how to pack a makeup bag

Make no mistake: there is a definite art to packing the perfect makeup bag.  If you’re like us, you prefer not to leave the house without a few basics for mid-day touch-ups or in-flight primping. Unfortunately, deciding between products can be a challenge, especially if you plan to create a few different makeup looks from one kit. Here are some quick tips to master the packing essentials: what you need, what won’t weigh your purse down and what to skip.

 1. Plan ahead: Unless you’re a budding YouTube beauty guru or celebrity makeup artist, most of us end up using our same favorite products repeatedly for our daily “look”.  Think about what you use everyday and give top priority to these staples. Eyeliner, mascara, a nude lipstick, whatever they may be – set these aside first.  If you have space afterwards then throw in that fun lip color, a bronzer or a great eyeshadow so you can switch up your look if you want.

2. Embrace the multi-taskers: Benefit’s “Benetint,” the famed Nars “Laguna/Orgasm” blush and bronzer palette: they’re classics for a reason. If cutting down on space is your goal, look for products that serve two purposes and leave you with room in your kit.  For example, a cheek stain in a flattering coral or rose can double as a lip tint, leaving room for eye products.

3. Invest in to-go brushes: There’s no reason to cram full-sized makeup brushes into a smaller travel bag.  The bristles will end up crushed, and those heavy handles add unnecessary weight.  Leave these brushes on your vanity at home for morning application and invest in a quality travel set, like this Bobbi Brown collection, for the road.

4. Shrink your bag: Another tip for conserving space is to replace your staple products with their more petite versions.  Take your favorite perfume for example, many brands offer a roller-ball tube size rendition of their standard larger bottle, allowing you to have your signature scent no matter where you’re headed.  Also, the next time you go to your favorite beauty counter to replace your foundation, ask for samples in your shade (perfect for when you’re going through airport security).  By packing your products sensibly you’ll be ready for any adventure.

5. Know what you love: Sometimes there’s no magic do-it-all product that works for your lifestyle.  If it’s worth it to tote around three travel sized products and two full-sized ones that you absolutely love, than do it, because what makes sense for you is really what matters!

4 Homemade Remedies For Split Ends

Split ends…those feathery tips that make hair look dull and messy – is one nuisance that most of us experience no matter how you treat well your hair.. of course, aside from having coarse textured hair. If you are one beauty addicts who love experimenting different types of tools and new hair products, your hair is presumably exposed to some nasty chemicals that alter the natural protein bonds in your hair, causing them to look brittle and lifeless.

I used to grow my hair longer that’s why I despise the regular hair trimming but glad that I’ve found some simple do-it-yourself remedy that you can prepare using ingredients that mostly available in the kitchen.

Obviously, the best antidote is a constant trim, but there are solutions that you can do to temporarily heal frays or prevent them.

1Egg and Avocado Treatment

This is one of my favorite hair mask as avocado is loaded with proteins and Vitamins (especially Vit E) that are essential to repair, nourish and hydrate damaged,lackluster hair. Olive oil is known as a great moisturizer that attracts and seal the moisture that treat split ends and brings your hair back to life. While egg the whites will seep into the hair, making your hair follicles stronger and healthier. In addition, the nutrients found in egg whites work much like conditioners to add shine, texture and volume.

Ingredients:

1 avocado, pitted and skinned

1 egg white

3 tablespoons olive oil

Puree the avocado in a blender and mix with olive oil and the egg whites until you obtain a creamy consistency like conditioner. Apply the mixture to each section of your hair, cover with a shower cap and let sit for 30 – 45 minutes. Shampoo and rinse thoroughly and style as usual.

2Papaya Pack

Papaya is filled with amino acids and proteins that help restore hair’s natural shine and softness while removing build up and residue from cleansing products and chemicals. Yogurt is rich in lactic acid, and has natural antibacterial and anti-fungal properties that works to stimulate hair growth and fight dandruff by acting as a natural cleanser that tightens and clarifies the pores on your scalp.

Ingredients:

1 papaya, de-seeded and skinned

1 cup plain yogurt

Grab your de-seeded and skinned papayas as well as the yogurt and throw them in a blender to make a puree or until you obtain a smooth consistency. Apply the mixture to your hair, and cover with a shower cap and let it sit for 30 – 45 minutes. Wash off the mixture and rinse thoroughly.

