Penny's Going Pink!!

Hi all! Hope this post finds you in the best of spirits!

As you all know October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and Penny loves sharing the multitude of beauty bargains that support this cause. It's time to "Fight Like A Girl!" Let's shop with purpose and do our part to help find a cure for breast cancer (and all the cancers out there affecting us all). Here are just a few of the products you should look for this month, and more than a few of the products Penny will be purchasing. :-)

• Bobbi Brown Pretty Pink Ribbon Lip Gloss Collection ($60) – $12 from this purchase will be donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
• Essie 2014 Breast Cancer Awareness Mini Cube (4 bottles); ($17)
• Sexy Hair Concepts Breast Cancer Awareness Big Sexy Spray & Play Hair Spray, $36, www.JCPenney.com
• Jergen's Original Scent Cherry-Almond Moisturizer, $7, www.Drugstore.com
• Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips, $7, www.Target.com 
• John Frieda Frizz Ease Smooth Start Repairing Shampoo & Conditioner, $6 each, www.Ulta.com 



Bobbi Brown
Pretty Pink Ribbon Gloss Collection

• Redken Color Extend Magnetics Shampoo, $41, Walgreens.com; Redken Color Extend Magnetics Conditioner, $22, www.Walgreens.com

• Estee' Lauder Evelyn Lauder Dream Solid Perfume Compact ($49.50) – 100% proceeds to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
• EOS Strawberry Sorbet and Fresh Watermelon Lip Balm Duo ($5.99) – 100% proceeds go to the Breast Cancer Research.
• Aerie Limited-Edition Bridget Bra ($29.95) aerie.com – 100% proceeds to Bright Pink.
• Clinique Great Skin Great Cause ($38); A limited-edition 6.7 oz bottle of Clinique's #1 moisturizer. Comes with a 4-charm key chain. – $10 from this purchase will be donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

2013 Beauty Buys

Happy Holidays!
Hopefully you are enjoying your holiday season and are in the best of health and spirits. I just wanted to take a moment to share 'some' of my 2013 beauty buys now that the year is coming to a close. Pardon the lengthy post. Hope its helpful.

Skin Care:
Sephora Face Complexion Brush ($7, Sephora.com) - Love the gentle exfoliation I get daily from this brush (used with the Purity cleanser usually).  It is also an inexpensive way to stimulate your circulation and improve skin texture. My skin feels clean but never dry.

Simple Sensitive Skin Expert Cleansing Facial Wipes  ($6.49, CVS) - This is a great make-up remover wipe that doesn't irritate my skin. I use this before a work out; to clean up mistakes; or if I'm in a hurry and don't have time for the Boscia cleanser. It is also great for travel.

Clarins Toning Lotion ($22, Sephora.com) - I never liked to use toner because my skin is so dry, but this tones and leaves my skin super clean without any drying or irritation. It has chamomile in it and is alcohol-free. I got a free sample from Sephora and I plan to buy a regular size bottle. Will work great in the summer when my skin is more oily in the t-zone area.

First Aid Beauty Anti-Redness Serum ($34, Sephora) - Its all about trial and error for Penny but this was an error. Not only did it not do anything for the redness (caused by my eczema) but it smells awful. And for the price it was a big fail. It happens.

Make-Up:
L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara ($9, CVS) - Love this mascara with its unusal wand. It separates my lashes easily and catches even the shortest and finest of lashes. Works great on top and bottom lashes.

NARS Pro Prime Multi-Protect Primer SPF 30 ($34, Nordstrom) - I love that this foundation primer has SPF; it gives me that extra protection I need since I don't touch up my make-up during the day. Its a light weight liquid that absorbs quickly.

MARC JACOBS BEAUTY, Lust for Lacquer Lip Vinyl Sheer ($28, Sephora.com) - Was so disappointed with this purchase. I really wanted to love this gloss but is was too gooey (is that a word?). LOL! It didn't stay put long enough and the peppermint oil in it dried out my lips. Bought it in beautiful shade called 306-Sweet Escape (well it was beautiful in the ad).

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics (OCC) Lip Tar Stained Gloss ($18, Sephora.com) - Bought this in a beautiful deep berry color called Rhythm Box. Its a great stain to use alone or under lipstick for a long lasting effect.

Kat Von D Lock-it Tattoo Concealer ($25, Sephora) - This has become my staple. As described by the brand, this concealer is a "heavy duty, highly pigmented, transfer- and water-resistant, multitasking concealer." After trying many other brands, I find that this covers my hyperpigmentation better than any other, and stays put all day.  I apply this with my Sigma F80 Flat Kabuki Brush ($21) in a stippling motion for full coverage.

MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot ($20, Maccosmetics.com) - This cream eye shadow is what I use daily as a 'base' to neutralize the dark color of my lids and allow my eye shadow colors to show true. I use eye shadow primer underneath this for longer lasting looks. Comes in a variety of colors but I didn't find the one that matches my skin tone until I went into the MAC store; its hard to tell how the color will show on your skin online. Layin Low is the best match for me.

NARS Radiant Cream Compact Foundation Refill ($38, Nordstrom) - This is a really good lightweight cream foundation with medium-full coverage. The texture of this cream almost feels gel-like when you apply it. I've never had a cream feel so light. For me it wears best when set with powder; lasts all day. The empty compact case is sold separately ($10).

(read full story...)

Go Away Gray!

*** Calling all Dye Bottle Divas! Calling all Dye Bottle Divas! ***

Penny needs your help! I especially want to talk to my Sisters in Beauty (SIBs) who use permanent hair color regularly. Penny is not ready to go down with the gray hair ship...I want to fight the good fight for at least another year or two. LOL! I know it comes as no shock to anyone that I have been using Bigen Permanent Hair Color (# 58-Black Brown) for the last few years because it is ammonia-free and hydrogen peroxide-free. Yes, Penny has been "going gray" for over 10 years now (the streak), but it takes work to keep that 'just starting to gray' look. Ha ha ha!
http://www.bigen-usa.com/  

Bigen is a simple powder you mix with water and is fairly inexpensive in comparison to other commercial dyes (about $4.99 a box), and now available in the drugstore and not just the beauty supply store (i.e. CVS, Sally's, Wal-Mart). Since I touch up my grays about every 6 weeks, I only need one box.

Pros:

• Ammonia-free
• Hydrogen peroxide-free; doesn't strip/lift hair color
• Leaves my hair soft; not stripped and hard like other commercial products
• Covers 100% of my gray
• No harsh odors
• Does not wash out; permanent color for up to 4-6 weeks
• Rich look

(Read full story...)

Shampoo or Conditioner? Both?

Hello!
Thanks to one of Penny's Posse members, Penny has a new and unusual product she's fallen for. Some of you may be familiar with the WEN Hair Care System by Chaz Dean. It is mainly sold on QVC but can also be found online at Amazon.com and a few other sites. I had never heard about this line until I was given a bottle of WEN's Sweet Almond Mint Cleansing Conditioner to try ($28, 16oz).

FABULOUS! I love this stuff.! My hair never felt so tingly clean but most of all, my hair never felt so soft and silky. It actually seemed to work like a clarifying shampoo...my hair felt light like a feather...like it removed all build up. But it didn't leave my hair feeling dry. Initially I let my hair air dry and my curls were so soft they were fly away...I needed a styling cream to hold my curls together (but didn't use any). The next day I used my flat iron  (w/ CHI thermal protection spray) and my hair stayed straight from root to tip for 4 days without re-applying any heat! That is a first. I'm going to stick with the WEN products (and alternate them with the Morrocan Oil line I have also fallen in love with...stay tuned). That's right...I'm saying goodbye to my tried and true Cholesterol deep conditioner I just raved about last week. I'm a Product Princess and its my perrogative. LOL!  All jokes aside, I loved the results of the WEN cleanisng conditioner so much that I plan to try the Sweet Almond Mint Styling Cream and maybe the Re Moist Intensive Repair Hair Mask, recommended for use every 6 weeks.

What is a cleansing conditioner I asked? It turns out that this product is designed to be a shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioner, detangler and leave-in conditioner all in ONE. Because this product is sulfate-free it does not lather, but has a creamy foam instead. This will take some getting used to because Penny likes to suds up. LOL! Sweet Almond Mint is recommended for all hair types. On Amazon.com I noticed different products were recommended for fine, medium and coarse hair types. The products also come in Fig, Cucumber Aloe, Tea Tree, and Lavender. I also noticed the line has expanded to bath/hair/body oils, volumizing hair treatment spray, and body lotions. I will probably make my purchases from Amazon.com since they seem to have a good selection of products.

Happy Holidays! Happy Hair-i-days!

Be blessed. Be beautiful.

P

Hair Hazards

Hello Beautiful People!

