The Blessings of Zinc.

Zinc can help prevent hair loss by building hair protein. Good sources of zinc include meat and seafood.

Exfoliation

http://www.chemistdirect.co.uk/blog/exfoliation_bd_95.html

Exfoliate Twice a Week - Exfoliating removes dead skin cells which tend to make your skin look dull. Regular exfoliating will bring back that glow you want so much. (Avoid over exfoliating as it can cause skin irritations like rashes)

Brighten Your Eyes

Use Gilded White Eye Kohl on your eyelid and place eye shadow on top to intensify your eye shadow.You can also smudge the white pencil along your upper and lower lash to brighten and accentuate tired eyes.

Scalp Massage may cause hair to grow faster!

spandinavia.com

Massaging your scalp can improve circulation to your hear and promote hair growth.

The increase in blood flow aids in feeding and strengthening the hair follicles, which may cause the hair to grow at a faster rate, as well as aid in the fight to avoid hair loss.When your scalp is massaged, the rest of you relaxes, too.

Primer and Concealer Uses

Use a thin layer of concealer on your eye lid before you apply primer and eye shadow to even out your skin and ensure an extra layer of support.

Healthy Foods = Healthy Body

http://www.recipes4us.co.uk/Cooking/How%20to%20make%20Smoothies.htm

For healthy nails, eat a diet of 50% fruits and raw vegetables, and drink plenty of water each day.

Helpful Vitamin A

Vitamin A helps keep your scalp healthy. So snack on more carrots, as they are full of vitamin A.

Exercise & Skin Health

http://enlivenmagazine.com/2011/11/don%E2%80%99t-hair-stop/

If you want firmer, smoother, and younger looking skin, you need to exercise everyday. Exercise brings oxygen and nutrients to your skin. Exercise also helps to keep skin toned and tight.

The Variable uses of Vaseline

Consumers have discovered unique and several uses for this item! It’s most commonly known to treat chapped lips, cracked heels, dull and dry elbows, rough and ashy knees, minor scratches, amongst many other uses.  Well known for its anti-bacterial properties, this little jar of magic also has many more innovative personal uses such as treating nappy rashes and healing scabs.

Surprisingly Vaseline® Petroleum Jelly has also become a beauty staple with many cosmetic uses. It can be mixed with leftover lipstick to create a brand new lip gloss and cream blusher and can also be used as the cheapest and most efficient make-up remover.  

http://gingersnapsxoxo.blogspot.com/2012/01/many-uses-of-vaseline-petroleum-jelly.html 

Consider these as well


Makes dry skin softer.


lip gloss, add color for excitement

 Use Vaseline as lip gloss

Maintains perfume scent longer when applied at perfume points before spritzing the perfume.

Mix with sea salts to make a scrub!

Applying Vaseline on your teeth prevents lips from sticking to teeth for celebrities and contestants in beauty pageants who smile a lot

 Applied on cheeks for a dewy look

Can be used to smooth and soothe skin after shaving

 Tames unruly eyebrows

 Helps heal and protect new tattoos

 Can protect against harmful hair dyeing, perming and straightening chemicals when used as a mask around the hairline

Use a tiny dab to put a quick shine on your shoes and bags

Smear a tiny bit on your hands and scrunch through your hair for a choppy look

 Use just a touch on the ends of your hair to hide dry and split ends

 Stretch your favorite lotion by mixing it with Vaseline.

Put Vaseline on your lips, leave it a few minutes, then scrub your lips with a toothbrush to exfoliate and leave them SO smooth

Remove false eyelash glue from your lash line

Slim Bronzer

http://pregnancyfashion.sheknows.com/pregnancy-fashion-basics/beauty-tip-face-slimming-tips/ 

To help slim your face, define your jawline and minimize a double chin, use a large, fluffly brush and blend a powder or bronzer a couple of shades darker than your normal skin color below your chin line. This will instantly create the illusion of a slimmer face.

The Easiest Way to Cleanse your Face.

nerdygirlmakeup.com 

Baby wipes are excellent makeup removers as well as hand and face refreshers.

