Recently in Your Body Category

We are our own worst critics. Every day, I see men and women alike pick their bodies apart into two different categories: parts they like, and the others they don't. Tisk's, sighs, and deep breaths take place as they try on different outfits. This is because they feel frumpy and/or outdated in them or due to the fact that they like certain parts of the outfit and not others. Clothing is meant to make us feel confident, happy, chic, and stylish...all while showing our personality and glow! So why are you buying clothing that make you feel otherwise?

Most people usually tell me that they don't know what looks good on them, or that they are constantly in a rush. Sound familiar? Impulse purchases take place because in their mind, "that's as good as it's going to get", they really like the colour or pattern of the item, or just because it's in fashion. The fact is most men and women have a vague sense of what looks good on them and what doesn't. The problem is that many don't know they reasons why something works for them or doesn't. It's crucial for people to understand their body shape, body type, colouring, personality style, lifestyle requirements and fashion. That is why I highly recommend things like a colour, wardrobe, and style analysis. They are great foundations to helping you understand...you! Having this kind of information will also save you hundreds of dollars, time and frustration. You'll understand what works best for you, your personality, lifestyle and fashion which in turn will make you feel current, strong, fabulous and chic!

So where to start with dressing ourselves? There are a lot of things to take into consideration!

A great starting point to figuring out what works for you is to stand in front of a full length mirror. Look to see what about your body shape you notice first? Are you an inverted triangle? An "A" shape? Do you have a very curvaceous body? No curves? Are you very angular? Do you have broad shoulders? No waist shape? Strong bone structure? Fine bone structure? Sensuous hips? These are all possibilities along with many others. The key is to not pick your body apart; but rather dress the first thing that grabs the eye. For example; if you have a curvaceous body with sensuous hips then wear fabrics that have a nice drape to them. This will flow with the body beautifully and drape in a stunning manner! A general recommendation for a body like this would be to keep details of an outfit towards the upper portion of the body to balance out the hips while leaving the lower portion of the outfit simple and tidy. Once you have this first piece of information, from there you can already begin to scour through your wardrobe and see what you have that compliments that. If you're unable to hire a professional you can always go back to the mirror and ask the second thing you notice about yourself...and work up from there.

Styling yourself doesn't have to be and doesn't need to be stressful...it should be a fun and exciting way of expressing yourself and feeling good! Never anything less.

Photo Credit © Yuri Arcurs | Dreamstime.com

Take advantage of the limited-time special deal offered by Juara Skincare and Ippie Design: $50 in Juara products will get you a free pair of sterling silver Ippie earrings with Swarovski crystals ($45 value). Available while supplies last.

Juara is a natural line for face and body; you may have already seen it in the August 2009 issue of Elle. Ippie's fun, elegant jewelry has been featured on InStyle.com.

Sensible Indulgences, otherwise known as a few of my favorite things!

It's been busy around here, recently I discovered that my soon-to-be three year old poured non-dairy creamer into my Vera Bradley bag (a NICE Christmas gift from my sister), and it had dried and made a big mess.  Swim lessons start tomorrow, but when my oldest tried on last year's bathing suits they were all too small.  Two of our dogs had puppies and I found a new bread recipe that I am in love with.  If you would like it I'll share it!   

Anyway, in my last article I promised a list of my favorite beauty products that work and are reasonably priced.  Some of these items are new to me as they were recommended by friends or discovered in the oddest places and some of them have been on my bathroom shelves for years.  So without further ado and in no particular order here is my list of favorites old and new.

Vitamin E Oil - I always have a bottle of this on hand, it's great for dry skin, but I also use it every day to remove my eye make-up before washing my face.  It helps the skin around my eyes stay moisturized and removes every trace of mascara!   

Natural Instincts hair color - I like this color, it enhances my natural color, adds shine and body and leaves no roots behind.

Tresemme Styling Gel - I have used this for years, it's reliable in any weather and whether my hair is super long or super short it works without making me look like some weird throwback from the 80s.

