Month: August 2018

Primp Tip: My 5-Minute Makeup Routine

Published on by Crystal LeeLeave a comment

We all have mornings where we’re strapped for time yet still need to look presentable. Trust me when I say I’ve been there! Your alarm clock doesn’t go off, you’ve pressed snooze one too many times, or your morning just isn’t going quite the way you want it to. With a busy schedule and hardly enough time to make breakfast, putting on a full face of makeup doesn’t always make sense.

I’ve had my fair share of practice over the years when it comes to applying makeup in a pinch. So today I thought I’d share my foolproof 5-minute makeup routine to save you time on those busy mornings. Keep scrolling to see how you too can achieve a perfectly put together look in no time at all…

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Start at the foundation.

On busy mornings I opt for lighter but even-looking coverage when it comes to foundation. I want my skin to have a healthy, even glow without going over the top. For this I use Black Radiance TRUE COMPLEXION™ BB CREAM or I use Iman Second To None Stick Foundation/ Iman Second To None Cream To Powder. I love how blendable their foundation is and the end result feels completely weightless.

Once my foundation is evenly applied, I reach for my NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer, Too Faced Born This Way Concealer Naturally Radiant Concealer-Deep with Golden Undertones or FENTY BEAUTY by Rihanna Match Stix Trio. I like to cover any noticeable redness or dark circles under my eyes, but make sure to do the bare minimum. Next, I use TRUE COMPLEXION™ SOFT FOCUS FINISHING POWDER to give me an airbrush flawless finish look. Remember, we’re trying to save as much time as possible. Save any major contouring for another day! 

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Make me blush.

Don’t forget to leave the house with a pretty, natural flush. I like to lightly contour my cheeks by applying Anastasia Beverly Hills Bronzing Powder in Mahogany. I rarely contour my entire face so just a touch of bronzing powder does the trick.

I then apply PÜR 4-In-1 Blush Book to the apples of my cheeks. It adds enough color to give me a healthy glow without being over the top.

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Easy on the eyes.

Believe it or not there are only four products that I use on my eyes on a regular basis—whether I’m trying to save time or not! First I start by sculpting my brows. I’m more of a natural girl myself, especially in the brow department. I use the Tinted Brow Gel – Granite to keep my brows put and the Anastasia Brow Definer – Dark Brown to make my brows look defined. I pencil in my eyebrows mimicking the natural direction of the hair and use the spooli on the other end to blend it all out.

Sometimes, I go in with my Morphe 25A COPPER SPICE EYESHADOW PALETTE, ABH
Modern Renaissance Palette, ABH Soft Glam Eyeshadow Palette Once, and/or ABH Norvina Eyeshadow Palette. When I’m done putting on eyeshadow, I coat my eyelashes with Benefit Cosmetics Roller Lash Curling & Lifting Mascara and call it good!

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The perfect pout.

Perfectly applying lip liner and lipstick (don’t get any on your teeth!) can take up way too much time. Instead, using a tinted lip balm will not only give your lips hydration but will also give them a nice, natural wash of color that is perfect for school, appointments or work. Before I head out the door I swipe on Maybelline New York Baby Lips Cherry Balm or FENTY BEAUTY by Rihanna Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer for moisture. It leaves my lips extra soft. 

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And there you have it! With enough practice you’ll have this routine down in five minutes flat.

How do you save time in the morning?

I’d love to hear your tips in the comments!

XO Lee

 

Beauty 911: Locked & Loaded

Published on by Crystal LeeLeave a comment

Today I’m sharing 12 things every girl ought to have in her beauty ammo whether she’s on the clock or not…

Here’s the scenario: It’s Monday morning. Your beautiful dress is full of static, you’ve still got breakfast in your teeth (darn those mangos), your T-zone is shiny…and it’s only 10am. So what’s a girl to do? Whip out her Beauty Emergency Kit (lovingly known as a “beautE-Kit”)

There are a few tried-and-true items every working (or school-aged) lady must have close at hand. This is what I keep in my beautE-Kit…

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Static Guard. It may sound strange, but this is an absolute must. Not only will it come in handy when your new dress is sticking to your legs, it can also be used in lieu of hair spray to tame flyaway. Just spritz a little on your fingertips and lightly dab unruly hairs into place.

Floss Pick. After each meal, give your pearly whites a quick clean. If you spot any leftovers, dislodge them using a floss pick. Floss picks can also be used to de-clump mascara or remove dirt from under your nails. However, please remember to perform such forms of maintenance in the privacy of the ladies room.

Mini Mirror. It’s always a good idea to keep a small pocket mirror close at hand. You’ll never wonder if you have lipstick on your teeth again!

