Which lipstick makes your teeth look white?

Before even attempting to pick out a color make sure you exfoliate and brush your lips with a toothbrush for the smoothest possible finish, wipe them down with a washcloth to remove excess flakes of skin. Hydrating your lips is crucial to this process because a moisturizing treatment is the key to smoothing down any wrinkles and lines you may have on your lips (use a thick lip balm without a drying agent/alcohol in it).



Regardless of which lipstick you choose, make sure that the formula is sheen/sheer because matte lipstick formulaas will get creased on your lips in every line and groove and make them appear dryer than they really are. Cinnamon and mint-flavored lipglosses and lipsticks will provide a plumping effect because the ingredients will cause a swelling reaction on your lips. Sheen and shimmer will also make your lips appear larger than they really are because it helps the light reflect in a way that creates a fuller effect. If you want longevity to your lipstick, make sure you fill your lips in with liner before you add your lipstick on top and then finish it off with translucent face powder, this is the trick makeup artists use to have lipstick last long periods of time.  



Red lipstick will complement all skintones



Choosing your lipstick color depends a lot on your skintone. If your skin is a pinkish hue then you want to choose blue-base red colors (not orangey, warm tones like your skin) and the opposite is true for olive skin, choose an orangey red (not the blue-based red which is cool toned like your skin). This contrasting effect will allow the red to make your teeth appear whiter. The deeper and more opaque red you pick, the better for creating a tooth whitening effect. But red lipstick easily can get on your teeth, thus diminishing the purpose of wearing it, so make sure you press a kleenex between your lips before you're done with the application to remove any excess, loose lipstick. If you leave extra lipstick on your lips it also will make your lips appear chapped and uneven instead of that glossy finished look you're going for.



Pink tones bring out the yellow in teeth

Mauve-based lipstick is also a good option to try if you're scared of doing the ultimate red lip. For real precision you will want to do your application either with surgically-steady hands or with a lip brush because strong colors like red must be applied perfectly in order to look good - any mistake will be readily visible. Whatever you do, if you're looking to whiten your teeth, do not wear pink lipstick, especially if you plan on doing a lot of laughing or talking. Pink lipstick will bring out the natural yellow in the enamel of your teeth and definitely showcase your plaque if you have any. You can feel safe using pink lipstick only if you have just returned from the dentist to have a deep cleaning or if you've recently completed a whitening regimen.

Cosmetics Consumer Conspiracies

The cosmetics industry has long been shrouded in mystery, making up false pseudo-scientific reports for their products, not releasing any of their testing information to the public, and hocking up the price of simple cosmetics that could literally be made in your own home. If you look at the product labels you will see many compounds that you don't necessarily recognize even if you've taken high-level Biochemistry courses and have similar academia qualifications. There have been accusations and fines for almost all of the cosmetics manufacturers (Sephora and L'Oreal to name a few) for price fixing after secret meetings. Apparently, these companies have always been monopolizing the market to their advantage, so that private-label household brands stand no chance in the multibillion dollar industry.

If you want to know what poison the cosmetics industry is pouring into the majority of your products and calling them 'cosmetic grade' (in that they won't kill you if you use them) you can check out the list of 12 chemicals used that will adversely harm your skin, promote aging and are carcinogenic agents. If your cosmetics claim that they are organic, you should look at the ingredients list on the back of the product, because I can almost guarantee you that these products are not organic. Just because something is 'Certified Organic' does not mean the entire product is, it means that some of the ingredients used in the product are organic compounds, these will usually have asterisks by the name. At the very bottom in fine print you will see that the asterisk means that only those products are organic. It is very important when purchasing products that you read between the lines and pay attention to the fine print. The cosmetics industry is preying on the fact that the majority of their consumers are not educated in that specific field and/or don't care about what the products are made out of. You don't need to have a degree in Chemistry to see strange long-winded chemical names that you don't recognize and wonder what they're doing to your skin and body.



