Quick Beauty Tips

Here's a quickie.  Have you run out of eye make up remover & haven't had a chance to run to your favorite beauty salon and grab a new bottle?  Well a cheaper, just as effective product might be in your household as we speak.  No I'm not talking about baby oil (although great for at home pedicures) I'm talking about petroleum jelly.  The item that works great on homemade manicures, also removes eye make up on your cotton swab.  An added benefit?  Vaseline or petroleum jelly also helps eyelashes grow thicker & longer.  Plus you can get a tub of petroleum jelly for a fraction of the cost of eye make up remover, and it lasts longer too.

Helpful Tidbits

A few more tips I've learned over the past few months.

1. Chocolate kills onion/garlic breath, not mints. So if you LOVE onions & garlic like I do but don't want to smell like them then pop in some chocolate. My favorite is Andes Mints because they're chocolatey with mint as well.

2. All shampoos are created equal. Therefore, unless you are going to get Wen (which is a conditioning cleanser) you might as well get Baby Shampoo.

2A. Baby Shampoo doubles great as dog shampoo.

2B. When washing your hair, don't shampoo the ends. They are further from your scalp = less natural oils protecting them. Just like at the salons wash the scalp area, especially around the ears. Let the residual bubbles cleanse the ends of your hair.

Twenty Five Years In The Making

What I've Learned in the past 25 years

It's taken me 20+ years to learn about myself. I'm finally figuring out wha'ts best for my body, diet, skin, hair, and overall health. A few tips I've found along the way I'll share with you today.

I have come to accept that I will never look like a super model. That being said, I don't need to settle for anything less than the best I can be. My frame may not be built to be 5'10" and super svelt, but I shouldn't be dying after walking up a few flights of stairs either. I've gotten back into running again (slowly but surely) and I've found myself slowly losing inches, feeling better after I run, and making an effort to get my diet in good order. The diet part is not in reference to dieting but rather what I eat on a day to day basis. I promised myself by the time I turned 25 I would be as close to soda and fast food free as possible. I gave myself the first 6 months of my 24th birthday to binge on greasy fries, potato chips, soda, etc. I have now been off soda for a few weeks (not as far along as I would like to be, but ti's been an on again off again relationship) and haven't had fast food for almost a month, and before that over a month. I'm getting better, it's just always a work in progress.

What I have heard about and have been experiencing diet wise has definitely sped up my metabolism. Here's a few secrets Oprah shared on her show recently:

Eating 1/2 a tomato a day (or a TON of tomato paste - gross) everyday for about a month will help reverse the signs of skin damage.

Switching to a raw veggie and fruit diet will help you shed about 10-15 pounds in 1-2 weeks. So if you're getting married, or heading out on vacation and need to be seen in a bathing suit here's a quick, easy, and somewhat healthy way to lose weight without exercising. Oprah had all of her contestants eat 2,000 calories of raw veggies and fruits (not cooked, only raw). What they found is that without exercising they lost weight. Why? You may ask? Well, because raw fruits and veggies have an unreal amount of natural fibers that help you 'go to the bathroom' more often and naturally.

In terms of skincare my whole life I have had red blothces right under my nose and struggled with awful blackheads on my nose. Attractive, no? I thought the remedy would be to use those Biore pore cleansing strips (which do work if you perchance have an off week but for the most part have blackhead free skin, otherwise it just keeps coming back). I used concealer under my nostrils, but everytime I had to blow my nose, I was unusually red again. I recently had dinner with a friend who gave me great skincare advice and then asked my other friend's dad (a facial and reconstructive plastic surgeon) what he thought of my friend's advice. The first piece of advice is ALWAYS wear sunscreen. Just because you don't burn doesn't mean the UVA & UVB rays are not damaging your skin which will show sun spots and fine lines later on. Regardless of ethnicity, sun exposure, hydration, smoking, alcohol and diet have a very dramatic impact on your skin's health. I try and use SPF 15 for every day wear, SPF 70 if I'm going running outside on my face and SPF 40-50 on my body. Two areas to remember are your neck and your ears, they often get left out and end up getting wrinkly (neck) or sunburned (ears). Lack of water throughout the day can cause your skin to lose its elasticity and youthful appearance, therefore I try and drink over 100 ounces of water daily. In fact, right now all I drink is water, the ocassional glass of orange juice, and milk. Now as for products that I swear by - they go as follows:

