sales in the third quarter of this year compared to the same time period last year, and an increase for 2010 overall. I like the sound of that.

It sounds like the beauty industry is making gains again and that's good news for everyone. If consumers are buying more personal care items again, then it may be the sign that we're getting back on track for spending overall. Can we say we are out of a recession yet? Please?

Ulta's profit may have also risen due to the great promotions they always have going on discounting their sku. Consumers may want the cosmetics, fragrance and skin care, but at a lower pricepoint than if they went directly to the department store. Well, honestly, who doesn't?

What do you think? 

There’s no denying – decadent desserts are in, and with shows like Cake Boss, Ace of Cakes, and Cupcake Wars, it’s hard to escape the sweet treats. Now, the mini delicacies have crept their way into another facet of our lives. Enter Cake, a Canadian beauty brand started by beauty expert Heather Reir in hopes of creating a line of delicious products that women of the world hungered for.

Although you won’t be able to eat this particular kind of cake, I have a feeling you’ll enjoy it just as much. Like the traditional treats, Cake beauty starts in the kitchen. True to its name, the indulgent products have sugar and milk bases which not only smell delicious but have wonderful exfoliating and moisturizing properties.

With the idea of global warming looming over our heads, organic foods and recycling have become a way of life for many people. That's why Horst Rechelbacher, creator of Aveda Corporation, has introduced a line of products made from food grade ingredients that are pesticide-free (good for the earth and your body) called Intelligent Nutrients.

Some of the products that this label produces include organic hair treatments, hair and scalp treatments, as well as skin care and aromatics. Drugstore shampoos or even high-end labels are all usually full of artificial fragrances and dyes that can cause irritation. Their Harmonic family is composed of gluten-free and non-toxic ingredients that are able to work with all hair types. In this collection is a shampoo ($22), conditioner ($24) and treatment oil ($34). Other products made include body oils, lip balms and travel sized goodies!

Koh Gen Do, one of today’s most coveted cosmetics brands, started out as a small cosmetics salon in Tokyo’s Azabu Juban. Koh Gen Do’s philosophy has been the same since the brand was first launched in 1986. They only use natural ingredients in their products and their products make every woman’s skin, body and spirit feel beautiful. Their product line includes makeup, skincare, bath and body products and cosmetics tools.

Another great thing about Koh Gen Do is that their products are not tested on animals but instead use the In Vitro safety testing method. By using this method the brand ensures the safety of its products while saving hundreds of animal lives. Moreover, the brand does not use any artificial fragrances, petroleum-based mineral oil or synthetic products. It believes that natural or raw ingredients create superior cosmetics products which allow women to feel naturally beautiful.

The Clarisonic system has revolutionized skincare-- at 300 movements per second the system removes 6x more makeup and 2x more dirt and oil than cleansing with your hands alone. Its deep pore cleansing benefits help minimize pores and allows products to work more effectively.

The system utilizes sonic technology, recreating benefits of an exfoliating facial. Gentle enough to be used everyday, the mini-massage for your face also stimulates blood flow to your skin. Named one of Oprah’s favorite things back in 2007, the Clarisonic hasn’t slowed down in popularity. Several spas across the country even use the system on customers.

The Clarisonic system is simple to use and comes in a variety of options. Mia, Classic and Plus all offer various benefits depending on your budget and needs. The kit includes a cordless Clarisonic, charger, sensitive brush head and trial size cleanser. Different brush head options are also available depending on your skin type. From sensitive to deep pore, even body brushes, there is something for everyone.

We’ve all heard of NIVEA, Eucerin and Hansaplast, but what many people do not know is that they are founded by the same cosmetics brand – Beiersdorf. Beiersdorf was founded in Germany in 1882 by pharmacist, Paul C. Beiersdorf. Although the brand carries nine products, NIVEA is the biggest one of them. NIVEA is derived from the Latin word, "nix, nivis” meaning snow because it alluded to the crème’s pure white appearance. It was the first skin cream that was based on a water-in-oil emulsion. It is best for people with dry skin because it prevents water loss. Besides the emulsion, is also contains glycerin, a little citric acid, and oil of rose and lily of the valley. Moreover, it does not leave your skin feeling oily. So it’s good for all skin types! Today, NIVEA has more than 500 products and people in more than 170 countries use these products.

