The cool days are officially starting, and here at Syracuse that means the cold days are just around the corner.  I can just feel the winter depression setting in, and my skin feels the same way.  My hands are already dry and eczema is surfacing.  Yeah, I think that definitely makes someone wanna hold my hand…if that someone also happens to have winter lizardy skin.

As if losing your summer bronze glow isn’t bad enough, the cold wind and weather does some serious damageto your skin. And your precious face and dainty hands get the worst of it, as they most often feel the harshness of the cold air. So how can you protect your skin without staying in your room all day? (No, that isn’t an option; professors don’t care about your skin that much.)

Below are some suggestions to get your skin back to the baby’s-bottom-soft feel of summer. No more cracking, flaking or drying out this winter, women.

Hands: If your skin is only mildly dry or you just want to prevent it from happening, a thick cream will do the trick.  Try L’Occitane’s Shea Butter Hand Cream or Bliss’ High Intensity Hand Cream. And keep that stuff with you wherever you go; skin dries out quickly in the winter-time and you want to be prepared.

If your hands are cracky or you have eczema, you know that Cortisone ointment can be helpful but sticky.  So try mixing together the ointment with an unscented lotion like Cetaphil.  If your hands are really bad, apply petroleum jelly before you go to bed under some white cotton gloves (this both traps in all that moisture…and prevents you from making a serious jelly mess all over your bed). When you wake up it will be worth the annoyance, because your skin will be way softer.  Read More »

My best friend came up to visit me at school once and ended up meeting a guy at a party.  She went home with him and amidst hooking up, said: “it’s not me, it’s you.” Harsh. Anyways, shortly thereafter, this guy, now with a seriously bruised ego, encountered me at another party.  Recalling that I was her friend, he took out his frustration on me. With a cup of beer.  That he poured from a porch. Onto my head.

While at first I was angry that this unfortunate boy was taking out his anger on me ruined my straight hair that I spent an hour on, I now know better. After some research on natural beauty remedies, I learned that beer actually adds volume to hair!  This guy wasn’t trying to hurt me; he was trying to help me out!  His glass was empty, but I’m choosing to look at the situation as a glass-half full kind of thing.

Who knew that beer was helpful for more than getting drunk?  Actually though, it turns out that lots of food and beverage products are quick fixes for hair and skin problems.  Spend 5 minutes looking through your pantry or fridge and you’re sure to find some ingredients that could improve your beauty problem areas.  Below are some super simple ingredients and what they can help you fix.  Save money, be natural, and be beautiful?

Win-win-win. Read More »

Your skin type makes a huge difference in what products you should use. Skin problems and makeup woes are oftentimes caused by using the wrong products for your type. So I’m making it simple for you. Here are 3 basics for oily and dry skin.

Oily Skin

First you need to confirm that you do, in fact, have oily skin. Most people have oily t-zones (that’s the forehead and nose area) but to have truly oily skin, your cheeks and chin will be oily too. If you have large visible pores, that’s another sign you fall into the oily category. So for you oily chicks – here’s a few things to pick up.

Murad Pomegranate Foaming Facial Cleanser ($25 sephora.com)

This fab cleanser dissolves dirt, makeup and most importantly – oil – in one easy step. Best of all, it won’t over-dry your skin. One pump of this cleanser leaves you feeling fresh and clean.

Clinique Dramtically Different Moisturizing Gel ($11.50 clinique.com)

This ultra light moisturizer is oil-free, so it won’t cause breakouts. It absorbs instantly so you can layer on more to get just the right amount of moisture. Perfect to replenish moisture if you are using acne treatments which can dry you out.

Boscia Green Tea Blotting Linens ($10 sephora.com)

These handy little papers are perfect for absorbing oil throughout the day. The best part is they are oil free. Believe it or not, most brands of blotting papers (i.e. Clean & Clear or Sephora Brand) actually have mineral oil in them! Defeat the purpose much? Stick with Boscia.

Read More »

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It is FREAKING COLD outside. Now that all the fun of the holidays is over (not counting Valentine’s Day cause, let’s be real, that’s not fun for most of us) the warm joyous feelings towards winter are gone and we’re left with nothing but bitter, bitter cold.

Living on a college campus makes it even worse. There’s no hopping in your heated car and driving to your heated destination. You are forced to put on your boots and puffy coat then trudge through wind chills and snow drifts to get from class to class. The result is insatiably dry skin, cracked lips and peeling cuticles. But there is hope! Here are some strategies to fight the battle against Jack Frost.