http://www.vermontsoap.com/specials.shtml

It's a big let down to know that companies are trying to fool consumers so if you have any doubts or questions you should call up your favorite cosmetics companies and ask about their products and practices. They have a responsibility to be honest with their consumers and if you find that they are beating around the bush or being dishonest and have a history of bad practices you may want to consider switching brands. If you're unsure where to start, ry Vermont Soap Organics products, for example, because they are completely open about their ingredients and even have a page on their website dedicated to listing all of the ingredients in every product. If you see that a cosmetic has a 'USDA grade' label on it, then you know you're dealing with a product that is good enough for your body as determined by the Food and Drug Administration because 'USDA grade' means that it is good enough for human consumption (these are the guildelines used to determine whether something is healthy to eat!). The factory where these products come from must be an Organic Processor factory that is legalized to make these products with federal certification in the United States. 

http://www.liquidplanet.com/images/tier3/Organic_USDA_Paneldiagram.gif



Keep in mind that without fragrance enhancers and chemical oils, naturally made products will not be as potent in their overall appearance and smell as those jam-packed with inorganic compounds. Changing to an all-natural, healthy skincare routine may take some getting used to, but it's definitely worth saving your skin from the risks of drying out, cancer, and oil imbalance. Also, if you think you are purchasing products that are hypoallergenic, you must keep in mind that this only means that there are less allergic compounds in that product compared to others, but it does not mean that there are no allergic products. There is no federal regulation for products that controls the amount of allergens found so these labels are purely introduced by the manufacturer. Make sure you know what it is you are allergic to by going to your doctor and then look out for those ingredients in everything you buy and stay away from them.

Until next time, stay beautiful and healthy everybody!!

Is tattooing your makeup safe?

Lately, I have seen more and more people, mostly women, with recently-inked faces to mimic makeup such as eyeliner, lipliner and to fill in permanent eyebrows. It's no wonder that people choose to go that route, getting a tattoo is certainly less expensive than purchasing all of that makeup for years on end. However, it is a permanent application of something you may not always like or want on your face, and that should make you think long and hard before choosing to do it in the first place. Fads and makeup styles change and the last thing anybody would want is to look outdated and out of place. Also, when we age, our skin sags and our pores shrivel up in an irregular manner, so your makeup is bound to look abnormally placed and droopy, making for what I am sure to be a horrific scene. Our facial structure and composition is changing all the time and you cannot expect to put something static on your face and expect it to always look the same when you are constantly morphing.

There is a problem with the tattoo industry in general, unless you go to a place that you know without a shadow of a doubt practices perfect hygiene, you're likely to run into problems. The hygiene practices of many tattoo parlors is sub-par because there is no federal regulation (in the United States) that holds them to a specific standard of cleanliness. These rules are regulated on a state-by-state basis, with some being far too relaxed on these establishments. Infectious diseases (such as hepatitis, staphylococcus infections, and AIDS) can be spread through the use of instruments that are not completely sterilized and shops are likely to skimp on these cleanliness requirements to save money (or out of sheer incompetence at times).

It is also important to remember that you may be allergic to tattoo inks and your face will react in a different way than the rest of your body. You can have a tattoo done on your arm that does not get infected, but that same tattoo on your face could trigger a nasty rash or infection because the skin is far softer and more sensitive. Factors such as this can create intense and irreparable damage to your face. This is especially true if you ever want to remove a tattoo, because even though there are laser removal technologies, they are not perfect and it is impossible to remove a tattoo without some scarring (and it's expensive, too). Some inks used in tattoos are a health risk in and of themselves, regardless of contamination, because they can not go through a Magnetic Resonance Instrument because the metals in the pigments will be pulled out with the electromagnet of the medical imaging machine. So if you have a medical condition, your doctors will not be able to put you through medical imaging techniques that could potentially save your life and help in diagnosis and surgery.

Another point to consider is that if you do get this cosmetic procedure done, you will end up looking as though you always have makeup on and when you do, in fact, want to look special, you will no longer be able to make yourself up to be more attractive than you normally are. I know that my husband appreciates the effort I put into my appearance on special occasions, but if those occasions weren't rare, would he even notice anymore? I suspect, that like most things, people would just become accustomed to your face being completely made up all the time and you wouldn't get the attention that you seek from your makeup (clearly you must want attention if you're getting yourself tattooed to be beautiful, right?). I don't believe that we are robots, and we probably shouldn't always look the same way. I also can't imagine how incredibly painful it would be to have someone put fine-tipped needles in your face repeatedly, it would take someone with high pain tolerance to undergo such a procedure willingly!

