The Beauty Guinea Pig

How To Do A 30s-Style Moon Manicure

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 19:18:37 -0400

How To Do A 30s-Style Moon Manicure:

Great, creative how-to with a little bit of historical context—nicely done Jezzie!

Finally, my dreams have been answered. I made it on Nails and...

Sun, 26 Jun 2011 20:23:55 -0400

Finally, my dreams have been answered. I made it on Nails and Burgers, yesssss! (via Uncouth in the City)

Get a free Sugar Lip Treatment from Fresh!

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 14:38:47 -0400

Get a free Sugar Lip Treatment from Fresh!:

Spot a Fresh Kiss & Tell truck in the city this week and get a free Sugar Lip treatment of your choice (I am still in love with plum).

Test 7: Pumpkin Face Mask

Sat, 04 Jun 2011 20:26:00 -0400

Theory tested: Your complexion can be soft and supple after 10-minutes of quality time with pureed pumpkin.

No one is thinking about pumpkin in the first week of June but perhaps we should be. It is high in vitamin A (retinol), zinc, beta carotene, alpha-hydroxy acids, lutein and vitamins C and E. Among many other things, pumpkin is supposed to slough off dead cells to reveal glowing skin underneath, which is why it is included in many cleansers, moisturizers and treatments at spas. My beauty buddies from The Beauty Cookbook suggest using it in a 10-minute mask.

Products used: A can of Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin left over from the fall.

Duration of test: 10 minutes

Application: Douglas and Pearlman recommend pureeing ¾ cup of fresh pumpkin and then putting it on your make-up free face. It is June and I don’t have any fresh pumpkins to puree lying around, but I do have a can of Libby’s orphaned after the aforementioned abandoned holiday cookie bake of 2010. The only ingredients in Libby’s are pumpkin and many traditional cookbooks claim that canned pumpkin is a great replacement for fresh, so I thought it was a fine substitute.

I put the cool puree on my face with my fingers. If you’ve ever cleaned out a jack-o-lantern at Halloween (and if you haven’t you really should), you know that as gourds go, pumpkin is a little messy. While it didn’t stick to anything, I found that if I put too much on my face, it sort of fell everywhere.

Results: After 10 minutes, I rinsed the pumpkin off my face and found that my skin indeed felt softer. I spent a lot of time outdoors the day before (with sunscreen on of course) and my skin needed a little bit of exfoliation, the pumpkin did the trick.

Conclusion: This pumpkin mask is a great tool to have in your beauty arsenal but pureed pumpkin is hard to come by outside of the fall months. If you can find pureed pumpkin, I highly recommend using this occasionally for all skin types—it takes 10 minutes and costs next to nothing. If you can’t find pureed pumpkin, this Pumpkin Enzyme Peel from Peter Thomas Roth can do amazing things for your skin. Or, check out this regenerating Pumpkin Lotion from Arcona.

Tip: Do not take pictures of yourself with the pumpkin mask on. It’s not cute, no matter how you try.

Fighting Pimples and Wrinkles at the Same Time

Sat, 04 Jun 2011 14:51:27 -0400

Fighting Pimples and Wrinkles at the Same Time :

Anyone else at this stage in life? Never fear, beauty companies feel your pain.

Burgers and Nails

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 16:54:20 -0400

Burgers and Nails:

Fun manis and grilled, greasy meat? It is like the site was made for me!

"Chivalry isn’t dead. It’s just been waiting for you to open the door."

Tue, 31 May 2011 19:29:46 -0400

“

Chivalry isn’t dead.

It’s just been waiting for you to open the door.

”

- - alesbiansadviceforastraightman

via: Uncouth in the City: Words to live by (also known as TIP #14)

Clear Skin on Wheels

Tue, 24 May 2011 10:51:00 -0400

Clear Skin on Wheels:

The Shiseido Airstream trailer—bringing Japanese facial massages and samples of the new Bio-Performance Super Corrective Serum to a city near you. (Thanks Lucky!)

via LuckMag.com

Test 6: Molasses Hair Mask

Sun, 15 May 2011 13:39:00 -0400

Theory tested: That molasses, specifically the Blackstrap variety, is chock full of nutrients and will help your hair to be stronger, healthier and shinier.

