Sun bathing is so 1980. Achieving a summer glow without the damaging rays is the way to go.

Here are the top 10 beauty products to get your glow on:

1. Gabriel Cosmetics Zuzu Luxe Bronzer

2. L’Occitane En Provence Pivoine Flora Shimmering Oil

3. CoverGirl Champagne Enhancer as a highlighter

4. Laura Mercier Foundation Primer Radiance

5. Supergoop! Gradual Self Tanning Mousse

6. The Body Shop Lip Gloss

7. Yes to Grapefruit Brightening Towelettes

8. Emma Jean Scented Nail Paint (a great complement to a summer glow!)

9. LATHER Coconut Scrub

10. Cover FX Skin Tint and Radiant FX

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There is nothing I love more in the summer (or for a mid-winter wake up) than the scent of coconuts. The fragrance makes me nostalgic of my childhood spent on the beaches of Rhode Island–from Prudence Island to Narraganset and Portsmouth, the scent of coconut-scented sunscreen filled the air. (Mixed into the scent of all of the guidos who doused themselves in Polo. If you remember the 80′s and early 90′s, you are nodding your head remembering that unique scent right now.) But I digress…

LATHER has some delicious coconut bath and body products that need to be put on your radar. LATHER Coconut Creme Body Whip and Coconut Foaming Body Scrub can be purchased separately or together in the new Go Coconuts gift duo (pictured above.)  They also have a Creme Body Wash that will indulge you, as well.

While I love all three of these products, my favorite has got to be the Coconut Foaming Body Scrub. The texture in the tub is soft, yet dry without messy oils. As soon as you begin to rub it on your skin, it foams up. No slippery oils on the bottom of your shower, no clumps of scrub falling through your fingers. I love to mix the scrub with the Creme Body Wash to create a creamy, lathery scrub. The Body Whip is just that, a light fluffy and creamy lotion that drenches your skin in hydration.

If you’ve never given LATHER a look, I suggest you do! Their natural skin care and bath and body products are wonderful!

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*Disclosure

I’m a sucker for good lip gloss. You can never have too many and you’re never too old for a juicy, fruity, super shiny gloss. The Body Shop’s new Lip Gloss Collection is packed with juicy flavors, mouth watering shine, and moisturizing glazes of color. With 11 super-glossy shades to choose from, each with their own fruity flavor, it’s hard to pick just one favorite.

Each tube of transparent lip gloss has it’s own flavor and some have their own slight tint of glossy color, but apply mostly transparent. Don’t be fooled by the super vibrant colors in the tube, they apply like, fresh, shiny, juicy, and transparent. ($10) The Body Shop’s new lip gloss collection is fun and fruity! The flavors are so present and smell so good too. If I have to pick just one favorite, it would be watermelon. It smells so ridiculously good that I couldn’t help but reapply all day long. I also noticed the glosses moisturized my lips nicely … a benefit I wasn’t expecting from a super shiny gloss.

Pink – Watermelon

Orange – Mango

Clear – Mint

Overall, these are a can’t-get-enough-of-it kind of product. Warning: this gloss may give you the urge to pucker up and give others a taste of your yummy lips!

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The Body Shop Lip Gloss

*Disclosure

Life after Melanoma for me has been an interesting balance of educating myself and others about the dangers of the sun and skin cancer awareness … and finding ways to enjoy my time in the sun without being totally paranoid. Part of that mission has included trying every sunscreen under the sun. I’ve used Aveeno body and face washes in the past, but this was my first time using their sunscreen.

When I think of Aveeno, I think of nourishing, natural formulas. Trying Aveeno’s Protect + Hydrate lotion sunscreen SPF 30, I expected my skin to drink this sunscreen right up … and that it did. With nourishing oats in the formula to help reverse skin dehydration, I felt like I was applying a rich lotion, not a sunscreen. I like that a lot, especially with Aveeno, because I felt like I was smothering my skin in goodness. Aveeno’s Protect + Hydrate lotion sunscreen is sweat and water resistant for 80 minutes and leaves skin feeling soft and moisturized without feeling greasy or filmy.

