Amanda Robinson for Best Eyelashes Extension in Town

August 7, 2015

If you’ve been reading this blog for any amount of time, you know I am a tried and true eyelash extension mistress. I know the good from the bad, the creme from the crap. I’ve been wearing these guys since 2007.

When I discover an artist who is safe, efficient, skilled and has a great eye for beauty and detail – I stick with them for a long time. I am deep into my year of working with Amanda Robinson, and I have to share. She is perfect. My lashes are safe, not over glued, not under glued, not doubled up or clumped. They are SAFE. She is a delight in every way. It’s time to spread the love.

Book with Amanda now and get totally fantastic lashes!!!

Amanda Robinson has been working in the beauty industry for over 5 years. She specializes in bridal and special event hair and makeup, eyelash extensions, and makeup consulting. She only uses a one to one eyelash technique that ensures your natural lashes stay healthy.

Phone: 206-747-7858
Email: lashesbymandee@gmail.com

What kind of lashes do you use?
I only use the best synthetic, silk, and mink lashes. That way no matter what you choose your lashes always look amazing.

How long does it take?
For a brand new set it takes 90 minutes, and after that fills are only 60 minutes.

How long do eyelash extensions last?
For maximum fullness I recommend getting a fill every 3 weeks. As your natural lashes shed we need to add new extensions on your new eyelashes.

Will this damage my eyelashes?
NO! Absolutely not. Lash health is my biggest priority and I only use a 1 extension to 1 eyelash technique that insures your natural lashes are never getting pulled out, or broken off. Just don’t pick at them or try to pull them off yourself.

Can I get them wet?
Yep, you can. Just wait 24 hrs after you get them done and then you are good to go.

Can I wear makeup and/or mascara?
Of course! You can wear whatever makeup you want. Mascara isn’t going to be necessary once you have extensions, but if you still feel like you want to wear some just make sure it’s NOT waterproof and that you are washing it off every night so it doesn’t build up on your extensions.

How do I take care of them?
Don’t get them wet for 24 hrs and only used oil free products on or around your eyes. Oil breaks down the glue and can make the lashes slip off. Other than that there isn’t much you need to worry about.

What is your cancellation policy?
I have a strict 24 hour cancellation policy. Please cancel 24 hrs in advance, because if you no-show your appointment you will be charged 100% of the service.

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Skincare finds at summer’s fin: Amarte Skincare from Korea

August 4, 2015

I’ve also become obsessed with Amarte skincare.

BB Creams and overnight sleep masks to multistep regimens, Americans are catching on and practicing these new skin care trends. Since not everyone has the time, or the money to follow these extensive regimens, Amarte, a luxe Korean skin care brand, is making it much easier for U.S women to achieve flawless skin.

For results without all of the steps, Dr. Kraffert, the U.S. dermatologist and president of Amarte, has created collection sets that follow multi-step regimens to cleanse, hydrate, rejuvenate and protect your skin. Dr. Kraffert developed the kits not only to narrow down customers’ choices, but to help introduce them to the brand in general. “It’s kind of like ordering from the prix fixe menu,” he says. “They’re going to put more into making sure it’s the truest expression of what [the brand] does.”

Korean Multi-Step Regimens:

Launched to introduce the American consumer to a comprehensive Korean skin care regimen, each new collection set focuses on a particular skin care issue, including dryness, anti-aging, brightening and SPF protection. Each collection features full size Amarte products and offers a schedule that shares which products to use in the morning and night, as well as which order to layer them in.

