How to create a Dramatic Eye Look!

Watch my latest video on wearing a dramatic look! It's easy and quick! Have a Verdant Day!

Muslim Women can now wear nail polish!

 

Muslim Women can now enjoy manicures thanks to a new type of nail polish. A new cosmetic termed 'breathable' nail polish is gaining popularity among Muslim women. They are unable to wear regular polish due to the religious restriction.

Before prayer all Muslims have to wash their hands, arms and face completely. In this pre-pray ritual called Wudu , water must touch every surface.Which is otherwise impossible if a layer of nail polish is covering the nails.
A company from Poland, Inglot Cosmetics, has released a new polish named O2M, which will allow Muslim women to wear polish of their own choice.

A Muslim professor Mustafa Umar explains that there is nothing wrong in wearing nail polish .The main issue behind is impermeable barrier of this substance over the nails, prevents water from getting body surface wet.
Muslim women have been in a mess,either remove and reapply polish before prayer timings.But,the urge to wear nail polish has become so strong, however, they have started to wear a stick-on nail polish. That stick-on nail polish can be easily peeled off before prayer timings.
The O2M polish uses a polymer that is mainly  used in some sort of  contact lenses, which allows oxygen and water to penetrate into the nail.
The validity of the product is checked by the student of Mr.Umar. She painted O2M's enamel and ordinary nail polish  onto a coffee filter separately. She placed a clean filter beneath it. She let the polish dry, place drops of water onto each layer of polish, and waited ten seconds.
The filter beneath the standard polish was dry but it easily soaked beneath the O2M polish- proving it is breathable in fact. 
Whether a manicure is against  the modesty of Muslim women or nail polish should be used by them in public is another issue that Islamic woman may face.

 And aside from all religious contradictions, Range of O2M's 53-shade are already receiving  praise for its long-term staying power.

Source 

Glitter Eye Look Tutorial!

Watch my latest video on wearing Glitter or Shimmers on the lid! It's easy and quick! Have a Verdant Day!

Dior Eyeshadow Palette Review

Dior Review: 

Dior's Eyeshadow palettes are described by others as an endless possibilities in a seductive range of rich, versatile colours designed for easy application and long wear. 

So of course once I looked at this beautifully created palette I was excited. This excitement was short lived however. The color pay off sucks! 

As a creator, designer, business owner of my own company I of course look for ways that my products can stand out. Whether it is versatility, feel, look, etc. I want my line to be the best. In fact I am very proud to announce that If I don't think my company Lush and Verdant Company can do it better it won't be sold!

 In saying this I must also acknowledge that if a company does it better then kudos and currency! Example: Denise loving other products here. 

However, I must say that this was a real let down. Dior palettes usually run $60 and upwards, so when I didn't get $5.00 worth of pigment. I was immediately frustrated and confused. Why go to so much trouble to make a such a beautiful arrangement of colors only so they won't show up on the skin?

Carbs and Skin

We all know that carbs are an important part of the body's intake. We need carbs (short for carbohydrates)  to provide us with the an all important energy source. However, we all know that too many carbs  can lead to high blood sugar and insulin levels, which can affect the appearance of your skin and make your body store fat.

Carbs (such as bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, muffins, and other baked goods) can aggravate acne breakouts. In one study, volunteers who ate a high-carb diet experienced a 20 percent increase in their levels of androgens (“male” hormones that stimulate oil glands and cause acne) after just one week; volunteers who ate a diet high in protein had balanced blood sugar and lower levels of androgens in a week. Carbs are also broken down into glucose (blood sugar), which interacts with proteins in the skin, stimulating enzymes that break down collagen and elastic tissue and resulting in thinner skin that’s more likely to wrinkle.

The solution: Avoid refined grains, such as white toast, pastries, white rice, and white pasta. Instead, choose whole-grain products, which are digested more slowly, thereby producing less dramatic blood sugar elevations. In fact, the most important key to keeping your blood sugar balanced is the composition of the carbs you eat. In other words, it’s good to add chicken to your pasta, or peanut butter to your toast, but it’s much more important that your pasta be made of whole wheat and that you choose brown instead of white rice, and whole-wheat bread instead of pastries or muffins.

