There’s nothing quite like bath or body oils to soothe summer skin. Start with Bobbi Brown’s Beach fragrance line, which includes body oil ($28), shower gel ($32) and body lotion ($35) — for a limited time, orders of $50 or more will include a free mini Beach tote. Victoria’s Secret’s Bare Bronze shimmering body oil ($24) hydrates your skin and also gives it a golden goddess glow (how do you think those models at the Victoria’s Secret fashion show had that special shimmer?). Molton Brown’s Blissful Templetree bath and shower gel, an infusion of exotic plants and bioactive extracts from the Indian Ocean with sea silk protein for hydration ($28; pictured). Crabtree & Evelyn’s Jojoba Oil Duo ($18) has both bath gel and lotion of first-pressed jojoba oil scented with lavender, herbs and citrus; pour a capful of the gel into your bathwater, and then apply the lotion afterward for double the moisturizing effect. Jo Wood Organics offers an elegant way to revitalize and awaken your skin with the exotic Amka Organic gift set, with Amka (Swahili for “to wake”) organic body dew, body oil, bath oil and body lotion (on sale for $135 at Saffron Rouge). The Body Shop’s Spa Wisdom Monoi Miracle Oil is a traditional Tahitian emollient renowned for its moisturizing effects ($20); it can be used in the bath, smoothed onto the skin or used as a pre-shampoo hair treatment. To wind down after a long day in the sun (or at the office), try Bath & Body Works’ Aromatherapy stress-relief oil, a fragrant blend of eucalyptus and spearmint essential oils ($16). Or just dab a few drops on those key pressure points in lieu of perfume and relax all day long.

Harajuku is Tokyo’s trend-setting style district, where hundreds of teenagers dressed in elaborate anime-inspired and avant-garde fashions congregate. They’re often photographed by tourists and featured in fashion magazines. So it’s no surprise that pop fashion icon Gwen Stefani has launched the Harajuku Lovers line of accessories and stationery (at the World of Harajuku, we’re told, “Let the Cuteness Begin!”). A little background on the name: Stefani’s four Japanese backup dancers are known as the Harajuku Girls, which is also a name of a song on Stefani’s album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. (and Love, Angel, Music and Baby just happen to be the nicknames of the four dancers). The Harajuku Lovers Candy tote sets the tone with its cheerful cartoon drawings of the Harajuku Girls ($68). The Gwen striped tee ($42) is a bright look for girls while the Yummy Cones tee is a whimsical look for women, with four ice cream cones on the front and “Don’t Get Twisted” on the back ($44). Teens will be all about the Faders Kanji tube ($48), a red fleece take on the tube top but with side pockets. It’s always Harajuku time with the pink striped Twisted watch ($75). Coming this fall to Macys is the Harajuku Lovers fragrances. Each of the five scents — Love, Lil Angel, Music, Baby and G — comes in a bottle made up of a glass base and a doll stopper (pictured). Four of the dolls are styled to resemble the Harajuku Girls and the fifth one is meant to look like Stefani herself ($45).

According to a recent study by Yoga Journal, nearly 16 million Americans practice the spiritual-physical art of yoga. That explains all the yoga mats competing for your dollars and why you may need a little help selecting the right one. A good mat adheres to the floor and doesn’t become very slick when you perspire. For most people, from beginners to those who have practiced for years, a basic ¼” sticky mat for $16 (also available in 1/8” thickness) is sufficient, though it may take some breaking in to reduce slipperiness. (Wash with mild soap or mist with a 2-to-1 vinegar-water solution.) Made of latex-free PVC foam, these can last for years. Barefoot Yoga, distributor of the top-rated rubber and jute original eco yoga mat ($67, pictured), has several other earth-friendly mats to choose from. There’s the PER mat ($21, made of Polymer Environmental Resin), which doesn’t contain phthalates or heavy metals, and Earth Elements’ TPE mat, which is $40 and is latex, PVC and rubber-free. The natural jute and PER mat ($40) is similar in texture to the Prana mat ($44). Both are decomposable in a landfill and provide a grippy, cushiony texture. Manduka is another highly praised maker of eco-friendly (but pricy) mats, and I enjoy my Jade Harmony natural rubber yoga mat (from $40 to $76), which is biodegradable and PVC-free. Warning: Don’t leave these mats in the car, as the sun will take a toll on them.

