The Beauty Bar Blog: CT Hair Styling, Bridal Makeup & So.Cap Fusion Extensions, CT Hair & Beauty Salon

Precycle and Recycle your Beauty Products!

By shopping for your beauty care products smartly, you can precycle and get rewards for recycling them later.

Precycling is a new term referring to the act of reducing hard to recycle waste before it starts. You can precycle by choosing products that already have recycling solutions in place or that are packaged in materials that are easy for you to recycle locally. Personal care and beauty products aren’t as easy to recycle as a soda can or water bottle, look for precycling solutions to ensure that the packaging won’t end up in the landfill.

Some beauty care products use recyclable packaging and may even have take-back programs for empty containers. Some companies even offer freebies and other incentives for recycling their products!

Precycle Products

Korres products come in packaging designed so that each individual part can be separated and recycled. 99 percent of the product packaging can be recycled.

Aveda was the first beauty and personal care company to offer post-consumer PET packaging. Most of the brand’s plastic bottles use a minimum of 80 percent post-consumer recycled milk jugs. The recycled content in the Aveda Men line alone saves over 300 tons of virgin plastic per year.

Sally B’s Skin Yummies is a small company that is dedicated to recyclable products. The company intentionally uses glass jars, BPA-free plastic, and aluminum lids for packaging.

Freebies for Recycling

Kiehl’s will give you freebies just for returning their empty bottles for recycling. Every bottle you return to a Kiehl’s store will get you one stamp on your Recycle and Be Rewarded! card. Three stamps will get you a free lip balm, five will get you a travel collection product, and ten will earn you a full-sized product. Since starting the program, Kiehl’s customers have returned over a half a million bottles for recycling.

Alima Pure has perks for its customers who return their empty jars for recycling. Five empty jars from full-sized products will get you a $5 coupon for a future purchase. The only catch is you have to send the jars in using recyclable materials. Any items sent in using bubble wrap, packing peanuts, or other hard to recycle materials are not eligible for the rewards.

MAC accepts returns through their Back to MAC Program. If you return six containers of make-up to a MAC counter or their website, you will receive a free lipstick of your choice.

Try Refillables

Some of the large, well-known cosmetic and beauty companies offer refillable products. Stila, Bare Escentuals, and Jane Iredale all offer refillable compacts for eye shadow, blush, and foundation. Once you use up the product, simply swap out the color pan and continue to use the same compact.

With all these different recyclable packaging and rewards program you can look good and help out the environment at the same time.

Picking out a Trendy Prom Dress for 2013

Prom season is almost here and girl have to start searching for their perfect dress now!

Prom is an event that every girl will remember. While having the right date, the right make-up, and the right ride are all very important, there is one thing every girl has to have. High school girls will look far and wide to make sure they pick out the perfect dress. With prom season coming up fast, it is time to start looking for that perfect dress so you can be the envy of all the girls at the dance! To help you pick out a dress that is not only fabulous but trendy, we have compiled some of the top dresses for Prom 2013.

1) The Long Dress

This is a classic style that is making a comeback. Celebrities like Taylor Swift are reviving the elegant look and girls should try and find something long for their prom.

2) Backless Dresses

Showing a little skin in the back is sexy but classy. If you do not want to show off too much back, cut-outs are also very hot right now. They show off just enough back to get the sexy style you want without being completely backless.

3) Sequins/ Big Stones

Sequin is one prom dress style that is always in. Also having big stones on a see-through or nude color material is a style popularized by fashion aficionados.

4) Bright Colors

Neon colors are in right now for EVERYTHING. Shoes, shirts, shorts, just about anything looks good in neon. Stand out at your prom with a neon green, yellow, or pink long dress.

5) High-Low Cut Dress

This is for the girl who wants the best of both worlds. The front of the dress shows off a lot of leg, but the back is long and elegant. Another benefit is that the high part of the dress allows the girl to show off her high-heeled shoes.

Prepare Skin for Sun Exposure

It’s been a long, drawn out winter and many people are chomping at the bit to get outside and soak up some rays. Whether you have the type of skin that tans easily or need SPF50 and higher to protect against blisters and sun burn, you’ll want to prepare yourself before exposing your skin to the potentially harmful UV rays of the sun.

