Lush Love: Let The Good Times Roll Facial Cleanser

Hello today,
I went to Lush last week and purchased the limited time holiday facial cleanser called "let the good times roll". It is just a normal cleanser removes excess dirt and leaves skin smooth. It is made with maize flour, polenta and popcorn topping. 
It smells sooooo good, like guys i cant even express how yummy it smells. its literally like christmas in a scrub. so sweet and wakes you up in the morning.
Also the scent makes you so jolly!
the scrub is gentle on the skin, and the grains are not harsh or irritating. 
I really love this scrub a lot and plan to stock up because it is limited edition. But seriously, so far its my favourite lush product.

Hair Care: Saryna Key African Shea Cream for dry damaged hair

Hello Ladies,
I visited a local salon in the mall and was going to purchase some hair care stuff. When I came across this new product called Syrana Key. It's African Shea butter cream that is used to fix dry damaged hair. It's a new line produced by Morracon Oil. 
This cream is a leave in conditioner, you apply it wet or dry. It's super creamy and smells magnificent. I've been using it for a couple of weeks and I've noticed my hair is much softer and better than before. 
It's quite expensive retails for $30CAD and it's 500mL 
It's a big bottle and worth the splurge because it will last you a long time and a little goes a long way. 
Also the smell is so amazing and it is paraben and sulfate free!
If you try this out leave a comment below:)

Warm Make-up for Fall with a Glamour Twist

hello makeup-aholics,

so i have a makeup look i played with the Lorac Unzipped palette and featuring bright red lips!!! so in love with this look i want to wear it to sleep!!!
so here are the steps, its such an easy makeup look!!
-brush all over the whole eye area : undercover
- using a crease brush lightly tap into : unspoken
- line upper and lower lash line softly with : untamed
and finish off with mascara i used L'Oreal 24h voluminous with collagen
for cheeks i applied MAC Eversun

                                           

Now for the glamorous red lips, i first put a light lip balm all over to moisturize them and have no cracks on my lips.
i lined my lips with MAC Cherry lip liner and then filled it in.
next i applied MAC Russian Red lipstick all over the lips.
it has a matte finish but the liner added some gloss to it. you can apply a gloss on it to make it sparkle but i left it the way it was!
so i kept the eye makeup pretty neutral and warm and made the lips so vibrant!! like BAM!
Such a beautiful look and every girl can rock this look! I MEAN EVERY GIRL!!
We all need a little red in our life!
so be happy and work that red lipstick!

-Yara

Lorac UnZipped Makeup Palette Review Plus Tutorial

Hello Make-upaholics,

So i just purchased the Lorac UnZipped Makeup Palette from Sephora! And i am IN LOVE!! 

it is a neutral palette, has some matte and shimmer shadows. The pigmentation is amazing on it and its so velvety and smooth!!! 

the colours look amazing like pure amazingness on the eye lids! The quality of the shadows stunned me, they're even better than mac shadows :O! 

For Realz guys, this palette is to die for and so worth the money, although i only used it twice, i am crazy happy with it and recommend it to everyone! 

TUTORIAL

So for this look i first used an eyeshadow primer, it'll prolong the wear of the shadows! 

then i swept unreal all over the lid with an eyeshadow brush  ( MAC 249) 

i blended in unspoken in the crease and outer corner of the eye. (MAC 217) 

i took a little of untamed and put it in the outer corner of the crease and blended it through to create more depth and a smokey effect (MAC 217)

i lined my upper lash line and lower lash line a bit with unshadow 

finish off with mascara 

and that is the look :) 

<3 yara

MAC 217 Blending Brush Review

Hello Makeup-aholics :)
Every now and then i will save up money and buy a MAC brush. They are just so expensive and i'm not loaded on cash to spend on just makeup although i wish i could :( 
So i purchased the 217 a month or so ago, and i've been testing it out. It takes time to learn how to properly use this brush so you can get the best out of it. Takes lots and lots of practice :P
But from the experience i am getting with this brush, its quite lovely. i'm still trying to learn how to have this brush perform to the best of it abilities! 
It creates a soft effect on the lids, sometimes i use it as an all over sweep or concentrate it on the crease. 
It glides the color very smoothly and softly, and its becoming a must have brush! My other crease brush sucked compared to this! The structure of the bristles is perfect for the eyes, and executes the eyeshadow very well!  
MAC brushes are definitely expensive but in the long run you save so much money and time! And you will always have a flawless look with their brushes!

