Guess who's back!
Did you miss me blogettes?
I missed you dearly.
What better day to come back to than Makeup Monday!
I was all prepped to write the article, then realized one of my makeup articles for my favourite beauty website Chick Advisor was published today - so that will be your makeup monday post - enjoy!
Fall Beauty Recap
Monday, March 29, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
Cheap Date Friday: Rise & Shine
I have a hard time eating breakfast. Food is the last thing I want when I wake up in the morning and it takes me at least an hour to settle in to the idea of eating something small, let alone a complete breakfast. Contrary to my stomach, my face loves breakfast. Breakfast food that is, minus bacon - I put selected breakfast foods on my face to stop it from looking like I've slapped bacon all over it.
Eggs and Oatmeal are amazing for your skin and serve many purposes. In the past I've given you all a couple recipes for egg white facials and I hope you've had a chance to try them, especially you combination/oily skinned gals - works wonders for your pores! This post will focus on all of the ways to ensure your pretty little face benefits from oatmeal.
Oats are very calming and moisturizing to the skin. Aveeno fans will notice that a lot of their products contain oatmeal to soothe sensitive skin or quench dry skin, but all skin types can benefit. I have tried two ways using oatmeal: as a mask and as an exfoliant. Since I am already slave to Dermalogica's Daily Microfoliant, I use it as a mask much more often, but for those of you looking to pinch a pretty penny, using oatmeal as an exfoliant is super cheap, super effective, and super easy. SUPER!
All you need for both is some good old Quaker Oats and a grinder [a magic bullet works well in this situation]
Oatmeal Mask: the base of this mask is oatmeal [duh] and water, but you can add in other ingredients to tend more to your specific skin type or concern.
First, place about a half cup of oats in a grinder and grind them until they are almost to a powder form [you'll want some bigger pieces to remain]. Next, transfer to a bowl and add little bits of water at a time, stirring until you've created a paste. I prefer mine to be on the thin side, but if you prefer to slap on the thick stuff, go easy on the water. Now you've got your mask - spread it on to your face for 15 minutes, and when you rinse off, use the bigger oatmeal pieces in the mask to slightly exfoliate as you rinse. Voila - plump, moisturized, soft and glowy skin.
Additions - adding honey to the mask is great for dry, irritated, or acne prone skin. Lemon juice is great for skin with a lot of redness or rosacea, and adding in egg whites is great for oily skinned gals looking to tighten your skin and shrink your pores. When thinking of portions, just remember that it's going on your face, not in to your stomach to give you energy for the entire day - stay on the lighter side.
Oatmeal Exfoliant: involves using oatmeal with your regular cleanser. Take about a cup of oatmeal, grind it into powder form, and place in a jar in your bathroom. Every time you wash your face, mix a little bit of the oatmeal powder with your cleanser in your hand and cleanse as usual, making sure to rinse well. Besides being cheap, this allows you to use your current cleanser which [hopefully] you like and your skin is already accustomed to. WIN.
There are more ways to use oatmeal but they involve boiling, straining, cooling...etc etc and frankly, that takes too much time. Most of you enjoy this blog because I'd take quick and easy over complicated any day.
Enjoy your weekends...
xxLM
[PS: the Magic Bullet I referred to above is the appliance advertised on TV, not the "magic bullet" I learned about in University]
Eggs and Oatmeal are amazing for your skin and serve many purposes. In the past I've given you all a couple recipes for egg white facials and I hope you've had a chance to try them, especially you combination/oily skinned gals - works wonders for your pores! This post will focus on all of the ways to ensure your pretty little face benefits from oatmeal.
Oats are very calming and moisturizing to the skin. Aveeno fans will notice that a lot of their products contain oatmeal to soothe sensitive skin or quench dry skin, but all skin types can benefit. I have tried two ways using oatmeal: as a mask and as an exfoliant. Since I am already slave to Dermalogica's Daily Microfoliant, I use it as a mask much more often, but for those of you looking to pinch a pretty penny, using oatmeal as an exfoliant is super cheap, super effective, and super easy. SUPER!
All you need for both is some good old Quaker Oats and a grinder [a magic bullet works well in this situation]
Oatmeal Mask: the base of this mask is oatmeal [duh] and water, but you can add in other ingredients to tend more to your specific skin type or concern.
