Here's a quick tip! Moisturizing within 5 min after you get out of the shower is the absolute best time to moisturize your skin! Your skin will be nice and hydrated, and more of the dead skin sittin on your skin's surface will be gone, so the living layers are much more exposed to the applied moisture. Plus, if you take hot showers, the skins pores open up more, allowing moisture to get all up in that skin! Hehe.
Sooo...sometimes I get too lazy to rub all that lotion in and I just want something quick. So here's a tip that I'd like to share with you, in case you ever have days like me! You could also do it during the day when you want some light moisture, but don't want to leave yourself feeling all coated in lotion.
Get a spritzer bottle. You can get this at Sally, OR what I do is recycle, and I reuse an empty body spray like the kind you get at Bath and Body Works or Victoria's Secret. Here's an idea...has anyone ever given you a body spray that you don't really like the smell of? Get rid of it and use the bottle for this! It's just one step!
1. Take your empty bottle, and fill it halfway with water (I like to use purified water, since it's part of a mix). Then add an amount of your favorite lotion that would be about 1/8-1/4 of the bottle. Shake shake shake! Alter the ratio of lotion to water to change how much of the lotion you want to apply to your skin.
That's it! Always shake it before you use it, because it WILL separate. You could also mix water, unscented lotion (like Cetaphil), and essential oils (the kind you find at the organic store) OR your favorite perfume to create your own custom body spray, minus all the weird ingredients that come with store bought stuff. So anyway, grab it and spray away, and all it takes is a quick rub (sometimes, I don't even do that!), and you're done!
side tip: applying essential oils to your skin will cause the scent to last longer, and it will come out more through the day if you sweat (ie; making you smell pretty when you're sweaty) because it's a very pure form of oil, and it's able to seep into your skin and release throughout the day. always try one type on each palm, and wait a day (or at least 20-30 min) to see how the scent of the oil mixes with your own natural smell.
If you try it...please let me know if you love it! Your feedback keeps me blogging! :))
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Hair care tips!
Obviously, the best way to have seriously healthy hair is to never color, straighten, curl, or dry it. But...seriously? That's like telling Citizen 80's not to get that afro perm..it's just not gonna work that way.
Do you guys ever feel like that shampoo/conditioner that you're using, that you really liked at first, just stopped working? Have you heard the myth that your hair gets used to a shampoo/conditioner? Well..notice I said MYTH, because it's not likely. I mean, come on, your hair is dead. It doesn't have memory. So what's happening?
BUILDUP is happening! With all these shampoos and conditioners that claim to "smooth" or "moisturize", etc, how could it NOT leave stuff on your hair? Of course, your actual strands of hair are really small, so there's really only so much product that your hair can truly absorb. And if there's a lot of product buildup covering the strands, the hair can't absorb anything more. So of course, that's where feeling like your products are no longer working comes into the picture. But relax! There is a cheap solution:
Paul Mitchell Shampoo One. It's cheap. I got a travel size at Ulta for $3, but you can find it really anywhere, I snagged this image from RiteAid.com. This is a purifying shampoo that was recommended to me by my stylist, and I have to say one thing, it smells delicious! Like coconut suntan lotion! YUM! Anyhow, I was instructed to use it once a week and I have to be honest, it really works, the theory is true. I really, really felt like my products worked just like they did when I first started using them! I would definitely recommend that you incorporate this into your regime!
The only downside is for me, personally, is that I eliminated sulfates from my hair care, just because sulfates are really harsh cleansers and I find that the harsher cleansers tend to make my hair more oily. This problem was significantly less severe once I stopped using shampoos with sulfates. This shampoo has sulfates though, and using it once a week isn't enough time between shampoos to give my hair time to re-balance. It may be a good idea for someone like me to use it every two weeks, or once a month, or just on the lengths of one's hair.
I have one more tip! And that is...well hopefully you are rinsing your conditioner LAST thing before you get out of the shower. Assuming you are, rinse your hair with lukewarm water. This will force the pores on your hair to close, sealing in all the moisture from the conditioner you are rinsing.
I've been doing all these things since my last haircut, and I have to say the little things truly make a difference. Please try my tips, and let me know how they work for you!
