OK, so you’ve probably cleaned and sanitized every square inch of your living space lately in an effort to keep your home germ free, but have you thought about your makeup products? We’ve all read about how important it is to clean makeup brushes and sponges on a regular basis, but your eyeliner pencils, powder compacts and palettes need love, too. Ahead, we chatted with makeup artist Frankie Padron about the best methods for sanitizing your products and how to do so at home.
Why Sanitize Your Makeup Products?
There are plenty of reasons why you should sanitize your makeup products in addition to your brushes, says Padron. For one, if you are sharing products in your collection with others, you want to make sure they’re clean. “I sanitize after every person because I’m using makeup on different people daily,” she says. Another reason to sanitize your products is if you’re prone to acne and breakouts. “If you have a breakout, I recommend cleaning your tools after every use so you avoid spreading bacteria.”
How to Sanitize Makeup Products
According to Padron, a cosmetic sanitizer mist is a must-have for cleaning your makeup powder and cream products like eyeshadows and face palettes. She recommends using the Beauty So Clean Cosmetic Sanitizer Mist which comes in a no-mess spray bottle that can be distributed on any product.
“I would avoid using any products that have a high concentration of alcohol in them, as this may dry out your makeup.Frankie Padron, MUA
As far as pencil products are concerned, Padron takes a slightly different approach. “For eyeliner and lip pencils, I sharpen them before it touches anyone, making sure I shaved off the area I used on someone previously,” she says. This works the same for any lip liners or eyeliners you use on yourself if you feel like you need a fresh tip before application.
Padron notes that when picking your makeup sanitizing products, make sure to read the label. “I would avoid using any products that have a high concentration of alcohol in them, as this may dry out your makeup.” While brushes and sponges have a reputation for holding and spreading bacteria, it is important to give your powders, palettes and creams a little cleaning, too.
We’re clearly navigating unprecedented times. It feels like every hour there’s a new update from government officials, we’re collectively in a heightened sense of panic, and it feels impossible to tear ourselves away from our devices. While many of us are going to spend much more time at home in the foreseeable future, that doesn’t mean we have to succumb to pure chaos or neglect our mental and physical health in the process. And stepping up your self-care is a great way to stay positive, and busy.
Here’s the thing: practicing self-care isn’t selfish and it can even be quite simple. Try to reframe this newfound downtime as an opportunity to invest in yourself in ways you haven’t been able to before. It’s a chance to better yourself, to foster deep human connection around you, and honestly to just relish in some R&R. Here are a few things you can do at home to keep your spirits up.
1. Start a Virtual Book Club with Friends
Seeing as how happy hour and brunch dates are off limits for a while, why not get your crew together by way of a virtual book club? Take turns choosing the book (we suggest light choices), then set weekly reading goals followed by a virtual chat date to dish on everything. Ordering books online might get tricky, so stick to either audiobook or e-book options. Amazon has a ton of options and so does Audible. Try to make the virtual date feel special – bring a snack or a glass of wine along and dedicate a full 30 minutes to an hour!
2. Binge a New Podcast Series & Organize
It doesn’t matter how niche you go: there’s basically a podcast for every genre out there. Whether you dig true crime stories, deep dive exposes, reality TV rehashing, beauty gossip, science-y spins, or interviews with influential people, you’re covered. We recommend finding a great podcast and binging your way through the whole thing while you organize or deep clean.
3. Commit to a Daily or Weekly Physical Challenge
There’s joy in sitting around a la fat and sassy lady, but tbh, that can start to get boring after a while. It feels dang good to move your body a bit, so make it a daily/weekly goal to get physical. It can be as simple as doing jumping jacks and crunches in your living room (maybe during commercial breaks?) or some light yoga when you wake up to get the day off to a good start. If you’re feeling unmotivated, let someone else motivate you. Even though Planet Fitness is close until the time being, planet fitness app itself provides free home work-ins daily on Facebook Live and also has app workouts that can be used at home.
