August Skin

I've made references to my dark circles before, but maybe you didn't read those posts or maybe you didn’t take me seriously. So I’ve gone and done something silly and posted a picture of myself makeup-free on the Internet (because if not now, when?).

Though I'm wholly aware that my eyes could be worse (and in five years I’m sure they will be), we can be honest and speak plainly about the girl on the left who looks rough, to say the least. I'm told that dark circles like mine are caused by chronic eye-rubbing and/or genetics. A few trips to the dermatologist may clear the circles but will most definitely set me back $1,500. As far as creams—at best they mask the darkness, but provide virtually no long-term benefit. So when faced with these options, I can only do what makes sense—fake it.

First I dab a small amount of color corrector beneath my eyes. In this picture I used Physician's Formula Correcting Concealer (it's a three-part set, but I only used the corrector). Color correctors should be yellow or orange-based to camouflage darkness. Because they are extraordinarily bright (and look nothing like your actual skin), they need to be applied under foundation.

My very first beauty purchase was Benefit’s "You Rebel" tinted moisturizer. I was in middle school and I remember thinking that the makeup's name instantly made me more daring than most.

Since then a lot has changed—their array of blushes, bronzers, and highlighters have swelled to include shades like "Watt's Up," "One Hot Minute," and "CORALista" (and more on those in action next week)—but Benefit’s quirky and vintage-girly lineup still remains the fun section of any beauty store.

A Dynastee Clothing Co. sweater

There are some men who don’t particularly care about appearance—use hand soap as face wash and pull together outfits as carefully as Rihanna censors tweets. Isaiah Andrew isn’t one of them.

He doesn’t shop with a stylist or an interior decorator, but it certainly feels that way. His relationship with fashion bellies on artistry and appreciation (not vanity and ostentation), which leads to a genuine likeability that narrowly defines few members of the fashionisto pack (read: Kanye West). Isaiah’s unabashedly premium aesthetic is a reoccurring theme.

Take skincare, for example, where you’ll need to travel to Bergdorf Goodman (among other luxury retailors) to recreate Isaiah’s regimen. He relies heavily on products from Kyoku—a male generated (and driven) skincare brand, and Kiehl’s. He cleanses with the Kyoku Daily Facial Cleanser and exfoliates weekly. And that scent he wears? That’s Yves Saint Laurent’s (or is it Saint Laurent?) L’Homme—a fusion of every note on Earth associated with the Y chromosome (bergamot, cedar, sandalwood, ginger); it’s definitely all male.

For Isaiah, shaving leads to an unintended consequence—razor bumps. To smooth, correct, and moisturize skin around his face, Isaiah employs the help of Sigma Skin—a subtle tinted moisturizer for men.

If you’re wondering if Isaiah offers seminars to educate the general male population on adequate grooming, you’re out of luck (but one can dream). He does, however, offer a window into his style online at Dynastee Clothing Co.—an online clothier Isaiah launched with his brother in 2001.

Geared towards the collegiate demographic and young adults, Dynastee Clothing Co. features apparel and accessories for men and women. An option that allows shoppers to build clothing on the site based on personal preferences is made possible by his girlfriend, Rachel Brooks, CEO and Co-founder of the customization platform, Citizen Made.

me pre-weave

with weave and hairstylist Cynthia Alvarez

one section of the hair Cynthia used

I've seen a lot of bad weaves—you know the kind. The plastic ones that look like a DuPont innovation left on the warehouse floor.

It's because of my familiarity with these highly reflective hair offenders that I never considered wearing one. That is, until I was introduced to Hair Factory.

At Hair Factory’s pop-up shop in New York last week, I was transformed with the help of a few clip-in extensions and celebrity hairstylist Cynthia Alvarez. The goal was to recreate one of Kerry Washington’s red carpet hair moments, and I'll let you be the judge if we succeeded (spoiler alert: I think we did).

Cynthia, who is as talented as she is movie-star gorgeous, added three rows of Remi Wave from Hair Factory's New York Remi collection. The whole process took less than an hour and was so easy Cynthia says that I can do it at home (and if I can, then you can probably do it blindfolded and bound to the back of a speeding train).

Teasing my roots and cornrowing a small section of hair, Cynthia snapped on the weave (she cornrowed because my hair is fine; if you have thicker strands you can skip this step). Cynthia's large barrel curling iron created flouncy swirls, and a bit of hair spray set the style in place. No peek-a-boo weave tracks to be found, and nary a trace of uneven texture (my hair blended so well, even I can’t tell where the real hair stops and the Remy hair begins).

This Sunday I'll join Hair Factory and gifted hairstylist Cynthia Alvarez for something very new (to me). Hair Factory, the veteran purveyor of hair extensions, is hosting a pop-up shop in New York City to deliver discounted goods, hair demonstrations, giveaways, and makeovers.

I'll be there in the hands of Cynthia Alvarez (that's her with Tatyana Ali above), getting my first set of extensions ever in front of everyone. Cynthia asked what sort of look I'm angling for, and without hesitation I said Kerry Washington. With any luck, bangs will be a part of the equation so I can give my fivehead some much needed shade.

I have so many questions to ask Cynthia this weekend. How long can I leave the extensions in my hair? Can I wash them? Do they get their own special bath? How is Beyoncé able to swirl her hair like a mop braving the spin cycle? Can I do that?

If you'll be in the city this weekend, come join me as my hair reaches new lengths.

Hair Factory Pop-Up Shop at John Atchinson Salon & Spa

Sunday, May 5, 12 PM - 5 PM

143 Madison Avenue, New York, New York

RSVP: [email protected]

Nasty Gal Gets Sheer -- I haven't been so excited to wear something sheer since Cher Horowitz trotted around Beverly Hills with fluffy pens and her "most capable looking outfits." 

Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer -- A luminous formula offered in three shades. I'm dabbing this above my cheekbones and around my eyes for a controlled glow.

Bond No. 9 -- This brand gets all the love and I want to know why. I'll test my way through their fragrances and I'll let you know which ones get the olfactory seal of approval.

SK-II Facial Treatment Essence -- I'm not certain, but I believe "treatment essence" is what you're allowed to call a toner that costs as much as a cable bill. Cate Blanchett uses it, which is good enough for me (the woman looks like an Olsen twin plus five years and 10 inches).

Julep Freedom Polymer Top Coat -- The claim is that it dries like a gel manicure. I'll be the judge of that.

Becca Matte Skin Foundation -- Allow me to reintroduce myself: I get oily.

Yves Saint Laurent Volupte Sheer Candy in Dewy Papaya -- I don't see my addiction to peach lips ending anytime soon.

Warby Parker Wiloughby frames -- I usually wear my contact lenses everyday. Perhaps that will change soon. 

With your help, I made it to the third week of Allure magazine's Beauty Blogger of the Year competition. There are only two more challenges left until the winner is determined.

This week, two bloggers will be eliminated from the competition. I can't move forward without your help, so please vote for me here once a day, everyday this week. Friday votes must be cast before 11:59 AM. Each time you vote you'll be entered to win prizes like a trip to Hawaii and a Kindle Fire.

The challenge theme of the week is lazy beauty, and I demonstrated three hair styles that can be created in a matter of minutes.

This week on Instagram I took snaps of healthy snacks; reminisced over my moment on Anderson Cooper's daytime show; stopped by Beauty Night Out at Long View Gallery; shared noteworthy articles from glossies; and sung the praises of a remarkable toner.

A few years ago the wide-legged jeans borrowed from the days of disco reappeared on starlets and tastemakers. They looked smart and blithe, and the Jerry Hall and Farrah Fawcett comparisons danced along.

I wouldn’t covet, let alone purchase, a pair of these jeans if they were given away with gold bars in the back pockets. Despite their former popularity, only one woman looks decent in these pants and she has pencil legs that stretch from Maine to Maryland.

I felt this way about facial sunscreen, too. When one brand wasn’t casting a reflective sheen on my face, another was leaving behind a white-gray residue. I’m guessing I wasn’t the only person with that issue because each year the number of improved sunscreen options grows. Here are my five favorites:

La Roche-Posay Anthelios 50 Daily Anti-Aging Primer with Sunscreen – Appropriate if you’re oily skin is somewhat legendary. It’s a primer so it’s thick, but you’re makeup won’t budge over this.

Dermalogica Oil Free Matte SPF 30 – It mattifies without drying while preventing breakouts. It’s perfect.

Murad Oil-Control Mattifier SPF 15 – A tad glue-like in texture, but it gets the job done.

La Roche-Posay Anthelios 45 Ultra Light Fluid for Face – The most lightweight sunscreen you’ll ever try.

Dermalogica Welcome Matte SPF15 – You can forget about shine with this one.

It's been three weeks since the last Scandal episode, which made April by and large a terrible month for television. But it’s back tomorrow and it looks like Huck may have traveled back down the rabbit hole to insanity-land while Olivia is recuperating after her fight with good guy–turned bad guy, (turned good guy?) Jake. Like all Scandal episodes it’s bound to be suspenseful, so maybe this week we can make moves to buffer the edge.

Let's begin with a beverage. Sometime in the past decade it was decided that green tea needed an upgrade from passed over addendum in Chinese takeout. Depending on where you look, green tea fights cancer, stimulates weight loss, prevents diabetes, lowers cholesterol (and the list goes on). Some say that the tea also stabilizes moods to encourage positive thinking. If that’s true, let's have two cups on Scandal night. My favorite green tea of the moment is Harney & Sons' Tropical Green.

Commercial break is a fine time to unload. How about unloading some toxins? Lymphatic drainage massage improves circulation in the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system carries immune cells throughout the body to ward off infection. When circulation slows, toxins accumulate and inflammation can occur. For me, lymphatic drainage is especially helpful in the spring when I retain fluid better than a ShamWow. Watch this video for instructions and thank me later.

When the episode concludes and we’re left in a state of delirium, there’s only one thing to do to rest our pulse and stave off dreams where we're secretly stalked by a man named Jake who will always hold a soft spot in our heart after winning us over as a guy named Noel in a 1990s teen series that has yet to meet its match [whew].

Pillow spray.

You can get fancy and spray your pillows with an eau de toilette, or for a more reasonable price-per-ounce selection, try L’Occitane’s Aromachologie Relaxing Pillow Mist or Bath and Body Works’ Sleep Pillow Mist to lavender lullaby your way to a peaceful sleep.

Here’s the deal. In a matter of a few days "The Great Gatsby" media train hit me with full force. The photos—the trailers—the Jay Z/Kanye track that scores it all--"The Great Gatsby" movie is on the horizon and the film’s studio really wants us to know it.

So while I absorbed the media blitz in a flapper-filled trance, I honed in on the hair that marked the sleek styles of the razzle-dazzle era: the smooth bob and cushiony curls.

But there was a problem—in order to create a modified version of the soft waves puttering around in 1920’s West Egg, I would need to apply additional heat to my already straightened strands. As a rule, I try not to fry my hair more than once a month. I could have rolled my hair in curlers overnight, but that would have been as comfortable as sleeping in the bed of a pickup truck driving down a deserted highway.

Still longing for subtle curls but facing limited options, I opted for a comfortable alternative. I twirled my hair in one long strand, secured it with a small band, and then went to sleep. In the morning, I unraveled the solitary twist for super loose, heat-free curls. Like Daisy in the film, I parted my hair deep to one side and added a small clip.