Laura's a Celebrity!

Ok, not exactly. But I did get to do a short segment on the Robin Swoboda Show when she came to Summit Mall, where I work at The Body Shop. Watch me display my good looks and my smarts while I school you on our new Spring makeup collection!

The Joy of Wiki-ing

It's like our generation's The Joy of Cooking. Ok, maybe not. But it's still pretty great.

I first learned how to wiki in a class I took last summer called Access to Information at Kent State University in the School of Library and Information Science. Well, I didn't really learn in class. I taught myself after watching this great video called Wikis in Plain English by CommonCraft.



There are several places you can go to create a wiki. I have used PBWorks because I am familiar with it, but don't be afraid to play around to find something you are comfortable with that has all the capabilities that you desire. Other sites you can visit include WikiSpaces, WetPaint, and WikiDot. You can also try searching Wiki.com.

The first wiki I made was for educational purposes for a class. However, I made a much more personal and fun wiki this holiday season for a Christmas party I planned. I invited friends to the site and made them administrators so that they could add to the page freely. It didn't work exactly as I had expected, as most people did not prefer to take the time to figure it out or contribute. It was still super useful, though, and I'd like to think that I introduced them to a new technology that they may find useful some day.

While I'm certainly no expert on wiki-ing, I welcome any questions you may have on the subject. Be sure to watch the video, because it will give you a much greater idea of wikis than what you know from Wikipedia.

That's all for now. I will try to write again soon!

It's True, They Are!

I've been wanting to create a blog for some time, but have never been able to narrow down a focus. I'm always torn between blogging about makeup and skincare or about more intelligent things. I've now decided that I can do both! This blog will serve to educate the masses about all kinds of things--the latest in lipstick, what you can do to help your local library--but specifically the things that matter most to me. On that note, I will always be available to answer questions or offer advice, so don't hesitate to ask me anything! I will not claim to have the answer to everything, but I am always here to help. On to the...

Topic of the Day: The Clarisonic Skincare System, or How My Skin Got So Soft and Clear So Fast!

I recently purchased a Clarisonic Plus Skin Care System from Sephora. Yes, I know it seems like a lot of money. I find it quite worth it. As a licensed esthetician, I can tell you that I've never seen cleaner skin than after using this product. My pores are staying cleaner, my skin is less oily, and the texture of my skin is like velvet.

There are a couple of different options when purchasing the system. I purchased the "Plus" model, which includes a brush head and exfoliating cleanser for the body. This is great if you get dry, flaky, or scaly skin anywhere on your body. It's especially helpful for those with keratosis pilaris, those red, rough bumps you may get on the backs of your arms or in other places on the body. I am finding that I could have gotten by without this model, since I am more interested in the wonders this thing performs on my face. You also have the option of purchasing the original model or a new travel model called Mia. Try checking out Clarisonic's website or Sephora.com for more information. As always, if you have any questions, let me know!

~Laura