Lip Conditioner

Lip Conditioner can be used on dry spots on your eyelid and eyebrow. This really works!

Lip Plumper

dailycookie.net 

It is true that many women want to have sexy, fuller lips. Therefore, if you still want to apply lip liner in order to get plumper lips, make sure you always do this before applying the lipstick.

Use protein for Stronger Hair

Eat enough protein (fish, meat, milk, cheese) for stronger and healthier hair.

Eye shadow Placement

http://inhermakeupbag.blogspot.com/2011_11_01_archive.html 

Use colored eyeliner (navy, dark purple, bronze) to line your top and bottom lash lines, then use jet black eye kohl to line the "outer V" of your lash line.

Highlighting

http://roxyishere.wordpress.com/tag/kat-von-d/ 

Daily Tip: Apply a highlighter to your cupid’s bow to make your lips seem fuller. You can also apply a darker foundation under your lower lip to make your lower lips seem fuller.

Better Blending Techniques

http://www.beautythroughstrength.com/makeup-tips-for-your-eye-color.html 

Having trouble blending your eye shadow? Apply your crease color first, and then work from there. This will soften the harsh lines of the crease color.

Iridescent Powder

Use iridescent powder to highlight cheekbones, brow bone, and tear duct. Instantly wakes up your face!

Applying Blush for your face shape

In general..

One should apply a powder brush on the apple of the cheek and swipe on your cheekbone toward your hairline. The blush should be applied about 2 finger widths away from your nose , directly beneath the iris of the eye, below the nostril, and very near the hairline.

Oval shaped face - blush brush just under the cheekbone, so that the brush is tapping the brush on your ball  of your cheek. Brush, brush upwards toward temple, to give interest to the center of your face and cotur your cheekbones, always begin very lightly and build.

Round shaped face - apply blush straight across in a 45 degree to define your cheeks. This is where you want to apply the color to the face to

Square shaped face - apply brush with the idea to soften the edges or lines of your face. This

Long Shaped face - apply in the middle and curve a little bit to give your face more of a lift.

or

Face shape: Heart
Most flattering blush technique: Blend the blush over the lower part of the apple of your cheeks. This will help soften a pointy chin and fill out a narrow jaw area. 

Face shape: Round
Most flattering blush technique: Sweep your blush under your cheekbones and up towards your temples. This will maximize your cheekbones and minimize the fullness of your face. 

Face shape: Square
Most flattering blush technique: Swirl the blush in circular motions on top of the apples of your cheeks. This will downplay an angular bone structure and soften harsh lines. 

Face shape: Long
Most flattering blush technique: Apply the blush on the outer apples of your cheeks, then sweep it straight back to your ears while blending very well to avoid a stripy effect. This will give your face a wider appearance. 


http://www.dailymakeover.com/beauty_tips/face/the_best_blush_technique_for_your_face_shape 

Try the Bronze smoky Eye

angelamobilemakeup.com 

Daily Tip: Try a bronze smoky eye rather than a traditional black and gray smoky eye. Best bronze smoky eye products: Vanilla eye shadow (highlight), Honesty eye shadow (crease), Bronze eye shadow (lid), Naked Lunch (tear duct), Smolder Eye Kohl eyeliner, and two coats of mascara.

Lip Lining

Daily Tip: Line your lips with a soft lip pencil and use a sponge applicator to blend your lip edges. This will make your lips look fuller and sexier.

Getting Plenty of Sleep

Getting Plenty of Sleep - Have you realized that your skin looks so clear and younger right after you wake up? This is because your skin repairs itself when you sleep. So give it plenty of time to repair itself.

Give your lashes a background

Daily tip: To make lashes appear thicker give them a shadow! Apply a thin line of eyeliner in black and brown to the line of your lids. This can also greatly define your eyes and make them appear brighter.

