Tag: natural beauty

3 DIY Face Masks You Can Whip Up in Your Kitchen

Beauty products can be expensive—especially when you’re trying to keep up with the latest masking trends. As someone who’s struggled with breakouts and uneven skin tone for the longest time, I always look for at-home natural DIY alternatives that offer the same benefits as many high-end face masks. Here are just a few:

PHOTO: Amber Sudra

1—Coconut oil. The benefits of adding coconut oil to your beauty routine are widely discussed. I love using it as a natural moisturizer. Simply rub about a teaspoon of coconut oil onto your face, and let the oil sink in for at least 20 minutes. Some people choose to leave the oil on their face until it’s all soaked in, but if it’s too much moisture for you and you have somewhere to go, you can wipe it off with a clean towel to reveal glowing skin.

2—Turmeric. Turmeric is known for being high in antioxidants, which helps with acne, dry skin, and overall texture. Not only is the orange colored mask fun to apply, but it’s also super easy to make. In a small bowl, combine a teaspoon of turmeric, a few drops of honey, two tablespoons of milk (or yogurt), and a tablespoon of flour. Mix all the ingredients together, and then apply the mask for about 20 minutes. You may have some leftovers which you can keep in the fridge to use later that week.

3—Baking soda. Baking soda is great for balancing the PH level of your skin. This allows it to help with blackheads, inflammation, and over time, it can slowly heal acne scars. The mask is really easy to create, just mix a tablespoon of water with 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda, apply and allow it to sit for about 10 minutes. Rinse it off with warm water, and then apply a moisturizer.

Try out these face masks, and share with us on social @CFashionista!

Additional photos by Cassidy Clark.

5 Guidelines for the Ultimate Fresh-Faced Beauty Look

The fresh-faced beauty look is all over the place right now—on the runways, on the streets, and even on campus. If you don’t have a ton of time in the morning, the fresh-faced look is perfect for you. Even if you do have a lot of time and just want to rock this beauty trend, here are five simple and easy guidelines to follow to achieve a fresh-faced look in minutes.

PHOTO: Lex Kelly

1—Don’t neglect your eyebrows

Your eyebrows are important; they frame your face and balance out the rest of your beauty look. Even if you don’t do anything else to your face, just doing your eyebrows will make a huge difference. The goal is to enhance your existing eyebrows. If using a pencil is too harsh for you, I suggest using a tinted brow gel or lightly filling in your eyebrows with a brow powder. Pro tip: eyeshadow works great if you don’t have a dedicated brow powder product.

2—Keep it lightweight

This may sound like a no-brainer, but keeping your face makeup on the lightweight side is ideal. If you have freckles, let them peek through. Try a tinted moisturizer or just a mineral powder for the ideal fresh-faced look. The idea here is to elevate your natural beauty—the less coverage the better. If you can still see some imperfections on your face after application, then you are doing the fresh-faced beauty look correctly. Add a natural-looking flush of color to your cheeks with a liquid blush.

PHOTO: Lex Kelly

3—Highlighter is essential

Highlighter can be intense, but when used sparingly it can add the perfect amount of luminosity. The goal here is to give your face a glow, not a shine. Highlight the high points of your face to keep the eye on your best features. Your cheekbones, Cupid’s bow, and brow bone are a good place to start. For an even more natural and glowy look, try using a liquid illuminator under your face product.

PHOTO: Lex Kelly

4—Feature your lips

You should always prep your lips for a lip product. A lip scrub is your best bet, but a lip balm will be sufficient. Once your lips are prepared, add a pop of color. This is the step where you can be bold. Reds and oranges are the perfect pop for the end of summer and the beginning of fall.

PHOTO: Lex Kelly

5—Mascara makes all the difference

Focus on making your eyelashes stand out; this is the step that makes your fresh-faced makeup look come together. A few coats of a volumizing mascara will have all eyes on your eyes. If you use an eyeliner, I suggest a super thin light brown line across the lash line for some subtle definition.

What is your go-to makeup product for a fresh-faced look? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to share your looks with us on social media by tagging @Cfashionista! 

Fall Fashion Trends—How to Work Nudes

Well, summer is coming to a close and fall is steadily approaching. You know what that means? The reemergence of nude colors. Now nude colors are hot all year round, and even though they are a fall essential, you can make them work in the summer as well. Beige used to be considered such a plain and boring color but is now considered understated. Nude colors are always great for outfits because you can either dress them down creating a chill look or you can dress them up creating a sultry look.

