Cosmetics Tips & Tricks Archives - Page 2 of 2

Coconut Oil – A Multipurpose Beauty Essential You Can’t Do Without

Most of us have grown up with grandmas’ tales of how wonderful coconut oil is, especially for hair. Well, our grandmas didn’t give us complete information; there’s so much more the coconut oil can do!

Over time, with more exotic (and expensive) beauty products being available to us, we don’t go in for more effective natural products. This is quite a pity for if you were to realize the multipurpose quality of coconut oil, you could almost halve your expenditure on basic cosmetics that you use every day. Imagine how much more makeup or clothes or shoes you could buy with that (or maybe save up too, that’s always an option)!

So what kind of goodness does coconut oil promise? Well, it’s anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, deeply moisturising and also readily available at affordable rates. Clearly, all this spells beauty-essential-par-excellence! Let’s see how you can utilize this wonder product.

Conditioning Hair

If you have dry, frizzy hair of the kind that most conditioners fail to tame, what you need some coconut oil. After shampooing and wash-off, take a quantity of coconut oil (when it’s more solid than liquid) and massage it into your strands like you would any conditioner. Leave it in for about 5-10 minutes (shave, brush or something in the meanwhile). Then say hello to shiny, hydrated hair that are easy to tame! If you don’t like the smell of coconut oil, add a few drops of lavender oil to it before applying.

Shaving Legs

If you want to have a silky-smooth shave and well-moisturized skin after a shave, coconut oil is what you need. Instead of using shaving cream, soap lather or shower gel to shave, use this and you will not even need to moisturize after your shower. Also, you legs and arms will have a dewy glow – an effect that takes multiple cosmetic products to achieve!

Removing Makeup

We buy such expensive makeup removers and often still end up struggling to remove all the residual products on the face. Worry not. Take some coconut oil (perhaps scented with the essential oil of your choice, if you like), dab it onto a cotton-pad and gently swipe across face. All makeup will come off in a jiffy; yes, that stubborn eye makeup too!

Keeping Lips Soft and Supple

Coconut oil is the best quick fix for dry and chapped lips. Apply it at night to wake up to soft, supple lips. Remove dead skin by brushing lips with a toothbrush. Reapply coconut oil and use like a lip balm whenever needed. Your lips will be nourished back to hydrated goodness with just 2-3 days of this routine; no need for lip balm.

Improving Nail Quality

Do your nails break very often? Are they surrounded by tough cuticle? Do not have time for a manicure? Well, just whip out your coconut oil and use it as a substitute to your hand and nail cream. It’ll not only strengthen your nails but also soften up the cuticle which then allows for faster nail growth.

Making the Best Homemade Body Scrub

Combine half a cup of sea salt or sugar with coconut oil of liquid consistency. Then you can use this mixture to scrub off all dead skin with just one application. What’s more is that moisturizing coconut oil will balance against the harsh action of salt/sugar, leaving your body nice and supply after your shower. Use salt for mild scrubbing and sugar for tougher areas like your foot and heels.

Improving Fat Metabolism

Saturated fats are supposed to be the devil, yes, but the kind that coconut oil contains is a good variety. Without going into the science of it, coconut oil contains fatty acids which optimize energy expenditure and control the appetite. In fact, many dieticians recommend switching to coconut oil for everyday cooking as well.

With all this beauty info at your disposal, you have probably come to realize that coconut oil is a must-have for your cosmetics-counter. Use it and you’ll be an even bigger fan!

How to Find the Colour Palette for Your Skin Tone

Identifying and finding the colours that best suit your skin tone can be confusing, but it really needn’t be. The first thing you need to do is to identify whether you have a cool or a warm skin tone, and this in itself couldn’t be easier. All you need to do is look at the underside of your wrist. If your veins are bluish or purple in colour, then you have a cool skin tone. If your veins are more green or yellow in colour, then you have a warm skin tone. It really is as simple as that.

