#thekaylamovement

New year means a new you! Tyson and I started our new workout program. We've been paleo for about a year, and our current workout routine just isn't doing in for us. So, after much deliberation, we decided on the Kayla Itsines Workout.

Back in July I went to Chicago to visit my sister. She introduced me to the Kayla Itsine workouts and lets face it, I was just too cheap to purchase the program. Now, its only $70US, but in the summer, I wasn't working a lot and we needed to save every penny and dime we could.

Fast forward 6 months. After a very personal event that took a toll on both Tyson and I, we decided our bodies needed a good cleanse and the Kayla workouts were the perfect way to do it. So, who is Kayla Itsines and why are her workouts so great? First of all, if you aren't already, you need to follow her on Instagram and Facebook. The transformation photos alone will get you to sign up and have you committed before you can say bikini. Second, Kayla Itsines is from Australia. A fitness guru with fantastic results and a very structured plan, this girl has got her stuff together! And, I believe she's only 23!

***Kayla's AWESOME website and workout program!!!!***

Anyways, I don't know what it is about them, but those trainers from Australia are HOT and only inspire me to do my best and have a goal to work toward! So, without further procrastination (because we all know that's what I'm best at) let me introduce you to the world of Kayla Itsines.

She's a regular person. I know, hard to believe with THAT bod. She studied to be a personal trainer, and soon after graduation, found that some of the workouts left her with something to be desired. She was still unhappy with her body, and found there were a few things that she would like to change. So, instead of hiring someone like herself, she took matters into her own hands and created the BBG (Bikini Body Guide). Now, I know men probably aren't reading this, but this isn't just for us women! It's for anyone and everyone that wants to improve their body through targeted exercise and healthy nutrition. She's basically done the hard work for you, its just up to you to perform and follow through!

My husband and I have committed to her 12-week program! I've done two of the workouts and continue to be sore for DAYS! It hurts SOO GOOD! Anyways, have a look at her amazing website and join the movement!

xoxo

Jo

Kiss Me.... Mint

The owners of KISSmeMINT and I go WAAYYY back. I'm pretty sure I've known Chans and Cheech for... forever. It's fine. Anyways, when they decided to start an online boutique, I pee'd my pants a little. Not because I have poor bladder control, but because I have always LOOVVEED their style and knew I could count on them to bring in quality products at an affordable price.

KISSmeMINT has been an online only boutique for a little over a year now, but I have some absolutely INCREDIBLE news. Wait for it.

Wait for it.

Wait for it.

KISSmeMINT is having...

A WAREHOUSE SALE THIS SATURDAY!



I know you've all seen their boutique on some of the discount/daily deal sites such as Sassy Steals, Jane.com and GroopDealz. The hot blonde in all the pictures with absolutely incredible taste in style, yep that's them! (PS, check out her lashes, she's probably one of my best lash clients EVA!!)

If you're like me, you usually don't plan out your Saturday because, well, lets be honest, the week kicked my hiney and I don't want to have to be obligated to be somewhere at a certain time. But, trust me, you will definitely want to go.

Their sale is located in the BRAND NEW WAREHOUSE in South Ogden, Utah! WOOT WOOT! Finally, a warehouse sale that isn't clear in the heck down in 'Utah County'. (I swear half the time I spend more money in gas than I would have to just bought the items on 'sale' online, no offense to Utah County, you're just FOREVER away.)  They've been doing a giveaway all week and the first 50 customers get some awesome loot! You don't want to miss out on this one.


Starts at 1pm (that way you can get all of your leisure activities out of the way in the am)
Bring your girlfriends, moms, sisters, aunts, nieces, besties, who cares, just make sure you come.

I'll be there along with some of my gals from Individual Rivalry - if you haven't checked out their blog your missing out on some high quality girl power.


Oh, and did I mention there will be snacks?

XOXO

Jo

To shave, wax, or laser... that area...

I can't tell you how often I get asked some of these questions in regards to hair in the nether-region.

'Do you think lasering is the best?'
'I can't handle growing my hair out for waxing, doesn't it have to be like an inch long?'
'I'm currently in the process of lasering so don't mind my patchy hair. I'm only on my fourth treatment.'

OK. First off, lets talk about waxing vs shaving.

