Chatter

Pinkwashing

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This is a legacy post that has been given a facelift. Some content has been edited for flow and clarity, but the essence of the post is the same.

It is October, which means a lot of things – dark lips, darker eyes, fun crazy eye looks inspired by candy corn, Halloween-look YouTube tutorials…you know. Things that matter.

It also means that it is National Breast Cancer Awareness month. Which means everything is coated in a pink so similar to Pepto Bismol that you’re half-surprised there isn’t a lawsuit afoot. This phenomenon has come to be known as Pinkwashing and the goal (supposedly) is to raise awareness. We find people clad in pink all month feeling awfully good about the difference they’re making…but spoilers, your pink tee isn’t funding mammograms for early detection. Treatment. Etc.

We need less, “awareness,” bullshit and more research for treatment and prevention.

If you wish to support research efforts, actually try to support the cause by researching who you are planning to donate to. Unfortunately, not all charities are as noble as they’d have you believe.

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Done with European Wax Center

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Preparing for Waxing

Last year, I shared that I had started partaking of services European Wax Center. In spite of my comparatively (to the past, anyway) lower beauty budget, I enjoyed the results enough to justify the ongoing splurge. To fit it in, I did things like take advantage of their Wax Pass promotions to cut the per-service price down further.

My Skin

For a while, the results were fantastic. As time went on, though, I seemed to develop more issues with ingrowns and other unpleasant things. It felt like I was spending almost as much time and effort on preventing and treating waxing-induced ingrowns than I was saving by not shaving. That hardly makes it a winning proposition for me.

Turnover & Attention to Detail at European Wax Center

It seemed like every time I’d get comfortable with a particular Wax Specialist (esthetician), she would get promoted (yay!), change schedules (boo), or part ways with the company. This resulted in more last-minute rescheduling than I care for, and it meant reacclimating to a new person whose job is to rip hair out of you.

Beyond that, not all specialists are equally good; some are more or less thorough than others. Let’s face it – waxing isn’t inexpensive, and there are several good reasons for that. That said, when you’re paying for a premium aesthetic service like that, you should expect not to have to go home and find you need to finish the damn job.

The environment is not that of a luxurious spa, which is OK – but you still expect to receive a complete service at least, I don’t know, 90% of the time.

The Upsells got Old

Each appointment includes a hard sell on product even you in fact just bought product last time. Additionally, EWC employees don’t seem to be well-versed in their product; namely, what makes their products effective or preferable to other things on the market.

Done with European Wax Center

After several months in a row of this, I decided that I’m done with European Wax Center. I called to cancel my prepaid Wax Pass. This caused me to forfeit a $25 cancellation fee (terms I had agreed to upon sign-up); the remainder was refunded to my original payment method without fuss.

The Bottom Line

For my needs, I am considering investing in a small hard wax kit from Sally Beauty and resort to shaving (and giving my Silkn Laser another shot).

Is the Cosmetics Company Outlet Legit?

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This is a legacy post that has been given a facelift! Content is the same but may have been edited for clarity and readability.

In early April, my husband and I went to one of the outlet malls near us to do some minor clothing shopping. Having never been there and not wanting to waste time perusing stores that weren’t interesting to us, I printed a map beforehand, looked up the listing, and marked off the stores we wanted to check out. While I was going through the list, one caught my eye even though it was entirely off-base in terms of the purpose of our trip: The Cosmetics Company Outlet.

What Do they Sell?

A quick-and-dirty search revealed precious little other than The Cosmetics Company Outlet carries discounted MAC, Clinique, Estee Lauder, Bobbi Brown, and some others. As these brands are traditionally not available anywhere except brand counters, sites, and sometimes at select Ulta and Sephoras – I was immediately skeptical. Like what is this, some flea market-esque booth peddling otherwise semi-exclusive wares?

Are the cosmetics for sale within legitimate?

