While cellulite is largely genetic, most forms are caused by a combination of poor circulation, fat pockets (that’s why you’ll see cellulite on your butt, thighs, and sometimes even arms), and female hormones. But here’s the thing: just because your limbs are long and lean doesn’t mean that this is a post to skip. In fact, it can happen to you (read all about that here from our friends at Beauty Banter).
As we’ve shared, avoiding certain foods can help. Sarah from Beauty Banter also shares, “Exercise is a must. Hydration is essential. But treating the affected area consistently and vigorously is really your best bet. Commit to six weeks of two to three treatments a week. Combine your treatments with exercise, better diet (low in sugars and processed foods), and tons of water.
While there is no topical cure for cellulite, scrubs and creams with effective ingredients will help to diminish its appearance. Caffeine is considered the Holy Grail ingredient for anti-cellulite. So, naturally, this scrub is essentially coffee grinds. It’s easy to make, simple to apply, and affordable—especially compared with those costly medical-grade creams and treatments.
This scrub has the ability to subtly reduce the appearance of cellulite. And, bonus, it leaves skin soft and hydrated. But beware, while skin will look gorgeous, your tub or shower won’t—it will most likely resemble the inside of a coffee maker. Fret not, a quick rinse and wipe-down will clean the basin. Just be careful not to slip.” Read on for the step-by-step instructions and benefits of this DIY scrub.
What You’ll Need: Coffee grinds (caffeinated) Juniper oil Coconut oil
Benefits of the Ingredients: – Fresh coffee grinds (caffeinated)—Caffeine can immediately diminish the appearance of cellulite by stimulating blood flow, toning and tightening the area. The grinds are also rich in antioxidants (which aid in releasing toxins). – Juniper oil—A berry that increases circulation and energizes the underactive tissues. – Coconut oil—Hydrates, smoothes, and helps your skin absorb the caffeine and juniper.
Directions: Combine 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and 20-30 drops of essential juniper oil in a bowl. Mix in about 1/2 cup of fresh caffeinated coffee grinds until the grinds are completely soaked with the oils. You’ll want this scrub to be grind-heavy, so if it’s feeling too watery, add more grinds. There are no exact measurements, so feel free to play around, but these are good jumping-off points.
Take into the bathroom (I highly suggest doing this in the bath or tub, prior to turning on the water) and firmly rub into affected areas using circular scrubbing motions.
Continue for at least five minutes. Then rinse and pat dry. Feel free to apply pure coconut oil to moisturize and soothe the skin (and massage that in too).
Note: Apply to affected areas two to three times a week. For quicker results, wrap the scrubbed area (concoction still on) with Saran Wrap to essentially heat the skin. Relax for 15 minutes then remove the wrap and shower.
I suggest making a new batch daily as the caffeine is said to be most effective when coffee grinds are fresh.
When Rihanna launched her makeup line almost two years ago, it’s pretty fair to say Fenty Beauty shook up the beauty industry. In her first launch, RiRi served up a 40-shade foundation range (now extended to 50), the Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation, which quickly became a beauty fave among editors and beauty lovers everywhere.
The original formula was a godsend for those with combo and oily skin – finally, a formula designed to keep midday shine at bay! Now, Fenty is broadening their range with a new formula designed for dry, normal and combo skin types, the Pro Filt’r Hydrating Longwear Foundation, $35, also in a whopping 50-shade range. We tried it for a week to give you guys the full DL…
This foundation is HYDRATING, MEDIUM TO FULL COVERAGE FOR ALL SKIN TONES. A hydrating, medium to full-coverage foundation packed with sodium hyaluronate and grapeseed oil that delivers long-lasting wear for normal to dry skin types. The formula is also designed to be humidity and sweat resistant like the Pro Filt’r Matte Foundation.
Rihanna’s groundbreaking 50 shade foundation is the first of its kind. The Pro Filt’r Hydrating Foundation offers serious staying power, comfortable coverage, and the perfect natural finish for normal to dry skin.
Why Did Rihanna Do It?
Recognizing Fenty Beauty needed a hydrating Pro Filt’r formula that normal to dry skin types will love, Rihanna created this foundation with Grape Seed Oil and Sodium Hyaluronate to give skin the nourishing hydration it needs to stay comfortable all day.
Fenty describe the finish as ‘natural – not dewy,’ and we would have to agree; it’s not super luminous and it’s not matte, and we really like the way it makes our skin look. Just like the original Pro Filt’r, Pro Filt’r Hydrating Long-wear Foundation has a sweat and humidity resistant formula that easily builds to medium to full coverage, instantly evening out skin without clogging pores or settling into fine lines. Plus, the long-wearing, light-as-air texture is undetectable on skin—so you always look like you.
The Wear
The formula wears really well throughout the day and we’re super impressed with its staying power. We tested it on different skin types to see how it wore:
On dry/normal skin: The formula felt really hydrating on and didn’t cake up or emphasize any dry patches like some foundations can. It settled into smile lines a little (we tried setting it with powder and without) but it still looked good around our nose and eyes.
