Simple Back to School Beauty Tips

“High School is the best years of your life”. My Grandma told me this my freshman year, I thought, no way Grandma, as always though, she was right. Let’s face it going back to school can be so stressful. I remember being a nervous wreck the first day. What am I going to wear? Hair? Makeup? Ahhhh!

Here are a few tips I would like to pass on to you back to schoolers!

Dress Code:

I cannot stress this enough, please do not worry about what others think of you. I would wear some crazy stuff in high school, though some “friends” of mine would make jokes about my outfits, I didn’t care (they were not my friends for very long). Fashion is such a great way of expressing yourself, so you do you! Plus, when I got to Fashion School it didn’t matter, everyone dressed crazy! But, make sure to follow that dress code, I was pinned by this a few times. So, if you want to wear a floral shirt with a plaid long sleeve, then by all means go for it.

 

Makeup:

Concealer and eyeliner was my go to!  I honestly wasn’t into makeup until I hit 25. In high school I would use concealer under my eyes, pack on the black eyeliner, and maybe some mascara. I’m all for the simple look, even when I was in college I would wear the smallest amount of makeup. If I was a 17 year old in today’s world, I would use a BB cream, a small amount of concealer, and mascara. But, if you feel like rocking a smoky eye, then you rock that smoky eye.

August BoxyCharm Review

Nios Shield Leave-In Conditioner:

This leave-in conditioner provides you with vitamin E and B5 to help hydrate hair while also providing an SPF sunscreen, which protects your hair color, and prevents scalp sunburn. Thanks to the Moroccon argan oil, this leaves the hair feeling soft and healthy while also taming frizz. To use, all you have to do is take a small amount on wet or dry hair and work it into the roots, then brush through. I actually tried it out on dry hair first and was surprised my hair was not an oily mess. I definitely will be using this product when I go down to Florida in a few months! 

Being an animal lover, it was great to know that this product has not been tested on animals!

$26.00  NoisSheild.com

So Susan Statement Skin in Candle Light:

This unique highlighting crayon illuminator adds a glow to your complexion while keeping the skin hydrated. Having fair skin, this was too shimmery, not flattering, and almost unnoticeable. If you have medium to dark skin I believe this would fit you perfectly. Unfortunately for me it didn’t work out.

$20.00  sosusan.com

Coastal Scents Revealed 3 Palette:

PRIME of The Month - August 2015

Sheer Envy Color Correcting Primer by Hard Candy

Having a lot of redness, some days worse than others, I use this primer to help alleviate the discoloration. Using a color correcting primer can help balance skin tone, neutralize redness, and like other primers, help create a flawless canvas for an even makeup application. I stumbled upon this gem accidentally, originally going in to buy the Glamoflauge Concealer by Hard Candy. This primer truly does do what it's intended to, my redness is 98% gone after one application. 

Five Minute Work Routine

I won’t deny it, I am not a morning person as soon as I wake up all I can think of is getting my coffee, fast! Giving myself less than thirty minutes in the morning to get ready? You’re probably thinking, “Is she crazy?”  Maybe so. But, I have perfected a five minute makeup routine that is so simple, anyone can do it. This routine does not require any fancy products or fancy tools, you can use anything from high end to drug store products.

This quick routine calls for five simple products that we all have in our makeup bag;

PRIME: First, you will need to prime. I could go on and on about primers, so I will keep it short for now. Primers are great for many reasons: eases application, fills in fine lines and pores, reduces redness and discoloration, and prolongs makeup wear. For this five minute routine I use the Benefit POREfessional only on areas where I am oily and have larger pores (for me that’s my T zone). I know, this is a pricy product but a great dupe for this is the Maybelline Baby Skin Pore Eraser.

Concealer is optional!

FACE: Second, use a BB Cream or your everyday foundation. BB creams have many benefits: they contain an SPF (which is great for those hot summer months) tinted moisturizers which cover imperfections, prevent breakouts, prime the skin, and prevent shine. I apply the Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream with a foundation brush. The only downfall of BB creams are they have to be applied typically every two to three hours. If you are not feeling the BB cream trend, go ahead and use whatever foundation you have. I use the MAC ProLongwear Foundation this is the only foundation I've found that actually looks natural and keeps my skin moisturized.

August Ipsy Glam Bag Review

Noyah Natural Lipstick in Desert Rose

This may be one of my new favorite lip accessories and if you love matte lipsticks then you will definitely be a fan as well!  The Desert Rose sample comes as a rosy pink shade.  A few perks of this product include: super pigmented color, long lasting and moisturizing for your lips. If lipsticks tend to dry your lips out, as they do for me!  I would suggest applying a lip gloss over top, I recommend the Marcelle lux gloss.

($18 on Noyah) 

Skone Cosmetics Luxe Doubler Eye/Lip Pencil in Wine

Frankly, as I am not a big fan of lip liners I went ahead and filled in my entire lip instead of only applying to the outer edges.   I followed up with a topcoat using ModelCo Party Proof Matte lipstick. This helps enhance your natural color and doubles the wear time. In addition you can use this product as an eyeliner!

(On Sale for $12 on Skone Cosmetics) 

Coco for Coconuts!

Today it’s all about them coconuts! I wanted to share with you, my top 3 coconut products that I am loving this summer.

3. Coconut Water Facial Mist

This is a DIY product. The ingredients are super simple! All you need is a spray bottle, coconut water, witch-hazel, and rosewater.

Coconut Water - (2 cups) There is a few options when choosing coconut water. You can either use water from an actual coconut or Harmless Harvest, which is 100% raw coconut water (a good place to find this would be a Whole Foods in the beverage section). 

Witch-hazel - (1/2 cup) If you had the chicken pox when you were a kid then you are all too familiar with witch-hazel.  I never realized all that it can be used for. Witch-hazel can help control blemishes and reduce inflammation (which is good for bags under your eyes, just don’t get it in your eye!). If you want to know more uses google knows everything.

Rosewater – (1/2 cup) This was probably the hardest one for me to find. If you are an expert do it yourself-er then you can make your own. You can find all types of recipes on Pinterest. I chose the easy way out and bought Burt’s Bees rosewater toner. Rosewater can be used to soften dry skin, toning, aromatherapy, and even a natural makeup remover.

All you have to do is mix the ingredients into your spray bottle, give it a shake, and spray! I usually will spray this before I put my make-up on in the mornings, and sometimes before I go to bed.  It is SO refreshing and hydrating. Don't just limit this to your face, this can be used for all over body use as well!