be prepared

I've been a tea snob since my BFF from LA introduced me to the amazing quality that is The Republic of Tea.  I swear, once you start using unbleached paper tea bags you'll never go back to Stash or Celestial Seasonings.  Now that the midterm crunch has hit in full force, I've fallen in love with their line of Be Well red teas and my cabinet is now stocked for all sorts of health crises.  I swear, it's like The Republic consulted with college students because I do NOT know how I would keep sane without these delicious blends of herbs and rooibos.  My line-up:

get some zzz's- Nothing like insomnia to throw a wrench into your time management plan.  The one-two punch of chamomile and valerian root, which the health center at my undergrad swears by to calm down the anxiety center of the brain, is ultra relaxing before bed without the obnoxious "sleep hangover" feeling Tylenol PM can cause.

get clean- Here at SU, we work hard and we play hard.  But again, no one has time to feel gross in the morning and this root-packed blend gets me back on my feet all the faster.

The taste of rooibos can take some getting used to, but the results are worth it.  I like mine with a teaspoon of honey, and my parents like it with a splash of milk.  Check out the full product range here.

serious splurge alert!

I know a lot of people swear you get what you pay for when it comes to skincare, but I’m still a bit in shock that I paid $60 for Dr. Weil for Origins Plantidote Mega-Mushroom Face Cream. When it came out over a year ago I was more skeptical of the pseudo-sciency description that claimed this cream makes your skin go into hibernation like a plant bulb, and I thought the price tag was insane. But Kristen over at The Beauty Addict swears by this stuff for stressed out skin, which my skin always is let alone when it’s 7 degrees outside with fierce wind. I was out of my usual Hope in a Jar anyway, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to step outside my comfort zone and see if this cream is really all that.Unfortunately for my wallet, this stuff definitely rocks. I’ve been using it for a week and I can honestly say my skin is never this soft between weekly exfoliation. My pores seem less congested, my cheeks lack any trace of redness, and there’s nary a blemish lurking below the surface. If you suffer from stress or hormone related skin problems, this cream’s anti-inflammatory ingredients do wonders. Plus, it moisturizes like a dream- it goes on buttery but absorbs nicely and leaves a silky, almost silicony finish that makes foundation glide on beautifully. Yes it’s $60, which I do think is ridiculous, but it’s an investment worth considering if you’re sick of stress and winter ravaging your skin.

fishy on the inside

While out on a magazine writing assignment for a student publication at Syracuse University last fall, I had the opportunity to interview a local spa director about proper skincare.  I had heard the benefits of Omega-3 dietary supplements touted in magazines for ages, but somehow it took talking to the spa director in person to motivate me to try it.  WebMD is a bit vague about the skin benefits, but I recall an article in Allure from maybe two years ago that mentioned Omega-3 as an anti-inflammatory and it seems like anti-inflammatory ingredients in skincare are so hot right now (check out the Dr. Weil for Origins collection, for example).  After using an Omega-3 supplement for two months, I definitely see an improvement in my skin.  My skin seems to heal faster and break out far less, and I definitely made it through finals without the biannual epic breakout.  Of course in accordance with human nature, once my skin is in great shape I forget to take the supplement for about a week and the resulting mini-breakout proves this stuff must be doing something good for me.  Skin benefits aside, scanning the info on WebMD and Wikipedia about the benefits of Omega-3 suggests this is a solid investment for your overall health.  If you're in doubt about which supplement to buy, as pharmacies have a ton to choose from, the October issue of Allure recommends looking for a high EPA and DHA content.

"Zen & the Art of Moisture Maintenance"

I'll be honest, I'm a little late to the yoga party and I'm not quite convinced it lives up to its hype.  While I enjoy all the variations on grabbing my leg behind my head, I need more than a little help "feeling my connection with the Earth Mother."  Enter Self Meditating body butter with rice bran oil and green tea from the True Blue Spa: Far East Escape collection at Bath & Body Works.

