Beauty Blog » 2009 » July

We might not all be able to look like the timeless beauty Christy Turlington, and we might not all be able to live like her: model from the age of 15, spokesperson, activist, mother of two, wife and now grad student at Columbia University in Public Health making a documentary on women’s health. But, there is one thing we can all aspire to and look to dear Christy for advice and inspiration: Yoga! Turlington has sworn by yoga’s empowering exercises for years, and there’s no reason why without a few good tapes, some mats and some dedication, you can emulate the lifestyle choices of Christy in your own home!

Some starter kits to get the beginner’s going: remember, Yoga is more about the movement then the equipment. So start small; you really don’t need any of the materials, and many can be substituted with normal household items: (try a towel instead of a yoga matt, a jump rope instead of a cotton strap, Tupperware containers or boxes for support bricks, etc). But here is a super cheap starter kit with matching colors (and a video!) to get you started on the right foot, if you don’t know where to start at all:

Yoga Starter Kit with 6” x9” x 4” Yoga Mat, Foam Block, 6’ Cotton Yoga Strap, and Yoga Postures Poster: $29.99 (marked down from $49.99)

If you have some back problems and want to get some super supportive yoga mats, the Yoga Monster Mat is for you!

Yoga Monster Mat: $28.99 (marked down from $52.99)

If Yoga is a bit too relaxed for you and you want a harder workout that will get the muscles really burning and focus on strengthening more than stretching, you may want to try Pilates instead of Yoga, or a combination of Yoga and Pilates (known as Yogilates. So fun to say!)

Complete Pilates Mat Workout DVD: $34.99 (marked down from $39.99)

Find at Smarter.com: Shop for more yoga equipment.

The fastest, most efficient way of taking care of your eyebrows is by using the ancient method of threading. I’ve always found that tweezing never really gets every single unwanted eyebrow hair and waxing takes way too much time and money. The best thing about threading is that it’s practically pain-free! You can either go to a salon and get it done for roughly $5-$7 or you can even do it yourself! All you need is a mirror and a piece of thread.

If you learn to do it yourself, the convenience of threading is amazing. I always keep a spool of thread in my car so that if I’m waiting around in my car for whatever reason, I can just pull down the mirror of my car visor and start threading!

Threading was first developed in ancient India and spread through the east. Now, you’ll find many local salons have the option of threading, which is even more convenient because it takes only a couple of minutes when a professional threads.

If you’re doing it for the first time, then you may experience a little discomfort and the skin around your eyebrows may seem a little red–but don’t worry, that won’t last.  It’s a good idea to moisturize before and after threading to keep your skin from being too irritated. Another huge benefit is that threading pulls the hair from it’s very root so hair won’t come back for a couple of weeks! It’s the best kept secret in hair removal.

Soap is an everyday cleansing agent that is used to clear away dirt and greese right? Wrong! If used frequently enough, some traditional soaps can do more harm than good. You should immediately run to your bathroom and check whether or not you are using the right kind of soap.

British dermitologist Dr. F. Ray Bettley made a bold statement when he said that traditional soap is actually bad for your skin. Bettley said that typical soap, made from “caustic alkalies and fats,” has a way of not only removing dirt and greese from our skin, but also the skin’s natural protective layer, which ensures moisturization.

But have no fear–there is a solution. “Soapless soap” is a cleansing agent that does not strip the skin of its necessary natural nutrients. There are several brands of soapless soap on the skincare market–though some can get very pricey. My favorite is the Aquanil cleanser–it’s a gentle, soapless and lipid free cleanser that restores moisture.

It’s definitely affordable–around $10.58. If you’re really concerned and would like to get the top of the line product in soapless skincare, items can range up to $70.00.

It doesn’t stop there. Manufacturers have developed soapless shampoo and soapless conditioner as well. These products will definitely inhibit excessive dryness to your hair. One thing’s for sure—if you’re using the cheap soap from the Dollar Tree, you’re probably scrubbing away essential oils from your skin. When it comes to skincare, it pays to spend a little bit more.

