SET THE MOOD

Like many of us, things around the house are VERY busy. With always being on the go from morning to night it has been hard to find time to relax and decompress and boy-oh-boy do I need it! You can't just hit the pause button of life and take a few minutes to decompress especially when there are children (you know what I mean?).

Like your mother told you, you have to take time out to smell the roses. You have to take time out for yourself otherwise the whole world (well at least your house) will fall apart. I have been setting aside 20 minutes at night to just sit in the quiet. It amazes me that quiet can even exist, but it does. I set the mood by using heated scented oils. The light from the votive candle that heats the oil is just enough light to give a soft glow to the room.

The scent from the oils is very gentle, therapeutic and long lasting. Yankee Candle has home fragrance oils that are good for stress relief like Cinnamon and Frankincense or for relaxation try Chamomile and Honey. After my 20 minutes of therapy I feel so much more relaxed and calm not only is it good for you but also those around you will benefit. So, remember this simple math equation, you + 20 minutes of quiet time = happy you and household. I hope this was helpful to you. Let me know what you think. Till then! B.

SA-WEET!

Looking for something as sweet as you? I am always looking at Bath and Body Works for the new scents for the season. Scents can stimulate memories (hopefully the good ones!) and feelings. They can also allow you to change or create your own mood or vibe. That is where Bath and Body Works comes into play.

With so many different scents I never become bored with the choices available to me. What is nice for the Spring is one of my favorites, Japanese Cherry Blossom. The scent is sweet but not too sweet and sexy. White Tea and Ginger also has a nice botanical aroma perfect giving you a fresh clean scent.

Lotion vs Butter:

I find that lotion is good for summertime because it gives you a light moisturizer, nothing too heavy that can become sticky in the humid days of summer. F.Y.I. Try your favorite lotion in a shimmer. This will give skin a little somethin',somethin' more butter, more better. Get some extra (skin) loven' and use body butter. Best if applied right after your shower, body butter gives those rough spots the extra moisture they need to be soft and sexy. Your skin will love you for this!

Let me know what scents you think are worthy of adding to your beauty collection. Till then! B.

SPRING INTO PURPLE

Spring has sprung. Time to take out the sexy shoes and get yourself looking hot this Spring. Something as simple as wearing a new hot nail color can really brighten a woman's mood and look. Well manicured finger and toe nails really put the finishing touch on an outfit. I love the colors O.P.I. has in their new South Beach Collection. There is a color to match every mood of a woman (and you know that we have many).

Colors from their Spring/Summer collection include vivid purples, red violet, lilac, pink, nudes an light browns. Purple is a very popular color this season and it is a good choice if you are looking for a change from dark browns and black. However, as far as a classy look you can't go wrong with the french manicure. So go check out the new nail colors and I am sure that one will become your new favorite. Let me know your new favorite color for the Spring. Till then! B.

Are You Wearing Falsies?

Okay, I have to admit it. I love the way that fake eyelashes look. Your eyes look bigger, brighter and attention is drawn to you. I am not talking about the super thick and extra long obviously fake lashes but I do love the lashes that add a natural looking length and volume to your own lashes. They are very easy to apply and it is a simple thing you can do for yourself that will make you look better. It doesn't cost a ton of money and takes minutes to do.

There is a huge range of lash style to chose from to suit your personal look. Lashes range from natural lashes for added length. Thick, full lashes for a dramatic look and flirty, feathery lashes. For those of you who are really looking to make a statement lashes come in many different colors. Some have crystals on the tip of the lash and some are actual feathers. I probably wouldn't chose those for myself but there are the young who are looking to experiment and have fun with their makeup (and they should you are only young once!) who would look good in these.

Fake lashes can be purchased from stores like Sephora, MAC and they can also be found at drugstores. I would probably start with the less expensive lashes first to get comfortable in applying and wearing them. Spring is here, time for change. Do something new for YOU!

The How To:

• Get fit; Everyone has different eye size so you need trim the fake lashes so they are the right size for you. Place the fake eyelash over you natural lash line. Trim off any extra lashes.
• Get sticky; Apply lash adhesive sparingly to lash band. Wait about 10 seconds until adhesive becomes sticky.
• Get in line; Place false lashes just above your natural lash line. Press ends into place then press across the entire lash line until it is set.

