Smells Like Free Spirit!

So I was in a bit of a hippie mood a few weeks ago – you know, that mood where you feel like running barefoot in the meadow and using natural patchouli scented deodorant??? Ya that type of mood.  Anyways, I was visiting my (sister’s) local Whole Foods to pick up chia seeds (why put anti oxidants on your skin when you can eat them instead?) when I wandered into the “natural beauty” section.  Oh the wonderful things I found!

Now I can never refuse anything rose scented, so I was drawn towards a shelf full of Dr. Bronner’s Magic Pure Castile Soap.  What is Castile soap?  Centuries ago, all vegetable based soap was made in the Castile region of Spain from local olive oil.  Now “castile” refers to any vegetable oil-based soap versus animal based soap we have all come to know.  Dr. Bronner’s liquid soap is a combo of organic extra virgin olive oil, jojoba oil, hemp oil and coconut oil put together with other essential oils.  For the tree hugger in you, this soap is made with certified fair trade and organic oils using sustainable farming practices.  It is completely biodegradable and has no synthetic foaming agents, thickeners or preservatives. 

This bottle packs a punch and boasts tons of uses.  You can use it as body wash (few drops on loofah sponge works into a velvety lather), household cleaner (dilute 1 part soap to 40 parts water and put it in a spray bottle to clean off counters), laundry detergent for your delicates, shampoo (haven’t tried this one but would try it if I were trapped on an island with no shampoo), toothpaste (not sure about this one...), cleaner for makeup brushes, spot cleaner on stains (works amazing!) the list goes on and on.  I even use it to clean my yoga mats – spray, wipe and go! 

Small version of soap + soap diluted in a spray bottle for household uses

Now I have to say that this won’t lather the same way you are used to with a regular body wash, but it does have a light, gentle scent and leaves your skin feeling soft.  The other downside is that it is not a true rose scent...it smells like fake roses.  So smell before you buy! And if roses aren’t your thing, this comes in a variety of different scents like lavender, peppermint, citrus, almond, eucalyptus, etc. Probably better to use peppermint if you use this as a mouthwash.

So go ahead beautistas! Embrace your inner bohemian soul, take a shower and then run barefoot in a lush meadow and smell the wild flowers.  And then use your body wash to do your laundry, clean your counters, brush your teeth and refresh your yoga mats.  Who knew being a hippie could be so efficient?!

I spy with my little eye cream, something that is...

Smooth!   Bright!  Refreshed!

I get so many questions on eye creams…when to start using them, how to use them, and which ones to use.  So let me try to break it down for all of my favorite beautistas:

When should I start using eye cream? 

Ummm…yesterday.  No really, not even kidding.  If you have not yet put an eye cream into your daily skincare regimen, now is the time to start.  The most important thing to do when you are in your 20's and 30's (and let’s be honest, 40's, 50's, and 100's) is moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!  Moisturize the face and neck 2 times a day, and add in an eye cream to treat the sensitive areas around your eyes. You can start with using eye cream at night before you go to bed, but ramp it up to twice a day (morning and night) if you feel that you need it.  The quick way to remember to use eye cream is to place it on your night stand and put it on before you rest your pretty head for some beauty sleep! 

How should I apply eye cream?

Ever tried to use eye cream and felt it burn??? That's because you probably weren't putting it on right! There is a specific technique for applying eye cream, and its really quite simple once you get a the hang of it.  To correctly apply eye cream, scoop a very small amount using your ring finger.  The ring finger is the only finger on your hand that provides the least amount of pressure and most control for this sensitive area.   Then, gently tap the eye cream around your orbital bone.  People usually think that you need to slather this on your eye and eye lid…but this is not the right way to use eye cream.  If you gently tap all around your orbital bone, the heat from your eye will draw the product into all the right places.   Where is your orbital bone? Place your finger on your eye (sure go ahead…do it right now!) and feel around the bone that your eye socket sits in.  This is your orbital bone!

Which eye cream should I buy?

This is the tough one…there are so many products out there that claim to do so many different things!  I have tried tons of eye creams over the years and below are my favorite 3 at multiple price points.  Please keep in mind these are based on my experiences…each person has different needs so you may need an eye cream tailored to your specific needs.  For example, are you trying to reduce puffiness? Prevent wrinkles?  Minimize the look of fine lines?  Refresh tired eyes? Make sure you know what you are looking for before picking an eye cream! Most brands will allow you to take a sample and try eye creams, so take advantage of that! My picks are below:

1. Burt's Bees Radiance Eye Cream (~$25): This can be found in any drug store and is a great product for the price point.  This natural eye cream has a royal jelly base (apparently from the bees…) made of nectar, pollen, vitamins, minerals, flower parts, bee hormones (???) and other natural ingredients.  This special royal jelly contains 7 Amino Acids, Vitamins B1, B2, B5, B6, C and E, along with Biotin, Niacin and Folic Acid.  It has a beautiful milk & honey scent, and it does a great job softening the delicate skin around the eyes.  I find that it makes the eyes look more radiant and bright, and reduces the look of fine lines. 

2. Clinique - All About Eyes (~$37): My general face care regimen is Clinique based so I love this eye cream.  This is a gentle gel that is non irritating, and it reduces the look of bags and dark circles.  It is a great product for preventative care so it's a good eye cream to start with if you are just starting to add eye treatment to your skin care regimen.  It's also great for puffiness and it leaves the skin around the eyes feeling rejuvenated and brighter.  This also works great as a primer under eye makeup - it gives a smooth base for concealer.  Overall love this product!

