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Thursday, October 25, 2012

Fall Hair Trends - Ask the Expert: Sabrina




As the weather gets colder we are all looking for our fall version of self expression. Whether it be with our hair color, makeup, or wardrobe. Here are a few of the latest fall hair trends that you can have done.

While some people are going for very vibrant reds or deep chocolate browns even us blondes can try a cooler, icy color with white highlights to complement our less bronzed skin tones and bring out the fall in our hair colors.

For styles, we are seeing a lot of bangs as a form of hair accessory as well as other hair embellishments and headbands. Women are doing very sleek, polished and perfect ponytails and deep side parts. We are also seeing some unexpected styles of hair knotting, bouffants, and braided headbands.

Enjoy being creative and trying new things with your hair, while still being polished or maintaining a bit of vintage flare.

Images courtesy of: marieclaire.com

Monday, October 15, 2012

The Best Remedies and Products for Dry Winter Skin - Ask the Expert: Jamie


Fall is here ladies, and with it comes the dry air, cold, and heaters. All of these things can take a major toll on our skin, hands and nails, and hair. So I have found some remedies for the dryness our bodies are sure to fall victim to in the upcoming months.

Here are a couple of home remedies for keeping your nails and cuticles hydrated:  

The first is an olive oil soak. The oil will penetrate the cuticles and provide a protective coating on the surface of the nails. For a quick fix, immerse your fingertips into about an inch of olive oil in a small bowl (enough to cover your entire nail and cuticle) and soak for 15 minutes. When you are finished wash your fingers, being careful not to wash the oil completely off of your nails, with a mild cleansing soap and then moisturize. 

You can also try a vegetable oil massage, which will soften the skin around the nail and help keep it from ripping and tearing. Just use a drop of canola or safflower oil on each fingernail and massage it into the cuticle and nail. Use an orange stick to push cuticles back. Repeat this 3 to 4 times a day until the nails become less brittle, and then continue using the oil every other day.  

Or for a more intense treatment, you can also leave the oil treatment on all night so it will have time to penetrate deeper into the nail and cuticle. This will help the nails look healthy longer. One way to do this is to take 10 cotton balls and rip them in half. Saturate 5 of the halves with olive or vegetable oil and place over each nail on one hand, tape the dry cotton over the oiled cotton to your finger, and repeat on the other hand. You can put cotton gloves on your hands to help the cotton stay on your fingers and to keep oil from getting all over. Keep this on as long as you can or try it overnight. Another easy tip to keep in mind is to make sure you are moisturizing every time after you wash your hands.

And here are some excellent products to try to help battle the fall and winter elements: 

A good all over moisturizer that keeps working for 24 hours is Burt's Bees Naturally Nourishing Milk and Honey Body Lotion. Its natural ingredients and oils help give it long lasting power. 

For hydrating the hair and scalp use Weleda Rosemary Hair Oil. This deep revitalizing oil will soften split ends and add shine. Josie Maran Argan Oil can be an allover dryness treatment, from the scalp and hair to the cuticles, and even an allover body oil after taking a shower. This lightweight oil won't leave your skin shiny because it really isn't oily after its rubbed in. 

Nude Skincare Cleansing Facial Oil sounds kind of weird to clean your face with, but it is a natural, nonirritating way to clean your face, and it's rich in omega-3 and vitamin E.  Using an oil cleanser on your face will help break up and remove the natural pore-clogging oils in your skin, and will keep your face hydrated as well.  

For a great moisturizer that was made specifically for cold weather, try Ole Henriksen Insulator Creme. It's extremely hydrating and soothing; it also contains essential fatty acids which help the skin to repair itself. For those bone chilling days, use Ole Henriksen African Red Tea Self Heating Body Souffle. It has a self-heating component that helps stimulate circulation and penetrates muscles.  

