When I got the chance to try out the KINeSYS Performance Sunscreen, I was very curious. How could something that is good for your skin work to also protect it from the sun? Well, what better weekend to really put it to the test! The 4th of July this year brought us a 3 day weekend full of being outside working in the garden, playing in the sunshine, and generally spending most of our time outdoors.

So, how did it do? Awesome! Not a sunburn to be found. Not only did it protect my very fair skin from being burned, it also felt great to apply, and the spray was a nice way to apply it.

The company was founded in 1994 with the philosophy to be to good for your skin and the planet. KINeSYS Performance Sunscreens are the ONLY oil, alcohol, PABA, preservative and paraben free, photo-stable broad spectrum UVA/UVB sprays on the market. Not only that, they also have topical anti-oxidants to scavenge free radicals. The sprays have been dermatologist tested, and  hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic. They are good for swimming, or being active, as they are water and sweat resistant.

Some other awesome facts? The company’s EarthKind(TM) philosophy uses recyclable bottles, sprayers and vegetable based inks. All KINeSYS products are produced using wind energy and all other energy use is offset by the purchase of carbon offsets, making KINeSYS Inc. carbon neutral. They are also cruelty free (which of course, being an animal lover, I was happy to hear). I loved that it was good to my skin, and good to the planet, at the same time.

Visit the KineSYS website to see their fully line of products, including sun protection for kids.

Summer can be particularly rough on our skin, leading to cracking and bleeding at times. Between the heat, the chlorine in swimming pools, and of course the sun, skin needs something to help it feel better! Bubalina Orange Vanilla spa, bath and body products are just what summer (and winter) skin needs! They smell amazing, with the use of Sweet Orange Essential Oil and vanilla, it’s a scent that is addictive! I just love the smell. But more than that, I love what it does to my skin!

All the products are made with orange flower extract, which is known to heal, tighten, tone, detoxify and minimize cellulite. I didn’t know that about orange flower before using the lotion, but what an amazing little flower, right?! The extract, antioxidants and vitamin E, nourish and hydrate when applied to the skin.

I really love how the orange vanilla lotion feels, especially when I use it after a shower, or when I put it on my poor dry hands. The smell uplifts my senses, but the creamy, hydrating, lotion really does a great job of making my skin feel better. I can just imagine what it would be like to use the entire collection in harmony together!

For those who love soft skin, and love to smell good, Bubalina Natural Organics products are very wish list worthy! I am very glad (as is my skin), that we got a chance to sample this delicious lotion. To learn more about them, and how to purchase, be sure to visit the Bubalina website.

We have a great giveaway for you today. One lucky reader will get lights, camera, lashes!™ mascara, a natural lash enhancing mascara, clinically-proven to increase lash volume by 424%. I haven’t had the chance to try it out myself, but after looking around their site and seeing the tarte cosmetics reviews, it makes me wish that I was getting some to try too! The tarte smooth operator also looks like a great product. I hate to wear make up on my face because it always feels too heavy. Most women I know agree, even if all you can do is put on some mascara, it makes all the difference!

If you would like a chance to win the lights, camera, lashes!™ mascara, here are the rules and what you need to do!

• Leave a comment on this post letting me know why you want/need lights, camera, lashes!™ mascara!
• This is open to those in the USA only.
• You may comment daily until the giveaway closes at midnight on April 25th, 2010.
• Please be sure to fill out the email portion of the comment form correctly, as the winner will be notified by email.
• The winner will be chosen at random, contacted by email. Once contacted they will have 3 days to respond, otherwise we will choose a new winner. Once confirmed, the winner will be announced on this post as well.

Thanks and good luck!

*this giveaway is now closed, congrats to blueviolet.*

Francis Kurkdjian is considered one of the greatest perfumers in the industry and is recognized worldwide for creating more than 20 of the best-selling fragrances of all time. We recently got the chance to smell some scent samples, and try the perfumed incense papers from his new line of scents for the home.

All I can say is wow. There were so many lovely smells, I couldn’t choose a favorite. I was also impressed by the way the samples were presented, and especially how fresh the incense papers smell. The papers, which even come with matches, are a truly unique way to scent a room. The scent of our sample was Aqua Universalis – The idea of water that crosses between skin and fabric, between sheets and air. With notes of Bergamon and Lemon from Sicily, White Bouquet, Light and Musky Wood. It’s a scent that is light, but also strong, and very good for a shared bedroom, as it’s niether too feminine or too masculine.

Francis has done some exciting and creative things in the world of fragrance. He created a scent for the fountains of Versailles, recreated the perfume of Marie-Antoinette and even created a dessert based on scent for Plaza Athenee restaurant. The electric experiences have inspired the unique offerings in the collection including: liquid detergent, incense papers, bubbles and a scented leather bracelet along with fine fragrances. I thought the bubbles were an especially fun and unique idea.

The home collection has four key items: candles, interior scents, incense papers and perfuming laundry wash with matching fabric softener. Available for order online via Maison Francis Kurkdjian. There is even an option of having a personal perfume created just for you. If that isn’t wish list worthy, I don’t know what is.

I have always had pretty great eyelashes, but I had noticed that they were a bit thinner than in the past. Maybe just the combination of age and years of use (mascara), had thinned them out a bit. So I was very excited to try the Code.ai serum that is meant to regenerate eyelashes, and also one that is meant for eyebrows. It’s available with out a prescription, and you can start to see changes in two weeks of use.

It did make a difference! I had tried to take a before and after photo of my eyelashes, but I could not get a good shot for the life of me. Below is a before and after shot from the Code.ai website showing a result after 6 weeks of use, you can see it’s pretty dramatic!

However, I can tell a difference in the way my lashes feel and look, and especially when I put on mascara. It is very easy to use, just apply it to clean lids daily (you can do once a day, but they do recommend morning and evening for best results). While I didn’t need any help with my eyebrows (the serum is great for patch or bald brows), it did work well to hold a great shape in my brow.

I really liked that they made it non-irritating, and that it has been tested to be safe and non-clogging. Of course, being an animal lover I was also very glad to learn that the product was not tested on animals, and that it is free from parabens. I always worry when I try new products on my skin because my skin is very sensitive. Code.ai didn’t irritate my skin.

To learn more about Code.ai eyelash and eyebrow regenerating products, and to buy your own, be sure to visit the Code.ai website.