Tuesday Tresses. Janet Jackson

Janet Jackson.

I love this short cut! It is super fierce and brings out her natural beauty so much more than the long styles.

What do you think?

after the rain.

Everything worked out for myself and everyone in

the office after Hurricane Irene.

How did things go for everyone else out there?

I hope that everyone is okay!

East Coast Weather this weekend.

I don't know about any of my readers but, I for one, am a little bit concerned about the weather forecasts for this upcoming weekend.

I had lot of questions when I first heard of Hurricane Irene.

How severe would it be?

Would it really effect New York City?

 Living in NYC for my entire life, I have grown used to these severe weather situations being reported but, emergency weather situations never coming into fruition.

I am sort of getting worried now though. Not only are so many of the fun events friends and I had planned for the weekend, getting cancelled, but the mayor is also planning on shutting down transportation around the city at 12 noon tomorrow. Really hoping and wishing that the hurricane doesn't hit us too hard.

Be Safe Everyone!

BLOGGERS OBSESSION COLLECTION by MAC

If you are a fan of beauty blogs or frequent them consistently, you have probably heard about the Bloggers Obsession Collection that was released by MAC a few months ago.

I fell in love with the color Sonoran Rain when I first saw the swatches on Temptalia.com, my favorite beauty blog. I really loved how the color looked on her but, thought that it would definetely look good on me as well, since I've been anxious to start wearing bolder and brighter lip colors.

Temptalia's Swatch of Sonoran Rain

Unfortunately, when I tried it on, the color did not look as bright or nearly as opaque as I thought it would. I am pretty sure that I would love how it looks layered so, ever since, I've been on the hunt for a similar color to wear it with.


I think I found something!

I wonder how it would work layered with Covergirl Hot Lip Perfection, below:

These CoverGirl lipsticks are only $7 so I think I'm going to give it a shot!

What do you usually do when you purchase makeup and are disappointed about the color and how it looks on you?



Tuesday Tresses.

I have decided that each Tuesday, I will try and update with a photo of a celebrity hairstyle that I absolutely love.

This Week's Pick



I am loving this glamourous look on Rihanna. It's almost like an updated version of the popular pincurled hairstyles of the 1950. What do you think?

LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT?

excited for Fashion's Night Out 2011

One of the days I am super excited for is Fashion's Night Out.

(this shirt is a part of the FNO official collection. 40% of proceeds go to charity.)

Last year I went with one of my good friends and we hit up all of the stores with great events going on that evening, all in the name of fashion. This year Fashion's Night Out will be on September 8th,  and the event serves to not only promote fashion but, increase shoppers to go out and have fun while boosting the economy. According to the explaination on the event official website, "Fashion's Night Out is an unprecedented global initiative created in 2009 in a partnership between American Vogue, the Council of Fashion Designers of America, NYC & Company, and the City of New York to celebrate fashion, restore consumer confidence, boost the industry's economy, and put the fun back in shopping."

This year I won't be able to stay out for long because I have a prior engagement :-(.... but nevertheless, I look forward to enjoying an hour or two out on the town looking at all of the fashionistas of New York.

One of the more interesting things that I have found about FNO is that even some of the higher end salons in the city join in on the fesivities... after all, hair is one of the most important parts of an overall look (on or off of the runway!) Many of the salons offered great deals and cheap services for Fashions Night Outers and I was made aware of some places that I'd never known about but, would LOVE to go back to.

I'll be sure to update with some details (and maybe even some photos of FNO 2011)!

For more information about Fashion's Night Out here in New York City or in your own town, check out: http://fashionsnightout.com/ 

avoiding empty calories.

For those of us that are always on the go, it is difficult to try and maintain a healthy diet in the midst of always being so busy.

One of the traps that I think a lot of people fall into, is purchasing "diet" "lean" or "all natural"  options of food and beverages. But are diet sodas and healthy options really all that healthy?

