Even though it doesn’t seem much like spring here in MN, these are some great ways to rejuvenate, renew and refresh yourself just in time for spring:

1) Tub time - drink a cup of tea while soaking in a hot bath with your favorite fragrant bath soak.
2) Take a mini vacation in your head - visualize yourself on a warm, sandy beach soaking up the sun as you hear the waves crashing. (Sensory trick: smell Gathered From The Garden's Raspberry Lemonade Lotion while you visualize!)
3) Make Some Daily Personal Time - take some time each day just for yourself, even if it's just 15-20 minutes. Meditate, sit quietly or say affirmations. Just 20 minutes will energize you and help you maintain a better frame of mind.
4) Express gratitude - remind yourself of all the things you're thankful for: your family, friends, your home, and your work. Remember to say "thank you" to those who help you.
5) Perform small acts of kindness - Performing acts of kindness will help you to feel better about yourself too!
6) Remember to laugh - laughter can be great medicine. Watch a funny movie, make plans with your funniest friends, or just laugh out loud at nothing!
7) Breathe deeply - after an especially stressful situation, take a few minutes to breathe deeply. Inhale and count to five and then exhale slowly. As you exhale imagine all your tension leaving your body.
8) Permission to be you - Take a break from the image that you have of yourself and the image that you project. Just let yourself be whoever you feel like being in the moment. Give yourself permission to be you!
9) Eat a healthy lunch - instead of making do with eating fast food, eat something simple, healthy, colorful, fun, and exotic or with wild flavors and textures. Enjoy!
10) Host a gathering with girl friends - we saved the best way to renew yourself for last. How about getting together and doing facials?

My favorites are getting together with friends to laugh and visualizing myself on the beach! I think the hardest is finding the "alone" time we all need but probably the most important. Make it a goal to try at least two of these this week.

Eight Ways to Protect Your Immune System

If you have been following the recent news you’ve heard that a virus outbreak caused officials to shut down access to Mexico City and there are reports of the virus spreading to areas in California. Time for us to take care of our immune systems.

What is your immune system?
Your immune system is like an invisible shield that protects you from invading bacteria and viruses.The immune system consists of a finely orchestrated, complex collection of tissues and cells that protect your body from allergens, bacteria, viruses, and other potentially harmful organisms, collectively known as antigens. Skin and the membranes that line entrances to the body -- nasal passages, eyes, and respiratory and digestive tracts -- are the first line of defense, providing a physical barrier against invaders. Internally, specialized white blood cells fight antigens that make it past the skin.

What can you do to protect your immune system? Here are some tips for self care at home and work.

1. Eat five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables per day. To maximize the variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, try to consume two different colors of vegetables and fruits with each meal. Cover two-thirds of your plate with vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and beans, and one-third with lean protein.
2. Increase your physical activity
3. Protect yourself and your family's immune systems by drinking pure clean water with fresh lemon juice.
4. Wash, wash, wash your hands.
5. Get plenty of rest.
6. Dry brush your skin and increase your physical activity. This will help move the lymphatic circulation.
7. Diffuse essential oils in your environment.
8. Acupuncture can be very powerful in supporting the immune system.

While the news reports might seem far removed from our lives since we don’t live in Mexico, it’s still a good thing to get in the habit of taking care of our immune systems. These eight steps should help you on your way to continued good health.

Stop and Smell the...Fingernail Polish?

Anne-Marie over at the Soap Queen Blog (http://www.soap-queen.blogspot.com/) gave us a heads up about Revlon's new scented nail polish. (http://www.revlon.com)/ It comes in fruity fragrances. I had not heard of this before. After doing a little digging I found that Sephora (http://www.sephora.com/) also has scented nail polishes--made mostly for young girls. They have a Scented Glitter Nail Polish that has a candy-like scent.

At first I thought the idea sounded pretty cool. Being in the bath and body business I love fragrance. But then I started thinking about having that fruity fragrance on my nails and smelling it all day. Would it clash with my favorite perfume? How long does the fragrance last? Is it a real or artificial fruit fragrance?

Revlon's polish is just out this April. Since I haven't tried it, I can't give it a rating. Have any of you tried it? What do you think of having fragrance on your nails?

6 Easy Beauty Boosters

You have probably thought about goals for nearly every part of your life-- but have you worked up a plan to boost your health and beauty regimens? This list of beauty boosters will help you get on the fast track to bliss both inside and out.

