Tag Archives: SB Style

Style File: Get Your Glow on With Girlactik

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Girlactik lip products, courtesy photo.

Girlactik lip products, courtesy photo.

Developed by former Hollywood makeup artist Galit Strugano, Girlactik cosmetics are designed as an affordable luxury brand that will make you look great. Plus, the products will actually stay on, so that you can get on with your life and not worry about continually retouching your makeup.

We tried an assortment of products—including pigmented, shadows, blushes, glosses, eye shadows, moisturizers and more—I particularly liked the Long Lasting Matte Lip Paint Liquid Lipstick in Playful and Posh shades and the Tinted Moisturizer, as well as the Soft Powder Eyebrow Pencil. 

Cosmetics shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg, and this line of products has grown since it was founded in 2000 to become a true affordable luxury cosmetic with a customer demographic ranging from women in their early 20’s up to their 50’s and beyond. Girlactik has even attracted a celebrity following from people like Eva Longoria, Britney Spears, Alicia Keys, Beyonce, Cindy Crawford, Paris Hilton and more.

Check out this video for the lip paint colors:

Look for the pretty packaging (a soft pink chandelier pattern decorated on shimmering pewter boxes) at local drug stores. As  Galit explains, “I wanted a woman who was sitting at Barney’s for lunch to feel comfortable touching up her lips with a luxury gloss vial and I did just that.”

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on November 18, 2017.

Style File: Fight the Frizz

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Sarah Jessica Parker at the "Hamilton" Broadway Opening Night with hair by Josue Perez. Photo: traceymattingly.com.

Sarah Jessica Parker at the “Hamilton” Broadway Opening Night with hair by Josue Perez. Photo: traceymattingly.com.

Frizzy hair is one of the unfortunate side effects of summer. Luckily, we have frizz-fighting solutions from stylist Josue Perez. He is the stylist for big name celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker, Karlie Kloss, Abigail Breslin, Cameron Diaz and Rosario Dawson.

Here are Perez’s seven foolproof tips for getting sleek and smooth blowouts.

 

  1. When you get out of the shower, towel dry hair 50%, leaving it still half-wet.  Hair has “porosity” so the leftover dampness/moisture help close hair pores giving it natural shine when blow dryer.

 

  1. After towel drying, never forget to use a heat protectant spray. Try the It’s a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product. It protects against heat damage but will never weigh down the hair.

 

  1. Ionic blow dryers are crucial to not just frizz-free blowouts, but they also protect the hair. I use the Rowenta Inspiration Pro Dryer when styling because it cuts drying time up to 20% without using too much heat. The ionic generators protect hair from styling damage and seal in cuticle for fast, frizz-free results.

 

  1. Using a concentrator on the blow dryer allows you to control the air direction, giving you a smother look.  Without the concentrator, the dryer will puff the hair cuticle, leading to frizz.

    Rosario Dawson, for her "Kids" 20th Anniversary Screening, with hair by Josue Perez. Photo: traceymattingly.com.

    Rosario Dawson, for her “Kids” 20th Anniversary Screening, with hair by Josue Perez. Photo: traceymattingly.com.

 

  1. Use a smaller ceramic round brush.  The smaller brushes will achieve tighter curls and help the style last much longer.  Also, ceramic brushes lock in more heat and they stay heated longer for a styling bonus, unlike wood brushes, which loose heat faster. Try the Moroccanoil Ceramic Ionic Round Brush.

 

  1. Most people don’t know how/when/why to use it, but when you blow-dry your hair, you’re essentially opening the cuticle allowing it to form (style) in any shape. (Open cuticle = frizz).  So, when hair is dry and wrapped around the brush, finish it off with a shot of cold air. When you remove the brush and it’s slightly tougher to pull out, that means cuticle is sealed in the shape of that brush (frizz-free).
  1. Celebrity Stylist Josue Perez, courtesy photo.

    Celebrity Stylist Josue Perez, courtesy photo.

    Take a break if you have to and practice! So many people give up halfway and say it’s too much to do. It’s good to do as much as you can and go do something else that you have to do. When you come back to it, you will feel more eager to finish it and once you love the results you will become a pro.

For more information about Perez click here.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine on August 27, 2015.