Category Archives: the Me stuff.

the Makeup stuff., the Me stuff., the Review stuff.

On how I once kind of resembled a drag queen.

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I have a confession to make.  For a few who (perhaps) read this, they will already know this strange secret of mine and it will be no confession.  It’s not that I’ve tried to keep it a secret, really.  It’s just that this all took place in such a weird, encapsulated period of my life and it’s like some strange time warp thinking about it.  So, here goes …

I used to wear glitter.

No big deal, right?  I mean, glitter’s back with a vengeance these days anyway.  No, no.  Do not be mistaken, please.  Let me reassure you- I. Used. To. Wear. Gliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiteeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrr.

Ok, ok.  Take yourself back to 2001 with me for a minute here.  You know, N’Sync and butterfly clips and boob tube tops underneath overalls?  You get the picture.  As you remember, glitter was a pretty common thing at that point (and I’m just going to mention *True Colors* and hope that rings a shimmery, shiny bell for some of you).  But just so you know, I am not talking, like, a little glitter in the lip gloss as was the thing back then.  I am not even talking a little strawberry-scented roll-on glitter on the cheeks as was so very common.  I am talking … well … let me put it in anecdotal form:  Every morning, from about seventh through eighth grade and then some, I’d cover my eyelids in glitter.  Thick, hexagonal glitter.  It might be blue.  It might be red.  It might be God-knows-what color, but whatever it was, it was slap-you-silly-with-a-ray-of-sunshine BRIGHT.  And it would frequently go all the way up to my eyebrows.  And then came the hair.  I had glitter gel.  Yes, repeat that- glitter. gel.  And I’d slick that stuff in my hair like it was 1985.  Did they use glitter gel in 1985?  Anyways, the final touch- I’d drag my mom out on to our driveway and I’d have her spray me down with the spray glitter used at dance and cheer competitions.  From top to bottom.  I’d throw on a sequined shirt with my glitter-coated jeans and I was good to GO.  Now, was I going to a cheer competition?  Nope.  Dance competition?  Nope.  I was going to middle school to pick my nose and learn things.  But I definitely looked like a walking galactic nebula while doing it.

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This all stopped freshmen year when I realized that I’d pretty much alienated all my loved ones because my glitter addiction gave off that certain stench of weird.  I normaled up, and now I’m me!

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What’s extra funny about this whole thing, though, is the fact that there is literally no primary documentation of these happenings.  None whatsoever.  There are no pictures that I can locate that properly do justice, and I even threw away all the glitter (and you wouldn’t believe how much there was … there are still traces of it in my bedroom and bathroom a decade later).  It’s sad, I haven’t got a single snapshot to show you what it was like to be somewhat of a drag queen in junior high.  So you’ll just have to believe me.

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But we come to today, and as you can see I still have a rather soft spot for glitter.  There were a good couple years where I detested the stuff, but I’ve realized that my glitter phase was the true beginning of my love for all that is makeup.  I even did a presentation on my love for makeup in eighth grade language arts (complete with torn-out magazine pages of makeup looks I’d liked … boy was that telling), and I’ll always remember my teacher complimenting me on how comfortable and knowledgeable I was with the subject.  It’s truly one of my first loves.  So here we have my present-day nails, painted not but a few hours ago, in The Living Daylights from OPI’s latest fabulous collection inspired by the James Bond films.  I know it’s a manicure quite fit for the ushering-in of December, but I have to say that I don’t think I’ve ever stared at my nails with so much love as I have these past few hours.  It takes me back and hits me right in the sparkly feels.  xo, MR

the Makeup stuff., the Me stuff.

Bridal makeup on the fly … or, my bride Krista :)

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So a while back on a Thursday, I was busily crafting drinks at my other job (one of them) when a couple girls came rushing toward me asking, “Hey, you do wedding makeup right?!”  “Yes, I do … when would you need me to do it?”  “Could you do it this Saturday?!”  …………….. GAME ON.

I popped over to Krista’s house the very next day for a trial run, and I have to say that I so appreciated her chill attitude and clear trust that she had in me.  I stuck to a couple wedding makeup stand-by’s that I knew I could rely on:  NARS blush in Orgasm, a good set of false lashes (Ardell‘s demi set in 120 is my favorite), and, of course, Bare Minerals Original.  Everything else is negotiable and can be experimented with, but the three aforementioned items are the most effective way to look awesome.

