Category Archives: the Hair stuff.

the Hair stuff., the Magazine stuff.

That one time I asked Maria Menounos a question. And that one time she answered.

, , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

So, I have a thing about healthy hair, right?  And I’m a fanatic about checking for split ends and all that junk to keep it in good shape, right?  And I always get fooled into thinking celebrity hair is otherworldly and somehow magically immune from all these problems, right?  And I’m a sucker for almost any hair product recommendation, right?

Right.  Mostly.

So, when given the opportunity to ask a celebrity any question related to beauty (with only the possibility that she may respond, not a guarantee), I figured what’s the harm in asking her what products she uses on her decently awesome hair?

The celebrity I’m referring to in this case would be T.V. personality Maria Menounos, who is most well-known for her role as a host on Extra and is the youngest person to ever host Entertainment Tonight.  Am I positive that everyone reading this knows who she is?  No.  Do I really care?  No.  You see, I try not to worry myself with some kind of quest to ask the biggest celebrity out there about their hair, because really big names like Beyonce, Gwen Stefani, or Sarah Jessica Parker tend to be sort of, well, taken care of when it comes to appearances.  Mega-watt celebrities commonly have endorsement deals, and are frequently serviced by hairstylists that offer them products and treatments sometimes at no cost.  I mean, you know how it is:  Jennifer Lopez has a deal with L’Oreal, so of course she’s going to claim that she uses their products (of which she probably has a lifetime supply), and because of how big-time her income is and how high-profile she is, she probably gets her hair blown out at least once a week and has an arsenal of stylists constantly at her disposal.  That’s not someone I want “hair tips” from.  Who can relate to that?  Could she even keep up the condition of her hair without her gaggle of beauty slaves doing it for her?  Does she know a life outside of a perfect weave?  Perhaps I’d ask J.Lo’s stylist about what products are used on her, but you’ve gotta figure that with all the hands that have touched her head and all that L’Oreal running through her veins, it would be hard to get a straight answer.

So to summarize, all of this is why I find it more valuable to seek the product knowledge of a slightly lesser-known celebrity.  Such information just stands a better chance of being more reliable and true to word.  Sure, Maria might be what you call “medium profile” status, and I’m certain she has her hair done for the camera, but she has no current endorsement deals (though she … *gulp* … was the face of Pantene at one point long ago).  She’s not on the pages of every magazine.  So I figure, why not ask?

And so ask I did.  I believe the exact phrasing of the question I submitted was something like, “Your hair always looks healthy.  Outside of regular trims, what products do you use to keep it in good shape?”  Of course, my question got majorly snipped down, but I’ll take whatever!  And so, I received my email from People StyleWatch stating that they’d like to use my question, and to expect it in an upcoming issue.

photo (4)

Seen this one on stands lately?  It’s the August issue, so it may not be too visible now what with September claiming its monstrous stake on newsstands.  But here it is nonetheless!  And so I believe if you turn to page 58 …

photo (5)

 … you’ll stumble upon my question and Ms. Menounos’ answer!  Letting it air-dry?  CHECK.  Wash just three times a week?  I’LL ONE-UP YA, MARIA:  I CLOCK IN AT TWO WASHES PER WEEK.  CHECK.  Varying products according to what your hair needs and not just obsessively using the same ones in all seasons?  Smart girl!  CHECK.  And naturally, two suggestions from Maria for two very reputable products: Alterna’s Caviar Anti-Aging Overnight Hair Rescue treatment and Frederic Fekkai’s Brilliant Glossing Sheer Shine Mist.  Not bad.  This girl seems like she knows what she’s doing.  Now, have I purchased either of the aforementioned products since reading Maria’s response?  Nope.  Will I ever?  Maybe, but I’m good for now.  You see, what’s fun about exchanging beauty advice and suggestions is that you get to a point where, hopefully, you’ve found what works for you and the rest is now just optional.  It’s sort of fun just to know what folks use, right?  You don’t have to hop on their train if yours is already heading in the right direction.  But seriously, if I can ask someone like Maria what she does with her hair with the chance that she’ll respond back in a nationally-distributed publication, why not?  xo, MR

the Hair stuff., the Makeup stuff., the Me stuff.

My Retro Beauty Influences (and surprise … they’re all from movies).

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Determining who my classic beauty inspirations are proved to be more difficult that I’d expected.  When I say “classic”, I’m talking about figures from the Golden Age of Hollywood (late ’30s-early ’40s) through perhaps the 1960s.  And let’s also be clear about another thing: I’m strictly referring to beauty influences here, not style influences.  If I’m talking style, it’s an entirely different story and it’s much, much longer.  Those who’ve influenced my taste in beauty are much fewer when it comes to years gone by.

I’ve previously posted on more current beauty inspirations (which include Diane Kruger, Olivia Palermo, Keira Knightley, etc.), and figuring that out was easy for me.  I just ask myself questions like Whose hair do I most envy when I read InStyle?  Who do I most try to emulate when it comes to eye makeup?  Who shows up most on my Pinterest beauty board?  And because I’m a magazine junkie, I tend to be most influenced by celebrities and models rather than the classic movie stars when it comes to beauty.  Additionally, beauty was different in decades past.  I’ll be honest- Veronica Lake-type beauty really sends me, but … deep breaths … Kate Moss-type beauty sends me even further.  I’ll be choosing the smoked-out eye and textured hair over the red lip and glossy retro waves forever, and that’s the way it is.  Now, again, do I looooooove the retro look?  Yes.  But is it the defining, foundational influence over my personal taste?  No.  Ideally, my hair would always be second-day hair, with just a bit of grit to it.  Additionally, in this same fantasy, I would always have second-day makeup.  You know those smudges of eyeliner left on your lids the morning after you lazily go to bed without washing it off?  That right there.  That’s the best.

So now that we’re clear about that, let me tell about a couple reigning queens of Old Hollywood that have influenced my preferences in hair and makeup.  And yes, these are, in fact, all characters from films rather than singular actresses/models/dancers/whatever.  Alright then. Spit spot!

kim-novak-vertigo

The movie Vertigo has influenced in more significant ways than one, but because this is not a cinema blog, I shall refrain from carrying on about the inexplicably HUGE impact that this film’s story/soundtrack/wardrobe/cinematography has had on my imagination and person in general.  Instead, I shall praise the stark, cold, clean beauty of Kim Novak’s character named Madeleine as one of my own influences.  The ice-blonde hair, combined with bold eyebrows and soft peach cheeks (almost as if she’s been pulled out of some freezing cold water or something?) set the aesthetic tone for a sad and dark-minded woman.  There’s nothing gaudy about Kim Novak’s look here, and it worked with the character’s costuming too, which consisted of clean lines and solid, muted colors.  The minimalist, immaculate beauty of Madeleine’s character effectively conveyed a disturbing sense of mystery to me as a child, including the fact that her hair is always pulled back in a perfect, neat coil.

