Skincare Tip: JUST FOR THE GUYS

Men’s skin is typically thicker and oilier than women’s skin and therefore, it needs different types of products. Men’s skin is also generally exfoliated more than women’s skin because of shaving that can make it more sensitive. Proper care can eliminate razor bumps and keep skin healthy, hydrated and glowing (but still masculine, of course).

How to use it: Call or come into the salon for product recommendations specific to your skin type.

Yon Ka’s For Men line is available on our website.

A foundation spray for hair is one of the most underestimated beauty products out there. It is an essential first step to a great blow out because it evens out the porosity of the hair shaft allowing product to absorb evenly. Without it, product absorbs more heavily into dry areas of the shaft which hampers proper styling. It is also great for women who prefer more natural looks since it adds no weight to the hair and can be used without any additional styling products.

Get a great blowout at home.

How to use it: Spray liberally onto towel dried hair prior to applying styling products and leave-in treatments. Style as usual. It can also be used to refresh hair between shampoos.

Try Shu Umeura’s Depsea Waters in Repair, Moisture or Smoothing

OR

Bumble and bumble’s Prep or Tonic

These products are available at Eva Scrivo Salon — we are happy to give product recommendations over the phone: 212-677-7315.

Dry shampoo is one of the most amazing and simultaneously misunderstood hair products out there. It’s great if you want to add volume to your hair and most importantly, it can extend the time in between blow outs. You can even apply dry shampoo immediately after a blow out to help deter oil accumulation on your hair. Many people chronically over wash their hair and this can have detrimental long-term effects: dehydration, decreased color-resilience and even breakage. If you have dry hair, it should be shampooed every couple of days, not daily. Many of us tend to have the unfortunate combination of oily scalps and dry hair, which makes us want to wash every day to get rid of the oil. That’s where dry shampoo comes in and it truly is one of my favorite beauty products. It can extend the time between blow outs for days by absorbing the oil produced by the scalp without dehydrating dry ends. The secret to applying dry shampoo is to spray it from a 6-8 inch distance onto 1 ½ inch sections of the hair, starting at the crown and bang area. After applying, gently run a brush through your hair. My favorite brands are Bumble and bumble (Hair Powder in White, Blondish, Red, Brown and Black), Klorane and Rene Furterer.

Please note that most lighter and platinum blonds should be using the White Hair Powder by Bumble and bumble rather than the Blondish Hair Powder which is meant for darker blonds.

Blondish Hair Powder by Bumble and bumble

On Thursday, December 3rd we hosted a party for the women of Atria Books, a division of Simon & Schuster which will be publishing my book next year. We wanted everyone who will be working on the marketing, design, printing and other all aspects of my book to experience my salon and beauty philosophy firsthand. Mini-services were offered, including blow-outs, manicures, pedicures, reflexology, massage and make-up applications. We served hors d’oevres and champagne.

Drawing on her witty and chic sensibilities, Gwynne Mims (a Senior Stylist at Eva Scrivo) has created her own line of vintage-inspired hair jewelry. The pieces are made by hand in Gwynne’s East Village apartment from brass, nickel, suede and other unique vintage findings. Hair jewelry is a fabulous way to dress up an outfit.

As a stylist, Gwynne understands women’s limitations when it comes to personal hairstyling; her bands are versatile, lightweight, comfortable and very easy to put in the hair. Many of them can be worn as necklaces. Gwynne also has a line of clips and barrettes which we will be featuring on the blog in a couple of weeks. All pieces are available at Eva Scrivo.

Bronze Bowtie Band on a Linked Chain ($200)

Silver Bowtie Band ($180)

Bronze Filigree with Chain ($200)

Silver Band with Rosettes ($180)

Bronze Linked Chain with Interwoven Leather (Black or Brown, $150)

Immunity. The change in seasons brings not only the holidays and colder weather, but also new viruses and bacteria which will attempt to test our immune systems. Some people are simply blessed with a strong constitution and rarely get sick; others are less fortunate. The good news is that we can all strengthen our resistance in a variety of ways. First and foremost, eating a healthy balanced diet and getting regular exercise is extremely important! We must know what we are putting in our bodies because everything we eat affects us down to a cellular level. Consistently eating sugar, drinking alcohol and smoking can have very detrimental effects on our health and on our natural ability to fight infection. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and drink lots of fresh juice and water while limiting your intake of meat, processed foods and bad carbohydrates.

Secondly, there are a number of immune system enhancing supplements which can greatly improve your natural defenses. At the salon, most of us take Lysine on a daily basis. It is an essential amino acid which cannot be synthesized by the human body and must be acquired through food (proteins naturally contain lysine). It helps the body to produce antibodies, enzymes and hormones and is even used to treat cold sores because of its strong ability to boost immunity. There are also great vitamins which have been shown to enhance immunity in the human body: Vitamins B, C, D and Zinc as well as a combination of the following herbs: Echinacea, Goldenseal, Usenea and Ginko.

Finally, never underestimate the importance of frequent hand washing or sanitation and the wiping down of shared surfaces. I rarely get sick, even though I work on people all day long because I make it a practice to never touch my face. Always to keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth and wash your hands before eating. Just remember, the more good things we put in our bodies, the stronger they will be and the less we have to worry about getting sick during cold and flu season.

Many of us carry our favorite beauty essentials and cosmetics with us wherever we go in a make-up bag. You never know when you are going to need a touch-up or when you might need to transform your look from casual to glamorous or the other way around. However, there is an annoying downside to carrying these products around with us: our make-up bags can quickly become messy because of spilled powder or eye shadow, lipsticks and liners losing their caps, etc. While our make-up bags at home are easier to keep clean, our to-go bags are especially prone to being messy because they have to travel with us and get jostled around; we also tend to be in more of a hurry when applying make-up away from home which can lead to accidental spills.

T. LeClerc Mascara

Here’s a great insider beauty solution: put a clean cotton ball or two in your cosmetics bag. The cotton ball acts as a magnet for loose powders and keeps much of them off of your products and away from the inside of your make-up bag. You’ll need to replace the cotton ball once a week or so. I also recommend keeping a couple of portable moist wipes in your bag. If your liners or lipsticks become uncapped they can wreak havoc on your bag and on the other items in it. A moist wipe can quickly and easily solve this problem.

While we would all love to have our full arsenal of beauty products with us at all times, that is just not practical. Here are a couple of essential beauty items that every woman should have in her make-up bag: mascara, eye liner, concealer, lip balm with SPF, cream blush, pressed powder, eye make-up remover and an eye cream.

T. LeClerc Pressed Powder

A great portable eye make-up remover is Bare Minerals On-The-Spot Make-up Remover which comes in individually filled swabs containing a gentle make-up remover (keep them separated from your other products in a small plastic bag). Yon-Ka’s Phyto-Contour is an excellent eye cream which helps to refresh the eyes and reduces fatigue and puffiness. A wonderfully versatile product like Bobby Brown’s Lip and Cheek Stain can be used on your cheeks, but it can also be used to add a touch of color to your lips. T. LeClerc’s Pressed Powder and Mascara are also perfect for your on-the-go make-up bag.

I had the pleasure of sharing Monday’s Beauty Talk with my sister, Vinnetta Scrivo. Our focus was on Halloween hair and make-up ideas. Halloween does not have to be about scary make-up and blood. It can be a great opportunity to explore your more glamourous side by emulating the hair and make-up of your favorite beauty icons like Marilyn Monroe or Sophia Loren. This is a time to take risks and to try new things.

False eyelashes are great beauty enhancers and can add that extra wow-factor to your look. Many fine department stores have “lash bars” and if you purchase lashes there, they will apply them for you. Sephora carries special Halloween make-up kits which are just wonderful for the occasion. They include all the items you will need to create specific looks (Witch/Vampire, Doll/Fairy and Cleopatra/Peacock), as well instructions on how to apply the make-up. Vinnetta also gave us some great fall/winter beauty tips. Taking a hair, skin and nail vitamin is a great way to help protect your skin from the harsh, cold weather that will soon be upon us. Taking a flax seed oil supplement (Omega 3) also helps to lubricate your body from the inside out.

Tune in next week (Monday between 4-5 PM ET on Sirius Satellite Radio) for another great Beauty Talk.

Halloween is just around the corner and if you are like many others, you may just now be starting to come up with costume ideas. The great thing about Halloween is that it does not necessarily have to be about fake blood and scary white make-up; it can be a great opportunity to explore your more glamorous side.

Classic make-up with bright red lipsticks, black eyeliner and thick false lashes can be a great way to achieve this. Take a look at your favorite old films and use beauty icons of times passed as inspirations for hair and make-up. Accessories can also help to build your look. We have amazing, one of a kind, handmade hair jewelry and headbands (made with the finest materials, including: suede, feathers, metal, and beads) at Eva Scrivo Salon which are designed by our very own stylist Gwynne Mims and my sister, Vinnetta Scrivo. It is incredible how adding one of these gorgeous, unique pieces to your ensemble can truly transform you. And, these headbands are not just for Halloween; they can dress up a casual outfit, or be the perfect finishing touch for a night out on the town.

Ostrich Headband by Vinnetta Scrivo

Vintage shops and thrift stores are great places to find costumes! Beacon’s Closet in Brooklyn has a treasure trove of beautiful vintage dresses and many other costume possibilities. A great advantage to finding your costume at a resale shop is that you will not only spend less money, but you will also end up with a truly unique look.

If you do decide to go for a bloody or scary look, I must advise you strongly to avoid the theatrical make-up sold at most drugstores for this occasion. Many of these products contain petroleum which can not only clog your pores, but can also be dangerous to your health in general. Sephora sells great Halloween make-up. My sister, Vinnetta, will be joining me for next week’s Beauty Talk on Sirius, Monday between 4-5 PM ET and we will be discussing Halloween make-up and hair much more extensively. Please feel free to submit questions for the show here, or call in during the show: 866-675-6675.

