Want to know what I absolutely ADORED in 2009? I’ve gone through every skin care item, makeup product, trend, and ounce of hair care that I tested, or discovered, over the past year and came up with Bionic’s Second Annual “Best of Beauty” awards. And just for fun, I included some stuff at the end that’s not beauty related, ’cause you know… we’ve got to keep it balanced!

The winners of Bionic's "Best of Beauty 2009" awards! (Click for a larger image...)

And the winners are… in no particular order…

• YBF Skincare’s Boost – I’ve covered and discussed the benefits of YBF’s products on Bionic Beauty many times; they just keep churning out the winners. Boost is geared towards those of us with “problem skin”. It helped decongest the pores around my nose, dramatically reduced a breakout cycle on my cheeks, and really helped to balance my combination skin. And since I have very sensitive skin, it didn’t burn, irritate or create any redness. Yippee! It’s $65 for a bottle (at ybf-skincare.com), but that will last you 3-4 months with daily use.

• Purely Cosmetics’ new Diamond Perfect Finishing Powder – I adore PC’s mineral makeup, but this finishing powder should be in every woman’s makeup case. Even if you only use it on “special occasions”. It softens the look of lines and pores, and even makes your skin feel softer to the touch. If you splurge on one item, this IS it. $18.50 at PurelyCosmetics.com, and it’s now available in a tinted version! (Full review and photos are coming soon!)

• Purely Cosmetic’s Fiber Optic Duo Brush – It’s a synthetic and goat hair combination so get best of both worlds, plus it applies the above Diamond Perfect Finishing Powder (or any powder for that matter) in a swift, easy, and non-clumping manner. Definitely worth a spot in your makeup brush stash! $18 at PurelyCosmetics.com.

• L’Oreal HiP Kohl eyeliners – These powdered, highly pigmented kohl eye liners are my eye makeup obsession. I can’t stop wearing them! Granted, it does take some time to get the hang of the application method, but it’s truly worth it. Smokey eyes, smudged lines, cat eyes, waterlines that *stay* lined, rocker eyes… it’s all possible. And the colors are simply gorgeous! If you’re on a budget, keep your eyes open for a “Buy 1, Get 1 50% off” sale at your local drugstore.

• Lexli Skincare – The majority of skin care these days is full to the brim with water and other fillers, Lexli is different. It’s aloe-based and developed by a wonderful physician (Dr. Abdullah who I had the honor of meeting in person- he’s a true pleasure to chat with!). Every ingredient is well-thought-out. For cleansing, I rotate between the Aloe-based Cleansing Lotion and the Acne Cleanser (I’ve got a full review on the Acne Cleanser upcoming); for day- Day Moisturizer with SPF 15; in the evening- the exfoliating AloeGlyC and 15 minutes later the Night Moisturizer. If I have a breakout, I use the Acne Clarifying Lotion. During winter, dry spells, airplane travel, etc- I use the Moisture Intensifier Serum, which is also handy patted under your eyes after makeup. It keeps concealers and powder for settling into lines!
  If you try one Lexli product grab their AloeGlyC- especially if you are looking for the results of a chemical peel, but with the ease of at-home use. It’s shrunk my pores, helped reduce discolorations and works great as an all-over treatment (including under eyes!). My full review is here; and you can view all the products at Lexli.com.

• Jeune D’age Organic Skin Care – There are many, many skin care lines out there that call themselves “organic”… Jeune D’age is the rare breed that actually IS organic and WORKS. Bionic Bronnie put the whole line through a very rigorous test and she’s a huge fan. I have their Toner and absolutely adore it! If you’ve been on the hunt for a natural and organic skin care regimen, Jeune D’age is new, but it’s making giant waves in the industry.

• White Sand’s 24/7 The Cure hair treatment – White Sand’s makes some of my favorite hair treatment products like ER Fusion and Porosity The Fix. I guess it’s no surprise that I’m a fan of 24/7 The Cure. I use it after flat-ironing or styling to seal any split ends, tame any frizz, and keep encroaching humidity at bay. It does come in a glass bottle, so it’s not perfect for travel, but that’s easily remedied by squeezing a few pumps into an old lip balm tin. ($29.99 at WhiteSandsProducts.com)

• Launch of the new makeup brand PRIIA Cosmetics – PRIIA’s mineral makeup is grand, but their Skin Complexion Enhancers absolute blow me away. I call them the tinted moisturizers of the mineral makeup world. I wear them alone or mixed with my regular mineral makeup. And one of the best eye shadows colors this year, PRIIA’s Sea Turtle is a mix of blue, green, and gray. Absolutely stunning!

