Beauty Mistakes/Tips!

Hi  Everyone! Sorry I haven't updated my blog in a while. I've been sidetracked but last night my mom gave me a great article from Oprah.com talking about 26 beauty mistakes that us girls make. I found it really interesting and thought I would share some of the mistakes I didn't know about or think everyone should know! I'll be posting probably only 10 but at the end of the article I posted the link to the article so you can go and read the whole thing and you should it's very interesting!

Question: Going through the mistakes/tips, how many of these common mistakes we're you making? Think about it!!  Don't forget to go to the full article to see more common mistakes.

 1. Over conditioning your hair:
I read about this a while back so I've been applying my conditioner the right way for some time now but before I use to coat my hair. If you are prone to oily hair then avoid putting too much conditioner on because it will cause your hair to get even more oily.  When applying condition only apply it to the midsection of your hair down to your roots. That's where your hair has the most damage and is older. There is no need to apply it to your roots because it is protected and coated already in your scalp and hairs natural oil. Putting conditioner on your roots will weigh your hair down and make it more oily and greasy.  Also you only need around half a dollar size amount. A little bit goes a long way!

2. Don't brush your hair when it's wet:
I had no idea about this one! I always brush my hair when it's wet but experts say that you should never BRUSH your hair. That doesn't mean you get out of the shower and dry your hair without every combing it. The trick is to get a wide tooth comb (one like I showed you in my fav. hair products) and comb your hair when it's wet with a wide tooth comb. A brush has very narrow bristles that can actually damage and break wet hair unlike the wide tooth's on a comb. When your hair is closer to damp/dry then it is safer to comb your hair with a brush. Personally, I love brushing my hair only because I have long hair and find that a comb doesn't de-tangle my hair like a brush but I will try this method next time I wash my hair only because I do have long hair and I want to keep it looking healthy.

3. The right way to apply perfume:
How do you apply your perfume? I always spray on my neck maybe chest over the clothes as a final out the door spritz and I do TWO big no no's. The first is I spray it on my wrist then rub it together with my other wrist something that most women do I'm sure, well it's not the right way! The friction of rubbing your wrists together with the perfume and your natural oils on your skin will cause the product to alter and then distort the smell of your perfume! Now that I come to think about it, whenever I rub my wrists together I find that the smell diminishes quite a bit and I end up spraying more perfume. So how to properly spray. Spray on each wrist and do not rub them together or wave them in the air, just spray and walk away. Other key area's on our body are the neck, chest and inside of the elbow the body's heat help diffuse the scent.

4. Another perfume No No:
Like I said in #3 there are TWO big no no's. The first was rubbing your wrists together the second is applying perfume to your hair.  I usually finish my hair with hairspray then that's all I can smell. Even if I apply perfume I find my hair smells like  hairspray, even if your hairspray isn't strong it can still smell like it. So I always like to give a little spritz on top of my hair and let the perfume fall naturally on my hair. Well that's not how you apply it!! Since perfume contains alcohol it can dry up your hair and damage it. How to apply? Spray a few times in your hands then clap a few times to evaporate the alcohol then rub through your hair. If you have a roll on  perfume, then roll a few times on the tip of your fingers, wave your fingers in the air then rub over hair. I like having my hair smell like my perfume and I use to spray directly on but now I will do it this way!

5. Pumping your mascara:
I read about this a while back, but still out of old habits I still do it sometimes. Pumping your mascara wand to try and get more product out! I usually end up doing this when my mascara is almost done but what I learned is that instead every tube there is a built-in wipe that takes off the same amount of mascara every time. But why pumping is so bad is that every time you pump it forces air into the tube which then mixes with the formula and can spread unevenly on your lashes making them look clumpy. Also the friction of the pumping softens the formula and that can lead to smudging because it takes longer to set! So never pump your mascara! If you need to pump to get more out because it's almost done then it's time to buy a new one.

My little tip: My mom told me a long time ago when I first started using makeup to buy your mascara with the seasons. Every season buy a new mascara! You should be replacing your mascara every 3-4months even if the tube isn't empty. Applying mascara daily begins to build-up bacteria and since you cannot really wash the wand every few weeks like you should be with your makeup brushes it is important to get a new mascara every 3-4months. Also just replacing the wand doesn't get rid of the bacteria because the formula has been mixed with the previous wand and will contain bacteria!  This is the same with your lipstick, blush, eyeshadows and so on except those do not need to be replaced as often!

