Simon & Schuster shoot for The Mind Beauty Connection

11/26/08 Headlines, IN THE FIELD

I can now talk about a project I shot a few months back – The Mind Beauty Connection because it’s finally released! We were contracted by Simon and Schuster to shoot the cover of Dr. Amy Wechsler’s book. After meeting with Amy in her office on Park Ave., we confirmed the look, feel and style for the cover which was ultimately our focus. Our client wanted Amy to look natural, healthy, vibrant, confident and beautiful, basically like herself.

Make-up was minimal and mostly for camera work. All make-up was hypo non-allergenic and followed Amy’s strict guidelines. Although we experimented with new looks for her hair, the best overall look was Amy’s everyday style. Working with non-models always makes me wonder how a day is going to unfold. However, the long day with Amy was like working with a seasoned pro. She had great intuition and endurance not to mention the camera simply loved her.

Here’s an inside look at how the shoot went.

What follows are Amy’s Beauty Myths and Tips sited right form her blog…………

“Beauty Myths and Tips

It’s easy to overdo it with your beauty routine — to overclean, overtreat, and overspend. In fact, American women shell out billions each year for cosmetics and creams, lotions and potions, even shampoos and conditioners, yet much of that money is spent on products that don’t always live up to their claims. Allow me to offer some advice that not only could save you money and time but could save your skin, too.

Myth #1: All product claims are backed by research.
The claims on beauty products — as long as they’re worded carefully — don’t have to be approved by the FDA. So an “effective antiaging treatment” could simply mean the product moisturizes the skin. And often, that’s all it does mean, unless you’re talking about prescription treatments, which can actually erase the tread marks of aging. However, certain non-Rx ingredients look promising, especially the strong antioxidants in green tea and caffeine. One result: serums, which aim to be supercharged antioxidant delivery systems. While their skin benefits aren’t yet 100% proven, I believe in the basic science. There’s evidence that they both prevent and treat skin damage from sun and pollution.
Myth #2: You need to “change up” your shampoo and conditioner frequently.
These days, there are so many hair products on the shelves, most people don’t know where to start. One product claims to make your hair look thicker, another to make it smoother, lighter, fluffier, shinier, blonder, curlier, and so on. But, honestly, there’s no magic formula. If you have fine, straight hair, try products for “fine or thin hair” — or “thick, frizzy hair,” if that’s you — until you find one that you like. When you do, stick with it. There’s no reason to change (unless you’re just bored).
Myth #3: Your eyes require their own special moisturizer.
Another myth! The skin around your eyes may be delicate, but it doesn’t need a special (and usually expensive) formula. Your regular moisturizer will do just fine.
Myth #4: You need to scrub and exfoliate your face to get it really clean.
By your 20s or 30s, you should definitely be exfoliating regularly — but no scrubbing! For gentle exfoliation, try adding a salicylic-acid-based toner to your skin care routine. Start with every other day or even just twice a week. It all depends on your skin type and texture. If your skin tolerates it well, increase the frequency. You can also try gentle granular exfoliants, like sugar, oatmeal, or small synthetic beads — all can be found in common exfoliating products that you use once or twice weekly. They do the trick of brushing away that dull outer layer of dead cells.
My one rule: Don’t ever use a loofah on your face; lose the facecloth too. Both can harbor bacteria, and both make it easy to overexfoliate and irritate your skin. Simply wash your face with freshly washed hands — they’re clean and thorough, but naturally gentle.
Next, I’ll take you on a sneak peek tour of the key elements of my new book, The Mind-Beauty Connection: 9 Days to More Beautiful and Youthful Skin from the Inside Out.”


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