Beauty

  • Beauty, Fashion, Product Reviews

    Summer Fashion Problem Solved: Sweat and Sandals

    Yes, we’ve survived another week mamas and that means two things around here; a glass of wine and Fashion Fridays. This week, I wanted to share not just outfit inspiration for the weekend but also a solution to a common summer fashion problem.

    Lace and denim with bib necklace

    There are two things that go hand in hand during the summer, sandals and sweat. The combination isn’t pretty and if you have overactive sweat glands on the soles of your feet like I do, then you understand the struggle. After wasting money on a bunch of useless products, I’ve found two inexpensive solutions to this annoying and uncomfortable problem and I wanted to share them with you:

    Sheinside 1

     

    1. Tom’s of Maine antiperspirant deodorant

    Yup, it’s that simple. Right out of the shower, pat your feet dry and add some of this deodorant. Now using my underarm deodorant under my feet doesn’t appeal to me so I purchased a separate one for this purpose. I found that this was effective in preventing my feet from sweating for up to five hours. Now, I’ve tried other deodorant brands with no success and you must ensure that you use an antiperspirant  if you’re going to try another brand. This is the preventative approach.

     

    2. Poise Body Cooling Towelette

    Now, if you’re already out and about and your feet are slipping around in your sandals. Your solution will come in the form of a Poise Body Cooling Towelette. You read that correctly, I know the poise brand isn’t very glamorous but a girl’s got to do what she needs to do. So head to the bathroom, remove your sandals  and wipe your feet with these towelettes and you should notice about 80% reduction in sweat (Give it about half hour to kick in). I found this approach to not be as effective as using the deodorant but it’s a great alternative especially if you’re already on the go or out for a long period of time.

    Poise-Body-Cooling-Towelettes-036000324136

    Now that sweaty problem is solved, let’s get into this week’s outfit details.

    Rattles and Heels Excessive feet sweating and sandals

    Rattle and Heels Lace and Denim

    Get the look (Click the pictures for product details)

    USE THE COUPON CODE CLASSIC15 for 15% at Sheinside):

    Top by Sheinside, you can get the black like me but I think this color is gorgeous.

    If you really like black, here is the long sleeve version and some more options:

    My jeans are from Aeropostale and this particular style is sold out but I found some similar options.

    Now that we have that sandal situation settled, let the sandal fun begin.

    I love bib necklaces, this black one I purchased about five years ago from H&M but here are some pretty alternatives.

    I hope these tips make your summer a whole lot more fun. Go ahead and soak up all that sun!
    Lace sheinside shirt and gray jeans
    More Fashion inspiration here,here, here, here , here, here and here. (Deep Breath)
    Do you have any summer fashion tips to share with us?
    {This post may contain some affiliate links}
  • Beauty

    How To Apply A Bold Lipstick

    How to do a bold lip

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    Bold Lips are all the rage this spring. Orange, pinks, and reds. Personally, I love a bold lip and I feel that when you find a shade that works well for you its a fantastic way to create a signature look for yourself that’s memorable and trendy.

    how-to-apply-bold-lip

    Bold lips are also wonderful  for busy moms because it’s quick yet fabulous. But if you’ve never done a bold lip before it can be quite intimidating. A few years ago when I first started wearing red lipstick, I felt quite self-conscious about it. It was new territory for me as up until that point I only wore neutral or pink lip gloss but I challenged myself to step out of my comfort zone and eventually I started to feel more  comfortable.

    What I learned in the process is there are a few tricks to successfully doing a bold lip. So I wanted to share what I learned as well as some of my favorite lipsticks and lip liners combos. Here’s how to apply a bold lipstick

    Trick # 1: Always use a moisturizing lip balm. Bright lip color on chapped and dry lips is a disaster. Doesn’t matter how moisturizing your lipstick claims to be ensure that you moisturize your lips prior in preparation. If your lips are chapped, try this DIY lip scrub.

