Product Review ~ NutraSonic ultrasonic facial cleanser and premature aging

All of us have something that our moms told us when we were younger that we really wished we had listened to. For me, that thing is wearing sunscreen. I grew up in Arizona where having an in-ground pool is a survival mechanism, and as I got older, I continued my summers outside in North Carolina by coaching a swim team, lifeguarding and teaching kids how to swim. In other words, I was outside. A LOT. And when I got to college, I spent a lot of my free time outside by the pool or on the sand when I could get to the beach. And for some reason, I actually believed that every summer, I just needed that first burn and then I'd be set for the summer.

My skin, however, has had other ideas, and while I'm very, very lucky not to have a lot of premature aging, there is enough that now taking care of my skin is one of my top priorities when it comes to my beauty regimen. I buy Neutrogena Helioplex sunscreen by the truckloads. I wear light-colored clothing to reflect the sun's rays. I still vacation every summer at the beach, but I do it under the safety of 100 SPF sunscreen, a hat and an umbrella. I have tinted windows in my car. I sit in the shade whenever possible. And if I have a choice? The moisturizers and makeup that have sunscreen built in win every time.

However, let's get real. The majority of the damage to my skin has already been done thanks to all those summers when I was a teenager when I went to work outside without sunscreen. I was working on my tan, right? Now, I have to do everything I can to try to halt that damage in its path. First and foremost, I watch every freckle and mole on my body to make sure it's not changing. I have already been to my dermatologist twice in my life to make sure melanoma isn't starting. I take the necessary precautions as we all should. I even have a spray for my hair that has sunscreen in it.

Two summers ago, I was at my favorite vacation spot in Destin, Florida, and indulging in a massage and facial at Massage Envy. Not many of the Envys have both, but the one in Destin does. I have been warned several times about the condition of my skin by aestheticians, warnings that I take very seriously, but this was the first time that one actually told me point-blank that my number one problem with my skin is sun damage. Now, was she being honest or just trying to sell me something? I don't know and frankly don't care, but when I was shown the sun damage in a magnifying mirror up close and personal, that was enough for me to pull out my credit card and buy what she was selling...which was a NutraSonic facial cleaner. It is the NutraSonic 1020 Professional 4-Speed Face and Body Cleaning System and I purchased it for $125 which included the cleaner, three brushes, a dock and charger and a carrying case.

I have been very hit or miss with using mine since I got it because that week when I bought mine in Destin, I got a pretty good sunburn on my face (go figure) and the last thing I wanted to do was put this thing with moving brushes anywhere near my red skin. Then I got home, plugged it in to charge, and well...you know how it goes. However, when I began this blog, I immediately decided that this would be one of the first things I evaluated and wrote about because skin care is so important to all of us and these ultrasonic facial brushes are everywhere. And, they ain't cheap.

My suggestion is that if after reading this article, you decide you want to look into this further, do your research on the internet about which brand is right for you. If you have a dermatologist, you may even want to discuss use of this with him or her, although most aestheticians that I have discussed this with think that ultrasonic cleaners are very good. How can they not be? If used properly, they clean dirt and pollutants from your skin, they exfoliate, and from what I can see, they do a great job at eliminating lines and wrinkles. I don't know about the rest of you, but I sure don't want to be having plastic surgery when I'm older to reverse the signs of aging. I plan on doing what I can, using products that work for me, and drinking water to keep my skin hydrated, and hoping for the best.

The first time I charged it, I let it charge for a full 24 hours. After that, I only charged it once a week. It magnetically charges, so there are no batteries to pull out or doors to close. You just set it in place in the dock, make sure the red light is on, and walk away.

The rest of the time, it stays in my shower because...and this is the best part...it is fully waterproof. It is encased in plastic and you can hold the entire cleaner under your shower spray without any worry that the cleaner is going to stop working. I prefer to wash my face in the shower because of several reasons, but the main reason is very simple; it's just easier that way. You don't have to worry about dripping water everywhere because you are already in a wet area. Your hair is wet so you don't have to worry about putting it back. Best of all, when it comes to rinsing off your cleanser, what better place to do it but in a place where you can take advantage of all the clean water rushing at you? I have a rain shower head, so when it's time to rinse, I simply tip my face up into the spray with my eyes close and let the water do the work.

