ANYWAY……

My MIL stumbled into their store at Washington Square last month (personally I’ve been an avid LUSH fan since my trip to the UK in the mid-90′s) and became obsessed with any of their products created with their signature Karma scent.  She loved both the products and LUSH’s philosophies so much that we then had to visit their NW 23rd store about two weeks later.  While there, I stumbled upon my newest cosmetic obsession, their Emotional Brilliance line.  These are highly-pigmented & long-lasting eye, skin, and lip colors — and me being me, I went straight for their creme  eye shadows and liquid liners!

There are 18 shades created just for the eyes, all are vegan, and either come with a doe hoof or wee brush depending if they’re liners or colors.  But 9 of their “liner” shades are also made with the same base cream as the shadows, making them smudgeable and blendable — letting you control the intensity of the color.  Only two of their liners are made with just about an “instant dry” base to make sure they stay put fast.  Some have a matte finish, while others are more iridescent   And all are made with ingredients that are gentle and softening for the delicate eye area, like moisturizing almond oil and cupuacu butter. Here’s the super-cute thing: all of their shades (lips and face included) are names with adjectives or concepts; in theory one is to select the shade(s) you’d like to wear based upon what you’d like to embody that day.  Like I said, cute!

And without hesitation, I go straight for this little guy….

Are you surprised?  Me neither.

Motivation is described as a two-toned peacock blue  liquid liner.  It’s made with a soft, creamy base of rose petal infusion, jojoba and almond oils that are gentle and make the eyeliner easy to blend if you so desire.   They also tout that the glycerin base carries the color gently across the lid, so the liner can stay put in clean, crisp lines without imprinting on the top of your eyelid.

Here’s the REAL scoop: I bought it, took it home, and instantly road tested it.  Here’s what I discovered….

1. With a very short learning curve, the wee wand is very easy to use.  And the mouth design lets you knock off excess product and it’s siphoned back into the container — at $18.95 a pop, I definitely wanted to conserve as much as possible.
2. The shades are extremely true to what you see on the website.
3. For any oopses during the application, just take a damp q-tip and “erase” what you don’t want.
4. You don’t need to tug or pull at your eyelid to get a straight, even line, even while perfecting winged/cat-eye liner.  Which is a total first for me.  So it seems that glycerin base really is all it’s cracked up to be.
5. This stuff dries pretty quickly, and it doesn’t “spider” all over your eye while it’s drying.
6. This stuff stays put all day.  And I’m talking WITHOUT the need of ANY primers.  Even when it’s warm out.  Even at the gym!  And no, it didn’t transfer to the top of my eyelid, which tends to happen a lot on my right eye (Yep, just my right one.  It’s pretty awesome.).
7. You can totally smudge it out, or even apply it with a fingertip and turn it into an eye shadow.
8. And catch this — despite it’s super-awesome staying power, this stuff is gently, easily, and quickly removed with a baby wipe, or even with just soap and water.  YOU DON’T NEED MAKEUP REMOVER TO GET IT OFF.

If you’re feeling like you need a little inspiration in your life, and you have a bit of mad money to spend, I highly HIGHLY recommend  either taking a trip to Beaverton or Portland to go visit one of LUSH’s stores, or pop over to their website and buy one of these for yourself!  And if you buy one (or several), post it here — I’m curious if it was the shade or the name that influenced your purchase!

The other day I was skulking around the Internet and I came across Make Up For Ever’s color offerings for this spring.  I’m a huge fan of MUFE products — nothing new there!  The colors are true and they wear just as fresh 12 hours after application as when you first put it on.  Plus they really do try to think outside the color box, so those like me who like to branch out from basic neutrals, have lots of options.

True to Spring 2013 trends, MUFE created their Technicolor Palette, “inspired by the 1930s cinematic transition from black-and-white motion picture to color imagery.”  If the recent hair trends are any indication, vibrant vivid colors are everywhere — hair, clothes, and now makeup!  When I took myself to Sephora to check it out in person, I was blown away — the color selection really is like the moment Dorothy opens up her front door after she crash lands in Munchkin Land.  A-MA-ZING!!!

The Make Up For Ever Technicolor Palette is an eyeshadow collection that has a combination of 8 classic neutrals and statement colors; all are bold, saturated, highly pigmented, long-wearing colors that beautifully blend together when mixed and matched.  The Technicolor Palette  includes  Black, Yellow (Spring 2013′s most coveted color), Apple Green, Turquoise, Lilac, White, Espresso, &  Beige. The kit also had a mirror and two high-quality brushes for easy application and blending.  Plus there’s two step-by-step tutorials for totally different looks!

This would be what you’re looking for when on the hunt at Sephora.

And here’s the inside!

Okay okay, I can already hear the protests!  ”I can’t wear THOSE colors!”  ”They’re pretty but I’m just too OLD.”  ”But Cortney, I’m not a drag queen…!”  To all of that, I say PSHAW!!!  Before I decided to come out publicly as Pro-Palette I decided to try out various color combinations/looks and take pictures of them, proving that the “everyday woman” could wear these vivid shades beautifully.  Just be sure, as these are highly pigmented matte colors, to use a skin-toned shimmer on the brow arch and in the tear duct to contour and “wake up” those peepers.

Here’s the yellow,  espresso on the crease and lower lid liner,  black as the upper lid eyeliner.  See, the yellow’s not so scary!

The lilac (on top of the white), espresso in the crease, lilac and espresso smudged on the lower lid, black as the upper lid liner.

