Celebrity Spotlight - Goldie Hawn

Goldie Hawn

One of my favorite celebs dropped by The Body Deli yesterday. Goldie is indeed golden. She has been a long time customer of ours. It is always so refreshing when she pops in.  All I can say is that her personality is exactly what you would expect from her onscreen persona. She is witty, bubbly and loves to laugh.  Goldie really is at the top of my favorite celeb list because she is so real, genuine and enthusiastic.

Goldie lives part-time in Palm Desert. When she is in town she loves to shop and play golf.  Goldie loves beauty products and essential oils she goes crazy for anything with pure bulgarian rose oil, vanilla or sandalwood. Some of the products that she scooped up were The Body Del's Tahitian Vanilla Lotion, Creme de la Rose, Blueberry Scrub, Sea Cucumber Gelee and Firming Flax eye cream.  

We all enjoyed Goldie's surprise visit, on her mad rush out she quickly grabbed a Cucumber Facial Mist and said I am off to play golf and I am going to mist my face on the course to keep hydrated.

You go Girl!

Have a beautiful day

David Parker

The Cosmetic Chef

Fitness - Hot Yoga

www.bikramyoga.com

Here it is folks, are you looking for beauty in all the wrong places? I am sorry to say slathering all the cream in the world will not give you the hot body that you crave. There is no quick fixes, miracle pills or super slimming potions, getting the hottest body on the block is going to take a lot of hard work and sweat. I do mean sweat, have you heard of Bikram Yoga...Bikram is a systematic series of hatha yoga posses consisting of 26 asanas. They were developed by world renowned yogi, Bikram Choudhury (hence the name) and mainly taught through The Yoga College of India in Los Angeles.

Bikram is an intense series of yoga postures done at a brisk pace in a heated room. The room usually is around 105 degrees. You guested it this 90 minute series of contortions makes you sweat like you never have before. This is core sweat the kind that detoxes your inner organs. I love it, it really works.

I started doing Bikram at the beginning of the year, at a great studio in Palm Springs by a very animated and good humored yogi Ranjeeta. She pushes you to your limits, but is gentle enough on beginners to make you want to come back. I have heard other Bikram teachers compared to Nazi generals. Absolutely no mercy, no matter if you are a beginner or not. I don't like that, hey to all of you Bikram instructors out there, take a break, breathe, not everyone can touch the floor with their palms the very first visit.

Overall Bikram works. It gets to be addictive and feels so good when you are finished. I have never ever seen any other practice put so many glowing complexions on svelte tight bodies in my life. Yoga is a path to self-awareness, it helps center your thoughts and quiet the mind. Plus if it tightens my ass I ain't complaining. Bikram has exploded you will find a studio in your neck of the woods, just google Birkram and your location and I am sure you will find one in your area. Here are some of the benefits to establishing a consistent Bikram Yoga practice:

• Works every organ, gland, nerve, tendon, ligament and muscle

• Expands your capacity to breathe deeply and fully

• Prevents injury and may precent or improve chronic illness

• Fabulous body toning effects

• Weight loss

• Improvement in body posture

• Improve healing and regenerative powers of the body

• Improvement in lymphatic system

• Improvement in immune function

• Improvement in metabolism/digestion

• Improvement in heart and lung function

• Helps cultivate a sense of well-being and a more peaceful mind

Basically it will improve your whole life, and what can be more beautiful than that.

Have a Beautiful Day

David Parker

The Cosmetic Chef

Go Green - The SpitFire Agency

www.spitfireagency.com

My career has exposed me to some of the best and brightest people working on important issues all over the world. As the Cosmetic Chef it is my job to find beauty in all it's forms. One of the reasons for creating this blog is to highlight those people that are making life a little more beautiful for all of us.

Sarah Haynes rocks!  She is owner/founder of the SpitFire Agency located in Mill Valley in Marin County California. Her agency is dedicated to marketing and producing events that are socially or environmentally relevant. Sarah is one of my first choices to highlight in my Go Green posts, she in my opinion is one of the greenest gals of them all. Sarah is one of the very few people I have witnessed actually take PRO-ACTION in executing green (environmental conservation) principals in large size events, especially in the music arena.

