By Andi Douglas, nwaMotherlode.com beauty editor

Time is precious to a mom, especially when your kids are in tow and at least one of them has to tinkle NOW! So, when I spend 15 minutes in the drugstore staring at all of the beauty products available (and there are a lot) and end up leaving with nothing because of a deep-rooted fear of Buyer’s Remorse, it irks me to no end.

Make-up counters in the mall cause similar anxiety with the tempting, and breakable, goods always within reach of little hands, even with the restriction of a 5-point stroller harness. So, in desperate need of some updated products, I agreed to a consultation at the home of a Mary Kay sales director, Dawn Stanford.

Even though Lexi, 17 months old and never still, managed to empty everything out of my diaper bag including an entire bowl of Goldfish, I felt relaxed and able to try out some great new products.

Finally, I was able to get the tinted moisturizer I have been craving. I have been putting off buying any from the store because the color choices seemed vague and, unlike foundation, most moisturizers come in opaque tubes so it is hard to compare. The Mary Kay Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 20 ($18) went on smooth and evened out my skin tone without the weight of foundation. The best part, all of the Mary Kay products are guaranteed so if a month goes by and I a find that the lotion is not compatible with my skin, Dawn will help me find something else that works.

If you want more coverage and are a fan of mineral foundations, Mary Kay Mineral Powder Foundation ($18) is definitely a great value and has all of the oil-absorbing properties mineral foundations are famous for. Personally, it did not work on my super dry skin, but when winter rolls around and I lose my summer tan, I am going to try out some of the other liquid foundations that are available.

My favorite part of the makeover process is always the eyes and a beauty tip I picked up from Dawn: Always do your eyes first, so if you have any flakes or blink while your mascaras wet (hate that!) you won’t mess up the rest of your face.

I tried out some of the electric colors that beauty editors have been raving about and found that I’m a big dud when it comes to eye shadows, and migrated back to my standard smokey eye. But I did update the look with Navy Eyeliner ($10) and smoked it up with Mineral Eye Color in Midnight Star ($6.50). It came out gorgeous and one of my friends commented that they had never noticed I had brown eyes before, a real testament to the rule of opposites attract when it comes to eye makeup. I looked a little made up for lunch at Chick-fil-a but who’s judging?

I was a little nervous about the one-on-one aspect, but with a friend along for the ride, it made for a really fun morning and I have a mile long wish list of things to try next. I’m also officially addicted to the comfort of a guarantee…no more Buyer’s Remorse for me!

Have a question for Andi, beauty blogger and fellow mama? E-mail it to mamas@nwaMotherlode.com.

“Beauty Buzz� is sponsored by Hull Dermatology, with offices in Rogers, Bella Vista and at the Eureka Springs Hospital. Dr. Hull has published several scientific papers and has received numerous awards and honors for her work in dermatology. For more info, click here to visit the Hull Dermatology website.

By Andi Douglas, nwaMotherlode.com beauty editor

I read a great article about home spa treatments in the August issue of In Style and decided to try the Frizz Tamer. It was an interesting experiment that I’m glad I tried, but mostly, I’m glad I didn’t spend the money to have this done at the salon. I will give you a brief description of the process and just how it worked for me (For the full treatment and other at home spa treats, see the August issue of In Style).

• Cleanse: Saturate hair with equal parts mouthwash and witch hazel, massaging it into the scalp. This natural astringent de-flakes your scalp and promotes healthy hair growth.

Now, since I have never had witch hazel in my house, and probably never will, I did a little research to find a good alternative. Apparently, there isn’t one, so I decided that toner would work and put the combo in a spray bottle to douse my head. I guess water bottles are only made for water because it wouldn’t spray and my spritzer hasn’t worked since. Bummer!

I made do with a squeeze bottle and smelled minty fresh in no time. Here is some random trivia that you might not have known: Listerine was originally created as a dandruff treatment. I don’t know what twist of fight morphed it into mouthwash, but it still works great as a dry skin treatment on you or your dog (I really did read this once, probably in Reader’s Digest or a bathroom reader).

• Condition: Combine one avocado with 2 tbs each olive oil, water, and whipped heavy cream. Comb from roots to ends, clip up hair, and cover with a shower cap.

The shower cap is suggested to create mixture-activating heat, but I would highly recommend it to contain the smell and keep avocado chunks off your furniture. Whew…I do not, and will not, eat avocados…did you know they stink? Maybe it was the combination of the ingredients but it was tough to stomach.

I also had trouble mixing it to a spreadable consistency. At first, I thought I could mush it with a fork or whisk, but that didn’t work, so I got the electric mixer out. This worked better for blending, but when the mixer blades hit a chunk of avocado, it would fly across the room like an airborne missile, much to my dismay and Brandon’s amusement.

