Bargain Jewess

Archive for the ‘beauty’ Category

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

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.

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’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

Lately it seems all the at home hair coloring kits are coming out with a ten minute version.Having to sit with goop on your head for a half hour or more is now being thrown out and replaced by a product that works in ten minutes.

Since my roots had really grown in I thought it was time to get my hair to one color. I wanted a nice really dark brown with some red in it. I found a dark brown offered by Perfect 10, a Clairol brand.

One of the nicest things about this dye is that it comes with a comb attachment to put on the bottle so you get an even application of color. The color really did take just ten minutes. Although it is nice it was a little darker than I would have wanted. I would go a shade lighter than you intend. If it comes out too light  you can always go up a shade, but in my opinion better safe than sorry.

The great thing about this product is that it works quickly and makes dying your own hair an easy, painless, process.A few tips though for dying your own hair. Spread newspaper on the floor of the bathroom to prevent staining the floor. Wear old clothes and use old towels that you don’t care if they get dirty. I’ve ruined a lot of clothing and towels disregarding that one. Spread Vaseline around your hairline, back of neck, and ears to prevent the hair dye from staining because it will get on you.

Enjoy your new hue and don’t forget to adjust your makeup accordingly. The worst mistake people make when dying they’re hair is not realizing that their makeup may no longer flatter them.

For more Info Visit  http://www.clairol.com/niceneasy/perfect_10/index.jsp

There’s a widespread mentality in certain Jewish circles that being on the cutting edge of fashion and style is not in the confines of tznius- the Jewish dictates of modesty. In my years in bais yaakov teachers went so far as to tell us that being on the cutting edge of fashion was clearly against the laws of tznius. That a girl who was dressed extremely attractive was drawing unnecessary attention to herself. I was told that this rule also applied to sweatshirts or t-shirts with chest logos and even dark nail polish. All of these things fell under the guise of what is know as prust or improper for the Jewish girl/woman.

I’ve veered pretty far away from that line of thinking and most of those people today would definitely call me a shiksa in my jeans and tichels/hats/occasionally sheitel and they really would have run the other way if they met me in my non-hair covering phase. Although I’m certainly no halachic authority, I went to bais yaakov after all(where they teach you just enough to get your MRS) and I certainly hope no takes this as any psak or halachic ruling I would like to speculate on this further, especially as this seems to a topic on many of my fellow j-bloggers minds……

A Jewish woman is considered a princess in Hebrew, a bas melech. The daughter of a king would only be kitted in the finest of fashions and of course would set the fashion tone for the entire country. She of course would never be dressed in any way that would disrespect her father the king but she certainly would always be expected to look more beautiful and put together than anyone else in the kingdom. The same goes true for the Jewish princess.

I honestly feel that an orthodox Jewish women should always be as fashionable and as classy as possible. There are many ways to look fantastic without baring it all. In general the women I find the most elegant are those who choose to cover it up rather than let it all hang out. Obviously just because you wear a skirt doesn’t mean that you are classy, or elegant I have seen many pants that are more modest that certain skirts. I’m also not here to get into debates on pants, short sleeves, how you cover your hair or any of that sort thing, in my opinion each person must do what they feel comfortable doing and it is between them and God.

Yet I think that each Jewish woman and all women should think of themselves as a princess and therefore there is nothing wrong with wearing stylish fashionable clothes so long as they aren’t thigh high and cut down to the belly button. I think that if you dress stylishly but elegantly you are still tzanua and in no way breaking any tznius code. I think that when people tell you otherwise they are steering you away from looking and feeling your best.

As a Jewish princess you should buy the best clothes you can afford, the best head coverings and conduct yourself with grace and class. There is no one in the world that will argue with you that you are not tznius if you follow those rules.

In a related albeit different topic I see many ads and in store displays showing head covering styles popular among Jewish women. In this month’s Vogue there is a Ralph Lauren ad showing a woman wearing a chasidic style turban, but Ralph’s real surname is Lipschitz after all and he grew up in the 50′s in the Bronx he probably saw plenty of those. I was also recently in Zara and I saw a mitpachat style tichel on a mannequin’s head, this could also be due to all the Muslims in Spain but I’d rather think that this is the influence of the stylish Brooklyn and Israeli chicas rocking the mitpachat.

I think that it’s important to remember that what narrow minded people tell you isn’t always halacha, and that tznius and fashion forward can go hand in hand, and not only not be polar opposites, but heighten the honor and grace of the Jewish woman.

In our culture there is the ever increasing search for the mysterious fountain of youth. On the gossamer whispers of there being some magic essence that might keep us young, the beauty industry sells thousands of products and makes billions of dollars. The thing is, is it our physicality that makes us young or our minds? There is no doubt that our bodies age, based on our DNA and how we have treated it and that this is one aspect of whether you look young or old. Is it possible though that our minds play any role in our youthful countenance? Can a youthful outlook keep us looking and feeling young?

I was looking at an event on Facebook. As I looked at the girls going I thought about the fact that they are all older than me. Then I thought about how even though I am a college graduate, with a real job and married almost two years I still think of myself as a girl. My mindset in how I view myself and those close in age to me,  to the context of the world has not changed. That’s not to say that when I turned 24 on October 15th I didn’t feel old or worry about what I was doing with my life, since most people my age are in grad school, or graduating from grad school. If anything though maybe that’s what has added to my feelings of youth. The fact that I am still unsure of myself, that I have yet to become disillusioned with the world or think that any of my dreams are not possible. I still entertain the idea that I will be wealthy, famous, and successful one day.

