Monday, September 12, 2011

Latisse week 8

I've had some eye irritation so I've decided to cut back on Latisse. I am using it 2x a week and using an Eyelash conditioner by Enormous Lash the other 5x a week.

I've definitely seen an increase in my lash quantity over the past 8 weeks. My lashes aren't freakshow long yet but I think they might be in another 8 weeks.  Keep your fingers crossed!


Thursday, September 1, 2011

BizAstrology September 2011


BizAstrology.com™
Let the Stars Guide You to Business Success!

Wow was last month crazy for anyone else? I barely survived it.
Ilana tells me it's going to be a more mellow month coming up for me (the pisces chasing her tail). Scroll down and check out what she has to say about your sign.

Have a wonderful month; don't let anyone stop you from living a fabulous joyful live - not even yourself!

In Joyful Service,

Jenn August

Overall Themes in September 2011

Sun and Venus in Virgo
It's time to get to work! Energy, new projects and love all sparkle in Virgo this month. Virgo is the sign of practicality and precision; so while all that excitement might not seem like a natural fit, you will have a clarity of mind throughout the month. If you have new projects that need to be jumpstarted on the right foot, now is the time. Also I want everyone to take a critical look at their health routine this month. Are you eating the right mix of food and doing the right exercises for your body? Virgo reminds us that our body is a temple that needs to be treated right every day in order to optimally function. Venus in Virgo can be a bit prickly with your loved ones so be wary of nagging your partner. At the same time, you will be much more discerning this month about what clothes to wear and how to style your hair.

Mercury Goes Direct
How did everyone survive Mercury retrograde? I felt like this was one of the milder ones, because Mercury went retrograde in his' ruler Virgo, which means that he was happy, even though he may have been slowed down. I felt the absence most strongly of the typical miscommunication mishaps we find when Mercury goes retrograde. Things slowed down but didn't fall apart. Now Mercury is exploding out of the gate and traveling through three different signs (Leo, Virgo and Libra). You'll find a burst of communication energy in all three of those areas of your life (your spirit, your grounding and your mind). Mercury moving direct in Leo at the beginning of the month is about speaking your mind creatively. Mercury moving direct in Virgo in the middle of the month is about finding just the right words to say. And finally Mercury moving direct in Libra is making sure you have a fair and balanced approach to everything you share with others.

August Homework: A Creative Date
Last month, I encouraged everyone to pick a sign that they felt close to and make a date with them to do something creative. I made time to have dinner with some of my closest Gemini friend. As I've gotten older, I've learned to appreciate (and get along with) my own sign, which means that I've learned to appreciate and get along with my own Gemini nature. I love having Gemini friends in my life as sounding boards to any problems that crop up that are unique to Geminis. What new part of yourself did you uncover after spending time with the sign that you are closest to? Where you surprised at the sign that you picked?

September Homework: Sign Analysis
Focus on learning about your own sign, the good and the bad. Analyze the parts that you love about yourself and the things that you wish you didn't do. Look at ways to love the things you hate about your sign. Pick one thing that you love about your sign and find a way to focus on that for September. For more about your particular sun sign, check out the Sun sign section on Astrology.About.com

Individual Signs

Aries (Mar 21 - Apr 19)
I want my Aries to examine their ambitions this month in their career. Make sure that they match with what you are doing in your everyday lives. For example, my career ambitions include writing, yet I'm not finding a way to make writing a priority every day. This is the month to figure out a plan how to do something for career everyday. With Venus in your sixth house until the middle of the month, you will see beauty in places that you don't normally consider beautiful, including the small detailed plans that can sometimes bore Aries to tears. Continue to find your energy and life force at home, with any preparations that you do in your home office guaranteed to give your career a jolt.

