THE FIVE ITEM MAKEUP KIT

Scenario: you're at JFK about to embark on a ten day trip, just went through security, and realize you forgot your makeup bag. This was me en route to Rio. In the fifteen minutes** we had to spare before boarding, I had to curate a makeup kit with the goal of choosing several items that A. Would be versatile enough to use for both day and night, beach and city and B. I would still have use for after the trip. The result? A five item cosmetic kit that took me from local beach to upscale restaurant and cut my getting-ready routine by more than half. Though I wouldn't put myself through this travesty again, it was actually freeing to not have to dig through dozens of products to find one of six different highlighters. This mishap has helped me to pack lighter on trips following and I felt I should share my newfound spiritual awakening. All brands are available at duty free shops in the virtually nonexistent chance anyone else finds themselves in a similar situation. 

A medium coverage foundation: mix with serum or SPF for a sheer BB cream-like effect for day, then layer for more coverage in the evening. My choice was Chanel's Vitalumiere Aqua, which offers the glow of a tinted moisturizer but enough coverage when you want a little something extra. 

A multitasking concealer: I grabbed my favorite Prep + Prime Highlighter in Bright Forecast. This MAC powerhouse can be used undereye, to highlight and even for spot coverage. Light Boost is wonderful for lighter skin tones. 

Black mascara: This one's easy. One coat for day, lay it on for nights out. This Clinique one definitely wasn't my favorite, given the choice I'd go for Benefit They're Real or something Lancome--but alas, I was in a duty free shop and beggars can't be choosers.

A lip/cheek balm or tint: Chose a color that's close to what's in your usual arsenal--for me that's a neutral pink I know will complement my skin tone and I won't get tired of. The moisturizing formula of a balm means you don't have to worry about prepping your lips. My pick was Bobbi Brown's Pot Rouge in Powder Pink, a pinky beige I know will be flattering for my skin tone whether pale off the plane, or with a bit of a sun-kissed glow (and by sun-kissed, you know I mean sunless tanner-kissed).

Signature: The final buy is your go-to, can't-live-without item, the one that instantly makes you look and feel pulled together. Perhaps it's the bronzer without which you feel washed out, eye liner for your signature cat eye, or red lipstick for your trademark evening look. For me, this item is obviously highlighter. Benefit High Beam was a product I wanted to try, and it added a pretty, versatile sheen to my cheekbones, Cupid's bow and brow bone. I also added a drop to my serum/foundation mixture for daytime, which created a sheer, luminescent effect perfect for hot and humid days at the beach.

**I had--figuratively--the world's slowest cashier for this endeavor. You can imagine my consternation when my sales associate took the entire allotted time to pick me out, and I quote, "ANY BLACK MASCARA." After several gentle reminders that my flight was boarding, I told her I would run to Chanel and MAC then come back to checkout--and upon my return she legitimately still had not located one. When I hastily grabbed one myself and she asked to see my boarding pass during checkout, she commented something to the effect of "oh, you really need to get going, your flight is boarding." If looks could kill, she might have dropped dead :) 

MASKING IN A COLUMBIAN VOLCANO

I try to fit in at least one unique, local beauty-themed experience when traveling. When researching Cartagena, I found one I knew I had to try--a mud bath in the El Totumo Volcano. The volcano is about an hour drive from Cartagena, accessible by tour bus or car. Fifty feet tall, the volcano is said to be chock-full of minerals such calcium, sulfur, silicon and potassium. I figured I could get behind that. 

We initially planned on renting a car and driving, but we decided last minute to take a tour bus. Very unlike us--and definitely a mistake. The tour buses all arrive around the same time with hoards of potentially questionable passengers. Although the tour included private access to a guest house with the only lockers on site, the luxury wasn't worth the crowds. We changed into bathing suits and took off our shoes (nothing is allowed into the volcano) and gave one of our tour guides our phone for photos. I wasn't quite sure how this guy was going to keep track of our phone vs. the ten other iPhones in his fanny pack, but I figured 1. I’ll probably leave with a great shot of the Colombian family of seven in line ahead of us and 2. It's Jeremy’s phone.

