How to - Make Your Own Tinted Moisturizer!

This blog post is embarrassingly simple but I thought I'd share it with you all anyways. I actually find this technique to work better than most tinted moisturizers that you can purchase and it's a good way to use up concealer or foundation that you might not be as fond of!

You're going to need:

1.) A concealer or foundation of your choice. I used Kat Von D's tattoo concealer but also thought about the Revlon Colorstay foundation.

2.) A moisturizer of your choice. I like the Clinique Even Better because it works to correct your skin tone while keeping your skin hydrated and protecting it from the sun. Also, it works well because it is white, so it mixes with pigment well.

3.) A brush to mix and/or apply the product with (optional).

The steps are fairly simple - essentially, I took a fair amount of the moisturizer and applied it to the back of my hand. I think I used about a quarter-sized amount. Next, I applied a bit of the concealer to the back of my hand. I used about a pea-sized amount for this. I mixed the two together with my flat foundation brush from Costco, and applied it to my face using my Sigma F84 Angled Top Kabuki brush.

I didn't use enough moisturizer initially, so I added more later. Play around with it until you get the consistency you like.

So that's it! I know it's embarrassingly simple but I figure I might as well pass along this tidbit of advice. What's your favorite "unconventional" beauty trick?

How to - My Steps to the Perfect Pedicure!

I've had this blog post in the works for quite a while because I haven't gotten around to finishing it, so finally, here are my tips to really pampering your feet!

1.) Take off any nail polish! I've been trying out butter London's Powder Room nail polish remover and am thinking about doing a review on it. Use whatever nail polish remover you prefer!

2.) Moisturize. Give your feet some TLC - I like to use Principessa beauty's Pretty Piede foot balm and massage the arches of my feet really well. Not only is it relaxing, but it feels great and makes your feet and hands smell lovely.

3.) Cuticle oil. This is an extra step I like to take for a little bit more moisture. This is the Q.Tickles Scented Botanical Cuticle Oil in the rose scent. You can see the bottle actually contains rose petals - part of what makes it feel so luxurious.

4.) Anything else you might want to do before polish - filing, clipping, anything. I would do that sort of grooming now.

5.) Start with a separator. I know these look and feel pretty stupid, but toe separators are actually very useful. If you find you have a hard time getting every toenail properly painted, this is a tool that will make everything a whole lot easier.

6.) Base coat. I always use a base coat to protect my nails from yellowing, and this one (Sally Hansen's Insta-Brite) is great because not only is it a base coat, but it actually is supposed to whiten the nails as well.

7.) Polish. I like to pick a nice natural colour that doesn't attract a lot of attention, because then I don't have to take it off as early on. (I'm not sure if that makes sense.... but if you have a bright neon pink on your nails and it chips, it's going to be more noticeable than a nude). I used butter London's Yummy Mummy, a nude with subtle shimmer.

So that's it! What is your top tip for tip top toenails? ;)

How to - How I Press Pigments!

This is going to be a quick and easy step-by-step tutorial for how I like to press my pigments! If you have any other questions, feel free to leave them in the comments.

You will need:

Your pigment (I used this one from L'oreal called "Bare Shell", but pigments are available everywhere. In addition, if you accidentally break an eyeshadow, you can smash it up into a pigment and use these steps to re-press it!)

Rubbing alcohol (If you don't have this, you can also use a toner where the main ingredient is alcohol. Before I bought this bottle, I used my Clinique toner!)

A small container to mix in (I used the lid from the pigment)

An empty eyeshadow pan

A paper towel and something to mix with (I like to use the handle of a small brush.)

A large book and a quarter, not pictured.

Instructions:

1.) Pour some of your pigment into the container. I like to add in small increments and mix as I go to see how much I need. I actually ended up using the whole container of pigment this round!

2.) Using the cap of the alcohol to measure it out, add enough so that you have a paste consistency. You want to be able to pour this into the eyeshadow pan, so make sure it isn't too dry. You can always add more alcohol or pigment if necessary, but if you add too much alcohol it merely means the eyeshadow will take longer to dry!

3.) Mix well.

4.) Pour the mixture into the eyeshadow pan. To ensure it is evenly spread out and flat, I lift it about a centimeter and drop it a few times. (It seems violent, but it won't spill, don't worry!)

5.) Let it sit for an hour or so until it is fairly dry.

6.) Cover with the paper towel. Add a quarter onto the paper towel over the pan to press it down, and put the heavy book on top. Let sit for a few hours.

7.) Place in a safe place or a palette and enjoy!

Before it was pressed

And after (it was much later at night, which explains the completely different lighting!)