Out With the Old, In With The New...Part Two

There is mountains of information out there about proper skin care. If you're anything like me you'll be bored by paragraph 4. What that meant to me was seeking out simplicity for part 2 of this post. It made perfect sense to consult with a professional working esthetican. Below is an easy to read guide on shedding dead skin cells and uncovering smooth, radiant skin.

Facial exfoliation is broken down into 3 categories: mechanical, manual and chemical.

1.  Mechanical exfoliation is also known as microdermabrasion. Most types use crystals to exfoliate. Some use high frequently vibration, which seems to be the new and improved way of mechanical exfoliation. Microdermabrasion is typically known for being effective on the skins surface helping to diminish acne scars and sun damage.
2. Manual exfoliation simply means an at home scrub. These are perfect for in-between visits to your esthetican. I love The Body Shop Vitamin C microdermabrasion.
3. Chemical exfoliation aka chemical peels are more effective below the skins surface because they penetrate into the epidermis and literally slough off the top layer of skin. This method is used for fine lines and wrinkles, acne and pigmentation issues. Typically a glycolic peel is used which is an alpha hydrochloric acid derived from good ole sugar cane.

Some things to remember about all 3 methods....they all increase your cell renewal factor which is huge because as we get older that only slows down. They all unclog pores and leave our skin smooth.

If you feel you are at the point where you need a chemical procedure, know that an esthetican will perform a light peel. A dermatologist will perform a medium to heavy peel (these might require some down time)

• This info was provided to me by a professional esthetican. She is currently using Skin Bella crystal-free microdermabrasion

Beth Scholomiti

Jon Ric Hair Spa 

Charlotte, NC

www.jonriccharlotte.com

Out With The Old, In With The New...Part One

That's right everyone it's time to get down with it! I know all you sun worshipers out there had a rockin summer, so now it's time to take care of that skin until next year. Out with the old, in with the new. That is the theme of the fall season, and it shouldn't be any different with your skin. Exfoliation is the removal of dead skin cells that cling to your skin's outer surface. Removing these dead cells leaves your skin softer, brighter, and prepped for moisturizing.
Read on...

1. Body Scrubs: I have to say that I am not a fan of salt scrubs. They burn my skin, especially after shaving, and waxing. I tend to seek out sugar scrubs, or I just make them myself. Sugar cane produces glycolic acid, one of the natural alpha hydroxy acids that exfoliates the skin. So what better way to start off the cold season than to scrub down with sugar?! Doesn't that sound delish? You can safely use a body treatment twice a week. Below is a homemade recipe from The Vermont Soapworks...I found it on a wonderful site called Care2 under "healthy and green living"...here's the link: http://www.care2.com/

Ingredients
• 50 percent white cane sugar (note that organic sucanat, while the best choice for food, doesn’t work as well for this recipe)
• 50 percent vegetable glycerin to moisten the sugar ( you can use avocado oil as a substitute)
• Small amounts of aloe vera gel, vitamin C crystals, or anything healing that dissolves in water
• 1 or 2 drops of essential oil if desired (try combining lavender and tangerine with a drop of chamomile for a relaxing dreamy blend OR nutmeg, clove and cinnamon for a spicy fall blend)
• Enough ground hibiscus powder for pink color (if desired)

Combine the ingredients in a bowl. Scoop some of the scrub onto your hand and massage gently onto your skin for a minute (the scrub will actually tighten onto your skin like a masque). Leave on for 3 to 4 minutes before rinsing.

     2. Facial Scrubs: It is so important to exfoliate the dead skin cells off of your face all year round. If you are not exfoliating you are not giving your facial serums, lotions and fancy eye creams a fighting chance. In Part Two of  "Out With The Old...." I will talk about the following...

• gentle abrasives
• microderabrasion
• chemical peels

Hot Tip: When I'm flying a lot I try to keep up with my skin more than normal. On a long flight I make up hand scrubs made with honey and sugar. Just mix the 2 ingredients together until you have a paste. Scoop a tablespoon amount into hands and scrub. Let sit for a few minutes, rinse with water, apply a good hand cream and put on some gloves. In my case we have powder-free plastic gloves on the plane. I wear the gloves for about an hour. You can easily do this at home too.

The Eyelash Diaries

For my Momma <3


So you've read my post "Stew With A Magic Wand...Or Not" followed the steps and took the 4 week challenge, and you are still having problems with your eyelashes!!?? OK OK perhaps we need a little something extra. I know some of you out there like the look of a false lash line, but maybe you've tried it and thought it looked silly, or maybe you want to try but don't know how. There are a few ways to go about this, and they are written below...enjoy!

