exercise

Score Smoother Skin and a Hotter Body with Clarins and Barry’s Bootcamp!

April 29, 2013 at 2:20 pm
By Molly Ritterbeck

Let the countdown begin: today marks just four weeks until Memorial Day weekend (the unofficial start of summer), which means it’s time to buckle down and get your bikini body on. Feeling anxious at the thought of slipping on your two-piece? Don’t freak out—Clarins has joined forces with celeb workout favorite, Barry’s Bootcamp, to help you reach your slim-down goal. Together, they’ve developed a series of video tutorials available on Clarins YouTube channel that combine simple, fat-burning exercises developed by International Celebrity Fitness Expert Joey Gonzales. Shoot to do each move for one minute a day for a week. As you get better at each move, you can increase the time by 30 seconds. To maximize the intensity of each move, buy a Barry’s Bootcamp Booty Band here for $9. The first video will be available today, with subsequent videos on each Monday for the next three weeks. And to really amp up your results, slather on Clarins Body Lift Cellulite Control ($68, clarins.com), which when applied using the company’s customized technique—the Clarins Self-Massage Body Countouring Method—the new slimming lotion traps fatty tissue, stimulates circulation and encourages the elimination of excess water and lipids for less visible cellulite and firmer skin. Do this daily—trust us, you’ll want to (it’s pampering) and you’ll have a hotter body and smoother skin come summertime!

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Debra Messing on Battling Allergies, Embarrassing Moments and Her Favorite Beauty Products

April 4, 2013 at 4:31 pm
By Molly Ritterbeck

As our favorite funny girl from Will & Grace and most recently, a Broadway writer on the hit series Smash, Debra Messing has been entertaining us for years. And though she always looks flawless on screen, she’s been covering up a not-so-pretty little secret: she’s a severe allergy sufferer. Turns out, she’s one of many—96% of women suffer from allergies and the beauty woes that accompany them (watery eyes, a red nose and a puffy face). So Messing is teaming up with Zyrtec, the number one allergist recommended brand, to help fellow sufferers look and feel their best by sharing her own personal story and beauty secrets. Here, she explains just how embarrassing allergies can be and how she manages to conceal the dreaded “allergy face.”

With spring comes warm weather and pretty flowers, but it’s also the start of allergy season. Can you explain what it means to have “allergy face?” 
“I’ve been an allergy sufferer since I was really little. I grew up in New England, and anytime allergy season would come along, I would have these reactions. It would include my eyes watering constantly and my eyelids puffing up and my face getting blotchy and red, just to name a few things. So for me, that’s what allergy face means. It’s so great to be working with a company that is addressing the beauty needs of women during allergy season because in the past, it has prevented me from doing the things that I’ve really wanted to do. Like you said, taking advantage of the warm weather and going out to Central Park for a walk with my son or worrying about looking good if I have a press event outside. I partnered up with Zyrtec because it’s the first thing that actually works for me. It’s something that I can depend on and I know that if I take it in the morning I’m going to be ok. It really does prevent those reactions from happening to me.”

What’s your most embarrassing allergy attack story? 
“I was shooting a movie called The Wedding Date in England, and we were out in the British countryside. Beautiful rolling hills, flowers everywhere, grass and everyone was so excited because we were going to be shooting outside for days. I went in to have my makeup done in the trailer and they brought in a new makeup artist to help out and she was doused in perfume, an all floral essences. By the time my hair was fixed, my entire face blew up and my throat closed. My eyelids were so swollen that my eyes looked like slits. I turned and said ‘uh oh’ and everyone turned and looked and said ‘Oh my God!’ The director came in and said we couldn’t shoot. We had to shut down production and wait until my allergy attack subsided—embarrassing! Everyone was literally just sitting around looking at my puffy face and waiting for it to get better.”

That sounds terrible! You mentioned being in the makeup chair, what are your go-to beauty products to conceal allergy symptoms? 
“Because my eyes get itchy, I like to carry portable saline drops just to wash out my eyes so that any allergens in the air won’t stick around too long. In the morning, I get a bowl full of ice and add in aloe juice, which is inexpensive from the health food store, and I make the aloe juice really freezing and put in a washcloth and put it on my face for a minute or two. It takes all the puffiness out and it’s really soothing. My skin gets red and rashy so the aloe soothes that, too.”

