News

Winter has officially arrived, and though you may be feeling the blues, your skin does not have to reflect your state of mind. Your skin can surely use some extra pampering, especially during these trying times.  A harsh winter can be far worse for the skin than a bad summer.  Between low temperatures, cold winds, bone-dry indoor heating systems, and the daily stress, your skin loses lots of moisture. 

After months of lockdowns and working from home due to the COVID pandemic, most of us have resorted to a more relaxed form of dressing. Nevertheless, the world of fashion carries on. It seems there’s something for everyone, depending on your sense of style and mood. As we head for colder weather, think fuzzy coats and bright furs, cozy sweaters and textured cardigans with plaid designs, along with bright, elongated sweatshirts. Patchwork pieces, fringes, and puffy sleeves are just some of the details found on fall’s clothing. On a warmer day, just throw on a poncho with slouch boots and you’re ready to head out the door.   

Two thousand years ago, when the royal Hasmonean family overpowered the Greeks and were victorious, they found only one flask of pure oil, which was enough to light the Menorah for a day. A miracle occurred with this oil, which miraculously lasted and burned for eight days. We therefore celebrate the miracle of Chanukah on the 25^th day of Kislev by lighting our menorahs with olive oil and traditionally and generously incorporating this healthy oil in latkes, sufganiot, and other fried foods. 

We are all living through tough times with much uncertainty. Many of us have not bothered dressing up during this pandemic and instead opted for comfortable and safe neutrals. Nevertheless, the world of fashion prevails, bringing inspiration and excitement to each and every season, adding some fun colors and adventure to our wardrobes.

It seems Governor Andrew Cuomo is so busy trying to solve all of New York’s problems, including COVID-19, that he enforced the plastic bag ban on Oct 19, 2020.  The law originally came out this past March; however, due to a lawsuit by plastic bag manufacturers and the beginning of the pandemic, it was postponed until recently. In case the Governor didn’t realize, the pandemic has not disappeared, and turning people into bag ladies will not help the situation either.  Speaking of bags, I’d rather ban the ones underneath the eyes that are exacerbated due to lack of sleep and stress. 

These days, we’re all too familiar with alcohol, which is known to be a good disinfectant. It has the ability to kill COVID-19, as well as other viruses and bacteria found on surfaces outside the body. Did you know that alcohol can also be hiding in your skincare, makeup, fragrance, and hair-care products? Many alcohols can dry out your skin and cause irritation, while others can moisturize. Alcohol is defined by the FDA as a large and diverse family of chemicals that have a variety of effects on the skin. Alcohol can be added to a product to make it feel lighter, speed up absorption of a product, and act as a potential preservative. The following are a list of several alcohols commonly found in skincare products.