MAC for Rodarte - A Collection Without a Conscience

There have been numerous blogs that have written about this topic beautifully, that I don't feel the need to copy or regurgitate their work. 

I was checking my email yesterday, and it included an update on beauty site I frequent, Mizzworthy's Stuff.  Her title about this topic, "MAC for Rodarte - Words Fail Me" - intrigued me to read more.  MAC has a collection on the way, with products that are offensive, distasteful, and have already caused a huge controversy in the beauty world.  Please follow the link to her website to inform yourself about this collection and to learn more about Juarez, the city that is being made a mockery of with these products.

BioSil

So lately I've been pining over long hair.  Literally anyone that has long, beautiful, healthy hair makes me stop in my tracks and say "ooh".  I was not blessed in the hair department -- my hair is baby fine ( I do have a lot of it, thankfully), and the ends split if anyone looks at them wrong, nonetheless when bleach or heat is added to the mix.

I've been trying to grow my hair out unsuccessfully for a couple of years now.  I get super close and then I decide to cut it all off, only to start the process all over again.  I'm dedicated to growing my mop out this time, though! Even if I only have two little strands that are hanging down over my shoulders and the ends are split in about 8 places, I'm still going to do it!

I read an article online about a model's beauty secrets. I can't remember who she was or where I read it, but she mentioned that she takes a product for her hair called BioSil.   This product comes in a liquid or a tablet form and it's clinically proven to help generate collagen in your body, making it beneficial for your hair, skin, nails, and your joints. I haven't found a ton of clinical information against the product, so that's was a good selling point for me.  It claims to make your hair thicker, to decrease your fine lines/wrinkles and to keep your joints functioning properly.  Those are some pretty hefty claims, so of course I had to try it.  Thick, beautiful hair that I can pull back to show off my wrinkle free face?! Sold! (I don't have any concerns with my joints, so I'll just focus on the shallow aspects of the product for the moment).

I've been taking this for about a month now, and I'm about half way done with the bottle. I opted for the liquid form of this product, just to switch it up from all the other vitamins I take in the morning.  You take a certain amount of drops per day, depending on what your goal is with the product and you mix it with juice. 

I will be honest, this stuff tastes horrible!! You really need juice to mask the flavor.  I thought I'd mix it with water one day, just to see what it tasted like, and wow, was that a mistake -- my mouth literally tasted like the smell of a petting zoo -- no joke.  Lesson learned.

It's supposed to take at least 3 months to see results, but my hair does feel a bit thicker when I pull it back into a ponytail, but it could just be my mind convincing itself that the product is a miracle.  I will give you an update in a few months and let you know if I'm Rapunzel yet. 

Oooh Baby I Like it Raaaaaaaaw

Hey y'all, it's been way too long since I've updated my blog!  I lost my camera charger and it took me about a month to just say screw it and buy a new camera all together...and then I've just been slacking!  But enough with the excuses -- I have a new obsession and her name is Kombucha. 

Kombucha is a type of fermented tea.  It apparently detoxes your liver, supresses your appetite, helps with your skin, increases your metabolism, is anti-aging, helps with digestion, basically puts your body back in balance and has even been used to treat cancer! I tried green tea mixed with kombucha back in the winter and it was okay, but after many recommendations to try this kind, (a raw, organic brand, called GT) I'm totally hooked. Because the tea is fermented, it has a very small amount of alcohol in it, and sort of tastes like a wine cooler.  It's carbonated, healthy goodness.  I have definitely noticed an increase in energy and a decrease in my appetite.  And, because it's good for me, I'm all over it -- it's not often you find a healthy addiction!

This brand has two kinds of kombucha -- one, the Synergy kind, is 95% of the good stuff and 5% fruit juice, as shown in Gingerberry here --

And they also have their regular organic kind, which has no added juice to my knowledge...I've had both of them and I can feel a little bit more of a kick to the regular, non-juice kind, but I love them equally!  They're both super tasty and make me feel great.  My body is super sensitive to caffiene -- so anything that gives me energy and doesn't make me feel sick afterwards is amazing. 