Beside the products you use to hide your “allergy face,” do you have any other favorite beauty products?
“You know, my allergies are so severe that I really have to use fragrance-free products so there’s a makeup by Lorac called Natural Performance Foundation ($36, loraccosmetics.com) that I use everyday. It’s fragrance-free and doesn’t have anything in it that can exacerbate my sensitivity.”

So we know you’re a busy mom and working on the set of a hit TV show, so how do you find the time to stay fit? 
“You know what, it’s all about my son. He is now turning nine. When he was about four, I was so amazed by how active he was and I thought there was no way he could get more active then he is. He is like the Tasmanian devil now. He is constantly running around and he wants me to play with him. He loves sports. So when the weather is nice, we go across the street to Central Park and we’ll take the soccer ball and play soccer. He likes football and tennis, too. He just really loves sports so that’s what keeps me healthy; I wouldn’t say fit.”

What is your diet like with such a crazy schedule?
“I also have a lot of food allergies, so for me, it’s about staying away from the foods that I’m allergic to. I try to eat very clean. I try and stay away from dairy and sugar. I try and eat a lot of fish and fresh fruits and vegetables, basically all of the things that your mom tries to teach you in kindergarten.”

When you splurge, what do you splurge on?
“I love pizza and I love Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups!”

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Brooklyn Decker Dishes on Mixing Up Her Workouts, Her Best Beauty Trick and Her Facial Hair Preference on Tennis Star Andy Roddick (Swoon!)

February 14, 2013 at 5:11 pm
By Molly Ritterbeck

Brooklyn Decker is known for her smokin’ hot Sports Illustrated spreads and acting alongside some A-list stars like Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler. But when she’s not on set, she’s just like the rest of us: she splurges on sweets (especially on Valentine’s day), gets bored with her workouts and loves kissing her smoothly-shaven husband, hottie Andy Roddick. Today, she teamed up with Gillette to host The World’s Largest Shave & Kiss Event conveniently on—you guessed it—Valentine’s Day. Gillette conducted a month-long, nationwide social experiment where women were asked to kiss their guys before and after they shaved to pick their preference: a smoothly-shaven smooch or a stubbly kiss. The results are in…drum roll, please:

So what’s the verdict? Do women like their men shaven or stubbly?
“Well, Gillette traveled to 16 states and found out that 85% of women actually prefer guys to be clean-shaven, which is surprising because facial hair is so popular now so I would think that it would be around 50/50. But it turns out that the majority of women do prefer a smooth face.”

And did they prefer just the look of it or the feel when kissing? 
“Both. But how they did the study was that they had couples kiss pre and post shave. Then they took the survey with the women after the kiss, so it had a huge influence. They definitely preferred kissing the guy more when he was clean-shaven, which obviously, on Valentine’s Day is very important.”

Definitely! And which do you prefer with your husband?
“I like the look of stubble but I hate the beard burn that I get on my face. It’s almost like razor burn but on my face! It’s like these little red bumps.”

And it hurts! 
“Yea! I figure, I have to shave my legs so I feel like the guy should have to shave his face. And luckily the Gillette Fusion Pro-Glide ($13, drugstore.com), is the number one dermatologist-recommended razor for sensitive skin. So a guy can protect his face and protect yours as well, which is kind of nice. So girls, if you want to do a roundabout hint to your guy, a subtle hint, give him a razor for Valentine’s Day!”

Do you ever workout with Andy?
“I do! I do, actually. It’s usually me, desperately trying to keep up but yea, occasionally. My ego takes a little bruising so it’s a rare occasion.”

Does he make you play tennis?
“No! Not even in the slightest.”