Suave Extra Hold Hairspray (Non-Aerosol) - Again, I've used this for years, it's in a pretty pink bottle that appeals to my girly side and it works all day without being sticky or stiff.  Plus, I really like their ad campaigns aimed at busy moms like me, they appeal to my silly side.   

Avon Glazewear Lip gloss - For a long time I didn't wear lip gloss since it was sticky and it felt like it was sitting on my lips.  That was before I discovered this lip gloss.  It goes on nicely and doesn't feel weird or sticky.  I like the raisin glaze shade, it's my everyday color.  They usually have good sales too so you can get it for as low as $1.99 or sometimes 2 for $5.00.

Burt's Bees Lip Shimmers - Sometimes you want to wear lipstick, but your lips are too dry, or you want to wear lip balm, but would like some color too.  Problem solved!  Burt's Bee's lip shimmers are the best of both worlds, lip balm with color!  In fact I'm wearing the cocoa color right now because my lips are dry.  Note to self: drink more water!

Wet and Wild Ultimate Minerals Foundation - this is a new discovery, mentioned by a friend.  I thought I'd give it a try, I've been using the Avon mineral foundation for a few years now and it works well too, but for $4.99 I thought it was worth looking in to.  Turns out it is a very nice product that offers sheer, buildable coverage and has really good staying power.

Anti Monkey Butt Powder - Funny name, great product!  This is a true story - this winter I got really dry skin, I was in my local Tractor Supply buying dog food and I saw this funny can.  I had heard about the powder at the hairdresser's so I thought why not give it a try and it helped my skin in 24 hours.  Now we all know that sometimes fashion can cause pain, like that bra that makes your bust line look great, but is constructed like some medieval torture device and chafes. And yes, despite our best efforts, sometimes we get sweaty and hot.  Try this product, you will be pleasantly surprised.  I liked it so much that I e-mailed the company for permission to include it in this article and they were happy to say yes.

Lubriderm Advanced Therapy Lotion - I buy this in the big bottle and sometimes I can even find it at our local Big Lots store for $5.00.  I do feel like it's a little more expensive than some of the other lotions out there, but it works really well, absorbs quickly and the moisture lasts so it's well worth it at $6-8 for the big bottle.

Dove Cream Oil Body Wash - This really feels like a little luxury to me.  It's rich and creamy; it smells good, and just feels indulgent.  My local grocery store has a clearance bin (which I, of course, dig through regularly) and I recently discovered 5 bottles of the cherry almond scent marked down to $2.99, so of course I bought all of them.  As a mom, the shower is a big place for "me" time so adding a little luxury into the mix never hurts.   

Colgate Total Toothpaste and my Sonicare Toothbrush are two of my absolute favorite beauty items.  Now you might say "really?"  But trust me a beautiful smile can make any outfit.  The Sonicare might be a little pricey at $75-100, but I had my first one for six years and I just got a new one for Christmas since my other one finally died.  AND there is the added bonus of less time in the dental hygienist's chair because your teeth are so much cleaner!

One-A--Day Women's Vitamins - I truly believe that looking good on the outside starts with taking care of what's inside.  I try to eat healthy and take my vitamins, I like these because they actually have what they say in them in the correct quantities and nothing else (Consumerlab.com tested vitamins a few years ago and these were at the top of their list, some of the other findings were scary).  I also make sure to take extra calcium daily for strong, healthy bones.

Aveeno Skin Brightening Moisturizer - This was a pleasant find, a nice, light moisturizer with SPF that is good for all seasons for $13.99.  I don't know about you, but I haven't left the house without SPF moisturizer on my face since I was 12.  If you don't use SPF moisturizer daily, you should.  I'm 36, but most people tell me that you would never know it by looking at me and they think that I am in my mid-20's.  It really doesn't get any better than that!  I first bought this particular moisturizer after seeing it in magazines and getting a really good coupon and it's a regular in my routine now.

There you have it! These are a few of my favorite things (don't worry I'm probably not going to break out in song, but I can't promise!).  Go out and treat yourself with a sensible indulgence.  You definitely deserve it!

