Tuesday, 28 February 2012
Power tools
Using the right make up tools is very essential.
it can make the difference between looking unpolished and looking FABULOUS!!
Here is a list of some of the MUST HAVE brushes for your collection, especially if you are new to makeup and you do not know what to get.
Foundation Brush: when it comes to applying your foundation there are a number of tools that you can use such as your hands (this helps warm up the foundation for a smoother application), a flat top brush, a typical oval shaped flat foundation brush or a stippling brush.
Powder Brush: for powder the best bet is a fluffy, oversized brush used to dust on loose powder or bronzer.
Concealer Brush: a small tapered brush (a smaller version of the flat foundation brush) which can be used to highlight underneath the eyebrow and concealing this stubborn spots on the face.
Blush Brush: A round or large angled brush is best for the application and blending of blush or bronzer.
Sponge: this is my personal fav for the application and blending of foundation. It can be used to dry for a matte finish or wet for a dewier look (but from personal experience wet is better, so wet those sponges ladies!!).
Shadow Brush: A fine, flat brush which can be used to pack colours on beautifully.
Brow brush: a firm, angled brush which helps give definition to the brows and it sweeps colour on effortlessly.
Blending Brush: Ladies I cant stress enough how important this brush is in your collection. It is a domed/ oval shaped brush which can be used to apply and blend intense colours to the crease area (and trust me blending is very important).
Liner Brush: as the name implies, it could range from a stiff-bristled brush to an angled brush which can be used to apply gels or pencils to the lash lines.
Lip Brush: just a tiny brush used to apply lipstick to the lip for great definition and can be doubled as a concealer brush.
There are so many brands out there that sell all these brushes and if your are one not faced by named brands, drug stores like BOOTS and SUPERDRUG carry these brushes.
If you need any help or have questions just leave them in the comments below and i'll try my very best to help.
Mjay xxxo!
Wednesday, 15 February 2012
Skin Care (3): Moisturinzing
Hey Guys!!
Here is the third and final Skin care post (yaay! now she can stop rambling).
Ladies, ladies, LADIES!!, rule of thumb: never, ever let your skin get too dry. When we get flaky it can lead to dark spots that take forever to go away. So ladies keep your skin hydrated and happy. (drink lots of water)
Oily skin
Unless you're using acne medication that leaves you flaky, you probably don't need moisturizer. In the acne-meds case, use a gel or serum formula only on the dry areas. Or use a moisturizer containing salicyclic acid or benzoyl peroxide all over.
Dry Skin
if your skin is dry or flaky (or both), go for a cream formula - avoid gels, lotions and serums. Look for ultra-hydrating ingredients like shea or cocoa butter, avocado oil and lanolin. Keep in mind that even dry skin can break out too, so if your acne-prone you can also try an oil-free moisturizer.
Combination Skin
To avoid aggravating both your dry and oily areas, stick to a light skin-balancing lotion or hydrating toner.
Sensitive Skin
Stick to light, oil- and fragrance free formulas containing skin-soothing ingredients like aloe vera, chamomile or vitamin E.
Hyperpigmented Skin
One thing i do not understand is why some women of colour think they don't need SPF!!!!
Firstly you can get skin cancer - not as often as fair-skinned women, BUT IT HAPPENS!
On an aesthetic level, sun overexposure can give you dark spots, freckles, and patches. Prevent this by always wearing an SPF- infused moisturizer. To treat existing spots, at beadtime apply a fade cream containing hydroquinone, retinol, or glycolic acid over the dark area (not all over).
Normal Skin
There's just one magic trick: Try a lightweight tinted moisturizer.
So ladies, i hope my three step ramblings have been great help, and now you know what you have been doing wrong and what you can do better now.
Mjay xxxo!
Here is the third and final Skin care post (yaay! now she can stop rambling).
Ladies, ladies, LADIES!!, rule of thumb: never, ever let your skin get too dry. When we get flaky it can lead to dark spots that take forever to go away. So ladies keep your skin hydrated and happy. (drink lots of water)
Oily skin
Unless you're using acne medication that leaves you flaky, you probably don't need moisturizer. In the acne-meds case, use a gel or serum formula only on the dry areas. Or use a moisturizer containing salicyclic acid or benzoyl peroxide all over.
Dry Skin
if your skin is dry or flaky (or both), go for a cream formula - avoid gels, lotions and serums. Look for ultra-hydrating ingredients like shea or cocoa butter, avocado oil and lanolin. Keep in mind that even dry skin can break out too, so if your acne-prone you can also try an oil-free moisturizer.
Combination Skin
To avoid aggravating both your dry and oily areas, stick to a light skin-balancing lotion or hydrating toner.
