– A New York City Health and Beauty Blog

Complimenting Your Skin Tone with Makeup

September 21, 2016

Women of all skin tones deserve flawless makeup. But finding the right shades for you can be difficult, and too often women are left with streaky concealer, nudes that don’t match their skin and mismatched face and body coloration. Perfect products exist for basically every skin tone if you do enough research. Here are a few ways to find makeup for your skin tone.

Find Your Undertones
Before you start looking at makeup, figure out what kind of undertone your skin has: cool (pink or blue), warm (yellow or golden) and neutral (a combination). If you’re not sure which tone you have, there are a few methods for figuring this out, like checking the color of your veins in your wrist. A cool-toned person will have blue or purple veins, while a warm-toned person will have green veins and a neutral person will have blue-green. Another method is to think of how your skin reacts to the sun. If you tan easily, you are likely warm toned, if you burn easily, you are likely cool toned, and if you aren’t sure, you’re likely neutral. Most makeup companies will divide their foundations and concealers by cool and warm tones, so completing this step will help to narrow down your choices when you start shopping.

Quality Products
The quality of your makeup is of utmost importance. Even if you find a perfect match to your skin tone, makeup that settles in your pores or melts throughout the day is not flattering at all. Do some research before you make a purchase, and learn from the pros. For example, the professional makeup artists at New York Fashion Week use the best in the industry, like the Artistry collections from Amway, so the models are runway ready. Find the brands that the professionals turn to from reading blogs, watching YouTube videos and following their social media accounts. They may be a bit more expensive than a drugstore product, but when seeking out flawless skin, the investment is worthwhile.

Application Tools
You’ve found your perfect shade and bought a high-quality product, now it’s time to put it on. It may seem like common sense to use the tool that is included with your foundation to put it on, or even just your fingers. But this can lead to streakiness and uneven coverage. Makeup sponges like the beautyblender have been gaining popularity in recent years. Since they have no edges they create a seamless look, and are simple to use. There are also many foundation brushes that work well to blend out makeup. Read reviews on sites like Sephora, Ulta and Amazon to find one that will work for you.

Complimentary Tones
Once you have a great base in place, move forward to the rest of your makeup: eyes, cheeks and lips. As with finding foundation, it’s good to keep in mind what your skin’s undertone is, as different colors compliment undertones differently. For example, a cooler pink blush might fit in perfectly with warm skin. Women with darker skin tones can also experiment with more dark and bright shades than those with pale skin.

Perfect makeup is achievable. While you may have had trouble finding the perfect match and coverage for your skin in the past, following these tips will help you achieve an effortless and smooth look.

Former President and Cosmetic Surgery Patient?

August 17, 2016

Former president Bill Clinton generated a stir with his speech at the Democratic National Convention —and it had nothing to do with politics. Observers watching the one-time leader of the free world on television commented that Clinton seems to have had some type of cosmetic procedures done, although they disagreed about the exact nature of the treatments.

Facelift? Probably not. Blepharoplasty? Yeah, it looked like the upper and lower eyelids had work done. Laser skin resurfacing, fillers, and BOTOX® have all been mentioned online as possibilities by aesthetic specialists.

“Clinton, 69, looked leaner, younger and more refreshed than ever,” the Hollywood Reporter weighed in, “as if he had experienced a Benjamin Button moment — aging backward, albeit very subtly.”

If Clinton has had an injection here, a nip-and-tuck there, he is among the ever-increasing group of today’s men who are paying more attention to how to combat the signs of aging. Between 1997 and 2015, the number of cosmetic procedures performed on men rose by more than 100%, according to statistics from the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. In the five years leading up to 2014, procedures for men rose 43%.

In 2015, liposuction (including for the neck), nose surgery, eyelid surgery, and facelift were 4 of the top 5 cosmetic surgery procedures for men.

Injectables such as BOTOX and JUVÉDERM were the most popular nonsurgical procedures for men. They minimize signs of aging temporarily by smoothing out wrinkles until the body naturally absorbs them.

Facial plastic surgery and nonsurgical treatments, such as injectable fillers and laser rejuvenation, carry less of a stigma among men than they used to. And the pressures are growing, with men even citing competition for advancement at work as a reason to turn to plastic surgeons for a boost.