For many years Penny had been told that "too much protein is bad for your hair" but no one really explained why. This is not a beauty myth. If used too often and/or incorrectly, protein treatments can make the hair feel dry and hard; make it feel more rigid, which is associated with breakage. However, for those with seriously damaged, process or chemically treated hair it is recommended that they ask their hairstylist about protein therapy. The hair needs protein. “The fact is, that too much of any “beneficial” styling product can have negative effects. Deep conditioning treatments using cholesterol are great for very dry, coarse hair types, but will make mildly-dry medium hair types feel oily and flat, and can make fine hair types just look greasy. Protein treatments are the same. They are meant to bolster the hair that has sustained damage, and generally are not used more than once a week in more severe cases of damage.” (http://www.hairfinder.com/)

In a recent post about hair care one of Penny's favorite products was mentioned; Queen Helene's Cholesterol Hair Conditioning Cream. Whenever Penny shared that she used this regularly, folks would become alarmed and warn that too much protein is bad for your hair. However, not all Queen Helene cholesterol products contain protein. There is a Queen Helene SUPER Cholesterol Hair Conditioning Cream treatment with 'choleplex' that contains keratin protein, but that is not the one I use almost weekly. In the past I have also tried protein treatments such as Infusium 123 (leave-in treatment) and  Aphogee Two Minute Reconstructor and I too experienced “dry” or “hard” hair and thought that my hair might break off. I have not used a protein treatment in quite some time but at my next visit to the salon will inquire as to whether one is needed to help improve the condition of my hair. I still suffer from breakage and dryness but have seen improvement with the use of deep conditioners and hair masks like the cholesterol cream, Neutrogena's Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask and Mixed Chicks Deep Conditioner. Penny has also been told that it is best to 'deep condition' the hair after getting a protein treatment. It is recommended that protein treatments only be done once monthly if needed. But deep conditioning can occur more frequently. (Read full story...)

Hair and There

While we're talking hair...let Penny share some product specifics. Several folks asked what Penny's regimen included, so I thought I'd share some products that I've used, and some that have been recommended by members of Penny's Posse.

Penny's Products
Mixed Chicks Shampoo

Mixed Chicks Deep Conditioner

Mixed Chicks Leave-in Conditioner (styling aid)
Pantene Brunette Expressions Shampoo (color enhancing)
Pantene Silver Expressions (for the gray...silver highlights LOL)
Head and Shoulders for Dry Scalp
Creme of Nature Detangling Conditioning Shampoo (w/ Sunflower & Coconut)
Queen Helene Cholesterol  Deep Conditioner
CHI 44 Iron Guard Thermal Protection (a must when using hot tools)
CHI Straight Guard Smoothing Styling Cream  (for blow drying)
Sebastian Potion 9 (leave-in treatment)
Jane Carter Solution Wrap & Roll Foam (for wet setting)
Organix Smoothing Shea Butter Liquid Glass Serum (finishing sheen)

(Read full story...)

Chemical-free Hair

Penny's back with some tips for those of you who have decided to go 'au naturale' and get chemical-free! More and more Penny has been approached by those who have given up the 'creamy crack.' That's right...chemical relaxers seem to be addictive for many.  But they can also be very damaging to the hair over time. Although hair relaxers give hair styling flexibility, and manageability, women today are opting for better health in the form of natural hair and products. Not only are most women looking for ways to manage their natural hair styles...they are also looking for more natural and/or organic products to do so with. The first step to "going natural" is to stop all chemical treatments. Temporary treatments (things you can wash out) are okay. (Read full story...)

Au Naturale

Lately Penny has had conversations with many about natural hair care. I guess you can say some are "going green" with their hair and opting for natural hair and natural hair care. Hair that is not chemically treated in any way would be considered natural hair. Penny herself has not had a chemical hair relaxer in years, but unfortunately, can't back away from the dye bottle. *sigh* I at least go for dye that is ammonia free (Bigen #58).  Beauty manufacturers have heeded the call and there are several lines on the market for the growing natural hair care trend. Natural and organic products are not as difficult to find as they once were. Keep in mind that the best hair care for any hair type includes natural and/or organic products. They are gentler on your hair and scalp; and often provide overall hair health benefits. Penny recommends the following web sites for those seeking products that work with natural hair whether it be curly, kinky, wavy, or straight...thick, course or fine.  There is a product out there for everyone.

http://www.aveda.com/

http://www.blendedbeauty.com/

http://www.mixedchicks.net/

http://www.hairrules.com/

http://www.kinky-curly.com/

http://www.etaeproducts.com/

http://www.janecartersolution.com/

http://www.justnaturalskincare.com/

http://www.missjessies.com/

http://www.mynhcg.com/

http://www.carolsdaughter.com/

One of the most important things to note when working with your natural hair is to "understand your hair type or texture."  This is important because many products are now created to treat the various type (i.e. wavy, curly, coarse, straight, etc), and not just the condition of the hair (i.e. dry, thin, split ends, etc). Today it is less about ethnicities, and culturally specific products, and more about actual hair types. Penny herself is a "potpourri of sorts" and my hair texture has often reflected this. With multiple textures, it can be challenging to find the right product. But where would Penny be without products to play with? Oh the horror! Ha ha ha! (Read full story...)