Reading Plue's blog post on Etude House's Cotton Puffs, it reminded me on something I'd like to share with y'all. And that is on using good facial cotton.I used to buy my facial cotton and cotton swabs from 2-dollar stores. Hey, why spend so much money on something which you're going to use for a few seconds, and then throw away, right? It's only cotton wool, after all. When it came to stuff like this, I was cheap. I'd spend lots of money on makeup, skincare products, but scrimp and save on application apparatus. Cheap makeup wedges, cheap facial cotton, the works. Heck, I even used Tesco Value facial cotton once. Don't, by the way. It's crap.
And that was where I learned my lesson.
Cheap facial cotton can easily tear, leave cotton fibres on your face, and are far too thin. When a piece of facial cotton is too thin, it absorbs a lot of liquid thus wetting the whole piece of cotton. When you apply toner with a thin piece of facial cotton, you'd risk applying too much, and it's a waste.
I absolutely hate it when the cotton fibres stick on my face. It's like having extra facial hair which I have to tweeze out. Ugh.
Most importantly, cheap facial cotton tend to have tiny balls of rolled up cotton weaved in between the fibres. You might not realise it when you run your fingers on the piece of cotton. However, when you apply toner onto the facial cotton and then to your face, you'd feel tiny scratches as you swipe the cotton on your skin.
I used to buy the cheapest Priceline facial cotton available, and many a time, I've scratched my face with the cotton. Once it got so bad, it left a faint red line on my cheek! Now this isn't good, because this can cause fine lines to prematurely appear on your face with scratchy facial cotton.
The same goes for cotton swabs, especially when you use them to remove your eye makeup. Cheapo cotton swabs with tiny scratchy rolled-up fibre balls in them can scratch your delicate eye area.
I wouldn't even recommend the cheap and thin facial cotton to remove nail polish either. When you swipe nail polish remover on your nails, the cotton fibres would tear, and you'd need to use another piece of cotton to swipe the other nails. This wastes cotton and nail polish remover. When you use a good piece of facial cotton, you'd only need to use one per hand/foot because the piece of cotton would not tear.
I highly recommend embossed facial cotton, like the ones by Swisspers or The Body Shop. The cotton fibres tend to hold together better, thus reducing tear upon friction. I found that I used less facial cotton when I'm using higher-quality ones.
Unfortunately, good quality facial cotton and cotton swabs are slightly more expensive than generic brands, but at the end of the day, your skin, your pocket and the environment (less waste would be generated from used facial cotton) will thank you for it.
Labels: Beauty Tips
Myth: Dabbing toothpaste on a pimple can make it disappear. Truth: Yes, toothpaste is drying - but it can also be irritating, and fluoride and tartar-control ingredients have actually proven to make pimples worse.
Best to stick to proper zit-zapping formula from Oxy and Clearasil ;)
Labels: Beauty Tips
Myth: You need a tinted concealer to colour-correct certain flaws.Truth: We can see why this seemed like a wicked-cool idea back in 1989, since the colour wheel, greren does indeed cancel out red. On your face, however, without expert application, there's a decent chance you'll end up looking like the Incredible Hulk. And experts agree: the colour you want in a concealer is the one that most precisely matches your skin.
