Summer Beauty Help

Harsh sun, humidity, chlorine, and salt water can do a number on your skin and hair.  We all need a little help when it comes to summer repair.  Here's some help on some of the worst summer beauty disasters.

1.)  Dry, Dehydrated Skin

If your skin is like ours, the sun sucks the moisture right out of your skin, leaving it dry and scaly.  In addition to our favorite regular daily body moisturizer, we use a balm that is rich in cocoa butter.  You can also try straight cocoa butter.  In a pinch we have even used Vaseline (gotta love it).  It's greasy but gets the job done.

L'Occitane Ultra Rich Body Cream $21

2.)  Too Much Sun

Unfortunatly it is too little too late for the burn, but you can prevent the wrinkle-causing damage created by sunburn by using an antioxident rich serum.  Try Olay Definity Self Repair Serum.  To reduce the redness, a moisturizer containing soy will reduce inflamation.  

Fresh Soy Face Cream $38

3.)  Faded or Brassy Hair Color

 If your hair is blond use a color-depositing conditioner like Redken Blonde Glam Perfect Platinum Color Enhancer.  If you are a brunette or redhead, use a mask to help rehydrate and get your natural shine and color back.  

Pureology Essential Repair Restorative Hair Masque $42

4.)  Over Did It On the Self-Tanner

Anyone who has used self-tanner has been here:  orange or streaky skin.  Try an exfoliating body wash to smooth out the skin and get rid of any excess bronze residue.  Baking soda on a washcloth rubbed into the streaky areas will work just as well.  Be careful not to rub yourself raw!  I will admit that I have used nail polish remover and it actually worked pretty well.  Use this method with caution and not on your face!

Fresh Brown Sugar Body Polish $38

Beauty DIY Tips!

Love this video that gives you quick Beauty Do It Yourself tips that every gal needs to know! Not only does it save you money but time as well! Check it out now!

How to get the Milkmaid Braid look

Going right along with the braid trend that has taken over has been the addition of the milkmaid braid. Celbs are loving this look and have been for awhile.

Mary Kate Olsen

Sienna Miller

Nicole Richie

The name is actually quite fitting because that is what you look like:  a milkmaid!  Don't let that discourage you.  It is an easy, casual alternative to the classic ponytail and is almost easy!  It can also be made into dressier look so it is great for a fast evening updo.  Gotta love a versatile hairstyle!

•Step 1

Untangle the hair and split into two sections.  Each section will have its own hair braid.  You may secure the top of the braid with an elastic ponytail holder, but it isn't necessary.

•Step 2

Work one hair braid into each section of hair.  Hold the hair to the opposite side while you're braiding, so that when it is wrapped, it lies nice and flat.

•Step 3

Repeat this process on the opposite side of the head, making a second hair braid.

•Step 4

Wrap each braid around the head, crossing over the back center part.

•Step 5

Tuck the ends of the braids in underneath themselves, so that the elastic bands don't show.  You might want to secure the braids with a bobby pin placed underneath the braid

***Compliments of Ehow***

If that is too confusing, check out this video.  It gives you some more options.

How to get Pretty Beach Waves

This is a great summer look that can go very wrong! Here is a great how-to on this very popular look!

the little white dress

Put your little black dresses in the backs of your closets ladies because the little white dress is taking over!  Celebrities have been spotted all over wearing them and they are perfect for summer.  Casual or dressy; anything goes with these!

White dresses look great dressed up.  How old Hollywood does Kate Bosworth look?  A shiny bag and heals make it even more fancy (we give you permission to leave your fur at home).  Just remember, no white dresses at weddings unless your are the bride!  You know this, right?

Taking things from your hubby/boyfriend's closet is a huge trend although we don't generally condone literally doing this.  Instead take a cue from Vanessa Hudgens and wear a white shirt dress.  Add a belt to give it some shape.  In a more conservative shape, this can be a great office look.

White dresses look just as great dressed down.  A pair of flat sandals, a hobo bag and scarf (or other accessory of your choice) are all you need!  So easy and so summer!