Well, I recently learned of a website that has become my go-to when I have reservations about pre-packaged food products.  HealthCastle.com has a wealth of information about a number of pre-packaged food items, their ingredients, and just how healthy they are for you. I was surpsised to see the ingredients of some of my favorite foods, like frozen bagel bites and even hot chocolate-- I could only recognize 2 or 3 out of 20 listed!!!! What a shock.

I definetely will be taking advantage of the webpage that shows you how long it takes to cook mashed potatoes from scratch and compares it to mashed potato powder and how long that takes, and other recipies like this. If you are like me and looking to explore healthier options for you and your family, check this page out at Health Castle: http://www.healthcastle.com/cooking-smart/no-more-packaged-foods

The power of the tube... YouTube!

My coworker Margaret (you can click to see her blog on the list of links to the right) blogged last week about one of her favorite makeup tutorials and I thought it'd be cool to share one of mine with you!

I remember vaguely, about 5 years ago, one of my hip and trendy friends sent me a link to a video hosted online. It was a video of an old television show that we used to watch as children and I distinctly remember how great it was to reminisce and replay that short clip as many times as I wanted. Now YouTube is a very well known site and has taken off as a way for normal people, like you and I to become Internet sensations!

I've always loved going on YouTube to watch old clips of musical performances, movies, and memorable TV moments. Lately though, I've been hooked on going to YouTube to watch clips of my favorite hair and beauty bloggers talk about the latest trends, their recommendations, and tips for attaining a certain look or hairstyle.

I have a number favorite beauty bloggers but, if I had to choose, my absolute favorite would be DulceCandy. She is so beautiful and has great makeup tips and posts a lot of HAULS, in which she showcases all of the beautiful clothing/makeup that shes's purchased from a store. She also posts Outfit of the Day entries in her blog: http://www.dulcecandy.com/ -- a must in my Google Reader!

Below is one of my favorite videos of hers: her tutorial of Kim Kardashian's smoky eye look!  

Do you ever watch makeup tutorials online

for fresh, new ideas?

Celebrity hair style trends

As a person who often looks to Hollywood to see what's in style, one of the things that amuses me is the wave of celebrity hair trends. Some of the noteable ones are Sinead O'Connor, Rihanna, Justin Bieber, and even TLC reality star, Kate Gosselin.

Do you recognize some of the famous styles that become trends and that the respective Hollywood faces became known for?

Sinead O' Connor

Rihanna

Justin Bieber

Kate Gosselin


I personally have never used celebrity hair trends to guide me in my own hair decisions but, have you seen this in your salon? Do people often come in with photos of their favorite famous faces and hope that you can give them a similar look?

i love nail polish!

One of my recent guilty pleasures...

NAIL POLISH

About 3 years ago, I became a member of a hair forum in order to learn more about my hair as I made the transition from relaxed to natural. After reading countless threads about shampoos and conditioners started to bore me, I began to peruse the makeup and "nail fanatic" sections of the website. Seeing the photos that other women were posting of their nail polish and makeup collections made me realize that it wasn't only my hair that was important but, that having my nails done was an element that would add to an overall more "polished" look *for lack of a better term!*.

I started purchasing an array of nail polish colors online about 1 year ago and since starting, I can't get enough! Below I will list some of my nail polish favorites


Favorite Nail Polish Brand(s): ZOYA and China Glaze- they both have amazing colors and great formulations for easy application and long lasting wear.

Favorite Nail Polish Remover: ZOYA Remove +   - this remover is super gentle on nails

Favorite Top Coat: Seche Vite Fast Dry top coat

Favorite Base Coat: Sally Hansen Double Duty


I have a ton of favorite polishes but, I would have to say that I LOVE a creme finish! Creme finishes are polishes that are solid colors that dry shiny and evenly along the nail. If I took a look at my nail polish collection (probably close to 40), I think that most of the ones in my collection are cremes. I love the way they personally look against my skin! I am also a fan of GLITTER POLISHES (who isn't!?) but, hate when it's time to remove them.

