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Going out without sunscreen during the summer is just asking for trouble. But dealing with bottles, tubes, messy applications and slimy creams can be a nightmare. So what’s the solution? Get your sun protection in easy-to-use wipes, of course!

 

Here at elements we love the convenience of the Shady Day Daily Sun Protection Wipes. They smell great, leave skin feeling soft, and provide long-lasting protection (we very scientifically tested them on a very scientific beach day spent on the sands of South Beach!).

 

Defending skin with an SPF of 30 and completely free of parabens, artificial ingredients and fragrances, the wipes are water-resistant and include natural ingredients like vitamins A and E, organic aloe vera and mango fruit extract. Just wipe one on skin and enjoy long-lasting protection in a snap (not to mention smooth skin and a delicate fragrance). With 15 wipes to a resealable package, you’ll be able to toss a pack into your purse or gym bag and be ready for whatever the day throws at you.

 

How did the Shady Day creators come up with something so ingenious? Simple. By having kids. After dealing with the messiness of applying sunscreen to their non-stop children at the beach, the owners of Shady Day decided to create a better way to apply sunscreen and hit on the idea of formatting it in easy-to-use wipes. Years later, the line has won several awards, including the 2008 NAPPA Honors Award, and been featured in Parents, O, Redbook, Conde Nast Traveler, iVillage, The Big Idea and My Fox Philadelphia.

 

So until the day they finally build that giant umbrella to shield us from the sun, we’re sticking with Daily Sun Protection Wipes.

 

Find out more at www.shadydayinc.com .

Summer’s the perfect time to finally capture that slim, svelte figure. After all, there’s great weather, there’s great beach activities to try out (volleyball, anyone?) and there’s always that  (loved and hated) bikini to get you motivated to lose weight. But when you need that extra push to shed those extra pounds you can always turn to….your computer?

According to recent medical studies, people (and women in particular) were more motivated to lose weight and get active when they received constant support through the convenience of online diet programs….making this the perfect time to try out the all-new, stylish BalanceD diet program.

BalanceD provides members with online 24/7 nutrition and weight loss support. The online portal provides  cool features like access to hundreds of delicious recipes, meal planners, workout tips, exercise examples, and even a Virtual Assistant to show you how to get started. Members are also able to write in to fitness and diet experts and receive a personal answer via email, and also share success stories and tips with other members. The custom diet, fitness tools and diet coaching are all available for a lifetime membership price of $99.

Sure, we might be a bit biased (elements launched this amazing diet program), but with this total approach to weight loss that includes diet, fitness, beauty and mind, who wouldn’t get excited about it?

BalanceD is available online at www.balanceyourelements.com and will also soon be available in elements clubs across the country.

We might already be at the mid-point of summer, but there’s still plenty of time to get the body you want. Are you ready to get BalanceD ?

Some gyms are offering exclusive Face Yoga classes, or incorporating facial exercises into the yoga routine. Some swear by the technique but others feel it is just blatant commercialism. Be your own judge, try sample excercises at Gaiam Community and lifehack.org.

Leta Koontz, yoga instructor and creator of Fresh Face Yoga DVD, available soon, outlines how to do "Lion Face."

Lion Face

Take a slow, steady inhale of breath and constrict every muscle in your body: your toes, your buttocks, your fists — everything. On a slow, steady exhale, relax those muscles, stick out your tongue, widen your eyes and open your hands. Repeat three times. On the last repetition, try to hold the exhale position for 30 to 60 seconds to really stretch your tongue. According to Hagen, this is excellent for circulation to the face as well as a great way to release tension in the jaw — which she says tends to lead to wrinkles.

 

We were surprised to find out that two of our favorite, simple foods make one of the best all natural (and fresh!) facial masks… try it this weekend, you will love the results…

 

Heather Davis, talent coordinator of Wilhelmina Models, stopped by the elements™ South Beach offices on Friday. We are always impressed for her flawless-at-forty skin, and asked her for her secret. We were expecting her to recommend an expensive product line, but instead she surprised us with the recipe for an interesting concoction. We couldn’t wait to get home to try (considering both the ingredients were in the kitchen already!)

Take 1/2 avocado and mix together with 1/2 cup of honey. Use as any other 15-minute mud mask.

Talk about smooth skin! We all had amazing results with the mask. You are going to want to call your best friend as soon as you try it.

Not brave enough to go the avocado/honey route?
LUSH products are fresh handmade cosmetics sold worldwide.
Try “Baby Face” or “Gorgeous”!

As we aspire to appear more sophisticated and chic, we are always looking for a missing link that will make us appear “together.” 

 Philosophy is line of beauty products that just may help us bridge that gap.  They specialize in creatively named, beautifully designed products in skin care, bath and body, fragrance, hair care and makeup.

With delicious seasonal scents such as pumpkin pie and double rich coca body washes or sweet treats such as mimosa lip gloss or grapefruit bubble bath.  As well as charity sponsored washes supporting Women’s Cancer Research Fund, the Rainforest Foundation, and many others.  

They also have great gift packages appropriate to many different themes.  The bridal party shower gel set is the perfect gift for the bridal shower this wedding season.

Philosophy is a little pricey at $20 for 16 oz of body wash but you can’t beat the Philosophy experience.  Look for Philosophy products in upscale boutiques near you and plan on spending the afternoon trying to decide which scent to buy.  Or browse their website.

What to do with the day after smelling great with Philosophy?  How about some home decor shopping at two of our fave's ... Anthropologie and Pier 1.