I read about Peach Spot Dot acne patches for the first time last year in this article on Byrdie and they’ve saved my life countless times since. As a disclaimer, I don’t have much trouble with acne, but I do have the kind of luck that seems to bring about a spot right before a big meeting or important conference. These patches are totally mind-blowing and truly zap blemishes overnight. Run don’t walk.
Rachel Zoe one-shoulder blouses
If you’ve followed me for any length of time you know that I’m a sucker for a one-shouldered top. With eyes on spring, I’m totally salivating over two in particular right now from Rachel Zoe, this gorgeous ruffle blouse and this long-sleeve top with choker detail. I think they’d be especially beautiful for any brides-to-be at a bridal shower or bachelorette party.
Purple Shampoo For Blondes
A reader recently asked about the shampoo I use, and since I have medium-dark blonde hair, my favorite shampoos are those that counteract brassiness. There are a lot of great “purple” shampoos that allow you to maintain ashy blonde locks between colorings, and right now, my favorites are the Drybar Blonde Ale Brightening Shampoo and L’Oreal Paris EverPure Blonde Shampoo. Both shampoos are sulfate and paraben free, and I use them a little differently: The Drybar version is much stronger so you would only use it once or twice a week when you feel like your hair is really looking too brassy. The L’Oreal version offers a milder purple rinse that you can use everyday or every other day when your blonde hair just needs a little refresh.
Better Than Dry Brushing: Exfoliating Gloves
Speaking of being in the shower, if you don’t own a pair of exfoliating gloves, fix that STAT. We all know how beneficial exfoliation is for the skin on your face, but people all too often forget to exfoliate the rest of their bodies. Personally, I think this is because most handheld body brushes are just too awkward and exhausting. I don’t have an hour to lounge in the tub with the damn thing everyday, I want something that’s easy to use and fast. Cue exfoliating gloves. There’s no unwieldy brush or pad, you’re able to exfoliate your entire body by just rubbing your skin with your hands. In doing so, you’re not only removing dead skin cells but you’re also stimulating the lymphatic system. Another bonus? These gloves are also the best at removing sunless tanner. I was initially concerned about drying and/or mildew, but they actually dry really quickly and easily (I just hang mine on the nobs to my tub) and I’ve never seen a trace of mildew. They’re an absolute must-have for me—I even have a pair in each suitcase to use while on the road.
The Best Restaurant Recommendations
When entertaining out-of-town guests recently, we enjoyed dinners at two of our all-time NYC favorites: Raoul’s (on Friday night) and Indochine (on Saturday night). I happened to mention The Infatuation when discussing other favorites in the neighborhood but was met with blank stares by our friends. If you live in NYC or Los Angeles, you’re likely very familiar with the best restaurant blog on the planet, The Infatuation. If you don’t live in a major city, you may not have heard of them, so definitely check them out next time you’re traveling to a new city (especially NYC or LA) and are in need of restaurant recommendations. They’re constantly expanding the cities they cover, and you can search for restaurant recommendations based upon cuisine, budget and occasion. I’m always stressed out when readers email or DM me asking for restaurant recommendations in NYC because without knowing your budget, desired cuisine or neighborhood preference, it’s tough to give a solid recommendation in a city with roughly 24,000 restaurants (not an exaggeration, that’s the actual number). UPDATE: By complete coincidence, it was announced today that The Infatuation has purchased Zagat (!!) from Google. CRAZY to see how they’ve grown from being a tiny restaurant blog to now being such a huge player while still retaining their unique identity and offering. Very exciting!
Work has brought us to the west coast this week and I have to say I’m thrilled for the excuse to escape the dreary NYC weather. Today, I’m wearing these white wide leg pants and this pretty gingham top which I spotted in Nordstrom’s Getaway Guide. Both pieces seemed perfect for a professional daytime ensemble in sunny Palm Springs, and comfortable to boot. As things cool off, I have this denim jacket at the ready, which is one of my favorite finds of late. The wash and cut is perfect and the denim material has an amazing softness without losing its shape. For under $80, it doesn’t get much better.
