Tag Archives: The Beauty Wall

Mother’s Little Helper

Product Review: Arbonne Energy Fizz Sticks, $32 for 20 sticks at arbonne.com.

A good night’s sleep, a healthy diet and some exercise is a great prescription for feeling good throughout the day. But, sometimes no matter what I do, a mid-afternoon fog descends on me and all I really want to do is take a nap. Since I don’t live in Spain where siestas are the norm and I’m not qualified for the senior rate at the movie theater those naps will have to wait.

I was discussing this conundrum with a friend when she opened her bag and handed over some Arbonne Energy Fizz Sticks for me to try. She told me to give them a shot and see what I think.

The next time that fog hit I emptied the pomegranate packet into a glass and filled it up with ice cold water.  It fizzed a bit and then I drank it down. It has a sweet taste with a slight aftertaste, though not unpleasant. I do like the flavor but what I liked even more was that within minutes I felt more alert and energized without feeling wired the way coffee or chocolate can sometimes make me feel. It definitely got me over the hump.

The company’s website states “high-energy fizz sticks help promote alertness and enhance cognitive performance and also help promote endurance and enhance motor performance. Contains antioxidants. Contains an adaptogenic blend combined with B vitamins and chromium to help boost energy.”

Works for me!

 

 

(photography courtesy of arbonne)

 

 

 

Doctor’s Orders: What you Should Be Doing Every Day

The Location:  Club Metropolitan, NYC.

The Topic:  Anti-aging.

The Mood:  Relaxed, cocktail party-ish vibe.

While sipping wine and enjoying apps and bite-size desserts I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Jeannette Graf, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. She was there to talk about anti-aging, specifically on how we can stop the aging process. She’s a big believer in diet and lifestyle but says “the right skin care plays a crucial role to stop aging now.”

Dr. Graf explained how our cells are hard-wired to function differently during the day when they’re in protective mode vs. the night when our bodies are at rest and our cells are renewing and repairing damage. Our pH levels,  sebum, antioxidant production and more support this. “We can help this process along with the right products,” says Graf. “The bare minimum you should be doing is applying sunscreen during the day and a retinol product at night.”

MORNING: According to Dr. Graf the number one daytime anti-aging product to use is broad spectrum sun protection. It’s the most important thing you can do for your skin.

  • Use it each and every day. Incorporate it into your morning routine, the way you brush your teeth.
  • Use an SPF50 or greater in late spring through early fall since the sun’s UVB rays are stronger then. In late fall through early spring you can stick with an SPF30.
  • Apply 30 minutes prior to sun exposure and reapply every 40 minutes.
  • Sunscreens with added antioxidants like Vitamin C and E will further enhance protection from environmental pollutants.
  • Apply it even if you’ll be in the shade or it’s cloudy out.

Try: Glytone Suncare Block Sunscreen Lotion, $37 at dermshop.com or Neutrogena Age Shield Sunblock, $9.99 at target.com.

EVENING: While you rest, your cells are in renewal mode. Dr. Graf believes “no matter what your age, complexion or skin type, retinol (Vitamin A) is the most important  skin care ingredient to help your skin renew itself.”  Retinol has been clinically proven to regulate skin repair on a molecular level. It will decrease fine lines and wrinkles, improve collagen production, enhance elasticity, improve tone and texture and target hyperpigmentation.  There are multiple forms of retinol available in prescription and over-the-counter strength. Look for retinol, retinaldehyde and retinyl palmitate.

  • Only apply your retinol product at night.
  • Don’t apply on damp skin. It will absorb unevenly, increasing your chance of sensitivity.
  • To avoid irritation, use every other day and start with the lowest percentage retinol cream and increase up from there as you find your skin tolerating it well.
  • When using a retinol product, always apply sunscreen during the day.
  • Continue using to maintain your results.

Try: Glytone Enhance Night Renewal Cream, $72 at dermstore.com, Eau Thermale Avene Retrinol+0.1 Cream, $69 at dermstore.com or SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.5, $55 at skinceuticals.com.

 

All-American!!!

Nothing like a little red, white and blue to show your star-spangled-pride. Today, I’m loving Pure Ice’s appropriately named “Freedom” nail lacquer with red and blue sparkles plus silver stars twinkling up my toes. It looks great layered over red polish.

Catch a Wave!

Eavesdrop on any conversation between friends and if they’re of the female persuasion chances are good that they’ll start talking (or complaining!) about their hair. Girls with fine straight hair want it thicker with more body or curls and girls with lots of curl are looking for a little less so. Anyone with frizz wants it banished. Thanks to LASIO Waves to Curls we can all finally be satisfied with what we have.

