With Liberty, and Cleansers for All

Hi Friends,

I've been finding that lately, my skin just isn't reacting the way it once did. Chalk it up to age, changes in weather, climate, or diet, but skin gets more and more confusing to take care of as we get older.

On that subject, I've been on the hunt for good makeup removers and cleansers that will help undue to some new and perplexing skin issues: Like going from dry to oily, smooth to congested, and everything else that climate and age can throw at me...

Here are some great finds that I have been extremely pleased with:

Boscia: MakeUpBreakUp Cleansing Oil:

What a find! I've used this product on and off for years, and I'd forgotten about it for a while. But on the hunt for a new eye cream I checked out the line again and was reminded of how much I love this item. It basically melts off eye makeup, including super waxy, waterproof mascara, in one go-around. Don't let the name fool you either. This isn't an "oil" in the traditional sense. It just operates like one in melting off hard to move, eye makeup.Who's skin does this serve? Everyone! It's hyper gentle and smells green and lovely. Another great thing about Boscia products? No parabens or preservatives.

Yves Saint Laurent: Temps Majeur Cleanser:

It may be apparent that I love cleansers that have an "oil" related component. This one really takes my breath away. I have to admit that I was loathing the idea of spending a much bigger bundle of cash on a mere cleanser. But when I got the hand care demo I couldn't believe how great this product felt. When you first squeeze it out of the tube, it looks like a creamy gel. But after you rub it for about 30 seconds it morphs into an oil that feels very much like Argonne. Long story short, there's a reason this item has a steep price tag. But if you can dig deep to spend it, it's worth it. Skin that cleanses with this baby feels buttery afterward, but without a trace of oiliness. When I finished cleansing with the "Temps" I felt like I'd had a facial.

Skincaremember.com: Micro-Dermabrasion Creme:

I fell in love with this exfoliant, and in fact, the majority of this entire skincare line after testing a variety of their products. One amazing little rockstar to share with you. The Micro-Dermabrasion Creme. it's got teeny-tiny crystals and a good scrub takes the entire day off. It's great for really getting down into those clogged pores and opening everything back up. I like to soak in a tub to really open my skin and allow the scrub to do its thing. The company recommends usage every other day, but I find it fairly gentle on a regular basis.

Peter Thomas Roth: Anti-Aging Cleansing Gel:

This is a fantastic, showering product that purports to be great for all skins "except sensitive". It leaves the skin refreshed and a little taut, and is especially effective for those with combination to oily skin. It also removes makeup very easily and a little dollop goes a very long way. I've found that a bottle can last about 4-5 months. This is a great item if you want to remove your makeup while showering.

Murad: Essential-C Cleanser:

I love this item! It smells citrus-y and wakes you up with a burst of grapefruit. Honestly, it's one of the nicest products to start your morning with, as far as aromatics go. Murad infuses most of their Environmental line with vitamins A, C and E, and this product is so popular that it often sells out online. There's a reason a lot of dermatologists love this line. It's gentle, pleasant, and yummy!

St Ives: Green Tea Scrub:

And finally, for that drug store score in us all, we have the old standby, St Ives. I bought this product because I needed a small, carry-on size to take on board a flight over the holidays. Imagine my surprise when I realized how good this stuff actually is! For anyone experiencing blemishes, give this product a week-long shot. It's drying out my face without any flaking or peeling. Bravo!

Well, That's all for today folks. Happy hunting and remember to always wash off your makeup at night!

With Love,

Noa B

Back to black: with a shot of plaid

Even though I've lived in Los Angeles for 10 years, I'm still a typical, New Yorker in the most basic, fashion sense. Meaning no matter how hard I try to embrace color, I'm really all about having a lot of black in my closet. I can't help it. It's such a no-brainer.

But one thing I have discovered is that a single item of color or one pop accent can ignite even the most austere black uniform.

Take this combo I hastily threw on during a grim and cloudy, New England day. I pulled on a comfy, black t-shirt along with black, velvet jeans and some vintage necklaces. But instead of throwing on my go-to, motorcycle boots I subbed in red, black, and white, wool and leather booties.

That little shot of plaid popped my basic black and made me feel more adventurous. The booties were a random, Boutique 9 find at Marshall's, but you can find similar items on sale right now. Such as this Paul Smith, Valentina bootie, available at  Zappos.com. Isn't that rubber heel the cutest? And great for inclement weather too!

