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When I finished my freshman in college, I arrived home to New York City for the summer with a bouquet of fun new interests including an appreciation for big-box pizza chains, a nightly craving for something called a Bagel Bomb (a toasted plain bagel stuffed with egg, cheese and your choice of breakfast meat, typically consumed in the student union around midnight) and a particularly overexcited palette for Molson Canadian, usually chugged six at a time before finding oneself with a plastic cup of cheap vodka and cranberry juice in the basement of a fraternity house. It goes without stating, then, I also arrived home with too-tight jeans and a pasty, bloated pallor indicative of our nation’s higher education system.

Anyway, after that, I’d always considered Somers a bit of a guru—it’s not every day a person can transition from a bastion of ’70s camp to a real advocate for women’s health (she later went on to crusade for aging with hormone therapy, and also taught me the phrase muffins are cakes for one, which I still use every chance I get.) So when my colleague Rachel Krause casually mentioned Somers had a new hair product meant to replicate the effects—albeit temporarily—of chemical straighteners, I insisted she hand it over.
I learned that Somers worked with hairstylist Mauricio Ribeiro to launch True Brazilian, a fully organic, nontoxic serum made with ingredients—chief among them intensely smoothing cupuacu from the Brazilian rain forest, strengthening meadowfoam seed oil, and moisturizing and detangling Absynnian seed oil, which silken and seal the hair cuticle and repair damaged ends.

You’re supposed to wash hair as normal, apply the serum to wet hair, and heat-style with her proprietary oscillating flat iron to lock in the formula, but—in the interest of full disclosure—we did not receive, so I relied on my own hot tools.

But! I quickly learned that this stuff needs heat to work its magic—each section of hair usually takes a good two minutes for me to straighten and dry completely, and the serum cut that down immensely–we’re talking about 30 seconds, with about two to three passes with my boar-bristle round brush. Overall, it took me less than 15 minutes to dry my whole head, as opposed to my normal 25 to 30. I also couldn’t get over the shine—like, glossy reflective shine, even after I used my Amika waving iron to add texture.
I’m also pleased to report that after using True Brazilian, my hair held up to New York’s oppressive humidity—no extra frizzing, no weird puffiness, no flyaways. In fact, the day after I tried it, I met up with my sister, who said, verbatim, “How does your hair look like that in this weather??” Since then, I’m on my third use, and the results are the same.
I’m psyched I discovered it—at almost $45, it’s not cheap, but I’ll probably purchase it again if my hair continues to embrace it the way it has. Still, it’s absolutely not a replacement for in-salon defrizzing treatments. Rather, it’s a solid product to use between washes for smoother hair, end of story. And while I know there are a million others like it, I appreciate the fact that it’s free of silicones (which is why my hair wasn’t weighed down and retained its piecey texture after using hot tools) and that it’s certified organic.

Why did you decide to launch a hair product?
I’m not unique in the fact that when my hair looks good, I look good. I mean, who doesn’t rely on having good hair days to feel their most confident? However, I don’t have a live-in hair stylist and I’m not one of those people who goes to a blowout bar or salon a couple times a week to have my hair done. And I dread doing it myself! Then I met Mauricio Ribeiro, a Brazilian hair and beauty expert, and he introduced me to his True Brazilian system for creating smooth, sexy, frizz-free hair every time you style it, and it’s really been a lifesaver for me. It takes a fraction of the time to style my hair. All I do is add the True Brazilian Activating Serum to towel-dried hair, then dry it quickly. Then I use the True Brazilian Oscillating Flat Iron and rather than damage the hair, the heat activation bonds the botanical nutrients in the serum to the hair shaft, making my hair healthier, stronger, shinier, and so smooth! I add a touch of True Brazilian Finishing Gloss for high shine and luster and I’m done.  

How long did it take to develop?
The first step came from Mauricio in Brazil. He was using chemical straightening products in his salon on clients. They loved the results of straight, sexy hair with no fuss, but Mauricio knew there must be a way to get that amazing hair without the expensive salon visit and without the toxic chemicals. He developed the first round of True Brazilian. After we met in California, we realized we were a great fit, but in order for the products to fit with my guidelines, they would have to be organic and Certified ToxicFree, so we worked together for another year to create the current formula, and you not only get incredible results, but you can feel great about the fact that there are no chemicals in these products. They make your hair beautiful by restoring its health. My hair is actually finally growing because the ends no longer break off.  

Are you one of us who’ve always been a slave to their hair?
I really was! And when I did it myself, I just wasn’t very good at it. Now it takes me half the time, and it looks twice as good! You know, health is beautiful, and I find that True Brazilian has made my hair so healthy and strong that it has life back. It shines, it bounces, and I’ve haven’t seen that probably since my 20s. And it’s easy now! With True Brazilian, I can get salon results, with no chemicals, right at home.  

For breakfast, I start with an organic green smoothie—kale, spinach, apples, banana, lemon, ginger. Then I might have some full-fat Greek yogurt with organic berries. For lunch, it’s typically a salad from my organic vegetable garden. Lettuces, cucumber, peppers, broccoli, tomatoes—whatever’s fresh and in season, and then I’ll add some crispy fried shallots, goat cheese, and maybe a grilled chicken breast. For dinner, we love roasted organic chicken with the natural pan drippings or a grass-fed steak, or New Zealand organic lamb chops—some amazing organic protein. Then I might add baby potatoes with butter and sour cream (yes, full real fats are a healthy part of my diet!), and a ton of fresh vegetables, like steamed asparagus or sautéed zucchini, or roasted cauliflower with garlic butter.

