beauty

Deep Brush Cleaning

Hello Lovelies!

So the general time frame of how often we should deep clean our brushes is about once every 1-2 weeks. Although its something that most people know about, its actually not something everyone practices unfortunately. Why? .. well its time consuming! Of course it depends on how many brushes you have etc. but its definitely not something you can do in 5-10min. I remember in the beginning it would take me about 45min (waayyy to long) to clean all my brushes and I don’t consider myself having a lot. Through trial and error I have discovered some time saving tips that have sped up my cleaning time from 45min to roughly about 20min.

Items that you will need:
Gym Size Towel
Rice Paddle with ridges
Your regular shampoo / Baby Shampoo
Small-Medium size cup

 

ImageGym Size towel

Image

Rice Paddle with ridges – Such a random tool right? The ridges on the paddle will speed up the process of getting the make up and gunk off your brush. You can find other household items to use too besides a rice paddle but this is the best tool I have found that works. I got this one that came in a pack of 2 from Daiso.

 

Image

Shampoo – I normally use baby shampoo because it is a lot more gentle and moisturizing then our adult shampoo. Since I was out, normal shampoo works as well.

 

Image

 

 

 

Step 1: Take a gym size towel and roll up the ends leaving one end bigger than the other.Image

 

 

 

 

 

Step 2: Fill your small/med size cup with shampoo and add water into it. You want your water to be slightly warm.. not too hot or else its going to start melting the glue but a little warm for the products in your brush to start breaking down.

Image

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 3: Dunk all your brushes into the cup

 

 

Image Image Image

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 4: After removing a brush from the cup, swirl it around your paddle and you will see that residues will start to come off of the brush.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 5: Rinse your brush then add a dap of shampoo onto your paddle and swirl your brush once more.

 

 

 

ImageThe method of twice cleaning really removes all excess makeup that was not removed the first time. Some brushes you will see are more stubborn than others. An example would be your foundation brushes as you can see

Image

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 6: After you are done cleaning your brush, squeeze out the excess water and reshape it. Lay it on your towel and let it air dry!

 

 

 

ImageThe reason why we want to have one side of the towel rolled up bigger than the other is so that the brushes can dry pointing downwards. You don’t want your brushes to dry facing up because then the water will leak into the Ferrule (metal part) shortening the life of your brush. Many people will lay their brushes flat to dry which is a lot better then having them face upwards but when you have it laying flat, the water is stagnant which means that the water that is inside the Ferrule will have nowhere to go so by angling it downwards you allow gravity to pull water out and away from the Ferrule as it dries.

 

ImageAnd Wa-LA you got clean brushes! It normally take around 8-12 hours for the brushes to completely dry. Of course the bigger and more dense the brush, the longer it will take.

How do you clean your brush and what tips and tricks do you use to speed up the process?

❤ Jessica

Battle of THE: Hair Mask / Deep Conditioners

Hello Lovelies!

My hair is dry, color treated, thick, and coarse with loads of split end. For an everyday conditioner I need to use some stronger big boy stuff and recently I have finished some that I would like to share and compare.

Macadamia Deep Repair Masque
PROS: 1. It smells AMAZING.. seriously. I don’t know what scent it is but its really good. 2. Conditions quite well and leaves hair nice and soft but you do have to leave it on for 7min+ or else the results isn’t that great. 3. Its cruelty free, paraben free, and alcohol free.
CONS: 1. The price is a bit steep at about $33 for a 250ml. BUT i just went online a checked, they sell this on the Target website for only $15!!.. I’m not sure if its a glitch or not but thats 50% cheaper than normal. 2. You need to use this when you really have time and when you’re not in a rush. If you don’t leave it in for a over 7min the results are very minimal. I’ve used it a couple times where I didn’t leave it on long enough and it just felt whatever after, so don’t waste your product like I did!
I don’t suggest using it on your scalp since this is a deep repair masque and is only recommended to be used twice a week. I haven’t personally tried it but I would think that it will weigh your hair down and make it oily faster after the initial wash.
I would be repurchasing this product.

L’Oreal Total Repair 5 Damage-Erasing Balm
PROS: 1. It fixes your dull and dehydrated hair by giving it a boost of moisture. Your hair will be softer after you leave it in for about 5min. 2. Fairly in expensive at around $6 for 250ml.
CONS: 1. This is probably filled with chemicals.. it smells like hair dye so its really of putting when you’re trying to find a product to repair your hair when it smells like the stuff thats damaging it. 2. It claims that is “instantly repairs the 5 signs of damage: split ends, weak, rough, dull, dehydrated hair. I would say that it does 3/5. It didn’t repair or prevent my split ends from forming and my hair was still weak after using this.
I would honestly pass on this product because I am sure there are other drug store deep conditioners that are a lot better or even the same without the heavy chemical/alcohol in this.

