Archive for June, 2010

Save Your Locks with the Top 3 Color Safe Hair Care Products

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

You wouldn’t dream of throwing your favorite silk tank in the washer daily with scalding water and a generous helping of bleach, but many women don’t think twice about washing their color treated locks with harsh detergents, zealous frequency and hot water.  Not unlike that silk shirt, color treated hair needs to be cared for delicately or locks will end up damaged, dried out and dull.  Here’s how to care for color treated hair to maintain shine, bounce and health as well as my list of the top three shampoos and conditioners for color treated hair, culled from the 41 brands I tested on my own locks.

Water logged

Believe it or not, plain old H20 is one of the main causes of color fade, which is why washing color-treated hair less frequently can result in longer lasting color. Simply put, even the purest water draws color from hair strands, meaning that each time you forego a wash, that color you invested in lives another day. (In fact, when color is new, wait two days post salon visit to wash hair for the first time.) To minimize color loss, wash hair three times a week, eradicating oiliness between washes with a dry shampoo.

If spring water can damage color treated hair, imagine what chlorine can do! While many experts agree that color hair should be protected from chlorine, the advice most commonly given to protect hair in the pool — wearing a swim cap –  is downright laughable. Avoid certain incarceration by the fashion police when going poolside by skipping the cap and instead wetting hair before swimming, thereby preventing hair from absorbing too much chlorine water. Also, comb a leave-in conditioner through damp locks pre-dip to create a protective barrier around the hair shaft.

Go Naked

Finding a great shampoo and conditioner for color treated is all about what not to allow in your hair care products. For starters, avoid harsh detergents, often called surfactants. Other harsh chemicals that may strip color from hair include sodium lauryl sulfate, ammonium sulfate and sodium chloride as well as paraben preservatives.

When in doubt, simply grab my list of the top three color safe shampoos and conditioners on the market. I kissed quite a few frogs, 41 in total, to find my hair’s true loves. I know you’ll adore them, too.

 

Liqwd's Hair Saving Collection

 

Best Salon Collection: Liqwd Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner

It’s not cheap –  $64 for the pair — but Liqwd’s Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner with ColorLife Technology promises to serve and protect color treated locks from radiant reds to buttery blondes and beyond.  UV filters in the products defend color while hair is also shielded against heat, breakage and even frizz. Find retailers or shop online at liqwd.com.

John Masters' Organic Hair Care

Best Certified Organic Hair Care: John Masters Organics Honey & Hibiscus Hair Reconstructing Shampoo and Treatment

John Masters is often named a pioneer in the green movement, a fitting title for a man who began mixing organic essential oils and herbs in his kitchen sink and went on to craft certified organic skin care, hair care, body care and pet care products that are now sold in over 20 countries globally. Safe for color treated hair, the Honey & Hibiscus Hair Reconstructing Shampoo and Treatment boast an abundance of linolenic and hyaluronic acids, paired with soy, rice and oat proteins that repair damaged hair. Get ‘em for about $26 each at johnmasters.com.

 

Burt's Bees Color Keeper Collection

Best Bargain Buy:  Burt’s Bees Color Keeper Green Tea & Fennel Seed Shampoo and Conditioner

Burt’s Bee’s sulfate-free Color Keeper Shampoo won’t lather at all because it’s free of sodium laurel sulfate, a harsh chemical that can strip hair of moisture and is also responsible for the “bubbling” many of us have become accustomed to.  Skip the bubbles, keep the color; the shampoo and conditioner sell for about $8 each at local drugstores.

What are your favorite color savin’  brands?

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Posted in Good, Glam Hair Days | 2 Comments »

Red Haute

Friday, June 18th, 2010

At a recent charity event, I wore a red floor-length, one shoulder Calvin Klein dress that I’d picked up (on sale) for just such an occasion months before. After perusing the space, and the guests, my brother, who’s not exactly a style-setter, turned to me and said, “You’re the only girl here in red; you really stand out.”

Why, thank you very much.