This Fashionista chose to sport an all-nude outfit pairing a knee-length nude dress with matching lace-up heels. She finishes off the look with a pair of pearl earrings which add just a touch of elegance. This outfit is perfect for the last days of summer and can be worn on a night out with the girls or a simple lunch date. The figure-hugging dress contains a small slit making it effortless, but classy at the same time. This dress is perfect for showing off the natural curves of this Fashionista’s body. The shoes add flair to the outfit, elevating the look up 10 notches. When wearing nude colors, not too much has to be done to make the look a head turner. It’s all about letting your confidence and natural beauty shine through.

To complete this look, I would apply a layer of clear gloss to highlight your lips and give your skin that natural glow. To dress this look up even more I would add a pair of gold hoop earrings and add a nude pink or blush pink duster coat or kimono.

This look is fun and proves that nudes are a staple trend definitely not going anywhere anytime soon.

Do you have any tips or tricks for wearing nudes? Let me know in the comments below!

4 Pampering Products You Can’t Pass Up

Everyone needs a little pampering once in a while. Here is a list of some products I highly recommend you nab immediately for some end-of-summer self-care!

1—Coconut oil. I’m a little embarrassed it took me 24 years to get on the coconut oil train. Now, though, I use it on everything. I put it on every inch of skin below my face and a dab in my hair after every wash. I really dislike lotion because it usually feels like there is a filmy residue left on my skin. Coconut oil is perfect for people like me: You put it on right after the shower (in small amounts—a little goes a long way), and it keeps your skin moisturized without that filmy feel. I use the oil left on my hands to hydrate the ends of my hair and then my skin is soft, hair is soft, everything is soft!

2—Opalex # 3/hair mask. This is the holy grail for my hair: Pampering never felt so good. Opalex has kept my hair so healthy between salon visits. While it’s only a small bottle, you don’t need to use too much. I apply this product once every two weeks to clean, product-free hair, sleep on it, and then wash it out the next morning. You don’t have to use it like I do, but the longer it’s in, the better. You should also be going to a hair stylist that uses Opalex products if you dye your hair often. For an added dose of softness, grab a hair mask at least once a month and your hair will thank you for it, trust me. These products together make for fabulously healthy hair, and mine has grown so long and strong with this routine.

3—Face mist. This face mist has saved my life on Florida’s hottest days. It refreshes your face through the day, and it won’t feel sticky or tacky on top of your makeup. I carry it around with me everywhere. I used to be the type of person that laughed at products like this, but I’m happy to say I was very, very wrong.

4—Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Serum Turning 25 made my wrinkle-anxiety blow through the roof. To be honest, this serum is heaven-sent—it’s my go-to when it’s pampering time. It helps rejuvenate my skin and reduce fine lines so well, I don’t go a day without it! I hate products that leave a film, as I said before, but this serum moisturizes my face without the greasy residue. It really does make your skin feel like it’s fully quenched.

What are some of your favorite pampering products? Show me on social media, and be sure to tag @CFashionista!

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How to Get the Skin You’ve Always Wanted

I’ve had quite the skin adventure, to say the least. I’ve tried so many face washes from different brands, I’ve tried going to dermatologists, and I’ve tried different makeup in hopes that I could find a solution to my skin issues. Before this starts to sound like a Proactiv commercial, I’d like to take you through my journey to glowing skin by using more natural skin care and my favorite products.

I have four different star products that have done wonders for me. The first is by Nip + Fab. Their Dragons Blood Fix Hyaluronic Shot is the icing on top of the cake for all my other skincare products ($25). This serum has evened out my complexion while helping me glow like a true beauty. This product is great for all skin types and won’t make you oily, so it’s definitely a must have for everyone.

The next product in my arsenal for great skin is by Mario Badescu, specifically the facial spray with aloe, herbs, and rosewater ($14). While this product is not new to anyone in the makeup world, it is still a fan favorite. This spray gives my skin new life throughout the day. With a few spritz of this, I’m left feeling hydrated and rejuvenated. You can use this spray on your face to set makeup or even on your hair if it’s feeling little dry.

My third product is my secret weapon, Tea Tree Oil ($10). This oil did wonders in clearing my skin. At the first sight of a breakout, I’d dab little Tea Tree Oil and bam, next morning it was gone. And, as a side note, it also smells fantastic!

The last gem on my list is African Black Soap. This is what has ultimately cleared my skin. When I first started using it my skin went through a transition stage where my skin was drier and tight; this lasted for a week or two. After that my skin went back to normal, with the exception of no longer breaking out. Going primarily natural for my skin care is what did the trick and finally gave me the skin I desired.

What are your favorite skin care products? Let us know on social media @cfashioniasta!