Travel Beauty Tips From Believe

Memorial Day weekend is the checkered flag for the opening of travel season and I can't help it, when a vacation is coming up, soundtracks start playing in my head...from Steppenwolf's “Born To Be Wild” (Get your motor running. Head out on the highway. Looking for adventure, in whatever comes our way,) and Willie Nelson's (On the Road Again, like a band of gypsies, we go down the highway) to Springsteen's “Thunder Road” (Hey what else can we do now? Except roll down the window and let the wind blow back your hair. Well the night's busting open, these two lanes will take us anywhere...)

Now that I've got those tunes stuck in your head, too (you're welcome) let me share a few Traveling Tips to make your Summer trip a little more beautiful:

(Remember, if you are traveling by plane, the only toiletries you can put in your Carry On bag must be no more than 2 ounces of liquid in any container; all containers must fit in a one-quart Ziploc bag; and TSA will confiscate any scissors, manicure sets or tweezers. Pack any overflow in your checked luggage.)

Come get your skin exfoliated with a great facial and body scrub at Believe. You will keep your summer tan much longer (with lots less uncomfortable peeling.)


• Whether you are headed to the beach or your neighbor's BBQ, sunscreen is vital. Make sure your foundation has it (at Believe, all the custom makeup by GIELLA has got you covered with an SPF of 15 and higher.) You'll want to pack more for your body. Try baby suntan lotion (which provides almost total sunblock) or carry a solid stick (like Neutrogena's Solid sunblock stick—it has no scent and can fit in your purse or beach bag. Reapply often, particularly if you are sweating or swimming.)

• If you do over-indulge and are as red as a lobster, here's an old wives trick: You will smell like an Easter Egg for a night, but douse your burnt skin in white vinegar. You will turn brown by morning.

• Something that smells much better and also fits in your purse is Aura Cacia Soothing Lavender Stick. It's lavender essential oil, in a roll-on so you don't have to worry about spills. You can roll it under your nose in restrooms, dab it on your temples to get rid of an in-flight headache, rub some on a washcloth and add to your hotel bath water or while washing out your dainties in a sink and it can even double as perfume.

• Hair conditioner, like CHROMASTICS LIGHT/ IDEN TREATMENT doubles as shaving cream—not only for your legs, but for the men in your family, too.

• Avon's Skin So Soft keeps mosquito at bay and doesn't smell like you are covered in pesticide.

• Pack a small plastic spray bottle. Fill it with mineral water when you get where you are going. It's magic for travel: Spray it on those tight places on your jeans (maybe after overeating at that family picnic?) and they loosen up immediately (and dry quickly). It will refresh and moisturize your skin at the beach, set your makeup for that perfect night out, and even can be used to help steam out wrinkles (spritz water-safe clothes lightly—no silk, unless it's washable—and let the clothes hang in a steamy bathroom while you shower.)

• You shouldn’t change your skin care routine on vacation (just add more moisture and sunscreen)--the last thing you want is for your sin to rebel and break out just when you are taking photos for the family album. Save and empty hotel toiletry bottles. Put your own cleanser--(like GIELLA'S MAKEUP REMOVER, shampoo like WHITE TEA SULFATE FREE and conditioner like WHITE TEA RESTORATIVE-- into the bottles with a small funnel and throw them bottles away before you come home. Less to carry.
• Pack a Pashmina or two. They don't have to be expensive (and might even be found at an airport store on sale!) They do double duty and can be a shawl, a blanket, a pillow, a skirt or even a bathing suit coverup.

• Always carry AESTELANCE TRAVEL SIZE SHAMPOO, a must for chlorine removal and salts after ocean or lake swimming. It's also great for washing clothes in the sink and gets chlorine out while keeping colors bright and is hard to find elsewhere. Keep one in your carry on, along with an extra pair of under in case your luggage gets lost.

• Check out this website for all things miniature: http://www.minimus.biz/ so you aren't at the mercy of your local drugstore for travel-sized items.
• Let us at Believe cut your hair before you go. We'll help you pick a style that not only looks great, but is no-fuss, no muss (maintenance-free) for your vacation.

• Lay off the hairdryer for a while (airplanes and sunshine dry out your hair as it is) and take along some AESTELANCE HAIR CREAM hair balm. (We stock it at the salon.) Slather it on at the beach (instant conditioning) and use it to keep a wild mane at bay for a night of dancing under the stars.

• Shiny face? Traveling is a dirty, sweaty proposition, it's true! Organic baby wipes(with great scents like lavender) help clean you up at rest stops during a hot car trip or a stressful flight. You can use them on your face, under your arms, around bra lines and they keep your hands from drying up when you use all that hand sanitizer on the road. Baby powder makes your entire body more comfortable, too—and you will smell great (even when you shouldn't.) And, believe it or not, those toilet sheet covers in airplane and turnpike restrooms are the same material as oil-blotting tissues and work like a charm.

