Stacy B here! Everyone talks about how much they love fall, the pumpkin flavored everything, the leaves, crisp, cool temperatures, hot chocolate, sweathers and boots...but no one cares to mention the colds and flues that are lurking just around the corner. With all that cool air comes recycled heat in offices, airplanes, schools, banks, grocery stores, and they will get you. Flu shot or not, you are going to get a cold in the next few months no matter how hard you try to avoid it. Hopefully you're healthy and careful and your cold is just a minor 3-day annoyance, not a full blown, week-long attack on your immune system.

Either way, nothing ruins your make up like a stuffy, red, sore nose, watery eyes with bags the size of carry-ons under them. And who wants to put on make up and go out when you feel like your head is going to explode and you have an economy sized box of tissues in your bag?

Luckily, pro-active prevention and precaution can keep you looking your best. My review this week is not exactly a make up item, but it will help you avoid those things that make your make up null and void. I think I've talked about before, I believe that the best way to get your skin to look its best isn't a ton of product to cover it up, but a few select products on skin that's hydrated by drinking lots of water, glowing by eating the right foods, and fresh from a good night's sleep. Granted, we can't always eat and sleep as well as we should and that's where those extra products come in. But, if you take care of yourself from the inside out as best you can, your make up will only enhance your natural beauty. Which I know you all have!!

So, there's my highly qualified medical lesson. (disclaimer...I'm a training specialist for a software company, please take my 'medical' advice with a grain of salt! But not too much salt...it bloats you.) Drink water, eat your veggies, get some sleep and when you feel a cold coming on. Try this product. It's amazing.

I have been using, along with my husband, 3-year-old and 6-month-old, Ocean Premium Saline Nasal Spray. Any time we feel a little stuffiness, or some congestion, we get two squirts up the nose. It's really gross and creeps me out, but I do it because it WORKS. It tastes a little like you swallowed some salt water, but it clears you out.

It's late October and aside from some mild sniffles last week when the weather really turned, we are all cold free. Which is amazing considering between the four of us in the last month, we've been on 4 airplanes, in 3 hotels, in a doctor's office, in a new preschool with 15 other germ-y kids, at day care with 4 new germ-y babies, at an outdoor wedding in 48 degree weather, to 3 kid-birthday parties, in 2 offices that have switched from AC to heat and to one very wild and crazy bachelorette party. Not to mention the contact with people in every day situations like the grocery store, the mall, Dunkin' Donuts, etc.

We should be the walking plague. Seriously. Individually, a new preschool or an airplane ride or a visit to the doctor can introduce you to thousands of new germs and it's inevitable that kids pick up all other kids' germs. But, we have been fine. Really! I'm actually kind of annoyed I haven't had an excuse to call in sick and get some chores done around the house! ;)

This stuff really works, and it's non-medicated so it's safe for all of us. Even my littlest guy. There actually is a kids version, but it's the same thing as the adult version. According to the site, it's for "people suffering from chronic nasal congestion, sinus congestion, dry nose, and irritated nasal passages resulting from allergies, sinusitis, sinus infections, colds, rhinitis, nasal surgery and more". That just about covers everything. What other product out there is natural, safe, non-chemical and works on that many ailments?

What's really great is that the bottle can mist into your nose if held upright, squirts a stream if held horizontally and deliveres perfect sized drops if help upside down. Mist for adults, spray for squirmy kids and drops for unsuspecting babies. Perfect for us! And yes, we clean the nozzle thoroughly after each use so we aren't spreading more germs.

Hopefully you'll see why I think this is relevant to a make up website. It's not exactly glamorous, but not all beauty rituals are meant for public viewing! Keep this in your medicine cabinet as your secret weapon to gracefully and beautifully gliding through cold and flu season without so much as a sniffle. Never miss another holiday party because you look like Rudolph! You'll thank me, especially when you see what fun products I have from your local drugstore for all those festive bashes that are coming up in the next few months! What is your trick to combat the season's sniffles?