An Aromatic Experience

Over the years, I've had men ask me to tell their girlfriends to "wear whatever it is that you're wearing."  Slightly awkward, as scents are extremely personal, but who doesn't love being told that they smell nice?!

Again, scents are personal and I'm drawn to fresh, floral scents.  Not everyone wants that, and some people prefer musky, etc.  I do believe in having a work, daytime and nighttime/date night scent though.  Once I find something I like, I like to make it my "signature scent."

It helps to start with a good lotion:  I've already mentioned my favorite Shikai Gardenia Lotion, which is pretty subtle.  For something stronger, Kai Body Lotion does the trick (also gardenia scent).  For a night out on the town or special occasion, my very generous friend gave me my first taste of La Mer Body Lotion as a birthday present.  She SWEARS men go crazy for the smell and I agree, it's a pretty luxurious experience.   

For daytime, my new discovery is Aerin Lauder's Private Collection (gardenia and tuberose).  I've also been using Chanel's Chance Eau Fraiche ever since it came out (7-8 yrs ago?).  It also happens to be one of my favorite perfume ad campaigns.  It's so hard to market perfume (who approved Brad Pitt and Chanel #5?).

For date nights with the bf, I love love LOVE Dior's Pure Poison.  I discovered the scent when I bought one of those little sample Dior Perfume packs at a duty free airport shop (see? I'm a marketer's dream).

And just to reminisce a vacation to one of my favorite places in the world - Capri, Italy - I like to dab a little of Carthusia's Via Camarelle on.  It transports me back to enjoying fresh mozzarella, massive lemons and copious amounts of bouganvilla.  I bought it (along with dozens of gift-sized soaps) from a tiny little store there.  It was so charming.  If you haven't been to Capri - venga!  Pronto!

Wrinkle Prevention - eyes, face and neck!

My mom had quite visible crow's feet and never wore a speck of makeup - she was very naturally beautiful and you could tell she had smiled and laughed a lot throughout life.  Laugh lines are beautiful...but I still want to minimize them.  It's much easier to prevent than it is to correct wrinkles.  I've been using wrinkle cream since I was 14, so I sincerely hope my diligence pays off when I'm in my golden years!

Throwback to our sunkissed (wrinkle forming) days:

For night cream - this is one area where I think you can go drugstore or department store.  From the drugstore, I love Olay's Regenerist and from the department store, I love Lancome's High Resolution Night Cream (it smells amazing!).  Don't forget to put it on your neck and chest too.  I've tried sooo many night creams - just make sure you're getting something that is thick enough to really work it's magic as you sleep.  (Caveat:  I have normal/oily skin.  Your moisturizer routine will obviously vary with dry or very oily skin)

For eye cream, I struggle with dark circles.  Most people have one of two common problems: dark under-eye circles or puffiness.  I finally bit the bullet and bought my first La Mer product (more have followed...).  I used to use a more moderately priced Advanced Eye Cream from Kinerase, which was

also great.

I love La Mer's Eye Concentrate for a few reasons - it smells amazing, it works, it lasts forever (I'm going on nine months for my little jar and not anywhere near done), and it comes with a little silver ball applicator that smoothes and soothes the under-eye area.  So if you factor in only needing to purchase it ~once a year, the $180 price tag is [somewhat] justifiable.  You can see a difference after a minute if you apply to one eye and not the other (it was several drive-bys and trials at the La Mer counter that finally convinced me to purchase!)  This cream is specifically best for dark circles.  For puffiness, La Mer makes another eye cream, The Eye Balm Intense.  Look for products with caffeine for puffiness.

For major eye RX, I recommend Shiseido's Pure Retinol Instant Treatment Eye Mask.  It REALLY
works and is great when you have a big event and want to look "bright eyed and bushy tailed."

Foundation: The Art of Mixing

I started using BB (Beauty Balm) Cream last summer, when I was researching products for work and posing as an "interested consumer" at all of the beauty counters.  BB Creams have been around in Asia for-EVER but just hit the US about a year ago.  Now CC Creams are out (Color Correcting) but I have yet to try them since I already use a correcting serum at night.  And I swear my BB cream makes my skin glow, so why change it if it ain't broke?

Here's my skin with just foundation + BB cream:

What are the benefits of using BB Cream?  It's a 6-in-1 product (perfect for people on-the-go) that moisturizes, provides SPF, light coverage, helps with acne, wrinkle-prevention and evens out skin tone.  I love Estee Lauder's BB Cream (I'm a 2 shade).  A little goes a long way, and my tube has lasted nine months.

The trick is that I also mix it with a dap of my normal liquid foundation.  I love Lancome's Teint Miracle (I'm a Bisque 2 (C)).

For under-eye and spot coverage, I alternate between a lighter concealer by Lancome and a heavier one by Estee Lauder for when I haven't gotten much sleep (happens too often for my liking!).

Here's me getting my J. Lo glow on (right, summer in NYC):

"Thanks, I was in St. Tropez"

Sun Series Part 3: Faking It

What you have all been waiting for...my tanning secrets.

Here's me on day ONE of my beach vacation.  How did I get so faux-tan before vacay?  Not a spray tan or tanning beds...

I really would not have much color if it weren't for self-tanner (somehow missed the dark German gene that my dad's family has and got my mom's Swedish genes instead).  And know that we all know how important SPF is (my new fave SPF summer discovery: lightweight Kiehl's Super Fluid UV Guard), and how good self-tanners have gotten, there's really no point in killing more skin cells for a tan that will fade in five days.

