Dry summers are especially challenging because they’re topped by not just with scorching sunlight, but dry air can leave the lips brutally chapped. Even something as small as sore lips can cause significant discomfort with the possibility of affecting your entire day and mood. Here are some easy hacks that will help you keep your lips soft and supple all day, every day.

Moisturise Your Lips

Using a good lip balm is where you can start. There are a lot of benefits of using lip balm. Moreover, they’re small and handy and can be applied as many times a day as you like. A good fruit lip balm can work wonders in the summer. Remember to use it right after you shower to lock in the moisture, before you sleep, and throughout the day. Strawberries are particularly great for skin as they’re rich in Vitamin C.

Wear A Moisturising Lipstick

Avoid lipsticks with paraben. If possible, opt for an organic one made with natural ingredients. If that’s not your thing, settle for one with moisturising elements. Glossy or creamy ones are always better than matte because they can lubricate the skin. Always, always remember to use a fruit lip balm or natural lip balm before applying your lipstick, this will help retain the moisture in your lips and won’t let the lipstick dry your skin out.

Don’t Lick Your Lips

Yes, it might sound like using your saliva to wet your lips will moisturise them, but it won’t. It will actually make it worse and dry your lips out even more. Instead, every time you feel like licking your lips, remember to use a flavoured lip balm enough times until it becomes second nature.

Scrub With A Toothbrush

Yep, we’re not kidding! Just like the skin on the rest of your body, your lips also have a layer of dead skin. Gently scrub with your toothbrush, so the bristles act as exfoliators. This will help get rid of the flakiness leaving your lips soft and supple. When you scrub your body, you apply a hydrating moisturiser to protect it from being exposed to the environment. Similarly, a strawberry flavoured lip balm after scrubbing will help keep your lips soft and healthy. Pouting for selfies with your BFFs is going to be a cakewalk!

D-I-Y Lip Mask

If you don’t know how to choose lip balm, the easiest way to make one is by mixing one teaspoon of honey and one teaspoon of lemon juice. Apply well on the lips and leave for 20 minutes. After which you should rinse thoroughly so as not to leave behind any stickiness. Do this first thing in the morning to have fabulous lips all day long.

Drink Water

Water is an underrated asset when it comes to skincare. Drink plenty of water every day to build your immune system and keep your lips from getting chapped. Very soon you’ll notice a visible change, and you won’t need products as often, though it’s always good to keep a lip balm handy.

Now that you have all the hacks handy, what are you waiting for? Go get those perfect pouty lips all you want!

Source: Skinella

Image: Pexels

The post Want Softer Lips? Try These Tips & Tricks! appeared first on NK Beauty.

Buying new products you may or may not like, wondering what other people will think of your new look, etc. One of the biggest questions in makeup is colour! Specifically, graduating from a more nude, conservative look — to a more bold, bright and colourful look. You don’t have to take a leap of faith though! We asked some of our professional clients for some tips on experimenting with colour.

Tips For Experimenting With Colours

1/11) For bright lips, try a bright gloss instead of a bright opaque coloured lip stick. For people not used to colour on the lips, gloss is usually a little less intimidating. For eyes, try a simple wash of one colour over the lids rather than trying to incorporate multiple colours. 

2/11) Lipsticks are a great way to experiment with colour. They add a small pop to a natural look without committing to a full day’s wear. If you need to change it, just blot it off. Bright eyeliners are also a great pop. Super small and noncommittal. It won’t overtake your entire look or make you look clownish.

3/11) If you’re new to using colour in your makeup, start with colours you already lean towards in your wardrobe. Jewel tones are also a great way to transition from neutrals adding a subtle, sexy and colourful edge to your makeup.

4/11) Experimenting with colour need not be intimidating. Find clever ways to incorporate fall shade trends to your makeup. My clients love when I add a smudge of liner to lower lashes or a wash of eyeshadow to the tear duct in an on-trend shade. Most women love to be on trend without being over the top. If lipstick is more your thing why not try a new colour but stick to your favorite finish? It’s adding something new without changing up the game completely. Since most makeup retailers offer makeup applications with purchase, stop in and try before you buy. That takes the fear out of cosmetics all together.

