Capricorn is an Earth sign, meaning that they often tend to be level-headed, down-to-Earth types. Caps are also diplomatic and classy, like many other Earth signs, and they have a great sense of humor. Capricorn friends are the ones that are easiest to talk to and the ones you can always count on to give excellent advice…and they’re loyal friends, so they’ll always be around in your time of need!

Capricorns are fed by deep colors like rich browns, money green and deep blues. For a true kick of rich eye color, try a shade like Eye Color Shade 31: Peacock Green for depth, and Eye Color Shade 44: Golden Meadow for shimmering brown & gold undertones to really make your eyes pop.

Scents with jasmine and rose really compliment the true nature of Capricorn women, so if you’re looking for a scent to match your sign, try either the Neroli Jasmin or Moroccan Rose Eau de Toilette sprays. Moroccan Rose is a contemporary, spicy twist on a classic, and Neroli Jasmin has just the right hint of exoticism to appeal to an adventurous Capricorn.

Every so often, we like to take some time to click around to other blogs and see what people are saying about The Body Shop and our products. We love customer feedback and reviews, because they help us to create and modify our products to give you exactly what you want! Here’s what we have to report on what others are saying about our products around the blogosphere recently.

• Beauty Newbie just got the chance to try out our Mango Body Scrub and was raving about its delicious scent. She also mentioned that it was so moisturizing, she didn’t need to use a lotion afterwards. See, that stuff is good enough to eat, but don’t! ☺

• Talk about a haul! Picked Pics picked up more than a few items from The Body Shop on her recent shopping trip. From her favs in the Vitamin E line to our award-winning makeup brushes, she’s got rave reviews for almost all of our products. We especially love that she thinks our eye color shades are highly pigmented!

• Natalieanna’s Beauty Diary recently snagged our Africa Spa Salt Scrub and found that not only did she love the scent, but that the exfoliation happens without leaving her skin feeling greasy. Soft and smooth!

• Our Radiant Highlighter made a cameo on Ashley Reading’s blog, where she commented on its light texture and lovely sheen. We do love to make you glow!

Join us at The Body Shop Love Cube for free samples and special offers to get you ready for Valentine’s Day. You can write special love notes on our Love Cube and get your picture taken to create your very own Valentine’s Day card.  Plus watch the visual artist Nicolina Johnson live as she creates a special art installment to celebrate love in all its forms. You can also head into The Body Shop to get tips on romantic gifts and how to spice up your Valentine’s Day from celebrity sex expert Dr. Sari Locker. So swing by and check out The Love Cube at one of the following locations from 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

February 5th - Stamford Mall, CT
February 6th -  Roosevelt Field Mall, Long Island
February 10th - Liberty Place Mall, Philadelphia

You may remember that back in October we launched a brand new fragrance, Love Etc… Well, we’re excited to announce the re-launch of the fragrance that got so much buzz, plus an entire line of Love Etc… scented goodies to go along with it!

If you haven’t had the chance to check out the newest addition to our line of scents, swing by your nearest Body Shop store and give it a spray. Unlike anything we’ve ever done before, Love Etc… is a sensuous blend of jasmine with notes of vanilla and sandalwood. Very exotic!

Back in October, we took to the Twittersphere to ask our fans “What’s your etc?” and you gave us some of the most lovely, sweet, and charming answers! So we wanted to see what etceteras the spring time is bringing you, so we asked again, and this is what you said:

Got anything to add? Leave your Etc. in the comments!

February is here and Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and whether you’re single or coupled, you’ve probably started making some plans for the big night. The most fun part about Valentine’s Day is that it can mean a lot of different things to different people…which can sometimes be a good thing or a bad thing.

Our “Do This, Not That” mission is the perfect example of that! Our hilarious comics are on a crusade to show the guys in your life how to be a hero, not a zero this Valentine’s Day. There’s also a place where you can tell your fabulous Valentine’s Day stories (in the “Do This” section!) or your worst Valentine’s Day flops. Those definitely belong in the “Don’t Do This” section!

After you tell your story in either the “Do This” or “Don’t Do This” section, you’ll be asked to enter your email. That’s because you’ll be entered to win one of our fabulous prize packs that can be enjoyed by you and anyone you call special in your life. Because everyone loves feeling great!

Whenever people think of The Body Shop, their minds usually head straight for our most popular item: the crowd favorite, Body Butter! We are proud to have a line of Body Butters boasting 19 different scents with several different levels of hydration. Now there is one for every skin type and scent profile!

If you’re having some difficulty choosing the exact right Body Butter for you, then our Body Butter Guide can help set you on the right track. But because there’s something for everyone, what exactly does your favorite Body Butter scent say about you? If your favorite is below, read on to find out!

• Moroccan Rose – Sultry and bold, you are adventurous, but with a deeply classic sensibility.

• Aloe – You have a clean, no-nonsense approach that is highly effective, just like the hydrating and protecting characteristics of the beloved aloe plant.

• Strawberry – Fun-loving and carefree, you embody the best attributes of youthfulness and vitality.

• Wild Cherry – Sassy with a streak of naughty, you are a wild child with a heart of gold.

• Coconut – A luscious island beauty, your dreamy style is both passionate and deep.

• Olive – With a strong work ethic and an appreciation for quality, you’re the one that people call on to get the job done.

• Pink Grapefruit – A sweet heart and an easy laugh help you to charm those around you nearly effortlessly.

• Brazil Nut – A true connoisseur of the finer things, you truly enjoy life’s little indulgences and your unique taste has you uncovering those delights found on the path less traveled.

• Shea – Sophisticated and savvy, people know you as the true adult. But it’s your playful side peeking out that keeps them intrigued and guessing.

