Finalist for the Win Your Own Beauty Line April 5, 2011

#Team Beauty Outfit Selection

 

I have sent out my thank you’s via twitter and via facebook for the tons of support received while competing to win my own beauty line via GeorgiaNY.  Closing in on Women’s History Month, GeorgiaNY held an honoring/recognition and networking event.  The event, held by GeorgiaNY, was intended to recognize the 5 finalists as well as recognize the winner, Shana Green.  I travelled up to New York City excited to meet all of my fellow competitors as well as the many bloggers who were invited to this event.  I arrived in the City at about a quarter to five and hopped from one train to the next to get to this quaint salon and boutique located in Soho.  I arrived at about 6:15 to an almost packed venue.  I was amazed already!  As I introduced myself, I was ushered around to meet the other finalists and to everyone’s surprise ALL FIVE #TEAM BEAUTY finalists made it!  I met Santara (@GorgeousBeautyBlog), Shana (@Sweeteababy0427), The Sisters – Nicole & Sierra (@Destined2act), and Cormie!

I met many other bloggers and NYC movers and shakers and just had a good time networking.  I was pretty disappointed that we didn’t get a group photo with Ebony magazine because there will be a feature in the magazine, but the good news is there will be a feature in the magazine.  All-in-all, I appreciate this opportunity and still feel that I am a winner with Evolution of Man being offered a space on the shelves of GeorgiaNY (updates at a later date). 

So thank you to everyone (again) for all of your support.  I truly feel loved and appreciated!

Is that glow from the Oscars? March 1, 2011

There were several men on the red carpet that had either a tanned look or an o-glow (oscar-glow).  One recognized star, Colin Firth was noticeable to my trained eye.  I found out he was prepped by Kyoku for Men.

colin firth and georgie eisdell

Here’s what Georgie Eisdell’s used on Mr. Firth’s skin: “When I’m grooming someone for the red carpet, I never have a lot of time, so my main goals are to plump, hydrate and increase blood circulation in the skin to allow a natural glow shine through. Massaging products into the skin really thoroughly and using a pressing motion for application are both great ways to increase blood circulation and let color to rise to the surface. To prep Colin for the Oscars, I started with Kyoku for Men Razor Repair Balm, which contains witch hazel and aloe vera, to combat post-shave redness and calm his skin; it’s a great anti-inflammatory product, and I always keep it in my kit for emergencies! Then, facialist Natalie Eleni applied the Kyoku for Men Eye Fuel to Colin’s Eyes using lymphatic drainage movements (using your ring finger, gently pat around the orbital bone in an outward motion towards the ear), which are great for re-energizing and de-puffing tired eyes. Next, I applied the Oil Control Lotion down the T zone to absorb any excess oil and prevent Colin from looking greasy. It was very important to lightly matify his skin in specific areas to ensure that he stayed shine-free all night long. I then used Kyoku for Men Facial Moisturizer SPF 15 to refresh his skin and keep it looking healthy and rested.”

(via the beauty alchemist)

Ken Celebrates his 50th Birthday February 9, 2011

Ken 2011

As a guy, what would you ask for on your 50th birthday? A car? A trip? A man-cave?! Well for Ken’s 5oth, he’s getting a total makeover!  Not only that, he’s getting made over AND his debut in a movie.  His makeovers will be by some of the top designers in the industry and will be displayed at Christie’s in New York from February 14 – 20 and in two pop-up locations in New York and LA.

Each outfit will be designed according to different occasions, WWD reports – Yigal Azourel will create a beach look, Simon Spurr will design formal date attire, Michael Bastian will provide the ultimate picnic ensemble, Robert Geller will kit him out for a movie, Nicholas K (MUST click on this site – these flash pics are VICIOUS!) will dress him for a rock concert and Billy Reid will be making Ken’s winter clothes.

Being that the couple broke up 7 years ago, don’t you think it’s time Ken stepped up his game?!  What do you think?

Ken's past looks

Grooming and The Expendables Part III September 15, 2010

TRENCH

Swarznegger, playing Trench in the film probably learned grooming early on in his life in his bodybuilding career.  Most bodybuilding champions are clean-cut and their personal grooming must be impeccable.  So it’s no question to see the present California governor with his clean, smooth look.  To get his clean-cut style, we went to Hollywood’s George Carroll for his step-by-step grooming instructions:

LET’S SHAPE IT: start with a contoured silhouette with close tapered sideburns and collar length neckline. The contoured shape gives thin hair an over all thicker look and fits comfortably under a base-ball cap. With a few adjustments (tweaks) as it grows you can find the ideal length and shape for your style. 