• Cactus and Ivy Skin and Body Care – Not only are all Cactus and Ivy products hand made, natural and cruelty free, but they smell delicious, offer superb customer service, and are actually darn affordable. Come on, venture outside Bath & Body Works and get something unique. One of my favorites is the Body Bath and Massage Elixir which I use on my feet before bed, my nails and cuticles, my legs after shaving and even lightly on my hair for a bit of extra conditioning and to tame flyaways!
  And then there are the Body Scrubs with sugars, oils and cocoa butter… yumtastic. Here’s my super secret hint for sunless tanner application: Use one of the Body Scrubs in the shower to really get your dead skin cells off. You’ll end up with a smooth and prepped skin surface for a streak-free tanner! Cactus & Ivy also has face lotions, sampler packages, lotions, souffles, and even products for horses!

• Lancome La Vernis nail polish in Indigo Paris – Dark polishes are my favorite, but I still like to see some color. Lancome’s fall release of Indigo Paris swept me off my toes. It’s a deep shimmery blue that seems to be lit from within!

• L’Oreal EverPure Sulfate-free Shampoo, Conditioner and UV Protect Spray – Finally drugstore hair care has caught up with salon/spa/luxury brands!! EverPure has dramatically reduced my color washout, really keeps my hair smooth and shiny, which reduces my need to flat iron. EverPure is a must-have in my shower and I recommend this line to all my family and friends. You can’t beat the price either, and the scents are even better than those pricey brands, in my opinion. If you’ve ever longed to try Pureology but the cost is prohibitive, this line is modeled almost exactly after that. Want more info? Here is my review of the UV Protect Spray and the Shampoo and Conditioner.

• New Herbaria Soaps – Just like last year, Herbaria makes this year’s Best Of Beauty list with their new soap additions: Shaw’s Garden, Licorice (if you are a fan of black licorice, this is the best scent ever!), Coffee (Percolates me right up in the AM! $7.50), Ginger Neem, Lycopene Tomato, and Lime Coconut Aloe (my in-shower island getaway). All bars are $5.95 unless I noted them otherwise. If you’ve heard the rave reviews of Neem Oil for your skin, but found the scent uh… yucky… then Herbaria’s Ginger Neem soap is the way to go. It’ll give you all the benefits with a fantasmic scent! This is one of those few brands that I’ll 99% guarantee you’ll love. But be warned, they are incredibly addicting!

• Anatomicals’ Another Bloody Shower Gel – Perhaps it’s because I’m a Twilight fan, or because I’ve always liked classic horror flicks, but this shower gel rocks! It dispenses a deep, blood red and is scented with blood oranges! Plus the entire Anatomicals marketing campaign makes me giggle.

• Discovering Rescue Beauty Lounge nail polish and actually getting to order some! I saved up some fun money and ordered four bottles of their nail polish. I’m wearing Scrangie in the picture above: it’s a unique frost duochrome that shows purple or blue depending on how the light hits. The wear is incredible and the coverage is full in one coat… so I’m using a third less polish than with other brands! I’ll post a full review soon…

• Ultra cheap and ultra awesome Hot Topic eyeshadows – Want further proof? Check out my Under the Sea and Sunny Citrus eye makeup looks. These shadow palettes are full of color, accessible to most anyone near a mall (or online), give you an easy way to try fun colors!

• The Matte Nail Trend – I know some dislike this trend, but I really can’t get enough of it. I used to put glow-in-the-dark or matte basecoats on top of my polish to cut down the shine. Now there are top coats designed specifically for the matte look!

• Three Custom Color’s lipgloss in Whisper – Three Custom Color lip glosses are full of amazingness in any color, but 2009′s Whisper gloss is one of those colors that flatters pretty much any skin tone and won’t ever leave my makeup bag.

