Zits be Damned!

I don’t know what’s been going on lately. I mean seriously, when it rains, it freaking pours. I'm fighting with my boyfriend, massive finals, psycho ex-friends, PMS, seriously, there is just way too much going on in my life right now. The bad part is that all of it seems to be showing up on my face. I woke up on Saturday with three basketball-sized pimples on my cheek and one smack, right in the dead center of my nose. Needless to say, I was not a happy camper. My plan was to cancel my day, stay under the covers and watch my new The Wire DVDs. (I heard this was a great show.) But then I remembered I had this:

Juice Beauty Blemish Clearing Serum


This serum claims to detoxify, heal and prevent blemishes. I applied this magical serum on my pimples and by Sunday my new friends had been reduced to half their size. By Monday, they were completely gone. First of all, I love that Juice Beauty products are organic; second, they are loaded with so many vitamins, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory ingredients (Vitamin C, Vitamin E, COQ10) that I wanted to do a back flip with glee; third, the products are free of paraben, synthetic fragrances and petroleum derivatives. Last but not least, this product actually did what it said it would; it cleared up my blemishes!! This is a must have and I mean it!

www.juicebeauty.com

I've been tagged

I've been tagged by mischo beauty. Link the person who tagged you.

2. Mention the rules in your blog.

3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours.

4. Tag 6 random bloggers by linking them at the end of your post.

5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged bloggers' blogs letting them know they've been tagged.

6. Once your post is up, notify the person who tagged you.

1) I formed an all girl group in elementary school called Kross Kriss-we were supposed to be the female Kriss Kross.
2) I am in my mid-twenties and am addicted to the Disney Channel-specifically Corey in the House and Thats so Raven.
3) I sing the same song every morning in the shower-Sade's Cherish the Day.
4) I'm in my mid twenties and can't drive-who needs a car in NY?
5) I hate flowers.
6) I can beat you in Double Dutch.

I'll find the 6 bloggers later.

Hugs,

Salon Review #1

Growing up, I was taught constantly that the most beautiful thing about a woman is her tresses. From the moment my mother taught me how to comb my hair, I would do it every night and every morning religiously. It was my pride and glory….still is. I think most Dominican women are taught the same thing, that’s why the salons are such a ubiquity in urban areas. I consider myself an expert of Dominican salons. During my early teens, I went to one every week, and have continued now as a woman in my mid-twenties. With that being said, I’ll be reviewing a new Dominican spot every week, and I’ll start this off by reviewing the salon that was featured in last months Vogue, Maritza’s House of Beauty.



Maritza’s House of Beauty

Pros:
1) My hair did come out nice. But I have had better for way less, and she didn’t give me the look I asked her for.
3) My wash was pretty good.
4) LCD Television-I liked watching Regis & Kelly while I was getting my hair done.
5) My hairstylist was friendly.
Cons
1) They wanted me to pay as soon as I walked in. Who does that?
2) Arbitrary pricing-charged me $40.00, yet charged other girls after me $18.00. My hair is long, but come on!!! I’m not freaking Rapunzel! How do you justify charging me $22.00 more? In my 14 year Dominican salon history, I’ve never been charged over $30.00
3) I think they should have better products. I felt as though their products were on the cheap side.
4) No ear covers. Seriously, I was under the dryer and my ears felt like they would burn off. They need ear covers (especially with the $40.00 I was spending).
5) Their decorum was alright. They should revamp it though. The area around the wash stations should be neater and get rid of those four ottomans.

Out of a scale of 1 through 5 with 5 being superior, I would give this salon a 3. I believe they are quite lucky to have been featured in Vogue magazine. My review for Mirror Image is coming next week so stay tuned.

Here's an after pic of my hair.

Beauty of the Week-Atoosa Rubenstein

Atoosa and her beautiful mother

My “Beauty of the Week” is the most beautiful person I know both inside and out. She’s also an incredibly accomplished woman. At the age of twenty-five she created a magazine (Cosmogirl) and became the youngest editor-in-chief in Hearst Publication history. Later she was appointed editor-in-chief of Seventeen Magazine, and grew the magazine subscriptions by over 20% within two years. She also created the reality show Miss Seventeen for MTV and was a frequent judge on A.N.T.M.. There are so many great things to say about her. But, the thing that impresses me the most about Atoosa is the fact that her heart is just as big as the list of all her accomplishments. She’s the kindest and greatest friend anyone could have. So with that being said, let me introduce you to my friend Atoosa Rubenstein.

D.E.: Hey A, what’s your beauty regimen morning/night?

A: Morning is as follows:
-First I Splash my face with cold water.
-Then I apply Clinique toner (different formula depending on the season/the condition of my skin).
-After, I apply either tinted moisturizer from Remede (if I don't need to be dolled up that day) or Olay Complete Moisturizer. FYI, both products have sunscreen.

At night:
-Rosebud salve on my lips
-Wash with Neutrogena Deep Clean using my sonic care brush
- Clinique toner
-Z. Bigatti face cream
-La Prairie on my eyes (when I remember)

D.E: What’s the deal with make-up?

