Every time I go anyplace, even the grocery store, people mention my manicures, even the simple ones. (The manis, not the commenters. But if the shoe fits…)

Some of the basic tools you should have on hand for your home mani. Photo by Karen Salkin.

When I tell them I do my nails myself, people are shocked. But I’ve been doing them forever. (Here’s my video tutorial, which I shot during the most isolated part of the pandemic, but this article that you’re reading now will still give you the written info, along with many and detailed auxiliary tips, so I suggest you peruse them both: www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_y6A4bxFfA.)

I’ve been obsessed with doing my nails since I was a tween; I always wrote in my diary about just how I did them.  And here we are, all these years later, and I still love doing my own. Besides that it’s more cost effective than going to a salon, it saves soooo much time in life to be able to do them in front of the TV, or just while chilling at home, in general, and not have to get dressed and travel to and from a nail establishment.

Start off with clean, groomed nails, like Karen Salkin’s are here. Photo by Mr. X, as is the one of Karen Salkin at the top of this page.

But that ability has become even more important since the Covid pandemic is still happening, no matter how much we all wish it was over already. People are finally being seen on a more frequent basis now, so we all want to look good, on every level. But I still feel that no one should be close to another person, (who is not a member of the fam or inner circle,) even with masks on, which you know most of you are not rocking! And nail techs, of course, touch your hands!!! And you can’t wash them when you leave the salon because…your nails were just done! Duh.

So I’m here to teach you the easiest way to do a home manicure. (You can thank me later.)

A very quick two-coat job I did last week. Notice the lack of spillover. Photo by Karen Salkin.

By the way–no worries if you’re not particularly ambidextrous; with my technique, you can make a mess and clean it up later. Just make sure your hands don’t need to be on display until that night or, ideally, the following day. [Note: Always try to do your home manicures many hours before bedtime—sleeping on not-fully-dry nails can cause ridges in the polish.]

Here are the steps to doing your own basic mani:

1) Always start with clean, dry nails. If you just applied hand cream, (which you should do every day,) make sure to then clean your nails and cuticles with alcohol before you begin the polishes.

2) Make sure your cuticles are groomed. It’s too late to start as you’re doing your mani, but in general, apply cuticle oil daily, then push them back gently with a non-sharp tool, such as a good old-fashioned orange stick. (But no oil on the day of your mani.)

An easy tribute-to-the-Mets mani I did quickly. Photo by Karen Salkin.

3) Gently file your nails into the shape you want, or whatever is easiest for you. The most popular is called “squoval,” which is a square-ish oval. That’s easier to maintain, and looks the classiest.

4) Begin with a base coat. A basic one will do, but there are also a variety of treatment options, (such as nail strengtheners,) which can be used as your base.

5) Let that coat dry for a minute or two, and then do one coat of color, making it as thin as possible. It will most likely look too opaque on your nails, but, unless it’s a special one-coat polish, that’s fine. The second coat will bring it all together.

6) After that first coat dries for a minute or two, do the second one, making sure it makes the color look normal enough–you don’t want to have to apply a third coat; it will make the polish too thick.

7) This one is optional, depending on how much time you have to let your nails dry, but you can always add a top coat or gloss; they both add shine, which bolder colors often need. But you do need more drying time if you choose to do it. (Or you can apply it the next day.)

This one is more advanced, of course. It’s Karen Salkin’s Easter nails. She hand-painted each one with a different original design! Photo by Mr. X.

8) No matter how many coats you have done, a quick dry product is a must. There are sprays for that job, or little home machines that you lay your hands into, but the best thing to use is a basic quick dry liquid, which looks like a clear polish. Very lightly brush it on each nail. It’s actually an oil, so you can just sort-of drop it on there; no need for it to be exact. (Here’s a secret way to set the polish if you don’t have the oil on hand: put ice water into the biggest bowl you can find, and dip your nails gently into it.)

9) Then just let your hands lie flat for at least a good half hour, undisturbed. (So make sure you visit the restroom before you begin your mani!) An hour is even better.

10) When your nails are definitely dry, you can clean-up any mess that you got on your skin. You can do that in either of two ways. One is to use a sharp-ish nail tool to gently scrape it away, (making sure to not cut your fingers, of course,) and the other is to dip a sharp-tipped cotton swab into a tiny bit of polish remover and swab it gently on the polish overage on your skin. And just fyi—most of it comes off in the shower, so if you can do your nails the day before you need them to be seen, that’s best.

A very basic shiny manicure on Karen Salkin. Photo by IANAM staff.

Once you get used to doing them, it will be second nature to you.  You could start off with a light pink polish until you get the hang of it, so any mess-ups will barely show.

And here’s one last secret tip for nail polishing. If you get a few little chips, but don’t have time to re-do the whole thing before your hands are going to be seen, just do one quick sparkly topcoat. The sparkles disguise the chips, and give your polish a new lease on life for a few more days. (By the way–it’s not great fun to remove sparkly polish from nails, but just remember to do only one light coat, and it’s really not a big problem to remove.)

I promise you that it’s all really easy enough, even with your non-dominant hand. In case you need that visual to guide you, here’s the link to my video again: www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_y6A4bxFfA.

