Sunday, March 29, 2020

How I Cut My Hair At Home And Save Money | #DIY Haircut



In between appointments at the hair salon (which are few and far between right now) I've been cutting my own hair at home. I've always liked doing hair, I even cut my friends and my boyfriend's hair back in high school. I even love doing my own hair (cuts and colour/ highlights) and it saves me heaps of money!

I know many of you are probably looking for ways to cut your own hair also since most of us don't have access to hairdressers at the moment.

I always had trouble getting the back of my hair the way I like it and since I want full control of it, I have to do it myself. For about the last 2 years or so, I've been using these clips that make cutting the back of my hair a breeze now and knew I had to share them with you!


Above are the items you will need to cut your own hair:


HAIR GUIDE/ CLIPS

The clips shown above are the best invention ever if you like cutting your own hair. You can also use them on other people if you aren't comfortable using your fingers as a guide.

The clips have "teeth" inside as shown in the pictures below. They also have a clip on the ends of them for securing the clip into place.

The set comes with a curved clip for getting a curved shape to the hair (the white clip), and a straight across clip for getting a nice straight line (the blue clip). I like a nice straight line at the back of my hair so I use that one.

About the Crea Clip:
  • For all types of hair; cut your hair at home and be your own stylist
  • Easy to learn, just clip, slide, and cut; trim your bangs and create layers in just minutes
  • Made for cutting childrens and even mens hair, or just maintaining a hairstyle in between cuts
  • Save time and money from expensive and lengthy salon visits
  • DIY hair cutting tool for many different hairstyles with rotating level for balanced and professional looking cuts every time
 Curved clip (white) and Straight clip (blue) 

The clips have a leveller to make sure you have a straight and level line before cutting as well as a clamp on the end of each clip which will hold it in place.


Shown above are the hundreds of teeth inside the guide/clips which smooth, comb, and grip the hair. 

UTOPIA HAIR CUTTING SHEARS

You will also need a good pair of scissors. I cannot tell you what a difference this makes! I used to use hair scissors by a hair brand that I picked up at Walmart, they were after all "hair" cutting scissors but once I got these ones from Utopia, there was no comparison!

FINE TOOTH COMB

You will also need a fine-tooth comb or a good brush that will get your hair as smooth as possible.

HAND HELD MIRROR

The last thing you will need if you are doing your own hair is a handheld mirror so you can see what you are doing.

You can cut your hair wet or dry. I do both, but prefer to cut it dry when I'm doing my own hair. It's not only healthier for the hair but I can also see what I'm doing much better.

THE PROCESS:
  • Starting with straight hair, I brush/comb my hair so it's nice and smooth
  • Comb all my hair toward the back of my head and downwards
  • Open the clip and clamp it over all of the hair that I've brushed to the back of my head and snap closed
  • Tilt my chin down (like the hairdressers have us do) and using both hands, slide the clamp down the hair shaft
  • When I feel that I've reached where I want to cut it, I use my handheld mirror, turn around with my back to the large bathroom mirror and check that the clip is straight (see the bubble in the leveller)
  • Once I have the clip straight and at the place where I want to cut, I bring the clip to the side of my head where I can see it (gently so you don't move any of the hair). Then I either start to point cut into it (usually if it's thick or I'm cutting off a lot) and then go straight across with the scissors after point cutting as I like nice clean lines
  • I do this process up to 3 times to make sure I've gotten all of my hair and there are no stragglers. 
  • I will do the same process for the sides of my hair (my hair is just past my shoulders)
  • I then finish up using my fingers to cut the front of my hair since I'm comfortable cutting that part with my fingers as a guide (Note: sometimes I do the reverse and cut the front first to the length that I want and then use the clip and bring everything to the back for cutting)

I don't use these clips for layering my hair, just for cutting the perimeter but it's been a game-changer.  It's quick, easy, and mostly foolproof. When I do mess up my hair, it's always from me trying to layer the interior of my hair with my fingers as a guide. I've never messed up cutting the lengths of hair since I purchased these clips!

TOOLS:

1. You can purchase the Crea Clip for $34.99 right now. I've been using mine for about 2 years now, so it will pay for itself in no time!


3. Fine tooth comb $6.99 (2 pack)

4. Hand-held mirror  $8.49


I can't recommend these clips plus a good pair of scissors enough! Let me know if you try it and how it works out. It will save you a ton of money whether you choose to do your own hair all of the time or just in between salon appointments. You can also do your family and friends hair too!

Hope everyone is staying healthy and safe!



