Beauty 101: Moving into Fall

Joan Smalls

Fall is slowly, but surely, approaching which means it's time to start testing new fall looks! Fall inspired make-up  is all about dark lips, bronze skin, bold brows, and smoked out eyes. While the make-up is looking super vamped, fall hair is all about being slicked back in buns and ponytails, or worn back out of the face to show off the make-up. Below are my top five favorite fall 2013 beauty tips:

1. Plum lips! Plum lips are a beautiful shade of purple that have a perfect balance of edge and femininity. Whether you have a dark or pale skin tone, there are tons of plum/purple shades that can fit you perfectly.
2. Slicked back hair! Not only does slick backed hair stay in place, but it also keeps your hair from sticking to your face. Slick backed hair gives off an ultra chic vibe and can be accessorized with headbands and hairclips. There are also a variety of styles that can be incorporated with the slicked back style such as buns and ponytails.
3. Bronze skin! Just because summer is almost over doesn't mean you have to give up glowy skin. You can easily swipe bronzer across your cheeks or any splash of shimmer to keep that glow.
4. Smokey eyes! Smokey eyes create an endearing look and can definitely be made for the daytime. Hold off for dark black smoke for the night and a deeper brown shadow to make a smokey eye look nice for the day.
5. Bold brows! Make your brows thicker and bolder by holding off on the extra waxing and tweezing. Let your brows grow in a bit in between clean up time and fill them in with a matching eye shadow color for a bolder look.

Hair 101: The Half-Up Half-Down

Chloe Moretz

I don't know about you, but I love a sweet half-up half-down hairstyle. Half-up half-down looks are so easy and keep your hair out of your face while still being able to let your locks loose. The look can be as sleek as you want or as casual and it doesn't even matter what type of hair you have. All you need to recreate the look is a comb and a ponytail holder.

1. It's best to start out with slightly dirty hair whether you're going for a sleek or loose half-up half-down look.
2. Take your comb and create a nice part separating the top and bottom portions of your hair. Make it as equal, or unequal, as you would like. 
3. For a sleek look brush the top half back and add a little serum so the hair will sleek before securing it with a ponytail holder. For a more casual look use your fingers to hand comb the top half into a loose ponytails.
4. To add to the look try using ponytail holders with details, cutesy bobby pins, curl a few pieces of hair, or even pull out your bangs to frame our face.

This look is so perfect to wear for Valentine's Day with special hair details or just as a casual everyday look.

What is your favorite everyday hairstyle?

DIY Nails: Keep Your Natural Nails Pretty

Okay so this is definitely my nail look from last week, but I like it so much that I'm  keeping it this way for my birthday on Saturday. The only difference for this week is that I did an all purple ombre and used a ton more glitter, glitter is girl's best friend though, right? Anyways while I was going through a struggle taking the glitter polish off I noticed that my nails are looking much more healthy than usual. For the past few weeks I have recently been trying out new nail routines because I began to notice that my nails we're breaking and peeling so easily which resulted in my polish looking not so hot. Now that my nails are all about the same length, have very little to no peeling, and don't seem to breaking so easily, I'm ready to share a few things that I've been doing to them.

• Check the remover! I've always known not to use nail polish remover containing acetone on the regular, but it takes the polish off so easily that I caved in to using it every time. Big no-no! Use a remover without acetone so your nails will stay super strong.
• Beneficial Base Coats! Base coat that have vitamins or moisturizes the nail really do work to protect and help your natural nails, plus they prevent your polish color from staining your nail.
• Stop Excess Filing! There is no need to file your nails every day, only file about once a week to shape up your nails. Do not use a nail file to drastically change nail length or shape, it will weaken your entire nail.
• Picking Your Cuticles! This may not apply to your nails, but your cuticles are so close to your nails that it should. Picking at your cuticles is actually a health risk because it can cause cuts, bleeding, and allows bacteria a way into your skin. Leave your cuticles to the professionals and extremely clean tools.