We all need a bit more calm in our worlds rn, and meditation is a great place to start. Meditation can be as simple as mindfully breathing for a few minutes, pressing pause on everything else to listen to a song that brings you joy, or sitting outside and listening to the world around you. If you’re seeking guided meditation, try Headspace or Calm. For a free option, try this YouTube video from Calm. Yoga is another amazing way to focus your mind, so find out our guide to finally giving it a go, if you’re still not a yogi.
5. Start a Gratitude Journal
It can be hard to feel grateful for anything when the world feels like it’s collapsing around you, but writing down even the tiniest things that you’re thankful for can boost your morale. It can also make you appreciate all the good that still exists around you. If you have a physical journal that’s great – the art of putting pen to paper can be therapeutic in and of itself – but a virtual log also works! The idea is that you’re taking five minutes every day to mindfully write down your gratitudes.
6. Schedule Virtual Lunch or Dinner Dates
We’re all going to spend more time apart physically, but human connection still matters. Make the most of your lunch break or dinner time by having virtual dates with friends, partners, or family members. Check in to see how they’re doing, what they’ve got going on with work or life, and to simply connect. If you don’t feel like eating while chatting, simply set aside time to connect with the people important to you. The goal is to connect.
7. Catch Up on Your Netflix “Must Watch” List
This one is pure indulgence, and that’s 100% OK. We’re sure you’ve got a list of your own, but in case you need a few suggestions we recommend All American, Self Made new limited series (inspired by the life of the first female millionaire Madam C Walker who made her fortune by developing a beauty empire for fellow black women), A Fall From Grace, YOU, Cheer (you’ll be the one cheering for these cheerleaders at the end), Elisa & Marcela, In The Tall Grass, Rhythm + Flow, Freedom Writers, The Hunting Of Hill House, Legend Of The White Snake,The Perfection, Forensic Files, Cold Case Files and Thriller.
8. Learn a New Recipe
If there’s ever a time to get creative in the kitchen it’s now. You don’t have to go out and buy a bunch of new stuff, either. Instead, figure out what you have on hand and make something delicious from there. It also doesn’t have to be super extravagant. Maybe you’ll try your hand at making a loaf of bread, a new dessert, or a tasty sauce for your go-to protein. Documenting the process on your Instagram stories can help you feel more connected to the outside world. Get others to join in the fun!
What are some self-care activities will you be doing during this unfortunate time?COMMENT BELOW!
The no-makeup makeup trend is going nowhere in 2020. If you don’t believe us, check your social media feed… Ours is inundated with dewy skin goals, glossy lips, rosy cheeks, and feathered brows. Next, check Trendmood, and you’ll notice that all of the latest beauty releases have been created with no-makeup makeup goals in mind. Plus, the minimal makeup vibe was all over the runway this season; from Hugo Boss to Armani.
To help you live out your best no-makeup makeup life (flawlessly), we’ve curated an entire makeup routine using only Fenty Beauty products. Not only am I a fan of Rihanna but I love her products. Each product glides on the skin smoothly and little does go a long way. When spending my money, I expect to get what I am paying for which is quality and quantity! Fenty Beauty definitely delivers.
Step 1: Primer
Applying a primer is one of the most important steps when it comes to no-makeup makeup as it’ll help you achieve that stunning, dewy finish. Our current fave is the Fenty Beauty PRO FILT’R HYDRATING PRIMER, $32. The liquid primer blends seamlessly into the skin, smoothing out the appearance of pores and imperfections while leaving your skin looking hella-radiant. Simply apply two drops to prepped skin, and blend out with your fingers.
Step 2: Concealer
Okay okay okay…. I know what you are thinking. What about foundation??? Well, I personally ( Crystal Lee) don’t use foundation anymore because foundation has more bad chemical ingredients than concealer and skin feels more breathable without it. PRO FILT’R INSTANT RETOUCH CONCEALER, $26 is a amazing substitute for foundation. This creamy, light-as-air, soft matte concealer easily builds to full coverage, instantly brightening under eyes, concealing blemishes and dark spots, and reducing redness.