Sarah is an ex-music executive who was a VP for Sony.  Her client list reads like a who's who in the world of entertainment: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Allanis Morrisette, Foo Fighters, Linkin Park, Madonna, Bonnie Raitt, Indigo Girls, Joan Baez, Alicia Silverstone, Woody Harrelson, Bianca Jagger and the list goes on and on. 

Sarah has helped me create a HUGE environmental project I have been working on which I will share with you all a little later, now I will take the opportunity to gush about how awesome Sarah's work really is.  Did you know that Sarah's agency was the first to green a 10,000+ Rock Concert, and then a 75,000+ concert her work is setting an example of being able to party with a purpose, reduce consumption and save our natural resources. Her first "green" concert was  On April 20 2003, The Spitfire Agency produced the first annual ‘We the Planet’ festival for Circle of Life (Julia Butterfly Hill's foundation) More than 10,000 people gathered in Golden Gate Park to see Alanis Morissette, Cake, Bonnie Raitt, De La Soul, Tracy Chapman, Concrete Blonde, the Coup, Flea, Andy Dick, Woody Harrelson and many others support Circle of Life’s vision of sustainability.

And then in August, eco-centric billionaire Sir Richard Branson hired Sarah's The Spitfire agency and Daryl Hannah to green the Virgin Festival at Pimlico Park in Balitmore Maryland. Following up the continental extravaganza of Live Earth, The Virgin Festival actually did more than just have a party, their theme was "GREEN IT LIKE YOU MEAN IT" - With headliners such as the Beastie Boys, The Police, Smashing Pumpkins, Amy Winehouse, Wu-Tang Clan and Crystal Method.  

Daryl and Sarah implemented  BYOB, bring your own bottle, no not a bottle of Jack Daniels in a paper bag, but an empty bottle which could be refilled at the many filtered water stations provided by Virgin.  Plus all food waste was composted by local farms, food vendors used biodegradable utensils made from corn polymers, tree-free means all the paper products were 100% recycled including the toilet paper.  Energy consumption was curbed by use of bio-diesel generators and solar power for the multi-stage electrical systems. It was a smashing success, again Sarah proved you can party, have a great time and reduce the impact to our planet.  

Sarah is also a huge Burner.  She has been involved with Burning Man since the beginning. Sarah is definitely a spitfire she does what she says and says what she does.  Her simple motto for going Green is just leave no trace behind. Leave it the way you found it. It is super duper cool to have Sarah as a friend and I feel a little better at night knowing there are people out there really DOING something to ensure a cleaner and healthier planet for our future generations. Rock on Sarah!  

Have a Beautiful Day

David Parker

The Cosmetic Chef

Celebrity Spotlight - Petra Nemcova

www.petranemcova.org

I had the pleasure of having a private meeting with Petra Nemcova recently. WOW! She Rocks. I have the deepest respect for the woman. Ever since I heard about her harrowing experience in the Tsunami of 2004, may we take a moment and reflect on the tremendous loss of life that effected the planet. I must say she truly is an inspiration. Her ability to take such a devastating experience and totally turn it around and empower herself to do good is definitely setting a great example to everyone. She started the Happy Hearts Fund which is doing great work for children all over the world.

We met at a fabulous estate above the Chateau Marmot in the Hollywood Hills, and enjoyed conversation on various stimulating topics. I gave her a very special Body Deli gift bag filled with our best. Radiance Enzyme Peel, Blueberry Scrub, Creme de la Rose, Vital-C Serum, Tahitian Vanilla Body Scrub and my favorite Sea Cucumber Gelee. She was very excited and I got a call a couple of weeks later requesting two more bags for her best gal pals!

Recently Petra had a great reality TV show on TLC called A MODEL LIFE. It was a short season, but very good. I enjoyed her perspective on the professional modeling world. Petra's sincere desire to help the young models embrace their inner beauty as well. Petra certainly is a MODEL citizen.

Have a Beautiful Day

David Parker

The Cosmetic Chef

Aromatherapy - Spa Blend

My interest in natural skincare really began with my interest in aromatherapy.  I think I was in my early twenties when I was introduced to high quality essential oils.  Imagine being raised on Jergens and Suave and thinking hey this is what lotion is supposed to smell like. It was during that phase in my life when I went on raw foods and began to really awaken and become more sensitive to what was going into my body. 

