The downside to having black hair is that I am so pale that I tend to look washed out.  Also, I have gray hairs, and in what seems like no time, they are glittering at my roots like a diamond displayed against black velvet.  So I decided it was time to go back to something that was a little closer to my original color.  Though truth be told, I am not even sure what my original color was.

When I am going for a multi-hued look, I will have my hair chick do the coloring.  Otherwise, I am a DIY’er when it comes to hair color.  My bathroom walls can attest to that from the blotches of color I have gotten on them.

I told a friend that I was going to take the black out.  She insisted that I needed to go into the shop and have the removed professionally.  The competitive part of me took that as somewhat of a challenge, so I decided that yes, Virginia, I was capable of making the black go away all by myself.

I did a bit of research (which for me means that I googled it and scanned the first couple of pages) and found a product that I thought was worth giving a try.  So I ordered Jheri Redding One ‘n Only Colorfix from Amazon.

Being someone who doesn’t really try to stifle my lack of impulse control, I dumped it on my head and waited to see what would happen.  Here I am in my hair-coloring bathrobe, looking smashing with a plastic bag over my head.

I let it sit for the allotted time, took a shower to rinse it out, then got ready to blow dry my hair.  Since I looked like Ronald McDonald at that point, I decided that perhaps I should have read the instructions before I started.  This isn’t the clearest picture ever taken, but here’s a shot I took of the top of my head after the first application.

After a bit of web searching, I was glad to find out that my color was not an unusual one to have after an application.  Although you can’t tell it from the picture, I still had a good deal of black in the front pieces that I use a flat iron on.  So I decided Round Two was in order, and I used the rest of the One ‘n Only Colorfix.

After the shower to remove the Colorfix, it was time to apply color.  I used Ion brand for the permanent, and I dumped a Color Gems brand demi-permanent color on top of it.  Unfortunately, I can’t remember the shade name of either of them.  I did catch some flash glare here, but as you can see, it is no longer black.

So, there you have it, ladies.  If you’ve dyed your hair black  and are ready for a change, rest assured that you don’t have to pay a salon tons of money to remove the color.  Just buy your products, set aside a few hours to do it, and create your own hair masterpiece.  I read several complaints about the smell of the Colorfix, but I didn’t find it to be horrifically bad.

Until next time, remember to Celebrate Beautiful You!

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Disclosure: I purchased this product. The links in this post contain affiliate referral codes. Want more information on that? Check out the FAQ’s.

As resisting really isn’t my strong suit most of the time…well, I gave in to temptation.   I fired up the laptop, and I got my Mia from Amazon where thankfully, I have a Prime shipping account, which meant that my new toy was going to get to me lightning fast.  Mine is white, so it looks like this:

I decided on the Mia over a full size Clarisonic because the Mia has a smaller footprint, and I have limited counter space.  Plus I thought it would be nice to have something that was designed to be travel friendly. 

I was curious as to how the Mia could be waterproof,  yet chargeable.  That question was answered by examining something  that Clarisonic calls a “pLink® International Charger”.  The charger has a standard plug on one end, and a round, slightly concaved disc on the end.   That disc and the end of the Mia handle have a magnetic attraction, and current is passed through that way.  I had to pause and have a geek moment in appreciation of the charger.

As part of the package, I received a trial size of the Clarisonic Gentle Hydro Cleanser.  The full size verison is 6 ounces, and retails in the neighborhood of $25.  It’s paraben-free, and the ingredients include algae, aloe vera gel, and antioxidants Vitamin E and Japanese green tea.  I like the cucumber scent of it, and it does feel soothing on my skin.  However, using this cleaners is not a pre-requisite for using the Mia.

As mentioned above, the Mia is waterproof.  It measures about 5 1/2 inches long, and is comfortable to grip.  The Mia is one speed, and turns on with a single touch.  I always use it the full amount of preset time, but you can turn it off by touching the button on the handle again.

You can use your Mia twice a day.  My first brush head was for sensitive skin.  I just replaced my brush, and I went with a standard brush this time around.  So far, I don’t see any signs of this one being too harsh for my skin.

The brushes are $25 a piece.  It pays to shop around for these as you can find them in twin packs and save yourself $10 or so.  You are supposed to change them after every 3-4 months.  They are easy to clean; I just use liquid antibacterial soap and water.  When you get the brushes, they have a clear plastic cover over them.  I threw mine away, and that wasn’t the best choice.  The cover helps protect the brush, and it also makes it easier to remove the brush every few days to rinse out any gunk that has worked its way underneath.

One minor note of disatisfaction is with the charge time.  I am not known for being patient, and it seems like it takes forever for it to reach a full charge, which is good for about 20 minutes worth of cleaning time.

The Mia leaves your skin feeling incredibly clean. It’s like that wonderful feeling after your teeth have been professionally cleaned, but only for your face.  I love, love, love this product!  However, I have been rather bad, and have not used it 100% religiously.  I am about to change that when I swing into a new skin care regimen that I will be posting about soon.

Bottom line, is the Mia worth the $150 price tag?  For the way it makes my skin feel, the answer is an empthatic yes!  If you’ve been sitting on the fence over this one, come on and jump on the bandwagon with me.  Your face won’t regret it.

As soon as YouTube cooperates, I have a demonstration video to show you.

Update:  After several hours, my Mia video finally uploaded. You can see it here.

Until next time, beauties!

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Disclosure: I purchased this product. The links in this post contain affiliate referral codes. Want more information on that? Check out the FAQ’s.

One of the things that I picked up was a Shiseido Luminizing Lip Gloss. This is the first thing that I have purchased from Shiseido, and if this lip gloss is any indication of the quality of their products, it will not be the last. I got Shade PK303 Bellini, which is described as “sheer warm rose shimmer” and it is gorgeous.

This gloss, from Shiseido’s Spring 2010 Collection, has a high wattage shine. It is lightweight, very silky, and applies wonderfully. It is not sticky or tacky, and the consistency is in the mid-range, which I find pleasant.

On my lips, the color stays pretty true to what is in the tube. There is a sheer wash of shimmery color, so the effect is a subtle, natural look. It’s perfect for a daytime look, and if you are looking for something more dramatic, it would go great over lipstick as well.

It feels great on my lips, and is moisturizing. There is no discernible scent that I can make out, which will be a bonus to those who prefer unscented products.

An improvement I’d like to see is for it to last longer. Compared to some of the other glosses in my collection, this one would fall toward the shorter lasting end of the spectrum.

I am not a fan of glosses with brushes; I would much rather have a doe foot applicator. I have never used a lip brush enough to be comfortable with one. I feel like I have better control of the product when I have a doe foot. However, this brush preformed well for my unskilled fingers, so perhaps I will have to practice up with a brush.

Shiseido Luminizing Lip Gloss. is $22 and can be purchased at Sephora, and Macy’s.

Until next time, pretty things!

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Disclosure: I purchased this product. The links in this post contain affiliate referral codes. Want more information on that? Check out the FAQ’s.

I want to start by saying that I really, really wanted to love the Bremenn Research Labs Upper Eyelid Lifter. I wanted it to work splendidly on me, so that I did not have my eyelids hanging down to my lashes anymore.

Unfortunately, that is not the case.  I’ve used the product for over 2 months now.  I can’t say that I have used it 100% religiously, but it’s really been pretty darn close.  While I’ve read complaints in other reviews about the amount in the tube, I can’t add to them.  After two months of almost 2x and sometimes 3x daily use, I still have a goodly amount left.  So I would rate it well in terms of quantity of product for the price.

I also would rate the method of delivery well.  I like the pump action tube, and I did not experience any wasted product with it.  As mentioned in my youtube video, the tube is recyclable, which is a huge plus for me.  I hate to shell out big bucks for a beauty or skincare item just to find out that they could not spend the extra cents per item to use environmentally friendly packaging.  The tube also stores well, as the surface of the cap is flat.

The viscosity is great, and I love the cream itself from a moisturizing perspective.  It’s got some great ingredients in it, and really does perform well in terms of hydration.  But so do a lot of other products, and I did not buy this one to use as a moisturizer.

I bought it to see if Bremenn Research Labs had come up with a miracle in a tube. The final verdict is that for me, they did not.

Here are some before pics that I took after about 10-12 days of using it:

I’ve got some flash throwback on those, but I don’t think it effects the ability to see how the upper lids sag down appreciably.

Here are pictures taken today without any makeup:

As you can tell, I have serious sagging issues.  So someone who is just beginning to experience lack of firmness or who has it to a lesser degree might do very well with Bremenn Research Labs Upper Eyelid Lifter.

As always, if you’ve got any questions, please ask. Until next time, beauties!

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Disclosure: I purchased this product.  The links in this post contain affiliate referral codes.  Want more information on that?  Check out the FAQ’s.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ektRJscLSUc

Let me know if you have any specific questions that I haven’t answered yet.

Unlike some of you, I am of an age where certain body parts aren’t where they used to be, and my upper eyelids are one of those parts. I don’t really remember it being an insidious slow type of thing. It seems that I woke up one morning, and my eyelids were flying at half mast. While some people manage to pull of the hooded eye look splendidly, I am not one of them.

I’ve considered surgery, and if my bank account were willing, I’d have it done in a heartbeat. I looked into seeing if my insurance would cover blepharoplasty, and it would, if my eyes were more droopy than they are right now. So I’m stuck in the peculiar situation of hoping that they get worse so that I can get them fixed. In the meantime, I walk around looking like a basset hound.

Then not long ago, I got a mailer from Sephora. One of the featured new releases was Bremenn Research Labs Upper Eyelid Lifter, and it immediately caught my attention. According to the product description, this was just what I’d been looking for.

This specialized formula was created specifically to address deflated, drooping lids for a more wide-awake look. Ordinary eye creams designed to counter under-eye puffiness don’t fit the bill when it comes to supporting sagging eyelids—choose this targeted solution for a serious boost, exactly where you need it.

