Homemade MakeUp Remover Pads

Image Source

Hello Hello All You MakeUp Lovers! We all know how important it is to remove all that makeup every night before we go to bed. Washing every night with soap and water over the sink can be a little overwhelming for many of us. And that is where disposable makeup wipes come in handy. They are such a blessing to end a busy day cleanly. The only issue can be that the brand name wipes can be EXPENSIVE. And the ones that are cheap are cheap for a reason. Personally, I like to know what is in the products am using. And sometime I would get worried with the long ingredients list at the back of most of the wipes available in stores. If you have not checked yet, here are some examples -
Isonyl Isononanoate, Pentaerithrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isostearyl Palmitate, Hexylene Glycol,Dehydroacetate Acid, Benzoic Acid, Iodopropyl Butylcarbamate, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance 

I am no expert or not even close to being a chemist to analyze these ingredients. Most of them are natural extracts but many are preservatives, fragrance and fragrance binders; which surely are skin irritants. Makeup removers should be gentle yet effective to remove all traces of makeup without stripping away natural skin oils. So, all I believe in is that if things can be simple, why to make them complicated.

Homemade all natural makeup remover wipes can be made with less than 5 ingredients. They are not only cost effective but fun to make as you can change them to fit your skin care needs. I found many people online making their own makeup wipes and I got excited to give it a shot myself. It does work like a charm! And they store well for up to 3 months. Oil cleansing method is thorough and oils like jojoba do not clog pores as they mimic skin natural oils. I have oily skin and using jojoba has in fact cleared up my acne.

I have tried few different recipes and my fav is -

1 cup distilled water (very important to use distilled)
4 Tbsp Jojoba Oil/Sweet Almond Oil/Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tbsp fragrance free witch hazel
1 Tbsp baby wash (tear free)
2 drops of lavender pure essential oil

Check out this video for directions and play around with your choice of ingredients.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaq5Solye_c

Homemade Detox Face Mask

Halloween is over. The costume and makeup along with all the candy were the weekend highlights. It is time to detoxify the body after all that sugar.There are many special diets for detoxifying the body. But the beautiful face also needs to be detoxified. Especially after all the heavy and toxic Halloween makeup. However, you do not need to run to any beauty shops for a rescue. Just make a trip to your kitchen :) I use these masks often and swear by the results. Though I wish I was more regular :(

Try these homemade detox face masks -

1. Turmeric Mask 
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 Tbsp whole wheat flour
• Plain yogurt to get a thick consistency
2. Chocolate Mask
• 1/2 tsp cocoa powder
• 2 Tbsp jojoba oil 
• 1 drop peppermint essential oil
3. Clay Mask
• 2 Tbsp Bentonite Clay or Fuller earth clay (multani mitthi)
• 1/2 tsp honey
• 1 drop lavender essential oil
4. Honey Spice Mask
• 1/2 Tbsp honey
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder
5. Grape Mask
• 5-7 grapes squeezed
• 1 Tbsp whole wheat flour or clay
• 1 tsp honey

Make any of these face masks by adding the ingredients in the given order. Adding ingredients like essential oils should always be the last step as these are the active ingredients of any face mask recipe. All masks listed above are good for any skin type and give great results. Apply for 10-15 min and then wash with warm water followed by your favorite moisturizer.  

5 Spring - Summer Must Haves

Trends change every year but style is timeless. Its fun to look at trends for every season but it is more fun to choose from them and make a personal style. In the busy world we live, most of the runway looks are not practical anyways. 

Spring is in full swing and summer is on the horizon. Most of us are done with the spring cleaning routine and all set to work hard for the dream summer body and shop for the beautiful clothes and accessories to build a new season wardrobe. Spring and summer styles are an amazing combination of both bold and pastel colors. Follow the trend but always keep your favorite colors that give you confidence. A small list of must haves to brighten every wardrobe for all body types this sunshine season...Just find the version that flatters you most. 