Happy Mani-ing!

As I’m sure so many of you are, as well, I’m very into skin care these days. I want to fully foray back out into the world looking and feeling my best.

And these winter months can be extra-hard on our faces. The drying effects of the weather, no matter where you live, means that we have to be extra vigilant right now in taking care of our skin, especially on our faces and necks.

But the topic of just how to use the incredibly many skincare products on the market always brings up much debate. Everyone seems to be confused as to what to use and when. I’m no doctor, of course, (but my boyfriend did play one on TV, so does that count?,) but I did the next best thing. After reading many confusing and contradictory articles on the subject, I went right to the experts—dermatologists, estheticians, and product reps—for the definitive answers.

They all agree that you apply thinnest to thickest. So I have put together a regimen for you that I myself have been using to success. I’ve even gotten Mr. X to join me! And the routine of it, along with good results, of course, has kept him doing it for over a year now.

So here’s the basic order of products for both day and night. [Note: If you have special issues, such as acne or rosacea, please always consult your doctor about how to proceed with your own skincare.]

I know this sounds like common sense, but I promise that not everyone thinks of it: Always begin with clean hands. And don’t forget to brush your teeth before applying anything to your clean face; you’ll mess-up the products around your mouth if you have to brush, floss, and use mouthwash afterwards.

And, of course, start by cleansing your face, both morning and night. Almost any type of liquid cleanser or face-specific bar will work; just do not use a harsh one or an exfoliant, which should be applied only once a week.

I’m iffy on toner, for both day and night. Do what your skin is telling you. But many experts agree to wipe some toner across your face with a cotton ball or pad after your cleanse, to restore the PH in your skin before applying any other product.

Daytime:

After cleansing and gently toweling your face dry, (but not too dry—a touch of dampness helps the products sink in a bit,) Vitamin C is always first. As with all serums, a few drops will do. Just sort-of pat it in, rather than rubbing. (That applies to every face product!)

Then any form of anti-aging serum, even if you’re young. Trust me, aging catches-up to everyone!

Hyaluronic acid serum or lotion comes next.

Do not ever forgot this one! Neck cream, (which can wait until night time instead, if you like.) So many people neglect their necks; just look at all the celebrities who’ve had facial work, but still have old necks. That area is hard to fix with surgery.

Then comes eye cream—always dab, do not rub! It’s best to use your ring finger for this one. Apply it under your eye and also around the side, where crow’s feet are born. (And live—forever!)

If you use a lash-growth serum, you may as well apply it now, while all the other serum and creams soak in. You can do it at night instead, but never at both times in one day. If you wear eye make-up, even if you’re conscientious enough to remove it at night, I always feel like your eyelids and lashes have less residue after you wash your face in the morning.

The penultimate daytimes step is basic moisturizer, over your entire face and neck.

And never forget your sunscreen!!! Even on cloudy days. It’s the most important daytime step! Try to use one containing at least SPF 50. And remember to apply it to your ears, as well, along with any scalp that is exposed. Please do not make the mistake of thinking that if you wear face make-up with SPF in it, it’s enough to protect you from the powerful sun’s rays these days. It is not!!! So always apply sunscreen as the last daytime skincare step, before you start applying make-up.

There is one possible trade here: If you’re like me and work from home all day, and then just get ready to go out in the evening, you can skip the sunscreen if it’s already dark out, and end with face oil instead. Oil is not only occlusive, which means it will seal all the other serums and potions in, but it gives the skin a little dewiness, which makes you look younger. Most oils are okay for even people with acne to use, so just read the label before you commit to a certain product. (But never put oil over sunscreen; it will negate the layer of sun protection.)

Mid-day:

If you got ready at the crack of dawn, you might need a mid-afternoon refresher, especially if you’re going out right from work. So just very gently spray a water or make-up refresher onto your face, (with your eyes closed, of course,) and let it dry. That one little act will make you good to go.

Nighttime:

Always remove any make-up before you actually cleanse. There are plenty of specific make-up removers on the market. And then use a gentle cleaner with a wet washcloth, and finish by splashing your face until all the residue is gone.

There are only three or four products that should be applied at night. The most important one is retinol or another form of Vitamin A, including the new trendy Bakuchiol.

Then eye cream, and possibly your neck cream here, especially if you didn’t use it during the day.

Finish with a night-specific cream or lotion.

Extras: 

Please do not forget to use hand and body lotion every day.

And remember your lip balm, too, which should be applied after everything, both day and night, and often throughout the day.

When you have some time on occasion, luxuriate with a sheet mask. And on those days or nights, just rub in what’s left on your face when you remove the mask, and be done with it.

If you do this routine faithfully, you should begin to see an improvement in your skin in a month or two. Keep at it, even if you’re being health-cautious and spending most of your time at home right now.

Happy Beautifying!

If the recent Global Citizen concert taught us anything, it’s that…no female celebs can do their own nails!!! I actually loved seeing people like Jennifer Lopez with just regular little bare nails, but they were also a shock.

