Just Ask David

When it comes to sunless tanning, you either love it or hate it. Sure, using sunless tanning lotion is a lot safer than lying out in the sun and soaking in all of those harmful UV rays. But for a lot of people, it also means streaky, uneven application and getting tanning lotion all over your leather car seats.

There has to be a better way to get a tan that doesn’t include spending half your paycheck at a spray tanning salon.

Former tanning and skin care CEO Kelly Richardson (and now founder of Venone Public Relations) joins Just Ask David to reveal her winter tanning secrets. These industry sunless tanning tips are so good, your friends and family will be wondering if you went on vacation!

Tanning Beds or Sunbathing Should NEVER Be Options

Sunbathing used to be a popular method of self-tanning in the past. But now, even the most vain of us won’t lie out in the sun. We know that prolonged exposure to the sun’s UV rays seriously increases your risk of developing skin cancer (and crepey skin).

“Running to the tanning bed before you go on vacation is not the way you want to prepare,” Kelly agrees. “The best thing to do is just to reach for that bottle of sunless tanning lotion [or] go get a spray tan.”

Sunless Tanning 101

The discovery that overexposure to UV rays can cause melanoma caused the tanning industry to rely on sunless tanning much more than in the past. But not everyone’s a fan -- until they learn that the secret is all in the application. “It’s 10% product, 90% application,” Kelly says.

The most common complaint about sunless tanning lotion is streaking after application. But that can be easily worked around with the right technique.

“The most important thing is to exfoliate and blend,” Kelly says. Exfoliating the skin before applying the tanning lotion removes the dead skin that often causes streaking. Kelly also suggests using oil-free scrubs to exfoliate, as the oil in other scrubs creates a barrier between your skin and the product.

For More Skin Care and Tanning Tips, Stay in Touch with Kelly

Hopefully, these sunless tanning tips will help you be as tan as you want to be this winter!

Visit Kelly’s lifestyle blog for more tips and tricks on using sunless tanning lotion, general skin care, and much more!

America’s recent organic food craze may be just what we need to combat the country’s obesity epidemic. But is switching to an organic diet possible for all of us?

Trained organic chef Laura Klein has all the answers you’ve been wondering about -- and then some. Laura is the cofounder of the natural lifestyle brand Organic Authority and is known for making the transition to organic food easy-to-understand, and above all, delicious. She’s written for some of the most powerful media outlets around, including the Huffington Post, the Food Network, and Oprah.com.

Is Organic Food Really Better?

While organic food is becoming more popular, it does seem like a bit of an extra hassle. In fact, Laura thought the same thing when she first started culinary school.

“I was not into organic food at all at the time,” she says. “I was interested in what produces the best tasting food.” But then she learned the secret among the best chefs - they use organic produce. They just don’t brag about it.

“I really felt that America had been lied to about how food is grown, processed, and packaged and sold to us,” Laura adds, citing this misinformation as one of the reasons for America’s health crisis.

Organic Food’s Biggest Barriers: Accessibility and Cost

Even though organic food is more available than it’s ever been, not everyone has the option to buy it. “It’s definitely growing, but there are still parts of the country where it is not readily available,” Laura says.

Although the organic grocery industry is booming in metropolitan cities, they simply don’t exist in other places. Organic food is also notoriously expensive, making it impossible for some families to be able to buy quality produce.

But there are ways around these tall hurdles. For example, Laura suggests choosing one or two groceries you buy frequently and buying those organic. “Depending upon where you live, it can be really tough,” she says. “If you start by picking your favorite foods and buying those organic, that is a great way to get started.”

Make Adding Organic Food to Your Diet Your Resolution for 2018!

Another roadblock for a lot of us when it comes to organic food is putting it all together into a delicious meal. I strongly encourage you to visit Laura’s website, Organic Authority - they post new recipes every day!

Don’t forget to follow on Twitter @OrganicAuthorit and Instagram @OrganicAuthority for advice on going organic on your social media feed.