My personal favorite (shocking!): white base, turquoise on the outer half, apple green in the center, beige in the corner, a bit of espresso in the crease, the turquoise and apple green smudged on the lower lid, and black for the upper eye liner.

And finally, neutral day: beige on the entire lid, espresso on the outer third of the lid and used as a contour color and as the lower lid liner, a bit of yellow blended in the center of the lid,  black as the upper lid liner.

Despite how heavily pigmented these color are, they really do blend like a dream (just be sure to use either the white or beige shadow towards the brow bone so that you can blend the edges).  Plus the black and espresso shades make fantastic liners and shading tones.  The beige is the only shimmer shade, which would compliment just about any skin tone.  And all of these crazy shades look fantastic as an eyeliner if you’re a bit too nervous about going for the gusto.  The white is great as both a brow bone highlighter as well as a base color (all the other shades will pop more if the white it laid down first).

$45 for 8 long wearing, ultra-blendable shades that create an almost infinite number of looks (plus two brushes)?   SOLD!!!

Although cosmetic and hair care products date back to ancient Egypt, did you know that the first hairspray wasn’t invented until 1943?The larger, bouffant hairstyles of the 1950′s increased its demand, and by 1964 hairspray officially surpassed lipstick as women’s most popular cosmetic aid.  Hairspray lost its popularity with the increase of the Flower Children’s free-flowing hair movement of the 1970′s, but in the 1980′s hairspray made a triumphant comeback with the help of punk rock and the Mohawk.  Today there are so many brands and holds of hairspray it can be pretty overwhelming, so I thought it might be worth a brief explanation of what’s available and what you might need.

And if you’re interested in finding some alternative uses for hairspray, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the page!

Flexible Sprays are designed to give the least amount of staying power (or hold) and are ideal for holding curls, waves, or flipped ends in place while still allowing for movement.  I am not necessarily a fan of those “hairsprays,” but I do like the sprays that are more essentially a spray wax or putty, like Paul Mitchell’s Spray Wax.  It’s a  non-oily wax and sunflower seed oil that creates a satin finish, plus the fine, flexible beeswax adds pliability.  Did I mention it’s cruelty-free?  This is a great finishing spray that tames down flyaways, prevents frizz, allows you to rework your hair all day (no matter how wind-blown you get), and it’s a great piecing product for both long and short hair.  It’s also a great foundation product if you like to layer your styling aids (like your writer does).  It’s a constant staple at my station, and though I retail it, I can never seem to keep it on my shelves!

Medium Sprays, also sometimes called working sprays, are slightly stronger in hold than the flexible sprays but they do allow for some movement in the hair.  In other words, they allow for a fair amount of control with minimal stiffness.  I would recommend Joico’s Joimist Medium Styling & Finishing Spray.  It’s humidity-resistant formula works well in any climate (hello Oregon!) and it sprays on dry for all-day, brushable hold.  What I love most about it is using it when I’m using a hot tool to style a client, either a flat iron or curling iron/wand.  Section off the hair, spray the section that you’re about to style, and comb through.  If you’re curling the hair, spray all the curls in that section and leave alone until you’re done with your entire head — wait for the curls to cool to room temperature and then use your fingers to break up and soften the curls.  If you’re flat ironing, comb through the section you just ironed one more time, and you’re done!  HAIRDRESSER TIP: Spraying the hair and combing through before flat ironing the section helps even the most resistant curls come out perfectly straight the first time you go over that section, thereby speeding up your flat iron time as well as not exposing your hair to a minimal amount of damaging hair temperatures.

Maximum Hold Sprays, are the strongest sprays on the market and are designed to keep every strand in place.  All day.  As in “do NOT touch my hair, it was styled to stand up to hurricane-level gales!”   As I was once told that I don’t have a hair ‘do, I have a hair sculpture (truly a compliment, and I’m serious!), this would be the type of spray I pretty much monogamously dabble in.  Of course Big Sexy Hair’s Spray & Stay is the spray for me! This “All Nighter” hairspray is great for all hair types to resist humidity and provide long-lasting maximum hold and intense shine. It’s also perfect for keeping updos and elaborate styles in place.  And they’re not joking — once my hair gets styled in the morning, this hairspray keeps it all in place (volume, spikes, pouf and all) until I sleep on it and then rat it out again.  Is my hair touchable?  NO, and the chances of me punching someone who touches it is pretty darn good.  But does it kick ass?  I’d like to think so!

One other thing…..  Big Sexy also makes a spray that I have never ever seen duplicated in another product line, the What A Tease Backcomb in a Bottle Firm Volumizing Hairspray.  This stuff is AMAZING for giving even the limpest, finest, cleanest hair ”teased” volume with the least amount of time, effort, and damage.  It’s like using the powder volumizers but with constant volume and ZERO re-workability.  It’s designed to be sprayed at the root of the hair to give it lift and volume — this is not a finishing spray.  This might be a special occasion spray for most of you, but MAN does it get the job done!  If you like serious, all-day volume with zero effort, than this is the spray for you!

 Primer

Primers are created to be applied after one moisturizes, but before applying any foundation.  The intent is to help keep whatever is applied on top of it looking freshly applied and in place until you decide to take it off at the end of the day.  There are many types out there to help “set” whatever you want (mascara, lipstick, etc.), but today I’ll just be focusing on skin and eye primers.