So, since most of us will be in our homes for at least two more weeks, (and who knows how long after that,) I figure I need to pitch-in for the greater good and teach you all to do your own manis! (I’ve been doing my own nails since I was twelve!) Here’s the link to my latest YouTube video on the subject: www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_y6A4bxFfA.

Karen Salkin’s self-polished Easter nails from 2018. Photo by Mr. X, as is the one of Karen (and her nails, also self-done,) at the top of this page.

And now, here are a few more of my thoughts on the beauty and vanity situations, both of which I’ve pretty much given up for the past six weeks!

I can tell you right now that people are soooo going to regret their make-up-free selfies and videos when this is over! They’re doing those only because the isolation is getting to them. And they obviously think they look cute that way, or they would not share them to begin with. They’re probably relieved that they have an excuse to show that they look good enough without make-up because you’re never allowed to do that in Hollywood, unless you’re a comedienne. Or trying to win an Oscar!!!

People, including Mr. X, keep asking me to do little daily videos during this siege, to cheer them up, but there’s no way I’m applying make-up on a daily basis when there’s no real need for it! And I’m definitely not going on any camera, (not even Skype, Zoom, or FaceTime on my phone!,) without make-up! The only slightly good thing during this horrific situation is that I get to take this uber-long break from all of that! Even though I’ve been cosmetics-obsessed since I was a young teen, (and now own more products than Sephora!,) I’m actually not a fan of putting it all on. And I’m sure my face is a bit relieved for the time to refresh, as well. So I apologize to the people who want to see daily vids from me, but I have done several in quarantine, so keep an eye-out for those. (Today’s is the third one published, with two more in the weeks to come.)

Pierce Brosnan before the isolation…

…and Pierce Brosnan now!

Getting back to the celebs, they just need to stop over-sharing their lives. No one wanted to see Pierce Brosnan looking like he does now! His white-haired old man appearance jarred me to my core.

And no one wants to see each other’s white or gray hair roots, either! I think famous people are just trying to show the regular folk that they are not alone. But I’m begging each overexposed person in the public eye–keep it to yourself. I don’t need to know how long your mustaches have grown, either—and I’m talking to the ladies!

Eva Longoria’s white roots! Ugh.

But it’s not just the celebrities who are nescient about basic beauty how-tos. How does no one know how to do their own nails? Or color their hair??? I’ve even done my own pedis forever! (I was billed as a “World Famous Contortionist” when I was in the circus, so maybe that’s why I can still contort to do my toes. That demonstration may or may not be in my new YouTube video, at this link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_y6A4bxFfA.)

Yes, I have gotten professional pedicures on occasion, but when one “tech” cut out a chunk of my heel, by accident, (and then still charged me on top of it,) I was done. And why risk the infections, anyway, even when they’re done correctly? If you get pedis because you’re elderly and can’t reach your own toes, just go to a podiatrist instead, and get your toenails trimmed. You don’t need polished toes when no one but you is seeing them!!!

Karen’s simple “Tribute to the Mets” self-polished nails, back when sports could be played! Photo by Mr. X.

And at all times, even home alone, dirty nails, and unkempt cuticles, just show that you’re disgusting! So take care of them. And apply cream or lotion to your hands themselves, especially now that we’re all washing our hands at least once an hour these days. (At least I am; I hope you all are, too!)

I go through all of that, step-by-step, in my new YouTube video, Isolation Manicures. I even explain gel manicures on there, too. (At least I think I do—I went through so much information on there that I don’t remember every single detail of it.)

Some very common manicure tools, which Karen explains in her latest YouTube video. Photo by Karen Salkin.

If this isolation situation goes on much longer, (which I feel it really should,) maybe I’ll also teach you guys how to do pedicures for yourselves. And then make-up, as well. And if it goes into June, I just may have to break-out the coup de grace—how to Tom Sawyer talk your significant other into coloring/flat-ironing your hair for you! Trust me—I’ve been doing it for years!

But, for now, just learn my at-home manicure techniques. After all, what else do you have to do in isolation that would be more fun? That link again is www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_y6A4bxFfA. And please let me know how it works-out for you.

Happy Hands-ing!

I love when things work out fairly in the world, and last night’s Miss Universe competition did just that! I called Miss South Africa, Zozibini Tunzi, as one of the stand-outs when we saw the original ninety contestants!!! And championed her as the three hours went along.

And, almost to my shock—she won! Yay!

Miss Universe 2019 Zozibini Tunzi.

Zozibini totally deserves the win. She’s lovely and speaks beautifully. I could listen to her say anything. And I love that she’s so different from everyone else. Her hair is beyond short, she has no boobs, and she’s uber-skinny, not in a sexy way. And her gown was the furthest thing from sexy, too, but I love that she said it’s gold and blue to represent her country’s sand and sea. And her stance is so not pageant-y. She stood out all night as never trying too hard; she seemed so serene at all times. And, of course, I’m thrilled that she’s a black South African!

Also a bonus to the telecast was having gorgeous, natural, well-spoken Olivia Culpo, (the last American to win this competition, in 2012, and she’s from one of my two adopted states—Rhode Island–so I’ve always been in her corner,) being one of the commentators. She even made usually full-of-beans Vanessa Lachey seem good. (But I did detest both of Olivia’s puffy dresses. Very weird choices. Unless she’s preggers, which I’m just about positive she is not.)

