The Style Page

What you might have missed

2013-04-19T17:55:00.003-04:00

Recent posts on The Style Page blog on Wordpress that you might have missed:

AeroMinerale spray-on makeup

2013-04-16T00:00:00.000-04:00

I first learned of AeroMinerale spray-on makeup through a press release about a tie-in with the Breaking Dawn movie. Over 1000 cans were used on the set! It appeared on Bella’s dressing table!

But what amused (or disgusted) me is that the pink aerosol can was described as “soon-to-be-Iconic.” G-d knows that I think that “iconic” is one of the abused words in fashion and beauty. It sets my teeth on edge. “Soon-to-be-iconic”??

AeroMinerale Hydrating Mineral Foundation

Anyway, back to the product. You may apply AeroMinerale Hydrating Mineral Foundation by spraying it directly on your face. However, I wouldn’t recommend it. It leaves too much deposit. I had to blot with a tissue but even then, the coverage was too thick. Moreover, it stains clothing and gunks up the hair. I prefer spraying AeroMinerale on a dampened wedge makeup sponge and applying it with the sponge, as shown in this video featuring AeroMinerale founder Yolanda Halston:

AeroMinerale also has a spray-on Hydrating Mineral Primer. The primer also leaves too much deposit, so I blot with a tissue after applying it. Even so, it’s fun to use.

AeroMinerale Hydrating Mineral Foundation comes in ten shades, from Ivory to Ebony. Want to know your best shade? Use the AeroMinerale web site’s extensive database of foundation shades for a match.

AeroMinerale is worth a try. A 1.5-oz can sells for $20 at aerominerale.com, but you can buy it for less. I bought mine for $16-17 dollars at CVS. To find even lower prices, use Google Shopping. I found $12 (clearance) at drugstore.com.

DISCLAIMER: This post contains an affiliate link for drugstore.com. I appreciate your support of The Style Page blog!

IMAN BB Crème giveaway ends midnight April 8

2013-03-25T20:00:00.000-04:00

IMAN Cosmetics is launching its first BB Crème. As with most BB Crème, it evens out skin tone and protects with SPF. What makes this BB Crème special is that it’s geared to “women of color” and has 6 different shades, an unusually wide selection for a BB Crème.

IMAN has three basic shade ranges:

"Sand" for Olive Skin,
"Clay" for Dark Olive to Light Brown Skin and
"Earth" for Medium to Ebony Brown skin.

The BB Crème shades are:

Sand Light
Sand Medium
Clay Medium
Clay Medium Deep
Earth Medium
Earth Deep

To find your best shade, visit the shade finder on the IMAN website, http://imancosmetics.com/findyourshade.

In-store events are being held across the U.S. To RSVP, visit IMAN’s Facebook Event list, http://www.facebook.com/IMANcosmetics/events.

In conjunction with the rollout of IMAN BB Crème, The Style Page is hosting a giveaway for 2 IMAN prize packs. Each prize pack contains:

IMAN BB Crème trial size in Clay Medium
IMAN BB Crème trial size in Earth Medium
IMAN Luxury Lip Shimmer in Crystal
IMAN Luxury Lip Pencil in Tan

a Rafflecopter giveaway FTC disclosure: The Style Page received a sample of IMAN BB Crème for participation in this promotional campaign. These items are not intended as payment for any favorable opinions.

Kroma v. Krohma

2013-02-23T20:33:00.000-05:00

MUA Lee Tillett claims that the Kardashians stole her cosmetics line's name Kroma (without a "h"). She is suing for $10 million damages.

Meanwhile, Lee's attorney Elliot Gipson claims Kim - who says she came up with the name [Khroma] herself - was aware via her placement agents TLK Fusion of a 2010 deal to ensure product placement for Kroma on an E! Entertainment show Kim was due to produce.

He said: "On or about May 2010, representatives for Tillett and TLK Fusion were engaged in discussions regarding the possible product placement of the KROMA cosmetics line on the television reality show special 'The SPINdustry' that was scheduled to air on E! Entertainment Television following an episode of 'Keeping Up With the Kardashians'."

I don't put it past Kim to steal the Kroma name. Remember how the Kardashians appropriated Monica Botkier's handbag designs for Sears's Kardashian Kollection?

