Health Resolutions

I usually don't do resolutions because I don't like the idea of waiting until new years eve to make changes I could make today. However, this year i have some changes I want to make that I've decided upon right in time for new years eve - so why not?! I have some goals for each aspect of my health.

First and foremost, my spiritual health. I want to be spending time reading my bible EVERY DAY - I've gotten pretty flaky about it lately. I want to know God better, and that is part of how to do so.

Second: emotional/mental health. In order to be less stressed, I'm going to stay up on reading in my classes and manage stress through journalling and yoga.

Physical health: I'm going to drink more water, eat less sugar, and take my vitamins regularly (rather than once a week, haha).

Finally, to promote the health of my skin, i'm going to be more committed to using a moisturizer.

There they are - very simple things that I should already be doing. Want to join me in these simple goals?

My First Clarisonic

So my mother got a Clarisonic Mia 2 as a Christmas gift and told me to use it since I'll use it more than she will. I've used it for a week and a half, and I must say, I'm sold!

I feel so clean after I use it. It vibrates so quickly and gently that it cleans deep without irritating blemishes. It works really well around my nose and cheeks where I get lots of blackheads. I've definately noticed a decrease in the number of blackheads in that area. 

I've got the standard scrubber but would be interested in trying out some others. I know they also have a few different face wash formulas made to go with the tool, but it seems like any foaming wash would work. 

Anyway I'd easily give the Clarisonic Mia 2 an A+ and recommend it! But be sure to buy it on sale- it's so expensive at full price!

Finding Beauty in God

As a follower of Christ, I know I should be searching for my worth and my beauty in God. But like most girls, I often struggle not to define myself based on the beauty standards I perceive in pop culture. Luckily, the more lost I get in my savior, the less i find myself worrying about such trivial things as clothing sizes. Sometimes though, it can be hard to disentangle myself from all the crazy standards  I store up in my head. I start to spiral into negative though cycles. "I'm nothing special", "I look ugly today..."

I've been struggling with these kind of thoughts a lot lately. But I know they are lies. I am beautiful- made in the image of God. Nothing can take my worth away because it lies in Him and He proved it when he sent his son as ransom for my life. I try to always remember that.

When i find myself struggling there are a few things I have to do to put myself back in the correct perspective. I try to see myself, as the song goes, "through heaven's eyes". First, I apologize to God for buying into the lies that I'm less than beautiful, because that demeans His artistry and puts my trust outside of him. Then I ask for the Holy Spirit to work in my heart, showing me my value and giving me good works to do to keep my mind on. Next I make a list of the beautiful things I see in myself, and thank God for each one. A friend of mine once told me to write this list down physically, not just in my head. He said that way I could pull it out when I lose sight of myself. It helps me remember how God made me. 

God made us each beautiful- in His image. But His image is so much more than aesthetic beauty. He made us graceful, and compassionate, patient and joyous, eloquent and giving. These things are of far more worth than physical beauty. Even the most beautiful visage is nothing compared with a God-fearing, compassionate heart.

Mega Effects Mascara

This is a product review for Avon's new Mega Effects Mascara

I love love LOVE this mascara. I work for Avon, so i know my opinion's a bit biased but this really is an amazing product.

First, let me tell you what I love about the look: it's so natural! It makes my lashes look much longer and thicker but not unnaturally so. Each lash is coated individually rather than sticking multiple together. It's great:) and it's very buildable so I can range from just a little definition to long, bold, glamorous lashes.

But the natural look isn't all this product has to offer. It's so easy to apply! The amazing new brush shape makes it so I can apply all my mascara with just one swoop. 

It bends to whatever angle I need so I can apply my mascara more easily (and not get it on my brow bone).

The downside of this product is that it doesn't have a whole lot of mascara in it, so it runs out in a little under 2 months if i'm wearing it every day. In actuality i should be replacing my mascara that often anyway, so this isn't such a big deal.

Overall i'm very satisfied with this mascara and have switched over completely. I use the brown-black, but it also comes in black. Check it out yourself - it's only 10 bucks!

Honey Acne Treatment

What's a good way to make your roomies think you're completely bonkers? Get some honey and rub it all over your face. Seriously, my apartment-mates may be slightly worried about my sanity. Nevertheless, this is a great DIY acne treatment.

Just take a tablespoon or so of honey and massage it into your face after washing with hot water (to open pores). Massage it into your skin with gentle circular motions using your finger tips and the heels of your hands. Keep massaging until it gets too sticky to massage. Be sure to do this in the bathroom cuz it'll probably drip. After this, leave it on till it's pretty dry. Then shower it off- use a tiny bit if gentle soap to get it all off so you're not sticky later!

