Friday 30 May 2014

How-To: Pretty Pink Pastel Lips.


Here's how you can create this pretty pastel pink lip on your own.


1. Condition and line. Condition your lips first to help hydrate any cracked, dry spots. Then line your lips with a clear lip liner — this will keep the lip color you're about to apply from bleeding. Here, Lizzie Power, owner of Awoke Vintage, a clothing story in Brooklyn, applied No More Bleeding Lips along the perimeter of her mouth.

2. Fill in your lips with a pink lip liner. Lizzie used Estée Lauder Lip Pencil in "Pink Writer."

3. Create a chalky-pink lip color. Mix a peachy-pink lip color with a nude one to make an opaque shade. Here, Lizzie combined Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar in "Femme," a peachy-pink shade, with MAC Cosmetics Cream Color Base in "Nude."

4. Pump up the color. Press a hot pink blush, like NYX Cosmetics Powder Blush in "Matte Hot Pink," over your lips with a flat makeup brush to set the shade and give it a matte finish. 

5. Pat on some SPF and make your lips pop by applying concealer around your mouth. Lizzie used a zinc-based SPF, like Sun Bum Sunscreen, to give that opaque pastel finish to her lips, and then cleaned up the areas around her mouth with a concealer, like Clé de Peau Beauté Concealer, to make her lip color pop. 


And voilà! A gorgeous pale pink lip color that you can wear anywhere.

Friday 23 May 2014

Makeup How-To: Get Summer-Ready, Gorgeous Matte Skin


Summer skin is often shiny skin, which can translate to sweaty, greasy, and not cute. To tone down the sheen and leave your skin looking gorgeously matte, follow these simple steps from celebrity makeup artist Kirstin Piggott, who dolls up the faces of Kate Moss, Georgia May Jagger, and more. 


1. Prep your skin. First, cleanse, tone, and moisturize your skin, so your makeup goes on easier and lasts longer. Then, apply a matte primer over your T-zone to give you extra mattifying protection in that area, since it's the oiliest spot on your face. Charlotte swiped on MAC Cosmetics Matte.

2. Break out the matte BB cream. Apply a matte BB cream all over your face using your fingers to warm the formula and really work it into your skin. Use no more than a pea-size amount because you don't want the makeup to look heavy and caked on. Try Rimmel London Matte BB Cream, which Charlotte applied in "Light."

3. Add a bit of concealer. If you need extra coverage, apply concealer to touch up any problem areas, like dark circles or a blemish. "You always want to apply concealer after you've put on your base to avoid using too much concealer," Piggott says. Charlotte used YSL Touch Éclat concealer.

4. Set your concealer. Sweep a transculent powder, like Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder, underneath your eyes only, since the concealer can get greasy in that area. This not only sets the concealer, but also has light reflective properties so it brightens the eyes.

5. Dab a bit of matte blush onto the apples of your cheeks. In keeping with the matte theme, use a cream blush with a matte finish (or a powder), so your look doesn't fade by 4 p.m. And go for a natural shade of blush, such as Rimmel London Stay Blushed Liquid Cheek Tint in "Peach," so you're left with a soft flush. Do not top your your matte skin with a shiny blush, because it will make your cheeks look greasy.

6. Finish with lip balm. Apply a flesh-toned lip balm to your mouth for a beautiful, natural-looking lip and to complete your fresh-faced matte skin. Try Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant.

Finally, here you go! :*

Thursday 15 May 2014

The Best Sunscreens to Buy This Summer!

 Since sexy skin is sun-safe skin, you should slather on one of these SPFs this summer. 


1. 

Best for All-Over Body Quick Coverage:

This formula wicks away sweat, chlorine, and salt water, so it protects your skin for up to 80 minutes. That way, whether you're at the beach playing frisbee or sitting pool- or surf-side, your skin will be shielded.L'Oréal Paris Advanced Suncare Quick Dry Sheer Finishing Spray SPF 50, $8,walgreens.com

 

2.
Best for Sports Fanatics: 

After a game of beach volleyball or throwing the football back and forth with your BF, reapply with this broad spectrum, water-resistant formula. It instantly cools your skin with aloe as it protects it with SPF 50. Banana Boat Sport CoolZone Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50, $10, drugstore.com


 3.

