Every year at the same time (late March, early April) I start getting a little scared. Not really for me, but for people that have to see me bear arms...and legs...when the temp rises.
Honestly, I'm not a total disaster this year compared to years past because back in December I decided to take preventative measures. For example, I've done my fair share of exfoliating and self tanning lately so I'm not as pasty pale and dry as I typically am. I'm quite proud of myself that I've maintained normal grooming rituals throughout the winter.
Even though I'm a product junkie, I found that making my own body scrub at home is the best way to exfoliate the skin. You'd be surprised how many nourishing and moisturizing ingredients are found in your very own kitchen. All I use are two simple ingredients: brown sugar and olive oil. Brown sugar smells nice and sweet and is more gentler on your skin than salt is, and the olive oil will really sink into the skin and moisturize it (baby oil - a.k.a. mineral oil - will not). First, pick a jar, any jar. Pour 1/2 cup of brown sugar and 5 tablespoons of olive oil into it, mix together with a spoon. If your skin is sensitive, wet it before applying the scrub. Then start scrubbing your arms, torso, legs, and feet in circular motions and with light pressure - don't vigorously scrub or you'll create micro-tears in your skin which isn't good.
After exfoliating, apply a moisturizer with a touch of self tanner in it to give your skin a bit of color. Try Nivea Sunkissed Firming lotion to give your skin a glow without stinking like self-tanner.
The moral of the story? Save your money on a scrub and go buy a pretty sundress instead!
Friday, March 27, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
major salon news
Ladies and gents, I am so thrilled to tell everyone about Recessionista Tuesdays at the Ted Gibson salon, which I love more than anything in the whole wide world! This salon boasts some of most brilliant hair stylists and colorists I've EVER come across but unfortunately most of the population has a hard time affording their services. I think Ted charges something like $800 for a cut (and for good reason - he has styled Angelina Jolie and Anne Hathaway).
Now, for the news: Every Tuesday at the Ted Gibson salon, you can get a cut OR single-process hair color for only $75, and a blow-out for $40. People, that's crazy cheap. It's refreshing that a celebrity hairstylist realizes that not everyone has a celebrity budget, especially in this disaster of an economy.
Ted and his team are fantastic at what they do. They're all so kind and welcoming and friendly; I'm not one to have convos with my colorists, but everyone is just so darn easy to talk to. Jason Backe, the head colorist at the salon, is a haircolor genius and once took my hair from a dark flat brown to medium auburn. When I accidentally dyed my hair dark purple (or as my very artistic bf called it, "eggplant"), he miraculously brought it back to a normal brown shade found in nature. I've also watched in awe as he created beautiful highlights and lowlights on other customers.
This is definitely something to check out - just make sure you schedule your appointment for a Tuesday!
Now, for the news: Every Tuesday at the Ted Gibson salon, you can get a cut OR single-process hair color for only $75, and a blow-out for $40. People, that's crazy cheap. It's refreshing that a celebrity hairstylist realizes that not everyone has a celebrity budget, especially in this disaster of an economy.
Ted and his team are fantastic at what they do. They're all so kind and welcoming and friendly; I'm not one to have convos with my colorists, but everyone is just so darn easy to talk to. Jason Backe, the head colorist at the salon, is a haircolor genius and once took my hair from a dark flat brown to medium auburn. When I accidentally dyed my hair dark purple (or as my very artistic bf called it, "eggplant"), he miraculously brought it back to a normal brown shade found in nature. I've also watched in awe as he created beautiful highlights and lowlights on other customers.
This is definitely something to check out - just make sure you schedule your appointment for a Tuesday!
Ted Gibson Salon
184 5th Avenue, between 22nd and 23rd Streets
2nd Floor
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
i was addicted to stripping.. whitestripping, that is
Hello, I'm Jill and I used to be a whiteaholic...