· Amarte Max2™ Collection Set: an all-in-one ritual kit offering a complete Korean skin care regimen designed to minimize fine lines and wrinkles, brighten and tighten, smooth and refine with maximum retinol and anti-oxidants. The kit includes instructions on how to layer the products morning and evening for optimal results as recommended by board certified dermatologist Craig Kraffert, President of Amarte. All products are formulated at the Bio-RIC Innovation Center in Korea using A-grade botanical ingredients. ($275 at Soft Surroundings and AmarteSkinCare.com)

· Amarte Super Hydrating Collection Set: Created for dry, dehydrated, sun damaged and mature skin, this all-inclusive Korean skin care regimen delivers botanicals like acacia collagen, mushroom extracts and argan oil to leave skin soft and supple. The kit includes instructions on how to layer the products morning and evening for optimal results as recommended by board certified dermatologist Craig Kraffert, President of Amarte. All products are formulated at the Bio-RIC Innovation Center in Korea using A-grade botanical ingredients. ($260 at Soft Surroundings and AmarteSkinCare.com)

· Amarte True Brightening™ Collection Set: an all-inclusive ritual kit offering a complete brightening Korean skin care regimen. Using powerful, natural brighteners to fade brown spots and hyperpigmentation, this regimen is designed to uncover your skin’s luminous glow. The kit includes instructions on how to layer the products morning and evening for optimal results as recommended by board certified dermatologist Craig Kraffert, President of Amarte. All products are formulated at the Bio-RIC Innovation Center in Korea using A-grade botanical ingredients. ($257 at Soft Surroundings and AmarteSkinCare.com)

· Amarte Ultra Protecting™ Collection Set: an all-inclusive sun care kit featuring Amarte Ultra Veil SPF 50+ and Natural Finish BB Cream. Amazing alone, but better together, both deliver broad spectrum UV protection in ultra-light formulations perfect for everyday use. The kit includes instructions on how to layer the products for optimal results, as recommended by board certified dermatologist Craig Kraffert, President of Amarte. All products are formulated at the Bio-RIC Innovation Center in Korea using A-grade botanical ingredients. ($97 at Soft Surroundings and AmarteSkinCare.com)

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Gabriela Artigas: Jewelry to Covet

August 3, 2015

What better a place to fall in love with a jewelry designer and her work than at a wedding shower. I nearly dropped dead when I met Gabriela Artigas this past Saturday at a gorgeous pre-wedding brunch at The Bel Air hotel. Everything was so beautiful and perfect and the beauty continued when my eyes found my way to the exquisite Gabriela. I was instantly taken with her radiance, style and beauty. Not to mention her perfect bright red pout. She was wearing a crisp white dress, a gloriously blank slate for her signature statement pieces. The statements were understated, subtle and yet profound in their resonating simplicity and architecture. Each piece is delicate and feminine, sexy and curved, with just the tiniest hint of edge, or naughtiness. I fell in love with everything she wore. I wondered if perhaps some of the gems had been sourced from Haruni Fine Gems – Rubies, Sapphires and Other Beautiful Gemstones, or if she had a different connection – the quality was just so high across the board, and the pieces all blended so perfectly, nothing over-shadowed the other. In combination, they told an incredible story, a gorgeous journey from hands, fingers, to neck and ears – that my eye couldn’t wait to cover. I hopped online the moment I came home to devour her entire repertoire. What a feast of beauty. She sells her work in all my favorite stores (no wonder)- like OK, Ten Over Six, to name a few.

Here is exactly what Gabriella had on that I flipped for. Christmas list starts now!

Pave Infinite Tusk Earring (Sold Single) Price: $490.00 14K-Pave

This bestselling pull through style can be worn down or up the lobe // Pave White Diamonds on 14K Infinite Tusk Earring available in 14K Yellow, Rose and White Gold. 0.06Ct 9 Diamonds, Clarity SI1-SI2, Color H-I (this looks amazing withe he solid gold, overlapped!)

Pave White Diamonds on 14K Infinite Staple Ring (TWO FINGER) Price: $890.00

White diamonds decorate our classic Infinite Staple ring. Perfect for pairing on opposite fingers with our infinite staple ring. *Sizing Tip* Go one size up to let your fingers move easily. Available in 14K Yellow and Rose Gold. (39 diamonds, 0.2 Ct, Clarity SI1-SI2, Color H-I)

(this looks amazing withe he solid gold, overlapped!)

