iRene kim beauty: Go to Hawaii~ At home!

ALOHA

Hello. Affection. Love. Peace. Compassion. Mercy. Goodbye.

"A vacation is like love- Anticipated with pleasure, Experienced with Discomfort, and Remembered with Nostalgia"

It is 30 degrees in NYC!!! That is 50 degrees less than what I would like it to be. I am really good at getting what I want... but alas, I cannot control the weather (although sometimes when I sing "Rain Rain Go Away", it DOES work!)

One thing I CAN do is to slather myself up in different products that remind me of being in Hawaii! I brought these products to Ko Alina (where they filmed "Blue Crush") years ago. It was one of the most amazing trips I've ever been on:
* Morning Yoga on grass overlooking the ocean
* Reading magazines on the beach (while Crystal was in the office working... hee hee.. Sorry Girl! I enjoyed it for the both of us)
* Swimming under a full moon
* Eating some of the most awesome food at Sidewalk Cafe
* Driving around with rainbows everywhere...
When I smell these products, I am instantly transported back to the wonderful week I was in Hawaii. It really is paradise.

You may not have been to Hawaii, but using these products can help you pretend that you're not in the blistering windy, cold, rainy streets of NY/NJ.

Organix Coconut Milk Conditioner- I have been using this conditioner for years. I honestly don't know how great it is at moisturizing (my hair is really frizzy when I don't have a Japanese Straightening/Magic Perm), but you can't beat the smell and the price. It's also organic and free of parabens. For $7, you can be transported to the tropics. I never even used to be a big fan of coconut, but I was converted through this product. Smell it and fall in love

Body Shop Coconut Body Butter- My lovely friend Vivian(ne) gave me my first jar back in college... and it lasted me forever and I brought it with me everywhere I went. It is very moisturizing and smells fantastic. Love it!

True Blue Spa: Tahiti Sweetie and So Aglow- This an amazing smelling line from Bath and Body Works. The smell really transports you to a sunny place far far away (take your pick). They both contain Monoi Oil, which is a very hydrating oil that's an "Island Secret". Tahiti Sweetie is very moisturizing and goes on very easily. So Aglow is a spray-on shimmery oil that gives you beautiful gold shimmer~ It can be used on the body, but I also like to use a dab on the cheeks. It obviously looks better when you have a tan, but it will give you some color when it's the middle of winter. The lotion is great for everyday, the spray is good for going out.

True Blue Spa Shade To Order- This is a Select-a-Shade Self Tanning Body Lotion. You can use it solely as a moisturizer (but why do that?) at Level 7, and it goes to the darkest Rich Color at Level 1 (This is my level! Go Big or Go Home!). I used this during the summer since my face was always lighter than my body (I hope you're using SPF!!!). The best part about this self-tanner is that it doesn't have that weird smell most other products do. It actually smells kind of tropical and is very moisturizing.

Josie Maran Bronzing Argan Oil- This best-selling oil gives a beautiful glow to the skin. You can use it on your body to give you great, natural looking color while giving you super soft skin. I prefer to use this on the cheeks and lightly on the forehead, but you can put it all over. A little goes a long way, and you'll be amazed at how well the color builds with each little drop. You'll have an amazingly gorgeous glow.

Bobbi Brown Beach- I was actually going to keep this as my little secret, but if you're spending the time to read this (Really... Is ANYONE reading my blog or are people just telling me they've read it?!? ), then you deserve to know about all my fabulous discoveries. I LOVE this scent. It REALLY reminds me of summer and the beach... I can't exactly put my finger on what it is.... my closest guess is that it smells like Hawaiian Tropic Sunblock.. but I'm not too sure. Either way, I purchased the Perfume and the Oil. I use the perfume more because I can just spray and go, but the oil is also a good alternative or addition (although I hate that the bottle is not very user-friendly).

Slather yourself in these products, make yourself a Malibu Bay Breeze (My Old Drink of Choice) and blast these summery songs: