winter skin: body

last week, we talked about caring for your gorgeous face in the winter. today, we talk about caring for the rest of your body’s skin in this frigid season.

i always get little patches of dry skin in the winter. i am not one for really paying attention to moisturizing anything below my face, though i know i should. that said, i wanted to give you guys a quick and easy way to take care of everything else, especially if you are a little lax like me with this one.

winter skin care: body
1. get an exfoliating body mitt and exfoliate before the shower. yes, before. it’s called dry brushing. it has incredible effects, like stimulating your circulation, and has even been associated with reducing the look of cellulite. it also exfoliates your skin quickly (be careful around sensitive areas – you know what i mean). this is one of those things that i do every day when i get into a routine. if it irritates your skin, brush more gently and don’t do it every day. use your head 🙂
2. then you get in the shower and exfoliate with a body scrub containing coffee. it exfoliates, it energizes, it smells yummy. this is really great in the morning when you are feeling a little sluggish (exfoliation in general will help wake you up!). you really can use any exfoliating scrub, whatever you prefer, and you don’t even have to use it every day! be sure to not irritate your skin – you’ve been warned, don’t blame me.
3. finally, body oil. i love josie maran’s argan oil because it’s great for your body and hair. whatever you use, be sure to moisturize (i also love no name brand cocoa butter – whatever you have or love). this locks in everything and helps your skin regenerate after getting rid of the dead and dry skin.

nailed it: perfect holiday party nails

it always seems to me this time of year comes with a lot of red and sparkles – glitter, sequins, rhinestones. so what could be better than a mani with both of those seasonally appropriate trends? um – nothing!

try this combo for the perfect holiday manicure that can take you from office to office party and beyond:

here’s what you’ll need: butter londoncome to bed red, west end wonderland and your favorite top coat. (i like deborah lippmann‘s.)

party perfect manicure

winter skin: face

it’s cold. that means winter skin is a comin’. which means we need to discuss this and prepare – immediately!

so here’s the deal. winter dries your skin out, regardless of skin type, from the cold air outside and the heated air inside. to achieve perfect skin in this climate, you’ll need to exfoliate so as to remove this dry, dead skin, and hydrate, to stimulate the blood cells and oxygen and all that stuff.

here are my picks to keep your skin looking radiant all winter long:

winter skin care

1. clarisonic. it’s worth the investment – nothing will clean your pores and exfoliate better than this bad boy.

2. face lotion with oxygen. it helps stimulate blood, oxygen, collagen, and so on. the extra boost is hydrating and gives you a little boost of energy.

3. unpetroleum jelly. so, it’s like vaseline and won’t clog your pores. i have sensitive skin that is prone to blemishes, and this stuff does not bother me. you might not want to sleep with this on, since it could get on your pillow case. but, i will tell you right now, i have slept with this on, my pillowcases are fine and my skin is AMAZING after. you could also walk around the house for a bit and then rinse it off. it is shiny so it’s not a cute look when you are going to bed with a significant other.

4. finally, a humidifier. the heat in your house will dry out your skin (consider that, too, before taking steamy hot showers!). keep a humidifier on your side of the bed to have radiant skin in the morning. bonus? add some lavendar essence for a calming and relaxing effect.

winter skin care by herlongwayhome

easy winter hair

as a noreaster is approaching NJ and we’re about to get a nice dose of snow, i think it’s time to start talking about winter hair. why is winter hair any different than any other time of the year, you might ask?

static!

i have long, thick hair. there are few things in this world more bothersome and distracting to me than hair ridden with static. this time of year is perfect for mastering quick and easy up dos.

(i, ii, iii)

here are two fantastic tutorials from here and here to get you started on easy as 1-2-3 winter hair. perfect for the weekend, the workplace, and with a few bobby pins to reign it all in, a dressier event. (click here for a bonus look WITH a video!)

goody simple styles: review

so sometime last year i read about and saw some posts about goody simple styles. goody claims that these spiral pins, which come in packs of 2, are the equivalent of 10 bobby pins each. (each!)

i found these on a great sale at ulta and knew i had to try them. i have very thick, heavy and long hair – and a lot of it. so if you do too, let me tell you, these WORK.

this is the first product of any variety that i’ve ever tried and thought, “oh my gosh, this really works!”

i am so excited to finally have found a product that helps me get my mop into a pulled together chignon, without unseemly hair ties and an entire pack of bobby pins that never fail to slip out. i 100% recommend these to every girl – definitely a MUST HAVE in your beauty arsenal.

here’s a quick guide on how to use these – so easy!

have any of you tried these?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mxg1lO8Bb6I]

ps – not a sponsored post, just really love the product and had to share with you all!

gold at your fingertips

okay, i know – it’s more like gold on your fingertips.

i’ve been trying to figure out a way to get gold on my nails without being inappropriate in the work place, feeling like i’ve gone overboard, or feeling as though i look like a 5 year old who stuck her fingers right into a big jar of glitter. in other words – i was looking for a dose glam with subtlety.

yesterday i stumbled across this post from Nomadic-D. her neutral take on gold nails is seriously perfection. i immediately purchased only gold for me by opi (which Nomadic-D used in her manicure) and this cappuccino colored neutral polish.

what do you think?

valentine’s day beauty

i totally love makeup – i’m a little bit of a makeup whore. i don’t go crazy and use wild colors, but i like to change my beauty look with my moods, the same way i like to change my clothes. sometimes i like a little cat eye, sometimes i like that smoldering smokey eye. sometimes i like au naturale.

for valentine’s day i like to do something a little more. you definitely want to go for a look that makes you feel a little sexier than your everyday and gives you the ability to give him “that look.” check out my picks for a valentine’s day-perfect look as well as a tutorial from my most favorite beauty blogger, kandee johnson.

valentine's day beauty
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TTqzU_AnyY&feature=plcp&context=C36e3f6dUDOEgsToPDskJj9vxsie-cexg_7feDRzQ-]

get the look – neon pink lips

chloe sevigny has inspired us today – as well as the brutal heat wave hitting the east coast – to try some neon pink lips. often seeming edgy, there is something gentle and graceful about this photo.

feeling a little bold today? here are some great options to get chloe’s hue.

Top: MAC Chatterbox; Clinique Extreme Pink; Illamasqua Fable; Maybelline Fifth Ave Fuschia; Sephora Maniac Mat 01, Bottom: MAC Girl About Town; YSL Pink Celebration; MAC Show Orchid; NARS Schiap; YSL Provocative Pink; NARS Carthage