@thestylepage thank you for the support!
— Mariah@ KROMA Makeup (@mariahmartinez_) February 23, 2013

via Bad Kroma for the Kardashians being sued over cosmetics brand - Showbiz - London Evening Standard.

Valentine's Day Gift Guide

2013-02-08T19:50:00.000-05:00

View this SkinnyScoop List

Valentine's Day Gift Guide for her (me)

Favorite hand, foot and nail care products

2013-01-26T14:35:00.000-05:00

One of the things that sucks about Wordpress is that it prohibits scripts. That's why I had to use a static image for my SkinnyScoop list on Wordpress.

I'm using Blogger to present a dynamic list:

View this SkinnyScoop List

Favorite hand, foot and nail care products

Which blog do you prefer? Blogger or Wordpress?

2013-01-21T16:58:00.001-05:00

I had heard a lot about Wordpress being a superior platform to Blogger. It wasn't until my husband set up his first blog in Wordpress that I made the jump to Wordpress.

I found that Wordpress had a friendlier interface for blog administration; in addition the "Press This" button enabled me to "riff" on web pages.

I asked for quick impressions from Halifax of Sparkled Beauty (whom I consider my BBF - best blogging friend) and my husband about which design they liked better: this blog or the Wordpress blog, The Style Page | Off the beaten beauty path. Both said that they liked the format of the new Wordpress blog.

Which do you prefer: the design of this blog or the Wordpress blog? Submit your comments on this article or send me an email at thestylepage [at] yahoo [dot] com.

Introducing Aerin

2013-01-12T00:00:00.000-05:00

Go Behind The Scenes With Aerin Lauder

Sneak a peek at the inspiration behind Aerin Lauder's highly anticipated new cosmetics line

This is a TotalBeauty.com makeup article

If Aerin Lauder's last name sounds familiar to you, it should. She's the granddaughter of Estee Lauder, a.k.a. beauty industry royalty. The seasoned beauty industry insider has been working for the Estee Lauder Companies for more than 20 years, and now she's branching out with her very own beauty line. We caught up with Aerin, who revealed the inspiration behind her new line, Aerin, the product the public is already raving about, and even where she goes for some quality family downtime.

Read exclusive

DHC skin care

2013-01-07T00:00:00.000-05:00

DHC. Perhaps you receive its print catalog, the one with the sample packets glued inside.

Did you know:

DHC sells fine foods in addition to skin, body, and hair care products and makeup?
DHC stands for “Daigaku Honyaku Center”?
DHC skin care products are a fixture in Japanese drugstores?
DHC sells a wider range of products, including food, clothing, and lingerie, in Japan? (visit its Japanese site, www.dhc.co.jp - the auto-translations from Japanese to English are really quite hilarious)

I was curious enough to open the sample packet of DHC Deep Cleansing Oil to give it a try. DHC Deep Cleansing is the brand's "iconic" product. It is formulated with olive oil (first in the ingredient list), and has a slight herbal fragrance, thanks to the presence of rosemary oil. What pleased me was that the DHC Deep Cleansing Oil removed all makeup, including eye makeup. No need for a separate eye makeup remover!

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil

Whereas DHC Deep Cleansing Oil is the first step in DHC's skin care routine, the second step is the clear DHC Olive Soap to wash your face. It creates a lot of lather, rinses clean, and leaves the face feeling soft.

DHC Olive Soap

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil and DHC Olive Soap are part of my nighttime skin care routine. Sometimes I follow up with moisturizer and/or serum, sometimes I don’t. Less is sometimes more, I think.

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil comes in TSA-friendly 1 fl. oz. ($5.50) and 2.3 fl. oz. ($14.00) bottles and a larger 6.7 fl. oz. ($28.00) bottle. DHC Olive Soap comes in a 0.35 oz. mini-bar ($3.00) or 3.1 oz. bar ($22.00). DHC skin care may be purchased through www.dhccare.com: my complaint is that there is a high threshold ($85.00) for free shipping.

Disclosure: DHC furnished samples of its Deep Cleansing Oil and Olive Soap. Opinions are my own.

