Bye Bye Dry Hair

Did you know that with just 2 simple ingredients from your kitchen you could make a homemade hair mask for a soft and nourished hair?
That's right, if you have dry and frizzy hair, this is a great one for you.
You just need mayonnaise and honey!
Here's how you do it:

1/2 cup of Mayonnaise
2 tbsp of Honey

Mix it all together, very well, until it's consistent. Then apply all over your hair and cover with a shower cap for 30 minutes.
Then wash it as you would normally do, and let it dry (or blow-dry).
Finish it with a spray of Younique's Rose Water, for a botanical boost.

DIY Pumpkin Mask For a Brighter Skin

Are you feeling your skin dull, with no shine whatsoever? Or maybe you've been drinking alcohol and your skin is dehydrated with no shine? Today we're sharing a DIY pumpkin mask to revitalize your skin, to give back its natural shine and glow. You will need:

•  2 tbsp of fresh and pureed pumpkin;
• 1 key lime, juiced;
• 1 tbsp organic coconut oil
• 3 tbsp white sugar.

 Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix them until you get a consistent thick paste.
Then apply to your face and neck, avoiding the eye area. Let it sit for 10 minutes and then gently scrub it away. Rinse your face with warm water and finish this treatment by spraying your face with Younique's Rose Water, to revitalize and moisture.

Cucumber & Tea DIY (for Puffy Eyes)

Did you wake up with puffy eyes? It's such a drag when it happens. Here's a quick DIY tip on how to reduce the puffiness around the eyes:

• Make a chamomile tea and set aside until cooled down:
• Blend together one tbsp of aloe vera gel (that can easily be bought in any drugstore), half of a fresh cucumber and 1/2 tsp of honey. You can also use a food processor for this.
• And 2 tsp of chamomile tea and blend until smooth.
• Apply this mix in your eyes for 10 to 15 minutes, and rinse with cold water.

Apply your Brilliant Daily Moisturizing Gel for a fresh and hydrated skin, the perfect canvas for your makeup routine.

DIY - Custom Nail Lacquer with Moodstruck Mineral Pigments

Did you know that you can use Younique's Moodstruck Minerals Pigments to customize your nail lacquer? That's right, it's really simple: just add your favorite pigment to a clear nail polish, blend it very well, apply it and let it dry, as you normally do, and that's it!

DIY - Makeup Brushes Holder

You're thinking about buying a great set of makeup brushes, like the ones from Younique, but you don't know where or how to hold them? Today's trick is very easy but very convenient to store your brushes: You will need a glass vase (any glass vase will do), rice - yes, rice! - and some imagination.
Put the rice in half of the vase, and stack the brushes. The rice will actually absorb any remaining water from the brushes (after you clean them), and will make them stand.
You can make drawings in the glass, or add colorful stickers, wherever your creativity goes.

Homemade DIY Coffee Body Scrub

You don't need to break the mini pig bank to get a fantastic organic body scrub, just follow this quick DIY. You will need coffee powder (the used one, right after the coffee is made).

Then you just need 2 tbsp of almond oil and 2 tbsp of coconut oil. Mix it very well with the coffee powder until you get a creamy consistency. Then use it as a regular scrub and rinse it out with water. The skin's dead cells will be removed and your skin will be perfectly moisturized!

If you want to use it on your face, replace the almond oil by 2 tbsp of Rose Water, and apply it with a cotton pad, and then use your fingers in circular motions. After that you just rinse it with water and voilà!

DIY Hair Mask - Get Shiny Hair

This is another very simple homemade hair mask. Very cheap and easy to do and you hair will thank you.

You will need:

• 3 tbsp of olive oil

• 1/2 cup of coconut milk

• 1 avocado

You just need to mash the avocado until you get a smooth texture. Then add the coconut milk and the olive oil, and mix it very well. Heat it up in the microwave for 20 seconds and them apply this mix all over your hair and leave it for 30 minutes. Use a shower cap to keep it in place.
Then wash it all out with cold water (or slightly warm).

Extra tip:

On an empty spray bottle add water and mix a little of the Moodstruck Mineral Pigment in the shade Curious. Shake it very, very well and then spray it to your hair, for a little bit of extra shimmer!