LET’S STYLE IT: To style, start with a dab of your favorite shaping gel, or styling mousse or nothing at all. Just run either through damp hair and comb in place to dry au natural or give it a once over with a blow dryer for a full look. When dry, finger comb a dab of hair styling cream through the top and sides and you’ve got Arnold’s star style.

LET’S ADD SIDEBURNS: Nothing can reshape a face or add a dramatic look like facial hair. Sideburns can be full, close, long, short or narrow. This simple addition can make large ears appear smaller; accent cheek bones; make a narrow face wider and definitely adds a stylish or artsy look.

 Groomed Swarzenegger for The Expendables

 

PAINE

As for “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, playing Dan Paine … sometimes no hair is best hair.  Add a goatee, and you’ve got a stone cold groomed look for todays man.  Blending the risqué bald head and the bad boy goatee gives us that bad boy our mothers never wanted us to like.  And although it seems the silver screen saves the goatee for the bad guy or the cheesy sidekick, I am a big fan of goatees as long as it’s kept simple and neat and I think in real life it gives a more refined look to the man.

“Stone Cold” Expendable

 

YING YANG

Talk about smooth!  Jet Li, who flies across screens and blocks kicks and jabs with the finesse only a martial arts master can do with speed and agility.  He comes to us as Ying Yang, oddly enough for a man who balances the yin-and-yang of the eastern and western worlds in real life.  Li was groomed with his notable short jet black cut combed to the back, characterizing his role as a smooth martial arts expert.  This look would work on the smoothest of operators. Simple to achieve and works on most.

 jet-li-expendables

 

BONUS CONTENT (taken from Mens Fitness Magazine):
 
Jason Statham’s Expendables workout
Get a body like the Stath
Here’s the workout Statham used to get shredded for the brashest and most boisterous action movie of the year.
 
Every time actor Jason Statham (Lee Christmas) – British special forces, with a thing for blades- appears in a new movie, he looks even more ripped than he did in the last one. The Expendables is a case in point – the Stath is quite frankly a monster in it. The top-secret programme that got him that way was devised by movie star trainer Logan Hood and here’s a sample week from it. Do it using the same weights Statham did (listed in the workout) and you’ll realise how ‘faking’ strong the cockney hard man is.

Monday – short-circuit
1) 10-minute row.
2) 40kg rope pull (rope attached to a weighted sled), 20m bear crawl. As many rounds as possible in 10 minutes.
3) 10-minute row.

Tuesday – pushing supersets
1) Five-minute row.
2) Three pull-ups, five press-ups, seven squats. As many rounds as possible in five minutes.
3) Snatch grip dead lift (five at 45kg, five at 60kg, five at 85kg, five at 95kg).
4) Superset (4 sets of 10 reps with 90sec rest between sets): incline DB press (42kg), standing military press (30kg), skullcrushers (25kg).
5) Superset (4 sets of 10 reps with 90sec rest between sets): narrow grip press-ups, lateral raise (15kg), triceps extensions (6kg).
6) Abdominal rollouts (five sets of 10).

Wednesday – rest

Thursday – pulling supersets
1) Five-minute row.
2) Three pull-ups, five press-ups, seven squats. As many rounds as possible in five minutes.
3) Bulgarian split squats (five at 20kg, five at 30kg, five at 35kg).
4) Superset (4 sets of 10 reps with 90sec rest between sets): one 10m rope climb (no feet), 10 shrugs (85kg) and 10 ex-bar curls (26kg).
5) Superset (4 sets of 10 reps with 90sec rest between sets): 10 pull-ups, 10 incline front raises (12kg) and 10 hammer curls (20kg).
6) Hanging knee raises (five sets of 10).

Friday – intervals
1) Warm up with two 50m sprints.
2) Cardio complex (complete five rounds, rest period is half the time it takes to complete the round): Suicide run (run 10m then run back, 20m then run back, 30m then run back, 40m then run back, 50m then run back), 80m kettlebell (48kg) farmer’s walk, 80m one-arm kettlebell overhead carry (16kg, switch arms at 40m), 80m tire drag (SUV or small truck).

Saturday – rest

Sunday – rest

Get the September issue of Men’s Fitness to see the workouts Sylvester Stallone and Randy Couture used to expand for The Expendables. And check all the other celebrity workouts we’ve got out in our celebrity body section.

