FYI! Beware of those in store testers ladies!!!DONT GET HERPES !

Soo recent news from a beverly hills dermatologist is warning consumers not to use the testers on display at Sephora and other beauty stores.

She says, "If a woman has a cut on her lip and borrows lipstick from someone who has a cold sore, she'll get a cold sore. You can pass herpes [the cold-sore virus], conjunctivitis [pink eye], and all sorts of things through sharing makeup."  

Well this should be a known fact people!!!!!Stay away from those germ infested testers YUCK!

Just imagine all the dirty girls who have touched those lipsticks that have been sitting there for months and months,they probably looks something like this 

Just SAY NO TO STORE TESTERS!!

F

ADULT ACNE ,and how to conqueor it!

Ohh those dreaded pimples,i have had to deal with them ever since puberty ,i remember back in the day i used to use OXY pads ,they just made then even worse ackkk But after going to my Aesthetics course and learning more about what causes acne ,i found better ways to deal with it and i would love to tell you.
 
First what causes them.? Well hormones can play a big role,as you know.Im sure you notice around that time of month,a few pop up here and there ,usually on the chin! Or any big body change like having a baby or having a really stressful day.
Adult acne is caused by sebum, an oily substance produced by the skin’s sebaceous glands.  Sebum clogs pores, which attract bacteria and become inflamed.

There seems to be various products out on the market now that is suppose to treat acne.I find the products that work best contain Benzoyl Peroxide or Salicylic Acid .For something more natural tea tree also helps.They are anti-bacterial and unclog pores and prevent new pimples from forming.Or if yours is really bad you can go to the doctors for antibiotics or if its super super bad there is Accutane which shrinks the oil glands from inside,but this is a last resort as it is quite harsh.


But i want to tell you about products you can buy at the store that work well here are some
This product contains 10% of Benzoyl Peroxide, so be warned, this is really strong stuff more for moderate acne and as a spot treament retails less than $7.00 normally and lasts quite awhile

For a more natural treament i really liked this one and it worked well for me

The Body Shop: Tea Tree Oil Blemish Fade Night Lotion-$18.00

Made specifically to use before bed, this lightweight serum uses the proven benefits of Tea Tree Oil to dissolve excess oil while you sleep. This will in turn help dry out your blemishes and make them heal quickly. If you have oily skin, use it all over your face before bed. If your have occasional blemishes, use it as a spot treatment before bed.

Another thing that i think is great to do is to take supplements to help internally,the ones i have been taking and i find im seeing an improvement are these about $25.00 for 60caps

Adults and teens continue to be amazed! perfect skin targets problem skin, including regular breakouts, blemishes and oily skin – naturally

Take daily to:

• Reduce breakouts, pimples, redness and acne lesions
• Decrease excessive sebum (oil) production
• Normalize pore structure and size 

But if you already have some pimples you want to cover up try these great products too!!

Cover FX • Conceal FX Camouflage Concealer about $25.00

Cargo cosmetics,have you heard about them?

Heeyy sorry have been MIA for a while,been busy,But i am back and i was lucky enough to score some great products from this cool company CARGO ,they also have a rad website its cargocosmetics .

So the first product i want to talk about that i got is called LASH ACTIVATOR ,it is suppose to grow your lashes ,but its also a mascara!! Im going to test it out for you and tell you what i think,this is 3rd day i have been using it so far ,when im at the 30th day i will post my before and after pictures and you can judge for yourself.

The good thing is it retails for only about $35.00!!

"A revolutionary black mascara that stimulates the growth of lash follicles, promotes lash vitality, and reduces lash loss.  In just 30 days, LashActivator™ is clinically shown to boost the appearance of lashes by 169% over the rate of natural growth.  Formulated with marine algae extracts and a Peptide-biotin complex, LashActivator™ is safe, non-irritating, and effective."

I also scored this awesome eyeshadow pallette its called-TORONTO!!!

 it contains four complimentary shades so you can get the perfect layered eyeshadow every time.

I love it ,you can do an amazing smokey eye with it and this thing will last you forever !!

I found the shadows go on very smooth and are long lasting ! It retails for about $28.00
Also check out there facebook group  for more info http://www.facebook.com/#!/CARGOCosmetics?ref=ts

EXFOLIATE,EXFOLIATE AND THEN EXFOLIATE SOME MORE

One of the number one things you can do to instantly improve the look and feel of your skin is to exfoliate it!You don't need to go it everyday ,but at least 1 or 2 times a week.

The purpose of  Exfoliation is to remove the oldest dead skin cells that cling to the skin's outermost surface.When done correctly, exfoliation leaves the skin feeling smoother and fresher looking and even brighter!

Exfoliation also makes penetration easier for all the products you apply to your skin.Like if you are using an expensive moisturizer and your not exfoliating,then its not working as well as it could be if you got rid of the dead skin !

There are two types of exfoliation you need to know about.

1)Mechanical -dead skin cells are physically rubbed off with an abrasive like salt or sugar

2)Chemical-Enzymes, alphahydroxy acids (AHAs) or betahydroxy acids (BHAS) loosen the glue-like substance that holds the cells together, allowing them to slough away.They usually come in the form of a peel and there are many different strengths.

