Happy Holidays! Today is the last day we will receive orders in 2009 on BelcamShop.com. At Belcam we believe it’s important to give our employees a nice big break to spend the holidays with their friends and family. Orders can still be placed any time, but they will not be fulfilled and shipped until we return in January. We’ll make it up to you though! Place an order TODAY (December 21, 2009),  and save an extra 15% off your total order by entering the code “FANS15” upon checkout. This an an exclusive offer to our Facebook fans (ParfumsBelcam, Denco, Bath Therapy), Twitter followers, and Belcam blog readers.

Thanks for a great year! We have lots of new and exciting things planned for 2010, so stay tuned!

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“Aesthetics for All”

Tar-zhay Thursday

“Aesthete: (def.) one who deals with the nature of beauty, art, and taste, and with the creation and appreciation of beauty.”

I’m happy to wear the label of an aesthete.  It’s why my S&P shakers need to be pretty (Jonathan Adler), my paper towel holder matches my blender (Michael Graves for Target), and why my favorite part of the DAM is the chairs exhibit (I could drool over an Eames chair all day).  On a recent visit from my bf’s family, they asked, “Is this a home, or an art museum?”

That doesn’t bother me.  I like to see beauty all around me.  The way I see it, if you are going to use something functional everyday, why shouldn’t it be pleasing to look at?

So right now I’m loving these Tweezerman limited edition tweezers by Agatha Ruiz de la Prada.  They are the first in Tweezerman’s new Designer Series, and come in a cloud or flower design as well. . . but how freakin cute are these little hearts?  Seriously.

And not only are they super adorable, but Tweezerman tweezers are the absolute best tweezers, and come with free sharpening for life!  They are used by every makeup artist I know, and are constantly winning awards (InStyle Best Beauty Buys 2009, Allure Editor’s Choice Award, etc.)  If you don’t have a pair, get one immediately.  And if hearts aren’t your thing, they have a pink BCA pair, animal print designs, a blinged-out Swarovski crystal encrusted option, even a “go green” mini tool that donates to the National Arbor Day Foundation.  How’s that for aesthetically pleasing?

Ingredients
At a glance
Serves
4
1/2 cup pecans
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
4 four- to six- ounce ounces halibut fillets
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
lemon wedges, as garnish
Methods/steps

Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking dish or jellyroll pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil lightly coated with cooking oil spray.
In a food processor fitted with chopping blade, combine pecans, lemon zest, parsley, olive oil, salt and pepper. Process until the mixture is nice and crumbly.
Rinse the halibut fillets and pat dry, checking for any remaining bones and removing them gently. Note (I have a special pair of tweezers that I use just for removing fish bones – works great!)
Spread a thin layer of mustard on the top of each fillet. On top of that spread 1/4 of the nut crumble mixture evenly over the top of the fish.

Hi Everyone! I’m Kim, and I’m the Brand Manager for Belcam’s Beauty Tools division. Ryan has very graciously allowed me to do a guest post today (read: I badgered him mercilessly until he finally shouted “FINE!”).

Moving right along… It’s about the time of year when we’re thinking about holiday gift giving, or more precisely, we’re wondering how it’s already Thanksgiving – and stressing about how we still have people to buy for and no idea what to get them.

So, I thought that making a list of beauty tool suggestions would be in keeping with the holiday spirit of giving and helping others. And, truthfully, I really wanted to have a list named “Kim’s Holiday Picks”. I’m convinced that Ryan is secretly thinking I’m an egomaniac for doing this, but his gift to me is to keep quiet.

Anyway, here is this list – I hope it helps you in your search for the perfect high quality (and affordable) gift of beauty for everyone on your list!

Kim’s Holiday Picks!

• For the Sophisticated Woman on your List
Aero Tweeze Slant Tip Tweezers These tweezers are made in Italy of high quality stainless steel and are available in 4 fun colors (purple is our best seller). The tips are ultra-fine and will tweeze even the shortest, finest hair the first time. No more struggling, no more slipping and no more cutting your eyebrow hair at the skin line with sharp tweezer tips… leaving that irritating and unsightly black “dot” of unreachable hair. If you’re wondering why anyone in their right mind would pay $18.99 for tweezers, you owe it to yourself to buy these. You’ll love them, your friends will love them and you’ll never need to ask yourself that nagging question again!