Now, the next thing you have to do is to understand the colour wheel. It’s not exactly difficult to differentiate the warm half of the colour palette from the cool. On a very basic level, the cool colours will suit those with a cool skin tone, and the warmer colours will suit those with a warmer skin tone. So, as a general rule, if you have a warm skin tone, look for earthy colours like reds and oranges, browns and tans, stretching through to leafy greens. If you have a cool skin tone, sea-type colours will work for you, blues and jades and turquoise and blue-purples.

However, it’s not always as simple as that. For example, I have a cool skin tone and I love wearing oranges and pinks. Some colours can straddle the cool/warm divide with their undertone, just like our skin. Reds, oranges, pinks and greens are the most prominent in these, as reds, oranges and pinks with a blue undertone are technically cool colours. The same works for green with a yellow or even red undertone. This is especially important to consider when choosing lipstick. Cool-skinned ladies, do not despair for there is a statement red lippy out there for you! You just have to find one with a blue undertone.

One last thing. As a general rule, when it comes to metallics, golds, rose and bronze suit those with a warmer skin tone, whereas silver suits those with a cooler skin tone. Ultimately, it comes down to each individual, but it’s absolutely useful to know your skin tone and know your colour wheel to work as a guide when it comes to determining what colour you should buy that dress in. Knowing your colour wheel will also help when it comes to pairing block colours that you wouldn’t usually see together, or even clashing patterns which is oh-so-in right now. Just remember: work with what you’ve got, girl!

DIY – Spring Nail Trends

It can be hard to keep your nails looking fresh and trendy, as some of the newest styles seem crazy complicated. If you’re anything like me, you’ll spend the majority of your magazine-leafing time thinking who on earth has the time to do that?!. So, for those of you who want to keep bang-on-trend, but don’t have the time for ridiculously fiddly nail art, here are a selection of the hottest nail trends that can be achieved with minimal effort on your part. What more could you want?

Dotty

Dotty nails look tricky and fiddly, but there are a couple of ways to achieve this super-snazzy look with minimal effort. Either just use a sharpie for those beautiful little dots, or if the colours don’t work for you, try dipping the end of a bobby pin in your nail varnish of choice. That way, you’ll have uniform, easily-applied dots. Go dotty for dots!

Simple stripe

It’s all about the stripes in nail art this season, and there are so many ways to pull off this look. All you need to use is some masking tape. Literally, that’s it. Try diagonal stripes or, for a more minimalist look, try a simple vertical stripe to one side of the nail.

Word art

This is absolutely one of the coolest nail art ideas I’ve ever seen. As an avid book-lover, I can’t wait to try this one myself! All you need are some small pieces of cut-up newspaper, some alcohol (vodka or gin work fine) and your base nail colour. It goes without saying that lighter colours work best here, as they’ll make the words show up most. Once your base colour is completely dry, just soak your newspaper pieces in the alcohol and apply to the nail. Hold them in place for a good minute, and when you peel the paper away the ink will have transferred to your nail. Awesome!

Mix it up

Something as simple as choosing a different colour for each nail can really freshen up your nail art look. This season, since

It’s spring, it’s all about the pastels, so choose a few nice shades and get painting. Can’t get much easier than that.

Fishnet nails

Fishnet nails look super-cool, and you can really have some fun with them. All you need is your nail polish (at least two colours) and a piece of fishnet – this can be taken from any old pair of fishnet tights you might have lying around. Once your base colour is totally dry, just lay the fishnet over the nail and apply the second colour. It generally works best if you dab at the nail rather than using strokes as you usually would, to make sure that the fishnet doesn’t move too much. Pull away the fishnet and you’re left with this amazing effect. Btw, it works with lace, too!

So get creative this spring with your nails. Even if you’ve never ventured into nail art before, give these five tried and tested methods a go and you’ll be on your way to salon-beautiful, creative and fun, fresh nails.

Choosing the Perfect Spring-Summer Perfume

With Spring rapidly approaching, now is as good a time as any to treat yourself to a brand new fragrance. Every girl loves having that signature scent that reminds everyone of her, but if you’re thinking about branching out this season, there are a few things you may want to consider before shopping for your new Spring/Summer perfume to ensure that you get the right scent, not only for the season, but for you personally.