Cetaphil Facial Wash (pump) and Fresh Cucmber Foaming Facial Wash. I love these two products. I try and use Cetaphil each morning to cleanse my face and the Fresh brand at night to calm, soothe and reduce puffiness (cucumber). Neither are too harsh for my sensitive skin, and the Fresh is especially easy to rinse off in the sink, which is why I love it. I have a tendancy to get water everywhere otherwise.

Fresh Seawater Toner - this is quite possibly the most amazing toner I've ever used. It does come with a hefty price, but it's well worth it. I'm hoping Fresh repackages it in a non-glass bottle and lowers the price tag. The reason it's so amazing? I use it twice a day, just a little bit in the palm of my hand and I dab it all over my face and neck after washing my face, while my face is still wet. Since using this product my blackheads have decreased to almost non-existent. I realized the effect the other day and now swear by the product. It has no alcohol in it and is very good for sensitive skin. I'm absolutely in love with it and won't ever use another toner!

Skyn Iceland Eye Relief - I should also mention that when I do not get enough sleep I tend to get puffy eyes. I hate this look and hence have tried using the Cucumber Foaming facial wash in addition to the super intensive eye cream twice a day. This cream is made specifically for your skin when you haven't been hydrating, maybe have been partying, not eating right, etc. Their marketing scheme is brilliant, I highly encourage you to check them out if for no other reason than to read the box. I lightly pat this cream under and around my eyes, as it's the first area we typically notice lines, and since I want to one day look younger than my older sister, I will make sure I work hard to keep pristine skin.

Other secrets to reducing puffiness include - sticking spoons in the freezer and then placing them on your eyes. Cucumbers over your eyes, and my favorite using green tea to give your eyes a much needed caffeine jolt to look refreshed.

If you have any super good beauty secrets comment below!!

Home Spa

It's almost Spring time and that most definitely means it's time to bring out the flip flops and bermuda shorts. If you're anything like me, spending money on a tanning package A) was not in your budget, B) is bad for your skin, C) required you to leave the house in the dark, cold months of Minnesota winter or D) All of the above.

So I am going to plug the only sunless tanner I use because it has helped me get my legs in summer shape without ever seeing the light of day. It's called Made in the Shade and it's by Arbon. I have had mine for quite some time and had used it only on my face once in awhile (don't use more than once every three days to avoid the orange fator.)

And now for the very cheap beauty section of this blog - homemade pedicures, facials, body scrubs, etc. If you can't bring yourself to spend $30 every two weeks on a pedicure (although a nice splurge once in awhile always feels amazing) there are many at home, cheap, fast and easy ways to give yourself a mini-spa day.

Pedicure:

Trick # 1 - Dead skin remover. Use a lime or lemon to get rid of dead skin cells. Tried and true, I used this for the first time last week and was amazed at the result. I literally squeezed the juice onto my feet and the skin peels right off. Sounds gross but your feet are left feeling really soft.

Trick # 2 - Sugar scrub. There are four similar versions of this - sugar and lotion, sugar and baby oil, sugar and vitamin e oil, and sugar and olive oil. Use whichever you prefer, I usually use what is just laying around the house, sugar and lotion. I also use as a body scrub and on my hands.

Trick # 3 - Foot bath. Mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil, baby oil or vitamin e oil with one cup of milk, and two cups of water. Heat on stove until warm. Once warmed put into a big container to fit both feet and let feet soak. Your feet will come out feeling softer than a baby's bottom!

Trick # 4 - Relaxing skin smoothie. Take one cup of milk and put in blender with a full cucumber (it's recommended to chop the cucumber up into smaller pieces before blending) Once blended smoothe the mixture over your feet and legs. The milk will make your legs look dewey and the cucumber reduces puffiness, swelling, etc.