A year or two ago I was officially addicted to Crest Whitestrips. I used and abused the things. I'd buy box after box and use them one after the other which you are NOT supposed to do. Not only did I use them every single day for a year, but I'd leave them on for way longer than the suggested time (30 minutes, twice a day). Once, I put them in before bed and fell asleep with them in, only to wake up with a strip stuck to my right cheek and gums so sore that I couldn't eat, drink, or breath through my mouth without severe discomfort. I used to live by the saying "beauty is pain" and just attributed my aching teeth to the whitestrips which were otherwise harmless.
I reached a point where Whitestrips simply weren't enough to fulfill my whitening addiction. I started using those portable whitening pens, those little GoSmile ampoules, whitening toothpaste, and whitening mouthwash. When I went for my yearly dentist visit, the lady complimented me on my "very white teeth" and then proceeded to make some joke about that Friends episode where Ross overbleaches his teeth and then they glow in the dark. I loved that one.
Anyway, a few minutes into my check-up, she asked me if I knew that my gums were wearing away. I didn't know that. Oops. She said that if I continued to whiten and brush my teeth as hard as I do, the roots and nerve endings of my teeth would be exposed...blah blah blah. At that point I think I zoned out.
It wasn't until I interviewed a cosmetic dentist that I found out everyone has their own level of whiteness that can be reached. I had officially reached my whitening plateau. My chompers weren't gettin' any whiter, even if I used Clorox for mouthwash. Oh, and those celebrities you see with blindingly white teeth? Most likely, they're veneers.
And so my search for dental perfection came to an end. Although I still SWEAR by Crest Whitestrips, I use them as indicated, and go through only two boxes per year. My gums are a lot happier now, too.
A year or two ago I was officially addicted to Crest Whitestrips. I used and abused the things. I'd buy box after box and use them one after the other which you are NOT supposed to do. Not only did I use them every single day for a year, but I'd leave them on for way longer than the suggested time (30 minutes, twice a day). Once, I put them in before bed and fell asleep with them in, only to wake up with a strip stuck to my right cheek and gums so sore that I couldn't eat, drink, or breath through my mouth without severe discomfort. I used to live by the saying "beauty is pain" and just attributed my aching teeth to the whitestrips which were otherwise harmless.
I reached a point where Whitestrips simply weren't enough to fulfill my whitening addiction. I started using those portable whitening pens, those little GoSmile ampoules, whitening toothpaste, and whitening mouthwash. When I went for my yearly dentist visit, the lady complimented me on my "very white teeth" and then proceeded to make some joke about that Friends episode where Ross overbleaches his teeth and then they glow in the dark. I loved that one.
Anyway, a few minutes into my check-up, she asked me if I knew that my gums were wearing away. I didn't know that. Oops. She said that if I continued to whiten and brush my teeth as hard as I do, the roots and nerve endings of my teeth would be exposed...blah blah blah. At that point I think I zoned out.
It wasn't until I interviewed a cosmetic dentist that I found out everyone has their own level of whiteness that can be reached. I had officially reached my whitening plateau. My chompers weren't gettin' any whiter, even if I used Clorox for mouthwash. Oh, and those celebrities you see with blindingly white teeth? Most likely, they're veneers.
And so my search for dental perfection came to an end. Although I still SWEAR by Crest Whitestrips, I use them as indicated, and go through only two boxes per year. My gums are a lot happier now, too.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
new mascara
I ran out of my beloved Dior Show mascara yesterday, so I had to restock. Unfortunately, I'm not financially secure enough this week to support my designer mascara habit, so I went to CVS and looked for something that could produce similar results (big, separated lashes and no smudginess). Well, ladies, I think I have found something just as great for a fraction of the Dior Show price.
L'Oreal Voluminous mascara is not new to the beauty world, but is IS new to my beauty stash. I decided to get this because I liked the tube and the little picture of the brush on the packaging. I also figure that since it's called "voluminous" that's exactly how it would make my lashes look. Lo and behold, it did. The formula does not clump, no matter how many coats you apply and it lengthened and thickened my fine lashes. Definitely my new favorite mascara, and it cost less than my lunch.
