Favorite's Fridays: Crystal Deodorant

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.

Crystal Deodorant can be found in two forms: a rock - literally and a liquid. Both can be purchased at most drugstores. I highly recommend using Crystal Deodorant if you want to use a deodorant that is not bad for your body. 

The Mean Green Smoothie

 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! 

Many clients ask what in the world I am drinking when they see me sipping my green drinks in the office, so I wanted to share my recipe with you. I never thought I would get so hooked on these drinks, but they sure are tasty, healthy and easy to make! 

My family is huge on the Vitamix mixer. The Vitamix is fabulous for all types of meals, dips, desserts, fresh soups and smoothies! We make our green drinks in the Vitamix, but you can make it in just about any blender (although my personal opinion is that the Vitamix is the best!).

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. 

ENJOY! 

Here is the Green Drink that started it all. These are from my daughter, Krysten. Hopefully you will try and enjoy them! 

The Easy Green Drink 

2 cups Pineapple (Fresh is always the best!)
1 stalk Celery
2 cups Spinach
4 ounces Unsweetened Vanilla FlaxMilk (Try Good Karma Flax Milk)
2 cups ice cubes
1 scoop Vanilla Whey or Hemp Protein Powder

After about a week, I started to add some more goodies to the recipe. 

The Green Drink 

2 cups Pineapple (Fresh is always the best!)
1 stalk Celery
2 cups Spinach
1 small piece of frozen Banana
1 small piece of Green Apple
4 ounces Unsweetened Vanilla FlaxMilk (Try Good Karma Flax Milk)
2 cups ice cubes
1 scoop Vanilla Whey or Hemp Protein Powder

Then I started getting creative ... 

The Green Drink 2.0

Pineapple (Fresh is always the best!)
Celery
Spinach
parsley
ginger
kale
Banana
Green Apple
1 scoop Vanilla Whey or Hemp Protein Powder
Unsweetened Vanilla FlaxMilk (Try Good Karma Flax Milk) (about a cup)
ice cubes

I always base my green drinks off of the first recipe (The Easy Green Drink), but without measuring. There are so many easy ways to manipulate the recipe to fit your taste buds. My daughter makes a chocolate green drink that tastes like a chocolate milkshake. Here it is!

Chocolatey Green Drink:

1 small stalk Celery
2 cups Spinach (or more)
frozen cucumber
1 small piece of frozen Banana
1 cup Dark Chocolate Almond Milk* 
1 scoop Chocolate Whey Protein Powder
ice cubes

*If it is too sweet, substitute 1/2 cup Dark Chocolate Almond Milk for Unsweetened Vanilla FlaxMilk (Try Good Karma Flax Milk).

Favorite's Fridays: Hibiclens

I am not sure if many know of this amazing soap. This is a skin cleanser that rids the skin of bacteria and is used by many nurses, doctors and medical professionals. "Hibiclens is an antiseptic antimicrobial skin cleanser possessing bacterial properties." (read more here) 

I have been using Hibiclens for many years to wash my underarms. I simply use it as a soap in the shower. I rinse my underarms so they are wet, add a tiny drop of Hibiclens, suds it up and let it sit for about 2 minutes while I wash my face or hair. It is important to make sure to rinse it off very well. Throughout the day, while I am working or playing in the cold or in the heat, I never develop a foul body odor smell. 

Hibiclens can be purchased at any drugstore or pharmacy. 

Sailing, Takes Me Away...

This time last year, my daughter and I took a trip of a lifetime! We had the opportunity to go sailing with a new friend of mine, who I met when I went to Morocco with a group of people. Captain Joe was his name and sailing was his game! He invited me to go sailing with him down the East Coast. Since my daughter was about to get married in September (2011), I figured that this would be the perfect bonding experience for the both of us. I asked the Captain if she could come with us so we could have some “mommy and me time!” 

