Tuesday, January 31, 2012

How To Find Your Perfect Blush

Ever wonder how to find that perfect blush that matches your skin tone? Well I have your perfect solution.

Start with a fresh face that has absolutely no makeup on. An easy time to do this is right after you woke up before you wash your face because the scrubbing of the washcloth can create redness and discoloration on your face.

Then pinch the apples of your cheeks until you see color, this color is the color that you want to remember for your perfect blush shade. That is the color you want to search for in blush colors whether its powder, cream, or cheek tint. It will look natural and match your skin tone perfectly :) To remember you can always snap a picture! Then don't forget to sample the product before buying.

Happy searching!

Monday, January 30, 2012

It's All About the Eyes

Ever wonder how to achieve those big, awake eyes well here are some quick tips.

Try using a white or nude eyeliner on the waterline this brightens up the eye because light colors open the eye whereas darker color such as black make the eye appear smaller. Another tip line the upper eyelid with a black liner and wing it out for a fun look that extends the eyes outward. The combination of black and white is sophisticated while giving your eye the much needed lift.

Fill in your eyebrows since thicker eyebrows are in this season it gives your face a structured look while making your eyes appear bigger. The eyebrows help frame your eyes just like a picture.

Reduce puffiness one can do this by achieving the most amount of sleep possible, using cucumber slices on the eyes to reduce swelling and there are a number of products to help conceal those raccoon eyes.

Curl the eyelashes this opens up the eye. But remember to curl the eyelashes BEFORE applying mascara otherwise your eyelashes will stick to the eyelash curler and thats no fun.

Apply a highlight color such as a pearly white color to the inner corner of the eye and under the eyebrow, this brightens the eye and lifts the eyebrow to make the eye area appear bigger and more awake.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Take A Wiff

It's days like today where its gloomy, bland, and downright crappy out. Sometimes you need a little pick me up to get your day started off right. Don't worry there is an essential oil for YOU. Yessss I said essential oil as in aromatherapy. There are many uses for these wonderful oils. For instance, feeling blue, a little sad perhaps? Try sniffing some lemon or citrus oil to help with depression and for a quick pick me up to help with drowsiness.

Suffering from a headache? Rub some peppermint oil on your forehead or to your cupids bow (the little crevasse under your nose). In addition, peppermint aids in concentration (so all you college student out there--this one's for you!)

Do you lie awake at night staring at the clock or counting sheep? Don't suffer any longer and try a little lavender oil on your pillow to help relax your mind and drift into that wonderful suspension of consciousness.In addition, incorporating some chamomile tea before bed helps you to relax and ease into sleep.

For all my ladies out there--this one's for you! Menstrual cramps oh ya those ones that make you double over in pain--try some Geranium oil
 

Happy sniffing :)

ps. consult with doctor before beginning any regimen.

The Power of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

There has been many reviews regarding EVOO and its multipurpose uses. The one in particular that sparked my interest was using EVOO as a facial moisturizer. According the research the molecules in EVOO are too large to get clogged in one's pores; therefore, the oil gets absorbed but doesn't clog. In addition, many people have experienced a "purging" period where the skin breaks out to get all the toxins out of the skin but if continual use occurs it will clear up and reveal even healthier more radiant skin. I was intrigued at the power of EVOO so i decided to give it a try. I used it as a facial moisturizer last night. Here were my steps: 1. Removed my makeup 2. Washed my face with a cleanser 3. Applied a toner 4. Applied less than a dime size amount of EVOO. I would recommend if you are going to try EVOO use it at night because your face will look greasy; however, overnight it will soak into your skin. If you are really worried about excess oil you can apply it, let it soak in for a bit then wipe away with a warm wash cloth.

I decided to jump in to the trend head first. My face didn't have that tight feeling it sometimes gets after washing. In addition, I prepared myself by thinking I would be one to suffer through the purging stage. Woke up in the morning to no addition pimples and the ones i did have were not as red! So far so good right? This was only the first day of testing but I plan to continue this routine to see its full effects; whether, good or bad. I will update as time goes on :)

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Fighting Winter Lips

Everyone has experiences those times during winter when your lips become dry, cracking, peeling, and flaky. You try to put lipstick or lip gloss on and you see every line and crack. Its both embarrassing and annoying. Here are some simple and fun tricks to keep your lips soft and subtle during the winter.

Find a good chapstick that will stay on your lips while walking through the blistering cold, windy, winter days. My personal favorite is Carmex in original. Chapstick is key to fighting off the dry lips in winter.


If possible cover your face while walking outside in the freezing cold weather, you can do this by finding a cute scarf that can also help make an outfit! This protects your lips from the wind and cold.

Exfoliate your lips once a week to remove the dead skin. If you don't want to invest in a lip scrub try using sugar. Dip your finger in some water and then sugar and massage into lips. The rough texture takes away the dry flaky skin that is sitting on the surface of the lips. My favorite lip scrub is by Lush called Pow Wow, the best part about it is you can lick off the scrub and eat it! Mmmm just like pop rocks! A simple exfoliator can be your toothbrush...yes i said toothbrush! Use the bristles of the toothbrush in circular motions all around the lips...it also draws blood to the lips and helps pump them up!

Another quick tip for those lipstick lovers, try applying a lip balm before you apply the lipstick to have a smooth surface for the lipstick to glide over instead of adhere to the rough patches.

Hope these tips and tricks help!
Claire

Monday, January 2, 2012

December Favorites

Hey everyone,
I decided to start blogging about my beauty adventures since I am on the newer side of the beauty world. This first entry will discuss my favorite items from December.
1. MAC Mineralized Skin Finish Natural in Light Plus
2. NYC Sunny Bronzer (even though mine dropped and broke!)
3. Carmex Chapstick (my holy grail lip product)
4. OPI "Design de Better"
5. Orly "Royal Navy"
6. Sigma E40 Brush

These are just some of the products that have been used on a regular basis throughout December and are definitely considered on my favorites list. In addition I recently picked up some items at the Mall and Target in a recent haul that I am excited to tryout. On youtube, Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Foundation has been continuously talked about as an item to try; therefore, I decided to give it a shot. I'm hoping this foundation will conquer my complications with liquid foundation. Since I bought a new foundation, I decided to purchase the 3-step skin care line from Clinique since it is a new year and my skin isn't its best. I will most likely document my findings here on the blog about these products so be sure to stay tuned for those!

What are some of your favorite products for the month?