Foundation Tips

Hello Friends! Now choosing a foundation can be very tricky and not to mention Overwhelming! So, with that being said, here are a few tips to help you find a closer match.
#1. The more coverage the foundation, the closer you need to be to your skin tone and/or level of light or darkness of your skin. Since a more full-bodied foundation will cover more skin, you need to make sure you look like well...YOU! I would suggest being professionally matched. Go to a make-up counter and have a lovely lady/gentlemen match your shade. Now this doesn't mean you have to purchase this product. Ask for a sample. You can then take that sample to where ever you need to buy your foundation. The only suggestion I have with this is to be quick about this request. Most make-up artists are commission based through whatever company they are working for, therefore they have a quota to make. ( This is if you are not buying a product )
#2 Now if you already have a fuller coverage foundation from the winter, and you are transitioning into summer and do not want that Fuller coverage, use your moisturizer to sheer out your foundation. Now this trick works for liquids and SOME creams. Just take a peas size amount of moisturizer and put it on the back of your hand. Do the same for your foundation and then mix the two together and poof! Tinted moisturizer. You can play with the ratio of moisturizer to foundation to find a coverage from you. This leads me to my next tip.
#3. If you are looking for a sheerer coverage for foundation, you CAN go up or down a few shades. With sheerer foundations you will see more of YOUR skin through the formula. So with that being said, if you are just breaking a tan for summer, you CAN go up a shade or two darker so you will still be covered come end of August. You can always use the above tip to sheerer it out even more to "lighten" up the foundation until then. Now this leads me to my last tip!
#4 Most people have a Golden tone to their skin. Make sure that your foundation reflects that tone. Unless you are Super pale or Extremely Dark you are mostly a Golden Tone. This tone also tends to be more flattering on everyone. A correct shade should blend and disappear onto your skin. If its a sheerer foundation and you are going for tip #2 or #3, then you may see it.
I hope some of these tips will help a few of you! I tend to "Information Over Load" my clients. Feel free at anytime to comment and ask me questions! I would love to hear what types of beauty problems you have and If I can help!!

SunScreen

Now the rules of sunsceen have changed a bit over the past few years. This is just a quick education brush up for the approaching holiday weekend. First, make sure to purchase a sunscreen that is Broad Spectrum Protection. This means you get the Protection of both UVA and UVB Rays. Now here comes the biggest tip of all: APPLY SUNSCREEN 30 MINUTES BEFORE YOU GO OUTSIDE. Your skin needs to absorb the goodness of the sunscreen to allow you to be Fully protected. I would also recommend that you use at least an SPF of 35 or more. Don't forget to reapply as well if you are doing rigorous activities! Everyone can enjoy this beautiful weather with a little protection ;-)

Nail Polish Tips..Not Chips!

Hey Everyone! Life got busy for a hot second!
This Post is slightly off my beauty path. I have a few Good friends who are nail technicians. They fill me in on some tips and tricks for nails and polish. Let me first start off by saying this: When you are polishing your nails at home, you should be applying 4 total coats of polish. 1st coat is your Base Coat. This is usually a clear nail polish, but some have a slight tint to them. Your 2nd and 3rd coats of polish are your Color Coats. Your 4th and final coat of polish is your Top Coat, which is clear like your base coat. My favorite top coat is Sally Hansens Xtreme Wear. Now My Tip today for keeping your pretty digits chip free for longer is to do a Light Buff on your nail plate with a high number grit nail file/buffer before your 1st coat ( clear coat ) is applied. If your have a 3way or 4way buffer, you can use it. Just don't use the finest grit. Your nail plate needs to be SLIGHTLY Rough. This technique allows for the base coat to "grab" onto your nail plate, making for a better adhesion. In turn, when you apply your next coat of polish ( which will be your first color coat ) it will hold and grab onto your first coat of polish. Always remember when looking at nail files: The Higher the grit ( the Number ) the finer, gentler, and less aggressive the file. The Lower the grit the more coarse it will be, and the more layers you will remove. Enjoy!