Pros for shaving:

-Quick
-Hair doesn't have to be extremely long
-You can do it yourself
-Virtually painless
-Left with smooth skin in under 5 minutes

Cons for shaving:
-Ingrown hairs
-Hair grows quickly
-Nicking, bleeding, missing an area
-You could be in the shower for hours shaving every bit of hair
-Not permanent
-Shave frequently

Pros for waxing:

-Esthetician does the work
-Leave feeling smooth and clean
-Esthetician can get to areas you can't virtually reach or see
-Wax can pull the entire follicle, leaving the regrowth thinner and more sparse
-Takes longer for hair to return

Cons for waxing:

-It hurts!
-Costs some dough $$$
-You have to go through the growing-out stage and deal with the pricklies
-Chance of ingrown hairs and skin irritation
-Time it takes for you to actually be waxed

Waxing definitely isn't for everyone. My first experience with wax (as a client) was horrific to say the least. I was 3 days away from my wedding day. We were getting married in Hawaii so I had to make sure I was waxed as close to the departure date as possible. The day before we left, I had my first appointment for Brazilian and leg wax.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I was not an esthetician at the time. A 23 year old wax virgin, I thought to myself- how bad could it really be? HA. I was greeted by the esthetician, and made myself comfortable on the bed while the esthetician stepped out. I was ready. I had taken my ibuprofen 30 minutes before. I had grown out for a week to make sure that wax pulled each and every one of my hairs.

The esthetician began after speaking to me about what I wanted done and what she was going to do. She used this syrupy textured wax, spreading it evenly on my skin, and firmly applying a strip on top, assuring each hair would stick to the strip. Without any warning, she ripped. HOLY SWEET MOTHER OF ABRAHAM. Did she tear open my entire vagina!? I felt as if she had ripped about 10 layers of skin off with each strip. The pain was unbearable. She continued, going over each raw, sensitive area with more wax to make sure she got every hair! (For those that have not been waxed, its similar to being sunburned, rubbing sandpaper on the area, and then having duct tape applied and ripped off). I don't know how I got myself into that situation but I promised myself I would NEVER do this again. I waddled out of my appointment, wondering how in the world I was going to explain this to my fiancé. I could only imagine the disappointment on his face as I mentioned how even underwear against my vajajay was soo incredibly painful. (Thankfully, the pain and rawness subsided the next day).

FAST FORWARD: 1.5 years

I was in Esthetics school and someone needed a model for a Brazilian wax. After much deliberation, I agreed to be their model. I was a little more prepared, but made sure to get some numbing cream prior to the appointment. It came time for the first pull, and... nope. Of coarse it was painful, feeling like a bandaid had been ripped off of a very sensitive area but NOTHING compared to what had happened 1.5 years prior. What was the difference? Why did this appointment not hurt as badly as the first??

3 reasons.
1. The type of wax the students were using was a high quality, hard wax. This wax does not require a strip, dries quickly, and only adheres to the hair, not the skin, when used correctly. This wax also has a flexible stretch to it, allowing the esthetician to pull and remove all the hair without breaking or flaking.
2. Technique used was more gentle. My first experience was... nothing short of terrifying and unfortunate. An experienced esthetician will apply pressure post pull, helping to relieve the pain a little quicker. Plus, the girls I was being worked on with knew how to hold, pull, and apply the wax. They worked in smaller sections so I wasn't getting thrown off the table with each pull.
3. My hair was thinner. After your first initial wax, your hair grows in thinner, more sparse, and a lot slower. So, your second wax isn't as painful because the hair follicle and bulb aren't as large as before.


OK, now lets compare waxing to laser.

Here are some pros and cons to laser hair removal.

Pros:

-More permanent results
-No more shaving, waxing, or tweezing
-Works great for dark hair, light skin
-Can shave between appointments

Cons:
-Cost. Ever looked up the price of a full brazilian? This can cost anywhere from $350-$1500 for 6 treatments!
-Pain. Imagine being flicked with a rubber band hundreds of times on your hoo ha. Ouch.
-If the right machine isn't used, you can have striping, patching, and may need more treatments
-Don't even think about it if your blonde. It won't work.
-Will need maintenance treatments once or twice a year.


