Thursday, May 10, 2012

All In The Family


          We all have certain traits that run in our families – wavy hair, a fiery temper, animated body language. While quite a few qualities run in mine, one thing stands out: beauty product addiction. In honor of mother’s day, I thought I should highlight just one of the many ways my mom has influenced me along the way.  Here is a look at my mom’s vanity, and with a glimpse, I’m sure that anyone can see why I fell in love with cosmetics from such a young age.

          My mom also has a penchant for finding fabulous-but-still-unheard-of beauty products. Here are some of her favorites in the photos above that you may not have heard of, but that are definantly worth a second look.

Young Living Essential Oils – As a Kundalini Yoga Teacher, my mom has been using essential oils for some time. Several years ago, she discovered Young Living and never went to another brand. While they are expensive, they are absolutely worth the extra money. She uses her massive collection of oils (just some of which are pictured here) for everything from muscle ache to allergies. My favorite oil is their Lavender – not only does it help heal sunburn when mixed with lotion or applied straight to the burn, but it is also a high-powered acne fighter. Dab it on a spot and watch it disappear overnight. Also worth a second look is Young Living’s line of “Thieves” cleaning products, which get rid of grime, dirt, and germs without harmful chemicals.

DNA – My mom discovered this line on her honeymoon in New Mexico at Ten Thousand Waves Spa, and the whole family has been hooked on it ever since. The line is difficult to obtain online, as they recommend having a facialist recommend specific products for your skin type, but I can say that Hydro Blend Mist is to-die-for as a mid-day pick me up for tired, dry skin that anyone would be happy with. It is a kit staple for me, and everyone (even men) who I’ve spritzed it on come back for more. Their chemical-free sun protection and booster drops also get rave reviews from my mom.

Vinie’s Veda - Another line discovered through a Kundalini Yoga connection (Vinie, the lines founder, is the daughter of Yogi Bhajan, the man who brought Kundalini Yoga to the U.S.), this ayurvedic skincare company creates unique, 100% natural products. The “Dew Drops”, which are choc-full of the highest quality skin oils, are the perfect addition to a moisturizer to boost its effectiveness, and my mother swears that the “Perfect Cleavage Cream” is well, perfect.

Happy Mother's Day to all! 
XOXO