We started our journey in Boston and played around town for a few days taking in all the historical sights. Then we headed to meet the boat about an hour north of Boston. We started our 7-day journey and headed south stopping each day in a new location, at a new Yacht club, with different faces and new experiences at each place. Different experiences came with different weather. We experienced every kind of weather... except snow! It was really hot... It was really cold... It was rainy... It was windy... There was even lightning, thunder, sun, and everything in between! It definitely was fun! My daughter and I noticed that all of the women at each yacht club who were sailing were a mess. They had no make up on and looked unfinished. Don’t get me wrong; yes, we were roughing it, but we still wanted to look our best. As women, we wear two accessories all the time – our hair and our face.  Roughing it doesn’t mean looking like you just rolled out of bed. 

Typically, our idea of a good blow out is ten roller brushes and a hair dryer. However, on this trip, a good blow out was having the warm wind blow through our thick locks of hair. Typically, our idea of makeup is blush, sexy, smokey eyes and some lip-gloss. However, on this trip, I still was able to achieve that look with some mascara and some lip-gloss! My eyeliner, eyebrows and lips are enhanced by permanent makeup, and the only thing I had to worry about in the morning was sunscreen and some chap-stick. I enjoyed putting a splash of bronzer on my cheeks for our dinner on shore each night. At the time, my daughter did not have any permanent makeup. She would have to wait until we docked to try to put eyeliner on so she would not wind up with black pencil all over her face from the rough ocean waves. I love what I do! I love that I can help people look great and feel great without having to deal with five pounds of makeup in their suitcase. I can rough it and still look fierce!   

We had our picture on a billboard in Times Square! So Exciting!

In Central Park

In Marblehead, MA - one of our favorite places.

Our group!
L to R
Captain Joe, First Mate Jack, Me, Krysten

All of our luggage - that didn't even fit through our cabin door!

The Pageant of the Masters

It is hard to put into words exactly what this event is... It is simply beautiful. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Festival of the Arts in Laguna Beach. My family and I have gone every year since Krysten was a baby, and it gets better and better every time. 

It is so hard to explain this fabulous show, and I don't want to ruin it for anyone. I can tell you that you won't be sorry if you attend this show. Sitting in an outdoor theatre in comfortable seats, under a beautiful starry sky, and with a live orchestra to accompany the show just makes the night perfect. 

I recommend getting tickets as soon as you can, as tickets sell out quickly. We typically get tickets almost a year in advance to ensure great seats! Don't wait! See if there are still tickets available. This year's fabulous show ends August 31st! 

Check out this video about the Pageant! 

Our group this year for The Pageant of the Masters!
(L to R) My childhood friend Annie, Cousin George, Carla (his wife),
lifetime friend Linda, My son-in-law Jeff, my daughter Krysten,
my dear friend Kathy and yours truly!

Little White Dress

Can you believe we are half way through August? For the past few months I have been counting down until my cruise to Alaska! I have never been before, and I really want to see it before it melts. When I travel I like to pack little by little over a long period of time and put things in my suitcase as I think of them. As I was looking through my closet for things to bring for my cruise I came across this white linen dress I bought years ago, and I started to laugh. You will too when you learn why I was laughing. I thought of the time I bought this dress. My sister and I took my daughter to this Swap Meet in Southern California to get some exercise and sunshine. We found this clothing tent that had beautiful white linen pants, tops, dresses, blouses - you name it! I saw some fabulous clothes that I wanted to try on, but before I could grab a dressing room the owner yelled at me in a thick accent saying, "HEY YOU! You cannot try those clothes on! You have lots of make up on that could ruin it!" I simply laughed and told him that I did not have any makeup on. I smiled and proceeded into the dressing room. He them came towards me and continued to raise his voice. He was so upset that he said he would call security. I told him nicely that I didn't have any make up on and that I could prove it. I then watched him nearly faint as I began wiping the white linen all over my face! I rubbed it on my lips & eyes. I laughed! He about had a heart attack. When I showed him that the white clothing was still white he was confused and began inspecting it to make sure I wasn’t hiding anything. My sister and I told him about my profession - cosmetic tattooing and permanent makeup. He smiled. Needless to say he let us try on anything and everything at his tent. His wife is now one of my clients, and I still love my little white linen dress.

