Showing posts with label Tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tips. Show all posts

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Beauty Tip: Long lasting smudged liner






 Here is a super simple and easy beauty trick to get long lasting, smudged eyeliner!


 Start by lining your eyes with any eyeliner of choice. Felt, liquid, pencil, anything! I went for my typical wing.


Next choose a complementary color. If your liner is brown use brown, if it's black, use black.  I like to use a matte (or fairly matte) black shade. I chose Blackout by Urban Decay.


Trace your liner with the eyeshadow while smudging it out at the same time. This does 3 things: Makes your liner matte, makes it last longer, and gives it a smudged, less harsh look.

And of course, silly me forgot to take a result photo! You can kind of see it above. 

And that's it, your liner will last for days! (well, not really days, maybe one day)
Bye, now.

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Summer Life Hacks: Tested!


 The internet is loaded with life hacks for any occasion! Summer life hacks have become super popular this season and some of them seem too good to be true. I tested out the most popular ones I had seen and just my favorite "hacks" to see if they really worked. Overall, I'd say I was pleasantly surprised in the success! See for yourself.


 I have always done this since I was a kid so I didn't even really have to test it (but it was a great excuse to eat more frozen treats!). All you do is cut a slit in a yogurt cup, insert a Popsicle stick or spoon (really anything) and freeze for a few hours. The end result is a delicious, creamy, frozen treat!

Verdict: SUCCESS!


This one caught my attention so I decided to give it a go! What it is:  a little scent booster bag that you hang in your closet or drawers to make your clothing and linens smell nice.
I poured about a tablespoon of these Gain scent booster "thingys" (not exactly sure what to call them) into a little drawstring mesh bag and hung it in the center of my closet. Now whenever I open the door, it smells great and my clothes do as well!

 Verdict: SUCCESS!


 I was super skeptical about this one, and to my surprise, it worked! This is supposed to turn any cup into a no spill cup. All you do is cover the top with Press'n Seal, poke a hole for your straw and you're set. I even tipped it upside down and nothing spilled. However it did start to leak a bit after being upside down for a few seconds but any cup would do the same.


 Verdict: SUCCESS!


 I was really hoping this one would work. This "hack" said that if you put your ice cream in a Ziploc bag in the freezer, it will be soft and ready to scoop every time. This was not the case. After having it in the bag overnight, it was just as hard to scoop the next day.


Verdict: FAIL :(


 This one I half made up, half found inspiration on Pinterest. There are tons of ideas out there on how to hide valuables at the beach. The first idea is to place valuables in an empty makeup wipe package. The second, an empty pad package... I did try the first one but not the second. However I have no reason to believe that someone would try to steal a pad!? Unless of course they were desperate..?

 Verdict: SUCCESS!


 This is one of the most popular ones I have seen. It's unbelievably simple. All you do is poke a hole in a cupcake liner, put your straw through, and you have a drink cover to keep bugs away. This one does work. The cupcake liner slides around a bit but it's no big deal breaker.

 Verdict: SUCCESS!


Freezing your glass for 30-60 minutes before using it definitely helps a bit to keep your cold drinks cold on hot Summer days!

 Verdict: SUCCESS!


 Tan tattoos. The concept would be helpful to me if only I could tan. I mostly just burn. This isn't a fail simply because I'm bitter about not tanning, it actually didn't work well. The glue didn't go on nicely at all. It was just a thin, scraggly line. When I tried to fix it I made a big, blob mess as you can see. Maybe this fail is due to my low artistic skills but I have to say, it was a fail for me. I'd try tanning with stickers.

 Verdict: FAIL :(


 This one was quite popular too. Using cupcake liners (again) to catch the drips from your Popsicle. This works nicely and keeps your fingers sticky-free!

Verdict: SUCCESS!


 This isn't much of a life hack, more of just a DIY I threw in here. Adding some chopped up fruit to a large pitcher of water creates a light, infused taste to the water. It's really quite refreshing!

 Verdict: SUCCESS!


OK, I'm going to be honest, I did not test this hack. Of course the one day I test all of these life hacks, it is cloudy and gloomy.  I don't see why this wouldn't work though and I am excited to try it out one day. Let me know if you have tried it, and how well it works!