First, place about a half cup of oats in a grinder and grind them until they are almost to a powder form [you'll want some bigger pieces to remain]. Next, transfer to a bowl and add little bits of water at a time, stirring until you've created a paste. I prefer mine to be on the thin side, but if you prefer to slap on the thick stuff, go easy on the water. Now you've got your mask - spread it on to your face for 15 minutes, and when you rinse off, use the bigger oatmeal pieces in the mask to slightly exfoliate as you rinse. Voila - plump, moisturized, soft and glowy skin.
Additions - adding honey to the mask is great for dry, irritated, or acne prone skin. Lemon juice is great for skin with a lot of redness or rosacea, and adding in egg whites is great for oily skinned gals looking to tighten your skin and shrink your pores. When thinking of portions, just remember that it's going on your face, not in to your stomach to give you energy for the entire day - stay on the lighter side.
Oatmeal Exfoliant: involves using oatmeal with your regular cleanser. Take about a cup of oatmeal, grind it into powder form, and place in a jar in your bathroom. Every time you wash your face, mix a little bit of the oatmeal powder with your cleanser in your hand and cleanse as usual, making sure to rinse well. Besides being cheap, this allows you to use your current cleanser which [hopefully] you like and your skin is already accustomed to. WIN.
There are more ways to use oatmeal but they involve boiling, straining, cooling...etc etc and frankly, that takes too much time. Most of you enjoy this blog because I'd take quick and easy over complicated any day.
Enjoy your weekends...
xxLM
[PS: the Magic Bullet I referred to above is the appliance advertised on TV, not the "magic bullet" I learned about in University]
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
What colour of mascara do you recommend for different colours of eyes/hair. I never know if I should buy very black, or brownish black, or blue black...or what!!!!
Totally depends on the look you want to go for! Smokey eyes and dramatic lashes need blackest black mascara, while day to day eyes can look fantastic with a brownish black or brown mascara. Looking for drama? Using a coloured mascara just on the tips of your lashes adds dimension, eggplant colours work on all eyes :)
Monday, March 8, 2010
Makeup Monday: Brows
Have been sitting in sales meetings all day at the airport hotel and am now blogging in my ice cold room. I turned up the heat before I left my room this morning and I came back to frigid temperatures, definitely not the best way to wrap up a long a** day. I always forget how emotionally exhausting sales meetings are, checking your attitude at the door and always having to be 'on', ready to answer questions from trials and reprints that all seem to blend together as the day goes on. Tomorrow will be much of the same.
Today's MM is going to be short, I'm low on patience and high on taking a nap, my feet are ice cold and my hair is gross from nervous twittering with it all day.
Contrary to the hair on my head, my eyebrows are still in fine shape and will be until I wash my makeup off tonight. Properly groomed eyebrows are a great asset to any makeup style and greatly influence the level of "put togetherness" in your look. Great brows can really define your face and accentuate your features without being the centre of attention.
Brows are definitely one of my weaker areas of knowledge for one reason: I don't touch mine. EVER. I faithfully visit my favourite eyebrow lady at a salon once every 4-5 weeks and have them threaded, shaped, and trimmed if necessary. I love love love my eyebrow lady and if you want her name don't hesitate to send me an email or a fb message, especially since most of you access my blogs via facebook [would it hurt you to follow me?]. I am very firm on my previous statement, even in between visits I never touch my brows and it gets difficult near the end of the 4 weeks, but I've been down the road of self-plucking and it's not pretty, so I haven't taken a tweezer to my brows for a good eight (8) years.
I understand that not everyone has the funds or opportunities to have their eyebrows done on a regular basis, so I've done some research for you all on tips and tricks to perfectly shaped brows for any facial structure and some tips on how to accentuate your brows with makeup [a must for everyone].
First and most importantly, you can only work with what you have. Eyebrows, unlike hair, are not extension friendly nor are they malleable to shape however you'd like, you have to understand your face shape and natural brow patten before attempting to clean up the area. Looking at pictures is also not a great idea when grooming your brows, as almost 100% of the "perfect brows" you see on celebrities have been accentuated and filled in with makeup and are shaped to their features. The steps below demonstrate how to find your brow shape depending on your features.
A. Using a pencil/make up brush, hockey stick: hold it vertically against the bridge of your nose so it meets touches the inner corner of your eye, where the stick meets the brow is where your eyebrow should begin.
