HOW TO : Get Long/Healthy Hair

I have been more into haircare here lately, rather than makeup or skincare. My hair is already very long and I thought I would share my haircare routine with those that are looking to get healthier hair. But first, we have to examine the "foundation" of healthy hair, rather than the products we should use.

1. Drink Lots of Water.

-Water is not only essential for a healthy life, but it is essential for healthy hair. Some people say to drink 8 full glasses of water a day or a bottle of water every hour. Though drinking water every hour is better, most people should shoot for the 8 glasses a day.

2. Take Vitamins

- Beauty Gurus will tell you to take hair, skin, and nail vitamins. These vitamins contain biotin and vitamin E and C- great for hair, as well as other vitamins. These are very important to take, especially if you are trying to grow your hair out. Your hair will become healthier, shinier, longer, and stronger. There are many brands of vitamins out there and it really doesn't matter which one, they all work the same.

3. Eat Healthier Foods

- Eating healthier foods is a no-brainer, but most will be surprised to see the impact that food has on hair and skin. Eating foods such as salmon and greens, set the foundation for healthier hair and it contributes to healthy (glowing) skin. No one has to make changes overnight but everyone can take small steps to adding more nutrient-filled food into your diet.
*eat foods that are rich in protein.

4. Don't Wash Your Hair Everyday

- Washing Your hair everyday will contribute to hair being more brittle and dull. Hair can be considered a fiber, the more you wash it, the more it will break down. Your hair won't completely diminish, but it will look more lifeless. Try to wash your hair every other day. Some celebrities only wash their hair 3 times a week! LESS IS MORE. If you are like me and your hair tends to be oily, look for clarifying shampoos. These shampoos clean better, but be careful not to over-wash (skip a day or two).

5. Use a Heat Protectant Product

-Some straighteners and curling irons heat up to 450 degrees, so a heat protectant is a must!

Protecting your hair from high-heat is essential for healthy hair. When you spray heat protectants on the hair, you have to make sure it dries before you style it...otherwise you are defeating the purpose.

Tresemme' heat tamer protective spray $4.79 at drugstores 

6. Use a Repair Masque Product Once A Week

Macadamia deep repair masque $28.99 at flatironexperts.com 

7. Rinse hair with cold water. 



8. Egg yolks and olive oil is great for hair.  *Secret "natural" product* 

Egg yolks are full of protein and they are a great natural product that can get your hair healthy.
depending on how long your hair is,  mix 2 egg yolks and organic olive oil together. put it all over your hair and scalp. Leave in for about an hour rinse with cold water ( hot water will cook the eggs) then shampoo and condition as usual.

9. Use Argan or Moroccan oil
Both of these oil treatments will nourish your hair and keep it shiny and silky soft. 

i prefer Agadir, argan oil hair treatment. After straightening my hair, I will put a quarter size amount on my palm and rub it into the ends of my hair. After doing this, there will be no more frizz and your hair will be so shiny.  $15.75 on Amazon . 


10. One of the cheapest products that i love love love is Palmers. 

palmers protein pack leaves hair feeling so soft. I would suggest this for thick or coarse hair.
only $1.42 at Walmart. 

How to contour your face like a PRO!

Contour your face like a pro!

Favorite Eye Brush Of All Time

My favorite eye-shadow brush of all time has got to be MAC's 224 Tapered Blending brush; you can buy it at any MAC stores as well as online  for only $30. This brush is an outstanding blending brush that will fit perfectly in any crease. The MAC 224 is the secret to getting that PERFECT smokey eye!  This is literally my HOLY GRAIL of makeup brushes. IT IS A MUST TRY! The bristles are soft and it gives that nice"wash" appearance to your eye makeup.

Neutral Eyeshadows That Will Compliment Anyone

For starters, when picking out eyeshadows, you need to know which colors compliment your eye color.

Blue eyes- Browns, golds, purples, or any "earth tones".

Green/hazel eyes- Purple shades look the best on green eyes; try violet shades and dark mocha brown.

Brown eyes- You are the luckiest,any color will work on you;however, if you want your eyes to "pop" try a green or pink eyeshadow.

