Posts Tagged ‘thebeautydepartment.com’

DOUBLE DUTY MAKEUP: SUMMER EDITION

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Post + Photography by Amy Nadine, Graphic Design by Eunice Chun

How great would it be if you could go away for the weekend and only pack 4 makeup products in a carry-on? You totally can! And bypass waiting at baggage claim while you’re at it. Here’s how to get 8 uses out of 4 products:

TOOLS:

  • Bronzing Powder — I used Maybelline Dream Sun Bronzer as it doesn’t come off orange and comes in three versions (Glow (has a hint of shimmer), Four Seasons (multi-tonal) and Matte). It’s seasonal for Summer and has its own display at drug stores, so if you try to find it in the regular section, you won’t (I made that mistake!).
  • Mascara —  I used Covergirl Flamed Out Mascara because I love how the formula translates into a liquid liner (doesn’t travel or feather) and you can apply as many coats on your lashes without it ever clumping.
  • Lipstick — I’m loving Tarte Glamazon 12-Hour Lipstick in Bold, a gorgeous coral shade that’s longlasting, hydrating and perfect with a Summer tan.
  • BB Cream — Jane Iredale Glow Time Full Coverage SPF 25 Mineral BB Cream is the only BB Cream that I’ve found so far that I’d consider swapping my foundation for as it covers any and every imperfection while brightening my skin and giving me broad spectrum sun protection.

STEPS:

  1. Apply the BB cream all over your face and neck to even out your complexion and protect you from UVA and UVB rays.
  2. Grab your mascara wand and sweep the liner brush against the bristles to load it up with product.
  3. Line your eyes like you typically would with a gel liner. For more on this technique, revisit guest blogger Carissa Ferreri’s Mascara As Liner Tutorial).
  4. Dip the wand back in the mascara tube and coat your lashes horizontally and vertically. (Check out my Mascara Must-Do’s Tutorial for the best way to get the most from mascara).
  5. Bronze your entire face with the bronzing powder (revisit my Bronzing 101 Tutorial for the specific areas to concentrate on).
  6. Take an eyeshadow brush and dip it into the same bronzing powder.
  7. Sweep the bronzer all over the lid and crease. This clever idea is also from Carissa, whom you already know because I make her model for me in a large majority of my posts!
  8. Remember my Lipstick as Blush Tutorial? That’s all we’re doing here! Cream blush originally came from lipstick so it’s a no-brainer on the go. Wash your hands then press your index finger against the tip of the lipstick. Rub that finger with your other index finger to slightly melt the product with the heat of your finger.
  9. Smile to find the apples of your cheeks then swirl your finger along the upper half of the apple and continue along your cheekbone.
  10. Apply the same lipstick on the lip area.

FLAT IRON WITH BEND

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If you lust after the locks of Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon or Mila Kunis, chances are you’re big fan of shiny, straight hair with a little bend on the ends as we often see on them. Whether you have curly, wavy or straight hair this is a great way to get smoothness without making your hair stick straight. (You may recognize this from our Vidal Sassoon post last month. It didn’t win in the poll, but this is too good not to show!) Okay, here we go…

  1. Brush out any tangles.
  2. Apply a leave-in conditioner to help close the cuticle.
  3. Brush it through to make sure it’s applied consistently.
  4. Now you’re going to “wrap brush”. Wrap brushing is just what it sounds like– you’re using the curve of the head to help smooth out the hair. Wrap everything to the left…
  5. Then wrap everything to the right. Wrap brushing back and forth also helps with funky cowlicks. If your hair is curly and more resistant, this is the point where you would use a round brush to smooth out those curls.
  6. It’s very important that you don’t forget to flip upside down when blowdrying before flat ironing. Why? Because you don’t want the hair pasted down to your head! Always looks better to have the smallest amount of lift at the root.
  7. Section and clip off your sections as you go. Sectioning is a must when flat ironing. If you don’t section, you can miss spots and end up with inconsistent texture. (Nobody wants to be that girl with the curl pattern creeping through the back!)
  8. Go through and mist the hair with a heat-protecting spray.
  9. Personally, I like to mist the whole head, brush it through with a soft bristled brush, then go back and flat iron. That gives the heat protecting liquid time to soak in + dry. If you’re the type who likes to spray each section right before you flat iron, please be sure to let the spray dry before running the iron through.
  10. Run the flat iron through behind a soft bristled brush.
  11. Here’s the trick. Right after the hair comes out of the flat iron, you’ll want to drape it over the brush as you see in photo 11. Let it cool for about 10 seconds and set it down. Once the hair cools with a little bend move to the next section.

We see people who often try to get bend by beveling the flat iron and that’s fine, but this way will give the hair a lot more movement. Try it and let us know how it works for you in the comments below! xo

DIY LASH CURLING WITH A… SPOON!

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Post + Photography by Amy Nadine, Graphic Design by Eunice Chun

Have you ever curled wrapping ribbon by running it against the hard edge of opened scissors? This spoon technique draws from the same action and is one of the oldest tricks in the book. I learned this back in school at the Makeup Designory and thought my teacher was a little off her rocker when she included a spoon on our list of tools for our kit! But after teaching us how to do it and practicing on each other, I quickly became a believer. Some even swear it curls their lashes better than a lash curler.  I think it looks a little more natural than the curler (revisit our Perfect Pinch Tutorial here) but I personally still prefer the lash curler but only by a little. Anyway, try it and decide for yourself. Here’s how!  (more…)

BEACH SPRAYS FOR ALL HAIR TYPES

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graphic design: Eunice Chun written by Sarah St. Lifer

Written by Sarah St. Lifer, Graphic Design by Eunice Chun

If you ever catch us tossing a lucky penny into a fountain, you can bet we’re wishing for one of two things: world peace or perfect beach waves. The truth is, both take a lot of work — the latter being the bane of our beauty existence. Not all hair types are created equal, so one potion could be the difference between a big ‘ol salty mess, or the glass slipper to your Cinderella coiff. Being tress-obsessed, we took it upon ourselves to get to the root of the issue. Here, you’ll find our top 8 sprays for achieving summer-prefect beach waves. Doesn’t matter if you’re hundreds of miles or mere minutes from the sand, these products are shore to please! Just define your ‘do (fine, kinky, fizzy, etc.) and dive in.

Added bonus: If you don’t meet your potion prince today, don’t fret! We’ll be doing a beach waves tutorial along with our own DIY formula next week!

1. For straight hair: Wella Professionals’ Ocean Spritz Beach Texture Hair Spray (Ulta)

For those of you with sleek strands, it’s almost inevitable that you’ll overcompensate with wave-promising sprays. But, the end result is always the same: stiff and crunchy chunks — totally the opposite of your effortless efforts! Less is more with Wella’s version: spritz on damp hair from scalp to ends on day one, then again just at the top for day two. Curling iron entirely optional! This spray also softens with a little heat from the blowdryer in case you accidentally over do it.

2. For wavy hair: Oribe Apres Beach Waves and Shine Hairspray (Neiman Marcus)

The continuous props from pros around the globe don’t lie: stylists swear by Oribe’s rich extracts and exotic oils, whether it be for an event or an editorial shoot. If you’re already rocking tousled wavy tresses, but need extra oomph, shake your head and apply a light mist to your layers. For those searching for bombshell status, add tiny bit more at the tips. Though pricey, this stuff delivers. It comes in travel size if you’re just looking to get your feet wet or not quite ready to take the full plunge into a whole bottle.

3. For curly/kinky hair: Ouidad Wave Create Sea Spray (Ouidad)

Give those natural curls the definition they deserve! With textured tresses, you really can’t go wrong with any of Ouidad’s products — they hold, but the weight never interferes with the natural curl pattern. And, the brand’s Marine Complex of natural seawater and mineral-rich sea salt crystals lends that authentic beachside look, while locking in the shape with plant-derived humectants. Did we mention the vitamin-rich seaweed and algae extracts that nourish and moisturize? Yeah, this is basically a miracle in a bottle for curly girls wanting beachy texture!

4. For fine hair: Not Your Mother’s Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray (Wal Mart)

Need to give you fine hair new life? Rather than investing in extensions, consider this cheaper option instead! Sure, a few sprays post-shower will do the trick, but for best results apply all over your mane before your head hits the pillow. Combined with a top knot, this brings a whole new meaning to the phrase “beauty sleep”!

5. For treated/damaged hair: Sachajuan Ocean Mist (Sephora)

Colored, relaxed, or permed, chemically treated hair needs a little extra TLC. If your mane won’t cooperate, spray this on when the hair is slightly damp. Sure, we were satisfied with the results when we let it air-dry, but a diffuser really did the trick. On low heat, point the nozzle at your roots for just a few seconds. Then, comb your fingers from the crown to the tips.

6. For lazy girls: Victoria’s Secret Beach Hair Wave Spray (Victoria’s Secret)

If we told you that just a few pumps of this product — no curling iron, no gel — would give you Gisele-worthy waves, would you believe us? Not only does this $12 bottle live up to hype, the clean scent isn’t overwhelming, and the blend of buriti oil and sunflower seed extract helps protect hair from UV damage. All for one, and one for all!

7. For hair that needs volume: Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray (Bumble & Bumble)

Uh oh. Did you wake up to a bad hair day? No worries, Bumble & Bumble’s Surf Spray is the ultimate problem solver. Just spritz some of this sandy-smelling product on your paddle brush and comb trough, teasing the crown. It’s low-maintenance and smells like you were just in Malibu.

8. For frizzy hair: Frederic Fekkai Summer Hair Beach Waves (Frederic Fekkai)

Let us introduce you to the product that works best on bone-dry tresses: Frederic Fekkai’sSummer Hair Beach Waves. Even though we were hesitant at first, the formula didn’t leave a single trace of grease and stayed put for hours. It’s as if you used a gel, but totally lightweight and non-sticky. Score!

Do you have a favorite beach spray? If you found the perfect product for summer time waves, please spill it below!