Texas Summer Beauty Challenge: Trying Not To Sweat It

Live through a Texas summer and you know: survival is the goal. But don’t let three-digit temperatures get the best of you. Tune in to our Texas Summer Beauty Challenge series. Intern Kristi McCann is tracking down expert advice to help you get through the summer and look good doing it.

Calling all athletes! I don’t know about you, but the Summer Olympics in London has motivated me to take a few more laps around the track during my workouts. And the more you sweat, the better you feel about yourself, right? But only when you’re training at the gym. That embarrassing sweat you break while completing simple, everyday tasks feels more like a problem. This week, we spoke to Dr. Hania Alaidroos, one of D Magazine’s Best Doctors list for three years running, to get her expert advice on this sticky situation.

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Texas Summer Beauty Challenge: Seasonal Makeup Matching

Live through a Texas summer and you know: survival is the goal. But don’t let three-digit temperatures get the best of you. Tune in to our Texas Summer Beauty Challenge series. Intern Kristi McCann is tracking down expert advice to help you get through the summer and look good doing it.

It’s nearly August, and after beach vacations and weekends by the pool, your skin is probably pretty bronzed. (Hopefully you’ve been wearing sunscreen.) But if you’re like me, you’re starting to notice your year-round foundation doesn’t quite match up to your freshly tanned skin. That’s why this week, we spoke with one of Grand Spa’s makeup artists Angela Alan to learn how to find the perfect tint for your summer foundation.

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Texas Summer Beauty Challenge: Prolonging Your Airbrush Tan

Live through a Texas summer and you know: survival is the goal. But don’t let three-digit temperatures get the best of you. Tune in to our Texas Summer Beauty Challenge series. Intern Kristi McCann is tracking down expert advice to help you get through the summer and look good doing it.

If you’re like most business women in Dallas, you’re strong, independent, successful, and you haven’t seen the sun in weeks. But thanks to plentiful sunless tanning options, you hardworking Texans can still achieve a sunkissed glow, even if a trip to the pool is out of the question. The tricky part is getting your faux glow yo last, so we talked to Body Beautiful Studio’s Barb Yevchak on how to increase your tan’s longevity.

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Texas Summer Beauty Challenge: A Peaceful Bikini Line

Live through a Texas summer and you know: survival is the goal. But don’t let three-digit temperatures get the best of you. Tune in to our Texas Summer Beauty Challenge series. Intern Kristi McCann is tracking down expert advice to help you get through the summer and look good doing it.

Let’s face it. Your bikini line is not something you like to talk about, but when it comes to summer grooming, this area needs some serious attention. Whether you prefer waxing or shaving, we got expert advice from estheticians on both methods to get you bikini ready.

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Texas Summer Beauty Challenge: Pretty Feet Between Pedicures

photo courtesy of StyleSheet

Live through a Texas summer and you know: survival is the goal. But don’t let three-digit temperatures get the best of you. Tune in to our Texas Summer Beauty Challenge series. Intern Kristi McCann is tracking down expert advice to help you get through the summer and look good doing it.

As invigorating as it is to take your feet out of hibernation and transition into revealing sandals, it adds another element to your beauty routine: foot maintenance. Nail technician Kim Huynh from Indulgence Nail Salon has an easy solution to keeping your pedicured paws in tip top shape, even between salon visits.

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Texas Summer Beauty Challenge: SPF For Acne-Prone Skin

photo courtesy of StyleSheet

Live through a Texas summer and you know: survival is the goal. But don’t let three-digit temperatures get the best of you. Tune in to our Texas Summer Beauty Challenge series. Intern Kristi McCann is tracking down expert advice to help you get through the summer and look good doing it.

FOR FACE PROTECTION EVEN WITH SENSITIVE OR ACNE-PRONE SKIN:

We’ve all heard the lecture a thousand times: wear sunscreen to protect your skin from the sweltering sun. It’s easy to remember to lather on SPF when you’re at the pool or beach, but wearing an everyday sunscreen is just as important, especially on your face. We hate feeling like we’re clogging our pores with some of the options out there, so we talked to Dr. Peter Malouf, founder of the Center for Skin and Cosmetic Dermatology, for his sunscreen recommendations. (more…)

Texas Summer Beauty Challenge: Hair That Can Stand the Heat

photo courtesy of StyleSheet

Live through a Texas summer and you know: survival is the goal. But don’t let three-digit temperatures get the best of you. Tune in to our Texas Summer Beauty Challenge series. Intern Kristi McCann is tracking down expert advice to help you get through the summer and look good doing it.

