Top 5 Summer Staples May 13th, 2010 By

I was a summer baby, born in July.  It must have been the alignment in the stars because I have an innate pull toward the summer months.  As the weather begins to warm and vacations are in the last stages of planning, I am beginning to feel my favorite time of year creeping up.  Here are my Top 5 Summer Staples:

1. I always wear SPF 30 on my face.  Mineral versions like this Peter Thomas Roth powder with SPF 30 are a great alternative to heavy sunblock creams that can cause breakouts.  I used to use these sunblock creams, but after applying makeup it proved too many layers for the summer heat.  Now, I just brush this on in the morning and throw it in my purse for touch-ups as necessary!

Peter Thomas Roth Mineral Powder SPF 30

2. Chlorine can damage your hair, skin, and bathing suit.  Kiehl’s makes the best product — Swimmer’s Cleansing Rinse for your hair and body.  It’s gentle enough to use on your swimsuit, too!  It neutralizes the chemical and keeps your hair from turning green, skin from drying out, and your favorite suit from deteriorating!  If you spend your summers in the swimming pool, this is a must have. 

All-Sport Swimmer's Cleansing Rinse for Hair and Body

3. Everyone is in search for the easiest way to get that tousled, beachy wave look without looking like a sloppy mess.  I use a 1 ½” barrel curling iron and wrap 2” sections (or larger if I am in a rush) to create big, loose waves. Then I flip my head over, shake it out, finger comb, and finish off with this a few sprays Frederic Fekkai’s amazing Beach Waves Spray. It has an amazing smell, seals/protects hair from the sun, and gives you that California surfer girl look all day.

Frederic Fekkai Beach Waves

4. I am dying to get a hot new bathing suit this summer.  I’m really want to get a plunging v-neck like this halter one-piece by Carmen Marc Valvo. While it’s still very sexy and on trend, no need to worry about getting a bunch of funky tan lines across my midsection.  This suit exudes confidence and personal style — I can already envision myself cocktailing by the pool!

Carmen Marc Valvo Halter One-Piece

5. Lastly, I love this silk coverup from Diane von Furstenberg. Maxi-coverups were hot this season on the runways, and make it easy to go straight from lounging to lunch or dinner. This resort piece is hot, and the lioness in me can’t resist the leopard-print and embellishments!  If you’re not as bold, try something more subdued (but still sultry) like this tunic from Calvin Klein.

Diane von Furstenberg Leopard-Print Silk Coverup

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Beauty Talk: Skin-Saving Serums March 23rd, 2010 By

If you’ve been planning to step up your skin care routine, try a serum.  These formulas are often superior to creams and lotions because of a greater concentration of active ingredients.  Check out our top picks for solving your skin problem:   

Juice Beauty Anti-Oxidant Serum, $45

Aging Skin
Juice Beauty Anti-Oxidant Serum, $45
This organic serum uses ingredients like Coenzyme Q10, Vitamins C, E and A and grapeseed oil in a base of grape, orange and aloe leaf juices (instead of water) to treat free radicals that break down skin and help to moisturize, plump and exfoliate skin so it looks fresh.  With 2 oz. in the bottle and only a few drops needed per application, this is a great investment for beautiful skin.  Mix four drops with moisturizer (helps with the sticky texture of serums) in the evenings as part of a natural, skin-softening regimen.

Peter Thomas Roth Hydrating Serum, $65

Dry Skin
Peter Thomas Roth Hydrating Serum, $65
With one of the highest concentrations of hyaluronic acid, this Peter Thomas Roth serum will make sure that your moisturizer is absorbed by your skin.  Using it in conjunction with a good moisturizer (serum applied first) will get rid of any dry patches and leave you with beautiful, dewy skin.  Hyaluronic acid attracts 1,000 times its weight in water, so a thin layer of serum will help your moisturizer go that extra mile.  Definitely a worthwhile buy for fans of La Mer and other pricey skin creams.

DERMAdoctor Ain’t Misbehavin’ Acne Control Serum, $45

Acne-Prone Skin
DERMAdoctor Ain’t Misbehavin’ Acne Control Serum, $45
Treat acne-prone skin with salicylic acid and tea tree oil in this light serum.  The salicylic acid will unclog pores while the tea tree oil fights the bacteria that can sneak into those pores to cause blemishes.  Ain’t Misbehavin’ also contains a botanical ingredient called Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid (NDGA) that fights hormonal breakouts and white tea to calm redness.

Bliss Peeling Groovy Facial Serum $65
Bliss Peeling Groovy Facial Serum, $65

Rough Skin and Scars from Old Blemishes
Bliss Peeling Groovy Facial Serum, $65
Get the effect of microdermabrasion in one step with this Alpha Amino Acid Serum.  This formula is more gentle than glycolic peels and will let you freshen skin at a slower steadier pace (read: no red, raw skin).  Apply in the evening after removing makeup.  It may sting a little and should be kept away from the immediate eye area.  After two to three weeks of application once daily (or every other day for very sensitive skin), your skin should be noticeably brighter (thanks to the vitamin C), old scars from blemishes should be lightened and pores should be smaller.

