Positively Hollywood!

I’m not a doctor or a dermatologist; I am just a woman with a strict daily skin care regimen that that seems to be paying off!   Women always ask how I keep my skin looking youthful and radiant.  Here is a list of what I do daily.  If my regimen doesn’t work for you, modify it until you find what works or consult a doctor/dermatologist.

1. EXFOLIATE

I exfoliate my face morning and night.  I also always use exfoliating gloves on my body in the shower.  Skin is an organ that absorbs toxins, oils, dirt, and makeup day and night, not to mention all the dead skin cells hanging around!  Hands are not an adequate way to exfoliate the face and body.  I use a brush or a buffer sponge.  I treat my skin like I do my teeth.   I exfoliate for 2 minutes morning and night with gentle pressure in circular motions upward using an exfoliating sponge or brush.

I use an all-natural foaming face wash without parabens or sulfates.  Cream cleansers feel heavy and my face never feels clean, so I prefer foam.   I also use an at home microderm abrasion kit 3x per week.  I LOVE it and feel that it is an important part of my routine.   It makes my skin soft, my pores smaller, and has reduced fine lines in my face.  Never (ever ever) go to sleep without washing your face (No matter how much you had to drink or how cute he is).

2. MOISTURIZE

I give my pores a good solid cleaning so moisturizing is key.  I try to choose products that are paraben and sulfate free and I don’t believe advertisements.  I have done research about which products are scientifically proven and work for me.  There are only a few products actually proven to do what they claim.  I always use a cream with SPF during the day.

In addition to my moisturizer, I use a lotion 2x per day that has 10% Alpha Hydroxy acid (Retinol is also a good choice but requires a prescription). They are both proven to improve the surface of the skin.  It stings a little, it is acid after all, but that means it’s working.   I would rather treat my skin with a small concentrate of acid daily than go through a major acid peel later in life.   For added moister in dry spots, I break Vitamin E capsules, and put the oil  (along with avocado oil) under my eyes, on my forehead, lips, and neck.

3. HYDRATE

I drink water (almost exclusively), rarely drink alcohol, and use a humidifier in my bedroom.   I noticed many years ago that my skin looks younger in moist climates and older when I’m in the desert.   Putting moister into the air improves the look of my skin in a very short amount of time.  I use a vaporizer because I like warm steam but you might prefer a cold air humidifier.  Either way, use one daily if you can.  When I have access to a steam room, steaming is a part of my regimen.  I also keep a small spray bottle of water in my purse or car.  I hydrate my skin throughout the day with a fine mist of purified water over my makeup. It feels great and even wakes me up a bit.

Vitamin C is a potent anti-oxidant proven to promote collagen formation when applied topicaly, but once it has been mixed into a lotion it looses it’s potency in as little as 2 weeks.   Expensive vitamin C creams no longer carry the benefit of Vitamin C.   I did some research and now I buy Vitamin C in its pure powder form online (L-Ascorbic Acid) and mix the powder with purified water in a small glass spray bottle every week.  I spray it on my face and body morning and night.  Research “do it yourself Vitamin C lotion” and find a recipe that works for you.  You will save SO MUCH money!  I spend about $20 every 6 months!

4. SUPPLEMENT

In addition to eating consciously, I take 7 vitamin supplements 2x per day.   I take vitamin E, oil of evening primrose, black currant seed oil, B complex, Biotin, Vitamin C, and calcium/magnesium/zinc.   Do some research and consult your doctor or herbalist to see what combination of supplements is right for you and your skin.   I noticed that my skin was brighter after about a month of taking vitamin supplements and my nails grew faster.  My immune system also feels stronger.  I rarely miss a dose of my daily vitamins.

Finally: Smile and be Positive!  Nothing looks better on your face than a smile

That’s it!  It may seem like a lot, but these are daily habits that I rarely even think about.  It may take a bit of effort in the beginning but I believe that when you (and others) begin to notice your radiant skin, you will practice skin care with ease!  Nothing feels better at any age than hearing, “You have such great skin!”

Here’s a pic from my Iphone au natural

Love and Light,

Hollywood

When my friend Derek Meeker showed up on a Facebook chat I had no idea it would lead me to the bubbling gates of “Caught,” LA’s longest running play (and for good reason.) He was swinging in for the lead and I surely did not want to miss out on his performance.   Going in feeling a bit disillusioned about the Los Angeles theater scene, albeit optimistic,  “Caught” renewed my faith again and again as its seamless script was played out by an ensemble cast worthy of any Broadway stage.   “Caught” draws its audience in, taking us with it on a delectable domestic journey of love, courage, acceptance, and eventually forgiveness.

Click here for a full list of cast and crew.

I grew up in the theater and have been around gay men pretty much my whole life.  Hell, without gay men who would have so closely befriended the younger, more abrasive me years ago?  Welcomed my bold personality? Cheerfully celebrated me at various 80s nights and disco techs?  As friends, colleagues, and mentors, gay people have always been, well, just people to me.

