Sun Hats, Summer Trends and Some Bargain Finds 2012

Top Trends That I Love:  Bold Vivid Colors,  High Waisted Bottoms, Cool Braids and  Looking Effortless. 

Lindsay_Ellingson_Allure Magazine 

Similar find - Tan White 8" Wide Large Brim Straw Beach Sun Floppy Hat, 

Chanel flies high

Spring/Summer  Collection 2012

Shades all from the wide open sky, ranging from Sky Line azure blue nail varnish, to navy blue waterproof pen eyeliner via a Pantone swatch card of blue and grey shadows - Vogue

  Gold Strappy Heals

  Pour La Victoire Women's Tifara Platform Sandal

Anja Rubik, a Polish model,  rocking  a skin-tight leather skinny pants with a loose neon blue shirt, which seems to be the new "mint".   ( I'm looking for a dupe/similar now, I'm completely obsessed.)

 Josephine Skriver

 The Form Fitting Red Boyfriend Jacket and the beat-up Bag

    Similar: Andre Badi Women's Cotton Blazer Jacket

Vogue Russia June 2012 

Wispy and Soft Chiffon Fabrics 

Being Original

 Similar: J Hat  Deluxe Straw Hat-Natural

BCBGeneration Mint Charlie Medium Satchel

 Colorful Skinny Pants - Elliott Sapphire Leopard

Similar find - Plast  Leopard Print Skinny Pants

Wallaroo Hat Company - 'Frankie' Fedora-Styled Hat - White with Black Ribbon 

Jeisa Chiminazzo in leather pants with military inspired boots.

High Waisted Skirts

High Waisted Short-Shorts

Serpent Set Jewelry

Mulberry  Editorial

Vogue Editorial - lovely high waisted, soft chiffon dresses

Valentino's stud necklace

 LUST:  Natalya Sergeyevna Polevshchikova's side tussled side braid. 

Salvatore Ferragamo's Vintage Earrings - Vogue

The Horsebit Cocktail earrings by Gucci Joaillerie

 

 

Best shampoo without Sodium Lauryl Sulfate review. Get healthier skin and scalp.

 Do you notice your hair thinning?  Are you suffering from dry, itchy scalp?  Dry dandruff perhaps?  Which is caused by excessive dryness to the scalp.

You probably didn't know that Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) could be the cause of most of your skin irritations, and not just on your scalp but everywhere else on your body.  In fact, the LEADING cause of hair loss in women is SLS - aha! 

To give you a clearer picture of how harsh this chemical really is, this stuff is used in the auto shops to cut the oil from the motor parts.  And the main reason why the companies are using it is that it's cheap to produce and the lovely  bubbles are very pretty.  But  completely unnecessary. 

 Wow, this certainly is starting to sound like a TV commercial, doesnt it lol?   I could discuss this  much further here but then this blog would become endless and I wanted to share what my favorite SLS free shampoo is in the market and not what SLS is......

From my personal experience as a hair stylist AND a user of this product, the best Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) FREE shampoo in the market right now, IMHO, is the DermOrganic Sulfate-Free Conditioning Shampoo

LET'S GO OVER WHAT *THEY* CLAIM

Gentle sulfate-free formula
Safe for Color Treated Hair
DermOrganic Sulfate-Free Conditioning Shampoo provide a rich, luxurious lather that makes other sulfate-free shampoos jealous!

What makes it so good? Hair and skin rely on important nutrients such as Essential Fatty Lipids (EFAs) and Amino Acids.DermOrganic Sulfate-Free Conditioning Shampoo ^® is the only shampoo made with a proprietary blend of EFA Lipid and Amino-Acid based skin cleansers. That means it is the only shampoo to moisturize, strengthen and rebuild the hair every time you clean your hair!
Whether your hair is colored, permed, heat styled or sun drenched, DermOrganic Sulfate-Free Conditioning Shampoo ^® has what it takes to impress stressed tresses.
So gentle, this shampoo is ideal for color treated hair and is superb as an all-over cleanser that leaves skin soft and supple. So healthy for your hair that you’ll never have to switch shampoos again.
Further enriched with Argan Oil with Omega-6 and Linoleic Acid, Vitamin E, Panthenol, Rice Amino Acids, and anti-oxidant plant extracts to preserve the life of hair color. 

Ingredients: Aqua/Eau/D.Water, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate(1), Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate(2), Decyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Glucoside, Methyl Gluceth-20, Infusion of Argan Oil & Sunflower Seed Extract & Grape Seed Extract & Rice Amino Acid & Sodium PCA & Panthenol & Tocopheral Acetate (Vitamin E), Glycereth-2 Cocoate/Benzoic Acid (natural preservative), Fragrance.
(1) Amino-Acid based, plant derived cleanser
(2) Essential Lipid based, plant derived cleanser

AND HERE IS MY TAKE

 Let me first assure you that,  I've never been so utterly happy with a shampoo product in many a year.

