05/20/13

How To: Get Your Beauty Sleep

With our busy lives and numerous priorities, it can be hard to get a good night’s sleep. Tossing and turning can lead to a restless night, leaving you looking tired the next day. While under-eye concealer can be a miracle-worker, no one wants to feel depleted and draggy throughout their day. Read on for my tips for getting your beauty sleep.

Start relaxing early. Create a bedtime routine that promotes relaxation. Whether it be journaling, reading a book, or relaxing with a cup of tea with a candle burning in the background, these activities will help you unwind and prepare for sleep. Bonus: journaling is an amazing tool for managing stress and anxiety, as writing down your thoughts can be therapeutic.

Clear your thoughts. Along the same lines of journaling, meditation has myriad benefits for your mind. Promoting mindfulness, taking a few minutes each day to practice meditation will help you hone this skill and enable you to clear your mind of rampant thoughts before bedtime as well as more regularly throughout your day. I was recently sent the Butterfly Spirit Connections Super Hero Meditation Practice CD and I plan on making an effort to begin meditation as a tool for increased mindfulness.

Butterfly Spirit Collections Super Hero Meditation Practice

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05/14/13

Beauty Tip Tuesday: Polish Your Ponytail

Whether you’re pressed for time in the morning, haven’t washed your hair, or are simply frustrated with your mane, a ponytail can be the perfect go-to hairstyle. A classic updo, ponytails get the hair out of your face and can work for a multitude of occasions. The key, however, is making them look polished and professional and not channel a “just woke up” look.

Here are some tips for achieving a polished ponytail look:

1. Use a fine-tooth comb or bristle brush to brush your hair back. This adds little time but makes a big difference in how smooth your hair looks, eliminating bumps.

2. Secure your ponytail with an elastic. Some of my favourites are the small, clear elastics and fabric elastics in a colour close to your hair colour.

3. Cover the elastic. My go-to look is to take a small section of hair from the bottom of the ponytail and loop it around the elastic to hide it, securing it with a bobby pin under the ponytail. Another option is to use a ponytail cover. I’ve seen some cute metal ones at H&M.

4. Smooth frizz and flyaways. Spray some hairspray on a bristle brush and run it over your hair to tame flyaways and achieve a more polished look. You can also use bobby pins to pin up any loose hairs under your pony.

Voila! A 2-minute hairstyle that is all chic.

What is your go-to hairstyle?

05/7/13

HBZ020111_112 SS11SCB_Milan, Fendi,Milan

Beauty Tip Tuesday: Stay True To Your Lipstick Hue

Good morning, beauties!

Today’s beauty tip is an easy one that requires little time, and no new products. Whether or not you have pigmented lips, lipsticks, glosses, and stains often look different on your lips than they do in the tube, or when swatched on your hand.

To create a neutral canvas for your lip product, first apply a tiny bit of foundation, concealer, or skin-tone eye base to your lips. This will even out your lip colour and correct for any strong pigmentation, allowing your lipstick to show its true colour. BONUS: adding a base of this type will help your lipstick last longer.

What is your all-time favourite lipstick shade?

05/2/13

April 2013 Empties (Beauty Products I’ve Used Up)

Finally a short empties post! After blogging about a dozen products for March, I was amazed to see that I only used up three beauty products in April.

The first product is one I don’t think I’ve mentioned before: the Biosilk Revive Dry Clean Shampoo. I got this as a gift with purchase from Beauty Brands when I was in Dallas last May and only got around to using it over the past few months (since I was too infatuated with the Batiste XXL Dry Shampoo that I love!) It’s a nice dry shampoo that does make the hair and scalp feel refreshed, but doesn’t do much to eliminate oil or add volume. I used this on second day hair that was slightly dull and it was a nice refreshing pick-me-up but didn’t make a big difference in the appearance of my hair. I don’t recommend this nor will I purchase it.

