BECCA - Molly Ringwald / Calypso Home Event

I wanted to share some photos from a lifestye/fashion/book signing event that BECCA partnered with Calypso Home (Brentwood, California) on at the end of May.

The event featured Molly Ringwald and the paperback release of her book "Getting The Pretty Back".  Molly was in the store doing a reading, signing books, and greeting guests to chat about her interests spanning from fashion, lifestyle/furniture, and her love of makeup, particularly the perfect lipstick.

Because Molly Ringwald speaks volumes in her book about finding the perfect red lipstick and is known for her roles in iconic films like "Pretty in Pink", celebrity makeup artist Lisa Dempsey was on hand to demonstrate applying the perfect red and pink lip.  BECCA supplied several shades of Sheer Tint Lip Colours and Glossy Lip Tint for the beauty and fashion conscious attendees to experience.

Molly’s favorite lipstick shade was Alina and she can be seen wearing it in the photo below. Also take a look at the Becca brand at FacesBeautiful.

Secret to the Kim Kardashian Look!! - Hair Extensions

You’ve come a long way baby!! And, so have hair extensions. Hair extensions can give women the look they want every day. So, if it’s long sexy locks you are looking for, you should be looking into real hair extensions. Just look at Kim Kardashian. Yes, she’s gorgeous. And, yes she has gorgeous long hair. And, yes she adds in hair extensions, too.

At first, hair extensions were made of synthetic locks and didn’t wash, wear and style all that well. And, while you could buy the color you wanted, you couldn’t color them or recolor them as you choose. That’s all changed now. New techniques, new types of extensions, and better quality hair means that extensions look better than ever.

There are many different techniques for hair extensions. There is the basic, non-permanent, clip-in. They are good for when you just want to clip-in a bit of temporary glamour. There is sewing in, or braiding into your hair. This is a good method, but can be uncomfortable, as they are installed very close to your head, and that can be uncomfortable. Then there is a fusion bonding process that takes small amounts of your own hair and bonds it or fuses it to the new extension. It does create a beautiful, smooth look and each extension can be replaced when it needs to as the hair grows out. To remove them, when you’re ready, or the regrowth warrants it, your stylist will use a tool or solution to dissolve the bond and remove the extension. Then there is the sandwich bonding method, which I love. This is the method we use most of the times at Faces Beautiful. It utilizes two pieces of extension hair about 1 inch in width with your hair in between these two pieces, like an ice cream sandwich. The extension hair bonds to your hair and to each other. It’s a gorgeous smooth effect. What I like best is that it’s so comfortable to wear and to sleep in. The extension sandwiches lie flat to your head, so there are not little bumpy pieces prodding into your head and giving you a headache. For those of you who know me, I wore this type of extension for many years.

So today, Sara, one of our top hair stylists, installed a full head of extensions on Nicole. Nicole had a short bob cut and wanted long sexy locks, just like Kim Kardashian. About Two hours later Nicole, emerged with gorgeous long wavy hair. BTW, Sara sports long, wavy blonde extensions. So, if you’ve been wondering if extensions are for you, then schedule an appointment for a consultation 203-226-1818. Extensions can totally enhance how you look and feel.

Why Mineral Makeup?

Women have had a love for makeup since the beginning of time. Our fascination with makeup begins as early as our toddler years, and as we grow up we eagerly learn new techniques and anticipate the introduction of new and better products. Makeup enhances us. It can transform our beauty, at just the touch of a brush. So, is there such a thing as the perfect makeup product? Probably not. Every woman has her own preference and perspective as to what is best. In the last decade, one makeup category that has gotten a ton of attention is mineral makeup. Many women know exactly what mineral makeup is. But, it is still so new that even those of us who have heard of it, we still don't know exactly what it is.

In understanding what makes mineral makeup different or better, it's best to look at what traditional makeup is all about. So, yes traditional makeup continues to do externally what is was designed to do. That is to make us more beautiful. It does. Whether it's foundations, eye shadow, blushes, lipsticks and so forth, traditional makeup makes look better. But, it doesn't make all of us feel better.

Why is that? Well,traditional makeup is made from a mixture of ingredients derived from petrochemicals. That means makeup indirectly comes from petroleum, you know oil. That doesn't make if bad, but it can cause skin problems and irritations for many women. We all know that the ozone layer has thinned out over time, which leads to so many more skin sensitivities. And, there is a proliferation of the occurrences of skin cancer. More than ever. And, this is an area that mineral makeup truly excels.

