When to Toss Out Your Makeup?

It has probably been almost a year since I goes through and clean out my beauty stashes.  I ended up with a bag full of stuff to toss out, either due to the color not working with my skin tone, allergic reaction, and last but not least, expiration.  It makes me feel bad, like I am being wasteful.  On the other hand, what do you do with color that is not suited for you (well, I should have try to return what I can)?  More importantly, you should not be using old cosmetic, it could cause break out and other skin irritation. It makes me wonder, how long do you keep your cosmetic before you throw them out?

I am not very strict but here is a rough guide line how long you should keep things.

-Mascara – no more than 3 months (this is the one I am careful about because I do not want eyes infection and I never share my mascara with anyone, period!)

-Liquid Foundation/Tinted Moisturizer/Primer - 12 months.  I follow the same guideline for anything that is liquid or cream base.  I also smell and check the consistency if I have not use it in awhile.  If it changes color, smell funny, or separate even after shaking, I'd toss it out.

-Powder Foundation/Blush/Eyeshadow - up to 24 months.  With powder, I think you have more room to decide how long you should keep a product.  It does not go bad as fast as liquid base and easier to sanitize.  Sometime I use a cotton pad wet with alcohol and wipe both the container and lightly top layer of the product.  Wait for it to dry, if the top harden, just scrape it off lightly, a thin layer with a butter knife.

Off topic, I was looking forward to trying Alba products because they are natural.  Unfortunately, the toner burned my skin the second I applied it.  Both sunscreen gave me horrible rashes that lasted almost two weeks.  At first, I did not know what caused my rash until my husband and friend got the same allergic reaction from using these sunscreen.

TOTD: How to avoid white cast in photo?

I do love Casper, he's just adorable...but, I don't necessarily want to look like him.

It’s summer and there will be many outdoor events, including outdoor wedding. So, how do you stay protected while still looking your best in photo? I have heard the recommendation to forgo sunblock so many times because it will give a white cast on photo. Well, I just want to confirm that this only true if you wear physical sunscreen that contains zinc oxide and titanium oxide. However, if you wear chemical sunscreen, you are safe from the white cast. So, stay protected and still look beautiful!

TOTD: Amazing Lashes

Do you ever find that your amazing voluminous mascara is not so amazing at lengthening and vice versa? Do you ever wish that you can both volume and length? Why not layer them? First apply one coat or two if you want more dramatic lashes, of your favorite voluminous mascara from base to end of lashes. Then brush through to prevent clumping. Lastly, top with two more coats of your favorite lengthening mascara. Focus on extending the end of those lashes. Ta da! You now have both longer and fuller lashes. Just play around and see which two mascaras work best together.

TOTD: Bright eyes

Line your bottom lash water line with a white pencil liner will make the white part of your eyes appear whiter and brighter.

TOTD: Feeling Good

We spend money and time on skincare and makeup to make ourselves look good. However, feeling good is as important. Take some time from your busy schedule to enjoy the company of a loved one or something as simple as your morning coffee or tea.

TOTD: Bronzer and Blush

Wearing bronzer alone can look dull or flat. Adding a hint of blush can make you look more fresh and natural.

TOTD: Brushes and Tools

It is worthwhile to invest in some good brushes and tools. It will make your makeup application more fun and much easier.

TOTD: Curl Lashes

Waterproof mascara will hold your curled lashes better than regular formula because it tends to be drier and waxier.

TOTD: Is your skincare product working for you?

To really know if something is making an improvement on your skin, use it continuously for about 4 weeks. (Unless of course, it is causing you an allergic reaction) Don’t expect miracle overnight.

TOTD: Hard to curl eyelashes

Warm your eyelash curler with a blow dryer for just a few seconds. Touch to make sure it's not hot to avoid burning your eyelids. Gently curl your lashes.

TOTD: Seasonal Products

If you live in an area that have 4 seasons, spring is the time of the year where we need to change our hair, skincare and makeup products to better suit our need. For example, my skin is normal/dry in the winter but normal/oily in the summer. Same with my hair, it gets all frizzy in the summer.

TOTD: Bridal Makeup

Unless you are up for taking a risk on your wedding day, it is best that you have a trial makeup session. This will help ensure that the artist understand your expectation and a chance for you to decide if you like his/her work.

Another tip is to bring a picture. Your idea of natural or smokey eyes may be different from someone else.

Btw, if anyone knows an outstanding makeup and hair pro from the VA/DC area, let me know. Thanks =)

Tip of the Day: Don't forget your sunglasses!

Last “tip of the day”, I wrote about the importance of protecting your lips from sun damage. I’ll now extend on that topic. There are two categories of factors that cause our skin to age (wrinkles), intrinsic and extrinsic. Extrinsic are external factors such as sun damage, pollution, and facial expressions.

The skin around our eye are delicate and thinner than any other parts of our body. Every time we squints and smiles, that contribute to fine lines and crow feet around our eyes. Though, I would not recommend give up smiling. Wearing lenses that is made to block UVA/UVB, especially the kind that wrap around your eyes will leave you one less thing to worry about.

Tip of the Day (TOTD)

It seem like the cold air just won't go away, up here in the Northeast. However, the sun is staying out later and the warmer weather will be here shortly. With Spring and Summer in mind, we all know we need to be extra dilegent and use sunblock when out in the sun. What we often forget are our lips. They are delicate and need protection too (year round, not just during summer). My favorite lip balm with sunblock is Blistex Deep Renewal Spf 15.

It's cheap, glides easily and keep my lips moist. It also contain Coenzyme Q10. If your lipstick or gloss doesn't come with spf, just make sure you use the lip palm underneath.


Image from Blistex.com