On oily skin: In case you’re a big Fenty fan and wanted to try this hydrating formula, then we can tell you that this foundation also held up really well on oily skin. We applied our usual skin routine, and then a mineral sunscreen, and it didn’t settle into our large pores or break up on our nose at all (v.impressive!), however, it did slightly gather in our smile lines a little more than we’ve seen from some other foundations. Our face did get a little shiny through the day, but much less so than with many other foundations.
Overall we were super impressed with how great this looked from morning till night!
Fenty Beauty Shade Finding Tips:
Pro Filt’r Hydrating Longwear Foundation comes in the same 50 shades as the original Pro Filt’r, so if you already know your shade #, you’re good to go!
Don’t know your shade #? Start with your shade range (Light, Medium, Tan, Deep), then narrow down your skin’s undertone. For more help, try Fenty Face Shade Finder.
Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation vs Pro Filt’r Hydrating Longwear Foundation
We did a wear test with the new and old foundations (half a face of each) and the matte formula definitely has a more matte finish and was also much more effective at keeping shine at bay throughout the day. The colors we tried were also a direct match, so if you’re shade 380 in the matte formula, you should also be shade 380 in the new hydrating formula. Both formulas gave very similar coverage, but the hydrating formula looked slightly more airbrushed.
Application
The hydrating foundation blended out beautifully, although it doesn’t melt into skin like some other foundation, so you do have to apply a little pressure to work it out across your face. For this reason, try dotting it across your face and stippling the formula on with a brush.
Application tips:
For maximum coverage: Apply two pumps and use a stippling brush or densely-packed foundation brush, then finish with a damp beauty sponge. Use a concealer to target any problem areas and blend again with a sponge.
For a natural finish: Apply one to two pumps and blend out using a damp makeup sponge.
To finish: If you have oily skin, set with a powder. For normal and combo skin types, set your T-zone with a dusting of powder. If you have dry or normal skin, you can get away with not setting this, as the formula does dry down.
What we liked: Other than being impressed with the formula’s shade range, finish, and wear, we would note that the foundation definitely has a scent to it – it’s hard to pinpoint the scent (maybe a little spiced?!) but we did like it and didn’t find it too intense.
What we didn’t like: The only thing we didn’t love was the new plastic packaging, which feels a little drugstore, although it is more convenient for travel. The original matte foundation formula comes in a glass bottle and we would have loved to see a return of the same glass packaging.
The Verdict
Overall, we’re super impressed with the new hydrating formula. It looked beautiful on the skin and held up really well on both dry and oily skin types – it even looked good after a sweaty spin class! The shade range is also amazing, so if you’re looking for a new foundation, we definitely recommend trying it out at the store no matter what your skin type.
Fenty Beauty Pro Kiss’r Lip-Loving Scrubstick + Luscious Lip Balm
1. Pro Kiss’r Lip-Loving Scrubstick: A fuss-free lip scrub in a twist-up stick, packed with apricot seed scrubbers to gently exfoliate and nourish for instantly smooth, soft kissable lips with every swipe.
2. Pro Kiss’r Luscious Lip Balm: A creamy moisture-lock lip balm with a plush doe-foot applicator that smooths, softens, and preps your pout for instantly luscious, kiss-worthy lips that last.
Beauties tell us all about your excitement for these new products and all that they can do for your makeup collection. We will definitely be making a Sephora run to update you guys on these products and let you know if they need to become staples in your collection.
While we realize the saying “life is better with a tan”, may be a little OTT, it does make you feel like an absolute goddess. While some beauties can literally spend 20 minutes in the sun and be transformed into a bronzed bombshell, there are some of us who need a little assistance from a trusty tanning oil. We know summer is almost over but for the ones who got that sunshine in their pocket, we decided it was time to check out the best tanning formulas on the market and DIY. And we’re SO impressed with the results!
Our DIY tanning oil gives you the deepest tan without having to spend days in the sun and leaving your piggy-bank empty. Plus it got loads of amazing ingredients that nourish and hydrate your skin at the same time. We’re kinda annoyed we didn’t think of it sooner!
Yes…. black people and people of color do tan too. So, with that being said, recently me and my beauties were thinking about how we could save money on tanning oils. With research and experimenting, we realized how easy it would be to recreate our fave branded tanning oil at-home, as they’re mostly just a combination of oils. Plus, buying the original oils is often a lot cheaper in the long run, as we tend to go through our branded tanning oil in under a month. Nothing can beat that Floridian sun, haha.
Our DIY tanning oil is also seriously beneficial for your skin; it’s bursting with antioxidants and of course, it’s uber-moisturizing, so while you’re attracting the rays, you’re also rejuvenating your skin. Plus, the healthier and more hydrated the skin, the deeper the tan will be and the longer it will last. Here’s what you need:
Ingredients
3 tablespoons of vitamin E Oil or carrot seed oil ½ cup of Jojoba oil ½ cup of Grapeseed oil ½ cup of Coconut oil Optional: A bronzed shimmer eyeshadow or highlighter
Mix the oil together in a bowl (try to use cold pressed organic oils), then using a funnel dispense the mixture into a spray bottle. If you want to amp up your glow, you can also break a bronze highlighter into the mixture. Shake well before use and apply onto your skin, once you’ve applied sunscreen.
