Your Skin Barrier Is Begging You to Stop: Bestie, Put Down That Exfoliator!

So, I had to think of a quicker and easier way to get rid of unnecessary hair in a time when I’d be short on wax or time. That’s where my friend suggested me a couple of hair removal appliances. I ordered a few to see which one would feel the best on my skin before I decide which one to keep. You won’t believe what I’ve experienced over the time and how much money I’ve wasted just to find the perfect one for my hair type. (But generally these won’t work even for light medium to dense hair).

ELECTRIC HAIR THREADING MACHINE

Here’s the first one I placed an online order for-electric hair threading machine. Bingo! Here’s why you would probably consider going for a manual hair threading machine over this one. (If you deemed to have one).

It looks like a butterfly, which is very cute, I was personally more fascinated towards its cute look. Which was a trap!

The overall body is made up of very fine plastic with thin metal strings which is meant to support the thread for threading function. There’s a small hook at the top just in between the two metal strings where thread is adjusted for a fine medium fixation.

Juncture Point Hook

Number One! It’s super slow and steady in functioning.

Number Two! You have to keep its adapter charger wherever you plan on taking it. And by that, I literally mean taking it to bathroom, to your dressing room, to your shower just anywhere, whenever you plan to remove your facial or arm hair with this machine. Because it simply won’t function without its adapter connected to it, as it doesn’t run on battery cells. Yep! Quite a big flaw!

Electric Hair Threading Machine with Adapter

Number Three! Super Painful. “For the love of God, it hurts”

Dang, man! It hurts like funnion!! When I first put it on my arm just to quick test it, it was as painful as funnion (yes, the effing hurtful thing it was). And well, since its super slow (like said in the first step) it simply wont remove the hair as fast as your fine-looking hands can. It’s more of a believer of a policy “slow and steady wins the race”

but let me tell ya, No you don’t always win with that. We need more of a hustle-tussle in removing hair, boss. Throw in some magic!

Number Four! Moving towards the most epic one-the thread. Well, thread is of good quality. You might probably want to buy the machine for one reason, to have its thread used for other hair threading machine or hand threading, and put away other belongings of the pack.

Electric Hair Threading Machine

MANUAL HAIR THREADING MACHINE

This one ain’t as dull as the previous one, but I’d still consider using my hands for making eyebrows or to clean off facial hair. Because you can’t compromise on beauty hacks, right! When facial hair removed wrong or in a painful way it can create scars, rashes, redness, and blisters on the skin. Not only this it also leave the hair done in an untidy way, it’s as if you have tried to shave it off with a rotten hair razor. Gross! So, to say it in more practical way, here’s my review about using the manual hair threading machine that I’ve ordered online.

The body is made up of plastic with exceptions made of metal spring at its juncture.

Hair Threading Machine

Number One! Its thread is of good qual but sometimes that’s not all, other things matter too!

Its thread has beads attached to each end of the thread to make it steadily attached to the clips but well, sorry sir! It’s not a success!

No matter how many folds you give to the thread it won’t fasten its strings. And hence, it will end up in a messy and painful confiscation.  

Number Two! The juncture. Know the point where two clips meet to make one clip! That’s the point you would want to add in your investigation papers. Because it simply keeps on losing every once in a while. You can either focus on cleaning off hair or struggle with making eyebrows in a funnion way or you can divert your attention from painful remove to fixing the juncture while doing hair. Choice is yours!

Hair Threading Machine Juncture Point

But if that’s the case then why there’d be so many consumers of these appliances?! This might probably be popping up in your head at this point. Well, advertisements, is the key! If there are a few consumers of a product by any chance, it automatically invites other foreign consumers which adds on to number and this goes on. This performs the key in making mind of buying any product because the triggering factor before we think of purchasing something is to spot the number of users more than the factual reviews. This is just so universal!

Now that you have the complete review of these threading machines in hand, it’s easier to make a choice which way to go for glowing skin. Having said that, I can tell it doesn’t require much to attain a glowing skin with simple yet pro ways at home. (Complete article is here).

Let us know your experience of hair removing down below in comments. Let’s toddle!