What are your five all-time favorite beauty products?
1. Shu Uemura Cover Crayon. OMG, it’s absolutely the perfect color for my skin. And I’m an Irish woman with freckles, and it covers everything!
2. Epsom salts. I take a bath every night with Epsom salts. The magnesium really calms you down and detoxes the body to prepare for a good night of sleep.
3. SUZANNE Organics Nourishing Body Lotion in Wild Orange Vanilla. So nurturing to the skin, and the natural scent is like a Creamsicle from my childhood. I love it!
4. Raw, organic coconut oil. I use it for everything! I eat four spoonfuls a day for detoxification, and I use it on dry skin, hair, feet, and nails. It’s true—an all-purpose beauty lifesaver.
5. SUZANNE Organics Ageless Serum. I have an incredible line of organic skin-care and beauty products that have replaced every product I have ever had in my top five. This serum came about when I asked my formulator if she could make me an organic antiaging cream that was as good as a very expensive cream made with sea algae. She completely outdid the benefits of that cream! This antiaging serum is loaded with algae and African birch to dramatically reduce the appearance of wrinkles and to firm and restore elasticity.  I’ve seen remarkable results, and it’s one of my best-selling products. 

Any unlikely beauty or health tips you’ve picked up over the years that you swear by?
Sex! It makes you the most vital, beautiful, healthy, and happy.  

Do you exercise? What type do you prefer?
Does sex count? Yes, I exercise daily—mostly yoga and lots of walking and hiking with my husband.

Visit Suzanne Somers now.

If you’re a big fan of the Stacy Adams collection, then you’ve likely heard this name before. If you haven’t, this is an ankle boot that you need to get to know. Today, we’re featuring the handsomely, gorgeous Stacy Adams Madison ankle boot for men. These Stacy Adams boots are versatile fashion at its best. If you’re looking for a pair of ankle boots that can do it all, the Stacy Adams Madison is a great way to go.

These Stacy Adams black Madison ankle boots are packed with beautiful features, styling and design. Madison ankle boots are becoming a classic in the collection and there’s no doubt that we know why. First, these Stacy Adams boots feature a striking black glossy coat. While the Madison is stylish and alluring, it’s also rugged enough to appeal to a variety of different men. And trust me, women find them appealing too.

These Stacy Adams Madison boots also feature white stitching around the sole, the metal hooks, the eyelets, and fine pinking. Crocodile embossing on the biscuit toe, which will give you the option to dress it up or down. You can never go wrong with black boots men.

Now, how can you work the Stacy Adams Madison around your own personality and style? As I said before, anytime you add a pair of black boots to the wardrobe, you get countless options. These Stacy Adams black Madison ankle boots can go with a variety of different styles. From black slacks to brown slacks and white, any colored pair of slacks or regular blue jeans would look good with these boots. You could even pull these boots off in the summer if needed. The sky is the limit here men.

PROS / The company includes free scratch-resistant, anti-glare, anti-reflective, anti-smudge, UV-protective and easy-to-clean coatings.
CONS / You cannot get traditional trifocal eyeglasses.
VERDICT / SmartBuyGlasses has such a large selection of frames and so many free lens coatings that you can undoubtedly find glasses that are just right.

Frame Selection

During our research, we searched for women’s, men’s and children’s glasses, this company earned top marks for frame selections. The number of options for every style was noticeably high for almost every type. The store’s selection of children’s frames is good but not great, though you are still likely to find glasses your kids will like. In addition to standard frames, you can buy half-rim or rimless ones, and SmartBuyGlasses also carries ski goggles.
This online glasses retailer has a style finder to help you narrow down your options, and you can use its virtual try-on tool – you simply take a photo of your face and fit different frames on it to see which pair is the most flattering.

Frame Styles

SmartBuyGlasses carries frames by popular designers such as Alexander McQueen, Calvin Klein, DKNY, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Kate Spade, Ralph Lauren, Lacoste and Givenchy. There are more than 150 designer brands to choose from – that isn’t as many as Eyeglasses.com, the best online eyeglasses store, but it is more than almost all other retailers we researched. You can find retro and vintage, classic, sporty, wrap, and aviator frames at SmartBuyGlasses.

Lens Options

One of the perks of ordering glasses from this company is it includes scratch-resistant, anti-glare, anti-reflective, anti-smudge and UV protection coatings for free. These coatings protect your glasses and lengthen their life.
More importantly, they protect your eyesight and make your glasses comfortable to wear. UV rays can harm your eyes and possibly contribute to developing cataracts, macular degeneration and corneal damage. UV-protection coatings block many of these harmful rays. You can also choose from a variety of lens tint options.
SmartBuyGlasses doesn’t offer trifocal lenses, though it sells progressive lenses, which seamlessly blend near-, intermediate- and distance-vision prescriptions.

Shipping

You can expect glasses sent by standard shipping to arrive in five to 11 days. If you buy polarized or progressive lenses, it can take an extra week, and prescription tinted lenses take an extra one to three working days. Next-day shipping is also free, but it is only available on items that are in stock, which excludes prescription lenses. SmartBuyGlasses ships internationally, and if you need your new glasses in a hurry, you can expedite the shipping.

Help & Support

SmartBuyGlasses has a good return policy that gives you 100 days to decide if you want to keep your glasses. You can get a full refund if you return the glasses unused and in the original packaging, or you can make an exchange. If you run into difficulties, you can read the FAQs section on the company website or call or email customer service representatives.
The store’s website is intuitive and clearly explains how the ordering process works when you start looking for glasses. As an extra touch to assist Spanish-speaking customers, you can simply click an icon and the entire website switches from English to Spanish.

Summary

SmartBuyGlasses doesn’t carry trifocal lenses but otherwise has a generous selection of products and services to help you find the perfect eyeglasses online. Its variety of lens coatings – scratch-resistant, anti-glare, anti-reflective, anti-smudge and UV protection – helps you protect your investment. This site also has a terrific selection of frame styles and a great return policy.