Allure August 2013

Makeup for Sexy Summer Nights -

Physicians Formula Shimmers Strips blush in Healthy Glow

Lorac Tantalizer Body Bronzing Luminizer

Stila Liquid Lipstick in Bellissima

Kevyn Aucoin The Volume Mascara

CoverGirl Flamed Out Shadow Pencil in Melted Caramel Flame

How to Wear Glitter-

“Size Matters - the finer the particles, the better. Chunky, confetti - esque glitter is best on the stage or runaway.

Draw the Lines - ease into glittery eye makeup with sparkle-flecked liners. They’re simple to use because they can be worn with just black mascara. Don’t line your lower lashes, though.

Loosen UP - if you want to amp it up, try loose glitter. It sounds intimidating, but on nude lids it adds a pretty hint of shine. Choose warm metallics, like bronze, copper, or rose - gold. You must prep the lids with foundation first, so the particles have something to stick to, and line your eyes with black or brown pencil. Then use a flat shadow brush dipped in water to apply the sparkles.

Color in Key - go all out by layering glitter on top of eye shadow. Do matching shades of brown, navy or deep green, or you can even bolder by adding contrast with a muted metallic - like turquoise topped with soft silver or cobalt topped with copper.

Stop There - avoid shine anywhere else on your face. Stick to a semimatte foundation for these looks.”

Top Three Ways to Beat Dark Spots -

“1. Jump on the retinoid bandwagon. It’s often better than hydroquinone to treat hyperpigmentation.

2. Consider regular light laser peels. They can make a big difference, and they’re fast. The CO2RE Laser, its a radio-frequency activated laser that produces a controlled micropeel to restore skin’s glow and improve hyperpigmentation, as well as prominent pores. For best results, get five or six treatments, about two or three weeks apart.

3. Beat Breakouts. Getting acne under control will help minimize the subsequent postinflammatory hyperpigmentation [PIH].  Look cleansers with jojoba beads  for gentle exfoliation, chemical peels, and prescription Ziana or Epiduo gets to treat both the acne and the PIH”.

5 Rules of Choosing Brushes

“1. Consider your makeup routine. Purchasing shadow and liner brushes when you rarely wear eye makeup obviously makes no sense. The new tools may inspire change temporarily, but eventually, you’ll probably return to bare lids. Always keep your everyday look in mind when buying brushes. Then narrow your choices down your top three needs: are you a bronzer, bold lip, or smoky eye person?

2. Look for red flags.  Poor quality brushes can really mess up your makeup. Test - drive new brushes by swirling them on the inside of your arm [never try out a display  brush on your face - it could harbor bacteria ]. If the bristles feel scratchy, uncomfortably stiff, or sheed lip crazy, steer clear - they’ll drag and streak your makeup.

3. Don’t forget your fingers. Why buy a brush when you have ten free fingers? Certain kinds of makeup are easier to blend with a tool. For example, you can apply foundation and cream blush with your fingers. Your body

warms up the formula so it goes on more easily, slowly, and with less streaking.

4. Keep the compact brush. When you open a new compact, give the brush inside a chance; you may not need an upgrade.

5. Don’t go overboard. Only professional makeup artist require a broad collection of brushes, and even they cut corners. For example, a concealer brush can be used to apply lipstick. Most brushes can multitask so there is no need to buy one for every feature. “

Keeping Your Brushes Clean -

“1. Pick the right solution, Too much soap or alcohol dries out bristles [natural and synthetic]. Baby shampoo is safe and contains moisturizers.

2. Don’t submerge them. When the water seeps into the metal band under the bristles, the glue holding the fibers erodes. Pour cleanser into your palm and swirl the bristles in it. Rinse in a shallow bowl of water.

3. Reshape the bristles. Gently pull on the bristles on realign them and get rid of kinks.

4. Dry right. Never drip dry with the bristles pointing upward; lay brushes flat on a towel.”

All You September 20th, 2013

“Make your nail polish last longer by applying your favorite color and then, once dry, wiping your nails with a cotton ball soaked in white vinegar”. I am not sure, how this work but I might try it.

