Gadgets

I'm a gadgety, accessory type of gal. I believe that there's no such thing as too many lipglosses (not to mention shoes, handbags and scarves for that matter) and I cannot fathom leaving home without my iPad. So when I discovered the newest hair accessory of our generation, a truly game changing gadget that is so intuitive I wondered how I didn't come up with it. Then with great reside I made room in my arsenal for one more toy!

Oddly reminiscent of a corkscrew and shaped like a DNA strand, the Goody Simple Styles Spin Pin must have been conceived after one tough week, a comforting bottle of Bordeaux and perhaps some lovin'. The double helixed shaped pin discreetly holds hair in place and is absolutely effortless. You simply gather hair as desired (eg. bun, french twist or half updo) and secure with one or two pins. Within mere seconds hair is styled for all day hold (my hair stayed in place even through a spin class!) and convenience. But my favorite part is the lack of pain or discomfort from having a pin pressed against my scalp. These pins almost disappear, sparing your tender scalp from jarring pain. Available in two colors a bronze intended for brunettes and a golden for blondes these pins and packaged by two, they are now in your local drugstore or Target! I'm stocking up as we speak. And for the record I don't believe in rules so wear both colors....there's nothing more flattering than having a hair adornment that contrasts with your hair.

Usage tip: To pull up your entire hair use both pins, one from the top and the other from the bottom of the updo. Half updo's require only one. Make sure to never cross the pins as it can be quite difficult to get out. To secure the pin turn it clockwise and to remove twirl it counterclockwise (it's literally like operating a corkscrew so it should be a natural gesture for my oenophiles).

The result: Whether it's an elegant, polished bun or a haphazardly thrown together updo these pins will be your new bff!

Humbling

There's nothing more humbling than being proven wrong. Case in point, swearing up and down that you absolutely positively put away your favorite necklace back in the jewelery box. In fact you're so sure that you've decided some phantom jewelry thief must have come in the middle of the night, snuck undetected past the 3 dead bolts and took this prized piece. Of course after turning the apartment upside down with fraught anxiety you realize (oops!) that you left it in your purse when it was your turn to stay at "his place". Definitely humbling!

So when a bump with a white head appeared on my face I decided it absolutely must be a pimple. A whitehead to be exact. Fast forward to three weeks of blemish clearing products, steam and attempted extractions when I realized that this "breakout" was not budging. And then it dawned on me. This isn't a whitehead! It's a milia! I know what you're thinking...a whata? Milia, sometimes referred to do as baby acne since they are commonly found in infants, occurs when dead skin cells become trapped in the pores causing clogging. The white bumps almost look cyst-like and are resistant to any acne treatment medication. Attributed to poor exfoliation, common culprits include heavy skincare products, sun damage causing epidermal thickening thereby inhibiting proper exfoliation and even genetics. Unfortunately milias are not something that can be "popped" or extracted at home. If you try you risk scarring that beautiful face. Instead pay a visit to your aesthetician or dermatologist who will open the milia with a sterile lancet or needle and extract the oily content. This should not be tried at home as you risk puncturing the milia incorrectly or infecting the area. One visit, a few minutes later and that nagging "whitehead" is gone!

Usage tip: Of course with the proper care you can avoid milias all together by gently exfoliating regularly. Whether you cleanse with the Clarisonic, manually slough with a facial polish or even do a mild glycolic peel you will help prevent dead skin cells from lingering and trapping pores. Remember gentle exfoliation. Overdoing it will cause a whole host of other problems.

The result: A small reminder that you're not always right!

Fashion's Night Out

The fashion queen, Anna Wintour, may inspire a lot of controversy. Is she really the Devil Wears Prada? Or perhaps a more discontent soul as glimpsed in The September Issue. One thing she is, is creatively brilliant. Case in point the multi-country, continent-hopping shopping party known as Fashion’s Night Out. A brainchild of Wintour’s, these Halloween meets News Year’s event did not fail for the second consecutive year. Hundreds of retailers opened their doors, hosting exclusive perks from supermodel assisted photo shoots to complimentary Shake Shack burgers. And the house of Chanel took this special evening to do what it does the best. Launch their fall’s destined for cult status nail polish palette.

Billed as exclusive for Fashion’s Night Out, the iconic brand introduced not just one polish but three! Inspired by all things khaki Chanel’s Creative Director, Peter Philips, interpreted the globally relevant hue in three ways. Khaki Vert builds on the success of the green hued polish movement (remember Chanel's Jade?) but with an added relevancy of sophisticated military flair. The mossy, foam green shade sold out in a mere 45 minutes at the Chanel boutique and inspired ladies to stand in hour long lines for a complimentary manicure. Khaki Rose is more feminine, approachable shade with hints of pinky, earth clay. The most organic shade of the collection, it is perfect for those who prefer a more sensible color. And finally my favorite! Khaki Brun is a breath of fresh air to the overplayed greige shades of Spring. A new, more tastemaking generation, this complex shade evolved in different lights. In dim lit settings it reads a creamy mocha while the sun brings out undertones of olive and bark. While the collection was billed as a one night exclusive, Chanel is making them available to all for a limited time on their website. These colors won't last long so start clicking away to fall nails (they're already on EBay for a mere $135! Outrageous).