• Dermelect Launchpad Anti-Aging nail polish base coat - I’m really not sure if this base coat has anti-aging properties, but it certainly makes nail polish cling! I typically lose my polish within a day to peeling, but with Launchpad everything seems to just stay put! I make my bottle last by only using when I want extended wear (i.e. not while swatching multiple colors in an afternoon), and also by using a cheaper drugstore basecoat on my pedicures. I haven’t posted a full review yet, but some of my thoughts are listed in my matte nail trends article. Launchpad base coat is $18 at SkinStore.com.

• John Frieda’s Root Awakening “Health Boosting Detangling Spray” – Here’s another drugstore hair care winner! I love the entire John Frieda Root Awakening line, but the real standout is the Detangling Spray. It provides light leave-in conditioning properties, a bit of shine, cleansing essential oils (great for your non-shampoo days), UVA/UVB protection *and* it amps up your volume! Not to BIG hair status, but enough to make your hair full and bouncy. The fresh scent is another bonus, not to mention the cheaptastic price! If you haven’t tried this hair care line yet and you’re love bargains, pick it up on your next drugstore run!

• Target gets invaded by e.l.f. cosmetics – Yeehaw for $1 makeup at your local Target!!! Let’s all party, shall we? And maybe we can finally put those darn “Nordstrom’s is selling makeup for a dollar” rumors to bed… I mean come on, it’s been over a year, and I’m still getting those dang emails!

• Beauty Blender sponge – Ahhh the Beauty Blender. I love my beauty gadgets, that’s for sure! This pink, egg-shaped, spongy wonder applies powdered makeup, creamy concealers, blush, liquid foundation. My highlights: Keep it clean (I wash mine weekly) and it’ll last you at least 6 months; you can send it back for recycling; and it gives your mineral makeup that flawless “I’m not wearing any makeup” look.

• Tubing Mascaras – I adore Blinc Mascara even though it’s a bit pricey ($23.50 at PurelyCosmetics.com), totally worth it, in my opinion. While “tubing mascaras” are nothing brand new, I’m thankful I discovered Blinc mascara this year. It’s my special occasion mascara… giving me uber-long, separated lashes that don’t flake or smudge. Especially handy when you know you might be crying a bit… (trust me on that). If you haven’t heard about tubing mascaras, basically they create little socks on your lashes. It’s like a polymer that wraps each lash rather than your typical “cover up” mascara-goo. To remove the socks, you soak your eyes with lots of water and rub gently with your hands. The little strings will slip off once they are saturated (and are kinda funny to look at too!).

Outside of beauty, things that made my 2009 memorable…
Seeing the New Moon movie with my sister… Our collective consensus: this movie was SO much better than Twilight.

My 2009 Halloween costume - Jill Valentine from Resident Evil

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince- I loved going to a midnight premiere, even though the company could certainly qualify for a “Worst Of” list. Humpfh! They almost ruined it for me. Almost.

Star Trek – Ahh… my geektastic love of J.J. Abrams (or as I call him, Jbrams) continues. His movies and TV shows are layered with action to please the masses, and plenty of below-the-surface goodies for obsessive fan-girls like me. Mentions of the Slusho drink, the number 47, and Rambaldi’s “red matter” had me bouncing!

The musical musings of Lily Allen – Feeling a bit angsty? This girl’s surface-sweet voice will amp you up with her snarky lyrics. My favorite album is “It’s Not Me, It’s You”.

Starting a new life – If you had asked me in early 2009, I would’ve said I had lost every bit of Powerful Beauty in me. Some of you saw the destruction via my posts on Twitter and Facebook. Your messages and letters (thanks for the cupcake lipbalm Yvonne!!) brightened my days! Once things settled, I knew my life changes were certainly for the better (divorce, big move, splitting up my pets, having barely any budget, etc). It’s made me stronger, and I realized how much I had let myself become smothered. Now I’m getting back to loving my slightly quirky, very g33ky, creatively writing, animal-adoring self. I’m spending more time with family; spent a week horseback riding in the Georgia mountains; and I’m 100% happy!