Favorite beauty stories of 2012

2012-12-31T17:47:00.000-05:00

I admit that I haven’t been blogging about beauty that often. For that reason, I got dropped from Beauty Blogazons and other beauty blogger networks. Still, I had several serendipitous events with respect to The Style Page. Here are my favorite beauty stories from 2012:

Sulwhasoo ShineClassic compacts
One was the invitation to introduce Sulwhasoo ShineClassic compacts to the U.S. I love Asian aesthetics, and the compacts were inspired by traditional Korean symbols and artistry. They are truly works of art.

Sulwhasoo commemorated 10 years of limited edition compacts in an elegant cloth bound coffee table book featuring traditional Korean artistry. Flip the book over, unfold the pages, and lo! it features all LE compacts!

Sulwhasoo ShineClassic 2003 LE compact - lattice pattern

The invitation also had extra meaning for me, as I admire Korea for the way it has lifted itself up and I have fond memories of my trip to Korea ten years ago.

Softlips giveaway
Another event was the LE Softlips giveaway. I have to say that I didn’t think that this would be a successful giveaway; however, it exceeded my wildest expectations. I have record visits to my blog and a spike in new followers on Twitter.

BTW I still have one prize to claim. The first person to write to me at thestylepage[at]ymail[dot]com and respond with his/her mailing address will win the prize.

LuMESH beauty from Costco
I enjoy bringing stories about beauty in unexpected places to readers. Beauty is truly where you find it. I’ve been in touch with Lu Camerena Meshulam, and I hope that I played a small role in moving product at Costco.

Karen Murrell lipsticks
I love the demi-matte finish of Karen’s lipsticks, and I am proud to have played a role in introducing her lipsticks to the U.S. Karen introduced 4 lipstick shades in 2012, and plans to introduce more in 2013. I’m anxiously anticipating the new introductions. I’ve seen previews of Karen’s new Rumba Red lipstick.

Those whom we lost in 2012 #MusicMonday

2012-12-31T00:00:00.000-05:00

In addition to Andy Williams and Hal David, here are other musical luminaries from different genres whom we lost in 2012:

Stage and film composer Marvin Hamlisch died August 6, 2012. This video is a treat for both red-blooded men (Carly Simon) and the Lisa Lupners (Marvin Hamlisch) of the world:
Jazz pianist Dave Brubeck died December 5, 2012, one day shy of his 92nd birthday:
R&B singer Fontella Bass died December 26, 2012. Great song, great voice. I'm proud to claim her as a St. Louis native:

The view from our living room window

2012-12-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

Seasons Greetings from our house to yours!

Here's to a Happy Healthy & Prosperous 2013.

Julie and Amit

David Bowie & Bing Crosby (!) - Little Drummer Boy #MusicMonday #Christmas

2012-12-24T00:00:00.000-05:00

Happy holidays from my home to yours!

LuMESH #beauty from Costco

2012-12-19T00:00:00.000-05:00

The Style Page is all about finding beauty in unexpected places: see my past features on Beauty from Aldi and Bed Bath and Beauty. Costco, the members-only warehouse club that can literally take care of you from cradle to grave, has teamed up with makeup artist Lu Camarena Meshulam of LuMESH Cosmetics to market two sets of lip glosses.

Coming from a Latin background, Lu found that finding colors that flattered her skin tone was next to impossible. She had clients of many different ethnicities with the same complaint. Thus, her lip glosses are designed to flatter a variety of skin tones.

LuMESH lip gloss set from Costco

The Style Page purchased the blister pack containing the following LuMESH lip glosses:

Kathlene - Peachy pink that flatters women with fair to medium skin tones. Works on women with Latin, Mediterranean, and light African American skin tones.
Kim- this looks scary-bright pink in the container, but it’s a light pink. It would lift the complexions of South Asian and Hispanic women.
Taffi is a universal shade. When light/dark African American women wear it, it appears to look like a beige nude color. I’m of western European heritage, with a light complexion, and Taffi gave me a “like my lips, but only deeper” (and glossier and better) look. It was my favorite shade of the three lip glosses, while Kathlene was my second favorite and Kim was my least favorite. I agree with Bobbi Brown's advice that the best lip color is about 2 shades deeper than your natural lip color.

There is another blister pack, which contains the following LuMESH lip glosses:

Min - baby doll frosty pink that suits Fair, and Medium skin tones, particularly Asian skin tones.
Trischa – shimmery sunset radiance that suits fair and medium skin tones.
Magaly – shimmery universal shade that suits Fair, Medium, and light African American complexions.

