Friday, April 6, 2012

Perfect Peachy Coral Lips

Perfect Peachy Coral Lips For Summer

A recent color combination that I am obsessed with is NYX Antwerp plus NYX Mega Shine in Nude Peach.  It looks great on tan skin with some bronzer and is perfect for summer!  They can be found at Ulta or nyx.com.  And they are inexpensive as both can be purchased together for under $10! 

WIPE THAT GREASE OFF YOUR FACE!!!!!!!
FACT: no one like a greasy shiny face.  Oily skin is something I have always had to deal with, then factor in a hot, humid, muggy Iowa summer and it’s not a good outcome for my makeup.  So here are some tips and tricks that have worked for me. 
*I will have a later blog about makeup products that have also helped control the shine

*Wash your face with an oil free face wash 

Always start out your day with a fresh, clean face and end your day with a clean face.  NEVER GO TO SLEEP WITH YOUR MAKEUP ON!!  Here are some of the face washes I recommend (and I have tried A LOT!)

Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit Facial Cleanser
            This face wash is a #1 dermatologist recommended acne fighting cleanser as it has salicylic acid in it to prevent breakouts and black heads.  An added bonus is that it leaves your face feeling refreshed because of the grapefruit while eliminating oil and dirt.  I don’t use this everyday because it is meant to clear and prevent acne; it can be harsh on skin.  (I don’t usually have acne or breakouts)  There's a whole line of this and now, they also have the makeup wipes that come in handy when you’re traveling or out and about.  AND this can be found at Wal-Mart for around $6!

           

Mary Kay TimeWise 3-in-1 Cleanser (combination to oily)
            This face wash also has micro beads in it so it gently exfoliates your face while cleansing and leaving it freshened.  I keep this face wash in my shower, as I think it works best with the steam from the hot water.    


Dermalogica Dermal Clay Cleanser
            The clays in this face wash extract and remove excess oils and refine the skin’s texture.  It really has no scent to it.  This is my favorite face wash of all time; I have been using it for years.  However, it is fairly pricey as it is around $30.  It’s definitely worth the money along with any product in this line. 




*Face Primers

          Before I do my makeup, I always apply a face primer to my clean face.  This will create a barrier between your skin and makeup and will help absorb the oil before it shines through. 

My favorite one is…….Monistat Chafing Gel!
            Yes, the Monistat you use for your vah jay jay!!!!  It leaves my face so soft and my makeup lasts hours longer than without it.  I would highly recommend this to anyone who gets shiny throughout the day or night.  And the best part, it is around $5 at your local Wal-Mart or drug store. 


Mary Kay Oil Mattifier
Smashbox Primer 
        Smashbox has several different primers that in addition to help with oil control but can correct other issues with your skin.  The one shown below, is their basic primer to help with oil control.  EX: if you have a lot of redness, there is a green toned one that will balance out the redness.  Your local Ulta will carry all of these and a beauty consultant would be more than happy to help you find the right one for your skin. 

Makeup Forever HD Primer
        Makeup forever also has several different options depending on your skin.  This can be found at your local Sephora. 


*Set makeup/skin with a translucent powder

Whether I am going to rock makeup or no makeup, I set my makeup or skin with a translucent powder.  I prefer translucent (no color) because the ones with color can make your face look cakey. 

Makeup Forever HD Translucent Powder
            This is by far my favorite powder.  It works amazing!  It sets my makeup and mattifies the skin which helps hide imperfections and it helps prevent shine.  This product is pricey as it is around $30 for 3.5 ounces.  In addition, it can be messy as it is a loose powder and it does not travel well either.  When I got to Arizona and opened the lid, there was powder everywhere and in turn, I wasted a lot of expensive product.  I would definitely recommend not traveling with this. 

Mac Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder (Pressed and Loose)
            This also helps reduce shine and minimizes imperfections on the face.  It comes in both pressed and loose.  I have this in pressed because it travels better and I can throw it in my purse without a mess.  This product is slightly cheaper too at around $23.

*Oil Absorbing Sheets

I always carry these in my purse and have them on hand at ALL TIMES.  Whether I’m wearing makeup for not, these work great during the end of the day or night when I’m starting to feel greasy.  You want to blot your face, NOT WIPE or you will smear your makeup.  If you are wearing makeup, you don’t want to just put on more makeup, or you will end up even more greasy.  You want to get rid of the excess oil first. 