Favorite's Fridays: Blemish Remedy

Many magazines, blogs and articles have recommended tooth paste as a great blemish eraser. Using toothpaste is a common remedy, but I know of an even better one: CVS Tooth Whitener. CVS Pharmacy sells this tooth whitener in a bottle that resembles a bottle of whiteout. I haven't had to use this "favorite" much, due to the fact that my face does not break out very often. However, this is a great thing to have in your medicine cabinet to use when needed. 

After your face is completely washed, clean, and clear of any makeup, simply dabble the tooth whitener directly onto the desired spot and let it dry (it can take awhile to dry). I find it best to use before bed or while at home for awhile. It can sting depending on the state of your blemish. It can also turn white (temporarily). Also, if you look closely in the mirror, you can see it bubbling and killing bacteria. 

I can't promise that it will just vanish by morning, but it speeds up the process of healing by cleaning out the bacteria. It also depends on the state of your blemish. 

Colgate used to make this product, but I haven't been able to find their version of it anymore. The only place I am able to find it is at CVS Pharmacy for under $10! 

Cleopatra - Ancient Beauty

Last week I spent a day at the California Science Center where we visited the Cleopatra exhibit. The exhibit is the largest collection of Cleopatra era artifacts ever assembled in the U.S. It was fascinating, to say the least. I could have spent another few hours inside the exhibit if I had more time. There were so many interesting artifacts, lots of history and incredible displays. The amount of artifacts on display was above and beyond what I expected. 

Athena (BRONZE)

I don't know which part of the exhibit I enjoyed the most. I saw small statuettes, large statues, coins, jewelry, and everyday items. I also saw a tiny figure of The Goddess Athena made out of Bronze... I loved that! The history of Cleopatra is amazing. She became the queen of Egypt at only 17 years old in 51 B.C. After almost two decades in power, she took her own life. There is so much mystery of exactly how/why she killed herself. I have always been fascinated by Ancient Egypt and have visited Egypt twice. After seeing this exhibit and learning more history about Egypt and Cleopatra, I definitely would go back in a heartbeat. It's so fascinating! 

I have seen some interesting articles and documentaries that mention Cleopatra and permanent makeup... of course that would catch my attention! It is believed that Cleopatra had permanent makeup. Oddly enough, many people do not know of cosmetic tattooing or permanent makeup and its fabulous benefits. It is an art that is has been around for thousands of years. In the times of Cleopatra, permanent makeup was done quite differently. Extremely sharp objects were used to deposit pigments underneath the skin and there was no real anesthesia. I'm sure Cleopatra would have been happier and a bit more comfortable in my chair. Today, permanent makeup is done in less time and with less pain, with better tools and more precision. 

Gorgeous Jewelry 

at the exhibit. 

(necklace, bracelet

& earrings) 

Shark Week - Jaws

In honor of Shark Week (insert famous Jaws theme song here) I thought I would do a blog about Universal Studios. "Why" you might ask? Because my family and I enjoy the Studio Tour Tram ride which features JAWS. Jaws has been "scaring" us on the tram for years and years. We have been going to Universal Studios since my daughter was a baby. We would take her for the afternoon to ride the tram, watch a few shows and head home. To this day, we have thoroughly enjoyed spending our afternoons at the park. This past week, we went twice for a few hours, rode the tram and the brand new Transformers Ride, had a nice dinner at City Walk and ventured home. (Check out LUSH at City Walk - they have amazing Bath Bombs, facial scrubs & lotion!) 

I remember when the movie JAWS came out (though I was just a little girl, lol). I was terrified of the water after that movie. I really didn't even want to take a bath.  Growing up in San Francisco, swimming at the beach wasn't a huge pastime. The waters were chilly and the weather was cloudy, but I did love going to the beach. I was always traveling to Mexico or Southern California where heading to the beach was apart of daily life! I must have steered clear of the beach for awhile after seeing the movie, because being eaten by JAWS was something I didn't want any part of. 

Here are some interesting shark facts:

- You are 1,000 times more likely to drown in the sea than you are to be bitten by a shark.

- Sharks can smell one drop of blood in a million drops of water.