Primers are made in a variety of shades and finishes, designed to enhance or minimize whatever you’re dealing with.  Some facial primers have a “photo finish” that will create an airbrushed look to your skin (and who doesn’t want that??), some are created to help correct discoloration, some have shimmer that lend themselves to a “dewy” look, while even others have helpful things in them like serious SPF- action.  Here’s a short selection hit-list:

Smashbox’s Photo Finish Foundation Primer with SPF 15 helps foundation go on smoother and will last much longer than foundation alone.  It also has the ability to minimize pores, has a nice dose of SPF, and helps erase discoloration.  $42

Make Up For Ever’s HD Microperfecting Primer is a light formula that won’t leave you feeling like you’re wearing a mask.  The green pigment is designed to correct red discoloration left from scarring, acne, or the dreaded rosacea.  $32

Urban Decay has created a full line of more reasonably priced primers, so you can experiment your heart out without bank-account abuse!  Their Complexion Primer Potion comes in two varieties, one to minimize pores and fine lines and the other with a built-in brightener to give the skin a youthful, luminescent, dewy look.  Both are light formulas that will make your make up “stay put,” but one bit of advice; brightener formulas have a reflective quality that will highlight (read: completely draw attention) to ANY flaws you’d like to hide (say, an acne outbreak) — steer clear of them, or make sure it’s strategically placed, if you’re wanting to camouflage something. $31

Urban Decay also makes some of the best eye shadow primers out on the market.  These also come in a variety of shades and finishes, helping to create a tonal difference in your shadow or morphing a matte color into a shimmer.  There is also one created specifically for those of us with oily lids (you know you have them if your eye shadow seems to “disappear” quickly into your skin a few hours after application).  Each shade (Original, Sin, and Tawny) will literally make your shadow nap-proof (this claim has been road-tested)! $20

ELF’s Eyelid Primer also comes in four shades (Sheer, Champagne, Pearl, & Golden) and is a light-weight creamy formula that does the basics of what you need — a longer-lasting, crease-proof eye shadow.  And at $1 (SERIOUSLY, IT”S A BUCK!!!) it’s a perfect entry into the world of primers.  Or is it more like a gateway drug……?

Foundations

If you thought the primers options were overwhelming, then hang on to your hat — this is about to get CRAZY.  Again, this is just a brief list of foundation options, but I’ve got them listed in order of lightest to heaviest coverage.

Tinted moisturizers, with the least amount of coverage, is great on days where you want to look polished but not overdone.  As these are primarily a moisturizer, only expect that this will even out skin tone as opposed to concealing any flaws and will leave you with a dewy finish.  Most cosmetic lines (from drug store to cosmetics counter) offer tinted moisturizers, here I’m featuring L’Oreal’s Magic Skin Beautifier BB cream.  As with most tinted moisturizes this comes in a limited spectrum of tones, but as it offers very minimal coverage, the tone closest to your own skin will blend in just fine. $10.95

Mineral foundation is next up on the list.  This may be a better option for those of us who have things they wish to conceal, or who struggle with oilier skin.  Mineral foundation will help absorb natural oils and leave you with a natural finish to your skin, either dewy or matte.  Some, like Bare Minerals, also offer some SPF protection, which is great.  One of the down sides is that you will also have to purchase a specialty brush to apply (often called a Kabuki brush), and if you’d also like a bit more coverage in spots (hello, pimple!), then you’ll also need a concealer brush. $27 for the foundation, $28 for the Kabuki brush.

Powder foundation is fantastic for oilier skin types and often has great concealing properties.  Powder foundation also eliminates the need for a finishing powder to “set” the product, making more room in both your makeup bag and your wallet.  Fair warning — this stuff is NOT great for those with fine lines and wrinkles!  Powder foundation, as it wears throughout the day, likes to settle specifically in those spots, making them even more pronounced.  But these also provide great spot concealing when applied with a conceal or brush or (gasp!) a Q-Tip.  These really do come in a wide variety of coverage, anywhere from light to suuuuuuuuper heavy.  As my skin continues to improve my current preference is for Cover Girl’s Simply Powder foundation ($7.79), but back in the day when I needed some serious coverage I was all about MAC’s Studio Fix ($24).

Liquid foundation is typically the heaviest coverage used by the average woman.  This is typically recommended for drier skin types and it helps create a dewy finish, as well as doesn’t tend to settle into fine lines and wrinkles.  However, as this is a heavy formula, a near-perfect match with skin tone is a MUST — and don’t forget to blend it down past the jaw and onto the neck to avoid the dreaded “mask” look!  I don’t recommend this for oiler skin as it will “travel” all day long, unless you use a loose powder to help set it.  Unfortunately I personally dislike that combo as it both looks and feels cakey, and your skin just can’t breathe!  I love, love, LOVE Clinique’s foundation line because not only do they have a wide variety of liquid foundation formulas, their color spectrum selection just cannot be beat! $23

Cream foundation is absolutely reserved for dry skin, and even with that being said, a translucent powder is required to make sure this stuff stays in place!  It’s recommended for mature skin that needs the illusion of hydration (because this stuff really isn’t) and for skin that needs intense camouflage (cystic acne, scarring, severe discoloration, age spots).  I would almost recommend this more as a spot concealer than as an all-over foundation, and because it could clog pores I wouldn’t  personally recommend it for folks struggling with acne. Again, skin color match is a requirement.  I think that Laura Mercier’s formula is lighter than most, but it’s still pretty darn heavy.  $40