http://sallyhansen.com/search/apachesolr_search/xtreme%20clear

http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?skuId=2208967&productId=xlsImpprod3880679&navAction=push&navCount=1&categoryId=cat120096?cmpid=PSGO&CAWELAID=1056518759&cagpspn=pla

At home Face Masks

I am all about finding a deal or discovering a new product that can work wonders for less. That leads me to At Home Facials. Now I do like the relaxing setting, the ambiance, and the doting of the professionals at a spa, but that's what you are paying for! Not the actual treatment sometimes. So lets just try some at home facials first. I have carried some of these recipes for At Home Facials with me for over a decade. If used consistently, you Will see Results. Now these facials should always be tested on your inner wrist or elbow Before all over your face just in case you may have a reaction, but if you eat any of these products, then chances are you will be fine. I have tried all and love them!

1. Skin Brightening Mask ( Any Skin can benefit for this mask )
1 Egg Yolk, 1 tbsp. Honey, 1 tbsp Yogurt ( use Regular Greek ), 1 tsp Sugar, 2tbsp Coconut oil
Blend all together. Apply to skin. Let sit 20-25 minutes. Rinse with warm water. ** I also put some oatmeal in there too if I have Oilier Skin.

2. Age Spots/Brown Spots
1 tbsp Lemon Juice, 1 tbsp Honey, 1 tbsp Wheat Germ, 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar, 3-4 Strawberries, 1tsp Onion Juice
Blend all together. Apply to skin. Let sit 20-25 minutes. Rinse with warm water. The acid in this mixer from the ingredients will gently break up that melanin that forms "brown/age spots".

3.Ance Skin
1 egg white, 1tsp Baking Soda, a pinch of water ( needs to be in "paste" form )
Whisk with fork. Apply to problem areas. Let sit for a few minutes. Rinse with warm water. I will sometimes repeat this mask a few times in a row if I really need a blemish gone A.S.A.P.

** One more tip: I will prep my skin first by washing and then exfoliating. That way all the dead skin cells, dirt, or make-up will be out of the way of the  for the goodness that I am about to put on my face!

So have your own spa day at your Own Home! I know I feel even more relaxed in my Own setting at home! Enjoy!

Case of the Frizzies?

Do you have the case of the Frizzies during these Hot Steamy months? Well instead of spending a fortune on Keratin Treatments, try your luck with the right Oil. Oils can help to soften and smooth out unruly hair shaft. I'm not talking serums that contain silicones or any other heavy ingredients. Think about it...Your hair is bigger than the Empire State Building. It is feels and looks like it has been baked 2x. The shine is non existent because the cuticle of your hair is so dry and rough that light can't bounce off of it to reflect that Shine. Now when your skin is dry, you put on a moisturizer correct? Well hair oils do the Same for your hair as skin moisturizers do for your body. Oils will not weight your hair down. They will supplement your locks with moisture and help to smooth out your cuticle, in turn creating Shine and less Frizzies. The number 1 reason hair frizzes out in humidity is because the cuticle on the hair shaft is raised. As soon as you step outside in the humidity, that moisture in the air penetrates the raised cuticle and swells the hair shaft. Thus, creating Bozo Hair..eek. Your cuticle needs to stay sealed and "fed" properly to ward off Tress-Wrecking Weather. To Almost Completely get rid of damaged ends, Trim Regularly! For shorter hair, every 6 weeks. I say 6 weeks because you need to keep the shape and style of your hair cut. Its also easier for us hair stylist to See, Remember, and Follow what we did last to your do. You'll get consistent cuts. Longer hair you can push it to 8 or even 12 weeks. I'm talking hair lengths past your shoulders. If you start to see split ends or your hair is acting unruly, then make that appointment earlier. Also, I know that their are just thicker, coarser hair types out there that are Not damaged. To these types give the oil a shot. Also try a conditioning treatment that will soften your locks. I would recommend Redken All Soft Chemistry System. This is an in-salon treatment, but should be priced reasonably. Now when using the Oil Treatment for Any hair type, start off Slow. A little bit of product goes a long way. My favorite oil is Moroccan Oil. You can only get this oil at a salon. My second choice All Soft Argan 6-Oil by Redken. This too is a in-salon product. Another hair oil that is great is Ojon Rare Blend Oil Therapy. You can find this jem at Sephora.

