Random music quote of the day: Fabolous

“Every day is my day. I’mma do it my way, every day …. and every body’s cool, but y’all just ain’t me”

- Everything, Everyday , Fabulous 

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Have a winning Wednesday y’all!

Supernova

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Trend Spotlight: Embellishment

The disco ball is turning again y’all. 

Sequins, Feathers, Satin. Jewels. They all want to party like it’s 1999.

But before you pull out your eighties frock, these sequins are updated. Like the updated shimmer eyeshadow, this season’s sequins are smaller, neater and make for a great Christmas/ New Year look.

If you choose to wear a full sequined dress for a cocktail look this season:

- Keep it tastefully short and to the point
- Keep the sillouhette simple.
- Pair with opaque black tights and keep accessories simple.
- Keep makeup simple, and focus on one thing – diva eyes or vampy lips.
- Don’t let your dress outshine your skin. Exfoliate and moisturize skin, especially parts that you plan to flash like arms, back and your gorgeous gams.

You can also rock the following to dress up straight cut/ skinny denim that you already own for a chic night look:
- Sequined/ shiny blazer
- Blinged out embellished tops or tees
- Embellished flats or bejeweled heels. This includes, sequins, studs, grommets, feathers, satin…
- Layer on bangles, and yes here silver and gold of any colour ‘match’.

Embellishments are in themselves gaudy so this is no area to be shy and appear to have tact. If you are gonna embellish, do it. BAM!

And of course you can replace your denim with black liquid leggings. *Fyyyyyaaaaaahhhh!*

Embellishments for the office
Do avoid wearing a fully sequined get-up to the office.

Rather, choose to add sequined accessories to turn a chic monotone day office wear into an office party appropriate night one.

I say monotone, as the key is here to not layer (clash) overly pattered coloured clothing with sequins. 

- Add sequined belt or scarf
- Switch career power pumps to metallic shoes/ strappy, glitzy, structured heels/ accessorized booties
- Combine sequined top under chic blazer
- Throw on a glitzy blazer over office top
- Switch to a sequined/ feathered pencil skirt
- Add bangles/ bracelets/ necklaces/ earrings.  

Drop earring are back y’all! Remember those chandelier  earrings circa ’03? Yes siree, but keep the multi-coloured ones in the draw for now, they haven’t made a comeback just yet. Stick to bejeweled stones in the same colour family.

Details, Details, Details.
Don’t get caught up in the excitement. Do focus on the details.

- Keep nails in check.
Embellishments + Chipped Nail polish = 20 year old Grunge.
This is not the grown ‘n sexy look that we are looking for. 
Avoid candy coloured nail-polish, that’s so summer vacation.
White, black-ish, red or the season’s various ‘neutrals’ work best – nude, champagne, olive, metal/ silver grey, purple,  etc.

- Wear embellished pieces smartly
Remember that embellishments bring attention and, in the case of feathers, add volume to the area
If you are full chested and top heavy consider wearing instead a  feathered skirt or keep the look simple by rocking fierce embellished pumps. 
If you carry most of your weight on the bottom consider rocking a major embellished long blazer or statement necklace to draw attention to your upper half. 

- Shine, don’t blind
There is already a lot of glitz going on with when wearing sequins. Let your the healthy glow of your skin shine through rather than mask it with dated glittery eyeshadow. Opt for more contemporary shimmer or frosty eyeshadow shades instead. 

Minimalista Embellishment Glam
Consider wearing one of these statement pieces if are unsure of the embellished trend or of course if you have already lived through the sequined trend in your hot ‘n sassy hay-day.

- Embellished details.
Cardigans with sequined or embellished necklines.
Jackets with embellished piping.
You-can-hate-me-now embellished FMPs
Dresses with embellished details

 - Large necklaces
Bib necklaces are all the rage over a simple sheath dresses

- Not-yo-mama-brooch
Brooches need not only be worn on a lapel. Update hats, fedoras, belts, scarves and even headbands with brooches.

- Rings
Fantasy jewelry. Because to say ‘costume’ or ‘fake’ jewelry is so 80s. Big & Juicy pieces. Rock them at will because they are inexpensive.

- Bracelets
Bulky bejeweled cuffs. 

- Clutch
Satin, Bejeweled silk, bows, feathers, sequins. *snapz*

- Embellished hair-clips and pins. 
  

Go Glitterati!

