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Have Some Iced Tea in the Open Thread

by 74 Comments


Ah, the healing power of hair styling… I just finished flat ironing my mop (going through a straight hair phase) and, sure, my cold’s no less uncomfortable — nose is still stuffed and throat feels like someone took a cheese grater to it — but because I like how my hair looks right now, I couldn’t care less, ha! 🙂

The open thread has a similar restorative effect, like a healing tonic. If you’re new to the blog, the open thread is basically where we chat in the comments about whatever strikes our fancies. It can be about makeup and beauty, books, movies, work, or about anything else you feel like sharing.

A few ideas to get the conversation started…

  • How’ve you been wearing your hair lately? Since it started getting hot around here, updos and ponytails are again the styles du jour, but I’ve been wearing my hair straightened lately. That way I can either put it up or leave it down without having to worry about it getting frizzy. When I leave my hair curly and put it in and out of a ponytail, my curls go crazy and it’s total frizz-ville!
  • Would you be interested in occasionally reading reviews of men’s grooming products? I don’t think very many men read MBB (there are like 1-2, God bless ’em!), but the other day it hit me: a lot of women buy stuff for the men in their life, right? If you’re interested in reviews of men’s products, please let me know.
  • How do you make new friends? One of my summer goals is to make as many new friends as possible. Do you ever make friends online, or do most of your friendships start at school or work?

Are you ready? I’ll bring over the iced tea and meet you in the comments!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. The boyfriend and I are starting P90X tomorrow! I’m nervous for the pain I’m going to be in for the next 90 days!

    Has anyone done it before? How did it go?

    Reply

    • Try a whey protein shake afterwards! It helped me with the pain. I tried to do without it once and I couldn’t get out of bed the next morning! 🙂

      Reply

      • Thanks for the tip! We went out and got some tonight.

        BF used to really be into physical fitness and called the protein shakes his “Man Smoothies”. ha!

        Reply

  2. Can you bring over some Long Island Iced tea? It’s been that kind of day.

    I hope you feel better! No fun being sick when the weather is as wonderful as it has been lately. But if you look good, you’ll feel good. Have el Hub get you some Throat Coat tea and it will help soothe your throat.

    I have been flat ironing my hair lately as well. It’s back to being a the length I like so I am willing to spend the time with the flat iron. Also since using Lush’s Big shampoo, I get more volume and am even more pleased on how it looks.
    .-= marisol’s last blog post… Disappointed… =-.

    Reply

    • OH, GURL, I haven’t had a Long Island Iced Tea since my senior year in college. WOW. You can have mine! Hand me a glass of merlot or something (I’m sure it’ll mix well with the cold medicine… TOTALLY KIDDING, Y’ALL!).

      Have you been using a heat protector for your hair?

      Reply

      • I have been using a cocktail of products when I straighten it. I use a bit of Moroccan Oil & Bed Head’s After party and I apply it when my hair damp. Then after I comb it through, I use Tresemme’s Heat Tamer Spray and apply it all over. Then once it’s styled, I spray Bed Head’s Headrush. What have you been using on your hair lately?
        .-= marisol’s last blog post… Disappointed… =-.

        Reply

      • I’ve heard really great things about Moroccan Oil. Is it really all that and a bag of chips?

        As for hair, I ran out of my trusty Straight Sexy Hair stuff and been trying some new heat protecting sprays from T3 and Biolage. So far both of them are… okay. Will let you know if any of them turn into an earth shattering experience.

        Reply

        • I used to use Biosilk and liked how it made my hair feel but I always felt like I had product one. With the morrocan oil, I like how it feels but my hair doesn’t feel like I have product on. Does that make sense? hee hee

          I used to love Biolage back in the day and now the stuff gives me build up. Same with pantene products and I love the scent of them. I tried Tresemme when MakeupbytiffanyD did a video about it and other hair products. I like it.
          .-= marisol’s last blog post… Disappointed… =-.

          Reply

        • Biosilk!! That’s so 1998 for me. 🙂 I still love how that stuff smells.

