Unique and "Do It Yourself" Beauty Tips

Some of these tips may not be your cup of tea, but I found most of them rather interesting!

* To minimize pores and to soften your skin, apply a beaten egg yolk to your face and let dry for 10 minutes, then rinse well with warm water.

* A great way to make your perfume last all day, is to spray it into your hands and rub it on your hair. Your hair doesn't sweat so the scent will stay with you.

* For bigger eyes, apply darker eyeliner on the outer corner of your eyes and brighter eyeliner on the inner corner of your eyes.

* Rub a dry body brush in a circular motion on your stomach and legs everyday before you shower. This increases the circulation in your body and helps reduce the appearance of cellulite.

* After applying lipstick, stick your thumb in your moth and then slowly pull it out. This removes any lipstick from the inside rim of your lips so you don't get lipstick on your teeth.

* If you have big lips, use muted colors, such as purples, browns and bronzes. If you have small lips, avoid dark colors.

* After you have done all your makeup, take some shimmery white eyeshadow and put a tiny bit on the inner corners of your eyes. It really make them POP!

* To soften your skin, take an avocado, smash it in a bowl, rub it all over your body and let set for 20 minutes before washing it off. Avocado is a natural moisturizer.

* For added glow and radiance to your face, mix honey and milk until it's creamy. Wash your face with hot water to open pores. Apply the mixture avoiding the T area, wait 30 minutes and wash it off with cold water.

* To remove blackheads, steam 5 minutes and exfoliate immediately.

* Rub vaseline on your eyelashes. Smear it in between every single lash and around your lash line. If you do this everyday, it will eventually make your lashes grow in faster and softer.

* If your hairline starts to look greasy, dip a makeup brush into loose powder. Tap the brush once on the back of your hand to remove excess, then dust it over your roots. The powder will soak up the oils and blend into your strands. No one will know you didn't take your daily shower!

* To help keep eyebrows hydrated and get rid of those icky white specks that resemble dandruff, rub any good eye cream through them.

* Mix a little body bronzer with regular hand lotion and pat on your arms and legs for a gradual sunless tan.

Let me know if you're successful in using any of these tips!

Set Apart

It's been awhile since I've continued with the story of Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel, so I thought today would be a perfect time for just that.
Have I mentioned how wonderful a teacher Beth Moore is? Seriously, if you haven't done one of her studies, DO ONE! You will be forever changed.

My story picks up with Belshazzar, one of Neb's ancesters and a very wicked young man. Allow me to back up a bit to give you a little information before I go forward.
When Neb was king, he raided the temple of Jerusalem, the temple of God, taking with him holy articles and placing them in the temple of his god (make note of the capital G and the little g). This raiding happened quite a bit in these times; kings wanting more articles of gold and silver to add to and build up their own store of riches.
Now back to Belshazzar. He decides one night to throw this huge party, this great banquet for a thousand of his nobles.  Can you imagine throwing a party for 1,000 of your friends? Do you even have 1,000 friends? I surely don't!
They are all sitting around drinking some very expensive wine and after becoming a little inebriated, Belshazzar decides to order his servants to fetch the expensive gold and silver Jewish goblets that Nebuchadnezzar stole from the temple of God.
What's the big deal, you may ask? These goblets weren't just any ordinary goblets. If you go back to Exodus 40:9, God commands Moses to consecrate (the act or state of which people or things are set aside and reserved exclusively for God) the tabernacle and everything in it, including these goblets. The same goblets that drunken Belshazzar wants to party with! Belshazzar made a grievous mistake in treating the holy as unholy.
Do you realize that we, too, are holy vessels? Ephesians 1:4 says that we have been chosen to be holy and blameless in His sight. We are not just common vessels. We have been declared holy. How does that make you feel? When I was told that, I thought, "What? Me? Holy? You have got to be kidding!"
But it's true. You, me, your neighbor, your friends, have all been declared holy vessels to be used by God Himself. 1 Corinthians 1:21-22 says that He annointed us and has set His seal of ownership on us. Ownership, you may ask? Maybe not like you own your car or your house, but in a sense that this seal tells us that we are His and no matter what we've done or who we are. We are guaranteed to receive all His blessings and treasures He has stored up in heaven for us.
Satan has no greater agenda than attempting to desecrate what God consecrates - much like Belshazzar. Satan wants us to think we're common and definitely not worth God's time. Let me just say that God does NOT overlook satan's mistreatment of holy vessels now anymore than He did way back in Belshazzar's day.
Back to the party... in the midst of this drunken orgy, a hand appears out of nowhere and begins to write on the wall. I don't have to explain just how scared Belshazzar and his nobles were. Does shaking in their shoes help you picture this scene?
The writing is interpreted in short, to mean: Your (referring to Belshazzar) days are numbered, you have been found guilty of numerous crimes against the Lord God and your kingdom will be divided.
That very night, Belshazzar is slain.
We have been set apart for sacred use. Be aware of any way satan tries to tell you differently. Vessels that have been treated as unholy can be treated as holy again.