Resources:

• CoEd Magazine
• Men’s Fitness
• Shockya.com
• IMDb
• filmsnmovies.com
• fusedfilm.com
• askmen.com

On Grooming & Skin care for Trejo in Machete September 3, 2010

 

Danny Trejo as Machete

Machete opens today, September 3rd 2010.  Tuesday, I was presented with the opportunity to see a screening of the new movie Machete.  I had no clue it would inspire me to blog about grooming, but a few things about Danny Trejo inspired me to blog.  Not only was it his graduation to an action star, but his commendable lifestyle turn-around was all worth the second “skinema” blog. 

Machete was originally on the small screen in 2006 by Roman Hernandez Cordova and Pablo Esparza.  Slightly altered for 2010, this movie is about an ex-Mexican federal agent (federalie) who loses his family after a shake-down by fellow corupt cops, and moves across the border and into the US (Texas), in hopes of starting his life anew.  But things do not work out for him as he may want.  He struggles to get a job, as an undocumented worker in Austin, Texas.  Forced to make money to survive, he engages in a “hands-off” battle where he is spotted by a a corrupt politician who hires him as a killer and is later betrayed by the organization who hired him.  This movie has a surprisingly intriguing lineup including: Danny Trejo, Michelle Rodriguez, Robert De Niro, Steven Seagal, Cheech Marin (Cheech and Chong), Don Johnson (Miami Vice), and Jessica Alba.  

Robert Rodriguez, a long time film partner of Quentin Tarantino,and also known for El Mariachi and it’s sequel Desperado, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, and From Dusk Til Dawn.  The two have paired up on several films, including Four Rooms, Sin City, Grindhouse, and From Dusk til Dawn.  The similar styles of these two cronies are displayed in Machete – displaying hardcore blood and gore in a grimy way (and sometimes with a twist of horror) which can sometimes encourage audience laughter .

Rodriguez seems to know what he likes because his team is consistent.  Rodriguez’s Makeup department head Ermahn Ospina, (From Dusk til Dawn, Sin City, Desperado, Predators, and Once Upon a Time in Mexico) paired up with hair stylist Charles Yusko (Friday Night Lights) and Special Effects artist Meredith Johns may have had an easy job creating the “grimy” look for the leading man due to his skin’s appearance.  

Danny Trejo, with his severe facial acne scars and extensive tattoos seems to have type-cast him since most complexion problems are used to display the cinematic criminal in Hollywood.  With his “leathered” skin, my thought is that his scarring is a result of severe acne in his past, and the possibility of undergoing some sort of treatment to reduce or get rid of the cysts and pustules, also known as cystic acne.  To reduce the facial scarring, there are limited options.  Consider laser sessions with a certified technician or board certified physician.  Another option could be microdermabrasion, however as with most skins of color you must be cautious of the sensitivities to hyper-pigmentation.  Howerver, I doubt at this stage life, he is looking to make a drastic change, and anyway, this look can work for him as it’s almost a natural special effect for the roles in which he is cast.

All-in-all, skin issues or not, this knife-welding machete still looks good to be 66, a past drug-addict and criminal.  He has finally gotten his front and center lead role.  Is this our first Latino superhero? LOL.

Trejo's tattoos

I cannot end this blog without discussing my other two motivators – the importance of sunblock being the first up.  There have been many roles of Trejo showing off his “bad-boy” tattoos, but I couldn’t help but notice (with his shirt open, displaying his chest tattoo) the amount of sun his skin has seen.  His skin appears to be going in the direction of his face, displaying a “leathered” texture.  As with any skin, it is just as important for people with skin of color to wear sunblock.  As discussed before, skins of color is more prone to hyper-pigmentation and can be avoided by the use of sunblock.  Although blessed with a natural genetic ability to protect ourselves from sun (melanin), it is just as important to protect skins of color from the harmful UVA rays that are said to damage your collagen (thus accelerating the rate of skin aging) and even cause cancer; as well as protect skins of color from harmful UVB rays that can damage the DNA and cause skin burn as well as DNA mutations, leading to cancer.  Read more on SPF importance here.

Finally, I was totally surprised when Trejo lifted his arm as if to display victory, while also displaying a bare underarm.  Trejo’s underarm skin appeared too smooth to have been shaved, it looked to me as if he waxed his underarms.  I must end by asking, how many men do you know get waxed – whether it’s underarms, chest or back? And what is your opinion on this stage of male grooming? 

Veet for Men

Check out these smooth underarms below.  And waxing the beard? Well, I’ve been wanting to do this for some time, just have never had a willing participant.  AND I love this superman chest-wax.  Doesn’t that just display his accomplishment of veing a superhero just for experiencing the chest-waxing? (although waxing should NOT be ridiculously painful – if it is – it’s not being done right).