6. Lipstick Liner vs Lipstick, which comes first:
I personally never wear lipstick liner probably because of my age and if I we're to wear anything on my lips it would be a gloss again the age but I found this to be very interesting because I always thought the lipstick liner came first before the lipstick but it's FALSE! First apply the lipstick before the liner! Applying the liner after the lipstick will help glide the liner than doing it on bare mouth giving the outline a softer more natural look  all while still keeping a boarder from bleeding.  However please please please pick a liner that is the same colour as your lipstick.  There is nothing worst than wearing a liner a few shades darker, it looks real bad and cheap!

7. Best time to shave your legs:
The best time to shave your legs is 5-10minutes after being in the water or shower.  If you like to shower then right after your shower would be the best time. The heat from the water will soften your skin and make it easy for the razor to glide over your skin. The article states 5-10minutes but I find an extra 5 minutes not harmful because if your like me and take around 15minute showers you can shave after the shower. However you can go in the shower for 5 minutes and then shave your legs before you start to wash your hair. It's your preference!  The article does state though that after being in the water for around 15-20minutes your skin can start to wrinkle and swell from the heat and it makes it harder for the razor to glide along the base of your hair. It depends on your skin type, being in the bath will make your skin wrinkle faster than being in the shower for 15minutes. Just shave your legs sooner than later in the water. You should however always shave after having the water/steam and heat on your skin, it makes your skin smoother and less harsh especially if you are prone to razor burns.

8. Best time to apply hair products:
Never apply hair products to soaking wet hair.  The water from your hair will actually dilute the product and you won't be getting the full effect from it. Also when your hair is wet the pores in your hair are smaller and again your hair won't absorb the products. The bet time to apply products is when your hair is damp to dry. I always apply a leave in conditioner (check my fav. hair products for the type) and I put the product in damp hair. If your ends dry faster like mine because they are thinner and more frail then you can apply the product to the tips first then wait for the midsection to dry a little more before applying the rest of the product. So if your product calls to apply in wet hair, apply it to damp hair. Most products say to apply to damp hair anyways!  I always let my hair become damp by just air drying then I apply the leave in conditioner and any other products for a certain style then blow dry I never blow dry without my leave in conditioner!

9. Shaving cream/gel vs soap:
When you shave do you use shaving cream/gel or just soap? I use a shaving gel, personally I didn't really know there was a difference between shaving cream and gel. Gel is more thick and is best to use if you have dry or sensitive skin which I do. I have some tropical Skintimate gel and it smells amazing!!! I remember once though that I ran out of shaving gel and I used soap to shave my legs. I cut myself, got razor burn and didn't get a close enough shave. The reason is because the shaving cream/gel leaves a cushion that is rich in texture and thicker than the foam  of a soap. The cushion is essential to avoiding nicks and cuts. Also I find that the foam from soap evaporates faster and slides off your skin.

10. Best way to file your nails:
Personally, I don't file my nails but I thought this was interesting because I know people who file their nails and I'm wondering if they do it the right way. I never liked the sound or feeling of filing my nails. If your nails are weak, crack and don't grow it's probably your manicure style. If you do not file your nails the proper way you can cause damage and break your nails which then don't grow!  The best way to file your nails is using either a crystal file or an emery board with a high grit, that mean's that it will be smooth. Never  ever ever used a metal file it will cause damage! When filing always file in one direction, in the same shape as your cuticle because it will less likely cause damage to your nail. Never file your nails in a back and fourth motion it's too rough on the nails.


I loved this article from Oprah.com. The best part was that each beauty mistake was small and easy to read and was sectioned off by pictures. It's very  interesting to learn more about these common mistakes that I know I was making!

http://www.oprah.com/style/Beauty-Tips-from-O-The-Oprah-Magazine-Beauty-Editors/1#slideshow

That's the link to the slideshow article I hope you enjoy it and learn a few tips and tricks!

-Karrah!