They asked us ahead of time if we wanted a massage once inside the volcano, which I assumed I would. Once I climbed the rickety ladder leading up to the volcano and peeked inside, I quickly changed my mind. It was basically an orgy of fifteen or so people in a tiny pool of mud, trying to stay upright without falling into the stranger next to them. I politely declined the massage and tried to keep my legs beneath me until Jeremy was done with his. Judging by the mud itself it seemed like it had the potential to be a beneficial treatment, however it was hard to imagine that this muddy bath teeming with sweaty tourists was purifying in any way. 

After the mud orgy, we were brought to the “cleansing station”, which is a group of local women who fill up buckets of muddy brown water and dump it on your head, inside your bathing suits, and everywhere else they can get their hands on. Panicking at the thought of this water being poured over my head and face, I clearly requested “no cabeza, por favor” to the woman hosing me down. She complied and sang a chorus of “no cabeza, no cabeza” for the duration of my rinse. 

The result? My skin was a bit smoother, but my pride was left on El Totumo.

TRAVEL DIARY: CARTAGENA

With it's vibrant colors, impressive culinary scene and friendly locals, visiting Cartagena is an amazing experience. Coming from New York, direct flights are easy to find and inexpensive, making Cartagena the perfect quick getaway. The walled Old City and it's immediate surroundings span a relatively small area, so there's no need to rent a car, and cabs are cheap when necessary. The charming Centro and San Diego neighborhoods hold most of the upscale hotels and restaurants (and tourists), with adjacent Getsemani being the grittier, hipster area. 

Continue...

INTERVIEW: APRIL GARGIULO OF VINTNER'S DAUGHTER

I had the pleasure of speaking with April Gargiulo, creator and CEO of Vintner's Daughter Active Botanical Serum. Not only is she a badass businesswoman, innovator, and working mom, but she's also incredibly down to earth and approachable. I took several weeks to test the product, as I've had a few bad experiences with essential oils, and I'm here to tell you: this stuff is the real deal. It clears and heals acne, moisturizes, and combats dullness overnight. Read along as April discusses the development of this iconic natural serum, her go-to routines and some travel tips on her home base Napa Valley.

"I was always someone who struggled with my skin—always, always. And when I became pregnant, I started looking at the actual [skincare] ingredients and realizing that this lotion that I paid a lot of money for and was touted as high quality was in fact just cheap filler, and had .001% of active ingredient. And on top of that, a lot of it was toxic. So I went in search of that same level of performance and quality in the natural world and couldn't find it there. I'm not someone who can just use coconut oil on my skin.

My background isn't in beauty, it's in fine winemaking. So I set out to make one of the finest face oils in the world, and the only way I knew how was to focus on quality and take absolutely no shortcuts. Growing up in that world, and for us it was about addressing quality in every step. We start with whole plants. The most nutrient-rich plants in the world. And when you start with the whole plant, you extract the entire 360 degree activity of the plant. It's very time consuming, it's very expensive, but it produces a product that is from an efficacy standpoint just heads and tails above the rest.

There was a very important idea of balance, ingredients that work synergistically, because we were going for a formulation that was all about activity and performance. For example, one class of ingredients we have is dandelion-alfalfa-nettle. In ancient times, these three plants were actually called the foods of life because together they had everything your body needed to thrive. Another example, frankincense and cyprus, these have been used for centuries for healing skin. Together, they both create a microcirculatory effect that increases oxygen to the skin.

