True & Falsies #5 - Just a dab will do! Not a rub....a DAB! ;)

I always remember my grandmother dabbing a little bit of perfume behind her ears and then a bit on her wrists that she would rub together. Yet, the girls at work seem to think that you should never rub your wrists together when you apply fragrance. Is this true or false?

********** TRUE **********

I’m not really sure who came up with the idea of rubbing your wrists together when you apply fragrance, but it’s a no-no ladies and gents. According to various fragrance experts quizzed on this topic, the consensus seems to be that it is a bad idea.


Why is that, you ask? That’s what I’m here for! The reality is, this action can actually "bruise" the oils contained in the blend you’re wearing. This ultimately will chemically alter the scent. If you fell in love with a particular scent – chances are, you don’t want to mess with it and end up with a different scent all together!


My advice? Spray on your fav fragrance and leave it alone! Let the air do it’s thing and air dry the fragrance on your skin. Unless of course, you are in a competition for how many different fragrances you can make out of your perfume.  Ya, you’re right. You probably don’t want  to do that!


Cheers to beauty-ful days!
Nina

The Urban Beauty Bar

True & Falsies #4 - To wax or not to wax. That is the question!

Is it true that you shouldn’t wax during or before your period?

 ********** TRUE **********

Don’t you go through enough around the time that you get your period? Seriously! Leave the waxing for another time! There are some hormonal changes that occur just before as well as during ovulation that may heighten the sensitivity of your nerve endings.


What does this mean? It basically means that waxing maybe more painful. Go ahead smarty pants....ask your doctor! There really is no need for you to put yourself through more pain than necessary. Be a smart cookie and book that waxing appointment for just after your period.


Believe me, you’ll be wanting to thank me later. In case you’re wondering – sunflowers, jewellery and chocolate are always nice thank you gifts! ;)



Cheers to beauty-ful days!
Nina
The Urban Beauty Bar

True & Falsies #3: Exfoliatin​g & Waxing

I read somewhere that it is a bad idea to exfoliate your skin with products containing acids before getting waxed. Is this true?

********** TRUE **********

Do the smart thing and learn from my friend Sandra’s mistake instead of learning it the hard way....firsthand! If you are one to regularly exfoliate with products containing a beta hydroxy acid (ie: salicylic) or an alpha hydroxy acid (ie: glycolic) and then get let’s say your eyebrows waxed....you will regret it.


Why is that you ask? Waxing removes a layer of your skin cells just as exfoliating treatments do.  If you are doing both, you are essentially stripping off a layer of skin twice. This will give your skin a raw look leaving it red and itchy. Hey, if you are into harming your skin and achieving the lobster look.....go for it! Otherwise, I’d say lay off the exfoliation treatments when waxing.


Another good point to mention is that retinols double this effect.  If you're using any treatments or creams with retinols (which actually thin your skin), you’ll feel the effects even more!


What is my recommendation for the day?  If you are booking that waxing appointment....be it a bikini or a lip wax - skip the harsh acids and exfoliating treatments for at least one week prior to your appointment. If you are using retinols, make sure to stop usage four weeks prior.


Quick lesson for the day....Exfoliation/acids + waxing = OWWWWW!!!!

Cheers to beauty-ful days!
Nina

The Urban Beauty Bar

True & Falsies #2: Unwanted Puffy Eyes

My mom swears that putting cucumber slices will get rid of my puffy eyes after a night of “too much fun”.  Is this true or just one of those myths?

********** FALSE **********

Oh yes, the unwanted puffy eyes. Aren’t they such an attractive look? Of course not! It’s called sarcasm people! ;)

Who or what to blame for this new look you’re sporting? You have either consumed too much salty food or you’ve had a little too much fun losing count of how many drinks you had last night at your best friend’s birthday party. Not to worry! I’ll help ya out! ;)

Truth be told, there is a botanical ingredient in cucumber, known as cucumis sativus.It can help, but it's not going to be the cure-all you’re looking for. Especially if you are trying to look presentable for that 9:00 am meeting. What you are looking for to help combat puffy eyes are two things:

1)     Coldness:  The coldness is what acts as a vasoconstrictor, constricting the blood vessels and pulling excess fluid out of the tissues to reduce puffiness.

2)     Caffeine: Really?!? That’s right! Caffeine is also a vasoconstrictor.  If you pay attention to beauty product ads, you will notice that many eye gels contain it.

If you really tore up the dance floor last night and look a little like a zombie today – it might be a good idea to double up on the efforts.  I would recommend keeping chilled tea bags in your refrigerator for a cheap solution and a caffeinated eye gel (that should be left in the fridge as well) for a quick fix the morning after.