That’s good! Okay, so Valentine’s Day usually involves lots of sweets and sugar. What are some of your strategies for staying on track with healthy eating? 
“I think you should indulge! I think that’s the fun in Valentines Day. I mean, for as long as I can remember, since I was a little kid, you give each other little circle lollipops and candy. There’s something really fun and nostalgic about that and I don’t think that should be ignored but I also don’t think it should derail any fitness or health goals you have. I love sweets. I think the biggest thing is just eating what you want, not everyday, not all the time, but as long as you’re staying physical and you’re staying active, you can allow yourself to indulge on Valentine’s Day because you deserve it and it’s fun. But I think the more women obsess over it or the more people obsess over it, the worse it gets, the harder it gets to stay on track.”

Any great insider beauty tips you want to share?
“I think some of the best beauty tips probably involve multi-purpose products— products that can be used for several things. Makeup artists are constantly doing that. You can use a razor to shave; or you can also use it to exfoliate your skin before a spray tan. There are all sorts of things you can do. You can use a lip balm for example on you lips, cheeks and eyes for a glow. I constantly find, because makeup artists are usually in a rush, they’re trying to get you out the door and looking really good fast, so multi-purpose products are always a big secret that they use.”

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Reward Yourself with a Luxurious Bath

February 13, 2013 at 3:14 pm
By Fitness Magazine

Post-workout, I treat myself to a warm soak to ease my sore muscles. While testing bath-friendly beauty products (tough job, right?), I stumbled across these three standouts, which have helped transform my bathroom into a spa-like sanctuary. I even use them as an incentive while working out (just one more mile until some TLC)!

Set the mood:
Bath & Body Works White Barn 3-Wick Candle in Honeysuckle ($20, bathandbodyworks.com)
Dim your lights (it’s you time!) and activate this candle. In a few minutes, the subtle blend of honeysuckle and creamy vanilla will fill the air. The best part: the sweet scent lingers for hours after the flame goes out.

Soak it up:
Lush Peaceful Lavender Bathing Under the Stars Bath Bomb in Twilight ($6, lushusa.com)
A fun alternative to bubble bath, this fizzy bath bomb will bob around the tub and dissolve, turning the water into frothy pink and purple swirls. Lavender essential oil will help you unwind—perfect for taking the edge off before bedtime.

Soften your skin:
Victoria’s Secret Seriously Soft Body Cream in Jasmine & Water Lily ($12, Victoriassecret.com)
Once you’re out of the tub, lightly pat your skin with a towel. While it’s still damp, slather on this rich cream. Hydrating coconut and sunflower oils will leave your skin feeling silky, while the tropical scent will put you in a vacation-mode mindset.

—Jessica Carter, beauty intern

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Kate Hudson Spills on Being a Busy Mom, Serving as the Face of Almay and Guest-starring on Glee

January 29, 2013 at 4:14 pm
By Molly Ritterbeck

Kate Hudson’s never looked hotter (um, hello, Golden Globes!). But she’s not spending all day getting pampered at the spa—she has an upcoming film (Me and My Shadow), she guest-stars on Glee, and she’s the face of both Almay and Ann Taylor—all on top of being a mother of two. With this resumé, it’s refreshing to find out that Hudson is just as normal and down to earth as the girl-next-door characters she plays in movies. If it weren’t for her movie star looks, I might have forgotten how famous she was while we were chatting. She let us in on her love of beauty and how she gets her workouts in on Glee.  

Tell us how the partnership with Almay came about?
“It’s been a couple of years so now it’s like a family. When I met with them, it was just amazing. The first thing they told me was how the company came about. I’m a sucker for romance—“Al” is the man who created this line for his wife because she had such sensitive skin that she could never buy any makeup. So he literally created products for his wife so she could wear makeup. Isn’t that cute? I love Al! And they’re all about other things like enhancing a woman’s natural beauty and the idea of not masking yourself to be someone different. Then I got to use the products—that was the good thing for me. I don’t want to sell a product that I can’t say I like. So they sent me all the products and I used them all the time! Now as the relationship continues, the stuff they bring me, they really want to know how I feel about it, if I like it, if it works well. They really believe in the product. I love that. So I feel like I can promote it. They make me feel like I’m a real part of the company.”