THE RESULT

It's my desert island product. It was designed for acne-prone skin in mind, skin prone to discoloration, skin that needed to address tone, elasticity, clarity and brightness. All of these things that I was desperate to have in one product that did everything—a multicorrectional product at the highest level of performance. The product addresses almost all skin—because it's addressing inflammation, nutrition, balance—issues everyone is dealing with in some form or another, whether it appears as acne in one person, rosacea in another, or dull, lifeless skin in someone else. The greatest emails I get are that [the serum] changed my skin, I don't have to wear makeup anymore. There's such a big level of self confidence in your skin, and I love being a part of that.

ON GROWTH

We are managing our growth very carefully. We are in very few retail environments, and we always maintain the intention of the very highest quality and highest quality sources. That will never be compromised. At some point, there's just a cap on what we can produce. And that's fine. It's certainly not business as usual. There are so many things in our business that we've flipped the script on, and we're very happy to do that because our number one commitment is to the quality of the product.

ON ROUTINE

I am so simple. I cleanse, I tone, sometimes I put a hyaluronic on, then Vintner's Daughter. And then I always joke: drop the mic, walk away. During the day, I add sunscreen. If you have really dry skin, always add hyaluronic or some kind of cream or moisturizer. I'm all over the place—I try different brands all the time. I like P50 Toner right now. For cleanser I'm all over the map.

Life balance never occurs in one day, but over the course of a week I can measure and hopefully I've gotten there—a balance between sleep, exercise, and spending time with family and friends. For me meditation and a healthy diet is important. When traveling, I try to get sleep. It's boring but sleep and water, and a green juice whenever I can.

ON VISITING NAPA VALLEY

I live in a beautiful area of the world. I love to be able to get out and take a hike or walk. I don't eat wheat, but people line up for a scone at Kelly's—it's actually a gas station in Yountville. I would go to Gargiulo Vineyards—my family winery. Have lunch on the deck at Auberge that overlooks the entire valley. Drive up Silverado trail and see what's open and what looks good. And I'd probably end my day at Redwood—it has really great Negronis."

CHEAP AND CHEERFUL ROUTINE

This is probably my most requested post—an inexpensive skincare routine. Do I think you can simply browse the aisles at CVS and find a fantastic, mostly-natural, fiscally responsible skincare routine? No. A cheap and cheerful routine takes some research and sourcing, and thankfully I've done the former for you :) For this post, I'll talk about a routine that works well for nearly all skin types and seasons, with all components under $25 (!!!). Several of the products can be ordered on Walmart.com (links provided) to make your skincare haul a bit easier. If you're just starting to delve into a multistep skincare routine, here's how it works: cleanser first (including a makeup removing cleanser or micellar water at night), toner, eye cream, serum and finally, moisturizer. If you use an oil, that goes on top of your moisturizer. If you're not sure whether it's a serum or oil, serums are thinner and usually absorb quickly into the skin, while oils are more viscous and often contain essential oils. Okay, now let's talk products.

If it's nighttime and you're removing stubborn waterproof makeup, start with the The Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Oil on dry skin. Rinse off, then follow with my very favorite Glossier Milky Jelly cleanser—you can also use this by itself in the morning on wet skin to start your day, or on dry skin at night to remove lighter makeup and cleanse in one step. For toner, another favorite of mine—the Pixi Glow Tonic. Maybe this is sort of cheating the “under $25” rule since it's travel sized, but it's a great way to try out this life-changing toner before you become a full-on Glow Tonic junkie.

My favorite cheapie eye cream is the 100% Pure Caffeine Eye Cream—the scent is absolutely heavenly and provides serious hydrating and soothing effects to the undereye area. For an effective serum that can be used both day and night, try the Avalon Organics Vitamin C Vitality Serum. Vitamin C delivers antioxidants directly onto the skin, essential for increased brightness and radiance, as well as providing protection against free radical damage (read: dullness and wrinkles). Bonus: it smells like a creamsicle.

Finally, moisturize. For daytime, use Weleda's Almond Lotion—it provides light but effective moisture that's perfect for all skin types and seasons. At night, finish with the Nature's Gate Oh What a Night Walnut Therapy—the consistency is so lovely and indulgent you might want to eat it (don't), and it provides serious overnight moisture that won't break out even the most sensitive and acne-prone skin types.

