While you are putting on your bright and sheer spring ensembles on, remember that even your skin needs a touch of something fresh to complement the change in season. Here’s our list of all the spring beauty trends that you have to own:

Beauty Balms- Chances are that you have already seen these in every beauty magazine which in turn has left you utterly confused. Truth be told, we don’t like to swap out our skincare routine for every new “it” thing that hits the market but if you are a tinted moisturizer or even a moisturizer kind of a girl (who isn’t?), this is one easy-step product with benefits multiplied by thousand. With moisturizing, skin enhancing, tone correcting and sun protection all combined in one, this can be take the place of numerous daywear beauty products depending on your skin needs. Prices average around $36 but definitely worth every penny you spend. BBs should definitely go into your list of spring must-haves just like bright orange nails.

Lighten your skin care routine- Most skin types call for heavier skincare products during the winter months but spring clean your beauty cabinet and replace with gel based cleansers, lotions and masks as the weather warms up. Look for hydrating and brightening masks to complement your spring skincare regime.

Exfoliate- It’s time to slough off all the winter dry skin so look for a good exfoliation routine. If you are a facial regular, consider going for one. Get your body prepped as well with a body wrap that can get your skin healthy and buffed as the leggings are peeled away.

Hair- After all the grimy weather, your hair is going to reflect more sunlight and to complement the weather get some highlights to add dimension to your crowning glory. Finally, the weather lets you air dry your hair occasionally and this is something you should do once a week to let the natural oils in your hair work the strands. Use some Zinn Moroccan Argan Oil is your hair to combat dry and frizz.

The simple rule of beauty is that clean skin is healthy and beautiful skin, but picking the right cleansing routine amidst the cacophony of washes, wipes, masks, scrubs, and exfoliators calling out for your attention can be daunting and confusing at the same time. A delicate balance needs to be striked between over drying and sapping your skin of natural oils and eliminating dirt and make-up agents that can lead to acne and inflammation. So we at Zinn decided to simplify your skin cleansing choices with our insights into what to look for in a cleansing routine.

We recommend a facial cleanser in the night to wash away the day’s dirt and grime, an exfoliating scrub every 3 days to dislodge the blackheads and dirt particles that seep under your skin, and a facial mask once a week to further clean, remove dead skin and improve your skin tone. I am a facial toner buff and count on it to wipe away residual dirt from my skin but many beauty experts feel otherwise. They say that if your cleanser is effective then you don’t need a toner so this is what I do… use a mild facial wash, then follow up with a toner and if specks of dirt shows up on the cotton pad then I feel that justifies its use. On the days when I wear make-up, I use a cleansing wipe or milk to get rid of the make-up first before the face wash. But the thumb-rule is not to apply everything together, which means leave out the toner if you have already used a make-up dissolving wipe. Every 2-3 days, switch the wash for the scrub, paying attention to problem-prone areas like the nose and the chin where you tend to collect blackheads or white heads and wash away with lukewarm water. Finally, top up your cleansing regime with a facemask suitable for your skin type, made from pantry essentials or natural ingredients that cater to your skincare needs.

To follow these simple skin-cleansing tips, choose a natural ingredient based product line that works well for you unless you are a make-it-at home beauty treatment buff. We have put together a list of 5 natural skin-cleansing ingredients that work miraculously on most skin types:

Seaweed: Found in a number of skincare lines, the ocean vegetable or seaweed has Vitamin A and C for holding together the skin’s collagen, and potent antioxidants with healing and rejuvenating properties. The phyto nutrients present also help increase blood flow at the surface of the skin, hence making it supple, smooth and radiant.

Argan Oil: Packed with antioxidants, vitamin E and essential fats omega 6 and 9, Argan oil based cleansers work wonders on dry skin and aging skin by preventing the loss of moisture while cleansing, softening and evening out your skin for a radiant glow.

