How to Perfect the Afternoon Touch-Up

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:

• Tarte MultiplEYE Clinically-Proven Natural Lash Enhancing Primer ($22 at Sephora)
• Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer ($20 at Sephora)
• Alison Raffaele Face Forward Primer SPF 15 ($46 on dermstore.com)
• BITE Beauty Line & Define Lip Primer ($22 at Sephora)

Hopefully, these tips will help you freshen up so that you can put your best face forward every time of the day :)

What Does My Beauty Routine Look Like?

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:

• AHAVA Purifying Mud Soap ($10 at Ulta) as a gentle face cleanser.
• Caudalie Pulpe Vitaminee Anti-Wrinkle Serum ($62 at Sephora)
  to fight wrinkles and provide an antioxidant protection shield against free radicals and pollutants as I go through the day.
• Ole Henriksen Total Truth Vitamin C Eye Creme SPF 15 ($45 at Sephora) It's one of the very few natural eye creams that I can find with SPF, and it happens to feel really nice :)
• Olay Complete All Day UV Moisturizer SPF 15 Sensitive Skin ($9 at Ulta)

Makeup

• Smashbox Primer Photo Finish Lid Primer ($20 at Sephora)

• Almay Intense I-Color Smoky-I Kit for Brown Eyes ($7 at Ulta)
• Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Liner in Chocolate Shimmer ($23 at department stores)
• Eylure Naturalites Voluminous Eyelashes 020 ($6 in drugstores)
• Too Faced Liquif-Eye Eyeliner ($18 on toofaced.com) as an extra clear seal over eyeliner to ensure that it doesn't budge all day long.
• Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes ($19 at Sephora) on the bottom lashes (the falsies go on the top)
• Bobbi Brown Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15 ($44 in department stores)
• Alison Raffaele Face Forward Primer SPF 15 - Acne Response ($46 on dermstore.com)
• Almay Smart Shade Mousse Makeup ($14 at Ulta)
• Alison Raffaele Incandescent Luminizer in Yellow ($28 on beauty.com) as an under eye concealer. The lighter color helps mask dark circles and highlight eye makeup.
• Alison Raffaele True Concealer ($25 on dermstore.com)

• Bobbi Brown Blush in Sand Pink ($26 in department stores)
• Bobbi Brown Sheer Finish Pressed Powder in Warm Natural ($37 in department stores)
• Alison Raffaele Transparent Finish Powder ($28 on beauty.com)
• Bobbi Brown Creamy Lip Color in Rose Petal ($25 in department store) lipsticks often look more natural than lip glosses for everyday wear since they aren't as shiny.
• Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray ($29 at Sephora) to solidify your makeup on your face for the rest of the day.

Shower

• Jason Pure Natural Body Wash in Invigorating Rosewater ($12 on drugstore.com)
• Lily of the Desert Aloe Gelly ($10 at Whole Body)  is more natural and light-weight than a regular lotion and keeps skin soft and supple enough.  Afterwards, I also like to nourish skin by spritzing with:
• Solar Recover Save Your Skin Spray ($12 at Whole Body)
• Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion ($9 at drugstores) on my hands and feet right before I sleep followed by covering my feet with:
• Yu-Be Heel & Elbow Moisturizing Socks ($13 on beauty.com) when I sleep.

Evening Skincare

• Bertolli Classic Olive Oil ($10 at grocery stores) as a makeup remover because it's more natural and better for your skin than baby oil
• JUARA Rice Facial Scrub ($29 on skinstore.com)
• JUARA Tamarind Tea Hydrating Toner ($29 on dermstore.com)
• Origins Plantscription Anti-Aging Eye Cream ($44 at Sephora)
• Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum ($79 at Sephora)
• Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil ($46 at Ulta) as a brightening vitamin C moisturizer in the fall/winter or Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil ($48 at Sephora) as a vitamin E moisturizer to help fight against sun damage in the spring/summer.  The have vitamins that are more potent than those found in creams.
• EOS Organic Lip Balm Sphere in Sweet Mint ($3 at Target)
• JUARA Rose & Willowbark Blemish Free Mask ($35 on skinstore.com) as a spot treatment for zits, white heads, and black heads (it works just as well as toothpaste doesn't leave skin red and over-dried)

Weekly Rituals 

• On Sunday nights, I give myself a face some extra attention to brighten up for the week ahead.  I wash my face with my Clarisonic Mia in Pink ($125 at Ulta) and use a JUARA Turmeric Antioxidant Radiance Mask ($35 on skinstore.com) before applying my serums and moisturizers.  I also give the rest of my body some extra attention by swapping my aloe and essential oil spray for something more intensively hydrating, the Tree Hut Shea Body Butter in Coconut Lime ($7.50 at Ulta).  

Swapping Baby Oil for Olive Oil: Healthy Substitutions for Popular Unhealthy Beauty Products - Part 2

In May, I did a post on how to substitute some popular, unhealthy beauty products with healthier alternatives.  I was inspired by the articles that I've seen in health magazines like Shape and Weight Watchers, where nutritionists tell you how to replace fattening snacks with healthier options.  Anyways, many of my followers requested another "swapping" post.