Winterizing the skin you're in

In the upcoming winter months, your skin will suffer the consequences of low humidity, high wind-speed, and cold temperatures. All of these factors together will lead to dehydration, cracking and unattractive skin. You will want to invest in a moisturizer, not necessarily a thick-consistency formula, but definitely an effective formula, possibly including petroleum gel so that it stays on your skin and protects it for longer. Make sure whatever cream you're buying has SPF to it because, although you may not feel it while you're outside, if the sun is out you will still get burned even in the winter. It is important to protect your skin against sunburns, because they promote aging, sunspots, wrinkles and skin cancer. The key to moisturizing your skin externally is ingesting lots of liquids internally so that the hydration spreads around to all of your body systems and organs (including your skin).  Consider investing in a humidifier for your room, it will allow your lungs to intake oxygen more easily and allow your airways not to overproduce mucous to compensate for the dry air. Humidifiers will also be a saving grace for your skin, especially during the night-time when you're asleep and incapable of moisturizing or drinking liquids.

To avoid crackling, you will want to eat antioxidants (fruits and veggies, usually) and omega-3's to increase the fatty acids in your skin. These fatty acids will allow your skin to become more flexible and soft, protecting against breakage and cracking.  If you find yourself licking your lips often, consider investing in a moisturizing lip balm (that doesn't have any alcohol base in it), because licking your lips often means that your lips are dehydrated. Unfortunately, licking your lips actually has the opposite effect because of the acid in your saliva which serves to dry out your skin even more than it already is.

Although it may be tempting to take long, hot baths during the winter months, you should stick to short cooler showers as to avoid your pores from opening up in the hotter temperature. What happens when your pores are open after a hot bath during the winter months is that you are tempted to quickly rub yourself dry with a towel which causes your fragile pores to break open and cause mild scarring which leads to wrinkles and skin breakage. Make sure you apply moisturizer after taking a bath/shower every day and don't forget to apply it to the areas that don't get exposed (toes, stomach, shoulders) because they are still getting dry from the general conditions.

Take your vitamins (A, B, and C) during these months because they will make a big difference in your appearance and overall comfort. Vitamin A will promote skin thickness and protect against it stretching apart, while it will also allow it to create new layers. While vitamin B will improve your circulation and this means the supply of blood replenishing supplies (minerals) to your skin is increased, allowing it to heal quickly. Vitamin C is an integral part of collagen formation along with the fatty acids you intake, which is self-explanatory - collagen is an elastic compound that allows skin stretching without breaking or wrinkling.

If you use cleanser or soap during your washing routine, make sure that they have moisturizing and hydrating properties, otherwise the cleaning astringent chemicals inside will leave your skin parched (use oil-based cleansers instead of makeup wipes to remove makeup). It really is all about common sense, try to stay away from after-shave if you're a man and alcohol-based body sprays if you're a female because the alcohol-base of these products will cause your skin's natural moisture to evaporate. As a female, you can try to use a moisturizing foundation or cream eyeshadow to help your skin out during these harsh, cruel months. Stay away from anything that stings your skin, as a good general rule, because these products will always have alcohol as a base. Good luck and take care of your external-most organ!

The Kate Middleton look

Want to look like the lovely Duchess of Cambridge? I've found the scoop on what her favorite look is and how to achieve it yourself. She goes for fairly neutral, natural tones with a slight mauve tint to her eyeshadow, accentuated with lots of black eyeliner. To achieve the look of her skin, you'll want to consider bronzer and a light pink blush. She is a fan of Bobbi Brown cosmetics and her wedding day makeup was entirely done by her with their line of makeup products. I have found duplicates of their colors in other lines so that you can easily access the shades she has used. I suggest starting off with your eyeshadow so that you can easily manipulate your eye makeup without rubbing your foundation off with your hand.

