Blog

Summer is right around the corner, so it’s that time of year when the clothes come off and tan lines are welcome! I want to stress the importance of the one potion that could potentially save your life- SUNSCREEN! Los Angeles is definitely known for it’s Vanity, and that in itself is a double edged sword. Everyone wants to look younger and sunscreen is one way to protect from future wrinkles and the dreaded lobster look. Most importantly, it reduces your chances of getting skin cancer. It is imperative to use a daily SPF because we don’t realize how many times a day we come in contact with the sun’s rays without realizing it. I encourage each of you to layer on an SPF under your makeup foundation (or use one with an SPF like myself!) That being said, I want to show you some products that I use to keep my skin feeling soft and youthful.
Right when I step out of the shower I apply Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream underneath my eyes. It is important not to use your index finger because it’s the strongest one, and you can accidentally apply too much pressure which negates the anti-aging benefits. Be gentle to your face! I use my ring fingers. Next, I use Hydrating Gel Cream. It is’t oily like most moisturizers, and it really make your foundation smoother. I don’t know the science behind what it guarantees exactly, but my mom uses it and has yet to get wrinkles! She swears by both of these! Once these sink into your pores, I use philosophy hope in a tinted moisturizer with an spf of 20. It isn’t heavy or cakey, plus it really evens skin tone all the while feeling light and it also doesn’t have that bad “sunscreen smell”. It’s wonderful! You may want to use a powder to set this at the end as well.
Please, please practice safe sunning this swim season, and every day! You and your dermatologist can thank me later!

National Volunteer week is right around the corner! But why limit yourself to JUST a week? There are so many great causes that are open to year round participation and they need you! One week simply isn’t enough. Although it is great for awareness and promotion of the causes. One of my personal favorites is the American Cancer Society. Since I lost both of my grandfathers at an early age, I picked that organization at age 10 to hopefully raise money for a potential cure. I did this by forming a Relay for Life team.

What is Relay for Life? To me, it represents the hope for a cure. Team leaders form teams with catchy names (“Scaring Away Cancer”) and organize various fundraisers for the months prior to the actual Relay, which lasts for a full 24 hours! The goal is to have one member walking around a track, usually at a local college campus or high school for an entire 24 hours. You do that by switching off. There are also games, dances, contests, and concessions to keep everyone occupied and entertained. The fact that it is an all night event symbolizes the suffering the cancer patients endure on a 24 hour a day basis. Cancer does not sleep!

I formed my first Relay team at the age of 10. It was composed of friends and family affected in some way by cancer. I believe we were “Clowning Around for a Cure” and we walked the track in clown attire. We did fundraisers like car washes, bake sales, yard sales, you name it! We sold anything and everything from feather boas to light up glow sticks. I had the time of my life- and I was the youngest team captain in my county! I continued having teams all the way until graduation. From 2000 to 2007, I raid around $88,000 for cancer research with my team. I also mentored others to form their own teams! The discipline it took for me to hold others accountable, organize events, fundraisers, and market our team prepared me for the real world as well as motivated me to continue volunteering and never stop until a cure is found.

So, if you are looking for a more long term volunteer opportunity, might i suggest starting a team? For more information visit: http://www.relayforlife.org/

Here are some photos from 2006 and 2007, my last two years as captain!