DIY - Avocado Hair Mask

There's no news to anyone that avocados are great moisturizers. And they do wonders for your hair. A hair that keeps its moisture, doesn't get dried, and the ends don't split as much as a dried hair. So everybody wins!

Ingredients:

• 1 half avocado
• 1 egg yolk

Blend the avocado and the yolk in a blender, and then apply to your hair, from the scalp to the bottom. Wrap your hair in a shower cap and wait 15-20 minutes. This is the right opportunity to clean your skin with the Awake Facial Cleanser by Younique.
After, rinse it out in the shower and shampoo and condition as usual.
Hydrate your skin with the Brilliant Daily Moisturizing Gel to match your super hydrated hair.

Yogurt & Honey - DIY Hair Mask

Today we're sharing a wonderful DIY mask to fight frizzy hair : super easy to do, smells wonderful and will help you control those wild frizzy hairs, for a softer appearance.
Just follow this quick guide:

• 1/2 cup of natural yogurt
• 1/2 cup of honey
• 1 tbsp of almond oil

Just mix these three ingredients together and apply all over the hair. Leave it for 20 minutes and then wash it as usual with a shampoo. Keep doing this at least once a month to keep that frizz under control.
Once your hair is soft and frizzy-free, pair it with a vibrant color from the Younique Lucrative Lip Gloss collection.

DIY - Teeth Whitening

Don't worry, it's totally safe! Just a couple of tricks that you can easily do at home to keep your teeth white, and prevent some stains:

•  Mouth guard & baking soda. A mouth guard can be bought at any drugstore. Mix baking soda, lemon juice and a little bit of water. Then fill the mouth guard with this solution, leave for 10 or 15 minutes and then wash off the residue with a tooth brush;
• Eat your fruits, especially strawberries;
• Floss! Really, it's a bummer but don't forget about flossing, in order to keep your teeth healthy and clean;
• If you like chewing gum, choose the one with xylitol and no sugar. Xylitol is a natural sweetener that helps prevent plaque;
• Get a "whitening" toothpaste, mouthwash and floss.
• Keep toxins away: avoid smoking and chewing tobacco. If you can avoid tea and coffee, great! If not, brush your teeth right away, in order to avoid yellowing or staining your teeth.

With perfect teeth comes perfect lips and smile. A rich spread of color on your lips, very smooth and highly-pigmented: the Younique Lucrative Lip Gloss, available in 10 gorgeous shades.

The Concealer Method

This trick is the simplest trick ever regarding makeup. You just apply the Moodstruck Minerals Concealer in little dabs using the concealer brush and after, instead of swiping the concealer from left to right, right to left under your eye, just make little taps along the area you want to conceal: tap, tap, tap. That's the trick!
This way the product will stick to your skin, the warmth of your hands will help the product to blend into your skin and the effect will be much more natural.

Beauty Trick: The New Way To Apply Blusher

This is a trick for those who struggle sometimes with the blusher application. Because blush is supposed to look natural, and looking like skin, not like a color stain on your cheeks.
So basically you start by applying the moisturizer (and primer if you use it), and with a blusher brush, apply the Younique Minerals Blusher on the apples of your cheeks. Don't be afraid and actually pack a good amount of it. That's right, the blusher before the foundation!
After this step, apply the foundation with the foundation brush and blend it very well. Don't be afraid to use your (clean) hands for a better and homogenous cover. After the foundation, apply your concealer with a concealer brush.
Apply your powder, bronzer and highlighter as usual, these last two are optional.
Your skin will look a lot more realistic and natural.

Scarlet Johanson Secret DIY Trick

You might wonder why celebrities who have access to every expensive skin care produtcts and techniques, have secret DIY tricks, with super cheap products. What trick?
Apple Cider Vinegar!
That's right, Apple Cider Vinegar, to keep the skin balanced, clear and acne-free. It's very healing if you have breakouts. Just mix some water and Apple Cider Vinegar and use a cotton pad to spread all over the face.
As for foundation, keep it light with the Pressed Powder Foundation, since it's an ultra-fine, long-wearing, and breathable foundation powder that provides a beautiful, touchable and even finish.

