Happy Birthday, Mom!

I truly am The Luckiest.
Happy birthday to the woman –
who taught me how to be a woman,
who loved me as a little girl,
the woman at whom I would stare for hours wishing that I would one day be as beautiful as her.

Happy Birthday to the woman –
I told – and still tell to this day – all of my secrets to.
The woman to whom I would say how beautiful she was every day ad nauseam until she literally made me stop.
My teatime partner.
My margarita partner.
My cheese and Wine partner.
My partner in all things.

I hope that I am as good a daughter as the mother you’ve been to me.
And I pray that one day I’ll be half the mother that you are.
I know that you would like me to live the single life forever and live in Tuscany and Paris and such but seeing you be the mom that you were and are makes me want to be a mom one day.
You just make it look so beautiful.

You have accomplished so many exemplary achievements in your life but this one is your best.
Everything I am is because of you. And I could not imagine a minute without you in my life. I truly am the luckiest.

I love you the whole wide world and back again.

High-Low 12/9/13: High School Revisited, Home & Family & Addictions Like Sugar

This week was filled with the highest of highs! So many moments that just delighted me and filled me with glee that I can’t share them all on here without losing your attention because they say that people don’t read more than 400 words on a blog. See, look, I already lost ya! Kidding.
So I’ll pick two of ’em and elaborate on each of them in later posts. And you know – as it is with life – there’s gotta be a low with those highs so ya might wanna check that out, too.

HIGHS: Hallmark Home & Family and My Birthday Party

1) I was honored to yet again be invited to be a guest on Hallmark Home & Family for Makeover Monday. I’ll be bringing you everything we did with our Makeover Monday girl, Susy G. from the Step Up Women’s Network on Wednesday but for now…here are a few pics.

The only thing better than being on Hallmark Home & Family? Being on Hallmark Home & Family during the Christmas season!

The family that IS Home & Family. I swear I just love every cast and crew member I meet on that show. What a warm set to be a part of!

 

2) My birthday party this past weekend was, well, my favorite to date. The theme? “Come As You Were Or Wish You Were in High School”. More on that one tomorrow but for now, here’s a highlight of the happiness!

Donning my Episcopal School of Dallas uniform - yep my REAL uniform from 1996! Photo by Guerrero Photography & Takahiro Watanabe Photography

 

Part of the gang who spent the night celebrating my birthday with me! Too much fun! Photo by Guerrero Photography & Takahiro Watanabe Photography

 

LOW: Addictions Like Sugar…

Much like sugar...

I’ve always known to avoid drugs and cigarettes and watch my alcohol intake because they can all lead to dangerous addictions.
But there are some kinds of addictions that are hidden and a bit unexpected. What about the people and behaviors that are bad for us that are also dangerously addictive to us? What about the things that we know we shouldn’t do and the people we know we shouldn’t care about or be around and yet we keep doing those things and caring for those people anyway?

Sometimes people and behaviors are even more addictive than the substances simply because of the adrenaline that gets rushing in your veins and the feelings that they evoke in you. See, I think we all know that I’m a passionate person. An excitable person. Oh, who are we kidding? I have the zeal and fervor of a 5-year-old.

Very often that excitement is a good thing but other times, well, it can work against me.
Whether it be a product, an event, a person, a restaurant, a book, a new business, a song or a movie, I pour all of my enthusiasm into things I’m excited about. I love singing its praises, shouting it from the rooftops and helping this thing or person get the attention and acclaim they deserve. That’s why blogging is second nature to me.
But the problem with being a passionate and excitable person is that sometimes you pour that energy into the wrong thing.
I was on my way some place to meet someone who has taken up much more energy in my life than they have exerted into mine. I took a car there and the driver said to me, “If you don’t mind me saying so, you have a lot of adrenaline pumping. It’s like you’re on your way to jump out of a plane. Can I ask what you’re on your way to?”
That’s when it hit me. This person was a bit of a bad thing and is very much like sugar. I like sugar – I think we know that – but sugar can either be very sweet and good or very toxic and bad. See, with sugar, it’s so good with that first taste that you want more. At first, you get all wired, hyper and amped up and it feels pretty darned good. But have too much of it – or not enough – and eventually, it’s gonna make you sick.
I guess my goal is to find the balance between my enthusiasm and passion and the gray area where it goes into something a little too rich for my blood.
To learn to only give that passionate energy and love of life to things – and people – who can accept it with gratitude and perhaps even give a little bit back.
Yep, this low is just a reminder, that I’m a work in progress.
Now, go have a cupcake or something.
xoxo,
BF
BF Asks: What’s your High-Low this week?

High-Low 12/2/13: Birthday Bliss & A Boy Named Paul I Used To Know…

This week was a reminder in how precious life is, how much we should celebrate our life & health every day…and how quickly it can be taken away.

HIGH

My high would have to be my birthday on Saturday.

Midnight cake, champagne & wishes. The best birthdays always begin at midnight. And so it begins...

 

It was a day filled with friends, food and fun! It started with a morning hike at Runyon Canyon…

A morning hike at Runyon Canyon to make me feel all 36 years alive!

 

Then there was a brunch with good friends & bottomless mimosas (the perfect marriage if you ask me) at Chic Wine Bar in my hood…

First, second and third apparent rules of bdays? 1) You must brunch with good friends and, well, 2) there must be bottomless mimosas and, of course, 3) you MUST wear sequins. Yep. It's a thing.

A manicure & pedicure at Polish Couture…

Now, THIS is what I call a birthday mani

And dinner and dancing with friends at The Village Idiot followed by Fubar.

Nothin' better than dinner & dancing with friends on your birthday!

 

LOW

Low: Remembering Paul...

As I was getting ready to leave for my birthday evening out on the town, I heard about the death of Paul Walker. I knew Paul Walker. He was one of the first people I met in Los Angeles and he dated my first roommate out here for years. I hadn’t seen him or talked to him in over a decade but those memories of that first year in LA came flooding back to me. Two Texas girls in the big city of LA ready to take on the world. And there was Paul Walker…a moviestar being a frequent face in our apartment on Holt. Eating pizza with us on our red couch. So this was LA.

I remember Paul hanging things in our new apartment when we first moved in and my mom making a joke that “If that acting thing doesn’t work out, you could be a handyman.” I wanted to die. At this point, Paul had been in Varsity Blues and had The Fast and The Furious franchise going on. This “acting thing” was workin’ out just fine for him. My mom knew this and thought it was good to keep people down to earth.

But Paul didn’t need that reminder. He was a born-and-bred Cali boy with a beautiful little daughter named Meadow who used to play at our apartment. I remember starting a diet on a Sunday and him telling me to eat some chinese food because “No one starts a diet on a Sunday. Everyone knows you start on a Monday.” I remember that I would get super annoyed that he wouldn’t buy toilet paper when he was basically living with us.  I remember that he had a very cool car – and I had no idea what it was, of course – and people used to stop in front our yellow 4-plex to look at it. Cars were a passion of his. So it seems even more tragic that they led to his premature demise.

Whenever someone passes, I always say that you feel an absence whether you really knew them or not. I would never profess that Paul was a good friend or anything like that. But Paul was basically my 3rd roommate my first year in LA and I feel the loss of that memory. He was a presence in that new chapter I started in LA all those years ago and I am so sad that his story has ended much too early. My thoughts, prayers and love go out to Meadow, his family and my former roommate who loved him very much for a chapter in her life. I’m happy he was a small part of mine for the brief time he was.

xoxo,
BF

BF Asks: What was your High-Low this week? 

High-Low 10/7/13: Libra Love & Learning To Say No

 HIGH

This week was FILLED with birthday celebrations of good friends! I don’t think I realized how many of my good friends are Libras until my social calendar was spilling over with celebrations for them. Each party was beyond fun and memorable – just like the friends for whom they were thrown. And it was yet another reminder for me that I am amazingly blessed in the friend and fun departments. Happy Birthday Jose, Whitney and Jessa! Thanks for a week that was over-the-top fun!

At Jose’s Birthday at Blind Barber in Culver City…

Kisses for the captain...Captain Jose (the birthday boy), that is.

Whitney of hoopLA‘s pre-birthday celebration at the AMI Clubwear Pre-Halloween Bash at Blushington

With birthday girl Whitney Lader (center) and Jennifer Chan at the AMI Clubwear Pre-Halloween Bash at Blushington

and at Jessa & Matty’s Return To The Forest Birthday Party at a secret, undisclosed location in West Hollywood…

Happy Birthday Jessa! Best performance of "What Does The Fox Say" EVER!!!

