As you have probably heard, as of December 1, 2009, new FTC guidelines will be in place to protect consumers from deceitful advertising practices. I work in advertising by day (I'm a television ad producer) and think these are important distinctions. At my day job, we take great care to make sure that all statements we make are true and not misleading in anyway. We are required to file statements with television stations before the spots ever air to make sure the claims we make are true. We even have to be careful when deciding on wardrobe for the talent. Did you know advertisers are prohibited from showing pharmacists in white coats?
In the blogosphere, people write for fun and say what they want. This can become misleading when a blogger writes positive things about a product because they were paid or received the product for free. Advertising, like the music industry, is changing and new rules need to be created to address this. It's not one or two bloggers ruining a good thing. It's about being honest in a business where everyone is urged to bend the truth.
Somewhere, someone may be getting a huge payday, free trips and is drowning in free product. It's not me. To date, my google adsense ads have earned me less than $100 and my sponsored ads (the pretty logo ones) haven't earned me enough to warrant cutting a check. I do get cool opportunities to meet people and find out what is coming out next season, but otherwise, I spend a lot of time in front of my computer and mirror, playing with products.
While I do receive some product for the purpose of reviewing it, I personally spend way too much on cosmetics and am on a first name basis with almost everyone that sells makeup in a 25 mile radius of my house. I also spend a lot of time making myself at home at my local Sephora, playing with a pile of product and taking pictures at the store. (And digging in the understock, which they hate. Please accept my on-going apologies for that one.)
To be honest, I sometimes struggle with what to say in a post. I don't like to give a bad review to some items because my lemons might be your lemonade. If something isn't my cup of tea, I try to write about how it might work for you. Most times, I choose not to write about the product if I really dislike it. Because I love cosmetics, I don't look for the negatives, I look for the positives. I don't want to read about someone's experiences who trash everything and I doubt you do either. Even if someone did send me the product, that doesn't mean I am going to give it a glowing review.
I also try to include a lot about how these products fit into my life and go way beyond a press release. Makeup and my quest for beauty perfection has played a huge and usually humorous part in my life since I was old enough to sneak eyeliner on to the school bus. I hope my unusual slant on things makes my blog fun to read, even if you aren't that into cosmetics.
So what do the new rules mean for Gouldylox Reviews Readers? Not much. I do have sponsored ads on my page and I may one day reach the mark that warrants them sending a check. Either way, that doesn't influence my opinion of the brand featured on the banner ad. I do not accept payment for posting. I don't know if I know anyone that does accept payment who isn't a professional beauty writer. I do get free product and I don't send it back. I like playing with and writing about cosmetics. I always have and I probably always will.
Will the new FTC rules change how you use blogs? Tell me in the comments!
If you have questions about any story on my blog, please don't hesitate to ask.
Subscribe and never miss a thing! Copyright 2009, Gouldylox Reviews. All rights reserved.
11.18.2009
Local Love: My Visit to Baltimore's Brow Whisperer
When my coworker said, "Hey, my friend has a blog and a salon, you should get to know her," I quickly googled her and set up an appointment. When I went to her website and saw she was the self-proclaimed Brow Whisperer, I had to hold in my chortle.
Brow Whisperer? I had visions of Jennifer Love Hewitt talking softly to my brows. "Grow. Fill in. It's ok to let go." Or Cesar Milan "cchhh-ing" my brows to get them to grow on the end, where everyone woman in my family has "a weak brow". It's how my mind works. I can't help it.
If I am anything, I'm game to meet someone who calls themselves The Brow Whisperer. I dig it when entrepreneurs are bold enough to make a serious claim. I had been growing out my brows from the last time they were waxed, where they were shaped slightly too thin for my taste. I have a bit of those hairs you only see in the rear view mirror of the car, except when you wear eye shadow and you look like you may have a little bit of carpet above your eye. I can't tweeze all of those little annoying hairs, so I have been using a brow razor in-between waxes to remove them.
Side Note: Don't use a brow razor. You are asking for trouble. I'm not telling you where to get one and you shouldn't use one. You'll poke your eye out.
