Posts in Cosmetics
Not Loving Your Neck? Here's What to Do.

As a personal stylist for women, my conversations with clients go well beyond clothing. Naturally, we often discuss weight fluctuation, shifting identities and aging. Yes! There are a zillion clothing options for you to choose from and of course, flattering your frame has a major impact on how you feel. But the most important filter when choosing an item is whether or not it aligns with your authentic personal style. Does it fee like YOU? Does it feel like the YOU that you want to be, not the one that avoids risk of rejection or embarrassment. We’re talking about the you who wears that leather jacket or those wild shoes. Or perhaps this is the you that feels more comfortable in “menswear” or clothes that feel genderless. Whatever your innermost desire, that’s the you that the world deserves to see.

I’m in my late 40’s and am well aware of the changes in body, skin and hair that women my age are experiencing. Body acceptance is about loving your body where it is right now and finding beauty in it at every age and every size. This is absolutely achievable.

Body acceptance does not mean that you have to embrace changes that you don’t love. After all, we’ve got tools to address this. One of the most common concerns I hear from women over 45 is a sudden awareness of their necks. And not in a good way. When we’re younger, our necks aren’t really a thing and then one day… they are. So, if you’ve suddenly discovered your neck, here are some tips to help you love it again.

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Finally! Pinterest Decoded

As a personal stylist for women based in Seattle, I’m all about teaching my clients how to dress themselves and leveraging technology to make getting ready as easy as possible. It’s true, technology can be a blessing and a curse sometimes. But, it’s all about how (and how much) we use it. Is it making our lives better? My goal is to ensure that when it comes to harnessing your authentic personal style and getting ready every day, the answer is a resounding, “yes!”

Each Poplin client has a password protected webpage just for her. It tells her instantly what pieces flatter her frame, what colors make her look her best and more. Her profile defines her authentic personal style, shows photos of outfits made from her new and existing pieces and is a vast resource for her moving forward. It includes a list of brands a retailers that are ideal for her and a collection of Pinterest boards that can inspire her when she’s ready to dream or to shop. Sure, the online profile is only available to Poplin clients, but if becoming a client isn’t in the cards for you right now, you still have access to those magical Pinterest Boards. They are organized by body type, personal style key words, values and a few bonuses just because. (I’m looking at you undergarments and loungewear boards.)

If you check out the Poplin Pinterest Boards regularly, you may think you’ve seen it all. But, with 45 boards, it’s easy to have missed some. So, here’s your chance to find some inspiration, outfit ideas, product options and just all around eye candy. And remember to pin from the blog to help drive more traffic to Poplin. Every action makes a difference, my friend. Thanks very much for being here and have a great time.

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My Favorite Things Right Now

As a personal stylist for women, I’m always on the lookout for valuable recommendations for my clients and my community. At Poplin, we are all about simplifying your life and making getting dressed a stress free experience. Plus, we like cool stuff.

So here’s my download of all the things that are making my life better right now. Let me know what you think!

My Favorite Things Right Now

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IIT #10: Roots Bringing Down You Down? Not Anymore.

Who knew that this crisis would bring about so many existential questions? There are some big ones that instantly come to mind about equity and classism, as an example. Let’s call those “A list” crises. Just like there are B, C and D list celebrities, there are D list crises. We adore our D list celebrities and they matter to us — think Jerry on Cheer (by the way, this will make you feel very good.)

In the same way, we’ve got “D list” quarantine crises. Some of the most prominent involve how to look and feel good everyday without regular visits to the hairstylist. That can be hard to do when your grey is growing out or your roots are four inches long. Whether or not to go natural is a big decision for women. Are you someone who wants to embrace the grey and find beauty in the natural or do you find it depressing? We’re all strongly in one camp or the other.

Personally, my roots are dark brown and fortunately, they work as they grow out. But, if all of my hair was brown, I would feel that a large part of my identity was lost. After all, can you imagine me without red hair? I didn’t think so.

With that in mind I asked my hairstylist, Lindsay Brabank, to help the Poplin community solve two of the biggest hair challenges in quarantine: 1. How do I cut my own bangs and 2. What do I do about my roots? She has generously offered up advice for both. So, this post will be split into two.

