Archive for March, 2011

Stress can really take a toll on your complexion, and in times of stress every bit of it can show up on your face. Here’s a few go-to tips to get your skin back to normal quickly when life is anything but.

1. Puffy Eyes –
Lack of sleep, excessive crying, illness; whatever the reason puffy eyes can make you look tired and run down. If you find yourself looking puffier than usual, try one of these remedies:
Benefit Ooh-La-Lift: This has been my go-to weapon against puffy eyes since my college days when all night study sessions and lack of sleep were the norm. This soothing potion tightens and refreshes the delicate skin around the eyes to give a brighter appearance. Plus you can use it over makeup, which is perfect for after those mid-afternoon cry sessions when the boys get outta hand. I recommend keeping two on hand- one for your purse and one to keep in the fridge – as it’s even more refreshing when used cold.
Frozen Spoons: What? What the heck is a frozen spoon? Well, it’s exactly what it sounds like! Put two tablespoons in the freezer for an hour or so, then place them over your eyes for about 5 minutes. The cold metal will help reduce swelling while the shape helps press it down.
Witchhazel: Pick up a bottle of Witchhazel at the drug store and stick it in the fridge. Once it’s chilled, pour a little onto a cotton ball and place it over the eye. Then relax for a few minutes while the Withchazel takes down the swelling a bit.

2. Blemishes
Nothing makes your skin freak on you faster than extreme stress. Which in turn makes you even more stressed. And that’s just, well, stressful. While nothing keeps skin clear better than a great daily cleansing routine, reach for these when little surprises pop up:
Toothpaste: Dab toothpaste over blemishes before bed to dry them out. This will make them look much smaller so they’re easier to conceal with makeup, plus they’ll disappear a few days faster than they would have otherwise. Make sure it’s a toothPASTE however and not a gel – it might make you feel minty fresh but won’t do much else.
Eye drops: To reduce redness, put a few drops on a cotton swab and dab it on the blemish for a few seconds.
Frozen Teaspoon: Yup, frozen spoons to the rescue again! If you just couldn’t help trying to pop a blemish and now find it has swollen to twice the size, stick a teaspoon in the freezer until ice cold then press it onto the affected area for a few minutes. This should take down the swelling a bit.
Baking Soda: If you’re facing a really large blemish, mix up a little baking soda and water to make a thick paste. Apply it to the blemish before bed and it should be completely dried up by morning. Once you’ve applied the mixture, wipe up the surrounding areas to avoid drying out the rest of your skin.




Dark Circles-
Nothing can disturb a sleep cycle quite like stress. So if sleepless nights are making you look like a walking zombie, try these techniques to make you look a little more…alive.
Aloe Vera Gel: This miracle in a bottle will de-puff eyes and reduce the appearance of dark circles. Simply smooth this under the eye after a bath or shower and let it dry before applying makeup. Store your aloe in the fridge as the coolness of the gel will feel even more soothing.
Yes to Cucumbers Soothing Eye Gel: Packed with green tea, cucumber and chamomile this will brighten up dark circles within minutes. Like it’s aloe-infused counterpart, keep this in the fridge for…ok you already know what for cuz I’ve said it like a million times. In fact, let’s just assume we should keep everything in the fridge unless I state otherwise =)
theBalm Time Balm Concealer: Let’s face it, you’re gonna need a concealer no matter what natural remedy you use before going out. This one is a fave because it does double duty – not only covering the dark circles but treating them as well with healthy doses of vitamins A, C and E.




And of course, while de-stressing on the outside, try to de-stress on the inside as well. Drink plenty of water, get some exercise and indulge in a little retail therapy if all else fails. Nothing will put your stress levels in check faster than a fabulous pair of shoes!

Spring is here! Ok, well not quite considering it’s hurricane fail outside my window right now, but that doesn’t mean I can get my closet ready for the warm, sunny days to ahead. I found these sky high Steve Madden ‘Marryy’ espadrille wedges at Nordstrom the other night and had to try them on the second I spotted them. I haven’t broken them in yet due to the weather, but the second it clears up I’ll be wearing these with some distressed jeans and a wifebeater. Ah the hotness, welcome back to my life!



