An Amazing Person

This video is something that hits pretty close to home for me and I wanted to share it. Today I did a photo shoot and took many of these steps myself to create a flawless base. I will be sharing the process I went through to achieve the look I created very soon. I will also be talking with my body building client (who WON!) and hopefully post some pics of her at her competition and the makeup we created together. For tonight however, I leave you with a truly incredible individual. If you've ever dealt with the physical and emotional struggles of severe acne, this is probably one of the most terrifying and brave things to do. All in the name of helping others like herself. Now that's beautiful.

BKBTY

To Market, To Market...

The Bounty of the Season <3

It's that time of year! The time when Farmer's Markets state wide over flow with produce! --My own being no exception. I seriously love the cornucopia of bounty, so plentiful, that the "try one!" signs start popping up. They were stuck into the cherries and peaches this week, like sirens singing to me, so I crashed my ship into market and bought 4 peaches and a bag full of cherries, (two different varieties,) $5. Then onto lettuces: purslane, baby kale, pea shoots, sunflower shoots, spring mixes, multiple basils, all in mixable bins, all $4 per 1/4lb. I bought a bag full and paid $3. With prices like this for local produce, direct from farmers or from farm cooperatives, many of them who don't use the levels of sprays and chemical fertilizers (if they use any, depending on the farm) grocery store produce does, how could one want anything else?? I'll be going upstate next week for the wedding I'm in, and then on  to Southern Ontario for a bit. The farmer's market there is serious business, taking over a large municipal parking lot and has everything! Produce, cheese, tee shirts, spices, meats, flowers (cut and plantable,) kettle corn, baked goods, hot food. I'm stoked  it's not quite the institution that the Ithaca Farmer's Market is, but it's pretty awesome. Anyway my point is, take advantage of this incredible time of year and see what your local market has to offer. The majority of them accept EBT and are quite generous if you ever order a dozen of anything. Enjoy the fruits of their labor, literally! And enjoy summer :)

BKBTY

Sunscreen!

Don't Give SPF the Brush Off!

I touched on this brand briefly in my first foundation post, (the next one's coming soon, I swear!) But now that the intensity of summer is really hitting us, I feel like it's important to say a word about sunscreen. For some of us, traditional sunblock is a mixed blessing. We get the all important, cancer preventing, youth preserving, benefits, but we also get greasy skin, clogged pores, and terrible breakouts. Or for some of my closest friends; terrible allergic reactions, red itchy skin, and swelling! There are brands that promise oil free, non comedogenic, hypo allergenic, but they don't seem to really help :(  So for those sensitive to most brands allow me to re-introduce Peter Thomas Roth. An upscale beauty brand that sells facial care and cosmetics, their mineral SPF is my favorite :) It's by no means cheap. It can't compare to Coppertone from the grocery store in that category, but, unlike these options it contains no liquids at all and is merely crushed minerals. Mainly a mixture of titanium and zinc dioxides, it comes in regular SPF formulations of 30 and 45, SPF 30 for acne problem skin, and SPF 45 anti-aging. It's great. It's honestly the only sunscreen I ever use on my face and given its brush dispenser, it lasts for quite a while before you need to replace it. I give it major thumbs up and hope that if you struggle between burns and acne/allergies or extremely large hats for four to five months, that you give it a try. Here's their site, and their page on Sephora. Practice safe sun!

BKBTY

Recipe: Guacamole!

Party Startin' Guac...

At the awesome and beautiful Fourth of July party I attended there was food-a-plenty! And like all my favorite parties we all pitched in here and there with the prep. (Seriously, one of my all-time fav ways to spend time with those I'm close to, and a great way to get talking with those you don't know as well :) I volunteered to throw together some guac and attempted to follow (from memory) a recipe that I had loved growing up. Upon double checking said recipe this afternoon, it seems I went a little more "off the cuff" shall we say? But it was de-lish and, was eaten quickly (always a positive sign.) So here's how I made it. *

Ingredients:

4 Avocados (ripe but not smushy)

1/2 a Red Onion (chopped/diced, your pref)

1 jalapeno pepper

2 scallions

1 medium sized or two small tomatoes

two limes

Heaping 1/2 cup cilantro (rough chop)

pinch of cayenne

S&P to taste

Directions:

1. Score and scoop one of the avocados (easiest to use the ripest for this if one's more so than the others.) Put into a mixing bowl and mash with fork. 

2. Score and scoop the rest of the avocados into the bowl but leave chunky. No more mashing.

3. chop or dice red onion, scallions, and tomato(s) and add to bowl.

4. Finley chop jalapeno and using this rule of thumb. If you buy HOT salsa use whole pepper. If you buy MEDIUM salsa, remove seeds then chop and add. If you buy MILD salsa, remove seeds, and membrane, then chop and add. 

6. Cut limes in half and squeeze or citrus press 3 out of 4 halves into the bowl, avoiding seeds, but a little pulp is ok. (Now you have half a lime for your drink. See, I'm just looking out for you...)

7. Rough chop cilantro, add.

8. add pinch of cayenne, S & P, Stir.

9. Add any more S or P that you feel it needs. Garnish with cilantro sprig and EAT! 

*We sadly ran out of Jalapeno's yesterday but I do highly recommend putting one in!

