Kinerase : What is It?

Kinerase is a skin care product that I’ve been curious about for a while, yet have never tried.  I know Courtney Cox pitches it, but what does that mean anyways?  Kinerase is described by the company in marketing literature as “a line of science-based cosmetic and OTC products that help skin look and feel smoother, younger and healthier. It’s made with the synthetic plant growth factor, N6-furfuryladenine, which has been shown to slow the changes that naturally occur in the cell-aging process in plants.”

I guess the big draw behind the Kinerase products, and the hefty price tag justification is that is really known for being able to reduce and reverse photodamage that has been done to the skin, and is usually irreversible after a certain age.  This just means the years of pummeling your skin has taken from sun exposure and free radical damage, which is responsible for about 80% or more of the lines and wrinkles on most women’s faces. 

The ingredients in the Kinerase Cream, which goes for about $109 per tube currently are as follows :

Purified water, glyceryl stearate and laureth-23, isopropyl palmitate, propylene glycol, stearic acid, cetyl alcohol, carthamus tinctorius (seaflower) seed oil, soya sterol, stearyl alcohol, dimethicone, imidazolidinyl urea, citric acid, sodium hydroxide, methylparaben, soluble collagen, carbomer, N6-furfuryladenine, panthenol, propylparaben, triethanolamine, ascorbic acid, hydrolyzed elastin, and aloe barbadensis leaf juice.

My Favorite Scents

I thought I’d take the opportunity to share some of my favorite scents, or perfumes – I think “scents” is the word we’re using nowadays though.  My favorite still, after about three years is Elizabeth Arden Green Tea.  It’s a clean and fresh scent, but still smells “sexy” at least according to my boyfriend, who I think has pretty good taste in the smell department. 

Another of my favorite scents is Very Sexy by Victoria’s Secret.  I like the cologne spray, but I only like the darker colored maroon tinted kind, not the light pink Very Sexy which I think smells like Raid or something that is very “unsexy”. 

My old favorites from the nineties were of course Poison (which of course now makes me want to gag) and Elizabeth Arden Red Door, which I still kind of like, but now it smells a little too heavy for my taste, and actually a little too “old” for me.

I’m going to try to play around a little with my scents though and mix it up a bit since I’m getting bored with the same ol’ same ol’.  Anyone wants to share their favorite scents, post a comment.  Of course no spammers please.

Why I Hate Eyelash Curlers

I’ve tried using eyelash curlers, I really have.  And I love the results it gives to some of my friends lashes, I really do.  Problem is, I just can’t get the stupid things to work on my lashes without damaging my eyelashes or pulling them out inadvertently.  I think the problem is with the rubber gripper.  Now I know the rubber is needed so that the lashes don’t just slip right through the metal grips, but the rubber is exactly what makes the lash curler so hard for me to use successfully.

I like the mascaras with the built in lash curlers for that reason.  The mascara I faithfully use, L’Oreal Lash Out in Black Midnight, has a built in lash curler, and I just wiggle it up the baseline of my lashes for a thicker, more dramatic look, and usually wipe of the wand and dip it back in again after the first layer has just barely dried, to get any clumps off and help curl them up a little more, but also to add more pigment.

Luckily I have decent eyelashes since I have dark hair and features, so I don’t have to go too buckwild with  the mascara, but I’d love to find an eyeleash curler that actually worked on me.  What the heck, I’ve made it this far without….

Eyeshadow Application and Color Selection

Eyeshadow:  How to Select the Right Color and How to Apply

The first beauty rule for this versatile, face altering cosmetic is to stay away from eyeshadow colors with shades of pink, red or auburn, as these do not flatter most skin types and most facial structures (meaning these shades tend to close the eyes off, or make them look smaller). 

These types of color tones also tend to bring out the red, more bloodshot look in your eyes, and also can make them appear smaller than they really are, which I don’t think is what any of us are aiming for!

Whether you wear browns, blues, greys or purples, make sure you have a nice pale nude or an off white or pure white, slightly “shimmery” shade for the tops of your eyelids, near where the brow bone sticks out a little. 