Finally, there is Stick or Cake foundation, which is the heaviest formula out on the market.  This is best suited for media purposes, or for perhaps for very VERY special events prone to being photographed (hello brides!).  This stuff is so heavy it might be better suited for spot concealing.  Because it’s so thick it can exacerbate dry skin (it can’t breathe, dries out, and becomes flakey — EW!) and because it’s so thick is also aggravates oily skin by clogging pores (creating super-pretty acne).  Hence the argument that it’s only for folks who are exposed by bright lighting needed for going in front of the camera.  Bobbi Brown offers a very large shade spectrum, so if you’re in the market for this kind of special-occasion coverage, check her out! $42

Whew! So there you have it, armed to the teeth with all the primer and foundation information you could ever need!  When setting out on your quest, just be sure to have in mind what type of coverage you’d like, as well as have an awareness of your skin type.  If you’re totally brand-new to foundation, I would suggest heading over to a cosmetics counter — it would be more cost-effective purchasing a more expensive foundation knowing that it matches your skin tone than having to go back to the drug store several times because the color in the package just wasn’t close enough!  When trying on foundation colors it, be sure to arrive without ANY foundation/blush on.  Select a couple of contenders based upon the skin on the inside of your wrist and then swipe several candidates in a strong line (don’t blend!) across the low part of your cheek diagonally towards the jaw bone.  The shade that you can’t see and literally disappears on your skin is the PERFECT shade for you!

Happy hunting!

Cuts and Colors

This year, for those of us wanting to wear “tamer” colors, I’m seeing two very specific color trends: platinum blonde or espresso.  Solid colors in both of these trends seem to be de rigueur, although if you’re looking to extend the life of your color I would suggest getting a micro-weave in lieu of a solid color (it hides the roots longer).  For all my gingers, I’m sorry to say that the copper trend of the last few years may be over for now — but if you love it, then ROCK IT.  You’ll definitely stand out  in this season’s Sea of Neutrals.

Cut lengths are also of one of two extremes, looooong or short.  No “lobs” or mid-length hair for any of us!  Although the blondes seem to be worn only  in a bob statement, the brunettes seem to be getting both the pixie and extensions treatment.   If you choose to keep your hair long, ask for long layers that can be worn in disheveled curls — and consider investing in a set of clip-in hair extensions that already match your hair color.   All of the cuts have lots of texture, so don’t be scared to ask your stylist for some razor action!  And bangs are back, and whether they’re a full fringe or work in a side-sweep, they continue to be heavy and textured.  If you’re already a side-bang girl, consider mixing it up with a full bang — honestly I think that’s more the trend this season out of the two bang options.

Kelly Pickler’s platinum layered chin-length razored bob with a heavy side bang

Anna Farris’ platinum chin-length razor cut bob with full fringe

Ashlee Simpson’s platinum razored chin-length A-line with a long heavy side bang

Ginnifer Goodwyn’s 1920′s era-inspired espresso pixie in a finger-wave style

A traditional short razor-cut pixie

Vanessa Hudgens wearing both the espresso shade and some tousled extensions.  If deciding to add or keep your length, tousled waves, braids, or side-swept hair are THE ways to style it this season.  Be sure to banish that flat iron and invest in a large curling iron or wand!

Daring Color Trends

Now here we have so much to choose from! Whether you call them vivid colors, candy colors, or extreme colors, these Crayola-esque colors continue to be in high demand – and high demand = frequent visibility = continued general acceptance.  Even conservative jobs are starting to relax their “haircolor dress code,” so why not try the trend out with a small swatch of something intense?  There are some very specific trends with these colors, to include peek-a-boo panels (the beloved “freak streak”) or placing one very deliberate slice in the bang area (good to know this lady is on trend, too!).  Here are some other ideas…..

The “rainbow bright.”  This look features peek-a-boo highlights in various extreme colors — and don’t shy away from featuring complimentary colors!

The “dip dye,” which is basically an ombre featuring an extreme color.  This you’ll want to keep to one color, with pastels looking best on blondes and true tones on brunettes.  Dip-dyes are also very on-point for teen hair this season, too!

“Panels,” done either symmetrically or asymmetrically, are super hot this season —  and the most high-impact of the choices in my opinion.

Solid colors are the BIGGEST vivid trend this season.  And if done well and frequently maintained (I cannot stress this enough), can be flattering, soft, and gorgeous!  Say what you will about Kelly Osborne, but this really does look great on her — and it can on you, too!

Ombre, Ombre, Ombre

My  assumption is by now everyone is familiar with the ombre look — where a darker shade at the roots transitions to a lighter shade at the ends.  Though ombres will continue to be huge this year, Spring 2013′s trend has chosen to flip it and create the “Reverse Ombre.”

Traditional Ombre

Reverse Ombre

Teen Hair Trends

Spring 2013 hair trends for our teens/tweens are more about styling than color itself, although I did notice that natural solid darker shades are in for these young ladies.  If highlights are requested, then we’re looking at soft tonal highlights applied in a face-framing balayage technique.   Unless we’re talking the extreme color dip-dye — those are hot, Hot, HOT for teens!

Natural length (extension-free) seems to be the trend, so get ready to grow those locks out.  Tousled waves, braids, and side-swept styled hair are the must-learn techniques for spring!  No more stick-straight, flat hair — think texture and disheveled all the way.

Here we’re combining a disheveled braid and the side-swept styling techniques.