Related GC posts:
Trend Spotlight: Animal Print
FMPs
Fashion retirement
Epic fashion failure
Office Party Etiquette 

Sun and Skin Types

A person’s complexion and their tolerance of sunlight are measured using the Fitzpatrick Classification scale. It was developed in 1975 by Harvard Medical School dermatologist, Thomas Fitzpatrick, MD, PhD., and used by practitioners to determine how someone will respond or react to facial treatments such as successful laser, light therapy and peels and how likely they are to get skin cancer. It is important to understand that not all facial treatments are suitable for all skin types.

Fitzpatrick Classification scale

This scale is a guide and is not intended to replace the advice of your practitioner.

Sunscreen

It’s white and goopy. Some brands remind me of the beach which, in itself can be a bit of a downer… but I digress. Sun protection factor (SPF) is a number on a scale for rating the degree of protection provided by sunscreens. No sunscreen can filter out 100% UVRs so even while wearing sunscreen, it is possible for you to tan. Your chosen sunscreen should protect against both UVA and UVB rays.

Types of sunscreen

There are two types of agents used to screen the sun’s rays, physical agents and chemical agents.

Physical sunscreen agents use their opaque property to block out the sun as they sit on top of skin to prevent UVRs from entering. (think: White paste on cricketers noses). These types of sunscreens should be the LAST product applied to the skin, even after the moisturer. Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide are most common physical sunscreen agents.

The upside is that they are very effective at screening UVRs; the downside is that using it on darker skins can result in a ghastly grey complexion.

Chemical sunscreen agents penetrate layers of the skin and protect it from within and as such should be the FIRST product put on the skin after cleaning. There are a host of these agents used in sunscreen products e.g. Dixoybenzone, Oxybenzone, PABA… and new ones are created every year, many of them unpronounceable. 

The upside is that as they penetrate the skin, and thereby does not affect skin tone – a plus for darker complexions. The downside is some chemical sunscreen ingredients may irritate sensitive skin.

Lotion up!

Supernova

Related posts: Sunkissed beauty  

Anti-Aging Tip #6

Wear Sun Screen

This should have been the first Anti-Aging tip, but I didn’t want it to get lost in the melee.

Badly damaging skin due to unprotected exposure to the sun’s UV rays is the greatest way to accelerate your skin’s aging process. 

The best anti-aging advice anyone can give is to avoid excessive sun exposure and at the very least, wear a broad spectrum sun screen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays.

Everyone should wear sunscreen daily, SPF 15 minimum. Lighter skin types, Fitzpatrick skin types (I, II and III), should wear sunscreen containing a minimum of SPF 20.

Exposure to ultraviolet radiation emitted by the sun, even in small daily doses, results in free radical action on skin that enables the destruction of natural collagen and elastin fibres in skin, causing skin to lose elasticity and tone, as well as develop wrinkles, crows feet and frown lines. 

We live in modern times. There are many types of sunscreen products in various formulations/ weights in creams, lotions and fluids.  No longer does sunscreen have to smell of bananas and coconuts, be oily, or cause acne breakouts. There are formations that incorporate sunscreen into moisturizers and foundations. Alternatively sunscreen can be worn alone or under makeup. There are sunscreens formulated for the face and others formulated for the body. The options are endless.

It may be cute and ‘cool’ to bake in the sun and live in tanning beds when we are young, but not so cute to have to consider replacing the lost collagen in our skin when we are older, by the use of injectable fillers or surgical procedures.

Though darker skin types are better protected against the damaging sun’s rays, they are not immune to aging.

So really, there is no excuse to not wearing it.

Playing russian roulette with your skin health is so 80′s.

For more on Sun Screens see post Sun and Skin Types

Lotion up!

Related Posts
Anti-Aging Tip #5
Sun and Skin Types
Premature aging
Slip, Slop, Slap, and Wrap
Sunkissed beauty

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Career Tip: Online presence

As hard as it may be, do resist the urge to blast your boss/ colleagues/ the organization that you work for on social networking sites. Or talk about what a rotten day you had at work, and boy oh boy how your job sucks donkey balls. It will come back to you and you will be fired, and no you are not immune.

Further to this tip, if you are gainfully employed or would otherwise like to be, it is not a good idea to upload indecent pictures of your bored self at home, or on vacation, to your profile space, unless of course you are working in the industry. That’s what ole’ school albums are for. It is not not abnormal for hiring companies to search for any info on you on the web. Then there is this sneaky little “copy & paste”/ “drag & drop” function that turns any media even remotely scandalous, viral. 

