5 Sunscreen Tips to Save Your Skin

Ladies!!!!! It's no secret that sunscreen is one of the MOST important things you can do for your skin to keep your complexion flawless but also to fight wrinkles, sun spots, age spots, and sagging... Yowza! I don't know about you, but I think it's safe to assume if you're reading this it's because you care about preventing those! YAY!

Wear SPF 30 EVERYDAY! 

SPF 30 is your secret weapon. SPF 30 blocks 97% of sun rays. As the SPF level goes up, the amount of "sundays blocked" goes up less than .1% making SPF 30 the most practical and affordable. Truth is, things like SPF 100 are mostly a marketing tactic since it's impossible to block 100% of sun rays. 

PREVENT damage now instead of trying to "fix" it later.

Dermatologists say that PREVENTING skin cancer and sunburn FAR outweigh any procedure you can have done to reverse the signs of aging.  

Don't use regular sunscreen on your face! 

Not only are face sunscreens oil-free to prevent breakouts, but they're formulated to be stronger since the skin on your face is thinner. 

Check the expiration!

Most sunscreens expire after 12 months and surprisingly, those expirations dates are real! The active ingredient in sunscreen  (titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or a combination of both) lose their potency after a period of time. You don't want to think you're protected, and then notice a major burn on your delicate face.

Use makeup with SPF in it.

This is the perfect way to ensure that you're protected even on those days you forget to apply. Makeup is made to last throughout the day so you won't need to reapply. Double win!

One last thing,

never forget proper sunglasses, and a big hat to protect your pretty peepers!

Mac Lipstick Dupe

  

    Hey guys! In case if you haven't heard of the makeup expression "dupe" it means a knock-off. In the massive world of beauty, it means same color, same job, different brand, less cost ;) So, you can probably assume why it's incredibly awesome when a good dupe is found for colors that are really hot for the season!

    This Fall, dark and sexy lips are quickly gaining popularity. They first regained popularity last year at this time but it was SO new that people still thought of it as "goth." Remember back in the day when some of "those goth kids" would wear black or purple lipstick? Yeah, me too. *shudder* JK! We're all friends here :) ANYWAYS - it's a hot trend and luckily you can try it on a budget! Thank gosh right? I don't know how often I would want to wear this color, so I would have a tough time justifying $15 for a rare occasion product. (The picture below & discovery is from beauty101.com --> THANK YOU!!!)

    On the left is MAC "Rebel" (HOT color I might add), and on the right our DUPE is Milani "Uptown Mauve". In the tube, Milani's lipstick looks much more pinky, but once on the color is pretty much IDENTICAL. Gorgeous, right? I can't wait to try this trend. Exsqueeze me while I speed off to Wal-Mart right now!

Sunset Eyes Makeup

Hey guys! I've been so busy trying new makeup looks lately and today I stumbled into a super cute coral & sunset inspired makeup look that I wanted to share! I based the look off the sonia kashuk blush from my last post and my Naked2 palette.

Eyes:

I'm wearing the blush "Sunset" on my lids with a layer of "Chopper" from Naked2 on top. For the blush I used a fluffy brush and covered my whole lid up to the crease. I used my finger for the "chopper" color since metallic colors go on MUCH better with a finger. I used "Busted" in the outer corner of my eyes and just used my cone shaped brush. Afterwards, I lined my lower lids with "Half Baked" using the flat end of the brush that comes with the palette. I wanted my eyes to be a soft sunset and wearable for the day so "chopper" in the outer corners was really important in toning it down. The brushes that I currently use are a variety of inexpensive once from both WalMart & target.

Face:

For my face I used Revlon Photoready for my foundation and Revlon Photoready stick concealer in medium for under my eyes and along the sides of my nose to highlight. For blush I used the same sonia kashuk "sunset". 

Lips:

For my lips I used the Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss gloss in "Snow Pink". I didn't use liner or lipstick to keep them natural and muted. :)

Hope you enjoyed! 