I've been lasered a few times. I find it to be the most beneficial to remove unwanted hair permanently.  It hurts. And if you aren't being lasered with a good machine, you may end up with stripes, patches, and scars from improper use and lack of maintenance.  If you've gone 4 treatments, you should be virtually hair free, without striping!

However, make sure you do your research before going to the spa that promises results from the radio. Not all of the bigger companies work with the best lasers around. So, before spending obscene amounts of money on your laser hair removal, talk to others that have used the same company. Ask questions. Find out what type of machine they use, and what it is used for. If it is a multi-function machine, it probably isn't the best. Most machines that are multi-function cannot focus on one specific function, therefore don't give the best results.


So the answer to the above questions are:

It's completely your choice! No one can tell you what is the most beneficial way to remove hair down there. If you are comfortable waxing, continue! If you have a high pain tolerance and cannot stand hair, try laser! But don't down play someone because they shave or wax, its all a personal preference!

Makeup Faves

Makeup is a huge contributor to skin conditions and problem skin. As a Master Esthetician, it is my job to find makeup that can cover up any skin imperfections, and also help treat the skin conditions and concerns. It's hard to find an entire line that can be beneficial to your skin, but amazingly enough there are a few choices.

As with any other high quality skincare product, quality makeup is not cheap. However, it will do wonders for your skin.

A few great skincare lines that are organic or professional grade (and better for your skin), and will be beneficial to the health of your skin is TRUE Beauty, Jane Iredale, and YoungBlood.
Here are a few of my favorites.

Powder Foundation:

Foundation Options

I absolutely LOVE this company. TRUE BEAUTY is a completely organic company that is so pure you could actually eat the products! My motto is 'If you can't eat it, why would you put it on your face?'.

This powder allows enough coverage without making you look cakey. One of the features I love most is the coloring options. In the winter,  I wear Medium 2, and in the summer, I just bump it up a shade and it matches my skin perfectly to a Tan 2. This helps to eliminate the line on the chin, and it definitely won't leave you looking like an Oompa Loompa.

The Powder also has Idebenone in it, which is a healing agent that helps the skin recover from chemical peels, or sun damage.

Added bonus? When I use my St Tropez tanning mouse I can wear my Tan 2 and not have any problems.

Bronzer:

Bronzer/Shimmer

This is a two in one bronzer that has bronzing and blush all in the same compact.

Blush:

Purchase here

Because True is a completely organic company, it has been milled 100 times more than other product meaning the pigment is more condensed, using less product and making the product last longer. This is especially beneficial for blush and bronzer.

Brow Kit:

Brow Definer Kits

OK, I have absolutely crazy brows, so I need a good brow kit. The TRUE kit comes with two colors to choose from to match your brows, AND a tinted wax to help keep your hair in place. I have learned to LOVE filling in my brows, making them seem thicker without applying a growth serum, and making them look complete.

Lipstick:

Gone are the days of wearing chapstick and lips the same color as your foundation. Bright lips and subtle eyes are trending, and it isn't always easy to find a good lip color for you. Sometimes, the bright lips aren't just what I'm feelin' so I've posted a few of my favorite neutral colors and a bright one.

Purchase Sunny Seoul by MAC

Purchase Hue by MAC

Purchase Lickable by MAC

Purchase Mac Red by MAC

Questions, Comments, or Suggestions? Have a topic you want covered? Leave me a comment!

XOXO 

Andrea

Family Photos Outfits

Here it is. Fall. That means, at least for us, its family photo time. Every year we do family photos and send out Christmas cards. In the past we've done it in the snow, or mid-fall but this year we wanted some leaves and a bit of different scenery.

Choosing outfits is by far the most difficult part of family photos. With a growing family, we have to ensure everyone has a different top, but still has the colors we originally had in mind. I know how hard it can be so I decided to write down some tips and tricks on coordinating outfits for photos.

*Pick a color scheme

Long gone are the days of black tops and khaki pants. Whether your getting pictures done in spring or fall, you will want to pick a color scheme that goes well with both your family and your photo location. When we do photos, we usually like to pick 2 dominate colors, and one 'POP' color. The two dominate colors are usually neutrals, but this isn't primarily a rule.

Pick colors that are flattering. No one likes to pay for photos only to see them 2 weeks later and die at the fact that the bright yellow top washed out half of your family. Consider your family's skin type and know that not everyone can pull off that orange tee.

