So Berry White! : At Home Tooth Whitening.

Coffee, Tea, Soda, Wine..whatever your guilty pleasure is, you should not have to leave evidence on your teeth! Here is a very simple and inexpensive way to maintenance your dazzling smile with stain-free confidence..

So Berry White!  

What you will need...

- One Strawberry: Strawberries Contain Malic Acid which helps to exfoliate enamel discoloration and lift stains.

- 1/2 tsp. of Baking Soda: To activate the Malic Acid and act as an oxygenating delivery system.

Mash the strawberries with the baking soda to create a paste. Apply on your teeth with a toothbrush and leave the mixture on for 5 minutes. Then, rinse and brush your teeth with your usual toothpaste.

You can repeat this whitening routine up to once a week or just occasionally as needed. Enjoy flashing those dazzling pearly whites!

Lala xoxo

Oh Sugar! : Homemade Exfoliating Mask

As we transition from the end of Summer to the beginning of Fall, the metabolism in our bodies and skin is inconsistent. You may notice that where you were oily, you are now dehydrated or where you are dehydrated you are now oily.

You may notice breakouts or flakiness that are not to your usual skin type. This transition phase is unfortunately very typical for this time of year. A common mistake that many of my clients make is to treat their breakouts with harsh acne ingredients and routines which end up causing inflammation and irritation, which in turn make the acne or flakiness more pronounced.

Here is a simple mask to assist your skin through this transitional period, clearing out the dried and keritinized skin, calming inflammation and adding a glow back to your skin.

Oh Sugar!

You will need..

• Sugar- a natural exfoliate and humectant to draw moisture to your skin.
• Water or Olive Oil- To create a slip for the sugar and Olive Oil is a natural replenisher and anti-inflammatory.
• Strawberries- Naturally contain a mild amount of Salicylic Acid which exfoliates the walls of the pore that the sugar can not reach while preventing and treating breakouts.

1. Mix 2 tablespoons of sugar and 3 tablespoons of warm water. (Substitute water with Olive or Sweet Almond Oil if your skin is dehydrated)
2. Once the sugar is diluted (it is important to let it soften and diluted, if sugar is too hard it will tear at your cell membrane causing premature aging and irritation)..apply to skin and exfoliate in circular motions for one minute.
3. Rinse your exfoliator off and then apply mashed up strawberries to your skin and create a mask. Leave on for 5 minutes. Then rinse.

Enjoy this mask whenever you feel as though you need a pick me up or are experiencing transitional skin issues. You can apply this mask up to once a week. So get glowing ladies!

Lala xoxo

The Perfect Nude.

The perfect nude lip is a timeless way to perfect your pout. The nude lip can soften your features, bring out a smokey eye and give you a polished and sultry look. Here are the simple steps to maximizing one of your most used features..

The Perfect Nude.

1. Pick Your Shade. Determine your undertones. The perfect nude compliments your natural undertones. You will want to pick a nude that is congruent to that. So, here is how to determine your undertones..

 We all have undertones and overtones. Your overtones are the overall appearance of your shade. How fair or deep your pigment is, environmental elements such as sun damage, etc..is included in it. This is the actual color of the layer of skin you own. Undertones are the tones that shine from almost within your skin. Blood circulation, etc..also play a large part in how your undertones look.

So flip your wrist, look at your coloring..what do you see? Do you see mostly yellow and beige or do you see pink and red? Do you see none of the above? If you see mostly yellow or beige you have a warm undertone and want to pick a shade of lipstick that has more brown or beige in it. If you see pink or red, you will want to pick a nude with a soft pink base. If you are in between (Note: 85% of the Caucasian population is a Neutral, meaning that they have equal parts warm and cool in their skin)..if that is you,you will want to treat yourself like you have a warm skin tone and choose a beige shade.

2. Feather On Your Lip Liner.  With a nude liner, feather on the liner around your lip line. Feathering your application rather than drawing one blunt line gives your lips the appearance of a poutier and fuller look. Once feathered on, take your pinkie and slightly smudge the line. This will soften the line and give you even more of an optical illusion of fullness.

