Hair Removal Secrets

The 10 biggest hair removal mistakes you can make and how to avoid them!

Click Here for Hair Removal Secrets!

The right shade of RED LIPSTICK for you!

Red lipstick is a classic staple that should be in everyones makeup bag! But how do you know which SHADE of RED is best for you and your skin tone? And believe me is makes a HUGE difference.

Knowing which shade of red is best for your Skin Tone is KEY:

Fair Skin: Should lean more towards a coral-y red or any red color with orange and pink undertones work really well.
Medium Skin: Has the most red options! Anything from true red and pinky to cranberry undertones will compliment your skins warm undertones
Dark Skin: Look best in red lips with berry colored undertones. Try a burgundy or warm brick red color but make sure not to go too bright!

For suggestions on lipsticks for each skin tone click here

10 Sexy (& speedy!) Makeup Looks!

I absolutely LOVE every single one of these 10 sexy and gorgeous makeup looks from Allure!
Click here to see the 10 sexy & fast Makeup Looks!

Say Hello to Shellac nails!

One of the newest nail trends gaining momentum in 2011 is Shellac Nails. Ever heard of them?

Not a fan of regular manicures, but don’t want to ruin your nails with acrylics or gel nails? You might be saying Shellac, hmm what is this exactly? Shellac is a cross between gel nails and traditional nail polish. It gets applied like regular nail polish, but dries like a gel. Shellac gives your manicure a little more stability than the usual manicure, allowing it to last longer.

Shellac manicures take slightly more time because after each coat you have to put your hand under UV light. You are not getting as much UV light as you do with gels or acrylics. It is totally worth the few extra minutes, because immediately after you take your hand out of the UV light for the last time, your manicure is completely dry. Unfortunately, you can only receive a Shellac manicure at a salon; you cannot do it yourself from home. Salons everywhere are starting to offer this service. It is about 50% more in price, but will last twice as long as your regular manicure(anywhere from 2-3 weeks without chipping!)

BEWARE: You nails will grow out and cutucles will probably start showing around the 2 week mark depending on how fast your nails grow. You will also need to go back into the salon on order to have them removed as its is pretty difficult to do yourself

Right now, there are still a limited number of colors: shades of pink, red and brown. When I went in I decided that with fall fast approaching I would do one more last BRIGHT color and opted for hot pink! Next time I go back in, I'll be doing French Shellac.

My Thoughts:
So far, I'm really loving the shellac! My nails feel very durable and I even got a cute little design on one finger on each hand! I love that it feels like gel nails but without having to having to ruin your nails! So far, I feel thats its very worth the price, especially if you're into acylic or gel nails!

5 summer beauty essentials to keep in your beach bag!

1. Sunscreen! The absolute best thing you can do for your skin is protect it! I got a really bad sunburn on Sunday on my back not only does it burn(and starting to peel) but it makes it hard to sleep at night. Needless to say, its not worth it, use sunscreen and dont make my mistake by reapplying often!
2. Waterproof Mascara! Bargain brand: Maybelline one by one waterproof. Splurge: Cannonball Waterproof Mascara from Urban Decay.
3. A great summer color lipstick! Not only will it look great on your lips but you can blend a little on your cheeks like a cream blush for a rosie tint!
4. Makeup Remover/Cleansing wipes! After a long day on the beach its good to wipe off that sweat and sand!
5. Eyeliner! Take your look from day to night by adding some eyeliner. Try a fun color like purple or teal for the adventourous!

Happy Summer!

Extra, Extra! Read all about it: Newspaper nails and my favorite summer nail trends!

Newspaper Nails:

I'm loving this nail trend and its actually really easy to do! If you're like me, you cant afford to be in the nail salon every week but LOVE the all the chic nail trends you've been seeing everywhere - and this is a super chic and different look you can actually create easily at home! I did mine yesterday and they look FABULOUS!

What you'll need:

• A base nail polish color, I recommend a neutral color so you can see the black print clearly! I used "Like Linen" by Essie, its a creamy, off-white color similar to actual the paper that newspapers are printed on!
• Rubbing alcohol - 70-95% - I used 70% and it worked just fine!
• 10 Cut out Newspaper strips - large enough to cover your nail entirely.
• Top coat nail polish

Go ahead and apply a base polish(if you choose) and then 2 coats of your base color polish.
Make sure the nails have dried COMPLETELY before moving to the next step! I waited an hour just to be sure.
Dip your nail into the rubbing alcohol for 5 seconds then dip the newspaper strip in the alcohol.
Apply the newspaper strip to your nail and push down until it dries, about 20-30 seconds.
Remove newspaper and voila! Apply top coat polish to lock in the ink!

Other Summer Nail Trends I'm lovin'!

White nails are super hot this summer! A stark contrast to glowing skin, white nails are a beautiful way to bring out a tan in summer! Make sure you buy a polish that is thick enough to completely cover your nail. A translucent hue just won't look that good. 

I'm also loving bright colors this summer! Warm colors like pale yellows and corals and cool tones like blues are hot summer nail trends!

Happy nail painting ladies!

How to get a flawless summer glow!

June is finally here! And I'm super excited for the warm weather festivities! So todays blog will feature bronzing powders to get that GORGEOUS, healthy looking, summer glow! A golden glow is a summer essential and its super easy to get without soaking up harmful UV rays or baking in a tanning bed.

Taking a cue from the bronzed beauties that floated down the Spring 2011 runways of Gucci, Donna Karan, and Anna Sui, this seasons secret to bronzed beauty lies in the degrees of shimmer. This summer we will be seeing more subtle glows(keyword here is SUBTLE) than the deep, orange-y tans we're used to seeing. Golds and pink undertones are going to be a major stample this season!

But, before you go shoving your makeup brush into your favorite bronzer here are a couple of guidelines!

Dont sweat the technique! Prep your face with your favorite longwear liquid foundation followed by your favorite powder.

Do not use bronzer to set your makeup! You want to apply it over your usual powder and/or setting powder. HINT: Use a big, fluffy face brush to keep the finish seamless and natural looking.

Bronzer is like icing on the cake! My suggestion is to keep your natural skin color and not deviate from it too much. Keeping it sheer will ensure you get an elevated lift of color without going overboard! HINT: DONT FORGET to blend into your neck as well!

My favorite bronzers are from Stila Cosmetics(available at Sephora) because they come in varying colors to go perfect with your skin tone! You want something with a warm undertone with a touch of gold!

For a slightly more modern look I like to apply a little highlighter with a pinkish tone to the cheek bones. My favorite is Shell from MAC. And then blending a light pink blush with a Stila bronzer! It creates a beautiful natural looking glow!