Kim’s beauty in Vertigo has influenced me in the sense that I have an eternal appreciation for the clean and neat.  Yes, I do like myself a bit of grunge, but as those who know me will tell you, I tend to have a heart for simplicity over, well, whatever you’d call “not simple” in beauty.  Moreover, I think Madeleine inspired in me a love for “dark” beauty.  Though her hair is unmistakably blonde, Madeleine’s character is nothing but quiet sophistication.  Alfred Hitchcock taught me that, through characters like Madeleine and the way you style them, you can portray mood through beauty.  And lastly, it’s this character that has had me committing to myself that if I ever do go blonde, it will in this shade.  No lie.  It’s either full ice blonde or nothing.

breakfast_at_tiffany_s_costume

Yes, THIS scene from Breakfast at Tiffany’s, not that scene, was the one that immediately had me seeing stars.  If I could look like this every day, ear plugs and all, I would.  Audrey Hepburn’s character Holly Golightly is pure McKenna perfection during these moments when she answers the door to meet the film’s leading man.  Her haircut, the highlights near the crown of her head, her glowy, pink cheeks, her lush lashes, and her full, pink lips are something I’d shoot for any day.  There really isn’t much depth to my explanation beyond this, other than me saying that it’s in this look that we see my appreciation for the less-than-perfect, in contrast to Kim Novak’s flawlessness above.  I tend to feel that the opening scene of Breakfast demonstrates what we like to see as perfection, and ironically, that look actually isn’t my favorite.  It’s iconic, yes, but is it the style I have in mind when I get ready to go wander in the early morning?  Nope.  This look is.

f029

Alright, so maybe I really do love some 1960s in my look every once in a while.  Like, really really really do.  And nothing says 1960s and nothing says Italian quite like Virna Lisi.  Not a thing, not no one.  During her How to Murder Your Wife days, Virna seemed to embody THEE look of the decade: voluminous, sassy hair (clearly a job for foam rollers), awesomely thick, black, cake eyeliner, mattified skin, relatively untouched lips, and some seriously bold eyebrows.  I’d like to think that today’s models like Cara Delevingne wouldn’t have a foundation to stand on if it weren’t for beauty like Virna’s first laying the groundwork and providing inspiration.  It’s the aesthetic of Virna, and Brigitte, and Marilyn that seems to have had the most influence on beauty these days if you ask me.  This kind of hair kicked off an evolution that’s landed us with Victoria’s Secret hair.  This kind of makeup has served as a model for countless designers and stylists today, such as Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton.  A cat-eye is an everyday staple these days for every girl-about-town.   In short, the 1960s Italian look is everywhere.  And I love it.

There really are countless other retro influences of mine when it comes to the whole realm of style, but because I’m focusing in on beauty here, I’d say that about sums it up.  It’s hard to distinguish little pieces of a picture that’s so complicated, but this is my best.  I don’t follow Audrey to a tee, but there are traces of her.  I don’t mimic Natalie Wood in The Great Race exactly, but you can find bits of her.  But that’s the point- to be inspired, but to still be you.  xo, MR

the Fashion stuff., the Hair stuff., the Magazine stuff., the Makeup stuff.

I’m over summer. Or, in which I discuss Fall 2013 beauty trends far too prematurely.

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

January and July are the months where I get antsy.  I start getting that mid-to-late season itch for something new, as in new trends, new ideas, and new fashion.  And of course, the magazine industry doesn’t exactly help me out with this struggle.

As you may know, magazines roll out their issues about one month prior to their actual, designated months (Get it?  Because everything is early in fashion.).  So, right now it’s mid-July, which means that just about all of the August issues are out.  Okay, so no big deal right?  Well, here’s the problem with the August issues- they’re one big tease.  All they seem to be is a preview for September (the official kick-off for the fall season in fashion).  And when you have an entire month of nothing but fall previews to deal with, you begin to find yourself looking for … oh, I don’t know … fur vests in the middle of summer?

Yeah, it’s pathetic.  I’ll admit that I’ve been looking for a felt fedora hat for over a week now (not much unlike Rosie’s Rag and Bone one seen here).  I’ve even got a modest Fall 2013 shopping list going, complete with a white fisherman’s sweater.  Try hunting one of those down in July.  But regardless of how early I begin looking for signs of the coming season and how hopeless it may be until mid-August, I have to admit that it is really fun.

So what can we all look forward to as far as beauty trends for Fall 2013?  We’ve got color blocking, heeled loafers, and tons of grey to look forward to in our wardrobes, but how about our faces?  Here are just a couple things I dare you to try when the winds change:

1.  Put some serious color on your lips.  Any color, so long as it’s bold.

01-nyfw-prettiest-looks-marc-by-marc-jacobs-hair-h724

Of course, I don’t tend to favor pink during the autumn seasons simply because it doesn’t feel right against all my black, grey, and muted tones (though I am kind of done with cliche rules like that), but a deep oxblood or a fire engine red like the above look shown at Marc Jacobs will certainly do the trick.  And texture doesn’t matter- glossy, matte, satin, stained, whatever.  It’s all about color saturation in this case, so there’s no real formula so long as it’s committed to its hue.

2.  Braid your hair.  ANY way you want.

viktor-and-rolf-fall-2013-braided-crown

Fishtail braids, Heidi-style plaits across the crown, one long braid down the back, you name it.  If there’s a single braid of the smallest size to be found in your hair, it’s a winner this coming season.  And let it be known that I am a braid IDIOT that can hardly get her own hair into a classic three-section braid without feeling like she needs to Animorph into an octopus.  While I still can’t seem to get my hair into a satisfactory braid that makes me happy, I did find this tutorial on the fishtail style to be extremely helpful, and I’m convinced that I could probably get the job done on someone else’s hair at this point, if not on my own.  My favorite styles were the ones seen like the shot featured above from Viktor & Rolf.