I recently attended an event at Lasio Studios salon in NYC. While live demonstrations were going on, Nadine Ramos, the founder and CEO of Lasio, Inc. filled me in on the details. This is what I learned:

  • Waves to Curls temporarily gives you perfect waves or curls, lasting about 3 months.
  • It works on all hair types–from super straight girls to the curly haired–and can give you beachy waves, big glam ones or tighter ringlets. You call the shots!
  • It eliminates 100% of your frizz and makes hair super shiny.
  • It’s safe for all hair types including processed hair.
  • Prices start at $150 and go up from there depending on hair length and thickness.

Waves to Curls is available at  Lasio Studios located at 39 W. 38th in NYC as well as salons across the United States. Click here for more information.

(photo of miranda kerr courtesy of pinterest)

July’s Bucket List!

With the kids off at camp, my husband and I have the whole month to ourselves. Before leaving, eleven year old Emma and nine year old Sam told us they’d make a list of things we should choose from for the month that they’ll be gone. Since I’m still waiting for those first camp letters with those suggestions it looks like I’ll have to come up with some ideas of my own.

EAT: I plan on experimenting with lots of new recipes. Pinterest (click here to see mine) gives me tons of amazing ideas, very high on this list is Lobster Rolls! Since I’m not sure if a trip to Maine or Cape Cod is on the agenda this summer it’s high time I mastered the making of a great lobster roll myself and who better to teach me than Martha. Click here for her recipe. If they turn out great you just might get an invite!

PRIMP: Classic and understated elegance is one thing (okay…maybe two) but every now and then you need to push the beauty envelope. I’ve already told you about my low-key manicures, but at a Jamberry Nail event last week I was so taken with their nail wraps that I’ll be taking a different approach this season. They’re non-toxic, inexpensive, easy to do and come in over 250 designs–the hardest part is choosing! Click here to see styles.

LIVE: I plan on having lots of play dates. Yesterday Eric and I hopped on our bikes and indulged in a fun, meandering, wind-in-our-hair sort of ride. (I promise, next time I’ll wear a helmet!) No clock-watching, no schedule…just playing like we’re kids again. It’s too easy to get caught up in the day to day minutia of life…Make time for play!

 

Best Reason for Waterproof Mascara? Camp!

It feels like yesterday that I was dropping Emma and Sam off at preschool. While the other kids sobbed and screamed clinging to  legs, my kiddos ran right into the thick of things checking out toys, the teacher and all the new faces. If at first I felt that something was amiss, the teachers stepped in and I was quickly assured that I had obviously done something right, my children were confident and secure–they’d thrive! A few years removed from this incident and I’m left wondering what those other parents were told. No doubt it was something to make them feel equally comforted. Even though it feels like it to me, it wasn’t yesterday that I was dropping them off at preschool. A few days ago they graduated from 5th and 3rd grades and in less than a week they’re headed to sleep away camp for the very first time.

Though Emma and Sam are overjoyed at the thought of a month away from home to swim, hike, learn to waterski, sign up for sports and activities, be in a band, a play and participate in color war, I’m having a much harder time. They’re looking forward to meeting new friends and telling stories around a camp fire, I’m thinking about how quiet the house will be.

In all fairness, I knew this day was coming. My husband was a camper from the age of seven practically until he went off to college. When we were dating he actually took me to see his camp! He has lifelong friends from those long-ago summers and one of his old bunkmates even officiated at our wedding so it was only a matter of time. I do know they’ll have the time of their lives, but I sure wish I had some words of wisdom from those teachers now. One thing I do have is waterproof mascara…I have a feeling I’ll be needing it!

I love L’Oreal Voluminous Waterproof Mascara, $7.99 at ulta.com. It gives me gorgeous lashes that won’t smudge or smear, no matter how many tears may fall.

xoxoNancy

(photo courtesy of www.shopping.com)

 

 

 

 

 

A Posthumous Letter to my Dad…on Father’s Day

Dear Dad,

This is a hard one…it’s the first year that I won’t get to personally hand you a Father’s Day card and tell you how much I love you and give you a big hug and wish you a happy father’s day. You won’t be at the family barbecue and you won’t be saying that my cake is the best you’ve ever tasted. If I was giving you a card I’d tell you how thankful I am for all you’ve taught me, like…

  • family is everything.
  • make friends from all different walks of life–it’s what makes life interesting.
  • a little beef jerky can fix anything.
  • the importance of hard work and even harder play.
  • never chase a bet.
  • it’s nice to reminisce–the good old days really were good days.
  • there’s nothing better than bagels & lox for Sunday brunch.
  • keep learning.
  • always make room at the table when a friend stops by.
  • there are do-ers and there are talk-ers. Be a do-er.
  • treat everyone with respect, regardless of their station in life.
  • help when you can.
  • don’t let others drag you down.
  • life is too short…even when you live to be 85!

