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December 07, 2014 Shopping » New Orleans Fashion and Beauty

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How to dye your hair platinum blonde 

What to know before channeling your inner Marilyn

By Missy Wilkinson @missy_wilkinson

Slideshow

Few hues are as attention-grabbing as platinum blonde — and none are harder to maintain.
  "Platinum blonde is the most high-maintenance shade of blonde you can choose, says Chrissie Gilberti, hair color director for Paris Parker Salon Group (www.parisparker.com).
  "[Platinum blonde] is a lifestyle," says Alise Lavergne, color director at Glenn Michael Salon (1623 Metairie Road, Metairie, 504-828-6848; www.glennmichaelsalon.com). "It takes money, and it doesn't happen overnight."
  Depending on your hair's natural color and whether it has been colored before, the multi-step process can take anywhere from a few hours to a year to complete. For natural blondes or light brunettes, the process is less invasive. People whose hair is dyed a dark, artificial hue have to remove old color first, a process that might take months. People with dark brown or black hair may sacrifice some length, because processed hair is more fragile.   
  "Anyone can be platinum," Lavergne says. "Some people are going to get there faster than others."

  Hair has three color molecules, Gilberti says: green, red and yellow. Going platinum blonde consists of lifting blue and red color molecules from the hair using bleach, which "chews up cuticle ... like a little Pac-Man," says Glenn Michael, owner of Glenn Michael Salon. Balancing the remaining yellow color molecule with a violet or blue toner gives hair its platinum appearance.   
  Going platinum damages hair and strips its oils, so colorists recommend gentle, nourishing products and low pH shampoos: Gilberti recommends Aveda's Damage Remedy line, and Lavergne suggests the Wella Luxe Oil line. If hair becomes brassy, a shampoo that deposits blue pigment, such as Aveda's Blue Malva, will cancel out warm tones.

  "If your hair feels dry, grab the moisture product," Gilberti says. "If it's brassy, use the blue product. If it feels damaged and fragile, use a damage product. You basically have to feed your hair what it needs."
  Platinum blonde hair also requires TLC. Cut back on blow-drying, lower your flat iron's heat to 355 degrees, and use thermal sealant when heat styling. Hair will be a little drier, so shampooing can be less frequent.
  "I suggest a dry shampoo and not washing every day so the hair doesn't dry itself out," Laverge says.
  Maintenance is essential. Naturally dark hair can show roots as soon as two to three weeks after going blonde.
  "Being platinum is a commitment," GIlberti says. "Is it fun? Absolutely. I think everyone should try it. But you have to invest the time and money to do it right."
source: http://goo.gl/aXki9v

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Five-Minute Eye Makeup

It’s seven am and the last thing you want to do is spend 20 minutes doing your makeup, but you don’t want to look like you’re half asleep either. I’ve mastered the art of the five-minute eye, and I swear it works for every eye shape. Here’s what you do.
I start with clean skin and then apply my eye cream. After waiting 30 seconds for the eye cream to sink in, I dip my clean ring finger into a taupe eyeshadow and rub it onto the outer crease of my eyes where my brow bone is. What I’m doing here is I’m creating a ‘frame’ for my eyes and giving it some definition. With a clean finger, I blend it out so that there are no harsh lines and just looks like I have naturally deep set eyes.
Next, I take a dark brown eyeliner pencil and draw a thin line on the upper lash line. Dark brown is surprisingly more flattering than black and it’s more forgiving to wobbly lines caused by unsteady hands. If you have an ivory complexion, try medium brown eyeliner instead.

