Shiny, GLOSSY Hair!

Just did my hair yesterday! Don’t you just love that fresh feeling?!

In my case, I switched over to glossing my dark brown/black hair a few months ago.  My stylist suggested that I do a gloss without color on the roots?  What? I never heard of gloss without color – thing is I started coloring my hair 2 years ago, and when my roots grew out, I would get my roots done, and a gloss every other time.

My stylist, Hillary, explained that using gloss was a really great way to go because hair comes out super shiny, silky, and causes a lot less damage than color.  Plus, when the gloss grows out, your hair looks like it has natural highlights.

One of the best perks (of many) is that the demarcation line between white and color, for however reason is significantly less noticeable.  When I did color touch up, I would get a pretty jarring line and when it was time to go, it was TIME TO GO!

Anyway, the other perk, is my scalp doesn’t seem to be dyed with color, so in my part and around my hairline, I don’t have a dark line, like a fat margin between my skin and hair. That’s really great because prior, when I had a big night out and I had my color done, I’d have that funky line to deal with, scrubbing with soap and a wash cloth leaving a red mark.

Yay! for gloss!  Oh yes, one other thing is that color for dark hair like mine, is the harshest color process – no wonder my hair was so frizzy!

Shine on!

k

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My New Driver’s License Photo

I don’t know what I was thinking yesterday when I took my driver’s license photo.  I took the time to put on nice makeup, good eyebrows and fixed my hair.  Just as I was walking out I thought, maybe I should put a little powder on my forehead…..

ACK!  I actually look ok with my hair and face, but I have a big shine mark on my forehead! Not because I’m oily, it’s just my regular dewy make up was just too well, dewy.

Anyway, the other thing I forgot was my white sheet of paper.  When I am present and thinking about it, I take a white sheet of paper to bounce light onto my face to get rid of the shadows and light my face.  Without the white paper which is my traveling light kit,  I also look tan, which I am not. People describe me as ghostly pale.

Check out the recent photos and video of Madonna for an example of what light will do  for you.  Just about every step of the way of her video, they are bouncing all kinds of light directly onto her face to blowout any wrinkles–she actually looks “hot” which in advertising, means she has too much light on her face.

I think I got to retake this one someday when I have time. But the DMV lady was really nice-can’t let the secret out though of where I went because everyone would go and it would create lines where there are none.

k

I Love Liquid Foundation–Plus Primer Picks!

When I was a fresh faced young woman, powder foundation was my make up of choice.  Fast, just whip out the compact, apply the product with a sponge and Voila!  I loved Lancome’s Dual Finish, Mac, Bare Minerals, Shiseido’s spf compact, Prescriptives. So easy!

But one day, I noticed when I applied sunscreen as the last layer before foundation, my powder foundation would discolor and look gray as the day went on.  I couldn’t figure it out.

Dundadundun.  And then…..

All of a sudden, with aging, my skin dried up! My face, my body, even my hair!

I was in a panic.  No matter what I did my skin was parched.  I tried a lot of different brands of cream for night as my day moisturizer, and nothing really helped.  This went on for about 3 years, when one day, my skin finally settled down and became normal/dry once more.

Gee-really went off the trail.

My current liquid foundation is Silk Creme by Laura Mercier.  Just a little pea, somedays half a pea of product, smushed between two fingers on each hand and patted on. Easy, fabulous natural dewy coverage, that I swear I have received more compliments on my

Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation - Magical!skin from men and women.

skin from men and women.

Another foundation I loved was Bobbi Brown, Skin Foundation-great coverage, went through 3 bottles, then my beloved product specialist, Jamie, left to do nails.  I admit I kind of left the counter after that.

Probably one of the best products I have started using in the last two years is foundation primer.  I have tried Makeup Forever, Lancome, Laura Mercier, Bobbi Brown Face Base (smells so good!), drugstore brand L’Oreal, Peter Thomas Roth and Armani.  I strongly prefer silicon based products,  and if they have skin treatment even better.

My current primer is Lancome’s silicon primer–pretty simple, nothing extra but I definitely see a difference on days I don’t use it.  When I apply the primer, my foundation is on a little cushion, and stays fresher for the rest of the day.  Somedays I use Laura Mercier’s refresher product, Secret Finish.

Primers that are more liquid based like Laura Mercier’s just doesn’t do it for me.  My skin is very moisturized by the time I am ready for foundation, so that is something I have come to realize is that since I already do a bunch of stuff to my face, I don’t get any benefit of liquid based primers.

However, Bobbi Brown’s Face Base is heaven to smell!  I used 4-5 jars of the lemon-grass smelling cream!  I used it as my moisturizer and foundation base. But I can’t tell a lie, it was really because I LOVE the smell!

