Dirty Little Secrets (Pt. 1)

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Secret closets, we all have them.

Places where we stash certain things away , perhaps thoughts, dreams, our past, and sometimes even our potential. 

Sometimes it’s best to keep certain information to ourselves, not necessarily that we don’t want anyone to know about them, but because sometimes people can’t handle the responsibility of TMI. 

Sometimes, hiding information about ourselves or our habits can be detrimental. Hiding information about our health and our skin care routines (or lack of them) from our skin therapist is one of those times. 

Why is it important to divulge your skin care and health history? you ask.

Because doing so will not only ensure that you receive the best treatment to address your specific needs, it may save your life.

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Among a host of other things, it is important for your skin therapist to know:

1. What is going on with you?

e.g. Lifestyle, stress levels, diet & nutrition, social habits, marriage, divorce, break up, moving house, migrating, you picked up smoking, you quit smoking,y you developed a drug habit, you started an exercise regimen, you’ve been overdosing on coffee etc.

Everything that you do (or don’t do) affects the health of your skin.

2. What is going on with your skin 

Challenges, both longstanding and new – sensitivities, redness, darkening, acne, dryness, oiliness, loss of skin tone – whatever is of specific concern to you.

From a consumer point of view, this is to ensure that you are getting value for your money. If you would like clearer skin but you are being treated for fine line

Also, a skin therapist sees many a client, so it is very tempting for the lazy and/ or unprofessional to go into auto-pilot and give you a ‘generic’ skin treatment.

From a skin therapist’s point of view, this ensures that you are both on the same page. 

3. What are your skin care goals?

What you would like to improve about your skin. Be as specific as possible. As with life, the more specific you are about setting your goals (i.e. following the S.M.A.R.T. rule) greater the chances of you achieving these goals. 

4. What are you currently doing to achieve those goals?

 Any medications that you’re on, any products that you are currently using, if you are on a particular diet

and if you aren’t currently doing anything

5. What action plan you are willing to follow to achieve those goals?

 A measure of much time you are willing to dedicate to achieving these goals and your level of committment.

All of the above will determine the course of action that your skin care therapist will take in an effort to work with you to get you where you want to be:

- Healthy, glowing, Sexy skin that ages well,

- Keep the oil production under wraps,

- Deal with any pigmentation issues or chronic dryness perhaps.

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Contraindications

There are some conditions where a skin therapist will not offer treatment, and therefore if you fall in any of these categories you need to say. If you don’t say, is you to ‘ketch.

These are:

1. Malignant Melanoma 

Usually associated with excessive exposure to the sun or indoor tanning

2. Cuts/ abrasions/ open wounds.

The entire area is avoided. The skin therapist may work around the area if applicable.

3. Infected Acne

Technically called “Grade 4 Acne”,  this is the highest level of acne. The skin therapist is not qualified to treat this and client should be referred to a dermatologist.

4. Herpes Simplex

Contagious and may spread from one side of the mouth (cold sore) to the other as skin treatments involve the movement of blood an lymph fluid.

5. Impetigo

Highly contagious. It is dormant in the immune system. Lack of sleep, improper eating habits or stress may cause inflammation.

This you can pass on to your skin therapist as well as other clients in the Spa. Nobody is going to like you for that.

 

Other Concerns

There are other conditions that aren’t considered contraindications, i.e. the skin therapist can either work around the area or may have to adjust/ customize the treatment to facilitate it. These will be discussed in part 2 of this post. 

 

Client Consultation

As a result it is important your skin therapist take the time to do a thorough client consultation with you before each treatment, whether you are a new client or a returning one. 

If you are a returning client, the consultation may be shorter, but you still need to let the skin therapist know of any changes, updates, .. anything that you did differently since your last visit. 

So fill out your client consultation form properly, this is not a time to rush.

Remember this is a written record. Neither the skin care facility nor the skin therapist can be held liable in the event that any complications may arise as a result of you NOT disclosing information you were clearly asked. 

Kiss and tell.

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Spring/ Summer Getups 2010

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For those of us who were too busy with our own lives to make it to the Spring fashion shows somewhere around the turn of Fall 2009, no worries I got your back.

Here’s a quick rundown of ‘they said’ that we must wear for Spring/ Summer 2010, i.e what you found a few people wearing at last years end, what you would find some people wearing about now, and what you would find most people wearing around Fall of 2010, when it would be duplicated enough times to reach the mass market distribution.

Gotta love the fashion cycle. Just when you think you’ve nailed it, there is someone out there thinking that you are way behind.

1. LUCITE 

 

Gotta love throw-backs. You can be ‘in style’ without having spent a cent.

Spring season’s hottest accessories are of the solid, plastic, transparent variety, (think Plexiglas). 

I remember when plastic jewelry was in style, not too long ago, but it was the coloured variety. Well, these aren’t those times. The season’s ‘plastics’ are transparent.

Clearly, (pardon the pun) these accessories aren’t for the wallflowers, and can be worn as jewelry, shoes (platform soles and heels), bags, you name it.

Shoes

Don’t know, when I think of plastic accessories my mind always goes back to those plastic, glitter-filled, platforms that little girls and certain Grown folk wear. Remember those?

Anyways, these aren’t those, and if you select your plastic-soled, platformed shoes wisely you would look the epitome of fashion. Don’t however, and you will look like those aforementioned Grown folk. Feast your eyes on these Fendi babies.