I’d known Krista a little bit in high school (I actually remember sitting behind her in math class my freshman year), and it was so fun reconnecting over such a great occasion.  What was crazy was listening to Krista and her bridesmaids discuss her current situation, too- she was waiting for a phone call regarding a huge job promotion during this same weekend as her wedding, and when I saw her at my coffee shop she’d literally flown in from her home in New Jersey just hours before (and her wedding was in California in 72 hours from that point!).  Krista is a girl on-the-GO!  But I felt that it kind of worked perfectly with the makeup situation … sometimes things have to happen on the fly and under pressure, but those situations can yield the best results when it comes to things like makeup and fashion.  You have no time to really fret or think or build up your anxieties or mess around … you just have to do it.  Everything’s based on sheer moments of inspiration, and you just have to make executive decision upon executive decision (and yes, even when it’s something as seemingly small as choosing which eyeshadow to use, it still feels like an executive decision).

Krista’s makeup was one of my proudest moments because it affirmed (at least unto myself) that I could think fast on my feet, and that I’d built up enough know-how to be an effective makeup artist on short notice.  I loved how Krista looked.  She looked glowy and classically beautiful.

I’ll always remember this one moment when I’d just about finished with Krista, and she had her hair and veil all set, and her mom turned to her to check out the finished product and all she did was nod approvingly with a sweet smile, and then the tears came.  My heart just about melted.  It’s awesome to be part of moments like that.

Congratulations, Krista and Gerhard!  You looked incredible!  xo, MR

All photography is credited to Frenzel Photographers.  For more of their work, check them out at http://www.frenzelphotographers.com.  And you might, just might, stumble across yours truly in their “Married!” gallery! 😉

the Magazine stuff., the Makeup stuff., the Me stuff.

IT’S SO SPARKLY!!!!!

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Every year, the issues I look forward to the most for almost every fashion magazine out there are the December issues.  The September and March issues, while amazing, are just a little too overwhelming for me, and though I do really love the summer issues of June and July, I always love the December issues because they’re all about dressing up, dramatic party makeup, and trying something fancy with your hair.  It’s glitter, sequins, lame’, metallics, brocade and jewel tones, and if there’s anything I love more than casual autumn style, it’s festive holiday style, because it’s … sparkly!!!

So, what do I do for makeup when it comes to holiday festivities?  There are several options I tend to choose from- smokey metallic eyes, glittery nails, perfected skin, red lips, and shimmery gloss.

I know it’s been quite the year for nail art, but really psychedelic  nails don’t seem appropriate to me until the party invitations start rolling out for Christmas.  I haven’t done real honest-to-goodness statement nails yet, but I do love to indulge in a special, sparkly varnish around December that evokes nothing other than Christmas lights!  Chanel’s Le Vernis in Black Pearl for their Spring 2011 line is kind of a bluish-greenish-silverish shade that I found mysterious and different.  Butter London’s Wallis is a blackish-gold glittery polish that does a good job at giving my nails disco fever.  I’ve often passed by some really cool shades by Deborah Lippmann at Nordstrom, and I’m contemplating picking one up in Let’s Go Crazy.  We’ll see.  I have to add here that my dear friend Hailey snuck a Christmas treat for me right under my nose while shopping together on Black Friday, in the form of Deborah Lippmann’s Forget You.  I love it even more than Let’s Go Crazy because it has a black base color rather than purple!  Perfect New Year’s polish!  Thanks Hailey!

During the holiday season, I tend to make greater use of items like my MakeUpForever HD MicroFinish Powder because photo-taking is more frequent (though Instagramming your photos is kind of the sad, cheap cure for any skin imperfections now).  I also like using shimmery highlighters on my face and chest more during this time, because it suits the festivities and stands out at night.

For lips, I know it could be easy to go the deep bordeaux route in honor of fall, but nothing seems to scream “HAVE A HOLLY JOLLY CHRISTMAS!” more than a classic red lip.  I get that they’re kind of a year-round staple that are here to stay these day, but red lips just feel so right against a formal, decorative ensemble paired with that faux-fur vest and those killer boots.  The key to a red lip is finding the right shade for you.  I have to admit that it really, really bothers me when I see ladies wearing the wrong shade of red.  If you have fair skin with cool, bluish undertones (check your veins), go for more blue-based reds.  I hear that Revlon’s Fire and Ice is a good choice, along with MAC’s Ruby Woo.  Whatever Dita Von Teese wears will work.  My NARS Velvet Matte lip pencil in Cruella seems to fit the category for medium shades, and if you have warmer or more olive skin, try for something more orange or brownish-based, like a tomato red such as MAC’s You Say Tomato or Revlon’s Orange Flip.  The shade that seems to get the most buzz for being universally flattering is MAC’s Russian Red, but I also hear plenty of good things about the NARS Velvet Matte lip pencil in Dragon Girl.  Take the time speak to a cosmetics consultant about finding your best shade of red, or do some true online or magazine research.  It’s worth it.  And if you’re going without the red lip, at least go for glittery gloss a la’ Givenchy Gelee D’Interdit in Icy Peach.  Yum.