3.  But if you’re not going for a braid, go for something extra sleek and extra modern.

hbz-beauty-jason-wu-nyfw13-hair-style-lgn

I tend to feel most confident in my hair when it’s down with loose body and light waves thanks to ten minutes with a curling rod … but next season, I’m planning to change that.  A couple weeks ago, just as I was getting ready to head out the door to commune with some friends, I was fussing over the very flat-against-my-head state that my hair was in.  I’d blown it out straight days prior, leaving me with no volume and quite a bit of oil on the scalp.  I then decided to go for what will be one of Fall 2013’s bigger beauty trends:  I took out my rattail comb and created a deep, severe side part, and I then brushed all of my hair back and set it with shine-imparting, light-hold gel for a sleek, almost wet look.  I then tied my hair into a low ponytail and ran a flat iron over the length of it, just for good measure.  I was left with a style that felt more face-flattering and fashion-forward than my typical soft waves.

Anything of this nature, whether employing the use of a side-part with a bun or ponytail or just slicking the hair back with relatively no part, was huge during February’s Fashion Week.  I particularly love Liu Wen’s style shown above for Jason Wu.  My most current inspiration for this look, however, has been coming from Kate Mara’s character on House of Cards, Zoe, though Kate wears this look quite well herself on the red carpet.

4.  Try going without mascara(!) and let your brows do the talking.  And let them do all the talking.

mcx-matte-minimal-chloe-lgn

I know, I know.  We’re AMERICANS!  We’re OBSESSED with mascara!  So fine.  Let’s get over it.  Makeup on the runways last February exhibited two kinds of extremes: a full focus on the eyes with heavy eyeliner and loud color, or a completely opposite approach that left the eyes completely bare.  And when the makeup artists left the eyelids nekkid, they seemed to compensate for it in either the lip department orrrrrrr ………. the BROW department.  The bold eyebrow is back with a vengeance these days thanks to models like Cara Delevingne, and I’ve gotta tell ya, I couldn’t be happier.  I love this bold, minimalist look seen as a whole package in the image above from the Chloe show, combining both bare lashes and fashion-forward eyebrows.

Now, I myself have never plucked, tweezed, threaded, or waxed my eyebrows until this year.  I am not kidding.  But the whole brow craze just got me so excited about grooming my own that I started dabbling in a little shaping here and there (not without anxiously contemplating for about five minutes over which exact three brow-hairs to pluck).  I started filling in little gaps with pencil a couple years ago, and my hand has just gotten heavier and heavier as models like Cara have grown more and more popular.

And then, about two weeks ago, this happened.  Camilla Belle came out of hiding with two spectacularly perfect caterpillars on her face, and I FELL IN LOVE.  Say no more!  I’m hooked on the bold brow, and I’m ready to let the Liz Taylor in me shine!  No no, not that Liz Taylor.  THAT Liz Taylor.  There we go.  That’s more like it.  NO!  I said NOT THAT LIZ TAYLOR!  Or THAT one!  OR THAT ONE!

THAT ONE!  Thank you!  Gosh!  xo, MR

the Hair stuff., the Me stuff., the Review stuff.

Vacation all I ever wanted.

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

I’ve just returned from a near-perfect vacation.  What I love is the fact that I barely had to travel to really feel a sense of escape for this getaway- I live in Orange County, and we traveled no more than three hours at a time for a four-day trip to Santa Barbara.

The first 48 hours consisted of beach camping at the El Capitan State Beach with my husband’s college students, and then it was a stay in town on State Street for our anniversary (with just the two of us … don’t worry).  One of the week’s most glorious moments consisted of our day on the shore with the college group.  It had been foggy and gloomy for the previous twelve hours on the campgrounds, and we feared that our time on the beach later that day might bring more of the same.  Don’t get me wrong- I think dreary beaches are actually gorgeous.  However, I’d packed my swimsuit (and not my coffee mug and blankie) and it had just been so, so long since I’d had one of those quintessential California beach lay-outs.  Well, maybe that’s a lie.  I had gone to the beach near home by myself one week earlier, but unbeknownst to me I had only enough quarters for an hour!  *sobs* Help me I’m poooooor!!!!  So needless to say, I was ready for the kind of sunshine that doesn’t fool around, and I was ready to plant my patooty in the sand and not budge for a good while.

And, come one-o-clock in the afternoon, that’s exactly what we got.  The skies didn’t have anything to offer but pure, unmitigated supply of Sweet D for a good five hours, and I was in heaven.  But let me ask you something … What is heaven without hair color to go with it?  Tell me!  TELL ME!

945027_10201421383121639_1536712047_n

I only wish I’d gotten a picture of the out-of-control awesome braid my friend Jourdan whipped my hair into for our beach day, but alas, I was too distracted pretending to be a mermaid.  Thanks Jourdan!  I was only too excited to play around with my hair this week because the color had just been refreshed in the most delightful of ways thanks to my trusted stylist Justin at Salon 9.  And I’m at the point where I can conclusively say that I do indeed prefer my hair with some lightness to it.  It’s just happier.

But regarding this image specifically, here are my locks as they were after I had them blown out at the 1329 Salon and Spa on State Street.  I have this vacation tradition that I started during my honeymoon that involves hunting down a random salon and having either a pedicure or my hair blown out.  I just love meeting different stylists and checking out how different salons do their thing.  I remember the salon I stopped by on my honeymoon was super swanky and only used Kerastase products, and the staff had recently styled hair for New York Fashion Week as a team.  But then, on a different occasion, I stopped by somewhere a little out of my way for a blow-out around Christmas and the salon I happened upon was really old.  The product selection was a little piecemeal, the floors were checkered black-and-white, they had oldies playing on a radio, and I honestly couldn’t understand what my sweet stylist was saying half the time.  But I walked out with the most incredible blow-out!  You just never know what you’ll find.  And that’s the fun of it.

1329 Salon is only two months old, and my stylist, Jenna, had only been there for about five weeks (and they’re looking to hire four more stylists, so if you’re licensed in the SB area, here’s your chair!).  I’d been walking up and down State Street doing some shopping and I literally just walked through the door and asked if anyone could take a walk-in client for a blow-out.  Jenna used a flat-iron to create loose waves in my hair, and she tried to tutor me as best as she could so that I could mimic the technique myself (and we used my favoritest picture EVER of Jessica Biel for inspiration).  Jenna got me blushing though when she kept going on about my new precious highlights.  That’s always a major win for both you and your colorist:  when another stylist takes a moment to look through your whole head of hair while saying “Oh yeah.  Oh yeah.  These are great.”  *happy squeals*  So needless to say (because the shameless selfie says it all), I was more than happy with my experience.  Cheers, Jenna!  I hope you read this!

