Make It All Better

I will readily admit that I am NOT the Hair Care Guru.  (That's my friend Kristan at Serafino Says.)  In fact, when they taught Basic Hair in sixth grade or whenever, I was definitely out sick.  On a good day, I look like Raggedy Ann.  On a bad day, I look like a roadie for an 80's hair band.  (Best line from 2012:  "Def Leppard called, they want their hair back.")

But I have to say that even without Kristan's interventions, my hair is looking better, despite my determined neglect and failure to get trims, blowouts, keratin treatments, and my very bad habit of covering my grays with beard & moustache color.  Less frizz.  Less likelihood of frightening small children.  More likely to stay semi-straight for more than ten minutes.  Shiny, even.

What predicated this miracle?  A mysterious leave-in conditioner called Pure NV BKT One-For-All.

Why mysterious?  Because I have no idea how it works so well, and why my ends don't look fried or dried out like they normally do when I use this spray.  Or how it causes curls to play together nicely, instead of looking like they came from eight different peoples' heads.  Or how it helps me to blow out my own hair, including stubborn cowlicks, previously impossible.  

Hopefully I won't find out in ten years that the price of easily fabulous hair is a hole in my scalp or something, because I am seriously addicted!

All Star - The Eyes Have It

I've pulled this bad boy out of my makeup bag more times than I can count.  At my desk, on the bus, on the subway, in front of the refrigerator.  My using it in the office causes a mass run on Duane Reade.

It de-puffs, hydrates, reduces dark circles.  It goes on over makeup.  Its gentle enough to use on eyelids.  Its paraben-free.

What is it??  Its Vichy's eye roller.  I've been asked about it so many times that it merits its own post.


And yes, you can put it in the refrigerator.  No, you don't have to, it remains magically cooling even stuffed into your makeup bag.

NB:  speaking of eyelids, there was another burned eyelid emergency issue this weekend.  People.  Really.  If the tube says, "Avoid Eye Area", then it means "Avoid Eye Area".  While it may include that warning because the product will irritate your actual eyes, many things (like enzyme peels, retinoids, salicylic acid....) are formulated for the thickness of skin on, say, your chin.  So read the label, and avoid being nominated for the Darwin Awards of Skin.

Out, Out Damn Spot! Act II

Yes, its true.  TSCG does get them too.  Blemishes.  Pimples.  Breakouts.  Zits.  Mostly, I suffer from the dread ClAcne (cleavage acne), resulting from sweating in a high-performance sports bra, which seems to be fiendishly difficult to eradicate, and fiendishly prone to scarring.  And lately, I've been getting the occasional pimple on my neck too, which are at least as difficult to get rid of, if not more so.

Barring rushing off to my beleaguered dermatologist and begging for cortisone shots, what to do, what to do??

The obvious answer is prevention (duh) but its sort of too late for that, and clearly, prevention didn't work this time.  So NOW what to do, what to do?  Two methods seem to work best:  1)  layer salicylic acid gel (try Neutrogena's if your skin is tolerant, or ph Advantage's if you're prone to dryness or redness) under benzoyl peroxide; or 2) overnight, use Mario Badescu's Drying Lotion, which looks like calamine lotion but works with lightning-fast speed, doesn't migrate, and magically works on the blemish only.  AND it seems to work on body acne too, when nothing else does.  During the day, use a concealer with salicylic acid in it.  Benefit used to make a fantastic product called Galactic Shield, but its been discontinued.  Grrr.  Clinique also made a pencil, but discontinued it in favor of an awkward tube that dispenses too much product and doesn't fit neatly into a cosmetic pouch.  Jane Iredale still makes a pencil, but its dual-ended (treatment on one side, concealer on the other.)


DON'T pick at it, DON'T go crazy exfoliating when you have an inflamed blemish, DON'T extract a whitehead yourself, DO gently disinfect the area with an alcohol swab prior to applying a treatment, and after washing your face.  DO continue to moisturize, but make sure your moisturizer is non-comedogenic.

Back to prevention for a second, DO try YonKa Creme PG.  Its gentle, and it does help.  Swear!

Random Thought Bubble

I just went away for a week.  Being the fanatic that I am, I will take off all of my nail polish and re-do it if I have one chip.  This is an annoying tic in the best of circumstances, and one that becomes almost paralyzing while on the road.  Particularly because packing nail polish remover wipes, mini base coat, color, and top coat weigh my bag down even more than it already was.  Which is hard to believe, I know.

What's a girl with beauty OCD to do?  Gels are the obvious answer.  EXCEPT that this girl with beauty OCD is constantly harping on the hazards of sun exposure, and gels are cured under UV lamps. Is that so bad, you ask?  After all, your hands are only under there for two minutes per cure, four rounds total, weighing in at eight minutes of UV exposure per gel application.  The answer:  yes, its that bad.

Consider this:  the offending lamp is about a half-inch from your unprotected (and very thin) skin.  Sun damage is cumulative, and even when getting a regular manicure, you probably use those tempting UV dryers to get out of the salon faster, right?  So how much damage are you really doing every year??  Answer:  a lot.

You can slather your hands with physical sunscreen, but your manicurist may have a herd of cows, since your nails must be 100% dry and oil free for the gel to adhere properly.  So instead, try wearing fingerless gloves (which are really fingerTIPless) during a gel manicure.  The best kind?  Gloves that have a high UPF rating, which fingertips you cut off yourself to ensure that they cover as much of your fingers as absolutely possible.

Yes, you'll look like a crazy lady.  But by your third manicure, you'll be surprised by how many other crazy ladies at your local mani-pedi place are doing the exact same thing.