Honey is a natural anti-bacterial and also pretty moisturizing. I've been doing this once or twice a week on too of my regular skin care routine - I really enjoy it! It feels and smells nice and it purifies your skin without drying. 

Give it a try and let me know how you like it:)

Pore Penetrating Black Mineral Mask by Avon Clearskin

Yes, this is me trying to be artsy with a picture of me in a face mask

So I've been trying out Avon's Clearskin Pore Penetrating Black Mineral Mask and i have to say, i'm really liking it! Though it doesn't have such striking results as Avon's Clearskin Professional Clear Pore Thermal Mask, it's gentle on skin so you can use it more often!

One thing i really like about this mask is that, like many other clay-based masks, you can see it's color change as it dries. This allows you to see where the most oil is being produced on your face; if you apply an even layer of mask, the oiliest parts of your face will take the longest to dry.

Something that's unique about this mask is that unlike most clay masks, it has an acne treatment in it - salicylic acid! So not only is it pulling oil out of your pores, it's fighting acne too. 

Overall I'm very satisfied with this face mask, especially since I can use it 2 or 3 times weekly without it drying out my skin a whole ton. 

Beauty in Joy

So I'm back in school at Pepperdine University in gorgeous Malibu, CA. There are quite a few stereotypes Pepperdine students have, but the most interesting is that Pepperdine students are really good looking. Not to say the people here aren't beautiful, but its statistically improbable that most people here are better looking than average. 

However, I do think I know why people say that. People here at Pepperdine are generally immensely joyful people. That's where the beauty comes from. The huge smiles, the glow. So yes Pepperdine. We are beautiful. But it's not a mere aesthetic thing. Our beauty comes from the soul of the student body.

When to Throw it Out

I made a flowchart to help you decide when to throw out makeup products! This took forever so pretend its super awesome, okay?:) Sorry its small. couldn't upload it if i made it any bigger.

Beauty Tricks and Tips

Here are a couple tricks you may or may not know

1. If you're going with some dark eye makeup, it may be a good idea to define your eyebrows to add some balance.
2. To get a brighter color, most eye shadow can be applied wet (wet brush or sponge before dipping in shadow). This usually makes it last longer, too!
3. To keep liner from smudging down under your eye, sweep powder below the line. This probably works on the top line too, i just don't have that issue. 
4. Some people skip a moisturizer because they have oily skin; however, dehydrated skin will actually produce more oil. Opt for a oil-free moisturizer - don't skip!
5. Applying powder will set most makeup and make it last longer. To apply over lipstick, grab a sheet of toilet paper and seperate the layers. Cover your lips with one layer and dust with powder.
6. To quickly freshen up greasy hair midday, shake some baby powder into it, then brush it. Now do a model-like hair flip. viola! 

New Favorite Face Mask!

I love trying new face masks and use some sort of mask about twice a week. Typically, I'm partial to mud masks but I read about Avon's Clearskin® Professional Clear Pore Thermal Mask (I'm an Avon Ind. Sales Rep.) and was super excited to try it.

I cannot even explain how much I love this mask! You get your face wet, then you rub it in circles on your face and when it mixes with the water it starts to heat up. Then you smooth it and leave it on for "5-10 minutes" (10 because it feels so nice), and rinse it off.

It has salicylic acid in it (0.5%) so it's a little bit drying, but i just make sure to use extra moisturizer after I've done a mask! I totally recommend this product!

Some days...

Some days, I wish i could be a model for high-fashion shoots, just so i could wear ridiculously bold makeup and get away with it. How fun would it be to have a reason to show off outrageous hair and makeup looks? Like this . . .

(same look, different cameras)

. . . But then I Remember: I live in Portland. So I go downtown like this:

This was taken on my goth date with my boyfriend Greg about a year ago. Look how much more pale I was!


#KeepPortlandWeird

Natural Eye and Night Look How To

This will teach you how to do one natural eye shadow/liner look and how to quickly turn it into a night time look to go out.

What You'll Need:

• One eye shadow for your base. This should be a neutral color, somewhat close to your skin color.
• Blue eyes should go for a base shadow with a hint of yellow or tan
• Green eyes should go for a base shadow with a hint of pink or beige
• Brown/hazel eyes should go for a base shadow with a hint of beige, olive, or cooler off-whites
• One accent eye shadow. this should be darker, but still neutral, and not as dark as your eye liner.
• Usually a darker shade of the same color as your base shadow, should work.
• Think opposites on the color wheel when choosing a shadow to make your eye color pop.
• One eye liner. Darker than your eye shadows.
• typically, browns, deep copper/gold, earthy tones.
• don't choose a bright color - you're going for a natural ish look.
• cover-up or thick foundation
• your favorite mascara
• brushes (eye shadow brushes, foundation brush if you like, very small eye shadow brush to use shadow as a liner)

How to Achieve this Natural Eye Shadow Look:

Step #1:

After applying your foundation to your face, the area around your eye should not have any makeup on it. If you have already applied foundation or cover-up to your eye area, skip to step #3. 