So, I’m home now.  And my vacation is now nothing more than memories and Instagram files.  But part of me feels like I get to keep vacation with me in the form of my hair as it is now (I know, that sounds creepy like I constantly have something hidden in my hair … Don’t worry, the most you’ll find is probably some bobby pins or a bird).  And tell me, who doesn’t want vacation hair?!  xo, MR

the Hair stuff.

Can we please take a minute to discuss the lie known as “beach waves”?

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

“Wavy” hair is a funny, nebulous thing.  What’s even funnier to me is the all-too-inaccurate idea of “beach waves”.  When I peruse the dark, anxiety-inducing caverns of Pinterest these days, I often happen upon a pin that will say, with all the confidence in the world, “HOW TO GET BEACHY WAVES!”  It’ll probably suggest something like Bumble&bumble’s Surf Spray, and the oh-so-simple routine of just twirling your hair up in a neat little bun (so simple!) while it’s still damp and a couple hours later … voila!  Beach waves!  On anyone!  Right?  Right?!  And of course, by “beach waves”, we all mean something like this …

Gisele-Bundchen-Hair

OR we mean something like this …

kate

Right?  RIIIIIIGHT?!

Oh come on.  COME.  ON.  Given the ridiculously generalized and deceptively simple instructions women almost always encounter for achieving the so-called beachy look, you’d think we would’ve figured out by now that getting the kind of results pictured above is nowhere near as simple as some overpriced texture spray and a twist of the hair.  Now, for a very small percentage of the population, this routine can work.  I will confess that it can be mildly successful on my own hair at times, but it’s often hit-or-complete-and-disastrous-miss.  More on that later.

However, let me address something else about this issue that bothers me first:  the misnomer of “beach waves”.  When I hear about girls desiring beach waves for their hair, it turns out that they don’t really want the authentic, salty texture that takes over your strands after an actual day on the shore.  You know- that crusty, gritty feeling it gets from all the sand and grime that it’s picked up from the ocean that you pretty much want to wash out as soon as you get home (even though, as a SoCal resident, I personally love the feeling and the smell but I realize it’s just far too impractical and nasty to sleep on)?  Yeah, I didn’t think that’s what you wanted.  While the images I’ve featured above tend to be slightly more accurate when it comes to authentic beach hair, this tends to be what most girls have in mind when they claim they want beachy waves:

2008 MTV Video Music Awards - Arrivals

This.  This is what most girls have on their mind when they say they want beach waves.  Now, you may not be able to distinguish the difference between this picture of Bar Rafaeli and the pictures above, but Bar’s waves are much more polished than the others (or at least more than Kate’s).  Bar’s waves aren’t gritty; they’re shiny.  And while they certainly look pretty, I don’t think you could say they look natural (as in you could achieve the look without any styling or work).  While many picture this as the type of “beachy” look that they desire, I don’t think you could accurately call this “beachy” at all.  Honestly, there is barely a soul that comes off the shore with hair like this.  I prefer to call these kinds of waves “Hollywood waves”, or “Victoria’s Secret waves”.  This kind of style nearly always needs some kind of help from a curling iron (unless you’re Gisele, who is a hair alien, meaning her hair is not human and so it is alien hair).  Bar’s hair pictured here has most definitely been styled with a curling iron, and by no means was simply twisted up into a bun and left to dry for a couple hours.  So take a deep breath- most beach waves are, in fact, man-made.  And you know what that means?!  You can man-make them yourself!

tools

Here’s my routine:  I start with freshly-washed hair, and I gently comb it through with a wide-tooth comb (and this is basically what I always do after a wash).  After applying whatever treatment I’m using at the time, I’ll either spray on some sea salt mist (which could be either actual salt water that I’ve bottled or John Master’s Organics Sea Mist) or I’ll run through a little texture paste with my hands.  If you so desire, you can run through a smoothing cream instead (but that ain’t beachy, folks).  I then let it air-dry, completely.  Sometimes this does, in fact, mean twisting it up into a bun with a scrunchy and letting it down in the morning (though it typically still isn’t dry by that point because the inner layers have been all twisted up and haven’t gotten enough air).  After it’s entirely dry, I’ll pick out whatever sections I feel could use a little help from my curling iron.  Sometimes it’s just the outer layers that need curling, and other times I seriously curl all of it.  I then just twirl one-inch sections around the rod (without using the clamp) and then sort of shake it all out for separation after I’m finished.  I sometimes like to finish it off with more sea salt spray to give it extra texture.  The results tend to be something along the lines of Bar’s look, or what I would classify as Victoria’s Secret waves.

Now, this works for me because my hair dries somewhat wavy on it’s own.  My natural texture tends to lend itself well to the overall affect.  This routine should also work for anyone else who’s hair dries straight (and it’ll just need more curling, and probably some spray with stronger hold).  However, for those of you who have hair that dries very, very curly- Not a chance.  If you were to start the whole process by twisting your hair up in a bun and letting it air dry, I’m not even sure what that would look like to begin with.  You tell me.  The only routine I could suggest to you for beachy waves would be blowing it out smooth after washing it, and then carrying on with curling from there.  But how cumbersome and time-consuming is all that?  My arms hurt just thinking about it. But hey, if you’re into it, knock yourself out.  But this is one of the things that irritates me about simple “how to” tips for styles like beach waves: If you don’t have decently wavy texture to begin with, it basically just means a lot of curling and heat styling.  And that takes work.

