Hi

I'm in town this weekend...off the ranch...it's nice to be around civilization.

 

Cheers to freedom from toluene, petrochemicals, lake dyes and more!

I love pedicures, do you? How about toxic formaldehyde filled pretty colored filled bottles of polish that can't be recycled and could cause hard to eradicate fungus to grow in your body?

Since our culture loves nail polish and pedicures, I have some solutions to how we can reuse and reduce our nail polish bottles, plus make a better botanical decision in the polish we choose.

Natural nail polish is possible and there are a few lines that make a botanical version.

They contain NO formaldehyde; NO toluene; NO colophony (rosin); NO phthalate; NO synthetic preservatives; NO synthetic fragrances; NO color lakes; or highly-refined colorants.

To name a few brands for you to try:

http://www.ulew.com/acquarella.php

http://www.bewellstaywell.com/nail_care.htm or The Body Shop which has retail centers in most shopping malls carries a nail polish.

Have your nail been growing oddly? Do they have dark spots or wavy bumps? A wee bit of stink?

It could be dermatophytes. Othewise known as toe nail bugs a form of fungus amongus!

Here's the wikipedia on it:

A dermatophyte is a parasitic fungus that infects the skin. The term embraces the imperfect fungi of the genera Epidermophyton, Microsporum and Trichophyton.

Dermatophytes (name based on the Greek for 'skin plants') are a common label for a group of three types of fungus that commonly causes skin disease in animals and humans. These anamorphic (asexual or imperfect) genera are: Microsporum, Epidermophyton and Trichophyton. There are about 40 species in these three genera. Species capable of reproducing sexually belong in the teleomorphic genus, Arthroderma, of the Ascomycota. (See Teleomorph, anamorph and holomorph for more information on this type of fungal life cycle).

Dermatophytes cause infections of the skin, hair and nails due to their ability to obtain nutrients from keratinized material. The organisms colonize the keratin tissues and inflammation is caused by host response to metabolic by-products.

Some of these infections are known as ringworm or tinea. Toe- and fingernail infection are referred to as onychomycosis. Dermatophytes usually do not invade living tissues, but colonize the outer layer of the skin. Occasionally the organisms do invade subcutaneous tissues, resulting in kerion development.

For more information and to photos, visit this site:

http://www.doctorfungus.org/thefungi/dermatophytes.htm

I put all of this information in about nail infections because if you are a woman and reading this right now, 1 out of 2 of you have polish on your toes. In fact, I would go so far as to say you got a pedicure two months ago. I suspect the pedicure color has grown out from the cuticle and you trim the end of the toe nail and say to yourself "I've got to get in for a pedicure". Plus, 1 out of 3 of you reading this are wearing acrylic fingernails. Which is a wee bit worse than wearing polish alone!

As your botanical beauty advisor, I encourage you to take the polish off, summer is over (well, almost over in Arizona) and you will be wearing more shoes with closed toes. If you want to wear it all the time, try and go botanical to free up some chemical absorption time on your body.

Finally, how to reuse and reduce your nail polish bottle consumption.

1. <strong>Reuse</strong> the bottles: Create suncatchers out of them. Clean the bottles out with polish remover, fill them with clear glaze paints and glitter, then hang them with fishing line from your trees or the top of the window frame. Perhaps hang from the rear view mirror of your car? Give as a gift or use to decorate a gift package with. Get creative with a way to reuse the bottle and brush.

2. <strong>Reduce</strong> the bottle use by having a spa pedicure pamper party with friends. This is a chance to get together and make memories and share the polish that each of you already owns so no new bottles are purchased.

Good luck on going botanical in your beauty and reducing the consumption of non-recyclable glass and plastics along the way!

For more information, contact www.makeupuniversity.com

Sources:

Wikipedia for Dermatophytes

Hope you are having a fab holiday! It's finally cool and a rain storm is brewin'!
No makeup tips today, just enjoying the weather and getting ready to travel next week.
Ciao!

Friday's updated smokey eye

To go from office to out on the town: rub a thick line of eye shadow along the upper lash line, now draw over it with a liquid liner. Starting at the outside of the eye and drawing toward the nose making the line thick at the end and thin towards the nose!
Wah lah! Instant updated makeup, current with trend, plus perfect for a party! Enjoy!