Sample with Care

Have you ever walked into a major department store and noticed the cosmetic counters that are just filled with sample after sample of the latest and greatest brand? I'm sure you have, but what you probably didn't notice was the E.coli, herpes and maybe even conjunctivitis.

So, how many hands and fingers have been in those samples? and where have those hands and fingers been prior to sampling? It's possible you don't want to hear - or in this case read - this, but I feel you must know what you could be getting into.
Studies have been done that prove these germs exist in the department store samples, but there are solutions to avoiding coming into contact with contaminants.
First, try lotions you can squeeze into your hand instead of ones that come in a jar, that you have to get out with your fingers.
Second, use a tissue to clean off the surface of a sampler or a tissue dipped in alcohol.
Third, never, ever, use communal brushes! Use a clean cotton ball to try on cheek color or powder. Always use disposable applicators.

There was a study done by Dr. Elizabeth Brooks, a biological sciences professor at Jefferson Medical  College in Pennsylvania. She wrote an article for the Los Angeles Times regarding handling store samplers safely. She's quoted as saying, "Every makeup display that we tested, and we tested hundreds, always had disposable brushes and little pads to put on makeup, and they had all of that behind the counter, but it was for the asking - they didn't have it for the general public just to pick up at their leisure. And of course your Avon or Mary Kay lady had one-shot testers that have just enough to put on your lips or eyes and some of the bigger brands had one-shot testers of foundation, lipstick or eye shadow as well - but not every brand carries that."    

I'm not telling you to not go to the mall and have your makeup done; I've done it myself, several times. Just be careful with the testers and don't be afraid to ask for the one-time samples or for the disposable applicators. Women need to update their looks every so often and without a trained professional to help them find the colors suitable to their skin color and type or find the right eye shadow or lipstick, some women are stuck in the dark ages.

To Age or Not To Age

Admit it, aging is a bit frightening, isn't it? We're all getting older, but we're doing all we can to prevent it or delay the process.
Many cosmetic companies market products with claims of reducing the signs of aging, but how can the consumer know that is a true statement? Well, a little research on the ingredients in certain cosmetic products will help answer that question.

I'd like to address free radicals and I'm not talking about the person who advocates fundamental political, economic and social reforms by direct and often uncompromising methods! I'm talking about molecules; responsible for aging, tissue damage and possibly some diseases. They're called free, because they float around in the body, looking for a healthy molecules to bond with and destroy. In order to prevent such bonding, we need antioxidants to distract these free radicals from harming healthy tissue. What does this all have to do with cosmetics and skin care? Our bodies are aging and most women (and maybe men) want to do all we can to keep our skin (especially our faces) from looking old. We want to buy products that are good for our skin and not because it claims to reduce the signs.

Look for ingredients found in nature, like Pomegranate Extract, Acerola Fruit Extract, Barbados Cherry Extract or any extract high in Vitamin C. These are all antioxidants and will prevent those free radicals from hastening the aging process.
A product that is antioxidant-rich is going to enhance the production of new collagen and help keep existing collagen from breaking down. The antioxidant ingredients are also known to support elastin, a protein that gives skin its elasticity or what I like to call "spring"; can't you just see your skin leaping for joy because you're helping it to remove those Free Radicals?

We're going to age, no matter what, but if we can prolong the process, why not? Just be aware of ingredients that are going to benefit your skin and don't simply accept a product that claims to be "anti-aging" before doing some research of your own.

Until we meet again...

Concealer Help

Concealer Help

If you suffer from dark circles under the eyes, blemishes or slight imperfections on your skin, a concealer just might be the cure! The right colored concealer can hide these problem areas beautifully. Finding the correct concealer for your skin tone can be tricky, but with a few key concealer application tips, anyone can dab a little makeup magic under the eyes, and restore the beauty of youth in less than 5 minutes.

