Just Ask David

The beauty industry is quickly becoming a hotbed for clever innovations that cater to a diverse variety of needs. These days it seems like there’s a beauty product for every skin type, hair texture, and lifestyle.

But how did the beauty industry change so fast? Senior Editor of Cosmetics Design Simon Pitman says Millennials are driving the demand.

The Beauty Market: From Niche to Hit

“The Millennial consumer has raised the bar for expectations on products,” Simon says. As consumers are becoming more informed, what used to be considered niche in the beauty industry is now becoming commonplace or even an industry standard.

For example, there’s a new emphasis in the beauty market on “cruelty-free” products. Cruelty-free beauty products aren’t a new concept, but today’s consumers are more aware of how their products are made. So many consumers may refuse to buy beauty products that use animal testing or are produced by employees working in sweatshop conditions.

Beauty Products Just for You

The recent diversification of beauty products available on the market is also the result of Millennial trends. “[The] Millennial consumer wants a product that’s targeted directly towards them,” Simon says. “What’s happening now is microsegmentation. There’s a product for everyone. It’s no longer, ‘one size fits all.’”

That means the creation of beauty products like an oil-based shampoo to repair bleach-ravaged locks. Or even an entire organic, cruelty-free beauty line to even the tone of hyperpigmented, rash-prone skin. Finally, beauty products that you can feel good about buying!

Let the Beauty Industry Hear What YOU Think

Want to learn more about the latest beauty industry trends? Follow Cosmetics Design on Twitter @CosmeticsDesign and Facebook and get makeup and personal care news on your feed!

Have you noticed how popular Athleisure style is these days? Sure, more people are probably working out than in the past, but if you’ve noticed, people who aren’t even going to the gym are often decked out in yoga pants and a bowling bag. I’m talking about athleisure.

Editor-in-Chief of Accessories Magazine Lauren Parker joins us to talk about how Athleisure is changing the beauty industry.

What is Athleisure?

The overwhelming trend of Athleisure clothing and active lifestyles has upended fashion completely. Athleisure spawned a brand new category of designer quilted, lightweight, nylon bags for the gym. They even have wet/dry sections, shoe sections, and more. It’s all about functionality.

It started with yoga leggings, but now Athleisure street style is the buzz in the fashion world. This includes more tracksuits – from retro Run-DMC styles to Juicy Couture’s revived velour tracksuit or Adidas’ 3-stripes. Then there’s Rihanna’s Fenty x Puma line, which mixes pearls and lace with edge sport. It’s a huge mashup now.

Wearing Athleisure Sneakers & Accessories

Sneakers have always been a staple in athletic wear. But the Athleisure trend inspired a sneaker brands to get more creative and stylish. Think slip-on designer sneakers like Botkier with zipper trim or Michael Kors with fur. Another huge Athleisure sneaker trend are the classic Adidas white Stan Smiths.

“Jewelry can be a little trickier with Athleisure,” Lauren says. Athleisure is light and hands-free, so you aren’t going to be wearing statement necklaces with your yoga clothes. Tiny earrings and ear crawlers are becoming more in style because of this reason. Because functionality is such a big part of athleisure, backpacks and belt bags are back in style in a big way.

In-Style Accessories on Your Daily Feed

Want to stay up to date with the latest trends? Follow Accessories Magazine on Twitter and Instagram @accesoriesmag and be sure to check them out on Facebook!

Men’s grooming is booming in the beauty industry — especially during Movember. But men’s personal grooming is more than just keeping facial hair tidy. Skin care matters, too!

The Grooming Editor founder Barret Wertz returns to Just Ask David to share some of his favorite men’s grooming products and to explain the importance of protecting your skin from future damage.

The Men’s Grooming Guide for Protecting Your Skin

Men’s grooming usually didn’t include skin care in the past, but things are changing. Men are slowly starting to take better care of their skin. “A lot of men want the tingle and burn to feel that it’s really working,” Barret says.

Barret cites sunscreen as one of the most valuable skin care products for men (and women, too!) trying to protect their skin from signs of early aging. A good way to include sunscreen in your daily grooming routine is to use it right after your aftershave so it becomes second nature.

So what other men’s skin care products should be included in your grooming essentials? Barret calls antioxidants the “side-by-side partner of sunscreen.” Antioxidants help protect your skin from other environmental factors, like pollution and free radicals. Used with sunscreen, antioxidants are incredibly effective in preventing premature aging and skin damage.