1. Invest in a quality hairbrush

Did you know that a cheap hairbrush could literally tear your hair out? Even the most healthy scalp loses a minimum of thirty hairs a day, so ensure that your hair will stay where it belongs -- on your head -- with a quality brush designed for your hair type. Boar and nylon are the most commonly used bristles in hairbrushes. Natural boar bristles are good for long, normal, fine and damaged hair; while the nylon variety tend to be better for short, coarse or heavily-damaged hair. Look for brushes with widely-spaced rows of bristles, as they glide through the hair more easily. Another hint: Buy yourself a wooden comb. Choose one with widely spaced teeth. It will stimulate scalp circulation while eliminating static.

2. Moisturize your skin every day

Your skin, the largest organ of your entire body, needs special care and attention. Especially in the winter months, skin loses moisture and can easily become dry and flaky.

3.Get enough sleep

Not getting the right quantity -- or quality -- of ZZZs can affect your appearance. Dark circles under your eyes will appear, and other annoying skin issues can flare up and broadcast to the world that you aren't sleeping well. As if that wasn't enough, without enough rest, your cells don't have a chance to repair themselves, which will make your skin look dull and dry, and age more quickly than it otherwise would.

4. Scrub your way to soft feet

Taking time out for salon pedicures is not always in the budget, time or money wise, so agree to take matters into your own hands... or, in this case, your own feet. Purchase a foot file (it is a bit like a giant nail file) and scrub any areas of your feet with dry or rough skin once or twice a week. It's best to use the file after a bath or shower -- or in the shower when your feet are wet -- because warm water softens the skin.

5.Make time for you, because you're worth it

Never forget that the most important person in your world is you. Make time to rest, relax and rejuvenate your mind, body and soul. Promise that once a month you'll plan a special treat, all for you. It might be dinner with a friend, a massage, a visit to a museum -- what ever works for you. Remember that "me time" is the fuel that keeps you going in this hectic world. You have a lot to do and lots to be thankful for. When you make yourself a priority in your own life, you and everyone around you will reap the benefits.

6. Perfecting your posture

Good posture benefits you from head to toe. With good posture you will have a flatter and stronger stomach--in fact, without proper posture you can never achieve the flattest stomach and smallest waist possible. Good posture will make for a more respect-producing, confident, competent, vigorous, youthful appearance.

This is a short list of easy things to do to boost your beauty. Have you got others we can add to the list?

(By the way, my sweet indulgence would be to have fresh flowers in my house all the time. So once a month I treat myself to some-but not usually roses,although they are one of my favorites...)

Do It Yourself Hair

In the past couple of weeks I 've had my hair styled twice by professionals. It always looks so easy but when I get home my style never looks quite as good. So here's help for you and me... Do It Yourself Hair Videos.

Carrie Paul is a salon owner and founder of the Do It Yourself Hair 101 DVD series. She has taken her experience and shortcuts taught in educational settings and put them into DVD's. This one will teach you how to use a round brush to add volume and style. If you'd like a preview of the DVD go to hairintuitions.com. For more info on Carrie,her background and her DVD go to http://www.skincareblog.net/

Step Into Spring!

The snow is finally melting here in Minnesota, the birds are singing and it feels like time to step into spring! I'm ready to get outside walking and I know many people anxious to start their running program outside. A very important first step is to find the right kind of shoes for your activities.

Here are some tips for finding shoes that fit.

*But the right size according to how they feel on your feet. Don't go only by the size on the shoe. Sizes can vary.

*Match shoes to the shape of your foot.

*Use the wiggle test to make sure you can move your toes freely but not so loose that your feet slide around.

*Buy shoes at the end of the day. The longer you are on your feet the more they swell.

*Wear your socks or orthodics to try on shoes.

*Make sure the widest part of your foot fits comfortably in the widest part of the shoe when you are standing.

*Most shoes won't stretch so don't buy them tight thinking they will stretch.

*Put both shoes on and walk around a bit to make sure they fit and feel good before you buy them.

*If you are a regular runner or walker be sure to get shoes specific for these activities. Usually a sports store specializing in running/walking clothes or shoes will have someone knowledgable to help you purchase the right shoe.

These tips will help to ensure a proper fit. Taking the time to be sure you have the right shoes will be worth the time and money. (You won't get far in shoes that hurt or cause injury.) Now if it would only be this easy to get Mother Nature to cooperate!