Category — Makeup Tips

Whether you are showing off a new ring or shaking hands with an acquaintance, well-groomed nails help improve the look of hands and make a better first impression. If nails have tiny white spots, called leukonychia, there really isn’t much you can do to get rid of them. These spots are usually caused by some trauma to the nail or nail bed. The best course of action is to let these grow out on their own and cover them with polish until they do. Even a fleshy pink color like those used in French manicures will reduce the appearance of the spots.

If your nails seem to be brittle and split often, try taking a daily biotin supplement. This will increase your vitamin B intake which will also improve the health of your hair…a bonus! Using a strengthener can also get the job done. A great and inexpensive product is Sally Hansen’s VitaSurge Strength Gel. Applying this product daily will add the extra vitamins to your nails that they are missing. Keeping hands and cuticles hydrated will also make nails smoother and less brittle. Be sure to moisturize every time you wash your hands and rub a little extra into the cuticles while you’re at it.

Nails that look yellow are usually stained due to lifestyle choices. If you smoke or wear dark polishes most of the times, your nails will look more yellowed. A short soak in some warm water and dish soap can brighten up the nails for a while, but using a more neutral polish and avoiding things that yellow the nails will keep the whiter and brighter longer. Going “au natural” for a couple days and allowing the nails to air after a good buffing will also improve their natural color.

We strive for those perfectly plump eyelashes that we can bat at the next cutie to walk by, but how do we get them? And how in the world are we supposed to sort through the myriad of choices when it comes to quality products? It is completely possible to find quality mascara for a reasonable price at your local drugstore.

Avoid off brands where the price seems to be too good to be true…these will clump and make a mess. Once a brand has been chosen, start thinking about the different formula options and what your personal needs are. Options such as lengthening, thickening, and waterproof are the most popular. For contact lens wearers, waterproof seems to be the best option. If you can forgo the waterproof option, try mixing and matching mascaras. Start with a swipe of lengthening and then top it off with a coat of thickening. Along with formula options, there are now color and shimmer options.

Although a shimmering mascara can be subtle and brighten the eyes, avoid glitter-rich products unless you are in a fashion shoot or off to a Halloween party. Soft blacks, charcoals, and black/browns can work for most people for either day or night. If you’re looking to mix things up, try a color that will make your eyes really stand out like plum for blue eyes and purple for green or brown eyes.

After the product has been selected, proper application is crucial. Use the hairdryer to heat up an eyelash curler for better results. Then use the shimmy method of application. Shimmy the wand from side to side as you slowly drag it the length of the lashes. This will help to separate the lashes and avoid clumps. Most of us can skip applying mascara to the bottom lashes, but if you need the illusion of wider eyes, a light touch of the wand to the bottom lashes is fine.

Nothing is quite as frustrating as achieving the perfect look and then watching it fade throughout the day.  From eye liner to lip stick and everything in between seems to fall victim to midday smudging or fading.

If you find that your eyeliner and/or mascara smudges or runs halfway through the day, try reducing the amount of eye cream used in the mornings by half or leave a little space between where the eye cream is applied and where the eye makeup goes.

If your blush seems to disappear throughout the day, put a very thin layer of cream blush under your finishing powder and then top it off with a powder blush.

To keep lips in place and avoid feathering, always start with a lip liner.  Apply lip color, blot, lightly dust with face powder and finish with a gloss to add extra shine and moisture.

Trying these quick and easy tips will help keep that perfectly applied face in place all the live-long day.

Whatever look you are trying to achieve, here are some styling tips to help with the everyday styles that so many of us sport.

*To create an easy, wavy, natural look, gently use your fingers or a pick to untangle wet hair.  Add a small amount of anti-frizz or shine enhancing product and let hair air dry.

*Permed hair often requires a bit of perking up between shampoos or on the mornings when a full-styling session doesn’t fit the time constraints.  Start by lightly misting hair with water and then pushing curls into place with your fingers.  Keeping a spray bottle with water and a few drops of essential oil in your favorite scent will really kick up the overall effect of this quick fix.

*Pomade is the perfect product in a pinch.  It can be used (very sparingly) to remove static, control flyaways, or create a glossy shine to dull hair.  Always start pomade by gently rubbing between palms and applying to ends first.

*Once that beautiful braid is completely, finish the look by applying a little gel or pomade to the little loose hairs around the face and nape of the neck.  After smoothing on a little product, a hairpin can help hold things in place until dry.  These products can also be applied to damp hair before braiding to help keep everything in place.

Some people have it and some do not…hair with natural volume that is.  If you are among those who have been blessed with voluminous hair, congratulations!  On the other hand, if you haven’t and still crave volume, don’t despair.  It can still be achieved!  In addition to using volumizing shampoos and conditioners, there are also supplements that can be taken to help hair.

B-vitamins, zinc, and iron can help boost hair volume and growth and are the key ingredients that help prenatal vitamins seem to work so well.  During the styling process, creating the illusion of volume is also possible.  Try blow drying hair while bent over at the waist and flipping hair upside down.

Applying hairspray while flipped over this way will also help to volumize hair, but be sure to avoid putting a stiff layer of laquer on the top of the hair as it will weight it down and reduce the voluminous look.

Brightly colored steaks are all the rage these days.  These are a fun and quirky way to express yourself and the look can often be achieved in a temporary way.  Normally, dark hair has to be bleached first and then colored for the vibrant colors to show.

