How To Reshape Your Makeup Brushes?!

Would You Fill Your Wrinkles With Blood?

Looking for a smooth complexion without any artificial injectables? Good news! The secret to youthful skin is coursing through your veins! Nicknamed the “Vampire” face lift, Selphyl is a new procedure that harvests platelet-rich plasma (PRP) from your own blood to inject in your face and fill out wrinkles and lines. While this beauty treatment has nothing to do with actual blood-sucking vampire bites, it may give your skin eternal youth. We spoke with Lauren Zeifman, RPA-C and founder of Manhattan-based aesthetic center Park Avenue Solutions, on why her patients love the treatment so much.

HOW DOES SELPHYL WORK?
First, blood is drawn from any part of your body and placed in a centrifuge for six minutes to separate the nutrient-rich platelets, which are then injected in your skin the same day. "We physically inject the platelets into your skin because they are responsible for cell regeneration," says Lauren. These platelets contain an array of proteins, enzymes, and hormones that stimulate tissue growth. The procedure takes less than 30 minutes total, and patients begin to see results within a few days. Side effects include a couple of hours of mild swelling and bruising at the injection site, and patients can expect results to last approximately three months. But the worst side effect is the dent on your wallet. Prices can range from $1500 to $2000 per treatment.

WHERE DOES SELPHYL WORK BEST?
The treatment is most widely used around the periocular region (the area around the eyes) to fill in hollow under-eyes or to plump crow’s feet. "It's more about the area of concern than the age of a patient. I've treated women of all ages from their twenties on," reveals Lauren.

HOW LONG DO RESULT LAST?
Initially, patients get two or three treatments in the first year to test the treatment’s compatibility on their skin, then come in for treatments every three months to perpetuate cell regeneration. "Additional treatments can vary depending on your personal results," explains Lauren. "The blood and viability of the platelets affect how dramatic your results will be." Regardless of blood type, results are subtle and natural-looking with PRP—you’ll notice fewer fine lines, and wrinkles will look softer and skin plumper.

IS SELPHYL AN ALTERNATIVE TO BOTOX OR FILLERS?
Selphyl and Botox are not the same. To smooth out fine lines, Botox stops muscle function when injected, while Selphyl acts more like a filler. Selphyl’s PRP fills up wrinkles like fellow plumpers collagen and hyaluronic acid (the main ingredient in Restalyne and Juvaderm), but they work in opposite ways. The older injectable fillers temporarily plump the skin, while PRP encourages long-term plasma growth on a cellular level, and gives a more natural effect on the surface of the skin. "With PRP, your body absorbs the fluid and keeps regenerating cells," explains Lauren. "That's why patients see better results with each treatment." And since Selphyl also has no allergy risk (which can be a problem with hyaluronic acid and collagen), this "organic" option might be your best bet. If you're curious about the treatment, Lauren suggests visiting Selphyl online to locate a licensed practitioner near you.

Is Brush Cleaning Really that Important?

We all have our fair share of bad beauty habits, and one of the most common offenses is unclean brushes. Although it may seem unimportant, failing to sanitize your tools can be worse than forgetting to wash your face! Taking proper care of your bristles helps their performance, extends their lifetime, and prevents harmful bacteria from forming. We chatted with New York-based dermatologist Elizabeth Tanzi, M.D., as well as makeup artists Sonia Kashuk and Dick Page, to better understand this essential part of your beauty routine.

How dirty brushes affect your skin

While your bristles pick up pigments, they also collect dirt, oil, and bacteria—and this affects Beauties with sensitive or acne-prone skin the most! "This buildup can be transferred to your skin and cause breakouts," says Dr. Tanzi. She suggests cleaning your tools with warm water and a gentle soap such as Cetaphil every three months to avoid unhealthy bacteria accumulation. Another danger to watch out for? The spread of viruses. "In the worst case scenario, herpes can be spread by lip gloss brushes,” warns Dr. Tanzi. “Eye shadow and liner brushes can transfer pinkeye or other viral infections, so try not to share them!" The risk of infection is lower with blush and face powder brushes since they are not coming in contact with wet areas like the eyes and mouth, which can harbor more bacteria and viruses.

