Wedding favors for a radiant life

Most brides probably prefer to leave work behind on their big day, but some LATHER brides actually incorporated work into their wedding!

Stephanie gave away our Rose Tangerine Lavender Soap as her party gift. She says, "Lots of guests always ask me about this... even years later! My family now requests this for holiday/birthday gifts."

Soap worthy of a centerpiece!

Amber shared the LATHER love, as well. "I had gifted Candle Samplers to my bridesmaids, who kept their favorites to take home, and burned all the others around the reception party."

Kari really took her work on the road... and in the air, and to the beach for her St. Maarten wedding. "We included LATHER's Ultra Mild Face Wash in the welcome bags that we gave wedding guests at check-in. Hotels don't usually offer face wash as part of the standard room set-up, so I wanted to make sure everyone was equipped with a good cleanser, especially for a weekend in the Caribbean (think sunscreen, aloe, makeup, etc. all layered on)."

Cucumber & Ginseng Facial Mist was offered at the entrance to Kari's cocktail hour. "After the sunset ceremony on the beach, we weren't sure how hot it was going to be, so this product was the perfect refresher."

Spritz and refresh!

And of course, Kari's guests left with AHA Hand Creme and Lavender & Eucalyptus Foot Creme, to soften dry skin and soothe tired soles.

We say, "I do" to soft and smooth skin!

We hear these favors all generated a positive reception.

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Our favorite summer travel kits

Summer travel, had me a blast
Summer travel, the weekends go so fast
Skin suffers away from routine
But suitcase space is tight, know what I mean?!

That's how the Grease lyrics go, right?

With Memorial Day nearly here, we've rounded up our best jet-friendly travel kits to keep skin in shape this summer.

Fly Away Kit

Carry on great skin and hair care with shampoo, creme rinse, body wash, moisturizer, and more in our most popular formulations. 

About Face Kits

Your facial care routine shouldn't take a vacation just because you are! Available for dry, oily, and combination skin types, these sets contain face wash, toner, scrub, moisturizer, mask, and more so you don't have to scrimp on summer skin care.

Sun Essentials

These beach-bag must-haves include our Daily Defense Facial Sunscreen, Lip Protector with SPF, cooling Cucumber Ginseng Facial Mist, and soothing Coconut Creme Body Lotion. 

Where are you headed this summer? What LATHER product can you not leave home without?

Bridal beauty from heel to toe

We've offered bridal beauty tips for the face and hair as well as arms and shoulders. Now, let's focus on the feet. From wedding waltzes in new shoes to exposing toes in strappy sandals, our brides took these steps to ensure they and their guests stayed footloose and fancy-free:

Amber shared, "The Eucalyptus Foaming Foot Scrub was my Mom's pre-sandal-wearing miracle maker. She still talks about about how soft she felt using that in preparation." This clean-rinsing, foaming scrub is comprised of natural granulated pumice to exfoliate, plus pure essential oils of eucalyptus, lemon and lavender to stimulate circulation and refresh tired, achy feet.

Hand & Feet favors, and something blue, to boot!

Stephanie said, "We took dancing lessons and I wore my new (wedding) shoes during class. I remember my feet aching pretty bad, and the Eucalyptus Foot Scrub and Lavender & Eucalyptus Foot Creme were a nice treat for them."

Kari took things a step further at her St. Maarten wedding, and gave out our Hands and Feet Travel Set as wedding favors. "After a day at the pool/beach and a night of dancing, we wanted to guests to feel pampered and relaxed before bed."

How did you treat your feet before a walk down the aisle or night on the dance floor? Share your secrets in the comment section!

Bridal beauty blunders

With a million details to think about before the big day, some beauty blunders are practically inevitable. Here, two LATHER brides share things they wished they did before saying, I Do:

Amber shared, "I was foolish and didn't apply sunblock to my arms and shoulders before the wedding. I found that I had acquired tan lines that were going to show while wearing my strapless gown. So, word of advice: wear sunblock EVERYWHERE! [Good advice any time of year.] Luckily I was able to even out by using our Bamboo Lemongrass Foaming Body Scrub and an extremely light self-tanner.

Make a pre-ceremony commitment to sunscreen!

To avoid tell-tale tan lines, use a sunscreen greater than SPF 15, like our Daily Defense with SPF 25. We call it a facial sunscreen because it has anti-aging ingredients and soothers for sensitive facial skin, but the 2-ounce tube is ideal for travel and the formulation will deliver protection and antioxidants all over the body.

Peggy was disappointed she left her favorite Pink Grapefruit & Ginger Illuminating Creme at home, and had to use the hotel moisturizer. "It didn't moisturize well or give my skin the same beautiful shimmer that the Illuminating Creme does." The lesson? Keep travel-sized jars of your favorite products together in the same place, so you don't forget one as you pack!

