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compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. So, please help a mommy out**
I (heart) Zulily! Everyday, every week and every year you find different and adorable, cute, trendy, stylish and eco friendly clothes, bedding, linens, toys, baby stuff, bath and body, cosmetics, furniture, decor, figurines and man stuff (basically anything and everything) for up to 70% off of retail! (And you know I like 70% off of retail! Who doesn't?!) It's like going to your favorite store everyday and they've restocked it (and change the decor) with all new items you simply adore. And this week is no different. Nor the week after that(!). Just check out the awesome things Zulily has to offer: Huggies Good Nights & Pull Ups on Sale
It doesn't really matter what size you are or what your body shape
is; you can always find the right mini dress to suit your body type. The trick
lies in picking a dress that accentuates your best assets and underplays unflattering
areas - after all that is what you want the dress to do, right!
Any woman can wear a mini dress with aplomb; you only need to be
sure that the dress you choose is perfect not just for the occasion, but is
also the right style for you. So, how to choose the right mini dress for your body type? Here are a few
tips that can be of help.
Pear Shaped Women
With heavy thighs and hips, pear shaped women need dresses that
draw away attention from this region. Baby doll style mini dresses or A-line
cocktail dresses are the ideal choice. To ensure the dress does you justice,
pick one with a heavily embellished neckline as it will shift the focus from
the bottom half of your body to the top. An off shoulder dress or a halter or
spaghetti strapped dress also works well, especially if you have arms and
shoulders worth showing-off.
You can experiment with colors if you wish; pick dresses in bright
hues such as fuchsia or turquoise. Just ensure the mini is not more than two
inches above your knees and you’ll be fine.
The Hour Glass Figure
An hour glass figure is rare; but if you have one consider
yourself fortunate. You can wear just about any design that you wish. But, if
you still want some tips consider opting for a halter neck dress or one with
spaghetti straps as these will emphasize your feminine form.
A column dress in soft pastel shades can be ideal for summer and
spring. At other times wear dresses with flared skirts. You can carry off almost
any print; so don’t hold yourself back. If you like graphic designs or huge
floral prints go for them.
Apple Shaped Body Type
Apple shaped women have excess weight around their midriff; so
it’s best to avoid dresses that are too clingy. You have to learn to camouflage
that extra weight you carry around your waist through careful dressing. What
you need are dresses with loose silhouettes that cover the flaw and trick the
eyes.
Opt for dresses with a drop waist or empire silhouette as they
create an illusion of a smaller midsection. Apple shaped women generally have
thick upper arms, so selecting the right sleeves becomes critical. Batwing or
kimono style sleeves provide excellent cover up, while still looking chic.
Avoid big prints and soft hues; instead wear shades of red, brown,
grey and blue. Keep the length just above the knees, not too short. Broad belts
worn tightly across the midsection are a definite no. Instead wear a sash or
link-chain belt low around your hips.
Busty Women
It can be tricky for busty women to carry off mini dresses; but
it’s not that it cannot be done. Big breasts can get more emphasized in mini
dresses. So, you’ll need a style that underplays your biggest assets. The
easiest way to do so is to keep the bodice simple – no frills, layering,
trimmings, lace, beads, embroidery or sequins. Go for a plunging V neck (if you
are comfortable showing a bit of cleavage) with a halter back. Steer away from
dresses with spaghetti straps. Pick A line dresses in lighter fabrics that
don’t cling; and wear a bra that provides ample support. Keep the length just a
wee bit over the knees. Mini dresses in gold and silver are a good option for a
special occasion.
Dresses For The Plus Sized
Full-figured women shouldn’t resort to concealing their size under
layers. This only makes them look bulkier. Remember, to pick the fabric with
care – nothing that sticks to the figure. Wrap dresses complement women with
heavier frames as they can mask the problem areas. Swirly mini dresses in sheer
fabric work best, while body hugging dresses will make you look matronly.
As the dress should balance the weight it’s best to avoid cuts
that show too much skin. Off-shoulder dresses can be flattering on plus-sized
women provided the skirt is nice and flowy. Consider three-quarter sleeves to
conceal the heavy arms. Choose prints with caution, anything too busy could
work as a negative.
Pick mini dresses that up your confidence quotient the minute you
get into them. If you are uncomfortable with the look you’ll never be able to
carry off the dress. It is not so much the dress but your attitude that is
predominantly the best accessory in how great you look.