“If you have coarse hair, your strands are likely to be more color resistant [if you’ve got grays,  you might have noticed this]. But that doesn’t mean you can’t increases your chance of a good outcome.

If your hair is a little wiry - the night before, wash with a clarifying shampoo or rinse with apple cider vinegar to eliminate product buildup, which can keep color from penetrating hair shafts.

If your hair is coarser - do a strand test using the recommended amount of dyeing time. If the color hasn’t taken, leave dye on 10 minutes longer than instructed but thats it.

If your hair is super coarse - blast it with a blow dryer while the dye sinks in. This will open up the cuticle, letting the color penetrate better. Next, cover your head with a shower cap to trap the heat, remove it 10 minutes prior to rinsing, then rinse with cool water. Doing so helps seal the cuticle and lock in the color.”

Everyday with Rachael Ray September 2013

Apple extracts are known for sloughing sun damaged skin and evening out your complexion. Here are some products to try -

Lumene Age Defying & Repairing Eye Cream

Yves Rocher Wrinkles & Radiance Dazzling Day Cream

Juice Beauty Green Apple Defy Hand Creme

Eclos Daily HydraPrimer SPF 30

MyChelle Apple Brightening Peel

Glazed Eye Candy -

Cover Girl Flamed Out Shadow Pot in Melted Pot

Estee Lauder Pure Color Instant Intense EyeShadow Trio in Sterling Plums

Urban Decay Moondust Eyeshadow in Zodiac

Girlactik Beauty Eye Glaze in Night

Self July 2013

“Drop your towel, it could be damaging that pretty face of yours. Over time, your washcloth can cause capillaries and fine lines. Instead, rub your fingertips in a circular motion.”

Tips for your makeup -

“Flawless Face  - Apply it with a foundation brush to get the best coverage.

Sultry Eyes  - The more you layer, the better it looks.

Baby Doll Lashes - Two coats of jet-black mascara on upper and lower lashes.

Supermodel Cheekbones - dust highlighting powder from  the brow bone to the cheekbones to a C shape

Naked Lips - swipe on lip balm and then a nude lipstick”

Country Living July and August 2013

New Products to Try -

Sachajuan Overnight Hair Repair

Le Couvent des Minimes Soothing Night Hand Cream

Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Eye

L’Oreal Revitalift Anti-Wrinkle and Firming Night Cream

Neosporin Lip Health Overnight Renewal Therapy

How to Preserve Flowers and Herbs -

“Pressing - Enclose fresh plant matter between two pieces of wax paper and insert into the middle of a large book. Place a heavy stone or another weighty tome on top of the closed book. Wait at least two weeks before removing the leaves or flowers.

Drying - Wrap twine around the tightly gathered stems of a small bunch of herbs or fully open flowers, and knot, leaving several inches of loose twine. To hang thee loose twine around a bouquet, tie the loose twine around a hook in a dark, ventilated place, like a closet or a garage. Let dry for at least two weeks.”

Cosmopolitan July 2013

$10 Beauty Buys -

Hard Candy Shadow Dancers in Movers and Shakers

Kissing Elixirs

Sephora Ombre Bobby Pin Ups

Voluspa Petite Candle in Bella Sucre

NYC New York Appleicious Lip Balm

MOR Lip Macarons

ELF Complexion Perfection

ME Bath Ice Cream

Hawaiian Tropic After Sun

Splash up  your Summer Routine

“Take A Dip - Stop fantasizing about bright,  dip-dyed hair, and go for it already! Hair chalk makes it easy.

Ocean View - The trendiest way to wear electric blue eyeliner: on lower lashes only and minimal makeup everywhere else.

Fish Tales - The inspiration behind this disheveled fish bone braid

Berry 411

“ Berries make you a brainiac: Antioxidants make neurons fire faster and protect brain cells. But berries can’t help you if they’re fuzzy and gross. To make them last longer...

1.Wait to wash them - water turns berries into mold magnets. Rinse what you’ll eat right before eating them.

