KP Duty helps eliminate ” Keratosis Pilaris (KP) is a common skin disorder, typified by “chicken skin” bumps on upper arms, thighs, torso, buttocks and occasionally the cheeks. Excess skin forms around individual hair follicles, creating the characteristic minute, rough, grater-like bumps.”   We’ve been suffering from a little KP on the back of our arms for years!  Nothing had worked, not even a visit to my dermatologist.  Just a lot of frustrating scrubs and medications that didn’t really make a difference.  Some days it would get pretty bad that I’d hate to wear a sleeveless shirt or dress in the summer.  However, this summer all that is about to change thanks to KP Duty!

I started using the cream about 3 weeks ago, and at first I didn’t see much of change.  I got frustrated. I waited.  I convinced myself to keep using it to give a try, and now at almost 4 weeks, my arms have started to reveal much smoother skin.  I couldn’t believe that it actually was working! It made me very happy.  I thought, I must let others know about this product that actually works.

According to their site, “KP Duty incorporates medically proven technology including ingredients for hydrated and healthy skin. Medically potent levels of Glycolic Acid blends with Urea, the dermatologist recommended humectant, to soften and smooth away the driest roughest skin.”

Keratosis Pilaris affects almost 50% of the world’s population and is particularly likely to affect anyone prone to eczema, asthma or hayfever.

It’s never a chore to attain flawless, smooth skin. KP Duty effectively eliminates crustiness, flaking, and dry, rough chicken skin – no prep work or scrubbing required.

Try it and let us know if it worked for you!

False eyelash sales have increased by 6.2 percent to about $44 million, while lash-enhancing products like Latisse (prescription-only), and Luster Lash (From LadyLash Studios @ $100) are flying off the shelves.

Women have started to use false lashes more frequently, for special events,holidays as well as daily wear. They  are turning to sites like YouTube for application tips. Even Facebook  & Twitter have helped boost sales of lash-enhancers, with fan pages and testimonials.

We recently had a chance to try Luster Lash for ourselves, and the verdict… It works! It really does elongate your lashes. And, it’s an easy Rx-less way to get them.  Luster Lash Eyelash Enhancer, $100 at LadyLash.com, uses vitamins to help lashes grow fuller and thicker as it moisturizes, hydrates and conditions.  We’ve been using it for about 3 weeks, twice a day (morning & night).  And we love it!  Plus you don’t need a prescription like Latisse. We fully recommend this product to all of our friends.

“Everyone wants longer fuller more lush lashes. Every single day a clients ask me how they make their lashes more full. After witnessing the side effects of prescription lash serums (and seeing a need within my own business to provide help for those with brittle ,weak lashes as a result of different treatments/medications) I sought a means to help… Because of my passion for lashes and lash health, I wanted to create my own safe, gentle but highly effective serum …alas, Luster Lash was born,” Mikaela Fernandez owner & creator of Luster Lash.

Extensions are the ultimate in lash glamour. At LadyLash Studios eyelash specialist Mikaela attaches tiny silk lashes to your own. It can take up to three hours to get a full set, and the initial application costs $300, but they make a huge difference and last six to eight weeks. “Right away a client’s eyes look brighter and more alert,” says Mikaela, who sees up to 40 clients a week.

LadyLash Model

The quickest way to make your lashes look gorgeous is by curling them—and heated eyelash curlers have a better effect than curling mascaras. Our favorite is Sephora’s Professional Heated Lash Curler ($16; sephora.com), for its non-scary shape and the incredible uplift it provides.  We discovered eyelash curlers at the age of 15, and we never looked back! For best results, curl your lashes after applying mascara.

No matter how you decide to get your lash on this summer, make sure you do it right. There are several cool things to try, from falsies to serums or just your regular ol’ eyelash curler.  Let us know what is your favorite way of enhancing your lashes!

Here is a link to the Gaby Couture Look Book!

The line features plenty of hot cocktail dresses, boho dresses that can be dressed up with sexy boots and a gorgeous corset-tie in the back gown.  Here are some pictures below of the line.

But,  not only are your lips going to look extra sexy, but you’ll be helping out the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Why not look hot and help make a child’s wish come true?  

Reserve yours today!

561-865-5111

Proceeds go to Make-A-Wish

Tango used to be one of several dances and a far cry from the international phenomenon that it has now become . However, it grew quickly in popularity and status, acquiring the name Tango during the 1890s.It then started to spread rapidly through the working-class slums in and around Buenos Aires, before, in the early years of the twentieth century, dancers and orchestras from Buenos Aires decided to take Tango to Europe.