I am in search of a tinted moisturizer.  I’ve tried a lot – either too much or too little coverage, and even though I realize they are “buildable” what’s the point? If I want to add more, I’ll just skip to foundation.  Laura Mercier’s tinted radiant moisturizer made me too shiny, even for me, Dew queen.

Anyway…..no powder for me in the foreseeable future.

k

Man Makeover

Men I have loved. Men who have potential. Here’s a few tips on improving your chances for a kiss.

 

Starting from the top, a nice haircut is fine.  Just keep it trimmed. Shaggy and Scooby Doo were an item for a reason.

 

Unibrow-just say no.  Ladies endure waxing –  so let it flow.

 

Sideburns-ewgh.  What are you Elvis?

 

Lambchops-really?

 

Nose hairs-clipped, and clean (you know what I mean!)

 

Nose – Biore nose strips, steam, cleanse, repeat.

 

Fresh breath – you really improve your chances if your breath is fresh.  Extra points if your teeth are white and shiny!

 

Fingernails – clean, clipped, short.  I see men with long fingernails who are musicians, but if you don’t play an instrument, please clip it just looks nasty.

 

Toenails – clean, clipped, short, no crust, no fungus. You really reduce your chances for a kiss.

 

Bathed. Nuff said. A clean man is pure ambrosia.

 

Cologne – spray the air and walk through.

 

Fresh clothes-men in a clean t-shirt that is freshly laundered in Tide or Gain is Heaven!

 

Really, guys, it’s easy, it’s just hygiene.  You can stay at home with a beer and a bag of chips, or you can improve your chances.

 

For a kiss.

GWPs! GWPs! GWPs!

Nothing ignites a little sparkle in my eye and a  skip in my step than a GWP, or gift with purchase.  I just love getting a little something extra when I buy something-something for nothing these days is great!

 

Lately, it seems like our Honolulu stores, Neiman Marcus and Nordstroms time their beauty events very close together.

For example, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom had their events only weeks apart.  Once NM announced the presale for their event, Nordstrom came out and brought out an amazing bag of treats! For a purchase of $125,  I’ll try to remember the highlights, Laura Mercier Baked Eye Color, travel size foundation brush, full size Clarins Body Firm, Coach perfume, somebody’s mascara and I forgot the rest.  I was in the store buying my bf his Clinique Super Defense in quantity, plus some Clarin’s spf 40, so made the $125 easily.

I think I ended up getting the NM bag of treats as well.

Recently, I waited around for two weeks to buy Lancome primer so I could get the gift–cute little pink bag, lip gloss, mascara primer, Visionaire, Genefique and moisturizer – I picked Renergie.  That was at Macy’s.

I really depend on the counter reps to let me know the events are coming up because so far,  all three stores, for the most part, don’t send me the info. Or it comes after the fact.  Though the really on the ball ones get my phone or email and let me know way in advance – yay!!

This past Christmas holiday I was able to SuperSize some gifts with the great GWPs at Nordstroms.  They by far, online, had the very best product offers and incentives to buy.  I  got Kiehl’s and L’Occitane’ gifts and their accompanying GWPs.  Plus they threw in a men’s top bag of treats which I gave to my Dad.

Yay!

k

Salma Hayek-Nuance Lip Gloss Quad

Remember that scene from Sex in the City where it’s Big’s and Carrie’s first real date and she’s wearing the naked dress?  Big says, “Interesting dress.”

Salma Hayek's Nuance Lip Gloss Quad

Interesting packaging.  The product is in a lotus like plastic compact that unfolds like a flower.  The colors I have are in the brown red family.  The lip gloss comes with a little lip brush which fits into the middle.  The consistency of the gloss is very nice and shiny, and opaque, so you don’t have to put a lot on.

I think for people who like to carry their cosmetics around, the packaging takes up a lot of room in a purse.  Especially since the emphasis seems to be to streamline and thin out packaging.

I think maybe the point for the product is to market a line of products for women with olive skin. But still don’t understand the packaging.  The eye shadow quad comes in the same compact.  I guess it appeals to a younger set who thinks its unique and cool.

Revive! With Moisture Renewal Cream By ReVive

The other day it did not matter how much moisturizer I dabbed on around my eyes and mouth, in an hour or so, my skin felt dry again.  Typically walking to and from my car in the Hawaiian sun, I can feel the sun sucking up the moisture in my skin so I keep a little pot of moisturizer in my purse-usually a sample.

That day, I drank a lot of water to hydrate from the inside as well.  But the water didn’t seem to help- I could have been wandering around the desert!

ReVive Moisture Renewal Cream

That evening, I decided to apply ReVive’s Moisture Renewal Cream before going to bed. (I’ve been using the Kiehl’s product to test the effectiveness on brown spots, but sorry my skin was crying/drying out!)  ReVive’s cornerstone product uses glycolic acid to exfoliate the skin and EGF, a Nobel Prize winning discovery by Dr. Brown to retexturize and tone the skin and giving it the “Legendary ReVive Glow”.

