I've changed my skin/hair routine since my last post on it and I've discovered some really great products that I'd like to share. :)
I'm going to start with hair. I went from using cheap drugstore shampoo to investing a little more money in my haircare and it definitely shows. Right now I am using the Alterna Bamboo Smooth Anti-Frizz Shampoo and Conditioner. I've gone from my hair being a fuzzy, crackly mess to not even having to straighten it after I blow dry it. Alterna also has some other great products to fit your individual hair needs. I have also started using Jojoba Oil exclusively for my hair. I put just a couple drops in with my conditioner and it makes my hair shiny and soft. I've also found that I have to wash my hair less with this routine. My hair stays clean looking and pretty much oil free for up to 3 days, which I find pretty amazing. Fortunately, I happen to know a hair stylist who can get my Alterna at a discounted price. If you don't know someone, you can get Alterna online as well. I know Ulta does quite a few sales so keep an eye on them for a good deal.
For my face, I start off by cleaning my face with a makeup remover towel. I quite like the Ponds or Bjore ones. Even the generic brands of these are nice as well. Lately I have been using the Dollar General brand dupe of the Ponds which is only $2. I usually do this when I get home from work so that my makeup doesn't sit on my face those extra hours before bed.
At bedtime, I start by rubbing some Grapeseed Oil on my face. I've found that grapeseed oil is lighter than jojoba for the face and feels much better on. I just massage it into my face for about 30-60 seconds. Also it is great for removing eye makeup so make sure to get your lashes in there as well. Then, without removing the oil, I put on my Olay Blackhead Clearing Scrub. I have tried quite a few cleansers, even some high end, and I do not like it as well as my Olay. It has a nice scent, leaves my face soft, and has never broke me out. I then use my Olay Pro X Cleansing Brush to clean my face really well. Then I just take a warm washcloth and wash the scrub and oil off. I miss one night of using my Olay Pro X brush and I can immediately tell the difference. It definitely gets my face cleaner than I could ever get with just a washcloth.
Now, I've had a hard time finding a moisturizer that I like but I think I've finally found my HG (holy grail)! Garnier Moisture Renew Gel Cream is wonderful and it's only around $8! The problem has been that I cannot stand the feel of creams on my face. This is a nice, gel consistency that soaks in and dries in seconds. I like it more than the other gel moisturizer that I tried, the Boscia Black Hydration Gel, that retails for $38. It leaves my face soft and happy and has not given me any breakouts.
That's it! It really is an easy routine (it has to be because I'm really lazy) and my skin has never been better. I still get hormonal breakouts, of course, but other than that I'm thrilled with how my skin looks. I'm so glad that I discovered oil cleansing and I recommend it to everyone. I plan to try some new oils in the future and I'll report back!
Showing posts with label tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tips. Show all posts
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Eyeshadow/Eyeliner Placement
I know when I first started getting into makeup, one of my main questions was how in the world to apply eye makeup. I watched a ridiculous number of YouTube tutorials and here's what I've learned. First, I'd suggest using this chart and identifying the various parts of your eye. Sounds simple, I know, but everyone's eye is different.
Now, placement will vary depending on your eye type, shape, etc but I'll try to give you a general idea. The best way to start is to pick at least three colors: a light, medium and dark shade. These can be various shades of the same color, a lighter range of colors, or all different colors. Use the medium color first and apply it on your eyelid. Then you take the dark color and apply it to the outside corner of your eye and blend it into your crease. The best way that I've found to do this is to apply the color in the corner only and then blend it out into your crease. The darkest part of your whole eye should be the outside corner. Only go about 2/3 of the way to your nose with your crease color. Finally, you take your lightest color and put a little onto your brow bone. Also take a little of the light color and put in the inner corner of your eye. This brightens up your eye and makes it look larger and more refreshed.
As far as eyeliner, if you have small eyes, you should avoid lining around your entire eye. Lining around the entire eye closes it off and makes it appear smaller. My eyes are small and what I do is line the outside 3/4 of both the bottom and top lid. This way the eye stays open at the lightest part. If you have larger eyes, this really isn't a problem for you (and I'm jealous!). You can also wing your liner out a bit to elongate your eyes or wing them upward to change the direction of down-turned eyes.
