Taking care of your skin is one of the most important things you can do, but with all the new products and innovations, sometimes it’s hard to remember exactly what you’re supposed to be doing to protect it. Since we’re heading into the summer, we decided to talk to Dr. Tom Mammone, Executive Director, Clinique Research and Development and get his tips on how to keep your skin healthy and looking great. Here’s the scoop!

The Daily Obsession: To protect her skin, what products should every woman wear on a daily basis?
Dr. Tom Mammone: When we think of damage from the environment, we logically think of the sun first. But there are other, less obvious ways the environment can damage your skin. On a daily basis, our skin is exposed to lots of air and water pollution in the form of ozone, smoke, smog, dust and germs, and it’s the daily accumulation of these assaults that lead to skin issues like lack of moisture, rough texture, and looking and feeling less supple. So it is important to use both sunscreen and antioxidants. Clinique always recommends using a daily sunscreen, but you do not need to use an SPF at night. Antioxidants, however, combat not only immediate but also post oxidative damage and are very beneficial if used twice a day. (more…)

New York’s W Tuscany (39th & Lex) is partnering with The S Factor to bring New York ladies a 3 hour workout and cocktail event on October 29 & November 5. S Factor is a workout that combines yoga, dance, Pilates, pole dancing and strip tease for gals who want a good workout that is also something a little sexier and a little different. More information about the S Factor can be found on their website and invites for TDO readers are behind the cut. (more…)

For the past couple of years, I’ve been a huge yoga fan- usually going to practice 5 or 6 times a week. As most yogis can relate, the love of the practice usually extends to an obsession with all things yoga. I’ve subscribed to yoga magazines, bought tons of yoga clothes, obsessively read up everything about the sport, and for a while in college, even worked at a yoga store. I’ve also bought and tried numerous types of yoga mats- from Nike (haha, ironic I know) to lululemon to Yogitoes to my latest favorite Beinjoy.

Beinjoy is a yoga/pilates lifestyle company started in 2006 that has a very simple message “be in joy.” Their mission is to fuse function and fashion into an environmentally safe product that users can be proud of using. I am currently using their love mat and love cushion in plum violet. The mat is super cute, and comes with a center alignment stripe down the middle so you can be sure all your asanas are positioned correctly. The 5mm thickness makes this map lightweight and easy to roll, but still very durable. Beinjoy also creates a love cushion, which is great if you practice on hardwood floors. The 12mm material is double the thickness of most yoga mats and is great padding under joints, heads or hips.

Both the mat and the cushion are made from a highly recyclable material TPE which is very eco-friendly. The best is, the material also provides a nice level of stickiness making it very comfortable to use if you practice any type of hot yoga (my favorite!). While Beinjoy mats are priced higher than your average yoga mat, I do find that the quality is also far superior. They will last a very long time, even if you put your mats through frequent use. Beinjoy products can be purchased directly from their website, and will make a great addition to your yoga collection.