I liked the LuMESH lip glosses. After the initial glossy finish fades, the color remains. Vitamin E makes the lip gloss emollient, and there is a mild non-irritating cooling lip plumper. LuMESH lip glosses are free of parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and synthetic fragrance. Plus, each lip gloss tube has a mirror on it – very convenient. Just don't forget to remove the protective film!

Run, don’t walk, to your nearest Costco to get LuMESH in time for Christmas! A list of Costco locations that carry LuMESH lip glosses is available on request; however, I found my set at a Costco that wasn’t listed. LuMESH is not available on Costco.com.

Sulwhasoo limited edition SHINECLASSIC pressed powder compacts

2012-12-16T21:22:00.000-05:00

The Style Page lives for breaking stories to her readers. It is exciting to see Sulwhasoo, one of Asia’s top luxury cosmetics brands, come to the United States, where it is sold exclusively by Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus. I want to introduce you to the way science and traditional Korean knowledge of medicinal herbs is artfully fused in Sulwhasoo - a comprehensive line of high-end skin care and color cosmetics.

Sulwhasoo’s SHINECLASSIC limited edition pressed powder compacts are works of art that not only satisfy a woman’s concept of beauty but also travel easily in her purse. Every year since 2003, Sulwhasoo has released limited edition pressed powder compacts featuring traditional Korean design motifs, especially crafted to satisfy a woman’s senses at every moment throughout the day. When I saw and held its pressed powder compacts, I instantly fell in love with the sensual and seductive designs, tender composition, enchanting effects on contact, and romantic embrace.

2005 Sulwhasoo 7 Treasure "Chill-bo" LE compact

A closer look at the Sulwhasoo SHINECLASSIC 7 Treasure LE compact

For its 2005 SHINECLASSIC Seven Treasure “Chill-bo” LE compact, Sulwhasoo’s inspiration was a traditional Korean patchwork quilt. From time immemorial, quilts in Korea have signified the belief that endeavors bring good luck. The colorful strips of fabric that are stitched together represent a prayer for good fortune. It represents WEALTH, one of the 5 traditional Korean blessings.

Korean 7 Treasure quilt

Inside the compact, there is a delicately scented soft pressed powder. The pressed powder is embossed with a stylized design motif of the Prunes Mume, or plum blossom, one of the first flowers of spring, with the powder whispering in a gentle, powdery way for a sensual aura of opulence. Beautiful!

Image of plum blossom from Wikipedia; Credit: Kakidai

Other compacts in the series of Sulwhasoo SHINECLASSIC limited edition pressed powder compacts include:

2003: lattice pattern – signifies the blessing of Health
2008: Plum Blossom design: signifies the blessing of Virtue
2010: Prunes mume floral pattern: signifies the blessing of Longevity
2012: “Wa-Dang” ornamental tile design – signifies the blessing of Nobility

Sulwhasoo SHINECLASSIC limited edition compacts

You may see pictures of the Sulwhasoo SHINECLASSIC limited edition compacts at SkinnyScoop. In the interest of space, I will describe the Sulwhasoo SHINECLASSIC 2003 lattice design compact in a subsequent article.

Sulwhasoo SHINECLASSIC pressed powder powder compacts may be purchased ($150) through bergdorfgoodman.com or niemanmarcus.com. Bergdorf Goodman is offering free 2-day shipping for the holidays: check its home page for the promo code.

DISCLAIMER: The Style Page received two SHINECLASSIC pressed powder powder compacts from Sulwhasoo’s PR representative. It also received remuneration for this article. Opinions are The Style Page’s own.

Softlips® holiday limited edition review and giveaway!

2012-12-09T00:00:00.000-05:00

Softlips® has released a limited edition collection of Christmas-y flavored lip balms, available exclusively at Target, purveyor of all things cute.

