E. writes:

Hi Nadine,

First of all, I just want to say how much I LOVE reading your blog! You have such a great way of writing that is so funny and enjoyable…plus very informative :)

I need your help in finding a good moisturizer! I live in Wisconsin and right now it is -20 degrees outside (yikes!) and my skin is not behaving. It doesn’t matter how many times I layer on moisturizer, as soon as I put foundation on (looove bare minerals thanks to you!) my skin instantly becomes flaky and peely.

I have tried several different drugstore brands but none of them seem to work. I once even tried my Grandma’s Ponds cold cream but that was just greasy :/ If you could point me in the right direction I would be so grateful! I don’t mind spending more $$ on it but sadly, can probably not afford Kinerase, Creme de la Mer, etc. Thanks so much!

Hi. E!

Thanks so much – I really appreciate it and am very happy to hear that you enjoy the blog!

I think you need to attack the problem two-fold: first, by exfoliating with an enzyme peel, and secondly by moisturizing with something extremely emollient.

Have you tried Kiehl’s? You could use the Pineapple Papaya Facial Scrub (an old favorite!), followed by Ultra Facial Cream, which I suspect would work wonders on your skin. (Barring that, if you’re looking for something cheapter, plain ol’ Cetaphil might work, although you might have already tried that.)

Kiehl’s gives out free samples, so try getting a sample of the Ultra Facial Cream from your local department store or Kiehl’s boutique, use for a week, and then see if your skin seems to like it. If it does, you might consider splurging on the new Ultra Facial Cream Kit ($24.50), which features the Ultra Facial Cream, plus Ultra Facial Cleanser and exfoliating/balancing Ultra Facial Toner.

Whatever products you choose, remember that dry skin in a harsh climate needs extra TLC:

- Use lukewarm, not hot, water;

- Apply moisturizer while skin is still damp to seal in moisture;

- Ttry using a humidifier for extra hydration;

- Even though it’s winter, don’t forget your sunscreen!

xoxo, Nadine

Kristen Stewart’s on the cover of the February issue of Vogue, with hair styled by Oribe. (You know who Oribe is, right? He works out of Miami, does Jennifer Lopez’s hair, and famously charges, like, a billion dollars per haircut.)

Anyhow, his peeps just sent me a breakdown of K.Stew’s cover look, so I’m sharing with you!

How to get Kristen Stewart’s Vogue cover look:

- Spray the hair, section by section, with Oribe Volumista Mist for Volume. Blow-dry with a round brush for added volume and movement.

- Mist Oribe Soft Lacquer Heat Styling Spray on the hair, spraying one section at a time to prevent frizz and lock in softness and shine. Use a large 1.5 inch curling iron to curl the whole head.

- Brush out the curls.

- Set the look with hair spray like Oribe Superfine hair spray.

E. writes:

Hi Nadine,
I’m a big fan of the books and the blogs. I have two questions. I finally got nice makeup brushes from Bare Escentuals, but I was wondering how often and how I should clean them so I don’t ruin them. Also I use Bare Minerals foundation and I used to use fair but noticed that I looked really pale in pictures.  I went up one color and it looked good during the summer, but now it seems to make me look yellow, so I went back to the lighter shade. Do people often need a different shade for winter and summer?  Thanks so much.

Hi E,
Unless you are incredibly vigilant about sunscreen and live in a climate with the same amount of sun year-round, most women will need two different shades of foundation depending on the season! It’s for that very reason that the Bare Escentuals starter kit include 2 shades. Make sure you’re using SPF 30 sunscreen in the summer, so that your skin tone doesn’t get too much darker from sun damage…but it’s natural and reasonable that you’ll get a little extra color here and there, and will therefore need a slightly darker shade to blend into your skin.

As far as cleaning your brushes, I recommend soft cleaning them on a daily basis with a product like MAC brush cleanser  (sprinkle a little on top of the brushes, and then stroke the brush back and forth across a washcloth, tissue or paper towel before rinsing clean).  Meanwhile, deep clean them every other week using baby shampoo (lather up the brush with the shampoo and swirl it in the palm of your hand, rinsing several times until the water runs clean). (more…)

J writes:

Hi Nadine!  I have been following your blog for a while now and I absolutely love it!. I’m 22 years old and I have very oily/acne-prone skin and lately I have been concerned about the dark circles and crows feet under my eyes. I know I might be a little young but I want to start using a good product as of now to try to avoid possible wrinkling. I am on a student budget, which also makes it tough- since most of the good eye creams I hear about cost over $100 for a small jar. I would appreciate any recommendations you might have!

Thanks for your email, J.!  I must be honest – I think eye creams are mostly marketing bogus.  Some will temporarily plump the skin, to create the illusion of helping wrinkles…but they’re not actually doing anything. Eye creams can be effective for puffiness…but again, it’s a temporary thing, and a slice of cucumber or a chilled spoon will produce the same effect.

There are plenty of women who disagree with me, and I do agree that putting *something* on your eyes helps…but it doesn’t necessarily need to be different than what you use everywhere else on your face.
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Maybe the title of this post should read, “Why in the world would I want to wear green eyeshadow?”  The hesitation is understandable–green is trendy, it feels young, and it doesn’t exactly go hand-in-hand with quiet sophistication.  Would Audrey Hepburn wear green?  Methinks not!

However!  Take it from ol’ Jolie: a few swipes of green in the right places will liven, brighten and freshen up your face, without making you look garish or silly.  It’s an easy way to have a little fun with your makeup, especially when your clothes, for whatever reason, are on the more conservative side.  I created this look for a friend who needed to wear a basic black dress, but still wanted her makeup to pop.

Let’s do this thing!

Step 1: Create a smokey base
Green goes best with a slightly more dramatic eye.  Keeping your makeup dead simple and then adding, say, a random ka-boom! of green all over your lids will only accentuate the fact that you are dipping into the Crayola.  By sliding green into an already sexy eye, you’ll actually get away with the unexpected color more easily.  I’m a fan of the smokey eye combo of bronze plus rusty brown.  (There really is no wrong with it comes to smokey–experiment and see what works for you.)

Step 2: Line your eyes in black, brown or grey
Create an anchor with your eyeliner.  We’ll be adding the green later. Stay as close to the lash line as possible, using a well-sharpened pencil, or a brush dipped into either powder or gel liner.  Avoid liquid liner; it will steal the show.

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