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.

That’s the legendary women’s wear designer Dana Buchman pictured above, founder of a groundbreaking non-profit organization, The Promise Project, that serves under-privileged children with learning disabilities. It is an organization I feel passionately about. Here’s why.

“When learning is difficult, everything is difficult.” 

As the mom of a child with learning differences, I know this well. Learning disabilities are often complicated and difficult to diagnose. Fortunately, we were able to identify my daughter’s needs early and she is finding success in a school with teaching methods that cater to the way her brain processes information.

But there are thousands of undiagnosed children struggling in school. These children are devastated by their inability to read and write. Left untreated, learning disabilities (which are actual neurological disorders) can often lead to debilitating low self-esteem, drug use, teenage pregnancy, crime and lifelong poverty. And as I’m sure you know, learning differences have nothing to do with how smart a child is—many children have above average intelligence.

“The Promise Project is a non-profit that helps under-served children in New York City get the help they need. By providing testing, advocacy and educational services often not readily available to families in need, The Promise Project unlocks the potential of these children, providing a pathway to success.

The pioneering fashion designer Dana Buchman founded The Promise Project after becoming fervently involved with her daughter’s learning disabilities and education. In 2006, she wrote a book, A Special Education, about the challenges in understanding and managing her daughter’s special needs. And then she vowed to devote her life to bringing resources to families who don’t have their own.

The Promise Project joined forces with Columbia University Medical Center, in affiliation with New York-Presbyterian Hospital, to create the most comprehensive program in New York City to help impoverished children with learning disabilities. The work they do is two-fold: first and foremost, they provide crucial help for children who would likely not receive it elsewhere—but The Promise Project also collects vital data on learning disabilities with the hope that someday soon we can get a clearer neurological understanding of them to better identify and treat people.

Today is The Promise Project’s annual benefit, Beautiful Promise. But you don’t have to attend the actual event to take part in the incredible auction on Charitybuzz. It is a formidable who’s who of fashion, food, jewelry and beauty. And it’s all accessible online and via your smartphone. Mother’s Day is around the corner, spring is in bloom so why not treat yourself or someone you love with a gift that will go the extra distance.

Watch the lovely Dana Buchman speak about learning disabilities here. Learn more about The Promise Project here.

“Clinically proven formula is designed to transform weak, uneven and sparse brows into healthy-looking, fuller brows in as little as 60 days.”

I happen to think 60 days is a really long time to wait, but I’m committed. I think I spend 15 minutes a day crafting my eyebrows. And that’s on a good day. I’ve heard positive feedback on RapidBrow. I’ll keep you posted. I’d love to hear from you if you’ve tried this—or any other eyebrow growth serum, for that matter.

Until anything short of miraculous happens, I’ll be faithful to my favorite eyebrow makeup and tools.  To note, I recently added this incredible drugstore eyebrow pencil to my routine and it just might be trumping all my others.

I’ve always preferred individual lashes to strips because they tend to look more natural. These brilliant little clusters are so easy to work with, and three or four are really enough to make eyes pop. My go-to’s have always been these individual Ardell lashes—I’d use 6-8 per eye, requiring much precision. But these Kiss trio’s take me half the time because I need less and they’re easier to line up and apply overall.

As you know, I love me some fat lashes. These are so easy and pretty, not to mention inexpensive, you don’t need a special occasion to wear them.

P.S. My favorite mascaras.

Charlotte Tilbury, the celebrated U.K. makeup artist known for her singular artistry—which has graced virtually every magazine cover, runway show and celebrity face—has a cult makeup line that (finally) came to the U.S. this fall.

I’ve been more than a little obsessed with Charlotte Tilbury for a while now. Check out her videos and you’ll see why. She makes makeup artistry a science we can all learn and embraces its ability to empower women in such a fun, healthy way. AND, she’s built her glowing empire while being a devoted mom to her four-year old son and new baby.

I had some fun yesterday playing with her entire makeup line at Bergdorf Goodman. I haven’t been this impressed with a makeup line since my beloved Tom Ford cosmetics launched a few years ago. I bought everything, eyebrows to lips. There is a magical quality to her products that make you look fresh and glowy, particularly when you use her famous Magic Cream, which moisturizes and contains skin-plumping hyularonic acid,  followed by her inimitable Wonder Glow primer and Light Wonder foundation, (which is light but buildable). Tilbury’s easy-to-use face sculpting and highlighting kit adds depth and warmth and the most beautiful shimmer—that coveted twinkle on the cheeks of celebrities that, to me, always seemed so impossible to pull off. I’m equally obsessed with my new blush, aptly called Cheek to Chic Swish and Pop because it has a ring of a slightly shimmery color surrounding the deeper pop of color in the center. Lastly, I found my ideal nude-ish lip color with this Penelope lipstick and a bit of  this Seduction gloss on top, which gives lips a gorgeous three dimensional shine.

Oh, and I really dig Tilbury’s rose gold, slightly disco packaging.

Can you tell I’m in love?

Check out the entire Charlotte Tilbury line on her website. This is one of the most exciting, anticipated cosmetic launches in years. Please report back and tell me what you get! xx.

P.S. Tilbury also really won my heart with her social campaign, #MakeupYourDestiny, which celebrates makeup and how it can impact self-confidence. You can participate by creating a split screen image of your younger self with a current photo and tagging it #MakeupYourDestiny.