Guess what season is it now? It's strawberry season everybody. Ok maybe not really strawberry season now, but I make it strawberry season for me everyday. I love strawberries and all beauty junkies out there, that means you, should know that strawberries or any berries are very very essential to your beauty. I love everything about strawberries and any beauty products with strawberries as their key ingredient. Yes, I'm absolutely, utterly crazily mad about strawberries!!

So, what's so spectacular about strawberries?

Strawberries can be used for conditioning and toning the skin. They are rich in salicylic acid, an ingredient found in many commercial acne creams and thus are the best treatment for acne-prone skin. Strawberries help to tone the skin, lighten any pigmentation problems and keeps the skin smooth and supple.

Here's the scoop on how to make a fresh strawberry mask. Mix 1/2-cup fresh strawberries with a tablespoon of sour cream for a weekly facial mask. The strawberry juice helps to tighten your skin, and at the same time the cream adds precious emollient for your dehydrated and tired out skin. Leave the mask on for 20mins then wash off with warm water. Pat dry face and moisturize to seal in the moisture. Now enjoy your new visage - taut, supple and rejuvenated.

If you don't have sour cream, just simply cut the strawberry into half and rub it all over your face gently. Again, leave it on for 15-20 mins and wash with warm water. Moisturize and enjoy your newly rejuvenated skin.

Another strawberry tip - Eating fresh strawberries will also help whiten your teeth and keep your breath fresh. Just rub the strawberry over your teeth and try to leave the juice on your teeth for as long as you can. The juice helps to loosen plague. Your teeth will be visibly whiter after that.

Give it a try. Not only are they great for our skin and health, strawberries just taste so good and smell heavenly. (Source: EzineArticles.com)

Sky Juice: Australia's Pollutant-Free Pure Rainwater

You know you must drink at least 8 glasses of water a day for hydrating and cleansing your body (flushing out toxins from your system) to prevent constipation and colon diseases. But do you know if the water you're drinking is clean enough to cleanse your body system?

Today I read an article and found out that Australia's rainwater, unlike others, is free from pollutants. And Australian companies have been selling such crystal clear rainwater known as 'Sky Juice' or 'Cloud Juice' for years. The rainwater is bottled after treatment and sold all over the world. Come to think of it, I might have seen it before in some local supermarkets but mistook them for some simply expensive spring water.

Does 'Sky Juice' really cleanse your body more effectively than the drinking water we're having now? I'm not sure about that. But I know, the most natural, safe way to detoxify your body is to drink enough water, and not sugar-loaded sodas or caffeinated drinks. Detoxification is the key to good health and clear, beautiful skin!

Hassle-free Hair Color = Liese Bubble Hair Dye

Tried Liese Bubble Hair Dye, and wow! It dyes my hair so evenly and easily unlike any other hair coloring brands. I can do away with cumbersome hair sectioning, saving my effort and time, and every strand of my hair is wholly covered with foam from root to tip with no hassle at all! I can really see the color on my hair!

I also enjoy the foaming of my hair, feels like shampooing. And best of all, it doesn't prick my scalp. No tingling sensation. It's quite gentle to my scalp. But I not sure about yours. If you have sensitive scalp, you might wanna use ammonia-free hair dye such as the Iona range from L'Oreal.

With this innovative hair coloring product, I do not have to go salon for beautiful, shiny, evenly colored hair anymore! Highly recommended! 

INOA: Ammonia-Free Hair Dye by L'Oreal

(Photo: www.healthspablog.org)

Anyone who dyes his hair wants a product that is gentle to his scalp and doesn't over-dry his hair. L'Oreal has unveiled its new ammonia-free hair color line, the Inoa, with 44 shades that allow you to lighten your hair by 3 levels, or darken the hair and cover grey hair, that is touted to be 45 per cent gentler on the hair fiber.

Described by L'Oreal as "Revolutionary", Inoa is ammonia-free and odourless. There's no odour or any discomforts usually associated with ammonia application. No more sensitive scalp! Now anyone can transform like Lady Gaga!

According to the brand, this new product will revolutionize the salon hair coloring industry, expecting to see a rising trend as more and more consumers switch to ammonia-free hair dye. Revlon also came up with Revlon Colorsilk beautiful, permanent, ammonia free hair color. Expect to see more brands riding on this trend!

Rooibos: Relieves Stress and Fights Eczema and Acne

Rooibos, a unique plant from South Africa recently discovered for its benefits including stress relief and weight control, is the latest addition to the arsenal of acne fighters. It has a soothing effect on the skin, relieving itching and certain skin irritations such as eczema, nappy rash and acne when directly applied to the affected area.

