Fight Flaky Dry Skin

While the changing of the seasons from summer into fall feels great, it can be stressful to our skin. Sometimes moisturizer alone just doesn't cut it. If you've been noticing dry, flaky patches on your face (probably in the t-zone) don't worry. You're not alone! And, thankfully, it's a fairly easy fix. 

Here's what you'll need:

1. Your favorite facial cleanser

2. An exfoliating sponge like the one I found at CVS. 

3. A good moisturizer. (A night cream works well)

As you may have guessed, you're going to wash your face with your cleanser and rinse with warm water. Using your hands is fine for this step. 

Once your face is clean, wet your exfoliating sponge, add some cleanser to it and buff lightly in circles in your face. There's no need to be rough. You just want to go over the forehead, cheeks, nose and chin to increase the circulation and remove some dead skin cells. Avoid your eye area, as the skin there is the most delicate. 

Once you've rinsed and dried your face, apply your moisturizer. I prefer to do this in the evenings, so my face has a chance to rest and soak up the moisturizer before I put it through the paces with makeup again. 

You'll probably already notice a smoothness to your skin, but the next morning it will be even better. 

Try this once or twice a week, and say goodbye to patchy dry skin for good! Your makeup will look fresher and your skin will be radiant. 

Holiday Nail Art With Dermelect

 I know it's a LITTLE early to be thinking about Christmas, Hanukkah or Winter in general. But these cute holiday nails just wouldn't wait, so stash this away until you need a little holiday cheer!

Moon Kissed

Phenom

I love Dermelect ME Peptide-infused polishes because not only do they look good, your nails actually benefit from using them. They have a pure protein peptide that helps strengthen nails, contain vitamins and lock moisture in. They're the anti-aging darlings of the nail world! And because the first coat bonds to the nail and the second coat fuses to the first, your manicure will last longer than other traditional polishes. You can pick them up on their website and have them shipped to your door. Right now each polish is $14, and they offer free shipping on orders of $50 or more.

Red-iculous

To get these fun looks you'll need the polishes and a striping or detailer brush. You can pick these up at a place like Sally's Beauty Supply very inexpensively. The brushes are the key to getting the lines of the Candy Cane and Snowflakes thin and precise.

Have fun and enjoy!

Mascara Magic

I've searched high and low to find a mascara that does everything I want it to. It's harder than you might think. Some give volume, but look clumpy. Others give length, but not volume. I want both!

Volumizing Mascara

Late one night I was channel surfing and I stopped on QVC. Mally Roncal was on showing off her Mally Beauty line. Her models had amazing eyes. So I watched like a star-struck teenager. I wanted to try this bullet-proof mascara. I had to get my hands on it. And I did.

It truly is amazing. With one coat, my lashes have length and volume. No clumps. No teary eyes! (I have very sensitive eyes who tend to water profusely when they dislike the eye makeup I've chosen) No flaking off during the day onto your under eye (that is such an ugly look). Mally's Volumizing Mascara gets 5 stars from me! Once you try it, I know you will agree. (It also comes in a waterproof version, but I have not tried that, so I can't speak to whether it's as good as the original.)

You can purchase this from QVC here. Last time I checked it was a great deal - you get two tubes of mascara for $28, plus something like $5 shipping. Keep one for later, or bless a friend with beautiful lashes!

You can also buy Mally at the Ulta store online for $20 (but I honestly think the QVC deal is better, since you're getting two tubes for only $8 more.)

Soapy Fun with Van der Hagen

I love these glycerin soaps from Van der Hagen. (www.vdhent.com) They're handmade, clean exceptionally well with lots of good for your skin ingredients and have fragrances suited for everyone (and even a fragrance free!)

They remind me of the beloved glycerin soaps from Bath & Body Works. How I loved those soaps! They are hard to find and pretty much retired now, so when I got the opportunity to try the Van der Hagan soaps, I was excited. Fruity is my favorite! It lathers great, smells amazing, like a juicy fresh mandarin with maybe a hint of mango. Heaven in a bar!

