Marcella Yakalis

Three Wallet-Friendly Products From Umberto Beverly Hills That Protect, Tame and Add Glorious Shine!

July 6th, 2016 by Marcella Yakalis 4 Comments

Umberto Beverly Hills Controller Conditioning Spray ($9.99), Shimmer Shine Spray ($9.99) and Regular Hairspray ($9.99)

NYC summer is in full swing, and it is HOT.

When it’s breazy, it’s bearable, but when it’s not…it’s awful, y’all. I have to wash my hair every day, which is not how I normally like to roll.

When it’s hot like this, my best buddy is dry shampoo, but I’ve also been on the lookout lately for something to add extra texture and shine.

So, as a self-proclaimed greaseball, whenever I’m contemplating a new hair (or skin) product that’s supposed to add shine, I tread very carefully (some shine is good, but some shine is not).

I had such a good experience with Umberto Beverly Hills Lifting Powder recently that I decided to give some of their other products a try, including their $10 Shimmer Shine Spray, Controller Conditioning Spray and Regular Hairspray.

Umberto Savone is a popular stylist and salon owner over in Beverly Hills, and his line of products is exclusive to his salons and Target.

I’ve been trying to find a leave-in conditioner/detangler that doesn’t weigh down my hair for YEARS, and the Controller Conditioning Spray is perfect. It’s my favorite one of these three, and it also does heat protection! Yay!

Surprisingly, I also really like the Shimmer Shine Spray. Because of my oily skin and hair, I’ve never used a spray specifically made for shine before. I was a little nervous to give it a try, but it actually works! It adds QUITE a bit of shine (but not shimmer), and the greasiness depends on how much I use. If I go overboard, it does grease up my roots a bit.

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My Office Approved FOTD for Fearless Job Hunting!

June 28th, 2016 by Marcella Yakalis 11 Comments

Finished results! — My fearless job hunting face of the day

Hey, everyone! I know I haven’t mentioned it often, but at this current time, I don’t have a full-time job. As such, I apply to a LOT of jobs, and I try to go on as many interviews as I can, when I’m lucky enough to get one.

It turns out I was, in fact, lucky enough this week! It was yesterday, and I spent a lot of time last weekend planning what I would wear, how I would handle the interview, and my favorite part: my makeup.

I wanted to show you guys the neutral look I wore and the products I used to achieve it.

group 1 — From top left to right: Clinique Stay Matte Oil Free Makeup ($32), Murad Invisiblur Perfecting Shield SPF 30 ($65), Milani Blush in luminoso ($8.49), E.L.F. Baked Highlighter in Moonlight Peals($4), European Wax Center’s Brow Powder Duo ($22), Too Faced Natural Eyes Palette ($36), NYX Matte Finish Setting Spray ($8), E.L.F. Eyeshadow Primer ($2), Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in Light($6.99) and Sephora Full Action Mascara ($12)

The interview was for an office coordinator position at the same school I attended for my graduate studies. I’ve worked in a few offices, and those are the kinds of positions I’ve been looking into lately for full-time work.

When I interview, I like to wear things that make me feel comfortable, because, well…I’m normally a nervous wreck when it comes to interviews. I still haven’t mastered them. Sometimes I shake worse than when I’m at the dentist’s office, and that’s a LOT of shaking.

So for this look I started with freshly cleansed and moisturized skin.

Then I applied a good layer of Murad Invisiblur Primer (I reviewed it here). It gives me a good starting point for Clinique Oil Free Stay Matte Makeup.

foundation — Clinique Oil Free Stay Matte Makeup in Linen

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Try the $4 Miss Spa Deep Recovery Pre-Treated Gel Lip Mask for Smoother Lips and a Fun Experience

June 23rd, 2016 by Marcella Yakalis 8 Comments

Wearing the Miss Spa Pre-Treated Gel Lip Mask Deep Therapy ($4.00) — Wearing the Miss Spa Deep Therapy Pre-Treated Gel Lip Mask ($4.00)

Now that summer is here, there are many things I’ve been enjoying that I don’t usually do during winter…like drinking iced coffee without getting strange looks. I also haven’t had a head cold since April, at least, and I’m on the prowl again for the perfect plus-size maxi dress.

