fall foil-ayge + other trends.

Head, shoulders, knees and toes. Four areas you have to keep your eye on as the season changes here in Boston. While there are reports that we have a mild winter ahead, it's never too early to start taking care of your strands and skin as Nor'easters, snowholes and windchill camp out on our meteorological horizon.

care about your hair.

care about your hair.

HAIR | Every 8-10 weeks or so I book myself a chair at Blondie Salon in Waltham. My stylist Lauren who has been a friend since I was small, is so brilliant with hair that it's hair for me to remember what I even did with my locks before I went to her. The past few visits, Lauren and I have had fun with the hand-painted technique known as balayage wherein she colors my strands in a strategic pattern so that the highlight looks more natural and beautifully grown-out. I have found this to be really easy to maintain and really fun to style as the color seems to melt flawlessly into plaits just as well as it lays flat.

that feeling when you ace the "no make-up look"... // credit: Ali Campbell for Dos Manos

that feeling when you ace the "no make-up look"... // credit: Ali Campbell for Dos Manos

FACE | Last year my favorite beauty find was micellar water, a light oil and water solution that works as a triple threat to cleanse, remove make-up, dirt and other impurities in addition to moisturizing. Any esthetician I've ever had has told me that I tend to have drier skin which can lead to skin tightness, fine lines or discoloration. With harsh wind and dry air added to my equation of long days at the office in make-up for 9+ hours a day, micellar water is a "must" for a freshness you can depend on to treat your skin right.

SPF + moisturizer = the secret to great skin.

SPF + moisturizer = the secret to great skin.

SKIN | There's not a day where I don't shower and immediately slather myself in lotion. While not a habit specific to any one season, I swear by this routine to maintain soft skin all year round. My go-to for a quick glow is Jergens Gradual Tan for medium to dark skin and if I want to kick the moisture up a notch I use Jergens West Skin before I even step out of the bathroom. Trapping moisture is the key to getting healthy skin and when it comes to elbows, knees and other nooks and crannies, I declare myself a scale-free zone.

off-duty style, on-duty nails.

off-duty style, on-duty nails.

NAILS | Call it what you will but ever since I made my first friend on my 2016 Birthright trip, I have been hooked on gel manicures to satisfy the goal of self-care and hand health. Serving as a form of self-expression, I credit gel manicures at Town's Nails on Charles Street for always making me feel dressed up on the coziest and comfiest of days. In between appointments I make sure my cuticles and nail bed are supported by ultra-hydrating lotions which is easy to do right after (and whenever) I wash my hands and right before bed. 

sweat or stretch it out.

sweat or stretch it out.

WELLNESS | Whether it's barre or yoga or just journaling by the light of your essential oil diffuser, I challenge you to find one way to de-stress this season. The last few months have given me the gentle push I have needed to do this for myself and it has made all the difference. The end of the year can be a trying time when it comes to deadlines, paying bills, booking up social calendars and making travel arrangements, but if you find one way to help yourself slow down, you'll avoid all that holiday stress or at least have a concrete strategy to cope when the time comes.

locally sourced, produced, paraben-free and not tested on animals? sign me up!

locally sourced, produced, paraben-free and not tested on animals? sign me up!

beauty, health & beautyVanessa Gatlinhead, shoulders, knees, toes, season, Boston, mild, winter, care, skinComment