Best for Your Eyes: 

This daily eye cream not only protects from harmful UVA/UVB rays, but also against pollution, stress, and dehydration. Clinique Superdefense Age Defense Eye Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 20, $40, clinique.com

 

4.
Best for daily face protection:

This moisturizer is strong enough to fight dehydration, fine lines, and other signs of aging, but its oil-free formula won't clog your pores.Olay Total Effects Anti-Aging Daily Moisturizer SPF 30 with SolaSheer Technology, $18, target.com

 

5.

The best dry oil spray:
This water- and sweat-resistant oil spray can be used to protect and hydrate both your skin and your hair.Clarins Sunscreen Care Oil Spray SPF 30, $35, clarinsusa.com


6.
Best for travel:
 This broad spectrum water- and sweat-proof, paraben- and oil-free, hypoallergenic formula has the Skin Cancer Foundation seal of approval, so you know it'll definitely keep you from burning while you're in the water. It contains vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps to neutralize free radicals, which are the main cause of premature skin aging. Translation: You'll look younger longer and still get to ride the waves.Bonus: It's available in a 3-ounce travel-friendly size.Sun Bum Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Shorties, $12, trustthebum.com

                                       Hope you have a SAFE SUMMER!




 

Tuesday 6 May 2014

11 things never to PUT ON FACE!


If you put these products on your face, you will regret it.

1. Hair Spray. You may have heard somewhere that it will help set your makeup, but it should NEVER be applied to your face because it contains lacquers and alcohol that will dry our your skin, causing your skin to become dehydrated and you to look older. Plus, hair spray has repellents in it that could irritate your skin, leaving it red and bumpy.

2. Deodorant. Just because it keeps your underarms from sweating through your shirt does not mean it should be swiped over any area of your face that might perspire in hopes of keeping your makeup from melting down your face. You want your skin to be able to breathe. It's doing what it needs to for a reason, and you don't need to stop it. If you want to learn how to keep your makeup in place when temperatures rise, read this.

3. Hair Color. If you color your hair regularly and want your brows to match, use a vegetable-based colorant or tinted brow mascara on your arches instead of your at-home hair color, since the formulas are less harsh. Box dye can be too irritating for the skin around your eye area and can even make your eyes burn and tear up. 
4. Vegetable Shortening. Even though this can be applied to your body skin to help treat psoriasis, it's far too heavy for your face and may even clog your pores, leading to breakouts. 

5. Shampoo. The same surfactants that clean your hair, stripping it of excess oil and dirt, are not the same ones that you should be cleansing your skin with. Shampoos are manufactured to clean and do things to your hair shaft, they're not designed to deal with the delicate molecules of your skin. If you washed your face with shampoo, it would end up being really dry and flaky.

6. Hair Serum. Just because a formula has the word "serum" on the label doesn't mean it's the same kind of serum that your skin can handle. You're trying to coat the hair shaft with different types of ingredients that you wouldn't normally use to treat fine lines or any other skin woes. Plus, a lot of them contain fragrances that can heavily irritate your facial skin.

7. Body Lotion. It would be nice to just slather on one lotion and be done with it, but body lotions should NEVER be applied to your face because they're usually a lot thicker and typically contain fragrances that might irritate your facial skin. On your face, you should always use something more gentle and delicate. Think of body lotions and creams like spackle — they're there to fill in lost moisture, not to target your facial needs like anti-aging.

8. Foot Creams. This is basically a no-brainer, but if you're desperate and only have a foot cream laying around, DO NOT put it anywhere near your face — even if you just have a tiny dry patch. They're just too rich, thick, and sticky to be applied to your facial skin. They're formulated to break down thick calluses on your feet and often contain chemical exfoliants at percentages that you would never want to use on your face. 

9. Nail Polish. Trying to paint your face for a Halloween or costume party? This only belongs on your nails. It has acrylic molecules that will actually dry the skin out. So, if you're thinking about doing up your face for a theme party, only use paint designed for your face.

10. Acetic Acids aka Vinegar. Yes, you can apply vinegar onto your face as a toner, but it's better to get a toner that contains the ingredient instead of whipping a bottle out of your kitchen cabinet. Vinegar can lose water over time and become stronger, so if you use it on your skin, it can actually burn it if you don't know exactly how long it's been in your possession. 

11. Mayonnaise. This ingredient is in a lot of DIY hair masks because it's hydrating TO YOUR HAIR. But it's not a good idea to put it on your skin because it's too acidic and too occlusive, meaning it doesn't allow your skin to breathe and can clog your pores. If you want to try any at-home facial masks, here are a few that are safe to whip up.