Lotion. Usually, offices are either too cold or too hot, which can lead to chapped hands–especially when you’re washing them constantly after using the restroom. To prevent dry, cracked hands moisturize throughout the day by using your favorite hand lotion. Your hands (and nails) will thank you.

Hand Sanitizer. Sneeze, cough or blow your nose? Do your co-workers a favor and disinfect. No need to pass around an unwanted bug.

Blister Blockers. Is there anything worse than breaking in a new pair of shoes? Keep a stash of extra strong blister bandages at your desk, just in case.

Vaseline. This is one of the most underrated beauty products out there. Use it to quench dry lips, smooth it over your heel if your shoe is rubbing, or swipe it over your cuticles for a quick pick me up.

Deodorant. Keep a travel-sized deodorant stashed in your kit. You’ll never have to sweat the small stuff again (like forgetting to put it on as you rushed out the door this morning).

Stain Remover. Food should be in your mouth, not on your clothes. And the same goes for coffee. Never worry about walking into a meeting with marinara polka dots again!

Snack. It sounds silly, but I keep little bites in my puse. A case of the hangrys (hungry + angry = hangry) is never becoming.

Meds. Whether you’re team Tylenol or you’re an ibuprofen fan, having a stash of goodies to combat headaches is a smart way to keep your head clear. Also, having a few Tums on hand isn’t a bad idea either…

Bobby Pins. Nix bedhead, windy-day-hair or I-was-in-a-rush-this-morning head with a few bobby pins. A topknot, ballerina or fun bun can always tame unruly hair with the help of a few hairpins.

Those are my essentials. If you’re stranded at your desk, these 12 items will get you through. Next week, I’ll be posting a blog about office items that double as beauty products!

Want to win a copy of my personal beautE-Kit?

Leave a comment below telling me about an office item that plays double beauty duty (Note: It must be a common office item such as a paperclip and you need to tell me how it can be used as a beauty product/tool). The winner with the most creative idea will win! I’ll announce the winner and I’ll feature my favorite 5 suggestions in next week’s post too!

XO LEE

Beauty Essential: My Favorite Foundations

Published on by Crystal Lee1 Comment 
It is hard for me as a woman of color to find the perfect foundation. Luckily,  there are tools  out there to help me find the product for me. Over the years, I've went through countless brands in search of the hue that would match my melanin skin tone. I have six brands that I'm in love with. If you want to know which brands have my heart and want more information about them before buying your next foundation then keep on reading.

NARS

I have been using Nars Sheer Glow Foundation for couple of months now and honestly my makeup always ends up looking hydrated, more luminous, softer, and smoother. It has a sheer, buildable coverage foundation with a radiant natural finish.  The Sheer Glow Foundation glides on effortlessly, blurring imperfections and evening out skin tone for the ultimate sophisticated finish that allows your skin’s natural beauty to shine through. I recommend this product especially to those who have dry skin.

What it does:
Sheer Glow Foundation enhances, without masking, your overall natural complexion. Powered by the NARS Complexion Brightening Formula, this lightweight, buildable formula delivers a range of effects while evening the complexion and improving skin’s texture and brightness. Powerful antioxidants protect against damaging free radicals, while glycerin, known as one of the most effective and well known humectants, attracts and holds moisture. A vitamin C derivative helps to brighten skin and diminish the look of discoloration. Tumeric extract, a plant of the ginger family, improves skin radiance and evens the skintone.

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From Nars, I also used the Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation. It has medium buildable coverage, up to 16 hours of lightweight, natural, fade-resistant wear, featuring full-powered radiance to smooth the look of skin. 

This transfer-resistant, sweat-resistant formula stays color-true all day, and continues to look fresh and vibrant, as if it was just applied. This formula features superior blendability for an imperceptible effect that looks natural, like skin. It doesn’t look or feel cakey, heavy, drying, or masking. A unique combination of translucent base with micronized amino acid-coated pigments and mineral tone-balancing powders mimic skin’s tone, fusing with it for the closest match. NARS’ Skin Optimizing Complex—a blend of raspberry, apple, and watermelon extracts—helps support skin’s elastic fibers to smooth and improve skin’s appearance over time for optimal radiance.

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And another one! You might be over Nars right now but these are the foundations that I have tried from them which happens to my favorites. NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation is an oil-free liquid foundation that neutralizes discoloration and delivers full, natural-looking coverage with one drop, for weightless, 16-hour wear. 

What it does:
All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation delivers full, natural-looking coverage with unexpectedly weightless, 16-hour wear—all with just one drop. Tone Correcting Technology works instantly and long-term to neutralize redness, dullness and discoloration for more even, uniform skin. Unique blend of optical and skincare ingredients smooths skin while enhancing its natural beauty.