Co-Orbit Choker with Draping Chain Price: $250.00

This simple and unique design has multiple uses. Wear to the front for a timeless long chain or switch the chain to lay to the back for added drama. Available in Yellow Gold Plated.

For Teresita and Gabriela Artigas, everything begins and ends with family. The Artigas sisters find joy and inspiration in the small details of everyday life: daily phone calls with their mother, who runs a national grief counseling organization in Mexico, babysitting their beloved nephew Oliver. Growing up in Mexico City, the Artigas siblings (which includes older brother Alejandro, a furniture designer) found themselves surrounded by many socially diverse and vibrant cultures. As a result of their immersion in that massive, cosmopolitan population, the Artigas’s developed a strong sense of compassion, humor, and humanity. Those traits, combined with their core values of collaboration, integrity and love clearly inflect every aspect of the jewelry line and business practice, which is based in Los Angeles.

Designer Gabriela Artigas finds beauty in the everyday and wonder in the familiar. Though she sources her gems from all over the world, the people and objects closest to her most often inspire her. You might regularly see her with her little Italian Greyhound Harry. Her jewelry is a natural extension of her life and personality — both the process of creating the line and end product are the outcome of a whimsical nature, a warm-hearted curiosity, and a keen eye for style.

Founded in 2003, the eponymous Los Angeles-based jewelry line by Gabriela and Teresita Artigas embraces the beauty in complexity: pieces range from delicately minimalist earrings with sharp extruding tusks to boldly architectural necklaces tied with leather ribbon.

Working with fine materials such as 14 karat gold, sterling silver, precious and semi-precious stones, designer Gabriela and her sister Teresita have sold their boldly minimalist jewelry to some of the most discerning boutiques in the world.

As influenced by their roots in Mexico City’s the sisters are by contemporary culture (grandfather Francisco was noted modernist architect and friends range from rock musicians to restauranteurs), Gabriela Artigas creates “everyday statement jewelry” — pieces that are remarkably easy to wear and effortlessly transition from the office to the stage, and anywhere the adventurous modern woman might go.

Gabriela Artigas’s pieces are handcrafted in California, the production is a representation not just of the sisters aesthetic and dedication to quality, but also of the way in which they live. Most of the pieces are conceived and built under the same roof; while the production numbers tend to hover in the dozen. A piece’s production cycle is rarely continued after its initial run, by keeping numbers low they are forced into perpetual reinvention. A reinvention not dictated by the fashion cycle of summer, winter and cruise collections but by a slower and thorough commitment towards craft.

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GAME CHANGER ALERT: LASER IN A JAR from nurse jaime

August 2, 2015

Another great post summer skin essential!

Nurse Jamie’s Dermalase AHA Exfoliating Mask Will Reveal A Brighter, Lighter, Younger Looking Complexion for Post-Summer Skin Complete with rich nutrients and active botanicals, the Dermalase AHA Exfoliating Mask is a gentle yet effective, revitalizing peel that exfoliates with the power of papaya, Alpha Hydroxy and Multi-Fruit Acids to induce cellular renewal and turnover and refined tone and texture. The action packed mask incorporates a full range of highly active and proprietary fruit complexes to brighten even the most sallow complexion, as well as includes added extracts for improved hydration, transportation and intra-cellular movement in the dermis to achieve a luxurious, laser-like turnover and reveal!

Active Ingredients:

Papaya Seed Extract promotes cellular DNA production and firming with anti-inflammatory properties. Alpha Hydroxy Acids are naturally derived exfoliants that reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Multi-fruit Acids (pineapple, lemon, grape, passion fruit) to promote skin brightening. Aloe Vera to help fight aging, hydrate, and improve skin’s natural firmness. Glycolic Acid is a water-binding agent, which helps to plump the skin.

Available for purchase at www.net-a-porter.com starting in September 2016 — $84.00 (1.7 oz)

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FATwater:
we’re not chewing the fat here, we’re drinking it.

