Advice From Venus

A beauty product that will light you up

2011-02-19T05:00:00.000-08:00

Ianthe Kabakov, creator of oWp (Objects with Purpose), has created a candle with several purposes.

While all of her candles smell amazing, they can also be used as soothing massage oils/body butter when warm and solid perfumes when cooled.

The candles are made from 100% organic, non GMO, bio-degradable, pesticide free, ecologically sound, socially just, 100% certified and completely sustainable coconut butter. The coconut butter allows the candle to burn at a low temperature, which also enhances each candle's life span. Sounds too good to be true, right?

oWp candles are made in Los Angeles and can be found in several boutiques including Fred Segal's Zero Minus Plus in Santa Monica, California. They can also be purchased online. These are a great gift idea for women and men who enjoy relaxation and moisturizing body butters and oils.

Cute and Flirty Athletic Wear

2011-02-18T12:10:00.000-08:00

Summer is just around the corner, so as difficult as it may be to some, it's time to get back to the gym and work on that bikini body. A fun way to motivate yourself to get to the gym, is by looking cute in new athletic wear.

Here is some cute workout gear I've come across recently:

Lululemon Run:Distance Tank in Flush.

Lululemon Inner Strength Tank in Black.

Just as Lululemon isn't only for yogies, Roxy isn't only for surfers:

Roxy In It To Win It Sports Bra in White.

Roxy Biker Chic Shorts in Black.

Argan Oil - The New Beauty Queen

2011-02-18T10:59:00.000-08:00

There's a new oil in town, so clear out your drawers, shelves, showers, and cabinets, and make room for Argan Oil. Argan Oil is extracted from the Argan Tree in the vast deserts of Morocco. It has been used by Moroccan women for hundreds of years, providing them with beautiful glowing complexions. The oil is rich in Vitamin E & essential fatty acids, adding beneficial anti-aging properties.

Argan Oil also helps and prevents dehydration, inflammation, hyper-pigmentation, and sebum production. Josie Maran's Organic Argan Oil To Go should be in every girl's makeup bag. The oil is a quick fix for dryness, scarring, and fine lines, and it's only $14 online and at stores like Sephora.

Moroccanoil®, the newest haircare craze, offers shampoos, conditioners, oils, and other products that are my current haircare faves. Argan Oil molecules in the products work because they are so small they easily enter the hair follicle to moisturize. Argan Oil also acts as a powerful antioxidant and UV protector, it is rich in vitamins and natural elements that strengthen the hair, including Vitamin F (Omega 6), Vitamin A to improve elasticity, Vitamin E to protect against free-radicals, and Phenols to shield against environmental stressors like UV rays and air pollutants.

Do yourself a favor and run to the nearest Sephora for some Argan Oil skincare and then head over to a salon that sells Moroccanoil. You won't be disappointed.

Is the Patricia Wexler Acnescription line being discontinued?

2011-02-17T14:49:00.000-08:00

I recently heard rumors that Bath & Body Works Patricia Wexler Acnescription line was being discontinued. Great news - they just emailed me back saying it's not being discontinued!

They mentioned it is currently available online and that other products from her are still available in stores. This might mean they're no longer selling the Acnescription line in stores, but at least it's not retiring! Yay!

Cool Shaped and Functional Shampoo

2010-11-30T17:06:00.000-08:00

Have you ever found yourself relentlessly squeezing that last bit of shampoo out of the bottom of the bottle, flipping bottles of shampoo/conditioner upside down for days just to get that last little dollar's worth?

If you've ever found yourself in this position -- Meet Kevin Murphy. Well, meet his shampoo and conditioner...

Kevin Murphy hair products began in the United Kingdom but have thankfully made their way across the deep blue sea to the U S and A. The shampoo and conditioners have a super cool shaped rectangular bottle with a cap at the bottom to allow for the easy squeeze of those last few drops all while providing you with the same quality of other natural haircare products (i.e. Aveda, Pureology, among others...).

Scrub a dub dub! (Don't mind if I do!)

Luxurious Boutique Spas vs. Monthly Spas

2010-07-27T13:32:00.000-07:00

As a spa-frequenter, you may find yourself wondering, "How can I pamper myself as often as possible while not letting financial stress counteract my spa day?" Several "Contract Spas" have made this pampering and saving a dime theory possible. Are you losing something by going to a contract spa instead of checking out the hole-in-the-wall or front page of spa magazines boutique spas?

I personally am obsessed with massages. Therefore I try to get a massage at least once a month. A massage at a boutique spa usually runs $125/hour +. A massage at Massage Envy or other contract spas usually runs around $59/hour. You also have to keep in mind the 18% gratuity that is not included in these prices. So the contract spa runs at about 50% less than the cost of the boutique spa. I'd say it's a pretty good idea to join (if you know you'll actually go).