Looking at Clinton, it’s easy to see why the popularity has continued to grow. He doesn’t look “worked on,” and the changes are not shocking. Dr. Joubin Gabbay, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon in Southern California, told the Hollywood Reporter that Clinton’s tighter, smoother facial skin and contoured jawline is what stood out to him. He believes Clinton combined a facelift with a neck lift and may have had some type of resurfacing.

Still, despite its increased prevalence, men remain more secretive about undergoing cosmetic procedures than women. Advanced surgical techniques used by plastic surgeons create subtle changes that allow a man to undergo a facelift, for example, without having to answer questions from co-workers or acquaintances.

“The best part of a modern-day facelift technique is that it achieves significant facial rejuvenation without changing patient’s unique facial features,” says Dr. Konstantin Vasyukevich, a Manhattan facelift specialist, on his website. “Long gone are the days of the facelift that would make the face look pulled or stretched. The face that appears ‘done’ or ‘lifted’ is not acceptable in today’s cosmetic surgery world.”

The increase in nonsurgical fat reduction techniques is also contributing to the rise. Procedures such as CoolSculpting® and KYBELLA® can reduce the neck fat that causes a double chin, which is one of the most common aesthetic concerns among men.

As more male celebrities and athletes — not to mention world leaders — become more comfortable turning to plastic surgeons to improve their appearance, you may very well notice that the guy next door (or in the next cubicle) is doing the same.

Summer hair tips & tricks from celebrity hairstylist, Danny Jelaca

June 27, 2016

Now that the summer is here our hairstyling routines have to change with the weather. Summer hair should be easy, beautiful, light and effortless. Celebrity hairstylist, Danny Jelaca shows us how to achieve carefree beachy summer hair that perfect for the day and a style that is perfect for the evening.

Overnight Beach Waves

Blow-dry hair to remove excess wetness, but leave hair damp
Section hair off in 4 big sections
Brush hair downward to eliminate frizziness
Twist each section of hair until it is tight, then put each section into a bun and fasten with a bobby pin
The next morning, remove the bobby pins and un-do the buns
Shake out hair
Danny suggests adding Balmain Texturizing Salt Spray for bounce, texture and hold

Glamorous Beach Babe – GREAT for evening

Blow-dry hair straight, removing all water
Section hair off
Take small pieces and heat up by passing an iron through the piece of hair rapidly, one time
Once hair is heated up, take iron and wrap hair in between the iron
Grab the end piece of the hair to ensure that it does not curl
Slowly move downward, applying pressure. Before reaching the end, let the hair go (leaving the ends straight)
Twirl the hair rapidly in the direction of the curl and then gently break it apart
Repeat these steps for each section until the whole head is complete
Once the whole head is complete, run fingers through the curls to even break them up

Danny Jelaca suggests adding the Balmain Dry Shampoo to add volume and make the hair smell fresh and clean. You can also layer in some Balmain Texturizing Salt Spray which will give your hair the perfect, effortless beachy waves.

What is your favorite way to wear your hair this summer?

How to Keep Your Hair Looking Great When You Hit the Beach!

May 19, 2016

Summer is definitely nearly here, and beach time will soon be upon us! Many of us spend a lot of time and effort on being beach ready, whether it is working out and dieting as soon as spring starts to get that bikini body, or taking care of skin and building up a base tan (real or fake). However, while we focus on our figures and getting our skin nicely exfoliated, moisturized and glowing, it is important not to forget about hair!

Whether you live by the coast and the beach is a daily part of life for you in summer or you are planning a beach vacation, regular exposure to hot sun, along with swimming, can leave you hair in worse condition. With some preparation and care, you can keep it looking soft and silky, and ready to be the perfect accessory for your favorite bikini or tankini bathing suit this summer. Here are some tips:

Don’t Brush It After Swimming in the Ocean

If for you, a trip to the beach involves a lot of fun in the ocean swimming, playing around with friends or doing your favorite watersports, it pays to get used to rocking the ‘surfer hair’ look when you get out if you aren’t able to immediately shower and wash the sea water out. Sea water is not particularly damaging to hair on its own – it’s just water and salt – but as your hair dries in the sun the salt can have a serious drying effect.