TOO FACEDBorn This Way Super Coverage Multi-Use Sculpting Concealer, $29 is the go-to for the eyes, eyebrows and etc. This hydrating, buildable, multitasking concealer masks imperfections, smooths, and sculpts skin for natural-looking coverage. It’s infused with coconut water, alpine rose, and hyaluronic acid—skin-loving ingredients that come together for crease-free, weightless wear that’s so naturally flawless they’ll think you were born this way.
Another great concealer that we couldn’t live without, is the LA Girl HD Pro Concealer, $5, to instantly transform our tired eyes. The creamy formula offers up intense coverage, so you don’t need to use a lot, which helps to give that no-makeup look. Once again, blend it out with a damp beauty blender to maintain that no-makeup makeup, airbrushed finish.
Pro tip: To achieve that wet skin finish, apply your foundation with a damp beauty blender. Or if you’re looking for more coverage, apply your foundation with a brush and then press a damp beauty blender into your skin for a seamless finish.
Step 3: Powder
If you have normal to dry skin, you can always skip powder or just apply on your T-zone, as this look is all about dewiness. However, if you have you have oily skin or want to lock your look in for extra long wear, powder your T-zone lightly to prevent any midday shine using the PRO FILT’R SETTING POWDER, $32 and TRUE COMPLEXION™ SOFT FOCUS FINISHING POWDER, $7.49. The superfine powder sets makeup effortlessly for extra-long wear.
The best part? Rihanna was obsessed with creating a setting powder for everyone that wouldn’t flash back, so Pro Filt’r was born in 8 versatile shades to melt into your unique skin tone, letting you set, perfect, and brighten without a trace. And with its light-as-air blend of mattifying powders that won’t cake or settle, Pro Filt’r minimizes shine while letting skin look like skin. So you can—for once—get matte, get even, and keep your photo-ready finish on lock.
True Complexion™ Soft Focus Finishing Powder is a micro-fine powder with skincare benefits exclusively formulated to give women of color a camera ready complexion that looks flawless from any angle.
Step 4: Bronzer
Next, add some definition to your cheekbones by warming up your face with a bronzer like the MOCHA MAMI, $30. The shimmer finish works perfectly for the look, leaving you with a soft, luminous glow.
Bask in that post-vacay bronze year-round with Sun Stalk’r Instant Warmth Bronzer. Rihanna dreamt of an easy-to-use powder bronzer that truly works for everyone, so she created Sun Stalk’r in 8 versatile shades that bring out the warmth in all skin tones, from the fairest to the deepest!
Super smooth, creamy, and easy to blend, this light-as-air bronzing powder builds like a dream yet is hard to overdo, giving you a believable sun-soaked glow that stays put all day without transferring. Whether you’re looking for all-over warmth or the ultimate contour, Sun Stalk’r does it all with the perfect soft matte finish that lets skin look like skin. Plus, it’s backed by mango and papaya fruit extracts to help give skin a natural, healthy-looking glow with every swipe.
Pro Tip: Not a eyeshadow fantatic then use your bronzer as a shadow. Been doing this lately and love the outcome. Also, I don’t really contour like y’all faves but when I do, I use this same bronzer on my nose instead of using cream.
Step 5: Blush
A no-makeup makeup look is lost without a rosy glow. One of our go-to blushes is the e.l.f Jelly Pop Flush Blush, $6, as it has a unique jelly texture that melts effortlessly into the skin. The glow-enhancing formula also boasts a rich blend of argon oil, vitamin E, and castor oil to hydrate the skin.
MATCH STIX SHIMMER SKINSTICK, $25, is a magnetized makeup stick in a longwear, light-as-air shimmer formula to highlight, blush, and enhance in 15 colorful shades that let you play.
Pro tip: For a youthful look, apply your blush to the apples of your cheeks and blend it out using small circular motions. Avoid stretching it out along your cheekbones too much.
Step 6: Highlighter
If you weren’t #blessed with naturally dewy skin (newsflash: very few people are), highlighter is the easiest way to fake it! A liquid highlighter is perfect for a more natural skin finish: The L’Oréal True Match Lumi Glow Amour Glow Boosting Drops, $15, has been a staple in our kit forever! The ultra-lightweight formula blends seamlessly and is easily buildable so it can take you from no-makeup makeup to full glam. The formula’s also infused with shea butter, providing rich hydration leaving your cheeks plump, and most importantly, glowy AF.
