June 25, 2015

Relax with seaweed

From “20,000 leagues under the sea” comes the ultimate skincare ingredient.. seaweed. That dreaded things that tends to float around at the beach that gets in the way, is one of the best regimens you can do to your skin. It improves elasticity, texture and can help diminish acne. I also have found that if you have dry skin it adds moisture if your overly oily it takes away just some of the excess.

seaweed

seaweed

Many of us now this already but I just wanted to share my recent “seaweed” experience using hot water and a seaweed sheet. These seaweed sheets can be found in your seafood section of your local supermarket. Tear off a section about the size of 2 fingers. Set it in the hot water just long enough to make it soft. Once it has soaked start taking the seaweed and spread it on your face. Some of the seaweed will stay behind, so you may look a little funny. Leave on for 5 minutes and rinse.

After it is rinsed off you can really feel the tightness coming in your skin and feeling refreshed. You may even feel that your skin has been exfoliated and less “gritty”. You can really feel the seaweed working even after it has been rinsed off. I enjoy doing an at home seaweed mask at least twice a week. So next time you need some “me time” pour yourself a glass of wine, and dive “20,000 leagues under the sea” with your at home, inexpensive seaweed facial. Have fun!

One little tip. Before putting the mask on allow some hot water to open your pores so that the seaweed can really dig down deep. Then rinse with cool water to close the pores holding everything in.

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June 24, 2015

Curly vs. Straight

Curly vs. straight

Curly vs. straight

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June 21, 2015

Sweden skincare comes to the USA

Lucille Ball once said “The secret to staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly & lie about your age”. Well Lucy I love you but I recently found that the secret to staying young comes in a bottle. Or 6. Face Stockholm has become my newest go to skincare to help prevent aging and will also dissolve acne, and oil throughout the use of the system.

FACE Stockholm

FACE Stockholm

FACE Stockholm is the first and only Swedish cosmetics/skincare line to hold true to the Swedish beauty regimen. The FACE Stockholm line is soft, yet powerful enough to fight premature aging. It is gentle on my sensitive skin. Equipped with a cleanser, toner, day cream, night cream, eye serum and corrective serum you can use it morning and night with no problem.

After two weeks I could see an improvement on the texture of my skin, my skin looked tighter and even the contours of my face seemed more “chiseled”. I have used many skincare products throughout my life and find that I can incorporate Face Stockholm into my routine. Each product stands alone in its purpose for your routine. I highly recommend this product for anti-aging, sensitive, oily or combination skin. If you want to know more about FACE Stockholm skincare and cosmetics, go to www.facestockholm.com

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June 18, 2015

Last minute Father’s Day gifts

Searching for that last minute gift for the man in your life to truly complete his Father’s Day? Treat him with the gift of a new scent this year. No matter his preference, we have the perfect last minute solutions to ensure you are top of his list!

Say thank you to the man who’s been on your team from the start with Stetson Original! Since 1982, Stetson cologne has exemplified a proud heritage of strength and masculinity. A chypre woody fragrance, the scent opens with a blend of zest lemon and bergamot, enveloped in a dewy citrus. At the heart of the fragrance is a blend of sophisticated wild rose, cyclamen, Lily of the Valley and intoxicating florals. The scent closes with musk, moss, and balsam, complemented with warm woods and golden amber ($17; Walmart stores nationwide).

Stetson

Stetson

Enrique Iglesias Adrenaline brings out the excitement in any man! Driven by what makes his heart beat stronger, this fragrance represents Enrique’s search for more excitement, pleasure and freedom. Adrenaline opens with a luminous mix of sparkling mandarin and zesty cedrat touched with a green hint of violet leaves. Next, a spicy, earthy blend of black pepper and saffron is lifted by the floral-fruity aroma of pomarose. At the base, warm and leathey notes of cedarwood, roasted tonka and suede add a suave refinement. ($24, drugstores)

Enrique Iglesias

Enrique Iglesias

For an exciting twist, GUESS Night features notes of hot pepper, grapefruit and cedar wood to create a masculine, woody scent full of adrenaline and adventure. Wear it for an instant boost of confidence that owns the night ($65; Mass retailers).