Disheveled curls and a heavy bang

A great example of the tonal highlights done with a balayage technique

Bridal Hair

We can’t forget our spring brides!  Length is almost always the option of choice, and this season it looks like brides will be wearing it down in exchange for a veil.  Loose, romantic curls are the norm, with some beautiful hair ornaments — think pearls, clips, or flowers.  Make sure your hair ornaments reflect the theme of your dress, or use the same blooms featured in your bouquet.  Braids again will make an appearance, and if you do decide to opt for an updo, consider a voluminous, disheveled look — not sloppy, more Bridget Bardot.  And don’t hide that updo with a veil!  Keep to the trend and decorate yourself with sparkles and flowers.

Also notice that the colors are also on-trend, although not as extreme in terms of depth of color.  Keep it natural, soft, and timeless with a solid color.  If you are attached to highlights, opt for foils just 2 levels lighter than your overall color.

I love how the length is “tied back” with loose sections of the hair, and ornamented with pearls and flowers.

Here’s an example of the tousled updo. with hair ornaments that reflect the beading theme of the dress straps.

A bridal example of both side-swept and braided

We’ve got both curls and a braid.  Plus I love the ingenious use of a tiara tucked into the top braid in the back of the head — unexpected and gorgeous!

With so many trendy color, cut, style, and length options for my clients to choose from this spring, it will be exciting to see what requests I get in my chair this season!  Enjoy playing with your hair!  :)

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This year I switched keratin treatment and have had great results with the Chi Enviro American Smoothing Treatment! Some of the reasons for the switch included:

• Eliminating up to 95% of frizz while making curly hair more manageable, silky, and beautiful.
• Results typically lasts up to 4 months depending on hair type and client’s maintenance.
• It is free from formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing chemicals!
• Unlike other salon services, the more often hair is treated, the healthier it becomes –it can be repeated as early as every 4-6 weeks.
• With each treatment, the absorption of amino acids, proteins, silk and pearl makes the hair regenerate natural proteins, thereby helping the hair repel humidity and creating smoother, silkier, straighter, and shiner hair that will blow-dry faster and easier.

To read up on all the benefits of the Chi keratin system, as well as how it compares to others on the market, click here.

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Color trends have been all over the map this year, but these three techniques have totally won out as my favorites over any specific color.  Follow the links down the rabbit hole to find out more about each!

Candy Colors

Balayage

Ombre

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I’m sure you’ve all surmised that I’m a makeup girl — that despite being a hairdresser,  eye shadow is truly my first love.  This year, during one of my many trips to Ulta I stumbled across these gems, and my makeup repertoire have never been the same!

Ulta’s Extreme Wear Gel Eyeliner glides on without the tugging or pulling that a pencil eyeliner requires.  Because it’s a gel, it isn’t runny and is FAR more easy to control than a liquid liner (but still giving you that look).  And even after wearing it to my gym work out, followed by a long day at the salon (yes, I showered!) it was still completely non-transferable — and I don’t wear primer (for shame, I know).  It comes in six shades, Primetime, Perfection, Ink, Dublin, Strut, & Smoke.  Since the original post  I have since expanded my collection to include both Ink and Strut, and I am currently coveting Dublin and Smoke.  I cannot stress enough how much I love these!

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My next new favorite is more a cosmetic technique than an item.  It’s not new, but has recently regained it’s fame due to the Kardassians.

Facial contouring with cosmetics is not just something that overly-photographed celebrities can benefit from!  This is something I have adopted into my own daily regimen and not only can I see a difference when I look in the mirror, I have been asked frequently if I’ve lost weight because my face looks thinner (and no, I haven’t — THANK YOU Christmas cookies).  Just remember to select a darker shade that is only 2-3 shades darker than your current foundation color, and that you keep the shimmery highlight shade regulated to a few specific areas — too much highlighting will draw attention to any facial flaws it sits upon (acne, fine lines)

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My final favorite thing has been hair DIY hair accessories, especially the kind I can custom fit to my overly-large noggin.  With a few items you likely have at home, a glue gun, and a quick fun trip to the craft store, you can make yourself some very comfortable, inexpensive,  slip-proof, versatile headbands that will compliment your style, wardrobe, and perhaps even the season!  Click the link to follow this simple, step-by-step tutorial.

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Happy Holidays everyone, and see you all for a gorgeous 2013!

First, glowing skin is on the top of the list!  Exfoliating frequently and moisturizing twice daily will help keep skin looking dewy, plus it keeps makeup from settling into fine lines — skipping this step keeps us from looking our youthful best!  Use what you love and what you’ve already got, just be sure to use it!

Secondly, make sure to even out that skin tone.  Yellow or green concealers will disguise redness and blemishes, especially when applied under foundation.  If you’re a fan of contouring, grab that darker summertime foundation (no more than 2 shades darker than your current skin tone) and apply it to the hollows of cheeks, along the jawline, and down the neck — when you blend this with your current lighter foundation you’ll be stunned how much this subtle little step changes the angles of your face, giving you the illusion of more youthful angles and a slimmer face!  Most importantly, grab that under-eye concealer and instead of just covering the half-circle under the eye, dot it from corner-to-corner of the bottom of the eye and blend it from along the bottom lid to the bottom corner of your nose, and then back up toward the outer corner of your eye — like an isosceles triangle.  This creates a seamless blend and much better coverage!