Diamond Bomb, $39, features a unique jelly-powder formula that’s bouncy, cool to the touch, and melts into skin like butter. This diamond dust highlighter is loaded with 100% pure brilliance to create an all-glitz-no-grit finish that decks out every skin tone. Plus, all of this glittery goodness comes in a faceted jewel-like compact you’ll never want to put down.
FAIRY BOMB SHIMMER POWDER, $28 is also another great highlight if applied right because the goal is still for a natural makeup look. Available online only, these loose highlighting powders coat all skin tones in the ultimate bejeweled finish that catches light with every movement. Plus, it’s softly scented with the same irresistible vanilla coconut for a full-on sensorial experience you can’t get enough of.
Step 7: Brows
Feathery brows are one of our fave brow trends RN, and the quickest way to get the look is with a brow mascara. Work with your natural brow and comb the hairs upwards with the BROW MVP ULTRA FINE BROW PENCIL & STYLER, $20. It’ll instantly add definition by adding a hint of color while shaping and adding volume to the brows.
Rihanna knows how personal brows are, so she made it easy to get instantly defined, natural-looking brows that are true to you. This super fine-tipped pencil is the ultimate pro at precision, letting you outline and fill-in brows with smooth, hair-like strokes that’s not too creamy, not too dry, but just right—giving you the exact payoff you need, every time. We’re talking serious stamina, too, with a waterproof formula that resists smudging, fading, and transferring. Plus, Brow MVP’s smart triangle shape makes it easy to hold, with a built-in paddle brush to comb through and shape up brows while blending out excess color.
Step 8: Mascara
While we usually advocate for lashings of mascara, for this makeup look, you want to enhance your lashes without looking overdone. The FULL FRONTAL VOLUME LIFT & CURL MASCARA, $24, is ideal, as it defines each lash without being too intense. Full Frontal builds easily, too, giving you plenty of playtime to layer, define, separate—whatever it is you need to do to create the look you want. And thanks to the long-wear, water-resistant formula life-tested by Rihanna to stand up to smudging, sweat and tears, this mascara keeps up while you turn up, keeping lashes fully exposed from root to tip until you’re ready to wash it off.
Step 9: Lip Gloss
No look is complete without a lip! For daytime, we like to keep our lips hydrated with a tinted lip balm in a similar rosy hue to our blush shade, which helps create a cohesive and harmonious look. We (like so many others) are devoted to the Burt’s Bees Lip balms, our fave is the Pomegranate Lip Balm, $3, as it leaves your lips looking rosy and soft. For a sexier look, opt for a high shine gloss like FENTY BEAUTY BY RIHANNAGlossy Posse Mini Gloss Bomb Set $42, which makes your lips look so full and juicy.
Do you guys like the no-makeup makeup vibe? Let us know in the comments below.
Does anyone else remember the show Kyle XY? It aired on what used to be ABC Family channel (now it’s Freeform) and followed the life of an teenage inhuman boy who didn’t have a belly button. I bring this up because when I look for workout clothes, I constantly have Kyle XY in mind because I don’t want anyone to see my belly button. If you can see my belly button, you can see my lower stomach, which is one of my least favorite areas of my body. I train hard three to six days per week. I try to eat clean, I do have my moments especially at work. My goal is a flatter tummy! There are more important things in life, like French fries and cookies, and I’m not willing to skimp on those small pleasures. So in order to feel like my most confident and fittest self, I rely on my best friend—my high-waisted leggings.
If you don’t love your stomach area and you don’t own high-waisted leggings, I’m here to hit you with the truth. They are, without a doubt, the best thing to happen to the athleisure world since the sports bra. A good pair of high-waisted leggings not only hides your lower stomach, but it also pulls you, lifts your butt, and stays up throughout your most difficult and active workouts. I wanted to take my love for this article of clothing to the next level and try to find the pieces that check all the aforementioned boxes. I tried high-waisted leggings from 11 popular athleisure brands and, I promise, these are the best of the best.