Author bio:
Brenda Panin is a full time
mother and a great fashion lover. She enjoys shopping for as long as she can
remember and dresses were always her weak spot. She likes wearing short skirts
and most of them she buys at popcherry.com.au.
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As always Happy Shopping! **The links in this post are affiliate links and I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on my link.
Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a pleasant holiday and new year celebration! As you may have noticed, I didn't post during the holiday season. During the holidays, I take time to self reflect. Do not get me wrong, I enjoy the holidays (with two little ones you have to!); but I always take time for myself and my family, recharge my battery, review the passing year and make plans for the upcoming year. I know it is rather cliche, but this year is going to be my year (and all subsequent years, mind you). I have enrolled to be a certified MUA (!) and am going to pursue cosmetology! Yes ladies, be on the look out for a full scale salon and day spa soon! Besides that and the usual resolutions people make; be a better mother, wife, daughter, relative and friend...get my sexy back, drink more water, eat more veggies, work out, cut out bad habits...I also want to see some changes in the world. While it may be true that one person alone can not change the world...I feel if I can do better myself, maybe I can inspire others to do better as well. Climate change, pollution, corruption of political systems, corporate greed at the expense of peoples lives, racism, women's rights, the lack of sisterhood between women(!), the dumbing down of society and a whole slew of detrimental issues that affect us all worry me more than ever. I look at my children and wonder what type of world am I passing on to them? With these thoughts I ponder, I realize I have to make a change, be a better example and hopefully clean up the mess that my generation and ones before mine have left. I love my children and I only want the best for them and other children as well. With that said, ladies, change is up to you. Yes, within your beautifully manicured hands is the power to change the world. Now you may be saying to yourself, I only came here to read about how to get some Louboutins for cheap...well, today I need you to concentrate on your future and the future of this world we live in. (Tomorrow we'll go back to shopping on the cheap) You may feel powerless to make changes in the world, but I promise you your fears are with out merit. If you do a brief study into history; read about the Women's Suffrage Movement, Women's Liberation, and the powerful women behind some of the greatest movements in history, you will realize our power. Mind you, this isn't a call to male bash, I am simply pointing out that we need to understand our power and use it to effectively make these much needed changes! While you may not want to be on the front lines participating in the Slut Walks, or organizing committees in your neighborhood, let us try something simple. First, start with yourself. Love yourself no matter what the advertising industry tells you. Work on being a better person. Work towards your personal goals and aspirations. Then work on being a better wife, daughter, friend, sister, mother and cousin. Once you are actively working on that, spread a little love to people you don't know. Smile, say hello, compliment a woman on her outfit, give to the poor, volunteer your time to help organizations you believe in. It is really that simple. While you may not think those little things will make a difference, you never know who you made feel better because you smiled at them...you never know who you may help while volunteering your time...and you just may be the little spark that starts the fire. Again, the power is within your hands.
My wish for 2014 is to build a spirit of sisterhood! We may not all be BFF's, but we should have a mutual respect for each other, because it is tough being a woman. Juggling multiple roles, being a friend, working hard, being a daughter, wife, bestie, or just all around sexy woman, is hard...and throw in a 6 inch stiletto to the mix and possibly Aunt Flo and have mercy, it can be rough! So ladies, work with me. Help me out. Let's build each other up, respect each other, and compliment each other on our shoe games. A smile, a hug, a nod of encouragement can make all the difference in the world. With that, I am going to actively post this year (LOL). I am going to make sure I post my heart out with good, quality content and updates on my sisterhood building. I am going to revamp Style Icon of the Week, I will also be introducing the Make Up Misfit, who will be my blog co-host who will write about cosmetics from a newbies point of view and other intriguing topics as well. Of course, I will talk about shopping and some other goodies...but I am also going to delve into issues effecting our sisterhood and the world. I hope you stick around for it! I appreciate all of your continued support of the blog, it really means so much to me! So best wishes, Happy New Years and as always Happy Shopping!
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I was introduced to Oumou Sangare by my sister when I was pregnant with my son. (Yes, my sister is worldly besides being beautiful and naturally stylish...I have no clue how she does it! But her closet has been my oyster since I can remember). Since then, despite the lack of understanding of what she is singing about, I have been a loyal fan ever since. Her passion and voice carry past the divide of culture and language. Not to mention she is fierce! Unfortunately, a lot of African women are not always on the front page of high fashion (and Conde Nast still rejects the idea of African Vogue! Read my rant to Vogue here.)