Verdict: SUCCESS(ful-ish)!

9 out of 11 Life Hacks were successful! That's an 82% success rate which I'm pretty happy with.
 
 Have a good day! :)

Saturday, July 11, 2015

How to have the best vacation ever!


 For some of us, vacations only happen once in a while. So when they do, it's better to really enjoy them! Here are a few little tips to make your vacation go super smoothly!

Ditch your high expectations and make realistic ones.
Don't create drastic expectations for your trip that will most likely disappoint you. Travel with an open mind and realistic expectations. 

Do some planning and research on your location.
Don't travel with no info on your destination. Do a bit of planning on things you might want to do so you aren't stuck with no ideas while you're there.

Stay calm.
Don't let things bother you, go with the flow and stay calm!

Be spontaneous.
When opportunities arise, take advantage! Be spontaneous, you'll enjoy yourself!

Take lots of pictures.
Take pictures to relive your paradise when you get home. 

Don't let negative occurrences ruin your whole trip.
Staying calm and happy will help your mood a lot and allow you to still enjoy yourself!

Enjoy yourself!
This is probably the most important and self-explanatory!

Enjoy your vacation!

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Beauty rehab


We all get lazy and put off cleaning our makeup brushes for weeks, maybe even months. Eventually we do clean them since we know they house bacteria but do we ever think of cleaning the rest of our makeup and beauty products? You definitely don't need to clean all of your beauty collection as often as your brushes, but it is something you shouldn't forget to do!. This post is all on how to deep clean your makeup station to freshen and tidy everything up. 
I know I can admit that I tend to hold onto makeup I absolutely never use! I've always been kind proud of my large (to me) collection and I don't really want to let anything go. Once in a while, I force myself to get rid of things I never find myself using. However, you don't just have to throw things sway, there are other ways to use your old makeup!


Here is my makeup desk. It's where I get ready every morning, get un ready every night, and basically where I really do any beauty regimen. It gets pretty cluttered and messy. Papers pile up, makeup is left out, products get cluttered. Every once in a while, I'd say every 2 weeks to a month, I like to clean it all up a bit. Usually all I do is wipe down the desktop and tidy it up a bit. However, here's what I do when I go the whole 9 yards. 


 My drawers were cluttered and a bit over-full.


 My brushes were oh-so-dirty!


 My daily products cluttered as usual.


 My brushes have seen better days.


And my organizers were looking a little cloudy, not it a good way!


I came prepared with my three besties when it comes to my "beauty rehab". Surface wipes, baby shampoo (you'll see why), and a couple of cloths!


I like to start by clearing the area, one side at a time, and wiping the tabletop down with a wipe. A lot of dust tends to build up and no one wants that!


 Start one section at a time and clean as you go. First go through to see what you want to keep or toss. Don't throw anything out yet, you may be able to re purpose it in the end!


I tidied up my "product back up bin" and got rid of a few things that didn't belong.
Then I cleaned out my three drawer organizer. I wiped down all of my products, all of the drawers, and I sorted through to see if there was anything I didn't need in there. 


 Don't pass by cleaning the inside of your makeup too!


 As well as the mirrors of your compacts!


 I tackled my products bin, moved out the things I don't use daily and wiped down all of the products.


 I also cleaned my hairbrushes which is so easy and worth it! 
First I picked out all of the hair, the end of a comb works really well! To clean them all I did was fill the sink with a small amount of regular shampoo and warm water and soaked them for around 30 minutes. Then leave them to dry bristle side down. This gets rid of an oils and such.


I also cleaned my makeup brushes with baby shampoo.


 I sorted through my drawers, got rid of products I don't use and wiped everything down too!


Don't just throw everything away! You can re purpose a lot of your stuff!
Wash your favorite mascara wands with some water and a bit of soap and you now have your own brow spooleys or clean mascara wands.
Check to see if the brand has a recycling program like back to MAC.
Clean out your old lipsticks and make a DIY lisptick!

Also make sure to replace things like face sponges, loofahs and even your hairbrushes once in a while!

I hope this was helpful, good luck with your beauty rehab!