Biosilk Revive Dry Clean Shampoo

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04/28/13

April 2013 Beauty Favourites

I know May isn’t quite here yet, but I was too excited to share my April beauty favourites to wait! This month, I tried out several new products, some of which made the grade and earned current favourite status. :)

Impressing me in the skincare category this month is the Complex 15 Daily Face Cream I mentioned in my March Empties post. This is a light daytime moisturizer which has supposedly been created by dermatologists for those with sensitive skin. I’ve been using this moisturizer both day and night and find it works well both under makeup as well as on its own in the evening. It is lightweight, absorbs nicely into the skin, and my skin seems to love it! My skin has been amazing this month, with no breakouts and little irritation. I’m not sure whether this moisturizer is the cause, but in the meantime I am happy continuing to use it. :)

Complex 15 Daily Face Cream

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04/22/13

e.l.f. Makeup Haul

For those of you unfamiliar with e.l.f. (or Eyes Lips Face), they are a value cosmetics brand available online and through select Target stores. With prices averaging $1-3 per product, they are a brand worth checking out, especially for products that are not worth a splurge! (Think: trendy colours and costume makeup!)

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’ll know that I am obsessed with their Essential Wet Gloss Lash & Brow Clear Mascara, an amazing $1 brow gel. I probably go through one every 1-2 months given the small amount of gel per product, so I pick up a bunch every time I’m in the U.S.. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any when I was in Dallas in February so I had to place an order recently. While I was at it, I picked up some other products of theirs that had been on my shopping list.

Below is an overview of what I picked up (though I bought multiples of many of these!):

First up is obviously some of the brow gels – I ended up with 6! You can check out my post about this for more information, but essentially this is a great product for grooming your brows into place and keeping them there all day.

e.l.f. Wet Gloss Lash & Brow Clear Mascara

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04/16/13

5 Beauty Pick-Me-Ups Under $15

Whether you’re having a blah day or simply want to spruce up your look, a beauty pick-me-up can go a long way in making you feel more polished and pretty. Today’s post shares my top 5 beauty pick-me-ups that won’t break the bank.

1. A Perfect Polish Change. Want to get your nails done, but adverse to spending too much? For as little as $8 at some salons, a polish change offers many of the same benefits as a mani, including a new nail colour, a smooth application, and longer lasting wear. My favourite pick-me-up nail colours are red, coral, and mint green, but there’s something to be said for a classic French polish, too. For a more complete look, shape your nails and trim your cuticles at home beforehand, as many salons won’t offer those services with a simple polish change.

2. Pearly-er Whites. I love having white teeth and whiten mine at home quite frequently (read my full post about it here!). While professional whitening treatments can cost in the hundreds of dollars, and white strips can run $50 and higher, there are more affordable options. My favourite product is Plus White which comes in a gel-filled tube for under $15 ($9 on Amazon!). The Starter Kit is my favourite as it contains a mouth guard that makes using the product a breeze. Plus White isn’t terribly strong, nor has it given my any tooth sensitivity, but it does work – you can often see a difference after just a few uses.

3. Fancy Brows. Despite getting my eyebrows waxed every 4 weeks religiously, I’m amazed at how mangled they look before wax time. After a wax, they are beautifully sculpted, are a dream to fill in, and add a natural polish to my appearance. At roughly $8-12 at your local salon, this beauty habit is well worth it.

4. An Updated Pout. A girl can never have too many lipsticks, and a new one can perk up a look and give you added confidence. A coral or peach-toned hue is perfect for spring or summer, a bold red can be daring and fun, and a light pink can be a neutral shade that works with a ton of different looks. Head to your local drugstore for a plethora of options under $15.

5. A Bronzed Glow. By the time end of April rolls around, many of us have been too pale for too long. Add a healthy (and safe!) glow to your skin by using a lotion like Jergens Natural Glow which works double duty by moisturizing your skin and also adding a hint of bronze. Available in face and body formulas and for different complexions, there are a ton of options when it comes to bronzing up, most of them under $15.

What are your favourite beauty pick-me-ups?

04/13/13

March 2013 Empties (Beauty Products I’ve Used Up)

Get ready for a WHOLE lotta empties. I seem to have gone through a ton of products in March, from hair care to skin care and from makeup to hand creams!

