I don’t know why, but sometimes it requires Herculean effort for me to complete the simplest of tasks.

It might take me 3 weeks to mail a letter. Even if I have stamps.

Sometimes days and days go by before I’ll pick up the dry cleaning. Even if I pass by twice a day.

All my good photos are in my phone, begging to be printed.

And yet—I can be highly productive and efficient. For example, by 7:45 a.m., I am out the door with my two girls; each has been fed, vitamins administered, lunch and snacks packed. I’m even wearing lip gloss. Also, we never run out of milk or coffee or diapers. In fact, I spend a fair amount of time running around trying to get the details of life done as seamlessly as possible.

No wonder I have dry feet. Really dry feet.

And as you probably know, dry feet don’t improve on their own. They require intervention: Buy foot cream. Apply daily. It’s not like it’s complicated.

And yet. I have had said dry feet for a really long time now. Because you can’t put lotion on your feet in the daytime. That’s a non-starter, right? So it must become a bedtime ritual. And at the moment, my bedtime ritual involves scrolling through Instagram then playing Ruzzle on my iPhone. Obviously, I can’t do either with greasy hands.

And then (cue violins) I saw THIS brilliant product in the drugstore:

Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Heel Repair is a neat stick that contains pure Cocoa Butter, vitamin E, Shea butter and peppermint oil. It smells divine and it WORKS.

If I could, I would swathe myself in lanky layers of gold jewelry, jingling with every move. Alas, I have a toddler who pulls, chews and/or steals anything I wear so these tats are the perfect antidote to my thwarted, bohemian-jeweled rhapsody.

Snag them at Lulu DK.

Before we know it, summer will once again be upon us.  And so I thought we could get a jump-start on the warmer months by talking about ways to sun-proof your skin.  We all tend to be religious about applying sunscreen to our skin, but today I’m going to teach you about how to sunscreen yourself from within.

Here’s Esther’s SPF Rx:

Eat: Wild Alaskan Salmon

Drink: Water—and lots of it.

Gorgeous Benefits

Salmon love to snack on red algae called astaxanthin; this is what gives the fish its vibrant pink color.  Astaxanthin is a potent antioxidant and a great way to protect the skin from within (think an additional SPF 5). Wild Alaskan salmon also contains the neurotransmitter DMAE (dimethylaminoethanol) to keep your brain happy and your muscles contoured so your face retains those glorious cheekbones.  Talk about beauty and brains!

Note: make sure you buy wild Alaskan salmon.  Alaska is the only state to ban the farming of fish so the waters are clean and pristine, the fish are loaded to the gills with omega-3s, and virtually free of pollutants like mercury.

Dosage: A six-ounce portion of fish at least 3-4x per week should do the trick.  Season it up with fresh herbs, organic lemon slices, and seasonal greens.

Eat: Watermelon, tomatoes, papaya, red bell peppers and pink grapefruit

Gorgeous Benefits

These foods are high in lycopene—a red pigment found in plants—that protect the skin against sunburn and skin cancer.  It has an SPF of about 3 and helps block UV light.  Watermelon will give you the most bang for your buck, since it contains 40% more lycopene than tomatoes.

Dosage: During the summer months make sure you have at least 2 cups of red veggies (think gazpacho and tomato salad) and 2 cups of red fruits per day.  Your skin will gain some serious protection and hydration to boot.

Drink: Green Tea

Gorgeous Benefits

Green tea is rich in polyphenols, which are powerful plant-based antioxidants.  Think of them as suits of armor for your cells, protecting your skin from aging.

Dosage: Research shows that drinking two or more cups of green tea daily reduces your risk of developing squamous cell skin cancer by 30%.  You can drink it hot, or toss it on the rocks for a refreshingly cool cocktail.

Esther Blum is the author of Eat, Drink and Be Gorgeous, Secrets of Gorgeous and Cavewomen Don’t Get Fat. She has been on Today show and Dr.Oz, just t name a few. Get more great information on her wonderful website, EstherBlum.com.

I tend to be an extremist when it comes to nail color. I either go really dark or really light. I love a near-black nail in winter as much as I love it in summer against a floaty white dress. And a clean, nude-ish is always refreshing, whether it’s sheer or opaque.

I think this beautiful shade must be speaking to how in-between life and the weather feels right now. Here in New York, I had to pull out my snow boots over the weekend, but today the sun is bright and spring is palpable in the air. This crushed berry really pops against the black wintery coat I can’t believe I’m still wearing—but it’s begging my peep-toe booties to come out and play.