Labels: Beauty Tips
Be careful when layering vitamin c serum with other acidic products. Vitamin C isn't pH-compatible with retinol, and both are ineffective when worn together. Plus combining vitamin C with AHAs (alpha hydroxy acid) can be extremely irritating to the skin.Labels: Beauty Tips
If you get marooned without your favourite concealer, check the cap of your foundation bottle. The makeup that has collected there is somewhat thicker and perfect for covering up flaws.Labels: Beauty Tips
To speed the healing of a pimple, crush an aspirin, and blend it with water to make a paste. Aspirin contains a high concentration of salicylic acid, the same beta hydroxy acid that's in countless blemish products. Just be sure to dilute it with water to avoid irritation, and skip the trick altogether if you're allergic to aspirin. Labels: Beauty Tips
Because of the heat on your skin, fingers can be the ultimate blending tool, especially for fragile areas like under the eyes. To set concealer over dark circles, lay the pad o your middle or ring finger lightly on top of the skin for 10 to 15 seconds to warm the cover-up and allow it to melt in, then pat around the edges.Be careful not to rub the skin under the eyes as it's very thin and fragile. You don't want those unslightly lines and wrinkles to form ;)
Labels: Beauty Tips
Deep conditioning treatments can be great for your hair - and not so great for your face. If you are prone to acne, be sure to keep hot oil or other heavy conditioners away from your bangs and hairline. I'd suggest you to do this in the shower. Apply the hair treatment, wrap your head in a warm towel, allow the water to wash off the access conditioner on your hairline and face, do a body scrub, shave your legs, cleanse your face, and do whatever it is that you do in the shower ... AND THEN only wash the conditioner off your hair. The running water will keep the conditioner off the hairline and face.
Note: Since I read a lot of beauty magazines and beauty books (thank you, Borders, and your read-while-sipping-coffee-and-don't-have-to-buy-the-book-if-you-don't-want-to policy :p), I shall share the many beauty tips and quotes that I found useful with y'all. Skincare, makeup, hair care, body care, you named it. And add my 2 cents, of course :p
Labels: Beauty Tips
My aunt, who used to be an air stewardess, once told me that during her training, she was told that one of the most important features of your face are your eyebrows. And how true she is, for the shape of the eyebrows can either open your eyes, or make them droop further. Incidentally, she was the first person to pluck and shape my brows for my college prom night, as Mum still thought that I should only start shaping my brows when I started working!
Well-plucked eyebrows can make you appear more groomed. Many women (me included) have their eyebrows tweezed professionally. I'd highly recommend you have a professional do the first *ahem* "damage" on your brows first to give it a shape which suits your face, and then all you have to do is to pluck where the hairs grow in.
I would discourage you to do it yourself at the very first go as you'd most likely be unsure how much to pluck, and you might be left with too-thin brows, or *gasp*, uneven brows. Believe it or not, pencil-thin brows do not suit everyone. Thicker brows suit my face as it's not what you'd call, erm, delicate.
I prefer plucking to shaving as the hairs take longer to grow, plus I'm not left with unsightly stubble.
Here are a few tips on how to tweeze and maintain your eyebrows (when you've already gotten a "blueprint" of your brows, of course):
Remember that your eyebrows play an important role on your face, by brightening the eyes. Do keep them regularly groomed.
Source: Beauty.About.com
Well-plucked eyebrows can make you appear more groomed. Many women (me included) have their eyebrows tweezed professionally. I'd highly recommend you have a professional do the first *ahem* "damage" on your brows first to give it a shape which suits your face, and then all you have to do is to pluck where the hairs grow in.
I would discourage you to do it yourself at the very first go as you'd most likely be unsure how much to pluck, and you might be left with too-thin brows, or *gasp*, uneven brows. Believe it or not, pencil-thin brows do not suit everyone. Thicker brows suit my face as it's not what you'd call, erm, delicate.
I prefer plucking to shaving as the hairs take longer to grow, plus I'm not left with unsightly stubble.
Here are a few tips on how to tweeze and maintain your eyebrows (when you've already gotten a "blueprint" of your brows, of course):
- The biggest mistake people make is to tweeze too much. Avoid over-plucking as it can take months for brows to grow back.
- Here's a simple trick to remember: The space between your brows should be equal to, or a little wider than, your eyes. To find where your brow should go, take a long eyeshadow brush or pencil and hold it parallel to the side of your nose. Where the brush meets your brow is where your brow should begin.
- To find the end of your brow, extend the brush diagonally from your nostril, following the outside edge of your eye toward the brow. Where the inside edge of the brush hits is where your brow should end.
- The best brows have a slight arch. To find yours, hold the brush parallel to the outside edge of the colored part of your eye (the iris). Where the brush meets the brow is where the highest part of your brow should be.
