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Beauty Buzz: Protect Your Skin and Win

By |June 26th, 2014|Beauty Buzz|

beach sun hatA 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.

Kenet MD Skin Care

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

The List Volume: Instagram

By |February 21st, 2014|The List|

kirsten smith instagramI get scolded quite a bit for being on my phone during dinners and nights out with friends.  I quickly remind them that I’m “working.”  Which shouldn’t actually be in quotes because I really am.  Social Media is bascially a 24/7 job, especially when you work for yourself.  However, I’ve taken it down a notch and for those of you who aren’t actually running a business, it’s time to put down your phones.  I know that selfie and shot of your salmon seem super important, but your friends are about to disown you if you don’t rejoin them in a little place called reality.  So, here are some hard and fast rules for Instagram posting:

  1. Instagram is basically not real life.  Don’t let it consume yours.
  2. I think a lot of people need to learn the art of self editing.  We get that you are somewhere really beautiful or you’re having a REALLY good hair day, or there is a lot going on, but try and pic a COUPLE of the best pictures and spread them out throughout the day.  No one likes their feed being spammed by your event.  Either that or learn to make a collage.
  3. We do not need your doctors’ visits, weekly sonogram, bloody wounds, or hunting kills to be forever etched into our brains.  A post delivery baby hospital pic gets a pass though.
  4. I’m really not kidding when I say I don’t want to see your food pictures.  Unless what you are about to eat is a slain dragon, I’m just not interested.
  5. If you’re going to create a meme (good for you), please, dear God, check your spelling/grammar.  No matter how hilarious the punchline may be, I can’t get over the fact that you don’t know the difference between “your” and “you’re.”
  6. If you need to use a filter on top of a filter before posting that self indulgent selfie, you probably shouldn’t be posting it.  This is Instagram, not Vogue.  There’s no need to Photoshop.
  7. #Hashtagsareactuallyusefulifyouknowwhatyouredoing.  Not everything needs to be hashtagged, but don’t hate on others who actually know how to use them.
  8. Give credit where credit is due.  If you love something someone posted, spread the love, but credit the source.
  9. Please don’t post pictures only to delete them two minutes later.  This is Instagram not Snapchat (although there’s now that creepy direct message thing).  Don’t post unless you are sure you want to post.  Posting something and then removing it two minutes later doesn’t make you look mysterious, it makes you look insecure, and a little bit schizo.
  10. Clean your damn mirror, selfie queen.

And this one goes out to you… and you… and you…

Now, follow me on Instagram so you can see what I’m wearing.

xx,

WhyDid

Why Did You Wear That: New York Fashion Week, The Hangover

By |September 16th, 2013|Why Did You Wear That?|

lincoln center nyfw mbfwSo, you might’ve deduced from the incessant Instagram posts, Tweets, and humble brags that last week concluded the week long bender that is New York Fashion Week.  I merely dipped my toes into the chaos of NYFW and feel like I need a visit to Passages Malibu and I can only imagine the way some of the real style obsessed overachievers are feeling today.  Oh, right.  Half of them have already landed in London.  God bless, gals.  So, if you aren’t familiar with the goings on of Fashion Week, it’s show after show after show interlaced with parties that you may or may not have to beg, lie, and break into to attend.  The entire thing is fun, fabulous, and utterly infuriating.  It’s much like the city where I live- a love hate relationship that leaves you feeling both fulfilled and rejected.  So, after taking in shows from Deisgual to Daisy Fuentes and partying with A$AP Rocky at Soho House and attending Nas’s 40th birthday (I know!), I’m happy to be laying low and trading in heels for engineer boots for the next several days.  You may feel as if you’ve missed out, but I can’t begin to tell you how tiring waiting around all day to watch shows can be.  Not to mention, your seat at your desk watching the livestream of Proenza Schouler was probably better than my assigned seat.

desigual fashion show

daisy fuentes

nolcha fashion week

nolcha fashion week

camera pit

On to the next one.

xx,

WhyDid

Weekend Playlist: Guest DJ, Jenn Seracuse

By |July 13th, 2013|Weekend Playlist|

Jenn Seracuse PilatesPhoto credit: Jay Sullivan 

Not to toot my own horn (but, beep beep), I get asked quite a bit about what my workout routine is.  No, kids, I can’t lie and just say I sit around eating whatever I want.  Past the age of 25, I actually had to become conscience of my body and only wish I’d started sooner.  I run three to four times a week, but my real secret weapon for long, lean, toned arms and legs and a flat stomach is Pilates.  Specifically, Flex Studios.  Very specifically, Jenn Seracuse.

I’d tried out a few different Pilates studios in New York after getting hooked when I lived in LA.  One class with Jenn at Flex and I needn’t look any further.  Jenn’s class is fun and upbeat without being annoyingly cheerleader peppy (I was a cheerleader, chill).  Beginner’s or first timers don’t fret.  Jenn must have eyes in the back of her head because she’s able to keep tabs on everyone in class providing gentle corrections to ensure you’re getting the most out of the session without breaking anything except a sweat.  One of the best parts of Jenn’s classes are her playlists.  As I’m sure anyone who works out can attest, music can make or break whether you struggle or stride through those last ten minutes.  So, this week, Jenn was kind enough to put together a playlist especially for WhyDid.com.  I, for one, can not wait to slip on my sneakers and feel the burn while listening.

To be honest, I was little nervous to share my secret because I may find myself on the waiting list for class more than I’d like, but come sweat with Jenn and me and be sure to follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

xx,

WhyDid

WhyDid and Win: Flirty and Thirty with Cosabella

By |June 25th, 2013|WhyDid and Win|

whydid cosabella contest

Shouldn’t come as news that I’m semi obsessed with lingerie, delicate underpinnings, and basically anything lace.  Whether anyone besides Smitty sees it, doesn’t really matter.  Knowing  I’m wearing something beautiful and feminine under there is the ultimate confidence booster –and there is no brand more flirty or feminine than Cosabella.  I was first introduced to the brand while buying lingerie for Henri Bendel and needless to say, I’ve been a fan ever since.  The Soire Soft Bra is my go to for steamy summer nights.  In honor of thirty years of sexy (not me, silly), Cosabella and WhyDid are giving you a chance to win 3 Panty Pack from their newest addition, Trenta.

The new must-have group celebrates Cosabella’s 30 Years of Color and innovation! The fine lace of Trenta is shaped to lay flat on the body for a seamless effect. It features styles in all-over delicate lace and styles in smooth microfiber mixed with lace galloons and insets. The thong wraps your body smoothly with a single back seam to enhance comfort and emphasize the delicateness of the lace.

So say goodbye to VPL and enter for your chance to win by following WhyDid and Cosabella and using the hashtag, #Cosabella30.

Good luck, bellas!

xx,

WhyDid