Cleaning tips

In addition to nasty side effects, filthy tips can interfere with your artwork. "Washing your brushes once a week keeps bristles soft for easier application and allows you to grab the true pigment you want," explains Sonia. If you're prone to acne, wash your sponges, brushes, and eye lash curlers daily. There are many methods for cleaning brushes, Dick recommends using a combination of baking soda and baby shampoo to clean fluffy brushes. "The sodium bicarb helps to deodorize and disinfect. Then hang the brushes upside down," Dick advises. "This is important because you don't want to have any liquid seeping back into the base of the brush." Sonia also suggests spritzing a cleansing spray which can also be used on pressed powders too and laying brushes flat on a clean paper towel overnight.

Date Night Game Plan

February 14th falls on a Tuesday this year, so if you’re celebrating Valentine's Day, that means you probably made post-work plans. But even if you rush home for a quick change before your big night, there’s never enough time to fit in your full grooming routine. Because we know looking refreshed is especially important if you've got a big date, we've got the perfect plan for prepping in a flash!



                          Hair               

                          In the Morning: 10 minutes

Most men think bombshell waves are sexy (have you ever seen a Victoria Secret model strutting down the runway with a ballerina bun? No!). For a supermodel-worthy hairstyle, wash your tresses and give yourself a quick blowout on Tuesday morning—this will give your locks fresh volume. Don't worry about getting every strand super sleek, your hair will loose its pouf during the day.

At Night: 5 minutes

When you get home, add a few curls to the ends of your strands. Use a large barrel iron and alternate the direction of the spirals so your mane looks full and has plenty of texture. Flip your head upside down and blast the underside of your tresses for 60 seconds with your blow dryer on the cool setting. This will give your waves a bit more volume and help set the style. Mist a strong hold hairspray and soften ringlets by gently finger-combing while you’re en route to your location.

                          Makeup
In the Morning: 5 minutes

The AM is all about creating a good base so you can just layer on a splash of color when the sun sets. Even out your complexion and create a natural radiance by smoothing on a tinted moisturizer or BB cream. Then, apply a cream blush to your cheeks for an alluring glow. Finish with two flicks of mascaras and a swipe of hydrating lip balm.

At Night: 5 minutes

The best thing about rocking a statement lip? It's a one-step wow effect that only takes seconds! Plus, you can chose between a festive Valentine-appropriate shade: sizzling red or flirty pink. Keep the focus on your power pout and create cat eyes or rim your peepers with a black liner. Gently smudge pencil along the lash line for a subtle, sultry smoky eye. Refresh your complexion with a light dusting of shimmering powder blush or if you're really in a rush, dab a bit of the lip color onto the apples of your cheeks.

                          Body
                                       In the Morning: 2 minutes

The night before, shave legs and apply a self-tanner or bronzer. Give your fingertips a new manicure or fresh top coat. Be sure to do both a few hours before you hit the hay to avoid smudges while you snooze. When you wake up, slather limbs with a shimmer lotion for an all-over glow. This way your tint and glitter have all day to dry and won’t transfer to your special evening ensemble.

 At Night: 1 minute

Right before you breeze out the door, mist your favorite perfume on your wrists, neck, and the backs of your knees. The body heat will give the scent a sexy boost!

DIY Valentine's Day Nail Decals

It's the nail art dilemma—you want to create detailed designs on both hands, but you lack the dexterity to draw on both your left and right fingertips. The solution? Nail decals! Brands such as Sally Hansen and Minx offer pre-made nail decals which you can press onto each finger and go. But if you don’t find a design you like, it's time to DIY! These homemade nail stickers are easy to make and you can personalize your manicure in any way you want. For today’s tutorial, we were inspired by the season, and created cute Valentine's candy hearts! With a little patience and time, every finger gets an artist's touch.