Get these for yourself or an awesome stocking stuffer. With the four scents, Fruity, Floral, Fresh and Free, there truly is a scent for everyone, even those with sensitive skin. 

You can pick a bar (or more) up at your local CVS or Walgreens or you can check out the list of online retailers on the Van der Hagen website.

Choosing a Fragrance

Il Bacio

It may sound simple, but it actually takes a little work to find the perfect fragrance for you. A fragrance is broken down into three components that together, make the accord or scent profile.

Top Notes (head) - are the notes you smell as you first spray the perfume. These notes last for only 10-20 minutes.

Middle Notes (heart) - appear 10-20 minutes in, just as the top notes are fading out. These notes will last approximately 3-6 hours on the skin.

Base Notes (dry down) - you'll begin to notice them a half hour in and these notes can stay with you for up to 24 hours.

Perfume is a very personal purchase. We have memories associated with certain fragrances which of course, will affect our choice. But we also have to consider our body chemistry and the fact that fragrances will change slightly once in contact with our skin, and fragrances smell different on each and every body.

Viva La Juicy

So - how do you go about choosing a perfume right for you?

Start with what you know - is there a certain perfume you have worn before or like on someone else? Start there. Chances are, you will probably choose a new fragrance in the same category as something you have worn (and liked) before.

I'll use an example of my own. Back in college, I wore a perfume called Il Bacio by Borghese. It falls into the fruity/floral categories with an oriental feel in the dry down. It was a scent I wore for years and probably the first fragrance that I really loved. I still wear it every once in awhile. I get complements on it almost every time I wear it.

More recently, I have worn Viva La Juicy by Juicy Couture -  believe I found it by browsing the fragrance counter and really enjoying it. It's also a floral with a gourmand base or dry down.

I've noticed that I gravitate to fragrances that begin bright and dry down more oriental or gourmand.

Here is a list from www.fragrantica.com that I found to be informative and helpful in deciphering the different groups of fragrances. The characters will help you when choosing a new fragrance. For example, if a fragrance is described as "outdoorsy and fresh" is ging to be an aromatic herbaceous scent. Where as something "warm and sensual" is likely to be a heavier oriental.

Aldehydic perfumes contain chemicals belonging to the aldehyde group. Character: pure and fresh. Example: Chanel N°5 (Chanel)

Aromatic perfumes are made of various herbs, e.g. rosemary, basil or thyme. Character: outdoorsy and fresh. Example: Aqua Allegoria Herba Fresca (Guerlain)

Aquatic perfumes will have a base of synthetic ingredients that evoke the sea, mountain air or fresh linen. Character: clean and modern. Example: L'Eau d'Issey" (Issey Miyake)

Citrus/fruity perfumes include bergamot, grapefruit, lemon, mandarin, sweet orange and fruits such as peach, red berries, watermelon, etc. Character: fresh and light. Example: Dior Addict 2 (Dior)

Floral perfumes contain flower extracts, such as rose, lily or jasmine. Character: sweet and delicate. Example: Pure Poison (Dior)

Green perfumes, formerly known as chypres, are made of bergamot, labdanum, patchouli and oakmoss. Character: woody and floral. Example: Coco Mademoiselle (Chanel) 

Gourmand perfumes contain notes like vanilla and tonka bean, chocolate or caramel. Character: sweet and edible. Example: Delices (Cartier)

Oriental perfumes have a base of amber, musks, vanilla and other exotic plants. Character: warm and sensual. Example: Dior Addict (Dior)

Woody perfumes are made of woods such as cedar, patchouli, sandalwood and vetiver. Character: earthy and masculine. Example: Mediterranean (Elizabeth Arden)
Once you have a place to start go explore the fragrance counter of your local department store or Ulta store. Pick 3-5 that you like and ask if they have a sample you can take home. If you decide to try one, make sure you just try one and try it on clean skin. One spritz on the inside of the wrist and elbow and that's it! You won't know for a couple of hours how it dries on your skin. Let the fragrance develop and you'll know if you're close to a new signature scent or not.

