Bargain Jewess

My hair has always been naturally wavy/curly with a mild frizz propensity. My secret weapons for great summer hair are mousse, spray gel and spray leave in conditioner. Specifically Fresh Curls mousse and spray gel by Redken and BioCare labs Maven Nourish Mist leave in conditioner. This is my arsenal here are my tips on how to use them.

The summer is generally not a time for heat styling, blowouts never last due to the humidity and blowdrying and flat ironing is way too sweat inducing even with the a/c on when it’s 90+ degrees. So if you want straight hair all the time I recommend Brazilian or Japanese straightening for the summer otherwise embrace your wild side and go au naturel. Believe me your hair will thank you.

Here are my fool proof ways to get perfect curls:

Always use a moisturizing conditioner on your curly hair after you shampoo. Curly hair is naturally dry which is part of what causes the frizz. This will also help keep the frizz in check. When you get out of the shower do not wrap your hair up turban style. This causes breakage on any type of hair especially curly hair as it is generally fragile. Instead flip your head over and briskly towel dry it.

Next spray your hair with leave n conditioning spray. this will also help with the frizz and keep your hair soft and smooth. Next put a dollop of curl or wave enhancing mousse in your palm and work it through your hair from root to tip all over the head. Flip your head over and scrunch and flip it back and scrunch some more if you plan on clipping the front back do it now. Once you are done scrunching resist the urge to touch your hair. This is the biggest frizz causer. It’s hard but well worth the effort.

One of the new issues I’ve been having lately (maybe due to the pregnancy hormones) is that my hair is less curly and when I sleep on it the curls kinda fall out. To revive the curls spray your dry hair first with the spray gel and then with the leave in conditioning spray. You want a curl enhancing spray gel so make sure that’s what you have. Then scrunch the hair and put it up for a 1/2 hour in a high messy bun. When you take it down you should have nicely revived curls and volume.

Remember to deep condition your curls once or twice month your hair needs moisture, especially in the summer when the sun drys out your hair.

Wishing you frizz free days of wild, sexy, curls.

Arielle AKA Bargain Jewess

As I’ve posted previously self-tanner never seems to work out for me. Over the years I’ve tried gels, lotions, sprays I always ended up streaky and orange. Yesterday while in target I saw that Sonia Kashuk had self tanning towelettes. I’d never tried the towelettes but at $9.99 for a six pack I thought it’s worth a shot. I’d been wanting to try the the tanning wipes for a while. I had heard that they were a goof proof solution to a gorgeous bronze glow.

Well people those beauty editors were right. These wipes were meant for the face but I also used it on my neck and collarbone area, as well as my arms. The glow is a soft subtle bronze. There are no steaks, no fake orangey color just a beautiful healthy glow. They have a light citrus scent that makes them pleasant to use as well. You can use more than one to get a deeper tan. They’re so easy to use and mess free. I’m going to be trying it on my legs and I’ll let you know how it works out. I can’t speak for other brands towelettes but I imagine they work just as well.

Definitely worth a try. You can order them online at Target.com. They come in two formulations golden for medium to fair skin (which is what I used) and bronze for medium to dark skin. They also make a 4 pack for $9.99 for the body in both options.

If you decide to try it let me know how it works out.

Enjoy that sun kissed glow.

Arielle Aka Bargain Jewess

So the two weeks that the OPI manicure lasted ended last Thursday. Here are my final observations. It basically did last the two weeks with minor chips. It wasn’t perfect but stayed much much better than a typical manicure.

The biggest issue I have with it, is that you cannot get a nice opaque color. It’s a very sheer natural look. If that’s what you like or you are someone who loves a french then it’s perfect for you.

The pro’s; it lasts like it says it does and it makes your nails incredibly hard and strong.

Overall I would recommend this if you’re not looking for a deep saturated manicure and like a natural manicure that lasts.

I have been seeing a lot of ads lately for the O.P.I soak off gel manicure. The claims are that you got a shiny chip free manicure that lasts up to two weeks. I love getting my manicures but they never seem to last; if I get 5 days out of a manicure I consider myself lucky. So when I started seeing these ad’s I was really intrigued to see if the manicure delivered as promised. My big concern was that it was significantly pricier than my normal $8 manicure $25 for each manicure but if it lasted two weeks I thought it might be worth the extra $9 that it would cost instead of two normal manicures.