5/11) First and foremost it’s makeup, if you don’t like how it looks you can always take it off! Fall is a great transition season to still use those bronzy colours but to incorporate more depth to them. Try a brown smoky eye or try pairing a natural eye with a dark bold lipstick in a wine colour.

6/11) Start light and build the colour up. A lot of times people want to throw the colour they see in the palette or eyeshadow straight on to the eye lid and try to have the same intensity that they see. However, those colours may not look good with your skin tone. If you start light and build the intensity you will see a good shade of green, for instance, that works for your complexion.

7/11) I love experimenting with colour! If we’re talking about eyes, more often than not I pair my pop of colour with a neutral matte shade and a black eye liner. This combo makes almost any colour instantly wearable and less scary! For instance, if I’m going wild with a bold blue on my lid, I’ll blend it out with a taupe or medium brown shade to tone it down a notch. If I want to create a smokier effect, I’ll add a matte black shadow in the “outer v” areas. As soon as I add my favorite black eye liner, I’m good to go.

8/11) I would say one of the most important things to consider that hasn’t already been mentioned would be to pick one feature to play with colour with, and then go nude/neutral on the others, to avoid potentially looking clownish. So – if you are doing a brighter eye, do a softer cheek and light or nude lip. If it’s a bright lip, softer cheek and browns/grays/tans on the eyes – you get the picture! –

9/11) Try to use one colour per brush, so it won’t end up looking dirty. And use a clean brush for blending.

10/11) I would say, make sure to keep it tight, don’t go crazy outside of the crease, not until you know what you are doing. Also, start with the eye makeup first, so you don’t freak out from the colourful fallout. And don’t think that everything has to match – pink shadow / pink lips / pink dress / pink shoes. Oh and never experiment when you are in a rush to go! The universe will make sure to get you for being too brave.

11/11) My pro tip is to add colour on eye lid. It gives an easy application and a peak of colour. Just over the ball of your eye. Blending into a transition colour. If you’re wanting to be a tad more daring, blending a colour through the crease with a large blending brush will still give you a pop of colour.

Source: frendsbeauty

Image: Pexels

The post What to try Experimenting with Make-up Colours? Follow These Tips! appeared first on NK Beauty.

But even if you’ve been wearing eyeshadow and foundation for decades, there are some next-level tricks out there that will leave you asking yourself, “How did I not know this?!” So if you’re looking to learn a few smart beauty tips that will save you time and money — all while looking more glam than ever! — you’re in the right spot.

From tried-and-true beauty insider secrets to the makeup techniques celebs rely on (we see you, highlighting and contouring), we’ve rounded up the best tips and tricks recommended by makeup pros and makeup junkies alike. Whether you’re looking to fix common makeup problems like creasing, smudging, or fading, or you just want to change up your look, here are the best makeup hacks that you need to try ASAP.

Powder your lashes.

The post Genius Makeup Hacks That Will Change Your Life appeared first on NK Beauty.

The easy-to-use DIY manicure staple not only saves money and time going to the salon, but it lets you customize your nail designs as often as you want.

But the one drawback to press-ons that we hear often is that they can be changed too easily — many find it hard to keep their press-on nails from popping off quickly after application. Well, that stops here, as we’re sharing five simple tips on how to make press on nails last longer.

How Do You Keep Press On Nails From Popping Off?

The key to making press-ons last like gel nails or an acrylic manicure is in the application process. Of course the quality of your adhesive is important, but there are other things you can also do to extend the life of your press-on nails.

1. Clean Your Nail Beds With the Right Product

If you have oily nail beds then you know how important it is to clean them before getting a manicure — gel, traditional or otherwise — to avoid premature chipping. Before you start your press-on set, clean your nail beds and the base of the press on nails with acetone polish remover. This will help you remove excess oil from your nail and any leftover polish or gel residue you may have on your nails from a previous manicure.

