Beauty Bit: Emjoi eRase Review

Since it's summer and prime leg-bearing season, let's talk about hair removal. Yay, we're women, so societal pressure dictates that we must pretend we have no hair growth on our bodies below the eyelashes! Feminist rant aside, I still succumb to the hair-removal school of thought, especially when wearing skirts, shorts, dresses, and bikinis. Shaving is quick and easy, but is so very short-lived, requiring a daily commitment to maintain smoothness. I have things to do and places to be. Ain't nobody got time for that.

So when I was offered a chance to test out the new eRase epilator by Emjoi, I was more than happy to try a new longer-lasting method. For those who don't know, an epilator is a little machine that removes the hairs by the root - sort of like waxing without the wax - and the results can last up to six weeks. I really liked the sound of that.

^ the eRase is made up of tiny tweezers that open and close automatically; it's less scary than it appears

I won't lie - it hurts. You're pulling the hairs out of your body, and hairs do not go quietly. But is it unbearable? No. Of course, the amount of pain will differ for everyone and it depends on a few factors: your tolerance for pain, how sensitive your skin is, how much hair there is, and the area in which you are removing hair. Outer thigh = barely feel a thing. Inner thigh = a whole other story.

Things I've learned from my experience - my skin got realllly irritated after using the epilator. All red & bumpy (see below). If this happens to you, don't worry; it's just the skin's reaction to having its hair ripped out, but it will go away. My advice: don't use it the day you're going out, especially if you're using it on your face; do it at least one day prior to give your skin time to recover. Mine took almost a full 24 hours.

^ a few minutes after using the eRase (not pretty)

Another thing I found - it helps to go slowly and methodically because the machine doesn't get every hair with each pass. I had to go over some areas many times to get most of the hairs. It never got every single one, but I might have just been too distracted watching Rock of Love reruns to ensure that each hair got plucked. I did, however, go back over my legs the following day and got a bunch more.

The results, though not perfect, last a long time! It's been five weeks and counting, and I have much less leg hair than before. I still am shaving every so often, but the re-growth is hardly noticeable, and I can get away with shaving about once a week.

And just so the last image seared into your brain is not one of my bumpy, red, and strangely flabby-looking leg (nobody ever said taking photos of your own body parts was easy), here is one of what's contained in the box.

^ epilator w/ cover, storage pouch, power cord, & cleaning brush (not pictured is a cover designed for sensitive areas)

Compensation was not received for this post; however a sample was provided for review.

UniWigs Extension Review & Tutorial

A little while ago I received the pretty, brown/pink ombré clip-in extension above to try, courtesy of UniWigs.  I've never worn extensions before, so I was a little lost as to how to go about putting it in my hair (spoiler alert: it is ridiculously easy).   Luckily I was able to take it with me when I visited my sister, who's an amazing hair stylist.  (Really, the girl's got talent).  She walked me through it and even showed me a helpful little trick for all of us fine-haired ladies (see step 2).  Sadly the extension was a tad too big for my abnormally tiny head, so I enlisted the help of my lovely friend and proud owner of a normal sized head, Amy, for this tutorial.  (Thanks, Amy!  You're a peach!)

My impressions of the extensions:  Besides the beautiful color, they're really soft and smooth, they look realistic, and appear to be very well constructed.  They come with these little snapping clips sewn into the extension (you'll see them below), that literally make applying the extensions a snap!

Let's get started.  All you need is a comb and your extension.  Here we go.

Step 1. Since the extension is just one long piece, you're going to want to part your hair horizontally wherever you'd like to apply the it.  Clip it up and out of the way (or if you forgot to grab a clip, just ask your friend to awkwardly hold her hair out of the way for you).

Step 2 (optional). If you have fine hair, gently tease it right near the part to give the extensions a little more to hold onto.

Step 3. Open all of the clips along the extension.

Step 4.  Beginning on one end of your head, slip the clips one by one into the teased hair, and snap them closed.  Move horizontally across your head, inserting clips and snapping them closed as you go.  

Done! ....almost.....

As you can see, the extension didn't quite blend in with Amy's hair, so I decided to make a side fishtail braid to mask the transition between the real hair and the and faux.  

In retrospect I should have taken my tiny head into consideration when choosing this one-piece extension, or at the very least checked the measurements.  UniWigs also offers extensions that come as several smaller pieces, which I think would have worked better for me.  I love that this extension is so easy to apply, and I also love that it can be worked into so many different hair dos (like maybe a top knot or a funky braided side bun).  My verdict: I'd recommend it.  Just make sure to check the measurements first, and keep in mind that if your hair isn't the right color or length, the extension may not blend in when you wear your hair down.

Disclaimer: I received extensions from UniWigs in exchange for my review.  All opinions are 100% my own.

Beauty Bit: Pretty Pedis

This post brought to you by Tree Hut. All opinions are 100% mine.

It's already Memorial Day Weekend, aka the unofficial beginning of summer (yay!  happy dance!), which means a plethora of things.  Warmer days, backyard bbq's, trips to the beach, maxi dresses & sandals, vacation...the list goes on.  But it also means that most likely, at some point or another, your feet are going to be on display for all to see. (gasp! shock! horror!) 