Do you guys ever feel like that shampoo/conditioner that you're using, that you really liked at first, just stopped working? Have you heard the myth that your hair gets used to a shampoo/conditioner? Well..notice I said MYTH, because it's not likely. I mean, come on, your hair is dead. It doesn't have memory. So what's happening?
BUILDUP is happening! With all these shampoos and conditioners that claim to "smooth" or "moisturize", etc, how could it NOT leave stuff on your hair? Of course, your actual strands of hair are really small, so there's really only so much product that your hair can truly absorb. And if there's a lot of product buildup covering the strands, the hair can't absorb anything more. So of course, that's where feeling like your products are no longer working comes into the picture. But relax! There is a cheap solution:
Paul Mitchell Shampoo One. It's cheap. I got a travel size at Ulta for $3, but you can find it really anywhere, I snagged this image from RiteAid.com. This is a purifying shampoo that was recommended to me by my stylist, and I have to say one thing, it smells delicious! Like coconut suntan lotion! YUM! Anyhow, I was instructed to use it once a week and I have to be honest, it really works, the theory is true. I really, really felt like my products worked just like they did when I first started using them! I would definitely recommend that you incorporate this into your regime!
The only downside is for me, personally, is that I eliminated sulfates from my hair care, just because sulfates are really harsh cleansers and I find that the harsher cleansers tend to make my hair more oily. This problem was significantly less severe once I stopped using shampoos with sulfates. This shampoo has sulfates though, and using it once a week isn't enough time between shampoos to give my hair time to re-balance. It may be a good idea for someone like me to use it every two weeks, or once a month, or just on the lengths of one's hair.
I have one more tip! And that is...well hopefully you are rinsing your conditioner LAST thing before you get out of the shower. Assuming you are, rinse your hair with lukewarm water. This will force the pores on your hair to close, sealing in all the moisture from the conditioner you are rinsing.
I've been doing all these things since my last haircut, and I have to say the little things truly make a difference. Please try my tips, and let me know how they work for you!
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Green tea mask?!
Hello women of my beauty buzz world!
I decided to make an announcement! I'm going to be trying the following mask/toner for a month and posting my experience early September! I'll be using it 3x a week.
Here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e--d_n073pc&playnext=1&videos=Xa8VZCHhlp4
JUST to be clear!! This is not my creation, it belongs to BubzBeauty of YouTube. But I thought it would be useful to review it! Back in my days before I found out Aspartame makes me break out like CRAZY, I used to use an aspirin/honey mask. I loved the way it helped my face feel, but I suspected it was making me break out, since I had this natural aversion to moisturizing products since my face is oily already. I never, ever suspected it would be my Diet Coke habit that was making me break out, and NOT the moisturizers.
So long story short, after quitting Diet Coke, I decided to give this mask a try! Because, it's really natural and easy, and the star ingredient, apple cider vinegar, has NUMEROUS health benefits! I totally buy into the fact that it could help with acne when applied topically because of everything I've read about it!
Anyhow, feel free to join me on this journey, try it along with me, and review it! Or just wait until I review it :)
I decided to make an announcement! I'm going to be trying the following mask/toner for a month and posting my experience early September! I'll be using it 3x a week.
Here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e--d_n073pc&playnext=1&videos=Xa8VZCHhlp4
JUST to be clear!! This is not my creation, it belongs to BubzBeauty of YouTube. But I thought it would be useful to review it! Back in my days before I found out Aspartame makes me break out like CRAZY, I used to use an aspirin/honey mask. I loved the way it helped my face feel, but I suspected it was making me break out, since I had this natural aversion to moisturizing products since my face is oily already. I never, ever suspected it would be my Diet Coke habit that was making me break out, and NOT the moisturizers.
So long story short, after quitting Diet Coke, I decided to give this mask a try! Because, it's really natural and easy, and the star ingredient, apple cider vinegar, has NUMEROUS health benefits! I totally buy into the fact that it could help with acne when applied topically because of everything I've read about it!
Anyhow, feel free to join me on this journey, try it along with me, and review it! Or just wait until I review it :)
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Oh wherrreee is my HAIRBRUSH!