Leave a comment below on your fave MAC brushes or other names! 

-Yara 

New Natural Acne Treatment

As I vacationed in South Carolina this summer i noticed a great change in the way my skin behaved. 
I noticed how all the pimples were almost completely gone and even the scarring! 
And i didn't change anything in my skin care routine, so it puzzled me; how is my skin so clear now? 
Well i spent majority of my time sunbathing and swimming in the salty ocean. 
And so it clicked, the acidity in the ocean killed off 90% of the acne on my body! and it wasn't only for me, even for my family! 

Salt water kills off germs, and treats infections. Which makes sense because it killed off all the acne!! Also the effect of a sun burn did play a role in my new skin, because  it did kill off that layer of skin, and produced new healthier skin!!

I dont live next to an ocean unfortunately :( but a way to keep this up is to create your own salt water! and bathe in it! 
There are also skin care lines based on salt water, like products from the Dead Sea. 

If it worked for you or know any other natural skin care treatments! leave a comment below :) 

Makeup Review: L'Oreal Voluminous Power 24hr Mascara

Hello Makeup-aholics!
I recently purchased the new L'Oreal Voluminous Power 24hr Mascara infused with collagen spheres. It has a big wang, thick bristles and a great formula. I began to use it and noticed how much thicker and longer my lashes looked compared to the other mascara i was using  (Maybelline Mega-Plush Volume). 
Comparison of the two, Maybelline was much weaker in delivering the volume to the lashes, and made them look thinner compared to L'Oreal. L'Oreal made your lashes look super thick  in just one coat. It holds off for the whole day no smudging or crustiness.
Honestly, all mascaras from L'Oreal are great, so far this is my most favourite mascara from them. Its definitely worth a try! And it makes your lashes look full, volumed up, and long :) 

~Yara

Summer Time Makeup

Summer= Sweat + Water + Heat + Sun + Sand + FUN

What are some great makeup tricks to use while enjoying this equation?

Use a waterproof mascara, like Covergirl's Lashblast. It's an amazing waterproof mascara. Not only does it make your lashes look so full and long but also keeps it that way through out the heat, sweat and water.

     

Use a 24/7 eyeliner or waterproof, a great kind is Urban Decay's 24/7 Glide on Pencils. They literally do what the name says!

Try to avoid using powdered blushes, cream blushes stick more onto your face and last longer. Try Maybelline's new Dream Bouncy Blush. The colour pay off is great!

Always keep your lips hydrated year round. Use lip products with spf in it; to protect you from the sun. Try Maybelline's Baby Lips, they have spf 20, 8hour hydration and also have colour to them!

During the summer i like to keep my makeup simple, too much feels so heavy and wearing so much makeup could be damaging because you are exposed to the sun more.  

Embrace your natural beauty. Less is more!!

Gold Babyyy!!!

I've been seeing lately that the new fall lines are coming into stores:( during winter!! Jeez they cant hold it off a little bit more!! Anyway, ive been seeing that gold and warm neutrals are the trend for this year. Metallics, sparkles, golds, silvers are everywhere on shirts, sweaters and makeup.
I personally love the trend of warm neutral colors and GOLD!!! here are a few things im loving with the gold craze.

 

Forever21

Essie: Good as Gold

Forever21

Guess

3 Steps to Clear Your Skin

If your skin has been acting up lately start using these 3 steps and you will see big results


1. Wash your face with a good facial cleanser. I suggest anything from Lush because it is natural and the people there will help guide you to the right cleanser for you. Drug store cleansers are full of chemicals that may help the skin for one use but you will see it come back worse later.


2. Tone your face. Use a toner after you cleanse your face. It will tighten your pores up and remove excess dirt that you missed. 


