Winter Woes: Not-So Perfect Fingernails

Out of the way, buster!  I'm the one in need of a manicure!

Every Winter, I seem to deal with two nail problems: 1) peeling, messed fingernails and 2) stained nails thanks to wearing dark nail polish.  So how can I beat these two problems?

PEELING NAILS
Cold, dry weather is a beast...and it seems to do extra damage to our lovely little fingernails.  Like dry skin, the best bet is to add as much moisture as possible.  Morning and night, slather on a rich hand moisturizer, making sure to massage it into your nails.  At night, go an extra  step and throw on a pair of gloves to help lock the moisture in.  That should soften up and revitalize both hands AND nails! 

If that doesn't work, make sure you're getting enough protein, calcium, and vitamins in your diet.  Take a multi-vitamin once a day to be certain you're getting everything your body needs.  Other things to consider: take care when doing the dishes.  Get some rubber gloves to help you out, and while you're at it: avoid exposure to harsh cleaning agents and extremes in temperature.  Sounds like gloves are going to be my hands' and nails' best friends!  Also, make the switch to nail polishes that do NOT contain nasty things like toluene, formaldehyde, or DBPs.


STAINED NAIL BEDS
Since mid-October, I've been painting my nails every Sunday...usually with a super dark color.  Now?  I've removed all my polish to give my nails a rest, and I see that my nail beds have a distictive yellow tint.  Nice.  Here's what to do:

• Before using a dark color, try a clear base coat.  This will help reduce the amount of color that leeches into your nails.
• Try rubbing lemon over the nails to remove the yellow tint.  This sounds painful since I have the horrible habit of picking at the skin around my nails--I have tons of little nicks and cuts and I can only imagine how wonderful lemon would feel in them.  Eek.
• Check out the steps outlined here.  The idea of peroxide makes sense....though sounds a little scary.  Still--it might just work.

Maybe I just need a really good paraffin treatment and a decent manicure!

Winter Woes: Dry Skin

Now that the holidays are over, we're headed into the bleaker period of Winter.  The days are shorter, nights darker.  The air outside is cold and biting, and inside too dry and static-y thanks to forced hot air.  It's a time when skin is dry, dry, dry.  Lips crack, cheeks turn red as they get whipped with icy winter winds, and let's not even get started on the condition of our feet and hands.  Winter's a tough time for our skin. 

If you're like me, right about now, your skin is thirsty and flaky.  So...what's a girl to do to beat the Winter woe of dry skin?  Here are a few tips to get your skin hydrated and glowing, so you can look and feel soft and beautiful under all those layers of clothes.

1. Start in the shower.  It pains me to say this, but those super long, hot showers I take every morning are not doing my skin any favors.  The ultra-hot water might feel great, but it's only speeding up the process of stripping away the oils from my skin.  Exposure to extremes (hot or cold) only aggravate things.  If I were smarter, I'd turn the heat down a bit to save myself from itchy, flaky dry skin.  But since I am a glutton (and because waking up is hard enough), I say damn it all!  I'm taking my hot, hot shower and opt instead for other skin saving measures.
2. Buff away the dead stuff.  While you're taking your tepid shower (and while I'm in the midst of a steamy spray), it's a good time to not only wash your skin, but to get rid of dead skin cells.  I use creamy, liquid-y soaps, not the bar stuff.  Try body washes from Dove (or others) that contain fair amounts of moisturizers and use a body buffer (those poofy things) to slough off skin cells.  Be gentle...there's no need to rub your skin raw.
3. Exfoliate when needed.  Every few days (once or twice a week, depending on your skin), you might want to try exfoliate your entire body. Exfoliating your entire body can help prevent body acne in many places below your neck, such as the chest, back and arms. It also might help you avoid ingrown hairs by preventing dead skin cells from plugging up follicles where you've shaved or waxed. And it can help even out skin tone and keep your skin hydrated and soft. Try using an exfoliating body scrub or bar, or opt for a salt-based scrub.  Like I said before, be gentle, though.  You don't want to trade flaky, dry skin for bloody, irritated skin!
4. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize.  Now that you've started easing off the hot water, using gentle exfoliating methods, etc. your skin needs to drink up some moisture.  Take some time to try out different body lotions.  You may like gels, oils, or creams.  The key is to find what you like and to use it regularly.  I prefer cocoa butter based creams for my skin, and I use it every day.  This helps provide nutrients and moisture to your skin which will keep it soft and touchable.
5. Consider adding healthy fats to your diet.  I know, I know...it's the start of a new year and you're probably wanting to cut out fats from your diet.  Don't.  Essential fatty acids, like Omega-3s found in fish, are so good for your skin.  If you're really considering changing your diet, embrace a Mediterranean diet that incorporates healthy fats.  They're good for your skin...and they taste good.

There are my tips.  Now I ask you: what's your trick for keeping skin flake-free in the Winter?  Also: what's your biggest Winter beauty woe?

Winterize Your Skin!

Now that Halloween is officially over, it's time to think about what's just around the corner: the holiday season and cold, winter weather.  With winter comes dry skin and frizzy hair...fun, right?  Well, November is "National Healthy Skin Month" and it's a good time to start up a winter skin regiment. 

