I am very particular about my hair; I don’t like to use just anything in it. I’ve dyed it a lot over the years and I’ve spent a lot of time nursing it back to health. I’ve been looking for a product that adds shine and moisture to my hair without weighing it down. It is also important to me that the products I use don’t cause a lot of buildup. I found Nick Chavez Angel Drops and was instantly satisfied, these drops are an amazing pre-style product. My hair still stays light as feather and glossy. The bottle tells you how many drops to use based on how thick your hair is. I use four drops (my hair is pretty thick.), rub it in my hands, run it through damp hair, blow dry and Voilà!! I’m ready to go with shiny, healthy looking hair that stays soft! I have thick curly hair that’s prone to frizz. Angel Drops tame my frizz and improves my hair texture, it also has a light scent that isn’t over powering. I love that this product contains Argan oil which moisturizes dry and frizzy hair instantly, while helping to prevent and repair split ends. It restores life to dull looking hair and soothes your scalp, increasing hair growth. This wonderful oil keeps your roots hydrated while protecting your hair from dandruff. Angel drops work to make your hair more manageable and restore shine. I have tried a lot of different hair oils but none of them work as well as this one. Light and gentle enough for everyday use, and great for colored treated hair. Nick Chavez Angel Drops are truly a little piece of heaven.

Check out the entire line of hair care products from Nick Chavez.

Indulge in some retail charity and think pink with DermStore.com! Throughout the month of October, DermStore.com is featuring a Breast Cancer Awareness Boutique, filled with specialty products from beauty brands such as Colorescience, jane iredale, Essie, Borba, iS Clinical, Spa Ritual, and Murad among many others. Giving back and getting gorgeous go hand in hand with DermStore’s initiative. A portion of their proceeds from all items sold in the boutique will be donated to various breast cancer awareness charities. In addition to the donations made from the individual brands, DermStore.com will donate 5% of the proceeds from each unit sold in the boutique to CEW Foundation’s Cancer and Careers program, whose mission is to educate and empower people with cancer to thrive in their workplace by providing expert advice, interactive tools and educational events.

This online boutique is not only a fantastic destination for limited edition Breast Cancer Awareness products but also a unique concept from DermStore.com, as it allows for additional funds to support this well deserving cause.  In 2010, there were over 207,000 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed in American women. With each passing year, science makes life-saving advancements and brings new hope to everyone affected by this disease. With the aid of charitable donations, much like DermStore.com’s and its participating brands’, we are a step closer to a cure.

What steps do you take to protect yourself from this deadly disease? Share your precautionary steps on DermStore’s blog and you could be one of the 5 winners to receive a goody bag from the Breast Cancer Awareness Boutique.

When Beautyfix Season 12 launched I was stoked to discover Glytone’s Exfoliating Body Wash was one of the new products featured. I have heard amazing things about Glytone products; it seems to be a perennial favorite brand among editors, dermatologists, my beauty savvy peers and consumers on DermStore (the Exfoliating Body Wash has over 210 reviews, with an average of five out of five stars!).  The reason Glytone products are renowned amongst beauty aficionados? All of the products in the brand’s line boast an extremely high level of free glycolic acid, which exfoliates and renews the skin Glytone’s Exfoliating Body Wash has 8.8% glycolic acid! Given my new obsession with chemical exfoliation, I couldn’t wait to test the Exfoliating Body Wash out!

I must confess (I think I make some skin care blunder confession every blog post…) that I NEVER exfoliated before this—maybe the pedicurist occasionally talked me into a scrub, but that has happened probably twice in my life and hardly counts. Needless to say, I was due for a real exfoliation. After about a week of using Glytone’s Exfoliating Body Wash, I noticed a visible difference in my skin. I never thought that my skin looked dry or dead prior to using this product. However now that I have started using it I can see that my skin was most certainly lacking a healthy glow that it now has. Not only does the glycolic acid slough away dead skin cells, it also combats break outs, it hydrates and renews the skin, allowing for a brighter and more youthful appearance.

Like the 211 people that have reviewed on DermStore, I too am now a devoted Glytone user

Health, much like beauty and fashion, experiences trends. What’s the new super fruit? Sugar vs fat? Quinoa or Lentils? Fish oil or Flax Seed? Um, Atkins anyone? I’m most certainly not a health expert but I like to stay on top of the latest news, especially since health (i.e. diet and exercise) are major contributors to glowing skin. (I’m vain, I know. I work at a beauty company, what do you expect?).

Currently, one of the hottest topics in the health sphere is gluten.  If you asked someone a few years ago if they tried to avoid gluten, they’re answer would have been “glu-what?”.  However, now there is an entire aisle in most grocery stores devoted to keeping the g-word out of our diets. So what exactly is gluten and why are people avoiding it like it’s the new carb?