 

 

 

The new breed of ladies called “Tigers” immediately come to mind.

Accessories

1. So that you don’t look too plastic, mix and match with metals

 

 

If plastic is just not your thing, some other jewelry trends are:

1. Bold jewelry.

Think bright/ striking and statement making, not necessarily large.

 

 

 

 

 

Not a big fan of transparent plastic jewelry myself, perhaps because I’m far from transparent. So I’d have to say that this trend appeals to me more.

2. Petals seem to be big too. 

From earrings to bracelets, as big or as small as you like it. 

 

 

 

 

For the uber femmes among us.

2. STRIPES

Spring usually welcomes the sailor, and you know how we at GC here LOVE lycra stripes as a fashion choice for the general public *side eye*.

Spring stripes are all H-O-R-I-Z-O-N-T-A-L so proceed with caution. Though most are black/ blue  and white or some combination of two colours, you can show your personality by opting to rock multicoloured,  horizontal stripes. Do limit your other accessories when choosing the latter. 

Unstructured (read WIDE), shorter than usual (read about belly button level) tops seem to be in stores everywhere. WHY? I have no idea. My advice would be to stay very far away. 

So long as you know when, where, and what your personal style limitations are you should be alright though. 

My advice is, unless you are a size 2, stick to stripes as your first or second layer and not your last. That would mean to avoid striped trousers, leggings and anything that can be called outer wear. 

Tip: Wear horizontal stripes where you think you can afford to add volume, i.e. a striped tee or blouse if you aren’t the bustiest, or a striped skirt if you’ve got the slim legs or athletic build (minimal hips)

And unless you’ve been successfully hitting the gym religiously for at least the last year, avoid 100% lycra stripes, no matter how great they look on the mannequin. 

Some stripey looks

 

 

 

Tricky? Yes, but cute if you can pull it off. At this length, not for the office though, unless you have a different kind of ambition.

An alternative could be:

 

Much safer.

In addition to stripes, plaid and chambray also seem to be getting a lot of play. Stripey-ish I suppose. 

Personally, I don’t really see the purpose of a striped shirt that’s also a boyfriend cut (read no darts or shaping to it, pretty much a boy can wear it) for a female, even if it’s Burberry, but I suppose it’s a look, so I’ll mention it anyways.

 

 

She looks as bored as this getup is. I feel ya’ girl, Next.

3. CUT OUTS

This cut out trend can be found anywhere from clothing to shoes, like oxfords; Wingtips, brogues and jazz shoes are all in this trend right now. 

Clothing

If you have assets that require maximum support, cut-outs that compromise the integrity of the fabric, and it’s ability to assist you with that support may not be the best idea. 

An alternative could be either:

1. Cut outs that are lined with sheer fabric 

2. Designs that give the appearance of cut outs, but do not affect the ability of the dress to provide support, like asymmetrical necklines or hemlines, i.e. no cuts happening within the bulk of the fabric itself, *cough* like right under the boobies.

 

 

.. and okay maybe not THAT high of an incline, though slits are very popular now…

3. Colour-blocking. Two toned apparel that gives the same idea as the cut out trend, but keeps your skin to yourself. 

 

 

or this type of look can work as well:

 

In addition to the obvious cut outs, ‘cold’ or  ’peek-a-boo’ shoulders as I like to call them, also seem to be pretty big, a safe alternative to the cut-out trend, either the classic cold shoulder or the updated ones.

For a classic ‘cold’ shoulder look:

 

 

This look also as the essence of the cut out trend, with updated colour blocking.

Or the ‘peek-a-boo’ trend:

 

Updated ‘cold’ shoulder. Feel free to switch up the shoes.

Or of course you can always do Hervé:

 

Hot.

So long as you’ve already organized your plan to keep the creditors off your back.

The other extreme end is also being seen, the super, duper, superhero strong shoulder look with the use of extensive shoulder padding. Wear with caution. 

Alternatively you can wear something that gives the ‘impression’ of strong shoulders like ruffled shoulders.

 

 

Much better I think, especially if you’ve already done the original 80s shoulder pads.

If you have issues with your arms, you might want to stay away from  these looks. 

Shoes

 

A fun alternative if you are into flats and ballet shoes.

4. SANDALS

Seems to be a hodge-podge, mish-mash of past styles for Spring 2010.

- Studs seem to be big, as well as ankle straps, in whichever heights you choose.

- After spending some years on the backburner, Wedges seem to be completing their comeback.

- And hope you guys didn’t throw out your gladiators from last year, and the year before… and the year before that, cause guess what? … they’re ‘back’. Surprise! They’re back, though not aaaaall over the pavement like they were last year. 

- Woven shoes and booties have a presence as well.

- Earthy accents like rope, raffia, jute, cork and natural wood are back  - typical spring.

- Platform sandals haven’t left us and aren’t going to leave us anytime soon apparently.

See some eye candy below.

Flat

 Embellished ankle strap

 

 Studs/gladiator-like

 

Here’s that clear plastic again.

 

Wedges

Studs and wooden heels

 

 

Gladiator-esq with embellishments

 

 

 

ohhh.. how ladylike.

Or, my personal favorite the Stilleto

Bandages and woven trend take. 

 

 

these babies…

 

And of course, platforms. Donatella was apparently inspired by ‘Alice in Wonderland’ for her collection:

 

I believe, my dear reader, what you’ve just experienced is called a ‘Shoegasm’.

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