3.17.2016

Favorites Fridays: Nano Tech Reusable Face Washcloth

It’s no secret that everyone is on the lookout for new ways to look and feel younger. If you are like my daughter, then no matter what time you get home, you will stay up to wash your face and use everything in your normal routine - no matter what time it is! If you are like the rest of the population, you will wash your face every day, but if you get home really late you might grab a baby wipe or makeup remover wipe to take off as much makeup as you can before crawling into bed and crashing. 

Until finding this amazing Nano Tech Reusable Face Washcloth, if it’s late, my nightly washing off the makeup routine consisted of crawling into bed, grabbing some makeup remover cotton rounds and taking off my makeup in bed. After a long day, the last thing I’d like to do is stand at the sink for longer than the time it takes to brush my teeth. 

This amazing washcloth minimizes pores and maximizes cleansing without using chemicals. You can literally just use water to take off your whole face! It also will exfoliate and renew your skin every time you use it - just like a facial! I love using this washcloth because it eliminates my time at the sink each night, and I don’t have to worry if my little cotton rounds will do a good job. 

This isn’t your ordinary wash cloth, it’s so much more! I highly recommend that you check it out. It makes a wonderful gift for your mom, sister, cousin or bestie, too!

You can learn more about the amazing and original Nano Tech Reusable Face Washcloth, also known as The World's Best Anti Aging Wash Cloth, by CLICKING HERE.


As seen on:
The Today Show
Daytime Emmy Awards
How To Be A Redhead




Athena offers Complimentary Consultations. To learn more about Athena's work,
see before and after photos and read testimonials from both clients and doctors,
please visit her website FoolingMotherNature.com


1.21.2016

The NATURAL - No Makeup Look

Makeup trends come and go. It seems as if heavy eye makeup goes in and out of style, just as bright lips, nude lips, heavy highlight, etc. do the same thing. Yes there is a time and a place for all kinds of makeup, don't misunderstand what I am saying. One thing that remains is looking natural. No matter your age, your occupation or hobbies, it's safe to say that the “ natural, no makeup look" is pretty much always in. It can make you look younger, that's for sure, but did you ever notice how many products you need to accomplish that “natural, no makeup look?" You sure can't count the number of products needed with one hand!

You need a primer, concealer, redness corrector/spot corrector, foundation, setting powder, highlighter, mascara primer, mascara, lip primer, natural lip color, and probably a few other things that I forgot about.



After you have all your makeup out, you then have to add in all the different makeup tools and brushes to really make the “natural, no makeup look" work for you.

I love makeup. I have always loved it, and I always will. I think it's amazing what you can do with makeup, as well. It is a very powerful tool, and it can make or break a look, an outfit, an event, catalog, runway etc. It can be distracting, but it can also be mesmerizing.

I think one of the most time consuming aspects of perfecting a makeup look - any look, really - is the eyebrows. If done the wrong way, eyebrows can make you look mad at the world or extremely surprised.

I have many clients who struggle more with the application of (conventional) eyeliner. It can be tedious if your hand isn't steady or if you haven't had a lot of practice. They are thrilled when they learn that they can actually tattoo their eyeliner on so they don't have to fuss with it anymore.


When you have your eyebrows tattooed, you don't have to fuss with the 7 things needed to perfect an eyebrow.

When your lips are tattooed, you are able to enjoy the natural rosy blush of color of your lips all the time and not just for the 20 minutes after you apply a lipstick.

Consider this - let's say you don't have the time to really do your makeup the way you would like to each morning. Let's then say that you decide to have your eyebrows, eyeliner, and lips done and all of a sudden you can focus that teeny bit of time you have in the morning to even out your skin tone, add a blush of color to your cheeks and pop some mascara on and be out the door quicker than you've ever been ready before in your life.

Let me take a step back and say that I love makeup, and I love it's many possibilities. If I didn't love makeup so much, I wouldn't be in the beauty industry. I love that with permanent makeup you have options. You can still enjoy all of your makeup and change up your look on top of your tattooed eyeliner, brows and lips. Think of permanent makeup like a head start each and every morning. I promise you will love the many possibilities.


Athena offers Complimentary Consultations. To learn more about Athena's work,
see before and after photos and read testimonials from both clients and doctors,
please visit her website FoolingMotherNature.com

12.02.2015

Confession Session: I'm Allergic To...

I haven’t told too many people this, but I recently found out that I am allergic to eggs, almonds, dairy & a few other items like mushrooms and oats. My daughter and I have been going to a naturalist doctor in Orange County for a few months now, and she has helped us a lot in such a short time. 