The Tango shows took Europe’s major capitals by storm, capturing the hearts and minds of fashionable Parisians, Londoners and Berliners alike. The Tango ‘craze’ soon spread throughout Europe before making its way back across the Atlantic to New York and the rest of the USA by 1913.

From  red pouts to delicate form fitting black dresses that  suggested the denizens of a tango bar could be seen at D&G’s Milan’s Fashion week. Some women may shy away from bold colors in the heat of the summer, but these styles are hot in a “cool” way.  Remember Madonna as Evita?

Yves Saint Laurent  wilted rose-and-thorn shoes have me shifting into full-on shoe-dream mode. And, at a price tag of $895…they will continue to be just a dream in shoe heaven. These architectural, open shoes  have a sweet and flirty summer appeal, that screams Tango.

Andrew Sotomayor from Lancome makeup, says that the perfect red can heat things up this summer. “Nothing says strong, sexy, confident woman like a bright red lipstick,” (Sotomayor, 2010, Marie Claire-June issue).  Try wearing it straight from the tube and don’t use liner in the summer.

Yes, red lipstick can be scary — but not if you know which shades will look best for your complexion! Pale ladies or those who have pink tones to their skin would look smashing with reds that are more plum colored, while women who have yellow tones to their skin will look great with a red shade that has a brown base.

Women with darker tones will look gorgeous with a pinkish red or a shade with orange tones. For Asian women, try a lipstick that has shades of plum, cherry, or raspberry.

Red is the color of fire and blood, so it is associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as passion, desire, and love.  Try a little of Buenos Aires in your closet this summer!

Cheeky Couture,  is a collection of unique designer-inspired CZ and crystal jewelry. You’ll find a fabulous array of gorgeous jewelry made with genuine CZ’s, Swarovski brand crystals, freshwater pearls and semi-precious stones; all mounted in fine metals and materials. This eclectic blend of fashion-forward jewelry will delight your taste. Check out below some new pieces from Cheeky Couture’s line that are available now!  We love the first set of neutrals and metals!

We recently bought an amazing ring and bracelet for less than a price of our regular pedi/mani!  To me that’s a steal.  Price ranges $18 – $42 depending on the piece.  All the money you save with Cheeky Couture can be spent on some hot outfits and every girl’s weakness–shoes!   The wonderful Angie Belttari-Parker (owner of Cheeky) is a sweet lady that knows her stuff when it comes to accessories. We were truly impressed with Angie’s great taste to pick out just the right piece to make that “outfit” pop.  Her line is growing quick throughout the Midwest and even has a spot in FL where you can purchase the jewelry.   If you’d like to purchase a piece of Cheeky Couture, visit their website or visit one of the many shops that carries  their line:

IndySwank – Indianapolis, IN
(Fountain Square Arts District)

Out of the Closet ~ Indianapolis, IN
Body Works Salon & Day Spa ~ Downtown Indy
Revelations Salon & Spa ~ Brownsburg, IN
Gypsies Salon ~ Roachdale, IN
Karisma ~ Noblesville, IN
Pouty Boutique ~ Noblesville, IN
Foundation 212 ~ Fowler, IN
Saddies Secret Place ~ Illinois
Ria’s Salon & Spa ~ Florida
Diamond Hair Design ~ Avon, IN

Ladies, if you know of any other local brands that deserve to be on Passion4Beauty! Contact us and let us know why you love them!

Every girl can’t deny that bra shopping can be quite difficult at times. Not only is it hard to find one which you actually like in appearance, but it is also hard finding one which is actually going to fit you the right way. Then, how do you decide which kind of bra you need?  And, how do you know if you’re wearing the wrong bra?  So many questions…and so many bras…

We did some research online and found this little list provided by Ms. Amber Wolf on EzineArticles, that perfectly describes when you’re “girls just don’t fit right.”

Classic signs of an ill-fitting bra

• ‘Double-bubble’ effect-when you are pouring out of the top of the bra (not sexy ladies)
• ‘Side spillage’-where you are pouring out of the sides (muffin top on the sides, definitely not sexy).
• For optimal comfort and support, the back wings (back wings are the strips of fabric, which extend from the outer base of the cups and secure in the back) of your bra should be comfortably anchored at or below your shoulder blades.
• If you are bulging out of the top of your bra, first make sure you are wearing the correct size then check to see if the cup type you have chosen is too shallow for you.
• The shallowest cups are demi (as they are not intended to cover the entire breast). These bras are for low cut shirts.   (the padding takes up some of the space in the cup if you need a little help in that area).
• If you are consistently noticing the bulge, you should opt for non-padded, full cup bras.
• If you are experiencing pain in the neck and shoulders, you need a supportive bra, which evenly distributes the weight of your breasts.
• If you would like to minimize your assets, choose a minimizer bra, which can reduce the appearance of the bust by up to one-cup size.
• I also wanted to point out that if you’re wearing a strapless shirt, please wear a strapless bra! It doesn’t look right with straps hanging out. It’s a pet peeve!!  And, it looks ugly. Strapless bras can be your friends.
  
