When I think of Australia, the associations that come to mind are a country of 18th century British outcasts and its contagious surfer mentality (and maybe a less-than version of ANTM), but certainly not high quality beauty products (don’t even think about inserting Nad’s here). But lo and behold, Australia is the original home to my newest organic beauty purchase, Nvey makeup — flawless coverage that moisturizes but never gets oily, and a handful of ingredients you can actually pronounce. The current American line is a bit limited, but for reliable basics it’s No. 1 on my list.

Love yourself. That’s the message in gold script on the lavender interior of the Tocca Bagno da Viaggio bath and body gift set. And it’s an easy directive to follow with the luxurious products inside. Lather up with Bagno Profumato foaming bath gel, its natural cleansing agents (olive oil, calendula flower extracts, and honey) gently wash and hydrate your skin. Craving more moisture? The crema da corpo nourishing all over body cream feels clean and absorbs fast to nourish with sweet almond oil, oat kernel extract, honey and shea butter. And of course, enjoy it all with a Tocca classic - a travel size Candelina. Our favorite scent? Stella. Not just because of its possible namesake and its celebrity fans (Sarah Jessica Parker, Sarah Wynter, Marla Sokolof) but because of the slightly sweet blood orange scent. Think more vanilla-tinged citrus reminiscent of pineapple, not lemony citrus. At $40 I think this is a great introduction into Tocca beauty products, or a lovely way to experience a scent you’ve never tried.

Hopefully Eva’s March post about Juice Beauty sparked your interest, but if you’re still looking for proof..

When it comes to beauty products, I’m a creature of habit and dedicated routine, but lately I’ve decided to transition my mountain of cosmetic containers into more eco-friendly, organic variations. And in the process, I stumbled upon Juice Beauty, an organic, all-natural juice-based line of skin care products that I couldn’t be more pleased with:

- Don’t worry, it doesn’t SMELL as fruity-tooty as you’d think.
- Never worry about getting soap in your eyes again.. and of course, the many benefits of going organic.
- Unlike other organic skin care products (read: CARE by Stella McCartney) Juice Beauty is actually affordable — great packaging too!
- This. Stuff. Works. My skin tends to be dry, sensitive and breaks out easily, but not even Clinique can compare to how soft and clear my skin is now.

Try it out for yourself!

Side Note: The Green Apple Peel really is this company’s gem.

Okay, so you’ve got your nights figured out, but what are you going to do all day Saturday? Recover from the night before, do some laundry, and watch an America’s Next Top Model marathon? Or learn to D.J., take your t-shirt from cast-off to on-trend, and design your own jewerly? Check out C.O. Bigelow and GenArt’s blog party on Greenwich Avenue between Christopher and 10th Street from 2 to 5 p.m. this Saturday. In addition to all the cool eats and activities, there’s family stuff and prizes all to benefit the Children’s Museum of the Arts. Go ahead, become the new MisShapes and help shape children’s lives at the same time.

Listen up, ladies. There’s no need to pay more for great skin care products. Your ticket to a more youthful complexion awaits you on the shelves at your neighborhood Target. Boots, top UK health and beauty retailer, has made its way overseas, and penny-pinching Target freaks everywhere (myself included) could not be more pleased to have its affordable, quality products readily available here in the US.

The first of two products from the No7 line I tried was the Restore and Renew Beauty Serum, famously sold out all over Britian for its radiance-restoring properies. No wonder they like it! It glides on smoothly, and leaves skin feeling supple and soft. It’s the perfect makeup primer, and it didn’t freak out my sensitive skin. And with the promise that my complexion will look renewed in just four weeks, I’ll gladly slick it on day and night to watch for the results. At just $19.99, what is not to love?

Second on the list was the Intensive Moisture Face Mask. I decided to try this product during what was a rigorous test of willpower in pursuit of health, and a lighter me: A liquids only fast. Nothing looked better than this dreamy, creamy whipped topping of a moisturizer, and denied the sensory experience of eating, slathering the lofty gel/cream on my skin was just as good as dessert - and it made me look betterafterwards, instead of wider. Worn as a mask, it did wonders. It softened up my face and left my skin positively dewy. Dewy! So nice, I started wearing smaller portions of it to bed every night as a PM moisturizer, over the Restore and Renew Serum, and I’m loving the results. I’m willing to bet you will too.