Yay! Summer is on its way, and it's certainly getting warmer. What does that mean for your skin? Since there's more moisture in the air, it's probably feel less parched than it did in January. In addition, your makeup may feel a little heavy and sticky in the heat. Check out these tips for summer beauty:
Tip #1: Swap your moisturizing creams for moisturizing gels.
I don't know about you, but I can't stand the feeling of moisturizer on my body on a hot summer day. So one of my favorite beauty products of all time is the L'Occitane Citrus Verbena Sorbet Body Cream ($36 in department stores). It's a non-sticky, gel-like body cream that melts into your skin, provides hydration, and cools skin. Plus, the light lemon scent is perfect for the summer. Another refreshing summer product is cooling gels, which provide just enough hydration for your face in the midst of summer heat. Use the Boscia Revitalizing Black Hydration Gel ($38 at Sephora) as your evening summer moisturizer. This gel disappears into skin, but keeps moisture sealed in, brightens, and minimizes pores. And it's much more light-weight than a traditional moisturizer.
Tip #2: Boost the SPF
SPF 15 for daily wear is okay for the winter, but kick it up to SPF 30 during the summer when rays are more intense. Remember that mineral sunblocks are ideal for sun protection. Just dab a generous amount of bareMinerals Advanced Protection SPF 20 Moisturizer ($30 at Sephora) on your face every morning. It hydrates and provides mineral-based sun protection. And don't leave the skin on the rest of your body defenseless against the sun! You may not care about wrinkles on your arms, but you can certainly get skin cancer there. Rub some Vaseline Aloe Fresh Body Lotion SPF 15 ($8 at drugstores) on any exposed skin - neck, shoulders, arms, hands - before you go about your day. I like this Vaseline product a lot because it's affordable, easy to find, and most importantly, healthy. For more information on SPF, mineral sunblock, and sun protection for the beach, check out: http://beautyforlife127.blogspot.com/2013/06/summertime-means-sunscreen-time.html
Tip #3: Rethink your coverage
Heavy foundations can feel and look worse in hot weather. Increased oilyness, perspiration, and humidity can make your makeup feel sticky on your face and cake more easily. I know my foundation looks like a mess at the end of a 90 degree day...liquid foundations can sometimes feel as if they're melting off your face. Stick with a BB/CC/DD cream or tinted moisturizer if you can. They are a little bit lighter than an actual foundation and get absorbed by skin more easily. The Perfekt Skin Perfection Gel ($28 at Sephora) is a BB gel that is light and ideal for summer weather. If you really prefer fuller coverage, try a mineral makeup like the Becca Perfect Skin Mineral Powder Foundation ($40 at Sephora), which often stays better through perspiration and heat. The powder foundation type will also help control humidity-induced shine.
Tip #4: Repack your purse
There are three items that you should add to your purse during the summer. First, remember to pack your sunglasses. Not only do they protect your eyes against developing cataracts, but they also protect the area around your eyes from wrinkles from the sun. Second, I find myself brushing some Alison Raffaele Transparent Finish Powder To-Go ($46 on dermstore.com) on my face at some point during the middle of the day. It's a weight-less, clear powder that absorbs excess oil and sets makeup. This to-go version comes with the brush and mirror attached to the powder. The powder dispenses into the brush for easy application and storage in your bag. Lastly, keep some Evian Mineral Water Spray Duo To Go ($14 at Sephora) handy to spritz your face throughout the day. The cold mist will feel so cool and refreshing on a hot day. The water formula also sets makeup, restores hydration, and helps remove sweat.
Tip #5: More vitamin E, less mineral oil
As I mentioned, you have an added sun stressor on your skin during the summer. In
addition to protecting your skin from the sun during the day with SPF, it is also important to
assist with repairing any damage related to sun exposure during the night. Using a vitamin E treatment can help with the recovery process, provide antioxidant protection against the sun, and soothe sunburned skin. The Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil Light ($48 at Sephora) is a summer must-have. This product is a pure oil, and argan oil is rich in natural vitamin E. You may be thinking that the oil may feel too greasy in the summer, but Josie Maran makes a "light" version that is fast absorbing and super lightweight. On the other hand, mineral oils (baby oil, petroleum jelly) attract sunlight and can cause burns. Remember in the 1970's when people used baby oil to tan? So make sure you're not using mineral oil or products that list mineral oil (or derivatives of it) as an ingredient in the morning.
Tip #6: Tone down the deeps and have fun with brights.
Put those deep shades away. Dark eye and lip makeup can get magnified by sunlight and often looks too heavy during the summer. Ditch the ruby lipstick for a more natural looking shimmery peach lip gloss like the Buxom Full-On Lip Polish in Amber ($19 at Sephora). Shimmer is nice in the summer because it reflects the sunlight and gives off a pretty glow. Another part of summer fun is bright nail colors. The brightest pinks, oranges, blues seem more "acceptable" in the summer so take advantage of it! I personally love the new Sally Hansen Triple Shine in Pixie Slicks ($5 in drugstores), an ultra shiny bright pink color with a hint of coral...super fun and pretty for summer!
Enjoy the warm weather everyone!
**All product recommendations are toxin-free
I don't know about you, but my makeup certainly does not look as fresh at 4:00PM as it does at 10:00AM. During the day, simple tasks like walking around, eating, blinking...movement of your face in general can take a toll on your makeup. In addition, your skin will replenish oil during the day as time progresses after washing it as well as lose moisture. All of these factors can cause our makeup to cake, smudge, and fade. Thus, many women refresh their makeup throughout the day. Check out these tips for your mid-day touch up:
1. Clean up around your eye area
The most noticeable area that smear and fades is generally the eye area. Always keep some Q-tips with you to clean up around the eye area. Tackle more stubborn mascara and eyeliner smudges with Almay Oil Free Makeup Eraser Sticks ($6 at Ulta). They're basically Q-tips with a makeup remover formula in the middle of the wand. When you break it in half, the solution dispenses to one side of the Q-tip. And it doesn't leave an oil or residue behind. Even though I typically wear gel eyeliner, I keep a creamy pencil liner in my purse for any easier liner touch up.
After all that, sometimes my eyes still don't look as awake as they did in the morning. If I'm going out to dinner or something after school or work, I'll line the inner corners of my eyes with a shimmery, white eyeshadow (using a brush, wand, Q-tip, or white eyeliner pencil) and dust a light cost of the shadow under my bottom lash line to make my eyes pop and my eye makeup look sharper. It really helps counteract any darkness around the eyes (from makeup smudging or fatigue) and acts as a light-reflecting luminizer to brighten.
2. Mattify oil
When you wash your face in the morning, you rid your pores of excess oil. However, during
the day, your skill will slowly replenish that supply. By mid-day, your face may appear shinier than it was in the morning. Excess oil may also cause some foundations and powders to cake. So, keep some Palladio Oil Absorbing Rice Paper Tissues with Rice Powder ($4 at Ulta) in your purse. You don't need to invest in expensive blotting tissues because drug store ones can do the job. I really like the Palladio ones because they absorb oil really well without smearing makeup like other blotters do (make sure to pat not wipe oil from your face). Just don't overdo it...you shouldn't be blotting more than three times per day because constantly removing oil will send a signal your skin to produce more oil. Eventually, this can cause your skin to overproduce oil.
3. Wake up your complexion
To top it off, dust your face with a sheer pressed powder like the Urban Decay Naked Skin Ultra Definition Pressed Finishing Powder ($34 at Sephora). The powder will help also help absorb any excess oil. I prefer a pressed powder because they are generally a more light-weight, and they're more mess-proof for easy storage in your purse and reapplication. In addition, I prefer a powder with a sheer coverage (rather than a transparent one or one with fuller coverage) and radiant finish because a slight touch of color and luminosity won't interfere too much with the makeup on your face. In fact, it can even your skin tone and give your
complexion a little lift.
For days when your complexion is looking particularly dull, gently pat a small amount of Mally Perfect Poreless Primer ($35 at Ulta) over your face before you apply the powder. I save it for certain occasions only because I don't like the fact that it contains bismuth oxychloride. But I must say that it's the only primer that I have stumbled across so far that looks okay over makeup. As a primer, it helps seal in moisture, smooth, and brighten. Mally herself claims that this is a good way to rid your face "mid-day crusties" and keep your complexion glowing.
4. Reapply
With eating, it's pretty hard to keep your lip color on all day, so don't forget to reapply it throughout the day to keep your face looking fresh. Adding an additional coat of mascara can also spruce up your look. Lastly, you may need to retouch any blemishes or dark spots that you spot cover with concealer. Slim concealer pens like the Shiseido The Makeup Corrector Pencil ($18 at Sephora) are perfect for the job. It's compact for carrying around, while the stick formula glides on easily and allows for a precise application.
