June 16, 2017

Your bare-leg product survival guide, frizz doesn't stand a chance against this spray and an organic hyaluronic acid option.

The products you need for bare legs this summer

Come summer, shorts, skirts and obviously bathing suits have us all baring more skin, and believe me, I’m not as comfortable showing off my stems as I used to be. From a few spider veins to bits of cellulite here and there, I actually plan ahead these when I know bare legs are on the wardrobe agenda. But the process isn’t as high-maintenance as you think, so read on for a few must-have products that make a major difference.

Gradual self-tanner
I may live in Florida, but I generally only use self-tanner in the summer. I simply swap out my post-shower body lotion with a gradual self-tanner so I get a hint of color without going overboard. As my bestie and I always say, “Brown fat is better than white fat,” and kicking up the bronze helps camouflage veins as well as cellulite nooks and crannies.

Body makeup (sort of)
I wouldn’t exactly say I wear body makeup, but I guess you could say I wear tinted moisturizer on my legs at times. It’s still relatively early in the summer so I haven’t achieved golden-gam status with my gradual tanner just yet, which is why I love Vita Viberata’s Body Blur Instant HD Skin Finish. This tinted cream instantly delivers a hint of coverage that obscures imperfections like veins and bruises, and it won’t rub of for run. It easily washes off with soap and water, and it’s free of DHA so it’s totally temporary.

A glossy finish
No leg look is complete without a little gleam. Body lotions and creams may hydrate, but when I want long-lasting sheen, I turn to one product: Johnson’s Baby Oil Gel. A little goes a long way, and everyone loves its classic scent. (And if you don’t believe me, this is a celebrity makeup artist secret.)

In addition to the above products, it goes without saying that a little more leg time (or more time, period) at the gym doesn’t hurt! But in the meantime, let these products do the work for you!

Rain, rain go away—and in the meantime, get this spray!

After 5 days of non-stop rain, I’ve all but stopped paying attention to what my hair looks like—not that it really matters considering I’ve barely left the house. It’s almost as if last week’s post about Nunzio Saviano’s Anti-Frizz Sheets was a harbinger of the weather to come, which is why I figured I’d share yet another humidity-fighting option since it’s supposed to keep raining through the weekend.

Today, meet ColorProof’s Humidity Rx Anti-Frizz Weatherproof Spray. Offering the protection of a shower cap (without actually wearing a shower cap), this super-fine weightless mist forms a humidity-repelling shield on your hair—and in addition to preventing frizz, it helps keep your style from falling flat, too. But unlike hairspray, this product doesn’t provide any hold, and it won’t leave hair feeling stiff.

And since it also contains ingredients that help shield your color from UV-induced fading, it’s just the finishing touch your hair needs before you walk out the door this summer—rain or shine.

You NEED this versatile highlighter palette

Highlighting may be scary to some, but I’m here to tell you that once you start, you’ll never stop. Just a little strategically-placed glowiness goes a long way, and you can use a touch to make your skin look alive, or a lot to make a statement. And wouldn’t you know, the brand-new Banc De Sable Highlighting Palette from NARS serves up endless possibilities, whether you want to go subtle or go all out.

What makes these highlighting powders different is that they can be used wet or dry, and with a gold, bronze and peach to choose from, you can also layer them to create your own custom shade. Designed to complement all skin tones, a light (dry) swipe yields super-sheer natural-looking radiance. But when applied with a damp brush, you can achieve an otherworldly, almost molten-metal effect (which looks pretty amazing on the eyes, too).

With summer upon us, the time to get your glow on is now—and this palette gives you countless ways to do it!

An organic hyaluronic acid option

In case you haven’t noticed, hyaluronic acid is having a moment. We’ve seen an influx in professional-grade products formulated around this intensely hydrating ingredient (i.e. SkinCeuticals, SkinMedica and Jan Marini) so it makes sense that the natural and organic iterations would shortly follow. Case in point: Ilike Organic Skin Care’s Hyaluronic Elixir.

I’ve been using this for about a month now (in the evening after my Differin), and the real selling point for me is the texture. It’s practically like water but obviously with more benefits. It sinks in almost immediately leaving no trace behind, so my face still feels fresh and clean before slapping on some facial oil or night cream.

In addition to hyaluronic acid, this organic oil-free serum also features moisturizing marshmallow and ginkgo, softening and firming horsetail, vitamin C-rich yucca plus plumping algae and glycerin. Ideal for all skin types (even sensitive), it’s a clean, “green” way to maximize your skin’s moisture levels, and smooth the look of fine lines and wrinkles in the process.

Hyaluronic acid’s skin-hydrating abilities may also help minimize the side effects associated with topical retinol and retinoids—like dryness, flaking and irritation. For this reason, I always follow my Differin with some sort of HA and I haven’t had the slightest bit of irritation since.

If you’re on the organic skincare-track, you’re probably not using a retinoid, but you absolutely, positively should be using HA anyway—and this serum is a great way to work this ingredient into your routine.