Tag: beautyhacks

9 Perfume Hacks That’ll Make You Smell Gorgeous ALL Day

Published on by Lee1 Comment

If you were told that you’ve been applying your perfume wrong your entire life, you probably wouldn’t believe me. Just because it’s the way you’ve always seen it be applied – in countless movies, advertisements and inside every fragrance store – doesn’t mean it’s actually right. But if you’re spritzing your fragrance onto your wrists than pressing them together, you’re actually applying your perfume all wrong! By rubbing your skin together, you’ll disturb the top notes of the fragrance, which means it won’t last as long and the scent will be altered. Mind-blowing, right?

I know how much time, money, and effort it can take to find your perfect signature fragrance, so you really don’t want to waste a single drop. Here are nine hacks that’ll help your fragrance last, and keep you smelling hella fresh all day long. And for the record, just spray your fragrance and let it sink on your skin – whatever you do, DON’T DAB.

Here’s a quick debrief on the basics…

When it comes to fragrance one of the most important things to note (no pun intended), are the layers each perfume is made up of. Usually, every fragrance contains three notes, a top note, which is the first fragrance you smell (this disappears after 20 minutes), an intense middle note (known as the heart note), which becomes noticeable after 15 minutes, and a base note (the strongest scent) that lingers for up to four hours. Of course, this is all dependant on whether you follow any of the following hacks:

1. Moisturize first

Fragrances last longer when they’re applied to oily complexions, so make sure your skin is prepped and moisturized before you douse yourself in perfume. Just make sure you apply an unscented lotion, otherwise, the lotion will mix with the notes of your perfume and the scent will change.

2. Know where to spritz

If you apply your perfume to warmer areas of the body, it’ll be more intense and be fragrant for longer. More specifically, apply it to your pulse points – where the blood vessels are at the surface on your skin (your wrists, elbows, neck, chest, the back of the knees, ankles, and calves). Your pressure points naturally radiate heat, helping the fragrance evaporate from the skin.

3. Apply Vaseline To Your Pressure Points

As mentioned, perfume lasts a lot longer if you apply it to oily, damp skin. So I like to rub some Vaseline onto our pulse points as it helps to lock in the scent.

4. The lighter the scent, the less time it’ll last

Lighter aromatic scents like citrus or jasmine will evaporate faster as they have a smaller molecular structure, whereas scents like wood and musk will linger longer on your skin. It’s important to remember this when you’re purchasing a new scent.

5. Apply Your Perfume After You Shower

If you apply your perfume to your body when it’s still damp, the moisture will lock in the scent so it’ll last a whole lot longer – plus you won’t stain any of your clothes with spray marks!

6. Spritz Your Hairbrush

Spraying your brush with a couple bursts of perfume will disperse the scent through your hair. Your hair will retain the fragrance all day, but it won’t cause damage or drying like it might if you spray it directly onto your hair.

7. Make Your Own Lotion

To create your own signature moisturizer, put a couple drops of your perfume into an unscented lotion and shake well. You’ll basically be creating the scented lotion equivalent of your fragrance, but for a fraction of the cost – it’s a total bargain! Plus, it’s the ideal lotion to apply before you spritz, for long-lasting sweetness.

8. Décor Hack

Obsessed with this super easy hack, and it’s such a cute deco feature: Spray tissue paper with your fave scent and then line your drawers with the paper. It’ll make your clothes smell great, and you’ll be remembered for your signature scent everywhere you go!

9. Store your fragrance in a cool dark place

If you keep your perfume bottles in warm, damp places, the heat will damage the molecular structure and damage the quality of the fragrance. So make sure they’re not in the bathroom or in direct sunlight. Instead, keep them safely in the box in a cool dark place.

Let me know your favorite fragrance in the comments below!

Three Hacks to Hide Fine Lines With Makeup

Published on by Lee2 Comments

Fine lines: a beauty guru’s worst enemy as we mature into our grown-up skin. These teeny tiny creases creep up on us at the worst possible makeup moments, making foundation look cracked and less-than-perfect, and we’d do just about anything to make them disappear for good. Of course, more power to you if you wear your fine lines with pride — but sometimes you just want your makeup to look flawless, and they get in the way. Don’t you think?

Rule 1: Always, Always Moisturize and Prep

Fine lines look so much more obvious when skin is dull and dehydrated — that’s why Thompson’s first rule of thumb is to always hydrate the skin. “Moisturizing very well before applying makeup always help diminish the look of fine lines,” she says. “In addition to that, opting for a primer that has a blurring or smoothing effect not only helps the appearance of pores but fine lines as well.” We love a hefty moisturizer like the Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer for this step.

Rule 2: Blurring Sticks Are Your BFF

“The Lancôme Blur and Go Priming Stick and Milani Instant Touch-Up Blur Stick are my absolute favorites when blurring out fine lines! It sits beautifully under makeup, and works well on top of moisturizer. A priming and smoothing stick will do wonders to make your fine lines less visible. It truly gives you the airbrushed look with little effort before applying foundation.

Rule 3: Set Before Makeup

My final golden rule is actually a bit counterintuitive: I suggest you set your face before you reach for that foundation. A little trick I like to do that works wonders for creasing is after applying your moisturizer and primer to the face, lightly set any area with powder before applying your cream or liquid foundation. This way, your face will be extra protected from creasing makeup: This really locks in what was underneath and prevents a barrier from your foundation seeping into those lines.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HACK?

