An Interview by My Daughter on the Topic of Summer Beauty Do's and Don'ts

My daughter Interviewed me on the topic of Summer Beauty Do's and Don'ts. It's always great to be able to get a kid's perspective on the truly important things in life.

She wanted to know answers to the following questions:

1) Have you ever used lemon juice or other products to lighten your hair?

When I was a teenager, it was a big deal to use Sun In in your hair. You could always tell the people who had red undertones and used Sun In -- their hair turned a brilliant shade of orange.

2) What's your favorite summer hairstyle?

This summer, I've become a big fan of the braids. I wear braids most often when I work out and when I am cleaning and, really, quite often. I love long hair, and I really enjoy it -- but I can't wear ponytails as they give me headaches, and big clips are often uncomfortable. So, for the most part, it's lots of smaller clips -- which can be overwhelming -- or the braids, regular or French. I LOVE the Sock Buns that many women can pull off, but I'm not talented enough with my hands to get all of my many layers of hair inserted. I end up getting frustrated -- apparently, I have the patience level of a two-year-old.

3) Do you use any products to help you tan? Why is it bad to lay out in the sun?

Again, going back to when I was a teen, it was the "thing" to lay out with baby oil on your skin and get a tan that way. Years of solid sun exposure are probably the most impressive factor to being diagnosed with melanoma. I have, in the past, tried different tanning lotions, with varying levels of non-success and even, twice, had spray tans that were very, um, memorable. It's always impressive to see the areas that the spray didn't take -- often when you are hanging out in a bathing suit in a resort with friends.

4) Will you put on make-up every day or just on the days that you go out?

I love to wear make-up. Love it. I would wear it every day, but in the heat of the summer it feels like I'm plastering spackle on a wet, slimy surface. Then my face feels like a mask. So, on those super very hot days, I usually default to a bit of under eye concealer -- for the dark circles I have look like death on a plate -- and some mascara. Always with the mascara but, interestingly enough, I don't use waterproof. Even if I use the greatest makeup remover I can find, I can't get the dumb stuff off my lashes and I end up breaking them.

5) How often do you shave during the summer months?

Every night. If I shave in the morning and we go to the beach -- which is quite often in the summer -- the sand stings. So I shave at night. And then I use some super miracle gel that promises to reduce hair growth- - although I think maybe that's a myth and I've bought into a fallacy. One of the most important things to do is to use quality products. I really like the Satin Care Passionista Fruit Shave Gel, which has a rich formula infused with the sparkling scent of juicy, fresh fruit and leaves skin soft and satiny smooth every time I shave.†A great razor is also key and for a young girl like you, the Venus Embrace is a great razor to start with.

By the way, Venus has some great tips for moms of first-time shavers over here.

Do you have a beauty tip that you've shared with your daughter to prepare her for summer? Do you have a funny summer beauty mishap that you can share? Share them here with us and one lucky commenter will win a $50 Visa gift card!

Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 7/26 - 8/23

Be sure to visit the Venus brand feature page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggersí reviews and find more chances to win!

Have you checked out the Life Well Lived section of BlogHer.com? There are some great tips and expert posts on everything from Looking Your Best to Getting Happy and Getting Organized!†

Comments

[Becki]

My daughter's only 9, but my beauty advice to her--hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. I think it makes such a difference to health and skin appearance.

[maggie]

I make sure the girls wear sunblock and tell them why! When I was young I would use tanning oil instead and am now paying the price. Too many wrinkles and skin cancer scares!

[beth]

Sunblock.
Also, if you look better in a full piece, don't be afraid to wear one. I always wore bikinis because I thought I, being a teen, was "supposed to". I would have been a lot happier in a cute full piece.

[Angela Maddox]

I am working on doing better at using sunblock on the kids. This summer has been more about helping my daughters with shaving though. Using the right products, making sure to moisturize, etc. It is going way to fast!

[January]

My daughter is only 5 but I always tell her to put on sunblock before going outside and to drink lots of water especially in these 100 degree temps outside its brutal.

[Jennifer B]

My story is quite funny now, but in high school, not so much. I was going out somewhere and was running late, so I took a super! quick! shower and shave. Except that I missed a 2" strip from my knee to ankle. Andddddd I didnt notice until the person I was looking to impress made a comment about it. As in "why is your leg spiky?"

Good news is I recovered, eventually.

[Brenda]

I used Sun In once at a party in junior high and my hair turned orange, it was awful!

[Beth a.]

Biggest tip to give girls...take your time while shaving. The only time I've ever cut myself was when I was in a hurry while shaving.

[Sylvia]

Just thinking about all of the bikini tops I've lost over the years. Anyhow, my best summer beauty routine is keeping my perfume in the fridge. Right next to my face cream. Because evaporation is a bitch.

[Colleen Pyron]

An old "Hint from Heloise" suggested using hair conditioner as a substitute for shaving cream. Works like a charm! To my daughter? She's 10. The tip she hears most often from me is "Brush your hair"!

[Beth]

I wasn't allowed to shave my legs until I was 16. RIGHT. So, of course, I sneaked a razor and tried to figure it out. Except I didn't know about shaving cream. One 2" long piece of skin and a gallon of blood later, I stopped and looked into my Teen Magazine for shaving tips ... for next time!

[Karen]

My tip: After you apply sunscreen to your face, don't fall asleep on your stomach with your face on the sand. You will inevitably be woken by your boyfriend who will want to introduce you to someone and when you stand up, your face will be COVERED with sand. Not a good look.

Not uh that this ever happened to me or anything. ;-)

[Tonya]

My 11 year old is ready to start shaving her arm pits but she has yet to do it because every time she takes a shower she doesn't want to take the time. So my advice to her was to not hurry through it. Never shave in a hurry.

[Sonja]

NEVER EVER shave your legs dry. Ever. Sadly, I did not have a chance to tell my daughter this before she (and her friend) painfully discovered this while camping. But as they say, sometimes you have to learn the hard way!!

[TEN]

No children . . but I recommend always wearing sunscreen on your face and when in the sun, put on a hat.

[mami2jcn]

My mother always told me to use plenty of sunscreen. She has great skin so I know this is so important!

mami2jcn at gmail dot com

[mami2jcn]

tweet--https://twitter.com/mami2jcn/status/228625903129874433

[Jessica To]

My mother always said to moisturize and wear sunscreen whenever you're outside.

[Amy]

No kids and not specific to summer but I've always thought if I had a daughter I'd have her using eye cream from a very young age - delicate skin around the eyes needs moisture regardless of skin type. Also, always wear sunglasses when outside. I'm 40 w/only the faintest hint of crows feet.

[Rosa]

I remember telling my daughter to always use moisturizer on her skin, and to keep away from the sun.

[Rosa]

https://twitter.com/rosorior/status/228647696116891649

roso1946@gmail.com

[becky dunnell]

i used sun-in...the summer between 8th and 9th grade...i also got a perm (permanent wave) that summer...by the time we did school pictures in mid-september, the blonde was growing out, and a permanent wave was not near as cool as i may have thought it would be! ugh!

[Mary @ A Simple Twist of Faith]

Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen, oh and drink water!

[Emily C]

I don't have a daughter, but I do have girlfriends.

My favorite summer tip is shaving with baby oil. It's cheap, it doesn't wash off my legs too readily, and it moisturizes all morning.

[Brandy]

I remember Sun In! It never did much for me, but I remember trying lemon juice, too. My big bad summer thing was that I used those "streak" hair bleach kits once. I left it in too long and ended up with thick yellow streaks. Tips I give my Daughter are to use moisturizer after shaving, to replace her razor (disposable) often and to use sunblock.