Weightless Long-Wear Technology creates a uniquely fluid formula that delivers complete coverage with unexpected weightless wear. This breakthrough technology contains a proprietary blend of pigments, treated by a unique polymer to make them water-, sweat-, and sebum-resistant. Unlike typical treated pigments, they weightlessly deliver long-wear complete coverage without masking the skin. The result is a naturally perfected look. The advanced flexible polymer moves with your skin to provide a comfortable, breathable feel and a natural look that lasts for 16 hours. It provides moisture barrier protection for a non-drying feel.

"Makeup shouldn’t cover your skin, it should enhance your natural beauty, not mask it." - François Nars, Founder and Creative Director of NARS

FENTY BEAUTY by Rihanna

What it is:
A soft matte, long-wear foundation with buildable, medium-to-full coverage, in a boundary-breaking range of shades.

What it does:
Finally—the ultimate photo filter in foundation form. Born in 40 boundary-breaking shades, Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation gives skin an instantly smooth, pore-diffused, shine-free finish that easily builds to medium to full coverage. The oil-free formula is made with climate-adaptive technology that’s resistant to sweat and humidity, and won’t clog pores so that wherever you are, it’s going to work on your skin. Best of all, this longwearing, light-as-air texture is undetectable on skin—so you always look like you.

I am obsessing over Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation that provides us with a soft matte finish that’s just right—not too matte and not too shiny. The result? A comfortable long-wear formula that lets skin look like skin.

"Foundation is one of those areas in the beauty industry that has a big void for women at extreme ends of the shade spectrum. There’s this middle ground that's covered really, really well. But then if you're very pale or if you're very dark, there aren’t a lot of options. And so, I wanted to make sure that women of all skin tones were covered so they could be included in what I created."— Rihanna, Brand Founder

SEPHORA COLLECTION

10 HR Wear Perfection Foundation has a buildable coverage that instantly conceals blemishes with an invisible, flawless finish.

What it does:
Conceal blemishes, pigmentation marks, scars, and dark spots with this foundation that provides a natural, beautiful finish. This formula blends with your skin tone to create an invisible veil, like a second skin that adapts to all the movements of the face for optimum comfort all-day long. Hyaluronic acid smooths the skin, while antioxidant vitamin E protects against external stressors. Soft focus pigments blur out blemishes and soften the appearance of wrinkles for a youthful-looking, even complexion.

Urban Decay

Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Foundation is an oil-free, lightweight liquid foundation that feels like wearing nothing at all, while leaving a demi-matte finish. 

What it does:
Urban Decay’s Naked Skin Liquid Makeup leaves skin looking natural, illuminated, and bright with a luminous demi-matte finish: like the beautiful skin you were born with. Light-diffusing spheres provide a visible reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, blurring imperfections for beautifully perfected, ultra-definition skin that looks completely real.

It provides truly buildable coverage with a weightless feel and a luminous finish. And it’s loaded with nourishing ingredients, including: Matrixyl 3000 (a powerful anti-wrinkle peptide), protective and brightening Litchiderm™, antioxidant green tea, and sodium hyaluronate for optimal skin hydration and nutrient absorption. The sleek, hygienic pump provides more control, with less waste of product.

Bare Minerals

BareMinerals Original Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15 is a mineral foundation with buildable coverage and a natural-looking, radiant finish.

What it does:
With the smooth, radiant look of a liquid foundation and the breathability of a powder, it’s no wonder this is the #1 Loose Powder Foundation in America. An original from the start, this formula is made with only five skin-loving mineral ingredients. Original Foundation’s minerals transform from powder to a silky cream when swirled, then buff and melt onto the face for a luminous, second-skin finish.

Original Foundation provides customized coverage designed to be buildable from sheer to full. All-day wear means less time spent on touch-ups, and non-chemical SPF 15 protection keeps sun damage at bay, helping skin stay healthier and younger-looking. This foundation is formulated for all skin types and is safe even for sensitive skin.

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BareMinerals Matte Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15 is an oil-controlling mineral foundation with skin-loving ingredients, buildable sheer-to-full coverage, non-chemical Broad Spectrum SPF 15 protection and a natural matte finish. 

What it does:
This foundation’s good-for-skin, weightless minerals buff and blend seamlessly upon application. Redness, imperfections, fine lines, and wrinkles appear instantly blurred. Silica helps absorb excess skin oil, and the appearance of pores virtually disappear after buffing onto skin. Skin looks visibly better immediately, and actually improves over time, too.

It’s the ideal foundation for normal-to-oily skin types or the perfect alternative to Original Foundation’s luminous finish on those days when you want to go matte.

