Lets talk about hair....

My hair is pin straight and has a mind of its own but yesterday I had a good hair day.  I don't make that claim often (almost ever, actually), but I had attempted to curl my hair night before and this morning it just had a slight wave that sadly I won't be able to replicate ever again. Also, weirdly enough the curls that did stay, lasted all day at work. I am pretty sure I am part boy when it come to hair and make up; I'm clueless what it comes to styling my hair (pony tail on top of my head is good as it gets most days) and my make up routine is somewhere between 3 minute face and 5 minute face if I am actually trying that day. I know hair toppers are great for styling whether you suffer from hair loss or not. Thankfully now days there is Pinterest (you can see mine here), I've rounded up a few images of people who seem to always have a great hair day:

Nina Dobrev || Perfect straight hair

Blake Lively || Perfect half up curls hair-do

Lauren Conrad || Perfect high ponytail

Eva Longoria || Perfect Up-do

Carrie Bradshaw || Perfect bun-up-do

images via google/pinterest

I have also found few tips for having more good hair days:

1) Straight hair is better and more manageable on day two. I wash my hair everyday but if you can refrain you hair will work with you.

2) Salon/Quality products are a big deal. Invest in what you use on your wisely; I am not saying go get a 60 shampoo and conditioner but find what works for you.

3) Try doing different things; Pinterest is great for ideas and most people post step by step instructions. After one or two tries you will get there.

What products to you swear by? What do you with your hair? Any tips or trick you are willing to share?

How To: Get The Fake Lash Look With Mascara

 

Experimenting with make- up is one of my favourite things. I've tried fake lashes and while I love how they look, they are way too high maintenance. I have tried a lot of different techniques and finally found one that works. Using just mascara I discovered a way to make real lashes look fake. You can use any mascara you want, my go to is a volumizing formula like Gosh. If however you like a less clumpy look then I would suggest Benefit or L'Oreal Paris.

 

Step 1: Apply the mascara to the tops of your lashes. Distribute the product evenly to the inner corner of your eye to the middle then reinsert to get more product. Finish off the top lashes from the middle to the ends. If the ends of your lashes are really long pull your eye and using the wand vertically apply the mascara.

 

Step 2: Apply the mascara to the bottom of your lashes, make sure you go from root to tip. Wiggle the wand from side to side as you go up the length of your lashes. As you did earlier, for the hard to get end lashes pull your your eyelid and apply the mascara vertically.

Step 3: The final step is to apply mascara to your bottom lashes. I apply one coat, but that is just preference. You can apply two if you like.

 

Step 4: Use make-up remover or lotion on a Q tip to clean up any mascara that may have gotten on your eye lids. When I first started doing this technique I had a lot of mascara to clean up so don't worry if you do too. 

What do you guys think of this method? Did it work for you? Do you have any tips or tricks you'd like to share?

My Top 5 Beauty Picks

I love trying new things and especially new beauty products. The list below are some of my favourite beauty staples that are affordable.

1.Philosophy Face Cleanser Purity- I love this face wash! It's gentle enough for the eye area yet strong enough to remove make-up. This product is perfect for the person who loves to do 3 things in 1 step; remove make-up, tone and moisturize. You can get it at Sephora or if you are Canadian Shoppers now carries Philosophy in their beauty boutique.

2. Hashmi Kajal- I have tried so many eyeliners from Quo to Makeup Forever to Benefit. It is so hard to find the perfect one! But at the end I always come back to my Hashmi Kajal stick. It's cheap and lasts long without smudging and is made from all natural ingredients. It only costs $2.50, so it's definitly worth a try. You can buy it at any Indian or Arab grocery store they usually have it near the check out counter.

3. Tarte Coloured Clay CC Undereye Corrector- Concealer is the one product I never leave the house without slathering it on like war paint! I have tried so many to find the perfect one and for the moment this is it. This is the one product I feel confident leaving the house in, that I know fully covers my dark under eye circles.

4. Bioderma Photoderm Max Cream SPF 50+- Wrinkle make me super paranoid so I  started using sunscreen on my face everyday. This formula is light coverage and doesn't leave your skin feeling oily. I used it back to back for 2 weeks and no break outs! Amah-zing!