Temptalia's Eye liner tutorial

High Lighters

Daily Tip: For an extra glow mix MAC Strobe Cream or any other highlighter

with Blush-cremes to make your cheeks glow.
(MAC Strobe Cream is a lightly moisturizing lotion packed withpotent botanicals; de-snoozes, de-stresses, moistens, freshens and boosts the look of dull, flat or tired-looking skin with a fully loaded vitamin zap and a mega dose of green tea.
It is touted to brighten and clarify with iridescent particles and antioxidants. It enhances the effects of light on all sk

Setting your Foundation

Daily Tip: When setting your foundation with powder, swirl your brush in the powder, tap off excess, and blot on face softly, don't "brush" it on... it really makes a difference.

Delicacy of the Day: Black Soap

Delicacy of the Day: 

African Black Soap


While I have seen this diddy lots of times in stores and at kiosks in malls it went viewed but not purchased. Unfortunately, it went the way of Kente cloth, appreciated but at a distance. However because of my friend, Mayci Neal, for me at least it has become a new love.


My 10 year old is peaking early, call it a family gift/curse and with these peaks come you guessed it acne. While we have tried Aveeno, a favorite, Neutrogena, the orange bar and that worked when she was a newborn. These tried and true remedies seemed to fail when it came to my daughters still baby soft skin. 


We looked at obvious signs such as diet, cleanliness, outside elements and all seemed to be better than average. ( No applause necessary, the jolt to am I being a good parent is always ever present, I believe they call this condition: grey hairs). Still nothing worked and the Pro-activ commercial that keeps playing during on - demand shows of the Regular Show and Gumball were starting to get to me. 


I confess it wasn't only my daughter's vigorous washing leaving patches of dry and shiny on her face that worried me but my husband and my own battles with teen acne that pushed me forward. 


Anyhoo, I am happy to report that after less than one week of use all of our skin is a lot clearer and getting better every day. Yes, every day. 


Below you will find out about the benefits of black soap and also how its made and for more on Mayci, stay tuned she will be opening an online store so you too can benefit from her findings.


Have a Lush N' Verdant Day!

African black soap is soft with an organic shape. It has a delicate texture and a natural, earthy smell. It is not oily, and can be used for hands, face, body and hair. It is most commonly found in Ghana, however other countries have their versions of black soap as well. Other words for black soap are Alata Samina, Anago Samina which comes from the Twi language in northern Ghana.

Benefits of black soap:

- Natural black soaps help deep clean skin.

- Black soap works on most skin types including rough and dry or sensitive skin.

- Help clear skin bumps and spots by using black soap daily.

- Helps relieve acne, oily skin & other skin problems.

- Black soap is also great for removing makeup.

- Black soap benefits against premature facial lines and wrinkles.

- Black soap can also be lathered and used as an effective shampoo.


http://africaimports.com/black-soap-benefits.asp

Eyes & Colors

Daily Tip: Green and hazel eyes look good with chocolate browns, coppers, golds, greens and plums. A combination of chocolate brown and gold will make your eyes capture all the attention. It will look great on those with flecks of gold or brown in their eyes.

The Benefits of Epsom Salt

Daily Tip: Use a combination of Epsom salt, sea salt and baking soda in your bath to help pull out toxins from your skin.

Water, Water Everywhere

Nourish your skin by drinking plenty of water each day.

Eye Shadow Application

Daily Tip: Apply the highlight color on your brow bone (right below your eyebrows) and on the inner corners of your eyes with a fluffy brush.

Eyebrows

Daily Tip: Your eyebrows should look like sisters and not twins, meaning they don't have to be identical.

Mascara Application

How to Properly Apply Mascara

Use this 3-step process:

1. Step 1: Wiggle the wand left to right at the base of lashes. It's the mascara placed near the roots this gives the illusion of length.
2. Step 2: Pull the wand up and through lashes, wiggling as you go. The wiggling part is key because it separates lashes.
3. Step 3:Lastly, close the eye and place the mascara wand on top of lashes at the base and pull through to prevent clumping.

Fix +

Daily Tip: After picking up eye shadow with a brush, spritz some Fix+ onto the brush before you apply the shadow. Really intensifies the eye shadow color!