Sunday 4 May 2014

Nail Art How-To: Sexy Snakeskin Mani

Here is a beautiful snake nail art design that you will absolutely LOVE!

Sexy meets chic with this blue snakeskin mani. Nail artist Simcha Whitehill aka Miss Pop shows you exactly how to recreate it with ease.

 
1. Prep. File your nails into the desired shape, push back your cuticles — DO NOT CUT THEM! — and then apply one layer of a base coat polish, followed by two coats of Essie Borrowed & Blue.

2. Paint on some diamond shapes. Turn the bottle brush so that it's on a diagonal and make three to four short strokes in a row up the middle of your nail to create a row of diamond shapes. Then, use the same motion to create a line of triangles along the sides of your nail. Here, I used Deborah Lippmann's On The Beach

3. Create scales. To create the look of scales along the diamonds and triangles, dip a small striper brush in O.P.I. Incognito In Sausalito, and then press the brush tip down over and over again all around the edge of the diamonds and triangles. "The quicker you apply the polish, the more imperfect and real the scales will appear," 

4. Fill in the empty space with more scales. Using the same brush dipped in the navy polish, place a few extra scales inside the diamonds and in between them. Finally, seal your look with topcoat.

Boom: Chic nails that people are going to pin the hell out of.

Makeup How-To: Sexy, Smoky Eyes & Dark Lips

Create this sultry, smoky eye and bordeaux-colored lip look with the help of these tips from makeup artist Lauren Cosenza.

1. Line your eyes. Start by lining your eyes with a black eyeliner along your top and bottom lashlines and inside your waterline. Try Josie Maran Black Eyeliner.

2. Add dimension to your eyelid. Using a chocolate brown eyeshadow, like MAC Cosmetics Eyeshadow in Brun, brush the color over your lid using a contouring eyeshadow brush, then smudge the same shadow shade along your lower lashline.

3. Sweep shadow into the crease. Apply a brownish-champagne-colored eyeshadow to the brow bone using a fluffy brush and work it into the crease to diffuse any hard lines. Try CoverGirl Eye Enhancers 1-Kit Shadows in Tapestry Taupe.

4. Line and fill in your lips. To finish this allover dark look, line and fill in your lips with brown lip liner, like MAC Cosmetics Lip Pencil in Boldly Bare. Finish by applying Aquaphor over the lip liner to give it some sheen.


Saturday 3 May 2014

18 Quotes That Will Make You Love Your Body Even More

1. Khloe Kardashian

   "I'm proud of my body. I'm finally in a good place and learning to love me for me, and not somebody else's standards."

2. Jennifer Lopez

   "You have to stand up and say, 'There's nothing wrong with me or my shape or who I am; you're the one with the problem!'"

3. Drew Barrymore

   "My limbs work, so I'm not going to complain about the way my body is shaped."

4. Jennifer Lawrence

   "If anybody even tries to whisper the word 'diet,' I'm like, 'You can go f*ck yourself.'" 

5. Ariana Grande

   "I think it's so important for girls to love themselves and to treat their bodies respectfully."  

6. Meryl Streep

   "Everyone tries to look a cookie-cutter kind of way, and actually the people who look different are the ones who get picked up."  

7. Kim Kardashian

   "I might have a little bit of cellulite. I might not be toned everywhere. But accepting that just empowers me."

8. Kate Upton

   "I want to enjoy life, and I can't if I'm not eating and miserable."

9. Lucy Hale

  "My body is normal, and I'm not trying to prove anything."

10. Serena Williams

    "My smile is my favorite part of my body. I think a smile can make your whole body."     

11. Miley Cyrus


     "I don't wanna be shaped like a girl. I love being shaped like a woman, and trust me ladies, your man won't mind either." ;)

12. Fergie


    "I have learned to enjoy my body when I have a few extra pounds on, just being more voluptuous."

13. Gabourey Sidibe

     "One day I had to sit down with myself and decide that I loved myself no matter what my body looked like and what other people thought about my body."

14. Jessica Simpson
   

"I'm just your everyday woman who is trying to feel good and be healthy for her daughter, her fiancé, and herself."

15. Adele

    "I would only lose weight if it affected my health or sex life, which it doesn't."

16. Demi Lovato

    "I'm not going to sacrifice my mental health to have the perfect body."

17. Ashley Greene

    "I don't want a child's body. I want a woman's body that is extremely fit. It's so much sexier."

18. Amber Riley

     "I'm not going to conform and hurt myself and do something crazy to be a size 2."