Sunday, May 17, 2015

Gift ideas: Save $$$


It's almost easier to find better gifts when you are trying to save money while buying! Often higher end products and gifts that go on clearance will be better than something you could get full-priced. I love searching for gifts year round and I keep a bag full of gifts ready for everyone's birthday! It's a great way to save money while still giving amazing gifts! Here are some of my tips that I use to save a little bit of money when buying gifts!

Before you start, roughly know how many gifts you will need throughout the year, and who you may be buying for.This will help you choose exactly what to get!

The best time to shop for gifts is all the time! No, really. Whenever you're shopping be on the lookout for any good deals you can save until you need a gift to give. This is the best way to find the best deals. If you go out the night before someone's birthday, you won;t be able to find the best gift. Whenever I'm out, I always check the clearance racks and such to find good deals.

 Take advanatge of large sales. On boxing day at Sephora I picked up a bunch of $12 gift sets that are worth much more. Also at the Victoria's Secret Semi-Annual sale I picked up a bunch of goodies.

Coscto also often have great discounts on good gift ideas like the eos set above.

While you're shopping it's a good idea to keep in mind who you might be shopping for and their preferences.

After a few months of accumulating clearance gifts I will have more than enough for everyone's birthday. To gather a gift, I pick a few things that I think they would like and package it all nicely!
I like to toss in a few fillers like a little notepad, some candy or a little Forever 21 accessory to complete it!

I hope these tips are helpful, happy gifting!

Thursday, May 7, 2015

Beauty Tip: 2 DIY Lip Scrubs


I feel like my lips have been super dry lately and I needed a solution, fast! I have never really liked the Lush lip scrub since I find it overpriced and for me personally, it didn't work too amazing. I found 2 really easy, cheap and useful ways to exfoliate your lips without spending $10 or more on a lip scrub!

The first lip scrub, is a DIY sugar scrub. This works so well and it smells great! You can make just enough for a couple of uses or you can whip up a batch to last a while. Just make sure to store it in an airtight container.
It's super easy to make and you should have all the ingredients on hand!
I used 4 ingredients, but you could use as little as 2! I'll share all of the variations you can make with this simple sugar scrub.


For the variation I chose to make, I used white sugar (you could use brown), olive oil (or any oil really), honey and vanilla extract!
You could also use just sugar and olive oil...
Or sugar and honey...
Or possibly even just sugar and vanilla extract, but I've never tried that one!
You could substitute the vanilla for another flavor of choice too!

I prefer to go the extra mile and use 4 ingredients. The sugar is a necessity for scrubbing the lips, the olive oil helps to add moisture, the honey gives a good consistency and scent, and the vanilla is also for scent!

I didn't measure, since it's not very necessary. You basically add the ingredients in order to create your desired consistency. I used mostly sugar, a few drops of olive oil, about the same amount of honey as oil, and just a splash or two of vanilla.
Mix it all together, apply it to your lips and rinse off!

The other method is to use a toothbrush as a lip scrub! Just brush your lips as you would your teeth, maybe a bit more gentle. Make sure to rinse off your toothbrush and your lips afterwards. Maybe don't use your daily toothbrush for this one!

You can even combine the two methods by applying the sugar scrub to your toothbrush then scrubbing your lips for a double duty scrub!

Happy scrubbing!

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Where I Find Inspiration


I'm often stuck looking for inspiration and not being able to find any. We all got through dull periods where we feels very uninspired. I thought I'd share my favorite places to find inspiration in case you are having trouble finding some.

Pinterest
 This is my number 1 inspiration hotspot! I can usually find inspiration for anything I'm looking for. Check out my Pinterest here if you'd like!
Nature
 Going for a walk through your neighborhood can definitely spark your imagination!
Store displays
 I find a lot of inspiration from going shopping! Do I really need another excuse? Store displays and products can give off tons of that inspo you're looking for!
Instagram
 I love looking through Instagram. It not only inspires my own Instagram posts, but it inspired me in other aspects.
Friends & family
 Try talking to other for inspiration. Having another opinion and view can really help.
Quotes
 This one's a bit obvious, but quotes are great!
Other blogs
 This is one of the best way to find blog post inspiration. Just make sure to not completely copy.

