Minx Without The Jinx

Looking for something new and fun for your nails? Minx takes nail art to a new level and turns your nails into chrome, animal print, plaid, flames or camouflage. They have appeared in music videos, fashion runways and they are becoming available in major cities.

Minx were developed using car-wrap technology. The designs are printed on a polymer sheet and “shrink wrapped” to your natural nails.

Minx has gotten mixed reviews. The secret to Minx is great application from an experienced technician and careful maintenance. Here are tips for getting the most from your Minx from Athena Elliot, Houston’s (and Hollywood’s) premier Minx artist. Her clients are the whose-who of the entertainment industry ...LeToya Luckett, Keri Hilson, Mya, Kim Zolciak and the list goes on.

Application & Removal

Minx application takes about an hour. The polymer “stickers” are applied to your real nails after the adhesive backing is activated with heat. Minx shrink as they cool and are trimmed for a final fit.

To remove, warm the Minx with a hairdryer to release the adhesive and peal them off your nails. You may damage your nails if you try to peel them off without heating them first.

Maintenance

Maintenance is key to making the Minx last. After a couple days, the edges will probably begin to lift. Use a hairdryer to heat up each “sticker” and press it down on the nail until it cools. This will re-adhere the edges to your natural nails. Also, file the tips of your nails in a downward motion to manage the edges. This daily maintenance will make the Minx last up to 2 weeks.

We tested these tips on our model. With Athena's skilled application and our model's careful maintenance, her nails were beautiful for 2 weeks. Thank you to Athena for all your great advice and thank you Lisa for testing and modeling!

When Image Gets In The Way

WOW! Six days later, and people are still buzzing about Jennifer Lopez's New Year's Eve catsuit outfit. That might be a good thing. All publicity is good publicity because the public is talking about you, right?

From an image perspective, her outfit didn't work. It distracted from her performance instead of enhancing it. As a viewer, you spend the whole performance wondering...is she naked?... is she wearing underwear?... is she wearing some concealing garment under the suit to cover all her private affairs? ...or is something going to pop out unexpectedly? You don't remember anything about the performance. What she said? What she sang? The dance steps? The other dancers? Her connection with the audience? Nothing.

Here's a video, if you want to watch it for yourself.

Your image can support you or get in your way. You might not be J-Lo, but what you wear effects other people's experience of you. No matter how fantastic you are, if your outfit is distracting in any way, people can't pay attention to you, what you say or what you contribute. Watch out for loud jewelry, loose threads, stains, lot's of busy patterns, revealing clothing, etc. Of course you shouldn't remove your personality from your image, just be sure that YOU shine through (figuratively, that is!).

Want more info about what works and what doesn't? Here's another example. Thanks for stopping by!

Plus Size Fitness Fashion

The worst thing about working out is the way we feel and look in most athletic wear. Feeling self-conscious about our bodies can even stop us from working out. Modern athletic wear is flattering and comes in sizes to fit real women. Here are some tips and tricks for choosing workout wear that's Fabulous not Flabulous (TM)!



How To Choose Flattering Fitness Fashion

The Don’ts
Skip garments that add bulk to your body or turn you into a "diamond" (wide at the waist and hips)
- Oversized T-shirts
- Drawstring pants/shorts
- Coach shorts
- Leggings/bike shorts



The Do’s

For a flattering look, choose
Skirts/dresses – flattering for hips, thighs, and thick torsos
V-neck/scoop neck– gives a leaner look
Show The Good Stuff - show off your assets and show a little skin on your best parts (legs, arms, chest). This distracts attention away from the flaws.
Tiny Parts - Show off the tiniest part of your body (rib cage or waist)
Smooth Imperfections – look for garments made from compression fabrics to smooth the waist, caboose and thighs.
Boot-Cut Pants - This style makes your curves look great and counter-acts the "diamond." Look for yoga pants, capris with flare, or loose shorts.
Flat Waist Bands – Smooth waist bands flatten the waist and tumm.
Prints - Camouflage lumps and bumps. Prints keep the eye moving so they never settle on a flaw. Wear prints on the flawed areas.

Sources
Here are some sources for flattering fitness wear:
http://www.target.com/
C9 Workout Skorts

http://www.lululemon.com/

http://www.nike.com/
Be Strong Pants

http://www.skirtsports.com/ (misses/women plus sz)
Gym Girl Skirt
Happy Hour Skirt
Sweetest Thing Skirt (with leggings)
Wonder Girl Tank
Wonder Girl Running Dress

http://www.womanwithin.com/ (women plus sz)
Ribbed women's plus size tank top by All American Comfort
All American Comfort® Stretch knit boot-cut yoga pants with side stripes

http://www.jms.com/ (women plus sz)
Champion® Plus Texture Tee

http://www.alwaysforme.com/ (women plus sz)
Champion® Plus Texture Tee
Women's Plus Size Work Out Clothing - Danskin Wide Leg Pant - Style #3093 -
Womens Plus Size Activewear - Supplex - 3687 Danskin Boot Leg Plus Size Pant
Women's Plus Size Activewear - Danskin Skort W/White Piping - Style#3109
Women's Plus Size Work Out Clothing - Danskin Straight Leg Crop Pant - Style#3100

Thanks for reading! Love hearing what you tried and what worked for you!