A successful Halloween! Even though many people didn’t know who I was dressed as, I adored my handmade Jill Valentine costume (she’s a character from the Resident Evil video games, and general bad-a$$ zombie killer). Plus my fog machines, spooky music, grave yard and other decorations got mentions as “best they’d seen” from the adults, children and even the local police!

What were your best beauty finds of 2009? And what were some of non-beauty things that rocked your year?

Interested to know which products made Bionic’s Best of Beauty in 2008? Check out last year’s results!

I didn’t get any compensation/kickbacks/backrubs/brownies/etc for listing any of these products on Bionic’s Best Of Beauty list. They are honestly my favorites from the past year. Just wanted ya to know. *grin*

Herbaria Soaps' opens a retail store location!

You can still shop for your favorite Herbaria Soaps online at HerbariaSoap.com, but now you can visit their brand new store in St. Louis, Missouri! Located in the popular district “The Hill” of the Lou, you can make arrangements for a group tour, or just shop for all your favorite all-natural and hand made soaps. While you’re there, grab me a few bars!

Looking for which bars to try first?

My favorites are Ginger Neem (Neem oil is incredibly good for your skin), Eucalyptus Mint (Perfect for opening nasal passages when you have a cold or during the summer and need a quick skin refresher), Lime Coconut Aloe (I’m a total sucker for anything coconutty), Jojoba Shampoo bar (my dogs love this one too!), Rose Geranium (it’s so incredibly soft due to the packed in Kaolin Clay), and Tea Tree Green Tea (also great as an acne face wash due to its natural anti-bacterial properties). Those are my personal faves.

I promise that if you try Herbaria, you’ll be hooked. You have been warned. I usually buy gift packs for my family over the holidays. Everyone loves them and can’t wait for the next pack to arrive! Herbaria bars last even longer than your standard bar soap. So many natural soaps melt away within a few days of opening. But Herbaria’s just last and last making them better bang for your buck.

Ready for even more big news? Herbaria has just released their brand new “Shaw’s Garden” soap bar! It’s a vibrant bar: peppery, exotic, herbaceous. The world-famous Missouri Botanical Garden asked Herbaria to create this soap for its 150th anniversary being celebrated in 2009.

If you’re in the St. Louis area stop by and visit Ken and LaRee, and if you’re not, just shop online.

Here’s the new store address:
Herbaria Soap
2016 Marconi Ave
St Louis, MO 63110

Mmmm. Jojoba Oil. One of my favorite beauty products of all time; it’s incredible versatility certainly helps its standings in Bionic-land. Here’s some tips I’ve found on getting the most out of your Jojoba Oil…

1. Cuticle Oil – rub a drop on your hands and cuticles at least once per day. Option: Add a drop of Tea Tree Oil to your jojoba for a quick, all-natural anti-fungal nail treatment.
2. Body Lotion – easy enough… just remember that a little goes a long way. You won’t need the dollop size you normally use with a traditional lotion. Jojoba sinks in super quickly and spreads across your skin easily. For even more fun or a special occasion, mix some cosmetic grade glitter with the oil and apply to your legs, arms and chest.
3. Face Moisturizer – 1 to 2 drops is perfect for your face. Use after moisturizing. And… it’s PERFECT to apply under mineral makeup. You’ll look radiant and your minerals will perform so much better!
4. Lip Oil – it’s light, natural and absorbs quickly removing all traces of flakes and the anti-oxidants will help keep aging at bay. Create your own unique lip oil in a small glass jar: add a few drops of your favorite flavoring (check the bakery aisle at your grocery) such as eucalyptus for minty freshness, strawberry or citrus oil for fruity flavor!
5. Tame Flyaways – When you finish rubbing the jojoba into your nails and cuticles, rub your palms across the top of your hair to tame hair frizz!
6. Makeup Remover – Mix half water and half jojoba in a small container (your free sample shampoo bottles will work perfectly for this). Shake before use, squeeze a bit onto a cotton pad and use to quickly and gently remove your eye makeup. As a bonus, the jojoba conditions eye lashes! (For an even cheaper alternative, check out my version of makeup remover).  …
7. Scalp Massage – or scalp treatment. Rub the oil into your scalp before bedtime and wash out in the morning.
8. Quick Hot Oil Hair Treatment – Rub about 1 teaspoon of warmed oil through your hair when you first get into the shower. Let it sit while you shower. Rinse at the end of your shower, shampoo and condition as usual.
9. Deep Hot Oil Treatment – Rub 1 tsp to 1 tablespoon of jojoba through your hair. Cover your head with a plastic shower cap or saran wrap. Let sit for 1-2 hours. Shampoo out and condition normally.
10. Carrier Oil – White jojoba oil has anti-oxidant properties on its own; but it can also be applied overtop your other skin care treatments to ‘carry’ their active ingredients deep into your pores and skin.
11. Split End Treatment – Add a drop or two of oil on ends of your hair as a split end treatment. Apply before blow drying or heat styling for protection.
12. Added Moisture – Need more moisture during the winter or in a dry climate? Mix a few drops of jojoba to your normal body or face lotion application.
13. Quick Hair Condition – Add 2-3 drops to your normal dose of hair conditioner. Mix in the palm of your hand, apply, and leave in while your shower. Rinse and you’ll have moisturized, shiny hair!
14. Before Sunless Tanner – Apply lightly to elbows, knees, soles of feet, heels and palms to prevent extra sunless tanner from soaking into these porous areas. (Be sure to check out the rest of Bionic’s sunless tanners tips.)
15. Before Swimming – Run 3-4 drops through your hair before diving in the pool or ocean. The oil will help close your hair cuticle and prevent harmful chemicals from stripping your color, and drying your locks.