Welp, there it is.  If you’ve got any questions, let me know.  Most people tend to figure out their own way of achieving the glamorous wavy look, but as for the authentic beach look, and that oh-so-simple routine of wash, twist, and go (with perhaps a little sea mist), here’s what I get:

beach waves

Yep.  You can practically see the electric current pulsing through my veins.  But hey, this is beachy, no?  It’s grittier, it’s frizzier, it’s shine-less, and it’s got a little more of that zapped-by-lightning effect.  But hey!  It’s real!  This is strictly water, sea salt spray, and a couple hours of air drying.  And if I’m going for anything remotely close to beach waves without actually baptizing myself in the Pacific first, this is about as close as it gets.  Cheersies!  xo, MR

P.S. Oh, and might I add that most “beach waves” or “Victoria’s Secret waves” that we see on celebrities involve extensions?  Seriously, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show involves enough hair extensions to make a rope for Rapunzel down the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, should Mother Gothel generously choose to keep her there.  So next time you’re feeling sad because you don’t have mermaid hair like Alessandra, relax- Neither does she.

the Fragrance stuff., the Friends stuff., the Hair stuff., the Makeup stuff., the Me stuff., the Review stuff., the Skin stuff.

Some things and some stuff.

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

This post is going to be about exactly what the title says:  some things and some stuff.

I couldn’t think of some fancy, well-scripted intro where I blather on about the latest this and that without it simply sounding too contrived.  And so, to quote some nonexistent animated persons that I respect and admire deeply, I’m going to write about some things … and some stuff.

1.  I had Justin put some highlights back into my hair.  They’re subtle, ombre’d bits of caramel that provide just enough color to make me feel like summer is just around the corner.  I plan on going progressively lighter, but this was enough for now.  With my single-process hair color, I felt very one-dimensional (duh.) and I just didn’t have as much fun with my hair as I did when it had some lightness to it.  And so, it is with a heavy heart that I admit the possibility that a leeeeeeeeeeetle bit of blonde may help you have a leeeeeeeeetle bit more fun.  But hold your hosses thar!  I didn’t straight-up say that blondes unilaterally have more fun than brunettes.  Why, that would be plumb silly!  But I do believe that I am more satisfied with my hair when it’s provided with some colorful dimension, if only to use my hair as a metaphor for my life and provide the illustration that sometimes we need a little warmth and sunshine to shake us up out of the drab monotony of everyday existence.  This all sounds much better when you say it in the voice of Kenneth Parcell from 30 Rock.

Here is my hair as it was this spring, as colored and cut by Justin Kamm and as styled and photographed by Laura Licata:

943394_10200674809886852_428863034_n

I have to say, it was raining that afternoon.  How Laura managed to keep my hair from turning into this, I’ll never know.

And this is the best picture I have of my new highlights, as well as, ahem, my awesome nephew:

965574_10152838084725398_1249423765_o

2.  I graduated with my Master’s degree last Saturday, and received some gifts for doing so (and some may have been for my birthday as well, which was celebrated here).  Some of those gifts included Sephora giftcards, which burn bigger holes in my pockets than lit matches.  Seriously, I don’t know what it is but I will save gifts of cash and any other such cards for weeks or even months, but you designate a mere twenty bucks for me to spend at that magical house of facepaint and I just go cuhhhh-raaayyy-ZAY!  There may not be a thing I need, but I will haul my butt down to the nearest Sephora and just stand in front of the NARS counter for a solid fifteen minutes, looking like a freak, without a single expression on my face, doing absolutely nothing.  I just stare.  And touch EVERYTHING.  I’ll bring my own brushes and by the time I leave that place, it looks like Jackson Pollock came back from the dead and decided he just wanted to do a quick masterpiece on someone’s wrist.  I’m convinced that dead artists would have a thing for me.

3.  If I could look like this as a redhead, that would be an okay thing.

4.  This is what I came back with from my most recent Sephora trip.

Dior

Well, the one on the left I’ve actually had for a couple months, but the one on the right is brand spankin’ new.  I haven’t so much as smudged it with a finger.  It’s called Stylish Move, and I look forward to using the bottom right and top left shades for bridal makeup.  But really, this one was kind of more for me.  Dior 5-Couleur palettes are the holy grail of eyeshadows, and while they are quite expensive (I’ll never purchase one without some kind of gift card), they blend so well, coordinate so perfectly, are almost always universally flattering, and I make long-lasting use of them.  I’m breaking this sucker in tonight, so I’ll have to let you know how it goes (though hopefully not via an obnoxious Instagram selfie, but I have a bad feeling …). Honestly, if you’re not too sure about what eyeshadows are right for you but hate wasting time on a bunch of individual shades (that add up in cost anyhow and can be difficult to store and keep track of), I’d recommend looking into just one of these palettes and letting it be your one-step solution to your whole problem problem.  Might I suggest Rosy Tan or Earth Reflection?

5.  I smell bad and get sweaty.  Sometimes.  Maybe.  If so, it’s because I don’t wear antiperspirant.  And I haven’t done so in years.  Why?  Because what makes antiperspirant do its thing is something called aluminum zirconium trichlorohydrex, a substance linked to early-onset Alzheimer’s as well as breast cancer.  Weird.  And we shave our armpits and layer on the stuff every day.  Weirder.  And our armpits are suspiciously situated quite near our breasts.  Weirdest.   So here’s the thing:  I use deodorant, but I don’t use antiperspirant (and no, there are no “natural” or “safe” kinds of antipersp; the aluminum ingredient is always the active one in antipersp).

For a couple years I used Tom’s of Maine’s Natural Unscented Deodorant Stick and my body adjusted well.  However, a couple months ago, my armpits started experiencing a burning and itching sensation that left my armpits peeling in a big ring and looking as if they’d been out in the sun with no protection.  At first I thought it was razor burn or something, but then I realized that the sensation was returning just minutes after applying the Tom’s.  And to my surprise, I found that many users had experienced the exact same symptoms after years of using Tom’s (Bless you, Internet only sometimes because mostly I hate you!).  Why all this burning and itching only started occurring after years of use, I’ll never know.

Anyhow, I discovered that Tom’s, while being free of aluminum and not an antiperspirant, still contains a chemical called propylene glycol.  PG, as we’ll call it, is meant to keep many body products from either melting or freezing, but it unfortunately also “alters the structure of the skin by allowing chemicals to penetrate deep beneath it while increasing their ability to reach the blood stream”.  Additionally, PG has also been linked to cancer, endocrine disruption, reproductive issues, allergy developments, and other bodily issues (as is the case with many substances in our body products).

So what do I use?

Deo

Desert Essence strikes again!  This brand is seriously so awesome.  My face and now my pits owe so much to it.  You can find Desert Essence’s deodorant at Sprout’s, Whole Foods, or any of your local hippie-dippie hotbeds, and it has no aluminum (and just realize if the product does not say it is an antiperspirant, it doesn’t have aluminum anyhow) nor any propylene glycol.  Excellent.