Always patch test new products, especially if you have very sensitive skin.  Apply a thin layer of product to the inside of your elbow the night before you plan to start using your new serum to ensure you won’t have a bad reaction.

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Beauty Talk: The New Blues February 28th, 2010 By

The New Blues

Brighten up your vanity with beauty products in shades of blue.  From sultry shadows to gentle exfoliators, check out some of my favorites among the new blues.

1. MAC Deep Truth is a classic very deep blue shimmer eyeshadow that can update the classic smoky eye by standing in for stark black shadows.

2. If lighter shades are more your style, try Urban Decay Speed.  This pale blue shadow is a great way to welcome the spring.

3. Get a mix of blue shades in Maybelline’s Eye Studio Sapphire Siren Quad, the drugstore giant’s latest shadow offering.  A light and dark blue are paired with a frosty white and black shadow to give you a range of eye looks, all for less than $9!  Even if you usually avoid Maybelline’s shadows, try the new Eye Studio quads, they are way more pigmented than their regular line.  Applied wet, they rival department store brands with their rich color payoff.

4. NARS Bains Douches is a bright sky blue glitter pencil that will take your eye look from day to evening.  Wear a pale blue shadow to work and then spice it up in the evening with a darker blue shadow (like MAC’s Deep Truth) and Bains Douches in the inner and outer corners of the eye to add some sparkle.

5. Stila Black Diamond Mascara in Blue Shimmer will add just a hint of sparkle to your eyes.  The soft blue shimmer in this basic black mascara is perfect for daytime (no disco ball eyelashes here).

6. Brighten up your shower and your skin with Peter Thomas Roth’s Botanical Buffing Beads!  This scrub has tiny round beads to gently exfoliate your body and even delicate facial skin.  The bright blue color will help you to imagine a lovely tropical ocean while you uncover the bright new skin you’d show off on that beach.

7. Marc Jacobs Daisy in The Air is a limited edition reisssue of the popular Daisy fragrance in a bottle adorned with bright blue flowers.  The perfect gift for the girl who loves floral fragrances,  Daisy has notes of violet, strawberry and gardenia.  This limited edition set includes a daisy chain of blue flowers that she can spritz and hang in her room so she’ll be surrounded by her favorite scent.  It’ll also freshen and brighten up your car -  those little green trees are no competition!

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Top 5: Exfoliators January 13th, 2010 By

Philosophy The MicroDelivery Multi-Use Peel Pads

Philosophy The MicroDelivery Multi-Use Peel Pads

Is your skin feeling dull and dry?  Join the club.  This cold winter weather wreaks havoc on our skin.

Here are 5 of our favorite ways to get back the glow:

Peter Thomas Roth Botanical Buffing Beads

Peter Thomas Roth Botanical Buffing Beads

Peter Thomas Roth’s Buffing Beads are gentle and effective.  Try the Blemish Buffing Beads formula to combat bacne and other body blemishes.  The salicylic acid-infused formula will keep your skin clear and soft.

St. Ives Apricot Scrub is a bargain beauty must-have.  If you have Keratosis Pilaris (“chicken-skin”) or dry, ashy knees or elbows, this scrub can be a key part of a skin saving regimen.  Since it costs less than $4 a tube, you can afford to use it on large areas (arms/legs) every few days to keep skin supple.  They also offer a salicylic acid version for extra exfoliation and blemish-fighting.

Cosmedicine’s Medi-Morphosis Scrub is the perfect facial scrub.  It is gentle, the scrubbing beads are super fine and they dissolve as you scrub so you can’t overdo it.  The liquid in this formula is mostly witch hazel which means your skin is being pampered and calmed as you exfoliate.  A must-have for sensitive skin that you can even use on your lips!

Chemical exfoliators may not be what we expect when we think of scrubbing away old skin, but they can work even better than mechanical scrubs to maintain hydration and clear skin.

Try Philosophy’s Microdelivery Peel Pads on face and body.  The multi-use pads (100 pads, 8.5 oz. $55) are perfect for legs, arms and face or can be cut in half to get more uses at an affordable price.  The mini peel pads are smaller (60 pads, 2 oz. for $35) but easier to deal with if you only want to exfoliate your face.  Use in the evening and apply moisturizer immediately after.

Peter Thomas Roth Un-Wrinkle Peel Pads

Peter Thomas Roth Un-Wrinkle Peel Pads

Peter Thomas Roth’s Un-Wrinkle Peel Pads are heavy-duty clinical skin-care.  The solution contains alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta hydroxy (salicylic) acid as well as Gamma (Linolenic) Hydroxy Acid (GLA) and amino acids. You apply the solution, let it sit for a few minutes (no more than three minutes), and then rinse it off.  You’ll feel tingling and you should start off slowly, once every few days to make sure your skin can tolerate it.  This peel will help to decrease the appearance of fine lines and dark spots on skin (such as acne discolation) while clearing and refining pores, making it the perfect choice for fighting both signs of aging and blemishes.

Use a good sunscreen when using any of these exfoliators (especially the chemical ones) to protect that bright, fresh new skin you’ve uncovered!

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