WEDDING SERIES: BRIDAL BEAUTY

In honor of our first wedding anniversary this month, I decided to start a mini wedding series. In my first post, I'll be discussing my hair and makeup look for the big day. I'm a big believer in picking your battles in wedding planning, and this was an aspect that was super important to me. Once our wedding day rolled around, I felt at ease knowing I was in the best of hands (literally).

I feel incredibly lucky that my makeup artist was the legendary Nam Vo (you might recognize her as the lead artist for Shiseido, Net-A-Porter and Birchbox—clearly she's way too cool for bridal makeup, but somehow I convinced her to make an exception). For the wedding day, Nam used Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation and contoured with the Kat Von D Contour Palette. To highlight, she applied theBalm Mary-Loumanizer to my cheeks and brow bones. We decided on a soft, golden smokey eye starring Jouer Long-Wear Mousse Eyeshadow in Galaxy, adding a darker brown shadow at the crease and lining my bottom lid, along with some serious lashes.

For my lips, we settled on my go-to soft pink lip liner and lipstick: Mac Soar and Syrup, topped with gloss for some extra vavoom. To tie together the warm eye palette and pink lips, Nam applied a pink blush with gold undertones—I'm not positive on this one, but it was similar to Becca Mineral Blush in Flowerchild. A dusting of the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette finished the look followed by a spritz of Tata Harper's Hydrating Floral Essence, which helped to calm my nerves as well (namaste). I was thrilled with the finished look and my makeup didn't budge, even through the afterparty that concluded at 3 AM.

As for my hair inspiration, who else would do besides the OG hair goddess, Blake Lively? Specifically, I looked to her sideswept, Old Hollywood look from the Savages premiere (it's worth a Google). I thought it matched the formality of my venue and dress, while still having a bit of edge--not too "bridal". Since my strand count is decidedly puny in comparison to Blake's, I visited Flatiron salon RPZL for clip-in extensions several months before the wedding. My amazing stylist, Dori, matched, blended and styled me perfectly and I instantly knew I wanted her by my side for the big day.

For my color, I went to the one and only Mark Heiner, owner of Slate Salon—he's the go-to color genius for iconic blondes such as Candice Swanepoel and Sarah Jessica Parker. Since Mark had been my colorist previously, I had the added bonus that he was already familiar with my (exasperatingly fragile, baby fine) hair. Several days prior to our wedding day, Mark painted a full head of buttery blonde highlights, which blended seamlessly with my natural color while adding lots of brightness. The color had that extra pizzazz I wanted for my wedding day, but wasn't markedly lighter than the highlights I get the rest of the year. The result: me, only better! What else could a blushing bride want?

LET'S TALK ABOUT BEAUTY SUPPLEMENTS

If you have ever noticed increased dullness or breakouts when you're not eating well (and you're over the age of 20), it's pretty apparent that what we consume is evident on our faces. Thankfully, we can also use this to our benefit by boosting our current diets with supplements targeted at beautifying. Behold, my favorite beauty pills and potions. 

Supplements: I've been using Viviscal for the better part of a decade to promote hair and nail growth. I was sold when I read that it's a favorite of models who swear by it to recover their hair from extensive amounts of color and styling. It's a supplement that includes biotin, iron and zinc--but it's secret ingredient is actually (vegans, avert your eyes) shark. The company states that they do not use ingredients from any endangered species and that the shark powder is ethically sourced. All I can tell you is that when I first started using Viviscal, my hair was incredibly thin and brittle, and I had trouble growing it past my bra line. Within several months, my hair became significantly stronger with noticeably increased volume, and longer than it had ever been before. I'll never have dreamy Disney princess hair, but Viviscal brings me as close as I'm ever going to get. Word to the wise: if you do decide to try it, give it three months to see results, and don't take it on an empty stomach. 