Are you introducing it to makeup artists you work with?
“You know what’s funny; a lot of them use it. I’ve worked with a lot of professional makeup artists and the eyeliner is something I see them using. And another thing that they love are the Oil-Free Makeup Removing Sticks ($6, almay.com). Every makeup artist that I know has those swabs! I’m so lazy, I wash my face but when I go to bed, I find that I still have stuff on my eyes.”

What’s your all-time favorite Almay product?
“My all-time favorites are the Moisturizing Eye Makeup Remover Pads ($5, almay.com) and the Makeup Removing Sticks because I just use them all the time. And the eyeliners!”

So what’s the best unusual beauty tip you’ve ever heard?
“There was this old school makeup artist who said she used to work with this actor who would stick his face in ice water everyday. So I started doing it and it really works. Your face just de-puffs!”

You’re doing a lot of big dance numbers on Glee, did you train for it? Your body looks amazing!
“You can’t train for Glee because you only get six hours of rehearsal. That’s the one thing that I found shocking because the only other time I ever did anything like this was in Nine and we had six and a half weeks of rehearsal to do one number, and then I go to do Glee and I’m thinking that we will have several rehearsals, and we get only six hours all together to do a big number. You know you go in and record the song; it’s like being thrown into the fire. But it does take me back to dance class, when I was younger. It’s also frustrating because your extensions are not the same but the more I do the dancing, the more it’s starting to come back. The last number I felt much more like my dancer body than when I started. It’s fun to be home with my sons and for me to be able to take the oldest to school. I’ve never done television like this. I did Party of Five when I was sixteen and then after high school I just got a couple of movies so I’ve never really done much television.”

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Ski Star Julia Mancuso on Skin Cancer Awareness, Sunscreen and Squats

January 2, 2013 at 5:00 pm
By Molly Ritterbeck

Julia Mancuso, professional skier and three-time Olympic medalist, knows a thing or two about sun protection. Not only is she religious about shielding her skin on the slopes, she’s the granddaughter of a dermatologist. So when she was asked to team up with the American Academy of Dermatology for their SPOT Skin Cancer initiative to raise awareness for skin cancer, it was the perfect fit. As a “SPOTlighter” for the campaign, Mancuso is spreading the word to better the public’s understanding of the deadly disease and motivate them to change their behavior to prevent and detect skin cancer.

Tell me about the SPOT Skin Cancer Campaign and why it’s important to you.
“I grew up being really in tune with taking care of my skin and wearing sunscreen and taking the right steps to protect myself on all occasions. I actually preach to my teammates all of the time, saying, ‘Make sure you’re wearing sunscreen!’ And then my grandpa mentioned something about the America Academy of Dermatology, and working with them and how they were coming up with a new campaign. They contacted me and it was just a real natural introduction and fit to help promote the campaign.”

Many people mistakenly think they only need sunscreen during the summer or at the beach, so why is sun protection important year round?
“It’s so important—especially for someone like me who spends so much time outdoors training in the sun in the winter. In the past, I’ve been guilty of having a goggle tan, so that’s the first indication to me that you get a lot of sun outside in the snow, even when there are clouds and you think that it’s not penetrating. I’m proud to say that I haven’t had a goggle tan since I was a young girl. It’s really important to protect yourself at all times.”

What’s your sun protection plan when you’re training?
“Every morning, I wake up and put on a moisturizer that has SPF 30, and then I put a regular sunscreen on top of that. We spend a lot of time training and then take a break in the lodge so I always reapply when I go inside or I keep it with my water, so anytime I stop for a drink, it reminds me to put more sunscreen on. In the summer when we’re training outside in high elevation for glacier skiing, I try to wear a handkerchief to block sun reflecting off the snow, too.”

Do you have any favorite sweat-proof sunblock products?
“I like wearing Shiseido products—they’re really great for all-weather protection. I like to wear the Shiseido Sun Protection Liquid Foundation ($35, shiseido.com). I think that it’s nice you can get a little coverage when your skin gets red from being outside.”

What are your other beauty must-haves?
“Well, recently, I’ve been using Osea Malibu, they use all-organic algae in their products. I use the Essential Hydrating Oil ($28, oseamalibu.com), which I find really good in the winter because you’re not putting heavy creams on. You can moisturize with a clean oil, even just the spots that get dry, and then you’re not putting on too much product that feels heavy underneath scarves and hats.”