3Beer Rinse

source

So now you have all the reason to stock up for the 6-packs. It may sound ridiculous but beer does delightful things for a person’s scalp as it is popular in treating dry hair. The malt nourishes and smooths your locks, while yeast fortifies your hair strands and inflate the volume.

Use a spray bottle and fill it with left over beer and spray it on your dry hair. Use a wide-tooth comb to gently comb your hair after application. This way, you will be spreading the beer onto your hair properly. Just make sure to shampoo and rinse completely to eliminate the reeks of beer scent.

4Hot Oil Treatment

Ingredients : Olive oil or castor oil or almond oil or coconut oil

This is a very popular treatment not only for hair splits but also to moisturize your hair. Warm the oil and massage your hair with it, from head to the ends. You can use any one oil or all together in equal amounts.

Make sure you let the oil cool down and apply the warm oil. Massage and then cover your hair with a shower cap for 30-40 minutes. This absorbs the nutrients, gives a smooth look to your hair and also removes spilt ends. Wash your hair properly with shampoo. Oil treatment moisturizes your dry, damaged hair.

curl your hair with socks- no heat

Having a long hair is both a pleasure and a huge responsibility to yourself, and until recently it was also an expensive look. I find it hard to believe that all I needed to have a great looking curly hair in the morning was a plain sock, so I won’t hold it against you if the first instinct would be to raise your eyebrows in disbelief. Bear with me and pay close attention to this incredibly simple process that will literally change your appearance overnight.

1Grab a regular sock and cut the toe off before rolling it into what will look like a bun made of fabric.

2Start rolling to make it like a doughnut.

3Put your hair into a ponytail and the higher it is the better the results will be, because the hair needs to be pulled through the bun-like sock.

4One important detail is to sprinkle some water on the otherwise dry hair without getting it wet, just a little damp as it has to dry over the night.

5Pull the hair through the sock and spread it evenly over it, so when you roll it down it will completely encroach the fabric and the result would look like a bun covered in hair.

6You can safely go to sleep and enjoy the night because it won’t produce the slightest discomfort and there are no follow-up procedures.

You will sleep well and by the time you wake up you will have a great looking, curly hair with no effort.

For those who are visual learners, here’s a quick how-to video!

silk pillowcases eliminate wrinkles n hair loss wowwww

We spend approximately 7 to 8 hours every single night of our life sleeping and considering the fact that most of us are side sleepers, this sleeping position tend to cause crease marks on our face. Believe it or not, more than 90% men and women snooze on their sides and the majority of people find it difficult to vary positions or try to sleep lying on their backs.

All through the peaceful sleeping time, skin produces new cells doubly as quick as during the time that we are alert. As our bodies age, our elastin and collagen grow less resilient which suggests those creases could last all day or perhaps forever.

My silk pillowcase journey culminated when some friends tell me that I spend a lot of money for things that are not absolutely necessary. In most cases they are absolutely right, therefore I accept the criticism because it is based on solid evidence. One thing that I don’t appreciate is people telling me that silk pillowcases are a waste of money or at least an unnecessary luxury.

If you are facing the same type of criticism, I’ll lend you a helping hand by presenting you a brief list of benefits that you could use in future arguments. I’ve always liked the feeling of silk touching my skin, so I was of course thrilled to hear that this remarkable material contains many of the essential proteins that also exist in human skin. Even its pH is the same, so when you go to sleep it does more than caressing your face and body, as it speeds up the cell renewal process and decreases the effects of aging.

Many of you are probably using cotton pillowcases, and while they’re not necessarily bad for your skin they are not even remotely as good as silk. The latter helps with hydration, doesn’t soak up the moisture and as a result the skin is more elastic and has less wrinkles. If you are using beauty creams before going to sleep, then you would also appreciate the fact that silk doesn’t absorb them which means that the concoction remains on your skin longer and gets absorbed into the pores.

Why Do Silk Pillowcases Offer Extra Benefits Over Cotton Counterparts?

1Did you know that silk is the closest thing to human skin? It consists of 18 of the vital proteins which are present in our skin and is even the exact pH as our skin, rendering it an effective counter towards premature aging.