Just be careful when wiping the press-on with the remover, acetone is used to remove gel and other highly cross-linked varnishes. One light swipe inside the nail is all you need, and if you’re concerned about the quality of your press-on nails opt for non-acetone nail polish remover for this step.

2. Buff Your Nails Before Application

After you’ve fitted each nail and laid them out in front of you, take a glass nail file or a sanding block and give your natural nails a light buffing. Be gentle, the goal is just to create some texture for your nail adhesive or glue to stick to. This also helps you avoid air pockets that cause press-on nails to pop off quickly.

3. Double Glue Your Nails

You know how double cleansing your skin is beneficial to removing makeup and getting rid of impurities, dirt and pollution — this step is nothing like that in process, but it’s just as beneficial when it comes to making your press-on set last. Add a thin layer of nail glue or adhesive to your natural nail and be sure to cover it completely. Then add a drop of nail glue to the inside base of the press-on, avoiding the free edge. The glue in the press-on will naturally be drawn to the glue on your nail and they’ll grab onto each other, adding an extra layer of bonding.

Make sure you coat the nails well to avoid air bubbles as they create pockets between your nail and the press-on. If air gets into the adhesive your nails may be popping off before the end of the day — and no one wants that after all their hard work.

4. Apply Pressure for Ample Time

Simply placing the press-on nails onto your nails isn’t enough to get them to stay no matter what the packaging says. You have to apply pressure in the center of the nail for at least 10 seconds (on each nail) and pinch the sides while you do it to get the best possible nail bed fit.

5. Cure Like a Gel Manicure

We understand that some press-on sets will come already painted and designed and need no extra work once you’ve applied them. If that’s the case then you’re all done. But if your nails need to be painted then this presents another opportunity to add some staying power to your press-on nails.

After you’ve painted your nails with gel polish, cure them under a UV lamp. Cure each nail as you polish it, then cure the entire hand once you’ve completed all your nails. This will give your adhesive more hold, resulting in a press-on manicure that lasts just as long as your salon gel set. If you have a pack of pre-painted gel nails you may be able to cure those too, just check the packaging for warnings first.

When your press-ons are a week old, give them a light top coat to freshen up the color and keep them looking new.

Can You Put Gel Over Press On Nails?

Like we said above, if you’re using press-ons that need to be painted once applied it’s okay to put gel polish over them and cure them under a UV lamp. If you’re using pre-painted press-on nails, be careful as the gel could ruin your nails. Check with the brand before you cure pre-designed press-ons and if it won’t present an issue, cure away.

How Long Do Press On Nails Usually Last?

A set of press-on nails will typically last for about one week but if you follow the tips above and take care of your nails they could stay intact for two to three weeks (or until you remove them). If you want to remove press-on nails before they come off on their own, be sure to follow the proper steps like you would when removing gel nails or removing acrylic nails and follow up with hand care to keep your natural nails looking and feeling healthy.

Source: lorealparisusa

Written By Shalwah Evans

Image: Pexels

The post 5 Tips to Make Your Press-On Nails Last for Weeks appeared first on NK Beauty.

Below we take a look at some of the tricks of the trade that can really give your beauty regime a boost and leave your makeup looking like it has been applied by a real professional makeup artist.

Invest in good quality brushes

If you want to apply makeup like a pro, then you’re going to need the right tools for the job and that means spending some money on some good quality equipment such as brushes. If you’re using mediocre brushes, you can significantly improve the application of your makeup by investing in better quality ones. The eight basic brushes you need are:

1. Foundation brush
2. Concealer brush
3. Fluffy powder brush
4. Blush brush
5. Small blending brush
6. Flat eyeshadow brush
7. Precision angle brush
8. Lip brush

Conceal those skin flaws using opposite colours

Professional makeup artists use a colour chart to help them cover up skin flaws. The secret is to cover up flaws by using the opposite colour in the colour chart. So, if you have redness and red spots around the nose, you would use a green pigmented concealer to cover it up. Try it, you’ll see that it really works!

