How to Marble nail

  This look is called marbling, to achieve this looks all you need is different color lacquers (works best with colors only a few shades off of each other) and a toothpick. This works with nail polish and acrylic gels.

You start by painting horizontal stripes on the nail bed. I like to start with my darker color, then go lighter shades of blue. You want it to be thick enough that it won't dry by the time you try to run the toothpick through.

Now take you're toothpick, start at the top of the nail (near the cuticle) and run it down the nail.

Keep going sideways on the nail.
Do not rub off the toothpick each time you make a stripe.

Notice my second stripe had pink at the top, it's because I didn't rub off my toothpick, you might have to go back to the first one you did to get this.

                                               

This should be the end result. Give a top coat once dried.


                                                                                                  Comments are appreciated

Homemade exfoliant and info

The benefits of exfoliation is removing dead skin cells(squams) from the epidermis, removes dirt, even skins tone and reduces fine lines.

I try to explain to people that not only people with dry skin should exfoliate.
If you have a oily skin type, exfoliation can help you reduce the dirt, bacteria and keratin build up on the skin which makes up whats inside a pimple(papule, pustule) and blackhead(comedone).


There is 3 different types of exfoliation:

Granular:Usually will be a emollient(semi-liquid) with smooth beads to rub away dead skin cells. I've seen homemade kinds with coffee grinds and almond oil, yogurt and oatmeal.
This I would more recomend for someones body, not a face. Simply because it could be very irritating by the harsh rubbing of the beads.

Gommage: Placed on the face like a mask(with a brush) it will be a paste texture usually. Apply, wait till it hardens like a mask then take one hand to stretch skin out and other hand to rub off. It isn't as harsh as the granular exfoliant.
Now the gommage I worked with, was for oily types, while drying it would absorb secretions and when rubbed off, would leave skin matte not shinny.

Enzymatic: Like a mask also, but instead of manually rubbing it off, there are enzymes or AHA's in the product which will act like little pac men and "eat" the dead skin cells. Once the peel is on for a few minutes you simply remove. This is the best option for any skin type, because it's the only exfoliant that isn't harsh, no rubbing.
                                                        
                                                        To make an enzymatic exfoliant
You can find enzymes in a lot of fruits but pineapples and papaya are the best. Pineapple's enzyme is called bromelain and papaya's is papain.
The Gelatin is for consistency and texture, but some studies say that the gelatin's collagen may help you're own.


What you need:

• 1 fresh Papaya or Pineapple(raw not canned)
• 1 package of unflavored Gelatin
• 1.5 fl oz. Mineral water (=3 tablespoons)

How to do it:

• Peel the papaya, take out the seeds and cut it in pieces. Put these in a food processor and mash them thoroughly. Strain this through cheesecloth and keep the juice for later.

• Put the gelatin and the mineral water in a small pan. Then gently warm this up over a slow fire, while constantly stirring, until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Pour this in a bowl and add the papaya juice.

• Let this cool down for a while and place the bowl in the fridge until it is firm, and almost set but still liquid enough to be applied, this will take about 25-30 minutes.

• Stir to see if it is the right thick consistency, if so spread the paste gently and equally(not too thick) with a facial mask brush, on your clean face and neck; keep the eye and upper lip area clear

• Now lie down, relax and leave the mask on for 15-20 minutes.

• Then peel it off, start under your chin and peel it off in an upward motion, this will tingle a bit. Finally rinse with warm water and a soft warm wash cloth, end with a splash of cold; pat your skin dry with a clean towel. Or if it didn't dry like that(mine didn't the first dew times) just rinse off. 

                                                                             Comments are always appreciated

2010 Mini masterpiece contest winners

At nailsmag.com they have a channel called nail art and it holds a mini master peice contest. For manicurist to show off their stuff. It was their 3rd year and I think they keep getting better. The rules were to reproduce a well-known work of art on a single nail tip. Which took the first place winner 10 hours! They are all beautiful yet there is only one 1st place. Unfortunately I can't save the pictures to re post, so here is the link.  Comment if it doesn't work please.


http://www.nailsmag.com/Channel/Nail-Art/Tag/CONTESTS.aspx

My halloween makeup

I did my halloween makeup (these pictures are before I did my hair). It was done with cream eyeshadows.