And last but not least, you need to get rid of dead, flaky skin by exfoliating. Try Suki Exfoliating Foaming Cleanser. It will smooth out the skin's surface but is still gentle and it also helps diminish the signs of aging. This product has all natural ingredients and is 100% vegan.

Cheers to the beautiful change of season and to taming the effects it can have on your body!

Credits: 
Home Remedies for Dry Brittle Nails - LIVESTRONG.com
Natural Dry Skin Remedies to Fix Winter Skin - Living Green

Monday, October 8, 2012

Product Review: Bobbi Brown BB Cream SPF 35 - Ask the Expert: Kristine

Image courtesy of BobbiBrownCosmetics.com
I have tried a few different BB creams in the past, but recently I tried Bobbi Brown's BB Cream SPF 35 and wanted to share my honest review of it to all my fellow product junkies out there.

As many of know the latest product in makeup and skincare is BB cream. The buzz of BB creams or "beauty balms" is everywhere. If a brand doesn't already have a BB cream it will soon carry one. Why? BB cream is a product in a category all by itself: a skincare/ makeup hybrid. Not only do they provide you with the hydrating, moisturizing, and brightening properties of skincare, but they also have the coverage and shine control of a foundation.

Who it's for:
This formula comes in 5 shades: Extra Light, Light, Fair, Medium, and Medium to Dark. After swatching them on several different skin tones, I've found that the color is quite forgiving if you are in between shades. Bobbi Brown is currently formulating shades for darker skin tones as well. This product is designed and formulated for people with oily to normal skin. It is great for someone who is used to wearing a full coverage foundation but would like a multi-purpose product that has good coverage, a matte finish, and a lighter feel. This is also great for for people with problem skin who have texture or unevenness and prefer a lighter option than a full coverage foundation.

Application: 

After applying moisturizer, you can use a foundation brush, damp sponge, or your fingers. I have found that applying it with clean fingers works best, making it look the most natural by really melting into the skin.


Features: 

  • Oil free formula
  • Broad spectrum UVA/UVB SPF 35 protection
  • Vitamin E and rice bran extract
  • Caffeine and sucrose enriched                  

Benefits: 


  • Argireline® Peptide to boost skin's natural collagen productions while also combating fine lines
  • The active ingredients improve the skin's luminosity with long time use
  • Scutellaria extract brightens dull skin by brightening and reducing the visible appearance of any discoloration, dark spots, and acne scarring
  • Sodium hyaluronate & trehalose help attract moisture to the skin and regulate the skin's water retention
  • Natural minerals help with the absorption of excess oil
  • Camouflages any blemishes and redness
  • Visibly minimizes the appearance of pores  

Negative: 

My only con is that it is in a squeezable bottle. I find it a lot harder to control product when the product is in squeeze tubes instead of having a pump or being a jar.

Price: $42 for 1.35 fl. oz tube

Overall: 

The product felt light and creamy and when I applied it my skin felt instantly moisturized. This has a buildable coverage. I applied it lightly first then spot treated any blemishes, unevenness, and dark circles. I followed up by applying my normal concealer and powder. After trying this, I've been converted (which is a challenging task). I'm very pleased with the amount of hydration and coverage it gives my skin without looking cakey or feeling greasy and slipping off my face. I've decided to ditch my full coverage foundation and use this BB cream for a while to reap all the long-term benefits. I will check in later to update everyone on how it worked long-term.

Source: Bobbi Brown Cosmetics
www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Get Zombie-fied for the 2012 Zombie Pub Crawl - Saturday, October 13



Calling all Twin Cities zombies! Three of the studio artists will be offering appointment slots on Saturday, October 13 for the Zombie Pub Crawl. Make your appointment to come in and receive a personalized zombie look, guaranteed to be a hit during the evening's festivities.
Pricing 
Photos by Brett Dorrian
$40 for a 30-min. slot 
$75 for a 60-min. slot

The longer the slot, the more complicated and gory the design.
Please email info@brettdorrian.com to see what's still open in the afternoon and early evening that day. Cheers!