That is when I started to search more natural options. In one of the raw food "support" groups in San Francisco that I attended the in house foodie guru was totally into these oils from Young Living.  I never really ever saw the need for those little bottles filled with mysterious odoriferous substances before, but I tell you what coming off a 10 day juice fast boy did those little bottles rock my world!  I thought I went to nirvana, the first time I inhaled pure Bulgarian Rose Oil, it went straight to my crown chakra or maybe it was my base chakra who is counting, but hot damn it made me feel real good all over. 

Then my new obsession began, I spent all my extra money on those darn oils.  It was like crack, remember this was pre-Pinkberry or any other addictive berry for that matter, we had dingleberries but those were not that fun.  Then a whole new world opened to me of herbs, extracts, exotic oils and from then on I only wanted the highest quality pure essential oils on or near my body.  Young Living were great oils to work with, they served me very well in my apprenticeship phase.  Young Living would make you believe that anything else was inferior, but I soon started thinking for myself and found that even better quality oils were out there to be discovered.  

Formulating new blends was my thing, and then naturally wanting to create massage oils, then body scrubs, then lotion then facial creams followed.  So my advice to any newbie to the world of essential oils is to start with the basics like: Lavender, Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Lemon and Sage.  These are really versatile and easy to work with. Remember when creating a blend it needs to mature like a fine wine for at least one week before the real aroma sets. Lavender is the perennial favorite it should be in every medicine cabinet.  It can be used for minor burns, sunburns, headaches and many more simple maladies.  My all time favorite most versatile oil is Peppermint, I LOVE Peppermint.  It is so fresh, clean and uplifting. I use it all the time.  My favorite thing to do is to put 4-5 drops in my laundry water. My clothes come out smelling so fresh and clean. I always use the most natural and un-scented launder detergent I can find.

My most requested aromatic blend from my clients is a blend that captures the essence of a spa. Think herbal scented sheets, wafting Eucalyptus steam, calming Lavender and grounding Sage. Here is a great simple recipe to make your own oil blend that you can use as a moisturizing after shower body oil, bath oil and just a great blend to diffuse in your home.

In a good quality neutral carrier oil such as Jojoba Oil blend together:

     •   6 ounces Jojoba Oil

     • 10 drops Lavender Oil

     •  3 drops Sage Oil

     •  3 drops Eucalyptus Oil

     •  2 drops Lemon Oil

     •  2 drops Peppermint Oil

Shake bottle well and let stand for a week, then you will have quite a treat that you made yourself.  If you want a more intense blend just increase the drops by a few.  The Body Deli offers fantastic oils, we have searched far and wide for the best. Nothing can beat the aroma of pure therapeutic grade essential oils.  We do not sell our oils on our website so if you are interested you can call our store and speak to a knowledgeable "real" person.  760-340-3731.  

Have fun with your aromatherapy quest.  There are lots of great oils out there, trying different companies oils is a good place to start. Everyone is different, so each person's olfactory receptors respond to different oils. That is half the fun, it is like a treasure hunt for the senses.

Have a Beautiful Day.

David Parker

The Cosmetic Chef

      

Fresh Food for the Skin - Yogurt Radiance Masque.

When it comes to making beauty treatments at home in my opinion one of the most useful and beneficial readily available ingredients is yogurt.  Yogurt offers a wealth of benefits to the skin, the fat in the milk is so nourishing. Make sure you always use whole milk yogurt when using as a topical beauty treatment. The whey in the yogurt is also full of lactic acid which is anti-aging and hydrating.  I have a dear friend that uses this recipe everyday and she has just turned Sixty!  She does not look a day older than 45 at the most. For best results this needs to become a beauty habit. Once or twice will not do much expect soften the skin. This treatment is for regular use, at lease 2-3 times weekly more if you have the inclination or the time.

• 1 cup of Organic Whole Milk Yogurt (I like Stoneyhill Farms)

• 1 Tablespoon of Raw Honey

• 1 Tablespoon of Bee Pollen

• 1 Tablespoon of Flax Seed Oil (the refrigerated kind)

Mix all together until it becomes a beautiful creamy yellow color. Then apply lavishly all over face, neck and decollete.  Allow to sit for at least 20 minutes, for best results mist face regularly with mineral water such as Evian. Or if you absolutely do not have the time you can also use The Body Deli's Peaches and Cream Masque a little different but every bit as good with the benefits of fresh peaches and added acidophilus cultures. 

Then rinse with warm water and apply moisturizer.  I guarantee that if you do this at least 3 times a week for a month you will see a major improvement in texture, firmness and be on you way to getting that coveted dewy glow. 

Place remaining product in an airtight container and refrigerate. Good for at least 3 facials.

Have a Beautiful Day

David Parker

The Cosmetic Chef

Celebrity Spotlight - Agyness Deyn

My latest Celebrity encounter was a few weeks ago. I arrived at my class at WeCare Spa and had a slow turnout. I was watching the clock for more people to arrive. I was just about to leave, when this fresh faced young girl sat down at the table. She was so cute, her very soft English accent was charming. We starting talking and began to have a very pleasant conversation, no one else came to the class that week so I had some time to spend with the young women from Manchester, England.

I asked the young women her name, she replied my name is Agness. Then Agness told me she was a new model recently discovered and was taking a little R&R from her busy schedule. I really did not take much notice, I never heard of a Model named Agness so I figured she was just another aspiring newbie. I was more interested in her angelic glow, and witty personality. I got to know her a bit, showed her all of Body Deli's fresh products and she was very excited.

To my shock a couple of weeks later my company got a call from the Beauty Editor from the Tatler in England. She was very excited and said that Agyness Deyn was raving to her about our Blueberry Scrub, I was like Agyness who! (spelled with a y) Then I did a little googling and I was like...Holy Fluff she is huge. The next great supermodel is emerging gracing the covers of British Vogue and strutting for such brands as Armani, Burberry, Versace, Michael Kors etc. So off we sent our Blueberry Scrub to England and in the January Issue of the Tatler our Blueberry Scrub will be featured.

Thanks Agyness it was fun getting to know you a bit. Brilliant just Brilliant...Cheerio!

Have a Beautiful Day

David Parker

The Cosmetic Chef

Natural Remedies - Odor Buster

I get asked all the  time from serious naturalists about deodorant. With all the nasty chemicals in commercial "underarm" protection products it is no wonder people need alternatives. Again since the skin is the largest organ of the body and absorbs 60-70% and especially since the underarm area is so close to the lymph glands it is important to go au natural. 

But unfortunately odor is a problem and must be dealt with.  There are a couple of choices - an over the counter solution is the mineral stick style deodorants, they offer good protection but an easy kitchen remedy is simply taking a fresh sliced lemon and rubbing it on the underarm area.  Please refrain from freshly shaved skin, could cause a nasty "bite" but other than that it works beautifully. 

Go GREEN!  Does not require packaging, can grow the product easily in your backyard and fights odor all day long.  The citric acid in the lemon suppresses the bacteria that causes underarm odor.  

Have a Beautiful Day

David Parker

The Cosmetic Chef

Spa Focus - WeCare Spa

www.wecarespa.com

I love spas!!! Who doesn't right.  As the Cosmetic Chef I have traveled around the countryside investigating the best destinations for total body rejuvenation.  There are many awesome spas out there that can offer buffing, polishing, scrubbing, masking etc... But I must say if you are looking for more than just a feel good excursion take the time to check out WeCare Spa.  WeCare is located in Desert Hot Springs, California. I have had the pleasure of giving a weekly class in holistic skincare at WeCare for the past five years. WeCare spa exclusively uses Body Deli products in their treatments and retail.  WeCare is a must for anyone that wants to take their GLOW to the next level.  

WeCare is a fasting program that consists of a liquid diet, detoxing supplements, and internal cleansing via colon hydrotherapy.  This spa has purpose, it's not for the faint of heart don't expect to get lavished in 5 star amenities, it's somewhat rustic, but very comfortable.  WeCare, however does offer life changing benefits, if you need a health kick start, or to just fine tune your body WeCare is the perfect destination. (a great way to start your Radical Rejuvenation Program) 

I have seen dramatic transformations in people.  By the end of their seven day stay they look healthier, brighter and have that renewed sparkle in their eyes.  WeCare was started by Susana Belen over 20 years ago.  It's now run by Susana and her lovely daughter Susan.  I have met incredible people there from all over the world. I have had numerous celebrities attend my skincare class.  Such as: Alicia Silverstone, Liv Tyler, Avril Lavigne, Minnie Driver, Daryl Hannah, Courtney Love (interesting) and many more. 

I highly recommend going to WeCare.  The main program is one week, but you can stay longer if you wish.  If you are serious about looking and feeling great take the journey to Desert Hot Springs and surprise all your friends with your taught body, and glowing complexion.