Lip Gloss Favorites

The Imagine Test Panel sampled 35 brands of lipgloss! Thank you to all the companies that submitted glosses! We appreciate your generosity and had a blast trying them all. The original plan was to pick one brand to feature on Great Day Houston on November 24…but we fell in love with more than one. So, we decided it was only right to share all our favorites…enjoy!

Kiss Me Now Lipgloss

Bella il Fiore, Squeeze-Tube w/Wand, $15

Colors: Walking On Sunshine, PYT, Heartbreaker, Simply Irresistible, Love Shack

Loved everything about these! The colors, smooth shiny texture, squeeze tube with wand so you can get every last drop, fun shade names, vanilla scent, and cute cute cute packaging. Perfect for the girlie girl! http://www.bellabeauty.net/

Wet Lips Super Shine Gloss

Skinn by Dimitri James, Squeeze-Tube, $12.50

Colors: Anaranja (great shade for all skin-tones), Quartz, and Strut

Oooh, this was a universal favorite! The texture is soooo smooth, light, and glossy, great variety of colors, lightly scented, AND all natural ingredients! http://www.skinn.com/

Hydro Salve Lip Balm

Baxter of California, Squeeze-Tube, $8

Colors: clear

The texture is slick and smooth, packaging works for women and men, and we loved the Mojito flavor! http://www.baxterofcalifornia.com/

Makeup Designery Lip Gloss, Pot, $11

Colors: Iced Latte, Shine (both great for all skin-tones)

We loved the smooth texture, light scent, and versatile colors. And it's slim enough to slip into your back pocket!. http://www.mudshop.com/

Vera Moore Lip Gloss

Tube With Wand, $14.50

Colors: Sugar (great for all skin-tones)

Loved the very light texture that goes on smoothly, minty scent, variety of colors, and pretty packaging. The gloss feels great on your lips and the wand feels great in your hand. www.veramoorecosmetics.com/lipgloss.htm

Go Light My Lips, Emmy Award Winning Makeup Artist Elena George

Glass Bottle with Wand, $19 - $38

Colors: Ginger Spice, Red Carpet (both are great for all skin-tones)

We loved the color and feel, the built-in-mirror, and the option to monogram the bottle in crystals! This one is a show-stopper! http://www.golightmylips.com/

We'd love to hear which one you liked best. Let us know at sarah@sarahshah.com

Thanks For The Hair & Makeup!

First For Women, thank you so much for the star treatment today! The magazine organized a photoshoot to go along with the article Halie Potocki is writing about my journey in to health. Thank you Andrea Schutter for the best hair and makeup EVER! Feel so glamorour in the falsies....false eyelashes, that is! Here's a picture I took in the back yard ...




Juan Moldanado's professional shot will be in the January 2009 issue. What an honor to work with such professionals! Here are links if you want to check out their published work http://www.reelmakeupfx.com/ and http://www.juanmaldonado.net/.

Wife Swap Seeking Image Consultants

This Just Came In from ABC. If you apply, would you tell them you found the info here? Thanks and Great Luck! Here's the request from Wife Swap (in their words).

WIFE SWAP, ABC'S HIT PRIMETIME SHOW, SEEKING SUPERSTAR BEAUTIFUL FAMILIES!

Do you believe that a person's first impression is their only impression? Do you make your living by being an image consultant? Is how you look and present yourself the most important thing in your life? Then I want to talk to you!!!! ABC's Hit Show Wife Swap is now casting Image Consultants to swap famalies!

The premise of Wife Swap is that one parent from each household swaps places for a week to experience how another family lives. It's an experience for the whole family and opportunity to both learn and teach different family values.

Wife Swap is a fascinating story of what happens when two couples see themselves and their partners in a whole new light. The New York Post says, "It should be called 'Life Swap' because it's not just the wives who learn something here. It's the families."
Potential families can live anywhere in the continental United States, but we ask that families applying for the show consist of two parents and have at least one child, age 7 or older, living at home.

To submit for the show please email a family photo and description to: gaby.wifeswap@gmail.com.

All families featured on the show receive a financial honorarium upon the airing of their episode!
Those who refer a family receive a referral fee. If you are a family unit (two parents and children between the ages of 7 and 17) who love an adventure, I would love to hear from you today! Also, please feel free to send this casting along to any families you feel would be appropriate! More information is available at: http://abc.go.com/primetime/wifeswap.

Cool For School!

Looking for eco-friendly school supplies or the coolest ideas to make life more fun and efficient? Here are our latest finds! To see the items live, click on the link at the bottom of this post to watch our segment on Great Day Houston.