• full strip false lashes: This is certainly a look. One that in the past you had better be willing to rock or you would've ended up looking like you forgot the rest of your costume at home. The good news is, full strip lashes are now being made to look more natural. CVS isn't my first choice in this case. You might have to get yourself to a MAC Store for the new and improved. At MAC you will spend about $14 a pair. They have the best selection, coming in at over 20 different eyelash looks to choose from. Whether your goal is long and lush, natural, or short and full, you'll find what you are looking for. While you are there have someone show you how to apply your new lashes, remove them and store them for next time. 
• individual lashes:  Individuals are enhancers not creators. I recommend individual lashes to someone who already has a pretty strong lash line. You aren't trying to create a lash line, you just want to enhance yours. Maybe fill in where a few lashes have fallen out or have broke in half. (Reminder: take your mascara off EVERY night for less breakage!) This is where you can run down to your local drug store and buy the individual lashes by Ardell. They will run you about $5 a box. 
• half strip lashes: These are great for enhancing the outer corners of your eyes for an extra kick. Very pretty, very sexy ;)
• adhesive: Duo seems to be the glue of choice by a lot of makeup artists. It has a latex base that is safe for lashes or any body decoration. MAC even sells this brand to apply their own lashes. You can by it at your local drug store, the cost is about $6.50.
• remover: There are so many removers out there. I usually tell people to "steam lashes off in the shower" the glue will loosen and then you can easily and gently pull them off. BUT always ask the professional who is selling you a product what the care instructions are. They will know what's best for that particular product.

Hot Tip: If $14 sounds like a lot for fake eyelashes, just know that with proper care you will have them for a long time. Whenever you are buying makeup from a professional in a store or at a counter you aren't limited to just buying, you can and should ask questions. Let them show you how to work with what they are selling you, don't just buy it. A professional can show you how to properly apply, remove and care for the product, and essentially that is what they are trained to do. Buying makeup is a service experience not just a retail experience, remember that next time you are shopping around for beauty products. 

Scrub A Dub

This post is for Tara Dom. She wanted me to write about cleaning makeup brushes. It's so easy to do this, everyone should be cleaning their brushes on a regular basis. I usually wash my brushes when I'm laying over at a hotel for the night. It gives me something to do and they have time to dry over night.
Makeup brushes not only have makeup buildup, they also have oil, dust, skin, and dirt. Yum what a cocktail of lovely things. I like to wash my brushes with warm water and antibacterial soap.

• Wet the brush with warm water
• In the palm of your hand put a little soap
• Gently swirl the brush around in the soap
• Rinse and repeat if necessary
• Reshape and lay flat on a towel, let dry over night
• Don't put wet makeup brushes in a holder or cup with bristles facing up. The left over water will run down into where the handle and the bristles meet and loosen the glue
• If you have a matted makeup brush you can comb out the knots. After the cleaning process, rub a little conditioner into the bristles and comb gently until any matted spots and knots are out. Rinse again, reshape, and lay flat on a towel

Honestly it's that simple.

Hot Tip: If you don't have many brushes and you are working with several colors, you can clean brushes in between alternating colors with a brush cleaner. Cleaners usually come in a spray bottle and are usually antibacterial. Spray some on a towel and gently swirl the brush on the towel until it's clean. Colors will look more vibrant. Try Sephora for a selection of brush cleaners.

A Brow Raising Good Time!

Eyebrows frame your face. Eyebrows can make or break you...I'm not kidding! A few things to think about:

• Anyone who is still rockin the Drew Barrymore in her weird, rust lipstick wearing, bleach blonde pixie hair eyebrow stage. Please grow them out!!! I do like the haircut though...
• More is generally better.
• Arching your brow too close to the inside of your eye is not good.
• If you need to fill in your brows, use a brow powder and a nice angled brush. It looks more natural than pencil.
• If you really aren't skilled in the tweezing department, go to a makeup artist at a reputable salon for a great shaped brow. It might seem a little pricier than your waxing at the nail salon, but trust it's worth every penny! A makeup artist will also brush and cut your brows which is the key for a finished look.

Here is a step by step guide to help you achieve a beautiful brow

1. A) Hold a makeup brush handle from the corner of your nose to the inner corner of your eye....this is where you eyebrow should start.

2. B) Hold that same brush from the corner of your nose to the outer pupil of your eye...this is the general area where your eyebrow should arch.
3. C) Hold the brush again from the corner of your nose to the outer corner of your eye...this is where your eyebrow should end.
4. When you start tweezing you want to literally connect the dots in between these three points. (see the image at the top of the page? the lines are very clean...try to go for this look) Start by making a straight line from the inner corner up to your arch point and then another straight line from your arch point down to the outer corner.
5. When filling in use quick light strokes in the same direction as your eyebrow grows, again, connect the dots, that would be up to your arch point and down to the outer corner.

Hot Tip: If your eyebrows have the Drew look above and you plan on growing them out, please be very very patient. I will take for-ev-er for them to start to grow again but it will happen. Just hang in there and use that powder filler until you can get some real hair growing. They may come in patchy but again that's what the filler is for. YOU CAN DO IT!!! Look at Drew below...it can happen!