Before we dive into her post, you should know that Lindsay has been the genius behind my hair color and cuts for the past few years. Every product she uses is chemical free and she has a wealth of information, having been a hairstylist for over 17 years. She also gives back to the community generously including hosting a successful fundraiser to help provide food and water to folks crossing the border. In short, she’s amazing and I hope that you find her info helpful AND that you support her as a small businesswoman hit hard by the pandemic.

Here we go!

A Professional’s Guide to Hiding Your Roots from Lindsay Brabank, Spruce Salon and Spa

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In It Together #2: Do Your Mani Like a Pro with this DIY Tutorial

The next several weeks are devoted to making your days better. We’ll be solving problems, decreasing anxiety, making you look and feel better. It’s all happening here. And, it’s all happening thanks to the genius of local small businesses in the Poplin community. Welcome to another installment of, “In it Together.”

While I have lots of great qualities, doing an attractive mani or pedi is certainly not one of them. A few years ago, i discovered how much better I feel when someone else makes my nails look amazing. This is not because I enjoy the process so much. In fact, I often find myself anxious about my schedule when I’m getting my nails done. Nope, it’s because I can’t seem to make them look as beautiful as I’d like.

And, apparently, I’m not alone.

So, today’s IIT post is courtesy of my good friend who is also an incredible resource, Courean Napolitano, owner of Vixen Day Spa and Boutique in Magnolia. It’s a magical land where you can get spa services and pick up a hip and affordable vegan leather jacket before you leave. I’m a big fan.

Enjoy Courean’s tutorial on doing the perfect mani at home.

Friday’s post is all about how to dress for yourself (and your Zoom calls) from yours truly. On deck, how to rearrange your place from Amy May, set yourself up for professional success on your Zoom calls from Kore Kobourlis and much more. Thanks for being here and take very good care.

How to do a Mani Like a Pro

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Quick & Effective Tips to Stop Chlorine from Destroying Your Hair

As I wrap up my sunny beach vacation in Panama, I’m reminded exactly how important it is to stop chlorine from damaging your hair. Local hairstylist Karen Reichert of Structure Salon offers these essential tips. And if you need some ideas for your sunny vacation, check out the Poplin Style Pinterest Board for lots of inspiration. New pins go live everyday. Enjoy!

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Microblading at Splash Extensions. I Did It! You Can Do it Too!

As a personal stylist for women, I hear a lot of questions. Yes, there are lots of questions about clothes. But, when I'm working with a client, it goes well beyond clothes. It's not uncommon for one of my clients to simply have never learned about style, makeup, hair. Often, she was busy doing other things that were more interesting to her. Then, she looked up years later and discovered she was missing some of the skills that would make style a fun part of her life, not a stressful chore. This naturally leads to questions on hair, makeup, skincare, undergarments, waxing. You name it, I've been asked about it. After all, once we've been in a dressing room together, most other inhibitions are long gone.

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Style Essentials: The Contents of your Summer Handbag

When it comes to handbags, I've got two kinds of clients: Those who only use one or two bags, and those who fully embrace handbags as an essential accessory. Regardless of which camp you happen to be in, the contents of your bag are critical during the summer months. After all, the sun is out and life is a bit more unexpected. 

As your very own personal stylist for women, it's time I give you the low down on your summer handbag essentials. Oh, and since it's Amazon Prime Day, I figured you are already spending the day on the site. So, this post is more Amazon heavy. Enjoy! 

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Why Lashes are a WIN + Announcing our Winner: FREE Lash Extensions from the Lash Factory

Earlier this week, I was in a women in leadership session listening to an incredible executive coach talk about the word, "busy." I think about this a lot, because as a personal stylist who is on the interweb, lots of people can see what I'm up to. So, when we run into one another, I often here, "how's it going? It looks like you are super busy." 

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Win a FREE Set of Lash Extensions ($250 Value!) From the Lash Factory

As a personal stylist for women, I spend my days offering tips and tricks to make lives easier. Who doesn't want the mornings to run more smoothly? Who isn't looking for easy ways to keep her style game elevated without having to try too hard? 

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What I'm Wearing Now.

I have conversations all day, everyday about clothes. Seriously. Frequently, I'm just chatting with someone on the street or at the coffee shop before a client consultation and I find myself writing down details of a particular item that I'm wearing so they can go grab one for themselves. No more! I'm all about efficiency, my friend. 

