Volume Tag Archives

Life without hair extensions-so far I’m making it!

When I have the $$$, I like to invest in hair extensions. I have tried different methods and brands-Keratin bonds, micro-beads, and most recently, tape-in extensions. I tend to wear them for between 3-6 months, and then give myself a break.

So I’m in a break period now-which is not the norm for me. Normally I wear extensions in the fall, winter, and spring. That’s mainly because of the extra weight and extra heat that they provide. This time around, I got them in spring and wore them all through summer (mistake-so hot). I was bracing myself for the worst during removal. I was surprised to find my hair in great condition. I’m even more surprised to find myself absolutely loving my hair sans extensions. I’m so pleased with everything about it and have been taking extra care ever since.

The number one thing that I love is being able to run my fingers through MY hair. I’m also able to put my hair up, it’s versatile. While I am missing the length, that’s really the only thing. I’m taking extra care with products, only washing my hair when necessary and heat styling sparingly.

I’m sure I will get hair extensions again, but I can tell you right now, It’s not going to be soon. I may do something different with my colour but right now I’m content. And I feel good about that!

 

Rimmell Wonder’full Volume Colourist mascara

This product was sent to me for review (and I am SO SO glad it was).

I’ll cut to the chase.  This mascara is GREAT.  Like I LOVE it great.  I think I’ve worn a Rimmel mascara once in my life (besides this one).  This.  Is.  Great.

rimmel

Reveal darker lashes with and without mascara!

• Darkens bare lashes in two weeks
• In an instant, lashes appear fuller and longer.
• Tapered, lash-intensifying brush wraps every lash with blacker than black pigments

So why do I like it? 

  • The formula is not wet but not dry-it’s the most ‘in the middle’ formula I’ve ever used.
  • It grabs every lash and LIFTS like crazy.  Haven’t seen a lift like this since my MAC upward lift mascara.
  • It coats each and every lash -sans clumps.  Hallelujah!
  • It is so buildable.  I can layer this with no problem.
  • No flaking.  NONE.
  • Easy removal-I use my micellar water, hold a soaked cotton pad against the lashes for 10 seconds and it’s gone.
  • My lashes really ARE getting darker.  What is this sorcery…..seriously!

So YES you should get this and try it.  It may not be incredibly volumizing in one coat- but I can say that if you build this up with a couple coats, I do not think you will be disappointed.  It’s worth it. For sure.  This is going to be a repurchase for me.

BIG sea salt shampoo from LUSH

lush logo

My hair is fine in texture.   I have a lot of hair-but it’s flat.  I can get it big and voluminous with a lot of different products and some styling tools.  I added this shampoo to my repetoire as one more step towards ‘going BIG’

 

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From the website:

Body-building shampoo for BIG hair and loads of shine

Over half the base of Big shampoo is made with sea salt, giving massive volume to hair in need of a boost. Sea salt is also full of minerals and de-greases hair, removing dead skin cells and dirt without stripping natural oils for a fresh, squeaky clean feeling. We balance the sea salt with seaweed infusion and extra virgin coconut oil for soft, nourished locks. Finally, fresh citrus juices are squeezed in for incredible shine.

My thoughts:

This is a shampoo you have to get used to.  It is granular and that can feel a bit ummmm ‘different’  than a standard shampoo. I scoop it out with my hands and massage it into my scalp.  Once you get it into your hair, it will lather (not a ton but it will). I usually work it in from root to about halfway down my head, and then let the shampoo trickle down to the ends.  I follow that up with veganese conditioner (another post coming on that eventually) which is light but provides enough moisture that my hair isn’t static.  Then it’s off to the races with a volumizing mousse or a texture spray (let me know if you are interested in seeing/reading about what hair products I use!).

I like this shampoo-it’s different and leaves my hair feeling clean and refreshed.  It’s more than I would like to pay for it, but the results are good so I’ll pay it once in awhile.  If you’re craving volume, it’s best to start with a clean scalp and hair-try this one out!

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Best face forward-the aging situation. My experience & a first step with Teosyal!

 

Who googled the last word in my title?  Don’t be embarassed if you did….I didn’t know what it was either at first.

I thought by 2015, people would be ‘over’ the whole dermal filler/neuromodulator “stigma” but lo and behold, I still get raised eyebrows when I talk about it.  I have a BIG soapbox to stand up on regarding this topic and I will be doing that-just not in this post.  This is an EXPERIENCE post.  Please keep that in mind as you read!

Since you googled Teosyal, I’m sure you have an idea of what I’m going to be talking about here. I’m in my 40’s now and have been noticing that my skin is losing it’s elasticity and brightness, and starting to droop quite a bit.  I have also noticed dark undereye circles.  I have made major changes to my diet, stepped up my skincare game, and have been drinking water, and taking my vitamins.  That only gets a girl so far though….so I decided to take it to the next level.  Here we go….

teosyal

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WHAT IS TEOSYAL®?