Entrepreneurs, this also applies to you. The customers and suppliers you hope to have a contract with are watching you. 

Even if you set your profile to ‘private‘, don’t believe the hype. Social networking sites, or the good ole’ www on a whole ain’t that private. If you insist, do consider setting up two accounts, a more mainstream one  under your full name and another under your ‘imaginary-me’ alias. 

Having an online presence isn’t always bad, as a matter of fact it can work in your favour. A potential employer who comes across comments or articles written by you can instantly get a feel for anything from your views or your intellect to your character.  Just as it can work against you, you can make it work in your favor. This does not mean that you have to suck up to everyone or agree with everything that is posted online. Just have constructive content, positive or negative, that is consistent with the image that you project professionally.  

Noone said that this is right, but this is the world that we live in. If you choose to put yourself out there be prepared to be judged. After all we do prepare ourselves for a formal interview don’t we? Then consider your online presence an ‘informal’ interview. 

If you don’t agree with this, take over the world and change it. 

In the meantime, start cleaning. 

Related GC posts
Office Party Etiquette
Nova monologue: Having it all
Diet Downfalls
Holiday Food Survival Guide
Casual Fridays

Health Tip: Bambu

Shout out to all my coffee addicts who are looking for a an alternative way to kick the habit without going cold turkey or switching to black tea. Not that there is anything wrong with black tea… love that too but ya’ know… it’s just not coffee.

Or maybe it’s just that caffeine or bromine messes with your system…

My sister recently introduced me to ‘Bambu’, an all natural, no caffeine swiss coffee substitute. It comes in an instant formula so you can take it to work with you without turning it into a production. 

As a coffee addict myself, I’ve tried it and it’s not too bad. Tastes more like coffee than tea, but it’s not as bitter than coffee… so maybe you will have to add less sugar?

It’s made up of
- Rye
- Chicory
- Barley
- Malted barley
- Figs
- Acorns
and…

- it’s Gluten free!
- available in an organic blend

And for my lactose intolerant peeps out there, I haven’t tried it with soy yet, but the flavours work well with original, unsweetened Almond milk. Of course if you like it straight up and black, just add hot water. It can also be enjoyed as a cold drink.

Heard that ‘Dandelion Coffee’ can also be used as a coffee substitute but I haven’t tried that one yet, soon come.

If you have any other coffee alternatives, be sure to pass the word along.

Mmmm…. *Tasty!*

POSSIBLY RELATED GC POSTS

Nutrition | Gluten free breakfast
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I’ll drink to that 

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Anti-Agers

Aging is inevitable. There are some things that we cannot change; like the effect of environmental pollution our skin for example. Then there are some things that we can change, like kicking that smoking habit. We can also add antioxidants to our diet. 

Antioxidants are nature’s defense against the damaging, aging effects of free radicals. As free radical scavengers, they help prevent against prematurely aging skin. 

Free radicals destroy cells and are produced by exposure to radiation, alcohol, smog and many other pollutants.

With respect to the skin, free radicals:

- Damage cell function
- Change the DNA in the cell which can lead to cancer
- Activate factors which break down collagen, which causes wrinkles and
- Cause aging which appear on hands, face and neck first.

Antioxidants prevent and repair cell damage that is cause by free radicals. Antioxidants can be found in foods as well as in skin care products. Carotenoids, vitamin E, vitamin C and vitamin E are antioxidant vitamins.

Carotenoids
Betacarotene is a provitamin which converts into Vitamin A in the liver, and prevents against damage to cell membrane. 
Food sources are sweet potatoes, carrots, mangoes, spinach, egg yolk and red, orange, deep-yellow and some dark green leafy veges like broccoli.

Vitamin A
Vitamin A is needed for the formation and maintainence of mucus membranes. It is only found in animal products such as liver, butter, milk, cheese and eggs.
Shout out to all my vegetarians. Get up on your betacarotenes! 

Vitamin E
Vitamin E reduces the ability of LDL (bad cholesterol) to form plaque in the arteries.
Common food sources include margarine, salad dressings, peanut butter, whole grain products, nuts, vegetable oil and mayo. These sources are often high in fat and should be used in moderation. It can also be found in some leafy veges.