The process was very quick and easy. First they filed my nails and buffed them to a shine. Then they took out a UV light and a special gel like polish which they polished my nails with and then had me put my hand in the UV box. Then the manicurist layered three different sheer gel colors a white and two pinks all O.P.I. and a topcoat. After my hands took many alternating turns in the UV dryer we put Essie’s, Gucci Muchi Pucci on top plus a regular topcoat. It was super shiny and took a very short time to dry. I did it Thursday and it’s now Sunday I’ve cooked, cleaned, done housework, showered a few times, all things that normally make my polish chip and it’s still perfect. So far I highly recommend it if you are hard on your nails or find your manicures don’t last.

I will add a follow up at the end of two weeks to let you all know how it held up for the duration. I should mention that my manicurist told me some customers have had issues with it and if I do, I should come back and she’ll fix it for free. So I will keep you all updated on the progress.

Aviva Rizel has big warm brown eyes and a stylish brown bob with side bangs. She looks like a typical good frum girl but she has a mission. To help every woman out there feel comfortable, and beautiful, while keeping the mitzvah of kisui rosh- Covering ones head.

Aviva’s story is not typical. In fact when I spoke with Aviva she told me her great love is neuropsychology and anything relating to neurons. Wigs wasn’t something she chose, but rather wigs chose Aviva. It started in seminary when a friend begged her to cut her hair. Aviva protested, but eventually using nail scissors gave her friend a haircut. Soon she was cutting everyone’s hair in her seminary. While in Stern College she continued cutting hair, and decided to enroll in Yaffa’s wig training course, so she could truly learn to cut hair and-eventually wigs-the right way.

This eventually led to Swanky Hairy Monsters and then Aviva’s wigs, her current business. Read on for my questions and Aviva’s answers.

Bargain Jewess: Lets start with why Jewish women cover their hair in the first place, give us some biblical sources?

Aviva Rizel: Obviously this is a very large topic with many opinions by many Rabbis, but there are two main sources. One being in Parshat Korach when, Korach and his followers go from house to house seeking men to rebel against Moshe. As they approached On Ben Pelet’s house, his wife stationed herself outside the house with hair uncovered thus keeping her husband from sinning.

The other source is when Sotah is discussed and the text says we remove the hair covering of the sotah. Both of these serve as proofs that Jewish woman have a halachic obligation to cover their hair.

BJ: For me and probably for most readers comfort is super important, what would you say is the most comfortable and durable wig and also how can you make sure you won’t get a lemon?

AR: In my opinion the most comfortable wig is a hand sewn, stretch cap. This allows for the wig to stretch side to side, as well as front to back. Also you want a wide flex comb about four inches at the forehead. This will take the pressure off the rest of your head and for many people they won’t even need to use snap combs. Also Mongolian hair tends to stand up better than European hair with the same hand feel and texture. In terms of insuring that you don’t get a lemon make sure that the company or sheitel macher has a policy that they will fix or replace the wig should it knot, shed or oxidize right away or within 6 months of purchase. In general the longer the wig the more likely it will knot at the nape, especially if it’s wavy or curly.

BJ: What should you look for in a wig?

AR: Look for texture, ie: the hand feel and that the texture whether straight or wavy is what you want. Additionally, make sure the color is right, as well as the hairs being double knotted. Double knots will allow the wig to last longer. Also if you don’t have a vision of what you are looking for, look at precuts.

BJ: Is cut really that important to the look of the wig?

AR: yes absolutely. A good key is cut. Even if you have to wait awhile for an appointment it’s worth it if someone knows what they are doing cut-wise and you have seen their work and liked it.

BJ: As my readers know I’m a big fan of the Yarmulke fall. As a wig stylist what’s your take?

AR: I started carrying them in my current salon. Originally I didn’t necessarily believe in them or feel I should carry them since I myself would not wear them. I didn’t even carry band falls because I worried that people would show more hair than I myself would.

But then a very good friend had a crisis of faith. Her wig was making her hair fall out and her scalp bleed and she was completely ready to stop covering her hair. Then someone introduced her to the kipa fall and she wears it every day and has continued to cover her hair. I realized if I could help someone keep the mitzvah to the best of their ability, I was still helping them to keep the mitzvah even if it wasn’t the way that I keep mitzvah. It’s a great stepping stone in either direction as well.

BJ: Tell us about Swanky Hairy Monsters and how that turned in to Aviva’s Wigs?