But one thing I can never seem to find, no matter the season, is a cure for my dry, flaky lips.

My bag usually has at least two or three different lip balms in it, and I literally hoard them at home, but none of them really, really work. They help, but they aren’t a solution, so now I’m looking for answers outside the realm of everyday lip moisturizers.

I’ve tried exfoliating my lips, but this time I’m going with a more popular approach. I’m testing a mask!

So, face masks are nothing new, as I’m sure you’re aware. Single use sheet masks, in particular, have been extra popular lately (Jen liked this one by Amore Pacific), but have y’all ever tried a lip mask before?

They sound weird, right?

But this affordable little treasure — the Miss Spa Deep Therapy Pre-Treated Gel Lip Mask — was too hard to resist (I’ve seen it at Target for about $3).

This was my first time trying a mask like this, and I was a little surprised when I opened the package for the first time at how thick the mask is.

I assumed it would be a thin sheet mask that would just cover my lips, but as you can see, it’s a little bigger than that.

The Miss Spa Deep Recovery Pre-Treated Gel Lip Mask — I didn’t expect the illustration on the front to be quite so…literal.

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What Are Your Fondest Beauty Memories?

June 21st, 2016 by Marcella Yakalis 10 Comments

My grandma in the mid-'40s — My grandma in the mid-’40s

I bet there’s a place that’s very special to you and was a very special place to you as a child. For me, that place is my grandmother’s house in Moriah, NY, in the Adirondacks on Lake Champlain. I spent so much time there as a child (because she lives five minutes down the road from the house I grew up in), and it has always been a meeting place of sorts for my mother’s side of the family. Our whole group flocks there.

Even as adults, my aunts and uncles and cousins all meet at her house when we come home to visit, and at 91, my grandmother certainly enjoys the company.

Probably the best thing about being at my grandmother’s house growing up with a bunch of cousins who were all older than me was getting to play with their makeup! My cousins lived in the surrounding towns but were still pretty far away, and I have distinct memories of being at the dining room table, poking through their makeup bags (whether they wanted me to or not!) on the weekends and holidays we would spend at my grandmother’s house.

Let me explain.

All of my cousins are significantly older than I am because my mother was the youngest of my grandmother’s children, and she had my mom at 36 when my grandmother already had three kids (almost) in their teens.

So being much younger than everyone else, my mom also had her kids much later than her siblings did, so my eldest cousin is in his late forties now, and I’m the baby of my cousins at 25. The only ones younger than me now are the great grandkids, the oldest of whom at 13 is just now starting to wear makeup (which makes me feel old).

Thankfully my older cousins happily put up with me and all of my pestering when I was younger, which I love them for because many teenagers don’t have much use for the little ones at family gatherings (I know I don’t at times). They all treated me more like a sibling than a cousin.

Last weekend I got to reconnect with a lot of my family I hadn’t seen in a while, and one of my cousins even continued to amaze and inspire my beauty habits by bringing me a TON of her collection to go through and peruse at my leisure!

I only took a few things (because, at this point, I really don’t need more beauty products), but I appreciated the thought.

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With John Frieda Luxurious Volume Perfectly Full Mousse and Forever Full Hairspray, a Blowout at Home Is Easy and Affordable!

June 16th, 2016 by Marcella Yakalis 7 Comments

hairspray, john frieda — These products may make you feel blazin’ hot, but don’t handle them near an open flame! The John Frieda Luxurious Volume Perfectly Full Mousse ($6.99, left) and Forever Full Hairspray ($6.99, right)

If you live in the NYC area or, well, any area that has a few hair salons, you’re probably familiar with the concept of a blowout. Blowout salons are VERY popular around these parts, and for good reason. Your hair looks fabulous afterward! — and the style lasts for days.

But blowouts get expensive after a while, which is why I only get them when I get my hair cut/colored.

