False Lashes Oh My!

False Lashes, who doesn’t love them? They make any makeup look more glamorous and the ability to make your eyes look bigger and flirtier is amazing.

Here are my quick and simple steps for applying false lashes on your own.

1. Pick your lash type: Individual or strip. If you choose a strip make sure you hold it against your eye to measure and then trim any excess off. I always trim from the inside (shortest lashes) so that the long flirty edges stay intact.
2. Lash glue: It comes in clear, white or black. Sometimes the lashes you buy will have some glue included. If you have a choice, buy black. With the white glue you will have to wait to dry and turn clear and the clear is very runny and needs to set up a bit before you apply the lashes. Apply a bit to the underside of your arm and wait 10 minutes to see if there is any reaction.
3. BIG TIP: Put a mirror on the counter so you can look down at yourself and see your lashline clearly!!
4. Apply a thin line of glue to the back of your non-dominant hand. Wash well when finished!
5. Strip: Drag the strip gently through the glue so that a thin line coats the base of the lash. Wave in the air a few times (makes glue a little tacky and it won’t slide around as much). Looking down into the mirror, press the lash evenly to your natural lash line. Repeat.
   Individual lashes: Use the method above except using tweezers or your fingers, pick up a cluster of individual lashes and drag the knotted base through a little glue. Drag through your natural lash line and then settle the knot into the base of your lash line. Use varying lengths for a natural look, concentrating the longest ones on the outside edge.
6. Fill in lashline with a black liner.
7. Apply mascara while holding the back of the lashes firmly against a finger so that they don’t come loose with the motion of the mascara wand.
8. Enjoy the compliments!!
9. Removing false eyelashes:  Using lash glue remover or just a gentle cleanser remove gently, never pulling. If you have a strip, wash thoroughly and place back in box. They can be reused several times.

Better Than Botox?

Effects of Botox:
Botox injections immobilize the muscles that cause facial wrinkles.

There are now effective topical alternatives to costly injections! You may want to relax the expression lines that you see on your forehead and around your eyes but you are not sure about a needle and botulinum toxin type A (the active ingredient in Botox).

How does Botox work?
Your facial muscles contract and relax based upon signals received from nerves. The muscles and nerves are connected by a neuromuscular junction. When the nerves send signals to the muscles, neurotransmitters are released and bind to receptors on the junction. This causes a chemical reaction, which makes the muscles contract. Botox inhibits the receptors in the muscles that identify the presence of these neurotransmitters and prevents the chemical reaction that causes muscle contractions. By paralyzing the underlying muscle, Botox doesn’t allow the wrinkle to develop.

How do Botox alternatives work?
Topical alternatives to Botox work in a similar way by blocking the receptors and preventing the muscle from contracting. The active ingredient in these type of products are peptides. Peptides are short chains of amino acids. Amino acids are the basic building blocks of proteins and many other different types of organic molecules. Peptides are frequently created by the digestion of proteins in the body, and many types of peptides are readily and rapidly absorbed by the bloodstream. For this reason, peptides are particularly effective as skin care ingredients.

Though the effect won’t be as strong, and you need to keep using the product to keep the effect, peptide products are a viable alternative that is less expensive with no known side effects.

Interested in knowing more about peptides and what facial products contain them?
Schedule your complimentary consultation today! Book online or leave a message 707.937-9977.

BOTOX® is a registered trademark of Allergan, Inc

Fall Skincare Tips

Fall is in the air!

Along with the crisp mornings and turning leaves, you may have also noticed your skin feeling a little chapped and dry. When the season changes, so does your skin. This is a great opportunity to take advantage of the colder weather and ease your skin into the winter months gracefully. Here are a few beauty tips and skincare suggestions to come through the seasonal the transition with beautiful skin.

Please call or email me for a personalized consultation!
707-937-9977, amy@mendocinobeauty.com

• Schedule a series of facial peels
  Chemical exfoliation helps remove sun damage and dry patches, revealing soft new skin. Harmful UV rays have retreated a bit and now is the time to get the results you want.

• Switch to a creamy skin cleanser
  Turning up the heater inside can dry the air and dry your skin. A creamy cleanser emulsifies dirt and makeup and rinses off clean. Your skin will still be soft and hydrated, not “squeaky” clean. (Try Image Vital C Hydrating Cleanser)

• Glove treatment for dry hands
  Chapped, dry hands? Put a rich lotion on and then thin cotton gloves. Sleep with them on if possible. You will be amazed at the difference.

