Calling All Blondies...

It'd be a sin if I didn't sacrifice a PTH or two to share such a fab high holy season find with my fellow blondettes...

Actually, 'twas a Hilbil's find. I arrived at the beach at the head of June and there she was, already sportin' late August highlights...

Well, I was on that like flies on youknowwhat...

She shared her John Frieda's go blonder hat trick discovery and I barely broke long enough to take my jammies off the next morn as I sprang outta bed and hightailed it to Teeters for the stock up...

I mean, look at those highlights!

It's taking every ounce of restraint I have not to "help" my brows along too...

Thankfully, ooooone too many teenage memories of seeing Sun-In gone wrong at the pool are haunting enough to keep my Controlled Lightening Spray trigger finger in check...

God forbid this Blondilocks gets mistaken as not being au natural...

*The shampoo/conditioner combo you can use out the wazoo but, that spray is so powerful I've only pulled it out three times. Also, I can't speak for how it works on hair that isn't, or once was, naturally blond and isn't soaking up salt water and sun pretty regularly so please use with caution. Annnd, this is right about where on a script it would say in small print, Can Be Highly Addictive...

Kindness of superhairmodel Hilbils for the fab find. It ranks right up there with the Carrot Oil discovery that swept the beach in '01...XXOO

Health And Beauty Finds

Health and beauty; there are two words that don't oft get bandied about 'round here. Wealth and booty, yes. Health and beauty, notsomuch...

Measure Up Bowls for all us OCD types that measure out our cereal and yogurt portions in the morn totally omitting the need to dirty a measuring cup...

Babe will be thrilled that I've just added 5 minutes to my bathroom hogging, ritualistic cleaning routine...

Apparently, coating your eyelashes in Vaseline before bed helps them grow and, since I maybe wear mascara once per month, I'll take all the organic help I can get. But, puhleeeze be careful not to get in your eyes. I'd prefer to not become notorious as the Blinding Blogger...

Laugh all you want but, Brook Burke ssswears her Baboosh Body Exercise Wrap worn during workouts will whittle your waist. And, my due diligence has uncovered an US Mag pic of her putting her belly wrap where her pilates is. I'll be laughing all the way to my Brook Burke mid-section...

Kindness of Babe who will start to work on his eyelashes coated in Vaseline skit pronto. Thus far I get the mock blasting of buckshot when I emerge, face all dotted in pink zit drying lotion and Dog the Bounty Hunter impressions, with Pilge playing the part of Leland, after I brush my hair back into a post face washing mullet. I can haaardly wait to see what Dr. Funnyman comes up with for my goopy eyes...XXOO

Swimmer's Hair (aka, Capt'n Crunch Or Simba Helmut)

Hi Alice! I have a question and I thought you might be able to help. My daughter has just started swim team and she is so excited about it although, I am a little worried about her hair. She is already getting split ends and it's impossible to comb. We're getting it cut to chin length sometime this week and I was hoping you could point me to a shampoo and/or conditioner that might also help fight the damage. Her hair isn't like yours and mine. It's light brown and wavy, not straight and blondissime. So if you have any advice I would surely appreciate it!

Thank you,
Mamacita (your friend in Houston)
What Would Jane Austen Do

Ahhh, yes. The ole swimmers hair o'straw. Remember it well. Although, back then my Dad bought whatever shampoo/conditioner was on sale at the time which, made for a mostly Breck, Finese and Pantene rotation. Not to mention, we dried our post pool hair under those horrid wall mounted locker room dryers. Thank goodness by the time I took up Masters Swimming and Beach Patrol I knew better...

I highly recommend Kiehl's Olive Fruit Oil Collection...

As well as their Amino Acid Collection which, has been in my haircare lineup for nearly 20 years...

You must incorporate a bi-weekly deep conditioner. I used Kérastase Masquintense for fine hair ritualistically every Monday and Friday for yeeeaaars and, just recently switched to their version for highlighted natural blonds. Although, if she's swimming outdoors you might consider the one they make specifically for sun and chlorine exposed locks...

And, all us beach babes in the family use either this wide tooth Mason Pearson comb...