Link to my nail art!

http://nailartgallery.nailsmag.com/sleepyflower

They are all hand painted, well except the marbled ones, love to see what you think :)

No fun in the sun Part 1 (BCC)

Considering it's summer time and alot of people tan, I just thought i'd remind everyone that UV radiation can be very harmful!
UV exposer can lead to premature aging and wrinkles and can even cause cataracts and snow blindness and other skin conditions like solar keratosis where the skin starts over producing keratin to toughen up to protect it's self(skin feels like leather). But the most harmful side effect of sunbathing is cancer!! 


Basal Cell Carcinoma
 Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common form of cancer. There's about a million new cases each year. BCC is a malignant tumor that begins as a papule(inflamed solid elevation of the skin) and grows in the basal layer of the epidermis, becoming a crater that erodes, crusts and bleeds.
 The SUN is one of the biggest causes of BCC. The sun is 90% responsible for skin cancers. Basal cell carcinoma is most seen in the sun exposed areas like face, ears, neck, scalp and shoulders.

The sun damage responsible for BCC cancer usually happens years(10-40 years) before the cancer even begins.


People who sunburn easily, usually fair skin have a higher chance then darker skin of getting BCC.
Places closer to the equator have a higher UV index so they have a higher chance of getting BCC
You also have a higher risk of getting it if there's family history.

People who get basal cell carcinoma once, are more likely going to get more. Often the second one will be close to where the other spot has been.

Sometimes BCC can resemble skin conditions like psoriasis or eczema. But there are five common characteristics that are seen more often, usually two or more of these characteristics will be present.
Some of these characteristics are:

An Open Sore

Most common on the chest, shoulders,
arms and legs. Sometimes the patch

might crusts, itch or bleed.

A reddish patch/ irritated area

Most common on the chest, shoulders, arms or legs.

 Sometimes the patch might crust, itch or hurt

 

A shiny bump

Usually a round bump that protrudes above the surface of the skin. It can be pink, red, white, tan, black, brown or translucent. Sometimes it can be confused with a mole.

A pink growth

 

A slightly elevated bump that has a crusted center.

It will slowly grow and tiny blood vessels may come
to the surface

A scar-like area

Can be white, yellow or waxy and has poorly defined borders. The skin looks shiny and taunt, this is a sign that small roots are there, which makes the tumor larger then it appears on the surface.





Prevention and treatment

Stop sunbathing or going to tanning beds. Even if you don't burn and go red, you're still causing skin damage. Wear SPF 15 or higher everyday. Even on a day with overcast, the UV radiation can still penetrate through the clouds.

Surgery is the only way to remove basal cell carcinoma. Fortunately there are a couple different types of surgery that can be preformed to remove the cancer. The surgery will leave a scar, there is no way of removing BCC without leaving that darn scar.
  
Different types of surgery


Electrodessication and curettage: The cancer is burned and removed with a sharp instrument.
Cryosurgery: Freezing the cancer to kill it.
Excision: The cancer is cut out, along with some healthy tissue also.
Micro graphic surgery: The cancer is also cut out along with some healthy tissue, then the doctor will use a microscope to see if there's any remaining cancer cells.
Laser surgery: A beam of light is used to remove the cancer.

If you have a new growth somewhere on you're body always see a dermatologist about it. And always wear sunscreen, SPF 15 or more!!

Hope this helped and comments and questions are always appreciated

                                           Sleepy Flower

confussion between skin types and skin conditions

When people come to me and say, "my skin type is sensitive or dehydrated" that's not really the case. These are skin condidtions that any skin type can have. A person with sehboric, oily or dry(skin types) can all have redness of the skin(congested/sensitive), dehydrated(Transepidermal water loss) and be mature.

To get a good look at the skin type we must first treat the condition.

Ex Client presents tight pores, along with congested redness
 My skin analysis would be dry with erythrosis(congested redness).

I'd treat the erythrosis first with a decongesting treatment(to reduce the redness) followed by a nourishing treatment(make skin supple not dry)


  Questions and comments are always appreciated                                          
                                                                           Sleepy Flower