Holiday Hangover Survival Tips - Skin Edition!

Social calendars definitely fill up during the holidays.  Which can mean lots of parties, drinking and going to bed WAY past your bed time.  All of which can do a number on your skin, leaving you looking and feeling less than perky the next morning.  However have no fear, there are a few things that you can do and use that will have you looking like your normal self in no time! (The 'feeling' part may be another story)

The key is to stay hydrated!  The combination of an over-consumption of alcohol and scrimping out on sleep generally has a dehydrating effect.  So the next day it's best that you not only hydrate your skin with moisturizers but also hydrate your body by drinking lots of fluids and drinks containing electrolytes, such as Gatorade or even Pedialyte.  I also read somewhere that drinking a little lemon juice squeezed into warm water or tea does wonders, as well.  Not only does it help to re-hydrate but the lemon juice reportedly helps to balance the pH levels in your body.

Now what about that dull-looking skin?  When I wake up hating life because I should not of had that last martini the night before, there are a few products that I run to the next morning!

*Clarins Beauty Flash Balm

I was very pleased the first time that I used this product and understand why it is a cult favorite. The product literature states that this is the ideal beauty pick-me-up to erase signs of fatigue and/or stress and they did not lie.  It goes on like a lotion minimizing pores, hydrating the skin and leaving a soft, dewy finish.  The directions are a little confusing however, I applied the balm after washing my face and before my moisturizer & makeup and definitely noticed a difference. Packed with Olive extract and Witch Hazel, the Clarins Beauty Flash Balm works to instantly diminish the appearance of fine lines giving you a fresh, revived look.  And as an added benefit, it can also be used as a facial mask for an extra boost!  This product is perfect to use throughout the day or whenever you want to refresh your appearance.

*LORAC Oil-Free Neutralizer

If you ever want to know how someone is feeling, just look them in the eyes.  The eyes are a dead giveaway which is why I target my eye area when i'm not feeling 100%!  Usually after a long night or even when I am feeling sick, I notice that my eye lids often times appear reddish in color.  To combat this, I apply the LORAC Oil-Free Neutralizer.  Its yellow tone is great for counteracting any redness that I may be experiencing.  In addition, it is infused with Aloe, Comfrey and Chamomile which helps to calm and soothe the skin.  I use a very small amount of the neutralizer, gently patting (not rubbing) onto my eyelid until it is fully absorbed and Voila! 

*Ooh La Lift by Benefit

Again targeting the eyes, I apply Ooh La Lift as an under-eye brightener.  It has a cooling effect which helps to reduce any puffiness that you may be experiencing.  Infused with light-reflecting pigments and raspberry extract, this eye cream works as an instant eye lift in a tube.  I have been using this product for years and absolutely love it.  It is a staple product in my make-up bag and I apply it throughout the day or anytime I need a little "lift".



So there you have it, my little secrets on maintaining a "fresh"looking appearance on limited or no sleep.  With New Years Eve in less than 3 days, I wish all of you a very safe, healthy and prosperous 2012!  And remember, if you unleash your inner-Rockstar on the 31st and wake up feeling a little less than your fabulous self the next morning, these 3 little tricks are your friend!  :) 

Eye on the left has been prepped w/ LORAC Oil-free Neutralizer & Ooh La Lift by Benefit

Happy Holidays!!

XOXO

~Tiaja

Violent Lips: Hot Trend or Bad Fad?


Recently, I have come across pictures of celebs wearing what appears to be the latest craze....Violent Lips!  One picture, in particular, was of Keyshia Cole wearing the leopard print appliques (similar to the ones in the photo above) during a recent television interview.  And for the life of me, I could not make a decision as to whether or not I liked the look or not.  I was however, intrigued and being the beauty addict that I am, I HAD to check it out!

You are probably wondering what the heck are Violent Lips? Described as "the ultimate form of self-expression", Violent Lips is a line of temporary lip appliques offering a pretty wide variety of patterns ranging from animal prints to black/ white checks to a 'Glitterati' sparkle and are supposed to last up to 8 hours!   These vitamin-enhanced temporary lip tattoos are FDA approved, made in America and as stated on their website, 'tested on supermodels, not animals'. 