I also packed this perfect striped Rails shirt which will be great for lazy moments by the pool or buttoned-up and tucked into these bermuda shorts. I am all about the bermuda short length going into spring and summer, and can’t wait to wear them dressed up with heels and a blazer for a business casual ensemble. I also packed this off-shoulder sweater dress which is another adorable (and affordable!) find from Nordstrom’s Getaway Guide which proved to be my one-stop-shop when prepping for the trip.
If you’re headed anywhere warm soon, check more of my favorites below!
My Favorite Everyday Lip Color (That’s Super Moisturizing!)
I’ve shared this many times in the past, but my favorite everyday lip color is the Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Stick that is listed in My Beauty Routine Post. I constantly get asked about it on social media and get so excited by DMs and emails from readers who have purchased it and become as addicted as I am. My favorite color is Plum Perfect, but they make a ton of fantastic colors and it’s just the best, most moisturizing, flattering lip color. It definitely isn’t billed as a lip-plumping product, but perhaps just because it’s so incredibly hydrating, it always seems to have a plumping effect. Love love love.
Clear Plastic Bathroom Organizers
I just bought these clear plastic containers to organize a large medicine cabinet in my bathroom and I don’t know what in the world I was doing for so long without them. They allow me to organize boxes of cold medicine, eye drops, makeup products—you name it—without living in fear every time I open the cabinet that 28 things are going to fall out. There are lots of different sizes, and they also stack which makes them amazing for organizing things like lip products or eyeliners because you can get additional storage space and still see everything through the clear plastic.
Favorite Bags For Working Women
I always get asked about my favorite work/travel bags (I think I got at least a dozen DMs this week alone), and these Senreve beauties continue to top the list for me. I’ve posted about them before in this post which features their Mini Maestra bag, but am going to do another post on the full-size Maestra bag which will be my companion on our trip this week to the west coast. They’re amazing quality, they have a laptop sleeve and tons of other amazing pockets to keep you organized, they don’t LOOK like a stereotypical work bag at all, plus you can wear them FOUR different ways (satchel, tote, crossbody, and backpack). Highly recommend.
Where To Buy Funny Cocktail Napkins
If you missed yesterday’s post on the 9 essential serving pieces to pull off the perfect cocktail party, definitely check it out here! Many of you know that I’m a sucker for a cheeky cocktail napkin, and I’ve gotten lots of questions about where I find them. I often spot them randomly in little boutiques and home goods stores, but the selections at Sur La Table and Bed Bath and Beyond are fantastic. I just ordered these.
Beautiful, Affordable Spring Clothing
As mentioned, Rich and I are headed to Palm Springs and Los Angeles this week for work so (naturally) I had to order a few warm weather clothing options for the trip. I was completely enamored with the current Michael Michael Kors collection at Net-A-Porter which has SUCH beautiful pieces at incredibly reasonable price points. I ordered this striped shirt dress which is one of those versatile travel pieces that works just as perfectly in a business casual setting as it does on a sunny patio for lunch or happy hour with friends. Can’t wait to wear it!
If I had a nickel for every time Rich told me roughly 45 minutes ahead of time that he had invited people over to our place for drinks, well, Jeff Bezos would not be the richest person in the world. Don’t get me wrong, we both (myself very much included!) absolutely love to entertain, but given my husband’s affinity for extremely last minute soirées, we’ve developed an arsenal of key pieces to have on hand for pulling off the perfect cocktail party in a pinch. Below, I’m breaking down the nine key essential serving pieces you need so that all that’s left to do is a five-minute run to the corner grocery for some cheese, veggies and hummus. Oh, and get booze. It’s generally bad form to invite people over for cocktails and not serve any actual cocktails.