B. Tilt the stick diagonally lining up with the outer edge of your iris, that is where the highest point of your brow arch should be
C. Line the stick diagonally with the outer corner of your eye, where it meets your brow is where your brow should end.
What you want to do is mark these points using an eyeliner pencil to define the beginning, arch, and end of your brows. Brush your brows using upward and outward motions to define the natural shape - this will give you a better indication of how thick your brows are to prevent overplucking. Keep your brows as thick as possible, you never want to overpluck.
Slowly begin plucking only the hairs that fall distinctively outside your brow shape, including the stray hair above your brows. There is always a disagreement on above-the-brow plucking and I am all for it. When my brows are threaded the tops of them are also cleaned up, and if done carefully it can really enhance your brow shape. Once you have plucked all of the very evident stray hairs, rebrush your eyebrows and step back away from the mirror. Pulling back away from the mirror gives a more accurate vision of what the shape looks like; standing too close can lead to overplucking. Happy with the shape? DROP THE TWEEZERS. Need a little more? Proceed carefully.
ONLY pluck the hairs that fall outside the shape of your brows, even if you have some areas that are sparse. Sparse areas can be filled in with pencil to create a more uniform depth while still keeping the shape you've determined above.
Once you are satisfied with your freshly groomed brows, it's nice to lightly fill them in with pencil when you do your makeup. Brow pencils come in all brands and colours, but a light blonde one works for even the darkest brows. You can also use light brown eyeliner. Taking the pencil, make short, small strokes following the natural hairline, filling in areas that are thinner than others to create uniformity. Once you are done, set your eyebrows by running a clear mascara or brow gel overthem. To add even more dimension, take a shimmery eyeshadow and blend it under the arch of your brow and blend down to the outer corner of your eye. Voila - beautiful brows!
Brows are tricky, and are relatively inexpensive (<$20) to have professionally shaped. If you do decide to go the professional route [good girl], go for brow threading rather than waxing. Yes, it hurts more, but it is undoubtedly more precise and lasts for longer. WIN.
Happy plucking,
xxLM
Today's MM is going to be short, I'm low on patience and high on taking a nap, my feet are ice cold and my hair is gross from nervous twittering with it all day.
Contrary to the hair on my head, my eyebrows are still in fine shape and will be until I wash my makeup off tonight. Properly groomed eyebrows are a great asset to any makeup style and greatly influence the level of "put togetherness" in your look. Great brows can really define your face and accentuate your features without being the centre of attention.
Brows are definitely one of my weaker areas of knowledge for one reason: I don't touch mine. EVER. I faithfully visit my favourite eyebrow lady at a salon once every 4-5 weeks and have them threaded, shaped, and trimmed if necessary. I love love love my eyebrow lady and if you want her name don't hesitate to send me an email or a fb message, especially since most of you access my blogs via facebook [would it hurt you to follow me?]. I am very firm on my previous statement, even in between visits I never touch my brows and it gets difficult near the end of the 4 weeks, but I've been down the road of self-plucking and it's not pretty, so I haven't taken a tweezer to my brows for a good eight (8) years.
I understand that not everyone has the funds or opportunities to have their eyebrows done on a regular basis, so I've done some research for you all on tips and tricks to perfectly shaped brows for any facial structure and some tips on how to accentuate your brows with makeup [a must for everyone].
First and most importantly, you can only work with what you have. Eyebrows, unlike hair, are not extension friendly nor are they malleable to shape however you'd like, you have to understand your face shape and natural brow patten before attempting to clean up the area. Looking at pictures is also not a great idea when grooming your brows, as almost 100% of the "perfect brows" you see on celebrities have been accentuated and filled in with makeup and are shaped to their features. The steps below demonstrate how to find your brow shape depending on your features.
B. Tilt the stick diagonally lining up with the outer edge of your iris, that is where the highest point of your brow arch should be
C. Line the stick diagonally with the outer corner of your eye, where it meets your brow is where your brow should end.
What you want to do is mark these points using an eyeliner pencil to define the beginning, arch, and end of your brows. Brush your brows using upward and outward motions to define the natural shape - this will give you a better indication of how thick your brows are to prevent overplucking. Keep your brows as thick as possible, you never want to overpluck.