Taurus (Apr 20 - May 20)
I want my Taurus to insert a much needed jolt of creativity into their everyday routine. If you find that you are eating the same thing for breakfast, or driving the same way to work, now is the time to rethink your day to day life. This shakeup will make sure that you find a renewed sense of purpose and excitement when you get up in the morning. You may have felt a lost since the sun left your sign back in May. My Taurus' born near the end of April/beginning of May are starting to feel the warm expanse of Jupiter in your sign more strongly now. They will continue with the most luck of all the signs for the next couple of months (so take a risk!). For those Taurus' born near the middle of April, now is the time to capitalize on the gifts that Jupiter gave you in the past couple of months.

Gemini (May 21 - June 20)
I want my Geminis to bring a career project to fruition near the full moon. This month you will find yourself working on home projects and making sure that your everyday routine is in tip top shape. This preparation will allow whatever project that needs to be finished and shared with the world to be successful. With your ruler transiting three different signs this month, it may feel like your communication is flying all over the place. But you will always find a way to reign it in and keep it under control. You may have experienced several dreams recently about your career. Take a moment to listen to what your unconscious mind is saying about where you are going. Dreams are never destiny but they can be a wonderful guide to the unspoken collective subconscious.

Cancer (June 21 - July 22)
I want my Cancers to get clarity of speech when it comes to your everyday life. Use September to work on how to improve your communication style with your co-workers, your friends and your family. Mercury is traveling through three important areas of your chart dealing with money, communication and the home, so you'll be blessed with just the right words if you have to talk about income or deal with problems in the home. Cancers born in the end of June are still dealing with some surprising shifts and changes in their career, which is also impacting your sense of self. Hold on for the next year, for the surprises that are coming your way in your career will shake you to your core.

Leo (July 23 - Aug 22)
I want my Leos to refocus their energy on how to maximize their everyday expenses. It was a whirlwind month of birthday celebrations in August. Now that the cooler temperatures are coming, it's time to take a look at where your cash is flowing (both in and out). If there are any things that you don't really need to be spending on, it's time to get rid of them. For example, my gym membership has come up for renewal and I've decided that it's more effective and economical for me to work out at home. Take a look at the parts of your life outside of where you work and live (i.e. health, food, exercise, hobbies) and find ways to trim expenses. This is a fantastic growth area for you while Jupiter is Taurus in your tenth house. You may find that each dollar you save in your everyday life is a dollar you can reinvest back into your career.

Virgo (Aug 23 - Sept 22)
I want my Virgos to take a moment and enjoy the spotlight. Virgos can be overly critical of themselves and those around them. Now that the Sun is in your sign until the end of the month, you have an extra light to your being and beauty surrounding you. You will feel revitalized and energized by the presence of your friends, so make sure that you plan at least one big party to celebrate the beginning of a new year. An important project may come up at the middle of the month that could involve a business partner. Make sure you tread lightly, Virgo, because this project has the potential to be emotional and fluid, two areas that are not your comfort zones.

Libra (Sept 23 - Oct 22)
I want my Libras to maintain their focus on their careers. With Cancer speeding through Mars in your career house, you may be finding that you are doing some of your best, strongest work in years at home. Make sure that your home environment encourages you to reach new heights with your career, and if it doesn't, make a change. You should also spend this month preparing for the sun to enter your sign, which happens near the end of the month. With the sun sign in Libra, expect a renewed sense of self and energy. Sketch out what you want to accomplish in your career in the next year, with a special focus on gaining wealth through sponsorships, partnerships and loans.

Scorpio (Oct 23 - Nov 21)
I want my Scorpios to find ways to incorporate their friendships into their every day life. Scorpios can sometimes be secretive about their inner most feelings, but September is the month to share your hopes, dreams and wishes with your inner circle. You may have had some troubles with Mercury last month bringing problems with how you communicate in your career. Now that Mercury has gone direct, any misunderstandings will be cleared up and you'll see your career charge ahead. Your most fortunate areas that will bring you true wealth will be in your partnerships over the next nine months.