Let’s start with skin care. As I’ve mentioned in the past, I’ve been seeking out skin care products with hyaluronic acid, a water-binding agent that is supposedly a miracle worker for dull, dehydrated skin. The Now Hyaluronic Acid Firming Serum made my January 2013 Beauty Favourites, working as an extra hit of moisture under my moisturizer day and night. It’s a citrus-smelling serum that applies really nicely and didn’t irritate my sensitive skin. While I’d recommend this product for those with dehydrated skin, I’m not looking to repurchase it myself, since I’ve been trying to simplify my skincare routine and cut out products where I can. The Now line is available online and at many health food stores (I bought mine from Well.ca, but it is much cheaper on Amazon).

Now Hyaluronic Acid Firming Serum

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04/9/13

Fashion Tip Tuesday: Reinvigorating Your Wardrobe

Too often, when you have an “I have nothing to wear!” moment, it seems easier to buy a brand new outfit, clothing item, or accessory. Starting from scratch lets you buy the perfect piece, and there’s often that excitement around shopping for something new. At the same time, this can lead to impulse purchases of things you don’t really need or end up wearing much, and can often be a waste of money.

Starting a new job a few months ago, I went through a similar dilemma. I knew I needed more formal business clothes and figured I’d need to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe. The skirts I had were all too big, most of them never really fitting properly when I got them, and while I loved their style, I knew I couldn’t wear them.

I ended up finding a whopping 7 skirts in my wardrobe that I liked but that were too big, and had them tailored to perfectly fit my frame. At $10-15/each, it was a much better option than buying new skirts, and I was able to pick them up in a few days, saving me time from having to go shopping.

Today’s beauty tip is to consider tailoring to give your wardrobe a facelift. Having clothes tailored to better fit your frame is only one option. Consider having a drab skirt shortened into a cute party-ready mini, removing the sleeves on a dress to make it summer-appropriate, or cropping too-short pants into capris. Depending on the nature of the alteration and your sewing savvy, you may be able to even make the changes yourself.

I hope this inspires you to look within your closet and see the possibilities. Recycling your existing clothes is also an environmentally-friendly gesture that you can feel good about. :)

04/5/13

Inner Beauty: The Power of a Compliment

This morning, I began my day like every other. Woke up, dragged my tired bum out of bed after 5 (…alright 15) minutes of lying comatose post-alarm, and managed to look somewhat put together before being out the door with a handful of crackers as “breakfast”. My headphones in, I braved the still-winter-like weather (Mother Nature has clearly not received the “spring is here” memo) and trudged towards the subway.

Despite it being a Friday, arguably one of the least busy days on the subway, it was packed, and I found myself pressed between smelly people and trying to hang on to a pole for dear life with fear of flying into an unsuspecting old lady’s lap.

Leaving the subway car at my stop, I felt a tap on my shoulder and found a nice-looking girl around my age staring at my hair. “I love your bun – is that a sock bun? Did you use one of the hair donuts you can get in the store?” It took me a second to realize that she was referring to my 30-second hairdo actually looking good, but after a beat, I excitedly launched into a full monologue about how to wear a sock bun, the type of sock to get, and how to use it (tip: turn your head upside down to prevent layers from sticking out). She seemed so happy to hear about how easy the style is to master, and we chatted the whole way up the stairs and into our respective office towers. To make matters even better, she reminded me of Mindy Khaling (who competes with only Cam from Modern Family in terms of BFF-crush status). With a spring in my step, I headed up to work knowing it was going to be a good day.

That’s the power of a compliment. A kind word from a friend, family member, (or complete stranger, in my case!) is a lovely surprise that can jar you out of your monotonous state and bring a smile to your face.

How often do you admire a stranger’s scarf, notice a kind favour your friend did for someone, or feel proud of one of your family members’ accomplishments? And how often do you actually pay them a compliment about it?

We all have dozens of opportunities each day to make someone’s minute, hour, day, or week a little brighter. Let’s take the time to spread the love!

Have a happy weekend!

Kate

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