A new herbal supplement for me is Evening Primrose Oil. The oil has been taken orally for centuries to regulate hormones and ease symptoms of PMS. This helps to balance out the hormones that are the culprit of hormonal acne, and is sort of the herbal version of spironolactone. Just please be advised: just because something is marketed as a supplement or "natural", doesn't mean that it can't have some very real side effects. Herbal medications can be incredibly potent. And unfortunately, since they're not regulated by the FDA or a governing body, dosages aren't regulated and there are no published warnings to help you look out for contraindications or adverse effects. So be sure to check with a trusted provider and do your own research, particularly if you are pregnant or taking any other medications or supplements.

Omega-3 oil is another go-to for skin health, with added benefits for the heart and mind (it's also recommended to lessen the symptoms of ADD). You can read here about how omega-3's in our diet contribute to healthy skin and hair. I like this formula because it contains pure fish oil. Some formulas include omega-6's as well, but I skip those since I already get them from the evening primrose oil.

Fairy Dusts: I think Moon Juice products deserve their own separate category, don't you? These mystical powders have become part of my daily routine in the form of a GP Morning Smoothie. Beauty Dust is a formula made of a variety of powerful ingredients, mainly ancient Chinese herbal remedies. With such rave reviews on the efficacy of this product, I felt inclined to research their history. Breaking it down—goji is a potent antioxidant we all know and love. Rehmannia is believed to enhance blood circulation, contributing to a youthful glow. In addition to potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, schisandra is an adaptogen traditionally used to slow the aging process and reducing stress hormones (that infamous cortisol). Pearl is exactly what it sounds like—ground up pearl powder. It is incredibly rich in minerals and amino acids and has been taken for centuries as an anti-aging supplement. In addition to the Beauty Dust, Ho Shou Wu is another ancient remedy used to boost youthfulness and sex drive. I initially purchased in to include in GP's legendary Sex Bark (which is delicious, by the way), but I love this in my smoothies as well.

Teas: An easy and inexpensive way to introduce skin-friendly ingredients into your daily routine, teas can hold significant, beautifying benefits. Teaonic is a company that bottles prebrewed teas, targeted at improving the function of a variety of body systems. The I Love My Skin formula contains nine different brews, all targeted for clear and radiant skin. Yogi's Skin DeTox contains green tea, rose, and hibiscus—a combination that provides a great source of antioxidants and tastes amazing over ice. You can drink the tea as recommended as part of a detox, but it's great to just sip on as well. The Healthy Skin formula helps the skin retain moisture, with schisandra berry (hello again!), as well as nettle and mullein leaf. Combined with cinnamon bark and cardamom to support circulation, this is a great tasting tea with some amazing, glow-inducing effects. 

HALL OF FAME SUNLESS TANNERS

I'm a born and bred beach kid and former tanorexic, so although I now wear SPF religiously, being pale in July is simply not an option for me. Enter self tanners (and airbrush tans! But we'll save that for another post). You think you'll turn orange, it will rub off on your clothes, you don't have the time. I get it. But it's not the 90's anymore (despite current fashion trends), and sunless tanners have come a long, long way since their inception. That being said, I most certainly do not recommend picking up just anything at the drugstore. These are a few of my favorite tanners.

My number one priority for self tanners is efficiency. If it's not easy, I'm simply not going to use it. When I first heard the St. Tropez's Bronzing Mousse required a separate tanning mitt, I balked. An extra accessory to locate in the depths of my overstuffed, lilliputian bathroom?! However, once I caved and purchased the set, I was elated. The mitt makes application SO easy. And it's essential for avoiding your hands while applying this super pigmented, super quick-dry formula. A little moisturizer to elbows, knees and feet, apply foam in circular motions, done. Then you can get dressed RIGHT AWAY. It has a fairly subtle guide so you see color instantly, but there's no transfer onto clothes. Why the dark formula? Because it immediately looks like I just spent a long weekend on the beaches of St. Tropez (see what I did there?) and the effect lasts for--I'm not kidding--nearly two weeks. This is not a "subtle glow." Perhaps an option better suited for those who spent Memorial through Labor Day the summer after college graduation on a boat slathered with a whopping SPF 4. For everyone else, stick to the standard shade.