Another thing that's fun about this drink is that you can actually see little strands or blobs of the "culture"  in your drink -- this is common only in the raw stuff, and apparently this is where all of the "good for you" stuff hangs out.

I've had so much fun grossing people out by showing the bottle to them and seeing the horrified looks and exclamations that occur -- "UMMM what is that?? Did someone spit in your drink?!"  That comedy is worth the price of the tea alone!

So now that you've met my new addiction, I suggest you go out and try some for yourself.  And don't blame me when you're pacing around, waiting for Whole Foods to open, waiting to get your fix! ;) 

Before and After -- Melody

My good friend Melody, recently tied the knot with her sweetie in January.  I did double duty at her ceremony, as a bridesmaid and as her makeup artist.  It was so fun to do her makeup; she's naturally gorgeous, and she rarely wears makeup, other than eyeliner.  I was excited to glam her up and make her feel like a princess on her big day.  Her photographer, Amy Jeanchaiyaphum, took amazing pictures of Melody throughout the day and was kind enough to let me use her images on my blog. 

Here's a quick picture of the bride without makeup (there weren't any pictures of her before on her actual wedding day, so this one will have to do!)

And after

Credit: A. Jeanchaiyaphum 2010 www.eyelovephoto.com

Look of the Day

When it comes to makeup, I'm always learning new things.  One of the things that has helped me to get better, is taking pictures of my "looks".  I like to see my technique and to focus on any mistakes I've made.  It helps me to be more aware of  mistakes I can avoid in the future.  Here's a look I did yesterday:

Not that most people's makeup will be absolutely perfect on a daily basis, but I tend to make the same mistakes (like not blending my eyeshadow out evenly, and getting my false lash crooked, as you'll see above).  This might sound super nit-picky to some, and most of you might have not even noticed those inconsistencies, but it has really helped me over the years to really analyze what I've done and look for improvements.  So if you're looking to improve your skills, taking a picture is an easy way to see if there's anything you might need to work on!

Brows -- Rachel Weisz

So, it's been forever and a day since I've posted anything, sorry about that! I've definitely been inspired by things, I guess I just haven't had the follow through to share them with you. I hope to kick my laziness in the behind and keep up with my blogs from here on out!

Anyway, this has been another celebrity brow change that has been in my mind for YEARS.  Anyone remember the movie The Mummy?  I loved this movie back in the day and I remember thinking Rachel Weisz was so beautiful!  Flash forward a couple of years -- I remember seeing her, thinking, "hmm, she looks familiar....", and when someone informed me that indeed, that was Miss Evelyn from The Mummy - I realized she looked a bit off to me, and what do you know, it was her brows!  In The Mummy, her brows are super thin, much like a Jean Harlow/Marlena Dietrich look; and now she sports full, thick brows, making for a completely different appearance. 

The Mummy was recently on TV, reminding me of my long standing obsession with this woman's brows. 

As I was looking up pictures of her, I saw a lot of pictures of her with quite a few different shapes.  It's like Goldilocks and The Three Bears -- here we have too thin, too thick and just right!  See for yourself!

Lash Control

Ah, mascara, how I love thee.  Just when I thought I'd tried everything under the mascara sun; out comes Lash Control.  The concept behind this product, is that you actually squeeze a flexible "wiper" in the middle of the tube, while you're taking the mascara wand out, and it takes off all of the excess product!  So now you don't have to scrape the mascara wand against the side of the tube, or use a kleenex to take off the clumpy, unwanted overflow anymore.  Not only is this much cleaner, it's going to save you time AND you won't be as wasteful with your mascara - genius!  Even the Lash Control website says, "think about it for a second - this makes sense."  And truly, it does.  I can't wait to try it!

Images courtesy of:  lashcontrol.com

What's That White Powder On Your Face??

This has been all over the internet, so I'm sure this isn't totally new to anyone, but I had to share.  This is why you should always do a final check before you leave the house - especially if you just happen to be leaving  for your big movie premiere in New York!  Looks like someone's makeup artist forgot to brush off the excess loose powder on Nicole Kidman's face. Such a shame, Nicole's skin always looks flawless!  Next time darling, next time....

