A bit of bronzer can give your skin an instant healthy glow. It’s the best way to add some color to your skin without using blush (which often looks unnatural). With a fluffy brush or a powder puff, dip into bronzing powder (a compact is best), tap off excess, and brush generously all over face, neck and breast bone. The results are truly amazing!

Products
T. LeClerc Pressed Powder in Dore color. Great for use as bronzer.
La Fee De Paris Down Powder Puff

Are you one of those women who have tons of beauty products that you almost never use? Personally, I find it hard to remember to use all the wonderful products I have in my bathroom or closet. I actually have a beauty closet because I have so many products that they’ve long outgrown my medicine cabinet. The key to using products is keeping them in front of you. Invest in a small open shelving unit (without doors) where you can beautifully display your personal care products. Keep body lotion or body oils near your bathtub so you remember to use them. If you don’t want to clutter your bathroom, there are ways to contain products more beautifully. You can purchase nice looking glass or plastic bottles and transfer all of your favorite products to them. A set of clear plastic bottles containing different color products can look great in your shower. The more accessible things are and the more inviting they look, the more likely you will be to use them. I’m also a big believer in the vanity. When products are in front of you, it can feel very luxurious to sit down for a few minutes each day and use them.

Products
Muji is a great place to buy beautiful product containers.

How do you control summertime frizz if you have wavy or curly hair? In addition to a great haircut that removes bulk to allow the hair to naturally lay closer to the head, the right products are key. Try using a quarter-size drop of deep conditioning hair mask as a leave-in conditioner. This will give your hair the weight and curl definition to look beautiful even in the most humid weather.

Products
Alfaparf Real Cream PH 4, available at www.evasbeautystore.com.

One of my favorite makeup items is the concealer. It is a necessary tool for creating the perfect canvas on which to apply color. It brings forward facial areas that otherwise recede into shadows, while covering up imperfections in the skin. The texture to look for in a concealer is one that is silky, blends easily, and is one shade lighter than your complexion. Apply in thin layers, padding with your ring finger as you build up to the right amount of coverage. I often use two to three thin coats on myself and my clients. Another great tip is to use concealer around the corners of the nose and the lip line. This evens out the skin so beautifully that whatever lipstick you wear will look true to its own color. If you’re worried about a concealer creeping into and accentuating fine lines in the skin, try a foundation that is two shades lighter than your natural skin tone. Again, use the padding and layering technique to build coverage.

Products

T. LeClerc Corrector Fluid Concealer is one of the best I’ve used.
T. LeClerc Hydrating Fluid Foundation is also excellent.

Yesterday we had the annual staff pool party at our house, and as one would expect, a few had a bit too much fun! This reminded me to share some great hangover remedies for those all-day barbecues and weekends at the beach. After all, let’s face it, a hangover doesn’t look so pretty…

1. Consume one glass of water for every alcoholic beverage.

2. Eat a high protein and high fat snack before bed time (yes, I said “high fat,” it’s not a typo). I like natural peanut butter on whole grain toast.

3. Also before bed, take a B vitamin supplement which tends to get depleted when consuming alcohol.

4. The next morning drink a glass of coconut water which contains potassium and electrolites to help the body rehydrate. Also apply a hydrating mask to your face.

5. Mid-day a fresh vegetable juice is a great pick-me-up.

After all this you should be good for a glass of wine with dinner.

Products
Coconut water can be purchased at most healthfood stores, such as Whole Foods.
Gommage 303 mask for normal to oily skin or Gommage 305 for dry or sensitive skin.

Last week I recommended oils for the skin. Having spent time pool-side this holiday weekend, I was reminded of the best natural protection for the hair from salt and chlorine - oil. Neem, Amla, Avocado, to name a few, form a great barrier between your hair and the elements. Since oil and water don’t mix, in addition to forming this protective barrier, it nourishes the hair and gives it a great treatment while you’re out in the sun. Many products designed for sun protection only have SPF. They promise protection from salt and chlorine, but seem to immediately rinse off in water. However, remember that oil does NOT contain an SPF, still leaving your hair color succeptible to fading in the sun. So I’ve been using a combination - applying hair sunblock first and then a half-dollar amount of my favorite natural oil. Remember to shampoo and condition your hair after swimming to wash off the oil, along with the salt and chlorine.

A grooming tip for the men is to opt for a moisturizer with an SPF 15 or higher, to use year-round. Since most men will rarely use more than one product on their skin, if that, this way you can kill two birds with one stone.

Products
The oils mentioned above can be found at your local healthfood store.
Last week I recommended Huile Corps by Yon-Ka for the skin, but it’s also great for the hair.

The Kerastase Soleil line has SPF protection for the hair. Not sold in our online store, but may be ordered by calling the salon: 212-677-7315 x 4.

The Anthelios XL Creme 50+ is an excellent moisturizer & sunblock combination, that is light weight and great for even acne-prone skin.