What’s a thin-haired girl to do?

When I wash my hair, I don’t blow dry it often because of its texture, but sometimes I still crave a finished, full hair look.

When I do improv and give myself a “blowout” at home, here are the products I use to help get my baby fine hair looking voluminous and shiny.

Here’s my hair right after a wash…

wet hair, thin hair, — Fresh out of the shower, my thin hair is already almost dry.

Now, I don’t do my home blowouts like many people do because I don’t use a round brush. Because round brushes cause more knots in my hair (yes, it’s that cranky). Instead I use a comb and my hands.

Lately I’ve been washing my hair with Loreal Everpure Volume Shampoo. It’s color-safe and has lovely notes of rosemary and juniper, and I don’t find it to be stripping at all.

Next is the actual drying, and I always make sure to spray a heat protectant in my hair before I start, as well as a little bit of Dove Serum in Oil.

Flipping my head upside-down, I dry my hair until it’s about 80% dry, then turn to part one of this duo…

I wasn’t impressed by earlier iterations of this line, but these I like. Mousse is always SUPER tricky for me, it either weighs my hair down to the point that I need to wash my hair again the next day, or it makes my haircrunchy, but the Perfectly Full and Forever Full formulas from the Luxurious Volume line have been doing a great job for me lately.

mousse, john frieda, luxurious volume, — I tried very hard to get this in the shape of a meringue, which is what mousse always reminds me of…

As far as fragrance goes, well…it smells like mousse. Less like hairspray (not as heavy on the chemicals), and more like a light mix of clean and floral.

The product itself feels very light and almost a little too watery, so be careful because it might just melt in your hands.

After scrunching a bit into my hair, especially at the crown of my head, I finish by blowdrying on low with the diffuser attachment, and to avoid knots, I continuously comb/finger-comb my hair while I’m drying.

I’ve been OBSESSED with this comb right here, and I was devastated when mine broke a few days ago. Even more tragically, my Target hasn’t been stocking it anymore. 🙁 Thank goodness for Amazon!

And here’s what my hair looks like when I’m done…

thin hair, luxurious volume, — A decent bit of volume for a thin-haired gal!

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The Avene Cold Cream Ultra-Rich Cleansing Bar Isn’t a Soap at All

June 10th, 2016 by Marcella Yakalis 6 Comments

I don’t know about you, but when it comes to skin cleansers, I like mine liquid, but it doesn’t matter if they’re gels, foams, etc. I’m not extra picky, but I just like to put some on a washcloth or rub them into my face with my hands. As far as cleansing bars are concerned, I usually steer clear.

But then I tried the Eau Thermale Avene Cold Cream Ultra-Rich Cleansing Bar…

Avene Cold Cream Ultra-Rich Cleansing Bar

“Combining the ultra-rich, softening properties of Cold Cream with the soothing, anti-irritating properties of Avene thermal spring water, this ultra-rich cleansing bar gently cleanses and nourishes the most sensitive skin. Its well-tolerated new formula respects the skin’s natural pH and provides a rich, smooth and lightly fragranced lather. Skin is soft and supple again, its comfort is restored.”

– From the packaging

cold cream, cleanser, cleansing bar, avene, — Eau Thermale Avene Cold Cream Ultra Rich Cleansing Bar ($10)

Let me be clear — this is not soap, and it’s not drying at all.

Ingredients:
sodium cocoyl isethionate, stearic acid, sodium laurate, sodium stearate, paraffin, sodium myristate, water, fragrance, peg-45 palm kernel glycerides, avene thermal spring water, beeswax, bht, c20-40 pareth-10, cetyl alcohol, cetyl phosphate, glyceryl stearate, methylparaben, mineral oil, sodium hydroxide, titatium dioxide, triethanolamine

It’s a deeply moisturizing soap-free cleansing bar that leaves a protecting film (but no greasy or sticky residue) and maintains your skin’s natural pH.

For my temperamental skin, the white beeswax and mineral oil are just the ticket. The bar creates a magnificently rich, creamy lather with a wonderful powdery scent when I rub it into my face and body in the shower.