The Dark Side

Winter has most definitely arrived full force here in Minnesota, and this year I decided to switch it up a little bit and take my blonde hair back to its roots.  My hair is now a light brown with some highlights, and I love it!  It's so nice to do something different, and my hairstylist did such a great job getting the right shade that it  warms my skin up nicely. My pale self can use all the help I can get in that area! ;)

A few people have been asking me if I've felt the need to do my makeup differently with the darker hair color.  I almost feel as though I can get away with wearing less makeup, because of the added contrast between my skin and my hair color, but one thing that I especially love about having darker hair is how much it makes my eyes stand out. I've been having fun playing that up, and a good tip for making them really pop, is to think back to your art classes - whichever color is opposite on the color wheel will enhance them the most.  My eyes are a blue/green/gray mix, so I like to stick to oranges or even venture into the red/purple areas for something fun.  I did a purple smokey eye in the above picture and I think it turned out rather nicely!  :) 

Image courtesy of realcolorwheel.com

Hands Off!

One of my biggest pet peeves as an esthetician, is when someone comes up to me, rubbing their face, and says, "look at this pimple I have."  If you know me, you know the first thing I say, (normally I cut that person off before they finish), is, "well, first off, you need to stop touching it", which inevitably is followed up by, "I know, I know." But do you know why you shouldn't touch your face in general, especially when you have a breakout?  I want you to think of all of the bacteria, lotion, grease from food, or hair products that accumulate on your hands throughout the day.  Now imagine you're resting those same hands on your chin, rubbing your temples, or touching your forehead; that bacteria and grease is now transfered from your hands, to your face. See where I'm going with this?

Another fact I learned today, via Neal Schultz, M.D., is that repetitive touching of your face can cause a slight thickening of your skin, (i.e., anti-exfoliation), which can promote pore clogging and then lead to breakouts.   And, this theory applies to anything that touches your face; even your hair brushing across your face repetitively can cause a breakout to occur! *note to self: always have extra hair binders on you*

I suggest keeping your hands as clean as possible and being aware of how often you touch your face throughout the day, as a start to breaking this bad habit.  It's such an easy way to prevent breakouts; all it just takes a little attention and some hand soap!

Image via Rex Features

Get Rid of Those Chapped Lips

I'm addicted to lip balm.  I have about 5 tubes laying around my house and one in my purse at all times, yet I know a lot of people, especially men, who pass on lip balm, because they don't like the way it feels.  The problem with this, is that they will lick their lips to "moisturize" instead.  Saliva is meant to aid in the process of food digestion, by starting to dissolve food particles.  So saliva is actually going to exfoliate, crack and irritate your lips, instead of moisturizing.  Being that we're entering into the coldest season, I thought I'd give some recommendations to help break this bad habit for non-users once and for all!

Everyone's tried Carmex...I was a Carmex girl for many years, and although it was my fave in the past, I can't help but feel like I'm putting candle wax on my lips.  It's a little too thick for my taste these days, but I still have some floating around that I'll use infrequently.

                                                     

Z Bigatti 'Lips at Large' - this stuff is amazing, once I tried this, my lips were never the same.  It's spendy at $55, but I was able to use it very sparingly, so it was worth the price.  It's ultra silky, and melts into your lips.  My only complaint is that there's no sun protection offered, so this is strictly a night product for me.

Another product that's equally as great is Creme de la Mer's lip balm.  Both this and the 'Lips at Large' have a cool mint sensation hidden in that wonderfully silky texture. The  Creme de La Mer is a also a little bit less expensive at $45.  And again, no sun protection is offered.