Apply eyeshadow with a small, preferably fine or natural hair cosmetic brush (remember our discussion from a few days ago about makeup brushes, don’t go to cheap with this important accessory – you will be sorry). 

Brushes work much better than the small sponge applicators that usually come with most cosmetic cases which hold eyeshadow.  Some of the new shimmery eye creams and squeeze tube liquid matte eyeshadows are also great for longer lasting color on your eyes, as well as a side benefit of being crease resistant – just be careful not to load up too much or it will look creased. 

Always apply eyeshadow a little more heavily right on the area where your eye creases between the upper and lower lid.  This will help to add more depth and dimension to your eyes, and make them appear larger and more “smoldering” – the main draw behind any woman’s face.  Then, add the paler color to the top – but not all the way up to the brow bone – for added depth and a perception of greater size and wideness.

How to Apply Cosmetics

Here is an article that I wrote a while ago, which has probably been distributed, but I thought would also be helpful to my readers here at MyBeautySpace.com.  It’s all about how to apply cosmetics – more appropriately, “Cosmetic Application Techniques” which is the title of the article. 

Hope you find some new tips!  If not, please feel free to add comments.  I will always respond to any questions and I love to keep it fresh with new questions, because if one person has a question, there are definitely others that have the same one.

There are several cosmetic application techniques that are used by top Tinseltown makeup artists and professional stylists on runways models and Hollywood actresses, both on movie sets and for special events across the world.  These techniques apply to women of all ages.  These techniques will really bring out your best features, and help camouflage areas you feel may need a little more help or a radiance boost.

We Will Discuss the Following Techniques:

Foundation Application Techniques

Eyebrow Shaping, Arching and Pencil Application

Eyeliner Application

Eyeshadow Color Choices and Application Techniques

Foundation:  Color Choice and Application Technique

Foundation is one of the most important cosmetics you will purchase and use.  It is absolutely imperative that you pick the right shade of foundation.  Pick a shade lighter than your skin tone and try to stay away from reddish or pink tones, as they tend to look very “pink” and ruddy in artificial lighting, and can make your skin appear uneven and flushed. 

Foundation Application Technique

It is not negotiable that you apply your foundation with a makeup pad.  There are some really excellent sponge makeup applicators right now that are used by makeup artists, and are a favorite of women everywhere who want to get the most natural and well blended look from their foundation. 

Makeup sponges create wonderful, even finish since they make it nearly impossible to put too much foundation on, due to their absorption of excess liquid.  Be sure to thoroughly blend the makeup with the sponge, covering each and every area of the face evenly and equally, including right up to the hairline, and even on the neck, so that there is not an obvious “line” where your foundation ends and your real neck color begins!

Eyebrows: Shaping, Arching and Pencil Application Technique

Eyebrow pencils are also one of the most important cosmetics in your beauty collection and daily makeup routine.  Carefully choose the pencil color to be a shade lighter than your natural eyebrow color.  This way, it will look more natural, instead of obviously “drawn on”.  When tweezing, follow the natural arch and shape of the brow bone and be sure to tweeze any stray hair often, for a clean and classic eyebrow shape like those coveted brows of celebrities such as Angelina Jolie and Catherine Zeta Jones. 

Eyeliner:  How to Select Color, and Application Technique

Eyeliner is a great cosmetic for accentuating, dramatizing, and bringing out your natural eye color and enhancing or even changing the shape of the eye.  As with all other essential cosmetics, there is a specific technique for getting perfect results from eyeliner application.  Brown is one of my personal favorites since it is so versatile and looks good on everyone in the daytime and at night.  Brown can also be applied sparingly for a great, light daytime look, or more heavily for a smudgy, smoldering night time look.

Black eyeliner should probably be reserved for nights out on the town, or any night time usage, since black tends to be too severe in the natural daylight, and can actually wash you out and magnify complexion imperfections during the day when sun light is at its peak.  If you still want to wear black during the day, that’s fine.  Just choose a more muted shade of black, such as a slate gray or a “grey black” – which is a great color between black and grey that many cosmetics companies are now offering.