Here are some tips for getting your skin looking good as we head into the dark days of winter:

• Maintain year-round sun protection.  Just because you're not planning on hitting the beach doesn't mean that you should be skimping on the SPF.  The sun is out every day, all year long, and those UV-rays promote pre-mature aging at best, skin cancer at worst.  Find a product you like and apply it to all exposed skin every single day...no matter what!
• Moisturize more.  With the heat on, our inside air is very dry.  Going outside in the cold air and winter wind can lead to chapping.  Skin is starved for moisture, so be sure to moisturize in the morning, after your shower when your pores are open.
• Avoid super hot showers and baths.  This is impossible for me!  But hot showers do result in overly dry skin.  If you can turn the hot water back a bit, do it!  Your skin will be thankful.
• Exfoliate!  Using an exfoliating product regularly will slough off nasty dead skin cells.
• Add some fats to your diet.  Increasing omega-3s (found in fish like salmon) and flaxseed will help combat dryness from the inside out.
• Don't forget your hands, feet, and lips.  For hands and feet that are stubbornly dry, try applying moisturizer then a pair of gloves or socks before bed.  Lips should be exfoliated regularly...and try to find a lip balm that contains SPF.  You can get skin cancer on your lips, after all.

Those are my tips...if you have anything to add, be sure to leave a comment!

Beat the Winter Blahs

I've lived on the West Coast for 10 years now. When I first moved out here, I used to laugh at the locals who complained about the "cold" when it was 50 degrees out and felt it necessary to bundle up under layer after layer of heavy winter clothes as soon as September became a memory.

My how things have changed. In my 10 years here, I have found that I, too, am a weather wimp. And now that Daylight Saving Time has come to an end--and Halloween is just a haunting memory--I find myself dreading the winter and all that comes with it: cold weather, possible snow, dry skin, chapped lips, static-filled hair.

Well, the good folks over at Women's Health (and in their book Age Erasers for Women) have some tips for all of us as we get ready for upcoming (or already here!) winter weather. Here you go--be sure to add your thoughts by leaving a comment!

Skin

• Not only does dry skin cause a lackluster complexion, it also keeps hydrating lotion from keeping your skin moist. Get rid of excess dry skin with a body wash with exfoliant and also a gentle exfoliating face wash.
  
• Because dry skin causes fine lines to be more visible, make sure you’re using a thicker face lotion with firming benefits.
  

Makeup

• Winter is the time to forget the foundation which tends to settle into dry areas on skin giving your complexion a patchy look. Instead, camouflage dark circles with a light-diffusing concealer.
• The skin around your eyes is delicate and prone to dryness and windburn. Try using a sheer indigo blue or emerald eye shadow to downplay redness, and apply with a damp brush to help it stay put longer.
  

Hair

• Because the minerals in tap water and detergents in shampoo can cause your scalp to itch and flake, now is the time to skip the shampoo. Try a dry shampoo on your roots which will absorb the extra oil and you can comb out in the morning.
• Inflate your drab winter hair by adding volumizing mousse to your styling routine.
  

Body

• If you’ve been considering laser hair removal, now is the time to do it. Because your hair and skin will have more contrast as your summer glow is gone, the treatment will be more effective.
  
• During the holiday season, cosmetics counters are crammed full of gift sets that go on sale afterwards. This gives you the perfect excuse to find those fragrances you’ve been meaning to test.
  

Check out all the blah-beating beauty tips here

NARS for the Holidays

I know, I know: it's not even Halloween yet and already retailers seem to be pushing Christmas. It's obscene and maddening, but it's also terribly practical. With the recession still going and consumer confidence shaky, shoppers need to see what's out there in order to prioritize their spending (and to hone their holiday wish lists!).

If you're starting to think about gifts for the girls or if you're looking to add a little sparkle to your winter look, you must check out the NARS holiday 2009 collection. NARS cosmetics are very high quality--their shadows are well pigmented, their blushes legendary, and their lip products rock (I swear by their All Night Long lipgloss--I keep it at my desk at work and use it almost every day!).

Check out their Holiday 2009 collection...I bet you'll be able to find something you'll want to add to your holiday list:

This Holiday season, NARS wraps up the year and its 15th Anniversary with a color collection offering shades that are deep and bold with festive shimmer – ideal for designing a look that is both sophisticated and sultry.

“For the holidays, I think it’s a great time to feel beautiful and sexy…with a little bit of movie star attitude,” says François Nars, Founder and Creative Director of NARS Cosmetics.

NARS SOFT TOUCH SHADOW PENCIL - $24 Sure to be a favorite for the holidays, the soft touch shadow pencil is a new addition to the NARS product line that offers a convenient delivery system and multi-purpose formula. Available in three playful shades: Goddess – A cool, divinely ethereal, glistening pink champagne that’s worthy of worship. Aigle Noir– A smoky, bold black infused with gold shimmer named for the dark, noble raptor that soars the Himalayas – graceful and rare. Skorpios– An irresistibly iridescent copper named for the alluring Greek isle of the famous and flamboyant.

NARS Duo Eyeshadow - $32 Brousse– Deep, subtly shimmering hues of eggplant and the darkest wood create an earthy, yet sophisticated palette Eurydice– Bordeaux with hints of iridescent blues and coal rich with metallic greens make for a modern holiday pairing Taiga– A surprising contrast of bright, yet intense hues in the sheerest of textures

NARS Mousson Cream Eyeshadow - $21 This shimmering, spicy pine cream eyeshadow is named for the monsoon – natural and unpredictable

NARS Rouge Andalou Nail Polish - $16 Lasting and lustrous, like its namesake region – this classic, incandescent candy apple red nail hue is sultry, sexy and steeped in tradition

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil - $24 Pop Life– Coat lips instantly with this bold, bright and modernly matte holly red hue that slips on with a velvety texture Toundra– This richly pigmented Barolo wine shade is creamy, long-lasting and matte for strong, seamless color

NARS Luxor Multiple - $37 An iridescent pink to be used on eyes, cheeks, lips and body for dynamic highlights and a perfect, glowing complexion

Disclosure: Press samples were provided.