So, by popular demand, here's round two :)

1.  If you love Johnson's Original Baby Oil ($6 at drugstores)...then try Bertolli Classico

100% Pure Olive Oil ($10 at grocery stores).
Many of us like to use baby oil to remove makeup or hydrate our skin.  Baby oil is essentially mineral oil or petrolatum, which can promote skin damage rather than skin repair.  Olive oil has the same makeup-removing and hydrating properties but without the petrolatum.  In addition, the olive will help protect against free radicals and irritants.  It will even condition your eyelashes if you use it as a makeup remover.

2.  If you love bareMinerals Original Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15 ($27 at Sephora)...then try Bellapierre Mineral Foundation ($65 www.bellapierre.com).

Although I love bareEscentual products, I am actually not a fan of their mineral foundation.  I know it's odd because mineral foundation is the brand's core competency, and they basically invented the concept.  In my opinion, they may have been the first to do mineral makeup, but they aren't the best.  I've found that the formula can be difficult to smooth over skin and cakes after a few hours.  But more importantly, the bareMinerals foundations contain bismuth oxychloride.  Other brands like Jane Iredale and Pur Minerals that also produce mineral makeup don't contain this toxin, and Bellapierre produces a foundation in a loose powder form that is similar to the bareMinerals one.

3.  If you love Make Up For Ever Mist & Fix ($29 at Sephora)...then try Urban Decay All-Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray ($29 at Sephora).

Currently on the market, the two most popular facial sprays for setting your makeup are made by Make Up For Ever and Urban Decay.  Although both work really well, only the Urban Decay one is paraben-free.  While the Make Up For Ever one protects your makeup by covering it with a thin, invisible film, the Urban Decay one preserves your makeup by lowering its temperature.

4.  If you love Benefit Cosmetics Benetint ($30 at Sephora)...then try Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelee ($22 at Sephora).
Cheek tints are a great way to add a healthy glow to your complexion.  Compared with

traditional blush, they are a little bit more natural looking and can be easier to apply.  The Josie Maran cheek tint is a very nice product that launched only a few months ago.  Unlike the Benefit one, it is paraben-free and contains coconut, which is excellent for your skin (hydrates and provides antioxidant protection).  Both the Benefit and Josie Maran products come in a variety of glamorous colors.

5.  If you love Philosophy The Present Invisible Skin Perfector & Oil-Free Makeup Primer ($29 at Sephora)...then try Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer Light ($36 at Sephora).
When it comes to prime time, swap Philosophy for Smashbox.  Made with a water-based formula, the Smashbox light primer is great for oily skin like the Philosophy one is, but without the parabens.

6.  If you love Freeman Feeling Beautiful Cucumber Facial Peel-Off Mask ($4 at drugstores)...then try Yes to Cucumbers Soothing Calming Facial Mask ($15 at drugstores).
Cucumber can be a really nice soothing treat for your skin, but the Freeman cucumber mask contains two types of parabens.  Next time you buy a cucumber mask, reach for the Yes to Cucumbers one.  All of the Yes to products are free of harmful ingredients and can be conveniently found at drugstores, where you would buy the Freeman masks.

7.  If you love Colgate Total Toothpaste ($6 at drugstores)...then try Mario Badescu Drying Lotion ($17 at Nordstrom).
One of the oldest, quick-fix beauty tricks is dabbing a little toothpaste on a zit before you go to bed so that by morning, the alcohol will have dried it out.  The problem is that although toothpaste dries out your zit, it also dries out your skin, leaving it hard and red.  Specifically, Colgate Total contains dangerous triclosan.  The Drying Lotion is also an overnight-spot treatment that dries out your pimple in a more gentle way.  When you wake up in the morning, your zit will be gone, and your skin won't be all red and crusty.

8.  If you love Dial Antibacterial Deodorant Soap ($3 at drugstores for a pack of 3)...then try Tom's of Maine Daily Moisture Natural Beauty Bar Soap ($5 at drugstores for a pack of 2).
One of the most popular soap brands is Dial.  Unfortunately, its products contain harmful triclocarbon.  Instead, try the Tom's of Maine natural soaps.  The Natural Beauty Bar soap features sage, which naturally gives it the same deodorizing qualities that the Dial one has.  And it leaves your skin feeling just as soft!

9.  If you love Neutrogena Visibly Bright Daily Facial Cleanser ($6 at drugstores)... then try 100% Pure Jasmine Skin Brightening Facial Cleanser ($19 at Look Boutiques).
Neutrogena is a leader in face cleanser production.  But next time you reach for one, watch out because most of them use harsh sulfates.  With the 100% Pure product, licorice and fruit acids will give you the same radiance booster as the Neutrogena one but without the skin-damaging agents.

10.  If you love Aveeno Protect + Hydrate Lotion Sunscreen SPF 50 ($11 at Ulta)...then try Aveeno Natural Protection Lotion Sunscreen SPF 50 ($11 at Ulta).
I really like Aveeno sunscreens for multiple reasons.  Brands like Banana Boat smell really sunscreen-like, and Neutrogena products make me be break out.  The Aveeno ones are light, moisturizing, and calming.  However, Aveeno's non-natural sunscreen contains oxybenzone, which is a potential toxin.  So, next time, try the Natural Protection lotion.  It's not only toxin-free, but also uses zinc oxide and titanium dioxide as natural UV fighters that are more effective than the chemical sunscreens found in the Protect + Hydrate lotion.  Plus these products are the same price, found on same store shelves, have the same SPF...healthy swapping couldn't get any easier! 

Hope this helps you make more some healthy substitutions!