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Sunday, March 22, 2020

Impromptu Makeup Purge / Declutter | March 2020


Since I'm stuck at home due to the Coronavirus, I've had more time to tackle things that I've been putting off.

This Impromptu makeup declutter took place because of an email alert I received stating that my photo storage was full. Since I had the time, I started going through and deleting years worth of old photos. I had pictures dating back to 2009.

As I approached the later years, I was not only shocked at how fast time has gone, but I was a little freaked out at how old I realized a lot of my makeup was! I began throwing out my expired makeup one by one as I went through the pictures, and before long I had this pretty large pile of expired makeup to declutter.

Note: I like ALL of this makeup! None of it was purged/decluttered because I didn't like it, It was solely because of how old they are.

Links to products provided in the product headings when available.



EYESHADOW PALETTES

Eyeshadow Palettes Decluttered:
Total Decluttered: 7


LIP PRODUCTS

Lip Products:
Total Decluttered: 8


EYELINERS / BROW PENCILS/ EYE PRIMER

Eyeliner/ Brow Pencils / Eye Primer:
  • Pure Anada liquid liner in Fig - gorgeous deep plum shade but I'm generally not one to reach for liquid liners very often
  • Aloette Waterproof eyeliner is Greystone -I used as a liner under my eyes and a brow pencil. Great shade for those uses- they probably don't make anymore, this is super old!
  • Annabelle Kohl Eyeliner in Taupe -another great shade for lining the under-eye area and doing my brows
  • Mia Adora Unshakeable Liquid Eyeliner in black -very pigmented, easy to use- great liner if you like to work with liquid liners
  • Wet N Wild / Fergie Take on The Day Eyeshadow Primer - it did the job but I prefer Essence I Heart Stage Eyeshadow Base)
Total Decluttered: 5


FACE PALETTE

Face Palette:
  • Elf Illuminating palette -I replaced the darkest shade (bottom right) with a highlight shade from another ELF palette. I like that you can pop the shades in and out of their face palette quads to customize them. I would repurchase this as I adore the subtle glow that these powders provide. The perfect highlighters for aging or textured skin, or if you just want a subtle, realistic glow without the glitter! These perform like high-end powders IMO.
Total Decluttered: 1


BLUSHES

Blushes:
  • Avon True Color Powder Blush in Goddess Pink- This is from at least 2010! I read about it in a magazine and had to have it! I loved it and didn't use it enough because I have too many blushes for one face (like all my makeup products I guess 🤷) Would buy again in a heartbeat!
  • Rimmel Blush in Pink Sorbet- Perfect soft neutral pink shade that is difficult to overdo. I love blushes like this!
  • Wet N Wild blush in Pearlescent Pink (old formula)- Stunning pink/coral shade that is not too pink nor too coral. This shade in the new formula appears different from this but I would still give it a try as I loved this one so much. Again, didn't use it enough as I have so many blushes! Blush junkie here!

Total decluttered: 3


GRAND TOTAL:

I like to see the numbers, so here is the summary of all of the victims of this declutter...

-Eyeshadow Palettes: 7
-Lip Products: 8
-Eyeliner/Brow/ Eye Primer: 5
-Face Palette: 1
-Blushes: 3

Grand total decluttered: 24 

It feels good to get these expired products out of my makeup collection. Now I can focus on what I have and feel good knowing that none of them are expired. From now on, I will do my best to label my products with the purchase month and year using some stickers. This way, I'll be able to keep on top of my expired products and purge them when they expire.

Thanks go out to Google for alerting me about my full storage! Otherwise, I'm certain that this declutter would not have happened.

Now I'm a little more motivated to tackle other areas that need to be decluttered as well!

Hope everyone is staying safe and finding things to keep you busy. Maybe my declutter will inspire you to tackle your makeup or another area that needs some decluttering. Let me know what you're doing to keep busy during this difficult time.



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Sunday, March 15, 2020

Supplements + Other Tips I've implemented To Boost My Immune System During Coronavirus (COVID-19)



With the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak spreading globally, I wanted to share what I'm doing to give my immune system a much-needed boost.

Besides the basics that we should all be doing to help protect ourselves from the Coronavirus like hand washing, keeping social distances from others, limiting travel to only when necessary, and disinfecting common or frequently touched areas, we can also incorporate other measures to help keep ourselves and our loved ones protected.