• Fabric softener sheets have more uses than their original design, too. Pack them in your suitcase to keep clothes smelling fresh, eliminate static cling by rubbing them on your clothes and avoid your shoes smelling bad after a run or hot day of shopping—stuff fabric sheets in them at night and the next day you will be as fresh as a daisy.
• Pack some Vitamin E geltabs in your Carry On and break some open for use on a long flight—under your eyes and also slathered on your hands. Cover them with clean socks before you take a nap and your will wake up rested and moisturized.
• Carry a travel candle with you to make hotel rooms smell more like home and give you a better night's sleep (always the best beauty tip). Choose CLEAN LINEN or one of the other fabulous scents we have at Believe.

• And when all else fails--Never underestimate the power of a (crushable) hat and a great pair of sunglasses.
• Safe travels and have fun this summer.

Lashing Out (In A Good Way)

Batting your eyes has long been a woman's prerogative (too bad hiding the rest of your face behind a fan while you flutter went out of style. Perhaps we should resurrect that flirtatious move?) The come-hither power of a well-directed glance has shone from behind belly dancer's veils for centuries, and glancing down demurely has as much power today as it did during Jane Austen's time. Nowadays a woman's eyes get put to other uses, too. Your mother was right when she told you to look people right in the eyes during a conversation, and a direct glance is as important as a firm handshake during business dealings. 

So if eyes are the windows of the soul, consider the lashes are the silk draperies and care for them accordingly. True, genetics plays a part in eyelash length and just like the hair on your head, eyelash hair gets more sparse as we get older, but there are some things you can do to get the longest, most luscious lashes possible:

Take it easy on them: If you find yourself rubbing or scratching your eyelids--especially at the time of year when all the plants are releasing pollen-- invest in hypo-allergenic eye drops and an over-the-counter antihistamine to fight hay fever. Wash your face with cold water (lashes too) when you come in from outside, particularly on a windy day. That will wash any stray pollen out of your lashes, before it irritates your eyes. If your allergic reactions get worse, see your doctor. (Remember allergies can develop anytime.)

Keep things clean: Never go to bed with mascara, eyeshadow, or eyeliner on. Always remove every speck with a gentle (hypoallergenic is good here, too) eye makeup remover. Believe carries a wonderful one by GIELLA.  Disposal pads or cotton squares are better than cotton balls (which leave little fibers behind). Replace your eyeshadow, liner, and mascara every 2-3 months. Bacteria breeds in old makeup and can lead to eye inflammation and possible infection. Every month or so, give your eyes their own spa treatment. Hold a clean hot washcloth over your eyes (reheating several times with hot water as the washcloth cools) and then scrubbing along the lash line with one of the PCA cleansers sold at Believe. This opens the glands along the eyelid which get clogged with dirt and oil, giving the lash follicles the best chance to grow.

Speaking of oil--Just like all the rest of your hair, your lashes need moisturizing, too (they have just survived a long, dry winter). After cleansing at night, use an eyelash brush (available in any drugstore) to coat your lashes with olive or almond oil (no perfumed oils here) or plain old petroleum jelly. Let the oil soak in overnight and your lashes will be moist, shiny, and stronger by morning.

What goes in, comes out: Drinking enough water (take a sports bottle with you wherever you go) not only keeps your skin hydrated, but your lashes, too. Taking your vitamins, eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, and making sure your diet includes fish oils helps your lashes grow healthy--and healthy lashes break less. What you put in your body shows on the outside. Playwright Oscar Wilde wasn't kidding when he said our faces are our autobiographies.

False eyelashes: From individual lash extensions to full-out black fringes and Swarovski eye crystals, false eyelashes are all the rage. If you must channel one of the Kardashian sisters, be sure to follow the package directions and remove all the glue carefully (and as quickly as possible). Leftover residue can harm your real lashes.

Growing eyelashes with pharmaceutical serums: True, some users grow long, thick lashes from using one of the serums now available like LATISSE®. Other users report permanent eyelash discolorations, scaling, redness, irritation, and even eyelash loss! We recommend talking over using any of these products with your ophthalmologist or eye care professional before deciding whether to give any of them a try. Also, do your own homework. Research on-line consumer reports, reviews, and advice from users. Be smart and get informed.

Eyelash Tinting: We are thrilled to be able to offer this service now at Believe. You can kiss your mascara goodbye with eyelash tinting. Vegetable-based dye (black, brown, blue, gray or a combo to suit your complexion) is used to make your pale lashes dark and bold. A patch test is performed to make sure you have no allergies. When that is done, upper and lower lashes both are painted (this takes about 15 minutes), then the dye sets (penetrating for about five minutes). When the dye is washed away--voila! Darker lashes! The color lasts for 3-5 weeks and means you'll have glamorous eyes around the clock. If you have light lashes or an active lifestyle (swimming or tennis anyone?) or barely enough time to swipe lipstick on in the morning--lash tinting is perfect for you. Best of all, it is safe (yes, even for contact lense wearers.) After getting your lashes tinted, you'll be batting your eyes with the best of them—with no streaks, smears, or raccoon eyes. Give Shannon a call to set up an appointment or ask about lash tinting at your next hair appointment. Everyone can use a little more (positive) drama in their life.