I really hope you enjoyed this post and that these tips help you to achieve great looking natural nails. If you try out any of these tips or have any of your own please let me know in the comments below!

Beauty 101: 5 Tips for Luscious Lips

Rihanna

Taylor Swift

Fall 2012 is all about playing up your eyes and lips with dark, dramatic colors. Ruby and reds lips are so dark and beautiful and paired with shimmery golden eyes it instantly becomes gorgeous! However, if you go deeper into the new beauty trends, it is becoming more popular to "reshape" your lips, with concealer and foundation that is. Keep on reading for tips on how to reshape your lips, make them fuller, and look amazing:

• The Basics! Before you can do anything special with your lips they need to look healthy. Use chapstick, sugar scrubs, and stay hydrated for healthy lips.
• Moisturizing Lip Products! If your not using moisturizing glosses, stains, or chapsticks, your lips are just going to dry out and become chapped again. Use moisturizing products to keep your lips from chapping.
• Primer! A primer will allow you a nice canvas to make your lip product true to color and last longer.
• Lighter and Darker! Using a lighter shade lip color or gloss to the middle of your 1st lip color will make your lips appear fuller. The contrast will look gorgeous especially from the way the light will hit the colors, just be sure to blend!
• Concealer! Use concealer along with an angled brush and foundation to reshape your lips and make your lipstick lines look perfect! Cupid bow shaped lips are so in right now and concealer will help you achieve the shape.



Summer Series: Beach Beauty Tips

Kelly Rowland and friends

It's summertime which means it is also time to hit the beach! No matter what every girl still wants to look cute and be the beauty of the beach and all you need is a big smile, confidence, and these tips!

1. Sunscreen! Even if your not going to the beach you still need sunscreen to protect your skin from the UV Rays and prevent skin cancer.
2. Shades! Shades help shield your eyes from the sunrays and are also a cute accessory. Try out shades of different shapes and prints to match all your beach looks.
3. A Hat! A floppy hat or a fedora is great to keep the sun from beaming down on your head. It also is so chic and adds style to your beach look.
4. The Perfect Swimsuit! A swimsuit that flatters your body and makes you feel confident will help to make you the beauty of the beach. Be sure to make sure that your not falling out of your suit, but that the suit is accentuating your body instead.
5. Go Natural! The only make-up you need at the beach is a smile especially since there is so much water the make-up will run down your face. If you must wear make-up, make sure it's water-proof !
6. Bring a Toy/Play a Game! Try build a sandcastle or bringing a volleyball or a frisbee to the beach and form a game/activity with other beach goers. A kind inviting personality is always beautiful, plus beach games are always fun!

Remember just to have fun at the beach and your inner and outer beauty will shine!

Don't forget the sunscreen!

Get The Look: Rhianna's Sultry Eyes

Rhianna

I am so in love with Rhianna's make-up and it is so easy to recreate. Her heavy use of liner and a faint brown smokey makes her beauty look irresistible. All you need to get the look is black pencil liner, a set of brown eyeshadows, bronzer, foundation, and a peachy lipgloss.

1. Begin with a clean face and use a concealer to cover any blemishes. Put on your foundation as well.
2. For the cheeks put on a little bronze and softly contour fromt he apples of the cheek up to the temples. Be sure to blend so there are no harsh lines.
3. Prime your lids and begin by putting a light brown color on your lid right until you reach the crease.
4. Take a medium brown shadow and brush it right into your cheek and up to thr edge of your browbone. Be sure to blend.
5. Take a very light shadow with a bit of shimmer and use it as your highlight by putting it right on your browbone. Be sure to blend.
6. Take you eyeliner pencil and line your waterliner as well as a small line on your lash line.
7. Take your line and line your tightline and smudge it so that some liner is right along the lower lashline.
8. Coat the top and bottom lashes with dark black mascara.
9. Add a peachy lipgloss with lots of pigment to your lips to put just a soft dash of color into your look.
10. Remember to comb your eyebrows or fill them in with a shadow of the same color  as your brows.

