Search Honestly Jamie
At first, I said I had snowstorm FOMO…that is, until I started hearing the term “polar vortex” thrown around. I mean. I’m all for a fun snow day, but I’m not so into the idea of it being below freezing outside. Even though I’m in Los Angeles, I put together a collection of some awesome beauty products to help you bea/SURVIVE the polar vortex.
1. Mario Badescu Cuticle Cream
2. L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream
3. Aquaphor
4. Kiehl’s Intensive Treatment & Moisturizer for Dry or Callused Areas
The Virgin America terminal at LAX
The steps outside my sister’s house on Christmas Eve
My nephew, wearing his new Batman costume, his Christmas obsession
Spending quality time with my nephew…doing sand art
Coconut oil…it’s the new thing in cooking AND in beauty. Beauty Guru Michelle Phan rounded up some fun ways that you can use actual coconut oil for some DIY beauty products (e.g. as a makeup remover, body scrub, etc.), but if you’re lazy like me, you just want to buy beauty products that already have coconut oil IN them. Thank you very much. So what are the benefits? Well, the oil is extracted from the meat of the coconut and it just so happens to be jam packed with vitamin E and good-for-you fatty acids that work together to help your skin and hair in a myriad of ways. Case and point being coconut oil is a great antioxidant AND anti-fungal/bacterial. Done deal. Here are a few of my favorites:
1// Deborah Lippmann Cuticle Oil Treatment
2// Organix Nourishing Coconut Oil Weightless Hydrating Oil Mist
3// Bumble and Bumble Creme De Coco Shampoo
4// Burt’s Bees Coconut Foot Creme
5// ALTERNA Bamboo Beach Mango Coconut Refreshing Dry Shampoo
6//Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelee
I’ve covered quite a bit of holiday beauty gifts already (here, here and here) but I couldn’t resist these, especially selected for the LIPS. Maybe it’s because I had a lip treatment at Bliss Spa today (ok, that’s probably what it is), but I’ve gotta tell you…my lips are feeling fresh and sexy as ever right now and I’m inspired. Here are my top lip gifts to give:
1.Bliss Fabulips ‘pout’-o-matic// It looks like an electric toothbrush at first glance but it’s waaaay gentle on your lips, yet still does the exfoliating job. This is definitely going to be my new favorite thing for 2014.
2. Fresh Sugar Baby// Fresh’s Sugar Rose lipstick is a classic so it’s not really a surprise that they put together this great three-piece gift set.
3. LUSH Christmas Kisses// The name pretty much says it all: it’s a Christmas-themed set of lip goodness including a scrub, lip tint and awesome breath mints.
4. eos Smooth Lip Balm Sphere Holiday Ornament// These little eos lip balms are pretty popular…one, because they’re cute and fun to use and two, because they actually really do hydrate. I love the idea of this fun sphere holiday ornament.
Buying a gift for someone you may or may not know can be a little awkward, which is why I tend to stick to general gifts that almost ANYONE will love. When it comes to giving a holiday gift to the random lady in Accounting that you barely know, these gifts will all be a hit.
1. Wine// Almost everyone likes a bottle of wine. Depending on the budget limit, you can even get them one white and one red, so everyone wins.
2. Nice Candy// There are a ton of great candy options these days. I’m particularly partial to Sugarfina since their candy is amazing quality and the packaging is super cute.
3. Monogram Stationary// You don’t need to know much about a person for this (aside from their first name), and most people don’t buy themselves nice stationary, so it’s a nice treat.
4. Chic Office Supplies// Even though most jobs supply the office supplies, they’re usually pretttty boring. These fabric-covered thumb tacks will brighten up any office or cubicle (YUCK).
5. A Relaxation Candle// Lavender is a calming scent that’s perfect to burn while you’re under deadline or stressed out with too much work to do.
6. A Gift Card for Coffee// As a last resort, a simple coffee gift card is a no-fail gift that even non coffee drinkers can use! Hi, Starbucks has amazing oatmeal.
Anyone who reads this blog probably loooved the Sex and the City series and Miranda Hobbes was always one of my favorites. Well now that the series is over, Cynthia Nixon (e.g. the real Miranda) has decided to help spread awareness about Rosacea, something I’ve mentioned on my blog a TON of times. It’s crazy to think that nearly 16 million Americans suffer from the condition but only 78% even know what it IS…insane. Rosacea is often mistaken for acne, but unfortunately acne treatments can make rosacea worse, but the good news is that seeing a derm can help can your rosacea under control (like mine). Check out RosaceaFacts.com for more info and resources and, with out any further babbling, here are the three questions that I exclusively asked Cynthia:
Q: When did you first realize that you had rosacea and what did you do about it?
A: When I was in my 30’s, I started noticing that my cheeks would flush and blush and sometimes I would get pimples. I assumed it was acne that was coming back to haunt me from my teens. Once I spoke with my doctor I realized there were things that trigger my rosacea, like spicy foods and red wine, I knew what to avoid. She also gave me a prescription treatment to help manage my condition, which really helped get my rosacea under control.
Q: What are your favorite beauty products to use that help reduce inflammation and/or cover the redness?
A: I think what my dermatologist has really helped me identify is what I can do to help reduce flare-ups, rather than using make-up to cover it up. Some of that includes regularly using a prescription treatment, avoiding harsh cleansers and scrubs and my triggers, like red wine and spicy food.
Q: If you could give your 22-year-old self any advice, what would it be?
A: I think my advice would be to visit a dermatologist if there is something going on with your skin. Also, skin issues that pop-up as you age can’t be treated in the same manner as those you suffer from in your teens.
1. Murad Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum: I’ve been using this serum on my chest area, an area that has a TON of sun spots (ugh), for a few weeks now and I totally see a difference. And, since I’m usually skeptical about lightening creams, this is big news.
2. Kiehl’s Super Multi-Corrective Cream: Kiehl’s has done it once again; I’m into this new anti-aging moisturizer. It helps to correct the most visible signs of aging (e.g. eye wrinkles!) and also lifts, firms and sculpts face contours…what more can you ask of a daily moisturizer?
3. Dr. Jessica Wu Active Enzyme Micro-Polish Exfoliator: With my skin being so sensitive, I have to be careful about what kind of exfoliators I use…but when I found out that Dr. Wu came up with this version, I knew I was in capable hands. This innovative dual-action facial treatment exfoliates in two ways: finely ground Ivory Palm Seed physically scrubs and sweeps away dead skin cells, while the time-released encapsulated Enzyme Complex gently exfoliates, using Papaya and Pineapple Enzymes, to reveal glowing, healthier looking skin without irritation.
