Skin Care

We recently caught up with celebrity brow specialist and makeup artist Kristie Streicher, who has an incredibly keen eye for stylish, often eco-friendly finds. In addition to grooming famous brows in New York City, volunteering with her father’s nonprofit organization (Divine Spark) and amassing what Vogue dubbed a “killer vintage wardrobe,” Kristie recently opened the new Kristie Streicher Beauty Bar inside L.A.’s Warren Tricomi salon. Here are her latest obsessions: (more…)

A good daily skincare routine helps keep your skin well maintained, moisturized and healthy, but it can’t perform miracles on its own.  As your body’s largest organ, your skin’s condition is closely tied to your lifestyle such as how you eat, drink, sleep and exercise. Below we share some tips on how you can keep your skin healthy by making good lifestyle choices.

1. DONT DRINK ALCOHOL EXCESSIVELY

According to some studies, excess alcohol consumption can deplete Vitamin A levels in our bodies. Vitamin A is responsible for promoting cell turnover which keeps our skin fresh, youthful and healthy. In addition, Vitamin A is also important to helping our skin defend against free radicals, molecules that cause aging and damage by breaking down collagen fibers. Thus the result is that when our Vitamin A level goes down, our skin is unable to fight the bad stuff or renew itself, making it dull and damaged. Too much drinking can actually lead to faster aging.

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My good friend Jen, who has the skin of a 2-year-old, just tipped me off about the Josie Maran Argan Care for Beautiful Skin kit at Sephora. At only $56, it’s such a good deal. (I mean, a full-size Josie Maran Argan Oil by itself is $48!) It even comes with a pack of one of our favorites makeup removers, Bare Naked Wipes, as well as a cleanser, lip treatment, and blush/lip color.

If you’re an Argan-oil fan, or just need a great lightweight all-purpose moisturizer, don’t miss out. We’ve professed our love for Josie Maran products many times before, and the line continues to exceed our expectations. I can’t wait to get my hands on this … in fact, I won’t wait. I’m going right now, and I might even snag their brand new Josie Maran Argan Balm while I’m at it.

As in Therapy Systems new 24 Hour Body Lotion. I dare say it’s the best body lotion I used in 2011; and despite the $35 price tag, I apply gobs of it first thing every day just out of the shower. Here’s why:

a. The shea-butter-and-jojoba-oil formula make me feel like I’m living in Anthropologie (what is that delightfully citrusy yet buttery fragrance!?).

b. It actually “nourishes [my] skin with the lightweight feel of a lotion and the intense moisturizing benefits of a cream” — just like the description claims.

c. Its moisture absorbs quickly but actually lasts 24 hours.

d. It doesn’t clog my pores or irritate my skin.

e. I’ve had it for nearly a month and I’m only halfway through the bottle.

Gobs, I tell you.

All summer and now into fall, I’ve been seeing red … spots. On my face and back. Usually, my skin is pretty dry and my acne exhibits self-control, but occasionally I get these nasty flare-ups. Could be stress. Could be hormones. Could be both. Who knows. All I do know is that only one thing has been working consistently to get rid of them–and it’s under $10: Alba Botanica Natural Acnedote Deep Pore Wash.

I don’t think I would have tried this product if I hadn’t gotten a sample in the mail to review, but I’m glad I did. It’s one of the few over-the-counter solutions I’ve seen at drugstore prices to contain maximum strength 2% Salicylic Acid via willow bark extract to deliver results right away, whether it’s a simple lessening of the redness or a soothing effect. And the non-comedogenic (uh, better be), 100% vegetarian, sulfate-, paraben-, phthalate-, petrochemical- and artificial-fragrance/color-formula even smells good, thanks to quite a few other “natural” ingredients such as lemon balm and green tea extract. I’m so impressed I’m actually singing. Seriously.

If you’re having acne problems, get this … and cross your fingers that you’re with the 70 percent of people the bottle claims saw improvement. I haven’t tried the rest of the line yet, but if it’s anything like the cleanser, I’m sold.

Dr. Robin Schaffran is a Beverly Hills-based board certified dermatologist and has been treating patients for over 10 years. Today, she’s a go-to expert on children’s skincare and speaks extensively about skin cancer prevention. Most recently, this do-it-all doctor and mom has launched her own line of moisturizer. Find out more about her current obsessions below! (more…)

This season we’ve seen a host of double duty foundations pop up across a number of prestige lines- leading us to believe that finally, cosmetics companies are paying attention to the needs of the busy urban professional.  I mean really- my morning priorities go like this: snooze, shower, moisturizer, coffee, wallet, keys, Metrocard. If I have some time left over- mascara and lipgloss.  For being a beauty blogger, I certainly don’t have too much time to spend on beauty in the mornings! So imagine my delight when I got my hands on the latest slew of skincare + color products- and they’re actually good!  Below, I share some of my favorite time saving foundations…

Bobbi Brown Extra Repair Foundation SPF 25:  OBSESSED with this! It’s a moisturizer, foundation and SPF in one and it lasts all. day. long. It’s super moisturizing so I don’t even have to put on a separate product and the thicker consistency is perfect for my skin during transition months. Plus this product just makes me glow and is so easy to apply that I don’t even need to use a mirror.  It’s foolproof! – $55

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When I get stressed and start sleeping less, the first thing to show it is my face.  My skin gets dry and just looks generally… haggard.  So I was really excited to try the new Origins High Potency Night-A-Mins Mineral-enriched oil-free renewal cream.  (Try saying that five times fast!)  The moisturizer was specially formulated to help recharge your skin as you sleep so that you’ll wake up to brighter, healthier skin in the morning.  (I love when I can get results and sleep at the same time.  If only I could make that happen at the gym…)  (more…)

We think she’s pretty … without any makeup on ...

Well, this weekend I saw Katy Perry in concert, courtesy of Proactiv, and she had a LOT of makeup on. But I still left the show with three things on my mind: the lyrics to “California Gurls” (unavoidable), Katy’s Snow White complexion and her lust-worthy sequin mary janes. (more…)

We’ve been lucky here in L.A. recently and even though it’s been hot (and I’ve definitely turned my air conditioner on a lot) we’re still not suffering the way the rest of the country has been.  (I mean, I really feel for you people in Dallas.  107 degrees is no joke!)  I’ve also recently gotten back into my gym routine after a long stretch of months off that started with a sprained ankle and ended with me being lazy and spending too much time on the couch.  Going straight from work to the gym means that I have to take off my makeup first though, since I was scarred for life a few years ago when I forgot to do it and ran a few miles on the treadmill, only to get back in my car and look in the mirror and see long trails of mascara down both my cheeks.  I sort of looked like an extra in a horror movie, so now I always, ALWAYS take off my makeup before I hit the gym.  Lately, I’ve been using LUSH’s Breath of Fresh Air to do that.  It’s a toner that comes in two different sizes and the 3.3 ounce bottle is perfect to throw in your gym bag.  It also has a convenient spray nozzle, but rather than spray it right on my face, I spritz it onto a cotton pad and then use that to make sure I get all my makeup off.  (Although I don’t use it on my eyes – I use eye makeup remover for that because toners aren’t meant for the eye area).

Breath of Fresh Air smells amazing – it sort of smells like a strong sea breeze with a hint of eucalyptus.  The scent almost immediately relaxes me every time I put it on.  There’s just something about it that takes you out of the moment and lets you pretend that you’re sitting on a tropical beach with a drink in your hand.  The toner itself is great.  I have sensitive skin and it’s not harsh or irritating, but it still manages to get rid of any dirt, makeup or oil on my face while leaving my skin soft and smooth.  It’s my new pre-gym must-have!