This week: makeup brush care, Oprah, maintaining baby's skin, and mom spa etiquette

I received some great new makeup brushes from Origins this year. They are synthetic, but super soft. I know they were expensive so I want to make sure to take good care of them so that they last and last. You made some recommendations previously; do those rules apply to synthetic-hair brushes as well?

Even if your brushes aren’t made of the finest sable or blue squirrel, (and what the heck is a blue squirrel anyway? Have you ever seen any little nut-seeking blue squirrels running around your neighborhood?) synthetic brushes are just as good as the real hair ones. And for those card-carrying PETA people, they wouldn’t think of using anything else. So you can care for them the same way you would natural-hair brushes. Every other week clean them in a little warm water and gentle foaming face soap. Don’t use shampoo; it doesn’t have a makeup solvent in it to dissolve the makeup from your brushes. Lay your brushes flat to dry and let them air out overnight. And whoever gave you the gift deserves props for picking out something so lovely and useful! 

What's the deal with Oprah? I know she’s in her fifties, but it’s as though the woman has found the fountain of youth! How does she stay so young looking?

Honestly, it’s probably a combination of drinking bat blood and her daily morning caviar fish eyeball smoothies. Well, maybe not, but I have to agree with you that she looks fantastic. I am not sure it has anything to do with any top secret beauty potions, but probably her new house on a hilltop overlooking the Pacific in Hawaii. I think if we all could spend a little time kicking back in paradise our skin and outlook would be smoother, too. Or, it could just be good ol’ Botox or the newer treatment for relaxing wrinkles in the skin, Restylane. You just know everyone on TV is getting shot up with the stuff. It’s available at your local dermatologist for us regular folks, too. What is the difference between the two, you’re wondering? Botox relaxes the muscles under your face to reduce the appearance of the wrinkle. Restylane is actually hylauronic acid in a clear gel form. This is injected under the wrinkle and plumps up the area to smooth it out. Many moisturizers and serums for the face actually contain hylauronic acid because it binds moisture. Most people who get these treatments do a combination of both because each is better for certain areas of the face. Either way, you have to not be afraid of someone sticking needles in your face. Neither procedure is a one-time only deal either. Botox will last 3-6 months while Restylane will last 6 to 12 months, before your face will return to it’s natural state—which I am sure was beautiful to begin with. And speaking of natural states, have you seen pictures of Oprah without makeup? I think a little lipstick and foundation are the real miracle workers here!

How should I care for my baby’s skin to hopefully give her perfect skin as she grows?

The best thing you can do for your baby’s skin is sunscreen, and I can’t say it enough- sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen! Make sure you apply it liberally and often when they are out in the sun. Most sun damage actually occurs before your child turns 18, so the most important thing to do is make it a part of your daily routine. I know it’s a pain. Both of my girls squirm and wiggle like I am applying some kind of medieval torture to their skin! But I have mastered the art of chasing them and putting sunscreen on at the same time. Did you know that 80% of aging is caused by environmental factors, a.k.a. the sun?! Sun damage causes spots, lines, wrinkles, and overall poor skin tone. Our children are really lucky that we now know this information, because how many of us grew up getting fried at the beach or pool every summer? At least by the time I was a teenager I started to know better and didn’t soak myself in baby oil like my mother did when she was young. For wintertime care of your baby’s skin, if you notice your (or her) lips getting chapped or dry you can rub a little Aquaphor on to form a protective barrier. Otherwise, very little needs to be done to your baby’s skin. Just enjoy all that yummy, smooth baby skin!

Is it OK to take my child, who is four-years-old, to the spa with me if I am just getting a brow wax?

I have to say that I encountered such a mother the other day when I visited a spa to get a massage. I am sitting in the lovely calm waiting area surrounded by lush greenery, sparkling fruit water, and serene music wafting through the air and in walks a lady and her kid. Of course, I had to talk to them considering I have two small children myself, and it’s just basically unavoidable for mothers to not talk to each other. So, the moral of the story is that I left my two children at home for a much-needed break to use a gift certificate that I received from my two best friends for my birthday. I did not want to see a child at the spa, even if she was cute and well behaved. I just didn’t want to see it. It’s not good spa etiquette to bring your child with you to a place where other mothers go to escape their children! If you can’t get a sitter, do your brows at home!