One of the great things about a white dress is that it gives you a blank slate to work with.  You can choose to go the neural route with black or nude or you can add pops of color in your shoes and accessories.  Check out Cameron Diaz adding color with a red belt and heals.  

Nobody does it like Carrie Bradshaw!  She takes a fairly simple jersey dress and adds her Louboutins and mirrored sunglasses which make it so Carrie.  This is a great example of how you can make a piece your own.  This dress would also look fabulous worn casually but we have to pay our respects to Ms. Bradshaw (or Preston now).

Some Under $100 Options

MINKPINK Munnifield Tee Dress $86 at Shopbop

Strapless White Cocktail Dress $26.90 at Windsor 

Cutout Front Pencil Dress $67.64 at ASOS

  Three Dots Cotton Knit V-Neck Dress $62 at Zappos

 Vila Embroidered Smock Tunic Dress $42.27 at ASOS
 

summer proof your makeup

As the summer months are creeping up on us we are breaking out the sandals and tank tops but we can't forget about our summer makeup.  If you are like us, you like to keep it simple and low maintenance in the summer.  Using minimal products mean less time sweating in the bathroom and more time enjoying the nice weather and longer days.  Here are our best tips to keep your face in place and get you out the door quicker!

1.)  Skin:  First and foremost, don't forget to prep your face with a good moisturizer with an SPF of 30 or higher.  Neutrogena makes several great ones including their new line of Spectrum with Heliplex360 (SPF up to 100!).   If you are super concerned with your makeup staying put, use a primer.  It will help hold makeup in place.  Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer is a great one to try.  If you use a foundation in the winter months, consider switching to a tinted moisturizer.  They are lightweight, sheer and give you a very natural finish.  Laura Mercier is considered the gold standard when it comes to tinted moisturizers.

 Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer $42 at Sephora

2.) Eyes:  For eyes we recommend switching to a waterproof mascara in your brand of choice.  We have always been partial to Maybelline.  Avoid using cream eye makeup in the summer months.  It comes off quicker than powder and you definatly don't want your eye shadow running down your face.  If you really want your eye makeup to stay put, try an eye primer under powder eye shadow.  This gives something for your powder to "stick" to.

Estee Lauder Stay In Place Eyeshadow Base $15 at Estee Lauder

3.) Cheeks:  A great tip to keep your blush in place is to first apply a gel or cream blush and then blend a powder blush on top.  The gel or cream will sink into the skin and the powder will set it in place.  Simple, quick, and stays put!  Check out our previous blog on how to apply gel or cream blush if you are a newbie.  Tarte is a popular gel blush among makeup experts and celbs.

 

Tarte Cheek Stain $30 at Sephora

4.)  Lips:  Save the heavy, dark lipcolor for winter and fall.  They can be a little overkill for summer when the vibe should be more light and fun.  Just because you are going light on your makeup doesn't mean you need to skip the lips.  Applying even a tinted lip balm can give your lips a hint of color and make you look finished.  Some even have a built in SPF.

Burt's Bees Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate $3 at Burt's Bees

General Tips:

-  Summer is the perfect time to experiment with color.  Rich hues have their place, but for summer go for lighter more vibrant colors.   Not only do they look more summer-esque but they brighten the face, making you look younger (hello!).  If you aren't sure what colors you would like to try, go for a palate which will give you several colors to play with, mix, and test out.  Just remember to keep it age appropriate and don't go overboard.  Pick one feature to add a pop of color to and keep everything else neutral.

Stilla Pro Artist Palette #1 $28 at Sephora

- Go sheer!  A great way to lighten up your makeup is to switch to sheer versions of your favorite products.  The great thing about sheer makeup is it is most often mistake proof.  It goes on super light so you can keep applying if you want it to be a little darker, or just do one layer for a hint of color.

Sonia Kashuk Ultra Shine Sheer Lip Gloss $8.99 at Target

-  If you feel the sweat coming on, avoid using powder as a way to cover up the shiny.  This will only make your makeup look cakey.  Instead invest in some blotting papers that will keep you nice and matte.  It's just as simple and easy to do.

Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets $5.99 at Drugstore.com

spring clean your makeup

Just as you Spring clean your house or your closet, now is a good time to think about doing a Spring clean of your makeup.  We are guilty too:  we often neglect this area and forget that makeup goes bad and needs to be tossed.  Gather up ALL of your makeup and paraphernalia and get ready to weed out and organize. Here are some general guidelines from one of our favorite makeup gurus, Bobbi Brown.

• Face Wash                  1 year
• Moisturizer                  1 year
• Foundation                  1 - 1.5 years
• Lipstick                       1 - 2 years
• Mascara                      3 - 4 months
• Powder                       2 years
• Eye Shadow                2 years

*Remember to wash your makeup brushes every 2 - 3 months and toss your sponges monthly.*

Throw out any brushes or sponges that are falling apart.
Get rid of anything you haven't used in six months or more.  It's tough but buckle down and move on.
If there is any liquid that has separated or smells funny, toss it.  Sometimes it's just common sense, girls.

It's a good time to get organized while you have your makeup out.  Check out these ways you can store your makeup.

Classic Makeup Sectionals $69 - $79 at Pottery Barn Teen

Acrylic Makeup Organizers $17.99 at The Container Store

Store yours in drawers like these.   Sterilite 3 Drawer Chest $10.74 at Stacks and Stackables

The mac daddy of storage:  Midnight Train Case $92 at Sephora

your perfect blush

It may sound silly be we have lately been mystified (or curious rather) by blush.  If you are like us, you have used the good old powder blush since you were 13 and may have tried something different but always went back to the same thing.  We have been wondering "do I put this on the apples of my cheeks or should I be contouring or shading or something involving my cheek bones?"  God forbid we try something new and end up looking streaky or clown-esque.

Yikes.  Not good.

We found this terrific how-to video that we had to share with you.

Beauty Questions Answered!

Just like all of us busy ladies, we are always in need of some great beauty advice!  We have done some research for you and came up with some solutions and answers for your most common beauty mishaps and questions:

Should I use the same name brand shampoo and conditioner?

Nope!  Just make sure you stick to similar formulated ones.  For example, if you have a moisturizing shampoo, match that with a conditioner that focuses on adding moisture to your hair as well.

I wear makeup daily.   Should I worry about giving my skin a breather?

If you are not having any issues with your skin (breakouts, rashes etc...) then you are fine, no break needed.  Here is the key: wash your face every night to avoid most breakout issues.

I prefer body wash but want to make sure I am clean AND my skin is soft, is this possible?

Yes!  A Jilly favorite is Olay 7-in-1 Advanced Anti-Aging Body Wash.  Its only $5.99 and leaves the skin oh so soft!  Plus its not a heavy perfume-like scent.  It is available at local drugstores.

I have sensitive teeth and need a whitening boost but can't afford it. I have tried the Crest strips and they hurt my teeth, suggestions?

We have found the best solution.  Crest has come out with a special sensitive version.  Its great!  No harm no foul and a beautiful white smile is the end result!  If you find you still have sensitivity, try using a mouthwash that has fluoride, which can help reduce sensitivity.  A toothpaste like Sensodine can help as well.

I have combination skin and need a moisturizer that can help my dry areas but not saturate the oily areas. Help!

A gel cream is what most dermatologists recommend. It moisturizers in the places that are needed.  Nivea has an affordable one for less than $20!

Which goes on first, concealer or foundation?

For every day use, foundation goes on FIRST then concealer.  If you are covering up a blemish then reverse that order.  However, if you are covering up dark circles use concealer only.  No foundation.

Any tips on stretching out your shampoos (without your hair looking oily and smelling gross)?

Try taking a makeup brush and dusting baby powder on the roots to prevent the oil build up.  Make sure not to go to heavy so as not to leave a white residue. Spray your favorite perfume lightly through the strands of your hair.

How can I prevent the frizzy look after I dry and straighten my hair?

There are several products out there that can help with this.  Here's a tip: spray some hair spray in your brush and brush through it towards the end of your blow dry.  Go from root to end.  This will prevent a stiff look but will take care of the fly-aways too.

What are your beauty questions? Comment or click on "Contact Us" and let us know!  We will help!