While I think this is overall a nice sunscreen that applies like a thick nourishing lotion, I wouldn’t suggest using this lotion sunscreen on your face if you plan to apply makeup on top. It builds up a little. I would suggest sticking to a regular facial moisturizer with SPF for your face.

I do like the size and shape of the bottle. It’s not awkward and fits perfectly into my purse compartments and it doesn’t take up a lot of space in your busy on-the-go bag. For about $10, it’s a sunscreen worth a try if you like your sunscreen to help your skin to feel nourished while protected. Have you tried it?

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Aveeno Active Naturals

*Disclosure

Once summer arrives, I need everything to feel and be light, simple and effortless.  From my clothing, to food to my beauty products, everything needs to have that summery carefree essence to it.  Do you agree?

Which is why a few of my beauty products from winter, fall and even spring just do not make the cut for summer.  During the cooler months I don’t mind feeling like there is a layer of protection between my skin and the dry, damaging chill of fall and winter. However, in the summer while I still need the protection, I really do not want to feel the products on my skin. I’ve had to retire a few of my lip products for the time being, especially my heavier lip balms and opt for lighter feeling, but still hydrating lip products.

The hydrating lip product that I feel in love with instantly was Nivea Lip Butter.  I’ve started using both the Caramel Cream Kiss Lip Butter and the Vanilla & Macadamia Lip Butter,and they’re both outstanding.  They smell really exceptionally delicious and do an impressive job of hydrating my lips and keeping them hydrated for a really long time even after just one application.  I’ve used both at night before I went to bed and have woken up with incredibly soft, hydrated lips.  The Lip Butter never feels heavy on my lips, which is fascinating since they do such a wonderful job of keeping my lips really hydrated.

I absolutely adore the little tins that the butters come in, they’re the perfect size and fit perfectly in my smaller summer makeup bag as well as in the pockets of my shorts.  If these Lip Butters work just as well in the colder months I definitely plan on relying on them as one of my few year-round beauty products! Have you tried them?

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Nivea Lip Butter

*Disclosure

I’m so excited about Supergoop! Gradual Self Tanning Mousse because it’s the answer to a little ongoing internal battle I’ve been having with myself for a while.

When using self tanner, do you moisturize first? After? Both? Then … how soon after do you apply sunscreen? Since my life changing battle with Melanoma, sunscreen has become a necessary and important part of my daily routine, but where does it fall into your beauty routine when you’re also moisturizing and self tanning? All of these products can get confusing to know how and in what order to use … and then there’s Supergoop! Gradual Self Tanning Sunscreen Mousse. ($38) It’s 3 in 1. Just one step to tan, moisturize, and protect! The perfect answer to this dilemma I’ve been quietly keeping to myself.

When I first picked up Supergoop! 3 in 1, I had to read the bottle a few times to make sure I was reading it correctly. A gradual tanner, moisturizer, and SPF 20 all in one … yes, please! As much as I hate the sun’s harmful effects, I love the visible benefits of the sun … so a sunless tan is something I’m always experimenting with. Supergoop! Gradual Self-Tanner 3 in 1 gives an antioxidant-rich sunless tan without stepping foot into the sun. I noticed results after the first use! Also super important to note – this is a gradual tanner that isn’t going to rub off on your clothes or towels. It’s not a body paint, it’s a moisturizer that gradually tans you while also providing broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection. It smells nice too; a light scent of green tea and cucumber. The scent is really pleasant (this is not always the case with self tanners) and it applies really nicely. The formula is smooth and doesn’t streak. I love that this is a product that helps protect you from the sun while helping you look and feel great too. I’m a fan.

I reapplied a couple times in the same day and noticed that unlike some other gradual tanners and moisturizers, it didn’t feel filmy after additional applications. Sometimes layering on the same product over and over can form a buildup and gunky film, but I didn’t notice any of that.  I love that.