Magazines 
Lastly, magazine are very helpful too. I mainly take ideas for blog post ideas from magazine headlines.


I hope this helps & stay inspired! :)


Monday, April 20, 2015

Surviving Spring Cleaning


Spring Cleaning season is upon us and it can be super difficult to get motivated. I thought I'd share some tips on how make it a little more survivable. These definitely help me since I don't even really mind cleaning my room anymore. Hope it helps! :)


Throw away 1 thing a day
Start off small by only throwing out 1 thing per day. Choose an area of your room and pick something to get rid of (or donate of course!).

Devote 1 day to cleaning
I like to do this once in a while, usually on Sundays. I like to dedicate 1 whole day to cleaning. it makes me feel super productive. 

Play some music
I'm sure you all know this, but playing your favorite music helps the cleaning process a ton!

Fuel up
Make some fun snacks and don't forget to eat throughout the day! Sometimes when I clean for long periods of time, I kind of forget to eat which can really make you less energized.

Treat yourself
After you're done (or during) cleaning, have a treat or pamper yourself a bit. Do whatever makes you feel good!

Take breaks
This is majorly important! You need to take breaks, they are the perfect opportunity to treat yourself!

Make it fun
 If you love organizing, organize all of your stuff. Coordinate cleaning with something you enjoy.

Find a friend
 Ask a friend to hangout with you while you clean, it will make it a lot more fun and time won't pass as slowly.

Don't get distracted
 I often get distracted by little memories and what not. Try to put them aside to look at another time so that you don't end up getting distracted from cleaning.

Get comfy
Put your hair up and throw on some super comfy clothes to make it a little more enjoyable.

Make it therapeutic
It can be really therapeutic for me to take time to myself and clean. Taking time to yourself in general is quite therapeutic.

Keep your stuff close and your garbage closer
Okay, well that was cheesy... Anyways, keep a garbage can super close so you don't have to keep getting up and going to the trash. 

I hope this helps your spring cleaning go a little smoother!


Sunday, April 12, 2015

Beauty Tip: Perfect brows in 1/2 the time


I haven't done a Beauty Tip in quite a while and I figured it was long overdue! I've recently come up with a new way of doing my brows and I really enjoy it. I thought I'd share since it has saved me a little bit of time in getting ready. It's a super simple tip but I thought I'd share it anyways!

Instead of applying a tinted brow gel or creamy brow product and then applying a powder to set it, apply it all in 1 step! I like to dip my angled brush in the left side of the e.l.f. brow kit (tinted wax) and then dip it into my favorite eyeshadow shade for brows. This makes the brows more defined than just using  a powder but less harsh than using a wax and a powder separately.


Left: Just brow powder
Center: Just tinted wax
Right: Both mixed together

I hope this was helpful, enjoy your morning/day/night!

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Things to do on a plane


I'm obsessed with traveling! I don't travel as often as I'd like to, so when I do, I get super excited and plan everything out! One thing I struggle with is finding activities to do on the plane. On flights longer than 4 hours, listening to music and reading books can get a bit boring. Even though it's hard to stay in a small space for many hours, I really love the whole traveling experience. I searched up and came up with a  few ideas for the plane that aren't all that common. I also did throw in a few common ones too just because they are things I also enjoy to do.
Enjoy!

Workout
 This may seem a bit strange, but doing some light exercises and stretching a bit can really benefit your body and add some movement since your sitting in a small space for hours. If you search up "airplane exercises" you can usually find some great ideas!

Journal
 I think it's a great idea to journal your travel memories! I love writing down my airport experience and journaling throughout my trip!
 
Walk around
 Get up and walk down the isle a bit. If you feel like that's a bit awkward to walk up and down the isle, take a fake bathroom break to stretch your legs.

Plan your trip
 Plan some things you'd like to do while you're at your destination.Whether you're going for fun or purely business, plan where you'd like to go, what you'd like to do and what you made need to buy when you're there.

Do your makeup
 I don't like to wear a lot of (or any) makeup to the airport because I love doing it on the plane! It can kill a good 30 minutes if I take my time. Just makeup sure to wash your hands or use some hand sanitizer before you apply makeup!

