are you dehydrated?

My one and only facial experience was at Exhale spa in NYC. After being steamed, poked, moisturized, and exfoliated, I was left with glowing, smooth, seemingly poreless skin for a couple of days. It was a great experience, but I could never afford the upkeep - facials are over $100, and my budget certainly doesn't allow me to do that weekly.

My biggest reward, I guess you could say, was the reality check I got when my facialist and Director of Skincare, Red Zoe, told me how dry AND dehydrated my skin was. Fine. I'll apply moisturizer and be back to normal, right? No.

Dry skin is a skin type. Dehydrated skin is a skin condition.

If you have dry skin, you were most likely born with it, although diet can exacerbate dry patches and flakiness. Dry skin lacks oil from too little sebum production, so the best way to treat it is to keep skin nourished with a diet rich in EFAs (essential fatty acids, like those found in salmon), an oil-based moisturizer, and a moisturizing mask once per week.

Dehydrated skin, on the other hand, can actually effect all skin types, whether it's oily, combination, normal, or dry. This means that skin lacks water (in addition to oil, if your skin is dry as well), caused by not drinking enough H2O, extremely dry weather conditions, or use of diuretics or alcohol. If you're dehydrated, your skin is probably also dull.

One way to test for dehydration actually comes from my boyfriend's survival guide/camping manual. Pinch the skin on the back of your hand (although beauty experts recommend back of the wrist because the skin is thicker), then release it. If your skin quickly snaps right back into place without any indents or wrinkles, then congrats! You aren't dehydrated. Keep doing whatever you're doing. If your skin takes a second or two to go back to normal, you're dehydrated like me. Congrats.

The good news is that as easy as you can become dehydrated, you can become not dehydrated. Here's how to slow and prevent future moisture loss:

1. Make sure you're drinking 8-10 glasses of water per day, and a few more if you exercise daily. 2. Apply a water-based moisturizer onto skin twice per day.
3. Take short, lukewarm (not hot) showers.
4. Cut back on the martinis.
5. Consume healthy fats (like those found in nuts and fish).

Good luck!

foundation shopping

I'm in the new market for a foundation. I secretly DREAD shopping for one and I kind of put it on the same level of annoyingness as buying a perfect pair of jeans. You try on a million different ones and if you're lucky, you find one you like. In fact, I've been putting it off for so long that I haven't worn any in months (foundation, that is. not jeans). Sure, it's shaved 5 minutes off my routine, but my skin is not looking so great (blotchiness and uneven skintone is my issue).

Instead of wasting hours at Sephora trying different foundations on, or randomly buying one at the drugstore that turns out to be utterly horrendous, I've turned to one of my favorite websites for product reviews: totalbeauty.com (check it out, it's addicting). I put a lot of faith into websites that review products because the reviews are coming from real people who have actually tried the product. Their readers voted these 5 foundations the absolute best:

5. Bobbi Brown Moisture Rich Foundation SPF 15
4. Cover Girl Advanced Radiance Restorative Cream Foundation
3. Amazing Cosmetics Velvet Mineral Powder
2. Jane Iredale PurePressed Base
1. gloMinerals gloPressed Base

Well, no surprise there - mineral foundations top the list. I'm a little wary of mineral foundations since I don't love Bare Minerals, and they're like, the Holy Grail of mineral makeup. The stuff made my skin look great (airbrushed, smooth, glowing perfection) but after a while it started to itch and cause breakouts. Not only does my foundation have to make my skin look pretty, but it has to feel good while I'm wearing it. Ideally, it would feel like nothing at all.

I'll probably give the gloMinerals gloPressed Base a try but I'm hoping and praying that someone will post their favorite - I'm open to any and all suggestions!

get low

Ponytails. I'm not a big fan of them, unless I'm off to the gym. They make my ears look big, and my little hairline frizzies really stick out, so I generally wear my hair down. Sure, I like to play around with texture (sometimes it's straight, sometimes wavy), but even that gets old sometimes.

My favorite new hairstyle was created unintentionally. I had my hair in a high pony after I came out of the shower at the gym, then wanted to take it down while I put on my makeup. I haphazardly made a low loose ponytail down by the nape of my neck - but off to the side - and when I was finished, a few little tendrils had randomly fallen out of the sides. I thought it was kind of cute, so I left it that way the entire day (plus, it was raining - a perfect excuse to test a new updo). I finished with my trusty Dove Flexible Hold Hairspray.

Unfortunately I didn't have a camera on-hand to take a picture of my masterpiece, but here is some celeb inspiration for the low side pony. I think its much more glamorous and different than a regular ponytail, and it's flattering to any hair texture and face shape.

I'd actually do this again!

beauty tricks

There's nothing quite like a really freakin' good beauty trick. Here are the best that I've come across over the years (from fellow beauty editors to celeb hairstylists to my dear mother), and the ones that I use most often - because they WORK. Enjoy!

1. To dry nails faster, dip them in ice water for a few seconds. Works even better than blasting them with air.

2. To dry self-tanner quickly, blast your blow-dryer on the self-tanned areas, pressing down the cool shot button as the air flows out.

3. Got hair that's hard to curl? After using your curling iron, release the hair into the palm of your hand while keeping it "coiled". Hold it there for three seconds, then release it. (a lot of people don't know hair retains its shape as it's cooling down - not heating up.)

