beauty

Fascinating and Fashionable: Karoline the Lipstick Formulator

by Sally on May 30, 2013 · 2 comments

I’ve worked with The Elixery several times and am consistently impressed by the company’s ethics, dedication to quality, and marvelous products. I wanted to introduce you to the founder, Karoline Wells, who launched this product line because her expertise in biology, chemistry, and medicinal herbalism gives her a unique perspective when developing new products. Let’s hear from Karoline!

What inspired you to create and launch The Elixery?
The Elixery is a place that always existed in the back of my mind. I learned herbalism and soapmaking from my grandmother, so I grew up compounding products. This started with simple face masks and tinctures, and grew into essential oil blends, lip balms, and face creams. I studied biology and chemistry at St. Catherine’s and graduated in 2000, but it wasn’t until several years later that I decided to make The Elixery a reality.

It’s a place where many things are created, where passionate people work to make wonderful things. It’s an experiential place with sparkles, fragrance, texture, and fun. We’ve been working hard to build it for the last few years, and we’ve been blessed to work with so many creative people who share the dream.

How long have you been in business? Always in the same Northeast Minneapolis location?
The Elixery lab was opened in 2009, and we’re still in the same location. The lab is not open to the public, but we sell our products in fine retailers such as June, Bespoke, and Honeycomb Salon. In January, we’re opening a shared studio at Northrop King, Ste 180, alongside artists Larissa Loden, DC Ice, and Josie Lewis. The collective will be open for classes and events, and our products will be available there as well.

Why lipstick?
I have always been a fan of high quality lipsticks, although I didn’t really plan to launch the company with that product. I started tinkering with lipstick formulas from day one of the company, and figured it was something I could do in addition to everything else I was working on. I wanted the formula to be vegan, and realized that wasn’t very easy to do. There were all of these weird variables, and while I could technically get it to work, it wouldn’t turn out very good. There’s something about a challenge like that tends to draw a scientist in to a bit of a research obsession, so I spent the first year formulating a lipstick that was not only vegan, but also high quality.

What sets your line apart from the cosmetics powerhouses?
The majority of cosmetic companies are driven by marketing departments, and the product development is outsourced. We focus our attention on the quality of our formulas instead, and we’re constantly researching ways to make them even better. We’re a true old-school cosmetic house, which is a rare thing these days.

Why do you feel it’s important to do everything in-house, from formulation to testing?
I don’t know that it’s important to do everything in-house, but so far we have. It’s definitely a big advantage because we understand our products completely. You wouldn’t believe the number of untrue things we’re told every day about cosmetics, often because the company doesn’t really understand how their product works. That happens quite a bit, and it’s generally just a lack of product knowledge. Understanding your product requires more than just using it or assembling it, you have to be able to build it and explain it, and we know how to do that.

Another benefit to in-house work is that we do our own ingredient sourcing, so we know the origin of everything we use. Since the term ‘cruelty free’ is totally unregulated, we have to do a lot of extra steps to ensure that our ingredients aren’t tested on animals. We’ve got a clear conscience when we say our products are safe, ethical, and free of animal testing, and I think our customers can sense that. We’ve been called “refreshing” on numerous occasions for just being honest.

What’s your best-selling shade?
This is totally inconsistent from market to market! The last few months, though, the top color has been “Dessa,” designed by Crist Ballas. Dessa is an amazing artist with a deep compassion for humanity, and we were really honored to work with her on such a cool charity project.

Do you plan to move into other cosmetics offerings – eyeshadow, foundation, and the like?
We have a rather extensive library of formulas that I’ve developed over the last couple of years. Bringing a cosmetic to market is a slow process, and it generally takes months to years to develop and manufacture a single product type. But yes, we do have some other items lined up for release in the near future. Our customers aren’t shy about sharing their wish lists, and we’re working on it!

How many colors are available?
All lipstick is $18, and there are generally 18-20 colors in rotation. Some that go out of rotation may be brought back through customer requests.