Speaking of protecting your skin from the harmful dangers of the sun while still looking and feeling great, don’t forget about your lips! I was just talking to a friend who was out campaigning for local council. She made sure to brag to me that she wore sunscreen and reapplied every couple hours. The next day she called me to complain that her lips were burned. She never applied anything to her lips! Don’t forget your lips! Supergoop! makes some fabulous lip balms that are SPF 30 and amazing. I’m loving the acai fusion with shea butter lip balm. It feels like a fancy lip gloss that works double time to protect your lips from the sun. Sun burned lips are the worst and so easy to avoid.

Summer is an awesome time of year to take advantage of the beautiful outdoors, but don’t forget to protect yourself first! XO

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Supergoop!

*Disclosure

Pur Minerals Art Decadence Collection

Pur Minerals Art Decadence 4-piece makeup kit will allow you to accomplish a fascinating summertime glow and your makeup won’t be melting all over your face.

The Mosaic Highlighting Powder in Ornamental is a fantastic compact filled with bronzing, rose, and shimmery colors which accentuated my face perfectly. The Golden Age eyeliner/eye shadow duo came in a double sided crayon, which I wasn’t too crazy about, but was very pretty and gave my eyes that goddess eye pop that is perfect for summer. The Vintage Pink Gloss is an elegant, yet bright lip color to top off  my natural looking  bronzed face, which gave it that slight bit of color my face needed. This kit also came with a fun shade of  pink nail polish, which looks great on all skin shades and not to mention looked outstanding on my beautifully painted toenails.

Makeup tips:

I applied the highlighter to my cheekbones, forehead, and the bridge of my nose.  I then used the Golden Age liner/shadow double sided crayon starting with the darker and fatter sized side, applying it to my lid and blending it in with my finger tip. Then, I went on to use the other side of the crayon to line the bottom lid.  After applying the liner, I applied the lip gloss, which is easier to apply with a lip brush and will blend better than just rubbing your lips together. Last but not, least I painted my toes applying a base coat, 2 coats of polish and then the top coat, however let each coat of polish dry before you go on to add another coat ( it will dry much faster).

Now this kit is mainly designed for medium skin tones with golden undertones, however I’m the complete opposite. I have fair skin, pink undertones and covered in freckles.  Still, the  lip gloss, eye shadow/liner, highlighting powder, and polish fit my skin tone great. Pur Minerals 4 piece set was fun and was easy to apply.

However, if you’re not going to use a foundation and some sort of primer, you will have to reapply the highlighting powder throughout the day, as well as the lip gloss. Out of all 4 of the Pur Minerals products in this kit, I loved the highlighter the most  because it gave my face a lovely glow and looked so natural. The reason I didn’t enjoy the double sided liner/shadow was because I’m just not fond of having cream shadow on my lids. That’s just me though and I applied some of the highlighter lightly on my lids to take away that awkward feeling.

Have you tried this kit?

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Pur Minerals

*Disclosure

My frenzied efforts to get myself ready for summer continues…this time with me trying to polish away any remnants of my “winter skin” to hopefully reveal smooth, glowing and soft skin that was hiding under that awful layer of dry, dull winter coating.  To try to achieve my ideal “summer skin”, I used Pangea Organics Body Polish.  I love this line  because their products are organic and beneficial to the skin and also do not contain petroleum, sulfates, detergents, synthetic preservatives, artificial colors, fragrances or GMO’s.

The key ingredient in the Body Polish is brown sugar, which is not only rich in minerals and antioxidants, but is also great for sensitive skin.  The Body Polish has an amazing energizing fragrance, citrusy and just downright delicious…definitely a summery scent.  The polish never felt abrasive on my skin, even when I asked my boyfriend to help me scrub my back with his heavy man hands.

I loved that the polish contains oils that were so insanely moisturizing that I did not need to apply any lotion after I had rinsed off…anytime I can achieve two positives in one beauty routine I’m ecstatic. Actually I think I achieved four positives by using this polish because it is also vegan and gluten-free!

Not only did the Pangea Organics Body Polish gently buff away my unattractive winter dullness to reveal dewy, smooth, soft and glowing skin suitable for welcoming summer, the scent of the polish also immediately, but me in an energized summery state of mind.  After buffing my skin with this polish I could not wait to slip on a pair of shorts and walk down to the beach to say hello to summer! Have you tried it?