Skin irritations such as acne and eczema are significantly relieved by direct application of Rooibos onto the affected area. The cosmetics industry is increasingly using Rooibos as a natural additive in skin preparations
to help improve skin complexion: Shea Terra Organics Rooibos Vitamin E Anti-oxidant Reparative Face Cream. I expect Rooibos to be the next big thing in beauty products having shown promise in alleviating the symptoms of psoriases and aiding in the treatment of acne and aging when used topically.

Several different brands of Rooibos tea are available both in health food and regular grocery stores. Skin health promoting teas contain a blend of herbs in their teas, such as rooibos, chaste berry, chamomile and burdock root. Choose a brand that works for you, and drink the tea consistently. Rooibos tea seems to work best at fighting cystic acne because of its anti-inflammatory properties. It takes about a week to see results, as reported by acne sufferers and by personal experience. (Source: eHow.com)

As Rooibos contains no oxalic acid, it can be drunk freely individuals suffering from kidney stones. Rooibos is also extremely effective in combatting iron depletion during pregnancy and breastfeeding. As it contains NO kilojoules (calories), Rooibos is the ideal drink for anyone who is watching their weight. It seems that anyone and everyone can drink and benefit from Rooibos!

Shapelier, Slender Legs: Scholl's Medi Qtto Sleeping Stockings

(Photo by Scholl Singapore)

Getting slim and toned legs has never been easier!

Scholl's innovative compression hosiery, Medi Qtto Gradual Compression Stockings, works its magic as you sleep peacefully, improving blood circulation so that you can wake up with lighter, shapelier legs. With its ergonomic design and partial pressure technology, Scholl's Medi Qtto Sleeping Stockings
promises to relieve tired aching legs, as well as reduce water retention and swelling, giving you sexier, shapelier legs overnight. Scholl claimed they sold 10,000 pairs every day!

In an effort to spread the leggy love around, Scholl Singapore will be launching a month-long 'Love Those Legs' online contest this May, where confident women all over Singapore can upload photos of their gams on the Scholl Facebook Fan Page and stand to win exciting prizes!

Lancôme Hypnôse Mascara

Lancome Hypnose Mascara 01 Black Noir Hypnoticis my favorite and the best mascara I've ever used!

With each stroke, the patented POWERFULL™ brush intensifies my lashes  from root to tip up to 6 times the volume, instantly dramatizing my eyes, giving me the Japanese pretty dolly eyes I desire.

Exclusive, fluid SoftSculpt ™ formula, enriched with Vitamin B5,
wraps lashes one luxurious layer at a time without smearing, smudging or clumping. It also lengthens my lashes pretty well. This mascara is really fantastic and has won several beauty awards. Get it, you won't regret it!

Circle Lenses: Create Huge Anime-Style Eyes!

Lady Gaga's huge anime-style eyes in her Bad Romance video has unexpectedly spread the fashion trend outside of Asia. Her wide-than-life eyes were most likely generated by a computer, but teenagers and young women nationwide have been copying them with special contact lenses imported from Asia known as circle lenses. These are colored contacts that make eyes appear bigger because they cover not just the iris, as normal lenses do, but also part of the whites.

It's illegal in the US to sell any contact lenses - corrective or cosmetic - without a prescription and no major local maker currently sells circle lenses. Yet the lenses are widely available online, typically for US$20 to US$30 a pair (Colored Cosmetic Lens in GEO Ash Wing selling at $29.90 on Amazon), both for prescription-strength and purely decorative makes. Unlike conventional stores, circle-len websites even allow customers to choose the strength of their lenses as freely as their color.

Circle lenses give wearers a child-like, doe-eyed appearance. The look is characteristic of Japanese anime and is also popular in South Korea. Having long since gone mainstream in Japan, Singapore and South Korea, circle lenses are now turning up in American high schools and college campuses. A lady, when interviewed, said her eyes look "really tiny"; the lenses "make them look like they exist". (Source: mypaper)

Shape your Body by Walking

The greatest myth about walking as an exercise is that walking helps only in reducing your weight and not toning your body the way you want it, by removing fat from specific parts of your body. Gym exercises and Swimming are looked upon as better options when body toning is in question.

This is not true, however. There is more to walking than just pleasure-walking and fast walking. There are many ways of walking and each of your body parts benefit from some way or the other.

Here's how you can shape your body the way you want, by walking.

1. Flat Stomach - Walk downhill with small, fast steps, stomach in, shoulders straight. Make your steps as small as possible and very fast.


2. Shapely Thighs - Walk uphill with long steps, without bending your knees, stomach in, shoulders straight. This will shape your hips as well.

3. Slimmer Arms - Swing your arms freely as you walk. Feel the pressure in your upper arms as you stretch your arms back and forth.