Grooming and The Expendables Part II September 1, 2010

Last week, I spoke of the grooming of four (4) of The Expendables.  Did you wonder about the others?  Here’s my part 2 – this set of The Expendables just so happen to be our clean-cut bad boys.  Pay close attention, the grooming tips following are what the women seem to be attracted to.  

LEE CHRISTMAS

Now we come to Jason Statham.  What lady has not sighed when watching an action movie with Jason Statham.  Always well-groomed and clean-cut (in both ways).  Statham has long been the master of the buzz-short cut.  The buzz cut works well with men trying to disguise thin or balding hair but are not ready to let it all go.  The buzz cut comes in many lengths that you can gradually employ through your transition.  Statham wears the buzz short cut well — the look wears well on Statham to help his bad boy, urban, edgy yet sophisticated image.  WOW!  Didn’t know you could get all of that in one until I just said it!  To achieve this look, grab the clippers and set your buzz #! 

 Jason Statham piloting in the Expendables

 

TOLL ROAD

Clippers please!  These are the words Venables probably heard over and over again.  UFC Hall-of-Famer Randy Couture may have been one of the simplest on the movie set to groom.  Randy, also known as “The Natural” went without any hair, as he generally does throughout the film.  This was probably a simple look for Couture, as he probably learned many tips from Axis Shavers when he “joined forces to play hard, be smooth” and became the face of the Axis Shavers in 2007.  Many may not be aware that he became the face of this high-end rotary foil electric shaver, whose company proposed to donate 100% of its sales profits (of the camouflage designed one of a kind shavers) to help provide financial and emotional support to soldiers returning from Iraq.  Interested in how to get this clean look?

5 steps to get a smooth-shaven head or face, according to askmen.com:

Step 1: Don’t towel dry your head or face. Leave it moist and keeping the stubble soft for step 2.

Step 2: Apply plenty of gel to reduce friction, and massage it into your skin.

Step 3: Keep your hands and face clean to keep the skin healthy

Step 4: Shave tricky spots last – start from flat surfaces (like your sideburns) and move to the upper lip and finally to the more round areas (around your chin and ears). This allows the gel to work its way in.  Always use light strokes and let the razor work, not you (trust the razor).

Step 5: Apply a soothing post shave gel, that does NOT contain alcohol

 Randy Couture in The Expendables

 

MR. CHURCH

And after the buzz cut starts to totally fade, opt for the close shave.  This particular cut works well when the bald spot enlarges.  With a close shave, you leave little to no hair on the scalp, just enough to blend both areas.  It’s a bold but sleek move that can be seen on Bruce Willis, playing Mr. Church.

 Willis close-shaven in Expendables

HALE CAESAR

“Mr. Muscles” Terry Crews, former NFL linebacker from the 90’s and ex Redskin, might I add, plays Hale Caesar.  Crews could be seen as an icon for mens grooming, since he was also a face for Old Spice.  Watch these clips, and you may be a little nervous for Venables because she says “they practically held me at gunpoint for a clipper-cut every third day of shooting.”

Expendable Terry Crews

I couldn’t help but to include his commercials as a groomed man for Old Spice:

Old Spice – Punch!

Old Spice – The Blocker!

Old Spice –  Flexing!

 

, and I may even throw in an added bonus.ExpendablesThat’s all for now…until next week.  Trust, I will complete the full line up next week with the last few

Grooming The Expendables Part I August 24, 2010

An ode to high-octane action thrillers from my youth (80’s and early 90’s), The Expendables came out two Friday’s ago (although it was the weekend after when I first started writing this), bringing together the ultimate A-listers of action heroes and villains.  What I loved about The Expendables, from the first moment I saw the marketing, was that each “bad boy” had their own signature “grimy” look that separated them from the other.  Each was groomed to portray their individual roles and here I break down each characters look and sometimes how to achieve it or who it works best for.  Who knows, you may be up for a new look for the fall or a new look in general: 

BARNEY ROSS

Stallone, who played Barney “The Schizo” Ross in the film was given an old school vintage look.  Liz Wolf (makeup artist) and Nicole Venables (hairstylist and Sly’s personal groomer on set) teamed up to give Stallone the perfect “bad boy” look, maintaining his salt and pepper hair and fuzzy raw texture.  Venables notes, Stallone does not wear wigs.   

