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Beauty Tips

What’s the Best Lesson You Ever Learned about Caring for Your Hair?

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No more heat styling

Mine was learning (the hard way) not to use a blow dryer every day.

At one point I had hair crispier than a bucket of the Colonel’s Kentucky Fried. It was awful!

These days, I air dry and limit blow drying to once a week. Now my hair feels healthier, for sure.

A couple other things that work for me…

  1. I stopped shampooing every day. Now, I’ll shampoo two to three times per week, depending on how often I exercise. The rest of the time I’ll follow #2.
  2. I’ll use a conditioner in place of my regular shampoo a few times per week. My hair feels better when I treat it with kid gloves. I’ll actually wash with the conditioner, rubbing it into my scalp and through my hair the same way I’d use shampoo.

How about you? What’s the best lesson you ever learned about caring for your hair?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

What’s Your “Bad Day” Beauty Routine?

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Hey, girls. Do you ever have those days (or weeks!) when everything in your beauty routine goes to hell in a handbasket? Suckage, right?

MBB reader Leah sent me a note asking for help handling those bad beauty days.

Dear Karen,

I’ve been having a rough beauty week. My skin is all wonky, my hair has been a super mess, my skin is dry, etc. I need your routine for those bad beauty days when nothing seems to be going right.

Thanks,
Leah

Heya, Leah. I really wish I could claim to be one of those girls who never had days like that — you know, the gals who manage to look flawless from head to toe with perfect hair/skin/makeup 365 days a year? Yeah, I am sooo not that girl.

When I’m having a bad beauty day and feeling tow’ up from the flo’ up, I go back to basics.

Hair: On bad beauty days, the ponytail is my best friend.

I’ll do one of two hairstyles…

If I have at least 10 minutes, I’ll flat iron a few sections in the front and on the top of my hair to smooth things out. Then, I’ll work a defrizzing product like Bumble & Bumble Brillantine ($20) through those sections to add some shine and finish. I’ll then pull my hair with a low ponytail and throw on a headband. Fast and chic.

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If I’m more pressed for time and only have a minute or two to get ready, I’ll put my mane into a ponytail and hide everything beneath a cute hat. I’ll grab some big hoop earrings (to draw attention away from everything else) and bolt out the door.

Skin: When my skin breaks out I reach for the same tried and true products I’ve been using for years.

To cleanse, tone and moisturize, I like gentle products and rely on Philosophy Purity Made Simple face wash ($20), Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion ($11), Shiseido SPF 55 Sunblock ($37) and Dermalogica Active Moist ($50) for night.

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I’ll also add some pimple fighting treatments that I know won’t dry me out, like Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment ($7).
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12 More Makeup Storage Ideas

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12 Makeup Storage Ideas

Imagine actually being able to USE the top of your dresser again for something OTHER than storing piles of random makeup.

Picture a bathroom no longer buried under bottles of moisturizer, yes!

If you’re approaching critical makeup mass — if you can no longer put off the inevitable — then I hope this morning’s 12 More Makeup Storage Ideas can help.

If you liked this post, check out last week’s 21 Ways to Store Your Makeup and 21 MORE Ways to Store Your Makeup.

  1. Heard of Japonesque before? This often-overlooked company has been making cases to help pros store their cosmetics for years.

    2. Japonesque makeup storage cases

  2. Cutie Makeup Bag: Like good men, good makeup bags are hard to find, so when you DO find a good one, hold on tight!

    3. poppy

  3. Makeup Storage Using Everyday Items: Organizing your growing makeup collection may not be as tough as you thought. You may already have everything you need sitting around the house. Silverware organizer, anyone?

    4. silverwaremakeup

  4. Don’t Refuse to Reuse: Here’s an eco-friendly guide that suggests giving used household items new jobs as makeup storage accessories.

    5. Green makeup storage ideas

  5. 24 Lipstick Acrylic Organizer: While slightly mind blowing, this incredibly useful contraption can hold a whopping 24 tubes of lipstick!