Using the NutraSonic is very easy. To my knowledge, I believe you can use it with just about any cleanser, although I wouldn't recommend using it with a scrub or anything that has beads in it. I believe that might be too harsh on your skin. I keep my facial cleanser, Purpose, in the shower. After I apply conditioner to my hair, I pump a small amount of face cleanser in my hand, spread it all over my face with both palms, and then...it's time for the magic. You have to experiment a little to see what speed works best for you, but I just use the lowest speed. I start with my forehead and just move left to right, working my way down my face, and making sure to scrub a little extra in my trouble spots where acne pops up. For me, those areas are my forehead, my chin and my jaw lines. After I'm finished, I rinse the NutraSonic under the water to rinse out the dirt and skin that it has removed and then leave it on for a few seconds after I have taken it out from under the shower spray so that any remaining water droplets fly off...similar to letting the beater run above the cake batter in the bowl so all the batter still on the beaters flies off. My routine is to rinse my conditioner and my facial cleaner off at the same time, so once I'm done, I'm out of the shower and ready for the next steps, which is toning and moisturizing. I use Oil of Olay toner and Purpose moisturizer during the day and Murad Essential-C Night Moisture at night. This works for me since I have combination skin with oily spots on my forehead, nose and chin, but every different type of skin responds to products differently.

Now, to the pictures! When I decided to start using this again, it had been roughly a year since I used it, so my face was in sore need of TLC. This picture was taken after my first shower using it on May 11. After my husband took the below picture, he made the comment that my face looked "fresh-scrubbed and clean".

On May 12, I noticed that my foundation, Bare Escentuals Matte Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15 in Light, glided on and applied flawlessly. I didn't even need to finish it off with Mineral Veil, the finishing powder.

On May 15, I took a shower at night and used the Oil of Olay toner and Murad nighttime moisturizer. When my daughter and husband kissed me good night, both commented that my skin felt very silky and smooth.

On May 16, I was putting on my makeup and noticed, with great delight, that my under-eye circles were much less pronounced. They were still there with a purplish tint as I expected, but were not as pronounced. After further examination, I discovered that the apples of my cheeks had evened out and were less red, creating less of a contrast between my cheeks and the skin under my eyes.

Ten days later on May 26, I was putting on my spare foundation that I keep in my car, Bare Escentuals Original Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15 in Light, and it glided on like my Matte Foundation does. I originally stopped using the Original formula because I found that the Matte applied better, but the Original went on so well, it almost looked like the Matte!

And lastly, on May 27, when I decided to conclude my time journal for use of the NutraSonic, I observed that my skin felt extremely silky smooth, both in and out of the shower and under my fingers as I smoothed on my Murad. The ever-present acne on my forehead is gone. The rosacea that I always had to use concealer on my chin and cheeks with has lessened. My crow's feet at the edges of my eyes are almost impossible to see. I have noticed every day when I apply my makeup that I use less and less, but yet the same polished look is still there. In short, I feel like a little bit of my fresh-faced twenty-something me is looking back at me in the mirror.

And if that's after sixteen days...well, I can't wait to see what my skin looks like in a few months! This little device is definitely going to be part of my daily routine from now on...who knows, maybe I can reverse some of the sun damage.

I realize that this is not a cheap investment at all, but to me, it was a worthwhile one, especially given the damage that I have done to my skin by working outside and not wearing sunscreen. The one I found like mine was available on Amazon for about the same price that I bought it, but I Googled Clarisonic just to see what came up and there were tons of hits...Nordstrom's, ULTA, Sephora, Macy's, QVC, and of course, hundreds and hundreds of reviews from people talking about how much they love their ultrasonic facial cleaner. The Clarisonic is more expensive than what I have to the tune of $225, and in reading reviews I saw that Oil of Olay makes a Pro-X Microdermabrasion system that is about $35. I also saw a Sirius Sonic Skin Care System, a Spa Sonic Skin Care System, a Neutrogena Microdermabrasion System, a SonicDerm Professional SPA Cleansing System...all ranging in prices. So as with everything that's the "in" thing, there are lots of choices for your skin type and your budget. Apparently the guys like it too from what I read because it makes their skin soft before shaving, so you never know...it might be an interesting White Elephant gift at Christmas. I probably would start with a Honda first before investing in the Cadillac if I were just starting out with this since it is expensive, but that's just my opinion.

If you decide that this is the way to go for you, best of luck in your searches and please make sure to come back to let us know what you got...OR if you already have one, leave us a comment about what you have and how you like it! Everything mentioned in this article is featured on our Pinterest page. 

Don't forget your sunscreen this summer!

Disney Princess Jasmine Nail Art

Over the last two weeks, I have slowly been collecting supplies and things that I need to start doing my own free-hand nail art, and this past weekend I gave it a try with the first design that really caught my attention...Jasmine from the Disney animated classic Aladdin! If you haven't figured it out yet, we at All That Sparkles and Shimmers love Pinterest. Not only is it a great way to share pictures and put all your ideas and thoughts in one place, but it is a wonderful source of information. When I came across this blog article at Hairspray and High Heels on Disney Princess inspired nail art, I knew I was in love.

