Home Authors Posts by Lara Eurdolian, Pretty Connected Beauty Blog

Lara Eurdolian, Pretty Connected Beauty Blog

2754 POSTS 39 COMMENTS
http://www.prettyconnected.com

My New Beauty Tips: How to Avoid Hair Breakage and Revive Damaged Hair

New Beauty Beauty Report 2018
New Beauty Beauty Report

I’m so honored to be in my favorite beauty magazine, New Beauty for The Beauty Report Issue sharing my tips on how to protect your hair from breakage! I always had beautiful, shiny hair until 2 years ago when I started getting addicted to color and last year when a stylist damaged my hair to the brink of daily tears. On the upside I learned and tried everything about how to fake it until your hair grows out and fix/prevent further damage.

Since I give a quick Q&A for the magazine, I wanted to dive into the subject more and what products you should look for since a lot of you have this issue. Lack of moisture can be a big cause of breakage and damaged hair. while there isn’t a shortage of hair strengtheners, split end menders, oils (bows down to Leonor Greyl), hair masks (Shea Moisture, and Kerastase are gold), and supplements (Nutroful is my ride or die) on the market, when addressing hair health and growth, I wanted to share additional tips that often get overlooked.

1. Trade in your towel for a microfiber towel or soft tee shirt. Your hair is most vulnerable when it’s wet which is why you should never dry your hair aggressively with a towel. Microfiber towels are more absorbent and gentler on strands. I’ve been using Aquis for over a decade so I’m partial to them (they come in a bunch of colors), but any brand should be fine. Alternatively you can also use a soft tee shirt, just be very gentle if you’re using a towel.

2. Stay away from hair elastics and opt for hair clips or ties that are gentler and use words like tug-free on the packaging. We make fun of scrunchies, although they are supposed to be making a come back, I personally sleep in a silk scrunchy (we don’t go out in public) and it’s best for preserving a blow-out. Grace Eleyae is a super cool brand, they have silk scrunchy and also silk inside baseball and beanie hats and silk turbans to protect your hair. Genius! Silke also makes a line of BEAUTIFUL silk hair wraps.

3. Sleep on a silk (satin works too) pillowcase! This is also better for your skin as well. It doesn’t absorb product the same way cotton can and is more gentle on your hair. Slip is really chic and comes in a bunch of colors and is so soft and luxe. Alternatively there’s The Hollywood Silk Solution or Starlet Satin, which are are great as well and boost hair and skincare benefits.

― READ ON →

The 411 on Glowing Skin

Eleni + Chris Arctic Mist

We’ll start with Skincare 101: If you want glowing skin, do not sleep with your makeup on. You’re clogging your pores, and not letting your skin breath! You’re also blocking your skincare products from working as efficiently as possible.

dr. dennis gross, clarisonic, eleni + Chris, Pixi, Urban RX, It Cosmetics brightening productsExfoliation is key! (you have options)

Make sure to exfoliate to help dissolve dirt, environmental damage and whisk away dead skin cells. There are a lot of ways to do this starting with exfoliating pads. There are not a shortage of great glow pads on the market, although I always bow down to Dr. Dennis Gross when it comes to getting my skin glowing. The Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Daily Peel (available in original and Extra Strength are always in my beauty draw). I also like Exuviance, Dr. Jeannette Graf, MD Skin Rejuvenation Exfoliating & Firming Pads and a handful of others.

Essences with exfoliating properties, glycolic/AHA acid, micellar water, or products with lactic acid are also great to help dissolve dead skin cells. There are loads of wonderful ones on the market like Caudalie Vinoperfect Concentrated Brightening Essence, Pixi Glow Tonic, It Cosmetics 3-in-1 Micellar Cleanser or new comer Ren Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic. You can also turn to SK-II Facial Treatment Essence which uses it’s iconic ingredient, Pitera, that’s packed with vitamins, organic acids and amino acids (it also exfoliates) to improve skin texture and make skin glow. Retinols also exfoliate and are great in the evening for anti-aging.

There are also loads of exfoliating masks on the market, like Ren Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask. Don’t overdue it with the exfoliation but start adding them into your regimen.  Some can be used daily, others weekly, read the directions and don’t over exfoliate.

Pick me ups!