Mario Epanya, a Cameroonian photographer ,was attempting to
revolutionize the fashion industry. In the fall of 2010, Mario Epanya
secured a meeting with executives at Conde Nast, a company that owns a
majority of popular consumer magazines. During his presentation, he
offered several well-executed examples of possible covers for Vogue
Africa.
Being that not too many African women are appreciated fashionably, I will take this time to do so. African women wear some of the most beautiful printed pieces in every color imaginable. With an abundance of gold and natural materials, Africans choose natural accessories that compliment their look while honoring traditions. Style of dress, of course, changes from country to country and tribe to tribe; remember Africa is a huge place! African women are known for their signature head pieces and scarves (or foulards) that give their look a royal quality (or a beautiful way to cover a bad hair day.) If you are unfamiliar, Oumou Sangare is a Malinese singer and has a global audience. In 2008 she collaborated with Alicia Keys for a rendition of Keys hit song "Fallin'". Below is my absolute favorite song by her! "Diya Gneba"
Oumou's style is afrocentric and fresh. Mixed with traditional African pieces and modern designs, she always looks great on stage and in person. Never afraid of color, you may find Oumou in muted earthy tones, flaming fire engine reds, fuschia pinks or powder blues. Nothing is off limits and she carries each style and color fabulously.
Here she is on a "tube" (aka subway) rocking a fur and head wrap. Tell me Oumou isn't fierce!
No one could do it better!
Red head wrap with funky pleated tunic and bracelets I must buy!
Check the awesome Louis earrings!
Love the phat rope chain!
African women are beautiful and fashion hasn't always turned a blind eye to that fact. With african prints showing up on runways to this "new" trend of color blocking; Africans, no matter if they're from east, west, north or south, are making a huge impact on global fashion.
You can check out Oumou Sangare on Facebook for more music and touring dates!
When Animals Attack...or When She Spills a Drink on Your Dress
Ladies, what is going on? Are you okay? Problems at home? Need a hug?
Really ladies, spilling a drink on some one's outfit (on purpose) is not proper etiquette. I know we have been inundated with reality show stars who throw drinks in peoples faces simply because it's Friday (hey why not); and seemingly cat fights are the new rite of passage for girls and women from different walks of life and socioeconomic status. However, my question is why?
I have not had a drink spilled on my dress nor thrown in my face, but I will not act holier than thou. I have had my share of cat fights as a young woman. I lost some, I won some, some were my fault, some were not. As I matured, I pondered why these fisticuffs* happened (especially the ones that I did not start).
Some of my title bouts were fueled by alcohol, other bouts were fueled by pure jealousy. Fights over men (I do not and never have believed in fighting over men!), or the fact I "thought" I was cute! (Ladies, please stop this way of thinking, everyone should think they are cute!) However, I've realized that most of my fights with other women boiled down to two things, jealousy and insecurity, on both of our parts.
As I observe our cultural landscape, I understand we are extremely informal, especially compared with earlier generations. (Certain behaviors wouldn't fly with polite society.) Being informal, or more relaxed has it's positives and negatives, however, does spilling a drink on a woman with a nice outfit, or fighting in public constitute informality? Or bestiality? (We can not even blame the animal kingdom for this behavior, because most female species fight to protect their offspring or their lives. They leave random acts of violence to the males)
So what is it ladies? What exactly are we doing? More importantly, why are we doing it?
Kim Kardashian was a recent victim of a thrown drink.
One of my more fashionable friends, relayed a story, about how a woman spilled a drink on her linen pants at the disco. (On purpose! The woman made it known it was intentional. I know some of you are shaking your head, saying, "she should have beat that woman's {insert expletive}) My friend is a cool, calm and collected woman, who feels if she has to "fight"she has lost all control-proceeded to beat this woman in the bathroom (hey, they were linen pants!). The situation was ugly. However, my question is what was going on in this woman's mind that she felt the need to spill a drink on another persons linen pants?