Sensitive Skin
Stick to light, oil- and fragrance free formulas containing skin-soothing ingredients like aloe vera, chamomile or vitamin E.
Hyperpigmented Skin
One thing i do not understand is why some women of colour think they don't need SPF!!!!
Firstly you can get skin cancer - not as often as fair-skinned women, BUT IT HAPPENS!
On an aesthetic level, sun overexposure can give you dark spots, freckles, and patches. Prevent this by always wearing an SPF- infused moisturizer. To treat existing spots, at beadtime apply a fade cream containing hydroquinone, retinol, or glycolic acid over the dark area (not all over).
Normal Skin
There's just one magic trick: Try a lightweight tinted moisturizer.
So ladies, i hope my three step ramblings have been great help, and now you know what you have been doing wrong and what you can do better now.
Mjay xxxo!
Saturday, 11 February 2012
Skin Care (2): Cleansing
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Welcome to part two of my skin care tips.
Now ladies, ladies, LADIES... knowing your skin type is just one step in the right care process but the sooner you figure out which cleanser is right for you, the faster you'll have the soft, supple, young-looking skin you want. With the never-ending assortment of cleansers on the market, choosing the right one can be a bit tedious.
Oily
Firstly what you ladies need to know is that oily skin is not dirty skin. Women with oily or acne-prone skin are apt to scrub a little too enthusiastically, using harsh soaps. In doing that they strip the skin of its natural oils which could also lead to breakouts.
What you need is an oil-free gel or foaming cleanser - either of them will remove excess oil and dirt without dehydrating your skin.
Dry Skin
To avoid that tight, parched feeling you can get after washing your face, use a rich, cream-based cleanser containing emollients like fatty acids or glycerin. After rinsing, pat dry with a soft wash-cloth, and leave your skin slightly damp. If your skin is super-dry and flaky, try a tissue-off cleanser- it leaves a thin layer of moisture on the skin.
Combination
For this skin type i suggest sticking to cleansers formulated specially for combination skin. These ultra-gentle cleansers will help balance your complexion, perfectly prepping it for your moisturizer.
Sensitive Skin
Finding the right cleanser for your skin type can be a bit tricky, but not impossible. Go for a thin cleansing lotion that's hypo-allergenic, allergy-tested or fragrance-free. Try the cleanser only on your neck for a few days, if it irritates your skin try something even milder.
Hyperpigmented Skin
The best cleansers for you are those that exfoliate, because they slough off the top layer of the skin, along with dark marks. Avoid cleansers containing manual exfoliators like micro-beads, salts, ground nuts - they can cause irritation, which leads to more dark spots. Instead look for those containing glycolic cid, which do the job gently.
Normal
The great thing about normal skin is that you don't need to pick a formula that fixes anything. Go for an SPF- infused cream cleanser or a pack of disposable cleansing cloths for normal skin. Just make sure your cleanser leaves you feeling supple, not tight.
Hope you ladies find all that ramble helpful, watch out for part 3 :)
Mjay xxxo!
Friday, 10 February 2012
Skin Care (1): know your skin
Hi Guys!
So I thought i'd start my beauty blogging with a lil skin care tips.
It's normal for your skin to change through out the year (heck mine does), so if u find your skin care routine changing from time to time, its perfectly NORMAL!
The skin is extremely susceptible to outside factors - the season, whether you live in an arid, humid or highly polluted climate, your diet, whether or not you smoke nd so on.... It can also change with your period or when your stressed. So ladies, dont fret - you'll just need to tweak your regimen a little from time to time.
So on to skin types:
Oily skin
ways to tell if you have it:
- Are you prone to pimples and blackheads?
- Do you have large pores?
- Does your face look shiny when you wake up, especially your T-zone (area across your fore head down to your nose and chin)
- Does your foundation wear off after a couple of hours?
if your answer is yes to all the above, In a nutshell:
Your skin tends to overproduce sebum, making it feel and appear oily.
This is a good thing actually, because it mean your skin is always well moisturised. and you'll have fewer wrinkles as you age. BUT on the other hand, you're more prone to breakouts, since sebum has the tendency to mix with dead skin cells in your pores; this clogs them and produce pimple. [sorry guys :( ]
Dry skin
ways to tell if you have it:
- Does your skin feel itchy or tight?
- Do you have rough, flaky, or red patches?
- Did you make it through adolescence with no acne?
- Are you sensitive to the sun, wind and cold?
- Does your complexion look dull?
if your answer is yes to all the above, In a nutshell:
Dryness occurs when your skin doesn't produce enough moisture and sebum.
This can happen if you live in an arid climate, because the dry air saps the skin of its moisture. you can also experience dryness because of the artificial heaters, sun overexposure or chlorine from the swimming pools.
