Tag: advice

How to Use and Clean Reusable Makeup Remover Pads

Published on by Lee3 Comments

If you use micellar water, toner or any kind of makeup remover in your routine, you probably go through a lot of makeup-removing pads. While these cotton rounds might seem better for the environment than makeup wipes (which are often made of non-biodegradable materials such as polyester), filling your trash with so many single-use pads can have a negative environmental impact, too. This is why we love using reusable makeup pads. Not only are they eco-friendly, but also they help you save money in the long run. 

Garnier has made reusable rounds even more accessible with its launch of the Micellar Cleansing Eco Pads. The rounds, which come in packs of three and cost less than $10, are made of soft microfiber. Each pad can last up to 1,000 washes and help effectively and gently remove makeup and impurities without leaving any residue behind. We’re obsessed! Here’s how to use one in your routine. 

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STEP 1: Saturate the Pad 

Apply your makeup remover or toner of choice directly onto the pad. Our current go-to makeup remover and morning cleanser are the Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water with Vitamin C. 

STEP 2: Swipe on Skin

Gently sweep the pad over your skin (it’s safe to use the pads over your eyes) until all makeup is removed or you’ve saturated your skin with your toner. 

STEP 3: Clean Your Pad

After each use, hand wash the pad with soap and water until clean. You can give it a deeper clean once a week by tossing it into the laundry. Lay the pad flat to dry. We like to store them in a soap dish or a small mesh laundry bag to keep them dry and hygienic. 

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Can’t Orgasm? Here’s Why

Published on by Lee4 Comments

The climax. The big “O.” Coming. Cleave the pin. Let go. Crack your marbles. You’ve heard all the euphemisms, but you haven’t quite been able to get there yourself. So, whenever you have sex, you’re so focused on getting to the finish line yourself that you just can’t seem to quite get there.

We’re here to help! Your sexual pleasure is important, and not being able to orgasm is stressful, uncomfortable, and frustrating. Ready to climax but not sure how? Come (ha) along with me!

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You’re expecting a giant explosion of emotion

The movies (and friends sometimes, too!) can make an orgasm sound like a firework is exploding in your body. Not every orgasm feels like that. As I once said, orgasms are like snowflakes — they’re all unique!

Don’t orgasm-compare either! As much as I love talking to friends about sex, make sure you understand that their experiences are going to be different from yours.

You’re too tense

Relax girl! When you get too overworked making sure you climax, your body can’t “let go.”

Yoga, stretching, really any kind of exercise, and meditation can help you relax and get over all the stress you’re putting your body through. It might also be a good idea to let your partner know that you’re struggling. He or she might be able to help calm your nerves and get your body to relax.  

You and your partner aren’t connecting

As much as I hate to write this one, it could be something in your relationship that’s making orgasming difficult. Whether you’re not connected physically, you’re both stressed about something, you’re miscommunicating, or something else is going on between the two of you, it might make your body tense up or your mind might be in a different place.

Practice some mindfulness. It might sound weird (and difficult!), but stay in the present while you’re having sex. Really be there with your partner and stay focused on what’s happening in the present moment. You’ll feel more gratitude toward your partner, and have better sex (!!!).

Try masturbating

If you haven’t tried getting off on your own, YOU MUST. Ok, it’s not that dramatic, but I would definitely recommend you start here! Masturbation helps you get an idea of what you enjoy, and once you’re able to make yourself orgasm, it’s easier to tell your partner what he or she can do to get you there.

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If you’re struggling to get off from masturbation as well, try adding in toys and trying different positions.

Sex is painful

If sex hurts, obviously you’re not going to enjoy it enough to orgasm. Make an appointment with your doctor ASAP.

If you’re taking some medications

Certain medications can decrease your libido and lower your ability to climax. If this is really bothering you, bring this up with your doctor as well.

You’re afraid of losing control

Self-proclaimed control freak here, and I can say first-hand that being afraid to lose control and let your body go is actually a very common reason for not being able to orgasm. If you’re with a new partner, dealing with body image issues, or dealing with other areas of stress in your life, it’s easy to feel like you don’t want to lose control of your sex life.

Communicate with your partner that you’re struggling with this aspect of your sex life. Getting it off your chest is the first step in relinquishing control, and your partner might be able to ease your mind of some of the (probably false!) narratives you’re telling yourself.

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How to Recognize YOUR TRIGGERS

Published on by Lee4 Comments

It’s easy to say something triggers us. “Triggered” is essentially a hashtag when it comes to our generation of colloquialisms these days, and it’s true, many things are triggering, especially with the widespread dispersal of information via social media. But not everyone is triggered by the same things. We are all shaped by our emotional responses and past traumas.

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Erica Spiegelman is an author, therapist, and addiction and wellness specialist who is familiar with how triggers work, including her own. She shared with us that learning to identify your triggers is an important skill, and even a tool to manage your emotional well-being. Understanding what can set us off into an unproductive spiral can help to eliminate what doesn’t serve us or allow us to be our best.

The hardest part is maintaining awareness when we find ourselves amid an emotional episode. These emotional responses can be incredibly physical, such as shortness of breath, panic attacks, nausea or indigestion, sweating, and more. Spiegelman tells us to “try and notice when you are triggered by paying attention to when you feel flooding of emotion and identify where you feel it in your body. For example, when someone triggers me, I usually feel it in my throat area.”