Interested, yet?  Well, I was! lol  I was more curious in finding out how they worked & how they would look on me.  So, I headed down to Sephora (where else) and grabbed a pack of the Red Glitterati which were on sale for $8 (original retail is $16) and headed home to bling out my lips! After reading the directions, I realized that these appliques work just like the temporary tattoos found in your Cracker Jacks box when you were a kid!  lol  And while it sounds fairly easy, I would say the tricky part is the placement and making sure that you get the right measurement (horizontal & vertical) for your lips!

After successfully applying the appliques to my lips, I have to say that I was not that impressed!  While they looked decent from afar, they were pretty disastrous up close.  Perhaps I didn't apply them properly but whatever the case may be, I did not find these to be practical in any way, shape or form.  Everytime I closed my mouth, the appliques would lift at the corners and they did not lay flat on my lips.  In short, the celeb photos looked WAY better than mine (see below)! And, I can't for the life of me begin to understand how Keyshia made it through an entire interview wearing these.  I give here major props!  lol  However, I will say that they were fairly easy to remove.  After rubbing my lips with an oil-based makeup remover, the appliques began to break down and peel off fairly quickly.

Kardashian/ Jenner sisters wearing Violent Lips
photo courtesy of bellasugar

My final thoughts....In theory, the temporary lip tattoos are a great and fun concept.  Would I wear them for a photo shoot...Yes!  Would I wear them for a night on the town, date or just because....NO WAY! Granted I may give them another try since it comes with 3 in a pack and just maybe I will get better results.  But at the end of the day, you know what they say about first impressions....

XOXO

~Tiaja

Holiday Make-up Trend: Be Bold In Gold!

As I peruse through my magazines, I noticed a definite trend for this upcoming holiday season.  It appears that contrary to popular belief....all that glitters is GOLD!  From the runways of Fashion Week to Celebs on the red carpert, everyone is gleaming in gold makeup (and nails).  And surprisingly, it looks REALLY good!  I think I mentioned in one of my previous blogs, that I am pretty conservative when it comes to my make-up.  It's my belief that less is more!  Make-up is like an accessory...it should enhance your look and natural beauty, not take away from it.  With that said, you could probably imagine my inital adversion to this new trend.  I mean you could either nail this look or get it really really wrong, right?  However you choose to incorporate this trend into your make-up routine, the bottomline is Have Fun (and try not to go overboard)!!

You, too, can be bold in gold with the following products:

Eyeliner:

Not only does gold eyeliner look nice and festive, it can make tired eyes POP!  By lining the inside corners of your eyes, the metallic shade will provide a more wide-open look as well as brightening up the skin.  I would suggest trying Urban Decay's 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Eldorado.  This pencil goes on really smooth, is highly pigmented and lasts a long time (see my previous blog post).  If Eldorado is too bright for you, maybe try a more antique gold like NARs Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner in Campo de'Fiori. 


Nars Campo de'Fiori (left) & U/D Eldorado (right)


Eyeshadow:

I've always been a fan of gold eyeshadows and the pinky-gold shades are my absolute faves! Being the make-up conservative that I am, I generally apply the gold shadow to my lid and blend with a brown or bronze shade in my crease.  I know I should play with color more and that is on my "to-do" list for 2012. :) So, don't limit yourself!  Gold shadows can be mixed with a variety of shades ranging from navy blue, maroon and army green...it really depends on your comfort level.  So, just get in your make-up bag & PLAY!  :)  And while you're at it, check out these shadows: Half Baked by Urban Decay is packed with pigment and this true shade of gold offers lots of shine. Others to try are All That Glitters and Amber Lights by MAC Cosmetics!

All That Glitters by MAC (left), Half Baked  by U/D (mid), Amber Lights by MAC (right)

Nail Polish:

Looking for the Midas Touch? Try applying a gold polish to bare nails for a subtle jeweled effect or over your favorite nail color for an added sparkle.  Who needs jewelry when you're rockin' gold nails! ;) I really like Glitzerland by OPI w/ an accent nail in Bring On The Bling also by OPI (shown below).  Or you may also try Boom Boom Pow by Deborah Lippmann. This glamourous & glittery shade contains 24K Gold Dust!  

Glizterland w/ one nail accented in Bring On The Bling by OPI

Go forth and be B-O-L-D!

XOXO

~Tiaja