2While cotton is known to be a highly absorbent fabric, silk won’t absorb the natural moisture in your skin. Which leads to an improved hydration, much better skin suppleness plus reduced lines and wrinkles. Bottom line, the moisture retention from silk pillow cases is a vital aspect in delaying the skin aging process. Likewise, it doesn’t assimilate the beauty creams and lotions even the serums which you apply at bedtime, enabling them to perform better and to adhere longer.

3The smooth buttery fabric also has natural cellular albumen fiber, which assists for a quicker cell renewal – which is additionally, an excellent defense to a drab skin tone and protect against aging.

4Using silk sheets and pillows give you a soft silky surface for the face, therefore you never get out of bed with the sleep crease or sleep line that happen to be normal using various pillow fabrics.

5Silk is a natural heat regulator – it preserves the body’s temperature and doesn’t transmit heat or static electricity. As a result, it contributes greatly maintaining heat on chilly nights while keeping you cool during the warm months.

6Sleeping on silk could actually help protect against hair from thinning… seriously! Cotton materials might appear soft, however they contribute to friction – gripping and yanking at our hair strands as we move in our sleep – resulting in hair damage as well as split ends. Silk, on the hand, is substantially smoother, so tresses basically glides on the surface even you constantly twist and turn during slumber.

7Silk consists of proteins in which a healthy hair follicle requires, which means that as you go to sleep, your tresses is being nurtured, appropriate for people who are follicle-challenged. Plus considering the fact that silk snares less body heat in comparison with other textiles, you’ll get up without a messy bed sans frizzy locks.

To sum it up, I undoubtedly noticed a considerable difference in the moisture levels of my skin plus I feel more fresher every time I get out of bed every morning, so make this affordable luxury a beauty mainstay.

home made brown hair colour

I’ve been rockin’ my brown long hair for more than five years now and it gives me too much upkeep when the color starts to fade out. Since cutting short isn’t an option, off the internet I trolled for a DIY color booster that won’t make my hair smells weird and decided to give it a try.

In case you are a DIY maven and interested in intensifying up your hair color job or perhaps enhance the glow you’re currently dealing with, I’m here to inform you that more noticeable, intense shade is no further than your pantry and learn the easy tips for boosting your hair color – naturally.

Certainly, there are various “magic-bullet” options out there with color-enhancing promises, however brewing your own concoction at the comfort of your home guarantees that you’re placing a harmless, natural product on your own mane instead of the ones loaded with harsh chemicals and ingredients you can hardly enunciate.

You’ll Need:
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon apple-cider vinegar

Whip all the required ingredients into a paste. Shampoo your hair first and rinse making sure to squeeze out all the excess water before applying the mixture. Let it stay for approximately 2 to 3 minutes. If you are not in the shower, you can use a towel and drape it around your neck to prevent the mixture from dripping, as it may stain skin temporarily. Rinse, then style as usual.

It did some wonder actually!

Though the result was kind of subtle however it really brings out the richer and deeper brunette tones in my hair. It made my hair highlights more darker plus everything is visually brighter and less dull. I’m quite enthusiastic about the way this worked out as this is something that I could implement each time I noticed my hair required some brightening without the need of tackling the inconveniences of basically coloring my locks.

So how exactly does it works? Cocoa powder results in a more intense, richer brown. The honey moisturizes locks while the acids in the yogurt and apple-cider vinegar seep through the hair shaft, helping the cocoa to penetrate through plus enhancing the brownish hair color to a richer, more intense shade.

10 ways to wake up gorgeous

IMAGE: GETTY

Sometimes looking in the mirror first thing in the morning can be… challenging. Messy hair, dark circles, puffy face. Unless you’re Karlie Kloss, chances are it’s not a pretty sight. But it doesn’t have to be that way, check out our tips for looking sexy when you wake up—even if it’s 6 AM.

1. Change Your Sleep Style

Bad news for stomach sleepers.

The average head weighs 7 to 8 pounds—that’s a lot of pressure to be putting on your face night after night. In fact, most dermatologists can tell what side of the face you’re sleeping on by the number of wrinkles there. Eek.

If you just can’t sleep on your back, try sleeping on your side with a body pillow. Your face won’t be as smashed into the pillow.

For those of you who are fortunate enough to be back-sleepers, try throwing an extra pillow under your head. Gravity helps lymph and blood flow so fluid won't accumulate. In other words, wake up without any puff in your eyes.
 

