VB's Beauty Tip of the Week: Taking Footsies Back - Instant Toe Job. Get it!

My addiction to pretty shoes sometimes gets me into a bind, and quite literally, for a shoe is like a corset for the foot, altering its natural state by molding its bones into the shape of your habitual footwear. And thank goodness the age old custom of foot binding lapsed with the last century, though the implementation of waist training is still very alive in certain sects, but I digress, and I promise this is going somewhere…So this week’s tip is how to affordably get your feet back on track.

Some months ago, when the buzz about Yoga Toes was still very quite rampant, I thought I should try them for myself, since I have bad feet. Costing an average of $45 plus shipping and handling (Amazon.com, yogapro.com), Yoga Toes claim to do everything from relieving bunions, hammer toes, p-toes, (try to visualize these shapes), you get the gist. The instructions say to wet them before slipping them over and in between the toes, and to wear them as long as you can stand, but I’ve noticed the toe separating/stretching for 30 minutes a night makes a pretty significant improvement in the appearance of your toes, reducing p-toes for me and improving their overall posture, and state of relaxation.


After some experimentation, I realized about the same amount of stretching occurs when you use good old drug store pedicure toe separators, and the same relaxing effect is also experienced when using the separators on fingers as well, which is good for those, like myself that spend a lot of time on the computer. The best part is that these generally only cost about $2.00 and can be purchased at drug and beauty supply stores. The benefit here of course is you get the yoga toe workout without having to spend what it would literally cost for a couple real life yoga sessions…And I do have to admit, Downward Dog looks even better with good looking feet.


Enjoy and stay posted for more beauty tips and picks to come next week!

VB's Beauty Tip of the Week: Pimpin’ It - How to Treat a Blemish Right.

I recently experienced a french fry attack and ended up with a monstrosity of a pimple. It had planted itself quite visibly upon my forehead, and it was one of those painful kind, the kind that makes its presence so conspicuous that you would swear it was a parasitic twin. A victim of impulse control issues, I’m not very adept at waiting out blemishes like a good girl should. So what did I do? I performed surgery. So this week’s tip is how to pop a pimple proper.


1. Draw the pimple towards the center. The easiest way to accomplish this is to take a very hot shower and let the steam from the shower, accompanied by a washcloth, bring the pimple to a head naturally. Or if you don’t have time for that, heat up a damp washcloth in the microwave for about 45 seconds, test temperature on your hand first, then apply to the afflicted area until you feel it rise to the surface.

2. Examine the area to find a place for the fluids to exit.

3. Once this has been identified, wrap tissue around clean fingers and push the pimple from both sides until most of the fluid is released and the area is flattened as much as possible.

4. Apply a drying lotion such as Mario Badescu’s (1 oz. $17 Nordstrom) or Bye Bye Blemish (1 oz. $8.99 Drugstore.com, most beauty supply stores) and vitamin E oil (will expedite healing process and help prevent scarring) twice daily until pimple is fully healed.








Enjoy and stay posted for more beauty tips and picks to come next week!

VB's Beauty Picks of the Week: Beat the Heat …How to.

I’m not the type of girl that likes desert heat. In fact, the only dry heat this girl likes is the kind that comes from a sauna…….and speaking of which, I’m off to that sauna of a place, Las Vegas tomorrow. So this week’s picks are what I will be bringing with me to stay haute in Sin City.


1. Evian Brumisateur Mineral Water Sprays

DESCRIPTION: Evian packages their pH balanced water in mini cans that spray a fine mist, and although I personally don’t like the taste of Evian mineral water; I absolutely LOVE it for my skin and hair in unbearably hot weather. Use it anytime to tone, refresh, and rehydrate.

WHY I LIKE IT: It may look high maintenance when I go around dousing myself with baby cans of Evian, but for what it’s worth, it does the trick. These travel extremely well, and conveniently fit into practically any handbag.

REVIEW:
Price: $16.50 for (3) 1.7 oz. travel cans
Accessibility: Good (Sephora, Nordstrom, Drugstore.com)
Value: Good



2. Decleor Brume Fraiche Hydratante - Fresh Hydrating Mist for Face

DESCRIPTION: When I finally arrive back at my hotel room, I like to spritz my face with Decleor’s Fresh Hydrating Mist for Face. This I like since it combines uplifting essential oils (levendar, petitgrain) and essential waters (orage, kiwi, sweet clover) to refresh and rehydrate the skin.