Helpful Source

Applying Color to the Lid

Watch my latest video on applying Vibrant Colors to the lid! It's easy and quick! Have a Verdant Day!

Business: Why Make-Up?

Last night I was eating dinner with a friend and a woman who had discussed purchasing items from the line pulled up a seat.  She seemed nice enough and even complimented me on my make up. The next thing I knew she was asking me about profit margins, and virtually how to start a new business. In general, I am pretty happy to help out anyone but in an instant I discovered she was asking me how to start my business but for her! I couldn't believe my ears and even asked my friend if perhaps I was hearing her incorrectly. While, I certainly would poo on anyone's desire to become an entrepreneur. Unless one is becoming a distributor of my product line, I would rather focus on building my dream for me and my clients and customers. However, that conversation did inspire me to write this article.

Business: Why Make Up?

In general my business began out of my love for make up, beauty and my quest for longer lasting, pigmentation that was both healthy and could be used by everyone. Conversations with a business associate began my quest to create, design and sell my products to the world and thus began this journey.

So far there have been way more highs than lows and I am doing something that I know have truly been called to do. Join me and my company on the way to creating, and designing better cosmetic products for you and your loved ones!

For more information on Lush and Verdant see  LNV or My store for my products. 

Proper Skin Care

 Step 1: Cleansing

The first step is the part most people appear to get well but its not what they are doing that can be an issue but the product with which they clean their skin. It is best to select a skin cleanser that is effective for your skin type. I personally like Aveeno products but many drugstore and department stores offer great selections of cleansers. 

To determine the best cleanser for your skin type:See the best cleansers for your skin type.

If you enjoy eye make up as much as I do you may want to also use a separate eye makeup remover. Common removers are moisture based which is good for skin in general and more effective for that delicate eye area.

Step 2: Exfoliate

Exfoliation is the step most people skip in their weekly skincare routine. However, it is helpful to slough off the extra dead skin and reveal your new beautiful layer. Exfoliation must be done sparingly, I recommend no more than 1x per week and with products that also meet your skin care needs. Exfoliation can be done cheaply with olive oil and sugar, baking soda and water or an over the counter product. 

Should you use a toner? Some people swear by toners, but many beauty experts do not. Toners are reported to complete the cleansing process and restore the skin's ph balance. I am NOT sure and thus would leave this step up to you. 

Step 3: Moisturize

Moisturizers are basically lotions for the face, and while I DO NOT advise body lotion for the face (it can clog pores) I  would like to recommend moisturizers for 2 main reasons. 1. Reason you need moisture, it slows down the aging process by deterring dryness. 2. It helps provide protection from the sun.

Are eye creams necessary? Well maybe. Some beauty experts strongly recommend eye creams. Why? The skin around the eye contains no fatty tissue and is therefore very thin and susceptible to wrinkles. Special eye creams are formulated to "thicken" this area. Yet other experts (including the beauty editors of Allure in their new book) claim your daily lotion works around the eyes just as well.

However, as a make up artist, I have seen results from companies such as Shiseido and Estee Lauder.

Step 4: Apply Serum

Serums are relatively new when it comes to the beauty industry but there is truth to benefit. Serums can range from anti aging, brightening or just plain beauty boosting. I recommend Lóreal's Youth code for anyone looking for results without breaking the bank, and Estee's Advanced Night Repair for skin brilliance that is worth the expense. In general there are a number of products that work well for everyone but serums in general boost the effects of the entire cleansing process and skin in general. 

Step 4: Apply Sunscreen

SPF can help fight a lot of agents that damage the skin. SPF can be moisturizing and can protect you from the damaging rays of the sun and environment.

Lush and Verdant on YouTube

Hi Guys! Take a look at my new channel on Youtube! 

This month I am doing a part, by part series on the Lush and Verdant Channel. Subscribe and check in daily for updates!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7ToHEdvq24

The Health Benefits of Bananas!

 

The Health Benefits of Bananas!

 

How this applies to beauty is that each of these issues can also effect your appearance! Have a Verdant Day!