I e-chatted briefly with Madeleine Homes, Brow Whisperer, before my appointment. I hoped I had enough of my peach fuzz and light colored brows to bring to the waxing table. After studying my sad little pale brows in the mirror, I decided it would work.
Madeleine's salon, La Papillon, is located at 9642 Deereco Road, in Timonium, Maryland. The salon focuses on skin care, relaxation and looking beautiful. Much to my surprise, she carries two of my favorite lines, Kate Somerville and Jan Marini. She also carries a few other lines, as well as some gorgeous makeup and fun accessories.
So were my brows whispered?
(My brows, looking fab afterward.)
Madeleine started out by cleansing the area she was going to wax. Then she trimmed a few stray ends and combed my brows to see what she was working with. Then she waxed under and over my brows, asking if it was ok to do the top. I hate it when people don't wax the top, so I was glad this wasn't falling by the wayside. Next, she tweezed a few rogue hairs and had me sit up. Madeleine combed my brows, looking at them closely. Then she started tweezing again. Ten minutes after we started, we had finished. She then led me to the front of the store, where she offered to fill in my brows so they matched my hair color du jour. She realized one hair was not where it was supposed to be and tweezed me again. Talk about thorough. I loved it. I like when someone stops, breathes and really focuses on what they are doing. My brows looked wonderful when I left the shop and Mr. Lox, who came along for the ride, even commented that they looked really magazine-y, which I think means polished and perfect. This service, which was much longer than what people normally spend when waxing brows, was also nicely priced at $20.
Visit La Papillon online or call 410.252.1400 to make an appointment. Madeleine is also a makeup fiend like me, so be sure to check out her latest favorites here. I am headed back for a signature facial this weekend and can't wait!
Subscribe and never miss a thing! Copyright 2009, Gouldylox Reviews. All rights reserved.
Brow Whisperer? I had visions of Jennifer Love Hewitt talking softly to my brows. "Grow. Fill in. It's ok to let go." Or Cesar Milan "cchhh-ing" my brows to get them to grow on the end, where everyone woman in my family has "a weak brow". It's how my mind works. I can't help it.
If I am anything, I'm game to meet someone who calls themselves The Brow Whisperer. I dig it when entrepreneurs are bold enough to make a serious claim. I had been growing out my brows from the last time they were waxed, where they were shaped slightly too thin for my taste. I have a bit of those hairs you only see in the rear view mirror of the car, except when you wear eye shadow and you look like you may have a little bit of carpet above your eye. I can't tweeze all of those little annoying hairs, so I have been using a brow razor in-between waxes to remove them.Side Note: Don't use a brow razor. You are asking for trouble. I'm not telling you where to get one and you shouldn't use one. You'll poke your eye out.
I e-chatted briefly with Madeleine Homes, Brow Whisperer, before my appointment. I hoped I had enough of my peach fuzz and light colored brows to bring to the waxing table. After studying my sad little pale brows in the mirror, I decided it would work.
Madeleine's salon, La Papillon, is located at 9642 Deereco Road, in Timonium, Maryland. The salon focuses on skin care, relaxation and looking beautiful. Much to my surprise, she carries two of my favorite lines, Kate Somerville and Jan Marini. She also carries a few other lines, as well as some gorgeous makeup and fun accessories.
So were my brows whispered?
(My brows, looking fab afterward.)Visit La Papillon online or call 410.252.1400 to make an appointment. Madeleine is also a makeup fiend like me, so be sure to check out her latest favorites here. I am headed back for a signature facial this weekend and can't wait!
Subscribe and never miss a thing! Copyright 2009, Gouldylox Reviews. All rights reserved.
11.16.2009
Adventures in Beautyland: My Obsession with My Hair Started Early
(My dad never forgave me for cutting my hair off after Kindergarten.)I have been changing my hair, and thinking about my hair, and obsessing about my hair since I can remember. (I here are the pictures to prove it!)
(First Grade. My Mom curled my hair every morning.)
(Summer after 2nd grade. I was so proud of how we got my hair to curl at the bottom. It took over an hour.)
In fact, I just called my Mom to ask when I got my first perm. The answer? Fourth grade. That seems really young to me now, but knowing me and my obsession with hair, I am sure my Mom relented to make me stop bugging her. No one gets in the way of me and my hair (or a good lip gloss, for that matter).