Some things you may be sacrificing

When I walked into one of my favorite spas (Asha Salon & Spa in Woodfield, IL), the masseuse had me sit in a chair where I placed my feet in a beautiful bowl full of fresh flower petals, oils, and whatever secret ingredients were in there. He then wiped my feet and massaged them as if I was a Messiah, and the actual massage hadn't even started yet.

At the contract spas, they may use a hot towel on your feet before giving your feet a rub down. This might make you feel like you have dirty feet and may make the sensitive feel self-conscious. (Not a good tactic during something that's supposed to put you in pure blissful serenity).

Conclusion

I'd have to say for the avid spa-goer (I need to coin a better term for spa-goer), signing a contract isn't too bad of an idea (unless you have no financial limitations). Go to your once-a-month contract spa massage or facial and get your pamper on with no regrets. If you get a bonus or have some extra Ben Franklins to spend and you want to check out a new place, don't feel guilty. You can have the best of both worlds. Let someone treat you like a Messiah once in a blue moon and a princess once a month!

The Best Lip Balms for Summer

2010-07-06T13:10:00.001-07:00

It's summertime and our fragile little lips are experiencing harsh overtime. When we're indoors, the air conditioner creates a cool, dry climate, and as soon as we go outdoors, the sun is scorching, the wind is blowing, and if there's nothing on our lips to protect them, then we're going to be smacking our lips together trying to get that dead skin off. Yuck!

Here are some of my favorite summertime lip balms:

Fresh- Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15 - blends reparative oils and waxes together with real sugar. Natural ingredients are key to good lip products. I have sensitive lips and I've gone through just about every lip treatment product on the market, and keep coming back to this one. Although it's on the more expensive side (ranking in at around $22) it is definitely worth it. Another bonus- it's unique metal texture makes it quick and easy to find when you dig around in the bottom of your purse.

True Blue Spa - Watch Your Mouth SPF 45 - This is my favorite lip balm for sun and wind protection. I wear this in the summer when I'm outdoors and even in the winter when I'm snowboarding. This lip screen offers so much protection, it is even recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation. This is a very inexpensive balm (around $5 at Bath and Body Works) and is definitely worth it. I keep one in all of my beach bags (and purse!).

Benefit - Dr. Feel Good Duo - This tantalizing twosome can whip any lips back into shape. I first saw it being used at a Blue Mercury store on a lady whose lips looked beyond repairable. After using the Buffing Lip Beads and the Silky Lip Balm, this lady looked fabulous! So fabulous that I bought a set of these for my mom and two sisters. Whenever my lips are super chapped, I put some of the Silky Lip Balm on to get a deep moisturizing treatment in, and then I'll buff with the lip beads later. I think it's best to leave the lip balm on overnight for full results.

Einstein Lip Therapy - This is another product duo I swear by. The creator of the line, Benjamin Einstein (also co-creator of Hard Candy nail polish) was fascinated by his mother's huge collection of lip balms. He was inspired by everything from Carmex to La Mer. My favorite of the two products (with the pink lid), Lip Therapy Hydrating Cream, is a creamy moisturizer containing vitamin C beads. When it is applied, this sloughs away dead skin and leaves your lips feeling silky smooth. The second product (with the red lid), Lip Therapy Cooling Relief, is a salve-like healing balm. Both products come in cute pink or red little lip pots, with a medical cross on the cap. Their small size makes them very convenient to travel with.

How to Get Rid of Stretch Marks

2010-07-01T10:06:00.000-07:00

If you are one of the unlucky many of us who weren't aware of a thing called stretch marks when we were 13, and didn't start applying shea butter to our hips and stomachs from that day forward, don't worry, there is still hope!

I'm not even kidding, if I apply Clarins High Definition Body Lift lotion (yes it's expensive, but I do believe it is worth it) to areas where there are stretch marks for just a few days in a row (at least 4 days in a row for best results), they will fade away. Of course if you don't use the lotion every day, they will eventually come back. But it works very well if you need to get into a bikini in a few days.

Another tactic I use to battle these is taking a dry skin brush and brushing over them. This action increases blood flow. I then add a detoxifying product like Elemis Cellutox Active Body Concentrate and put that over the areas, which is also supposed to help reduce any cellulite. I believe a combination of these two products works like a charm! Let me know if this works for you.

Home Remedies to Cure Sore Throat, Fever, Flu and Cold Symptoms

2009-12-17T12:40:00.000-08:00

I just had a friend ask me for advice to cure her symptoms of a sore throat, headache, body ache, fever, etc.

These are tricks I've used that worked wonders for me.