Opal One Minute Treatment
PROS: 1. Hello?! 1 Minute, thats it! 2. Very inexpensive at about $2 for 225ml. (i bought mine in Hong Kong and it is really that inexpensive and I remember scouting it a couple years ago and on Ebay and amazon that price was still fairly reasonable but I just checked right now and its around $10 a bottle!) 3.If you leave it for 1 minute, it will be a quick pick me up but the longer you leave it the softer and more apparent the results are. If you can leave it on for maybe even 10 minutes, the results are even better than the Macadamia one.. I kid you not!
CONS: I honestly can’t think of any cons.. besides the fact that its sold overseas and not here in the US.
I have gone through bottles and bottles of this.. its my Holy Grail hair conditioner/treatment. I’ve been using it for years and I haven’t found anything to replace it.

So who is the winner of this battle? *Drumroll* …. Opal One Minute Treatment. Taking into consideration the cost, quantity, and performance, Opal wins the battle. If you have any recommendation then please shoot them my way because I am always looking for a good conditioner!

❤ Jessica

** I have just finished all 3 of these products recently so I was unable to shoot my own photos. These were googled images**

Summer Picks

Since summer is in full swing, let me share with you some summer products that I have been reaching for the most and items in the general category that is a must have for the summer season.

What do I look for in products I use in the summer?

It must be light weight, smudge proof, and long lasting.

FACE: Skin79 Super BB Triple Functions -Whitening

Skin 79 BB Cream OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA 

OK, so Summer = Tinted Moisturizer.At least thats what I think. And for me, BB Cream is pretty much a tinted moisturizer but better. (Don’t think I need to go on about what a BB cream is since you can easily google it and you’ll get TONS of information on it.)  This one that I have has higher coverage than usual tinted moisturizer. SPF25 (protects against UVB  – causes sunburn) PA ++ (protects against UVA- causes premature aging, sunspots, skin cancer) Many Asian skin care products have PA protection levels (more + the better) and the Western markets are starting to introduce it. Best to look for products with both SPF and PA protection.  The color straight out of the pump is a bit gray but after you blend it out, it matches my skin tone perfectly. (about Mac NC25-30) Given I am quite pale, so I don’t think that this will work for people who have darker skin tones. This lasts about 7-8 hours before the coverage starts fading but considering that this is a BB cream I find that to be perfectly acceptable. I can’t say that this is great at oil control though. I don’t have the most oiliest skin, but a couple hours in I do see that my face gets a bit shiny, so for my oily friends, you probably will need to use a oil control primer.

EYES: Estee Laudeer Double Wear Stay-in Place Shadow Creme
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

I absolutely love cream shadows. The Estee Laudeer ones are one of my favorites. I have a couple of these andtheir all quite the same across the board. Creamy and blendable. Does not dry out as fast as the MAC Paint Pots. actually none of the ones I own has ever driedout.  I mostly use these as a primer. But for the summer, I also use these just as shadows. After blending this out, it comes out quite sheer but the color is still there. I love shimmery champagne colors and this Golden Sands is a nice eye brightening color for a natural look.

EYES: Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner- Twilight Night Shimmer Ink

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Compared to the Physicians Formula Liquid Liner

Pairing with the Golden Sands, is this Bobbi Brown Gel Liner. This color isn’t jet black so its softer and more natural. I love gel liner because it creates a softer look than a liquid liner. There is no smudging, smearing, melting, or any of it with this liner. I’ve had it on for about 12 hours and it still looks the same as when it was first applied in the morning. There is a bit of shimmer and its really pretty after applied. Its not too overly glittery, its very subtle. The shimmer doesn’t fall out and make your face look like a disco ball or anything.

EYES: Majolica Majorca Lash Enamel Glamour Volume On
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

BEST Mascara ever! Not a mascara that I would use everyday though. Why? Because it doesn’t budge. Isn’t that suppose to be a good thing? Well it is, until when it comes time to remove your makeup. It takes double the time to remove my eye makeup than usual if I have this on. Proving, that if your looking for a mascara that holds a curl, adds volumes, and lengthen then this is your go to mascara! I have worn it for 24 hrs before, unintentionally! And my lashes looked the same as when I first applied it. This is probably the ONLY mascara that will hold my curls and not have it droop one bit. Not even a little. Amazing (: (Majolica Majorca is the drugstore line of Shiseido.. no wonder right?)