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I Shall Never Be

by Sally on December 6, 2012 · 33 comments

I know a lot about my body. I know its strengths and its graces, its quirks and defining traits. I know that I have strong legs and an elegant collarbone, pert breasts and dainty wrists, luxurious hair and an angular little nose. I know that I’ve got a lot going for me.

I also know that there are loads of things that I shall never be, and that many of them are considered beautiful, attractive, desirable, enviable even. Tall, flat-bellied, blemish-free, in possession of slender and toned arms. I’ll never be voluptuous like Halle Berry or delicate like January Jones. I’ll never be gamine like Michelle Williams or Amazonian like Charlize Theron.

We are encouraged to compare ourselves to celebrities, to strive for their appearance-related gold standard. We’re told to make ourselves resemble famous beauties as often as possible despite the fact that the average famous beauty has multiple employees tending her physique, complexion, and tresses. Staffers dedicated to making her look constantly amazing. I don’t know about you, but the number of employees on my payroll who spend their time making sure I’m tan, toned, and flawless is exactly zero. I mean, the cats do what they can, but they’ve had to take some pay cuts recently. ANYHOO, I was gazing at Sofia Vergara’s amazing figure the other day and two ideas finally slid into place.

I’ll never look like that. And there are people in this world who would be more than happy with what I’ve got, physically speaking.
I’ll never look like that. And acknowledging that fact is actually quite freeing.

I enjoy playing with my wardrobe, hair, and makeup to subtly alter my appearance. And I dress to elongate my legs and downplay my tum and rely on other subtle tricks for altering my perceived silhouette. But there’s a freedom in letting go of the idea that I could ever truly and naturally look like those revered beauties, that I could somehow force my physical self into their genetically different molds. And there’s a humility that comes with remembering that all of the perceived or assigned “flaws” that my own body has are utterly inconsequential in big picture context.

I’ll never look like a celebrity. Sofia Vergara’s body double I shall never be. Sounds elementary, I know, but it was a bit of a revelation to me. A revelation and a relief.

Image via glamour.com

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Combatting Acne as an Adult

by Sally on November 19, 2012 · 66 comments

I’ve written here and there about my struggles with adult acne, but I realized that I’ve never dedicated an entire post to the topic. My own acne is mostly under control, mild compared to what many people deal with, and considerably better than it used to be. But some of that is because I have had to change my behaviors on many fronts to ensure a relatively breakout-free existence.

Pillowcases and towels

In order to keep exposure to my own old sebum to a minimum, I change my pillowcase every other night. I sleep on one side, flip to the other side on the second day, then throw the pillowcase into my laundry basket. I use a new washcloth every night, and dry my face with clean, unused towels only. I use hand towels to dry, and have found that I can make them last for four uses by using half of each towel side per use. I own my home and do laundry once per week in my own basement. At least one person has mentioned that the amount of dirty linens that I generate through this system seems prohibitive, and I hear that. But when I travel for long periods and am unable to keep this up, I can see a difference within about a week.

Hormonal birth control

I have mixed feelings about taking hormonal birth control because it seems to mess with my moods quite a bit. But without it I suffer from incredibly painful cystic acne on and under my chin. So I take it. I have tried many creams and pills and consulted with many dermatologists. I am terrified of Accutane and don’t think my case is severe enough for it anyway. So, to stave off the super-painful pimples, I do birth control.

Diet

My cysts stay away so long as I keep to the birth control, but whiteheads and blackheads seem to be triggered by dietary choices. I make absolutely no claims that my own choices have any bearing on science, other people’s acne, or anything in the world except my own complexion, but sugar makes me break out. I try to avoid candy, baked goods, ice cream, and just about anything sugary to keep the pimples at bay. (And I dream of diving into pools of chocolate mousse. Really, I do.)

