By Dr. Jason Rivers

With St. Patrick’s Day around the corner, the Irish and all who love an excuse to down a green beer or indulge in a spirit, will be celebrating with cheers. Unfortunately the very thing Celtics love to celebrate with on this day – green beer and Irish whiskey, is the thing that can irritate rosacea as well as other skin conditions.

Alcohol is a known trigger for skin conditions. One of the most common of Celtic inherited conditions is rosacea, a chronic skin condition that can cause red and inflamed skin across the cheeks, nose and forehead.

Of course, problematic skin is unlikely to sway folks away – from their local pub. If you are going to indulge, here are a few tips on how to treat a skin hangover and lessen the ugly effects.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

Can I recommend vodka water? Drinking as much water as possible before, during and after consuming alcohol is the best way to offset the dehydration it causes. In the morning, substitute your morning coffee for something caffeine-free to avoid further dehydration.  Coconut water is a great natural alternative to sports drinks for replenishing your electrolytes and, since it contains less sugar and additives, it is a better option for people with sensitive skin and conditions like rosacea.

Sleep

As Irish luck would have it, St. Patrick’s Day falls on Saturday this year. So cancel any ambitious morning plans and let yourself sleep in.  If you work weekends, pencil in a cat nap for when you return.  The best time for your skin to recover, repair and heal is when it’s resting.  So while you may feel lazy for doing it, your body is actually hard at work processing the damage done the night before.

Avoid Hangover Food

Unfortunately, you can’t trust your body to tell you what it needs all the time.  Cravings for greasy, salty foods won’t help your complexion any more than it will your hangover.  People with rosacea are already sensitive to foods that are high in fat and sugar, so it is even more important to be weary of your Sunday brunch option.  What your body and skin need are vitamins and minerals, in particular the B-vitamins, vitamin C and potassium.  Nuts, bananas, orange juice, beans and fish are rich in skin-boosting nutrients.

Dr. Jason Rivers is one of Canada’s top dermatologists and the founder of Riversol Skincare Inc. He has published more than 135 articles in various journals. He is the editor-in-chief of The Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery and the associate editor of The Skin Therapy Letter. You can contact him on Twitter.com/Riversol or Facebook.com/Riversol. www.riversol.com

According to a 2006 study by the Institute of Medicine, 70 million Americans suffer from sleep issues. I am one of them. I’ve struggled with falling and staying asleep for a very long time and I have finally found the perfect solution! Dream Water is an all-natural, zero-calorie, no preservatives, 2.5-oz shot of “Zen and Zzz’s.”

There are three ways to use Dream Water:

1. If you have trouble falling asleep, drink one of these tasty shots 20-40 minutes prior to bedtime.

2. If you have trouble staying asleep, keep a shot next to your bed and drink it when you wake up in the middle of the night. Within 20 to 40 minutes you will be back in dreamland.

3. If you’re like me and have trouble with both falling and staying asleep drink half of a Dream Water prior to bedtime and then keep the other half at your bedside if you happen to wake up.

The science behind the product is the ingredients of GABA, melatonin and 5 HTP. GABA (Gamma-Amino Butyric Acid) is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that blocks the transmission of one cell to another in the central nervous system. This prevents the over-firing of nerve cells and helps to promote tranquility while reducing stress and anxiety. Melatonin is a chemical which governs the body’s internal clock and helps us get to sleep. 5 HTP, 5-Hydroxytryptophan, is an amino acid the body produces from tryptophan and converts to serotonin – a mood-enhancing chemical. It also improves quality of sleep by stimulating the production of melatonin in the body.

Dream Water comes in three delicious flavors:

Snoozeberry – blueberry and pomegranate (my personal favorite!)

Lullaby Lemon – lemon with hints of tea

Pineapple PM – pineapple

Celebrity fans of these tiny shots include Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin, Khloe Kardashian, Kristin Chenoweth and Bill Clinton. Kathie Lee and Hoda from the Today Show featured the water as one of their “Favorite Things.” Make Dream Water one of your favorite things and enjoy the sweet dreams tonight!

Dream Water, 12-pack of 2.5-oz bottles, $38.99 www.drinkdreamwater.com

WWD reports that the powerhouse of MAC Cosmetics will be creating a limited edition Marilyn Monroe collection set to launch in all MAC locations in October, which will celebrate the icon’s signature look and legacy.

The line will feature 30 custom-designed eye shadows, lipsticks, lacquers and eyeliners, priced from $15 to $27. I for one am “RED-Y” to get my hands on what I’m sure will be the best lipstick in ages!

Of all the looks at NYFW this year, my favorite belonged to Marchesa, brought to us by Laura Mercier. The inspiration for the Marchesa Fall 2012 collection was the William-Adolphe Bouguereau 1978 portrait, “A Soul Brought to Heaven.” Talia Shobrook, lead Laura Mercier makeup artist for the show created a makeup look drawn from the ethereal quality of the collection. The look was her “vision of an angel, brought to life through a luminous palette.”