You can recover from this when you get to wash your hair with a good conditioner, but while you’re still out at the beach, ignore the temptation to brush it – even when it is dry. Your hair will be dry, stiff and a bit sticky from the salt water, and brushing will cause major breakages. Brushing is also liable to make your hair look super frizzy. This means that if you have long hair, you can either choose to let it look messy and bohemian – the surfer look – or choose a style like a braid that will keep it in place. Messy beach hair looks really good when you are actually at the beach, giving you a cool, summery look, but if you are planning to go somewhere else before you have a chance to wash your hair, a braid is your best friend!

Sunscreen for Your Hair!

Most people now take protecting their skin and eyes from the sun very seriously, but what about hair? Obviously exposing your hair to the sun isn’t going to give you cancer or damage your eyesight, but as you probably know from using heated styling products, heat is not good for hair. You can protect it with a good heat protection spray, much as you might use before blow drying or using other heated styling tools. As well as applying after washing your hair, carry the spray in your beach bag. A good rule of thumb is to apply it whenever you apply sun lotion, so before actually going out in the sun to begin with, and then every few hours, and immediately after going in the water.

Conditioner and Keratin

Once you do get a chance to wash your hair after the beach, give it a little more love than usual when it comes to conditioner. Your hair gets lighter in the sun, and it is no coincidence that just like bleaching with peroxide, this actually leaves it dry and more damage prone. Use a rich conditioner every day and also, use a weekly mask or hot oil treatment to give it a little extra nourishment. You can do this more than once a week if you want, there really isn’t a maximum amount of times to use these treatments, but if the expense and time bothers you then weekly is enough. It is also a good idea to use an additional keratin treatment, and for best results, leave this in your hair rather than using after conditioner and washing it out. This will add protein to your hair which will help strengthen it and both hide and repair damage.

It really doesn’t take much effort to keep your hair in good shape when you hit the beach. You may need to pay a high price for Special Conditioners so it would be better if you will find some latest discount offers from Argos buy using Argos promo codes or for more offer open Dealslands UK. Just be careful how you treat your hari when it’s been in the water, protect it, and help it out with some good conditioning products when you get home, and your hair can look and feel great all summer long!

Chic Mother’s Day Hairstyles!

April 27, 2016

With Mother’s Day right around the corner we’re reminded how busy Mom is always putting others first. Chasing around the kids and working shouldn’t mean sacrificing her looks. Here are FIVE quick and effortless dos for mom to try. Butterfly Studio Salon experts know how to work these hottest looks of the moment into any busy schedule. See below for step by step guides and images and let me know if you have any questions or would like to speak to a Butterfly stylist. Also let me know if you need additional images!

1.) TOPSY TAIL PONY

Step 1 – Tie the hair in a low pony at the nape of your neck. This is easy for the days you want to impress by not making a big fuss at all.

Step 2 – Loosen the pony near the neck and make a gap in-between the two. Flip the pony in-between the two sides.

Step 3 – Do this twice giving beautiful twists and keeping the hair off the face.

Step 4 – This is how you do the Topsy Tail. Finish off this look with spraying the front with Loreal enette hair spray.

2.) SIDE FRENCH BRAID

Step 1 – Part the hair from the side of the head and divide it into 3 pieces.

Step 2 – Working your way around the head every time, add a section from the inside to the braid. First time is hard and then easy to achieve.

Step 3 – When you get to the neck end, continue with a normal braid. With the other side section of the hair you can make a braid.

Step 4 – To finish off this look, twist the two and pin it up at the back.

3.) TOP KNOT

Step 1 – All you need is elastic and a hair pin to create the perfect top knot.

Step 2 – Tie your hair back on top of your head.

Step 3 – Twist the hair in a bun on top of the head.

Step 4 – I like it when it looks slightly softer and not like a perfect ballet bun.

4.) TWISTED HALO

Step 1 – Twist back a small section of hair from one side of your head, and secure it with a pin in the middle of your head.

Step 2 – Twist back a small section of hair from the other side of your head, tuck it behind the first twisted section, and pin it in the middle of your head.

5.) KNOTTED LOW BUN

Step 1 – Pull hair into a low ponytail, then loosely braid the length of hair and secure with a clear elastic.

Step 2 – Wrap the braid around the base of the ponytail like you would a bun, tucking in the loose ends of hair with bobby pins.