5. Rehydrate
Throughout the day, your skin will lose moisture as time passes after applying your morning moisturizer. Also, many foundations work by pulling moisture from your skin, which can be dehydrating. To set your reapplied makeup and replenish your moisture supply, spritz with some Avene Thermal Spring Water ($9 on drugstore.com) over your makeup. Not only will your skin look refreshed, but it will feel refreshed too.
If you find that you have to reapply your makeup multiple times a day, you can probably take better measures to keep your makeup on. For example, try using a setting spray like the Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Spray ($29 at Sephora) to set makeup in place better than a setting powder or long-lasting foundation alone. You can also use primers to keep your mascara, eyeshadow, foundation, and lip color in place. Some really effective healthy options include:
Hopefully, these tips will help you freshen up so that you can put your best face forward every time of the day :)
Did you know that Americans generate around 250 million tons of landfill waste every year? That's a lot!! Luckily, many beauty brands are working to recycle and reuse to help save our precious planet. In honor of Earth Day, I wanted to give a shout-out to some healthy beauty brands that are not only doing your beauty routine good, but also doing our planet good.
Aveda, known mostly for its skin and hair care, fully embraces the idea of sustainability from their partnerships with non-profits like the Earth Fund Grantmaking Program to the use of sustainable furniture in their corporate office to their use of wind power in manufacturing. As the first privately held company to sign the CERES Principles (Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies), Aveda incorporates plant-derived plastics and recycled packing into all of its products.
Tarte Cosmetics is a vegan cosmetics brand that makes a variety of skincare and cosmetic products and engages in initiates to save the rainforests of the Amazon. The company is constantly researching formulas and biodegradable plastics to make their products more sustainable and even offers tips on creative ways to reuse packaging. They also sell replacement powders for their reusable compacts...saving you money and saving the earth!
As the name implies, EcoTools makes a variety of affordable eco-friendly beauty tools. All of the packaging is recyclable and uses post-consumer recycled paper. Makeup brushes also feature recycled aluminum ferrules...the bristles are so soft that you wouldn't believe that they're synthetic and 100% cruelty-free. Plus, all products feature natural materials like cotton and bamboo.
Throughout the product lifestyle, Vapour Organic Beauty is committed to sustainability with all of its cosmetics. First, the company sources ingredients from organic farms that help reduce pollution and toxic water waste. Anhydrous filling system are then used during manufacturing to reduce landfill waste, while wind power powers the plants. In addition, the company has offices that are wind and solar powered and prides itself on engaging in green practices like re-using shipping materials. Product packaging is developed from recycled material, uses soy ink, and is both biodegradable and non-toxic.
Manufactured in Vermont, Tata Harper uses renewable energy (recycled methane gas) in their facilities to manufacture its skincare products and remains energy efficient by keeping all activity in one place. The brand utilizes recycled paper and glass bottles in their packaging and engages in sustainable farming practices to source ingredients.
Weleda has taken on initiatives to allow for a greener planet. Using, Fair Trade and BioDynamic agricultural practices, the brand harvests its powerful natural ingredients for its skin and body care products, while simultaneously preserving the earth. Along the way, Weleda funds research and development to reduce waste in their production processes. And of course, the packaging is eco-friendly too!
From production to consumption, Burts Bees is an innovator skin and body care as well as in sustainability with local partners like NC Green Power and Renewable Choice Energy. It works to reduce different types of waste. A reverse osmosis system allows 700,000 gallons of water to be reused during manufacturing. Facilities are designed using energy-efficient lighting, resource
management software, and efficient production equipment to reduce waste. Any leftover facility waste that cannot be recycled or composted is transformed into biomass-based fuel or electricity. Every year, Burts Bees sets goals to further reduce waste.
Not only is Alison Raffaele one of my favorite facial cosmetic brands, but it is also very eco-friendly. All of the brushes are super soft and are made with wood that is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council and cruelty-free, Takelon bristles. All products feature non-toxic, skin-safe ingredients as well as recyclable packaging.
All of these brands are natural or organic. Natural/organic does not necessarily imply that a brand is sustainable. But luckily, most natural and organic brands are very eco-friendly...a great way to help both your body and the environment. This Earth Day, don't forget to do your part in saving the planet one lipstick tube at a time ;)
My birthday is right around the corner. Like a true beauty addict, I can't help but think about my beauty routine as a 21-year-old, as I reflect back through the past year. I figured I would share my daily beauty routine and the products that I use with you.
