Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Blonde Ambition

Hey Blondie!

It's about that time of year when all of us blondes (both natural and processed) go out and spend a pretty penny on touching up those highlights in prep for the warm weather ahead... Well, I'm here to share with you one of my personal products of choice for cutting out that trip to the salon and saving you a few bucks.

Being a natural strawberry-blonde, I never felt comfortable dishing out $150 on highlights when I always already blonde by nature. I thought that I should get some sort of "special" discount or something being that the colorist didn't have to work too hard... but what do I know about what the actual process was for highlights.

All I did know is that I felt extremely guilty and a had a strong case of buyers remorse every time I dropped that kind of cash on my hair. AND I was never really thrilled about how it left my hair feeling dry and matted whenever I took a shower.

It wasn't until my mom went blonde herself that I really understood what was being done to my hair in the salon. It was being stripped with BLEACH which is why my hair was left tangle-prone and bird's nest like whenever water hit it. All the more reason why I stopped getting highlights in the salon about 5 years ago to not only save some money but save my hair from being destroyed.

I have been highlight free since 2006 and my hair is now back to it's natural state. I have a whole arsenal of products that I use semi-daily that keep my natural blonde locks looking bright and shiny without that sticker shock at the salon. But the MOST important is my fabulous shampoo by John Frieda.

It's the John Frida Sheer Blonde GO BLONDER Lightening Shampoo.

This stuff is great! It REALLY works to lighten your natural or color-treated blonde hair! I was amazed when I bought my first bottle last Summer to see that it gives such a natural effect of "real" highlights that mom asked me who did my hair! The natural highlighters of citrus and chamomile help gradually lighten hair through normal shampooing and give that natural, sun-kissed look.

There are actual "streaks" of color which are the true natural look to highlights and what (some) try to achieve in the salon. Big, chunky stripes are not what you're gonna get with this and at $7.99 a bottle, it's quite a bargain for what could cost you $100+ in the chair.

Even when I was getting pro highlights, I have been using John Frieda's Sheer Blonde products since they hit the stores back in about 2000 - you do the math... that's a big dedication to one line. So, whenever a new product comes out, I'm usually one of the first to run and get it. Test it. And of course, APPROVE it!

Go get your blonde on baby!

Xoxo

Jen

Sunday, April 11, 2010

"Clinique"ally Proven Results...

Ok... so most of you out there may know my background as a Clinique counter girl when I was back in NY... Recently, I started freelancing with them again for events and for what every woman knows as "Gift with Purchase".

I was quickly reminded on how good it feels to make an impact on someone's life with something so silly as a little lipgloss. But is it really silly? For me, it isn't but in the grand scheme of things it can be, to some. Whenever my numbers where low and I was confronted by management I always used to say to myself "We're not saving lives here... it's lipstick and mascara. Can't we just have FUN and not worry about pushing products?"

Well... being a freelance artist with Clinique, I don't have to worry about numbers anymore. Now, I get to do what I've always loved about being at a counter, without the additional stress - HELP PEOPLE. Helping people with something that is important to them makes me feel like I've done my job not only as a makeup artist but as a caring person. And it all starts with my own personal experiences with the products... I make my best sales when I show others what I use on myself and relate to them on their issues. It works because it's TRUE. I'm not selling to them... I'm telling them about something that I personally love and use daily.

There are a few products from Clinique that launched recently that I personally use and have used on clients at the counter that have made them go "Wow... I'll take that!" They are amazing and have changed my "beauty" life too. Check them out... they are all "Jen Tested & Approved"!


They make the "3rd Step" for this too, a clarifying moisturizer, but I can't use it because it contains Benzoyl Peroxide which I am ALLERGIC too... This has been my dilemma since DAY ONE with my breakout prone skin. I can't use any product that contains Benzoyl Peroxide, which is in ALMOST every acne treatment out there. The Clinique Acne Solutions Cleanser & Clarifying Lotion contain Salicylic Acid and they do not leave my skin dry and flakey. They actually clean my skin and keep it breakout free!






When I first stared with Clinique back in 2006, this was one of the "newer" products I was introduced to... I have been using it ever since. I recommend this to everyone who come to me looking for a good daily moisturizer, regardless of skin type. I use it because I have oily skin and the gel formula doesn't cause me to break out unlike it's older sister the DDML (Lotion). I love the cool feel of the gel when I apply it and it doesn't feel heavy or greasy. I am moisturized but not shiny which is also what I love about it. It is a staple in my pro kit as well as my personal...





This has been around forever... but I only started using it about 3 months ago when I got a sample from my fellow Clinique girls in Nordstrom one day. This is AMAZING! Especially for me where I tend to get dried out pretty quickly regardless of my oiliness. I have a different kind of heat in my house and in the air here in California that my skin will probably never get used to. I use this on the days where my skin needs that extra bit of moisture from the heat or Santa Anna winds... This is great for the guys too! I use it frequently on the men clients as they never seem to like to take care of their skin. This cures it right up and fast!


OMFG! I all I have to say for this one folks! Not really... I have to tell you how seriously AMAZING this stuff is! Of all my years of camouflaging and perfecting the flawless face, this is by far the most natural-looking, full-coverage foundation for acne prone skin I have ever used! It just launched about 2 weeks ago at the end of March and I was one of the lucky girls who got to test it out at the counter on it's arrival. I put it on my hand just to see the consistency and test out the coverage. I was sold right then and there. It's light formula packs pretty strong covering power with the fact that I hardly need a concealer now. It dries to a velvety soft, powder finish and also helps control oil throughout the day with .05% Salicylic Acid as the active ingredient. So, even if you don't have acne, I would say TRY THIS anyway! I tried it on one young bride to be at the counter that day who was left with horrible acne scars and (like me) continues to get breakouts still. She was the first girl to try the foundation that day with me and left not only with a new bottle but with a new sense of confidence that she would look absolutely stunning in her wedding photos. After helping her, I left work that day with full heart and a full bottle in my shade.


Last but not least... one last Godsend product from the skin masterminds at Clinique. This is another one of those products I was introduced to back in the counter days. What this does is help shed those layers of dead skin (sounds gross, I know...) to reveal the newer skin underneath. I like this because of my very light skin, I am left with the annoying reminders of blemishes come and gone. This helps fade the pink (or dark) spots on my face so that they are quickly forgotten like an ex's phone number in your cell phone. It also gives your skin that youthful glow and helps treat fine lines - which at 31 (in a few weeks), I do start to see...

And there you have it... the Clinique products that I ACTUALLY use because they really do work! Jen Tested and Approved! Now, you can all trust those other counter girls when they're trying to push you that product! Teehee!


Xoxo
Jen