I wish I had enough money to invest because I surely would have invested in St. Tropez.  I've been using it for about three years now but it seems like it has finally reached the "tipping point."  People always ask where I went last weekend because I look "so tan."  I joke and say and I went to St. Tropez.

I recommend St. Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Lotion for body.  I've used their gradual lotion as well but prefer a darker color (I think it's more about preference).  They also have some fun new SKUs including an instant face cream that I just discovered.

I also like Sevin Nyne (yes, Lindsay Lohan's self-tanning brand).  I had someone at Sephora recommend it to me, and it smells really nice.  I use the tanning mist for my face - I spray a tiny bit in my hand and then put it on my face, after I've moisturized.

Here I am again looking nice and golden during winter in Chicago:

Which brings me to...how to tan and make it look natural.  Don't be a victim of orange ankles and scary hands.  Always exfoliate, so you don't get that dead skin buildup (I love this loofah), and put lotion on before applying tanner to body and face.  I have been using Shikai body lotion for over ten years and I still think it's the best (found at Whole Foods, Gardenia and Cucumber scents are my fave).  If you do get funny spots, a good toner, alcohol, or makeup remover should take it off.

And for gosh sake's...always smell a self-tanner before buying it (should you stray from my recs).  You can always sniff the person out who is wearing bad self-tanner.

Photo: Inspiration from Isla Bastimientos (Panama)

Vitamins!

Prior to business school, I was only sick once in six years!  Then business school hit and now I get sick all the time (chalk it up to living in a dungeon-like building with the same incestuous group of students, never getting enough sleep and being stressed out 24/7).

I eat a very balanced diet 92.9% of the time but for the thousands (okay, millions) out there who love their fast food, sugary snacks, highly processed carbs and sodas, I highly recommend the following vitamin regime (and even if you are super healthy, you can never get enough vitamins):

#1: My dear friend, who just graduated from UCLA med school, recommended that all women in their 20s take Vitamin D, Calcium and Iron.

#2: For my hair and skin, I love Fish Oil.  I used to have a recurring dry skin patch that I just couldn't get rid of, no matter how many prescription creams I tried, and it cleared up as soon as I started taking fish oil (I had the recurring skin condition for about six years before that!)

#3 For my digestive health, I recommend Probiotics.  My mom's doctor recommended this brand.

#4 Multi-vitamin.  Need I say more?

#5 I throw a Green Tea vitamin in there because I need the energy, and I've read that you can lose 5 lbs/yr if you drink a cup of green tea a day (all other variables controlled for...like moving to carb heaven Midwest from salad loving West Coast).  Still TBD on whether that works.

Sun Series Part 2: Prevention

In case you've been living under a rock...

SUNSCREEN, people.  <3  Part 2: Prevention.

I love Neutrogena's Ultra Sheer Sunblock for my face, and Coopertone's Oil Free Sunscreen for my body.

Because I love a good tan, stay tuned for everything you would ever want to know about self-tanner.

Here's a fun slide show from the Mayo Clinic, just in case you need another reason to slather up.

Sun Series Part 1: Correction

All About Oils, Serums and Softeners!

As we gear up for summer, it's important to think about three things: correction, prevention and faking it (by that I mean, faking your tan).  Here is Part 1: Correction.

These light liquids - known as oils, serums and softeners- have taken over the market.  They've been some of the most ground-breaking beauty technology advancements in the last year or two.  And yes, they really do work!  I first started looking into them when I wanted something to fade my freckles and reverse sun spots from my years of worshipping the California sun.  (see below and after pics at bottom)  For ideal application, put on first (before any other creams) so that your pores can soak in the serum.  You can use morning and night, but I mostly use just at night.

I first tried Clinique's popular Even Better Clinical Spot Corrector and I didn't notice that much of a difference, to be honest.  I know Marie Claire rated it Top 25, but I wanted something stronger (I do love the advertising campaign for this, however!)  It wasn't until I went to my dermatologist about it that I was turned on to the magic of Vitamin C.

I swear by Ole Henriksen Truth Serum (can be found here at Sephora) for Vitamin C power.  You can see that almost 400 users have rated it Five Stars!  This stuff is great for lightening sun spots.  I also really love Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution (the most efficacious of major beauty brands).

For recovery, I love Lancome's new Visionnaire Advanced Skin Corrector, which is a general corrector that helps rejuvenate skin and can be worn both night and day.  The technology is as innovative and advanced as you can get in the beauty world.

Oils are the new thing in beauty.  I know my first reaction was to balk at putting an oil on my face but don't be scared - Europeans have been using oils forever and it's just now catching on in the states.  Think of how good fish oils and olive oil are for your skin.

If you really want to be aggressive, you can get a prescription of Hydroquinone USP, 4% (skin bleaching cream) but it can only be used one or two times a week otherwise it can make your skin peel (and your skin will burn much easier if you forget to put sunscreen on).

Finally, for general protection against the elements (anti-wrinkle and softening), I love to pat on Shiseido's Benefiance WrinkleResist 24 Balancing Softener, which was recommended to me by a Nordstrom makeup artist.  Since I'm now living in the Midwest, I need to fight off the brutal Lake Michigan winds  that make my skin much dryer.

Now for the grand reveal: 

Before was taken around 2008 when I was still worshipping the sun (i.e. no hat and only using SPF 15 on my face).  After is from just a few months ago.  Hopefully you can tell the difference, especially in my forehead!  Click to see enlarged version.