Olivia Culpo.

But, of course, there’s so much more to dish about the show! (Have you met me?!) So here goes:

There’s absolutely no reason to drag this show out to three hours! Two would definitely suffice.

And Steve Harvey does not need to be the host again. His “humor” is way too slow and self-aggrandizing, and a comedian is the wrong choice, anyway. The show just needs a charming, supportive host with no extra chatter. His monolog at the top was brutal this time. No one’s paying attention—the on-site audience is there for the ladies, not a comedian. It’s the wrong venue for him.

The real National Costume winnner…

…and the one Steve Harvey erroneously announced.

And he has another major snafu this year. It wasn’t as bad as him announcing the wrong winner in 2015, but it’s still bad, even though this one was not his fault, either. This go-round, he announced the winner of the National Costume portion to be Miss Philippines, and they showed a picture of her in her beautiful silver outfit. But then he talked to a different girl on the lower level of the stage, in a costume with a food buffet on it! I was wondering how Miss Philippines got dressed so quickly because she had just been onstage a minute ago as part of the Top 10! But the girl corrected Steve, telling him she was Miss Malaysia, not Philippines. So he made a big fuss about how the teleprompter said Philippines and he was sorry about that and then he interviewed Miss Malaysia. But it turns out, Philippines really is the winner, but since she couldn’t put her costume on in just one minute, they were showing someone else in a different costume just to use up the time allotted to that segment. So Philippines didn’t get the fun of talking about it, and Malaysia got the embarrassment of thinking she had won when she had not. The even sadder part is that they never corrected it while they were on the air—you had to read various news items today, or even better, this article, to find out the truth of that situation. The producers really need to do much, much better next year. (By the way—I, personally, thought the winner should have been Miss Laos, who came in disguised…inside a pink elephant!)

And the National Costume I thought should have won. This girl walked-out on stage INSIDE the elephant, and then emerged from it!

Here’s more stupidity. When it gets down to five girls, each one is asked her own question. They call the segment “The Final Question.” But it is definitely not the final question because when it gets down to three girls, there is one more question! They called that portion “The Final Word,” which is so stupid. And guess what? That is also incorrect because it is not the final word. Each of the trio gets to walk out on stage by herself and make one more statement. So that part is actually the final word. I think they call that one something like “The Final Look.” But it’s not just a look, it’s also a listen. So maybe they should call that segment “The Final Look and Listen.” I find it hard to believe that with so many producers and other people working on Miss Universe, not one of them can come up better names for these portions of the competition. That is just mind-boggling. (I guess they need to hire yours truly next year, to straighten it all out for them.)

Steve Harvey with the eventuall winner, Zozibini Tunzi.

And they never once said any one of the competitors’ names! Not even the winner! That is shameful.

It’s sort-of weird that this is called “Miss Universe 2019” because she’s really serving for most of 2020! I think they just keep having the pagaent later and later, but if they label it correctly, as “2020,” then it will look like they skipped a year.

There were way too many non-indigenous-to-the-countries-they’re-representing contestants. They won the titles in other countries because of their heritages. I don’t know how many exactly, but I could tell right away by the way they spoke. One example is Miss Albania, who is from Chicago!!! And Miss Indonesia is Australian and Miss Thailand grew up in Canada! Ridiculous.

The only music guest of the night was girl-bander Ally Brooke, who was a waste of time. She seems like a nice girl (from what I saw of her on this season’s recent Dancing With The Stars,) but she’s not a good singer and she added nothing to these proceedings. Her version of a Selena song, I Could Fall In Love, was brutal. And why were they featuring a tribute to Selena anyway? That was very odd. But at least Ally was the only one on there who rocked a black gown! All the contestants’ gold choices were annoying.

Look at Miss South Africa’s honest and confident stance, especially compared to the other Top Three contestants.

The second best news of the night, after Miss South Africa’s win, was that that creepy full-of-herself woman who usually does the (very biased) commentating, Lu Sierra, was nowhere to be found. That was a pleasure.

And here’s one last surprise—I started writing this article only to say how happy I am that the correct girl won! But I guess I just can’t help myself from sharing my views on all of it with you guys! (If you like, you can weigh-in, as well, in the Comments section below.)

I recently had the privilege of getting a sneak peek into the world of spas. And now I know why some have better treatments and products than others—they discover them at Live Love Spa!!!

Just some of the Live Love Spa goodies. Photo by Karen Salkin, as is the one at the top of this page.

Before I give you some specifics, here’s the backstory. My wonderful LA aesthetician, Marc Edward, told me about a fabulous event he always attends, Live Love Spa, which is for spa professionals only. (But many of the products I discovered there are for everyone.) It travels to several cities over the course of the year, and when I found-out that it was arriving in New York City the very same day as yours truly, you just know that I begged to see what it was all about. And I can attest to the fact that Marc was indeed correct about its fabulous factor!!!

I do have to stress that it is not open to the public. But if you are a spa professional, who is in or can get to one of the major cities that Live Love Spa visits, you’d be a fool to miss it! (The link to learn more is at the bottom of this article.)

One section of the action. Photo by Karen Salkin.

In New York, it was held in Fifth Avenue’s Mynd Spa, which itself blew my, well, mind. The door to the street makes it seem like it will be tiny, but it’s actually gigantic. And gorgeous! What an optical illusion the exterior is.

There wasn’t one sponsor at Live Love Spa with whom I was not impressed. The products themselves were all marvelous, of course, (some I was familiar with, but most were new to me,) and the reps were upbeat and knowledgable. Even the attendees made it feel like we were all in something together. [Note: I was the only interloper, yet the entire assemblage was welcoming, from Marisol, who’s the lovely lady who helped me from the get-go to good-bye, down to even the locker room personnel, to whom I was a total stranger!]

One of the chockfull goodie bags. Photo by Karen Salkin.

I believe that each city’s Live Love Spa is a two-day happening, which includes lunch, dinner, a humongous goodie bag filled with all the sponsors’ products, and a couple of spa treatments; there’s an entire menu of creative choices! That way, the spa professionals in attendance can best decide which ones to feature at their own spas. Who knew that there is such a science to being pampered?!

I arrived just in time for lunch, (which I promise you was not by design, even though you all think that it was,) which was a very smart make-your-own-salad bar. It was exactly the kind of meal that everyone needed at the time. And then a couple of hours later, just as my strength was beginning to wane and I was craving something sweet, Marisol brought out a jumbo arrangement of all kinds of unbelievably delicious dessert treats. What an incredibly perfect surprise!

Treat time! Photo by Karen Salkin.

I cannot portray enough just how convivial the entire event was. But here’s one little tale of the day to help convey it. I felt like Cinderella going to the ball, with all her mice pals pitching-in to make it perfect for her. Here’s what happened:

Since this was my first day in New York in three years, and it was raining, to boot, I hadn’t portioned my time right to go all the way back to where I was staying to get ready for a Gala that night, which was being held right in the same neighborhood as Mynd Spa. And believe me when I tell you that I was far from camera-ready. So Amy, a lovely woman who works at Live Love Spa, (and whose title on their website is the very correct “Instant Bestie,”) not only told me to go shopping, which I had not thought of for myself, but helped me find a very affordable place close by. (And she is not from New York, either! How did she know so much more than moi?!) And then several of the sponsors came to my rescue in the beauty category. Jennifer Faucet from Elemis did an oxygen treatment around my eyes; Eminence gave me eye cream to keep that freshness going; Adele from Bee Pampered henna-ed my eyebrows; Shelly from Au Naturale helped me do eye make-up with their products and even gave me a lipstick; and the founder of Kindred, Frances Thrasher, doled-out a scoop of one of their cream blushes (that come in a myriad of skin tones) to put the icing on my face cake! To help me calm down about my time-management snafu, I received a relaxing and luxurious hand treatment from Spa Revolutions, and the girls from Santa Cruz’s now Vital Body rubbed their CBD pain cream into my by-then aching back, while I used Cause + Medic pain relief cream on my too-used knees. Whew. And absolutely everyone gave me all-around encouragement. Despite the dreariest of days in New York, I left Live Love Spa absolutely glowing.

Another area, including the brows service. Photo by Karen Salkin.

Some of the other worthwhile brands I discovered that day are Faith Cosmetics America, Province Apothecary, Spa Technologies, Beauty Prophet, Mindful Luxury, Marcy Snodgrass, Priori Skin, Retail Therapy, Lucky Owl, Nelly De Vuyst, PCA Skin, CryoTone, Epicuren, and Sothys. I hope to tell you more about all of them down the line.

And here’s the great news for licensed professionals in this line of work—Live Love Spa is now moving on to Napa and Maui, before starting all over again around the whole country in 2020. If you are in the spa industry, I suggest you mark it down on your calendars this very minute! And then I’ll know that you’re qualified to work on my being!

One of the most festive displays. Photo by Karen Salkin.

For all the real details, (such as that you must be a spa owner, director, manager, or lead with buying power, or you influence the buying for the spa, and come from a spa with more than three treatment rooms that offer facials and massages,) please visit www.livelovespa.com. I may just buy a spa so that I can attend it again!

As several people had pointed-out to me, my usually luxurious locks were looking a tad tired recently. I had about five different colors running through it, and the length was fast approaching Crystal Gayle territory! I love having such long, thick tresses, especially when so many ladies tell me that their hair just doesn’t even grow anymore, (a mix of environment and age, I believe,) but enough was enough.

Karen Salkin’s before pic. Photo by Noelle Hannibal.

Karen Salkin’s after pic! Photo by Mr. X.

So when someone, whose opinion on these things I trust, suggested that I pay a visit to the Marco Pelusi Salon in West Hollywood, they didn’t have to say it twice. I was headed to my high school reunion in New York a week later, so the timing of the recommendation was just perfect!

I had heard of Marco for the past dozen years or so, so I was happy to finally meet him. He’s a color specialist, which is exactly what I needed right about then. I have to confess that I had had my own secret formula for years—a company made almost my exact natural auburn hair color, so, like Lucille Ball before me, I had bought a ton of it. But when I finally ran out and called the company for more, they gave me the awful news that they no longer make that shade!!!