Photo Credit © Graça Victoria | Dreamstime.com

Torrian Denise, wife, mother and the creator of DorNee' natural body luxuries, began creating products while caring for her mother who was being treated for pancreatic cancer. The chemotherapy treatments would severely dry her mother's skin and Torrian's handmade butters were successful in restoring the moisture and elasticity of her skin. The name DorNee' is a combination of the word adore and her mother's name Renee'. With much prayer, the natural body luxuries of DorNee' and her online boutique http://www.dornee.com was born.

"My inspiration comes when I continue to be mindful that my business was not something that I longed to do," says Torrian. "The DorNee' line was born out of a need to care for someone that was truly near and dear to me and I was blessed that it worked. Also when I get all the great customer feedback which I affectionately call DorNee' Love, that my handcrafted products has help with eczema, psoriasis and other skin afflictions gives me the drive and continued passion to have late nights in research, development and the creating new natural skin care without the use of harsh chemicals."

"My best selling products are my Shea Souffle', Creme Scrubs, Heel Shield Foot Butters, Body Puddings and Butter Bars these items are hard to stay in stock. My favorite experience with my business was when I became a VIP sponsor for S.T.E.P.S. Event Planning Marketing Firm which the DorNee' line has been showcased in many celebrity parties, award shows and fund raisers hosted by R&B Singer/Songwriter Ne-Yo." 

"The DorNee' line has been in development for a luxury skin care line for our most precious jewel, our face. The customers has been sending many requests for this line, so it will be coming soon."  

Visit www.dornee.com.  

Don't think your excuses are going to work this time!  Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin, aren't messing around.  As co-authors of Skinny Bitch, these gals give you the facts and the straight-forward truth about how to eat right.  Rory and Kim have been busy working on new publications and took a second to fill me in on their books and new DVDs.

Rory and Kim, can you share a little bit about Skinny Bitch and how you got started?

We both used to be terrible eaters--fast food, canned food, junk food--you name it. And as a result, we were miserable, negative, selfish, monstrous people. Once we changed our diets, we felt incredibly different: healthy, energetic, happy, positive, and compassionate. The more we learned about nutrition and the better we felt, the more we wanted to share the information with others.

Where did you draw inspiration for Skinny Bitch?

When we first decided to write the book, it was at a time when you couldn't turn on the TV without seeing something about cancer and obesity rates skyrocketing. And in the few short years the book has been out, childhood obesity and diabetes have been added to the list. We're truly in the middle of a huge health crisis and we want to make a difference.

At the same time, we wanted to show people how easy, fun, and fulfilling it can be to eat better. We didn't want to write some dry, clinical, boring nutrition book. We wanted Skinny Bitch to be digestible, bawdy, and laugh-out-loud funny.

Please tell us about your other books, Skinny Bitch in the Kitch and Skinny Bitch: Bun In The Oven?

Skinny Bitch in the Kitch is a cookbook; it's got about one hundred recipes that are easy to make and taste great. We truly love everything in the book but a few of our faves are the Pecan Crusted French Toast, the Shepherd's Pie, and the Green Goddess Pasta.

Skinny Bitch: Bun In The Oven is a how-to-eat guide for pregnant women. Like Skinny Bitch, it's loaded with tons of compelling information, but it's irreverent and often downright inappropriate (with regards to the language we use).

 I hear there are a few more books and DVDs in the works.  Can you give us a hint of what's to come?

At the end of 2008, our motivational, inspirational, self-help hippie-dippy journal comes out: Skinny Bitchin'. In January 2009, we'll be debuting two of our Skinny Bitch Fitness DVDs, with the third one coming out April 2009. Around June 2009, our fifth book, Skinny Bastard, hits the shelves. And sometime next year, our NBC sitcom will come to fruition. We're busy bitches, but we're happy to be making a difference in people's lives.

Visit www.skinnybitch.net.  Los Angeles, California  Photo courtesy of Tim VanOrden.

Over the past year, I have had the pleasure of getting to know Elodie Otto, founder of the fabulous French themed bath and body line, Jolie en Rose. For the launch of Chic Galleria, I asked Elodie if she would tell our readers about her products and what inspires her.