Skin mists are great for keeping skin hydrated and glowing throughout the day! and an awesome reboot if your skin is starting to feel/look dull or dry. I’m obsessed with the Eleni & Chris Face Mist (actually the whole line, see my review HERE), hailing from the fjords of Normay whatever they mix with their glacier water (it’s +SEA3oil) makes my skin sing. If you want something less clean and more dewy you can’t fail with, Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist. On a budget, Vichy and Mario Badescu are great options!

Look for these in your Serums + Moisturizers

Look for peptide rich products filled with brightening ingredients like Vitamin C, Licorice extract, niacinamides. These ingredients can also be in your serums for a more concentrated dose of nutrients, just make sure to seal all your products with a moisturizer (or sleep mask in the evening). AHA’s + Vitamin C are a winning combination — Skinceuticals actually has a C+AHA dropper that’s one of my favorites (They also have an epic C E Ferulic as well). You can also mix a Vitamin C liquid Serum — like an Urban Skin Rx Super C Brightening Treatment or the legendary Triple C Lightning Liquid by COSRX, into your moisturizer or do a more conventional serum consistency like Sunday Riley CEO Brightening Serum. Vitamin C is a larger conversation which I’ll do a whole blog post about but as far as moisturizers, at moment I’m loving Kat Burki Vitamin C Cream and also for skin brightening Origins Ginzing Energy-Boosting Gel Moisturize, which brings me to my next point…

Google your products! I started using Clarins Double Serum and Origins Ginzing Energy-Boosting Gel Moisturizer and saw an immediate boost and glow with both brightening but didn’t see any of the usual suspects in the formula. Apparently it’s the Tumeric in the Clarins Double Serum (or combination with), And mix of the Panex Ginseng with Coffee Bean (coffee is great for circulation and de-puffing in eye products) in the Origins moisturizer that gives skin it’s glow. I’m familiar with these ingredients for other benefits but after seeing this result I’ll be more mindful when I see them in future products.

Quick Fix: Mask.

Masks are a great quick fix. Healthy skin takes work, and when we’re stressed, sleep deprived or just busy it can take a toll. So go extra hard on the hydrate mask and self care in hard times. I you fly a lot (or notice your skin is dehydrated), sheet masks are a great way to reboot. I’ve used and loved many but the Eleni & Chris Hydrate Sheet Mask post flight took my skin from zero to hero (they also have a GLOW mask but as far as I’m concerned the whole Eleni + Chris collection makes my skin glow). James also brings me back loads of K-beauty brightening masks when he comes back from Korea, the only issue is I never know what’s in them since they aren’t in english. There are a ton more brightening sheet masks on the market, post plane or as a pick me up they are the best! 

Bring on the highlighters

When all else fails, makeup to help you fake it until you make it. Skin Illuminators and liquid highlights are dull skin’s temporary best friend.

― READ ON →

Vist Iceland: What to Do, Where to Go and How to Plan

For the past few years I’ve seen non-stop incredible photos of Iceland 0n my Instagram feed — images of the Northern Lights, Blue Lagoon, the Icelandic horses, and so many natural wonders that I knew I had to go. I felt overwhelmed though trying to figuring out what to book. With just a plane ticket (booking was the first step!), I started reading articles, reviews and asking advice of friends so here is the quick and easy guide to what I did, and what’s on my radar for next time.

WHERE TO STAY: Downtown Reykjavik, Room with a View

There are loads of hotels all over Iceland but if you’re limited on time, downtown Reykjavik is ideal. All of the tours pick up from there and it’s a really cute scene, filled boutiques, restaurants, popular attractions and life. We stayed at Room with View Luxury Apartments, which was the most ideal location. In fact if you’re looking at other hotels see how close it is to this one since it doesn’t get anymore prime and right. Although dubbed an apartment, it’s more of an upscale hotel suite complete with a kitchen, doorman and helpful staff to accommodate any bookings. There’s also a steam room and Jacuzzi on the property! We were a party of 4 people and one thing I learned is two double beds in a hotel basically doesn’t exist. This was the only hotel I found that could accommodate us in one room. I highly recommend emailing them in advance your needs. We ended up with 3 single beds and one double bed in our huge, beautiful, dream apartment with 2 bathrooms suite that was cheaper then booking two rooms somewhere else.