Hi girls! This is crazy huh, two beauty blogs so close together! Anyhow I have a special review today that I'm really excited to share with you because I have high hopes that you guys will find it useful! Before I show you guys the exact product, let's talk paddle brushes! (That kinda gives it away...it IS a paddle brush :)
Paddle brushes are used to create a smooth, sleek style (especially for longer hair, but it works well for short hair too). It's good for curly/wavy or coarse hair, because the "paddle" is so much larger than a regular brush. So when you run it through the hair with your blowdryer, the hair is drying against a FLAT surface, and it has less opportunity to fly all over the place from the force of the air. Some would argue that it's not for layered hair because layers are for VOLUME and the paddle brush would strip it away. Well....if you have a lot of hair, you don't really need to worry about stripping away volume, and sometimes you don't really want a lot of volume around the lengths of your hair. To some of us (me) it's more important in the roots! So I use a root lifting mousse (Big Sexy Hair brand...you can get this anywhere. I got mine at Nordstrom Rack for 10 dollars), and I make sure that when I dry the roots of my hair, I lift UP with the paddle brush.
So about the brush (I|M Tourmaline Ceramic Paddle): See that metal looking base? It's tourmaline ceramic! And it's like many other paddle brushes, lurking below the ceramic surface, the bristles are attached to an flexy convex rubber piece (so if you press the bristles against your head, it WILL give).
This brush worked REALLY well. What else can I say? So I'll let you see for yourself; the pic I took was IMMEDIATELY after finishing drying my hair with NO flat iron applied! It's not perfect, but it's a LOT less frizzy than using any other method to dry it! Plus, I dried it with my head upside down (which created a lot more volume).
Right now it's still on clearance at ULTA (for $9.99 it's $30 on the manufacturer website!)
And if you want to google it..look for IMStudios :)
Paddle brushes are used to create a smooth, sleek style (especially for longer hair, but it works well for short hair too). It's good for curly/wavy or coarse hair, because the "paddle" is so much larger than a regular brush. So when you run it through the hair with your blowdryer, the hair is drying against a FLAT surface, and it has less opportunity to fly all over the place from the force of the air. Some would argue that it's not for layered hair because layers are for VOLUME and the paddle brush would strip it away. Well....if you have a lot of hair, you don't really need to worry about stripping away volume, and sometimes you don't really want a lot of volume around the lengths of your hair. To some of us (me) it's more important in the roots! So I use a root lifting mousse (Big Sexy Hair brand...you can get this anywhere. I got mine at Nordstrom Rack for 10 dollars), and I make sure that when I dry the roots of my hair, I lift UP with the paddle brush.
This brush worked REALLY well. What else can I say? So I'll let you see for yourself; the pic I took was IMMEDIATELY after finishing drying my hair with NO flat iron applied! It's not perfect, but it's a LOT less frizzy than using any other method to dry it! Plus, I dried it with my head upside down (which created a lot more volume).
Right now it's still on clearance at ULTA (for $9.99 it's $30 on the manufacturer website!)
And if you want to google it..look for IMStudios :)
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Tip Tuesday!
Hi girls!!
Today I'm going to share some tips and experiences with you related to two ugly, ugly words; BACNE and ACNE!
Let's proceed alphabetically...shall we?
With acne, I've found that it's good to change ONE thing from your skincare routine ever so often (and by that I mean...every 6 months or so). It's BEST if you can use a combination of Salicylic Acid and Benzoyl Peroxide. My favorite SA based spot treatment is this Neutrogena Rapid Clear 2 in 1 Fight and Fade Gel. I swear, the first night I bought this I used it and the next day the blemishes I had on my face had reduced in severity of appearance AND sensitivity...because you know, sometimes you get those ones that kind HURT! I've only been using it for a couple days, but so far, I REALLY like it.
