10 Essential DIY Manicure Tips You Need To Know About

Make a cheap and easy dotter for your nails. Just stick a pin into a pencil eraser.

Spray nails with oil spray to set your manicure and prevent smudges

Erase mistakes by dipping a tiny brush into nail polish remover. Use an old paintbrush or an eyeliner brush (perhaps the felt tip of an old liquid liner that dried up?) that you don’t care for anymore.

Use ice water to dry your nails in three minutes.

Follow this diagram to imitate how professional manicurists apply nail polish.

Apply multiple thin coats instead of one thick coat. A thick coat of nail polish will only dry at the top layer, leaving your manicure vulnerable to smudges.

Easily paint a heart with a toothpick. 

Don’t sit near a fan. You might think it’ll help the nail polish dry faster, but the drafty air will just make bubbles and ruin your polish.

Use VapoRub for nail infections. The ingredient thymol works on bacterial and yeast infections of the nail plate.

The first coat of chunky glitter polishes should be dabbed, not brushed on. This will help to distribute the glitter evenly and get the big chunks where you want them. If all else fails, use a toothpick to move the chunks of glitter around.

Helpful Home Remedies for Acne and Pesky Pimples

Your skin is your friend. You like your skin. Your skin likes you. It protects you from the elements and literally keeps you together. You in turn do your best to protect it from any kind of damage. Then, one day, acne rears its ugly head and you suddenly hate your skin. What do you do then? Turn to harsh chemicals and expensive scrubs? That’s a fine way to thank a friend who’s been there for you since day one. Your epidermis isn't at fault here-it can’t help that your hormones are causing all that extra sebum to clog up your pores or the fact that bacteria is running rampant. If your skin could talk it would say something along the lines of “patience, grasshopper. Treat me right and I shall repay you in kind."

That’s just my guess. The point is, natural acne remedies are a good way to get rid of it or at least hold it at bay. They make you step back and really figure out what’s going on with your skin and how to work with it. Chances are, your skin will repay you in kind for not simply ravaging it with strange chemicals - and your wallet will probably thank you too. 

Make a cinnamon and honey mask

Honey is sticky and cinnamon is spicy, it seems like they’re both things you’d want to avoid getting near your skin. Surprisingly, while it may sound strange, honey and cinnamon make a (literally) killer combo when it comes to acne. Cinnamon has antimicrobial properties, so it can help stop bacteria from getting out of hand. Then honey is a natural antibiotic, ready and waiting to wipe the little buggers out.

You will need…
-2 tablespoons of honey
-1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- paper towels

Directions
Rinse your face with water and pat dry. Mix 2 tablespoons of honey and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon together until they are thoroughly blended and have formed a sort of paste. Apply the mask to your face (or spot treat) and leave on for 10-15 minutes. Rinse off completely and pat your face dry. This is a sticky mixture, so make sure you have some paper towels on hand.



Make an orange peel paste

Ah, oranges. They taste rejuvenating and refreshing and our skin may find them just as appealing as our taste buds do. Acne that is caused by bacteria and extra oil/dead skin cells clogging up pores may improve with the use of an orange peel face mask of sorts. Thanks to the vitamin C, citric acid and it’s astringent properties. Vitamin C is particularly helpful because it promotes the growth of new healthy cells, keeping your skin in better overall condition.

You will need…

-2 Orange peels
-Clean, fresh water

Directions
Rinse your face with water and pat dry. Grind/pound up your orange peels (you could use a blender, mortar and pestle, whatever gets the job done) and add a little water to create a paste. Add a little at a time, as too much will make it too thin and runny. Once you have the right consistency, apply it to your face and/or problem areas. Wait for 20-25 minutes. Ideally the mask should be firm but it can still work if it isn't.  Rinse off completely with water, pat your face dry and apply a good moisturize.



The land of milk and honey (or yogurt)

While there is quite a bit of hub bub around dairy products causing acne, applied topically it seems that milk can improve your outbreaks and skin tone. The reason it is suggested that milk would cause acne is because of the extra hormones in it-but unless it’s ingested, this doesn't really do much. For the most part, it just soothes the irritated skin and helps tone down the redness. Cleopatra swore on the milk baths she took and well, she was Cleopatra. You could also use yogurt. The acids in it are antibacterial while the fat provides moisture, making it quite nourishing for skin.

