Four seasons? Hardly. In Southern California, we’re lucky if we get two.

In fashion, it’s the opposite. There are now officially seven sartorial seasons. (Good for fashion rags, good — or bad, depending on your wardrobe budget — for consumers.) Besides the traditional four, there’s also resort, pre-spring and pre-fall.

I know. Confusing, especially when one hails from the West Coast where, really, the only weather considerations are “nice” and “not nice.”

But fear not. All it really means is you have more choice and don’t have to resign yourself to wearing that tired, old look displayed in every magazine, on every red carpet. After all, with the frenetic pace of fashion and 24/7 media saturation of what everyone is wearing everywhere, it really is too easy to develop some serious fashion ADD.

A look from Ardistia's spring/summer 2010 collection.

So just take a step back, wind down and enjoy a leisurely evening of style, beauty and drinks at Ardistia‘s private sneak preview sale! Yes, the award-winning, Indonesian American designer Ardistia Dwiasri, whom we featured in our Oct/Nov 2007 issue, will have her spring/summer collection on sale (and summer’s just started!), but she’ll also have her pre-fall collection available for preview.

The perfect yellow in an Ardistia spring dress.

Ardistia is known for her architectural cuts (she got her undergrad and master’s degrees in industrial and and manufacturing engineering before turning to fashion design at Parsons The New School for Design in New York). Famous for her structured coats and jackets, she creates pieces always with an element of innovation or surprise — there’s so much more there than meets the eye.

While you discover the ins and outs of Ardistia’s workmanship, enjoy some pampering with complimentary hand massages courtesy of Juara Skincare as  you peruse their line of rich, natural, lusciously-scented products. Juara was founded by four Asian American women — Metta Murdaya, Tami Chuang, Yoshiko Roth and Jill Sung — with the goal of harnessing the active botanicals of Indonesian herbal recipes (rice, tamarind, turmeric, etc.) and fusing them with Western science to create products that represent the best of both worlds.

Sip some wine, nibble on chocolate, get pampered. Let that sweet, fleeting season that is pre-fall sink in.

The Ardistia and Juara spring/summer sale and pre-fall preview, June 30, 2010.

Ardistia's specialty -- the best coats and jackets.

DETAILS

Wednesday, June 30, 2010
6 pm – 9 pm
Ardistia Showroom
280 Park Avenue South, Suite 9E, New York
RSVP to: ardistia@ardistianewyork.com
Find out more at the Facebook event page.

www.ardistianewyork.com
www.juaraskincare.com

Amla, or Indian gooseberry, is reported to have the highest amount of vitamin C in natural form. And of course, everybody knows that vitamin C is a potent ingredient in fighting free radicals and contributing to younger-, healthier-looking skin.

Anokha Amla Skin Brightening Lotion is on sale today only at AudreyShops.

Dr. Nina S. Naidu harnesses the power of this potent sour fruit in a brightening formula. Amla Skin Brightening Lotion, doesn’t lighten as so many Asian skin brightening creams claim to do, but it “brightens.” Though the product tells you that it will take some time – four to six weeks – for the magic to happen, this editor saw some pretty impressive results after just three applications. Then again, I went a little crazy and slathered several pumps’ worth all over. The lesson? A little of this potent cream goes a long way.

C’mon, admit it. When the thermostat outside turns up, calling for shorts and tanks, we all do the same thing – we dial down the makeup and even our skincare practices. We suddenly become too lazy to get to the third step in our three-step skincare regimen. I mean, it’s just so hot. Who wants to slather on cream after cream on top of sunscreen?

When the temperature rises, switch that cream-heavy anti-aging skincare regimen so perfect for cooler months with a lighter formula.

Laveré's Anti-Aging Hydro Lifting Serum is on sale today only.

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I’ll admit it. I’ve never taken very good care of my eyes. I’ve yanked, pulled and rubbed my eyes with abandon all throughout my 20s and well into my 30s. I’ve stayed up late (I’m a night owl) and never worried about the state of my eyes the next morning. My excuse? I’m Asian! I’ll never have saggy, wrinkly eyes. Sadly, the day I’ve been in denial about has finally arrived. The skin around my eyes is noticeably thinner. Where I once rubbed or pulled with confidence knowing my eyelids would snap right back into place, and never turned down another glass of wine even though the hour was well past midnight, I have to be a little more careful now.