Discrimination against gay people should have ended long ago like puritan witch-hunts and prohibition.  Unfortunately, as “Caught” so eloquently reminds its audience, homosexuality is still widely misunderstood and unaccepted, challenging families, friendships, and even gay partnerships themselves.

On an immaculate set only a few feet from its entranced audience, what these 6 actors achieve is nothing short of perfect.  It is a true privilege to witness actors 100% devoted to living in the world of this play 100% of the time.  Not an accent is dropped nor is a moment lost between this talented ensemble cast.  Their commitment, combined with the spot on direction of Nick DeGruccio and a flawless script written by David L. Ray, leads to an unforgettable theatrical experience right here in Los Angeles.

If you think of the romantic leads as a gay couple at the beginning of the play, I assure you that by the time you are crying along with them at curtain call, Troy and Kenneth represent any loving couple going through a period of accepting each other (and themselves) “as is” before an impending legalized partnership.

I had no idea that it was Derek Meeker(Troy)’s first time performing with co-star  Jason Dechert(Kenneth) as their chemistry was tangible even from a foot away where I could see their every, ever so slight movement.  As was the love between Kenneth and his sister, Darlene (Deborah Puette) and her daughter Krystal(a stand out performance by Amanda Keschak.) There is so much love and conflict between the 3 that with tears, laughter and a multitude of emotions between, I found myself truly invested in the success of these relationships.  Often relieving us from the weight of it all, Splenda(Michah McCain) serves as a silly and wise old soul whose interjections consistently make the audience unabashedly LOL.  Richard Jenik is perfectly unlikeable as antagonist J.P.

Without beating us over the head with religious doctrine or making a mockery of it, the story brings to light the conflict between religious hypocrisy and true righteousness proposing, “Maybe somewhere in the middle is a good place for all of us, right now.”

If you are still conflicted about gay equal rights perhaps taking someone out for a night of theater is a good way to open up a dialogue about it.  With gay marriage just legalized in New York and other states (and eventually all of them) certain to follow, now is the time to open your mind and search your own consciousness for where you stand and perhaps where you are willing to be flexible.  Experiencing “Caught” is a great place to start!

Catch it before it’s too late at the Zephyr Theater on Melrose.

Click here for tickets and show times.

Open your heart.  Be silly. Have Fun.

Hollywood

Appropriately performed in a spacious and eclectic private loft nestled in the back alleys of downtown’s fashion district, The Burning Opera “How to Survive the Apocalypse” delivers a rockin’ night of FUN and spectacular performances by a multi-talented cast and crew!

Click HERE for a detailed list of who’s involved!

Produced and performed by experienced Burning Man enthusiasts and a few virgins (people who have never been to the annual event held in the desolate dusty outskirts of Reno), this multi-media production manages to capture the essence of Burning Man’s transformative highs and lows with vibrance and artistic integrity.    The costumes serve up enough fur, feathers, lace, and skin to satisfy any visual palate.  The musicianship of the alternating band members (each cast member chameleons between instruments and roles) is top notch and is matched by authentic and poetic performances of singing, dancing, shadow art puppetry, and moments of  deliberate silliness.

The story loosely follows a couple attending Burning Man for the first time.  Since the woman experiences an initial resistance/overwhelm and the man experiences a desire to explore, we follow them on separate journeys towards love, freedom, and eventually complete surrender.   What I love most about the Buring Opera experience (and it is an experience) is that nostalgia for my own personal expeditions on the playa began to spring up from my subconscious and by the end of this couple’s odyssey I found myself in the timeless mindset, or rather soul set, of Burning Man.

For a festival that is so hard to explain to those who have never been (and even harder to capture with media) this production satisfies a multitude of senses in the way that only a live show can.  Because the music and shadow puppetry often serve as metaphors and never attempt to “explain” what Burning man is, this live show is able to take us on a voyage with it begging the question, “When we stop consuming what can we create?”

There is an intermission that seems more crowd driven than clock driven offering ample time to meander around the spacious loft space and mingle with other guests, many who I had met before and some old friends, and a bar if you indulge in spirits.  After you fall in love with the costumes in the show, you can deck yourself out in similar attire as there are a plethora of vendors selling hand made clothes and accessories.

During the second act it occurred to me that Rock Opera stylistically perfectly captures both the chaotic and synchronistic nature of Black Rock City (the temporary city created by Burning Man participants).   I continually delighted in the masterful musicianship of both the instrumentalists and the vocalists.

At the end I couldn’t help but think, “What does this performance provide for the person who is Burning Man curious but has never been?”  So I asked someone who has never been what her experience of the show was.  She said that she thought Buring Man seemed like a place where anything goes and everything is accepted.  She said the show made it seem fun and interesting and that she really enjoyed the performance, the music, and the overall experience.

Bottom line: for Burners this show is a MUST SEE and if you have never been to Burning Man GO!  If what the show proposes is true that “You don’t know who you are until you find your Avitar” then you best get to it!   Attending the Burning Opera is a great place to start!

For tickets, info, and show times click here.

To read another smokin’ review of the show click here.

Love and Light to you all and as always:

Be Silly.  Have fun.

Hollywood