Thursday, December 15, 2011

Nutraceuticals

I'm not sure if everyone's heard the word nutraceuticals before, but I'm sure you've seen what I'm talking about. VitaminWater is a great example of a nutraceutical i.e. food or drink that help your health. What??? (Reality show record scratch). Yes, I know that good food, like fresh fruit and whole grains, helps your health the most. So nutraceuticals is mostly a marketing thing. Which is fine as long as people know that.

There's a great article in NYT today about this category. Mostly I think it's great because it talks about how the products really don't work. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/15/fashion/cosmetics-that-you-eat-or-drink.html?src=recg&pagewanted=all

"But do the products work? Many doctors say no (though others, like the dermatologists Dr. Fredric Brandt, Dr. Howard Murad and Dr. Nicholas Perricone, market supplements as part of their regimens). Good skin does not come from slickly marketed beauty drinks and foods, critics say, but from vegetables, whole foods and plain water."

Look, it's not horrible to drink or eat some of this stuff. If it tastes yummy then go for it. Everything in moderation (as Socrates and my dad always said/says). But plain ole water really is the best thing for your skin. Plus some supplementation, as directed by a dermatologist and/or esthetician, can be beneficial.

Friday, December 9, 2011

Beauty Kits: Fact or Faked?

Even though I've worked in marketing for years, I'm still a sucker for a good sales pitch. Beauty kits can go either way with me. Either I'm thankful that the manufacturer had enough good sense to put those killer products together in an awesome gift bag ... or... I look at the product assortment and packaging in disbelief.

Sephora sent me an email a while back with links to three different kits. The bride kit is great. If you are low key and want to do your own make-up for your wedding, this is the kit for you. It's got a perfect assortment of bestsellers in the Make-up Industry (Benefit primer, Tarte Mascara) in beautiful neutral shades that work well for wedding photography. Plus the packaging is super cute.

Bride:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/7z4yaw8

I also liked this Lip one for the girl who is lip obsessed. There are a couple of products in here that I've been meaning to try for a while (Benefit's Benetint is at the top of my make-up To Do list)

Lips:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/6q6kwg6

The third kit, which features Sephora bestsellers, is a great value. That's the other thing about kits. A lot of times if you are thinking about buying two products that are in a kit, it's sometimes a better value to just buy the kit. I learned that little lesson my make-up guru Bianca!

Bestsellers:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/7lerezb

Let me know if you've ever found a kit that you love!

Thursday, December 1, 2011

BizAstrology December 2011


BizAstrology.com™
Let the Stars Guide You to Business Success!

Overall Themes in December 2011

Full steam ahead (Neptune, Uranus, Mercury and Jupiter)
Last month we saw a major planetary move with Neptune going direct again to spend its last couple of months in Aquarius. This month we have several more planets moving direct after retrograde periods. Mercury, retrograde at the end of November, will be going direct in the middle of December. So will Uranus (the planet of surprises) and Jupiter (the planet of luck). Retrogrades are great times to take stock on what’s working and what’s not in order to better prepare you for when a planet marches firmly forwarded. December is that time! Mercury going direct means that it’s time to sign those contracts and buy that computer you’ve had your eye on. Jupiter, which slowed down in the good luck in wealth building areas for a bit during his stay in Taurus, will now bless everyone doubly so since he’s moving direct at the end of the month. Uranus is all about surprises so you might get a surprise gift for the holidays! Get ready, everyone, for positive growth in areas of spirituality, wealth, health and your day to day life in 2012.

Business Cycle Focus: Mars in Virgo & Full Lunar Eclipse
Since Mars is staying a very long time in Virgo (until July 2012), I want to take a moment to talk about this transition one more time. You should have felt much more energetic in the day to day activities or crafting a preventive health plan as soon as Mars moved into Virgo in November. Depending on your sign, different areas of your life will get a powerful boost from the long time that Mars is staying in Virgo. For example, Geminis like myself have Mars in Virgo in our fourth house which rules the home life. I thought that I was done with all the cleaning out of the clutter that I did in October. And then I finally picked up a book that Jenn August has been recommending to me forever from the library. She claimed it would change my life. And it has! It is called Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life. In the past, I’ve struggled when approaching Feng Shui, but this is a very straightforward book. Apparently I needed the Mars energy to get my butt to the library, and then used more Mars energy to make changes in my house. Mars will be going retrograde in a couple of months so make sure you capitalize on the powerful forward motion of the sign in Virgo during December and January. Check back in with last month’s horoscope to reminder yourself of the area of your life that will be getting the most energy and vitality in the next half year.

