Archive for August, 2006:
Among the other natural products and botanical beauty hair products and creams I picked up in Northern California, I also picked up some Giovanni Organic 50/50 Balanced Shampoo and Conditioner. Giovanni makes shampoos and conditioners which are composed of 100% natural ingredients, and do not contain that nasty stuff called Sodium Lauryl Sulfate.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is the primary ingredient in most OTC shampoos and conditioners, and it is what makes them lather so much in most cases. It also really dries the hair out, and has been criticized for being unhealthy and even hazardous, although most soaps and detergents still contain the stuff.
The hair products are made with a vegetable protein base, and do not contain any PABA sunscreen. Giovanni Organic shampoo and conditioner is also approved for vegan use.
What’s the best part about Giovanni organic hair products? They are affordable! You can buy them online for as little as $6.99 and I bought mine in a store for about $8 a bottle. Not bad at all.
I was just reading an article on how Jaime Pressly, the actress who plays Earl’s hillbilly wisecracking wife on “My Name is Earl”, is a fan of the cellulite busting procedure called endermologie, which we’ve discussed here before.
As a matter of fact, I suspect many actresses get this process done periodically. How else do they all seem to have cellulite free rear ends and thighs?
As I said before when we discussed this noninvasive service, which consists of a kneading action and pressure applied, which purportedly breaks down the cellulite below the surface and helps smooth the surface skin out, you have to be careful about who you go to, because some specialists may not apply the correct pressure, making the process virtually useless and ineffective.
Heck, if you’re a celeb who can afford to experiment, I guess it doesn’t matter though!
My recent trip to Northern California (hippieland where everyone is very “green”, trust me, I’m not complaining), showed me that a lot of us still are not too aware of the massive amounts of chemicals we put in and on our bodies, and we’re also not aware enough of how important it is to recycle (that’s for another blog though, right?).
Anyways, almost every herbal and natural beauty shop I went in to in the tiny but very beautiful and cool Arcata had the Dr. Hauschka line of organic and natural cosmetics. I did get to try a few of their products, and I do have to say, the creams and lotions had a different feel and scent than what I’m used to.
I’ve heard really good things about this line of cosmetics, but unfortunately have never gotten to try them (there’s so many to try!). If anyone has tried them, please comment – it’d be great to get comments from readers who’ve tried this line!
Did you know that many dermatologists and other skin care specialists highly recommend most people use a lathering gel or creamy cleanser over a bar soap, such as a solid opaque soap or even a clear bar like Neutrogena’s infamous clear amber bar.
Mind you, the clear bars are better than the opaque (not see through) bars for cleansing the face, but it’s still preferable in most cases to use a lathering cleanser.
Examples of lathering cleansers are Clean and Clear creamy cleansers, Neutrogena liquid cleansing amber soap, Clearasil Foaming cleansers, Oil of Olay foaming cleansers, and other brands of good skin care like L’Oreal, Clinique, Estee Lauder and higher caliber beauty brands who carry lathering facial cleansers that are in a tube or a container, rather than in bar form.
Did you know that most people do not let the shampoo do it’s work long enough, before rinsing it off and coating it with a protective conditioner? Well, that is the case apparently.
Make sure you add enough water to your hair before you start lathering your shampoo up on your head. This ensures that you get all that yucky stuff off the hair shaft that tends to build up and make your hair look really DULL.
Distributing the water over the hair at a larger quantity will help the shampoo lather at a larger rate, which means you have to leave it on for less time, and get it cleaner, faster – which is the whole point.
A thorough shampoo is key to getting healthy, shiny hair. Be sure to choose a moisturizing formula to prevent drying if you shampoo every day. Or, if like me, you only shampoo every other day to every three days, then get whatever formula fits your hair type!
I LOVE this product! This is a product for your hair that you spray in after it’s wet, and it creates mega texture and maximum curl with less frizz. It really does create a “beach look”, like you’ve had a day at the beach and your hair is stylishly and wildly mussed.
It also smells like coconuts – suntan lotion, I guess, so I like that about it too. It’s a liquid, and it’s colored a light blue. It has sort of the same effect of salt water on the hair, but not in a bad, drying way. You get the wavy look, without the drying you would get if you were really in the ocean water for a while.
If you want to use this stuff on the beach, it works really well to tames the curls and bring out the wild look a little more, or you can use it in your styling routine – although, you do need to use quite a bit if you want to style it with curling irons and make big, gorgeous waves.
I give this product an A grade, and the price isn’t bad either – less than five bucks for a generous amount, and you can find it at most drug stores and department stores.
That’s right. Companies that are huge in the hair care product business are starting to answer a new consumer demand, and that is hair care products like shampoos, conditioners, gels and creams, that address the age factor. As we age, our hair tends to dry out and lose pigment.
