Fall Back in Love with Berry Lips | Autumn/Fall Beauty

Starting next week, it's going to be fall! That means berry lips and nails are going to be worn from now to next season. Let's not forget about leggings, sweaters, and cute booties either! Oh, how I love fall. Fall is also the season of pumpkin spice lattes with lipstick prints on every white coffee lids. Can you say or more like hastag: #instagram #basic #yum. To get ready for fall (and Instagram), here are three of my favorite fall lipsticks.


1. Clinique in Different Grape
This is my go-to and almost everyday lipstick. I wear it to brunch, late night drinks, and even to work. Spring or fall, the season doesn't matter. While Different Grape is a deeper shade on my best friend who is fair, it is the perfect tint against my skin tone. So depending on your skin color, it may be the perfect berry lipstick or just the perfect "I just ate a bunch of blackberries" tint. It's smooth and easy to slap on without a mirror. I've even considered buying a few more to keep in my work bag, purse, and at home. A girl can never have too much lipstick!

2. YSL in Forbidden Burgundy 
I save this lipstick for special occasions. It's the perfect dark berry lipstick, but also very build-able. You can apply lightly for a more berry tint or you can apply a few layers for the perfect shade of dark berry to your liking. With this lipstick, you will need a mirror. It's easy to build, but it's unforgivable. By that, I mean that it bleeds without a liner, you might look like Miranda Sings if you apply it without a mirror, and it's not an easy lipstick to eat with. Especially cheeseburgers, trust me. However, YSL is by far my favorite lipstick. Although it's a little pricy for a lipstick, YSL is extremely moisturizing and smells fantastic. It smells like Jolly Ranchers to me!

3. MAC in Russian Red
I know, I know...this is red and not at all berry, but sometimes a classic red is the way to go. You can do no wrong with a good red lipstick. This is the first red lipstick that I have ever gotten and the one color that can pull me out of a funk. Russian Red also has a blue undertone, meaning your not so white teeth may appear pearly white to others. If that doesn't give you some sense of power, I don't know what would (but maybe an all black attire with Russian Red).

10 Beauty Tricks You Can Get Out Of Baby Power

Baby power isn't just for babies anymore. It's easy to get, inexpensive, very versatile and an emergency must-have! There are many ways to use baby power besides for the bebe's bootay!

Here are 10 tips and tricks you can use baby power for your beauty emergencies:


1. Dry Shampoo
Maybe it's your lazy day, out of your favorite dry shampoo, or maybe you've ban yourself from purchasing anything beauty related. Like me, in that case, baby power to the rescue! All you need to do is sprinkle it onto your hairline and thoroughly brush your hair. I personally like to keep the power on my hair for a few minutes while I do my make up. So the baby power can absorb as much oil and smelliness, before brushing it out!

2. Vavavoom Lashes 
Sometimes we just need a little enhancement. Besides brows and SPF, lashes are a must for me! Since I'm not blessed with long and full eyelashes, this was my little beauty trick and secret for longer lashes in middle school. My trick in keeping it easy-peesy is to use a disposable or old mascara ward to coat your lashes. Then apply mascara. You can repeat the two easy steps as often as you would like, however it is best to wait until your mascara is completely dry. A little goes a long way (trust me, you do not want baby power in your eyes).

3. Setting Make-up
Once again a little goes a long way. Baby power is white, so to keep it translucent, you must go light. Not only does baby power help set your make-up, but it also absorbs any excess oil to keep you from looking oily.

4. Waxing
To all my DIY waxers out there. Please, please, please cleanse your skin first and dust some baby power in the area that you want wax. Baby power creates a barrier between your skin and wax, allowing the wax to have a better grip on your hair. Meaning less pain and smoother skin!

5. Deodorant
Not sure about using baby power for deodorant, but if it works for babies and it absorbs excess oil and funk...why not? It's in case of an emergency, no judgement, sometimes a girl just gotta do what a girl's got to (when Target it closed).

6. Seal your lips
I normally skip this step in my daily make-up routine. However it's a step you don't want to miss if you want your lipstick to last. Although I don't really do this on a daily, it's great for special occasions (even if it's just drinks after work). To help make your lipstick last; just apply your lipstick, cover your lips with tissue paper, and pat some baby power on them.