Mary Kay Beauty Blotters
            These are my favorite.  You get 75 tissues and they are decent sized to blot a whole face.  They are translucent with no powder on them which works for me because after I blot, I will touch up my face with powder or bronzer.  (If you prefer ones with a powder on it, I would recommend Palladio Rice Paper Powdered Blotting Tissues-they come in translucent as well as ones with color.  They can be found at Sally's or Ulta) 

I know the Clean and Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets have been popular for years, however I personally do NOT care for them.  They are so small that I need 2 or 3 just to blot my face and I go through them really fast. 

*Additional Tips  

Always wash your face before bed.  NEVER sleep with your makeup on.

Change your pillow case AT LEAST once a week

Use toners to clean your face (I prefer Clinique)
            I do the toner before bed because the less stuff on my face before my makeup, the better
Always moisturize
            I am guilty of not putting moisturizer on before I do my makeup, but I do wear an oil free moisturizer to bed

Medicated pads with salicylic acid

Oil free sunscreen (I prefer Clinique)

Masks
            Right now I am using the Mint Julep Mask from CVS.  It leaves my face feeling so clean and refreshed while shrinking down my pores.  And it was under $5.  I do this once a week, usually on Sunday nights. 

Don’t touch your face!  The dirt and oil from your hands will get on your face, EW. 

Adjust your skin care routine based on the seasons and how your skin changes

Finally, drink lots of water! 

Hope this helps you look less greasy and shiny!!! Thanks for reading, XOXO!!!!!

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

*Hair Care Tips*

Tips For Healthy Hair:
1.     THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE OF ALL- DO NOT WASH YOUR HAIR EVERYDAY! 
a.     At MINIMUM, every other day.
b.     Use a dry shampoo.  Suave is good for drug store or Big Sexy or Rockoholic.  My personal favorite is Oscar Blandi, as you can pour it out rather than spraying it.  (I have horrible luck with the spray kind) 
c.      Wash it properly (shampoo it twice so the shampoo lathers up and gets bubbly and only use the conditioner on the ends of your hair, think pony tail area only otherwise it will make hair appear greasy)
d.     Use good products!  Get a stylist recommendation.  Redken is the best price point and delivers great quality
2.     Only brush your hair with the wet brush.  It will prevent snagging and breaking/tearing of hair.  It’s worth the investment!

3.     Hair masks and oil treatments once a week!  The best one I have found is Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque.  It is worth every penny.  If you don’t feel like spending the money, go to Sally’s and get treatments as they have the individual usage ones.  (you can get more than one use out of them)

a.     Shampoo hair twice so it lathers, rinse, towel dry your hair, apply the masque or treatment, make sure you let sit for atleast 10 minutes in a hot shower, have your hair pinned in a bun and rinse with cool water!!
b.     Another treatment option, Extra Virgin Olive Oil (yes, the same olive oil found in your kitchen!) heat it up for 15 seconds, put your hair in a pony tail and drench your DRY pony tail with it, put it in a bun or shower cap, and let it sit as long as you want.  (I usually do ATLEAST an hour) then shower as normal, using cool water.  *I've also heard of people using coconut oil and have had great success with it, I personally have not tried it....YET!

4.     Take a Hair, Skin, Nail vitamin or Fish Oil vitamin.  (don’t take maternity/prenatal pills as it can cause you to retain water weight!)

5.     If you are going to be in the sun or in a tanning bed, cover your hair with a towel  or cute hat

a.     Keep your hair out of chlorine
b.     That’ll also make your color last longer and prevent fading or turning blonde hair funky colors J
6.     Don’t flat iron your hair everyday or blow dry it everyday.  Also use a heat protect ant when flat ironing your hair (I like the chi iron guard) or before blow drying apply a protectant (I like It’s a 10-seriously works wonders, if you are unfamiliar with it: Google it!)

7.     Also-a healthy lifestyle in general will improve the quality of your hair.  Drink LOTS of water, you can never drink too much water.  Eat fish and any other protein you can.  That will build the strength in your hair as well. 


An extra tip for growing your hair long J
·        If you are trying to grow your hair long, get a TRIM every 6 months.  If you go every 4-6 weeks, you will just cut off any length you grew out, depending on how fast your hair grows.  If you take care of your hair, you shouldn’t need so many trims. 

About this page....

My name is Lauren and I LOVE everything about Hair, Makeup and Fashion!!  Living a healthy lifestyle is also important to me as it goes hand in hand with looking good and feeling good.  So I decided to start a blog so I can share with others what works for me and doesn't work for me.  I am by no means an expert nor am I getting sponsored or paid for what I post, they are my personal opinions.  If anyone has negative opinions regarding this blog, feel free to move on because I don't care what you think!  
  Thanks to everyone who follows and I hope my blogs can help you! XOXO <3L