Photo courtesy of Fan Pop

This one was a little more complex than the paw print art, so before I started, I got everything ready and set up before starting. Since this was my first time..it took approximately two hours from the start of removing my polish to clean up.

1. The first thing I did was select my polishes. For this art, you need four colors (five if you elect not to use rhinestones). I chose Zoya Zuza for Jasmine's jumper, Julep Margot for her necklace, ULTA Sun of a Gun for Raja's fur, and Sinful Colors Black On Black for Raja's stripes. I have rhinestones, so I counted out eight blue stones. A substitute if you don't want to use rhinestones is to select a metallic or glittery royal blue and use a larger dotting tool for the jewels.

2. As always, start with clean nails. I removed my polish, treated my cuticles, washed my hands, moisturized and applied a base coat to get ready. While I was waiting for my base coat to set, I set out my tools: the tool I recently purchased to place rhinestones, a small brush for the necklace and stripes, my rhinestone glue, a small pot of acetone, and my top coat.

3. First, I applied my colors...Sun of a Gun on my ring fingers and Zuza on the remaining fingers. I used two coats for proper coverage and let hands set for five minutes.

4. I then began with the jewel placement. I took the rhinestone glue and swept a tiny amount across the area where I planned to place the jewel, approximately right above the center of my nail. If your nails are excessively long, you may want to place the jewel higher. I did not blob the glue, but just instead gave the area a sticky spot for the jewel to adhere to. I immediately placed the jewel in place and repeated this with the other seven Zuza nails. After all jewels were in place, I swept another thin coat of the rhinestone glue on top to hold it firm.

5. The next step is the necklace. I chose to place the jewels first to give a little more room for error. Using the thin brush, I picked up a small amount of Margot and painted thin diagonal lines starting at the side of each jewel and sweeping up to the top sides of each nail. I gave it a second coat if a light shined on the necklace didn't show the gold gleam.

6. The last part (and most challenging) was Raja's stripes. If you have a stamper and an animal template, this could be done that way, but mine hadn't arrived yet, so I free-handed it after studying the Pinterest picture that inspired me. I picked up a small amount of Black On Black, started at the bottom at the edge of the nail, and dragged my brush towards the middle of my nail, lightening the pressure as I went. As I attached the end of the stripe, I lifted up the brush so that all of the brush that was in contact with my nail was the very tip which I used to make a skinny stripe end. I repeated this process, alternating the sides that I started on, so it looked randomly placed like on a tiger's back. At the end, I touched up any stripes that were showing orange with a little extra black polish. I repeated this process with the other nail.

7. I let my nails set and then applied my top coat and finished with a drying spray.

8. I am very new to nail art and a lot of things I am picking up from reading blogs from more experienced nail divas. However, what I discovered during this adventure is that you can actually pick up paint from the stem of your polish brush instead of pouring it out onto foil. When I was working with Margot, I just shook up the bottle well, pulled the brush out, and put paint on my detail brush from there, closing Margot in between uses. My house is very dry, and I think that if I chose to pour some out on foil, the polish would dry before I could use it.

9. Cleaning my nail art brush was harder than I expected. I wiped a lot of it off with a cotton ball, swirled it in my acetone pot, and in the end, just let it sit in my acetone pot to loosen up the bristles. I don't know if this was because the last color I used was black, but it also is darker than the other brushes now. I'm not going to worry about it, but before my next nail art, I'm going to try cleaning it with soap-free cleanser and see if that helps.

10. Finally, my parting tip to any fellow nail art novices is to allow yourself plenty of time before your first nail art mani. I was very lucky that I didn't have to wipe stuff off and start over (alright I was ready with Q-tips), but I went very slow, took my time, and made sure to have everything ready before I began. Preparation is definitely key.

This was a great design for me to start with because it incorporated rhinestones, multiple colors, and made me see how neat accent nails can be, something I've never tried before. I also got to use my rhinestone tool I just bought this week (so much better than tweezers; you need one if you work with rhinestones a lot!) and to play with my new brushes.

