SPF? WHO NEEDS IT

Y'all remember that time you went on vacation to Sardinia during the summer, back when you where a carefree 21 year old and decided to undergo sun protection completely because you wanted to look like this...

Not only did you decide to skip sun protection (and go topless OUCH!), you so intelligently replaced it with olive oil (people kept saying you smelled like Mediterranean salad) because your best friend told you that's what European girls did to accelerate the suntanning process and instead ended up looking like this... 

Ok, maybe not quite like that but you will if you're not careful enough.

Was it worth it? You definitely achieved your goal. You where the most suntanned girl in the whole European Union. But, fast forward 10 to 15 years and tell me how your skin looks and feels now. I remember that vacation and let me tell you ladies, I was suntanned! However, I woke up the next day throwing up because obviously I had over exceeded myself and now that I'm 35 I'm most definitely paying the consequences. Now I have to spend hundreds of dollars (ok maybe more) on expensive beauty products trying to even out my skin tone. Oh, and maybe trying to look younger and slow down the infamous aging process as well. Suntanning is not in style anymore girls! I don't care what anyone else says, maybe just your legs a little bit. If you're white, you're white, ain't nothing you can do about it. 

Beauty is not the only issue here. There are also numerous health problems that come with careless sun exposure, like say maybe CANCER! Sooooooo...

WHAT IS SPF AND WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT?

We've heard about it, we've seen it promoted on the labels of numerous skin and beauty products, but let's be honest, we have a vague idea of what it really means (yes you, don't go acting like you know what it means, we all know you don't). 

SPF, or Sun Protection Factor, is a measure of how well a sunscreen will protect skin from UVB rays, the kind of radiation that causes sunburns, permanent damages on skin, and can contribute to skin cancer. 

SPF 15 blocks 93% of UVB rays. For best protection, experts recommend using SPF sunscreen of 15, applying the proper amount, and reapplying every 2 hours (noooo, SPF 15 does not offer 15 hour protection in case you where wondering). 

WHAT ARE UVB AND UVA RAYS?

Despite whatever you think you know, they are not the same thing. UVB (short wave ultra violet B) are the type of rays mentioned above and they usually burn the superficial layers of your skin. UVA rays (long wave ultraviolet A) are the ones in charge of aging your skin and will penetrate deep into the dermis, the skin's thickest layer. Needless to say, you need to protect yourself from both. 

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SUNBLOCK AND A SUNSCREEN?

A sunblock reflects the sun's rays, thereby blocking them from reaching your skin. Sunblocks are highly effective in blocking UVB and UVA rays. Sunscreen also protects from UVB and UVA, but a major drawback is that the ingredients often break down after several hours of exposure to sunlight, which means you need to reapply them.  Sunblocks appear white on the skin and sunscreens tend to be less visible on the skin.

Take a look at this educating video by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) it will help you understand better. 

As  of 2010 the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) applied stricter regulations to manufacturers in order to assure the customer that what they are buying is really a sunblock and not just a sunscreen, and that the proposed SPF by the specific product is in fact accurate. 

Bottom line ladies, you need to protect your skin, no excuses. I'm not just talking about for when you go to the beach, I mean everyday! 

Since I can't really extend myself into more complicated scientific explanations because I would otherwise bore you to death, If you're really interested in learning more about SPF, I recommend that you visit the FDA's Website  or the Skin Cancer Foundation's Website and read more about it.

I will however recommend 6 of the best sunscreen products in the market. According to allure.com these are some of the best. 

1. La Roche-Posay Anthelios Mineral Tinted Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid SPF 50

2. Kiehl's Activated Sun Protector Sunscreen SPF 50

3. Aveeno Protect + Hydrate Lotion SPF 70

4. L'Oreal Sublime Sheer Protect Sunscreen Oil SPF 50+

5. Neutrogena Pure & Free Liquid Daily Sunblock SPF 50

6. Coppertone Oil-Free Faces SPF 50

Choose one that satisfies your personal needs and is affordable to you. Let us know if there is a product that you love and is not on the list. I would love to hear about it.

Also, you can get one of this…

Giiiiiirl! You gotta look stylish! 

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IN THE KITCHEN: NECTARINE SALAD WITH BURRATA

Good morning my dear friends! I hope you're all doing wonderfully today. Like I promised yesterday (you see, I do keep my promises) today I have something really cool for you (more like DELICIOUS). 

Since lately I've become a food enthusiast, I've acquired the habit of buying bon appétit magazine to inform myself on the wonderful art of cooking. I love bon appétit magazine. It's filled with amazing food photography, easy to make recipes, and beautiful typography (I have a thing for typography). In this month's "coolest summer issue ever" of bon appétit I found what seemed to be a delicious and incredibly easy to make nectarine salad with burrata. I thought to myself: Hey, this is something I can actually do. For those of you who don't know (don't feel bad, burrata is not available in a lot of countries, like in my hometown Guatemala), burrata is a softer version of mozzarella with a near-liquid cream center. It's expensive and hard to find but it is most undoubtedly Gods gift to mankind. 

I'm going to share with you the recipe exactly how it appears inside the magazine. By the way, it not only looks good, its tastes super yummy! Don't skip on any ingredients, specially the mint leaves, which in my own opinion, it's the salads secret weapon ingredient. 

Have fun cooking friends! If you don't have burrata available where you live, try to find the freshest mozzarella possible, it's not the same but it's something. Until next!

Total 25 minutes

4 servings

Ripe peaches can be used in place of nectarines; choose whatever looks (and smells) best.

2 nectarines, thinly sliced

1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced

1/a cup white wine vinegar

1 tsp. sugar

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

4 cups of mixed bitter greens (such as arugula and mizuna)

1 cup fresh mint leaves

2 Tbsp. olive oil plus more for drizzling

8 oz. burrata or fresh mozzarella cut or torn into 1"pieces

1. Toss nectarines, onion, vinegar, and sugar in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Let sit 10 minutes.

2. Pour off pickling liquid from nectarines and onions, reserving liquid. Add greens, min, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, and 2-3 Tbsp. reserved liquid; toss to combine.

3. Place burrata on plates, top with salad, and drizzle with oil. Season with salt and pepper and serve!

CALORIES 280

FAT 20 g

FIBER 2 g

Enjoy!!! 

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BACK TO SCHOOL: A BEAUTY DISPLAY

Ok, so maybe I got a little bit carried away with the postings today but that's just how I am. You might as well just get used to this kind of behavior. Sometimes I give you nothing, and sometimes I give you too much. I promise I'm not a crazy mentally unbalanced girl. Ok, maybe just a little bit, like any other creative person. There's just too many things going on inside our heads! I actually have something really cool planned for tomorrow. You guys are just gonna have to stay tuned if you don't want to miss it. 

Anyhow, back at the ranch. Like I mentioned on my last post (uploaded just a few seconds ago), tomorrow I have to do another visual display project for my visual merchandising class. The purpose of the project is to create a beauty display utilizing things that we can find around our bathroom. With this in mind I headed to Anthropologie on Lincoln Road to find some cute little girlie bathroom stuff for my project. Here's some of the items I'm using. I'm not showing you everything because, like I said before, I want the end result to be a surprise. However, you do get the feeling of my idea by looking at these images. How exciting! #iloveprojecting (projecting: the action of engaging in girlie crafty projects). 

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BACK TO SCHOOL: ACCESSORIES DISPLAY PROJECT

Hello there dear friends! Yes, I know, I'm a terrible friend. One that comes and goes, and sometimes just simply disappears for days without giving any signs of life. For those of you who don't know, I'm back to school. This is precisely why I'm in Miami. I'm studying fashion merchandising at the Miami International University of Art & Design. I started school in April and it's been quite an amazing learning experience. Sometimes we're wise asses and we think we know everything, but the truth of the matter is that we don't. These past 5 months I've learned more than I expected. This is also why I sometimes go M.I.A. Not enough time for everything, or maybe I just need to organize myself a little better (ok, I admit it! maybe I should just stop watching show marathons on Netflix). 

Anyhow, I wanted to share with you a project I did last week for my visual merchandising II class. This is my favorite class because it challenges my creativity and I love that. It can only make me better. The purpose of the project was to create an accessories display using things that we could find around our kitchen, or the supermarket. We had to come up with three different ways to display the same accessories, using the same props. Here's what I came up with. Hope you like it. Let me know which one's your favorite (if you have one). 

Tomorrow we have another project. I get so excited with projects. I'm a project snob. Tomorrow in class we have to create a beauty display using things that we could find around our bathrooms. For this I went to Anthropologie to get myself some cute little bathroom stuff (so girlie). I'm preparing another post to show you some of the items and props I'll be using. I'm not showing you everything because I want the end result to be a surprise. I think you guys are gonna like it.

So my dear friends, enjoy the rest of your afternoon, and until next!

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FASHION NEWS: J.CREW SEPTEMBER STYLE GUIDE

If you are a J.Crew snob like I am, then you probably already know that the company released an exclusive first look of their September Style Guide on Pinterest this past Monday (you didn't know?). If you still haven't seen it, then maybe you should take a few minutes and decide for yourself wether you like it or not. As much as I've been a fan ever since Jenna Lyons took over the reins and transformed J.Crew into something cool that you could actually be seen wearing, I will admit I'm not crazy about the September Style Guide. It all seems a little bit boring, except for the "sneakers with practically everything" concept that has been going on for a quite a while now in street style, and that obviously J.Crew is now endorsing. Who doesn't love sneakers nowadays? According to the J.Crew creative team, you can wear sneakers with your business suit. In my personal opinion you might just end up receiving a call from human resources. Better just stick to wear them for walking to work. At least sneakers are cool now. Back in the 80's and 90's you could spot women all over NYC walking around in the most hideous white athletic sneakers. Horrible! 