• For that Special Girl (who will lose the $18.99 tweezers and you’ll hold it against her forever)
Fiesta Tweezers – Slant Tip These tweezers are also made in Italy of stainless steel. They are available in 4 shimmering colors (the most popular, again, is purple). The tips are very good for eyebrows and general tweezing and their quality is far superior to the mass/retail tweezers you see from the “big boys”. At $6.50, they’re also super-affordable and perfect for teenage girls or slightly flaky friends who tend to lose things.

• For the Manly Man
Mustache Scissors & Comb OK, here’s the inside scoop on this product. Do NOT be misled by the Mustache part. These scissors are made in Italy (noticing a trend?) and feature thin, precise tips and a smooth cutting action. While they’re great for mustaches and beards, and don’t rely on batteries or electricity, they are also perfect for nose hair, ear hair and trimming any “mad scientist” eyebrows that tend to crop up. Oh, and they’re ideal for evening out sideburns or trimming any other unwanted body hair (read: they’ll get a LOT of use!).

• For the Hip Guy
Professional Toenail Clippers These toenail clippers are stainless steel, made in Japan and just super-cool. They have a slight wave-design and a high end brushed finish. Ideal for both toenails and fingernails, any guy would be proud to pull these out of his bathroom drawer. And the best part is that the super-sharp blades cut cleanly and leave nails smooth and burr-free. These clippers even boast a removable clipping catcher so you’re not accidentally impaling your poor, bare foot in the middle of the night on a razor sharp clipping that wasn’t picked up from the bathroom floor! I’m not pointing any fingers here, but some men just let those toenails fly, so the catcher is a good idea.

Well, that does it. If you’re wondering why I haven’t put anything in here for the younger kids on your list, shame on you. What self-respecting kid wants a grooming product for the holidays?! I mean, really.

Hi Everyone! I’m Kim, and I’m the Brand Manager for Belcam’s Beauty Tools division. Ryan has very graciously allowed me to do a guest post today (read: I badgered him mercilessly until he finally shouted “FINE!”).

Moving right along… It’s about the time of year when we’re thinking about holiday gift giving, or more precisely, we’re wondering how it’s already Thanksgiving – and stressing about how we still have people to buy for and no idea what to get them.

So, I thought that making a list of beauty tool suggestions would be in keeping with the holiday spirit of giving and helping others. And, truthfully, I really wanted to have a list named “Kim’s Holiday Picks”. I’m convinced that Ryan is secretly thinking I’m an egomaniac for doing this, but his gift to me is to keep quiet.

Anyway, here is this list – I hope it helps you in your search for the perfect high quality (and affordable) gift of beauty for everyone on your list!

Kim’s Holiday Picks!
(insert fanfare here)

• For the Sophisticated Woman on your List
Aero Tweeze Slant Tip Tweezers These tweezers are made in Italy of high quality stainless steel and are available in 4 fun colors (purple is our best seller). The tips are ultra-fine and will tweeze even the shortest, finest hair the first time. No more struggling, no more slipping and no more cutting your eyebrow hair at the skin line with sharp tweezer tips… leaving that irritating and unsightly black “dot” of unreachable hair. If you’re wondering why anyone in their right mind would pay $18.99 for tweezers, you owe it to yourself to buy these. You’ll love them, your friends will love them and you’ll never need to ask yourself that nagging question again!

• For that Special Girl (who will lose the $18.99 tweezers and you’ll hold it against her forever)
Fiesta Tweezers – Slant Tip These tweezers are also made in Italy of stainless steel. They are available in 4 shimmering colors (the most popular, again, is purple). The tips are very good for eyebrows and general tweezing and their quality is far superior to the mass/retail tweezers you see from the “big boys”. At $6.50, they’re also super-affordable and perfect for teenage girls or slightly flaky friends who tend to lose things.