Lavere’s Anti-Aging Hydro Cool Eye Gel Roll-On on sale today only at AudreyShops.com

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Freckles may be cute, but the effects of photoaging (sun damage) aren’t so adorable. But sometimes, life gets in the way, making it difficult to slather on a shot-glass full of sunscreen every time you go out. This editor has been guilty of making a quick run to the grocery store sans sunscreen. And while there is always the dermatologist, let’s face it, we can’t always stand to wait a whole month to get an appointment.

MCK Labs M2 Skin Recovery Moisturizer is on sale for 24 hours only.

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It’s safe to say that over at Audrey Magazine, we get a lot of pretty cool products, sometimes months before they hit the shelves. Over the course of the eight years we’ve been publishing, I’ve seen plenty of beauty products and never have enough shelves in my bathroom to fit them all. Some products get prime shelving, right above or around the sink with constant attention. Marie Louise Cosmetics is one of those brands and the brand’s washing foam is something special.

Marie Louise's Washing Foam on sale today only at AudreyShops.

Just a couple of quick pumps yields a luscious little cloud of cleansing foam. And we’re not talking that wispy stuff you get at fancy restaurant bathrooms — this is luxurious, velvety foam that tells you it’s not only gonna wash all that dirt and makeup clean off, but it’s gonna do it with a little style and a little love. After all those no-nonsense scrubs I’ve been using lately, my skin deserves a little babying. And so does yours. Do your skin a favor and grab a bottle on sale today only at AudreyShops.

I woke up one morning to find a strange vision — during the night, my left eyelid had formed a deep crease giving me that eyelid fold I had so coveted throughout my impressionable years. But now, well into my 30s and happy with my looks, nothing could have been more horrid. I felt disfigured and vowed to rid this “wrinkle” form my lid. I tried every anti-aging/anti-wrinkle cream I could get my hands on, but nothing seemed to work on this crevasse on my eyelid. So I walked around with a curl of hair masking the offending crease.

Enter hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is naturally occurring in the body and helps to plump up skin, temporarily smoothing wrinkles. It’s like adding a breath of air to a slightly deflated balloon. I slathered it on and woke up the next morning to find the fold neatly ironed out. Miracle upon miracles!

And so, when I learned that hyaluronic acid lay at the core of Laveré’s HYDRO Sensation Moisturizing Cream, I couldn’t wait to try. The certified all-natural, vegan moisturizer isn’t the thickest moisturizer, which makes it soak pretty quickly into skin. It just feels like its chock full of skin-tingling goodness. After just one application on a particularly dry area, my skin honestly felt totally hydrated, not to mention the little wrinkles that appeared smoother. In fact, the company says that 85 percent of 30 women in their 30s who tested the HYDRO line noticed a difference. Count me as one of them.

On sale today only at AudreyShops.com!

Marie Louise Cosmetics Cleansing Clear Gel on sale today only!

When you first squeeze out a quarter-size dollop of Marie Louise Cosmetics Cleansing Clear Gel, your first thought is “this jelly-like substance can’t possibly clean my face.” It seems illogical. Gel? Cleaning away oil? But then you massage it on and into your skin, watching the dirt, grime and makeup lift away. It’s then that you realize this stuff actually works. Even better than that, the warmth from your hands emulsifies the gel, which makes it easier for it to seep into your skin and do its magic.

And oh what magic! Somehow, the gel rinses off completely, leaving no oily residue, just thoroughly clean and utterly soft skin. I use the gentle cleanser at night. It’s particularly soothing and relaxing because the nature of the gel requires you to massage your face while you cleanse. It’s like a mini facial that nurtures your skin after a tough day, truly allowing you to put your best face forward tomorrow.

Marie Louise Cosmetics Cleansing Clear Gel is on sale now, for one day only. Buy it today at AudreyShops.com.