A: My natural make-up look would be:
-Remede tinted moisturizer,
-Estee Lauder Minute Blush in Rose,
-Rosebud lip balm,
-Loreal black brow pencil to fill in any sparse patches, Lancome cils booster with Lancome Magnificils mascara on top.

My MAKE-UP look would include the above and then adding the following:
-Laura Mercier foundation Primer, Clinique Superbalanced cream makeup (it's a solid) in Neutral for more skin coverage
-Mac Teddy eye pencil (but if I wear eyeliner I wouldn't do the red lips from above I'd wear Laura Mercier Chestnut lip pencil).

D.E: What beauty product can’t you live without?
A: -I can’t live without black brow pencil! It makes me look polished even if I wear nothing else.

DE: What beauty advice can you give us?
A: -No amount of make-up takes the place of good grooming. It's totally worth investing in a really
good brow wax and then maintaining it yourself with a pair of Tweezermans. It’s the same for your hair. Don't scrimp in these areas and OD on trendy make-up or fashion. As Andy Warhol said, even someone with out great features can look totally beautiful as long as they are CLEAN looking. Grooming is key!

D.E: What’s the best piece of advice someone gave you?
A: My mom gave me great style advice without saying a word - she teaches by example. One of the most important things I've learned from her is to dress age and body appropriately. So you really won't find me wearing sleeveless or mini skirts. Plenty of people with my arms (and much worse) do but I don't. Same for mini skirts! It's not that I have horrible legs - I just think of that as a look better worn by women in their 20s. God bless them! Watching Housewives of NY this season I was so shocked to see these women (who were older than me) dressing like teenagers. It's not flattering.

Thanks A,

Hugs,

Beauty of the Week

Tomorrow I will begin something called Beauty of the Week. I already had one "Beauty of the Week" last year but could not continue due to my limited availability. However, this year my schedule isn’t as hectic, so I expect to have a lot more time to meet people and write about them. What my "Beauty of the Week" entails is, I will interview someone every week about their beauty regimen. I will ask them these 5 questions:
1) What is your beauty regimen morning/night?
2) What’s the deal with your make-up?
3) What beauty product can’t you live without?
4) What beauty advice can you give us?
5) What is the best advice anyone has given you (this doesn’t have to be beauty-related)?
Since I always take my camera with me, I will make sure to have a picture posted of this person as well. My Beauty of the Week tomorrow happens to be a very good friend of mine who is also my idol. I love her to death and can't wait for you to read about her. She's a Phenomenal Woman in every sense of the word.

Congrats to the winner of the Bruno Jamais Restaurant Gift card

Karen G, I sent you an e-mail. Thanks to all the other people that signed up. I am having another contest next week. Hugs.

Summer Must Have-Philip Kingsley Swimcap

My boyfriend and I love to travel to the islands. There is truly nothing like it! From the white sand, crystal blue water, amazing food, gracious people, we can’t get enough. However, one thing about me you must know is although I love to swim, I’m scared to death of the damage that the ocean and pool water will do to my hair. When I used to go into the water, I would always slather a conditioner on my hair beforehand. But afterwards, my hair would still be left incredibly tangled and feel so rough. The worst part was when I would blow-dry my locks; they would look so disgustingly dull, without any shine at all. On my last trip to Jamaica, I never once entered the ocean, and I stayed in the 3-feet side of the pool the whole time (never allowing the chlorinated water to touch my tresses). However, I was recently introduced to a new product that has changed my life. Ladies and Jets, I introduce you to the Philip Kingsley Swimcap.




This miracle intensive formula guards against discoloration and damage caused by weathering from sun, chlorine, salt, water and wind. It's also a serious super conditioner for the hair. Apparently, it’s a well-know secret among glamorous swimmers. I did some research on Philip Kingsley and he’s been a world-renowned Trichologist (hair Doctor) for over fifty years. (He’s also the guy that coined the phrase “bad hair day.”) I tried the Swimcap yesterday when I went to the gym. I combed this thick cream through my hair before entering the pool. (Funny thing was I saw another woman applying it as well.) I was really nervous about putting my head under water, but I braved my fear, and ended up swimming twenty laps. When I got out of the water, my hair still felt very soft. But the best part was that after I washed and blow-dried my hair, it was super glossy, and so lustrous (very Pantene commercial looking). This product is a definite must have!

www.philipkingsley.com

FYI

A quick blog, before I catch my flight. I was just at MAC on 34th street (the one in Macys) and I found out that they are introducing a new line on May 1 called Naughty Nauticals. The line looks so amazing!! Anyway, they are offering complimentary makeovers using the line from May 1-May 3 so sign up. The # for the Mac in Macys is 212-494-7009. www.maccosmetics.com

Hugs,

Salt for Beauty

My mother is a huge fan of Sea Salt. She always advises me to use it in my foods because it's much healthier than regular salts. But I wonder if mommie knows how beneficial it is for the skin. This Ford Model explains how sea salt gives her a glowing complexion:



This luxurious product called Ocean Salt by Lush is supposed to be fantastic. I have a few friends that use it and swear by its amazing ability to keep skin smooth and silky.

