We call it beauty sleep for a reason. When we shut down for the evening that’s when our skin goes into repair mode and renews itself. That’s why it’s important for us to get plenty of rest and stick to a nighttime routine that supports our bodies. Here are a few evening rituals I try to abide by to help put my best skin forward:
They call it the “the road to healthy skin” for a reason. Sure, it sounds like a funny way to phrase it, but perfect skin isn’t something that happens overnight. Hopefully you’ve been following my #HealthySkin series and instagram posts with Aveeno and the Glam Network. If not, a lot of the key points can be summed up by this quote by fellow AVEENO Ambassador and actress, Jennifer Aniston,“I’m always saying it – drink plenty of water. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate – both inside and out, and this includes using AVEENO® Daily Moisturizing Lotion. It hydrates my skin and makes it feel so soft. Get plenty of sleep of course. Also, exercise and eat healthy, well-balanced meals while still indulging and allowing yourself to have a treat. And, always, always wear sun protection.”
That’s the overview; a healthy, well-balanced lifestyle and skincare regimin will do wonders for your skin. However, most of us don’t know what we’re looking for; so here are some common signs that your skin needs rescuing:
Uneven skin tone and general dullness – You know when people talk about their skin glowing? Or rather if you don’t because your skin looks tired. If so, opt for a moisture-rich cleanser, like AVEENO Positively Radiant Cleanser that can
In the words of Aveeno’s skincare ambassador and actress, Jennifer Aniston, “I am always trying to eat organic and natural foods…I think what you put in your body, as well as stress, is reflected in the quality of your skin.” So true. As summer is here, now more then ever it’s important to protect and hydrate your skin from the inside and out. So in addition to your skincare regimen, daily SPF, regular exercise, beauty sleep here a balanced diet rich in antioxidant and nutrient rich foods are essential.
Here are 5 easy, snackable foods to help feed your face and give you skin-envy:
We’ve all heard that healthy skin begins from the inside out. And it’s important not to ignore everything in between (eat right, exercise, get plenty of zzz’s…). It’s what we put in our bodies, on top of it and the lifestyle choices we make that make the biggest impact on putting our best face forward. I covered a lot of these points in my Healthy Skin 101 post last week (if you missed it, click HERE). One of the biggest factor that is important to understand when it comes to caring for our skin is protecting it from the sun.
I get it, it’s finally beach weather and who doesn’t want to soak up these sun-filled summer months, sun bathe and be bronzed and beautiful! Unfortunately, that’s not a reality unless you want to slather yourself in SPF, wear a sun hat and then head home to douse yourself in self tanner or body bronzers. Besides the risks of skin cancer from overexposure to the sun, the stagering statistic that 90% of skin aging is a direct result of UV light exposure is nothing to ignore. So what’s the best anti-aging remedy? Staying out of the sun. What else can you do about it? Plenty.
1. Wear SPF. As an Aveeno ambassador I always have a healthy supply of SPF in all forms around the apartment. If radient, youthful skin is at all something you care about (you know it is!) make sure you’re wearing a minimum of an SPF 15 and the sunscreen has broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection. Don’t forget to reapply every 1-2 hours (this goes for any brand sunscreen). And
As an AVEENO Ambassador (and fanatic user of their products), I’ was so excited to hear that Jennifer Aniston has been announced as the new face of AVEENO® skincare. Jennifer’s holistic approach to life and natural beauty are a perfect match for AVEENO®. “I have been using AVEENO for years so this partnership is a
Backstage at Rolando Santana Spring/Summer 2013 runway show, Patrick Melville created a very pretty, natural 70s beach chic blow-out using Aveeno products! His ultimate power tool being AVEENO’s NEW Pure Renewal™ Dry Shampoo. And best part is it’s easy to recreate at home and affordable (two adjectives not generally associated with fashion week!)
“I chose this subtle, 70’s inspired style that gently swept tresses around the face to give a wispy, natural look,” commented Patrick. “The dry shampoo literally transforms the hair texture for more a more dramatic look.”
Using Aveeno products, here are 3 easy steps to create a beach-texture hair blow-out:
1. Prior to blow-drying, apply a volumizing spray at root and smooth a styling glaze through the length and ends of damp hair.
2. Blow-dry hair straight with
Do you remember how excited I was to be featured by AVEENO (in Elle Magazine no less!!) for their ACTIVE NATURALS campaign? If you need a refresher the print ad is below and the campaign centered around AVEENO awarding eight grants in the amount of $10,000 to a different fan monthly (starting in May) who visited their Facebook page and shared how they live as ACTIVE NATURALS and work to enrich, engage, and encourage a beautiful change in their community.