Bionic’s Best all-around Jojoba Oil: Herbaria Soaps’ Organic Cold Pressed Jojoba Oil: Nature’s best moisturizer absorbs quickly into your skin for a soft silky finish. The Jojoba Oil is available in Unscented, Patchouli, Lavender, and Coriander-May Chang (pictured above). 8 ounce bottles are $19.95 and 4 ounce bottles are $11.95. Available at Herbaria Soaps.com.

Bionic’s runner up: Drugstore.com has Desert Essence Organic Jojoba Oil for $14.99.

Bionic’s Best speciality Jojoba: Herbaria’s Jojoba Healthy Hair. Get a 2 ounce bottle for $9 at HerbariaSoaps.com; organic jojoba oil and essential oils of rosemary, lavender, cedarwood, thyme and basil. I use this Jojoba for my hair, body, nails… pretty much everything except my face. The scent is absolutely incredible. It makes my skin glow and makes me smell nice without being a heavy scent. My bottle lasts FOREVER!

Do you use Jojoba? If so, how do you work it into your beauty routine?

Best of 2008 by BionicBeauty

Yippee! It’s 2009! I have always been partial to January… it’s fresh, usually cool (although today it’s over 70 here, wow) and it’s my month. I’m a Capricorn and my birthday is just around the corner!

But enough dilly-dallying… I’m here to give you the Bionic Beauty Best of 2008 list. These are the beauty products that rocked my world this year. I know they will be favorites for a long time to come. I’ve included links where applicable to my reviews and photos.