4. Vaseline or baby oil are great for removing eye makeup and moisturizing cuticles.

5. Most people only need conditioner on the portion of hair that's below their earlobes - it's the oldest and probably the driest.

6. Dab Visine on a pimple to really get rid of redness.

7. Boar-bristle brushes are best for straightening and blow-drying curly or wavy hair. Metal or plastic bristles don't pull the hair taut enough to really smooth it.

8. No deep conditioner? Plain old olive oil will really soften brittle hair. Apply some to the ends right before bed.

9. Apply pink highlighting cream to the inner corners of your eyes and the very top of your cheekbones to look awake and glowy.

10. If you're extra pale and find bronzer too intense, use a peach blush to warm up your entire complexion (Benefit Georgia is a great peach for pale skin)

11. If you literally have only a minute or two to get ready, apply dark brown liner to your upper and lower lashlines, then smudge with a Q-tip. When your eyes stand out, you need very minimal makeup everywhere else. And, unless your lashes are really pale, you don't even need mascara. Finish with a swipe of lip gloss or lip balm.

a whole lotta red

Hm. I don't know what to think about this. After looking at this picture for a few minutes I've come to the conclusion that Scarlett has really great features. Porcelain skin. Pillowy lips. Lovely thick hair in a new auburn shade. Greenish-gray eyes.

Here, though, I feel like she sought out to enhance every single one of those features, and it just backfired. The really red lips, the rich, dark hair, pale skin, smoky eyes - it's really intense. And you can't really tell from the pic, but her dress was animal print and form-fitting.

It's almost spring, so I feel like she could have lightened up a bit. With a dress like that, I probably would have gone for minimal makeup. But that's just me.

Thoughts?

P.S. I just noticed the earrings. CRAZY!

tales of a tanner

Last night I hit a major milestone in my just-over-one-year relationship with the boy. I self-tanned. In front of him. I think he already knew I use and abuse the stuff - there's no way I'd be golden in early March if it wasn't for my tan in a can. But this is one of those things that I've always reserved for the solitude of my bathroom at 10:30pm just before jumping into bed in my loosest-fitting black t-shirt. And so last night, the process was revealed...

All experienced self-tanners know that applying a tan is an art. You start at the feet, possibly with a light formula. Then you do the calves, thighs, back, tummy, chest, and so on, using a circular motion and being SUPER careful to get every millimeter of your body. The whole process sort of looks like you're applying plain old lotion, but there's a lot less room for error with self-tanner.

He sat there looking kind of confused - as any guy would, I suppose - and went on to comment and ask questions about this rather unfamiliar beauty ritual:

Him: Why do you do this before bed? (Me: Because putting my day clothes on afterwards is one of the most uncomfortably sticky sensations in the world. Plus, I don't like to smell like self-tanner when I'm at work).

Him: So...uh...you tan EVERYWHERE? (Me: Yes, because tan legs and a white tush just doesn't make me happy. So what? I like tan cheeks, sue me).

Him: You know, that stuff is probably just as bad as the real sun.

(Me, getting very defensive: It is LOTION. It doesn't penetrate the deep layers of skin the way the sun's harmful rays do. The only "harmful" things in the bottle are probably the parabens and other chemicals that are in every other beauty product. I just tend to ignore the potential dangers of those).

Him: Wow, you're getting blacker by the second. (Me: Not possible. This stuff takes at least four hours to fully develop.)

Note: by now, I'm sure he's amused by my seriousness of this whole thing, and how diligently I'm applying.

Him: You missed a spot. (Me: What!? WHERE? Not funny.)

This whole self-tanning fiasco made me realize that when it comes to grooming, I really think most guys have NO idea how much time, money, and effort we invest. Think about most guys you know. Their beauty routine is: Wash body. Shave face. Trim nails. If they're feeling ambitious, they MIGHT put a little gel in their hair.

Now, think of a few women you know. Chances are, most of them have spent at least 15 minutes on their hair today, gotten a manicure in the past week, applied makeup, reapplied lip gloss at least twice today, shaved their legs, lotioned their bodies, plucked a hair from somewhere, and lord knows what else. I'm tired just typing all this, but I'll never complain. Taking care of one's appearance is rewarding, and leaving your house feeling all primped and glossy is priceless. (Sorry, I couldn't resist).

your suntanned skin will like this

I've had more than my fair share of suburns in my life - and I'm not proud of it. Lately (as in the past two years) I've been smartening up about my skin and slathering on my trusty SPF 30 when I'm at the beach so that I don't burn. Sometimes, I still do get a little red because I tend to forget to reapply my sunblock after sitting in the sun for a few hours and swimming. It's a bad habit, but I have come a LONG way from wanting to burn on purpose with hopes it'll turn tan in a few days (which, by the way, never happened. I'd peel and be white again in a week).

My friend Laura, fresh from Miami and probably tan as ever, emailed me today raving about this fantastic after-sun lotion that moisturizes and soothes the skin and gets rid of redness. She mentioned having to "buy 10 bottles of this stuff" so it's gotta be good. It's by Dr. Hauschka and it's called After-Sun Lotion. I'm a big fan of Dr. H products so I'm excited to try this - but I'm a little upset because I learned from their website that the brand's sun care products are no longer sold in the United States. Bummer! I'll probably end up buying a bottle from their UK site, which is http://www.drhauschka.co.uk/.