...and now for a very special episode....

It's Spring in Chicago. And we all know that really means that it's still Winter in Chicago. Don't let that sun fool you, fool. It's cold, cold, cold. (I know it could be worse but let me rant)

But lucky for me, I have a tropical vacation coming up in just a few days (YAY!!!) Of course I can't wait to let those warm tropical breezes wash over me, and lay like a lizard soaking up that gorgeous tropical sunshine.

And therein lies the problem.

As part of my "let's get healthy" kick this Winter, I decided to stop tanning. In a booth. I know, it's so 1990s of me, but just a few minutes locked in the tanning booth's warm embrace has always been an essential part of surviving Winter for me.

Just to be fair, I did indulge in self-tanners, so that after 5 months of no UV rays I'm not completely deathly pale. (My favorite: L'Oreal Sublime Bronze, available in lotion, foam, or towelettes!)

But I wouldn't exactly call my skin tan. So to prep my skin for seven days of abuse I decided to go tanning just a little, to build up a "base tan." (Is that really a thing?)

So far I've been good, with just a few moments in the booth here and there, and I am starting to notice a subtle, golden glow creeping back into my complexion. BUT....

I'm getting hooked.

Full disclosure: I went tanning yesterday. I went tanning today. AND---I fully intend to go tomorrow and the next day. So that means a solid week of tanning leading up to my trip.

I'll admit it: I think I'm becoming tanorexic.

It's not like I'm burning, or even deeply tanning my skin, but I know the beginning of an addiction when I see one. Remember the blondorexia that set in during the mid 2000s?

(To be fair, it was a family affair. Every single one of my siblings fell victim at the same time. I'll spare you the dreadful family photos from that era.)

It's a classic case. I keep telling myself "just until after the trip," or "I can quit whenever I want," but I know the truth. And it's not my fault: tanning is FREE at my gym! So how could I ever hope to resist the siren song of the tanning booths every time I go in to work on my fitness? My two favorite things: narcissism and a deal!!!

I'll keep you updated, but it's not looking good. If this gets really bad I could end up on Intervention! Hmmmm, maybe superficial reality show "fame" might just be the thing to keep me from falling deeper into addiction. We'll just have to wait and see....

Thar She Blows!

In case you've just woken up from a year-long coma, Kim Kardashian isn't swelling up due to an allergic reaction to eyelash glue- she is indeed pregnant, and the proud papa is none other than Kanye West.  And while everyone has difficulty dressing for pregnancy, Kim is making it look downright painful. For some reason she seems unable to just accept the fact that for the next few months her body won't behave the ways she is used to. Because it's making a baby. 

Take, for instance, this Shamu-inspired ensemble:

"I thought black was supposed to be slimming?"

Or this all-white number- which actually does distract from her growing body, by making us wonder what's going on with that weird jacket. 

Eww and that stringy hair!

Here's a few more looks that are certainly not flattering to her pregnancy bod:

That peplum on the gray pants is especially disconcerting!

And I don't know what to say about this, it looks like Kim and Kayne used the remains of that first dress to create these outfits, which are so matchy-matchy I can't even stand it. And menswear for maternity? When you are supposed to be celebrating your feminine baby-making ability?  I feel like Kim is nailing androgynous a little too well, and looks like a really passable ladyboy Kayne found in Thailand.

Not that ladyboy is a bad look, it's just a weird choice for a pregnant woman.

Oh, and we've already christened the baby "Kimye." 'Nuff said.

HE'S.....SO......FLUFFY!!!!!!

Yesterday concluded the annual Westminster Dog Show in New York City! (I thought it was in England?) Anyhow, I was running on the treadmill at the gym this morning and couldn't take my eyes off the fluffy monsters in the toy competition.  They're so fluffy I'm gonna die!!!!

This was the Toy Breeds winner (?) It's an Affenpinscher (huh? looks like a baby monkey)

Banana Joe V Tani Kazari

These are the rest of the doggies that were making me squeal in delight and make a fool of myself in public.  As you can see, I love the long hair breeds! (obvi.) And their names are hilarious too! Wheeeeeeee!

Malibu Dream

Wei-Syng Lucky Mi

Pawsitively Pawparazzi

The King of Pop

Angel Wings at Dulcinea

Love T'Look

Valentino

Butters Scotch

Surviving Siberia

In case you haven't noticed, it's hella cold and snowy outside. Allright, it's not really that bad, (today) and the snow is kind of pretty, but still:



It's winter.



And if Beyonce can't even sing live because of the cold, I'm quickly realizing that I'll have to adjust my hair- and skin-care regimens to survive the chilling season that is winter in Chicago requires.

The main difference between summer and winter (besides up to 100 degrees) is moisture. In the winter your skin and hair are naturally drier, and lose even more moisture to the dry, cold air.