Part of the salon. Photo by Karen Salkin.

I lucked-out with Marco on that front–he was totally sensitive to my predicament. He gave me the time to discuss my desires before mixing-up just the right color to correct all my attempts at finding one for myself. (I had tried-out different colors over the past several months, so my hair was a subtle different shade every few inches!) As we people who color our hair all know, many colorists don’t care about our desires in this area at all, thinking they know better than the client! So I appreciate that Marco listens. What a breath of fresh air that is.

And here’s another refreshing surprise—he didn’t want to dish with me! He’s all business about beauty; he’s not there to either dole-out or hear idle gossip. (Not that I wanted to give him any; I’m just saying’.) So even celebs can feel confident going to him, knowing their privacy will always be respected.

So, with my sad hair color refreshed so perfectly, we moved on to a trim. I asked Marco to cut just two inches, expecting him to really cut four, because that’s what every hair person has ever done to me. But guess what? Marco listened to me on this issue, as well! This is a man who appreciates long hair, let me tell you! He trimmed off the minimum, while still getting rid of all the damage. I came out of his salon looking like a new woman! Or at least one with good hair again.

Karen Salkin (and her new hair ‘do) with Marco Pelusi, the hair artiste responsible for it all. Photo by Victoria Marie.

And the Marco Pelusi Salon personnel are equally nice. Ashlee from New Zealand amiably greeted me, (and encouraged me to snack on several pieces of Halloween candy that they offer in several places around the salon,) while Vicky not only did a thorough shampoo for me, but also did the finishing touches with the flat-iron.  The whole experience was actually the opposite of most of the snooty salons in this area that I’ve visited over the years. I love places like this that make you feel comfortable!

But wait—what were the reactions to my new ’do?  Well, Mr. X saw it first, and loooved it! He kept commenting on how nice and shiny it looked all day. He actually said, “It looks like a Pantene ad.” That, as you may know, is the best compliment a head of hair can receive! And even in New York in the next few days, strangers noticed on it. It was amazing to me that in that crazy busy city, with so much sensory input on a minute-to-minute basis, my refreshed locks commanded that much attention.

Some of Marco Pelusi’s products, displayed before Halloween, of course!  (Note the cute decorations.) Photo by Karen Salkin.

So, to keep that look going, I left the salon with some of Marco’s eponymous products. The Rosemary Mint Shampoo features a low pH, which Marco told me is better for the hair and the color. Then I got both conditioners—the French lavender-scented Hydrate, which is a rinse-out conditioner that helps keep the color fresh, and his signature leave-in conditioner, to help with…everything!

So now you know all my new hair secrets. And we can all thank Marco Pelusi for that!

Marco Pelusi Salon  636 N Robertson Blvd.  West Hollywood  310-967-0999   www.marcopelusi.com

I’m so glad that on one of our busiest days of the year, a friend and I made the time to stop by this easy-peasy event.  Chilling was actually the purpose of it; the invitation even said, “We are excited to bring more awareness about the importance of taking care of one’s body, mind, and spirit.”

The gym. Photo by Karen Salkin, as is the one of the step-and-repeat at the top of this page.

It was held at the Pico Athletic Club, which is a very accessible gym whose entrance is right on the street!  There’s no going through an entire office building to get to it, as so many work-out facilities are situated these days. My friend said, “A gym is a great place to hold an event such as this one, directed toward beauty and healthful lifestyles, because we were surrounded by reminders to work out more often!”

We couldn’t stay long, (because of our aforementioned crazy schedule that day,) but long enough to avail ourselves of some of the cool happenings on offer at this event.

Justin doing a massage. Photo by Karen Salkin.

As we entered, the hostess, Joy Parris, was announcing the winners of the raffle they had held earlier, and the guests all seemed happy with it.  When they took a break, she showed us around.  There were lovely desserts inside, but as we had just come from a foodie event, we had to pass on them.  We spoke with some of the sponsors, and looked around.

Traveling Hands, an on-call massage company we’ve become familiar with over the past year, had one of their masseurs there to do mini table massages on all the appreciative guests.  (The table wasn’t mini–the length of the massages was!)  My friend had hurt her hand that  morning, so she was especially happy to make Justin’s acquaintance.  She said, “I thoroughly enjoyed the massage. It was terrific, and he really helped relieve the tension in my injured hand.”

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Before we left, even though I was still sort-of full from the earlier food fest that day, I managed to sample some of the food from Bibigo, whose healthful fare I’m always happy to avail myself of.  I enjoyed a mini version of one of their famous Korean rice bowls, layered with brown rice, chicken, and all kinds of fresh veggies.  It’s always delicious, and feels kind of light while still being filling.

But, as the beauty-obsessed gals that we are, we were the happiest with the generous gift bags we received on the way out.  We had tried-out Nava Naturals Facial Peel on our hands earlier, (with my pal commenting, “It smells great and works even better,”) so we were happy to receive our own jars of it to now try on our always-stressed-out faces.

