Alba Botanica makes a number of shampoos without sodium laureth/lauryl sulfate. I've used the Plumeria and Mango versions, I believe, and had great results. It even smells good. Alba Botanica products are relatively inexpensive and available at most drug and grocery stores here. I'm not sure about availability and cost where you are.

Deva Curl is more expensive and only available in salons, but they have a great product line if you have curly hair. Their entire shampoo line (which they call No-poo) is free of SLS and other detergents. I haven't used their shampoos at home but my stylist uses them when I get my hair cut. I do use some of their styling products, which I LOVE.

Leafblowers suck - noise and -often- air pollution, plus the idiocy of pushing leaves around from place to when WIND does such a good job of that itself--

no, just Stupidity should be outlawed. leafblowers should be used for cool shit like on mythbusters when they made hovercrafts out of them

I've found it really helps to shave with the growth of the hair. You won't get as close a shave, especially if you're using a single blade disposable, but I get virtually no bumps from shaving. One option is to upgrade to a fancy triple blade razor (assuming you're not already using one), and then shaving with the growth.

Exfoliation is good too. I recommend using a body wash with a little salicylic acid. It seems to help.

Waxing is not going to help with ingrowns or bumps. In my experience with waxing, you have to be even more vigilant with exfoliation to prevent both.

Try a google image search for "80s mall bangs" (without the quotes).

Some ideas: Get a clothesline and air them outside when it's not raining. Spray them with a mixture of vodka and water (perhaps while they're on the clothesline). That mixture is a great way to get rid of musty smells; unlike Febreze, it actually works.

I had this problem about six months ago. This video really helped me. (for the record, I use mabelline 110 foundation powder and liquid, because I'm really pale, but whatever works for you colorwise should do the trick. I have sensitive skin and have never had a bad reaction to mabelline Me! 110, or any mabelline for that matter. Thn grab a cheap kabuki brush and go at it. So without further adiu, the video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ditQv7e4R_U&feature=youtube_gdata_player
.

Couple of thoughts here:

Is there a difference between the way they style your hair and the way you style your hair? What kinds of brushes, products, styling techniques, etc. are they using? For exmample, if they've use a straight iron and you don't, your hair will most definitely look different the next day. As far as the front hanging heavily, that sounds like just a difference in the cut.

I have, in the past, been in the habit of going to whatever cheap salon has an opening because I just want a haircut immediately. What I learned from that experience is that it's the best way to get a bad style. Period. You don't know who you're getting and frankly, cheap salons are cheap for a reason (sorry if that sounds arrogant). All the money you save ends up being a waste after one too many bad cuts.

Do your research (online reviews of local salons/stylists) and save your money for a good place. If you see someone with hair that's similar to yours and you like their cut, ask them who their stylist is. Another good rule of thumb: ALWAYS take a picture with you. Whether it's a picture you find in a magazine, online, or one of you when you really liked your hair, bring it along and tell them that it's what you want. Trying to describe a cut is just too vague because everyone has a different idea of what certain styles should look like.

Try and find a good stylist - someone well-trained who you think you'll stick with and who will get to know you (your likes/dislikes) and your hair. Good luck!

I don't think it matters, because hemp bracelets are such a specific style item anyway.

That is to say, there are people in Seattle who would see ONE hemp bracelet and think, "Oh, that girl's a hipster-stoner." For this group (probably a large majority), there's really no difference between one or nine. I will say that they're not exactly the hallmark of "adult" style, so if it comes to a serious job interview, you might want to leave them all at home.

But other than that, who cares? To my mind, the gap isn't the difference between one and many, but between none and any.

I'd say it depends on the shirt. I've learned most of my sewing skills by taking things apart and examining them but some things are trickier than they appear. It may be a great project to take on if you are looking for an in depth sewing lesson!

My tried-and-true method is J Crew on Hella Sale (or eBay!). $250 could buy you 1 or 2 skirts, 1 or 2 pairs of slacks, and 2 blazers if you play your cards right, and the J Crew suiting is KILLER quality. They often have extra 30% off sales online and in store. Banana Republic is the same way, and both of those stores have really modern fits that are still classic enough to last for many years.

Go for grey and navy first, then black. Those are your most diverse colors. Try and dry clean as sparingly as possible because it will make your clothes last longer, but obviously don't start smelling like a crust punk or the #49 on a hot day.