Care for your Head during Chemo and Radiation

When Philip Kingsley’s wife, Joan was diagnosed with cancer, he knew that he could not sit idly when her radiologist told her she would wreak havoc on her skin if she used any products with a fragrance. Philip Kingsley worked diligently to formulate a special scent free, color free shampoo and conditioner just for his wife, the No Scent No Colour Collection.

  

What began as a solution to support his partner in her time of need became a collection of products that is gentle enough for those suffering from a sensitive scalp or hair loss, as well as those undergoing radiotherapy.  The Philip Kingsley No Scent No Colour Shampoo and Conditioner cleanses and moisturizes even the most fragile hair, while its paraben free formula leaves hair soft and shiny.



Philip Kingsley No Scent No Colour Shampoo ($25)

·        Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate acts as a gentle cleanser

·        Lauryl Betaine is SLS free



Philip Kingsley No Scent No Colour Conditioner ($29)

·        Amino Silicone with Behentrimonium chloride is smoothing and detangling

·        Elastin is a natural conditioning agent to improve strength

·        For fine textured hair use sparingly on mid lengths and ends

• For coarse and curly textured hair, use more generously from root to tip
• Rinse well and follow with Scalp Toner
  

Philip Kingsley products are available at philipkingsley.com

Summertime Dos and Don'ts

This is some great information with fun solutions to summer wardrobe conundrums. My friends at Fresh Produce and I have some super savvy advice when it comes to beating the heat, in style. You can thank us now...

1.    Don’t commit accessory blunders

Put those suede boots back in the closet! Make sure accessories are appropriate by paying attention to color, weight and style. Remember to keep it light, airy and fun. (Take the time to get a proper pedicure to start the season off right - take your manicurist your own polish and then touch ups at home will be easy!)

Do match your accessories to the season

Summer scarves like the Island Floral Scarf ($29) by Echo make great headbands to keep flyaway hairs at bay. They even dress up casual skirts or shorts when worn as a belt or sash.  Summer is also a great time for fun and whimsical accessories like the Silver Starfish Necklace ($24), Crystal Starfish Bracelet ($19), and the Blue fish Pendant Necklace ($24).

2.    Don’t let the heat determine your hemline

Hotter temperatures shouldn’t automatically mean less clothing. Let your summer outfit choices reflect your personality with color and patterns. If "daisy dukes" aren't for you, don't wear them! Try a pretty printed maxi dress or versatile and lightweight roll-up pants. (And this is where a nice faux glow will come in handy)

Do wear clothes that make you look and feel fabulous

If short shorts aren’t for you, try something that’s back in style this summer: the Bermuda short! The Gigi Pedal Pusher ($69) comes in an exclusive palette of bright colors and is a great active short for summer fun. Skorts are back on the “what to wear” list, too. The City Skort ($54) feels like casual wear, but looks like a great all-occasion summer skirt, making it our go-to choice this summer.  

3.    Don’t let wardrobe malfunctions cramp your summer style

The biggest summer-fashion mishap on our list: the peak-a-boo bra strap. Too many summer tanks and dresses leave room for unwelcome strap appearances. (And while it may look good on models or actresses, trust me; no one at your kids camp or the grocery store is interested in what kind of bra you're wearing today.)

Do choose summer items with considerate details

Tanks like the Horizon Cowlneck Tank ($39) and Layering Tank ($34) are cute to prevent the dreaded “strap slide.” Even the flattering Dragonfly Impromptu Dress ($89) with its open back is cut to be “no fuss, all style.”

4.    Don’t get a sunburn

Not only is sunburn the leading cause of skin cancer, but it also ages your skin. Never leave the house without your SPF and lightweight clothes that shield your skin. (See, it's not just me saying this! There are so many gels, lotions and sprays out there - no excuses!)

Do use clothing and accessories to protect your skin

A hat like the Ginger Poly Braid ($38) from Wallaroo has a wide brim to give you added protection from the sun. Plus, a loose-fitting top in a breathable, 100% cotton fabric blend is a great way to cover and protect shoulders. Both the Twin Peaks Top ($55) and Fringe Poncho ($59) have open sleeves and hang loosely, making each top the perfect, light layer to shield you from the sun’s rays.