Try it - you'll love!
Monday, March 23, 2009
brazilian ban
When someone recently told me that the state of New Jersey had plans to "ban Brazilians", I was a little confused and wondered "What did Brazilians do to NJ? Is there a sudden invasion of Brazilian people that I didn't know about?"
It took a few seconds for me to realize she was talking about Brazilian waxing, not the lovely Brazilian people. Apparently, two women were hospitalized after getting a pretty bad infection after their waxing session. Let me start by saying that I'm not a waxer and never will be. Any beauty ritual that suggests popping Tylenol (or Vicodin, in the case of a former co-worker) beforehand is something I'd prefer not to deal with.
Although I've never been waxed, I don't see anything wrong with the procedure. Let's think about how many NJ women have probably been Brazilian-ed in the past year. I'm willing to bet the number is in the thousands - and only two of these women got an infection. Why not just inspect, or at the very worst, close down the salons they went to? Perhaps salon workers need to be retrained to properly administer hot wax and remove hair on hidden areas of the body. Completely banning this procedure is ridic. For every poorly done wax job, there are probably hundreds of success stories.
I also find it disturbing that the state of NJ would even consider banning Brazilian waxing. It's just so weird that NJ lawmakers would be sitting in a room discussing the topic. Interesting to think about...
The good news is that the ban was scrapped - great news for all of you New Jersey peoeple who like to walk around hairless and happy. Phew!
It took a few seconds for me to realize she was talking about Brazilian waxing, not the lovely Brazilian people. Apparently, two women were hospitalized after getting a pretty bad infection after their waxing session. Let me start by saying that I'm not a waxer and never will be. Any beauty ritual that suggests popping Tylenol (or Vicodin, in the case of a former co-worker) beforehand is something I'd prefer not to deal with.
Although I've never been waxed, I don't see anything wrong with the procedure. Let's think about how many NJ women have probably been Brazilian-ed in the past year. I'm willing to bet the number is in the thousands - and only two of these women got an infection. Why not just inspect, or at the very worst, close down the salons they went to? Perhaps salon workers need to be retrained to properly administer hot wax and remove hair on hidden areas of the body. Completely banning this procedure is ridic. For every poorly done wax job, there are probably hundreds of success stories.
I also find it disturbing that the state of NJ would even consider banning Brazilian waxing. It's just so weird that NJ lawmakers would be sitting in a room discussing the topic. Interesting to think about...
The good news is that the ban was scrapped - great news for all of you New Jersey peoeple who like to walk around hairless and happy. Phew!
the mini-mes of beauty
You know what I love? Cute little beauty products. Not only are they conveniently sized for portability, but they remind me of packing for vacations - which I don't do very often. It's feels great to purchase, let's say, a tiny tube of Crest to make me feel like I'm going to Aruba for a few days.
But there's another thing that travel-sized items are great for. Sometimes I'll head to the drugstore and buy a little bottle of something just to try it out before buying the full-sized version. For example, I once purchased this itty bitty Soft and Dri deodorant because it claimed to not leave white residue on clothing. It was a clear gel formula, which I had never tried before. Well, it's a good thing I only spent 99 cents on it because upon application my poor pits felt like they were rubbed with chilled hair gel - cold, wet, and sticky. Do people actually use and like this stuff? Maybe I was just accustomed to my Secret solid that I've been using since I was 12.
Yet another reason to heart little beauty products: I have something I like to call Beauty ADD. I have never EVER finished a full-size beauty product in my entire life. If I'm lucky, I'll use 75% of it, and in the trash it goes. Even if I love what I'm using, I always feel like there's gotta be something better out there. I love trying new things.
