Thank Heaven For Hairstylists

Hey everyone. Sorry for the slacking on posts. I promise I have a really awesome post coming soon but it’s just taking me a really long time to do so I’ve been working on it in chunks.

Also, some sad news, in the community where my parents live (and where I grew up and come home to on the weekends) a young girl has gone missing. Since I returned home on Friday I have been posting flyers and doing some search party work so I’m pretty wiped out. I’m not going to write a whole lot about it but if you live in the San Diego area or are just interested in what happened, check out this link http://abcnews.go.com/US/chelsea-king-missing-thursday/story?id=9966194.

So while in the midst of this tragedy and the really long post that I am working on, here is just a quick post of my haircut.

Before:



As you can see my hair is LONG but also really dry and damaged. It’s actually not as bad as it usually is because on Thursday I used my Bain de Terre hair strengthening mud masque. I bought it a while ago at a salon that was closing and had everything for 50% off. It was $19.95 before the discount but I have seen it online for around $15. It is definitely worth it. I think a lot of people are put off by the idea that it’s mud but it really doesn’t smell like anything and if you wash it off well you won’t have any mud stuck in your hair. Remember that mud has many nourishing qualities and has been used for beauty treatments for thousands of years. Anyway, it says to leave it on for about 3-5 minutes but I left it for about 15. I shampooed and conditioned then towel tried my hair a bit and applied the masque from the nape of my neck downward, focusing on the ends. It looks gross but no one is going to see you so who cares! I put a towel around my neck that I don’t care about getting brown stains on waited, then washed it off 15 minutes later. It really made a big difference in my hair.

When I went to the salon I told my hair stylists that I wanted a healthy, clean look that was a bit shorter. She helped me select a length and I opted for long layers. She examined my hair type and we decided on a damage remedy deep-conditioning treatment before the cut. The whole thing cost $50 which included shampoo & conditioner, the conditioning treatment, and the cut. All of the products used were Aveda. I usually tip 15% but this time I tipped 20% for her excellent work and advice. She didn’t pressure me into any big, expensive treatments which I was very grateful for. Check out my new look below.

After:



Where I had my hair done:

Strands Salon by Aveda

11960 Bernardo Plaza Dr.

San Diego, CA 92128

www.strandssalonspa.com

Props to Allison!

Note: Allison (my stylist) mentioned that my scalp was really dry and flaky (yes, it is, and it’s gross) and she asked what I use on my hair. It turns out that the cause is my Joico K-Pak shampoo and conditioner. Apparently the Joico K-pak line of products are protein-treatments which help rebuild hair but can only be used 2x a week at most. Using it more than that makes hair brittle but mostly damages the scalp because your scalp is made of protein and using a protein treatment everyday over-proteinizes the scalp and makes it dry and flaky. I guess I’ll have to find a new shampoo and conditioner for everyday use.

I guess this really wasn’t a sort post after all. What do you guys think of the new hair cut? Please leave any questions of comments in the comments section

Kate

I am still waiting for 25 subscribers! I will be having a contest with a product that I have been sent by a company as soon as I get 25 subscribers. Please tell your friends about this blog. I really want to give this prize away so I am not tempted to keep it.

How to tan...without looking like an oompa loompa

I am super-duper pale and like most women, sometimes I love it and sometimes I hate it. In general I go for the love what you’ve got approach but I think that every woman should be given the opportunity to look as she wishes. I was going to just post some of the tanning products that I’ve heard are good but instead I decided to show you what I actually use and give my opinion. So, to keep from looking like Bella Swan (Twilight reference, hehe) - here’s what I do.





On a daily basis…

I don’t get around to this every day but I try to use a gradual tanning lotion on my face and body at least once a week. The reason I don’t every day is because I like my own lotion a lot (I use Bliss Get Out Of Hair) and I don’t want to trade completely to a tanning lotion.

I use Jergens Natural Face Glow for my face but I’m not crazy about it for two reasons. One reason is that I don’t like the smell very much and the other is that I got it from a friend because it was too light for her but it’s too dark for me. I have it for medium/dark skin tones but it still works okay; it’s just a little orangey. I am not going to bother purchasing it in the correct color though because of the smell.

