While I am willing to try most any product on myself but I am decidedly more conservative when it comes to my daughter. I try very hard to limit the amount of product I use on her hair and skin, and I don’t experiment. I have long been loyal to California Baby Shampoo for her. It is light, smells great, and is all-natural. It also really cleans. I use their tangle spray on her as well, which also works well and removes all tangles easily. As my daughter has a tendency to be extremely sensitive, I also use California Baby moisturizer on her. However, as it gets chillier (and the radiator in our apartment decides not to clang and bang its way to life but once a day) I need something a bit richer for her. I just picked up Jason Vanilla Hand and Body Lotion at Whole Foods, and I am loving the results and the smell. Jason products are also natural, and I am a huge fan of their fragrances. (I use Jason hand soaps in all of our bathrooms.) The lotion makes her skin smooth and less itchy, and overall I am a fan.

As any New Yorker will tell you, Duane Reade has a virtual monopoly over all drugstores in Manhattan. There is literally a Duane Reade on ever other street corner throughout the city.  I have always had a love/hate relationship with the store. I mean I love the fact that every for every $100 you spend, you get a $5 free coupon. (I have secured more $5 free coupons than I care to outline here.) I also love the availability of the store- and its hours. Many are open at all hours meaning you can pop in for whatever, whenever. I don’t particularly like the selection in the store. The cosmetics rarely update and the stores themselves are somewhat grungy (some worse than others.) However, Duane Reade is in the midst of a store overhaul across Manhattan, and I have to admit that they look great. Cleaner, brighter, new items, better selection. But my mind was truly blown by the luxury Duane Reade model in Herald Square. I first read about the rebuild in WWD, and I just had to check out what was literally being billed as the Sephora of all Duanes. And it didn’t disappoint. This particular 2-story gem was loaded with goodies- an entire aisle of Essie polishes, high end haircare (including Bumble and Bumble) and boutique makeup including Pop Beauty, Global Goddess, and Ramy. For goodness sake you can even get your eyebrows done. I mean- this was a DR to die for. At any rate, I bought 2 terrific Pop products (with my $5 coupon) that have become quick staples: Lid Bronzer and the Bronze Belle kits. Both are perfect for creating a lovely light bronze look as my skin fades to pale this Fall. Check out their website here.