I would recommend mixing in a covered blender or food processor if you attempt this at home. Now, the article showed an artful picture of the separate ingredients, so I took a picture of my finished product (pictured above).

After I smeared it in my hair, again to Brandon’s amusement, I donned my shower cap and started cleaning up.

• Rinse: After 20 minutes, rinse hair with tepid water, and wash hair with a gentle sulfate-free shampoo.

I spent my 20 minutes de-avocado-ing my kitchen and then jumped in the shower. I have never wished harder for a more high-pressure showerhead in my life. I have a lot of hair, and trying to pick out every green chunk was impossible. I shampooed twice (and no, I did not use sulfate-free shampoo, because I didn’t have any) and conditioned, but when I got out I still found a few sneaky pieces of avocado. I like to think I eventually found them all, but I doubt it.

I let my hair air dry, which is my summertime norm, and I have mixed reviews. I did notice that my hair was less poofy than normal and the next day I was able to finger comb it with few knots and tangles. But, after one wash, my hair was back to normal. It was fun to try, but too much trouble to have to do on a regular basis. I am going to try some over the counter treatments next and will keep you posted.

If you have any beauty gimmicks you would like me to try for you, send me an email. I don’t mind being your guinea pig!

Have a question for Andi, beauty blogger and fellow mama? E-mail it to mamas@nwaMotherlode.com.

“Beauty Buzz� is sponsored by Hull Dermatology, with offices in Rogers, Bella Vista and at the Eureka Springs Hospital. Dr. Hull has published several scientific papers and has received numerous awards and honors for her work in dermatology. For more info, click here to visit the Hull Dermatology website.

 

Dear Andi,

During the summer, I hate wearing makeup. How can I look my best with a bare face?

A: With this sticky heat and frequent trips to the pool, I have been taking a vacation from makeup, too. I haven’t worn foundation in over a month and not only have I not missed it, but I haven’t had one blemish or breakout…a pleasant surprise.

The natural look is all about the prep-work. If your skin is in good shape, people will notice your natural glow, not your lack of eye-liner. Start by exfoliating away the dead skin that dulls your skin and leaves it uneven. My mom and sister both rave about Origins Modern Friction: Nature’s gentle dermabrasion (Dillards, $37.50) and are so enamored they actually bought me my own so I could try it and they are right…I love the gentle exfoliating and saw an instant improvement in my skin’s tone.

Of course, you need to moisturize, but as I’ve gotten older, regular face lotion isn’t enough. BeautiControl’s Regeneration Skin Renewing Lotion tightens my skin while moisturizing, which helps to minimize those pesky lines that are popping up everyday.

The common misconception is that foregoing makeup means you don’t care what you look like or don’t try and that just isn’t true. But, nothing will make you look more like a crazy bag lady than rogue eyebrows and without the distraction of make-up, a neglected brow will be all the more obvious.

If you are new to this amazing, yet torturous, grooming routine it’s a good idea to go into a salon to have an initial brow shaping and then maintain it at home with tweezing. In the past, I was anti-tweezing and had a waxing about once a month, but there has been a lot of talk about how waxing can cause your eyelids to sag over time so I gave in and have been brow-scaping at home.

For slightly less painful tweezing, pluck after a hot shower so the hair follicles are loose. If you have a lot of work to do (like I do right now) a cool new trick I learned is to put a little Orabase mouth ulcer cream on your brow to numb the area first. Most importantly, do not over-tweeze! With no makeup on, a full brow will add much needed color and dimension, where an overly plucked pencil-thin brow will be a stark contrast to you otherwise natural face.

Finally, keep your lips hydrated with Softlips Lip Balm, available at Walmart. It is super hydrating, but leaves a matte finish that looks great by itself or over lipstick.

Going bare can take some getting used to, but when people tell you look nice or compliment your glowing skin, it feels wonderful, because it’s all you!

Have a question for Andi, beauty blogger and fellow mama? E-mail it to mamas@nwaMotherlode.com.

“Beauty Buzz� is sponsored by Hull Dermatology, with offices in Rogers, Bella Vista and at the Eureka Springs Hospital. Dr. Hull has published several scientific papers and has received numerous awards and honors for her work in dermatology. For more info, click here to visit the Hull Dermatology website.

 

By Andi Douglas, nwaMotherlode.com Beauty Buzz editor

For the first time in almost 5 years, I was without kids for an entire week (thanks, Mom)! In fact, I have never left Lexi for more than a couple of hours and she is 15 months old. Without any family nearby and a limited babysitter budget, even getting my hair done has been a challenge, which is obvious by my 2-inch brown roots. So with the kids gone and Joe working, I took this time to pamper myself.