What are some of the best exercises skiers can do to become stronger?
“A basic squat is the most typical exercise because skiing involves a lot of core strength and quads and glutes, but for me, I think the biggest myth for skiers is that you want to have really strong quads, but it’s actually that you want to balance your hamstrings and quads. So when I’m doing a lot of exercises, I focus on lifting my tailbone coming up so I’m really engaging my hamstrings as well which prevents knee injury.”

How do you like to stay in shape during the off-season?
“I think a great thing for skiers is biking. I really like to ride my road bike, so I do a lot of road biking and spend time in the gym doing squats and Olympic lifting and jumping. Agility work, box jumps and other plyometrics are great for skiing.”

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Laila Ali on Boxing and Beauty

November 9, 2012 at 10:49 am
By Fitness Magazine

Laila Ali has a reputation for being tough in the boxing ring, but lately she’s been showing off her softer side by promoting—wait for it—hair tools. Turns out, Ali actually has a beauty background. Before entering the boxing world, she owned a nail salon. She’s now the face of a new line of Gold N Hot hair styling tools (look for her in online how-to hair videos here!). Read on for my chat with Laila on hair and workout tricks.

What made you decide to work with Gold N Hot?
“I’ve been a fan of Gold N Hot for many years now and I have used their tools for a long time. It’s a highly recognized brand, especially in the African American community. I chose to work with them because I have first hand experience.”

What’s your favorite styling tool in the new line?
“My favorite is the flat iron. It’s a great tool because it straightens out your hair, flattens out frizz, and even curls your hair if you use it properly. To make sure you’re using it correctly, you can launch the how-to videos with your smart phones just by scanning the tags right off the box!”

Do you style your own hair or do you have a stylist?
“I do my own hair on regular days and I like to use my flat iron. If I could only have one styling tool in the world, it would be a flat iron. I just can’t live without it! But on days that I have an event or a shoot, I call my stylist.”

I’m sure you’ve used many blow dryers in the past, what makes yours different?
“The ion technology really makes a difference; it helps smooth down your hair in less time with less heat. It cuts time because you don’t have to keep going over and over it again. It’s really a good product for its price range.”

What do you use before and after you style your hair?
“I use a heat protectant spray before I use any heat styling tool—it protects and adds sheen. I like to use a light hairspray after using a curling iron to help hold my curls.”

How do you keep your hair looking good after a tough workout?
“I try to workout by a fan to keep my hair from getting sweaty. I use a cap instead of a headband and I go back around my edges (hairline around the face) with a flat iron when I get home.”

What’s your favorite on-the-go easy hairstyle?
“I’m a ponytail girl.”

What’s your favorite beauty product?
“Tinted moisturizer by Laura Mercier: it’s lightweight, protects me from the sun, evens out my skin, and gives me a natural looking finish.”

In the battle between chapstick vs lipstick, who wins?
“Chapstick!”

What’s your favorite healthy snack?
“Non-fat Greek yogurt, apples, almonds, dry fruit like apricots, and fresh baby carrots with low fat French onion dip.”

Do you have any quick fitness tips?
“Try to stay consistent. Workout first thing in the morning, this way you get it done and out of the way. Make short term and long term goals, and don’t beat yourself up if you miss a workout.”

What is your favorite spa treatment after a long day of training?
“A nice massage. I always ask for an extra half hour on my feet.”

—By Daniella Araujo, beauty intern

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Celebrity Esthetician Renée Rouleau on her CrossFit Addiction and Skin Care Tips

October 31, 2012 at 11:18 am
By Molly Ritterbeck

Renée Rouleau basically is the definition of busy. On top of running her own skincare company, Renée Rouleau for Beautiful Skin, she’s a celebrity facialist who spends most of her time traveling from her home in Dallas, Texas, to New York, Los Angeles and even to Europe to create “pop up spas” for her clients. In the midst of all this, Rouleau found the time to squeeze in workouts and recently lost over 30 pounds (and counting!) after falling in love with CrossFit. She dished about her workout addiction and how she helps her skin cope with her active lifestyle.