2. Toss the Plastic Container - spread out berries so they have room to breathe in a paper towel lined, airtight container.

3. Clean Out Your Fridge - Trash past its prime good [like old cheese and fruit] so it doesn’t pass on mold spores.”

Glamour June 2014

8 Summer Classics

1. The striped top

2. The boyfriend sweater

3. The A-Line skirt

4. The maxidress

5. The high waisted short

6. The jumpsuit

7. The culotte

8. a cutie ;)

Good Housekeeping June 2014

How to make the perfect patty -

1. Make mounts - divide 2.5lbs ground meat into 8 mounds [about 5 oz]. Loosely shape into balls

2. Shape disks - using your hands, gently flatten balls into .75in thick patties, but  don’t overwork the meat [doing so makes it tougher]. Smooth patty edges with your fingers.

3. Press centers - place patties on a flat surface. Using your thumbs, press in the centers of patties to make deep indentations. Refrigerate until ready to grill.

How to roast perfect marshmallows-

1. Choose your skewers - long hardwood sticks are best. Avoid wood from resinous trees like pine; they release sap when heated.

2. Perfect the placement - push skewer all the way through 1 or 2 marshmallows, leaving 1in empty at the tip to keep them from sliding off.

3. Go low and slow - a low burning fire is best. Slowly rotate marshmallows on skewer 2in away from heat source for 45 seconds.

4. Coo it down - like em well done? Let them catch fire for 10 seconds, blow out and cool 30 seconds. Never shake to extinguish.

Good Housekeeping May 2014

How to Wash Wisely

Reduce load size - cramming the tub isn’t a shortcut - clothes need to move to get clean! Adjust the water level and drying time, and if the washer and dryer have different capacities, go smaller.

Use the presoak cycle -  this setting agitates the contents and may dispense detergent before starting the main cycle, so extra dirty loads get cleaner without going through twice.

Add bleach yourself -  don’t have a timed bleach dispenser, but want its extra cleaning power? Add chlorine beacher as long as it’s safe for your fabrics to the load five minutes after the cycle starts. Earlier, and it will kill stain-fighting enzymes in the detergent.

Pick the right detergent - use only products with “HE” logo in high efficiency machines. Regular cleaners can generate too many suds, damaging these appliances.

Clean the machine - select the largest load size, fill the tub with hot water and a cup of bleach and run a cycle. Remove dispensers and drawers and rinse under hot water, brushing off residue.

Good Housekeeping July 2013

Good Hydrations - new gel like moisturizers to try for the blazing heat

Origins GinZing Energy Boosting Moisturizer

Sabon Green Valley Sorbet Body Gel

Vaseline Total Moisture Aloe Vera Hydrating Body Gel

Quick Tip - Drop a penny into the water and add a pinch of sugar to keep cut flowers fresh longer.

Double Duty  - Stretch one rubber band over the top of a paint can and use it to wipe excess paint from the brush. With its edges kept clean, the can will be a breeze to seal back up.

Country Living July and August 2013

New Products to Try -

Sachajuan Overnight Hair Repair

Le Couvent des Minimes Soothing Night Hand Cream

Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Eye

L’Oreal Revitalift Anti-Wrinkle and Firming Night Cream

Neosporin Lip Health Overnight Renewal Therapy

How to Preserve Flowers and Herbs -

“Pressing - Enclose fresh plant matter between two pieces of wax paper and insert into the middle of a large book. Place a heavy stone or another weighty tome on top of the closed book. Wait at least two weeks before removing the leaves or flowers.

Drying - Wrap twine around the tightly gathered stems of a small bunch of herbs or fully open flowers, and knot, leaving several inches of loose twine. To hang thee loose twine around a bouquet, tie the loose twine around a hook in a dark, ventilated place, like a closet or a garage. Let dry for at least two weeks.”