This is a very basic explanation but once you figure out what kind of eye you have, you can play with lights and darks to give your eye definition and dimension. You can even change the entire shape of your eye by just knowing a few simple tricks!
Now, placement will vary depending on your eye type, shape, etc but I'll try to give you a general idea. The best way to start is to pick at least three colors: a light, medium and dark shade. These can be various shades of the same color, a lighter range of colors, or all different colors. Use the medium color first and apply it on your eyelid. Then you take the dark color and apply it to the outside corner of your eye and blend it into your crease. The best way that I've found to do this is to apply the color in the corner only and then blend it out into your crease. The darkest part of your whole eye should be the outside corner. Only go about 2/3 of the way to your nose with your crease color. Finally, you take your lightest color and put a little onto your brow bone. Also take a little of the light color and put in the inner corner of your eye. This brightens up your eye and makes it look larger and more refreshed.
As far as eyeliner, if you have small eyes, you should avoid lining around your entire eye. Lining around the entire eye closes it off and makes it appear smaller. My eyes are small and what I do is line the outside 3/4 of both the bottom and top lid. This way the eye stays open at the lightest part. If you have larger eyes, this really isn't a problem for you (and I'm jealous!). You can also wing your liner out a bit to elongate your eyes or wing them upward to change the direction of down-turned eyes.
This is a very basic explanation but once you figure out what kind of eye you have, you can play with lights and darks to give your eye definition and dimension. You can even change the entire shape of your eye by just knowing a few simple tricks!
Monday, July 30, 2012
Eye Shape
Your eye shape is very important. If you know your eye shape, you can tailor your makeup to that shape. This helps your makeup look better and enhances your special features. Here is a chart that shows each eye shape. You should look straight into a mirror and see which shape most looks like your eyes.
I, for instance, have hooded eyes. Mine did not happen with age, I was born with them. With every eye shape, comes certain techniques that can enhance your eyes. The key is to remember this: LIGHT brings the eye forward and DARK sets it back. You can use light and dark colors to contour your eyes into any shape you want. I learned about eye shapes and special techniques from Youtube. Find out what eye shape you are and type that into the search engine. Voila! Hundreds of videos to learn from! I have gotten some very good tips from these tutorials. Here are some of my favorite Youtube makeup gurus:
Gossmakeupartist
Pixiewoo
Tanya Burr
Makeupgeek
MakeupbyTiffanyD
NikkieTutorials
Another thing to do is find a celebrity with your eye shape and search for makeup tutorials inspired by them. Those techniques will look great on you! Remember that every eye is different and beautiful. :)
I, for instance, have hooded eyes. Mine did not happen with age, I was born with them. With every eye shape, comes certain techniques that can enhance your eyes. The key is to remember this: LIGHT brings the eye forward and DARK sets it back. You can use light and dark colors to contour your eyes into any shape you want. I learned about eye shapes and special techniques from Youtube. Find out what eye shape you are and type that into the search engine. Voila! Hundreds of videos to learn from! I have gotten some very good tips from these tutorials. Here are some of my favorite Youtube makeup gurus:
Gossmakeupartist
Pixiewoo
Tanya Burr
Makeupgeek
MakeupbyTiffanyD
NikkieTutorials
Another thing to do is find a celebrity with your eye shape and search for makeup tutorials inspired by them. Those techniques will look great on you! Remember that every eye is different and beautiful. :)
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Egg White Mask
This is something that I tried out of desperation and found out that it really works! My pores are the bane of my existence most days. They are huge and ugly and I am convinced that you can see them from five feet away (although I've been assured that is not the case). Before I could shrink those pores, I had to get my blackheads under control. I was scouring the internet for remedies and I found this DIY face mask.
