workout gear that works

Because sometimes you just need a little extra incentive to go to the gym, Lululemon has created this adorable (and fully functional!) gym bag. With tons of space and zip-pocket bottom for stashing your gear post-workout, it makes a great carryall for those days when you’re running straight from chem class to cardio. And with that fab metallic sheen (I got mine in "gunmetal") and cute slouchy shape, no one will suspect you’re toting around your old sneaks. 

(from $74, in 4 colors, available at lululemon.com)

how to do a sick day in style, part deux

Fact: sometimes taking a day off to lie in bed, pound cough syrup and catch up on reading (a.k.a. old copies of Vogue) just isn’t an option. Luckily, there are a few products out there that can take you from sickly to sexy. Here’s my under-the-weather regimen:

• Keep it simple. Hit snooze and use those extra minutes to catch up on your much-needed rest! Using makeup that’s too heavy or complicated can actually make you look worse. Start with a good, fast-absorbing moisturizer (I’m partial to Cetaphil) and follow up with an all-over tinted moisturizer or sheer foundation – I love Tarte’s Smooth Operator, $35, at www.sephora.com – to even out blotchy skin. 
  
• Hide those imperfections. Chances are you’re harboring some redness around the nose (thanks to the overuse of tissues that can irritate skin) and dark circles. Use an extra dab of moisturizer on these areas and apply a creamy concealer – I prefer those that are oil-free or made with vitamins or minerals to avoid further aggravating skin. Blend well and dust on a translucent powder like Cover Girl’s new TruBlend pressed powder, about $11, at drugstores.
• Put some of the life back into your skin with bronzer and blush. Start with a matte bronzer, dusting it from temples to just below cheekbones and over the bridge of the nose. Then add a peachy-pink blush just to the apples of cheeks, using a round fluffy brush. Nars’ Orgasm ($25, www.sephora.com) is a cult classic with subtle gold flecks to instantly brighten skin.
• Go easy on the eyes – sneezing and sniffling can cause you to tear up, and the last thing you need to worry about when you’re sick is a bad case of raccoon eyes. A little shimmery shadow on lids helps open up the eye area. Curl lashes and apply two coats of waterproof mascara. Finish up with a dab of silver or gold shimmer in the inner corners of eyes to detract from any redness – I like MAC Paint in Stillife, $16.50, www.maccosmetics.com
  
• Last but not least, protect that pucker. Exfoliate by gently running a face cloth soaked in warm water over your lips (you can do this in the shower). Follow up with a coat of a heavy-duty lip balm (good old Vaseline, Blistex, or even a dab of a rich facial moisturizer works just fine). Finally, use a creamy pink or mauve gloss like Smashbox’s Sunset Boulevard Lipgloss in Melt, $16, from www.smashbox.com, to finish off your look.
  

Get well soon chicas!

how to do a sick day in style

I don’t know about you, but it seems like everyone in my life is sick at the moment – which probably explains why I’ve recently become the latest casualty of cold season. After taking my much-needed sick weekend (one day of rest just wasn’t enough), I came up with a few tricks to make the whole de-germing process a bit more bearable.

First of all, replace your “sick day” with a “spa day”. I love vegging out on the couch in a face mask like this one by Pangea Organics ($34, www.pangeaorganics.com), which contains Japanese Matcha Tea and Acai to cleanse and tone the skin. By steaming your face over a bowl of boiling water before applying the mask, you’ll open up pores and blocked-up nasal passages.

Whenever you need a little pick-me-up throughout the day, spritz on Aveda Caribbean Therapy Flower Water ($24, www.aveda.com), a fresh-smelling spray that tones and lightly moisturizes skin. (Make it extra-refreshing by keeping the bottle in the fridge – great when you’re feeling feverish).

To add to the spa-like atmosphere and help replenish much-needed fluids, sip green tea or try this version of “spa water”: fill a pitcher of regular water with crushed ice and any combination of cucumber slices, lemon slices, sprigs of fresh mint, and chopped cranberries or strawberries.

Having a hot shower is a great way to relax the achy muscles that accompany colds. I love using products infused with mint, like the amazing Lemon/Mint body scrub from Sabon ($30, www.sabonnyc.com), to help clear out my sinuses. After toweling off, massage in a rich body lotion infused with a few drops of peppermint essential oil, available at The Body Shop ($12, www.thebodyshop.com) – I like to think of it as the beauty equivalent of Vicks’ Vapo-Rub.

cheap trick: grapeseed oil

An aesthetician recently recommended grapeseed oil to me as a deep (yet totally non-greasy) moisturizer. I like to mix a few drops of the oil in with my moisturizer-of-the-moment (currently Burt’s Bees) as a way of “winter-izing” a lighter body lotion. Available for $9 or less at your local grocery or health-food store (just make sure you buy one labeled “for cosmetic use” – otherwise you’re just greasing your bod up like a skillet.)