Years ago at a Bobbi Brown press event, Bobbi told us she considered a colorful scarf akin to makeup—that loosely wrapping pink or coral cloth around your neck was as face-brightening as blush. I agree and have relied on vibrant scarves on a number of occasions to make me look well-rested and pulled together when I felt neither. This week, I discovered another easy, instant, and uber-chic way to polish up my act stat: a vivid Evie Marques “The Jane” necklace. (Even better, unlike a scarf, it won’t exacerbate a heat flash. Hah.)

I’ve written before about my approach to greener, cleaner beauty: I aim to lessen my so-called chemical burden by slotting in formulas free of questionable ingredients when I can without compromising on performance. For me, this means natural deodorant (Schmidts), physical sunblock (Drunk Elephant), lipsticks (Kosas) and simple cleansing balms (Naturapathica, Emma Hardie, GOOP). What I won’t give up: self-tanner, Retin-A, most hair products, and traditional Eau de Parfum.

I’ve found a fail-safe gift idea for your best friend, your sister, your daughter…or yourself.

I was at Book Club last week, and we got on the topic of bike racing. (I don’t ride bikes that aren’t stationery—this was someone’s else’s pursuit.) But one woman asked, in all seriousness, “When you compete in something that intense, it’s challenge after challenge after challenge: Hey there’s a steep hill, whoah now we’ve got rough, bumpy terrain, yikes here’s a hairpin turn. But where’s the joy? You’re riding a bike for hours at a time, yet you never coast and just take in the view.”

I’ve been wearing Essie’s Stop, Drop and Shop non-stop for two weeks now: It’s a surprisingly neutral deep rose that’s part of Essie’s Fall Collection—but doesn’t look out of place on September days that still feel like summer. (Note: Essie calls it “mulberry red” but I think it’s more dark, velvety pink.)

If you’re a regular reader, you know I’m a fan of purple shampoos to combat unwanted yellow tones in my (salon-blonded) hair. I thought I’d tried pretty much every purple haircare option out there. Then I discovered this.

As part of a regular series, I’ll be asking inspiring, in-the-know women to share their best tips and favorite products. The point? As always, to find out what works. Today's beauty insider: Barbara Close, Founder and CEO of Naturopathica

Last June I went on a press trip to Calistoga, California hosted by Perricone M.D., the wellness brand launched twenty years ago by Nicholas Perricone, M.D.. You know him: He’s the dermatologist whose bestselling book The Wrinkle Cure first introduced us to the skin-aging impact of inflammation—and he’s the guy who got us all eating salmon.

We’ve been renovating our house since last September, and it’s been stressful. Yes, I know this is a privileged, first-world “problem.” And I’m grateful that we have the means to improve our home—I'm hopeful that it will be a wonderful place to live. (So #blessed, etc.) But this doesn’t change the fact that living through construction = elevated cortisol levels. The dust. The drilling. The nonstop country music. (I like Luke Bryan, just not when I’m on deadline.) 

If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you know I’ve been a Lash Boost user for nearly two years. And while I’m pleased with the lash length I’ve achieved, my eye fringe has never gotten super full.

Women often ask me which noninvasive treatments are “worth it.” And I almost always respond...depends on what you want to tackle: Wrinkles? Botox. Sun spots? IPL—or a pigment-targeting laser. Slack skin? Strategically-placed filler. The point? In-office treatments are typically not one-service-fits-all. With one exception: the HydraFacial

This post is the third in a series on weaning myself off my blowdryer—and learning to like my natural waves. The first post tackled the importance of moisture, the second explained how to make a product cocktail to coax beachy waves, and this installment is all about what to do when you wake up the day after you’ve shampooed and styled…and your hair looks like an SOS pad.

I’ve written before about why I believe everyone 40+ should whiten her teeth at least once a year—and I shared some of my favorite express whitening options. However, speedy options typically don’t come without some compromises: They may not get you quite as white as formulas that take one to two weeks to work. And they can increase teeth-sensitivity because of the accelerated whitening process.  

Earlier this month, I started a series outlining how I care for my wavy hair. As someone who has regularly straightened her hair for years (most of my adult life), learning to style my waves (and actually liking the way they looked) has taken time—like a year and counting. For a longtime beauty editor, it’s been a surprisingly steep learning curve. Thus, I decided to share the tricks and best products I’ve discovered along the way in hopes it will help those of you trying (or tempted) to go au naturel too.

Today in Ann Arbor, it’s sunny, 93 degrees and feels like mid-July. To me, this signals it’s time to start spritzing Bobbi Brown Beach again—and indulging in these warm-weather finds: