The many uses of Vaseline Petroleum Jelly

I started using Vaseline petroleum jelly after having my eyelash extensions removed as it really damaged my eyelashes due to the fact that they were there for six months and they were weighing my natural lashes down therefore stopping their growth. So I researched yet again and found a solution! Vaseline petroleum jelly :) It is so helpful that after 2weeks of applying it to my eyelashes every night, my lashes grew longer than ever and they were stronger and shinier too! I looooooved it :D 

Vaseline does not make eyelashes grow thicker or longer, but it helps strengthen and condition it making the lashes last longer and live their maximum "life span" instead of falling out prematurely. There you go boys and girls, the secret to healthy eyelashes. 

These are the steps I experimented with when I was still using Vaseline on my eyelashes:

1. Dip your finger into the jar and get a little bit of the jelly
2. Close your eye and then apply it using your finger on your eyelashes while your eye is closed. This technique will make sure that all the lashes are coated including the bottom lashes too.
3. Done.

Easy right? It's no rocket science and it does work.

Other uses of Vaseline Jelly:

• Makeup remover (eye makeup)
• Moisturizer (although I don't recommend you use it on your face)
• Perfect for chapped lips
• Use it on unruly eyebrows to tame and shape it
• Combine it with melted chocolate and use it as a flavored lip balm
• Put a coat of vaseline on cracked heels every night and then wear socks - this will help soften and moisturize the skin and help it heal
• Applying vaseline to your teeth prevents lipstick from sticking to them
• Use with lipstick to create cream blusher for your cheeks
• Removes makeup stains from clothing
• Put vaseline on your lips and leave on for a few minutes then use a toothbrush to exfoliate leaving your lips nice and smooth
• Mix with sea salt to make a body/face scrub

..and so much more!

Homemade Beauty Part 1 - OLIVE OIL

Hello hello! And welcome to my ever so interesting blog :) Finally I am here in front of my laptop BLOGGING! Wow it's been so long and I really didn't know where to start, but obviously I know now because I have made up my mind and I will be talking about natural beauty tricks that I've been doing in the past couple of weeks.

First of all, let me tell you about the revelation I had that made me start using natural products this summer: I have been researching (due to boredom) about beauty products and how they are made. This made me shit my pants (not literally, but my brain probably did) and I was so shocked that even though they say it's "natural this, and natural that, and paraben free, or fragrance free" they still have chemicals in them. I mean duh, you don't open your cleanser and see a fruit in there do you? Or open it and you see something like an unprocessed vanilla pod or what have you. Anyway, my point is, no matter how hard people try to advertise and label their products as "organic" or "chemical free" you can go to the back of the bottle and read the ingredients yourself!

So here is what I discovered, well you probably have heard of this before. I am just justifying the fact that they actually DO WORK!

OLIVE OIL

Let's face it, olive oil has been used in the olden olden days, back where the dinosaurs roam the earth (oh hell, the dinosaurs probably even used it to keep their leathery skin nice and shiny.. who knows?) or more precisely, back where early civilization existed. Women from these times used olive oil for various beauty purposes: may it be for their hair, their face or their body, olive oil gives moisturization like no other. It is the only oil that doesn't clog pores and best of all, it is readily absorbed by the skin and it does not have any harmful side effects like the products in the market. Olive oil is loaded with nutrition and antioxidants such as vit A and E which makes it oh so nutritious especially for your skin.

Okay so some beauty bloggers would say it is better to use Extra Virgin Olive Oil, I disagree. Olive oil is olive oil and whether you use EVOO or plain olive oil, it will have the same effect. Now, let's get started:

FACE:
I have oily skin and I have tried numerous moisturizers that would not add to the oiliness already present and boom more breakouts and bumps! I tried olive oil as it is natural and there are no harmful chemicals that can irritate my already sensitive skin. The theory behind this idea is that oil absorbs oil (well we all know that water does not mix with oil, they basically repel each other) so as I have said before, olive oil does not block pores (non-comedogenic)  which I really love and also it dissolves the oil in your skin that's trapped in your pores for a clearer more radiant skin. Olive oil also helps clear acne marks due to its regenrating properties which helps skin cells replace dead ones for a better complexion.

1. If you are doing this first thing in the morning, I recommend that you put two drops each of the oil on both sides of your face and just gently massage it all over using upward circular strokes - this will help the blood circulation in your face running giving you a rosy fresh glow. 
2. Rinse your face with glycerin soap, I recommend Neutrogena (the transparent soap) and pat dry.
3. Apply your normal whatever it is that you put on your face and so on.
4. If you are doing this at night before bed time which I highly recommend that you do, cleanse your face first with this soap, pat dry, and then apply the oil as per number 1.
5. At this stage, your face will feel a bit grainy while you massage it as the oil is deeply cleansing your skin from dirt, oil, makeup residue and other things that were on your face (hahaha!).
6. Leave the oil on your face for about 30 minutes and if you're really keen, you can use a face towel, dip it in hot water, rinse it abit so that it wouldn't be too hot and then rest it on your face till it has cooled down. This will open up the pores and help loosen it even more to reach the deepest of the deep LOL
7. Rinse with lukewarm water, pat dry and you are ready for bed!

And that's it ladies and gentlemen :)

Toni&Guy Beach Curl Spray Vs. Juuce Pure Sea Salt Spray

So here we are in the battle of the HAIR TEXTURIZING SPRAYS!

When I buy a texturizing spray, the criteria I have in mind would be something that wouldn't be too heavy on my hair, cause brittleness or get my hair oily the next day. I have tried so many products and so far, these two stood out:



TONI&GUY Beach Curl Spray


What I LOVE with this product:

• When I spray it on my hair, it doesn't make it too sticky and I can still run my fingers through it :)
• The packaging is cute with its pink and metalic look, it sure is eye catching 
• You can use it both on damp and dry hair and the results are still amazing
• It is affordable at $11.99 it is more than worth its price

What I DON'T LIKE about this product:

• It has the "TONI&GUY Signature Smell" that everyone (well most) doesn't like. It's musky with a hint of weirdness. But that doesn't bother me really (really).
• The nozzle doesn't disperse the vapor evenly - i.e. its more like a hose on "jet" setting - so you'd have to make sure that the can is about 15-30 cm away from your hair when you spray so it doesn't saturate one area of your hair only

Rating: 4/5

Juuce Pure Sea Salt Spray


What I LOVE with this product:

• I love the smell of it! It has a coconutty smell that is absolutely delicious :) It's very summery.
• I love the packaging which comes in a tall bluish see through plastic container which has an "aqua" effect.
• The nozzle dispenses the vapor evenly as it is very fine 
• It protects your hair from the harmful rays of the sun as it has UVA/UVB (perfect for summmmer!)

What I DON'T LIKE about this product:

• If you spray too much 2 or more on one part of the hair, then it makes it really sticky and the strands stick together and become hard
• It's quite expensive as I got mine from a hair salon at about $30 NZD
• It gets a bit greasy the day after using it, which is a big no no.

Rating: 3.5/5

So it is now up to you to choose which type of texturizing hair spray is right for you :)
Both are suitable to apply before curling your hair and they both give volume when sprayed on the roots when blow dryed.

Is your hair ready for SUMMMMER?

Summer is coming and I am ready for my beachy wavy curly hair :) I love this look as it's fresh, summery and carefree... and it is easy to do! If you don't live near the beach or  if you don't like going to the beach but you still want to achieve this look, here are some tips on how to trick your way in to having the perfect beach wave hair:

1. Start with damp hair (about 70% dry - as dripping wet hair can dilute the hair product and lessen its effectiveness). Spray some heat protector before you start.
2. Part your hair into two sides, spritz some texturizing spray on the roots of your hair and on the lengths. When it comes to texturizing sprays, make sure you don't overdo it as it can leave your hair feeling sticky and brittle. When you spray on the roots of your hair, use only one spray each side (depending on how many parts you have), and on the lengths of your hair- for long hair, spray no more than 3 on each side; for short hair 1-2 sprays will do.
3. Use a round brush to blow dry the roots of your hair for that "lift" - only use the brush for your bangs/fringe but not on the whole hair. Blow dry until it is reasonably dry and that you can see the lifting effect (2-4 minutes).
4. Use a diffuser to finish up the roots of your hair. Make sure that the heat setting is on high to achieve the wanted look. Diffusers help spread out the heat while separating and lifting the hair near your roots for that added volume.
5. Loosely plait the lengths of your hair. It's up to you how big the plaits will be depending on the type of wave you want to achieve. For bigger waves, plait one side of your hair into 2; for smaller waves, 4 each.
6. Blow dry the lengths of your hair until it is absolutely dry. For a maximum shine, use the highest heat setting.
7. Remove the plaits and use your fingers to separate them out. Do not use a brush! Tousle your hair and voila... beach hair in minutes :)

New Look!

