Mel's Beauty

hey I was wondering for how long do I have to have the baking soda with water on my face?

melspain — Sun, 05 May 2013 22:22:36 -0400

Hi! Your should treat the baking soda as a scrub… no more than 30 secs! :-)

I’ve also heard that HONEY does wonders to your hair and skin! Just google remedies.

http://www.examiner.com/user-melissa-henderson2

Tales of a Retin A Micro User I’ve been using Retin A...

melspain — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 22:05:00 -0400

Tales of a Retin A Micro User

I’ve been using Retin A Micro for a month and a half now and I am finally seeing a difference in my acne and skin appearance. First off, this topical cream dries your skin to hell. No, Really. If you have naturally oily skin like moi! then you want something that will sustain the oil that causes breakouts.

Any dosage of this product is strong. If you are treating spots or the whole face, itchiness and redness is likely to occur. Therefore, use at night. One of the benefits is that it really employs its high concentration of Tretinoin which helps to effectively restore skin cells. If Retin A isn’t in your budget, you can ask your doctor to prescribe you plain Tretinoin cream which is the supplement of Retin A… Also, a lot of people regard Retin A as being the Fountain of Youth. The cream not only restores skill cells, it helps diminish dark marks left over from acne, plus loosens wrinkles. It’s definitely a cost efficient alternative for 30-somethings who want botox- which is totally the new teeth whitening these days.

Another thing I’d like to add—- while using this cream die hard, be aware of peeling. When you are in transition, your skin is going to peel. Embrace it! Don’t wear layers of foundation or Bronzer! You’ll only call more attention to your skin…

I really need to update this blog page with a picture of me. Will do, soonish..

The Benefits of Baking Soda and Apple Cider Vinegar If you are...

melspain — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 21:45:00 -0400

The Benefits of Baking Soda and Apple Cider Vinegar

If you are ever on a strike towards expensive beauty products, you won’t be shit out of luck with this daily facial regimen. My Greek girl friends ( shout out to the Poniros Family ) from college introduced me to a natural way of cleansing your skin with baking soda and toning with apple cider vinegar. The benefits of using both is that the products help to restore and balance your pH levels. ( a balance pH is 7 btdub)… Another reason you would try this is if you have been trying a variety of products on your face and you want to really detox the surface of your skin. Baking Soda used with a few drops of water becomes an instant exfoliator, making way for radiant, glowing skin and maximizes moisturizing effectiveness. In addition, baking soda is naturally a neutralizer, thus helping to even out the high levels of hormones and/or oil that may be causing breakouts. After cleansing with baking soda, use your dedicated apple cider vinegar ( applied with a cotton ball ) as a toner… If you have some acne pockets and free time, apply honey to your face as a masque for 10 plus minutes… I’ve watch whole episodes of modern family… I can definitely swear by this regimen when I get low on cash and run out of products…

PS. At least once a month, I also use baking soda after shampooing my hair to get the leftover dirt and residue shampoos leave behind when used regularly… It’s a great way to breakdown the oil in your hair … your welcome!

Let me know how it works for you. And share your own baking soda remedies.

I’m a total fan of Moroccanoil Intense Curl Cream !...

melspain — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 22:35:00 -0400

I’m a total fan of Moroccanoil Intense Curl Cream ! After washing my hair, I apply a huge glob of this thick creamy, moisture shock cream from my roots to my ends while wet. I let my hair dry room temperature, which may take 2 hours plus. It’s amazing for girls who have really thick frizz prone curls- like me! Splurge on this, trust me, your money will not be wasted… peep my homemade photo… it’s so hard to take a picture of your own head… lol :)

a health rant ...

melspain — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 23:48:42 -0500

I’ve been recently toying with the thought of how women by default are subjected to much more health inequalities than males. As females we are prone to more health deficiencies just because of our body make up. For example, menstruating every month puts women in this extra realm of discomfort, irritability, and nutritional devaluation. As it is much expected during this crazy reoccurring week, the iron levels in a female body fall lower than “normal.” Iron is essential in helping the hemoglobin travel to our red blood cells, helping to pump the heart and lungs, which subsequently help you stay alive. If our body does not contain proper levels of iron then our body has a bad flow of oxygen, so our organs starve for oxygen. But the irony of this necessity is that we lose quite a bit each month.

