Snip Snip With The CreaClip

When I was 4 or 5, I managed to get my hands on a pair of scissors.  My young and imaginative mind immediately set to work thinking of ways to use them.  I ‘hid’ under the kitchen table (a truly clever decision, as it was open on all sides) and took a huge chunk out of my hair.  Needless to say, the scissors were taken away and a good half-hour’s worth of scolding ensued.

Maybe I’ve never quite lost my fascination with cutting my own hair, because that’s what I’ve been doing for the past two years.  For the first year or so, I restricted the snipping to my bangs, but gradually grew bolder.  I’ve only had one good salon haircut in my life, and grew increasingly frustrated at my bad luck.  Trimming and layering my own hair, I discovered, was surprisingly simple.

Trimming is relatively straightforward, and you could probably bribe/coerce/ask a family member or friend to do it for you if you’re nervous.  Layering seems like it would be much more difficult.  It wasn’t until I stumbled across the CreaClip that I learned the easy way to layer.

Creaclips are essentially plastic clips.  They contain levels in the center (similar to the ones you see on tripods) to help ensure an even cut.  This video explains the layering process better than I can, so take a look:

The Makeup Morsels 2011 NYE Guide

This year, my New Year’s Eve plans consist of The Hobbit, festive candles, and my electric heating blanket.  While I am all kinds of excited to journey along with Bilbo and Company (for the millionth time), I realize that a guide on optimal blanket heating and Tolkien reading probably isn’t the most useful thing to the majority of my readers.

For those of you who plan to close 2011 with a fun night out, here are the top three things you should consider bringing along with you:

Sip Your Way to Whiter Teeth with Glass Dharma

To everyone who’s entered my giveaway so far, it’s been very interesting to hear all of your skincare sins!  While my own list of skin-sins isn’t too bad, I must admit to committing heinous crimes against my pearly whites.

Yes, I’m guilty of drinking lots of black coffee, which stains my teeth pretty badly *hangs head in shame*

Me sipping air with my reborn, blindingly brilliant teeth.  Glass Dharma Simple Elegance straw, Smoothie size (12mm x 9″ outside, 7.6 mm inside diameter), $8.50

I already knew that sipping through a straw prevents staining, but I drink coffee every morning.  And I didn’t want to throw a plastic straw in the trash every single morning, plus I wasn’t sure if it would be safe to put a plastic straw into a piping hot drink (I actually have no idea, so if anyone would care to enlighten me, that would be lovely).

Enter glass straws!  Glass Dharma’s offerings are both dishwasher and microwave safe.  Their straws are hand-made in the USA with borosilicate tubing, which is the strongest glass commercially available.

Each straw comes packaged in its own little box:

I’m Twirling with the Corioliss Curling Wand

While I’m lucky to have pretty low-maintenance hair, I do enjoy dressing it up with some loose curls every once in awhile.  My weapon of choice is usually a 1.5 inch curling iron, but something else came across my radar a few months back.

Misikko is a webstore that carries a wide range of styling tools, including Ceramic Flat Irons, Ceramic Curling Irons, Blow Dryers, and ah yes…Curling Wands:

 I’m reviewing the Corioliss 18mm Curling Wand today.  It’s a clipless curling iron, which I’ve never worked with prior to this one.

The wand comes nestled in a sturdy cardboard box.  The package also contains a heat-proof glove so that you don’t burn yourself.  Personally, I feel like you would be more likely to burn your arm than your hand, so I always wear a long-sleeve jacket on top of the glove.  Given my track record, I really can’t be too careful

I was impressed that

Tuesday Travels with Travalo (A Review)

Oh, look at Travalo, that travel-sized tyke!  If you haven’t heard the beauty buzz lately, let me fill you in *conspiratorial wink*  Travalo is a sturdy little perfume atomizer that’s specifically built for travel.  The entire thing is made out of tough aluminum (no glass), the size is airline approved for your carry-on luggage, and best of all, the thing is virtually leakproof.

Now, I didn’t get to personally test this out because the second I finished filling it up with Dune by Dior, my mother eagerly wrenched it out of my hands, and I haven’t seen it since.  But judging by the fact that she keeps telling me to get my own, I think it’s safe to say that she loves it.

Here’s the secret to Travalo’s leakproof-ness: