If eyes are the windows to our souls, then we definitely want to make sure we're taking care of the curtains -- aka our eyelashes. 

Beyond enhancing the appearance of eyelashes with mascara, we often don't think about their general health. But we should. Lashes help protect our eyes from foreign objects -- plus when they look good, we look good. 

In celebration of National Lash Day (Feb. 19), we got a few burning questions answered about eyelashes by Clementina Richardson, a celebrity lash expert and founder of Envious Lashes in New York City. 

Check them out below and make sure to keep your curtains lashes in good shape. 

HuffPost: Should we be taking care of our lashes on a daily basis?Richardson: In order to maintain healthy lashes, thoroughly clean your face, including the eye area, before going to bed every night. Look for cleansers specially recommended for eyes and clean the eyes gently with a sponge to remove dirt and makeup. Also make sure not to tug at your lashes too much when applying makeup or taking makeup off at the end of the day. Just like you would apply night cream or serum to your face, applying a conditioning serum before bedtime is key. 

Is there a common mistake people make that leads to lash loss?
Yes, excessive rubbing of the eyes or picking off mascara is a big no-no. Being too aggressive when cleansing off mascara can also lead to lash loss.

What are some ways to promote lash growth?
Use a lash conditioning serum that promotes density, length and most importantly, diameter of the natural lashes.

Are there dangerous ingredients we should be avoiding when buying mascara?
Avoid mascara that contains ethel alcohol because it’s very drying, causing the lashes to be brittle and resulting in breakage. Look for mascaras that are also free of parabens and phthalates. 

What's the best way to keep lashes clean and healthy?
Be sure to cleanse your lashes daily with a gentle cleanser. Baby shampoo is a great alternative -- it's gentler on the eyes. It's also important to avoid sharing your makeup with others to avoid cross contamination.

Is eyelash dandruff a real thing?
Lash dandruff just refers to flaking eyelids. But it can come from a number of things: Seborrheic dermatitis (an overgrowth of yeast), an allergy to eye makeup or eye products, an autoimmune problem called Sjogren's syndrome which is an autoimmune disease, psoriasis, or Blepharitis, a chronic inflammation caused by bacteria. An individual who has these symptoms should see an ophthalmologist.

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Teresa Giudice has a lot to celebrate. She was released from prison early, and her memoir, Turning The Tables: From Housewife to Inmate and Back Again, debuted Wednesday at no. 2 on the New York Times Bestseller list.

Oh, and did we mention she looks phenomenal?

The real housewife from New Jersey looked better than ever at the launch party for her memoir in New York City Wednesday night, clad in a Jonathan Simkhai dress with a lace-up neck and cutouts. The formfitting number is still available for purchase on Shopbop, if you're willing to shell out $765. 

After pairing the look with tasseled sandals, perfectly coiffed locks and some serious bling, Giudice shared photos and videos from the celebration on social media. 

Congratulations on turning a new page (get it?), Teresa!

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This photo shows true love incarnate. 

Love What Matters shared a photo of an elderly couple in the makeup aisle of a store, on its Facebook page this week. According to the post's description, the husband lovingly stepped in to help his wife when she was running into trouble finding the makeup she was looking for. 

The gesture wasn't grandiose, but it demonstrated one beautiful lesson. 

"It was such a simple way to show how big his love was for her," the post reads. "A perfect reminder that our bodies grow old but our love doesn't have to."

According to the post, the woman was "in a panic" because she was having trouble finding makeup that fit her skin tone. But her husband was quick to comfort her.  

"He calmed her down, helped her find her color and kissed her on the forehead." 

The photo, which was originally submitted by Hannah Nicole Kent, went viral on social media, receiving more than 1 million likes on Facebook alone. We can't say we're surprised -- after all, if this isn't love, we're really not sure what is.

 

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"Here is my favorite dress ever" -- Oprah Winfrey's voice rises -- "that I never once wore" -- and it falls. She fans the cotton shirtwaist across her body, sighs and places it back on a rack filled with three dozen other dresses. It's the "I never once wore" part of her statement that explains why a few of Oprah's dearly beloved have gathered together on this breezy Saturday afternoon in Chicago.

Oprah is standing in her 19-by-26-foot closet at the soon-to-be-demolished Harpo Studios, attempting to do -- albeit on a much grander scale -- what we all try to do from time to time: clarify our needs, simplify our space and wave goodbye to some of our stuff. But how do you choose among literally hundreds of dresses, sweaters, skirts, pants, tops and shoes? Well, for one thing, you enlist helpers: Gayle King is here to provide her special brand of best-friend-ship; O's creative director, Adam Glassman, is here to supervise; O fashion editor Jenny Capitain and stylist Kelly Hurliman are here to organize the pieces Oprah keeps as well as the ones she lets go. Letting go confounds a lot of us, but over the years Oprah has learned a thing or two about spring cleaning.

"Spring is a time of transformation," she says. "It's about growing, which is the whole point of being on this planet." Handing a persimmon pump to Gayle, she adds, "If you stop evolving, then you've stopped being in tune with the music of your life."

Everyone is momentarily blinded by a neon magenta dress that Oprah drops like it's...well, like it's a neon magenta dress. "Over time, your tastes change, and that's fine," she says, motioning toward the eye-popping number. "I just don't need all this intense color, the embellishment, the heels anymore. When you're in front of TV cameras every day, you have to stand out, but I'm in a different place now, and those things no longer serve me."

Adam grabs a shoebox, and they dig in. "These would be perfect with Kirby's new Azzedine Alaïa dress," Oprah says, handing Gayle burgundy peep toes for her daughter. Next are stilettos that would best be described as lethal. "I wore these on an O cover," she says, and soon she and Adam are remembering the gown that didn't arrive, the mighty wind machine with a mind of its own, a second of synchronicity here, a moment of minicrisis there. The two have been in a lot of fashion foxholes together. Oprah plucks the perfect Manolo Blahnik from the pile, and Adam finds its match. "These are a keep!" they say, practically in unison.

The sorting continues in silence until Oprah smiles and says: "You know, Adam, you were the one who made me realize I was holding on to clothes that were all about a dream I had for myself. I chose them for this idea I'd gotten into my head of how someone like me was supposed to live, but they had nothing to do with my actual life. And that," she says, tossing a pair of leopard-print platforms into the donation pile, "changed me!" She moves to a stack of sweaters and continues. "I mean, I saw everything differently after that. I'm not just talking about my clothes -- I'm saying you've got to make sure the exterior of your life reflects what you're feeling on the inside." Reaching into a rainbow's worth of cashmere V-necks, she says, "The same thing happened with my house. It was the place I thought you should have when you start earning money and can finally afford some pretty things. So you buy a silk sofa, but suddenly you can't let your dogs up on that sofa. And it wasn't just the dogs," she says with a laugh. "My butt kept sliding off those silk cushions!" Oprah pushes the entire leaning tower of sweaters over to Jenny. "I live in my true comfort zone now."

"So many women hold on to a look that they'll never wear again," Adam says, "things that have no real significance to them." Oprah pulls a turquoise print off the rack and winces ever so slightly. It's not the dress that isn't perfectly nice -- it's just that it isn't her.

"If something is genuinely important to you, then of course you should keep it," she says. "But you should understand the reason it matters." She returns the dress to the donation rack and forges on. "I want to create a space that gives me access to the stuff that helps me, to things that hold a place of meaning for me. Because if you can't do that, then you're not using your things -- your things are using you." Oprah gives the crowded rack a good strong shove out the door. She seems both relieved and exhilarated as it glides down the hall, and she turns back to see her once-crowded closet getting roomier. A number of pieces will go to auction, some for donation. Many, like the Chicago studio itself, will live in her memories. What remains will be the stuff that feels easy, soft, a little more subtle and a lot more liberating. They will be the clothes that match her current life. "Now that," she says, smiling, "is big!"

If you'd like to step into Oprah's shoes (or skirts or dresses or trousers...), here's your chance: She's putting some of her clothes and accessories up for sale in one giant eBay auction, with all the proceeds going to the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Foundation. The fun starts on March 1; check it out at eBay. Happy bidding!