• For the Manly Man
Mustache Scissors & Comb OK, here’s the inside scoop on this product. Do NOT be misled by the Mustache part. These scissors are made in Italy (noticing a trend?) and feature thin, precise tips and a smooth cutting action. While they’re great for mustaches and beards, and don’t rely on batteries or electricity, they are also perfect for nose hair, ear hair and trimming any “mad scientist” eyebrows that tend to crop up. Oh, and they’re ideal for evening out sideburns or trimming any other unwanted body hair (read: they’ll get a LOT of use!).

• For the Hip Guy
Professional Toenail Clippers These toenail clippers are stainless steel, made in Japan and just super-cool. They have a slight wave-design and a high end brushed finish. Ideal for both toenails and fingernails, any guy would be proud to pull these out of his bathroom drawer. And the best part is that the super-sharp blades cut cleanly and leave nails smooth and burr-free. These clippers even boast a removable clipping catcher so you’re not accidentally impaling your poor, bare foot in the middle of the night on a razor sharp clipping that wasn’t picked up from the bathroom floor! I’m not pointing any fingers here, but some men just let those toenails fly, so the catcher is a good idea.

Well, that does it. If you’re wondering why I haven’t put anything in here for the younger kids on your list, shame on you. What self-respecting kid wants a grooming product for the holidays?! I mean, really.

Tweezing is the most inexpensive way to remove unwanted hair. A pair of Tweezers will cost between two to five dollars, but the effect of a well shaped eyebrow through tweezing can be very astounding. Your eyebrow’s shape should go along with your brow bone’s natural line. The arch should come out to be the highest at the pupil’s outer corner. To know exactly where the brow should start, align a pencil straight up from the inner corner of the eye. To know where it exactly should it end, a pencil, held diagonally from the outer corner of the eye to the brow bone can help. The very first time you pluck your eyebrows, it could be painful. But after two or three sessions, you feel almost nothing. Eyebrows shape should have an arch. Ideally, it should be over the iris of the eye. Be careful not to overdo it; it should come out natural and conforms with your eye.

1. How To Pluck Eyebrows:

- Look and study your brows in the mirror.
- Pluck when your pores are open. Do your eyebrows immediately after a shower, or apply warm compress to your brow area to open up the pores. This will help in minimizing the pain that plucking can create.
- Apply a baby’s teething pain preparation. If you are plucking your eyebrows for the first time, it will be helpful to apply a baby’s teething gel, to numb the are so you can pluck with comfort.
- Be certain that there is enough natural light available in the room.
- Use a pair of tweezers that you can handle easily. Test that it can grip the hairs well, so it can pull the hair from the roots well, without slipping every time you pluck.
- Soften the hairs with a skin conditioner or moisturizer, so hairs can slide out easily.
- Brush the brows upward so you can see your natural arch and shape your brows from there.
- From time to time, stand back, take a few steps away from the mirror and examine your brows.
- Be conscious always of your eye’s natural shape. Don’t make a super arch if that is not naturally you. It will be very obvious and will give you a funny look. Make the arch as natural as possible.
- With an eye pencil, draw first the desired shape of your eyebrows before you start plucking.
- Focus your plucking on the stray hairs first. These are usually finer and will not be as painful to pluck. Also, they won’t give as much attention, in case you make a mistake.
- Note that you should only pluck the hairs at the bottom side of your brow. Never pluck the hairs at the top.
- First tweeze under the brow and pluck in the direction of the growth of the hair.
- Be sure to pull hair one at a time and close to the root.
- With your thumb and first finger, stretch the skin area tightly so you avoid pinching the skin, which can be painful.
- Comb the brows upward, using your eyelash comb, and trim off any hair extending beyond the brow bone.
- When finished, pat with tea bags to soothe the area.

2. Don’ts Of Eyebrow Plucking!

- Don’t pluck after you have applied lotion to your face. Plucking will open up your pores; lotion may instantly go in the skin and can contaminate it.
- Don’t use electric tweezers. It can be very dangerous.
- Don’t use tweezers for pulling out nose hairs.
- Don’t use alcohol after plucking, as this can irritate the eyes.
- Don’t dye your eyebrows, not only that it can cause severe eye irritation, it could also look bad.
- Don’t soak your tweezers in detergents or in plain water.

3. Tweezer Care:

- Always disinfect it with alcohol before and after each use.
- Always place a cap to protect the tips of your tweezers.
- Be careful not to drop the tweezers as this can dull and miss align the tip.