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Adventures in Balayage

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Beauty Skeptic's BalayageA peek at some of my balayage highlights.
Excuse my comically bad lighting that does not fully showcase how awesome my hair is.

After lengthy consideration, I decided to go forward with balayage highlights. I went for a consultation on September 13, which is where I gathered my information on how to prepare for my balayage highlighting appointment. Balayage isn’t something new, even if it is a new-ish trend in the United States; but I could swear, of all the haircolor techniques out there, this one was made with me in mind.

I did extensive research and chose a charming salon in my area, had a really positive consult, and was ready. By my September 20 appointment, I was rarin’ to go.

So, Tell Me What you Want

To my consult, I brought the following three photos, found on Pinterest, for inspiration:

Adventures in Balayage - Inspiration

Clients get caught up in trying (and failing) to describe what they’re looking for. Pictures help. But you know what else really helps? Explaining and or showing what you definitely, under no circumstances, do not want. Most balayage highlights create a lovely, ombre effect on the hair – but not all ombre hair is balayage. For me, “ombre,” leaves a sour taste in my mouth. Search Google Images for, “Ombre hair,” and you’ll see what I mean. Severe, harsh transitions. Lines, even. I want nothing about my hair to be harsh, and I grew out a misguided hair choice once before and dealt with awkward lines. Never, ever again. Balayage is french for, “sweeping,” and damn it, that’s what I want. Lines of demarcation are the enemy.

Decisions, Decisions

Armed with those three photos my colorist and I made some decisions together. Notice how I said together? It should be a joint effort. Most of these decisions took place during my consultation. But if you and your colorist don’t agree on the course of action – say, you want X and she thinks you ought to do Y? You’re going to have a bad time. As a client, you should have realistic expectations and asks for your colorist. She or he may well seem like a wizard, but it isn’t magic.

Based on those photos, my expression of my #hairgoals, my habits, and prior aversion to color we decided:

  • As far as color goes, the third option made the most sense to emulate. After all, it’s easier to make more changes down the road than to go, “Shit, I don’t like this as much as I thought I was going to!”
  • Overall placement somewhere between the 2nd and 3rd photo.
  • To place more product at the ends to concentrate a little more blonde color there (like the 2nd photo).
  • …But to overall play it a little safe.

It can be a little intimidating to be in the chair, but when you’re spending money on these services, it’s worthwhile to be 100% sure you’re on the same page. If your stylist or colorist is worth a damn, she or he WANTS to produce results you’re happy with. If the salon you’re working with is not eager to work to that goal, find another salon. Seriously.

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How I Prepared for my Balayage Appointment

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Balayage Prepvia Hair World Mag

I wrote, a while back, about considering getting Balayage highlights.

After a long time, a lot of consideration, and a consultation at which I asked my poor colorist half a million questions, I decided to take the plunge. I booked for Tuesday, September 20.

Here’s how I prepared for my balayage appointment.

What I Asked

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Invisalign Update: More Refinement

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Invisalign Update - More Refinement

I’m a little over thirteen months into my Invisalign treatment. Last week, I wrapped up my seventeenth refinement tray! That’s it, 53 trays and I’m done!

So I thought.

At the conclusion of my round of treatment, I returned to the orthodontist to, I hoped, remove my attachments. When I arrived, my doctor informed me he’d do an exam and re-scan me with the iTero to check my progress. I sure picked a great team – he told me that they’re committed to achieving results we mutually love, so that might mean more further refinement if I’m open to it.

Uh, yeah, I’m open to it.

Granted, in my case it was a flat fee for as much treatment as I need to achieve whatever I want. I highly recommend working with a provider who offers a flat rate structure, particularly if you have a complicated case like mine.

The Exam

We went through my exam, I provided some feedback on a few teeth that I felt could be just a touch better. Then, he noticed a few things that I didn’t. A technician took a new scan and photos (which are hilariously awkward to capture), and we confirmed our observations from the exam.

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