The two main ingredients in mineral makeup are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Sound familiar? Sure. Those are the typical ingredients that you see in sun protection products. So, yes mineral makeup gives you automatic, natural protection from the harmful sun rays, which with the thinning of the ozone layers have only gotten more harmful over the years. Mineral makeup is a purer concentrate for makeup. That means it's better for your skin and less likely to cause skin irritations and rashes. Traditional makeup traditionally is chock full of fillers, synthetic materials, preservatives and various fragrances. Traditional makeup is also typically heavier on your skin and therefore a bit uncomfortable too. Mineral makeup is made from finely crushed titanium dioxide and firmly crushed zinc oxide. This mixture is light, airy and filled with natural protection for your skin.

You know what the best feature is for mineral makeup? No, it's not that it's good for you. It's that it makes you look better. Really mineral makeup makes your skin look prettier. It's all those finely ground titanium dioxide and ground zinc oxide. They fill up the tiny little nooks and crannies in your skin and give you a better finish than either traditional makeup, and as light as no makeup. So, if I had to choose one product that was the end all, be all, best product.... It would be something in the mineral makeup category. Something that was good for my skin, but more importantly, made me look better. That's a winner!!

Correct Oil Product for Your Hair!

In this month’s “Beauty Launchpad” Magazine on page 92, there is an article called “Refining Oil” and no it’s not about Exxon or Mobil Oil companies!!! It’s about what are the right products to use to condition your hair. A good hair oil should be able to penetrate your hair shaft and glossen its finish. It should be able to soften coarse hair and boost the luster, while at the same time still allowing for a light-weight finish and make styling easier. A good hair oil should be able to seriously boost the shine. Finally a good hair oil should also protect and prolong the color. It sounds like an awful lot to expect of any one product. True, it is. So, what are the choices?

In this article, Tracy Morin covers nine various oils. One of the nine is the Moroccan Oil. Okay, we can stop right there. Once you try Moroccan Oil, you won’t need or want to try any other. http://www.facesbeautiful.com/    Available for summer on the go use in a smaller size of .85oz or 25ml for $15.

What’s hot for hair?

“Beauty Launchpad” June 2011 in their What’s Taking Off in the World of Beauty discuss First Look for Hair, page 52. So here’s what’s hot for them:

·         Hand Dry – Absorbs excess hair moisture without creating tangles

·         Rejuvenol Glistening Design Polish – Makes strands of hair sparkle

·         Arrojo Styling Whip – Creates a long lasting volume

·         Keratin Complex Style Flex Flow – Hairspray which reactivates the keratin

·         Belletresse It’s Not Fate Sulfate Free Shampoo and Conditioner – The name says is all

·         Obliphica Professional Intensive Nourishing Hair Mask – Filled with sea-buckthorn fruit extract to boost sheen

·         Redken Shine Flash 02 – Filled with camelina oil and nourishing vitamin B5 to gives lots of shine.

I like all their picks, especially for summer, because it’s always about keeping your hair moisturized, shiny and not frizzy. You know, of course, we carry both Redken and Keratin Complex, so I’m a big believer and supporter there. I haven’t actually tried the Belletresse Sulfate Free products, because we are a Deva Curl Salon, so we use all of their sulfate free products. And, I just love the Hand Dry Hair Towel, especially for you curly hair girls. It doesn’t disrupt the integrity of your curl.

Make Up Tip - Bold Brows on a Brazilian Beauty

Meet Monica. She is absolutely gorgeous with striking angelic features, accented with her strong brows. She reminded me a bit of Audrey Hepburn in her petit, classic manner and timeless beauty. 

Monica came in for her hair and makeup for a black tie NYC charity event. Our master stylist, Ted Kopec turned her hair into a very festive updo. It was quite stunning. Then Monica sat in my makeup chair. Well, those of you who have sat in my chair, know the very first thing my eye is drawn to is your eyebrows. And, what brows Monica has!!! Those of you who know me, also know that I absolutely adore a strong brow. So, no reshaping for Monica’s brows, just a bit a grooming for those long, curly, unruly brow hairs. Once her brows were tamed I began by applying a really sensational set of lashes, style #46, they flare at the ends and curl too!!

Monica was wearing a full-length deep navy blue gown, so I choose to do a navy and black eye. I filled her entire lid with Vincent Longo’s Eye Shimmer Soufflé in Babelon, which is a rich, shimmery blue. http://www.facesbeautiful.com/product_p/vl-eyeshimmersouffle.htm  Then on to a gold contour and highlighter in Faces Beautiful Leona. http://www.facesbeautiful.com/product_p/851036001321.htm  Of course, lots of black eyeliner. First a soft pencil to smudge in. Then a black powder to set the waxy pencil, then finally lots of black liquid liner for real dramatics. Look at Monica’s cheeks. They glow and their sexy. I used Becca’s Lip and Cheek Cream. http://www.facesbeautiful.com/product_p/becca-creme-blush.htm  I do just adore that product. Don’t think I could give the glow without Becca’s Lip and Cheek Cream.

