I'm finally breaking my second hiatus! I have some no-poo updates and other winter beauty tips that I'll be posting soon. Speaking of winter, does anyone else get HORRIBLY dry skin?
For as long as I can remember the winter and I have been enemies, not to mention the split lips that are painful and unattractive. I drink tons of water, slather my face in oils and lotions, exfoliate with sugar, salt, corn meal, and baking soda. I've tried washing my face with a cream-wash and with a gel. I take fish oil or flax seed oil, but nothing seems to cure the flaky skin on my face!
I've done some research and read that rose water is great at moisturizing. My question is do any of you have any tips or routines for me to try? How can I get plump, soft, dewy skin in the winter? How can I beat the dryness?
I've always been a self-proclaimed quasi-hippie. Yes, I love peace and rock and roll; but to a greater extent, I think it's very important to eat naturally and eliminate as many chemicals from our environment as possible. What is "sodium stearoly lactylate"? I have no idea, but it doesn't sound nearly as delicious as "herb encrusted salmon with a side of grilled asparagus" to me.
Speaking of salmon, the fatty omega-3 oils naturally found in fish are an incredible cure dry skin and hair and brittle nails. Recently, I noticed that my skin and hair had become dryer than it ever has been. No amount of moisturizers, hair and nail products, or conditioner did ANYTHING to remedy this. I did research and talked to my doctor and he gave me flax seed oil capsules and after two weeks my skin changed drastically. I don't need to moisturize any more, I don't get pimples, and my nails don't break after one little bang! In addition, the keratosis pilaris or "chicken skin" completely disappeared!The only problem was that my hair was still incredibly dry. I tried eggs, olive oil, expensive deep conditioners, leaving on regular conditioner for 20 minutes, and NOTHING was working.
Yesterday, I was at a friend's house and being the girly girls that we are, the topics of beauty, hair, and makeup naturally came up. One of the girls mentioned that she had been going "no poo" for weeks now. "No poo"?
I had researched "no poo" before but was always too afraid to try it. I do try to go a few days per week only using conditioner, but this had really weighed my hair down and I saw no improvements in my hair. Soon, two of the other girls there chimed in and admitted to their "crime". Just looking at their beautiful, long, wavy hair convinced me in a heartbeat.
So what exactly is "no poo" and why should I try it?
These days, shampoo is made with a lot of harsh chemicals. Our shampoos contain the same ingredients as dish washing and clothing detergent! Don't believe me? Compare the labels! These sulfates and silicones strip our hair of the natural oils thus triggering the body to create even MORE oil to compensate. This is why our hair gets so greasy after only one or two days without washing it. Removing these chemicals from your daily routine helps to restore the natural levels of oil production leaving your hair moisturized, shiny, and absolutely gorgeous.
Today is day one. I just used a simple solution of baking soda and water to cleanse and apple cider vinegar mixed with rosemary oil, vanilla, and cinnamon to conditon. Although my hair doesn't feel so great, (it was very stiff and straw-like in the shower) my waves are more defined and beautiful and the frizz is much less! I will continue to update
It's time for me to be true to myself and embrace the natural texture of my hair. I don't have straight hair, nor will I ever. I promise to no longer treat my textured hair as straight. I won't use products with alcohol, sulfates, or silicone which dry it out. Let's hear it for curly haired girls!
Are any of you ladies going no poo? Would you consider it? Post below any questions, comments, or tips.
For more information on how to embrace and care for curly hair go to www.naturallycurly.com
For those of you who don't know me, I'm a big fan of changing my style. The past three years I decided to switch things up and keep my hair long. Let me tell you, I loved it! It could do so much with it: braids, curl it, straighten it, pony tails, etc. However, recently I looked into the mirror and saw something disgusting. My hair was thin, limp, and falling out due to some health issues. I've also been going through many personal changes and decided it was about time to cut off those long locks!
Here is the before:
total length: about 10-12 inches
And the after:
My incredible boyfriend and me
What a drastic change! I love it though. I will only trust ONE woman with my hair and her name is Paula. Yes, it's a little pricey but to me it's worth every cent.
Originally, I was really worried about what others would think. To many, long hair is a sign of femininity and naturally I wondered if people would mistake me for a boy. I think that having short hair is kind of like being the superhero Daredevil. Allow me to explain.
Daredevil is a comic book superhero who was blinded by a radioactive substance. Since he is devoid of his sense of sight, he has to compensate by intensifying his other senses. By cutting off my obvious sign of femininity I must let it shine through in other ways: my speech, the way I dress, and the way I act. I think if you have short hair you have nothing to hide behind. It's just you and your face for the world to see. I have gotten so many compliments and positive reactions. I know that most of you may not have the courage or the desire to cut your hair as short as I have. Nevertheless, I encourage you to switch up your look! Maybe get some bangs or add layers. It's important to keep your style up to date.
What do you all think? Do you like the cut? Does one need to have long hair to feel or be feminine?
Today I was running around frantically thinking of what to post, when I happened upon this makeup look in my archives. I really like this look for the summer/ spring. It makes me feel so fresh and light! I would especially recommend this makeup for you ladies with blue eyes. Let me tell you why.
Color Theory tells us that complementary colors are across each other on the color wheel. A complement makes the other color seem more intense. If we look at the blues, we can see that reds/oranges are directly across. Therefore, if you really want your blue eyes to POP, I would suggest an orange-y/brown color on the lids.
