Seal a Weft, save a Weave

This is totally random, but I promise it's helpful. You know how we spend tons on the Brazilian, Peruvian, Madagascan etc hair(lol) and you go to get it installed, and they cut the wefts so it can have a streamlined look? The disadvantage about that is the weave starts to unravel. And that's quite annoying not only because you leave hair everywhere, but with another install you may have to buy another pack. Which in the long run isn't cost effective... That's when you find it shedding so badly. There is a remedy which a dear friend shared with me. Buy super glue, even from the dollar store. When they stylist cuts the weave, ask her to put just a drop of the glue at the cut ends. It seals the weft and will not let your weave unravel. This works for synthetic hair too. Just ask the stylist to be extremely careful while sealing and make sure it dries before putting it on your hair. Try it, tell me what you think!

Ashy? No thanks!

With summer being unnecessarily hot this year, most folks want little or nothing on their bodies, teeny bum shorts, tiny tanks are the rule. With lots of skin being exposed, you don't want your skin looking rough and ashy/ dry. Rule is, scrub scrub exfoliate ur skin till it's sore(jk) Divas want to know what they can use to keep things glowing. I have a few recommendations, and even a homemade solution.

Arbonne Awaken Sea Salt scrub- awesome product, medium sized tub. What I love about this scrub is not only does it have sea salt know for it's exfoliating, Rejuvenating and healing benefits.  It is also anti-ageing for those who wanna prevent the signs of aging on the body.
But it contains essential oils, which smooth and soothe the skin during the process. For my Divaz that have no access to arbonne, you can actually make your own with seat salt and olive oil, or almond oil. These will not clog your pores but never use them on the face. Salt scrubs sting when you have minor cuts from shaving so you can make a scrub with sugar too.  Price $28

Scrub gloves are a dime a dozen, but I find the best ive tried are the ones from the body shop.  First they are oh soo cute and quite cheap.$5 a pair in different colors. They are sturdy and you can use them with your favorite bath gel in-shower.  Exfoliating like this also helps with ugly razor bumps from shaving, just dont exfoliate the same day you shaved so you dont get irritated.
Always concentrate on knees and elbows, and you can exfoliate your feet too. Just be careful in the bathtub or shower, so you don't slip...

Carols Daughter Sweethoneydip Chocolate brown sugar scrub (sounds yummy) and feels even yummier. Its a must have at all costs. it simply does what it says and more.  Where to buy? Sephora $34

Good old St Ives is more common, and I find it works well also,but be sure to moisturise thoroughly after use.
For a more polished effect, use the gloves with any of the scrubs, it's easier on the hands.  Key is, some kinda scrub HAS to be in your shower.
So Divaz, has anyone tried a body scrub and liked it? Please share. Ciao ciao!!!!

Would you go for a spray tan?

For dark skinned beauties,  that seems like a question that we would never answer 'yes' to.  I never considered it until I went for one of the trade shows organised by Esthetique International group. I was browsing thru the stalls and passed by a Spray tanning booth, of course I glanced the other way quickly. Then this Rep grabbed my arm and asked if i would like to spray tan my legs. I almost swatted her away and she was like, just try it.  I said I dont want my legs darker for any reason, lol.  she said they wld look different for sure, but not darker. Since I like to try new things so I stepped into the tanning booth.  While She worked on them, of course we had a small crowd gather to see this phenomenon.  When I stepped out my legs were a very rich, golden hue.  She said its best used for black skin( esp for ashy legs) when you have to go out and want a warm golden glow.  I was pleasantly surprised, and would totally do it again....what are your thoughts? Will you dare try?

Get rid of dullness fast!

Skin dullness and lack of radiance is one major problem a lot of people face, and women are more worried about how to fix it with lasting results. My earlier post dealt with basic skincare for maintenance, but treatments give more rewarding results. I discovered this gem of a treatment, called Neostrata intense Skin brightener. This product promises to even out skin tone, eliminate dullness and reveal younger looking skin in as little as 3-4 weeks. It contains vitamin C(a powerful antioxidant) in a stabilized form which is usually quite difficult to achieve in packaging other than a time release capsule. It works by mildly exfoliating the dead skin off your face, and boosting cell regeneration. It works for all skin types, and best use is at night. Used and recommended!!! Where to buy? Shoppers drug Mart.
$78.