Once you are done wearing your lashes gently peel off false lashes by starting at the outer corner. Remove adhesive from lash band and place lashes back in their tray.
Good luck with your new lush lashes. Let me know how you made out. Till then! B.

HAIR TODAY GONE TOMORROW

I recently had surgery with general anesthesia and upon returning home and recuperating I started to notice a lot of my hair by the drain of the shower. At first I didn't think much of it until it kept happening every time I took a shower. So, at my post-op check up with my doctor I informed her about my hair loss. She calmed my anxiety by telling me that surgery and general anesthesia can cause temporary hair loss and not to be concerned because your hair will grow back. And you know what? She was right.

This experience caused me to look into women's hair loss. We all hear so much about men's hair loss, well what about the ladies? I did some research on Web MD and this is what I have found out. There are real medical conditions that cause hair loss and those should be treated by a doctor and then there are some issues that cause temporary hair loss and these are the ones I am going to mention.

The issues:

• Hormone havoc. Post-partum and post-menopausal women can experience hair loss due to changes in hormones.
• Being anemic (iron deficiency)or having thyroid disease can cause hair loss.
• Watch what you eat. Crash diets, bulimia, protein and calorie deficiencies can also cause your hair to fall out.
• Stop stressin'. Stress, you know we all have it, whether it's emotional stress or the stress placed on a body from surgery and general anesthesia can cause hair loss.
• Also, some prescription medications can cause you to lose hair.

Just the facts ma'am; because you notice your hair at the bottom of the shower doesn't mean you are losing too much hair. Hair usually grows about 1/2 an inch a month. The normal growth phase of a strand of hair is 2-6 years. Once the hair completes this growth cycle it falls out and a new strand begins to grow. Average hair loss is 100 hairs per day! (Yes that is correct, 100 hairs per DAY).

So, don't do what I did and panic that all my hair is going to fall out. We all lose some hair and that is normal but there are some people who suffer from real hair loss and those individuals should be seen by a doctor. Please keep in touch and let me know about if you have experienced temporary hair loss. Till then! B.

KEEP YOUR I-ON-IC !

In order for all of us beauties to keep looking great you need the right hair tools to get the job done. Now you don't have to spend a ton of money, trust me, I have tried expensive hair tools and less expensive tools and they all work about the same. The ionic hair dryers work by emitting ions that bond to your hair breaking down moisture molecules with very little heat required to do so.

The benefit; Hair dries 50 % faster with 1/2 the heat which equals, Ta-Dah less frizziness and fewer split ends. Hair is softer, fuller and shinier. "And why is hair softer, shinier and fuller you ask, because the hairs natural oils are preserved and moisture is sealed into the hair." These dryers won't "cook" your hair while in the process of drying it like non ionic dryers do. (No frizz fest here!)

There are also ionic hair straighteners that straighten hair without causing as much damage to the hair but they do not prevent ALL damage so try to use a heat protector on your hair before straightening. So, if you are like me, someone who can't live without their straightener go for one that is an ionic. Your hair will thank you. Let me know about the hair tools that you have had good luck in using. Till then! B.

SPLIT DECISION

Time to break-up with your hair breakage

I have been trying to grow my hair longer but I have had little success in doing so. My ends are rough and crunchy and I have noticed little broken ends of hair on my clothes especially after styling my hair. After taking a look at what I have been doing to my hair that has caused my ends to split and break off, I have come up with 3 issues.

The culprits
1. Chemical processing. I color my hair and I also have highlights which can dry out your hair and cause ends to spilt and break off.

2. Sun damage. Too much time in the sun and the tanning bed dries out hair and leaves the ends brittle and eventually results in breakage. And last but not least.