3. Moisturize your face, secure that cleanliness with a moisturizer and it'll feed your skin with more nutrients.


Performing these 3 steps will lead you to great skin. I've noticed a difference when i stuck to these 3 steps! :) 

Lush Love: Herbalism Face Scrub

My skin has been really mean to me lately that i had to change my normal skin care routine. I adore Lush products and felt like trying something new that may resolve my skin issues.

A very helpful employee asked me a few questions about the type of skin i have and the issues i am dealing with, and so he suggested Herbalism. Its a blend of chamomile, rosemary, vinegar (which is a acne fighting ingredient)  and other herbs and oils . It has a soft scent and grainy texture. 

I have seen huge results from this product, it exfoliates my skin removing debris and dead skin, leaving soft fresh skin. I strongly suggest this product if you are dealing with breakouts and oily skin. 

Visit a Lush near you and talk to any employee there, they are very helpful and know their products super well!

Natural home eye makeup remover

For me, removing eye makeup is the most annoying-est (yes i make up words!) step!
I have yet to find a makeup remover where it carries out the job perfectly and doesn't irritate my eyes. So far eye makeup removers sting my eyes so much and doesn't even remove all the makeup. It still leaves mascara and eyeshadow residue. 
So i found out that olive oil is the most perfect eye make remover EVER!! like legit, its the best. Not only does it remove the makeup in one step, it also hydrates the eye area.
Olive oil contains so much healthy benefits for your skin, so for it to also work as a makeup remover and hydrate my skin, is so awesome!!
It is strong enough to remove waterproof mascara and normal mascara. It removes it so effortlessly and doesn't sting your eye at all!! 
:) 

Decrease Hair Frizz

Its summer and hair becomes a lot frizzer and drier.
Frizzy hair, especially for me because i have curly hair, is super annoying!!
A quick easy at home tip to reduce frizz, is to not towel dry your hair. Don't rub it to get it dry it is a lot rougher onto your hair, and when your hair is wet its at a vulnerable state. Anything you do to it wet can affect it. 
So use a cotton t-shirt and wrap your hair in it while it is still soaking. Let the shirt soak up the water in your hair.
Cotton is a softer fabric and will not cause excessive frizz like a towel would. 
You will notice reduced frizziness and it will feel a lot smoother :) 

Get Rid of Greasy Hair

Greasy Hair is just so yucky!
Some people experience it on a day to day basis depending on their hair type.
My hair type is think and curly so getting greasy hair takes a long time!
But a cool affordable way to remove greasy hair is by shaking on some baby powder. Baby powder is really inexpensive and does the job very well. It sucks out the visible oil, leaving cleaner looking hair. You can use dry shampoo to remove greasy hair but they are more expensive than baby powder. 

Removing Sparkly Nail Polish

                                        

Removing sparkly nail polish is such a pain! Takes way too long to take off and just becomes a huge mess. But its not like the hassle of removing it stops us from applying it! Its just so pretty!!

So a cool trick to remove sparkly nail polish off is soak up a cotton swab with nail polish remover and wrap around it tin foil. Have it soak in for about 5min on your nails then remove it all off. 

The sparkles and nail polish will come off very smoothly and clean, sometimes a little is left off so just scrub it with the cotton swab.

Get Rid of Dark Eyes

Dark eyes make everyone look like a walking racoon.
We get the darkness around the eyes due to a lack of sleep, lack of nutrition, stress and even genes.
To lessen the appearance of dark circles drink lots of water and have at least 7 hours of sleep. 
There is such thing of beauty sleep :) 
There are some easy at home spa treatments for treating dark circles.
Peel a potatoes and keep the skin, apply the skin onto your eye and let it rest for 15min. Do this everyday and it will nurture the eye with many vitamins and antioxidants our skin needs.
And if you don't want to use potato skin, cut up some slices of cucumbers and rest it on your eyes for 15min. There is a reason spas always put cucumbers on your eye, and that is because it has many vitamins and antioxidants that your skin needs.