• Three Custom Color’s Doubles lipgloss. This is a MUST in my purse. It’s the most amazing gloss ever. Sophia Coppola turned to Three Custom to design this gloss and her good taste shows. I’m in luv.
• {me} by Mezhgan’s Look at {me} mascara. I adore my lashes with this tubing mascara.
• Clinique’s Color Surge Stay Matte eye shadow in Dark Denim. The resurgence of matte shadow colors works so well with different skin tones- and this dark blue is bee-you-tee-full! (Stay tuned for a smokey eye look I created using this shadow.)
• Twilight. I know, it’s not beauty related, but it did influence quite a few of my makeup looks this year. What can I say… I never got my letter to Hogwarts, so I’m moving to Forks to live with the Cullens instead.
• Herbaria Soaps’ new Ginger Neem bar. This is one of their new releases this year and I adore the addition of the Neem Oil. It’s great for inflammation, ouchies, rashes, and just keeping your skin in glowing & smooth shape.
• Three Custom Color’s Wallflower for cheeks. Woo! I’m a fan of this creamy cheek, eye, lip color. So versatile it almost needs a super-hero cape.
• And another cream blush came on the market- Clinique’s Blushwear Cream Sticks. My favorite color is the limited edition Very Blush.
• Black Cherry Indelible Gel Eyeliner from Purely Cosmetics. Ahh…black, maroon and slight sparkles? It’s me, to a T.
• Bobbi Brown lip glosses. I love them all (and yes, I never tried Bobbi Brown until this year. Odd, right?) but my favorites are the limited edition Aubergine gloss and the Black Cherry lip tint.
• NARS’ lipstick in Captiva. I featured it for my Fall 2008 Dark Lip Looks, but it’s never left my makeup tote since. First layer is super sheer and wearable even for day. Layer it for a darker look.
• 1000 Cranes lotion by Y-Y. My uber favorite body moisturizer this year. Plus it’s nice that proceeds go to charity.
• Milani’s Runway Wet/Dry eyeshadows that were direct competitors to the much pricier Vincent Longo releases. Milani can do no wrong lately. Highly pigmented shadows with long wear… and their new Mascara releases are absolutely stunning (and getting rave reviews so far!).
• Sinful Colors nail polish. I started picking these up at Walgreens for only $2.49! They are great for pedicures and offer a myriad of color options. Did I mention they are only $2.49?!?  I have a black, a silver, green, purple (trendy!), red, maroon, and about 6 others.
• The PedEgg. WOW! What a life changer. My feet are sandal ready in less than 5 minutes if need be. Best. Budget. Beauty. Gadget. Ever.
• Last but not least, Purely Cosmetic’s mineral makeup. I use the Pure Silk Mineral Foundation in California Blonde. I also love her Flat-Top foundation brush and cream-to-powder shadows. Purely Cosmetics is one of those jems of a brand that I can see rising to the top.

What are your favorites from 2008? Did you discover any new brands or items? New makeup or nail colors?

And here’s some extra-credit reading…

MakeupBag’s Best of 2008
Beauty and Fashion Tech’s Best of 2008
Makeup Makes Me Happy’s 2008 Best in Beauty Awards
Girl Gloss’ Best lip products of 2008
Temptalia’s 10 Amazing Products Reviewed in 2008
Daily Cookies Favorite Morsels of 2008
Beautiful Makeup Search votes the Clarisonic as best of 08
And lastly, here’s my list from 2007!

Stay tuned tomorrow for my “Worst of 2008″ list – and in the meantime, start thinking up your own Worst of list, so you’re ready to share!

Shower stalls have all sorts of shelves, hanging ability, nooks and crannies to stow body care goodies.
Shampoos, conditioners, body washes, soap bars… oh my!

Wanna peak in Bionic’s shower? Here’s my stash…

• Dove Cream Oil Body Wash (very moisturizing shower gel which I use in the winter to prevent dry skin. Get a free sample from Dove!)
• International Orange “Cleanse” body wash (yummy! my review)
• Body poufs for all over exfoliation
• Body brush for skin brushing and scrubbing my back
• Jojoba shampoo bar by Herbaria Soaps (Y’all know I seriously heart Herbaria. I use it for my body, face and occasionally my hair. I love the soft bubbles and that it’s all-natural, baby!)
• Y-Y Ocean: Exfoliating body scrub (this is an amazing body polish. I use it when I’m going to wear a dress, sleeveless shirt, or a swimsuit. Smooth skin instantly!)
• Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut shampoo and conditioner (great scent for a winter pick-me-up! Did you read my shampoo classified ad?)
  
• AG Hair Cosmetics Colour Savour shampoo and conditioner (it’s sulfate free & gentle so perfect for my colored hair. Read my previous review. )
• Davine’s Alchemic shampoo and conditioner for brown hair (nicely moisturizing and natural. It’s great to help make my color last longer! But be careful cause it’s packed in glass bottles…here’s my review.)
• ER Fusion reconstructing hair treatment by White Sands (I use this at least once a week for a deep conditioning treatment. It works fab!)
• Noxema face wash
• Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash cream cleanser
• Venus Vibrance razor in pink
• Skintimate Energizing Citrus shave cream

So hop on over to your shower with a note pad, jot down your findings and report back with what you’re using during shower time.