How to Get Around:

Your options are basically, taxi, car rental, bus, ferry or tour buses (more info HERE). I highly recommend renting a car, we used Lagoon Car Rental which was wonderful. They picked us up from the airport and drove us 5 minutes away to the car location and made it all super quick and easy! And also through a wi-fi router we had internet in the car the whole time. Renting a car made the most sense for us since we were a party of 4 and getting to/from the airport to Reykjavik is about a 45 minute drive and pricey, so is the Blue Lagoon (we were quoted $40 each way from Reykjavik, although they have ticket options that include a shuttle). Reykjavik is a very walkable city so we basically used the car for day trips and otherwise found easy street parking and did tours. The tours pickup from hotels in Reykjavik so that part was easy.

We rented a Renault Talisman which had plenty of space in the trunk for all of our stuff. Some people prefer a 4×4 SUV but I found the roads really well paved and since we were doing tours (all listed below) for more of our nature excursions, and the weather was mild, we were more than fine in a regular car. If you are doing more off roading and driving yourself around the country (especially in harsh weather) you may want to consider a 4×4.

WHAT TO DO IN ICELAND:

Blue Lagoon and Thermal Baths

I could not leave Iceland without visiting the Blue Lagoon Geothermal Bath. It’s one of the 25 Wonders of the World and with good reason, it’s incredible! Most people visit on their way to the airport or leaving it since it’s on the route from Keflavik Airport to Reykjavik. Pre-booking is required and they also offer massages in the water which is apparently incredible! They have different ticket rates, all of which get you the same access to the Blue Lagoon and access to the mask bar for the Silica Mud Mask — everything but the Standard Ticket also gets you the Algae Mud Mask (you can learn more about the ticket options HERE). Both of these skincare products are two of Blue Lagoons top selling skincare products, and they have a store on site (as well as at the airport and downtown Reykjavik) where you can purchase the whole line. I highly recommend the masks as well as their lip balm — pretty much all of it is incredible and makes for a great gift! There are two restaurants, a cafe and more formal dining option on the property. There is also a bar in the water to purchase drinks.

― READ ON →

DIY Strap + Essie Spring 2018

essie spring 2018 collection includes shades, perfect mate, at the helm, passport to sail, anchor down stripes, and sails bon boy-age

I’ve been having a lot of fun customizing my camera straps with nail polish. In my latest DIY I used my new Nikki silver strap and drizzled the Essie Spring 2018, hook, line and sinker! collection featuring some nautically chic shades including:

  • Anchor Down – pretty blue washed with pewter gray undertones
  • Stripes and Sail – intense teal green
  • Bon Boy-age – a nautical mint green
  • Pass-port to Sail – soft sandy beige lightly splashed in ivory shimmer
  • Perfect Mate – coral pink
  • At the Helm – a fire orange tinged with salmon red
― READ ON →

Urban Decay Hi-Fi Shine Lip Gloss {Review}

Vice Lipsticks and Naked palettes have been all the rage with Urban Decay but now that spring is here they have released their latest Hi-Fi Shine Ultra Cushion Lip Glosses that have been making the rounds on Instagram (the mailer was pretty epic).
It’s a great price point ($20), chic packaging and 20 shades from pinks, nude, mauves and beyond to a stellar collection of glitters that look out of this world. Light/sheet to medium to medium tint they very comfortable on their own or over a lipstick or stain. The formula isn’t sticky or tacky and is laced with vitamin E and peppermint oil for a really lovely menthol smell and taste. The glitters are really fun, especially with the holographic lip being so big for summer and music festival season around the corner. Below are some of my favorites swatched!
― READ ON →

I Judged Glamour’s Beauty Awards, Here’s Who Won!

glamour magazine beauty award winnersI’m so excited to announce that for the 3rd year in a row I had the pleasure of being one of the judges of the Glamour Magazine’s Beauty Awards! I was in charge of The Best New Makeup of 2018 and The Best Skin Care Products of 2018 categories and I am so honored they published so many of my quotes. As most of you know from social and my unboxings and daily Instagram stories (@prettyconnected), you know I’m always going to launch parties and trying everything! Which is why being able to judge and also share so many products I love with all of you and in this issue puts me on cloud 9! I wanted to take a moment to highlight my favorite products in each category and talk about why I love them.

Glamour Beauty Awards: The Best New Makeup of 2018

The Best Primer

Becca Backlight Priming Filter – Becca wrote the handbook on glowing skin, and this primer is chapter one. It’s water based and contains three unique Filtering Luminescent Pearls that works to blur out imperfections and has you glowing even before you put on your foundation.