When has the competition between women become so fierce that we have to ruin, not only, another woman's night but her outfit? Furthermore, how sad is it that this particular woman was so jealous and insecure, the only way she could express herself was to pour a Kahlua with milk on my friends linen pants? It is hard enough being a woman; we juggle so many responsibilities and roles, all while trying to look good and not getting credit for our sacrifices and achievements. Furthermore, let us not forget we just got the right to vote 92 years ago; we were legally granted equal pay 49 years ago, and 34 years ago The Pregnancy Discrimination Act banned employment discrimination against
pregnant women. We have come so far, why now do we want to tear each other down? (literally?)
Especially if you are prone to scarring, hyper pigmentation and razor bumps
Having excess facial hair for women can be mildly embarrassing to downright ugly. Trying to rid your self of facial hair can be costly or painful and/or both. Furthermore, if you have dark hair, course/curly hair, have a darker complexion, hair and hair removal can lead to a host of other problems, like scarring, hyper pigmentation, razor bumps and other forms of irritation.
Take a deep breath ladies...and exhale. You are not alone. It is estimated that over 40% of all women have excess facial hair. Aside from hereditary factors, it can also be caused by an excess of certain
testosterone-related hormones or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Whatever the cause, most of us want it gone, IMMEDIATELY.
We tweeze, pluck, wax, shave, thread, chemically burn it off, get laser treatments and electrolysis. But what happens if the treatments leave permanent reminders on your face?
First, go see a doctor to be sure your hairiness is not a symptom of a deeper issue. Secondly, research your options and do what's best for your skin. Questions you need to answer are:
Is your facial hair a symptom of a medical issue?
How much facial hair do you have? Is it excessive or a few strays that can be controlled easily?
Are you prone to scarring, razor bumps, or hyper pigmentation?
What is your budget for hair removal? (Because let us be honest, hair removal is a lifelong process this will be a recurring event no matter if you get electrolysis or laser hair removal treatments.)
After you have answered these questions, now you can research some solutions.
Natural ways:
Spearmint Tea. If your facial hair is a symptom of hormonal imbalance, spearmint tea may be an option for you. Recent research has been spotlighting spearmint tea as a possible means
to treat hirsutism, a condition that results in excess female body and
facial hair. Conventional medicine promotes treatments for hirsutism such as
antiandrogens and oral contraceptives. The birth control pill is used to
increase estrogen levels that will battle androgen production.
Antiandrogens like spironolactone can prevent the body from reacting to
certain androgens. Spearmint tea is thought to have an antiandrogenetic effect in the body
and this suppression of androgens is a key factor in treating hirsutism.
Turkish studies have determined this effect to be true and now many
post-menopausal women are drinking between two to five cups of spearmint
tea daily in order to reduce their mild symptoms of excess hair.
Remember this isn't an instant solution, but repeated use on a daily basis can help you combat excessive facial hair. Also remember, you can not get spearmint "flavored tea"! It has to be real spearmint leaves in your tea bag. You can also steep fresh spearmint leaves in a boiling cup of water for 3-5 minutes and drink that. I personally use Mighty Leaf Tea
Calming Moon Tea has other herbs as well Spearmint and has a great taste!
Another great choice is Traditional Medicinals. They are certified organic so you can be sure of the quality of the tea.
Turmeric and Besan Powder: paste made of chickpea flour and turmeric will remove facial hair gently and discourage hair growth, especially on the chin and cheeks. At the same time, the mixture will cleanse the skin and leave a healthy glow. Use high quality turmeric, otherwise the spice may leave a temporary yellowish tint on the skin, especially for fairer complexions. Turmeric and chickpea flour, which is also known as besan flour or gram flour, can be found in Indian markets, Asian specialty markets or health food stores.
How to Use It:
Place 1 tbsp. chickpea flour in a cup. Add enough milk or water to form a thick paste.
Stir in 1 tsp. cream or yogurt and a pinch of powdered turmeric. The mixture should be thick but spreadable.
Wash your hands with soap and water so that any bacteria on your hands won't be transferred to your face. Cleanse your face, using a cleanser formulated for your skin type. Allow your face to air dry.
Apply the chickpea flour paste over the facial area where you wish to remove hair. Smooth the mixture over the area in the direction of hair growth.
Allow the mixture to dry completely, and then use a dry washcloth to scrub the area, working opposite the direction of hair growth. This is important! Do not wash use a dry wash cloth to scrub the mixture off! After you get most of the paste off then you can use a wet washcloth to get off remaining residue.