Bearhugs,

I’ve never had a better luck contouring my face than this time. I’d always ended up having a MUMMY’s look scaring off my brothers on normal days than Halloween. Which’d of course turned out to be a funny-sad story at the end of the day. Before you say “Screw it” to contouring-highlighting, trust me it’s incredibly easy. Don’t believe it? Here’s my-contour-meeting-highlighter-happy-ending-story-No matter how hard I tried to make my face look more glamorous by following the exact steps of makeup pros in industry, I always ended up with abysmal contouring skills, resulting in a chin-strap of bronzer along my jawline. Below shown are some of the steps that I personally ended transforming my face to a better result. The two products, three minutes Ashleigh Ciucci contour and highlighting steps are insanely easy to follow, the trick is to keep it low-key genius!

To say who we’ve on board is Ashleigh Ciucci a fashion and editorial makeup artist who needs no introduction for her fame of insanely stunned makeups. Her work has gone beyond and forever off-limits on many platforms including Refinery 29, Marc Jacobs, Style.com, Allure etc. She has been one of my inspiration all along the journey of beauty hunt.

The beauty of makeup is that it isn’t permanent; it isn’t a tattoo, so have fun with it!

Ashleigh Ciucci

(Below mentioned is my favorite collection from her work).

Step No. 1. Start Shaping

To start it off take a fluffy brush like Sephora 45.5 or you can also go for Ulta angled brush. Swirl it over a matte bronzer, tap off any excess  bronzer off brush. Next you need to gently sweep the brush over temples and apply some directly on the edge of your cheekbones. This will start chiseling out your face. The secret to get the desired look is to be very careful while blending the bronzer onto the C-shape you just created by seamlessly and lightly swirling the brush

back and forth into concentric circles.

Her Recommended Products for Step 1:

1. 7 Match Made Bronzer (Ulta)
2. Benefit Hoola Matte Bronzer (Benefit Cosmetics)
3. Palladio Matte Bronzer (Palladio)

Step No. 2. Time to Add the Light

Fun Tip: To attain a more natural look on highlighter prefer a cream highlighter than a powder one.

Start applying an iridescent highlighter by gently tapping it over the tops of your cheekbones using your ring finger. If you have fair skin go for champagn-hued highlighter. For medium skin tone, highlighter with peachy-apricot works best while for a darker skin tone go for bronze.

Her Recommended Products for Step 2.

1. Maybelline Face Studio Master Strobing Stick (Ulta)
2. NYX Bright Idea Illuminating Stick (Target)
3. RMS Magic Luminizer (RMS Beauty)

Step No. 3. Look Ravishingly Beautiful

Because you just subtly contoured your face without making your face suffer and scream (Hey! Watch out some looks line, lady!) You’re good to go. Huzzah!

Bearhugs,

Let’s go retro, and you’ll always be in style

Five perfumes that have stood the best of times and ones we can’t help swatch back over and over again. These five perfumes are old classical-retro-vintage fragrances created by the master perfumers of the 20^th century.   

• L’Air du Temps by Nina Ricci

Created by Francis Fabron in 1948 with a much elegant and classy style of two intertwining doves as a symbol of peace, is put as the stopper. The fragrance was launched after World War 2. The scent for over 65 years (still) as one of the most popular and beloved fragrance of the House of Ricci’s is joyous fruit floral garland laden with peace, rose, jasmine with a subtle clove/carnation note.

L’Air du Temps by Nina Ricci

• Shulton Old Spice

As the scented symbol of woody spicy masculine colognes since 1934, the scent is still admired for its old-world charm by the generation of fragrance lovers.

Shulton Old Spice

• Halston

Perfume designed at the height of disco nights in 1975 at Studio 54, by Halston under his name with Berard Chant and housed it in the unforgettable flacon designed by muse, model and jeweler Elsa Perreti has set records of second highest selling perfume in history only behind Chanel NO.5!

Elsa Peretti

Haltson is Chypre Floral to be reckoned with. It was wore by anybody was anybody including the designer’s models and friends including Jerry Hall and Liza Minelli. This scent character is bold and strong and wants to be noticed. The opening is very green mixed with light citrus, peach, ylang-ylang, and Iris with a base of earthy oakmoss.