 

May your year ahead be as magical as you are!

 

 

LOW

Keep calm...and Just Say No (Slowly, I'm learning this...)

As a double whammy of being both a people pleaser and a southerner, I am not the best at saying no to things. Cue that song – “I’m Just A Girl Who Can’t Say No”. No, wait, this post just took on a whole other meaning. Scratch that.

Anyway, sometimes this means that I tend to overextend myself when it comes to commitments. This past week, I felt like I let a pr contact down because I couldn’t meet a deadline for a story covering an event they had invited me to. In actuality, the past few months have been so busy that originally I didn’t even think I could attend the said event. But I overreached, went to the event (my third of the day) and then wasn’t able to post a story that fit within their timeline. A deadline, by the way, that I didn’t even know existed until a day before. Yikesy.

While I beat myself up over it quite a bit, I had a moment of clarity that I will carry with me. I must learn to say no. As much as I would like to, there is no possible way that I can attend every event or social engagement that I am invited to – or bake for every person’s birthday – or be everyone’s best friend every minute of every day – or give the perfect wedding gift every time. There is no way that I can meet everyone’s timeline when my own schedule is so busy. My life is full – and I am so grateful for this. So, of course, there are going to be times when I let people down.

And as someone who haaaaaates letting people down more than anything, this is a reality with which I m having to reckon. The upside? By saying “NO” to things occasionally, I can leave room for more of the things I want – and need – to say “YES” to. And that’s a lesson that’s never too late to learn…

 

xoxo,

BF

BF Asks: What was your High-Low this week? 

*So what exactly is a High-Low, you ask? High-Low is the BEST & WORST part of your day, week, month, etc. I started this tradition with friends & family after I discovered it through a movie decades ago. Not only is it useful for reflection sake but it is also an excellent way to communicate with your spouse, kids or friends over the dinner table. By introducing this tradition to folks, parents have told me that their kids have opened up more and friends have told me that their spouses have become more communicative. Try it for yourself and let me know what your experience is!

 

 

Happy 1st Birthday, BeautyFrosting!

I would be posting my High-Low of the week but I can’t think of a low to report because…

It’s BeautyFrosting’s 1st birthday!!!

 

Happy Birthday, BF!

No need to blow out the candles though, today!
I’ve already got everything I could have wished for with readers like you!

We’ll have a big celebratory giveaway later this month – when we announce the winners of our 1st annual BeautyFrosting BFF Awards! So stay tuned…

But, for now, here are some of my favorite moments in this first year of BeautyFrosting!

 

The beauty…

 

A year of beauty & pampering...THANK YOU!!!

 

The baking…

 

A year of sweetness...THANK YOU!!!!

 

The being…

 

A year of "being", a.k.a. lifestyle...THANK YOU!

 

The celebrations…

 

A year of celebrations...THANK YOU!!!

 

And the friends who make this journey oh-so-sweet!

A year of friends...THANK YOU!!!!

I am so grateful for each and every one of you who has read the blog daily, written questions to “Dear Dawn”, watched our videos, entered ourcontests, told your friends about BeautyFrosting, sent us a product to try for BeautyFrosting, followed BF on Facebook, on Twitter, on Instagram, on YouTube and for all of the praise, suggestions and support you have offered over this past year to me.

And I have LOTS more coming for you in this, our second year! Like what, you ask? How about Foodie Friday with food & restaurant reviews and A Southern Girl’s Guide to LA with spa & business recommendations.

How about that? It all starts THIS weekend! It’s just my way of saying –

THANK YOU for a SUPER SWEET 1st year!!!

THANK YOU!!!!!

Thank you from my heart to yours! xoxo, Dawn (BF)

xoxo,
BF

***Special note: Why March 12th? I chose to debut BeautyFrosting last year on what would have been my beloved Nanny, Clara Margaret Hayes’s, 99th birthday. Every year that I celebrate a birthday, I am celebrating her and all of the lovely, ladylike things she stood for and taught my mom, my aunt, my cousins and me!

I miss you every day, Nanny…

BF Asks: What was your favorite BeautyFrosting moment this year?

High-Low: A WEEK OF WONDERFUL WOMEN IN MY WORLD!

Wow, wow, wow!!! What an amazing week filled with oodles of fun with friends and wonderful women in my world!