If you want to blend in, the LBD is the uniform de rigueur for cocktail parties and charity shindigs, but for those who prefer to make a scene, a little — or long — red dress is always in style. And always noticed.

Lady in Red

Celebrities in Red

Megan Fox’s infamous red dress sold out in a nano-second worldwide after she wore it on the red carpet. Giuliana Rancic looked gorgeous in a floor length red number and Natalie Portman paired a red shift with gold heels for a younger looking take on the classic red dress.

Too Much of a Good Thing

Red can be confusing because, frankly, some women just don’t know when to stop. Here are my rules for going red without going overboard:

• Never pair red shoes or a red bag with a red dress. Opt for metallics or nudes instead.

• Red lipstick can be gorgeous with a red dress and if you must, short, well manicured red nails can work but please stop there. Three red elements is enough. Even better, opt for dark purple, black or deep navy nails with red.

• Red earrings? Please don’t. In fact, don’t go overboard with jewelry at all. I like the idea of pairing chunky, modern gold earrings with a classic red dress or even mixing things up with a jade or turquoise stone.

 Red-y, Set, Shop!

Here are some favorites, all from go-to shopping site shopstyle.com, which allows you to search for a specific item – such as a “red dress” –  from the hundreds of e-tailers on the ‘Net.

From Left to Right: Jason Wu Katie Beaded-Sleeve Dress from Bergdorf Goodman, $2,300.00; Issa Kimono Dress in silk jersey, $582 at ShopBop.com; Jean Paul Gaultier from Saks Fifth Avenue, $495

From Left to Right: ASOS Tailored Deep V-Neck Linen, $59.18; Evangeline Ruffled Dress from Rugby.com, $178; Alluring Ruched Dress from Forever 21, $32.80

Posted in Glamour Puss Style | 7 Comments »

You Give Bronze a Bad Name

Thursday, June 10th, 2010

Thanks to Lindsay Lohan, UV-Free tanning may be getting a bad rap. The truth is, UV-Free tanning is easy, breezy, streak free and oh-so-bronze but never, ever pumpkin colored.  In the name of summer, I’ve sprayed, misted and scrubbed my way to bronze skin, all to report back from the beauty trenches about which faux glow methods really work.

Audrina Patridge at this year's MTV Awards

UV-Free Tanning 101

Sunless Tanning is often referred to as UV-free tanning, meaning you’ll enjoy the benefits of bronzed skin without increasing your risk of skin cancer via sun exposure. Many sunless tanning products call upon dihydroxyacetone (DHA), a chemical that reacts with dead skin cells to darken the skin’s appearance. The “tan” won’t wash off, but it will fade gradually, usually in about one week.

Many experts agree that sunless tanning is safer than traditional tanning but there are precautions to be taken, especially when spray tanning in a booth. DHA is not approved for inhalation or ingestion, so be sure to close your eyes and hold your breath when spray tanning.

Julianne Hough at this year's MTV awards

The Airbrush Tan vs. The Spray Tan

The phrase “Spray Tan” is most commonly used to describe a treatment available at spas, salon and health clubs featuring a sunless tanning mist administered in a self serve booth.  I’ve spray tanned enough that I’m a bit of a pro, meaning I can zip in and out of my favorite spot in less than five minutes.  Here’s how it works: I step into the private spray tan booth press a little green button and a tanning mist automatically sprays, covering the front of my body from head to toe. After 30 seconds, the machine pauses; I turn around and the same mist begins again, spraying the back of my body. In just 60 seconds, I step out of the booth, buff off any excess self tanner with a towel, wash my hands and I’m on my way.   The color takes about four hours to develop so I return to my daily routine, all the while developing a deep, dark tan.

An “Airbrush Tan” is applied by professional technician who uses special equipment to precisely apply sunless tanning solution to clients. Airbrush tans are normally more expensive than spray tans but they are also more precise since the tanning solution is evenly distributed all over the body by an airbrush professional. The DHA solution is often mixed with a bronzer that is immediately visible once the solution is sprayed onto the skin.

