A Summer Session

 Airbrush Make-up by OCC in my favorite 80's Caboodle!

- Loose basket weave detail with a twist-

- Chignon at the nape-

Thank you to Katie Pitts and Sarah Throop, my two partners in beauty crime for the day. These images have not been edited to make Katie look perfect, although she is pretty perfect already.

 I like to keep it real!

Mary

July 2012

twobirdsphoto.com

I have been a slave to commitments all summer. That is why I haven't kept up with blogging. I am one of those people who can only handle so much before I shut down. The blog is usually the first thing to get cut. 

Thought I would just share a few images from some of my summer work. I have a few fun sessions scheduled for August so stay tuned!

The above photo is hair and makeup for a photo workshop shot by Jonathan Canlas. I really don't know anything about Jonathan Canlas but my friends at twobirdsphotos.com modeled for him. It was fun. The braid I did was a three part french braid. I thought about doing it as I was driving through Nebraska this summer. I am happy with the way it turned out.

I had the honor of doing make-up for this fantastic bride and her party. I have known Stephanie for years and was thrilled to be a part of her day. I also enjoyed the food!

twobirdsphoto.com

My little sister Abigail got married last month. I haven't gotten the professional pics back yet. It was a lovely day. The top picture is my daughter Lucy, sister Arwen and niece Emily. The second picture is my son James. The third picture is my sister Abi, my niece Eowyn and my now Brother-in-law Israel. I worked my butt off for this wedding but the hair and make-up was stress free. Everything turned out perfect.

Hair History: 1960's

My current collaborative work with photographer Jake Moreland of Two Birds Photography. www.twobirdsphtots.com.

Thanks to our beautiful and desirable models.

I love my work and I love the 60's.

MaryEllenLeRoy: Oil Slick

MaryEllenLeRoy: Oil Slick: Many of you have asked me about clogged pores, large pores, cleansers, oily skin, acne and other facial dilemmas. I think I can help all of ...

Oil Slick

Many of you have asked me about clogged pores, large pores, cleansers, oily skin, acne and other facial dilemmas. I think I can help all of you in this post. I know it's hard to wade through all the stuff written about skincare. It is even more difficult to choose what to buy. Skin care is almost always expensive, requires so many steps and you can't even get a guarantee that it will work! I have a solution that I know works.

Cleansing with oil is the solution. I wasn't convinced at first but once I tried it I was sold. I have been cleansing my own skin and my client's skin for over a year with fantastic results. Prepare to be amazed.

We have all been taught since puberty that our goal should be removing the oil from our face as it causes blackheads and acne. The natural solution for this is to buy a detergent based products, or so we thought. The problem is that when we strip our skin of it's natural oils our skin actually produces more oil. Oil is the skin's natural defense system to protect, moisturize and heal. Our largest organ knows how to adapt. It will work hard to protect itself and you will be left with an oil slick.

It's not hard to understand why we have been taught the way we have. Skin care is a thriving business that makes millions of dollars each year. Everyone wants to sell their product. If they teach us to remove our oil and then tone and moisturize they are selling us 3 products instead of one! It really is a vicious cycle and I know very few women who are happy with their skin despite spending gross amounts of money on skin care from the zombies. Yes, I said zombies. Don't turn in to a zombie by just buying whatever the commercials or your customer service representative tells you. Most of the time your best interest is not in their best interest!

Oil cleanses oil. Yes you heard me right. Do not be afraid to put oil on your face or even in your hair. Oil alone does not cause blemishes. Acne is caused by other factors like hormones, bacteria and dead skin cells. If you have skin problems the best thing you can do is use an oil cleansing method.

There are many oils to choose from and I am going to highlight a few along with the technique. I am still doing a bit of research on oils but can give you a good start. Remember that you do not need to use makeup remover as you will be unclogging and cleansing your pores. You can do this every few days or as needed.

Technique First
1. Find an empty container. Glass is always best but plastic will work,
2. Blend your oil using the guide below.
3. Pour a quarter size amount into you palm.
4. Gently massage all over face in an up and out motion. Do this for a few minutes.
5. Steam your face. You can do this with a facial steamer(20 bucks from amazon.com) or you can use a washcloth. Soak the washcloth in hot water and cover your face. Repeat this several times.
6. Gently remove oil from face with wash cloth. Scrubbing is not necessary.
7. Use a small drop of oil if needed to moisturize.