The week started off with…The Oscars! I had a strange feeling that this might be my last opportunity to sit at home and watch (party invites, etc.) so I decided to take advantage of it. I had brunch and bottomless mimosas with my best friend, Suzanne Karotkin, who was visiting from Dallas and then came home, slipped on my favorite Jessie Steele cupcake pajamas and settled in for the evening with some Village Pizza and vino.

Super indulgent - Oscars Sunday in pjs with pizza!

 

On Monday, my amazing Mom celebrated her birthday so I did what I could from afar. I prettily packaged her favorite coconut cupcakes from Joan’s on 3rd, shipped them to her in Dallas and then posted a few collages on Facebook so she knew I was thinking of her on her special day! I have the most beautiful mother in the world and I’m lucky that I get to consider her my very best friend and talk to her usually twice a day.

More important than loving me, she taught me HOW to love.
No small task for a parent in the world we live in.
But, thanks to my Mom, my world was a sunshine-warmed home filled with love, laughter, openness, communication and fun with no shortage of hugs & kisses and secrets shared.
If I am never lucky again in my life, I was the luckiest for being born into this world having her as my mother.
We should all be so lucky and blessed.

My beautiful Mom!

 

Mom - the center of our universe.

I was thrilled to welcome my new intern, Maddi – a student at UCLA, to my BeautyFrosting team! I was so excited that I organized one of my favorite Martha Stewart notebooks for her replete with a nametag. Yep, I’m kind of a nerd! I am so excited for the energy, organization, talents, ideas and creativity she is already bringing to the BF team!

Welcome Maddi!!

I was super excited to get to be one of the first to try the all new Dermalogica UltraSmoothing Eye Serum at their flagship store in Santa Monica. It was a lovely evening of pampering, cocktails & eats and treats! Stay tuned for more details on this awesome new eye treatment!

Experiencing the Dermalogica difference in Santa Monica

And this past weekend was a weekend filled with wonderful women that I adore!! Between dinner at Frida in Beverly Hills, wine & tapas at Covell in Silverlake and brunch at Duplex on 3rd, my weekend was packed with fabulous friends!

A wonderful weekend with some of my favorite women!

Then last night, I had the pleasure of trying out the fabulous Flemings SteakHouse in Beverly Hills. As a Texan-turned-Angeleno, I had been craving a steak like nobody’s business, so when the offer to try out this sensational steakhouse presented itself, I felt like the steak gods were in my corner! More on this deliciousness later!

With fun friends At Fleming's Steakhouse in Beverly Hills

After all this, I need a vacation from my weekend!!!! While there was much delicious food this weekend and even more delicious cups of laughter and dishing than glasses of wine, I am in need of a break from all of the social activity.

However, that won’t be happening this week! Too much going on to even mention!

 

LOWS

My sweet Mom’s birthday was a little tainted by someone being selfish. That made me a little angry, shall we say, as her #1 biggest fan!

And unfortunately, there was a second low. And ohhhhhh-was it low! My beloved, sweet pup Miss Ellie has developed a barking problem since we moved into the place we live now. It has come to a head because she’s barking for hours on end when I leave. I am meeting with a dog trainer who told me that I need to crate-train and stop letting her sleep with me. That hurt. She’s 8 1/2, y’all. I actually cried when she told me that so the trainer probably thinks I need a therapist myself! But I started doing what she told me to do and I’m hoping to see gradual results soon.

I’m really feeling for all of you parents out there. I mean, if this is hard for me, I can only imagine how difficult saying no as a parent will be for me one day! Wish me luck with this little challenge!

 

Miss Ellie's new "house" - :(

 

xoxo,

BF
BF Asks: What was your High-Low this week?

High-Low 16: BIRTHDAY GIRL

If you read Friday’s post, you may have gotten the hint that I looooooooooove birthdays! I love my birthday, your birthday, friends’ birthday, kids birthdays, celebrity birthdays and even half-birthdays. My mom has always thought it is borderline unhealthy how much I love  birthdays.

Regardless, I love to celebrate life and my birthday is my ultimate life celebration on a yearly basis! So this week’s highs are all centered around my birthday. It was a magical week filled with friends, parties, surprises, fun gifts and celebration!

Here’s to this year being my best year yet and yours too!

HIGHS

1) Birthday Flowers are always the most lovely surprise!