Teosyal is a full range of injectable dermal fillers made of biodegradeable hyaluronic acid

WHAT IS HYALURONIC ACID?

Hyaluronic acid is a natural skin component. It acts like a sponge and retains large quantities of water to keep the skin plumped and soft. One HA molecule can hold 1000 times it’s weight in water. In the filler syringes, HA comes in the form of a gel.

Age, stress, hormonal changes, harmful effects of UV rays, oxidants and environment all play a role in depleting our skin of collagen, elastin and especially hyaluronic acid. We lose 50% of our bodies hyaluronic acid between the ages of 40-50. The dermis breaks down, causing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, loss of volume, and sagging.

My experience:

I have raved about Dr. Cory Torgerson more than once on various social media platforms.  His office and staff alone deserve their very own blog post (and they will be getting one).  To make sure my skin was at its absolute best and brightest prior to my Teosyal appointment, I had a SilkPeel Dermalinfusion which was incredible.  I’m going to try to explain this treatment the best I can.

SilkPeel Dermalinfusion is a non-invasive skin rejuvenation procedure. It is the ONLY procedure that provides simultaneous exfoliation, evacuation, and delivery of ‘condition-specific’ topicals (for example, if your skin is oily, you will get a certain topical, if it’s dull, you get a different topical. A topical is a product applied to the skin).

The SilkPeel took approximately 30 minutes. My skin was super smooth and VERY clean.  It isn’t irritating like Microdermabrasion and I like the fact that the tool does the work and EVENLY exfoliates and treats every inch of my face.

Teosyal:

QUICK FACTS:

  • Did you know that 5 syringes of filler, equals only 1 teaspoon of product? That’s why you need more than 1 syringe to get the results you are looking for! Although each molecule holds 1000 times it’s weight in water, to get best results, most people need 2-5 syringes to get the results they are looking for!
  • Teosyal is the most natural looking and feeling product, because it integrates naturally into your tissue, allowing for dynamic and natural expression.
  • Teosyal is the purest filler on the market, resulting in less swelling!
  • Depending on the area injected, Teosyal can last anywhere from 6-18 months.

 

My turn-back-the-clock experience included  Teosyal Ultimate and Teosyal Redensity to give me some beautiful volume in my cheeks and provide me with that “I just got my beauty rest” type look  under my eyes too. 

before                                                                 after

I’m sure I don’t need to write out which photo is before and which photo is after.  Keep reading to see how I look now!

My thoughts:

I won’t lie, this isn’t a pain-free procedure but it’s not intense or prolonged discomfort.   It feels like exactly what it is….a needle in your face.  I can compare it to having blood drawn or getting a shot.  The whole kit and kaboodle took 15 minutes and there are instant results.  If you are fair skinned, have thin skin (like me) don’t be incredibly shocked if you see a “baby bruise” or two.  This is normal and will fade in a short time.  Also, please note….Hyaluronic acid is attracted to water so you may see some slight swelling.  Again, give the product some time to ‘settle in’ -I’m a big fan of soft ice packs on the areas that were corrected.

Overall, this was a great choice for me.  I recently posted a photo of myself on Facebook and it’s a side by side.  The photo on the left was me 4 years ago (from an article on the website ChickAdvisor) and the photo on the right is me currently.

mebeforeaftercollage

While there was nothing ‘wrong’ with my photo from the past, I can’t help but notice the current photo is so much brighter and fresher.  It represents ME and how I feel, not my age.  I know that I can’t stop the aging process and I don’t want to …..but I do like knowing that I’m the best version of myself that I can be.  Teosyal helps me achieve that.  It’s one more ‘care item’ I’m adding to my list.   There is absolutely nothing ‘wrong’ with wanting to look the best I can be-and I do recommend Teosyal products. The best way to find out if this is right for you is to speak to a professional, in my case I always recommend Dr. Cory Torgerson..

Stay tuned for more about my anti-aging journey with #Teosyal and Clarion Medical Technologies.  I personally would like to thank Dr. Torgerson, Clarion Medical Technologies, and the staff at The Clinic at Yorkville for being kind, knowlegable, and supportive. I am so thankful to have been able to participate in this opportunity and look forward to sharing more posts, information with all of my readers!

I would love to hear your thoughts-have you had any experience with dermal fillers and/or neuromodulators?

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Mascara-what’s your favorite?

I am a huge fan of lash extensions (and have talked about them several times on my blog) so I haven’t been using mascara since…..well probably July.  However, I have decided to let me lashes “rest” for a month or two and have gone back to using mascara.

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