• Oil in your bath
  Try a little Sesame, Jojoba, or even Olive Oil in your next hot bath.
  After you are finished just pat dry for a silky texture all over.

• A richer moisturizer
  Now is the time to seal in the hydration. A rich moisturizer will help dispell any redness and will keep your skin from feeling tight and dry.
  (Try Le Mieux Bio Cell Rejuvenating Cream)

• Lip balm, not licking!
  When our lips are chapped it is tempting to lick them. Instead, try a lip balm than will seal in moisture and keep the elements away.
  (Try Image Ormedic Lip Enhancing Treatment)

• Keep drinking water
  This advice just doesn’t go away! You know it’s good for you, but if you have trouble getting the recommended amounts, try an herbal tea instead.

• Smile
  You are BEAUTIFUL!

  

Recipe for Beautiful Skin

As this month’s featured beauty partner guest blog post we have a great article from Anna Rathbun who is a Certified Nutrition Consultant. She reminds us that every meal is an opportunity to look and feel better. Enjoy these tips for beautiful skin and incorporate them into your next meal for amazing benefits!
—Amy Wall

Are you looking for glowing, radiant and blemish free skin?
The food you enjoy is the very material used to create your skin. The three elements of beautiful skin are elasticity, which helps the skin to spring back from a lovely smile; cleansing, which allows toxins to be excreted without a glitch; and moisture, which keeps the skin smooth and supple. Combine these three elements on your dinner plate and you have a recipe for beautiful skin.

A beautiful skin diet
For elasticity think fresh fruits and vegetables with vibrant colors for vitamin C and bioflavonoids. Strawberries in season and tomatoes right off the vine are high in vitamin C, which is important in forming collagen, the connective tissue in your skin. Vitamin C degrades quickly so Florida oranges in September are not your best bet. Dark berries and the skin of citrus fruit are high in bioflavonoids, which help vitamin C make your skin elastic and don’t degrade with time. While fresh berries are seasonal and vitamin C degrades quickly, you can enjoy bioflavonoids from the white inside pith of an orange peel year ’round. The skin of berries and citrus help protect the fruit from the sun and can do the same for your skin.

For moist, supple skin you need a balance of good fat in the diet. Enjoy a variety of nuts and seeds for healthy oils and antioxidants. Think of Brazil nuts, walnuts, pecans, almonds, hemp, chia and flax seeds. Beneficial oils are very fragile, so purchase your nuts and seeds fresh and store them refrigerated. Healthy animals are also high in good fat; wild salmon, sardines and grass fed beef contain Omega 3 fat, which helps to reduce inflammation and may prevent dry skin. Don’t be afraid of the fat in nuts, seeds and healthy animals. These good fats can improve skin and even help with weight loss.

For blemish free skin, clean the body from the inside with green leafy vegetables and fiber foods that eliminate toxins. Enjoy a salad with added dark leafy greens, like kale and cabbage, and add high fiber foods like broccoli, flax seeds, legumes and whole grains. In addition, Brazil nuts are high in selenium, a great skin antioxidant. These foods work like a broom, gently sweeping away excess toxins so they don’t clog up your skin.

You are literally made of the food you eat, so eating the right food can dramatically improve elasticity, cleansing and moisture of the skin. Those foods can also be tasty and satisfying, leaving you with a full belly and a smile on your beautiful skin. You have the power to choose foods that support or degrade the skin and any other organ of the body. Which foods are best for your body?

Anna Rathbun is a Certified Nutrition Consultant in Mendocino, California. She helps people enjoy delicious “skin food” that supports their health. MendoDiet.com

Our Newest Product … Image Skincare

I am so proud to announce the newest member of Mendocino Beauty’s esteemed product lineup Image Skincare, a professional line of natural skin care products. The Image Skincare integrated team of sophisticated chemists, combined with the clinical experience of internationally operating physicians, leads to a symbiosis of novel ideas, new ingredients and the development of new beauty and anti-aging  products. The ability to conduct clinical trials under the supervision of Board Certified Plastic Surgeons in Europe gives them the advantage to integrate and utilize new ingredients earlier and more successfully.

See Amazing Results with the Image Skincare Products
We are carrying the hydrating Vital C line which soothes and protects sensitive or irritated skin; the organic Ormedic line with its powerful anti-oxidants and pure, chemical, acid and paraben free ingredients and the Ageless The Max line for prevention and treatment of aging skin as new retail products.