Price

We hate to be the voice of reason (really, we do) but perfume can be pretty pricey. It’s absolutely worth having a budget in mind before you hit the shops, or else you may find yourself falling desperately in love with a scent that you simply cannot afford. Good perfumes range from about Rs 2500 – Rs 9000 (£30-£100), so there’s plenty of room to find something top-notch that fits within your budget.

Base notes

Now for the good stuff. The Spring/Summer season is all about floral and citrus tones, but these are generally used as top notes, so you need to think about the base notes that you think suit you best. Woody and oriental notes are the most common groups of base notes used in perfumery, and what you go for is all down to personal preference. If you prefer lighter fragrances, the woody notes are for you, whereas if you’re after something a little darker, more intense and sultry, explore those oriental scents.

Top notes

Once you’ve got your base notes sorted, you can move onto those truly Springtime fresh and floral notes. Again, floral notes suit a certain type of person whereas the fresh, citrusy scent suits another. Floral notes are, of course, typically feminine, so if you’re a girly girl, go for these. If you fancy something a little less sickly, however, go for those fresh notes. Here, you can choose between ultra-fresh green notes, aquatic notes or sharp citrus notes.

Where do you live?

This may seem like an odd thing to consider, but where you live should actually have a real baring on how strong a fragrance you opt for. If you live in a city and spend a good amount of your time with lots of people, for example on public transport or in a busy office, you don’t want to go for a fragrance that is too invasive. Here, woody notes paired with fresh notes work particularly well. If you live in a more rural area, however, or don’t have a busy commute every day, you can be far freer with the fragrance you pick.

So there you have it. Ask yourself how much you want to spend, think about the base notes and top notes that best suit you, and remember to consider how invasive or strong and lingering a fragrance will fit with your lifestyle. Happy shopping! We hope it’s love at first smell.

Image from : Shutterstock

Top five Hot Pink Lip Colors for this Season

Have you been eyeing all the amazing pink lip colors that swamping the market, ramp walks and shows. There are definitely a lot of choices, but some pinks just work better and are definitely more suited to a wider audience. Here are some of my favourite Pink color lipsticks:

MAC Cremesheen Speak Louder– this is a lovely hot pink from MAC’s permanent collection. MAC describes Speak Louder as a clean poppy blue pink. It is a cool toned hot pink, wearable on all skintones. It’s a bright pink lipstick for those who are scared to sport brights. It is from Cremesheen finish category they are some what creamy and not matt, and give a certain shine that I dislike. It is well pigmented and you would need 2 swipes for full intensity. The staying power is remarkable as it stays put for more than 3-4 hours easily, fades evenly leaving behind a stain.

MAC Impassioned Amplified – this is a very bright neon pink color from MAC, but one of my favorite lip colors and brightens your skin tone. Works well for medium to fair skin tones and perfect for both day and night out. MAC describes Impassioned as Amped Up Fuschia and the shade looks different in different lights. It is a nicely pigmented color and you might need more than one swipe for pigmented lips. This shade comes from Amplified family which means it is creamy matte but I find it more matte than other shades from this family and the lip color stays on for atleast 4-5 hours

Clinique Chubby Stick Intense Plushest Punch – The best thing about the chubby stick intense formula is their hydration and staying power! Even though its marketed as lip balm I find the color is intense enough to be worn a standalone lip color. Its a bright raspberry pink color and has a good staying power. I always wear this color in two swipes when i want a fuller coverage and one swipe when I am looking for lighter natural look

Revlon Colorburst Vivacious Exuberante – Revlon lacquer balms have smooth balm like texture. Vivacious Exuberante is a hot pink shade comes with little shimmers and its texture is very moisturizing. The shade is well pigmented, though it can get patchy and at least 2 strokes are required to develop the original shade. It has got mint fragrance which is feature of all Revlon Colorburst balm, I find it soothing personally.

Revlon Colorburst Sultry Sulfureuse – One of my favorite lip colors which is good for office days. This is a matte lip balm which doesn’t dry out your lips much and has a good lasting power. For me the lip color stays beyond 4 hours. I like matte lip colors more than others but stay away from them as they tend dry out my lips. The color is highly pigmented and can easily hide any lip pigmentation even with one swipe and would suit almost every skin color.