For my body I use True Blue Spa Glow and Steady. This stuff smells delicious and goes on really smoothly and is non-greasy. It takes a while to notice an effect but if you use this stuff all winter, when spring dresses start hitting the racks, you’ll have glowing, tan limbs.

When I go to the beach…

I’m just going to come out and admit that I use tanning lotion at the beach. I know that it’s really bad for your skin and I will probably regret it someday but I just do. I rotate my body every 15 minutes, reapply lotion every hour, and use a sun umbrella during the hottest parts of the day.

I use Hawaiian Tropic Dark Tanning Lotion which I really like. It works well and smells deliciously of coconut. The only thing I don’t like is that it’s a lotion which goes on white and is kind of thick. When I run out I will be purchasing a continuous spray because that’s so much easier. A benefit to the lotion kind? Getting cute guys to rub lotion on your back.

For about a week after getting a nice tan at the beach I use True Blue Spa Hold It Right There - After-Sun Tan Extender as my morning moisturizer. It’s a really nice, tropical-scented moisturizing lotion that prolongs the appearance of a tan.

The day before an event…

The day before something that I want to look really nice and tan for I use a semi-instant tanning lotion. You rub it on everywhere that you want to look tan and within 3-4 hours a nice base tan has developed. I’ve had a lot of trouble finding a really good one of these and I’ll explain why below when I talk about the product I use now. An important thing to remember is to exfoliate before applying! Make sure to exfoliate areas where the skin is extra thick and dry such as your elbows and knees (I use Philosophy Amazing Grace Hot Salt Scrub).

I use Banana Boat Summer Color Sunless Tinted Lotion but I really like only one thing about it and that is that it’s tinted so you can see where you’re applying it and where you’ve missed spots. The tint won’t be the actual color of your tan; it just helps you to see where you’re putting the lotion. What I don’t like is it smells terrible and the color is very orangey. Does anyone use something similar to this that they really like? Leave me a comment.

The day of an event…

When I want a really dazzling tan for a special evening I use Bliss A Tan For All Seasons. It is a tan in a continuous spray can that goes on smoothly, without streaking and dries completely in 10-15 minutes. I love this stuff and I use it right after I get out of the shower. It’s best to apply it stark naked because it’s easy to get it on your clothes and it stains. It smells citrusy and delicious and leaves a wonderful golden glow. It’s normally $36 for a 4.4 oz can but I got it for $20 at T.J. Maxx so remember to always keep a look out at discount stores for it if you don’t want to shell out the cash for retail.

Thank you so much for reading and please leave any comments or questions in the comments section. A company sent me a product to review and an additional one which I am going to giveaway as soon as I reach 25 subscribers. It’s going to be a surprise. Please subscribe in the sidebar and tell your friends. Thanks!

Kate

Makeup brush collection/organization

I used to keep my makeup brushes in the box that came with my Lancome brush set but I decided that it would be more functional and decorative to keep them in a class jar. I didn't want just a plain glass jar so I designed my own using stuff I bought at Michael's Craft Store.

How to make your own brush holder...

What you'll need:

1. a glass cup/jar (size depending on # of brushes you have)

2. some sort of beads (deocrative, glass, or acrylic polyfil work well)

3. vinyl or sticky decorations for outside of the jar (or you can glue stuff on)

Here's what I bought (all of this stuff is from Michael's, I accidentally threw away the receipt but I think it totaled approx. $12)



What to do:

1. Decorate the glass however you wanted. I bought purple star vinyl wall stickers and used a big star for the front and put little stars around the rest.

2. Pour the beads so that the jar is 1/2-3/4 full (this will vary depending on how tall your makeup brushes are)

3. Put your makeup brushes in.

Tips: Storing your makeup brushes this way puts them out in the open so they collect dust/dirt easily. Make sure to either wash your brushes daily or put coverings on them (I use the plastic coverings that came with my brush set but they sell inexpensive brush guards at thebrushguard.com) .

My finished product...