There are so many vitamins, herbs, and supplements that can help boost our immune systems and we certainly can't take them all. Starting with the basics, we need to have deep, restful, and reparative sleep which can be difficult during stressful times, so we also want to look at ways to support our sleep and stress level. We should also focus on a healthy diet filled with antioxidant-rich foods, protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs.



MULTIVITAMIN


Many vitamins including B6, C, and E are all known to help boost the immune system and can be found in a healthy diet. Although I try to eat a healthy diet, it's not always possible, so I like to start with a good multivitamin to fill in any possible nutritional gaps. My current favourite multi is My Kind Multivitamin by Garden of Life. There is one for men and one for women and non-age-related ones. I actually feel a difference when I take this multi and it's chocked full of amazingly healthy and organic ingredients! I can even take them on an empty stomach as they are made with whole foods.



VITAMIN C

I've also been taking extra Vitamin C. I love this spray version and take a couple of sprays AM and PM. Vitamin C is water-soluble so we just pee out what our body doesn't use. I keep chewable ones on hand also. If you want to know how important Vitamin C is to our immune systems, you can check out this article on 20 Ways Vitamin C Strengthens the Immune System.

 As always, check with your doctor for professional advice before starting a new supplement.


QUERCETIN WITH BROMELAIN
The 3rd supplement that I've incorporated as a result of this outbreak is something that I had heard of but never taken before, Quercetin. It's actually what prompted me to write this article. I had known of this supplement as one that helps with allergies, but it also has anti-inflammatory actions as well as a whole host of other benefits that I wasn't aware of until recently. It has anti-viral properties and specifically supports the respiratory system which is where the Coronavirus attacks. This one that I'm taking has Bromelain which also has a number of health benefits. Bromelain can slow blood clotting so you may want to choose a Quercetin supplement without Bromelain if that is a concern to you.

From NCBI: 
In vitro and some animal models have shown that quercetin, a polyphenol derived from plants, has a wide range of biological actions including anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory and antiviral activities... Read more HERE.

I don't know if it's helping but I feel better taking it, plus it has so many other benefits! You can read more online or check out webmd


VITAMIN D
I also take some extra Vitamin D for my immune system and actually take it all winter long. Vitamin D also plays an important role in immunity and has so many other health benefits that I will most likely always take extra Vitamin D (on top of what's in my multi). I had had my Vitamin D tested this winter and it's in the normal range thanks to my intake of this supplement.

Read more about the role Vitamin D plays on the immune system at Science Daily.

Some other herbs that I like for the immune system are echinacea, astragalus, and zinc or zinc lozenges. There are many others to choose from, these are just some of the ones I like to take as prevention to illness or when I feel rundown. Again, speak to your healthcare practitioner to decide what's right for you.

Other simple things I've been doing is eating more onions and garlic, making sure I drink a lot of fluids to stay hydrated, mostly water and herbal teas that are calming or green tea is a good choice thanks to its antioxidants. I already have trouble sleeping and it's significantly worse since the Coronavirus outbreak, so I try to not watch the News before bed and I practice deep breathing or listen to meditation apps or soothing sounds on my phone before bedtime. I also like to have calming herbal teas at night to help with my sleep, just not right before bed or I'll be waking up to use the restroom.


I hope you find some of these tips helpful! I'd love to hear your tips in the comments about what you are doing to stay healthy and happy during these difficult times so we can all learn something from each other.

Hoping you and your families stay safe and healthy! 

*Note: Always check with your doctor or health care provider before beginning any new supplements




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Sunday, March 8, 2020

New! Catrice Self-Made Bae Eyeshadow Palette Review + Swatches


It's International Women's Day, I can't think of a better time to feature a product by a brand that was created by a woman! Catrice was Founded by Christina Oster-Daum, a fearless female who set out to prove that it’s possible to create an innovative brand of luxury-inspired makeup at excellent prices. Catrice opened it's first doors in Germany in 2004 and have been growing globally ever since.

I'm SO glad that Catrice has finally arrived in Canada! As a mostly drugstore beauty shopper who is always on the lookout for high-quality, affordable, clean, and cruelty-free makeup, Catrice checks off all the boxes for me!

Needless to say, I was super excited when one of Catrice's new Bae eyeshadow palettes landed on my desk! I received the Self-Made Bae palette which features 12 intensely pigmented eyeshadows in deep berry and earthy shades with matte and shimmering finishes.

