Tag Archives: beauty tips

Beauty Tips – Nail Glue Demystified

April 16th // 3 Comments
Jenny Valle at the Julien Farel Salon in New York City knows just about everything there is to know about nails. We were chatting the other day and the topic of nail glue came up. It’s a subject I’m eternally curious about—when is someone finally going to make one that doesn’t destroy your nails?—and it often pops up in our conversations here on My Fashion Cents. So when Jenny started giving me tips, I quickly grabbed a pen to jot down some notes (luckily, she was working on my toes!). And, here they are:
[Image via: MSN]
Jenny’s Top Nail Glue Pick:
IBD 5-Second Nail Glue

Jenny’s Foolproof Application Process:

Step One: Start with a clean nail. Use antibacterial soap or an antiseptic to thoroughly disinfect the nail and surrounding skin. This is where most infections occur so don’t skip this step!

Step Two: Gently buff the nail, and I really mean GENTLY. Some people go nuts and scrape up their whole finger. Really, what you’re looking for is a tiny bit of texture that will hold the glue and keep the tip from slipping.

Step 3: Apply a thin layer of glue to your nail avoiding the very outsides closest to your skin. Attach nail and hold firm for at least 30 seconds.

Step 4: Coat the wrap or tip with a thin layer of gel. Remember, this stuff is thick on its own, so don’t feel like you have to glob it on.

Step 5: Lightly buff again.

Step 6: Brush on a layer of base coat—my favorite is YSL’s La Laque Three-in-One—and then you’re ready for whatever polish you like!


YSL La Laque Three-in-One available at Neiman Marcus

Cautionary Notes:
*If you accidentally glue your skin together, immediately soak in acetone. This will dissolve the glue without damaging skin. And be sure to moisturize the skin after.

Lots of love,
Loren

Posted in Beauty, Motives Beauty, Nails
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Motives Beauty – My Top 5 Fresh Faced Picks for Spring!

April 9th // 1 Comment

Spring into warm weather and blooming buds with a soft look of rejuvenation and a strong sense of style. Motives by Loren Ridinger has all of the cosmetics you will need to pull off the perfect spring face.

Spring is all about a fresh face in addition to soft eyes and a subtle yet punctuated lip. Here are my Top 5 Fresh Faced Picks for Spring!

  1. Full Coverage Photo Finish Powder

  2. Foundation Primer

  3. Liquid Powder Mineral Foundation with SPF 15

  4. Crème Concealer

  5. Translucent Pressed Powder

Create a flawless canvas. Prime and conceal to correct skin texture and pigment. Choose a no fuss, long wear foundation in your skin tone. Set with a translucent powder to ensure the longest wear possible.

Check back soon for Spring looks for more tips for your eyes and lips!

Love,
Loren

Posted in Motives Beauty
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Beauty Tips – Self-Tanning 101

March 26th // 3 Comments

[Image via beaut.ie]

Spring fever not only means breaking out the shorter sleeves and brighter colors, it also means more sunny days ahead. Men and women alike love the healthy glow of sun-kissed skin, but refuse to damage their skin or increase their chances of getting skin cancer by spending long hours in the sun or in a tanning bed. Self-tanning is a great option for those who want the look of freshly tanned skin this spring and summer.
If you’ve ever used a self-tanner, chances are, you’ve experienced a horror story involving streaking or orange palms. Believe me, I’ve been there! While easy to use once you get the hang of them, they are also easy to misapply if you haven’t mastered the right technique.
The number one reason people end up with botched at-home tans is lack of proper skin preparation. You should always moisturize and exfoliate before using a self-tanner, but most people don’t do that until right before they apply the product. This is a common mistake that causes an uneven skin surface that, in turn, causes an uneven tan.

This is a mistake that can easily be avoided by simply preparing your skin by exfoliating every morning in the shower a few days before you apply self-tanner. Use a moisturizer liberally for the days before you self-tan, but not immediately before-hand (it will interfere with the self-tanner’s absorption). Shaving also exfoliates, so it’s OK to do that a day ahead of time too. And wait at least a full day before de-fuzzing again; doing so sooner will shorten the life of your tan.