PS. I normally use MORE than just Revlon products, I guess today was just a "revlon" kinda day! haha

How to Get a BEAUTIFUL Tan at Home

    Hey ladies!! As most of you know I'm pretty white. And when I say that, I mean - WHITE. I'm Canadian and for some reason my sister, Rebecca, got all of the "tanable" genes in our family. When I go outside for the day, or to the beach... I don't tan I BURN! It's unfortunate but I've learned to protect my skin with sunscreen and have started to appreciate my white-girl-ness at times. HOWEVER, I LOVE to be tanned! Spray tans, self tanning lotion, instant bronzers, anything that'll give my skin a glow - I gotta have it! Since I've been experimenting with self-tanners and ways to get bronzed without a sun since grade 8 (yes grade 8, I was orange at times LOL) I have a TON of tips, tricks, and products that'll give you an amazing color! 

    If you're interested in self tanning at home, you must know by now the important of exfoliating! And it's true. Not in the sense that you need to get every cell off your body, but you DO need to exfoliate so that areas like your elbows, knees, and hair line absorb nicely. I have an exfoliating mitt from Target that works wonders for me. Whether I'm exfoliating pre-tan or post-tan, it gets the job done right! You should use either an exfoliating mitt, a wash cloth, or a body/sugar scrub. Scrub those elbows!!

    After you exfoliate make sure you put lotion on your elbows & knees. Your elbows and knees absorb  self tanner MUCH more than the rest of your skin so you want to hydrate those areas a bit creating a small barrier.

My REGULAR lotion

    My absolute FAVORITE non-self-tan lotion is Kisses by Australian Gold. I get it from amazon because it's the least expensive there hehe. This is after 4 days of consecutively applying my secret weapon self tanner. :)

    After putting regular lotion on your elbows and knees, lotion up your hands as well. NEXT - apply the self tanner! Don't worry about a certina technique or motion of your hands, as long as you apply it evenly you can work in whatever routine feels best for you.

    This part is SUPER important, and most of us overlook it! I know I used to... wait before getting dressed! I used to get dressed after 5 minutes and tell myself "Okay, there's no way my clothes can move around the lotion! It's on my skin already!" Haha, learn from my mistakes! Wait at least 15 minutes before getting dressed and just listen to an audiobook, pain your nails, ect. 

    Once you've gotten dressed - VOILA! You're done the first application yayyyy!
After this, the next day you'll want to repeat the steps MINUS the first one - don't exfoliate after you've put on the self tanner!

So in review:

1. Exfoliate
2. Use lotion on your driest skin areas (elbows, knees, hands etc.)
3. Apply Self Tanner
4. Wait 15 minutes before getting dressed

    Make sure you use regular lotion everyday as well as using your self tanner, I like to self-tan in the mornings & before bed I use my Kisses lotion to prevent the tan from fading.

    OKAY, I know you're wondering what self tanner I actually use and my bad boy is the *St. Tropez Gradual Tan*

    I've tried the St. Tropez mousse, and while it DID make me super dark, it stained a lot of my clothes  and didn't last long. :( But I can honestly say the gradual tan is my baby! It's so moisturizing and the color is gorgeous, fades evenly, and doesn't smell bad! I actually love the smell and look forward to it since it's makes me feel "fresh" haha. Try it out!
These are some other self tanners that I've tried and would HIGHLY recommend for anyone wanting to pick up a self tanner at Target, Walmart etc.

1. Banana Boat Sunless Tanning Lotion in Dark (Medium isn't enough color even for me, so try the dark!)
2. Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer in Medium/Dark
3. Nivea Sun-Kissed Radiance Gradual Tanner & Body Lotion in Medium to Dark skin
4. Sally Hansen Airbrush Leg Makeup in Light (This is NOT a self tanner but I use this from time to time and LOVE IT! Just don't wear white)
5. L'Oreal Paris Sublime Bronze Pearl Tinted Lotion in Medium Natural Tan

    Those are some GREAT lotions that I always keep in stock in my bathroom! I don't use all of them on a regular basis anymore but I can always rely on them when I'm out. I've tried a lot of others and these ones I promise you will love!
I'm sure there are some others out there that are JUST as good as my list so if you have a favorite comment and let me know! I love trying new babies. 

Coral Makeup

Hey pretties!! I know summer is coming to a close this month, thats why I wanted to make sure I tried this years coral-craze before the season ended!