Another thing I’ve been thinking about is a federal mandate for making sanitary napkins free. I mean we didn’t ask to buy this product, we need it. And water should be absolutely free. These ideas may be considered radical, but in this world we need something concrete free, and limitless. Why fight over something we need to survive and be healthy?

What am I saying anyways? I guess I am a little hung up with all the extra steps we must go through to maintain a healthy body. Through diet, exercise, medicine, and uncomfortable check ups, no one body is immune to any malfunction. Even if you are a naturalist, still take the extra steps to be inspected by your most trusted physician, regularly.

beauty comes from inside deep

Roux Maison Essential Detergent in Lavender. I’m on a path...

melspain — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 21:11:26 -0500

Roux Maison Essential Detergent in Lavender. I’m on a path to redefining my whole life, from the small to the big parts that make out my beauty and lifestyle. My most recent obsession is Roux Maison laundry detergent. Unlike commercial detergent, it is very light, and does not take a cup full of soap to get the job done. At this point of my life, I would hope my dirty clothes do not consist of chocolate and red juice stains like a five year old. So really, when I wash my clothes, I am washing to restore the scent. All you need is about 3 small caps fulls of liquid detergent and your clothes come out clean. I like this product because my delicate cotton blouses or sheets are not so concentrated with thick liquidity blue detergent that comes from a generic super market. It’s the small things that make me happy…

Gel Manicures

melspain — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 20:40:00 -0500

Why is it that the pathways we seek to beauty are dangerous rides into medically altering our physical chemistry and additions that physically enhances our beauty can also drastically damage us? If you haven’t heard, there’s research circulating that the uv light that is used to dry gel manicures gives off cancerous waves, which in turn, exposes persons to high levels of skin cancer. And not just gel manicures are the pests, but anyone who opts for the uv light lamp when drying their beautifully painted nails, are also at risk.

However you choose to seek/maintain/live out beauty, make sure there’s a balance between the natural and artificial. Life is about balance, so if you choose to go tanning, don’t over do it. As always, I’m signing off this blog post with “beauty comes from inside deep.” … check out a quote from article below.

“Artificial UV light does elevate your risk for developing skin cancer” and for premature aging of the skin, says Anna M. Bender, a dermatologist at Johns Hopkins University. To read more.. go here

What's going on - Just wanted to say awesome blog! I may use some of your content later if that is OK.

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 21:52:00 -0500

thanks! and reblog away :)

my new #boxing kitten Miranda head band!

melspain — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 21:09:44 -0500

my new #boxing kitten Miranda head band!

day 4 of 40 day plant based diet. no dairy, no poultry or fish,...

melspain — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 22:36:00 -0500

day 4 of 40 day plant based diet. no dairy, no poultry or fish, no white sugar, or flour… just healthy veggies and fruits.

My new facial products! Clarins, Paris. Updates soon! ( photo...

melspain — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 22:10:30 -0500

My new facial products! Clarins, Paris. Updates soon! ( photo via Instagram )

Ja’dore Dior Perfume was my second love in perfume. I was...

melspain — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 20:05:03 -0500

Ja’dore Dior Perfume was my second love in perfume. I was gifted this from my mother on my 16th birthday. What you smell like is more important than and can even top what you’re wearing..

winter skin tips!

melspain — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 20:02:23 -0500

winter skin tips!

Dermalogica Multivitamin Thermafoliant This product is the...

melspain — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 15:54:00 -0500

Dermalogica Multivitamin Thermafoliant

This product is the reason why I love samples! I discovered this product when a lady at Beans Beauty Store gave me a whole bunch of samples. I knew little about this brand, but it caught my eye from it’s exfoliant and high concentration of vitamin E.

I use this product after cleansing my face, dry. I apply a dime size amount onto clean skin, rubbing in a circular motion for about a minute. It is an extra testament to healthier, smoother feeling skin! It’s very thick and reminds me of a sugar scrub, only for your face jam packed with lots of nutrients. Plus! It’s great for sensitive skin. I use this about 3 times per week in the mornings.

our resident actress is excited about her new hair style.

melspain — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 22:21:00 -0500

our resident actress is excited about her new hair style.