― READ ON →

Pretty Connected x Sunglass Hut at Disney!

Pretty Connected x Sunglass Hut Camera Strap

It was such an exciting weekend for my brand! As some of you know I recently launched a line of fun camera straps (that double as bag straps) as well as other accessories and we collaborated with Sunglass Hut to create a custom glitter red strap for their press trip to Disney. Sunglass Hut, who has an actual store in Disneyland, celebrated the launch of the limited edition Disney x Ray-Ban  Wayfarer Sunglasses.

The classic black Ray-Ban Wayfarers with some cute Mickey Mouse etching on the side is currently sold out online but is available at select Sunglass Hut stores that haven’t sold out quite yet. Definitely call before to reserve yours!

I’ve had a few celebrities wear my line but I have to say seeing Minnie Mouse felt like some serious childhood goals!

The strap is currently available on prettyconnected.com/shop, it’s the Erica strap named after my friend Erica Greenbaum who loves Disney more than anyone I know!

How I Built my Beauty Career // Walk with Walsh

Jennifer Walsh Lara Eurdolian walk with walshOutfit details: Thursday Boots, 7 For Mankind Jeans, Splendid Tee, Dear Drew necklace, Eliza J Jacket, Ray-ban sunglasses, Pretty Connected Shop rings, bag an belt.

I’m thrilled to be in the latest episode of Walk with Walsh and interviewed by good friend and fellow bad @$$, Jennifer Walsh. She’s a community builder, health entrepreneur, TV personality, beauty expert and so much more.

Nothing about my road to ‘success’ has been short or easy. It still isn’t. The beauty industry is changing industry has changed so much over the decade I’ve been blogging and 14 years I’ve been in the industry working for major brands including NARS, Jurlique, Kiehl’s and Avon (and consulting for dozens more).  People see me on social media regularly being featured in major magazines or judging beauty awards for Glamour, ICMAD and having partnerships with New Beauty and advertorials with a handful of others. I get a lot of questions about how I’m getting these placements and opportunities. The answer is relationships and being really knowledgeable about the space. I’ve done a lot of training’s, I show up to events to learn all about the new launches. Click this link or the one above to hear my story, advice and walk with Walsh. My mantra will forever be: work hard, support each other, and grow your relationships.

Elizabeth Arden x Reese Witherspoon March On Lipstick

I’m really inspired by Elizabeth Arden, the namesake of the brand and company that continues her legacy. In 1912 Elizabeth Arden marched down Fifth Avenue, handing red lipstick to the suffragettes a as symbol of solidarity. She had so much female power and a legacy that the company continues to carry down to their choice of spokeswomen. How fabulous is Reese Witherspoon!?!? Their latest #TogetherWeMarchOn initiative is really amazing and I could not be more in support. They designed the perfect red “March On” lipstick in collaboration with Reese as part of their March On campaign. This initiative is designed to celebrate women’s achievements, encourage women to support each other and they have pledged to donate 100% of the proceeds of the ‘March On‘ lipstick, that’s $1 million dollars to the UN Women in support of their work to advance women’s issues worldwide.

March On Elizabeth Arden x Reese Witherspoon lipstick
March On Elizabeth Arden x Reese Witherspoon lipstick

Reese Witherspoon and Elizabeth Arden are both women that have personally inspired me. They stood/stand for something greater, they aren’t boxed in by what they can do. I remember an interview

― READ ON →

Travel Diaries: Celebrity Reflection Caribbean Cruise

We just returned from our first cruise, 11 days around the Caribbean on Celebrity Cruises incredible Reflection ship. It was absolutely wonderful and I can’t wait to do another one. Words prior to going on this cruise, I never thought I’d say. While I’m a big traveler the thought of staying on a boat for over a week had me intimidated. Fortunately the itinerary on this trip was too good to pass up and my fears were replaced by an incredible experience from the ship, food, staff, wine and incredible destinations!

Departing from Fort Lauderdale, we stopped at 5 ports, Grand Cayman, Aruba, Columbia, Curacao and Bonaire. While I’ve extensively traveled several times all over the Caribbean, these were all firsts for me and why we picked this cruise. The value and ships outstanding reputation for food, wine and entertainment made this a big draw and if nothing else were looking forward to the sample plate of island travel to scout our next winter getaway.

― READ ON →
1...131415...276Page 14 of 276
© 2017 Pretty Connected. Powered By LIVING PROOF CREATIVE