On to my makeup brush collection (I placed them by the window for the shot so I could get better lighting)



From left to right

(Bare Escentuals kabuki brush, Essence of Beauty fdtn brush, Essence of Beauty blush brush, Lancome #5, Essence of Beauty e/s brush, Lancome #11, Lancome #14, Lancome #10, Sonia Kashuk concealer brush, MAC 224)

That's it. Please leave any questions or comments in the comments section. Your question of the day: do you think expensive makeup brushes are worth the extra $? Let me know!

Also, the contest winner for my January giveaway has been announced. Please check the post below to see if you won.

Kate

And the winner is...

Thank you all so much for your participation in my giveaway. I used the random number generator on random.org to give me a number and I used that to pick the winner. Remember that you had to both have written a comment on my contest post and have subscribed so if you didn't do both of those things you were ineligible.

So without further ado, the winner is....Wendy. If you are Wendy please email me (themakeupaddict@bigfoot.com) with your contact information using the email address that you used to subscribe.

If you didn't win please don't be too bummed. I am planning on having an even bigger contest with more prizes and winners when I  hit 50 subscribers. Please subscribe and recommend this blog to your friends!

Kate

Favorite things of January

Hi guys.  Sorry that this post is a little bit late. Things have been really hectic later and I've just been falling asleep when I know I should be working on this blog. Here is a list of things that I loved in January. Check them out!

Infusium 23 repairologie leave-in treatment $6.99

I am a part time nanny and a substitute “dance-mom.” This adorable little girl whom I care for has long, blonde, unruly hair and it’s extremely difficult to put it in a perfect bun for ballet. I put her hair in a ponytail then coat it with this stuff and make it into a bun. Later in the day I rinse her hair off and it’s incredibly shiny and soft. Recently I’ve purchased a bottle for myself and begun using it regularly. It’s supposed to be a leave-in treatment but I have such thin hair that everything weighs it down. Instead I soak my hair in it and then put it in a bun and rinse it out at night. Voila - soft, shiny, and manageable hair. The only con is that it’s very watery and gets everywhere when applying it so put a towel around your shoulders first.

Essence of Beauty synthetic foundation and powder brush $10.49

For a long while I was on the hunt for a really good foundation brush. I don’t wear liquid foundation often so I didn’t want to spend too much money on a brush but I finally decided it was worth it to have a good brush and bough a $40 Estée Lauder brush. Before I had a chance to use it I borrowed the same brush from a friend and hated it so I returned my un-used one. On a night I needed to wear liquid foundation I made a mad dash for the drugstore and picked this one up. I am so glad I did. This brush is soft, never sheds, and gives your face an airbrushed look with your foundation. Trust me on this one, don’t waist your money on a high-end brush because this one truly delivers.

Bath & Body Works pillow mist $10

I got the lavender chamomile version of this a while ago in a gift set and just recently started using it. Just a couple of spritzes on my pillows before I go to sleep gives me a new incentive to shut my eyes and just inhale the soft scent. Just thinking about it makes me want to fall fast asleep. I consider this the cheaper alternative to getting a really great mattress and the natural alternative to sleeping pills. Available in lavender chamomile, lavender vanilla, jasmine vanilla, eucalyptus spearmint, black currant vanilla, milk & honey, black chamomile, and lemon cardamom. They also have a 1oz travel size of the lavender chamomile for $3.50.

Burt’s Bees Peppermint Foot Lotion

For some reason I’ve recently begun getting very cracked and dry heels. I hate wearing socks all over the place and despise having my feet confined to those hot, moisturizing socks. Every evening I just rub a little of this peppermint foot lotion on my heels and they’ve begun to heal very quickly. It’s non-greasy and has a very strong, natural peppermint scent. The only con is it’s not very thick so if you have very dry feet I would try something else instead.

So what do you think? Should I do one of these monthly? Please let me know in the comments section.

And just a reminder that the giveaway ends on February 7th at Midnight. Entries after that will not be accepted. If you want to enter just scroll down or go to the sidebar and click on "January Giveaway." Please remember that you must be a subscriber to enter so if you win and you didn't subscribe another winner will be chosen. Subscribe in the sidebar. Thanks!

Kate