We are also offering the amazing Image Signature 4-Layer Face Lift skin treatment, as well as the full array of Image peels. I received an advance Chemical peeling Certification from Image Skincare and also experienced a peel. The results were what convinced me to bring this line in! I had 4 days of light sloughing of dead skin and when I was done my skin was clear, radiant and rosy! Imagine what a series of 4 could do!

Ready to experience clear radiant skin? Book online or leave a message for an appointment 937-9977. Have a wonderful day.

New Hair Removal System!

Beauty Partner – Mantra’s Hair Salon

I’m thrilled to feature this guest blog post from Jocelyn DeChenne, the new owner of Mantra’s Hair salon that is connected to the Mendocino Beauty studio. Our services complement one another and we now offer a full suite of services.
—Amy Wall

Beauty Partner – Jocelyn DeChenne, owner Mantra’s Hair Salon

A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that are considered capable of “creating transformation” (cf. spiritual transformation).¹ Their use and type varies according to the school and philosophy associated with the mantra.

It has always been my dream to own a salon in the Mendocino Village. The moment I embarked on my new life here on the coast I have felt enveloped by my community as well as my fellow women (and men!) in the beauty industry. Almost immediately I crossed paths with Amy Wall, my dear friend and constant inspiration. Since 2006 I have been blessed to work alongside her doing bridal hair and makeup for women from all over the world on the weekends, while building a name and clientele for myself in hair cutting during the week.  All the paths I have been down since I rooted on the coast have led me to be able to launch my newest path, Mantras!

My passion for fashion started as soon as I was old enough to play with Tinkerbelle nail polish and lip glosses. From there it blossomed into intrigue in everything from vintage styles to urban funk.  I have had the privilege to come from a corporate background early on in my profession. I started out with Toni&Guy Hairdressing, working my way up from an Assistant to an Art Director, Educator and Platform Artist.  My intense training has covered everything from multi-cultural styling to prestigious customer service. My European training has focused me in the direction of specialization, meaning I only perform cutting and styling services. Toni&Guy was originated in Europe, adopting the career style of cut & color specialists as opposed to cosmotologists. I work synergistically with Mantra’s stylist, Marianella Brey, who performs traditional color services, along with Balayage and Brazilian Keratin treatments.

Our philosophy here at Mantras is to provide positive affirmations for the hair and spirit while setting intentions to assist in helping our clients become the best versions of themselves they can possibly be.  Careful attention to detail is taken to provide the utmost service while prescribing take-home hair care we are passionate about. We are enthusiastic about community events and love to create and elevate local fashion and style.  We hope to create a salon where clients can feel safe and confident in their artists, while allowing us to support them in the transition of their personal image.
~Jocelyn DeChenne, mendomantras.com

Beauty 

Products!

“How do I use my facial care products?” is one of the most common questions I get asked. 
Knowing the answer will help you get the most out of your skincare investment and bring out your natural beauty.

BEAUTY TIP: Day and night routines can differ but, in general, face skincare products are applied in the order of their viscosity.

Today we’ll review a skin treatment regime for someone with aging, dry skin:

1. Cleanse: Use a small amount as professional products are concentrated.
   Nighttime option: A creamy, emulsifying cleanser to help take off makeup.
2. Tone – Your “Second Cleanse”: This removes residues left over from the cleanser and helps prep the skin for your serum.
3. Treat – Serum: The most powerful part of your regimen! Concentrated, active ingredients that are made to correct and treat a variety of skin conditions.
   Nighttime option: Any serums containing Retinol or Alpha Hydroxy Acids.
4. Treat (Optional) Eye Cream: Pat around the orbital bone, never tugging or rubbing. The tissue here is extremely delicate so treat with care.
5. Nourish: This is where you are sealing in and conditioning your beautiful face with a high quality moisturizer. Look for ingredients like Peptides, Hyaluronic Acid and Ceramides. Smooth the product evenly around your face and down your neck and all the way across your chest. If you must combine this with a sunscreen, be sure it’s at least a 30 and, if you are in direct sun, reapply.
   Nighttime option: Use a cream with a richer texture, no sunscreen.
6. Protect – Sunscreen: I prefer a physical “block” rather than a chemical “screen.” Make sure to apply a generous amount. Get the tops of your ears and back of your neck, too!
7. Exfoliation and Masks: Exfoliate 3 times a week to help your skin turn over faster and remove dead, dull skin. A mask suited to your skin type would be perfect to do after this step. After rinsing, proceed with steps 2-5.