• Wearing a racer-back shirt with a regular bra, is also a big no! It looks bad even if you buy those cheap “invisible” bands.

But how can you measure yourself for the right bra size?

Take a flexible tape measure and measure around your chest, just beneath your breasts. If you measure an even number of inches, add two to the number; if the number is odd, add three. This is the band size for your bra. Next, measure around the fullest part of your bust. Take the number of inches and subtract the number of your first measure. If the difference is one inch, you need an A cup, two inches is a B cup, three inches a C cup, four inches a D cup, five inches a DD cup, six inches an E cup, etc.   It’s easy, but if it sounds too complicated for you, just walk into any Victoria’s Secret store at the mall and they will measure you for free!  And, that’s just another excuse to go to Victoria’s and get something a little sexy.

Bras in specialty stores like VS  generally cost more than those you will find at Target or Wal-mart, but they will last for years if you take care of them. Plus, the fit and comfort make them well worth the extra money.  Invest in yourself, and never struggle to find the right bra again!

“Forty years after the first Earth Day, the world is in greater peril than ever. While climate change is the greatest challenge of our time, it also presents the greatest opportunity – an unprecedented opportunity to build a healthy, prosperous, clean energy economy now and for the future.”‘

Visit the Earth Day Headquarters for more info

Since the “green” revolution many companies have hopped on the bandwagon in trying to support the cause.  You basically hear about being “green” or going “green”at least once a week.   On an individual level there’s small things you can do in order to “minimize” your carbon footprint.  And, since this blog is about beauty and women, let’s name a few products out there that are getting “green” for a cause.

We recently heard about the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. It’s a cool organization that is looking out for harmful chemicals in beauty products. “The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is working to protect your health by eliminating the use of chemicals linked to cancer, birth defects and other health problems”

Their website has an interesting post about lipstick. Think about how many times you apply it a day. Lead in lipstick? Turns out, the ur­ban legend is true. In October 2007, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics tested 33 popular brands of lipsticks at an independent lab for lead content.  The results: 61 percent of lipsticks contained lead, with levels ranging up to 0.65 parts per million.  Rather than scouring every label, you can also choose a cosmetics company that has signed the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics compact and uses certified organic and natural ingredients.

One of my favorite brands is Burt’s Bees. I love their chapstick and can’t live without it. It’s minty and sweet. It freshens your breath and it’s only $2.99   They actually have a great line of products including lip gloss, lotion and shampoo. There’s only one way to find out what you’ll really like, so give it a try, the natural way.  Burt’s has put together a head-to-toe kit of their fantastic products for you to try. Also makes a thoughtful gift. Click here to purchase

Have you ever gone to a nail salon and wondered, “what is that horrible smell?” You’re probably inhaling some pretty unhealthy chemicals from the actual nail polish, nail polish remover and the acrylic used on fake nails.  Fake nails, are so 10 years ago anyway. They ruin your nails and in my opinion always look fake. Girls should work on strengthening their natural nails for a healthier and better look. The good news is that some nail polish manufacturers have reformulated their products to remove the “toxic trio” of ingredients: dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde and toluene.  Although we really like OPI, not going to lie. We want to try Priti Polish. Created by New York City’s first organic spa. They also carry some non-toxic nail polish remover.  Priti Polish!

According to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, the three leading nail polish companies, OPI, Orly and Sally Hansen, removed three of the most toxic chemicals from nail polish – formaldehyde, toluene and dibutyl phthalate – due to pressure from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.

When it comes to hair, good products do make a difference.   Aveda is one of those brands that has long held a reputation for being pure, natural, safe and environmentally friendly. After all, Aveda brands itself as “providing beauty industry professionals with high performance, botanically based products that would be better for service providers and their guests, as well as for the planet.”  Some of my friends really like Aveda and I’ve consistently using it now for a couple of months. I do love most of their products, the only thing is that it can get expensive and there has been some debate on how really “green” they are.