2. Whiten Your Teeth

Long gone are the days of sitting around waiting for sticky strips to whiten your teeth. Products like Crest Night Effects are formulated for nighttime use. Simply paint a bit of the product on each of your “smile teeth” and wake up with a whiter smile.
 

3. Moisturize Your Feet

What better time to sleep with comfy socks than winter? Slick a coat of super thick moisturizer onto feet—or even better, Aquafor or Vaseline. Slip on socks to lock in moisture. Feet will be pedicure-soft in the morning. 

If you’re a deep sleeper, you can also apply lotion to your hands and wear gloves while you sleep. You may feel silly, but you will wake up with hands that are soft and beautiful.
 

4. Try Frownies

Wearing Frownies—which you would never wear in public—while you sleep helps prevent lines and wrinkles around the eye and mouth areas. Of course, you can stick to your regular ol’ night cream, but chances are it rubs off during the night.
 

5. Add Volume

Piling hair on to the top of your head with a soft hair tie (scrunchie, anyone?) will add major volume in the morning.  Be sure to use something soft to pull hair up to avoid crimping and kinking.
 

6. Treat Your Hair While You Sleep

Once a week, try sleeping with a deep conditioner or night-time treatment on your hair. 

Frederic Fekkai’s Nightime Follicle Boosting Treatment claims to energize the hair follicle with oxygen, marine glycogen, and caffeine while you sleep to stimulate the growth of thicker, fuller hair. 

7. Wake Up Glowing

Mix in a drop of self-tanner with your night cream, or try using a moisturizer that already contains a bit of tanner. This is best done a solid hour before bed, so nothing rubs off when you sleep.
 

8. Sleep on Satin

To minimize the dreaded morning bed-head, sleep on a satin pillowcase, or tie a silk scarf around your hair. It’s a much softer material than cotton, so there's less friction to cause frizz.
 

9. Sleep in Your Makeup

You heard us. Bare Escentuals’s Rare Minerals line makes a Skin Revival Treatment, which is basically a foundation that treats skin. Said to renew skin, fight lines, and reduce pores, this is one makeup you can fall asleep while wearing.
 

10. Lash Out

Said to increase the appearance of lash length by 152 percent (!), Tarte MultiplEYE Lash Enhancer is the perfect before-bed eye treatment. The best part? The $65 price tag is a lot more affordable than Latisse.

Make ur own bracelet

It’s no secret that most of us love envisaging a new DIY projects and that’s include myself. Thus, one look that I’ve been eyeing for some time is the stackable bracelets and arm candy though I don’t normally buy lot of accessories. This is the reason why I like to make my own bracelets because they are effortless to create and the ones you see in the stores are ridiculously expensive, some have the price tag of up to $50 bucks. If you are anything like me (cheap, picky, always on the go), then this DIY chain bracelet is for you.

So I trolled the internet to search for inspiration and to give you the step- by – step tutorials of one of my favorite arm party revelers, the chain bracelet.

I admit am no connoisseur to perfect this arm candy accessories, but with the help of this tutorial, even the least crafty gal out there can turn into a Martha Stewart wannabe. The good thing about tackling this project, it is super cheap and most of the supplies are available at your local craft store.

Cut 2 sets of 15 strands of embroidery thread, making sure each strand measures 4x the length of the chain bracelet. Knot all the threads at the top, leaving about 2 inches of slack. Sandwich each set between a bobby pin – this will help you easily weave the threads through the links of the bracelet. Lay the threads to the left of the bracelet. Pull the first color (coral) from under the first link and over the top of the left side.

Lay the second color (blue) over the first color (coral). Pull the second color (blue) from under the same link and over the top left again. Repeat the steps, moving onto a new link: put the first color (coral) on top of the second color (blue) and pull it out from under the 2nd link and over the top left. Lay the second color (blue) on top of the first color (peach) and pull it out from under the 2nd link and over the top left again. Because the links of this particular bracelet are large, I wove the threads through twice on each link. If you are using a smaller linked bracelet, you should weave through each link once.

Supplies Needed:
Embroidery thread – (available at your local craft store)
Curb link bracelet – (available at your local craft store)
Scissor
2 Bobby pins

DIY Woven Chain Bracelet Tutorial

Repeat the steps until you reach the end of the bracelet. Finish it with a knot and trim the ends and you’re ready to rock.

Grab all your supplies.