4. Choosing Tweezers:

When just starting, it will be wise to buy at least four tweezers of different materials, such as stainless steel, copper or plastic coated, so that you will know which ones will quickly tarnish. Stainless steel also do come in different grades. Note that the price of the tweezers does not affect its quality. Both expensive and affordable ones, performance wise, may have the same grip and the same tip that can function well. However, those with high quality materials will cost more, such as a high grade stainless steel. Pay attention to the tip of the tweezers; it should have a wide surface so that it can grip well. Test it to make sure it does the job. Whatever size of tweezers you choose, long, short, wide or narrow, it really depends on your own preference, on which tweezers you can handle best.

Good morning friends. Some women do have very short and thin eyelashes. And they want to look that thicker. So there is this fake eyelashes (false eyelashes). Have you ever tried to wear fake eye lashes? I tried ones and at first it’s difficult but when you have a constant practice you will find it easy to wear.

Many women do like to wear false eyelashes. I believe they are the best alternative to a fuller lashes. Some usually use full band lashes whenever they have occasion to attend. It’s the easiest to apply.

But for personal use, individual lashes are others preference, because they are the most natural-looking and are like hair extensions. You can use black or brown, but mixing the two colors is ideal. You have to trim before you use them. Or you can trim them yourself using eyebrow scissors. Use your own lashes as your guide. False eyelashes should be the same length as your natural lashes. [1] Before attaching the fake eyelashes, curl your lashes first and line your eyes with a dark brown or black pencil. This will help conceal the lash roots. [2] Equip yourself with your supplies: eyebrow scissors to trim, tweezers to apply, the lashes and the glue. [3] Put a drop of lash glue on a hard surface (the outside of the case holding the lashes is perfect) and let it dry for a minute. [4] Hold the lash tip with tweezers and dip the root in the glue. Give it a few seconds to dry a little. [5] Starting at the outer corner, wedge the glued lashes between your natural lashes and hold it in place for a few seconds. A couple of clusters at the outer corners of the upper lashes are usually enough, but you can also use them to fill in any sparse areas.

While shopping with DH at the mall yesterday, we walked by one of those ‘tweeze your eyebrows using a thread’ (as opposed to actual tweezers or wax) kiosks.

Now, I am one of the unfortunate ones that requires regular maintenance for her eye brows or I will look like Bert from Sesame Street- trust me … nobody wants that. During my last pregnancy, I just stopped trying to keep up with it and after about three weeks it looked like a caterpillar had decided to call my forehead home. I made a vow to never let this happen again. Ever.

So I thought I would give it a shot. The process itself was not bad, however, the end result is enough to make me cringe. I now look like I have a sort of permanent surprise on my face. Thank goodness for brow pencils.

Maybe I should have asked if it was her first day BEFORE she started…?

My posts have been very wordy and heavy lately, so I thought I’d break it up a bit with an activity post.  A while back I mentioned these fine motor activities, and I wanted to show one of my own adaptations here.  I’m all about saving money, so instead of buying the cool ice cube tray, I used an empty Ferrero Rocher container I had on hand.  You know, those delicious hazelnut chocolates.  Their container is just the right size for medium sized pom-poms.  Go ahead and buy yourself some.  Do it for the children.  If you’re morally opposed to self-indulgence, you could also use an egg carton, ice cube tray, or mini muffin tin.  Just try to match the container as closely to your pom-pom size as possible.

So I put the empty container, along with tweezers and medium pom-poms in my sensory table.  (You could just as easily do this at a regular table, but the sensory bin  kept the strays from rolling away.)  The children really work their fine motor coordination and strength, using that all-important pincer grasp, as they move the pom-poms back and forth.  As you can see above, some color sorting also took place, which ties in with preschool math objectives.  Try this activity, and you’ll be surprised how focused and fixated these children become with such simple supplies!

Just a friendly reminder that today is the last day to take advantage of our 25% off promotion. Everything on BelcamShop.com is 25% off through the end of September 30, 2009. Make sure to use the code “25off” upon checkout. Stock up on your favorite products, or try something new without having to pay full price. Enjoy!