And lastly, my favorite part- the eyes.  I love a smokey eye any time of year, but making them a little more special with metallic shades of gunmetal or gold jazzes them up just enough.  Sometimes I like to add a little color too, like with this Revlon palette in Sultry Smokes.  I was drawn to it because of the deep navy blue shade it featured; it wasn’t just different shades of black.  Or you could go for a plum smokey eye like Mila Kunis, or an all-over silver wash.  And of course, don’t forget to line the inner rims in a black, inky kohl pencil.

With Thanksgiving just days away, I’m excited to begin adding in little bits of sparkle into my makeup routine here and there.  It’ll have to come with my everyday look, because I honestly don’t have that many parties lined up for December.  Cheers to glittery nails on work days!  xo, MR

P.S.  People StyleWatch magazine used my comments for their “Are You Loving …” feature … again.  See what I had to say in the December ’12/January ’13 issue with Taylor Swift on the cover- it’s a whole six words long!  Although I am disappointed they didn’t use my mention of the word ‘avant-garde’ … must’ve been too high-brow for the demographic.  Whatevs.

the Magazine stuff., the Me stuff.

Um … yes.

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Here is my red carpet beauty idol, Keira Knightley, looking like December personified at the New York premiere for her latest film Anna Karenina.  It’s looks like this that make me pine for Christmas (pun intended) and the upcoming month of wintry festivities.  Seriously, I am like a kid ready to pee his pants on Christmas morning when I see styling like this.  The sleek, shiny hair, with her luminous skin and cherry red lips, accompanied by dainty black Valentino lace and Chanel starry diamonds – mmmmm-hmm!  It may simply be a very alluring woman in a very alluring dress with very beautiful makeup, but this has me screaming SANTAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I believe this appropriately communicates my feelings.

SANTAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

xo, MR

the Makeup stuff., the Me stuff., the Review stuff.

And in other top priority international news … mascara.

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I can’t speak about mascara without first stating that I use three different kinds every time I apply.  Every. Time.  It probably takes me a solid five minutes or more to do mascara beginning with bare lashes, and it is by far the most exciting part of my makeup shenanigans.  You know how it is … you get the whole routine going on and then the mascara is the beautiful bow on the package to top it all off and pull it all together.  It adds that final one-two-punch of drama and seals the deal, and everyone seems to like it in a different way.  I get really mad when I see girls with what I don’t perceive to be enough mascara, or it’s clumpy, or whatever.  But what’s funny is that they probably do it that way everyday, and they probably think my own mascara job sucks.

But allow me to offer up one assertive opinion on the subject- I don’t really get people who can use just one kind of mascara.  I mean, one kind?  Do you eat just one kind of cheese, too?  Or do you watch just one movie you like on repeat and never watch any others?  You may argue that you’ve found your eternal favorite that you’re loyal to, but when there are so many kinds of mascara to choose from, you know there’s got to be even more out there that you’d enjoy and use just as much as your beloved one, perhaps along with it.  Maybelline New York probably cranks out about three new kinds of mascara every year alone (with 50% of them being useless, in my opinion … Great Lash can suck it), and I’d say every other makeup brand puts out perhaps at least one new kind of mascara per year, including drugstore and luxury brands.  The options really are veering on endless.  I mean, come on … they make ones that vibrate now, for crap’s sake.

Mascara’s also a particular pleasure of mine because it’s the one cosmetic item that I truly believe can deliver quality performance for under ten bucks.  Go ahead and buy the thirty-dollar kind, but I believe that the stuff you find at the drugstore is just as capable when it comes to mascara.  DiorShow?  Eh, not worth all the hype (and it’s got perfume in it … yuck and for why?).  BeneFit Bad Gal?  I’ve had way better.  I’m usually one to push for spending the extra bucks when it comes to makeup, but mascara is my true exception.

