Menswear Monday - SPF

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This post is short and sweet.

Guys, please wear sunscreen every day! Don't let being embarrassed about moisturizing your skin stop you from protecting your skin against UV rays. Whether you are in a cloudy climate or the desert, UV rays are always present during the day. So, fight against skin damage and prolong signs of aging by considering these products...

Anthony Logistics for Men Oil Free Facial Lotion - This product is oil free AND fragrance free. Provides UVA and UVB protection with an SPF of 15. $31.00 and can be found at Sephora. (Shown above)

Jack Black Double Duty Face Moisturizer SPF 20 - Contains potent antioxidants and vitamins such as certified organic Edelweiss and Plantago Leaf Extracts, and offers broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection to help shield skin from premature aging due to sun. exposure. $26.00 and can be found at Sephora.

Neutrogena Men Sensitive Oil-Free Moisture SPF 30 - This is an oil-free, hypoallergenic product for those with sensitive skin. SPF 30. $6.99 at Walgreens.

Land's End Canvas Collection - Menswear & Womenswear

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My good friend, Rob, tipped me off about the Canvas Collection by Land's End this morning. Rob has amazing taste, and after I checked out the line I fell in love with it. Basically, it's old school G.A.P. and J.Crew. Classic basics for young men and women.

To be honest, the last time I gave Land's End a thought was when I lived in Wisconsin and my mom ordered a winter coat out of their catalog. I'm happy to see that they have added to their timeless outerwear image with the Canvas Collection. Here are some pictures to give you an idea.

What I want most from this collection? Canvas boots and the sleeveless sweater vest pictured above.

Embracing My Curl

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I have naturally curly, fine, unruly hair. My mom has straight hair and doesn't know the first thing about managing frizz and volume, so most of my life I've tried to brush out my curls, straighten, smooth and hide my crazy hair.

It wasn't until I met my old roommate, Emma, who has hair like mine did I see that my locks could be tamed. However, even after watching her go through her beauty routine and trying her hair products, I couldn't get the hang of it.

For some reason, in these past couple of weeks I have just decided to embrace my curly hair for what it is and attempt to bring out the best in it. I'm happy to report that I now love my hair and find getting ready in the morning much, MUCH easier. I owe my embrace to a couple of products...

Bed Head Ego Boost - This is a great leave-in conditioner that Emma introduced me to. Curly hair tends to be dry, so moisture is key. After you have scrunched the excess water out of your hair (never towel dry), squirt a couple of pumps into your hands, rub and scrunch your hair with your hands. Never comb your locks after you shower and never comb your finger through if you want soft, full, natural curls. Leave the finger combing until your hair is completely dry.

Aveda Light Elements Smoothing Fluid - A couple pumps of this baby and your hair will be shiny and without frizz. I sometimes combine this with Ego Boost before I scrunch the product into my hair, or I gently sweep my hands through my dry curls at the very end to add some shine.

KMS CurlUp Hot Spiral Spray - This product not only smells delightful, but it helps keep your curls intact without making them crunchy. I cannot stand to have crunch curls! Just spray this all over your wet hair after you have applied the previous two products and scrunch your curls. This product works best when used with heat from a diffuser.

Diffuser - You absolutely MUST have a diffuser if you have curly hair and you want to make your curls defined and tamed. If you don't want to go out and buy a new hair dryer, just grab a diffuser attachment from any Ulta or Sally Beauty Supply. Flip your head upside down, use medium-low heat and the low air flow setting. Gently cup yours curls and point your hair dryer up towards your hair. Never blow the air back and forth or scrunch too hard. Treat your curls gently and delicately. It takes awhile to get them completely dry because of the amount of product and the fact that you didn't towel dry your hair, but it's worth it. I sometimes stop half way, put on my makeup and finish when my hair is most of the way dry.