Simply put, gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. Most recently, many people are attributing gluten to their tummy trouble and even weight gain. Researchers believe that there might be more than 3 million Americans with Celiac Disease, an immune response disorder that damages the small intestine and can cause abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, and even headaches, skin rashes and neurological problems. Millions more that suffer from some form of gluten intolerance or sensitivity.  Regardless of the stomach pains, bloats and even rashes, it seems that cutting back on gluten laden foods such as pizza and bagels couldn’t be that bad right? Several people, including some in our office, swear that a diet low in gluten has done wonders not only for their stomach but for their skin as well. There are even several up and coming skin care companies, such as MyChelle Dermaceuticals, boasting gluten free products!  If banning gluten was good enough for Oprah’s detox and Chelsea Clinton’s wedding cake, there must be something to it, right?

Not so fast… some experts believe that there is a backlash to the gluten free uprising.  Gluten free does not equate to calorie free, sugar free or fat free. Without gluten to bind food together, manufacturers turn towards fats and sugar to add flavor and substance.

So should we all ban the g-word for our pantries? Unless you have been diagnosed with Celiac or have a seriously gluten intolerance, in my very uneducated opinion giving gluten the cold shoulder is not entirely necessary. However, anything that minimizes the chip eating and maximizes the veggie consumption sounds alright to me!

I’ve been a makeup artist for three years now. I’ve done photo shoots, runway shows, proms, engagement parties and bridal showers… you name it, I’ve done it! But two weeks ago, I took a huge task for the first time. I did make up for a good friend and sorority sister’s wedding. Of course, this meant a lot to me. I was so honored that she asked me to do her makeup on such an important day in her life. But the pressure was on! There were also 8 bridesmaids PLUS the bride’s mother. Here are some things I learned during the process. These tips should come in handy for brides-to-be and fellow makeup artists.

Determine your wedding day style
Bring pictures of your dress, colors, veil and jewelry. Talk about your personality and things that will reflect you.

Make a mini scrapbook or collage
We all think we are great at explaining what we want or the look we are going for. It is easiest to keep everybody on the same page with visuals. Not just one, but many pictures, examples and colors. As you look through magazines, rip out anything that you like. In your mini scrapbook or collage, be sure to include fashion trends and specific makeup looks.

Be open to suggestions
Janine and I talked about what she liked and then I also gave her some ideas of what I thought best complemented her facial features.


Do a trial run (Wedding/bridal makeup consultation)
This is so important! It gives both the artist and the bride an idea of what everything will look like. Remember, pictures aren’t as good as the final outcome. This test run will make your wedding day makeup application go a lot smoother.

Get in the habit of taking care of your skin AHEAD of time
This is critical time to be gentle on your skin; you want it to be flawless on your wedding day. You should start working on your skin care regimen 6 months before your wedding day if possible. Make sure to moisturize and exfoliate, and don’t fall asleep at night with your makeup on.
Bring a good friend:
I say a good friend because you need to bring someone who has your best interest at heart, knows you and what you like. A second opinion doesn’t hurt and it also helps alleviate some of the stress.

BE early:
Give yourself plenty of time! You do not want to be rushing on such an important day.

One of the easiest ways to light up your looks in a hurry is—and always has been—a really great lipstick. And it just so happens that one of the most prominent Fall 2011 beauty trends is a defined, colorful lip, like the one Anne Hathaway’s rocking at left. Getting the look is pretty simple, but here are some pointers that will help you own it:

1. Condition, condition, condition! Dramatic lipstick on chapped, flaky lips is not appealing. To keep your lips in tip-top shape, be sure to manually exfoliate, using either a simple wash cloth or a toothbrush. Do this every other day or so, and follow up with a hydrating lip balm.

2. Don’t forget your brows. Why? Because a powerful punch of color on your mouth needs some balancing. Forget about the bleached out brows that ruled the runways and editorial spreads in recent months—what looks good on models and in print isn’t always the best thing for real life. A nicely shaped, subtly defined brow is necessary for pulling off a dramatic lip in real life.

3. Blot. A matte lip is especially on-trend right now, and you can get it by blotting with a tissue, applying several coats of the color you choose. While you’re at it, put your index finger in your mouth (like you’re drinking out of a straw) and slowly pull it out. This will prevent the lipstick from getting on your teeth.

4. Start with lipliner. And fill your lips all the way in. This will not only give you a beautifully defined lip—it will give the lipstick additional staying power.

5. Keep the rest of your makeup simple. Dramatic lips look silly with too much eye makeup. Some neutral shadow and subtle eyeliner—topped off with a couple coats of mascara, of course!—should be perfect.