I am definetely going to make it a point to include some posts about my favorite nail colors and even include some swatches of what I am wearing on my nails!

you've got mail

Every morning, I have the pleasure of waking up to a blinking red light. YES... THAT blinking red light. All Blackberry owners know that signals that there is mail in your email inbox. In my case, it usually isn't personal mail but, mail from all of the stores that I love to shop at. (Amazon.com, the Gap, Soap.com, Modcloth, H&M, Nine West, and 6pm.com, just to name a few)!

Sometimes the emails are important notices, letting me know that orders have shipped but, more often, these emails are advertising sales, sharing coupon codes, and letting me know about new available products and services. Recently, I have been making purchasing and signing up for the mailing lists of small businesses, so I definetely now understand the power of this type of email communication as a consumer.

1. It lets me know when there are sales-- when I am more likely to make a purchase.

2. It keeps the store/products fresh in my mind. Whenever I think of something new that I need for my wardorbe or when I've run out of a conditioner or even mascara tube, these stores come to my mind first.

3. I love to hear about new happenings at my favorite places to spend money.


For salons, I think that electronic mailing lists are a great tool to keep your business fresh in the minds of your clients, even before they are scheduled to come in for that color touch-up or that bi-weekly nail appointment. One of the better and more affordable mailing list services that I have learned of it Constant Contact. Constant Contact allows business owners to create templates and send out letters whenever they want to communicate with their clients.

Do you use Constant Contact or any other mailing service to communicate with your clients?

Is social couponing really worth it?

One of the things that I really love is finding a good bargain.

I am not really an "extreme couponer" or someone that takes a lot of time out persusing through stores and other business establishments. Thanks to one of the latest internet trends, I don't have to.

Have you ever heard of LivingSocial? How about Groupon? These are the two most popular examples of social-coupon sites, websites that offer daily and "limited time only deals" to website viewers.  The deals offer discounted prices for browsers who pre-purchase a coupon. These websites can be great for small businsess, increasing visibility and broadening their customer base by bringing in brand new people.

Many restaurants, private boutiques, spas, and salons participate in offering social coupons on websites such as Groupon but--- is it really worth it?

Although Groupon may seem like a great way to get business and make money, there are some significant risks involved with committing to become a Groupon vendor. I recently read an article in Entreperneur magazine by Sarah Jacobsson Purewal, that outlined a number of "nightmares" associated with doing a deal on a site like Groupon and it mentioned branding.

When you are offering a high-end service, doing social-couponing deal can be bad branding and only serve to devalue what you provide on a normal basis to your clients. Most "bargain hunters" are not likely to come back and pay for a service that they intially recieved at half-price and the "one-time-offer" may cheapen the value of the provided services in the eyes of repeat customers.

All in all, Groupon may seem like a good idea at first but, there are a number of things to consider before committing to participate and my conclusion is that it isn't profitable for salons that are looking to gain repeat and loyal clients.

If you'd like to read more on this topic, check out this informative article: CLICK HERE.

One of my favorite things

One of my favorite things to purchase is lip moisturizer.  For some reason, I am obsessed with finding the perfect one (or at least the perfect one for me!) I have come across some really awful ones in the past couple of years, searching for the holy grail of lip balms but, have also come across some products that really do an awesome job.

There are 4 key elements that I look for in a lip balm:

1. Moisture and Hydration- I really love when a lip balm soaks right in, instead of sitting on top of the lips. To me, the ideal lip balm will impart moisture and make my lips feel soft!

2. Taste and Smell- The product has to at least smell good! I prefer a light natural scent, as opposed to an artificial, sugary sweet "fruit" smell.

3. Packaging- One of the things that I really value, is the packaging of the product. It's super important to me that the product can withstand being tossed around in my purse or thrown into my pocket. That being said, I love lip balms that are in easy to twist-up sticks (no tubes for me!)

4.  Price- I want to make sure that the product is worth the price!

Considering all of that, I'd like to review 2 of my

FAVORITE LIP BALMS.