Plus: All the clothes Oprah decided to get rid of -- and what she kept:

See more behind-the-scenes photos on Oprah.com.

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On Monday night, I didn’t watch the Grammys. I had an excuse -- watching and live-tweeting “The Bachelor,” which counts as a professional obligation -- but to be candid, I never watch the Grammys. I also never watch the Golden Globes, the Tonys, the VMAs, or the Oscars. I’ve opted out.

People seem baffled by this, like when they ask what I’m doing for the Super Bowl and I say “taking a nap.” It’s accepted that award shows will be watched. The Grammys, following a move to Monday night, took a real hit in the ratings, all the way down to 24.95 million viewers. It’s no Super Bowl, but it’s around three times as many people who watched the “Game of Thrones” Season 5 finale last year! That’s something, right?

The Grammys and its award show brethren have to cope with a huge ratings obstacle: they’re incredibly dull and essentially meaningless. (At least, if you expect them to uphold real standards of excellence in their respective fields.)

It’s not just me saying that. After my colleagues watched the Grammys together on Monday night, churning out coverage and taking in the programming, one of them confessed in a meeting that the show was “boring.” If even entertainment writers aren’t sure they want to watch, who will? Certainly the people of Twitter were not entirely entertained:

Oops, that last one is also my colleague. ANYWAY. Clearly it's a fine, fine line between love and a waste of time (and hate).

Last year’s Oscars beat out the Grammys handily, with over 36 million viewers -- not bad! -- but the popular perception of the show can still be summed up as “too long, too bland, too boring.”

Why do people keep watching a show they profess to find misguided -- remember when "Crash" won best picture? Or "Raging Bull lost it to "Ordinary People"? -- and, even worse, a dull way to spend five hours?

Our attitude toward the major award shows, but especially the Oscars, can be likened to our attitude toward a mandatory school field trip to a municipal water treatment plant: We hope it’ll be tolerable, but are resigned to it being a less-than-ideal way to spend those few hours. We vaguely remember that last year’s excursion wasn’t so pleasant, but who knows, right? We could get out of it, if we were really desperate, but it’s probably not worth the consequences.

No academic penalties accrue to those who skip the Oscars, barring some entertainment-specific electives I’m not aware of, but it’s not without risks. What if Kanye interrupts Taylor’s acceptance speech, and you have to watch it later, without that element of collective shock spicing your pleasure? What if your favorite actress, a dark horse nominee, actually wins an award, and you don’t get to rejoice along with her? As Jonathan Chait pointed out in 2009, even the misfires play into our passion for sorting through the unsortable, trying to define the good versus the bad, and then raging vainly against the triumphs of bad taste.

Besides, more generally, by skipping award shows you’re just missing out on a communion with society that’s grown more rare with the fragmentation of the entertainment-scape. As industry bigwigs say, it's DVR-proof; NPR noted in 2014 that even flawed shows can pull big ratings when viewing them live, and discussing them in real time and the next day are an integral part of the experience. Tens of millions of people are watching the same thing and talking about the same thing -- how bored do you have to be to miss out on that kind of shared experience?

Me, I still opt out.

But award shows aren’t quite the only spaces left for synchronized entertainment consumption and conversation. The rise of live-tweeting is actually supplementing Oscars watch parties and Sunday afternoon football gatherings with more impromptu real-time conversations about what we’re watching now. On Monday night, I was skipping the Grammys, but I was also sharing two precious hours of my week with Bachelor Nation, and I’ve never felt less alone.

You can be highbrow. You can be lowbrow. But can you ever just be brow? Welcome to Middlebrow, a weekly examination of pop culture. Sign up to receive it in your inbox weekly.

Follow Claire Fallon on Twitter: @ClaireEFallon

 

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New York Fashion Week just closed out with its best poker face yet.

Marc Jacobs' show, which closes the weeklong event every season and is known for its larger than life production, took it one step further Thursday when the designer picked none other than Lady Gaga to walk in his Fall/Winter 2016 show.

The casting comes just one season after Jacobs featured Beth Ditto to walk in his show and it's right off the heels of Gaga's epic David Bowie tribute at the Grammys, to which she wore a custom look by the designer.

Clad in a gray coat with hunter green fur accents on the sleeves and blonde finger waves, Gaga looked right at home while getting prepped with the models, something WWD reports she "insisted on" doing.

If the singer were going to walk in any fashion show, it's not too surprising that this is the one. Still, it was one hell of a way to kiss the bad romance of New York Fashion Week goodbye. 

 

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Part of what makes Marc Jacobs' New York Fashion Week finale so special every season is the designer's penchant for really transforming his models, leaving the focus on the clothing and not necessarily the A-listers wearing it.

With all the hubbub surrounding Lady Gaga's appearance on Jacobs' runway last night, we nearly missed Kendall Jenner walking right alongside her.

Clad in the oversized feathery coat of our dreams and a matching skirt with the unbelievably high heels featured in the show, the supermodel, who starred in a slew of shows during the week, was downright unrecognizable under finger curls and heavy makeup.

The power duo also posed together for a few photos, including one shared by Jacobs himself, simply captioned "Look at those 2."

Look at those two, indeed.

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Photos: Firstview.

Listen, we've got nothing against black tights. They're flattering, go with everything (yes, even navy or brown outfits), and they're easy to replace if and when they rip (which, admittedly, happens a little too often). But the runways at New York Fashion Week have us rethinking this cold-weather staple: What if our tights were actually a focal point of our outfits, rather than a subtle supplement?

Well, it may be time to give your black pairs a rest in favor of some louder or more colorful variations -- like we've seen on the runways of Zimmermann, Alexander Wang, and Tanya Taylor. Whether they're printed with graphics, perfectly matched to the rest of your look, or making a literal statement with words, the selection ahead can add some sartorial excitement to any ensemble, regardless of how cold the windchill is outside. Before you write these tights off as childish or tacky, click through to see how some of our favorite labels are making them work. We swear, your black tights won't look nearly as appealing after you get a dose of this.




Winter dressing feels a lot more fun when your tights match your scarf.

Tanya Taylor



If you're not a huge fan of color, you don't need to go overboard. These tights have subtle floral accents that play off of the dress' embroidery.

Tanya Taylor




Pulling off this trend is all about repetition -- coordinating the tights with something on top (like your shirt) can tie the look together.

Tanya Taylor




Alexander Wang's two-tone, word-driven take on sheer black tights is perfect for our inner punk.

Alexander Wang



They're just as practical as your plain black ones, but have that much more of an edge.

Alexander Wang

For the rest of our picks, visit Refinery29.

By: Alyssa Coscarelli

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Hillary Clinton's campaign just got a little bit trendier, thanks to Marc Jacobs, Tory Burch, and design duo Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne of Public School. 

The presidential hopeful commissioned the designers to create campaign T-shirts, each retailing for $45 at shop.hillaryclinton.com.  

It's not too hard to figure out which of the designers are responsible for each shirt just by looking. Burch's playful print, Yi Chow and Osborne's sportier take and Jacobs' Warhol-esque image, which is kind of giving us Obama flashbacks, are pretty on-brand for the designer or duo behind it. That means there's something for everyone -- everyone who happens to support Clinton, anyway.

Alongside each shirt on the website is a quote from its designer, either describing the shirt or giving a reason for their involvement with the campaign. "My support for Hillary is grounded on our long-standing shared belief in equality," Jacobs said. "I am proud to share this T-shirt as a champion for equal rights, for the progress we have made and for the hope of continued progress with Hillary as president." 

The T-shirts are hardly the only fashionable campaign garb we've seen so far. Lena Dunham gave Clinton a colorful endorsement with help from a knitter and, later, below, a printed dress, while Emily Ratajkowski got in on the fun with a very on-trend cropped "Bernie" sweater. 

So far this week, we've spotted fashion elites Anna Wintour and Kendall Jenner in Jacobs' design, which Wintour sported in sequins: 

For all the things the 2016 race has been so far, fashionable is our new favorite. It's definitely a smart way to get more people in your campaign clothing. 