The idea from this test stemmed from the zany minds of my favorite DIY beauty guides but I had to make some slight tweaks to it. Their moisturizing hair mask calls for 100% pure maple syrup and all I have is Mrs. Butterworth’s, so, I looked in my cabinet for something equally sugary—a jar of molasses leftover from a recent baking spree was it. This was actually a serendipitous find; molasses is touted as a natural cure-all for multiple beauty woes including split ends, hyper-pigmentation, aging skin and irritated complexions. Most people, however, use molasses as a super moisturizing treatment for dry hair.

Products used: Grandma’s Original Molasses

Duration of test: 2 Days

Day 1: Based on all the hair mask recipes that I read (and what is recommended in The Beauty Cookbook for maple syrup), I decided to apply the molasses directly onto my dry, clean hair. Some recipes suggested heating the dark, sticky liquid in the microwave to ease in application but my hair is pretty sturdy so I slapped it on at room temperature—this proved to be a mistake.

Hanging my head over the bathtub, I poured the black gold directly onto my mane and attempted to work it through. Molasses, if you were wondering, is boiled down sugar cane and it turns out, boiled down sugar cane is incredibly sticky. It clung to each strand of my hair and was not moving. I was only able to pour enough on to encase every bit after separating my hair into thirds. I then wrapped my crown in plastic wrap carefully covering all the molasses (even as I am typing this, it sounds ridiculous) and waited for 30 minutes.

After a half an hour, I showered and shampooed with a gentle cleanser (think: baby shampoo) to properly remove the gunk from my hair without stripping the strands from any nutrients they may have sucked up in their 30-minute sugar bath. I conditioned and styled as usual. Once it was blown dry, I noticed my hair was a little softer than usual but not any more shiny.

Day 2: My hair had much more bounce than usual but was still not shinier. I visit the salon often enough that I don’t suffer from split-ends, so it is difficult to decide if the treatment made my hair stronger. One thing worth noting is that it was a cloudy, humid day and my normal frizz was absent for most of the day even though I spent a considerable amount of time outside

Conclusion: This is worth trying and I will definitely do this again. If you want to see for yourself, a few recommendations:

For goodness sake, heat the molasses before using! You’ll save yourself and your scalp from a lot of annoyance (cool molasses pulls the hair). If you don’t want to heat it, some natural beauty sites recommend mixing the molasses with an egg/egg white, which may actually enhance the shine factor.
Blackstrap molasses is supposed to be better for beauty purposes. Look for it at a health food store.
Like Moroccan Oil, molasses may slightly tint your color with continued use. If that is what you are going for, consider this a benefit. If not, making a honey hair mask, which is thought to lighten hair, might be better.
Realize that this is going to be messy and molasses smells a little smoky. Do not do this if you have somewhere to go right away.
If you like to cook, keep a separate jug of molasses in the bathroom. Even if you are careful, this stuff is sticky and you will most likely get a hair in your molasses jar. Imagine how unpleasant it would be to offer your friends, family or co-workers some homemade gingersnaps and have them discover one of your hairs in it. No amount of bounce, shine or all around prettiness in your locks will make up for that.

Have any suggestions for a new test? Email me beautyguineapig@gmail.com!

As you know, I loves me some Kym Douglas but putting ketchup on...

Thu, 12 May 2011 16:46:25 -0400

As you know, I loves me some Kym Douglas but putting ketchup on her hair just to illustrate a point may be a bit much. What do you think? And which of her natural fixes should I try next?

Hair cut, mani and pedi all for $50? Yes please!

Sun, 08 May 2011 17:09:50 -0400

Hair cut, mani and pedi all for $50? Yes please!

This looks amazing and if it is as easy as it seems, my manicure...

Thu, 05 May 2011 22:11:00 -0400

This looks amazing and if it is as easy as it seems, my manicure will be well read this summer.

kayliafisher:

Translation from page: cut squares of newsprint larger than nails. apply a base coat of polish. when nails are completely dry, soak them in alcohol, then press newsprint on nail and slowly pull off. top coat to seal.

Could You Cut Your Shower Time Down to Three Minutes?

Sat, 23 Apr 2011 14:04:05 -0400

Could You Cut Your Shower Time Down to Three Minutes? :

I am trying it today and will report back later.