BKBTY

A Glorious and Happy 4th!

"Let's Say it with Fire Crackers..."

Or not, as everything flamable seems to be illegal in NYS.... When I would spend my summers in Canada and celebrate independace week, we always got big sparklers and wrote our names in cursive in the dark around a beach bonfire complete with weenie roast/marshmallow toast. I also think about my mom's potato salad, fresh fruit pie, and powdered ice tea mix :) I'll be heading there soon enough so I'll not get too sniffly, but I am going to get out of THIS CITY and head to a friend's pool for the day!!!!!! If you have today off, I hope you are getting somewhere cool where's there's water or at least AC like a movie theatre. Have a super duper holiday!!!!!! *here are some video's I always associate with today....

and last but SOOOOO not least. In fact everything about this musical is the 4th of July :)

So Polished!

OCC Nail Laquer...

Nail polish is not the most natural of beauty products you can put on your body, it's chock a block full of chemicals and polymers and is still considered hazardous waste by some states. But some brands are taking steps to attempt to work to make their products less toxic. My personal choice in this department is OCC or Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics. I've mentioned them in airbrush foundations before but, here's a little more about this company. NYC based they are and all vegan, never animal tested brand, that make high end cosmetics. Founder David Klasfeld was working in fashion and editorial and found that no products existed that filled the requirements of what he wanted to work with and that met his own personal ethos.
Most of todays "clean polishes" are known by the moniker "3-free" and often come in lighter hues and pastels. NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME! OCC nail laquers are 5 FREE bi-atches. yup. No formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate (DBP), toluene, formaldehyde resin, or camphor. And in brillant candy colored hues for every season and event. No more sticking to mauves here. They makes shades to match their award winning Lip Tars. They're long lasting just like an OPI or Essie, but your nails won't turn as worry some a shade of yellow underneath it. They also make a base coat and two different finish top coats, a super shiny gloss, and a subtle matte. At $10 a bottle it's comprable to other high end polishes, and if you have your a NYS license for cosmetolo y, esthetics, nail tech, or proof of work as a makeup artist, you get a pro discount of 20% off! I intend to head over to
Most of todays "clean polishes" are known by the moniker "3-free" and often come in lighter hues and pastels. NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME! OCC nail laquers are 5 FREE bi-atches. yup. No formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate (DBP), toluene, formaldehyde resin, or camphor. And in brillant candy colored hues for every season and event. No more sticking to mauves here. They makes shades to match their award winning Lip Tars. They're long lasting just like an OPI or Essie, but your nails won't turn as worry some a shade of yellow underneath it. They also make a base coat and two different finish top coats, a super shiny gloss, and a subtle matte. At $10 a bottle it's comprable to other high end polishes, and if you have your a NYS license for cosmetology, esthetics, nail tech, or proof of work as a makeup artist, you get a pro discount of 20% off! I intend to head over to
Most of todays "clean polishes" are known by the moniker "3-free" and often come in lighter hues and pastels. NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME! OCC nail laquers are 5 FREE bi-atches. yup. No formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate (DBP), toluene, formaldehyde resin, or camphor. And in brillant candy colored hues for every season and event. No more sticking to mauves here. They makes shades to match their award winning Lip Tars. They're long lasting just like an OPI or Essie, but your nails won't turn as worry some a shade of yellow underneath it. They also make a base coat and two different finish top coats, a super shiny gloss, and a subtle matte. At $10 a bottle it's comprable to other high end polishes, and if you have your a NYS license for cosmetology, esthetics, nail tech, or proof of work as a makeup artist, you get a pro discount of 20% off! 

I intend to head over to Ludlow street myself this week and pick up some Black Dahlia for the wedding I'm in ;)

BKBTY

Recipe: Gājara Gobi

Carrots & Cauliflower!

This is a recipe I adapted from the traditional dish Aloo Gobi which is potatoes and cauliflower. In trying to lower my glycemic intake, other vegetables tend to get substituted for the sweet mushy nightshade and I find carrots to work really well. You could of course choose another vegetable such as broccoli, or summer squash, or even green beans. Use something you like and enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 smaller size head of cauliflower

1 1/2 cups chopped carrot (or baby)

**As a time saver you could buy one of those bags of broccoli, cauliflower, and baby carrots and use the whole thing!**

4 cloves garlic

2 inches ginger

1 chile pepper

1 cup water (in two halves)

2 tbsp coconut oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp turmeric

salt to taste

2-3 stalks fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Wash and chop cauliflower and carrots into smaller 1- 1 1/2" pieces. 

2. Mince or food process garlic and ginger. Put into small bowl.

3. Add 1/2 cup water, turmeric, and coriander. Whisk and set aside. (Your masala)

4. Mince or food process chile pepper. Set aside.

5. In a large pot melt coconut oil, add chile, wait 30 sec.

6. Add cumin seeds and wait til they stop popping. 

7. Add masala and stir. Cook until masala thickens and darkens slightly. About 2 minutes.

8. Add carrots and cauliflower and stir to thoroughly coat all the vegetables.

9. Add second 1/2 cup of water and salt.

10. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.

11. Uncover and continue cooking for 5 minutes.

12. Rough chop cilantro and stir in or garnish

ENJOY! 

BKBTY