Beauty & Trends | WhyDid.com

Setting the Mood: Land of the Free, Home of the Babes

By Kirsten|June 30th, 2014|Setting the Mood|

Oh how quickly time flies. I remember last year’s Fourth of July as if it was yesterday. Much like I always do, I had put off making any actual plans for the holiday, but was fortunate enough to not be left entirely alone as one of my best girlfriends somehow landed herself in the city as well. To make the best of it, we got a picnic together, gathered our SPF, sunglasses, Whispering Angel, and towels and took them to the roof. We embraced the day and the sun listening to our favorite Pandora station while partaking in some serious girl talk. It wasn’t all stars and stripes for us though. As I was dodging irate phone calls from the guy I was seeing, basically threatening my life if I didn’t find a way to make it to New Hampshire on the next train (do trains even go to New Hampshire?), what appeared to be the set up for a rap video shoot complete with DJ and turntables arrived on my roof. Again, we attempted to make the best of our dire circumstances as my roof boasted the best view for fireworks that year. However, when we started being filmed without consent in our teeny bikinis, we packed up and I tried to book the next flight to Manchester. We never did see the fireworks.

Lisa Marie Fernandez Alexia Textured Pucker Bandeau Bikini, Jennifer Meyer 18 Karat Gold Star Earrings, Tabitha Simmons Dolly Striped Silk Espadrilles, Kate Moss for Topshop Star Embellished Crepe Camisole

xx, WhyDid

Beauty Buzz: Protect Your Skin and Win

By Kirsten|June 26th, 2014|Beauty Buzz|

A couple of months ago before meeting a girlfriend for ramen at Momofuku, I made the trek uptown to the rarely visited (for me, at least) Upper East Side. I had generously been invited to visit the beautiful office of Dr. Barney Kenet to preview his new skincare line now available online and at Hyatt hotels worldwide.

After a refreshing cocktail, some light bites, and meeting my role model, Lynn Jacobson, an interior designer who just happened to be dropping off some orchids to the office, Dr. Kenet walked me through his very simple, very focused, skincare line. Packaged in a chic and travel friendly white zippered bag, the products are labeled with instructions as well as the days of the week in which they are to be used. Talk about foolproof skincare. I could have stayed all day (and nearly did) asking skincare questions. Dr. Kenet, his wife, Patricia, and Stephanie (medical/surgical assistant) were wealths of knowledge, not to mention fun and engaging. Not only did I walk out of the office chocked full of new dermatological knowledge, I was also gifted the entire line to try myself (which I have been using religiously since). And as if that wasn’t kind enough Dr. Kenet has given me his top skincare tips for summer to share with WhyDid readers, which are below:

Nothing, nothing beats staying out of the sun altogether. No amount of sunscreen will protect you like avoidance. (Compare this to sexual abstinence versus using a condom). :}

Think about your friends and relatives who live in Florida, California and swear they wear sunscreen and stay out of the sun. Their skin will usually look more aged than the northeasterners, New Englanders and Canadians, for example.

And, New Yorkers, on sunny days, just direct your feet to the shady side of the street.

If you go out into the sun be careful when using the following:

Certain antibiotics- (Doxycycline, Tetracycline, Ciprofloxacin), this can increase the risk of a sunburn.

Bergamont perfume- (Shalimar, Gucci Gold, for example.)

Birth control pills can cause brown coloration (called melasma), along the upper lip etc.

In April, the FDA changed the rules about sunscreen:

What the FDA Guidelines Mean:

Products that pass a test to show they protect against both UVA and UVB rays will be labeled ‘broad spectrum’ followed by an SPF number TIP: Use only BROAD SPECTRUM

Any product with an SPF of 14 or lower and products without broad spectrum status are required to carry a warning that reads, in part, ‘This product has been shown only to help prevent sunburn not skin cancer or early skin aging.’ TIP: USE 15 or higher SPF, 30SPF on children

The terms ‘sun block,’ ‘water proof’ and ‘sweat proof’ can no longer be used. Products that pass an FDA test can be labeled ‘water resistant’ up to 40 or 80 minutes.

