Best Summer Products: Concealers

When it comes to putting your best face forward you sometimes need to conceal your skin a little to reveal a lot more radiance.

Think of it like a real life Instagram filter. A little dab of the right concealer and #Instaperfection.

When it comes to concealers, I prefer to invest in a product that has a medium/buildable coverage, natural finish and staying power.

In this series I will share some of my current favorites. I would love to hear which concealers are working or not working for you!

{Here’s a preview of what’s to come}

 

 

Concealor final

 

The Lightweight: Benefit Fake Up

The Heavyweight: MAC Pro Longwear Concealer

The Multitasker: Clinique Advanced Concealer

The Drug Store Score: Revlon ColorStay Blemish Concealer

 

Stay Tuned!

 

 

{Liz}

#Elizabethology

Beauty Quickie: Turn your morning coffee/tea time into a multitasking spa time!

tea

If your morning ritual consists of reaching for a cup of coffee or tea to wake you up, why not use this time and the same basic ingredients to help your face feel fresh and rejuvenated?

You probably have all the necessary ingredients to de-puff and hydrate tired eyes and smooth rough lips.

What you’ll need:

  • Honey or Agave Nectar
  • Any sugar with a medium course texture
  • Two tea bags (preferably caffeinated tea)
  • Two silver spoons

Told you–your kitchen has everything you need for a mini-spa treatment!

2013-07-28 16.12.54

Let’s do this…

{Puffy Eye Treatment with Spoon}

This is probably the simplest home remedy for puffy eyes. Just place two clean silver spoons in the fridge over night or in the freezer for five minutes in the morning.

While you are upright, gently massage the area around the eye and sinuses to help drain any fluid. Be gentle. The area around the eye is very delicate.

Next, dedicate 5-10 minutes to lay down and relax. Be careful not to fall back asleep!

Place one spoon on each eye, concave side facing the eye. Once the spoons turn warm, take them off and gently massage sinus area again.

This will help reduce swelling, promote circulation and minimize dark under eye circles.

{Puffy and Dry Eye Treatment with Tea}

If I’m not drinking hot water with lemon in the morning, I usually go for some green or black tea with honey.

After you’ve steeped the tea (three – five minutes should suffice), remove the bags, place them on a paper towel inside a bowl and let them cool down. You can apply the bags while they are warm (not hot) or you may place them in the fridge for a cooling effect.

Just make sure the bags are not too damp. You may want to place a tissue under below the bags to catch any dripping.

It’s the same concept as using the cold spoons, where you will lay down for 5-15 minutes and apply one bag per eye. Relax, meditate and let the antioxidants and tannins do their work.

Optional: To begin with a gentle facial massage or to follow up with two slices of  cool cucumber.

This will help reduce puffiness and promote moisture retention around the delicate eye area.

{Lip Sugar Scrub}

Grab that clean spoon again and get ready to whip up the most ridiculously simple and cheap homemade lip sugar scrub!

Take roughly half a tablespoon of course sugar (I prefer dark brown sugar) and drizzle enough honey or agave nectar to evenly coat the sugar.

Use a clean finger to mix the two ingredients in the spoon until a thick, soft paste is formed. Place a thin coat of the mixture onto clean, dry lips and move finger in a circular motion to lightly buff off dead skin.

You may want to repeat this step a few times depending on how dry your lips are or depending on how yummy your scrub turns out!

Simply rinse your lips with lukewarm water or wipe off the remaining mixture using a wet cloth, et voilà!

You can save any extra scrub if you place it in a clean, air-tight container and place in the fridge for up to one day.

{Diva Tip: save any empty lip balm jars to reuse for homemade scrubs and balms}

The grains of sugar will help remove unwanted dry skin from the lips and the honey or agave will help soothe and condition lips. Feel free to pucker or pout and enjoy how easily your lipstick or balms will glide on your baby soft lips!

honey sugar

Now you can turn this quick, inexpensive morning facial routine into your new ritual and enjoy your new glow!

{Liz}

Putting Inspiration to Work

Life can be a battle and it is not always easy. Nevertheless, enjoy the precious moments; do not let them go by unnoticed. Live in the “now” and treasure your life, your loved ones as well as your gift to be there for others. Remember lovelies, we are here on borrowed time. ~ Cath B Akesson

{Photo Courtesy of BeautyHigh}



It shouldn’t take someone’s death to be one’s motivation to start living, but sometimes its the realization that time is borrowed that ends up being the call of action to stop wasting it and stop making excuses.

If you are a beauty addict like me, there’s a good chance you watch or subscribe to beauty gurus on YouTube. I’ve followed many of the “OG” gurus (such as the very prominent Kandee Johnson to the Ipsy girls and Elle and Blair Fowler, and I could go on, and on) from the early inception of the Internet beauty community phenomenon.

As a beauty guru fan, you can become attached to these amazingly talented ladies who hail from all over the world. You admire their originality and candidness. You find yourself owning that carefree girly girl spirit inside you, experimenting with new makeup techniques and coveting new ‘holy grail’ items to add to your beauty arsenal. Most of all you appreciate their honest life advice, from one woman to another. They are a ‘friend in your head.’

There is one such star who will remain a source of inspiration to me and many others. Her name is Talia Joy CastellanoThe story of Talia is one of immense hope and strength. Talia was diagnosed with two forms of childhood cancer, beginning at the age of seven. She loved makeup and beauty and the ability to help others find beauty within themselves. To her, “makeup was her wig“–it’s all she needed to feel beautiful and confident. 

Talia’s vigor for life was showcased on July 9, 2013 when her bucket list was posted to her ‘Angels For Talia‘ Facebook page, which mentioned all the beautiful things she wanted to accomplish in her life. Realizing that her list was so ambitious, her fans joined in #taliasbucketlist to help her reach her goals. This initiative inspired so many to get up and get things done. 
Among the people Talia touched in her pursuit of life were Ellen DeGeneres and the team at CoverGirl. Talia’s spirit would continue to soar and inspire many more.

Talia passed away on July 16th, 2013 after battling Cancer for more than six years. A deep sadness was shared by all who cared for her and who admired her strength. Her bucket list is not yet complete but it was also not nearly forgotten.
Talia’s supporters, known as ‘Angels’ are uniting to make sure all items are crossed of this bucket list and to carry on Talia’s hope to find a cure for cancer. Looking at my own life and all the things I’ve been avoiding, scared to try and then fail, I realize how wasteful I have been; how I’ve been given time and opportunity to try and try again.

I read an article on BeautyHigh regarding a petition started by Talia’s angels which is championing for one very special bucket list request — #62 to be exact — to create Talia’s  very own makeup line with MAC Cosmetics. The call is also to ensure partial proceeds will donated to cancer research and of course spread Talia’s love for beauty–a legacy that she will always have.

I urge you to check out this article and learn more about Talia and her dreams. If you don’t have a bucket list or specific goals of your own, I bet you will soon after you get to know this Angel.

Please also take the time to read this post from one of Talia’s closest friends and fellow YouTube Beauty Guru, the fabulous Kandee Johnson.

This post is dedicated to Talia Joy Castellano and her family. Thank you, Talia, for giving us hope, joy and peace.



#62 on #taliasbucketlist:



Xoxo,


{Liz}