Flowers from my brother, delivered in person, at my office:

Good job, brother!

 

2) These beautiful Haute Hostess aprons were sent as a gift and they are the cream of the crop when it comes to kitchen couture! Soooo gorgeous! I couldn’t stop staring at them!

 

Haute Hostess aprons ($350) in Rosalynn & Ashley: the BEST birthday gifts ever!

 

3) Birthday morning mimosas!

4) One of my dearest friends, and my former college roomie, Mary Beth, is the BIGGEST Hostess Donettes fan. So when I heard about Hostess going out of business, I bought the last package of powdered Donettes at the grocery store and decided, I would eat them on my birthday morning and send her a little tribute. RIP Hostess Donettes.

5) The best gift in the world is beautiful artwork from a talented friend. And when it’s a customized vision of your favorite inspiring catchphrase by Nami M. Scott? There are no words.

I was so surprised!

And DEEEELIGHTED!!!!

6) My little friend/ adopted “niece” across the street, Nora, made me the most beautiful, loving card. I especially appreciated when she said that I am “the best lovemaker”.  I just thought it was hilarious!! And so sweet! From the mouths of babes!

7) On my actual birthday, I was treated to a lovely, intimate dinner with a few girlfriends at Vinoteque (one of my favorite haunts). It was the perfect way to celebrate the night before the big party! As I often do on my birthday, I went around the table and told each friend why I love them and what I admire about them. But then they turned the tables on me! I got in back in spades. It was great fun! Love those girls!

8) I had been looking forward to hosting my Toddlers & Tiaras – redneck-themed party for a long time. So when it actually came, I was prepared. And when I say prepared, I mean I had my full Toddler pageant costume ready!

A lot of my friends were ready too:

Stay tuned for more recipes from the party – including my Go-Go Pageant Punch!

9) And then there was the cake!!! Oh, the delicious lemon raspberry cake from Hansen’s Cakes:

I loved my wish this year and I hope, hope, hope it comes true!

10) The party ended up drifting into the backyard and turned into a backyard dance party that raged til 3 am! I would also like to note that I have taken part in 3 (!!) dance parties in the past week and a half! Who says getting older means growing up?

The whole night was incredibly sweet so I, of course, had to do a few signature Toddlers & Tiaras moves:

My birthday week was AMAZING!! And I am soooo thankful and humbled by my precious friends who continue to be my greatest champions, inspirations and co-conspirators every day. Life is so fun when we have wonderful friends & family to share it with! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
And thank you, BF readers, for all of the birthday wishes and messages. They meant the world to me!

LOW

Sometimes when you’re juggling a lot, you drop the ball. And, like you, I am not one who like to drop the ball. Unfortunately, I did this week and I just hate that feeling. I missed a phone conference I was supposed to be on because I missed it on my iCal. I felt like I disappointed people I respect. Ugh. But if I’ve learned anything over the past year, it’s that you have to forgive yourself, pick up the ball and get in the game again. And that’s exactly what I did.

 

xoxo,
BF

BF Asks: What was your High-Low this week?

and

BF Asks: When was your last impromptu dance party? If it’s been a while, why don’t you change that this week and have a little dance party in your living room! With friends, your spouse, your kids or even by yourself! Just crank the tunes and have some fun!

Fragrance Friday: Annual Birthday Trish Treasures

Today is my birthday.

And every year, I wish for the same two things on my birthday:

A pony…

and a prince.

I’m kidding.
Kind of.

No, the 2 treasures that are always at the top of my list are Trish McEvoy Wild Blueberry Vanilla scented candle and Trish McEvoy No.9 Blackberry & Vanilla musk fragrance.

This year, I got both!

And I am one happy, happy, sweet-scented, smiling girl because of it.

Trish McEvoy Wild Blueberry Vanilla Scented Candle ($55)

The blueberry vanilla candle warms my heart and home with its freshly baked blueberry muffin scent. It literally smells like warm, freshly baked, homemade blueberry muffins. Don’t believe me? Try it. People will swear you’ve been baking.

Trish McEvoy No.9 Blackberry & Vanilla Musk fragrance($85)

When I dab on the No.9 Blackberry & Vanilla Musk fragrance, it hints at my personal sweetness with a dash of sass and sexiness. Can I say that about myself? Well, it’s my birthday. I just did. You can think the sassy, seductive blackberry for that.