4. Slim Waistline - Walk at a medium pace with your hands held high in the air above your head. Keep your hands straight and maintain a perfect posture as you walk.

Continued exercising in the correct way will bring you desired results. I suggest continuing any kind of exercise regularly for at least 40 days before expecting results.


About the Author
Lata Tokhi is the Founder and Editor of Dot Com Women, a premier women's website and fast-growing online community, and Celebrating Christmas, a resource for celebrating Christmas in style. Visit her websites for lots of homemaking and business ideas, free downloads, free Ezines and message boards for women to network and share.

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil 6.7oz, 200ml

If you're looking for a makeup remover, look no further than the best seller from DHC! Try this amazing cleanser and you'll see why it's the most popular product worldwide. Dirt, excess oil, makeup - even waterproof mascara - and other pore-cloggers dissolve easily, leaving your face a grime-free zone that is soft to the touch. Its unique water-soluble formula rinses completely, so you'll never see a greasy residue. Olive oil and vitamin E help ensure you won't see dryness either.

Removing makeup is important for keeping skin clean and clear. So using a good makeup remover is essential. DHC Deep Cleansing Oil is my all-time favorite. I've tried other brands but this is still the best. I've been using this for years. It wipes off heavy makeup effectively and makes my face feel clean without that tight feeling. The only downside is, this cleansing oil must be applied using dry hands on a dry face. But if I don't use it, I would feel my face is still not clean enough. That's how addicted I am to DHC Deep Cleansing Oil!

Remember! Great skin begins with the basics. Proper cleansing is the important first step in preparing your skin to receive the maximum benefits from your skincare regimen. And I say, beautiful skin begins with DHC Deep Cleansing Oil!

Philosophy Divine Illumination

Philosophy Divine Illumination, an award-winning 'Best Moisturiser' in Fitness Beauty Awards 2009, is a skin-illuminating antiager that contains light-reflecting mica for instant radiance. "It gave a dewy glow without too much shine," says Judi Roode of Wrentham, Massachusetts. Over time, ingredients like niacinamide work to wipe out wrinkles. (Source: Fitness Magazine)

Read the reviews online and realized that most users recommend this product. They commented their skin feels tighter, firmer and the glow brightens their skin after using it, and costs less than other over-hyped moisturisers. But I believe this product is more suitable for mature skin, targeted at women aged 40s and above. So I think I'll wait and continue using my favorite Hada Labo SHA Moisturising Lotion. But Divine Illumination is definitely in my wishlist.

Detoxify Tips: Get Pretty Skin!

Clear, radiant skin can be a sign of healthiness and a toxin-free body. Blemished, sallow skin, on the other hand, can signify harmful toxins being ingested but not properly detoxed from the body. To have pretty and healthy skin, flush out the toxins first, then feed your skin with essential nutrients, which by then are more easily absorbed by the skin.

Water is the key to detoxifying. It not only delivers nutrients to our cells and keeps our kidneys functioning well, but also aids in eliminating wastes and toxins. To have glowing and healthy skin, you have to drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water everyday. I recommend 1 glass of lemon juice every morning after breakfast - not only alkalizes your body and makes your skin fairer, a whiff of citrus is also an ideal wake-me-up.

Chlorophyll is believed to be a powerful liver detoxifier. Acne problems can be caused by a toxic liver. Address the direct cause of acne by taking in high quality chlorophyll products because they oxygenate the blood, building its hemoglobin, similar to iron. Raising blood oxygen levels is important for cleansing and detoxifying your body. Barley Green juice is an excellent source of chlorophyll and enzymes.Wheat grass is more popular and affordable, but less convenient and less tolerable in flavor, but nonetheless an excellent source of chlorophyll and trace minerals. Chlorella, the most talked about Superfood, is a genus of single-celled green algae that was discovered to contain every single nutrient necessary for the human body to function in a healthy state: amino acids (about ten of them), enzymes, minerals, caretenoids, beneficial fatty acids, phytochemicals, and or course chlorophyll - in fact, chlorella contains more chlorophyll than any other known plant on Earth!

Eat detoxifying foods to help your body detoxifying naturally, such as apple, artichoke, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower), fennel (eliminates fats too!), garlic (helps filter out refined foods), ginger, lemon, parsley, leafy greens (kale, chard, dandelion and spinach), sea vegetables (often called seaweeds), and watercress. Adding these detox superfoods to your diet will help to reduce the toxic load on your organs and will also help to reduce the amount of acidity and inflammation in the body.

Sweat it out! Exercise for at least 30 minutes everyday. Any kind of exercise will do. You can play Wii Sports if you like. The main idea is to increase your blood circulation, relax your muscles and most importantly, get rid of excess toxins through sweating. Or go for a sauna. But before that, consult your doctor if you are pregnant or have heart problems. Also remember to drink a lot of water before and after you sweat.