So tell us, what’s your favorite Body Butter scent, and what does it say about you?

I’m not sure what it is about wintertime—maybe the dry, cold weather, or the longer days— but I get worse dark circles now than at any other time of year. Although I try to drink lots of water and get plenty of sleep, I still need to cover them effectively on occasion.

There are lots of different ways to do this, but this is the one that works best for me. I think you’ll agree when you see the before and after photos!

• Begin by priming your entire eye with Skin Primer Matte It. This will help to keep everything firmly in place for the whole day.

• Using a click or two, gently dot Lightening Touch into the corners of your eyes and underneath. This is an excellent product choice because Lightening Touch has a bit of a peachy undertone, which will counteract the darkness of the circles, balancing it out, rather than leaving a grey shadow like a white illuminator can do.

• You can use a finger or a brush to blend this in. I like to improvise by using Nature’s Minerals Eyeshadow Brush to blend, because it’s small and gentle enough for my under eye area.

• Next, dot on a small amount of your favorite liquid foundation. I love my Oil Free Foundation in Shade 04, but you can also use any of our Concealer sticks. They blend quite nicely.

• Blend in using your finger or a brush. I also like to blend in a tiny amount on my top lid to hide any redness or veins.

• Use your finger to smooth on a small amount of Eye Color Shade 07: Conker. It’s a neutral, matte color that will just give you a nice, clean canvass to work with. See, look at how smooth and even my eye area looks now!

This is a really quick process, so it won’t take you long to get to this point. You can just slick on some gloss and wear a natural look if you’re good to go.

I added a few more products: a bit of Eye Shimmer Shade 02: Gold in the corners of my eyes, and a bit of Eye Color Shade 05: Burnished Brown in the crease.

Finish off with your favorite mascara and some black eyeliner on your waterline, and the look is done!

Just goes to show that a little concealing can go a long way, and it doesn’t have to take you any longer than five minutes!

I think the “winter blues” began as a cute little colloquial saying to describe what happens once the days start to get shorter and it gets dark earlier, but studies have shown that it’s an actual affliction. In fact, a UK psychologist actually created a formula that calculates January 24th as the Most Depressing Day of the Year. That’s no good!

Just because things might get a little emotionally rough in the winter doesn’t mean there aren’t some quick fixes for those blues!

• Aromatherapy – The whole goal of aromatherapy is to change your mood using delicious scents. Citrus scents are incredibly uplifting, as are peppermint scents, so inhale deeply when you’re smoothing on these scents to really receive the full benefits.

• Activity – You may think that it’s too cold to be outside in the wintertime, but you’re forgetting about all of those fun winter sports! Exercise is a fabulous way to kick up the feel-good endorphins a notch, and you can’t ice skate in June, so take advantage of the frigid weather. Just make sure you protect your pucker from getting chapped!

• Appetite – Lots of people begin watching their weight around the first of the year to compensate for over-indulging during the holiday season, but you can eat smart and eat for a better mood! Just choose some foods from this list of delicious dishes that help you kick it up a notch. Some of them will surprise you, but no one needs to tell me twice to eat more chocolate!

As much fun as it is to apply and wear makeup, there are certain issues that we all have that drive us nuts! Those annoying little problems can cause your precise application to look less-than-perfect, so check out these easy tips to combat some of the most common application annoyances.

• Eye Shadow Fallout – Eye shadow fallout is that annoying colored dust that collects under your eyes when you are applying shadow to your lids. It can be particularly noticeable when you’re applying a vibrant shade, so take care with these easy tips from Petrilude. If you think you might recognize him, you’re right! He was one of the participants in our Summer Face Off competition.

• Clumps of Mascara – If clumps of mascara are getting in the way of your gorgeous long lashes, first try and find a wand that is more like a comb than a brush. Our Divide and Multiply Mascara is a good example, and you can take a look at the rest of the mascara wands to choose your best match. Be sure to wipe your wand on the edge of your mascara tube so you aren’t applying too much product. Also, the purchase of a Brow & Lash Comb is an excellent idea. After your first coat of mascara dries, simply run it through your lashes and it will knock out all of those nasty clumps.

• Bleeding Lipstick – Sometimes when a day is particularly hot or I’m wearing a brilliant shade on my lips, it’ll gradually start to creep up and beyond the outline of my lips. But over the years I’ve learned some tips for keeping that color right where it belongs. Always begin with a Primer (yes, for your lips!) to smooth them out and make sure the color sticks. Outline your lips with a Lip Liner, and then fill in them in to create a base for the color. Finish with a Lip Liner Fixer to seal the deal, and you should be set for all day color wear.

We’ve all heard the saying “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” but it’s more than just a cliché greeting card saying. At The Body Shop, one of our Core Values is Activating Self-Esteem, and that means respecting more than just one narrow standard of beauty. It means celebrating the beauty of various races and cultures across the globe, and knowing that personality and outlook have as much to do with beauty as skin and hair do.

• The Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, have a sacred beauty ritual: their women get intricate facial tattoos. Their lips are tattooed a deep shade of blue, while the chin is inked in an ornate design. The women considered most beautiful are the ones with the most lush and blue lips.

• The women of the Karo tribe in Ethiopia began an elaborate process of scarification on their stomachs when they are very young children. The scars are meant to attract a husband, but they aren’t ready to marry until the process is complete.

• In Brazil, it’s the guitar-shaped body that is considered most desirable. Brazilians are world famous for their skimpy bathing suit bottoms and their focus on a woman’s derrière. It’s no wonder that the apple-bottom gals have it covered on the beaches of Brazil!

Now your turn: what fascinating beauty ideals have you seen on your international travels? Tell us in the comments!