Manicure in a Pinch

First, let me just say that I am sorry that I have been so slow in updating. I have been working a lot lately and have found myself too tired to think!! 

Second, on with the show:

As I have said before I have a small obsession with pretty nails. I get my nails done every few weeks (acrylics, not shellac...my natural nail is too damned thin!), and I love to indulge in a cute accent nail. It came down the pike that I couldn't get my nails done for longer than I would have liked. The outgrowth wasn't pretty, and the polish was starting to rub off. I myself couldn't paint my nails for shite and I didn't want to pay for a polish change...what's a girl to do?!

Enter Sally Hansen Salon Effect polish! For under $10, I was able to revitalize my nails and be able to get through the next couple weeks without error.  The nicest part was that it worked on my acrylics just as much as it would on natural nails. They give you a double sided emery board and an orange wood stick just to make it all possible.

They come in strips that you stick to nails that have been roughed up with the emery board.  You find the nail that is the right shape for your cuticle, using either side of the strip. You peel the clear backing, remove the tap, place and press. Make sure you wrap the strip over the free edge of your nail, this will make the manicure last longer. Use the fine side of the emery board to remove excess strip and voila! 

I managed 2 weeks out of the above polish strips before I went back to my nail tech. They still looked so good when I sat with her that the first thing she said when she saw them was "Who did you cheat on me with?!" You can imagine her surprise when I told her that I did them myself in the car while my husband was driving.

So, long story short, if you're anything like me when you are trying to paint your own nails...you know, left hand looks amazing, right hand looks like you set a Labrador with a polish brush in it's mouth on your hand...then this is the best stuff for you. I really liked that I didn't have to add a clear coat and the strips stayed shiny and unblemished for two weeks. It was WAY more than I expected.

As always, if you have any ideas, please let me know! I am always up for suggestions. Have a beautiful day, my lovelies!!

Repair Thy Skin

In life, there are few things that can be considered fundamental truths. In my line of work, one thing I can surely depend on is that skin gets older. It starts when we reach twenty, and it's just downhill from there. If we are wise, wiser than I generally give myself credit for, we will take care of the skin we are in. We will wash it with cleanser, not soap, and moisturize with with product that are meant for the skin on our faces.

It's like this: the skin on your body is different than the skin on your face. You face it made of finer, more delicate skin, then say...the skin on your arms and legs. The pores are more easily clogged and it is far easier to cause irreparable damage. If you place sub par products on your skin, just because they are accessible...and *gasp* cheaper, you will not be happy with the end result.

The key is to find out what your problems are, and I don't mean through self-diagnosis. You wouldn't believe the number of people that I speak to that think they have sensitive skin, when they just do not. People need professionals to help figure out the problems. You wouldn't diagnose a sickness on your own, so how can you diagnose a skin problem on your own. There are two ways to get checked out. You can see an aesthetician for a facial and they can give you a pretty decent rundown of what may be up with your skin. If you have more sever issues, a dermatologist is the way to go.

After all you have heard me say, I'm sure you know that I am a believer in "you get what you pay for". Buying skin products at the drug store can be treacherous at best. My newest skin care addiction is Murad. They have a vast variety of products and they all have some amazing things that they do.

Murad is a three part system: 1 - Cleanse/Tone, 2 - Treat/Repair, and 3 - Hydrate/Protect. You can use and layer as many #1 and #2 products as you wish, but you can only use one #2 at a time. They have several different skin care lines, Acne, Anti-Aging Acne, Environmental Shield, Age Reform, Redness Therapy, Vitalic (for skin with less troubles), and Resurgence (for hormonal skin). They also have a line of hybrids and make-up like products and the Murad Man line, with all sorts of man-friendly goodies.