Acne Remedy: Egg Mask

Eggs are a good source of vitamin B2, B3 and zinc. With all 3 vitamins working together they provide stronger skin, decrease stress, and increase immune system. 

Making an egg mask can reduce the inflammation of pimples and firm up pores making it less readily to acne.

To make an egg mask is super complicated!!! Just kidding its way too simple! 

All you need is one egg, and whip it up.

Then apply directly onto your skin wherever acne is found. 

Leave it on for about 20 minutes, until it hardens onto your skin.

Then rinse off with warm water and pat dry with a towel.

Do this mask for about 3 days and you will see that your skin is more relaxed and firmer!! 

How to get rid of yellow nails

                                           

Yellow nails are never attractive unless its actual yellow nail polish. (even sometimes those aren't that attractive :P) But sometimes after wearing dark shades of nail polish or just the over use of wearing nail polish it can result in yellow nails. 
Dark shades stain the nail causing it to become yellow. And i've noticed having nail polish constantly without giving your nails a break from the chemicals will also cause your nails to become yellow. 
So to get rid of yellow nails, use toothpaste. Yes, toothpaste on your nails will remove yellow nails. Even use a toothbrush to scrub it in. Makes sense because you scrub your teeth to make them whiter, and nails are in a way similar to our teeth. Therefore, brushing your nails with toothpaste will make them whiter! 

Hair Care: Mustard Oil

Hello Beauty Lovers, 
Mustard Oil is used amongst India to massage into the scalp to promote hair growth and strengthening damaged hair. 
Its contains Omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, calcium and much more. And they all help with nourishing hair follicles making them stronger and healthier. 
Mustard Oil will help make your hair grow longer and fuller giving it a healthy glow.
No wonder indian hair is so beautiful, all thanks to this amazing oil.
You can find Mustard Oil in your local food markets. 

Can I have Lemon With My Water?

When i go out to eat the waiter will ask me, what would you like to drink? I'd say just water WITH lemon. My friends made fun of me at one point because they said that restaurants always put lemon with water, but that is not so. One time I didn't order lemon with my water and i got no lemon:( 
Lemon with water has many benefits to our body. Such a simple yet refreshening ingredient can do so much goodness to our body.
Drinking lemon with every glass of water will regulate bowel movements, clear up skin, and helps with weight loss!!! Who knew drinking lemon water will help you lose weight:)  
Check out this article of the top ten reasons to drink lemon water. http://lajollamom.com/2011/01/drink-warm-lemon-water-in-the-morning/


Enjoy...:) 

Product Review: Smith's Rosebud Lip Salve

Hello Beauty lovers, 
I've been trying out this new lip balm called rosebud lip salve by Smith's. Smells like roses, it smells good but also weird, i don't know its quite an odd smell! 
But that doesn't mean its a and product, its a very good product actually!!
I use it every night before i go to sleep and when i wake up in the morning , my lips feel so moisturized. I use it for anytime my lips feel dehydrated and need the burst of moisture. 
You can purchase it at Sephora for $8.50cdn which is a good price for the quality you get :) 

Pimple Be Gone....Overnight

Pimples annoy everyone, and they come out in the worst ways at the worst times. We can all admit that having a pimple makes us feel insecure and depresses us. When having good skin it makes us feel confident and when having bad skin it can depress us.

Tea tree oil is where it comes into play, and can help out with the pimples. Have a pimple that came out, apply some tea tree oil at night and let the substance vanish that pimple overnight.

I had a pimple around my nose just last night and applied tea tree oil before i went to bed. woke up this morning and its completely gone:)!!!! 

I use the kind from Body Shop and its a small container got it around 9$ so its a good price!!

Lush Love: Cupcake Mask

Hello beauty lovers,
SO! I love Lush, probably obvious by now!
SO! this is an excellent face mask to get, especially if your skin is being fussy!
It is targeted to teenager skin so its perfect for oily/acne prone skin.
First of all... IT SMELLS LIKE CHOCOLATE!!! soooo yummy and amazing. therefore you MUST buy it:P LOL
The amount you get in the container is way more than enough, i've had mine for about 2months now and its still more than enough. Definitely a lush must have!