Egg White Mask
1. Crack an egg and separate the white into a small bowl.
2. Take a fork and whisk the egg white until it becomes foamy.
3. Make sure your face is nice and clean and spread the egg white all over.
4. When the egg is still wet, take pieces of toliet paper and put it over the egg.
5. Wait about 10 minutes (or until the paper is dry and stiff) and peel off.
6. Wash any excess egg off with water and ta-da!
Basically, it works like a big pore strip for your face! I found that it brings blackheads and whiteheads to the surface much quicker and leaves my face soft. I've done this treatment a few times now and I'm very pleased with it.
If you need a more visual tutorial, you can watch this video:
He does it a bit more fancy than I do, but it works the same no matter how you do it. :)
Egg White Mask
1. Crack an egg and separate the white into a small bowl.
2. Take a fork and whisk the egg white until it becomes foamy.
3. Make sure your face is nice and clean and spread the egg white all over.
4. When the egg is still wet, take pieces of toliet paper and put it over the egg.
5. Wait about 10 minutes (or until the paper is dry and stiff) and peel off.
6. Wash any excess egg off with water and ta-da!
Basically, it works like a big pore strip for your face! I found that it brings blackheads and whiteheads to the surface much quicker and leaves my face soft. I've done this treatment a few times now and I'm very pleased with it.
If you need a more visual tutorial, you can watch this video:
He does it a bit more fancy than I do, but it works the same no matter how you do it. :)
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Primer
What is primer? The dictionary defines primer as this:
Primer (prim-er) verb: To prepare or make ready for a particular purpose or operation.
Six months ago I could not have told you what makeup primer was. I had never heard of it in my life. Now that I know what it's for and I've used it, I can see how beneficial it is to achieving a perfect makeup complexion.
Makeup primer basically sits on top of your moisturizer and creates a nice, smooth palette for your foundation. Think of it like this...your face is full of wrinkles and pores and other such things. The primer kind of fills those in and makes a clean slate for your makeup. That way your foundation or concealer doesn't sink into those places, which is never a good thing. It can help do everything from add moisture to control oil, depending on the kind you choose. It also holds onto your foundation and makes it last longer. For us Louisiana girls who are dying in the heat right now, it can also keep your makeup from literally melting off your face. Eye primer is the same kind of thing. It keeps your eyeshadow nice and crease free and lasting all day (or night).
I have tried many kinds of face primer so far...everywhere from Revlon to MakeUp Forever. I use a mid-priced ($18) one from Sephora brand and I am happy with it. In my experience so far, it's all about trial and error with primers. You have to find one that fits specific skin needs (dry, oily, redness, etc).
Check out this link for more information about face primers and a few suggestions of some of the best ones to consider:
Best Makeup Primers
This is also a really good video with a review of both drugstore and higher end primers:
I hope that helped you all understand primers a little better!
Primer (prim-er) verb: To prepare or make ready for a particular purpose or operation.
Six months ago I could not have told you what makeup primer was. I had never heard of it in my life. Now that I know what it's for and I've used it, I can see how beneficial it is to achieving a perfect makeup complexion.
Makeup primer basically sits on top of your moisturizer and creates a nice, smooth palette for your foundation. Think of it like this...your face is full of wrinkles and pores and other such things. The primer kind of fills those in and makes a clean slate for your makeup. That way your foundation or concealer doesn't sink into those places, which is never a good thing. It can help do everything from add moisture to control oil, depending on the kind you choose. It also holds onto your foundation and makes it last longer. For us Louisiana girls who are dying in the heat right now, it can also keep your makeup from literally melting off your face. Eye primer is the same kind of thing. It keeps your eyeshadow nice and crease free and lasting all day (or night).
I have tried many kinds of face primer so far...everywhere from Revlon to MakeUp Forever. I use a mid-priced ($18) one from Sephora brand and I am happy with it. In my experience so far, it's all about trial and error with primers. You have to find one that fits specific skin needs (dry, oily, redness, etc).
Check out this link for more information about face primers and a few suggestions of some of the best ones to consider:
Best Makeup Primers
This is also a really good video with a review of both drugstore and higher end primers:
I hope that helped you all understand primers a little better!