Visit BelcamShop.com

Illustration from "Create Perfect Eyebrows"

The company I work for, Belcam Inc., has a great new shopping site. It’s more than an e-commerce site though, it’s also informational. In the Beauty Tools section of the site, you’ll find helpful beauty tips. For example, Create Perfect Eyebrows, a guide on shaping eyebrows. This is a step by step, illustrated guide that tells you how to safely and accurately shape your eyebrows like a pro. It also connects you directly to some product suggestions, and explains why these products, such as high quality tweezers, really make a difference. The guides are printable so you can keep them handy. Check it out at the new BelcamShop.com.

Here’s a complete list of the guides:

• Create perfect eyebrows
• Tweezing vs. waxing
• Accentuate your eyes
• 5 steps to a perfect manicure
• Caring for your nails
• 7 steps to a perfect pedicure
• Proper toenail care
• Get soft, smooth feet… NOW!
• Choosing the Right Toenail Cutting Tool

BelcamShop.com Home Page

Today we are pleased to premiere our new shopping site BelcamShop.com! We hope this will be a breath of fresh air for our customers. For the first time, with one single shopping site you can find all types of Belcam products: Fragrance, Beauty Tools, and Bath & Body Care. The new site offers several ways to enhance your shopping experience.

The top menu bar gives to an easy way search or to jump to each type of product: Fragrance, Beauty Tools, and Bath & Body Care. You can also jump back to the Home screen, or find out more about Belcam in the About Us link. You’ll also notice a place to keep track of how many items are in your shopping bag on the right. Finally, our contact information is listed here, as well as many other places on our site, so that it is easy to get in touch with us. We pride ourselves on our customer service at Belcam, so please feel free to contact us for any reason.

The left side menu gives you the option of shopping by brand, seeing what our most popular items are in the What’s Hot section, discovering any promotions we currently have, and checking out what’s on sale or on clearance from Belcam. You’ll also notice the option to sign up for our free newsletter, so you can stay posted about anything we have going on just by checking your email. At the bottom of the left side menu, you’ll see our contact information again.

The main section of our home page features a large banner letting you know about our best promotion. Right now we are kicking off the new site with 25% off everything in the shop until September 30, 2009. Just enter the code “25off” upon checkout. Below the banner we have three great ways to catch a glimpse of what we have to offer in the shop. You can sort by Best Sellers, Latest Promotions, or Gift Ideas. Each tab will display a selection of products available, sorted by their product type: Fragrance, Beauty Tools, and Bath & Body Care.

The bottom menu has some additional navigation for finding exactly what you may be looking for. The Don’t Miss A Thing section brings you to each product type’s promotions, About Us gives you another chance to see our company overview and how to contact us, and then there are some quick links to each product type again, for some additional, easy access. Still can’t find what you’re looking for? There’s a second search field at the bottom of the screen (in addition to the top of the screen). These search fields stay present no matter where you are in our site.

So welcome to the new BelcamShop.com. We hope you find the site convenient and easy to use. As always we welcome your feedback, so if you have any suggestions or concerns please feel free to contact us (click here for contact info). Don’t forget! Everything on the site is on sale for 25% off until September 30, 2009 (enter code “25off” at checkout). So don’t hesitate to treat yourself, stock up on your favorite items and try some new ones while you’re at it. Enjoy!

Denco Aero Tweeze

Whether you are a professional or just someone who wants professional results, using quality tweezers makes a world of difference when trimming fine hairs. Shaping eye brows, for example, involves precision in order to get that perfect look. This requires tweezers with fine tips that are precise, effective, and with a design that is simple and easy to use. Denco Aero Tweeze are a complete line of high quality, professional tweezers that get the job done.  These tweezers are stainless steel so they will not rust, and are made in Italy, with precisely aligned tips. The cut-out body design that is light weight and improves grip and precision because it’s easy to hold. Every Aero Tweeze tweezer comes with a protective pouch for safe travel and storage, and a lifetime guarantee.  They come in four colors (blue, white, pink and purple), and three different types of tips: slanted (for consistent results), rounded (for sensitive skin), or pointed (ideal for ingrown hair and precision work). For more information about Denco Aero Tweeze visit BelcamShop.com.

