Aspirational Aging

Charlotte Rampling for NARS lipsticks

I must say I've been pleasantly surprised by some beauty companies (NARS and Marc Jacobs among them) who are featuring older women for their beauty campaigns. Sure, we've seen Sharon Stone (for Dior) and Diane Keaton (for L'oreal) promote various anti-aging creams, but to have a model with visible lines and wrinkles that are featuring a lipstick or mascara, well it's just unprecedented.

Jessica Lange for Marc Jacobs Beauty

Most of the beauty advertisers use flawless-skinned young beauties that will have just the right pout for that gloss, or smooth, high cheekbones to feature their newest blush.

Yes that's shimmer (SHIMMER!!) on her lids and she's over 60. Gasp!

After working in the Beauty Industry for a decade+, I've learned a few things from various interactions I've had with women of all ages (including my mother and relatives). There truly is no such thing as anti-aging. In fact, we're all aging right now, even as you read this sentence. We can't fight time and gravity (ok, maybe a plastic surgeon can fight it for a while). And even though we all know that anything labeled "anti-aging" is one of the best marketing ploys out there, there are still ways that we can look, and feel, younger. So this is what I know:
- A colorful lipstick will brighten your face and make you feel polished, even if you have no other makeup on.
- Hair dye was invented for a reason- grey hair definitely ages you. As my Mom always said, she'll keep dying her hair until my Dad's hair goes white too. Sometimes you have to level the playing field.
- I'll never forget the laugh I shared with a client when she called the skin between her breasts the "Grand Canyon"...  in fact, this still makes me laugh. A sense of humor is invaluable.
- If your eyelids are droopy, don't worry about eye makeup and wear a bold lip instead. If your lips are thinning, wear a bright blush on the cheeks. There are still ways to enhance your features and to brighten your skin, even if it is dry and gravity has taken its toll.
- I have a client whom I love helping. She's a white-haired beautiful woman and is the epitome of grace and sophistication. Her clothes and makeup are impeccably tailored and applied, and even though she uses a cane, she walks with elegance. She also wears the most incredible jewelry, and when I once complimented her on it she said, "they're all from my husband, and it took years to get." Now that's something to look forward to!
- Movement in your face is a wonderful thing- I once worked with an older woman at a spa and she told me she liked me because I smiled with my eyes. Happy, friendly people smile with their whole face- and it should show. So when I see the "crows feet" appearing I just think about who or what made me smile that day and then I end up smiling again...


While I'll still feature the newest anti-aging ingredients or things to keep you looking and feeling younger, I just want to age as healthily as I can. I want my body to be strong, my mind to be quick, to feel love and joy every day and to stay relevant and "with it" in regards to the ever-changing society/economy/technology that we're all apart of. And if I happen to use something to lengthen my lashes or to help dark spots disappear, then it just gets better and better ;)

the doctah is in

I know, I had just posted my love for the Peter Thomas Roth CC cream, but then Dr. Perricone came out with his No Makeup Makeup line and I'm pretty much obsessed with it.

First of all, there are a ton of anti-aging ingredient's built into each and every product (no surprise there since he is the anti-aging guru) and a physical SPF 15- 30 in almost all the products (not in the mascara though, obviously). My favorite so far is the No Foundation Foundation Serum.

There are four reasons why I'm in love with this product: 

1. The super lightweight texture is almost watery and runny- it's very thin and meant to feel like you have absolutely no makeup on. 

2. Neuropeptides, Vitamin C Ester, Alpha Lipoic Acid and a mineral SPF 30- this ingredient list reads like a powerful resurfacing/anti-aging treatment, not like a makeup. 

3. It's mixable. What I mean by mixable is you could add this to your existing foundation to boost the anti-aging and SPF factor, or you can add it to your moisturizer to create your very own tinted moisturizer (my only issue with the No Foundation Serum is that it comes in one color: medium. Being a fair-skinned girl, I can't wear this on it's own, so I have to mix it with my moisturizer in order for it to match my skin. I don't mind though. It saves me another step!). 