First for hair: Argan oil is a great source of moisture, and it is easily absorbed into the hair shaft. I love Moroccan Oil Intense Hydrating Mask. Used weekly as a deep conditioner for 20 minutes up to overnight it helps keep hair from drying up and looking sad in the winter,



Now for skin: Hands especially need moisture in the winter.  L'occitane 20% Shea Butter hand cream is a rich and creamy hand lotion that moisturizes and protects hands from additional moisture loss.



For lips (and noses!) I love Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm all day long! It is tint and fragrance free and instantly helps with dry, chapped lips.



During the day I like Proactiv Repairing Treatment. (yes, I'm coming out of the Proactiv closet. I've used it for 10 years and I LOVE it!)  This daily face lotion is non-comedogenic, (doesn't clog pores) moisturizes, and protects facial skin.



At night I can use a facial lotion that is a little lighter, since I'm not going outside. (and to give my skin a break from other heavier lotions) I've been using Trader Joe's Oil-Free Antioxidant Facial Moisturizer. It feels light and fresh, has tons of vitamins for your skin, and costs $7! Can't beat that!!!



There you go, hopefully these tips will help you get through winter, and since Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow yesterday morning we can look forward to an early spring this year! Stay warm! (and moisturized)

Hair Advice 101: Rainy Days and Mondays....

Hi all!

Today is an unexpectedly warm and moist January day here in Chicago! Between the rain, fog, slush and general moisture in the air, it's a reminder that humid weather can wreck your hair in seasons other than summer.

If you're not lucky enough to have hair that you can just wear curly on days like this, here are a few product suggestions that can help your blowout last longer than 20 minutes:

I love Bumble & Bumble Straight Blow Dry cream for fine- to medium-thickness frizzy and wavy hair. About a nickel-sized amount applied on wet hair from (almost) roots to ends will make your blowout easier and last longer.

Kerastase Elixir Ultime is AMAZING for thick, coarse, wavy and curly hair. A dime-sized amount applied (again) on wet hair from (almost) roots to ends will result in a shiny, smooth, long-lasting blowout.

Moroccan Oil is a great treatment product for chemically-damaged or over-styled hair. It's not really a styling product. (I like combining it with Bumble and Bumble Straight) For healthy, sleek, revitalized hair, apply a dime-sized amount to wet hair before blowdrying, and one or two drops on the ends after blowdrying.

Ok ya'all, this is the secret to surviving humidity: Moroccan Oil's Frizz Control spray. After applying whatever other styling products you're using, but before blowdrying, spray this LIBERALLY all over your hair, making sure to get all those hard-to-reach places like the nape area and the edges. Seriously, I sometimes use up to 20 or 30 sprays on one head of hair- don't worry: it's not heavy. This magic product seals down the hair cuticle so that humidity can't creep in and ruin your hair. Come. In. And. Buy. This.

It works.

See you soon!

What's new?

January is notoriously a slow time for celebrity/fashion/style news, so it's not surprising that some of the big stories include:

Kim Kardashian getting pregnant!

Kim Kardashian getting bangs! ("for real" this time) (don't get me started)



Michelle Obama (@FLOTUS) getting bangs!



Model Karlie Kloss getting bangs! (and a whole new haircut)



Why is it that simply cutting your hair in the front shorter so that your face pokes through is seen as so revolutionary? The natives in the Amazon Rainforest have been doing it for years!



But bangs (or "fringe" for our friends on the other side of the pond ;) ARE a great way to add interest to a boring hairstyle, and add a great type of flirty intrigue as they grow out. I always tell my clients that I'll never talk them out of bangs unless it would look utterly horrendous. Anyways, there is a bang for everyone.



Even Reese Witherspoon.
(I seriously had to cut this bang on 30-50% of my clients for a 3 month period. They'd be like "I have a picture" and I'd be like "Oh, Reese Witherspoon?" Ugh.)

Holiday Countdown... 1 Week!

Ok ya'all.... T-Minus 1 Week and counting until the official kickoff of the 2012 holiday season!

Is it just me or it Thanksgiving coming REALLY early this year?!? You know what's going on here: 1 extra week for CHRISTMAS SHOPPING!!! I love that on the news they're already giving tips to shoppers how to not get trampled to death on Black Friday.



And another thing: why is it that only budget retailers like Walmart and Best Buy go crazy discounting the day after Thanksgiving? What if high-end stores like Gucci and Louis Vuitton slashed prices early in the morning on Black Friday? Could you imagine the bloodbath as hundreds of Real Housewives battle it out for that last half-off pair of Jimmy Choos?





As for me, I'm planning on sleeping off the last of my food coma that morning, rising around noon and decking the halls on my little 4.5 foot artificial Xmas tree, and then maybe polishing off the last of the Thanksgiving food, pie, and booze.

Because by then there'll be only 4 more shopping weeks until Christmas. (shudder)

Happy Holidays ya'all!