I know I will probably wind up talking about all sorts of different Murad products that I have come to depend on, but for now, I will go with the basic product that I love and adore: cleaner. I used to think that I had sensitive skin, but it turned out to be a gluten allergy. Once I had the redness on my cheeks under control, I was able to try stronger products. this lead me to the Environmental Shield Essential-C Cleanser. Whoa. Just...whoa. I started using this stuff, and I swear that my face started to thank me. My pores reduced in size and I literally got younger looking skin in the first month. All it took was learning to discipline myself to wash my face twice a day. I never questioned washing my face at night. As far as my face goes, I know I wear make up and that clogs pores, on TOP of the fact that free radicals from exhaust fumes and all sorts of other environmental goodies eee fit to attach themselves to my skin. But, I always wondered why you had to wash your face in the morning. It occurred to me, after starting this regimen, that we all sweat when we sleep. Why would I want to start my day with an icky face. Ew. Seriously...ew. It made such a difference when I started using a proper cleanser.

One of my favorite parts about Murad is that you don't need to use much product to go a long way. I've had this cleanser fpr three months and I still have at least a months supply left. The products are kind of pricey, but they use higher quality ingredients, and you're technically buying at least a 3 months supply, so it works out. If you buy this on the Murad website, you can get the full sized cleanser for $35. They also sell kits that have a 1-month supply of several products in one box for a little more than the cost of the full sized cleanser. I can't say enough how much I love their products. I was never a believer in higher priced skin care before I started using this line, but I am most assuredly reformed now!

As per usual, if you have any questions, please ask! I am always available to answer. Also, I am still on the hunt for your home remedies to basic beauty issues, so please clue me in!

Have a wonderful one, my lovelies!!

Curly Girls Need Love Too!

It's a sad fact that curly hair is often unruly, frizzy, and just general unmanageable. However, with a little bit of help, you can have beautiful, soft, smooth, bouncy girls that most women would swoon over...all it takes is a little bit of knowledge!  Lets start with the facts:

• Curly hair is often frizzy, and easily effected by mother nature and her temper tantrums
• Curly hair is drier than straight hair
• Curly hair is temperamental
• With the right information, all of these facts can be fought!

Because curly hair is naturally drier than straight hair, it often makes it harder to handle. To understand why, let me explain the way the different hair shafts look. Prepare for a bit of SCIENCE!!!

The first picture is of straight hair, the last is of curly. Because of the way the hair grows, straight hair has an easier time of distributing sebum (oil) from root to tip. The shape of curly hair, and even wavy hair, makes it harder for it to travel. Think of it this way, it's easier for oil to go in a straight line, rather than down a corkscrew. Due to this, the ends of the hair are drier and more brittle. No nutrients from your scalp make for sad hair :( ! It comes down to the way the individual hair shaft is shaped:

There is no tricking nature. Even with a flat iron, you can't change the shape of your hair, which is why even a little bit of sweat of the back of your neck can cause the hair there to go POOF!

So rather than fight nature, work with it.  There are plenty of ways to get soft, touchable curls. trust me, lovelies, I myself have unruly hair, so with years of playing with it...along with an ample amount of education...I can help.

Rule #1 - Fight the urge to wash your hair everyday (this is true for all hair type, but more so for curly hair). Now I don't mean don't get it wet. By all means, douse those curls. Water and some conditioner will help them spring back to life. When I am consistently wearing my hair curly, I wash my hair 2x a week...tops. I do condition everyday, though. What you need is a thick, rich, moisturizing conditioner. Apply it about an inch away from your scalp (this will keep your scalp from getting too oily between washes and will help the ends of your curls get the moisture and nourishment that they so badly need). You also want to make sure that you are deep conditioning your hair once a week. When you do wash your hair, avoid clear shampoos, as they are harsher and will dry the hair out. Stick with thick, creamy shampoos for better results...sulfate free is even better if you can swing it. Using a few drops of virgin coconut oil, almond oil, jojoba oil and aloe vera once a week can be the exact thing thirsty locks need!

Rule #2 - Heat styling = BAD! Because the hair is already drier, adding heat into the mix can make a difficult problem even worse. When you aren't able to resist the urge to heat style, make sure you are taking every precaution to protect your curls. Use a styling serum. Just a couple of drops can help protect the hair from heat. If you are using a blow dryer, make certain that there is a diffuser on it. the direct air flow can cause some serious damage and can even make the hair frizzy and full of fly aways. When using the diffuser, the key is to place the dryer under your hair, cupping your hair in your free hand and encouraging it upwards...never scrunching. You just want to make the curls form neatly, not force them. If you are headed for a straight look with your trusty flat iron...moisturize. The flat iron, tempting as it may be, is awful for your hair if you don't protect it.