Men: Wash your hands with this

It's been featured on Good Morning America and other news programs that men, more than women don't wash their hands after using the bathroom.

Hepatitis A is spread from not washing your hands after using the toilet. The sickness spread can cause severe vomiting and diarrhea. It's a common hazard in restaurants where food workers don't wash up after using the bathroom.

So men, try this, sing “Row Row Row the Boat” or “The Happy Birthday Song” to help with washing. The time it takes you to sing the song is the minimum amount of water, soap and rubbing while washing that is needed to clean the hands of germs.

Or instead of singing, I prefer to name 7 things, people, or situations that I am grateful for. It's also a good time to say a short prayer or blessing for your loved ones.

I teach this to my toddler who is potty training and to my makeup artist team.

Perhaps you need to find a hand soap that you love the smell and texture of?

Remember Howard Hughes used to carry his own soap, this may come back into style and you will be ahead of the game.

Here's a few soap suggestions to get you started:

Try Neolia Olive Oil soap: it's made with 100% organic all natural Italian extra virgin olive oil. It's free of animal ingredients, not tested on animals, gentle and hypo allergenic and has a fresh clean smell.

Or, visit your local health food store and get a chunk of the hand made soap from a local vendor. You will see a display with long rectangles of soap and you cut of as much or as little as you want.

Okay, if these don't work for you because bar soap can get messy and if left in a puddle of itself can begin to grow it's own bacteria, then start with a pump dispenser of Soft Soap anti-bacterial moisturizing formula found at the local Walmart.

It's not so important of what soap you use while washing your hands, just that you do it.

Thanks guys for washing up, especially if you are in the same restaurant as me and are about to prepare my meal.

Who knew hand washing and hygiene could be so good for you?

Pageant makeup for HD television broadcasts

If you've seen the news broadcasts lately, they and most television shows are now seen in HD, the high definition format. Which means that everything and anything shows.

If you are participating in a pageant that will be broadcast in HD or photographed digitally your makeup needs to be flawless.

When I say flawless- I mean blended to a seamless perfection.

Your skin tone color matching of the foundation is what's most important to HD broadcasts.

Even if it takes using two different shades to blend together to the get the right color match, or to contour your face with.

The secret is to blend, blend, blend, and blend some more. Less is more when it comes to foundation product application and using a foundation brush will make the professional difference.

Using a large velvet puff to buff the face with after you've blended the foundation will finish your makeup into a flawless and seamless application.

Remember to cover your ears, neck and chest area.

HD shows everything-especially if you put makeup on your face and not on your other skin that is showing during formal evening wear, swim wear or the talent competitions.

Good luck in the pageant and happy hunting on finding a perfect skin tone match with your foundation. The difference it makes is worth the hunt!

For more information or cosmetic coaching please contact www.makeupuniversity.com

We are going to the fair today...not the Maricopa county fair, the Mohave county. Things are a little bit different here. So more details on that later.

Quick reminder to set your calendars for the Green Expo on October 5 & 6 at Scottsdale Center for the Arts. This is always a good time. I'll keep you posted as the details come in. It's free to attend and worth the trip because of the learning and free swag.

Finally, the feedback from the Good Morning America and Walmart going green for beauty has been awesome. Thanks so much! I got my info from the local Walmart in Kingman which is the closest store to the ranch. Even then, it's not that close.

I have some stuff I'm going to be listing that I always intend to use and don't: like the Callaway golf gift card, ( who gives a girl who doesn't golf a gift card for golf?)  the Hammacher Schlemmer gift certificate...again...nothing in there that is makeupy so not really for me...my amber bug bracelet, and the Donnie Dollar.

For a short time I worked as a cocktail waitress at the Riverside resort casino. I when the owner tips you, he gives you a dollar with his picture on it instead of George Washington.  I think it's curiously interesting and that someone, somewhere else...just may want it! So, more on that later. I have to take the photos and such and it takes along time.

Plus, I"m leaving for the fair. Oh, I can just smell the aisle of fried sugar coated goodies waiting to be consumed!

I was just thinking about posting a classified ad for bridal makeup services and workshops...hmmm...I've never had much luck with them before and I'm wondering if the ebay ones are different or worth it, what do you think?
On one hand, it's only ten bucks, on the other: if I had a nickel everytime I spent "just ten bucks" I'de be rich!