Guess Night

Guess Night

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June 17, 2015

From the salon to the runway

There is so much more to this industry than just standing behind the chair. I remember hearing that when I went to beauty school but I had no idea what exactly my educators were talking about. Until it happened. Thats exactly what Tearsheet and Giovanni Giuntoli shares in their 3 day workshop experiences. Starting with Giovanni’s own image of becoming an editorial stylist, & wanting to educate and support other hairstylists,Tearsheet gives stylists the tools they need to build a portfolio, grow a business, along with branding themselves within the industry. Learn how to break down hairstyles in magazine pictures, understanding more of how to do hair with the end result in mind, keeping longevity in hairstyles and so much more.

Tearsheet logo

Tearsheet logo

Tearsheet offers experiences every month where Giovanni and the Tearsheet team of educators will go to your salon and bring education to your team. Workshops, Tearsheet offers, allows students to travel to multiple locations, such as Miami, Phoenix & Chicago, Las Vegas and NYC. In the experiences students/stylists will work 1 day with the team hands-on a mannequin doing techniques and watching demos while the following 2 days are “on photo set” educational experiences. All the while you are immersed, being the best way to learn anything, in the photo shoot culture while learning and expanding on your skills. When they become a Tearsheet graduate, Tearsheet will have you on the list of artists to be invited to working NY Fashion Week, Photo Shoots, and much more.

Giovanni started doing hair in Chicago as an assistant. He assisted a stylist on an editoial shoot and became inspired when the images came back of his hairstyle. Giovanni stated “Tearsheet understands a lot of hairstylist come from a small town and have big dreams of doing amazing events in our industry, and now they can all while working behind a chair. Tearsheet can do this for them.” Education, Imagery, network, experiences…

Tearsheet also has the first, most successful hairstylist team of graduates working within the company and doing all the unbelievable events mentioned.

With Tearsheet, in just 3 days, your career will explode open to what is out there in our industry & will leave you wanting more. If you want to see how your salon, or yourself can book an apt. or want to see more of the collection of pictures visit www.yourtearsheets.com Hurry the runway is waiting!”

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June 16, 2015

Nothing like Miami’s heat

The South Beach heat came all the way to Tampa Bay with the M.I.A 2 The Bay “All White” Fashion Party. A show and a party all in one, it was truly a night to remember. Featuring designers Hakat Re By Lance Stephens, ADreamRocks By Tiffany Ward, & Ankara by Ester L. They truly brought Miami’s heat!

M.I.A 2 The Bay

M.I.A 2 The Bay

With guest host Rima from The Bad Girls Club (season 9) M.I.A 2 The Bay was unlike any other fashion show I have been too. Everything from the food to where it was held was just unbelievable. Then came the fashions! Each designer brought their own taste to the runway. We had everything from Ancient Egypt (Hakat Re) inspired to blinged out beach attire (ADream Rocks) that “shined bright like diamonds”.

MIA 2 The Bay

MIA 2 The Bay

M.I.A 2 The Bay also gives back to the community to families in the Tampa and Miami area as well as benefiting children for the 2015-16 school year. This was the 3rd annual fashion show of M.I.A 2 The Bay. For more information on M.I.A 2 The Bay visit http://www.mia2thebay.weebly.com/

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June 15, 2015

Effortless “Flower” hair from Butterfly Studio

The best summer hair accessory? Flowers! Take your hair to the next level by adding beautiful flowers. Try this effortless braided look from the owner of Butterfly Studio Salon, Kattia Solano. This style is ideal for any hair length and perfect for summer outtings. See below for a step-by-step hair tutorial.

Flower Hair

Flower Hair

How To: Flower Hair
1. First step: set the crown area with a small curing iron.
2. For the rest of hair, take random sections and simply wrap the hair vertically around the rod. This will give it a bit of wave and texture.
3. Spray with Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray before you brush out for hold, grip, and a better style.
4. Softly brush out to amplify waves and enhance texture. (Don’t worry, we are not looking for perfection – think more along the lines of rolling around the garden instead!)
5. Braid hair over to one side and secure.
6. Open the braid and create a soft frame (wave/swoop) in the front.
7. Take your flowers and cut to desired length, keeping the stems long and choosing wider and fuller flowers.
8. Place the flowers by sticking into the braid and secure with a bobby pin.
9. Design your own way, follow your inspiration, and break the rules. An added idea to create a look with more drama is to apply flowers through the length of the braid.