Pomegranate & Beauty

Adding pomegranate to your diet can bring great benefits to both your health and the way you look.

Skin Care with Pomegranate
Pomegranate is rich in iron, which means it helps your skin cells get the oxygen they need and helps your skin stay smooth and clear. Because it helps aid your digestive system, it helps regulate problems and imbalances in your body that can often be the root cause of acne problems.
We all know by now how amazing antioxidants for our skin and overall health and pomegranates provides plenty since it’s a powerful source of Vitamin C. Vitamin C is also responsible for keeping your sebum levels in order. If your sebum levels get out of whack, it can easily cause acne flare-ups.

Applying Pomegranate to Skin
Apply pomegranate juice or an extract to the parts of your skin that need attention. You should be able to start seeing some results in merely days. If it’s aging and wrinkles you want help with, then try some pomegranate seed oil. Studies show that this can help improve your skin’s ability to produce collagen and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
Applying pomegranate seed oil to minor cuts and scrapes may also help speed up the healing process.

Stop Sun-Aging by Adding Pomegranate to Your Diet
If you’ve damaged your skin by too much fun in the sun and it’s starting to show, then it’s time to consider adding pomegranate juice to your diet. Drinking this juice can help extend the life of fibroblasts. Fibroblasts control your skin’s collagen and elastin, which is what determines the tone and silkiness of your skin.

Source

Making lipstick last longer!

Simple ways to improve lipstick's staying power.

1. Fill in the color of the lips with a lip liner.
2. Use a lip primer.
3. Before applying lipstick go over lips with your favorite foundation.

All these and more go a long way to improving the life span of your lipstick.

Have a Verdant Day!

Does Water Damage the Hair?

Does Water Damage Hair?

I’ll never forget when I worked in a salon as a youth and learned so much about how to care for and properly treat my mane. Those days were vital in forming my opinions and strengthening my knowledge of how to care for the body, mind and spirit. I was not only blessed to work with my favorite Celebrity Hair Maven Kitre Jones but one of my other favorites Master Stylist Virgil McDaniel.

Virgil maintained my very healthy, combination, complicated mane back then and I credit him for helping me to understand how diet, treatment and environment can effect negatively or positively affect the hair and the body.

One thing he said to me that still sticks with me today is how water affects the hair. We have all grown up with images and words that discuss how important water is to our body and our world however, we seldom if ever discuss any negative effects.

It is true that water deserves a healthy amount of respect in that we need a certain amount in our hair for moisture and general health. However we need to use water gingerly when we are maintaining and cleaning our locks. Why? Well simply because water weakens the hair.  This happens for a number of reasons.

The first reason is that wet hair becomes more fragile and vulnerable when saturated. Therefore, any type of stress on the hair when wet can cause breakage, fatigue of strands, fractures and splitting. ( i.e. combing, towel drying, brushing, bows. Etc)

The second is that because of the types of waters that are most readily available it contains a lot of minerals. The minerals dissolved in hard water deposits on the hair after several washings can cause build up which causes dryness, tangles, and can lead to poor hair appearance and breakage.

Also water deposits may reduce hair’s health due to its stripping of natural oils and fatty acids that aid in natural hair health.

In order to counteract these effects there are several different types of simple, inexpensive remedies.

One of the easiest ways to limit hair damage due to water is to dry hair with a wet t-shirt. Towel material is far to drying for excessive styling and is softer on the hair fibers. More common alternatives include Deep conditioning, routine conditioning, reduces stress, heat on the hair and a healthy diet can help the health of your hair.

 

Source: http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/curl-products/is-water-damaging-my-hair

Lush and Verdant's Color for January

All Lush and Verdant Subscribers your colors were mailed by December 29th 2012.

Lush and Verdant introduces this months newest color ODESSA!

We are simply delighted to introduce you to this sparkly, rich color that is a sure to please.

Odessa uses our exclusive Intense™ Technology that incorporates intense pigments for full, color and complete application. This matte color is alluring and is as delicious as its name.

If you haven't began your low cost subscription to Lush and Verdant Cosmetics you can do so today by

visiting our Lush and Verdant Online Store!