DIY - Gorgeous Pink Lip Balm

You will need a small plastic bag, vaseline, a small empty bottle and a blusher at your choice. Younique's Moodstruck Minerals Blusher is 100% natural, chemical-free, mineral-based pigment powders, free of talc, oils, preservatives, perfumes, synthetic dyes, and parabens and it's available in 5 gorgeous shades.

Take a little bit of the blusher pigment into the bag, mash it very well and then pour it into the empty bottle. Then add a scoop of vaseline into the bottle and mix it very, very well, until you find a homogenous color and consistency.
And that's it, your lip balm is ready, it's a 100% natural product, super moisturizing and soothing.

DIY: Nose Pore Strips

This is a quick home tutorial, to create cheap yet very effective pore strips. That's right, the same pore strips that remove the nasty blackheads that tend to accumulate in the nose. Also, this is something that both men and women can efficiently use.
So here's how:

• 1 tbsp of milk
• 1 tbsp of unflavored jello

Add these ingredients in a microwaveable cup and stir until it's chunky.
Pop it into the microwave for 10 seconds.
You will get a gooey texture and you should apply it to your nose with an old brush (like a foundation brush, but one that you don't use anymore).
Wait around 10 minutes for it to dry. Once it's dry, here comes the fun part: Peel it off!
Once your nose is clean, don't forget to moisturize. Use the Younique Brilliant Daily Moisturizing Gel.

Create a custom lipgloss

Some days we just feel like trying something different, instead of the regular lipgloss or lipstick. And with mineral pigments, the possibilities to create new shades are endless. You can mix the pigments, make it darker, or lighter, or make a tone colder or warmer.
It's easy: try the Moodstruck Minerals Pigment Powder from Younique, there are 30 different tons, the pigments are oil and chemical free. Just mix them with vaseline or with a transparent gloss, until you achieve your ideal shade.

Beauty Wonders of Baking Soda

Baking soda, how women would love thee if they only knew all you can do for them. In case you didn't know, this white powder is a naturally occurring component of the mineral Natron. It can be found in countless mineral springs and it used to be called aerated salt, like a few hundred years ago. Humans have been harvesting and using it for a long time. In fact, its healing and detoxing properties are one reason why baths in mineral springs were popular back in the day and why spas literally sprung up around them for the rich and well-heeled.

These days, you don't have to travel to Switzerland to get the skin and beauty benefits of trace amounts of the stuff in a natural mineral spring—you can just go to the grocery store and buy a box. And you should! Because baking soda will transform your beauty life, possibly your skin and definitely your beauty budget. You can toss away so many masks and expensive bath salts, and so many other prettily packaged, costly beauty products.

The Great Exfoliator

How many products on the market claim to exfoliate your skin? From little beads in body wash to face wash to masks, they all say your skin will be renewed. After you use baking soda to exfoliate, you'll understand all other claims are overblown. Your skin will feel tight, your pores will be visibly smaller, and your skin will feel like a baby's, promise. Just mix baking soda and water until a paste forms. Gently rub on your skin in a circular motion and rinse. 

Anti-Acne Mask

Instead of scrubbing to exfoliate. Apply the paste you've made as a mask. Let sit for 10 minutes. Baking soda will draw out impurities, and even helps remove blackheads. Once per week will rid your skin of common breakouts. Trust. 

Tooth Whitening
Strips and pastes at the drugstore to whiten teeth are expensive. And forget about getting it done at the dentist, you don't want to look like one of those creepy TV hosts whose teeth look like they're electric. You dip your damp toothbrush directly into the powder or sprinkle some on top of your toothpaste. Scrub stains away. 

Dry Shampoo
Granted, if you have dark hair, this might be a tough sell. But for blondes and light brunettes, no need to spend money on dry shampoo when you're in between washing. A mix of baby powder and baking soda sprinkled on your brush before you pull it through your hair will have that extra oil and grease absorbed in no time. 

Product Buildup
Add baking soda to your shampoo before you shampoo as normal. You'll be getting rid of all that product buildup. Perfect after your hair has done bridesmaid duty under a helmet of hair spray.