ArtPop Maxi Dress - comfort, style and elegance. Celebrate Femininity!

Images

Cropped Jeans - play it sexy and cool - together. Less is more here! Play hide and seek with those sexy legs. Go for a casual look with flats or wedges. Or take to a different note with some mid heel pumps.

Image

Bold Cross-body Bag - who says practical is not style? Make your cross-body bag a statement at the same enjoying the freedom from the big heavy bags.

Pastel Pink - Pink speaks pretty! This summer wear it on top or bottom. And add on with your favorite accessories.

Image1 

On Trend Footwear - ankle strap pumps, pointed flats,printed wedges shout out summer.

Images

10 Points Guide to Getting Started with Essential Oils

When life gives you lemons...make lemonade. So I just got busy making lemonade. And now that my lemons are over am back to the routine and my blog world.

Image Source 

Find a good esthetician and listen to her...she can change your life. Mine did. Until I found her my facials were nothing but just a relaxing session. After great results from her, I asked about the products she was using and to my surprise they were oils; pure essential oils. I started researching and then using them first for skin then for various other things and rest is history. I have not used any skin care product but my oils since last 4 months and the results speak for themselves.

Getting started with essential oils can be a learning curve. They are like prescriptions which will harm if used wrong. They are so potent that all it takes is 1-2 drops for each use. There are few exceptions like lavender and tea-tree(melaleuca). Here I wanted to put together a 10 point guide for getting started with these nature's therapeutic gifts. Once safely started, the world of aromatherapy is abundant with knowledge to learn and experiment. 

Firstly, essential oils are not oils as they do not contain fatty acids. they are highly concentrated plant constituents providing several medical benefits.

1. Never use essential oils neat on skin - always mix pure essential oils with carrier oils like jojoba oil, grape-seed oil, aloe oil before using on skin. There are some exceptions but dilution does not affect the results. Better be safe.
2. Little goes a long way - This is very potent stuff. You do not need more than few drops at a time. For each 10 ml of carrier oil only needs 5 drops of essential oil (2.5% dilution).
3. Store in dark glass bottles - away from direct sunlight. They are highly volatile and sunlight and heat can hamper their potency.
4. High antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptics and antiviral properties - Most EO's possess these properties. They are great for fighting infections and cleaning purposes. Lemon, tea-tree, lavender, peppermint, rosemary are my favs.
5. Great for acne - EO get quickly absorbed into the skin as have tiny molecules. They are not oils so work great for oily skin. Take facial steam or mix with jojoba oil and massage into skin. I do this daily and love the results. Lavender, tea-tree, sweet orange,  ylang yang are my favs.
6. Great moisturizer and anti-wrinkle for dry skin - Lavender, lemon, sandalwood, ylang yang are very moisturizing and enhances collagen creation in skin.
7. Great moisturizer and anti-wrinkle for oily skin - Lavender, rosemary, sweet orange saves oily skin from drying out of using acne products. In fact using these alone can cure acne too. I use them daily and swear by the great results.
8. Inhale relaxation - Just rub few drops on your palm to inhale and experience great relaxation, soothing and calm. Or out few drops in the soak bath, or your body scrub. Lavender, sweet orange, sandalwood, cedarwood are my favs
9. Only Buy Pure Essential Oils - Only buy therapeutic grade essential oils. All oils are not very expensive and they last years. Recommended MountainHerbs & Edens Garden
10. Alert - If you are allergic to any food, you probably are to that plant's essential oil. Remember essential oils are plant concentrates. So never forget that.

Still in doubt? For baby steps just buy pure lavender essential oil (click to buy) and you probably would only need one for everything you have been looking for.

10 Must Haves For Your Perefct LipColor Kit

Image Source

How many lipsticks do you own? How many do you really use? 

How many of them did you throw, as they expired, and realized, 'ahh! I wish I used it a little more'.