I recently changed the look of my blog into something less...gray. As a person who embraces change, I try and improve things about me may it be changing my hair, makeup style and fashion or just the way I am really as there is always room for improvement. Never be afraid of change as variation is exciting.

Love it or hate it, I'll keep it :P

DIY Ombre Hair

Ombre! No, I am not speaking Spanish or some other language, this is the new hair trend that everyone is raving about. Last year, it was all about the dramatic blond-blue-pink-yellow-whatever combo, but now it is all about the gradual change from brown to light brown to blond tips or from the black to brown to light brown tips. This look is so low maintenance because you don't have to keep visiting the hairdresser for your monthly touch-ups, but rather, this hair trend will only cost you a couple of dollars if you do it yourself + maintenance (every 4 months or so).

So, I have been wanting to get my hair dyed this style for ages and I've been asking salons how much it would cost me and they are not cheap.. costing more than $200 for the length of my hair.. SIGH!

But not to worry.. DIY Ombre is doable! So doable that even non-professional hair stylists can do it with their eyes closed (as long as they don't leave the solution on their hair for too long :P).
So I ventured into the local supermarket and grabbed me a box of lightening kit from Schwarzkopf called Nordic Lightening Creme L1 Ultra Intensive Lightener, which comes in a box like this:

I have really black hair and hair dyes don't usually work when I use them. One of my biggest fears when I was lightening my hair was that it might turn ORRRAAANGE! I knew this was a possibility but I still decided to go through with it. 

Here are the steps to achieve DIY Ombre:

1. Make sure your hair is dry and all the tangles have been brushed through.
2. Decide the gradient mark to know where to start applying the lightener.
3. So what I did was, I only lightened half-way through the lenthgs of my hair, although you also have the choice to start 3/4 from the tips to the roots or leave a couple of inches from the roots to start. 
4. Apply the lightener to the chosen length of your hair and distribute it evenly right down to the tips.
5. Keep on applying it till its all gone and make sure it is more concentrated down at the ends of your hair for that sun-tip bleach look.
6. Leave on for about 30-45 minutes if you have dark hair like mine or 20 minutes if your hair is already light.
7. Rinse and blow dry using the lowest heat setting (and don't forget to use a heat protector before blow drying, as your hair is now more prone to breakage and damage caused by the chemicals).
8. If you're not happy with the result, if it's not lightened enough, you can repeat the whole process again but this time lessen the time you leave it on since its already bleached).

I love the result I got and I will definitely be doing it again when it needs retouching.

Ombre Hair Care Tip:


Now that your hair is bleached/lightened, it is now more prone to breakage and damage, make sure that you condition your hair regularly using shampoos and conditioner rich in protein to keep your hair looking beautayfull!

L'Oreal Elvive Shampoo and Conditioner

I've been really busy this year with my studies and with that thing they call life and as a result, at the start of the year I have been neglecting my hair of the care it needs such as deep conditioning and heat protection when I'm styling it using my GHD or whatever. I noticed my hair become very dull, dry and lifeless which were all warning signs that I have to do something before it gets even worse. So I searched and searched in the pharmacy for what seemed like ages and found................... L'Oreal Elvive Shampoo and Conditioner!

Finding the right shampoo for your hair is very important if you want to have luscious shiny locks. What I love about L'Oreal Elvive is that not only do they create shampoos and conditioners that actually works, but they also smell super nice :) The smell stays in your hair until you need to wash it again (promise!).

These are my favorite L'Oreal Elvive Shampoo and Conditioner:

Elvive Anti-Breakage

I came across this product when my hair was breaking easily probably due to styling and all that crazy rituals I do with my hair. The shampoo claims to "Help repair brittle, damaged hair and split ends by replenishing the hair's natural cement." 