3. La Mer - The Eye Concentrate (~$250) I started using this product about 1.5 years ago, and I absolutely love it. Would I recommend it for the steep price tag? Probably not, because I feel like any of the above creams will do the job.  But there is just something about this eye cream that I love - it is very moisturizing and de puffs, minimizes lines, awakens, and sooths.  Love the scent, very refreshing. It comes with a metal applicator that you can use to apply the product that adds to the La Mer "experience".   It claims to dissolve the appearance of dark circles - but not sure how accurate this claim is.  All in all, amazing product but very high price point.  I would recommend going to your nearest Holt to get a sample of this to see if you like it and if it is worth investing in!

Now before you run to the nearest store to pick up some eye cream, one last piece of advice.  The MOST important thing about finding the right eye cream is to remember that the little crinkles around your eyes add character...so don’t try to moisturize away the laugh lines around your eyes!  In One Direction's words…that's what makes you beautiful! Yes, I just quoted One Direction - this eye cream is really doing wonders to regress my skin back to what it looked like at 16. ;) 

A Flawless Face in 45 Seconds or Less!

Always wanted a quick way to look absolutely flawless? All you need is MAC Mineralize Skinfinish + a Kabuki brush!

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish is one of my favorite products.  If you don't have time to wear makeup but still want to look somewhat put together, all you need is this product and a big brush! There is no need to use a Kabuki brush if you don't have one, just use any fat brush.

Now you may be asking yourself...what is a Kabuki brush? Kabuki brushes originated in ancient Japan, where Geisha and performers in Kabuki theatre relied on the dense bristles of this brush to give them the flawless finish that they needed.  Centuries later, you can get Kabuki brushes at a wide variety of price points anywhere makeup is sold. My favorite is MAC Brush #182, shown below.  Sephora and Shoppers Drug Mart will also have a number of brushes to choose from - just make sure you get goat hair!

How to apply this product? Swish the brush into the product so that you have an even coating of powder all over the brush, then buff it into your face. Buff = apply in circular motions all over your face. You will instantly look flawless, even, and glowing....and it takes under a minute. You can adjust the coverage as necessary - the dense goat hair bristles on a kabuki brush provide moderate to full coverage.

What order to wear this in? A few options below:

- Moisturizer, then concealer, then mineralizer for a natural look
- Moisturizer, foundation, concealer, then mineralizer for a polished look that will stay put!  *note* when you apply this on top of foundation, it may darken the color a little bit. Just something to keep in mind!

Happy Mineralizing!!

Cray Cray for Chambray

 

When's the last time you wore a denim top? Was it around the same time you wore overalls with one strap hanging down your back?  When you wore "Burnt Sienna" lipliner??  When you went through bottles of ck ONE???  If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then get ready because the 90's are back, baby! 

With the 90's trend comes crushed velvet, printed shorts, and double denim which is no longer a fashion faux pas.  Double denim (or denim on denim) is a unisex look that is popping up on the streets of all the fashion capitals around the world so you need to get to this, and quick.  How to start? Find the perfect chambray shirt!  This is a layering piece that will effortlessly take you from spring to summer.  I just picked up a super soft chambray shirt today from Mendocino and I'm so excited to mix it up.  When looking for the perfect chambray, make sure it is a little flowy, super soft, has a nice fade, and fits in just the right spots. 

 

Now before you set off on your trip down memory bliss, keep in mind a few of these tips:

• NEVER match denim with denim!  When doing the double denim look, make sure that you do 2 different colors of denim
• Add texture and details to add interest to your outfit - studded jewelry, belts or boots always work great
• Keep your pieces fitted and tailored in the right places - if your shirt is flowy make sure your jeans are form fitting

 

A good chambray shirt always adds a little funkdification to your wardrobe and can be worn with EVERYTHING…no really, everything!  I know you don’t believe me so here are some ideas on how to wear this:

• chambray shirt + printed tshirt (preferably distressed) + skinny jeans
• chambray shirt + loose white tshirt (wilfred has ones I love) + white skinny jeans
• chambray shirt + longish tank top + leggings + studded flat black boots
• chambray shirt + flower printed skirt (tucked in)
• chambray shirt  + white tshirt + printed/textured shorts
• chambray shirt layered under a crew neck sweater with the cuffs rolled up + skinnies

 

And now some pictures for your viewing pleasure!  Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

You Vixen, You!

Always wanted to try red lipstick but don’t know where to start?  I meet so many girls that think they can never do red, but here's a secret - once you find the right shade, you will be searching for places to wear this sexy color!  Here are a few options that will make you feel like an absolute vixen.

 1. Russian Red (MAC) - looking for a true blue-red color that will make you feel the glamour of Madonna circa "Vogue"?  Russian Red is my all-time favorite red - it's a cult classic worn by starlets, fashionistas and powerhouse women alike.   This lipstick is a blue based red which is great for olive complexions, and it has a demi-matte finish so it's not too drying.  It glides on quite easy and has great staying power. 

2. Ruby Woo (MAC) - there is something I find really unique about this color - it is similar to Russian Red but it is uber matte so it just feels so sensual putting it on, a very femme fatale feel, if you will.  It is much more drying than Russian Red, but its a super sexy look. I find that it has better staying power than Russian Red, but if you have dry lips you may need some gloss on this one. 

3. Be Legendary (Smashbox) - this is a classic, iconic shade that is wearable on a variety of skin tones.  It has a lustrous, creamy feel and it is highly pigmented with great staying power.  Love the square Smashbox packaging! So sleek!

4. Oversexed plush glass (MAC) - Not yet ready to do a full red lip?  Ease your self into it with Oversexed Plush Glass.  Don't let the dark berry color scare you! This is a beautiful gloss that gives your lips amazing depth and a nice tingling feeling.  For extra oomph, put this gloss on any of the above reds to take your lips from blah boring to bombshell!

FYI MAC Cherry lipliner is my go-to liner for all my red lipsticks. Enjoy these gorgeous shades!