Halston by Halston

Perfume is a way of stopping time. You smell a beautiful scent and you remember something. 

Isabel Toledo

• CK One

Composed by master perfumers Harry Fremont and Alberto Morillas, changed the marketing perfumes in 1994 with its neutral scent. The fragrance is over twenty years old and is still a top seller. Composed with fresh and citrus notes with a hint of musk housed in a utilitarian bottle that was designed to appeal boys, girls and just about anyone who was hip at the time. The scent was featured even sexier with ads featuring grunge clad models like Kate Moss by the Calvin Klein.

CK One

• First

First by Van Cleef and Arpes was launched in 1976 was and true to its name was the first perfume from a luxury jewelry company and was the first major fragrance created by legendary perfumer Jean Claude Ellena (who was the in house perfumer for Hermes from 2004-2016). First sparkles like a rare jewel. From its opening of an aldehydic top evoking the finest champagne then bursting into fresh floral notes of rose, iris and orchid enveloped by peach and lemon and a green accord. The epitome of glamour and elegance.

First

Retro’ pins-up!

Bearhugs,

Isn’t it a little hard on to deal with a weather like Winter! And why not! So many months without Alfresco Margaritas, man! So, to fight the freeze, we turn to things that help us feel cozy, fluffy throws and, of course, our favorite chilled-weather perfumes.

Ahead, check out the fragrances we’re stashing now. You’ll find everything from a totally transportive neroli body oil to a rich, “animalistic” scent-and, believe us, it’s better than it sounds. With the number of options available today for purchase, finding your mark smell is easier said than done.

• Calvin Klein Deep Euphoria

• Elizbeth & James Nirvana Bourbon

Under the Elizabeth and James fashion brand founded by the famous American twin sisters, actresses and style icons Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, the fragrances Nirvana White and Nirvana Black were introduced in 2013. In early August 2016, they expanded the collection with two new editions- Nirvana Rose and Nirvana Bourbon.

Nirvana Bourbon, said to be provocative and passionate, is made of Bourbon vanilla, tuberose ad oak wood. The glass bottles in the colors crimson red and cognac follow the sleek design of the original line.

Elizabeth & James Nirvana Bourbon

• Prada Amber Eau de Parfum

I live for spicy fragrance that make you want to cuddle up, and nothing smells better inside a sweater than an anmber-based, sexy fragrance. My all time favorite is Prada Amber, which gives you that feeling of being wrapped in cashmere by a fireplace. I live for it.

Kristen Booker, Beauty Writer

Prada Amber Eau de Parfum

• Serge Lutens Muscs Koublai Khan

 Valuable furs were spread for the Emperor of China to tread on, muddy boots and all.
Ultra-animalic musks and all kinds of tanned hides make a sensational debut in this fragrance. Pay no attention to their aggressiveness: once on the skin, they retract their claws in favor of padded paws.

Serge Lutens

Serge Lutens Muscs Koublai Khan

This is a chypre fragrance for women and men. The fragrance features civet, castroneum, cistus labanum, ambergris, Morrocan rose, cumin, ambrette seed (musk yellow), costus root and patchouli. The nose behind this fragrance is Christopher Sheldrake.

• Tom Ford Neroli Portofino Body Oil

Inspired by the arresting beauty and stunning old-world-glamour of Portofino, this scent is incredibly luxurious and silky, lightweight revitalizing oil that helps condition the skin with the signature Mediterranean based blend of olive oil, grape seed oil and date seed extract. Gently scented with Tunisian Neroli, Italian bergamot, Sicilian lemon, winter yellow mandarin, lavender, orange flower, rosemary and amber. Tom Ford narrated the scent as;

The neroli portofino scent, which is one of the most popular scents in the private blend collection has a crisp and effervescent quality that is entirely present element of these body products.”

tom ford neroli portofino body oil

• Nest Midnight Fleur Eau de Perfum Spray

Exotic wood, patchouli, and black amber are blended with sensual notes of night-blooming jasmine and vanilla orchid. The combination of these notes is bold, irresistible, and purely sensual.

The patchouli and black amber in this fragrance give it a super-warm smell. So its perfect for cold weather.