Slowly begin plucking only the hairs that fall distinctively outside your brow shape, including the stray hair above your brows. There is always a disagreement on above-the-brow plucking and I am all for it. When my brows are threaded the tops of them are also cleaned up, and if done carefully it can really enhance your brow shape. Once you have plucked all of the very evident stray hairs, rebrush your eyebrows and step back away from the mirror. Pulling back away from the mirror gives a more accurate vision of what the shape looks like; standing too close can lead to overplucking. Happy with the shape? DROP THE TWEEZERS. Need a little more? Proceed carefully.
ONLY pluck the hairs that fall outside the shape of your brows, even if you have some areas that are sparse. Sparse areas can be filled in with pencil to create a more uniform depth while still keeping the shape you've determined above.
Once you are satisfied with your freshly groomed brows, it's nice to lightly fill them in with pencil when you do your makeup. Brow pencils come in all brands and colours, but a light blonde one works for even the darkest brows. You can also use light brown eyeliner. Taking the pencil, make short, small strokes following the natural hairline, filling in areas that are thinner than others to create uniformity. Once you are done, set your eyebrows by running a clear mascara or brow gel overthem. To add even more dimension, take a shimmery eyeshadow and blend it under the arch of your brow and blend down to the outer corner of your eye. Voila - beautiful brows!
Brows are tricky, and are relatively inexpensive (<$20) to have professionally shaped. If you do decide to go the professional route [good girl], go for brow threading rather than waxing. Yes, it hurts more, but it is undoubtedly more precise and lasts for longer. WIN.
Happy plucking,
xxLM
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Little Miss Sunshine
The sad part is, little miss sunshine is a two faced b*tch who's main goal is to slowly destroy us in the dirtiest way possible - she makes us beg for it, she makes us want her so badly that we're keen to drop all of our plans just to spend a little more time with her, all the while she's silently harming us, watching us enjoy every minute of it. Not a fan of S&M? Guess what, you're in a masochistic relationship with little miss sunshine.
It shouldn't be news to you that the sun is bad for your skin and that nice tan we all love is just a way of announcing to the world that you have sun damage. If tanning was a crime I'd be on the death chair from my years of not only oiling up my body and laying outside for hours, but oiling up my body and hopping into a tanning bed for ten minutes multiple times a week during the winter months [okay fine, during the summer months too, don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about]. My obsession with skincare has led me to stop tanning and I am slowly learning to love my natural, very fair, cool-toned complexion. I've made a pact with myself to avoid tanning from now on, especially on my face which will be enjoying SPF 85 from May-September every year. *not to disappoint my collection of tan-necessary gold jewelry, I will also be enjoying self tanning and makeup three shades darker than my actual skin tone... one of the few time's I look forward to faking it.
I've known that the sun was bad for me for years, but it wasn't until I realized that all the time and money I spend to have good skin is completely shot to sh*t every time I let my skin be subjected to the sun's rays. I'm sure there are a lot of you out there like me, you want great skin but you not only love the sun, you love the way your skin looks with a tan. It's a tough spot to be in, but here are the facts beyond "the sun is bad for you" that may have you joining me in racking up some Shoppers Optimum points from the sunscreen aisle this summer.
The fact that the sun can cause skin cancer doesn't seem to resonate in today's generation as demonstrated by packed beaches and pre-spring break line ups at the tanning salon [it's always a good idea to pre-damage your skin before damaging it even more in Cancun or wherever you're going to lose your dignity this March]. Since I live by the "true beauty is on the outside" motto, the more common and visible results of sun damage put my panties in a knot more than skin cancer did, and here's what I know.
Over 80% of the signs of skin aging in adults results from their tans as teens.
A lot of people think that a sunburn is the visible sign of sun damage, but even a light tan is a sign that you've damaged the top layer of your skin. Take a look at the skin on the underside of your arm and compare it to the skin on the top - the skin on the underside of your arm is how your entire body should look, it is generally undamaged from the sun. The differences you see in the skin on the top of your arm [different colour, freckles, hyperpigmentation] is all sun damage accumulated over the years. FAIL.
Every time you tan, you are inviting the suns UV rays to break down collagen [primary structural protein in your skin] and increase elastin [protein that allows tissues to stretch]. In english, less firmy + more stretchy = saggy [or FAIL]. When this happens, enzymes in the body attempt to rebuild the collagen. Simple solution? Not quite, as this process doesn't work the way it should and the enzymes end up breaking down more collagen, creating the entire sequence again and causing solar scars [in facebook terms, Collagen is in a complicated relationship with Metalloproteinases (the enzyme)]. What happens as this process is repeated over and over again? Wrinkles.