Then I take my mascara, wipe off the excess on the wand with a tissue and start applying it to my lashes. I don’t bother using an eyelash curler. Instead, I just hold the mascara wand at the base of my lashes for a few seconds and push it upwards. Pick a mascara that lengthens and volumises, so you get most bang for your buck.
Lastly, I take a nude eye pencil or a nude lip liner and liner my lower waterline. It’ll take some getting used to and your eyes will water the first few times, but it’s worth it. Nude is less obvious than white (which is what’s commonly recommended) but works just as well and if done properly, no one will be able to tell why your eyes just look brighter.
The key to perfecting the look is 1) practice, but also 2) having all the products at hand. Assemble them into a little tray or pouch so you never have to scramble to find everything in the morning.
source: http://goo.gl/jF27J1

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A busy girl’s guide to party makeup

Picture this: it’s 7pm and you just ended a long meeting in the office. You consider skipping on the after work party with your girlfriends, because it’s such a hassle to touch up your makeup. If this scenario sounds all too familiar, you’re not alone in your plight. Since entering the work force, I’ve noticed a dwindling social calendar – sometimes, ashamedly, because I can’t be bothered to doll up for a night out.
Not anymore.
These four essential (and easy-to-use) makeup products ensure that I will never have to whip out the tired excuse of “family emergency” when what I really am is too lazy and busy.

Beneath every beautiful face of makeup is a solid foundation that further emphasizes the beauty of the other products. Stow away a foundation compact in your makeup pouch that’s long-lasting, comfortable and gentle, so you can dance up a storm without worrying about sweat and grime wiping your foundation away. Don’t scrimp on foundation, too – a good one will make you look and feel like a million bucks.

Before you mingle like the social butterfly you are, sweep a quick stroke of powder blusher over your cheeks to add colour and vibrancy to your skin. This tool is especially useful after a long day in the office makes your skin appear dull. Yikes!

Probably the one tool that immediately transforms your appearance from droopy and shagged to alert and alive is the miracle eyeliner. Whether you’re more adept with pencil or liquid, spend time mastering the contours of your eye, so you can effortlessly sweep a layer of liner on within a few minutes.

Our go-to lipsticks are the ones that we can apply on the go, without fretting that we’ll arrive at our destination looking less than divine. They’re long-lasting, moisturising and add that touch of glamour to our otherwise casual outfit. When we find these treasures, we stock up – multiple times.

Now, picture this: it’s 7pm and, even though you just ended a long meeting in the office, it only takes you 15 minutes before you’re ready and raring to meet your BFFs for drinks! (Yes, we like this scenario much better too.)

source: http://goo.gl/zKCFCY

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How to protect Skine from the sun shines

When it comes to the sun, I think it’s an eternal love / hate affair. I loved it when I was 18 and worshipped it because it could make me look like a tanned goddess. As I grew older (and wiser), I hate it for what it does to my skin.

But I still love it knowing that there’s a ready supply of sunshine in this part of the world because it also brings a sense of joy (knowing or unknowingly). I’ve heard how depressed people become when there’s little or no sun and the week with the haze was a good example – I don’t know about you but I was pretty affected.

So while we’re basking in the joys of happy sunshine, let’s not forget those harmful UV rays.

My biggest beauty fear besides wrinkles is pigmentation spots that turn to large patches that no amount of whitening products will be able to erase. This is why putting on a sunscreen as a last step in my morning skin care regime has become such a habit that I feel exposed and vulnerable without it. I think the years of doing this has finally paid off because nobody would have been able to tell that beneath my presently good and fair skin (minus a few sun spots) once laid a hardcore sun worshipper.

If you find it a chore or dislike the idea of piling on an extra layer of product on your skin, then you haven’t been out there trying out the latest offerings of sunscreens. Most of the sunscreens (not sunblocks) in the market today are really lightweight and they don’t leave any white streaks or feel greasy after application.

In fact, some moisturisers come with SPF and there are also a lot of makeup offerings like the BB or CC creams that come with high SPF to make it really convenient for girls today. So there is really no excuse to expose your skin to the possible risks of skin damage. Don’t wait till you see the spots or lines to do something. It’s time to start protecting your skin.

Resource:http://campaign.herworldplus.com/lancomebeautyjournal/blogs/when-the-sun-shines

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