Ideas For Organization
Mom Organizers - When the kids go back to school, Moms can get overwhelmed by all the information, schedules, activities, homework projects, oh my! The Mom's Agenda Desk Folio is great organizing system to keep track of everything. It's customizable and there are even helpful preprinted forms -permission slips, babysitter info, chore assignments, etc. (folio $32, agenda $45, www.momagenda.com).
Password Organizer – Are you getting overwhelmed by all the passwords you need now? Here’s an organizer just for them. And it won’t attract any snoping because it looks like a boring address book. ($19.99 at http://www.internetpasswordorganizer.com/)

School Supplies
Sharpie Permanent Pens – Here's the latest pen from Sharpie - everything you love without bleeding through the paper. (http://www.officemax.com/)
Be Green Pens from Pilot – Eco-friendly pens made from 70%+ recycled materials. Same price and quality as the conventional pens. (http://www.pilotbegreen.com/, office max, target)
Smencils - Scented pencils made from recycled newspaper. They smell great! (http://www.delight.com/, $11.50)
Lapsac - "Purse" and laptop bag in one ($58 http://www.delight.com/)
Osprey Book/Laptop Bags – These durable bags have pockets for everything (laptop, ipod, cell phone, water bottle and personal items) and a padded shoulder strap that conceals your Ipod cords. (Float Bag $79, Flip Bag $69, REI)

Space Saving Gadgets & Electronics
Digital Picture Frame – What a space-save for the dorm room or any room. Pop your digital camera’s memory card right into the Giinii frame and it's an instant slideshow. ($119, Wal-Mart, www.giinii.com)

Pulse SmartPen – Have you ever missed something while you were taking notes during a meeting or lecture? This pen keeps track of the audio in the room as you take notes. Miss something, just go to the spot on the page where you missed something, and the pen replays the conversation that took place when you took those notes! You can even download the pen to your computer and instantly transcribe your notes. ($199, http://www.amazon.com/, Target)
HP Pavilion dv5 Entertainment Notebook PC – What a space saver! It have a built-in flatscreen tv plus all the features a college student wants - Webcam, TV tuner, Wi-fi, Quick Play ($549.99, http://www.hp.com/)
Protective Neoprene Laptop Case – These cases protect against shock, scratches, and moisture and come in cool colorful, high-resolution designs. You can even upload your favorite pictures and have them printed on your bag. ($35, http://www.designersleeves.com/)
Electronics Wipes – E-tronic wipes are made for cleaning TVs, cell phones, and other electronic gadgets. ($5.49, Target)
Palm Centro Smartphone –touch screen, full keyboard, a camera with video capture, BroadbandAccess Connect capable, Wireless Sync enabled, web browsing capabilities, a digital Music Player and Bluetooth ($319, verizon, att, sprint)

Green Up Your Lunch Box
Organic fruit & nut snacks - Fruit and nuts are the only ingredients in "Peeled Snacks." So yummy! ($2-$3 at Whole Foods or http://www.peeledsnack.com/)
Stainless Steel Water Bottles – 100% food-grade stainless steel water bottles by Ecousable. No need for plastic water bottles when you use this reusable bottle with filtered water from home. ($14, http://www.ecousable/)
Reusable Sandwich Wraps – No need to throw away a baggie every day. The Wrap-n-mat is an eco-friendly way to keep your sandwich clean and fresh. (made in the USA, $6.50, http://www.wrapnmat.com/)
School Jersey Napkins – Napkins that look like college jerseys ($3.19 for pack of 8, http://www.jerseynaps.com/)

Beauty
Just Be T-Shirts – These cute t-shirts come with sayings like "Be Muddy, Be Sweet, Be Organic ($15, http://www.jb-justbe.com/)
Eco Friendly Shoes – These cute shoes are by J-41 Shoes. The soles are made from 51% recycled rubber and the uppers from 100% recycled material (Palm Vegan $89, Madrid Vegan $99, Urban Sole Outpost, Whole Earth Provision Company, http://www.zappos.com/)
Zeno "Zit Zapper" – This gadget uses low level heat to kill the bacteria in occasional blemishes ($89, Wal-Greens, Target)

Eco-Friendly Dorm Room
Reusable Grocery Bags – No more stashing or trashing all those plastic grocery bags. Envirosax are reusable and washable. ($35 for pack of 5, http://www.redenvelope.com/)
Laundry 101 Bag – This laundry bag has stain-fighting instructions printed right on the bag ($38, http://www.delight.com/)
Nellie’s Natural Laundry Nuggets – Easy, pre-measured and biodegradable nuggets you can just pop in the wash – ($17, http://www.delight.com/)
Room & Linen Spray – Keeps the dorm room smelling fresh and sweet. Safe for linens, paper, and your skin ($34, signature perfume www.whirledevents.com)
Poo-Pourri – Keep the common bathroom smelling sweet with a natural bathroom spray ($10 - $15 http://www.poopourri.com/)

Click this link to see the our finds live on Great Day Houston http://www.khou.com/greatday/video/?nvid=272413&shu=1 Click here to see the Pulse Smartpen http://www.khou.com/greatday/video/?nvid=272423&shu=1