Oil cleansing

I’ve written an entire post on my experience with oil cleansing, and almost a year later I can say with confidence that I’ll stick to this method forever. No other cleanser has ever kept my skin in such good condition for so long.

Clairsonic

Back when I wrote my review of this product, I was still a bit on the fence. But a commenter made a great point: The Clairsonic is supposed to get rid of dirt and makeup. But if you use it to remove those things, you may end up just grinding them deeper into your skin. So now I swipe some oil on my face, wipe it off with a washcloth, swipe on more oil, and THEN use the Clairsonic. I do this every other night, which seems to be the right amount for my sensitive skin.

BB cream

Again, I’ve sung the praises of this new-to-me discovery here, but it bears mentioning again. This product not only evens out my skin tone when I use it, but it helps the zits that do occasionally appear heal faster.

Hands off

I’ve saved this one for last because I estimate it’ll be the most controversial. I do my utmost to keep my hands off my face. I keep my hands clean, but know that they’re still collecting dirt and bacteria all day long. And I’ve noticed that if I rest my chin in my palm for long periods, I get pimples. Right there. So I just don’t touch my face. I’ll scratch itches and rub my eyes and such, but just avoid prolonged contact with my hands.

And that, friends, represents a significant investment of time, money, and energy to keep my acne only somewhat at bay. I still break out regularly, still typically have three or four zits on my chin and neck. I don’t like them. They’re a part of my natural biology, but I have failed entirely to embrace them. I’ve read a few articles and posts that ask why acne never gets folded in with the other issues associated with body acceptance, and lamenting that fact. It’s a valid point, ya know? Some people have acne and can do very little about it. Why should they be shamed? It seems like skin conditions – eczema, rosacea, and others – are near-universal triggers for judgment/embarrassment. In my case, my acne can be agonizingly painful and I feel that’s a good reason to work hard to keep it in check. But I’ll admit that even the non-painful, everyday zits irk me. And I am yet to feel body-love-related holistic acceptance of them.

Do you deal with acne as an adult? How do you keep yours under control? Any of the products or methods I use sound like they might be helpful? How do you feel about acne’s exclusion from the self-love movement?

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Foundation for the Fearful: Boscia’s BB Cream

by Sally on October 30, 2012 · 32 comments

On the rare occasions that I’ve had my makeup done by a professional, I’ve tolerated foundation. But as someone with sensitive skin that goes from matte to “oil slick” in a matter of minutes, I’ve had trouble finding a formula that feels and looks good on me over the long term. Even the supposedly lightweight, mattifying stuff feels stifling and heavy to me.

But I’ve trusted Boscia for ages, since their moisturizers and skincare products are fantastically gentle and don’t irritate my skin. And I’ve trusted Beauty Bets for even longer, so when she said that Boscia’s BB Cream is a good bet, I figured it was worth a try.

What’s a BB cream, you ask? The “BB” stands for “beauty balm” or “blemish balm,” depending who you ask. (Which makes the “cream” tacked onto the end a bit redundant, no?) These products have been popular in Asia for ages, but only hit the U.S. a few years ago. They combine the properties of moisturizers, foundation, and acne care to create even tone and a clean finish. Some even tack on wrinkle minimization and sunscreen. Most formulas come in a single shade that adjusts to most skin tones upon application, which blows my mind. Well played, cosmetics formulators. Well played indeed.

I’ve been a fan of tinted moisturizer for spot application, but was eager to find a product that could even out my skin a bit without clogging my pores. I’m delighted to report that Boscia’s BB Cream does everything I want it to and more.

Here’s a photo of me with a freshly washed face and no makeup whatsoever:

And here’s a photo of me after applying my BB Cream:

Not a night-and-day difference, but as you can see, it creates an even tone that works with my naturally pale skin color. I learned early on that it needs to be rubbed in quickly and vigorously. Whatever mind-blowing science allows this goop to match various skin tones fails miserably if you fail to work it into your skin. Once you’ve done that, though, it feels great – clean and light. I must personally dispute the proclaimed mattifying properties, as I definitely get shiny after three or four hours. However nearly all mattifying products fail on my face, so this wasn’t a huge surprise. And I’ve been AMAZED by how this product keeps my acne in check. I have the occasional wayward zit, but overall? So much less spotty and breakout-prone than before. As always, all acne is unique so my good experience is no guarantee that this product will soothe your acne. But it might be worth a try.

