Sunday, February 20, 2011

All about Eyelashes!!

All About Lashes!

Long lashes, we aren’t all blessed with them but there are many things we can do to enhance them who doesnt want a lovely frame around the windows to our soul!
We can use volumising and lenghtening mascaras, curl, get lash extensions or apply false eyelashes. So here I’m going to quickly cover mascaras, eyelash tinting, eyelash perming,curlers ,application of false eyelashes and eyelash extentions.

Mascara

What you need to know
·         Mascara is either water soluble or water proof. Water Proof is best left for special occasions or circumstances  that you need water proof as it is more difficult to remove and therefore can weaken lashes
·         Mascara should be replaced after 3-4 months due to bacteria. If you notice an unusual odour coming from the tube, do not use again and toss immediately. Bacteria found on the wand and in the product can lead to severe eye damage and even blindness!
·         Don’t pump the wand in and out of the tube, this does nothing except dry out the product faster
·         Every brand makes promises that their mascara is wonderful etc but don’t judge by the picture in the advert. Alot of cosmetics companies use extentions or enhance the models lashes.

Mascara not only temporarily darkens and colours your lashes it also can dramatically alter the look. 3 common mascaras are volumising, lengthening and curling.
Volumising mascaras are designed to make your lashes look thicker and like you have many of them.
Lengthening is designed to make your lashes appear longer than they really are
Curling mascaras help to curl your lashes, curled lashes help open up your eyes making you look more awake and can help your eyes appear larger
Generally it is not only the formulation that helps you get the desired result it is the mascara wand/brush. For example Avon Super Curlacious has a curved wand which cups your lashes to enhance curl
Avon Super Extend has quite a thin wand which separates lashes and helps them look much longer
Volumising Mascaras often have fat and thick wands (like Cover girl Lash Blast)

Hot tip:if you want curled and long lashes apply a lengthening mascara after using an eyelash curler

Eyelash Tinting
Eyelash tinting is another way to darken your eyelashes. This a perfect option for women who like wearing mascara but either don’t have the time to apply mascara and remove it at the end of the day or someone who has pale lashes and wants around the clock colour to their lashes. There is little need to wear mascara(unless you want to add volume or length,curl can be achieved with an eyelash curler)
Eyelash tinting takes about 10-15 minutes and last 3-5 weeks. It is often done with a vegetable dye. There are at home kits you can buy although I personally feel safer getting them done in a salon
WARNING:. If you choose to get your eyelashes tinted, be sure that the salon is reputable and has a long history of successful eyelash tinting.
Do not go to a salon that has just introduced eyelash tinting on its menu of services--this likely means that the therapist recently learned how to do the procedure. Visit a salon who has been doing it for years instead.In extreme cases, eyelash tinting has been known to cause temporary blindness and severe reactions of the eye. At very least, many women who get their eyelashes tinted experience stinging and watery eyes. This is why it is especially imperative to select a qualified salon that comes highly recommended for eyelash tinting.
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Eyelash Curlers
Ah what a great invention! I personally have a love-hate relationship with eyelash curlers.  On one hand they scare the crap out of me and on the other they really open up my eyes!
An eyelash curler is a nifty tool designed to bend the eyelashes near the eyelid rather than to actually curl the lashes. This helps to lift the lashes away from the eye, this in turn makes your eyes appear wider(open)and a little more dramatic.

There are a few options when it comes to eyelash curlers plastic(in my opinion they are useless),metal(pictured.Can be heated with a hairdryer) or heated lash curlers(which can either be battery operated or plugged in)

Heated Curlers are great as heat helps the curl hold for a longer period of time,although you can get similar results from a metal eyelash curler by blasting it with heat from a hairdryer for a few seconds.
You need to take care when using eyelash curlers, don’t use them after you have applied mascara and do not use them when you are in a rush,if you haven’t fully unclamped them and move your hand away you can weaken or even pull out your eyelashes. Always make sure your eyelashes and eyelash curler are completely clean
How to use an eyelash curler (metal)
  • ·         Make sure eyelashes are completely clean, if necessary use an eye makeup remover to make sure there is no residual mascara left over from the day before.
  • ·         Take your blowdryer and on a low heat setting blaat your eyelash curler for roughly 5 seconds, if it’s too hot let it air cool a bit
  • ·         Open your curler, and clamp the lashes near the roots and hold it for 10-20 seconds, unclamp and remove
  • ·         Quite often I like to them clamp more towards the middle and ends of my lashes for about 8-10 seconds for a more dramatic effect
  • ·         Apply mascara as usual