7. Removing oil & grease stains
As an esthetician, I'm always working with all kinds of oils. Whether it's me being clumsy or simply preforming a treatment, I always find myself in spots of oil.  Many times the stain wouldn't wash off or it's on something I can't just throw into the washer. When that happens, I would pat some baby power on the spots and let it sit for a bit before dusting it off. Sometimes you have to pat baby power a few times, rise with dish soap, and launder as normal.


8. Prevent chafing
Say no to thighs or bra chafing! Sprinkle some between your thighs before heading out for a running or simply on a hot sunny day. To prevent bra chafing, I suggest rubbing some onto you skin before and sprinkle some ontoyour bra for extra prevention and protection.

9. Removing sand
Remember when you were small and your parents would tell you to go wash the sand off your feet? But by the time you got to the car your feet and legs seem to be covered in sand...again. Then your parents would make you sit at the edge of the car's foot guard and just dust it off with towels and hurting you in the process? Well, to avoid the traumatic experience is to bring baby power with you the next time you're at the beach. All you need is baby power in your hands to rub the sand off your body!

10. Panty-holes
I'm not sure who's still wearing pant-holes besides Kate Middleton and grandmas...but if you do, make sure you rub some baby power on your feet before slipping on your panty-holes. Baby power will soak up the excess oils that your feet naturally produces, preventing fungal infections. Baby power also helps you slip into your panty-holes a lot easier.

French Pharmacy Beauty Buys | Nuxe Edition

As most of you know, during my short stay in Paris. My trip to City-Pharma was a huge fail (like after spending a few hours and filling up my basket with all types of goodies, my credit card was declined type of a fail).  So, I told myself that once I got back home, I would seek out some of the products I had to leave behind in Paris.

It's been several months since I've been back, but I didn't make my decision until about a week ago. So, what did I decide on after many many months? Welp, my first French beauty buys had to be something by NUXE! Maybe it's because Estee Lalonde aka EssieBotton (one of my favorite beauty Youtubers) loves it or that every beauty blogger seem to also rave about. Either way, I just had to get my hands on NUXE's best selling lip balm and body cream.

1. NUXE Reve de Miel Ultra Nourishing Lip Balm 
I like that it's thick enough without feeling heavy or sticky. Since it is pretty thick, a little goes a long way! It's also one of the biggest lip balm I've own and since I don't need to use a lot, it'll definitely last a long time for me (and I may or may not have brought a total of four). Although I would say it's more on the pricier side, it's well worth it. It helps nourish, smooth, repair and protect even the most dry and damaged lips. The benefits that you get from a $19 lip balm is a much wiser investment than getting an expensive lipstick! It's better to repair and protect your lips so that your lips look good with any shade or brand. You'll also love the scent of this lip balm! It's very mild, but you get a little swift of grapefruit and honey once in awhile.

2. NUXE  Nourishing Body Cream Reve de Miel
This product makes my skin feel extremely soft and moisturized. NUXE's products has a very rich consistency without leaving your skin feeling sticky or excessive. Even if you have the most dry and cracked skin, this body cream is ultra-absorbing, because of the lipids that are in this product. It's ultra-absorbable due to our skin ability to take in oils/lipids. (Skin 101: Our skin is hydrophobic, meaning it "fears" water).


3. And just some goodies that I got for order $90+ online!

How To Maximize Your Skincare Just By Layering Right

1. Go light

Start with the thinnest products like serums. With serums, a little goes a long way but it's the most effective way to deliver active ingredients into the skin. The secret is pat (not rub)!

So what are serums you ask? Serums are like cocktails, it's easy to mix and match and customize to your skin needs. If your skin is dry, you can try hyaluronic acid. If you're trying to prevent and reverse the sign of aging, try vitamin c and glycolic acid to promote collagen production and speed up cell renewal.

2.  Spot treatment/Eye creme

After going light, you want to target your "problem" areas. Whether it's a random huge pimple or crow's feet, you want to treat it after your serums! Do not apply before your serums, because you'll just be smearing everything around...and that eye creme would more likely be a facial creme.