Remember practice makes perfect and to be patient when trying out a new beauty look. Rock this look to make your eyes look extra alluring! Be ready for tons of compliments chica!

Get The Look: Spring Lips

Lea Michele

I don't know about you, but I have a hard time wearing lots of make-up during the spring season. The weather can get hot and humid and allergies can cause the eyes to itch and water, not a good combo for a make-up look. For the spring season I am loving accenting the lips in bold lip colors, glosses, and stains and keeping the rest of the face simple. Lea Michele's look is perfect for spring and her lip color is bright, but goes great with her skin tone. I love that she does not completely forget her eyes by coating them in lengthening mascara. The only products you need to recreate Lea's look is a bold lip color and lengthening/thickening mascara.

1. Begin with a clean, smooth face. Use concealer and foundation as neccessary.
2. Take a rosy blush and apply it right to the apples of your cheeks and lightly into your temples.
3. Curl your lashes witha an eyelash curler then coat your lashes with the lengthen and/or thickening mascara. Be sure to use at least 3 coats to make your lashes pop!
4. Primer your lips with primer then glide your lip color across your lips. Be sure to wipe away any lipstick that went outside your lip line.

As for the hair, curl your hair into long, light waves and brush them all to one side. Secure the hair with bobby pins matching the color of your hair. Remember practice makes perfect and to be patient when trying out new beauty looks.

Beauty 101: Tips for Healthy Skin

Jourdan Dunn

I am in love with supermodel, Jourdan Dunn's skin! She has such a natural glow and smoothness to her skin which only enhances her make-up. Just about everyone wants skin just as gorgeous so here are some tips:

1. Drink more water! Water hydrates the skin and will even help out with hair growth and your overall general health.
2. Take your vitamins! Vitamins help to nourish you and give you back nutrients and minerals you may be lacking, there are even vitamins specifically for skin.
3. Pull your hair back! It's great for your hair to generate natural oils to give it a nice shine, but it's not always great to lay on top of the skin. Try pulling your hair up or back away from your face.
4. No make-up! Try going without make-up for at least one day each week and let your skin rest and rejuvenate.
5. Make a routine! The best thing for staying on a good track to healthy, glowing skin is to make a routine. Wash your face, exfoliate, and moisturize should be included in your schedule.
6. Keep your hands off! Don't touch all over your face because oils and bacteria will do major damage to your skin and cause breakouts.
7. Listen to your skin! If your skin becomes dry from product lay off for a little bit and minimize the product use.
8. Moisturize oil-free! Always use an oil-free moisturizers during the spring and summer season, no need for any extra oil on our faces.

Gorgeous skin is always in!

Get The Look: Spring Lips

Lea Michele

I don't know about you, but I have a hard time wearing lots of make-up during the spring season. The weather can get hot and humid and allergies can cause the eyes to itch and water, not a good combo for a make-up look. For the spring season I am loving accenting the lips in bold lip colors, glosses, and stains and keeping the rest of the face simple. Lea Michele's look is perfect for spring and her lip color is bright, but goes great with her skin tone. I love that she does not completely forget her eyes by coating them in lengthening mascara. The only products you need to recreate Lea's look is a bold lip color and lengthening/thickening mascara.

1. Begin with a clean, smooth face. Use concealer and foundation as neccessary.
2. Take a rosy blush and apply it right to the apples of your cheeks and lightly into your temples.
3. Curl your lashes witha an eyelash curler then coat your lashes with the lengthen and/or thickening mascara. Be sure to use at least 3 coats to make your lashes pop!
4. Primer your lips with primer then glide your lip color across your lips. Be sure to wipe away any lipstick that went outside your lip line.

As for the hair, curl your hair into long, light waves and brush them all to one side. Secure the hair with bobby pins matching the color of your hair. Remember practice makes perfect and to be patient when trying out new beauty looks.