Rule #3 - Products made for curly hair are your best friend! Products that promote curling and contain little to no alcohol are the best thing for delicate hair. the hardest thing to do is to not fuss too much with your hair during the day. The more you play, the more is causes the product to break down and the more likely you are to make your hair frizzy and unruly. If you must adjust your hair, use a pick, not a hair brush. I know it sounds fabulously 80s, but it is the biggest benefit for your hair. And for the record, salt sprays are great for defining curls!

Rule #4 -  Get a hair cut, at least four times a year, more if you color treat your hair. Because of the delicate nature of your hair, keeping those split ends at a minimum is a wonderful thing. I know everyone is heard it before, but it still rings true...trimming your hair promotes growth. (See this article from earlier this week for why.) Making sure you have a stylist that knows a thing or two about curly hair is a major help as well. You never, under any circumstances, want to razor cut your hair. Razor cutting can cause more split ends than it fixes, and while texture is something that straight hair can really need, we curly girls don't really need help in that department!

It's a lot to take in, I know, but once you learn how to be the master of your own 'do, you can be unstoppable!

As usual, if you have any questions, please let me know! I always answer :)

If you didn't read yesterdays post, I am looking for any home solutions that you have for your own beauty routine. I have several in mind to share, but I always love to know what everyone knows!

Have a beautiful day, my lovelies!

Hair Crack?!

OK, so I know what you're thinking...well, maybe not, but I sure know what I thought when I saw this! Someone actually MADE hair crack?! That's a total rip on Beauty Shop (if you haven't seen it, it stars Queen Latifah, Alicia Silverstone, Della Reese, Mena Suvari, Andie MacDowell, Alfre Woodward, and Kevin Bacon...totally amused me). Queen Latifah's character came up with a concoction that she called "Hair Crack", and it was supposed to tame the most unruly hair. A friend of mine brought this product to my attention a week or so ago, so I went on the hunt for information and possibly to buy this glorious product. My friend told me that it tamed her hair and made it totally manageable. How can I resist a product like that?!

ProLocks provides several claims for Crack:
• Lightweight, super moisturizing hair fix
• Smooths split ends
• Protects from UVA/UVB rays and chlorine
• Provides barrier from heat and thermal styling
• Adds shine and slip without making hair greasy
• Keeps hair healthy and polished all day

The more I heard, the more I had to try. First hiccup: ProLocks doesn't sell this product, or anything for that matter, on their website. Sad day. Marching forward! I started looking all over the internet for the best deal, when I stumbled upon bigdaddybeauty.com, where they were selling ProLocks Crack for $12.99, about $2 less than anywhere else that I had seen. (They also sell Earthly Body Marrakesh X...see this article from earlier this week). So a couple days after I order it, it get here, and the box not only had my Crack, but several samples!! Loved it!

I read the directions and tried my Crack the next morning. When you use it, all you have to do is use your regular shampoo and wash your hair as normal. From there you towel dry after your shower and place a small amount of Crack into your hair, working it in from tip to root and comb it through. I did just as it said, not adding any of my tertiary products. After blow drying and flat ironing, I was pleased with the result, though I wasn't jazzed about the film it left on my hair. It did seem to help my hair resist the urge to humitidy-poof, so I was very happy about that.

Day two, I decided I add in my usual styling products into the mix. I was horribly displeased with what happened. To my dismay, my bangs were dried out and crinkling by the end of the day, I even had several pieces break off. Not what I expected at all. Infact, it was so bad, that come the next day, I couldn't stand the idea of my hair feeling filmy and dried out again, that I opted to skip the treatment and go back to my conditioner, which, by the way, cured what ailed my sad, sad, hair.

All said and done, I didn't feel like it gave me the results I was hoping for, especially with all of the internet hype. 4/10 stars for my final review. Good enough for one day, but I won't be doubling up on this again.

All right my lovlies, I need some help! I want to do an article on home solutions that people use for beauty care. I have several tricks and tips that I use regularly that I want to share, but I would love to hear what you have to say too (you'll get credit for your awesome input, of course). Send me an email! I can't wait to see what you all come up with!

Have a beautiful day!