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Review: Completely Bare Wax Service

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Completely Bare has always been a spa I’ve wanted to try for my brazilian waxes, but, I just couldn’t bring myself to spend $74 to get rid of some hair.  When Groupon had a deal up for 3 Brazilian Bikini Waxes ($222 Value – $74 each) I didn’t pass up the opportunity to purchase.    I finally ended up setting an appointment at the 5th Avenue location with Rita, prior to heading on my vacation toPuerto Vallarta,Mexico.  What better time to use it? I’d definitely be wearing a bikini, and can’t have hair sprouting out from it. 

 

This is my experience there…

The first thing I notice when going to a new place is how well the front desk person treats me.  Was he/she nice? Did he/she greet me properly? Etc.  There were instances where I’ve tried a new place for a service, and the front desk person was straight up rude, and even though the service was good, I did not return.  Luckily, for Completely Bare, the service I received was excellent.  I was greeted by a young woman who was expecting.  We struck up a conversation since I had my 9 month old daughter in-tow (along with the hubby).  Babies and pregnant people always = conversation now .:lol:.

 

 

Onto the cleanliness of the place…

Ahhh I hate going somewhere to receive a service, especially when it comes to hygiene, and it’s dirty or smelly!  Completely Bare was the complete opposite – it was Completely Clean.  The 5th Avenue location was very sleek, modern, cozy and clean.  Nothing was out of place.  It smelled nice as well.  One thing I did notice were all of the framed pictures of naked women.  I guess it goes with the name, Completely Bare.

The wax room was typical of any waxing room.  It was white, with a bright light to see down there. There was a television on the ceiling, although non-working, was a first to me.  It would have been cool if the television had worked since it would have been a good distraction for people getting waxed, especially for first-timers.

During my wax…

First, I’d like to say that the Groupon I purchased was for a Brazilian Wax; however, at Completely Bare, that means they leave a “landing strip”.  If you are like me, and would like to have it all taken off, you have to pay an extra $8.36 for what they call their ‘Completely Bare’ wax, which they describe as “…a wax treatment is uniquely ours. It’s a very thorough waxing service that removes absolutely everything – including buttocks.”  Normally, when I go to Shobha they take everything off without an extra fee.  Imagine having to spend $82 every time for a wax.

I was brought into the room, Rita told me to strip from the waste down, and wipe.  A Completely Prepped packet was not available for me to use, however, there was a container of baby wipes to use to clean up down there. 

 

 

Two different waxes were used; purple (hard) wax for the sensitive areas (labia area) and pink (soft) wax for the least sensitive areas.  The hard wax, which is intended for deeper roots, would dry, sprinkled with powder to avoid slippage when being pulled off by hand.  The softer wax, wax strips were used to latch on to the wax, to then be removed. 

 Waxing is not completely painless, but, for me it comes close to being painless.  I guess it is because I have a high tolerance for pain? Rita was surprised I didn’t let out a single scream, nor did I cringe, especially since it had been about 8 months since my last wax.  Rita also stated I shouldn’t have waited so long in between.  I told her I was scared of getting another Brazilian wax after having an episiotomy with my daughter.  

Listen, if your wax person doesn’t talk to you during the session, do not use them ever again (somewhat joking).   Conversation during a Brazilian is important, especially for first-timers to distract them from the pain they may experience, and it also kind of takes the awkwardness out of everything.

 Post-wax…

The true test of any waxing experience, other than the waxing process, is of course, what happens afterward.  After my Completely Bare wax, I had no ingrown hairs, irritation or anything.  I was smooth for a few weeks after my wax.

 

 Would I recommend?

Overall, I had a great experience at Completely Bare.  I’ve finally found a place that I can say provides comparable service to Shobha, which is my favorite place of all-time (and nearly $30 cheaper than CB)!  If you can afford to spend $82 every month or month and a half to be neat and hair –free down there, go ahead and go with Completely Bare.   I’m definitely going to return to use up the rest of my Groupon credit (and I paid the extra $8.36 in advance to have the ‘Completely Bare’ wax).  I still can’t see myself spending $74+ on a wax, especially since I have a baby now. 

Completely Bare has several locations in theUpper East Side, the flatiron district, and lowerManhattan.  Completely Bare offers complimentary consultations if you’re interested to learn more. If you’re scared of the pain, Completely Bare also offers a Relax Wax, where they place numbing cream for 30-40 minutes prior to waxing, to ensure you do not feel a thing.

 

*Photos courtesy of Completelybare.com

Disclosure:  I paid for this service with my own money.  This is my 100% honest review/opinion.

CND Provides Scientific-based Facts for their Gel Manicures in Response to the GHK Article

by / blog, Miscellaneous / 7 Comments

Photo Source: CND Website

 

On February 17, 2012, I did a blog post regarding gel manicures that I saw in the March 2012 issue of Good Housekeeping Magazine (GHK).  The article GHK wrote accused several gel manicure brands of being harmful.  One of those brands was CND.  A representative from CND contacted me with information to share some scientific-based facts with you regarding their product.  I’m happy this was done because I love my gel mani’s!  I wonder why GHK would write such an article without knowing the facts first or really dong research?  That article could have cost many people their means of making money, especially if their clients read it and became worked.  I love that CND has come forward to set the record straight.