I sometimes get ingrown hairs on the back of my thighs and pluck at them with tweezers. In my dream, I was doing that. Over and over again, I plucked to pull the hairs out from under the skin, and when I did, it would reveal a hair that was over a foot LONG. It’d be like a hair that should’ve been on my head, but it was hanging from my leg. It was more astonishing than it was gross. I found several of these outrageously long leg hairs before awaking.

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WE ARE MANUFACTURING CUSTOM MADE INSTRUMENTS TOO. WE NEED JUST PICTURE OF ITEM NO / COUNTER SAMPLE / DRAWING.

THANKS
Shahzad Siddiqui
PRODUCT DESIGNER.
ZAMAHA Beauty care Supplies
FAX: +92 52 4566335
TEL: +92 333 8615589
USA OFFICE FAX: 1 530 730 3634
EMAIL : Zamahasurgical@yahoo.com

barber scissors, pet grooming shears, pet grooming scissors, razor edge, cuticle nipper, nail nipper, nail cutter, cuticle pusher, cuticle scissors, nose scissors, fishing pliers, fishing forceps, mitten clamps, tweezers

A set of well-shaped, expertly-groomed eyebrows can transform any woman’s face. They are the defining element, the feature that makes you look polished and pulled-together while remaining subtle. They are not meant to draw attention; they are meant to enhance your naturally beautiful features.

That being said, brow shaping and maintenance can be a tough skill to master. After the jump, view my step-by-step guide on achieving brows that work in harmony with your features.

1. Book an appointment with a professional.
Whether you choose waxing or threading, it’s important to visit a professional, at least for the initial visit. An esthetician can assess your facial features from a perspective that is physically impossible for you view on yourself. They can step back, study your face as a whole, see the current state of your brows, and work to give you a customized shape that works with your features and natural hair growth. It’s much easier for them to engage in hair removal than it would be for you to do it home, balancing over your bathroom sink in poor lighting. If you choose wax, it’s important to visit an esthetician because they are knowledgable about what medications may interfere with your waxing procedure, the best time to wax, and things of that nature.

If you’re not sure where to start, begin by calling a couple of highly-recommended spas or salons in your area, and ask if they have an esthetician who specializes in brows. If they don’t, ask who they would recommend. At the beginning your appointment, be sure to discuss with your esthetician the look you are going for. (For example, if you dislike rounded brows, say so.)

2. Keep those tweezers sharp.
In between visits, it’s important to pluck stray hairs in order to keep your brows looking polished. Tweezerman tweezers work really well, stay sharp, and have free lifetime sharpening. Do not tweeze into the brow itself; just remove any stray hairs beneath the arch, between brows, and outside of the natural brow.

If you’re looking to keep brows shapely, Anastasia Soare (Hollywood’s brow expert) has a set of stencils in her eponymous cosmetics line. They fit different brow shapes and sizes. Apply the stencil over your eyebrow (it will lightly stick to skin), take an eyeliner or brow pencil and color within the stencil. Press hard; you want to see these lines. Remove the stencil. Pluck any hairs that are not within the area you just colored in.

3. Buy a good pair of brow scissors.
Not trimming brows is one of the tops causes of overplucking. Because you’ll be doing intricate trimming, you need a special set of scissors. Tweezerman Stork Scissors are razor-sharp, come to a fine, precise point, and are tiny enough to maneuver with precision (and have the same free lifetime sharpening as Tweezerman tweezers). At $10, they are a steal.

Brush brows upward with a brow brush. Holding scissors parallel to the top of the brow line, trim any hairs that extend past the top of the brow. It’s often difficult to trim the outer brow, past the arch. If you’re uncomfortable with that, leave it to your esthetician.

4. Shape and style.
First, fill in sparse spots with a brow pencil or powder. I really like Tarte EmphasEYES High-Definition Eyebrow Pencil ($19.50), a naturally-formulated stick-thin pencil. Avoid looking like you took a Sharpie to your face by using short strokes to fill in bare areas, mimicking actual hairs in the brow. If you prefer a powder,

5. Lock up your style.
You’ll want to set brows to ensure they keep their shape all day. One option is clear mascara (I like Maybelline Great Lash), because it’s a more economical than brow gel, which can run $20 and up, and works just the same.