The heel on these is super high, I measured them at about 4.5 inches. Which means my short ass looks almost 5’9. Hello world, wow things look different up here!




So fresh, so clean! The black canvas makes these casual enough for every day, and they are suuuuper comfy so I’ll be able to wear them at work for 8 hours without limping by the end of the day.




I die for this 2 inch platform! And as crazy as it sounds, that’s what makes these shoes so comfy. With heels like this, a higher platform really helps take the pressure off your arch. And it looks pretty too =)



Get them: Nordstrom, Steve Madden
Price: $89.95

Check out my new contest and get a chance to win some fabulous makeup while helping out a great cause! See the video as well as the official contest rules below:







Official contest rules:

1. You MUST be subscribed to my YouTube Channel.
2. To enter, donate to Shelterboxusa.org by texting “Shelter” to 20222 or using the secure online form. Then take a screenshot or photo of your confirmation text (you will recieve one after texting a donation) or your online confirmation page. Make a video slideshow clearly showing confirmation of your donation as well as your YouTube screen name. Post it as a response to the contest video and you’re all done!
3. You MUST donate to qualify.
4. Contest is open internationally.
5. Those under 18 may enter, but parent permission will be required in order to receive a prize.



Prizes:
1st prize: 1 Urban Decay Dangerous palette, plus a few surprises
2nd prize: 1 NYX eyeshadow base in White w/pearl, 1 NYX lipliner in Currant, 1 Prestige lipliner in Love, 1 OPI Black shatter nail polish



For more information on ShelterBoxUsa, please check out the video below and visit their YouTube channel.

Thanks to a few previous hauls and the swagtastic Beautylish event, I had lots of new goodies to try out for the month of February. And yet, that somehow did not stop me from buying more. Because I have a problem. This is what addiction looks like kids. It’s a sad, sad sight.






Products:

Aveda Control Force Firm Hold Hairspray
Price: $8.50 – $26.00 (Depending on size)
Get it: Aveda.com

Yes to Blueberries Eye Firming Treatment, Daily Smoothing Cleanser and Facial Brightening Towelettes
Price: $17.99 – $19.99
Get it: yestocarrots.com, drugstores nationwide

Nyx Eyeshadow base Natural
Price: $6
Get it: nyxcosmetics.com

Nyx Glitter on the Go
Price: $6
Get it: nyxcosmetics.com

Covergirl Lipliner Lip Perfection Lipliner – Beloved
Price: @$5.99
Get it: drugstores nationwide

Covergirl Lipstick – Spellbound
Price: @$6.99
Get it: drugstores nationwide

Maybelline Colorsational Lipstick – Pink Quartz
Price: @$8.99
Get it: drugstores nationwide

You guys have been asking me to do a tutorial on the smokey pink look I was wearing in my last few videos, so here it is. I created this using the Shad Lady Vol. 3 palette by theBalm, which I’m pretty much completely obsessed with right now. Check out the tutorial and the list of products I used below!














Products Used:

Face:
Benefit Playsticks Foundation – Jumprope
Stila Sheer Pressed Powder – Dark
theBalm Blush – Down Boy
Mary-Lou Manizer Illuminator

Eyes:
NYX Natural Eyeshadow Base
theBalm Shady Lady Vol. 3 eyeshadow palette- Envious Erin (off-white shimmer), Come Hither Heather (grey), Safe Bet Annette (baby pink), Guilty Gwen (shimmery black)
Maybelline Line Stiletto Liquid Eyeliner – Blackest Black
Maybelline Eye Studio Gel Eyeliner – Blackest Black
NARS Volumizing Mascara – Black
Ardell Fashion Lashes – #105

Lips:
Benefit Lipliner Duo – Betty
NYX Lipliner – Currant
NARS Lipstick – Sexual Healing
NARS Lipgloss – Sweet Dreams
Liplicious Lipgloss – Cookies n’ Cream