For sure, you can find something that makes your hair feel and look as good as this, but also Sulfate Free?  HELL NO.   Just look at the ingredients there, they're all very good for you  (except for the silicone - but a vinegar rinse twice a month will clear that right up - and without it, your hair will look like a bush).

This is a rave review but nothing is ever perfect. Consequently,  I had 2  3 issues with this product.  JUST three and that's amazing in itself.


1) I didn't find it very color safe on my hair.   However, I must then admit that my clients didn't notice it.
  2) It's advertised as a CONDITIONING shampoo - like it's one of those  2 in 1 deal (Pert Plus anyone?).  Its NOT.  You def need a separate conditioner, folks.  
3) The scent doesnt last! 

 OTHER THINGS YOU MIGHT WANT TO KNOW

WHAT DOES IT SMELL LIKE?

Like all the beach oils poured into a jar of goodness.  Coconuts, bananas, etc - it smells like the beach.  Serious.


WILL IT LATHER UP? 

 This is a serious complaint with so many people when it comes to Sulfate Free Shampoos because 90% of the SLS shampoos in the market do not sud. 

 Therefor, I'm happy to report that, YES, it does lather up.  HOWEVER, the suds doesnt look like your average shampoo bubbles.  I spent a good 40 mins merely looking for a photo of what a SLS free suds look like for this  blog. 

  Please look at the photo to the left.  It looks just like that - barely there.  Kinda cute. 

And as a comparison, look at what a normal shampoo suds look like.  Nice fluffy cloud of sulfate there, mister...ahem.

FIRST TIME 

 My first comical reaction in the shower, quite butt naked and rambling on:

"What the HELL is this, crap, ugh !@#$!"  -  because it barely lathered up like they claimed.   So I shampooed again and this time it did sud up, and I started noticing the heavenly smell...  

But wait,  the second the water hit my head to rinse, and let me tell you, my hair has never rinsed off so fast in my entire life,  my hair started to squeak, no seriously - it squeaked!! Because it was so effing CLEAN.   UGH!!

This had me entirely worried because usually, for my hair type, which is long, thick, color treated and coarse - very clean hair equals a very dry, brittle hair when its completely dry.  If you have long hair, you know exactly what I mean.

By this time, I'm bitterly mumbling to myself about another crap SLS free shampoo that I wasted money on... but wait... wait

My hair started to dry and I rediscovered Jesus, and fell so deeply in love with DermOrganic Sulfate-Free Conditioning Shampoo that I went and told all my clients and am now blogging about it. 

My hair has never been as fluffy, soft and shiny in my whole life. In addition,   my scalp no longer flakes (unless I wash it twice a day) - this was my sole reason for looking into SLS free shampoos.    This stuff is entirely brilliant!!

This shampoo gets a 4.5 Amazon Stars from me.  

If you've found this review helpful, please sub, add, comment, share, and like my page.   It would mean a lot to me. :)

Finally, I just had to share this cute pic with you haha... Thanks for reading, take care, everyone !! :-)

 UPDATED: 1/14/13:  Click below !

I've discovered the best conditioner that will make your hair shed less in Korea 2 months ago!! 

  It's truly one of the BEST conditioner that I've run across in... 7 years! 

 

  

  

Lush Lash - is it a scam?

Nothing impacts the face like full lashes.  

Do you fantasize  about lashes so big, curly and thick that it creates an alluring shadows on your cheeks?  Marilyn Monroe was famous for creating this look. Or are you  merely looking for ways to look better in the morning without any makeup?  God knows, I've been needing more help in that department lately...

 This subject - lashes - must be one of the most googled searches in Asia, and no, I'm not being a racist or sarcastic. I can say this wholeheartedly and with the up most sincerity because I am an Asian-American, who suffer from weak lashes. 

I've tried them ALL, girls -  from ridiculous claims of Vaseline, Olive Oils, and some Youtube sensation - Bee Wax Egyptian   CRAP lotion growing your lashes longer, to praying to Jesus Christ... these don't work. They were mostly nonsense. 
 Read on ....

FOUR WAYS TO BIGGER LASHES.

I'm not going to make you suffer through a wall of text,  therefor,  I'm going to make this list short and to the point and write a more detailed review of some of the products discussed here later.