Change your face shape

Of course you can’t actually change the shape of your face but what you can do is actually change how your face’s shape is perceived b using makeup, namely contouring. If you have a round face that you would like to be more oval, apply a bronzer a shade or two darker than your skin tone in a ‘3’ design alongside your face, your temples and in the hollows of your cheeks. Prominent foreheads too can be softened by shading the outer edge of your forehead along the hairline with bronzer.

Apply your eyeliner the correct way

Did you know that you are not supposed to draw your liner all the way across your lashline in one motion? This is because you’ll get bumps in your line with your brush catching on loose skin. What you should do is go from the inner corner to the centre of your eyelid and then reload the brush and then start for the outside corner, meeting in the middle. Try it, and you’ll see that it works so much better!

Get those Angelina Jolie lips (without the injections!)

She may have split up from Brad Pitt but Angelina Jolie still looks fabulous and there can’t be many women around who don’t envy her lips. However, you don’t need to go down the Botox route for these. Lighter lipstick colours reflect light which means by using lighter colours your lips get an automatic, natural fuller appearance. Another tip is to apply a dab of gloss to the top part of your Cupid’s bow and to the center of the bottom of your lip. Try it, it really does make your lips look fuller!

Source: justmylook

Image: Pexels

The post Tips and Tricks from Professional Make-up Artists appeared first on NK Beauty.

As Reviewed’s resident beauty expert, I spend a lot of time trying new products, organizing my stash, and looking for new, fun ways I can enhance my routine. To help you do the same, I put together a list of beauty products and projects—many of which don’t require you to spend much, if anything at all—that you can try for yourself. Because even in tough times, it helps to do something that makes you look and feel better.

Create a personalized face mask

If you’ve spent the bulk of your isolation time in the kitchen cheffing up meals or showering your family with baked goods, we’ve got the perfect beauty task for you. There are plenty of recipes for easy DIY facials available online—whether they do what they claim or not, there’s no harm in zoning out with a blend of honey, oats, and avocado on your face. Search for recipes using whatever ingredients you have lying around and you’re bound to find some hits.

Not much for experimentation? You can always buy a sheet mask to hydrate your skin or snag a clay mask to “detoxify” it. The much-loved Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay Mask comes as a powder and requires you to mix it with water or apple cider vinegar before spreading it over your face, so you still get that hands-on experience.

Make a scrub for your face, lips, and body

While you’re in the kitchen making a face mask, why not whip up a scrub, too? The key to this spa-like treatment is creating one that’s gentle, lest you damage your skin. It’s as simple as adding ingredients you have at home, like granulated sugar or coffee grounds, to a liquid or creamy base like oil or avocado. Use the scrub to slough dead skin off of your lips, face, and body in the shower and follow up with a moisturizer to replenish the skin barrier.

Clean your makeup brushes

If you can’t remember the last time you washed your makeup brushes, (spoiler) it’s been too long. First off, the bristles hold onto your foundation or eyeshadow and potentially affect the look you’re going for when you use them, but also they can collect bacteria, which you’re then transferring to your face every time you use them.

Use a bar of gentle soap, like the Dove Sensitive Skin Unscented Beauty Bar Soap, and run the brushes over it under water—you’ll see the makeup’s pigment run off onto the soap bar. When it runs clean, that’s how you know you’re done sudsing. Some people also use their facial cleanser to clean brushes in a pinch, and there are tons of hacks for makeup brush cleansers on the internet using household ingredients. To help the process along, you can use your cleanser of choice to coat the brushes and rub them against a cleansing mat, like the popular Sigma one, that has grooves that create friction to break up the makeup in the brush. You can also find a mitt at Ulta that works similarly and is handheld and less expensive.

No matter your method, you’ll want to thoroughly rinse out your cleanser then lay your brushes flat or maneuver them to hang upside down so that the water doesn’t run toward the barrel, causing water to get trapped at the base of the bristles or warp the handle.

Oil train your hair

Did you know that you can “train” your hair to become less oily? The more you wash your hair and remove the oil from it, the more your scalp produces oil to overcompensate for the loss, just like your facial skin. If you’re shampooing every day yet notice scalp greasiness before your next shower, you’re among the many people who over-wash their hair, especially if you also notice that your ends feel dry and overstyled at the same time. There’s no better time than right now when you don’t have to go out in public, to get yourself down to the one to two washes per week recommended for healthy hair from root to tip.