Now that you know what color to use for eyeliner, here’s the technique for applying it.  Start with a sharp eyeliner pencil, lining the rim of your eye as close to the lower row of eyelashes as you can get without getting any of the cosmetic in your eye. 

With a sponge-tipped cosmetics smudger, gently smudge the line you created using a gentle horizontal back and forth movement.  You should always smudge your eyeliner at least a little bit – more if you want it more dramatic, or smokey looking.  Eyeliner that has not been smudged looks to artificial and too severe.  All good makeup jobs that you’ve seen are the result of good smudging!

If you want to make your eyes appear larger, use a bright white eye liner pencil (I know it seems weird, but trust me on this) on the very inner corners of the lower lid.  This is a great trick that makeup artists use to create an optical illusion that the eyes are larger and brighter in color. 

Next post will be the last technique, how to apply eyeshadow and select the right colored eyeshadow for your face and complexion. 

CurlMaster Curling Irons : Review

Along with the CurlMaster Hair dryer (tourmaline, ceramic, ionic) that I bought a few months ago as mentioned previously, I also bought two CurlMaster curling irons – one with a 1 1/2 inch barrel and the other with a slightly  smaller barrel of 1 1/4 inches. 

They are both professional grade curling irons, which heat up to 450 degrees, and they both employ ceramic and tourmaline technology, which is just a protective system that protects your hair from too much damage from the heat, and helps to also add extra shine at the same time. 

These are BY FAR the best curling irons I have ever owned.  I love the fact that they heat up so fast, and the fact that they get so hot, you only have to leave the barrel in your hair for a few seconds, and you’ve got nice, long lasting, bouncy and big curls.

One thing you have to be really careful of though, is that you don’t actually leave your hair in it too long, especially if you’re like me and you use the highest heat setting possible.  The reason I use the highest is so that I can get my head done in the least amount of time possible.  I am very careful though, because a few times I’ve caught myself wandering off, and kept it in too long, only to smell my fried hair – so just a word of caution!

If you want an ultra fast curling iron that heats up fast and puts the curls in your hair quickly and effortlessly, I highly recommend the CurlMaster line of hair care products and curling irons.  They’re totall worth it….

Remedies for Hair Loss, Thicker Hair and Faster Hair Growth?

Hair loss and male-pattern baldness is an affliction suffered by thousands of men, and can be a real source of insecurity and embarrassment for those not ready to lose their hair or shave their head.  Even worse, and more devastating are the younger cases where the hair loss process begins long before a man even reaches his thirtieth birthday.  So what are your options if you are one of these men, uncontrollably losing your hair before your time? 

Well, you can do what many others do – shave your head for the sake of uniformity.  Lots of men look great with a shaved head – it just fits their personality and style, and they seem comfortable that way.  For those unwilling to give up on their hair, there are hairpieces or plugs, neither of which have been perfected to the point of being undetectable, and both having a societal stigma as being somewhat tacky and undesirable. 

The other option, of course, is to try one of the hair loss products that several reputable manufacturers now offer, both in prescription and nonprescription form.  While there is still no “magic pill” that can unflinchingly promise every man (and woman) who takes it will re-grow their hair, there are some very promising and effective hair loss products and treatments currently on the market and also in development. 

Propecia, Rogaine (Monoxadil), Avacor and Proxiphen are just a few of the top prescription and nonprescription hair loss products on the market today, and they’ve all had varying degrees of success in re-growing their client’s hair.  Since the demand for hair loss products is so great, there have been many non-prescription hair loss alternatives recently introduced in an effort to offer men (and women) a more economical and convenient alternative to re-grow hair and prevent further hair loss. 

There are also several vitamins that have been specially formulated both for thinning hair and to promote the speedy growth of healthy, shiny hair.  Vitamins for thinning hair and faster hair growth and re-growth are usually a varying combination of several key amino acids, biotin, vitamins B6 and E, and zinc.  Many who take vitamins of this nature do report thicker, more lustrous and healthy hair, but if your goal is to actually re-grow hair and not just thicken thinning hair, then you would probably want to consider a more serious hair loss supplement or treatment that specifically targets balding and hair loss. 