This Nivea lip balm, 'A Kiss of Moisture', came free with a moisturizer purchase at Costco (go figure), and it's actually pretty awesome.  This is an inexpensive product that comes very close to having that same silky texture as the Z Bigatti and the La Mer balms. My only complaints are that this product doesn't have that menthol tingle to it, (I like that active feeling), and it doesn't last long.  I feel like the product evaporates rather quickly, but at this drugstore price point, you can afford to keep piling it on. My 'gift with purchase' I received doesn't have sun protection, but they do offer this balm with SPF as well, which I would highly recommend.

And finally, my favorite lip balm at the moment is Epicuren's.  This is by far the best inexpensive lip balm I've ever tried.  This provides that creamy, non-waxy texture,  it has tea tree oil for a little active sensation and healing, and it also boasts an SPF 15.  I have no complaints about this product, and at $5 a tube, it's the clear winner in my books right now!

So please do your lips a favor and buy a lip balm this winter, and hopefully it will become a year round habit for you.  Remember, no one wants to kiss dry lips! ;)

Clarisonic Vs. Neutrogena Wave

After my post last night, I had a client contact me and ask me how the Clarisonic compares to the Neutrogena Wave.  I haven't personally tried the Wave, but I knew it was a similar concept.  I went to work today and had another person ask me the difference.  Being that there is such a big difference in the price points ($195 for the Clarisonic vs. $15 for the Neutrogena Wave), everyone wants the best bang for their buck, naturally.  I thought I'd research it and give some conclusive answers to all those inquiring minds!

On the Neutrogena website, it says that the Wave is a battery operated "vibrating cleanser" that is supposed to deep clean your skin.  It comes with "deep clean foaming pads", that you attach to the attachment head, run it under water, and then use it to cleanse your skin.  There are two speed settings, and it's water resistant.

That doesn't sound terrible, but let's break it down.  First off, battery operated compared to rechargable.  I don't know about you, but I HATE when something needs its batteries changed.  I don't even use batteries for anything anymore, so I don't ever have them laying around.  Add up the cost of batteries over time and that can get pricey, not to mention annoying.  The Clarisonic is rechargable, so all you have to do is set it on the cradle and it's always ready to go.

Next up is the issue of the deep clean foaming pads.  Personally, I'm NOT ok with the fact that I wouldn't be able to use my own cleanser.  I love my Epicuren, so that is a huge turn off about the Neutrogena to me.  It is a great way to get people to use their products, but the fact that you can't customize this product for your skin type isn't great. (And no, having an option between "Deep Clean Foaming Cleanser" or "Shine Free Blemish Free" pads doesn't consitute as being suitable for all skin types).  I read some reviews on the Wave, and there were a few consumers that said it made their skin "red and irritated". The Clarisonic has an option of three different brush heads for the face: Delicate, Sensitive, and Normal.  The Sensitive brush head is what comes standard when you order the unit, and that is what I use on the majority of my clients.  The Decliate brush head is for sensitive or rosacea skin types, and the Normal has a stiffer bristle, so although it says it can be used on combination/normal skin types, I still prefer the Sensitive brush head.  Still, it's nice to have options and to be able to customize the product to your needs!

The Neutrogena has two speed settings, and on their website it recommends the low speed for everyday use, and the higher speed for a deeper, weekly cleansing.  The Clarisonic model that I carry has four speed settings, which again, is more customizable.  The Clarisonic also has a timer on it.  You can set the timer many different ways.  The standard timer setting is for one minute - 20 seconds on the forehead, 20 for the nose/chin, and 10 for each cheek. I personally like having a timer, so I'm making sure I'm washing every area thoroughly, and the beeping noise makes it seem like a game!  As far as I know, the Wave does not have a timer.

I've also checked out some other websites that offer customer reviews, and it seems as though most people tried the Neutrogena Wave first, liked it, but were then blown away by the Clarisonic, to the point where it didn't compare.  The Wave just claims to deep clean, where as the Clarisonic has real life studies that offer proof to their results. It also seems as though the Neutrogena unit just vibrates, where as the Clarisonic uses a sonic frequency of more than 300 movements per second. The thing moves so fast it doesn't even look like it's moving if that makes sense (you have to see it to believe it).