(Me on the Hello Dolly! Train. I loved those streamer barrettes.)When I saw the movie The Legend of Billie Jean, I chopped off my own hair off in the bathroom. Thank goodness the person who cut my hair also lived down the street.
(Best movie of 7th grade. Fair is fair!)
(This is still a source of tension between my Aunt and I over this.)
Sun-In was popular and everyone was laying out and getting blonde. However, I was more likely to use sunless tanner, which my friend with fancy divorced parents was more than happy to buy us. It smelled awful and turned us orange, just like the Sun-In left our hair.Summer Soleil was the only thing that kept me looking like a realistic blonde, without being too fake. However, I never looked quite as good as the girl on the box I so desperately wanted to be.
I think I used that hair color from 6th grade until my sophomore year in college. Which, quite honestly, is longer than any other product I have ever remained devoted to in my entire life. When it would go on sale at the local drugstore or Woolworths, I would buy four or five boxes at a time. I had to make sure it was always within my reach. Now my hair color changes every few weeks and I can't fathom being the same color for more than 3 months, let alone for 9 years.
Summer Soleil has since been discontinued, but I was able to find chat boards where women were still buying expired product on eBay as late as 2005. And if I were still a blonde, I would be right there with them.
What products were you unable to live without? Tell me in the comments!
Subscribe and never miss a thing! Copyright 2009, Gouldylox Reviews. All rights reserved.
11.12.2009
Maryland County Bans Tanning for People Under 18
Maryland's very own Howard County announced on Wednesday that it would enact the country's first ban on tanning for those under the age of 18. At a time when melanoma is the leading cause of cancer in the world is it the right time for local governments to step in and save teens from themselves?
Maryland Health Officer, Dr. Peter Beilenson, said in September, "People under the age of 35 who are exposed to indoor tanning have a 75 percent increased risk of skin cancer, and the younger you are exposed to indoor tanning, the greater your risk of getting potentially fatal melanoma." Ouch. Potentially fatal melanoma from tanning? Yikes. I am so glad that I was never an "outdoor kid" who loved to spend time outside constantly as a child. I am trying to erase sun damage now and am so thankful I enjoyed a steady diet of video games and television as much as I did. (I will be the first one to admit that doing so has a down side as well.)
What do you think about this? Is this going too far and taking away people's right to make their own choices? Often teens are required to have parental permission before they engage in tanning. Even if teens can't make their own choice, shouldn't their parents be able to make that choice for them? Isn't tanning a personal preference, like coloring your hair to become a blonde or a redhead? Is it the role of government to tell people that they can't chose to have a golden brown appearance year round? Don't we need Vitamin D anyway?
That is a lot to consider.
Sure, parents should probably be responsible for their children's actions. But do parents have all of the facts and are the risks associated with tanning even on their radar? Probably not. Similar to tobacco, old accepted habits die hard. It is your right to smoke and you have a right to tan. (Although legally in the state of MD you can't smoke under the age of eighteen either.) However, the fear of medical professionals in Howard County is that without understanding your actions today, you may be risking your life thirty years from now. With teens (and all of us) being exposed to thousands of images of beautiful, thin, sexy tanned people, it is only natural for young people to aspire to look like them.
"With melanoma now being the leading cause of cancer in the world, how could I do anything but support our health officer in this undertaking to be one of the first to ban tanning for minors?" said County Executive Ken Ulman of the new tanning rule.
Tanning on top of regular sun exposure (like walking or driving your car) will lead to serious skin damage, which can sometimes result in death. That sounds really scary to me. I don't think a lot of people realize that looking fantastic in a white dress now will mean you are likely to end up looking more like this:
The truth is that we do need Vitamin D to help avoid problems like muscle fatigue, lack of energy, heart disease and even cancer and diabetes. But how much do we need? According to the University of Florida*, we need 10-15 minutes of direct sunlight 2 to 3 times per week, this averages out to be around 40 mcg's per day. While it may be hard to get enough Vitamin D from foods, supplements are an easy way to make sure you get enough, without risking your precious skin.
