A Guide For Stretching Your Beauty Dollars

Disclaimer:  This is a sponsored post on behalf of  HSN.

Views expressed were not influenced in anyway. 

If you are like me and love all the new an exciting beauty products; you can see how they can really put a hurtin on your wallet, if you are not careful.  Therefore, today I wanted to share with you, tips  on how to get the most out of your beauty products, straight from some great beauty experts. I have also tied in some ideas of my own.  Enabling you to stretch your beauty dollar.  So without further ado...

Tip 1: Build A Better Makeup Bag: I love this tip from Lara Ramos, a HSN Blogger.  She suggests to start first with making better purchasing decisions.  Instead of making those random purchases, which I'm guilty of, stick with the products you use more frequently.  Allowing you to use every last drop of them. 

Tip 2: Using Every Last Bit
Mascara: I started with this one, as mascara is my beauty addiction.  So, getting every last drop out of a tube is very important to me!  So how do I do this?  

• First, take your tube of mascara & place it in the palms of your hands.
• Quickly roll the mascara tube back & forth between your hands for about 30 seconds.
• By doing this you create heat, which will soften & loosen the mascara and it won't seem as dried out.  It revives and will apply like a new tube. 
• Another tip, is to add a small bit of rubbing alcohol to it.
• Now you will be able to get plenty of more uses out of a tube of mascara that you would normally throw away!
• IMPORTANT, make sure to keep in mind the safe time usage of your mascara.  If it is what we call in the makeup world “expired”, toss it in the trash don’t try to revive it.   

Lipstick: A great lipstick is like a girl's best friend, so stretching my money on this, is a must! 

BB Bit 1: Make New Colors Out Of It  

This can be easily accomplished by combining many colors of your left over lipstick together. 

BB Bit 2:  Re-tube Your Favorite Color

If you have a few sticks of the same color, you can re-tube them to make a new one! You can do this either in a smaller container, or if you have a lot of leftover of the same color, re-tube them in one larger tube, making a fresh new lip color.

BB Bit 3: Mix With Vaseline

Scrape out the last bits of lipstick & mix it with your favorite lip gloss or better yet, good ole Vaseline in a lipstick container or a travel container. 

BB Bit 4:  You can also whip up some cream blush with your left over bits of lipstick.  There is no retubing or mixing, here.  Simply apply the color directly to your cheeks, considering it's the right color of course.

Eye shadow: If you have any broken shadow or a small amount left, I always recommend to remix to make more.  Simply transfer the broken or left over shadow into a smaller container. Then you want to add a few drops of rubbing alcohol to it, pressing it all together to make a new version.

Nail Polish: If you have a nail polish that is starting to dry out.  You can rescue this bad boy by adding a couple of drops of nail polish thinner! 

Tip 3:

Last but not least is portion control:  This another great tip I found by Lara Ramos on the HSN Blog.  According to her, using only what you need can help you make your makeup last. I love this tip of downsizing, so you are not wasting product.

So there you have it ladies, a guide for stretching your beauty dollars! Still wanting more?  Then check out what else Lara Ramo's suggests to helping you to get your products to last longer! 

 Resources: Save Makeup Save Money: Tips for Making Your Beauty Products Last

 

 

Tea Please; The Unusual Uses For Tea

The crazy things your parents did when you were younger either will haunt you, or as an adult you will see the crazy benefits and repeat them.  Well, this pantry to pretty bit is one of those embarrassing childhood memories... Don't Tease Tea's Me Please.  Yes, this is a post about tea; the unusual uses for tea bags to be exact!

Stinky Shoes:  This is the one my mom used to always do, minus the embarrassing story. Which is to place a tea bag in each shoe.  The tea bag would absorb the stinky odor! Tea bags also work great for gym bags.

A Cleaning Solution:  Brew your old tea bags to make a cleaning solution.  The tea will help cut the grime from your mirrors and counter-tops. IMPORTANT: You want to make sure when using it on your counter-tops that it doesn't stain.  Some older or cheaper counters, I would refrain from using this solution on them.

A Soothing Relief:   Tea bags are also great for soothing cuts, sunburns, and swollen eyes.  Here are some additional tips on bagging those puffy eyes.

Removing Hair Build Up:  This one I got from my friend Teresa and I just recently tried it.  It really works wonders on removing build up from hair products.

•  How To: For this you are brewing some tea, once brewed take the warm tea and rinse it through your hair.  I would also be careful if you blond hair, I'm not sure if this will effect the color, so be cautious.

So next time, instead of tossing that tea bag over board, keep it! Bon Voyage!

The Ultimate Concealer Guide

Concealer is one of the most important makeup items in our makeup arsenal! It is responsible for creating  a lot of beauty, while hiding those imperfections! So, if you want to create a flawless look the next time you do your makeup, check out this ultimate concealer guide that  Bellashoot - Beauty, Makeup & Nails put together.  This guide features tips from 7 different bloggers including myself! 

So here is... The Ultimate Concealer Guide And All Of The BELLA's

Featured In Guide
Total Beauty
The Daily Makeover
Scars and Spots
Goss Makeup Artist
Barbie's Beauty Bits
Ruby Golani
Pinksith 

Image: From Bellashoot

Hair Tips You Need To Read

Locks of beauty is what a lot of us spend our money on! But all that money can go to waste,  if we are not properly caring for our hair.  So, here are 5 hair tips,  that you need to hear about!

1. Color Treated Hair: 2-3 days prior to your hair coloring appointment, treat your hair with a deep conditioner.  By doing so,  you will allow the color to really be absorbed.
2. Drying Your Hair: Always wonder why at a salon, they don’t towel dry your hair? Well, it’s because it can cause friction, which can cause your hair to frizz.  If you are at home, try using a white cotton shirt or a paper towel to help absorb the water.  There is minimal friction if you use one of these.
3. Dry Shampoo: This item is a must have in my hair arsenal! Not only does it absorb the oil in your hair, it also gives your hair extra volume and lift.  I always apply dry shampoo to my hair in the beginning, when it is clean, at the roots.  Why wait till it’s dirty, this too gives you a few more days of hair.   Another use of dry shampoo, apply it to a bobby pin prior to your up-do, it will give it a better grip! 
4. Temperature of Styling Tools: What temperature should you set your hot style tools is always a common question I get.    I recommend medium heat,  as setting it low can affect your hair if you have to go over it a bunch of times.  The same with too high, keep in mid-range to be safe!
5. Setting Your Hair: Last but not least… To make your hair stay, you want to set it with your hair dryer on cool air.  One thing I always remember from my hair stylist is,  heat to style and cool to set! 

 So there you have it! Some tips you needed to hear hair about!