ALL THAT ZAZZ

By Mary N. DiZazzo

Chocolate --Never Enough!

Ciao bella,

If you haven't had your share of chocolate for Valentine's Day, here are a few healthy alternatives to quench the craving.

Chocolate inspired cosmetics are making it big everywhere. The smell and sometimes the taste (if edible) are so convincing and secondly so non-fattening it's a must-have for every gal's boudoir.

Dementer's Brownie Fragrance smells exactly like a freshly baked batch of brownies! The handy size bottle allows you to carry it conveniently in your purse so you can spray whenever your cravings get the best of you.

Philosophy has a three-in-one fab scented Chocolate Ice Cream Shampoo, Conditioner, and Body Wash.

Yummy LUSH carries Whip Stick a scrumptious chocolate lip balm containing honey, shea butter, and orange oil to soften and sweeten your pucker and make them incredibly kissable. I use it every evening at bedtime.

Cocoa therapy carries a line of skin friendly therapies. One of my favorites is the deeply nourishing body butter. Its pure cocoa helps fortify skins youthful appearance along with vitamins A, B, C and minerals like potassium, magnesium, iron, calcium, and copper. It helps skin's moisture barrier heal and deal with daily dryness.

Another tip for chocoholics: if you're a spa queen, let your fingers do the walking and find a chocolate-inspired service from a chocolate pedicure, a chocolate facial, or maybe even a chocolate body wrap where you can lose some inches. Who would think you could size down with the stuff!

But if you want the real thing, look for Health by Chocolate from Ecco Bella, a USDA organic Swiss chocolate that is good for your skin. Formulated by a dermatology professor, it contains more antioxidants than most fruit or vegetables. Choc-full of minerals and infused with cranberry seed oil for omega-3 fatty acids, it will be the taste of rich Swiss chocolate that you will love. This chocolate is low glycemic so it releases sugar slowly. Cocoa butter is a healthy fat that won't raise your cholesterol levels, but keeps skin healthy.

Oggi mangia un pochino di cioccolato!

Buona giornata and God bless the United States of America!


Have you missed any of Mary's columns in the Post-Gazette? Read prior weeks' "All That Zazz" columns on her website www.mary4nails.com. She is a third-generation cosmetologist and owner of Mary for Nails, etc. natural nailcare salon in Andover, and a Massachusetts distributor of Kosmea brand rose hip oil products. She may be contacted at (978) 470-8183. She also sees select clients by appointment in Boston at (617) 742-6881.