It's my opinion that the health benefits you receive from indoor tanning (to get your share of vitamin D) is at best an over statement and at worst a lie perpetrated by people selling tanning products to get you to spend your money. You do need vitamin D, but you don't need to risk fatal skin cancer by the age of 35 to get it.
Knowing the risks, what do you think of the new rules in Howard County? Should the government mind their own business or is it about time? Is tanning the new smoking?
Tell me in the comments!
STORY UPDATE:
Today, November 16, 2009, Baltimore county (also in Maryland) is considering requiring a teen to have a doctor's prescription in order to tan under the age of 18. Councilman Vincent Gardina said "Just because a parent gives permission does not mean this is right. By making it illegal for minors, we are making clear that this is a major health risk." "Overexposure to sun and increased use of tanning beds are direct links to skin cancer," said Dr. Gregory W. Branch, county health officer. "This is the same as the increased chance of lung cancer from cigarettes. This legislation is clearly a health benefit to constituents. It sends a message about how big a health risk this is." It looks like this legislation is taking off. Is taking out of parents hands a step too far by requiring a prescription? Tell me in the comments!
Update, November 17, 2009:
A proposal to restrict minors' use of tanning facilities in Baltimore County, and assess penalties on those who violate the law, failed Monday by a County Council vote of 2 to 5.
Two councilmen who voted against the measure said it would usurp parents' rights. Current state law allows those under age 18 to get such a tan with parents' permission.
*Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Florida Cooperative Extension Service,
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. First published: June 2001. Revised April 2009.
Subscribe and never miss a thing! Copyright 2009, Gouldylox Reviews. All rights reserved.
Maryland Health Officer, Dr. Peter Beilenson, said in September, "People under the age of 35 who are exposed to indoor tanning have a 75 percent increased risk of skin cancer, and the younger you are exposed to indoor tanning, the greater your risk of getting potentially fatal melanoma." Ouch. Potentially fatal melanoma from tanning? Yikes. I am so glad that I was never an "outdoor kid" who loved to spend time outside constantly as a child. I am trying to erase sun damage now and am so thankful I enjoyed a steady diet of video games and television as much as I did. (I will be the first one to admit that doing so has a down side as well.)
What do you think about this? Is this going too far and taking away people's right to make their own choices? Often teens are required to have parental permission before they engage in tanning. Even if teens can't make their own choice, shouldn't their parents be able to make that choice for them? Isn't tanning a personal preference, like coloring your hair to become a blonde or a redhead? Is it the role of government to tell people that they can't chose to have a golden brown appearance year round? Don't we need Vitamin D anyway?
That is a lot to consider.
Sure, parents should probably be responsible for their children's actions. But do parents have all of the facts and are the risks associated with tanning even on their radar? Probably not. Similar to tobacco, old accepted habits die hard. It is your right to smoke and you have a right to tan. (Although legally in the state of MD you can't smoke under the age of eighteen either.) However, the fear of medical professionals in Howard County is that without understanding your actions today, you may be risking your life thirty years from now. With teens (and all of us) being exposed to thousands of images of beautiful, thin, sexy tanned people, it is only natural for young people to aspire to look like them.
"With melanoma now being the leading cause of cancer in the world, how could I do anything but support our health officer in this undertaking to be one of the first to ban tanning for minors?" said County Executive Ken Ulman of the new tanning rule.
Tanning on top of regular sun exposure (like walking or driving your car) will lead to serious skin damage, which can sometimes result in death. That sounds really scary to me. I don't think a lot of people realize that looking fantastic in a white dress now will mean you are likely to end up looking more like this:
The truth is that we do need Vitamin D to help avoid problems like muscle fatigue, lack of energy, heart disease and even cancer and diabetes. But how much do we need? According to the University of Florida*, we need 10-15 minutes of direct sunlight 2 to 3 times per week, this averages out to be around 40 mcg's per day. While it may be hard to get enough Vitamin D from foods, supplements are an easy way to make sure you get enough, without risking your precious skin. It's my opinion that the health benefits you receive from indoor tanning (to get your share of vitamin D) is at best an over statement and at worst a lie perpetrated by people selling tanning products to get you to spend your money. You do need vitamin D, but you don't need to risk fatal skin cancer by the age of 35 to get it.