Listen to your airplane playlist
 I like creating a playlist and downloading a ton of music for the airplane. Sometimes I get bored of music fast so I try to find some new stuff to last me the whole trip!

Watch movies
 This is pretty generic but if there's a movie you've been itching to watch, it's a great way to kill an hour or two of your plane ride.

Go through your phone/ipad/computer and delete photos
 Once in a while, I need to go through my phone and ipad to delete photos I don't need. it usually takes a good chunk of time so I like doing it on the plane. It also frees up some space for your travel photos!

Sleep
Even if you can't quite fall asleep, rest your eyes for a bit. Bring a pillow or a sleep mask to help.

Edit some Instagram pics
 I think it's super fun to take some pics before my trip and edit them on the plane.

Go through the Sky Mall magazine
 The Sky Mall can have some pretty unique/crazy things in it that can be fun to browse through.

Eat
 Bring some snacks and eat! I had to include this since eating is pretty much my favorite pastime ;)

Those are all of my ideas & if you're traveling soon, have a great flight! :)


 

Sunday, January 18, 2015

Make the most of Winter


Winter is long where I live. And I mean really long. Like, November to March long... Sometimes even longer. With the Winter lasting so long, it can get a little boring and frustrating. It's hard to leave the house, go for walks and stay warm. It seems like everything is working against you in winter. With Christmas being over, I think many of us need a pick-me-up to keep us going. Here are some ways to enjoy Winter, rather than waiting for it to be over.

Bundle up and go outside
 Don't let the snow & cold keep you in. Get on your coat, boots and head and take a quick walk to look at the scenery.

Cozy up and stay in
 If heading out is not for you, get a blanket and your favorite book/movie, and relax at home.

Go skating
I've never been much of a skater but many people love t so give it a go!

Have a spa night
My skin is always twice as dry in winter so I like to give it some extra love!

Try something new
Try something new that you can't try in the warmer months like a dark lip color!

Take advantage of warm winter drinks
Take advantage of hot chocolate, lattes and Starbucks drinks since you won't see much of them in the Summer.

Enjoy your winter attire
Try styling your winter pieces and making the most out of them.

Cook or bake
I love baking all year round yet it's especially fun in the winter.


Take pictures
 It gets old seeing the same snow everyday, however when you look back on your winter pics in the warmer months, they look a whole lot prettier.

How do you take advantage of the cold months?
 
 

Sunday, January 11, 2015

How to stay motivated


With the new year, many of us are setting new goals and struggling to maintain. For me personally, my goal is to be more active and healthy. So far I've stuck to it, but as time passes, my motivation weakens. Here are my tips for staying motivated no matter what your goals are.

Set goals
This one is kind of obvious however if you don't set goals, you won't make it to where you want to be.
 
Create rewards
 Rewards can be very motivating. If you create small rewards for yourself, such as buying yourself new running shoes, you'll be more motivated to follow through.

Ask for help
 Don't be afraid to ask for help. it's hard to do everything on your own, sometimes you need some assistance.

Be prepared
 Don't jump into something big if you aren't prepared. Make sure that your prepared and understand what you're starting.

Explore Pinterest
 Pinterest always helps me find inspiration. I would definitely suggest exploring the site for some extra motivation.

Create a schedule
 Create a schedule to stay on track.

Get it done early
 This is especially for working out. Wake up and get it out of the way so that you aren't thinking about it all day.

Try new things
 If something isn't working, try something else!

Work with what you have
Not everyone is the same. Understand that everyone has to work with what the have.

I hope these tips help and let me know what your goals for the year are!

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Blogmas 2014: Day 9 ~ Holiday Gift Guide (Under $20, Under $50, above $50 & Mens)

It's that time of year again! This is my favorite post of December and possibly one of my favorite posts ever! Today I'm doing my (mega) holiday gift guide for 2014! I did one of these last year too, so check it out here for even more ideas. This gift guide took me quite a while to put together but I'm so happy with how it turned out. Instead of doing 4 posts, I combined all 4 categories together into one mega gift guide! I've gathered WAY more options than last year so I hope all of you can get some ideas from this since I know I always have trouble finding gift ideas. Here are the categories:
~Under $20
~Under $50
~Above $50
~For Men