So I pulled out my trusty credit card, forked over the $59, and waited anxiously for it to get here.

It arrived lightening-quick, and when I was opening the box, I got that little excited, butterflies-in-the-tummy feel that you may be familiar with if you love online shopping as much as I do.

With the caveat that I am not a chemist, let’s start out by taking a quick look at the Sephora glossary, and at other resources from the Web to look up the ingredients, and see what they are supposed to do.

Water

Isododecane – Enhances spreadability, and has a weightless feel on skin. It’s a hydrocarbon and prevents water from evaporating on the skin.

Cyclopenatasiloxane – A silicone solvent emollient (something that softens). It enhances spreadability, and can act as a temporary plumper for lines and wrinkles.

Yeast Extract (Faex) – A source of B vitamins, purported to stimulate and activate cell metabolism

Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter – Conditions and moisturizes as well as adds viscosity to product

Cetyl Alcohol – A solid fatty alcohol used as an emollient and emulsion stabilizer that gives skin a velvety feel

Silica – The spherical type of it improves spreadability and product smoothness.

Cetearyl Methicone – Skin conditioning agent that forms a barrier to slow loss of water

Glycerin – Humectant that attracts water to the skin

Dimethicone – A silicone polymer, it forms a protective barrier on the skin

PEG 100 Stearate – Can be used as an emollient, an emulsifier and a moisturizer

Glyceryl Stearate – Emulsifier that softens and soothes

Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter – Slows the loss of water from the skin by forming a barrier on the skin’s surface

Tridecyl Salicylate – Beta Hydroxy Acid with multiple uses in cosmetics and skin care products

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 – Increases elasticity, firmness, and tone

Palmitoyl Oligopeptide – Aid in skin repair and renewal; work as bonds between amino acids

Phenylethyl Resorcinol – Antioxidant that brightens and lightens pigmentation

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Seed Extract – Acts as a lubricant to give soft and smooth appearance

Secale Cereale (Rye) Seed Extract – An emollient

Calcium Hydroxymethionine – I can’t really find out much about this. I believe the gist of it would be that it promotes cell turnover, and it works as a protective barrier. However, keep the above caveat about me not being a chemist in mind.

Hydrolyzed Soy Protein – Provides a smoothing effect for wrinkles. Also increases the skin’s ability to retain moisture

Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil -An emollient with antioxidant properties

3-Aminopropane sulfonic Acid – A surfactant

Carbomer – Used to control consistency and flow

Xanthan Gum – Various uses…improved texture, improves shelf life, aids in stabilization, skin hydrating, used to prepare water based gels

Butylene Glycol – Used as a solvent and as a viscosity decreasing agent

Pentylene Glycol – Humectant with moisture-binding and antimicrobial properties

Phenoxyethanol – Bactericide

Polysorbate 60 – Emulsifying agent

Ethylhexylglycerin – Vegetable based preservative used as an alternative to parabens

Polysorbate 20 – Various uses…emulsifier, fragrance ingredient, surfactant

Hydroxyethyl cellulose – Thickening agent

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil – Slows moisture loss

Triethanolamine – pH balancer

That’s a lot of ingredients, and some of them very good for moisturizing. But is the combination of them enough to act like a jack and prop up my drooping eye lids? I’ve not used it long enough to be able to give you a fair assessment, but I will be reporting back on the results.

Until then, remember to Celebrate Beautiful You!

05/10/10 Update - Final results are posted here.

The last time I made an order from Sephora, I decided that it was time to branch out a little from drugstore brands of nail polish, and give OPI a try.  I’d read a good deal of positive things about the brand on the web, and it ended up living up to it’s rep.

While I seriously toyed with getting Leaf Him at the Altar (metallic vine green), I kind of wimped out and played it safe in the shade selection. I gravitate toward burgundies, and I stayed true to that by going with Because I Said So (metallic burgundy).

You’ll have to overlook the sloppiness around the edges; I am far from being a nail pro.  I really liked the shade, it has a depth to it, but not so deep that the metallic effect gets lost.  Though I probably could have gotten by with one thick coat, I went with two medium ones.  I’m not the most patient person in the world when it comes to letting polish air dry, but this had a reasonable dry time.  The coverage was good too, and it went on smoothly.

The day that I applied this, I didn’t have time to put a top coat on, and by Day 3, when I remembered, I decided it was too late.   By Day 4, I had chipping, so the next time I use it, I’ll try doing the entire  base and top coat routine to see how it lasts.

Pros:  Great color depth and saturation.  The applicator brush was on the long and slender side, and I liked that.

Cons:  I had a little sticker shock, but compared to drugstore brands, $9 a bottle isn’t bad.  It was enough to push me over the $50 free shipping mark, and I am always in favor of that.   I would have liked to have seen it last a couple more days without chipping.  Granted, I did not top coat it.  But I wear gloves to do the dishes, so other than showering, it wasn’t  exposed to any harsh treatment.

Bottom Line:  I would buy this shade again, and will be trying some of the other shades.