Step #2:

Apply thicker foundation or cover-up to the area under your eye, beginning by creating a semicircle of foundation about an inch in a half in radius from the eye and working in (see liquid foundation how-to). Gently pat with clean ring finger or firm makeup sponge to blend. Apply small amount of foundation or cover-up to eye lid to act as a primer (or simply use an eye primer). Blend this as well. Blend out as far as possible to get a smooth look (rather than a noticeable circle of makeup around your eyeball).

Step #3:

Apply your base eye shadow (the lightest one) to your entire lid, from your lashes to your brow and all the way to your nose. While you can see the difference, your shadow should not be dark or bright enough that it is particularly noticeable to other people (clearly, you just have perfect, bright complexion - even around your eyes!). Don't cake this on. I usually add a little extra to my inner corner, because I tend to rub eye shadow off there more quickly.

Step #4:

Using the second of your eye shadows - the darker, accent one - and a smaller eye shadow brush, contour your eye. apply shadow in the crease from the center of your eye lid, to the outside corner. Blend it inward, so you don't have a noticeable line of eye shadow.

Step #5:

Add eyeliner. Starting at the center of your upper lashline, draw along lashes to outer corner of eye, making line slightly thicker as it goes outward. Blend slightly by tapping the line with your finger. Also line the bottom lash line, starting with the outer corner, and stopping near the center of the lashline. Again, line should be thickest at outer corner of eye. Blend. Finish (and set line, so it wont smudge much) by using the smallest eye shadow brush you can find (one that can be used to create an eye liner-like effect) and dusting your contour eye shadow over the liner. 

Finish:

Add one layer of mascara (adding a lot will make your look less natural) to both top and bottom lashes. You're done!

To Change this into a Nighttime Look Later:

Darken your contour shadow - Apply more shadow in a darker shade to your crease. Next Add a pop of color to the inside corner of your eye lid. I chose pink because it makes blue eyes pop a little bit. Finally, add a few extra swipes of mascara. Now you're ready for a date or girls night!

Learned a New Trick Today!

When buying a strapless bra, you should always buy a band size smaller (this i knew, because they stretch out quicker since they do not have straps to distribute the weight more), but also, you often have to buy a cup size bigger! So now I can pretend I'm a cup size bigger, woooo! haha, not really, but no wonder i was having trouble finding a good fit!

God is Bigger. . .

I've been letting myself get so, so stressed out by life lately. Despite the fact that I've been growing closer to God the last couple weeks, I wasn't trusting Him to get me through life's troubles. I realized tonight that the Lord is bigger than my circumstances. Had a wonderful time tonight at the young adult group I attend, worshiping and getting knocked over the head with this realization.

God is so good and so giving. Praise Him, for he's in the business of making us new.

How to Apply Liquid Foundation

I use a thin liquid foundation and a foundation brush to achieve medium coverage. I use a thicker liquid foundation in place of cover-up because it provides more buildable coverage without the caked-on look of wearing a lot of cover-up. 

You will need a thin foundation, a thicker foundation or cover up, a foundation brush, powder, a powder brush, and a palette of some sort to pour foundation on (i use the lid of my bronzer). 

Step by Step

Step #1

Start with a clean face. If you use toner, moisturizer, and/or primer, apply these (in that order) and let dry completely before you apply your foundation. Pull your hair out of the way (preferably with a cute headband with a bow. why a bow? "cuz i'm a lady, that's why!").

Step #2

Put a small amount of foundation on your palette. This is the amount of foundation i use for my whole face. Wet both sides of the brush with just a little of the foundation from your palette.

Step #3

Apply foundation to your face using upward brush-strokes. Hairs on your face point downward; when you apply foundation this way, it lifts these hairs and puts the foundation on your skin rather than it sitting on the hairs themselves. 

Ever let someone use your phone and gotten it back with foundation all over it? They probably apply foundation using downward brush-strokes, leaving the makeup sitting on the itty bitty hairs on their face. Then when their face touched your phone, the foundation rubbed right off onto your phone (hairs are slick - foundation doesn't stay on them very well).

Step #4

when you've applied foundation to your whole face (or for the sake of my demo, half my face), wipe excess foundation off of your brush (i wipe mine on the back of my hand - just remember to wash it off) and brush all those itty bitty hairs back down. Go over your face a couple times with downward brush-strokes.

