Make Your Eyes Pop!

Does the thought of applying eyeshadow leave you baffled? Where does that go? What brush makes it do that? What color is right for me? ..I know, I know..it is the number one thing that intimidates women around the world. Here is a simple highlighting technique that fakes out the look of multiple shades of shadows in a simple natural and eye opening finish that only requires one light shimmer shadow.

1. Apply light shimmering shadow to the inner corners of your eyes. 

2. Apply shimmer to the lower lash line, concentrating on the outer corner. 

3. Apply shimmer shadow along the brow bone. 

4. Finish with mascara. 

Lala xoxo

Glow On! : How To Sunless Tan.

Summer. Glowing skin, radiant complexions, healthy tones...all of these things come with the season. As we transition out of the Summer and into the Fall our skin cell turnover changes speed and the lack of exposure to the outdoors we loose that lustre. There is no need to lose that healthy glow that you acquired this summer with the help of sunless tanners and gradual tanners. Here is a guide on what they are and how to use them.

Have you ever asked yourself, how does a sunless tanner work? Sunless tanning products contain dihydroxyacetone..but let's just call it DHA. DHA is a colorless sugar that interacts with the dead skin cells located above the top layer of skin cells and creates a protein chemical reaction that changes the color of the dead skin cells. On the market, you have a choice of how tan you would like to be ranging from just a sheer glow to a dark tan. That is all based upon how much DHA is in the product. DHA is also the ingredient that gives sunless tanners the oh so lovely stench that they are famous for. Recently cosmetic chemists have found a way to encapsulate the DHA in a fragrance molecule, lessening the scent of the DHA and making it more pleasant. Also, most sunless tanners no longer turn the skin orange as they have also put a color correcting pigment in their formulations, leading to a perfect bronze.  At any given time, each person has up to 40 layers of dead skin cells on their epidermis. As the top layer of dead skin cells exfoliate and slough off, so does the look of the sunless tanner.

So now that you know how a sunless tanner works, let's talk about the options to apply and what is best for you and how to use them.

Gradual Tan: This is great if you just want to maintain a healthy glow and a great option for those that do not want to sport a tan in the fall but want to have a little lustre to their skin. You would apply gradual tanner as your daily moisturizer. Gradual tanner has the lowest amount of DHA in it so it is more flexible.

Spray Tan: A personal Favorite of mine..because I want faster results and am pretty lazy about it. For a successful spray tan, simply shower and exfoliate. It is recommended with this method to exfoliate and shave so that the spray evenly adheres to the freshest layer of dead skin for even application. Moisturize and let the moisturizer set on your skin for about 15 minutes. Cover your hair in a shower cap and spray skin. Spray behind your back, your sides and do not rub in. That is the benefit of this application as you do not need to rub it in and you can get the hard to reach places. Let it dry for 5-10 minutes and then you can go about your business.

Mousse and Lotions: You will still want to cleanse and exfoliate your skin however most formulations do not require you moisturize but have built in moisturizers into the formula. A best practice is to apply your sunless tanner with a sunless tanning glove/mitt for even application. You would apply your sunless tanner to your glove/mitt (or you can use your bare hands as well, just ensure you are keeping your hand closed in a cup formation so that your fingers do not create streaking), then rub in the sunless tanner starting with the largest part of your body and blending it out to the smaller parts of your body. Example, start with your thigh, then move to your calf and ankle, then with the left over product on your mitt lightly brush over your knee cap. Knees and elbows should be saved for last and applied with leftover product residue from the hand since there are more layers of dead skin and those areas tend to grab darker.  Wash your hands, let your body dry for 10-15 minutes and then you can go about your business.

A final tip as well is to sunless tan before you go to bed so that your sunless tanner can develop generally undisturbed. DHA takes between 6-8 hours to develop completely with the protein in your dead skin cells. Avoid contact with water and solutions before that time period. In the morning, you can rinse off the sunless tanner and enjoy your sunless glow for about 3-5 days.

Glow on!
Lala xoxo

When Life Gives You Acne..Make A Lemon Mask!

Lemon Juice & Aspirin Blemish Mask. 

Nothing can ruin a day quite like a blemish attack. Here is a very easy and efficient way to clear up blemishes at home.

