Product Review: Lava Volcanic Wax by Framesi

November 29, 2012 By Leave a Comment

As you might have noticed, I have short hair . . . very short hair. So listen up men – this blog post can be helpful to you as well! Those with long hair might be surprised when I say this, but I find that short hair takes more work to maintain than if it was lengthier. When I have a bad-hair-day or feel lazy, there is no option of throwing my locks back in a simple ponytail or braid. When I am getting ready to face the world, I must blow dry and style it. Therefore, the type of hair product I use is pivotal to my entire look. To get that “rock-and-roll” I so desperately desire, I need a product that provides strong hold and texture that is going to last throughout the day and night. When I received Lava Volcanic Wax by Framesi, I was super stoked! It contains actual volcanic ash, and you certainly don’t get more rock-and-roll than that! After using it, I am very pleased with the results; I received a lot of texture and hold but with very little build up. I love the way the wax makes my hair feel so much that I’m now inspired to try out the rest of the Framesi product line. Volcano hair . . . I never thought such an idea could make me so happy!

 

Filed Under: Beauty Trends, Hair Care, Vicki Long Tagged With: , , , ,

Should You Get Bangs?

November 25, 2012 By 1 Comment

At one point or another, we’ve all had disastrous hairstyles, many of them involving attempting to give ourselves bangs with our mom’s shears while in the eighth grade. While the experience might have scarred you for life, perhaps you’ve been feeling that itch to change up your look and are hesitantly entertaining the idea of having bangs once more. Before you take the plunge, we provide some pointers below to help you decide whether or not the look is a suitable match.

Bangs are GOOD if . . .

You want to look younger – longer bangs can help to cover  wrinkles in your forehead and around your eyes. Even if you prefer a look that doesn’t have the dramatic length, side-swept bangs effectively soften your entire look and draws attention away from the crinkles. The right style of bangs can also help to disguise a receding hairline. Additionally, bangs can be seen as playful and flirty, and are a hot trend among younger generations.

You have thick hair and admire Kiera Knightley’s heavy bangs – for ladies with thicker manes, they should consider bangs that are blunt cuts instead of a feathered look, as the latter will require a lot of thinning and more maintenance.

You have fine hair and admire Reese Witherspoon’s soft bangs – for those who have thinner hair, they should aim for a softer, wispier look. Logically, you won’t be able to achieve Kiera’s dramatic look if you don’t have the hair thickness to match.

You want to emphasize your eyes – Just like curtains dress up a window, bangs will bring attention to your eyes as it limits your forehead and guides observer’s stare downward directly to your eyes. Another added benefit is that bangs can emphasize your cheekbones.

Bangs are NOT good if . . .

You have curly hair or prefer to do minimal hair maintenance  – If you have curly hair, you will be forced to vigilantly straighten your bangs every single morning and cross your fingers that they don’t get wet; curly bangs rarely work, as the hair will gather into a few, crinkly pieces or springs rather than evenly fall. Even with straight hair though, all bangs require some level of dedication to style them; if carefully combing them and applying anti-frizz products sound like a chore, then bangs aren’t for you.

If you don’t have the money or desire to go to a professional – If you have a skilled, steady hand, perhaps trimming your bangs will be an option. However, a stylist should be consulted when first creating the look as they will factor in what specifically works with your facial shape and features. While you might be able to create an even look (if you’re lucky), you might be doing yourself a disfavor by not treating yourself to bangs that flatter your facial shape. Additionally, unless you trust yourself to not screw up the style, trips to the salon for a trim will be done on a monthly basis, though many stylists offer discounts or complimentary cuts to loyal customers.

When at your salon, ask for recommendations of hair and beauty supplies that will help you style and control your bangs to create a beautiful look that helps you shine!

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Beauty Questions, Beauty Trends, Hair Care Tagged With: , , ,

How to Be Healthy on Thanksgiving

November 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Pause and imagine Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. What comes to mind? Turkey, gravy, sweet potato pie, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, stuffing. . . plates will be spilling forth from the table and you will undoubtedly help yourself to multiple servings. And then it strikes: the feeling that you ate too much and the feeling of being weighed down that lingers for days. Instead of wearing sweat pants for a week, below are some tips on how to have a healthy meal for Thanksgiving this year.

1) Avoid consuming large amounts of salt, as most Thanksgiving foods are high in sodium, which isn’t the greatest for your heart and blood pressure, and can lead to bloating. If you are the one preparing food, there are plenty of recipes for delicious dishes that are low in sodium that you can serve. However, if you are at the mercy of another chef’s seasonings, use gravy sparingly and interchange it with light cranberry sauce (low in sodium but high in sugars) to keep turkey moist. When given the choice, choose sweet potatoes over regular ones as they usually require less salt. If you want to an alternative to salting your food, reach for herbs as a way of adding flavor.