After that, grab your favorite rose/peach blush (no pinks today!) and sweep it across the mid-section of your cheeks.  Then, with a bit of a heavier hand, also apply to your entire eye area, lid to brow bone, using the same blush brush.  You want the look of the diffused color the blush brush will give you, but in a slightly heavier concentration than the cheek for a pop of color.  A pink blush will exacerbate the current reddish, tired-eye situation whereas the yellow undertone in the peach/rose blush will neutralize the redness you currently have.  Plus, it will jive waaaaay better with what I’m about to suggest next…..

Navy eye liner is truly the miracle worker in this whole vignette.  The blue will continue to neutralize any redness/bloodshot issues you may have, as well as make the whites of your eyes appear even whiter (and bigger!).  Navy is also the complimentary color of the peach/rose blush-eyeshadow you’re currently rocking, which creates a beautiful contrasting pop.  And navy is also one of those few colors that looks amazing with ALL eye colors, include blue peepers.  It’s also office-friendly!  Just be sure to line only the upper lid; this gives the look of an alert, open eye because lining the lower lid will drag the eye down.  Lining both lids will also draw attention to puffy, swollen eyes making them look smaller.  One suggestion though for my brown-eyed & dark-haired girls — smudge in a bit of black eyeliner right into your upper lash line just to make sure you’re getting all the definition you need.

Curl those eyelashes and apply 2-3 coats of black mascara to the top lid, and lightly dab at those lashes on the bottom lid.

Make sure your eyebrows are combed into place, which will be a snap when they are professionally groomed and waxed!

If desired, grab your highlighter color and lightly brush in the following areas: along the browbone under the eyebrow arch, the inner corner of the eyes, the outer corner of the bottom eyelid, and just on tops of your cheekbones above where you applied your blush.

Complete your look with one of two options, either a neutral or bold red lip.  The neutral is more office-friendly and will keep you flying under the radar — the red, on top of being more festive, will distract onlookers from your eyes and keep all the attention on your lip.  Which is a GREAT distraction when you look THAT tired.

This look will honestly come together in about 5-10 minutes at the most, which is great when you’ve hit that snooze button one time too many and you still haven’t gotten enough sleep!

In case you don’t have any of these items in your current beauty arsenal, here are a few of my recommendations:

Under Eye Concealer

Clinique’s Airbrush Concealer, $19 at most department stores

Cover Girl Invisible Concealer, $6 Ulta

Blush

Nars Blush in Orgasm, $28 Nordstroms

Cover Girl Cheekers Blush in Rose Silk, $5 Ulta

Eyeliner

Make Up Forever Aqua Liner #6, $23 at Sephora

Invincible Gel Eyeliner in Ink, $8 at Ulta

Lipstick

Clinique’s Different Lipstick in Tender Heart, $13 at Macy’s

Red Earth’s Premium Lip Plumping Lip Gloss in Attraction, $18 on line

With a little help from my new favorite time waster (hello Pinterest!), I stumbled upon my newest DIY accessory obsession, the ribbon headband.  The other issue is that I love headbands and hats, but I have an extremely large noggin and so even if something does technically fit, it’s guaranteed to give me a headache quickly.  These headbands are super versatile and I get to size mine a bit roomier for my watermelon-sized brain pan.  With the hidden elastic backing these are comfortable enough for me to wear all day, and they don’t slip off!  And then there’s the part where they seriously cost less than $.50 to make……

“But Cortney, you head doesn’t look that big.”
“It’s the hair — it makes both my head and my booty look quite a bit smaller than they really are.”

I have been sporting my newest DIY accessories for the past six weeks or so and I have received a ton of questions amounting to, “How do you do that?”  I ended up adapting a tutorial from Pinterest to make these (because I don’t whip out a sewing machine unless I HAVE to), which made the process both quicker and easier.  With that being said, I thought I would walk through this fun, creative, super quick process!

Firstly, head on over to your favorite craft store and select your ribbon.  Keep in mind colors and patterns that will match numerous outfits, as well as will compliment your hair color.  Ribbons also come in a variety of widths, so also keep in mind how you’d like to wear them and how much of a statement you’d like to make. Ribbons 1/4″-3/4″ are very thin, but look great if you stack them in a Greco-Roman maiden kind of way. 1″-1 5/8″ are great for work or for kids, but honestly I tend to dabble primarily in the 2″-2 3/4″ size.  I like a nice thick band because it doesn’t get lost in my crazy hair and it also gives me more of a “Mod” style look.  Now that it’s the Holiday season there seems to be an unlimited variety in sizes, patterns, and colors, not to mention you can get a whole spool for under $3 easily!

Then, assemble your tools:

You’ll need a hot glue gun, extra glue, a soft tape measure, your ribbon, scissors, and small elastic ponytail holders.  That’s it!  Notice I’ve got a more traditional Christmas ribbon (the reindeer) as well as two others that don’t scream Holiday but are kinda festive — plus they’re of different widths.  The two smaller ones are 2″, and the wide one is 2 7/8.”

Using your soft tape measure, cut off 20″ for an average-sized head.   For little ones I would recommend going no smaller than 19″, and I cut my own at 21″.  These lengths also allow for the salvage at the ends, so don’t worry if you think 20″ is way too big.  Get your glue gun loaded and plugged in —  I like to put a little tin foil down under it to protect my table.  While it’s warming up, take two ponytail elastics and proceed to loop them together like this:

Place one (A) on top but to the right of the other (B). Pull the right edge of A under the right edge of B (so that it’s looped) and then back on top of A, and pull.  Sounds confusing, but think if it like you’re making a slip knot, or better yet, harken back to the 80′s when you’d loop together two jelly bracelets and wear them around your wrists.  Don’t act like you know what I’m talking about…….    Then set your two joined loops aside.