My Face Routine
As someone who grew up wearing very little makeup, imagine my confusion when I watched my first makeup tutorial on YouTube. Primer?! Moisturizer?! I was lucky if my face got washed with anything other than soap and water! I barely managed to remember to remove my makeup before bed every night! How was I supposed to remember all this?! Believe me folks, it gets easier. :) Here is my face routine from start to finish:
Morning:
1. Wash face. I use Aveeno Active Naturals Smart Essentials Face Wash ($5-$6) right now. I haven't found a face wash that I'm in love with yet. I do like this one though because it leaves my face very soft and clean feeling.
2. Toner. I use Neutrogena Pore Refining Toner. ($5-$6) Pores are one of my main concerns so I picked this up. I have been using it for about a month with no visible reduction of my pores that I can see. It works just as a general, nice toner though.
3. Astringent. I use Avon Blackhead Clearing Astringent. ($4- $5) As with most Avon products, I do like this one. It makes my face feel clean and doesn't dry out my skin. I haven't noticed any new blackhead since I've been using it but the ones I did have didn't go away without a little more prompting.
4. Moisturizer. This is a tough one for me. I have not found a moisturizer that I like yet. I have combination skin, with my T-zone being very oily. The ones I have tried have felt too heavy on my skin. I just ordered DHC's Water Based Moisturizer. It's a bit pricier than I'd usually go ($16.50) but DHC has some amazing products and it will surely be worth it.
*Now, all this stuff I do at home as part of my normal getting dressed routine. It looks like a lot but when you get a pattern down, you will breeze through it without blinking an eye. On to makeup!*
5. Face Primer. I use Sephora's Tricks of the Trade Anti-Shine Primer. That being said, I picked up this primer for $5 on clearance a couple months ago. I just checked and it looks like they are sold out now. I do like this primer as much as some of the higher end ones that I've tried (Smashbox, Makeup Forever). None of them seem to keep my nose from getting oily however. I usually have to do a couple powder touchups during the day. If you are looking for a lower price one to try, I'd give the one from Hard Candy ($8) a try. I hear a lot of good things about this line although I've never tried this particular primer for myself.
6. Concealer. I use Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Concealer ($7-$10). I use the color Fair or the Brightening. This has hands down been the best concealer I've ever had. I love the applicator (a little spongy on the end) and how light it is. It covers well and does not cake up under my foundation. The Brightening version is a light pink color. I use it under my eyes to bring in a little lightness there since I'm a glasses wearer and our glasses tend to cast shadows under our eyes. A great heavy duty concealer is Hard Candy's Glamoflauge ($6). This stuff is amazing! I use it if I have a particularly bad spot that I need to cover. You do need to be careful with this product though. A tiny bit goes a VERY long way and it can cake up if you use too much. It does also tend to set into wrinkles though so in my opinion, it's best as a spot corrector.
7. Foundation. I use Clinique's Even Better Foundation ($27). I love love love this product. It goes on lightly, covers well and has even helped correct the redness on my face. I live in Louisiana where it is very hot and humid and it has held up well. It does get a bit too dewy if I spend a while outside but who wouldn't in 105 degree/100% humidity weather? I have very fair skin and I wear the color Linen. Now, I know $27 is a bit pricey for a lot of you so I have a great alternative. It is Cover Girl and Olay Tone Rehab Foundation ($12-$13). I use the color Ivory in this one. This is a really great foundation! I only switched to Clinique to try and combat some of my redness or I'd still be using it. In fact, that whole Cover Girl and Olay line is really nice. Catch a buy one, get one sale and you're set!
8. Powder. Right now I use Covergirl Clean Pressed Powder ($6). I have no issues with it except that naturally, the puff gets oily and dirty after a while. I have on order E.L.F.'s High Definition Powder ($6). I got the opportunity to try Makeup Forever's HD Finishing Powder and it was amaaaaaaazing. However, I did not like the $32 price tag. I read that this E.L.F version is supposed to be just as good so I'll get back to you on that!
9. Obviously, at night you wash it all away and do numbers 1-4 again. I haven't tried many night creams so I can't recommend one for you right now.
Ask me anything you want and give me some good cleanser/night cream suggestions! I'd love to hear them.
Next.....(my favorite!) EYES!
Morning:
1. Wash face. I use Aveeno Active Naturals Smart Essentials Face Wash ($5-$6) right now. I haven't found a face wash that I'm in love with yet. I do like this one though because it leaves my face very soft and clean feeling.
2. Toner. I use Neutrogena Pore Refining Toner. ($5-$6) Pores are one of my main concerns so I picked this up. I have been using it for about a month with no visible reduction of my pores that I can see. It works just as a general, nice toner though.
3. Astringent. I use Avon Blackhead Clearing Astringent. ($4- $5) As with most Avon products, I do like this one. It makes my face feel clean and doesn't dry out my skin. I haven't noticed any new blackhead since I've been using it but the ones I did have didn't go away without a little more prompting.
4. Moisturizer. This is a tough one for me. I have not found a moisturizer that I like yet. I have combination skin, with my T-zone being very oily. The ones I have tried have felt too heavy on my skin. I just ordered DHC's Water Based Moisturizer. It's a bit pricier than I'd usually go ($16.50) but DHC has some amazing products and it will surely be worth it.
*Now, all this stuff I do at home as part of my normal getting dressed routine. It looks like a lot but when you get a pattern down, you will breeze through it without blinking an eye. On to makeup!*
5. Face Primer. I use Sephora's Tricks of the Trade Anti-Shine Primer. That being said, I picked up this primer for $5 on clearance a couple months ago. I just checked and it looks like they are sold out now. I do like this primer as much as some of the higher end ones that I've tried (Smashbox, Makeup Forever). None of them seem to keep my nose from getting oily however. I usually have to do a couple powder touchups during the day. If you are looking for a lower price one to try, I'd give the one from Hard Candy ($8) a try. I hear a lot of good things about this line although I've never tried this particular primer for myself.
6. Concealer. I use Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Concealer ($7-$10). I use the color Fair or the Brightening. This has hands down been the best concealer I've ever had. I love the applicator (a little spongy on the end) and how light it is. It covers well and does not cake up under my foundation. The Brightening version is a light pink color. I use it under my eyes to bring in a little lightness there since I'm a glasses wearer and our glasses tend to cast shadows under our eyes. A great heavy duty concealer is Hard Candy's Glamoflauge ($6). This stuff is amazing! I use it if I have a particularly bad spot that I need to cover. You do need to be careful with this product though. A tiny bit goes a VERY long way and it can cake up if you use too much. It does also tend to set into wrinkles though so in my opinion, it's best as a spot corrector.
7. Foundation. I use Clinique's Even Better Foundation ($27). I love love love this product. It goes on lightly, covers well and has even helped correct the redness on my face. I live in Louisiana where it is very hot and humid and it has held up well. It does get a bit too dewy if I spend a while outside but who wouldn't in 105 degree/100% humidity weather? I have very fair skin and I wear the color Linen. Now, I know $27 is a bit pricey for a lot of you so I have a great alternative. It is Cover Girl and Olay Tone Rehab Foundation ($12-$13). I use the color Ivory in this one. This is a really great foundation! I only switched to Clinique to try and combat some of my redness or I'd still be using it. In fact, that whole Cover Girl and Olay line is really nice. Catch a buy one, get one sale and you're set!
8. Powder. Right now I use Covergirl Clean Pressed Powder ($6). I have no issues with it except that naturally, the puff gets oily and dirty after a while. I have on order E.L.F.'s High Definition Powder ($6). I got the opportunity to try Makeup Forever's HD Finishing Powder and it was amaaaaaaazing. However, I did not like the $32 price tag. I read that this E.L.F version is supposed to be just as good so I'll get back to you on that!
9. Obviously, at night you wash it all away and do numbers 1-4 again. I haven't tried many night creams so I can't recommend one for you right now.
Ask me anything you want and give me some good cleanser/night cream suggestions! I'd love to hear them.
Next.....(my favorite!) EYES!
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