Lessons on how to take the best pictures with makeup

 

So my favorite beauty guru Temptalia posted about a topic that bothers a lot of people.  And thats taking pictures without mishaps...(that randomly tagged facebook picture that you would NEVER post on your profile).  A lot of us African sisters are affected by it especially,  as a result of the wrong foundation, etc.  The post was so spot on,  that I had to put it on here.  I'm sure everyone can benefit!
ENJOY
.............
Confidence is totally killer when it comes to pulling off any makeup look, whether it’s eyes done to the nines or just a bit of foundation. It’s important to wear products and colors that you’re comfortable wearing. Don’t let anyone push you into wearing more (or less!) than you feel happy wearing. If you don’t wear a lot of makeup and hate the way it feels on the skin–don’t think you have to wear full coverage foundation just to look good in photos. I also recommend, if you feel like you’re going a little out of your comfort zone, wearing the look prior to your special occasion to really see if it works for you.

Perfect the Skin

One of the things most often noticed first in photograph is skin, which really does round off any look you wear–it’s all about having a great canvas to work off of. Keep in mind that products that promise dewy finishes do not always work well in photographs, particularly flash photography, because they can give skin an oilier look. Another product to watch for is sunscreen, such as those with physical sunscreens, because they reflect light back, and this is what gives you a washed out look in flash photography.  You may also want to test out any translucent powders you use, too, which can sometimes give a white cast in photos.  If you’re not sure, try taking a few photos at home with flash and seeing how it goes.
Whether you apply eye makeup before or after foundation, make sure to remove any excess fall out, because you do not want any additional shadowing on the under eye. Eye brightening products and concealers are good for adding lightness to tired eyes, too, which can often be apparent in photos. However, make sure you really pay attention to blending so that the transitions between products and shades is natural and seamless.

Long Days, Longer Prep

For special occasions that span hours, such as weddings, proms, and the like, make time for proper prep to ensure longer wear out of your makeup. A lot of this entails layering products, which helps products adhere and stay on better and longer. Begin with moisturizer and allow it plenty of time to really sink in (typically 20 to 30 minutes), and then follow with a foundation primer, which will help smooth the surface of skin. Many primers also help combat oiliness, but it can depend on the formulation.
Depending on your skin type, you may also want to consider using a cream or gel blush, and if you really want to go the extra mile, set it with powder (or a similar colored blush). Foundation should also be set with powder (loose, pressed, translucent, whatever!), and for long days, carry around a pressed powder compact for touch-ups. It is with great hope that you won’t need to touch-up, but oilier skin types may still find it necessary. Just a slight application of more powder can help take down any oiliness and give skin a fresher look.
Lips can go through a layering process, too, or you can simply reapply as necessary. Exfoliate lips the night before, and apply a good lip balm to moisturize lips about an hour before you go to apply any lip products. Before you apply colored products, gently remove any excess balm that didn’t absorb (I usually just kiss the back of my hand). At this point, you can fill in your lips using lip liner in a shade that matches your natural lip color or that of your lipstick. Using a brush tends to provide more precise color application but also helps to cover lips in a very even layer. For longer wearing lipsticks, opt for matte, semi-matte, or satin finishes. Drier finishes tend to cling more to lips and therefore last longer. Similarly, darker colors (such as reds) tend to last longer than lighter colors (such as nudes).

When in Doubt, Test!

Whenever feasible, consider testing out your look at home or at some point in time before the special occasion takes place. If you have a camera, you can take your own photos to see how everything looks and make adjustments as necessary.

information culled from
http://www.temptalia.com/

Blushes

Blushes are great for finishing a look.  They make your entire look polished and pulled together.  They also give the illusion of more chiselled cheekbones. Too much,  and you can end up looking like a clown.  There are soo many to choose from,  and I doubt you can every really go wrong with a colour once its well applied.
I know 2 major types,  Cream blushes and Powder blushes.  Anything else falls into these 2 main categories.

