Looking for the perfect gift for the fashionista in your life?  SmartTalk will bring the sensational Tim Gunn to Cincinnati on January 14th, and there’s no time like the present to get tickets…and save.  Shop SmartTalk’s Holiday sale for 20% off tickets – starting Tuesday November 18^th.    Simply use “SANTA” to get the discount.  Shop now and save big!

Cincinnati is gearing up for its 2012 season with some of the biggest names in show business.  Smart Talk Connected Conversations is bringing the above noted speakers to the Aronoff from January through May 2012.  What could be better than hearing fabulous celebs sharing their stories with you and then a personal meet and greet photo opportunity?  How about discounted tickets?!  Simply use the code SB2012 when purchasing tickets to receive your tickets at VIP pricing.  Join us January through May for the hottest ticket in Cincinnati.

  Blake Lively always gets it right when it comes to fab hairstyles!  Steal this look from Blake in a matter of minutes.  It’s actually a very simple hairstyle.   This style works well with long hair.  Here’s how it works:  Flat iron hair straight.  Next, part hair on the side and create a very low, slick and sleek, ponytail.  If need be, use hair straightening product to slick down your bangs.  Your low ponytail should hit the nape of the neck.  Next, create a bun by simply twisting hair around itself and securing it at the nape of the neck.  Secure with another ponytail holder.  Next, pull pieces from the bun to create a messy look.  Pull a few long pieces to depth.  Use bobby pins to secure pieces in place.  Flat iron the tiny pieces of hair from the bun to make them pop.  It’s super simple and a great fix if you are having a bad hair day.  Once you get the hang of it, it will take you less than five minutes to achieve this look.  This hairstyle looks great with a gorgeous dress….or even in jeans or Juicy Couture’s.  Try it!

Sweetest Day is October 15th this year.  Plan ahead and make it a night to remember.  Supernatural Botanicals has everything you need to get your skin looking, feeling and smelling its best!  Shop now: www.SupernaturalBotanicals.com

Mabel Williams, Maybelline namesake

Maybelline is the gold standard in mascara; in fact, they were the original creators of mascara.  Here’s the skinny on how mascara was developed.  Tom Lyle Wiliams would watch his sister, Mabel, with fascination as she performed what she called the “secret of the harem”, mixing petroleum jelly with coal dust and ash from burnt cork and applying it to her lashes and brows.  Mabel’s simple beauty trick ignited Tom Lyle’s imagination and he started what would one day become a billion dollar business.  He named it Maybelline, which is a combination of Mabel + Vaseline.  Brilliant invention!

 Supernatural Botanicals is a proud sponsor of SmartTalk Connected Conversation.  SmartTalk will bring their sensational lineup of interesting, successful and dynamic women to Cincinnati again in January.  Stay tuned for the release of their 2012 lineup on their website at SmartTalk.

A big thank you to EcoBold for not only supporting eco-minded people and businesses, but for also featuring Supernatural Botanicals today.  The following article is courtsey of EcoBold.  Visit their site to learn more about the great work they are doing…then let it inspire you!

The founder of Supernatural Botanicals, Robin Feltner has a chemistry background and she just knows what ingredients should or shouldn’t be inside skincare products. This line is completely paraben-free and phthalate-free. Learn more with the interview below:

Tell us a little bit about the background and story of Supernatural Botanicals.
Supernatural Botanicals is an eco-chic bath & body company specializing in skincare that follows Green practices and principals, and formulates its products with intent and purpose.

At the inception of Supernatural Botanicals, we knew we wanted to create a company that knows its demographic. Growing increasingly disappointed with mainstream bath & body stores catering to teenagers, Supernatural Botanicals wanted to target the grown sexy woman demographic. We also wanted to focus on being Green and creating products that not only feel and smell amazing, but products that are highly beneficial for the skin.

We created products formulated without Parabens or Phthalates. Green products come from natural and organic ingredients, and that’s exactly how we formulate our products…with intent and purpose, and as natural as we can. After literally hundreds and hundreds of prototypes, we formulated perfection, bringing to you natural products that smell as incredible as they perform.

What did you want to be when you were a kid? 
I’ve always had “entrepreneur” in my genetic makeup. I was selling homemade cards to neighborhood ladies at the age of 4. I wanted to grow up and have a double major as a fashion designer and interior designer. That dream never materialized. In hindsight, I wish I would have had a mentor to help me prepare, telling me which art and business classes I should have taken.

What’s wrong with standard skincare products and why do you think such ingredients are allowed? 
I believe lack of quality ingredients poses a huge threat. Not only has quality fallen by the wayside, but we also should be concerned with the toxins in the products we are using every day. Many common ingredients have been proven by scientists to be harmful, yet manufacturers continue to use them because they are inexpensive, thus allowing for more profit.