Knowing the risks, what do you think of the new rules in Howard County? Should the government mind their own business or is it about time? Is tanning the new smoking?
Tell me in the comments!
STORY UPDATE:
Today, November 16, 2009, Baltimore county (also in Maryland) is considering requiring a teen to have a doctor's prescription in order to tan under the age of 18. Councilman Vincent Gardina said "Just because a parent gives permission does not mean this is right. By making it illegal for minors, we are making clear that this is a major health risk." "Overexposure to sun and increased use of tanning beds are direct links to skin cancer," said Dr. Gregory W. Branch, county health officer. "This is the same as the increased chance of lung cancer from cigarettes. This legislation is clearly a health benefit to constituents. It sends a message about how big a health risk this is." It looks like this legislation is taking off. Is taking out of parents hands a step too far by requiring a prescription? Tell me in the comments!
Update, November 17, 2009:
A proposal to restrict minors' use of tanning facilities in Baltimore County, and assess penalties on those who violate the law, failed Monday by a County Council vote of 2 to 5.
Two councilmen who voted against the measure said it would usurp parents' rights. Current state law allows those under age 18 to get such a tan with parents' permission.
*Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Florida Cooperative Extension Service,
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. First published: June 2001. Revised April 2009.
Subscribe and never miss a thing! Copyright 2009, Gouldylox Reviews. All rights reserved.
11.09.2009
Adventures in Beautyland : The Clairol Mirror
I am obsessed with a quest for the best cosmetics products. I love and have tried almost everything. Drug stores, department stores, closeout stores, it doesn't matter. Sadly, this includes investing a lot of money in new consumer lines that always make me sad. Remember when Old Navy launched a cosmetics line? Mr. Lox recently asked me when I started my cosmetics obsession. I think it was when I got one of these for my birthday, in the sixth grade.
This mirror was awesome. It had four different light settings and mine had "doors" that closed when I wasn't using it. I could put on my Wet and Wild liner in brown, ever so lightly, with my clear Cover Girl lip gloss my Mom got me for special occasions. Specifically the 6th grade Valentine's Day Dance. This mirror let me see what my brown liner and clear gloss looked like in the sun, on a cloudy day, in the office and at night. (By the way, I wasn't allowed to wear the brown liner, but lightly lined my lower eyes so you couldn't tell) Soon, I saved my allowance for two weeks and bought one Maybelline single eye shadow at the Jarrettsville Pharmacy. It was called Silky Taupe, and it matched my eye lid skin. But I knew it made me look fresher, prettier and possibly thinner. (It always comes back to somehow making me look thinner - at least in my mind).
I spent countless hours in front of this mirror trying to curl my very straight hair to look like someone from WKRP in Cincinnati (for those under 35, go with Charles in Charge. If you're under 25, please sub the Pink Power Ranger). I also spent hours trying to get my lashes to curl, without a lash curler, which I was also not allowed to have. I remember going to the Jarrettsville Pharmacy and thinking how different the nude eyeshadows my Mom couldn't detect would look in my fancy mirror, depending on their sheen or sparkle. And when we would go to a fancy dinner at Sir Walter Raleigh at the nice mall, I would spend at least an hour getting ready using the very special "night lighting" setting. The possibilities were endless.
That's what I love about makeup. The possibilities.
What inspired you? Tell me in the comments!
Subscribe and never miss a thing! Copyright 2009, Gouldylox Reviews. All rights reserved.
This mirror was awesome. It had four different light settings and mine had "doors" that closed when I wasn't using it. I could put on my Wet and Wild liner in brown, ever so lightly, with my clear Cover Girl lip gloss my Mom got me for special occasions. Specifically the 6th grade Valentine's Day Dance. This mirror let me see what my brown liner and clear gloss looked like in the sun, on a cloudy day, in the office and at night. (By the way, I wasn't allowed to wear the brown liner, but lightly lined my lower eyes so you couldn't tell) Soon, I saved my allowance for two weeks and bought one Maybelline single eye shadow at the Jarrettsville Pharmacy. It was called Silky Taupe, and it matched my eye lid skin. But I knew it made me look fresher, prettier and possibly thinner. (It always comes back to somehow making me look thinner - at least in my mind).
