I Tried It: The Rocket Volum' Express Mascara

I'm always in search of the perfect mascara...and I've tried a lot.  My most consistent favorite has been Lancome's Hypnose, but I only buy it on occasion as a special splurge.  I've tried and found flaws with lots of mascaras...Covergirl's Eco Mousse version (too smudgy), Maybelline's Great Lash (didn't give me enough volume),  Lancome Defininils (again not enough volume), that big orange Lash Blast tube by Covergirl (the brush was just way too big), NYC's Show Time (actually not too bad).  So it was a shock to me to pick up this weirdly named tube of mascara and actually like it.

Correction.  I love it: Maybelline's The Rocket Volum' Express Mascara.  It applies effortlessly, it's easy to apply a coat or two and doesn't flake or get too crusty.  The large brush has lots of tiny bristles that make wiggling it to coat the base of your lashes super easy and it works on bottom lashes really well.  A small feature that's actually really cool?  The top of the brush is actually flat, so when you pull it out of the tub and have to wipe off the excess, it's really easy and mess free to do.  I opted for the waterproof version since my eyes tend to water a lot and all the non-waterproof mascara I've used just end up messy.  Oh, and did I mention it's easy to take off at the end of the day?

I think this will be my new go to mascara for a while.  What's your current favorite mascara?

I Tried It: A (Healthy Hair) Pinterest Updo

As I've been embarking on my Hair Repair Challenge, I've been trying to wear my hair down as much as possible, but as I was headed to ballet class, I needed an updo.  Since I created a Pinterest board to help me with some healthy hair style and updo inspiration (check it out here) and I decided to take a stab at creating one of my pins.  The style (shown at left) seemed simple and looked great.  Here were the instructions that came with it:

Try this. 2 elastics. 1 at the scalp: high pony second at the end of the hair. Join the ends into the center of the first and pin. Do this all too often, get compliments all the time.

Seemed easy enough.  So I grabbed two elastics and some hair pins and got started.  After drying my hair I used an anti-frizz serum and spritzed the pony tail with some dry shampoo and a few sprays of beach spray to give it some texture, then did a touch of back combing at the base with a small, packed bristle brush for volume.  I used five hair pins (the open, "U" shaped kind, NOT bobbi pins...Patrick has banned me from those).  Since I would be dancing, I wanted it to stay in-place, but if you're creating this look for "normal life" you could get away with one or two at the point you tuck it in. Then I sprayed the crap out of it with hair spray.  It was easy enough to create, but didn't look as fabulous as the photo.  I think the model in the photo was blessed with MUCH thicker hair than I (at least that's my 
excuse). 

Here's what I ended up with.  See, the blonde chick above has WAY more hair than I do.  But, it's not too bad don't you think?  Have you ever tried a hairstyle you found online or on Pinterest?  How did it go?  Leave a comment and let me know! 
~Kirsten 

Embrace Your Inner Child: 80's and 90's Inspired Beauty

Growing up in the 80s and 90s, I came into make during a time of bright colors and bold looks.  If the winter blues have got your feeling blah and left your makeup routine feeling stale, why not embrace some beauty tips and products from your childhood or teenage years?

• Pump up your lips.  There's no better makeup pick me up than popping on a bright lip color.  Matte pink will be having a moment in Spring of 2013, so get started on the trend now. 
• Bring color to your eyes.  Try lining your lids in electric blue for a subtle way to stand out.  Or why not try a shocking eye pigment color?  Try purple, it looks good on most skin types.  If your'e nervous, only apply color to the lids, not the crease.
• Pop a retro chapstick in your bag.  Remember that fake yet delicious smelling Dr. Pepper Chapstick?  They still make it.  Check out your local Target or Walmart, you'll find it tucked in with the Hello, Kitty makeup.
• Stash your stuff in style.  My favorite 90s trend was definitely the Kaboodle!  They're poppy, pretty, and usually pink or purple.  I've had four throughout my life so far and still have two of them.  I store my stage makeup in a glittery purple one and it makes me smile every time I pull it out.
• Nail it.  Bright nail colors are one of the easiest ways to carry off the bright makeup trend.  Try shocking yellow or neon pink.  Conservative work environment?  Opt for baby blue.

What's your favorite childhood makeup product?