Hugs

It's OK to Begin Again

I think one of the hardest things anyone can go through is a breakup. Seriously, the ending of a relationship is equivalent to a death. All of a sudden, someone you care about is completely out of your life and you are left alone to mourn. Last night a good friend of mine, I’ll call her “Miriam” called me in hysterics. Her long romance with her boyfriend had ended. I absolutely adored her boyfriend. Shoot, my whole clique of friends adored him, so this was a huge shock. We spoke for three hours and I did my best to try to console her, but there are no words that can ameliorate a pain so intense.

Today I was in Sephora when an orange Philosophy bottle 3-in-1 caught my eye. I’ve always been attracted to Philosophy; one because their products are amazing and two because of the wise sayings that are scripted on their bottles. The bottle was a tangerine 3-in-1 shower gel and bath gelee called Begin Again. I'm obsessed with Tangerines so I had to pick up two bottles, one for me and one for my sweet Miriam. I actually just finished showering with this delicious smelling, luxurious product and can still smell remnants of it on my skin (so incredibly yummy). But, I also loved the message on the bottle because it reminded me of what was going on with Miriam. I wanted to make sure and share it with you guys, my blogger buddies. Remember ladies, don't let another person control your happiness. Hugs, DE

you took the right road and ended up in the wrong place. begin again. you reached the top of a mountain only to find yourself at the bottom of a new one. begin again. you dotted every "i" and forgot to cross your "t's." begin again. you were at the wrong place at the wrong time and your life changed forever. begin again. you loved hard and lost big. begin again. you won the race but they gave first place to someone else. begin again. you followed your north star and ended up at the south pole. begin again

Congrats To The Winner of The Sothys Set

Mary B, you were the winner of that Sothys Gift Set. Congrats!! Thanks for a great laugh. Hugs, D.E

Magic Potion

It seems as if every time I have somewhere important to be, my hair decides to misbehave. Well yesterday was no exception. My hair was just totally acting up! It was really frizzy, lacking shine and just plain dull looking. Needless to say, I was getting frustrated. But then I remembered something that I hadn’t used in some time. I quickly went into my beauty bag and grabbed Oscar Blandi ‘s Jasmine Hair Serum. As soon as I applied this magical potion to my mane, it immediately changed back to its normal self. My frizzies were completely gone, the baby hairs were tamed, the shine it imparted was outrageous and it smelled fantastic. An added plus was that my hair was not weighed down at all. This product is one of the few that does what it purports to do. Truly a miracle worker! Update 4/15/2008 According to style list.com Kelly Ripa is obsess with this product as well.
"The golden goddess of morning shows is a slave to her hair dryer. Her stylist Oscar Blandi tells StyleList, "Kelly blows her hair out every day." In order to prevent the damage that comes with such wear and tear, she uses
Blandi's Jasmine Oil Treatment ($26) weekly to strengthen her strands and add elasticity."

Beauty From Within First

From the age of five to around eleven, my parents would ship my siblings and I to the Dominican Republic every summer. We loved going to visit our relatives but most of all to enjoy the beautiful white sand and crystal-clear blue water of the Dominican beaches. My siblings and I would spend countless hours playing in the sand and basking in the sun. Those are some amazing memories. However, I’m now a grown woman in my mid twenties, and I’m terrified that those summer months under the sun will take an aging toll on my skin (they say the aging effects of the sun show up later in life). I’m sure many of you know that Green tea is an amazing antioxidant. I drink a cup every day. But today I found an Organic Yogi green tea that includes Pomegrante-which is another powerful antioxidant and has been linked to promoting skin and cardiovascular health. I’ll be adding this to my anti-aging arsenal and I hope you will too. Remember Beauty begins from within first. Hugs,

Get rid of the Flakey Curse

I received an email from one of my readers asking about an effective shampoo for dandruff. Unfortunately, I know all about dandruff. It seems like eons ago, but I too, used to be a chronic sufferer of the flakey curse. I tried so many harsh shampoos: Selsun Blue (stripped my hair of all its shine), Head & shoulders, (destroyed my hair period and the effects were only temporary) and Nixoral (as soon as I stopped using it, dandruff came right back).Finally after nothing was working, my mother advised me of a natural substance called Tea Tree Oil. Tea Tree Oil contains terpenoids, which have antiseptic and antifungal activity.

After starting my tea tree oil shampoos, my dandruff was ELIMINATED. Here are the 2 I would recommend.

Giovanni Triple Treat Tea Tree Oil



Jason's Tea Tree Scalp Normalizing Shampoo


Hope this Helps,

Hugs,

Contest ends tomorrow.

Skin Health

You must know that what we put in our bodies has a direct effect on our skin. Here's a gorgeous Ford Model informing us what wonders Flaxseed does for her skin. I take flaxseed as well, but in capsule form.