Tea-tree oil: An effective antiseptic and fungicide, look out for this ingredient if you have sensitive and acne prone skin. It removes pore bacteria to prevent further out breaks and the deep cleansing properties repair your skin after pollutant and toxin exposure.

Green tea: Products that have green tea are gentle on your face but are capable of deep cleansing your pores and the high amounts of antioxidants fight skin damaging environmental pollutants and sun damage.

Aloe Vera: A combination of many different vitamins and minerals, aloe gel gets further into your skin than many other products for cleansing. The best part about aloe vera is that it is 96% water, which is the best natural hydrant for your skin.

Have you discovered a natural ingredient that you find irresistible for your skin? Share with us…

With her wedding nuptials just days away, you can almost feel the whole world waiting with baited breath, to see what their most beautiful celebutaunt will be wearing on her big day. Over the years , she’s most certainly given us plenty of gorgeous looks, but on this day, if we know Kim, she’ll find a way, to upstage even herself.

We at Zinn love Kim’s when she’s at her most natural. With her raven her tousled or pulled back, a softly lined eye, a hint of rouge on her cheeks, nude lips, and just a hint of falsies, she’s the epitome of a picture perfect bride.

Of course there’s the something blue, and so we’re throwing in SJP’s Manolo’s for a bit of nostalgia. As for something borrowed – well there’s a whole heap of sisters to lend a hand.

Whatever she wears, we know Kim, will look stunning on her big day.

To create a natural look a la Kim K for your self, be sure to number one take good care of your hair and skin. Great beauty starts with a great regime….organic argan oil products like our Zinn line are great for improving the condition of hair and skin, supplying them with the with vital vitamins and nutrients they need to shine, so you positively radiate from head to toe.

On the make-up tip, for Kim’s natural look, Kim’s make-up artist Troy Jensen uses soft metalics to highlight and shape Kim’s eyes, rosy beige blush by shisheido to contour her cheeks, and always a liquid liner for precession.To get more tips from her make-up guru, head over to his beauty blog

http://spoiledpretty.blogspot.com/2009/02/kim-kardashians-red-carpet-makeup.html

Wishing you looked like the flawless skinned model on a centre-fold? Even the most rational of us find ourselves guilty of this wishful thinking. Years of being exposed to glossy magazine covers and crafty marketing ploys has programmed us to believe that we could just airbrush our blemishes and wrinkles away, but everyone is seemingly waking up to the reality of ‘unreal’ beauty images that infiltrate our lives every single day.

We are not yet in an era of un-photoshoped beauty role models but it is worth observing the recent critique of heavily airbrushed celebrity images in advertisements. It is this conception of immaculate beauty that drives women to spend a fortune on their vanity every year…sometimes to the extent of offsetting a personal financial misfortune. The 30-billion-dollar-a-year cosmetic surgery industry in the United States is built on women’s insecurities and their devotion to these unrealistic beauty ideals. As much as we love to feast our eyes on flawless cover girls and skip over the fine print on the ‘digitally enhanced’ disclaimer, it is time to wake up to realistic conceptions of beauty and a media that buzzes with tangible beauty achievables.

We as a beauty brand are party to the beauty marketing bandwagon too but at Zinn we promote natural radiance that comes from pure and healthy treatment of your hair, skin and body…glow that emanates from sound and healthy treatment of the inner wells of beauty… and that philosophy is reflected in each creation of our all-natural and organic line. So let’s embrace au-natural beauty and say no to chasing photoshoped illusions!

Guess what dazzled everyone at the star-studded NYC Dance Alliance Foundation Bright Lights! Shining Stars! gala? It was our exotic Zinn Beauty line that made the red-carpet heavy weights and beauty pageant winners like Cassandra Seidenfeld Lyster, Robin Cofer, Adriane Lenox, Miss NY Kaitlin Monte, Lin-Mauel Miranda, AC Ciulla, Brenda Braxton, Deb Lyons et al, shine brighter totting off their gift bags. The celebs attending this night of song and dance honoring the legendary musician Roberta Flack, walked away impressed with their unique natural beauty giveaways from Zinn…and the buzz is that they can’t wait to shine with more Zinn beauty at their next event.