We cannot stress enough how important SPF is whenever you’re in the sun. If your skin is left unprotected, you can damage your skin and increase the risk of premature aging, dark spots and hyperpigmentation, and increase your risk of getting skin cancer. So before you apply your DIY oil, you need to apply a lot of SPF, and then apply even more. We recommend at least a factor 30 to be reapplied every 2 hours as a minimum, as we tend to apply it much more sparingly than is done during lab testing so an SPF 30 will offer you only SPF 15 in most cases.” If you have fair skin, make sure you apply factor 50 – and yes, you can still tan through SPF (we know because we use factor 50 every weekend)!
Now, go and enjoy every second of that beautiful sun!
Let us know if you guys try this DIY tanning oil in the comments below.
I’ve always wondered how orgasms affect your skin. I mean, everyone knows that sex rivals the treadmill when it comes to cardio. And then there’s that whole post-coital glow that people talk about, which I swear is real. So with those two factors combined, one would think that there’s a scientific reason behind having good skin after an orgasm. Right?
After some research, I’ve stumbled upon some good news: orgasms will make you look younger and glowier! Seriously, after-sex skin is a real thing, and by that we mean super glowy, literally lit-from-within skin. It sounds too good to be true, and you’re probably thinking, well that glow’s not gonna last long, but here’s where it gets really interesting; there are tons of studies that show having more orgasms will actually make you look younger while the short term benefits include decreasing stress, helping with sleep, and improving your skin. Even if you’re still not convinced, it’s worth a try, right?!
The thing is, having an orgasm as often as you can could be the cheapest wellness hack you discover this year. Oh, and for the record, Medical News describes an orgasm as “a powerful feeling of physical pleasure and sensation, which includes a discharge of accumulated erotic tension. Having a successful orgasm has numerous health benefits like your body releases serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin, and prolactin,” says Shirley Chi, MD, a California-based dermatologist. “What that cocktail does is basically reduce the effects of the stress hormone—cortisol—that’s in your body and creates a deep sense of relaxation.” Here’s all the proof and all the ways orgasms are going to make you look and feel ten times better.
Orgasms Will Make You Look Younger
One study examined 3,500 people and found that women who had three orgasms a week looked, on average, 10 years younger than the women who only had two! Another study, which came to the same conclusion, revealed the reasons behind why having orgasms can make you look so much younger:
Endorphins: The release of the ‘feel good’ chemical, endorphins, naturally acts as a painkiller and helps to reduce anxiety, thereby helping you sleep better – and sleep is the key to health!
Human growth hormones: Orgasms cause human growth hormones to release, which helps improve the skin’s elasticity.
Another study by the University of Michigan showed that orgasms increase estrogen levels, which also has anti-aging benefits: it maintains collagen, which we all know is a protein that promotes more youthful skin. Higher estrogen levels also help skin thickness and elasticity, and may even help lock in the skin’s moisture, thereby keeping the skin plumper and more resistant to wrinkles.
Orgasms Will Make You Feel Better
Okay, so that’s obvious, but it will make you feel better in the unobvious ways! When you orgasm, your body releases what people refer to as the love hormone, aka oxytocin. Oxytocin helps to decrease stress by lowering cortisol levels and it also helps release tension by stimulating feelings of warmth and relaxation.
All this oxytocin and de-stressing leads to better sleep, decreased inflammation in the body – less inflammation means less acne and puffiness – while the lower levels of cortisol improve collagen production, helping the skin to heal better.
Orgasms Will Make Your Skin Glow
After an orgasm, the increased rate of blood flowing through your body coupled with blood-vessel dilation means your system is flooded with oxygen, which boosts collagen production that stimulates and repairs the skin. All that increased blood flow also gives your cheeks what’s referred to as an ‘orgasm flush’ – hence the name behind NARS’ iconic Orgasm Blush – as your body pushes all the blood to your skin to make your face look flushed.
Finally, increased blood flow means more water is transferred to your skin (your largest organ), and we all know hydration is essential for a glowy complexion.
So, other than the initial glowier appearance that you’ll get after an orgasm, the results of orgasm often are actually much longer lasting than you’d think – not just for your skin and body, but for your mental well-being too! And the best thing about orgasms is they’re completely free, and you don’t need anyone else to help you!
This of course doesn’t mean you should ditch your skin-care regimen for a more actively-seeking-orgasm life all in order to get a glow. “Sex and masturbation aren’t the answer to acne, but they’re definitely not bad for the skin,” says Dr. Chi. Sounds like doctors orders to me. If you don’t have time to orgasm you can always fake it – no, not like that! – with makeup!
For the ultimate glowy skin, check out this after-sex skin makeup look that Huda Beauty shared:
beautyleebar.org 