Sandalwood

I've just added wild crafted Sandalwood essential oil to my inventory - Too many requests to ignore.

I'm still in love with the Lab of Flowers brand. They really are the best of the best.

If you are using it for medicinal reasons and usually apply your oils to your skin, either full strength or dilute them in a carrier oil, try applying them to the bottoms of your feet. The oils enter your system more quickly that way.

Sunshine Vitamin

I've blogged in the past about a growing trend: vitamin D deficiency.

It seems as though there are a lot of people that are taking the skin cancer reality a bit to the extreme, though I don't believe that is their intent.

No one really says how much sun we are supposed to have, do they?

Just that we're supposed to stay out of it. Sun = bad.

No, the sun is GOOD - in moderation.

I found an article in Parade magazine that I thought was done well.

As much as 70% of children have low levels of vitamin D? Wow.

Rickets, a disease that had been eradicated once milk and other products had been fortified, is on the rise.

I used to think that "rickets" was a funny word, associated with pirates (weren't they the ones who got rickets? Oh wait, maybe that was scurvy, nevermind.).

Haircare Tip

I've been doing a lot of preaching about not shampooing your hair too much (not more than once per week). Nope, I haven't changed my mind.

I ran across this tip and thought I would pass it along to all of you who are not shampooing very much but want to get rid of chlorine and sweat.

Take one application of conditioner and the juice of half a lemon. Mix together and "shampoo" your hair.

Rinse, rinse, rinse. Apply styling product and style.

Mousse

Alfaparf Illuminating Mousse.

Supposedly it has diamond dust in it. Not sure if it is that or the linseed oil or the other plant oils. But, it's pretty spectacular.

So, if you're getting low on your current foaming styler, give this one a whirl.

Alfaparf, a brand out of Italy, is really catching my eye. You'll be seeing more of it soon.

How much mousse should you be using? Start with a marshmallow size mound at first. Style your hair. If you feel like you need more, add a bit more the next time you rinse and style.

When should you use mousse and when should you use gel?

My rule of thumb is gel on thicker hair and mousse on finer, thinner hair.

This isn't always the case, but it is a good place to start or to consider if you aren't in love with your styling products.

Like with any haircare product, mousses are not created equal. Consider your stylists recommendation (or mine :o) . There really is a difference between professional and non professional products.

Ranting Redhead

I own a redhead.

Yup, I gave birth to him, so I own him.

They are a species unto themselves, redheads.
It's kind of like having your own little circus side-show, 24/7.
Anyone who has/knows one, knows what I mean.

Everyone loves a readhead. It's been 14 years so far and personally, I like all of the attention he gets. It makes me feel proud for some reason. Kinda like "look what I made. Pretty cool, huh?!"

He, my ginger kid Bailey (I know how ironic the name Bailey is for a redhead, but that was going to be his name, regardless), doesn't like the attention, never has. I keep telling him he needs to figure out how to "work it". Ginger's could run the world if they wanted, truly.

I found this Redhead Ranting on Twitter. Maybe she tweeted first. I don't remember.

I enjoy her rants.

Nude

As in Lipstick. It's all the rage.

My favorite nude lipstick shade is: Beige Armeria F61

If your lips are already pale, just use a gloss.

Beauty Bounty

#5 in the September edition of MN Monthly, Intelligent Nutrients Anti-Aging Moisture.

The IN skincare line is small, four products, and it truly is perfect for all skin types.

I have never worked with anything like it and it continues to amaze me.

Incorporate a piece at a time with your current regimen.

You'll see what I mean.

About A Curl

An excerpt from the September issue of American Salon Magazine By: Lori Morris

Despite the fact that approximately 70 percent of women have wavy or curly hair, many stylists still don't know how to cut and style textured hair. "There's a huge lack of education when it comes to clients with curls," says Ouidad, owner of eponymous curl-focused salons in New York City and Santa Monica, CA. "Most beauty schools only talk about curls in regards to relaxers." Now, however, more and more women are embracing their natural texture and allowing their curls to run free. "Women are letting their hair be real and perform on its own," says Ouidad. "Curls have a body language of their own; they are beautiful, sexy and mysterious."

Because there are so few salons and stylists that cater to curls, those that do are able to attract a very loyal following. "The curly hair community is passionate and hungry for people to take care of them," Ouidad says. Christo, owner of Manhattan's Christo Fifth Avenue Salon, agrees. "You create a client for life because you can provide what they've spent so long looking for," he says. "Even in this recession, curly-haired clients won't miss appointments like those with straight hair will." Christo and Ouidad both have clients who fly in from around the world just to visit their salons, and Ouidad has seen that stylists in other salons who have been certified in her methods have quadrupled their business due to client referrals.

One reason that curls have often been subjected to straightening products and services in the past is that both clients and stylists tend to fear textured hair. According to Ouidad, however, the proper education can ease that anxiety. "Curly hair doesn't perform like straight hair. Stylists need direction so they can provide proper services for clients and bring out the best in their curls," she says. Ouidad, whose training courses in her signature Carving and Slicing technique have a huge waiting list, encourages stylists to think outside of traditional cuts and shapes when it comes to curly hair. "You have to look at the hair and the curl on an individual basis to determine a person's cut," she says. Christo emphasizes that it's important to know that what you're offering clients will work for them. He developed the Curlisto method of cutting the inner layer of curls on a long diagonal to create a puzzle that prevents hair from getting too big. "Judge the curl and see how it bounces, then create the right angle around the face," he says. While some stylists like to cut hair when it's dry, Christo warns against this when dealing with textured hair because curls will usually dry differently every time they are styled.

Once the stylist is confident in cutting and styling curls, it's important to pass that knowledge on to clients. "People really underestimate the need to educate their clients," says Christo, who offers a free monthly seminar on the basic needs of curly hair for both clients and professionals. "When you can give clients a blueprint for how to do their hair, they accept their curls more." Clients need to be warned, however, that the expression "practice makes perfect" is especially true for curly hair. "Let the client know that it takes time to learn how to replicate the look on their own," Ouidad explains. "That will help take the anxiety out of styling."

Sending clients home with the right products for daily care, styling and finishing is also extremely important in helping clients achieve great results on their own. "Curly hair requires a lot of products for both styling and conditioning," says Christo, who gives each client an individual prescription sheet that tells him or her which products to use and how and where to use them. —LORI MORRIS

BRAVE NEW CURL

"Session stylists have gone from not knowing what to do with curls to really going wild with them," Ouidad says, referring to the season's runway looks. "There were all mixes of curls: loose, tight, frizzy, smooth, everything at once." At the fall 2009 Versace show in Milan, Italy, lead stylist for Redken Guido slicked the hair on top and back-combed curls to add even more fullness.

All that Glitters

IS gold and silver.

I originally purchased these Styli-Style glitter pens to put on lashes.....but the more I play with 'em, the more I like them on my lash line, on top of shadow or eyeliner. Though, they are pretty on lashes, on top of your mascara or your luscious Lilash lashes.

Then, I thought they would be fun for special occasions, but I'm sitting here at work with it on and I'm feelin' kinda fancy.

So can you.

Black

We just added black brow pencils to the Palladio pencil range.