Nail Repair: Weeks 2-4 for Healthy, Natural Nails

Photo from

Have you started on an adventure to make your nails healthier?  Congratulations!  You made it through the first and hardest week.  Now continue on your journey.  Here are Patrick's tips for the next three weeks.

Week Two 
Do these steps three times a week:

1. Hydrate - This will happen when you shower or bathe and can be helpful in the process.

2. Moisturize - Any oil base will do. If you have a cuticle oil, place on nails prior to getting ready each morning.

3. Exfoliate - Use a buffer, make sure you only exfoliate the cuticle area and don't buff the nail bed.

4. Apply a Top Coat - Patrick likes Incognito by wHet daily.
5.  Once a week remove the top coat and apply base coat like Turn back Time from Deborah Lippmann followed by top coat.

Week Three
Once a week, do the following:

1. Hydrate - This will happen when you shower or bathe and can be helpful in the process.

2. Moisturize - Any oil base will do. If you have a cuticle oil, place on nails prior to getting ready each morning.

3. Exfoliate - Use a buffer, make sure you only exfoliate the cuticle area and don't buff the nail bed.

4. Apply a Top Coat - Patrick likes Incognito by wHet daily.

5.  Once a week remove the top coat and apply base coat like Turn back Time from Deborah Lippmann followed by top coat.

Week Four
Congratulations!  You've made it to maintenance and once a week care!  Your nails should be looking much better now!  Make an appointment with Patrick for a check up and a manicure (and a pedicure too, you deserve it!).  Then once a week:

1. Hydrate - This will happen when you shower or bathe and can be helpful in the process.

2. Moisturize - Any oil base will do. If you have a cuticle oil, place on nails prior to getting ready each morning.

3. Exfoliate - Use a buffer, make sure you only exfoliate the cuticle area and don't buff the nail bed.

Steps 4 and 5 Patrick will do for you the first time at the Salon.

4. Apply a Top Coat 

5.  Once a week remove the top coat and apply base coat.

Repeat each week until nails are completely healthy! 
Are you venturing your way to healthy nails?  Don't forget to upload a photo of your progress or ask any questions you might have on Patrick's facebook page!

~Kirsten

Valentine's Day Makeup

Whether you love or hate Valentine's Day, there's no better excuse to look fabulous and spend a little more time on your makeup than a holiday.  Valentine's Day gives us the perfect excuse to look a little extra feminine and glam it up in pink, whether you've got a hot date at a fancy restaurant or are drinking champagne and catching up with Downton Abbey on your DVR.  Here are some great ways to indulge your feminine side:

• Today is the day to try the monochromatic look - go for pink from eye shadow, cheeks, and lips, just keep it in similar tones and pick one feature to amp up the intensity.
• Try a blush with a bit of shimmer built in or mix in a luminizer/highlighter in with a cream blush for extra glow.
• Play up your pout with a crayon like lip stain.  While it will rub off on your champagne glass, it has great staying power even after cocktails.
• Want a more subtle eye look?  Shade your eyes with a shimmering nude and then use a poppy pink liner on top paired with black on bottom.  Follow it with a couple coats of mascara or false eye lashes if you're feeling extra fancy.
• Show off your decolletage by sweeping on some bronzer or shimmer powder.  Use a small setting brush or a fan brush for the best coverage. 

What are your Valentine's Day plans?

Want to know more about the products above?  Click here to see the polyvore board complete with links.

~Kirsten

Nail Repair: From acrylics to healthy, natural nails

Stripped of acrylics and in need of love

Meet Leslie.  She's been wearing acrylic nails for 26 years and has decided to stop. Why?  Although she loved the hard core nature of her acrylics and their ability to bang away on key boards non-stop, fierce un-chippability, and relatively low maintenance,  the winter woes she went through was just too much.  Every winter, Leslie's acrylics would lift from the nail surface resulting in lots of pain and salon visits for repair.  So she's about to venture on a nail repair regime to get back to her natural, healthy nails.

She's currently on week four and feeling much better.  "The first week was awful, the nail bed is soft and my nails are sensitive to almost everything."  But weeks two and three were much easier, and at week four, Patrick was finally able to file and paint.  "I'm adhering to his plan, and every day they look better," she says.  

Want to embark on a nail repair care journey yourself?  Here are Patrick's suggestions to help you with the process.

Patrick says: It is important to keep the nails well groomed and cared for during your process. 3 easy steps to healthier, happy, stronger nails.