(Article via Fashionista)

The Best Orange Lipstick

Sat, 09 Apr 2011 23:16:28 -0400

The Best Orange Lipstick

Test 5: Tea for two

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 22:49:00 -0400

Theory tested: Black tea bags can satisfy two major beauty nuisances: red, irritated skin and puffy eyes.

I suffer from both slightly pillowed under eyes and easily bothered skin (you’re jealous I am sure). If something as simple as a wet tea bag can help remedy both of these problems, count me in. According to The Beauty Cookbook, the anti-inflammatory properties in black tea cause blood vessels to constrict and move away from the surface area of skin decreasing redness. The caffeine in tea also reduces blood vessels, working to deflate swollen eyes.

Products used: Four black tea bags—two dunked in cool water and two moistened with warm water.

Duration of test: 10 minutes

Test: The Beauty Cookbook addresses these two issues with two different recipes, but I thought if I am going to lie around with tea bags on my face I might as well do it all at once. I placed the cold tea bags on my cheeks and bridge of my nose, warm tea bags over my eyes and laid down for 10 minutes. Douglas and Pearlman suggest relaxing for the full 10 minutes and clearing your mind of stresses, I didn’t want to affect the results and obliged.

Results:After the 10 minutes were up, I ran to the mirror and then promptly instructed the boyfriend to take a picture of the results. My skin felt tighter and the area around my nose, which was a little red and raw from cold weather, felt soothed. The puffy pillows under my eyes, on the other hand, did not look deflated or even that much smaller. I did feel rejuvenated after the process.

Conclusion:You can judge for yourself from the photos (or maybe not, they’re a little unclear) but I am not sure the tea bags worked. I do know that many eye creams use caffeine to help reduce swelling, so, I think there may be truth to The Beauty Cookbook’s claims. I will say that the act of lying down for 10 minutes with warm tea bags over my eyes did help bring a little peace to my usually hectic day and that alone makes it worth it to do this occasionally. My red irritated skin definitely felt better after 10 minutes under the cool tea bags and while the redness reduction wasn’t permanent, it certainly helped for a few hours.

Test 4: Easy color boost

Sun, 20 Mar 2011 22:44:00 -0400

Theory tested: Forget one color fits all hair-glosses, you can give your mane a little shade appropriate boost using demi-permanent dye.

According to the beauty mavens over at Allure, demi-permanent hair color, when applied on wet hair and rinsed after 3 minutes, helps boost color and shine better than at home hair-glosses. I am a big advocate of at home glossing (I was gutted when John Frieda stopped making their Glaze for redheads), so if there is a better process, I need to try it.

Products used: Clairol Natural Instincts in Light Auburn

Duration of test: 5 Days

Day 1: I am lucky enough to have rich, red hair naturally and after a few near hair disasters, I stay away from hair color. Figuring out how to find the right red in my local Ricky’s proved to be a feat on itself. After quite a bit of help from Ricky’s staff, I settled upon Natural Instincts because it is ammonia-free and, as I was convinced by my new best friends, I was only leaving it on for 3 minutes, the closest they had was close enough.

As I mentioned, I know very little about at home hair color, save a few times my freshman year of college when my roommate suggested I help give her cap highlights (terrible idea, thank goodness she couldn’t see the back of her head). Luckily, Clairol packs instructions, a handy mixing bottle and gloves right in the box. After reading the instructions several times, I combined formulas “1” and “2”, shook the bottle and began applying the dye to my wet hair. I set a timer for exactly 3 minutes and waited. Once the time was up, I rinsed thoroughly and blew it dry. My color was just a bit deeper, but not markedly so. Thanks to the moisturizing color treatment, my hair felt soft and nourished too. It wasn’t super shiny but it certainly seemed more vibrant.

Day 3: The dye is supposed to last 28 days but I think some of the vibrancy is gone. It is so close to my natural color, so it is really hard to tell. I also noticed that in my naïve approach to at home hair color, I didn’t think about the fact that hair dye can color other things like bathroom tiles or skin. My back returned to its normal color after a little exfoliation, my bathroom tiles still have strawberry colored splotches.

Day 5: I am now convinced the color is gone (this could still be up for debate). My hair is still pretty soft though and the shininess is not completely gone. The brassiness that I sometimes get, especially after too much exposure to the elements, has yet to return.