          I totally get what you mean about the Moroccan Oil… I’ve read that one of the main things women like about it is its weightlessness.

          Have you used Bumble & Bumble? That’s one brand I always go back to. I just wish it was cheaper, le sigh.

          Reply

          • I do feel that my hair is healthier (although it needs a trim) so I don’t know if the oil helps or a combination of things. I am a big fan of B & B. Whenever I want that beach look on my hair, I use their surf spray. Before I bough BH’s Headrush, I used B&B’s finishing spray til I ran out. I do wish it was cheaper. If $$ was no issue, I would be using Alterna. That stuff rocks!

            And if you want to go back to 1998, that’s when I used KMS Flat out.. oh shiz!
            .-= marisol’s last blog post… Disappointed… =-.

          • LOL, KMS is soooo 1998! I used to live for this flexible molding stuff they had… I can’t remember the name, but it was the shizz.

            Alterna does make some good stuff! It’s been a few years since I’ve used it, but I do remember liking it a lot.

            On a completely unrelated note, I need to get my True Blood on, ASAP!

  3. Hey K! I would love to read reviews of manly products, lol! I always pick out stuff for my hubs b/c he’ll never buy it himself.

    I could also use tips on making new friends. Most of my buddies go to school with me.

    Gotta run! It’s true blood time here!!!

    Reply

    • LOL… I figured a lot of us would be in the same boat regarding the man stuff. 🙂

      It gets harder to meet people out of school! 🙁

      Reply

      • okay, TB’s over so I’m back!

        yeah, and I bet it’s hard for you too because you don’t work in an office where you can meet people. maybe try to find a hobby group or classes or something that you could take? Like workout classes or photography or something? Although you should probably be the one teaching the class on photography…

        Reply

        • I am tempted to ask you how it was, but I think I’m just going to torture myself a little bit longer and wait till it comes on!

          ((I do hope there’s some hot vampire nekkidness involved!))

          Anywho, yeah, I’ve been thinking of taking some sort of martial art. I really want to get over my fear of contact sports and think that would help a lot! Plus, it’s supposed to be geat for getting one into shape.

          Have you met many good friends through your program at school?

          Reply

          • I am from the future and I know what happens on true blood! Lol!

            I think martial arts would be awesome – I bet you would get a good workout, improve your confidence, and meet new people!

            Luckily, I go to school with sone great people. I have made a few friends, including my bff!

            Ooh, I have a makeup question! Can you think of any powder blushes that are the same color as NARS Beverly hills? I was thinking maybe NARS Taos, but it has a ton of shimmer… I am so loving BH!

          • Hey guys! A great way to meet friends is through friends you already have.. Know what I mean? Throw small get-togethers and ask them to bring their own friends to mingle and such. I also agree about going to classes and such (yoga, spinning, etc)

            Oh and true blood? Fav HBO show! Finished season two, is season 3 out yet? :/

          • Hi Haley – season 3 is on tv now – episode 2 just aired.

            and good idea about making new friends!

  4. I was just wondering if anyone else picked up some stuff from the NARS sale at BeautyTicket? All I wanted was lipstick and powder blush but they had neither :/ Almost all of the products were older things that’d been discontinued but I picked up some basics cuz they were pretty cheap. And has anyone else seen the previews of the Venomous Villains collection? I’m disappointed with the packaging but I think I’ll like the colors of the makeup itself 🙂

    Reply

  5. Men’s products would be so helpful!! My hubby always complains about acne and when I ask what he’s been using to wash his face, he says “I don’t know, whatever’s in the shower”.

    I’ve resorted to strategically placing facial cleansers where other soap would be – so he can’t miss it!

    Tips on making new friends would be great. We just moved to a new city in a new state and it seems like everyone already has their own routine going on.

    Feel better soon Karen!!! It’s not fun being sick when it’s summer!

    Reply

    • Hi Amy,

      So, does he actually use the stuff? That’s a big plus if he does!

      Congrats on your recent move, btw. Are you all settled in and unpacked?

