Friday, March 6, 2015
Thursday, March 5, 2015
International Travel With Bitcoin
Are you wondering how to handle your money
when you travel internationally?
I get asked about it all the time.
I also get asked about how to handle pickpockets stealing your cash or credit cards. Touch wood, so far I've been safe.
When I first started travelling internationally the entire money equation was a headache. You had to use International Travelers Cheques, which you would purchase in the currency/currencies of the country/countries you were traveling to, which was often a complete nuisance.
You needed to wear a money belt under your clothes and keep your travelers cheques, passport and extra cash in it for safe keeping.
You had to keep meticulous details on your travelers cheques - which you had cashed, and where you cashed them, in case your cheques were stolen.
If you had American Express travelers cheques you were OK because they would replace them within a day or two, but other companies were terrible, and you could be stuck out there in the world with no money for days on end.
You also paid a fee to get your travelers cheques, and then at the money changing places you would pay another fee to cash them.
Now we travel with plastic, but not all cards are created equal, and
you have to be very careful which cards you travel with.
Currencies fluctuate from day to day and throughout the day, but you seldom get the actual official exchange rate when you swipe your card.
Banks get really liberal with the numbers and are generally substantially different from the official rate. My bank is generally at least 6% higher than the official exchange rate, so I lose at best 6 cents on every dollar I exchange.
So in general, I don't use them.
When you charge something to a credit card you will pay multiple fees - sometimes from the local merchant, your bank will always charge you for using the card overseas, an exchange rate that is nowhere near the actual rate for the day, and a conversion fee. So if you are using a credit card, only use it for the big expenses. Also, unless using American Express you may find your credit card protection against faulty purchases, items broken in shipping, or shipped items that don't arrive, is either sketchy or non existant when dealing with a foreign purchase.
.JPG "Dont-ship-ceramics-from-sicily") |
| Ceramics purchased in Sicily arrived broken, Visa wouldn't help. |
(I wrote about it HERE) I specifically used a Visa card because I wanted a layer of protection.
But in the end I paid all those excessive credit card fees for nothing.
Debit cards are ideal, but also come with their share of headaches.
Firstly you have to find out what your bank charges you for walking up to a foreign ATM - there will be a fee and it is often a steep one. Also you may get charged by the local bank for using their ATM. You do however get the best exchange rate.
I use a credit union debit card as it has really low rates.
One thing I am looking into for international travel is Bitcoin.
Bitcoin is a crypto currency that is used digitally, and not affiliated with any bank, or any single currency.
I am looking at Xapo.com for bitcoin as they not only let you utilize a bitcoin wallet (click link for information) but they also have a Xapo debit card, which you can use anywhere that accepts cards. Many major cities have bitcoin ATMs too.
One of the benefits of traveling with bitcoin is that lack of bank fees. Bitcoins instantly convert to the currency of the country you are spending them in, so all you pay for is the items you are purchasing.
Another benefit is that with credit cards, merchants can wittingly or unwittingly share your payment credentials, exposing you to fraud. Plenty of travelers have had thousands charged to their cards or had access to their cards shut down while traveling due to fraud. Xapo.com is the leader in Bitcoin security, so you have that extra peace of mind when you are making purchases.
If you are relying solely on credit and debit cards when you are traveling you can find yourself in a world of trouble if your cards get lost or stolen. If you are in a major city such as Paris or Madrid, your bank can take days to replace your lost card, but it will probably get one to you.
If you are anywhere remote, such as a small town or worse still on honeymoon in Bora Bora, there is absolutely no guarantee a replacement card will get to you prior to your trip ending.
Having a bitcoin account as a backup is a brilliant idea - if your cards are stolen you can still access money. And if you make purchases with your bitcoins you avoid all the credit card fees.
Last year on the Glam Italia tour one of my clients left her handbag in a taxi in Sorrento. Luckily I was able to retrieve it (after sprinting down the middle of the Corso Italia, looking into every taxi on the street), but had I not been able to get it back she would have gone multiple days on the trip of a lifetime, with no money.
"Bitcoin perfectly acts as a single cross-border payment token that doesn’t ask hefty commissions or any sort of conversion charges. So selling a coffee on an on-board flight, or paying a restaurant bill in a foreign country becomes instantly easy, without relying on exchanging currencies firsthand."
Xapo.com Bitcoin is really easy to use. You simply download an app to your phone. At any time while you are traveling you can add money to your bitcoin wallet from your laptop. All you need is an internet connection.
Although I don't think that at this point I could exclusively use Bitcoin for international travel, I do think it will become the way of the future.
I would however love to try taking a trip exclusively with bitcoin and see how well I do - wouldn't that make a fabulous live blog series??