Sagittarius (Nov 22 - Dec 21)
I want my Sagittarii to focus on how their everyday life supports their career. Are you keeping up on all the emails that fill up your inbox? If you aren't, maybe it's time to add some filters so that you can focus on the emails that are really important. The filtering of email inboxes is a great metaphor for how I'd like Sagittarius' to approach everything having to do with their career this month. Filter out the junk so the truly important stuff can make an impact on your life and career. Venus will also be shining some extra love on your career, so it would be a great time to get a new hair cut that may present you in a different light, especially to people who you need to impress to get ahead.

Capricorns (Dec 22 - Jan 19)
I want my Capricorns to prepare for a big boost in how they communicate in their career. The best preparation will come from clearly articulating your work philosophy. Make a list of your best and worst attributes when it comes to how you work. It's almost as though you are prepping for a job interview, which could be a possibility at any time in September for Capricorns. Mercury is flying through an important part of your chart that deals with philosophy and career, so you may feel more interested in bigger picture issues this month. Any time that you spend thinking about your personal brand will pay off big time in career shifts coming in the next year.

Aquarius (Jan 20 - Feb 18)
I want my Aquarii to look to their everyday life and see how it can be better supported by other people's money. Are your friends out there taking advantage of you by not paying their fair share? Is there a potential for your business to be sponsored? Projects that deal with wealth will come to fruition at the full moon. So spend the beginning of the month thinking up ideas that may improve your cash flow, and then spend the middle and the end of the month sharing these ideas with those close to you that may be able to refer you to the right person.

Pisces (Feb 19 - March 20)
I want my Pisces to examine their everyday partnerships to figure out what is working and what isn't. These are the people that you interact with in your day to day life, such as your boss, your business partner or your sweetheart. The full moon is in your sign in the middle of the month, a place where she is as comfortable as she will ever be. Be aware of your heightened sensitivity and intuition all throughout the month. September isn't about making big bold changes but rather looking at the little things in your life and removing small obstacles that are creating large psychological barriers.

September Dates to Calendar
Mercury enters Virgo 9/9
Full Moon in Pisces 9/12
Sun in Libra 9/25
Mercury enters Libra 9/25
New Moon in Libra 9/27

To Your Greatest Success!

Jenn August, C.H, C.L.S.C

Business Hypnotherapist & Success Coach
Musical Philanthropist

Ilana Weiner, L.E.
Beauty Magician

Have a wonderful month! Celebrate yourself - You deserve it!

Beyond Business LLC All Rights Reserved TM® Copyright © 2011
BizAstrology.com is a TM property of Beyond Business LLC

Beyond Business for Women PO Box 817 Reno, Nevada 89509 United States (800) 815-7681

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Travel beauty


I'm not a huge fan of travel because a. I have the best bed in the world b. Anthony Bourdain has shown me the world already! 

But if you do have to travel, here are some great tips on being beautiful while you travel. 


My favorite tip from the article is about doubling up on your Omega 3s. 
"three Omega-3 capsules twice a day on the day of the flight, and the same the next day. It’s a natural anti-inflammatory, will help prevent blood clots (see above) and works magic on your skin."

The number one thing to remember when traveling is water. Get your hydration internally by drinking plenty before, during and after your flight. Don't forget the external hydration by using a moisturizer and facial spritz on the flight. You'll probably want to skip any heavy foundation or powders before you board. Then I'd recommend a light moisturizer once every 5 hours while you are on the plane. My favorite is Dermalogica's Active Moist. You can also bring a facial spritz like Dermalogica's Multi-Active Toner. Not everyone needs to spend money on toner, but if you travel a lot or have dry skin, then toner can be great for refreshing your skin throughout the day (or flight).

I also love the tip about a hydrating mask after you land. Wouldn't that be the best way to relax in the hotel after a long flight? My favorite simple hydrating mask is Aloe Vera, but if you aren't into the DIY, I love Dermalogica's Multi-Vitamin Power Mask. It has hydration from Vitamins C & E, plus some very gentle exfoliation from Vitamin A. 

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Ombre

Its hard to think up new services. There are only so many things that can be done with hair, skin, nails and makeup. But that doesn't mean that everyone out there isn't trying. We would regularly try to brainstorm service ideas when I worked for a hair care manufacturer. The best we could come up with at the time was Baliage, which is french for painted on highlights.

