Saturday, January 17, 2009

Sunday, December 28, 2008

HAIR COLOR



Getting your hair color right isn't a science. It's really quite simple: Stick to colors that complement your skin tone, figure out if you're best off with all-over color or highlights and then decide if you're going to pay someone else to do it or do it yourself.Here are 11 tips and tricks your hairdresser knows, from how to avoid the wrong color to exactly how to do it yourself.
1- Pick the right shade of blonde Some women look good in any color (remember
Linda Evangelista?), but most women don't. Some rules of thumb for going blonde, according to Allure's Confessions of a Beauty Editor, which is my favorite beauty book of the moment:Sallow skin with yellow undertones? Deep golds aren't for you. Pink skin? Avoid strawberry shades. Doing it yourself? It's best to go no more than a couple shades lighter than your current shade.
2- The right way to go (or stay) brown Here are more Allure tips for going dark: If you're pale, careful with the super dark tones, you might look ghostly and older. (Eeek). Just as with blonde, it's best to start out just a couple shades from your natural color. In this case, avoid going more than a couple shades darker initially.
3- To color or to highlight, that's the question. We find women with short hair look better with full color rather than highlights. If you have medium-length to long hair, highlights -- especially around the face -- can be very flattering. For the most natural-looking highlights, you can ask your stylist for up to five different shades of color, according to 'Confessions.'
Keep in mind that due to root growth, all-over coloring will need to be touched up every four to eight weeks, while highlights can last up to two or three months.
4- Different types of highlights. There are basically four types of highlights: basic foil highlights, baliage or 'hair painting', chunking or 'piecing' and lowlighting.
5- Doing it yourself? Home-color kits have come a long way in the past few years and are perfect for busy people and those who want cut the cost of professional colorings. (We know of a couple top fashion editors who color their hair themselves!). Some great hair coloring kits include: L'Oreal Natural Match Hair Color
Clairol Nice and Easy
6- Coloring newbie? Start with a semipermanent color. Semipermanent colors wash out after a few washes, whereas permanent colors have to grow out. If you are new to coloring your hair, you might start with a semipermanent hue UNLESS you want to cover gray hair or go two or more shades lighter or darker. For more information on semipermanent vs. permanent colors see this article.
7- How to tell if you'd make a great blonde A basic rule of thumb: People who had blonde hair as children have the right skin tone to be blonde adults. Some home hair coloring tips: rub Vaseline around your hairline as a protective measure before applying color. To remove after coloring, rub a small amount of cream cleanser and wipe off with cotton balls. Always wear gloves and wrap an old dark-colored towel around your shoulders. Rinse your eyes with water if you get color in your eyes. If you forgot the Vaseline and stained your skin, rub the area with a cotton ball soaked in alcohol-based toner.
8- How to hide that gray Gray hair can be resilient to hair dye because of its coarse texture. If your hair is less than 15 percent gray, opt for a semi-permanent color that's a shade lighter than your natural color (or matches your color). The gray will blend right in. If your hair is more gray, colorist Rita Hazan in the November 2004 issue of InStyle magazine, suggests a permanent 'ashy' color, which will help your gray hair appear blonde. Permanent colors are really the only way to completely cover gray hair, according to InStyle's
Getting Gorgeous.
9- Don't like the color? Don't be afraid to go back to the salon and talk to your stylist. There are all sorts of ways to fix color that's just not right. If you did it yourself with a semi-permanent color, look for a shampoo with 'ammonium laurel sulfate' to wash away the color faster, according to Getting Gorgeous.
10- After care. Once you invest money in a hair color, you should protect your investment with the proper after-color care. Refresh your color by using a color-enhancing shampoo and conditioner once a week. These products deposit miniscule amounts of color into hair. Check out this
list of the 8 best hair products for color-treated hair.
11- Root rescue. You can expect your color to last about 6 to eight weeks before your roots show. If your hair is colored, you'll want to get your roots touched up or do them yourself with a kit you can buy at the store like
Clairol Nice and Easy Root Touch Ups. Be sure and test the color first before applying.If you have highlights or lowlights, you can avoid having your whole head colored by asking your stylist to do your hairline, crown and part. A word of warning: Foil highlights require precise application and fixing dark roots is nearly impossible. Ask about easier to maintain highlighting techniques.

Monday, December 15, 2008

THE BEST SKIN MASKS

Get Renewed and Rejuvenated Skin with an At-Home Skin Mask!


Sometimes a facial mask is just what you need to perk up tired skin. We’ve rooted around and found the best of the best masks; perfect for hydration, deep cleansing, pore shrinking and all of your daily skin woes. Read on to find the best mask for your skin type.