Gabrielle Korn, Beauty assistant

Nest Midnight Fleur Eau de Parfum Spray

• Le Labo Jasmine 17

Jasmine 17 by Le Labo is a Floral Woody Musk fragrance for women and men. Jasmine 17 was launched in 2006. The nose behind this fragrance is Maurice Roucel. The fragrance features sandalwood, musk, vanilla, jasmine, litsea cubeba, Neroli, orange blossom, palmarosa, bitter orange and amber.

le labo jasmin 17

• Sage Lifestyle Faint Topaz Roll-on Oil

It smells like a chunky, knit sweater on a cold winter day to me-cozy, inviting, snuggly. One sniff of its vanilla, rosewood, amber, sandalwood, and oakmoss scent immediately makes me feel warm and invigorated. Its like hot cocoa for the soul.

Megan McIntyre, Senior Beauty Editor

Sage Lifestyle Faint Topaz Roll-on Oil

• My Burberry Black

My Burberry Black is a new sensual flanker for men. It was launched in 2016 by Francis Kurkdjian. The new Eau de Toilette contains notes of jasmine at the top, with the heart candied roses and peach nectar, and the base of amber and patchouli.

My Burberry Black

Bearhugs,

Changing our hair color is the ultimate profound trend in house! Speaking of which, it’s not something that has magically dropped in trends in the 20^th century. Hair colors has a long history of personality makeover transformation. Back in the times of Elizabeth England, women tend to fair hair via urine. Gross! Luckily with the advent of modern colors, we’re safer in using a much-less-gross-than-urine-formula for dying hair the shade we want. However, the effect of these strong color on hair is as strong as on the skin. It’s one of the biggest struggles we all deal with afterwards!  To get the makeover we’ve been experimenting hair dyes for centuries. What we’ve learnt in the long run is to take countering measures to reach out for a clean dye.

And while you opt for removing dye off your skin, you might want to pay extra care to which option you go for which part of the skin as the skin where dye tends to fall is delicate, thus you want to use the most gentle method possible. While, the easiest way of all is to go straight for a professional product designed to remove dye stains, you most likely don’t have access to one at home. Instead famous celebrity Hairstylist, George Papanikolas, who is also Kardashian/Jenner hair colorist, recommends putting laundry detergent, dish soap, baby oil or olive oil on a damp wash cloth and gently rubbing the skin. (Detergent may work the best but those with sensitive skin may want to use an oil, which softens the skin and helps break the color). In addition to this, a more experimental route is one we can’t fully endorsed is cigarette as rubbed on the stain.” He notes, “I’ve never tried this technique, but it’s an old wives tale in salons.” Here are some of our favorite tricks to get rid of that pesky skin while at home!

• Baking Soda

Mix baking soda with enough dishwashing soap to make a paste. Rub this into the hair dye stain and work it in well. Rinse off the paste and your skin should be clean.

• Toothpaste

Usage of non-gel tooth-paste on an old toothbrush is yet another effective method to get rid of that stain. You just scrub the toothpaste at the stain.

Toothpaste

• Petroleum Jelly

Apply some petroleum jelly onto the stain and scrub in for as long as the color dispenses into the jelly and skin is left clean. If so, let it sit on the stain overnight and this should work.

• Nail polish/makeup remover

Soak a cotton ball with nail polish remover and dab this onto the hair dye stain. Rub gently and you should see the dye begin to lift off your skin. Isopropyl alcohol works in the same way.

• A Professional Hair Dye Brush 

Last but not the least, a professional hair dye brush! For me dying hair was such a prick at times (it isn’t even an option when you want to stand out in the crowd. and) well, yes! i did too. By standing head high with a messy dye! After struggling for a secret trick to perfect dye I followed afore mentioned tips and tricks but, when I’m in a rush I more than often opt for a professional applicator that can save me some time. Here’s one I’m currently using for my hair dye.

Professional Hair Color Application Brush

Still struggling to clean dye off your skin?

Treat yourself to the facial cleaning powers of the LUNA-tm 2 and watch it remove dirt, oil, acne-causing bacteria and other impurities like hair-dye, from your face. Give yourself the gift of healthier, cleaner and more luminous skin.

Good luck!

Bearhugs,