The people I know who look the youngest, are those who act young, who enjoy life. They may have laugh lines or gray roots but in their eyes is the spark of life, of fun. In their smile, the joy of dreaming.  So if you’re looking for the fountain of youth, stop searching because you already posess it, in your mind.

Social Media has learned a really great trick that marketers have used for years- targeted advertising. In the past few months every time I log onto Facebook there are always ads targeted to me; they range from discount shopping, Israel and Jewish related ads and this new site called Lifebooker, which offers beauty services at fairly decent discounts. I tried one of their salons once for a Brazilian. They did an OK job but they left all these little hairs and my aesthetician left the room to converse in Chinese with her friend/co-worker mid-wax. Plus people kept looking in not the experience you’d want. Needless to say I complained because even with the discount it wasn’t super cheap. Amazingly the place did not charge me and apologized so I got a free, albeit crappy Brazilian.

I’ve checked the site recently and they do have some great prices for various services. I’ve seen single process color for as low as $30 and highlights for $75. Half hour massages at Sothy’s Institute, will run you $30, a pretty great bargain. I suggest checking them out the next time you want to book a beauty treatment. http://www.lifebooker.com

If you really want things done on the cheap consider local beauty schools such as the Aveda institutes here in NYC. You can find them by Googling them. They’re super cheap although you will be working with a student and not a trained stylist. You can also call all the chichi salons and make an appointment for their training nights. The following is a training night list of New York’s best salons.

Antonio Prieto Salon
Cutting classes are Thursdays at 8:45 am, $20. Color appointments are Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 11pm-7pm. $20 for single-process, $50 for highlights. Clients must sign up and pay in advance and in person; cash only.
• 25 West 19th St., 212-255-3741

Arte Salon
Training sessions held on Tuesdays at 10am. Cut and color, free. No appointment necessary.
• 284 Lafayette St., 212-941-5932

Aveda Institute
Appointments with supervised students are Tuesdays through Saturdays. Colorings, 9am or 1pm; $30 to $75. Cuts, 9am to 3:30pm; $15. They also hold advanced classes for which models are recruited, free of charge.
• 233 Spring St., 212-807-1492

Bumble & Bumble
Model calls are Mondays from 5 to 6pm. To find out more about the program potential models should call 646-282-1008. They can also sign up for a model call invitation on the web site.
• 146 E. 56th St., 212-521-6500

Dop Dop
Wednesdays at 6:30pm; cut and color classes alternate by week. $35 for color, $20 for cut; cash only. By appointment only.
• 170 Mercer St., 212-965-9540

Frederic Fekkai
Tuesdays at 6pm. $40 for cut or color; cash only. Stylings are determined by the class director, so call ahead for a schedule.
• 15 E. 57th St., 212-753-9500

John Barrett
Wednesdays at 7:30am, except during August. $35 for cut or color. Models are selected for an appropriate class based on the information they provide about their hair and on a first-come, first-served basis. In the fall, they will be offering training classes for children’s hair. Call for an application.
• 754 Fifth Ave., 9th Floor, 212-872-2700

John Sahag
Tuesdays at 6:30pm, except during the month of August. $40 for cut, $60 for color; cash only. Call on Mondays to book an appointment.
• 425 Madison Ave., at 49th St., 212-750-7772

Kim Lepine
Tuesdays at 5:30pm. $25 for cut or color; cash only. Book in advance.
• 667 Madison Ave., near 61st St., 212-832-6529

Louis Licari
Wednesdays at 5:30pm. $45-$75 for color, $30 for cut; cash only. By appointment only. They also offer appointments with assistants free of charge when available.
• 693 Fifth Ave., at 53rd St., 212-758-2090

Mark Garrison
Wednesday nights, color at 5pm, cuts at 6pm. $40 for color, $30 for cut; cash only. By appointment only.
• 820 Madison Ave., between 68th and 69th Sts., 212-570-5820

Oribe at Elizabeth Arden
Mondays at 11am; cut and color weeks alternate. $45 for highlights, $30 for cut or single-process color; cash only. By appointment only.
• 691 Fifth Ave., between 53rd and 54th Sts., 212-319-3910

Paul LaBrecque
Mondays at 6pm. $20 for cut or color. By appointment only; East Side location only.
• 171 E. 65th St., 212-595-0099

Peter Coppola
Tuesdays at 6:30pm. $40 for cut or color. Call in advance to leave name, number, and service desired.
• 746 Madison Ave., between 64th and 65th Sts., 212-988-9404

Prive Salon
Model cuts and color are done by assistants as available Tuesdays through Saturdays. $25 for cuts, $20 for single-process color, $40 for highlights; cash only. Call to request service, and a stylist will call back with availability.
• 310 W. Broadway, 212-274-8888

Salon Ishi
Cutting classes are Wednesdays at 6pm, color on Fridays at 5pm. Services are free. By appointment only.
• 70 E. 55th St., 212-888-4744

Space
Tuesdays at 9:30am for color, Wednesdays at 9:30am for cut. $25 for color, $15 for cuts. By appointment only.
• 155 Sixth Ave., at Spring St., 212-647-8588

Vidal Sassoon
Wednesdays at 6:30pm. $14-$18 for cut, $25-$50 for color; cash only. Stop by on Wednesdays at 6:15pm for a consultation for the following week.
• 90 Fifth Ave., at 14th St., 212-929-9668

For those of you living outside New York, I suggest calling up the hottest salons in your town and asking about training nights. Most good salons will have them and haircuts and color will be a lot less than normal. Just make sure that the stylist working on you is properly supervised as I have heard of disaster stories. Hopefully you’ll get lucky and discover the next Brad Johns or Orlando Pita.