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On Thursday, the last day of New York Fashion Week, MAC Cosmetics posted the photo below of a black model sporting deep purple lipstick at the Ohne Titel show. My first reaction was, "Wow! How stunning!"

The intensity of the pigments used to create this look was enhanced by the model's dark complexion and full lips. And as a woman of color with similar facial features, I felt empowered to try it out for myself. But, then I noticed a slew of racist comments.

Royal romance at @ohnetitelny #AW16. #MACBackstage #NYFW

A photo posted by M∙A∙C Cosmetics (@maccosmetics) on Feb 17, 2016 at 6:50pm PST

From comparisons to fish and rapper Jay Z, the attacks on this model's lips were heartbreaking and outright vicious. Some Instagram users even went as far as suggesting they were unfollowing MAC on the social media platform.

I have so many questions: Are these individuals blind to the beauty of this woman and this lipstick color? Where are all the haters in the comments section of another image MAC posted, showing a model with lighter skin and more slender lips wearing the same shade? Why do some people view full lips on a black woman as unattractive, yet white women who mimic this feature (sometimes with the assistance of cosmetic surgery) are celebrated?

There were also countless women and men of all backgrounds commenting how "gorgeous," "beautiful" and "perfect" the model's purple lips were. But the negative responses are further proof that we need empowerment movements such as #BlackGirlMagic.

The fashion industry still has a long way to go when it comes to being more inclusive. But when brands like MAC highlight the beauty of black women, it makes a powerful statement and takes a huge step toward eliminating a monolithic standard of beauty. It says, "You will not be ignored!" It says, "We see you shining!" It says, "You are perfect just as you are!"

So, to the Internet trolls, I say have several seats and bask in this #BlackGirlMagic.

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A U.K.-based cosmetics company is rolling out a new soap product to show that charity begins at home.

On Monday, Lush Cosmetics released a limited edition soap, whose proceeds will go to groups that help welcome and resettle refugees arriving in Canada and the United States. The groups include Amnesty International Canada, which is working to expand community efforts to welcome refugees and launch campaigns asking the government to expand its refugee resettlement program, as well as the International Rescue Committee, which provides newly resettled refugees in the U.S. with agricultural tools and resources to help them become self-sufficient in food and work.

Lush's heart-shaped soap is named the "Hand of Friendship" and looks like two hands shaking. It will be sold in more than 230 stores across North America from Feb. 15 to Feb. 28, said Carleen Pickard, who is in charge of researching and launching Lush's ethical campaigns. The company hopes to raise $350,000 in total, she added.

The company was inspired to launch the campaign after the U.S. and Canada announced plans last year to welcome refugees fleeing the ongoing violence in Syria. Canada vowed in November to resettle 25,000 Syrian refugees in the country by the end of February, while the U.S. pledged last September to take in 10,000 Syrian refugees by the end of September 2016.

As of Wednesday, over 21,000 Syrian refugees have arrived in Canada since the beginning of November, according to the Canadian government. Over half of them are government-assisted refugees, meaning the Canadian government will fund their resettlement efforts, including accommodation, food and clothing, for up to a year.

Efforts to welcome refugees to the U.S. have been more difficult, however. Over half of the country's governors said they refused to accept Syrian refugees into their states. Many of the calls came after a Syrian passport was found near the body of a perpetrator of the November Paris attacks, for which the self-described Islamic State took credit.

But Lush wants to help counter those calls. 

"When we look back 10, 15 or 20 years [from now] on this crisis, we'll know that we took the right action, that we stood to welcome [them], and that we're on the right side of history," Pickard said.

The United Nations says at least 4.6 million Syrians have fled deadly violence in Syria, where government forces and rebel factions battle each other and trap hundreds of thousands of civilians in besieged areas, and Islamic State militants have escalated attacks across the country.

Upon arriving to the U.S. and Canada, refugees may still have to face many obstacles, including finding employment, overcoming cultural and language barriers and finding adequate health care, among others. A large number of Muslims in the U.S. still face discrimination and harassment -- some even resulting in violence.

Lush, meanwhile, has decorated most of its North American storefronts with signs reading "Ahlan wa Sahlan," the Arabic phrase for "welcome." The company also included the phonetic pronunciation of the script on the sign because it hopes people will learn how to greet refugees when they arrive, Pickard said.

The cosmetics company's campaign is one of many aiming to counter rising xenophobia and make refugees feel loved and welcome in their new communities. In Canada, schoolchildren filled backpacks with school supplies to help Syrian refugee children prepare for school. Two Arabic speakers also opened a school to teach Canadians how to speak colloquial Arabic so they can properly welcome Syrian refugees when they arrive in the country.

"We thought it was really important to make sure that people who were coming after their experience, when they came to North America, when they were setting up their new homes, when they were joining new communities, that they were well aware that they were joining a community that was welcoming them with love and friendship," Pickard said. 

 

Read more stories on Syrian refugee resettlement:

Meet The Darbis, A Syrian Refugee Family In America

Justin Trudeau Welcomes Syrian Refugees To Canada With Open Arms

Obama Sends Welcome Note To Syrian Refugee Coming To America

'Straight Outta Syria': The Hopeful Rhymes Of 3 Refugee Brothers In Lebanon

What the U.S. Can Learn From Canada's Refugee Resettlement Plan

 

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A good day starts with a good morning, and a good morning is hard to come by without a little planning. If you’re looking to get the most of out of every day the world tosses your way, you’re in luck. We’ve partnered with COVERGIRL to illustrate the best ways to optimize your day around four kinds of morning routines.

1.
That anxiousness you feel as Sunday afternoon creeps toward Monday morning? It’s something we’ve all felt, especially when our week kicks off with a jam-packed schedule of back-to-back meetings. Jump-start your busy day the right way with a brain-boosting breakfast of whole grains and healthy fats. Toss on an outfit that makes you feel powerful and exude confidence, and channel your nerves into enthusiasm with a get-pumped playlist.

Tip: Just two minutes of power posing will leave you feeling more confident and less stressed, so strike a pose between high-pressure meetings.

2.
If you’re kick-starting your day with an aggressively early workout, fuel your body with small, make-ahead portions of proteins and simple carbs. Make the most of your day by wearing moisture-absorbing fabrics in dark colors, which won’t show sweat. After a quick cool down and wash up, you’ll be gym-to-errands ready in no time. Don’t forget your post-workout beauty products that pull double duty: lip color as cheek stain, smudged mascara as eyeliner and BB cream as a highlighter.

Tip: Pop a mint on your way to the gym. Peppermint has been proven to increase alertness and circulation, giving your groggy brain the boost it needs to get out the door.

3.
Your day-to-night transformation is a seamless fusion of science and art. What products should you toss into your to-go beauty bag on your way out the door in the morning? To bring or not to bring a change of heels? The truth is, when you’re planning your day to precede a night out, you want easy tips and tricks to pump up your look that you can master in a flash. Think layers you can ditch while you’re in the cab on your way to the date, easy-to-apply lip and cheek color, and smudge-proof eyeliner. If your date is drinks-only, don’t forget to eat something light before heading out to help prevent a next-day headache.

Tip: To keep your morning makeup looking fresh into the night, set it with a quick spritz of your favorite scented hairspray. Your makeup won’t smudge, and you’ll smell twice as nice.

4.
Easy, comfortable and stylish. If you’re a mom, those are your style buzzwords. And when you’re optimizing your day around soccer practices and birthday parties, you’re going to need the energy to keep up. Jumpstart your morning with a high-energy breakfast to keep yourself going all day long. Wear clothes that you can move in, and bring work to keep yourself busy while the kids do their own thing.

Tip: Ditch your car and instead walk to carry out your errands on foot. You’ll spend more quality time with your kid, and the energizing walk will fuel his or her growing brain.

Optimize your morning routine and use COVERGIRL + Olay to face the day with your best face forward.

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Put on your retainer; you're gonna need it if you want to sleep with Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Kate Bock. 

She's featured in the magazine's heralded swimsuit issue this year, which was published this past week with not one, but three covers (one of which featured plus-size model Ashley Graham, a historic move for the magazine).