I'm curious to hear if anyone else secretly likes miniature beauty loot. It's one of my biggest drugstore weaknesses (aside from the aisle that sells those big bags of sour gummy worms - yum) and I really wish they made miniature sizes of every single beauty product in existence. A girl can dream...
But there's another thing that travel-sized items are great for. Sometimes I'll head to the drugstore and buy a little bottle of something just to try it out before buying the full-sized version. For example, I once purchased this itty bitty Soft and Dri deodorant because it claimed to not leave white residue on clothing. It was a clear gel formula, which I had never tried before. Well, it's a good thing I only spent 99 cents on it because upon application my poor pits felt like they were rubbed with chilled hair gel - cold, wet, and sticky. Do people actually use and like this stuff? Maybe I was just accustomed to my Secret solid that I've been using since I was 12.
Yet another reason to heart little beauty products: I have something I like to call Beauty ADD. I have never EVER finished a full-size beauty product in my entire life. If I'm lucky, I'll use 75% of it, and in the trash it goes. Even if I love what I'm using, I always feel like there's gotta be something better out there. I love trying new things.
I'm curious to hear if anyone else secretly likes miniature beauty loot. It's one of my biggest drugstore weaknesses (aside from the aisle that sells those big bags of sour gummy worms - yum) and I really wish they made miniature sizes of every single beauty product in existence. A girl can dream...
Saturday, March 21, 2009
making the cut
Boy, do I hate getting my hair cut. So much so that I only do it once per year and when I walk into the salon I'm overwhelmed with anxiety and fear. It might have something to do with me never fully recovering from my involvement in 2001 hair show in which I watched 9 inches of hair fall to the floor - with no warning of this dramatic change whatsoever. Horrific.
They - and by "they" I mean hairstylists, beauty editors, and pretty much anyone who knows how to maintain a healthy head of hair - suggest trimming your hair every 6-8 weeks. I couldn't imagine taking a scissor to my hair that often. I did the math in my head: hair grows 1/2-inch per month. If I went every two months to get a trim, my hair would grow only 3 inches per year instead of 6. I'd much rather have 6.
I decided on a whim yesterday to get my long overdue trim. I figured it's been long enough - 4 months - and with all the heat styling and coloring I do, the ends of my hair look like they belong in the garbage and not on my head. So I called Antonio Prieto salon (127 West 20th Street in NYC) because I had been there once before and they did a phenomenal job from start to finish. Not only is it a Kerastase salon - yay! -, but everyone who works there is really cool, down-to-earth, young, and most importantly, they know what they heck they are doing. I'd say that's a good thing, wouldn't you?
My hairstylist was Brian. As I listened to myself tell him what I wanted, I realized how insane I sounded. "I'd say take off this much", as I grabbed a 3 millimeter-sized strand at the bottom of my hair. "I'm trying to let it grow," I explained. I was waiting for the moment when he would tell me I needed more than that, and that I needed a full inch or some absurd amount, but it never came. What? A hairstylist that didn't want to take a chainsaw to my hair was rare, and I was pleasantly surprised when he complied with my wishes.
"You'll get a dusting, which means I'll take off the very tips, mostly removing just the split ends," Brian said. Wow, I thought, that's impressive. I've heard the term dusting before but I've been to a few unfortunate salons that aren't aware of the term and just think it's a fancy way to say "trim one inch off my hair." He went on to say that dustings allow your hair to grow while keeping the split ends away. I liked the sound of that.
And so, Brian did as he promised, and added a few layers in the back to give my hair more bounce and body. The bottom of my hair looks exactly as it did when I walked in (boob length? check!) but it feels and looks much healthier. He really did it - he cut my hair without making me cry. Congrats, B, that's a very big deal.
The lesson of the story here is this: don't be scared to take off a little bit of hair. It'll make a huge difference in the way it looks, and you'll spend less time making it look perfect every day. Find a salon that can fulfill your dusting needs (I highly recommend anyone at Antonio Prieto), and you'll never be scared of scissors again.
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