Sore Throat: Whenever I feel a sore throat coming on, or when I had one and I was leaving for Cabo San Lucas the next day... this sounds awful, but I chewed and ate 3 whole garlic cloves (not the entire cluster but the little almond shaped pieces). You may have to brush your teeth 5 times and use lots of mouth wash, but if the garlic rubs your throat on the way down, it is an anti-septic so it will clean your throat out and then it'll clean your immune system too. The garlic worked like a charm! My throat was perfectly fine within 12 hours.

Headache/fever/body ache: Take 3 Advil gel caps. Advil reduces fever and gets rid of headaches. The gel caps are softer on your stomach and shouldn't give you a stomach ache like some other ibuprofens/pain killers. Also, if you can get some Coconut Water from Whole Foods or the grocery store, it will help with the body aches and headaches because its sodium and potassium content allow water to move in and out of your body's cells and will do an intense job of hydrating you. (I drank two 8 oz. glasses of Coconut Water when feeling all of these symptoms. I laid down for 10 minutes. I then got up and was able to head to the gym and work out for 2 hours doing non-stop cardio when I thought I was going to be bed-ridden for the rest of that day).

Nausea: If feeling nauseous, remember you can eat ice chips and drink Ginger Ale. You supposedly cannot vomit ice chips so this is good.

Also get under a ton of blankets and get lots of sleep and drink lots of fluids. Green tea's good too. Eat some crackers.

Feel better!

*Make sure you aren't allergic to any of the above suggested remedies - I do not guarantee that any of these are definitely going to work for you but they worked for me and I hope that they can help you too! (Plus my mom is a nurse and these are things she has suggested to me throughout my entire life)!)*

Should you feed a cold and starve a fever / the flu?

2009-10-28T15:17:00.001-07:00

With flu season in full force, many people may be wondering if the old saying "feed a cold, starve a fever (or starve the flu)" has any substance. Honestly, it is best to just drink lots of fluids. And this Sunday, when I was feeling dehydrated and had no energy, I turned to coconut water to rehydrate. Although I'm not a huge fan of the taste (and I've found that O.N.E. brand has the most tolerable taste of the brands I've tried), I found it to work.

After drinking a juice-box size amount of coconut water, and laying down for 10 minutes, I felt 99% better, was rehydrated, energized, and was able to meet my girlfriends at the gym for a 2 hour workout! I thought I was going to have to cancel our gym plans, but due to coconut water and a cat nap was able to run on the eliptical for 20 minutes, do a half hour of yoga, a half hour of mountain climbing/dance/upbeat workouts, and then sat in the sauna for 15 minutes (the sauna probably wasn't the smartest idea for a dehydrated person, but that's how much better I felt)!

Anyways, if you're looking for a solution to swine flu symptoms, or just the common cold, try coconut water, and let me know if it worked the same for you.

What products will make my skin look great?

2009-10-28T14:57:00.001-07:00

Every month I try to get to the dermatologist for a microdermabrasion and glycolic peel. 2 months ago, my esthetician gave me Replenix Retinol 5x Serum and Replenix Green Tea Facial Serum.

I used both of these, along with a glycolic/salicylic acid face wash, and my skin has never looked better! I honestly believe in these products. I put the Retinol serum on at night and then the Green Tea Serum on during the day and am in love. I hope this helps anyone looking for a facial regimen! Xoxo, Venus

Girls in Tech

2009-10-28T14:55:00.000-07:00

I went to the Girls in Tech seminar last night in LA. It was amazing. It truly inspired me to get back to blogging. I have to tell you about my new favorite products ASAP!

Tanning Beds Increase Cancer by 75%

2009-07-28T21:19:00.000-07:00

Tanning Beds as Deadly as Arsenic and Mustard Gas, Experts Say... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32187497/ns/health-cancer/

Do you trust beauty advice on blogs?

2009-06-25T14:37:00.000-07:00

I have a passion for making my skin and body look great and I want to share my techniques with you.

Everyone is so different that no one product is necessarily going to work for every single person.

You can see what other people have recommended, or vote yourself at TotalBeauty.com.

In the meantime I'll keep updating you with beauty and health advice.

XoXo,
Venus

Advice From Venus

2009-06-25T10:17:00.001-07:00

People don't have time to sort through all of the 1,000,000s of articles out there.

That is why I am your filter to the best articles about nutrition, skincare, fitness, and health in general. I hope this makes your life easier and healthier, one article at a time! Feel free to contact me at any time at AdviceFromVenus@gmail.com or read my Twitter Feed at https://twitter.com/AdviceFromVenus!

Have a beautiful day!

-Jill

The one thing in life that has always made me the most happy is making other people happy. I simply love helping people. It has always been a dream of mine to become a dermatologist or nutritionist, but I went down the creative path of writing instead. In my spare time, I love reading about health and wellness and how nutrition and certain remedies/beauty products/nutrition/fitness can improve our lives. It is now my dream to write for a health and wellness magazine. This blog is my first step towards making that dream a reality.