Better Homes and Gardens August 2013

“How to pick a perfect -

Tomatoes - Keep picked tomatoes at room temperature - refrigeration diminishes flavor and texture. If frost  is imminent, harvest all full - size fruits, even if completely green; keep them in a cool area, and most will eventually ripen. A tomato uniformly reaches its mature color - be it red, orange, or yellow and it pulls easily from the stems.

Sweet Corn - Retain their sweetness longer than older types, which start mellowing the moment they’re picked. Store corn in the husks, in the refrigerator for up to a week, or blanch and freeze for up to a year.  The silks turn browns  but not dry, and kernels are formed and full all the way to the top. Dimpled kernels are past peak.

Garlic - The cloves are full and firm. As soon as the tops of plants start to turn brown, dig up one bulb to check. If cloves are plump, not shriveled , they’re ready to harvest. Cure bulbs with leaves attached for 2 to 4 weeks in a warm, shady spot, then cut off the tops. Store bulbs up to 6 months in a cool place.

Watermelons - The leaf nearest the fruit withers. The melon should sound hollow when you thump it. The thump test doesn’t work on small watermelons. Inspect the bottom - once the green or white patch turns yellow, it’s ripe.

Cucumbers - The spiny, bumpy skin of a small cuke smooths out. However, small cukes are crisper and less seedy - great for eating and pickling. At their peak, most varieties are about 2 inches in diameter and 5 to 8 inches long. It’s best to err on the immature side, as cucumbers can turn from just right to overripe overnight. Refrigerate for up to a week.

Potatoes - For mature storage potatoes, harvest when plant tops die back. For new potatoes, begin harvesting two weeks after plants bloom. Potatoes keep longer in storage if they’re left in the ground until the skin toughens up. Don’t water after the tops die back. Cure mature potatoes in a cool, dark, humid place such as a basement for 2 weeks. Ideal winter storage is darkness, and a temp of 40F to 45F, a garage or refrigerator can provide these conditions.

Hot peppers - a fruit reaches full size s to color and begin up. This is when flavor and heat peak. However, most peppers are delicious at any size. Before frost, pick all peppers, even small ones. Fresh peppers last a week or more refrigerated; excess can be frozen, dried or canned.

Onions - The green tops flop over in midsummer, signaling that onions have reached full size. For you scallions, harvest when shoots reach 10 to 12 inches. Cure storage onions in a  shady area or garage for a few weeks. Once skins are dry, cut off tops and store in a cool place indoors.”

How to Make Moss -

“1. Select any porous surface, such as terra cotta, stone, or concrete. Harvest fresh moss from your garden or buy live sheet moss. Remove soil and any debris, and then shred the moss into small fragments.

2. Pour buttermilk into a cup. Stir in moss pieces - a good ration is 2 parts buttermilk to 1 part moss. You can also use a blender. Contrary to popular wisdom, buttermilk is not needed for pH. It’s a good sticking agent.

3. With a paintbrush, apply the buttermilk-moss mixture to a boulder, decorative object or pot. If the mixture is too runny, add more shredded moss to thicken. Set in a shady, damp spot, and spritz often.

4. Keep moss moist, even after its starts growing. Dampen objects with the gentle mist setting on a hose nozzle.  Moss on pots will usually stay moist from the surface perspiration produced by watering plants.”

Alcohol Free Toners to Try -

Face Stockholm Cucumber Ginseng Toner

Orlane Paris Vivifying Lotion

Dr. Brandt Lineless Tone

Valerie Beverly Hills Aloe Vera Complexion Toner

L’Occitane Angelica Face Toner

Elemis Soothing Apricot Toner

Picks Under $10

Almay Color + Care Liquid Lip Balm

Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear Nail Color in Golden

Bodycology Exfoliating Sugar Scrub in Toasted Vanilla Sugar

Maybelline Eye Studio Master Precise Liquid Ink Pen

Suave Moroccoan Infusion Styling Oil

Boots Botanics Rejuvenating Bath Elixir

Simple Eye Make Up Remover Pads

To make your perfume last longer store it in a cool, dark place like the fridge. Also, apply the fragrance to your pulse points to get your money’s worth.