Your beautiful face isn't the only recipient of these wonderful wrinkles; UV rays also cause thickening of the skin especially in the neck area, resulting in deep, coarse wrinkles. The best thing about these wrinkles? They're permanent. While on the topic of permanent, the sun also causes permanent stretching of tiny blood vessels that give your face an all over reddish appearance.
Melanin is a brown pigment that is designed to shield your body from UV rays. UV rays damage melanin causing it to grow, so that pretty little tan you love is actually the melanin in your body struggling to protect you from little miss sunshine. Continuous sun exposure damages these cells to the point where freckles or "age spots" develop, especially on the face, shoulders, arms, chest, and back of the hands. What many people don't realize is these "age spots" aren't due to chronological aging at all, they result from your relationship with the sun, sort of like your own little STD.
Re-thinking your relationship with little miss sunshine?
I hope so. Next Saturday I'm going to post a break-up guide for those of you who have decided to take your first steps towards a healthy relationship with that new guy, SPF. It's always uncomfortable to run into an ex, but by next week you'll be confident and prepared to handle anything your ex decides to throw at you, because believe me, little miss sunshine does NOT like to be pissed off, and she 'ain't going nowhere.
xxLM
Monday, March 1, 2010
Makeup Monday: Dual Personality.
How is it already March?
How is it already March and I have yet to find the perfect leather booties, or finish the last Twilight... or take a vacation day? [the answer to the last one I know, and am still frumpled about - did you know I had the option to hit up the Bahamas this past week?]
It's makeup Monday - yay! I think one of the things that seems to resonate in a positive way with the peeps who read this blog is the fact that I try to be as realistic as I can. I understand that not many people share my enthusiasm for finding the perfect lipliner, the best deep conditioner, or the amazing Orgasm blush that imparts the most perfect glow. I also understand that not many of you will own seven bronzers, ten mascaras, or thirteen blushes [not that I own that many...] - so today's MM will revolve around the products in your makeup bag that have two or three different uses, so you can maximize your look without struggling to zip up your makeup bag.
Your concealer can double as...
an eyeshadow primer or even an eyeshadow. Priming the lids of your eyes not only helps your shadow last longer, but it makes application smoother and creasing a thing of the past. After you pat on your concealer, use your ring finger to pat concealer all over your lid and on to your brow bone to eliminate any lid discoloration or oiliness. Like the way that looks? Then leave it! I love a neutral eye and at least three days a week I skip shadow and just tightline and add mascara to my primed eye and it's the perfect daytime look.
Your eyeshadow can double as...
a contour color. I am a firm believer that every girl should own a neutral, matte brown shadow - it matches any eye colour, and is great as a crease colour or a base for a smokey eye. It's also great for your cheeks! I wrote a while back about how to contour your cheekbones to slim your face using bronzer, which is great; however, not everyone owns bronzer, and if you have small features or a tiny face [head? how do I say that?] using bronzer may be overload - and that's where the shadow comes in. After you apply your blush, take your brown shadow on an eyeshadow brush and lightly tap the brush under your cheekbone, following the bone structure up to your ear. Blend well, and voila - contour!
Your lipstick can double as...
blush! Cream blush that is. Strapped for time? Looking for a quick pick me up and don't have a blush brush with you? Dab a small amount of lipstick on the apples of your cheeks and using your middle and ring finger gently buff [circle] the colour into your skin, moving upwards towards your ears. Hold on, to clarify - I'm talking about lipsticks in the pink range, and I'm talking about lipstick - not lip gloss or lip balm - ew.
Your blush can double as...
brow highlight. Adding a lighter colour to your brow bone instantly perks up your face and brings life to your eyes. Don't own a highlight? After you put on your blush, sweep the brush on to your brow bones with whatever product is left on the brush - it will impart a subtle colour that will add some sparkle to your eyes.
Your eyeliner can double as...
brow filler. Another firm belief? Every girl should own a light brown eyeliner. We all know eyeliner enhances the eyes, but this liner can also be used to fill in your brows. I love eyebrows and really believe that great brows can make an entire look. What you can do is take your liner, sharpen it, and using small strokes gently follow the hairs in your brows, filling in any sparse areas.