    Trick # 2: Always use a lip liner. Whenever I purchase a bold lip color, I ensure that I find a liner that compliments it well. Now, here is a really important trick. DO NOT ONLY OUTLINE YOUR LIPS, FILL THEM IN COMPLETELY. There are two advantages to this. Firstly, the liner would outlast your lipstick and you wouldn’t just end up with an outline on your lips after a few hours and secondly it will help your lipstick lasts longer. Use your liner again once you’re finished to get the edges and corners completely filled in.

    Trick # 3: Apply concealer around your lip to help your bold lip to really stand out.

    Trick # 4: Keep the rest of your make up simple and minimal. A bold lip is enough of a statement, don’t do a bold eye look and bright blush colors with it. I usually do this look with just liner, concealer and foundation. You can also use a bronzer but remember to keep everything as minimal and natural looking as possible.

    Some of my favorite bold lipstick and liner Combos are:

    • MAC Cyber with Mac Night Moth
    • MAC Russian Red with MAC Cherry
    • MAC Candy Yum Yum with MAC Magenta
    • MAC Up the Amp with MAC Magenta
    • NYX Violet Ray with NYX Deep Purple
    • Wet N Wild Dollhouse Pink with MAC Magenta
    • MAC Girl Around Town with MAC Magenta
    • MAC Ruby Woo with MAC Cherry

    Favorite Concealer:

    I use only one concealer MAC in MoistureCover in NW40

    What are your favorite bold lipsticks?

  • Beauty, Skincare

    DIY Rejuvenating Coconut Oil Mask

    diy spring rejuvenating mask

    It’s been a pretty harsh winter here in New York. As much as I tried my best to keep my skin moisturized it was still stressed by the strong winds, indoor heat and heavy winter clothing. So, last weekend I decided to treat my face to a rejuvenating coconut oil skin care mask to prepare it for the transition into the spring weather. I know that while the spring weather is mild my skin needed a boost to recover from winter. Lately, I’ve noticed that my skin responds really well to DIY masks so I decided to try one that I saw on Pinterest. So far, I’ve done this mask twice and plan to continue using it once or twice weekly. I’ve renamed it the Spice Girl Mask since I’m from Grenada, and well you know, we love adding spices to  everything!

     

     You’ll need:

    3 tablespoons Coconut Oil
    2 tablespoons Honey
    1 tablespoon Cinnamon
    1/2 tablespoon Nutmeg

    Stir all the ingredients together and then apply a thin layer to your freshly washed and dry skin. Leave it on for 10 minutes. Then remove gently with a clean warm face towel. This mask helps improves elasticity, moisturize, reduce scarring, and stimulate blood flow to skin. All necessary for gorgeous Spring skin.

    I love the way this mask makes my skin both look and feel. Both times I used it, my skin was rejuvenated and my blackheads disappeared.

    [Tweet “Let your skin say “Bye,Bye Winter!” with this rejuvenating coconut oil mask “]

    Once you’ve done the rejuvenating face mask, you’ll need to make a few changes to skincare routine to adjust to the new weather patterns. During the spring, we experience transitional weather which can be unpredictable at times. That’s why it’s really important at this time of year to be really observant of your skin and keep track of the weather.  If it’s a chilly spring day, use a thick moisturizer and on warmer days use a lighter one. I like to use Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion on warmer days; it’s a really light lotion that works well under my makeup. On colder days I use jojoba oil and/or Cetaphil cream depending on the condition of my skin.

    Protecting our skin from the sun is really important. Days are longer, and we’re spending more time in direct sun light. Too much sun exposure can be EXTREMELY damaging to our skin and can lead to premature aging and a host of other ailments. My favorite sunscreen lotions are Aveeno Protect and Hydrate and Clinique Broad Spectum.

    Lastly, remember to keep your skin hydrated by drinking plenty water.

    What’s your spring skin regimen?