For those who love long-wearing, high-quality nail lacquer in colors that can’t be found elsewhere, a nearly $20 price tag per bottle is not out of the question. Nail polish blogs like All Lacquered Up and The Polish Addict dish out plenty of good advice about when and when not to spend that much, along with tips on great brands (China Glaze, Rescue Beauty Lounge, Zoya), a favorite top coat and what colors will be hot come fall. For now, though, yellow continues to be surprisingly flattering on nails (compare swatches at Steph’s Closet). My favorite is Rescue Beauty Lounge’s Yellow Fever (gasp! $18; pictured). Blues and greens will always have their fans. OPI’s Yoga-ta is my dark blue of choice ($8.50) and Go On Green! shimmers softly for summer. For a great way to try a few and see what works for you, Hard Candy offers the Delinquent Mini Nail Kit, a set of seven metallic colors in little bottles (on sale for $12.50) and Zoya’s Utopia Sampler pack comes with six one-ounce bottles ($34). For fall, expect rich dark browns and reds and creamy beiges and off-whites, like those from Sephora by OPI, a new line of nail colors and treatments to be launched in August with a mind-boggling 54 trend-leading shades ($9). But the ultimate autumn color comes in that $19 bottle I mentioned earlier: the new Dior Vernis Golden Nugget.

Pregnant women no longer have to exercise in their husband’s XXL T-shirts and men’s workout shorts during their final trimesters. Title Nine, which describes itself as being “evangelical about women’s participation in sports and fitness,” has a great selection of maternity items. This black 2-3 skort ($56), meant for wearing in the second and third trimesters, comes with a wide, stretchy waistband, and the short, swingy skirt is perfect for tennis or walking. The 5 to 9 Capri for months five through nine is suitable for yoga, walking or just wearing around ($58). Pair it with the BornFit Maternity Tee, a seamed, shapely T-shirtmade of fabric which will wick sweat away from your body ($44). Fit Maternity is devoted to pregnant and nursing women who exercise. The Doce Vida I-back maternity top ($48) has an attractive back and V-neck spandex front. Pregnant women who enjoy Pilates or yoga will love the cotton and Lycra yoga unitard ($55); you don’t have to worry about waistbands or pockets while wearing the unitard. The Belly Basics three-piece Yoga Kit includes yoga pants, T-shirt with a built-in shelf bra and jacket, in grey with pale pink accents. Maternity Activewear has been selling exercise outfits for pregnant women since 2003. Among several attractive maternity jackets is this white zippered front stripe jacket ($79) by Oceanlily, made of supplex/Lycra to provide plenty of stretch. This stylish cross-front maternity tank (pictured) comes in black, white or red and made of a bamboo/spandex blend that dries quickly ($36). To learn more about the best kinds of exercise when you’re pregnant, read this informative article from Babycenter.