In addition to creating an even finish and combatting acne, Boscia’s BB Cream also functions as a sunscreen. Now if only it could double as an ice cream topping, it would be the perfect product …

But seriously, I’m sold on this stuff. Feels great, looks great, does great things for my skin. And at $38 a bottle, it’s one of the cheaper BB options out there.

Have you tried any BB creams? I know a couple of you have been ordering them via eBay and online for ages! If you’ve not yet given them a whirl, would you now? Especially curious to hear if dark-skinned women have tried these tone-matching formulas … and if they actually match and work.

Image courtesy Beauty.com.

**Disclosure: Actions you take from the hyperlinks within this blog post may yield commissions for alreadypretty.com. See Already Pretty’s disclosure statement for more details. However, this is NOT a paid review. All opinions are my own, and no product was received for free.

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Fancy Lady Equipment

by Sally on October 22, 2012 · 56 comments

Most conspiracy theories make me giggle. I’m a pretty open-minded gal, but the notion that the moon landing was faked strikes me as downright bizarre. However, I do believe that most major cosmetics and personal care products companies actively conspire against women. These corporations strive to manufacture discontent among women to convince them to buy new products, more products, complex systems of products to combat our apparent flaws. In many cases, the conspiracy goes even deeper, getting women hooked on certain cosmetics or procedures as mere gateways, eventually revealing that more costly versions will yield even better results. It’s a system that not only convinces women we’re undeniably imperfect, but also snows us into believing that our “imperfections” can be cured with products. And, of course, bales of money.

So I find myself seething with frustration at the discovery that, in many cases, paying more for beauty products and services actually DOES make a difference. Often times, the more expensive option is the better one. Not always, of course, but far more often than I’d prefer.

For ages, I got two haircuts per year. At Cost Cutters. My big mane of curls could handle just about anything that a $12 trim could dish out. But over a year ago, I got a pixie cut and quickly realized that corraling my thick waves into a tidy short cut required a bit more expertise. I fared better at a spendy salon, working with a stylist who specialized in curls and waves. And the outrageously expensive products that stylist sold me? They kept my locks in better shape than the drug store gels and mousses I’d used for ages.

The second aggravating step in my hair-related realizations came when I noticed that my cheap-ass flat-iron didn’t actually do much in the way of straightening. At the salon, my stylist’s shimmering ceramic flat-iron left my hair shiny and smooth. My crappy, ancient, metal dinosaur just yanked out hairs and fried my ends. I ponied up for a top-of-the-line model (the GHD one shown above), and lo, shiny, smooth pixie at home. Much grumbling ensued.

A friend of mine makes her living writing and teaching about wise and prudent spending, so when SHE informed me that a $150 Clairsonic Mia would help with my acne and blotchiness, I was inclined to believe her. And she wasn’t yanking my chain. I can’t quite believe I plunked down that kind of cash for a little, humming, swirling face brush, but damn, it has made a noticeable difference.

The first blush I ever bought was the legendary NARS Orgasm, and I adored it. But it set me back $28 and I felt like a fool for spending so much. Five types of drugstore blush later, I understood how a blush becomes legendary.

Now, I still refuse to do pro manicures. I’ve gotten at least a dozen in the past few years and from dirt cheap to breathtakingly expensive, they’ve all sucked. I’ve never met a cheap lipstick I didn’t love, including the $2 jobbers from Target. I use grocery store olive oil as my cleanser when I haul out my wildly expensive Clairsonic Mia, and I’m proud of it. There are so many beauty bargains out there and I seek them whenever I can, but I’m amazed and aggravated to find that many products, tools, and services are actually worth the extra cash.