Cosmopolitan August 2013

Rejoice, August 1st, 2013 is  National Girlfriends Day and  August 2nd, 2013 is National Ice Cream Sandwich Day! :)  Let’s meet up on the first for a nice ice creamy girl gab fest! :)

The Perfect Fit Denim Trends

Cuffed Jeans flatter petite figures. Look for a snug fit from hips to ankles. Petite frames get lost in boyfriend styles. Wear with heels. Small statures benefit from a little lift.  Pumps give the casual look polish.

Colored Denims flatter fuller figures. Look for rich jewels that make a statement without being too loud. Wear with a tunic top and tailored blazer - keep things simple to balance the bold bottom.

Skinnies flatter tall figures. Look for dark saturated rinses with a high waist to even out longer torsos. Wear with loose layered tops that offset second skin denim,

Fit and Flare  flatters everyone. Look for a low rise with a slight fade from hip to knee. It make legs look slimmer. Wear with stacked wedges or platforms to add height and avoid dragging hemlines.

How to Wear the Trend of the Moment -  Statement Sweatshirts

1. Stilettos and sweats? Yes, you can! Heels dress up the look a notch.

2. Balance a loose, full coverage top with a  shorter or tighter bottom half.

3. Give your old college sweatshirt new life with iron-on appliques and studs.

To Sculpt Your Bod for Self - Tanner

1. In a circular motion, apply a matte bronzing cream to your arms and legs. The texture camouflages cellulite and other imperfections.

2. Place your hands on your hip. With a blush brush, run shimmery powder bronzer down your arms. The sheen creates a vertical line of light, making arms look leaner.

3. Now sweep the powder down the center of your legs [from thighs to toe in the front, then thighs to heels in the back]. Again, the shimmer has a highlighting effect that shades away inches!

Goodies for Travel and for under $10-

Wella Professionals Enrich Treatment

Boscia Blotting Linens

Almay Makeup Eraser Sticks

Smith’s Rosebud Salve

Maybelline Clean Express Towelettes

Batiste Dry Shampoo

Incoco Nail Polish Applique

Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration SPF 30

Tocca Cleopatra Hand Cream

Soap and Butter The Righteous Butter to Go

Marvis Classic Mint Toothpaste

Priti NYC Soy Nail  Polish Remover Wipes

Alba Clear Enzyme Deodorant Stick

How to Wear Serum -

“1. After cleansing, massage a nickel size drop a serum onto clean skin, giving those high powered ingredients direct access to your skin issues.

2. If you’re wearing moisturizer too, wait a few minutes for the serum to absorb before applying it. Otherwise, it will dilute the serum’s actives. [Side note, apply eye cream before you applying anything, except for serums to get your money’s worth as layered over other lotions which  can block their ingredients from penetrating]”

Harper’s Bazaar April 2013

What to Buy, Keep and Store

Buy - Ankle Strap Mules,  Metal Bags, Chunky Cuffs

Keep - Single Sole Pumps, Cross Body Bags, Chain Chokers

Store - Peep Toe Platforms, Lunch-Box Bags, Knuckle Duster

New Beauty Products to Try -

DiorSnow Anti-Spot Serum

Givenchy Le Rouge in Fuschia Irresistible

Givenchy Le Rouge in Rose Taffetas

Chanel Le Vernis Polish in Fracas

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Fast Dry Nail Color in Pink Blink

MAC Pearlmatte Face Powder in In for a Treat

L’Oreal Paris Visible Lift Color Lift Blush in Rose Gold Lift

Estee Lauder Pure Color Illumination Powder Gelee Blush in Tease

Hi :)

Hi Everyone, 

Sorry for the lack of reviews, I am actually away on vacation in Chicago! :] I thought my PC would be a bit more cooperative but it is being very ass-like so, I will update my blog when I return after Fourth of July. Hopefully, it will be fixed soon. Good news, my hotel is right near Ulta and a bunch of other stores. I did a buy a bunch of new products to try.

 Sorry for the inconvenience.

Best of Wishes,

Andrea :]