Non-Medicated Nighttime Lip Balm

Bedtime is the best time to restore the moisture that the cold weather steals from you during the day. Talking, eating and licking your lips means that lip products only stay on for a matter of minutes. Not enough time to make any real change, it only offers temporary relief. But while you sleep products have more time to moisturize. Avoid products with menthol or camphor (Like Carmex or Medicated Chapstick). The tingling cooling sensation is nice, but these ingredients are actually very drying. Any moisture gained is immediately lost again and you are back at square one.

Try Rosebud Salve ($6 sephora.com)

Bonus Tip: You can use this balm on your cuticles too! Read More »

[Makeup is a wonderful thing. I mean, we all know what we look like when we wake up vs. when we hit the streets. (Let's not think about it...) That is why every Saturday I am bringing you the best of makeup: tips, tricks and the best products out there. No more guessing at the store; now you can shop armed with the information you need!]

When you think of technological innovation, makeup is not usually the first thing to come to mind. But those clever beauty developers are always coming up with new ways to incorporate new technologies into making us all look fabulous. Here are some of the most amazing technological advances in beauty right now.

Lancome Oscillation Mascara – ($34 sephora.com)

Lancome has always been the leader in mascara innovation, but they really did something truly unique with Oscillation. The brush actually vibrates! 7000 vibrations a minute. So what does that mean for your lashes? I know it might sound like a gimmick but it actually does a killer job of separating each and every lash. So not only does it eliminate clumping, but each lashes get coated with a superfab mascara, giving you extra length, curl and volume. Read More »

[Every Saturday I am here to bring you the best beauty products, tips and ideas. Last week I helped ya out with great Halloween makeup (that you can wear year-round!). I am sure it all came in handy last night. Today I am bringing you beauty products that will change your life! I know that seems a bit dramatic, but I'm telling you: these products are revolutionary.]

Urban Decay Primer Potion ($16 sephora.com)

This little tube may look like is holds a genie, but it actually delivers with something truly magical. Just dab this colorless cream on your eyelids before you apply shadow. It will stay on for-ev-er. If you hate having your shadow all gunked up in the crease just a few hours after you put it on, this product is your holy grail. You can put on your makeup before you go to work, go out to dinner, then a club, – get in at 1am and your eyeshadow will still look fab. Also try it just underneath your bottom lash line to keep eyeliner in place. Once you try this product, you won’t be able to live without it.

DDF Glycolic Body Lotion ($42 sephora.com)

Okay so it is a little bit pricey for a body lotion. But this is not a cucumber melon type moisturizer to make you smell pretty – it’s a serious solution to a very common skin problem: Chicken Skin! Almost half of all girls have it. That red bumpy weird pimply skin on the back of your arms and legs. If you have ever had it, you know it can be embarrassing and down right gross. Believe it or not, just a quick application of this stuff on trouble areas and you will see results in just THREE DAYS. Your Chicken Skin will turn to alabaster in no time. Once you’ve achieved the desired result, you can use the lotion 3-4 times a week for maintenance. Try it for a week, and your skin will forever be addicted. Read More »

Unless you’re an Eskimo, you probably don’t enjoy getting tossed around by those blistering cold winds. Whew, do you feel the tightening, arid effects of the chilly weather on your skin ’ dry patches on your face, chapped lips and flaky hands and feet.

No matter how much you lather on the moisturizer, your precious epidermis simply won’t return to its supple state. Well, have no fear; we have some wonderful tips on how to get glowing all winter long:

Shorten Shower Time

Healthy skin has a protective surface layer called the stratum corneum, and as the temperature drops this natural barrier becomes vulnerable to damage. Although there’s nothing quite like a long shower, lingering in hot water will drain essential moisture and leave the skin drier and more susceptible to irritation.

Adios Astringents

For those especially chilly months, skip the application of anything containing alpha-hydroxy acid or alcohol. They strip the skin of natural oils that are necessary in maintaining moisture.

Happy Humidity

Having a humidifier in your bedroom will help prevent your skin from drying out. Moisture in the air soothes dry lips and chapped skin.

Rapid Repairs

Since less blood flows to the skin when you’re cold, it’s a little malnourished. So you need to give it extra lovin’ with products that contain amino-peptides, which work to renew the skin’s outer layer. We recommend Olay Regenerist. (regenerist.com) Read More »