Of course, this all assumes that you are a woman who wears blush or wants to straighten her hair. Plenty of women go completely natural, and that route is an undeniably fabulous one. After all, it could be argued that even a $2 lipstick feeds the manufactured discontent machine. But I’m curious to hear from those of you who chose to consume beauty products and services. Have you found that, in many cases, spending more yields better results? Any cases in which cheaper is better? By all means, share!

*This post originally appeared on The Frisky.

**Disclosure: Actions you take from the hyperlinks within this blog post may yield commissions for alreadypretty.com. See Already Pretty’s disclosure statement for more details.

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Compliments, Stewardship, and Control

by Sally on September 11, 2012 · 70 comments

Compliments are controversial around these parts. I’m a fan of both giving and receiving them, and feel that doing so is beneficial. But I’ve heard you folks say time and again that compliments can be tricky, confusing, even painful depending on how they’re presented and how the person receiving them interprets them.

Since I am fascinated by all things style and body image, the compliments I tend to encourage have to do with those two topics. And what I’ve learned is that when some people are told, “You look great today,” what they hear is, “You look better today than you usually look.” That when some people are told, “You’ve got gorgeous hair,” they feel uncomfortable accepting praise for something that is genetic, inherited, and mainly beyond their control. That when some people are told, “You look fabulous in that dress,” they feel the underlying implication is, “You have conformed to social beauty norms. Good job.”

All of that is valid. And, frankly, frustrating. When I hand out these compliments, I don’t have a hidden agenda that’s intentionally tied to manufactured norms, fueled by keeping tabs on how “good” or “bad” someone else looks from day to day, or based in the belief that biological traits are the only ones worthy of praise. I give compliments so that people feel appreciated, significant, noticed, and happy. I give them to lift spirits. And knowing that an urge promote positivity may be inadvertently creating negativity? It saddens me.

In attempting to defend compliments on personal style and physical beauty, I landed on the idea of stewardship. We cultivate personal style, select our own clothing, and make decisions about how we clothe our bodies. Compliments on personal style and the clothing items we wear are tied to taste and active choices. Someone may say, “I love that skirt,” but underneath that is, “and your taste and personal style.” And while gorgeous hair may be an inherited trait, it must be washed, cared for, styled, cut, and … well, stewarded. Same goes for great skin, fabulous legs, perfect nails, and marvelous posture. Biology gave a those traits a leg-up, but invested time and energy, care, and active stewardship keep them in admirable shape.

Sounds good, right? But this defense falls short because so much of how we look is beyond our control. We wear what we can afford, what fits, what is geographically available. We wear what’s appropriate to our jobs and social circles. And while working within constraints is admirable, it can feel like a rigged game when many who receive style-related accolades have different constraints. Or none at all. And what about the aspects of our bodies that change despite our best efforts? What about physical changes that happen to us and leave us struggling to react?

And that brings us to the philosophy of complimenting things that people DO instead of things that people ARE. Which I love. It can be trickier to implement and requires a more intimate connection with the complimentee, but often generates compliments that feel more meaningful, genuine, and earned.

Which leaves me chasing my tail. Because if I see a woman on the bus who has the most gorgeous hair I’ve ever clapped eyes upon, I want to tell her. Can I? Should I suppress the urge? What if I say I love how she styled her hair? Is that more doing than being? I want to be able to praise people I don’t know, and I want to be able to hand out compliments that boost self-esteem as it relates to body image. But this circular logic has me wondering how.

So, once again, I’m asking you: How do you prefer to give compliments? Receive them? Do you feel that compliments on style or physical aspects are lesser than compliments on actions? Any suggestions on how to create balance?

