Do-It-Yourself: Facials

Did you know that only takes an infrequent hour of special attention to improve your skin tone and appearance and treat and prevent wrinkles? Skincare is important, and there are quite a few benefits to regular (think every six weeks) facials, including:

• Cleanse the skin
• Increase circulation
• Activate glandular activity
• Relax the nerves
• Maintain muscle tone
• Strengthen weak muscle tissue
• Correct some skin disorders
• Prevent the formation of wrinkles and aging lines
• Soften and improve skin texture and complexion

So, instead of throwing all kinds of money into the latest creams and potions, consider a good facial. Note: if you have specific conditions such as rosacea, I recommend visiting a professional.

A common complaint from many people is that they don’t like to receive facials because it makes them break out. This is very common and should be expected. When manipulating the skin through massage, toxins within the skin are released and may show up in the form of acne. After recieving a facial, you should be sure and drink plenty of water to help flush these toxins, and give yourself time to heal before a special occasion. Your skin will look great for your special event if you schedule the facial a week in advance.

My favorite facial products is the Bioelements skincare line. There are many natural household items that you can use, however and I’ll provide ideas where I can.

What you’ll need:

A strapless shirt

Headband

Skin cleanser for your skin type (you can use your daily cleanser)

Toner or astringent (or lemon juice)

Exfoliating cream (try sugar or finely ground coffee mixed into a paste with vanilla extract)

Facial Mask for your skin type (Moisturizing for dry skin – try mashed avocado – Clay-based for oily or acne-prone)

Massage Oil (try olive oil)

Hand Towel

Moisturizer or treatment cream of your choice

Small facial sponges (2) – optional

Here’s the procedure:

1. Remove jewelry and facial jewelry if possible, tie hair back in headband and wear the strapless shirt.

2. Wash your hands to avoid transfer of dirt onto facial skin

3. Begin by thoroughly cleansing face, neck and chest with facial cleaner. Massage into skin for a few minutes. Remove by dipping the facial sponges (hold one in each hand) into warm water, and swiping cleanser off skin.

4. Exfoliate face, neck, and chest. Don’t scrub hard, just massage exfoliating cream into skin. Remove with facial sponges.

5. Steam the face. Soak your hand towel in hot water (you can choose to microwave it for 30 seconds or so, but be careful not to burn your skin). Wring out excess water, and drape the towel over your face for a few minutes. Just sit back and relax while the steam opens your pores a little.

6. At this point, you may wish to perform extractions. Gently use two Q-tips or tissue-wrapped fingertips to gently coax blackheads and whiteheads out. Be very gentle to avoid bruising the skin. Many people skip this step altogether.

7. Apply massage cream to face, neck, and chest and give facial manipulations. Use a variety of motions (stroking, circular friction, kneading, light tapping) I usually follow this procedure:

• upwards stroking of the neck with the palms
• small circular motions using fingertips from the chin, along the jawline, to the temples
• circular motions around the temples
• upwards stroking of forehead with palms
• small circular motions using fingertips around forehead
• crisscross stroking movement across forehead using fingertips
• large, sweeping, side-to-side stroking movement across forehead
• using fingertips, draw circles in clockwise motion around eyes
• Stroke down nose, then do small circular motions under cheekbones, then light sweeping motion under eyes
• Begin at chin, do small circular motions with fingertips directly up the face, switch to light sweeping motion between eyes, over forehead, and along sides of  face to starting point
• Use fingertips to manipulate the mouth outwards
• gently knead cheeks
• Use large, circular motions across cheeks
• Apply light but stimulating tapping movements across entire face
• Finish with light stroking of neck

8. Remove massage oil or cream with facial sponges.

9. Apply toner or astringent.

10. Apply facial mask for 10 minutes.

11. Remove facial mask using facial sponges.

12. Apply finishing moisturizer or treatment cream. (Good time to use some self-tanner!)

After your facial, drink a full glass of water to flush toxins, and increase your consumption throughout the rest of the day. Repeat these steps monthly to see an improvement in your skin’s texture and complexion, and to prevent aging and wrinkles.

Now that your skin looks and feels soft and healthy, let it inspire you to treat your body well for the rest of the day! Eat healthy, nutritious foods that contribute to the health of your skin. Now’s a great time for a big salad loaded with lean protein!

