Wednesday, November 6, 2013

The Do's and Don'ts of Hair Drying



I've got some tips for you when it comes to drying your hair - you might be damaging your strands without realizing it!

For starters, blow outs are actually BAD for your hair!

Nooooo!  I hate to hear that, they are one of my favorite things!  Turns out, by pulling on wet hair and drying it for so long, hair becomes damaged.  Yikes!  What a bummer (I will still indulge when I can though!)

So, to avoid damaging hair during drying, here's my step-by-step guide:

1. Towel Dry Hair First

DON'T rub hair, instead, squeeze gently with the towel to soak up all excess water

2. Do a 'loose' blow dry on low/medium heat

Notice I didn't say to use any styling products yet!!!

Loosely dry hair to zap even more moisture from the hair, this should only take a few minutes

3. Apply styling products to the damp hair.  You have more control over the application of the styling products at this stage.  I like to use

Styling Cream

I use Bumble & Bumble Color Minded UV Protectant Styling Cream $28

And I also apply Argon Oil to the bottom half of my hair

I've found Agadir is the best ($20 on Amazon)

4. Grab a brush and set the heat to medium (only use high heat if you have extremely thick or course hair!)

Point the nozzle downward (use the director nozzle that your dryer came with - it makes a huge difference in the smoothness of hair!) and follow the brush strokes on the 1-2 inch sections

5. Finish with the cold blast button

You always wondered WHY there was one, and now you know - the cool air helps seal the cuticle and add shine to hair

Its worth the extra minute of drying time!

Need a great dryer?  Then you need to splurge on t3's Featherweight Luxe 2i dryer ($250!)


more info here
http://www.t3micro.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=284&zenid=4d28a3f066b729def7d9548d1f934a4f

WHY is it worth $250?  I will tell you!
FEATHERWEIGHT LUXE 2I DRYER
Winner of TWO 2013 Allure Best of Beauty Awards for Best Blowdryer & Best Breakthrough.
T3 introduces the next generation of drying. The Featherweight Luxe 2i is Ion Generator-enhanced for fast, healthy, beautiful results. Dry hair fast with enhanced T3 Tourmaline® + SoftAire™ Technology that’s proven to be healthier for your hair than air drying. The included Tourmaline Ceramic Brush styles the perfect blowout with maximum frizz-reducing, shine-enhancing benefits.
(info courtesy of t3)

Monday, November 4, 2013

Skin Feeling Dry?

Urgh, dry skin, such a bummer this time of year - as we turn the heaters on - we are zapping moisture out of the air, and it can leave our skin feeling dry, itchy and flaky - YUCK!!!!!!!

First, here are some tips for combatting dry skin in the first place!

No scalding hot showers!

washing with too hot water injures skin and pulls moisture from it!  You really notice it about an hour or two afterwards!  Water should be between warm and hot!

Use Soap-Free Products

look for products that do not contain soap - which can be very harsh & drying!  Lanolin-based products won't strip skin's natural moisture and will also add moisture back in!

Skip the Alcohol

Well, yes - avoiding alcoholic drinks will also help you avoid being dehydrated, but I mean more alcohol as an ingredient!  Its extremely drying - look for lotions, face washes and makeup that is alcohol free

Consider using a humidifier at home

By adding moisture back into the air - you also increase the moisture your skin will absorb!

For the guys:
Shave AFTER the shower!  By allowing the pores to open in the shower, shaving won't be as abrasive, which causes flakiness and itchy skin!

Treatment:
Gently exfoliate the face (wash cloth or sensitive skin scrub)

Pat skin dry

Apply a moisturizer with SPF


FINALLY....Drink your water!!!!


Its the best way to hydrate skin quickly!

Makeup on the Incredible Erika Hobin

I was SO fortunate to get the opportunity to be Erika's makeup artist for her recent recording of her "Diva's Performance" of some incredible classic songs!!

I blended custom foundation using the Make Up For Ever 12 pigment pan, I also used Urban Decay shadow base and shadows for their incredible color pigments and sparkle!  I topped off the shadows with Too Faced's silver over-shadow gel and we used ELF's cream blush.  We applied KISS brand bold lashes and the lipstick was Maybellene's 24 hour long wear lip color!  It STAYED!

Rosa M's Fall Photo Inspiration!

A huge thanks to Erika DeSocio Photography for these incredible shots!