Image courtesy Tor Kristensen

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Hard as Nails

by Sally on August 2, 2012 · 121 comments

The older I get and the longer I write a style blog, the more I hone my grooming skills. I mean, it’s not like I was wandering the streets streaked with dirt and sporting a giant rat’s nest atop my head, but I didn’t know how to apply mascara in 2008, didn’t know how to wear blush in 2009, and just recently learned how to flat-iron my hair. I still can’t do a proper smoky eye and am stymied by actual lipstick (I’m a gloss girl), but I’m learning. Slowly.

I will tell you, though, that as we near the end of yet another summer I am still baffled by the “rules” that seem to surround fashionable nails. Truly and completely baffled, friends. I have decent nails that get bright white tips naturally, and I generally just swipe some clear polish on them. But I heard recently that French manicures are so passé, and I generally look like I’ve just gotten one. AND. According to the various and sundry magazines I read, it is also frowned-upon to match your manicure and pedicure. Not only that, but my field research leads me to believe that stylish women are expected to coordinate their polish colors to their outfits. I am perfectly happy with my hot pink toes from May to September, but apparently I am a laughingstock for my relentlessly boring choices.

I am giving myself a migraine as I type this …

Now you all know, I’m no stickler for style rules. They are merely guidelines and should be ignored and subverted at will. So I will not succumb to nail-related pressures for many reasons. And they are as follows.

I cannot afford regular professional mani-pedis. (Also I have paid for several and NEVER gotten a good one.)

Since I have to do my own nails, they generally look like this:

I do not have the time, money, or inclination to swap out polish colors on a daily basis.

As a dyed-in-the-wool matchy-matchy gal, the prospect of coordinating finger and toenails that “go, but don’t match” makes me feel all twitchy-like.

And so I must consult you, wise readers. Can anyone explain to me how these nail rules arose? Does anyone abide them? Lovingly and willingly? (Some women take great pleasure from the ritual of polishing nails!) Grudgingly and resentfully? (Some don’t!) When did maintaining your nails become so complex? HOW DID THIS HAPPEN???!?!@?$??

Top image courtesy The Nailasaurus. Who has truly amazing nail-polishing skills. Middle image via weknowmemes.com.

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Dressing to Honor Your Body

by Sally on June 6, 2012 · 19 comments

There are so many ways to honor your physical form. Practicing yoga, enjoying your sexuality, eating mindfully and with great relish, honing your skills as an athlete, absorbing a wonderful massage. And, of course, voicing gratitude aloud or in writing is a fantastic way to show your body love and admiration.

But an often-overlooked way to pay tribute to your body is to dress it in a way that makes you feel amazing, strong, gorgeous, and unique. Or all of the above! As I’ve said many times, we must all dress on a daily basis, and doing so can feel mundane and even oppressive at times. But by viewing dressing as an act of praise, it becomes an easy, near-constant celebration of the body. By dressing to our strengths and favorite aspects, we do our bodies a small but powerful honor. By transforming the act of dressing into an act of love, we recapture and even expand upon that power.

The way you choose to honor your body through dressing will be totally unique. This concept doesn’t rely on traditional ideas of figure flattery or femme archetypes, doesn’t mean spike heels and red lips. Not to everyone. Dressing to honor your body can mean slipping on a silky caftan that makes you feel utterly goddess-like. It can mean wearing your favorite red bra under your sweatshirt as a fun little secret. It can mean taking a day off from stiff suits and constricting hose and relaxing into your favorite old jeans. It can mean wearing a favorite frock to work or class. It can mean making each outfit a riot of color. Whatever clothing makes you feel connected to and loving toward your body will do the trick.

The idea of the body as a temple has been around for ages, but too often the sentiment stops there. What is a temple for? Acts of praise and honor and reverence. If your body is a temple, consider honoring it. And if you’re looking for a new way to do that, consider dressing in a way that helps you to feel like your best self.

Images via Wardobe Oxygen (left) and Eek! (right), two of my longtime favorite bloggers who, I believe, dress to honor their bodies.

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