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Bare Minerals BAREPRO Performance Wear Powder Foundation is a 12-hour wear, pressed mineral powder foundation formulated with 90 percent vitamins and minerals for naturally matte, full, flawless coverage. 

What it does:
BAREPRO® Performance Wear Powder Foundation provides 12-hour long-wear with stay-true pigments. Redefining high-performance foundation, the formula is dermatologist tested to be non-acnegenic and non-comedogenic, and it’s 100 percent breathable. The silky, non-drying powder delivers full, flawless coverage and is clinically shown to improve skin clarity, reduce the look of pore size, and control shine. It’s available in multiple shades—from the fairest porcelain to the deepest cocoa for all skintones.

PÜR

Bare It All 12-Hour 4-In-1 Skin-Perfecting Foundation is this high-performance, 12-hour, demi-matte foundation that helps to cover imperfections and instantly perfect the skin while helping to correct problem areas over time so you can confidently bare it all. Designed for face and body and formulated with PÜR’s proprietary Energy Complex and Ceretin Complex, this formula renews the look of your skin and goes the distance.

PÜR foundation is great, the only thing which is a major thing is that they don’t have a wide variety of shades. It is very limited. I use the shade deeper which I believe is the deepest shade that they have and use it as a concealer sometimes.

I use these foundations during the day since it’s lightweight and incredibly moisturizing. My skin is always left looking glowy, flawless and fresh, which is exactly how you should feel (and look) after using a good foundation.

What’s your favorite foundation(s)?

XO Lee

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Primp Tip: How to Make Your Pores Appear Smaller

Published on by Crystal Lee7 Comments

Recently, I’ve gotten quite a few requests to do a blog post on pore minimizing tips. I’ve covered so many skincare issues here on the site, from acne to under eye circles. But this is one topic I haven’t talked about yet, so I thought I’d give it a go! While I’m pretty well versed in the world of beauty, I’m not an aesthetician or dermatologist. These are just some helpful tips I’ve gathered over the years. Check it out below…

What are pores?

First, let’s start with the basics. Pores are the tiny openings in the skin where oil and sweat is released to keep skin naturally moisturized, cool, and healthy. Pores are also home to your hair follicles. You have pores all over the surface of your skin, but they tend to be more prominent on your face because that is where your sebaceous (oil) glands are the largest. When your pores get clogged with dead skin cells, dirt, oil, or makeup, that’s what causes acne. So it goes without saying that you want to prevent buildup and keep your pores clean.

Why do some people’s pores look larger than others?

Not to state the obvious, but we all have wildy different skin. Some women deal with discoloration, some are plagued by breakouts, and others have visible pores. A lot of it is left to genetics. For instance, your pores are more likely to look larger if you have an olive complexion or a darker skin tone. Skin type and age also affect the size of your pores. People with oily skin tend to have larger pores (because their pores are more active). And as we age, we lose elasticity in skin, which can make pores appear larger. Accumulation of dead skin cells, sebum (oil), and dirt and picking at a pimple can also stretch pores.

How can I make my pores appear smaller?

While it’s not possible to actually physically shrink your pores, you can make them look smaller and give your skin a smooth, radiant appearance. The first step is ridding your skin of all the things that potentially clog pores and make them more prominent (dirt, oil, dead skin cells, etc.). With proper cleansing and steaming, exfoliation, regular professional facials, and the use of noncomedogenic products can minimize the appearance of pores.

Cleanse

Never going to sleep without properly cleansing your skin is a given. I recommend the ‘double cleanse’ where you use a makeup wipe to remove impurities on the surface and then apply a cleanser to penetrate deeper. Incorporating steam can help to open pores and release impurities while softening the skin.

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Exfoliate

Exfoliation is also key in keeping pores clear. Kate recommends making exfoliation a part of every skincare regimen (2-3 times a week). Always exfoliate with steam (the shower is a great place), and look for a product that has both physical and enzymatic exfoliation. Products with alpha hydroxy acids such as lactic acid will also help refine the appearance of pores.

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Prime

Primer might be one of those products that you think you can do without or never really understood the purpose of. But using a primer is another great way to minimize the appearance of pores. Primers sit on the surface of the skin and create a barrier between skin and makeup. Primers prevent makeup from sinking into your pores and create more of an even skin tone.

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Professional Facials

A professional facial treats your skin to a deep pore cleansing that you simply can’t achieve with every day cleansing. Regular, professional extractions will help keep skin clear and prevent scarring in the long run. I recommend getting a facial every 4-6 weeks for maintenance.

Do you have any other skincare topics you’ve like me to cover?

Let me know in the comments.

XO Lee