Now, I for one agree that ever since I started using the shampoo and conditioner, my hair has been noticeably shinier and healthier than ever. As I have recently lightened my hair (ombre hair), I know I will need to take extra good care of it due to the bleaching process. So far, I am satisfied with the result :)








Elvive Re-Nutrition

This product I love also, but not as much as the previous one. This gets the second prize for revitalizing my damaged hair from root to tip! I am a sucker for awesome smelling hair products and this one I must say is like the milk and honey of all the nice smelling shampoos and conditioners ever made (no exaggerations intended..haha).

This shampoo and conditioner contains "Royal Jelly + 10 regenerating nutrients". What's Royal Jelly you may ask? According to the internet, "Royal Jelly is considered by many a potent anti-oxidant. Produced in the beehive for the nourishment of the queen bee, it is a complex substance that cannot be recreated by man. When examining its properties and considering the source of its documented benefits, many conclude that it is its high amino acid content that make it such a special rejuvenating substance."

Enough said.


Hair tip:

When washing your hair, always use cold to luke warm water - never hot, as this can damage the cuticles of your hair making it look dull and dry.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Schwarzkopf OSiS+ Dust It Mattifying Powder

So I heard about this product that can make your hair all "boofed-up" without the use of the ol' hairspray and teasing comb. This intrigued me and I definitely wanted to try it.

My first impression of this product was that the packaging was a little smaller than I expected. Haha.. the hairdresser showed it to me and I was like, "That's it?" Osis Dust It costs about  $36 NZD at your local hairdressing salon.

How to apply it:

Make sure your hair is DRY.

1. Put a little bit of the powder on the palm of your hand.
2. Sprinkle some of it using your fingers on the roots of your hair (where you want it to be lifted).
3. After, sprinkling it, rub it several times until the powder is not visible.
4. Scrunch the roots of your hair where you've applied it to get that messy texturized look.

PROs

• the packaging is very stylish and it is small enough to fit in your handbag whenever you need to touch-up
• the powder is very fine and it doesn't leave visible residue when you put it on the roots of your hair
• it lasts for a long time as you don't need a lot of it when you use it
• it doesn't have a funny smell

CONs

• the product stays in your hair even after several washes
• you have to keep on "scrunching" the roots of your hair a couple of times a day to re-activate the effect
• it doesn't work well on people with long thick hair (mid-past shoulder like mine), as I think this is especially created for people with short layered hair
• I hardly use it as it doesn't really give me the volume I want but it is great if you want that extra oomph after styling

Product Tip:

When I am styling my hair for the "messy up-do" I sprinkle a bit Dust It on the top of my hair to give it a texturized finish. Also, I sprinkle the powder on random parts of my hair to add extra volume that screams "I just woke up from bed and my hair already looks fantastic" haha..

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Natio Lip Butter in "Tender" - Review

Another product from Natio I truly love...Lip Butter in "Tender".

Natio Lip Butter comes in six everyday wearable colours! What I love about Natio is their ability to create makeup that is suitable for everyday use. By now you all know that I love the natural look when it comes to makeup and Natio definitely hits the spot on this one.

PROs:

• this product is definitely for everyday use.. something you can wear when you just want to stay at home and chill with your comfies on :)
• it has a minty smell to it and it smells so yummy, I always have to stop myself from licking my finger when I put it on.. Shhhhh....
• it gives my lips this shiny healthy gloss (but not too glossy).. it doesn't add much color but it gives a nice rosy pink tinge when applied
• At $13 NZD, this is definitely more than what its worth
• the packaging is compact and it will fit anywhere from your pocket to your handbag
• it's just YUMMY!

CONs:

• I am not a fan of lip pots - they are hard to use and it makes my finger sticky.. so always have a tissue handy when applying this lip butter
• they are not easy to find, so far, I've only seen them in Farmers, but other than that, they are pretty rare

Beauty Tip:

When you feel like your lipstick is drying, apply a coat of this lip butter and it will instantly rehydrate your lips.


Rating: 4 out of 5

Natio Lipstick in Damasc - Review

I LOVE THIS TO BITS!