Dip in detox bath once a week to eliminate toxins and pamper your skin. Just add the following to warm bath water: 1 cup baking soda (to neutralize the acids in the toxins), 1 cup Epsom salts (to draw more fluids and toxins out of the skin), 5 drops lavender essential oil (gentle antiseptic), 5 drops chamomile essential oil (anti-inflammatory and antifungal) and 5 drops lemongrass essential oil (skin revitalizer). Don't use lemongrass essential oil, however, if you have sensitive skin. (Source: HubPages.com)

Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Moisturising Lotion

One Drop Locks In An Ocean

Hada Labo’s bestseller, Super Hyaluronic Acid Moisturising Lotion, has finally hit Singapore shelves! Heard all the rave about it claiming, this skincare product is so popular a bottle is sold every 4 seconds in Japan! Sure or not? So tempted to try out, I bought one bottle last month, and now it's my No. 1 favorite moisturising lotion!

It feels sticky on my skin at first but is quickly absorbed, leaving my skin hydrated for the whole day. Over one month, my skin has become significantly softer, suppler and smoother. My skin looks fairer and more radiant too, which kinda surprised me. And like most Japanese skincare products, this star product is free of addictives (fragrance, alcohol and mineral oil), so my acne-prone skin doesn't break-out at all!

This lotion is so moisturizing because Super Hyaluronic Acid (SHA) is added to retain twice the amount of moisture compared to regular Hyaluronic Acid. These super molecules penetrate deeply into the skin, which is the source of moist, leaving you with a moisturizing inside-out effect, thereby enhancing elasticity and nourishment of the skin. For dry/normal skin, I recommend using Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Milk after the lotion.

Plus it's so affordable at only SGD22.90 per 170ml bottle, and each time you only need 2 to 4 drops for the whole face. I've used for a month and have barely used 1/5 of it. I hope they won't increase the price while retaining only the finest, purest, and most effective ingredients that are beneficial to the skin. I think I can't do without it! And I'm gonna try out its Arbutin Whitening range too. Stay tune to my reviews!

- Review by GetPrettyWithJoëlle

Superfood #1: Chia Seeds

Remember your Chia pet from Neopets? Turns out, the seeds of the chia plant - a member of the mint family - are an antioxidant-packed superfood that is highly nutritious and contain omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, calcium, iron, vitamin C and a host of other minerals. Find them at health food stores, and sprinkle on your yogurt or cereal.

If you wanna eat them everyday, you might wanna grow the chia plant yourself, which is quite easy to grow in western North America where it grows wild.

Once sown in August, the chia can be left to its own devices until the flowers yellow and dry and it is time to harvest the seeds. The easiest way to harvest chia seeds is to pull up the entire plant then beat the stalks over a container in order to collect the tiny seeds.

Super Foods for Skin and Hair

Super Foods are foods with high Phytonutrient content and is thought to confer remarkable health benefits, commonly referring to a class of foods known for their very high antioxidant content. Among them are Acai berry, cranberry, blueberry, wild salmon and spinach. Incorporate them into your daily diet for gorgeous skin and hair that shine from within.

If a Super Food is processed well as to not chemically alter its nutritional value in any way and if the active component used in a cosmetic formula is synergistic to the skin's own chemistry, the Super Food can provide a number of benefits to the skin including advanced anti-oxidant care and deep re-hydration. As these raw ingredients are naturally found in nature, careful and sustainable harvesting practices are key to ensuring the integrity of the ingredient is maintained. When used in skin care formulations, ingredients such as Acai Berry, Olive Oil/Extract, Fresh Seaweed, and extracts of nuts and seeds including cold pressed nut oils can all help to promote long term healthy skin from the inside out. Kiehl's has a Acai Berry skincare range while famous Japanese brand DHC is well-known for its olive oil-based skincare and makeup.

Superfood #1: Chia Seeds

Dr. Ci:Labo Aqua-Collagen-Gel

First knew of this product through Taiwan’s most popular beauty program《女人我最大》 aka《Queen》. Heard the raves, did some research online, went to Tokyo, bought it and used it on the same day.

Wow, it’s really good! It moisturises my skin instantly without an oily, sticky feel and is very gentle: No break-outs on my acne-prone skin! Partly because it's free of perfume, coloring, mineral oils and paraben. And it does keep my skin moist for the whole day.
With this, you can in fact skip the toner too. Definitely one of my favorite moisturizer. I recommend it, especially to those staying in cold countries. It's super moisturising! 

And now, after so many years, it’s finally here in Singapore! And Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia too. For those who can’t find this brand in their country,visit this website to purchase online!