summer must-haves: don't leave home without elemental herbs

If this past holiday weekend is any indication, it's going to be a hot summer. Before you jet-set to your beach house or a rooftop party in the city, be sure to pack the Elemental Herbs line of all natural herbal-based products.

Shelter your skin from the sun’s harmful rays with Elemental Herbs all natural Sunscreen Sport, a chemical-free, zinc oxide sunscreen offering broad UCA/UVB protection. It comes in a mini tube so you can throw it into your purse for sun protection anytime. Just smooth it on your skin and it sinks right in to create the protective barrier you need. Sunscreen Sport™ is available in Sport SPF 20 and Tinted SPF 22, and also comes in a children’s formula - Kids SPF 20 ($8.99 for one-ounce and $19.39 for three-ounce bottles).

Protect and nourish your lips with Elemental Herbs’ All Good Lips ($3.50). This all natural lip balm will keep your lips healthy and moisturized with organic healing herbs and 100% essential oils. It feels super smooth going on and, with an SPF of 12, offers more than 90% coverage from the sun’s harmful rays. Available in original, sweet tangerine and cool spearmint flavors, and in a non-SPF moisturizing-only formula.

Pamper yourself with All Good Goop, a skin-healing balm made from botanicals and herbs. It's the cure all for every skin condition. I keep it in my bag because you never know what skin issues may arise--a paper cut, chapped lips, a sunburn, etc. ($8.50 for one-ounce and $13.50 for two-ounce jars).

To purchase product or get more info, go to www.elementalherbs.com.

have you heard the crazy rumor going around?

The Crazy Rumor is: There's a yummy, organic lip balm in tons of fun flavors that you have to try!

When Edie and Brian Himmel set out to create the best all natural and vegan lip balm in the world--they weren't joking! Made from the purest, natural, certified organic ingredients (no synthetics) like moisturizing organic shea butter and jojoba oil in deliciously fun flavors, Crazy Rumors lip balms ($3.49 each) make your lips feel super smooth and the scents are heavenly!

One slick on Bubble Gum will take you back to those bubble-gum-from-the-gum-machine days. Fortunately, this lip balm lasts longer than your bubble gum ever did. It comes in Berry Bubble and Mint Bubble along with the original Gumball. But there are other fun collections to try too. Look for A La Mode, Soda Pop, Candy Cane and Fresh Squeezed (includes thirst-quenching flavors like Orange Juice, Pink Grapefruit Juice, Lemonade and Limeade). There's even a Mystery Flavor that keeps you guessing!

To celebrate the warmer weather, Crazy Rumors is offering 15% off with the coupon code “FRESH". Spread the word--this offer is good until June 15th 2011. Go to www.crazyrumors.com to purchase.

interview: Marissa Shipman, the brains behind theBalm

Hopefully, many of you tuned in tonight to watch theBalm Cosmetics CEO/Founder Marissa Shipman on MTV’s latest docu-series, “MTV Hired”. The episode followed the cult-favorite beauty brand as they searched for a new office assistant. In the callback interviews, the three final applicants were asked to pitch a new product idea to the staff of theBalm.

What's so great about theBalm that makes it MTV-worthy? It's a cool concept created by a really smart, makeup-loving gal--CEO/Founder Marissa Shipman. I love the chic, 1950-esque packaging (Bahama Mama), the cute comments in the compacts (Cabana Boy), the easily blendable tinted moisturizer (Balm Shelter) and the creamy feel of Read My Lips lipstick (especially in Classified, a very nude, natural-looking shade). I asked Marissa a few questions about her famous line...

Prettyisprettydoes: How did you come up with the concept and names for the line/products?
Marissa Shipman: "I bought 11 books on Amazon about how to make makeup. I could not read any of the recipes because they were all hard core chemistry – except one, lip balm – shea butter, beeswax and castor oil—hence, theBalm was born."

PIPD: Which is your favorite product and why?
MS: "This is like asking which child you like better. I love them all for different reasons. I can’t leave the house without timeBalm, though."

PIPD: Which one of your products is the most technically advanced or has the most unique formula and why?
MS: "What’s great about our For Keeps Watercolor Lip Stains is that you just wet your lip brush with a little water, dip it into the pressed-powder, and presto! You have a long-lasting stain that you paint onto your lips. Like watercolor paints, you can mix and match to create your perfect shade, and depending on how much water you use, you control how bold or subtle your look."

PIPD: What's the biggest bty blunder you've ever made personally?

MS: "Before we invented Stainiac, I used a cheek stain that didn’t give me enough time to blend before the stain set, and was left walking around with big dots on my cheeks. I don’t mind clowning around, but I do mind looking like one."

PIPD: What’s next for theBalm?
MS: "Lots of new products – but can’t get specific or everyone will do them." :)

expert advice: revive winter skin with Votre Vu

While dreams of warmer weather grow more frequent, winter is still here. And what better place to put the ravages of the season to the test than at last month's Sundance Film Festival. Makeup artist Olaf Derlig made Marisa Tomei paparazzi-ready within minutes using Votre Vu products from Paris. He started by applying Wrinkle Eraser all over her face to give her glowing skin. This magic potion actually erases crows feet and fine lines around lips. (How can a product with such a tough job actually smell so good? Is it the Manoi Tiare Oil?) Then he smoothed lips with Luxe Lips to add moisture and shine. Makeup artist Jessica Liparoto relied on the Attentive line to whip Adrien Brody into star-shape. "He's very particular about what he puts on his face and tends to stick to what he knows," says Liparoto. "I was very impressed with Tragic Magic Rescue Creme. It completely balanced him out. I also used Champagne Kisses Enhancing Lip Balm on him." Makeup artist Jordan Long used Votre Vu Habitude Men's Daily Face Crème SPF15 on Joseph Gordon Levitt (Hesher). She said, "It hydrated without looking greasy." She also applied Tout Le Monde antioxidant eye gelee to combat slight puffiness and fatigue. Makeup artist Jordan Long also worked on up-and-comer Jennifer Lawrence (Winter's Bone). "I used the Tragic Magic Rescue Creme to calm her skin as she had slight redness," says Long. "I also used Champagne Kisses Enhancing Lip Balm for a nice nourishing base before I applied lipstick." I followed this tip and I haven't left my apartment for a week without it. Talk about velvety smooth--it glides on and blocks winds that whip up unexpectedly. It's supposed to minimize fine lines too--any help is appreciated! To shop for these and other Votre Vu products, go to www.votrevu.com.