Every year when I receive these precious gifts, I expect two things to happen:  it prepares me for the holiday season and I know I will receive compliments with people asking how I smell so sweet. Literally, people think I smell like a cupcake most of the time. Maybe they should catch me after pilates but I don’t mind having that sweet-smelling “reputation”.

Well, the truth of my sweetness (at least by scent) is Trish McEvoy.
I fell in love with makeup because of this woman and her vision and her collections never cease to introduce me to new treasures.

My first job, at 20, was working for her and I am so grateful that I had the privilege to work for, and learn from, such a classic, intelligent, business-savvy, insightful woman. I consider myself very lucky to have fallen into the beauty department at Neiman Marcus Northpark at the age of 13. While most of my friends were playing soccer, I was playing with makeup at the ultimate beauty mecca.
Thanks Trish! And thanks mom for letting me play all those years ago and for my annual birthday gifts!

 

xoxo,

BF

 

BF Asks: What’s always on your birthday wish list?

High-Low 15: CAMP THANKSGIVING

I am calling this past week, Camp Thanksgiving!
It was craaaaaaazy busy! And I felt a bit like a camp counselor, or like Julie McCoy on The Love Boat, what with planning activities for the week for my brother and friends and me!
I had at least one event/activity every night and I will probably be catching up on sleep all week.

And this next week is my birthday week (the big day is on November 30th) so I have no time to get sick or exhausted!

Without further ado, here is High-Low 15!

HIGHS

 

1) A fashion illustration by the talented fashion artist/illustrator, Bee, at the J.Crew & Vogue party. I can’t wait to frame this piece!

 

 

2) My big brother came into town for Thanksgiving. It’s always so fun when he’s here! But, I swear, if he lived here year-round, I would never get ANYTHING done!

 

3) The most epic Thanksgiving ever with good friends. My most memorable to date. In my friend Sarah’s backyard with lots of candlelight, wine, games, laughter and a full-on dance party. I kept saying that I felt like we were in some winery commercial. So fun! We were up til 4:30!

4) All of the baking fun that comes with Thanksgiving!!

One of my friends said that this was the best pie he’d ever tasted!

Moonshine Pie (the recipe will be up on Friday):

Cowboy Corn Casserole:

Farmhouse Green Bean Casserole:

Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits:

Pumpkin Cherry & Pumpkin Cranberry cupcakes:

And speaking of cupcakes, check out this southern church social/cakewalk spread. Utterly delightful & delicious!

5) The Counting Crows at The Wiltern with friends. Between staying up late, sleeping til noon and catching these guys, I was pretty sure I must have travelled back to 1997 in a time machine.

Such an amazing week and what a sweet way to see this year come to a close for me!

LOWS

Ahhhh, the lows. We have to have a good dose of those with the highs, now don’t we?

This week, I have three. Booooooo.

First of all, I’d like to address my sadistic curling iron: “Listen, honey, if we’re gonna be friends, you’re gonna have to stop burning me. Ouch! ” This is the second time that’s been a low in my life.

I had a miscommunication with a good friend and that pains me even more than the burn did. I feel miserable about it and my heart hurts. That’s when you know a friend is a good one – when you hurt because you may have hurt them. I hope it clears itself up soon. I hope.

And, lastly, as you guys know, I am a little on the Pollyanna side.
Okay, A LOT.
So when people bring out the hate, I am always shocked, appalled and – to be honest – a little amused. Last Friday, my dear friend – a talented blogger, writer, artist, photographer and social media expert was attacked on her personal wall on Facebook…by a “friend”. When will the unhappy & unfulfilled stop projecting their own self-hate onto other people who dare to stick their necks out creatively? Go into therapy, read a self-help book but don’t let the hate win, folks. Life is too short.

 

xoxo,
BF

BF Asks: What was your High-Low this week? 

Dear Dawn: Dry & Red Skin & Another Birthday on the Horizon – Help!

Dear Dawn,

I am about to turn another year older and I am tired of my skin care regimen. I have lots of red in my skin and it seems to be so dry. Any suggestions, BF?

Shelby P & her little beauty

 

Dear Shelby P,

Yes! Well, judging from the precious pic above, it looks like you have your hands full with that little beauty of yours! Which, I imagine, makes your own beauty routine take a backseat many a night.