Find the Chanel polish here, or check out similar shades from Zoya and Deborah Lippmann.

I’m headed to Florida for a few days to see my family and defrost my kids.

I actually grew up in Miami. But to be honest, I never liked the weather. I always felt like a creature out of my natural habitat with my big frizzy hair and pale skin. Don’t get me wrong, I like warm weather, I just like a more arid heat. It must be genetic or something. Because my people are from very cold places. Humidity makes all my five senses cringe. It puts me in a bad mood and my hair in a spiral.

Not this time.

This time I’m glossed and ready. Here’s my defense, head to toe.

Hair
I got a gloss and a blowout the day before my trip. Anyone can get a gloss, a subtle color gloss or a clear one. A gloss adds major shine and really clamps down the cuticle, which is key for blocking moisture.

Before my blowout, my stylist used this anti-frizz Kerastase spray I’ve heard great things about.

Body
I went in for a full-body St. Tropez self-tanning treatment the day before I left. I swear the layer of color gives me an added boost of sun protection under my SPF. Plus, I am less apt to scare people at the pool.

Face
I intend to use Bare Mineral makeup exclusively because I find it “sweats” well. Plus, it absorbs oil. Win-win since I tend to be both sweaty and oily in humidity.

At the end of the day, if all my defenses fail in the dampening powers of the weather, I’ll have my new favorite hat from Lola.

I am so happy to introduce a new BeautyMama series called Eat, Drink and Be Gorgeous with the extraordinary nutritionist Esther Blum. Because, as we all know, beauty is hardly skin-deep. What we eat, the supplements we choose and the habits we set have so much to do with how we look and feel. As a busy working mom with a focus on women’s health, in particular, Esther truly understands how we think and what we need to look and feel our best.

Esther is a clinical and holistic dietitian with 20+ years of experience, and bestselling author of Eat, Drink, and Be Gorgeous, Secrets of Gorgeous, The Eat, Drink, and Be Gorgeous Project, and Cavewomen Don’t Get Fat.

Plus, she’s hilarious, makes a mean martini and eats chocolate. The ultimate BeautyMama.

To launch the series, I asked Esther to talk about dry skin. So many of my friends are asking me how to amp up their winter skincare. I keep hearing how even the heaviest of creams are doing little to keep skin hydrated. Turns out, it’s way more effective to moisturize from the inside out. Beyond winter dryness, though, keeping skin supple year-round is an important anti-aging weapon.

Here’s Esther’s dry skin Rx:

Eat: Cod Liver Oil

Drink: Water- and lots of it.

Gorgeous Benefits

Cod liver oil contains Vitamin A & D to support respiratory health and immune function.  A great rule of thumb is to think about having omega-3s during the warmer months when exposure to the sun (and vitamin D) is greater, and cod liver oil during the months you spend more time indoors.  Omega-3s are a panacea for pretty much everything from high blood pressure and cholesterol to fighting inflammation, menstrual cramps and joint aches, to treating depression, autoimmune conditions, and dry, wrinkled skin.  To optimize your intake of these lovely fats, steer clear of trans fats and hydrogenated oils, fried foods, corn, safflower, sunflower, and canola oils—these are deal breakers when it comes to inflammation and hydration.  You may not actually need more hydration, but you may just need an oil change.

Dosage: One teaspoon per 50 pounds of body weight, taken with food.

Eat: Evening Primrose Oil capsules

Drink: Water- and lots of it

Gorgeous Benefits

Primrose oil seeds are a rich source of GLA (gamma-linolenic acid).  This miracle oil restores regular menstrual cycles, fights menstrual cramps and inflammation, tackles tough eczema and acne, controls excess sebum production, and hydrates you from the inside out.  So I’m a big fan, natch.

Dosage: One 240mg capsule per day for dry skin; 2 capsules per day for eczema and irregular periods.

Eat: Coconut Oil

Drink: Coconut Water- it’s the perfect post-workout sports drink

Gorgeous Benefits

Coconut is without a doubt the healthiest saturated fat on the planet.  It stands up well to high cooking temps, tastes incredibly delicious (I actually eat it straight to kill cravings), and is rich in medium chain triglycerides, which are rapidly burned off for energy and help the body burn fat.  Coconut oil is also a great source of lauric acid, which is a natural anti-viral fatty acid.  This means a better functioning immune system for you!  Not only can you cook with coconut oil, but you can keep an extra jar in the bathroom and slather it on your skin after a shower for a cheap but totally effective moisturizer and lip balm.

Check out more from Esther on her Living Gorgeous website, EstherBlum.com