Your other options are to go to resale shops (ones in Bellevue and Kirkland are worth the bus ride), and then have things tailored (Adam Tailor #1!).

Dress shirts, camis, cardigans, etc., can all be found for a much more affordable price and are also where you have more leeway with color and style while still staying in the business realm, so drop your money on the pillars of your business wardrobe first. For dress shirts, hit up Nordstrom Rack, Anne Taylor Loft, etc.

Yes they work. No, it doesn't last long. Couple hours tops with no product.

Could be your hair is especially thick and straight too.

instead: Revel in your natural state - if you already have long eyelashes, you're the envy of half the lounge you walk into. Enjoy it, flaunt it.

As a bigger person, most aprons still tend to fit...the only concern is long enough strings to wrap all the way around and tie in the back. I'd suggest shopping in person, rather than online. Try the apron on yourself and see if you can wrap the strings all the way around to the front and still tie them. If you can, then your larger friend should probably be able to tie them in the back. While the apron fabric may not cover my entire front, it covers most of it, and as long as I can tie it, I consider it to "fit" me.

But as stated below, some of the shops do specifically carry larger aprons, as well. Good luck, and sounds like a nice gift.

If you're still concerned about it (and we all carry our weight/size differently), you could always purchase from a physical store and ask for a gift receipt. That way, your friend has the option to return/exchange the apron, if it's not a size with which they feel comfortable.

Bo at Zero Zero recently did an awesome job on me...I've never received so many compliments on how good I looked. I paid $30 with tip.

I have:
2 pairs of New Balance 587 running shoes. One pair for home, one old crappy pair for work
2 pairs of black merrell world legends- one at home, one at work.
1 pair of brown merrell world legends
1 pair of black merrell old kickabout loafers
2 pair Ranger fireman wellies- one for home and one for work
1 pair of Ranger boot foot fireman hip waders
2 pair of felt bottom wading boots
1 pair Keen goretex mountain trainer sneaker boot type things
1 pair Keen Norfolk sandles
1 pair Van like sneakers in fuzzy leopard pring
1 pair Fabiano Scarpa hiking boots
1 pair Fabiano Trionic hiking boots
2 pair of Red Wing Logger boots- the big black shit kicking kind
3 pairs of flip flops
1 pair Nike cleats
1 pair Converse chuck taylor maroon low tops
1 pair Converse chuck taylor black high tops
1 pair Florsheim black dress shoes

I dunno what "neck shave" is -- maybe touchups for guys with neatly-trimmed beards? But Valentines in Greenwood (at 79th) does a quality hot-towel-and-straight-razor shave.

http://valentinesseattle.com/

I've never had the shave there -- I'm chicken, due to an unpleasant experience involving a cat hanging by its claws from my bare buttocks while I was applying the razor to my skin just a millimeter from my jugular -- but I've seen others getting shaved there, and they all seemed happy. Valentine is an interesting character.

With shoes, like anything, you get what you pay for. If you've got cheap shoes with soft soles that you wear every day (and you never rotate your pairs around), then it's not unreasonable to wear them out in a month or two. Heck, even fairly pricey shoes will wear out quickly if they're the only pair that you wear--I have a friend who spends lots on high end Tevas and since they are the only shoes he wears, he gets them replaced every six months.

I'm not sure what you mean about wearing out under the heel--do you mean on the outside edge near the heel? That's overpronation. If it's the inside edge, then you underpronate. Either one of these can be helped with inserts. If it's just the heel in general, it's a combination of your stride and probably the material of the shoes, in that if your stride makes you repeatedly walk on a relatively weak part of the shoe it'll wear out. Or, it could be activity related (if you ride a bike a lot, you could be dragging that spot and not notice).

I overpronate myself, and I used to need street shoes for my job that are similar to what you wear. I had good luck with Sketchers and Docs, in that a $90 pair of shoes (in rotation with another pair) would last several years. And, since they were relatively well-made, I was able to get the soles repaired when my gait ruined them.

Whatever you do (if you're content with cheap shoes you replace frequently, or want to invest in better shoes that will last longer), get two pairs and rotate wearing them, i.e. pair 1 on MWF, pair 2 on TTH. This both spreads out the wear and allows the shoes to dry thoroughly in between wearings, which helps with avoiding stinky shoes and some foot fungi.