Spiegelman’s reaction is a lump in her throat, a typical but sometimes debilitating emotional response. “When most people feel triggered, they feel it in their stomach, throat, sweaty palms, or racing heart, or they may have trouble breathing. Identifying where in your body helps you recognize that you are triggered, and we then can begin to deal with it.”

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It’s a practice of mindfulness. Spiegelman encourages us to pause at the first feeling of sadness or anger and take five deep breaths as best we can, in through our nose, and out of our mouth. If we can, we should walk away from what we were doing, if only for a moment. “That way, we have time to gather our thoughts and decide how to proceed with this new information.” We have to thoughtfully communicate our way out of the response, even if that communication is within ourselves.

It’s not possible to avoid every situation that may emotionally trigger us, and that’s not the goal. We want to be aware of our triggers so that we can be emotionally sound in the face of real-life issues in the future, and to work through the issues, learn, and heal. Recognition is important to take actionable steps and develop our intuition. If we only learn to avoid triggers instead of acknowledging them, we will end up avoiding the real issues that trigger us, which becomes unhealthy suppression.

The goal is to protect our mental health, garner strength, and navigate through the muck of life with minimal collateral damage. We must protect our energy at all costs to be the best, most powerful, and productive version of ourselves, so we can serve our joy and others.

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The content provided in this article is provided for information purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice and consultation, including professional medical advice and consultation; it is provided with the understanding that BeautyLeeBar, LLC is not engaged in the provision or rendering of medical advice or services. The opinions and content included in the article are the views of the interviewee only, and BeautyLeeBar does not endorse or recommend any such content or information, or any product or service mentioned in the article. You understand and agree that BeautyLeeBar shall not be liable for any claim, loss, or damage arising out of the use of, or reliance upon any content or information in the article.

SOS! My Makeup Is Pilling — How Can I Fix It?

Published on by LeeLeave a comment

Do you ever find that your foundation balls up on your skin after you apply your favorite sunscreen or face cream? Similar to when your knitwear has seen better days and small balls of fabric sit on the material, this is called pilling — and it’s the fastest way to ruin your skin-care and makeup in one fell swoop.

Pilling is one of the most frustrating things that can happen when applying your skincare and makeup, due to the fact it takes extra time to blend, correct, and can waste more of your expensive beauty products.

Makeup pilling is no fun, especially after you just applied a full face of makeup and your foundation starts sliding off in tiny pieces. Pilling occurs when two makeup or skin-care ingredients don’t mesh well together on your skin, and although there are ways to avoid this (more on that below), we wanted to know if there’s any way to salvage your full beat in this scenario. Ahead, we spoke with NYC-based makeup artist Mary Irwin to find out how.

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What Causes Pilling

Elle Leary Artistry

When your skincare or makeup pills, it looks like flakes or globs of product on your skin.

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Pilling happens when products haven’t absorbed into the skin, whether due to:

🤍 the type of ingredient

🤍 the amount applied

🤍 the other products you’re using

🤍 the condition of your skin

🤍 The tools you are using to apply your skincare and makeup

With so many of us experimenting with multi-step skincare routines, the pilling struggle is all too real!

Here are some best tips if you’re dealing with this issue.

Can You Fix Makeup Pilling?

Irwin gets straight to the point: “Unfortunately, aside from taking a damp makeup sponge and trying to blend it in, there’s not much you can do besides take it off.” If your foundation begins to pill, wet a sponge (the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Blend Artist Foundation Blender is our fave) and tap it over the areas where it pilled off. Once you’ve blended it out, set it with a loose powder like the Maybelline New York Lasting Fix Banana Setting Powder and don’t touch it. “Don’t add anything cream or liquid over it after the fact.”

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WE know and understand that you don’t want to remove the makeup that you spent hours perfecting so for that to not happen, the first thing you want to make sure you’re doing is exfoliate on a regular basis.

To be clear, the little balls that form are composed of product, not dead skin. But it’s still important to maintain a good exfoliation routine, because it will help your products to absorb more effectively, rather than remaining on top of a surface layer of dead skin. 

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How to Avoid Pilling

Irwin recommends paying attention to the ingredients you’re placing on your skin to avoid pilling all together. “Use products that have a similar formula — silicone with silicone, water with water, etc.” When applying cream makeup products (which have the most tendency to pill), she recommends starting with thin layers and building them up slowly. “Also avoid layering cream over powder, because this can result in pilling too.”

The more you touch your skin, the more you disturb the products and encourage them to pill. It goes without saying that rubbing your face is a a big no-no, as this will only cause surface residue to bunch and roll up. Use light, patting motions to apply your products, and resist the urge to touch your face any more than absolutely necessary.

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Just give yourself plenty of time in between layers and after the final layer. That will ensure you’ve absorbed most of the beneficial ingredients.

Here are 3 more videos that can be helpful when it comes to pilling:

Dr Sam Bunting

Sincerely Miss Ash

Vivienne Fung

Have you experienced product pilling?
What has helped you to prevent it?

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