I'm a total makeup junkie... in fact if you saw the amount of makeup I have you'd think I'm a youtube beauty guru - sadly I am NOT haha. My makeup collection is a combination of high-end and drugstore because sometimes... you just can't beat a set of new makeup for less then $20!! Am I right?! Okay, enough is enough. I picked up these coral inspired products from Target a couple days ago and gave them a try. So far - LOVE!!

Sonia Kashuk beautifying blush - "Sunset" - $9.79

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter - "Juicy Papaya" - $6.00

Revlon Colorstay lipliner - "Blush" - $8.99

Charlotte Russe Earrings - $7.99

OKAY, I know the earrings are random since this is a beauty post, but I found a ton of the greatest earrings at Charlotte Russe, and these pretty coral dangles are in my romper fashion post!  I wanted to link the two together :) 

The blush is really pigmented so be careful when applying it. I think I could've gone a bit heavier but to keep the look wearable for the day I wanted it natural.

Here's the lip butter! I noticed it's as good as a chapstick - VERY moisturizing!! I absolutely loved it, and the color is so fun! I normally wear nudes for my lips, so once I put the makeup look together with the lips this will be VERY new to me! I can't wait to share it with you guys!

I'm excited to share products with you that are amazing AND affordable! My goal for ALL of my posts is for the looks to be inexpensive. That way, you can recreate the look without needing to empty your bank account at Sephora or MAC <-- still love those places though! haha :) Love you guys!

The BEST Tips & Tricks to Grow Long Healthy Hair

Hey lovelies! Today I wanted to share with you some of my FAVORITE tips & tricks for keeping your hair healthy. YES! I DO wear extensions, and I LOVE them! I absolutely swear by my clip-ins. But my hair is still my pride and joy and I do my VERY best to take absolute care of it! I've tried it all... oils, homemade masks, expensive masks, CHEAP masks, an ARRAY of conditioners etc etc.
When I say I've tried it ALL, I really do mean it. Through my extensive (and huge assortment) or hair tips and tricks I want to share with you guys what I've figured out to be the BEST of the BEST!

1) KNOW YOUR MASKS

The difference between a protein versus a moisture mask is SO important. Moisture masks are INCREDIBLE for hydrating strands as a whole, but if you are encountering BREAKAGE you need to be on a protein treatment to rebuild your follicle resilience. You should always follow a protein treatment with a moisture mask afterwards, this way your hair will rebuild it's strength while remaining soft. Something I've learned along the way -- apply the proper mask during your shower, then use a shower cap to lock in heat for a greater conditioning.

2) USE QUALITY PRODUCTS

I can't tell you enough the difference it made on my hair when I switched from a regular shampoo --> to a SULFATE FREE shampoo! If you haven't already - do it now. As for conditioners, make sure it's *silicone free*. Silicones form a barrier on the hair shaft and make it feel TEMPORARILY smoother, but actually cause MORE damage to the hair over time.

3) SLEEP WITH COCONUT OIL

I know it's not IDEAL, but your hair will be! Try sleeping with your locks completely saturated in the oil at LEAST two nights a week and your hair will seriously thank you! Make sure the coconut oil is

• Organic
• Cold/Expeller Pressed
• Extra Virgin

I use the coconut oil from GNC and it lasts me 3-4 months -- SO WORTH IT! Also, your pillow case WILL absorb some of the oil so make sure you wash them frequently!

4) TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY

You are what you eat! Eating a healthy diet will help your hair grow faster, thicker, and glossier. Be sure yo get the right vitamins and nutrients EVERY day. Biotin and Vitamin B both promote healthy skin, hair and nail growth. I take 5000mcg of Biotin a day as well as my Shakeology. Since adding both of those to my routine my hair has started growing IMMENSELY. I'm still slightly torn on whether thats a good or a bad thing since now my roots need to be done more often ;) hehe jk, it's TOTALLY a good thing. Try to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day as well to make sure your body (and hair) is hydrated properly.

5) LIMIT HOT TOOLS

I know this one is a given, but it's equally as important. You should only be heat styling your hair twice a week MAX if you're trying to repair OR grow. Save those babies for the weekend, and rock a cute ponytail or braid during the week. When you do use hot tools, make sure to spritz your hair with a heat protector beforehand and use the curler/straightener on the lowest heat setting!