- Cleanse your skin.
- It might be a bit painful if you're not used to having your brows plucked. I'd normally rub some astrigent (on facial cotton) on the brow area just before plucking. You can also numb the area by rubbing a bit of ice (wrapped in a handkerchief) around the area if you like.
- Make sure that you are near a window with light pouring in or under a bright light with a good mirror.
- Pluck the hairs in the direction they grow. Do not grab too many hairs at a time (I tried that during one of my lazy days. I ended up with a red bump on my brow which got infected. Ugh).
- Stop every few hairs to step back and look at the job you're doing. If you overpluck, STOP! Do not pluck more to try to "even out the shape". You can always add colour back to the bald area with an eyebrow pencil.
- If you use a pencil to fill in sparse brows, apply with short, feathered strokes from the inside of the brow out. Then carefully rub brows with a brush or your fingertips to soften the effect.
- Do invest in a good tweezer and eyebrow brush. I always like to give my brows a good brush to avoid it looking unkempt (especially when the hairs in the brows have grown).
- The ideal time for brow-shaping is the week after your period begins.
Remember that your eyebrows play an important role on your face, by brightening the eyes. Do keep them regularly groomed.
Source: Beauty.About.com
Labels: Beauty Tips, Eyes
I recently came across this article in iVillage, which highlight some beauty tips which we could all do with. They are written by Bharti Vyas, a holistic beauty therapist who bases her beauty wisdom on the principles of Ayurvedic healing.
A lot of the tips make use of items you can find in your kitchen. That's cost-saving already, don't you think?
1. To cleanse your nose properly, you need to cover the sides, stem, grooves and tip. If the skin on your nose is oily or congested, wrap a flannel around your index finger, lubricate it with a mild soap, oatmeal scrub or a mild commercial exfoliant and, using small circular movements, go over the entire nose twice.
2. One of the oldest and gentlest methods of cleansing the skin is oil; it is particularly good for mature skins. Apply a light film of almond or sunflower oil all over your neck and face (including your eyelids) and rub in gently. Leave for up to a minute and remove with dampened cotton wool or a facial sponge.
3. The tendency to over-moisturise undermines the skin's capacity to keep itself taut. Allow yourself to be guided by the changing condition of your skin - and don't be frightened to leave it bare occasionally.
4. Get into the habit of applying oil or cream to slightly damp skin - night and morning - as this helps to 'lock in' valuable extra moisture.
5. Take care not to pull or drag the skin around the eyes when applying or removing make-up as this can hasten the arrival of premature wrinkles.
6. To keep your eyes white and bright, apply cold milk to your eyelids with cotton wool each morning like a toner.
7. Never use a toner on the eyes: simply splash your eyes with cold water after cleansing, which will also invigorate the circulation.
8. Don't fall into the trap of slathering your eyes with a super-rich cream to replace lost moisture and restore suppleness, as this will simply overtax the delicate eye tissue and do nothing to enhance your eyes.
9. To boost the circulation and lift dead skin, massage your lips from time to time with a soft toothbrush.
10. Invigorate your gums with a salt rub, which will leave your mouth feeling thoroughly refreshed.
11. By massaging along your jawline, you can prevent stagnation occurring and release a lot of the tension held in this part of the face, which can otherwise lead to headaches and dental problems.
12. Cleanse your neck night and morning in the same way as your face, starting at the collarbones and working up to the jawline.
13. Apply a rich moisturising cream to your neck at night, and a moisturiser combined with sunscreen during the day. Do not forget to include the sides of your neck and the area around your collarbones.
14. Apply handcream whenever your hands have come into contact with water and always last-thing at night - glycerine-based hand creams are non-greasy and help to rehydrate the skin.
15. Moisturise the fine skin on your breasts regularly. Using the palms of your hands, apply almond oil or body lotion, moving upwards around the breast, lifting each one gently so that you can massage the underside, and sweeping up into your armpits. This helps to clear toxins from the breast tissue while assisting the firming process.