The next morning, I gently washed my face with a towel as is suggested.   I did my regular regimen of Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective, Rosa Artica and Clarin’s Spf 40.

My skin felt moist to the touch, and did have a little “glow”.  A friend of mine who is a former model, exclaimed, “What have you done to your skin? It looks amazing! Laser?”

I was pretty surprised because that was toward the end of the day when my makeup had been on for a while.  (I’m too lazy to touch up my make up during the day, so I have a small purse with no cosmetics bag to carry around).

Anyway, with continued use ReVive claims you will see a difference in the texture of the skin.  I just used a sample packet, I have the real deal and accompanying eye renewal cream and Creme Lustre Spf30 for day, but that must be a later post after my Kiehl’s experiment.

But yes, my skin felt “ReVived!”

Masks Aren’t Just for Halloween!

Image via Wikipedia

For the most part, I don’t like to spend a lot of time on my hair.  The easier it is to style the happier I am.  A couple of months ago I found a great new stylist on Yelp Honolulu-she cuts my hair in a way that if I don’t feel like doing any more than sliding some Kitoko oil in it after the shower, it still looks good.   (Though at this point it has decided to be very wavy).

I dropped in at B.O.S.S. beauty supply, located in the Nimitz Business Center near Costco Iwilei, here in Hawaii.  I was looking to pick up another bottle of my Neuma Moisture conditioner. The shampoo is so  concentrated it takes only a dime to lather my really thick long hair.  But for some reason the conditioned is in a smaller container, and finished that before the shampoo is even half empty.

Anyway….

I was talking to Lincoln and was trying to decide on which hair moisture mask to try.  I settled on the Kitoko Hydro-Revive Active Masque since I use the shine oil and LOVE it!  Next morning I washed and towel-dried my hair and applied a couple of tablespoons of the product and wrapped my head in a towel for 5 or so minutes.

Taking it out of the towel it felt very soft and manageable.  I ran some Argan Oil (part of my home product selection) and tousled my hair dry with a blowdryer.  I have to say even on a rainy day my hair was pretty smooth and silky, and did not frizz up.

I understand that after using this product awhile, my hair will continue to improve.  I will keep you posted!

Oooh My Hair Is So Silky!

Image via Wikipedia

Ever wonder why when your hairstylist does your hair it is exceptionally soft and silky?  When you go home and use the exact same salon shampoo and conditioner, and other prescribed products, it doesn’t quite get to that smooth like silk perfection?

I asked an industry insider that very question and the answer was pretty simple.  When stylists condition your hair, they often squirt in silkening products that contact dimethicone.  Dimethicone is a non-water soluble substance belonging to the silicon family. (Source. ehow.com)

Ehow goes on to mention that if used continually, one should use clarifying shampoo every 10-14 days to avoid build up.

I’m going to try my Neuma Moisture Conditioner with a few drops of Kitoko oil and see what happens, will report back later.

Please Don’t Tug On Your Face!

I belong to a gym and looooovvve my dance classes.  In the locker room, we have vanity mirrors to get ready for the day with our selection of creams and potions.

One thing, I have always been fascinated with is watching people do their grooming routine.  As a little girl, I used to watch my Dad shave and apply after shave before going off to work.

I continue this fascination – and no I’m not creepily watching people. I’m in the open and I frequently tell people I just love to watch people put make up on.

The point I want to make in this blog is, please don’t tug on your facial skin when you put on the creams that are supposed to prevent lines and wrinkles!  Take a little product, warm it with your (clean) fingers and pat it on!  Please pat – don’t put it on and drag it across your facial skin!  I learned this from one of my Korean friends, who has gorgeous skin.  She told me her dermatologist in Korean told her to pat products on, maybe use a slight slapping motion to stimulate the skin.

I do this patting on of my moisturizer and it works for foundation also.  Instead of making that yawning kind of face when you are going around your mouth – don’t! Just pat the product on, and you’ll achieve a smooth effect without physically smoothing.

So it follows——-please don’t open your mouth when you apply mascara.  Tilt your head up.  This also helps with getting the mascara deep into your lashes and pulls the lashes up, giving a curling effect.

I don’t know where the mouth thing came from – but I think mothers have passed it down for years, and really there is no reason to stretch your face to widen your eye area.

Lastly, my friend asked me about facial massage.  Only with the most delicate motion, and always lubricated with cream or oil.

My aunt just turned 91—always a believer in moisturizer, and when they developed sunscreen she added it to her regimen.

Moisturizer, sunscreen repeat infinitum.

The case for good skincare- my aunt is 91!