Tag: diy beauty

The Celebrity DIY Facial That Will Cost You Less Than $1

Published on by Lee1 Comment

The facial in question is an ice bath – yes, we’re serious! We’ve got to admit we were a little shocked when we heard just how many celebs do this before a big event. But seeing as it’s definitely the cheapest of all the celebrity facial trends, we thought we should look into it. And let us tell you the benefits are MAJOR. Just take a look at the Victoria’s Secret Angels to see the results, because word on the street is they all gave themselves an ice bath before the big show. This slightly crazy facial gives your skin an instant glow, shrinks the size of your pores, and tones your skin. Honestly, the next time you’re getting ready for an event and you want to look snatched AF, do this before you start your skin and beauty prep.

So how exactly does it work?

All you have to do is fill a large bowl with ice and then add enough water so that all of the cubes are submerged. Then scoop the water into your hands and splash it onto your face for 30 seconds. We swear this feels harsher on your hands than it does on your face – it’s actually SO refreshing. The cool water constricts the skin’s circulation by reducing the natural heat in the skin, which instantly tightens your pores, reduces any puffiness, and revitalizes your skin.  It’ll also appear to smooth fine lines and wrinkles while making your skin look more firm. But we wouldn’t recommend giving yourself an ice bath every day (tempting, we know!), as it’s such a powerful treatment it could actually damage the capillaries if it’s done too frequently. We’d suggest it just for special occasions and events, or if you’re doing a runway show!

Ice Cube DIY

For those of you not quite brave enough to give yourself an ice facial just yet, then this ice cube DIY is an ideal alternative. All you have to do whisk together 3 tablespoons of honey and 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and then pour the mixture into an ice cube tray and freeze overnight. In the morning, massage the ice cubes onto your face until they dissolve and then wash your face with cool water – this will give intense hydration, toning, and nourishment.

Another super easy ice cube DIY is to simply add a drop of your favorite essential oil into each ice cube before you freeze it. You can then use these ice cubes individually or as part of your larger ice bath facial.

Let us know if you’re brave enough to try it in the comments below!

These 5 Essential Oils Will Make You Look And Feel Better Instantly

Published on by Lee2 Comments

Beyond smelling amazing and making us feel super sophisticated, the benefits of essential oils are huge! The right oils can improve wrinkles or acne, soothe you, send you into a deep sleep, energize, and even uplift your mood. Whether in your bath salts, shampoo or skincare products, essential oils are used in a ton of different products and in their pure form, they offer everything from healing properties to mind and body support. It’s no coincidence they’re called essential oils  – if you know what we mean! So to make sure you’re not missing out on one of nature’s greatest offerings, we’re here to help you take advantage of them!

What are essential oils?

Essential oils come from naturally occurring compounds found in seeds, stems, roots, flowers, or the bark of plants. They’re amazing for skincare as they’re rich in antioxidants, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, but they’re not even technically an oil, they’re an intensely concentrated plant extract. Essential oils seem oil-like, but as they have no fatty acids in, technically they’re not an oil. Take this crazy fact, it takes 5000 pounds of rose petals to make just one pound of pure rose ‘oil’ and one drop of peppermint ‘oil’ is equivalent to 28 cups of peppermint tea. That’s why when you’re using essential oils, you only ever need a few drops as the formula is so intensely concentrated. You can even use Jasmine Oil for times when you need a pick me up, like for an interview or important meeting, just sniff it and it calms nerves, acts as an antidepressant, and has uplifting properties that will help you to feel more optimistic and calm.

Our Essential Oil Beauties:

Tea Tree

This amazing essential oil, derived from the Australian native plant Melaleuca alternifolia, has been used around the world for hundreds of years, and if you’ve ever struggled with acne, you’ve probably already take advantage of this antimicrobial ingredient. Tea tree is so good you’ll find the active ingredient in thousands of moisturizers, cleansers, and wipes, but it’s even better in its pure form for DIYs at home.

We love it for treating acne, and this DIY instantly targets problem areas: Mix together two teaspoons of organic honey with 4-5 drops of pure tea tree essential oil. Rub this mixture onto oily areas or pimples for 1-2 minutes and wash off with warm water. You can use this up to three times a week. But FYI, be careful as tea tree is a powerful cleanser and it could irritate and create redness from overuse, so be sure to always mix it with other ingredients.