Your mascara can double as...
foundation. haha just kidding. In the MM post a while back, I admitted my love for all things lashes. In that, I mentioned the technique of using your mascara to double as eyeliner. This is a great tip and I do this almost daily, it makes the base of your lashes look thicker without worrying about messy liner. What you do, is after coating your lashes a couple times [starting at the tip, we all love a game of just the tip] take the brush and place it right at the base of your lashes and twist outwards. This will cause your eyelid to raise up slightly and the brush will touch your inner waterline. Wiggle the brush a couple times while its touching the waterline - the mascara will be perfectly tightlined with your lashes creating drama, volume, and thickness. WIN.
Your bronzer can double as...
a cleavage booster. I've only done this once, and if you know me you know I prefer things to be a little smaller in this area [note: that comment refers only to the chest]. However, I know a couple ladies mom that would love some extra boost for those deep white lace V necks we all wear to work, so here's a tip. Take bronzer on a big powder brush and apply it to your chest in a V formation, with the bottom of the V being both horizontally and vertically in the middle of your boobs. The colour should sweep up and out over each side. BLEND. Using a darker colour in the middle of your chest like this makes the illusion of a deeper hollow, which would normally be created by bigger ta-tas. Need a visual? I learned this tip from my all time favourite MUA, Melissa - click here to watch.
There are lots of makeup items with dual personalities but those are a few of my favourites that I use on a weekly basis at least. Some days I envy you girls that have a half empty make up bag [probably an old Clinique Bonus Time one] that you can throw in a suitcase or in your purse and have everything with you; then I think of having to give away my seven bronzers, ten mascaras, and thirteen blushes [along with all my other colourful possessions] and I get rashes all over my perfectly V'd Anjelina Jolie chest. FAIL.
Have a lovely week blogettes,
xxLM
How is it already March and I have yet to find the perfect leather booties, or finish the last Twilight... or take a vacation day? [the answer to the last one I know, and am still frumpled about - did you know I had the option to hit up the Bahamas this past week?]
Your concealer can double as...
an eyeshadow primer or even an eyeshadow. Priming the lids of your eyes not only helps your shadow last longer, but it makes application smoother and creasing a thing of the past. After you pat on your concealer, use your ring finger to pat concealer all over your lid and on to your brow bone to eliminate any lid discoloration or oiliness. Like the way that looks? Then leave it! I love a neutral eye and at least three days a week I skip shadow and just tightline and add mascara to my primed eye and it's the perfect daytime look.
Your eyeshadow can double as...
a contour color. I am a firm believer that every girl should own a neutral, matte brown shadow - it matches any eye colour, and is great as a crease colour or a base for a smokey eye. It's also great for your cheeks! I wrote a while back about how to contour your cheekbones to slim your face using bronzer, which is great; however, not everyone owns bronzer, and if you have small features or a tiny face [head? how do I say that?] using bronzer may be overload - and that's where the shadow comes in. After you apply your blush, take your brown shadow on an eyeshadow brush and lightly tap the brush under your cheekbone, following the bone structure up to your ear. Blend well, and voila - contour!
Your lipstick can double as...
blush! Cream blush that is. Strapped for time? Looking for a quick pick me up and don't have a blush brush with you? Dab a small amount of lipstick on the apples of your cheeks and using your middle and ring finger gently buff [circle] the colour into your skin, moving upwards towards your ears. Hold on, to clarify - I'm talking about lipsticks in the pink range, and I'm talking about lipstick - not lip gloss or lip balm - ew.
Your blush can double as...
brow highlight. Adding a lighter colour to your brow bone instantly perks up your face and brings life to your eyes. Don't own a highlight? After you put on your blush, sweep the brush on to your brow bones with whatever product is left on the brush - it will impart a subtle colour that will add some sparkle to your eyes.
Your eyeliner can double as...
brow filler. Another firm belief? Every girl should own a light brown eyeliner. We all know eyeliner enhances the eyes, but this liner can also be used to fill in your brows. I love eyebrows and really believe that great brows can make an entire look. What you can do is take your liner, sharpen it, and using small strokes gently follow the hairs in your brows, filling in any sparse areas.
Your mascara can double as...
foundation. haha just kidding. In the MM post a while back, I admitted my love for all things lashes. In that, I mentioned the technique of using your mascara to double as eyeliner. This is a great tip and I do this almost daily, it makes the base of your lashes look thicker without worrying about messy liner. What you do, is after coating your lashes a couple times [starting at the tip, we all love a game of just the tip] take the brush and place it right at the base of your lashes and twist outwards. This will cause your eyelid to raise up slightly and the brush will touch your inner waterline. Wiggle the brush a couple times while its touching the waterline - the mascara will be perfectly tightlined with your lashes creating drama, volume, and thickness. WIN.