Swatches Below:

Be a Beach Beauty

Here is a step by step guide to get you ready for the golden sandy beaches with confidence.

Sun Safe – Whether you go for cream or oil, its essential to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays. Sun rays not only damage and age the skin but can also lead to skin cancer. Before you head out make sure you use a good sunscreen. Make sure you reapply your sun cream or oil regularly, especially after the dip in the water.
Nail It – Pretty Hues or Bold Bright nails look best on the beach. Before applying polish give yourself a manicure to make sure your nails are in a tip-top shape. Don’t forget your feet either, a nice pedicure and a beautiful pair of flip flops or open toed sandals in the evening will make you stand out in the crowd.
Protect Your Locks – Your skin isn’t the only thing that can get seriously damaged in the sun, your hair can too. All that sea salt, chlorine and sun can play havoc with your hair and turn your glossy locks into an unruly frizzy haystack. You either use a nice SPF protection for your hair or repair remedy to add back the lost moisture and repair any damage done throughout the day.
Smooth Skin – Pre Holiday, get your skin glowing by buffing and exfoliating. You can use a body scrub or use a body brush.
Minimum Makeup – Heavy makeup on the beach is a complete no-no, but if you can’t dare to bare, a slick of waterproof mascara with a sweep of subtle lipstick will keep you looking fresh faced and gorgeous. In the evening some bronzer and metallic shimmering eye shadow will enhance your tan and give you a healthy glow.

How to Use your Old Lip Colors

How many lipsticks do you have in your old drawer or stack somewhere still saved away, all those impulse buys you might have done or shades that have now gone out of trend.You might have got a few of those as “gift with purchase“, “free sample“ lipsticks in there!

Well, whether those lipsticks are the wrong shade for you or texture, here is the trick I found in my search for that perfect shade that you can now use to create your own new shades and use all those lipsticks stacked away to create a new look for you.

1. Mix to Create new colors: It might seem really obvious once you read it but you can always mix two lip colors to make a new color Here I bought myself a new neon pink color and was really excited to try it but once home it didnt look as good as it looked when I tried it in showroom, all those spot lights should be blamed here 😉
I just wanted a little darker pink color and guess what came to rescue was the matt red color I mixed the two shades together and voila had the right color I actually wanted.

If a lipstick is too dark, all you need to do is mix the dark lipstick with something lighter; a lip gloss, a tinted lip balm, another lipstick, etc. and if the lipstick color is too light, then it only makes sense to mix it with a color that’s darker.

2. Use your old lipstick as a cheek stain. I have done this many times when I have forgotten to carry my own blush in my handbag

3. Create a tinted lip gloss using a leftover lipstick. Add Vaseline into the pot with the lipstick and mix well. If you want it to have a smooth and new finish allow it to sit somewhere warm for a little while and it will melt, then when you lat it harden again it will look like a brand new gloss!

Fashion Trend: Search for the Scarlet Lips

The perfect red lipstick is one of the fashion trend’s that will never date away.We sometimes hate it and sometimes love it almost like crazy. One movie star which comes to my mind when I think of red color lips is either Madonna or Anne Hathway.

Personally I always felt I can’t carry a rouge red color and hence always turned towards more dark brown red or mauves for occasion.But after doing some serious shopping this season for a personal family do, I thought why not give it a try to this elusive make-up essential.

I have tested many red colors before nailing down my own red color, and the ones that finally got on to my shortlist are:

1. NARS Jungle Red – its a bright red tone color with long lasting color. It is a mix of both matt and shine. So if you like a bright red color this is definitely a good choice

2. MAC Ruby Woo -This is a great matt red color lipstick. The color is thick and rich and lasts all day long.

3. MAC Russian Red – Another great matte, classic red lipstick from MAC. I personally felt russian red is more creamy and has a slight sheen to it on the lips

A red color lipstick is a must in every girl’s makeup box.

Style Tip: Wear your Red color lipstick with a matching nail color for that elegant and ultra glam look.