Pen Pretty Has Moved to BeautyBlogOSphere.com

Hey all you beauty blogging junkies, I've renamed and moved my Pen Pretty blog to a new URL at www.beautyblogosphere.com. Check it out and shoot me an email if you'd like your beauty blog added. All beauty bloggers who Pen Pretty are welcome! Thanks for reading, -j

If You're Ever In Boston....

...make sure you stop in at the Beauty Mark on Charles Street for the
best selection of hard-to-find beauty goods. Here are some goodies I
got that are near impossible to find in CA. Yu-Be and L'Annine,
fantastic moisturizers, pulled me in from the street, and I can always
use an extra bottle of my staple perfume oil, Kai. Sorry I wasn't able
to get any pics of the absolutely adorable storefront (tiny, baby blue
& white, hardwood floors) but I was completely distracted by the
library of beauty loot that literally covered the entire store --
floor to ceiling. So cute! And if you have time, make sure you make an
appt for a pedicure! It's the cutest little station I've ever seen!
Cheers...-j

I Tried It & Have A Better Option: The Suddenly Slender Body Wrap

I recently mentioned in an earlier post that I was scheduled to get Suddenly Slendered and actually did it about two weeks ago. To be honest, I really didn't want to post anything till I was really sure of the results, and now, I am sure, and the final verdict is a little bit of both good and bad. First of all, it was a really cool experience. A technician takes you into a private room and wraps you (tight!) from head to toe in Ace bandages soaked in a mineral solution. Then she throws a plastic poncho over you as you waddle behind her to an exercise room full of other wrapped women who are doing light cardio on a Gazelle and watching movies. You're in there for an hour, and every 20 minutes, they call you to empty the water from the plastic bags attached to your hands and feet, and re-douse you with more solution. By the end, I had to pee so bad it hurt, and to my surprise, my technician said I lost 11.5 inches, most of it in my boobs. My period came that weekend, and yes, it made that situation so much better (I was a lot less bloated), but I couldn't help but think: There's got to be a way I can do this myself at home and save $130 -- and I found it. After some beauty research I found a site called Contour Body Wraps where you can buy everything you need to start, and if you have a treadmill, elliptical or any cardio apparatus at home, you're set. One of the my disappointments with the wrap was not having the option to spot treat, because if I could, I would have just done my upper arms, thighs and stomach. At Contour Body Wraps, I was able to get the mineral solution, 6 bandages, instructions plus a sea clay body wrap and seaweed bath mix for $65 -- good for 4 full body wraps (hello?! that's like $520!) or 8 spot treatments. I'm stoked. When I get the goods I'll definitely post and show you my step-by-step routine. Of course, this way is a lot more work for me, but I save over $400. But if I ever feel like I need someone else to do it, I'll know where to go. Thanks Suddenly Slender for introducing me to an amazing body treatment -- you've inspired me. -j

Pics of Spinlash

I Tried It: SPINLASH

Ok, so I've been seeing this little Spinlash gadget every time I walk past the cosmetic aisles at Target, and finally one day, I broke down and bought it. After using it for a couple of weeks, I have to say, it really does keep your lashes clump-free, but that's about it. If you have lush lashes already, then this is great for keeping your mascara and lashes completely clean and separated while applying, but if you want thickness, this is not for you. It spins at a comfortable speed so there's no splattering mess, but I do love how clean and consistent the mascara goes on. And it's fantastic for reaching the lower lashes, too. It comes with batteries and a mascara, but the mascara sucked. After a couple of hours it was completely smudged under my eyes. (The under- eye smokey eye look is NOT a good thing.) Good news is you can use a different mascara with it so I'll stick to my favorite Sephora Lash Plumper mascara with this baby...all in all, I give this beauty innovation a B+ for originality, but if I already had long thick lashes to separate, probably an A+. (Picture coming in next post) -j

Check Out Locks Of Love

Here's a video on instructions about how to donate your hair. It's so funny, I got the same exact haircut as the model in the video! -j

A-Line Chopped For Spring/Summer

It's been a beauty-busy 10 days since I last posted, but the biggest news is I chopped off nearly 10 inches of my hair and am now sporting a super-short, A-line bob -- a daring move I have not done in over 15 years. So far, LOVE IT. My hair had been feeling thin and needed a body boost so this really did the trick. It's cut in three stages in the back: at the nape, layered through the back/middle, and cut smooth and straight at the top layer (that's the bobbed part that you see). My talented stylist only used an Aloe-based conditioner by Jason and a boar/bristle brush by Mason Pearson (more on these products later). After distributing a dollop of conditioner in my hair, he brushed the layers forward, back and sideways using a blow dryer which gave my hair INSANE body, then smoothed everything into place. My hair looks so full and bouncy, and to think it only takes less than 10 minutes to style -- it's sooo worth losing all that hair! But not to worry, I'll be donating my headless ponytail to a good cause: Locks Of Love, it's a non-profit that makes real hair pieces for kids suffering from hair loss caused by illness. If you are reading this and inspired to cut all your hair off, know that there is a place where your lopped off locks will go and be loved -- ya gotta love the kind of beauty that gives back :) -j

More pics of my Chameleon Handbag Insert

Check out how much stuff I have packed in this thing!!!

