Summer Frizz Fighters

There are lots of ways to HELP fight the frizz on those muggy summer days. Lord knows that I’ve tried a plethora of frizz fighting hair products living here in Northeast Ohio where the summer days can sometimes be muggy, and because my hair is naturally frizz prone.  I’ve never had that easily-gotten smooth hair – it’s just never been a reality for me. My hair is naturally BIG, and it definitely needs help in staying skinny and smaller.

As I discussed not too long ago, I really like the benefits my hair got from using a product called No Frizz by Living Proof. However, even that can’t keep out all humidity on those overbearingly hot ones where the air literally steams. Pretty much the only way your hair might look decent outdoors on days like that is if you’ve had the expensive japanese straightening done, because that really does lock out all humidity.

There are other ways to keep your hair shaft staying smooth and behaving itself though. One really good way to wake up with smooth hair is to sleep on a satin pillow case. This way your hair doesn’t snag and rough itself up on the pillow as you toss and turn at night, which is partially to blame when you wake up with bed head.

Another way to keep your hair smooth is to blast the A/C in your house. My mom and I were just talking about how when we sleep in really cool temps in A/C all night, our hair in the morning looks ten times better. That’s because A/C basically sucks moisture out of the air. Moisture is what makes your hair frizzy. When there is moisture in the air, that’s what creates humidity, and depending on how porous your hair is, it will suck it up and expand, hence creating that word you love “frizz”.

Blast your hair with a good rinse of cold water in the shower too, this helps not only boost shine but also helps to lock the shaft and protect it against humidity.  Also, try using a great frizz reducing hair dryer. My dryer of choice now is the ionic FHI hair dryer. Sedu makes some great frizz fighting hair dryers too.  It’s expensive, but it leaves your hair shinier and smoother and more humidity resistant than most other drug store brands of dryers.

Colgate Pro Clinical Whitening Toothpaste Review

Every time I buy toothpaste, I always buy a whitening formula.  So, needless to say, sincce toothpaste is something me and my husband use every day and night, we have bought quite a few teeth whitening toothpastes.

We also both drink coffee and tea, and I happen to also like juices and smoothies that use really dark berries like acai and blueberries, which also are known for staining the teeth.

This means that we both need a regular teeth whitening agent as well, because no matter how good your whitening toothpaste is, you still also need to do a good whitening gel or tray system, or whatever it is you happen to use to get your teeth white and to really periodically get a deep cleaning for those stains that accumulate every week or month.

The last whitening toothpaste I bought was one that is from a fairly new line of toothpaste and tooth care by Colgate called Pro Clinical. They have a few different kinds of Pro Clinical pastes, and one of them was for whitening.  It’s not badly priced at about $4 for a tube of it.

It has a great taste, a very mild mint, and you can tell that it’s a great polisher because your teeth feel “squeaky clean” when you’re done scrubbing your teeth with it.  I’ve been using the Colgate Pro Clinical for about a week now, and I do notice that my teeth look a bit brighter. I think that it will take a little while longer before I figure out if it is a significatn whitening agent.

Of course, it doesn’t help when I start drinking coffee and tea every morning again, and drinking my beloved fruit juices that are darkly colored.  If you partake in these types of foods and beverages, it’s important to make sure you are using a high quality teeth whitener pretty much all the time.

Remember, white, bright teeth are an important part of maintaining that youthful appearance and brightening your whole face and smile. Studies have done on the things that make your face look older, and one of them shows that one of the biggest common denominators in older appearance in one’s face is darker, stained teeth.

This is a really cheap way to make sure you stay young and vibrant looking. And who doesn’t love having a great smile!?

Planning a Reception? How to Not Freak Out

I planned a wedding reception back in March of this year. I tried to keep calm and cool, but it wasn’t always easy when I saw how many details there were that had to be decided on, acted on, and ultimately executed. I’m not the best “party planner” as I tend to be a perfectionist, and tend to fret the smallest details that may not really have much impact on the end result.

What I did was make a list of exactly what I needed to accomplish, and what the reception banquet hall that we had booked would take care of. I also consulted a lot with the girl who was handling the reception details at the reception hall, which was also a hotel, and finalized all details with her. I had a great partner in her, because she really helped to ease my mind and offered guidance on some of the things that I wasn’t sure about.

It’s really important that you get a good, reliable source to be your contact when planning a wedding reception. They can help you all the mind boggling details, and offer important advice on the little things, like table decorations and dj choice.