Pat your face dry with a soft towel, and then apply sweet almond oil or olive oil to the area to sooth the skin and replenish lost moisture.
Again, not a quick fix but it may help reduce facial hair and discourage new growth. Remember this is a slow process and needs to be used regularly to see result. Furthermore, the first time you use it, not all the hair will be removed.
Sugar Wax
What you need:
1 cup water
2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
How to make it:
Combine
all ingredients together in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Watch over
this pan until it bubbles and start to have the color of ginger ale.
In a separate pan, boil some water.
To
test the readiness of the wax mixture, use a metal spoon and scoop a
spoonful of mixture. If it bubbles in the spoon for at least two
seconds, the mixture is ready.
Remove the saucepan from heat and
add 1 tablespoon of boiling water from the second pan and stir
thoroughly. Allow the mixture to cool slightly before storing in a
plastic or glass container.
To make cleaning the pan easier,
pour the remaining hot water from the second pan to the first one (the
one used to boil the wax) before cleaning it.
How to sugar wax
Other things you’ll need
Cornstarch
Cotton muslin strips or strips of paper bag cutouts
Wooden Popsicle sticks or a smooth butter knife with no serration
Two old, washable towels
Before
using this sugar mixture you just made, let it cool down totally. To
use it, just heat it in the microwave for a few minutes until it get to
the honey-like consistency. I’d like to have a warm water pot nearby to
put the wax in so I don’t have to hobble back and forth between the
bathroom and the microwave.
Then coat the part you want to
wax generously with cornstarch. For example, if you want to wax your
leg, just coat it until it looks snow white. Coating it with powder
makes your skin less tolerable to the abrasion caused by waxing.
Next, coat your hands with cornstarch as well and you’re ready to apply the sugar wax to your skin.
Important step:
apply the wax to the direction of hair growth! Then apply the strip on
top of the wax, gently rub it two or three times in downward strokes.
Take a deep breath and quickly pull the strip out of your leg.
You can reuse the same strip over and over again until it’s thick with wax.
To remove the leftover wax on your skin, use the old towel. (from My Makeup Beauty Blog)
There are other waxes on the market as well. Find what works for you.
Tweeze: Self explanatory. If you only suffer from a few stray hairs, pluck those suckers out!
Shave: Now I personally don't condone shaving, ESPECIALLY, if you are prone to ingrown hairs, hyper pigmentation or scarring. But, if you feel that is the best way for you, get a skin care regimen that will help you avoid common problems with shaving like ingrown hairs and hyper pigmentation.
This is what I learned from a drag queen (and oh the things you can learn from a drag queen!):
Before shaving, get your skin ready. A light splash of water will not do. He (She?) suggested steaming the face first for about 10-15 minutes to open pores. I personally have a facial steamer which cost me $2 at the local Goodwill and it has lasted for years. However, if you don't plan on purchasing a steamer a pot of boiling water and a towel will do the trick. Remember, do not put your face so close to the steam it burns you! I think that is common sense, however, common sense isn't so common!
Next, invest in a high quality shave cream. This is important. You want one that will protect and moisturize the skin. I've heard some women use hair conditioner for sensitive areas (like the face) but I can't confirm nor deny if this works.
Immediately after steaming, wet the face with warm water and slather on the shave cream. Remember to shave against the direction of your hair growth, carefully. When you are finished, wash the remaining lather off. Now, aftershave. Yes ladies, there is a reason your man uses aftershave. First it soothes the skin, secondly a good aftershave will help prevent razor bumps. I am unaware of a female aftershave but some natural alternatives are witch hazel, aloe or rubbing alcohol. Yes the latter will sting, but, you need it.
Other advice, after shaving you still need to take care of your skin. For women of color or those prone to ingrown hair I suggest investing in Bump Stopper
Bump Stopper is cheap ($5 or less) and non abrasive. I have not used it on my face, however, times I shaved my bikini line I had no ingrown hairs with repeated use after the shave, and I am prone to ingrown hairs and razor bumps! I love this product for after shaving care and it has worked wonders for quite a few men I know who suffered from embarrassing razor bumps and ingrown hairs on their face.