*Find nicer looking clothes

If you're going to take the time to get photos done, take some time to find nice clothes that fit members of the family. AVOID SCREENPRINT. This tends to look lazy and not as thought out as you would like. Try to avoid jeans with rips, holes, and tears.

*Avoid the matchy-matchy type

Having kids all in the same shirt was definitely a fad of the 90's. Dress each member of the family in a top that reflects their own personality, but stays with the color theme of the photos. Remember, not everyone has to be in a solid color. Utilize the prints and patterns that are available now, i.e. plaids, florals, strips, polkadots, baseball tees, etc.

*Don't be afraid to layer

We ALWAYS have a few members of our family layering a basic tee (usually the pop of color) with a neutral button up top. This tends to break up the monotony of the three colors.

*Be flexible

Don't freak out if every green or red doesn't match exactly. That is one of the details that makes family photos fun. Mix it up with different shades of each color.

Here are a few examples of photos we've taken over the years. None of us have the same top on, and somehow, it all looks well put together, and coordinates well with the location.

Hope this helps XOXO

Chemical Peels: FAQ

As I begin to gain more clients for eyelashes, the exposure and questions about chemical peels begin to arise. So I've compiled a list of some of the Frequently Asked Questions about chemical peels.

What is a chemical peel?

A chemical peel is a form of deep exfoliation, and can help drive beneficial ingredients into the skin to help with skin concerns each client has.

Does the chemical peel hurt?

There are several levels of chemical peels. I like to see it as running a marathon. You don't jump into a race without training and preparing your body for something that intense. It's the same concept with your skin. So, we like to start training your skin in order to achieve the ideal skin condition for each client. The smaller chemical peels, the peels with a higher PH, do not give the warm sensation that some of the bigger peels give.

Who needs a chemical peel?

Anyone and everyone can have a chemical peel! From age 14 and up, all skin types and conditions can benefit from chemical peels. However, as mentioned above, all clients will need to be worked up to the large peels, with lower PH levels, driving the chemical peel deeper. If you have any specific skin conditions you would like addressed and taken care of such as acne, mild breakouts, dry skin, pigmentation, pregnancy mask, or blackheads, chemical peels would be a great place to start.

Can I come and get a series of peels and my skin will be perfect?

No. Chemical Peels can do wonders, when combine with the correct skin care regimen and quality products. Many clients don't understand that my job consists of 20% of the results, where home regimen, diet and nutrition are 80%. Amazingly enough, your Esthetician will be able to tell if you are doing your part of the work, so don't try to beat around the bush.

How often can I get a chemical peel?

Chemical Peels can be performed once every two weeks. As mentioned above, chemical peels are a form of exfoliation and it is dangerous for your skins health to over-exfoliate and receive chemical peels too often.

What are some restrictions I have when I get a chemical peel?

This is one of the most important parts - the aftercare. After a chemical peel, it is advised you refrain from exercise for the first 24-48 hours, as well as stay out of the sun, wear a good sunscreen, and avoid exfoliating and washing with harsh cleansers.

What are some benefits of receiving a chemical peel?

Besides a natural glow, a chemical peel will make your face softer, can drive beneficial ingredients into your skin, aiding in cell turnover rate with acne, killing bacteria, driving hydration into dry skin, and helping with pigmentation issues. You will leave with your skin feeling refreshed, smooth, and clean.

Have more questions? leave a comment below, I would love to answer any questions or concerns you have in regards to peels, after all, they are one of my favorites!

Individual Rivalry

Hey all!

It's been a while since a post has gone up, but that's because I've been crazy busy with appointments! I've had a lot of questions with Eyelash Extensions and wasn't quite sure what the best way to answer some of those questions was... Enter Individual Rivalry.

Individual Rivalry is one incredible blog, featuring two young moms that are focused on bringing women together, instead of focusing on competing with each other. They find anything and everything to help women out! It's so inspiring I can't contain my excitement about this great opportunity to work with them.

Anyways, we made a video about do's and don'ts of lash extensions. You can find that video here. If you have any other questions or comments, send them my way! I would love to address your concerns about lash extensions!

PS Make sure you are following Individual Rivalry on their blog and Instagram! They're one amazing team!

Follow Individual Rivalry HERE