- A shark can hear a fish in the water from more than a mile away.

Read more about sharks HERE. 

Favorites Fridays: FIT FLOPS

On Monday, my family and I went to the Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Beach, which has been a family tradition for the last 24+ years. We had such a great day as we always do roaming the streets of Laguna Beach: shopping, eating... and more shopping. We were about to head to our traditional dinner on the beach at Hotel Laguna when we stopped in a little boutique that had some cute shoes. If you know me at all you would know that I love fabulous shoes! I love fabulous, fun, sexy, sporty shoes in all colors and all styles. I typically go for comfort because I am always working... but that doesn't mean style can't be apart of the equation. I have passed on the love of shoes to my daughter, and we both found a love for some fabulous sandals called FIT FLOPS. These flip flops cost a bit more than the average shoes, but the health of our feet is worth the price. My daughter was quick to wear her pair out of the store and wore them for the rest of the evening and raved about how good they felt. I wore my shoes in the office all day on Tuesday and Wednesday, and I was so comfortable. I highly recommend these shoes to anyone and everyone who wants a comfortable sandal, is on their feet all day, and to those who love a blinged out summer shoe! WE BOTH LOVE OUR FITFLOPS!

Pumpkin Protein Pancakes - DELISH!

Last night my daughter, Krysten, made the most heavenly dessert. She found a recipe on Pinterest, and it is a good one! She doesn't like pumpkin, pumpkin pie or anything like that, but she loves these pancakes - and I do too! You can eat them for breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert - YUM! The recipe is from a website called THE DASHING DISH. When Krysten makes them she throws all of the ingredients into her Vitamix and then pours the batter into the hot skillet. She prefers to omit the sugar and use more cinnamon than pumpkin spice. 

Here is the recipe (taken from THE DASHING DISH) 

1 scoop - Vanilla Whey Protein Powder (365 Whole Foods Brand)
1/2 cup - Pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 TSP - cinnamon (or 1/4 TSP cinnamon & 1/4 TSP pumpkin spice)
1/2 TSP - baking powder 
2 - Egg Whites
1/2 cup - Oats (She uses the Coaches Oats from Costco)
1/2 cup + 2 TBS - water

Blend all ingredients in your Vitamix until it is smooth! Turn your skillet on, spray with baking/cooking spray and flip pancakes when edges look cooked! Top them with 100% Maple Syrup and ENJOY!  

(Again, this recipe as well as photo credit was taken from TheDashingDish.com)

Weird Beauty Facts

So I found this article about Weird Beauty Facts and I just had to share this with you. I posted my four favorites out of the list of ten... here they are! To read the rest, CLICK HERE to be directed to the article found on Cosmopolitan.com. 

1. The term for a makeup artist in Egyptian hieroglyphic is derived from the root "sesh," which means, "to write, to engrave." Makeup application was taken pretty seriously back then: the same accuracy was needed to paint lips as to write out a text. (FYI: By "text" we mean etching symbols into a rock, not typing out a message on your iPhone.)

6. In Renaissance Italy women created the ultimate red lip and cheek stain by mixing cochineal, sandalwood or cinnabar with wax or grease. The application process was complex, but the red color lasted for over a week, even if she washed her face every day.

7. Despite being called the "Golden Age of Spain," having a tan was a serious beauty faux pas back then. In an effort to maintain a porcelain complexion, young women would eat clay, even though it often caused anemia or chlorosis. In the late 18th century, members of The French Court such as Marie Antoinette also obsessed over having flawless alabaster skin. They faked it with thick layers of white powder (made out of everything from white lead and talc to pulverized bone) combined with wax, whale blubber, or vegetable oil to give the face makeup a greasy consistency that adhered to the skin.

8. Lipstick was considered an essential item for female nurses in the armed forces during the Second World War, both to remind women that they were ladies first and military second, and because it might have a calming effect on the male soldiers. (Although most experts now say that guys get really turned on when a girl wears red lipstick.)

(CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE)

Favorites Fridays: Make Up For Ever Aqua Waterproof Makeup

Aqua Cream

My favorite this week is a whole line from Make Up For Ever. A few weeks ago, my team and I attended a Make Up For Ever Professional Event in San Francisco and learned of some fabulous new make up products (To read about the event, click here). There are some great products that stood out to us at the event. The makeup was very high quality and geared for all ages. The fun part was being able to test and play with everything all weekend! You can imagine the level of heaven that my daughter and I were in for three days... surrounded by tons and tons of makeup.

What really caught our attention was their fabulous line of waterproof makeup. Make Up For Ever has a wonderful collection of AQUA products: gel eyeliner, cream shadows, eyeshadow pencils, lip liners, brows, lip glosses, and more. They test their waterproof products to be able to stay for 48 hours under continuous running water... that makeup's not going anywhere! 

My daughter took a very strong liking to their Aqua lip glosses. She doesn't normally wear lipsticks or glosses all day long. She applies it in the morning and then doesn't bother reapplying it the rest of the day. Before the first session started, she lathered her luscious lips with their Aqua lip color, followed by 'step 2' their special gloss and it lasted the whole day. She ate an apple, drank through a straw (the straw stayed clean by the way) and had lunch... and her lips were still shiny and full of color!  (This product doesn't launch in stores until September.)

We both enjoy enhancing our tattooed eyeliner, and we have found our new favorite gel eyeliner! Aqua Black is similar to THIS PAST FAVORITE, but better because it is waterproof. It doesn't leave a crease mark on your upper eyelid and is very easy to apply. We have both been applying it with an angled eye makeup brush. It is fabulous!

The Aqua Shadow pencils were a hit as well. They are thicker than an everyday pencil and are easy to work with. You simply draw them onto your eyelids, and then work the color onto your eyelids with a makeup brush. With their Aqua products, you typically have about forty seconds to work with it before it sets. Remember, it is waterproof. In most of the sessions, the makeup artists used the Aqua Shadows and they looked flawless. 

When we were playing with the Aqua products, we would both test them out on the back of our hands to see the color and texture. After our hands were completely covered up, we would have to use their makeup remover to remove it, with lots of pressure! I tried a baby wipe and it would not come off... that shows you how water proof it is. The second day of the conference, I noticed I had missed a lighter colored eyeliner pencil that I had marked on my hand - It had survived my bubble bath the night before. Pretty amazing! 

This week's Favorites Fridays post is a bit different. If I had broken it down and did one blog post per Aqua product, the next 10 weeks would all be Make Up For Ever products. I thought I would expose you to all of their waterproof goodies to you this week. Enjoy!



UPDATE (June 2014) - Here is another Favorites Fridays blog that features another fabulous Make Up For Ever beauty product: Face & Body Liquid Foundation! You will LOVE it!

Make Up For Ever Pro Event

A month ago, I received an email from Mariel, the Director of the Events for Make Up For Ever, regarding their Professionals Event in San Francisco and wasn't sure if I should take three days off or not. My daughter insisted that we go, and I am so glad that I finally agreed! There were about 100 people there (give or take a few) and nine fabulous sessions from six incredibly talented presenters. Six of the nine sessions were makeup tutorials ranging from bridal to runway to catalog to commercial to simply contouring your makeup. Though I am in a different industry, I learned some great tips on applying my own personal makeup, as well as some great tips on branding and having a stronger career. 

Krysten and I had a lot of fun being surrounded by tons and tons of makeup. We played with different types of waterproof products that we found beyond fabulous. Krysten doesn't normally wear anything on her lips throughout the day because she forgets to reapply her gloss or lipstick, but she had so much fun with the Brand New Make Up For Ever Aqua Lipstick/gloss. She literally applied it once in the morning, and her lips still had the same color in the evening (after eating lunch and dinner, and sipping water through a straw all day)... it was amazing! I loved the Aqua Eye Shadows and Aqua Brows, and was very impressed with how they looked and how long they last. Jeff was probably the only non-makeup enthusiast there, but learned a lot at the business sessions, and a little more about the process of what Krysten and I deal with in the mornings when we do our makeup! We met some great people at this event and can't wait to attend next year.