What Makes a Beauty Brand Natural?

A recent study conducted by eco-industry research company Organic Monitor suggests that some beauty brands claiming to be natural and organic aren't living up their marketing claims. By examining product formulations, use of synthetic ingredients, and marketing labels, the company ranked more than 50 international natural beauty brands on how trustworthy their natural labels are. While some niche eco-brands such as Intelligent Nutrients rose to the top (achieving a 9 out of a possible 10 score), big names such as L'Oréal's Garnier Bio Active and Johnson's Natural lines scored high for their use of organic ingredients. Companies that scored poorly did so because of false advertising claims and chemically unclean formulations.

So what really contributed to the high scores in this study? Organic ingredients, any organic or eco certifications, and the use of fair-trade products were favorable. Location also played an important role. European brands scored highest on average (because of their already high eco standards), with American brands following them. Asian and Latin American brands are slower to get on the naturals bandwagon—their formulations are reportedly higher in synthetic preservatives and emulsifiers.

With such costly ingredients and certifications, it seems that running a natural beauty brand is a more expensive endeavor than most people would imagine. Pure formulations and specialized packaging add cost at the counter, but is it worth it for you?

3 Poetic Valentine's Day Makeup Looks to Try

Love is in the air, and February is our favorite month for roses, poetry, and romantic makeup looks. Not sure what makeup to wear on Valentine’s day? Let’s take a look at some of our favorite Valentine makeup looks, inspired by the immortal words of stars, philosophers, and playwrights.

Shakespeare wrote one of the greatest love stories of all time, and we bet Romeo couldn’t stop staring at Juliet’s ethereal eyes. There’s nothing more feminine and pretty than shimmering neutral lids paired with soft-focus skin and barely-there blush. The look is classic, yet swoon-worthy!

Your pout is perhaps the more alluring and seductive feature on the face, and famous film star Judy Garland knew a thing or two about ruby lips (she played Dorothy in the original Wizard of Oz!). Since there might be some lip-locking action happening on the 14th, avoid a sticky mess with a hydrating red balm.

We like to think 18th-century philosopher Voltaire embraced l’amour—he was French, after all! And we certainly share his blank-canvas philosophy on the subject—about makeup. Enhance a pearlescent pout and delicately defined eyes with a petal-fresh, complexion-boosting powder. You want your guy to gaze at you, not your makeup!

5 Ways to Brighten Up for Spring

Spring forward! It’s time to toast the seasonal transition with a splash of color for your look. We may not be out of winter yet, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start shedding a few of those thick layers—and we don’t just mean your hats and coats! Ditch black liner, heavy foundation, and gray polish and get glowing with these five easy tips!

1. Get a glaze

The easiest way to refresh your hair hue? Try an at-home glaze to boost shine and enhance your color. The temporary treatment works on any hair type and washes out after about 20 shampoos. Help the glaze penetrate deeper into your locks by blasting saturated strands with a blow-dryer for five to ten minutes and preserve your dazzle by using a sulfate-free shampoo.

2. Swipe on lilac lipstick

Tired of the typical red and pink lip colors? Try an unexpected violet tint. If a fully lavender lip is too shocking of a statement, layer a sheer lilac gloss over a pink lipstick for feminine, blue-based boost.

3. Apply a dash of teal eye liner

Rev up your daytime style with an eye-catching liner. Ocean blues are cool without being drab and complement all eye colors. Rim your waterline with an aqua shade for an intense and vibrant effect.

4. Achieve a dewy complexion

Warm weather means you should ditch the heavy foundation. But looking fresh and dewy —not flustered and sweaty!—is all about finding a delicate balance of just the right makeup. This year's must-have product, BB Cream, will help you achieve a natural radiance and protect your skin from sun rays and free radicals.