WHY I LIKE IT: I always keep a bottle of this in my desk at work. Smells so good, that I give myself a spritz everyday around 3pm to kick me back into gear after lunch.

REVIEW:
Price: $20.50 for 5 oz.
Accessibility: Good (Amazon.com, Sephora, Neiman Marcus, Saks, Nordstrom)
Value: Fair



3. Clinique UV-Response Face SPF 50

DESCRIPTION: Everytime I go outside I use Clinque’s SPF 50 to protect my skin. It’s is a non-greasy, water-resistant, and oil-free cream formula that goes on easily, and is noticeably non-drying (I have dry skin) as compared to some other SPFs for the face.

WHY I LIKE IT: This SPF is so lightweight, absorbent, and easy to use that once I apply it, I totally forget that it’s there.

REVIEW:
Price: $15.50 for 1.7 oz.
Accessibility: Good (Sephora, Macy’s, Nordstrom)
Value: Good



4. Olay Body Touch of Sun, Daily Body Lotion Plus a Touch of Sunless Tanner

DESCRIPTION: Oil of Olay’s version of a gradual self-tanner in a lightweight, lightly scented (on the sweet side), all -over body lotion.

WHY I LIKE IT: I use self-tanner, and when I’m on track, I use gradual self-tanner. Now, I know that sensitive noses like mine don’t appreciate that horrible overpowering chemical/vitamin/mineral scent of most self tanners. She actually discovered this one, and I tested out recently, and I have to say I agree, it’s the most decent smelling gradual self-tanner I’ve used to date (more like burnt polyester, which actually smells good to me versus the nuclear powerplant smell of some of its contemporaries). It works well, doesn’t streak, and the best part is that it isn’t terribly expensive.

REVIEW:
Price: $8.50 for 6.7 oz.
Accessibility: Great (Walgeens, Walmart, Longs)
Value: Good

Enjoy and stay posted for more beauty tips and picks to come next week!

VB's Beauty Tip of the Week – LL Good Shave…How to.

There is nothing more enticing than the feel of silky smooth shaven skin. A clean close shave feels so good to the touch. This is because in addition to the hair removal, you’re simultaneously removing a thin layer of skin as well, which essentially is the best kind of non-chemical exfoliating you can do for your skin. It’s a feeling you can only get from shaving, as waxing removes the hair by the roots, which doesn’t leave the skin nearly as smooth, though it’s always a good idea to wax, but that’s another blog…..I’m very much an undercover classic girl, and in many instances believe the old fashioned way is the best way to do things. So this week’s tip is how to get the perfect shave, a slight variation on the old fashioned way.


What you need to buy: Oil (Rosemary Infused Olive Oil, see tip from 3/18/07 blog) or comparable oil like Jojoba or even Baby Oil.

Glycerin soap or comparable high lather soap.


Shaving brush (like how the barber does it - $6.99 Walgreens to $329 Acqua Di Parma at Saks Fifth Avenue shown here) or other ways to lather, see below.

Instructions: Prior to shaving, apply enough oil to leave a lubricating film on the area being shaved. This provides lubrication for the razor. Next, take bar soap, glycerin recommended, but any bar soap will do, and your shaving brush and create a thick lather over the layer of oil (you can do this with your hands or a shower pouf if you don’t have a shaving brush, but the shaving brush will make the best lather). Continue to shave as you would normally. Opposite of hair growth for legs and bikini line, both directions for everywhere else. Follow with a moisturizer for women, (D.I.Y. Rosemary Infused Oilve Oil Recipe) aftershave for men.

I prefer this shaving method since it is natural and non-chemical, and eliminates the need to purchase shaving cream, which as you can see isn’t the basis for a great shave, and whose packaging containers are harmful to the environment anyway. It’s paying my respects to the shaving rituals of times past with the convenience of using today’s modern razor versus the straight razor of previous generations. So if you’re feeling nice, shave your man this way….If you’re feeling brave, let your man shave you.

Enjoy and stay posted for more beauty tips and picks to come next week!