Natural Beauty Challenge Week Six

The Natural Beauty Challenge has ended, well kind of. The Natural Beauty Challenge may only be six weeks long, but to maintain healthy skin and hair you have to keep it going. Througout the six weeks my skin has been through ups and downs while my hair has gotten progressively better and better. Now I have a definite skin regimen for day and night, but while I still have break-outs I know how to handle them better. Also, I don't wear make-up everyday which is great for the skin because it has time to breath. I haeve learned how to keep my hair from being tangled and lots of new hairstyles. The flat iron is only used on my hair about once every two weeks! Start the challenge now or tell about how it has helped you!

Natural Beauty Challenge Week Four

The Natural Beauty Challenge has gone by so quickly, there are only 2 weeks left! During this week my skin has been getting better as I found how to balance cleasning my face throughtout the day. I now only use a cleanser and spot treatment at night and every other day I use a scrub in the morning. Also because I do workout, I keep facial wipes in my purse to keep the excess oil and bacteria off my face. As for my hair, I have been making sure to comb through to prevent my usual head of tangles and decided to wear it down the entire week. I advise everyone to try out facial wipes, spot treatments, and/or a nice daily cleanser or scrub. Those product will do wonders for your skin, but be sure to think about your specific skin type such as oily, normal, or dry. Try out different comb and brush sizes for your hair because I have discovered that it can make a huge impact on the smoothness and amount of tangles in the hair. Keep it going on the Natural Beauty Challenge!

Natural Beauty Challenge Week Three

The Natural Beauty Challenge is taken a turn for the better for me this week! How has this week been for your hair and skin? My skin is finally agreeing with my new routine of using an acne scrub,  moisturizing, and actually wiping my face throughout the day. I haven't a break-out yet this week or any other unexpected visitors on my face. My hair has gone through major tangling, but it is nothing a good detangling product cannot fix. This week plan for wiping off your face more during the  day by using blotting papers or facial wipes they work wonders for any skin type, especially oily skin. As for the hair, use heat only once this week if you really would like to, but just once. Try out some new styles like the buns Taylor Swift has been rocking or cute braids. Even create your own updo. Have a great natural beauty week!

Beauty 101: Smoldering Eyes

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift is the epitome of smoldering eyes. Smoldering eyes are very attractive and usually the first feature a person notices.  Most girls think only loads of liner, millions of coats of mascara, and falsies are the only way to piercing eyes, but shimmer is also key. Shimmer makes beautiful glints when in the light making all attention come on you. Putting the shimmer right underneath your lower lash line and right by your upper lash line. Even put a little dark, neautral shadow right on the outside corner of the eye. To make an even bigger imoact to your eyes apply two coats of lengthening and/or thickening mascara. Your eyes will look amazing chicas.

Get The Look: Katy Perry Eyes

Katy Perry is known for having gorgeous eye make-up and magical eyelashes. Almost every girl dreams of their eyes looking as fabulous, but with liquid eyeliner, falsies, and some shimmer you can have it!

1. Start off by priming all around your eyes so the eyeshadow has lots of pigment and stays on throughout the day.
2. Brush your eyebrows and even fill them even with an eyebrow pencil by drawing with short strokes. The eyebrows help give the eyes lots of impact in this look.
3. Use a creamy white eyeshadow color and brush it across your browbone. Also put it right into the inner coners of your eyes.
4. Take a lilac or pink shimmery eyeshadow and brush it across the eyelid and into the crease, even a little bit onto the lower part of your browbone. Also, put the same eyeshadow color underneath your eyes.
5. Use a liquid eyeliner and draw a thick line right by your lash line and wing it out just to the end of your eyebrow.
6. Lastly put a powerful touch to the eye make-up by curling your eyelashes and brushing on mascara on your top and bottom lashes. Even apply falsies like Katy Perry to add length and thickness.