AR: when I was starting my business, I called my sister to have her help me brainstorm for a business name. We grew up not in a world where people overwhelmingly covered their hair so wigs to us are kind of weird. So when I asked my sister what she thought of when she though of wigs, she said hairy monster. We both had a good laugh and then we got out the thesaurus and came up with Swanky Hairy monsters. Unfortunately not everyone had as good a sense of humor as we did, so I changed the business name to Aviva’s wigs an enchanted garden of a store straight out of a Midsummer Night’s dream, and moved from an online store to an actual store front at Aza’s Health and Beauty Bar, off of Cedarhurst Ave, parrallel with the tracks.

Contact me WITH ANY SHEITEL NEEDS. I will not push my product on you, I just want you to be happy with the Mitzvah!

You can visit Aviva and see her beautiful wigs at Aviva’s wigs 525 Chestnut Street, Cedarhurst, Tuesday-Friday 10am-3pm, Sunday 11am-3pm, or by appointment call 516-256-WIGS (9447.)

You can also check out Aviva’s website www.Avivaswigs.com

Aviva is really a pleasure to speak to and will truly help you find a beautiful wig that’s perfect for you.

I would say that most people who know me find me a fairly intelligent person. I have a secret though….. I went to Community College. Most people automatically assume that Community College is for dummies who can’t get into to a four year college. This is not necessarily the case.

The second you mention that you go to Community College you suddenly get mocked that it’s not real college or your good grades are attributed to the fact that it must be a joke. I even had a professor in Brooklyn College suggest to me that the fact that I went to Community College, made me dumb when I mentioned I was having difficulty with the course material. He also managed to mention that he was superior to me since he went to Harvard. I thought many things about that statement that I won’t mention here, but number one was if you’re such a genius why are you teaching at CUNY?

To be honest I truly enjoyed my time in Community College. It gave me a love of learning that I had previously not experienced in my dismal yeshiva education. People were friendlier, professors cared more, they took stock in me. For the first time in my life I was a straight A student and not because it was easier but because I was engaged. I was made to feel like I had opinions that counted, things to contribute. For most of my time in Brooklyn college where I received my bachelors I didn’t feel this at all. Although I kept up my excellent grades I never found the same sort of kinship with most of my professors or my fellow students.

For me Community College was incredibly empowering and I am so heartened by the fact that our President has realized that as well. When I attended Community College there were so many people with such diverse backgrounds, but all with one thing in common, the desire to succeed.

I had people like me who were recent high school grads who couldn’t get in to four year schools because of grades, or people who had flunked out of four year schools because they didn’t take it seriously. Then there were the senior citizens looking to enrich their minds, and the immigrants trying to build a better life. It was so motivational to see all sorts of people working to attain something better; whether for themselves or their families.

President Obama has admitted that community colleges can be key to job training and financial success and security within this country.

For me Community College pushed me to reach my potential I became the first person in my family to attain a bachelor’s degree and I graduated Magna Cum Laude. I owe it all to community college.

So the next time you think that someone is dumb because they’re in Community College, think again they may just be smarter than you.

For more on this topic check out the following article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/28/education/28community.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=community%20college&st=cse

Looking for ways to cut costs and save money on basic things around the house? look no further than here at Bargain Jewess; the following tips are useful recession or not.

Makeup cleansing wipes are a great quick way to remove dirt and makeup but even generic brands can become pricey. Try using baby wipes instead. They cleanse just the same and 80-120 will set set you back 3-4 dollars for the store brand.

Have blackheads and want an inexpensive way get rid of them? Try plain old Elmers glue or any non toxic glue. Slather a little on your nose let it dry and pull off and voila a cheap, effective, way to rid your nose of blackheads.

Out of coffee filters? a paper towel can subsitutue. just rip off one sheet fold into the filter area and add your coffee. Works like a charm I never use filters anymore. The best are the half sheet paper towels.

A good way to get full, shiny, hair? Rinse it beer, just make sure to rinse it out well to rid the hair of beer smell.

Want glowing skin? Try this Indian at home recipe. 1 tbsp gram flour otherwise known as chickpea flour, 1/2 a cucumber peeled and crushed and 1 egg or 1 tbsp vegannaise. Slather on face for ten minutes and wipe off for tighter, smoother, more radiant skin.