Everyone should know by now that eclipses are all about shaking things up so that you may move forward. The Full Moon Lunar eclipses in Gemini will focus on endings and personal communication. The Solar eclipse last month in Sagittarius was a gently philosophical eclipse about new beginnings that most likely affected your thinking. For more guidance about how this lunar eclipse will impact your life, think back to the time around June 15th of this year, or the beginning of December in 1992. That was the last time we saw this series of events in the heavens. For example, back in June I got the call from Jenn to work with her and guide her business clients through astrology. Way back in December of 1992 (showing my age!) was when I sent off my college application to my dream University, Stanford. Both events had an enormous positive effect on my life. I have to say I’m looking forward to the changes brought about December 10th! Please make sure you haven’t over scheduled yourself around this date, since eclipse energy can be intense. I’d love to hear how the eclipses are manifesting in your business life, so please email me with news at weinbean@gmail.com.

INDIVIDUAL SIGNS

Aries (Mar 21 - Apr 19)
Operations
I want my Aries to fall in love with the beauty of creating order out of chaos. My Aries are the first to charge up the mountain and move onto a new challenge. December is about embracing process. Your ruler is settling into a long stay in Virgo, which is giving you an added extra boost in your health and day to day life. Venus, which governs beauty and love, moved into your career section of your chart last month and will stay for most of December. Take advantage of this position by sprucing up anything that needs a facelift in your career. Either a literal change such as a new addition to your work wardrobe or a more metaphysical change of finding a charity that you love and donating a portion of your revenues in December.

Taurus (Apr 20 - May 20)
Lead Conversion
I want my Taurus to take advantage of Mercury and Jupiter moving direct this month in areas of communication and wealth building. You may have had some frustrating moments during last month with Jupiter retrograde in your sign and Mercury moving backward. At times, it might have seemed like you were trudging through the metaphorical (or literal) mud. December is the time when Mars will be literally dancing in your fifth house of romance and creativity. Mercury will also be speeding through your eighth house of other people’s money. Find a unique and artistic way to woo your best prospects and they will return the favor tenfold.

Gemini (May 21 - June 20)
Lead Conversion
I want my Geminis to embrace their business partners this month. Your ruler Mercury is going direct by the middle of the month and will be cruising through your seventh house. Make sure to find a way to express your gratitude to all the vendors, partners and suppliers that make your work possible. The full moon is in our sign this month, so it’s time for all my Geminis to think of a wish that is dear to our hearts. Because we love to talk, find a way to articulate the wish by sharing it with your best friend, family or even Facebook. The more people who know about your wish, the more support you will receive! With the full moon comes the eclipse. Eclipses in our particular sign mean a drastic change in our self, so get ready to show the world a new version of you by the end of December.

Cancer (June 21 - July 22)
Operations
I want my Cancers to continue making their day to day operations as strong as possible. You have several planets in your sixth house of everyday life, as well as Mars energy in your house of communication. Buckle down and write that report you’ve been putting off writing, send the email that you haven’t wanted to send and reach out and make a difficult call to a vendor that has been giving you problems. You’ll have the gift of gab in your corner, but make sure you wait until Mercury is out of retrograde in the middle of the month if you want to avoid any hurt feelings. Tap into your super sensitive side and you unearth some surprises in your career. 

Leo (July 23 - Aug 22)
Lead Generation
I want my Leos to work with their friends to complete a project this month. With the full moon in your eleventh house of friendships, the best way to make sure that your project is successful (and put to bed) is talking with your friends. Brainstorm ideas and remember sometimes your friends will help you see things in a new light. They’ll make sure that anything you are working on both sparkles and finds its way out into the world. Gaining new clients may have been tough with Jupiter in retrograde but now that both Jupiter and Mercury are turning direct, you’ll find more momentum in your search for new ways to build your wealth portfolio. Lucky Leo with Mars in your second house of wealth means 2012 is your year to grow your business to the stars!

Virgo (Aug 23 - Sept 22)
Lead Generation
I want my Virgos to focus on the vision for their career in 2012. For the first half of the year, you will have the strength of Mars in your sign pushing you forward. This power combined with Jupiter in Taurus is a fantastic combination to bring your career to the next level. You are doubly lucky this month, with the full moon in your tenth house. Because it falls in the sign of Gemini, this is the time to clearly articulate where you want to take your career to your closest friends and family. Make sure you know exactly what you want before you ask for it, because with this much energy in your chart, you’ll be sure to get it in the next six months. I’m not worried about my precise Virgos who always have an action plan ready to put in motion! Also because there is eclipse energy surrounding the full moon (as well as your ruler in retrograde), make sure you schedule any important meetings the week of December 20th.