I have always had allergies and an inhaler for as long as I can remember. Over the last few years, I get a terrible pain in my thumb and joints - especially after a long day at the office or when it’s freezing out side. I had also been suffering from tightness in my throat, difficulty swallowing, bad breath, belching all the time, bloating after most meals, weight gain and waking up in the middle of the night with difficulty of breath. 

When I learned the results of my food allergy test in October, I was pretty bummed about the fact that I am allergic to almonds. I also had just eaten a handful pretty much as I was reading my allergy report. The eggs part didn’t really bother me at first, but after really thinking about how many things we eat on a daily basis have egg in them, I got frustrated. The dairy was also a bit of a bummer because I use milk in my coffee and enjoy fancy cheeses.

Then it all hit me while I was in Greece: What can I eat for breakfast? I can’t eat eggs, and oatmeal is out of the questions because oats was a minor food allergy. That basically leaves fruit which has a lot of sugar… even though it is a natural sugar. I ate some meat for breakfast as well, but all I wanted for breakfast was eggs! 

My best friend, Annie, joined me in Greece for a few days and she loves ice cream. We found an ice cream place near our hotel in Santorini, and the guy assured me that my ice cream had no dairy or eggs in it. I tasted it and it tasted way too good to be egg and dairy free! It was pure egg yolks and dairy of course. So, at times, it has been rough, BUT there is good news in all of this…

Since I have learned of my food allergies and have avoided those foods almost 100% (okay minus a taste every so often), I have seen a change in my inhaler behavior. I don’t have to use it as much! I also have been sleeping much better and haven’t had the joint pain.

Conveniently, my daughter eats dairy free (minus sheep and goat cheeses) and cooks many egg free & vegan dishes at home. While we all eat meat, we don’t consume dairy, so it’s been fairly easy when I am in Orange County and she can cook for me. 

Back in February, Krysten finally launched Krysten’s Kitchen after a few years of encouragement from friends and family. She does a lot of trial and error to make many meals She makes the most delicious dinners and foods at home that I can eat: 

stuffed chicken thighs (I have to go easy on the feta, though but doc said a little goat feta is okay here and there)
chia seed pudding - one of my favorites, tastes like tapioca 
crunch bars - YES!

The best part about all of this, her recipes are all dairy free, almond and egg free! I love these brownies and a pizza crust mix that she makes from Namaste Foods. This company has many different food products that are all allergy friendly - so, no eggs, nuts, dairy, soy, tree nut, shellfish, corn etc in any of their stuff. It makes it easier on me, too.  I also love this tasty vegan pesto from Basiltops. You would never know it didn't have cheese in it and it's wonderful on the pizza. 

In all of this, I am grateful that I do know what I am allergic to, although it kind of stinks a bit when I’m out at events or holiday parties. However, I feel so much better when I avoid almonds, eggs and dairy. I have heard so many people say “I could never give that up.” If you have a key to feeling much better each day and choose to push it aside, that makes no sense to me. 

If you would have told me that I needed to avoid dairy, almonds and eggs, I might have thought that it wouldn’t do anything because I don’t get a physical reaction or rash on my skin. However, following my doctor’s orders and giving it a try was the best thing I could have done because I feel so much better. Plus, there are so many alternatives out there nowadays and my daughter has made some of the most delicious recipes that are free of the stuff I cannot eat anymore. 

Life is an adventure. Eliminating a food or two isn’t the end of the world. And for me, after eliminating these foods, all of those terrible things I had been dealing with have either disappeared or severely minimized! 





Athena offers Complimentary Consultations. To learn more about Athena's work,
see before and after photos and read testimonials from both clients and doctors,
please visit her website FoolingMotherNature.com

11.20.2015

Favorites Friday: Bronze Goddess

You know, with all the makeup I have and with all of the makeup I've tried, there really hasn't ever been a bronzer that was made for me. Bronzers are either too yellow or way to red on me. Estee Lauder got it right this time! Their Bronze Goddess (in 02 medium) is just so perfect on so many skin tones. My daughter and I both wear it and we have completely different skin tones & undertones.

I really enjoy the gifts that come along with a purchase from Nordstrom or Macys when I buy my favorite concealer (also from Estee Lauder) because without those little gifts, I would have never tried this awesome bronzer. I have tried so many bronzers in my day- from different companies, in different shades and they are either too orangy or even too glittery! Finally something that is a wonderful shade, without too much glitter or orange! 

With just one sweep, this smooth, oil-free powder gives the face, shoulders, and décolletage a seductive bronzed look. The formula contains a unique oil-control complex that keeps skin shine-free and comfortable while imparting the perfect golden glow.