3. Hello, hot irons! (The biggest offender of all three) Do I need to say more about the damage they can cause? Instead of splitting up how about getting a little hair therapy? I use two products to help control my breakage. The first is Sunsilk hydra tlc which softens rough ends of hair and smooths broken ends. The next product is Rice proteins serum from Korres (available at Sephora). You apply it to damp hair, style as usual and it prevents ends from splitting. Let me know about your hair splitting issues. Till then. Happy (hair) endings! B.

I DON'T CARE , I'M GOING BARE!

Go Bare For A Better Complexion!

It is a tricky thing trying to find a foundation that makes you look flawless but at the same time not make you look like you are wearing a mask. Not to mention avoiding the dreaded makeup line that can appear between your neck and jaw line. Some liquid foundations settle in to fine lines, wrinkles and pores which only makes them more apparent and I know that is not what you are looking for.

I use the bareMinerals line of products. I started off by buying a starter kit which included their foundation primer (I talked about this product a couple blogs ago). You apply the primer first, let it dry then you apply the powder foundation. The starter kit includes all the brushes you need to apply the foundation which also is used as a concealer. Application is very easy and you control how much coverage you need, which is GREAT. No mask face here. Fine lines and wrinkles are minimized and pimples and other little things are easily concealed.

What I love most is that you don't even feel like you are wearing makeup. My skin can breakout from using some foundations but I have not had that problem since I have been using bareMinerals. I know that there are other brands of mineral makeup out there but I have yet to try any of them. If anyone has had an experience with other brands let me know how you made out. Till then! B.

YOU GO CURL!

Love Your Curly Waves

Spirals, loose finger curls or sexy waves whichever is your thing they all require special T.L.C.C. (tender loving curl care). I love the look of curl/wavy hair probably because I am a natural curl challenged person myself and we all want what we don't have. The only time I have wavy hair , (and trust me it's not the nice kind of waves) is in the hot humid days of summer.

So those of you lucky enough to have curls, be kind to them, your lucky to have them. Take care of your curls and they will keep you looking great! Curls require hydration so be sure to choose a shampoo and a conditioner that are specially formulated for curly/wavy hair.

Bumble and bumble have a line of curl conscious hair products that include shampoo, conditioner and a curl enhancing creme. The creme gives light supple support to hair leaving curls soft and shiny. It contains a curl enhancing ingredient that makes curls shapely and textured. For added shine and anti-frizz protection add Bumble and bumble Defrizz. So keep on rockin' those curls and waves! Till then, B.

HOLD ME!

Hairspray Havoc!!

I have been using hairspray, sometimes in large quantities, since the 80's (am I dating myself?) and it has been difficult to find a hairspray that does what it is supposed to do without drying out your hair. I have color treated hair that is also thin and flat (great hair, huh?) so it takes a lot of product to get some volume in my hair, but at the same time it doesn't take much to deflate the volume I just worked at getting in my hair through the use of Velcro rollers.

I set my hair with rollers, give it a quick shot of hairspray, let it sit for about 1/2 hour, remove the rollers, style my hair and this is where my dilemma sets in. I need to spray it for hold but when I do it weighs down my hair from the hairspray. So what's a girl to do? Another problem with hairspray is the alcohol in the hairspray dries out my hair and leaves my ends brittle and split.

I have found that you get what you pay for is true when it concerns hairsprays. The less expensive brands leave my hair very dry and flat looking while the more expensive brands do a much better job in keeping my hair in control and not giving it that crunchy feel. I like Jonathan Product Finishing Control High Shine Flexible Hairspray. It gives my hair volume with brushable hold but the best part is it protects my hair from color fading and damage from heat styling like split ends and dry hair. Let me know about your hairspray experiences. Till then. B

PRIME TIME

You've cleansed, moisturized and now you're ready to apply your foundation, right? Hold on, you have forgotten an important step, foundation primer. Primer is a light liquid or gel that glides onto skin, smoothing fines lines and pores. It also keeps foundation looking better longer so you won't have to touch up as often. Here are some who, what, where and whys for foundation primer.

Who: Smashbox Photo Finish
Where: On your face silly!
When: Apply after moisturizing and before applying foundation.
Why: Primer fills in fine lines and pores and evens out your skin's texture. It blends vitamins with antioxidants together to smooth skin and inhibit the destruction of collagen.