Herbaria Soap company is my all-time favorite handmade, all-natural soap company. I buy from them, I use them religiously, I shop their site for hours on end. For the long-term Bionic Beauties, you have heard me review Herbaria before. Well… BIG NEWS! Ken and LaRee (the owners & founders of Herbaria) have just announced the release of two special holiday-themed bars. Yummy!

Frankincense and Myrrh – An ancient and beloved scent, fruity, lemony, resinous and woody.

Silver Fir and Lavender – O Tannenbaum! A winning combo of Alpine forest fragrance and toning French green clay.

I get my mom’s and close relatives Herbaria gift sets. They don’t return them, the products are actually used and loved, and they get to think of me a little bit each day. I usually get the 4 bar giftsets, but you can also get 3 and 6 bar sets. Plus if you buy 6 bars (any combo), you’ll get 1 bar free. And trust me, these are LONG-LASTING natural soaps… and big bars (4.5 ounces)!

Most bars are $5.95 and all are available at HerbariaSoap.com.

My favorite hand-made soap company, Herbaria Soaps, has released some new products, Yippee!

First off, Lime Coconut Aloe soap. Yum. It’s like a tropical vacation in a bar. I loved mine, super soft on your skin, fun to shower with, and moisturizing. I really liked the lingering scent on my skin. Family members… take note… you’ll probably be getting this for the holidays. ($5.95 for a 4.5 oz bar…it’s quite large.)

Coffee soap. Now, I’m not normally a coffee-scent fan. Yeah, I drink coffee every morning before tackling the blog world, but I never thought to shower with it. As always, Herbaria has changed my mind. It’s a perfect bar for morning. I keep it by the sink to perk me up first thing in the AM. It’s even gentle enough for my super-sensitive facial skin. ($7.50 for 4.5 oz bar)

Ginger Neem bar. This one is particularly exciting. The soap contains ginger and neem oil. Neem oil has been buzzed about far and wide for it’s skin-healing properties. I was always tempted to try some, but Herbaria has saved me the trouble. I’ll just wash with this soap and be a very happy camper! ($5.95 for a 4.5 oz bar.)

Along with the new bars, Herbaria also released some new products which I haven’t tried yet. But I’m planning to order some for the holidays (I bound and determined to accomplish my shopping early this year. Even if I have to glue myself to the couch and computer…). Anyhow… the new products:

Ant Away: Safe, fragrant and effective mist to discourage ants from trespassing in your kitchen and bath. An 8 ounce spray bottle is $7.45 which seems like a great buy to me, especially since I live in ant-ridden Florida. The ants down here will invade in minutes and eat through a closed box of cereal. It’s crazy. This is a must for me.

Organic Cold Pressed Jojoba Oil: Nature’s best moisturizer absorbs quickly into your skin for a soft silky finish. The Jojoba Oil is available in Unscented, Patchouli, Lavender, and Coriander-May Chang. 8 ounce bottles are $19.95 and 4 ounce bottles are $11.95.

Lavender Almond Massage and Bath Oil: Almond oil absorbs slowly into your skin. It’s especially enjoyable for massage. Try a few drops in your bath water for relaxation. A 2 ounce bottle is $7.45, and the better buy is a 4 oz bottle for $9.95.

You can read my other mentions and reviews of Herbaria on Bionic Beauty. I really think you’d like these soaps. And every person I gift them to, absolutely flips. Really!

All images are the copyright of Herbaria Soaps and are used on Bionic Beauty with permission.

Wildly popular on Bionic Beauty, Herbaria Soaps, also offers a few other natural options besides their glorious soaps. One such product, Jojoba Healthy Hair is billed to “nourish hair and scalp”. I gave it a shot, as I’m always in search of a hair product to keep my hair damage-free (or at least as much as possible) while I swim, sun, blow-dry, straighten, and color.

The Jojoba Healthy Hair is a light herbal oil blend. You pump a few sprays into your palm, rub them together, and lightly spread through you hair. I used it on the ends of my hair before straightening and it made them glossy, kept the frizzies away, and left my hair easy to style. I also found another use when our neighborhood pool opened- rubbed it through my entire head and it seemed to keep the chlorine affects at bay.

