Leah McSweeney’s Blue Sunglasses at Lunch

Real Housewives of New York Season 12 Episode 5 Fashion

Leah McSweeney was totally serving up 90s fash-un vibes on last night’s episode of The Real Housewives of New York with her lil’ Kim mugshot dress blue sunglasses that she wore while meeting the ladies for lunch during NYFW. Which lucky enough we found still available for purchase, so you don’t need to travel back to 1985 with Sonja on the Morgan yacht 1995 to get them.

Fashionably,

Faryn

Click Here to Shop Her Vintage Frames Sunglasses

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Info: @LeahMob

Originally posted at: Leah McSweeney’s Blue Sunglasses

A round of applause for the people removing their blackheads at home. I’m certainly not brave enough to do it because the mere word “extraction” sounds like serious business. One slip-up and a penchant for clumsiness would leave me with permanent scarring and a permanently bad mood. If I’m going to dip my toe into DIY blackhead removal, I need the method that doesn’t involve any sort of tool.

Thankfully, there are certain experts who actually don’t vouch for self-extractions, one of them being Candace Marino, more popularly known as the LA Facialist. “It’s the equivalent of giving free condoms to teens—not encouraging it, but if they’re going to do it, let’s make it safe,” she says. “Pores are not doors. They don’t open or close, but we can improve their appearance.”

With that being said, let’s get into some preventative “pore protocol,” including ways to nix blackheads without digging into your skin with a tool or device.

Start With Identification

For starters, make sure that what you’re targeting is actually a blackhead. According to Marino, those “little dots on your nose most likely aren’t blackheads; they’re sebaceous filaments.”

“Sebaceous filaments are the normal function of the follicle. Narrow, lighter in color under the skin— they do not fully obstruct the pore and are not meant for extractions,” she says.

“Blackheads will be raised, textured, truly black, thick, and waxy. The skin oils solidify, forming plugs that can dilate the pore further leading to enlarged pores.”

Ramp Up Preventative Cleansing

Prevention should be your first line of defense against any skin setback, including blackheads. Whether you have a cluster on the tip of your nose or not, Marino recommends regularly using a gentle cleanser with light acids for mild exfoliation, like the SkinBetter Oxygen Infusion wash.

Paula’s Choice.

“Keep the face free from cellular build-up and environmental sludge. Clean pores will always appear smaller so exfoliate daily. Salicylic acid is your friend—use it!,” she adds.

Bliss.

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Additionally, aim to strengthen collagen production and elastin with peptides. These miracle workers are compatible with most other skincare ingredients and can be found in everything from eye cream to night serums to your daily moisturizer.

Turn Up the Heat

In lieu of extraction tools, DIY steaming is both preventative and a gentle, yet effective way to loosen already existing blackheads. Marino only warns that this isn’t recommended for anyone with melasma or hyperpigmentation.

Her favorite and most cost-effective way to steam is by boiling hot water over the stove, throwing in some tea “to give off spa vibes” and “hovering over the pot with a towel over your head to trap in steam for 5 minutes to allow your skin to soften.”

Just be sure to cut yourself off after five minutes; anything longer can cause TEWL (transepidermal water loss and dehydration).

Pinch Up Instead of Digging Down

However, if you must extract, Marino stresses doing it “with caution and care.” But first, “put down the knife” and “use clean fingers only.”

“Leave digging devices to the professionals to avoid potential permanent scarring or pigmentation issues and injury,” she adds. Instead, “wrap your finger in tissue or cotton, gently pinch the skin together and press upward. Press only the direction you want the congestion to go. If you’re pressing down into the skin, you’re making things worse and potentially spreading bacteria under the skin.”

In general, you should be gentle and leave aggravated or super stubborn acne alone. Most importantly, give your pores a break in-between; no need to steam or extract every other day.

Don’t Forget to Cool Off

Once you’ve extracted a blackhead or two, cleansing and treating the skin afterward is of the utmost importance. Immediately cleanse and tone the face, ideally something with AHAs and BHAs to micro-exfoliate and balance the skin, like the Biologique Recherche Lotion P50W.

Biologique Recherche.

Buy: Biologique Recherche Lotion P50W $171

Marino also recommends incorporating cooling products into your post-removal routine as well. One of her favorite go-to serums is the iS Clinical HydraCool Serum and if you can, she vouches for an ice roller to immediately reduce inflammation and pain.

iS CLINICAL.

Buy: iS CLINICAL Hydra-Cool Serum $60

Should you want to take things a step further, treat yourself to a mask like Biologique Recherche’s Vivant too.

StackedSkincare.

Buy: StackedSkincare Cooling Ice Roller $24

Stay Balanced With Moisture Binders & Retinol

Whether you’re into DIY extractions or not, the best way to prevent blackheads is with regular exfoliation, daily cleansing and moisture, moisture, moisture.

“Support balance using humectants and moisture binders like hyaluronic acid,” suggests Marino. “Don’t overly dry. Limit benzoyl peroxide, as it can create a rebound effect of more production of sebum.”

A retinol product like the Better Skin AlphaRet also helps with skin cell turnover minus the trauma and if you want to go for the big guns, do it with a weekly peel. Pro-tip: it doesn’t have to be a liquid solution; something like the AlphaRet Peel Pads are just as effective.

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The thought of retirement can be scary. Not only are you consciously leaving behind the routine consistency you’ve had for upwards of 30 years, but you also lose some financial stability.

Saying goodbye to your income can be daunting and emotional. However, there are a few good ways to make your savings last longer in retirement. I would like to share my top six tips.

Travel Wisely

Although the instinct upon retirement might be to travel as far and wide as possible, plan and spread your trips out. Your savings have to last you a fairly long time, so it’s important to prepare wisely. Instead of heading straight overseas and not coming back, think about having more of a gentle break. You could also spend time with your family or travel domestically to keep costs low.

Consider Downsizing

If you no longer have kids or pets at home, a move might be a good step to recoup some extra funds. As scary as it is, if you own property, downsizing in retirement could be extremely positive for your savings. If you think your bank account might be in need of an extra push, consider selling to boost your retirement savings significantly, which brings me to my next point.

Take the Plunge and Switch Banks

Loyalty to your bank could be holding you back. In fact, many people miss out on opportunities to lower fees or get a better deal because they don’t understand the process of switching banks, or haven’t considered it. Instead of missing out, compare high-interest savings accounts online through a financial comparison website. This should give you a good idea of whether you could be earning more interest on your hard-earned savings.

Review Your Spending

Often, we continue to pay for things out of habit and don’t consider revaluating our finances. Take a closer look at your regular bills and payments such as your insurance, mortgage, and other accounts or subscriptions such as your gym membership. Reviewing your health insurance policy, for example, can ensure you aren’t paying for extras such as pregnancy coverage.

Declutter

Consider cutting down some of the things you have around the house. Not only will it clear out your space, but you could earn some extra income in the process, which could be useful. Instead of throwing things out, you could sell appliances, lawn mowers for example, or other things online. A bit of spare cash never goes astray, and there are many ways you can make money on the side.

Take Advantage of Concession Prices

Public transport and certain sights almost always have concession prices that are significantly lower than the price of a general ticket. If you do take the train or bus regularly, a senior’s concession card would probably be worthwhile for you, and should give you tickets that are around half price. Other places you can receive concession prices include museums, zoos, aquariums and libraries.

Although it may be daunting considering your retirement, it shouldn’t be as scary as it seems! It’s a big lifestyle change so it’s important to make sure you adapt your routine to accommodate for it. Good luck, and enjoy.

Are you scared of retirement? What advice would you give to your Sixty and Me sisters if you already retired? Please share your thoughts!