Don't worry about covering the area under your eye or your eyelid - I use my thicker foundation (stand-in for cover-up) for that. And if a few blemishes show through you can take care of them next!

Step #5

Get out your cover-up or thicker foundation. Put a very small amount on your palette. Seriously, you don't need to cake it on. the amount bellow is all I needed. Stipple on over blemishes.

Step #6

Using a foundation brush, stipple on foundation under eye in large circles, moving closer to your eye a little at a time. when you've reached your eye, stipple over your eye lid and the side of your nose (covering the entire area around your eye). Then blend smooth by tapping the cover up gently with your ring finger (because it's the weakest, so it doesn't irritate your eye.

                      

 

Step #7

Make sure foundation is smooth in all areas, blending with the foundation brush where necessary. Then Go over whole face with powder (using large, fluffy powder brush) to set the foundation.

As you can probably tell, i only did half of my face.

Now you're done! I used my (clearly epic) Photoshop skills to draw a line on this photo separating the half i put foundation on from the other half. 

How to Clean Makeup Brushes

This is something I definitely do not do often enough. Which is fine when it comes to eye shadow brushes, 'cuz I put some foundation under my eye shadow, so who cares if my brush isn't clean.

BUT, when it comes to foundation, powder, or cover up brushes, they should really be cleaned every week. Two weeks at the latest.

After cleaning, you should notice your brushes feel softer, and look nicer. Most importantly, they're free of dust, grime, and germs. If you've never cleaned your brushes, beginning to wash them regularly may help your complexion, too!

I've read a bunch of ways to clean brushes; the way i clean them is a combination of a bunch of techniques i've read. Anyway I cleaned all these brushes 'the long way' (see below) and it took about half an hour.

The Long Way

1. Get a container that you can use as a wash bin. I use a red solo cup and dump out the water every couple brushes. 
2. Put a few drops of non-drying shampoo in your container (more if you're using something larger than a cup). I use hotel 'conditioning shampoo' because it's moisturizing (not drying) and because my dad has a whole drawer full. A lot of people recommend baby shampoo, too.
3. Add warm water to the container (it should get bubbly if you have enough shampoo). DO NOT use hot water, you can melt the glue that holds the bristles in place!
4. Take one brush at a time, and swirl it in the water. Squeeze water out against the side of the container. continue to swirl brush in soapy water until water squeezed out is clear. 
5. For really, REALLY dirty brushes, like foundation brushes, squeeze shampoo into the palm of your hand and swirl the brush in it till it lathers. Rinse and repeat till almost clean, then swirl some more in warm soapy water.
6. When brush is clean (water squeezed against the side of your container comes out completely clear) rinse with bristles facing downward under cold water to get rid of soap.
7. Reshape the brush as best you can. Don't worry if it isn't perfect, it should go back to its shape when dry.
8. Dry  on clean towel, with bristles facing down. Never dry standing up - you want water to run out of the bristles, not get caught where the bristles attach and slowly erode the glue that holds them in. To tip my brushes downward, i rolled up a shirt to lean them against. 
9. Repeat with each brush, getting new water when it gets dirty. ALWAYS wash foundation brushes in completely clean water.
10. Small brushes take an hour or two to dry. Leave big brushes overnight if possible. 

The Short Way

Obviously this technique wont get your brushes as clean as the other will, but if you're pressed for time and haven't cleaned your brushes recently, it will do.

1. Get a container, like the one mentioned above.
2. Add a few drops of non-drying shampoo and warm water.
3. Swirl brushes in the water one at a time.
4. Rinse in cold water.
5. Dry as mentioned above with bristles down.

Quick Tips to Fight Acne

Here are a few basic things you can do to help combat acne and blackheads:

#1: Fight Oil!

Use a toner that helps keep oil down all day, like Murad's Clarifying toner. I use this twice a day and a bottle lasts about 2 months.

http://www.sephora.com/clarifying-toner-P4015

Or do the same thing with an oil fighting moisturizer (sounds oxymoronic, but works!), like Matte Chance by mark. (produced by Avon).

http://shop.avon.com/product.aspx?level2_id=469&pdept_id=484&dept_id=494&cat_type=C&pf_id=40819  

If you have extra oily skin, I would also add a powder that absorbs oils on top of your foundation!

#2: Don't Pick!

Everyone knows that you're not supposed to pick at zits, yet most people still do it. Don't! You'll end up spreading oil and bacteria!