Another great primer is bare Vitamins Prime Time. This primer helps to combat flaky dryness, rough patches, fine lines, enlarged pores and uneven skin texture. It is infused with plant extracts, antioxidants and vitamins C and E to give skin age-defying power. I have both of these products and I like them both very much. The only difference I notice is that the bare Vitamins is slightly heavier than the Smashbox Photo Finish. However, both do what they claim to do. So let me know your primer preference. Till then.

BE FREE! (of sulfates)

Sulfates What?

Who doesn't love the feel of the thick, rich lather of shampoo with oodles and oodles of bubbles everywhere? I do. Think about how much lather the shampoo technician piles on top of your head when getting your hair done at your favorite salon. I guess more lather equals a better job they are doing at washing your hair, right? Wrong. I have recently heard of the benefits of using sulfate free shampoo and it made me curious, so I did some investigating and this is what I have learned.

Sulfates make up the detergent part of shampoo. Its purpose is to surround and trap oils from the hairs surface. This is what makes the big fluffy lather that we all are used to. The problem with sulfates is that they can irritate your scalp, dry out your hair and cause split-ends. It can cause hair loss and it can strip your hair of color and shine. All the money you spend on having your hair colored gets literally washed down the drain.

The good news is that there are many sulfate free shampoos on the market that have received good reviews. Some of these reviews include added body and volume, fewer split ends, softer hair and color looks revitalized, brighter and shinier. Some of the shampoos that received positive reviews are Ojon Tawaka Ancient Tribal, Kenra Platinum, Jonathan Moisture, Alterna Hemp Seed and Cavier. I started using Wen sulfate free shampoo and so far I love it. I must admit as a lather junkie it takes some time getting used to no lather shampoo but the results make it a lot easier to deal with . Let me know about your experiences with sulfate free shampoo. Till then

WRINKLES Vs PIMPLES

Who thought that at the age I am now that I have to battle the problem of pimples? And just when I started preparing myself mentally for a battle of fine lines and wrinkles, up pops a pimple or two here and there. Although, I have been lucky enough to have found a product that works well for me in controlling breakouts, occasionally, there has been 1 or 2 pimples that have eluded my acne treatment.

I was using the product line from L'OREAL acne response but to my disappointment I can no longer find this product (of course!). So now I have replaced it with Aveeno clear complexion foaming cleanser which has the same active ingredient in it to treat my skin, salicylic acid (which I could not live without).

But what I really wanted to share with you is something that I use to treat the pimple or two that rear their ugly heads. It really is something very easy to do. I take 1 chewable, NOT coated, aspirin (any flavor will do) put it in a medicine cup then add 1 or 2 drops of water one at a time. You want the aspirin to dissolve into a paste consistency, not liquidy.

It has to be thick otherwise it will not stay on the pimple. Then use a Q-tip and apply the aspirin paste like a patch covering the pimple entirely. Let it dry completely and leave on for about 1 hour. This takes the redness out and shrinks the pimple. Give it a try and let me know how you make out or let me in on some of your own little secrets on treating the occasional pesky pimple. Till then!

HIGH BROW

Lets Take A Look At Your Eyebrows!

Having well groomed eyebrows is no longer something that can be an after thought. It is just as important as having your makeup applied well. We see how perfect our favorite celebs look and who doesn't want to get their look? The problems. Too much tweeze? Years of over tweezing takes its toll on a brow leaving a thin, sparse brow line. Two bushy caterpillars? Okay, there are those of us who have neglected cleaning up our brows because of simply not knowing how to do it properly. Anastasia, whose products are available at Sephora, has a line if eyebrow perfecting tools that are easy to use that even someone such as myself can achieve beautiful, professional results.

First, choose the stencil of the eyebrow shape that fits your face best, dust the brow powder over the stencil covering your eyebrow. Remove stencil and pluck away the hairs that are outside the stencil line. This will give you a model perfect brow line. The brow powder is also to be used daily to fill in bare spots and give brows a clean, full, defined classy eyebrow. This system really works and it is so easy to use. Please let me know if you have tried this product line and also share your results.