The rhinestone tool I used to place Jasmine's jewels is the So Easy Rhinestone Pickerr Uperr, and it was purchased at Sally Beauty Supply. I had only used my rhinestones twice before tonight, and both times I used a pair of tweezers or my fingernails. I wouldn't recommend either option because tweezers barely hold on to the edges of the stone and with your fingernails, you risk dropping the stone where you don't want it to go or accidentally nicking your tacky polish with your fingernail edge. This small tool is a plastic wand. I'm not quite sure how it works, but on either side, it has a plastic gummy circle of different sizes. What I did was count out the number of stones I needed into a small pinch pot, made sure they were all jewel-side-up, and then when I needed then, grabbed one with the tool and gently pushed it into place where I wanted it to go. It was perfect application and the handle allowed me to push the jewel firmly into the rhinestone glue.

The moral of tonight's story...it's a whole new world out there for me with nail art! I can't wait to try it again!

Photo Courtesy of Deviant Art

Sinful Colors is available at Target, Walmart and Walgreens. Zoya can be purchased online and also at ULTA. Margot is only available as far as I know online at Julep and ULTA Sun Of A Gun is only available at ULTA. The So Easy Rhinestone Pickerr Uperr and the So Easy For Rhinestones Only Top and Base Coat  are available at Sally Beauty Supply. Everything featured in this article is on the Pinterest page for All That Sparkles and Shimmers.

Polish Review ~ OPI I'm Not Really A Waitress and OPI Gettin' Miss Piggy With It

OPI's most popular shade of red and best-selling nail lacquer of all time is "I'm Not Really A Waitress". According to the research I did, it was named after a server at a wedding spilled champane on OPI Executive Vice-President Suzi Weiss-Ficshmann and apologized by commenting, "I'm not really a waitress." I really love it when polishes have a story behind them like this one. This particular shade of red is timeless; it is seen over and over again in old movies, commercials, television shows, and photographs because it just appeals to everyone, male and female alike. Women will feel glamorous wearing it and men will find it sexy in a Marilyn Monroe way. It was released in 1999 as part of the OPI Fall Hollywood collection. 

Before I finally broke down and bought this, I had to see it on several people's nails several times and see it come up again and again in blogs and nail polish searches as I was shopping the web. Every store OPI display I peruse has it as well. I finally just had to get it in spite of my wonders if I really need another red since I have quite a few already. My husband's favorite nail polish color on me is red, so I figured one more wouldn't hurt. When I applied it, I topped it with OPI Gettin' Miss Piggy With It for an extra sparkle.

Photo courtesy of In Style

Courtesy of Amazon

Gettin' Miss Piggy With It is also an interesting OPI specimen as it is part of the Muppets collection of glitters that was released in 2011.

Appearance

This red is incredible and if you are a red polish fan, it's really a must-have for your collection. I would describe it as a cross between a shimmer and a metallic as it has a very subtle gleam that is picked up clearly under artificial light and in the daylight. It has a very pretty cherry tone to it which to me puts it in the cool family...it would work great for holidays, Valentine's Day, and would work well with any black, blue, purple or pink outfits.

The glitter top I used, Gettin' Miss Piggy With It, is a perfect topper for this polish. It is a bright red microglitter with hex silver and red glitter. The suspension is clear, so it does not take away from the perfection of INRAW (the short name for OPI's most popular lacquer).

Application

The application is very, very smooth and goes on nicely although it dries really fast on the first coat. For the optimum coverage, you really need two coats to get that nice thick color and exceptional gleam. The glitter topper spread perfectly without having to dig for glitter and one coat was sufficient.

Durability

I applied two coats of lacquer over Quimica Alemana, one coat of OPI Gettin' Miss Piggy With It and one coat of HK Girl, and my manicure lasted three days until I saw a small chip.

I had no problem getting this manicure off with cotton balls and regular acetone polish remover and there was no staining. If you are looking for a good classic red that will go with anything you wear and any skin tone, OPI I'm Not Really A Waitress is a great choice!

You can purchase OPI I'm Not Really A Waitress and OPI Gettin' Miss Piggy With It on Amazon. The lab ruby and sterling silver ring in the picture can be purchased at Sylva Rocks. All items mentioned in this review are featured on our blog's Pinterest page.

Sally Beauty Supply: THE source for FingerPaints and other nail stuff

Originally, I had started this article as a review of FingerPaints Copy Cat polish which is what I used to apply over Essie Bikini So Teeny. I decided about halfway through to turn it into a review of the source to go to in order to GET FingerPaints since, to my knowledge, you can't get FingerPaints anywhere else but at Sally Beauty Supply. I have no idea why it took me so long to start shopping there for nail stuff. There are two locations within ten minutes of my house and everything that they have that I have purchased there so far has proven to be very superior salon-quality items. Several of them have turned into staples in my manicure routine, such as the Blue Cross Cuticle Remover. About two weeks ago, I started realizing that everywhere on the internet I went whether it was Facebook forums discussing nail equipment or blogs reviewing nail polish, the answer every time was, "go to Sally Beauty Supply". 

