A few days later, I noticed that my face was burnt out again. Groan. I went back to the shop and bought Himalaya Neem wash, because, well, the cream wash was finished, and the Neem wash is for all skin types, so that seemed like a much safer option until I figured out what exactly was what.

I had re-used the for-oily-skin gel wash because it was in a pretty bottle, felt deliciously cool on my skin, smelt fabulous … and because I wasn’t about to throw out a perfectly good tube of facial wash. My reasoning was ‘what’s the worst that could happen?’

I used it one morning, just once. By lunch time, my face was stinging and ’sunburnt’. It took me a week of mild exfoliant and soothing Neem wash to get rid of the burn effect.

Yeah, I’m not ever trying that again.

Then I went a-googling and found out a few things. Apparently, getting burnt by clay masks is more common than you’d think. Yahoo answers claimed it was a sign of allergy, at which point I decided that I have sensitive skin, since I am ‘allergic’ to mud masks and cinammon exfoliant, and since my skin is shiny and  patchy, and is both dry and sticky after cleansing. Continue Reading »

Powder
The purpose of powder is to keep foundation on longer, to set the foundation(keeps it from slipping) add a little more coverage , take away shine and give the skin a polished flawless look.

Since make up looks very different in the package than it does on your face then just like foundation it’s important to try it on your skin before you buy. The secret to powder is to get one with a yellow undertone and one that’s a shade lighter than your foundation. It will make your skin look natural, healthy and radiant.

There are four types of powder that come in loose powder form or pressed powder form. Loose powder is used when you first do your make up. It’s usually applied with a large powder brush. Always apply powder with a light hand, building it up when you need to. The key here is to apply it delicately and sparingly.

Pressed powder comes in a compact. Normally used for touch ups and to combat midday oiliness. Continue Reading »

So, a few months ago, when I bought my first ever facial products, I went with Himalaya oily skin products. And that worked just fine for a few days, until my face broke out in what looked like sunburn. A week later, when I tried my first home facial, my skin burnt so intensely that I was tempted to smother myself with a pillow, just to stop the stinging.

I decided, based on the burning, that perhaps my skin is dry. After all, I had had a facial once, for an interview at KQ, and the lady insisted my skin was dry. I ignored her of course, on account of being so shiny.

However, I am a bit of a DIY fanatic, so I laid off the toner and bought some Himalaya dry skin products. That seems to work fine. The cream wash is gentler on my skin, even though it smells annoyingly flowery and tastes like pins.

The for-dry-skin fruit mask stung, but it stung considerably less than the mud mask. So I stuck to milk masks and exfoliated the burned areas every two days, and that seemed to help. For about a month, my skin looked and felt great. Continue Reading »

FOUNDATION
What do women want in a foundation? A flawless, natural-looking coverage that evens out their skin. Today, foundation comes in many different textures, consistencies and formulas. Finding the right foundation is like finding the perfect fitting jeans.

Types of Foundations
1. Oil-free and matte liquid foundations
Has a smooth finish with no shine or dewy appearance. How long foundation lasts usually depends on how oily your skin is. It is therefore a good idea to always set your foundation with a light dusting of loose powder. Most oil-free and matte liquid foundations provide sheer to medium coverage. They are best for oily skin type as they have minimal shine and leave a smooth matte look. Continue Reading »

Concealer
It’s used to cover minor blemishes from birthmarks, sunspots, age spots and under eye circles. It’s one of the most important products in any woman’s beauty arsenal. In fact it is known as the secret of the beauty universe. Most women suffer from undereye circles and usually, concealer is the only way to go.

So how do you determine what is a good concealer and a bad one. A bad concealer is chalky dry or greasy and may emphasize the flaws you are trying to cover up. A good concealer is smooth, creamy and yellow toned, blends into your skin and makes you look instantly better. You can also feel the concealer between your fingers. A good one should feel creamy and not powdery, sticky or greasy.

Obviously, concealer is a try before you buy product. Choose concealer that’s a shade lighter than your foundation(of course keeping in mind that your foundation matches your skin exactly). And if your circles are very dark, go 2 shades lighter. If it’s too dark or too light, it will look unnatural and actually highlight the area you are trying to conceal. Sometimes undereye circle can be lighter than the skin on the rest of your face. Try a concealer that’s the same shade as your foundation or a shade darker.
A yellow based concealer is always the best bet no matter your skin color. Continue Reading »

The right make up tools can make a difference between looking unpolished to looking flat-out fabulous. The right make up tools also make make up application easy and results in a flaw less looking face.