To celebrate all of this, we asked Bock about how she feels about sleeping together (and it has nothing to do with sex, so get your minds out of the gutter).

In the video above, Bock lets us in on her secrets to getting a full night of beauty rest.

Director: Skylar Wesby

Producer: Alex Berg 

Camera: Jon Strauss / Dan Fox

Sound: Terence Krey

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Many hairstylists and dermatologists support the "no 'poo movement," claiming that washing your hair too much can strip away healthy oils and lead to dry, damaged locks. So what's a girl or guy to do when their sexy, lived-in hair has turned limp and lifeless? Enter dry shampoo.

Dry shampoos have been quite popular for some time now, but they first showed up in the late '60s-early 1970s, and supermodel Twiggy starred in an early ad. Either powder or aerosol, the starch or silica-based formulas are used to soak up excess oils in between shampoos and give a longer life to hairstyles.

Are you in need of a crash course on dry shampoos? We tapped into the expertise of celebrity hairstylists Larry Sims and Jacqueline Bush. Read on to find out what to do when you've sprayed on too much, how to get that fresh, clean hair smell and when it's time to go the traditional route. 

What are the top do's and don'ts of using dry shampoo?
DO spray at least 6 inches away from the roots. "This will lightly and evenly distribute the product without creating buildup," says Sims.
DON'T spray on damp or wet hair. It's called dry shampoo for a reason.
DO wait about 2 minutes before styling. Bush adds, "I think women panic when they see that it comes out white. And they don't really let the product sit long enough, nor understand that they need to comb or blow-dry through."
DO use on roots and ends to add a modern matte texture.
DON'T worry if you get dry shampoo on the mid-shaft. Bush explains, "This gives extra grip to the hair and provides more volume, decreasing the too-soft feel fine hair can sometimes have."

Is there a major difference between spray and powder dry shampoos?
"Both essentially do the same thing: soak up excess oil," says Bush. "The force of the spray of powder helps soak up the oil a little better, in my opinion. However, with the powder version, you don't have to deal with the odor and what it does to the air. I use the powder version on people who are very sensitive to odors and particles in the air."

What is the absolute longest a woman should go without washing her hair?
If you need to reach for dry shampoo after a third use, it's time to take a shower, according to Sims.

How do you suggest recreating the scent of fresh, clean hair?
"Take an essential oil like grapefruit, eucalyptus or peppermint, add a few drops to your fingertips, then run lightly over hair. I also like to do this at the base of the neck and behind the ears," says Bush.

Can women of color truly benefit from dry shampoo?
"The natural oils from your scalp weigh down your hair, giving a greasy look," says Sims. "Dry shampoo is great for all hair types, including women of color, because it dries out the oils on your hair, not the oils in your scalp."

This feature was originally published on April 6, 2012.

Are you ready to start taking better care of yourself? Sign up for our newsletter and join our LookGood, Feel Good challenge to supercharge your beauty and grooming routine and develop healthy habits. We’ll deliver tips, challenges and advice to your inbox every day. 

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An exciting new offering from LEGO marks a step toward inclusivity for different kinds of families. 

According to Fortune, the toy company recently unveiled a stay-at-home dad minifigure as part of a much-celebrated new set that also includes a young man in a wheelchair.

The the stay-at-home dad is part of the Lego City line, along with his baby in a stroller and working mom wife ("depicted in a work outfit," according to Fortune). The brand told the magazine that the minifigures "mirror the world we live in today."

For some, this welcome addition has been a long time coming. In March 2015, Elissa Strauss wrote an op-ed for The Week titled, "Boys need a stay-at-home dad LEGO figurine."

"By playing with these LEGO sets, boys would not only get used to seeing men playing a larger role in domestic life, but come to think of it as fun too," Strauss wrote. 

With Pew reports indicating significant growth in the number of men who identify as stay-at-home dads, it's clear the need/urge for this inclusion will only grow.

"We need to stay in tune with the world around us," President of LEGO Systems Soren Torp Laursen told Fortune. "We aren’t responding to demand from anyone. We are trying to portray the world around us and listen to our consumer base."

While the brand has faced criticism in the past for promoting harmful gender stereotypes, LEGO has made strides in recent years with inclusive additions like female scientist minifigures.

Here's hoping this stay-at-home dad development is an indication of greater representation of diverse families to come.

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Congratulations are in order for transgender model, activist and all-around badass Andreja Pejic, who is Marie Claire Spain's March 2016 cover star.

Wearing an intricately detailed Versace dress and enviable beachy waves, Pejic, who celebrated the cover as the first in her "somewhat new life," looks undeniably and naturally stunning.

Pejic came out as transgender and underwent gender confirmation surgery in 2014, after rising to fame for the androgynous look that landed her previous major magazine covers and runway appearances. She also made headlines when she was named the face of Make Up For Ever back in 2015, becoming one of the first transgender models to land a beauty campaign. 

Here's hoping for many more magazine spreads for Pejic to come. 

Also on HuffPost:

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

'MRket at the Sands Expo' (one of the most important annual events in the American Fashion Industry)has just opened its doors in Las Vegas for a three day extravaganza . This event gives us an opportunity to explore the nature of a trade show but also state of the Industry and the fascinating turn of Men's Fashion toward health and the concept of Well-Being, through one of the sector's driving forces BJI Fashion Group and its successful New York MRket trade show at Manhattan's Jacob Javits Center(with over 360 exhibitors) , a show that heralded the ongoing Las Vegas event.




The American Fashion Industry is the most glamorous and important market for garments in the world , a market in which every up-and-coming fashion designer wishes to break through. It is also a universe haunted by the legend of Ralph Lauren, a man who started off selling ties in the Bronx , created a brand synonymous of America and a net-worth of over $7 billion. Not the easiest goal to emulate.

One of the main keys to success in the American Fashion Industry are its trade fairs, massive exhibitions in major cities, where companies of a specific industry showcase their products and services to other members of the industry and the press. The real goal of a tradeshow is for brands (exhibitors) to sell their products to retailers. Therefore, the opportunity for a face-to-face meeting between producer and client, (a particular feature of tradeshows throughout the ages) becomes extremely important.

In fact, the tradeshow is the point in the Fashion Industry at which the design-manufacture and promotion chain passes the baton to the distributors-retailers-producers and eventually the most desired for link in this sequence: the "end-users". (According to CIC Economic Significance Study Executive Summary there are over 10,000 annually in the United States).

With 27 annual events BJI Fashion Group is considered one of the main driving forces of the American Fashion Industry. CEO Britton Jones, introduces the company to us.
"We have always been focusing on making a good living by creating value for our customers and serving them. This business is one hundred percent focused on helping the retailers, our exhibitors , readers and advertisers improve their business or discovering a new line that is going to be very popular".






The story of BJI Fashion Group ownership by the Jones family begins in the Great Depression with Mr . Jones' grandfather, an architect working at Grand Central Station buying the company from its former owner who lost all his money in the stock market crash. At first a person was hired to run the day-to-day which consisted of business-to-business magazines on various topics with revealing titles such as "Rivers and Harbors" (devoted to the tugboat industry) and Diesel Power . At the end of the Second World War, Mr. Jones' father and uncle took over the company after returning for serving. Gradually the company bought magazines in the accessories fields and luggage and travel
Today BJI Fashion Group is considered as one of the most reliable ' user's guide' for entering the American Fashion Industry. Being a four-generation family enterprise brings, into business an emotional connection between administration, staff, customers and products- a relationship that is rare in today's world of big business and global expansion, as Mr. Jones further clarifies:

Our main goal is to help people launch and develop their businesses. That's one of the most satisfying things in this field. We can help them get into the radar screen and become discovered , before they set up a booth here. Too many people think that a 10x10 foot booth is all they have to do to launch a business. This might have been true a long time ago, but no more. We are not a mere event production company but an integrated media company and that's a tremendous advantage to us. We very much believe in consultative selling : people who work on our shows have been in this industry for a long time and they are able to help their clients navigate the challenges they are facing and point out examples of what other companies have done as to help them define strategies and identify realistic sales and business partners