Vinegar and lemon are fantastic amazing products of nature. Both can be used to clean the house and get rid of stinky odors. Lemon is great at ridding your hands of smells like fish, or garlic and onions. Vinegar is fantastic for cleaning mirrors and counter tops and can be a great substitute for Windex. Also Vinegar keeps your drains from clogging. Pour it down once a week to keep clogs at bay.

I love hearing new tips and tricks that save money so please leave comments with any tips you’d like to share.

I wanted to give some more information on kipa falls and how they work. Today it seems that every frum Jewish girl covers her hair with a sheitel when getting married. Every time I’m in Brooklyn the five towns Teaneck etc it seems a new sheitel place has opened. For those happy with sheitels great. For those unhappy and uncomfortable there are other options.

When I decided to start covering my hair again this year i began to do a lot of research on sheitels and the various types that existed. I cam e upon the kipa fall and realized this was my solution.

The kipa fall was originally made for women with thinning or bald spots to cover the crown of the head and add volume to their hair. It is referred to outside of Jewish circles as a topper, mini fall and sometimes a wiglet.

I had my kipa fall made from a regular fall which will make two kipa falls. I have a friend who did it also and is super happy with it.

If you fell that every strand of hair must be covered then a kipa fall is not for you but if you wear hats with your hair hanging out then a kipa fall may be your answer.

I also personally find that kipa falls are a lot more tznius than the perfect sheitels I see. Sheitels are usually blown and curled and super sexy. Kipa falls usually look like your hair on a regular day. They are a lot less glamorous.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me. If i can make3 the mitzvah of kisui rosh more enjoyable for anyone it will be my greatest pleasure.

All the best,

Arielle AKA Bargain Jewess

After I first got married I covered my hair with a full sheitel. After six months of headaches, discomfort, and felling unattractive I stopped covering my hair and although the guilt made me struggle with it I knew I couldn’t go back to a regular sheitel. This Yom kippur I began covering my hair again with hats and bandanas and scarves. I hated though looking different, I missed having hair.

I started looking into alternate options and found out about the kipa/yarmulke fall. This literally saved my hair covering. I cannot explain how comfortable the kipa fall is. Although it may not be the answer for everyone it certainly was the answer for me. I can now cover my hair and feel like me doing it. Kipa falls can be made by many sheitel machers from a regular fall or sheitel. This is the least expensive option. They are also sold by many wig salons including Designs by Flora, Qourum Salon, Yali’s, Claire Accuhair, and Dov Salon among others. For more info feel free to post away.

Bargain Jewess

I’ve struggled on and off with problem skin since my teenage years. Although my occasional pimples have never been severe, no amount of dermatologists, injections, antibiotics, or even the so called miracle proactive worked for me. What has worked for me is a daily consistent regimen, and it can work for you too if you stick to it no matter how tired you are.

Since my skin is combination, oily-dry I exfoliate with a microdermabrasion scrub made by Rite Aid it’s the generic version of a ponds scrub. I wash my face once a day in the evening to remove dirt, and my makeup with Cetaphil. Dermatologists highly recommend this gentle moisturizing cleanser that works on all skin types. I use a Stridex alcohol free salicylic acid pad that exfoliates the skin as well as removes excess sebum and dirt that gets lodged in the pores. The alcohol free formulation prevents any over-drying of the skin, I do this twice a day. Then I put on a moisturizing salicylic acid cream made by Dermworx called Acneworx, although this has been disappearing from drugstore shelves, if any can find it let me know where you’re getting it because it’s fantastic.

I use All About Eyes by Clinique to treat and prevent dark circles, puffiness and lines. I use Superdefense anti-aging moisturizer by Clinique with SPF 25. This is oil free and makes putting on foundation smmoth and streak free. There is no place more important to protect than the skin of the face. A youthful face is a youthful appearance. Plus no one wants skin cancer.

This regimen will work for oily skin as well. The best regimen for those with dry skin is to use a cleanser like Cetaphil, without water. Rub it on your face to remove makeup and dirt than wipe off with a tissue or soft towel. Use a non-comedegenic thick moisturizer both Clinique and Christian Dior make excellent formulations. Use this daily

For those with normal skin lucky you. Wash your face once to twice a day and use a lightweight moisturizer with an SPF of 15 or higher and an eye cream to prevent darkness, lines, and wrinkles both AM and PM.

Here’s to clear, glowing skin.

XoXo

Bargain Jewess