The Perfect - Smokin' Hot - Suit for You

As we mature, we become smarter about apparel purchases. We don't just gravitate toward the latest trends or our favorite colors, we buy what looks best on us.  Swimsuits are no exception.  Swim Spot has created Fit Specialist videos for almost every body type: apple, athletic, full bust, hourglass, pear, petite.

I am a petite and should look for a suit with: a plunging neckline to elongate my torso; soft cuts (i.e., halter top vs. strapless) that don't visually "cut" off my body; and higher cut bottoms that elongate my legs.

Don't see your shape or need some extra guidance? Schedule an appointment with a Swim Spot Fit Specialist: fitspecialist@swimspot.com or call 1.877.684.7946.

The more coverage, the better, people!

If in Greenwich, Please Join Us!

Antioxidant Blast

Yes, this smoothie is green and it's also delicious.  It provides loads of antioxidants (abundant in all it's ingredients) to help fight cancers, including melanoma.  It's also great for glowing skin: spinach is packed with iron which keeps your blood healthy and your skin bright; avocados contain Vitamin E and good monounsaturated fats both of which keep your complexion nourished. Did I mention it takes 3 minutes to make?

Skin Love Smoothie

Blend:

1 cup packed fresh organic spinach
1/2 organic avocado
1 organic Granny Smith apple peeled and cut into pieces
1 1/4 cups organic pear juice (can substitute white grape juice but it has more sugar)
1 cup crushed ice

Enjoy

Recipe courtesy of Everyday Food Magazine
1 smoothie = 193 calories, 7g fat, 2g protein, 36g carbohydrates, 6g fiber

Places in the Shade: The Surf Lodge, Montauk

Welcome to our new travel series!  Periodically we will be featuring some of our favorite destinations in the shade, and their bars, umbrellas, cabanas, etc.

One of my favorite things is traveling.  It's the ultimate luxury.  When away, you do the things you don't usually do at home. You indulge.

The Surf Lodge in Montauk is no exception.  With it's ultra cool, laid back vibe, I could spend weeks there and it would never get old.  A weekend, however, is truly a vacation.  Leave your heels and fanciness behind and unwind with an Endless Summer cocktail, eat at the Surf Lodge Restaurant and listen to live music.

Lanterns shade the restaurant's deck

Catch a little shade at the bar

I could lay in this bed all day and catch the breeze coming off Fort Pond

Open air bar

Reservations for 2012 season are being accepted April 1. A new website is in the works (the link above is from 2011 season but gives you an idea of vibe, etc.) They are on island time, so be patient.  Who's joining us this summer?

If anyone plans on going, please message me and I'd be thrilled to give you recos on everything from what to order to what rooms to stay in. 

Beach Gloss

I went on a hunt for some hot gloss with SPF.  I found lots of lip stains with sunscreen, but I wanted a shiny gloss. Of the many that I sampled these are my tops picks, all in light pink tones, great for any skin shade:

In my bag this summer will be Smashbox Limitless Long Wear Lip Gloss with SPF 15 in Forever.  Great sheen, guaranteed to glisten in the shade and a great scent to boot. ($22)

Clinique Long Last Glosswear with SPF 15 in Air Kiss. ($15)

Tarte 24.7 Natural Lip Shear with SPF 15 in Summer Fling - this really is more of a tint but not only did I love the name, I liked that it is all natural.  ($16) If you plan to wear your hair down or go hatless (tisk-tisk), you'll want to avoid the gloss and go for a tint like this one. Nothing worse than hair stuck to your lips.

As an aside, I was hoping for more than a 15 SPF in my picks.  The highest I was able to find was SPF 17.

No Excuse

Spring (almost summer) weather has come to New England and it's only mid-march. The past 3 days have been warm and sunny and we've been outside a bit.  Do you think I was prepared with sunscreen?  No!  Today I am.

A little reminder to you all: pack a little bottle of sunscreen in a dedicated bag that you can leave in your purse or the car so there is never an excuse.  You can grab a free sample of sunscreen at your dermatologists office.

A Ziploc will work just fine but this cute little ditty bag - the Baggie All from RuMe - may encourage you to break it out more often. Available at Whole Body or rumebags for $9.95. 

Skin Apps

For those who have been sun-kissed, there's an app for us! 

Skin Scan allows you to scan and monitor moles over time by keeping an archive of mole photos.  Moles are analyzed through Skin Scan's proprietary algorithms which take into account your age, location and gender.

My analysis (pictured at left) turned out to be a "low risk lesion." Kind of cool to look at.  It was tough to get a clear photo on my own though. Is it accurate?  Not sure but the same mole was checked as benign by a dermatologist a month ago.

Another app called Spot Check, which is free on itunes, has you send photos of questionable moles to board certified dermatologists.  They claim to review your photo within 24 hours.  This app however, is currently only available in California, New York and New Jersey. (If anyone wants to check it out and report back, please do.)

I could see these tools as being a quick and easy way to put your mind at ease in between dermatologist visits. For me, or anyone with successive irregularities, there isn't long in between those visits.  Bottom line, go see a dermatologist, at least once a year.

Beach Hair

Totally achievable sans beach.  My two favorite products, both add body and great texture to hair:

From Australia, Kusco-Murphy Beach Hair has the most fantastic coconut smell with pieces of crushed bamboo to replicate sand.  Available on amazon.com.

Bumble and Bumble's Surf Spray has the same effect but is a bit lighter.  It uses salt, then seaweed and kelp to add moisture. Available at sephora.com.

Apply in the Buff

It goes without saying, we should all be applying sunscreen when we spend any extended time in the sun.  All sunscreens are not created equal.

Props to the experts that helped me through phase one of my research: Pediatrician Dr. Paul E. Juan, Naturopath Dr. Michael Gazsi and my friends at Yale Dermatology. 

Buy
1. Sunscreen should protect against both UVA (rays that damage collagen and elastin and cause wrinkles) and UVB rays (cause redness and burning).
2. Look for brands that contain the mineral Zinc Oxide which blocks/reflects the suns rays.  Titanium Dioxide has the same effect but apparently is a bit less effective due to higher absorbency.
3. Sunscreens that claim to be above 30 to 50 SPF are not that much more effective.
4. I personally always buy sunscreen at Whole Body or other natural product stores.  Brands sold at drug stores work just fine but can contain Parabens, Phthalates, alcohol and chemicals (for fragrance, color, etc.). I'm obviously not a doctor or scientist but with controversy surrounding these ingredients, I'd rather go the more natural route.

Apply
1. Apply at home, in the buff, not only are you less likely to miss a spot, this allows time to for the sunscreen to absorb.
2. Do the same for the kids, once you get to the beach/pool they want to dive right in.
3. I find the sprays to be the easiest to apply (but the aerosols are not good to breath and bad for the ozone!).  Many natural versions have started to include a pump spray.  Love it.
4. Sunscreen can not effectively be applied to the scalp (hats are a must) and don't forget the ears! When swimming though, apply to the part in your hair. 

Reapply
1. "Playing in the water and sand will rinse the sunscreen off and reduce the effectiveness of the barrier" says Dr. Juan.  No sunscreen is waterproof, some are more water resistant.  Read the directions on the bottle, some say to reapply every 90 minutes but always reapply after a swim or a good sweat.

Armed with the above information, I'll be on the hunt for the best brands for my family this summer, in Apply in the Buff II.