Bang Trims

Ah, bangs. Fun and stylish. The frustrating thing about bangs is that you really notice them when they grow! Most hair salons charge $5+ for a quick bang trim, but you can do it yourself, saving costs and time.

First, make sure you’ve got a pair of haircutting shears or a haircutting razor. Do not use your kitchen shears on your hair! You can get an inexpensive pair at Sally Beauty Supply. Haircutting shears are easier to control, and cut hair more cleanly than household scissors.

I recommend cutting bangs when they’re dry. It gives you a better idea of how they’re going to look. I also recommend that, as you are ready to make the cut, you position your shears about a quarter-inch below where you think you would like to make the cut. I’ve been cutting bangs for years and I still routinely cut them a bit short! You’ll be surprised at how much your bangs spring up, even if you take off a small bit. Remember, you can always go back and take off more but once its cut, you can’t put it back!

When I was a child, I had those bangs that ran bluntly across your face. My mother would pin all my hair back except my bangs, then place a piece of masking tape just above the place she wanted to cut (then lower it a quarter inch!). After eyeballing it, she’d cut my bangs straight across using the bottom of the tape as a guide. I think this is a great technique for blunt front bangs. Pinning your hair back helps to ensure that you don’t cut into your hair.

For bangs that blend into your hairline and are a little less “exact,” try this technique:

1.    Pin all your hair back – except for the bangs you wish to cut.
2.    Comb your bangs and gather all hair in your hands. Do not angle the bangs up, but keep them positioned so that the ends are pointing down your forehead towards the space between your eyes.
3.    After gathering the hair, twist the hair several times, maintaining the same position, down the middle of your forehead.
4.    Hold the twisted hair between the index and middle fingers of your non-dominant hand, and allow the ends of your hair (below the twisted portion) to splay out gently.
5.    Slide your fingers toward the spot you wish to cut. Maintain control in your fingers so that the hair doesn’t shift around. Once you’re in position, slide your fingers just a little lower to compensate for the tendency to cut bangs too short.

Optional: Repeat the previous steps if needed to make sure the hair is neat and taut. Unless you cut hair regularly, this might take some practice before you’re ready to cut.
6.    Now, pick up your haircutting shears in your dominant hand and angle them (by about 45 degrees) into your hair. You don’t want to cut straight across, but want to make small angled snippets into the splayed ends of the hair. This will make the final result less blunt. Cut as close to your non-dominant fingers as possible, but be sure not to cut yourself! If you’re using a razor, just lob off the ends of the hair (caution: not too much!)
7.    Now, you can release your hair and fluff your bangs back into position.
8.    Comb bangs several times. If any stray hairs pop out, snip them into the proper length.

The result should be very pretty bangs that are slightly longer on the sides, allowing them to blend into the rest of the hair.

Home Haircolor – Darkening

I love using haircolor to change up my look. I always do it myself. Here I’ll share a basic technique, and my tips and tricks. In later posts, I’ll get into fun techniques.

I never use haircolor from a box at the grocery store. Anyone can walk off the street into Sally Beauty Supply to purchase everything needed to color your hair at home. These haircolors may not be as easy to use, but once you get to know them, they’re easy. The color in general is better and safer to use on your hair.

One caveat: some boxed colors (Feria, for one) should not be used on hair that has been professionally colored, and vice versa. The chemicals used in each are NOT COMPATIBLE and could result in severe damage or breakage. If you are in the habit of using boxed colors, go to a pro before deciding to color at home.

I recommend going darker for home haircolor. I’ve gone platinum at home, and have lost hair due to chemical burns. The process is just too difficult for even a pro to do at home, let alone the untrained.

Haircolor theory is relatively simple. There is a spectrum of hair color, generally rated on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 = black and 10 = platinum blonde. This number refers to the “level” of color. In addition, tone should be considered, which can be cool (ash), neutral, or warm (red). Each brand is different, but if you wanted to color your hair a medium brown with warm tones, you might select a haircolor called “5R” (level 5, red tones).

At most beauty supply stores that sell to the public, you’ll be able to look at hair swatches showing the color results. Keep in mind that the hair swatches usually begin with white hair. The result may be slightly different on your own hair.

In addition to the haircolor, you’ll need a developer. These colors won’t do a thing to your hair until mixed with the activating agents in the developer. There are four to five types of developers, depending upon brand: 10 volume, 20 volume, 30 volume, 40 volume, and (the less common) 50 volume. The higher the strength of the developer, the more “lift” you’ll get. If you’re coloring your hair darker by only a shade or two, you’ll use 20 volume developer. Using a stronger developer will not make your hair process any faster, so unless you want some unexpected results, stick with the 20.