Other Ways
Depilatories: A depilatory is a strong, alkaline based product is placed on hair and slowly breaks
down the hair follicle, until it turns jelly-like. The depilatory hair
removal process takes about 5- 10 minutes for it to be easily wiped off
with a warm towel at, or somewhat below skin level.
I have personally used depilatories in the past, like Nair and Veet. I like those brands for my legs more so than my face. Even the sensitive skin or aloe infused products they offered never did the job fully and/or burnt my face. I mean burnt my face. As much as I want to be hair free, I do not want major burns on my face either! However, you must choose what works best for you. I personally think depilatories work better on those with fine hairs, who do not have sensitive skin.
However, one depilatory I truly like is Soft Sheen Carson Magic Fragrant Shaving Powder. It:
Removes hair easily
Does not require a razor
Prevents razor burn and in-grown hair
Pleasant fragrance
Made in the USA
Magic Shaving Powder is a depilatory powder that removes your beard
without the use of a razor. Helps eliminate and prevent razor bumps.
Recommended by the National Medical Association as an effective shaving
method for the relief of razor bumps in African American men. Leaves
skin hair-free and smooth.
I still use this! It does not irritate my skin, is easy to use and I do not get ingrown hairs with this product. I recently visited a PCOS forum (to research this post) and they sing the praises of Soft Sheen Carson Magic Shaving Powder as well. Again it's cheap (less than $5), effective, and doesn't irritate. Furthermore, it combats the side effects of hair removal like ingrown hair and razor bumps.
What It Does: One of the more popular ways to remove hair is
via laser or pulsed light - energy that goes through the hair shaft down to the
follicle, where it destroys the hair's root.
"The hair does not immediately come out during a laser treatment.
Instead, it weakens and falls out over time because we've blown away the
root," says dermatologist David Goldberg, MD, director of Skin and Laser
Surgery of New York and New Jersey and the author of a medical textbook on
laser hair removal.
Goldberg says the newest laser, called DUET, combines laser with a little
bit of suction for even better results.
"It pulls the hair into the follicle, allowing the beam to
penetrate deeper," says Goldberg.
This means doctors can safely treat larger areas at one time and more
comfortably for the patient, he says.
Best For: Laser hair removal can be done anywhere on the body.
The best candidates are women with dark hair and light skin. Lasers won't work
on white hair, and they are much less effective on blond hair, which Goldberg
says usually responds best to electrolysis.
While most lasers work on the skin of Hispanics, only one, called the
Nd:YAG, is safe for black skin. All other hair removal lasers increase the risk
of hyperpigmentation (dark spots), as well as burning and scarring, which can
lead to the creation of keloids (scar tissue).
How Long It Takes: It usually requires 5-7 sessions, with a
touch-up about once a year thereafter.
Cost: The cost runs between $150 and $500, or sometimes more
depending on how many treatments are needed.
I can only suggest that women of color (Hispanics included) do your research! Do not just go anywhere to get laser treatments. There are horror stories of 3rd degree burns, hyper and hypo pigmentation, etc.
What It Is: The only method of hair removal that is permitted
to be called "permanent," electrolysis uses a tiny needle that slides
down into the hair follicle until it reaches the cells responsible for hair
growth.
"Electrolysis destroys the cells that cause the hair to grow. The hair
will release and slide right out and it won't grow back there again -- it's
permanent removal," says Patsy Kirby, executive director of the American
Electrology Association in Bodega Bay, Calif.
The process can be uncomfortable, but local anesthetic creams can help.
Best For: Like other forms of hair removal, it is safe to do
electrolysis anywhere on the body, though Kirby says the most popular place for
women is the face.
How Long It Takes: Though the system requires that the
removal be done hair-by-hair, Kirby says it's not as daunting a task as it
might seem. "It can take up to 25 sessions, depending on how much you need
removed, but each session may only be 5 or 10 minutes long," says
Kirby.
Cost: Costs run between $40 and $90 per treatment, with 10 to
25 treatments (or more) sometimes necessary for permanent, lasting results.
Potential Drawback: Electrolysis can cause tiny scars where
the needle is inserted. Though for most people they heal unnoticed, for blacks
it means an increased risk of hyperpigmentation and formation of keloids. Thus,
it's not recommended for this skin type.
Again, do your research! These treatments are expensive in the long run!