Holla back at me!

Good Morning America and Walmart: Going Green and Changing Lives! part 2

Today on Good Morning America, Diane Sawyer and Robin Roberts visited with Bianna Golodryga who shared about the changes going on at Walmart.

Currently Walmart is a leading consumer of electricity and has the second largest fleet of trucks to transport good to the stores across the nation.

Andy Ruben, Head of Sustainability at Walmart said that the changes are happening now with the implementation of “green” toilets that reduce water usage and by adding skylights to curtail the electrical consumption.

Walmart is now the largest buyer of organic cotton and hybrid trucks.

The good news is these changes can be experienced by the Walmart shopper in stores today.

As for Walmart organic beauty- the majority of the plastic containers for body products can be recycled.

The next step is to see the cardboard and plastic wrappings which are common to beauty products be reduced or switched to completely 100% recycled cardboard.

Walmart is currently making a bid to their suppliers to change packaging in a global effort to reduce and reuse the amount of cardboard and plastics now being used.

I agree with it!

When in your local Walmart store, please visit the natural beauty and body product aisle

The lines available are good products. The ones I experienced had good slip, texture, scent and lasted on the skin without a sticky residue feeling.

Brand worth trying are: J/A/S/O/N, Heal Thy self, Honest to Goodness and It's All Good.

Remember to rinse the empty bottle and put it in the blue bin when your are finished using it.

Or, how about finding a way to reuse it? The pump and squeeze cap bottles can be reused for things like: travel sizes of shampoos or conditioners you make with your own botanical recipes at home or just pouring some of your larger bottles from the shower into these smaller reusable containers.

Ah..the more beauty the better!

For more information on green beauty, visit me at www.makeupuniversity.com

To see the Bianna Golodryga Walmart segment on Good Morning America, visit their home page on the GMA homepage abcnews.go.com/GMA/

Good Morning America & Walmart “Go Green” for you, for beauty & Earth

Once upon a time you had to go to natural food stores which were few and far between to get good organic botanical products for your body.

As of today, you can go to your local Walmart store and find an environmentally friendly and Earth saving item in several departments, such as compact fluorescent light bulbs or organic cotton clothing.

Beauty is my specialty and I'm very pleased to see Walmart carry the 3 product lines: Honest to Goodness, It's All Good and Heal Thyself created by Noah's Naturals. These body products are free from parabens, do not contain sodium laurel sulfates, or propylene glycol. The ingredients used in the products are free of pesticides and harmful chemicals. So basically you get good organic ingredients.

I find the price point is very competitive with other stores and product lines, in fact, it's a surprisingly low and affordable price point.

If you are used to buying a vat of body lotion for $1.99, these products may seem expensive. Though, actually with the range being between $4.00-$12.00 for organic eco-friendly body care, it's affordable to upgrade your health and well being.

Remember when products contain mineral oil or petrolatum, they block moisture to the skin. Think of a baby bottom in diapers. Moms get a tub of petroleum jelly and cover the baby's bottom to protect the skin from wetness in the diaper overnight. When you use lotions and cremes that contain mineral oil or petrolatum it's the same thing. Though now these lotions and cremes have more fragrance and cost more.

Your skin doesn't get hydration and is actually leeched of it from the petrolatum on the skins surface. So your skin actually gets drier feeling. So you put on more lotion filled with mineral oil and petrolatum. Now your skin gets leeched of more moisture and you have itchy dry skin. So you put on more lotion.

We've been through this haven't we? So how do you get off the merry go round of moisture loss through body products? Try an organic botanical body scrub,lotion or shampoo from Walmart's natural beauty aisle.

The Walmart that I visited to experience the products had half an aisle devoted to the “natural body care” products. I was impressed! There were a few brands to choose from, such as Freeman and J/A/S/O/N, which has a great reputation for being an organic botanical product free of parabens and chemicals long before being organic was cool.

The largest section of natural body care is the Noah's Naturals family of products.

Heal Thyself is an aromatherapy line with body lotion, body wash, a body scrub and bath soak, plus pulse point balm that is pocket sized and easy to take to work or carry in your pocket or purse. The bottle sizes are generous portions and all Noah's Naturals containers are recyclable.