So, after trying countless kinds of mascara, I’ve finally found three kinds that I can truly place my faith in (or at least, when they’re all used together).  I usually find myself looking for volumizing formulas because my lashes aren’t particularly dense, and CoverGirl’s LashBlast Fusion has been a staple of mine for probably two years or so now.  That stuff is great.  If I had to use just one kind, I’d choose this.  However, I don’t apply this kind first.  I first apply just a couple coats of Revlons‘ Grow Luscious by Fabulash to lengthen my lashes and build a tacky base.  Next, I apply some of BeneFit’s They’re Real by wriggling the rubber brush at the base of my lashes a few times.  This creates the illusion of fullness, and because it’s an especially wet, inky formula it makes the lashes look much darker and dense, and it builds well on the tackiness of the Revlon.  A lot of formulas can suffice for this part of my process- L’Oreal’s Voluminous Carbon Black works well, too.  After this, I finally begin applying as many coats of LashBlast Fusion as I want until I’m satisfied.  This creates volume and separation, and because it’s another tacky formula it can just keep building and building.  Oh, and every kind I buy is in the blackest shade I can get, but I have heard that brown-black photographs better and that brown mascara on the bottom lashes looks much more natural.  And speaking of, I don’t do mascara on the bottom lashes.  I never have.  Things just start looking a little too spidery-smudgey for me when it’s on the bottom.  That green tube in the picture, by the way, is the newest mascara from CoverGirl called Clump Crusher.  Seriously.  But I’ve got to admit, I tried it just this morning for the first time and it’s ahhhhhhhh-mazing.  Might be the beginnings of a new favorite.

I’ve honestly got I-don’t-know-how-many kinds of this stuff in my current possession, but the item will be a forever staple of mine and so I’ve got no reason to stop trying all of them!  Cheers to spider-eyes!  xo, MR

the Makeup stuff., the Me stuff., the Skin stuff.

The Bright Blush- Uganda edition!

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My amazing friend Kelsey works for a non-profit organization called the Kwagala Project, based in Gulu, Uganda.  This organization continuously seeks for new ways to combat sexual violence, human trafficking, and the forced labor of women and girls.  Taking action to help victims of sex trafficking is so necessary in countries like Uganda, because the issue is such an on-going one as a consequence of constant war and insufficient, unstable government.  Kelsey has always had such a heart for global justice in communities less fortunate around the world, and her time is truly consumed by doing things that actually matter.  What cracks me up though, is that whenever I publish new posts for this blog late at night, I can always check my stats just a bit later and see that there’s been one recent view in Uganda … and I always know that’s Kelsey, probably eating lunch and reading my latest post.  She may be taking care of some the most important business on this Earth for her job, but it makes me happy that she always has a moment to read my stuff, as ridiculously unimportant as it is in comparison to what she’s thinking about on a regular basis.

What made me even more happy was when Kels emailed me about doing a possible post on this blog, not about her, but about one of the girls she’s met from Uganda through the Kwagala Project!  Yes that’s right- this blog has gone global, folks.  I’ve always loved learning about beauty routines that are completely unlike mine, and I had to figure Uganda might be pretty close to “unlike mine” considering it’s halfway around the world.  I’ve loved reading about African beauty routines in the magazines I’ve kept up with.  Native African women seriously have some of the most striking faces I’ve ever seen.  Case and point- South Sudanese model Alek Wek , who has dominated the catwalk for the likes of Chanel, Donna Karan, and Calvin Klein.  I’d see some of the photos on the Kwagala Project’s site and just think, Ummm, these girls should be modeling.  So, let me introduce you all to the model for The Bright Blush: Uganda edition … This is Stella!  So beautiful!

Stella is your regular ole’ girly girl- she loves long dresses, getting all done up, and being in front of the camera.  In this photo, Stella’s just finished washing her face.  She looks like one of those ads you see for face washes, looking all squeaky clean and ahhhhh!  Stella and her girls use only water to cleanse their faces.  I have to say, keeping up with this routine is probably so healthy for your skin in the long run.  No alcohols, no extra substances, no trying all kinds of gimmicky products until you land on the right one over years and years … just the ultimate universal cleanser.  Stella also pats ground, white chalk powder on her face for a lighter, shine-free look.  She and her friends prefer to appear lighter than their natural skintone.  This is one of the ultimate ironies in global beauty, and something I find so fascinating- white women work so hard to be tan, because they seem to associate it with wealth, tropical vacations, having the time to lay out and pamper their bodies, and glamour.  But many African, Asian, and Middle Eastern women work hard for the opposite effect- they prefer to appear lighter.  I actually just read an article in Marie Claire about a Pakistani woman who modeled in ads for skin whitening creams, and her inner conflict that she experienced as a result of it.  It was so interesting to me, because I’ve literally never seen a skin-whitening cream in a store, Sephora, anywhere.  Ever.  All we’ve got here are tanning lotions and bronzers!

It is common for women of eastern cultures to want to achieve a fair-skinned look because light skin is, in fact, associated with wealth in these cultures.  Historically, this preference came from the idea that if you had dark skin in these cultures, it most likely meant that you were a poor laborer and worked long hours outside under the sun, farming and working.  However, if you had light skin, this meant that your time was likely spent indoors, in your beautiful home, privileged and wealthy, away from toil under the hot sun.  It’s so funny to me how physical beauty, while in many ways universally identifiable, can be so relative from culture to culture.