I've been seeing this trend of Ombre for the past six months and I'm kind of lovin' it. http://beautyeditor.ca/2010/08/13/drew-barrymore-and-julia-roberts-demonstrate-ombre-hair-2-0-which-is-way-more-wearable-than-1-0/

See to most people it just looks like crappy grown out roots. Which is a style that I rock all the time since I'm lazy about getting my hair done. It's just so much work. No seriously, I'm usually too antsy to get my hair colored and cut all in one session. And I'm way too impatient to get highlights. I know highlights change a lot of peoples lives, but I've never liked them on my hair. I was relieved once to talk with my hairdresser educator pal Annie who said that you should match your highlights to your texture. I.E. if you have a ton of texture (crazy curly hair) skip the highlights, but if you have pin straight hair, you can use highlights to create the illusion of texture. Since I more often then not where my hair curly, Annie's revelation was such a relief to me.

I experimented with a block of color around my face/bangs last year that I liked but it was ultimately too much  upkeep. I've slowly worked my way back to a solid block of color. Then I started noticed the Ombre thang, which looked like something I could do. Dark roots that gradually get lighter to the ends. Right now I'm kinda rockin' the opposite because I've been experimenting too much with hair color (and my hair tends to pick up a lot of hair color very easily). But next time I go to the salon, I'm going to get a little more bold and lighten up the ends. Its just hair right? And if it looks disastrous I can color it back or cut it off. That's my favorite part about hair color. It's so kinda-but-not-really-permanent!

Saturday, August 20, 2011

A French Manicure for the 10s

It's like the chicks over at The Beauty Department read my mind! I love the idea of metallic tips. I'm going to try that for next week's manicure. But have Becky my favorite manicurist ever do it for me since I'm still perfecting the art of the French Manicure.

http://thebeautydepartment.com/2011/08/this-or-that-9/

Right now I'm rockin' blue glitter tips. I'm digging this more than the gold glitter which looked a little cheesy. I tried out a matte pink tip and it just didn't go so well. I'm still struggling with how to get the crispest line for the manicure. I tried the qtip dipped in nail polish and that was a mess.


I googled and found a nail polish blog that had some really good tips on clean up. Number one tip that I'm going to use: brush! I actually have a cheap make-up brush that I think would be perfect to help me in my quest to get some super crisp french tip.
http://www.lacquerized.com/2010/02/clean-up-in-6-easy-steps.html

The best tip is to do the clean up on dry nails. Sometimes it's the simplest things that help a girl out! When I tried the clean up on semi-dry nails, it was a hopeless mess. I'm sure it's going to work a bit better once I let my nails dry a bit.

The other great tip that I found on lacquerized was called  wrapping. It's the process of tapping a little bit of color on the edge of or under your nail. This will help seal the tips and prevent chipping. Which is something I desperately need since the tips of my nails always seem to get chipped within one day of applying my polish!

Here's an article about French Manicures from the founder of Orly. Shout out to my nailanista friend Carina who does Marketing for Orly! Wikipedia says they were popular in the 18/1900s but I'm sure Jeff was the one to make the modern French Manicure popular. I wonder what he thinks of all the different twists (Reverse French Manicure and Black tips are the strangest but who am I to judge with my love of sparkly tips?)
http://www.frenchmanicure.com/fm/

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

To zap or not to zap

In the quest for easier hair removal, I've toyed with the idea of laser hair removal. It's just so expensive and doesn't get rid of the hair permanently. Just kinda thins it out like waxing does.

Recently I stumbled upon an article talking about Boots IPL hair reduction system. They make bold claims (6-12 weeks! Permanent!) that I'm not sure they can really substantiate. If it only thinned out my hair, I would still be happy.

http://www.boots.com/en/Boots-Smooth-Skin-Intense-Pulsed-Light-hair-reduction-system_117122/

For now, I'm sticking with a combination of waxing and my awesome Emjoi. That sucker really works and it only costs $60.