Reversing Damaged Hair?

A couple of weeks ago, Daily Candy had a story about a new hair therapy, claiming it can reverse damaged hair. The offer was a free four-week kit if I paid for shipping. Duh...sign me up!

The Kronos package just arrived and it includes shampoo, conditioner, detangler, and overnight repair masque.

The brand promise is that it's clinically proven to address all signs of aging hair if I use it consistently for four weeks. I'm going to begin with the overnight repair masque tonight and will use it consistently through May 26. Check back here on May 27 to see if it's worth the $55 for you to buy the discovery kit.

Until then, you, too, can try it free! Register online here. But beware, unless you return the unused product that didn't work, they'll bill you every 60 days and send you more.

Does BareMinerals Provide Flawless Coverage?

Guest blog written by @CandiceStone

What's not to like about make-up so pure you can sleep in it! But seriously, being able to sleep in it is not one of my key requirements of a beauty product (editor's note - it is one of mine!).

What IS important to me is a product naturally free of the dreaded chemicals everyone is trying to avoid these days and the ability to reduce the appearance of my fine lines and wrinkles.

I have been using Revlon's New Complexion One-Step Compact Make-Up with SPF 15 for about 20 years, but as I approach 40, I have been finding that it emphasizes the age lines appearing around my eyes and mouth. It also doesn't hide my uneven skin tone and a couple of age spots.

A friend recommended I try BareMinerals because it is 100% naturally made with crushed minerals from the earth.

After a trip to ULTA in La Jolla to pick up the BareMinerals Starter Kit, I tried it and have to say that the "flawless coverage" they promise it pretty close to actually being flawless. Best of all, it really does feel like you are not wearing any make-up at all and I don't end the day with skin-toned fingerprints on everything I've touched that day.

Eyeliner No Longer Needed!

If you missed buying the Sephora Ultimate Blockbuster (they no longer carry it), the second best beauty product staple is the Sephora Deluxe Palette - Collector's Edition.

It's 20 eyeshadow shades, two blushes, two powders, and 24 lip glosses. It also comes with applicators, but you don't want to use them as they're not very good.

I use my tapered brow brush and apply shadow as if it's liner (sometimes I apply it wet and other times, if I'm lazy, dry). Depending on my mood, the day, and what I'm wearing, I could have smoky eyes, glowing, golden eyes, or make the blue in my hazel eyes pop out with either purple or blue shadow as liner.

It reminds me of the Elizabeth Arden make-up boxes my great Aunt LaVin bought me when I was a kid. Now I can play dress up every day!

Trust me on this. Spend the money. It's worth it.

A Wise Investment: A Mason Pearson Brush

Back in the day, when I was working with Purebeauty, they introduced me to the Mason Pearson brush. Since then, I've coveted one, but never wanted to spend the money on it... hoping, instead, I would receive it as a gift.

Five years went by and I still hadn't received the beautiful handmade brush as a gift...so I gifted it to myself.

I'll be honest, I spent three or four months trying to figure out what the big deal is. I have really thick hair, but each strand is fine. So it's hard to find brushes that get my hair to cooperate, let alone get the tangles out.

But then...the big deal was revealed. This brush is an investment and worth every single penny that it costs. It makes my hair glossy, it does get out the tangles, and, oh, it makes my hair shiny...without product.

New Cleansing Soap

Some of you know I love Twitter. I mean, it's a complete obsession. So it shouldn't come as a surprise to you that I met @sibu_beauty out there.

Sibu Beauty is an all-natural, Sea Buckthorn based beauty product system delivering beautiful skin, hair, and nails from inside-out and outside-in. AND they're based in Salt Lake City (my hometown) so when they asked for blog reviewers, I volunteered!

They tell me Sea Buckthorn contains estradiol (a natural hormone), catechol (an enzyme that is anti-cancer), and serotonin (a vital chemical found in the brain). The catechol caught my attention because I got some feedback that Aquaphor used as eye cream causes cancer. So if I use Sibu soap and Aquaphor at night, I won't have wrinkles OR get cancer.

They actually sent me four different products, but I've tried only the cleansing soap so far (stay tuned for additional reviews). I have always used Dove to clean my face so this was something a little daring for me to try.

I've not had a single breakout since I started using it and it smells really good. The only problem is that it doesn't remove make-up, no matter how hard I try. You have to make sure all of the make-up is removed (no traces at all) before you wash your face with it. But it complements my moisturizer so I'm willing to go the extra step to use a make-up remover before I shower.

It's definitely worth $5.95!

Healing Benefits of a Massage!

I’m always looking for the one product that is going to make me look miraculously 10 years younger with limited amount of effort. Mostly because I want to look young again, of course, but also because I’m living my life at such a fast pace that I don’t have time to waste!

A week ago I got a huge reminder of what really could keep me looking young and feeling young. A friend of mine had to basically force me to get a massage. I literally thought I didn’t have an hour to “waste” on a massage. As soon as the words came out, I couldn’t believe I had said it. I had always been a huge proponent of making sure people took care of themselves, relaxed and minimized stress and realized I had a huge problem doing it myself.

Although I fell asleep for half of the massage, it was a huge reminder to slow down. I woke up and looked at how soft and relaxed my face looked. I had an hour free of stress and true relaxation which I believe is truly the key to younger looking skin. If only I could hire a masseuse to come to my house every day or follow me around at work.

Want to Look Like a Model?

Guest blog written by Molli Megasko

I swear by The Present by Philosophy.



I hate foundation and I don't have the clearest skin. I'm sure most make-up artists would sin me for only using powder. But The Present makes me look like a supermodel. It's more than a primer; it's actually good for your skin and it makes applying make-up fun. It's like when you were a kid applying blush to a Cabbage Patch doll. Move over Gisele!"