For any kind of zit, Stella and her friends use the old-wives’ trick of applying a bit of toothpaste to the zit.  I’ve known a couple folks who do this too.  Toothpaste is supposed to be great at drying out zits, but I admit that I’ve never tried it myself.  Stella uses a toothbrush to groom her eyebrows, and she uses a razorblade to shape them.  She uses eyeliner to fill in her eyebrows and to draw in sideburns.   I love it!  When Ugandan girls (or at least the girls in Gulu, where Stella lives) get dolled up, sideburns apparently are always included.

I love that just by knowing this little routine of Stella’s, I feel as if I’ve gotten to spend time with her and all the girls in Gulu.  The small details of a beauty routine are some of the most exciting and most fascinating to me, and I’m grateful to even be able to enjoy them myself.  I love that organizations like the Kwagala Project work to help girls be able to enjoy the small, joyful details of beauty and life, too, when these girls’ lives have been so fraught with pain and heavy burdens.  The freedom to savor the small things and really enjoy being a girl is a beautiful thing, for me and for Stella.

Be sure to check out the Kwagala Project’s site at http://www.KwagalaProject.org and see how you can get involved or help out.  There’s always a way to help, no matter what time zone you’re in.  Just read a little bit about what’s been going on with the Project on the blog, and check out some of the stories of the girls impacted by it.  Beauty is blossoming in Gulu, and that’s something to celebrate!  xo, MR

the Makeup stuff., the Me stuff., the Skin stuff.

Waking up is hard to do. Waking up and getting pretty is even harder.

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I am currently working as a high school substitute teacher.  As you may know from earlier posts, I’m also undertaking the composition of my Master’s thesis, I’m very involved in my husband’s ministry, and I’ve got another part-time job on the side.  Although nothing I do these days is particularly cumbersome or overwhelming in and of itself (and everything is, in fact, pretty fun), I am undeniably busy and my schedule is kind of all over the place.  Because I’m not guaranteed a subbing job everyday, I frequently go to bed uncertain as to what time I’ll be getting up the next day.  I may not receive any call to sub and not get up until later, or I may receive a call at 5AM and not be able to fall back asleep.  I also may be up late working at my other job (at a coffee shop) and then come home with enough energy to clean my place for an hour, or I may be up late hanging out with the college students that my husband works with.  I might even already know that I have a subbing job the next day, and I may choose to go to sleep early enough or I may be dumb as usual and choose to stay up until 1AM watching I Love Lucy.  Sometimes I stay up until 1AM watching I Love Lucy and get real lucky with a surprise 5AM-er.  Those mornings are just peachy.

Any way you slice it, no week seems to turn out the same as the last, and I allow myself no time to get ready in the mornings.  My sleep is inconsistent, I have the terrible habit of eating salty snacks late at night, it takes me forever to fall asleep no matter the circumstances, and I’m extremely bad at that thing called waking up.  I am one of those alarm-goes-off-six-times-before-getting-up people.  And until I have a baby or land a full-time job, I believe my personal routines will remain somewhat irregular.  I know babies don’t always have strong routines either, but at least their irregular schedule will become my regular schedule.  I know I’ll find a way to squeeze my lazy, inconsistent butt into a full routine somehow once a career or kid puts the pressure on me and I’m forced to conform, but for now, I continue to float along as I can.  I’ve gotten pretty good at laying things out for the morning before I go to bed, because these days I either already have a sub job lined up for the next day or I may very well get one from the automated subbing call system at dawn’s crack.

So, what does a makeup routine look like with this kind of schedule?  Well, there isn’t really a routine.  I don’t wake up every morning and stand in front of the mirror and put on makeup.  Somehow, my current bathroom space just isn’t conducive to a refreshing, early morning makeup application.  I really need a zen-like environment when I go for the whole schtick, and I don’t have that set-up yet.  And like I said … I’m pretty bad at getting my butt out of bed in the first place.  Like, there have been days where I’ve given myself maybe five minutes to transform from something looking like a “Tazmanian devil” to “acceptable civilian” status, and then jam out the door and on to the freeway.  So, some days I go teach without a single stitch of makeup on, not a lick, without even getting to groom my eyebrows.  Other days, once I’ve arrived at the school, I somehow manage to accrue the time and energy to get on a full face before the kids come in the classroom, but I have to pack my goods first before taking off for the school.  So, what do I pack when I’ve got thirty seconds to grab whatever I can to cover all the bases?

