Philosophy

Do your kids ever astound you with their wisdom? When a Washington DC musician and video cameraperson named Zia Hassan arrived to pick up his fiancée at her babysitting gig, he was surprised that one of her charges was a "child philosopher." Zia recorded the boy, 9, and his thoughts on the universe, destiny, and life in general and posted them on YouTube. Watch how this little boy talks about life's big questions: you won't believe how insightful his answers are!

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What's the best life discussion you've ever had with your child?

Slathering on lotion is sometimes not enough to get your body feeling as soft and smooth as you might like. But when multitasking products, like Philosophy Microdelivery Exfoliating Body Scrub ($25), enter the mix, achieving silky skin isn't just a pipe dream. The gritty texture is made to slough away dry, flaky patches from the neck down. Plus, this scrub is formulated with plenty of skin nourishment in the form of shea butter, and jojoba, sesame, olive, and lemon peel oils, so you can know your natural barrier is being fortified with an intense blast of moisture. Add to your shower routine a couple days a week, and your skin will show immediate results. So go ahead and bare those shoulders and legs in your holiday getup, because your skin will be worth showing off.

Alberta Ferretti has tapped British designer Natalie Ratabesi as the new creative director for her secondary line Philosophy.

"I felt that the time had come to give Philosophy a more independent and autonomous vision, allowing me to dedicate myself entirely to the Alberta Ferretti collection and other related projects," Ferretti said in a statement.

After Ratabesi graduated from Central Saint Martins, she worked for Christian Dior, Valentino, Oscar de la Renta, and Gucci, and was the senior creative director at Ralph Lauren. She says she wants to "project Philosophy’s unique, timeless style and effortless femininity, which have always distinguished the brand, into the future."

Photo courtesy of Alberta Ferretti.

For nearly 25 years, Look Good . . . Feel Better has been working with women undergoing cancer treatments by helping them improve their outer appearance through makeup, hair, and other beauty workshops. And now, Philosophy has teamed up with the organization to make even more of an impact. The beauty brand has just launched Graceful Journey ($25), a two-piece kit that includes Pure Grace Shampoo, Bath, and Shower Gel, along with seven motivational cards. Philosophy will donate 100 percent of the net proceeds from the Graceful Journey set to the nonprofit, further assisting in lifting the spirits of women affected by the disease. You can make a difference to the lives of many through this inspiring, empowering program.

For all our fellow candy corn fanatics — and just in time for Halloween — comes a supersweet treat for your lips: Philosophy's I Love Candy Corn Lip Shine ($10). Joining the brand's line of Fall-flavored lip glosses like Caramel Apple, Sparkling Cranberry, and Cinnamon Buns, the sugary, sheer gloss is a must have for those with a sweet tooth.

Besides the spot-on candy corn flavor, the gloss contains a rich, natural emollient formula containing vitamin E and beeswax to soothe and soften your lips. The consistency is thick enough to hydrate without being overly goopy (because the last thing you want come Fall's windy days is hair sticking to your lips).

With all the swimming, beaching, and short-shorts wearing that you're doing this season, what better time to indulge in a little full-body bliss? As important as it is to exfoliate your face during warm weather, you shouldn't forget about the rest of your skin; creating a smooth canvas for shaving, moisturizing, and applying bronzer is key — and it'll only make your skin look that much more amazing in all your pretty Summer ensembles. There are tons of great body buffers out there, but to see three of the best skin-smoothing scrubs, just keep reading.

Though most people are afflicted by acne during puberty, a lucky few of us get to deal with it well into adulthood. The only thing worse than acne, however, may be acne scars. While there are several skin-lightening and hyperpigmentation products on the market, there are three standouts that provide some serious fade action. See which treatments help fade scars best when you keep reading.

In the business world, mergers and acquisitions are the norm, and this year, some pretty big beauty deals took place. Perhaps the biggest shopping spree, however, was done by none other than Coty, who acquired big-time brands like OPI and Philosophy, along with lesser-known brands Dr. Scheller Cosmetics and TJoy. And while Coty already holds the Calvin Klein fragrance license, the company recently acquired a Calvin Klein color cosmetics license, too.

Other major deals included Estée Lauder's purchase of Smashbox, Shiseido's acquisition of Bare Escentuals, and Unilever's acquirement of Alberto-Culver, the makers of brands such as Nexxus, Tresemmé, VO5, and St. Ives. L'Oréal purchased Essie, and there was even some talk of the beauty juggernaut purchasing Avon. Speaking Avon, they acquired British skincare company Liz Earle earlier this year. With Coty's growth exploding at the seams, it will be interesting to see what they, along with the other big beauty players, have planned for 2011.

>> Let's face it: we spend more time with our co-workers than with non-office friends and family. Luckily, we find a good number of them quite awesome. If you're feeling the same kind of love, gift them something sweet and special this year to show that you mean it. There's peppermint-scented shampoo for the beauty-obsessed, a cute camera case for the budding photographer, mini cacti for the one with the green thumb . . . and more fun gift ideas below!