      Reply

  6. Hey Karen,

    I am actually scared to use a flat iron. My hair is thin and long but gets all crazy in the front with waves sometimes and I want to use it. Any tips are welcome.

    I have made a few friends online but you just have to be really careful with how much information you share about yourself. My sister actually met her husband on-line. She chatted with him for a year and then moved 3000 miles across country to be with hi. Needless to say 10 years and 2 kids later, they are still together.

    Reply

    • Hi Tammy,

      You’ll probably also want to prep with a heat protecting serum (or something else that won’t weigh hair down) beforehand. I’m trying out this stuff from T3 right now that’s supposed to be good about volumizing while flat ironing. I’ll let you know if it’s any good!

      I think that’s awesome that your sis met a man 3000 miles away and ended up marrying him. The internet is kind of amazing sometimes.

      Reply

  7. i’d love to read some men reviews! my fiance loves keeping up with his grooming. many times, he uses my chanel skincare- especially under-eye moisturizers. while he may never go on beauty websites to read reviews (an air force man on beauty sites?), i know he’ll love it if i do the research for him and pick up some great products for him.

    Reply

  8. Speaking of manly man products! Have you tried Jack Black Intense Lip Therapy Lip Balm (such a long name!)? I like it alot! It has SPF and the lemon chamomile one smells lovely.
    Hair?? I haven’t been blow drying lately, just on days that I work. (2x a week!) My hair seems like it has more volume when I air dry. Weird, huh?

    Reply

    • I noticed that once I started air drying more my hair suddenly got less dry and crunchy. I do recall a little bit of an increase in volume, too.

      Haven’t tried the JB stuff, but lemon chamomile sounds yum!

      Reply

  9. My hair has been going through a flat phase. My hair is naturally fine, meaning I’m lacking a layer in terms of my hair follicle structure (I went to a stylist recently, can’t you tell? My bangs needed holy trimming), so it’s really prone to going flat. Not frizzy, FLAT. I have a lot of it and naturally it has a little volume but since it’s been humider than h, e, double snakes and thunderstorming, it’s decided to go flat. Because it’s gone flat, buns and big clips to clip all my hair back have been the rage currently.

    I recently discovered that I have sneezing sessions whenever there’s a thunderstorm. It’s the strangest thing and my mom laughs hysterically. I don’t know if the lighting charges up the pollen or something, but I just sneeze constantly. It’s the same thing with onions. Everyone else gets really teary-eyed when they cut them, but I sneeze. The scent of onions tickles my nose apparently.

    Zena is back to her hyper self now that all the tranquilizers are out of her system. Monday, Tuesday AND Thursday the poor thing had to be tranquilized. My poor doggy!

    Completely random post, ha ha. 😀

    Reply

    • I gotta say, Zena does have a knack for keeping things interesting! 😀

      I don’t think I’ve ever lived in a place that has thunderstorms in the summer. Does it happen often?

      Reply

      • Oh, you should see her climb the stairs when she’s drugged and smells cheese. She wants to race up the stairs to beg from me quicker, but it’s like watching her run in slo-mo. It’s hilarious.

        It depends really. Some summers we don’t get a lot of T-Storms and other times we do. The Midwest is really where weather fronts tend to meet and clash so storms are pretty normal. Why do you think they call the Midwest Tornado Alley? I live in the Upper Midwest so we don’t anywhere near as many tornado warnings or touchdowns as say Eastern Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Iowa and the lower portion of IL, but we get at least one a year. We get at least four t-storms in the summer.

        The Midwest is a tricky place to live. It’s where you live that really determines the temperature (lakefront cities is traditionally cooler in summer, warmer in winter), how much wind you get (lake cities, again, are more windy) and how many tornadoes/thunderstorms you may get (tornadoes more common in Tornado Alley parts while my area tends to storm). Zena came from an area with less thunderstorms (Northern Wisconsin) so she’s not as used to how many we get. Thunder scares the willies out of her. It’s not the lightning or the rain, it’s the thunder.