When applying the tanner, work slowly and rub the product in completely. If you’re prone to streaks, I’d recommend using a lotion. Sun Laboratories makes a great product called Dark Sunsation Self-Tan lotion. It gives you a natual looking tan without orange look or the funky smell. The great thing about this product is that it has a built-in color guide, a dark temporary color that lets you see exactly where youre applying the product–it’s foolproof!


Avoid blotchy spots on drier skin around your ankles, elbows and knuckles by making sure you exfoliate those areas with some extra TLC. Also, be sure to use a rich moisturizer regularly. When applying the tanner, you’ll get the most natural look if you dilute the self-tanner with an equal amount of moisturizer before applying it to your feet, ankles, elbows and knees, as well as to the inside of your arms and under your chin.

If you still wind up with dark blotches, hop into the shower after the tanner has finished developing and scrub the dark blotches gently with a loofah. Then slather on a moisturizer and repeat the proccess in 24 hours.

[via b.net]

Love,

Loren

Posted in Beauty, Loren's Tips, Skincare
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Beauty Tips – Opposites Attract!

March 19th // 1 Comment

Last week, I showed you how to get edgy, rock & roll eyes; this week, I’m sharing my tips on how to brighten your eyes, no matter what your natural color!

*If your eyes are brown, use a deep  blue shadow or eyeliner. The  blue will bring out the orange in you eyes, giving them a lighter, brighter look.  Motives® gel eyeliner in Rockstar is the perfect deep sapphire shade of blue.  *For blue eyes, use a rich, chocolate brown or a shimmering bronze. The orange tones in browns and bronzes make baby blues really shine. Have you tried the new Motives® by Loren Ridinger line of Luxe Crème shadows yet? Brown Sugar is a delicious bronze shade that glides on smoothly and blends easily while conditioning and hydrating the eyelids to enhance the natural beauty of your eyes.

*Green eyes really sparkle with shades of purple – from plums to amethysts to eggplant. The purple tones will pick up the yellow flecks in green eyes, giving them a gorgeous glow. The new Motives® by Loren Ridinger pressed eye shadows are ultra-smooth, crease-proof and luxurious.  Fantasy is a bold, matte option for purple, while Dollface is a more subdued option.  
*Hazel-eyed beauties should experiment with shades of green – from  lime to forest. These colors bring out the red undertones in hazel eyes, making them appear deeper and brighter. Motives® Kohl eyeliner in Garden Green is one of my favorite shades.  Your eyes will look as subtle or as dramatic as you like and will stay defined and precisely lined all day.Visit Motives® Cosmetics online for the entire catalog of liners and shadows! 

Love,

Loren 

Posted in Motives Beauty
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Motives Beauty – Edgy Eyes

March 12th // 4 Comments

Here’s an easy way to get edgy eye-makeup to complement all the rocker chic, leather-clad looks I’ve been blogging about lately!

Here’s What You will need:

-a sharpened medium grey pencil eyeliner (May I suggest Motives Kohl Eyeliner in Steel?)
-a matte medium grey powder eyeshadow (I like Motives pressed eyeshadow in Steel or Gun Metal for a more dramatic, evening look).

Technique:

1. Gently stroke the grey eyeliner pencil along your upper lid getting as close as possible to your lashline. You can vary the edginess of the look by extending the line out as far or as short as you wish.

2. With your Motives eyeliner brush, apply the eyeshadow powder in a line along your lower lashline, again getting as close as possible. Blend the product on both top and bottom lids into your lashline using your eye definer brush.

4. Curl your lashes and add two coats of Lustrafy mascara.

[Allure photo]

Pair your steel eyes with a nude lip, and you’re ready to rock!

Love,
Loren

Posted in Beauty, Eyes, Motives Beauty
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