Rose Milk Bath

Rose Milk Bath

Valentine's day is just around the corner. The season for lovers, and everything romantic. I personally believe loving yourself is the best gift you can give yourself on Feb. 14 and for that matter everyday of the year.  It is no secret that I love rose, in my opinion roses are the closest reflection that we have on earth to the divine. For Valentine's day roses become the star, and here is my uber fabulous recipe to roll out the red carpet right to your bathtub. 

Cleopatra was doing something right, her beauty rituals included soaking in whole milks. Whole milk is rich in lactic acid, which is an "alpha hydroxy" acid which are known to help soften and beautify the skin. Valentine's day is all about pampering and feeling sexy. This bathing experience in guaranteed to make you so soft and irresistible that any other aphrodisiacs might not be necessary.

RECIPE:

2 cups Organic Whole Milk (Horizon)

2 cups Buttermilk (Freshest Local available)

1 tablespoon Jojoba Oil

1/2 cup Honey (preferably raw and local)

1/2 cup Epsom Salt

1/2 cup Sodium Bicarbonate

1 cup Fresh Rose Petals

5 drops Rose Oil (preferably Bulgarian)

5 drops Rose Geranium

Combine Milks, honey and jojoba oil in saucepan and "slowly" heat to dissolve honey. Do not heat to a boil. Then remove from heat and place in a glass jar. In a small mixing bowl mix together the epsom salt and sodium bicarbonate then drop in the essential oils.

Draw your bath water to your desired temperature and add the salt mixture then slowly pour the entire milk and honey mixture. Just before you get into the tub sprinkle the fresh rose petals to create that alluring atmosphere of luxury.  

Then all you have to do is step in and soak for at least 30 minutes. A few other hints to create the full romantic effect. Remember your favorite soft music, aromatherapy candles and in my opinion a bath is not complete without a bottle of Veuve Clicquot chilling on ice by your side. 

*Bathing partner optional

Have a beautiful day

David Parker

The Cosmetic Chef

Aromatherapy - Starring Fragrance

As the Cosmetic Chef my job is to always be on the lookout for interesting "natural" aromatic products.  I really love GOOD essential oil based perfumes. There are very few on the market that pass my olfactory test.  A little birdie told me about this new line of mostly organic and naturally based fragrance products. The new line is called Starring... The latest celebrity inspired personal care line by Ashley Peldon. 

Ashley started acting in her native New York when she three years old. She began with starring roles in multiple films opposite the likes of Diane Keaton, Bette Midler, and Goldie Hawn. At six, Ashley was the youngest child ever nominated for an Emmy Award. After moving to Los Angeles, CA, Ashley continued her busy career starring in popular television shows “The Mommies”, “The Pretender”, and “That 70’s Show”. She also kept her spare time full working on multiple films, like the cult classic “Drop Dead Fred”, alongside Winona Ryder in “The Crucible”, and with Scarlet Johansson in the Oscar nominated “Ghost World”.

The line looks promising, I look forward to experiencing the aroma blends. The products looks a little kitschy, but hey fragrance and beauty is supposed to be fun. The fragrances come in both a base of coconut oil and organic jojoba, or perfumers alcohol. I tend to go for the alcohol, if the alcohol is an organic grape it makes for a pure delivery system for the fragrance. With scents like "Femme Fatale" and "The Supermodel" using blends of amber, neroli and orange blossom. I look forward to experiencing the product and getting a more intimate point of view on the nuances of the aromatics. The products will be available in select Whole Foods and boutiques for more info please visit the site.

www.starringfragrances.com

Have a beautiful day

David Parker

The Cosmetic Chef

Celebrity Spotlight - Kristine Szabo Helie

Kristine Szabo Helie

I have had the pleasure to meet Kristine Szabo recently "Helie" on numerous occasions. Kristine visits WeCare regularly to keep up her amazing figure and luminous glowing complexion. Kristine is not a house hold name, but she has been a top model for almost twenty years. Once you see her familiar face, she has illuminated campaigns for Levi's, Swiss Army, Sephora and many, many more. 

Kristine is truly a natural beauty. She has to be one of the most effortlessly elegant and graceful woman I know. I love her sense of style and the way she carries herself.  Kristine told me, she recently got married to a great guy and is evident by her sense of inner peace. She divides her time between living in New York and on the beautiful island of St. John in the US Virgin Islands.

I spent some time with Kristine a few days ago at WeCare. She was just back from shooting a campaign for the launch of Swiss Army's new fashion collection. Kristine mentioned that she desires to wind down her modeling career because almost twenty years of non-stop travel is exhausting, but I hope she doesn't we all want to keep seeing her lovely face in the glossies!

Kristine sent me a wonderful quote about The Body Deli products, she has been a loyal fan for many years.

"I am more than happy to endorse your company in any way I can, as I truly believe in it.  Just this week using it again, my skin has become more radiant than ever.  Unfortunately in my business as a model, I am always introduced to one more new brand of skin care, but over and over again, when I return to use Body Deli, my skin "thanks me".   I think it's time I listen up and stop wasting time as a "Product Princess" ... don't ya think!"  (smile)

Thanks Kristine,

You are a beautiful person inside and out.

Have a Beautiful Day,

David Parker

The Cosmetic Chef.

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