This year's shows are marked by a large number of first-timers but also of foreign exhibitors, with Italy coming out in full force and a section of the fair dedicated to Italian fashion and designers. BJI Fashion Group's expertized staff helped its participants in the selection of a booth that meets company objectives, giving also tips on how to maximize the use of a very limited space In the true American spirit how to proceed through the always keeping clear goals in mind.
Fashion has always been about innovation
One of the most innovative approaches to ever occur in a fashion trade show was the presence at the center of the exhibition hall a space reserved for Equinox Fitness , the luxury chain of gym who sponsored a new section dedicated to activewear at the BJI-owned men's tradeshow called MRket. An open space made to look like the interior of an elegant gym, was furnished with rubber flooring, gym equipment mats, cylindrical rollers, a stationary exercise bike and above all, a gym's most treasured asset: young smiling personal trainers inviting exhibitors and visitors to give them a brief one-to-one session with quick tips. The occurrence of a company in a fashion trade show was not introduced as a clever side-show to the overall theme of Men's Fashion but as the central concept of the show itself.
Equinox is a company dedicated to the development of the human body. Yet, although the human body has always been the object of fashion, to which all its aspects are directed, it has never been the subject in itself.
By placing it as a centerpiece of the 2016 MRket trade show and using as emissary one of the most important institutions for physical development, BJI Fashion Group wished to draw the attention on the importance of the body's fitness and fine tuning in the resulting of a person's Well-Being in order to have this concept translated into Fashion. Well Being the main theme concept for Men's Fashion 2016 around which young creators are mobilizing their talent and inventiveness around the concept of Well Being in order to throw the spotlight on one of Fashion's most neglected area : the gym clothes,
Stanley Cheung, designer for EYSOM.com activewear and one of the most fervent advocates for the fusion of style with fashion explains:

Despite the proliferation of brands that produce activewear clothes, attention to detail and style has not been taken into account in gym clothes. A few major brands like Nike have been creating fashionable activewear for use at the gym. However their fit models are super athletes. Such a look is not a reflection of society. That body type does not translate to the guy who is in the gym for 30 minutes to get a quick workout. It is addressing a totally different body culture. However when you wear something nice this creates a state of mind. Body sculpting develops in time. So why not look good in the mirror now, by wearing something stylish and flattering, while striving for a goal in the future...

In its long history from Antiquity the notion of physical exercise for the human body was summarized as mechanical exercising for the building of muscle and confined in enclosed venues such as gyms and palestras, places from which fashion was castigated. Gyms were more about undressing and gym clothes about ' covering up' .
Capturing the essence of this notion of "Well-Being", Mathilde Klein, New York based physical therapist and Pilates specialist and Joe Pilates' original personal assistant tells us:

Pilates is just one of the many methods for strengthening the human body through self-knowledge. However well-being is not a mere menu of exercises. It does not come from the outside. It is a gradual self-examining process in order to understand what you're all about. By exercising, you learn to listen and to look deeply into yourself. And only by doing so you accept what you have in order to improve it. You have to know thyself before you understand what you really need. This applies to the body as well as to everything that covers it

Asked whether such a process could promote greater sales, Frank Rappa, Senior Director of Retail at Equinox answers:
"Absolutely. The market is looking for something fresh and there is tons of competition fighting for this market share. Health is the new Wealth and we are seeing a shift from whats trending on the runway to what's trending on the treadmill"
Known also for its motto "I think therefore I train", Equinox's approach to exercising is not confining the body to its mere physical dimension but about discovering other dimensions . Its interest in of Well Being should not surprise us if one takes a closer look at the company's background:
Equinox Fitness is owned by Leonard Green and Partners a Los Angeles-based private equity firm that also owns major commercial chains such as Rite Aid (drugstores) Sports Authority and Whole Food (specializing in organic food). Furthermore it should be taken into account that Equinox is also a subsidiary of Related Companies, one of the largest real estate developers in the United States, led by two great visionaries, Chairman and Co-Founder Stephen M. Ross and CEO Jeff T. Blau, (both not only great philanthropists but also patrons of the arts)then the picture becomes clearer. Related Companies is the one developer responsible for changing the face of New York by playing a leading role in the Hudson Yards Project, the rezoning of a 28-acre no man's land in the West 30s along the Hudson River, into the first new neighborhood to be added to the fabric of the city in decades. The corporation has also added the Time Warner Building to Central Park's Skyline. Creating a small hub of health-oriented businesses by housing in the mall of the prestigious building a 'Whole Food' market and a major Equinox gym, Related Companies' concept became the first major corporate step in the collective path toward the regeneration of a metropolis through well-being.

Well Being in this context of physical-spiritual is also a larger-than-life concept. Since going to the gym has become an integral part of life for millions of Americans, the Well Being movement isextending beyond the Fashion industry into a lifestyle trendsetter. It has been recognized by BJI as the next big thing from what is not yet popular assumes. As it is about to go mainstream Equinox becomes an ideal partner to BJI's quest for Well Being .

MOVE is how we call this new area of MRket. This is where the marriage of aesthetics and athletics is taking place. We have handpicked a selection of labels that are guaranteed to increase the fitness your store where we get the most experimental types of fabric fabrics. This approach had a huge impact in terms of people being able to develop very specific clothing for very specific customers: The trim-fits, slim-fits of the Fashion Forward. But one of the key is the introduction of new fabrics

says Mr. Jones.





The last major change in lifestyle coming from the world of athleticism that had a profound influence on men's fashion was heralded ninety years ago by Edward Prince of Wales. He was to become King Edward VIII and whose abdication from the most prestigious throne in the world took place because he was not allowed to marry the woman he loved- American divorcee Wallis Simpson- an act that snatched him away from the realm of History placing him forever a legendary figure of Romance.




In the late 1920s he became the first personality to pause for photographers in swim trunks instead of wearing full regalia. The images of the future king of England stripped down to a swimsuit ( a piece of Lastex fabric for the sake of enabling movement in the water and held around the waist by an elastic band) shook the walls of Fashion and stirred a craze for swimsuits across the world turning sunbathing into a popular pastime. This trend was immediately boosted in the United States by the enlisting of Hollywood superstars such as Errol Flynn and Gary Cooper appearing in pinup pauses which allowed the display of the bulging muscles of their bodies. For the first time, instead of subjugating the body to its whims, Fashion herself became subservient to the physical necessities of the body, thus changing men's way of life forever.
Around the Equinox space a number of booths of young designers dedicated to the creation of well-being-related lines were gravitating. Fashion has to discover new textiles that will walk hand in hand with this tendency and allow the freedom of movement while offering style. In fact the protagonist of is Fabric.

Los Angeles-based Mitchell Evan is a collection by young designer Mitchell Sander comprised of military-inspired fabrics deriving from the shell of WWII original tents and real air force fabric. The fabrics give the line a sense of authenticity a sense that they came out of some movie. This is in perfect accordance with Mr. worldview who, before venturing into the world of fashion, produced a short film with the title : "Day One Ahghanistan'. Thus the designers his screen audience and everyone else wearing his clothes in the streets, is to reconnect with the real American Values.

Understanding mens' dedication to sports proved a challenge for three young women ( Emily Dong, Sarit Henig and Tiffany Ying) who decided to explore the world of testosterone and add style to it by founding Master Class Apparel a New York Soho-based independent brand dedicated exclusively to menswear
.

The raising of an arm -let alone a series of arm-raise exercises is bound to restrict your range of movement. Starting from this basic principle we created these movement-freeing garments, that allow an unrestricted range of motion", says Miss Dong. In order to achieve the desired results we used as fabric "A polyester-spandex blend, a microfiber with technical properties with a four-way stretch, and moisture-wicking and antibacterial (odor-reducing from sweat) . Such material had been used before by mainstream active wear brands . Miss Dong concludes : "We designed and developed with our fabric producer a custom with a softer hand-feel and heavier weight giving it a more luxurious edge

Italian Fashion has always combined the stylish with the forward thinking. An ambassador of this lifestyle is a new start-up by three friends (Stefano Ghidotti, Lorenzo Torchio and Michele Canziani) who met in university and shared a vision of reinventing the clothes worn by their parents. In the world according to Milano140 every item of clothing is good for both going out and...sleeping. To emulate the pajama craze of the 1930s which had shocked the pre-war world by bringing for the first time bedtime wear to the streets in the name of comfort. This integration of sleepwear and outwear is an excellent illustration of MRket 's Well-Being theme stemming from freedom of movement.