And now the inevitable question:  But don’t you have B.O.?

Yes.  Not all the time, and not every day, but sometimes, yes.  And do I care?  No.  Let me throw this out there:  Your body, as it naturally functions, is supposed to sweat.  It’s one of the processes that your body uses to eliminate toxins from your body.  Your skin operates like a third kidney, sweating out urea, metals, and minerals.  You get rid of about 30% of bodily wastes through sweating, with the other methods being pooping, peeing, and other glamorous things we talk about on beauty blogs where Kate Beckinsale and perfume are also talked about regularly.  I just said “poop” and “Kate Beckinsale” in the same sentence.

So anyhow, I’m honestly okay with sweating a bit through the day.  It’s literally meant to be.  And I’ll be straight with you- If I’m planning on wearing a delicate fabric or know that I’m going to have an anxious morning (interviews, standing up to rebelling freshmen in their math class, etc.), I do wear the clinical strength antiperspirant.  And I mean, like, the 25% aluminum kind (because if I’m going to wear the stuff, I’m going whole-sweaty-hog).  But I try to severely limit these occurrences.  And I’m trying to bulk up around the freshmen.

Anyhow, that’s my blabbering about some things and some stuff for now.  Until next time, stay sweaty, shop Dior, get your highlights on, and stay poopy Kate Beckinsale!

375030_10200674810406865_289465650_n

xo, MR

And thanks to thegoodhuman.com for the smarts on PG.

the Hair stuff., the Review stuff., the Skin stuff.

Wut.

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

photo2

Can I just say that I called the debut of this product?  I called it.  I knew it would happen.  This, ladies and gentlemen, is what we call a perfect example of a gimmick, or a trick or device used to attract attention, publicity, or business.  I literally laughed out loud when I first saw an ad for Pantene’s new Ultimate 10 BB Creme for hair (and I can’t remember exactly where I first read about it, but it was before it hit shelves, so I’ve been looking forward to this for a while).

So, if you know anything about current trends in the beauty world, you know that B.B. creams are huge right now in skincare (along with CC creams, and soon to come, DD creams … I’m not lying).  They’re do-it-all “beauty balms”, meant for hydrating, firming, soothing, providing sun protection, reducing the appearance of pores, fine lines, uneven skintone, and repairing damage.  The first B.B.’s we saw typically came in just one self-adjusting shade, and were meant to cover a bunch of skincare and makeup steps in one.  B.B.’s were unique in the fact that they were one of the first mass-marketed products that blended makeup and skincare into one item.  They made sense.

About one year ago, every big name brand came out with a B.B. of their own.  And so I remember thinking to myself, not too long ago, “Self, I don’t think it will be long before we see some other re-working of this B.B. phenomenon.  Maybe in the hair department?  Why not?  Someone, anyone really, could easily reinterpret this kind of product as one for hair, even though we have literally every product necessary to perfect our tresses by now.”  I mean it when I say that I just don’t know what they’ll think of next when it comes to hair.  We have everything to address every need for hair these days.  I mean come on, Blake Lively’s hair exists– we’ve achieved hair perfection as the human race!  Sure, everyone’s individual capability in maintaining their own hair may vary, but beyond that, hair perfection today is a potential reality, no matter what type of hair you have to begin with.

And this is just one of the reasons why, though I knew it would happen, the advent of the hair B.B. cream baffles me.  There is no need for it, like, at all.  We have products that de-frizz, give shine, repair damage, strengthen, and all the like.  We even have products that already claim, like a B.B., to do all those things at once (think items like It’s a 10, MoroccanOil, etc.).  And honestly, let’s go as bare-bones as, say, sunflower oil:  it strengthens, reduces frizz (like most any oil), imparts shine, and can ultimately prevent damage.  And what’s even better is that it’s sunflower oil, not some strange, indecipherable compilation of synthetic lab constituents that plays off the current of-the-moment B.B. trend.  Furthermore, a recent magazine review of Pantene’s B.B. that I read claimed that it was just too heavy for most hair types (and heavy products make hair very difficult to style or even air-dry nicely, despite Pantene claiming that their B.B. is a styling product, too).

So my verdict before even trying it?  Useless.  Forget about it.  Move on with your life.

HOWEVER, here’s something that you can trust as helpful to your hair, but it’s not exactly something new.

photo1

Didn’t think you’d ever give these a shot again, did you?  Now look, at least these scrunchies aren’t some awkward color or print that remind you of Jazzercise or your Osh-Kosh overalls that I seriously wore for way too long.  Oh, so it’s the shape that still scares you?  Or the fact that you can wrap one of these suckers around a ponytail on top of your head and swing your hair around like a helicopter and look like you’re straight out of a Paula Abdul music video?  Or straight out of an episode of Full House?  Did you know I’ve never even watched Full House? And that I’ve never seen more than maybe three episodes of Friends?  Yep.  That’s how relevant I am.

Anyhow, I digress.

So basically, these puppies are well on their way to becoming my new best friend in obsessing over my hair.  A lot of hair ties snag my hair (and everyone’s, I suppose), and I’ve never seemed to find one kind that I’m comfortable leaving in my hair overnight.  I put my hair up before bed frequently, but I just hate knowing that I’m rolling around in bed with a tight piece of elastic pulling and tugging at my strands.  So what’s an anxiety-riddled girl to do?  Well, the ideal hair tie is one that’s covered in soft fabric, like scrunchies!  They’re so much gentler on strands, and you can wrap your hair in one overnight and not have to worry about any tugging.  If your hair is thicker, use two!  I especially liked this set because they were still decently tight, as I recall some scrunchies just being too soft and loose (hence the falling-off-the-head side ponytail of the 80s … although that style was no accident on all too many an occasion).  Wear them to bed, wear them to the gym, wear them while running errands.  Honestly, no one’s looking at you like you’re some gymnast from the nineties.  They just look like extra-thick hair ties.  So do it.

Alright, that’s all I’ve got for now.  But come next week, I’ll be blogging about something super awesome- my birthday party!  It’s going to be fabulous.  I mean, I can’t quite tell you just how fabulous it’s going to be, but get ready to have your mind blown.  It’s pretty exclusive though, so, sorry, I can’t just make it some kind of free-for-all.  But don’t worry, I’ll give you the run-down.  You’ll see.  xo, MR

the Hair stuff., the Magazine stuff., the Makeup stuff., the Review stuff., the Skin stuff.