These are the best questions we can ask ourselves to build a perfect custom fit lipstick kit. A trip to the cosmetic store or the cosmetic section of a drugstore and we walk out buying a new lipstick very often. Lipstick is the most basic yet most alluring of all the makeup items. The gorgeous color collections of the lipstick world is captivating. The options are endless. But like for everything, the most important thing is a strong foundation. 

All the colors available, fall in few major categories. 2 colors from each category; one light another dark or one bright another neutral; is a great start of a basic kit that will fit every occasion.

Mauves/Plums 

My favs are; 

Maybelline Color Sensational Mauve Mania, Dior Catwalk Mauve, Clinique A Different Grape

Nudes/Browns 

My favs are; 

Revlon Super lustrous Sandalwood Beige, Revlon Super Lustrous Pink Pearl, Nars Sheer Autumn Leaves

Reds

My favs are: 

MAC Russian Red, Maybelline Color Sensational Vivids On Fire Red

Pinks 

My favs are; 

Revlon Super Lustrous Softsilver Rose, Maybelline Color Sensational Vivids Vivid Rose, NARS Bright Fuchisa

Corals

My favs are; 

NYX Femme, NYX Cherry Cheese Cake, MAC Vegas Bolt, Maybelline Stay With Me Coral

My favs are based on my medium color skin with neutral undertones. All the major color categories have several shades to match your undertones. Pick up those that light up your face. 

Another important thing to keep in my mind is texture. Each one has its own needs. However, I still believe cremes and satins can always be the go to texture. Layer them to get deeper pigments or just apply one layer to keep it sober. I have been a fan of sheer lip glosses  They come handy to jazz up any lip color for those special occasions. 

These categories are just to get started with a perfect kit. But play with all the beautiful colors and keep building your collection.

Have a great weekend all!

All About Makeup Brushes

All skills need a specific set of tools. Every makeup lover would feel incomplete without the right makeup brushes in their toolkit. However, for the non-experts, the beauty stores have enough variety of brushes to confuse. Makeup brushes can be expensive so must be a wise buy. So how many brushes do you really need? And what kind?

TIP 1 : Choose the material - Synthetic brushes are best suited for cream or liquid makeup. Natural brushes for dry or powder makeup.

More is not always the merrier. These 7 essential makeup brushes will complete any makeup toolkit. 

Foundation Brush - round , fluffy and flat top brush is perfect for blending and buffing and giving you the perfect smooth canvas for makeup. Synthetic brushes are great for all cream or liquid foundations.

Powder Brush - round, large and soft natural brush works great for all powder makeup application. This shape brush and the natural material gives a even finish without excess product on the face.

Eyeshadow Brush - You want the maximum pigment from all those pretty eye shadow palettes. So find a natural, stiff and flat brush. This will deposit the most amount of product to give the best of any color.

Eyeshadow Blending Brush - natural, flower shape, soft. The brush that really defines your eyes by getting into the crease.

Eyeliner Brush - angled synthetic brush. The angled cut makes it easy to get the perfect eyeliner every single time. Its better synthetic as it is used for precise application and should be stiff.

Lip Brush - small, flat, round tip brush. Preferably synthetic. 

Blush Brush - medium size, soft, dome shape natural brush. Its long natural bristles gives just the right application to give life to the cheeks.

TIP 2: Keep It Clean - Synthetic brushes can be washed with regular shampoo and warm water. For natural brushes use a brush cleaner like Sephora Purifying Brush Shampoo ($6 at Sephora). Clean you brushes at least once a week. Always dry them lying flat on a surface.

DIY Tinted Lip Balm

ImageSource

I have always bought dozens of lipsticks and lip glosses, like any other gal, despite the fact that only few of the fav shades get used till the end. Then came the vibe for going all organic and the tinted organic lip balms were all over my closet and handbags. They are better for the lips and finish up unlike the big and never ending lipsticks. So what to do with those lipsticks lying around?