Estee Lauder's Bronze Goddess in 02 medium is a great purchase from Sephora or any Estee Lauder makeup counter. It really looks great on everyone, I truly believe. It is a great stocking stuffer for your girlfriends, your mother, aunt or even yourself. Enjoy!

Also, in case you think this bronzer might be too dark for you, they also have a few other shades in Bronze Goddess. If you aren't sure about which is right for you, ask someone at the counter to help you. It doesn't hurt to get a second opinion. 

Just remember when applying bronzer - less is more!

______

Athena Karsant was honored with Best of San Francisco & Best of Beverly Hills for 2013!
Athena also offers Complimentary Consultations. To learn more about Athena's work,
see before and after photos and read testimonials from both clients and doctors,
please visit her website FoolingMotherNature.com



11.13.2015

Favorites Fridays: Queen Bee Scrub

I haven’t posted a favorite product in awhile I just only want to bring you the good stuff and not post about any beauty products just because I want to post another blog. Nothing has really jumped out at me lately in the last few months... until now. 

About a month ago, our favorite coffee scrub company, Boss Babe Body, finally released their latest and greatest scrub. I have written about their amazing coffee scrub before and its amazing benefits. So many men and women all over the world are saying GOODBYE to stretch marks, psoriasis, eczema, dry skin and more with Boss Babe Coffee Scrub! 

QUEEN BEE is the newest addition to the Boss Babe Body line of fabulous scrubs. It's incredibly rich, moisturizing and made with the best of the best organic and pure ingredients fit for royalty. Once you open the bag, the wonderful aroma will pull you in so fast. When we got our first bag of the Queen Bee scrub, Krysten (my daughter) and I opened the bag and the smell that took over was amazing.

This scrub is unlike the others in that it doesn’t have coffee in it, but it’s even more moisturizing than the other scrubs. It also doesn’t make any mess! I love the other scrubs, but they do make a big mess in the shower. The QUEEN BEE scrub is mess free and will make your skin feel incredible this winter!

I will tell you this, this is a MUST HAVE PRODUCT this Holiday season. Boss Babe Body was featured in the celebrity gift bags for The 87th Academy Awards & Sundance Film Festival. It was also featured in the June 2015 issue of British Vogue as one of “Vogue's Summer Beauty Obsessions.” 

This is the holiday product that your friends and family will absolutely fall in love with... it’s that luxurious. 

If you have tried their other coffee scrubs, you know that they are jam-packed with amazing ingredients and wonderful benefits... you also know they are messy in the shower. QUEEN BEE is not messy at all! 

Boss Babe Body is 100% Organic 

Boss Babe Body is for EVERYONE (just like permanent makeup / cosmetic tattooing)!

For more information, please visit BossBabeBody.com
Like Boss Babe Body on Facebook!
Follow Boss Babe Body on Instagram!
Post your photos using #bossbabebody

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Athena Karsant was honored with Best of San Francisco & Best of Beverly Hills for 2013!
Athena also offers Complimentary Consultations. To learn more about Athena's work,
see before and after photos and read testimonials from both clients and doctors,
please visit her website FoolingMotherNature.com


9.30.2015

The Way I Work… & It Does Work!

As you may know, I work differently than almost every other permanent makeup artist in the industry. I have been a cosmetic and corrective tattoo artist for over 25 years now and the system that I have designed for my clients has worked thus far, so why change it... right?

I don’t say that to be harsh or crass. I legitimately believe in what I do wholeheartedly, and I have such a passion for my work and what I do that it truly is every ounce of my being. With that said, I wanted to give some more detail to you about how I work. 

When a client seeks my artistry, a complimentary consult is always recommended to discuss your wants and needs for any procedure. It entails a thorough and comprehensive and informative one-on-one time where I am able to answer any questions that the client might have, as well as go over the entire procedure in depth. If you are requesting permanent makeup, such as eyebrows, eyeliner and lips, a part of the consultation with be focused on penciling in the procedure to get the right shape and an idea of the perfect color. 

Because every individual client is different (i.e. the shape of their face, the color of their skin, their undertones, lifestyle, etc.), each procedure is completely customized per individual. No two eyebrows, eyeliner or lips will be the same because no two people are the same. 

The number one question that I get asked over the phone is price. I never discuss price over the phone because I truly have to see you in person to be able to give you the best price. You may not need as much work as you think you will need. On the contrary, you may in fact might need more work than you think - which could be because it’s corrective work. If you don’t understand color theory or the ins-and-outs of this type of artistry, it isn’t always as simple as “can’t you just put a little bit of color there?”