OUR PICKS FOR FACIAL MASKS
1. Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Gel Masque
This vibrantly green-colored
Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Gel Masque is simply heaven on sensitive skin. Put it in the fridge for a few minutes, and then apply for a real treat on a hot day or anytime, really! It's great for reducing puffy eyes after too much fun the night before, too. Soothing aloe vera, chamomile, papaya and bilberry extract work with other botanical ingredients to give your skin a moisturizing and calming treatment.

2. June Jacobs Perfect Pumpkin Peeling Enzyme Masque
This
Perfect Pumpkin Peeling Masque smells spicy like pumpkin pie – really! A gentle enzyme peel for home use, this masque gently exfoliates dead cells and leaves you with clear, glowing skin.

3. Bliss Steep Clean
15 minutes is all it takes to clean out clogged pores and help get rid of dead cells and those dreaded dark spots with Bliss Steep Clean. One place we all want "shrinkage" is on large pores, and Bliss Steep Clean fits the bill. Another bright spot is its pleasant aroma!

4. DDF Intensive Hydration Mask
This
DDF Intensive Hydration Mask is a collagen-rich mask with avocado butter, sesame and safflower oils. It truly provides superior hydration and gives skin renewed smoothness and suppleness.

5. Freeze 24-7 Skin Glace Daily Detoxifying Cleanser and Mask
This daily self-foaming cleanser can be used as a daily mask by leaving it on for only 2 minutes. A wonder treatment that removes oil, dissolves makeup and calms redness and irritation, Glace Detoxifying Cleanser is yet another superior product from a company I love, Freeze 24-7.

6. Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask
Old school but still cool, the Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask is a bestseller for good reason. The cool feeling lets you know it’s working to clear up acne, blackheads and dead skin cells. It comes off easily with warm water and a washcloth. Its a dermatologist-developed godsend for your face.

7. Zia Natural Skincare Super Moisturizing Mask
Organic shea butter, honey and cucumber help provide ultra-moisturized skin after using this fabulous
Zia moisturizing mask. You’ll see fine lines plumped up and a glowing, hydrated complexion; and you know the natural ingredients used in Zia’s products are safe for all skin types. I adore this mask.


If you have an issue with time or budget, applying a skin mask at home can help you and your skin feel newly refreshed. Masks are available for all skin types and skin issues, in varying price ranges. Do a little shopping, online or in the stores, and I’m sure you’ll find the perfect mask for you and your beautiful diva face!

Saturday, December 13, 2008

New Year, New Hair

Try a New ‘Do for the New Year with these Suggestions!
With a New Year here, we have a chance to throw out past beauty blunders and plan for a better hair future! A new hairstyle should be on your New Year’s resolution list as a top priority for this year. With all the cute styles out there, you will have plenty of options to choose from.
Chop Your Locks
If you have had the same mundane mane for over a year now, try something fun and new by chopping your locks off. Long hair gets boring after awhile and can drag your facial features down. But short hair is feisty and has sass. As an extra benefit, reducing the length of your hair will cut down on style time in the morning. To give your short style extra bounce, use a volumizing shampoo and conditioner like
Pureology’s Volume Shampoo and Conditioner every time you wash. Take a note from Paris Hilton and create a new beginning with a shorter ‘do!
Give Curl a Whirl
Toss your flat iron aside and bring out the body. Bodylicious hair is perfect for the New Year and a new you! Enhance your natural waves by using a curl enhancing product like
Enjoy’s Texture Spray. Or if you aren’t lucky enough to have natural curl, fake it by using hot rollers or a big barrel curling iron like Hot Tools Ceramic Tools Curling Iron. For hot rollers, wrap hair around rollers and let sit for 30 minutes to cool. Then remove rollers for bouncy curls that will last all day. And if you are using a curling iron, wrap one inch sections around the iron and then release to get big waves a la Jessica Simpson.
Brighten Your Style with Color
If your ‘do is looking a little dull this season, make sure to brighten it up for the New Year. Try enhancing your current color with some bright highlights. You can even add dimension to your color with lowlights. Reese Witherspoon sharpened her look with a few blonde highlights and some darker lowlights; adding dimension and accenting her glowing facial features. And for a completely new look, try something unexpected like becoming a red head or going blonde.
So remember, the New Year gives you a great excuse to try that new ‘do you’ve been eyeing. If you’ve been too afraid to put it into action, now is the time to step out of the box and create an entirely new you!
Article Written By: Kristle Jones; Kristle has over 5 years experience in the beauty industry, ranging from makeup to hair and everything in between. She is the author of 101Bridal Beauty Tips, which you can fin
d

MAKEUP PALETTES

Organize, Simplify and Streamline Your Makeup Bag

Even the most organized girl could use some help in streamlining her makeup bag. If your makeup bag is in need of a little organization, help may come in the form of a makeup palette. Makeup palettes can simplify your makeup bag and can get you streamlined and organized fast. Try one of these marvelous makeup palettes to organize your makeup bag.

