Molly Bloom knows style

Yesterday I took a trip to the purple hued perfumerie of Serge Lutens. What luxury and splendor.

If she hung a stocking, you had better stuff something in it.

I’m a believer in beauty sleep and I’m fanatical about eye masks. This Holly Golightly reproduction is a scream (discount code here). And these zodiac hoop earrings are trashtastic fun.

Last night at dinner I was singing the praises of my garter flask. It’s not just for church weddings — the garter makes a great mini purse. Mine is made of a red and black brocade and stays put on my thigh.

M.A.C. Ruby Woo is the best red lipstick, ever, lips down. Way better than the candy-cane of Bonne Bell Lipsmackers. One year Santa put the Shu Uemura lash curler in my stocking, so thoughtful!

A few months back I did a series on my favorite beauty products. As predicted, my skin got used to my favorite everyday facial SPF and I had to switch brands. Now I’m using Philosophy Pigment Of Your Imagination (SPF 18). I don’t think I’ve ever had such noticeable results from a product before.

I’m a freckleface and I noticed my first age spot last year. I take good care of my skin with the understanding that I can only work with the skin I’ve got. Expect no miracles and age gracefully, that’s my mirror mantra. So two months of using this SPF and my skin is brighter. My friend Tom mentioned it a month ago. I was carded today at Trader Joe’s buying a bottle of white wine — the checker said “Wow you look really good for your age.” I’m only 33 but I’ll take it.

I also use Philosophy Miracle In A Jar so maybe there is some product synergy? Who knows.

This Guy Friday is for Girl Fridays too. It’s about how to get the haircut you want.

Lots of guys shrug when it comes to their haircuts. Men either seem a bit put off by the entire process or super-vain and slicked-back. I believe there is a haircut for everyone. It’s a matter of knowing how to get the cut you want.

A few tips:

*Wear the clothes that best represent your style. The stylist is going to take visual clues to make an assessment about how to do your ‘do. If you wear a button-down and wing-tips most days, wear that to the salon. If nightlife is your thing, wear something flashy. You can also drop little hints as to what’s up, like “I’m newly single and want a change” or “I’m into figure skating and I’m straight.” That sort of thing.

*Bring a picture. It can be a photo of you on a good hair day or a picture of someone with a hair type similar to yours. If you are going bald don’t bring in a shot of George Clooney. If you have hair like Roseanne Roseannadanna (pictured above) don’t bring in a picture of Gwenyth Paltrow.

*Do your research. Ask your friends where they go, how much they pay, if there’s parking. Maybe you’d like to find a place that cuts on Sundays or is near your office. Yelp is a good resource.

*It’s best to find a good stylist and stick with if you like the results. I go to Cinta Salon (Grant @ Market streets, San Francisco) where you can book appointments online, hallelujah.

*For me it’s the second hair cut or highlight that’s the most telling. Can they maintain the original vision or are they a one-trick pony? If they did a crap job the first time you obviously don’t go back.

*Sometimes paying a little more is worth it; sometimes it is not. Big city dwellers can expect a good haircut at a salon to cost at least $50; there are probably barber shops out there for buzz cuts and a hot shave for less dough but I can’t guide you to one.

*If you’re uncomfortable, leave. Molly’s first rule of beauty, learned the hard way (aka bad eyebrow wax): If you think you aren’t communicating with someone, you’re right. Leave before you’ve got only half your hair.

Sephora now has a section highlighting products that are 3 oz. or smaller and appropriate for carry-on. Smart. And a great way to try higher end products.

There are some favorite products I can’t go without, even for a weekend. For travel I like these small Nalgene containers because they don’t leak, unlike the drugstore empties I’ve tried in the past. Note to self: label the containers to avoid using shave product as hair goo.

I just got the best-ever invoice for two of my favorite beauty products:

Item 1017920 1 NARS/The Multiple - Orgasm/Orgasm
Item 1027192 1 Philosophy/Hope in a Jar/ oz

Nars Orgasm is a best-selling shade of powder blush. It’s supposed to give your face the flush of having just done it. The shade is now available as a multiple, a color that can be used on eyes or lips or cheeks. Awesome for travel. The Multiple Orgasm is available only at Sephora.

Hope in a Jar is a lovely face cream. It’s perfect for this time of year, not too heavy but not too light. Philosophy products are great and of course I adore the wordy packaging. They make shower gels that smell like baked goods. I’m more of an herbal girl, but they are yummy.

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.

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.

Last weekend I was discussing second-hand shoes with my friend Jen, who’s prepping for a costume party. “You should put them in the freezer inside a tight plastic bag to kill the bacteria. That gets rid of the stink too.” She told me I had to tell the dear readers about the shoes in the freezer.

The thing is, my shoes get stinky. Ted thinks I’m crazy for putting my stinky shoes in the freezer but he has no sense of smell. You’ll want to get as much air out of the bag as possible before freezing (I often double-bag) otherwise moisture will freeze and your shoes will dampen upon defrosting. I leave them in the freezer for a few days, or until I remember them.

My friend Tina B. buys cheap shoe inserts for going sockless. The inserts, not the shoe, soak up the sweat and stank. Smart.

Sometimes it’s the shoes that stink, or the socks are stinky-making. If it’s your feet that are the problem, here are some tricks:

- I learned this one on Oprah: Soak your feet in tea for 10-15 minutes. Brew some strong black tea (like Lipton) in a bucket and let it cool to a comfortable temperature. The acids or tannins or something in the tea will kill off the bacteria.

- You’ll need to remember to bring your socks into the bathroom before your shower which makes this one somewhat advanced. After your shower, dry your feet. Wet and then rub one of those deodorant crystals all over the bottom of your feet, one at a time, and finish off with a clean sock.

- Lavilin Long Life Foot Deodorant works overnight. It doesn’t have any nasty chemicals but it sure does work. Wash your feet, apply the foot deo, put on some clean cotton socks and hop into bed.

- Flip-flops, especially the inexpensive kind with a more porous sole, are not made to be worn for years. Throw them out when they start getting small dings.

- Take a scrub-brush and mild soap to the footbed of your sandles and wipe down with a damp cloth.

Now go forth with happy feet!

I bought Hollywood Fashion Tape on impulse. It was in a little display at the cash register of a boutique and I was curious about what I could do with it.

This stuff is life-changing. It’s double-sided tape that you can use on fabrics or skin. I use it most often to keep blouses from gaping between buttons. I also use it to keep the collar of a shirt dress laying just so. I keep a few strips in my bag in case of fashion emergencies — it’s great for sagging hems, lost buttons and other emergencies.

Last summer I forgot to pack the correct undergarments for the dress that I was wearing to a wedding. A bit of this tape kept my brassiere from showing (and I think you have figured out by know how much I loathe a visible bra strap).

I’ve tried using regular double-stick tape and it doesn’t hold fabric well or stick to skin. I usually cut the strips in half to fit between buttons, so I’m really getting 72 strips instead of 36. The same company also makes a Red Carpet Assortment, which are different shapes of the double-sided tape.

If you’re a sweaty glistening girl, you may want to check out Behind The Seams.