Eyelash Perming
Now there is another option when it comes to curled eyelashes and it is an eyelash perm. Its a good option for those whose eyelashes don’t hold a curl, are super straight or don’t like eyelash curlers but love curled lashes. I do not know a hell of alot when it comes to eyelash perming but here are the basics

What’s involved: You lie down and close your eyes as your lashes get wrapped around a thin roller .As a protective measure gauze is placed under your eyes. A perming solution is now applied to your lashes and left to set. Other formulas may be brushed onto the lashes for conditioning purposes. This can take up to an hour.
ONLY EVER GET THIS DONE PROFESSIONALLY. NEVER ATTEMPT TO PERM YOUR OWN LASHES OR SOMEONE ELSES UNLESS YOU ARE TRAINED AN QUALIFIED TO DO SO.
Please note that there are very real dangers when it comes to eyelash perming,  if this is something you consider getting done make sure you do your homework so you are well aware of the risks and be doubly sure the person who performs it is highly skilled and trained

False Eyelashes
False eyelashes are used to give you temporary long lashes. They are available in strips or single “clusters”. I have never used “clusters/single” eyelashes so can only really talk about strip lashes.
The way false eyelashes work is you apply the specially desgined eyelash glue to the strip of lashes and once it is tacky you place it as close to your lash line as possible. This can be tricky and take alot of practice but the results are well worth it in my opinion.
False eyelashes come in many different styles from natural,to very long and dramatic and even coloured and designs.
I found applying eyelashes very difficult so I actually cut my falsies in half and just use halves on the outer half of my eyes(it doesn’t look as ridiculous as it sounds).It make applying them so much easier. Here is my simple guide to applying eyelashes(I did have step by step photos but for some reason cannot get them onto my computer!)
  • ·         If using a full strip make sure the lashes fit your lash lash line,if they are too long and wider than your eye trim them using a clean pair of nail scissors or similar smaller scissors(for hygiene I place my scissors in boiling hot water for a few mins then wipe them with an anti bacterial wipe or baby wipe then allow them to dry on a clean paper towel.)
  • ·         Now I usually apply a dab of glue to my plastic eyelash case(after thoroughly cleaning it) and use a cotton tip(Q Tip)dip it into the glue and run it along the base of my eyelash strip
  • ·       Wait for the glue to become “tacky”. Usually the glue will give you a rough guide of how long this will take
  • ·        I usually have a mirror placed on a table of a dresser that I look down into. I take the lash strip and place it as close to my lash line as possible. You may prefer to use tweezers to do this,I just use my fingers.Be careful not to glue the strip to your natural lashes
  • ·         Using your fingers press from end to end and hold until the glue dries. This may be a no no but this is the point I usually push the lashes closer to my lash line if need be.After 30 seconds to a minute the glue should be dry 
Use eyeliner to fill in any gaps between the falsies and your lash line(I use liquid or gel liner)

My next step is I curl the fake lash (also probably a huge no no) and my natural lashes. Then I dust a little translucent powder on my natural lashes(inner half as I only use half strips) and apply and lengthening mascara. The translucent powder helps plump up your lashed without using a volumising mascara so in conjunction with the curler and lengthening mascara I have curlier, thicker, longer lashes. You can use this method when your not using false lashes too!


Eyelash Extensions
A longer lasting alternative to false eyelashes are eyelash extensions. While I love them on other people I had a bad experience which has stopped me from getting them done again,but it all depends on who you go to really
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Like hair extensions,eyelash extensions are used to add length,thickness and fullness to our natural lashes
. It involves, carefully separating the natural lashes with a fine point tweezer to reveal one healthy eyelash. The eyelash extension is then dipped into medical grade adhesive and attached to the natural eyelash. The process is repeated until all eyelashes are covered. The extensions fall out when your natural lash falls out so how long they last depends on what stage of your lash cycle each lash is at. They last roughly 3 weeks but will then require touch ups etc to keep them looking great. Make sure the person who does them is fully trained in doing so



So thats it for now,if you want to know anymore info on lashes leave a request in the comments here,visit my facebook page http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Simply-Stunningly-Gorgeous/156943724335139 or email me at simplystunninglygorgeous@gmail.com

DISCLAIMER: Any information you recieve from my blog is not to replace information or advice given to you by a trained beauty therapist/technician etc or medical professional

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Maybelline Fit Me!

Due for release mid 2011
A brand new product from Maybelline designed to change the way we as women shop for cosmetics
Maybelline Fit Me!!
 
