Due to the ongoing success of our Beauty Guru column, we asked our resident expert, Geoffrey Rodriguez, to open up and tell us about his personal favorite items for self-pampering.

Few things in life make me happier than regularly having my favorite spa/beauty treatments. Unfortunately, with a very hectic work schedule that’s often combined with travel, it’s almost impossible to make and keep appointments—to say nothing of the financial extravagance that goes with the indulgence. Since I am constantly on the lookout for all things new and interesting to try in the cosmetics arena, my most recent discoveries are all about self-pampering that you can conveniently use at home or when traveling—and all are sold at surprisingly affordable prices.

Clarisonic Skin Cleaning System
The Clarisonic Skin Cleaning System is not only convenient, but the results are truly amazing. My skin looks and feels like I’ve just had my favorite facial—it’s glowing, healthy and fresh. Clarisonic utilizes a patented sonic frequency, which is more than twice as effective at removing dirt and debris embedded deep in your pores than more traditional methods. Although you may think you’re already doing a sufficient job manually with your favorite cleanser, you’d be shocked to see how much dirt and makeup is actually left on your skin. Not only does my skin look visibly softer and more hydrated after using the Clarisonic system, but my pores also appear to be smaller and my—lets just call them fine lines—have also minimized. The unique technology is also so effective that it leaves your skin more absorbent for moisturizer and vitamin rich serums, which is extremely beneficial. Clarisonic is a major breakthrough in personal technology and a system that can work for everyone at an affordable price.

Darphin Nourishing Smoothing Body Scrub
I love a good body scrub/exfoliation, but products in this particular category most often come in large (sometimes glass) jars that aren’t always convenient to use. While living in London several years ago, I became familiar with Darphin, which is one of the leading spa brands in Europe and I was fortunate enough to experience many of their signature treatments. When I recently discovered the Nourishing Smoothing Body Scrub—which contains natural and organic ingredients such as organic cranberry extract and essential oils of eucalyptus and bergamot—I was intrigued and instantly ran home to try it out. The results were, of course, fantastic. Not only does this product live up to the high standards of what I expect from a luxurious brand like Darphin, but the convenient squeeze tube also makes this wonderful product easy to use and travel with. It smells amazing and my skin feels incredibly smooth and hydrated—just as it would after having a spa body scrub. And I don’t even feel the need to follow up with a moisturizer!

Elemis Pro-Collagen Wrinkle Smooth
Since I’ve already mentioned my “little fine lines,” I can also admit that I’m most often skeptical of gimmicky products. This is not the case with Elemis’ Pro Collagen Wrinkle Smooth, however. The product contains Indian mulberry for de-stressing and relaxing the skin as well as Padina pavonica, which encourages the natural production of collagen to help even out and smooth the skin’s surface. At the same time, the mineral montmorillonite is proven to absorb up to four times its weight in moisture, which also helps to plump the skin—thereby minimizing the appearance of lines and wrinkles. This wonderful and convenient product now has a permanent place in my daily routine and I’ve actually begun re-applying more than once a day. Not only are the lines on my forehead less noticeable after a little more than one week, but the convenient pen-like tube makes application a breeze.

Go Smile – Smile Whitening System
Last and certainly not least, one should never overlook the importance of a beautiful smile. At-home teeth bleaching is often extremely messy, uncomfortable and usually leaves my teeth feeling very sensitive. The Go Smile – Smile Whitening System, by contrast, removes the hassle, stress and inconvenience of traditional bleaching methods. Plus it works instantly and effectively. You will definitely see a difference from the first use and, best of all, there’s no residual sensitivity. Simply flip the ampoule in the cardboard holder, squeeze and apply. It doesn’t get any easier or better than that!

Geoffrey Rodriguez

Editor’s Note: Geoffrey Rodriguez is a celebrity make up artist and is not paid to endorse any of the aforementioned products. All products reviewed are done so objectively and have been thoroughly tried and used by Rodriguez.