DIY Tinted Lip Balm

Image Source

You would need only 3 things below -

• Lipstick of the size of your pinky nail, from cuticle to tip of finger
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon grated beeswax  click to buy

1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan on low heat and stir until everything melts. This takes less than 1 min. Do not bring to boil.
2. Put in your favorite container and wait for 1 min to let it set.
3. Put it in fridge for half an hour.
4. Enjoy your own homemade tinted lip balm made in no time.

Beeswax can be either bought online or is also easily available in local craft stores, both as a block or beads.

The lip balm containers are easily available in local craft stores (like Michales in the US)  if you do not have an empty one in home. 

Food For Beauty

We eat with our eyes - how about if the food is for eyes?
We eat to energize - how about if we eat to beautify?

Every action has a reaction. The food we eat has its affect on our bodies in someway or another. Good thing we can choose foods which will react to help us. And for this post to beautify us. I have always wondered why some people look more beautiful as they age while some don't. The reason is not just circumstances but also how we feed our bodies. As no matter how stressed out one is, they will have a food that takes away all the stress. So apparently, food is responsible for everything.
I want to share some beauty foods for head to toe, based on personal experience, mommy's books and latest researches.

Facial Skin - The most expensive part of any appearance...check you last 6 months cosmetics, skin care, salon, spa bills. The saying is put good in get good out not put good on get good out.  Natural foods fight the most common issues - 

• wrinkles - food rich in antioxidants and vitamin C like pepper, pomegranate,broccoli, cabbage,cocoa 
• hyper pigmentation - soy protein and vitamic C rich foods
• redness - foods that reduce inflammation like green tea
• acne - food rich in fiber, zinc, vitamins like beans and fresh fruits

Hair - Healthy hair essentially needs sufficient iron, protein, biotin  vitamin B5, vitamin D, vitamin C. Grab these foods

Under Eye Circles - This is the thinnest skin area and gets most affected by in and out flow of fluids in the body.  Also remember, osmosis - water travels from areas of low salt to high salt. So, first avoid high sodium foods. Eat natural diuretic foods. Also foods rich in essential fatty acids helps the most sensitive skin area to heal and stay radiant. Your foods are

Valentine's Special - Red Dress Syndrome

Ready for that perfect valentine Party with your Husband/ Boyfriend? The perfect hair do, smoky eyes, wow makeup and the most beautiful “RED DRESS”, You just can’t take your eyes off the mirror and your partner can not take his eyes off you. That sounds like the start of a Perfect Valentine’s Day!

But the tale is never complete without a twist. You enter the Party and suddenly your smiling face turns all sad. Why?

Because almost every girl in the Party is wearing a red dress, just because red is the color supposed to be worn on Valentine’s…..and those 2 other Girls who went to the same store as yours, are wearing exactly the same dress as you.Lets be honest, none of us Girls would want to land up at a place where they are looking dressed up like twins. So, let this not happen to any of us. 

Break the Red Dress Syndrome for Valentine’s.....

Here is a list of few other options which can make you the cynosure of the party and this time around....Show some, Hide Some ;).

If you’re showing off your legs, cover up your upper body and vice versa. Leave some room for curiosity;-)  

1)      Shorts with a little bling / Lace shorts with shirt and a Jacket  Get It Here

2) Palazzo Pants with Off-shoulder or one- shoulder top. (Do not forget your highest pair of heels)

Get It Here

3) Trendy & Stylized Jumpsuits.  Get It Here

4)  Sequined Golden/ silver skirt with bright or light colored shirt/ top.

Grab One From Here

5)  Colored Denims/ Satin trousers with Sleeveless/ Off shoulder/ One shoulder Peplum top.

Try Colored Denim & Peplum Tops Here

Extra Tips As Tricks :

1)      Keep your makeup minimal and fresh.

2)      Don’t go overboard with jewelry, if your outfit has blings.

3)      This is the day for your High Heels! Wear wedges if you’re uncomfortable with stilettos.

4)      Don’t forget manicure & pedicure for beautiful hands and legs.

Go win yourself lots of compliments.