Use concealer on your eyes (eyelids and under your eyes) to give them a uniform, refreshed look that can act as a blank canvas for the color application. Then, take an ivory or very light bone colored eyeshadow and apply it all over the eye from your eyelashes to your eyebrows. I used MAC's Sweet Eyes from the Devoted Poppy holiday palette (the one in the top left corner), but you can use any nude color that suits your skin. To cover your eyelid, use MAC's 'Under Your Spell' eyeshadow, the lavender-silver side of it with a flat shadow brush and pack the color in. Afterwards, apply Elizabeth Arden's 'Vintage' eyeshadow in the crease of your eye and don't forget the next step to blend it in thoroughly with a fluffy brush (a brush that is not as dense as those you put your shadows on with) so you can feather out the color. Make sure you also apply this color to the lower lash line.

After blending out the contour color, use an angled brush to place black eyeshadow on your lash line and extend it out to the corner a little bit. Kate Middleton does not create a cat-eye with her liner but does extend her darkest shadow out past the corner of her eye, so if you want to achieve her look, you should do the same. Blend out the black so that it is not stark and obvious. She uses either a gel or liquid liner, but since the appearance is similar just use whichever you are most comfortable with. I used a liquid liner because it was faster and lined my eye all the way around just as she does. She applies the black liner to the bottom lash line and not the waterline. This is the look she goes for, although it is not the most flattering because lining your eyes all the way around is a dated look and will make your eyes appear older than they are. Regardless, I did it to show you the exact way she goes about doing her makeup!

After this all you need is a coat of black mascara and use some darker eyeshadow or an eyebrow liner to fill in your brows. Kate has dark eyebrows and it appears as though she fills them in from close-up photos of her. My brows are much more arched than hers because hers have a more straight appearance, if you can get your brows to go in straighter then you will achieve a look much more similar to hers than I ever will. Make sure to fill in your brows with a darker color because it makes a big difference to the overall look. For your face, apply foundation in a natural color, then contour your cheeks as well as up and around your hairline and forehead with a bronzer. Kate has quite a tanned facial complexion when she applies her makeup so this leads me to believe she uses quite a lot of bronzer, and some light pink blush on the apples of her cheeks. She has quite a matte look to her face so I don't recommend using any shimmer powder or cheek highlights if you're going for her exact look.

She doesn't wear lipstick, just a coat of a nude lipgloss you think is attractive on you will work great. It's a pretty low-maintenance look that's easy to do in the morning if you want an appropriate work look (though I would skip out on the black liner all across the bottom lash line). Hope you have fun making yourself look like Kate Middleton!!! :)

Basics of Jewelry Making

Flat nose pliers, side
cutters and round nose pliers

Do you like fashion jewelry but refuse to pay a lot of money for what you want? Perhaps you're just bored with what you see in stores and what to customize your jewelry to represent your personality. Maybe you were inspired by 'Project Accessory' and want to be the next big jewelry designer. Whatever the case may be, I guarantee you'll be happier with what you've made for yourself because it will be uniquely yours and reflect your personal taste. You need a few tools (which can be found at your neighborhood Blick art store or online), regardless of what you'll be making, to start you off on your projects. These are important in rounding wires, opening spring rings, cutting wires, and much more.


First,  you will need the long flat-nose pliers (has a light blue handle in the picture) which allow you to easily grip wire and bend it without creating nicks and chips in it. Then it is advisable that you purchase a side cutter (has the pink handle in the photo) because, although the flat-nose pliers has some cutting ability, it will not be strong enough to cut thicker wire, nor will it be able to cut wider objects/findings. Finally, you will definitely be needing the round-nose plier if you plan on using any wire to make earrings or bracelet hoops/links and you should consider doing so because it will give your work a polished and finished look (it is the method that makes store jewelry look expensive as opposed to makeshift). An optional but recommended tool is the crimper - it is a tool that allows you to use little crimp beads that will push your wires together at the ends of necklaces and bracelets and press the bead to collapse in a perfect manner but if you get good at it you can also use the flat-nose pliers to do this.