My first experience with Sally Beauty Supply was probably about a year ago when I worked all day in the field using my ladder and realized on the way home that I had broken one of my nails below the quick. As anyone that has done that knows, you can't just whip out your nail clippers and chop it off unless you want to be in a fair amount of pain. I didn't really know what to do. A year ago, I was a lot less knowledgeable about fingernail care and hygiene than I am now, and really had no clue what to do or where to go. For a moment, I thought about stopping at CVS to pick up Elmer's Glue and fixing the nail that way until it grew out enough to trim it and file it down. I stopped at ULTA first and asked them if they had any suggestions. The response was, "You can't repair a broken nail, but maybe Sally Beauty Supply will have some ideas?" Believe it or not, my closest Sally Beauty Supply and my closest ULTA are separated by about 100 feet of space, so I walked right down and walked in. 

Call it sexist, but it always surprises me when I see a guy working at a store that is clearly geared towards females. I bought some Victoria's Secret nail polish last week and was rung up by a male employee. As luck would have it, there was a guy there who asked me if he could help. Not only was he pleasant and nice, he actually steered me to a product that he used when he broke a toenail once and needed something for the same purpose. He echoed what ULTA said about not being able to permanently fix it, but he was right on target with the product; it held my nail together for about a week, just long enough for it to grow out and be trimmed and filed. That product was Nail Magic Nail Hardener, which I have used on several occasions since when my nails look dry and brittle and in need of a little extra TLC.

You would think that I would keep going back after that but for some reason, the allure of the ULTA catalogs kept grabbing my attention and I kept going back there. But every time I would share what I bought with my friends, the response was always, "You could have gotten it cheaper at Sally."

My second visit, I had stopped into a Sally Beauty Supply one night to get nail dryer spray, and they were having a 2 polishes for the price of one sale. When I saw the FingerPaints display, my eye was immediately caught by the glitter. I am so attracted to all things sparkly and shiny; it's like a moth to a flame. I ended up being sucked in by Go Baroque!, Berry Good Bid, Peacock Portrait, Artist's Inspiration, Surreal Sunset and the beauty that I am going to review shortly here, Copy Cat. All links provided here are to Pinterest, but every one of this colors is available for purchase at Sally Beauty Supply.

Photograph courtesy of sallybeauty.com

Appearance

This glitter topper is absolutely as gorgeous on the nail as in the bottle. With the density of the glitter in the suspension, I think it would very possible to wear this one alone with a three-coat application. It is a combination glitter with tiny round pieces of glitter, micro glitter and larger pieces of hex glitter. The color mix is silver-hued gold...almost a platinum and white gold color. I applied two coats of it over Essie Bikini So Teeny, which I reviewed previously here, and the effect is almost celestial, like gold angel wings in the most beautiful summer sky. 

Application

Perfect and smooth. It spreads very evenly across the nail without having to repeatedly dip the brush in the bottle to pick up more glitter. The suspension is easy to work with and the glitter spreads across the nail evenly and smoothly with no clumps or streaks.

Durability

I wore this mani for three days and had no chips, peels or tip wear. Very impressive, especially given the price. FingerPaints retails for regular price at Sally Beauty Supply for $5.29, and is frequently on sale.

Removal

Due to the amount of glitter and the total number of coats (7), I anticipated a difficult time, especially since my Dip-It needed replacement at the time. I used regular acetone remover from Target and cotton balls, and had everything off in less than ten minutes. 

I honestly had the same experience with Berry Good Bid, which is the only one of my other FingerPaints that I have tried. It went on smooth, wore like iron, and with the exception of a little staining which I expected with a rich dark color like this, came off fairly easily.

Now, back to FingerPaints and Sally Beauty Supply...being the interested nail polish diva that I am, I did a little research on the origin of FingerPaints because I have never seen this polish sold anywhere but. And it's a mystery! I can't find anything on the history of FingerPaints or anything on where it is sold other than Sally Beauty Supply. The reviews are mixed; you have some people saying that it is fantastic and wears like iron and then others that say that they are not impressed, that it is goopy in the bottle and that the colors don't match the bottle. Besides Copy Cat, I have only tried Berry Good Bid and the same experience with it that I did with Copy Cat, so my suggestion would be to get a bottle, try it and see for yourself. The names are a lot of fun as they all incorporate the art medium into their names, such as Expressionist Red and Where Art Renoir? 