For more information on traveling with Bitcoin, check out this article on the Benefits Of Bitcoin For International Travel
To purchase Bitcoins, or to get more detailed information on the crypto currency, check out www.Xapo.com
If you have traveled with bitcoin, or if you have a bitcoin story to share, please tell us about it in the comment section below.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Midweek Wisdom ~ Gregory Peck
Even all these years later, I would have to say that the days I spent working with Greg Peck were some of the most wonderful days of my career.
I absolutely adored this man.
We would talk for hours, and he was always endlessly fascinating and completely charming. He was both my client and my friend.
Today's Midweek Wisdom has 2 of his quotes, followed by one other that is also the kind of statement he would make.
 |
| Gregory Peck withe his wife Veronique in 1958 |
You will always be too much of something for someone:
too big, too loud, too soft, too edgy.
If you round out your edges, you lose your edge.
Apologize for the mistakes.
Apologize for unintentionally hurting someone - profusely.
But don't apologize for being who you are.
Doutzen Kroes Is Queen Of The Galaxy
I love 60's inspired shoots.
And I love Doutzen Kroes.
So I absolutely adored this shoot in the March 2015 issue of Vogue Netherlands.
Lensed by Nico, Kroes wears designers including Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Versace, Moschino and Balmain.
Gorgeous makeup by Mo Karadac
Hair by Christiaan Houtenbos
And I love Doutzen Kroes.
So I absolutely adored this shoot in the March 2015 issue of Vogue Netherlands.
Lensed by Nico, Kroes wears designers including Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Versace, Moschino and Balmain.
Gorgeous makeup by Mo Karadac
Hair by Christiaan Houtenbos
Queen Of The Galaxy
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Briday Beauty Tip #7 Go Easy On The Contour
Brides beware!
There is this crazy trend in bridal beauty where brides feel they need to be super contoured like a Kardashian. Brides are often showing me pictures of overblown contour, thinking it's the ultimate in makeup, and telling me thats what they want. Sometimes it can take a lot of explaining to maneuver them back out of what could be a real makeup disaster.
Firstly let me say Kim Kardashian invariably looks fabulous.
No question.
But she lives her life in a very different lighting situation to that of 99% of all brides.
I loved this quote from Jezebel:
Sure, love is a battlefield, but makeup isn't supposed to look like warpaint...
Makeup artists have been contouring forever. It's part of how we create balance in the face, bring out the best in your features, and diminish the things we don't want to draw attention to.
But there is a huge difference between the contouring that a pro makeup artist does on a shoot, and that which we see all over Instagram and You tube.
Contour should be subtle, and only used where needed.
It should blend away seamlessly into the complexion, so that you can't see where it is, you only see a beautiful face.
It looks as though the majority of IG contour has been stolen from the Drag Queen playbook. And don't get me wrong - I love my drag queens. In fact I adore them.
Drag Queens utilize significant contouring to take their very manly facial features and soften them into female features. They soften their jawlines and foreheads, streamline their noses, create cheekbones to die for. What they do is brilliant. But much of the time it is designed to look stunning with a wig, under bright lights, at night.
Not to be photographed outdoors at 2 o'clock on Saturday afternoon in natural light, with a soft swishy updo and a white gown.
If you step in to kiss a Drag Queen's cheek there is an expectation that she will be wearing a heavy layer of makeup. If you step up to a bride you are expecting her to look radiant and beautiful, not excessively made up with completely overblown contour.
You may think your extreme contour looks okay (ish) in the makeup chair, but when you step outside its an entirely different story.
Sunlight is going to pick up all those white lines in your highlight and flare right off them, literally giving you white stripes and white patches, meanwhile the dark areas are going to grab the light. If they are too dark, or have the wrong undertone, or aren't blended properly your skin will look muddy.
If your contour is not blended to the nth degree you will look like you have stripes on your face.
With brides I find that most of the time a little well placed
non glittery and non sparkly highlight, blended to perfection into a gorgeous, sheer foundation is all you need to create the illusion of a natural contour.
Make your focus be a flawless, beautiful complexion (that looks lovely at close range) and your wedding makeup will look absolutely stunning.
There is this crazy trend in bridal beauty where brides feel they need to be super contoured like a Kardashian. Brides are often showing me pictures of overblown contour, thinking it's the ultimate in makeup, and telling me thats what they want. Sometimes it can take a lot of explaining to maneuver them back out of what could be a real makeup disaster.
Don't be the victim of a bridal beauty blunder.
Firstly let me say Kim Kardashian invariably looks fabulous.
No question.
But she lives her life in a very different lighting situation to that of 99% of all brides.
I loved this quote from Jezebel:
Sure, love is a battlefield, but makeup isn't supposed to look like warpaint...
Makeup artists have been contouring forever. It's part of how we create balance in the face, bring out the best in your features, and diminish the things we don't want to draw attention to.
But there is a huge difference between the contouring that a pro makeup artist does on a shoot, and that which we see all over Instagram and You tube.
Contour should be subtle, and only used where needed.
It should blend away seamlessly into the complexion, so that you can't see where it is, you only see a beautiful face.