1. Hydrate 

2. Moisturize 

3. Exfoliate

Products to use

• A cuticle oil - if you have this already use daily.
• Cuticle remover - Blue cross/Blue shield makes a great one.  Apply prior to step three in process below.
• Moisturizer - Use your Moroccan Oil. This is awesome for the nails and the cuticles on both hands and feet.

Leslie's nails after week one, moisturized, manicured, and ready to heal!

Get Started - Week One

Go see Patrick at Nomi Spa and tell him you want to venture your way to healthier nails, he'll get you started then you can follow these daily steps for the first week:

1. Hydrate - This will happen when you shower or bathe and can be helpful in the process.

2. Moisturize - Any oil base will do. If you have a cuticle oil, place on nails prior to getting ready each morning.  Moroccan Oil is great for this.

3. Exfoliate - Use a buffer.  Make sure you only exfoliate the cuticle area and don't buff the nail bed.

4. Apply base coat - Turn back Time from Deborah Lippmann followed by top coat - Incognito by wHet daily

Check back next week for your nail care steps for the following weeks, week 2-4!  Good luck on your healthy nail journey!
~Kirsten

Hair Repair Challenge: Week Three

Photo from

So you've made it through the first two week's of Kirsten's Hair Repair Challenge!  Congratulations.  Pat yourself on the back, buy yourself something pretty, then dive into week three!  Need a product refresher?  Check out this post.  

Week 3 Schedule

Day 15 - Use Masque to clean and condition, use the CAT for 3-5 mins. Use Anti Snap and Iron Repair cocktailed and blended together as a leave in and style as usual.

Day 16 - Go without cleansing and conditioning. Leave hair dry and utilize the dry shampoo.

Day 17 - Go without cleansing and conditioning. Leave hair dry and utilize the dry shampoo then add [NEW PRODUCT ALERT] a dime size of Healthy Sexy Hair's Soy Renewal, emulsify the Soy Renewal and place on scalp and through midshaft and ends.

Day 18 - Go without cleansing and conditioning. Leave hair dry and utilize the dry shampoo then add a dime size of Soy Renewal, Emulisfy the Soy Renewal and place on scalp and through midshaft and ends.

Day 19 - Use Masque to clean and condition, use the CAT for 3-5 mins.

Day 20 - Go without cleansing and conditioning. Leave hair dry and utilize the dry shampoo then add a dime size of Soy Renewal, Emulisfy the Soy Renewal and place on scalp and through midshaft and ends.

Day 21 - Go without cleansing and conditioning. Leave hair dry and utilize the dry shampoo then add a dime size of Soy Renewal, Emulisfy the Soy Renewal and place on scalp and through midshaft and ends.

A note from Patrick: By this time your hair will be used to not having used detergents to cleanse. You will find after the 4th week, that it will be very hard to go back to using a detergent to cleanse (Shampoo). Once you have gotten to the 5th week, we will revisit and provide you with an alternative to use inplace of regular shampoo and conditioner.

How is it going for me?  Well.  I haven't really been as disturbed by not using shampoo and conditioner as I thought I would be.  There's only been a couple days I've felt my hair wasn't clean enough and I love the Pureology Masque!  It's been a challenge to find new and exciting hair styles as I'm discovering how thin my hair is.  Plus the intensive routine is adding tons of extra time to my morning makeup and hair time, but I feel my hair getting healthier!  Hopefully when I check in with Patrick he'll think the same thing! 

Are you taking the challenge too?  How's it going for you?
~Kirsten

Pinspiration: Hair Repair Challenge Style Ideas

If you've been following my hair blogs you know I love me a good updo!  So when Patrick challenged me to give up bobbi pins and wet up-styling I needed some hair inspiration!  Naturally, I turned to Pinterest.  So I invite you to check out my board Operation Anti-Bobbi Pin if you're in need of some hair down styling inspiration too.  Here are some of my favorites I can't wait to try.

Above, a look that my days working at a bridal shop makes me love...the hair jewelry meets boho inspiration.  And below, a chic updo created with a jumbo upside down braid and if you hair pin the very end instead of using a bobbi-pin, it's Patrick approved!

Check out these great styles and more on my Anti-Bobbi Pin Pinterest Board.  Do you have a board of hair style ideas?  Leave a comment with the link!  I've still go some time to go, so I'll need more ideas!

~Kirsten