So, we now have a section of the website devoted to What I'm Wearing Now.

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Shop Small Seattle: Pick a Neighborhood. There's Something Just for You.

Well hello there, Dear Reader!

I trust you are gearing up for the holiday weekend. If you are on the Poplin email list, you received word earlier this morning about some hot spots for Small Business Saturday. If not,

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Hey! What are you Wearing?

Hello, Dear Reader! 

I'm still feeling the glorious effects of the Poplin client party. As you know, Naked Truth Beauty and Everling Jewelry were really the stars of the show. Over the summer I've become completely enamored with NTB and have been wearing the lips, eyes and beam (or just the lips/cheeks) plus moisturizer with SPF everyday. That's it. No foundation. No concealer. NTB really swept me off my feet. 

I had become pretty comfortable with

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A Big Night for Poplin Clients, Everling Jewelry & Naked Truth Beauty

Sometimes you just want to scan a photo gallery. Lucky for you, I just posted two galleries from last night's client event featuring Naked Truth BeautyEverling Jewelry AND a

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Naked Truth Beauty is Finally Available in Seattle!

Let us begin with my obsession with Naked Truth Beauty. The founder, Lauren Evashenk, makes luscious makeup for lips, cheeks & eyes that is totally 100% natural. No chemicals. No words you can't pronounce. Only quality ingredients that you feel good about on your body. Plus, they look great! 

In fact, I haven't worn makeup all summer (shhh) except

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Conquering Chafing, Sweat and Other Undesirable Issues that Come with Hot Weather

Finally, sunshine. As a personal stylist for women, I'm keenly aware that warm weather is both a blessing and a curse for many among us. If you find that your thighs rubbing together is not only undesirable, but actually hurts, you are not alone. How about sweat from the girls up top? These are especially common issues that up until now have been "solved" with baby powder or simply toughing it out. 

Enter Megababe Beauty Products. Designed by the woman behind the 12-ish style, these all natural products are aimed at solving these ever present issues. I heard about it and had to share. 

 

Megababe Products that Address Your

Summertime Challenges

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Win a Bottle of My Favorite Primer!

If you follow Poplin on Instagram, you've likely seen my immersion into the world of Arbonne. It all started with a chance encounter with a very stylish woman at a coffee shop in Pioneer Square. The next thing I knew, we made plans to get together so I could try out Arbonne, a company with a wide range of products sold in five countries that are eco friendly and meet European standards.

Fun Fact: The FDA does not require cosmetics products and ingredients to have approval before they go to market, although there are regulations that apply for interstate commerce. So, the European standards are a helpful guide.

Helen (as I discovered this very stylish woman was named) trains Arbonne reps. To avoid retail mark up, Arbonne is sold be representatives and online. Having been in desperate need of a new makeup routine, I decided to ask Helen for a makeup lesson using all Arbonne products. That was among my very best ideas. But, before I'd have a crack at the makeup, Helen suggested I sample the entire skincare routine for a week and see what I thought of the products.

And so began my adoration for Arbonne. In fact, I love it SO much, that I'm giving away a bottle of the stellar primer. More on that later. For now, let's focus on why you might want to take a look at Arbonne.

 

5 Reasons to Try Arbonne Right Now

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Get This Nail Polish.

As a personal stylist, I'm often asked what is the "must have" piece of the season. I'm always hesitant to answer this question because I believe that every woman is different. The unique combination of her figure, her personality, her lifestyle, her budget and her personal style determines her must have piece, not what the magazines are telling her. 

That being said, it's vital that we all stay current. 

And, in order to keep our looks fresh, we need to know what's out there. My current obsession is "mood nail polish." More accurately, it's a hyper color shirt from the 80's on your nails. That's right. Watch your nails shift from orange to yellow as cold water alters their temperature. Or, go for purple and pink. 

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How Can I Get Beautiful Lashes?

Ah, Dear Reader, the burning question. Lashes are big, bold and beautiful right now. Long lashes are associated with youth (just take a look at a kid sometime). The longer they are, the more youthful you look. Although, of course, there's a limit. 

But, how is it happening? Is everyone wearing falsies? Are they extensions? Is it a treatment? The answers vary and as your very own personal stylist, my job is to give you the tools you need to find the route to your perfect lash. Off we go!

The Lashes of Your Youth Right Now.

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