Target

5 Easy Ways to Beat Allergies This Season

April 17, 2013 at 5:10 pm , by Mandy Velez

Itchy, watery eyes, sniffles, sore throat. Sound familiar? Yup, it’s allergy season. I thought I somehow escaped it this time around, but I’ve spent the past week sneezing nonstop. And according to my Facebook feed, I’m not alone: “Allergies are really kicking my butt today,” one friend harped.

It doesn’t help that experts are expecting an especially tough spring for allergies this year, thanks to a slew of bad storms and a longer growing season. But there are plenty of things you can do to avoid annoying symptoms. Here are a few easy tips for staying one step ahead this spring.

Take meds as soon as you wake up.
The pollen count is highest in the morning, and symptoms will only get worse if you don’t keep ahead of them. If you can, avoid going on walks or heading outside in the early hours of the day, and don’t forget to take an antihistamine like Claritin, Zyrtec or Allegra as soon as you wake up.

Don’t stop at antihistamines.
Nasal sprays and neti pots can also help once symptoms get started, says Reed Erickson, M.D., the medical director of MedExpress. Prescription steroid sprays like Flonase can help reduce inflammation. Neti pots, which you fill with warm water and saline, can help flush out pollen and congestion, while soothing your sinuses.

Keep your windows closed.
You may feel tempted to let in all that fresh springtime air after a long winter. But don’t: you’ll just be letting allergens in, says Kevin Ronneberg, M.D., the associate medical director of Target. Another thing you can do, especially if you have itchy eyes, is skip your contacts or wear sunglasses when you have to venture outside, he adds.

Know your triggers.
“The best way to treat allergies is to avoid them,” says Dr. Ronneberg. While it may feel like you’re allergic to everything sometimes, it can help to know about your specific triggers so you can track them. If you don’t know what you’re allergic to, make an appointment with your doctor to get tested. The ACAAI is also hosting free allergy screenings across the country in May.

Get the App.
WebMD and Accuweather just released a new iPhone app that allows you to get daily weather forecasts and check allergen levels for pollen, trees and dust. Just input your location and it will give a three-day forecast, along with tips and tons of useful info. I tried it and loved that I could learn when pollen counts were high in my area.

Photo by zirconicusso, shutterstock.com

---

Win a Giada De Laurentiis for Target Prize Pack!

March 1, 2012 at 8:00 am , by Ladies' Lounge

Do you love chef and Food Network personality Giada De Laurentiis as much as we do? She graces the cover of our April 2012 issue—which officially hits newsstands on March 13th—and in her interview with us she opens up about her adorable 4-year-old daughter, the importance of friends and family, and her passion for cooking. She also shared exclusive recipes from her new cookbook, Weeknights with Giada: Quick and Simple Recipes to Revamp Dinner, which comes out on March 27th. We loved her cookbook so much that we decided to we decided to give away a copy and throw in over $300 worth of products from her Target kitchen line, including a 10-piece cookware set! Click through the slide show below to see all of the products we’re including in the prize pack, and enter to win by leaving a comment below. Good luck!

Official Rules

 

---

Fashion Giveaway: Win a Free Bra!

January 10, 2011 at 9:00 am , by Ladies' Lounge

Like a proud mama, I absolutely love it when one of my favorite little trends makes it to the big time. And right now my fave fashion color – navy blue – is doing just that. Sure, we’ve all been wearing cashmere sweaters and wool jackets in this rich color for years. But by now I’m sure you’ve noticed navy popping up everywhere – even Hollywood’s A list stars are wearing it on the red carpet. Lame pun alert…we’re all in the navy now!

And thanks to three generous companies, even your bra can be trendy too. Our friends at Victoria’s Secret, Target and Fantasie have all agreed to give away 10 gorgeous, supportive, comfortable navy blue bras each (Fantasie is even throwing in the matching briefs!).

Enter to win by posting a brief comment below telling which bra you’d like. Comments much be posted by 11:59 p.m. ET on February 28. We will randomly select 30 winners. Read the full rules here. Please note the bras are only available in the following sizes: Victoria’s Secret’s Incredible Demi Bra comes in 32B to 40DD, Target’s Self Expressions I-Fit Lace Demi bra comes in 34A to 38D, and Fantasie’s Marie Bra comes in 30D to 38H. Good luck! — Sue Erneta, Fashion Editor

---

Do Good: Baby Goods That Give Back

July 8, 2010 at 2:34 pm , by Beth Roehrig

If you’ve got a baby shower coming up, or little ones of your own at home, snap up some adorable onesies and diaper bags from Target’s new Baby Buggy line. Ten percent of each purchase—up to $500,000!—goes back to Baby Buggy, a charity founded by Jessica Seinfeld (yep, Jerry’s wife) that donates baby clothing and gear to needy families. Different guest designers will create products for the line, selling exclusively at Target over the next year. The first designers up are Maira Kalman, an illustrator whose drawings grace onesies and bibs, like these at left, and Petunia Pickle Bottom, a company known for its chic diaper bags. The prices range from just $4 for a two-pack of bibs or caps up to $50 for a bag. See more of the collection here.

