September 2007 Beauty Q&A

1. I need a scent for the fall—one that’s warmer and sexier than the breezy, light fragrance I wore this summer. Do you have any suggestions?

A lot of ladies forget about changing their fragrances as the season shifts. During the summer you may opt to choose a lighter, subtler scent, and in the fall you should go with a warmer, more dramatic choice. My favorite pick for the fall is Victoria Secret’s Sexy Little Things Eau De Parfum Spray ($39, victoriassecret.com). This fruity, floral scent—with notes of apple, water lily, honeysuckle, and cashmere woods—will make you feel instantly sexier. If you don’t buy it for the fragrance itself, then buy it for the box, which actually whistles at you when you open it. If that’s not enough to make you buy it I don’t know what is.

2. HELP!!! My hair is completely damaged from a summer at the beach. What products will bring life back into my dry frizzled hair?

If you spent the summer neglecting and damaging your hair, now is the perfect time to start conditioning and re-hydrating your stressed-out locs. You want to make sure you spend the fall trying to protect and strengthen hair before you move into winter’s harsh winds and ultra-drying indoor heat. Try Garnier Fructis Fortifying Shampoo and Conditioner For Dry or Damaged Hair ($3.99, drugstores nationwide). This shampoo and conditioner combo uses reinforced active fruit concentrate to work deep within hair, and strengthens and smoothes every strand on the surface. Another good choice is Aveda’s Cherry Almond Bark Conditioning Treatment ($24.99, aveda.com). This deep conditioning detangler and moisturizer is great on coarse to medium hair, and leaves your damaged tresses smooth, shinny and rehydrated.

3. As my summer tan wears off, my dark spots and heavy bags tend to be more prominent. What products can I use to help hide these imperfections during the transition?

Sun-kissed skin is great for hiding imperfections during the summer, but not so much during winter. Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Double Face Perfector ($8.49, drugstores nationwide) conceals and highlights to provide you with a luminous and flawless complexion. One end of the perfector is a concealer that covers adult imperfections without settling into fine lines. The highlighter function uses light reflectors to brighten under eye darkness. Another great product is Bourjois Paris Pen Corrector ($15, sephora.com). This amazing concealer comes in a chic zebra stripped pen case and conceals small imperfections with a lightweight formula. Plus it is enhances with a drying agent to help reduce blemishes as it conceals.

4. I am starting a new job in the fall. What products can I use in the morning to quickly get ready but still look polished?

When working in a professional environment you definitely want to keep your makeup subtle yet well put together; like you’ve spent time getting ready, but not take all morning doing so. It’s a fine line to walk. I suggest buying products that come with as many options as possible, this way you have everything at hand and don’t have to spend time looking for your favorite shades in your makeup bag. Makeup palettes usually have shades that compliment each other. One of the hottest new eye shadow palettes for fall is Bobbi Brown Stonewashed Nudes ($52, bobbibrown.com). These nine shadows are completely wearable and give you enough options so you’ll never be bored with your look. Plus it comes with a dual end eye shadow brush and mirror. Also try Tarte Ready To Wear Palette that comes with every product you need to complete your makeup look in the morning ($44, tartecosmetics.com). It really doesn’t get any easier then this beautiful kit. It’s sure to make your morning routine a breeze.