4. The lightweight texture will provide a light coverage, and it's buildable to a medium coverage without sacrificing that nothingness feel. Because that's the whole point of this makeup line: to make your skin look fantastic, while providing amazing anti-aging benefits, protecting it and making it look like your own skin, and not makeup!

A few other products I'm crazy about are the No Blush Blush and the No Lipstick Lipstick:

I'm not normally a liquid/creamy blush kinda girl, but this is (again) a thin, watery texture and the color is a beautiful peachy pink. I've seen it look different on so many skin tones and it's really gorgeous. Just apply a few dots on the apples of the cheeks and blend out with your fingers. You can add more if you want, and even add a few dots to your lips to give them some more color. And there's that physical SPF 30 again, with also some skin firming DMAE as a bonus!

As we age, we lose pigment in our lips and this is evident within my family- my mom and one of my sisters have barely any color in their lips, so they're always looking for a good lip product. The No Lipstick Lipstick looks like your natural lip color, just enhanced one or two shades. And since it contains Sodium Hyaluronate (plumps and hydrates), Vitamin E, Neuropeptides and the physical SPF 30, it's a perfect lip balm to wear everyday, or as your primer before your favorite lipstick is applied. 

Have you tried any of the products from this line yet?

* Dr. Perricone has no idea who I am (wish he did!) so there was no compensation or reimbursement for this post, I'm just a big fan. 

Oil Slick: 5 facial oils you didn't know you needed

No, I’m not talking about the Peanut oil I used for frying the cronuts. Facial Oils are increasingly popular because they have so many functions and are good for all skin types. Yes, even you oilier skin folks.

Since the weather is drying out, this is a perfect time of year to discuss why you should try, or at least consider, a face oil. Facial oils are usually plant based and typically contain an essential oil. No, these are not mineral oils which will clog your pores. These facial oils are meant to make your existing routine work better and more efficiently. In some cases they can reduce inflammation, act as antioxidants and hydrate your cells (which helps fatten up those fine lines).

For anyone with combination skin/oily/acne prone skin, a facial oil is the last thing on your mind. However, there is a theory that if you use a topical oil (a non-clogging one) your body won't produce as much oil and you may not break out as frequently. I do believe this theory is true, but only to a certain degree. For instance, if you strip your skin of all its natural oils, i.e. using a harsh cleanser, than your body will over-compensate for the lack of surface hydration and will kick the oil production into hyper-drive. So for all you oily/acne folks, a moisturizer or face oil will actually help make your skin not as oily. But I also believe that if your skin is hormonally difficult (I’m giving the side-eye to teen and menstrual cycle breakouts) then just using an oil is not the only solution.

 Here are a 5 facial oils that are you should try:

1.

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-The Dr. Dennis Gross Vitamin D serum-oil is amazing for this time of year, especially when you're not going in the sun. Whether it's because of your own good sense or it's just too darn cold to think of it, either way you are technically depriving yourself of some much-needed vitamin D. This serum fixes that. It gives you a dewey, I-just-got-back-from-the-beach-and-look-radiant-and-younger look without being too greasy. Wear this under your moisturizer either am or pm.

2.

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-This is the oil that is perfect for all the oily/combination/acne prone skin types. Peter Thomas Roth's Oilless Oil with 100% Squalane is not even technically an oil, it just has the feel and slip of one (but it absorbs wonderfully). Squalane is derived from sugarcane and Peter Thomas Roth recommends one drop for the face and if you're really oily, this may be all the moisturizer you need.

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-Josie Maran's Argan oil is 100% pure argan. Argan comes from the nut of the argan tree, in Morocco, and has many benefits for the skin: it's full of Vitamin E and essential fatty acids. Josie Maran has two formulations of her popular Argan Oil- the original and the light. Basically if you're normal to dry, you will use the original Argan Oil. If you're combination to oily skin, you'll use the Argan Oil Light and it should feel weightless.

