A Beauty Secret from Paris

Generally, when we think of establishing a proper skincare routine our minds turn to thoughts of which facial moisturizer, eye cream, and serum are best to use on our skin during the day and at night. But, what about our bodies? American women, especially, tend to overlook the importance of maintaining healthy, radiant skin all over, particularly in the winter time. It is possible that with our fast-paced, high-stress lifestyles, many of us get too busy to focus on the skin that others won't see. Or perhaps, we fall prey to the fallacy that aging only affects the skin on the face. Whatever the case may be, it is interesting to think about the cultural differences that exist in the way American women and European women treat their skin. French women, for example, tend to be more conscious of their skin in its entirety, and treat it all year round.

One product that has been popular among French women is LIERAC Paris' Bust Lift Crème Modelage. This potent cream not only helps to restructure the shape of the bust, but also works to diminish brown spots around the décolleté area, resulting in an overall more youthful appearance.

Let's take a look at the ingredients in this product that make it so effective:

Hazelnut - Oligopeptides with in the hazelnut have potent anti-slackening properties. They work to promote collagen synthesis, stimulating the growth of fibroblasts and collagen for smoother, firmer skin.

Japanese Mandarin - The extract of the Japanese Mandarin targets brown spots, helping to brighten and clarify skin pigmentation. Its properties are extremely hydrating and moisturizing as well.

Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) - Found naturally in citrus fruits and sugar cane, AHAs moisturize, exfoliate, even out and renew skin tone, and help fight wrinkles. They help treat photo-damage and hyperpigmentation at the medical level.

LIERAC Paris Bust Lift Crème Modelage

Bust Lift Crème Modelage can be found in select Derma Skin centers, CVS/pharmacy locations, and Duane Reade Look Boutiques in NYC.

Weigh in: Do you regularly focus on treating the skin on your body? If so, what is your daily regimen?

The Power of Antarcticine for Dry, Cracked Hands

The Power of Antarcticine:

What is Antarcticine? This bacterial-derived glycoprotein is found isolated in the glaciers near King George Island and South Shetland Island in the Antarctic Sea. It is composed of 86% protein and 14% sugar and allows bacteria to survive under extremely cold temperatures which help to maintain the skin's integrity. Amazingly, Antarcticine can retain water and prevent its transformation into ice, even at temperatures as low as -20 C (-4 F). It has the ability to lock-in moisture while also providing age-defense properties to stimulate collagen and elastin levels. This powerful ingredient is found in Repair Mains hand cream, and effective anti-aging winter hand treatment.

Repair Mains also has a 15% protective and hydrating mixture of urea, petroleum, shea butter, and Vitamin A, to help keep skin moisturized and nourished deep-down. This synergy also reduces the appearance of redness and irritation. A nail-strengthening composition of castor oil and Pro-Vitamin B stimulates nail growth and hardens the area around the nail bed.




Hands are delicate; the skin is thinner here than on other parts of the body, making it all the more vulnerable to harsh conditions. Few oil glands exist on the backs of the hands (none on the palms!) which leads to the quick evaporation of any existing moisture. What's worse, cold leads to constriction of the blood vessels and, in turn, redness and chapping.

Weigh in: How have you been fighting dry hands this winter? Have you tried Repair Mains? Thoughts?

LED Light Therapy - Insider Tips from Dr. David Goldberg

Considering LED light therapy to get rid of your wrinkles? Well, Dermatologist Dr. Goldberg (who gets it done himself!) explains that LEDs won't get rid of anything - what they do is stimulate the growth of new collagen, which promotes hydration and more youthful-looking skin! The collagen continues to multiply for months after the treatment with long-lasting results, and the procedure is completely painless. Just beware of take-home LED devices - the strength of the LED light is rarely strong enough to have any effect!

Check out Dr. Goldberg's site for more details, and watch the video below!

DIY ornaments, accessories, cooking & home remedies with Lierac Paris

With the craziness of the holidays and the cold creeping up on us, we’re all in need of a luxury “me” day – at least I know I am! And what better way to relax and get into the holiday spirit than with an at-home spa and DIY day? I spent this past weekend pampering myself and creating a Christmassy wonderland in my apartment – almost all from scratch!

There’s nothing like a few wintery touches around your home to set the tone for the holidays. These are my two favorite (and easy!) DIY decoration tips:

I’ve made dried orange slices for the holidays with my mom ever since I can remember – they are great to hang on a tree or in a window – and as an added bonus, they make the house smell delicious while baking! Here’s what you need to do:

1. Slice the orange(s) into very thin slices, horizontally.
2. Bake in the oven at low heat for 1-2 hours
3. When they have dried and cooled, make a hole near the outer edge and thread onto a pretty ribbon – I usually go for thin gold and glittery ribbon (like this one), but different colors look great too! You can also use wire or fishing line.