These are hands-down a favorite for BEAUTYLEEBAR readers and for myself for a number of reasons. One, they’re comfortable and supportive with moisture-wicking and sculpting fabric. Two, the elastic waistband never slips and even has a handy built-in pocket. And three, it’s a great quality pair of leggings at an even better price point. It sculpts the body perfectly and is super soft on the skin!
This UK activewear brand is a force to be reckoned with. Its high-waisted bum-sculpting leggings do exactly what they say they will. Thanks to their flattering and practical design and their discreet drawstring at the waistband, I will continue to trust these leggings through my most difficult and fast-paced workouts.
You know a pair of high-waisted tights are going to be good when they have a drawstring, a lightweight feel, AND pockets. These tights are perfect because it SuperSonic fabric is sleek with supportive compression while still flattering the booty.
These leggings are incredibly light. They feel like you’re wearing next to nothing. I was worried they would move around during my workout because, in my experience, lighter leggings don’t always stay close to the body during fast movements. I was so wrong. These stayed up and barely moved during my workout. I was constantly worried and kept touching them and checking to make sure they were staying in place because I felt like I wasn’t even wearing leggings, but they really did stay up.
I thought the perfect high-waisted leggings didn’t exist—and then I tried these. This brand might be new to the activewear world, but don’t get it twisted—its products will quickly replace all your tried-and-true favorite athleisure pieces. The pieces are lightweight, the seams aren’t heavy, and the waistband survived through squats, burpees, and deadlifts. The fabric feels like buttery velvet against your skin, and these leggings keep your body cool and dry during super-sweaty workouts. If I could live in these leggings I would.
These leggings have a special space in my closet. Alala leggings don’t come cheap, but they’re worth every penny. The thick waistband makes you feel secure, and the fashion-forward design features are absolutely perfect. This particular pair of leggings lasted through every type of movement that I threw its way. If you love to work out and find yourself looking for an item to splurge on, give yourself the gift of a pair of Alala leggings.
I’m no stranger to Lululemon leggings. Prior to completing this experiment, its Fast & Free Tights ($128) were my favorite high-waisted leggings of all time. I considered buying multiple pairs, but my bank account suggested otherwise. This new high-waisted tight has pockets and a drawstring to make sure that the tights are just as high at the end of the workout as they were at the beginning. I’ll definitely be wearing this style on repeat.
There are a lot of things I love about Fabletics. I love that the brand uses real fitness influencers to be the models for its website. I love that it designs pieces with the hardest workouts in mind. They’re the best-selling leggings on the site, and they deserve that honor.They don’t move. The slimming design pulls you in and keeps you secure no matter how intense your workout is. Fabletics is a FREE sign up site that customize to your needs and wants.
New, revolutionary Motion365 is their most versatile fabric, designed to give you all the sculpting benefits of high compression with maximum breathability. This state-of-the-art fabric is crafted from resilient nylon that wicks away sweat and enables full range of motion—whether you’re at boot camp or barre class.
I’m no stranger to prAna leggings. Prior to completing this experiment, its Momento 7/8 Legging ($79) were my favorite mid-rise leggings of all time. This new high-waisted tight has pockets and a drawstring to make sure that the tights are just as high at the end of the workout as they were at the beginning. I’ll definitely be wearing this style on repeat. I am a fan of their leggings, bags and etc! I have worked with this brand before and I am still a fan after all these years.
This women’s style is made with a blend of Chakara®, their most compressive performance fabric yet, and offers moisture-wicking properties, UPF 50+ sun safety, and a strong, grounding feeling against the skin.
Then prAna added extra support by creating a high-rise fit, a hidden key pocket in the waistband, and a COOLMAX® triangle gusset. And last (but certainly not least), included charming eyehole embroidery that wraps around the ankle and runs up the length of the leg.
After all of my thorough research and testing, I can confidently say that you can’t go wrong with any of these leggings. No matter what kind of workout you enjoy, these will make you look and feel your absolute best. So next time you’re feeling like buying yourself a little something special, feel free to add one of these to your cart.
“I would avoid using any products that have a high concentration of alcohol in them, as this may dry out your makeup.Frankie Padron, MUA
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