CHEEKS: Gilly Hicks – Hydrangea

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

The ultimate goal of most people during the summer is getting tanned. For those that don’t go out very much, will try and fake that tan. A blush that is a bit darker can give the illusion of tanner, more golden skin. Hydrangea has that more tanner blush color. This blush is my first and only Gilly Hicks beauty product. I remember just picking it up to try during one of their crazy sales. For those that don’t know, Gilly Hicks is the lingerie store of Abercrombie & Fitch. This isn’t super pigmented so it makes it really easy to use (meaning you won’t overdo it) Blendable and buildable .

LIPS: Maybelline – Baby Lips

We all know that sunscreen is needed whenever we go out in the sun. We all apply it on our face and body but a lot of time we forget to protect our lips. Lip balm doesnt’ just help with preventing our lips from getting chapped, but it can also protect it from the sun. Getting a sunburn on our back or arm hurts already, imagine getting your lips burned! Definitely something we don’t want. So when buying a lip balm, make sure to get one with some type of SPF. Baby Lips by Maybelline is a great one. It has SPF 20 and its inexpensive! About $3-4. They have so many different colors and “flavors”? The one that I have is the Melon Mania and oh goodness, it smells delicious! I’m not even a fruity scent girl, but this one really does make you want to slather more on. It also gives you a little bit of color payoff with a bit of glossiness to it.

June Loves

Can’t believehalf of 2013 is gone already! where has time gone. For the month of june, I have kept it pretty simple. I’ve been trying to not buy anymore beauty products until I finish the ones I have. So a empties post would be coming soon! Enough of talking about future post, lets focus on this one. JUNE!

BiodermaOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Bioderma Sensibio H20… this is like a cult favorite. Smells like nothing. Feels like nothing. Perfect for those that have sensitive skin or is sensitive to scents. I use this to remove my face makeup before wash with a cotton pad and it works amazingly. Leaves your skin feeling so refreshed. Takes all the dirt, makeup, and oil off your face. Don’t think ill be needing any other makeup remover from now.

BatisteOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Batiste Dry Shampoo – Floral & Flirty Blush… [BGINFO: i havent tried a dry shampoo that I like. Psst.Tresseme.ojon. babypowder.spray.powder.foam.Heard amazing things about this and when I finally saw it I couldn’t help but pick it up. Its an aerosol spray. A very strong one actually. The spray is white so it initially leaves my hair a bit gray. After rubbing it in though, you hair looks instantly refreshed. Most dry shampoo i’ve tried only appears to be cleaner but would feel even worse than before. Especially after about and hour. But this Batiste one really actually leaves your hair looking, feeling, and smelling fresh.

Conceal RX

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Physicians Formula – Conceal RX natural light High Coverage. Thats all you gotta know. Blends out easily. Not cakey. Lasts for about 10 hrs before it starts to fade. (i don’t powder or touchup throughout the day, so if you do it would probably last even longer)  The tiniest amount will cover away those acne scare or those stubborn bags under your eyes that just doesn’t go away. Probably one of the highest coverage concealer I’ve tried. And for the price at less than $7 you can’t really beat it.  

Physicians Formula

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Physicians Formula – Eye BOOSTER 2-in-1 Lash Booting Eyeline + Serum ultra black … I’ve used this eyeliner a couple years back and have kind of forgotten about it since i’ve been trying out other ones. I have forgotten how easy this liner applies. My favorite type of liquid liner would probably be this type. The brush is not too hard, so it doesn’t tug on your lids. You can create an ultra thin line or a thicker line. Doesn’t smear throughout the day (12+hrs of wear) As far as the serum goes, not so sure if it works or not. 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Nivea Lip Butter

Nivea – Lip Butter – raspberry rose kiss … first off.. this stuff smells delicious! Im not a fan of fruity scents but ohmygolly I can’t get enough of this. Really moisturizing and feels really nice on the lips. better than burtsbees for sure. This does nude out my lips a little bit since it is a milky pink color.

Baked Lentil ChipsOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Food – Trader Joes – Lentil Chips … Absolutely obsessed with this. Doesn’t taste like lentils at all. A bit like popChips? SO delicious. By itself. With Guacamole. With Hummus. doesn’t matter.

Random- Small Talks by Of Monsters and Men … been in love with this song this month. Especially the cover that Julia Sheer and Jon D did.

Keeping the amount of products to the minimal. So this will conclude my June Loves, and its time to start discovering what other stuff I have that needs some loving.