    6. 24-lipstick-organizer-thumb

  6. Chill Out about Storing Your Makeup: It may be the last place you’d expect to find your makeup, but chew on this: refrigerating cosmetics will extend their shelf life once they’ve been opened.

    7. fridge
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21 MORE Ways to Store Your Makeup

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21 More Ways to Store Your Makeup

Here’s a little followup to last week’s 21 Ways to Store Your Makeup. Why? Because a girl’s gotta have options. 🙂

  1. The Brush Guard: I thought this was a pretty original way to store brushes — using mesh tube sleeves to protect the bristles from getting bent out of shape. It just makes sense!

    2. Makeup brush storage ideas

  2. The Aluminum Cosmetics Train Case: Like luggage for your cherished beauty goods, you can load this baby up to make travel THAT much more convenient.

    3. train

  3. DIY Makeup Organization and Storage: Save a few dollars by making your own makeup storage at home with this well done instructional video.

    4. diy-makeup-organization

  4. How to Store Your Makeup Hygienically: Some things to keep in mind if you’ve been passin’ your lipgloss around to your girlfriends…

    5. hygeine

  5. The Dotty Folding Cosmetic Organizer: There is a bag for every purpose, and this cute bag’s purpose is clear — bargain beauty on the go!

    6. dot

  6. Tackling Makeup Storage: This little lady has some awesome ideas for storing beauty supplies in — no kidding — a fishing tackle box! No, seriously.

    7. tacklebox
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21 Ways to Store Your Makeup

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21 ways to store your makeup

Please tell me you’re not one of those gals guilty of keeping your cosmetics in a grungy old zipper pouch that you may or may not have had since high school. If you are … I won’t tell. 🙂

Guilty or not, here are 21 more ways to store your makeup.

  1. Keep ‘Em Dry: Here are a few ideas to keep your cosmetics dry, and moisture kills makeup. Take these precautions, and ensure a long life for your collection.

    2. serious-skin-care-mineral-makeup-2

  2. Hide Your Makeup from Light and Heat: Here, Makeup Diva talks about ways to keep your makeup safe from light and heat, both of which can cause some serious damage.

    3. makeup1

  3. How to Store Makeup Palettes: I love the details this post provides on ways to store makeup palettes and accessories.

    4. countertop

  4. How to Store Makeup Brushes: No one likes their brushes getting smashed or worn — not if they’re shooting for flawless application. Learn to help your brushes be their best with these how-to tips.

    5. makeup

  5. How to Make a Makeup Brush Holder: Go that extra mile with this weekend project, and your makeup brushes will love you for it.

    6. brushes

  6. How to Make a Roll Up Mat for Your Makeup Brushes: This is again for the creative gal — a unique way to make a roll up mat to store and protect your brushes while keeping them organized. What more can you ask for?

    7. makeuprollup
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How Do You Remove Excess Facial Hair?

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groucho-marx

I was looking through some old pictures at my parents’ house on Easter Sunday and ooooh wee! — the upper lip-mustache-and-eyebrow sitch in some of my school pics was out of control.

The funny thing is I remember furry face being more socially accepted than it is today. As a teenager, I didn’t pluck or wax, and neither did any of my girlfriends. We weren’t complete werewolves, but we still managed to get dates, fur and all.

By a few years after high school, the hair thing had gone out of style, and women were doing all sorts of things to get smooth and hair-free.

I once had a creative roommate who’d bleach her upper lip hair (making it less obvious), and then cut the bleached hairs away with a scissors — this, to avoid the pain of waxing.

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To smooth my ‘stache, I’ll usually wax my upper lip with either Sally Hansen’s Hair Remover Wax Strip Kit ($6) or Parisa Warm Wax ($12); to trim my brows, I’ll pluck with a Tweezerman, and then trim off any wayward hairs with a scissors.

It seems like most women go for plucking, waxing or threading…

How about you?

How do you remove excess facial hair?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

How to Find a Wedding Gown: Got Tips?