The scents come in 3 flavors: Stress is an aromatherapy blend of basil and eucalyptus for reducing stress and inducing relaxation. Energy: is a blend of Clementine and ginger for invigorating your senses while Sleep is a soft mix of lavender and patchouli.

Each of the scents; Stress, Energy and Sleep come in all forms of the product line.

The second part of the line is “It's All Good” and it carries a hair shampoo and conditioner plus some lip balm and body products. The aroma of the products are created using rosemary and mint. So expect an invigorating shower experience.

The final product line in the Noah's Naturals family is “Honest To Goodness”. It has an anti-aging skin care line filled with anti-oxidants. The bases for the products are all organic essential oils mixed with natural raw materials.

To read more details about the Noah's Natural story and products, please visit them at www.noahsnaturals.com or just take a trip to the local Walmart and stock up on some good for your body and better for the environment products.

Personally, I love Arbonne and usually keep my house Arbonnized. Though it is pure pleasure to know that in a pinch if I forgot to order my Arbonne body wash, shampoo or lotion, there is a safe, organic, botanical line of products at a great price that is just a quick trip to Walmart away!

Special thanks to Good Morning America for doing the story on Walmart “going green”. If Robin Roberts and Diane Sawyer weren't talking about it, I would not have made the trip down the beauty aisle in my local Kingman Walmart.

Thanks Good Morning America!

For your green beauty needs please visit me at www.makeupuniversity.com

How to apply black eyeliner and not look like Alice Cooper

I like Alice, but the eyeliner he wears is a bit bold for the fall season trend. It may be perfect for Halloween, but that's a different story.

As for now, we are going to work with pencil, liquid and creme/shadows.

Pencil: sharpen it and gently roll the rough edges off on the back of your hand. Start at the outside corner of your eye and very gently pull the eyeskin taught for a smooth surface to work on. Work in a smooth stroke next to the lashes and make several soft lines to form one line when blended.

Step back and assess if you need to add more product. It's up to you if you want to stop at the iris or line completely to the nose which will give you a more dramatic look.

Liquid: I like the kind that come in a pot with a dip brush inside them. This is such a bold '60's mod look. I love it! The line must be very thin for day, but for evening and going out..make a bold line that flares at the edge of your eye. Pair some false eyelashes with the liner and your eyes will stand out boldly like Twiggy.

A word of caution here: my opinion is to always work from the outside in because if you start at the nose or center of the eye and work out then the line is big at the center and can make you look cross eyed.

Most eye shadows can be used wet as well as dry. There are some crème pot eyeliners that can be purchased also. You will need a good stiff slant tip brush for this eye lining project. Wet the brush and dip it into the corner of the shadow. If you diddle it around in the center of the shadow pan you can ruin the shadow.

When it makes a loose paste it is ready to be applied just like the liquid liner. This style gives a softer smudgier look than the liquid or pencil liner. Plus it opens up your choices for eye lining colors.

If you want to make it stick try Benefits Shelaq.

Now for those of you who read and appreciate the knowledge I share, I am offering a free product promotion: clues to the correct answer can be found at http://www.makeupuniversity.com

Be the first to email me with the correct answer to the trivia question found in this blog link and I will send you a REVLON black eyeliner and some more cosmetic goodies to tuck into your makeup bag.

The question is: if you do get sweaty...what technique do you use to save your makeup from smearing?

Good luck! The answer is in the blog link...somewhere!

Email your answer and include your snail mail address!

www.makeupuniversity.com

www.earth911.org

www.financialfreedomnow.myarbonne.com

No Challah in Kingman AZ!!

Tomorrow at sundown starts Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year of 5768. The Spirit is stirred up big time and it's a major prophetic happen! It's time to celebrate and have both traditional and contemporary foods to celebrate with.

That is unless...you live out on a ranch in the middle of nowhere and the nearest town is Kingman Arizona. It's a lovely place for the most part, that is until, today when I was shopping for kreplach and challah.

My choices to shop are walmart, smiths and safeway. Not one had challah and forget the kreplach! When I asked the sales clerk for help, there was no help.

So what's a Rosh Hashana reveler to do? I got apples, honey and some kind of apple raisin bread. In this pinch, it's going to have to do.