July 31, 2015

In my college days, I had a buddy named Jerry who would stir a tablespoon of butter into his morning coffee. We thought he was nuts. And he was. He was not the poster child of good health. He would add cream cheese to an egg sandwich at the deli, consume copious amounts of drugs and alcohol (well, it WAS college) and his only exercise was lifting weights every 16 days or so. He was a big kid and his diet suggested his heart was the size of a canned ham.

Fast forward to 2014 and enter Bulletproof coffee. The first time I was introduced to this new take on Joseph and the hype it created, I immediately jumped to the conclusion that Jerry was the founder.

One day, while visiting San Diego, I walked in on my friend Paul (who is a fitness instructor) making it:

Brew a cup of coffee
Add 1-2 tablespoons grass-fed, unsalted butter
Mix it all in a blender for 20-30 seconds until it is foamy

Official Bulletproof recipe here!

I missed the part where he added the MCT oil (or as bulletproof coffee aficionados like to call it, Brain Octane, of which we are daily addicts). I was taken a back. Here I am drinking three to four cups of coffee a day, loaded with half and half and wondering why my jeans don’t button, and my friend is drinking coffee with butter and oil mixed into it and he looks like a Spartan warrior. There hasn’t been a beverage revelation like this since the fizzy lifting drink developed by Willy Wonka, and that wasn’t even fucking real.

I now envisioned Jerry driving a new Tesla down the Long Island Expressway, sipping on a travel mug with butter lathered into his mustache. In between sips, he was laughing maniacally in jest of his college friends who ridiculed his morning rituals. Only after a cursory Google search, I learned immediately that Jerry was not the founder.

Dave Asprey, founder and CEO of Bulletproof

It was a guy who goes by the name of Dave Asprey. So now that we ruled out Jerry as the founder, lets talk about Bulletproof’s latest performance enhancer: FATwater. FATwater contains patented nanoparticles of Bulletproof XCT Oil™, the most valuable Medium Chain Triglyceride fats (MCTs) found in coconut oil. Your body easily absorbs these XCT Oil nanoparticles, which efficiently escort water into your body so you can experience extreme hydration. Extreme hydration?! Let’s just say this stuff makes the hump on a camel look like a fruit dehydrator. It’s been an unseasonably hot and humid summer in L.A. I have been battling dehydration since Memorial Day. I barely drink any water, I’m either too busy, too dumb or too forgetful.

FATwater changed that real fast. After just a few gulps of this elixir I felt instantly hydrated…and it tastes great! You would think water mixed with oil would taste like, well, water mixed with oil. But the added essence of the fruit flavors will really give other flavored waters a run for their money.

Plus only 2 grams of fat and only 20 calories (compared to sugary energy drinks like Gatorcrap).

So next time you find yourself dehydrated, grab a bottle of FATwater and turn your dried out, sandpapered tongue into what will instantly feel like the the main tributary of Niagara Falls. Just look out for Jerry, he may try to ride a barrel down it.

About Bulletproof
Founded by biohacker, bestselling author and Bulletproof Coffee creator Dave Asprey, Bulletproof is dedicated to providing the world with groundbreaking, science-based information, techniques, tools and products to help people perform better, increase focus, enhance energy, and live longer. Resources include #1 ranked radio show and podcast Bulletproof Radio, the New York Times bestselling book THE BULLETPROOF DIET, documentary feature film MOLDY, The Bulletproof Executive blog, and more. https://www.bulletproofexec.com

About Trinity Ventures
Trinity Ventures is a top-tier venture capital firm combining business insight, practical expertise and a personal touch to help start-ups win big. For over eleven funds, Trinity has helped passionate entrepreneurs with breakthrough ideas transform markets and lives. Trinity’s investment team takes a collaborative approach and believes in personal engagement, mutual respect and goal alignment to deliver out-sized returns to entrepreneurs and investors. The firm invests in early stage technology companies with emphases on Cloud, Digital Media, Social Commerce and Entertainment, and Software as a Service.

– Written by Christian Majewski

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