Weekend Finds: Avocado Hair Mask

I've started a new series called The Weekend Finds. It is about anything i find at the start of the weekend interesting or discovered. This weekend i tried out a hair mask, one of my best friends told me about it. 

You mix up avocado, an egg, and olive oil. apply onto your hair and let it sit for 30min.

This mask is going to help your scalp become healthier and less flaky, add shine and nutrients into your hair. The fatty contents of the avocado and olive oil will produce a soft touch to your hair. 

I tried it out today, my hair feels much softer and shiner. 

Its a great hair mask to try out! Anything with avocados benefits you so much :) 

LUSH LOVE!! Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter

The name says it all, with the cute spin on what the product is. I am a lush lover and i am so glad i tried out this product. It smells A-mazing! It is super creamy and of course Buttery!
This cuticle butter is not only used for your cuticles but it is to be used everywhere, where you have dry patches. It repairs dry cuticles on toes and fingers, elbows, and heels. i even use it on the base of my feet!!
Its a great product and the smell is just so yummy!!

Beauty Review: Benefit Hoola Bronzer

This is by far the best bronzer i have tried! its matte, which i love because i hate shimmery bronzers. im going through a phase where im just disliking any shimmer in blushes or bronzers on my face. i love the matte look. 

its a very pigmented formula, smooth and the color works so well with all skin types. Benefit products have such amazing quality! Check out their blushes as well!! they even have a scent:)

New trend: Cold Shoulder Blouse

Forever 21

The cold shoulder blouses are taking a strike at the trend for spring this year. This cute and fun spin on a normal blouse is very comfy and cute. You can dress it down or up, and its a subtle way to welcome the warmer weather. Forever 21 has a lot of cold shoulder tops that are very cute and fun to wear this spring. Go check them out and ring in the warm weather cute:)

NOTW- Cocktail Bling and Save Me

 

I am wearing Cocktail Bling by Essie with Save Me by OPI (new nicki minaj collection). i found these at a beauty supply store and they had a huge sale buy 2 for 15$ so i bought these 2 from their new collections!!! they are sooo perfect together and so gorgeous! i love this look so much1!!

Maybelline Baby Lips

Maybelline baby lips is a great new lip product!!! it super moisturizing, has spf 20 and gives a nice shine to your lips with a small tint depending on which color you get. i have the green one, mint and its clear, now i want to go try out more colors! But like the revlon lip butters, they are always sold out-___- so i must wait!!! Also, they are very moisturizing and help out big time with chapped lips!:)

Nail of the Week (NOTW): Essie's Turquoise and Caicos

I am so over winter colours and winter weather and winter clothing!!! all i want is SPRINGGG!! Comon' spring come faster!!! So in spite of the boring cold weather, I've decided to make myself happy and convince myself that spring is here...with my nails:P I love this colour from Essie, its so dreamy and calming i just feel like swimming!!! Essie is by far my favourite brand of nail polishes because the quality is amazing! I love Essie more than OPI any day, it just has a much better consistency and lasts a lot longer!!! I'm a huge nail polish addict so i will be having a bunch of NOTW posts!!

~Yara

My Revlon Lip Butter Collection

I am beyond obsessed about these lip butters!! They are so moisturizing, pigmented and the colors are just so much fun:) I highly recommend these lip butters they are the best lip product purchases i have made in so long!! So far i have the colors from left to right: peach parfait, strawberry shortcake,sweet tart,berry smoothie, candy apple and sugar plum. They cost around $7.00 each and i got them at Wal-Mart. Im still collecting more but they're always sold out!!!:( Anyways, i definitely think you girlies should try them out!! Totally worth it!!:D

Bath and Body Works Shea Cashmere Silk Creme

This creme has the most moisturizing and buttery consistency i have ever purchased from Bath and Body Work. The smell is to die for, if you love the smell of roasted almonds and vanilla the you will definitely enjoy this product. Shea is known for its moisturizing effect and its buttery texture.  I use this every night before i go to sleep and apply this all over my hands and face and it leaves my skin feeling super smooth and soft.