health & beauty

clean those brushes-  We all apply make up to help look our best, but do you ever stop and think about how many times you dip your make up brush into that fav case of eye shadow? make up left on your brushes for days can lead to build up and germs. To get rid of those unwanted germs and to keep your brushes in good shape, you should clean them regularly. To clean your brush simply apply a small amount of liquid soap and warm water in the palm of your hand. use your palm as a cup and swirl the brush untill in the warm soapy water untill clean. when your brush is clean just gently squeeze it to remove the excess water and air dry.

1. Splash Lids with Refreshing Color 

Indulge in a little springtime fun with a swipe of blue (or purple or green) shadow. Thanks to new technology that compresses even more pigments into eye shadow, it's a breeze to pick a shade that looks exactly the same on your skin as it does on the package. Of course, moderation is key, so blend, blend, blend -- and keep the rest of your makeup demure.

2. Go Ultra Sheer for a Healthy-Looking Glow  The most modern makeup shouldn't look like makeup at all, especially when it comes to cheek color. After all, who doesn't want to look like she's just gone for a brisk jog? To get the flush without the sweat, try the new ultra-sheer -- but not invisible -- cream and liquid blushes. Try a few dabs on the apples of your cheeks with your fingers or, for an even more natural look, a couple of sweeps using a nylon-bristled brush. 3. Feed Your Lips  Suddenly the idea of putting on lipstick that only adds color seems so old-fashioned, especially when the best new lipsticks do so much more. This spring, reach for lipsticks that are loaded with softening and hydrating ingredients, resulting in lips that are incredibly soft and kissable. You might even love the results enough to ditch your trusty old lip balm.

mascara- when applying mascara , try not to apply it to both upper and lower lashes. when you apply it to just one set of lashes it allows your eyes to appear fuller.

Sticky lip gloss- no body likes when their lips are sticky.Try to apply a lip gloss that does not leave your lips feeling sticky or messy. A great choice if you want perfect looking glossy lips without the stickyness is clinique

liquid eye liner- If you are going out for the night or for a long period, and you know your eye liner will not stay or will run , just apply liquid liner, it stays put longer without having to reapply it.

Conditioner- When you apply conditioner to your hair, be sure to only apply it on your ends. don't put conditioner in your roots. It will leave your hair looking weighed down and greasy. Target only the dry areas of your hair.

applying make up - when applying make up, a big mistake that practically everyone does is they apply their make up with their fingers. Do not do this. when you apply your make up with your finger tips you are actually spreading germs in your make up. Use a sponge or a brush instead when you apply make up.

Eye brows- for those who choose to pluck their own eyebrows, be careful! . The more you pluck the chances are your hair will not grow back. Do not over pluck! if you must pluck your eye brows just clean them up a little by removing a few spare hairs. Dont go over board, you will regret it once the hairs wont grow back in. If you are un easy about doing your own, a wise choice would be getting them proffessionally waxed. You can be ensured they will be done properly.

Water- one of the most important key essenstials to beauty is  drinking lots of water. Water hydrates your skin and leaves you looking beautiful. Try to drink up to 8 glasses a day and you will look your best.

nail polish- it is very important to let your nails breathe. leave a tiny gap at the base of the nail where the cuticle meets the nail(this is where the new nail cells are growing)

eye liner-  when girls wear eye liner many of them  wear a colored liner, but if you want eyes that really sparkle , try lining the inside of your lower lash nine with a white soft tip eye liner pencil. This will make your eyes look big and will add sparkle.

mascara- if you use mascara, make sure that you do not pump the wand in and out of the tube. when you do it introduces air and will make your mascara clog up and dry out sooner than it should.

Perfume, and body spray- If you love your perfume and want to keep it strong smelling, a good way to do that is by storing your perfume in a dark and cool place.

Lips- for added shine, try dabbing a spot of glitter in the center of your bottom lip.

nails- It is important to have strong and healthy nails. A wonderful way to achieve this is by soaking your nails in a bowl of olive oil once a week . This will quickly strengthen them.

Hair - Find a shampoo and conditioner that works for your hair type (curly, relaxed, wavy, etc...). Remember you should only use a hair dryer if you actually need to. otherwise you run the risk of extremely dry hair. Another way to prevent this is by using a heat protectant spray! also if you want really straght hair use a CERAMIC hair straightener they work so much better. if you are looking into a japenese perm [instead of curling your hair it makes it straight] go to someone who has been doing them for a long time. If you want a japenese because your hair is really really curly[i mean like spirals] dont get it i know some people with hair like that who got them and it just made thier hair really frizzy so be smart if you are interested in one.

 Make-up - Unless you are going for a dramatic look, neutral colors [bronzes,golds, and earthtones] usually look the best during the day. After all makeup is supposed to make you look pretty not the other way around. Also eyeshadow shouldnt be over done.  if you have green eyes wear a lavender colored eye shadow. if you have a hazel use blue and for blue use a suddle brown.

 Skin - Remember to wash your face daily with a face wash that is customized for your face type [combination, oily, sensitive, dry]. I personally recommend Neutrogena because it works for me.

 vs.

Mascara can be really tricky to work with for instance we can't cry with it on and its hard to wash off if you don't use eye makeup remover. People dicovered "vaseline" has the same affect of mascara except you can cry its easy to wash off and no powder. Trust me its hard to break the habbit but the black powder from mascara may irritate skin. So keep both mascara AND vaseline in your purse. When you are going to a party show off those lashes with mascara. Just don't wear them at the same time!

Bright Nailpolish: Divine Fashion Co Loves: Brighter by the Dozen by OPI. This cute orange shade [Nicole Alert] is great for summer because it brings out a spectacular tan. Nothing is more adorable than these juicy shades peaking out from under the sand at a fun day at the beach. Our personal fave is Call My Cell-ery.

SunBlock

you need a good sunblock to survive the summer. if you want a tan i sugest tanning oil. dont just stay un protected. you need to get at least SPF 50 to protect your skin. sunblock makes you skin oily? get a facial cream that has sunblock in it. =)

SPEAK OUT!- where other teens talk about makeup

"After I apply my makeup, I dab a sponge over my foundation and bronzer. It keeps from looking like my makeup is caked on."

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