Here’s a little tip to help stimulate hair growth – massage the scalp.  This is an age-old hairstylist tip to help stimulate the hair follicles, unclog any blocked oil glands in the scalp, and help promote a healthy scalp and new, healthy hair growth.  Plus, it’s relaxing and it feels good, so it’s not such a chore!   

Hair loss supplements can range from pricey to reasonable, tested and untested, and clinically proven vs. not clinically proven.  You have to use good judgment and do a little homework on the internet, or by reading consumer reviews, testimonials and surveys to see what really should work best for your situation.  Some even offer money back guarantees or some sort or money back for unused portions. 

Now, let’s talk about being proactive in preventing future hair loss.  Many times, the underlying cause for premature hair loss and male pattern balding is hereditary, but it can also be brought on by a hormonal imbalance of the male or female hormones, known as androgens and estrogens. 

Correcting a hormonal imbalance many times can stop hair loss.  This example can be seen in women who notice hair loss shortly after they’ve had a baby.  The cause for this is a drop in hormones that kept much more hair on the head than normal during pregnancy because the levels of this hormone are unusually high at this time. 

Some medications can also cause or aggravate hair loss.  Typically these medications are blood thinners, gout medication, chemotherapy medications for cancer, too much vitamin A, birth control pills and antidepressants.  Avoid tight or “pulling” hairstyles like high or tight ponytails and cornrows, and also stay away from harsh chemical treatments such as perms and other potentially volatile, damaging hair treatments.

Typical hair loss treatments, prescription and nonprescription, usually take about six months before you can tell they are working, so patience is a must.  There is no overnight fix to hair loss unfortunately.  As long as you are comfortable with your chosen hair loss remedy, and have planned a preventative and maintenance course of action, that’s really all that matters.

CurlMaster Ionic Hair Dryer

So I bought my newest addition to my ever expanding hair care and hair tool collection, the CurlMaster Ionic Ceramic Hair Dryer.  This hair dryer is pretty good, I have to say.  I’m not sure if it really dries my hair any faster, as ionic dryers are advertised to do, but I do notice enough frizz and dryness reduction to conclude that it’s worth the extra pesos I plopped down to purchase the higher end drier. 

I actually got mine at a beauty supply store, but to my dismay, I think you can get them even cheaper online (actually Amazon Beauty sells them to the right), but nonetheless I am pretty happy.  It’s a high power drier with an option to give your hair a cool blast at the end to help seal in the cuticle even more, to ensure long lasting shininess and frizz control, especially for those humid Ohio days that we tend to get in the summer time.

One thing I also notice is that when I’m done drying my hair it doesn’t have the fried look it usually does right after drying, it actually looks calmer and more controlled.  Worth the money?  Sure.  I think I’m still looking for the ultimate Ionic dryer though, so we’ll see….. Oh yeah, I think it uses Tourmaline technology too, which is actually the use of small pieces of the semi precious metal in the body of the drier, which is supposedly for added shine and manageability.

Makeup Brushes : Why They’re Important

If you are still applying your eyeshadow with a sponge applicator STOP NOW!  You must get yourself a good, medium sized makeup brush that is hypoallergenic and will last you for a long time.  One of my really good friends uses and swears by MAC makeup brushes.  While she says they do cost more, they last her forever. 

If you can, stay away from the really cheap ones you might find at your local drugstore, and opt for a better brand (which you might actually find at the drugstore), or at your Dillards or Kaufmann’s makeup counter.  The difference is, some of the cheaper ones I’ve found actually make my skin itch.  I’m not sure if it’s the type of synthetic fibers used in the brush or what the deal is, but they also fell apart fairly quickly, and I had to go out and buy a new one. 

You may also find a good brand or a professional grade set of makeup brushes at a beauty supply store such as Sally’s Beauty or some other beauty supply chain.

The reason I’m a big advocate of the makeup brush is that it gives you much more control over the depth of color applied, and with a little practice and perfection, you will notice your eyeshadow looks a lot more “professional” instead of “drawn on”.  It may be a little bit of an art to apply it with a makeup brush, but you will quickly get the hang of it, and you will LOVE the results and wonder why you ever used a sponge applicator before.  Throw them away when you’re good enough at using brushes!