There are some products on the market now such as Spiker colored gel and various hair sprays that can help you achieve the look without the bleaching.  Obviously, the process and intensity of the color is easier for those with lighter hair, but anyone can achieve the look.  The ‘at-home’ method involves using peroxide or a bleaching kit from the local drug store to strip the color from the hair (unless the hair is already a light blonde).  Any shade of Kool-aid can then be used to dye the hair and create the desired color streak.  There are also dyes at the local beauty supply store that can be used.

For the less adventurous or those who don’t want to make the full commitment, single extensions can be clipped into the hair and come in a rainbow selection of colors.  These extensions can be trimmed to match the hair’s length, but DO NOT use the curling iron on these locks because it isn’t real hair and will melt.  Even with the clipped-in version, the look is fun and cool!

Using a customized, homemade herbal rinse can do wonders for hair color, whether natural or artificial.  Often, even the healthiest of hairs could use a little refreshing treatment or enhancement.  The effects are often subtle and smell great.

* In order to brighten blonde hair, create a quart of tea using 2 tablespoons of dried chamomile and 2 tablespoons of dried marigold.  Allow these to steep in the boiling water for half an hour.  Once the tea has cooled to a comfortable temperature, pour through wet hair.

* To add extra luster to those beautiful brunette locks, follow the same procedure as the blonde tea except substitute the herbs with rosemary and sage and add 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar.

* Rejuvenate red hair by adding 2 tablespoons of saffron and 1 tablespoon of honey to a quart of boiling water.  Follow the same procedure of the blondes and brunettes for a fantastic final rinse.

*Repairing damaged hair is always a good idea.  A quick remedy that can be done monthly is to beat 1 egg yolk with olive oil and massage into a hair.  Start at the ends and work toward the scalp, but don’t massage into the scalp.  Leave this concoction on hair for 10 minutes and shampoo.  If hair is overly damaged, this treatment can be done weekly for a month.

Do a little research and come up with the herbal combination that’s best for your hair.  Experimenting with different herbal rinses can be a fun and inexpensive way to spruce up the look of hair.

No matter where these tips and tricks originated from, they are some of the most tried and true home remedies for creating healthy hair.

* Mayonnaise may not be the healthiest of condiments, but it can do wonders to help condition hair.  Slather up to half a cup of mayo on dry hair and let sit for half an hour.  Rinse and shampoo as normal.

*Combine 1 cup of water (preferably distilled or filtered) with ½ cup of strained lemon juice.  Comb this through hair after shampooing to brighten hair.  Since lemon juice reacts unpredictably to heat and sunlight, avoid doing this in the summer months or right before blow drying hair.

*To reduce static electricity in dry hair, rub a dryer sheet over the comb and then run through hair once styling is finished.

*If hair seems to have an excess build up of conditioner, styling gel, or hair spray, add a tablespoon of baking soda to shampoo once a week.  Rinse and dry as usual, but skip the conditioner on this one day.  An alternative to this is to mix 6 tablespoons of beer to 1 cup warm water and use as a final rinse once a week.

*For a quick, dry shampoo and to eliminate that greasy hair look, rub a small amount of talc or baby powder into your hair.  Be sure to brush it out completely.

These home concoctions cost much less than expensive name brand treatments and are usually more natural and environmentally friendly.

Often we get so caught up in creating the latest look or trying the “new” secrets to beautiful hair that the basics get lost along the way.  There are a reason these things are called “the basics” and practicing them will make hair all that more beautiful.

*Thoroughly wet hair before adding a quarter-size amount of shampoo and lather for less than a minute to avoid breakage.

*Rinsing with cool water seals in moisture.

*100 strokes of a brush will help distribute hair’s natural oils and keep the scalp healthy.  Be sure to flip the head over and brush back to front for at least half of those strokes.

*Use a comb to get tangles out of wet hair.  Using a brush will cause more breakage and do more damage than good.

*If hair has been recently colored, be sure to wait at least 48 hours before shampooing.  When hair is wet, the cuticle opens up and the color needs time to be sealed in to avoid fading.

*Coated rubber bands are a must to secure ponytails and the ends of braids.  They reduce the chances of breakage.

By remembering and following some of these tried and true basics, hair will be healthier, happier, and hotter!

Ugh!  Is that a pimple coming up?  No matter what age, pimples seem to be a perpetual plague.  Those pesky skin blemishes make it difficult to feel beautiful, but achieving clear skin isn’t impossible.  These easy-to-follow beauty tips can help clear up that complexion:

*Cleanliness is key, but don’t over clean.  Washing your face first thing in the morning and right before bed at night is plenty.  Try to use an antibacterial facial soap which can be found to meet any income.  Over-cleaning and over-scrubbing your face can dry out the skin and cause pores to produce more oil.

*Moisturizers are an essential step in skin care and should not be skipped, even if skin is very oily.  Oil-free moisturizers can help to balance and even out the oiliest of skin.  ALWAYS choose a moisturizer with an SPF of 15 or higher, no matter what time of year it is.  The sun can still cause damage even in the winter.

*Non-comedogenic products are a must for clear skin.  Whether choosing a moisturizer, foundation, powder, or other make-up products, be sure the label says “non-comedogenic” which means that it won’t clog pores and create more blemishes.

*Carefully apply makeup to cover blemishes until they heal. Don’t over-apply your makeup foundation, or you’ll end up drawing more attention to the area than it would have had in the first place.

*Finally, listen to your mother and NEVER squeeze pimples!  Not only will the act of squeezing the skin cause bruising and possible scarring, but opening up the skin can spread bacteria and cause even more pimples.  Don’t do it!