How To Glow Like A Celebrity This Summer

Summertime season is upon us and we’re all yearning to achieve that celebrity sun-kissed glow. It seems like models and celebrities like Gigi Hadid, Chanel and Dascha Polanco have it down packed and I found a way to get a similar effect for us girls at home whether you’re wearing makeup or not.

I’ve been curious about the Estée Edit for a while now, so when I was shopping in Sephora the other day and came across the Flash Illuminators my interest peaked. I’ve been really interested in brands who have been creating formulas that looks great in pictures with social media sites like Instagram in mind (I’ll be exploring this topic later in a future post) and picked it up in Night Light.  This is a moisturizing formula that has hyaluronic acid in it that you can use one of two ways for this look: a strober or a primer. I decided to go for the latter to see it’s full effect, which worked really well under foundation.

How To Get The Look:

1. Apply a thin layer of the Flash Illuminator onto your skin (They come in four shades and I would use one that is closest to your skin tone if you’re using it as a primer).
2. Dab your liquid foundation over the illuminator with a damp beauty blender and set lightly with a powder.

I managed to get my hands on the Glossier Haloscope in Topaz a few days after it’s launch last week. As in I saw the announcement on Twitter, fell in love and ordered it immediately. What’s great about it is that it has sweet almond oil, coconut oil and castor seed oil, which makes this highlighter glide on smoothly and gives you a hydrated dewy finish. If you’re makeup is more on the minimal side (ie. light foundation, bb creams, tinted moisturizer) or you’re not wearing makeup at all then this one is for you.

How To Get The Look:

1. Glide the stick onto your cheekbones to the brow bone and making a half halo shape. Then glide it down your t-zone and onto the middle of your chin.
2. Gently rub it in.

I think we’ve known for a while now that coconut oil is the key to all of your life’s problems. Your hair is dry? Make a coconut oil mask. You need to take off your makeup? Coconut oil can get it off stat. You want whiter teeth? Mix it with baking soda for a DIY toothpaste. Well I’m here to tell you that coconut oil can also be used as a way to get that dewy glow without even applying any makeup to your skin!

How To Get the Look

1. Put a tablespoon of coconut oil into a bowl.
2. Lightly dab the tip of your finger into the oil.
3. Rub it in onto your t-zone area, your cheekbones and the middle of your chin (Be sure to not use too much oil and really work it in to your skin to avoid a greasy look).

There you have it! What are some of your beauty tips on getting that glow this summer?

7 No-Fuss Beauty Products To Pack On Your Next Vacation

Packing for trips hasn’t always been my strong suit. I can pretty much pack anyone else’s bag to a tee, but mine can be a whole different story. I try so hard to make sure that I pack lightly when I’m going on vacation, yet I end up with one large makeup bag filled with skincare products along with another two massive makeup bags filled with the rest of my cosmetics plus a Ziploc bag for my liquid makeup. To be honest, more than 85% of the time I don’t even use close to half of those products, but I like to be prepared for any scenario I may come across during my trip. I mean you wouldn’t leave your Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit at home if you randomly scored tickets to a Jennifer Lopez concert while waiting on your layover in Vegas, would you?

I realized that part of my problem was that I wasn’t packing more practical items in my makeup bags. I was bringing makeup that was too bulky and too many liquid products that were eventually going to make a mess. Also, I want to bring products that minimizes the time I spend putting on my makeup while maximizing the time I spend exploring. These seven no-fuss beauty products will be sure to cut down your beauty routine (and your suitcase weight) on your next vacation.

Self-Sharpening Tools
No need to worry about searching for a sharpener when your eyeliner or brow pencil gets too low. Lorac’s Front of Line PRO Eyepencil and Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz are self-sharpening and super easy to use. This smudgeproof eye pencil glides on smoothly while the eyebrow pencil is great for draw in tiny strokes. Plus, this brow pencil has a spoolie brush on the other side, which is perfect for grooming those hairs into place.

Makeup Sticks
Makeup sticks are having a major moment right now in beauty and for a great reason. They’re extremely easy to use and you’re less likely to make a mess during makeup application. This Smashbox Color Correcting Stick’s creamy consistency makes it so easy to cancel out those dark spots and this Maybelline Eye Studio ColorTattoo Concentrated Crayon will quickly play up those gorgeous eyes and has the pigment that will really get them to shine.

Eyeliner Pen
Eyeliner pens are probably one of the easier liners to use and you don’t even need to worry about any product spillage. I love L’Oreal The Infalliable Liquid Eyeliner pen because you can easily control how thick or thin you want your liner to be making creating a cat eye a little more easier.

Cushion Compact

Liquid foundation can get messy, especially if you’re pressed for time and can only apply it during your commute. This L’Oreal Paris True Match Lumi Cushion Foundation comes with a cute round sponge and a foundation cushion where all you have to do is press the sponge into the cushion and customize it to your desired coverage level making a cakey finish a non-issue.