However, just because It looks a little bit boring at glance it doesn't mean that I don't have some favorites I would like to get for the upcoming season. At the end of the day it's J.Crew, of course I want something they have (like maybe the metallic silver Oxfords. Ummm YEAH!) 

J.Crew boyfriend fatigue jacket in camouflage.

J.Crew Etta studded heal pumps (floral printed of course).

J.Crew mirror metallic oxfords.

Yeah, for all of you youngsters out there, this really happened, like, fo real! The Sex And The City creators didn't just made it up, it's actually part of the history of fashion archives. 

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STYLE BY RED NEWS: HELLO BYRDIE

Hello my dear friends!

First of all, let me excuse myself for pulling an MIA (missing in action that is) on you guys, but the truth is I was under house arrest working on my midterm projects. Oh my God people, you have no idea how much work I put on those projects. I literally stayed home for 5 days working non stop from morning till like 2am-4am in the morning. I'm not even kidding one bit. Really exhausting but totally worth it. My visual merchandising II teacher congratulated me on my project and that made me a very happy woman. You know, when I started school last quarter I worked hard and studied hard because I wanted to give my very best. Another reason is because I need to find a job when I graduate so I don't get sent back to my hood (Guatemala). Having straight A's might be a little helpful. However, this quarter when I found out I was on the Dean's Honor List now I kind of feel that I need to keep my status lol! Now I feel pressured! This is actually really stupid because I'm the only single person who actually gives a (biiiiiiiiiiiiiiip) about it. But anyways....

Enough about me and my school life. I have some good news for the ladies. This morning while I was reading the July 29 Women's Wear Daily issue, I found out about Byrdie. Byrdie is the new Clique Media online creation dedicated to beauty and celebrities (more about Rihanna's infamous shaved-side hairstyle). It is a beautifully layered Web site, that is easy and fun to read, with eye catching images, clean typography, and up to date news about all things beauty and celebrities. For those of you who don't know, Clique Media is the mastermind behind WhoWhatWear and Domaine, which combined share a 23 million page views per month. Pretty amazing numbers right? Hillary Kerr and Katherine Power co-founders and chief executive officers of Clique said that there was a need for an online beauty venue that wasn't a traditional magazine's Web site, blog or a video tutorial. This is what the ladies have to say about Byrdie: 

"We didn't see anything that came from a strong editorial point of view that really reported out, but still encompassed the fun trends that aren't as editorially driven, like street style. There are not a lot of great sites that cover celebrity beauty out there, and not a lot that cover celebrity beauty, which is our secret sauce, that seems like a big open space."

So, if you are a beauty freak like most of us women are, you're gonna love Byrdie. You'll even find a video tutorial showing you how to get a Brigitte Bardot mane.

Have fun discovering Byrdie! See you around ladies (and gentlemen)! 

SKIN

CELEBRITY BEAUTY

MAKEUP

HAIR 

NAILS

News resource

Women's Wear Daily 

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OUTFIT POST: SAILS UP! ALL THE WAY NAUTICAL!

Goooood morning everyone! I do hope you all enjoyed a most wonderful weekend. I know I did. In general, last week was just a great week for me. Monday, Tuesday, and wednesday I had classes. Thursday I spent the day at the beach with my family from Guatemala who are vacationing in Miami, it was such a beautiful day. Friday I took my aunt for lunch at Mariposa inside Neiman Marcus at Villages of Merrick Park (I had the steak frites that was absolutely divine). Saturday I did homework and then hung out with some of my favorite people in Miami, and Sunday I had brunch with my Miami family. My best friend came for two days to visit her sisters (my Miami family), and so you can imagine the fun we had. 

Now let's focus on today's topic, which is my all the way nautical dress I bought at Anthropologie a couple of months ago. I have to say something guys. When I bought this dress I thought that perhaps I had gone a little bit too far with the whole boat thing. Quite frankly I never thought I was gonna make use of this dress so much. So it happens that I've worn it several times since I bought it, and every time I wear it I get complimented by everyone. It's definitely a winner. This only proves that sometimes we just need to set aside all fear and follow our hearts. Be bold, be brave, be daring. Step outside the box you've been living in all your life and try new things. Spice up your life. 

In professional terms (I should start expressing myself more like a fashion industry person), this would be a novelty print, a line, halter dress with a draped top and pleated skirt. It is specially flattering for girls with triangle shape bodies like me (heavier on the botton than on the top), or girls who need to create the illusion of a more defined waist by adding some curves to their cylindrical or rectangular shapes. It's perfect for a morning of shopping or brunch with your favorite ladies on a hot day of summer. It really is a beautiful feminine dress for women with quirky, free spirited personalities (also very girlie). If you're not the type of lady that feels comfortable wearing novelty prints like these, you can always try to look for a dress that has a similar shape in a color that is harmonious with your own personal coloring, either way you'll look and feel fantastic.

DRESS: Anthropologie

SUNGLASSES: Forever 21

NECKLACE: Vintage

SHOES: Massimo Dutti

If you'd like to learn more about my personal styling services, you can email me to info@mcacquaroni.com 

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