Blog Archives
HEALTHY HAIR
Living on a small island, life is very simple including fashion and beauty. Typically, your first impression of an island girl won’t be on her fashion and makeup but rather her great skin and hair. I’ve recently changed up my normal hair care routine with a routine my hair stylist put together for me. My request was one, I wanted my hair healthier looking than it already was and two, I still wanted it to be very low maintenance and finally, I wanted to keep my normal undone, just got back from the beach look. Here is a list of the products I’ve been using for a month. All of the products deserve an A+++ on performance. The product combination has been perfect for my hair.
MATRIX HYDRATING SHAMPOO winner of the Reader’s Choice Awards in 2011 from Glamour Magazine.
MATRIX CONDITIONING BALM I’ve been using this 2 times a week and letting it soak for 15 minutes before rinsing.
HEALTHY SEXY HAIR SOY TRI-WHEAT LEAVE IN CONDITIONER seen in the October 2012 issue of People Style Watch Magazine page 186.
RUSK DEEP SHINE OIL smells amazing and you would think oil is the last thing you need on your hair in Hawaii but trust me, this product works wonders on your hair. All you need is a little drop. Great for eliminating frizz. I could wear this as a perfume. It smells that good.
THROW AWAY BEAUTY PRODUCTS
Wasting hard earned money on beauty products is very annoying. Especially when the product you’ve purchased advertises one thing and delivers another. Usually when I throw away products, I don’t mention what they are. Today I’ll share images of what I consider to be a waste of money and why. Comments on each product will be under each image.
Your hair has to be between 3-5mm long for the wax strip to pull your hair out. That’s really long for leg hair. Also, once the strip is removed, sticky residue remains on your leg and it doesn’t come off for 2 days. I used this product 3 times.
This concealer is too heavy and very obvious even after matching it perfectly to your skin tone. It’s also very oily.
This product is supposed to prime your eyes so that your eye shadow does not smudge or crease. It does not work and it makes your eyelids oily.
This product advertises on its package shown by images that it will smooth out lip lines. It did none of that. This was used over several weeks.
This product is supposed to instantly matte your face and keep it oil free throughout the day. It did none of that.
This shine control, helps to eliminate shine product did not X out any of my shine. This product was used over a 1 month period.
WHAT’S IN MY AFTER THE BEACH BAG
Freshening up after a long day at the beach before heading for a bite to eat with family or friends can be a breeze if you have the right stuff. I always keep a “after the beach bag” in the trunk of my car so that I’m prepared at all times. The contents of the bag are simple. Fresh towel, shampoo + conditoner, facial towelettes, toothbrush and toothpaste, hand sanitizer, lotion, and a few simple cosmetics. Everything is inexpensive because it’s sitting in a trunk everyday and things get left behind or borrowed and not returned. When it’s time to switch out cosmetics, i opt for travel size products that I’ve received through gift with purchase or inexpensive purchases.
Here’s a list of the contents of my 2012 summer “after the beach bag”:
1. VO5 shampoo + conditioner (Not meant for a deep lather but a quick run through and rinse to refresh the scalp and hair)
2. Fresh towel (If you don’t have this, you will be toweling off with the towel that was laying on the ground)
3. Yes to Cucumbers Soothing Facial Towelettes (I’ve used facial cleanser as well but this is easier and quicker)
4. Surfer’s Salve (This is an all purpose product. Love this stuff. I also carry this in my everyday bag. Good for lips, dry skin, cuticles and bug bites)
5. Travel toothbrush and toothpaste (I will use this if I can do so discretely)
6. Clinique moisture surge (This can be used everywhere including your face)
7. Cosmetic bag includes: (eyelash curler, Lancome Definicils mascara, Lancome Le Crayon Khol and Dream Bouncy Blush) The mascara gets changed after several months of use and the eyeliner gets sharpened frequently. Fingers are used for smudging the liner and applying blush. I do not share these things.
8. Hand sanitizer (Super important because beach bathrooms have so much germs and there’s no antibacterial soap readily available)
SUMMER 2012 FRAGRANCES
Two fragrances I’ve been using most of this 2012 summer season has been the BCBG MAX AZRIA FRAGRANCE SHIMMERING BODY LOTION and the BATH AND BODY WORKS ENCHANTED ORCHID BODY LOTION. Typically I will purchase a lotion fragrance first before investing in a perfume just to make sure I like it before spending the high price tag of perfumes. I’ve been using the BCBG lotion for a couple of months and I’ve fallen in the love with the strawberry/cherry/musk scent. It’s perfect for everyday use. I will be purchasing the perfume in the next month or so to go along with the lotion. I’m surprised I like the enchanted orchid lotion. Normally I dislike anything florally but this lotion has a soft floral scent with a berry background note even though it doesn’t state it in its description. I’ve been using it mostly at night because the scent is a little strong and tends to linger on my skin longer than the BCBG lotion.
Pardon the cloudiness in both photographs. Hawaii has been feeling the effects of 3 hurricanes that started in the South Pacific and have been down graded to depressions that have been passing the islands last week and this week. Hopefully the clouds will part soon and the sun will show itself.