Eyes: Using my Endless Eyes Pro Eyeshadow Palette by e.l.f I took a light orange-y brown and swept it from the lash line to the crease. In order to make the orange more "quotidiano" I blended a caramel brown in the crease. If you want to make this a lot more funky, I would suggest layering deeper shades of orange in the crease. For eyeliner I used my trusty Ulta automatic eyeliner in cappuccino.
Tip: When I apply eyeliner for daily wear, I start from the center of the eye and extend it towards the outer corner of the eye on both the top and bottom lash lines. Just like wearing that LBD (Little Black Dress) makes you look smaller, rimming the entire eye with a dark eyeliner (especially black) will make the eye appear smaller.
Lips: First I lined and filled in my lips with a light pink lip liner by Rimmel (I lost it though so I can't tell you which color it is). Again, I used the Not So Innocent Pink by jane and went over the lined lip.
Cheeks: Just a quick sweep of Joy by e.l.f. to finish off the look will do!
Love and thoughts of summer!
-Anna
P.S. Find my page on facebook and become a fan. Then post your pictures, comments, questions, etc. It's your space!
Life is just passing me by too quickly! Only about two weeks of school down and I'm up to my eyelashes in work. However, not too busy to post a new look.
Back in December I went to celebrate my friend Michelle's birthday. Boy oh boy was it fun! We ate at a Puerto Rican restaurant called Sofrito and I have nothing but good things to say about the food (we even got into some of the photographer's pictures). It was worth the hour wait. Anyways, I will fondly name this look Clubbin'.
Eyes: Shadows: Blunt and Oil Slick by Urban Decay and an unknown light bone color.
1. Apply the bone color just under the brow.
2. Sweep Blunt all over the lid to just under the brown bone.
3. Make a C-shape with OilSlick and blend blend blend with your blending brush.
Eyeliner: Any black eyeliner you may have laying around.
1. Apply half way around the bottom and top as close to the lash line as possible and smudge smudge smudge!
2. Take Oil Slick on a thin angled brush and press into your freshly lined eyes for long-
lasting eyeliner.
Mascara: loads and loads of it.
Lips: I'm actually not exactly sure which colors I used. It was a combination of several light,
blue-based pinks.
Cheeks: e.l.f. mineral blush in Joy.
Currently listening to (500) Days of Summer Soundtrack
This may seem like the strangest blog post ever, but I love Olive oil. Maybe it's because my last name comes from the Italian meaning someone who grows olives.
Olive oil has many important uses. It has many health benefits including preventing colon cancer and heart disease and lowering the incidence of gallstones. Extra Virgin olive oil, which comes from the first round of pressing also has high levels of antioxidants, Vitamin E, and fatty acids which are extremely important for healthy skin, hair and nails.
My List of Uses for Olive Oil
1. Salad dressing (with a little bit of balsamic vinegar YUM!)
2. Moisturizer
Pour some into your hands and massage onto your face and body. Let it soak in for about 5-
10 minutes and then wipe excess off with a napkin or rag.
3. Hair Treatment
When my hair gets dry and damaged I massage some into my hair and scalp. Let sit for
about 30 minutes, then shampoo and condition.
4. Eye Makeup Remover
Soak a q-tip or a cotton ball in olive oil and gently rub to remove any remaining eye
makeup.
5. Cooking
So many uses for it in cooking! Use as a substitute for butter when cooking eggs or sauteing vegetables. Drizzle on pasta for a quick and easy sauce. The possibilities are endless.
Follow in the path of the Ancient Greeks and Romans and utilize olive oil!
I don't know about you, but I happen to love this time of the year! I feel like I'm pulling out a crisp, white piece of paper to write on. It's a time to start over, a time to make yourself a better person. As much as I like starting over, I am ashamed to say that I haven't started thinking of resolutions for 2011 until, oh, right about now and I think I will share some of them with you.
1. Get back to the gym. Last year I started an intense workout routine. I was going nearly every day for about an hour and a half. Over the summer I really slacked off and and currently suffering the effects. I used to have so much energy, my clothes fit well, and I just felt incredible overall. Call me cliche, but this is my number one for a reason. Remember, when you look good, you feel good!
2. Post more regularly. I apologize for my lack of consistency! I could list my excuses but at the end of the day, I still only posted once for the month of December. I'm running out of ideas so please, let me know what you would like to see (preferably in writing because I tend to forget). Post something here, send me a message on facebook, or post something on the Mi Trucco page.
3. Do more things that scare me. I would love to try more things. However, sometimes I let that nervousness get in the way. Not this year! "I'm too scared" is not an excuse.
4. Get on a more consistent sleeping schedule. Last semester I was going to bed at 2:00, 3:00, 4:00 in the morning and waking up at 6:30. Other days, I was going to bed at 11:00 or 12:00 and waking up at 8:00. I think I'll have a lot more energy if I go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day.
Also, I found this video a few months ago and thought I would share it with you all. This little girl is just the sweetest thing and when you're feeling down take a hint from her: look in the mirror and tell yourself what a good person you are! Pump yourself up!
For as long as I can remember the winter and I have been enemies, not to mention the split lips that are painful and unattractive. I drink tons of water, slather my face in oils and lotions, exfoliate with sugar, salt, corn meal, and baking soda. I've tried washing my face with a cream-wash and with a gel. I take fish oil or flax seed oil, but nothing seems to cure the flaky skin on my face! 
