FASHION & BEAUTY

The perfect blow-out: Help from new frizz-eliminating products and dry shampoos

Skincare specialist Yoshiko Roth answers your questions! Question:

Confused Hi Yoshiko,

Having Asian skin has many advantages. Your skin is less prone to pre-mature aging, e.g. wrinkling and sagging, than light Caucasian skin is, meaning you will on average probably look younger than your peers of, say, Irish or Celtic descent. Your skin burns less easily than light Caucasian skin does and is therefore less prone to sun damage and skin cancer. But there are also some challenges that come with having Asian skin and some myths that need to be corrected.

“A woman’s hair is her life” goes an old Japanese saying. Although I have always had long hair, I have never quite developed the same interest for hair care that I have for skincare. But if you think about it, the health of your hair has a lot to do with the health of your scalp, which is skin. In fact, my hair stylist told me recently that if I wanted to continue wearing my hair long in my 30s and 40s, I would need to do more than just wash and occasionally condition it.

Since 2005, the School of Fashion at Academy of Art University in San Francisco has showcased collections of recent graduates during Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week. This season, one menswear and five womenswear collections from the Fashion Design, Textile Design and Knitwear Design programs were presented in The Tent at Bryant Park. “This University views this opportunity as part of its commitment to help launch the careers of its graduates,” said Dr. Elisa Stephens, President of the University.

Toners. We all know they exist. And we all know that toners are used after cleansing and before applying a moisturizer. But how many people actually know what purpose they serve, or what to look for in a toner? Sure, there are the medicated toners with Salycilic Acid or Benzoyl Peroxide, which fight acne. Then there are toners with Alpha-Hydroxi-Acid (AHA) which exfoliate the skin.

She’s styled hip hop star Nelly’s music video, worked with hotel heiress Paris Hilton, designed dolls for Mattel, and now, Carrie Rosten has even published a book. All while keeping her closet couture in tiptop shape, and managing to buy cute shoes in her spare time. Carrie’s new novel, *Chloe Lieberman (Sometimes Wong)* is not just any piece of teen fiction.

Most of the time, I am happy with my fair (a.k.a. pasty-white) complexion. As somebody who has grown up in Japan, I was taught at an early age the "beauty" of fair skin and the dangers of baking in the sun. I am grateful that I have been spared by pre-mature wrinkling and age-spots and attribute that partially to my avoiding the sun. And yet, there are moments, when I try on a dress in a certain color or put on striking jewelry, that I wish I had that "healthy" summer glow. Not a dramatic deep tan, but just a hint of bronze color.