So overall, yes, the Neutrogena is cheaper initially, but I would rather use something that will work with my skin type and actually gives substantial results.  In my opinion, you get what you pay for a lot of the time and this is another example of where the bigger inital investment pays off in the long run.

Clarisonic Bushes Are AMAZING!!!

It's that time again where I'm here to tell you about my love for another product! I'm talking about the Clarisonic cleansing system; I'm carrying them now at the salon I work at, and I couldn't be more impressed with them.  Clarisonic brushes were developed by the same inventor as the Sonicare toothbrush, so it's taking similar technology, but applying it to your face.  You use the brush with your cleanser, twice daily and it's more than twice as effective as manual cleansing.  In addition to cleaner skin, you'll have improved skin tone, smaller appearing pores, a reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and most importantly, you'll have an improved absorption of serums and moisturizers.  Who doesn't want more effective products?

Here are some examples: (I know these pictures are on the small side -- if you want to see the bigger versions, go to http://clarisonic.com/us/ )

Before and after:  In this study, an esthetician used the Clarisonic on one side of the forehead to cleanse, and then cleansed the other side manually.  These are the results (R).

Another before and after: This was taken after using the Clarisonic brush for 6 weeks.  Notice how much more healthy and clear the skin appears overall.

This before and after offers a great visual of the improvement in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Pore size is an issue that a lot of people struggle with, so here's an example that there is hope in reducing the appearance of large pores! Also notice the reduction in redness -- fabulous!

And last but most definitely not least, the before and after on rosacea.  It's so tricky to treat sensitive skin types, as they need exfoliation like everyone else, but they can not use anything abrasive, otherwise it will just trigger more redness and more sensitivity.  These results are amazing!

 Have you ever used the Sonicare toothbrush?  If you have, you know you would never go back to using a regular toothbrush again; much like the Clarisonic vs. a washcloth.  The units are waterproof, rechargable and they last about 5 years.  It almost makes it more fun to wash your face. I'm all about getting my makeup off at the end of the day, but for others who think it's a pain; this might just motivate you to be more diligent about cleansing.

It's $195 for the unit, and then you buy replacement brush heads every 3-4 months.  There are different brush heads for different skin types, and they even offer a body brush that is amazing for exfoliation, and getting rid of those bumps and patches of dry skin on your body

It's the best feeling as an esthetician to be able to help people with their skincare issues and to ultimately make them feel better about themselves, so I'm really excited to offer these to the public.  If you're interested in trying one of these brushes out, and if you're in the Twin Cities area, contact me so you can see for yourself how amazing they are! (Email me at eaudebeauty@gmail.com)

[Images via clarisonic.com]

Cheap Alternative For a Makeup Primer

Don't worry, I'm not going to write about the wonders of chafing cream! I had gotten sucked in to youtube some random night awhile back, and I came across a makeup tutorial where this person said they used Monistat Chafing Powder Gel as a makeup primer.  They claimed it was as good as the Smashbox Photo Finish primer.  That's a lofty assertation, but I researched it further, and they indeed have very similar ingredients, for a fraction of the cost.  The Smashbox Photo finish runs for $36-42 for 1 oz., and the Monistat Chafing Gel runs for about $7 for 1.5 oz.  Photo Finish has been at the top of every magazine and every major beauty journal's list for the best foundation primer, for those not in the know.  A primer essentially preps your skin for foundation by filling in fine lines and wrinkles for a perfect look, and also providing staying power so your foundation lasts all day. 

I ordered mine on Amazon, where I got three tubes for about $20.  Three tubes will last me a long time, but it will be nice to know I won't run out of it in my makeup kit!  After trying it for myself, I have to say it is in fact an amazing product. It is super lightweight, silky feeling, and it just melts into your skin.  There's no scent to it, and it made my foundation go on so smoothly! And, the ultimate test: at the end of the day, my foundation was still in tact in my t-zone area. Love!  Whenever I hear that someone has taken a random product like this and put it on their face, I normally wonder what posessed them to do so (much like using Preparation H under your eyes), but I'm throwing reason out of the window on this one, because it is such an awesome substitute for a fraction of the cost.  Go get some!