After figuring out the elastic situation, grab your ribbon and flip it over.  Using your piping-hot glue gun, put a little glue close to the edge of the underside of the ribbon, leaving enough room for you to fold it onto itself.

Then fold it onto itself.  Yep, totally didn’t see that coming.  Repeat on the other side.  This makes sure the ribbon doesn’t ravel or fray with wear, plus it gives the headband a finished look.

Grab your elastic loops.  Take one end of loop and thread the ribbon through it, still making sure the ribbon is upside down.

Add another line of glue on the folded-over and previously glued section of the ribbon.  Then….

Fold that over onto itself, making sure to NOT fold the glue on top of the elastic.  While pinching it down I like to pull the elastic a bit both forward as well as slip it side to side to make sure it’s not caught in the glue.

Making sure that your ribbon is not twisted and is still wrong-side-up, loop the other end of the ribbon through the other elastic loop.  And…..

 ….repeat.

Let it cool for a few minutes, flip it over, and enjoy!

The best part is that these can be made throughout the year, some to either reflect the season or the holiday, and some just for fun.  I just love how versatile and comfortable they are, and because of where the elastic is hidden in the back, it’s almost entirely not visible to others even when they’re worn with ponytails.

Enjoy this very addictive project, and Happy Holidays!

]]> http://salemoregonhairsalon.com/simple-diy-hair-pizzazz/feed/ 1 http://salemoregonhairsalon.com/a-cautionary-tale/ http://salemoregonhairsalon.com/a-cautionary-tale/#comments Fri, 09 Nov 2012 16:02:23 +0000 Cortney http://salemoregonhairsalon.com/?p=411 I had every intention of my next blog post being all kinds of fun craftiness, and then I had a strange experience last week.   So strange I thought I would make a great blog topic, one of warnings, realizations, and advice for others.  Let me set the stage for you….

I had been struggling with a series of  strange, recurrent eye issues since July, and after jumping through all of my HMO’s hoops,  I finally ended up with a referral appointment to the optometry department last week.  I relayed the story of my ginormous recurrent stye from July and August (so big surgery and steroid shots had been discussed.  IN. MY. EYE.) and how after a trip to the ED (my 4th provider contact for the stye.  Man, you gotta love HMO’s) I received a topical antibiotic prescription that finally resolved the situation.  It was my first experience with a stye, and it was awful!  If you’ve never had one, let me tell you they’re really unattractive, quite painful, and very difficult to get them to resolve on their own.  This will become relevant later, I promise.

Anyhoo, what had brought me to the ED was not the stye, it was my other eye.  I had some significant redness, but other than that the symptoms didn’t quite meet the criteria for conjunctivitis (you know, the dreaded “pink eye”) — which I had had a few times in my life, so I knew what I was talking about.  The physician took one look at it (despite that the only thing I had going on was general redness), decreed that it was a “mild” case of viral pink eye, prescribed me some antibiotic eye drops, told me to toss all of my makeup (GASP!!!), and sent me on my way.

That was late last August.  Fast forward to last week, to where I had experienced my FIFTH outbreak of this “mild case of viral pink eye.”  In eight weeks!!! Meaning I had replaced both my contacts AND my make up that many times, and I had had to miss work each time until I was past the contagious period.  Talk about a VERY EXPENSIVE case of the ickies.  Having done the conjunctivitis drill in the past, I knew this wasn’t normal, especially because I still wasn’t experiencing the full set of symptoms.  I decided to call BS on the whole thing and finally saw my doctor and got a referral to the eye folks.

So it turns out I have some crappy contacts and the eye that was red wasn’t infected with pink eye — each one of the fresh contacts would dry out, scratch the crap out of my eye, and cause general redness.  But there’s the part where it did some permanent damage and I may not be able to wear contacts again.  Did I mention I’m legally blind and wear coke-bottle glasses?  AWESOME.

While Dr. Kwong is looking at my peepers with that chin-resty-bright-light thing, I was also telling him about My Adventures With Stye-dom.  I told him how odd that I was 36 and had dealt with a stye for the first time — I had thought that was kinda too old to start with those shenanigans.  So while he is literally waaaay up in my personal space with that bright search light, he drops a small bomb on me.  And I love how he did it.  He asked…..

“So when were you diagnosed with rosacea?”

To which I said…..

“Um, I didn’t know….I….had……………rosacea?”

My internal response was a bit different.  That sounded like: “WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!?!?!?!?!?!”  Thank goodness for filters.

It turns out that rosacea creates an imbalance of bacteria on the face (on top of everything else it does), which when one washes their face, one can’t help but get it in the eye.  Which then embeds itself inside the eyelash hair follicle.  Which then produces an overabundance of sebum (oil) in the hair follicle.  Which then plugs up.  And results in a stye.  And styes SUCK.  And scar — did I mention that they can scar???  And mine made me look like Sloth from The Goonies.  Seriously, it’s a bad situation.

Here’s the other thing — I always thought I had adult-onset acne.  I had great skin in high school, but right around my mid-twenties it took a total dive.  And it’s gotten worse in my 30′s.  So I talk frequently with clients (and I’ve also blogged) about my tips and tricks to try to control it.  GUESS WHAT?  I don’t have acne.  I have freakin’ rosacea!