2. NIVEA a kiss of smoothness with SPF 4

I really love this lip balm. It's virtually scent free and feels really clean on the lips. When I apply it, my lips immeditately feel hydrated and the moisture starts to sink in. Two key ingredients are JOJOBA OIL and SHEA BUTTER, which help to seal the moisture in.

Best of all, it's only $4.00 (and sometimes less) at your local drugstore!

The only downside to this product, is that I have to reapply about every 2 hours or so, and wish that it lasted longer!

1. FRESH Sugar Lip Treatment with SPF 15

This is by far, the best lip balm that I have ever tried! When I first heard about it, I was skeptical. It was in the middle of winter earlier this year and I was looking for a balm that not only would moisturize but, that would last long and protect my lips from the harsh weather of the season. Although the price tag is quite steep (retail price $22), this is by far, the best lip balm that I have ever used. It lasts for 4-5 hours with each applications (sometimes even longer) and with this product, a little bit goes a long way!

Now in different tinted versions (Rose- a sheer, light pink, Sugar Plum- a deep wine, purple, and Honey- a nude, beige) FRESH Sugar Lip Treatment can be found in Sephora stores nationwide or purchased at sephora.com.




What's your favorite lip care product? Do you have any reccomendations for me?

P-3.2 to help with hair porosity

Hope that you all had an awesome weekend!
I didn't do too much, just tried to catch up on rest and get rid of my cold.

The topic that I'd like to start off this week is the issue of hair porosity.  Understanding the porosity of ones hair is KEY in the types of products that will work best on the hair.

Through much research, I have come across the conclusion that natural hair (especially mine!) even in optimal health, can be overly porous. Hair that is overly porous has a raised cuticle and easily absorbs moisture. As easily as moisture can be absorbed by a hair strand with a raised cuticle, the moisture is also easily lost and the hair dries out quickly. In my case, the results of hours of deep conditioning, the purchase and use of expensive, high quality conditioners, and natural oils in, were extremely short-lived.

The solution to my hair woes? CONTROLLING THE POROSITY OF MY HAIR!

It is definitely possible to find a product to help control the porosity of one's hair and I have found one in Armada Style's P-3.2. Since P-3.2 helps to tighten the cuticle, it is a great natural way to retain the moisture in your hair. It's worked for me and over time, I will be making a note of the improvement of my hair's health.

great feedback!

One of the things that I love the most is hearing from our clients!

It's great to hear about the different ways that salon owners end up using our products. As you already know, there are a number of ways to use M-3.2. One of my personal favorite ways to use it is with the FOAM PACK treatment.

So many of the deep conditioners on the market are loaded with cones and do not really penetrate the hair to hydrate it from within. The FOAM PACK is like an anti-aging treatment, restoring moisture to the hair and sealing it in by tightening the cuticle.

I spoke to one salon owner today who brought up a great point. The FOAM PACK not only restores moisture to the hair, but it gives it body and shine! For stylists who are looking to give their clients hair more body and are bored of the "straight and sleek" look, the FOAM PACK is the way to go!


Have you tried to use the FOAM PACK and gotten great results? Comment below, I'd love to hear about your experience!


I hope that everyone has a nice weekend, as for me, I'll be catching up on rest! Until next week...

welcome to my new blog!

はじめまして！

Hello Everyone!

My name is Iaisha and this is my first blog post!

I am so excited to start this blog and start introducing you to this AMAZING product line. But first, let me introduce myself!

I have been studying Japanese for 10 years and am so in love with the language! I was born and raised right here in New York City. I went to business school here but, went to Penn State as an undergrad *always a PSU girl at heart* (WE ARE... PENN STATE!).

I have a number of interests but, recently developed an interest in hair care. I spend a lot of free time perusing forums and YouTube for beauty/hair how-to-videos and LOVE trying new products (especially conditioners.)

Naturally, I am really excited to start with armada-style and hope that you will join me for the ride!

If you have any questions, let me know in the comments section.


よろしくお願い致します！