Even though our hair is technically “dead”, it does do well when it is more nourished, and there are things we can do to keep it looking well colored, shiny and thick into our later age. Hair that is old looking is usually faded out, dry, and dull. These new products address that with ingredients such as keratin, which is a vital building block protein important to your hair and your hair’s strength and flexability.
They also may contain veggie proteins which help to strengthen and protect the hair, and also shield it from further damage and dryness. Another tip to keep hair “young” looking.
Occasionally give yourself an olive oil douse on the head. That’s right – ever since I can remember, this has been one beauty trick that always helps to revive the hair and make it glossy again. Also, make sure you don’t skip your regular trimmings. They are vital to keeping hair soft, supple and above all, healthy LOOKING.
I received this question about specific makeup application techniques from a reader recently, and wanted to share it with all of you, as I think it’s probably something a lot of women want to know more about. Enjoy!
Question : Hello, I’m a teacher of English in Russia.Now i’m writing a
student’s book in English for specialists in decorative cosmetic.And
I’m interested in your application technics and what about mascara and
lipstick make up tips? Thanks!
Answer : Here are some general answers : Cosmetic Application Techniques .
As far as for mascara and lipstick, here are some helpful hints as well :
Lipstick hints : When applying lipstick, it is a good idea to use a “lip filler” or lip plumper, and let it set in before applying the actual colored lipstick. Before applying anything though, take a tissue or rough napkin and wipe the lips. THis removes any debris or skin flakes, so you have a clean palette to work with.
I personally like Lip Fusion as a lip plumper, but if this is too expensive or not an option, use another lip filler, there are some by Cover Girl and Max Factor. Believe it or not, an excellent lip filler is Cherry Chapstick also. Now that you’ve got a clean set of lips, gently dab the lipstick onto the lips. I personally do not like to just glide it on, as it gives a dramatic appearance too quickly.
Dabbing it on gives you more control over how it looks. Keep dabbing until the desired color appears. A matching lip liner is optional. Just line the lips at their natural line – do not ever try to go outside the lines as you’ll end up with a mess after your lipstick has worn off. To keep the color on longer, you can use a lipstick sealer, which is available in many different brands.
Mascara : My first tip for mascara is to always use black. Not any other black like charcoal black, but just plain black. The colored ones tend to make lashes look transucent, so I’ve always stuck with black, no matter what colors I’m using on the rest of my face.
A good trick that many models use is to clean off the application wand before dipping it back in the tube. This reduces room for “spider lashes” by taking all the gunk that causes this effect off the wand from the beginning. It also allows more clean, fresh mascara to cling more freely to the lashes.
Before applying mascara, it is completely up to you whether you use a lash curler first. Do not ever use it after mascara application, as your lashes may come right off on the lash curler. Once the lashes are curled, use small, half movements, moving the mascara wand up the lashes from the bottom, wiping the wand off in between if necessary to prevent clumping. I personally do not apply mascara on the bottom lashes, as it tends to look unnatural, but that is up to the individual.
Hope this helps!
Thanks
I received this email from a woman who wanted to know what products I recommend for hair that has been thermally reconditioned, or as we all tend to know it better – hair that has had Japanese straightening done.
I recommend any moisturizing, shining products that protect the hair. Here was my answer. Keep in mind, not all products work on the same hair – so go with what suits you best.
Question : You mentioned in your website that there is no need to purchase very expensive shampoos and conditioners after Japanese straightening. I did not, however, see any recommendations for what to buy. Could you please let me know? Thanks a lot.
Answer : Hi ******. Well, I myself have used several common drugstore shampoos and conditioners since having the treatment done. I choose protective and deep conditioning, moisturizing formulas. I’ve used Pantene’s color series, and John Frieda’s shampoos and conditioners, which tend to work best for me personally. Good luck!
One of the best tricks that many models actually will use before a photo shoot of their backside or thighs, to minimize the appearance of cellulite, is use already-used coffee grounds on their affected areas.
What you do is after your brewed coffee, take the warm grounds out of the top of the coffee maker. Most of the time, a wet paper towel will make the ideal compress which will somewhat adhere to your backside for the amount of time it needs. Then. just lay the coffee grounds out on the paper towel as evenly as you can, and firmly apply the wet paper towels to your thighs and buttocks with the coffee grounds touching your thighs.
You can lay on your stomach and just enjoy yourself, maybe make it feel like you’re having a spa treatment! After about 10-20 minutes, you should notice a more toned appearance.
The caffeine in the used coffee grounds was activated when they were heated, and the caffeine helps suck extra surface moisture away, which helps minimize the puffy appearance of cellulite – temporarily only though. Unfortunately it’s not a permanent fix, but it’s kind of a nice temporary cellulite treatment!
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