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June 13, 2015

10 days with Jessica

“Colour is a personal style, it defines who you are” -Jessica Vartoughian

Never truer words have been spoken when it comes to your nail polish. Jessica Vartoughian, known as “The First Lady of Nails”, redefined the overall way we look at the structure of our nails. That’s when she found her true calling and discovered a regimen for nails made with the individual in mind. That’s right, when you visit one of her many successful salons her her manicurists , called nail cultivists, will help you get the perfect regimen just for you. Opening the first ever Nails Only Salon in 1969, Jessica educated herself on the anatomy of the nail saying that just like the skin and hair, it must be maintained. To this day she is always coming up with the newest and best thing to make sure that all of us can have beautiful nails, the natural way.

Jessica Cosmetics Logo

Jessica Cosmetics Logo

Out of all of Jessica’s lines and of all the beautiful colors, I had the pleasure of trying the new Phenom line. Alot like a gel polish, Phenom is a complete 10 day chip free manicure in just 3 easy steps. But the catch is you do not need a UV light like your normal gel polishes. Simply apply the whole system of base, color, and top coat. Then let the top coat dry in natural lighting & ten minutes later, beautiful gel shine! The color will dry faster or slower depending on what kind of lighting you happen to be in. Ex. sunlight will be faster than the light in your bathroom but never more than 10 minutes. Lately I have found that my nails would get to a certain length then just break off but with the Phenom I have achieved my goal of having long beautiful nails with no chipping. The colors I was gifted are three of the most perfect colors. They are incredibly vibrant and yes it has lasted me ten days. No matter where I was, the nail polish lasted with no knicks and my manicure looks brand new everyday.

10 day Jessica Journey

10 day Jessica Journey

For the first time in a long time I feel in love with my nails all over again. Just like me, Jessica wants you to love your nails again. Jessica is truly a nail goddess and I can thank her for this. I know you will want to thank her when you first try out her Jessica Cosmetics nail colors. Check out www.jessicacosmetics.com to see where you can find a Jessica salon near you. Love your nails, love your color, bring out your personality.

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June 10, 2015

Investing for charity

INVESTMENT STARTUP THAT HELPS YOU MAKE MONEY WHILE SUPPORT SOME GREAT CHARITIES!!

A new investment startup is targeting millennials looking to invest in causes and issues they care about.

Swell Investing’s cause-driven model allows you to choose from four different charity-themed stock portfolios — End Poverty, Fight Cancer, Uphold Human Rights and Improve Education.

The goal is to give investors a chance to make money and make a difference. This new investment program is hoping to get the attention of young investors who are passionate about giving back.

Each investment model is designed to move with the stock market and support your cause at the same time. Swell Investing does this by creating models that consist only of shares in top companies that champion the same causes as you. Swell Investing is partnered with Motif Investing, an innovative brokerage platform that allows you to easily invest in each model.

When you invest or rebalance your investment model, Swell receives a minimum royalty of one dollar from Motif Investing. From that revenue 20¢ out of every dollar in given to the causes that Swell Investing supports We give from our money, not yours.

That is 20% of Swell’s revenue that will go to charity!

Watch Liam Monaghan and Dave Fanger discuss what motivated them to create this charitable platform. (video will post soon)

melinda blog

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June 10, 2015

Check out FreeBeautyEvents.com, it’s BEAUTY-ful Fun

 Check out freebeautyevents.com for free makeovers, free samples, and a chance to win beauty products in their monthly contest.June’s  Monthy Basket Giveaway is Spectacular!!
Included are products from Hawaiian Tropic, Simple, Essie, CoverGirl, Beyonce Fragrances and more! The Contest runs from now through 6/30/15, winners will be chosen on 7/5/2015 and notified by 7/15/2015. Please go to  their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Free-Beauty-Events/117088506568) and like! Enter to win on their page. You can also enter on their website at http://www.freebeautyevents.com/contest

Inline image 2

At the site, you can enter your zip code to find beauty events in your area. You can also follow on Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, Tumblr, and Twitter. In addition to listing in-store makeovers, Freebeautyevents.com also features a blog on product reviews and a monthly contest.


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