The focus of this week’s Beauty Talk was skin and we had the pleasure of having Dr. Francesca Fusco from Wexler Dermatology in New York on the program. She shared great tips on a wide variety of topics, including: soothing Rosacea with cold milk compresses and putting ice cubes in your mouth to help calm the heat that can cause redness; skin treatments which can (glycolic peels) and cannot (laser) be done during pregnancy (always check with your obstetrician first!); preventative skincare for younger skin.

In our final segment, I discussed ways in which to handle unwieldy curly hair in young children. The key is not to shampoo too often. Comb a leave-in conditioner through hair at night and rinse in the morning. For more great tips, listen to Beauty Talk on Sirius next Monday from 4-5 PM ET.

I get many questions from people about corrective care for skin, but I have not discussed preventative care for younger skin as much as I would like. Therefore, today I will be focusing on how to thwart the unwelcome effects of aging on the skin for women and men in their 20s and 30s.

We all know that wearing sunscreen is a must, but it’s not that simple. Many people do not apply sunscreen in the colder months. It is very important that you protect yourself every day of the year, because even when it is gray and cloudy, UV-rays find their way down to us. I also recommend using a lip balm which contains SPF because your lips will also show the signs of aging later in life if left unprotected.

If you are still dealing with break-outs and sunscreens aggravate them, you should try using a mineral make-up like La Bella Donna. Mineral make-ups contain a natural SPF and can actually help to improve the condition of your skin. It’s a great way to kill two birds with one stone: beautiful coverage and protected skin. The Yon-Ka line has a variety of products designed for different skin types which contain SPF: Yon-Ka Skin Care

Loose Mineral Foundation by La Bella Donna

As the skin ages, collagen production slows and skin begins to lose elasticity. But, the good news is that you can help to prevent the loss of collagen before it starts by using a dermatologist prescribed Retin-A cream (a gentler version is Renova). These products not only help to maintain collagen levels, but they can also work to build more of it! Retin-A will also help to clear skin for those who may still be suffering from acne into their 20s and 30s.

Alcohol and cigarettes should be avoided as they eat up our precious beauty cells the most! Of course, it can be difficult to abstain from them at all times, particularly from alcohol. If you are drinking, it is important to drink one glass of water for every alcoholic beverage you consume. This will help maintain proper hydration which is not only good for your skin and body, but can also reduce or eliminate hangovers as these are primarily caused by dehydration. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables is also extremely important! We hear this every day and it has almost become a cliché, but it truly is one of the best ways you can maintain a healthy and youthful appearance inside and out.

Clients often tell me that their skin starts off moist in the morning, and by early afternoon feels dry again. I suggest using a hydrating toner in a spray bottle throughout the day. Just keep it in your desk and spray as needed. Toners add moisture to the skin and lower the ph level, which also helps to keep breakouts at bay. Remember that your skin needs water, rather than oil that is present in many moisturizers. Sometimes I will even dab a little bit of water around my mouth and my eyes. This works wonders for smoothing makeup and refreshing the skin.Product Suggestions

Yon-Ka Lotion is one of my favorite toners

The environment in which your beauty regimen takes place can be just as important as the task itself. Even if you use the right tools and proper techniques, without the right environment getting ready can feel like a real chore. Standing in a small steamy bathroom under florescent lighting, with a towel wrapped around you, and a blow dryer in hand, is no way to start your day. You might say that there’s simply not enough space in your bathroom to do this right, but remember that you don’t have to be confined to your water closet. For many years I lived in a small apartment in New York’s East Village. I kept a “bag of tricks” hidden behind my couch. It consisted of a blow dryer, hair clips, a wide-tooth comb, and some styling spray. I would pull up a chair to a mirror in my living room, and sit comfortably in an air- conditioned room while performing the laborious task of blow-drying. Not only was sitting down in a nice room less fatiguing, it allowed me to spend the extra ten minutes to do the job right, rather than running out of the bathroom feeling like I was having a hot flash. And remember that before you finish blow-drying, take large sections of hair and go over them one more time with the dryer on the cool setting to help contract the cuticle and give the hair more shine.

Product Recommendations

Turbo Power Twin Turbo 3200 Ceramic Ionic Dryer

Styling Spray by Bumble and bumble

Flat and round brushes, and hair clips

Those of us with curly hair have been taught to scrunch the hair while drying. But be careful not to scrunch too hard, or you will crush the curls and create frizz, which makes you look like you had a “bad perm.” Instead, apply leave-in conditioner to towel dried hair, comb thoroughly for even distribution, and with a diffuser gently apply heat while softly lifting and cradling the natural curls with your hands. Continue to do so until the hair is dry. Finally, loosen the curls by gently shaking your hair at the root with your hands.

Products
Leave-in Conditioner by Bumble & bumble.
Sublimateur Jour by Kerastase. This is a new product that’s great for dry hair. Apply with or without heat.