FDA reports lead in LipStick

melspain — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 11:47:00 -0500

Breaking News: The Federal Food and Drug Administration for Cosmetics has found that over 200 brands of lipsticks, including L’Oreal, Cover Girl, Dior Addict and Revlon, contain over 60 percent of lead. Since October 2007, the FDA has been aware of the lead contamination but dragged it’s feet. It was not until 3 U.S. Senators appealed to the FDA to do further investigation. ” The expanded survey found that the average lead concentration in the 400 lipsticks tested was 1.11 ppm, very close to the average of 1.07 ppm obtained in our initial survey.” Recent science tells us that there is NO safe lead levels. Because lead is a contaminant not listed on lipstick ingredient labels, it’s next to impossible for consumers to avoid. When lead is released into your body ( from water, food, air quality, and Cosmetics), it can cause cancer, hard attacks and other health defects if exposed to daily/frequently…

Did your products make the list? See here: http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/ProductandIngredientSafety/ProductInformation/ucm137224.htm#expanalyses%20

Take Action:

E-mail, call or write to the companies that make your favorite lipstick shades and tell them that lead-free products are important to you. Write to L’ Oreal to demand the company get the lead out of its products.

Here is a beauty segment I did for WURD Radio based in...

melspain — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:34:00 -0500

Here is a beauty segment I did for WURD Radio based in Philadelphia. Do you think wearing makeup enhances self esteem, and is directly linked to success? How do you define physical attractiveness? I know, a lot of questions…

This is my current hair color-blow-dried and flat ironed, minus...

melspain — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:18:00 -0500

This is my current hair color-blow-dried and flat ironed, minus like an inch of new growth, aka black hair roots… I try to limit the amount of heat I put on my hair weekly to prevent breakage. Since I stopped getting relaxers and using strong formalehyde based products to “enhance” the quality of my hair, the texture of my hair definitely has changed. I became accustomed to straightening and blow drying my hair in 20 mins. Which is not normal for me based on the full head of hair the women in my family have. Now, my hair is very thick and curly- and I love it!

Nyasha & Jourdan backstage at Prabal… Going to do a...

melspain — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 12:41:00 -0500

Nyasha & Jourdan backstage at Prabal…

Going to do a post on exploring color on black skin tones. but in the mean time, what do you guys think about this Parabal Gurung f/w 2012 makeup look?

Is tap water breaking out my skin?

melspain — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:04:00 -0500

I am about 2 steps from using Evian water to wash my face. After each vacay or being away from home (Philly), my skin looks dramatically better! While away at college in Washington DC, my skin was very predictable. I would get the occasional breakouts during finals and midterms and also pms. But collectively, my skin was good. I noticed a trend, though. Even if I travelled for 4 days, my skin after the first day at any given region other than home looked great! I never break out on vacation, and it was a mystery to me, until now! I’ve figured out mother nature. Either, I shouldn’t be in Philly, or tap water is seriously the death of my skin.

What’s in my water? After thorough research, ahem Google, I can conclude that my skin suffers from break outs because of my “hard” tap water. Hard water is a term used to characterize multiple mineral substitutes present in our tap water. Some of these minerals include: magnesium, calcium, chloride, and fluoride! These minerals consequently clog your pores. That coupled with your routine facial cleansing with hot water- which open your pores, allowing these harmful minerals to slip right in. Hard water also makes soap harder to rinse off, and the resulting soap residue can also cause breakouts, dryness and irritation. I also found out that the 35-year old federal water regulations are out of date. Which mean other harmful chemicals are likely to be present in your water and will most likely increase your risk of getting cancer, see the Times article here: http://projects.nytimes.com/toxic-waters/contaminants … it’s another problem, for a different blog.

Anyways, there are several ways you can avoid tap water. Use distilled water. Use cold water when washing your face. Cold water does not open your pores. And, use soap substitutes like cleansers to help break down the minerals…

I digress, is water breaking your skin out?