I skip the face makeup because, I don’t know, I just don’t need it everyday.  My skin doesn’t need it, and I mean that in the sense that it’s not good for it.  It’s one less thing I have to take with me too (and powder can get messy) and I can consequently leave behind my biggest makeup brush as well.  I do throw in moisturizer with SPF 15 and an eye cream that de-puffs and helps clear up dark circles.  I can usually get that all on during the car ride to school, at red lights.  I use NARS bronzer in Laguna everyday to warm up my face a little (with a travel kabuki brush), and I use a NARS cream blush in Lokoum on the apples of my cheeks.  No brush necessary for cream blush … just fingers!  I’ll pat on a little undereye concealer after my eye cream dries (before touching the cream blush, of course), and then comes the part that takes the longest- as many coats of mascara as I can get on before the bell rings.  I sometimes pack three different kinds of mascara and I put them all on in multiple coats.  It’s an issue I have, and no, I’m not dealing with it.  And here’s the final touch that only happens if I’ve arrived early enough and have gone over all the lesson plans in advance- I take out my angled eyeliner brush and my Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Black Ink that I’ve packed, and I draw a slow, careful line just across each of my top lids.  Lightly sketch in the gaps in my eyebrows with an eyebrow pencil, put on some Burt’s Bees beeswax lip balm (although that’s usually what I do first before even brushing my teeth at home), and I’m done.  I don’t bother with lip gloss because once it’s worn off I forget to ever reapply it, and before I step out the door I’ll maybe do two spritzes of a light perfume but never any more than that.  I’ll throw in a couple Almay Makeup Eraser Sticks too for undereye smudges that occur throughout the day (because you know how those high school kids make me cry).

Anything more than this is too ambitious.  And I hate rushing a makeup job anyhow.  This whole routine, without getting any steps done in the car, takes me about seven minutes while seated calmly at a desk.  Sometimes if I can just manage to get the bronzer, blush, concealer, and eyebrows taken care of, I’m satisfied without the mascara or eyeliner.  The point is to just look awake.  And with some calls coming in at 5AM, that’s as much as I’m going to ask of myself at this point.  xo, MR

the Hair stuff., the Me stuff., the Skin stuff.

How to become a filthy beast.

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So, one of the more peculiar aspects of my beauty routine revolves around my hair-washing habits.  I figured I’d share this because friends of mine often tell me they hate me (out of envy or something) after first hearing about it, and I’m here to say that this habit can be yours, too.

I wash my hair twice per week.  Maybe.

Now, when I tell folks this, the most common response is something along the lines of, “Oh, you’re so lucky.  I can’t do that.  I have to wash it every day.”  Nine times out of ten this is the response, followed by the reason why they believe they have to wash it every day, which is usually oily scalp.  Well, I have something to say to those that believe my my hair routine is the result of sheer luck and “good genes”- Nope.

Let me give you a small dermatology lesson.  When you over-work your skin, your skin over-works itself to compensate for what you’ve taken from it.  Just think about that for a minute.  When you wash your scalp every day, your scalp is stripped of its natural, essential oils.  Yes, some of that oil is good for you.  Such oils keep your hair and scalp balanced and moisturized.  Stop trying to get rid of it!  And so, as a reaction to being stripped of its essential oils, your scalp actually overcompensates by working twice as hard to produce more oil.  Get into the routine of washing your hair once a day (or more), and you’re asking your scalp to work overtime.  Keep this up, and you’re guaranteed to have oily roots every evening.  And of course, this will freak you out, and your impulse will be to “wash out the oil”.  You don’t need to wash your hair everyday because your hair is oily- your hair gets oily because you wash it everyday.  I must add too that what really doesn’t help is the fact that most of the shampoos we use contain harsh detergents that don’t work gently to clean our hair.  If you find the word “sulfate” anywhere on the ingredients list of your shampoo bottle, know that that’s some rough stuff going into your hair.  In fact, I’d say that if you can’t identify or pronounce the majority of the ingredients on your shampoo bottle, I would suggest finding a new kind.

