VITAMIN C IS MAGICAL

Vitamin C gets props for protecting against colds, but it does so, so much more.

• C keeps collagen strong. Collagen is the scaffolding that holds your skin up, and it degrades with age.
• It lowers cortisol levels (cortisol is known as the stress hormone). High cortisol levels create inflammation in the body, which is pretty much the root of all disease.
• Some research shows that C can increase your body's fat-burning capabilities by as much as 30 percent, and reduce age-related weight gain.
• Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant, which means it helps your skin stand up to pollution, UV radiation, and various other nasty things out there trying to make you old and ugly.

You need Vitamin C in your body every day to keep it at a steady, age-fighting level, but don't go popping C supplements. It's really easy to over do it with supplements, and your body can't absorb that much at one time. Regular Vitamin C supplement use has been linked to kidney stones. OUCH.

Instead, load up on C-rich foods every day. Yes, oranges, and...

• red peppers
• kale
• strawberries
• broccoli
• brussels sprouts
• kiwi
• papaya

FAKING PERFECT SKIN WITH FOUNDATION

I had three days of food poisoning. Or maybe an alien life form took up residence in my body—I can't be sure.

Thanks to all of the puking (ugh, there is no elegant way to talk about puke, is there?), I have a face full of little red broken blood vessels, especially around my eyes. Plus pale, dry skin. Plus dark shadows under my eyes. It's all very "Walking Dead."

But today, not only was one the wiser, but in fact, multiple people told me how great my skin looked. All an illusion, I can promise you that. I mean it—this is not me pretending to complain about how "bad" I look so I can humblebrag about how great I really look. Trust.

I owe it all to layers upon layers of Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation and Maracuja Creaseless Concealer (my shade in both is Light).

I had so much on that I looked like a different kind of mythical monster—a vampire, with a mask of solid skintone on my entire face—until I went back with a hefty dose of blush. Normally I wouldn't wear that heavy of an application, and actually, I wear foundation very, very rarely, but I had a lot to cover, and boy does this stuff cover. But it didn't look cakey or fake. If you prefer full coverage for whatever reason (I'm hoping not for the same reason I've spelled out here—I wouldn't wish that on anyone), I recommend this bad boy duo, for sure.

WEAR SUNSCREEN ON CLOUDY DAYS

Photo: Rich Williams Photography

If you really want to protect your skin from wrinkling and age spots, you simply must wear sunscreen on cloudy days. Even with cloud cover, UV radiation still reaches you. Think about it: It's overcast, but it's still light enough to see without the need for a flashlight or street lamps, right? The sun isn't gone.

Yes, it sucks, yes sunscreen is gross, and blah blah blah. But UV exposure is cumulative and wearing sunscreen only on sunny days doesn't make up for all the non-sunscreen days over a lifetime. Your skin will look better than all of your friends (and don't pretend you don't want that), but wearing sunscreen every day also has the nice little side effect of protecting you from deadly melanoma.

It's very overcast here in NYC and it's probably going to storm later today—I'm about to walk to my sister's apartment and I still took the time to put sunscreen on my face, neck, chest and arms. It's not like super-crazy beach sunscreen or anything, just a simple SPF 30 cream. Hence, the inspiration for this post.

VINTAGE PURPLE BOTTLES

If you like collecting old bottles, keep an eye out for purple ones. They're sort of rare, so my mom and I snap them up whenever we can, if they're priced low (between $1-7 dollars is a good deal).

Purple bottles are cool because they weren't supposed to be that color. Before WWI, bottle manufacturers used manganese dioxide to clarify the glass, so it came out clear. But the manganese dioxide oxidized when exposed to UV light and turned purple.

Sometime during the first part of the 20th century, other means of decolorizing glass became popular, and so the use of manganese dioxide dwindled. Some stories claim that it's because the supply of manganese dioxide came from Russia, and during WWI the supply chain was cut off, and bottle makers started using selenium instead, which doesn't oxidize.

Either way, purple bottles are dated from 1880-1920. You can see from the picture of my collection here that they come in shades of very light purple to very bold (see a clear one in back for reference). Leave the mason jar collecting for the amateurs and start your own hunt for old purple bottles.

TODAY ONLY: JOSIE MARAN ARGAN SELF-TANNING BODY WASH

An interesting product arrived at the office that made us all go, "Huh. That's different." It's a body wash that apparently self-tans you in the shower. Crazy, right?

Not as crazy as the fact that it's only available for one day starting at 12:00 am ET (yeah, that's right now) and ending at midnight tonight. And then...you can't get the product ever again? That seems weird to me. Surely if it's popular they'll bring it back.

You use the applicator pouf to foam it up, rub it all over, and then rinse. They claim the color starts to develop in 30 seconds, doesn't stain anything, and the brand's signature argan oil moisturizes skin at the same time. No one at the office tried it before it went on sale (oops) so I don't have any firsthand accounts on whether or not it works. But it sounds cool.

Anyhoo, you can order Josie Maran Argan Self-Tanning Body Wash exclusively on QVC for the next 24 hours. With their track record it will probably sell out in about 10 minutes. Godspeed.

BOTOX IS NOT BOTULISM

Whenever Botox is brought up in a conversation, someone (usually a guy, but not always) will inevitably say, thinking they're oh so clever and the first one to ever make the quip, "Why would you inject botulism near your brain!"

And then I want to kill myself.

Not because I am super pro-Botox or anything, but because there are a ton of things to consider before deciding to get Botox, and it being "botulism" is not one of them.*

Calling Botox botulism is like calling penicillin mold. Both are purified strains and/or blends of the original toxin. And as Dr. Michelle Yagoda (one of the only people I'd ever let near my face with a needle) points out to me: "Botox can be seen as similar to medications used in anesthesia."

Yes, Botox has a lethal dose and can kill you. But so does Advil. That's why you go to a reputable plastic surgeon or dermatologist (not your dentist who moonlights as a cosmetic doctor or basically anyone who works at a spa) who knows what he or she is doing. And as for injecting it near your brain, I guess *technically* it's right there, but unless the doc stabs the needle through your skull, I think you can put that concern to rest.

Real, actual concerns with Botox include the following:

1. Botox paralyzes muscles to smooth out wrinkles and prevent them from getting deeper, but it's expensive and wears off after three months, so it's a pricey commitment.
2. If you go to a crappy doc, you could end up with a droopy eye or a frozen face.
3. Botox is strictly tested on animals for safety, so if you are against animal testing, that's important to know.
4. There is some concern about long-term Botox use causing muscle atrophy, Aka sagging, over time.
5. Also, some people report wrinkles forming in other parts of their faces where their skin makes up for not being able to wrinkle in its usual, preferred spot.

Look. Botox makes a lot of people happy, so if you want it, go for it. Just be smart and don't let the haters get you down.

*Unless you're going to a shady doctor or pseudo-doctor who buys faux-tox off the back of a truck in Chinatown. Then you should be very, very worried for your safety.

NEW EVERLANE SILK BLOUSES

Photos courtesy of Everlane

If you've ever thought $300 for a silk blouse was outrageous, Everlane is the online shop for you. By eliminating middle men to prevent costly markup, and by focusing their eye for detail on a few key pieces rather than a huge assortment, Everlane is able to produce excellent quality basics (think t-shirts and cashmere sweaters) for a reasonable price.

Where they really shine is with their timeless silk blouses for $80. The spring styles launched this week, including the new band collar blouse (pictured)—perfect with shorts for bizarro, in-between weather days

DO THIS NOW: 'RUSSIAN OPERA' HAIR

Photo: Jon Gurinsky for Aveda

Leave it to Antoinette Beenders (Aveda Global Director and one of my favorite beauty industry people) to create a look that I want to wear every single day. For the Fall/Winter 2013 Christian Siriano show, she was inspired by "the golden age of Russian Opera and Saint Petersburg’s Mariinsky Theatre." How dreamy is that?

Of course when I try to replicate this it doesn't come even close to looking as nice. But I try! And you can too:

1. Give your hair some grip with Aveda Pure Abundance Style Prep. Blow dry straight.
2. Make a center part and two fishtail braids starting up behind the ear.
3. Gently massage the braids to flatten them out a bit.
4. Fold the braids in a criss-cross motion and secure with pins.

Head over to the Aveda blog for more details. If you haven't mastered fishtail braids, it looks just as cute with regular braids.

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT FACE WASH

Why is it so hard to find a great face wash? It seems so simple. I find that most face cleansers fall into one of two categories: too drying or slimy, as in, I'm smearing this stuff all over my face but it doesn't seem to be doing anything.

I also have the annoying problem of extremely sensitive eyes. Not the skin around my eyes, mind you, but my actual eyeballs. They turn bright red like I've been on a three-day bender if I use the wrong face wash. I *think* it's because of fragrance, but I haven't been able to confirm that for sure yet.

Anyhoo, I finally found some face washes that I like. I've rubbed these all around my eyes with success. Here they are:

1. Lift Lab Purify & Clarify Daily Cleanser & Detox Mask: I was super skeptical of this guy, but after using it every morning for a month the stubborn clogged pores on my chin went away. It foams, which is usually an indicator that a cleanser will dry you out, but this one doesn't.
2. Ren Hydra-Calm Cleansing Gel: My newest love. First of all, it smells like orange blossom, which is one of my favorite scents. Secondly, it's a non-foaming gel, so it cleans really well and rinses away clean.
3. Fresh Soy Face Cleanser: A classic for a reason. I love the light cucumber scent and the way it cleanses without stripping my skin.
4. Bioelements Flash Foam Cleanser: I've recommended this for years to people who have itchy, allergy-type eyes. Years ago, when I was on Accutane, this was the only face wash I could tolerate.

Ok, so you if you decide to buy some of these, you might notice something: They're all expensive. I know! I just personally haven't had success with cheapie face washes, and trust me, I've tried. If you have suggestions of your own, please share below in the comments so other readers can learn from your wisdom. Sharing is caring.

RARE SIGHTING: TARTE ON SALE

Tarte is my favorite makeup company. There. I said it. I use way more of their products than any other one company (at least when it comes to makeup), and I recommend them to people all the time.

Well, the gals at Tarte just alerted me to a sale they're having on their website. I spy steep discounts on some of my favorite items. Take the Miracle of Maracuja set (pictured), for instance. I own this set, and I love it to pieces.

A few drops of the face oil on damp skin will transform your face from dull to dewy in an instant. Promise. But in my opinion, the real standout in this set is the cream blush and the accompanying brush. A few swirls on your cheeks and you're a flushed Vermeer milkmaid in seconds flat.

The price for all eight full size products? $60. To put it in perspective, the face oil alone is $46 when bought separately. Run, don't walk.