Your bronzer can double as...
a cleavage booster. I've only done this once, and if you know me you know I prefer things to be a little smaller in this area [note: that comment refers only to the chest]. However, I know a couple ladies mom that would love some extra boost for those deep white lace V necks we all wear to work, so here's a tip. Take bronzer on a big powder brush and apply it to your chest in a V formation, with the bottom of the V being both horizontally and vertically in the middle of your boobs. The colour should sweep up and out over each side. BLEND. Using a darker colour in the middle of your chest like this makes the illusion of a deeper hollow, which would normally be created by bigger ta-tas. Need a visual? I learned this tip from my all time favourite MUA, Melissa - click here to watch.
There are lots of makeup items with dual personalities but those are a few of my favourites that I use on a weekly basis at least. Some days I envy you girls that have a half empty make up bag [probably an old Clinique Bonus Time one] that you can throw in a suitcase or in your purse and have everything with you; then I think of having to give away my seven bronzers, ten mascaras, and thirteen blushes [along with all my other colourful possessions] and I get rashes all over my perfectly V'd Anjelina Jolie chest. FAIL.
Have a lovely week blogettes,
xxLM
Friday, February 26, 2010
Cheap Date Friday: The Kitchen Hair Mask
TGIF blogettes, TGIF.
What are you doing this weekend? Me? I'll be spending time in Target. Jealous?
A couple weeks ago I gave you recipes for at home face masks, did you try them? The egg white one is the best, tightens your pores and takes out redness, especially mixed with a couple drops of lemon juice.
If I had to choose between a face mask or a hair mask, I'd definitely pick hair. Hair masks are good no matter what type of hair you have and can drastically change the condition of your strands. If you suffer from a lot of static hair in the winter, you should deep condition or do a hair mask at least once a week, especially to prevent the cold winds from damaging the hair cuticles.
Hair masks can be expensive especially if you don't do them regularly, so here are a couple recipes for quick, at home hair treatments that will leave you soft and shiny in 20 minutes :)
Avocado & Olive Oil - Mash up a ripe avocado, add 1 tablespoon of honey and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix until it becomes a creamy texture, apply to your hair and let it sit for 20 minutes. Rinse out with shampoo.
Banana and Almond (great for dry, damaged hair) - mash up a ripe banana and add in a couple drops of almond oil (you can get at healthfood stores). Apply for 30 minutes and rinse out with shampoo.
Egg Yolk & Milk - sounds sick, but is really nourishing. Beat only the yolk of an egg until it is frothy and add one cup of milk. Run it through your hair concentrating on the ends and leave in for about 15 minutes, rinse well.
Coconut Oil - I mentioned this as my obsession on Wednesdays mash up post, and this puppy has transformed my hair in a week. Coconut oil is apparently one of the few oils that can penetrate deep into the hair cuticle unlike some others that just sit on top, and if you had a choice, I'm sure you'd choose something that would penetrate rather than just sit on top [did that go too far?]. Coconut oil is sold at healthfood stores and is in solid form, but melts very easily. I take a big chunk and warm it in my hands until it is completely melted into the oil, run through my hair and practice my french braiding skills. Sleep with it in overnight (its not greasy at all) and shampoo as usual in the morning and I swear, soft, shiny hair that looks so healthy - I love it.
For Blondes... Take a pint of water and add in a couple drops of lemon juice. After you shampoo, rinse with this solution - the lemon will take out any brassy tones that have settled in to your hair over time, leaving your blonde bright and shiny!
I can't remember the last time my hair was my natural colour so you can rest assured that all of these are safe for colour treated hair. I've tried them all, even the lemon juice one when I was blonde last year and they all work; however, if I had to pick a favourite, it'd be coconut oil. As you read Wednesday, it's also great as an eye makeup remover, body lotion (keep a small bowl of it in the shower and let it melt with the steam, once you've turned the water off rub in onto wet skin and pat dry - glowy, soft skin all day), and has actually turned out to be great on any rashes or skin irritations - WIN.
Since I'll be at Target this weekend there will be no skincare saturday, but I promise I'll write it Sunday night... better late than never right?
xxLM
*photo courtesy of InStyle.com
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