Wedding day beauty secrets from LATHER brides

Wedding season is just about in full swing, so we polled all the Mrs. in our office to share their pre-ceremony skin care secrets, bridal beauty blunders, and other fun facets of their weddings that we could pass on to you. Whether you're a bride-to-be or know someone getting ready to walk down the aisle, over the next few weeks we'll bring you insider tips for a radiant day.

Bridal magazines may suggest getting regular facials starting a few months before the big day, but only two of our brides did so. The rest simply became vigilant about following their regular routines and added a few skin-boosters tailored towards their skin type.

Rachelanne said, "I had a bad habit of sleeping in my makeup - I quit that promptly. It made a huge difference. I also moisturized every night, instead of every other night, and ever since, I have kept that up."

Rachelanne, Ryann, and Peggy all admit to adding a glycolic mask to their routines 1-2 times per week to brighten and even out their skin tone. (Naturally, we like this one.) Ryann kept her skin extra hydrated with our Bulgarian Rose Phyto-Nutrient Facial Elixir, which she sprayed on her face and neck several times per day. And Peggy took care to dab Advanced Blemish Control Serum on areas that looked problematic, to avoid an ill-timed breakout.

If you'll be experimenting with hair color or heat-styling before the wedding, Amber recommends, "Avocado Hair Mint Hair Repair is a great pre-wedding hair strengthening treatment; it kept my hair soft, shiny, and full."

As for the big day, Stephanie shared this tip she learned from her makeup artist. "I didn't wear any mascara or shadow under my bottom eyelashes or lids, as this is the first thing that tends to run/smear/rub, especially if your cry (happy tears) or have a hot wedding day." Stephanie got married in triple digit temperatures, but in her photos she looked cool as a cucumber.

LATHER brides, clockwise: Rachelanne, Peggy, & Ryann

Let us know how you prepped for your big day, and stay tuned for more insider tips from our radiant brides.

Show us your less-than-perfect prom photo and win a Perfect Canvas Face Kit!

"With such a young cast, it's all about shine control." That quote came from Michael Johnson, Department Head Makeup Artist for iCarly and Victorious on Nickelodeon, as he was singing the praises of our Shine Control Face Lotion. Both shows employ casts in their teens, and our Shine Control minimizes glare caused by studio lights and everyday adolescent skin.

His quote got us reminiscing to a time in our own lives when shine was often a daily issue, and then one event - typically held on the most humid day in May - came and magnified it. Yes, we're talking about Prom. Metallic dresses reflecting off teenage skin, sweaty palms brushing bangs off our faces, and the parent paparazzi capturing every moment.

Maybe your prom experience was shine-free, but surely there was some beauty tip you wish you had known about way back when. Mine (Lori's)? No need to match my (Lee Press On) nails to my lipstick to my dress.

A hot pink hottie in 1992

Send us your own prom photos with your biggest beauty regret, and we'll post all of them in a collage later this month. Plus, we'll choose one lucky winner to receive our new Perfect Canvas Face Kit, which includes all the products you need to build a foundation for radiant skin.

To enter: email your photo and biggest prom beauty faux pas to press [at] lather [dot] com by Friday, May 11th and we'll choose a winner at random the following week. Entrants must live in the United States. Oh, and be sure to check back to see who won!

How LATHER Founder Emilie Hoyt relieves stress

Emilie Hoyt

April is Stress Awareness Month, so every Monday, we've been bringing you weekly tips on how to stay calm and, well, carry on. For the final installation (because after all of our tips, you should be nearly stress-free by now, right? Right?! Oh, okay, neither are we), we asked LATHER Founder and President, Emilie Hoyt, how she navigates the work/life/wife/mom balance. Here's what she said: 

I actually have been very stressed this month - there is a lot going on in my life! I have been trying to do some new things, because I often turn to eating carbs when I am stressed.  I am trying to exercise more, especially focusing on light cardio, like taking a long walk or jog. When I feel like eating, I try to grab a few almonds and then have some lavender or chamomile tea with just a little honey. I also try to take a bath every night - I think that really helps with stress.  I use the Chamomile Foaming Bath Treatment and I've been testing a new product for Kim [LATHER's Product Development Director. Being the President has its perks!].  I love the Clear Head Balancing Balm. I use it all the time and [daughter] Ellie uses it too! Sometimes I'll drink half a glass of white wine at night, but I have found that even this little bit will actually give me a small headache; normally I could deal with that, but when I am stressed it puts me over the edge, so I actually avoid wine for when I’m feeling really good and won’t mind a slight headache. 

Sleep is a major issue when you are stressed; when I can't sleep, I try to read something that is not too interesting and not too boring. Also, I like to try and plan ahead, like maybe plan a small weekend trip - just plan it and book it and research fun activities and restaurants to try. It's funny but just doing that  relaxes me and helps keep me focused on the future, which makes me really happy! And finally, my two dogs really help! They offer unconditional love, don't ask for much, and make me laugh. I think pets are a great stress-reliever because they offer so much comfort.