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bridal-dress-question

I dunno about you, but I sure enjoy a good wedding. Cake, dancing, the crackle of crazy emotions in the air AND the chance to get your drank on (hopefully at an open bar, haaaay)?! — I’m so there.

With wedding season swinging into high gear, MBB reader Katy emailed for help finding her wedding gown.

Hey Karen!

I’m sure you’re used to getting the typical beauty questions–but I was wondering if you could help me with something fashion related?!

I know you’re a Bay Area girl, and I’m beginning the search for my wedding dress (getting married in October of this year). Do you have any salon suggestions? I don’t mind traveling around the greater Bay Area, I just want to find the right dress!

Thanks!

Oh, Katy. The dress. THE DRESS! You gotta make sure you have one you absolutely love! Along with a bridal salon suggestion (more on that in a minute), I thought I’d throw in a few things I learned along the way while searching for a gown.

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  1. If the person assisting you at the salon shows you a dress that at first glance doesn’t quite seem your style, just try it on anyway. Experienced shop people tend to develop an eye for how dresses will work with certain body types. You never know what will end up looking great on you until you try it on.
  2. Bring a friend who’ll dish out tough love. Thank gawd my girl C. Money was there at the gown shop with me to talk me out of that slinky silk slip of a Monique Lhuillier gown. She told me, in the best possible way, that the cut of the dress wasn’t the most flattering for my body type (“That thing just might burst at the seams if you have an extra glass of wine and slice of cake at the reception”).

    If I hadn’t listened to her, I might’ve looked like a silky sausage in my wedding pics. You can’t put a price on a friend who can give it to you straight, ya know?
  3. Check out Amy Kuschel Bride in San Francisco. Amy’s an SF designer who creates sophisticated, elegant custom couture wedding gowns at pretty affordable prices.

    A custom dress is created specifically for you from scratch (as opposed to an off-the-rack dress) so the gown should fit you to a T!

    If you don’t live in the Bay Area but are still interested in Amy’s dresses, you can also find them at select salons and trunk shows across the US.

    Not only are Amy’s gowns amazing, but her staff is prompt, friendly and fast.
  4. Save a few bucks by purchasing a sample dress. If the wedding’s already over budget, consider buying a sample gown. Many dress shops sell sample gowns for up to 50% off!

MBB former brides and brides-to-be … do you have any other wedding dress advice for our homegirl Katy?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Get That Groom Some MAC Blot Film!

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mac-blot-film-nordstrom

Happy Sunday, girls. I’ve been trying to catch up on e-mails today, but I’m a little behind.

MBB reader Spring Bride recently sent a note asking for wedding makeup advice — for her groom!

Hi Karen,

I’m an avid reader of your blog. Thank you for your great advice and tips. I’m getting married in 2 weeks and my fiance would like some recommendations for blotting paper as his forehead gets really oily.
 
Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Spring Bride, congrats on your upcoming nuptials! That’s fab that you’ve got your honey’s back. Nobody wants to look too shiny in their pics, you know?

Because you only want that boy glowing when he says “I Do,” I highly recommend MAC Blot Film ($12.50 for 30 sheets). It cuts down on the shine and leaves skin looking super matte without leaving a powdery residue.

I used it a few months ago on myself at my BFF’s wedding, and it worked great. Before the wedding, I stuffed five of the papers into a small mirrored lipstick case and popped that into my purse for touchups through the 10-hour celebration.

If your boo’s wedding outfit has pockets, maybe he could carry a few of the papers on him that way.

If you don’t have a MAC counter nearby, Clean & Clear makes a blotting paper called Oil Absorbing Sheets ($5 for 50 smaller sheets). They work well, too, and cost a little bit less.

To save even more (hey, weddings ain’t cheap), you could always use Starbucks napkins. No kidding, but for some reason I think they work really well at removing oil. Go figure!

Sunday is my fun day

Are you having a good weekend so far? I’ve mostly been chillaxin’ and doing a whole lotta nothing. 🙂 The only effort I’ve expended today was when I danced around the living room to VH1’s 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the ’80s.
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