What's in My TSA Approved, Quart Sized Ziploc

Traveling is stressful enough without the threat of a surly TSA agent tapping your inner thigh and then confiscating your make up bag. Avoid the muss and fuss by having your shoes already off and your adorable clear zip up neatly packed with the following travel friendly essentials at the ready.

-Neutrogena Healthy Skin Glow Sheer SPF30. This oil free formula gives light coverage and great SPF- perfect for laid back, yet radiant vacation skin.

-Mini Coppertone Sport SPF 50. DO NOT skimp on sun protection, especially on vacation! I know you want a tan! But you can’t have one! You’ll get wrinkles on not only your face but your chest, neck, knees etc. 

-MAC Select Moisture Cover. This concealer is ever so portable and easy to pat on any blemishes or under eye circles when you want to look all foxy-mama for a night out.

-Clinique Naturally Glossy. This mascara rules so hard it actually stays put in the water if used sparingly. You know how much I love this. Go buy it. Build it up for sexy times or leave your lashes fresh and pretty for every day. Just don’t rub, as it is not *technically* waterproof.

-Benefit Creaseless Cream in Birthday Suit. Find the Creaseless Cream in the best shade for your skin and buy it and never look back! If Benefit’s shades don’t suit you in that easy-breezy, every day neutral way, try Make Up Forever Aqua Creams which are equally as awesome and come in a wider range of colors. The creamy formula won't budge if you sweat or swim and you can rock nice, glowing lids and bright eyes even whilst traipsing around a new city or whatever mischief you're up to on vacation. 

-Aveda Conditioner. Whichever one you fancy. They come in the most convenient wee bottles and really keep your hair looking fancy even with weird hotel water. I usually take a chance on hotel shampoo and just bring my nice conditioner to save space.

-Aveda Brilliant Damage Control Spray. The only hair product I travel with. Detangles, protects, de-frizzifies, smells delovely. Done.

-Philosophy Purity Made Simple. This cleanser is perfect for travel because it removes make up so effectively in addition to cleansing your face to a nice, comfortable, moisture balanced glow. And it you can buy it in mini size.

-Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap. The only shower gel for this ex-hippie. Once you get this Dr's prescription, nothing else compares!

-Contact Lens Solution. You’ll save a lot of room if you don’t rely on this like my blind ass blind eyes do!

This next part takes some tiny jar hoarding throughout the weeks leading up to your trip, (get free samples from Origins, Sephora, MAC, Clinique, then save the jars!) resulting in the freedom to bring ten scrillion skin care products in your carry on! All for the price of **FREE**

Tiny Jar of Clinique Moisture Surge

Tiny Jar of Bare Minerals Purely Nourishing Moisturizer

Tiny Jar of Origins Out of Trouble Mask

Tiny Jar of Origins Modern Friction Scrub

Tiny Jar of Origins Ginzing Eye Cream

With these miniature essentials your suitcase will boast an array of gels and liquids without unnecessary bulk! And wherever you're headed, you'll be looking wicked pretty!

--Noella

Fun with Fine Hair

When I was 13 I had a quite bushy, chia-pet-esque head of hair. A lot of it. Where did it go? In recent years I have felt like I have had scalp peeking through all over my head and I watched as my pony tail’s diameter shriveled to the point where I needed to buy little girl hair ties.

So what can be done?  Well, Nioxin can be done. It’s not going to give you Sofia Vergara hair, but it will make a difference you will notice. Along with fine-friendly styling products, you can be on your way to Pantene commercial body and bounce.

Nioxin is a brand of hair products designed to encourage hair growth, stimulate your scalp and rehabilitate your precious hair follicles. The basic kit comes with three products based on the condition of your hair. Whether you have natural or chemically treated hair (colored, relaxed), medium/coarse or noticeably thinning hair, there is a specific kit for you.