Or this one, in the shower to gently comb our conditioner through. She'll have nary a knot, I promise...

And, be a generous Mummy and spring for the T3 Tourmaline Overnight Dryer. Those wall mounted things should be outlawed...

Kindness of Babe who now finances all my fancy hair care needs. Although, if I'd had a nickel for every lady that stopped my young chlorine helmeted self to tell me my hair looked like spun gold, Babe would be freed up to funnel those funds towards more pertinent items of the Hermès sort...XXOO

It's A Dark Day For Blonds

I have an Elaine "sponge" situation on my hands. Kiehl's has discontinued one of my summer staples; my never blond enough Chamomile shampoo!


I became hooked on Chamomile shampoo after reading that Christie Brinkley swore by the stuff for the blondest of locks, even washing her hair in the salty ocean water for maximum blondness. Of course, she being the pied piper of blondness, I became an immediate acolyte and followed her right into the sea...

So, what's a gal to do??? I'm taking a cue from Elaine and buying up every bottle on the NW side of DC during my 48 hour window back into town! Lookout Kiehl's of G'town and Blue Mercury, I'll be there first thing Friday morn, forklift in tow...

Tammy Fender Groupie

I have this enviable talent of simultaneously being able to flip back and forth between 7th Heaven and MTV, read a magazine, rip out pages for future reference or archiving, and sip from my SIGG all while doing a high level on the Stairmaster Gauntlet at the gym.

This is exactly what I was doing two years ago when I culled the above Vogue article about Tammy Fender and her cult following. I have been a devotee ever since.

Even though I'm a Kiehl's girl at heart, I truly love my Tammy Fender splurges and my absolute favorite is the Epi-Peel. It smells sooo delish that I shed a tear when it comes time to rinse.

It takes 7000 rose petals to produce a single drop of the Bulgarian Rose Water. I feel like the Queen of Egypt when I use this toner. And, then I huff the cotton pad. Not very queen like.

I genuinely liked my Antioxidant Creme Neroli Orange from the start. Truly, I did. Then, about a year into my habit, I read how Lauren Bush never boards a plane without it, Melania Trump swears by it, AND I spied it in my chic sister-in-laws medicine chest. I realized I was in tall cotton and now I really, REALLY like it!

From now through August 31 Tammy Fender is offering 20% all online, phone or in person orders. Just enter the coupon code "JUL09DEAL" to see the discount reflected with online orders.

And...as an added bonus Kiehl's is offering a free travel size with your 16.9 oz regular purchase when you stop into the store now thru June 30.

Fizzing Bath Powder

Wool is on the ever expanding list of things I am allergic to and a couple of weeks ago it became particularly unmanageable. And, by unmanageable I mean complete fits of scratching, crying, hives, headaches and a public scene or two much to the embarrassment of Babe. The culprit; I was brought to my knees by a Ralph Lauren wool duffel coat I had pulled from the vault (vault being a closet at my parents beach house). So, besides taking massive amounts of Benadryl, in an effort to relieve myself of symptoms I'm taking a hiatus from all scented products and I am particularly jonesing for my fizzing bath powder in fig from The Soap and Paper Factory.

The Soap and Paper Factory has really pretty, earth friendly, packaging which makes this a particularly fabulous birthday and hostess gift. The kind of gift that will solidify your reputation as the best friend and guest.

Plus, I totally love the fact that their beautifully hand crafted products are not tested on four legged preps.

Naturally Blonde Highlights

Recently, a viewer asked Martha Stewart about the haircare products she used. Now, in my book, Martha goes down as a "Best Celeb Highlights" Hall of Famer along with Reese Witherspoon, Calista Flockhart, Diane Sawyer, and newest member, Whitney Port (honorable mentions going to Gwyneth and Jennifer). So, when she gushed about Frederic Fekkai's Technician Color Care shampoo and conditioner I couldn't run out and buy them fast enough.
I will always be loyal to my Kiehl's haircare products, but these have been a nice addition to the lineup.

Available at drugstore.com, where they qualify for free shipping, and at Blue Mercury for you local DC gals.