So you’re probably wondering how the Maybelline Fit Me Line is different from all the other Maybelline cosmetics. Well its actually pretty genius.

First of all you find your liquid foundation shade (they are split into 3 sections Light, Medium and Dark and all are numbered) then (now this is the genius part), you select your pressed powder simply by finding the one with the same number as your liquid foundation. How cool is that? It takes most of the guess work out of choosing a powder to match your foundation and as long as you have selected the correct shade of foundation your pressed powder will match!

But that’s not where it ends. Now comes the blush, each shade has matching blush colour options to compliment your skin tone. The same goes with concealer, you will have two options for light,2 for medium and 2 for dark.
 They also have 3 bronzers available for light, medium and dark skin tones, so if you’re a medium you simply grab the bronzer for medium shades etc.

It takes all the guesswork out of selecting your cosmetics! It links various items and shades together making it easier to find your perfect shades!

Items in the Fit Me range use “skin merge technology”. Pretty much it’s a patented formula that aims to match your skin tone and blend quickly.
Fit Me Foundation is medium coverage as it is designed to be pretty natural looking while helping to achieve a flawless look.

The liquid foundation contains an SPF 18 will be available in 18 shades(as if the powder). The concealer will be available in 6 shades and there will be 12 shades of blush.


Maybelline Fit me is also incredibly stylish I mean just check out the packaging of the products






Soooo stylish!
Fit Me has been released in the US and there are quite a few reviews, as with every product not everyone likes it, here is a YouTube review

So while I’m not sure 100% when exactly this will be released in New Zealand, judging by the date the mascara Falsies was released and how far behind we are behind the US I’m pretty sure mid 2011 is pretty accurate
I’m super excited about this line and can’t wait till mid year!

Till next time ladies stay Simply Stunningly Gorgeous!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

20 best buys under $25!


Best Buys under $25!

I am obsessed with affordable beauty. I don’t have the cash spare to spend $50 on a single eye shadow or $90 on foundation, but this doesn’t mean that I can’t look good!
There are so many brands out there that are not only great quality but affordable to boot! So this is my list of (in my opinion) 20 best buys under $25. But before we get into that I would like to share my best kept secret. Most of my best budget beauty buys are from Postie Plus!(sadly they wont be feautured on my list as I cannot guarantee prices)
They have a range of discounted beauty products.Some of my fav purchases have been a Loreal glam shine lipgloss for $10(usually arond $30!) a loreal wear infinite eyeshadow quad in very violet for $10.There arE many more other discounted  brands like Maybelline and rimmel ! So if you have a chance,head to your nearest Postie plus!

Ok so now onto my List of 20 best buys under $25!!

LA Colors Eye Liner Pencil:$5.00

LA Colors Colour Craze Nail Polish:$5.00

Blistex Lip Conditioner:$5.39

Avon Care Deeply Lip Balm with alow vera:$6.99

Designer Brands Nail Polish:$8.99


Designer Brands Concealer:$9.99

Avon Retractable GlimmerSticks Brow Definer:$11.99

Designer Brands Oil free foundation:$14.99

Covergirl Line exact liquid eyeliner pen:Between $13 and $15

Australis Intensifeye eyeshadow quad :$18.60

Avon Super Extend Mascara:$19.99

Avon Super Curlascious Mascara:$19.99

Maybelline NY Dream Mousse Concealer:$20.50

Natio Loose Powder: $21.50

Maybelline NY expert Bronzer:$21.99

Australis Perfection Brush On foundation:$23

Australis Stayput foundation:$23





Australis Mineral Purity Powder foundation:$23

Maybelline NY Dream Mousse Blush:$23.50

Loreal Paris Colour Riche anti age serum:$23.99
 So there you have it,if you would like mini blurbs on each product dont hesitate to ask. A list of where these products are available,links to previous reviews etc will be under the discussion tab on my facebook page http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sfrm=1#!/pages/Simply-Stunningly-Gorgeous/156943724335139

There were some products that didnt make this list as I wanted to vary the brands a bit or they were over $25 but will make another post in the not too distant future with some more bargain buys!