As for my own journey toward not washing my hair more than twice a week, I can tell you that it began with a little something called dry shampoo.  Now, I started using this stuff in 2007, and since then pretty much every drugstore brand has come out with their own version of it.  My advice?  Go for the natural, more expensive stuff. Two brands I can highly recommend from experience are Frederic Fekkai Au Naturale and Klorane.  Both are sold at Sephora.  I remember reading about dry shampoo in a magazine and thinking it sounded like a miracle product.  Extend the life of my blow-out by another day or two?  Are you kidding?!  And what do you know- it was a miracle product.  Slowly but surely, I started going two, three, four days between washes.  I felt filthy for doing such a thing, but my hair was showing no signs of filth!  And if a little oil ever cropped up in my bangs or front layers, just a touch of dry shampoo whisked it away.  I’d even rub a little on the crown of my head (where it can get really oily after four days) just to see if I could go one more day without washing.  Additionally, I began being conscious of how I washed my hair.  I started rubbing shampoo just into my roots and trying my best to keep it off my ends (as in not piling your hair on top of your head and lathering it all up).  I also took care to condition just my ends for the most part, as conditioner can create lots of build-up.  I’d only cover my whole head in conditioner when giving it a deep treatment with oils.

I began to notice after a couple months that my hair wasn’t a total mess after just twenty four hours anymore.  I’d wake up, and it would be manageable and relatively similar to what it had been like the day before.  No more extreme oiliness, no more nastiness.  I just didn’t need to wash my hair that much anymore.  My schedule loved me for it, my scalp loved me for it, and even on the days when a washing seemed much needed but I didn’t have the time or energy, why not just throw it up in a knot or use a headband?  Take advantage of your already-greasy hair and go swimming!  Or work extra hard at the gym!  Your hair does not need to control your time.  It.  Can.  Wait.  And what was even more freeing was when I started air-drying my hair ten times more frequently than blowing it out.  My hair hasn’t been the same ever since, and for all you color-treated ladies, let me tell you that my color lasts forever now.  I just went full brunette thanks to Justin Kamm (as pictured above!  Weeeee!) at Salon 9, and I know it’ll be looking fresh for a looooooong time.

So let me challenge you- tomorrow, don’t wash your hair.  Leave it.  Will it be oily that evening and the next morning?  Yes.  Will it bug you?  Yes.  But stick with it.  Commit to washing it every other day.  Use a little dry shampoo on oily patches that bother you after the long day or after the gym.  But stick with it.  Then, try switching up your shampoo.  Do some research on natural kinds with minimal synthetic ingredients (and not just ones that say “no sulfates”- you can do even better).  Have tough standards and be willing to spend a perhaps five extra bucks (because if you aren’t washing as much, the bottle will last longer anyhow).  You can do it!!  I believe this is the solution for oily scalps and dry scalps.

Please fill me in on your questions, comments, and your own experiences in this area.  I really am curious!  Cheers to filthy habits!  xo, MR

the Makeup stuff., the Me stuff., the Review stuff., the Skin stuff.

Sometimes I’m very unhelpful.

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I recently posted a status on Facebook asking for suggestions on posts for this blog.  Apparently I was have an uninspired moment and felt the need to open up the floodgates, which is odd considering that I always seem to have ideas for posts.  I guess my point though was to see what others were interested in reading about, because sometimes what I’m interested in may not always be … interesting to other people.

I received many more responses than I’d anticipated.  Folks asking about product reviews, “best” lists of what to use for this kind of skin type, tone, and the like, and a few other unique ideas.  What’s funny is how being approached with certain questions makes you come to realize that there are territories of a subject you love that you really haven’t explored.  There are parts of the beauty realm that I really don’t know much about.  Some of these particularities haven’t been explored because I haven’t been interested, and others remain relatively untouched because I just know exactly how I feel about them and haven’t bothered beyond that.  Anyhow, the little flurry of suggestions I received has prompted me to address a couple of them, more or less, with an unknowing or uncertain shrug of the shoulders.  Or, perhaps I will address the topic suggested, but my response will probably be very, very unhelpful.  Cheers to unhelpful-ness!

The cosmetic modification of our bodies–  I am a bad person to talk to about this.  Why?  Because in so far as it has applied to myself, I have been almost wholly against the cosmetic, physical modification of our bodies as they are.  I am so to an almost extreme, sometimes strange degree.  One might say, “Oh, but you’re ok with the use of retinol creams to combat wrinkles?  Isn’t that a form of modification?”  And I would say, “Ehhhh…”.  Yeah, just “Ehhh …”.  It’s one of those things that’s hard to explain why I feel the way I feel, but I can definitely tell you that I do feel a certain way about it.  Wrinkle creams I’m fine with, but putting out cash for the immediate and irreversible alteration of one’s physical appearance (read: breast augmentation, plastic procedures on the body for purely cosmetic reasons, etc) doesn’t sit well with me at all.  Ever.  And then again, one may say, “Well, coloring your hair is an immediate and irreversible alteration of one’s physical appearance, and you do that”.  And again, I say, “Ehhhh … “.  I just can’t easily explain my feelings on this one; it seems to hinge on the reasoning behind the choice for modification, as well as the severity of the modification.  Sometimes I have weird feelings on body modification in smaller, more trivial forms (or “add-ons” as I call them), too.  An example of this would be how I’ve never considered wearing hair extensions.  I just don’t like the idea of wearing hair that’s not my real hair.  I don’t mind at all when I see others wearing them however (and I’ve got a good lot of friends that do, and they always look good), but for myself, it’s just never been one of the cards on the table.  I don’t know, I think I’ve got some kind of odd purist obsession going on.  I’ll never do acrylic nails, color contacts freak me out, and it took me some time to be okay with the idea of … false lashes *gasp* (I’m now all about those for your wedding, though).  All in all, it’s tough to articulate, and I expect no one to agree with me on the little things.  But in the more severe things like surgery, there’s no question as to where I stand.  And to be honest, I’m not yet exactly sure how I feel about wrinkles creams anyhow … the ingredient typically involved in such products can be a little harsh and out of sync with … I don’t know … nature?  We’ll see on that one, though.