I hope tomorrow is everything you hope it to be. Remember, you are watching the sun go down on 5767 and welcoming 5768.

Oy!

Perhaps you are a tomboy, don't have time, new mom, you name it; there is a reason for not wearing makeup.

Could it be the time it takes? Perhaps the skill? Is it self esteem?

I'm here to share a few easy steps to do simple makeup, with a few products and just know that the results will make you feel better about yourself, almost instantly.

After all, it's a proven fact that lipstick sales go up during times of tragedy and stress.

Here's the number one secret to makeup: have great skin. How do you get great skin? Wash it. Moisturize it.

If you are really gung ho about taking care of your skin: tone and treat it. Though for the basics and training yourself into a skin routine: start with the two steps of washing with a gentle exfoliating wash and moisturize with a lightweight formula that has sunscreen in it.

Hey! Wait a minute! What's the exfoliating part? I think you may as well put two steps in one. Personally as a skin care and makeup fanatic, I mask and exfoliate constantly.

If it's not routine for you, most likely you won't do this very important step in getting great skin. So let's put two steps in one...find a product you like that is a face wash with a fine grain to it or a soft grit if you will.

Now that you have great skin, let's enhance it. There are many choices of mineral makeup. It comes loose or pressed into a compact. I recommend this because you get a barrier spf in the minerals and you get easy coverage that doesn't require time or skill to apply.

The next step is to follow with a bronzer. Why you say? Because self tanners on the face take strategic time to apply, too much sun can cause irreversible damage and bronzer gives your face face a healthy glow. Again, it doesn't take time or expertise to apply.

Use a large domed brush, swirl it through the bronzer and swirl it on your face. Starting at the top of your forehead, down the nose, over the apples of the cheeks, swish over the chin and hit the center of your neck. Done.

Mascara is the one cosmetic item I would take with me if I was going to be deserted on a desert island.

There are so many brands to choose from. Here's my recommendations: if budget is a concern, the Wet'n'Wild brand PLUMP is good and costs $2.47 at Walmart. If budget doesn't matter, go for the Christian Dior DIOR SHOW, it's $32 at Sephora. No matter which way you go in choosing mascara, it's the one item that will take a personal experience and trying a few brands before you find the one you can't live with out.

Now for the application of it: don't sweat the corners, the bottom lashes or perfect feathery full fringe like lashes.

Simply put the wand at the base of your upper lashes in the center and gently waggle up towards the tip. Just put a little color on your lashes and if you want to go for another coat of mascara and work on blending the corners of the eye. Great.

Finish the entire look with something on your lips. I recommend a sheer spf lip gloss. Something that will have a hint of color and moisture to protect your lips.

Why bother with all this? It's going to take anywhere from 5-10 minutes to do in the morning and now it has to be washed off before bed?

Because you are worth it.

Because your face is the first thing that people look at. Then they notice eyes, smile and what you are wearing and make a judgment about you in 3 seconds.

If it's family, friends, co-workers, clients or strangers on the street: what do you want them to see about you in the first glance?

Makeup can work miracles for making yourself feel better. It gives a lift to the “you” on the inside as well as the outside.

Now go to the cosmetic aisle and play!

For more information on making the most of your makeup plus my list of personal product favorites please contact me through EBAY!

The Baby Band's Guide to STyle: How to Look Major on Minor Money:

When I say "baby band" I mean the bands that are starting out with a million or less in operating captial.

If you are just starting out and all your money goes to the demo and travelling to shows-how do you up your image and sytle ante without using a lot of money?

I have a few suggestions to help:

1. The local Savers ( www.savers.com) is a treasure trove of good stuff! Plus the local vintage shops and thrift stores can have fun, funky, stylish clothes that are inexpensive. This can be a great palce to start for clothes and make a little wardrobe budget go far.  Perhaps you can incorporate a vintage store run in each of the citys' that you play in?

2. Partner with a fashion design student.  They get their designs in front of the public or in photos and you get something original to wear.  To find these fashion students: check out www.fidm.com ( Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandise) or your local community college, look under the art department.  I know the Mesa Community College Fashion department has amazing instructors like Angela Johnson and the students are just as good!

I've also seen several meetup.com fashion groups, and of course, myspace.com is full of fashionistas also.  Just post a request and see what happens.