9 Essential Serving Pieces Every Host Needs
1. Chip and Dip
We received this Nambé chip and dip set as a wedding gift, and it’s been one of the most heavily-used items in our line-up of serveware pieces when entertaining. I’m such a huge fan of Nambé’s sleek designs and amazing quality (these pieces still look brand new!) so I’ve bought several additional pieces since our wedding. Chief among them is this Nambé scoop server from Macy’s because let’s face it, the more dips the merrier. Both sets are perfect for chips and salsa, hummus and veggies, spinach and artichoke dip, you name it.
2. Cheeseboard
Another must-have staple to have on hand. Who doesn’t love a little cheese and cracker action? This cheeseboard has a great built-in cheese knife, but I also love this one.
3. Serving Tray
A serving tray is your entertaining jack-of-all-trades BFF. Sometimes we serve drinks on it, sometimes we use it for serving hors d’oeuvres, and sometimes we play frisbee with it in the living room when the conversation gets stale. It does all the things. Whether you need a place to rest bar tools, don’t know how else to serve and display your favorite pigs in a blanket, or are even looking for a chic centerpiece, get yourself a serving tray.
4. Small Serving Bowls
I’m telling you, you can never have enough small serving bowls. I’m addicted to Nambé and their beautiful pieces with subtle braiding details, so obviously had to go for the bowls that match my chip and dip because… have you met me? They can hold nuts, dips, pita chips, candies, other small bites, everything. I think I have at least 6 of these and I still always seem to be running out of them.
5. Wine Glasses
Having cocktail glasses is always a plus, but when in a pinch you can totally use your everyday glasses for mixing a cocktail and no one will punch you in the face. Wine on the other hand? You just can’t hand company a glass of Pinot in the same glass that holds your morning O.J. I have (and LOVE) these Riedel Vinum wine glasses because they’re top-notch quality crystal, but—plot twist—they’re one of the few crystal wine glasses that are DISHWASHER SAFE. [Insert all of the praise hands emojis here.]
6. Barware Set (+ wine openers and bottle openers!)
Pro tip: If you’re throwing a party and buying a bunch of booze, best to make sure you can actually open aforementioned booze. This rabbit wine opener was another wedding gift. This one of the essential serving pieces completely removes the awkward red-faced grunting that typically accompanies trying to muscle open wine bottles. More recently, I got this barware set from Macy’s that has all of the other cocktail party necessities—knife, bottle opener, double jigger (aka fancy shot glass), strainer (hellooooo dirty martinis), and shaker.
7. Cocktail Napkins
If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you know that my love for tacky cocktail napkins knows no bounds. I also love a good cocktail napkin holder like this beauty from Michael Aram. It adds a little flare to the spread and also prevents napkins from sliding all over the place.
8. Coasters
God help the soul that puts a glass down in my parents’ house without a coaster. I’m telling you, my mother will nose dive, using her body as a human shield lest one drop of liquid touch any horizontal surface in our home. Of course, now that I’m low-key adulting and have furniture that I actually care about, well… turns out the apple doesn’t fall suuuuuper far from the tree. Also, how cute are these Kate Spade coasters? Just take my money already.
9. Appetizer Plates
Trust me, appetizer plates are KEY essential serving pieces. Here’s why: if you’re serving any dips or appetizers that involve sauces and also care about your carpeting and/or upholstered furniture, for the love of guacamole, make sure you have appetizer plates at the ready. When guests are forced to awkwardly reach across a table and plunge that celery stick into a vat of sloppy dip without the safety net of an appetizer plate, odds are 50% of that slopfest is landing somewhere other than their mouth.
Thanks to Macy’s and ShopStyle for partnering on this post! Follow me on Instagram for more updates.
First off, I have to say that I am SO grateful for all of your emails, DMs and comments about yesterday’s skincare post. I’m thrilled that you found it helpful, and can’t wait to share many more!
I wore this two-tone velvet Self Portrait dress (yes, dress! not skirt!) to the Self Portrait show and since February fashion week can never come without the influx of bizarre weather conditions (it was roughly 35 degrees and pouring rain), I got creative with layering both underneath and on top. If you check out the dress here, you can see that it’s got a LOT going on, and yet it still looks refined and beautiful. Self Portrait has that rare ability to basically incorporate everything but the kitchen sink into a design (i.e. pleats, lace, and not one, but TWO different colors of velvet) and then look at the end product and be like, yup, it definitely needs more. Let’s add RUFFLES. Witchcraft.