Here’s a list of things to consider that you may not think about:

1.)  Getting a DJ

2.)  Invitations and RSVP letters

3.)  Who’s going to do the toast?

4.)  Table decorations

5.)  Party favors – I went without these as I felt they were unnecessary

6.)  Order of events and songs

7.)  Menu at reception

8.)  Full bar or select drinks?

9.)  Organized dances and events during the reception

10.)  How you’re going to do your hair and makeup of course, also how you’re going to get a manicure and pedicure – I did a do it yourself.

11.)  Are you going to change out of your wedding gown?

How Long to See Results From Anti Wrinkle Products?

With skin care products, especially ones that address wrinkles and act as anti aging agents on your skin, it can be hard to tell when you should be throwing in the towel, so to speak, on their benefits.  I’ve used many excellent skin care products and creams that it took me several weeks to see a noticeable benefit from, and in the end I was glad I stuck with it and let it go to work on really helping my skin.

In this world of an increased sense of “now” and instant gratification, we tend to forget that like all good things worth waiting for, a good wrinkle cream is worth it’s weight in gold if you can wait for it to start working and showing visible results.

I remember I used this one particular vitamin C serum that felt wonderful gliding onto my skin.  It just made my skin “feel good” when I put it on. I also loved the fact that is sank right into my skin and seemed to really absorb well, leaving no residue.  I thought it wasn’t really making a difference in the actual appearance of my skin until several weeks later, when I realized it had actually diminished several darker spots on the sides of my face that were no doubt due to sun damage.

It also made my skin look brighter, and was an awesome addition to my night time skin care routine, because it was so light and weightless and it let other products go on top of it with no sticky, built up feeling.  You should really try to give any skin care product about four weeks to start seeing a difference in your skin before you give up on it and move on to the next best thing.

Why? Well, dermatologists think this is about the right amount of time for your skin layers to start renewing themselves (a good anti aging product will renew your skin cells faster). And if your skin care product is working right, it will be increasing cell turnover and improving your skin’s appearance in about that time frame. Any sooner, and consider yourself lucky.

Now, it’s a different story if you find that a skin care product is interacting with your skin negatively. If it makes your skin burn too much or is making you break out in a rash, obviously this is a reason to give up no it quickly. Otherwise, stay the course and see if this might be the perfect product for your skin.

Crystal Renn, Plus Sized Model Photoshopped Skinny

We all know that those photos that we all envy in the fashion and beauty magazines are retouched beyond belief. It should be a relief to know that though, because often times women try to emulate these pictures of beautifully flawless skin and seemingly size zero waists.

Although most of us wouldn’t mind a little photoshopping when we’re getting our pictures snapped to take a little bit off of our butts and maybe cinch in our wasitlines as well, there is definitely a line that shouldn’t be crossed, and they crossed it with the most popular plus size model today, Crystal Renn.

Ms Renn is a plus size model who has taken the industry by storm after modeling on the “normal” circuit for models, which means you basically starve yourself all the time, and getting sick of it and then becoming her normal, healthy  weight, which happens to be a size ten for the tall stunner.

She became sort of a poster child for protesting the use of too-thin models in advertising and on the runways, and her gorgeous looks still propelled her to the top of the plus size model market.  Let’s face it, most of us are not what is considered model thin, and models like Crystal represent what most American women look like today, which is a curvy, yet happy and healthy woman.

Well, a big controversy developed because Crystal was seen in an ad campaign looking like she was wittled down to a size two. Apparently the photos were retouched – a lot, and without the model’s blessing.

She said that she was upset because it sends the wrong message, that a plus size model needs to be airbrushed in order to be sexy or acceptable in the fashion world. She suffered with anorexia and bulimia for years in the modeling industry, which is a testament to the incredible stress that these women are under to stay ridiculously thin.

Let’s face it, most of us don’t have the metabolism of a humming bird, and we have to dramatically, almost punishingly reduce our calories in order to maintain that type of waifish physique for any period of time.  Being through an eating disorder myself when I was younger, I can tell you that it’s very hard to beat, and it feels like your own personal hell until you can beat it.

Review of No Frizz, Re-Do

I reviewed the anti frizz hair product No Frizz several months ago.  At the time, I think it was fall or even winter. Now I wanted to update you with how this product holds up in the humidity of the summer. And here in Northeaster Ohio, it has been a sweltering, hot and sticky summer so far, so it’s the perfect time to try a powerful anti frizz hair product now.