1. SUGAR COSMETICS BEST FRIEND MAKEUP PALETTE
The perfect makeup palette would contain everything you need to get ready in one shiny little case. A palette that comes close to being perfect is the
Sugar Cosmetics Best Friend Makeup Palette, which includes 16 eye shadows, 12 lip glosses, blush, bronzer, face highlighter, mirror, and makeup brushes. This makeup palette is perfect for any girl who likes to change her look a lot.

2. E.L.F. CUSTOMIZED COMPACT
For the girl on a budget,
e.l.f. cosmetics brand lets you make a customized palette of 4 colors for only five dollars. You can mix and match face, lip and eye colors in your personalized palette. The palette costs a buck and so do each of the colors. What a beauty bargain!

3. LANCOME MAKEUP COLOR DESIGN ARTIST PALETTE
Makeup palettes don’t have to include every type of makeup. You can purchase a palette of just about anything including lip color, bronzers or even eye colors like
Lancome’s Makeup Color Design Artist eye palette, which comes with eight different colored shadows.

4. STILA SMOKY EYE TALKING PALETTE
If you are a simple girl that needs a makeup palette that practically applies the makeup for you, this is your palette! Not only does this
Stila Smoky Eye Talking Palette include four killer colors to create a smoky eye, but it also talks you through it step by step. With a push of a button on the palette, a Stila makeup artist talks you through applying the makeup and even suggests what kinds of makeup brushes to use!

Makeup palettes will simplify and streamline your makeup bag, making it fast and easy to apply your makeup in the morning. Using something like the Sugar Cosmetics palette will really simplify your bag by containing everything you need to “put your face on” in one easy case. For those that are overwhelmed by makeup, just try out the Stila Smokey Eye Palette that will walk you through applying the makeup step by step.
There really is something for everyone, so trade in your bag full of cosmetics for a simplified makeup palette today and feel instantly organized!

NEW FALL FRAGRANCES


Check Out These Aromatic Fall Perfumes & How to Wear Them!

For me, fragrance is one of the most exciting, fun things about the beauty industry. New perfumes are constantly hitting the market, which leaves each and every person intrigued by scents and gives them constant opportunities to find a new favorite.
With luxurious ingredients ranging from orange blossoms to exotic sandalwood and jasmine, the many fragrant perfume offerings are sure to entice you this season. Check out our review of some of fall's spiciest scents and tips on how to make your fragrance linger on.

SOME "NOTES" ON PERFUME
Perfumes are often described as having “notes” – do you wonder exactly what this means? Every fragrance is made up of many different aromas; these various scents are called "notes." Top notes are the lightest of the notes; they are what you smell immediately when you apply scent, and they last only a few minutes. Middle notes drift up and affect the fragrance about 15 minutes after application. They last up to an hour or sometimes longer. Bottom notes are the heaviest and most lingering ingredients, and usually last for several hours.


HOW TO APPLY PERFUME
Remember, potent places to apply perfume are on the backs of your knees, inside your elbows, and at the back of your neck. It’s also fun to layer scents and create your own custom fragrances. Just take heed of this important advice: Go easy on the perfume application. It is always more flattering to wear too little and have only those very close to you smell your fragrance, as opposed to announcing yourself with your perfume before you ever enter the room. Subtle is sensational, and restraint equals reward when it comes to perfume. With that in mind, I’ve assembled a list of some of my favorite new perfumes for you here:

NEW FALL FRAGRANCES


FALL FRAGRANCE #1: RALPH LAUREN NOTORIOUS
I really love this spiced scent with intriguing notes of deep black currant, decadent chocolate cosmos and sensual patchouli musk.
Ralph Lauren Notorious is a new favorite of mine, and I’ve found that it’s important to use the shower gel and body lotion in addition to the perfume to get the scent to last as long as I want it to.



FALL FRAGRANCE #2: CALVIN KLEIN SECRET OBSESSION
I’m a huge fan of Euphoria, so I was filled with anxious anticipation over Calvin’s newest scent. Further heat was generated by those sultry ads with the gorgeous Eva Mendes, and I was not disappointed by the plum, rose, Egyptian jasmine, cashmere wood, vanilla and sandalwood recipe that make up
Secret Obsession. This is a great cool weather favorite.



FALL FRAGRANCE #3: CRABTREE & EVELYN INDIA HICKS ISLAND NIGHT EAU DE TOILETTE
Wait until you smell the purple and white orchids, night blooming jasmine, orange blossom nectar and green island palms entwined with a woody musk accord that comprise Crabtree & Evelyn India Hicks Island Night Eau de Toilette – it’s something you won’t soon forget! The fragrance is sexy, yet sweet, and it reflects your every mood.