InStyle’s Best Beauty Buys of 2013 … and what I think of ’em.

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

So, May is one of my absolute favorite months for fashion magazines (I think I say that every month, right?) because this month tends to see the widest amount of beauty features in such publications.  People StyleWatch, Lucky, Marie Claire, and InStyle all proclaim their May issues as dedicated to beauty, and I’ll be honest- I’ll eye a magazine on the stand at a grocery store and I’ll quickly flip to the beauty section, and if it piques my interest in any way, I’ll buy it.  The beauty sections are always my favorite, teeming with hair how-to’s, reviews of new products and the like.  One close-up shot of Kerry Washington’s makeup at last month’s premiere complete with a break-down of what products were used, and I’m literally buying the magazine just for that one page.

photo

My May issue of InStyle magazine came yesterday in the mail and sure enough- 2013’s Best Beauty Buys can be found on page 297!  I like lists like these because I like comparing the magazines choices to what I already have and agree with, what I’m still curious about, and what products I hate.  Additionally, I’ve begun to take these “best of” lists more and more seriously because I’ve become increasingly interested in curating the best kit possible, even if it means a little extra investment here and there.  I trust InStyle for this and can tell that their choices are honest because a lot of the “winners” don’t change from year to year (whereas I feel some publication’s praises are simply based on what’s newest to hit the market).  Now, I won’t be mentioning my thoughts on every product that InStyle lauds, but there are a few I found to be worth commenting on.

1.  Best Inexpensive Lipstick- Cover Girl Lip Perfection  Yes.  The texture of these suckers does not feel cheap, despite the drugstore price (and the pigment lasts forever).  What’s great about this line is that the color range feels expensive and a little more edgy as well, whereas drugstore lipstick in the past seemed to just offer cute variations on frosty pink for the most part.  I still proudly proclaim their shade called Spellbound as the best shade of holy-crap-that-is-no-joke-magenta for under ten bucks.

2.  Best Inexpensive Mascara- L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Original  Is it just me or has this stuff sucked every time I’ve tried to give it another chance?  I’ve probably purchased this formula a total of three or four times over the years, just on the basis of knowing it’s reputation and thinking that it’ll perhaps work out differently this time.  But like Maybelline’s Great Lash (which I’ve consistently detested), this stuff is just goopy and can’t handle the pressure of a second coat (which is a bloody shame since I tend to cap things off at five coats).

3.  Best Overall Mascara- Dior Diorshow  I’ve purchased this stuff twice in my lifetime, which, in conjunction with my comments on the previous product, proves that I am certifiably insane in that I think if I do the same thing over and over I’ll somehow, at some point, land on different results.  In my little library of thoughts, Diorshow is categorized as the most overrated beauty product in existence.  The brush is too big to the point where you can’t control the product easily or put as many coats on without things getting into Shelob territory very quickly.  And what’s more, there’s fragrance in it.  For why?!

4.  Best Powder Blush- NARS  Always and forever, yes and yes.  I have three shades of NARS powder blush, and they are just the happiest, most exciting colors to wear.  Your mood just changes when you dot on one of the shades on to your cheeks.  While I love wearing their cream version in Lokoum on a regular basis, I took a dare last year in purchasing their powder formula in Exhibit A, an absolutely terrifying shade of vermilion at first glance (and I’m pretty sure the bride I most recently used it on hyperventilated when I first showed it to her).  But just a couple dots on the cheekbones and BAM!  You look like you’re glowing from the inside-out.

5.  Best Inexpensive Shampoo and Conditioner- Pantene Pro-V Classic  Just deal with my rant for a moment:  When you’re paying four bucks for a ginormous bottle of shampoo, this should tell you something- that apparently there’s nothing in that bottle worth any money to raise the price over four bucks.  Seriously, read the label on the back of your Pantene shampoo or conditioner bottle and tell me if you can identify any of the ingredients other than water.  The first ingredient of Pantene’s shampoo is water, the next two are detergents that strip your hair, the next is sodium chloride (table salt), and the next is dimethicone (which, while being toted as great for reducing frizz, also saps your hair of moisture).  The list goes on, but nothing in these products can be considered nutritious for your hair.  It’ll clean, but it’ll strip.  If you’re going for a cheaper shampoo and conditioner, at least go for a sulfate-free brand.  I also find shower products like these more worrisome too because we rinse a lot of this stuff down our drains and it gets swept up into our oceans and water systems, and I can’t see dumping gallons and gallons of synthetically-derived Pantene as ultimately good for our water supply and ecosystems.

6.  Best Lipstick- Tom Ford  I honestly wouldn’t know if I agree with this choice or not, because I’ve never tried Tom Ford’s lipsticks.  My life just isn’t at the point yet where I can justify fifty dollars for one tube of lipstick.  You read that right- fifty dollars. I feel like I could possibly justify such a price for face makeup (if you were to wear it everyday) or something that would last you a very long time, but I don’t wear lipstick everyday (rarely, actually) and lipstick isn’t even meant to last for an extremely long time.  So I’d either feel compelled to use it every single day (which I wouldn’t) or make the tube last at least two years (at which point it would’ve expired anyhow).  No win.  And what’s more, I’m just convinced that there are too many quality lip colors out there for twenty and under.

7.  Best Concealer- Cle’ de Peau Beaute’  See above.  Seventy bucks for concealer?  There’s no way.  Well, then again, I at least know I probably would use this everyday, and just a little bit each time.  I’d get my money’s worth!  And it is supposed to be an absolute miracle worker on all flaws and blemishes, and … you know what … no … I can’t keep talking like this.  Just slap me.

8.  Best Curling Iron- Hot Tools Spring Iron  Yep, this is the one.  I have the 1.25″ and I love it.  I just wrap sections of my hair around it (and I skip the clamp; I just wrap and hold) and nothing works better at creating easy waves.  Don’t pay more than fifty bucks for a curling iron or curling rod.  Save your biggest hunk of change for a high-tech flat iron.

