As we transition our clothes from summer to fall, this is a reminder to also focus on your hair and skin. The summer months can be tough on both as the sun can bleach hair making it dry and brassy, and those pesky brown sun spots are so annoying! By the end of the summer there are enough spots on my face for a game of "connect the dots"!  So as fall approaches, let's give our hair and skin a little extra TLC. I thought I'd ask the the experts at Salon Metta and Suite 103 Spa for their advice.

Salon Metta (North Andover, MA)

I've been with my stylist Helen for over 13 years and adore her. But then again, everyone at this amazing salon is super talented and wonderful! During my last hair appointment, I asked Helen to share some tips for bringing hair back to life after the hot summer. 

• The sun can cause hair to go lighter and/or brassy so try adding a bit more depth at the root to avoid it turning too light, red, or gold. Going with an ashy tone can also be helpful for getting rid of brassiness. 
• A tinted shampoo with a purple or blue base can get the brassiness out! My favorites are Oribe Bright Blonde, Matrix Brass Off, and Pureology Strength Cure Blonde. 
• Use a clarifier to remove mineral build up. I love Oribe The Cleanse as it clarifies and is color safe. 
• Get regular glazes to add hydration and shine to your hair.
• Consider going a little darker for fall, or add in some low-lights for dimension. 

Ready to try a new salon? Mention FASHIONISTA when booking at Salon Metta and get $25 off your first service with any stylist! First time clients only and products excluded. Book here. 

Suite 103 Spa

I've also been visiting Suite 103 for over 10 years (hard to believe!) and I'm thrilled that this amazing spa just expanded to a larger space! They now offer just about everything from spa treatments, IV drips, color analysis, make-up, and much more. And boy do I have a discount for you! Mention FASHIONISTA and get 50% off a service (injectables included!) excluding packages, specials and products. This offer is for new clients, or for those who have not been to the spa in the last 12 months.

I asked the dream team Julie and Cheryl about fall skincare and make-up tips.

Julie

As we move into the cooler weather, it's time to get rid of brown sun spots and hydrate the skin! Some of my favorite treatments are:

• Hydrafacial -this super hydrating treatment will make your skin glow and look refreshed!
• PRX Peel --this is an amazing treatment that lifts sagging skin, lightens sun and age spots, improves skin texture, and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. There is minimal redness and peeling too, so no downtime! 
• Photofacial --this treatment improves the skin's tone and texture and can help with sun damage.
• For products, I suggest using a retinol at night and hyaluronic acid in the morning. Don't forget a good moisturizer and sunscreen too! 

Cheryl

There are lots of beautiful saturated colors in for fall such as burgundy, olive, and gold. The red lip is always in style (big this fall too!) and luminous glowing skin is all the rage (you may have heard of glass skin). We'd love to do your make-up whether it be for a special event or to teach you how to apply it!

Also, Suite 103 is having a big grand re-opening event on September 24th from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. to celebrate their gorgeous new space. There will be prizes, raffles, and more. Plus meet industry experts!

Who's joining me? 

Thanks for stopping by!

xx Susan

We're at that crazy time of the year when it's too warm to put away summer clothes, yet the weather will soon be turning chilly. It's already getting pretty cold at night here in Boston, despite 75 degree days. 

It's not quite time to pull out heavy pieces, but then again, it's not the right time to put away summer either!

So what's a woman to do?

I generally don't make the full summer to fall wardrobe transition until late September, however I am starting to pull out layers such as jackets, sweaters, vests, and cardigans. 

Many summer dresses and skirts can actually be worn all year round with the addition of boots and a jacket or cardigan (excluding gauze and very lightweight fabrics in the winter). I have several summer dresses that look fall-ready paired with booties and a leather or denim jacket. 

Another idea is to add in warmer fall tones so your wardrobe will instantly look more seasonal. Consider shades of olive green and my favorite chocolate brown, which are also very "in" colors for fall. I  love burnt orange, deep shades of green, burgundy, and mustard yellow too! 

Here are a few outfit ideas to give you inspiration for this unpredictable season.

Toxic people.