Now you have dreamy, beautiful eyes like Katy Perry! If it doesn't work out the first time, keep practicing, or try changing around a few steps so it works speccifically to you. Below are Katy Perry's fasle eyelashes line, Katy Perry by Eyelure. Try them out, they come in a variety of kinds.

 Tell me how they work out chicas!

Sweetie Pie- natural lashes

Oh, Honey- full lashes

Cool Kitty- Short, daytime lashes

Oh, My- Bold lashes

Hair 101: Make The Cut

Razor Cut Edgy Bob

Katy Perry Blue Simple Bob

Tyra Banks Chic Bob

Long hair is beautiful, but very hard to add edge and second glance power. A razor cut bob or medium length haiir cut will do the trick. The cut works on any hair length and goes with any hair color. It also can include layers or be all one length. The look can also go from rock, to chic, to classic within seconds! Try it out ladies!

Beauty Tip #7

Be sure to moisturize you face daily. It doesn't matter what skin type you have, moisturizing is very important. Even the oiliest needs a moisturizer to prevent dryness and keep the right type of oil on your face. Some moisturizers help to prevent acne and dark spots. Moisturizers are also great year round because they usually contain SPF which means protection for your skin! Tinted moisturizers can even be used as your foundation because it evens out out your skin tone. Moisturize you face ladies, especially in the these harsh winter temperatures.

DIY Nails O.P.I. Holland Nail Polish Collection

O.P.I. has come out with their new for Spring nail collection. It is the Holland collection and it features the prettiest colors that go with the mood and feel of Spring. I love the mixtures of blues, purples, pinks, and reds the collection features. They even range from being matte colors to having the perfect amount of shimmer. My favorite nail polish shades from this collection are "Pedal Faster Suzi!" and "Thanks a Windmillion".  The colors featured above in the picture are just a few polishes from the collection. Be on the lookout for nail designs featuring the O.P.I. Holland Collection and try it out chicas!

Get The Look: Adele At The Grammys

Adele's look is beautiful, classic, and perfect. A girl has to look good winning six grammy awards in one night. Not only does Adele have an amazing voice, but she shows women all shapes, sizes, and looks are beautiful. Adele has a rollerset hairstyles and a statement red lip to stand out amongst a sea of celebrities. To rollerset your hair, you must first wash your hair and roll it in hair rollers. The size of your hair rollers depend on your hair length. After your hair is all rolled up, sit under a blow dryer until your hair is completely dry, then unroll your hair. If you used smaller rollers, your hair will come out in spiral curls, big rollers result in big, bouncy waves. After your hair is complete, slather on some red lipstick, heavy black liner, and dramatic falsies. The look can work for prom, formal occasions, and any special events.

DIY Heart-O-Gram Nails

 Get this Heart-O-Gram nail design for Valentine's Day!

 Above are all the nail polishes and colors used in this nail design. Don't forget to start with clean nails coated with a clear base coat.

 Paint your nails a dark black polish. After the black polish has dried, glide on a light, shimmery color.

Once your main polishes have dried, begin making cardiogram lines on every finger except your thumb. The lines can go from straight to upwards and back down, anything goes. On your thumb carefully outline a heart shape and then fill it in. For a pop of color, outline the heart in any bright nail polish color.

Above is the two clear polishes needed to ensure the polish to stay in tact. The base coat is needed so that the dark polish doesn't stain your natural nail. The top coat helps the nail polish to dry much faster and not chip as easily.

Try out this nail look for Valentine's Day ladies!

Hair 101: Gorgeous Braids

Blake Lively knows about beautiful braids and wears them well. Braids can help a bad hair day or make a great everyday hairstyle. Braids work best on oily hair because it will helps to hold longer and stay in place better. Braid hairstyles work best on medium to long hair and can be added to updos and when your hair is down. Braid hairstyles can go from a ponytail with a braid, a side braid, or simply a braid added to curly or straight hair being worn down. You can even add dazzling embellishments and clips to your braid hairstyles to add extra sparkle. Spice up your hair and add some braids chicas!