This is what you’ll need to pick up at the store:

Haircolor tube in your desired shade

20 volume developer

bowl and brush or applicator bottle

color tube key (a device to flatten the color tube from the bottom, allowing you to measure the color accurately. Only a dollar or two: I highly recommend)

Optional: Color remover: a product designed to remove color from skin.

Once home, open the box of haircolor and check out those instructions. There’s a ton there; I know. You need the following key information:

Mixing Ratio

Timing

The mixing ratio tells you how to mix the color with the developer: Many times it will be 1:1 (equal parts color and developer; so, one ounce of color and one ounce of developer, for example)

Timing, of course, tells you how long to keep it on your head!

1. I like to set up a full-length mirror in front of my bathroom mirror and work in front of the full length. By angling the full length, I can see the back of my head in the bathroom mirror. Begin by sectioning your hair into four quadrants. Part your hair down the middle and extend this part all the way to the neck. Create a vertical part just behind each ear and pin up all hair.

2. Mix your color. For long hair, you’ll probably want to use the whole color tube, for shorter hair, you might be able to get away with half the tube. Measure carefully. Ideally, you’ll want to mix all you need from the get-go, but if you must mix more, you’ll want both formulations to match.

3. Begin by applying the color about 1/2″ around the hairline and on each part. So, you’re outlining the head and outlining each quadrant. Avoid getting the color on your skin, but, at the same time, make sure you get all your hair.

4. Begin with the front left quadrant, and slice a horizontal section of hair about a half inch below the upper quadrant part. Apply color down the length of the hair. Be sure the hair is covered on both sides of the slice. Flip the hair over to the other side of the head to get it out of the way.

5. Take another half inch slice and repeat. Continue to repeat this step throughout the entire head, quadrant by quadrant. After completing the front left quadrant, complete the front right, followed by rear left, then rear right.

6. Allow the haircolor to process for the designated amount of time. When time’s up, hop in the shower and shampoo twice. Condition well, too.’

Things to consider:

Dark colors, and especially reds, may run when wet for a couple days after coloring. You can stain towels when towel-drying your hair, so don’t use your best towels during the first few days after coloring.

Wear an old button down shirt when applying color. Old because you will stain it, button down so you can remove it easily to shower after the color has processed.

Get a color-safe shampoo and conditioner, which will help keep your hair looking great and will help reduce fading. To avoid damage, use a deep conditioner on your hair at least once per week.

Write down the formula you mixed and the amount of time you allowed the color to process. This will come in handy when you’re ready to color your roots next month.

Now, the process is slightly different the next month when you’re ready to color your regrowth (roots).

Instead of applying the color to the full length of the hair, apply it to the regrowth only. As long as you’re only going a few shades darker than your natural, a little overlap on the previously colored hair is ok. You’ll want to focus on fully covering that root. During the last 20 minutes of processing, add a few squirts of conditioner to the remaining haircolor still in the bowl or bottle, and apply this mixture to the length of your hair and allow the process to finish. This will refresh the old color without over-processing the hair.

What is Beauty?

I’m vain as hell, but I’ll be the first to tell you that beauty is everywhere, including in yourself, just as you are. We can all look into the mirror and name our flaws. Next time, challenge yourself to look for your assets. One thing I’ll reiterate throughout this blog is that it takes 21 days to change a habit. If you’ve got a habit you’d like to change, like eating ice cream right before bed every single night, it takes just 21 days to teach yourself the new habit: drinking water before bed; consuming nothing before bed. Starting today, every time you look in the mirror, compliment yourself. Say it out loud. Go ahead, do it. You might feel silly, but this exercise will teach you not to depress yourself with your usual self-depreciating thoughts. Beauty truly comes from within. A confident woman is just as beautiful as a super-model. A woman who avoids her glance in the mirror and shies away from herself only brings attention to her insecurities.

Ladies, you know you’re brutally honest when you look at other women. Stop. It’s the same damning behavior that you turn towards yourself. This behavior breeds negativity. Next time you criticize a woman, check yourself. Go ahead and search her face, body or soul for something nice to say about her. Good character is just as beautiful as confidence and outer beauty.