Wax is another way to force brows to stay put. Smashbox’s Brow Tech Wax ($20) is a clear wax to lock your brow style in place. Laura Mercier Brow Definer ($20) is a tinted wax-gel hybrid that provides light hold and comes in 3 shades.

6. Pick up an all-in-one kit.
Brow kits, complete with the essentials to give you shapely arches, are a good alternative for people who need several of the products listed here but are looking for a more economical option. With brow cosmetics, a little goes a long way. I once had an Anastasia brow powder that I eventually threw out after 3 years, and with daily use, I’d barely made a dent in it. Even though kits offer smaller quantities of products, you can save a lot of money since they generally will last you quite a long time. Bonus: they can be stowed away in your purse for on-the-fly touch-ups.

Urban Decay’s Brow Box ($29) provides the essentials for professional-looking brows, including 2 fillers powders,  clear wax, a mini brush, and tiny tweezers. BeneFit’s Brows A-Go-Go ($38) goes beyond just brows; it covers almost your whole eye. The kit light and dark filler powder, tinted wax, a mini black eyeliner, eye bright, brow highlighter powder, mini tweezers, and a dual-ended brush.

With these tips, you can say goodbye to unruly brows forever.

Happy happy happy day. I may soon have to move happiness of the week posts to Monday, but I won’t. Even if I do keep posting them on Mondays.

1. My mom’s makeup bag. It’s frilly, it’s lacy, it’s black, white, and blue. Logically, it’s hideous. But to me it’s beautiful. I told her yesterday, and she told me that she was thinking about getting rid of it. I asked, “When did you get it? Like in the 80’s?” Yes. YESSS. So I (stupidly) said, “It’s vintage.” And now she loves it as well and I will have to wait more years to inherit this floppy thing.

2. Michael & Porthos. Alright, I’m guilty of watching “Finding Neverland” again last night. That movie never fails to make me temporarily relapse into obsession. That said, Michael, the smallest Llewellyn-Davies boy in the movie, is so cute. “Is he in trouble? Because I’ve been alone with grandmother and I know what it’s like.” What a cute little boy.

J.M. Barrie’s dog, Porthos is cute too. A big fluffy mass of gray and white. I love the bloopers where he poops. It’s a lot less crude than it sounds, but still hilarious. Whatever, in the actual movie he’s adorable too.

3. Breakfast burritos. They are delicious in a stupid way. Meaning you should just enjoy its eggy, sausagey, cheesy, peppery goodness. It’s comfort food, not a gourmet dish.

4. Tweezers. Because armed with a pointy thing you can squish between your fingers, you can pluck anything. Plucking is fun except when it’s done on a violin.

5. Green tea. I haven’t had actual green tea in a while, but artificial green tea flavoring’s good too even if tastes nothing like real green tea. Green tea mochi ice cream, green tea smoothie. Guh, it is all so delicious.

6. The dead mosquito on my windowsill. It’s gruesome but beautiful, especially in the early morning because of the sunlight.

That should have cheered you up. Have a great week!

 Each day, moms are faced with a number of choices. They’re not always serious, life or death choices. Today, I got out of the shower, saw my restless baby, and knew that I didn’t have much time left to get ready because he was about to wake up wet and hungry. After a quick glance in the mirror as I hurriedly brushed my teeth, I noticed my hairy Sasquatch eyebrows. It was then I knew I needed to make a decision…should I tweeze my crazy hairy eyebrows or blow dry my hair. I still needed to put my make up on, lather on some lotion, and get dressed, with on a few precious moments left to myself before my baby time bomb was set to go off. It was then I made the decision to tweeze. I’ve been pretty consistent with blow drying my hair and getting myself ready for the day so I figured today it was ok if I threw my mane in a ponytail.

It’s amazing how times have changed. Before I got that big fat positive test (and the 10 more positives I took after that first one), it took me an hour to get ready in the morning, and I thought that was pretty fast. Now I’m lucky if I can eek out 25 or 30 minutes to get myself together and that includes a shower!  And boy do those 25 minutes go by fast! But I sure am grateful for those few precious moments I have to myself these days!