Catrice Self-Made Bae Eyeshadow Palette - SRP $16.99

I've been using the Self-Made Bae palette for about a week and have had so much fun playing around with the different shades. I love that this palette features earth tones, which makes all of the shades very wearable for my aging eyes. I should also note that the shadows didn't accentuate my crinkly aging eyes thanks to the wonderful formula. I've been able to create some beautiful daytime looks as well as some fabulous looks for nighttime.

The Self-Made Bae palette has everything you need in one palette! It has a matte browbone shade, some beautiful shimmery lid shades that include gold, champagne, taupe, and pink, as well as some deeper shimmer shades. There's also a matte transition shade and some deeper matte shades which can be used as a liner or to deepen the crease or outer V.

The palette itself is very sleek and made of hard cardboard. It has a magnetized closure and a good size mirror with an inspiring quote inside each palette. This one says "Lookin' like a million bucks." This palette would be great for travel!


Shades include: #SELFMADE, #SLAY, #HBIC, #MONEY, #CEO, #EMPIRE, #HUSTLE, #BOSS, #WERK, #QUEEN, #ROLEMODEL, #EQUALPAY

I was a bit intimidated by some of the darker matte shades but after tapping off my brush and applying them to my eyes, they pretty much blended out themselves, seriously! I've never had highly pigmented eyeshadows that blended out so easily, high-end or drugstore! The shimmer shades are so beautiful on the lids. They go on smoothly and there is no chunky glitter in them. The staying power was unbelievable! At the end of the day, there was very little wear and no creasing. I didn't even use an eye primer. I just used what was left from my undereye concealer and popped that onto my lids before doing my eyeshadow.


Above: Top 2 rows swatched on bare skin with a finger, single-pass (not built-up), in natural daylight. No filters used.

Above: the Last row swatched on bare skin, single-pass (not built-up), natural daylight. No filters used.

Catrice's wasn't kidding when they set out to create affordable makeup that performs like high-end! The Self-Made Bae eyeshadow palette gets my highest marks for its pigmentation, blendability, and staying power! I am absolutely intrigued by this drugstore brand now and cannot wait to try more of their products. The Basic Bae palette is definitely getting added to my list!

Catrice's new Bae collection features 3 Instagram inspired trend palettes. Each contains 12 intensely pigmented eyeshadow shades with a variety of mattes and shimmering finishes.  The Bae Collection includes; Basic Bae, Badass Bae, and the one featured in this post- Self-Made Bae. Each palette contains 12.5 grams of product and retails for $16.99 each.

Many Catrice products are vegan, alcohol-free, oil-free, perfume-free, paraben-free and all products are 100% cruelty-free! 🐰

These palettes are now available at Shoppers Drug Mart (in-store and online).

Learn more about Catrice and the Bae palette collection at www.catricecosmetics.com



Not sponsored. Product was kindly gifted by Catrice Cosmetics for editorial consideration

Sunday, March 1, 2020

Did You Know That Face Washing Mistakes Can Age You?



Skincare is a unique process for everyone. Beauty routines range from the systematically meticulous to borderline nonexistent. But the truth of the matter is that no matter where you lie in the skincare spectrum, you could be making mistakes that cause your skin to age simply by washing your face incorrectly. We spoke to Dr. Manish Shah, who is a board-certified plastic surgeon and anti-aging expert in Denver, Colorado. He counsels patients on cosmetic procedures, maintaining results, optimizing their skincare, and preventative measures. "While skin treatments, injectables, and surgery can help maintain the visual appearance, your basic skincare goes a long way toward preventing premature aging.


You Are Washing Your Face Incorrectly If You Do The Following:

Using too much toner


Facial toners are an essential part of any beauty routine. However, using too much toner can dry out the skin and may even lead to more sebum production as your glands attempt to overcompensate. If you find your skin feeling tight or irritated after applying toner, you may be using too much, and this is especially true if you have sensitive or combination skin. Some toners come in a spray bottle, which is great for applying a light layer over the skin after cleansing. If not, simply pour a few drops of toner on a cotton pad and gently glide it across the face.

Also, many toners have alcohol-based ingredients, such as denatured alcohol, in them. Avoid toners with these ingredients at all costs -- as they will dry the skin completely and remove natural oils needed to keep the skin moist and healthy.


Products that are too harsh

As consumers become more sophisticated, they inquire about ingredients such as retinol. They know it is super hydrating and great for the skin, but they don't understand that skincare needs to be sustainable, so they ask for the strongest, most active form of prescription retinoid. "This is a mistake," says Dr. Shah, "any credible doctor will first assess the condition of your skin alongside the products and treatments you are already using in order to determine if you need prescription retinol or if a less active form sold over-the-counter is better for you."