My favorite is the Clove Shampoo, Smoothing Shampoo, Smooth Infusion,  Air Control Hair Spray and the Glossing Straightener.  All of these make my hair feel really clean and light, but I really don’t know if there are parabens in these products. I guess it doesn’t hurt to do some digging around.  What do you think? Ever since Estee Lauder bought them out, their product’s ingredients have changed.

Another friend, Joetta Harris ( a very knowledgeable lady in all senses)  told me about Carol’s Daughter.   They have a line of hair, body, skincare and fragrances. Price started developing fragrances for herself in her Brooklyn kitchen while she worked behind the scenes on The Cosby Show. She was soon producing and bottling fragrances and body lotions and selling them from her home, and in 1993 she started selling at flea markets.

“All of our products contain natural ingredients specially formulated to bring out your natural beauty, but sometimes there are limitations to create products that contain only natural ingredients – which if you’ve been a long time customer, you let us know that product separation was a major problem and we in turn spared no expense to rectify this issue.”

I have never tried these products, but I have seen them on Oprah and have heard great reviews.  Carol’s Daughter’s fans include celebrities like Jada Pinkett-Smith, Shaka Khan, Oprah & Brad Pitt?? Or so their website says. Not that anything that is endorsed by a celebrity is actually a “good thing.”  If you’ve had a good experience with these products let me know.

ECO TOOLS- Makeup Brushes. “Earth-friendly beauty” is their tag-line. One of our MUA contacts, Kelly Oswalt of RedCarpetReflection.com, told us about these.  I have to say, I think I actually own a few of these brushes! I just never knew they were green. So, happy points for me.
The handles of these tools are made from sustainable bamboo, which is very fast growing. The brush hairs are made from Taklon, which is a synthetic material and are naturally cruelty free. Even the pouch has been made from a blend of cotton and hemp. Plus they are inexpensive, I believe they carry them at Target.  EcoTools has joined with 1% For the Planet® to donate 1% of annual sales to environmental organizations that create a healthier place to live. We recently made our annual donation. Click here for the press release and to learn more!

You can use this list to start off your “green” adventure into beauty products. Or, tell me which ones you love and why.  Would love to hear what you have to say.  Remember, that ever little bit we do to help the environment helps. Now, I sound like a cliche, but it’s the truth.  Why not start with some nice healthy beauty products you’re already using anyway.

Working his brow magic.

This past weekend I had the great pleasure of spending some time with  the power couple of  beauty, Georgio & Mikaela Fernandez.  If you remember, I recently interviewed Mikaela about her work with cancer patients and how LadyLash was  making a difference in the lives of everyday women through eyelash applications.  Luckily, through some friend connections LadyLash let me into their lives and invited me into their world of glamour for a weekend.  Their studio is set on an artsy street on Delray beach, and had been decorated to make you feel like a star with their red carpet and director style chairs.    The Marilyn Monroe pictures line the red walls, as well as the couple’s portraits with their celebrity clients  that are a reminder of how far they’ve gone.

I was intrigued with what this young couple had accomplished in such a short  period of time, all while juggling a family of 3 beautiful daugthers, running two studios, launching a new product,  and keeping on top of their game!   Georgio is known for his amazing transformations with eyebrows and makeup, while Mikaela’s real passion lies in eyelash extensions.   I was lucky enough to tag along with Georgio to the amazing Eau de Spa at the Ritz Carlton (their second location) while he worked his magic on some special ladies from CBS 12 anchors Suzanne Boyd, Liz Quirantes and Mayor Frankel from Delray Beach who were preparing for a “Dancing with the Stars” event.  When the makeup was done, the women were transformed into the eras of their dance. 

Makeup application at the Ritz Carlton

Fernandez is not your typical make up artist.  He’s straight, he’s attractive and is good at his job.   These attributes definitely have helped Georgio  get  “all the ladies”, clients that is. It was easy to see how Georgio’s charisma has helped him achieve the respect and admiration of all the clients that sit in his chair and leave feeling “beautiful.”

Their three adorable daugthers which range in the ages of 10 years old  to 8 months are also a very central part of LadyLash.  They are the drive and passion behind the powerful duo, and its nice to see how a talented family pulls it all together every day for the love of beauty.

The man is very passionate about his art.  “I’m into making a woman look and feel beautiful. That’s it for me,” said Georgio while we had a small brainstorming session about his upcoming ideas.

Mikaela Fernandez with baby in the Studio

Stay tuned for my next post on LadyLash !

For now, read about what they’re up on their Facebook page.