Usage tip: If you're bold and edgy enough do as Chanel recommends and paint nails with all 3 in an alternating pattern.

The result: Truly exclusive fall colors from the king pin of nail polishes with no wannabe versions in sight.

Fall Ball

You can almost feel the shift. September rolls around and within the first few days the air becomes crisp, the day’s suddenly become shorter and sandals become replaced with the requisite ballet flats. Inevitably we come to the realization that summer is slipping way and we must usher in fall. As we prepare for the new season with wardrobe updates (side note: was everyone disappointed with the September fashion issues as I was? Total let down after lugging around those 10 pound magazines!) we must also “fall-ize” our skin, hair and nails in an effort to recover and recuperate from the summer damage.

The 5 Ways to Beautify for Fall:
1.Revive lackluster hair color!
Sun, chlorine and sea water breaks down color pigments leaving a brassy or in some cases green tinge. Banish brasiness with Aveda Blue Malva Shampoo (you need blue or purple-toned shampoos to neturalize the reddish tones). Restore color vibrancy with a DIY gloss treatment. Fekkai and Nice N' Easy have great glazes. To enhance color try a color depositing shampoo. Look for one that is in your shade range.

2. Restore softness!
The same culprits mentioned above can also strip and dehydrate hair making your strands feel more straw-like than baby soft. Quench your hair with mega moisture. Apply a moisturizing, strengthening hair mask (I like Kerastase Nutridefense Treatment) on wet, clean hair from mid-length to ends. Wrap hair and cover with a plastic shower cap. Quickly heat hair by running your hair drier over the shower cap. Make sure to leave 2-3” distance between the cap and the nozzle to avoid a meltdown situation! The heat helps “seal” the active hydrators. Leave the mask on for 20-30 minutes then rinse.

3. Shed the snakeskin!
Have you ever noticed that by the end of summer your skin starts to take on a leathery appearance? Not only does the sun dehydrate skin but it also causes the skin to thicken (a natural protective mechanism against UV rays). Slowly skin’s natural radiance and glow are muddied away. Not to fear, with some careful exfoliation your skin will be bounce right back. After cleansing, slough off dead cells by using a body exfoliating cream. I like Kiehl’s Crème de Corps Soy Milk and Honey Body Polish. Up the ante and use a dry brush to help enhance the exfoliation! For the face I recommend Freeze 24*7 IceCrystals Anti-Aging Prep & Polish. On a clean face work the exfoliator in small circular motions. Don’t apply too much pressure or you will irritate the skin and cause microtears.

4. Restore the porcelain! Noticing a few more freckles or even dark spots that were never there? Not uncommon if you've spending time in the sun which causes an increased production of melanin. Break up these unevening clusters with a brightening treatment. I swear by Skinceuticals Pigment Regulator. Apply over dark spots twice daily and use SPF everyday (even if you're office bound!). This will not only prevent new spots but discourage the existing ones from darkening.

5. Buff away!
Just like your skin, your nails need a little resurfacing, brightening action. After soaking your nails in a warm water with lemon juice (half a lemon for hands and a whole lemon for feet), take a nail buffer and exfoliate the top layers of your nails. Keep your fingers polish free for a few days so they can breathe!

Usage tip: You may need to repeat some of the treatments above to get the best results. Use the hair mask once a week, exfoliate twice weekly and of course the step 4 is twice a day for at least 4 week commitment!

The result: Now you're ready for fall!

Summer Love

There are so many delightful things about summer. And despite the fall-like weather NYC has been experiencing as of late (and the fact that my office feels like Antarctica making me look like a bodyless mummy as I bury myself in sweaters, scarves and jackets) I think it’s good to walk down the summer memory lane. There’s of course the long days ensuring that you get to at least see the sun as you make your way home from work. Weekends spent poolside, beachside or bbqside. And who doesn’t love Sunday night ice cream? Of course like all things there are some less than positive side effects of summer: sun parched hair, callused feet and perhaps a few breakouts in places you never thought possible.

Yes as the weather warms up your oil glands go into overdrive causing unwanted pimples not only on the face but also the body like arm, back, etc. And like all cruel ironies in life it’s still summer so you want to be able to flaunt it not hide in layers of clothing. Not to fear there’s a solution: breakout fighting body wash like Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash in Pink Grapefruit. Like all body washes it cleanses and refreshes skin but this body wash works one level deeper with the power of salicylic acid, a beta hydroxyl acid that helps break the bonds between dead skin cells to exfoliate and unclog pores. As you energize your senses with naturally derived grapefruit extract and brighten skin with vitamin C, the body wash cuts through oil and pore clogging aggressors without stripping skin. After a few washes, skin is visibly softer, smoother and breakout free!

