The Magic of Kerastase

My hair stylist introduced me to Kerastase products 5 years ago and I've been hooked ever since. I have very thick, curly, dry and frizzy hair. As anyone with crazy hair like mine can tell you, the search for a product that can tame the frizzies and the volume is never-ending. Kerastase Nutritive Serum Oléo-Relax calms dry, frizzy, unmanageable hair. It has essential oils that relax my hair and leaves it smooth and shiny.

I use it on my hair when it’s wet and dry. I use two pumps before I blow-dry and flatiron to help protect it from any damage from the heat. I use one pump after to give it a little bit more moisture and smooth the flyaways. It's a bit pricey but completely worth it - one bottle lasts me over 6 months and I have a ton of hair!

The Perfect Blush?

Guest blog by Lois Arbogast

Every girl deserves a beauty product splurge every once in a while...and Chanel blush is definitely mine.

I don't usually spend $45 on make-up, but this is an exception. I love the quilted pattern on this blush and the little velvet bag it comes in. I know, I know. I'm a sucker for the luxury marketing scheme, but it's so worth it!

I've had mine for just more than eight months and I use it almost every day and still have a lot left. The colors they have are classic, so you can use them with everything.

Editor's note: This blush is perfect for getting the Ashley Greene look we described yesterday. Of course, if you have the Ultimate Blockbuster, the blushes in there work, too.

Get the Look: Ashley Greene

Last Friday night, late, my sister-in-law sent me this photo of Ashley Greene and asked how she can get that look. I guess after the kids went to bed she was browsing fashion magazines! I told her to buy some individual false eyelashes and that I would show her how when I see her next.

But then I thought, wait! This is a great blog tip. So if you want to get this look, following is how to do it.

1. Buy individual false eyelashes and make sure you have really good tweezers.

2. Prep your face - if you wear foundation or tinted moisturizer, get it the way you like.

3. Use serum (I like clear mascara) to shape your eyebrows and fill in with either a brow pencil or a tapered brush dipped in eyeshadow that is a shade darker than your hair color.

4. Swirl your favorite blush on the apples of your cheeks and apply a clear or light lipgloss.

5. Using your tweezers, apply individual lashes in the corner of your upper lid. Then fill in alternately through the middle. Do this until you feel like you have enough and it's not overpowering. Do the same with your lower lash line, but be careful - you don't want to apply many here. Let the glue dry.

6. Using a tapered brush, dip it in water and then in an eyeshadow of your choice (I would probably use brown or violet black). Draw a line from the corner of your eye, getting thicker as you move to the outside of your eye. Repeat on the other eye.

7. Apply mascara.

Viola! Send me pictures so I can see how you look!

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.