Sunday, January 30, 2011

At home facial- How To

Home Facials

I dont know any woman who doesnt love the way her skin looks and feels after a facial. Sadly the reality is many of us dont have the spare money for a facial, therefore reserve them for a special treat or it doesnt even cross our minds!
So the only alternatives we have are
a)   Hope a family member becomes a beauty therapist and gives you free or mates rates facials
b)   Marry a really rich guy(kidding ladies!)
c)   Do an at home facial
In my case an at home facial is the option I choose!
They are pretty simple to do and your skin looks healthier,smoother and rejuvinated afterwards.
Choose a time of day when you are most likely to be relaxed,when its quiet and your less likely to be disturbed(probably when the kids are in bed)

This a very basic at home facial

For an at home facial you will need
-Washcloth
-Cleanser
-Hot water
-Exfoliant
-Facial Mask
-Toner(optional)
-Moisturiser
- Eye cream(optional)

Step One- First we need to clean the skin to get rid of any dirt or grime.
Using your usual cleanser(for help on finding a cleanser that is right for you here is a link to an earlier post of mine http://simplystunninglygorgeous.blogspot.com/2010/09/technically-day-3-of-7-days-to.html) cleanse your skin thourougly and rinse off using luke warm water. Ensure you thoroughly rinse off your cleanser
Step Two- Take a gentle exfoliant (for more info on exfoliants check out http://simplystunninglygorgeous.blogspot.com/2010/09/welcome-to-day-2-of-7-days-to-beautiful.html)  and use your fingertips to gently massage the product into your  damp face using gentle circular motions,focus more on your problems areas(for me it would be my forehead and nose where I get alot of blackheads). Ensure you thoroughly rinse off your exfoliant.

Step Three- Fill your bathroom basin with warm water ,dip the washcloth in and press against your face,repeat 2-3 times.
Alternatively you can fill a bowl with boiled water,place a towel over your head and put your face over the bowl(not too close!) for 2-5 mins,this is ideal if your chosen facial mask is clay based or fomulated to get rid of blackheads!
Step Four- Apply your chosen face mask. If you have time,set a timer for however long the mask is required to stay on and lie down,play some relaxing music(which you hopefully sorted out before you started) and lie down,close your eyes and relax)
Once the time is up,rinse the mask off,if needed use a soft cloth(I reccommend muslin as it is gentle and as we have already exfoliated a wash cloth/flannel will only aggravate the skin)

Step 5-Now you can apply toner or skip straight to eye cream. Using your  ring finger gently(and I mean GENTLY!) massage the eye cream around the entire eye area
Step 6- Now is time to moisturise.Use a very basic moituriser. Stay away from anything containing retinols or acids as these with over exfoliate the skin.Start from your neck and use a gentle, upwards sweeping motion.Avoid the eye area

Voila! You have just completed your easy peasy at home facial!

Below are some facial masks you can make at home!

Suitable for all skin types
Oatmeal and Yoghurt face mask(smells bad but really works!)
Ingredients:
  • 1 tbsp oatmeal, finely ground
  • 1 tbsp live, organic yogurt (skip the flavored stuff)
  • A few drops of honey
Preparation:
Add the yogurt to the oatmeal in a small bowl and mix together.
Warm a few drop of honey. To do this, warm a spoon under hot water for a minute, then add a few drops of honey to the spoon.
Stir the honey into the yogurt and oatmeal mixture.
Apply the mask to the face. Leave it on for 10 minutes, then rinse off with warm water

Home Made Clay mask
Ingredients:
·         A basic fuller's earth clay, also known as bentonite or green clay (if skin is sensitive, French green clay is a good option)
·         1 tsp honey
·         water (oily skin), half and half (combination skin) or jojoba oil (dry skin)
·         Optional: your favorite essential oil
Preparation:
For this use 2 parts liquid to 1 part clay
Choose your liquid based on your skin type. If you have oily skin, choose water. Combination skin, choose milk or half and half and if you have dry skin, opt for jojoba oil.
Mix in a bit of honey.
Add more liquid if clay is too dry.
Add a few drops of the essential oil (this step is optional).
Keep mask on for 15 minutes.
Rinse off with a steaming washcloth (I like to steam my washcloths with a couple drops of the essential oils in the microwave, but make sure washcloth is not too hot).

I personally have not tried this mask but have heard great things about it

Suitable for oily skin
Banana Mask
Ingredients:
  • 1 banana, preferably ripe (you can keep ripe bananas in the freezer. Let it thaw before using)
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • Few drops of Lemon Juice(optional)
Preparation:
Mash the banana and mix with honey.
Add lemon juice

Apply to face for 15 minutes before rinsing

Suitable for dry skin

Avocado Face mask
Ingredients:
  • ½ avocado
  • ¼ cup honey
Preparation:
A classic recipe for dry skin. Mash the avocado in a bowl, then stir in honey.
Apply to skin and leave for 10 minutes.
Rinse face with a cool washcloth.