The right make up brushes will probably be your biggest make up tool investment so it’s important to know how to shop for them. So how do you tell between a good make up brush from a bad one? The bristles should feel soft against the skin and never scratchy or rough. It does not matter whether they are made out of synthetic or natural hairs. How they feel is the most important.

Lip brushes and concealer brushes are best when synthetic because they need to be stiff enough to apply a thicker creamier product. Eye shadow, blush and powder brushes need to be soft and fluffy so that they spread out over your skin. Before buying try the brush out by running it over the area of your face it’s designed for. Check the strength of the bristles by running your hand over them to make sure they do not come out. The handles need to feel comfortable in your hand.
Continue Reading »

Growing up, the only skin care regimen I knew was to cleanse with Imperial Leather soap and then slather on some Vaseline to moisturize my skin. I have since moved on to a more sophisticated skin care regimen but Vaseline still remains my number one choice when it come to taking care of dry skin issues especially my lips, hands, feet and elbows. There is always a tub of Vaseline petroleum jelly in my house and I’m sure it’s the same with many other households around the world. The great thing about this product is that it’s cheap and very versatile.

Vaseline Petroleum Jelly was named Vaseline by Robert Cheesebrough in 1869, after he discovered its various remarkable healing properties on the skin. However it has no medicinal value. Vaseline cannot be absorbed by the skin, therefore it acts as a seal around minor cuts and burns preventing germs from getting into the wound and locking in moisture thus it’s healing properties.
Vaseline has been around for over 100 years and over time it has evolved to include a variety of uses. Is it any wonder that women have discovered that petroleum jelly acts as a wonderful and cheap beauty aid. Here are a few ways you can use Vaseline as part of your beauty routine. Some were new to me and I can’t wait to try them out.   Continue Reading »

If you are like me, you’re probably feeling the economic crunch in a big way and have been looking at your budget every month trying to figure out what things you can really do without. For many of us women, it becomes very difficult to compromise on our beauty regimen especially when it’s taken so long to find those great products that work so well on our skin. Well, the good news is you don’t have to compromise. You can still get that weekly, bi-weekly or monthly facial by learning how to do it yourself at home. It’s a very simple process and with a few tries, you will be well on your way to becoming your own beauty expert. In addition you will save yourself a good amount of cash and numerous trips to the beauty salon.

What You Need:

• Cucumber slices or tea bags for your eyes
• Towels and washcloths
• Facial cleanser
• Facial Exfoliator
• Facial mask
• Facial moisturizer
• To give yourself a relaxing spa atmosphere you need:
• A relaxing place to lie down
• Aromatherapy spray
• Relaxing music

Continue Reading »

December is around the corner and here in Kenya, the wedding season will be at its peak. So this is for all the brides out there busy preparing for your big day. Right now if you have not done so already, you are busy looking for the perfect dress, perfect invitation, perfect location, perfect flowers and perfect everything. Or so you think.

One of the most overlooked areas during this time is wedding day beauty. Usually the bride-to-be will have envisioned how her hair and nails will look but totally ignores the makeup department or leaves it for the last minute. Yet, you will be photographed on this day more than any other day in your life. In other words, you will be the star attraction. Continue Reading »

Skin type is the description and interpretation of how and why your skin looks, feels, and behaves as it does. It is the single most important factor influencing the decisions we make about the kind of skin-care routines and the products we buy.

Hardly anyone has just one skin type. This is because of the fact that the skin is susceptible to outside factors such as weather, diet, whether you smoke or don’t smoke, whether you live in an arid, humid or highly polluted climate. Medications you are currently taking will also affect the way your skin behaves. Genetic predisposition also affects your skin type. Your skin also changes with your period, if you are pregnant or when you are stressed.

A woman with oily skin may also have sensitive skin or someone with dry skin may also have acne-prone skin. Therefore, diagnosing yourself as one skin type is not an effective way of approaching skin care. It’s important really look at the way your skin behaves. Continue Reading »