How to wear jewelry

This is a fantastic video from Lucky Magazine on how to wear different kinds of jewelry.  You may be thinking what we were:  like I don't know how to wear jewelry!  Give me a break.  But even we learned a little something (and you thought we knew it all) so take a look.  It is a tad long but defiantly worth the watch.

your best hair color!

We don't know about you but we aren't exactly sure what our real hair color is.  In fact, we often wonder if our hair is the color that it was truly meant to be.  We like to experiment but when it comes right down to it, we just want to look our best.  

It all comes down to warm vs. cool colors when it comes to hair.  If your skin tone is cool, you will need to stick to cool hair colors and if your skin is warm, keep your hair color the same.  Is all of this gibberish to you?  Don't worry.  We were a little intimidated at first too but it really is simple.  Just take a look below (or better yet, do it with a friend) to find out if you are a "warm" or "cool."

Your Skin Is:

- Very dark brown  (Cool)

- Brown with pink undertones (Warm)

- Brown with gold undertones (Warm)

- True olive i.e. most Asians and Latinas (Cool)

- Medium with no color in cheeks (Cool)

- Medium with faint pink cheeks (Cool)

- Medium with gold undertones (Warm)

- Pale with no color in cheeks (Cool)

- Pale with pink undertones (Cool)

- Pale, peaches and cream (Warm)

Your Eyes Are:

- Very brown to black (Cool)

- Golden brown (Warm)

- Hazel with brown or gold flecks (Warm)

- Hazel with blue flecks (Cool)

- Green or greenish blue (Warm)

- True blue or gray (Cool)

Your Natural Hair Color Is:

- Blue black (Cool)

- Deep Coffee Brown (Cool)

- Medium ash brown (Cool)

- Dark brown with red or gold highlights (Warm)

- Medium golden brown (Cool)

- Red (Warm)

- Strawberry blond (Warm)

- Dish water blond (Cool)

- Golden blond (Cool)

How did your answers stack up?  If most of your answers were cool, then you are naturally "cool" and vise versa.

Warm

Those with warm tone skin look best with deep chocolate brown, rich golden brown, auburn, and warm golden blond.  These colors will bring out your sunny warm skin tone.  If you don't want to go all out, full on color, have some warm, golden highlights woven into your hair.  Be sure to steer clear of very black hair, dark colors with blue undertones and platinum or similarly cool-toned blond colors.

Peaches and Cream skinned  Julianne Moore looks fab in her warm red hair.

Sienna Miller rocks golden blond locks with her  medium tone skin.

Cool

Gals with cool skin should avoid the above gold, yellow, red and bronze colors or else risk looking sallow or washed out.  Your best colors are jet black, medium browns such as ash brown, and cool blonds which can range from platinum to light mink.

Cool-skinned Courtney Cox shows that black hair looks great on those with similar skin tone.

 Rachel McAdams shows the right way to go dark or light with cool skin.

get smooth, kissable lips today!

Like it or not, it is technically still winter and no surprise: we are still fighting the good fight against dry skin.  Lips are a problem area for most of us and they not only unattractive but can even be painful.

Ouch!

To avoid/rid of the dredded dry lips follow these tips:

- Exfoliate once a week.   A cheep, way to do this at home is by combining olive oil and sugar and applying it with a wash cloth.
- Maintain moisture with a shea butter based balm like L'Occitane Shea Butter Lip Balm Stick $10 or Blistex Herbal Answer Lip Balm $1.59.
- Aviod dry lipstick (like those who claim to last all day...super drying) which can make dry lips look more obvious by settling into dry crevices.
- Avoid irritating, acidic foods like orange juice, tomato, vinegar, etc.
- Whatever you do, don't lick!!!  Enzymes in saliva rob your lips of their natural moisture.

There.  Much better.

how to stretch your hair appointments

Listen, times are tough.  That is what everyone is saying: the news, the president our husbands...  In fact if we hear the word recession or worse "recessionista", one more time we may scream! At the end of the day we are women who still have to maintain.  Lets face it, the hair is an important one and an expensive one at that.  Since Jilly has been coloring hers so long that her natural color is pretty much a mystery, it is important to continue the process! So we did the research for you to find out what can help to extend the time between hair appointments:

1. 
   
