#shorthairdontcare

I love my new hairstyle. Everything about it feels totally natural. I’m not reaching for hair that isn’t there anymore or freaking out every time I brush it. Even when my hairstylist was midway through cutting it, I knew it was the right fit and felt completely happy. While I’m still experimenting with how to style it and what products still work on my hair and what new ones I need to purchase, I’m enjoying the adventure.  It looks just as good wavy as it does straight and I’m so happy to say goodbye to my old school long hair essential – hot rollers.

My hair has pretty much been the same my entire adult life. Long and straight. I haven’t had bangs since the early 90’s and I’ve only ever dyed my hair once. It was an at home kit I bought at Target that turned my hair orange. Thankfully those orange highlights disappeared anytime I wore my hair in a ponytail.

But in recent months I’ve been contemplating a change. It all started when I tucked my hair into a turtleneck and decided it was cool. It’s not that I’m unhappy with my long hair. I love it. But it’s starting to feel boring. I can predict it’s every move and styling it isn’t really fun anymore. More than a decade of the same hair is grounds for a change, right?

So I’m going short. Not really short. Lob short. Will I regret chopping my long hair? Possibly. There’s a very powerful psychology attached to a woman’s hair. More than any other feature it seems to signify beauty and provide a sense of security. So does less hair mean less beauty? Less security? I have a feeling it’s actually going to give me a sense of freedom and power.

At the end of the day, it’s just hair. It will grow. And if I’m ever feeling a sense of longing for my old hair I’ll just look at this.

Are you thinking of changing your hairstyle? Have you already taken the plunge?

Thanks to my mom, I’ve always been good about taking care of my skin. You will never catch me going to bed with makeup on or forgetting my daily sunscreen. But in the quest for healthy skin, good habits are only half the solution. The other, more difficult half comprises of what we actually put on our skin. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become increasingly aware of the contents in my makeup and beauty products so I was more than pleased when a chance meeting introduced me to Nadine Cormier and Sandra Anderson-Diaz.

Nadine and Sandra are the founders of Nu Evolution Cosmetics, a beauty line consisting of the purest, natural and organic ingredients in the market. Through them I learned that more than 60% of what we put on our skin is directly absorbed into the bloodstream. Even scarier, the personal care industry is mostly unregulated allowing companies to put just about whatever they want into their products, including Parabens (found in 99% of breast cancer tissue), Propylene Glycol (antifreeze) and lead.

Influenced by high fashion, style and pop culture and deeply committed to living green, healthy lifestyles, Nadine and Sandra created a product line free of toxicity that delivers pigments on par with makeup artistry brands. Their products look good on you, and are good for you.

I’ve found two recurring themes in the organic makeup lines I’ve tried: they either don’t work (not long lasting, don’t provide coverage) or they’re not super pigmented, which results in multiple applications and burning through more product just to achieve my desired color.

I tried Nu Evolution’s lipstick in Femme Fatale and have finally found the answer to my perfect lipstick quest.

First, it smells wonderful. Rather than a chemical or medicinal smell like most lipsticks, this one has a light, fresh vanilla scent. I seriously can’t stop smelling it. Second, it’s super moisturizing thanks to the Shea and cocoa butter, jojoba and coconut oil and vitamin E. It’s creamy consistency glides on easily and stays put for hours of continuous wear. The best part? When it finally does fade, it fades evenly. You’re not left looking like all you put on was lip liner. And thanks to its hydrating nature, it doesn’t leave your lips feeling dry and chapped like many long wear lipsticks.

The pigment. The photos should speak for themselves, but I have finally found an organic makeup line with pigments that rival Nars and Mac. Their lipsticks pack some serious color and Femme Fatale is a red that will look good on any skin tone.

I’m so happy to have finally found a natural, good-for-me cosmetic line that works.