[Disclaimer: don't be alarmed by how many products I use on a daily basis]
Morning Skincare:
Makeup
Shower
Evening Skincare
Weekly Rituals
What do heat, cold, humidity, the wind, physical activity, and oil production have in common? They can all wear and tear on our makeup, leading to creasing, caking, and fading. Yuck! Luckily, there are a few steps you can take to preserve your morning face throughout the day. Check it out:
Seal: Sometimes, when I opt for a softer look or a liner that I can blend with my eyeshadow, I use a pencil liner or dark eyeshadow as a liner. These techniques help me achieve a nice look, but by the end of the day, there's barely any liner left on my eyes. The best way to give it the staying power of a liquid liner is by sealing any pencil or powder liner with a shadow-to-liner potion. Companies like Makeup Forever and Bare Escentuals make this product, which comes in a squeeze bottle and instantly turns your powder eyeshadow into a liquid liner. How does it work? You simply squeeze a drop of the solution into your eyeshadow, rub the area with your eyeliner brush, and then apply it to your eyes. Personally, I've found that using these products in this way isn't very effective. The solution ends up diluting the color and making the liner watery and difficult to apply. Furthermore, these products damage your eyeshadow so that you can't ever use it as an eyeshadow again. Instead, I like to apply my eyeshadow or pencil liner and then apply the solution over it as a seal, which is why I love the Too Faced Liquif-Eye Eyeliner ($16.20 on www.toofaced.com). Rather than a squeeze bottle, it comes in a tube with a wand so that you can use it brush the solution over your liner. You can also use the Too Faced seal over smudge-prone pencil liners.
Primers: Before you apply your eyeshadow, smooth some eyeshadow primer over your lid. Primer acts as a sticky surface for your makeup to hold onto. You'll find that you won't have to touch up your eye makeup as often and less eyeshadow particles will fall onto your face or into your eyes during applications. Some formulas can be a little watery, so I use the Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer ($20 at Sephora). It has a great, creamy formula and comes with a wand for easy application. And the formula is paraben and phthalate-free! The same goes for the rest of your face. Before you apply your foundation, add some face primer. Similar to eyeshadow primer, face primer will help your foundation or powder cling to your skin and hold it on for longer. Face primers leave your skin with a velvety finish, which makes it easier to smooth makeup over your face (less pulling on your skin = fewer signs of aging). Even if you don't wear complexion correcting makeup, you can wear a primer over your moisturizer. Many primers create a skin protecting barrier and help even out your skin tone. My favorite primer is the silky, oil-free Alison Raffaele Face Forward Primer with SPF 15 ($44 on www.alisonraffaele.com). It works well by prepping my skin for makeup and keeping it looking fresh all day long. Another plus is that it offers some great skin benefits with mineral SPF, the poweful frutta di vita antioxidant protection complex, and anti-aging peptides. Like all Alison Raffaele products, the primer formula is natural and toxin-free.
Setting Powder: "Setting your face" is like sealing your face. Foundations and concealers are sticky so that they stick to your face (obviously). It makes sense...but that means that it can also stick to your face and clothes throughout the day. Setting powders are usually
loose, colorless powders that give your foundation and concealer something to hold it onto so that it does not decide to grab onto your hands or clothes throughout the day. Another function of setting powder is to absorb oil, which can cause makeup to crease or cake. Since setting powders are clear, you can apply it over blush, highlighter, and bronzer and reapply it over your makeup during the day to get rid of excess oil that has developed. Remember to apply some around your eye area to keep your under-eye concealer and eyeshadow from traveling. You can use colored powders to set your skin, but they are often not as effective. Any powders with pigment will have larger particles and a creamier feel. This means that they will help hold your makeup throughout the day, but they are also more likely to cake and less able to absorb oil than an actual setting powder. Look for talc-free formulas like the Alison Raffaele Transparent Finish Powder ($28 on www.beauty.com).
Setting Spray: Complete your
look with a setting spray. The two main ones on the market are made by
Urban Decay and Makeup Forever. Be careful! The Make Up For Ever one
contains parabens, so I prefer the Urban Decay All-Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray ($29 at Sephora), which also comes in different varieties for various skin concerns. It also sprays nicer than the Makeup Forever one does. Different sprays work to protect your makeup differently. The Urban Decay one lowers the temperature of your makeup to shield it from environmental stressors like heat or cold to prevent your makeup from caking or fading.