Vitamin A and E, as well as vitamin D and K are fat soluble (stored in body fat), and can be harmful when taken in excessive amounts.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C protects against heart disease, cancer and stress.
It is usually found in citrus fruits like oranges and tangerines but is also found in sweet peppers, melon and most berries – strawberries, blackberries and blueberries for example. Vitamin C is water soluble and cannot be taken in excess as whatever the body does not use will be passed out in urine. 

Teas
Tea also contains antioxidants, white tea containing the strongest content of them all. *Muuuuaaahahahahahah*
Coffee and chocolate also contains antioxidants, but of course you have to factor in the effects on your body of caffeine and sugar respectively.
 

Sunscreen (SPF) is an antioxidant that guards skin against damaging UV rays and can be found in quite a few moisturizers and other cosmetic products. 

Eat up!

Photo: djcodrin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

POSSIBLY RELATED GC POSTS

Premature aging
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Q/A: Which type of foundation is for me?

Much like having different shoes, most people need two to three shades of foundation to get through the changes that may occur in skin from season to season. Caucasian skin has the smallest variation in skin tones while darker skin tones (Asian, Hispanic, Black) have the greatest.

On darker skin tones it is not unusual to find different tones on one skin. Therefore it is usually necessary to either blend different colours of foundations to achieve the right look or to look for product lines that offer greater choices for skin of colour. You can also apply foundation only to areas that require it rather than to the entire face. 

Regardless, blending is key to achieving a smooth, even, and natural look. 

Foundations may be matte or shiny. Matte foundations work better on uneven skin types as they work well at camouflaging skin imperfections. They also work well on oilier skin types. Shiny formulas are very reflective and are better suited for younger skins or even skin types. Using these formulas on uneven skin types will only highlight imperfections in skin. 

There are various types of foundations including tinted moisturizers, liquids, creams, liquid/ cream dual blends as well as mineral powder and each serves a different purpose. 

Tinted moisturizers
These function both as a moisturizer and as a foundation. Its moisturizing properties hydrate the skin; whereas the foundation properties provide colour. These products do not contain as much pigment as normal foundations and provide just a slight tint to the skin. They can easily be worn during the day, can vary in texture – from fluid to creamy texture and may contain sunscreen. These products are applied just like a moisturizer; dispense on fingertips and apply to face.

These types of foundations only come in a limited number of shades, and although they only impart very little colour, people with darker skin tones may find great difficulty in finding one that compliments their skin tones. In this case it will be better to use a moisturizer followed by loose powder in your skin tone.

Liquid foundations 
These are most popular and may be used by both combination/ oily and dry skin types. Liquid foundations come in both oil-free and oil based (respectfully) formulations and may be layered on skin for a thin or thicker coverage to even skin texture as well as to cover slight scarring.

Creams
When maximum coverage is desired cream formulations are often chosen. These foundations have the best covering ability, and offer heavy coverage and lasting ability when set with powder. Because of the amount of coverage these foundations impart, they are most often used in film and photography. They do contain a high content of oils so will work better for dry skins rather than oily skin types for extended wear. 

Dual Cream/ Powder
This provides the coverage of a cream with the ease of application of a powder.When applied wet with a dry or moist sponge, this formulation gives a matte look. When dusted on with a dry brush it provides a shiny look. Alternatively it may be applied with a dry or moist sponge and then followed with a dry brush to build more coverage.However, this type comes in a limited range of colours and may prove to be comedogenic (clog pores) for some skin types, especially oily skin.

Mineral Powder 
This formulation also comes in a wide range of colours and hides general imperfections. These formulations come either pressed (compact) or loose and may be applied either with a dry brush or cosmetic sponge depending on desired look. Cosmetic sponges deposit more product than do the larger dry brushes. 

For more drastic pigmentation issues there are specific makeup brands that offer 10 times or more the pigment content that normal foundations contain. This means that they offer superior coverage and can cover skin imperfections. Cover FX and Dermablend are just two examples of  makeup brands that offer foundations which can be used for camouflage acne, melasma, rosacea, sun damage, scars, tattoos and vitiligo for example.

For more on selecting correct foundation tone and formulation see here.

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Works consulted:
Milady’s Standard Comprehensive Training for Estheticians 

Related GC Posts
Frump to Fab in 10 steps
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Random music quote of the day: Berlin

” If only for today I am unafraid ”

- Take my breath away, Berlin

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Have a tremendous Tuesday y’alls!

Supernova

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