Trick # 5 - Lock in the moisturizer. Step one, bring water to an almost boil. Step two, pour water into a container and put wash rags in the container. Step three, slather on a TON of lotion. Step four, wrap feet in saran wrap, very tightly. Step five, put hot, wet wash rags all over the saran wrap to steam lock the moisturizer in. After about fifteen minutes (switch out wash rags for a hot one when needed) remove the rags, throw away the saran wrap and rub in the lotion.

Homemade facial: Take honey and brown sugar and mix together. Put mixture onto face. When it starts to harden, take a warm wash cloth and in circular motions rub the mixture off of your face.

Make sure to use SPF on skin this summer, that beauty tip will help you today, tomorrow and fifty years from now when you don't look like a leather bag!

PSA For SPF

My friend's Dad is a facial and reconstructive plastic surgeon. Last year he was President for the Board of Facial Reconstructive and Plastic Surgery. I've often asked him how I can get rid of x or improve y and he is surprisingly a no short cuts kind of guy.

Wanna cure puffy eyes? Sleep more. Lose weight? Eat healthier and exercise more. How about avoid looking old without plastic surgery? Simple. Stop damaging your skin.

Whether you are fair skinned like my mother, have olive skin like myself, or are dark you are potentially damaging your skin. The point of whether or not you burn when out in the sun is not the only skin damage you can do. While it's important for my mother to wear sun screen (in her everyday moisturizers as well as specific SPF products for prolonged exposure outdoors), it's just as important for me to do so.

My favorite thing about old ladies with plastic surgery are their necks. Their face looks AmAzInG. Their neck, not so much. That's because there are no seems, no hair lines, no where to hide a neck lift. You neck, chest, are often neglected when it comes to sun protection. And they are the areas that show your age the most.

So this is me giving you a cheap piece of advice. Avoid pricey lotions and plastic surgery later by protecting your skin today. And remember, no matter the skin tone, skin damage can occur causing wrinkles and premature old age.

*One should also avoid smoking, alcohol, and lack of sleep, water or nutrients.

MN Spring Fashion Week

Join the fashion-forward ladies of l'etoile magazine and Secrets of the City for an evening of networking and cocktailing at the Eitel Building's gorgeous Sky Park and Sky Club. Meet and mingle with style-minded locals and fashion professionals from the Fashion Group International and the local scene while enjoying complimentary apps from Joe's Garage and sips from Sacre Bleu wine and Crispin on Ice. Enter to win fabulous prizes and compare notes on the Twin Cities fashion scene with those in the know!

Wednesday April 22, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. / Free

Eitel Building City Apartments
1367 Willow Street
Minneapolis 55403

Sponsored by: l'etoile magazine, Secrets of the City, Village Green, Joe's Garage, Sacre Bleu Wine, & Crispin on Ice.

Manicure & A Martini

What's better than a Happy Hour and a manicure? Hmmm, maybe a pedicure, but that requires too much equipment......

The ladies in marketing and promotions at the Hotel Minneapolis agree, drinks and manicures are the perfect fit. With most manicures costing $18 these days anyways, might as well get a drink to take the edge off the day AND some tasy food to absorb it.

Just think - gossip, girls, drinking and spa treatment all available at the Hotel Minneapolis every second Thursday of the month from 5 pm - 8 pm in the LB.

Stay the night for $99 with the Spring special. Extended Happy Hour, drink specials and hors d'oeuvres.

Make sure to reserve your spot at kao.yongvang@hilton.com.

We're going to try it in May, will you be joining us?

Threading?

A friend of mine introduced me to this wonderful thing we like to call ‘Threading’. It is a relatively painless hair removal technique. I have not done the leg hair or under arm removal, but the facial hair removal is quick and harmless. For those of you who have not heard of this mini miracle we call ‘threading’ it is an Indian technique (as in the people of India, not Native Americans) which pulls the hair from the follicle. The benefits? Well in most cases threading is cheaper than waxing, is not putting hot wax onto your skin and ripping it off (literally, as waxing has always left my face raw) and in my opinion is much more precise with the lines. Eyebrows are $12. I would highly recommend it. Visit her at the Mall of America on the third floor directly in between Sears and Bloomingdale’s. Or call to find out more at 952) 854-1270 Perfect Brow Art right next to Nail Trix.