Blackhead extractors like this one are FOR BLACKHEADS. There are very few occasions when you should use one on a regular pimple. 

http://www.sephora.com/double-ended-blemish-extractor-P0417

If you are going to pick at a pimple, or if it pops on its own, grab a blotting paper and use it to absorb oil and ick that comes out, so it doesn't go back into your skin.

#3: Try a New Mask

There are tons of different types of face masks and in my opinion trying them out is pretty fun. Plus you look like you have this whole skincare thing figured out when your roommates see you waiting for a mask to dry. 

My main problem is that my naturally oily skin causes a lot of blackheads, so i generally like mud-based masks. 

If you don't know where to start my recommendation would be to either try something on sale from avon (because then it'll be much cheaper than a department store brand, and you can trust it because of the 100% satisfaction guarantee) or go to Sephora and ask for a couple samples of masks and tell them what skincare problem you're looking to fix. 

Questions? Put them in a comment:)

Bronzer: There is No One Way

One thing that bugs me is when i see posts titled "The Right Way to Do Bronzer". There is no one way! Makeup is a creative medium - there are hundreds of things to do with it.

Here are my 4 favorite ways of applying bronzer:
I've used Mac's face chart.

#1 Natural

1. apply lightly to T-zone and on top of cheek bones.
2. apply slightly darker in crease of eye lid and on very sides of face on and slightly under cheekbones
3. blend up towards temples

#2 High-Def

1. apply lightly to outsides of face and apples of your cheeks
2. apply slightly heavier to crease in chin and along nose (use small brush)
3. apply darkest under cheek bones (make a fishy face and apply to crease) and eye lid creases

#3 Cutesy (AKA Anime-Blushing)

1. apply medium amount to to apples of cheeks in circular motion
2. apply lightly along cheek bones and across nose

#4 Rimmel Ad Cheekbones

1. Make fishy face
2. apply heavily along creases (darkest closest to your ears)
3. blend slightly onto cheekbone and a bit lower than crease

Tip: Start lightly, you can always add more!

The Best Way to Waste Eye Shadow

A Few of My Favorite Things

and yes, the title was supposed to make you sing. . . 

Here are a few of my all-time favorite beauty products:

Clinique Acne Solutions Liquid Makeup

why encourage acne by wearing a pore-clogging foundation? Fight acne WITH your foundation.

   http://www.sephora.com/acne-solutions-liquid-makeup-P259605?skuId=1237213

Stila Eye Shadows

seriously, though, these are super pigmented! Tonight I tried to wash off my eyeshadow with water and could not get it off, time to break out the actual makeup remover.

http://www.sephora.com/brand/brandStore.jsp?searchTerm=Stila&brandId=3865&_requestid=5803

Lancome Gifts

seriously i have so many Lancome samples from when they have those events where you get a free makeup bag and makeup set with purchase. I use their blush (in color "Sheer Amourose") almost every day and i've never had to purchase it! it comes in every gift set! yay!

this is only the ones i've kept and not used or used up yet!

VS Gorgeous Perfume

This stuff smells so good (boys adore it). I've been told i smell good a creepy number of times while wearing this stuff.

You have to buy this on Amazon now, they discontinued it (probably because it drove too many boys crazy)!

Murad Clarifying Toner

This stuff tingles kind of like rubbing alcohol but gentler (but don't worry, it has no alcohol in it!).

I use it at morning and at night and it keeps my face less oily.

http://www.sephora.com/product/productDetail.jsp?skuId=654236&productId=P4015

How to Make Lipstick Stay on Most of the Day:

First, you'll need a few things:

• a lip scrub - buy a cheep one or make one (sugar and honey with a little coconut oil works great), 
• moisturizing lip balm, face primer (or if you want to spend a little more, a lip primer), 
• lip liner and lipstick (don't have to match exactly but should be close, and neither should make you look like a clown), 
• and finally some (at least semi-translucent) powder and a brush to use with it

Here are my supplies, and a picture showing that my liner and lipstick are pretty close to matching.

   

Now follow these steps so yo don't have to touch up your lips every hour:

1. use lip scrub (scrub in gentle circles with your finger). wipe off excess.

2. apply lip balm and let it soak in for a few minutes. again, wipe off excess.

3. use a TINY bit of primer on your lips.

4. line lips and fill them in with liner, press in with your finger.

5. DAB on lipstick. it's important to dab, not draw, so you press the lipstick into your lips.

6. press lipstick in with your finger (little dabs).

7. apply a second coat this same way.

8. apply a light coat of powder to set lipstick.

9. SHOW OFF:)

considerations: 

• in general, the better the quality of your lipstick and lip liner, the longer it will last. 
• eating or drinking makes lip color wear off WAY faster; use a straw and try not to touch your lips a lot while eating.