An Amazing Beauty Must-Have: The Chameleon

Excuse me but I am in total awe right now over the most amazing
invention in beauty organizational history. If you are a bag whore and
beauty junkie like me, this nylon contraption will change your life.
You put all your crap in it (sunglasses, iPhone, wallet, your entire
cosmetic bag and maybe a book) and it seamlessly floats from bag to
bag with ease. Here is a picture of mine in medium as I put it into my
large tote, then later, I got it into my medium hobo no problem. It is
the BEST $20 I have ever spent. (Kathy Robinson, you are a beauty bag
genius). Run, don't leisurely surf, to www.chameleoninserts.com and
get yours! Oh, PS, it comes in three sizes: Sm/Med/Lg -- gonna get a
few more in large for my suitcases, too!! XO -j

Breaking News: Shea Terra Organics Now At Nordstrom

I am so excited to hear that Nordstrom has picked up one of my favorite natural brands ever, Shea Terra Organics. What I saw was only online (not sure if it's in store) and mostly stuff from their newest collection like Lavender of the Khoisan and Miombo Mango. While it's awesome for the brand, hopefully people will also venture to the Shea Terra Website so they get a chance to try the originals as well, like the pure shea butters (East African is my fave!), this yummy coconut oil (left), and the hard-to-find Argan Oil. The news came through in a dedicated email from Shea Terra Organics, and if you haven't signed up already, do it fast because they just sent a 30% off coupon in honor of Earth Day that expires April 29. What's great about the emails is they are always sending out coupons so you can save tons of money, although, I always go a little bezerk and order way too much. But hey, I'm fully stocked on my favorites and Shea Terra products make great girlie gifts -- after all, you can never have too much shea butter and black soap ;) -j

Suddenly Slender? Really?

My friend Amy told me about this new mineral wrap called Suddenly Slender that apparently flattened her tummy and made her thighs no longer touch in the middle (ugh, I hate that). Now, mind you, Amy and I aren't exactly chub-ettes, but unfortunately gravity and age takes it's toll and certain parts of our bodies just don't want to respond to diet and exercise. Or should I say, just diet and exercise alone no longer does the trick like it used to. Anyway, I have an appointment in two weeks and I can hardly wait. I doubt I will be doing this to substitute or eliminate my existing exercise and diet routine, but it sure does come in handy as bikini weather approaches. And I would imagine it's probably awesome to do right before a tropical vacation! I especially like that they use minerals and natural ingredients for this procedure, but, I will have to see how natural it really is when I go in for my first appointment. In the meantime, check out the website of the place I will be going to get it done called Simply Beautiful to find out more info, and hopefully I will see you there! If you go, let me know what you think! -j www.simplybeautifulnewyou.com

Aromatherapy Help For Lackluster Skin

Lately, my skin has not been absorbing product very well - namely, my
much needed moisturizer which is supposed to be helping with my
particularly dry cheeks (seriously, they feel like sandpaper). A rep
at Decleor once told me that pure essential oils actually help
topicals sink in better so I busted out with my trusty bottle of
Neroli oil to give it a shot. So far, so good. I'm trying it with the
reccomended Hydra Floral moisturizer for double the softening power,
so let's see what happens. Of course, I love the Aromatherapy benefits
that come standard in all Decleor products. If anything, I'm getting
the relaxation benefits out of it plus it's definitely tightening my
pores up a bit. Nice! All you shine-freaks out there (that's me),
don't worry...using an oil on your face won't make you oilier! In
fact, this one is actually balancing my skin out! Maybe all I needed
this whole time was just a little oil to fix my greasy T-Zone? Ah,
that's another beauty blog topic for another day ;) -j