   Wash your hair every other day (or every 2 if your hair can handle it) with a color enhancing shampoo. 

Available for $6.49 at www.drugstore.com

2. Condition your hair well.  Color tends to fade faster on damaged hair and the color treating process itself does a number on your tresses. Try to give yourself 24-48 hours before washing after your hair has been treated.

3. Increase the amount of liquid intake 24-48 hours after your color treatment to help keep your roots moisturize and prevent strands from drying out. Damaged, dry hair does not hold color well.

4. Have a clear color glaze or gloss applied. This is a process that helps seal the newly colored hair and stretch its life. Ask your hair dresser if they do these at their salon.  It is not time consuming and could be worth it!

5. Use color extending products that can be mixed with your conditioner that help enhance the color like Ken Paves Healthy Hair-Boost Up Color Drops.

Available for $39.95

6. Flat iron your hair a few days after you have it colored. This will smooth the hair cuticle and lock in the color.

7. Try using a cooler setting on your hair dryer.  This can be time consuming but will also lessen the damage on your hair by heat styling (and build your biceps!).  Many hair dryers offer a "Cool" setting that you can switch to at the end of your blow dry which will also help de-frizz your hair and set your style.

Solia 1875W Thermal Ionic Cermaic Hair Dryer $79.99 www.folica.com

What did we miss? Comment and let us know!

fuchsia lipstick

We know that the thought of fuchsia lipstick has many of you screaming and running for the hills.  Major 80's flashback.  We were iffy at first too but then we saw these photos of Gwenneth Paltrow and Ashley Greene and we found ourselves quickly reconsidering.

We love that this can be a fun alternative to red and a great way to put the focus on the lips.  It's a little less harsh than red and universally flattering.  Make sure you try a variety of shades before you commit to buying, as we all know that lipstick shades can change dramatically once on the lips.  Ashley is wearing MAC's Girl About Town which will flatter most.

  Pinks with blue undertones look best on fair-skinned gals while those with medium skin tone should go with warmer pinks with yellow undertones.  Yellowish-Olive skin is flattered most by very dark pinks and dark skinned gals should go with a dark, berry pink. 

 Thandie Newton shows off her berry pink lips.

A general rule to remember:  keep your lips the focus.  Cheeks should be blush free or very subtle.  You will risk looking like you belong in the 80's if you use too much pink on your face - not good.  Eye makeup should be natural and minimal as well.

the perfect home pedicure

Ok troops, today we are tackling our feet!  We all love a good pedicure but with the economy in the toilet for who knows how long, we are all making cut-backs and unfortunately the weekly trips to the nail salon are O-V-E-R.  Fear not!  We bring you the perfect do it yourself home pedicure.

With an awful cold coming on strong and arctic whether outside, I was feeling like crud and decided that I needed a good pick-me-up.  Armed with my coupon (click here for yours), I headed to my local Ulta to gather my supplies.

The supplies

Step 1:  Remove Polish:  An alcohol and acetone free remover is less harsh on your nails but won't work as well as the good 'ol tough stuff.  Hold the cotton ball soaked in remover on your nail for a few seconds for easiest removal.  Insider Tip - Try rubbing whitening toothpaste on your nail that has been stained by dark polish.

Step 2:  Cut and File Nails:  Cut nails straight across and file in one direction.  File the edges of nails so that they have slightly rounded corners.

Don't worry-I'm not going to show pictures of my feet.  You would never come back here again.

Step 3:  Soak:  Fill a tub (I got mine at the dollar store...you can use your bathtub in a pinch) with warm water.  Add in whatever you prefer: essential oils, epson salt, aromatherapy soaks, etc.  I used epson just beause that's what I had lying around the house.  Soak for 10 minutes or longer if your feet are extra scaly.  Insider Tip - add in 1/4-1/2 cup of milk.  The lactic acid in the milk breaks up dead skin.