Check out Vintage Costumer's, at 71st and Roosevelt. They've got a wide range of costumes at pretty reasonable prices and they've been really helpful to me the few times I've gone in. Here's their 20's page: http://www.arniesvintagecostumers.com/historicalcostumes20s.htm

Tim Gunn is known for being caring and supportive. Maybe you need some encouragement or tlc, and in your dream it happened to be portrayed by Tim.

Have you tried Costco? I know you say you don't have a membership but I'm not sure if you need one for the optical department. In my experience, you usually get a better deal on the lenses if you're also buying frames. That said, I've found JCPenney to be reasonably priced. You might also try Sears and Vista Optical (inside select Fred Meyer stores).

I really like the Earth shoes I have, but I've also really not liked a few of them that I tried on - it seems that the ones with Birkenstock-like footbeds didn't work for my feet at all. Walking with the negative heel feels really weird at first, but I find them really comfortable for walking. I think it depends on your feet and gait; if you have narrow feet they might not work for you at all. I do not find them comfortable for standing in one place a lot so if you stand a lot at work I wouldn't recommend them.

I ordered some online from one of the free return shipping places and walked around in them in my apartment quite a bit before deciding whether to keep them or not. I think I wound up returning half of the pairs I ordered, but I intentionally ordered more than I knew I would wind up keeping so I could make sure they would work for me.

My favorites are the Jolie sandals - they seem the least "earth shoe like" of the ones I wound up keeping, and they're great for walking in warm weather. They're also really versatile and match dressy or casual outfits.

I also have the Exer-Trek sandal-sneakers and Glide sneakers, but they're not the sleekest athletic shoes - I wear a 6 1/2, and I feel like with the width of these I look like I have paddles for feet. They also seem a lot wider than the Jolie sandals in the same size, so I have to wear socks with the Exer-treks or I'll get blisters, Again, really comfortable for walking; not running shoes at all.

And I've got a couple pairs of discontinued Mary Janes I got on sale that look similar to the Solar - I find I don't love these as much as the others because they feel so stiff on my feet, but I probably need to break them in more. I knew someone who sold shoes at Nordstrom's and she said to always get hard soled shoes - they're better for your feet, apparently. I'm just more used to sneakers.

I'm not sure where a good place to shop for Earth shoes is locally - they had a few at Woolly Mammoth, but I always feel like I get shitty service there. (I should say that both times I've been there I was wearing old, not-stylish clothes, and I have internalized class issues.) When I save up enough to get another pair of shoes, I'm going to try Market Street Shoes - but I might look for the Eccos that were recommended in your other question. They look so cute!

I can relate to that.Lately I've been told several times how "photogenic" I am. This is a sign. My own forays into exactly what you're talking about are showing me that minor changes create big impact (esp. in REI colored Seattle). For me that means dressing up jeans (that fit) w- leather boots I was ignoring and a cool faux reptile jacket rather than my north face pull-overs. Make-up risks (I was a totally fun/interesting dresser too years ago)are mostly mascara & lipstick, adding bronzer in the summer. More than dressy jeans/jewelry and minimal makeup make me feel naked too, and even now, since I'm not in the rhythm of doing it everyday, people definitely comment. but it's in a "wow, you're really photogenic" tone that let's me know it's a happy surprise, same with the perennial,"wow, where are you going?" - right? "To the grocery store", you reply with a big smile.

Take a couple of steps at a time and the big thing is ONLY wear things you absolutely love. If you feel ambivalent about the clothing or accessory, don't mess with it. I have a love-hate rule for my closet and living by it has been totally liberating. I have to declare love or hate; "like" doesn't cut it. Not even "like it a lot". Love or Hate. Wearing things you love will give you confidence to wear them like a second skin and that is the definition of style :-)

Can't help you with the Whoa part though...even small changes are likely to elicit reactions from others so let that be cool with you and as long as you know you are wearing something that flatters you and causes you to feel good lookin' than you can know that the 'whoa' is a compliment. Except when it's not but that's another questionland question about what to do when others want you to stay the same way you've always been...