What It Is: This topical prescription cream, also known as
eflornithine 13.9%, works by blocking an enzyme that would otherwise stimulate
hair growth. Without the enzyme, hair growth is retarded in that area, and
eventually may stop.
Joel Schlessinger, MD, president of the American Society of Cosmetic
Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery, says Vaniqa is not a hair remover, so it is
best used in conjunction with other methods, particularly lasers.
"If you apply it after laser treatments as an adjunct, it can help
retard and then stop hair growth," says Schlessinger.
Other experts say treatment can also work on its own, but requires a patient
commitment of 8 weeks to 6 months before full results are seen. Studies show
that the longer the cream is used, the better results will be. Vaniqa is
applied twice daily.
Best For: Vaniqa works best for facial hair growth on the
upper lip, chin, and cheeks.
"Because of the cost, and difficulty and feasibility of applying it to
large areas, it's not recommended for hair removal in large areas of the body,
such as the legs or arms," says Schlessinger.
Schlessinger says it is, however, an effective way to remove white or
non-pigmented hair, which does not respond to laser treatment.
Studies show Vaniqa is safe to use in combination with birth control pills
and other hormone treatments when the cause of unwanted hair stems from
reproductive problems such as polycystic ovaries. It is also safe for all
ethnic groups and skin types.
Cost: Vaniqa costs between $80 and $225 per tube.
Other Tips for Battling Scarring, Hyper Pigmentation, and Ingrown Hairs:
A ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. That old adage is true! No matter which hair removal method you use, it is important to prep your skin and constantly keep your skin as healthy as possible.
Do not touch your face! Besides the obvious, you hands spread dirt and bacteria. Most hair removal treatments irritate the skin some how, so do not further promote blemishes and acne by touching your face.
Tend Skin! Such a simple product and it works wonders to battle ingrown hairs, acne and razor bumps.
Here is a homemade Tend Skin recipe you can try at home:
What you need:
Uncoated Aspirin
70% Alcohol
Witch Hazel or Hydrogen Peroxide
Glycerin
2 bottles used to shake mixtures
1 8oz or more bottle/container to keep finished product
What you do:
Pour 5.5oz of 70% alcohol into one bottle.
Drop 18 uncoated aspirins into the alcohol. Cap bottle and shake.
Pour 2.5oz of witch hazel into the second bottle.
Drop 8 uncoated aspirins into the witch hazel. Cap bottle and shake.
Add 1 tablespoon of glycerin.
Wait awhile (30 minutes to a whole day) for the aspirins to dissolve
in the liquids. Shake occasionally to help dissolve aspirin and mix.
NOTE: not all of the aspirin will dissolve. That’s OK, some of it never
will.
Now combine both the alcohol and witch hazel mixtures together into
one bottle. Make sure you shake it up before you pour them out so you
also get the aspirin residue into the new bottle.
This last bottle is your Tendskin! Use 1-2x's a day. Reduce usage if you
experience dryness or flaking or irritation. DO NOT USE IF YOU ARE
ALLERGIC TO ASPIRIN. Make sure you shake it well before each use.
Bump Stopper. I can not sing it's praises enough!
Exfoliate! Exfoliation is extremely helpful in keeping ingrown hairs at bay. By sloughing off the dead skin it allows the hair to come to the surface without being trapped under the skin causing more ingrown hairs
If you already have scarring due to acne, shaving irritation and ingrown hairs, immediately purchase Nadinola Skin Discoloration Fade Cream Extra Strength. Unlike Ambi or other blemish faders, you will see results with in a week. I can attest to this! Google Nadinola and a host of Youtube videos and reviews will reiterate exactly what I said.
With that said, I bet you are wondering what I use. I use a combination of things. I do the spearmint tea regularly and have noticed a reduction in facial hair over a two month period. Occasionally I do the besan and turmeric mask. I really use it for it's brightening aspect more so than the hair removal, but I do use it often. Lastly, I use Soft Sheen Carson Magic Shave Powder. It gives me great results with minor irritation. (Oh and tweezers for the strays!)
To keep my skin bump and blemish free, I use bump stopper and Nadinola. I was just introduced to these products within the past year so I am actively using them to reduce scarring and hyper pigmentation I have due to years of skin neglect! I can proudly say, my skin is in the best shape it has ever been in!
So what do you use?! If you have any questions or would like more information, feel free to comment or send me an email [at] info@iheartretailtherapy.com