1.  Lash Drops

WHAT IT IS:

LASH Treatment which is applied to the base of the upper eyelashes with a clean synthetic brush, to grow longer, fuller and darker eyelashes in as little as eight weeks, with full results in 16 weeks.  
Can also be used on the eyebrows.  (more of this on another blog)

• Lastisse - FDA approved -  bimatoprost ophthalmic 0.03% solution - Requires a Prescription and money to burn. $120 ~ $150 + a bottle
• Careprost - bimatoprost ophthalmic 0.03% solution  - The generic version of Lastiss with the same *exact* ingredients as Lastiss ( $ 30 ~ $ 55)
• RapidLash - It worked great and in fact, seemed to make my lashes thicker (but shorter) than the 2 drops above.  HOWEVER, I've heard recently that they've changed the formula so that it doesnt work as it did in the past.  ($ 35~ $45)

There are of course other brands, many in fact, but since I have not personally used them to verify, I will not list them here.   

I'm currently using Careprost and am on my 3rd bottle,  and it has worked brilliantly for me.  I cant recommend  this enough.

Something I'd like to mention, I like to spend my money wisely, so I've forgone using Lastisse altogether.  But I'd suggest that you at least call your doctor and *ask*  if it would be right for you.  

With that said,  since Careprost is simply the generic brand and have the exact same ingredients, I repeat, the same EXACT ingredient, I'm assuming I'd get the same results from it. 

Side effects: 

• Cost
• May cause darkening of the eyelid skin which may be reversible.
• Although not reported in clinical studies,  it  may also cause increased brown pigmentation of the colored part of the eye which is likely to be permanent. 
• Itching sensation in the eyes and/or eye redness. This was reported in approximately 4% of patients. 

I have used this for 2 years and have not had any ill effects.  In fact, I do not know anyone in person or on the beauty forums, review boards with these side effects.  Theses are very rare cases.

Before and After photos:

2. Eyelash Extensions Invented by - *gasp* Asians (Korea in fact) ! :)

WHAT IT IS:

Simply put, these are hair extensions for your lashes or a long lasting temporary false lashes that stays on for few days to weeks depending on the type of glue used, the technician's skill in the application and how you take care of it at home.

  Getting this done may take up to 1~3 hours and will need a touch up every 2 weeks.

SIDE EFFECTS:

Cost ($100~$500 in US)
Itchy
Thins out your natural lashes.
Time consuming

If you don't have time for your nails, then you definitely won't have time for this... 

3. False Lashes  
also known as Falsie

WHAT IT IS:

Designed to add length, thickness and fullness to natural eyelashes - temporarily.  I feel like everyone already know what this is, so I'm merely going to add my recommendations. 

 For Drama: 
Ardell Fashion Lashes  - Wispies  They're quite long, and full but "wispy" so that you dont look like a drag queen. Moreover, I like that it gives me mega drama without making me look like a showgirl wannabe.   

Double up with another  shorter set of lashes and watch your eyes go va-va-boom!

Ardell False Eyelashes  DuraLash Naturals Short knot-free Individual Lashes I use this the most every day because they're the most natural.  Make sure to get them knot-free.

Ardell Duo:  Best lash glue

4. Finally, the good 'ol tube of some Mascara.

 They're actually quite good these days because some of them have fibers..

WHAT IT IS:

 Again, you know what it is, so I'll simply link my cult favorites and call it a day.

My Holy Grail:

L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Mascara  

I've been using this for many years and have always come back to using it.   It's a bit of a clumpy mess,  I kid you not, yea.  But works quite effectively on flimsy lashes.  This one doesnt have any fiber. 

 

Fiberwig  -

These are HUGE in Asia because we're lash obsessed and they have fibers in them that clings to your natural lashes.  It makes you look like you're wearing Falsies.

  I have yet to see a non Asian brand that works as well as an Asian Fiber Mascaras. This is a MUST, girls!

 

I would love to hear and SEE what you've been using and trying yourself!  Please comment, share and add me.  Thanks for reading, take care!! =)

 

Cut and Trim Your Bangs: Guide to Cutting Heavy, Blunt Bangs

 Look Great and Sexy, Not Fat - rock Carly Rae Jepsen's bangs! 


So you've been gazing soulfully at the celebrities with the heavy bangs lately, and wondered if it would look as bold and edgy on you.  Because lets face it, nothing screams "high fashion" , "rich bi*ch" and utter "Class" like those bangs, but in real life, they look absolutely horrendous on the people that you personally know AND make them look... fat! *gasp*


This guide will give you some insight and inspiration into how you can costume design the perfect heavy fringe to fit YOU.  These are my own personal rules as a Pro Hair Stylist in New York City, and not set in stone by any means. We all have our own ideas of what Beauty is, therefor, it is logical that not everyone will agree. :)

Read on...