Take a look at this website I found for more tips on drying orange slices!
Photo credit: Diane Rixon.

This is another favorite of mine. Go for a walk in the park and pick up some pine cones and leaves – I like picking out all different sizes. Then buy a can or two of spray paint – gold and silver are my favorites, red also looks great! Et voilà! Easy peazy tree ornament, centerpiece, side table decoration – anything you want!

Photo credit: Style Estate


As I was in a crafty mood, I decided to check out this great DIY website, P.S. - I made this… – she makes the greatest accessories and clothes from scratch, and I found some great ideas for holiday accessories! Here were my two favorite:


Revive a pair of old pumps with a bow – all you need is fabric or ribbon, a glue gun, scissors, and Velcro!
Click here for the step-by-step.





A pair of rhinestone earrings! All you need is earring wire, rope, a glue gun, and rhinestones!
Click here for instructions!



With these 2 accessories, you’re ready for all the holiday parties you’re invited to! And the best part? You’ll be asked where you bought your shoes :)

For those of you who prefer to exercise your creativity in the kitchen, here is one of my favorite Christmas traditions: La Bûche de Noël (Yule Log) is a staple for French families during the holidays. The symbolism of the Bûche de Noël dates back to the Middle Ages when families would find a thick log that would be burned on Christmas Eve, and was meant to burn until the new year. The burning of the log on Christmas Eve was accompanied a small ceremony, and the log was decorated with ribbons.

Nowadays, la Bûche de Noël is a spongecake generally filled with chocolate buttercream, and decorated to look like a real log with meringue mushrooms, powdered sugar to look like snow, and sometimes little figurines like Santa, elves, or an axe. I found 2 recipes that I liked the look of, but you can customize your Yule Log according to taste!
Good Housekeeping recipe
Martha Stewart recipe

Photo from Betty Crocker

Finally, the best way to end a day that included a walk in the cold, arts & crafts, and baking, is with an at-home spa night using my favorite Lierac products!

Large Pores: Can You Blame the City?

One of the issues brought up at the LIERAC/NewBeauty panel event a few months ago was that of enlarged pores...and what to do about them! An attendee wanted to know if she could attribute the increase in her pore size to the polluted air of NYC. The bottom line? Dr. Goldberg says it's not the case. So, what can we do to shrink the size of our pores?

The experts weighed in, and the concensus was that a proper skincare routine, including, regular exfoliation, is key. Catherine Raubiet explained that there are two main types of exfoliation that can help the complexion - mechanical and chemical. Mechanical exfoliation includes small beads or crystals and the actual rubbing of the skin with our fingers. Chemical exfoliation, on the other hand, uses acids (such as glycolic acid) to peel away the layers of dead skin cells. Dr. Goldberg added, as well, that there are now lasers available that directly act to shrink the oil glands, thereby making pores appear smaller.

Watch the discussion below!

Weigh in: do you exfoliate regularly?

5 Steps to a Royal Glow: Get Kate Middleton's Skin Now!

Photo Credit: Daily Mail

It's official: Prince William and Kate Middleton are soon to be husband and wife (on April 29th!). This exciting news has us thinking about Kate's fresh-faced beauty and how her healthy glow could be achieved by us all. Want to know how we think you could get her flawless complexion? Read on!

1. Use High Peel Concentrate to help gently peel away dead skin cells. The formula uses time-released Hydroxy-Acids that help to fight damage while leaving the skin healthy, hydrated, and smooth.

2. Moisturize with Crème Mésolift Anti-Aging Radiance Cream. Rich in vitamins A, C, E, B5, and B6, minerals, Hyaluronic Acid, and citrus AHAs, this product helps to boost the radiance of the complexion, energizing, smoothing and toning the skin.

3. Exfoliate with Micro-Abrasion Exfoliating Smoothing Cream. Micro-Abrasion uses alumina crystals to exfoliate the skin deep-down, removing dead cell debris and aiding in cell turnover.

4. Treat your lips and the surrounding area with Cohérence Lèvres Age-Defense Lip Cream. This lip treatment is formulated with ASC III Collagen Accelerating Vectors that stimulate collagen production, filling in lines or wrinkles.

5. Make sure to get enough sleep each night and stay hydrated throughout the day. At night, while we're sleeping, our skin experiences the greatest degree of cell turnover, which helps to keep our complexions looking fresh. Make sure to listen when you're told to get your "beauty sleep!" It is also important to drink lots of water throughout the day. When we drink water, we work to ward off any surface dehydration, which could leave the skin looking dull.

Weigh in: what do you think of Kate's effortless beauty?

We can't wait to see which designer's dress she wears on the big day! Regardless, she'll look great, no doubt!

Your Questions About Hyperpigmentation, Answered

In this week's video, Dr. Goldberg explains that there are different types of hyperpigmentation, and different types of bleaching agents... You just have to find what is right for you!