---

Food of the Week: Ben & Jerry’s Exclusive Target Treats

July 6, 2010 at 5:46 pm , by Khalil Hymore

Target is famous for their collaborations: Liberty of London, Alexander McQueen, and Zac Posen—even celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis has a line of cookware and food products. But Target’s newest co-conspirators aren’t fashion designers or even chefs, they’re ice cream makers!

Ben and Jerry’s have partnered with Target to create two new do-good flavors (just in time for this summer heat-wave we’re experiencing in Northeast) to encourage volunteerism and celebrate both companies commitment to service. You can even log on to Volunteer Match to “Scoop it Forward” and find volunteer opportunities in you community. Register for an activity and Target will give you a coupon for a free pint of ice cream. Berry Voluntary and Brownie Chew Gooder and are on sale now, exclusively at Target stores nationwide.

---

Beauty Coach: Red Lips

September 17, 2009 at 11:37 am , by Erica Metzger

My absolute favorite trend for fall is red lips. I’ve never been a lipstick kind of girl (eye makeup is more my thing), but after editing through dozens of gorgeous red shades for our September makeup story, I had to give it a try. Now, I’m completely hooked and wear red almost every day. If only figuring out my fall wardrobe was this easy!

Here are my favorite tips for wearing red lipstick without red lipstick wearing you.

1. Find a great shade. A hue with blue undertones works well on everyone (a great example is Revlon Cherries in the Snow). My personal favorite shade is M.A.C. Lustre Lipstick in Lady Bug. It’s a classic red with a pretty sheen.

2. Start and end with lip balm. I don’t think I could pull off red without moisturizing my lips first. I always prep with a little balm (I love Nivea’s Kiss of Moisure. I have one in my purse and one on my nightstand) and then apply lipstick. It glides right on. If I want a bolder, more saturated red lip, I will wipe off the balm. Then, after I apply my lipstick, I layer a final swipe of balm over my lips to soften the color.

3. Use a lip brush. I learned this tip from makeup artist Sonia Kashuk a few years ago on a shoot. She told me that a lip brush is such an underrated tool. It helps work the color onto your lips and gives you the most control. Any brand will do (Sonia has an affordable line of makeup brushes at Target). I suggest a retractable lip brush so you don’t mess up your bag.

4. Add color to your cheeks. If you have a fair complexion, you’ll probably need  a little extra blush or bronzer to balance your bold lips. I love this trick from DuWop creative director Cristina Bartolucci: Dab a teeny bit of your red lipstick onto the apples of your cheeks and blend.

Tell me about your favorite shade of red lipstick. If you’re looking for more fresh looks check out our fall makeup story.

---

Pretty vs. Tough: A No-Compromise Hand Soap

September 10, 2009 at 3:22 pm , by Mandy Hendrix

I tend to be obsessively clean and find myself washing my hands after nearly every task throughout the day. (Although my office desk does not appear this way, so please don’t judge!) Of course, I love a sweetly scented hand soap and indulge in anything that veers on the feminine side: a frothy cream base, heady floral fragrance and intricate bottle. At home, I would indulge in this seemingly simple treat, but can’t completely partake because I live with my boyfriend. He doesn’t allow the girly stuff. No, he thinks a hand soap is more akin to dish soap: It should strip hands of oil and wash everything clean.

So when I recently snuck in a bottle of this gorgeous Motif soap, I was worried that it would be booted out of the bathroom because of its chic, graphic label and sophisticated scent. Surprisingly, he told me that he liked it. He was drawn to the cypress; I loved the subtle pear note. I think it’s kind of like the Goldilocks of hand soap: not too girly, not too manly, but just right. Another thing we can both agree on? The $4 price tag. Find more scents from Motif at Target.

And now it’s my turn to snoop in your bathroom. Are there certain beauty goodies that you’ve had to compromise to make a shared bathroom a more peaceful place? Or is there something that you just won’t give up?

---