Conclusion: For a 10 minute process one day, five days of shiny, vibrant hair is not bad. It is really difficult to find glosses that match your hair and using demi-permanent hair color is ingenious. If you are a hair-color novice like myself, invest in gloves. It also might be helpful to try a cream or foam formula (like Nice N’ Easy Color Blend Foam, though you should proceed with caution—it is permanent color). Also keep in mind that several companies, like Garnier , make an at home gloss treatment, which could satisfy your shiny hair needs just fine.

Get 50% off spa treatments during Wellness Week

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 12:02:34 -0400

Get 50% off spa treatments during Wellness Week:

Can’t wait until Spa Week for your discount facial? Me either. I nearly jumped this morning when I found out about “Wellness Week” from SpaFinder.com. From March 21-27, you can get 1/2 price or $50 deals on spa, beauty and wellness services at over 94 locations in the tristate area. A Green Tea “Ice Cream” Facial by Sonya Dakar for only $50 (it’s normally $155)? Yes, please!

(Originally posted on Uncouth in the City)

Test 3: Honey Mask

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 21:44:00 -0500

Theory tested: Smoother, pore-free skin can be yours with a little help from the beehive.

I know that honey, which is extolled by many for its anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and all around good for your skin properties, is an excellent ingredient for homemade mask but I always thought it needed a catalyst like lemon juice to do its work. According to the chef’s from The Beauty Cookbook, however, all you need to get your pores tighter is 10 minutes with honey on your face.

Products used: Organic honey from my local grocery store.

Duration of test: Two Days

Day 1: Kym Douglas and Cindy Pearlman (of the aforementioned “cookbook”) suggest putting organic honey on freshly washed skin. The thought of putting the sticky, thick amber on my just cleaned face pretty much sketched me out (I’m the girl who is convinced she’ll break out when her boyfriend touches her face because of his “fingertip oils”…neurotic, I know). The possibility of minuscule pores called to me, so I relented. I poured the honey into my hand and spread it across my face, avoiding the eye area. The honey felt, well, as I expected it would, viscous and tacky. After about 8 minutes, my skin started to feel a little tighter, like I’d spent 20 minutes with a mud mask on. When it was time to wash the mask off, it wasn’t hard like over the counter face masks would be, which made the process of washing it off much easier. My skin felt refreshed, smoother and while my pores weren’t invisible, they were visibly smaller.

Day 2: When I woke up the next day, my skin still felt smooth, like I’d just used a sugar scrub or sprung for a facial recently. It still looked pretty great too. I hated that I had to put makeup on my gunk-free face, but I sort of had to (that whole work thing). Midday, when I usually reapply makeup, all I needed to do was blot. It seemed the honey mask cured me of my usual afternoon oil slick.

Conclusion: The effects of Mother Nature’s miracle cure-all only lasted for about two days. My skin looked and felt like I’d just used a really fantastic (read expensive) clay mask. My skin didn’t look as rejuvenated as it does after a spa facial but using two tablespoons of honey cost me pennies (when is the last time you got a facial for less than $50?). This non-messy, 10 minute skin process is something I can do weekly, without feeling guilty about the cost.

Tip: Be sure to use a slightly damp, warm washcloth to help wipe the honey off your face and neck. Otherwise, you may be left with bit of the sticky stuff on your neck the next day (this can attract pest or pets, neither of which you want hanging around your neck).

FYI: It's time to throw out your old tube of lipstick...

Sun, 09 Jan 2011 19:08:04 -0500

FYI: It's time to throw out your old tube of lipstick...

What are you looking at? This would be the singed boar hair on...

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 22:03:00 -0500

What are you looking at? This would be the singed boar hair on my brand new boar hair round styling brush. I was trying to get a light, fluffy blowout and I ended up with burnt bits of hair and a delightful smell in my entire apartment (thankfully, I was pulling the burnt bits out of my brush and not the hair on my head).

Lesson learned: No matter how much body or curl I am trying to get, there’s no need to hold the dryer on my hair that long. Annnd that I should continue to use Kerastase Cimet Thermique, if my locks can withstand heat that burned the hair of a boar, it must be working. Maybe this blog should be titled “The Misadventures of a Beauty Guinea Pig”.