I hate wearing sunscreen, which is particularly unfortunate when you consider that I have the whitest, most translucent, most easily burnt skin this side of hole in the ozone layer. I rarely sunbathe, given that as a mole creature I shrivel when exposed to sunlight, but I will admit to a few incidents when I was in high school that involved careless “tanning” with Italian friends whose skin bronzed to perfection in the rays. I basked enviously that afternoon, confident that I, too, would grow tan if I followed their lead. Wrong. So wrong. I’ll spare you the details, but I was vivid, unmistakable scarlet by nightfall, and I still have residual freckles from the incident. It’s a wonderful recipe for skin cancer, which I sincerely hope I do not get. Keep reading »
Tag Archives: skin
Finally, The French Woman’s Secret To Beautiful Skin
Have you heard of micellar water? I never had until a few months ago, when I read an interview with the stunning French actress Roxane Mesquida. Her flawless, glowing skin sent me into fits of envy so powerful, I was just dying to know how she does it. Fortunately for me, this interview just so happened to be on my beauty bible, Into The Gloss, which is so incredibly detailed and personal that I’m reluctant to even call it a blog. It’s the brain child of Emily Weiss, a Voguette and former model who has personal ties to some of the biggest names in the beauty business. Keep reading »
Beauty Test Drive: Sweet Pea Body Butter Duo
It’s the least wonderful time of the year. My skin is dry year-round, but fall and winter are the worst of the worst (as in, before writing this post I went to the ladies’ room to slater on face cream for the second time today). I don’t just have to worry about keeping the skin on my face moisturized (but not greasy!) %u2014 it’s when I suffer chapped, flaky, sensitive skin and pretty much carry lotion on me 24/7 to cope. Keep reading »
How To Look Sexy When You Wake Up (Yes, It’s Possible!)
Early in the morning is definitely when I’m at my least attractive and I’m sure many readers would say the same. It’s one thing to wake up alone looking like a puffy-eyed mess. But when you’re sleeping over with someone else, that’s another story entirely! Luckily, I have a few pointers on how to wake up looking gorgeous.
Sounds impossible, right? It’s not. Here’s how to start off sexy every morning…
New Law Bans California Teens From Tanning Beds
LiLo's Self-Tanner Sucks
Jessica's beauty test drive of Sevin Nyne self-tanner was an epic fail. Read More »
That sound you hear? It’s a stampede to the nearest tanning salon before it’s too late! Tanning will be banned in California for anyone under the age of 18 beginning on January 1. Presently, anyone 14 or younger is banned from tanning, but 15-, 16- and 17-year-olds may toast themselves if they have parental permission. However, there is mounting concern that tanning beds’ UV rays damage growing skin, which puts youth at risk for skin cancer. A Democratic state representative pushed the tanning ban bill and Gov. Jerry Brown signed it into law on Sunday. While some folks — like the tanning bed industry — call the tanning ban an overreaching intrusion of the government into people’s personal lives, keep in mind that France and England ban tanning under age 18 and Brazil bans tanning for everyone.
Do you support California’s ban on tanning under the age of 18? [Orange County Register] Keep reading »
Beauty Test Drive: Fresh’s Umbrian Clay Treatment
One note before we begin: The picture above is not exactly the product I used. I used a loose umbrian clay powder from Fresh that can be mixed with water and used as a face mask. I believe the face treatment is exactly the same thing, but in a slightly different–and way more convenient–form. Umbrian clay is supposedly great for its purifying abilities. And ladies, my skin needed to be purified. Even though I am well beyond my teenage years, I still get zits like a high school goth working at Hot Topic. Last night, I tried my umbrian clay mix, patting my face with warm water and putting the powder mix on my face. I let it dry and harden for 10 minutes. When I washed the mask off, my skin felt soft, and most importantly, my pimply spots had noticeably decreased in redness and irritation. So yes, this umbrian clay will definitely help you feel less like a pimply teen and more like a lovely lady. [$48, Fresh] Keep reading »
I’m 25 And I Still Have Acne—When Will It End?
I’ve never had acne that’s been bad enough to earn me the nickname “Pizza Face” or to produce yearbook photos that needed to be burned. But I have had persistent breakouts since I was a teenager, and have gone through the ringer of treatments from the prescribed (creams, cleansers, oral antibiotics) to the popular (microdermabrasion, galvanic facials, weird “As Seen on TV” heat-treating gadgets). The only thing that’s ever worked for me is Accutane, the hard-core prescription drug which is no pretty process and will give you a deformed baby if you happen to get pregnant on it. Yet, even after a few courses of Accutane, I’ve found (as is common with the drug), that its effects wear off after about a year … Keep reading »
Quick Beauty Tip: Drugstore Vitamin-E Oil Vs. The Fancy Stuff
It’s no secret that vitamin E is super healthy for your body and skin thanks to its antioxidant properties. You’ll find it’s often a nourishing ingredient in lip balms, but lately we’ve been seeing some great skin care results from the natural product in its purest form. It all started when we tried out a super fancy face oil, one like Bobbi Brown’s Extra Face Oil, which retails for a fairly pricey $60. We kind of prefer the straight vitamin E-only drugstore variety, however (which is also helpful if you’re allergic to nuts—facial oils blended by beauty companies will often be a mix including almond extract or oil). Dabbing a bit on has helped clear up acne slightly, but better yet, helps it heal faster. After a few weeks of treatment, a few of our brown sun spots have faded noticeably. (Sunscreen, always!) Best yet, a bottle from the vitamin section will cost you less than $20, and keeps for ages. (Kind of like oil for the Chanukah lamp that you think is only going to last for a little bit, but instead lasts forever!) [$14.56, MaxVite] Keep reading »
Vaseline Launches A Skin-Lightening Facebook App In India
Vaseline has launched a Facebook app in India that allows users to lighten or whiten their skin tone in their profile photos. The app promotes Vaseline’s skin-lightening creams for men and feature Bollywood actor Shahid Kapur, whose face is spliced in two, half dark, half light. When downloading the app, Facebook says “Try the Vaseline Men Be Prepared Application for a fairer and spotless profile picture.”
Oh, if only this were about removing “spots.” Keep reading »
Got A Case Of The Chafes?
Unless you are some sort of superhuman, summer inevitably brings on the butt sweats, and, um, sweat in other private areas. This extra moisture can cause inner thigh irritation if you’re doing a good amount of walking in a skirt or dress. One way to avoid this super uncomfortable rash would be to wear shorts under your skirt (or just not wear skirts?), or you could safeguard against chafing with an anti-chafing gel. Our pick: Monistat’s Anti-Chafing Powder-Gel, which is non-greasy (meaning it won’t damage your clothes) and guards against wetness (ew, sorry, we know that sounds dirty). If you’ve already hit Chafe City, try a diaper cream (no, really) to relieve irritation in a snap. Mustela’s Vitamin Barrier Cream has an incredibly rich texture to soothe and reduce redness. [Mustela Vitamin Barrier Cream, $9, Sephora; Monistat Soothing Care Chafing Relief Powder-Gel, $7.99, Drugstore.com] Keep reading »