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-Nude ProGenius treatment oil contains omega's 3, 6, 7 and 9- this gives the skin a hydrated, youthful appearance. All skin types can benefit from this natural oil.

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-The Algenist Advanced Anti-Aging Repairing Oil is for mature skin looking to reverse some damage. There are two different types of algae used and they restore elasticity, boost radiance and leave the skin firmer and softer.

There are a couple ways to apply a face oil and I think you need to experiment to find what’s best for your skin- having said that, you should initially refer to the product directions. Some say you should apply your face oil first, and then any treatments you put on afterwards will be more effective because the face oil pushes the active ingredients deeper into the skin. Others say to put the oil on as the last step in your skincare routine: basically over your moisturizer. The theory behind the oil on top is that it locks in all of your treatments and helps them to absorb. There’s no need to rub in a oil- just gently press it into the skin and let it absorb.

If your skin is very dry, you can probably get away with using an oil twice a day since you’re skin should absorb is. For combination/oily skin, you may want to try an oil at night. Because you naturally create oil throughout the day, using an oil during the day may affect your makeup.

Personally, I use the face oil at night, over my moisturizer. Maybe it has to do with my combination skin, but I feel like this is best in my routine. I like it at night so that I don’t have to worry about it competing with the oils that my body likes to naturally over-produce throughout the day. I've been using the Tarte Pure Maracuja oil (first picture shown) and have noticed how hydrated and smooth my skin is when I wake up. I need to exfoliate less frequently and any dry patches I had are nil.

Ever tried a face oil? Any that you love using?

BB vs. CC... what's with all the letter creams? How to figure out which one is for you.

Tinted Moisturizers are a thing of the past, or so it seems. They’ve pretty much been replaced with either a BB or CC cream (I say pretty much because you can still find some tinted moisturizers, but they’re harder to find!).

For lack of a better term, I’m going to refer to them as “letter creams”. These letter creams are amped-up tinted moisturizers. The letter creams still contain the tint + moisture but now they add a sunscreen and some extra skincare benefits. Depending on the cream, it could consist of anti-aging peptides or antioxidants or blemish reducing formulations.

BB creams (aka Beauty Balms or even Blemish Balms) originated in Asia where they were meant to be one product that does-it-all; treats, moisturizes, protects and covers. America caught on to this and companies ran with the idea. It’s become a free-for-all between brands re-defining what they think a letter cream is or does. Then CC cream was invented and is becoming just as popular as the BB. CC creams, aka Color Correcting Cream, are supposed to have more treatment benefits to correct pigmentation issues (think dark spots due to sun damage or acne staining) and they typically have more coverage than a BB cream- in some cases feeling more like a foundation.

This is where it gets tricky: every brand has their own interpretation of what a BB or CC cream is so they can often be dramatically different. For example, the Urban Decay Naked Skin BB is more of a treatment primer- so it goes on over a moisturizer and under a foundation. Basically this is the new marketing ploy and every company is getting in on the letter trend (even hair brands are getting in on it).

For the most part, you would apply these letter creams as you would your tinted moisturizer, maybe with your fingers or a foundation brush, and then continue with the rest of your routine. Ideally these are supposed to eliminate you from too many steps and make your life easier. But here are the cold, hard facts: There is no such thing as a miracle in a bottle. If you're not happy with your skin, chances are, you're going to need more than 1 product to fix that. So, if you've got acne, you still need an acne spot treatment, acne-fighting cleanser, oil-free moisturizer, gentle exfoliator, deep cleansing mask and an oil-free BB cream. And that doesn't even include makeup! Same goes for dry skin- you will still need to apply a moisturizer underneath the letter cream because it may not be hydrating enough on its own, especially in the winter months.
(more after the jump)