Here's looking at you, kid --and your lush new lashes,

Lisa (owner of Believe)

Brighten Up Your Eyes

• Whether your eyes are puffy, red, or surrounded by dark circles, Mother Nature has provided many a trick to help lighten, brighten, and give you that attractive look of wide-eyed wonder (and we at Believe add our own bit of makeup magic to complete the transformation. Read on...)
• (Hold your horses before trying any of these natural remedies. Be mindful of any allergies you may have and use accordingly...)
• Before bed, apply a spoonful of castor oil on the lids and around the eyes, with a slight massaging action. This keeps the skin lubricated.


Use two organic green tea bags to make a cup of tea. Let it brew and then put the bags in the refrigerator to cool. Lay the cooled bags over your eyes for 15 minutes to make your eyes less puffy. (Make sure the bags are cool--warm bags will increase blood flow to the eyes and make the situation worse.)
• Chilled cucumber slices laid on the eyes for 20 minutes reduce puffiness and feel very refreshing.
• Try wrapping grated raw potato in cheesecloth and apply to your eyes. Wait 15 minutes and wipe off, applying moisturizer right away.
• Rose water (if you want to use petals from your own garden to make a solution, be sure your roses have been grown pesticide-free) can be used on eyes to soften and brighten the skin. Wet cotton and apply the cotton balls to your eye sockets--wait 10 minutes.
• If your eyes are truly swollen (we hope you haven't been crying!) grab a bag of frozen peas and lay it over your eyes. The peas conform to the shape of your eye socket better than a regular ice pack.
• Drink water all day, keeping your insides (and outsides) hydrated. There's a reason it's called The Fountain of Youth.
• If you are past 40, the tear ducts around your eyes are likely to be clogged with years of sebum, eye makeup, drops, pollution, smoke and all the other crud our eyes are exposed to everyday. To open the clogged ducts and get your natural tears flowing again, rinse a clean washcloth in the hottest water you can stand, wring it out, and apply to your eyes for 15 minutes before bed. This treatment melts the oils and opens the ducts--making eyes moister and younger looking. (Every now and then, scrub near the lashes with a washcloth and our PCA cleansers.)
• Need we say it? Get enough sleep! It's good for your eyes, skin, and sanity.
• And...here at Believe we are delighted to announce that we have the product that renowned beauty Kim Kardashian swears by (to get those gorgeous eyes of hers). Created by her own makeup artist (and legend in his own right) Mario Dedivanovic, people are driving hours to get their hands on this product and Believe has got it--EYE M GLAM Highlighter!

Mario explains, "EYE M GLAM is a sheer highlighting powder that will give you the most gorgeous, golden glow. Using Giella mineral pigments, I custom blended EYE M GLAM while sitting on the floor in my apartment one evening, determined to come up with the best highlighter. I wanted a product that would give all my clients a consistently sheer and natural glow. Being able to use and test it on my celebrity clients for television, photo shoots, and on red carpets has helped me perfect EYE M GLAM into a universal shade that is flattering on all skin tones."

Here's what people are saying, "When I dusted this product EYE M GLAM , I found it to be light, airy, glossy and easy to pick up using my flat shadow brush, but I didn’t stop there, next I dabbed a little on my shoulders, decolletage. Honestly, this EYE M GLAM mineral highlighter is definitely one of my favorite buys of the year, it is ahhhh-mazzzing for all skin complexions. It doesn’t go ash, nor does it have big chunks of kid-like glitter. It is glamour in a jar. The color pays off. The glossy glow it gives had me hooked…"
and
"My skin illuminated with this product, not only did my eyes sparkle…I was ready to take on the world …"
Mario offers these tips for using EYE M GLAM:

• Use it on the inner corners of eyes to separate and brighten.
• Apply onto your brow bone to highlight and lift.
• For bulletproof eye makeup that won't move, use Magnetic Eye (another Giella product carried here at Believe) first, followed by EYE M GLAM.
• For more intensity, wet your brush with a bit of water. 
• Highlight your face with EYE M GLAM. Swipe down the bridge of nose, across cheek bones and on your cupid's bow.
• Dust EYE M GLAM along your collar bones and decolletage for a fabulous nighttime look. 
• Mix it with your tinted moisturizer or foundation for an all-over golden glow.

Come into Believe now to get your own EYE M GLAM (it is so popular, it is hard to keep in stock) and people will soon be calling you Bright Eyes.