Winners Of The eos Giveaway

Congrats to Diana Antal, TaMyra Harris, Angie Patel, Joanne Willey and Kellie Wilson - winners of the eos giveaway. These ladies have won two bottles of Ultra Moisturizing Shave Cream...one in Raspberry Pomegranate (my personal fave) and another in Vanilla Bliss.

Many thanks to eos for sponsoring this contest. And stay tuned for the next giveaway!

eos Shave Cream Giveaway

Why is it that the hair on my head takes foreva eva to grow, yet my legs have a five o'clock shadow seconds after I've emerged from the shower?

I'm not going to trip and pretend that shaving my stems is one of my favorite pastimes; a necessary evil is what it is. But I've found a pretty fantabulous product that makes this chore much less of a bore. And I'm so enamored that I want to share it with all of my friends.

This week, Spoiled Pretty is partnering with eos for a giveaway. Five readers will win eos Ultra Moisturizing Shave Cream!

This cream is so intensely hydrating, you can shave wet or dry, and it leaves skin soft and smooth throughout the day. The non-foaming cream is enriched with natural aloe, oat, and shea butter - which soothes while boosting skin's moisture level. Antioxidant Vitamins E & C help skin look radiantly healthy. And it comes in an ergonomic, soft-touch recyclable bottle that looks super cute in your shower, but won't leave a rust ring on your tub!

Winners will receive two bottles of eos Ultra Moisturizing Shave Cream...one in Raspberry Pomegranate (my personal fave) and Vanilla Bliss (you know your girl can't resist a little vanilla sugah).

To enter the giveaway, send an email to fotohotcewekcontests@gmail.com. Be sure to include your full name and mailing address. The subject line should read "eos Shave Cream Giveaway." The contest ends at midnight (EST) on Sunday, July 12th. Five winners will be chosen at random from among the entrants. On Monday, July 13th, I'll announce the winners' names. Please, only one entry per person; duplicate entries will not increase your chances of winning. Contest is open to U.S. residents.

Good luck!

Recessionista's Fabuless Pick of the Week: eos Lip Balm Smooth Spheres

If the thought of sticking your bacteria-laden fingers in a pot of lip balm/gloss doesn’t appeal to you, I have an excellent (and economical) solution.

New Lip Balm Smooth Spheres from eos have this cool, ergonomic packaging that bridges the gap between high-end lip balms and chapsticks. And the USDA certified organic formula is enriched with hydrating ingredients (Vitamin A, shea butter, and jojoba oil). Available in three delish flavors (Summer Fruit is my fave…and it’s pink, natch), these balms will only set you back a couple of bucks.

I love 'em. Chuck Bass loves 'em. You (and your wallet) are gonna love 'em too!

Lip Balm Smooth Spheres are now available at evolutionofsmooth, drugstore.com and will soon be available at Walgreens (July), Rite Aid (July), SpaceNK (August) and Duane Reed (August).

Bumpy Ride: A Long Journey To Rid My Legs Of Hair Bumps

Since I hit puberty, I've been cursed with hair bumps on my legs. Because the hair on my legs is coarse and grows in a curly pattern, sometimes as the hair grows out, it curls back under the skin into the same follicle. And because the hair is trapped under the skin, even after I shave, I still have many unsightly ingrown hairs.

The condition isn't physically painful, like razor bumps; but it is emotionally painful, as I've spent many years hiding this condition beneath long skirts and pants - even during the dog days of summer.

For half of my life, I've had a serious case of leg envy. Every time I see a woman with silky smooth gams, I selfishly hope that she silently suffers from stretch marks, bacne or some other embarrassing ailment that isn't apparently obvious. It just isn't fair!

I've tried a million and one products and techniques to solve the problem...and while I've yet to discover a panacea, I have found a temporary solution.

To keep hair bumps to a minimum, here are my shaving suggestions:

1) Don't start shaving as soon as you get into the shower/bath; allow the steam and warm water to soften the skin and hair.

2) Next, exfoliate (like all get out) with a scrub that won't irritate skin. Right now, I'm enamored with LaLicious Coconut Cream Sugar Soufflé Scrub, an all-natural sugar scrub made with coconut oil that absorbs quickly and easily into skin, leaving it moisturized and protected without feeling greasy. Pure cane sugar crystals buff away dead skin cells while sweet almond and vitamin-e oils condition, moisturize, and smooth you to perfection. And it smells amazing; if heaven has a tropical all-inclusive resort, this is probably what it smells like. By exfoliating, you will release the ingrown hairs that are trapped beneath the skin.

3) Slather your legs with an ultra-hydrating shave cream; I'm a fan of eos Shave Cream, which is so moisturizing, you can shave wet or dry (though I recommend wet). Then shave with a new or relatively new razor; the sharper, the better. Gillette's Venus Embrace razor takes shaving to a whole new level of smoothness with 5 blades that deliver a dramatically close shave.

4) Finally, when you emerge from the bath/shower, don't towel off completely. While your legs are still a smidge wet, slather on lotion or body butter. Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Lotion is an excellent choice because it heals, softens, and tones - plus an 8.5 oz bottle costs less than $5!

Even if you don't have issues with ingrown hairs (I hate you...just kidding...okay, not really), you can benefit from my bumpy journey to smooth stems. The above routine is highly recommended for achieving your closest shave ever.