The concept can conceived from AVEENO’s belief that the ACTIVE NATURALS® ingredients in their products help care for skin and hair to make a healthier, more beautiful difference. So this year, they decided to focus on how people can live as ACTIVE NATURALS® — each one of us has the power to make a difference in the lives of our family and friends, and in our communities.
Lets just say I was so excited about the campaign, and all the good Aveeno was up to that I obviously posted about it, tweeted it non-stop, turned to Facebook… (I mean I did everything short of make a t-shirt and wear it everyday). Well I’m so glad I did, because in all of my social media promotion, one of my readers entered her very worthy charity, Harboring Hearts, and was the June’s recipient!
Since kicking off Memorial Day weekend in the Hamptons, I have not spent a single weekend in New York — I think I’ve officially played into the NYC stereotype (you know what they say New Yorkers leave the city during the summer weekends). No, not really! While I’ll be spending plenty of future weekends in NYC, the time away has helped me perfect my beach destination weekender bag packing list. While the products may change (although I’m a bit of a loyalist), the list shall remain the same… (for now.)
1. A Large Tote/Beach Bag
Vineyard Vines Vineyard Classic Tote ($95) – great for a weekend escape and perfect size tote for the beach! It can comfortably fit my towel, sunnies, book, snacks and bottle of wine (beach approved). Plus I’m originally from Mass., so I gotta represent for my Vinyard friends!
2. Bathing Suit Holder
Henri Bendel Bendel Girl Bikini Bag ($38) -It’s everything I never knew I always needed! It’s amazing this Bendel’s girl went so long without a case for her wet bathing suit. Especially since I like to be at the beach until the very last minute or my getaway and don’t always have time to hang my suit to dry before packing it. (And I really dislike wasting plastic bags to carry it in.)
3. Bug Reppelant!
Avon Skin So Soft Bug Guard Towelettes (8 pack/$14) and Avon Skin So Soft Bug Guard Anti-Itch Spray ($10) – Mosquitos love me. Like, literally, I could be your walking bug repellant which is why I don’t leave my house in the summertime without an Avon’s Bug Towelette in my purse. It’s deet-free, affordable and it works, enough said. In fact, Avon’s entire Bug Guard collection is great (I just go with the towelettes for travel for convenience). Avon recently added an Anti-Itch spray to the collection and while I haven’t had the chance to use it (I haven’t been bitten yet!), I’m not traveling to a mosquito friendly destination (ahem Hamptons) without it. SIDE NOTE: If you enjoy games as much as I do, Avon also launched a super fun bug-squating game, BugBash on their Facebook page (get competitive with it and challenge a friend).
4. SPF!!!
Aveeno Hydrosport Sunscreen Spray with SPF 50 ($8.99) and Aveeno Positively Radiant SPF 30 ($16) – SPF is a must… always (unless you’re hanging out inside). The spray is great for in and out of the house, it’s no-fuss, no-mess and super lightweight! The Daily Moizturizer is great for my face and my favorite from the Aveeno line; it’s not oily, chalky or too heavy, which I prefer for summer. I’m so happy with it.
5. Flat Iron
T3 SinglePass Compact Flat Iron ($79) – Don’t let it’s compact, travel-friendly size fool you, this flat iron does it all; it smoothes out my hair and gets rid of frizz while straightening it, and it makes strands super shiny and modelesque. I have a thick head of long, curly hair and this baby heats up quick and delivers! It’s my weekend warrior!
6. Defrizz Oil
Pureology Precious Oil ($40) and Sally Herschberger Hyper Hydration Super Argan Serum ($15) – Now you may think two oils is overkill. And it probably is if I didn’t have completely normal hair until the humidity comes out (then I’m a walking Monica from the TV show Friends in those island episodes —you know what the reference). Pureology’s oil is perfect for anyone with colored hair. It’s Green Seal certified and contains 100% biodegradable ingredients in a paraban, sulfate and silicone free formula. I was introduced to this product by Wendy Belanger, Pureology Global Artistic Director and owner of Influence Salon in Calgary, Canada,who described it with something for everyone: “Sunflower seed oil is great for softness and color protection, coconut oil helps with elasticity, olive oil gives shine, and jojoba oil imparts moisture.” I like it because my ends need more moisture and shine since getting an ombre, it fights humidity and I even use a little extra to weigh down my hair intentionally to give my long tresses some definition in their wave without looking greasy. Sally Herschberger’s serum is great on dry hair and when my hair starts to frizz during the day. And unlike most oils it doesn’t leave that oily residue on my hands after application. The results are instant and it removes the frizz and smoothes out my strays without weighing down my hair. I like to think of it as my touch-up oil.
7. Hair UV Protectant
Living Proof Restore Revitalizing Spray ($26)— I think of this as SPF for my hair! Complete with UV protectant to shelf my strands from sun and heat damage from my flat iron. It’s super lightweight, making it an easy addition to my hair routine. Now if only Living Proof would just make it in travel size!