9.  Best Lip Balm- Smith’s Rosebud Salve  Sure, the tin is chic in a French-apothecary-kind of way, but there’s a little too much petrolatum in this stuff for my taste.  Petrolatum, derived from petrochemicals, is known for ultimately disabling your lips from being able to remain moist on their own (hence the legend of “ChapStick addiction”).  Petrolatum merely acts as a barrier on your skin’s surface (not an actual moisturizer), and it simply traps whatever moisture is already on your lips in place.  Your lips, over time, basically un-learn how to replenish their own moisture.  Rub a petrolatum-based product all over your body and over time, this kind of barrier will prohibit toxins in the form of sweat and sebum from escaping the skin’s surface like they’re supposed to.  This is why I try to stay away from most drugstore lotions and “moisturizers”, because they’re laden with petrochemicals that can, in a worst-case scenario, really mess up your endocrine system.  I am forever loyal to Burt’s Bees Beeswax lip balm because I only find myself needing to apply it perhaps twice a day, and it is free of petrochemicals.

10.  Best Eyeliner Pencil- MAC Eye Kohl  Could the name “Smolder” be more appropriate?  This stuff is black magic.  Devilish, delicious, I-am-Jack-Sparrow’s-wickedly-awesome-pirate-girlfriend magic.

So seriously, let me know what you think.  Pick up the magazine (with Emily Blunt on the cover), flip through their lists, and give me your thoughts.  But I’m convinced there is no eyeliner better than my Jack Sparrow pirate eyeliner.  xo, MR

the Fragrance stuff., the Hair stuff., the Magazine stuff., the Makeup stuff., the Me stuff.

Spring Blahs: What’s exciting, what’s frustrating, and what Ben Affleck did for my beauty routine.

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

It’s been a while since I posted last- over two weeks!  It’s hard to write about something like beauty and hair and the latest trends when you’re not feeling particularly inspired, and I haven’t been so much lately.  I’ve been dealing with a lot of what we’ll just call blah these days, and that’s okay.  Beauty and fashion are constant and probably won’t ever really “go away” so to speak, but sometimes I peek into the lives of people in these industries and it’s like they try to rely on these things to keep calm, stay happy and escape from the reality that life deals them … and that’s called self-medicating.  I don’t want to fall into that cycle, and so I’ve been allowing myself to accept the fact that there are times when I will feel “meh” about hairstyles, colored eyeliner, and CC creams.  There will be times when the things I typically enjoy won’t bring me joy, and that’s okay.  It’s a season, and the joy will come back.

This doesn’t mean, however, that I cannot practice joy in makeup, beauty, and hair.  I still see the goodness in identifying something that I really, really like and expressing how much I like it, even if it feels functional and not as interesting as other times.  And so here, in the midst of blah, I’m listing what I’m currently excited about (or perhaps what I’m not excited about) in beauty.

1.  Early one morning before taking off for teaching, I attempted to do this seemingly easy slicked-back hairstyle.  I thought I had the right product for it, and I had planned to wash my hair that afternoon so it seemed like a good chance to use plenty of gel.  I ended up looking more like a wet Pekingese than anything, or like a cow got really friendly with me and decided to lick me and just not stop until the cow’s tongue turned to sand.  I’ll try it again later when I’m not planning on standing in front of teenagers all day, susceptible to their scathing criticism and underappreciation for the avant-garde in the classroom.  Such peasants, they are.

2.  I’m excited for these.

greene2

Every year, InStyle comes out with an issue that’s just about hair (awesome) and People StyleWatch‘s May issue always features a big beauty section covering skin, makeup, hair, and the works (awesome).  InStyle‘s main edition also features a “Best Beauty Buys” section in it’s May issue (more awesome).  I think I just like pouring over up-close shots of celebrities with inspiring hairstyles and makeup shown in hi-def, and issues like these are loaded with them.  I swear my hair gets healthier and prettier during the week after reading a new magazine like this.  I also swear that the longer you stare at a picture of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley’s hair, the more likely you are to grab a curling rod and get to work on your own.  It’s this thing I call “envy”.

3.  I got through my whole bottle of Lancome’s La Vie Est Belle!  It’s a miracle, I tell you!  I never get through a whole bottle of perfume in just one season (because I frequently forget to put it on, in the first place), and I am so proud of myself for finally doing it.  I can officially call that my Fall/Winter 2012/2013 scent and I can now move on to bona fide summer fragrances, like my beloved D&G 3 L’Imperatrice, so I can smell like an unmistakably rich juicebox.

4.  I acquired the supposed shade of lipstick that was used on Jessica Alba in my post here (Avon’s Totally Kissable Lipstick in Lovey Dovey Pink, as my reputable resources tell me), but I proceeded to find that the shade was in fact a frosty pink that had me feeling more like this than anything.  I’ll be needing to do a little more research on that shade of Jessica’s.  I’m not convinced.

5.  I’m not at Coachella looking so impressed with myself that my eyes are rolled into the back of my head.

6.  But I WAS impressed enough with myself AND my hair one night to shamelessly Instagram this selfie.

photo

But come on, cut me some slack.  My hair was behaving like a voluptuous attention hog, I’d had an extra twenty minutes that evening to do a perfect smoky eye, and my bathroom lighting can get weird to the point where you can leave some photos unfiltered and they’ll still have a nice, flaw-concealing sheen to them.  And lest you believe this is a common occurrence, here I am, as I exist, right now:

photo

No filter, IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING.  Now if you’d excuse me, IMG Models is calling and I’m replacing Miranda Kerr in the Victoria’s Secret Angels lineup.  This is the face that will crush Gisele.

7.  I had my hair color refreshed recently, and I’ve found that since then my hair texture has slightly changed.  It dries much straighter, and each strand seems, I don’t know, perhaps a bit more wire-y or thick.  My friend said she’s seen it happen particularly with dark shades, and so I’m not really worried.  But I am prepping myself for going lighter in less than a month, I’d say.  I have relatively no layers in my hair at this point (what I’ve wanted- mission accomplished).  It’s weird though, I’ve had layers basically for the last ten years up until now.  I’ve finally grown them all out (and had them cut to one length) and now I’m now sure how I feel about it.

8.  I watched Argo the other night and proceeded to bite off all of my nails until each finger started to burn with pain.  No nail polish now for nearly a month.  Thanks, Ben Affleck.  You and your movies make a crap manicurist.

Alright, I’m done.  Time to go sleep on a satin pillowcase to keep my hair and skin smooth and to prevent split ends and breakage.  Yes, I obsess over breakage even in my sleep.  xo, MR