The way my fee works is very simple and quite beneficial to each client: I charge one flat fee for the entire year. This fee is paid up front and includes all of your aftercare and touchup appointments. I want to see you as the seasons change so that we can get the best color for you, shape and design to last many years to come. I want you to be a huge part of the process, we will work together to make sure that you are happy with your procedure. 

For some, the initial fee is a bit high, but let me do my best to explain that to you. If you had to pay for every appointment until perfection, there is a chance you might not always want to schedule because you wouldn’t want it to hurt your wallet. Because I strive for perfection with every single procedure that I perform, I want you to want to come in, even if it is for a minor touch up… you might simply need a few hair strokes in your eyebrow. Also, most technicians charge you a price that includes one touchup. I strongly believe that perfection cannot be achieved in just two visits. After your first appointment, there is a strong chance that the pigment will fade up to 50% - and that is completely normal. Each subsequent visit I take a look at how your procedure looks and layer additional pigment to create the perfect shape and color. After each visit, they may be fading. However, there will also be an improvement after each visit until we achieve the perfect results. I believe that it is almost always impossible for a technician to achieve perfection in only 2 visits, especially if the client has not been taught how to properly maintain and take care of their new eyebrows, eyeliner or lips.

When you book an appointment for a procedure with me, I give you my all. I want perfection, and I want your procedure to last for many years. I want to work with you all year long so that I can properly teach you how to take care of your procedure. I want you to be happy with my artistry, but I want to be happy too! That is why I only want the absolute best work on each client. You are a walking canvas of my artistry, therefore, precision and excellence is what I can assure you when you walk out of my door and into the world. 

After 25 years of helping numerous clients with their permanent makeup and sparse eyebrow needs, as well as scar camouflage, areola repigmentation and more, I know that making you commit to the process works smoothly and allows you to feel confident that we will achieve perfection together. I also am beyond blessed that I am able to get to know you over the entire year, learn about you, your family and so much more. I have gone through so many celebrations with my clients: weddings, births, promotions, moves, travels, etc. and, unfortunately, many sad times as well: deaths, divorces, accidents, etc. But one thing remains: my love and devotion to each client that walks in my door and puts their cute little behind in one of my chairs. 

We can do this together, and together we can reach perfection! 


Schedule a complimentary consultation at any our conveniently located offices: 

8.11.2015

Permanent Makeup On The Rise

Permanent makeup is on the rise… but there are still so many people who don’t know it’s an option to fix their eyebrow troubles. Quite often, I meet people who are shocked at what I do because they have never heard of it! It’s really exciting to know that you really can fix your sparse “barely-there" eyebrows without being a slave to your eyebrow pencils each day! 

It really does take a blend of science and art to perform a permanent makeup procedure. While anyone can go take a class or learn how to do what I do on YouTube (yes… that should scare you into really doing your research!), it takes more than just picking any eyebrow color and “drawing” them on your client's face. 

I recently had a client who came to see me for corrective work. She shared with me her experience at the technician who originally performed her procedure. When it was time to begin the procedure the technician asked her to choose the color that she wanted for her eyebrows. That’s something that you do at a nail salon, not when you are receiving permanent makeup! A good permanent makeup technician will understand color theory and how your undertones will change the color of the pigment that is deposited into your skin. If you go somewhere for permanent makeup and they want you to choose your own color… run out of that door as fast as you can! Remember, permanent makeup is a tattoo… which is permanent! I would much rather you receive a procedure the right way the first time than have to correct it later. 


As a cosmetic and corrective tattoo specialist, I continue to expand my education because I believe that one should never stop learning. I have been in this industry for over 20 years now and have done extensive training on color theory and techniques so that I can completely customize every single procedure for each and every client. There are no two people in this world with the same exact natural eyebrows, and therefore I will not tattoo the same eyebrows on the different people. 

Everyone is different in more ways than one. We all have different personalities, lifestyles, facial expressions and taste in beauty and fashion. It’s important that when choosing a permanent makeup artist you research and recognize what to look for. 

1. He/She should have no less than 5 years of working experience.
2. He/She should have a professional workspace.
3. He/She should have real client testimonials. 
4. He/She should be a member of the SPCP (or a similar organization) & be certified by the state.
5. He/She should have referral letters from physicians and doctors.
6. He/She should have proof of Blood Bourne Pathogens training.
7. He/She should have a strong portfolio of real clients and real work.
8. He/She should be able to answer any questions that you might have.
9. He/She should have certifications and credentials handy in the office.
10. YOU should feel comfortable with your permanent makeup artist.



Schedule a complimentary consultation at any our conveniently located offices: