Slightly Nautical Manicure
In my recent exploration of nail polishes I bought that I hadn’t yet used, I wanted to kill two birds with one stone on some Julep polishes I had hanging around. I held some swatches up beside each other and decided that I really liked Julep Margot, a metallic gold, and Julep Monaco, a cobalt blue labeled the Color of Spring 2014, together. I find that, of all the colors I wear, I don’t really wear bold blues that much, so I liked the idea of not going nuts with it and tempering the look with the soft gold.
Read MoreA Vampy Red: Julep Scarlett
Remember when I went to the opening of the San Francisco Dungeon? Well I had just removed a somewhat unsuccessful manicure that was specific to an event I went to, and I needed something quick and appropriate. I decided to look through some of the polishes I have got recently that I haven’t had a chance to use yet. Julep Scarlett jumped out at me as appropriate for touring the San Francisco Dungeon – vampy, sparkly, and simple. Simple both in that it would be quick to put on and wouldn’t be a lot of work for a manicure that no one would really notice. This was not an event where anyone was likely to compliment my nails, or even see them, really, so I just wanted them to not be bare!
Read MoreHave you tried Younique?
Hello, TrishaLyn.com readers! I’m Kacie Kersey, a hair stylist, makeup artist, breast cancer activist and Halloween enthusiast who resides in the SF Bay Area with one boyfriend, three cats and hundreds (if not thousands) of books. I can be found around the internet at @kaciedoeshair on Twitter and Instagram and Facebook.com/kaciedoeshair. Like any Type-A Crazy, I am not content with the status quo (or with having a car payment) so while I build my hair empire I have a couple of side gigs, including Younique!
I was introduced to Younique products by a friend in March. Younique was founded in 2012 by a brother-sister team, centered around the core values of simplicity, positive influence, and the celebration of inner and outer beauty. Less than two years old and they are on track to become one of the fastest growing direct-sales companies EVER. And in April I pulled the trigger to become an Independent Distributor. Why? Pretty much because of one incredible product: their Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes! This ain’t your momma’s mascara, that’s for sure! It’s two tubes, a three-step process that combines collagen transplanting gel and all natural green tea fibers to create truly incredible thickness and volume! I mean LOOK at this before and after (spoiler alert, no other makeup on, after working out. I swear sometimes I look cuter than this picture leads you to believe).
SO — how does it work? The instructions in the package say to start off with a coat of your regular mascara — I don’t. I start with clean, naked lashes, and do a coat of the Transplanting Gel, then while that is still wet I do a full coat of the Fibers. Give that a few seconds to set up and seal those bad boys on with a second coat of Transplanting Gel. You can do as few or as many coats as you like; I tend to do about 3 when I want some attention on my eyes, or if I am having a lazy day and don’t want to bother with shadow, liner and the whole thing. I get away with lashes, tinted moisturizer and lipstick about 4 days a week, which is essential in the hot summer months. The 3D Fiber Lash mascara is $29, which is on par with most department store mascaras.
Pros
- Crazy long lashes. I see a remarkable difference, even with one coat.
- The look of falsies without the glue, heaviness, corners popping off, etc.
- No damage to your natural lashes.
Cons
- The gel dries quickly, making it difficult to do both eyes at the same time. This is a quick fix, but it’s hard to retrain 18 years of putting on mascara!
- It is a multi-step process, so even one coat adds a minute or so to your beauty routine.
- If you’re too generous with your fibers and don’t remember to seal them in with another coat of transplanting gel it could result in little black fibers hanging out on your cheekbones. Not a look I enjoy!
Younique has a host of other products in their lineup, from BB Cream, to foundations, blushes and eye pigments. Everything I’ve tried has been excellent quality, especially considering the price point (pigments are just $10 while foundations top out at $32 — in fact no single item is over $32, however there are some things that come in sets and collections)! I am a makeup junkie and the pigments hold up to the quality of MAC, especially color payoff and blend-ability.