3. Apply Gloss To The Center Of Your Pout. Apply a small amount of clear gloss to the center of your lip. Applying your gloss prior to your lipstick will allow for a smoother and cleaner application. The texture of the application will look more congruent and sexy. Applying gloss only in the center gives you more control over your product and makes your lips in turn look fuller. The heat of your body temperature will naturally allow the gloss to spread slightly on it's own as well.

4. Finish The Look With Lipstick. With a lip brush, apply your lipstick over your gloss, blending the texture of the gloss and blending the lip liner.

Now, go out there and rock your new perfect nude pout..watch the traffic stop.

Lala xoxo

Easy On The Eyes: Fail Proof Eyeliner Application.

There are many things that can get in the way of a flawless eyeliner application..a steady hand, textured lid or even time. There is an art to applying eyeliner so that it frames and enhances your eye and here is one of my favorite techniques that everyone can use for a fast and flawless eyeliner application.

Fail proof Eyeliner Application.

Holding the skin of your upper lid taut, trace the upper lashes from the inside of the eye with a pencil, or an eyeliner brush dipped in a dark eyeshadow. For a more dramatic look, make the outside line a bit thicker than the inside and extend it just beyond the lash line. Another shape I love is dubbed the "Nike swoosh" -- narrow at inner corners, thicker in the middle and swept up a bit at the outer edge.

Once the line is set, trace over it with a liquid liner. Hand unsteady? Keep your elbow on a table. (You can skip this step, but it will hold the eyeliner longer if you include it).

Set liner with an eyeshadow. This not only keeps your liner on all day but also adds a softness to a harsh line, smoking and framing your eye.

Apply eyeshadow or an eye pencil to lower lashes. I like to use a different color on the bottom lash line. Simply using a black on the top lash line and brown on the bottom can add a soft dimension.  Apply a deep-hued eyeshadow or pencil along the bottom lashes from the outside in. Unless you have wide-set eyes, don't line the entire lower lid. Instead, stop halfway across. If you're using a pencil, smudge the line with your finger so it looks more natural.

That's all there is to it..create a line, define, set..get ready to rock those peepers ladies!

Love,
Lala xoxo

Looks Right Now: Mod Romanace.

What is old is what's new and what is new is old. My favorite part of fashion and beauty is the constant theory of recycling a hot trend from the past and updating it to fit the lifestyle and vibe of today. This fall it is all about the Mod look getting a softening and romantic feel to it.

Monochromatic complexions and lips to bring all the attention to big, bold and wide open eyes. This doe-eyes look has always had a sex kitten vibe throughout the years and now, you can work it into your modern look today. Here are some simple steps and tricks to attain the perfect Mod Romance look...

1. Even Complexion.

- This is a look that requires a matte and even palette. Foundation, concealer and powder are a must have to attain this look. Refrain from complexion products that offer a glow or shine, this look is all matte ladies!

-  Add a blush that is light in color and apply a soft amount just under the cheekbones. Finish off with a nude lip color and then set it with a sheer coat of powder to really set your monochromatic matte stage.

2. All About Eyes.

- Prep the eye with an eyeshadow primer to keep your look on all day before applying a wash of white eyeshadow all over the entire lid.

- Using a black eye pencil, line the top and bottom lid along the lash line. To wing the end of your eyeliner to the perfect cat eye, then line directly on the bottom corner of your eye and wing up, following the natural curve and angle of your eye. That will give you a natural template as to how and where you should wing your liner out. Then, connect your top corner and line the top wing, meeting the bottom line you created.

- Line the inner rim or your eye with a white to open up your eye and give you the doe-eyed effect.

- Take a liquid liner and paint over the black pencil on the top of your lash line. This will add a crispness and shine to the liner you previously did. Applying pencil first as a template and liquid over as a top coat creates a more controlled technique that looks more precise and cleaner since liquid is generally harder to work with freehand.

- Wash a little smoke colored shadow over your crease line to create a smokey contour.

- Lastly, add mascara and don't be conservative. Add multiple coats to both the top and bottom lashes and for extra drama separate the lower lashes into clumps to get that perfect Mod Twiggy effect.

Have fun showing off your inner Mod Romance look ladies!