I met Joe for lunch the first day at P.F. Chang’s (one of our favorite restaurants that we can no longer frequent with two little ones) and then I spent the afternoon shopping at the Promenade. I had a Victoria’s Secret gift card that had been taunting me from my wallet since Christmas, and I finally had time to really look, try on several styles and find underwear that stayed where it was supposed to!

Unfortunately, they turned out to be briefs, which I always swore I would never wear, but thank you to Victoria (real person? I don’t know.) for putting a lace trim around the top so they don’t look exactly like my grandma’s panties. The staff there was very helpful and even a little sympathetic as I said goodbye to the tiny underwear days of my 20s.

The next day, I finally cashed in the gift certificate to La Vida Massage (479-521-3232) I received for Mother’s Day. Aaaaaahhhh…that’s all I can really say. You know you are one giant knot when the massage therapist stops at your shoulders and says, “Whoa, you really needed this,� and then gave me the advice to try not to use my arms as much! Clearly, she didn’t have children, but I could tell she was motivated to help me relax. The entire salon is geared toward relaxation, with muted lighting and soft music; they’re lucky they got me to leave.

Thursday was spent tending to my neglected hair, since, unfortunately, my deceptively thick hair takes over 3 hours to highlight and cut. It was nice not having to worry about picking anyone up and just enjoy the downtime. Whitney at Freshair (479-251-1877) gave me gorgeous blonde highlights for a fun summer look and, as usual, layered my mane to perfection. Since I never take the time to straighten my hair in the summer, I always feel fabulous when I leave and was ready for date night with Joe.

On my last day of freedom, I treated myself to a much-needed pedicure, my first of the season, at Famous Nail Studio on Zion (479-444-6255) where they are running a special for $20 pedicures.

So, with pretty toes, fresh hair, and no bags under my eyes, Joe and I hit the town for our last night. We were home by 10:30 and exhausted. Apparently, we have just been using the kids as an excuse for our own waning stamina. But I do recognize how wearing it can be on your nerves to be a stay-at-home mom and swear to send my kids off more often, pretty much to anyone who will take them. What are you doing this weekend?

Have a question for Andi, beauty blogger and fellow mama (that’s her in the picture at right)? E-mail it to mamas@nwaMotherlode.com.

“Beauty Buzz� is sponsored by Hull Dermatology, with offices in Rogers, Bella Vista and at the Eureka Springs Hospital. Dr. Hull has published several scientific papers and has received numerous awards and honors for her work in dermatology. For more info, click here to visit the Hull Dermatology website.

 

By Dr. Cheryl Hull, dermatologist and owner of Hull Dermatology

During the last month, I have seen many patients with itchy skin from being outdoors.  Whether the itchy skin is from chigger bites, mosquito bites, sun rashes, or poison ivy, itching in hot weather is not fun!

Many of the cases have involved poison ivy. Poison ivy is a plant that produces an oil (urushiol) that causes an allergic reaction among humans. The inflammation is a reaction to contact with any part of the plant, which leads to burning, itching, redness and blisters. The inflammation is a form of contact dermatitis, an allergic reaction to an allergen that comes into direct contact with the skin. It is not contagious.

Poison ivy is characterized by red, itchy bumps and blisters that appear in the area that came into contact with the plant. The rash begins one to two days after exposure. The rash first appears in curved lines and will clear up on its own in 14 to 21 days.

Treatment for poison ivy is designed to relieve the itching and may include oral antihistamines and cortisone creams (either over-the-counter or prescription). These treatments need to be applied before blisters appear or after the blisters have dried up to be effective. In severe cases, oral steroids, such as prednisone, may be prescribed.

The best form of prevention is to recognize and avoid contact with the plants. This can be difficult because these plants tend to grow around other vegetation. These three poison plants can be distinguished by their classic three-leaf formation. To avoid contact with these plants, wear long sleeves and pants when hiking outdoors and keep to the trails. Tuck the ends of your sleeves into gloves and the bottom of your pants into socks so that no area of skin on your arms or legs is exposed. If you think you have come into contact with a poison plant, wash the area of skin with cool water as quickly as possible to help limit the reaction. Also, wash the clothing you were wearing immediately after exposure.

For more info on dermatology-related issues, contact Dr. Hull by calling her office at 479-254-9662. “Beauty Buzz� is sponsored by Hull Dermatology, with offices in Rogers, Bella Vista and at the Eureka Springs Hospital. Dr. Hull has published several scientific papers and has received numerous awards and honors for her work in dermatology. For more info, click here to visit the Hull Dermatology website.

*Poison ivy photo from About.com