For Benzoyl Peroxide based treatment, I use Clearasil Ultra Vanashing Acne Treatment Cream. To be honest, this worked REALLY well at first, and over time it kinda stopped working as GREAT, even though it still works! So I decided to combine it with a Salicylic Acid based treatment. Now...I have a couple recommendations when it comes to using Benzoyl Peroxide; high concentrations of this stuff WILL bleach your towels, pillow cases, pretty much anything it comes into contact with after an application. What I do to combat this is I use it ONLY in the morning! At night, I use my fabric - friendly SA gel. I also don't touch the BP cream with my hands, I use a q-tip to apply it on the spot! I think this is a good idea also because as everyone knows....touching your face with your fingers is not the greatest thing...and touching zits is even worse! Oh so on that note...another thing I do is before I wash my face, I wash my HANDS. Just a really good idea to make sure the things that are touching your face are going to be clean :)
One other important part of keeping your face clear is to EXFOLIATE! A good drugstore brand exfoliant is Neutrogena's Oil Free Acne Wash Daily Scrub. You could use this everyday, or designate a couple weekdays where you use it. I really like to alternate exfoliating in the morning with exfoliating at night. This is because most of the bodily functions that pertain to taking care of the skin take place at night.
ON TO BACNE!
Bacne SUCKS! I started getting it when I really started working out regularly. But first let me share my shower routine advice! You'll see why...
1. Shampoo, first thing.
2. Lean your head over and apply conditioner (so the conditioner coated hair does NOT touch your back!) Keep one of those metal free hair elastics in the shower and TIE your hair up! This does two things: keeps pore clogging conditioner OFF your back, and lets the conditioner soak into your hair while you do other showerly things. I think it's best if you put it in a little bun, because it keeps the hair close to your head, and since your head is so warm, keeping it close to that heat source helps open the pores in your hairs to absorb nutrients from the conditioner!
3. Cleanse the body! Every other day (or everyday) I like to use Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash in Pink Grapefruit foaming scrub. This one runs a little more expensive than the other Acne Body Washes from Neutrogena, but it smells better. The other ones (gold in color) are unisex and don't really have a scent at all! Let this stuff set on the affected area
4. Do other showerly stuff...pumice your feet...shave...wash your face...
5. Rinse your head free of conditioner! As mentioned before...lean your head over so it doesn't run all down your back/body.
6. Rinse the rest! You're done!
Another thing, if you work out a lot is to try and use a tank top..and it works well to use moisture wicking shirt/tanktop and/or bra. If it's not moisture wicking, its just holding all that moisture against your skin creating conditions that bacteria (think: acne) love! You can find this stuff at Ross for pretty cheap :) If you feel so bold, look for a tank top that has less material on the top!
Okay..I think that's all I can think of (for now!) If you guys have any questions or anything, post it and I'll be sure to get back to you! Hopefully you all found something that you felt was useful from this blog :)
Today I'm going to share some tips and experiences with you related to two ugly, ugly words; BACNE and ACNE!
Let's proceed alphabetically...shall we?
With acne, I've found that it's good to change ONE thing from your skincare routine ever so often (and by that I mean...every 6 months or so). It's BEST if you can use a combination of Salicylic Acid and Benzoyl Peroxide. My favorite SA based spot treatment is this Neutrogena Rapid Clear 2 in 1 Fight and Fade Gel. I swear, the first night I bought this I used it and the next day the blemishes I had on my face had reduced in severity of appearance AND sensitivity...because you know, sometimes you get those ones that kind HURT! I've only been using it for a couple days, but so far, I REALLY like it.
One other important part of keeping your face clear is to EXFOLIATE! A good drugstore brand exfoliant is Neutrogena's Oil Free Acne Wash Daily Scrub. You could use this everyday, or designate a couple weekdays where you use it. I really like to alternate exfoliating in the morning with exfoliating at night. This is because most of the bodily functions that pertain to taking care of the skin take place at night.
ON TO BACNE!
Bacne SUCKS! I started getting it when I really started working out regularly. But first let me share my shower routine advice! You'll see why...
1. Shampoo, first thing.
2. Lean your head over and apply conditioner (so the conditioner coated hair does NOT touch your back!) Keep one of those metal free hair elastics in the shower and TIE your hair up! This does two things: keeps pore clogging conditioner OFF your back, and lets the conditioner soak into your hair while you do other showerly things. I think it's best if you put it in a little bun, because it keeps the hair close to your head, and since your head is so warm, keeping it close to that heat source helps open the pores in your hairs to absorb nutrients from the conditioner!
4. Do other showerly stuff...pumice your feet...shave...wash your face...
5. Rinse your head free of conditioner! As mentioned before...lean your head over so it doesn't run all down your back/body.