Louis Feraud one of the first major Parisian designers that went successfully global with his brand as early as the 1980s used to say that fabric is the most primitive and therefore the most powerful element of fashion. It plays the role of a second skin to people wearing the clothes and is directly linked to the sense of touch, a sense that leaves in the brain impressions that are very hard to translate into words.
Despite being one of the youngest kid on the block, Milano140's booth was also marked a joint venture between a designer and a fabric producer: Filipari is an Italian firm dedicated to the research of new material. They applied to garments a milk-protein based fabric the softness of which words find hard to describe. Another innovation by Filipari is the introduction of marble dust combined with raisin and applied on cotton or woolen surfaces creating a
firm yet sensitive touch.
Pajamas at the Riviera- 1930s
Marble being calcium carbonate, is produced by the sedimentation of the shells of small fossilized snails, shellfish, and coral over millions of year it is one of the most exciting materials . In its marble form and Italian excellence, the material is best known for having served as the basis of Michelangelo's statues. How would the great sculptor have dealt with such an innovative treatment of the material could become challenging question for both Milano140 and Filipari fabrics.


Stanley Cheung 's of EYSOM approach to creating, according to this physical concept of fashion is by far the most cinematic:

I sit in the wings, watch people workout at the gym and fantasize on how they would look dressed differently with clothes that would accentuate their bodies, for example fitted on top to help give them shape. Whatever I design is based on what I observe. In the world of fashion one has to be meticulous about how one looks at all times and at whatever you're doing. People wear their athletic clothes everywhere why not feel good on top of that? Performance fabrics though are not very cheap and one has to deal with performance attributes in relationship to the price range of customers. Yet luxury can be approachable, as long as it is confortable on your skin"
Mr. Rappa summarizes on behalf of Equinox

Our retail point of view is dressing our member for their high performance lifestyle, we will always focus on curating the best of the best brands that will fit our members needs. Our members continue to live this high performance lifestyle beyond the strength floor. We will help transition them to and from the gym as well. We like to describe our assortment as from boxing class to beer with the boys.

The trend for innovation has passed on even in the realm of accessories. Giovanni Masoni's California-based Bucks Club is a new brand fusing the traditional with the modern. Has solved the problem of the belt length adjustment not by not by altering the buckle but by transforming the concept of the belt itself. Nautical rope which is widely used in interior decoration is woven into belts. Due to the resistance of the material, the claw of the buckle no longer needs to find a hole. It can penetrate easily into the weaving without leaving marks at any given point. The thickness of the ropes normal elastic weaving is not possible without the use of very expensive heavy-duty weaving machines at a very high cost. So Mr. Masoni is proud that his products are 100 percent "made in America"

Asked whether Equinox anticipates any display of the company's services in any outlets or , vice versa, any alliances with fashion products/lines sold in its branches, Mr. Rappa says:

We believe our voice as a brand has and warrants credibility. With that said we partner with numerous vendors to offer our members co-branded and exclusive release items. This is an important part of our strategy. "For Equinox" is a key part of the assortment strategy. We are not planning to see our product throughout other outlets at any point in the near future. With 79 locations, we have plenty we can showcase on our own.

This need for innovation has even touched traditional tailoring such as Luciano Moresco a New York based an exponent of the traditional Italian lines. Classical jackets with Jersey padded material rarely used in classical tailoring as it is not only difficult to handle but also expensive. However as it expands in elasticity it adds a measure of comfort in movement and falls within the philosophy of the Trade Fair

The selection of the name Engineered for Motion for a brand of clothes says a great deal about Don Rad's approach to life. In its fourth year, EFM is a firm deeply involved in the research of stretchable materials. In their lab, new materials and different types of stitch are constantly tested in order to come up with travel friendly yet classic menswear, in which one can also workout. Dedicated to movement and above all to cycling, the designer's lines have been called 'Multifunctional'. Having a strong tailor background Mr. Rad makes sure that everyone's suit will be cut in such a way so that it will express the physiology of the body carrying it. According to his motto : "do more with less" one picks a suit to wear in the morning, drives the bicycle to work, indulges in a few crunches on the wall-to-wall carpet of the office and after the last meeting enjoys a night at the opera pausing having a drink at the Met's Grand Tier with no creases.

The arrival of the Mizzen+Main shirts in the fashion world of America was heralded with a bang. with the press from The New York Times via the Wall Street Journal to Esquire. It was the result of a long story that began on a typical Washington DC summer muggy day with humidity climbing to suffocating levels and Kevin Lavelle, a 19-year-old D.C. intern, feeling the shirt sticking on his skin and taking a vow to remove this scourge from the lives of men.
Freedom of movement through elegance is one of the brand's attributes if one is to judge from the advertisement campaign of the company. Unlike most brands that use exotic names for their lines to suggest an escape from cities to distant shores, Mizzen+Main 's goal is to bring the glamour and casualness of sailing back into the city and fuse these aesthetics into the daily lives of our streets. Mr. Lavelle has never forgotten that DC afternoon as he diligently strives toward the production of urban Welll-Being. No wonder his two most popular lines are not called Tahiti or Cape Cod but Manhattan and Washington- two of the many cities that have adopted a moisture-wickering dress code, thanks to Mizzen+Main

In such an important display of creative talent one cannot fail to mention one of the designers who practically started it all : Canadian-born Jared Lang who by introducing in the late 1990s the concept of a shirt that could be worn from morning till late at night was regarded by the fashion world as an eccentric flash in the pan .Fast forwarding to the present: this concept of his has become the mainstream trend, Always trying to remain ahead of the curve, Mr. lang is now off into researching stretcheable fabrics . His creations resonate to a large span of urban men (from the mid-20s to their 50s) as his work is not so much about what trends today but how tomorrow will feel.

It is said that what separates men from the boys is their neckwear and that the crucial moment of transition from one state to another is then one when a youngster will tie the knot of his tie by himself.
On this field the time honored encountered the flight of fancy. Yet the
After Rolando Scapellato revolutionized the industry by creating a tie with a complex folding operation whereby two large panels of silk are sewn together and folded onto each other 11 times nothing would be the same again. In Dolcepunta the flow of the fabric that springs out of the knot, streaming down the face of the shirt, is simply Italy at its best.
But then comes the break with tradition for which Fashion is always responsible and the need to differentiate oneself from the more conforming crowd. The most casual and playful neckwear and at the same time man's most faithful companion in his most formal moments.There was one booth that stood out as the most original and was discussed across the floor of the trade show: Brackish bow-ties made a debut sensation. Handcrafted with natural feathers from peacock to pheasant and even snakeskin, they add color, interest and a possible sense of well-being to one of the most awkward moments in a man's life: the wait, at the foot of the altar, for the arrival of the bride. With a high amount of detail going into their creation, these bowties are gradually also working their way onto the Red Carpet.




The one exhibit of great historical significance to feature at the New York trade show was a hat. Texas-based Hatco, a major vendor of hats also represented in its booth the firm of' Stetson one of the most revered hatters in the world, producing headwear (albeit with a Western flavor) since 1865. Gerry Miller, the company's National Sales manager, pointed out that of the return of hats into prominence in the lives of American men between the ages of 25 and 40 a large percentage of which are hanging their baseball caps in favor of structured hats.
Among the collection was an item called Open Road. A very familiar looking piece of fine millinery as this headpiece had graced the heads of three U.S. Presidents Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower and Lyndon Barry Johnson.

