Product geeks like myself always find it so interesting to find out the stories behind my favorite formulas. For example, I always thought it was so cool how the outdoorsy rosemary and eucalyptus scent of our hot salt scrub was inspired by the herb garden of our product development guru’s mom.

The inspiration behind our brand new triple oxygen+c energizing cream actually comes from that same product development diva, Damiana. She told me that she was influenced by the way skin looks after you step out of the shower. “I wanted to translate that perfectly rosy and hydrated complexion into the product,” says Dam. “After using this cream, your skin looks and feels clean and fresh, and glows with vitality.”

Seriously, do the shower test yourself—next time you step out, take a gander in the mirror while you’re still dripping. You’ll see how your face looks decidedly dewy, with an envy-inducing sheen. THAT, my friends, is what Damiana decided to put in a jar when she came up with the new triple oxygen cream. (She also decided to throw in a special form of brightening vitamin C that’s more easily absorbed into skin for good measure. That’s why we love her.)

(more…)

Who doesn’t dream of a beautiful face early in the morning while looking in the mirror? Practically everyone does. There are a lot of women who don’t feel as well without makeup as they do with it. Permanent makeup is the best solution to this dilemma.

Permanent makeup is sometimes misunderstood by many people. They treat it as a regular tattoo. Of course, there are many similarities, but the differences prevail. In order to form the right opinion consult a trained practitioner who will explain everything connected with permanent makeup.

Actually, permanent makeup is the placement of a pigment below the skin. It is done with a needle. In this way it creates the impression of applied cosmetics.

Pigment is a colored organic or inorganic solid which is insoluble and chemically and physically unaffected by the substrate into which it is incorporated. Permanent makeup pigments contain basic ingredients that are used by almost all manufacturers. Some pigments are created with iron oxides. Iron is considered to be the most stable among all the elements. Inorganic iron oxide pigments are non-toxic and have a range of colors. Iron oxide pigments are also lightfast. That means that they retain their original hue over time. The difference in pigments is strongly connected with the liquid or method used to place the pigment under the skin. Choices differ in this case. Some artists use distilled water and ethol alcohol, others use glycerin. One of the main reasons for using pigments with glycerin is that they glide on the skin and do not dry out in the cup.

Though permanent makeup and regular makeup are alike they have different goals. Permanent makeup, compared with regular tattoo, is subtle, not drawing much attention. It needs to be in harmony with facial features and skin tones.

(more…)

You can improve the appearance of your lips in several ways. Lip augmentation is one of them.

While several years ago lips enlargement was considered mainly by celebrities, nowadays a considerable number of women and girls undergo this procedure.

Lip enlargement is accomplished surgically or by injection. Some procedures are temporary whereas others are permanent.

Lip implants available for lip augmentation can be in liquid or sheet form. Currently lip injections are common.

Several months ago I underwent lip enlargement with collagen injections. Collagen was injected into my lips with small needles. In general, collagen injections are used for temporal augmentation of lips. Collagen lip implants last from a couple of months to a year and a half.

However, you should be aware that collagen might cause allergic reactions although it’s purified.  Reddening, itching, swelling and even bleeding may occur after the procedure. Therefore, I recommend that you undergo a sensitivity test before the lip injection.

The entire collagen injection procedure takes approximately 10 minutes and does not necessarily require general anesthesia.
(more…)

It’s not a secret for anyone that chocolate is a great thing and gives lots of health benefits. But did you know that you can use chocolate as a skin care mask too?

Chocolate masks will moisturize your skin, making it beautiful, soft, clean and glowing. The color of your face will also become better. And, yes, you can forget about those pigment spots.

One of the best things with chocolate masks is the fact that you can easily make them by yourself, at your home. And here are some good chocolate mask recipes for your face:

1. A moisturizing mask. You’ll need 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 1/4 cup honey, 1/4 cup chopped oats and 1/4 cup natural plain yoghurt (or sour cream). Mix all these ingredients, wait for several minutes so that the mask thickens a bit, and then you can apply it on your face. You must leave the mask for 10-15 minutes and then wash it.

The cocoa powder is rich with anti-oxidants; it tones your skin and keeps it young and beautiful. Honey is a natural moisturizer–it opens the pores of your skin, has an anti-bacterial effect and helps to keep your skin fresh and clean. The oats will remove the dead cells of your skin, and the yogurt will help in that.

2. For another chocolate mask you’ll need a bar of dark chocolate, 1/5 cup of milk and one teaspoon of salt. Mix the salt and the milk, then heat the dark chocolate and when it melts, add it into the mixed milk and salt. When the mask becomes cooler, apply it on your face. Wait till it hardens on your face and wash it with warm water.

(more…)

Wrap, Stitch, Fold & Rivet by Mary Hettmansberger is a great jewelry making book that explains how to use a lot of creative cold connections in metal and fiber jewelry work.

If you like rustic looking jewelry, you’ll love this book. The projects all have that handmade look, and the author encourages experimenting.

I love cold connections, which is probably evident when you look at my jewelry – lots of wire wrapping, and in my metalwork I often use variations on rivet techniques to hold things together while allowing for some movement – as in this pendant.

Once you master a few easy techniques for connecting metal parts without soldering, you start to get lots of design ideas, and can create pieces that look and feel more complex than what you can do without these connections. I like to use a combination of torchwork, wirework, and cold connections in my work.

If you like using fiber in your jewelry, or fiber techniques, you’ll appreciate a few sections of the book that deal with things like weaving wire. Weaving with thin-gauge wire enables a designer to create very intricate, details pieces – without needing a lot of expensive metalworking tools.

(more…)

LA’s best known reality star, female tattoo and make up artist Kat Von D has recently launched her debut Sinner and Saint perfumes.

These two editions have the same flacon design but they differ in color: one is red embodying sinners, mystery and sexiness, while the other edition has white coloration representing saints and innocence. These fragrances seem to reflect Kat Von D’s personality: the prodigy tattoo artist’s dark and innocent sides.

But Kat Von D could not betray her principles. For this purpose, she added a tattoo piece on the flacon neck.

The first notes of Sinner offer mandarin, plum and orange blossom which convey freshness to the fragrance. The heart is floral: jasmine with cinnamon and white flowers. The base brings up mysterious notes of patchouli and wood accompanied with musk and vanilla, patchouli and vetiver. This edition is perfect for evening wear.

Saint too offers juicy mandarin and Mirabelle plum refreshing notes. The heart is floral: jasmine and tiare. Saint’s base incorporates vanilla, warm sandalwood and musk. Wear this perfume in the daytime.

(more…)