OIL BLENDS

Sensitive skin: Almond Oil, Avocado Oil, Apricot Kernel Oil, Camelina Oil

Mix 50/50 with Olive Oil

Skin Conditions: Avocado Oil, Apricot Kernel Oil, Black Seed Oil, Macadamia Nut Oil, Pomegranate Seed Oil,Shea Nut Oil

Mix 50/50 with Olive Oil or Almond Oil

Acne: Neem Oil, Black Seed Oil,  Castor Oil*, Coconut Oil

 Mix 60/40 with Almond Oil, Sunflower Oil or Olive Oil

*Castor Oil does pose a threat to human rights due to the way it has to be harvested. FYI

Aging Skin:Baobab Oil, Meadowfoam Oil, Rosehip Seed Oil, Camelina Oil, Apricot Kernel Oil, Wheat Germ Oil

Mix 50/50 with Sunflower Oil, Almond Oil or Avocado Oil

Dry Skin:Safflower Oil, Argan Oil, Apricot Kernel Oil, Macadamia Nut Oil, 

Mix 50/50 with Sunflower Oil, Olive Oil or Almond Oil

Oily Skin:Apricot Kernel Oil, Avocado Oil

Mix 50/50 with Sunflower or Almond Oil

Mountain Rose Herbs is a great place to buy oils or do more research.

Vegetable Oils.org is also very helpful.

Good Luck!

To Poo or not to Poo.

Many of you have been asking me about the "No Poo" method of cleansing hair. I thought I would share my thoughts and experiences without getting too scientific.

The "No Poo" method of cleansing hair is exactly what it sounds like. You stop using shampoo completely and let your own hair's oils nourish and condition the hair. It's something that people have done for hundreds of years. You have to keep in mind that having unlimited water supply and mass produced perfumed soaps is kind of a new thing,  when you think about our history of getting clean. Forty years ago women would never have thought of washing their hair everyday, and in the early 20th century women only washed their hair every 3-4 weeks. The main reason we shampoo daily is because it's what is culturally acceptable and because there are lots of companies that want to sell us their products.

You really have to be careful in today's market place when purchasing cosmetics of any kind. Most products are not regulated at all and contain damaging chemicals. (Although, shampoo is not as worrisome because hair doesn't absorb chemicals in to the body and shampoo is washed out promptly.) It's important to know what is in your bottles though. Even essential oils, herbs and plant extracts can be harmful if not used correctly. My advice is to choose products that contain few ingredients and are manufactured by responsible companies. We are so used to just purchasing without thinking and that needs to stop because there are too many people not looking out for our good, but looking to their own greed. You can check the website cosmeticdatabase.com for well studied reports on products in the market place. I will also include a list of reputable companies that I use at the end of this post.

There are actually very few hair products you need to use. Your natural hair oils can keep your hair conditioned and styled. But "No Poo" is a really rough transition and it isn't for everyone. The first 6 weeks your hair goes through a detox phase (it might be called something else officially but detox is what I call it). This is because the scalp has been stripped of it's natural oils for so long that it will "catch up" when you stop using the cleanser. Some folks will have a harder time with this than others. If you can make it through this heavy oil production time you will be rewarded. Your hair will have unbelievable shine and body.

Here's how it goes:
Mix a Tablespoon of Baking Soda and water until it forms a paste. Scrub in to the scalp with the balls of your fingers(no nails!). Massage well and let sit for a few minutes.Rinse.

Next add 2 tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar to a cup of water. Pour this over the hair ends. Leave one for a few minutes and rinse.

*Please note that you may not like your scalp smell. It might be strong in the beginning. You can spray lavender or peppermint oil to help this. Both oils are great for scalp health.
*It's really important to brush your hair dry with a natural bristle brush(unless you are vegan or concerned about animal rights then use a synthetic bristle that is as close to a natural bristle as possible). Start at the scalp and pull through the hair. Do this 100 times just like your Grandma told you to. This helps to spread your natural hair oils throughout the hair strands.
*If you are a work out queen and worry about sweat, don't worry about sweat. Rinse your hair after a work out with warm water and gently massage the scalp. Sweat and oil are two different things.

Here are some companies I respect and like to use:

-Dr. Bronner's Magic All In One Soaps-they are fair trade, use earth friendly materials, contribute to charity and treat their employees incredibly well. I especially like the peppermint for scalp problems and the unscented for the babes.www.drbronners.com

-Frangipani: This is a small business out of Indiana. The founder has extreme allergies and developed her own products to accommodate her sensitive skin. She is a special lady. I especially like the Shea Butter softening lotion. I use it for everything, even lip balm!http://www.frangipanibodyproducts.com/

More to come but now I'm tired!

Good Luck!

The Fantatstic 90's, Music, and "Pretty in Pink"

All my musical interest started with 3 things: "Pretty in Pink", Brad Breek, and skateboarding. I have already written in previous posts about my fascination with the movie "Pretty in Pink".  I will say again that it changed everything for me. It especially changed music for me.