Or these yummy tartan plaid boots from DSquared. Some websites have labeled them "tartan terrors"!

These Manolo's are currently on sale at Sak's Fifth Avenue here if you're looking for something a little more lady-like...

And if you're a purist and love black as much as me, you can still snag these Harajuku Lovers booties on sale at Overstock.com for $65 here. What a deal!

Finally, if you like the shape and style of my plaid monsters but are looking for a similar cut in a seasonally malleable color, try these Boutique 9 booties in the same shape, but in a rich Cognac, on sale now at endless.com.

Happy Hunting!

With Love,

Noa B

Windy Sheers

Inspiration is a beautiful thing.

I've been looking for cute ways to wear this reconstructed top I created back in the fall. (See it previously here). One look at this image from Elle Magazine and I knew.

 I grabbed my new, white skinnies and one of my favorite pairs of black booties in suede.

Threw on this wooly, crop tuxedo jacket for warmth, while debuting my new Hammitt bag with the "guitar" crossbody strap.

Shirt: Vintage reconstructed, booties: NYLA, Jeans: Pazzo, Jacket: Holy G, Handbag: Hammitt

Inspiration is beautiful.

With Love,

Noa B

Paisley Love

Weather in LA has been somewhat schizo these last two weeks. 80's one day, high 50's the next. It's been chilly arriving at work between 5-6am. Layers are paramount.

Sweater: H&M, Boots: BCBG, Cords: The Limited, (thrift), Jacket: Maxx, (thrift)

I've been looking for a way to wear these summertime, paisley cords, (a recent thrift find) in winter. Mixing textures with a cowl neck sweater provided the solution.

With Love,

Noa B

Leopard Love

I love animal prints, but my favorite by far is leopard. I was so excited when I found this vintage skirt, (complete with pockets) at my favorite re-saler last month.

I wanted to marry it with these cognac colored boots. After all, there's only so many days in a row I can wear black footwear...

With tights and a couple of layers, it proved warm enough to rock from sunup to sundown.

Skirt: Vintage, Vest: WOW Couture, Turtleneck: H&M, Boots: Sam Edelmann, Earrings: Feather and Leather hoops, boutique find

Some days it's dog eat dog. That's when I dress myself in "cat"...

Love,

Noa B

Stripes on set

Maxi skirts are one of my favorite ways to stay comfy at work when foregoing jeans.

And when the prints are dark, I like to mix them up.

 Top and Silk blazer: H&M, Necklace and earrings: Bday gifts, Skirt: Lush.

Back to the grind, before all this lovely light disappears. But not before I grab a shot with my lovely sidekick!

With Love,

Noa B

Working Togs

I'm always supremely happy when I'm on set. It means there's a day of creativity and productivity ahead.

Having said that, "set days" in LA are erratic for fashion wearers. You can go from hot to cold, and back to hot again when your environment, (and/or) stages change. It's not easy to be fashionable when you're anticipating standing for 12-16 hours. In other words, no high heels. (But it'll be a cold, dark, fashion-less day when you catch me working in sneakers).

And did I mention that makeup artists often accidentally splatter bases and powders everywhere? (Although It's possible that that's just me). So dark colors are a must. Having said that, being draped in a black t-shirt and dark jeans day after day can be so drab. So I try to always mix it up a little bit, while remaining practical.

This morning was an early start, and I didn't have a ton of time for hair, so I teased it into a back-combed bun and threw on a beaded headband. 

I wanted to wear a dress to set, and I find it's easier if you always have opaque tights or leggings on, even if you have a longer hem. I also like a drape-y jacket to stay loose and warm. This washed silk number had the benefit of being light yet breathable.

Wearing a dark print has the added benefit of disguising any makeup accidents. And layering jewelry is another good camouflage! I found the deer and the bronze dangle at re-sale and vintage stores, while the turquoise was a fabulous, Ideeli buy one night at 2am on set. (Don't you just love an impulse buy)?

And you can't go wrong with flats. (Or relatively flats). Even my lowest boots have at least 1". 

Jacket: H&M, Boots: Pour La Victoire, Dress: Lush, Necklaces: Re-sale and Ideeli, Tights and Headband: H&M.

This baby doll, layered look is rapidly becoming my new set staple. It feels a little more polished, but I'm still camouflaged in enough pattern and dark tones to disguise any mishaps. Fortunately, I got home today completely free of spills and splatters!

With Love,

Noa B