 

How did you get into CrossFit?
“A friend told me about it and how much she loved it. She knew I would love it, too. Luckily they had one that was not far from my house, and they have them all over the world.”

What do you love about doing CrossFit?
“I love it for several different reasons; one is the variety. There’s a W.O.D. (workout of the day) that changes everyday so there’s never any muscle that’s left untouched and you never get bored because it’s always different. Two: I love it because when left to ourselves, we are not very accountable. You go to gym and sit on bike and bring a magazine and whatever. You’ll never push yourself as hard on your own as you will with CrossFit or when your coaches are yelling in a friendly way to push you farther than you would on your own. There’s that accountability. And three: it challenges me physically in ways that I never would. I tend to think people are either cardio bunnies or weight lifters. They tend to gravitate to one or the other. I’m a cardio person. I love running; I love biking; so I love that I’m doing a lot of the Olympic weightlifting. I’m strengthening my weaknesses. I also love that there’s a lot of camaraderie. Everyone who belongs to CrossFit will say it’s like a family. You get to know everybody.”

I know you’re very busy and that you travel a lot. How do you manage to keep up with your workout routine?
“Well whenever I travel, I hit up other CrossFit gyms, so for example, I just got back from Madrid, Spain and Istanbul, Turkey. I went to CrossFit in those countries. I like to experience other CrossFit gyms and the fact that they have them all over the world makes it so easy. They sell t-shirts so it’s fun to collect different shirts at different locations. The nice thing about CrossFit is that a lot of the workouts are things that don’t require any equipment. There’s an App called CrossFit Global and there’s a random W.O.D. feature, so on Sundays, you can select an option and it spits out a random W.O.D. for you. If I’m in a hotel or the gym, I can use the App and it gives me workouts to do. I generally fit it in about five days a week.”

Fitting in those sweat sessions five days a week can sometimes wreak havoc on your skin. What changes have you noticed in your skin? 
“Since I’ve been doing CrossFit for about a year and a half now, there is a lot of outdoor stuff and as a result, especially due to hot Texas summers, I’ve definitely noticed my hyper pigmentation has increased, including little brown spots that come with age. So any time you’re working out outside, you’re more exposed to UV light which increases melanin and combined with being hot, that stimulates melanin activity as well, so you have to be really good about sun protection and making sure to use a daily skin lightening products. I like natural as opposed to prescription to put those melanin cells to sleep and to keep that pigmentation lessened.”

How do you treat your spots?
“Obviously sun protection in the morning. I use Renée Rouleau Daily Protection SPF 30 because it’s so light and doesn’t retain heat in the skin like heavier creams can do because of the heavy oils. Then I’ll do my makeup then I’ll dust on the ColorScience SPF 50, which is a mineral powder SPF, as a finisher for extra protection. Later on in the day when I go to CrossFit, I do the mineral powder dust again because sunscreen can degrade throughout the day from natural oils in the skin and UV light so with a second coat, I know I am protected especially if we are outside.

You have a ton of great products. What’s one of your faves?
“After a workout, when I get home, I like to wash my skin because I’ve been sweating. I use a cleanser called Luxe Mint Cleanser Gel. It’s sulfate free so it’s really gentle. It has spearmint, peppermint and rosemary botanicals, which feel cooling.”

How did/do you find the motivation to keep up with a daily workout routine?
“I once heard entrepreneur, Richard Branson, founder of Virgin, say that his best tip for increasing productivity is to work out. He said you’ll approach work with a clear head since exercise decreases stress. Running my company, even though it’s very exciting, it’s very stressful so I feel like when I workout, I feel calmer and have a clearer head; I just feel better. I just really make it a priority. When I feel good, I am stronger and more productive in my daily life so there are physical and emotional benefits. Just making it a priority, it’s a habit now. I don’t even think about it. It actually helps that I really love CrossFit and anyone who goes knows it’s addictive. I’ve never been addicted to an exercise before but it’s hard and there’s such a satisfaction afterwards, you just want to keep going so those are the reasons you want to fit it in.”