A product can no longer claim to offer all-day protection. All sunscreens must warn users to reapply every two hours.

Number One Rule: Wear Sunscreen, moisturize after the shower on damp skin, reduce the number of products you use. Simplify your life, and your routines.

Worst mistake people make: Using too many products. And smoking.

After having spoken with Dr. Kenet, I became much more diligent in the daily application of SPF (something I should have already been doing as skin cancer runs in my family). I run outside during the warmer months and hadn’t thought about the damage I was doing to my skin. Don’t forget that a day at the beach isn’t the only time that warrants a heavy dosage of sunscreen and you can’t only rely on your foundation or BB cream. Dr. Kenet’s En Garde Sunscreen feels great (non-greasy) and smells absolutely delicious, so I don’t mind applying it every day.

Dr. Kenet was not only kind enough to answer a few of my nineteen thousand questions, but he is graciously giving a lucky reader one of his skincare sets! To enter, simply follow @KenetMDS and @WhyDid_Dotcom on Twitter and retweet this message. Be sure and check out his Facebook page as well for skincare news and specials. Good luck and don’t forget to guard your dermis daily.

xx,

WhyDid

Setting the Mood: Separate but Equal

By Kirsten|June 24th, 2014|Setting the Mood|

If one is good, two’s gotta be better, right? While I’m starting to think that’s most men in Manhattan’s motto for dating, I’m really talking about the return of separates. You may hear that word and automatically conjure up an image of your 9th grade algebra teacher wearing elastic waistband polyester pants with matching vest, but separates circa now have come a long way since hiding those formulas in your TI-83 calculator case. Worn together in bold prints or separately with basics, separates are perfect for a day at the office or a night out on the town.

Moschino Cheap and Chic Embellished Wool Crepe Jacket, Moschino Cheap and Chic Embellished Wool Crepe Shorts, Suno Pleated Printed Washed Silk Top, Suno Cropped Printed Washed Silk Wide Leg Pants

xx,

WhyDid

Setting the Mood: But I’m a 90’s Bitch.

By Kirsten|June 16th, 2014|Setting the Mood|

As fashion is cyclical and nothing new is truly original, it’s no surprise that the 90’s are having a major moment (something we’ve discussed before). With the return of trends like Birkenstocks, babydoll dresses, and scrunchies, we are in the midst of the second coming of Donna Martin and Cher Horowitz. The funny thing about the 90’s trend is that it seems the consumption is made up mostly by the generation born during that decade. Which probably explains why we seem to have forgotten all of the cringeworthy trends like, oh, say butterfly clips and plastic outerwear. I suppose that’s what we do to romanticize most memories though. And so, let’s hold onto the good and forget about the bad by revisiting a decade responsible for Spice Girls and beanie babies though some would encourage us , “DNR- Do not resuscitate.”

Current/Elliot The Perfect Plaid Cotton Shirt, ZAC Zac Posen Eartha Backpack, Sophia Webster Katy Leather and Vinyl Ankle Boots, Band of Outsiders Floral Print Cotton Mini Dress

xx,

WhyDid

Setting the Mood: Daddy Issues

By Kirsten|June 9th, 2014|Setting the Mood|

One of the most important relationships a woman will ever have is the one she has with her father. Now, I realize that I have been especially blessed because not only do I have a father to speak of, but I have a father who is one of the kindest, smartest, most loving people on this planet. Really the only daddy issues I have are knowing what it feels like to be loved and respected by a man. Because I know that I am at an advantage having someone like Dick Smith a mere telephone call away at any time, I loan him out to a lot of my friends, which he is more than happy to do. Basically, if my dad isn’t following you on Instagram, you’re doing something wrong. So, here’s to all the dads of the world- whether he’s your dad, you baby’s daddy, or father to your four legged friend.