I spent countless hours in front of this mirror trying to curl my very straight hair to look like someone from WKRP in Cincinnati (for those under 35, go with Charles in Charge. If you're under 25, please sub the Pink Power Ranger). I also spent hours trying to get my lashes to curl, without a lash curler, which I was also not allowed to have. I remember going to the Jarrettsville Pharmacy and thinking how different the nude eyeshadows my Mom couldn't detect would look in my fancy mirror, depending on their sheen or sparkle. And when we would go to a fancy dinner at Sir Walter Raleigh at the nice mall, I would spend at least an hour getting ready using the very special "night lighting" setting. The possibilities were endless.
That's what I love about makeup. The possibilities.
What inspired you? Tell me in the comments!
Subscribe and never miss a thing! Copyright 2009, Gouldylox Reviews. All rights reserved.
11.02.2009
Times Square Reader Makeover
Last week I was in NYC shooting a commercial. Robin, one of my loyal readers, realized I was nearby and asked for a makeover. How could the retired makeup artist in me refuse? I couldn't! The event? While I would love to say it was for the 15th anniversary of her bat mitzvah (it was!), she was really meeting her new beau in Times Square to watch the World Series on the jumbo trons. She wanted flawless skin and to make her baby blue eyes pop.
(A before picture of Robin)
As I have mentioned, I spend way too much time in Sephora, and have no problem making myself at home. The first stop? The TEMPTU air brushing station. I sat Robin down, picked the lightest color they make, Porcelain, and began spraying away. After explaining to a customer service assistant that I didn't need help and promised not to break it (or air brush anyone else, despite their queries) Robin had really amazingly flawless skin.
Next, I showed Robin the new lip gloss I am obsessed with, Illamasqua Sheer Gloss in Tantrum, a deep violet sheen. This color made her eyes pop and became the muse for her whole look.
(Delight by LORAC)
(Celebutante by LORAC)
We went with bright LORAC eyeshadow; Delight all over the eyelid and Celebutante as a thick, but sheer cat eye liner. Next came a lash-hugging application of Front of the Line by LORAC in black to give her already long lashes a boost. I also gave her eyebrows definition with all my time favorite Auburn Essential Brow Powder, by Bare Escentuals. We finished off her eyes with Bare Escentuals Buxom Mascara, which gave her long lashes some extra oomph in the thickness department.
Robin has a natural pink flush. While camouflaged by the TEMPTU foundation, I didn't want it to show through. Since her eyes were already screaming candy, we went with a slightly more subdued peachy-pink in Coralista by Benefit. Just a tiny bit of color topped off with Flawless Radiance by Bare Escentuals and she looked amazing!
Afterwards, we headed out into the masses to take one last picture and find her friends. Thanks Robin!
Subscribe and never miss a thing! Copyright 2009, Gouldylox Reviews. All rights reserved.
(A before picture of Robin)As I have mentioned, I spend way too much time in Sephora, and have no problem making myself at home. The first stop? The TEMPTU air brushing station. I sat Robin down, picked the lightest color they make, Porcelain, and began spraying away. After explaining to a customer service assistant that I didn't need help and promised not to break it (or air brush anyone else, despite their queries) Robin had really amazingly flawless skin.
Next, I showed Robin the new lip gloss I am obsessed with, Illamasqua Sheer Gloss in Tantrum, a deep violet sheen. This color made her eyes pop and became the muse for her whole look.
(Delight by LORAC)(Celebutante by LORAC)Robin has a natural pink flush. While camouflaged by the TEMPTU foundation, I didn't want it to show through. Since her eyes were already screaming candy, we went with a slightly more subdued peachy-pink in Coralista by Benefit. Just a tiny bit of color topped off with Flawless Radiance by Bare Escentuals and she looked amazing!
Afterwards, we headed out into the masses to take one last picture and find her friends. Thanks Robin!
Subscribe and never miss a thing! Copyright 2009, Gouldylox Reviews. All rights reserved.
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