Dryness can make your skin look great - with fine pores and a clear surface - but it can also be uncomfortable and make your skin rough to touch. [ not good if u've got a touchy guy ]
Combination Skin (my very own department)
ways to tell if you have it:
- Are your cheeks dry, but your T-zone oily or pimple-prone?
- Are you oily or pimple-prone along the perimeter of your face, but dry every place else?
- Do products that help one part of your face hurt another?
if your answer is yes to all of the above, In a nutshell:
Many of us have combination or unbalanced skin, since the T-zone naturally contains more oil glands than the rest of the face. Also, using the wrong products can result in skin that's drier in some places and oilier in other places. Maybe you should stop using toner - harsh astringents can be very dehydrating. Or switch to a light, oil-free moisturizer to prevent breakouts. its all about experimentation [ what a temperamental skin type]
Sensitive skin
ways to tell if you have it:
-Does your skin irritate easily?
- Is your skin often red or blotchy?
-Do you have allergic reactions ( stinging, itching, burning ) to certain beauty products?
- Do you sunburn easily?
In a nutshell:
Any skin type can be diagnosed as sensitive, since it's nothing more than a negative reaction to outside factors, like wind, sun overexposure, allergies to certain products, and overzealous scrubbing. The thing to do is notice how your skin responds to things, and use the gentle products possible.
Hyper-pigmented Skin [another department of mine :( ]
ways to know if you have it:
- Do you have dark spots from bug bites, pimples, or rashes that won't go away?
- Do you freckle easily in the sun?
- Do you have dark moles?
in a nutshell:
This is common among most black, Latina and middle eastern women. Truth be told, it's the bane of our existence. it is the darkening of the skin in patches or all over, and is most often caused when skin has undergone some trauma that causes inflammation (acne, burns, chemical peels, laser treatments, sun overexposure and so on). When the inflammation subsides, the skin is left with a dark mark, sometimes the marks go away on their own, but more often the fading process can take months or even years [just our prerogative]
Normal skin
ways to tell if you have it:
- Does your skin always feel and look supple, with or without moisturizer?
- Do you have few or no breakouts?
-Can you use almost any product with out irritation?
- is your skin tone even, without and darker or lighter areas?
in a nutshell:
LUCKY YOU!!!!!
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
Valentine's day kissable lips
Hey Guys,
So valentines day is coming up in like 13day (not like am counting) and most of u ladies are going to be gettin does lovely bouquet of flowers, those personalised balloons, chocs and all... so i tot i'd share some home-made remedies for soft, kissable lips and the best part its easy and you already have all the ingredients at home.
1st According to V.Simmons: All you have to do is take a little Vaseline and some sugar, mix them together into a paste. Then you scrub the past onto your lips and brush using a toothbrush (you should use a separate one from your normal toothbrush) and scrub to exfoliate and voila
2nd From me personally: All you need is just a toothbrush (you should use a separate one from your normal toothbrush) and your everyday paste (for that soft smooth finish) and scrub to exfoliate, apply some moisturiser (like M.A.C lip conditioner) or plain old vaseline or some carmex and voila SOFT, BEAUTIFUL and most importantly KISSABLE lips..
So valentines day is coming up in like 13day (not like am counting) and most of u ladies are going to be gettin does lovely bouquet of flowers, those personalised balloons, chocs and all... so i tot i'd share some home-made remedies for soft, kissable lips and the best part its easy and you already have all the ingredients at home.
1st According to V.Simmons: All you have to do is take a little Vaseline and some sugar, mix them together into a paste. Then you scrub the past onto your lips and brush using a toothbrush (you should use a separate one from your normal toothbrush) and scrub to exfoliate and voila
2nd From me personally: All you need is just a toothbrush (you should use a separate one from your normal toothbrush) and your everyday paste (for that soft smooth finish) and scrub to exfoliate, apply some moisturiser (like M.A.C lip conditioner) or plain old vaseline or some carmex and voila SOFT, BEAUTIFUL and most importantly KISSABLE lips..
Thursday, 26 January 2012
Been a long time...
hey ppl,
Its been a long time since a poured my heart out... but then there's been nothing really to pour it out to/at. Been between a rock and a hard place and just couldnt get myself to terms... but am getting there progressively.
last year was pretty rough wat with me having low self esteem and body image issues.. school not going as expected, ended a toxic relationship, became more of a loner dan usual..... yh lets just say 2011 was just not my year.............
BUT!!!! its a nu year baby, brand new confidence, i am loving ME more... and things are looking up (thank GOD).
Anyhw... i think this blogging thing is here to stay this time around, rili sucked at it in the past, but now i got aloooooooot to say, but not just right now... gtg... *hugz nd kisses*
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