Do you prefer your massages seaside or snowbound? Jane Larkworthy checks out six new spa getaways that are worth the trip.
More from W:
Kim Kardashian's Shocking W Photo Shoot
W's Organic Beauty Product Guide
The Shortest Celebrity Marriages
Top Beauty Discoveries of the Past 40 Years
Are energy healers the new trend?
By Sandra Ballentine
Illustrations by Jean-Philippe Delhomme
Lately, more and more forward-thinking people are swapping their shrinks for energy workers. Sandra Ballentine contemplates the coming of the new New Age.
Call me unenlightened, but I've never had a guru, visited a shaman, consulted a life coach, gone to a fortune-teller, or even successfully meditated. Heck, until recently, I had no idea there was such a thing as a third eye. Certainly, I'd never been blessed by an energy worker while sitting cross-legged opposite a makeshift altar housing a huge hand-carved chocolate penis. (I'll come back to that later.) I guess you could say that when it comes to self-examination, I rarely go deeper than microdermabrasion.
So when the fashion-brand consultant and girl-about-town Annelise Peterson told me over lunch that energy workers (also called energy healers, or movers) were the new therapists ("everyone has one," she assured me) and that I was in desperate need of
Going Green
by Amely Greeven
Is it possible to cut the chemicals from your beauty routine without cutting out all the fun? Amely Greeven finds out.
More: Ws organic beauty product guide
It's not hard to have a false sense of security when it comes to the purity of your beauty products. You buy a botanical skin serum, book an aromatherapy facial, and imagine yourself a green, clean goddess. But meanwhile, you've got a vise grip on your high-gloss nail lacquer, you cherish your long-wearing eye shadow, and the thought of renouncing your colorist gives you the chills.
This head-in-the-sand state is understandable: Start reading about the dangers of formaldehyde in Brazilian blowouts or the lead levels in red lipstick and denial quickly sets in. Still, it's time to acknowledge that we live in a complex terrain of chemical toxins. So why knowingly slather more of them onto your body? According to Amy Myers, an Austin, Texas, physician who specializes in functional medicine-an emerging
Read More »from Easy Being Green: The Rise of Green, Organic Beauty Products
Becker gets an analysis of her skin's sun damage.
by Katie Becker
What would your skin look like if you had used the world's best anti-aging cream since the day you were born? Katie Becker finds out.
I grew up in Seattle, a place where the sun doesn't shine-or so it seems during the city's biblical stretches of rain. Still, as far back as I can remember, I have always worn sunscreen. As soon as the clouds broke for summer, I was slathered with SPF 30-or 50 if I was anywhere near a boat or a beach. Today I apply broad-spectrum block daily, even in winter and even if I'm indoors. After all, UVA rays can penetrate clouds and windows, triggering melanoma, wrinkles, and dark spots.
This might sound overly cautious, but as a 27-year-old, I'm hardly an anomaly. Thirty-five years ago this summer, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration introduced the SPF system, so those numbers have been around longer than I have. And in 1985-the year I was born-sun protection took another major step forward. "That's when SPF 15 and higher
Read More »from Generation SPF: The Long-term Benefits of Sunscreen Use
Wby Jane Larkworthy
When it comes to fragrances, I gravitate toward the classics. I'm betting the new Jour d'Hermès (far left, $149, usa.hermes.com) will soon join that canon. The company's perfumer, Jean-Claude Ellena, describes it as "a profusion of flowers," but he's keeping the exact recipe under wraps. (I detect orange blossom and gardenia.) The lovely bottle comes courtesy of Pierre Hardy, who has been designing the house's shoes and jewelry since 2001.
1) Manifesto by YSL Beauté ($102, yslbeautyus.com): This tangy lily of the valley and jasmine mix has a kick of fruit.
More from W: Brad and Angelina's Iconic W Photo Shoot
2) See by Chloé ($98, saks.com): A light floral with bergamot, apple blossom, and jasmine.
3) Green by Terveer ($185, barneys.com): Grassy and leafy with a surprising hint of fig.
See also: The Lazy Girl's Guide to a Slimmer Body
4) BS 03 Eau de Toilette by Lurk ($245,
Read More »from 7 Pretty New Perfumes Guaranteed to Put a Spring in Your Stepby Jane Larkworthy
What W's beauty director, Jane Larkworthy, is hooked on this month.
More from W:
The Lazy Girl's Guide to a Slimmer Body
Hot Red Shoes To Wear Now and Later
Craziest Photo Shoot Hairstyles of All Time
by Claudia Mata
WHAT W'S JEWELRY AND ACCESSORIES DIRECTOR, CLAUDIA MATA, IS FANTASIZING ABOUT THIS MONTH.
by Jane Larkworthy
Jane Larkworthy's red carpet picks; photo by Metzinger MarkoThe one time I "walked the red carpet" was at a launch party for Lady Gaga's Fame perfume (if you believe that's me in the photo below, may I sell you a bridge?), and since no one knew who I was, you could hear crickets chirping rather than cameras clicking. To keep the fantasy alive, however, here are the products I'd apply for the Globes or the Oscars if I were ever invited.
Kinara Weightless Infusion Antioxidant Primer: I use this after I cleanse each morning. It's packed with hydrating niacinamide and antioxidant peptides, makes skin feel post-facial supple, and adds a nice glow. ($80, kinaraspa.com)
Dior Capture Totale Multi-Perfection Makeup Base SPF 25: This primes skin for foundation, and it also gives off "I've slept well for weeks" rosiness. ($50, dior.com)
Lorac Touch-Up to Go: Los Angeles-based makeup artist Carol Shaw's latest creation is genius-its brush-on formula is a concealer and foundation in one. You can dab the brush over flaws a few
W's Fashion Market and Accessories Director Karla Martinez imagines the Golden Globe and Oscar nominated actresses in her favorite red carpet worthy looks of the season.
More from W:
6 Glitter Nail Polishes We Love
Hot Red Shoes To Wear Now and Later
Craziest Photo Shoot Hairstyles of All Time
Warm Fragrances to Wear in the Cold Weather
The Lazy Girl's Guide to a Slimmer Body
Colorful Beauty Products to Try Now
by Katie Becker, W
For most people I know, going home means catching up with the old gang, seeing the folks, and sleeping in. On a recent trip home to Seattle, however, I made a point of visiting the local headquarters of everyone's favorite skincare gadget Clarisonic. Not only did I get a tour, I also took a spot in the assembly line at the on-site factory (which churns out 15,000 units each day) and made my own Clarisonic Mia.
From left: Inside the assembly room with Rachel Stroback of Clarisonic; A stack of Clarisonic's latest and most advanced brush, the Aria, near completion.
See more: Warm Fragrances to Wear in the Cold Weather
Top, from left: Soldering in the wiring to make the little engine run; Making sure the thing runs. Since I'm making it in the official facility, I'm told this is still under warranty (thank goodness).
Each Mia takes three minutes to assemble--if you know what you're doing, that is! Even with the guidance of an army of (very friendly) employees
