Athena Karsant is an Internationally renowned Master Corrective & Cosmetic Tattooist in Beverly Hills & San Francisco.
This is my second favorite's post about shoes. (The first post was about the most comfortable flip flops in the world... read more here.) They are the most comfortable shoes on the planet! Of course UGGs are cozy and warm... and we all have a favorite pair of tennis shoes, walking shoes, or pair of flip flops. However, most likely they don't have the proper support that Dansko Shoes have. 
If you spend long hours on your feet, you need to pick up a pair of these shoes! Each has a polyurethane rocker-bottom sole, which is designed to protect the feet, legs, and back from the stress of standing or walking. The soles also forces you to propel the foot forward, helping you stay on the move. Even the best walking or running shoes hurt after a few hours, but not Dankso! 
Happy Favorite's Fridays! This week is a machine that I use daily! I recently purchased a second one to accommodate both of my homes. It's the Nespresso espresso machine. It really makes my life easier in the morning. 
I use my Nespresso machine on a daily basis. It works with tiny cups (similar to the K-CUP) that you can purchase online, and they are quickly delivered right to your front door. If you prefer a good latte, I also recommend the Nespresso Aeroccino Plus Automatic Milk Frother. It is so easy to use, and with the touch of a button, literally, you can have perfectly frothed milk for your latte or cappuccino. 
This week's favorite is probably a best kept secret amongst those with fabulously unfaded black clothes. For years, my daughter's godmother has used this incredible soap that is special for black and dark clothing. I always wondered why her black clothes are still black after years of wearing and washing them. She finally gave me her secret. 
Perfect timing for this week's favorite! Earlier this week, I was in the office wearing all white. I am pretty good at not getting ink on my clothing, but sometimes the inevitable happens. Of course, the day I wear all white and a protective apron is the day I get splattered with ink. My associate (Jeff) and I were working on a doctor's hair transplant scars. We use pigment and needling to simulate hair follicles and camouflage the scars. During the process it is very common and highly appreciated by the client to ice their head to soothe the pain. I have never done this before, but I stabbed the ice ball with the needle and it splashed my white linen pants! 
Well, these photos were sent to me in an email and it made me think of a really funny story. I was in my twenties and decided to get a tattoo with a few of my girlfriends. We found Lyle Tuttle (anyone into Tattoos should know of him) in San Francisco and finally got the courage to get inked. I knew my parents would flip out and was trying to figure out where I could get mine without them knowing. I decided to go last out of all of my friends because I couldn't figure out where to put the tattoo! I needed it to be somewhere my parents wouldn't see it... which didn't leave many places when I wore a swimsuit. As we got there, a BIG biker man had just decided on a design and some text to be tattooed on his arm. Lyle Tuttle was quick to tell the biker that he had misspelled his desired tattoo, but the biker refused to listen and was adamant on his own original sketch. Lyle again called him out on his stupidity and made sure that what he wrote was exactly what he wanted. The biker kept strongly insisting that what he personally wrote was what he wanted. The biker went in to be tattooed and one by one, my friends went in and came out with some design permanently stamped on their body. While I was waiting for my turn, the BIG Biker had just finished getting tattooed. Then I noticed his tattoo that said, "HELLS ANGLES." I guess he didn't look so tough with that tattoo. Even though Lyle told the biker that he spelled his own tattoo wrong, the biker disagreed and blew him off. Once the biker finally noticed the mistake, he asked Lyle to cross out the "LES" and tattoo "ELS" above it.  |
| BEFORE - 1994 |
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| AFTER - 2012 |
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| With our fabulous make up artists Karisa and Andrea! |
The other day, my daughter (Krysten) and son-in-law (Jeff) and I were taking stroll down Robertson Blvd in Hollywood. My daughter noticed an elderly woman in her nightgown who looked lost/frustrated. She was in her blue nightgown, sandals and had gold earrings on. She looked very clean, with crisp white hair and white teeth. Krysten nudged me and we both immediately knew that we needed to say something to her and just make sure that she was okay. This sweet old Hungarian lady was 83 years old and lost. Her name was Margaret and she had told us that her family kicked her out of her own house the day before. She spent the night on the street and hadn't had anything to eat or drink in over 24 hours. Jeff ran to the corner restaurant to get her some water while I called 911 for help. Krysten visited with her and tried to calm her down and let her know that we were here to help her. I kept telling her that everything was going to be okay. When the policeman arrived, we told Margaret that the policeman was a friend of ours and that she was in good hands. She was quick to reply, "He is my friend too! A policeman is everyone's friend!" 
I normally am not one to go for the latest beauty "gimmick" unless a friend or client highly recommends something. A dear client (and now friend) of mine strongly suggested that I try L'Oreal's B.B. Cream because she absolutely loved it. Thanks to her, I finally tried it and now love it, too!
Is your hair in need of a miracle? Have you spent too much time in the sun this summer? Is your hair overworked, over-stressed and begging for help? You might need Cholesterol!
Luckily, I didn't have black tears running down my cheeks as some of the guests did. The only makeup touching up I had to do throughout the night was reapply some lipstick to give my lips a more dramatic look and touchup my blush. Though my lips are tattooed, the color is very subtle. Adding lipstick gives that WOW factor that is perfect for a night out or in this case a BIG party! When I was in the restroom, I saw many women reapplying their makeup–but not blush or lipstick. There were some reapplying eyeliner... I couldn't believe that their eyeliner wouldn't stay on for the length of a wedding ceremony and reception without the need to reapply! Everyone is different. Everyone's face holds makeup differently. My daughter didn't have any permanent makeup at the time of her wedding and her makeup stayed on the whole day. She kept reapplying lipstick and lip-gloss throughout the night but that was it. Some of us are not that fortunate. If I didn't have permanent makeup, I would have to keep reapplying (conventional) makeup all night. I am glad I don't have to carry my makeup drawer in my purse. 
I know that I have already done a blog on the Make Up For Ever Aqua line however I really wanted to write a blog focusing on one of the aqua products specifically. 
The modern Deodorant was first invented in 1888. Though it has come a long way since the late 1800s, it is still used by (hopefully) everyone over 100 years later. There are all types of deodorants. They come in different scents, for men and women, and even in special formulas for those with allergies or sensitive skin. I have sensitive skin and don't use a typical deodorant on a daily basis because I use Hibiclens. But I also always have a special Crystal deodorant in my medicine cabinet as well. Crystal is a natural mineral salt deodorant. It prevents odor and does not clog or plug pores with aluminum chlorohydrate or aluminum zirconium. I use Crystal because it works just the same as some of the other leading deodorants, but it isn't harming to my body. Aluminum can be toxic to the nervous system as well as the reproductive system. It is very common in antiperspirant deodorants and should be avoided. Sweating is a natural act and should not be "covered up" by blocking pores, which is what most deodorants do.
Over the last few months, I have changed a big part of my diet. I stopped drinking lots of coffee and added more greens. Substituting spinach for coffee? YES! I saw my daughter drinking a bright green drink (which I referred to as "green slime"), and she begged me to taste it. I refused because it looked like slime. The next time she made it, she had it covered so I could not see what it looked like... clever girl. I tried it... loved it... and have been making them every morning since! 
I don't have an exact recipe for what I drink every morning because I don't measure anything anymore... except my protein powder. There is no real science to my green madness, it's all about manipulating the taste by adding different fruits and veggies to your blender. I have learned to freeze a lot of the ingredients to get a better result. I buy apples, bananas, celery, pineapple, and cucumber and cut them into desired pieces, freeze them in baggies and have them ready for my morning green drinks. 