I tried this cream with as least as much skepticism as I did yoga- how many kinds of body butter does B&BW really need?  And isn't the Far East trend pretty much over?  This thick cream spreads on beautifully and moisturizes for hours like most body butters, but what sold me is the smell: sweet green tea with a hint of rose petals, reminiscent of Fresh's Memoirs of a Geisha limited edition fragrance.  While the scent can be a bit cloying at first, it mellows out and hangs softly on the skin within ten minutes.  I used this the other day before class, when I knew I was going to have a difficult time taking Downward Facing Dog seriously, and the scent of this cream really helped me turn off all the clatter in my brain and breathe.  Now that I've used this before pulling out my sticky mat a couple times, the scent even seems to help me fall a sleep more peacefully and I wake up with soft, beautifully scented skin- truly "Zen and the Art of Moisture Maintenance," as the back of the tub reads.  The added benefit of antioxidant-rich green tea and soothing rice bran oil make this a steal at $15.

Dream Cream

I've spent the last three weeks studying like a rockstar instead of partying like one and it's been rough. About half way through writing an epic research paper last week my eyes had just about give up from me- achy from hours on the computer, and puffy from five hours of sleep a night.

Good thing my research took me to the Clinique counter at Lord & Taylor during free gift with purchase time! When I purchased a new tube of Clarifying Makeup foundation I received a mini jar of All About Eyes- the most fantastic item in my stress-combating arsenal to date.

I've had bad luck with every anti-aging eye cream I've tried, they all break me out. I took a chance on this one because it has caffeine to reduce puffiness and my puffiness was getting a little out of control. The sales associate recommended keeping this in the fridge, and I have to admit this dish is best served cold- its silky texture is instantly soothing. It has a non-greasy drydown to boot, which doesn't interfere with eye makeup while still giving skin some moisture. This is a far superior product to MAC's Fast Response Eye Cream, which packs a more serious caffeine content but is drying with daily use. I've been able to use All About Eyes sometimes four times a day for the past two weeks with no dryness, no breakout, no irritation, and no signs of bags under my eyes. Paired with soothing eye drops, mascara, and a bit of MAC's Luna cream color base on my browbone and my eyes look fresh and well rested. It seems a bit overpriced at $27.50 for a half ounce, but it only takes a small dab per eye for great results. The only problem is getting your friends to believe that you only got two hours of sleep.

Whew!

The last month has been absolutely ridiculous between sorority obligations, finishing my thesis, and taking a quick trip to New York to check out my grad program, and finally graduating. While I may have been a slacker in terms of posting, several beauty standouts have emerged in my stash of goods as champion stress combatants, the foremost being Philosophy's When Hope is Not Enough serum.

I first stumbled upon this serum last winter after extensive research into age prevention and antioxidant skincare ingredients. While many brands flaunt unique plant derivatives as miracle cell rejuvenators, I find a lot of products on the market frankly to be mostly hype and gimmick. This is not to say that something boasting a molecule derived from orchids that is apparently the reason for the flower's longevity won't be a lovely moisturizer, but rather that it's ridiculous to charge $360 for 1.7 oz (I'm looking at you, Guerlain). Ultimately there are only a few ingredients that have solid scientific evidence to back up them up. As the April 2007 issue of "Allure" discusses in the article "Skin Saviors", retinol- a vitamin A derivative- is proven to stimulate cell turnover and increase collagen production as do peptides- protein fragments-, and antioxidants such as vitamin C and green tea combat free radicals and protect skin from environmental damage throughout the day. There is also significant research saying that antioxidants are brilliant for reviving the skin when you're overly stressed and tired, i.e. the story of my life. Finding a reasonably priced no-frills serum with these key ingredients is more difficult than it sounds, especially one that isn't loaded with silicone which has no real benefit for skin other than making it feel nice and helping foundation glide on smoothly (if that sounds nice try Smashbox Photo Finish primer). After hours of Internet research and a big chunk of time spent investigating product consistency at Sephora, When Hope is Not Enough emerged as one of the best contenders.

The watery gel consistency is perfect for reviving tired skin in the morning or during the day, and the light herbal rosemary scent is definitely an aromatherapy perk. It seems expensive at $35 a pop, but a good friend's aunt has a point when she says a good skincare regimen now will save you thousands on surgery later. I've also found that 2-3 drops does the trick, although Philosophy recommends 6. After using this serum for about 5 months I find that I don't look as tired as I used to and when I get a minor acne flare-up it heals quicker. Not convinced? I used this religiously during my hectic and virtually sleepless trip to the east coast then had to go to a formal dance after being awake for nearly 20 hours and was told repeatedly that I looked fabulous. I recommend using When Hope Is Not Enough with a moisturizer that packs a solid retinol punch like Philosophy's Hope In a Jar.