About nine months ago, a friend and I were in my bathroom looking at the line-up of skincare products next to my sink and she began asking questions about the products that I was using. I had feeble answers for most of them—this one contains SPF because… sun damage! This one contains retinol because… wrinkles! The act of having to actually articulate the rationale behind my skincare routine was startling. My knowledge of products and ingredients was precarious at best and even more concerning was my understanding (or lack thereof) of how each product properly fits into a well-constructed skincare regimen. Can I use a Vitamin C serum with a retinol? Should I apply face oils before or after my night moisturizer? In the sea of marketing gimmicks, skincare buzzwords and one-off endorsements of “miracle” products, how do you discern the real efficacy of a product and exactly how you should incorporate it into your skincare routine?
That moment was a bit of a wake-up call for me so I began diving deep into the science of skincare and have learned a ton in the last many months. Starting with today’s post, I’m excited to begin sharing some of my learnings with you, in hopes of creating skincare guides that are practical, digestible and no-nonsense. After months of research, interviewing dermatologists and pouring over scientific reports, I thought I would kick things off today with the seven skincare myths that I believe will surprise you as many of the things in this list are in direct opposition to what many skincare brands market to consumers. All of the below information has been verified not only by scientific reports but also by an extremely well-respected board-certified dermatologist who has been practicing for over 25 years. This dermatologist asked to remain anonymous for professional reasons, which I gladly respected, especially in exchange for his candor on these topics.
Having said that, it’s important to note that I am not a dermatologist nor am I a physician of any kind. You should absolutely consult your own doctors when making decisions about your health and skincare regimen as there is a lot of conflicting research out there about the efficacy of certain products and ingredients. What works for one person may not work for the next, so it’s important to do your own research based upon your own unique skin characteristics. I hope that the information I share from my research and product testing will simply offer oneperspective in the quest to find what’s best for you.
Without further ado, I give you (in no particular order) my top seven skincare myths:
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Skincare Myth #1: Foaming Cleansers Are Good For Your Skin
This one shocked me. We’ve been conditioned to believe that the presence of suds or foam is an indication of a cleanser “working” but this couldn’t be farther from the truth. In order for a facial cleanser to foam like shaving cream, it must contain a surfactant. Surfactants turn your skin alkaline, creating a breeding ground for bacteria (hello, acne). If you have acne-prone skin, you should especially avoid foaming cleansers like the plague, despite the fact that many foaming cleansers are specifically marketed to people suffering from acne. To be clear, I’ve read that there are a few companies who have managed to formulate foaming cleansers with a low pH (i.e. acidic and anti-bacterial), but this is rare and most don’t publish the actual pH of their products on the bottle. So, the safest bet is to avoid foaming cleansers altogether, unless you’re interested in independently testing the pH of your cleanser at home.
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Skincare Myth #2: Natural or Organic is Always Better
This is another super controversial one. In the movement to eliminate harmful chemicals from the food we eat and many other everyday products, the terms “natural” and “organic” are now widely abused by marketers in an attempt to mislead. Just because something is natural or organic does NOT mean it is good for your skin. In fact, there are lots of natural and organic ingredients like mineral oils and certain fragrances that cause serious skin irritation, break down collagen and cause a whole host of other skin issues. Furthermore, in discussing this with dermatologists, I was amazed to learn that in fact, there are many ingredients developed by scientists (i.e. neither natural nor organic) which are much more potent and effective for skin than natural or organic ingredients. Of course, there are TONS of natural and organic ingredients that are fantastic, but the main takeaway here is to never simply buy a skincare product because it’s touted as “all-natural” or “organic” AND don’t ever blindly reject another product because it isn’t. Take a step further and do your due diligence on the ingredients and proven efficacy of the product.