Below is a List of some Neutral eyeshadows that are great products.  ( some are a bit pricey)

First, we have the Naked Palette from Urban Decay. This palette has 12 beautiful shades that will compliment any eye color! You can find this at any Sephora store or online at http://www.sephora.com/ . This palette is a bit prcey; $50, but these are top of the line quality eye shadows. It also comes with a eye primer. Don't let the price fool you, women have been raving about this palette for a couple of years now.

Next, We have Maybellines palette of 8 colors. This is the Sun Baked Neutral pan # 10. You can find this at your local drugstores: walmart and walgreens. This pan of 8 features amazing earth tones and the colors blend beautifully. $ 6.48 at Walmart.

Here we have TOO FACED natural eye neutral eye shadow collection. You can find this eyeshadow(s) at Sephora as well. The price is $36, some of these shadows are glittery which will look great when going out for the night! This shadow stays on allllll day and keeps it's true colors.

These three colors are the basic earthy tones. They are great for an every day look and they blend very well. These shadows are from a company called NYX; you can find these colors at http://www.nyxcosmetcs.com/. There are many palettes to choose from, but these tones will work well with any eye color. The price is $7.00 and this palette is called ALOHA/MINK BROWN/DEEP BRONZE.

*TIP* look for this on Ebay first, before buying it on the website.

YOU CAN ALSO TRY REVLON EYESHADOWS (I have not used these products yet)

My favorite eye shadows are from MAC, Makeup Forever, and Lorac. These are VERY EXPENSIVE, but if you can afford them, send me a message and i will give you the links.

Last but not least.

This large palette is from BH Cosmetics.You can find this at http://www.bhcosmetics.com/ or Ebay. This is the 88 Neutral palette selling at  $ 21.21

TRY EBAY FIRST, THEY ARE ALWAYS CHEAPER!

Best Shampoos for Oily Hair

There are so many products on the market rght now that treat oily hair, but I couldn't find one to save my life! For starters we need to evaluate what your supposed to do to your hair if it tends to become greasy. These steps are VERY important!

1. It is best to conditon your hair only 3 times a week.

2. If you can't go without conditioning your hair every wash, then you need to apply it ONLY TO THE ENDS of your hair ( do not apply it to the scalp because this helps your hair become oily).

3. Rinse your hair with COLD water. Cold water kills the suds. This is a very important step because it slows down sebum ( this is what makes your hair oily) production.
 *TIP* It also makes your hair shiny.

4. Don't leave in hair treatments or any conditionng product overnight. Every once in awhile it is ok to do hair treatments, but not every week.  

5. If your hair looks greasy after you wash it, then it is a sign that your shampoo/conditioner is too heavy and you need to change products.



Here is a list of the best shampoos for oily hair ( some are a bit pricey).

Use any tea tree oil. Paul Mitchell has a brand, Desert Esscence, and many more.

Lemon Tea Tree oil by organics is a very popular product for oily hair types. You can find this at walgreens or online stores. This product usually costs around $ 7.99 . This product is used to remove excess oils and build up.

Next, is I Love Juicy by LUSH. The product has great reviews for helping women with greasy hair! This shampoo will soak up the oils in your hair, however; it may work alittle too welll, some women have reported that their hair becomes dry. You never know until you try it! Price range is $9.95-$29.95

Tresemme Deep Cleansing Shampoo can be found at Walgreens or Walmart. This product got 4.9 stars on an evaluation and review. Many women have reported that this shampoo helps with naturally oily hair and it will make your hair healthy and beautiful. One woman said

"Okay, for starters, I have NEVER found a product that controls the oil in my hair! And while looking in my local grocery store, I saw this bottle, and said, "Eh, I'll just try it." Best decision of my life! Oil free every day (and I use it every day) and I am absolutely in love with it! Really, really recommend it!!"

This product is around $3.48 .

 

Lastly is L'Oreal Pure Resource. This product was reviewed to control Sebum production and was rated 4 stars out of 5. The price is around $10 and you can find it at your local drugstores: Walgreens and Walmart. This product deep cleans your hair and it rids that greasy look!

 

Top products of March!

I have been using Bare Minerals since it first came out and I love this product! It is so light weight and makes your complexion beautiful. This foundation is also wonderful for sensitive skin. I usually wear it to set my liquid/cream foundation; just because it adds extra cover. You can buy this at www.sephora.com or any sephora store., as well as the actual Bare minerals site. The foundations alone start at $20.