In the world of natural beauty, a bevy of foods are pitted against each other for the next most coveted “skin superfood” title. We decided to make you aware of the latest that rules the roost. So move over green tea and tomato, and make way for….

Oysters: Has oodles of zinc and maybe the best fix for your zapped zit. Zinc deficiency is linked to acne, rough and dry skin, and slow skin wound repair.

Swiss chard: rich in biotin and B-complex this green in essential for skin health and prevention of hair-loss.

Grapefruit: rich source of Vitamin C that promotes collagen production for skin renewal and firmness. Also has lycopene and bioflavonoids for overall skin health.

P.S. More about foods with proven results for gorgeous and glowing skin!

Take a hard look at your beauty cabinet. You may not know it, but chances are you have products that use harmful ingredients, increasing your exposure to possible toxins and parabens that can possibly lead to health problems down the road. Deodorants, soaps, toothpaste, face wash, lotion… The list of products you use daily that can carry harmful ingredients goes on and on.

Take toothpaste, for example. Some are filled with synthetic colors, fragrances, preservatives, and artificial sweeteners. Do you really want toothpaste that may clean your teeth but also delivers harsh ingredients, polluting your body?

Get educated about your natural options and live a cleaner, healthier lifestyle! We love natural grooming and beauty options that leave us naturally fresh and clean. Here’s how to revamp your daily grooming routine with natural products:

Toothpaste: Brighten your pearly whites with toothpaste free of harsh chemicals and preservatives, to limit your body’s exposure to chemicals. There are a number of natural toothpastes in the market today that replace synthetic chemicals like sodium laurel sulfate (SLS) with natural abrasives like calcium carbonate. What’s the plus side? No unnecessary side effects! Natural cleaning agents are less likely to irritate your gums and disrupt the natural order of moisture, acidity and other elements inside your mouth, which can lead to bad breath, cavities and gum infections.

Deodorant: Can a deodorant effectively work without aluminium compounds or chemical antiperspirants? Yes it can! Based on the traditional remedies of bicarbonate of soda, natural mineral salts, ammonia alum and similar compounds to eliminate odours, and natural herbs and fragrances such as rosemary, clove, sage, patchouli and lavendar, natural deodorants work just as well. These are a must have for the summers especially for those with weather and chemical related sensitivities.

Soaps: Beware of soap labels because unlike other skincare products, the FDA does not regulate soap labeling. Organic soaps are made from plant based natural hydrating ingredients like coconut milk and retain higher levels of glycerin making the soap more gentle and skin-friendly. One of the basic and most important advantages is that organically produced soaps do not contain chemicals that get absorbed into your bloodstream through your skin. Look for natural soaps that leave little residue.

Skincare: Enhance your skin’s natural radiance with products that do not unleash harmful chemicals on you. Most fragrances used in skincare products are known to be carcinogenic and mineral oils, once applied, prevent the skin from “breathing”, and alcohols dry out skin. Instead switch to natural products that leverage the hydrating properties of natural oils such as argan, jojoba, walnut and avocado. These natural oils will moisturize the skin and provide vitamins, which operate as antioxidants and eliminate those free radicals, which cause skin to age.

Beauty is defined as a unique quality in a person or thing that brings visual pleasure. Whatever supposed ‘flaws’ you think nature cursed upon you, can actually be your mark of beauty, so instead of trying to hide or disguise flaws, how about you flaunt them. The very feature you have been covering up for years is what makes you individualistic and sets you apart from being another cookie cutter barbie. After all would the sexy supermodel Lara Stone be as alluring without her natural gap? Giselle Bundchen as approachable without her freckles? Or SJP as relatable without her prominent nose. With 50% of men preferring a barer, less made- up you, ladies, it’s so time to drop those little insecurities, and embrace your natural beauty, with these few tips that turn your worst flaws into your best assets!