The Art Of Shaving: The Perfect Shave.

Shaving...it is the bane of my beauty regimen and yet there is nothing short of buying flannel and moving to Seattle that is going to solve that I need to shave. I know that all of you feel the same way..especially where hair tends to be more coarse like the bikini area. Gentlemen go through this each time they so much as think to shave their beard as well so we all feel the pain of having to shave.

There, of course are many alternatives to shaving such as waxing, laser and electrolysis however first, here are some simple steps to achieving the perfect shave for Men and Women.

The Perfect Shave

1. Prepare. Soften the hair and protect the skin. Always shave after a hot shower. Never before. Always use hot water while shaving. Hot water softens the hair, opens the pores and cleanses the skin. Before shaving, apply a Pre-shave oil in coarse areas such as the beard, the bikini and the underarm.

2. Lather Up! For a close and comfortable shave. I recommend using a shaving cream that is glycerin based. Glycerin is a natural humectant, attracting moisture to your skin and protecting it from nasty cuts. I also recommend using a cream that is not in canned form. Any shaving cream that comes in a can uses air as a catalyst ingredient, causing the gel or cream to infuse with the air molecules. These air molecules can create skips in the lather for an uneven shave, causing cuts and or texture inconsistencies. Find a cream in a jar or tube instead.

3. Shave. With a proper technique. Always shave with the grain first, ie: in the direction the hair grows. Shaving against the grain first can cause ingrown hairs and razor burn. For an even closer shave, after shaving with the grain first then re-lather up again and shave then lightly against the grain. This technique of going over the shaved area twice in both directions is perfect also for coarser hair areas such as the beard, bikini and underarms. Note: Your hair pattern and how it grows is individual by person so before shaving, really take a note as to the direction that your hair grows in each area. A common mistake men make is that they shave in the hair pattern on their face the same way they do their neck, when in most cases the hair pattern grows differently on the neck. Women do the same with the bikini area.

4. Moisturize. To soothe and repair. Use an alcohol-free moisturizer. Most after shave balms contain a high content of alcohol. That dries out the skin and causes inflammation and redness. The rule of thumb is if it burns or stings, that is not the idea product to apply after shaving.

Here is to the perfect shave Ladies and Gents!

Lala xoxo

Halo Of Light: Highlightling In A Pinch.

We know ladies, it is easy to feel drab and lacklustre between being on the go, long days and not getting enough rest. So allow me to introduce you to my little friend.

Ladies, meet the highlighting pen. The highlighting pen is a brightener that has just a pinch of concealer for coverage as the base and light reflecting molecules added in the finishing process.

So why is this a good friend to have? Well, to each of our eyes, reality is how our eyes process and see light versus darkness. Human vision is designed to gravitate to light first, processing that information in a split second before processing shadow and darkness. Photographers and artists alike have used this knowledge to produce optical illusions in their work and I, with the help of light reflective pigments that basically soft focus any darkness will teach you some simple highlighting tricks that will make you look so fresh and lifted.

The first step is getting your highlighting pen. There are many grades and varieties of this product and really, nowadays this particular category of product is available in more than half of cosmetic brands out there. The difference between the lower cost  to the higher cost is simply how high of a grade the light reflecting pigments are and how much of this pigment is in your pen.

If you have dark circles and feel like you really need an extra lift, it is worth it to spend a couple extra dollars and get the maximum amount of high grade pigment. If you would just like a small pick me up, a less expensive brand will do.

..Now that you have this pen, let's put it to work! You can see from the photo pre-blended where ideal spots to place highlighter are. Remember, light brings forward and appears to lift to the eye's view so these spots will make your features look more vibrant and lifted.

I suggest also having this be the very last step after any concealer (yes, I do not use this on clients as a concealer even though it has some of those properties. I use it as a booster to concealer). I also suggest having it be the last product you use after your foundation before your powder so that you do not cover it up. If you were to place it on before your foundation, the foundation molecules will cover up the light reflecting molecules.

Lastly, carry this new friend around in your purse. It is perfect for mid-day and after work touch ups. You can touch up in all of the spots you originally started and keep that lift going on throughout the day!

Lala xoxo