My face has definitely been the more difficult aspect to figure out when it comes to self tanning. As someone who has a multi-step skincare routine including daily exfoliation, I need to apply self tanner to my face nearly every other day to keep up a bronzed look--no two ways about it. I find the Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Glow pads extremely easy to use even at this frequency. They seem to have more of a color payout than Tan Towels and I feel like my skin absorbs the product even when applied over serums and moisturizer. And the formula is clear and light--unlike the standard lotion--so I haven't had any issues with breakouts even with my extremely finicky skin type.

Just realized you look like Casper next to your pals--right before you're about to head to Gurney's? Enter Dr. Hauschka Translucent Bronzing Tint. This product is REVOLUTIONARY. Just mix a bit with your moisturizer and you are instantly tan AF (actually you can customize it--so as tan as you feel like being, really). I'm just truly amazed by how natural this looks while packing such a color punch. And I love that it's formulated by a holistic-minded dermatologist. Normally I would be worried about a product like this clogging my pores, but it's so light with such a phenomenal ingredient list that that's simply not an issue.

Another revolutionary (almost futuristic, even) product: Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster. It completely solves the issue mentioned above of trying to fit frequent self tanning into my routine. This tanner comes in a tiny bottle that at first you will think is a sample size. But it's magic is in it's concentrated formula--you simply add a few drops into your regular moisturizer and apply as per usual. The shade is customizable depending on how much you add, and is completely natural looking both alone and under makeup. With such a tiny volume and a short ingredient list (including nourishing aloe vera), it won't change the formula of your favorite moisturizer. So why not add a little bronzing boost to your normal routine? For a chance to win this powerhouse of a product, see my post below!

MILES FOR MELANOMA GIVEAWAY

There's no better secret to beautiful skin than SPF--and it can save your life, too! On 8/27 I will be participating in the Miles for Melanoma 5k in NYC, sponsored by the Melanoma Research Foundation (MRF). I am asking for your help in raising funds for this great cause. Committed to the support of medical research in finding effective treatments and eventually a cure for melanoma, the MRF also educates patients, caregivers and physicians about it's prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Last year, Miles for Melanoma raised nearly $2,000,000 towards these efforts! All donations are tax deductable. Click here to read more about why this cause means so much to me. 

As a thank you for helping in our fundraising efforts, all donors who contribute $5 or more are eligible to win this adorable gift set, generously donated by one of my favorite suncare brands, Supergoop! As a bonus I will also include a full sized, new favorite product of mine: Clarins Radiance Plus Golden Glow Booster. Because we all want to glow, but you can still look sun-kissed without the sun!

Here's what you have to do:

1. CLICK HERE TO DONATE
2. Make a donation of $5 or more ***by 11:59pm EST on Friday, 8/26***
3. Follow me on Instagram: theglowtrotter
4. Like and comment on my Supergoop! Instagram giveaway post with the name your donation is under (donating under your IG name or a nickname is okay)
5. Tag two friends who you think may also want to participate

Remember to enter by ***11:59pm EST on Friday, 8/26*** The winner will be chosen at random and announced the evening of Saturday, 8/27. Thank you in advance for your support!

EXTENDED TRAVEL DIARY: THE HAMPTONS, PART ONE

I present to you an extended Hamptons travel guide. J & I try to make the journey out east as often as possible--it is truly my happy place. Traveling to a new or exotic locale is sometimes stressful, as there can be an obligation to check off everything on your to do list. This pressure is absent in a local summer destination, and there's no need to do anything but relax on the beach by day and enjoy some cocktails by night. 

Continue...