The oil blend (see below) is perfect for dandruff sufferers, scalp massage, and assisting in reversing damaged hair.

Herbaria does not test on animals and is completely all-natural.

Be careful not to apply too much since it is an oil. The scent is wonderful… herbal, clean, and fresh. A 2 ounce bottle runs $9 at Herbaria’s website. This hair care product is certainly worth a try, especially with all the hair-hurt summer can bring.

Ingredients: Jojoba oil and essential oils of rosemary (said to help prevent premature hair loss), lavendar (relaxing), cedarwood, thyme and basil.

Suggested reading: Bionic’s review of Herbaria’s soaps.

Photo courtesy of and copyrighted by Herbaria Soaps.

Before hitting the sun, surf, or pool this summer don’t just apply SPF to your skin, be attentive to your hair’s special needs as well. Summer humidity, pool chemicals, ocean breezes and salt can take a major toll on your locks.

Here’s a list of my hints for summer haircare:

1. Slather on conditioner or a hair serum before entering the pool or ocean. By filling your hair’s cuticle with conditioner, less chemicals will seep in. This is particularly important for blondes. Serum will act as a barrier and assist your hair in sloughing off all the baddies. (Bionic’s recommendations: BioInfusion Hydrating Conditioning Balm, International Orange’s hair cream, or Herbaria’s Jojoba Healthy Hair).
2. Use a UV protectant spray prior to and during sun exposure. It’ll help prevent color fade- making your hair color, natural color and highlights stay bright and true. Pack your UV spray in your beach/pool bag and reapply whenever you add more sunblock to your body. (I recommend: pHormulate’s 3a Leave-in Treatment).
3. Leave-in Conditioners work exceptionally well to prevent wind tangles (when applied before) and help you gently comb out knots (when applied after). I don’t leave home without it. (Recommendation: Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Moisture Mist – it even works *great* on your skin!)
4. Embrace surf styled hair and texture. Summer should be laid back. Don’t worry so much about fly-aways and bends. Use a hair paste or wax to gently twist your hair into “ropes” (run your fingers through after 10 minutes to loosen the waves) or gather hair loosely into a pony tail or headband. Which brings us to number…
5. When using elastic bands to tie back your hair, avoid the ones with the metal clasps. The metal can catch and break fragile hair, and can even react with pool chemicals!
6. Save yourself pain later and apply sunblock to your hair part and ears. Trust me.
7. When all else fails, or for an impromptu outing, grab your ball cap and rock it. Guys love it.

What’s your pre-sun ritual for hair care?

To the Moms across the globe and world wide internet, “Happy Mother’s Day!”

My mom lives about 5 hours from us, so we don’t get to visit too much, but we talk a few times a week and email quite often.  My mom always shared beauty advice (some I would take, some I wouldn’t- just like every daughter, I assume) and she raised my sister and I to be strong, independent women. Even though I moved out right after high school, she does not treat me like I’m only 18. She respects me and my decisions and because of that, we go to each for advice and are happy to help each other out.  Through my younger years, she would get up hours before work to take care of all our pets (and we had TONS), make us breakfast, pack lunches, and then she’d head to the barn to feed my horse breakfast, turn him out and finally she would head to work. I’m not sure how she did everything. To this day, her parrots have a cleaner house than I do!   She certainly allowed me to get bit by the critter bug, and I would not be the person I am today without my Mom.

The picture above was taken during the summer of me being 16, just outside of Blairsville, Georgia. My parents would drive me 13 hours to the north Georgia mountains to spend the summer at Trackrock Campground. I would work at the stable all summer- guiding trail rides, teaching vacationers to ride horses and training my horse for barrel racing. My parents would make the drive a least once more during the summer to visit and again at the end to pick me up. Dedication.

Mom, I love you!

And now, onto the gifts…

I bought my mom, mother-in-law, and a close friend a Mother’s Day gift pack of Herbaria Soaps. I picked the varieties based on each personality. I’m also bringing 4 bars to another friend’s baby shower today. I figure if I am addicted to these soaps, I should share my obsession. So what did you ladies buy for Mom?