5. Try the tangerine trend

We already told you all about 2012's it color: Tangerine tango, and what better time than spring to try the hot red-orange hue? Reintroduce your toes to the world with a bang by painting the fiery shade during your next pedicure. Talk about putting pep in your step!





Valentine's Sweetheart Plaid Nails

Is Mixing Skin Care Products Dangerous?

Are you a skin care product junkie? When it comes to stocking up on complexion essentials, brand loyalty is more important than you think. Blending different cleansers, scrubs, serums, and sunscreens does more harm than good sometimes. Incompatible ingredients or different pH ranges can irritate skin and lead to breakouts. To better understand the do's and don'ts of skin care cocktailing we chatted with Los Angeles-based dermatologist Ava Shamban, M.D.

What to look out for

When you mix certain active ingredients together, “you may experience skin sensitivity, breakouts, rashes, or topical skin dermatitis," warns Dr. Shamban. Blending formulas is also bad. Some ingredients become less effective when layered and can even completely cancel each other out. One example of a mismatch? Copper peptides and vitamin C. "Copper peptides are found in many anti-aging products such as moisturizers and serums," explains Dr. Shamban. "They counteract topical vitamin C—another popular anti-aging ingredient.” So check your labels carefully. “Alpha Hydroxy Acids and retinols also shouldn't be mixed together or applied at the same time, as one degrades the other,” according to Dr. Shamban. Since retinols also increase your skin’s sun sensitivity, apply them in the evenings only.

Acne aids

Zit zappers can work against you when you cocktail them. If you layer on high concentrations of powerful pimple fighters like glycolic acid, salicylic acid, and retinols at the same time, you may face a bigger problem than when you started. Skin can become inflamed, ruddy, dry, and acne can get worse! "The package inserts on most retinol products say not to use salicylic acid with them," explains Dr. Shamban. "However, it all depends on your skin tolerance. Both ingredients are quite drying—try using one in the morning and another in the evening for optimal results."

What about sunscreen?

“Your normal skin care regime of cleanser and moisturizer won’t interfere with the SPF effectiveness and shouldn’t irritate your skin,” says Dr. Shamban. You can even layer on an antioxidant serum to boost your UV protection.

The bottom line

Most of the time mixing skin care items is okay, just be careful not to overuse one type of ingredient or layer ingredients that counteract with each other. To avoid unwanted side effects, keep your routine basic. Stick to one active ingredient in the morning and another one at night.

Get Glossy Eyes!

Have you always wondered how models rock lustrous, shiny eye makeup looks in high-fashion editorial shoots? For a quick liquid-y texture on the lids, makeup artists usually turn to Vaseline to achieve the effect. Unfortunately, slathering jelly over your eyes doesn’t bode well for durability, and the lack of lasting power has us yearning for more hard-wearing options. Try these products and techniques and see how you create glossy lids that last!

Make it Multidimensional

A glossy, creamy eye makeup looks gorgeous on its own. But add a little shimmer to that mix, and you've got yourself glowing peepers like you've never seen before! We love dabbing a drop of Lorac's 3D Liquid Lustre on the center of our lids and across our brow bone for a reflective finish. And because you only need a drop of product, you’ll never worry about creasing!

(Lip) Gloss it Up

Tacky lip glosses are designed to last longer on your lips, and the same rule applies on your eyes! Since they're less slippery than a lotion or jelly, a lip lacquer stays on your skin for the long haul. To avoid a sticky situation, apply your favorite thick formula over an eye primer, and keep the placement above the crease and on the center of the lids.

I Love For Fashion

hello gals~ I'm fresh in blogspot. ...Ooh yea, so excited to set up this blog of mine!

I decided to set up this blog since a long long time ago, just wanna sharing some beauty tips and fashion ideas for all my friends here...And....wanna give away the good things i had and sharing the benefits together in here and so much on SOON!!!

Let's be the pretty babies!
See you gals around!

Beauty Inn