May 14, 2021
A website that discovers affordable dupes, body-sculpting skincare, The Frame jeans that understand weight fluctuations and skin cancer stats that matter.
Find dupes for your favorite products
Few things make me happier than trying a new product and finding that it’s a perfect stand-in for more-expensive favorite. In the past, I’ve discovered dupes for Colors by Benetton perfume, Benefit brow pomade, Escentric Molecule’s Molecule 01 fragrance, two Tom Ford favorites (here and here) and so many more. Although these finds were purely accidental, I found a new online tool that lets you enter a specific product so it can give you a list of options with similar ingredients (and you even get a “grade” as to how close it is to the original).
Meet SkinSkoolBeauty, and you may never shop for beauty products the same way again. To test it out, I entered SkinCeuticals’ CE Ferulic—and I got a long list of less-expensive alternatives from brands I know as well as those I don’t. Then I tried Mario Badescu’s Drying Lotion, and I had success again. I also searched for Oribe’s Texturizing Spray and got a few options, as well as a message that the results were not complete since hair products are still being added to the database.
Honestly, I could sit here entering products all day, and you might just notice that you’ve tried several of the dupes for a certain product without even knowing it!
Your "summer body" cheat sheet
I never got caught up in the “summer body” thing, simply because I try to look and feel my best year-round whether I’m in a bathing suit or not. These days I’m all about being kind to my body because it’s really been through the ringer over the past few months. I’m giving it lots of fruits and vegetables, sparing it from junk, slowly getting back to exercise, and not beating it up mentally because it looks a little different than it used to. But despite these efforts, I never said I wasn’t open to cheating—and there are a handful of new products that can help all of us fake it until we make it!
First up is Maelys B-Flat Belly Firming Cream. Firmer, tighter, smoother-looking skin with just a few pumps a day? Sign me up. (It also helps fade the appearance of stretch marks, but believe it or not, I didn’t get even one despite gaining 65+ pounds while pregnant.) In addition to hydrating avocado extract and shea butter, this cream also features Pink Pepperslim that’s said to help burn fat. (Reality check: It’s highly unlikely that a topical cream can actually penetrate deep enough to reach the fat layer beneath the skin—but temporary smoothing is indeed possible).
Then there’s U Beauty’s The SCULPT Arm Compound—and I’ve read so many glowing reviews that I may actually buy it. (Since I can’t really work out my upper body for a while, I can fully justify making this purchase.) Designed to tighten, tone and sculpt (I know, it sounds too good to be true) by flushing excess fluid, it also sets the stage for optimal collagen production and gives your skin’s appearance an overall boost. I’ll be sure to report back once I cave and order it.
And finally, we have Mutha’s Body Contour Serum, which claims to mimic the results of a lymphatic drainage massage while delivering full-body contouring, resurfacing and hydration. It’s formulated with exfoliating fruit acids plus mustard seed sprout extract and capsaicin (the compound that makes peppers spicy) to minimize water retention and target dimples by increasing microcirculation. The consumer perception results are impressive (92% agreed the serum helped tighten and firm the skin!)—but alas, study participants ranged from 27 to 40 years old, so I’ll have to try it to see how my 44-year-old skin responds in the name of research, of course.
If your weight fluctuates, these jeans are for you
It took all of my strength and willpower to avoid gaining weight over the last year+, and I was seriously committed to exercising daily since Pilates was “cancelled” (by my own choice) and watching what I ate despite whipping up all sorts of yumminess for my husband and son. I had pretty much maintained until the end of February, but then I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Between doctors’ appointments taking up the time I’d usually be walking or playing tennis, getting more lax with the snacks, and ultimately being ordered to take it easy while recovering from surgery, I’ve put on almost 10 pounds. This is definitely not the end of the world considering the bigger picture—I’m cancer-free!—but they’re there nonetheless. (And hopefully they will be gone soon since my plastic surgeon gave me the OK to start moving again yesterday.)
Frame is one of my go-to brands for jeans, and at some point over the past few months I came across the “Le One” style. These sustainable skinnies come in two sizes—1 and 2—and each size of this unique denim is designed to accommodate 6 sizes. I had such a hard time believing this could be possible that I ordered a pair from Nordstrom. (It was pretty awesome not having to order several sizes, which I usually do when shopping for jeans online.)
I had no doubt I’d fit into a size 1, but of course there was no guarantee that they’d actually look good. But alas, they were the perfect replacement for my light Paige skinnies whose rise suddenly became way too low. For the record, Le One’s are described as a high-rise, but they aren’t that high since they come up to my natural waist (and I have a short torso).
Not only are these jeans beyond comfy, they’re worth the investment since they’ll fit whether I’m up or down 10 pounds. This also means no more separating my jeans by size because these will fit no matter what. I’ve already set an alert on ShopStyle for when other colors go on sale because now I want all of them!
Some interesting stats to kick off Skin Cancer Awareness Month
Father Time is obviously still having a field day messing with all of our minds, because as far as my brain is concerned there’s no way it can already be May—or May of 2021 at that. I’ve basically given up on agreeing with what the calendar says and decided that I’m going to start gauging the passing of time by awareness months. So, my friends, let’s talk skin cancer in honor of today, which happens to be Melanoma Monday.
Did you know that skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States (and that one in five Americans will get it over the course of their lifetime)? Yet another reason why Skin Cancer Awareness Month is so important: A vast majority of skin cancers are preventable!
Unfortunately one-third of us lack basic sun-safety knowledge—and 53% of adults have no idea that seeking shade is one way to protect the skin from damaging UV rays. These statistics are just part of the American Academy of Dermatology’s most recent research, which reinforces that we’re not nearly as smart as we think we are. Additional (disappointing) findings include:
47% either incorrectly believe or are unsure that having a base tan will prevent sunburns
35% either incorrectly believe or are unsure that as long as you don’t burn, tanning is safe
31% are unaware that tanning causes skin cancer
But if you really want to be blown away, consider what most of our kids know (or rather, don’t). Generation Z (those born after 1996) are beyond clueless when it comes to sun safety.
42% are unaware that tanning causes skin cancer
41% are unaware that the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays are reflected by snow, water, and sand
33% are unaware that they can get sunburned on a cloudy day
Millennials failed the safe-sun test as well, which makes it even more clear that we as parents need to take it upon ourselves to educate our kids and start healthy sun habits early. (I must have done something right because my son will ask me to put sunscreen on his back if he goes swimming at 5pm.) At the very, very least follow these recommendations—especially as we head into the summer.
Seek shade, especially between 10am and 2pm when UV rays are strongest. Cover up with long sleeves, pants, a hat and sunglasses. (Extra credit for clothing with UPF.) And for not the last time, apply sunscreen to all exposed skin—and remember to reapply every two hours or after swimming or sweating.
Just remember, a sunburn may be short-lived, but the damage caused by too much sun can come back to haunt you decades from now. We wouldn’t want that for ourselves—much less our kids, right?