16. If you want a good night's sleep, avoid eating protein-rich foods after 6 pm: they take much longer to digest. Try to eat your evening meal before 7 pm.
17. If your hair is looking limp and dull, oil the hair with coconut oil - comb a small amount through your hair, from roots to ends, and leave overnight for a glossy head of hair.
18. To treat dandruff, mix one egg yolk with a squirt of lime juice and a few drops of camphor and apply to your scalp for ten minutes. This will reintroduce missing protein to your scalp. Rinse with warm water.
19. To keep the skin around the jawline clear of spots, pinch and draw the jawline in the direction of your earlobe, where there is a lymph gland waiting to filter out toxins - do this exercise two or three times a day until the skin is improved, then once a week to keep skin clear.
20. If the skin on your cheeks is prone to dryness, use a gentle, cream-based cleanser and wash it off with a damp natural sponge or cotton wool pad.
21. To avoid rings of lighter skin around the neck, always hold yourself as tall and straight as you can and extend your neck to its maximum length.
22. To prevent the build-up of facial hair, from an early age rub the affected skin gently with a towel/face cloth or bleach with lemon juice (Edit: to be honest, I'm not too sure about this. Bleach is very strong, especially to the skin. If you still would like to try it out, please use a minimal amount of bleach. Lemon juice is also very acidic; use sparingly).
23. To soothe puffy eyes, soak black tea bags in warm water (or, if you prefer, cotton balls dipped in witch hazel) and place upon your closed eyes for 15 minutes.
24. Droopy eyes are caused by a lack of muscle tone in the upper eyelid, combined with the downward force of gravity. If massaged regularly over a period of time, it is possible to regain some degree of tone.
25. Cracking of the skin on the lips is caused by dehydration - resist the desire to lick dry lips for temporary relief as this only makes them dryer still.
26. To treat loose skin around the neck, gently stimulate the area using the palms of your hands in a sweeping action, and nourish the skin with almond oil. Repeat night and morning.
27. If the muscles in your arms feel weak and tired, using upward strokes, rub olive or almond oil into the skin of your forearm after your bath or before you go to bed. Continue for three minutes.
28. Exfoliate your buttocks at bath times using a mildly abrasive mitt, lubricated with a squirt of bath gel. This will remove dead cells and help to even out the skin's pigments. Moisturise well afterwards.
29. When using eyeliner, draw the line as close to your eyelashes as possible, top and bottom; if you like, gently smudge the line if you wish to soften the effect.
30. When applying eyeshadow, apply the colour thinly and gradually, darkest along the lid and at the outer corner of the eyes.
31. For a natural glow, apply a touch of cream blusher to well-moisturised cheeks.
Source: iVillage
A lot of the tips make use of items you can find in your kitchen. That's cost-saving already, don't you think?
1. To cleanse your nose properly, you need to cover the sides, stem, grooves and tip. If the skin on your nose is oily or congested, wrap a flannel around your index finger, lubricate it with a mild soap, oatmeal scrub or a mild commercial exfoliant and, using small circular movements, go over the entire nose twice.
2. One of the oldest and gentlest methods of cleansing the skin is oil; it is particularly good for mature skins. Apply a light film of almond or sunflower oil all over your neck and face (including your eyelids) and rub in gently. Leave for up to a minute and remove with dampened cotton wool or a facial sponge.
3. The tendency to over-moisturise undermines the skin's capacity to keep itself taut. Allow yourself to be guided by the changing condition of your skin - and don't be frightened to leave it bare occasionally.
4. Get into the habit of applying oil or cream to slightly damp skin - night and morning - as this helps to 'lock in' valuable extra moisture.
5. Take care not to pull or drag the skin around the eyes when applying or removing make-up as this can hasten the arrival of premature wrinkles.
6. To keep your eyes white and bright, apply cold milk to your eyelids with cotton wool each morning like a toner.
7. Never use a toner on the eyes: simply splash your eyes with cold water after cleansing, which will also invigorate the circulation.
