As an individual obsessed with the latest trends in hair color, cut, and style, I am always looking to the latest products to help give my hair the look that the celebrities like Jessica Simpson have. 

And with big hair trends creeping up in the fashion and beauty world lately, I was excited to learn of Cibu International’s latest volumizing line of products– “Shang High.” As a woman with thick but not voluminous hair, I have been searching for a product to lift my locks without making them greasy, and the Shang High collection has seemed to be that product! 

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(Angelina Jolie ~ before and after)

I think it’s pretty much safe to say yes, celebrities still heavily influence the growth and popularity of plastic surgery trends. In addition, Reality TV such as Dr. 90210 has played a major role in the public seeing firsthand the “reality” behind plastic surgery; and for many people, this has inspired them to go forward and undergo some sort of improvement. More »

I have been active in sports my entire life, so when I heard about MISSION Product ™, I was excited to try out their skincare products. Just released in May of this year, the line boasts a lineup of hard-hitting athletes involved with the innovation and development.

With supporters such as Steve Nash (two-time NBA MVP), Mia Hamm (Olympic gold medal soccer player), and Gretchen Bleiler (pro snowboarder, three-time X Games gold medalist), it’s hard to not to take notice.

According to Nash: “I’m really proud to be a founding athlete with MISSION Product. I use all of our first five products and they are outstanding.”

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June 1st marked the day that Beauty Chat turned a year old [proud teardrop].

You see, this blog originally developed as a social networking project between me and Randy. Our goal at that time was to reach out to the beauty and plastic surgery communities, with our original “Look good, feel good, and speak on it!” philosophy. Turns out this idea not only paved the personality of Beauty Chat; we learned that there are a lot of others out there who feel the same way. You know, the non-judgmental chatterboxes (like us) who love talking about the latest this and that.

Turns out, there are TONS of you – our local, national, and international friends – who have subscribed to Beauty Chat and even have a favorite “Beauty Chatter.” I mean, with 10 writers on staff, including myself, a very productive project editor (Denice) and an eye-for-detail managing editor (Leeann), a fabulous in-house designer (Khevna), and a righteous programmer ( Randy), it only makes sense that you would connect with someone who is just as opinionated as you are!

Really, when it comes down to it, the team that makes up Beauty Chat is, like, the coolest group you could ever meet. (Sorta kidding, but not really.) More »

The way I see it – the heart and soul of a company largely contributes to its success, and I love learning about the brains behind fabulous products. This is why I excitedly wanted to chat with Terry Carter of Travertine Spa – a line of natural botanical body care products and lovely loungewear. With a HUGE celebrity clientele base with products and apparel that is tailored for both and women, Terry wholeheartedly believes in what Travertine Spa stands for. With personal satisfaction using one of his “moisture therapy” products (as well as owning a comfy Yoga Wear top), I have to share one of my new favorite skincare lines with you.

Check out our exclusive Beauty Chat interview:

Elana: How did you develop the idea for Travertine Spa?

Terry: I was a corporate attorney who really didn’t like the atmosphere that I was working in; it was a hostile environment that I did not enjoy. I got away from my stresses in the workplace by going to spas. I wanted to share with people what I had learned and experienced by just taking time to take care of myself, so I decided to create Travertine Spa in 2005. More »

I work for a buzzing plastic surgery marketing company. I move non-stop, all day. I spend most of my day going through countless photos of breast augmentations, and tummy tucks. I also run the customer service department. I wish I could say I stayed firmly planted in my seat, but I don’t. I run from meeting to meeting, department to department. In doing this, I tend to lose lots of pens, my keys, and occasionally my glasses.

After sending many “Anyone find my glasses?” in mass e-mails to the entire office, I figured I had to do something, and fortunately I came across La Loop. What a great find this was! La Loop is a concept that came about from Debbie Zoullad and Elizabeth Faraut. They had envisioned “a high-end, piece of jewelry with a purpose.” Following this inspiration they came up with an idea, one which has patented hinges that use a 360-degree swivel technology. This patented technology ensures that your glasses stay in one place. More »

As a natural-born Beauty Chatter who values a healthy lifestyle, I feel obligated to tell you about my latest finding.

Recently there has been quite a buzz regarding a Google ™ project that is currently in testing: the online storage of medical records. According to Alan Newberger, a Google engineering manager, the program is dedicated to making the patient’s medical records more attainable and convenient. More »

A hair transplant is NOT something I am in need of.  My  hair is so thick that it could be mistaken for a horse tail. So being able to manage my mane is something I struggle with every day!  Between the washing, the drying, and the styling, it can take me over an hour to complete my daily routine.

I go through my styling and hair care products like they are water.  I am always looking for the next best thing when it comes to my personal care needs. 

So the fabulous new addition to my routine: The ProSilk Ceramic + Far Infrared Dryer with Ion Technology.  Talk about amazing, this dryer seems to dry my massive mane in HALF the time my old Conair dryer did.  I went from a 45-minute dry session to an 18-minute dry session! More »

Two things I don’t bother keeping secret: 1) I’m over 30 (gasp!), and 2) I love organic personal care products. Recently, I came across two new brands, each of them with a product relevant to one of the aforementioned facts.

                                     (Photo Credit: http://pHormulate.com) 

First, I was introduced to the Anti-Aging Leave in Treatment 3a from pHormulate. Since I hadn’t used a leave-in treatment in an awfully long time, I forgot what I was missing! Reconstruction, UV protection, breakage prevention…the list goes on. But, because of the name of this particular product, you may be wondering: Is there really such thing as an anti-aging hair product? Well, the people at pHormulate figured out one thing that I had never even thought of: Hair loses sugar, and increases in salt, as it gets older! Apparently, the sugar contributes to a smoother texture, while the salt causes a drying effect (in other words, too much of it is bad). So, their ChromaGuard Technology sets out to correct that. And, while I obviously can’t measure the sugar content in my hair, it appears to do its job. More »

Beauty Chatters are always on the lookout for awesome items and fabulous places to go! In my quest to expose you to the hidden gems of the fashion world, I present American Rock & Royalty (AR&R) — a retail store that can certainly boost up your wardrobe’s attitude.

And for one lucky reader, you’ll get to sport one of their stylish tees!

Opened in Gilroy, Calif. in November 2006 by Paulo and Denise (a husband and wife duo), the mission was, in Paulo’s words, “To cater to the fashionista.” But men are also fans of the store. At AR&R, the latest trends are offered in a region that doesn’t necessarily provide the most diverse clothing brands.

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