Have fun Monica!! You are gorgeous!!!

Redheads are Simple Amazing… Meet beautiful Hadley.

There is nothing standard about enhancing the beauty of red-headed women. Redheads require a very personalized look. Some redheads are more ruddy, some very pale, some very golden – a unique group of women.

Meet Hadley. She came in yesterday to have her hair and makeup done, as she was on her way to a NYC black tie charity evening. I didn’t include  a before shot of Hadley, because her lashes are blonde, her brows very fair and I just won’t include that look. To get this awesome look, first Hadley had her hair expertly coiffed by Ted Kopec, our new master stylist. Fabulous!! Then I began… I applied our Faces Beautiful Brush-On Liquid Mineral Makeup in Lindsay Light. Then lots of eyeliner, the Sue Devitt Eye Intensifier in Kenya both on and inside her upper and lower lids to remove all redness and all paleness. Then I applied a very sexy set of long, black eye lashes. Wow!! I choose a bronze and black palette of eye shadows, cheeks and a nude lip. I especially love that lip!!

So, the next time you’re going someplace that you want everyone, including yourself to say, Wow! – then schedule a visit with us in our studio. Be beautiful ladies!!!!

Great Products Being Recognized By Big Names

Hello!

We have a number of exciting placements for the months of May and June for Dr Dennis Gross Skincare Products that I am thrilled to share with you! Click on the name, which is a link for if you would like to purchase the products. These products deserve their recognition.

·              People Magazine recommends the Alpha Beta® Glow Pad to get "a golden glow" and achieve "a healthy-looking tan without the sun".

   (http://www.dgskincare.com/pressimages/2011_05_people.pdf)

·              Star Magazine calls the Alpha Beta® Glow Pad "magic pads" as it wins the 2011 Beauty Awards for the Best "Self-Tanner For Face"!

           (http://www.dgskincare.com/pressimages/2011_05_star.pdf)

·              O, The Oprah Magazine Hydra-Pure® Intense Moisture Cream is not only recommended as a great moisturizer, but it is also “Your Money’s Worth.”

(http://www.dgskincare.com/pressimages/2011_06_o.pdf)

·              Martha Stewart Living Powerful Sun Protection SPF 30 is recommended for “portable protection” against UVA and UVB rays.

(http://www.dgskincare.com/pressimages/2011_06_msl.pdf)

·              Parents Magazine features the Alpha Beta® Glow Pad in the “Summer Beauty Innovations”.

(http://www.dgskincare.com/pressimages/2011_06_parents.pdf)

·              Allure Magazine Alpha Beta® Glow Pad is selected as a “favorite” alongside other beauty must-haves for Allure’s “Summer Beauty Essentials Kit”.

(http://www.dgskincare.com/pressimages/2011_06_allure.pdf)

·              Elle Magazine Alpha Beta® Daily Face Peel is proclaimed as an “age-defying” treatment.

(http://www.dgskincare.com/pressimages/2011_06_elle.pdf)

·              People Style Watch suggests readers to try Alpha Beta® Glow Pad in order to “Create a head-to-toe glow” in time for summer!

(http://www.dgskincare.com/pressimages/2011_06_people.pdf)

·              Real Simple recommends the Alpha Beta® Glow Pad in their "Trends Worth Trying" story for June!

(http://www.dgskincare.com/pressimages/2011_06_rs.pdf)

  

Brace Yourself for Leather and Wood

What to wear this summer on your arms? There’s just so much to choose from. There are so many cute little leather bracelets in all of these fun metallic finishes and natural leathers. And, there are so many interesting wood bangles and stretchy bracelets that I also adore. 


So, what’s a girl to do? Well, according to The Allure Beauty Experts they say wear all of them together. They look best when they’re mismatched. Jumbled and piled three of four high. Leather bracelets are mixed in next to wood ones. Rugged finishes placed next to polished metallic. Wide ones next to skinny ones. The only “don’t”  I can give you is don’t put too many rugged or natural ones together. You need the polished finish or metallic finish to keep it fresh and current.

Have fun!

It’s time for Summer Sleek Hair

June Allure, page 162 “Get the Looks” Teaches how to do the “Sleek Twist”. Let me share with you:

1.    Spray a leave in conditioner spray, such as Aussie Hair Insurance Leave-in Conditioner onto dry hair.

2.    Brush hair back and secure into ponytail.

3.    Twirl the ponytail into a twist and bobby pin in.

4.    Run a drop of Moroccan Oil and smooth over hair for shine.

I add one more step to the “Sleek Twist”. At the end spray Goldwell Sleek Perfection all over. This will help to give shine and hold to your sleek “do”.