3. Moisture

After you've layered your skin with active ingredients and target all your problem areas, you want to seal it with a moisturizer. This helps retain and provide moisture to the skin which is very important for healthy skin. Lack of moisture may cause the skin to be dry or crack, leaving the skin unprotected, exposed and vulnerable to irritants, damage, and etc.

4. SPF

You should never ever (never ever never ever never) skip or skim on SPF. Skipping this step because you're staying indoors all day or because it's raining--is a big no-no! Although SPF should always be included in your skin routine, it should be the last step in your morning routine. You do not want to apply this on first before your serums, spot treatment, or moisturizer. SPF is meant to sit on your face, not mixed and diluted with other skin products!

Ps. you may skip this step only when you're heading for bed!

XX

Four easy steps to maximize your product and skin! 

What's your laying technique? 

My Fav: Pastel Nails For Spring

 

Sorry for being MIA! My hard drive crashed last Sunday and I didn't get it back until two days ago. It's sad to know that my blog photos are now gone along with a few posts. However, it is good to be back! So, like I promised on Twitter, here is another post!

First, let's talk about Essie's latest collection! The new Essie Spring 2015 Collection consist of six polishes! Four vibrant colors and two nudes. This new collection happens to be the very first Essie collaboration with Rebecca Minkoff! Someone I'm totally obsessed with. My favorite three polishes from this collection is: Flowerista, Perennial Chic, and Blossom Dandy!

Although it probably would of made more sense for me to share Essie's latest collection today. I thought it would be best to share colors that may already in everyone's nail polish collection (no need for Target run this time)! As you can see above, my favorite pastel and spring colors are: Bikini So Teeny, I Pink I Can, Lovie Dovie, Fashion Playground, Mint Candy Apple, and A Crewed Interest. Honestly, Essie's polishes are great all year round, but I just love wearing Essie in the spring or summer. They have such great variety and color choices that seem to lack in other well known nails polishes. However, I can't remember if I mentioned this before...that although I love Essie's color choices, their formula is not the easiest to work with. I have such a hard time painting my own nails with Essie! Sometimes the polish is too opaque and my nail polish comes out too thick, making it chip easier and faster! But I live in California, where it's always sunny and girls (and guys) wear flip-flops. So, I don't mind changing my nail polish several times a week.

Do you have a favorite Essie collection or Essie nail polish?

Kitchen Beauty: All Your Beauty Needs From Your Very Own Kitchen

Fridge:
Eggs
Egg whites help tone and even tighten the skin.
Cucumber
Cucumbers are great as eye pads, but can also be used in masques since it's very soothing and healing. I like keeping several cut up cucumbers in the freezer, so that it's always fresh and cold (warm cucumbers...ehhh, no thanks).
Avocado
Avocados aren't just great for guacamole or yummy avocado ice cream. Avocados have vitamins A and C, which is great for dry and sensitive skin! Vitamin A and C is a must have for healthy and glowy skin.
Yogurt
Have sensitive skin? Yogurt is a gentle and natural cleanser!
Milk
Milk is my go-to emergency beauty freak out! My skin is very reactive and sometimes the only thing that will calm my skin is milk. I mean, freaking Cleopatra took milk bathes for a reason! Cleopatra wasn't far fetch for believing that bathing in milk will result to eternal beauty and youth. Milk is actually very beneficial! It's soothing, rebuilds collagen, and gently exfoliates dead skin cells. Plus it can be found in every gorcery store, it's inexpensive, and its multi-usage and purpose makes it a must have in the kitchen!
Lemon
Lemon is all about lightening and brightening. Lemon can be used to help lighten dark spots and hyperpigmentation. Lemon can be used in a homemade masque with honey and yogurt or as a lemon scrub with sugar.
Aloe vera
Aloe vera my grandma's holy grail! My grandma is obsessed with aloe vera, she drinks it, eats it, and puts it on her skin. Any skin problem that my family has, her solution is to put aloe vera on it. Then she heads to the back yard to get us a stem of aloe vera. Gotta love my grandma!
Potatoes
Potatoes are literally the greatest things on earth. I mean you can make french fries, hash browns, mash potatoes, and many many more. But did you know that potatoes are also amazing for puffy eyes and even oily skin? Not only does it help reduce puffiness, but it also absorbs oil from your skin! Maybe that's why McDonald's fries are so good...
Pineapple
Pineapple has enzymatic properties that are like little Pac Man eating away dead skin cells.
Papaya 
Like pineapple, papayas are used as exfoliates and are often found in popular facial peels!
Ice cubes
Ice, ice baby! Ice cubes are soothing and calming. It's great for acne and shrinking pores.