Not sure where to start? Boston-based hair stylist Graziella Meola told us to gradually space out your washes over a couple of weeks—from every day to every other day, to every third day—and substitute with dry shampoo on the off days, or by rinsing with water and putting conditioner on the ends of your hair if you simply must “wash” your hair every day.

Deep condition your hair

Many people have (unofficially) reported to me that their hair is feeling dry and snarly from throwing it up in buns everyday in lieu of their usual styling routines. In some cases, it’s also a matter of unfortunate timing with now having to postpone a long-needed haircut. A hair mask can’t repair your dead ends, but it can give your hair a needed boost of hydration. If you’re looking to invest in one, try the fan-favorite Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask, which claims to replenish moisture and protect against future damage. If you want to save some cash, you can make your own using ingredient combinations like eggs and mayonnaise, banana and avocado, or yogurt and honey, according to blog recipes.

Declutter your makeup collection

You may be taking inventory of any non-necessities cluttering up your space. Unlike clothes, books, or other home purging projects you may consider tackling, makeup doesn’t take up too much space, so it may not be top of mind when you’re sifting through belongings. If you sit down at your vanity, though, you’ll likely find at least one product you haven’t touched in awhile, or ones that are expired.

Most cosmetics have a small graphic depicting an open jar on the packaging with a number inside that indicates its shelf life in months. Go through your collection and toss anything that sits unused or you’re certain you bought longer ago than this suggested expiration. If you have unopened products that you don’t see yourself using, consider donating them to an organization like Project Beauty Share, which gives products to non-profit organizations “serving women and families overcoming abuse, addiction, homelessness and poverty to help restore hope and dignity in their lives.”

Try self-tanning

You’re likely not having many face-to-face interactions these days and for those that happen over a video chat, your virtual appearance does not need to be top-notch. But if you’re someone who feels their best with the glow of a tan, don’t let the current news cycle discourage you from it. Or if you’re someone who wants to finally try self-tanning but you’ve always been afraid of it, now is the time to experiment.

Give yourself a manicure or pedicure

You don’t have to be a professional nail technician to groom your fingers and toes—just some basic tools that you may already have at home, like a nail file and clippers. To keep it simple, clip the tips of your nails and file down any sharp edges to avoid snags in your clothes or scratches on your skin. Then, if you have one, paint a clear coat on your nails to make them look shiny and healthy. Repeat this process on your toes.

If you want to try your hand at a spa-like nail treatment, place your fingertips in a warm bowl of water to soften the skin, then clean up your cuticles using a cuticle pusher. From there, trim your tips with a clipper, shape the edges with a file, and buff out the tops of the nails with a nail buffer or an old, worn-down file that’s not too rough. Once you’ve completed these steps, wash your hands and proceed with a clear coat or a colorful polish that flashes your work. For your feet, you can do the same process but use a foot spa—or, in a pinch, a bucket filled with warm water—to prep your feet.

Source: eu.usatoday 

Image: Unsplashed Roberto Nickson

The post Beauty ideas to practice self-care at home appeared first on NK Beauty.

That’s why we went straight to the pros – our Global Makeup Educators – to get tips on how to fill in your eyebrows to perfection, by always remembering to line, fill and blend.

Line – Using an eyebrow pencil with a fine tip to line the top of your eyebrow. First, locate the starting point of your eyebrow. To do so hold the pencil vertical to the bridge of your nose, right next to your nostril; mark that spot with the pencil. Then, mark the ending point by pivoting the pencil so it aligns with the outer corner of our eye. Connect the two dots with one light, even line.

Fill – Start at the tail of your eyebrow, and use short, feathery strokes to fill in your eyebrow. Be sure your strokes begin at the underside of your eyebrow and move outward toward your temple for the most natural look.

Blend – Use a spoolie brush at a 45-degree angle to blend your pencil strokes into your natural hair.

Source: janeiredale

Image: Adobe Stock, nadezhda07_07

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