Valentines Day - Chocolate - Ooey, Gooey, Good

Valentine's Day is around the corner offering us all a perfect excuse to immerse ourselves in chocolate. Literally. Eat it, smell it, bathe in it. Ooey, gooey, chocolate. A decadent menu of luxurious chocolate skin care treatments are popping up in spas across the nation. Beauty experts claim the fatty cocoa butter hydrates and softens the skin, the cocoa bean husk acts as a gentle exfoliant to break down harmful free radicals, and the caffeine stimulates the circulatory system and firms the skin. Oh, and get this, . . . there is an anti-cellulite treatment using chocolate. Just sounds wrong, doesn't it?

Spas offer whipped cocoa baths (mmm), chocolate facials, body scrubs, massages, and pedicures. During your spa visit, chocolate treats are served alongside the treatments. Go ahead, indulge. Here are a few facts to ease your conscience. High quality chocolate has twice as many anti-oxidants as green tea and has more flavonoids (anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant) than any other anti-oxidant rich food, including wine or blueberries. Wow, who knew? And, (brace yourself), Vitamin A, B1, C, D, & E, Iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Phew! I mean, really, who cares whether it is one of the best kept beauty secrets around or not? Soon it will be Valentine's Day and complete euphoria is just a bonbon away. Now you can truly have your cake . . . and eat it too.

Babor Body Line Thermal Refining Cellulite Treatment

This light, fresh, cool emulsion (somewhere between a gel and a cream) provides some key actives in the battle against cellulite while facilitating their quick absorption into the skin. Caffeine is one of the key ingredients in this product, which triggers the elimination of fats and the break down of triglycerides in the fat cells to fatty acids so they can be can be discarded.

The plant extract, Centella Asiatica, helps to restructure dermal fibers that have constricted causing the tension and dimples in the skin. The constriction also causes a disruption in the circulation, the fat cells to cluster, fluid retention, and poor elimination. The ingredient Horse Chestnut is a great decongestant that promotes blood vessel health and the elimination of wastes, along with camphor to boost circulation. The algae used to promote the detoxification process also provides essential minerals to improve the health and functioning of the fat cells and the supporting structures. Peptides are incorporated to ensure cellular communication, hyaluronic acid for hydration, and even a little lactic acid (an AHA) to ensure the surface of the skin is exfoliating properly and has an even texture. This is definitely a product that will give you great results if used properly. Use it at least once a day for 6 to 8 weeks, and as with most things in life . . . patience is a virtue. It will be worth it.