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Nikki Reed on Saving Water, Beauty Secrets and The End of the Twilight Saga

October 11, 2012 at 3:44 pm
By Molly Ritterbeck

Actress Nikki Reed is embarking on a new chapter. The 24-year-old is about to celebrate her first wedding anniversary with husband and former American Idol contestant, Paul McDonald; next month, she’ll say goodbye to the Twilight series that she’s been working on since 2009 and she’s busy focusing on maintaining an active lifestyle while making a difference. Which is why she helped kick off the Axe Shower-Pooling event held at the USC Delta Chi fraternity house. Reed gave us the scoop on the Axe initiative plus shared some of her favorite beauty products and workout tips.

Tell me about the Axe Shower-Pooling Campaign.
“The Axe Shower-Pooling Campaign is basically all about conserving water, but it’s a really simple, basic way to feel like you’re doing something without really doing much. The idea behind shower-pooling is pretty simple: it’s more than one person in the shower, so two people, one shower, less water use. And you shower for 5 minutes or less. I’m learning as I go along and I’m just really happy to be involved and stand behind this thing.”

Why did you want to get involved?
“I guess as a public figure, it’s really important to use your voice in a positive way, especially if you have a voice that can be heard by more people than the average person. I think that’s what I’m trying to do is to become involved with things that I would want to become involved with anyway. Like here is an example: Paul and I are getting into composting. For years now I’ve been taking my own bags to the grocery store and reusing cloth bags. This is a step in the same direction except on a wider scale.”

What do you love about the Axe products?
“I grew up with Axe. My brothers used it. I think it brings up a lot of memories. I think what I love about Axe is what they want to do. That’s why I feel connected to them right now, because the message that they want to send out to people. I want to be a part of that message.”

Are there any other beauty products you love?
“I love Benefit Sunbeam and Dior Diorskin Forever. I was talking to my hair and makeup team in the car about how much plastic surgery everyone is having these days and how the best possible thing to do is to just take care of yourself and your skin.”

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E.L.F. Cosmetics Creative Director, Achelle Dunaway, Shares Her Half Marathon Beauty Secrets and Motivation Tips

October 10, 2012 at 5:43 pm
By Molly Ritterbeck

By day, Dunaway oversees the product and brand development, entertainment marketing and editorial copy for E.L.F. Cosmetics (a cute and affordable makeup and skincare line). But during her down time, she spent the past 10 weeks pounding the pavement and training hard for her first half marathon in East Hampton, New York. As a makeup artist, she let us in on her race-day beauty recap as well as what kept her going through 13.1 miles.

What was your race-day makeup plan? Did you even wear any?  

“When running a long race, it’s ideal not to wear too much makeup that could create a ‘melting effect’—aka, a smudgy mess. I always want to look and feel my best so I kept a pretty basic beauty look. I prepped my face with primer to create a long-lasting hold. My favorite is the E.L.F. Mineral Infused Face Primer ($6, eyeslipsface.com). And since I’m outside, I always wear sunscreen. I pair that with tinted moisturizer with additional SPF, spot concealer, sweat-proof mascara, a little bronzer and blush and lip balm with SPF.”

What hairstyle worked best for you while training?

“I wear my hair in a high ponytail that is doubled up on hair ties in case one breaks, and I always run with a backup around my wrist. I also sport a cute headband to keep flyaways down.”

What was the hardest thing about training?

“Traveling. It was difficult to fit in my training during the summer months with vacations, but I would always try to run on my trips or compensate by running longer runs on my shorter run days to catch up.”

What advice do you have for others preparing for their first half marathon?

“Sign up with friends! I ran this race with three friends. Their encouragement helped me stay focused and excited through training. Plus, let’s be serious, I totally wanted a fun Instagram photo to post on Facebook!”

How do you stay focused through all 13.1 miles?

“Music is essential. I jam away to my own personal dance party and set my Pandora playlist to the Rihanna station. It keeps the songs fresh and unexpected as opposed to listening from my own music list.”

What made you want to do a half marathon?

“It was on my life bucket list! Sometimes you have to push yourself to try and do things you never thought you could, because when you realize that you can, you continue to set your limits higher.”

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