Men’s Personal Grooming Tips at Your Fingertips

Want more grooming tips and the best men’s grooming product recommendations? Visit the Grooming Editor and follow @BarretWertz on Instagram and Twitter.

Many of us have decided to go green in our own way. Some of us choose to drive energy-efficient cars and some of us are committed to recycling every week. We have a better understanding of sustainable living than we did in the past and why it is important to the future of our world.

Sustainable living expert Chriss Slevin joins Just Ask David to give us the scoop on things we’ve always wanted to ask about going green. Chriss is the Designer & Creative Director of N.Y.C. label WAYWARD and also teaches Green Design at LIM College.

Green Design: What Is It and How Can We Use It?

We know what it means to go green, but what is green design? You can think of it as taking going green a step further. It’s a holistic approach to producing that takes into account the total impact of a product on the world. How safe is the product? How fair is it to the people who make it? Are there toxic by-products to production and are they disposed of correctly?

The goal of green design is to contribute to a healthier, safer, more equitable world. But how do we hold brands accountable for their sustainability? “Vote with your dollar,” Chriss says. And if you don’t have the dollar to spare, extend the life of a product that may not be green.

How to Learn More About Green Design and Supporting Green Brands

One of the first steps to sustainable living is to figure out which brands to trust. Check out Chriss Slevin’s sustainable textiles and fashion label WAYWARD and follow @waywardNYC on Twitter and Instagram.

It’s no secret that stress levels are at an all-time high — that’s why methods to counteract stress and anxiety are a hot topic these days. Our special guest Mani Srinivasan says that most of us need breathing techniques more than we know. In today’s “always on” world, our bodies are in a perpetual state of sympathetic nervous system overload. In other words, we are stuck in fight-or-flight mode.

Mani joins us today to talk about the most accessible, free tool at our disposable to interrupt the stress

taking over our bodies and minds. That tool is our breath. And integrating simple, but powerful breathing techniques into our daily routines can make a huge difference in quality of life. Mani is the founder of BreatheFreeNow, an organization that inspires and educates diverse communities on understanding their breathing patterns and using breathing exercises to improve daily living.

the Benefits of Breathing Exercises are for Everyone

As soon as we wake up in the morning, we begin thinking about the million things we have to do. As the day unfolds, we often find ourselves triggered (someone criticizes us at work, cuts us off in traffic or calls us with troubling news about our child). Our system goes into overload and we breathe shallowly. The way to counterbalance this is with deliberate “belly” breathing that engages our diaphragm. Within minutes, a suitable breathing practice can shift our biochemistry!

Essentially, BreatheFreeNow teaches how to use breathing as a healing and grounding mechanism. “Where tension goes, energy flows,” Mani says.

Tools for Better Breathing Whenever You Need Them

If you want to learn more about the benefits of deliberate breathing and workshops to put breathing techniques into practice, please visit his organization’s website, BreatheFreeNow, and follow them on Instagram @breathefreenow.

Celebrity beauty secrets are such a mystery. Our favorite celebrities always look so good when we see them on the big screen or in a magazine. Surely they must have beauty tips that we know nothing about, right?

Some of the best celebrity beauty secrets in Hollywood will be revealed today by our special guest, Ebby Antigua. Ebby has mingled with celebrities for years as the Fashion & Creative Editor of Latina magazine, getting all the details of their makeup and beauty routines.

Celebrity Beauty Secrets Revealed

Being close enough to Hollywood A-listers to learn celebrity beauty secrets is just a dream many of us have. But Ebby hasn’t always been the Latina fashion editorial hotshot she is today. Once she got a taste of what it was like to socialize with the top celebrity stylists and makeup artists, she left her graphic design career to join the beauty industry.

Keep up With Celebrity Beauty Secrets on Social Media

Want to stay up to speed with Ebby on all the latest, exclusive celebrity beauty secrets and fashion favorites? Check out Ebby’s Ebsessions at Latina and follow her @ebbyantigua on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

 

SWAAY is the women’s media powerhouse that we all needed, featuring articles and tips on what women really care about – from subscription delivery packages created by women, to how to juggle a business and a pregnancy. At its core, SWAAY features the full, unabridged story of female entrepreneurs, from their successes to their collective issues within the industry.