FOR FRESH HAIR THAT CAN BEAT THE HEAT:

Sometimes it’s tempting to forgo the lengthy hair prep in the morning, especially when you know you’re going to be running around in the Texas heat. By midday, your perfectly coiffed hair often feels ruined from the oils your scalp produces naturally and from sweating. But skip the ponytail. This week, we spoke to expert stylist Ashley Puig from Orange Salon and Spa to find out how to keep hair looking fresh even when you’re out in the sun.

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50 Shades of Gray Hair: Dallas Expert Needed

(from left) Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada, Kelly Osbourne's new take on gray, and model Cindy Joseph's famous gorgeous gray 'do

A friend is looking to grow out her gray locks with grace. Bye-bye, dye. Hello, sophisticated salt and pepper hair. We’re on the hunt for a Dallas hair expert that understands the process of going gray in style and we’re taking suggestions. Know of anyone? Leave it in the comments section. We’ll report back with our findings.

How to Prevent Greasy Morning Hair: 6 Tips From Salon Lucien

A reader wrote in with this disturbing dilemma:

“My hair is pretty much always oily except for day 1 after a shampoo. (I live on dry shampoo so I’m not washing every day.) I’d like to be able to wash my hair at night and style it in the morning, but by the time I wake up, my hair is already a little greasy! Is there anything I can do to keep my hair fresh while I’m sleeping? My old college roommate used to hairspray her hairline before bed, but does that really work?” –Lily

I went to the mane masters at Salon Lucien:

photo courtesy of beautyeditor.ca

We get asked that question quite a bit from our clients.

1. We recommend a shampoo for oily roots and dry ends such as the Kerastase Cristalliste.
2. Conditioners are going to add to her problems so she needs a detangler, such as Oribe’s Foundation Mist, which is light and weightless.
3. After styling her hair at night, put on top of the head in a loose scrunchy (preferably the old-fashioned kind with fabric on it).  This really helps holding the style and or blow out. It will stop the distribution of oil from directly laying and rolling over the hair at night.
4. THE MORE BRUSHING OF THE HAIR, THE MORE OIL SECRETION.
5. The last thing, try distributing a small amount of witch hazel or Sea Breeze throughout the scalp when EXITING the shower.
6. Dry Shampoo is a must, but for her, try one that is not a texturizing spray and a true dry shampoo such as Kevin Murphy Fresh Hair!

P.S. Hair spray has a lot of alcohol and can actually increase her oil production if used in excess.

What to Wear to a Dallas Wedding: Six Party Perfect Frocks

June is the month of weddings and, as a result, wedding dresses. No, not the big white ones. The pretty but conservative, stylish but tasteful ones we guests have to wear. Native Dallas designer Lela Rose’s shop in Highland Park Village houses racks of wedding-worthy confections you’ll fall in love with. The spring collection is full of lovely sorbet hues, watercolor prints, and ladylike shapes in unusual textures and fabrics. I love Diane von Furstenberg’s Hanky dress (the flowy black and white dress on the model below), too. The loose silk silhouette is both elegant and practical for warm weather weddings. (Also see the Hanky Band dress in sheer pastel mint and sky blue.) For more conservative affairs, don’t miss St. John’s newest dresses. Cowl back dresses in light blue (see below), colorblock patterns, lace sleevelettes, and sophisticated sequin minis are a refreshing twist on the brand’s classic look.

photography courtesy of retailers

(from left)
Piermarini Boutique: Won Hundred Ink print dress, $149
Diane von Furstenberg: Hanky dress in Falling Marks print, $398
Lela Rose: Embellished woven silk-organza dress, $1,595

photography courtesy of retailers

(from left)
Anthropologie: Parvati maxi dress, $298
Lela Rose or Neiman Marcus: Lela Rose floral-jacquard sheath dress, $1,395
St. John: Crepe Blouson dress with cowl back, $795

Into the Closet: Bring Your Wardrobe Back to Life with Amy Havins

We can't all have Nanette Lepore's closet (as documented by Elle Decor), BUT we can have much, much better.

I used to snub my nose at the idea of a personal stylist, shopper, or wardrobe consultant. Not because I’m the coolest girl around town (I’m not), but because I’m bossy and independent and I like to do everything myself. (Including shopping and selecting outfits.) Then one day I shocked myself. I took a peek in my closet, turned to my dog and said, “I have nothing to wear.” Oh the horror! What a cliche I’d become. A closet full of clothes and “nothing” to wear? How painfully uninspired I sounded. Then I met Dallas Wardrobe stylist Amy Havins and completely changed my tune.