How did you choose your ingredients and what to put in each product? 
Extensive research! Having a chemistry/pharmacy background, I’m always extremely cognizant about using quality, natural ingredients.

What’s the biggest lesson you learned while starting Supernatural Botanicals? 
I’ve literally learned a wealth of knowledge in forming my company. I’ve learned that customers sincerely do appreciate companies that are going the extra effort to keep them healthy. I, too, have learned how many mainstream companies use cheap fillers in order to make profits. 

If you could choose just one of your products, which one would it be? 
Extremely hard to narrow that down as I love all of the products. I do favor our Beach Body Spray. Not only does it smell absolutely amazing and I get numerous compliments on it every time I wear it, but it’s a multitasker. It works great in your hair, giving your hair extra volume and beautiful scent. I even use it as a linen spray on my bed sheets. It’s also our best seller.

Describe a typical day in your life.
I’m an early riser. I tend to get a tremendous amount accomplished in the early hours. I work on the business end of the business from 5-8…networking, emails, following up on orders, PR, social media, etc. From 8-6 I’m in our workshop, formulating skincare products and filling orders. The day flies by, and I’m always hungry for more hours at the end of the day. In the past, it would be very common to find me in my workshop until as late as 11 p.m. I’ve luckily learned time management, and the importance of accomplishing that task.

What’s one thing we could do to have an awesome skin, naturally? 
Check your labels. Use products that do not contain parabens. Don’t be fooled by companies that splash the name of an all natural ingredient, only to flip the label over and realize that they natural product they are promoting only has trace elements within it, and is filled with other harmful fillers. 

If there is one thing/thought/idea that you could pass on to the next generation, what would it be? 
One huge concern I have for our next generation is the condition of our planet. Global warming and eco concerns will certainly be a problem in which they inherit. My hope is that we can educate the masses enough to get everyone on board with being green and eco-responsible. 

What’s your # 1 green tip? 
Recycling is an easy way to start being green. Every human being on the planet creates waste. There’s absolutely no reason we shouldn’t be more responsible for the garbage we create. This is also something that even children can learn and be a part of. If we start them early, it will become second-nature to them.

In a sentence….This Voda Swim bikini is the most amazing bikini I’ve ever had!  Not only is it the best fitting bikini, but it’s also the most stylish bikini.  The gorgeous bikini to the left, the Midnight Envy, is the one I have, and I rank it five stars across the board.

Voda’s ingenious Envy Push Up technology bikini tops gives instant lift and serious cleavage.  It can also make you look 1-2 cup sizes bigger as well.  You feel the difference immediately.  Gone are the days of two triangle pieces of fabric with stings attached.  This is serious technology right in your bikini top.  It’s detailed with beautiful Turquoise stones in both the top and bottoms, which gives it a rich, high-end look.

The bikini bottoms are made to fit, as if tailored for your body.  They adhere to your body like a glove.  The beautiful detailing makes it perfect to go from the pool, straight out to lunch with a cute wrap or cover up.

There’s no doubt, you’ll have the hottest bikini at the beach this summer with your Voda Swim bikini.  Check out their entire line here. I already have my eye on my next bikini, the Coral Envy Push Up Hoop Halter and Scoop. Ridiculously sexy!

Our Farmers Market Collection of soaps are always in demand in the summertime.  Raspberry-Lemonade has a sweet and tart combination that just screams summer.  Our Sun-Ripened Strawberry soap smells exactly like a fresh, sweet, just-picked strawberry from the vine.   Savannah peach has a true juicy-peach scent and is wildly popular.  Your mind instantly goes to Savannah.   Yuzu is our citrus soap, bursting with grapefruit and orange scents.  Perfect for summer.  Crisp and sweet.  Our big 6 ounce bars feel great in the hand, and are beautiful for gift giving.  Made with all natural ingredients, our soaps are perfect for the face and body.  After you’ve washed your face with an amazingly scented soap, you’ll never go back to ordinary cleansers.  They wake you up, and the scent stays with you.  Fantastic!  Visit our entire Farmers Market Collection.  Sensational!

The dreaded bridesmaid’s dress doesn’t have to be the dreaded bridesmaid dress anymore.  Brides are taking more chances now, doing what works for them and their likes, and moreover, their budgets.  If you are a good girlfriend to your friends, chances are, you have a closet full of disgarded southern belle dresses from their weddings.  But now that brides are adding their own unique twist, and realizing that no one likes the southern bell dress, and not even your BFF really wants to wear it. 

If you are getting married, you are strongly encouraged to (A) Be unique!  (B) Give your wedding your own personal flare of bling.  Let your freak flag fly, sister.  and (C)  Avoid the dreaded traditional bridesmaid dress at all cost. 

This is how a few beautiful brides injected a flare of their own personalities at their weddings.