Guilt-Free

Sweet Treats

DON'T BE TEMPTED TO INDULGE IN CHOCOLATES AND SWEETS
OVER EASTER. THESE GOODIES WILL SATISFY SWEET-TOOTHS
WITHOUT THE GUILT.

We all need a bit of sweetness in our daily routine, and life gets boring without a few guilty pleasures to indulge in every now and then.

Easter, is the time where many people ditch their Lent sacrifices and tuck into chocolate delicacies and marzipan monstrosities.

But with recent reports about how a diet high in sugar could increase the risk of getting cancer, and how overindulgence can contribute to visible signs of ageing on the skin, perhaps sugar isn't the best way to treat yourself this spring.

OH HONEY HONEY

Honey is a wonder product - it satisfies sweet cravings while being good for you. It also has many beauty benefits, making it ideal to use in your daily routine.

Nuxe has introduced two new products to its Reve de Miel honey range - Ultra Comfortable Body Cream, £18, and Fondant Exfoliating Shower Cream, £14.50, at selected department stores and Boots. Both soothe and repair, so are great for people with dry or sensitive skin.

The new Honey B bath and body range is bee-licious! Made with pure organic honey, there are nine products, including Body Whip with Acacia honey, royal jelly and beeswax, £8.95, and Body Polish with Acacia and Manuka honey, £5.49, from www.scottishfinesoaps.com

Keep lips tastily soft with REN Acacia Blossom Lip Honey, £6.50, from www.hqhair.com and Space NK (020 8740 2085/www.spacenk.com), and Comvita Propolis Lip Balm SPF30, £3.95 (www.comvita.co.uk).

SUGAR SUGAR

Sugar may not be good for your skin, but used in beauty products, it can be a brilliant exfoliator. It's gentle enough to slough the dead skin cells off without being too abrasive, so skin is left clean and smooth, and not dry.

St Ives Brighten & Glow In-Shower Exfoliating Body Polish, £5.99, Ted Baker Sugar Scrub, £6.99 from Boots, and Botanics at Boots Moisturising Sugar Scrub, £5 - all contain natural sugar crystals.

Tesco's new Finest Gourmand range comes in the delicious flavour of Vanilla Creme. The collection consists of four products scented with brown sugar and caramel, which smell good enough to eat. Lie back with Bath Brulee, or scrub up with Sugar Shower Scrub, £4.49 each.

CHOCO-LICIOUS

Once a sweet sin, chocolate's benefits are being rediscovered, with products choc-full of it.

Philip B's Chocolate Milk Body Wash, £23, from www.hqhair.com, smells literally like chocolate milkshake. The blend of cocoa butter, oat protein and aloe vera will tempt you into drinking it straight from the bottle.

Philosophy's all-in-one shampoo, body wash and bubble baths, £14.50, from www.hqhair.com, are a treat for all the senses. Chocolate lovers will adore Double Rich Hot Cocoa, or add a zingy twist with Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream flavour.

There's enough cocoa butter in Naked's Cocoa Butter Revealed body cream, £8.99 or 14 Euros at Boots, to make a 2oz bar of white chocolate, so you'll be whisked away to choccy heaven after slathering it all over.

Medik8 Lipomelt Forte Anti-Cellulite Formula, £29 (0845 673 2222/www.medik8.com), contains real chocolate extract (Theobrama Cacao) to reduce the appearance of cellulite around problem areas.

If you feel there's no escaping the sweet smell of chocolate, join in. Thierry Mugler Angel, from £39, has chocolate, vanilla and caramel in its base, while Il Profumo has created three Chocolat fragrances - Chocolat Frais, Chocolat and Chocolat Amere - priced from £25 (01273 408 800/www.laforetdeparfum.com).

CANDY GIRL

Ditch the calorie overload and pick some mouth-watering cosmetics instead this Easter.

Get your chocolate fix with Hard Candy Eye Candy Eyeshadow in Caramel or Butterscotch, £8 or 12.50 Euros, or The Body Shop Shimmer Cubes Eye Palette Shade 06, £14 or 21.18 Euros, containing scrumptious chocolate-y hues of Dark Chocolate and Choc Chip.

Jelly Pong Pong Lip Gourmet made with real dark cocoa, £13 from Jellypongpong.com or ASOS.com, Clinique's limited edition Full Potential Lipgloss in Toffee Boost, £12 or 19 Euros, and Avon's ANEW Beauty Lip Plumping Lip Colour in Cocoa or Chocolate Frosting, £8 (0845 601 4040/www.avon.uk.com), are all lip-smacking.

Nails needn't miss out either. Zoya's Angelina nail lacquer, £8.95 (0800 111 6647/www.nailcareclub.com), and Essie's Chocolate Kisses, £8.50, from www.lookfantastic.com