Until I bought the "Pretty in Pink" sound track I was listening to Amy Grant, Petra, Wilson Philips and anything else my parents bought for me. My sister and I would get the BMG music club labels in the mail and laugh and laugh at all the funny band names like The Dead Milkmen, The Cure, Psychedelic Furs and "10,000 Maniacs. We had no idea. After we watched "Pretty in Pink" for the first time we decided to pool our allowance and buy the soundtrack at out local music store Camelot.

I don't really remember that trip to the mall. I do remember many trips after that though. I saved my paper route money and bought whatever tapes I could that were from the sound track. I have owned 5 copies of the "Pretty in Pink" soundtrack since then.

New Order

The Smiths

I am not exactly sure when I met Brad Breek but my earliest memory of him is 7th grade science class. He was my lab partner. He wore really baggy pants and half of his head was shaved. I thought he was the best thing that ever happened, even though he had a crush on my friend Laura. I used that crush to my full advantage to have conversations with him everyday. Brad was and probably still is a skateboarder.(I haven't spoken to him in several years so I am not sure.) He was the first skateboarder I ever met and introduced me to all things awesome and all the music that went along with it. I still love skateboarders and I am married to the hottest one that ever was. 

Because of Brad I started subscribing to TransWorld magazine. I still can't believe my mom let me have that. HA! I guess she never read it. I spent a lot of time looking at the music ads. It's were I first learned of Ned's Atomic Dust Bin, Pearl Jam and Fugazi. I really can't believe my mom let me listen to all that! Ha again!

Pearl Jam

I loved the 90's. It was a really fun time for me. I spent a lot of time trying to be different and enjoying the attention it brought. At that time everyone kind of looked the same, not like now. All of the misfits hung out together regardless of school, style, drug use or age. We just loved being with other kids that inspired us. There really wasn't any other outlet for us but music. One of my favorite memories from that time is Brad Breek sitting in the hallway at school with his Walkman playing the drums along to Rush on his knees.

  The Smiths- Enjoy

 Ned's Atomic Dust Bin - Enjoy

Hair History: 1950's

This is the first installment of a series I will be doing on hair and makeup through history. I love history and I love style so it just feels like a fun thing to do. Jake and Jen Moreland of Two Birds Photography agree and they have mad skills. Jake photographed this series. My model is the gorgeous Jaclyn H.

She is a teenager. She wears her sweater backwards.

When the pony tail came out she became an adult.

She borrowed her mom's pearls to wear to the dance. 

I am so happy with my work and so thankful to Jake for his extreme talent.

Favorite Quotes from "The AbsolutelyTrue Diary of a Part-Time Indian"

This book made me laugh from beginning to end. I will warn conservative parents and their children that Sherman Alexie might offend or shock you. I love to be shocked and I am not easily offended. Actually, I think it's really important to hear what people have to say with a open mind. I like real and raw things because sometimes life is just real and raw.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book. You should read it.

"The world, even the smallest parts of it, is filled with things you don't know." -Gordy
"You should approach each book---you should approach life---with the real possibility that you might get a metaphorical boner at any point." - Gordy
"I suddenly understood that if every moment of a book should be taken seriously , then every moment of life should be taken seriously as well."-Junior
" Well, in the early days of humans, the community was our only protection against predators, and against starvation. We survived because we trusted one another. Back in the day, weird people threatened the strength of the tribe. If you weren't good for making food, shelter, or babies, then you were tossed out on your own," said Gordy. "But we're not primitive like that anymore," said Junior. "Oh, yes, we are. Weird people still get banished." -Conversation between Gordy and Junior.
"And I realized that, sure, Indians were drunk and sad and displaced and crazy and mean, but, dang, we knew how to laugh. When it comes to death, we know that laughter and tears are pretty much the same thing"-Junior

Work to Be Proud Of: Hair and Makeup from 2011

 The beautiful Cat Caine on her wedding day. Photo by the ever talented Jake Moreland of Two Birds Photography.

 Makeup by me on a very lovely lady. Photo by Jake Moreland of Two Birds Photography.

 Hair and makeup by me. Photo by Jake Moreland of Two Birds Photography.

 My very beautiful friend Jennifer. Can I say she is my muse without sounding weird? Or maybe I should just say she inspires me. Photo by Jake Moreland of Two Birds Photography.

 Hair and Makeup on Katie. She is fantastic. Two Birds photography.

 Homecoming Queen Emily

My muse Jennifer. and her sister Jaclyn. HA! Jennifer hated this haircut but it is fantastic to me.

Please check out twobirdsphoto.com to see more of Jake Moreland's work.