        Reply

        • correction: Zena comes from Southwestern Wisconsin. I should look up cities before I guesstimate where they are!

          Reply

          • Wow, Karen, I can’t imagine not having thunderstorms in the summertime! I’m from the lower half of Indiana, and we had four thunderstorms just last week! They are fun to watch, with the funky clouds and such, but not so fun to clean up after if they are strong. We even had hail the size of quarters (not so good on cars) last week. My husband said my flowerbed looked like it had snow in it when the storm was finished.

  11. Omg i could use a nice refreshing drink right about now! 😀

    Since i already have short hair, the heats not getting to me as much as it does to you longer haired girls… but still, with the heat of the summer finally coming, im begining to tie it up.. cept one problem, its TOO SHORT to tie up! so my solution is to tie a low side “ponytail” and secure it with lots of bobbypins 🙂 and so far, im loving the look!

    I would also love to see some reviews on men’s care. My bf (surprisingly) loves to groom himself and shop… which is why we make such great shopping buddies hahaha, so i would love to hear some recommendations! that way, i can let him know.. OR surprise him with some gifts 🙂 thankss!
    .-= Agnes’s last blog post… H&M Spring Dresses for $5.95 !! =-.

    Reply

    • Here, let me pour you a glass… 🙂

      Your hot weather hairstyle sounds cute, btw!

      That’s awesome that your bf is your shopping buddy. Do you guys help each other pick out clothes and such?

      Reply

      • haha thank you thank you

        actually.. we do sometimes! haha 😀 only bad thing about shopping with a boyfriend is.. his patience is tested when i enter any store containing makeup haha. he’ll usually be okay for awhile, but awhile’s not long enough for me.. 😛
        .-= Agnes’s last blog post… My Cherry Culture Haul !! =-.

        Reply

  12. Hey Karen!
    I had dirty blonde hair and grey eyes and have been wanting to add a little bit of color to my eye looks (not too much!). However, I am totally at a loss as how to do so. Do you have any color recommendations because opinions on colors for blue eyes are always mixed. Thanks so much!
    -Rowan

    Reply

    • They aren’t any rules when it comes to eye makeup (or makeup in general); anyone who tries to make rules severely limits creativity. It’s all about what you feel you can pull off and what you think works best. I have brown eyes that have heavy grey undertones and find depending on the warmth or coolness of a shade one color may stand out more. My eyes look much greyer with cool toned shades and more brown with warm toned shades (although I can’t go too warm or it clashes with my cool-toned skin).

      It’s all about experimenting and seeing what YOU, not everyone else, like. Throw the opinions out the window and try the colors out yourself. Every eye color gets mixed opinions about what colors look “best” on them. Everyone’s eye color are different, so why should you listen to what experts call the “best” colors for a certain eye color?

      Reply

  13. Bring that pitcher of tea my way, please. It is going to be over 90 all weak. Yikes. Thankfully, I only have meetings that require wearing a suit on one day. Will be able to dress more casually and coolly the others.

    I’ve made a bunch of friends through volunteering. Pick something that already interests you and you’ll already have something in common with the people you meet. I’ve found that things that have ongoing commitments — even just once a month — are more likely to lead to friendships then one off things. See if there is a charity event that you can be on the committee or something like that.

    Lots of outdoor stuff in the summer where you can meet people. See if a local environmental group sponsors hikes. Or a sailing club will take on newbies to train them. Volunteer at the animal shelter for pet adoption days — you can brag about Tabs all day with people who get it.

    Reply

    • Ooh, did you end up buying that nice suit you were thinking about?

      Thanks for the friend-making tips, btw. I actually live really close (like five minutes away) from an animal shelter, so I might try that!

      Reply

      • The cats were not at all happy that their human left them, but I did get a little kitty lovin and that is a good thing.

        I decided not to get the suit because when I went to try stuff on I found that I’d lost so much weight that not only am I a size smaller, I’m between that and the next size smaller! Now two old suits I haven’t been able to wear in a couple of years fit again — and one is really cute.