You will need…
- 1 tablespoon plain low-fat or full-fat yogurt or milk, anything but skim
- 1 tablespoon of natural, raw, honey

Directions
Let yogurt or milk come to room temperature (or close to) so you don’t get a chilly shock when you put it on your skin. Mix 1 tablespoon of milk or yogurt thoroughly with 1 tablespoon of honey. You can apply the mixture with a cotton pad but scooping it up and patting it on works just fine as well. Let each layer dry before adding a new one, until the mask is the thickness you want. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Wash your mask off and use a washcloth to gently scrub in a circular motion, getting rid of loosened dead skin. Once you’re finished, moisturize as usual.



Tap into tea tree oil

You’ll read about tea tree oil for a lot of home remedies but will most likely see it mentioned the most when comes to skin care specifically, acne. But why then when too much oil is clogging the pores and making you break out, would you want to use more oil? Tea tree oil isn't like the oil your skin naturally produces, rather it is more like a solvent that cuts through the extra sebum and dead skin cells, and unblocks the pores. Its antibacterial properties also kill off the acne causing bacteria and prevent further outbreaks. 

Note: Tea tree oil is okay for topical use but should never be ingested. It should also always be diluted before use.

You will need…
-Tea tree oil (a small bottle will do)
-Clean water
-Q-tips or cotton balls

Directions
Wash your face with water and pat dry. Dilute tea tree oil by mixing 1 part oil to 9 parts water. Dip a Q-tip or cotton swab in mixture and apply to problem areas. If you decide you want a stronger dilution after a while, you can slowly (slowly!) begin to increase the strength, making sure to use each new mixture for at least a week for making it any stronger. Again, it should never be applied undiluted. You can apply a light moisturizer afterwards if you wish.

Another option, especially if you have sensitive skin is to dilute it with aloevera gel instead of water.

How to Apply Mascara Like a Pro

Admit it – you've been known to harbor perfectionist tendencies on occasion. A touch of Type A personality here and there never hurt anyone but there are only so many times you can reformat your résumé. So put away your rainbow highlighters and set aside that stack of itemized lists for a moment to brush up on a skill you may think you mastered long ago: mascara application. Because as you very well know, there is always room for improvement. The proof is in these eight pro tricks that will have you applying mascara better than you ever imagined possible.

1. Apply mascara on the bottom lashes first. Then apply mascara on the upper lashes but start from the inside corner. I place the brush to the lid, curl the brush downward, then pull the brush upward.
2. Always go vertical and then flip horizontal to really get every lash and make them full.
3. Look down at the mirror to do the top lashes and you won’t get mascara everywhere.
4. Don’t lift the brush straight up; slightly lean it towards your eyelid to curl the lashes. Then brush up and out, towards the outer corner of the eye. This will create a more open, winged out effect.
5. Start from the root of your lashes and wiggle upwards. Wiggling your mascara wand through your lashes will give your wand that tight fit up against every lash.
6. Gently press on the eyelid to pop out the lashes to get as close to the lash line as possible when applying mascara.
7. Bend the brush so you can get a better angle when applying.
8. The biggest mistake women make is not conditioning their lashes prior to the application. 

3D Fiber Lashes is the number one product that condition, strengthen and hydrate the lashes. 
It has Transplanting Gel and Natural Fibers, together it enhances and magnify your OWN lashes. Watch your lashes transform into something you only dreamed of! A 300% increase in thickness and volume to your lashes while still looking completely real and natural. AWESOME!

Cat Eye for Your Eye Shape

Grab the eyeliner weapon of your choice– powder, gel, cream, liquid or pencil– I devised a method for applying a cat eye that anyone can do (even those of us not blessed with the steadiest hands). Beginners and pros take note: to achieve a flawless flick at the wing, you’ll need an angled eyeliner brush, your chosen liner (I use Moodstruck Minerals Pigment Powder in Corrupted.100% natural, chemical-free and mineral-based pigment powder.. brilliant! ) and a business card.

The technique stays the same; it’s the thickness of line and the length of the wing that change depending on your eye shape.

1. To begin, take your business card (a piece of tape will work too) and align the edge with the bottom of your upper lash line. Card placement is key; make sure you’re holding the card at an angle where the wing is going up–not down.

2. Using the eyeliner of your choice, draw a line along the edge of the card. The line should start as a continuation of your last lash, going up and out towards your eyebrow.

3. Then go back and line the rest of the eye, staying as close to the lash line as possible.

4. Now that the foundation is in place find your eye shape below to figure out where and how much to build out the shape!

Long, thick and waterproof are perfect for hooded eyes. Since the lid is hooded if you do a small line you will never see it when you open your eyes, so the thicker the better. Use Moodstruck Minerals Pigment Powder in Corrupted and an angled brush to perfect this cat eye. For hooded and small eyes, I suggest forgoing eyeliner on the bottom lash line, as it tends to make the eyes look smaller.