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Skincare Myth #3: Rub Product Between Your Hands
Labels often instruct you to rub the product between your hands before applying, but according to dermatologists, there are virtually no products on the market that actually require you to rub or warm the product in your hands to prepare or “activate” the ingredients. In most cases, this is completely unnecessary and totally wasteful, as a large amount of the product will be distributed across your palms and absorbed into your hands. According to marketing studies, this is typically included in product instructions because consumers become more attached to products that involve these types of “ritual” steps. Nutty.
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Skincare Myth #4: No Pain, No Gain
I used to think that a burning sensation following the use of a particularly abrasive facial scrub meant that I had really done a good job of removing dead skin cells. Like many people, I would also feel the tingling sensation of various skin care products or exfoliants and believe the idea that “you can FEEL it working.” In most cases, this is false. According to dermatologists, if you’re in pain or experiencing a burning sensation, you’re likely damaging your skin. You can thoroughly and effectively exfoliate your skin without causing pain.
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Skincare Myth #5: A High SPF Protects You From The Sun
We all know that Vitamin D is best-obtained through supplements rather than unprotected sun exposure, but there’s a lot of misleading information about sunscreen, specifically what SPF means and how much we need. To start, it’s important to understand that the sun’s damaging UV radiation is comprised of both UVA and UVB rays. While most creams and sprays offering sun protection often prominently display their SPF levels, most people don’t realize that SPF onlymeasures protection against UVB rays, and doesn’t measure protection against UVA rays at all. Moreover, UVA rays don’t cause sunburn—UVB rays do—so by preventing sunburn, products touting high SPF can lead you to believe you’ve been protected from the sun, meanwhile, UVA damage is occurring without leaving any skin-reddening signs. In reality, UVA rays are extremely damaging because they are a longer wavelength and penetrate more deeply into the skin. In fact, UVA rays are more responsible for photoaging and are also the primary ray responsible for the development of melanoma. To prevent against both UVA and UVB rays, you should buy sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 and at most 50 (anything claiming an SPF of above 50 is not actually offering any incremental sun protection) AND make sure it also contains UVA-protecting ingredients like zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, avobenzone, ecamsule, and oxybenzone. Products that protect against both UVA and UVB rays are often called broad spectrum, multi-spectrum, or specifically indicate UVA/UVB protection, so make sure you keep an eye out for those on the label.
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Skincare Myth #6: Mineral Oil Is Good For Your Skin
This is mentioned briefly above, but mineral oil is terrible for your skin and should always be avoided. Thankfully, mineral oil isn’t included in moisturizers as often as it once was, but I still see it often enough to feel it warranted mentioning in this list. Mineral oil is a proven comedogenic (i.e. pore-clogging) and unlike plant oils, it offers no benefits to the skin. However, since we often associate the words “mineral” and “oil” with other healthy, beneficial things (like “mineral water” or “facial oils”) it can be confusing to remember that mineral oil itself is bad for your skin.
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Skincare Myth #7: “I Don’t Have Sensitive Skin”
I’ve always heard friends describe their skin as “sensitive” and just figured that I had lucked out because my skin has never really had any major reaction to anything and I don’t suffer from allergies. However, in reality, this means that my skin is just a bit better at covering up and internalizing aggravators, and that harmful, sensitizing ingredients are inflicting just as much damage—damage that perhaps will show up as I get older instead of manifesting itself in a rash right now. Of course, there are skin conditions such as eczema or rosacea where skin is inherently more sensitive, but everyone’s skin is irritated by bad ingredients, regardless of whether you break out in hives or not. This is why it’s so important to really understand what you’re putting on your skin.
I hope you find this information helpful, but it’s really important to note that you should absolutely always DO YOU. If you’ve used a foaming cleanser or a mineral oil product for years and are convinced it works for you, then by all means, keep calm and carry on with it. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, this list is based upon my own research, my consultations with dermatologists and my experience testing products on my own skin. However, you should definitely make your own mind up about what’s best for you in consultation with your dermatologist.