Eucalyptus

From its incredible anti-inflammatory properties to its ability to act as a potent decongestant, deodorant and antiseptic, eucalyptus is the ultimate multitasker.

We love it for its capacity to relieve muscle pains and aches of all sorts. If you’re suffering mild twinges in your shoulder, stiff muscles, rheumatism or nursing any recent injuries, massaging eucalyptus oil on the surface of your skin will relieve stress and pain. Rub 2-3 drops of eucalyptus oil directly onto your problem areas and massage in a circular motion until it is fully absorbed. Do this twice a day until the affected areas of the body improve.

Peppermint

Peppermint is a bit like the superwoman of essential oils; it can be used both orally and topically and has powerful antimicrobial properties. Seriously, there are few mind, health or body issues it can’t help with and it’s often used to combat stomach aches, improve bad breath, clean wounds, release tight muscles, boost energy and mood, and alleviate soreness from respiratory tracts.

In the beauty world, you’ll find peppermint oil in a lot of high-quality hair care products for its ability to cleanse, brighten, nourish and promote healthy hair growth. All you need to do to get the benefits yourself is add 2-3 drops of it into your regular morning shampoo and conditioner. Not only will it stimulate your scalp and hair follicles, and thoroughly cleanse your scalp but it will energize your mind – and who doesn’t love the smell of peppermint?

Lavender

Lavender isn’t just a fragrance, it a powerful regenerative oil that can help combat aging (maybe that’s why your granny likes it so much!) with its ability to promote the production of your body’s most powerful antioxidants: glutathione, catalase and superoxide dismutase. Unlike most oils that are too reactive to use directly on your skin, you can gently rub two or three drops of lavender oil directly onto fine lines or problem areas to diminish aging symptoms.

And of course, it’s widely sold as both sprays and oils to alleviate depression, headaches, and insomnia; a few drops on your pillow (or dabbed on your temples) is the perfect way to exploit lavender’s potent healing properties and chill out.

Lemon

Lemons are an incredible antioxidant, packed with vitamin C and A, which are vital for fighting free radicals and preventing premature aging. As well as boasting AHAs (a natural exfoliant that helps remove pore-clogging dead skin), it breaks down sebum with its astringent acidic properties. Not only do lemons smell great and taste great in water (squeeze some in your morning glass to detox your body), but they’re great for removing excess oil too. Squeeze lemon juice onto a cotton pad and use it to tone your skin after cleansing.

When choosing an essential oil, look for an organic version, the extra quality is worth it when it comes to skincare. Feeling inspired? Check out the one thing you never thought of doing with oil here!

HOW TO DIY THE PERFECT AT-HOME PEDICURE IN 10 EASY STEPS

Published on by Lee1 Comment

As tempting as it is to dish out money for a salon pedicure (with the soaking, foot scrubbing, massage — the works) it’s not always doable, especially when you already splurged on makeup in the beginning of the week and are left to question your self-control. So if you currently find yourself in a similar position and are in desperate need of a pedi, we’re here to prove that it’s possible to achieve salon-quality results pedicure in the comfort of your own home — for a lot less money.

STEP 1: Let Your Nail Polish Remover Do Its Thing

Completely remove any nail polish that’s still on your toenails using nail polish remover and a cotton pad. If you don’t have any leftover polish, you should still run nail polish remover over your nail to remove any excess oil.

Primp Tip: If you’re left with any weird stains or a yellow tinge (you’ll usually see this after removing darker colors, like red or black), rub cuticle oil over the surface of your nails to lighten any residue.

STEP 2: Soak Your Feet Like You’re at the Spa

Okay, before you start soaking, your first job—and this is important—is to go around your house and gather every candle you can find. Oh, and get yourself a glass of wine while you’re at it. The trick to making an at-home pedicure feel like a spa experience instead of, you know, rubbing your own feet in your too-small-for-comfort apartment is setting the ~mood~ at your makeshift pedicure station.