CND Wants you to Know

– Methacrylates have been safely used in nail products for decades. The Cosmetics Ingredient Review has determined Methacrylates safe as used.

– As of August 2011, CND Shellac does not contain the chemical Methyl Pyrrolidone (n-MP).

Prior to that, several original CND Shellac color formulations used a raw material that contained trace amounts of n-MP in the solvent. The amount of n-MP in the final formula was below 0.1%, well within safe harbor limits of California’s Prop 65.

– The UV light present in the CND UV Lamp has been proven safe to use. Various studies, including one done by Rapid Precision Testing Laboratories, have compared the CND UV Lamp to natural sunlight and various indoor tanning lamps on the market. The tests have confirmed that the bulbs used in CND’s UV Nail Lamp are among the safest in use today. Getting regular UV manicures is equivalent to spending an extra 1-2 minutes in daylight.

– Acetone, which is used to remove CND Shellac, is used in almost all polish removers. Acetone can cause temporary dryness; however, acetone substitutes are less effective and equally as drying. Lightweight oils can be used to offset the temporary dryness.

– CND Shellac is a professional product and should only be used by licensed, trained nail professionals.

– Safety is CND’s top priority and we take tremendous concern with the article in the March issue of Good Housekeeping. It is very misleading. We took immediate steps to clarify the facts with the Good Housekeeping Institute (GHI). We met with the head of the institute, two chemists and two research directors to present accurate information and independent study results.  GHI listened, is currently evaluating the information and conducting additional research.  The staff of our lab is at GHI’s disposal. We are also collaborating with the Nail Manufacturers’ Safety Council to ensure that correct and accurate information is available. What is most important to know is that UV manicures are not dangerous. CND Shellac products have been thoroughly researched and tested.  The only risk of possible nail damage would be from improper application or removal by an untrained nail professional or woman at home.

 

Facts on the Safety of UV Lamps: http://www.schoonscientific.com/downloads/UV-Nail-Lamp-Facts.pdf 

Ouidad Curl Commentary on the Textured Tresses at the 2012 Grammy Awards

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Textured tresses stole the show at the Grammy Awards this year.  From tousled waves to full volume curls, the music artists embraced and celebrated the natural texture of their hair.  Ouidad stylist Morgan Willhite shares her tips for achieving Grammy worthy curls.

 

Voluminous Curls

Corinne Bailey Rae embraced her voluminous curls by pulling them together on one side, a great way for someone with a full head of thick curls to achieve a glamorous evening look.  To replicate this look, first diffuse hair dry to get optimum volume and then brush smooth a section of the hair with a boar hair bristle brush and secure with two large bobby pins.  Use the Ouidad Play Curl Volumizing Foam ($22) if you have fine or thin hair to give it some volume.  

 

 

 

Smooth Waves

Adele went with smooth 50’s waves reminiscent of Marilyn Monroe.  With her flawless fair skin, her soft waves suited her perfectly.  Her style can easily be achieved on all hair textures, from limp and straight to kinky and curly.  First blow dry hair smooth, then use patterned rollers to achieve the desired look and finish with the Ouidad Shine Glaze Serum ($20) to give hair that polished sheen without a weighty or sticky feel.

 

 

Tousled Tresses

Rihanna opted for a “modern shag” and proved that curly girls can rock bangs too.  This style embraced her hair’s texture and color.  If you have wavy textured hair, this can be your new go to do!  A style like this is youthful, sexy and fun.  Finish this look with the new Ouidad Climate Control Frizz and Flyaway Fighter ($22) to keep flyaways and frizz in check. 

 

All products are available at Ouidad.com.

 

Info & photos provided by company or PR

Make Up For Ever Pro : Editorial Skin Focus with Orlando Santiago

by / blog, makeup tips, Reviews / 0 comments

 

Saturday, I attended one of Make Up For Ever’s (MUFE) free classes for Pro Artistry month.  The class I attended was Editorial Skin Focus with celebrity makeup artist Orlando Santiago.

As the class began Orlando made it clear  that before you get into editorial makeup, which is a very vague term to describe this type of makeup, we as makeup artists have to understand what is behind editorial makeup, and what goes into it; it’s all about angles.  To start, editorials focus on perfect/flawless skin, and as an artist, it’s our job to provide just that to our clients, and of course with your own little flare.  Below, you can see the “flare” Orlando added to the model after he made her skin flawless.

Orlando taught us to know the products we’re working with.  For example, if we’re creating a dewy look, we’d use more silicone based products, and only apply powder to the creases (corner of nose).   If you’re going for a matted look, use more powder and oil-free products.

 

 

More tips for creating the perfect canvas include:

Adding eye cream (or perparation H) to facial moisturizer to bring down puffiness of the entire face

Neutralize FIRST then conceal to ensure you’re using as less a product as possible

-Mix green, yellow, red and white to neutralize purple & blue

 

 

Orlando’s Three V’s of Contouring & Highlighting

1.  Tip of nose

2.  Bottom of lip

3.  Base of chin

-Contour with cooler colors.  To cancel out warmth add cool colors.

 

Taking this class refreshed some things in my memory that I’ve known before.  It also reminded me of the class I took during The Makeup Show New York, ‘Perfect Skin‘ with Jon Hennessey, where he taught us how to create the illusion of perfect skin; same concept, different techniques.