I liked it when I tried it the first time, but I made the mistake of using this product only, and relinquishing the rest of my hair care products in favor of this one. Now, I am combining it with my other hair care product favorites, and getting better results. 

My only complaint about using No Frizz by itself is that it does work on making your hair less frizzy, but it kind of makes it look dull and dry and reduces it’s “movement”. I think that movement is half the key to having really pretty hair.  When it moves freely and also looks frizzless and glossy and healthy, this is what really makes it look healthy and beautiful.

No Frizz by itself, without any added glossers.  was making my hair less frizzy, but it just had no movement and no gloss. What I do now in the summer is I mix about a quarter size of No Frizz (it is true that the more generously you use it, the better it works, unfortunately because of the hefty price tag) with my Aveda Universal Styling creme, which I think helps add shine and movement.

I also spray some Bumble and Bumble hair spray on my roots to give it a bit more lift. And of course, I top it off by blowing it dry with my treasured new FHI anti frizz hair dryer.  It all results in more body, more bounce, and less frizz, even in the humidity and heaviness of the air when you go outside.

I don’t wash my hair very often, so the effects last even longer.  I try to go every two to three days, or until I can’t stand it any more, because my scalp tends to dry out if I wash it too often. Plus I think that it’s bad for your hair to wash it every single day.

Waxing and Hair Removal in Your Own Home?

Waxing can be quite expensive in saloons for some women. Many times, women don’t consider it to be the same treatment as they would do at home.   First buy a waxing kit from the nearest drugstore. Which brand and type is your own choice.

The hair on the legs must be at least 1/4″ long. If they are more than 1/2″, use scissors to trim them down a little bit. This is recommended because if wax is applied to longer hairs, there is a possibility that they won’t be removed. It will probably snap in the middle leaving the root with a hair too for the next layer of wax.

Before applying the wax, make sure that the skin is cleaned with a pre-wax cleanser or powder, but don’t overdo it with the powder.  Evenly apply wax on the area where you want with an applicator (wooden stick). Make sure that the layer is not that thick because if it hardens quickly it will be harder to remove it.

Take a strip and apply it on the wax in the direction of the hair growth. Leave some space on the stripe without wax on it. Smoothly moving your hand above the stripe in the direction of the hair will cause the hair to attach on the wax.

The next step is with little pain, but that’s the cost, right? Take the end of the strip that is not covered with wax, and quickly pull the stripe from the skin but in an opposite direction of the hair. If there are some hairs that are not removed, put the stripe back and pull again. One stripe is good for three pulls.

You can also use a tweezer to remove the missed hairs. Use a wax remover or a baby oil to remove the wax that is left on the skin. And finally use an after-wax lotion to ease the pain on the skin and prevent possible skin damage.

This procedure is most used at home. Instead of applying wax, there are various depilatory products that don’t require the need of wax; similar like a shaving machines men use. Hair – Removal products using special foam or paste that does not require stripes. They are simply applied on the area, and after 10 to 15 minutes are removed with special removing- applicators or just with a gush of water.

So it doesn’t’ matter witch type of procedure you will you use in your home. Just make sure it is effective for you and will reduce the pain to as minimal as it can.

Beautiful Skin, From the Inside

We tend to focus a lot on the exterior skin care products for anti aging and wrinkle repair that we use, and yes, those are vitally important to keeping our skin young and supple and wrinkle free. However, what we lack focus on in most of our lives and awareness is that the saying “you are what you eat” applies to the appearance of your skin and your overall aging gracefully strategy just as much as it does to your mental abilities, your happiness and your body’s health.

I’ve seen this truth in my own life over and over again.  When I go on a week bender of eating really bad foods that are low in nutritional value, I see a marked difference in my skin. I actually notice a difference in how “old” my skin looks. Wrinkles tend to appear more readily, my skin seems to have a more greyish pallor instead of a healthy, peachy tone, and my hair even seems to suffer the consequences of my crappy diet choices.

However, when I’m on the ball and eating right, it’s a totally different story.  I not only feel beautiful, but that feeling translates into my skin, my hair, my body’s appearance and just my overall “aura” I suppose you could say.

Some of the most important nutrients that I’ve found make my skin glow and my hair glossy are omega 3 fatty acids, antioxidants, citrus fruits, and decaffeinated green tea.  When I’m not getting the omega 3′s  should be in my diet, I make sure I take a fish oil supplement a couple times a day. Fish oil, or any other omega 3 (high grade is the best) supplements, are one of the most powerful anti aging supplements you can take.