The latest whacky craze to hit the Fall/Winter 09 runways is the hermaphroditic, sinister looking face sporting a pale visage, jet black hair, gothic makeup and no eyebrows. Like everything else that has gone wrong this past year, The NewYork Times reports that the sad economic times is to blame for this also. What else is new? J Party scenesters see it as an inexpensive way to shake things up while emulating haute couture. Givenchy could not have made the sultry Adrianna Lima look more different than her sexy Victoria Secret self, in its latest campaign which features you guessed it, eyebrow less, futuristic looking models in a traditional, luxurious French chateau setting. Emma Watson and the always fashion savvy Kim Kardashian were also recently photographed in prominent photo shoots with brows completely forgotten.

While photographers love the blank slate face that allows them to play up the rest of the scenery, some eyebrow slayers embrace the spiritual connection behind them and claim to be inspired by Buddhist monks. Do you think the look portrays cerebral serenity or do you believe it is futuristic and ghastly?

Some of you might think I’m crazy for recommending this, but I swear by it now.  Shaving my legs with hair conditioner has changed my life!  As someone with super sensitive skin, it was impossible to shave without getting out of the shower with little red shaving cuts all over both of my legs.  But now!  The difference is amazing!

I used shaving cream for many years, and then made the switch to an eco-friendly shaving cream.  The eco-friendly one, made by Kiss My Face, smelled great but was actually worse on my skin that traditional shaving creams I had used in the past.  I was complaining about my shaving cuts one day when my girlfriend suggested using hair conditioner, I had heard of this trick before but never tried it.  I happened to have an old bottle of Charles Worthington London Moisturizing Conditioner in my shower.  A light formula, it was perfect for shaving and I’ve used it since, with no more cuts to complain of.

How is this eco-friendly?  Well, you aren’t having to buy so many different products, first of all.  You can buy one conditioner and make it last for use on your hair and legs.  This is economical.  Fewer bottles means less waste of course.  Not convinced?  Okay, if you really want to get crazy, go buy a bottle of eco-friendly, natural conditioner and use that for conditioning and shaving.  Whatever you end up using, your legs will be smooth, and I think the shave lasts longer. I  couldn’t find the exact Charles Worthington Conditioner that I’ve been using, I know it’s from Walgreens but it wasn’t on their website.  I did dig up a couple of different ones that can be used just the same…you’ll have to report results now!

Organix Hydrating Tea Tree Mint Conditioner: $6.99

Yes To Carrots Pampering Hair Mud Conditioner, Paraben Free: $7.99

Vitamin Conditioner, Blueberry Avocado: $6.99

These are just a few moderately priced eco-friendly conditioners for normal to dry hair.  You can, of course, go cheaper or more expensive based on what you like to treat your hair with.  $1.99 Suave would probably work great on your legs, but I also know this doesn’t quite do it for every woman’s hair.  As far as razors go, I don’t spend a lot of money on the fancy ones anymore.  Perhaps this is why my legs suffered?  Who knows…but they are happy now!

If you’re bored with the same old nail color…you are in luck, a new trend has been forecasted:  green nail polish is back in!  And I’m not talking neon, or bright green, but rather dark green.  Very dark.  Almost black looking.  I have a bad habit of hardly ever updating the colors in my nail polish collection.  Collection?  I know, it sounds ridiculous–but really it only consists of a few colors I’ve collected here and there.  Nail polish doesn’t last forever though gals, don’t forget that.  When you unscrew that top and the lacquer has turned gooey, unfortunately its time to part ways and throw it in the trash.  My newest shade is a light peach color…remember–very hard to find?  But, I was pleasantly surprised to see green added to the roster of trendy nail colors for the upcoming season.  It’s brilliant.  Nix the black and dark brown this fall, dark green is such a refreshing new idea and look.  What this shade, you ask since there are so many?  While really, there aren’t so many.  Its’ going to be difficult to find dark green polish right now.  In a few months, its may be another story.  But, back to color scheme–think Hunter Green if you have ever been familiar with such a thing.  Forest green, dark emerald…you catch my drift hopefully.