Finding the Right Shade

When choosing a concealer, select a shade that best 
matches your skin tone to even out skin or choose 
a shade lighter than your skin tone to highlight areas 
of the face. A yellow concealer shade can help 
reduce the appearance of red in the skin tone and 
a more skin toned or beige color will help hide the 
dark blue areas, such as under the eyes. You'll 
want to use different colors of concealer during 
each change of season; darker in the summer 
and lighter during the winter. When trying to 
find the right shade, do not apply it to the back 
of your hand. Instead, apply it to the area you 
want covered and stand in direct sunlight
to test it's matchability.

Application

Always use your ring finger to apply concealer. It's 
the best way to blend and get the coverage you want 
without wiping the product away. Use of this finger, will 
apply less pressure to your face, than your thumb or
index finger. Before applying foundation, apply a small 
dot of concealer on the targeted area. Gently 
pat with fingertip until well blended.

Benefits

Concealer creates a seamless canvas for perfect 
makeup application. When applied correctly, a concealer 
can successfully cover large pores, reduce eye 
discoloration, age spots, and/or hide acne and pimples. 
To cover a mole or scar use a shade that is close to your 
skin tone.

Conclusion

Be careful - the wrong color of concealer will draw 
attention to, rather than hide, the area it is applied 
being applied to. Blending is the key! Make 
sure the concealer and foundation are complimentary.

With these few tips, you'll be able to hide the imperfections of your skin and create a flawless, beautiful look.

How to Apply Your Look for the day in 5 minutes!

Try this quick and easy formula to take care of your skin and put on a fresh new "look" even when you're out of time in the morning. 

1. Rinse and moisturize your face - Cleanse your face quickly but thoroughly and follow up with moisturizer.

2. Dab on foundation - Use foundation only where you need it to even out your overall skin tone. Focus on your chin, the sides of your nose, and around your eyes, all areas that can be prone to redness or dark shadows. Dab it on using your ring finger.

3. Sweep on black or brown mascara - Mascara (a black shade is univerally flattering; brown is a good choice for the particularly fair) opens up the eyes and makes you look refreshed. Sweep on one coat from root to tip. No need to pump the wand; doing so lets air into the tube, promoting bacterial growth.

4. Apply lip color or blush - Apply blush to the apple of each cheek (the roundest part when you smile), sweeping back toward the ear. On your lips, use color with a sheer or gloss finish, which requires less precision (and time) than a liner-and-lipstick combo

www.marykay.com/kristie.boyd

Fear

I apologize for my lack of blogging. I blame only laziness. Today's blog is borrowed from my Mary Kay  Director. It talks about how to deal with fear in our lives. I hope you glean something out of it and if you do, feel free to post your comments!

What are you afraid of? Or Better Yet, What Are You Going to do About It?

Fear is the single greatest force to keep you from being your very best. Every day toxic thoughts creep into our minds, but we do not have to yield to them. While you cannot control what pops into your head, you can control how long it stays there and what you choose to do about it! You can choose not to listen to the negative thoughts or to focus on fear or you can choose to use fear to your advantage. Face your fears and overcome them by trusting in yourself and believing in your dreams.

When we focus on our fears and allow them to dominate our thoughts, we are consumed by them. They can use up valuable time needed to care for our families, work our businesses or even enjoy the warmth of a sunny day. Worst of all, the fears we focus on most, eventually become a reality.

Fear is a funny thing. It can change our life's course in a positive or negative way. If you think about it, fear is really nothing more than a motivator or catalyst. This simply means it moves you... where you move is up to you. You have the choice everyday to use your fears to decide you are not worthy of your dreams or you can choose to use it to believe in yourself. Fear can push you to work harder to achieve your aspirations. Set goals that you are afraid of. If you aren't afraid of a goal, chances are, it's not a large enough stretch for you. Goals should force you to set out of your comfort zone and face your fears!

I implore you to have a renewed vision of fear. Use it as a positive tool in your everyday life. Invest in your goals and dreams. As you do, you will find you are indeed stronger than any anxiety or worry.

Create a world of strength, peace and success around yourself. This world begins in your mind. Your mind is powerful. Act with purpose; focus on your dreams and ambitions. This is the way to make them a reality!