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June Is Acne Awareness Month… How Aware Are You?

June 8th, 2016 by Marcella Yakalis 17 Comments

acne, acne awareness, — Acutely aware of what seems to be a constellation forming on my chin…

This week, while browsing the web, I came across a post that said that June is Acne Awareness Month.

Did you guys know about this? Because I, your high oily-ness, did not.

The post is an interesting roundup from the writers of the site about their acne, and it gave me a fair bit of amusement and some feelings of solidarity, because as someone who writes often about skincare and beauty and is in constant awe of makeup and the skills that people use to apply it, I’m also in CONSTANT awareness of my acne.

(Did you just think of Mad Eye Moody yelling CONSTANT VIGILANCE? Because I did. #harrypotternerd4life.)

Getting back to Acne Awareness Month…I don’t know exactly how I feel about it. I feel like there are already “awareness” and “appreciation” months for everything nowadays. One could say that it would bring better awareness to taking care of your skin, but wait — September is already National Skin Care Awareness Month (and May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month).

I’ve waxed poetic about my acne before, but it’s been flaring up more than usual lately, especially around my chin. The moisturizers and oils that (ironically) served me well for a few months aren’t helping anymore, and I’m still looking for something to use this summer (Murad has some very helpful articles on their website in honor of Acne Awareness Month).

Acne-wise, the things I struggle with the most are whiteheads, papules, pustules, and the occasional cyst (so, SO attractive).

I would like to think that sometimes I’m less aware of my acne, for my own sake, but when it comes down to it, it’s usually constantly in my awareness. It’s always there because, well, it’s front and center. It’s the first thing I notice when I wake up in the morning and the last thing I address before I go to bed.

Did you know that June is Acne Awareness Month? And what do you think of the constant cycle of awareness/appreciation months?

Marcella Yakalis

Marcella Yakalis is a freelance writer living and working in Brooklyn, New York, with two cats, one snake, and one very patient boyfriend. She writes about family, relationships, and oppressive retail culture. She can also be found on Twitter and Instagram.

Revisiting Old Friends With Herbal Essences Naked Clean and Refresh Shampoo and Conditioner

June 1st, 2016 by Marcella Yakalis 7 Comments

As I sit writing this, I’m riding the Amtrak 69 train from NYC toward my hometown of Moriah, New York. I haven’t been home in a while, and it’s my grandmother’s birthday this weekend, so a lot of my cousins who I haven’t seen in a long while are going to be in town.

Making the trip by myself can be tiresome, but the scenery is nice. The Adirondack train runs daily from New York City to Montreal (and vice versa), so it’s a convenient, albeit long, trip (about as long as driving would take with stops to rest).

This week, in the spirit of visiting old friends and family, I also decided to revisit a shampoo I’ve tried before, but not since they updated the packaging and, I assume, reformulated it.

Now it’s called Herbal Essences Naked Clean and Refresh Shampoo ($4.99), but I think it used to be called Herbal Essences Naked Volume when it first came out. I remember being less than thrilled about the original version.

When I tried it back then, I was looking for something affordable that would cleanse my hair well and didn’t contain parabens and all that. The Herbal Essences Naked line was an affordable option.

While the Naked Clean and Refresh line (there’s also a $4.99 conditioner) isn’t marketed as “cleansing,” the combo gets the job done.

My hair is ultra-thin and fine, so experimenting with new shampoos and conditioners is always perilous. I don’t wash my hair often (maybe twice a week), but when I do, I typically alternate between a cleansing shampoo (for when my hair is super greasy or full of dry shampoo) and Clairol Shimmer Lights Conditioning Shampoo, because I’m not about that brassy life. And some days I’ll use a combination of both.

The (new?) formula

Herbal Essences Naked Clean and Refresh Shampoo definitely doesn’t lack in lather potential. If you’re a dime-sized amount user (short hair), you should get a good lather, but it shouldn’t be too much. I use about a quarter-sized amount for my hair and get a lot of nice suds.

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