Is your Hair Ready for Earth Day?

Earth Day is fast approaching and it seems to get more exciting every year. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, we have been aware of the environment and its’ fragility for several decades. Children in the late 1970’s began taking field trips through school to the local recycling plant. Students were so proud to be handed a recycling bucket to take home to their parents. There was pure excitement at the thought of teaching one’s parents how to recycle cans, bottles and newspapers. Bay Area parents were very proud of their children who made an effort to recycle at home as well as spread the word to extended friends and family. The recycling mentality has expanded throughout the country and world over the past two decades. Bay Area natives cannot help but feel slightly responsible for getting the word out about the importance of recycling and saving our planet. Although recycling dates back to Plato in 400 BC and it was first required in the United States by Woodbury, NJ, the San Francisco Bay Area took the idea by storm and is responsible for much of the marketing that made it hip.

Earth Day was instated by US Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin on April 22, 1970. It is celebrated in roughly 175 countries each year. As Earth Day has become more popular over the years, many cities and towns celebrate the entire week and have dubbed it “Earth Week.”

Every year consumer companies launch so-called “Green” products in the weeks preceding Earth Day in the hope that consumers will purchase these products in an effort to be more Earth friendly. Unfortunately, many so-called “Green” products are not really green. True Green products are made with environmentally friendly ingredients, in environmentally friendly factories and packaged in recycled materials.

Tigi Hair Care is well known for their “Bed Head” line of hair care products. These products are recommended by stylists around the world and found in fine salons as well beauty supply shops. Target, which normally carries more moderately priced products, has also begun to carry Tigi Products in their “Salon Hair Care” isle which boasts the same products found at your local salon with slightly softer price points.

In an effort to go “Green,” Tigi has launched a wonderful line of earth friendly products named “Love, Peace and the Planet.” These fabulous hair care products are not tested on animals and they do not use artificial colors or fragrances. They treat your hair using only organic ingredients that are free from parabens, laurel and laureth sulfates. To top it all off, Tigi packaged the line in 50% post consumer waste containers and all printed materials are printed on recycled paper or FSC paper using soy or water based ink. This makes the packaging 100% recyclable! Love, Peace, Planet also offers two choices for shampoo and conditioner. They offer a moisturizing shampoo named “Eco Awesome” as well as a daily shine shampoo named “Walking on Sunshine.” The line also offers texture, hairspray and a leave-in conditioner.

It is so refreshing to find a hair care line that lives up to the modern label “Green.” What a fabulous way to celebrate Earth Day and care for your hair! Happy Earth Day! Go green and stay fabulous.

Fabulous Sunglasses for Summer 2010!

The sun is finally shining here in the San Francisco Bay Area and the temperature has finally hit the level we expect in the Spring. This means the sun is getting brighter and it is time to pull out our fabulous new sunglasses for Summer 2010! Fashionistas in the Bay Area have been spotted wearing two distinct styles of sunglasses, everywhere from the coastline, into the city and east of the bay. The aviator frame has been mildly popular over the past decade and still holds cult status among the stylish set here in the Bay Area. These sporty frames have been spotted in style-savvy pockets of San Francisco such as the Marina, Union Square, SOMA and even along the piers. Designers such as Tom Ford, Gucci, Tory Burch and Chrome Hearts have Aviator Frames front and center for Summer 2010. Unfortunately, Bay Area Fashionistasinterested in getting prescription lenses in an aviator frame might find themselves out of luck. In general, most aviator frame sunglasses are not flat enough for prescription lenses.

Suburban Bay Area Fashionistas have been spotted wearing the other fabulous frame that is hot off the runways for Summer 2010; the oversize resin frame. This playful shape has also been taking center stage over the past few years, but with 2010 the oversize resin frame has steered clear of black and gone into softer neutral shades as well as chambray blue. Miu Miu, Roberto Cavalli, Chanel and Fendi have all shown tortoiseshell and soft browns on their oversized shades. Prada, Barton Perreira and Pucci have shown colors such as blue, chambray blue and pink resin. The gradient lense has also made a comeback,harkening us back to the early 2000’s when gradient lenses were all the rage. Fashionistas in need of prescription sunglasses are in luck with this style. The oversize frame can easily have prescription lenses put in and they can also be done in gradient color.

Although dark black resin frames were not at the forefront this season, black enthusiasts need not worry. Designers such as Chanel and Oliver Peoples have softer black frames that are transparent or not as harsh as traditional dark black. These frames look especially pretty with dark grey gradient lenses or, for the more daring fashionista, purple gradient lenses!

Never let the original lenses on a pair of sunglasses hold back your inner fashion-savvy vision. Even if you are not putting prescription lenses in the frames of your sunglasses, you can still have them changed to suit your mood. This is also a great way to update an older pair of oversized frames. If you have a pair of oversized resin shades from a few years ago, update your look by changing the lenses to a gradient lens. This can be done at many upscale full-service eyewear shops such as Optical Illusions in San Jose onSantana Row. What a great way to save money in this economy! Lenses are less expensive than designer frames in general, so this is one purchase you can feel good about.

Enjoy the sunshine, protect your eyes and Stay Fabulous!

sunglasses

The Nude Wedge: Perfect for every Occasion!

Fashionistas in the San Francisco Bay Area are no stranger to the fabulous effect nude high heels have on their legs and overall appearance. The nude, neutral or beige shoe gives the leg a long and slender appearance making it’s wearer appear taller, thinner and fabulous! Nude high heels have been a mainstay in the bay area fashionistas wardrobe over the years for many reasons. When a shoe is neutral, it can be worn with multiple outfits and works with most seasonal styles from Spring through Fall. The nude colored shoe can also be worn selectively during the winter months. This is why Spring and Summer 2010 is so exciting for the style-savvy in the bay area!

The Nude colored wedge is one of the hottest shoe styles off the Paris, Milan and New York runways.  Not only does this fabulous style give its’ wearer height, it is also a great neutral shoe that will match almost every outfit in a fashionistas closet! Chanel, Gucci, Prada, Kate Spade, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren, Valentino, Fendi and many more have introduced their own version of the nude wedge for Spring and Summer 2010. The wonderful part of this trend is that designers have given fashionistas a large choice of fabrications and styles in order to ensure there is a shoe for everyone out there. Chanel showed fabrics such as twill and tweed while Gucci and Valentino used soft leather. In addition to wedges, fashionistas have the option of wearing the nude shoe trend in the form of platform shoes or traditional high heels.

Silicon Valley is the birthplace of business casual, giving fashionistas in the bay area the option to create a fabulous outfit for work with the foundation of the nude wedge. Style-savvy women in other parts of the country are not as fortunate as we are here by the bay. Although “California Casual” has caught on for “Casual Fridays” in the workplace across the country, we here in the bay area wear casual friday attire all week long. This gives us even more reason to invest in the nude wedge this season. The nude wedge gives fashionistas the option of wearing a fabulous pair of shoes to work and then continue wearing them for dinner and a night out on the town. This is the perfect time to invest in a pair of nude wedges. They come and go every few years in fashion which makes them a great pair of shoes to have in the closet plus the nude wedge will update any look in a fashionistas closet this Spring and Summer whether for work or play. Budget-conscious style lovers may want to wait until May when some of the Spring Sales starts. This will be a great time to pick up a fabulous pair of nude wedges at an amazing price. Happy shopping and stay fabulous!