Pantry:
Sugar
I love anything sweet. So it's a given that I also love sugar scrubs. I honestly use sugar in most of my at home beauty treatments. For instance, I use sugar with lemon to scrub my nails so that it can help lighten the stains that I acquire from wear nail polish all year long. I also use it with honey and lemon as a mini at-home facial scrub. Or with coconut oil for a body scrub! It's a staple in the kitchen as will as in my beauty treatments.
Baking Soda
I got baking soda, I got baking soda! Baking soda is often used as a spot treatment for acne. Just mix it with a little honey and apply it to any blemish and watch it go bye-bye! Baking soda is also used as a scrub or masque to exfoliate dead skin cells, leaving your skin softer and brighter.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal has healing, soothing and exfoliating proporties. Which is often used in facial or body masques.
Tea
Tea contains antioxidant and is anti-inflammatory. Tea bags aren't just used for your tea! Tea bags can be used for puffy eyes or tea can be used as cold compresses for a puffy face. So save them tea bags!
Honey
Honey does great things to the skin. It has a toning, healing, smoothing, tightening, and hydrating effects. Plus it's great with tea! Honey is also used in scrubs and masque to give it a thick constancy.
Coconut oil
Who doesn't love coconut oil nowadays?! It's hyped up for a reason! It's used in oil pulling (don't even get me started on that!), hair treatment, scrubs, make up remover, and as a moistuerizer. Although I would caution to to use coconut oil as a facial cleanser or make-up remover due to the fact that it may cause blemishes or maybe reactions to certain skin types, it's great in moderation and simply just listen to your skin! Your skin knows what it wants and likes.

Waxing 101

The do's and don'ts of waxing.

Do:

1. Avoid the sun after you're freshly waxed. Newly waxed skin are prone to hyperpigmentation and other skin damages!
2. Exfoliate your skin before waxing and 3-5 days after waxing to avoid ingrowns.
3. Let your wax specialist know if you're on any medication, recently had surgery, or Botox.
4. Take Advil 30 minutes before waxing (only if you're waxing your lady parts).
5. Take a shower beforehand to freshen up. It also helps open up the pores, making waxing l
6. Wear breathable clothing. Maxi dresses are great for Brazilian Day's.
7. Limit caffeine the day of. Caffeine may cause you to be more sensitive than usual.
8. Schedule your waxing appointment after Aunt Rose visits. You are less sensitive several days after menstruation.
9. Go long! Your hair should not be shorter or longer than a grain of rice. If it's too short, waxing may not pick up all of the hairs and can be much more painful. If it's too long, it can also be painful so trim, trim, trim.
10. Breathe!
 

Do not:

1. Forget to apply SPF!
2. Wax if you're using Accutane, Retin-A, blood thinners, or any medication for acne.
3. Expose your newly waxed skin to the sun.
4. Head to the gym after you've waxed (down there). Avoid the gym for 24 hours...and treat yourself!
5. Exfoliate right after you've been waxing. Wait a few days.
6. Tan or sunbathe 24 hours after waxing.
7. Shave in between waxing sessions. It messes up the hair cycle (leaving some hair longer and shorter than others) and also a more painful and less "clean" experience.
8. Touch freshly waxed skin if hands are not clean.
9. Apply fragranced or alcohol-based products to freshly waxed skin. It may cause redness or irritation. However witch hazel and tea tree oil is great to use to soothe redness and irritation.
10. Wax at home (unless you or your BFF is a licensed esthetician).