Some people would say that only being able to get a hold of the 3D Fiber Lashes and other Younique products through an Independent Presenter is a negative, but I disagree. People like to do business with people they know, like and trust. I am obviously excited about this product, people know they’re getting a great product with an unconditional LOVE IT guarantee, and my friends and family know I wouldn’t steer them wrong, especially with my background in the beauty industry! Couple that with my commitment to build a team of like-minded women that are dynamic and filled with integrity… well, I wouldn’t stand behind a product or company that was anything less.
If you’d like to purchase your own 3D Fiber Lashes or any other Younique products you can do so at LashingOut.net, and if you’re interested in learning more about the Younique opportunity contact me at kaciekersey@me.com!
Read MoreHappy Independence Day Manicure 2014!
Happy Independence Day! We’re keeping it low key here at Fawver Home Base this year – the hubs Dominic is BBQing some burgers, we have copious amounts of Blue Moon and Angry Orchard to keep us in good spirits, and I’m having groceries delivered by Safeway to help ease any 4th of July shopping anxiety!
Read MoreHerbal Essences Naked Voxbox
I’ve been seeing commercials for the new Herbal Essences Naked collection of hair care products for some time now. The mint aspect of the ingredients always intrigues me, but I didn’t pull the trigger and grab any because I thought the white grapefruit would be too overpowering. I’m not the biggest fan of citrus scents in general, especially in my hair. Thanks to Influenster and the Herbal Essences Naked Voxbox, I am happy to report that I was SO wrong!
Since I started dying my hair in February, I’ve been using a shampoo and conditioner made specifically for red color-treated hair. I found that anything else I tried, even super organic, vegan shampoos and conditioners a friend recommended, have left me with tinted water drops dripping from my scalp after a shower. Since I’m pretty close to my touch-up appointment, I decided to throw caution to the wind and try out the samples of the Herbal Essences Naked Moisture Shampoo and Herbal Essences Naked Moisture Conditioner I received in the Voxbox. The Herbal Essences Naked Dry Shampoo will have to be tried another day 🙂
It’s a bonus, of course, that the Naked collections have 0% dyes, parabens, sulfates, or heavy residues. In other words, pretty good for your hair!
Scent
Remember that fear of the overwhelming white grapefruit? Well, only some of the Naked collection has that scent. The Moisture line of products boasts scents of “herbal mint fusion extracts”. So it was a gentle mint scent that was not super overpowering or overly chemical like some mint beauty products I’ve smelled. It really doesn’t leave any lingering scent in my hair, either, which I like.
Fluffy
Most of the time, the F word I use to describe my hair is Frizzy. But after using the conditioner, my hair is fluffy and soft. It does a good job minimizing frizz, despite that not really being a feature or selling point. It doesn’t weigh my hair down but gives it the moisture it needs to not completely poof up or dry out. A weird thing, perhaps, but I noticed it also didn’t dry out my scalp like a lot of shampoos and conditioners do.
Color Fastness
Unfortunately, this is a fail for color fastness. I had the same red tinted water droplets after using the Herbal Essences Naked Moisture Shampoo & Conditioner. I fear it would look like a horror movie if I’d used these right after a fresh coloring! That wouldn’t be as scary as the look my awesome colorist Kacie would give me if I washed out my color almost immediately though!
Verdict: Get Some (If you don’t have color-treated hair)
If I stop dying my hair, I’ll definitely start using the Herbal Essences Naked Shampoo and Conditioner on a regular basis. Unfortunately for me, it speeds up my color fading, so it’s a no-go for me right now. If they made a version with better color protection for color-treated hair, I’d wholeheartedly give it a try and start using it if it works like this regular formula!
Disclosure: I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes. 
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Julep Maven Exclusive Polishes
There are perks to being a Julep Maven. One is exclusive polishes that no one else can get! Back in February, I received a pretty one called Love. It was everything I wanted for a Valentine’s Day manicure: sweet, simple, romantic. I didn’t know what our plans were going to be or where we were going, so with not knowing what I’d be wearing, I decided to wear Love as a sweet polish that would pretty much go with anything. It is a creamy shimmer base with a subtle pink tone, and then darker pinkish red glitter in it. Like most of the Julep shimmers, it took a couple of coats to hit the opacity and coverage I wanted, but that was okay as I find myself using two coats of most other polishes.
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