2) Fill up on healthy foods before you dig into the more unhealthy morsels so your portion sizes are naturally smaller. Instead of heading straight for the mashed potatoes and stuffing, have a bowl of salad or some fruit. Additionally, resist the temptation to eat as much as possible as fast as possible. Instead, give your food time to digest so you’re stomach as the chance to alert you that you’re full. Drink water in between helping yourself to multiple servings, as this helps to curb your appetite as well.

3) Find healthy alternatives for classic thanksgiving foods. Pass over the crackers and cheese that are often served prior to the meal in favor of raw veggies; make mashed potatoes with healthier alternatives to butter, like chicken broth and olive oil; leave out the pie crust and serve mouse or pudding instead. And, when eating turkey, consider passing over the skin. However, if your favorite staple is something yummy like sweet yams, then don’t skip it. Instead, simply limit calories in other aspects of the meal.

4) After you’re full, get up from the table temporarily, perhaps to help wash the dishes, take a brief walk or make a phone call. This will give your food a chance to settle and will prevent you from eating food simply because it is in front of you.

Filed Under: Health Tagged With: , ,

How to Know Which Lip Product is Best For You

November 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

With so many different cosmetic choices for lips, it’s easy to get a little baffled about which type  product is most-suited to fit your individual needs. To help, we broke down the pros and cons of the many options.

Lip balm: This product (often known as chap stick) is the most “low-maintenance” of all the various items for lips, as it is meant to predominantly provide moisture to keep lips soft and prevent chapping. Often containing bees or carnauba wax, it is normally without pigment. While certain lines have added color, the hue is never more than a subtle tint. Lip balm is perfect for those who want to address dry or burnt lips; another appealing factor is that this type of cosmetic is significantly cheaper than many of the other categories.

Lip Gloss: Considered the most popular lip product among younger populations, lip gloss adds noticeably more color and shine than lip balm but without the intensity and thickness of other products. This cosmetic comes in a vast range of both prices and colors, and can provide multiple effects like glossy, nude lips, overt shimmer or color transformation. However, as anyone who has ever worn lip gloss can tell you, it fades fast and needs to be consistently reapplied, a process which requires little effort or procession. While it is generally cheaper than lipstick and can be worn in both formal and casual settings, be careful to pick a color and texture that is age appropriate, as many of the more sparkly lip glosses are intended for teenagers.

Lip Stick: With heavier pigmentation, it is associated with both class and sexiness. Lipstick comes in a wide array of shades and shines, and lasts longer than its gloss counterpart. As a result, it is also often slightly more pricey and should be applied with a little more care. Be aware that, with this cosmetic providing noticeable color, it is a lot easier to choose “the wrong color” of lipstick or to overwhelm your overall look. This is an ideal choice when you want to play up your lips, but if you choose to also sport dramatic eyes then consider either wearing a neutral shade or switching to lip gloss.

Lip Stain: Like lipstick, this product provide consistent, solid color. Unlike lipstick though, many lines of lip stains ultimately have a drying effect. Furthermore, more procession is needed in application, or your look will appear sloppy and uneven. Additionally, color selection is somewhat narrow as this cosmetic isn’t as popular as many others. The benefits of lip stain? It stays on longer than any other lip product, so it doesn’t smear onto glasses and other items, or need to be applied multiple times a day.

Lip Plumper: The purpose of lip plumper is to make your pout temporarily fuller. How is this achieved? By irritating the lips to increase blood flow to the area. Common components that are added to to create this effect include cinnamon, chili pepper and niacin; though many manufactures try to minimize the stinging sensation with the additives of calming ingredients, most users report experiencing slight tingling. For better or for worse, the plumping attributes or temporary.  Like lip stains, the selection in color is limited though options do range from bright red to transparent.

Filed Under: Beauty Trends, Makeup Tagged With: , , , , ,

Hot Lip Colors for the Cold Winter Weather

November 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

One of our favorite make up artists, Melissa Wilson of MAWBeauty Hair & Makeup Studio, clues us into the best ways to have smoldering lips this winter.

Being a Rhode Island resident, winter has become one of my least favorite seasons because of the cold, northeast weather. However, even though I’m not partial to snow and cold temperatures, I still always look forward to winter because of the beautiful makeup trends. Particularly with lip color. Winter, in my opinion, is the best time of the year to get a little more daring and bold with your choice of color. During the spring and summer, people generally opt for a clean, bronzy, “no makeup” look. However, when the coolers seasons come around, deeper and richer colors are top choice. Check out some of my favorite colors for this season!

Strawberry from Arbonne is definitely one of my faves. Everyone is looking for the “perfect” red lip, and this is IT! This beautiful, rich red color looks amazing on almost any skin tone, from the fairest of the fair, to darker skinned beauties. It has a creamy, long wearing texture, and it’s sure to get you noticed in a good way!