Crimping tool

You should purchase beads that you like and find beautiful, I'm a big fan of Swarovski beads and glass beads, I suggest buying them in 4mm, 6mm, and 8mm sizes, and then you can combine colors that you think are beautiful together. You will need stringing wire to make soft bracelets and necklaces that dangle, I suggest working with sterling silver wire but it tends to be quite pricey so only buy however much you will be needing (measuring helps - so use a measuring tape). For earrings, you will be needing earring hooks, unless you can salvage some from your own jewelry by simply taking off the hanging parts. Make sure you get lots of these because earrings are very simple to make and you can crank out many styles that you like. Keep in mind that all of the products you get should be hypoallergenic, especially if you plan to gift your jewelry to a friend, you never know what can trigger allergies.


Collect jewelry from antique shops and thrift shops, or rummage through your basement or attic for whatever you have laying around that you're unhappy with. My motto is that no piece of jewelry is unsalvageable, anything can be transformed into a piece that is current and stylish. These are the basic tools you need to get started, obviously there are many other things you could purchase, but I recommend starting with these so you're not breaking the bank. All of these tools should cost you $30.00 or less and if something seems to expensive in a store, it probably is. I find that going to designated bead stores actually is a bad idea because they tend to have 'specialty' items and overprice for them. You're better off going to an art store, a hardware store, Wal-Mart, or shopping online (Amazon is perfect for these items). You may want to pick up general findings such as pendants, metal-earring frames, and anything you find interesting. In future posts, I will teach you how to make every piece of jewelry you can imagine, so just get your tools ready and we'll make things together! Here's a sampling of what I can teach you how to make: 

Horse Shampoo: Yay or Neigh?

Who knew you could walk into the pet store and find your next great cosmetic product? You may have heard of the fad that's started over the past couple of years, probably due to recommendations from daily talk-show hosts and pseudo-doctors: horse products. You may be asking yourself why this would have begun, the reasoning is quite simple to explain. Many claim that the shampoo and conditioner used on a horse's mane causes it to be lustrous, shiny and soft and can have the same benefits on human hair. It's simple to see the correlation, because our hair basically is made out of the same substance: keratin. This post will focus on debunking the myth or giving props to those who have led us into a new age of hair science, depending on which way the evidence weighs the scales of truth.

Reading reviews online of Mane 'N Tail shampoo & conditioner, I have seen numerous posts of African-Americans praising the product because they claim that it is moisturizing and makes their hair manageable. I'm no expert on this matter, so I'm going to take their word for it. I have also heard from people of all other races that they abide by the same principles and the products have proven effective. I'm not here to insult anybody's choices, I just want to get to the bottom of the chemical mystery, what exactly is it inside this product that makes people feel this way about it?

There is no empirical evidence to suggest that hair grows more plentiful or faster, so those claims are off the table. It is important to remember that hair grows up to three quarters of an inch each month in the average person and regardless of how much you damage or treat your hair, this will remain the same because your hair is already dead (technically just not living). There may be a possibility that increasing the circulation in your scalp can help with hair growth, but that would mean you would have to actively stimulate your scalp all the time (ask your significant other for a head massage all day every day? It probably won't help your hair growth so don't bother). Shampoo and conditioner only attach to the not-living hair strands and those aren't growing in and of themselves.

If you think your hair appears fuller from using the stuff, it does. Pet shampoos, more so than humans tend to leave residue in hair (because we don't wash our animals as much as we wash ourselves), so your hair has the appearance of being bulkier because of the product sticking to your hair and not easily washing out. It is important to note that there are no beneficial products in the shampoo, in fact, there is sodium lauryl sulfate (the cleaning agent used in most shampoos) which is a skin irritant and carcinogen. Not to mention, this chemical leads to split ends and broken hair, which is technically the opposite of what you're looking for if you're using the horse shampoo in the first place. Why is a chemical used in shampoos and cleaning products if it denatures skin proteins and leads to adverse side effects? The answer to that is obvious, it is cheap and companies have an easier time making profits using it rather than substituting it for a healthier option. If you want to go truly natural, try Fundamental Earth shampoos and conditioners, but you'll have to pay a pretty penny for them compared to the animal shampoo. To be honest, I'm hardly shocked, if something sounds too good to be true, it likely is. Hoping that this horse shampoo fad was going to be a good practice is folly because if there were some miracle chemical, why would it be used on horses and not mass-marketed to humans? If something great comes along, I'm sure we will all find out about it. Until then, try as best you can to protect yourself from false advertising and untrue word-of-mouth.