Sunday, July 31, 2011

How To: Look Prettier in Pictures


Article from Allure

"Chin up" may be a good idea when it comes to facing a bad mood, but it's not the best plan when you're posing for a photograph. A new study published in the journal Evolutionary Psychology shows that the angle at which you hold your head may affect how you're perceived by the opposite sex. “For women, a slight downward tilt of the head simulates the view from above and is most feminine and most attractive,” Dr. Darren Burke told the MSNBC blog The Body Odd. For men, a slight backward tilt of the head is judged as most masculine, which can make the man more attractive.
Burke, senior psychology lecturer at the University of Newcastle in Ourimbah, New South Wales, Australia, and his co-author (and wife) Dr. Danielle Sulikowski looked at how the height difference between men and women would influence whether their features were seen as masculine or feminine. They were testing a theory that evolution would have selected features in women that were most feminine when viewed from slightly above — the view men typically have of them.
Next time you post for a picture, tilt your face down slightly and then look up at the camera. Is that your most flattering angle?

Friday, July 29, 2011

Tour Carrie & Big's Apartment from Sex & the City 2

I've already written about Carrie's place in the first SATC movie (link at bottom), but can we just talk about how fantastic her place is in the second one? I'm always inspired.. I hope they come out with more movies just to see the homes. (And clothes). I'd watch!

Here's a view of the apartment from the foyer. The wallpaper is Oiseau in Chocolate by Katie Ridder  available through Holland & Sherry in New York. Let's keep walking!

This little center area is just a walkway filled with bookcases and a beautiful bubble chandelier from
Lindsey Adelman. Hers is hand blown glass laced with 14-kt gold foil and gold murrine. See how to make your own version here!

Here's a view of their living room. How cool is that center coffee table? It's from Poltrona Frou. The two vintage armchairs are from Bergdorf Goodman. The sofa that took Carrie "a year and a half" to find is from Montauk Sofa.

Here's an alternate view of the room- and a better shot of the fantastic coffee table. The books you can see there include Walton Ford; Lewis Carroll; Tracey Chevelier; Sol Levitt, 100 ViewsThe Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco; The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger; Poe & Fanny by John May; Voices of Time: A Life in Stories by Eduardo Galeano; All Yesterday's Parties: The Velvet Underground in Print 1966-71; and  Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence. 

One more alternative view. Here you can see better the floral window treatments. The pillow you see on the chair is the Paul Smith Birdie Blossom. The blue ottoman was from a custom-made for the movie Anne Kyyro Quinn piece.


Closer look at the windows and corner "nook" area, with Art Deco club chairs. Notice there are flowers on EVERY table!

And of course the kitchen, where Carrie spends no time cooking! Very modern and chic.

Here is a closer look at the walls over the counter in the kitchen. These are custom-made silver tiles from Heath Ceramics in Sausalito, California. "One of the few mid-century American potteries still in existence,"  says the set designer.

Take a step back from the kitchen and you have the formal dining room. The fabric on the chairs is "Belgravia" from Lee Jofa. And the table is a French 1940s mahogany piece from Alan Moss Studios in Manhattan. The chandelier is fabulous, it's from Property and is made up of oxidized metal discs.  I think that's my favorite piece in this room. The lighted bookshelves in the background are fun too.

Moving on to the bedroom. Still more floor-to-ceiling curtains and beautiful rugs. All rugs in Carrie and Big's apartment come from The Rug Company

A shot of their bed- with a cool modern headboard in Velvet Gate Tuxedo from Kravet and of course, lots of pillows with bedding from Anichini.

The other side of the bed- where there's a fold out desk that becomes the TV's stand. This is Thomas O'Brien's "Hallings Secretary".  The chair is also from Alan Moss, and the wall paper is Rococo Strip by Cole & Son.

Of course, the best part of all is going to be Carrie's closet. Much like the duo-toned cabinets in the kitchen, the woodwork here sets a his-and-her theme, with Carrie's on the right and Big's on the left.

Carrie in her closet, getting ready. Let's take a look at that shoe set up..

Be-a-u-tiful. The shoes in here include styles from Brian Atwood, Charlotte Olympia, Patricia Field (the SATC costume designer), Giuseppe Zanotti, Christian Louboutin, and of course Carrie's favorite- Manolo Blahnik.

Alternate view of the closet and a peak at some of Carrie's purses.

Zoom in to the back side of the closet and you get a glimpse of the bathroom..

With more flowers, makeup brushes and perfumes.

Their apartment is to DIE for. But I wouldn't expect anything less from Ms. Bradshaw :) Check out the post I did on Carrie's apartment makeover from the first movie here.

How To Pop A Pimple.



I'm going to begin this post by stating the obvious: don't pop pimples. You've heard it, I've heard it, that's the best advice they've got and still- that big date is coming up and you say- screw what's better for my skin, I want to look good. Understandable!

Let's first talk about why they recommend you leave it alone. The first reason given for why you shouldn't pop it is because it has the potential to cause scarring. This is more true of certain skin types than others. For example, darker tones and people with severe acne. My husband is pretty fair skinned and this is no motivation for him to stop- he says "I've never gotten a scar before, so that doesn't mean much to me." While some could argue that what he's saying is naive, it's also the mentality of most people who haven't experienced scarring. It's not much a concern!

So what else? Here's one thing that's guaranteed to happen: you're squeezing out a good amount of debris from the pimple, but what you don't realize is, you're not getting it all out. Ever. Think of it like a tube of toothpaste. If you squeeze from the middle, a lot comes out. But the stuff at the bottom doesn't. In fact, when you do this on your face, you are forcing much of the infection deeper down into your skin. This causes potential for worsening the pimple.. which is certainly not something you want. Even in the off chance that it doesn't worsen, it will take longer to completely heal up and go away- because you have caused your body a lot of trouble by interfering with its healing process.



See the illustration above to see what I mean: there is no way you can get in your skin deep enough to squeeze everything out from the bottom, where the hair follicle is. Most likely you will get a lot of the surface, forcing everything else deeper below.

So that's why you don't want to do it. Is that going to stop you? Maybe not. So if you must, you must. But take precautions and do it the right way.

The first step in popping a pimple properly is to make sure your hands and face are clean. Remember how you drive the infection deeper into your skin by forcing some out? The part of the pore that's open will get infested with whatever bacteria is left on your hands, fingernails, and face- one of the reasons a pimple can get worse after popping, or God forbid- spreading the infection causing more breakouts. Prevent this by being clean. Otherwise, don't touch your face!

Next, disinfect a needle or pin with rubbing alcohol. Gently prick the pimple's surface and cover your fingers with some tissue, and squeeze on the sides. (See pic below). If it is ready, the debris will come out easily, if it is not- do not force it. That is key in popping pimples the right way: only do it when it can be done without too much force. You have a much higher risk of damaging skin tissue by using too much force. This will most certainly take longer to heal up, and the main culprit in scarring.



Afterwards, treat the popped pimple with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, like Clearsil's Popped Pimple Relief Pen.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

DIY French Braid Side Bun

(photo via LoveMaegan.com)

Maegan has lots of helpful pictures and a video to help teach you how to do it yourself! I was so excited to find this... I tried it out myself and it looks great!

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Product Review: Bliss No 'Zit' Sherlock Purifying Cleanser + Toner



Have you heard of the Bliss Spas? A favorite high-end spa of the stars, Bliss has locations in New York, LA, and Hollywood- to name a few. Bliss' facials are notorious for making the celebs glow before big events, and you can often open up a magazine to find someone else raving about them.

Not only are their spas luxurious, but so are their products. Bliss sells their own line of skincare available at your nearest Sephora or Ulta, and product junkies across the country agree- it's some of the best stuff you can get your hands on.

Naturally, I was super excited to try some of their products, as I had heard great things about it. I don't usually get many breakouts, but my face had started acting up within the last few weeks, and I had recently purchased "No 'Zit' Sherlock", so this was a good time to give it a try.

The smell initially was a bit medicinal- kind of like Vick's Vapo-Rub or a Hall's Cough Drop, mixed with some citrus-y scent. To be honest, I was a bit put off at first, but it wasn't unbearable.

The cleanser lathers up nicely and worked beautifully with my Clarisonic. My skin is a little bit on the dry side, and the cleanser-and-toner aspect didn't but it a bit. I always added some moisturizer after so my skin didn't feel to "tight" after washing, but I think it would really balance out oily skin quite well.

As far as breakouts were concerned, I was pleasantly surprised that after washing before bed, I woke up with my blemishes completely deflated and nearly half their size and redness. It only took a couple of days before they were completely gone, and regular upkeep has kept them away.

Overall I am very satisfied with this product, and highly recommend it!

Monday, July 25, 2011

Steal Skincare Tips from Megan Fox



Megan Fox is notorious for looking flawless, but her skin in the past has been anything but! She struggles from acne scars, enlarged pores, and breakouts. Being under the spotlight has caused Megan to be obsessed with skincare- and it shows. She uses makeup to hide any imperfections, but she has an extensive routine to keep that face glowing and healthy.

Let's be realistic here. I'm not going to claim Megan uses things you can find in your kitchen when she can afford the top skincare experts in the country. In fact, Megan has her own personal esthetician that visits her three or four times a week, in the comfort of her own home. She also treats herself to frequent spa visits and facials- a favorite being Sonya Dakar's Diamond Peel Treatment running $725 a session. But that doesn't mean she doesn't have an array of products that are available to the rest of us!

Megan has been seen picking up the Bliss Pore-fector Gadget Kit  at the Bliss Spa. The kit includes Bliss's Detoxifying Facial Toner, and  Steep-Clean 15-Minute Facial Mask, as well as an ultra-sonic spatula (which I wrote about here) that extracts blackheads and whiteheads.

She has also spoken a lot about using organic and all-natural products, including the Eminence Organic Biodynamic Skincare Line.

For moisture and sun protection, Megan loves Mindi Walters Vitamin C Complex with SPF 15. She is quoted on the site saying, "this is the only product with SPF that does not irritate my skin, I absolutely LOVE it!"

Another favorite is Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder, known to brighten up dull complexion and keep skin looking refreshed and healthy.

Along with organic skincare products, Megan is very into healthy eating such as organic fruits and vegetables to boost antioxidants and fight damage from free-radicals in the environment.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

How To: Make Your Manicure Last Longer!





1. Keep your nails short. Nail polish chips faster on longer nails. Because natural nails are flexible, the longer the nail, the more bendable they are. This puts stress on your polish and makes it prone to chipping.

2. Wait until each coat is fully dry. Just because your nail polish is dry enough to not smudge when you touch it, does not mean it is dry. Adding another coat on top of polish that isn't fully dry makes it exponentially more prone to smudging. It takes 2 hours or more for one coat to be complete.

3. Apply a top coat the next day. You don't want to layer on too much nail polish, but one top coat will only do so much. By adding another one the next day, whether you went to a salon or did it yourself, will even further protect the color.

4. Choose a lighter color. Because darker colors are more pigmented, it doesn't stick as well to the nail as lighter colors do. You have better staying power with a lighter polish.


5. Rough up your nails. Nail polish doesn't bond to smooth nails as well as it does to rougher ones. Lightly file the top of the nail to rough up the surface a little.. after a coat or two of polish, you won't be able to tell that they're not perfectly smooth, and your color will stay much longer.


6. Push back your cuticles. Polish doesn't stick well to the skin, so any excess cuticle on the nail is going to allow your polish to peel faster. Chanel's top manicure expert Tom Bachik suggests pushing back your cuticle in the shower to avoid cutting your cuticle later (which still works, but is more dangerous if you were to cut too much off). "Put a little conditioner on a wash rag, and simply push back your cuticle while your skin's nice and soft."

7. Don't soak your nails. Your nails absorb a lot of of water, and temporarily expand them. Then you put your polish on top, and once the water evaporates out, they shrink down to size and cause tiny breaking points that stress the polish. They'll look nice for a few days but be prone to chipping.

8. Bring your own polish. Salons are known to add thinners to their nail polishes to make them last longer. This weakens the chemicals that make the polish stay on, and you're better off bringing your own in.


9. Don't layer on the color. "One of the things about darker polish," says Bachik, "is that it actually has a higher pigment content, so if you add more layers.. it will end up with a tendency to peel."

10. Use acetone nail polish remover. Bachik says: "the acetone [removers] are much more effective. They break up the color, and they evaporate off the skin very quickly, so they're not on your for a long period of time." Even if you don't have nail polish on, swipe some on your nails to remove the oils that will inhibit the polish from sticking as well to the nail.

11. Don't use cheap polish. The chemistry in cheaper polishes make them weaker and not last as long. Brands like Essie and OPI have beautiful colors and are worth the money!

12. Use a base coat. Base coats and top coats are meant to do different things. A 2-in-1 product seems to be the smarter and cheaper option, but it isn't effective. Bachik explains, "Topcoats and basecoats are engineered to do such different things. A basecoat works like double-stick tape, attatching well to both the nail bed and the color. A toppcoat sticks well to only polish- but has a much harder density."

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Get A Full-Body Makeover- For Less!


24 Head-to-Toe Bargain Beauty Tips

 By Rachel Fischer Spalding, via Lifescript





1) Seriously, use that sunscreen! 
Don’t take our word for it – ask the experts. “If you had to pick just one product to make yourself more beautiful, it would be sunscreen,” says Beverly Hills dermatologist Debra Luftman, M.D., author of The Beauty Prescription (McGraw-Hill, 2008).


Look for a broad spectrum lotion with at least SPF 15, Luftman says. “I like the chemical-free kind with ingredients like zinc and titanium – it doesn’t need to be expensive.”


2) Good skin comes in threes. You don’t need a ton of expensive lotions and potions. You really only need three, Luftman says: “A light exfoliant like a glycolic acid, an SPF that can go in your moisturizer, and in the evening, something therapeutic such as salicylic acid or Retinol to correct skin.”
No need to shell out the big bucks either; drugstore brands are fine, Luftman says.
3) Toss “vintage” makeup. You may think you’re saving money by keeping makeup until it runs out, but you’re actually lathering bacteria on your skin, Luftman says. Her recommendation: Dump it after six months.
4) Get glowy from the grocer. Some of the best skin treatments are found in health-food and grocery stores, says Los Angeles facialist Toni Ponzo.
“Jojoba [oil] is amazing to lubricate wrinkles,” Ponzo says. She also likes paprika, “a natural antioxidant that will create a natural flush and glow” on skin, and avocado oil, which “can be applied directly to the eye area like an eye cream, and it doesn’t have chemicals in it.”

5) A DIY facial Ponzo recommends this do-it-yourself scrub: Start with dead-sea salt from a natural health store and mix it with your regular cleanser. Then do a plain-yogurt facial applied on your skin for 15 minutes. Yogurt, which has lactic acid, breaks down dead tissue.
6) Laxative for your face? Facial steaming helps remove impurities from your skin. For a twist, try Ponzo’s at-home secret. “I use this herbal laxative called Swiss Kriss. It comes in flake form so you just add them to hot water and place your face over a steaming bowl.” Swiss Kriss is available at Vitacost.com, iHerb.com and other online health retailers.
7) Splurge for beautiful brows. You can easily tweeze your eyebrows at home. But see a professional once in a while, just to get the shape started, advises style expert Christopher Hopkins, author of Staging Your Comeback: A Beauty Revival Guide (HCI), a makeover book for women over 45. “Many people just tweeze stray hairs here and there without learning how to create the perfect arch for their face shape,” Hopkins says. A professional gives you a blueprint to follow.

Nail It
Many women pride themselves on finding the cheapest manis and pedis. Yet in these recessionary times, even that can be an unaffordable indulgence. Keep your nails looking their best with these tips from celebrity manicurist Debbie Leavitt.
8) SOS for cut-rate cuticles. Cuticles keep your nail bed protected from germs and bacteria. For an at-home cuticle fix-it, Leavitt suggests using an orangewood stick with tissue or cotton wrapped at the tip. “I never recommend actually cutting the cuticle off.”
First, soak your cuticles, then gently push them back with cuticle softener around the base of your nail, “sort of scooping around to remove the dead skin,” Leavitt says. Nip off any loose ends that have come up. Gently trim any hangnails.
9) Hydrate with olive oil. Pricey products aren’t needed to moisturize your nails – a trip to the supermarket will do. “Olive oil is the best to hydrate the skin and nails,” Leavitt says. Simply massage it into the cuticles and your hands. You can also create a scrub – just add a couple tablespoons of sugar to the oil.

10) Bag ‘em, lady. Apply a thick coat of your favorite moisturizer, place your hand in plastic bags, and wrap with a hot towel. Relax for a few minutes and remove the bag.
11) Buff up. Winter’s chilly temps make it hard to keep nails peel-free. To fix, buff the problem areas carefully using a nail file with a fine grit. Also, keep your nails shorter − it’ll help prevent peeling.
12) The paraffin principle. Regular, at-home maintenance can only do so much. A paraffin treatment at a salon will soften skin and improve the appearance of aging hands, Leavitt says. One treatment can last the entire season.
Making tiny tweaks to your beauty routine will boost your confidence. “Let me tell you, you don’t have to have lots of money to look amazing,” Hopkins says.


A Hair Change Ready for a more drastic change? You’re not alone. In the first half of the year, “clients often request new cuts,” says celebrity hairstylist Mitch Stone of the Cloutier Agency in Los Angeles, whose clients have included Kim Basinger, Kristin Davis and Kyra Sedgwick.
13) Go glam with a trendy ‘do. Getting rid of length can be refreshing, Stone says. What do you have to lose? “You don’t like it, you’ll grow it… but at least you won’t be bored.”

Hollywood’s hottest look is the retro, above-the-shoulders bob, as seen on Katie Holmes. But before you do anything, show your stylist a picture of a cut you’re eyeing and discuss how it can be adapted to suit your features.

14) Put some bang in your hair. Not ready for a bob? Cut your front layers into a face-framing fringe and you’ll have a whole new look! Bangs are a great refresher and take off 10 years, says Stone, whose styling work has been seen in magazines such as Vogue. They’re also cheaper than a whole new cut and style.
But “be careful of the short bangs rock stars and movie stars are wearing,” Stone says. “Not everybody can get away with it.” 
15) Color for the commitment-phobe. If a new cut scares you, go for color. Most cost-effective is a color wash or glaze – a one-time treatment that will boost your current color and add shine. To make more of a statement, though, consider switching shades.
“Go a little blonder now to beat the winter drab,” Stone says. “It’s a change that adds some spring to your step.”
16) Go back to school. If a professional stylist or colorist is too expensive, visit a well-known beauty school instead. More affordable than a salon, beauty schools offer many of the same services and students are carefully supervised by pros. Also, training academies like Paul Mitchell − The School in Los Angeles offer slashed price tags on updos for that big wedding or event.
Style It! Believe it or not, bad economic times bring out the inner beauty goddess in many women, says style expert Hopkins.
“In an economic crisis, the one thing you can control is how you look,” says Hopkins, whose work has been featured on HGTV and The Oprah Winfrey Show. We still care about our appearance even if we don’t have spare cash, which is why sales of lipstick (relatively cheap) go up in a recession.
“You can look updated on a budget,” Hopkins says. “You just have to get down to basics.”
17) It’s a cinch. Instead of trying to fill your closet with trendy items, update last year’s classics with a few accessories, such as gloves, a belt or bag.
“Find one new accessory that’s fabulous and current, such as a cinch belt,” Hopkins says. It will nip in your long winter sweaters at the waist and go with anything.
Stay current by buying those accessories in the season’s hottest shades. Hopkins’ favorite shades right now: winter white and purple.
18) Go for arm candy. If your budget allows just one accessory, splurge on a handbag, not shoes, Hopkins says. People will always notice a purse first.
“A mid-priced bag in alligator or patent leather with chain detailing” will look classy all season. But avoid those oversized hobo bags favored by celebrities – they add bulk to your figure.
19) The return of retro. Keep your credit card in your wallet and shop in your mother’s closet. What’s costume jewelry junk to her may be couture gold to you, especially with the return of the “statement necklace” − a large, obvious bauble worn over a simple outfit or layered with other necklaces.
“It can be made of anything from turquoise to bone, as long as it looks artistic,” Hopkins says. He advises hitting up the neighborhood Goodwill or vintage store for antique, eye-catching necklaces.
20) Rent your style. The Web site Avelle, formerly known as Bag, Borrow or Steal, lets you “borrow” pricey handbags, jewelry, sunglasses and accessories for a fee. Starting at $10 per month, you can sport a new Gucci, Prada or Coach tote. When you’re sick of it, trade it in for another!
The site earned instant fame after its mention in the Sex and the City movie.
“People are looking for new ways to shop,” says Becky Gebhardt, Avelle’s vice president of creative. “Renting gives access to luxury without the large expense of ownership.”
21) Send your shoes to rehab. Don’t run out to replace your favorite boots – you just may need to show them a little love. A good shoe repair place can work wonders: new heels, strap repair, scuff removal and more. Fixes can run as little as $6, depending on the damage.
22) Troll for sales no more. Clothing sales are everywhere, but how do you find what you want? Shop It to Me (shopittome.com) does the work for you. The site scours department store and retail Web sites for sales. Simply fill out a free profile with the clothing brands you like (such as Laundry, French Connection, Banana Republic, INC and more), and the site will email you an alert when those items go on sale. You save timeand money!
23) Support your girls. Make the clothes you own look better by investing in proper foundation garments – bras, panties and shapewear. Go to a department store or lingerie shop to get your measurements taken properly, Hopkins says. (You don’t have to purchase anything.)
“The right-sized bra and shapewear – which most women don’t have – will make you look like you’ve had lipo.”
24) Give your jewelry a dazzling dip. A recession doesn’t stop birthdays or anniversaries. When buying new jewelry is impossible, here’s a cheap alternative: rhodium dipping. Rhodium is a precious metal used to create white gold and to brighten up platinum. So turn your yellow gold into dazzling white gold with a relatively inexpensive ($50 and up) rhodium dip. It’ll look like a new piece of jewelry.

Monday, July 11, 2011

10 Ways To Wake Up Beautiful


Time Inc. Digital Studio

1. Get an Early Start
Make a habit of washing your face a few hours before bed. If you wait until you're tired, you're more likely to blow it off -- allowing "toxins and dirt to stay on there all night," says dermatologist Laurie Polis of N.Y.C. Another consequence? You miss the best time to treat your skin. "At night there's more blood flow to the skin's surface, and there's nothing else on your face to interfere with absorption," Polis says.

Try: Neutrogena Deep Clean Relaxing nightly cleanser, $7; at drugstores.

2. Sleep on Your Back
Note to Audrey Hepburn fans: Lying on your stomach is bad for "beauty sleep." The average head weighs 7 to 8 pounds -- a lot of pressure to be putting on your face every night. In fact, many dermatologists say they can tell what side of the face people sleep on by the number of wrinkles there.

3. Get a Lift
Sleep with your head elevated on two pillows, or put the headrest area of your bed on 2- to 4-inch pieces of wood. Gravity helps lymph and blood flow so fluid won't accumulate, Polis says.

4. Save Money, Not Wrinkles

At night you don't need to worry about eye treatments smearing your makeup, so slather on the richest formula you can. Polis swears by Aquaphor: "It conditions lashes and hydrates the delicate eye skin really well."

Try: Aquaphor Healing ointment, $9; drugstore.com.

5. Sneak a Glow
Mix a drop of self-tanner into your night cream or use a cream that contains a bit of tan-producing DHA.

Try: Clarins Radiance-Plus self-tanning cream, $52; clarinsusa.com.

6. Avoid Carb Face
To wake with defined cheekbones, eat a high-protein, low-sugar dinner (try salmon and asparagus, a natural diuretic). Skip the rice, pasta and potatoes. "When our diet's high in glycemic carbohydrates, our features take on a soft, doughy appearance," says Connecticut dermatologist Nicholas Perricone.

7. Wrap It Up
To minimize A.M. frizz, sleep on a satin pillowcase or put your hair in a silk scarf. "Those fabrics are much softer than cotton, so there's less friction," says Harry Josh, a John Frieda stylist.

8. Find Your Inner Ballerina
Pile hair into a twist on the top of your head (use a scrunchie to avoid crimping). "In the morning you'll have major volume and beautiful waves," Josh says.

9. Turn on the Hair Conditioning
Sleep with a moisturizing treatment in damp hair overnight. We like Philip B. Katira Hair Masque, but any rich conditioner will do. Rinse in the morning.

Try: Philip B. Katira Hair Masque, $40; philipb.com.

10. Pop a Rooster Pill
Trust us, we were skeptical. But after swallowing two Wake Up on Time pills at 11 P.M., we found it much easier to get out of bed seven hours later. Created by a sleep-deprived single mother, the pills contain an energizing blend of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamins B6 and B12 and guarana-seed extract. It's formulated with a coating that releases ingredients into your bloodstream toward the end of your last sleep cycle, so you wake up feeling clear-headed, not fuzzy.

Try: Wake Up On Time, $30/40 tablets; wakeupontime.com.