FACE

Shobrook stated “iridescent, porcelain skin was the foundation of the look and evoked the untouched perfection of angels.”

Shobrook first moisturized the skin with Laura Mercier Mega-Moisturizer Crèm

She then applied a mixture of Laura Mercier Hydrating Foundation Primer and Laura Mercier Foundation Primer Radiance to the entire face to give it an iridescent base

Next, she used Laura Mercier Silk Crème Foundation to lend the skin a porcelain, marbleized look

Lastly, she highlighted the face with the mixture of Laura Mercier Hydrating Foundation Primer and Laura Mercier Foundation Primer Radiance to give it luminosity

LIPS

She then “applied a cherubic lip, with a stained effect to modernize the look.”

Shobrook mixed Laura Mercier Crème Smooth Lip Colour in Merlot and Laura Mercier Crème Smooth Lip Colour in Haute Red (available Fall 2012) and applied to the center of the mouth

She then pressed in the color with her fingertips to allow the pigment to bleed outwards

EYES

According to Shobrook, “the ethereal eye lent an incandescent glow to the entire look.”

Shobrook first applied Laura Mercier NEW Eye Canvas to the lid to set a base

Next, she applied the Laura Mercier Illuminating Eye Colour in Gilded Moonshine (NEW: Available Fall 2012) as a liner around the entire edge of the eye

Laura Mercier Center Faux Lashes were used to give the eye a rounded shape

Shobrook finished by applying several coats of Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume Lash Building Mascara

Fun Fact: This gold rimmed eye is also a celebrity eye-makeup secret! Blake Lively sports this look to make her big blue eyes pop without the dark look of a smokey eye.

Products can be found at www.lauramercier.com

With the 84th Annual Academy Awards just around the corner, our favorite celebs are kicking their workout routines into high gear to get ready to strut their stuff down that iconic red carpet. Celebrity Trainer Michelle Lovitt, who works with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars and hottest bodies including Courtney Cox, Lauren Graham and Jason Statham, is sharing her six tips on how you too can score an Oscar-worthy bod!

Kick it up a notch –leading up to Oscar night kick up the intensity, frequency and time spent in the gym

Intensify cardio – increase levels on machines (such as treadmills and spin bikes), add sprints or hills to your routine and increase the duration to burn more calories

Escalate your heart rate – keep your heart rate between 60-85% of your normal max so the burned calories come from body fat and not glycogen

Increase calories burned – celebrity clients aim to burn 750-1000 calories a day at least 6 days before the Oscars.

Eliminate alcohol, sugar and salt from diet – eliminating all three will help avoid unnecessary water retention.

Exercise with the right apparel – exercising with functional and comfortable apparel is key to a great workout. “I always recommend Zobha because the clothing is style-focused and perfect for grabbing breakfast before the gym, breaking a sweat during your work out and running errands post-workout.”

Tips from Ouidad Creative Director, Morgan Willhite

As usual New York Fashion Week gave us a myriad of different hairstyles, nail polish trends and makeup looks. While some are difficult to take from the runway to the sidewalk, some are just our constant staples, re-vamped, like the ponytail. Curly, soft and wavy ponytails were seen on a number of NYFW runways. Carolina Herrera opted for looped and tucked while Derek Lam chose a more embellished twist but wherever spotted this go-to style was polished yet playful. Morgan Willhite, Creative Director at Ouidad dishes her expertise to replicate these runway inspired ponytails for curly girls nationwide.

“The best part about ponytails is that they are low maintenance yet they look high fashion. Although they are a great option for most hair types, they are especially attractive on curly hair,” says Willhite. Ponytails can be fun or sophisticated and the only requirement is that your hair is at least medium length. “All you need is a touch of the Ouidad Clear Control pomade, a few sprays of the new Frizz and Fly Away Fighter and a hair elastic to make this trend work for you,” says Willhite.

Morgan’s Tail Tips:

Brush your hair with a comb or the Ouidad Double Detangler and apply the Ouidad Climate Control Gel throughout the hair to reduce frizz

Put an elastic band around your right wrist and hold your hair in your left hand; with your right hand brush the hair back smoothly; curly hair tends to be dry, so spray a bit of water to keep it damp as you work

Open the hand holding the hair as you brush the hair through; smooth out the front adding Ouidad Climate Control Gel to control curls

Use your left hand to slide the elastic off your right wrist and onto the base of the ponytail

Let some curls escape the ponytail for a romantic look

Try a loose ponytail if you have thick curly hair

Apply the new Ouidad Frizz and Flyaway Fighter to the finished look to help reduce frizz and keep the flyaways tamed

Products available at ouidad.com