It looks as though the majority of IG contour has been stolen from the Drag Queen playbook. And don't get me wrong - I love my drag queens. In fact I adore them.
Drag Queens utilize significant contouring to take their very manly facial features and soften them into female features. They soften their jawlines and foreheads, streamline their noses, create cheekbones to die for. What they do is brilliant. But much of the time it is designed to look stunning with a wig, under bright lights, at night.
Not to be photographed outdoors at 2 o'clock on Saturday afternoon in natural light, with a soft swishy updo and a white gown.
If you step in to kiss a Drag Queen's cheek there is an expectation that she will be wearing a heavy layer of makeup. If you step up to a bride you are expecting her to look radiant and beautiful, not excessively made up with completely overblown contour.
 |
| contour gone wrong... |
You may think your extreme contour looks okay (ish) in the makeup chair, but when you step outside its an entirely different story.
Sunlight is going to pick up all those white lines in your highlight and flare right off them, literally giving you white stripes and white patches, meanwhile the dark areas are going to grab the light. If they are too dark, or have the wrong undertone, or aren't blended properly your skin will look muddy.
If your contour is not blended to the nth degree you will look like you have stripes on your face.
With brides I find that most of the time a little well placed
non glittery and non sparkly highlight, blended to perfection into a gorgeous, sheer foundation is all you need to create the illusion of a natural contour.
Make your focus be a flawless, beautiful complexion (that looks lovely at close range) and your wedding makeup will look absolutely stunning.
Sunday, March 1, 2015
Beauty Tip of The Week # 6 Color Deposit Shampoo
Want a quick and easy way to revitalize your look?
Nothing pretties up your look quite like brightening your hair.
When your hair looks bright and shiny your skin glows along with it and you look fresh and alive.
When the winter blahs hit you, when summer sun and surf strip your hair or when you are in between color touch ups or when you are just feeling a little flat, brighten up your vibe with a color depositing shampoo.
My new beauty addiction is Pure Blends Hydrating Color Depositing Shampoo. This one is sulphate free, sodium chloride free and actually contains a semi permanent color which deposits life and vibrancy back into your hair.
It is high lather but super hydrating, and works on fade prevention as well as revitalizing.
I use Marigold to keep my red hair looking bright and alive, and several of my blonde friends use Lemon Pure Blends to tone their hair.
Below is a color selection chart:
Pure Blends is made by the same company who make my other absolute beauty addiction, Simply Smooth Magic Potion, which I reviewed here
Nothing pretties up your look quite like brightening your hair.
When your hair looks bright and shiny your skin glows along with it and you look fresh and alive.
When the winter blahs hit you, when summer sun and surf strip your hair or when you are in between color touch ups or when you are just feeling a little flat, brighten up your vibe with a color depositing shampoo.
My new beauty addiction is Pure Blends Hydrating Color Depositing Shampoo. This one is sulphate free, sodium chloride free and actually contains a semi permanent color which deposits life and vibrancy back into your hair.
It is high lather but super hydrating, and works on fade prevention as well as revitalizing.
I use Marigold to keep my red hair looking bright and alive, and several of my blonde friends use Lemon Pure Blends to tone their hair.
Below is a color selection chart:
Shade Selector
Violet: Violet base maintains the coolness of white, gray and pale blonde hair, preventing warm tones.
Lemon: Pale beige base maintains pale to medium blonde hair producing neutral blond tones. Sun: Beige yellow base maintains light, medium and dark blonde hair producing warm sunny tones.
Marigold: Orange yellow base maintains the brightness of copper, auburn and warm brown tones.
Red: Red base maintains the brightness of bright red and red brown tones.
Cherry: Red violet base maintains the coolness of red, red brown, and burgundy tones.
Chestnut: Orange yellow brown base maintains the richness of warm brown chocolate tones.
Cocoa: Cool brown base maintains the richness of neutral cool brown tones preventing warmth. Orchid: Blue gray base maintains the depth of dark brown to black hair preventing warmth.
Find out more about this incredible product line and all their other hair treatment products here or go to www.americanculturehair.com
Friday, February 27, 2015
Get the Spring 2015 Makeup Looks With These 3 Products
Wondering what makeup items you need to buy to keep up with the new spring 2015 makeup trends? Yesterday we looked at
Today I've narrowed it down to 3 super fabulous and endlessly versatile products to help you pull off all the best looks for spring 2015. Check them out here:
At Dolce and Gabbana Pat McGrath used Dolce and Gabbana lipsticks in Ultra and Amethyst. Also check out Dolce and Gabbana lipsticks in Lust and Orchid for the perfect Spring 2015 pout.
Try Chantecaille's amazing gel liner pencil to get that perfect winged eyeliner. This is the first long wearing gel eyeliner to be housed in a pencil. It's also smudgeproof and waterproof.
For both your sexy smokey eye and youe soft brown spring eye choose the endlessly versatile
Lorac Pro Palette.