The forest green shades are earthy, and may be easier to wear than plain old black or dark brown.  OPI (of course) and Orly have issued their shades of dark green polish…but sadly, I couldn’t find the new shade, Here Today…Aragon Tomorrow, on the OPI website.  This shade is supposed to compliment darker skin.  Orly’s Enchanted Forest–a lighter forest green is set to release in a Fall 2009 collection which explains why I couldn’t find it online.  BUT I was able to locate a photo of the collection itself courtesy of a fellow blogger…

Enchanted Forest is the dark green right in the middle. Below is a small color swatch of it…

You can purchase Enchanted Forest on VictoriasNailSupply.com for $3.15!  Otherwise, as for now it will be pretty difficult to find.  Kim Kardashian is supposedly a big fan of the new dark green nail trend and wears Enchanted Forest herself.  I personally am going to hunt down the OPI shade Here Today…Aragon Tomorrow.  I like the whole idea of dark, dark green on my nails rather than a more emerald shade.  I’ll survey if this trend survived come this fall, stay tuned!

Image Source: bodyandsoul-mary.blogspot.com

Is it just me or are these two wearing the same shade of fuchsia lip gloss?  It sure looks that way. I guess this is an okay color for big smiling mouths.  Based on my observations though, Hip/Hop R&B singer Ciara looks like a young Whitney Houston here, and Kim Kardashian looks like the one brown haired barbie doll Mattel used to make back in the day.  I dislike both of their outfits, a lot.  Makeup isn’t bad, but Kardashian always goes so heavy on the lips AND eyes.  I wish her makeup artist would lighten up on one or the other.  Remember what we’ve learned in the past?  Dramatic is good on one (lips or eyes) it shouldn’t be both…its too overwhelming.  If you’re going to wear heavy, glossy, bright lips you want little to nothing on the eyes…and vice versa.  And it appears to me that Ciara got the message on that one.

Here are both ladies at the Los Angeles premiere of The Orphan at the Mann Theatre in the Westwood Village.  Since we are smack dab in the middle of yet another hot summer here in Los Angeles, it is of course almost absolutely impossible to go without seeing a celebrity (A,B,C or D list) in their bikini.  Now, this girl looks like she is modeling PINK in a Victoria’s Secret Catalog.  Wouldn’t you Agree?

Pictured here in Malibu, she looks great, cute ruffled Juicy Couture swimsuit, good beach body and tan, and her hair looks fabulous!  AnnaLynne McCord is her name, she’s on 90210–the new one, and I’ve only seen one episode but her hair is always curly on it if I remember correctly.  Don’t know whether she kept hers salty or not, but it it’s a great look and an example of how to work the beach hair.

Katherine Heigl just made an appearance on David Letterman in this shocking blue dress…

She looks good, I can’t decide whether I like that dress or not.  But, I do know I do not like her hair brown.  For that matter, it’s not even a true, rich brown…it looks golden on top…and this can look mousey.  Heigl is gorgeous, a true, natural born beauty.  I wish she would just stay blonde, it suits her and she wears it well.  Her makeup looks good though, smoky, bronzy eyes, with a nude shimmery lip.  Very on point with the current trend.  I have to admit though, I do love seeing her looking like a real bombshell with her long blonde hair and red lipstick on.

Image Source: people.com

Curly haired girls should understand where I’m coming from on this one: how annoying is it to leave the house with wet hair?  I’ve done it hundreds, millions of times!  As a curly girl myself, we have been instructed to let the tendrils air dry, otherwise deal with frizz.  But this can take forever.  If I have to allow for natural air drying after shampooing, I need to at least leave a good hour for this to take place.  I had to do it this morning!  And it still wasn’t completely dry when I was driving to work.  Okay. E nough whining.  It’s not so bad in the summer, the wet hair acts as a natural coolant, but in case you are wondering, there are ways to style wet hair, and it doesn’t necessarily mean slicking it back with heavy product.