 

Brow Bleaching

I said I'd talk about it, so here it is, my opinion on the big B! As I said before, brow bleaching is everywhere at at the moment, and in some cases it can look fantastic;  yet for the most part I'm not a huge fan of it.  I have personally bleached my eyebrows before, just for fun, and I'm one of the many people that it didn't really look right on. I SO wish I could find some pictures to show you, but I've probably burned them ;)

To bleach your eyebrows, you can either go to a salon, or to go Target and buy any sort of bleaching product for facial hair.  The tricky thing about doing this, is that when you're lightening your hair, it goes through a process where it "lifts".  During this process, your hair goes from an orange shade to a lighter, white shade.  We're talking Carrot Top to Platinum within a couple of minutes, so it's a big trial and error to know when to stop.  You either have a gold shade to them, otherwise they're non-existent.

So let's say you successfully bleach your brows, you will probably still have to pencil them in or at least powder them a bit, unless you're cool with your eyebrows disappearing from your face.  Oh, and did I mention you'll have roots?  Unlike brow tinting, where the color gradually fades, bleaching needs to grow out, so yes, you'll have lovely roots on your brows.  Not fun.

Bleaching your brows will open up your face in a big way, and most people need their brows to enhance their eyes and break up their features a bit.  But, if done on the right person, in the right situation, it can look good.  Here are some examples of both.

Here's an example where you almost need to lighten your brows, otherwise it won't look natural.  Kim Kardashian dipped her toes into the blonde pool, and it actually looked great.  Her makeup artist still powdered her brows in, to prevent her from looking totally washed out.  Bravo.

Britney Spears has bleached her eyebrows on and off throughout her career.  I think she looks good either way, but girlfriend tends to neglect her waxing (tisk tisk), so the bleaching helps to hide her lack of upkeep, therefore making it work on her.

This is a great example of bleached vs. natural.  Obviously Mary Kate (I think), has bleached her brows and has opted to not pencil them in, and her sister has kept them dark and thick.  So here, you can see that the bleaching makes her forehead look quite a bit larger, and it makes her look older. 

Here's an example where opening your face can be a good thing.  Although Nadine Coyle is a pretty girl in general, her dark brows were overpowering her face, and the small eye space that she has.  I was so happy when I saw that someone lightened them up.  Now you see her beauty and aren't distracted by her brows.

Ashanti's makeup artist did an amazing job with her brows for this look.  She only lightened her up a little bit, and without the orange shade (lucky).  It looks super natual and softens her look up immensely.

And finally, Miss Stefani.  I love Gwen and her style, but this wasn't my favorite look on her.  She must have thought the same, because she didn't keep the lighter brows for long!  Again, I think this ages her, and for how rockin she looks at 40, she doesn't need that in her life!

So overall, bleaching can be fun for something different if you're brave, but in general, I'd stay away from it.  I personally don't offer bleaching as a service for my clients, as I don't want to disappoint them if the results aren't what they wanted.  And, I figure most people want to make their lives easier, not complicate it by HAVING to pencil their brows in before they leave the house, or to deal with roots and the upkeep.  I hope this was helpful!

Credit: Getty Images, WENN, chicintuition, zumbro, celebrity-gossip.net, and kissandmakeup.tv

Yikes is Right!!

"Hi my name is Becca, and I'm addicted to Perez Hilton". I have a habit of looking at his site daily, and he has brought to my attention how rough Lindsay Lohan has been looking lately. Now, I saw this picture on his website and I was shocked! She's only 23 and she already looks old enough to be her own grandma. I looked up other 23 year old starlets just to compare and it's pretty incredible. When you have the best of the best at your disposal in terms of taking care of yourself and you still look like you're of age to retire - something is very wrong. Let her be a good lesson to all of us that neglecting to take care of yourself, staying up late and filling your body with toxins *ahem*, will age you faster than you can say "Mean Girls".

Sources : Perez Hilton, Getty Images and Newscom