Flaw #1 Freckles can make you look young, sporty and sun-kissed in a very natural way. Gone are the days when every supermodel had porcelain fine skin; now all shades of beauty, and speckles of color like freckles, are totally in. Instead of hiding them behind layers of make-up, wear a little tinted moisturizer for sheer coverage and let your freckles show through. To get a little more cheeky with it, spotlight on your freckly cheeks with a bronzy highlighter.

Flaw#2 Curls are zany and uniquely you! Sexy and exotic, curls can give you that fresh off the island feel, so instead of sweating over ironing your hair everyday, celebrate your curls. Skip shampooing and ditch the blow dryer, and instead use a lightweight conditioner to play up your natural curls. Remember to use hair oil, like Zinn 100% Argan Miracle Oil, once in a while overnight before shampoo to keep locks shiny. Forgoing all that extra processing will also help your hair stay healthy, and grow…and long, healthy, natural hair is definitely an asset!

Flaw#3 Nose: Did you know that having a prominent nose is actually beneficial to your health? I know this may get a few lol’s, but its really true. People with bigger noises inhale fewer pollutants, thus filtering out bacteria and viruses. Aside from the health benefits, larger noises add balance, substance and depth to the face, making women who own them appear, more intellectual than their button nose counterparts. Bigger noses also add structure helping you pull of a variety of longer hair styles, fashion styles, and jewelry that women with more petite noses couldn’t particularly carry off. One trick to enhance the structure of a larger nose, is to contour it. To make nose appear longer and slimmer, simply shade the side of your nose with a powder 2 shades darker than your foundation, and highlight your bridge with a creamy highlighter.

Flaw#4: Full wow brows can make your peepers stand out so instead of turning them pencil thin accentuate what you got. While tweezing only pick out the stragglers that lie below and above your natural brow and for a night-out blend a little shimmery eye shadow under the brow to highlight them in all their glory.

Flaw#5: Grin wide and bare your imperfect pearlies… gaptooth, crooked, asymmetrical and all. After all a smile with a little personality is more likely to be remembered. But remember to keep your teeth white before you flash!

For more great tips on enhancing your natural beauty stay tuned to the Zinn Beauty Blog, and remember you’re beautiful just the way you are!

A good skincare routine doesn’t have to involve bells and whistles but what it does require is a good understanding of your skin type and its needs. So once you figure out which skin-type girl you are: oily, dry, combination, blemish or sensitive, the basics of beautiful skin is as easy as 1,2,3…

Rule#1 Cleansing: Clean skin is healthy skin and your cleanser needs to effectively lather away, dirt, make-up, pore clogging oil and free radicals without over-cleansing your skin which could trigger off an oil over-production. This is where your skin type is important, a creamier cleanser is for dry skin and a non-creamy one for oily skin. As part of your daily care routine, wash your face with cleanser in the night to strip away the day’s accumulations but you can skip it in the morning and just splash your face with water, taking care that the water is neither too hot or cold to damage your capillaries. And if your cleanser is working for you then you don’t really need a toner according to beauty experts.

Rule#2 Exfoliate: The most commonly skipped step but beauty experts swear by it. If you take the surface dead skin off with a gentle scrub at home everyday or get a microdermabrasion once a month, it gives your skin a more youthful glow by knocking the dead cells off and the better ones promise to boost collagen repair as well. While we don’t recommend spending a fortune on monthly chemical treatments, at least incorporate a basic exfoliation routine, even if is at home from your pantry essentials.

Rule#3 Moisturize: Who needs a moisturizer when your skin doesn’t feel dry? Wrong. You should always moisturize your skin to retain the natural oil equilibrium and prevent it from going into an oil overproduction mode. This is true even for oily skin. But for oily skin types opt for a lightweight formula and those with acne need specially formulated moisturizers. You might need to switch moisturizers between summer and winter depending on how the seasons play out on your skin. But remember to pay special attention to the areas around the eye that have delicate skin with little oil tissues.