In addition to these products, make sure that you hydrate hydrate hydrate! Your skin will lose moisture during the day. Makeup relies on moisture from your skin to stay on. Many foundations actually work by pulling moisture from your skin and begin to cake can when your skin starts running low on water. Start off each morning by moisturizing your face - a moisturized face will also help your makeup stick when you apply it. To replenish your moisture reserve during the day, spritz your face with some Evian Mineral Water Spray ($12 at Sephora) every few hours. It's especially refreshing in the summer, and you can even spray it over makeup.
Yay! Summer is on its way, and it's certainly getting warmer. What does that mean for your skin? Since there's more moisture in the air, it's probably feel less parched than it did in January. In addition, your makeup may feel a little heavy and sticky in the heat. Check out these tips for summer beauty:
I don't know about you, but I can't stand the feeling of moisturizer on my body on a hot summer day. So one of my favorite beauty products of all time is the L'Occitane Citrus Verbena Sorbet Body Cream ($36 in department stores). It's a non-sticky, gel-like body cream that melts into your skin, provides hydration, and cools skin. Plus, the light lemon scent is perfect for the summer. Another refreshing summer product is cooling gels, which provide just enough hydration for your face in the midst of summer heat. Use the Boscia Revitalizing Black Hydration Gel ($38 at Sephora) as your evening summer moisturizer. This gel disappears into skin, but keeps moisture sealed in, brightens, and minimizes pores. And it's much more light-weight than a traditional moisturizer. 
SPF 15 for daily wear is okay for the winter, but kick it up to SPF 30 during the summer when rays are more intense. Remember that mineral sunblocks are ideal for sun protection. Just dab a generous amount of bareMinerals Advanced Protection SPF 20 Moisturizer ($30 at Sephora) on your face every morning. It hydrates and provides mineral-based sun protection. And don't leave the skin on the rest of your body defenseless against the sun! You may not care about wrinkles on your arms, but you can certainly get skin cancer there. Rub some Vaseline Aloe Fresh Body Lotion SPF 15 ($8 at drugstores) on any exposed skin - neck, shoulders, arms, hands - before you go about your day. I like this Vaseline product a lot because it's affordable, easy to find, and most importantly, healthy. For more information on SPF, mineral sunblock, and sun protection for the beach, check out: http://beautyforlife127.blogspot.com/2013/06/summertime-means-sunscreen-time.html
Heavy foundations can feel and look worse in hot weather. Increased oilyness, perspiration, and humidity can make your makeup feel sticky on your face and cake more easily. I know my foundation looks like a mess at the end of a 90 degree day...liquid foundations can sometimes feel as if they're melting off your face. Stick with a BB/CC/DD cream or tinted moisturizer if you can. They are a little bit lighter than an actual foundation and get absorbed by skin more easily. The Perfekt Skin Perfection Gel ($28 at Sephora) is a BB gel that is light and ideal for summer weather. If you really prefer fuller coverage, try a mineral makeup like the Becca Perfect Skin Mineral Powder Foundation ($40 at Sephora), which often stays better through perspiration and heat. The powder foundation type will also help control humidity-induced shine. 
There are three items that you should add to your purse during the summer. First, remember to pack your sunglasses. Not only do they protect your eyes against developing cataracts, but they also protect the area around your eyes from wrinkles from the sun. Second, I find myself brushing some Alison Raffaele Transparent Finish Powder To-Go ($46 on dermstore.com) on my face at some point during the middle of the day. It's a weight-less, clear powder that absorbs excess oil and sets makeup. This to-go version comes with the brush and mirror attached to the powder. The powder dispenses into the brush for easy application and storage in your bag. Lastly, keep some Evian Mineral Water Spray Duo To Go ($14 at Sephora) handy to spritz your face throughout the day. The cold mist will feel so cool and refreshing on a hot day. The water formula also sets makeup, restores hydration, and helps remove sweat.
Put those deep shades away. Dark eye and lip makeup can get magnified by sunlight and often looks too heavy during the summer. Ditch the ruby lipstick for a more natural looking shimmery peach lip gloss like the Buxom Full-On Lip Polish in Amber ($19 at Sephora). Shimmer is nice in the summer because it reflects the sunlight and gives off a pretty glow. Another part of summer fun is bright nail colors. The brightest pinks, oranges, blues seem more "acceptable" in the summer so take advantage of it! I personally love the new Sally Hansen Triple Shine in Pixie Slicks ($5 in drugstores), an ultra shiny bright pink color with a hint of coral...super fun and pretty for summer! 