Once the ambiance is right, you’re ready to soak your feet—which softens tough skin and cuticles (and is downright relaxing). Lennon suggests using a basin (aka a really big bowl) if you have one, but your bathtub is also a sound option. Fill ’er up with warm water and add a liberal scoop of skin-soothing bath salts (Lennon recommends Côte Re-Treat Himalayan Pink Salt Soak, but you can also try my favorite Kneipp Mineral Bath Salts or just use a cup of kosher salt). Let your feet soak for a few minutes before moving to the next step. This is a great opportunity to multitask and try out that new face mask.

STEP 3: Get Rid of Dead Skin

After drying off your feet, use a foot file to remove any dead skin from callused (hard) areas. Parts to pay attention to are the balls of your feet, the sides of your feet and your heels. Scrape these areas until they feel smooth, but don’t overdo it. Try a pumice stone or foot file to gently smooth the skin. Then, switch your feet and repeat.

STEP 4: File and Shape Your Nails

Use a nail trimmer to achieve the length and shape you want (we recommend trimming nails straight across). Follow by filing the corners of your nails and buffing to make them smooth. According to Hadley, a big mistake people make at this point in the process is cutting their cuticles. “Trimming or cutting cuticles during a manicure or pedicure is purely cosmetic and sometimes it doesn’t benefit the nail in any way,” she explains. “The cuticle is a barrier to protect your surrounding skin and protect against infection.”

STEP 5: Apply Cuticle Oil

Apply cuticle oil to the base of your nail. Cuticle oil doesn’t just keep your feet soft and moisturized, but it also keeps your polish from chipping.

STEP 6: Moisturize

Take both feet out of the tub and dry them off with a towel. With a foot cream or body lotion, begin massaging your toes, feet, and calves until, well, you wanna stop. Moisturize your feet with an unscented lotion. “Scented lotions with synthetic fragrances can cause your nail polish to crack.”

STEP 7: Prep Your Toes

Use toe separators (you can buy a 12-pack for cheap online) to make painting your toes easier and avoid making a mess.

If you don’t have toe separators, Lennon suggests tearing off a piece of paper towel, rolling or twisting it into a rope, and weaving it through your toes to prevent the polish from smudging.

STEP 8: Apply Your Base Coat

Then, apply a thin layer of base coat on each nail. Follow with two thin coats of your color of choice, letting the paint dry for a few minutes between each coat.

STEP 9: Finally, Do the Damn Thing

Paint on your base coat and wait at least two minutes to ensure it’s dry. Don’t forget your base coat because it gives your nail polish something to sink into besides your actual nails.

STEP 10: Finish With a Quick-Drying Top Coat

Finish with a top coat so your nails maintain high shine and luster. Because nail polish takes about 12 hours to harden.

Primp Tip: Recommends sticking your finished toenails into cold water for a few minutes to make your nail polish harden faster and help it solidify.

Tell me: Do you do your own nails?


The Ultimate Hack for Super Soft Lips

Published on by Lee2 Comments

Summer is finally here, and I’m super excited! It shouldn’t have to cost thousands of dollars to achieve that beautiful supple, glowy and hydrated look… But fortunately, there are SO many ways you can cheat it!

One of the first places dehydration shows is on your lips, and not only is chapped and cracking lips uncomfortable, but it’s also not very attractive… and there’s no reason you shouldn’t look your best. Here’s what I like to do to keep my lips soft and hydrated:

DIY Honey Mask:

One of my favorite ways to keep my lips soft and supple during summer is a honey mask. It’s super easy, just slather your lips in honey every night before you go to bed, and just leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes before removing it. Honestly, this works wonders!

Lanolin Products:

During the day, a good lip balm is an essential. I’ve always found products with Lanolin in to have THE most amazing moisturizing properties, and it’s actually because it’s a completely natural ingredient that comes from sheep’s fleeces. My favorite pure lanolin lip balms to date have to be Lanolips (which literally lasts allll day) and Dr. Lipp. Carmex is also amazing and contains lanolin, beeswax, shea butter, Menthol, and Aloe, which all work together to really soothe your lips.

DIY Balm

Take your lanolin lip balm (or another lip balm) and whip it up in a mini container with a couple of drops of rose oil. This is totally optional, but rose oil has the most amazing hydrating effects.

Be sure to drink as much water as you can in the evenings so your body can catch up on the hydration it needs.

Let me know in the comments, which DIY is your favorite! Check out the review I did on Lanolips…