First, if you're one of those people with sickenly a perfect face shape with a small oval head shapes (think Halle Berry), then don't bother with this guide. This guide doesn't apply to you, because you look great no matter what... lucky bi*ch. :)

 But for the rest of us:

• Know your face shape. 
• Is your hair on the crown thick enough to create a heavy fringe?
• Is your hair too curly? Because heavy fringe should lay flat and not look like a brillo pad.  Also, do you have a cowlick in that general are?
• Finally, what do you wish to cover up with your hair. This is so important. Always keep this in mind, it is what's left behind that impacts your face, and NOT what's been cut off! :-)

Now that we got that out of the way, let me show you what *I* consider beautiful and see if you can find a pattern in these photos.  I'm, of course including the photo of Carly Rae Jepsen's bangs at the very top of this list.  :)

 
It is my firm belief that any type of heavy bangs will automatically make your face appear slightly fuller and the farther you cut away from the center of your face will then make your face wider.   It sounds most dreadful but there is a fix!






 

  Sometimes heavy bangs, when done correctly, will actually make you not only look slimmer but sexier and edgier and younger!  I'm going to use the lovely Katie Holm's photo as an example here, because no words are needed to show my point.

 read on ..

THE rules to rock'in heavy bangs: 

 ( I will be using a mannequin's head for photo's,  understand that their hair lines and the hair density greatly differs from humans).

1. Always consider what's being left behind and not whats being cut off.  Take small cuts, you can always cut more.  Try using a razor instead of shears.

2. Section off , and clip back the hair that you want to keep.  How much to clip back?  Usually all the hair in front of your ears on the crown of your head is drawn forward for bangs, but  this depends on how thick your hair is. If your hair isn't thick enough then you will need to draw more hair from the back.

CROWN section -  in a soft, rounded V, you can use your nose as a guide for the highest peak.

3. NEVER cut your bangs past the outer corners of your eyes. The farther you cut away from the center of your face, the wider your face will appear.  If you look above, all the photos that I've posted follow this rule.

HOWEVER : You CAN cut farther back if  you're creating a graduating effect -  from short to long,  like the KATE MOSS's photo that you will see in the next page.  This is a far more advance way of cutting but it will create a more softer look.

Read more ....






  4. Very blunt bangs only look great on models with perfect features, on everyone else - it looks like a wig.  Razor cutting the edges will soften, modernize AND make you look thinner.  This is especially important for anyone over 30+...




I'm holding a camera with 1 hand, but this is about where you want to start point-cutting, or razoring your hair - DRY HAIR.  ALWAYS cut tiny bits at a time, so you can cut more if it's too long. =)

5.  Long shaggy, piecey, heavy bangs that hits "just" on the top of the nose (for clarity - between your eyes, where your nose starts to slope up - Kate Moss's bangs)  is the most flattering on normal human beings. The KEY here is to create soft and shaggy edges for a wearable blunt bangs.

6. Attitude.  Your personality should reflect this bold style.  Just sayin'. =)

Now, here are the "bang tragedy photos". These, IMHO, do not enhance the beauty of the person's face but exaggerate's the negative for the sake of fashion - that is, if small, oval face is your ideal.

You apply make up to enhance what you have, your hair should do the same, since it's your greatest and best the accessory.

To show this more clearly, let's take the beauteous Olivia Wilde here, look at the photo's side by side. The one on the left, you can clearly see how far the bangs have been cut ( and far past the outer eyes) and then the one on the right.  The bangs were cut correctly here for her square face (the shortest bangs ending at the outer eye and the edge's kept soft and wispy), this style suits her to perfection.





 Finally, how to style it once you've achieved your perfect fringe.  

• 1. Use a oil serum or a heat protectant on damp hair.
• 2. Dry your bangs flat against your forehead, and please, I beg you,  do not use a big round brush or it will give you that mushroom look, unless that's your thing.  A flat paddle brush, the  fingers God gave you or a vent brush works beautifully.
• 3.  This is optional because not everyone owns a flat iron.  But if you do, I suggest you use it here.
• 4. Apply some soft wax when your hair is completely dry to give you that shaggy, sexy, piecey look.  Not too heavily, otherwise you'll end up looking like a oily heroine addict - unless that's your thing. :)

I hope this guide was helpful.  Please sub, add, comment for future guides and requests.  

Thanks!!  :)

 



Speaking of hair, try my popular Do It Yourself Ombre Dip Dye Hair Color Tutorial next ...   :)