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*Disclosure

For starters, I love the name and of course wanted to run around bragging that I had Virgin lips. Second, when you stumble upon something good, you stick with it. VBeauté just launched the 2013 Limited Edition Lip Spread colors and my lips were loving the pinkish-nude shade named Virgin. The new Lip Spread Color Glosses are lovely, (I’ll get to that) but their names are what first grabbed my attention … they’re sassy! 

The additions to the line were created to be the perfect shades to wear with almost any of the top sexy fashion looks, straight from the runway.  Talk about sex appeal and lips to lust over, VBeaute launched six sassy new shades: Dare, Virgin, Vain, Truth, Naked, and Vixen. I’m a nude/pink girl, so I went right for Virgin. Plus, I just like saying I have Virgin lips. The gloss is moisturizing, perfectly tinted, and long lasting.

From VBeaute: 
Each hue contains a new blend of polymers that enrich your pout via a combination of three-dimensional shine and color, while a cushiony finish optically plumps to give fuller, more lusciously kissable lips. Emollient oils leave lips smooth, soft and comfortable over time.

First impression . . . a little goes a long way. Don’t be fooled by the size of the tube, you don’t need much to achieve a gorgeous lip. Actually, if you use too much it doesn’t look right. A great combination of color and shine, Virgin was a great shade for me. One thing I noticed about VBeaute gloss that I love is that it’s not super tacky. Ladies with long-ish hair know what I mean when I talk about that dreadful outdoor moment when the wind blows your hair directly into your lip gloss … and depending on which gloss you have on, you may be in for a disgusting few moments of peeling the hair from your gloss. (Ugh!) This gloss wasn’t the kind to grip your hair in the occasional wind blow. YAY! VBeaute’s Lip Spread Lip Gloss is long wearing, totally flattering, and not too sticky or thick.

Some things to love about VBeaute as a whole – the line was developed because of the creators own skin sensitivity which assures you that you can have a gorgeous look and have healthy skin all at the time time. The entire VBeaute range is paraben free, fragrance free, gluten free, nut free, and oat free. The formula keeps your lips feeling hydrated, while working double time to correct and prevent environmental damage. (That’s where the anti-age comes in!)

Hydrating, moisturizing, gorgeous, and titled for the sassy . . . VBeaute’s Lip Spread is a must try!

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VBeaute

*Disclosure

1. Sunscreen with SPF (this one is obvious!): We currently love Sun Bum Continuous Spray, MD Solar Sciences Mineral Creme and these 3 sunscreens for summer.
2. UPF Clothing: Your clothes only give you a UPF of 5, so UPF clothing is a necessity! We love Mott 50!
3. Charcoal Scrub: Sweat and grime will clog up pores, so using a facial scrub with charcoal (the sulfur banishes blemishes) is a must!
4. Hair Mask: Salt water and chlorine will rob your hair of moisture, so a good replenishing hair mask is in order! We love L’Oreal Total Repair 5 Damage Erasing Balm,  Salon Graphix Intensive Hair Repair Masque, and Gail’s DIY Homemade Deep Conditioning Mask.
5. Bright Nail Polish: Cheerful colors are what summer is made of. We love Impala Palmeira Tropical and Essie Off the Shoulder (I love it as a hot pink French Manicure).
6. Vitamin C: Age spots only become more pronounced in the summer sun, so a great Vitamin C serum will fade them. We love these 4 age spot minimizers.
7. Body Lotion: Skin can become parched and dehydrated in the warmer months too. We love Dial Skin Therapy 7-Day Moisturizer, LAVANILA Vanilla Coconut Body Butter, and J.R. Watkins Coconut Milk & Honey Body Butter.
8. Summertime Fragrance: Something light with citrus or florals is great for summer. We love LAVANILA Vanilla Passion Fruit, Michael Kors Suede, and these 4 summer scents.
9. Moisturizer: Maintain radiant summer skin with a BB cream! We love Dr. Lewinn by Kinerase Instant Perfecting BB Cream.
10. Body Scrub: A summer glow is important! We love Tocca Nourishing Body Scrub and Daisies & Dukes Bubbly Sugar Scrub.

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