8. Lip Balm (with a little something something)
It Cosmetics Vitality Lip Flush 4-in-1 Reviver ($20)- I use shade Je Ne Sais Quoi (which is a light pink), although I want to try the other shades (Love Story and Pretty Women). I’m fascinated by how something that doesn’t have a tinted stick, miraculously stains my lips, does all the work of an anti-aging lip treatment and chapstick and is paraben-free! Packed with antioxidants, including vitamins A, C, and E, acai, green tea, and white tea and combining the anti-aging superpowers of plum oil, cherry oil, shea butter, aloe, and jojoba, these ingredients all work together to condition, and nourish lips, and keep them from looking and getting wrinkly. And it feels oh so good on!
9. Self-Tanner
Beautisol Face Self-Tanner Need I Glow More? ($23)- fake it until you make it! I may not be getting a sun tan, (and probably attacking you with my SPF spray) but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to come back from a beach filled weekend, looking like I did! Beautisol is the first to create a skin-type-specific face self-tanning lotion and I use it all the time and have never broken out or it looks freakishly natural. Anyone thats ever complimented me on my tan will attest that I say, “it’s fake” with a little pride.
10. Cynthia Rowley Band-Aids
Cynthia Rowley for Band-Aid: Beach Sport Kit ($6.99) – While I have to admit the original collection of Cynthia Rowley for Band-Aid brand was my favorite, it wasn’t nearly as summery and colorful as the duos latest collection. The designer recently collaborated with Band-Aid s on a vibrant beach-friendly set that includes 20 qty waterproof bandages, and 4 qty Neosporin single use packets, wrapped in a plastic resealable case to keep the sand out. Great for anyone on the go and in your beach bag just in case someone gets a boo-boo. If I owned a car, you would fine a set in my glove-compartment.
Disclaimer: These products have been given to me over the years for post consideration. Most have already been featured and are now part of my list of must-haves. Pretty Connected was under no obligation to write this review.
By now you’re all aware of how bad the sun is for your skin, right??? All of those UVA and UVB rays reflecting from the sun and causing premature aging, wrinkles and more severely sun cancer. So with the sun in full bloom, we’re hosting a giveaway compliments from our friends at Aveeno filled with everything needed to help keep your entire body protected from UV rays!
WIN The Aveeno Ultimate Sun Protection Set ($150 value):
This set includes:
1. Wide-Brimmed Sun Hat – to keep the hot rays from reaching your face from above.
2. AVEENO® HYDROSPORT™ Sunscreen SPF 30 and AVEENO® Smart Essentials Daily Nourishing Moisturizer SPF 30 – Whether you are on the beach or running errands around town, a daily sunscreen is a must.
3. Sunglasses with 100% UV Protection – Nothing beats a pair of stylish “sunnies” to help shield your peepers from ultraviolet light — not to mention prevent you from squinting which can cause crows feet… (not on my watch.)
4. One month of ACUVUE® OASYS® Brand Contact Lenses – While most contact lenses don’t offer any UV protection, ACUVUE® OASYS® Brand Contact Lenses offer the highest level of UV blocking available — blocking more than 96% of UVA rays and 99% of UVB rays that reach the lens. NOTE: Exam and fitting fees not included. Winner must present current, valid prescription for ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses to redeem.
TO ENTER: leave a comment on why you’d like to win or how you protect yourself from the sun.
Extra entries if you…
**Follow us on Twitter, @PrettyConnected and tweet us your response using the hashtag #Aveeno.
**“Like us at Facebook.com/PrettyConnected and leave us a comment referencing this giveaway.
Entries will be accepted until June 15rd at 8pm EST. US residents only. All federal, state and local laws apply.
Not convinced the sun is really that harmful? Well, besides the loads of research proving it and experts vouching for the negative effects of sun exposure, I was particularly taken back by
All abord the The Skin Cancer Foundation’s Road to Healthy Skin Tour bus!
For the fifth year in a row, The Skin Care Foundation’s Road to Healthy Skin Tour, presented by Aveeno and RITE AID returns to provide skin cancer screenings. Traveling in a 38-ft RV bus across the country for six consecutive months a team of local volunteer dermatologists are at your service to provide FREE full-body skin cancer screenings. With nearly 20 new cities being added to this years 2012 tour, the bus will make 85 stops through September 22nd. For the complete Tour schedule, visit Facebook.com/Aveeno or http://www.SkinCancer.org/Tour.
“The Tour was created to help detect skin cancers early so they can be easily and effectively treated,” said Perry Robins, MD, President, The Skin Cancer Foundation. “We also hope to raise awareness