Beauty so clean is a wonderful product, because it cleans all your makeup! Makeup holds germs and bacteria and if it is not cleaned regularly, you can actually get eye infections...YUCK! So this product allows you to clean your powder/cream based products; such as eye shadows, concealers, etc. All you do is spray it 6 inches away from the product and BAM! Your done.
This is about $25 for a big bottle and they also have other sizes.

Lorac's tantalizer is a duo face color. It contains a bronzer as well as a highlighter. I love this product, and it is perfect for that overall bronzed/ summer kissed skin! $ 32 at sephora stores.

Last, but not least is Bare Minerals translucent veil. This product comes in 2 colors: translucent and tinted. This literally gives your skin a smooth finish and is absolutely amazing! I fell in love with this product because it will give you a flawless finish. $ 20 at sephora :)

Drugstore foundations for your skin type!!!

Have you ever bought a foundation and it did not look good on you. Perhaps it made you break out or it looked too "cakey." That is because not all foundations work with your skin type.  There are 5 skin types:

Normal Skin

 Women with this skin type are the luckiest! Normal skin has an even tone, soft, a smooth texture, no visible pores or blemishes, and no greasy patches or flaky areas.

Dry Skin 

This type of skin flakes and chaps easily compared to other skin types. It is good to exfoliate before makeup application; this will remove dead skin. Do not use powder foundations! 

Oily Skin 

The pores of this skin type are enlarged making it prone to black-heads, pimples and Acne. Your face is often shiny around your nose, forehead, and other parts of your face.

Combination Skin

Combination skin will be oily on parts of the face and dry on others.

Sensitive Skin 

"This type of skin reacts externally and internally to changes in life. Can be both oily and dry, it can be easily disturbed by skin-care products and cosmetics. It tends to go blotchy and have broken veins at the same time, it might show a flushed or reddened look or might even itch". ( womens fitness)

Now here are some foundations that work with your skin type

Normal Skin

                                             Any of these foundations should work for you.

Dry Skin

Neutrogena Healthy Skin makeup $ 11.97

Oily Skin

Revlon PhotoReady liquid foundation  $ 11.97  ( also, see sensitive skin) 

  ( with oily skin, make sure to set your foundation with any powder, translucent or tinted)

Combination Skin

                                                            Covergirl Trublend $ 8.44

PhotoReady liquid foundation ( above) will work for this skin type as well

Sensitive Skin

Bare minerals $ variety of prices. 

( mineral foundations are best for sensitive skin)

also try Physicians Formula

Argan Oil- Great For Your Hair!!!

You may have started to see many hair products with Argan Oil- An oil from the Argan tree, that can be only found in  Morocco. That's because this oil s great to treat dry, damaged hair. This oil is perfect for you if you dye your hair often, it will restore the shine and suppleness of your hair. Argan oil seals moisture into each strand of hair and promotes elasticity, making your hair less brittle!  Argan oil can also help those people that are suffering from hair loss as well as extend the life of your hair.

This hair treatment from Organix is a wonderful product! Just one use, and you will be able to feel and see the difference. This is only $6 and can be found at your local drug stores.

This product is used after your dry and straighten your hair. Argan Oil from Agadir', makes your hair soooo shiny! My hair dresser sells this item for $32 dollars, but you can get it online for only $9!!!

False Lashes, Don't Be Afraid To Wear Them!

Lashes have to be one of the greatest inventions in makeup history!  They will make your eyes "pop" and stand out. You can wear natural ones for an everyday look, dramatic lashes for the night club, or glamourous ones for a special date. Don't be afraid to wear them!!!!!!! Once you get a hang of it, you will never go back to plain jane mascara! Most women are scared they will fall off, or glue their eye shut. BUT HAVE NO FEAR!  I have worn my eye lashes to school, I have cried in them, rubbed them, sweated in them, ran in them, and slept in them; can you believe they still stayed on until the next day? lol ...Seriously though, as long as you put them on correctly you will be fine. I have put a video below to show you how to apply them correctly. It my take you a couple of times to get them right, but it's ok because lashes can be worn more than once. You can wear individual lashes to customize your look or strip lashes ( shown above). You use a lash adhesive to glue them on your eyelid, so don't just take the strip off the plastic holder and stick them on your eye and expect them to stay! The closer you put your lashes to your lash line the better.  Lastly, they are perfect for women who have short lashes ( like me).