Relieve Sunburn Itching and Irritation

Just soak a washcloth in cold water that's been infused with baking soda and press it on your burn. Relief is at hand. A lukewarm bath with half a cup of baking soda is one way to relieve skin that's been burned in more than one place. It happens.

Get Healthy Nails and Cuticles
If you've got a nail brush or an old toothbrush laying around and a box of baking soda, you've also got the potential for great nails and cuticles. Rub the brush (dipped in baking soda) on your nails for a thorough clean. Its natural antibacterial properties also treat nail fungus. Just apply a baking soda and water paste, leave on for ten minutes twice per day until the fungus is gone.

Deodorant

Because of its ability to absorb oil, smells, cleanse and fight bacteria, it's no wonder baking soda can also be used as a deodorant. How to apply? Dip a kabuki brush in the powder. If you want it to smell nice, just add a drop of your favorite essential oil.

DIY: 10 Minute Pedicure

Regardless of the month, no one wants to be walking around with hobbit feet. Keep your toes pretty and polished, DIY your pedicure this season. (Psst, did I mention my at-home pedi only takes 10 minutes?)

1 Minute: Hop into the Shower

This is when skin is at its softest, so it’s the perfect time to buff and scrub your feet.

2 Minutes: Exfoliate

Use your favorite gentle foot or body scrub to massage your feet, focusing on the heels and other dry, rough areas. You can also use a washcloth to bump up the exfoliation, or for maximum skin-sloughing use the new Clarisonic Pedi Sonic Foot Transformation. The Wet/Dry Buffing Brush Head is made up of a combination of short stiff bristles and longer flexible fibers for optimum exfoliation.

1 Minute: Seal in Softness

Immediately after you hop out of the shower, towel off and use a softening balm to seal in surface moisture. Use something rich that also absorbs quickly. The Clarisonic Pedi-Balm Sonic Foot Softening Treatment is an excellent choice. We also love Kiehl’s Whipped Crème de Corps Soy Milk & Honey Whipped Body Butter and L’Occitane Shea Butter Foot Cream.

2 Minute: Clip and Shape Nails

Trim any nails that need trimming while they’re still soft from the shower and run a nail file across the edges to smooth uneven corners.

1 Minute: Base Coat

For the toes especially, a smoothing base coat is key. Skip buffing the nails and use a thicker base coat that will help conceal nail imperfections, like Essie Ridge Filling Base Coat or Butter London Nail Foundation Flawless Base Coat to create an even surface for polish application.

2-3 Minutes: Polish and Top Coat

Find a comfy chair and a flat surface nearby that you can perch your toes up against and polish away. Work pinky toe in to avoid smudging completed nails with your hand. Finish with a swipe of quick-dry top coat.

DIY: Easy-Peasy Valentine's Day Nails

When at one time we would have jumped at the opportunity to dress our nails with outlandish designs of hearts, xo's and maybe even a cupid's bow, nail art has taken a backseat to basic, simple designs you can wear anywhere. Here's my favorite design this season, just follow these steps below to get the look. Soo pretty but oh so easy to do!

Step One: File and shape your nails in a natural square or roundish shape.

Step Two: Apply your favorite base coat.

Step Three: Apply a pink shade on the entire nail bed.

Step Four: Apply a coral shade on one side of the nail, covering about 3/4's of the nail bed and ending in a subtle curve to create half of the heart shape. Then repeat on the other side, taking special care to intersect the two sides at the center of the nail.

Step Five: Apply a lovely red shade on one side of the nail covering about half of the nail bed and ending in the same subtle curve as you did when applying the Coral Peony. Repeat on the other side, again taking special care to intersect the two sides at the center of the nail.

Step Six: Finish with a high-shine top coat. Viola! Didn't I tell you it was easy? *wink*

DIY: Banana + Honey Hair Mask

Full of proteins, magnesium, potassium and vitamins like B, A and C - this hair mask will strengthen and silk-ify your hair :)

You'll need:

• 1 banana
• 1 teaspoon honey/almond oil
• ½ glass of milk

Directions:

Crush the banana with a fork and then mix it with the other 2 ingredients until you obtain a smooth paste. Apply it on your hair and leave it to action for 15 minutes then wash your hair with a nourishing shampoo.