Humidity Is Not Your Friend

My sister was very adamant that I do this as my next post. She even reminded me as I was walking out the door to start a 4 day trip. I don't travel with a laptop, so I had to wait until I got home. So here ya go Sass!
 One of my sister's traveling challenges now that she lives in Denver, CO (where it's a great hair day everyday) is fighting humidity. Coming back east is always a blast but she always complains about the humidity and of course, her hair. Humid weather does two things to our hair. 1. LIMP 2. FRIZZ So her are a few things to consider when dealing with a hot humid climate.

• Don't fight what your momma gave ya. If you have curly or wavy hair, buy a frizz control styling product with lots of silicone in it. The silicone does three things: enhances shine, smooths the cuticle layer of your hair and locks in moisture. After applying a generous amount of this product (especially to the ends) let your beautiful naturally curly hair air dry. It won't be as "big" 

If you are dead set on a flat iron (you know who you are!) make sure your hair is bone dry before you flat iron and use a humidity fighting protective spray. Hot Tip: Take small sections, comb all knots out, spray the section and run the iron through twice.

• Now if you have straight hair that has zero volume in the humidity, you might just need a good layered cut. Yes I know you like your long hair with the long layers, but, don't expect to get much volume out of that type of haircut. You need to lighten the load a bit. Sorry girls. If you are hesitant to cut, you can at least fight the frizz with a silicone based smoothing gel for thicker hair or a smoothing serum for thinner hair.
• Extra fine hair always has it's share of problems in hot weather. The best thing you can do for your fine locks is to choose the right shampoo. Try something volumizing NOT moisturizing. Apply conditioner to ends and not scalp. Choose styling products that won't weigh your hair down. Try a volumizing mousse at your roots, blow dry on a cool setting and finish with a round brush. If it's frizz you are trying to combat use an extra light smoothing serum...the tiniest bit will work wonders. Most importantly keep your hands to yourself. Touching our hair too much creates oily, lifeless hair.

SMOOTHING PRODUCTS

1. For thick hair (curly, wavy or straight) try a silicone gel. I love Sebastian Laminates Concentrate Gel. I use it on my hair while it's damp. Then a tiny bit again when it's dry. 
2. For fine hair. My sister likes Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum. It's light and won't weigh you down. Be careful when applying, you don't want to get it close to your scalp.
3. For an amazing blow dry on just about any hair type try Moroccan Oil Treatment  The Original would be for normal to thick hair, and the new Light formula is for fine hair.

• For everyone: There is an art to applying a smoothing product. Start by warming it up in your hands and applying first to the ends. Warm it again and apply to the mid section, and so on...don't go straight for your scalp.

VOLUMIZERS

1. THIS is when you go straight for the scalp! Use a root boosting product like Redken Guts 10 Volume Spray Foam. Lift hair and spray roots. It keeps product off the ends of your hair for a fuller style.

THERMAL STYLING

1. When ever you are using hot tools (curling irons, flat irons) you want to make sure you start with completely dry hair. Using hot tools on damp hair won't hold a style and more importantly will do damage. Next you want a protective spray that is humidity resistant. I really like Matrix Sleek Look-Iron Smoother. A product like this will protect your hair from the high heat of your iron, prolong those split ends and lock in your style.

SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER

1. Choose shampoos that are appropriate for your hair. If you have thick hair that tends to be dry. Use something moisturizing. If your hair is normal just use a daily shampoo, no need to weigh your hair down with shampoos for damaged or dry hair. If you have fine hair use a clarifying or a volumizing shampoo.
2. The same goes for conditioner. Match brands if you want but it's not necessary.

Hot Tip: If you have trouble combing out your hair when it's damp, keep a wide tooth comb in the shower.  Hair is a it's weakest when wet, so let your conditioner sit for a minute then comb through the knots. This will eliminate so much breakage! It's also a great tip for dealing with your little ones with knotty hair. It eliminates lots of tears.

Side Note: If all else fails there are all sorts of fun up styles you can do with your hair and gadgets to get you there.  For example, a simple ponytail topped with a pretty headband looks stylish and neat all day. Try handmade heads bands like Kaang's on Etsy.com

Screw you Skinny Girl!

OK Bethenny you and your skinny girl better move over. There's a new chick in town and her name is "CHUNKY GIRL"

How to make a delicious cocktail, because you're beautiful no matter what size jeans you wear!!

* pour ingredients into a shaker half filled with ice

* add:

* 3 ounces of vanilla vodka

* 1 ounce of frangelico

* 1 ounce of  Godiva Chocolate liquor

* shake it like you mean it

* strain into a very chilled martini glass rimmed with sugar in the raw

* garnish a cocktail pick with 3 Monucca raisins (extra large variety raisins)