     I am wearing False lashes in this picture! You cant even tell can you?

       Kim Kardashian is often seen with false lashes.

        How to apply falsies -  by Kandee Johnson - professional makeup artist!

Seductive Red Lips

The classic red lip is one of the most sexiest looks there is.  A lot of people are afraid of its overpowering color, but when worn right, it looks absolutely stunning. For me personally, I believe it looks best with light, natural makeup ( like shown in this picture). Apply a warm brown shadow in the crease and under the eye, followed by a highlight on the brow bone and mascara. Red lips can work for anyone, you just have to find the right shade of red -all shades are not created equal!  If you have fair skin, go with a shade that has a hint of blue in it; meaning a true red color, with no orange or pinks in it. For medium skin tones, you happen to be the luckiest because you can get away with about any shade of red; try for a hot fire engine red. Darker skin tones call for a darker red,  try shades that have a bit of a plum color to it, then the lip will look sexy and regal. Just remember,  no matter what color you choose, the most important part is for you to feel comfortable in the shade you pick.

Anytime I think of red lips I think of Marilyn Monroe. Add a top winged eyeliner to get a pin-up girl look that is simply seductive!

Take Your Vitamins!!!

The trick to healthier skin, longer hair, and shiny nails is.....VITAMINS!!! Yes, people it is hair, skin, and nail vitamins; Spring Valley vitamins are shown in the picture, but any brand will work.  These vitamins are a must when trying to grow out your hair. It not only helps your hair grow, but it will give you hair that is stronger, thicker, and less brittle. Collagen helps with providing firmness and strength to the skin, while biotin and gelatin provides nutrients that are a must for strong nails and healthy locks! The directions say to take a capsule 3 times a day, preferably with each meal. I guarantee within a month or two you will notice a difference in the length and structure of your hair. The price is $6.88 at Walmart and it can also be found in other drug stores.

Water is such a key "ingredient" for healthy skin as well as a healthy body!  Everyone should try to fit in 8+ TALL glasses of water a day. Feeling extra dry? Water Keeps your skin hydrated and it isn't fattening ( by just drinking water you could lose up to 15 pounds in one year).  It will also give your skin a natural glow and will help with maintaining the skins elasticity and suppleness. Water also flushes out the bodies toxins and impurities,  making you feel better one glass at a time!   

Revlon Products Review

I recently bought the new Revlon Photo Ready Airbrush foundation and the Lip Butters so I decided to do a review about them!

First we have the new Revlon Airbrush Foundation and I have to say that the more I use this product, the more I LIKE IT!  This is pretty much a full coverage foundation and it actually is the first drugstore foundation that I have found that actually gives my skin a nice glow.  There are 8 colors, so some may find a problem in finding there exact shade. I wear 030 NUDE for fair/medium skin tones. The only problem(s) with this foundation is the smell. I hate the smell, which it kind of has a burnt plastic smell, but the smell eventually fades.  I wouldn't recommend wearing it if you are going to be working out or plan on sweating, because it will have that ( melting effect). This foundation is perfect for special occasions, or dates. It is foamy, but then it forms into a normal liquid foundation. The best way to apply it would have to be with a duo fibre/ kabuki brush or foundation brush. I do recommend this product though. So try it out !!! :)

 
The Revlon Airbrush Foundation is what I have on in this picture, you can see it covers very well!  For those who want to know, I set my foundation with the Bare Minerals powder foundation.
*NOTE: I do not alter or edit my photos,  the makeup actually looks like this in person!

Next, is the Revlon Lip Butters. I LOVEEEEEEE this product! This is about $7 at Walmart and I believe there are 20 colors.  As I mentioned before, I prefer nude/ pink shimmery shades. As soon as I put this product on, my lips feel very hydrated. I feel that this works better than most chap sticks, but it still carries the quality of a lipstick. Defiantly buy this product!

   

This is the color Sugar Frost - Revlon Lip Butter

''We know grooming is important for people. To get their hair done, to get makeup and things like that- that makes a person feel better."

-Kenneth Williams 

“The most beautiful makeup of a woman is passion. But cosmetics are easier to buy.” 
-Yves Saint Larvent