Do you have some in your life?

I've had my fair share and recently got punched in the stomach (figuratively) by a few people who are very close to me.

After almost a year of therapy, I finally broke free. It wasn't easy, but I needed to disconnect for my own physical and mental health. Enough is enough. 

This blog is a reflection of my own personal journey with the hope that it can help others going through similar situations. Of course always consult a practitioner if you are struggling. 

I won't name names because my goal isn't to hurt anyone, but rather to share what I've learned to help those in damaging relationships.

Whether it be family or friends (and despite years of history together), not all relationships are healthy. And the toxic ones can be draining, stressful and even destructive to our health. After a life-time of getting emotionally beat-up, I finally had an epiphany that it was time to disconnect from these unhealthy relationships for my own self-protection. 

Life as it was.

Well, almost.

It's been eight months since I finished a year-long treatment for leukemia. Over the past several months, I've finally been able to resume "normal" living...going to restaurants, weddings and other events, and shopping at stores without a mask.  After four years of living like a recluse, life as I knew it is a wonderful thing.

But it's not perfect.  There's an anxiety that goes along with reentering the world, along with a self-imposed pressure to fully catch up on all that I've missed. 

I just finished reading Between Two Kingdoms, the autobiography of Suleika Jaouad, who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia at age 22, and has since gone through two bone marrow transplants. She talks about the trauma of cancer, the isolation associated with being immunocompromised, life's uncertainties, survivorship, and most importantly, living life to its fullest.

I can relate to her experiences and feelings, as well as the fear of living with a serious illness. But one remark stood out to me.

She talks about living like it's your last day on earth and how this approach can actually be stressful given the pressure to "do it all" and to jam-pack every day. Instead, she suggests living like each day is  your first...live with wonder, fun, curiosity, discovery, and playtime. 

Since my cancer diagnosis and reentry into normal life, I've felt the need to do everything that I've missed over the past four years. There's been internal pressure to overload my schedule and it's been a bit exhausting! 

Living each day as if it's my first, changes the landscape. Instead of causing stress, it opens me up to experiencing life with a newfound joy.  Not a bad way to live!

It also challenges me to experience gratitude, and to find happiness in the small every-day moments that make life meaningful and full. 

However, living this way is also about embracing life's uncertainties and the unknown by becoming resilient and adaptable. After all, none of us know what tomorrow, or for that matter, the next second will bring.  When we spend the precious time we have on this earth worrying about what "could" happen, we lose the here and now.  

Life is a gift and when we treat it as such, we experience the world in a whole new way. And I have to say, it feels pretty darn good! 

If you haven't read Between Two Kingdoms, I highly recommend it. It's one of the best (if not "the" best) books I've ever read. I'm grateful to Suleika for the reminder to get of overdrive mode so I don't miss one glorious day of living.  Find her book here. 

One last thing and a topic for another blog. Cancer has also taught me to rid my life of toxic people. 

More to come. 

Thanks for stopping by.

xx Susan

P.S. Don't forget to sign up for my newsletter so you don't miss new blogs. The sign up is at the right side of the page on a PC or at the very bottom of the page on your phone. 

I want to share a special love story. My love story.

I married the first-time-around at a young age. I was just out of college, I'd been through a lot of trauma in my life, and I was looking for stability, love, and security. But I ended up with the opposite.  No blame, but my ex and I were not a good match. The marriage was volatile, and although I tried to be the perfect wife, cooking, cleaning, and taking care of him, I was unfulfilled and miserable. Two wonderful children came along and I was even more determined to make it work.

But it didn't. It couldn't. 

After many futile therapy sessions, I called it quits and things got nasty quickly.  I was forced to move out of our house (bad legal advice) and I bought a tiny condo nearby so my kids could stay in the same school system. Life was upside down and I was a stressed out wreck trying to balance single parenting, emotionally distraught kids (who had been through a bit too much havoc), a move with no help, and working at a  job that I desperately needed to pay the bills. After two grueling years of battling it out in court, we were finally divorced.

Enter Richard. We had known each other from our past professional lives, and one day we serendipitously met at the movies. Soft-spoken, sweet, kind, and yep cute, he was someone I wanted to get to know better. He was also going through a tough divorce (are there any easy ones?), so we could relate to the struggles. We exchanged phone numbers and agreed that we wanted to get together.

Our first "date" was at the Concord Inn in Concord, MA. I got there first and was NERVOUS! I hadn't dated in  years, although our former pool repair guy had asked me out and I politely declined. I clearly remember Richard walking into the restaurant wearing a trench-coat that was a few sizes too big (I notice these things!) but with a huge smile on his face. His eyes were kind, and although my knees were shaking under the table, his calm demeanor put me at ease. We chatted about everything including life, kids, work, and yes bad marriages. We were like two old friends...familiar, soft and warm. 

But then when the bill came, I waited for him to pick it up. When he didn't, I asked if we should split it, and said yes. Hmmmm! To this day we joke about it.

Two kids!

Wedding day! I wore a pink silk Ann Taylor dress, on sale of course!

However, as we celebrate 20 years of marriage (a milestone for two seniors), Richard encouraged me to choose a new ring.  I had actually been wearing a cubic zirconia because my Macy's ring had fallen apart over the years (you get what you pay for!), so I was ready for an upgrade. There was no question as to who we would buy the ring from... Erdem!

AND twenty years later, he remembered us! 

Meet Erdem!

So where to start when choosing a ring? If you know my style, it's fairly understated. Erdem showed me numerous rings, and although they were all gorgeous, I was drawn to a modern and simple design.

By the way, Erdem is a MASTER jeweler who is incredibly talented, creative, and also a super fun and wonderful person. Learn more about him here.  He's not a jeweler who sits behind a desk...he gets his hands dirty creating masterful pieces at his workbench.

Together we narrowed down the choices and I ended up with these two. My wedding band is on the bottom.

Can you guess the one I chose?

After several visits to see Erdem, I finally made my choice.  I decided on a three (yes THREE) carat lab- made diamond solitaire in a modern simple white gold setting. Did I say that my taste was understated? Oops! Once I made my choice, Erdem created a 3D model of the ring so I could see how it looked on my finger. It was SO helpful to get a visual! We both agreed that the band needed to be just a little thicker to balance the size of the diamond. 

And finally the process was over! Richard and I picked up the ring at Virtue Jewelers and Erdem, being the jokester that he is, came out with the 3-D plastic model first!  Very funny!

OK, enough with the joke...bring on the real ring! Of course Richard and I had to stage a repeat proposal too. His first proposal deserves a blog of it's own....it's quite the story!

I almost joked around and said "sorry I'm already married."

We are celebrating our anniversary today with an overnight at The Wentworth by the Sea in gorgeous Portsmouth, NH (one of our favorite places) and dinner at their amazing restaurant Salt Kitchen + Bar. Low-key but just perfect. 

To Richard. 

We've been married for 20 years, yet I've loved you for a lifetime. You bring so much joy, love, and happiness to my life and I cherish every second spent with you. You're the best (said with a punch on the arm....inside joke). I'll love you forever. 

Erdem's tips for choosing a diamond ring 

• Know the shape of your favorite diamond
• Choose a stone size you comfortable with 
• A 3-D model is very helpful to see what the ring will look like on your finger.
• Before you start to seriously look, get some information on the price of diamonds so you can have an idea of the quality, type, and size that works within your budget.
• Find a jeweler that you can trust and feel comfortable working with (of course I choose Erdem!),
• As far as lab-made versus natural diamonds, the only difference is where they come from. One is made in a laboratory and the other is from earth. Other than the price, they are chemically and physically (down to atoms!) identical. BUT natural diamonds cost a lot more because the mining takes intensive labor.  Plus, mined diamonds are formed in the earth over thousands of years where it takes just 2-3 months to create a lab diamond.  I always tell people when they’re picking a diamond that they need to ask their significant other if he/she prefers lab or natural. 

 "My philosophy is when choosing a diamond is always go with little bigger than you’re comfortable with. That's generally the perfect size!" Erdem