        I’ve done a couple of the pet adoption fairs and it is a ton of fun. The little kids are always bursting with excitement. You just have to resolve not to come home with the 3 kitties that didn’t get adopted!

        Reply

      • It was great! We did lots of scuba diving and saw lots of turtles and eels. We were going to rent a car Friday to hike Diamond Head and see some other stuff, but I had food poisoning all day Thursday so we just took it easy instead. We had fun though!
        .-= Amber’s last blog post… Happy Father’s Day! =-.

        Reply

      • Bummer about the food poisoning. Unfortunately I think it’s par for the course when one visits Hawaii. (I know way too many people who’ve gotten food poisoning there for it to be a coincidence.) Where did you go diving? I’m so very jealous that you were just in a warm ocean!

        Reply

        • We did some dives on the west side (2 minutes out, turtles, pepeiao pass) and south side (koko’s reef, corsair, angler’s reef).

          Weird about the food poisoning. I guess Mexico has Montezuma’s revenge and Hawaii has Kamehameha’s curse. 🙂
          .-= Amber’s last blog post… Happy Father’s Day! =-.

          Reply

  15. Hello ladies!
    I totally don’t mean to bring down the mood, but I just found out a couple hours ago that my boyfriend of two years has been cheating on me with both random women and men… so now I’m alone and heartbroken with my computer.

    Could definitely use some girl talk and makeup chat… luckily I have a big shipment of sugarpill eyeshadows on the way, and I’m on the lookout for more cosmetic retail therapy… :S

    Reply

    • That’s horrible.. I can’t even imagine. At least some retail therapy might cheer you up! I’m not familiar with sugarpill cosmetics.. I should look into that. Have you seen the limited edition nars multiple tints?! Want!! And I recently saw a preview for Chanel’s fall collection, I’m in makeup heaven hehe! I’ve found a great and not-too-expensive retail therapy option is nail polish.. Essie’s been coming out with gorgeous collections as of late.

      Reply

      • I’ve heard really good reviews of Sugarpill, the colours are so bright! I definitely agree about the new NARS multiples!

        Haha… I’ve gotten into nail polish recently. I love that it doesn’t cost as much as nice makeup!!!

        Reply

    • Hey Midori,

      I’m really sorry to hear about this. 🙁 I’m glad that you found out though… better it be now than months (or years) later.

      Yay for the retail train though. Have you picked up anything else besides the shadows?

      Reply

      • I definitely agree, that it’s better to find out now than later. Kind of a shock (this is my first breakup actually). Thanks for your sympathies.

        I’m loving your website, btw… been following for months now and I especially love that you’re not shy about the crazy cat lady-ness, because I’m definitely in line with that!

        Nothing besides Sugarpill on the way right now, I was trying to curb my spending. But I’ve had my eye on some nail polishes, like Haley suggested… so…. economical when it comes to splurges…. I think I might be entitled. 🙂

        Reply

  16. My hair is so blah lately! It is super fine — and I usually wear it shoulder length and straight. I sometimes use a curling iron to get waves (if I’m feelin’ extra fancy LOL).
    I think it would be cool to review some men’s products. My husband just uses what I buy him!
    Making friends — I seem to meet other moms when I arrange playdates for my girls — and also through volunteering. I mainly meet people at church. It’s hard to meet people sometimes because life gets so busy for everyone!

    Reply

    • Oh, I know. It feels like as I get older I have less time to burn. Everybody seems to be so busy with their own lives… it feels like it’s hard to find the time for new people sometimes, you know?

      Reply

  17. Where do you find the Moroccan Oil that you ladies have been chatting about? Is it expensive? I’ve used the Biosilk in the past but I like the idea of “weightlessness” and not feeling like I have a lot of extra product in. I already use mousse and hairspray regularly. Sometimes I use shine spray as well – does the M. oil make your hair shinier?