MARC BY MARC JACOBS BAG REVIEW
I have 2 bags from MARC BY MARC JACOBS. The first bag I got, I used for a year straight and the bag looks almost brand new. It’s made of nylon which makes it easy to clean by using a little soap and water on a cloth. The leather handles have remained strong with little to no sign of use. My second bag has been a bit of a disappointment. It’s made of genuine leather. I’ve been using it for 7 months straight since receiving it during the 2011 holiday season. The handles on the satchel started to show signs of wear in its 6 month of use. I’m almost afraid to use it anymore because the gold is wearing away so quickly. Maybe it’s the color I chose or the type of handle that is on this bag. All I know is I love it but I’m reconsidering my next bag purchase from this brand.
First Marc By Marc Jacobs bag purchase. Made of Nylon and leather. After 1 year of use, the bag almost looks brand new.
Marc by Marc Jacobs genuine gold leather satchel.
After 7 months of use, this handle as well as the other handle is losing its gold leather color.
SUMMER 2012 SUNSCREEN CHOICES
This summer season I’ve been using two sets of sunscreens. The first set is made by SUN BUM. I’ve been using this on days when I’m at the beach for 2-3 hours or less with little time spent in the water. The second set is made by COPPERTONE. I’ve been using this set on days when I’m at the beach all day with lots of time spent in and out of the water. I love both sets. Sun Bum smells great, works well and is paraben free, hypoallergenic, oil free/ PABA free, won’t clog pores and is anti aging. Sun Bum does require reapplication immediately after swimming to prevent sunburn. Coppertone is a brand I’ve been using for many years. The Coppertone Sport high performance ultra sweat proof spray is my favorite product. It’s waterproof, sprays at any angle, goes on clear with little rubbing required and works against sunburn with 2-3 reapplications in an all day sun exposed/prolonged swimming period. I’ve tested this product 5 times since summer started and it really works.
STORING FAKE HAIR
My kids love fake colorful hair. We’ve thrown away many strands over the years after one or two uses because it gets tangled when stored improperly. I’ve finally found a cheap solution to the problem. I simply wrap one or two strands in Saran Wrap and store each wrapped stand in a Zip Lock bag. That’s it. It goes into a drawer with my kids other hair accessories and its ready and easy to unwrap each time my kids need it. These stands have been through 2 dance events and multiple uses and they are untangled and frizz free.
JEWELRY GIVEAWAY
UPDATE: This giveaway has expired.
Congratulations to the winner and thank you to those that subscribed and followed Island Style Weekly. There will be more giveaways in the future.
Enter for a chance to win a dark orange porcelain double wrap leather bracelet with a natural mussel shell button by KAUAI KASUAL. This giveaway is open to US residents. You must be 18 years or older. No purchase is necessary. All you have to do is #1 SUBSCRIBE to Island Style Weekly. #2 FOLLOW Island Style Weekly on Twitter. The giveaway will run from June 11 – June 18, 2012. The winner will receive a congratulations email from Island Style Weekly on June 18. A reply within 24 hours is required to claim your bracelet. If a reply is not received, another winner will be chosen.
SURFER’S SALVE AND TROPICAL LIP BALM
Over the years, I have purchased many candles, soaps and candle accessories from ISLAND SOAP & CANDLE WORKS for myself, family and friends in OLD KOLOA TOWN on the island of KAUAI. You can’t go wrong with this store. Family and friends are always super happy when they receive their gift and if I purchase something for myself, I’m always super happy with my purchase. About a month ago I purchased some soaps that I wrapped as prizes for a baby shower that was thrown at my home for a dear friend of mine. Along with my soap purchase, I got the SURFER’S SALVE and the PINEAPPLE PARADISE TROPICAL LIP BALM. The surfer’s salve goes with me everywhere. It’s my current multi functional go to product that I use on myself and kids. It’s all natural, has a wonderful lavender smell and is good for soothing sunburns, dry skin, bug bites, chapped lips and minor rashes. The tropical lip balm smells like the PINEAPPLE PILLAR CANDLE which is my favorite candle scent from this store.
THE ORIGINAL BEAUTY BLENDER
After years of using brushes, sponges and my fingers to apply my daily tinted moisturizer, I have finally found my secret blending weapon. Unlike brushes which leave streaks and triangular/flat square/flat circle foundation sponges that never seem to blend right and fingers that get the job done but always unevenly, the BEAUTY BLENDER works perfectly. I first tried using it damp but that seemed to mess with the consistency of my tinted moisturizer so I stopped using it that way. I also tried applying the tinted moisturizer to the Blender first and then applying it to my face but that didn’t work either, both dry and damp. I now use it dry by applying my tinted moisturizer with my fingers first and then blending it with the Blender in a circular motion around my face. The look I’m able to achieve is natural and flawless. Cleanup is easy and quick. After each use, I wash the Blender with antibacterial hand soap and water and wring out the excess water. I then put a towel in my palm with the Blender in the middle and make a fist around the Blender. This gets out a lot of the moisture left in the Blender. I then leave it out to dry on one of my bathroom vases. Depending on the day, the Blender is dry within a few hours and ready for it’s next use. Normally I would never spend $36 on two sponges but I had a gift card that allowed me to have a discount off my total order and after all the positive feedback, I figured I’d like it as much as everyone else. I’m super happy I decided to give it a try.