Softlips 2-pack Jack Frosting lip balm

The Style Page recent sampled Softlips® Jack Frosting lip balm from the LE collection. Dimethicone guarantees a smooth application, while sunscreen agents provide SPF 20 protection. Softlips® Jack Frosting lip balm also includes emollients such as squalane, petrolatum, and vitamin E. Softlips® describes its Jack Frosting lip balm as having a flavor like buttercream frosting. When I first opened the tube, it smelled like burnt sugar, like crème brûlée. On subsequent applications, I became aware of the buttercream flavor. After applying the lip balm, you become aware of the cooling sensation of menthol: no wonder, as Softlips® is a trademark of The Mentholatum Company.

Softlips Vanilla and Winter Mint Holiday Gift Tag Pack

The Style Page is hosting a giveaway of limited edition Softlips® products! There are 4 prizes, for 4 winners:

Softlips® Jack Frosting 2 pack with bonus Softlips® Vanilla and Softlips® Winter Mint Holiday Holiday Gift Tag Pack
Softlips® Jack Frosting 2 pack with bonus Softlips® Vanilla and Softlips® Sugar 'n' Spice Holiday Gift Tag Pack
Softlips® Jack Frosting 2 pack with bonus Softlips® Raspberry and Softlips® Sugar Cookie Holiday Gift Tag Pack
Softlips® Jack Frosting 2 pack with bonus Softlips® Raspberry and Softlips® Sugar Plum Berry Holiday Gift Tag Pack

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Black Friday

2012-11-23T00:00:00.000-05:00

Source: someecards.com via Julie on Pinterest

Happy Thanksgiving!

2012-11-22T00:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving to our U.S. readers!

Source: beforeitsnews.com via Julie on Pinterest

Tell The Style Page: what are you grateful for?

Lisa Hoffman Japanese Agarwood Variations

2012-11-19T00:00:00.000-05:00

Lisa Hoffman Japanese Agarwood Variations is a set of four fragrances for different times of the day: Morning, Daytime, Evening, and Bedtime.

Lisa Hoffman Japanese Agarwood Variations

Source: lisahoffmanbeauty.com via Julie on Pinterest

Here is how the Lisa Hoffman website describes its Japanese Agarwood fragrance:

“The rare, woody scent of Japanese Agarwood is accented with the refreshing zest of Bergamot, the zen-like ambiance of Spiced Ginger, and the comfort of Warm Amber to inspire feelings of clarity and warmth as your journey of Japanese Agarwood unfolds.”

What is Agarwood? Wikipedia describes agarwood, variously known as aloes wood, oud (a popular note in Middle Eastern fragrances), and aguru, अगुरु, in Sanskrit, as “a dark resinous heartwood that forms in Aquilaria and Gyrinops trees (large evergreens native to Asia) when they become infected with a type of mold.” Who knew? Surely there has to be a metaphor somewhere: something beautiful (fragrance) coming from something ugly (mold). Kind of like the lotus arising from the mud.

When I tried the Morning and Daytime Lisa Hoffman Japanese Agarwood Variations, however, the most obvious note is bergamot. If you like citrusy fragrances, these are for you. I prefer the sensuousness of the Evening and Bedtime fragrances.

Don’t box yourself in! Lisa Hoffman encourages play, so don’t restrict yourself to wearing a particular fragrance at a given time of day. Layer the fragrances, or blend with other fragrances.

The Lisa Hoffman Japanese Agarwood 4-Vial Set in a leather wallet costs $95.00. You may purchase the set of 4 roller balls at lisahoffmanbeauty.com.

What about you? Have you tried any of the Lisa Hoffman fragrance variations? What do you think about Lisa Hoffman’s concepts and products?

beauty.com friends and family event ends November 12

2012-11-07T19:13:00.001-05:00

This event from beauty.com has to be one of the most attractive of all the Friends and Family events that I've seen:

And I'm not saying this just because I'm a beauty.com affiliate! Beauty.com offers many premium brands, with terms more attractive than those of Sephora:

Single checkout with drugstore.com
Free shipping for orders of $25.00 or more, whereas Sephora has a $50.00 minimum
Credits of 5% off every order that you can redeem later. Sephora offers a crummy sample for 100 points earned (or $100 spent) - I say "crummy" because invariably I don't care for the samples offered.

I took advantage of the beauty.com Friends and Family event myself! I purchased a two-fer set of Beautyblender sponges and two Lipstick Queen Sinner Lipsticks, one in Rouge and the other in Rust.

Hurry, the event ends Monday, November 12!

