I was applying foundation the other day when Julia asked me this question, her eyes wide, tracking the dramatic swirling and buffing required to achieve a flawless finish of Bare Minerals.

We were sitting together at the kitchen counter, my mission control. I am defined at this kitchen counter: I prepare meals here, I take conference calls here, I do a wicked smokey eye here. I believe Julia thinks whatever I do here is pretty vital.

While I was blending and concealing, Julia was building a house out of Legos next to me. I mentally fumbled through possible responses as the question hung in the air. “Why do I wear makeup, honey? Because I look like a tired hag without it,” wanted to roll off my tongue, but I held it back. “Because I prefer a stronger brow on my face,” though honest, was probably not the way to go, either. “Ok…because once, when a boyfriend saw me without makeup, he asked ‘Where’d your face go?’”  Definitely not the way to go. Read more

Three days before my husband and I were scheduled to go on a short jaunt to the Caribbean, I realized I had no bathing suit. Or, more accurately, I had a drawer full of swimsuits I could not wear in three days.

I had given birth to my second daughter less than a year prior—my belly button was still in recovery from being turned inside out. Twice. Also, I sustained an umbilical hernia and diastasis, or muscle separation, down my entire abdomen. Despite the fact that I was back down to my normal weight, things just hadn’t quite assumed their regular positions yet . So no, I had no swimsuits to wear when the swimsuits in consideration were all bikinis I bought on my honeymoon twelve years ago. (When I weighed eight pounds and had the energy to work out like a maniac bride on one of those reality shows.)

But I digress.

I had to go swimsuit shopping. And what’s worse than going swimsuit shopping? Going swimsuit shopping with your six year-old daughter.

It was a Sunday. There was no babysitter available. She wanted to come with. I couldn’t say no. To prepare, I skipped breakfast and put on a thong. Julia packed a few stuffed animals. Something about my daughter you should know: her stuffed animals talk. They have very rich lives, in fact, and have a lot to say. “Chicky” the gossipy little duck, and “Cotton Tail,” a more diminutive rabbit, were coming along for the ride.

God help me. Read more

I was recently sent this Amika curling wand to try and I must admit—it sat unopened on my desk for a while. Many of you know I am deeply wedded to my beloved Sedu curling wand. I wasn’t looking for a new styler. My almost-four year-old Sedu and I had settled into a very comfortable relationship, thank you very much. But, I suppose, like all good relationships, I realized there was room for improvement. And thankfully, unlike a marriage, three isn’t a crowd among hot tools.

This tourmaline-inflused, clip-free ceramic curling wand gives me great quality waves like my Sedu. It’s a super high quality iron with a nice digital temperature read. But what I really love is that you can change the barrel size to achieve different looks. In some ways, this wand arrived just in time because I’ve been craving bigger, looser waves, and the 1.25″ Glam Goddess barrel is my answer. Did I mention the interchangeable barrels have names? The starter Switch Kit comes with the most popular 1″ Hollywood Vixen and the three additional barrels are the aforementioned 1.25″ Glam Goddess, the 1.5″ Supermodel Allure and the tapered 1″Beach Bombshell. All available for $30 each. Endless options, one cord. LOVE it.

P.S. Watch the quick how-to videos for each wand…they’re so clear and helpful.

Classic Beauties: How gorgeous is Isla Fisher in fiery red Oscar de la Renta? Here’s more movie stars looking like movie stars at the Cannes Film Festival.

Beauty Sleep: It’s official: more sleep really does help you look better.

Bathing Beauty: Time to luxuriate—the anatomy of the ultimate bath.

Beyond the Dry Bar: Is beauty-on-wheels the next big thing?

Hi-Tech Beauty: Harvard grad invents new device that lets you 3-D print your own makeup.

What’s on your radar? Have a beautiful weekend!

bareMinerals new Bare Skin Pure Brightening Serum Foundation is so good I want to write a love song about it.

I have honestly never felt anything like it. It’s a liquid, yes, but it is so thin it really does feel like a serum. And like a serum, it has properties of skincare that boost radiance and skin tone: potent levels of vitamin C, proprietary plant stem cells that work to regenerate cells, and a broad-spectrum, non-chemical SPF for protection. No parabens, no silicone, no oil, no fragrance, non-comedogenic. Bare Skin is, indeed, the bare minimum to the maximus.

Now let’s talk coverage: it’s buildable. A few drops and a sheer wash of color evens skin, comparable to a tinted moisturizer. A few more drops and you’re able to camouflage peskier problems. The silky finish is not matte or dewey—it’s actually like skin. This is your bare face, only better and brighter.

Now, who plays the guitar and can pen a tune?

P.S. I’m a a big fan of Bare Minerals concealers, too.