Love.These.Products -- FALL

Head to toe -- my favorite beauty products for this time of year. And yes, it has to be for THIS time of year because beauty needs change with the seasons. During the summer, it's all about tanning. Fall it's about dealing with a fading tan! Winter, dry skin rules the moment. And spring brings exfoliation of all that dry skin. So here's some quick thoughts on what my favorite products are for THIS time of year!

And yes -- I have let my tan fade because I ASSUMED it was going to be cooler outside. But no! So instead of going out there and trying to catch rays or running off to the tanning bed, I actually love this stuff:

I grew up a sun-bunny and using a self-tanner never appealed to me at all. They stink, they streak, and why bother when you go get the real thing? Well, there's skin cancer, wrinkles, blistering...you name it. The sun is rich in Vitamin D but the skin can only take so much before it reacts! I try to balance it out as I get older because of A) being a cancer survivor and B) my skin is showing signs of sun damage. So this product is an excellent solution if you want to stay golden, but not overdo it. Right now I might just use some on my legs because it still appears to be shorts weather, even though it's October! This Jergens Natural Glow doesn't stink, it doesn't streak, and it's a perfect solution. For me it just deepens the tan I already have.

Another must-have for the fall is good product for your hair -- it's getting a little windier and there's a lot of goop blowing around that you can't see. In our area we get these little blue gnats that will literally swarm around you. I get covered in them when I run or walk Biscuit. Since blowing dust, dying leaf debris, bugs, etc. are problematic if you're outside, I have found that using a product that actually dirties up your hair can be helpful! A good example of this is the fact that it's been proven in lice outbreaks that they seem to gravitate to cleaner hair than dirty hair! If you want clean hair but want it to have that texture without a greasy gel or natural oily buildup (eewwww) , try this (believe me, I've tried them all)

This is especially great for short, textured hair cuts. I wouldn't use a product like this when my hair was longer and the curls were flowing -- that's another blog post altogether. But for the short cuts with a lot of layers on top, this is a fantastic product for showing separation of the layers, roots, and also providing a protective, waxy coating against flying creatures and blowing air particles that the fall brings! 

Finally, let's talk about FEET! Women want to pretend we don't care about our feet but we do. Otherwise they'd look like our husband's big old dry feet. I have a real obsession with having pretty feet. This time of year brings its own challenges because we start transitioning from the freedom an airiness of flip flops and sandals to boots and loafers and socks. So here's my routine:

1. In the shower, get a good exfoliating tool and scrub away! I have sensitive skin and so I used a synthetic pumice stone like this. Put some shower gel or an exfoliating liquid soap on it and works great!

2.  Use a tool that has a brush and smoother on it as well. I like this one. It has the black file side that actually polishes the skin after you exfoliate to make it smoother and not rough. Plus the brush part gets into the nails and between the toes! Very important if you want pretty feet.

3. Once I'm out, I take some olive oil or a cuticle oil and rub it around my nail beds and the tips of my toes. If you have ever had a pedi you know that cuticle oil is a key to not only softening the nail area, but also giving the appearance of soft, smooth skin. My favorite product is this Vitamin E oil I've used for years, and if I am out I grab the olive oil! But this Sally Hanson product is my first choice. NOTE: Avoid this step if you are going to be bundling up in heavy socks and shoes for several hours. Just let your toes be dry for awhile because too much moisture can cause icky fungus growth!

4. Finally, the last item on my checklist is the thin coat of natural gel that doesn't feel sticky or cause moisture. I love this stuff. It goes on smooth and yet doesn't feel like you have it one at all. This is VERY important to note again -- do NOT put this around your nail beds if you're going to be in heavy socks and shoes for a long time. Use only on the bottoms of your feet. Too many women have found out the hard way that all that synthetic moisture on your toenails for too long under heavy socks can cause gross nail fungus problems.

No polish? No problem -- these are perfect, soft little feet :-)