*Consult your Skin Care Professional for the best products for your skin type and conditions.

We sell exclusive lines of carefully selected facial creams and skincare products at Mendocino Beauty. I am available for phone or email consultation if you have any questions!
amy@mendocinobeauty.com or 707-937-9977

All About Brows

*New*   Mendocino Beauty is now featuring a Brow Bar!

In the tradition of some of the larger makeup lines at department stores, we are offering an easy, convenient way to keep your brows looking in top shape right at our Mendocino Beauty Makeup Counter.

Licensed Esthetician and Makeup Artist, Danielle Frey is available to shape and groom your brows on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 11-4 in our Makeup Room. $15

While you are there, ask to be color matched with one of our fabulous foundation formulas. We have loose, liquid and pressed Mineral Makeup lines, and we can help you find one to soothe and protect your skin while looking great.

Especially wonderful for calming freshly waxed skin!

Make an appointment online, or just stop by.

Walk-ins are welcomed and encouraged!

Tips and Tricks For Maintaining Your Own Beautiful Brows….

Our brows are the frame to our face and out of all of our features, are one of the most expressive and revealing.

Think of some  famous brows like the full, thick frame of Brooke Shields or the provocative arch of Marlene Dietrich and you can see that trends in brow shapes change radically and can become a real signature of style.

Use the following tips and tricks, and refer to the diagram below, to create the brow shape that is best for you.

1. Always seek a licensed Professional if in doubt! Eyebrow hair can be stubborn and vigorous, but it can also stop growing where we consistently tweeze or wax. Make sure you are removing in areas that you really want bare.
2. Use a mild tonic like Witch Hazel or Le Mieux’s Iso Cell Recovery Complex, before and after tweezing. This helps keep bacteria at bay and also calms and sooths the skin. Tweezing can cause pinpoint bleeding and open skin can get infected very easily.
3. Keep your tweezers clean. Store them in a closed container and clean with alcohol after every use.
4. Invest in some good tools. Having a great pair of tweezers, small scissors, spoolie brush and angled eye brush is invaluable.
5. Step back from the close up mirror often and look at yourself from a distance. It is hard to see ourselves objectively when we are staring close up for a concentrated amount of time.
6. They are Sisters, not Twins! Do not concentrate on keeping them completely even with each other. Of course we are aiming for symmetry, but each side of our face is a little different so go for proportion not identicalness.
7. Don’t be afraid to put some color on them. Use a pencil or powder (with stiff, angled eye brush) anytime you want to extend the line of your brow, fill in sparse areas or camoflauge an area you are growing in.
8. After using a pencil or powder always go over the color with your spoolie brush. This helps move the color into the brows and takes away any traces of brush or pencil marks. You will be amazed at how natural it looks.
9. Always do eyebrow makeup when you do a dramatic makeup look. This sometimes get forgotten and it really pulls the whole look together.
10. Create your own spoolie brush out of an old mascara wand! You need a new mascara every 3 months so this is a renewable resource. Just throw away the tube and wash the wand thoroughly with soap and water. Run through dishwasher to completely sanitize and you have a great new tool!  I also sell them at Mendocino Beauty if you prefer a longer handle or just like a beautiful brush!

Practice makes perfect!

ove is a canvas furnished by nature and embroidered by imagination- Voltaire

Practice Makes Perfect!

We did the first trial run of the season on our beautiful bride, Amber Oswald. She brought in a picture that was a structured half up and half down style.
By the time we finished it had evolved into loose, romantic waves with just a few tendrils pulled back.

This is the great thing about a trial. We have the time to try out a style you have chosen and admired in a magazine or on a website. Sometimes it is perfect and we don’t change a thing, but sometimes it’s an exercise in finding out what you don’t want! This is a valuable discovery and not a failure by any means.

In this instance the style evolved right here, but often a Bride will wear her trial style for the day and then get back to us with feedback about what she would like to change. We then take careful notes and execute it perfectly on her wedding day.

We are here to help you find the style that is just perfect for you.

Don’t worry if you don’t have the time or budget for a trial, we will still work with you on the day of the wedding to make sure it’s is perfect and you feel like your prettiest, most special version of yourself.

My Best,

Amy Wall

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