6. Rinse the rest! You're done!
Another thing, if you work out a lot is to try and use a tank top..and it works well to use moisture wicking shirt/tanktop and/or bra. If it's not moisture wicking, its just holding all that moisture against your skin creating conditions that bacteria (think: acne) love! You can find this stuff at Ross for pretty cheap :) If you feel so bold, look for a tank top that has less material on the top!
Okay..I think that's all I can think of (for now!) If you guys have any questions or anything, post it and I'll be sure to get back to you! Hopefully you all found something that you felt was useful from this blog :)
Sunday, April 11, 2010
brutal beauty buzz
So right now I'm just going to add a few little...tips!
I dunno about anyone else, but I get hair in some...unwanted places. So this is where the word "brutal" from the word title! Haha! I get some hair on my upper lip and NO girl wants a 'stache! And even WORSE, when I wax it, I get little whiteheads!! So bye bye hair 'stache, hello zit 'stache!
NO THANKS.
But finally I found a solution! SMOOTH AWAY! See that little guy? The little version of the one for your legs? It's AWESOME for smoothing away upper lip hair! No zits pop up! It gets rid of *most* of the hair.
So what do I mean by most? It doesn't really work well with thick, coarse hairs (like the ones on your leg). So if you want to use it on your legs, it's more of a maintenance thing rather than an "oh crap I forgot to shave the last 5 days!"
That's probably why it works so perfect for upper lip hair. Which is TOTALLY perfect for me, because that's all I really need it for!
BOTTOM LINE: It works well for places where fine hair grows (arms, thighs, face) but it's not perfect. And doesn't really work well at all for leg hair unless you are using it like every other day between shaves.
Blurb # 2...GO!
One of my favorite things to do with my nails is a wet glaze. My favorite thing about this stuff is that it has amazing staying power (and it's cheap). The pros of using a wet glaze is that it's easy, and you can't tell when it chips, and it matches everything. So if you're going on vacation (you probably don't do your nails on vacation...do you?) or if you just don't like to spend that much time on your nails, this stuff is perfect.
The thing that's also really awesome about it is that even though it's clear it has a slight pink hue to it. The slight tint is JUST enough to make the nail plate (the part that is skin colored) look more vibrate. It's not pink enough to make the white tips look pink, so your nails end up having a dewy, sharp white/pink contrast. Lazy girl's paradise!
NINA PRO WET GLAZE: Available at Sally's for ~4 bucks. Sticker on the top reads "Nina Ultra Pro 709 096 WET GLAZE"
SMOOTH AWAY: Available at some super markets and Bed Bath and Beyond. I believe it usually runs 10 bucks.
That's all for now folks!
Upcoming reviews: Origins GinZing; under eye cream to brighten and depuff. Eyelash mascara/growth serum duo. I'm forgetting the name right now.
I dunno about anyone else, but I get hair in some...unwanted places. So this is where the word "brutal" from the word title! Haha! I get some hair on my upper lip and NO girl wants a 'stache! And even WORSE, when I wax it, I get little whiteheads!! So bye bye hair 'stache, hello zit 'stache!
NO THANKS.
So what do I mean by most? It doesn't really work well with thick, coarse hairs (like the ones on your leg). So if you want to use it on your legs, it's more of a maintenance thing rather than an "oh crap I forgot to shave the last 5 days!"
That's probably why it works so perfect for upper lip hair. Which is TOTALLY perfect for me, because that's all I really need it for!
BOTTOM LINE: It works well for places where fine hair grows (arms, thighs, face) but it's not perfect. And doesn't really work well at all for leg hair unless you are using it like every other day between shaves.
Blurb # 2...GO!
The thing that's also really awesome about it is that even though it's clear it has a slight pink hue to it. The slight tint is JUST enough to make the nail plate (the part that is skin colored) look more vibrate. It's not pink enough to make the white tips look pink, so your nails end up having a dewy, sharp white/pink contrast. Lazy girl's paradise!
NINA PRO WET GLAZE: Available at Sally's for ~4 bucks. Sticker on the top reads "Nina Ultra Pro 709 096 WET GLAZE"
SMOOTH AWAY: Available at some super markets and Bed Bath and Beyond. I believe it usually runs 10 bucks.
That's all for now folks!