3. Your hair.  You never know when big rocker hair is going to come back in style, so best get prepared now.  Whether you need a cut,color,perm or weave, these services are best left to the professionals. If you don't have professional budget, try the beauty schools.  Toni & Guy have a training center in Scottsdale, and AVEDA trains in Tempe.  Don't forget Earl's Academy of beauty. The name may be odd but the students are good.  All services are performed by students learning with a professional stylist as an instructor.  I suggest you take a photo of your hair vision along to the appointment to help inspire the creativity of the  student stylist.
These services are more than half off of what you would pay in a salon.

4. A little makeup goes along way on stage or in your photo shoots.  Your most important step is to take good care of your skin.  Slather on a little lightweight moisturizer with spf to get things started. Follow with spf lip balm because cracked chapped lips never photograph well.  For photos use a oil absorbing matte powder but decide if you want to use it onstage depending on the sweat level during performance.

Eyeliner, or in some cases, guyliner is worth the effort. A smudgy smokey eye photographs beautifully and holds up fairly well on stage under hot lights.  Most importantly it "pops" the eye and makes them stand out more.  Experiment with different brands of pencils, creme or powdered eyeshadows as eyeliner.

Remember, a little makeup goes along way in a more polished and professional look. You decide your level of cosmetic comfort somewhere between Duran Duran and Twisted Sister.

For help coaching your band on an updated style, visit me at the Musicians Choice Rehearsal grand opening party, Saturday September 8th, starting at 4 pm.

2155 E. University Dr Tempe AZ 85281
www.makeupuniversity.com
www.earth911.org
See ya from the front row!
Sincerely,
Your personal makeup coach
Cherelynn Baker

...absolutely everything!

Your smile is so important and the one of the factors that stand out in your first impressions and meetings. So what to do if you don't have a lot of dough for expensive dental work and in office bleaching treatments?

For a fast and affordable solution to a new set of pearly whites-follow these simple steps:

1. Floss-no need to whiten old food
2. Brush teeth with a whitening paste and one with baking soda works best
3. Apply Crest Whitestrips for one week to achieve a new level of whiteness in your smile

Now, in photo shoots, performances or paparazzi shots...let your light shine! Your smile will be brighter and healthier!

Come see me this Saturday at 4 during the Musicians Choice Rehearsal party for your free sample. 2155 E. University Dr Tempe

The Baby Band guide to style: How to Look Major on Minor Money
Category: Music

This Saturday at 4 pm the Arizona Music Group will be hosting a free mixer and event with everything music to play with.  I'll be there to coach your style from beginning band member to looking like a seasoned pro on hiatus from the world tour.

Now, for some simple style tips to help make you cover art photo ready:

The guyliner: it helps define your eyes, makes them "pop" in photos, and should always, always be blended.

Any brand eye pencil will work, and please be open to color instead of the basic black.

  If you have brown eyes, blue makes them look browner. If you have green eyes, purple makes them look greener, if you have blue eyes, grey makes them look bluer.

Apply from the outer corner in, and work into the lash line.  Go over the line with your finger or a brush and smudging some powdered eyeshadow in a similiar shade will enhance the entire look.

I've got alot more where that came from to get your band style to the next level as your music presence grows.

Please visit me this Saturday, September 8th in Tempe.
For more information, email me! or...
See you at the Musician's Choice Rehearsal Grand Opening Party: 2155 E. University Dr Tempe AZ 85281  or call them at 480-966-8742

My fave place to stock up on products at a gonga discount is the Revlon outlet store in Phoenix.

This week, there super duper sale items is Almay Bare it All elgs, which is $2.99, if you shop during happy hour from 4-6 on Tuesdays, you get an additional 20% off of that...if you have your discount card from a Makeup University workshop...you get an additional 10% off of the price!!

The colors available are Golden veil, Warm veil and Tan veil.

If you need a Revlon Outlet discount card, come see me this Saturday September 8th starting at 4 pm at the Arizona Music Clubs Tempe party. It's free to attend, there's lots of giveaways planned and in general, it's going to be alot of fun.

I'll have discount cards to hand out along with the September sale sheet.

See you there...if you need more info please email me or contact the Arizona Music Club at 480-966-8742, 2155 E. University Dr. Tempe AZ 85282