Today is 295 days without you and not a day goes by that I don’t think of you and miss you. I will always love you and I will always remember. xoxoNancy

The Bar Scene

Product Review: Lather Vanilla Bean & Shea Soap, $8, available at lather.com.

My name is Nancy and I’m an addict…addicted to soap that is. I’ve yet to meet a bar that didn’t make me want to put it right up to my nose and sniff it. Or immediately rush home, rip off my clothes and step into the shower with it. Over the years, I’m sure I’ve had well over a thousand bars of soap in my stash, some used to freshen drawers and closets, some used as party favors, and of course the majority used to shower and bathe. I just can’t help myself and really, do I need to?

Lately I’d been eyeing one sitting near the top of the pile. Lather Vanilla Bean & Shea Soap is said to work well for all skin types, but is ideal for normal to dry skin thanks to an olive oil base with added shea butter to soothe and soften.  It also contains organic vanilla bean powder to gently exfoliate skin as well as vanilla and lemon essential oils for a warm, happy scent.

Lather Vanilla Bean & Shea Soap  is even better than I expected! After wetting it under the warm spray, it lathered nicely and smelled delicious, but what really got my attention was the vanilla bean powder which you could actually feel–it was grainy to the touch. I rubbed it all over my body, being gentle on the more sensitive areas and using a more vigorous approach on others.

This soap smells amazing and my skin feels fresh, clean, soft, smooth and moisturized. I highly recommend it! Treat yourself, help the world! For every olive oil soap sold, LATHER with donate the equivalent of five bars of soap to Clean The World, a non-profit organization that recycles and distributes soap around the world to people in need.

 

 

Flutter Bys!

I’ve got bugs and insects on the brain thanks to the thousands of cicadas I’m left to dodge daily–they blanket the sidewalks and street during my morning run. Creepy crawlies are most definitely not my thing, but butterflies that flutter by…they can hang around me any day, any way. Unfortunately their season is short-lived, which is why I’m drawn to anything with a butterfly on it. If you like papillons (and who doesn’t!) I know you’ll love these:

Butterfly Book Plates, $10 for 5 at bespokecustomgifts.com. Some books are keepers! If you lend out your favorites the way I do, I highly recommend you write your name inside…or  better yet, attach a personalized book plate to the inside cover so there will be no mistaking ownership. Know an avid reader or recent grad? These gorgeous butterfly book plates make the best gift when paired with a book. At only $10 for a set of 5, I plan on stocking up!

Museum Quality Insects Collection – Butterflies, $2229 at theevolutionstore.com. I’ve been eyeing this (and dropping major hints) for years! If I ever have a few $thousand lying around that isn’t earmarked for bills, the college-fund or a family vacation, this is the first thing I’ll buy!

blogshot-bookplates

blogshot-framedbutterflies

Beach Babes!

A few days ago, I got 4-5 inches cut off my hair. It’s still below my shoulders, but what a difference…my dry, fried ends are gone! My daily use of a flat-iron got me in trouble. I know that summer is extra hard on your hair–the sun, chlorine and weather-induced over styling can all take a toll. My plan? To avoid heat appliances as much as possible and use a weekly deep conditioning treatment.

If I’m going to stick to this less is more approach with styling I need an option besides pulling it back in a ponytail or putting it up in a top-knot, neither of which will make me a slave to a blow-dryer. For hair inspiration I looked to Gisele, Sienna Miller and Alexa Chung, all modern style icons and all known to sport variations of the beachy wave style. No matter what length your hair, the key to pulling off this subtle “non-styled” style is long layers.

  1. Begin with freshly washed and conditioned hair.
  2. Apply your product. Use a texturizing cream or sea spray for fine, straight hair, a styling lotion for medium, straight or slightly wavy hair and styling cream for thick, wavy to curly hair. To do, rub a bit of product in hands, from palm to fingertips and take random sections (choose slightly different widths) and cover each section from root to end as you twist it. This look is all about separation and this is how you get it.
  3. Air dry or use a diffuser to keep the wave or curl intact and don’t touch. When completely dry, loosen a bit with fingers.
  4. Spritz with a light-hold hairspray if desired.

Products to try: Ouidad Wave Create Sea Spray, $23 at ouidad.com, Kiehl’s Creme with Silk Groom, $18 at kiehls.com or Bumble and bumble Curl Conscious DefiningCreme, $29 at sephora.com

(photo courtesy of whowhatwear.com)

 

 

 

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