Have a Beautiful Day

David Parker

The Cosmetic Chef

Radical Rejuvenation - Is Aging Necessary? VOL 1.

This is my first installment in my Radical Rejuvenation series. I get asked all the time what can I do to slow down the aging process. Since most of my clients are of the baby boomer generation it comes up alot!  Yes I most certainly believe the aging process can be slowed way down. In our instant fix culture, mostly the first person that most people turn to is their plastic surgeon.  I DON'T ENDORSE surgery until you exhaust all options first.  Surgery is useful yes, and I may go there someday if I must, but not until I put up a darn good fight. Radical Rejuvenation is a philosophy and program that I have been developing over the years of proven techniques that I have personally witnessed made a dramatic difference in the effects of aging. Since my background is nutrition, I really believe in the benefits of nutritional therapy.  

Radical Rejuvenation is not for the masses, it takes a fair amount of discipline and dedication.  There are no quick fixes, the only thing that works is consistent determination. Ask yourself these questions - are you tired of flabby appendages, dull skin, low sex-drive, lifeless thinning hair, zero-energy, and a host of other totally useless results of getting older.  Believe me I know you are, I hear your pain and the good news it can stop and baby you can get your grove back!  

If you are ready to make a big change let us get started so we can have a party in just a few short months to celebrate the new you.  

This Program will consist of the Radical Rejuvenation (The Juicy Body Method):

• Diet

• Supplements/Tonics

• Skin Care Treatments

MAKING YOUR CELLS TURN YOUNGER

I will start giving you the tools necessary to implement the Radical Rejuvenation program. Follow this series and by the end of the year you will be well on your way to new you!

First Step - Diet.

You are what you eat.  What a concept.  Most people go through life munching their way to flabby asses, sagging skin and lifeless complexions.  We take a gradual path to going on the R&R diet.  We will begin to reduce our consumption of refined sugars, flour, dairy, and bad meats (non-organic farm raised).  We will begin to shift to a majority of a raw living food diet based on fresh organic vegetables, certain fruits, sprouts, raw juices and super-foods. As we get started please begin to limit your intake of devitalizing foods as we begin the transition to life giving nutrition.  Recipes and diet instructions will be provided in an ongoing basis.

Second Step - Supplements.

Supercharge your body.  As we age and our cells get less and less of the nutrients we need to rebuild our cells, we need jet fuel to get the party started!  I love the supplements portion of the program it just makes sense that we all need a little help from our friends.  Yes our friends are found in the form of amino acids, tonic herbs, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, fatty acids and the list goes on and on.  I will focus on directing you to the best of the best.  I have seen almost every pill and vitamin on the market and no ladies and gentleman they are not created equal.  It has taken me many, many moons to put together my all star list of the good stuff.  

Third Step - Skin Care.  

My all time favorite part of the program.  There is just something about slathering nourishing concoctions all over the body that just gets me well, juicy.  The aromas from the essential oils, the decadent texture of the natural butters, the suppleness of hydrated skin.  Yes this part of the program is fun, and I will show you how you can actually make most of your treatments at home, or if you are too busy you can purchase them already made at The Body Deli, shipped to your doorstep fresh on ice.  This is all about feeding the skin. Since the skin is the largest organ of the body, it's just as important what we feed our skin as how we approach our diet.  This section will be filled with recipes on how to deliver the freshest, and most vital nutrition right into your skin.  Yes my dear fellow beauty devotees it does work. There is no one miracle wrinkle cream, but together synergistically when it all comes together it's a symphony. The human body's natural ability to rejuvenate kicks in and that's when the magic begins to happen.  

Next... We will dive deeper into the pool of knowledge and emerge wiser, happier and younger.  

Have a Beautiful Day

David Parker

The Cosmetic Chef

The Body Deli - Get the Glow!

This is The Body Deli, the company that I have created with my partner, fellow "Cosmetic Chef" Margaret Skarin.  Our mission was to create the first "fresh deli" style retail personal care destination.  We have had alot of fun building the company, making friends with our devoted customers, Thanks to you all!! and most importantly creating fabulous gourmet products in our Cosmetic Kitchen. This is my video that I made on my new macbook pro in imovie. Enjoy...

 

Have a Beautiful Day

David Parker

The Cosmetic Chef