I would say go with a box cut swimsuit. They aren't too revealing yet there isn't so much cloth that you feel like you're wearing jeans. And they look good on pretty much everyone

Much like any other piece of clothing hot or not depends on the bag and your style. If you just want a functional bag to carry stuff in then go for one of the many available "men's" bags depending on what you're doing and how you dress:
Leather Satchel- nerdy, walking, you don't wear tennis shoes and your shirts have collars. It says you know things.
Messenger Bag- punkish, biking, you're wearing a hoodie/t-shirt combo, work-pants and sneaks/dunks. It says you do things
Tote- farmer's market, shopping, a light weight light colored button-up, jeans, NO CROCS!!! It says you know how to cook and you care about the environment.
Map Bag (thanks Xyzzy! i never knew what those were called)- honey badger, you don't give a shit. You have tight pants and stuff, perfect for a phone, a pipe, money, a flask and something else not too big. It says you're prepared, fun, and you don't give a shit about being called a fag by teenagers for carrying a purse.
Backpack- skater or hiking, sometimes you gotta get shit done. This is the only time it's appropriate to wear cargo anything and skate shoes if you're older than 12. It says you're practical enough to know that a shoulder bag is just going to fall off and you're more interested in what you're doing than how you look, seriously not hot if you're not actively hiking or skating.

But,

If you want to rock a "purse" purse either 'cuz you like them or as some weird 'peacocking' thing then find one that fits your personality and rock it with confidence. No woman is going to fuck you just because you wear a purse but most of us probably wouldn't not fuck you because you wear one- unless it's ugly or you're obviously peacocking.

crushed velvet!

Special Effects. Don't bother with manic panic. It will end up all over your pillow and other pretty things.

If you aren't too embarrassed, your best bet is to go to Goodwill or Value Village, try some dresses on, and just see what fits. That is what this male does when I'm shopping for a dress. At least you can get a range about what might be right. As far as I can tell, women's clothing sizing is horribly inconsistent and relatively non-sensical. Seriously, WTF does 24 mean?

A friend of mine made a really great quilt from her old jeans. One pair alone probably won't get you very far; her's probably used 4 or 5 different pairs cut down into 4" squares. It looked nice with all the various fades/washes though and I thought it was a clever way of memorializing some of her "thoroughly loved" jeans.

You might resent this, but you could try some henna to try some modification of the appearance of the fish tatoo.

The first idea that popped into my mind was the "EVOLVE" logo... the fish with feet and the word "evolve" inside the fish.

Second, was to add a whale or a string of fish all swiming about to eat the next smaller fish ("There's always a bigger fish." -star wars movie)

Third, was to add a fishhook, worm and line to change the motife...and maybe a lazy farmboy tending the pole above on the bank.

Just 3 ideas off the top of my head. Good luck!
(A picture or uploaded image of the tatoo might help)

If you want to be fashionable and save money, shop the big sales at places like marios or the Hugo boss store (or even Brooks Bros)

Hugo Boss makes a great suit for the money (when at least 25% off)but the Hugo Boss at nordstoms is nothing like what they have at their own stores or Marios or Saks in Portland.

I stopped buying suits at Nordstroms after taking several back for repairs due to poor workmanship.

In general, here are my rules about bras (but I do wear one every day and my body type requires it): Straps being visible is usually okay in a casual situation and assuming that they are a color that matches the color of whatever you're wearing (no hot pink straps with a black tee, for example). Being able to occasionally see the edge of where a bra starts through a shirt that is a little thin is okay assuming, again, the colors are the same (In this situation your shirt just looks more opaque where the bra covers underneath). In a nighttime going-out situation, being able to see the very edge of a bra (if it has lace or trim) where the neck of your top is is all right, I see a lot of women getting away with it and looking fine, but I rarely do it. I will also occasionally let the back of my bra show if I'm wearing a dress with a lace or transparent panel in the back.

In the specific situation you suggest, I think your number one priority should be finding a shirt that isn't utterly transparent- they do exist. If you find a shirt that's just a little thin and wear a full-coverage white bra underneath, you ought to be fine. Do shy away from totally sheer stuff with just a bra underneath though- I think that only celebutants can get away with that (and it does still look tacky). Also, the looser your top is the less it will matter- the bra will be less visible and you won't be as exposed if the shirt isn't clinging to you. For totally casual play wear in the summer, I think you can absolutely get away with a transparent or sheer top with your swimsuit underneath (regardless of colors).