Omega 3 fatty acids are known mostly for heart protection, but they also make your skin glow. They allow your skin to maintain more moisture from the inside, so what you get is a more toned, taut look – naturally.  They also help regulate your blood sugar levels, which through a complex chain reaction, helps your collagen stores be more effective and less prone to breaking down and literally showing “cracks” in your skin’s structure.

Antioxidants are of vital importance as well. They make your skin glow from the inside, and they are of HUGE importance when it comes to battling sun damage. One really interesting fact is that consuming tomatoes actually has helped people prevent sun burn and subsequent sun damage to their skin which can lead to skin cancer and wrinkles and sun spots.

When you get tons of antioxidants in your diet, it’s sort of like your own natural form of “internal sunscreen”, since it provides your body with all the natural weapons it needs to combat free radical damage.

Botox May Impede Actual Emotions?

The more I hear about Botox, the less I think I want to ever try it. And I was actually open to the idea of trying it out when I reached 40 years old, just as a sort of preventive measure against further wrinkles and sagging in my facial skin, and particularly on my forehead as well as the developing crow’s feet around my eyes. I thought well, they haven’t really come out with any studies that show it’s toxic, so why not?

Well, a lot of new developments have made me rethink this possible anti aging strategy. One, there are no real long term toxic studies on these injections, and let’s not forget that the botulinum used in the formula is indeed still a toxic protein that in extreme cases can cause full paralyses and even death when consumed.  So, why would it not ever absorb into the body with each injection, and stay there forever, building to toxic levels?

That potential scares me, I won’t lie. So I’ve really resorted to more natural options first, being in my mid thirties. I use anti wrinkle creams that are high grade and natural, and I try to avoid any exposure to sunlight at all on my facial area, using a natural sunscreen by Dr. Mercola on it so that the sun’s rays don’t damage my skin there and also so that the potential toxins that are in most sunscreens don’t screw with my skin or my health either.

Then I read that Botox can actually cause wrinkles, because it makes other areas of your face show the emotions that the injected areas can’t, creating more wrinkles in another area. So in other words, damned where you don’ t get the injections, and it’s almost like you have to freeze your entire face and look like a freak to not get new wrinkles ANYWHERE on your face. And who wants to be an unemotive person?

The last thing I heard which pretty much cemented my decision to forgo ever trying Botox as an anti aging and wrinkle prevention strategy was that it may actually prevent you from FEELING emotions as deeply as you normally would.  That’s right, the fact that your face can express emotions such as crying, getting upset, smiling, laughing and all that good stuff that makes you – well – human – actually triggers deeper emotional responses in your brain that help you to actually feel things on a deeper level.

While that may be good for emotions like anger, frustration and sadness, it’s not good because you also may not be able to feel joy as deeply, and who wants to live like that!?

Indoor Salon Tanning Tax Begins

Ok all you tan bed-aholics, July marks the beginning of a 10% tax on your tanning bed services, from your beloved federal government.  This means that every salon that offers tanning services will be charged a 10% additional tax over what they already pay for proceeds received from this often controversial, health questionable service.  Who is ultimately the winner here? Why, the federal government and their ballooning deficit of course!

Honestly, I don’t care that they are taxing indoor tanning myself, I think that the price may be more on the people who own these salons, and may put even more pressure on a lot of female small business owners, since most of these types of services are owned by female small business owners.  That, and the fact that the consumer will end up paying the tab in the end most likely.

Of course, one could argue that tanning is a nonessential luxury, but so are many of the things that make up the free market and ultimately make the American economy as strong as it is – or was, before this disaster situation happened.

The federal government, in an effort to help pay for the numerous stimulus programs and the massive bailout package that happened to prevent global economic catastrophe, has been looking for ways to save money. One of the proposals also included a tax on plastic surgery and Botox. I believe that both of those proposals were not picked up, but the tanning tax was.

I guess this means more and more people may be reaching for the self tanners, which could be a good thing, but it’s also still important to at least get some natural sunlight on your skin and get that vitamin D in.

Hopefully the government won’t ax any other “non essential” beauty needs, but I do think the tanning tax is fairly minimal and if it an help keep our deficit down while also not damaging businesses too badly (hopefully they can pass this on fairly easily to the consumer and that will be that), I’m ok with it.

Remember to protect your skin from the sun, but also try not to totally avoid the sun all together. More and more evidence is showing that responsible sun exposure is a good way to get vitamin D, which helps keep your immune system healthy and also may provide a host of cancer prevention benefits as well.