    Reply

    • I know in canada they sell them at the beauty supply outlet.. Maybe they would have it at Sally Beauty supply in the states (if I remember the name correctly)

      My HG product that performs the same way as Biosilk is CHI’s Silk Infusion. Firstly, I’ve had the bottle over a year, use it everyday and still am not done the bottle! Secondly, it leaves my hair incredibly soft and shiny.. And a little goes a long way! I would definitely recommend it.

      Reply

    • You can usually find it at organic food markets. It’s usually cheapest there. I believe Sephora has a brand of moroccan oil and Sally Beauty supply may have it.

      Oil naturally makes your hair shinier. HOWEVER, if you have any (or all) of the following, you might want to steer clear of using oils in your hair: 1. Oily Hair 2. Fine Hair 3. Thin or Thinning Hair (different from fine in that fine describes the follicle and strand while thin hair denotes how much hair is on your head) 4. Skin that tends to break out when using products containing oils and 5. Oily skin (that oily skin on your face? Yea, it’s on your head too)

      I personally don’t use oils in my hair as I have number 1 and 2 with hyper-sensitive combination skin. If I don’t shampoo every day my head becomes OPEC oil reserve worthy.

      Reply

  18. i always seem to have my hair in a bun. it ends up being easy and out of my face, cua my hair is long (waist length, kinda reaches my hips u can say) so leaving it out gets in my face. i need new hair ideas badly 🙁 and im not skilled in the ways doing cool styles either ;_;
    .-= kelley’s last blog post… What’s your rashee? =-.

    Reply

  19. It has been overcast and rainy lately so we’re not up to brain melting temps yet… I still just throw my hair in a ponytail though :p I really want to get those spirally Bobby pin things but I can’t find them anywhere!
    I would totally be interested in reading about man products! My bf has the combo of thinning head hair and lots of body hair(shhhh I didn’t tell you that) and can only shave (his face) every few days because of skin sensitivity
    I waxed his back(again. This convo never happened) a few days ago and his back is covered in red bumps :/ of course he won’t go to a prfessional when he can have me do it fir free!
    Anyways! Would you be writing about el hubs’ experiences or getting guest writers?

    Reply

  20. Hi Karen & beauties

    Cant remember if ive said this b4 but has anyone tried washing their hair with bicarb soda mixed in their shampoo??? its AWESOME lol

    It gets out any gunk and even if u dont have build up its good 2 do it once a wk cos it makes ur hair sooo smooth and silky and so freaking SHINY 🙂

    Plus i found it gets rid of dandruff aswell, dont ask me how but it does lol

    hope everyone is good 🙂 its winter here in australia so im sipping some nice hot green tea 🙂

    Reply

  21. Usually I just wear my hair in a bun, but I’ve finally gotten a handle on it! I have pretty tight spirals and in the summer they get SUPER frizzy, but now i just put some leave in conditioner on the ends and spray the heck out of it with John Frieda’s Frizz-ease Dream Curls — LOVE. It makes my curls sooo defined so now wearing my hair down in the summer is no problem!

    Reply

  22. Missed Open Thread …. 🙁 But here goes anyways —

    I cut my hair in a shortish (chin length but maybe longer now) around May so I can still wear it down most days. When we walk, work out or as soon as I get home, I tie my hair up in a pony tail. 🙂

    Mens product reviews – YES pls! 🙂 Need to find more options for the Hubs as sometimes he doesnt want to use my girl stuff!

    New friends … im really not so good at that (im a bit shy and reserved initially) … my closest friend here I met at school. All others are friends of friends, friends of my sister or people I interact with online (like you all! )….

    Reply

  23. My hubs is awesome, and I love to buy him skincare, haircare, etc. products because he actually uses them and sort of enjoys prettying himself, lol. So I’d love if you reviewed men’s products!

    Reply

  24. You know that lately I haven’t cared that much about my hair but because it’s long I can style it however I want its been a barette and ponytail combo.
    And about mens products I wouldnt be interested because men are such creatures of habit, they like what they like dont dare and question it or try and change it.
    And I make new friends surprisingly by meeting my friends’ friends, it’s great because you usually have things in common.

    Reply

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