Dr. Shah explains that "retinol in less active forms will have similar effects without irritating the skin as much, which will be helpful to you as you continue using a product on your skin over time."


Scrubbing too hard

Instead of rubbing and scrubbing your face to try to get it squeaky clean, your motions with your cleanser should be as gentle as possible. Your hands should not be doing all the work! Scrubbing the skin too harshly or with materials that add exfoliation can cause micro-tears in the skin as well as excessive elimination of essential oils which leave the skin dry.


Over exfoliating

While gently exfoliating a few nights a week can do wonders for the skin, it's easy to go overboard. What keeps your skin looking fresh, young, and hydrated is preserving the outer layers glow by lightly helping it shed old skin cells and moisturizing to help cell turnover. However, "the danger is that many people don't think to consider their loofah or washcloth as an exfoliation tool. Even if you are only using an exfoliant a few days a week if you are scrubbing with a harsher material every day, you could be exfoliating more than you intend and that can cause dryness, red patches, dehydration, and hyperpigmentation," warns Dr. Shah.


Washing with hot water

Though it might feel good, using hot water to cleanse your face can actually dehydrate it. Hot water can be abrasive, stripping the skin of its natural oils, leaving it dry and flaky. This can also lead to acne flare, breakouts, and skin irritation. For best results, rinse your face with lukewarm or cool water - not cold either - to help constrict blood vessels. Dr. Shah also points out that "hot water enlarges your pores, and this can affect the oil production of the skin as well as the texture of it."


Washing more than twice a day

You may be thinking, the cleaner, the better, right? Think again. Over-washing your face can actually damage the skin's natural protective system, which then can affect how easily the environment irritates your skin, how efficiently you retain moisture, and—over time—cause you to show early signs of aging such as fine lines and dry patches. "As a general rule of thumb, you should not be washing your face more than twice a day. If you have an activity like working out or an outdoor sport in the middle of the day, try to use a bland soap or cleanser to wash away dirt and sweat without further irritating the skin," advises Dr. Shah.


Forgetting to follow up with a moisturizer

"The best time to apply moisturizer is after the shower or after applying toner. This will help prevent excessive dryness, and it will help to skin retain moisture," says Dr. Shah. Moisturizers also come with a combination of vitamins and lipids that help the skin heal irritations, strengthen its protective functions, and look smoother and healthier.


Washing with whatever soap is available.


Many people are guilty of this one. People may think that soap is soap and a clean face is just a clean face, but you could be damaging your skin and aging yourself by washing the face with any available hand soap. Soaps with fragrances can be especially irritating to the skin. Overall, these soaps are not made for the face, and while this may be a minimalist approach, it borders on detrimental as hand soaps are dehydrating and lack many of the ingredients that optimize your skin's complexion.


About the Expert:

Dr. Manish Shah

Manish Shah, M.D., F.A.C.S. was born in Canada and raised in the Washington, D.C. area. He graduated with honors from the University of Pennsylvania, receiving a degree in biomedical engineering. He then completed his medical training at the University of Virginia, earning his Medical Doctorate. During this time he also completed a one-year fellowship in microsurgery research at the New York University School of Medicine / Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery. As a prelude to his plastic surgery training, Dr. Shah completed a rigorous five-year training program in General and Trauma Surgery at Emory University and the Medical College of Georgia. His formal training in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery was completed at the Univ. of Tennessee College of Medicine – Chattanooga Unit. After completing his plastic surgery training, he moved to New York City when he was selected for the prestigious Aesthetic Surgery Fellowship at Manhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital. He underwent extensive, advanced training in aesthetic surgery of the face, breasts, and body at the hands of some of the most renowned cosmetic surgeons in the world. This fellowship is widely considered to be the best of its kind in the world. Dr. Shah is one of only a select few plastic surgeons in the country who have undergone formal post-graduate training in aesthetic surgery.

Dr. Shah’s specialties include revision facial aesthetic surgery, rhinoplasty (“nose reshaping”), and aesthetic surgery of the breast (breast augmentation, breast lift, breast reduction). He is, however, well-trained in all areas of aesthetic surgery.

Dr. Shah is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center teaching cosmetic surgery to the plastic surgery residents. He is a past Chief of Plastic Surgery at Denver Health Medical Center. He also maintains a private practice in Aesthetic and Plastic Surgery in Cherry Creek.

Dr. Shah is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the European Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery, and the Rhinoplasty Society.

Dr. Shah is board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.




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