Speaking of wrinkle creams … – I know nothing.  Because I haven’t tried any yet.  I know the magical ingredients to look for are things like retinol or retinoids, rhamnose, various plant extracts from green tea or shitake mushrooms, and other random stuff that Allure writes about in literally every issue.  At this point, I’d simply suggest to continue using natural moisturizer every day with SPF (the greenest you can find for your budget), moisturize at night with a rich, natural night cream after removing makeup, and the big not-so-secret secrets: drink … green … tea … and … DO … NOT … SMOKE.

And speaking of SPF … – Again, I’m not much help.  I just haven’t tried many kinds.  I will say that it’s definitely the number one rule when taking care of your skin.  From birth until death, use it every day.  And I’ll continue to sound like the broken record that I am and advise that you find the most natural kind you can for your skin and within your budget.  That’s really the only advice I have, though.  I’m willing to deal with a somewhat greasy texture if it’s natural and protects from the sun.  Additionally, I always use a daily moisturizer that has SPF in it so that I can knock out two steps in one.  I have loved the Desert Essence Organics line for their facial products for years (at Sprout’s or Whole Foods), and I’ll continue to push for them.  A non-natural kind of facial sunscreen that gets plenty of great reviews is LaRoche-Posay.  Have I used it, though?  Nope.

Minimizing pores– Unfortunately, you can’t actually make your pores shrink, but one particular product works wonders in lending a hand at minimizing their appearance: primer.  The kind that you put on under your makeup, and after your moisturizer, for the purpose of giving your makeup some serious hold and minimizing the appearance of pores and fine lines.  For a higher budget, I like BeneFit The POREfessional, and for a lower budget I like Revlon PhotoReady Perfecting Primer.  I use the former on brides, and it has a great mattifying effect.  I highly recommend it.

Biotin and hair growth supplements- I tried taking biotin for a couple months a few years back.  I saw absolutely no difference, but I do recall getting strange headaches (which, I’m sure, had no relationship with the biotin but it was a little strange nonetheless; I remember hoping that the headaches were from my hair growing so fast out of my head).  I think my nails grew faster, though!  But basically, I couldn’t tell you.  I feel that supplements like biotin vary in effectiveness from person to person.  My thing is, you can’t really grow more hair.  You only have so many hair follicles on your head and you can’t create more.  You can strengthen each strand though, which is wear I think good diet and supplements can help.  I hear a lot of good buzz about Viviscal, a supplement meant to support skin and hair strength and health.  I’d look into that.  I love leaving oils on my hair for an hour or so before washing too, like jojoba and vitamin E oils.  And honestly, good diet can’t be stressed enough.  When I’m putting junk into my body (which I’m pro at), my hair kind of turns into junk.  And my skin, too.  I don’t necessarily get break-outs or lose hair so to speak, but my skin and hair turn dull.  Look into stocking up on things like kefir, salmon, quinoa, kale and green juices in general, strawberries, acai juice when you can get a hold of it, and lobster is the beauty treatment of seafoods.

Waterproof mascara– I don’t use it.  Sorry.  I’ve got a tube that I use on brides because I know it’s standard, but I’ve actually refrained from using it on myself.  I don’t like how difficult it is to remove, and I haven’t ever found a kind that’s entirely waterproof.  And let me tell you, when you get waterproof mascara in your eyes … it … hurts.  So what do I recommend?  Wear your normal mascara, and bring some Almay Oil-free Makeup Eraser Sticks with you to clean up the mess when you turn into one yourself.

So there you have it.  Sometimes I’m helpful, and sometimes I’m not.  But I’ll continue to welcome the questions as long as an occasional unhelpful answer is welcome too. xo, MR