My 5 Essential Summer Beauty Tips
*** Below is a recent blog post I wrote for another fellow blogger in the CT area... check out my original post on her website here. I hope you guys find this post super helpful and fun! ***
I was so excited to be asked to be a guest blogger for Stamford Moms Blog... partially, because I'm aligned with their current initiatives but also because it motivated me to whip my own blog back into shape. I am a mother to three young daughters, each of whom are amazing little beings but also each of whom have crafted their own precise brand of blood-boiling, incessant whining. It should be noted as well, that when the lord hath mercy on my soul, and two kids are playing nicely together, my third child is launching mind-mutilating grenades my way. Needless to say, I'm sure like most of you, I'm tired as a "mother !@#$%^." The good news is, being tired doesn't have to mean LOOKING tired. Below, I'm offering my 5 (ok, 6... I don't adhere to brevity) essential, summer beauty tips. I promise that they are attainable yet effective and will have you feeling a lot more Wonder Woman and a little less Orphan Annie by the end of the day.
BLOW OUT- What most people spend on frappuccinos each week, I spend on a blow out. I usually blow out my hair on a Friday so it's freshest for whatever weekend event I have coming up... and let me tell you, my couch is SUPER impressed when it spends time with me that night. Usually by Monday or Tuesday, I enlist a little POWDER dry shampoo (I love this one) and throw my tresses up in a bun until my next visit to the salon. Ok, calm down... if it is really grimy mid-week, I'll bite the bullet and wash it myself. Make sure you ask your stylist for a double shampoo and ONLY CONDITION THE ENDS. Also, rarely do I use product in my hair as that looks great the first day, but ultimately adds a future buildup of scuzz on my scalp and it ain't pretty. Tip: buy a blowout package at your local salon... you'll end up saving some SERIOUS bucks. My rec in the 203: Jenny from Le Boudoir; she also happily makes house calls.
SKINCARE- If your skin care routine currently consists of wiping your face down with "wet ones" each night, then read this paragraph thrice. Skincare is crucial to giving-good-face. Invest in a Clarisonic (and actually remember to charge it... and USE it). On a cleansed face, follow with a serum (I love all of Drunk Elephant's serums), and always finish your routine with a moisturizer. Moisturizers have varying textures so you may have to play around a little bit to figure out which one suits your skin type. For night time, I swear by Sunday Riley's TIDAL- a gel-like cream which contains hyaluronic acid that holds 100x it's weight in water. And during the day, I prefer something lighter, so I apply Belif's Milky Hydra Balancing Moisturizer which is oil-free and adheres to skin seamlessly. OH, AND WEAR SUNSCREEN.
SPRAY TAN- If you are naturally blessed with a golden glow, then thank your lucky stars (and disregard this paragraph)! For all of my fair-skinned friends out there, we need some serious help. Spending hours sun-worshipping is so 1999, and thankfully, spray tans have come a loooong way since their inception. Nowadays, getting the highly coveted faux glow is as easy as stripping down (sucking in your stomach... or is that just me?) and getting scrupulously sprayed down by a professional (who, by the way, has seen it all so would YOU PLEASE STOP FRETTING!) I love Zen Bronze in Greenwich. I highly recommend Donna (who is also the owner), and Sonja! I walk outta there looking naturally bronzed and feeling incredibly confident. If you are more of a DIYer, I love St. Tropez's Bronzing Mousse... make sure you buy their tanning "mitt."
FACE MASK- This beauty tip is one that is often underrated. Face masks were in my skin repertoire in my early twenties, even when I couldn't quite seem to manage washing my face or brushing my teeth before bed. Somehow, I had the good sense to use a face mask weekly? I still swear by a good mask and since I'm a decade older and slightly more financially savvy, I've upgraded to some really effective ones. Owning one really great brightening mask is enough (I LOVE Farmacy's Honey Mask, Kiehl's Energizing and Radiance Mask, and DE's Sukara Babyfacial) but committing to an actual mask routine is even better. Here's my suggestion: begin with a clay or charcoal mask to purge pores (I swear by Origins Rose Clay Mask), follow with a glycolic mask (Glow Recipe's Watermelon Mask will do the trick) and finish with a hydrating mask (no-one does it better than Fresh with their Rose Face Mask). This routine is well-worth the time commitment.
CC CREAM- This is probably my most ESSENTIAL SUMMER beauty tip. As someone who recently had a scare with skin cancer (shave biopsy came back NORMAL, hallelujah), I am eager to advocate for sunscreen. I am someone who COVETS my time outside in the summer... playing tennis, swimming with my kids (fine, watching my kids swim), taking my dog for walks around my neighborhood... therefore, my face is, without fail, slathered in CC Cream. CC Cream is awesome because it contains titanium dioxide which is that REALLY thick, white spf we put on our kid's faces BUT it also has a tint to it to match your natural skin tone. To me, this is a win/win. My face is flawlessly covered and infallibly protected. There are two CC Creams I alternate between... It Cosmetics Illumination + CC and Supergoop's Daily Corrector.
Bonus Beauty Tip- CREST WHITENING STRIPS... White teeth are my secret weapon. It makes me appear younger and healthier and I love walking around dazzling strangers with my bright smile. Creepy you say? Probably. This is such an easy step in my summer repertoire. I love the faster, more aggressive whitening strips but Crest also makes ones for those who have sensitive teeth. Nothing feels more summery to me then popping on a strip, popping off my bra and lounging in pjs while my teeth are bathing in bleach.
Happy Summer Everyone!