http://www.redken.com/products/haircare/all-soft/all-soft-argan-6-oil/?cm_mmc=LabeliumSearch-_-Google-_-Redken+Haircare-_-redken%20argan%206%20oil&gclid=CNO4oajHqrACFUFo4AodQllIVQ

http://www.moroccanoil.com/

http://www.sephora.com/rare-blend-oil-total-hair-therapy-P373701?om_mmc=Googlepe&_requestid=42976&cm_mmc=us_search-_-GG-_-pe-_-ojon%20palm%20nut%20oil&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=1425586

A Start to Brushes

Today I am going to just touch base quickly on make-up brushes. Brushes are essential for your products, application technique, and your results. Invest in a set of Great Brushes!. The bigger the brush, the more area you will cover. You will get a "wash of color" with "fluffier" brushes. The smaller the brush, the more product you will disperse in one concentrated area. Also, the stiffer the brush, the more product you will place in one given area, hence making the product more visible. Liquid and Cream foundations I usually use a medium size brush. I like the duo fiber brush from M.A.C Cosmetics. I can easily buff foundation on to the skin. For Powder Foundations I use a bigger brush ( this will be for a sheerer coverage ) or, I will use a Medium sized brush ( blush/bronzer brush ) to add a bit more coverage. I will get more into depth with brushes, how to use them, and tricks to create contouring later. I just wanted to throw some information out their so everyone has an idea of where to start. So get going and experiment. Make mental notes from one day to the next on how certain brushes affect your application, your look, and the products wear ability!

Hair Color

 One of the biggest questions that I seem to get with clients who color their hair is, " My greys seem to not be effected by the hair color and they are Still here! How can I cover the grey better ?". Well first off, you need to use a permanent hair color. Permanent hair color has smaller dye molecules, and when activated by the hydrogen peroxide or what is called "Developer" ( if you use at home color , this is the "white liquid" in the bottle ) will penetrate your hair shaft, thus leaving you with permanent hair color. Grey hair has a tight compact cuticle. Have you ever noticed that your grey hair sometimes has a thicker, coarser, and rougher texture than the rest of your hair. These are normal signs of a more "compact cuticle". You need the strength of a permanent hair color to penetrate that cuticle, and permanently "stain" it. Another trick you can do is to do is to Pre-Soften your hair. You take your Hydrogen Peroxide A.K.A Developer ( Developer comes in either a  10, 20, 30, and 40 volume bottle at a beauty supply ) put it in a bottle used for coloring hair, and apply just the developer to the hair. When I am doing this application, I divide my clients hair into 4 working quadrants, and let 1 quadrant down at a time. I apply the Developer from root to just pass the previous hair color. Let the Developer sit for maybe 5-15 minutes ( this time is dependent on how coarse your hair ) . What the Developer is doing is "Pre-Softening" the cuticle to make it easier for the hair color to penetrate the compact cuticle. After you have processed for 5-15 minutes, you can then rinse the Developer, do a quick blow dry of your locks, apply your color, process as usual, and done!. Also, when doing Pre-Softening, use 20 volume Developer. As stated before you can find all that you need at a beauty supply store that sells to the public. I know this is an extra step and it does take longer but This Is the Answer to the question. If anyone has any questions about this step, or wants a more in-depth explanation of how it works, I will gladly answer! Have a Happy Dye Day!

http://www.sallybeauty.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-SA-Site/default/Search-Show?q=developer