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PRODUCT TO HIDE AWAY THOSE FINE LINES?

( If anyone have any tips that they would love to share, leave it in the comments!

Beauty 911: Locked & Loaded

Published on by LeeLeave a comment

Today I’m sharing 12 things every girl ought to have in her beauty ammo whether she’s on the clock or not…

Here’s the scenario: It’s Monday morning. Your beautiful dress is full of static, you’ve still got breakfast in your teeth (darn those mangos), your T-zone is shiny…and it’s only 10am. So what’s a girl to do? Whip out her Beauty Emergency Kit (lovingly known as a “beautE-Kit”)

There are a few tried-and-true items every working (or school-aged) lady must have close at hand. This is what I keep in my beautE-Kit…

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Static Guard. It may sound strange, but this is an absolute must. Not only will it come in handy when your new dress is sticking to your legs, it can also be used in lieu of hair spray to tame flyaway. Just spritz a little on your fingertips and lightly dab unruly hairs into place.

Floss Pick. After each meal, give your pearly whites a quick clean. If you spot any leftovers, dislodge them using a floss pick. Floss picks can also be used to de-clump mascara or remove dirt from under your nails. However, please remember to perform such forms of maintenance in the privacy of the ladies room.

Mini Mirror. It’s always a good idea to keep a small pocket mirror close at hand. You’ll never wonder if you have lipstick on your teeth again!

Lotion. Usually, offices are either too cold or too hot, which can lead to chapped hands–especially when you’re washing them constantly after using the restroom. To prevent dry, cracked hands moisturize throughout the day by using your favorite hand lotion. Your hands (and nails) will thank you.

Hand Sanitizer. Sneeze, cough or blow your nose? Do your co-workers a favor and disinfect. No need to pass around an unwanted bug.

Blister Blockers. Is there anything worse than breaking in a new pair of shoes? Keep a stash of extra strong blister bandages at your desk, just in case.

Vaseline. This is one of the most underrated beauty products out there. Use it to quench dry lips, smooth it over your heel if your shoe is rubbing, or swipe it over your cuticles for a quick pick me up.

Deodorant. Keep a travel-sized deodorant stashed in your kit. You’ll never have to sweat the small stuff again (like forgetting to put it on as you rushed out the door this morning).

Stain Remover. Food should be in your mouth, not on your clothes. And the same goes for coffee. Never worry about walking into a meeting with marinara polka dots again!

Snack. It sounds silly, but I keep little bites in my puse. A case of the hangrys (hungry + angry = hangry) is never becoming.

Meds. Whether you’re team Tylenol or you’re an ibuprofen fan, having a stash of goodies to combat headaches is a smart way to keep your head clear. Also, having a few Tums on hand isn’t a bad idea either…

Bobby Pins. Nix bedhead, windy-day-hair or I-was-in-a-rush-this-morning head with a few bobby pins. A topknot, ballerina or fun bun can always tame unruly hair with the help of a few hairpins.

Those are my essentials. If you’re stranded at your desk, these 12 items will get you through. Next week, I’ll be posting a blog about office items that double as beauty products!

Want to win a copy of my personal beautE-Kit?

Leave a comment below telling me about an office item that plays double beauty duty (Note: It must be a common office item such as a paperclip and you need to tell me how it can be used as a beauty product/tool). The winner with the most creative idea will win! I’ll announce the winner and I’ll feature my favorite 5 suggestions in next week’s post too!

XO LEE

Primp Tip: How to Make Any Lipstick Matte

Published on by Lee1 Comment

I have a confession to make… I’m an absolute sucker for the latest beauty trends. After all, we are in the age of YouTube sensations and 1-minute Instagram tutorials. Mastering the art of contour: check, Mastering the art of winged eyeliner: check. Buying all of the matte lipsticks available: major check. I have a lot of lipstick colors in my drawer that don’t fit the matte bill. That doesn’t make them less beautiful, but right now I’m head-over-heels for that nudish brown look. Instead of letting my non-matte lipsticks go to waste, I decided to do a little research on what I could do to incorporate them into the mix. So I thought it would be fitting to address a question I’ve found myself asking a lot lately—is it possible to make an ordinary lipstick matte?

The answer is yes, you can make an ordinary lipstick matte (yay!). All you need is your favorite shade of non-matte lipstick and a few beauty products that you may already have in your makeup drawer. Keep scrolling to find out how you can transform your lipstick into this season’s hottest beauty trend…

lipsticks_giphy

Here’s what you’ll need:

translucent powder
tissue
makeup brush
your favorite non-matte lipstick
corresponding lip liner (optional)

Here’s how to do it:

1. Line your lips with your lip liner pencil. This step will help ensure that your finished look will last through wear and tear throughout the day.

2. Apply your non-matte lipstick on top of your lip liner. If you’re a perfectionist like me, I’ll sometimes line my lips again after I apply lipstick so that my lines are as sharp as possible.

3. Take your tissue and separate the layers so that you have one fine sheet.

4. Lay the single tissue sheet over your lips and, taking your makeup brush, dust your translucent powder over your lips. By placing the tissue between your lips and the makeup brush you are essentially filtering the amount of powder applied to your lips. It’s best to start small and build up so that you can reach your desired texture without over doing it.

5. Remove the tissue and dust the translucent powder directly onto your lips one final time.

Viola! You have now created a rich, matte texture without breaking the bank on new beauty products. I love a good DIY makeup hack, don’t you?

 

Will you be trying this matte lipstick beauty hack?

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