A good concealer is one of the most important tools in a makeup artists’ bag, and in a woman’s personal makeup collection. Concealers can cover undereye shadows, acne scars and hollow, dark areas next to the nose or under the chin. We’ve found some of the concealers relied on most in Hollywood studios. The late Kevyn Aucoin was a makeup artist for the stars (Cher, Janet Jackson, Tori Amos, the cast of Sex and the City) who died tragically of a brain tumor in 2002. Before he died, he created a makeup line and a company which is still active today. The Kevyn Aucoin sensual skin enhancer ($45) is a highly regarded concealer which contains honey and jojoba oil. It’s very thick (like spackle) and should be applied in tiny pin-head-size dots, then carefully blended into the skin. It is described as giving the wearer the appearance of glowing good health, and it’s heavy enough to hide many flaws. InStyle Magazine recommends Prescriptive’s ’sight unseen’ concealer ($22), because it gives good coverage without being chalky, they say. One of the most well-known concealers, raved about by beauty bloggers and the editors at Elle Magazine, is Yves Saint Laurent’s Touche Eclat (Radiant Touch) ($40, pictured) The Touche Eclat pen brush dispenses makeup which hides the dark areas and gives your skin a light-colored radiance, so you go from looking withdrawn and tired to glowing and well-rested. It’s a highlighter as well as a concealer, so you get double duty out of it.  The style mavens at Stylehive.com recommend Bobbi Brown’s ‘creamy concealer’ ($22). This yellow-based concealer is smooth and excellent at hiding spots and shadows. The creamy concealer comes in eleven different shades, sure to work with any skin tone Remember, always apply concealer after moisturizer, but before foundation. If you use the right concealer correctly, you won’t need much foundation at all.

With so much of your skin showing in great summer fashions, it makes sense to pretty it up. One way to do that is to apply a bit of sparkle and glow to your eyes, lips, cheeks, shoulders and collarbone. With MAC multi-purpose glitter ($16.50 for 0.26 oz.) you can transform the make-up you already own — just add a bit of this product to it — or apply the glitter directly to your skin. The effects will be dazzling. Bloom’s shimmer body cream ($24) isn’t designed to blend with other makeup, but it does promise to add a subtle sheen to your skin. Plus, it’s scented with lavender oil to make you smell fantastic. Make Up For Ever was one of the first companies to make skin powder that captures and reflects light like a gem. A little bit of their pearly, iridescent Star powder ($18 for 0.09  oz., pictured), available in a complete painter’s palette of colors for mixing and shading, goes a long way. If maximum glitter is what you want, get the Diamond powder ($24 for 0.07 oz.). It’s composed almost entirely of pure synthetic mother-of-pearl and will “radiate extreme brilliance” upon application. For the eyes, be the first to own a Sparkle eye pencil ($17.50), which is available as a limited edition sneak preview item from Prescriptives. (Full product line to be launched in the fall.) Offered in plum and midnight blue, this eye pencil boasts intense color with dramatic sparkle. Over at Urban Decay, there’s Heavy Metal glitter eye gel ($18), eyeliner ($18) and, for the lips, a sparkler pen ($10). Turn heads with this make-up, but be careful not to blind anyone

The Swedes, responsible for the Volvo, have a knack for engineering forms that are as functional as they are fashionable. These days one of the country’s most successful exports is in the shape of the future – the SIGG reusable water bottle. It’s good for you and the planet, and comes in 144 designs with 22 interchangeable lids. Like a fashion house, SIGG rotates or drops designs each year. But if you’re thirsty for one of those Limited Edition Lifestyle SIGGs – its most popular line – you’d better shop around. Due to overwhelming demand, mysigg.com temporarily closed shop in May. In June, several internet retailers, including this one, announced that new inventory would not be available for the next 60 to 90 days. This blogger explains – simply – why SIGGs are hot and worth the price. You can find a SIGG to get you through this summer if you buy one that’s already available – and that’s good for the planet, too. Check out the colorful Maharadsha ($30) which comes in fuchsia, violet, ruby and turquoise, the Sunray ($25) and the Classic Red Traveler ($18). Hurry, because stock is limited and going fast. Go to www.isabellacatalog.com to find Spring Impressions ($25) and www.getngreen.com for Bubble Vision ($20). At rei.com you’ll find several SIGGS in stock and the recommended tool for hand-washing them, another hard to find SIGG item. If you must have one of the latest Lifestyle Limited Edition SIGGS, take a look at what’s selling on eBay, where you can acquire Wisdom Awakens and Flower Power (or others, as offerings on eBay is always changing). If you’re quick, you might get the sure to-be a collectible I Am Not Plastic.