This hat has become synonymous to LBJ's fight over the Civil Rights Act, a historical occurrence that changed the face of America and the course of its history forever.
The Open Road is a 'cowboy' hat made from the same felt as a dress hat for the man that owns the ranch. As the is structured rising from the brim, with its narrow grosgrain standing out, it comes pre-creased with a cattleman's crown. The Open Road has a sweat similar in feel and quality to a Borsalino. The lining is sewn in delicately to caress the head: a so-much needed indulgence for any head burdened with the task of "ruling the free world". In an election year when Americans are complaining about their choices of presidential candidates, the Open Road hat alludes to a very different nature of issues and dynamics of the American political landscape . LBJ Courtesy of the Everett Collection



The most traditional exhibitor of MRket 2016 did not come from the field of garments but rather from the world of ....facial hair. In a specially arranged booth, Truefitt and Hill , the London-originating oldest barber shop presented its famous skin care products empirically, by offering exhibitors and visitors alike a professional shave by White Plains based Master Barber Peter Palushi. Once the chair reclined and lather and products were applied on my face , maestro Palushi's light hand made shaving feel more like a face massage and my consciousness surrendered as I drifted into the embrace of slumber. A few seconds (or minutes) later, returning back to the reality of the Javits Center, I was refreshed, with a glowing face, feeling much younger than in a long time and so excited for I had discovered the true meaning of Well-Being

INTERNET
One of the most important turning points in the history of the Fashion Industry is the arrival of the Internet.

The Internet has become extremely important to our business. We are working with retailers to help them understand how to use the Internet. We also give web seminars in order to help them optimize their Search Engine Optimization (SEO). For in our age it has become of crucial importance to capture the time and attention of people who are going on a search in the web. We find that various mediums reach different generations and targeted audiences . Instagram for instance is a colorful visual display. LinkedIn is very professional. Each platform serves a different purpose, which we have to explain to our clients"

Nikolas Cookies, Founder and CEO of Watertron, a London-based Facebook Marketing Agency specifies:

"Instagram is a more exclusive delicate and elegant social media platform, targeting people of higher education and aesthetics. It is more glamorous than the other platforms. In fact it serves as the glossy magazine of social media, where one can post pictures of products. This is why fashion brands engage in Instagram It is also very much connected to the body culture. A fit body tends to photograph well . Therefore the fine-tuned human body is an ideal subject matter for Instagram aesthetics. Being extremely popular both at the runway and the gym Instagram is an ideal tool for this new fusion of fashion and well-being.

Emily Pappas, a spokeswoman for LinkedSuperPowers, a very popular , Social Media certified Likedin Profile Optimization Agency, says

Linkedin lies on the industrial side of the web, providing access to over four hundred million professionals . Its subject matter is ' strictly business'. Having started as an area of job seekers looking to upload their CVs, LinkedIn has developed into one of the most dynamic platforms for professional and corporate promotion. This is a platform encouraging business collaboration. The Linkedin Profile story telling is not so much about the product itself but more about its creators. It is more about shedding light on the cast of a performance than on the actual show. The LinkedIn Summary (for individuals) and the LinkedIn Company Page Description (for companies) brings the protagonists from the background onto center stage , making them known to those that really matter, in a business sense. Image has also crept into this largest network of professionals in the world which until lately was considered as more conventional. Visuals images, video and slideshow presentations are now common in the media section of your LinkedIn profile.

Populist sensationalism , always a major media selling device, has been portraying online shopping as an abstract giant about to gulp down traditional shopping and sounding the death knell of the brick-and-mortar shop. Mr. Jones insists that this is not necessarily true and that the Internet should be examined in its positive aspects, as a tool creating interest in drive sales. Everyone should be creating an online strategy. Because of online, it has never been so important to have the mechanisms to listen to one's customers.
Instagram may be the glamorous partner in social media presenting the pictures to unprecedented vast audiences.Linkedin, with its 400 million members on the other hand may be the connection /the bridge to the inta-disciplinary world the bridge between the creators and the investors, promoters
In this exciting landscape, BJI Fashion Group remains the host, the coordinator, the nucleus, bringing everybody together in its fashion trade shows, physically and virtually, online and offline, thus linking historically the modern trade fair to the initial fairs at the central squares of the Medieval Cities. Above all, BJI is the power forging the path for the coming fashion. Mr. Jones concludes:















Mr. Jones concludes:

The next two weeks are the most intense in the BJI Fashion Group's very ambitious annual schedule of 27 events. We are staging eight shows featuring almost 170,000 net square feet of curated men's and women's fashion that will be shopped by more than 15,000 retailers from around the globe. In both Las Vegas and New York, these BJI events will facilitate the discovery, connection and commerce between thousands of brands and retailers from all fifty States and over 70 countries. Spurring so much business in such vibrant markets is an exceptionally rewarding and exhilarating experience

.


By fusing Fashion with the Well-Being of the human body the BJI Fashion Group has encouraged this year's Men's Fashion "to boldly go (online and offline) where no man has gone before" .

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In what could be the last traditional runway week for NYFW, the city, the shows and the fashion did not disappoint. In what could be foreshadowing for 'seasonless' fashion, the weather offered the complete range: reaching record cold on Sunday, followed by a snowy Monday and temperate downpours on Tuesday, allowing bloggers and fashionistas to show off their fall and winter packing skills. And, when it came to fashion, particularly ethical fashion, we were not disappointed.

The week began with CFDA/Vogue fashion finalist Brother Vellies and her interpretation of Where the Wild Things Are. Always on point, Brother Vellies is constantly pushing the envelope towards sustainability, this time bringing in NYC-based Artifact Textiles to weave a one-of-a-kind poncho from production scraps (already on sale at Moda Operandi).

Other shows that stood out: Chromat, once again pushed the ideals of conventional beauty in a runway show with models representing all forms of beauty. Mara Hoffman did the same, including Advanced Style star Ilona Royce Smithkin in her presentation. Ulla Johnson's color palette wowed, highlighting artisan work by weaving naturally dyed tassels into her model's braids. Sustainable luxury brand Maiyet had a star-studded show that saw Susy Menkes (Vogue) and Vanessa Freidman (NYTimes), sharing front row seating with the Quann Sisters, Man Repeller, The Glamourai and more.

In their first seasons as members of the new CFDA + Lexus Fashion* Initiative: Nicholas K, Prabal Gurung, TOME and Zero + Maria Cornejo all showed (Brother Vellies is also in the Initiative). Established by the CFDA and Lexus, with an eye to meaningful change in American fashion and elevating sustainability in apparel, jewelry, and accessories, the initiative focuses on responsible sourcing, ethical manufacturing, supply chain transparency, scalable business strategies, and consumer literacies. Expect these brands to all up-their ethical game in coming months.

While complaints about location still plague the IMG run New York Fashion Week (now in its second season away from Lincoln Centre), the bigger topic was relevance: are fashion week and the fashion calendar passé? Ethical fashion designers have been claiming this for years, but in December 2015, according to WWD, the CFDA began working with the Boston Consulting Group to fix what it describes as 'a broken system'. Tom Ford seemed to agree canceling his show, opting to wait until September - when the clothing will be available for sale. This season saw other brands scramble to create direct-from-show digital offerings or pre-sales to appeal to consumers and the blogger-fed demand for immediacy. Is this the end of NYFW? No, probably not. But definitely a reboot is on the horizon and hopefully these bright stars of ethical fashion will be leading the way.

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You might think there's one way and one way only to refresh oily roots: dry shampoo. And look -- you're not entirely wrong. But dry shampoo has its limitations (and complications). It can leave behind a whitish cast. It can make your hair feel stiff, dry, and starchy. And for really slick hair, it doesn't always work.

Professional hairstylists -- the ones who deal with grungy models, over-processed actresses, and punk cool musicians -- know the world beyond dry shampoo better than anyone. Here's how the experts actually deal with greasy roots, limp strands, and all the dirty-haired glory in between.



Blot It Out
Clean & Clear sheets lift oil from your T-zone -- so why wouldn't they also grab it from your greasy roots? That's exactly what hairstylist Lacy Redway, who works with Olivia Palermo and Lupita Nyong'o, thought when she tried this trick for the first time. (Hairstylist Nunzio Saviano also swears by it.) Even better? You can get the same effect with paper towels.