Sunless Tanning Tips

There’s no need to fear UV-free tanning, a streak-free, natural looking tan is achievable, if you follow these tips…

  1. Exfoliate: Be sure to exfoliate from head to toe with a salt or sugar scrub, loofah or even a washcloth before tanning. I do so with the Pomegranate and Cassis Sugar Scrub from EclipseSpa.com.
  2. Go Bare: Whether you wax or shave, remove that unwanted hair before you get bronzed. Not only does hair removal help exfoliate pre-tanning, but hair removal post-tanning will significantly shorten the life of your tan.
  3. Moisturize: Apply a water – not oil – based moisturizer, such as Cetaphil, all over your body the morning before you tan. Pay special attention to the driest areas of your body, think knees, elbows and hands.
  4. Fix It: If your UV-Free tanning application does end up blotchy, which usually only happens in areas that should have been pre-treated by exfoliating and moisturizing, use an AHA or BHA cleanser to even out the skin tone. You can also mix up a DIY combo of lemon juice and sugar at home and scrub the offending spots to remove dead skin cells and even out color.

Now, I’m back to my vacation, where my newly bronzed skin has me looking like a beach bunny instead of the work-crazed, mother of two that I actually am.  Fake it ’til you make it, baby!

Posted in Glam Ramblings, Glamorous Travel, Uncategorized | 8 Comments »

Primed for Pretty

Thursday, June 3rd, 2010

Upon spotting bottle after bottle of primer lining the counter in my bathroom my husband commented that it looked like I was getting ready to start a remodeling project. Little did he know.

The fact is, that’s exactly what a good makeup primer does, by serving up a smooth line-free canvas to apply foundation, shadow, blush and beyond, primer can act as the ultimate basis for remodeling of the daily kind.

Makeup primers traditionally call upon ingredients such as polymers and silicones that can smooth fine lines and imperfections temporarily (and by that I mean all day), as well as increasing the longevity of your makeup products so that they too can stick around all day.

This week, I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite primers — all tested by me, of course.

Rae Cosmetics, a cosmetic collection that hails from Austin, serves up Texas-sized value in a generously sized primer container that’s both effective and economical. The oil, fragrance and talc-free product called Surface Primer diminishes the appearance of fine lines and pores while extending the wear of makeup. Plus with an SPF of 20 and a free-radical blasting formula rich with vitamins A, C and D, beauty really is skin deep. Get it for $36 for 1.oz at raecosmetics.com.

Surface Primer, $36

Women with acne scars can benefit the most from the use of a primer; a great primer can temporarily fill in sunken scars, hiding them rather than calling attention to scars like some heavy foundations can do. Pür Minerals’ Color Correcting Primer in green was designed to diminish redness from acne, rosacea and beyond. Get it for $31 at purminerals.com.

Colour Correcting Primer, $31

Aging skin will benefit from a primer designed to meet its unique needs, such as Jan Marini’s Age Intervention Prime ($75). Promising “airbrushed results,” I was pleased with how smooth the product goes on, leaving skin feeling soft and supple and, of course, “primed” for makeup application. Great for covering age spots and other discolorations that women can get with age, this product reportedly contains ingredients that that can improve skin’s elasticity and volume, to boot. Visit Janmarini.com for a list of retailers.

Age Intervention Primer, $75

Determined to find a drugstore primer I could endorse, I was disappointed with primer after primer that didn’t deliver. My least favorite was Sally Hansen’s Natural Beauty, inspired by Carmindy, Luminizing Face Primer. The price a appeared right — $11.99 .48 oz at drugstore.com — but the oh-so-greasy application and less than perfecting results left me unimpressed. Plus, once I did the math I discovered that some of my other picks, such as Rae Cosmetics’ Surface Primer, actually are affordably priced ounce for ounce and deliver results that make the investment a worthy value.

Have questions aboout what a primer can do for you? Ask away. Have a favorite primer I missed? Do tell!

Posted in Great Skin is the foundation for Glamour | 10 Comments »