Step 4:  Cuticles:  Trimming my cuticles makes me nervous as I once had a bad experience at a nail salon that involved scissors, some kind of healing cream, burning and an excessive amount of blood. Therefore I stick to the much safer cuticle push-back.  Use an orangewood stick to gently do this.

Step 5:  Scrub, Scrub, and Scrub Some More:  Use whatever you like for this: foot file, foot scrub or pumice stone.  I picked up this foot file at Ulta and it worked great.  Remember the motto "smooth, don't remove". Getting so much skin off that you are reaching live skin is not a good thing.  Let's chant together, "smooth, don't remove, smooth, don't remove..."

Step 6:  Moisturize: Use a good, thick foot cream.  Mine is from Bath and Bodyworks that I got years ago...that shows how often I do an at home pedicure.  I should probably consider getting new foot cream.  Does that kind of thing go bad?  I digress.  You can use cuticle oil if your cuticles are super dry and you wanna be salon-fancy.  I just rubbed some extra cream into them. *This is where I really start missing someone else doing this for me.  The leg and foot massage?  Heaven.

Pardon the bite marks-my dog has a lotion fetish.

Step 7:  Polish:  To prep, use your nail polish remover again to wipe away oils and excess lotion.  Apply your base coat using 3 strokes:  one down the middle and one on each side.  Don't paint your cuticle.  Let the base coat set for a couple of minues, then apply two coats of your prefered color using the same 3 stroke technique.  Rap a cotton-soaked pad around the orangewood stick and use that to clean up any polish errors.  I use this a lot...especially when using a dark polish.  Apply a clear top coat and let dry for 30-45 minutes.  Done!

new hairstyles for spring

We are both constantly changing our hair...short, long, light, dark, bangs, no bangs, curly straight...get the picture? You name it we have tried it! Back in the day we were the girls that owned a crimper (some of you youngins may not even know what that is...sigh).  We will be documenting Jilly's new 'do coming up, trying to make a change while keeping your length can be hard and a little too subtle so we are going to try and it see what happens. You guys will be the judge!

Before we get that done, there have been many hairstyles to consider...through our research we have stumbled across the hottest styles for the spring...what still is hot and what's new!

Braid Away: This style is still hear to stay but now with a twist, we are loving the undone braid look. It looks effortless and modern! Here are some instructions:

How to Get it Right

1. No need for a blowout; just apply a bit of texturizer to the bottom third of dry hair for nongreasy piecey-ness. A good one to try: Pantene Pro-V Texture Spray Wax ($6.50, at drugstores). 2. Make a braid (or two!), securing with a clear elastic two inches from the ends. 3. Now gently tug around the crown and back of your head to get the messiness going, instructs celebrity hairstylist Hallie Bowman. To loosen the braid up even more, stick your fingers or the handle of a comb in and wiggle a bit. Got layers? Let ‘em hang out

(Compliments of Glamour.com)

Long and Wavy: Its here to stay it seems! The more natural the wave looks the better!

Do it Yourself:

Before bedtime, mist just-washed, damp hair with a leave-in conditioner and a volume-boosting aerosol spray (an aerosol spray will dry soft, and won’t leave hair hard and crunchy). Then twirl one-inch sections of hair into spiral braids and let them dry overnight.

Short on time? Here’s how Fashion Week tress masters create the look in a crunch: Wrap one-inch sections of hair around a medium flatiron, alternating the direction each spiral.

“You’re just kind of haphazardly wrapping pieces and dropping them,” says Harry Josh, a hairstylist and spokesperson for John Frieda. “When you shake them out you’ll get a really nice, loose, ropy wave and it’ll hold all day.”

(Compliments of Elle Magazine)

Bangs and Bobs: The 2010 hair trend seems to center around a little 80's vibe (think Rihanna's half shaved look). Lets face it, unless you live in LA and have a pack of photpgraphers following you this really isn't a practical look. However the bowl cut bangs and bob combo helps give you a little bit of that edge. This is my favorite hairstyle!

 

 

Here are the hairstyles Jilly is considering...comment and let us know what you think is the best one!

 

Jilly now!

Option One: long bangs with layers

 

 Option Two: lob with side swept bangs

 

Option Three: side swept long bangs with layers