Swell Favorites: health & beauty - items, products, and services

There are a few items, products, and services that I thought necessary enough to share on my blog when it came to beauty and health... so here they are!

Favorite place to get a manicure or pedicure at a great price: DJ Nails

Why: Because they are friendly, fluent in English, clean, use hot stones in every service, have very nice pedi chairs and won't break the bank.

Favorite place to find a unique pair of earrings: 4 Starrs Boutique

Why: They have an eclectic assortment so there's something for every style.

Favorite hair product I can't go a day without: Moraccin Oil - Light Formula

Why: In a nutshell, it repairs your hair, cuts down drying time, and eliminates flyaways.

Favorite organic sunless tanning: Lynne Wheeler, Salon Bellissima

Why: It looks like a real tan, not fake and orange, it's affordable, and Lynne is awesome!

Favorite makeup product I can't live without: NARS blush

Why: I have had mine for 3 years, used it every day, and there's still some left! Plus it looks amazing.

Favorite lash lengthener product that I've witnessed: LiLash eyelash serum

Why: Because it causes your real lashes to grow rather than adding false lashes on (extenstions) which can eventually cause your lashes to break off. And because my friend Jamie uses it and it really works!

Favorite professional hair tools brand: Babyliss

Why: Because they work great, have good warrantees, and won't snag or pull your hair.

Favorite Chiropractor: Dr. Lockwood, Align Chiropractic

Why: Because Dr. Chris Lockwood is super friendly, and doesn't want you to have to keep going back to get adjusted over and over again - he wants you to get healed so you can stop having to come to the chiropractor. He is also very professional, won't rush the appointment, and heals people like me.

Favorite sunless tanning lotion: Nature's Gate Skin Glow

Why: Because it's white, not tinted lotion so it applies like a normal lotion, and darkens your natural pigment every day that you use it - building to a nice natural tan color over about a week's time. I use it everyday and I love it. It's only $11.00 at the local Food Co-Op.

Favorite nail polish brand: OPI

Why? It goes on more evenly than Essie or any other comparable brand, has endless colors to choose from, and lasts a long time on your nail and in your stash of polishes - won't clump.

If you need any professional advice on hair products, styles, or services, please feel free to email me at annaroosma@hotmail.com . Thanks for reading!

Product of the Month: Babyliss Pro Flat Iron

I have tried many different flat irons over the years and have yet to find one I like better than the Babyliss Pro Nano Titanium Flat Iron. I have medium length, fine hair, so a 1'' size is perfect for me, but if you have longer or thicker hair, it will be easier for you to use at least a 1.5" - 2" size. If you have long hair and you like the look of a less perfect, more spunky curl that you can get from a flat iron, you definately want to use one that is larger than 1" or they will probably turn out like squared off pig tail curls - which we all know is not cute. The nicest thing in comparison to a CHI or any other brand that is comparable in price to this flat iron, is that it's titanium ceramic plates don't chip, and will never pull your hair like a CHI often will. It is so smooth on the hair, and can adjust to any temperature up to 450 degrees F. It also has extra long plates, so you can style more hair at once - cutting down on styling time. After using this flat iron, I will never go back to a CHI! For the money, the Babyliss is where it's at! You can find them in all sizes (including mini sizes for people with very short hair) online.

Product of the Month: Thermal Protecting Shield

Most of us use hot tools or at least a blow dryer on our hair everyday, and over time, the heat from them will damage your hair and create dull strands with a lot of dead ends. That's why it's so important to not only use hair products to achieve the look you want, but also for your hair's health. Using a thermal protective product will shield your hair from the damage that comes along with using hot tools. My product of the month is the MELLOW THERMAL PROTECTING SHIELD by Davines (pronounced "daw-vin-ess") because its light formula will leave your hair protected, but you won't notice the product at all. It also is a highly concentrated product, so a little goes a long way and even though it's a little pricey, it will last a long time. You can spray it on damp or dry hair before you blowdry, flat iron, or curl. This specific thermal spray is sold at Salon Bellissima and I highly recommend it!

Balayage or Foils: Which should you get?

Balayage is a technique used to paint hair color or bleach directly onto the hair without using any foils or heat applications. The art of hair painting (Balayage) is a process that gives more dimensional natural looking color. Balayage is not a replacement for foils. The technique gives an overall sun-kissed effect while foils will look more piecy – even if it’s a blended foil. Balayage can provide larger piecy sections of color on the hair, but for the most part, it’s still going to look very blended compared to a chunky foil. Balayage is gentler on the hair than other traditional highlighting techniques, as it doesn’t use heat like foils do. Aluminum foil conducts heat and can cause more damage to the hair than with Balayage.Balayage is perfect for a brunette who wants to go lighter all over or have a sun-kissed look rather than just all dark. It’s also great for natural blondes who want a brighter blonde look all over, but don’t want any pieces or stripes of blonde or for a blonde who is very light and wants an overall low-light effect.Depending on how your stylist applies the balayage and how large or small the sections are will affect how bold or subtle your balayage will turn out. One thing that is fabulous about Balayage is that is completely customized to your coloring needs and each client will get a unique look that is unlike anyone else’s.

Foils are a great service for someone who wants color or bleach to come up right to their roots and doesn’t want to see any “grow-out.” Balayage does not go all the way up to the root so that is something you need to be prepared for! The way Balayage is typically applied starts with thick saturation in the bottom and middle areas of the hair strand and is swept up and feathered into the top of the section near the roots. By doing this, it creates more visible amounts of color or bleach on the bottom two-thirds of the hair, and leaves the top section with more of your natural or base color. If you like the idea of Balayage for an all-over effect but still prefer to have foils at the roots, you can always combine foils and Balayage, or color and Balayage, or a combination of all three. Ask me for ideas for your specific needs and together, we can figure out what is going to be the best option to achieve your ideal look. At Salon Bellissima we offer several balayage and foil services so please check our our site for more information or call us anytime!

Product Pick of the Month: MORACCANOIL

The Original Morraccanoil not only makes your hair feel silky smooth and look shiny, it actually helps repair damage that comes from coloring the hair, using hot tools, and harmful effects from the elements - such as dry cold hair, or hot UV rays. I have been using it every day and it has so many benefits that I don't think I will ever stop using it from now on! Overall, you can expect Moraccanoil to revive, strengthen and condition, and shorten drying time for your hair. It also makes your hair feel amazingly soft, eliminates flyaways, and won't make your hair feel greasy at all (as long as you only use a pea-sized amount and distribute it through your hair, starting in the back, not around the hairline). You can only get this product at professional salons or online. It is expensive, but a little bit goes a long way - so you would probably only have to buy it 1 or 2 times per year. I highly recommend giving it a try!

Renee's Wedding Updo June 2010

Renee’s gorgeous naturally curly hair was something that hairstylists dream of working with. After her hair dried on its own, I simply backcombed the hair in the back and crown areas, and bobby pinned pieces of it back and to one side, leaving out just a few pieces in the front to soften the updo around her face. She was a stunning bride with stunning hair! Makeup by Rouge Makeup Artistry, Stephanie Young. Photos by Suzanne Fogarty.

For the Brides

I love these soft, effortless (looking) bridal updo's.

Find more here. Photos by Taylor Swedberg Photography.