Rule#4 Sun Protect: This one is a must to prevent premature skin aging, blemishes and spots caused by UV rays. Beauty experts rank this at the top of their skin care list. To ward off wrinkles later in life start using sunscreen early, even in winters and cloudy days. Make sure that you use at least products with SPF15 during the day and look for antioxidants in them that naturally fortify the skin against the harmful effects of the sun.

Every now and then, we get a little rebellious when it comes to our skin. You can’t be perfect all the time right? But what if those little bad habits become a part of your routine? Chances are, your skin will not be happy. That’s why we are opening the curtains and shedding light on our deepest, darkest bad habits. Plus, we give you tips on how to break those bad habits once and for all.

Skin mistake #1: Not washing your face before bed.
Yes, we know the importance of washing our face before bed but we can be lazy after a long day at work. The mere idea of dragging out bodies out of bed to wash our faces makes us moan. Instead, we wake up in the morning and are greeted with two more nasty blemishes. You can thank your leftover makeup (and laziness) for those new pimples. Leaving makeup on your face overnight results in clogged pores, which can easily become infected. To combat the end-of-day fatigue, make face-washing a part of your routine a couple of hours before you go to bed. Don’t wait until 11pm to wash your face. Do it the minute you get home and you won’t be tempted to “forget” this important habit. This way, you can fall into bed without one ounce of guilt.

Skin mistake #2: Forgetting to apply sunscreen for your day in the sun.
It might seem like a pain to sit down and apply sunscreen while the rest of your friends dive into the pool. But trust us: your skin ABSOLUTELY needs strong, powerful SPF protection from the sun’s harsh rays. Even if you believe your skin doesn’t burn, you don’t want to accelerate the aging process or increase your chance of skin cancer. The best thing you can do for your skin is to apply sunscreen before heading out to your beach day, that way it won’t slip your mind the minute your toes hit the sand. Use a sunscreen with at least 30 SPF protection, and reapply every two hours. Use at least one tablespoon serving of sunscreen for each part of your body, including face, neck, shoulders, etc.

Skin mistake #3: Not drinking enough water
When it comes to staying properly hydrated, you might ask, “Who has time to drink their body weigh in water?” But, drinking at least 84 ounces of water a day is crucial to keeping your skin healthy and glowing. The largest organ on your body, your skin needs to keep fueled in order to stay refreshed. Without proper hydration, your skin will start to age rapidly and scars won’t heal as fast as they could if they had enough water. If refilling your bottle slips your mind, think of ways to remind yourself to top off your bottle throughout the day. For instance, start keeping track of how many bottles you drink by marking them on a calendar or logging them into your iPhone with an app like Loseit. Bring your water bottle with you every time you get up to go to the bathroom and loop around to the kitchen before heading back to your desk.

Skin mistake #4: Not washing your cosmetic brushes
Every morning, you apply foundation or blush with your various brushes and throw them back in your makeup bag. You probably don’t notice it, but your cosmetic brushes are filled with dirt, dust, and bacteria. And when left uncleaned can transfer those disgusting items on to your face! Don’t panic though, there are brush cleansers out there that will get your brushes properly cleaned and ready for us. We like BareMinerals cleansers and Neutrogena’s Anti Residue formula, both of which are gentle and leave our brushes sparkling.

Skin mistake #5: Drinking too much alcohol
We have been known to partake in a couple glasses of wine at the end of a hectic workweek. It’s a relaxing way to let loose, right? Well, dermatologists wouldn’t agree and insist that everyone should keep the drinking to a minimum for the sake of our skin. Fredric Brandt, a dermatologist in New York City and Coral Gables, Florida says that alcohol “can hasten skin sagging over time” due to the inflammatory agents found in alcohol. To keep your skin as radiant and youthful as possible, try to keep your alcohol intake to one glass a day, at the minimum.