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Some of the other highlights of the bags were a handy package of Miliani Cosmetics, (which my buddy said is a “terrific gift because it has a zipper purse to hold all the fabulous lipsticks and eyeliners”); Exfolimate, which is a hand-held tool to exfoliate your face; Reveal U Face & Body Gel, which my athletic pal says is “great after swimming in a pool, because the chlorine drys out skin”; Mixed Chicks spiral hair ties in a fun works-for-most amber color; and a private session with a stylist at Macy’s. How fun is all that?!

For spending so little time at an event, we certainly had a wonderful time.  If they do it again next year, I just may forego my other events to spend the entire day here!

As a total “hair girl” for my whole life, (I think I came out of the womb asking, “How are my bangs?,”) I was happy to meet Michael Canale at this fete at his eponymous hair salon in the heart of Beverly Hills.

Photo by Karen Salkin, as is the big one at the top of this page.

The occasion was the launch of his four-product line of hair care, which all his clients apparently have been waiting for with bated breath.

The guest were all in good spirits, and I was happy to meet Michael himself, especially once I noticed that his line includes hair vitamins. I always want to ensure the health of my ten thousand pounds of locks, and I feel that inner health may be the way to go on that situation. He seemed eager to share his knowledge with me, and even introduced me to the doctor who helped him formulate them.

All the while, we noshed on the lovely healthful spread that was replenished all night. We enjoyed all the snacks, but were especially impressed with the beautifully-carved fruit sculpture. My friend was even brave enough to try the very unusual “horned melon!” She was the only one to do so, apparently, because people kept coming over to ask her about it all night. (By the way—it was not her fave. But she’s always open to new experiences, so she’s glad to have learned about a new food.)

Photo by Karen Salkin.

I loved that the mouthwatering color scheme of the turquoise-and-black packaging of Michael’s products was continued into the plates, utensils, and napkins! That made it my kind of soiree!

Every guest left with a pretty bag of samples from Michael’s new line. Sadly, the vitamins were not included in there, but if ever I do get to try them, you know I’ll be sure to let you guys know the results.

The whole event was so nice that I put it in my mind to go back one day soon to review the entire Canale salon experience, so keep an eye out for that. If this launch party was any indication, I have a feeling it will be a very positive situation.

And you thought it was just the beginning of a new month. Silly readers.

To me, every day is National Nail Polish Day! I’ve been obsessed with every aspect of manicures since I was about twelve. Growing up, I even detailed my daily nail grooming in just about every diary entry. (I’m not exaggerating—I brought those teen-age diaries back with me from Brooklyn a few years ago, and had so much fun reading them. They’re really fascinating, on all levels. I mean it. I’m even thinking of publishing them some day! They may just hold the keys as to why I’m so nutty.)

The mess I made while creating my Easter nails! Photo by Karen Salkin.

Even though I’m sure that many of you think of me as pampered, I assure you that that assessment is totally wrong. Especially when it comes to nails. I’ve been doing my own manis and pedis forever! No lie. I very occasionally get a professional one, but I rarely have the time. I just do my own while I’m watching TV, thereby killing two birds with one stone.

I’m happy to say that I’m the proud owner of several hundred polishes, and I’m not exaggerating, even a little bit. Just ask Mr. X, who’s less than thrilled with that situation.

And I adore most of them. I also have all the tools of the trade, and many nail treatment products. My friends always tell me I should open a nail salon, but a) I enjoy doing only my own, and 2) I’m already too time-constrained, remember?

Karen Salkin’s 2017 Easter nails. Photo by Mr. X.

But when I have some time around any special holiday, I even do my own nail art! Of course, it’s far from as gorgeous as what the pros are capable of, but I’m always proud of my efforts. My Easter nails, where I paint each one differently, as individual Easter e-words, are my pièces de résistance, but I once even made them into matzahs! (For Passover, of course. But, luckily for you guys, I can’t find those pix, because that was far from my shining moment.)

So, to celebrate National Nail Polish Day, guess what I’m going to do right now? Polish my nails, of course! (It’s actually what I was just about to do, anyway, when I found-out about this special day, and had to put that activity on hold while I wrote this column!)

I really do love so many different brands of polish, but here are just a very few of my current faves for this summer (minus the treatments I love—let them get their own day! This one is for polishes only!):

SpaRitual’s Inhale Collection—I have never received so many compliments on my nail polish than I have when I wear Harmony, a creamy light pink. But I’m a bit more partial to Renewal because it’s so subtle, (while being a tad sparkly,) which is perfect for swimming; if you get a chip or two, no one will notice. And this line is the easiest to put on—there’s no need for a base coat nor a top one! Just two coats of the polish and bing, bang, boom—you’re done!

Artistic Nail Design’s Colour Revolution Baywatch Collection—Right now, I have their Little Red Suit (which is an orangey-red, as opposed to a winter weather one) on my toes, but I also love the purple Baes of the Bay. You can’t go wrong with either for a bright color right now.

Butter London’s Patent Shine in Pink Knickers—This shade is very pretty and classy, even if it’s not as shiny as the name would indicate. But there’s just something about the bottles from this company, (and even the name and packaging!,) that makes you feel like you’re in with the in crowd when you use it!