My third visit to Sally Beauty Supply, I closed the deal and bought a Beauty Club Member card, which gives you discounts on every product you buy and coupons galore. In fact, when you buy the card for $5, they immediately give you a $5 coupon to use on any purchase making your membership essentially free. Prior to going to the store, I had made a list of things that I needed with the exact names of the items...things like files that had been recommended to me, the Blue Cross cuticle remover, etcetera. The website will tell you if the item that you want is available in-store or not. When I went to shop, the lady that assisted me knew exactly where everything was, and when I got to the check-out, I applied for my card which I was able to use on that purchase, and I got my coupons on my receipts.

Tonight I went back to use my $5 coupon and to check out their nail art selection which was also very impressive. I picked up a dotting tool set and a rhinestone picker upper tool. As always, the employees were very courteous and polite. I don't know if they do this or not on purpose, but every time I talk to one of the employees they either make a comment about how much they enjoy the hobby of nail polishing/nail art or compliment me on my manicure. For a small store, it is nice and it makes you want to go back when the employees are polite. 

And finally, the last and final icing on the cake IF you happen to live in a place that doesn't have a Sally Beauty Supply close by? Free shipping up to $50. All the time! No coupon code. No minimum purchase. No date restrictions! How about that? So if you just need a nail file? Free shipping. Need four OPI polishes that you can't find anywhere else? Free shipping. They even have some reduced rates on shipping to Canada, Puerto Rico, Alaska and Hawaii. I am an avid internet shopper and I can tell you from personal experience that it is a very rare merchant indeed that offers free shipping all the time. 

My one and only complaint about Sally Beauty Supply (well, I have two) is that you can't use your coupons on OPI, and the only major brands of polish that they carry besides the above-mentioned FingerPaints are Orly, OPI, China Glaze and Nina Ultra Pro. No Zoya, no Nicole by OPI, no Essie. And, for those of you that think that Sally Beauty Supply and Sally Hansen Nail Polish are one and the same, that is not true....there are no Sally Hansen products on their website and none that I saw in the store. 

So there you have it! I have no affiliation with Sally Beauty Supply other than being a satisfied customer and a recent card-carrying Beauty Card Member. Women like me that do their own natural nails at home have a lot of choices when it comes to outfitting their nail stash with the proper equipment to be able to do a salon-quality manicure, such as Target, Walmart, Walgreen's, CVS, ULTA and Sephora, not to mention many, many more retailers. But if you are looking for good solid equipment that isn't going to break your wallet and that actually works, give this little store (or the website) a try. 

I think, like me, you will find that you are very, very surprised. 

Hair Product Review ~ Garnier Nutrisse

Let me begin by saying I am not even thirty years old...a few weeks shy to be exact. The one thing we as women fight daily is aging. It's inevitable and we can't hide from it no matter how hard we try. Aging is my nightmare work in progress.

A few months back, I found my first gray hair. I have dark brown hair, so it stuck out like a sore thumb. I thought it was a one-time occurrence...a fluke if you will. As it turns out recently within the last week, that gray hair was indeed no fluke. I have new roots growing in gray. They are everywhere and there is no hiding them until I can grab another box of color. Apparently I suffer from premature graying of my hair.

I ran to the nearest Walmart and got my usual box of hair color, Garnier Nutrisse Truffle Brown. I came home, let it do its magic, and viola! No more gray hair. I usually color my hair twice a year to avoid excess damage. I got lucky in finding a color off the shelf that matches my color perfectly. Lucky for my husband, it's his hair color too, so we used it to touch up his hair as well. Two heads out of one bottle is a score all on its own.

What I grew to love about my Truffle Brown hair color is the shine it brings back into my usually dull brown hair. The smell is simply amazing. It doesn't have those harsh smells that other brands do. The actual process to make the color is a three-step mixing process. A tube of color squeezes into the bottle of developer, and a green tube of avocado oil is what makes the mixture amazing.  Since I use box color at home, I was happy to find out that my husband had no issues when it came to putting on the gloves and putting the color on my hair. I might add that he does a really good job of not dying my neck, shoulders, or ears. If it does get on my skin, it does not dye or stain my skin and there is no irritation. If washed off my skin with warm water right away, it comes right off. I learned the hard way on a white shirt that it does stain clothing. When it came to rinsing out the hair color, I jumped in the shower and used warmer water than usual to make sure I got it all out of my hair or until it "rinses clear". As per manufacturer

recommendations, I did not use shampoo as the color is a wash-in. I only used the given conditioner inside the box of color. On a daily basis when I do wash my hair, I use Herbal Essence Color Me Happy (Pink) for color-treated hair to help keep the integrity of the color as long as possible. I have found this hair color leaves very minimal damage to my hair and the best part is the amazing smell I have for a few days after using the color and provided conditioner due to the avocado oil.

