When my 6-year-old first saw me holding an 8 fl. oz. pouch of Prtty Peaushun Skin Tight Body Lotion, he gasped, "Is that a really big Capri Sun?" I chuckled at both the astuteness of his comment and the awe in his tone — apparently, a super-sized Capri Sun would be worthy of that level of excitement. But most of all, I laughed because, moments earlier, I had been pondering how much the lightweight, flexible, foil-like pouch, with its tiny plastic dispenser and removable, screw-on cap, reminded me of the packaging for O.N.E. Water. Fortunately, I knew better than to take a sip! The unusual approach to packaging is just one of the ways in which Prtty Peaushun pushes the envelope — dubbed "anti-packaging," it represents a way to minimize our carbon footprint.
But let's get to the crucial component: the "juice" inside this pouch. Developed by celebrity makeup artist Bethany Karlyn, Prtty Peaushun is a new frontier in the realm of body makeup, featuring skin-firming botanical ingredient, as well as light-reflecting particles that give your skin a shimmery finish. The paraben-free, 100% vegan formula features: moisturizing and soothing avocado oil and avocado butter, which promote collagen and elastin production making skin appear more supple and smooth; pomelo (a citrus fruit native to South Asian) and grapefruit wax, both of which help to temporarily diminish the appearance of stretch marks, wrinkles and cellulite; calendula flower, which has soothing, anti-inflammatory properties; green tea extract, which boasts antioxidant properties, protecting the skin from free radicals and which also contains skin tightening caffeine; jojoba oil, which softens and hydrates; rosemary extract, which improves circulation and stimulates cell renewal; collagen-boosting allantoin; and anti-inflammatory arnica.
When you squeeze the Prtty Peaushaun pouch onto your palm, you'll notice a dab of cream with a honey mustard-like consistency atop a slightly watery pool. When you rub the substance between your palms and apply onto your legs, arms, stomach, bust, and derriere, you'll notice that it feels like a mix between a feathery light moisturizer and a grease-free body oil, at once smoothing your skin and giving it a seductive sheen. Though it does have a tint to it (Prtty Peaushun is available in Plain, Light, Medium, Dark and Deep), it's rather sheer – not at all like a body foundation, body bronzer, or most body shimmers, all of which coat your skin with an artificial color. Here, it's the tiny light-reflecting particles that do the work, working alongside your natural skin tone to create the desired optical illusion of a firmer, more toned silhouette.
One of my main concerns when using Prtty Peaushun was whether it would have an atificial tint that would run and smear at the slightest hint of moisture (an hey, sweat is an inevitability in the summer time!) and wind up staining my clothing. And fortunately, I have yet to encounter this problem, which is why Prtty Peaushun has become my go-to lotion for days when I want to show off my stems and need them to look their best. The emollient, tightening ingredients will be absorbed by your skin so, if you sweat, it won't have any consequence in terms of your skin's firm appearance or smooth texture. And, since Prtty Peaushun's shimmery finish isn't the byproduct of artificial dyes, sweating won't result in any streaking, staining or smearing — which is probably why Queen Latifah covered her body in it before hitting the stage at the 2010 BET Awards.
What more can I say? Prtty Peaushun is just one more way to feel like a pretty young thang.
Prtty Peaushun Skin Tight Body Lotion, $36. Available at B-Glowing.com. Visit PrttyPeaushun.com for more information and a full list of retailers.