Libra (Sept 23 - Oct 22)
Lead Generation
I want my Libras to communicate their bold philosophical vision to those in their life who have the power to enhance their career. Both Mercury and Jupiter will be moving forward in areas of communication and other people’s money. So if you are looking for a loan, an extension on a line a credit, a renegotiation of your credit card APR, this is the month to talk to whomever you think might be the most helpful. With Mars settling into your house of the subconscious, you may have had unusually vivid dreams recently. Make sure that you talk about what your dreaming life is revealing to you in order to take advantage of this unique spot that Mars has taken in your life. You also might need to deal with issues of confinement (hospitals or prisons) so take good stock of your health. Look to starting a preventive health plan in December that will take you through this time period of Mars in your twelfth house.

Scorpio (Oct 23 - Nov 21)
Lead Conversion
I want my Scorpios to focus their vision of financial freedom on the potential of your impact on the larger world. Philosophical Sagittarius is lining up in your second house of wealth, which means that any new clients you take on this month will help you share your gift with a larger audience. You might get a chance to be more active in social media or even turn into a YouTube sensation. With your ruler in Virgo, getting healthy may also be a focus for the next couple of months. You should expect some surprises in this area with Uranus, the planet of unexpected changes, in your sixth house of health. Friends will be important allies in your quest to get healthy and shape up your day to day operations, so make sure you ask for suggestions and motivations when looking for a new exercise routine. This is the time to mingle with your friends, which is sometimes difficult for my more reclusive Scorpios.

Sagittarius (Nov 22 - Dec 21)
Lead Generation
I want my Sagittarii to take the shake-up that they might have experienced during last months eclipse and start off on a fresh new journey. Others around you might be experiencing difficulties from last month’s eclipse, which was about bigger picture thinking. My light-hearted Sagittarius’ probably experienced a mild bump in the road, but they always have a vision of where they are headed next. Your career will be front and center for the next few months with Mars going direct in your tenth house, so capitalize on all of this extra energy. This is a once in a life time opportunity to channel all your energy into your career, so please take advantage of it, my wanderlustful (is that even a word? Now it is!) Sagittarii!

Capricorns (Dec 22 - Jan 19)
Operations
I want my Capricorns to pamper themselves in order to prepare for their birthday. With Venus in your sign for most of December, it’s a great time to get a spa treatment, massage or new hair cut. The lunar eclipse at the middle of the month will provide closure to a health issue you’ve been dealing with, or a struggle that you may have had at work with a co-worker. Use the eclipse new beginning and the ending cycle that you’ve experienced for the past couple of weeks to reflect on what needs to end in your life and what needs to begin. But don’t forget about the beauty of the world. Sometimes spending money on yourself is just what the astrological doctor ordered, especially for practical Capricorns that look at money spent on themselves as a frivolous expense.

Aquarius (Jan 20 - Feb 18)
Lead Conversion
I want my Aquarii to put all their efforts into convincing clients, partners and banks that they are the ones to bet on. The strength of Mars energy is focusing on your house of rebirth and other people’s money. If you’ve found problems converting your leads in the last couple of months, you should feel new life being breathed into your clients that are wobbling on the fence. This energy will push them over to your side and help you capitalize on a renewed sense of vim and vigor! Mercury will be moving direct in your eleventh house of friendships this month, which is a happy place for Aquarius’ to continue their quest to be the life of every party. Take each and every invitation that is extended to you, because you never know who might be out there to help you realize your business vision.

Pisces (Feb 19 - March 20)
Operations
I want my Pisces to find ways to take their careers globally. With Sagittarius taking a tour of your tenth house, you’ll be given opportunities to go overseas, either on a business trip or by expanding your brand. Look to business partnerships for help in finding the right opportunities, since Mars is continuing to send a strong message to your house of partnerships. Loans may be a frustrating area of your business but rest assured that by the end of 2012 you’ll be such a good place with your career, angel investors will be beating down your doors. Mercury is moving direct in your career, fame and honors section of your chart so make sure you work with a great publicist who is able to shout from the rooftops about how fabulous you are to the world. Dump any publicists that don’t truly believe in how amazing you are.

December Dates to Calendar
Full Moon and Lunar Eclipse in Gemini, plus Uranus Direct 12/10 (busy day!)
Mercury direct 12/13
Venus in Aquarius 12/21
Sun and New Moon in Capricorn 12/23
Jupiter direct 12/25
Moon in Aries 12/31

Everyone have a wonderful holiday season. Plus an especially fantastic New Year’s Eve with Moon in Aries. What a way to start 2012!  

To Your Greatest Success!

Jenn August, C.H, C.L.S.C

Business Hypnotherapist & Success Coach
Musical Philanthropist

Ilana Weiner, L.E.
Beauty Magician

Have a wonderful month! Celebrate yourself - You deserve it!

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