To accentuate an almond shape, creating the look of bigger, longer, more seductive eyes, Keep the line thin on the inside of the eye and all the way to out to 2/3rds of the eye. At that point, grow the line in thickness and finish with a semi dramatic wing at the end.” For this shape, Leary also recommends bringing the liner onto the bottom lash line to really drive home the shape.

With this eye shape, first keep the liner as close to the lash line as possible, and then go for a thick, elongated wing. It really helps to give the eye some definition, shape and length.

No matter what your eye shape, if you want your eyes to look more doll-like or rounder, Keep the liner thicker in the middle of the eye and shorter at the wing. This will create the illusion of an eye that is more curved.

Get Perfectly Shaped Eyebrows, NOW!

So you missed your last brow appointment. Don’t fret; neglecting your aesthetician doesn't have to mean abandoning your brows. Properly shaped eyebrows can make you look younger and more awake, so there’s no excuse not to groom! The secret to a perfectly shaped eyebrow can be summed up in 4 points… or rather 4 lines: the beginning, the highest point of the arch, the end and where it all comes together.

1. The inner edge of your brow should line up with the outside of your nose.
2. The highest point of your arch should be where the diagonal line extending from the outside of your nose to the outside of your pupil would hit.
3. The outer edge of your brow should taper off at the point where your eyebrow and the diagonal line from your nose to the outside corner of your eye would intersect.
4. The bottom of the inner and outer edges of your brow should line up horizontally.

But before you get too comfortable in front of that magnifying mirror, make sure you have all the proper tools to achieve amazing arches…

• Spoolie brush: The spoolie brush is really the unsung hero of beauty tools. It’s a must for separating eyelashes, removing mascara clumps and you can also use it on your brows to brush the hair up and away. You can also save a buck or two by using an old mascara brush instead. 

• Small scissors: After you've brushed all the hairs in one direction, snip any strands that are noticeably longer than others. And always cut across the top of the brow, never down.

• Mineral Pigment Powder: Before you begin to pluck, give yourself a guide. Fill in your brows with an eyebrow powder and pluck away only the strays. One of my fave shade is the Moodstruck Minerals Pigment Powder in Irresistible.

• Tweezers: The most important tool is, of course, a sharp pair of tweezers. Lancôme La Tweezer Précise will allow you to pluck with precision just like the pros.

Armed with these tools and tips you can achieve shapely brows, even sans salon.

Choosing the Perfect Blush for Your Skin Tone

A little rouge goes a long way. At least that’s what our grandmother tells us and we haven’t been able to prove her wrong yet. When we brush a dreamy pink hue across the apples of our cheeks our confidence rises. We experience the type of excitement usually reserved for when we wear colored eyeliner. Because mastering a bright, flushed cheek means we can play the bashful card when our current crush says hi or simply get that ‘touched by sun’ look any day of the week.

The trick to pulling off blush the right way? Finding the right blush color for your skin tone. When you apply the wrong rouge your makeup instantly enters the clown zone. But the right color to accent your skin tone will make your Friday night makeup and just about everything else in life, that much better. So take grandma’s words to heart, and my tips below, and you’ll be well on your way to always picking the right blush!

Fair Skin Tone

Fair skinned beauties, don’t get carried away; a soft pink, peach or light coral will enhance your porcelain skin just right. The key is light application. Too much product or the use of saturated hues, will create a harsh finish reminiscent of Rocky Horror Picture Show’s Dr. Frank-N-Furter. Avoid a stage makeup faux pas when you select the right formula of blush for a natural, flushed cheek finish.

My top picks: Moodstruck Minerals Blusher in Stunning or Sweet

Medium Skin Tone

Similar to your fair skinned friends, pinks and peaches are your best bet. You’ll want to take these colors a step further by applying a deeper shade of each. A rich pink, and even certain shades of mauve, will leave you with a dramatic edge–especially when you apply blush on all the right spots. Bonus tip, stray away from blush colors that have a bluish undertone–if your skin tone isn’t right on point, you’ll be left with what looks like slightly bruised cheeks.

My top picks: Moodstruck Minerals Blusher in Sweet or Seductive


Dark Skin Tone

Deep shades of red, orange and brown are the ideal blush colors for those with dark skin. These colors, unlike light powder pinks, will leave you looking radiant instead of washed out. Try a fuchsia if your skin tone tends to be warmer; a bold tangerine if it is cooler. By targeting the apples of your cheeks with a vibrant swipe of one of these shades you’ll be left with a daring effect even your granny can get behind.

My top picks: Moodstruck Minerals Blusher in Sophisticated  or Scandalous

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.