Refresh!

Summer is here in NYC, and with temperatures breaking 100, all of us need ways to beat the heat while we're on the go.  Be kind to the people next to you on the subway, and try one of these effective methods of keeping (and smelling) cool!

- Philosophy Pure Grace and Amazing Grace fragrances: a little spritz of either (or both-they layer beautifully together) will truly have you smelling like you just took a nice, refreshing shower.  The former is a pure, clean, unisex scent (think ivory soap); the latter, a more feminine version (think clean laundry hung out to dry).  I love these products and find them totally unlike anything else on the market (they're head and shoulders above Clean's scents, which smell tacky and cloying to me). 

- Aveda Blue Oil: this little rollerball beauty is a real life saver.  A little dab on your pulse points will give you a strong, refreshing, minty chill (but chamomile will keep you from smelling like a candy cane).  I had some of this at a baseball game last summer where my husband and I were roasting in the heat; even he had to admit that it made him feel cooler.

- Crabtree & Evelyn LaSource body wash and lotion: I've known this unglamorous brand for as long as I can remember, but I didn't know they had anything besides old-lady scents until I came across this stuff at my college bookstore.  It smells fresh and clean like real water and oxygen--if you've ever gone swimming in a waterfall before, you'll recognize the smell.  It's far beyond most products that have watery notes but smell like cheap men's cologne; on a hot, landlocked day in the city, a cool shower with this light blue gel leaves me feeling like I've taken a swim.  

- Caudalie Beauty Elixir: this tingly mist refreshes like no other, loaded with essential oils in an exclusive formula originally formulated for the Queen of Hungary.  It's also available in a value set of 3 travel sized bottles, which is perfect for carrying in your handbag.  I love this product for travel and use it as toner in part of my everyday beauty routine!

- Borotalco: the classic Italian talcum powder that has graced the behinds of the inhabitants of the bel paese for over a century.  I discovered this while living in Rome and I haven't been without it sense!  This smells more adult than Johnson & Johnson's but not at all cloying.  This is great for preventing chafing and sweat stains (gross, I know, but come on, it's a fact of life!  I'm just being real with you. ;))  

Stay cool!  Be sure to post your comments and any additional tips you have to share.  

Makeup for Guys

I am always so excited when guys come into Sephora looking for products.  Why not?  I promise you that every great male star in history has worn makeup, from Cary Grant to 50 Cent.  There are plenty of reasons why guys might need a little boost--from headshots to a TV appearance, but also just the average guy who wants to look his best.

Here are some of the products that I've found are a big hit with my male clientele, who want to look polished but will only use makeup products that are absolutely undetectable:

- The Balm concealer : the finish is neither too dewy nor too matte, so it looks just like actual skin.  This means that it blends perfectly on a face that has no other makeup.  This should be in every guy's bathroom just to cover up the occasional blemish or dark circles.  It offers great coverage and comes in six shades covering a wide range of skin tones--from the fairest porcelain to the warmest tan (works for all but the deepest complexions).  Deeper complexions should try Becca or MUFE, who also make fantastic concealers in every shade (the added benefit for everyone of MUFE is that it's waterproof--great for the guy who wants to wear concealer to the gym).

- A clear bronzing gel like these from Stila, Clinique, and Benefit : add a bit of mistake-proof color (without the commitment of a sunless tanner, and without looking powdery like a powder bronzer)

- Silicone-based mattifying primer: from Make Up Forever, Smashbox bronzing primer (or any of their other color correcting shades), Cargo (this one has a cool, techy name that appeals to guys: "Blu Ray High Definition Mattifier"), or Philosophy.  One makeup artist told me that nothing worked for one newscaster's shiny bald head except for the one from MUFE.  I sold the Cargo one to a male client who was going to appear on TV.  

- MUFE HD Powder : my one true love that can do no wrong.  Will take down shine in an instant and render pores and fine lines invisible to the camera; also, its cool, airy texture is interesting to guys.  Even my utterly product-phobic husband was interested enough when I showed it to him to stick his fingers into the jar!  This would be amazing for a groom who is going to be photographed on his wedding day.  Just tell him that you guarantee it has already graced the faces of Brad Pitt, George Clooney, or whomever... I bet they've even put some on Eli Manning before appearing on ESPN or something.  Hey, whatever works!  It's for his own good.

- Fresh Sugar lip balm : its hefty metal packaging and citrus flavor are appealing to guys; its not too shiny finish will give them moist lips.

- An instant lifting anti-wrinkle product : anything that smoothes fine lines for a temporary boost can be a great product for any guy--I realized this when my friend Guille asked me for something that would make his face look lifted "like Patsy's on Ab-Fab."  The ones from Fusion beauty are in a techy-looking silver package that won't look out of place in a guy's bathroom; anyone with sensitive skin or looking for a natural product will appreciate this one from Skyn Iceland.  My personal favorite is the Peter Thomas Roth Un-Wrinkle Serum because it contains loads of peptides and a muscle numbing synthetic snake venom.  Now that's manly!