Grooming Sly

Quoting Venables, when questioned on any challenges in creating the look for the action-packed film,  “I created a loose look that worked while dodging bullets, bombs, punches and serious grappling….His hair took a serious physical beating on this flick!”  So recommendation to all you strenuous job-holders, whether you’re dodging bullets, cars or spitballs, here’s how to get Sly’s action-packed look:  

Sylvester Stallone in The ExpendablesGrooming Sly

GUNNAR JENSON

Dolph Lundgren playing Gunnar Jenson (why do I love that name), has for the most part, worn a short and trendy style in most of his Hollywood career.  Some may think that he has not varied much from this style besides a little more length here and there.  Oh the contrary, I’ve seen Lundgren with platinum blond hair, and even with a spiky mullet (in a He-Man outfit).  At one time Dolph Lundgren wore his hair in a flat top style, but currently it seems he is playing around with product and creating spikes that can be worn anywhere. His everyday look can typically be dressed up or down and still be a basic trendy look.  His current style fits his strong bone structure, accenting his blue eyes and square jaw line.  In the film, (under Sly’s direction) Venables gave Lundgren “a greasy, drug-afflicted vibe.”  She added length by giving him extensions, and was able to create a grungy look for Gunnar.  Check it out:  Lundgren in The Expendables 

 

 TOOL

What can I say that has not already been said on  the grooming of Mickey Rourke.  Mickey Rourke has been through a long line of looks through his Hollywood career.  From the baby face in Heavens Gate (1980) to the pretty boy look in Body Heat (1981), his “hard” look starts around the late ’80s with Barfly.  In the 1990’s, Rourke tested out a new career and changed roles when he flirted with the idea of boxing for four years.  Here is when the look really began to change.  In ’97 Rourke displayed a clean-cut bad boy look at the premiere of The Rainmaker.  Skip to 2000 where Rourke changes to a blond tanned beach boy look.  With a total new look in Sin City (2005) we see another flat top style (like mentioned with Lundgren), we jump to a long-haired blond wrestler in 2008.  And who can forget one of Rourke’s biggest roles and biggest come-backs in Iron Man, where he plays a Russian villain wearing white streaked hair.  Could he have enjoyed the hairstyle that much?!  Rourke plays the role of Tool, and according to Venables (unsurprisingly to most), “came to shoot already fully extended with his black and white striped bob (similar to that seen in Iron Man), leather-vested ensemble and custom motorcycle complementing his fully tatted character.” There’s no doubt, Rourke’s outfits and hair styling trends definitely make us take note.  Sporting the long black and white striped bob, an exaggerated thin mustache extended past the length of his lip with somewhat of a goatee tuft, we will all be watching out for his next look.  His personality definitely lets him get away with most of his looks.  

Mickey Rourke

JAMES MONROE

Venables “gave Eric Roberts, who plays the role of ruthless boss James Monroe, a manicured, silver, slicked-back look to exhibit complete control. Amazingly, that “control” stayed in place throughout the whole film, even standing up against the forces of nature during the explosion-ridden pier scene.”  To get explosion-proof hair wet your hair and brush  (using a Kent brush or military brush) through products like Murray’s Pomade and NuNile Pomade (use about the size of a dollar coin), or even a wax and spray/spritz as desired. 

Roberts for The Expendables

Stay tuned for our next set of groomed Expendables next Tuesday….

WAHL Man of the Year July 27, 2010

 In dedication to my men (and while I’m secretly in the kitchen mixing up my men’s skin care line) I couldn’t let this one pass for my fellas!

WAHL(R) Embarks on Nationwide Hunt for Best Beard, Mustache and Goatee in the Country

 

Well, beyond an undying passion for sporting the most awe inspiring beard, mustache or goatee known to man, it takes the voting help of friends, family and fellow facial hair enthusiasts. In collaboration with the WAHL Let it Grow Tour, the Man of the Year contest allows people to vote for the top facial hair all-star in the beard, mustache and goatee categories for each of the 14 cities the Tour buzzes through. More importantly, those unable to catch up with the Tour and desire entry into the Man of the Year Contest are eligible through our Anytown USA contest. All you need to do is upload a photo of yourself through the site, provide some general information and your face will compete against other uploaded hairy faces from all over the country. Emerge as the top vote getter in the beard, mustache or goatee category and you’ll face off against finalists from the Tour’s 14 other stops for grooming’s ultimate title, WAHL Man of the Year. Prizes include 3 incredible 42″ flat screen TV’s to each category winner. So check out some of our trimming tips. They are sure to help you gain an edge. An edge that could lead to victory in the Anytown USA contest and the eventual honor of being named a WAHL Man of the Year.To Enter go to: http://www.wahlnation.com/Registration

TOUR ENDS OCTOBER 9th – Albuquerque, New Mexico