You will need:
Lemon Juice- To brighten the skin
Aspirin- For the Salicylic Acid benefits and acne treatment
Baking Soda- For texture and to neutralize the salicylic acid

1. Mash up 6-12 non-coated aspirins and combine with freshly squeeze lemon juice.
2. Let the aspirin dissolve until it turns into a paste.
3. Apply the mask to your skin and leave it on for 10 minutes.
4. Remove the face mask by dipping a cotton round in some baking soda and some water.
Enjoy your bright complexion!

Lala xoxo

Trend Alert: At Home Caviar Manicure.

The hottest nail art trend this year is the Caviar Nail. The Caviar trend is using a Glass Micro-Bead as a top coat, creating a glamourous and luxe effect. This look is great for special occasions or when you just want to be extra fabulous. Here is the simple steps of how to create your own at home Caviar nail art look.

1. Apply a clear base coat.

2. Apply a coat of a full coverage base color that coordinates with the same color as your beads. Nail polishes with no shimmer that are more opaque work best.

3. Apply a generous, thick second coat of your polish one finger at a time and sprinkle the glass micro-beads on your nail. (A best practice is to have a bowl beneath to catch all of the micro-bead fall out from your nail.)

4. Press the beads gently in to set, then move on to the next nail.

This fashion forward manicure will last between 24-48 hours for your special occasion and will turn heads!

Waves: Three Ways To Beach Hair.

Sexy, tousled tresses are all the trend this season and as the cherry on top of this style, it's also very easy and user friendly. Here are three ways to sexy beach hair.

Salt Sprays. 
Spritzing on a salt styling spray acts as a curl and wave activator and gives that stylishly yet controlled messy look of spending all day at the beach. Many companies make these salt based sprays however, you can make them at home as well. In an 8 oz spray bottle mix 3 teaspoons of salt and a drop of either hair shine serum/oil or even a pinch of hair conditioner. Fill the bottle with water, shake and spritz.

A best practice is to use on dry hair, then scrunch. There are no rules so just have fun and try new things!

Barrel Curling.
Taking any traditional curling iron and wrapping your hair around it while the barrel remains vertical. Traditionally curling hair is where your hair strand remains in place where the barrel clips on and rotates around the hair strand. Barrel curling for looser curls works in the opposite way and gives a more modern look.

Hair Buns and Braids.
Wash your hair and then section it of into fours. Create four buns or two braids and secure them in place. Allow them to dry for 8 hours and then unwrap them, loosening the waves with your fingers. You can then add a pinch of salt spray for even extra definition.

Lala xoxo

Eau My!: Do It Yourself Fragrance.

The start of a day is not complete without a touch a fragrance.  Here is a great easy way to make your own fragrance at home with your favorite scents.

Find any esscential oil you like at your local health food store in the beauty isle. Experiment and smell to find a scent that you like. In a bowl mix 2 cups of water, 3 tablespoons of vodka and 5 drops of the essential oil of your choice. Mix the ingredients together and pour into a glass container. Store in a cool, dry place.

If you are feeling creative, try mixing some of your favorite essential oils together to create your own creation!

Lala xoxo

Perfect Ink: Steps To Flawless Liquid Liner.

The liquid liner..one of the most intimidating cosmetics known to womankind. From smudging the application, making skips, wobbly lines and mastering symmetry from one eye's look to the next..it can be scary. The good news? There are ways to cheat and get a flawless liquid line that will make your hand look like a steady eddie!

Step 1: If you have oily lids, then no matter whether you’re wearing shadow or not, it’s best to apply primer and some powder onto the lids to keep them dry so your liner does not smudge or break down over the day.
Step 1: If you have oily lids, then no matter whether you’re wearing shadow or not, it’s best to apply primer and some powder onto the lids to keep them dry so your liner does not 
smudge or break down over the day.


Step 2: This is the cheater's way of doing it! Take a regular eye pencil and lightly sketch out your line. This is easier to gain a steady hand with and if you make a mistake is easier to remove. Tip: Always start with they eye that you are less comfortable with first!


Step 3: Apply your liquid liner as a top coat over your pencil sketch. This adds a sharpness and shine but is easier to top off. It also will hide any skips and uneven lines. 


Then practice makes perfect! 


Lala xoxo