"Just hold a sheet of paper towel in each hand, then sandwich chunks of hair in between, massaging the oil up and away from the scalp," Redway says. This method is best for roots that are visibly greasy, not just a little flat.

Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets, $4.99, available at Target.



Hit The Bottle
"If hair is really overloaded with product and impossible to style, I use an alcohol-based product designed to release the glue from wigs," says hairstylist Christian Wood, who works with Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Katy Perry. (Google "Lace Release," or check out a beauty supply store for a similar product.) "Spritz it into the roots, then blot with tissue...[and] finish by drying the roots completely with a hairdryer and styling as usual," he says.

If that sounds scary, Redway also likes to spray Amika Bombshell Blowout Spray through dry hair and blowdry it for a similar effect.

Amika Bombshell Blowout Spray, $24, available at Sephora.



Bring Back The Baby Powder
Hairstylist Kristin Heitkotter, who works with Kiernan Shipka and Camila Alves, still prefers old-fashioned baby powder over modern dry shampoos. "I like to sprinkle a small amount into half-inch sections around the hairline," she says. Then, she uses a mixed bristle paddle brush -- or some vigorous finger shaking -- to rake away the powder. (Be prepared -- that last step takes some work.)

Johnson's Baby Powder, $4.92, available at Walmart.



Style Smart
Rather than fight the funk, hairstylist Adir Abergel, who styles Rooney Mara, works with it to achieve a ropey take on beach waves. Just divide your hair into four sections and loosely braid it before misting with salt spray.

"Blast the braids with hot air to set them, then allow the hair to cool down completely," he says. When you take the braids out, you'll have "beautiful, carefree texture that feels undone and sexy," he says. Everyone will be so busy looking at your cool waves, they won't even notice your greasy roots.

Sachajuan Ocean Mist, $31, available at Birchbox.



Hit Refresh
You might not have time for a shower, but you likely have time for the next best thing. "I like to spray a little water from the roots to the mid-shaft," says hairstylist Michael Dueñas. "Don't get it soaking -- just a few mists will do."

Then, he follows with a texturizing spray on just the damp zones. "The water helps disperse the oil in the hair, and the texture spray gives lift and body," he says. Finish with a rough dry, then style as you wish.

Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray, $44, available at Birchbox.

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Photography by Tory Rust. Manicure by Miss Pop.

What's the difference between a signature look and a rut? That's the question that struck me one morning this past December as I swiped on my crimson lipstick -- the same one I'd worn for the past three years. While I consider myself an adventurous person, it seemed that once I found a beauty look I loved, I stuck with it. And that look was a red lip.

It's so ingrained in my identity that it's even begun to announce itself before people meet me. My best friend who lives in L.A. once sent me a screenshot of a text from her friend. "I started following Maria on Instagram," the text read. "I love her daily red lip."

The idea of uniform dressing has always appealed to me, which is likely why I mostly dress in denim and black. But as a beauty editor, I'd tend to turn up my nose when someone started extolling signature beauty looks. "Makeup is about expression!" I'd cry. "You should constantly be experimenting!" And yet there I was, standing in my cold bathroom, swiping on the same damn MAC lipstick I'd worn since I was 23. Was I a hypocrite?

So I did what I always do -- I went to DEFCON 1. (My mother says this is a problem with me.) I decided to wear a new lipstick every day for 30 days, regardless of whether my lips fell off in the process. I scoured the market for shades I loved and others that scared the crap out of me. And, like you do with any challenge, I set some ground rules:

1. I'd only wear red lipstick twice.
2. I couldn't repeat brands.
3. I had to wear black lipstick at least once.
4. I had to keep the lipstick on all day, no matter what.

Armed with 30 tubes of lipstick, I set out on a monthlong beauty identity crisis, changing up my look every single day. What I didn't expect is that something as simple as applying color to my lips would have such an impact on my daily life -- or that there are so many insane lipstick shades out there. Would I go back to being a crimson devotee, or would I find love in a tube of black lipstick? Click through to find out -- and to hear my unfiltered reviews (and see my swipes) of 30 must-try shades right now.



I decided to kick off the challenge with a little theme: "I Love the '90s." Nude, brown, and peach-toned lips are a huge trend right now -- but I hadn't tried them yet. (Bad beauty editor!)

Day 1
The first lipstick I swiped on was from the infamous Kylie Lip Kit, in Dolce K -- a mid-tone, neutral brown -- which left me pleasantly surprised. Aside from the overpowering smell (a cloyingly sweet vanilla), I truly dug the texture and how long it stuck to my lips. My fellow beauty editors gave me snaps on the shade, and I only had to reapply it once post-Shake Shack burger.

Day 2
While I'd heard great things about Wander Beauty, I wasn't all that familiar with its lipsticks, which was definitely part of the appeal. When I rubbed on Rose, a dusty pink, in the morning, I almost didn't believe I was wearing anything. The formula is super-sheer, which is great for gals who don't like in-your-face color. I am not one of them, but it turned out to be the perfect shade for a makeout-heavy date that evening.

Day 3
I am a massive fan of Urban Decay lipstick, so I was stoked about the brand's collaboration with Gwen Stefani. And since there was very little rhyme or reason to how I picked shades anyway, I chose Ex-Girlfriend simply because that's one of my favorite No Doubt songs. The sheer, blush hue looked amazing at first, but I found myself having to reapply it over and over again. It's a semi-matte, and it came off fairly quickly. Even so, it's still my new go-to brunch shade -- even if it stains my coffee cup.

Day 4
Oh, Kat Von D. You and I share the same adoration of badass lip shades -- and I especially love your Studded Kiss Lipstick in Chula, a perfect mix between burnt-orange and brown. Like all of Von D's matte lipsticks, it clung to my lips for hours. I felt so confident in this color that I brazenly walked up to a guy at the bar that night and started chatting him up (a rarity for me). I ended the night with a phone number and a new favorite hue on rotation. Was ditching my red lip already working in my favor?

Day 5
I rounded out my week of '90s hues with a tube from Charlotte Tilbury. Walk of Shame has a cheeky name, and the color payoff is brilliant. One layer coats your lips in a cool pinky-brown shade -- although the pigment didn't really stick to the inner rim of my mouth. (Don't you hate that?) This is the perfect lipstick for the 9-to-5 girl who's headed to drinks after work and doesn't want to reapply.

From start to finish: Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kit in Dolce K, $29, currently sold out; Wander Beauty Up Close Lipstick in Rose, $24, available at Net-A-Porter; Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Lipstick in Ex-Girlfriend, $18, available at Urban Decay; Kat Von D Studded Kiss Lipstick in Chula, $21, available at Sephora; Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Walk of Shame, $32, available at Charlotte Tilbury.



Day 6
After my whirlwind week of browns and taupes, I needed a little normalcy in my life. So I played one of my safety cards early and swiped on this sumptuous red from Marc Jacobs. This turned out to be a major mistake, because I immediately fell in love with the color.

Seriously, this may be my new favorite red. It's semi-matte, applies like a dream, and is insanely flattering. A girl on the subway actually took off her headphones and told me how much she liked the color. I nearly cried knowing I wouldn't be able to wear it again for another 24 days. Hey, the heart wants what it wants.

Marc Jacobs Beauty Le Marc Lip Crème Lipstick in Dashing, $30, available at Sephora.



Day 7
When I polled my coworkers about which shades I should absolutely try during my 30 days, our editorial assistant Mi-Anne Chan exclaimed, "Hot pink!" (a shade she'd never seen me wear). Hell, I don't even think I'd seen myself in a hot-pink lipstick.

So I gave this fuchsia hue from Lipstick Queen a try...and felt so not like myself, it was almost painful. But I reminded myself of why I was trying this challenge in the first place and soldiered on. I pressed on the pencil with my finger to create a stained effect, which actually turned out to be quite pretty. The formula was creamy and shockingly hydrating. Overall, it was a nice departure from my typical routine. It wasn't my favorite thing on the menu, but I'd order it again.

Lipstick Queen Cupid's Bow Lipstick in Eros, $22, available at Lipstick Queen.

For the rest of Maria's lipstick adventures, visit Refinery29.

By: Maria del Russo

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