A little concealer to hide those dark circles and boom! You are good to go! Who says your boss has to know that you’re a party animal? It’s our little secret.....I won’t tell if you won’t!

Cheers to beauty-ful days!
Nina
The Urban Beauty Bar

Falling For Nail Polish.....fall colours for the urban gal!

The cooler temperature has me thinking about the fact that summer is coming to an end and fall is just around the corner. My strappy sandals look very upset by this. I think they realize it’s that time of year again where they’re going to be spending a lot of time at home!


It’s time to start making some adjustments: switching tank tops for long sleeves, strappy sandals for closed toe shoes and changing up my nail colour line up. My summer colours are just a bit too bright for the earthiness of autumn.


I am a big fan of China Glaze’s nail polishes. They have a wide range of colours, are reasonably priced and the application brush is one of my fav’s on the market. Enough about that and on to the colour suggestions.


Awaken: This is a great metallic grey colour. It’s a shade that looks good on just about anybody! It’s a great shade for a special event since it has a bit of sparkle to it. Don’t worry though...your nails won’t be sparkling enough to be seen across the room.;)


IX: I love my browns. What can I say? This is a nice deep brown colour that has autumn written all over it!


Wagon Trail: Not everyone will be a big fan of this colour, but I like it more and more each day. It has a deep green undertone with a bit of sparkle to it as well.


Drastic: A gal can never go wrong with having a red nail polish. Lucky for you, there are two on our list! This red is a deeper tone. So for those of you looking for a more festive red, continue on to Red Pearl.


VII: Personally,I think this colour should have been called eggplant. Then again, what do I know about nail polish names? LOL. This is an awesome nail colour that’s bold without being over the top. Me likey!


Bermuda Breakaway: If you find yourself singing the blues this fall, why not make your nail polish match your mood? Be sure to imagine being on a beach in Bermuda while painting on your fav blue. Who knows, it may lift your spirits a bit.


Red Pearl: Someone at China Glaze must have been watching The Wizard of Oz before coming up with this nail colour. It reminds me of Dorothy’s classic ruby slippers. A must have for those fancy nights on the town you have coming up this season.


What are your fall nail colour suggestions? Feel free to comment on your fave’s. After all, it isn’t all about me!

Cheers to beauty-ful days!
Nina

The Urban Beauty Bar

TRUE & FALSIES: 1st Edition

The Urban Beauty Bar Presents.......


TRUE & FALSIES



[Insert game show music here]






We are happy to present the true or false, the good, the bad, and the ugly about all of those common beauty tips that have either been passed down to you or have telephoned, texted, emailed, their way into your beauty bible. If you have a tip that you would like us to "True or Falsies", please drop us a note....frontdesk@theurbanbeautybar.com.

The Urban Beauty Bar's VERY FIRST True & Falsies!!!!!!!

My nail polish is looking blah and almost dry. I was told to add a little nail polish remover into the bottle and then shake it all up to get a few more applications out of it. True or False?

********** FALSE **********

An important lesson I learned years ago was to NEVER, EVER use nail polish remover to thin your nail polish. Why is that? Well, if you are looking to thin your nail polish because it’s gooey and clumpy, then what you want is a nail polish thinner. Makes sense right? I know you’re shaking your head in agreement, yet most of you out there are using nail polish remover. Tisk, tisk!!


The common misconception is to use nail polish remover. The problem with that is quite simple actually. Nail polish remover contains acetone which is built to break down the components in your nail polish and will actually ruin your fav nail colour. Duh! Why didn’t you think of that, huh? Like I said, simple stuff.


So class....what did we learn today? When looking for a quick fix to make that favourite nail polish last longer, add a bit of nail polish THINNER and not REMOVER. It’s super cheap and really, are you looking to ruin that polish all together? I didn’t think so!

Cheers to beauty-ful days!
Nina

The Urban Beauty Bar

WHICH LOGO????

The Urban Beauty Bar is designing a new logo, but we need your help!

Our designers have been hard at work designing three options to choose from. Vote on your favourite logo and you could win a free pedicure. Contest runs from August 24 - September 7th, 2011.

RULES:

1. Visit Facebook at www.facebook.com

2. "LIKE" The Urban Beauty Bar's Fan Page.

3. Vote on your favorite logo.

4. Check your Facebook message inbox to see if you've won the prize!


Good luck to everyone!


Out of the participants in this contest, a lucky winner will be announced and contacted on September 8th.

Cheers to beauty-ful days!
Nina
The Urban Beauty Bar

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