As we age the process of cell turnover slows down. Cells start to pile up unevenly on the skin's surface, giving it a dry, rough, dull appearance. Exfoliation is beneficial because it removes those cells that are clinging on, revealing the fresher, younger skin cells below. 

One more thing ,you can OVER exfoliate ,so if your getting dry and red you have done to much.

Here are some great ones for you to try-

Body shop has a huge variety of facial scrubs have a look at the site for more too bodyshop.ca

Seaweed Pore-Cleansing Facial Exfoliator -uses seaweed and jojoba beads to deep clean blocked pores .retails -$14.50

go 360 clean deep exfoliating scrub-exfoliates skin with natural apricot seed powder and saliclylic acid to reveal perfectly clean, smoother skin.retails about $7.00

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant: An exfoliant gentle enough for every day use. unique rice-based enzyme powder that micro-exfoliates dulling debris and instantly leaves the skin noticeably smoother + brighter. The powder formula activates upon contact with water, releasing papain, salicylic acid + rice actives to smooth the skin and accelerate cell renewal.Retails $50.00 at spas and online

Or you can also make your own at home using these recipes

Basic Baking Soda Scrub
Perfect for everyday use.

2 to 3 Tbsp. Baking soda
Small amount of water

Mix the ingredients into a paste.
Using a circular motion, apply to face and gently scrub.

Oatmeal Scrub
A stimulating, thoroughly cleansing 3-in-1 scrub!
Smooths, tones, and hydrates.

1 Tbsp. ground oatmeal (use steel cut oats, not instant)
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. yogurt

Combine and apply.

Honey Sugar Scrub
If you have ever used a body sugar scrub, you know how amazing they are. Work the same magic on your face!

1 tsp. of honey
1/2 tsp. of sugar (either cane or brown — both work well)

Blend in bowl. Apply.
Rinse very thoroughly, as this recipe can be slightly sticky.

 

SKINCARE its sooo important ladies! Today i blog about the best cleansers

You could invest hundreds of dollars in amazing makeup ,but if you put it on skin that looks dull, dry and devitalized it just is not going to look good ladies!

So today i'm going to blog about one of my fav things,skincare and having a proper regimen for it.I know we all want healthy ,glowing ,hydrated skin and i will let you know the proper steps to achieve it.I'm sure we all can not afford to get a facial every day ,but most of the stuff that is done is spas can now be achieved at home.

So here goes step one- ,i'm sure we all know is getting a good cleanser for your skin type.Don't just grab any old one off the shelf,actually look to see if its right for you!

If your dry ,get an more creamy one,if your oily ,then go for one thats gel based .Basically read the label.Also i like to sometimes change my cleanser depending on the season,so more creamy in winter and more gel like in summer.

Never wash your face with hot or cold water (both can cause broken capillaries those yucky red things we all hate). Also be careful not to over cleanse,you dont want it all red.

Here are a few of my fav cleansers

for OILY SKIN types try

Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit Facial Cleanser ,is great for oily skin and it contain salicylic acid to fight bacteria and natural derived grapefruit extract about $7.00 at any drugstore

 

 One cleanser im currently using now is  for acne prone skin,its a Tea Tree based product and its very anti-bacterial so it fights those pimples,but gentle enough to use everyday -Get it at the Body Shop for $11.00

 For normal to dry skin try this

Cleanse, hydrate and remove makeup with organic ingredients. This soap-free, non-drying formula uses natural cleansing agents from sugar and corn to remove dirt and debris. Rich in natural and certified organic ingredients, the soothing scent of vanilla and tangerine will heighten your senses.Retails about $17.59 at most health store or even i think walmart may have it

 

Spectro Gel can be used for all skin types because they are very gentle ,even hospitals use it to clean wounds,its fragrance free too!retails about $13.79 at any drugstore

 

Oh and no need to use to much ,a lit bit of cleanser goes a long way!!Like the size of a quarter is all you need,so it should last you months,also i love to use a wash cloth,i feel it helps to really get rid of grime more than just your hands.

Do you have any cleansers you love? tell me about them

 

 

 

 

what goes first concealer or foundation? what goes last? and why?

So before i get into any more brushes i think i want to go over what steps should you apply first,after learning so many different ways this is what i figured out works best and i want to share it with you to make your life easier!

1)Do your eye makeup first!

Why you ask.? Because if any shadow or mascara spills on your face(and believe me this happens )it can be cleaned up with a q-tip right away! But if you had your foundation already  on then you would have to take that off too and redo it,so it really saves time and mess!

STEPS FOR EYE MAKE -EyeShadow Primer,Liner,Eyeshadow,Curl eyelashes,mascara then false lashes if needed.Eyebrows filled in if needed

2)Now you apply your liquid foundation with your brush to well hydrated skin(put on moisturizer then sunblock too if you will be out in the sun)

3)Then you use concealer ( use fingers or brush),only apply to areas that need it ,like a pimple or under the eyes ,less is more ,we don't want it to look cakey.

4)Blush ,with brush,either cream or powder

5)Contour and Highlight (i will explain how to do this in a video soon)

6)Powder is LAST ,the reason is this will set all the rest of the makeup so it does not go anywhere

7)Lips -they can be done earlier but usually I find lipstick or gloss is the first to wear off so i like to apply it last.

Please stayed tuned for my next blog ,i will be reviewing the best ant-aging moisturizers in all price ranges as i have been getting a lot of requests for this.