Usage tip: Remember to exfoliate your skin weekly with an actually body scrub and to help boost the mechanical exfoliating action use a loofah or brush.

The result: No more red, bumpy spots on that sun-kissed, toned arm as you show off your new strapless sun dress without needing a cover up sweater!

Caring for Beauty

Oddly enough in my family I’m known as the “tech” person. The person mom calls when she makes the jump from a cell phone to a blackberry. The person who’s supposed to know the magic button that makes the new flat screen go from wide screen to full screen… over the phone. And the “go to girl” who installs and sets up new electronic toys in under 30 minutes. So you can only imagine the irony when I received a supped up juicer, decided to not waste my time reading the manual and instead start juicing! Well it only took me 5 minutes to blow the poor little machine up! What a humbling reminder that no matter how much of an expert you may be it’s not a blow (literally!) to the ego to just brush up on the “how to’s.”

When it comes to the world of beauty we often discard the box with the instructions and prefer a roll up your sleeve and do it attitude. This may work sometimes but it’s the finer print on the box detailing how you should use and care for your products to maintain maximum efficacy for the best results. Since I know all your beauty instruction boxes are in a recycling center somewhere (yes all boxes, bottles, tubes and jars are recyclable so please do your part to be eco-fficient) I thought it would be good to review the fundamentals.

Top 3 Ways You Should be Caring for your Beauty Products:

1.Close the cap!

Basic, right? Well in the wee hours of the work day morning or after an exhausting evening it may seem too challenging to full screw the cap or to firmly close the flip top but if you don’t you risk “deactivating” your precious product. Some products contain air sensitive ingredients like retinoids or vitamin C and if the formula is exposed to oxygen the ingredients oxidize rendering them inactive. So rather than apply “dead” cream night after night thinking your skin is becoming ageless just close the cap

2. Keep it cool!

What happens when you don’t keep your produce, dairy or veggies in a cool, refrigerated environment? It goes bad! Well the same logic applies for your beauty products. Hot, steamy showers don’t equal efficacious products. Instead extreme temperatures can cause the product to “age” faster and inevitably lose it’s mojo. So store your products in a dry, room temperature (no higher than 67 degrees). If you’re an over achiever and want extra credit, store your products in the fridge to maintain their freshness (side note I keep my nail polishes there too!).

3. Know the age!

Some time sensitive products like sunscreens or retinoids are labeled with expiration dates. Be sure to adhere to these dates because not only does an expired product not work but you risk experiencing an allergic reaction to the spoiled formula. If you’re product does not have an expiration date then look on the back panel for the open jar symbol. That tells you how long the product will remain active after opening.

Usage tip: While you’re getting refresher in caring for your beauty products why not also glance through the 101’s of beauty care.

The result: Now at least you will be using products that “do something” and deliver on their advertised promises.

Science 101

Let's take it back...back in the day (if you can recall from what song that is I would be impressed!). So here's the scenario: you're back in your sweet sixteens, just finished lunch break where you were trying to catch the attention of your new crush and now it's time for the buzz kill...science class! Mrs. Hall is going on and on about something called pH which determines acidity or alkaline value and all you can think is who cares and when the hell can I get out of here and study something that I care about like how to become rich by doing nothing! If only you knew that fateful science class held the key to keeping your skin ageless.

Yes you read that right. I had the privilege to attend a meet and greet with Dr. Jeannette Graf, a renowned dermatologist in Nyc who has authored "Stop Aging, Start Living: The revolutionary 2 week pH diet that erases wrinkles, beautifies skin and makes you feel fantastic." Dr. Graf's exhaustive work has led her to the conclusion that to maintain and promote healthy cellular function the pH of your cells must be kept at 7.4 (another words slightly basic). The problem is many of our dietary habits; sugars, refined carbs, meats and dairy, serve as breeding ground for an acidic environment. Excess acidity leads to the breakdown of collagen and elastin which, like a domino effect, causes wrinkling and sagging. To rectify this imbalance Dr. Graf recommends balancing each acidic amount with three alkalinizing foods such as dark, leafy greens, fruit, nuts and whole grains topped off with proper amount of H2O! Manage your stress and make sure to take a moment each day to practice your yoga breaths. These small changes discourage a build up of acidity and besides the anti-aging benefits will make a more all round relaxed individual. So put down the bberry, grab a summer peach and enjoy your summer weekend. Your skin will thank you!

Usage tip: To help monitor your progress buy pH testing strips. Each morning test your saliva (the strip should turn a dark blue color) to help ensure your the effectiveness of your lifestyle changes.

The results: A happier you and as Dr. Graf promises 5 years of aging erased overnight!