5. Make Up For Ever HD Blush -  Blush is essential if you don't want to look like a ghost in the morning. This creamy formula is just the right amount of coverage and really helps to highlight the cheekbones. You can apply this with a brush or your finger tips, which is great if you are running late.

What are your beauty picks? Is there anything you think I should try?

Monthly beauty round up: VIIcode eye mask.

A girlfriend of mine sent me a message couple of days ago in a panic ”I have wrinkles”; I laughed, mainly because she doesn’t and is fortune enough to have a skin of a 12 year old even though she is in her late twenties. However, since we are only couple years off our thirtieth birthdays, taking care of our skin has been a hot topic. 

 I recently got a chance to try VIIcode eye mask, which is an eye mask you wear overnight.  The mask works best on puffy eyes, wrinkles and fine lines that help leave your eyes healthy and radiant.  VIIcode eye mask needs to be applied twice or three times a week for best results; the box comes with 6 treatments.

I tested it out over course of a week and could notice that my eyes were less puffy and my dark circles were less visible; it also made my eyes more radiant. Wearing the VIIcode eye mask give me a well rested and glowy skin look. 

This post was sponsored by VIIcode.

Thank you for supporting brands that support LetterstoLALAland

Monthly beauty round up: April

I’m constantly trying new skincare and beauty products, but even with a rotating roster of cleansers, mascaras and lotions, I come back to my favorite formulas again and again. Since I have sensitive skin, I look for things that are hypoallergenic, offer SPF and a good cleanser.  I am always interested in knowing what products have staying power for other people, so I thought I'd share products that I keep coming back to all the time.

I have been using the AVEENO® Fresh Essentials Nourishing Moisturizer SPF 30, Hydrating Night Cream and Daily Exfoliating Scrub for few months now. I originally received it complimentary from Aveeno but since then have bough it on monthly basis. This specific line of Aveeno has everything I look for in a skin care routine and even with my hyper sensitivity the product did wonders for my skin. Edmonton is a very dry and cold place which only add to my struggle to keep my skin looking healthy and glowing.

The Daily Exfoliating Scrub was just the right balance of deep cleansing and mild enough to use everyday.  The AVEENO® Fresh Essentials Nourishing Moisturizer SPF 30 is oil-free moisturizer that made my skin feel and look healthy and I love that it protects my skin from harmful UV rays. The night cream offered a lot of hydration but it wasn't to heavy so it didn't clog my pores or cause me to break out.  Fresh Essentials offers antioxidants and vitamins that made my skin brighter and more even toned.

Have you even used Aveeno? What are some of the products you keep going back to?

*This post is sponsored by Aveeno .Thanks to Aveeno for sponsoring this post, and as always all opinions and experiences are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support letterstoLALAland.com

Monthly beauty round up: March

If you have ever read this blog (or know anything about me) you know that I take basic make up literally. Funny enough I own a lot of makeup and beauty products, which I never or very rarely use. I usually wait until the last minute to start thinking about make up (so I get ready in 5 minutes), but I love discovering good beauty products.  Starting today I will share my favorite beauty monthly buys; that way I have a reason to test out and use more of the products I get.

My skin is super sensitive and I have had some sort of acne for the better part of my life, usually mild but it has gotten worse in my adult years.  I laugh and think that having adult acne is nature's cruel joke, I thought it would all be over by time I hit my mid twenties…but no sadly my acne and sensitive skin is here to stay by the looks of it.  Having acne prone skin and being allergic to many things lead to years of feeling self conscious which only lead me to trying endless amounts of product and medication to no end.  

 

 I bought GLAMGLOW Super cleanse daily clearingcleanser & super mud clearing treatment on recommendation of a friend. I was a skeptic about the product, especially at that price point. The cleanser is to be applied to dry skin and by adding water to your face it turns to foam. After one use my skin felt soft and clean, over time it helped with my over all complexion. I only used it at night as I think it would try my face out if I used it more than once a day.

The masque (super mud) I use more like a spot treatment then and actually all over masque.  It helped a lot with controlling breakouts and minimizing how long they lasted; using it as a masque on my entire face evened out my complexion but it did make my skin supper dry.

Have you ever tried either of the Glamglow products? Did you like it?