I use kit #3, for normal to thin chemically treated hair. Start with the shampoo and conditioner (the pepperminty conditioner makes my scalp tingle oh-so-pleasantly). Then follow with the sort of “serum” you spray directly on your scalp after your shower. This treatment, paired with Nioxin’s Intensive Therapy Recharging Complex vitamins taken daily, made a difference so lovely I would dare call it dramatic.

The hairs in the shower drain have gotten sparser until a few days ago I was left with only a few of Nick’s chest hairs stuck to my toe as I felt around for the usual clot of my fallen strands. My hairdresser noticed a difference and I have even upgraded to adult sized hair ties again. I can still (literally) pin my hair into a bun with ONE (1) bobby pin, but I promise, this is an improvement.

Nioxin is by no means my favorite shampoo for overall shine, body, manageability etc however I will continue to use it a couple times a week, alternating with Aveda Color Conserve or my favorite, (though it was waaay too expensive to repurchase) Alterna Caviar. The vitamins however, will remain a daily staple. I am trying a bottle of biotin tablets (Nature’s Way brand from Target) in lieu of the Nioxin brand which are quite on the pricy side and biotin is a main ingredient meant for hair, nail and skin health. I have to say, though my skin is nice and smooth lately, I am beginning to see little hair dolls in my drain again…we’ll see…

The only other advice I have for those with cornsilk soft, wispy-fine locks is: blowdry! A spritz of Aveda Brilliant Damage Control protects my hair from the heat and gives it a generally frizz-free finish. Many root boosters and “bodifying” products still leave my hair weighted and limp by the end of the day, so I say less is more. Blowdrying is a sure-fire way to make the most of what you’ve got!

If you are feeling extra saucy, for a special occasion or daily if you’ve got the time, a couple of large hot rollers to the crown of your head will even further the illusion that your hair is thick, bodacious and wicked, wicked pretty ;o)

--Noella

Darlene's Kosmetology Korner

So, let's talk about hair! I thought it appropriate to open up discussion on the subject as hair care is certainly part of being wicked pretty. I want to start with good shampoo. We all know if your hair is not healthy you cannot expect the best results. In all my years of doing hair I often said, I wish I could be the holistic hairdresser. Work with your hair, not against it. 

Well, it all starts with good products, and good products are all about pH levels (potential hydrogen). In a nutshell, the pH scale ranges from 0-14. 0 being really acidic and 14 being the highest in alkalinity. Our skin and hair are on avarage between 4.5 and 5.5. Pure water has a pH of 7! If you use products high in alkalinity the cuticle of your hair will swell, open up and allow oils and moisture to escape. In turn hair will become brittle and dry. Using a product that is acid balanced (we want shampoos around 5-5.50) it will actually close, harden and flatten the outer cuticle layers creating smoother hair. If your hair color is fading fast, the hydrogen is probably too high, causing dark hair to lighten.

So how do you know what the pH level of your shampoo is? Well, a few professional companies will state the pH, but most companies do not tell you. You can have some fun and do some testing of your shampoos and lotions with a visit to the drug store. Litmus paper or sticks will give you an accurate reading (we did this in beauty school). 

Unfortunately, most mass produced shampoos are made of the cheapest ingredients and won't list the pH. You can call the company to ask and also let them know that you want this information up front on the bottles! 

If you don't want to bother with this experimenting my advice is the same as I have told my clients for years. Go treat yourself to a duo of shampoo and conditioner from a professional line of products. Use these products exclusively until they run out. Do not use any other products during this trial. Certainly stay away from all those half used bottles of hair care products you have in the deep dark depths of your cabinet. For years the results have been the same... they always come back for more! 

You all know plenty of those professional products (Alterna, Pureology, Redken, Matrix, Paul Mitchell, Aveda, Nioxin, Chi, Bed Head) so wait for a sale and unless you have the strongest virgin, (un-chemically treated) hair I can pretty much guarantee you will notice a difference and you will be ready to learn how to get the perfect haircut...

--Darlene