On the Quest for Beauty: Body Lotions that will lift your spirits

This blog is dedicated to my husband who sees my imperfections and doesn't mention them.

I love trying new beauty products. Place me in a Sephora or Ulta store and I feel I am in paradise. For hours I can pleasantly entertain myself looking at the plethora of different shampoos, facial washes, makeup and perfumes, envisioning myself as a size 0 with glowing clear skin, no split ends, and being stopped by every man in America asking “What’s that scent you are wearing? (Ok, maybe not EVERY man)

One of my downfalls , as my mother will readily tell you, is that I am a sucker for cool packaging and intriguing ingredients. That inclination has resulted in trying hundreds of different products over the years – good and bad. Some products I have used ever since I was in college and I would rather exit the house with no makeup and hairy arm pits then see my fav end up on the proverbial chopping block. Others I have readily discarded vowing never again to be duped by flowery ingredients which deliver zero results.

Because of my “beauty product love”, I probably have more knowledge roaming around in my head than Wikipedia. So I decided to start this blog to share my adventures with you on the quest for beauty, giving my recommendations and warnings so your money can be well spent. The subject matter may be a tad vain, but ultimately every woman has an innate desire to look and feel her best and there is nothing wrong with that. Happy reading, and if you don’t come for my daily blabberings at least drop by for my contest giveaways that I hope to do every other month.

I always like to smell good, but during the hot summer months (when the temps can reach 110 degrees) I want to smell especially refreshed. Living in Arizona where it's dry, I also need a body lotion that hydrates for the day. I have tried many different body lotions over the years, but here are 3 of my favorites:

100% Pure Body Lotion (Vanilla Bean): 100% Pure is a line of vegan products which are 90% organic and have no synthetic chemicals, chemical preservatives, artificial fragrances, artificial colors, harsh detergents or any other unhealthy toxins. I discovered this product line when trying the body lotion at an Ulta Counter. Ironically, some of the scents I don't care for, but the Vanilla Bean scent is absolutely divine. It's probably one of the most purest smells of vanilla bean I have encountered in a long time. Ingredients include: Organic White Tea, Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Tahitian Vanilla Absolute, Organic Green Coffee, and Japanese Honeysuckle Extract. Goes on thick and smells-oh so delicious. (and vanilla is known to curb hunger cravings) If vanilla is not your thing, you can check out their other scents at 100% Pure's website.

C.O. Bigelow Lemon Body Cream: The ultimate scent for summer, this body cream goes on super light and has a wonderful refreshing scent. Also great when you are in desperate need of some hydration. Ingredients include: lemon extracts (super charged with vitamin C), ultra-moisturizing shea butter and replenishing kukui nut oil. A great way to feel clean and fresh during the hot summer. To buy, visit your local Bath and Body Works store or visit their website at: http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/

Origins Ginger Souffle™ Whipped body cream: There is something about Ginger that just lifts my spirits and shoos away any lethargy. This souffle by Origins does the trick. Not only does this body cream have Ginger but it also contains Olive Oil, Grape Seed Oil, Rice Bran Oil and Apricot Kernal Oil to make the skin soft. Crisp scents of Lemon, Lime and Bergamot keep skin and spirits refreshed, revived and revitalized. Visit your local Origins store to experience.