DD to the rescue! Maybe that’s a little dramatic. I’m no superhero but I think, in this case, I can be of some help. The first thing you need to know, and have faith in, is that there is a solution. We just have to find the perfect recipe that works for your skin.

I have both clients and friends who have had this EXACT concern. They are affected by weather changes, climate changes, foods, wines, stress – by a lot.

My first suggestion is a biggie: try sleeping with your head elevated on 2 pillows. This is a must for skin conditions such as redness, rosacea and puffiness.

My second suggestion is to limit alcohol, excessive caffeine, highly acidic fruits and chocolate.

My third suggestion is to take supplements. Many people, including yours truly find them super helpful. I would suggest Krill oil and an mega-acidophilus supplement, such as Natren Healthy Trinity. Many times taking these produce almost immediate results!

Now that that’s out of the way, on to the fun stuff. THE PRODUCTS!!!!

Many people have found relief with Clinique Redness Solutions. If you haven’t tried that yet, start there. You can get a Clinique Redness Solutions kit, to try it all in one fell swoop (the soothing cleanser, relief cream and SPF 15 protective base), for only $39.50 at Sephora. Click this link to buy: Clinique Redness Solutions Kit.

Clinique Redness Solutions Kit $39.50

Clinique still reigns supreme as head redness fighter in the beauty world simply because it works for so many people and sells for such a reasonable price point.

If you have already tried that, here are some ingredients that I would use to bake up your perfect skincare recipe:

Skincare Recipe for Shelby P:

Morning:
Do not wash face.
If you shower, splash with lukewarm or cool water. No scrubbing. Pat dry.

Apply oil ( try Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil – buy it for $10.34 by clicking on this link).

Sibu Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil

Apply serum (Patricia Wexler M.D. Dermatology MMPi.20 Skin Regenerating Serum – buy for $55 by clicking on this link). Bonus? This doubles as a beautiful slip of a makeup/sunscreen primer!

Wexler MMPI.20 Skin Regenerating Serum

Wexler MMPI.20 Skin Regenerating Serum

Apply SPF cream (Clinique Protective Base SPF 15 or Avene Redness SPF 25 $33)

 

Night:

Wash face with gentle cleanser like Clinique Redness Solutions Soothing Cleanser, Eucerin Soothing Cleanser Redness Relief (which is $7.55 on this Amazon link) or Avene Gentle Cleanser for Intolerant Skin (buy it for $22 and receive samples by clicking on this link to Beauty Collection).

Avene Gentle Cleanser for Intolerant Skin at Beauty Collection

Apply oil (again, Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil)

Apply anti-aging serum (like Patricia Wexler M.D. Dermatology MMPi.20 Skin Regenerating Serum) which is amazing for sensitive skin like yours and mine. And it feels deeeeeluxe and deeeeelish!

Apply eye cream of choice (if you don’t have one, ask me!).

Apply rich moisturizer like: Clinique Repair Cream, Eucerin Redness Relief Soothing Night Cream ($11.94 on this Amazon link) or Avene Cream for Intolerant Skin.

*Note:

I’ve also been a big fan of Creme de La Mer for 16 years. So if you are needing a solution, try a sample and see if it’s an option for your skin type.

DDF Redness Relief is another treatment clients have loved.

DDF Redness Relief

Think of the oil and serum as your anti-aging ingredients and the moisturizers and cleansers as your soothing treatments for redness.

In terms of concealing the redness, this is my philosophy: don’t try to cover up all the time. Leave your skin plenty of time to breathe, be treated with the above ingredients and heal.
So while you’re trying this new skincare recipe, I would recommend using concealing makeup only when totally necessary. When you do, try the Allure 2011 Best of Beauty Winner, Clinique Redness Solutions Instant Relief Mineral Powder $32.50.

The pale yellow powder neutralizes the redness rather than just covering it up. I am not a big fan of mineral makeup all the time – quite the contrary, actually- but when it comes to dependable concealing, it is hard to beat.

Clinique Redness Solutions Instant Relief Mineral Powder $32.50

Shelby P, please let me know what ingredients work as we try these products to find your perfect skincare recipe! I can’t wait to hear back in a week or so!
Cheers to beautiful, younger-looking, less pink skin and a more PINK LIFE!!
xoxo,
Dawn/BF
BF Asks: What is your skincare concern?
*Originally published 3/19/12