How to deal with break outs

Let's talk about something not so glamorous. 

Pimples. 

I don't know about you, but recently I have been struggling with struggling weather in the midwest (40 degrees to 80 the next day!), and it's being taken out on my skin! I have also not been drinking enough water--- yes, I'm guilty! 

So here are some products and tips for dealing with those pesky pimples.

Step 1

DON'T TOUCH IT!

This can be tough. Once this guy starts to rear his ugly little white head, all you want to do is pop him! Try not to :) 

I'm so guilty of this, and the end result? Scarring! I have little acne scars on my face from when I would fuss with my face. Not something you want. The best thing to do is to try to treat it and leave it alone! 

You have to wait it out. 

Step 2

Treatment

I recently stumbled upon a treatment that WORKS! 

DDF Acne Control Treatment with Salicylic Acid Acne Medication. 

photo c/o birchbox. 

I received a sample of this little guy, and I love it! It's great for quick spot treatments. I'll apply a little dab onto the pimple right after washing my face, in the morning and at night. Within a day or two- the area is clear! 

You can buy it off their website HERE! 

Step 3

Take care of yourself

I'm a firm believer that everything that goes into your body has a direct effect on the outside. I try to eat as clean as I can (for the most part :)), and drink tons of water! (again, for the most part :))

I know it can be tough to always make the right decisions- I can say that because I recently bought tiny ice cream sandwiches from Trader Joes and I CANNOT stop eating them this week. Hence my little pimple friend under my nose. 

You just have to try to be conscious of where you're sourcing your food, try to eat as many vegetables as you can, and really drink that water! Water helps to cleanse your system. It's necessary. 

Good for the body, good for the skin. 

Some other things to try... 

If you can see a pimple starting, try one of these home remedies!

Baking soda

The miracle worker! Make a paste out of baking soda and warm water and hold it onto the affected area with a warm washcloth over it. The warm cloth will help to open up the pores and allow the baking soda to help kill bacteria. 

This trick is also good for bug bites and rashes! 

Icing

Continually placing ice on your pimple will help to reduce swelling and redness. Place an ice cube in a clean towel and hold against the affected area. Repeat several times. 

Give these things a try and let me know what you think! Have some other remedies you like? Or treatments you love?! Leave them in the comments section! 

Springtime Events!

Hey lovelies,

I have had the pleasure of both attending and hosting some great events in Chicago recently! I wanted to share a couple of the experiences as I'm so excited to see artists coming together--it's all about the community! 

Last week, I attended an open event at Goldplaited: A Finishing Salon. 

I'd never heard of a finishing salon before, so I was curious to check this place out. My friend and fellow artist, Mel Wilson, was the one to pass the invite to me. It called for free bubbles and snacks as well as a complimentary *Trend Style.* 

Trend Style?! Finshing Salon?!

So off we went! 

The salon is in a great location in Lincoln park, and it's adorable. Everything is in gold! I had the chance to meet and chat with the owners, Mal and Corinna Strong. They are sisters who transplanted to Chicago with a love of makeup, hair and making women feel good-- every day. 

They were both so welcoming, and friendly! I thought the salon was adorable. They even have a little back room for clients to reserve for private parties. Probably not a bad idea for a birthday or bachelorette?! 

So what is a finishing salon? 

Think Blow drys, dry styles, and quick makeup applications. 

No cuts or colors here- Just final touches. 

What is a Trend style? 

Ever circulate Pinterest and come across some awesome trendy hairstyles that were just too hard to pull off at home?! And then by the time you master it, the next trend has popped up?! Well, you can come to the salon and pick a trendy style (type of braid, updo, or curl/wave), and have a stylist do the work for you. 

It's a quick easy stop if you're headed to dinner, the theater, or just wanna feel awesome for a day. Goldplaited's goal is to make women feel good all year round, not just those occasions you would expect to get hair and makeup done. 

Who this is good for: 

The woman that needs that weekly blowout! 

Last minute date you want to look fabulous for!

A quick pick me up when you feel blah! 

Who should skip this: 

Brides- Hire a freelancer to come to you the day of- saves you time, energy and gives you that luxury of being truly pampered with a very specific look created just for you. 

www.nikavaughanbridalartists.com

Women who want more of a one on one, specific look!

GoldPlaited 

2803 N. Sheffield 

Chicago, IL 

 Photos C/O Goldplaited's Yelp Page

Another great local event that recently took place was the Enzo Milano Seminar hosted by Chicago Beauty Exchange. I am a co-partner of this super awesome group! To read more about what we do, follow the link --> CBE

Enzo Milano is a pro hair tool company, known to be the first to introduce the clip less iron. We coordinated to have one of their stylists, Sara Jean Stevens, come to host a seminar for the group. Sara Jean is a hair and makeup artist based in Chicago. We have actually known each other for years, so I was thrilled to hear that she was happy and willing to help connect us to Enzo for this event! 

Enzo Irons lined up for demos!

Sara Jean, demo-ing one of the popular irons. 

The "Enzo Wave."

Sara Jean showing a demo on CBE founder, Nika Vaughan. 

 The seminar consisted of product information, styling tips/tricks, instruction on how to properly use the line of tools (as they are a different type of heat source, therefore a different approach than your traditional irons). All the artists who came to the event were also signed up to get a *Free* Iron retailing at $130! 

After Sara Jean showed her demos, all the artists were invited to try the irons themselves either on the model, the mannequin head, or even each other! 

It was a great event! Thank you to Sara Jean for coming out and sharing her knowledge of the products. Thank you Enzo Milano for the free irons! Thank you to Tsubo Salon for letting us use the space! Also a BIG thank you to all the lovely artists who came! Nika and I are trying to create a safe space for artists to meet, connect, share and learn from each other. 

To read more specifically into the event from an attendee first hand, feel free to check out Jocelyn Morris' blog HERE. 

If you'd like to keep up to date about Chicago Beauty Exchange with upcoming classes, seminars and networking events, please feel free to like us on Facebook, HERE. 

Have a beautiful day!