SWAAY editor Belisa Silva joins us today to talk about what SWAAY is all about – supporting women entrepreneurs who are changing the world as we know it. Belisa has been fashion editor for over a decade and has a few stories to tell of her own as a successful businesswoman.

The Beauty Industry and Female Entrepreneurship

To give an accurate picture of how involved women really are in setting beauty industry trends, Belisa mentions an indie beauty convention she attended recently. Of the 230 small businesses showcasing the beauty products, 191 were owned by women. That’s much more than just impressive — it suggests a pattern.

“Women are at the forefront of innovation in our industry. Women are the ones coming up with these unique brands,” Belisa says, referring to the natural, organic, cruelty-free ingredients that dominated the convention — and the entire beauty industry.

Because of the undeniable influence of women owned businesses, the beauty industry as a whole has been moving toward “radical transparency,” meaning that the company creating and distributing a beauty product is transparent about where the ingredients and labor come from. “Consumers are more skeptical than ever before and don’t believe big brands,” Belisa adds. Female entrepreneurs are brilliantly able to pick up on this and give their buyers the transparency they want. Many even post pictures of the production process on social media.

Financial Challenges for Women Entrepreneurs

Women are now starting companies more than ever. But one of the biggest problems faced by women entrepreneurs is access to funding. “Only about 2-6% of female-founded businesses are receiving funding,” Belisa says. That means there’s a serious disparity with women leading in innovation but have no access to capital.

But women have found a clever way to get around their lack of funding — using social media as leverage. Many of these women-owned businesses rely on product feedback from their followers on social media, forging an intimate relationship between producer and consumer. This is especially helpful considering how fast turnaround has to be these days to keep up with the latest beauty craze.

Empower Female Owned Businesses by Supporting SWAAY

Successful businesswomen from all backgrounds converge on SWAAY! I encourage you to visit SWAAY and check out all of the insightful and interesting information available on the site.

Stay up-to-date with SWAAY by following SWAAY on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @swaaymedia.

A facialist is probably the last place we’d go to get in shape. But we work out our legs, abdomens, arms, and plenty of other body parts — so why don’t we ever work out our faces?

Holistic Facial Massage

Facial massage for beautiful skin and overall health has been promoted by many for years now. Our special guest, veteran facialist and skin care expert Rachel Lang is a huge advocate for facial massage for health.

In fact, Rachel has been practicing high touch facial massage for over 25 years and has collaborated with the likes of Aveda, Clinique, Aveeno, and Biotherm. She even has her own successful brand, FaceLove.

Facial Massage Strokes for All Kinds of Folks

“FaceLove is all about activating inner beauty with the power of high touch,” Rachel says. “We use the combination of firm muscle toning, face massage, acupressure, and interactive facial exercise.”

In other words, FaceLove is a facial massage technique that focuses on the facial muscles to make the face look more vibrant and youthful.

Rachel uses her facial skin care knowledge along with a few traditional indigenous techniques to create this eclectic facial massage. And due to concerns about clients with sensitive skin, FaceLove massages only have one ingredient — water!

And believe it or not, water-only facials like FaceLove can be incredibly effective. Rachel says that using just water allows her to better grab and grip the facial muscles until clients can feel a “good hurt,” like a good workout session at the gym.

Facial Muscle Massage: Work Those Muscles!

The National Touch Research Institute cites a relationship between toned, stimulated muscles and the skin. Regular facial massages can speed up your skin’s metabolism, increase the level of collagen, and improve the overall integrity of the skin.

With a total of 57 muscles in the face, it’s no wonder that working the facial muscles has so many benefits!

See for Yourself the Innovation of the Facial Massage Industry

“When I decided to go back into the industry, I didn’t see just opening up another spa,” Rachel says. “I wanted to do something that wasn’t out there yet.”

Now, facial muscle massage is gaining popularity in a variety of forms (even including facial yoga!) FaceLove has a devoted following across the country and is hoping to be able to award students with FaceLove facial massage certifications in the future.

To stay updated with what FaceLove is doing, follow on Facebook or Instagram @love_facelove.com. You can also visit the FaceLove website for more information (and even book your first facial massage!)

Today’s special guest went from being a real estate agent to owning one of the most notorious tanning salons on Sunset Strip, to owning a rejuvenation center frequented by celebrities. (His tanning salon was so popular that it had its own reality television show on E! Network. Talk about finding your true calling!)

Devin Haman joins us to talk about the Beverly Hills Rejuvenation Center, one of his latest projects. This rejuvenation center combines science with beauty to make people feel decades younger — inside and out. This endeavor was inspired by the changes Devin noticed in his body as he was aging. Despite the fact that he was working out regularly and eating right, he noticed he was having trouble sleeping and keeping weight off.

The reason why Devin has been able to enjoy so much success in the beauty rejuvenation industry is that he understands our fascination with youth isn’t just about looking younger. When we really start to feel the effects of aging, it’s not just about the aesthetics of looking younger anymore. We want to be able to feel the way we used to feel, too.

Luckily, a youthful spring in your step is easier to get than ever. In the last 12 years, medical rejuvenation spa technology has advanced spectacularly. In comparison to the past, most anti-aging treatments have better results and a quicker recovery time.

Rejuvenation Spa for Anti-Aging

Devin’s rejuvenation center offers many treatments that can help you feel just as energized as you used to be. “As you age, your hormones decline,” Devin says. “It starts when you’re thirty, but you really notice when you’re forty or fifty.”

One popular product is HRT, or hormone replacement therapy. HRT has been proven to ease the hormonal imbalances that come with aging, making patients feel rejuvenated and more full of energy.

Another interesting medical rejuvenation spa innovation Devin Haman practices in his office is the CVAC pod. The CVAC, or the Cyclic Variations in Adaptive Conditioning pod, is a tool that works by constantly changing the barometric pressure inside the pod. The result, especially after a few treatments, is increased energy and ability to focus. And the best part? There’s virtually no recovery time needed.

Rejuvenate, Look Younger, And Keep Up!

The Beverly Hills Rejuvenation Center isn’t the only of its kind. In fact, Devin has opened 11 more locations around the country since it was first started in 2005.

Want to learn more about Devin Haman and nearby rejuvenation centers? Visit the Beverly Hill Rejuvenation website and follow on Twitter @BHrejuvcenter or Facebook.

Being a parent is an important job, but it’s not an easy one. So many new responsibilities are added to your life – more than you’ve ever had before. It comes to a point when many parents find that they’re filling their free time without the kids with errands. As a result, self care for parents is a topic that many of us just don’t have. We don’t feel like we have the time.

Ericka Souter joins us to talk about the importance of self care for parents. Ericka is a regular contributor to award-winning blog mommy blog, Mom.me. She is also a regular on World News Tonight, Good Morning America, and Nightline, often talking about news affecting parents and children.

Self Care Isn’t Selfish

Contrary to belief, taking the time for self care is essential to being the best parent you can be. Many of us subscribe to what Ericka calls “the martyr syndrome,” putting everyone else’s needs ahead of our own. We often mistake this for being the defining trait of being a good parent. But in reality, most people eventually reach a critical breaking point. “If you’re crumbling, your family is going to suffer as well,” Ericka says.

The benefits of self care far outweigh the bad. When you’ve had a chance to breathe and be yourself again, that translates to the way you parent. So how do you overcome the feelings of guilt and selfishness for taking time out for yourself? You just have to acknowledge that you deserve some enjoyment and relaxation. But many people don’t understand the importance of self care for parents until they’ve been neglecting themselves for so long that they’ve hit a wall. “Many people have to try it before they realize the benefits,” Ericka adds.

Ericka’s Self Care Checklist for Saving Sanity

1. Recharge.

Just plan a moment when you can sit and quiet your mind, whether it’s getting a mani/pedi, going to the gym, or just vegging out on your favorite t.v. show.

2. Feed your interests.

Parenthood consumes many of us, but you were a person before you became a parent! Keep that part of you alive by doing the things you enjoy – even if you feel like you don’t have time for it.

3. Create a Mom Squad.

Gather a group of friends who are moms, too. They’ll know your struggles all too well and can provide a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on.

Stay in Touch with Ericka to Learn More About Self Care and Parenting

Self care and parenthood aren’t incompatible, BUT it does take a lot of practice to balance the two. Learn more information and tips about juggling self care and parenting by visiting Ericka Souter’s website. If you have social media, follow her @erickasouter on Twitter and Instagram.

In the meantime, practice self care by pampering yourself with these easy, at-home beauty tips!