What better time, then, for Tree Hut to contact me about introducing their line of hand & foot care products?  They're affordable, they're accessible (pick them up at any Walmart), they're organic, paraben-free, and not tested on animals!

As a runner (and I use that term loosely because truth be told, I'm really more of a reluctant participant who gets suckered into going for jogs due to the charms & persuasion of her over-zealous-marathon-running-boyfriend), my feet take a beating.  If you exercise, especially if you run or jog, you know what I mean.  Callouses form in weird places, and while I appreciate their attempt to protect my feet, they're not all that cute.  I'd rather them be gone.

Luckily, getting rid of them only takes 3 easy & enjoyable steps:

1. Soak your feet in a warm foot bath and apply something nice & gritty, like Tree Hut foot scrub
2. Rinse off and gently rub callouses with a pumice stone
3. Dry those tootsies, and apply a thick, refreshing, moisturizing cream like Tree Hut foot cream with peppermint oil
It's as simple as that!  Three steps to smooth, nourished, pampered feet!  Now go show those beauties off.

And for a little inspiration, here are some of my picks to enjoy summer naturally & beautifully.

*for more info, be sure to like Tree Hut on Facebook or follow Tree Hut on Twitter*

Beauty Bit: Messy Side Bun DIY

I don't know if I've mentioned this, but my sister is a pretty kick ass hair stylist.  Sometimes when we go out, I ask her to help me with my hair and she'll whip up this sculptural, funky side bun that I love.  I never saw how she did it, and always assumed it was just a whirlwind of backcombing, hairspray, and talent.  Well, that part's true, but even though the end result looks intricate and fancy, you don't actually need the talent to pull this off.  The backcombing and hairspray are necessary, but skill is totally optional.  After we made this tutorial and she broke it down step by step, I realized that even someone inept at doing her own hair (me!) can pull this off (evidence that I was able to accomplish this feat all on my own here).

1. Gather your supplies.  You'll need some hair elastics, bobby pins, hairspray, and a teaser brush or comb (for backcombing your hair).

2. Pull your hair into a low, side pony and secure with an elastic.  3. Gently backcomb the ponytail, leaving a small section un-teased.  Don't backcomb too tightly; you want the hair puffy & fluffy.

4. Braid the un-teased section of hair & secure with a small elastic.

5. Begin sculpting the backcombed hair into a bun shape, securing in various places with bobby pins.  Don't worry about perfection, this is most definitely a messy-is-better kind of deal.  Leave the braid out of the bun for the time being.

 

6. Wrap the braid around the bun and secure with a bobby pin or two, taking care to hide both the pin & the end of the braid into the bun.  7. Spray with hairspray for a stronger hold.

A huge thanks to my super creative & talented sister, Jen, for sharing the secret of one of her go-to hairstyles.  If you're in the Ft. Lauderdale, FL area, be sure to stop by The Factory Salon and ask for her.  I promise you won't regret it.


Linking here.

Beauty Bit: Caviar Manicure DIY

If you've been lurking around Sephora or some of the beauty counters at department stores, you've inevitably seen the new-ish "caviar" manicure.  And while it looks amazing (and might I say perfect for a holiday party?), I find the price to be a bit ridiculous.  I mean, $25 for a bottle of nail polish and some beads?  Please.  Just because it has caviar in the name, doesn't mean it should have a price tag to match.  Here's how to get the same exact effect for way less.  And it's super easy.

I found this container of microbeads at Michael's for about $3.  You'll also need a small tray to catch the beads (I used the kind that comes with Chinese take out).

1. Paint one coat of an opaque polish on your nails and let dry. 

2. Apply a second coat of polish to nails.  

3. Position the tray under your hand, and while the polish is still wet, shake some of the beads onto your nail.  Don't worry about the excess beads falling off; they'll be caught in the tray.  

4. Press the beads firmly into the nail to ensure a longer lasting bond.  If your polish dries quickly, I recommend doing this process one nail at a time.

5. Top with a clear coat to seal in the beads.
6. Using a small funnel, or piece of paper rolled into a cone (leaving a small opening at the bottom), pour the extra beads from the tray back into the container.
7. Admire your mani, and give yourself a pat on the back knowing that you didn't get suckered into spending 25 smackers on your nails.  Smug sense of self-satisfaction optional.

A word of advice: Do your nails the day you want to wear them because this is not the strongest or sturdiest of embellishments.  If you use your hands for anything - anything at all - the beads will start falling off.  You have been warned.

Beauty Bit: how to style a top knot

This is one version of how I style my top knot.

This hairstyle is so easy, it barely needs an explanation.

But in case you're into that sort of thing, I've included instructions below.

1.Pull your hair into a high ponytail and secure with an elastic.  2. If your hair is fine, you may want to back comb a little for some volume. (Yep, I back comb with brush.  I told you, I'm a rebel.)  3. Divide the pony in half (this doesn't have to be exact).  4. Tie the halves in a basic knot.  5. If your hair is long enough, tie it a second time.  6. Secure the ends with bobby pins (I like to cris-cross two pins because it's a more secure hold).

Easy peasy!