My problem with this whole aging issue is when I watched my step mom go from dark brown to snow white in a year's time when she was in her forties. She decided to go blonde to give her hair some color. I can't accept this phase of aging with grace and ease like she did. It's taking everything in me not to find and tweeze every gray hair I find. The only thing stopping me is the pure fear of that saying "pull one and two grow back" being true. I do not quite know where this anxiety came from when I realized I'm at that stage in my life and I can't stop the aging process. 

One thing is for sure: hair color, new styles, and my hair dresser's magic are going to be in my monthly hair maintenance routine from here on out.

Both Garnier Nutrisse hair color in Truffle Brown and Herbal Essence Color Me Happy in pink can be purchased at Target. All product mentioned on this page are featured on the Pinterest board for All That Sparkles and Shimmers.

Flip Flops: Bad for your feet, but you're going to wear them anyway, aren't you?

Flip flops used to be something that we only saw come out in the summer, but depending on where you live, they can be a year-round wardrobe essential. Where I live in Dallas, I wear flip flops year-round. I buy flip flops every summer like people buy a new winter coat in the fall. And they never, ever are put up for the cold weather. I have gone to many Christmas Eve celebrations wearing some sort of open footwear. I think there's even a picture of me floating around somewhere from Thanksgiving wearing a t-shirt, jeans, and a pair of old Birkenstocks from high school. 

Flip flops actually originated as far back as 4000 B.C. according to Wikipedia when the ancient Egyptians made them with papyrus and palm leaves. Other cultures have had their versions as well, and our modern-day flip flop is loosely based on the Japanese zori which was brought back by soldiers returning from World War II in Japan. They were made very popular in the 1960s in California, and while many older generations still look down on them as a sign of ultra-casual or laziness, the trend now seems to be that there are flip flops that can fit every occasion. I have seen people wearing flip flops at summer weddings and formal events, and if you happen to work in an office that embraces a casual dress code, you may find professional executives walking around in them, especially in the summer months. Here in Dallas, dining out is such a part of living here, it is very common to go to a five-star restaurant and see women walking around in fancy beaded and jeweled sandals that were probably purchased at Nordstrom's for $100 and cost less than $15 to manufacture.

I myself have a number of pairs of flip flops. I have no problem tossing them out when they wear out or if one of one of my dogs decides to make a chew toy of one, but my flip flops range in style from the traditional V-strap in leather over a leather sole to my old beloved Birkenstocks that I can't part with to foam wedge soles with a beaded cloth strap. I have them in black, brown, silver, gold, pink, multi-colored plastic gems, glitter, sequined, cloth, you name it. I even have a pair of leather string-style heeled flip flops for dressing up. And I love them all. 

However, let's be honest. They are bad for your feet. Most of them don't give support to your heels, toe or arches. You can easily trip in them. If you were in a situation where you needed to run away fast, flip flops wouldn't allow you to do that. And a lot of them have such a thin sole, you might as well be walking on the bare concrete in your bare feet. Wikipedia has a whole section on health implications and foot problems from wearing flip flops. 

But you're going to wear them anyway. I know this. I am the same way. With summer coming and depending on where you live, you may already been hoofing it around town in your flips. And guess what? The stores know this! The summer selections of flip flops are already out and ready for your purchase. And I have compiled a flip flop dos and don't list as you gear up for the kids to get out of school and start getting ready to go on those summer trips and do the summer activities. If you are a die-hard flip flop devotee like me, most of this stuff you probably already know...but you never know, you just might pick up a fun tip that will make your feet happier this summer, or something fun that you never thought of trying. So, here we go!

1. DO have painted toenails. To me, the first and foremost rule of wearing any open-toed shoes, especially if you are trying to pass off your flip flops as nice footwear, is to have painted toenails. I have friends that laugh at me because I will refuse to wear my flip flops if my toenails aren't painted. Call it a weird quirk, but no matter what people say, they do look down at your feet if you are wearing flip flops, and your feet will look nicer and more cared for if your toenails are painted, even if it is just a clear coat. If I'm in a rush to go out and I have a light color on my toes, I will do a super-fast paint job with a dark color over the light color just so they are painted. No one is going to get up close and personal with your toes, but from a vantage point of looking down, they will appear to be painted. 