Finally, my search for the perfect lipstick is over. I found this baby when I was working in the hospital last year and by accident, after so many failed attempts.. I saw it, I didn't even try it on..(haha).. et voila! I've been using this lipstick since November last year and I am on my fourth one already :) ..Talk about a lip junkie. As someone who loves lipsticks and who is fussy about color and texture, this lippie makes me happy :)

PROs:

• matte look, not too shiny so you can wear it every single day without looking over the top
• moisturises your lips
• stays on for hours, and when I say hours, I'm talking about almost the whole day
• it is very affordable at $18 NZD
• it looks natural -  whilst adding a peachy almost pink color to your lips
• the packaging is simple and chic
• it glides on easily when applied

CONs:

• it can get a bit dry as the day goes on, so you'll need to retouch when you feel the need to
• it doesn't last me more than 2 months as the size is quite small.

Beauty Tip:

To achieve a natural glowing look, apply two layers of this lipstick, use a tinted moisturiser and a stroke of peach glow Natio blusher and put on your best smile :)

Overall, I give Natio Lipstick in Damasc a 4.5 out of 5 rating

"I'm a Barbie girl, in a Barbie World....!"

I'm just gonna say it. This world has gone from natural to plastic! We are living in a materialistic world full of "Barbies". Yes, real life, talking and walking pieces of fake asses with fake hair, nails, lips, nose and boobs. If you don't agree, then that is not my problem.

I remember my first plastic doll....hmm such a long time ago but this memory stuck in my mind and made itself comfortable to stay for good lol. It was the Christmas of '98, I was 7 years old and I knew what I was going to get! Finally my very own Barbie! As I unwrapped my gift, starry eyed, I admired and dribbled all over the box with the plastic thing in it. "Wow.... she is sooo pretty! I wish I'd look like her when I grow up" was my initial thought at that moment. Nothing has changed in the world we're living in today. Grown women (and this time I will emphasize the word "GROWN") around the world STILL want to look like Barbie and strive hard to emulate this plastic shit.

Is this what the world has gone to? People constantly going under the knife, changing and reinventing themselves because they are simply not satisfied with their looks? Deforming their faces, thinking, "Hey I'll look even hotter if I get another nose job for the 5th time!" Or "Ugh my DD boobs aren't big enough because I can still see my toes when I bend over." You get the drift.

                                           oh hell, even Barbie's not happy with her plasticky good looks..


I have nothing, I mean NOTHING against minor plastic surgery that can improve the way a person feels about him/herself. If it is necessary, then freakin go for it, but if it's starting to become an addiction and it is starting to transform your once perfectly normal appearance into something totally unrecognizable or even worse..like Barbie (LOL!), then please, for the love of chocolate, STOP!

Beauty should not be measured by the amount of makeup a woman has on her face or the amount of plastic surgery done to "improve" the way she looks, but rather the natural beauty she exhibits without looking like she's been rolled around orange mud and has been viciously attacked by a permanent marker around the eyes. I love seeing women just looking fabulous with less makeup on.  It gives me hope that there are still sane and thinking females (although as rare as they might be) roaming around the face of the earth feeling good about themselves without the need to look like Barbie.

We are all created differently, and I am sure that there is a reason for that. We ALL have flaws (not just you!)  which makes us human, we all have our own little insecurities that we can learn to love, and we are all just us which makes every single person unique in their own way. So forget about Barbie, we're not a bunch of 7 year old kids anymore!

Fashion Recession.

Did you notice how Opportunity Shops a.k.a. "Op-Shops" have become suddenly cool to the mainstream shoppers after the recession hit the world?

Well yes, recession has greatly affected today's fashion and how people spend their money.. fashion-wise.  Before the recession, I, myself, did not even think about shopping in an Op-Shop. The only time I ever went there was when I was with my grandma (mind you, Op-Shops used to be like truck stops, only there weren't any trucks, but grandmas and old people who don't have grandchildren). But now, in the present time, I have no choice but to give in and actually go in the shop by myself (without my grandma to hold my hand) hoping to find something affordable and decent that I can wear without having that "blast from the past" effect.

Vintage shoes, tops, dresses, skirts, leather satchel bags and layers upon layers of vintage-inspired accessories are the common sight you'll see "fashionistas" wear as they roam downtown with their equally "fashion recession" styled friends. Oh and don't forget the black wayfarers to complete the look!

My point is: Recession has made fashion affordable for everyone and it makes Op-Shops (and grandmas) look cool.