look like the balm

Need a touch of color but can't get to the beach? Smooth on Balm Shelter Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 18 ($25). It improves tone and texture so your skin looks smooth. Plus, it's tinted for an added dose of color and has spf 18 to protect you from the sun's harmful rays. I wore it yesterday and it really helped minimize fine lines--you know, the ones you really want to hide! As far as the tint goes, the challenge is in finding a shade to match your skin tone. It comes in light, lightweight and medium. I tried light/medium which seemed at little too light at first but blended in perfectly. A definite must-have for your summer makeup bag. See more at www.thebalm.com.

tell thymes

Thymes wants to hear from you! For a limited time only, tell Thymes what you think about their Kimono Rose Collection and receive a complimentary 2oz Kimono Rose Body Lotion! This deal is good while supplies last or until July 14th. Check the company's Facebook page for details on how to receive your free body lotion.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Thymes/95464368860?ref=search&v=wall

spa at home

I love getting spa treatments...but I also love feeling like I've just been to a spa. Aside from walking out the door feeling relaxed and rejuvenated, I love the way I smell! All those intoxicating scents mingle in the air and on my skin, keeping me calm as I head home. The Vanda Orchid Body Balm ($60) from June Jacobs Spa Collection is one of my favorite spa scents--thanks to the delicate bouquet of orchid extract it embodies in its luxurious formula. And while it smells heavenly, it also really works to moisturize my skin. Shea butter with nourishing oils of squalane, jojoba and sunflower seed soften, protect and replenish lost moisture, a blend of white, red and green tea extracts combined with goji berry, pomegranate and grapeseed extracts help to neutralize free radicals, protect the skin from environmental toxins and combat the visible signs of premature aging. Truthfully, though, I don't have to know how the formula is concocted. All I know is that it leaves my skin soft and smooth, adding hydration where I need it most. A must-have for summer, get this and other amazing June Jacobs products at www.junejacobs.com.

sun safety: protect yourself with LaRoche-Posay

Summer may seem like all fun and sun but if you don't protect yourself, you could suffer the consequences. According to the American Cancer Society, most of the more than 1 million cases of non-melanoma skin cancer diagnosed yearly in the United States are considered to be sun-related. To help increase awareness, purchase the Limited Edition SOS SaveOurSkin Orange Ribbon Pin (only $5!) from http://www.laroche-posay.us and proceeds from each sale will help support the Women’s Dermatologic Society and SOS mission. Then check out www.SOSSaveOurSkin.com and Share Your Story! You’ll words will help spread awareness and La Roche-Posay will thank you with an SOS gift certificate redeemable toward the purchase of any Antheliosproduct. La Roche-Posay Anthelios 60 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid ($27) provides broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection with the breakthrough Cell-Ox Shield designed to protect skin at the cellular level. It’s fast absorbing, water-resistant and dries to a matte finish for longer-lasting protection against skin damage. La Roche-Posay Anthelios 45 Ultra-Light Fluid for Body ($45) boasts the same breakthrough Cell-Ox Shield. Anthelios 45 also uses a powerful anti-oxidant complex called Senna Alata, a topical leaf extract known to defend skin cells. See www.laroche-posay.us for more details.

happy father's day: patrick dempsey makes scents

So he's not just a hot doc on TV. Patrick Dempsey knows a thing or two about developing fragrance. He helped fragrance house Firmenich create Patrick Dempsey 2 ($35.00; 2.5 fl. oz), a new scent from Avon. Designed to illustrate the strength of commitment between two people, the actor was inspired by the strong connection he shares with his wife, Avon Global Creative Color Director Jillian Dempsey.

A perfect gift for your dad or your husband, the spicy, oriental fragrance blends enticing spices with hints of wood and musk to convey the feeling of a powerful connection and reveal Dempsey's more intimate side.

Click on www.Avon.com to give this great gift this father's day.

summer makeup: take a dip

I'm a black eyeliner fan--it would be the one makeup item I'd want to have with me when stranded on a deserted island. So to even think about attempting to line my eyes in any form of blue takes courage--lots of it. The truth is, though, these cool, blue, water-inspired shades from Face Stockholm are almost as inviting as a pool itself. So I decided to take a dip. Turns out, Pool (a turquoise-y shade) is soft and pretty but hard to adjust to when you're used to a dark line. And Lagoon (a deep navy shade) offers brilliant shine but looks a bit too metallic and disco-y. Of course, it's closer to tried and true black so it's easier for me to accept. Both quick-drying, smudge-proof shades come in purse-friendly vials and feature tiny eyeliner brushes that make drawing a thin line a snap. Available at all FACE Stockholm shops or from +1-888-334-FACE andwww.facestockholm.com.

summer makeup: fresh color from Rimmel

Think summer and you think fresh colors and natural-looking skin. Thanks to Rimmel London, it's all achievable.

I've been looking for a new mascara for a long time. I love Rimmel's The Max VolumeFlash Mascara ($7.19) in black; it promises up to 14x your natural volume. I haven't checked their measurements but I can tell you this. The bright pink, easy-to-hold tube makes me almost as happy as the thick lashes it leaves me with.

I also love the Lasting Finish Blendable Blush & Highlighter ($4.99) with three natural-looking shades that are easy to blend and offer a hint of shimmer (blending brush included). And the bronzer fan in me flipped for the Sun Shimmer Shimmering Maxi Bronzer for Face and Body ($7.99). For starters, it's oversized--so you don't have to worry about running out halfway through the season. Plus it works for face and body so you don't need two compacts taking up room on your makeup shelf. I tried Sun Queen, whcih made me look--and feel--like one.

Also available in the collection are illuminating eye shadows, reflective lip glosses and hydrating lipsticks and, of course, nail enamel in cool shades like Bare Naked, Posh Pink and Stiletto Red.

Check out your local chain drug stores and mass retailers nationwide or visit http://www.rimmellondon.com/ for store locations and to try the newest products with Rimmel’s exclusive Virtual Makeover Tool.