H&M To Launch Bath & Body Line!

H&M, the international fashion retailer known for offering fashion-forward apparel and quality basics, just announced its first ever range of skincare with certified organic ingredients.

Debuting in stores at the beginning of March, the range of everyday essentials includes shower gel, body scrub, body lotion, hand cream and lip balm, all of which are based on natural and organic ingredients and are certified by Ecocert (Europe's biggest certification body for organic and natural cosmetics). The products are available in the fragrance combinations of raspberry and melon or lavender and mint, and are accompanied by make-up and toiletry bags made from organic cotton.

"It felt like a natural step, since we've worked with organic cotton garments for a few seasons now. There's also a strong demand from our customers for organics, and I hope they will be as excited as I am about the new products," says Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M's head of design.

Shower gel contains the juice of organic apples, while organic apple juice and apricot seeds are key ingredients in the body scrub. Organic apple juice and oils from sunflower seeds make up an essential part of the body lotion, while the hand cream has organic apple juice and oils from organic almond seeds. The lip balm has the key organic ingredients of jojoba and beeswax, and all of the products are scented with natural perfumes derived from essential oils, sold in recyclable packaging.

Prices range from $4.95 to $7.95:

Shower Gel $4.95

Body Lotion $4.95

Body Scrub $4.95

Hand Cream $4.95

Lip Balm $4.95

Toiletry Bag $7.95

Makeup Bag $4.95

You Are Now Cleared For Boarding

I’ve always secretly envied those chic women who don’t check bags. While I’m trudging through the airport, dragging luggage that’s bursting at the seams, these low-maintenance ladies breezily float past me, clutching the cutest carryons.

I always find myself marveling at how they manage to fit all of their beauty essentials in such a small bag. And with the current TSA regulations, where are they finding all of their personal care products in three-ounce-or-less sizes?

Well, I think I’ve found the answer to this conundrum – and hit the motherload at the same time. Grab a pen, ladies, and take copious notes. Minimus.biz is the secret to packing light. They offer several hundred travel-size items in stock. Their inventory list continues to grow, with the help of customers' input - and their products are out of this world (some have even gone up to the International Space Station)!

Spoiled Pretty Tip: Minimus has a blog where they post about their products, coupon codes, and stories/photos submitted from customers.

Leaving On A Jet Plane

Tomorrow, I’m off to visit my in-laws in my husband’s hometown of Spokane, Washington. As I type this, my luggage is bursting at the seams (I am a repeat offender of over-packing). But while I may not always pack light, I always pack smart.

In the Summer of 2003, while preparing for a backpacking trip across Europe, I discovered a product that has served me well in my travels ever since.

The Nalgene Travel Bottle Kit is an assortment of 8 bottles that is perfect for packing and organizing shampoo, lotions, vitamins and other travel essentials. With the Nalgene Travel Bottle Kit, you don’t have to waste money on trial sizes of toiletries. And you don’t have to worry about the inevitable leaks and spills that often accompany packing full-sized containers of beauty basics – because Nalgene bottles are guaranteed leakproof and break-resistant.

The bottles’ color-coded caps allow for easy identification, and all contents of the kit are dishwasher safe…so you can use them again and again. In 4 years, the Nalgene bottles have never failed me.

So where is my trusty travel bottle kit now? It’s in the bag.