Fooling Mother Nature

5.13.2016

The Latest Beauty Trend

The latest beauty trend can't be found at any cosmetic counter. Semi-permanent makeup has so far crept under the radar, but it's continuing to make a huge mark in the beauty industry. Athena Karsant, internationally renowned paramedical and cosmetic tattoologist, dishes about this growing movement.

"Clients, both men and women, are looking for a natural enhancement that doesn't leave them looking tattooed," Athena says. Semi-permanent makeup is the process of tattooing natural pigments just below the top layer of skin. Artist's like Athena can enhance brows, lips, and eyeliner with her special technique and artistry . The process takes roughly two hours and simply needs a touch up from time to time to maintain their beauty. "It's great for clients who want to work-out during lunch but don't want the extra hassle of having to reapply their makeup. Brides can cry without fear of messy eyeliner streaks. It's subtle enough for men, yet makes enough of an impact to allow women to skip their daily makeup routine."

People are not just flocking to Athena for permanent makeup, Athena also uses some of the same techniques to treat scars and burns and is able to mask scars without surgery. "I have had clients who were victims of trauma fly in from Paris to have burns covered. The results were stunning and their confidence was restored."

Typical treatments range in price and all include touch ups for a year. Athena recommends shopping around, looking at the artists portfolio before making a commitment and says you should never be afraid of asking questions. "It's an art, you don't want to end up with thick arches that don't compliment your face or lip liner that doesn't look naturally beautiful. Always look for quality over price. It's your face - aim for the best!"

Cosmetic Tattooing - Brows

How to Pick A Cosmetic & Corrective Tattooist

How To Pick A Permanent Makeup Artist!

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

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4.18.2016

Black Out Tattoos

It was brought to my attention that people are covering large percentages of their body in

solid black ink tattoos. While we are all entitled to our own opinions and preferences,

The Doctors bring up a good point as to why this could be dangerous.

It is always good to THINK BEFORE YOU INK, no matter what you decide to do: body art or permanent makeup. I have said this to my clients since the beginning of time: DO YOUR RESEARCH! If you are deciding to get a body art tattoo, please consider your design, the text, font and placement. Do not let anyone tattoo you or pressure you into getting tattooed until you are 100% sure of every aspect. Once you are sure about everything and every aspect of your tattoo, then make sure you have researched your tattoo artist and tattoo shop to make sure they are certified and take proper safety precautions. Only then should you get your tattoo. Tattoos should make you happy, and you should be happy with that you ink on your body.

That goes the same with permanent makeup. Once you are sure you would like permanent makeup (or scar camouflage), set up a consultation. My consultations are complimentary because I want YOU to be able to get the right kind of information that you need to make an educated decision to move forward. Before you let anyone start tattooing ON YOUR FACE, research the permanent makeup artist, check before and after photos, client testimonials and doctor endorsements. Only then, when you feel comfortable with the permanent makeup artist should you allow them to begin and tattoo your eyebrows, eyeliner, lips or scar camouflage.

When I was young and debating on getting body ink from the famous tattoo artist, Lyle Tuttle, there were some bikers from HELLS ANGELS getting inked, and there was a problem... here's the story.

Here are my TOP TEN TIPS for finding a permanent makeup artist that can also be applied to finding a body art tattoo artist.

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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

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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.

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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:

soups

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

chocolate pudding

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!

To learn more about Krysten's Kitchen, please CLICK HERE!

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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!

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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

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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)!