Many of us feel fatigued on a daily basis. We often chalk it up to too much caffeine, not enough exercise, poor diet, and age. And although these things often cause tiredness, there’s another factor you need to consider.

Valerie Manso, Vice President of Sales and Education for BluTech lenses joins Just Ask David to talk about blue light -- a type of light that may be affecting your sleep and overall health.

What is Blue Light?

Like UV rays, blue light is a special kind of light with a specific wavelength. But instead of affecting our skin, blue light can irritate our eyes. The sun actually is the biggest emitter of blue light, but that’s usually taken care of by a pair of good sunglasses.

“In the last few years, we’ve invited blue light into our homes -- indoors -- in the form of digital devices,” Valerie explains. “Whether it’s our smartphone, or the computer or a tablet… fluorescent lights, LED lights, they all emit blue light.”

Why is Blue Light Harmful?

Unlike the blue light sent by the sun, the blue light from our indoor devices can have harmful effects on our health. And not just our eyes.

“[Electronic devices] emit the blue light in a particular wavelength that is very bad for our health,” Valerie says. “It’s the wavelength that sends the trigger to our brains that it’s time to wake up. So it impacts our circadian rhythm.”

BluTech for Better Health

Although there are other options, the best solution is to invest in BluTech lenses, which is the only solution to protect yourself from blue light.

“There’s a recent study from Nova Southeastern University in Florida and it proved that BluTech lenses, after just five days of wear, doubled the user’s melatonin production. And as you know, we need melatonin to be able to fall asleep and stay asleep.” Valerie says.

For more information on BluTech lenses and how they filter blue light, visit the BluTech website!

Many of us are delighted at the first icy breeze of winter -- but our skin sure isn’t. And no one wants to bring in 2018 with chapped lips and dry, scaly skin.

Just Ask David’s favorite men’s grooming columnist Barret Wertz returns to share a few valuable tips on how men can keep their skin healthy during the cold winter season. Barrett is most well-known for being the Style & Grooming Director at Men’s Fitness Magazine, but has written for a variety of male grooming publications, like Men’s Journal, AskMen, The Plunge, and Men’s Health.

Barret’s #1 Men’s Grooming Tip for Winter: Stay Moisturized!

As the mainstream beauty industry is focusing more on men’s grooming, one of the biggest beauty concerns men have is reversing the effects of aging. Although there are products that can reduce the appearance of aging skin, your best defense against wrinkles is to actively work to prevent them.

Keeping your skin moisturized during the coldest months is key to preserving your skin’s elasticity, preventing premature wrinkles. Treatments like oil cleansers and night masks are especially good for helping skin retain moisture. (And as always, Barret recommends retinol for its general anti-aging benefits). “The earlier you start, the more benefits you’re going to have in the long run,” he adds.

Stay in Touch with Barret on Social Media

Barret is always sharing grooming advice for men trying to look their best! To stay in the know for all of the latest men’s grooming innovations and tools, be sure to follow him on Instagram @BarretWertz.

And don’t forget to look out for Barret’s new lifestyle and men’s grooming blog, The Grooming Editor, launching in 2018!

If your only knowledge of cryogenics is that of what you’ve seen in science fiction movies, cryotherapy may sound like a bit of a scary concept. (But for the record, this episode of Just Ask David isn’t about preserving your body in a freezer for anti-aging purposes.)

Cryotherapy uses the same basic principle on a much smaller scale, using low temperatures for the health benefits.

NYC writer and photographer Marisel Salazar joins just Ask David to share how cryotherapy facials can make you look and feel more beautiful. If her name sounds familiar, you may have already seen plenty of her work for PureWOW and Martha Stewart Living.

What is Cryotherapy? (and What are Cryotherapy Facials?)

Cryotherapeautic treatments are incredibly diverse, suiting a variety of needs. For example, whole body cryptotherapy freezes your entire body for a few minutes to help alleviate muscle pain and boost athletic performance.

But Marisel is here to talk about cryotherapy facials -- the process of freezing your face (below 200 degrees Fahrenheit!) for just a few minutes. Cryotherapy facials are known for their anti-wrinkle and anti-aging benefits. They’re also super relaxing!

Keep in Touch with Marisel on Social Media!

Visit Marisel’s website and stay updated with what she’s doing -- who knows if you’ll discover another cool spa treatment to experiment!

Find Marisel on Facebook, or follow her on Twitter @MariselSalazar or Instagram @BreadButterNYC.

There was a time when your only luck in finding beauty products that were high-quality, cruelty-free, and (most importantly) affordable was waiting for a luxury brand to have a sale. But now, thanks to social media, beauty junkies on a budget have more variety than ever.

So anyone shopping for the best beauty products for their buck should know all about Vanity Planet. California-based marketing whiz Mike Ponzillo joins Just Ask David to share his latest project.

High-Quality, Affordable Beauty Products

With an impressive collection of  exceptionally well-made beauty products, Vanity Planet stands out from other beauty brands because of its unapologetic focus on, above all, looking good. The fact that Vanity Planet’s prices are reasonable affordable is built-in and nonnegotiable.

With products like facial exfoliating wands, preservative-free clay mask bundles, electric scalp massagers, and a huge variety of makeup brush sets, it’s hard to believe that such niche products can really be easy on our wallets.

“We started with the customer in mind,” Mike explains. “When we started… the economy wasn’t fabulous at that time. A lot of people were really hurting and we wanted to make sure… that it was affordable as possible.”

Mike Ponzillo credits the idea to the “creative and talented young professionals” he works with. Their goal was to make beauty products that weren’t so expensive that they became exclusive. They strive to create products that are available to the average buyer, because every woman should have access to what she needs to make her feel beautiful.

Follow Vanity Planet on Social Media

Browse Vanity Planet to check out the high-quality (and pretty cheap!) variety of beauty products they have to offer. You can also follow Vanity Planet on Facebook, Twitter @VanityPlanet, and Instagram @VanityPlanetStore for more affordable beauty products on your social media feed!

One of my favorite things about the holiday season is getting to chance to rest and enjoy being at home with my family. And of course, Christmas dinner. Worrying about what I’m eating and if I’m getting enough exercise all year round -- now’s the time for bonding and self love.

While many of us are trying our best to be healthier, there’s just one thing that we often take for granted -- the quality of their air we’re breathing. We breathe in chemicals in our carpets, the HVAC unit, the paint and fixtures on our walls, and so much more.

Your family is going to be home all holiday -- is there anything we can do to improve the indoor air quality of our homes?

Meet Ron & Lisa Beres, The Healthy Home Dream Team. They’re building biologists and Certified Green Building Professionals -- some of the leading experts in how your indoor air quality affects your health and wellness. In fact, Ron & Lisa have been featured on The Home Shopping Network, Lifetime, The Dr. Oz Show, Rachael Ray, Chelsea Lately, and countless others, sharing which toxins are likely to be polluting the air in your home and advice on purifying the air.

Healthy Home, Healthy Family, Happy Holiday!

Ron and Lisa take a holistic approach to keeping the air indoors as pure as possible. They have plenty of tips and tricks that not only help purify the air, but may prevent adding more toxins. And all of these methods are safe for your family and your pets -- like buying a few houseplants, for example.

“Plants work as nature’s mini air purifiers,” Lisa says. “They actually did a study and found that there are certain plants that not just produce oxygen, but these plants in particular absorb chemical vapors and toxic gases. Chemicals that are emitted from furnishing and carpeting like benzine, formaldehyde, ammonia, and so on.”

Stay in Touch with Ron & Lisa and Get a FREE Special Gift For Listeners

Want to learn more about how to keep your home safe and healthy for you and your family? Visit Ron & Lisa’s website, find them on Facebook, and follow them @RonAndLisa on Instagram and Twitter!

Ron & Lisa have an exclusive holiday gift for all our listeners -- claim your FREE gift!