Oil can be a girl’s best friend. For many, moisturizer alone is not enough to nourish the skin. Moisturizer acts as a protective barrier against the environment but does not necessarily provide the skin with enough hydration. That is why you may often notice that a couple of hours after applying moisturizer, your skin feels dry again. I love adding oil to my body moisturizer, face cream, or use it alone on my arms and legs to make them look thinner and more toned. It’s no wonder that body builders slather themselves in oil before competition to make their muscles look more defined. A common misconception is that oil makes your skin break out. This is true for the cheap synthetic oils that are found in many face creams. However, high grade essential oils penetrate quickly and balance and tone the skin. Some even have anti- bacterial properties that help to prevent acne. So don’t be afraid to add some essential oils to your beauty routine.

A tip for the men is to switch from aftershave which typically has alcohol that stings and dehydrates the skin, to a simple face toner. Instead of applying it with a cotton ball which can be too much for guys to deal with, just splash some toner on the face like you do with aftershave. It will help to close the pores and sooth the skin after shaving.

Products
For the face, try Yon-Ka Serum for normal to dry skin, or Dermol 3 for normal to oily skin. Juvenil for acne-prone skin.

For the body, I love the Huile Corps by Yon-Ka.

With all of these oils, apply to the skin before moisturizer or mix a few drops in your favorite cream.

For the guys, the Yon-Ka For Men Lotion, is a great toner that is alcohol-free and comes in a spray bottle for extra easy application.

Lighting is a key component to proper makeup application. Working on photoshoots, I have often seen how even the most beautiful hair and makeup can be ruined by bad lighting. So make sure that the lighting in your bathroom or vanity area is beauty appropriate. When applying makeup, try not to use any overhead lights which form shadows on the face and create a disproportionate view of your features. Instead, opt for wall sconces on each side of the bathroom mirror. Lighting positioned at head level gives a more accurate perception of the planes of your face. All other lights can be put on dimmers. Softer lighting will also diminish the desire to pick at imperfections in your skin, which only causes further inflammation and pushes bacteria deeper into the pores. The right environment is not only important to beautiful makeup application, but also to how you feel about yourself when looking in the mirror.

Products
The T. LeClerc loose powder is one of my favorite makeup products. It’s finely milled, light diffusing, and has an SPF 15. Commonly used in television and on photoshoots, this thin and lightweight powder can be used on its own to improve the texture of the skin, or on top of foundation to set makeup.

With Father’s Day just around the corner, this tip is dedicated to our male subscribers and the men in our lives. Unfortunately, men often tend to neglect skincare, leaving it to us women to at least help them follow a very basic routine. Because a man’s skin is thicker than a woman’s, it helps to have specially formulated products, rather than leaving them to pick up a moisturizer from our vanity from time-to-time. Men’s skincare needs are also different because of shaving, which exfoliates the skin, often on a daily basis. But shaving can also cause irritation and razor bumps - especially for men with sensitive skin. Therefore, I recommend that those who shave with a razor blade do so in the shower. Whether or not he has sensitive skin, he will find the entire shaving experience much more pleasant and less irritating. The hot water and steam soften the skin and beard, allowing the razor to easily glide without dragging. All that’s needed is a small fogless mirror that can be purchased at most drug stores.

The basic morning skin care routine for most men should be as follows:

1. Cleanse
2. Shave
3. Tone
4. Moisturize

If you can also convince him to wear sunblock on a daily basis (or at least in the summer), that goes on last.

Products
Yon-Ka, one of my favorite skin care lines, recently came out with a wonderful product line especially for men. My husband absolutely loves it!
Cleanser: Foam Gel or Foam Scrub (3.4 oz)

Shaving Cream: Barber Shave (3.4 oz)

Toner: Lotion YK (alcohol-free and spray-on for easy application, 5 oz)

Moisturizer: Nutri-Moist (1.4 oz)

The biggest enemies of hair color are chlorine, sun, and salt (water). They not only make the color fade, but also strip essential oils from the hair shaft. An effective way to protect hair color in the summer is to have your colorist apply a clear glaze. It not only gives hair shine, but also seals and protects the cuticle and helps to control frizz. Without protection from the elements, even the deepest brunette can become brassy. You can further guard your hair with products specifically designed for this purpose, such as the Soleil line by Kerastase, which has UV and UVB protection for the hair.

Products
The Soleil line by Kerastase is sold at many high end salons, including ours (but not on our web site).
During the summer I love using a rich deep treatment everytime I shampoo. It weighs the hair down just enough to remove the frizz (especially great for curly hair). Real Cream PH4 by AlfaParf is one of my favorites.

I also love AlfaParf’s Illuminating Cristalli Liquidi (or the smaller size option) which contains vitamin E and linseed oil. Try using a few drops on wet hair before blowdrying and on dry hair after styling for amazing shine! Remember that a little bit goes a long way with this product.