Upcoming reviews: Origins GinZing; under eye cream to brighten and depuff. Eyelash mascara/growth serum duo. I'm forgetting the name right now.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Thanks for your guys feedback!!
I know it's a little late...but today I'm going to review the Joico Kpak hair treatment.
The Theory:
We all know that when hair becomes damaged it becomes weak. Over time (and temperatures!) the hairs become uneven causing the hair shaft to be thinner in some places than others, thus making it more suceptible to breakage. The damage hair will FEEL rough as well! These are the FACTS about damaged hair.
Soo...hair is made up of proteins, one of the main ones called Keratin. This is where the Joico Kpak comes in! Joico developed a blend of Keratin, silicon, and vitamin E with the idea that the Keratin will "fill in the holes", vitamin E will nourish, and silicon will seal all that stuff in and give an extra smooth feel to it.
The Verdict:
Does it work!? On a scientific level, I can't tell you. I don't own a microscope, nor do I own a hair protein density tester. On a personal level...YES! I could tell after the first time I used it when my hair was drying it had a satiny feel to it. Over time, the product has changed my hair a LOT. It doesn't leave my hair feeling greasy, nor overdryed. If I let my hair airdry, it's much more calm and less frizzy (which SHOULD be a characteristic of uniformly dense hair strands....right?!) and if I straighten, the hair has a nice healthy feel to it. I would HIGHLY recommend this product!
The downside...it's pricey. HOWEVER! The travel size will run you about 20 dollars and last about...3 weeks to a month if you're washing your hair approximately every other day (you shouldn't wash your hair every day anyways :). I spent 40 dollars on a package at a salon that contained a liter of shampoo, a liter of conditioner, and the Deep Reconstruct treatment. That's not too bad considering how long a liter will last you! maybe 4 months or so? Anyway...to put it in perspective, that's like spending 5 dollars a month on hair products. Sacrifice one latte or meal at McDonald's. Not a big deal right?! And...if you don't want the reconstruct, salons will ever so often put the liters on half off, so it would run about 15 dollars for a liter. TIP: if you buy from a salon, always SHAKE the bottle and made sure it's not watery! I've actually encountered that TWICE now!
If there's any interest I'll post about how to get the most from your Kpak :)
I know it's a little late...but today I'm going to review the Joico Kpak hair treatment.
The Theory:
We all know that when hair becomes damaged it becomes weak. Over time (and temperatures!) the hairs become uneven causing the hair shaft to be thinner in some places than others, thus making it more suceptible to breakage. The damage hair will FEEL rough as well! These are the FACTS about damaged hair.
Soo...hair is made up of proteins, one of the main ones called Keratin. This is where the Joico Kpak comes in! Joico developed a blend of Keratin, silicon, and vitamin E with the idea that the Keratin will "fill in the holes", vitamin E will nourish, and silicon will seal all that stuff in and give an extra smooth feel to it.
The Verdict:
Does it work!? On a scientific level, I can't tell you. I don't own a microscope, nor do I own a hair protein density tester. On a personal level...YES! I could tell after the first time I used it when my hair was drying it had a satiny feel to it. Over time, the product has changed my hair a LOT. It doesn't leave my hair feeling greasy, nor overdryed. If I let my hair airdry, it's much more calm and less frizzy (which SHOULD be a characteristic of uniformly dense hair strands....right?!) and if I straighten, the hair has a nice healthy feel to it. I would HIGHLY recommend this product!
The downside...it's pricey. HOWEVER! The travel size will run you about 20 dollars and last about...3 weeks to a month if you're washing your hair approximately every other day (you shouldn't wash your hair every day anyways :). I spent 40 dollars on a package at a salon that contained a liter of shampoo, a liter of conditioner, and the Deep Reconstruct treatment. That's not too bad considering how long a liter will last you! maybe 4 months or so? Anyway...to put it in perspective, that's like spending 5 dollars a month on hair products. Sacrifice one latte or meal at McDonald's. Not a big deal right?! And...if you don't want the reconstruct, salons will ever so often put the liters on half off, so it would run about 15 dollars for a liter. TIP: if you buy from a salon, always SHAKE the bottle and made sure it's not watery! I've actually encountered that TWICE now!
If there's any interest I'll post about how to get the most from your Kpak :)
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