Summer Girls: Get 'In My Jergens Daily Glow On

I know it's been around forever (beauty speak: out for more than 6 months? old news) but my go-to self tanner of choice has always been the tried-and-true Jergens Daily Glow. I am posting this because recently my friend Stacey asked me to recommend my favorite self-tanners and off the top of my head, this is the one that gave me the best, gradual glow with no streaks, stink, or stains. You put it on like you would a normal after-shower moisturizer and within a few days, VOILA! You're suddenly a glowing goddess with a penchant for shorter skirts and backless dresses. From a girl who got shellacked in spray tan booths so-five-years-ago, this is by far the best tanning route to go. And at about $8 a tube, you can't go wrong. There is a firming formula that I LOVE, and the face version is pretty spectacular too. My only recco's would be to exfoliate before hand (get to know that loofah, girls!) and right about now, start using it a couple times a week so you gradually go into summer with a natural looking glow. Ok, gotta go slather some on now after all this tan-talk. It's nearly 80 degrees here in Northern Cali! See ya at the beach in Santa Cruz ;) -j

Strawberry Fields (And All-Natural Scrubs) Forever

Whenever I discover beauty products that are truly green and preservative free, I want to shout it from the rooftops since these elusive products are so hard to find these days. So when my friend Robin gave me this amazing Organic Strawberry Butter Body Scrub that she bought in Napa, I couldn't wait to try it. For one, it smelled amazing and literally looked like strawberry jam. Second, the title reeled me in: 100% Pure. Of course, as a beauty writer, I am always leary of products who tout being pure and natural, only to find out their definition of natural is including mineral water in their formulas. Annoying. Anyway, this stuff far exceeded my expectations. The ingredients literally read more like a recipe rather than an ingredient list, almost as if you could re-create it yourself, and while the brand may not be excited to hear that, believe me, it's a compliment. If there is crap in the ingredient list that you've never heard off much less can't get at a store, beware. That is, if you are true natural beauty nut like me! It was so natural, I caught a few ants who came up through the drain to dine on the leftovers in the tub that I missed while rinsing off. (Yeah, the hubby wasn't too happy about that) The texture was like yummy strawberry jam mixed with rich shea butter, it even had the little strawberry seeds in it! And the end result was DIVINE. My skin felt amazing. It's perfect at the end of your shower, and when you dry off, your skin feels so fed, nurtured and satisfied. The best part? No parabens and icky chemicals are seeping into your bloodstream. You gotta try it. Next, I'm trying the White Chocolate one. I'd hate to see what little critters crawl up the drain pipe with that one. Guess you gotta take the good with the bad with the whole natural thing, that includes respecting all gods creatures. -j Dig in at: www.100percentpure.com

Q&A: A Helping Hand For A Dear Friend In Colorado

Q. Ms. Pretty: I need some help for my cuticles! The dry weather in Colorado makes the skin around my nails a disaster. With two children, I am also constantly washing my hands, and this makes the cuticles split and flake along the sides. With two toddlers, I don't have time to get a manicure! I have finally resorted to exfoliating the skin with a nail file. HELP! What would you recommend for soft, smooth skin around my nails?

A. I totally had this problem over the winter. It sucked. Here are my suggestions: Trim the excess skin and hardened cuticles with a cuticle clipper, carefully, so there is no jagged skin hanging anywhere. And keep your natural nails short. This (for me) seems to help keep everything feeling "clean" and moisturizer absorbs better. If you have a moisturizer with AHA's, glycolic acids or any exfoliant in it, rub a bit of it on your cuticles to remove the dead skin. Another good "leave in" moisturizer to try is pure, hardened shea butter. The real kind, not the foofy stuff with fragrance in it. (see my previous post on a shea butter recco). Wear gloves when you wash dishes and try an anti-bacterial gel instead of soap and water so you can just target the "pads" of your fingers and not your cuticles when you need to clean up. Hope this helps! If I think of anymore tips, I'll post more!! -j

Oh Just Shea It

I know, it's been a while since my last post so I thought I'd get back into the swing of things now that I've recovered from Fashion Week and back to my day-to-day beauty writing life. It's April, and even though I've got my Spring wardrobe poised and ready, it's still freakin cold here in Cali, and my skin is certainly still feeling the effects of this frigid weather (scaly shins - eww). A PR exec and friend of mine, Yvette Masterson (www.ypublicrelations.com) once recommended this amazing brand to me when I told her I wanted to go green with my beauty routine. It's called Shea Terra Organics (www.sheaterraorganics.com) and it's a company that specializes in rich, pure, organic Shea Butter straight from Africa -- and yes, I 'm addicted like you wouldn't believe. Friends and family all got jars of it for Christmas, and I keep a jar in every handbag and room in my house. My fave is the East African version that's extremely rare and sinks in like but-tah. I use it as a body moisturizer, lip balm, cuticle conditioner and what I love most? Zero preservatives and chemicals with less than 5 ingredients on the ingredient list, and it's all natural ingredients, baby. Call me a purist but there's nothing like beauty in the raw. Oh, here's a tip. Sign up for their emails to get all their discount shopping days and specials, and believe me, they send them out often. -j