When I saw Dr. Kwong he pointed out that through my caked-on yellow concealer and powder foundation he could see the redness, lesions, and scabs (sounds so attractive, doesn’t it?  But I promise he was a lot more tactful than that), I knew he was on to something.  I had woken up a few days earlier with what I thought was a typical break-out for me, likely resulting from the makeup I used from my Thrill the World performance over the previous weekend — tiny little raised bumps on my nose, upper cheeks, & cheekbones, around the eyebrows dissipating up the forehead, as well as some general redness in those areas that simulated a sunburn. And when I would try to lance the bumps, they would be totally unproductive (you know what I mean) and would be scab-tastic.  Dr. Kwong told me I was at the tail-end of a flare-up and that I needed to do a thin layer of hydrocortisone cream on the irritated places twice a day until our follow-up appointment in two weeks.  And then there were the steroid eye drops for my screwed up red left eye.  The most important thing he impressed upon me was that if they styes came back in my right eye I had to contact him immediately because I would need an oral antibiotic to control the rosacea-caused bacteria on my skin and try to get rid of the stye.

I went home I googled the symptoms of rosacea, and borrowed from medicinenet.com, they are:

• Rosacea is a common, chronic, incurable, adult acne-like skin condition. – awesome, especially the incurable part
• Rosacea has periodic ups and downs (flares and remissions).   – check!
• Rosacea symptoms tend to come and go.  -- check!
• Rosacea is easily controllable and medically manageable. – good to know
• Rosacea may begin with easy facial blushing or flushing.  – the one thing on this list I luckily don’t struggle with
• Risk factors include women, menopause, and being between the ages of 30-50. — two out of three, great
• Rosacea commonly affects the central third of the face, especially the nose.   – check!
• Rosacea may be mistaken for rosy cheeks, sunburn, or quite often, acne.   – check!
• Rosacea triggers include exercise, alcohol, hot or spicy foods, emotional stress, and heat.   – so basically life
• Most people with rosacea are Caucasian and have fair skin, particularly those of English, Irish, and Scottish backgrounds – um, have you SEEN me??
• The main symptoms of rosacea include red or pink patches, visible tiny broken blood vessels, small red bumps sometimes containing pus, red cysts, and pink or irritated eyes.   — so EVERYTHING I have been dealing with for YEARS
• Rosacea can be a very bothersome and embarrassing condition. -- yep
• Untreated rosacea tends to worsen over the time and be a progressive disease.  – faaaan-tastic
• Untreated rosacea can cause a bulbous red nose (like W.C. Fields and former President Bill Clinton) – EVEN BETTER!!!

So, at the end of the day, what I think I’m trying to say is this:

#1) That stubborn adult-acne you think you have may be rosacea.  AND…

#2) …that rosacea may cause some very serious secondary issues like styes, which often need surgical intervention to resolve.  SURGERY. IN. YOUR. EYE.

#3) Talk to your doctor if you struggle with anything in that above list.  From what I’ve read it looks like this is an incurable, progressive ailment that unless it gets controlled can make you look like an alcoholic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.  Which is NOT particularly the look I’m going for.

The only thing LESS attractive than the above pic was the rosacea outbreak the zombie makeup caused.  For real.  :)

PS — the outfit is called “Zombie Inmate Martha Stewart”

PPS — It’s part of the Thrill the World activity my family does every October

PPPS — yes, this is what I do on the weekends.

By the way, who dreams about eye makeup?  Seriously?!?!?  Sorry, I digress……..

So I had been on this quest to locate this  mythical pegasus of a cosmetic item.  In the beginning I didn’t think it would be that hard.  I went to the MAC counter (the Drag Queen Defense) and nothing. I popped into the Sephora at the Salem Penny’s and no luck.   Tried the drug stores, nope.  I even made it though the 2011 Halloween season and nada.  I’d all but given up, but then last month I stumbled into the Clackamas Sephora store……

It was like all the Gods of Glam were shining a spot light down on the back corner of the store, beckoning me to come investigate the rack of Sephora products.  Ever seen Velvet Goldmine?  Yeah, kinda like that.

Sephora’s Glitter Eyeliner is a gel-based eyeliner with serious sparkle.  The brush creates an easy-to-apply creates a defined, precise, long lasting line that is full of brilliant glitter for an all-out glam-tastic look.  I don’t know what’s more awesome –how versatile liner it is or how long-wearing (read: non-flaking and non-shedding) it is!  It also comes in black, silver, opal, and gold.

When I applied it over my black eyeliner at the store, I did however realize that the gel formula creates two easily-remedied issues.  Firstly, because it is a gel, it isn’t a completely opaque line (even with a couple of coats) so whatever color (or nothing) is underneath it will show through.  And secondly, also because it’s a gel it tends to dissolve shadow eyeliners.

Remember,  my dream inspiration required that I obtain a blue-black glitter eyeliner, so my next destination was a waterproof black pencil liner.  Conveniently, about 18″ south-east of my first find was Sephora’s Kohl Waterproof Eyeliner.

When they describe it as a “long-wearing, deeply-pigmented eye pencil,” they’re not kidding.  It comes with a smudge tip, but what I think I love the best about it is how smooth it goes on — and how perfect it is for tight-lining!

Though I left the store $21 poorer, I was so incredibly happy that my quest was at an end. And currently the gel eyeliner, normally $12 in the stores is on sale at sephora.com for only $7!   The reviews I’ve read on line all talk about the versatility of the glitter liner and how great it is for a night out.  Whatever — a night out, Tuesday morning for work……to-may-to, to-mah-to.

I think Mr. Lambert would be proud.  :)