• Cream Blushes: I personally think these are best for Oily skin,  and for those who would like a less intense look.  I would advise if you are just starting to experiment, try a stick blush first,  they are easier to manipulate.  They can also be used as a base for powder blushes,  to intensify a look,  or make the blush last longer.  I would not advise that you use a creamy formula if you have large pores or extremely oily skin.  It's just going to make the pores look larger.

         With the Stick,  you don't really need a brush to apply,  you can dot it on the apple of your cheeks,  and blend upwards with your fingers,  toward your lower hairline.  Always remember to smile while applying your blush--Other than the fact that smiling is good for you,  it helps raise your cheekbones for easier application, and a more natural look.  There are brushes that are most suitable for applying cream blushes.  The best I have seen (and used) so far is the MAC 130 (Image to the Right),  or you can find something that looks similar,  if you are on a budget.

• 
  
  Powder Blushes:  These are my favourite as they don't require much thought, you can slap it on,  blend,  and off you go!  The best shades for darker skintones are Coral,  Plum, Brick or Rust colored ones.  Peachy and Earthy tones work well though,  but it has to be a well pigmented blush to show up.

Application:  After your foundation, or tinted moisturizer....  You can use your setting powder but avoid using the setting powder on the cheekbones.  This allows the blush sink into your skin,  and of course last all day.  I find that if you use the setting powder all over,  it slightly changes the color/intensity of the blush for some reason,  and by mid-day the colour fades off.  To apply,  swipe brush in the pan,  tap off the excess ( very important) and SMILE :)

Dot along the cheekbone, and angle up towards your hairline. Blend in a circular motion for a more natural look.  If you make a mistake and have applied too much,  you can use a Kabuki brush (Right) to blend out your mistake.  What are your favourite tips and tricks to applying Blushes? Please share :)

Concealers

What's a Concealer?  I stole this definition from Wiki,  Its sums it up: A concealer or colour corrector is a type of makeup used to mask pimples, dark circles and other small blemishes visible on the skin. Concealers usually do a good job of hiding blemishes by blending the imprefection into the surrounding skin tone.


Unless you have perfect,  blemish free skin,  Concealers are the best way to fake blemish free skin.  And of course while we are on the path to achieve clear skin,  we need all the shortcuts we can get in order to 'fake it till you make it'.  In order to get the perfect match,  you have to know your undertones first (Your 'true' skin tone) and I just learned that you also have to know the color of whatever it is you are trying to cover on your face or body.  For example,  are you trying to cover acne scarring? Those black spots..or something more severe like hyperpigmentation (like a sunspot)?

All these questions are necessary before you take a trip to the beauty store.  Otherwise you will spend your cash on something you will never use.  You must also pick up the best concealer brush you can,  because your fingers alone may not get the desired effect.

Undereye concealers are very good for covering dark circles under the eyes,  and gives you the ' I just slept for 10 hrs' look.  Pat them on with your brush after applying foundation.  Its usually advised that you get one that is just a shade lighter than the color you would normally use to cover the blemishes on your face,  though that is not absolutely necessary.  Good examples are Mac Select Cover Up,  Clarins Instant Light,  Smashbox Camera Ready Full Coverage Concealer.  For Darker Skin tones I prefer Iman Corrective Concealer, or Bobbi Brown's Corrector.

When applying concealer on blemishes,  its advised to put it on after foundation,  use the concealer brush to lightly pat it on, until you have covered the blemish...blend outwards and then you can set your makeup with setting powder.


There are concealers that also cover pimples and dry them,  a good example is Revlon Colorstay Blemish concealer, It ranges from $7.99-$10 at any drugstore.  It contains Salicylic Acid,  which heals the pimple even as it covers.  Another one is Proactive's,  but I can't vouch for their color selection.

Happy week!