Eyelash Extensions Re-Hab

Just last year, I finally stopped going to the salon to get my lash extensions "filled." I had them done for my wedding, then when I started feeling like my lashes had had enough, I totally cut the cord and went into a tailspin of lash disasters that I will never go through again. I admit, the extensions looked great (bottom pic), but the growing out process was awful: short stubby lashes that I ended up snipping off myself to get the extensions off. Before I decided to stop, I had heard about a lash growth product called Revitalash and decided to give it a try. At $150 a tube, the price was steep, but I felt better when I read that a portion of the proceeds goes to breast cancer research. (Note: the tube lasted me nearly a year!) I must say, I'm so glad I did because I cannot think of a better recovery program for lash addicts like me coming down off the effects of lash extensions. The results were amazing, and within two months, I literally had to stop using it because my lashes started getting too long! I've finally got a system down where I apply it every other day and my lashes are finally at a healthy, lush state that I'm happy with. After a year of using this stuff, my lashes are now about as long as the extensions you see in the top photo -- with a little help from a lengthening mascara like Blinc's Kiss Me Mascara. And the best part? They're all mine. Get yours at www.revitalash.com

Hanging Out With Dr. Tea

Anyone who knows me, knows I am OBSESSED with the book, "The Ultimate Tea Diet" by Mark Ukra AKA "Dr. Tea." The book bascially talks about the benefits of green, black and white teas but what's so amazing, is how many benefits there actually are. From preventing heart disease and cancer, to lowering cholesterol, I was already intrigued by just hearing that. But then when Dr. Tea said it can help shed pounds and prevent wrinkles, I quickly replaced my normal Starbucks addiction with endless cups of green, black and white teas. On the tail end of my trip to LA to cover Fashion Week (I just got back!), I stopped in at his amazing Tea House on Melrose Ave. and talked tea with Dr. Tea himself. I also stocked up on his delicious teas spiked with flavors that would cure any insatiable craving: Candy Bar Black Tea, White Blueberry Pie Tea, Coffee Tea (Oolong), and Peppermint Patty Green Tea -- YUM! Add a little Agave or Stevia in there with a little milk and you get a healthy dose of weight loss and age-defying benefits all in one delicious hot beverage. I'm hooked! P.S. If you can't get to LA, check out the website at: www.teagarden.com.

Lash Flash: Blue Highlights

You may have already seen mascaras out there that claim to brighten the whites of your eyes by adding a blue hue to their formulas. Well, believe it. (Benefit's Bad Gal Blue is a good one to try). It's such a subtle effect that it's great for girls like me who wouldn't dare use anything but the blackest black. Yesterday, backstage at LA Fashion Week, I saw makeup artists putting on blue false lashes on the models that gave a more intense effect than using just blue-hued mascara. It seemed like it would look too Mardi Gras-ish, but to be honest, I loved it! It's that one beauty tweak that you'll do where people will look at you and say, "something looks different but I can't tell what," don't you love that?? Next time you go out on the town, try it. You'll be pleasantly surprised. Any brand will do, as long as it's blue. -j

Pics of The Wave

Exfoliation Addiction

With my winter skin just about done (hello dry, dull skin) I've been
obsessed with sloughing lately -- my feet, my skin and especially my
face. I wanted to invest in an expensive at-home Microdermabrasion
system but decided to try Neutrogena's newest exfoliation tool, The
Wave. Not only did the affordable price reel me in, I especially loved
it's simplicity: attach the cleansing pad, push a button, and slough
away dead skin in "waves." It's been about a month and I'm lovin it.
My skin looks super smooth and radiant, a huge difference from the dry
cheeks and uneven skin tone I had before. Another plus: my makeup,
moisturizers and facial treatments are actually working again. At
$11.99, it's a small price to pay for complete transformation. Ahh,
nothing makes me happier than skincare that really delivers. It's
great to see my "good" complexion again. -j

Sent from my iPhone

Welcome To Pen Pretty -- The Blog!

Finally! After many months of procrastination and brainstorming, I've finally decided to take the leap into writing my own blog of things I love, and of course, the very things that make ME feel pretty. From beauty products to fashion, food to fitness, I'm gonna "Pen Pretty" about them all. As a beauty writer in my real life professional career, I am constantly asked by friends and strangers what are my favorite things, from skincare regimens to diets, so it's great to finally be able to open up -- and PEN PRETTY! Happy reading, y'all. xoxo -j