Marilyn and Ella #MusicMonday

2012-11-05T00:00:00.000-05:00

Ella Fitzgerald wanted to play at Mocambo, a very popular club in the 50’s but they wouldn’t book her because she was black. Marilyn Monroe called the owner and said she would sit at the front table every night Ella sang. And she did.

Brava, Marilyn! Ella, as you know, is part of the Holy Trinity of female jazz vocalists that also includes Billie Holiday and Dinah Washington.

Source: dodsonandross.com via STYLE on Pinterest

Source: todaystruffles.com via STYLE on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Julie on Pinterest

Can you imagine a female jazz vocalist CD compilation that features both Ella and Marilyn?

Divas of Jazz

Divas of Jazz features performances by Ella and Marilyn (although not together :-). It also features Lena Horne and her signature song "Stormy Weather" and Peggy Lee in a live version of "Fever." Add Billie and Dinah to the mix, and it's a complete collection! I found Divas of Jazz at my local Hallmark store - seriously!

Cane + Austin Retexturizing Treatment Pads

2012-11-01T00:00:00.000-04:00

I love alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs). They’re instant skin care gratification.

AHAs work by destroying the “glue” that holds dead skin cells to the skin’s surface. Dead skin cells are then sloughed off, and the skin immediately appears brighter. Sunscreen, moisturizer, face primer, and makeup apply more smoothly after an AHA treatment.

AHAs are typically derived from fruits or sugar cane. Cane + Austin Retexturizing Treatment Pads use AHAs derived from sugar cane. Get it? Cane + Austin? :) Austin refers to dermatologist Dr. Craig Austin, MD.

Source: beauty.com via STYLE on Pinterest

Cane + Austin Retexturizing Treatment Pads are saturated with a 10% glycolic acid solution, a fairly high concentration for an AHA product sold outside a doctor’s office. I like this product. I do object to the recommendation for use: daily, both morning and night. A 10% AHA product should be used only once or twice a week. This seems to be a ploy to get the customer to buy more, more often. It’s the same thing as the shampoo-rinse-repeat myth.

Cane + Austin Retexturizing Treatment Pads may be purchased through its website or Beauty.com. The Cane + Austin website provides for auto-shipment of a 30-day supply of 60 pads: surprise!

NOTE: The Style Page is an affiliate of beauty.com and receives a small commission for sales through this blog.

NOTE: Samples of Cane + Austin Retexturizing Treatment Pads were furnished by the PR rep. Opinions are my own.

Jazzy #Halloween playlist

2012-10-29T00:00:00.000-04:00

hip hip gin gin @HipHipGinGin put together a great playlist with Halloween themes that I put on Spotify:

Enjoy, and Happy Spookin' Halloween!

I love Dinah Washington playlist #MusicMonday

2012-10-22T09:50:00.000-04:00

The Holy Trinity of female jazz vocalists: Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Dinah Washington:

Dinah Washington (1925-1963)

You will need to download and install the Spotify player to enjoy the Dinah Washington playlist. Remember - Spotify inserts commercials, which can be irritating.

Argania 1640 100% pure argan oil

2012-10-17T00:00:00.000-04:00

Argan oil is all the rage now. Think Moroccan Oil and Josie Maran’s argan-oil infused cosmetics line. Moroccan Oil, in actuality, is mostly silicones.

Argan oil is an organic oil pressed from the seeds of the Argan tree (Argania Spinosa), which grows only in southwestern Morocco. Argania 1640 works directly with Cooperative Agricole Argan Mogador in Had Draa, Morocco to support female artisans who grind the seeds and press the oil by hand.

The argan nuts are cracked to release the seeds

Argan oil is pressed from the seeds

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I was delighted to receive a 15-ml bottle of Argania 1640 100% pure argan oil from the company. With my package, I received a note that the argan oil was hand-pressed only weeks earlier. The bottle is made of brown glass with a dropper in the cap.

Argania 1640 100% pure argan oil

I use Argania 1640 100% pure argan oil to smoothe and add shine to my hair, treat dry patches, and moisturize my dry, ratty cuticles. In my experience, plant oils are the best for moisturizing cuticles. Argania 1640’s web site describes other ways to use argan oil. I want to try the recipe for strengthening nails.