Mixify Beauty—When no commercial colors are hitting you right, you can always mix up your very own polish shade with this DIY kit! It’s always the most fun to do on a Girl’s Night In, but if you’re a less-sharing type, (which I sometimes am,) just break out the kit when you’re alone, and make like Dexter’s Laboratory to come up with your own signature color.

Karen Salkin’s very basic 2017 St. Patrick’s Day nails. (But notice that the ring fingers are a different shade of green, and sparkly, too.) Photo by Mr. X.

Let me leave you with this one perfect tip for nail polishing. If you get a few little chips, but don’t have time to re-do the whole thing before your hands are going to be seen, just do one quick sparkly topcoat. The sparkles disguise the chips, and give your polish a new lease on life for a few more days. You can thank me later. (Yes, it’s not great fun to remove sparkly polish from nails, but just remember to do just one light coat, and it’s really no problem to remove.)

That’s it for now. I hope that you all enjoy National Nail Polish Day as much as I will! Polish away!!!

I had received such a perfect haircut in New York in the Fall that I was loathe to get it worked on again since then, even for just a bang trim! But after being a guest at the one year anniversary fete of Salon Kazumi in Beverly Hills last month, and noticing how good the staff looked, I decided to take the chance on having one of them refresh my tired tresses.

Photo by Karen Salkin.

It helped that Sayuri Tsuchitani, the stylist who worked on me, is also bi-coastal, so I can go to her again when I’m back in NY. (She goes back-and-forth to Hawaii, as well. That girl gets around, doesn’t she?) This experience worked-out so well that I want to share it with you.

First of all, Sayuri looks great herself, so I totally trusted that she would not make me look crazy. (You know how some hairdressers do that? They think their hair is the way everyone’s should be, even if it’s multi-lengths and bright blue!)

I really appreciated that she was compassionate when I told her about something I’ve been going through with my hair. It’s a much longer story than this, but, even though no one seems to notice anything different about my ten thousand pounds of hair, (knock on wood,) my stroke medications are making my usually stronger-than-steel locks much weaker than I’m happy with. I would say that I’m pulling my hair out over the situation, but I don’t want to make light of losing even one strand right now!

Karen Salkin’s finished hair, done by Sayuri Tsuchitani (pictured) of Salon Kazumi. Photo by Jennifer Carmody.

I discussed the issue with Sayuri before we began, and she told me that the highlights I had made my appointment for (at someone’s suggestion—I would have never thought of them myself,) would further damage my hair, and she suggested doing some special treatments instead. (I believe they were keratin, collagen, and gloss, but you’d have to ask her the details. I just put myself in her hands, and went with the flow.)

Before I tell you how it all worked-out for me, let me tell you about the salon itself.  Salon Kazumi is the most peaceful hair place I’ve ever been in! Nobody was talking loudly, either in person or, heaven forbid, on a phone! And the music that was playing was very cool and at a perfect volume. And I knew the entire space was as clean as it looked because a lovely woman was making it so, very unobtrusively, the whole time.

I realized that I was actually very relaxed for the first time in a long time.  Sayuri even brought me several magazines that I really wanted to look at, (so I didn’t have to forage for reading materials myself,) and kept offering me my choice of  beverages. I even enjoyed the way they did the heat on my hair to set the color! I stayed in my chair, and Sayuri brought a rotating heat lamp to me.  I didn’t even have to sit “under” it; it was just like a halo above me!

Karen Salkin’s hair and brow color setting under the heat “halo.” Photo by Karen Salkin.

Speaking of color, I was happy that she colored my roots only, and let me keep my natural auburn shade.  Many stylists feel they have to tell you that you need that changed, as well as your style, to show that they know more than you do. (And she dyed my brows to match, which I was happy about.  I usually think of that service myself, but not until after I get home!)

Sayuri also agreed with me that my long, straight style is the best one for me, suggesting only that we cut it about three inches, which I knew I sorely needed at that point. And “three inches” meant just that to her; not the “six” it means to most other hair people I’ve visited!  She also shaped it overall and did a really cute bang trim, that I keep getting compliments on.

So, I came out looking great, rather than like someone else’s weird, artistic vision of what my head should look like.

An added bonus was that, to keep the roots intact for a while longer, Kazumi has developed her own brand for that purpose, Root Vanish.  The good news for me is that she specializes in brunette colors, so I was told that the dark brown should still blend in with my reddish tones. (I tried it out, and it does!) It’s also made with ingredients that are good for your hair, so that’s a bonus.

Photo by Karen Salkin.

But I appreciated that the salon personnel didn’t try to sell me that, nor any of their very many other interesting hair products. They just gave me the room to explore on my own, and were there with knowledgable answers to my several queries about items I had never even heard of before! They carry not only unusual shampoos and conditioners, but also hair vitamins and accessories.

So, I got to relax, gain some follicle knowledge, and come away from Salon Kazumi with lovely, healthier, more attractive tresses. What more can one want from a visit to the hairdresser?

9725 S Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills  310-751-0909  www.salonkazumi.com