Small Eyeshadow Palette
If your eyeshadow palettes are like mine, you probably have many eyeshadow colors that you’ve barely touched and then there are those few shadows that you’re scraping the bottom of the pan for. I like to opt for this MAC Eyeshadow X 9 palette filled with colors that I know that I could wear with any outfit I pack. If you prefer to choose your own colors, you can make your own customizable palette and choose individual colors that best suits you.

Navigating The Summer Skin Melt

Despite the great temperatures and sunny days, I sometimes loathe the summer since it always has been such a major problem season for my oily skin. The mixture of sweat and excess oil turns my face and my makeup into a complete mess. I’ve been struggling for years to find out the best way to take care of my summer skin woes and I think I finally found the right combination of products that took care of them instantly.

Clay Masks/Cleansers

I like to use a quarter-sized amount of Fresh Umbrian Clay Mattifying Mask as a face wash three times per week and as a mask treatment if I really need the oil to soak up. Unfortunately, it seems like it’s being discontinued since I can only find it on one site, but Fresh has launched an identical version of it called the Fresh Umbrian Purifying Mask that has the most of the same ingredients in the same order. Mainly it has the four ingredients that were found in the original which is umbrian clay to purify and clarify the skin; sandalwood oil to calm the skin; chamomile flower and lavender water to sooth the skin; and live leaf extract to restore suppleness and protect the skin against free radicals.

Gel Moisturizers

The Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel is my go-to moisturizer for the summer months. It's super lightweight and has hyaluronic acid in it, which is beneficial to the skin since it really locks in that moisture after applying. What’s great about this product is that it instantly absorbs into the skin rather than just sits on top and find my skin to be extremely soft especially after putting it on right after a steamy shower.

Mattifying Setting Spray with SPF

Supergoop Defense Refresh Setting Mist With Rosemary gives you the best of both worlds. It gives me a super natural mattifying finish and provides sun protection. If you’re big on suncare like I am, you know that you have to reapply sunscreen every two hours, which can be annoying if you’re wearing makeup. This setting spray is great for when you need another application and comes in travel friendly sizes that you can stash in your purse.

Oil-Free Sunscreen

I went through a lot of trial and error to find a sunscreen that wouldn’t break me out and kept me shine free all day long. Many sunscreens that claimed they were oil-free just didn’t work for me. Right now, I’m using the Supergoop Everyday Sunscreen With Cellular Response Technology that's extremely lightweight and doesn’t leave a white cast on my face. It’s not greasy and instantly sinks into my skin when I apply it, which is an added bonus if you’re waring makeup over it.

Your Rainy Day Music Festival Beauty Guide and Tool Kit

Yesterday I went to the Hot 97 Summer Jam music festival, which was the most exciting yet exhausting experience I’ve had in a long time. Long story short, my friends and I were stranded at a bus station because the concert was pushed back to start two hours later from its’ original time and cancelled the festival performance that we were on line for because of the bad weather. I knew that it was going to rain while I was at the concert, which is why I planned accordingly to make sure that my look was weatherproof before I left my house.

Primer
I refused to let my makeup budge yesterday considering it was definitely one my favorite looks by far. I used primer on my face and eyes to keep it all in place because the last thing I needed was my makeup sliding around.

Creams Over Powder

I went for a cream eyeshadow instead of powder eyeshadow for a lasting look; although, I did use a powder to smoke it out to add a bit of drama to my eyes. Powder shadows could eventually fade throughout the event, but I knew that using a the darker shadow would have a harder time going away. If you really want to make sure your eye makeup doesn’t budge, lightly dust translucent powder on top of the shadow.

Waterproof Everything

Racoon eyes was definitely a look I wasn’t going for and made sure that I used waterproof makeup to keep it in place all night long.

The Half Top Knot

I adore the messy half top knot trend and couldn’t have thought of a better time to rock this look than yesterday.  I made a part from ear to ear across the center of my head and brushed my hair up making sure I didn’t leave out any flyaways. I made sure I didn’t forget to use holding spray to keep the those flyaways in check! I then twisted the top section and wrapped it around securing the look with bobby pins.

Setting Spray

A setting spray is something that I like to spray on for a little bit of extra precaution to keep my makeup in place especially for an event like this.

Fill In Your Lips With A Lip Liner

I honestly don’t want to be concerned with reapplying lipstick while I’m at a concert, so I made sure that I filled in my lips with a lip liner that was similar color to my lipstick color to make it last without too many touch ups in between sets.

Beauty On The Go Tool Kit

Sometimes Mother Nature is unpredictable, so it’s important to be extra prepared if your makeup or hairstyle unravels from the humidity and rain. These items are small enough to fit in your purse and will help you with any predicament in case your look doesn’t hold up.

Small Comb/Brush

For touching up and keeping your hair from being a tangled mess.

Q-Tips

To clean up any spillage from your lipstick or eyeliner.

Foundation In Sample Pots

In case your makeup gets destroyed from the weather.

**These sample pots, like the ones from Sephora, will be able to hold enough foundation for an emergency application.

Makeup Sponge

For touching up your foundation.

Compact

To powder your T-Zone when your skin gets too oily.