Molly Bloom knows style

Normally I’m not one for passing on memes but LOLVogue is still funny — in spite of general LOLCats burnout. Srsly.

I’ve been using a daily facial SPF since college. Note to self: apply SPF from the scalp line to the nipples or risk chesty damage. I am freckled and fair but not the palest girl in the room. My skin changes color quickly, sometimes straight to red; other times my freckles light up and sometimes I get a barely there copper glow. My experience with facial sunblock is that it works best with a moisturizing formula. I have to rotate to another favorite after a year or so because they seem to stop working. I always wear eye cream (applied first) in addition to moisturizing sunblock during the day, and eye cream plus heavy moisturizer at night.

DHC Dual Defense SPF 25 is what I’m using right now. It seems dense and heavy, but in five minutes it’s chilled out. You can use a primer after the SPF has settled if you’re going to wear makeup or feel shiny. Try to apply at least 20 minutes before leaving the house. Once your skin cooks a little, it’s more likely to continue to cook.

DDF was my go-to brand for years and I cycled through all their face SPFs and they were all great.

The worst product I’ve ever used was a daily Neutrogena. Breakout city. I like some of their all-over SPFs but the face ones hijacked my complexion.

Christian Lacroix has joined the ranks of luxury designers doing mass-market, ready-to-wear for a major retailer, in this case French company La Redoute. The clothes are far cheaper than Lacroix’s usual creations but are more expensive than other low-end mass lines. The trench coat pictured above is $299, but you can channel your best Eddy from AbFab and shout “Lacroix, sweetie! Lacroix!” when anyone compliments it.

It’s late summer and style news is thin these days. I don’t write about beauty products very often because honey, you’re gorgeous the way you are. But sometimes we need a little assistance or just a bit of pampering. Time for a series of beauty posts.

My pick for the best all-over sunscreen is Kiss My Face Sunblock SPF 30. It doesn’t make me paler like white sunscreens do. It sprays smoothly and requires just a quick swipe of the hand to close the holes between spritzes. And it’s fragrance-free. It claims to be waterproof but I always reapply after swimming. Bonus: I can wear multiple layers of this SPF without it gobbing up and flaking off. I appreciate that the bottle holds several applications but isn’t enormous — unless it’s champagne I don’t want to tote a big bottle of anything.

I use a special SPF for my face. I’ll talk about that tomorrow. Now, for the preaching: you gotta use sunscreen everyday. On your neck, chest, arms, tops of hands, anything exposed. If you have a sunroof or convertible, be extra vigilant. Women’s chests get a lot of sun damage from exposure caused by V-necks and other low necklines. Just ask me, who did some damage one summer running around town doing errands for my job in skimpy tops.

As promised, here’s some of my booty from the Libertine line for Target, the trench coat in admiral blue. I like it all right, and for $40 I almost love it. My favorite detail: the three oversize buttons at the cuff. As for the ridiculous posturing, if you’re going to shoot fashion pics on your laptop iPhoto camera, you better work it.

Today is my birthday. Have a laugh on me: I present to you fashion models falling (via fashion addict). That’s Naomi Campbell pictured above, after falling on the Vivienne Westwood catwalk. You can see her tumble shot from backstage in the video. I love when Miss Jai the walking coach says a model’s job is really about “clothes navigation.”