The other products Beiersdorf produces are Hansaplast, SBT, Slek, Florena, 8 x 4, La Prairie, and Eucerin. These brands started out in countries such as Germany, the U.S., China, and Switzerland, but are sold all over the world. Each has a different specialty, and you can check them out on Beiersdorf’s Brand Overview Page to see which one is best for you.

Beiersdorf is also involved with giving back and with environmental protection. To learn more about Beiersdorf’s sustainability and giving back programs, you can read their sustainability page and responsibility page. If you want to know more about this mother brand, you can read more about it at www.Beiersdorf.com.

No More Tears? Not really, as a campaign to boycott Johnson & Johnson's baby shampoo in the U.S. is grabbing the attention of the media. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is getting noticed by bringing to light that the popular baby shampoo contains formaldehyde, a known carcenogen (and deemed as such by the FDA this past June), as well as, dioxane. Now everyone from CBS News to MSNBC are associating Johnson & Johnson with cancer. This is a PR nightmare for Johnson & Johnson for sure, especially as a trusted brand for so many years by moms everywhere (including myself.)

So how can Johnson & Johnson quell the firestorm that has erupted?

• Acknowledge that they do indeed sell the same shampoo abroad without the 2 toxins.
• Acknowledge The Campaign For Safe Cosmetics' letter and publicly reach out to them to work together.
• Commit to making the change here in the US of reformulating their baby shampoo.
• Assure parents, doctors and caregivers that babies safety and care is their number one priority.

I would even go so far as to say to remove Johnson's Baby Shampoo from store shelves to show their sincerity and taking their committment to safety seriously. In lieu of this shampoo, push the Natural line as an alternative until the reformulated, safer, shampoo replaces the current product.

While the toxins mentioned are in trace amounts, no parent wants to knowingly subject their child to any harmful substances. For a brand that has built it's reputation on trust for the last 100 years, what needs to be apparent is their committment to consumers and not just their bottom line.

What do you think? Tweet us @PierceMattiePR.

After recently using a cream, unaware of the brand or name, I was quickly taken over by ultra feminine and calming aroma - later to observe that it was Jo Malone’s Red Roses Body Lotion (by far the most stunning scent, which literally lasts the whole night.) The lotion not only acts as a moisturizer, but a perfume as well. Everywhere I went people pick up on the scent and stop to ask what it was.

Jo Malone consists of fragrances for men and women, candles, lotions and shower gels and scrubs (The candles would make a perfect hostess gift this holiday season too.) Another product that works wonders is the Jo Malone Vitamin E Lip Conditioner - especially if you get dry or cracked lips in the winter months, this is a great lip treatment.

All of the Jo Malone products come in a variety to of lavishing scents - my favourite still remains Red Roses - Which is also created in the form of candles, so your house can smell as luxurious as you!

You can purchase Jo Malone products at a variety of department stores like Bergdorf Goodman, and the product line ranges in price from about $25.00 to $400.00 varying on the quantity of each product of course.

Have you tried this ultimate scent of luxury? Tweet us @PierceMattiePR and let us know what you think.

When staying in luxury hotels, I sometimes covet their toiletries as they tend to be rich in ingredients and scent (fess up, you know you do it too!) Ex Voto Paris caters to numerous luxury hotels and also features their own collections for everyone to enjoy (no more sample stealing!)

Ex Voto Paris, originally from France, has expanded into high-end stores and departments worldwide, as well. They offer rich toiletries with their bath and body collection. The ingredients in each product are combined with calming and gentle oils that rejuvenate your skin. Ex Voto Paris also offers candles and home scents, perfumes, and various home accessories (plexi-glass and rich, dark materials are used to create their modern home pieces) - quite a unique blend of product.  

The home scents and candles are offered in up to forty exceptional fragrances and are styled to look quite modern and sophisticated - so your house can smell delicious and bare a contemporary style as well. My favourite home fragrance, look and scent wise, is the Black Amber candle from their Lounge Collection. Some of their home candles are styled to be a bit masculine, which makes the style even more versatile and neutral. - Ex Voto Paris home candles make fabulous host or hostess gifts too!

The personal fragrance collection entitled Eau de Luxe offers six lavishing scents to complete your style. These fragrances are blended with very unique and refreshing notes like ginger, white lotus, green tea leaves and orange blossoms. All of which provide you with an unbelievably charming scent.

Ex Voto Paris products are available at luxury department stores like Barneys - they also are currently working on an online beauty shop.

Time for you to try a new scent! New Year… New personal fragrance - Try out Ex Voto Paris and let us know your favorite products and scents by tweeting us @PierceMattiePR