Another Arbonne favorite of mine is Scarlet. Scarlet is a deeper red color that, once again, looks fabulous on lighter and darker skin tones. If you’re trying to be bold, but not bright, Scarlet is a great choice.

For fall and winter, berry colors are very much in season. One of my favorite berry toned lip colors is Revlon Colorbusrt Lip Butter in Raspberry Pie. If you’re someone who isn’t really into the full coverage that a lipstick gives, and would rather have a more sheer color, then lip butters are great. Although the color isn’t as pigmented as a lipstick, you’ll still get beautiful, natural looking color; plus, they are super hydrating, which is something that is very necessary during the cold winter months.

If red isn’t your color, and lipstick isn’t what you prefer, L’Oreal Color Riche Le Gloss in Mystic Mauve is a great choice. This deep pink color will look great on all skin tones, and is a more natural looking alternative to a red lip, or even a berry. This true to color hue gives a beautiful, even, glossy finish, hydrates the lips, and is perfect to use every day!

So remember, winter is a great time to experiment with lip color. This festive season is perfect for trying different shades of reds and berry. Whichever color you choose, be sure to create a perfect base by hydrating your lips first, then topping with your favorite gloss or lipstick for the season!

Filed Under: Beauty Trends, Makeup, Melissa Wilson Tagged With: , ,

The Beauty Item Vicki Cannot Live Without – The Eyebrow Pencil

November 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Let’s talk about  necessity. You know what I mean . . . the one thing in your beauty arsenal that you feel you need and cannot live without. We all have that item and it really does vary from person to person. Believe it or not, my personal “I can’t leave the house until I’m wearing it” beauty product is . . . my eyebrow pencil. I know it sounds silly, but hear me out; I get incredibly irked when my eyebrows aren’t even and filled. Eyebrows truly are the frame of your face; they accentuate your eyes and a clean arch adds definition to your cheeks and jaw line. Messy eyebrows can make the entire face less polished, and thin or over-plucked brows can make the face appear larger and makeup seem unnatural. Plus, fuller brows are currently one of the hottest trends off the runway.

When filling in my eyebrows, I prefer a quality waterproof eyeliner pencil – the trick is to find a product that stands up to perspiration but comes off with a makeup remover. Additionally, I always buy a pencil that is a shade or two lighter than my natural hair in order to avoid making my look too harsh. I draw the top of the arch and then fill in both ends, making sure everything is symmetrical. I then use a eyebrow comb to brush them up and out to make sure they look clean and even. What do I specifically avoid when filling in my eyebrows? Pressing too hard and creating a single, thick line. Instead, I draw  with light, short strokes that mimic the direction of the hair in order to have my eyebrows look as natural as possible.

Do you agree that the eyebrow pencil is an important beauty tool or is there another item in your beauty supply that you have with you all times? Let me know in the comment section!

Filed Under: Beauty Trends, Makeup, Vicki Long Tagged With: , ,

A Trip Down Memory Lane: Beauty from the 1950′s

November 4, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The 1950′s was a decade of soft curls, feminine features. And, while the 60′s were all about the dramatic eye makeup, the 50′s favored bold lips, long lashes and strongly defined eyebrows. Some of the most admired beauties of cinematic history came from this era, and us 21st Century ladies can easily recreate their iconic looks.

To incorporate the expressive, sexy brows into your look, first you will most likely need to temporarily skip over your usual hair removal routine in order to achieve a fuller look. When your eyebrow hairs have grown in, you can apply a defined arch and fill them in with a shade that is slightly darker than your natural coloring. Additionally, consider carrying around a small eyebrow brush to maintain the beautiful, clean shape throughout the night.

To achieve the innocent, dewy lids loved by 50′s movie stars and housewives alike, look for a cream eyeshadow with a natural hue. As you might have noticed, women of the era tended to shy away from using bright colors in favor of attention-grabbing eyeliner. Using a quality, liquid black eyeliner, you can create a “winged” look with a solid line across the entire upper lid and upward turned corners. Multiple coats of mascara can be applied to the upper lashes, but the lower should feature a minimal amount to create the appearance of wide-eyed innocence.

The final touch is to add the brightly colored lips. First, use lip liner to define and shape your upper lip and to prevent your color from bleeding, something that is especially helpful for women with creases around their mouth. Next, apply that lipstick that works perfectly with your skin tone – we favor bright reds, corals, and dark pinks. When choosing the color that works best for you, take into consideration whether your skin has warm or cool undertones. Additionally, don’t be afraid to experiment to find that perfect shade; with a wide selection of discount beauty supplies at your fingertips, you can afford to play with your look.

So, this winter, consider paying homage to these timeless movie beauties by mixing their classic look with your modern fashion sense.

 

 

Filed Under: Makeup Tagged With: , , ,
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