6) WASH WITH COOL WATER

Hot water can REALLY dry out your hair and leave it dull. No one wants that! After shampooing and conditioning rinse with cool water to close your cuticle and lock in moisture.

7) PROPER AFTER SHOWER CARE

Ladies, PLEASE don't brush your hair when it's wet! Trust me when I say, a wide tooth comb is your BEST friend! When you get out of the shower make sure to use a leave in conditioner. I spray my hair with a Keratin treatment and comb it through gently. This allows the product to work it's way through any tangles without stretching your hair (which is often what happens when your brush it while wet)

8) MASSAGE YOUR SCALP

Massage your scalp for two minutes per day using the tips of your fingers. This boosts blood circulation and stimulates the follicles to produce and release sebum. You can also use a stimulating scalp oil! Home made ones tends to be the best since you can guarantee there won't be any secret chemicals in them. Try:

• 1 oz of Almond Oil
• 3 drops of Lavender Oil
• 3 drops of Vitamin E Oil
• 4 drops of Vitamin B Oil

Apply a few drops of your oil to your head right before your massage. The almond oil will moisturize and the lavender, vitamin E & B will increase circulation! 

Those are my SACRED tips on healing and repairing hair. It doesn't matter how damaged or dry your hair is, you can always improve it and help grow faster! 

I hope you love them as much as I do!

How to Bleach Hair at Home

Good morning ladies!! I want to share with you the secret to something I get asked ALL the time... it doesn't matter where I go, at least 3-5 times a week I get asked 
"I love your hair! Where do you get it done?!" 
And people are always surprised to hear me say 
"Oh, I do it myself!"

And yes... I TRULY do it myself! I did some EXTENSIVE research, watched youtube after youtube tutorial, went to Sally's, and dyed it for the first time myself last January (2013). I have to admit, I was REALLY scared. I just couldn't keep up with the cost of seeing a hairdresser every month to maintain my roots! SO - I got a little creative, and it paid off big time! I've been doing my own hair for a year and a half and I do my roots every 2-3 weeks. 

I KNOW that's a lot, but I LOVE the appearance of fresh roots - and since it's inexpensive & I can do it when it's convenient for me, it works out well! My hair is naturally dark blonde, but I've always LOVED the platinum blonde/playboy bunny blonde. This will work on dark or light hair. If your hair is dark brown, you will need to do this twice to get it to the blonde you want, but only do it once per day! 

I wanted to give you a step by step of how I do it so that hopefully some aspiring blondes out there can do this on a low budget! ;) The cost is about $40 to get everything you need the first time. Those goodies will last you at least 8 months though - BIG money saver!

The supplies you need are: 

30 OR 40 Volume Developer

(30 vol. if your hair is naturally dark blonde to light brown, 

40 vol. if your hair is darker than that)

Wella Bleach Powder

Mixing Bowl

Applicator Brush

You want to mix the bleach powder with the developer in your mixing bowl with a 2:1 ratio. Don't get confused, this is easy trust me! One scoop of bleach powder (usually 30g) then pour in 60g of developer (until the level reaches 90g) 

Does that make sense? It needs to be at 90g because you already added 30g of the powder :)

Mix it with the brush until it becomes a nice creamy consistency. 

If your just doing your roots, start at the bottom of your head and work your way up.

If you're dying your whole head of hair, start at the base of your hair, and apply it to your ends last. Try to work quickly! If you used 30 vol. developer - leave it on your hair/roots for 25 minutes. If you used 40 vol. developer - leave it on your hair for 30 minutes.

After your timer has finished - rinse the bleach out, wash your hair with a PURPLE shampoo and deep condition your hair! My secret weapon is Aveda Damage Remedy. It smells amazing and on top of that it will work WONDERS on your hair!

I thought about going into GREAT detail about how to do this, and how to make sure every single thing was EXACTLY like this person or that person -BUT- what I've learnt is that there are SO many small varieties out there when it comes to doing your own hair. When I was doing my research I WISH someone had just made a plain, simple and straightforward post. That was my goal for this! It really is as simple as it sounds. Don't be afraid! 

Goodluck ladies!!!!