Much like people who go on vacations to warm tropical places in the middle of winter, you need to gradually prep your skin before simply spending an entire day tanning your body. Your skin has been kept from the sun for a few months now and going out unprotected the first chance you get is asking for trouble.

During the winter the UV rays of the sun are of a lower intensity and don’t affect the skin as powerfully as it does in the summer when the sun is closer to the earth. During the winter months the skin will regain its natural coloration and this makes the skin more sensitive to sunburns during the summer. To prepare your skin for the summer follow some helpful tips that will avoid painful burns and uneven tans.

A good start is to exfoliate your skin about once a week to remove all the dead skin cells from your body. Removing the dead skin will promote healthy skin regeneration and this will ensure a uniform tan. If you don’t exfoliate your skin you could wind up with dark spots and uneven tan lines that look awkward.

After each exfoliation treatment remember to moisturize to prevent dry skin. Moisturizing helps reduce dry skin symptoms and makes it easier for your skin to handle intense UV sunlight. The more you moisturize, the healthier you r skin will get and this is necessary when exposing your skin to the sun.

Don’t lie out for several hours the first time you go tanning. It’s always a good idea to gradually expose your skin to the sun in timed increments that get longer each time you spend time outside. Too much exposure too soon can lead to sunburns that may cause skin cancer and premature aging skin.

Makeup Tips for Pale Skin

Spring starts this week and hopefully the sun will follow. It’s been a harsh winter in New England and many people are itching to get outside and soak up some rays that will give them a healthy looking tan. Of course, there are plenty of women who aren’t so fond of the sun due to their pale skin complexion. Not only is the sun harmful to their skin but instead of tanning, most pale skinned women only end up turning a painful red. If you like to keep out of the sun but still want to glow this summer consider the following tips to avoid looking like a cast member of Twilight.

Tinted Moisturizer – Pale skin beauties need to be careful about exposure to direct sunlight. Too much sun and you run the risk of skin cancer, not enough and you get funny looks. A good idea is to use a tinted moisturizing skin cream for your face that will provide a just the right hint of color for your skin to avoid translucent properties. Look for a tinted moisturizer that also has UAV and UVB protection.

Bright Lipstick – Pale skin does have its benefits. If you enjoy sporting luscious and bright lipstick colors know is your time to shine. Lipstick hues that run the fiery red gamut will bring out the coloring of your skin tone and of course draw attention to your lips. As we’ve said before in other makeup tip posts, turn your negatives to positives and revel in the fact you can get away with bright lipsticks and more exotic looking eyeliners and eye shadows.

Blush it Up – If you have a pale complexion and don’t use blush you may appear washed out and tired. Not exactly the fun look you want for summer. One trick is to always use blush and to find colors that aren’t too deep or dark. Light peach and pink colors work well on pale skin and you can find a whole galaxy of shades in these colors that will suit your personal style.

Getting Ready for a Close-Up

We live in a photo-crazy time. Years ago only a few people had cameras but today just about anyone who has a cell phone also has the ability to take pictures and before you know it your image is all over Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

You can’t plan for every photo opportunity but if you are preparing for a modeling shoot, television air time, a wedding or other special event that will require you to look your absolute best, contact the expert hair and makeup stylists at The Beauty Bar in Southington.

Photography lights, camera lenses and the background can all have an impact on how your photos turn out. Nothing is worse than getting photos back from a bridal shower, fashion show or private party only to find your natural tan looks bright orange, your eyes appear sunken and that glowing lipstick you choose somehow came out looking like the Joker’s smile. TV cameras and iPhones can play some funny tricks with how you appear and if you want to avoid any embarrassing images make sure you have your hair and makeup done by the professionals at The Beauty Bar.

The Beauty Bar staff has years of experience providing hair and makeup services for brides, aspiring models, actors and actresses, TV personalities, prom kings and queens and anyone looking for professional head shots for their portfolio. Before you go before the camera, make sure your hair and makeup is just right so you get pictures you’ll be proud to show off.