FALL FRAGRANCE #4: TOCCA STELLA
Notes of blood orange, orange (seville/biarade/bitter), freesia, lily, diamond orchid, sandalwood, and transparent musk makes
TOCCA Stella a luscious and memorable scent. I spray this on my sheets before bed – it’s heavenly.

FALL FRAGRANCE #5: AVON BOND GIRL 007
Never mind that I am in love with the new James Bond, Daniel Craig, and can’t wait for the November 14 release of his new film, Quantum Of Solace, but I’m equally as smitten with the new namesake perfume from Avon.
Avon Bond Girl 007 is a sexy blend of exotic orchid and velvety white peach, refreshed with orange blossom and warmed by sensual cashmere woods; just like with Bond, you can’t go wrong here.

FALL FRAGRANCE #6: CHRISTINA AGUILERA INSPIRE
Christina Aguilera’s new fragrance,
Inspire, marries top notes of mango, freesia and citrus with floral heart notes including tuberose, frangipani and rose. Base notes incorporate valencia orange, sandalwood and musk for a delightful scent that you’ll want to wear often.

FALL FRAGRANCE #7: ESTEE LAUDER SENSUOUS
Molten woods and amber with florals, pepper, mandarin orange pulp and honey combine in this new Estée fragrance
that is a wonderful way to reintroduce yourself to the brand if you’ve been a stranger for a while. A nice balance is achieved with the sweetness of the honey and floral notes, paired with the pepper and amber – Estee Lauder Sensuous is a modern fragrance with an air of the past.

Friday, December 12, 2008

CLEAN YOUR MAKE UP BRUSHES


The Importance of Cleaning Your Makeup Brushes

Are your make up brushes harboring bugs? Are those sponges looking suspect? Great make up starts with clean beauty products and tools. We use cosmetics to take care of ourselves, but we also need to take care of our beauty gear. These tips will help your beauty products last longer and keep skin problems to a minimum.


HOW OFTEN SHOULD I CLEAN MY MAKE UP BRUSHES?


The answer to this question is: as often as you use them, according to some fastidious experts. Frequent cleanings prevent bacterial build-up (a potential cause of breakouts), ensure even color application and extend brush life. Unfortunately, very few women can be bothered to clean their make up brushes.
All make up artists are taught that they must clean their make up brushes after every single person they make up. Surprisingly, a lot of them do not conform to these rules; imagine the poor models who have had lipstick applied with the same lipstick brush as thirty other girls before them. Most models are in their late teens, a time when glandular fever is ripe (glandular fever would put a model out of work for at least a few month); it only takes one girl to infect all the others with an illness such as this. So if professional make up artists are guilty of this, we're willing to bet you are too.
Here is some information you may not know regarding women and their make up:

97% women participate in spring cleaning
Only 34% clean their makeup bags
61% almost never clean their makeup brushe

DIRTY MAKE UP BRUSHES CAN CAUSE ACNE

Oil from your face and old make up can get trapped in the bristles of your brushes and cause bacteria to grow, which can cause skin problems. Don't share make up brushes (or make up) with friends; anything that touches your skin, eyes or lips can spread bacteria.

HOW TO CLEAN YOUR MAKE UP BRUSHES
Fill the sink with warm water and mild shampoo.
Clean each brush by shaking bristles back and forth in the soapy water and then rubbing them until they foam. To keep wood handles from warping or glue from loosening, do not totally submerge brushes. Wipe handles with a damp, soapy cloth.
Thoroughly rinse all traces of cleanser from bristles in warm water.

Squeeze water from bristles, and then use a dry towel to squeeze out more water.
Place clean makeup brushes on the edge of a cabinet until they are totally dry before replacing them into holders.
I am afraid it is not just your makeup brushes that you have to clean, but all the tools in your makeup kit. Brow brushes can be cleaned with shampoo like other makeup brushes. However, if lint and brow hair become tangled and trapped at the base of the brush, use a clean toothpick to loosen between the bristles before washing. Eyelash curlers and pencil sharpeners can be cleaned using a swab saturated with rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol. Clean pencil sharpener blades often to prevent bacteria being redistributed onto your lip and eye pencils. Lash curlers can be cleansed, but if the curling inserts have cracks in them, they should be replaced. Replacement inserts are not expensive and can be purchased separately



EDITOR'S PICK: MAC BRUSH CLEANSER

This product is my favorite; it was recommended to me by make up artists. This brush cleanser cleans, disinfects and conditions the brush fibers, which will extend the life of your brushes. It is easy to use, helps shorten drying time and leaves your makeup brushes smelling fresh and clean.