8. Don't fall into the trap of slathering your eyes with a super-rich cream to replace lost moisture and restore suppleness, as this will simply overtax the delicate eye tissue and do nothing to enhance your eyes.
9. To boost the circulation and lift dead skin, massage your lips from time to time with a soft toothbrush.
10. Invigorate your gums with a salt rub, which will leave your mouth feeling thoroughly refreshed.
11. By massaging along your jawline, you can prevent stagnation occurring and release a lot of the tension held in this part of the face, which can otherwise lead to headaches and dental problems.
12. Cleanse your neck night and morning in the same way as your face, starting at the collarbones and working up to the jawline.
13. Apply a rich moisturising cream to your neck at night, and a moisturiser combined with sunscreen during the day. Do not forget to include the sides of your neck and the area around your collarbones.
14. Apply handcream whenever your hands have come into contact with water and always last-thing at night - glycerine-based hand creams are non-greasy and help to rehydrate the skin.
15. Moisturise the fine skin on your breasts regularly. Using the palms of your hands, apply almond oil or body lotion, moving upwards around the breast, lifting each one gently so that you can massage the underside, and sweeping up into your armpits. This helps to clear toxins from the breast tissue while assisting the firming process.
16. If you want a good night's sleep, avoid eating protein-rich foods after 6 pm: they take much longer to digest. Try to eat your evening meal before 7 pm.
17. If your hair is looking limp and dull, oil the hair with coconut oil - comb a small amount through your hair, from roots to ends, and leave overnight for a glossy head of hair.
18. To treat dandruff, mix one egg yolk with a squirt of lime juice and a few drops of camphor and apply to your scalp for ten minutes. This will reintroduce missing protein to your scalp. Rinse with warm water.
19. To keep the skin around the jawline clear of spots, pinch and draw the jawline in the direction of your earlobe, where there is a lymph gland waiting to filter out toxins - do this exercise two or three times a day until the skin is improved, then once a week to keep skin clear.
20. If the skin on your cheeks is prone to dryness, use a gentle, cream-based cleanser and wash it off with a damp natural sponge or cotton wool pad.
21. To avoid rings of lighter skin around the neck, always hold yourself as tall and straight as you can and extend your neck to its maximum length.
22. To prevent the build-up of facial hair, from an early age rub the affected skin gently with a towel/face cloth or bleach with lemon juice (Edit: to be honest, I'm not too sure about this. Bleach is very strong, especially to the skin. If you still would like to try it out, please use a minimal amount of bleach. Lemon juice is also very acidic; use sparingly).
23. To soothe puffy eyes, soak black tea bags in warm water (or, if you prefer, cotton balls dipped in witch hazel) and place upon your closed eyes for 15 minutes.
24. Droopy eyes are caused by a lack of muscle tone in the upper eyelid, combined with the downward force of gravity. If massaged regularly over a period of time, it is possible to regain some degree of tone.
25. Cracking of the skin on the lips is caused by dehydration - resist the desire to lick dry lips for temporary relief as this only makes them dryer still.
26. To treat loose skin around the neck, gently stimulate the area using the palms of your hands in a sweeping action, and nourish the skin with almond oil. Repeat night and morning.
27. If the muscles in your arms feel weak and tired, using upward strokes, rub olive or almond oil into the skin of your forearm after your bath or before you go to bed. Continue for three minutes.
28. Exfoliate your buttocks at bath times using a mildly abrasive mitt, lubricated with a squirt of bath gel. This will remove dead cells and help to even out the skin's pigments. Moisturise well afterwards.
29. When using eyeliner, draw the line as close to your eyelashes as possible, top and bottom; if you like, gently smudge the line if you wish to soften the effect.
30. When applying eyeshadow, apply the colour thinly and gradually, darkest along the lid and at the outer corner of the eyes.
31. For a natural glow, apply a touch of cream blusher to well-moisturised cheeks.
Source: iVillage
Labels: Beauty Tips