If you are in a hurry and looking to style wet hair out of the shower, comb it out and if you part it in the middle or to the side, do that after brushing.  Tousle a bit with finger tips, and then what I usually do to avoid my hair getting out of control is twist the wet hair into a low, but and secure with some bobby pins.  The front of the hair and crown will begin to air dry first and since it is groomed back, frizz should be minimal to none.  Once you feel the bun begin to dry slightly, release and tousle once again.

Styling wet hair on the beach or by the pool?  Since you will be protecting you hair from outside elements, it’s always smart to bring some sort of styling product along with.  This only makes sense, and it doesn’t have to be fancy, you can make it yourself.  Don’t wanna spend?  Combine a couple of dollops of conditioner and water in a spray bottle, mix and throw into your purse or bag.  Keep this on hand when coming out of the ocean or chlorine pool, your hair will need the extra moisture after being exposed to the salt and sun.  You can also spray this on prior to going into the water.  If you are going swimming in a pool, a smart thing to do would be to rinse hair with fresh water first, so the strands won’t absorb so much of the chlorine.  And as I’ve mentioned before, if you’ve spent time in the ocean…leave the hair salty!  You will have amazing body, texture and volume.

Image Source: allure.com

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for hair care products.

Whenever there is an opportunity to get dressed up, most of us tend to choose neatly coiffed styles, all properly placed within boundaries so that not a strand would dare step out of line or misbehave.  Translation “boring”! Celebrities, on the other hand have no problem thinking outside the box, and often choose to balance their glamorous red carpet looks and spick and span makeup with carefully cultivated disheveled locks.  Something a little undone not only adds oomph, youthfulness and bohemian flair but also prevents us from looking too dowdy and stuck up!

Moderation is of course key.  Always play around for a couple of days before the big day.  Remember not to go overboard!  A few strategic strands go a long way in delivering the right look.  After all we wouldn’t want to provide fodder to the office grapevine by looking like a tramp.

Here are a few good products to cook up that textured, sexy do.   Most of them come with instructions, and work well applied on damp hair.  (Though some may be used on dry hair as well).  Twist, scrunch and pull back sections that you want teased before blow drying. Voila!

1.  Dirt Texturizing Paste , $26

2.  Coiff Nonchalant Piecing and Forming Wax, $23

3.  Wen Sweet Almond Textured balm, $18

4.  David Babaii for WildAid Bohemian Beach Spray, $10

5.     Redken touch control texture wrap, $11.00

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more hair wax and texturizing paste.

photos courtesy : actressarchives.com

We’ve all seen the commercials to “get girl-approved hair” by using Axe shampoo.  I’ve used AXE products in the past and liked them, so I gladly agreed to try out their new hair products.  For two weeks now I have been using the shampoo (dark blue bottle “Just Clean”) and conditioner (silver bottle “Just Soft”).  Now, me not really being into hair products, I usually can’t tell the difference between different shampoo brands other than the way they smell.  But after using the AXE products, I have to admit that my hair does feel a bit softer. The best part though is that it smells really good, which is probably the most important part to me.  It gives off a cool clean smell that makes you feel refreshed and ready to start the day.  Another good thing is that its only about $5 a 12oz. bottle making it a good bargain for the quality you receive.

Another product that I tried out was the Axe Hair Wax.  It is like hair gel only a lot better because it doesn’t make your hair all hard and crusty.  Instead it keeps your hair firmly in place, but with a softer look and feel.  You also don’t have to put on a ton like gel, only about a finger tip full is all you need.  This product is perfect for me and I recommend every guy should at least try it out.  I think they will like it better than the gel they are currently using.   Overall I definitely would use all of these products again and will probably keep using them from now on.

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for axe hair products.