Amy does a combo of things to make stepping into your closet exciting again, and although she’s fully capable of doing some damage with a Black Card, it doesn’t have to include maxing out your Mastercard at department stores around town. She can tackle family styling (like getting your 13-year-old to dress appropriately and stylishly), special occasion dressing (got a gala? no problem), wardrobe makeover (giving old garments a fresh start with new ideas), and closet design and organization (pull out the weeds and make your closet work for you). Jump to learn a little about Amy, why I’m a believer, and get her three biggest pointers fo’ free.

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Costume Help: Where to Find a Tiara?

A reader has written in asking for help finding a tiara (pageant style) to top off her Halloween costume. HELP! Who has ideas? Where to shop for a Miss Texas-worthy crown?

Sip Champagne and Get Styled at Hemline

click to enlarge

I love shopping events. There’s nothing better than sipping champagne to numb your guilt so you can buy all kinds of beautiful things (that you shouldn’t) for your closet. Plus, if your memory gets a little fuzzy, you get to re-enjoy all your new purchases the next morning. Wahoo! Hemline’s got your Thursday happy hour taken care of with free bubbly and local style consultant Elisabeth White in house to help you put together some summer ensembles. If you purchase an outfit she assembles, you’ll get it for 10 percent off. All Yoana Baraschi clothing will be discounted, too, for 20 percent off. This event starts at 5:30 pm on Thursday. See you there.

Cream Blush is Scary. What’s the Trick?

I had the opportunity to ask Raychel Wade, La Prairie’s makeup expert, about the secret to making cream blush work. (Cream blush is one of La Prairie’s cosmetic specialities.) Here’s what she had to say:

-Smile big
-Stamp one finger (Raychel recommends the ring or middle finger) with the cream blush, and dot it onto the fattiest part of your cheek (the “apple”). To find this, imagine a vertical line running through your pupil and a horizontal line running across your face at the tip of your nose. Where these lines intersect, stamp away.
-Using a clean finger, blend outward, using up, out, and down motions. (Cat whiskers, if you will.)

I’ve avoided cream blush like the plague to avoid looking like a Nutcracker doll (or a cockatiel), but I tell you, very honestly, after getting this pointer, I went home with my sample and applied it to myself and my sister, and was pleased. Not only did it smooth out quite evenly, but it gave me and sis a natural flush that literally lasted all day. I’m now using La Prairie’s cream blush on a regular basis and I’m thrilled. The downfall is the price tag. La Prairie is one of the most expensive skincare and cosmetic lines I know. The upside is they’ve earned it. Sciencey stuff goes into each product, and results match the claim. Plus, with this $55 blush, it’ll last you until your 70 years old. Find it at Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, and Saks 5th Avenue.

Is There a Trick to Creating a Cat Eye? Le Metier Makeup Artist Ivan Castro Says Yes.

One of my very favorite beauty lines in the world has some Texas blood running through its veins: Le Métier de Beauté, whose president, Joanna Austin, is from Houston. Last week, Kristin and I met with her, CEO Richard Blanch, and head beauty artist for the line, Ivan Castro, to take a peek at the newest products at the counter. Unlike other cosmetic companies, rather than an emphasis on pumping out dozens of eye shadow quads in trendy palettes, Le Métier focuses on quality control. Ivan is actually hands on with the products before they’re even made, which means experts who really play with the stuff every day are putting in their two cents to make sure each and every piece, from the Kaleidoscope Eye Kit to the Precision liquid eyeliner, is constructed with real use, beautiful color, and lasting power in mind.

orange = eyeliner

That brings me to this week’s “Ask Raya” question. A reader wrote in, asking, “How do you get the perfect shaped cat eye? Is there a trick to getting the liner in the right place every time?”

To that we answer, yes, and Ivan Castro gave us the key at our last week’s meeting:

To figure out where to put the winged tip, follow the shape of your lower lash line. (Notice in our illustration how the orange line is basically an extension of the natural curve of the lower lash line.) If you use this technique, not only should you be able to create the same shape on both eyes, but you should also be able to repeat this every time you’re in the mood for this sultry look. I like that this trick adds a dash of flirt, making the liner look like a lash extension. Go home and give it a shot. If you’re looking for a great liner, try Le Métier’s seriously smudge-proof formula.