2. DO take care of your heels and toes. Cracked heels and callused toes are a result of wearing these podiatrist's nightmare. It's true. They aren't quality footwear and we all know it, but we wear them anyway. The least you can do is care for your feet. With your feet being exposed to the air constantly wearing sandals and the heel and big toes rubbing on the surfaces and carrying the brunt of your body weight, they are going to show some wear and tear. So be kind to your feet. Use a Ped Egg (see review here) or a foot file to remove that dead skin and use a nice foot cream like O'Keefe's (see review here) to keep them soft and conditioned. 

3. DO wear sunscreen if you are going to be outside. The skin on your feet is tender and can burn very easily. Putting on sunscreen serves two purposes; it protects your feet from getting a burn and it also gives your feet some added moisturizer in preparation for being outside.

4. DO consider toe rings. They are cute to jazz up your toes if you wear flip flops or sandals a lot. You can usually pick up inexpensive toe rings at Walmart, Target or Claire's. I have a collection of toe rings that I wear on occasion to give my toes an extra twinkle. My suggestion with toe rings is to stay away from the kind that completely encircle your toe. The ones that are adjustable and have a space on the bottom are not only more comfortable but won't dig into your toe if you wear the toe ring for several hours. Same goes for ankle bracelets; they can make your feet look very feminine and pretty.

5. DON'T wear your flip flops if you are going to be on your feet for hours and hours. Know ahead of time what you are going to be doing. I cringe when I go to the mall to do a serious shopping trip and see teenagers running around in their plastic flip flops. Flip flops, while very fashionable, cute and cool to wear in the summer, aren't meant for hiking the concrete jungle, and if worn over long periods of time can result in flat feet, fallen arches or plantar fascitis. I have walking sandals that I wear to shop at the mall and if I'm going to an outdoor event where I know I'm going to be walking for hours, like a festival or a theme park, sneakers it is. Your feet will thank you for it later that evening.

6. DON'T rule out discount stores for great places to get fun flip flops. My favorite place to get flip flops every year is Target, although I have bought some great flip flops at American Eagle, Kohl's, Old Navy, Skechers, and this year to my surprise, Walmart! The flip flop style that I prefer are the wedge-style with a heel to take some of the pressure off my heels. I like foam soles because they are soft on my foot but firm enough to provide support, and cloth straps are the most comfortable between my toes. With bling being so popular, a lot of stores will sell stores with beads or jewels sewn onto the straps, which to me is like finding gold, but you can also make your own bling-y sandals if you find a pair of flip flops that you like and get industrious with a glue gun or a needle and thread. I'm usually not that picky...as long as they just look dressy enough to wear with capris and a nice shirt, I'm happy. 

7. DON'T spend an arm and a leg on flip flops that you could probably find something similar to at a big box store. Nordstrom's is one of my favorite places to buy shoes, but I shake my head in disgust when I see a pair of plastic shoes beaded to the nines selling for over $100. If they are leather, contoured, meant for walking, provide great support, or just look like they are meant to last for several years, that's one thing, but if they look like they were made in about ten minutes, they probably were and they might not last much longer, not to mention they are not going to support your foot. Why spend good money on shoes that aren't going to last? If you just want some cute shoes that you can wear sporadically over the summer, get them at a cheaper place.

8. DON'T hesitate to toss them when they are wearing thin. Flip flops weren't made to provide your feet with a lot of support, but the thinner they get, the closer your feet are in contact with the concrete slab you are walking on in your house or out and about. 

9. DON'T wear the wrong size. When you are trying on flip flops, the end of your foot should be pretty close to the edge of the shoe and the strap snug but not overly tight. You don't want to be putting undue stress on your foot by trying to hang on to the shoe with your foot if it's too big, and you don't want your heel hanging out over the back of the shoe when you walk if it's too small. 

Photo courtesy of wikipedia.com

10. DON'T wear them with socks. Just...no. Don't do it. It just looks weird. 

This year as I mentioned above, I found my flip flops at Walmart and I was so pleasantly surprised. I wear a size 11 and it's pretty difficult for me to find shoes anywhere, so when I went to Walmart and I found not one but TWO pairs of cute blinged-out flip flops, one rainbow and one silver, in my size with foam wedge-style soles, I was a happy girl. These were each $9.98 apiece, and they were available in kids' sizes to boot. After examining them pretty closely, I do think that you could make your own if you were so inclined. My favorite color of flip flop is black, and there is never any shortage with those, but if you want, say, red flip flops with blue sparkly sequins, there's no reason why you couldn't get creative.

I wish you and your feet a happy summer! If you have found a great source for great-looking albeit weak on support flip flops, please leave it in the comments; we'd love to hear from you!