Shop With Style

You’re seeing it everywhere right now. The dark lip trend is in magazines, on the runways, even strutting up and down the city streets and sipping at the local coffee shop. You might be thinking, “That trend isn’t for me. I’ll never be able to pull that look off.” But guess what? You soooo can!  And here’s how…

• Pick the right shade – Rest assured, there is a lush, dark hue for each and every skin tone out there. If you have fair to medium tone skin, try versions of purple-based merlot colors. For those with medium to olive skin tones, try hues of burgundy with a more terra cotta base. Deep tone skin can really push the boundaries of deep and dark, so try a merlot with a bit of black or brown.
• Exfoliate, Exfoliate, Exfoliate – You’ll hear this tip in almost every lip color guide…because it honestly makes a huge difference to how color glides on and looks. If your lips are dry, cracked, and flaky, any lip color will get stuck in the cracks and crevices…but a dark lip color will look positively atrocious. Scrub gently with a product like Fresh Sugar Lip Polish, or Bliss Fabulips. You can also use something simple like olive oil and sugar. Then wipe with a warm, damp cloth and follow with a non-waxy moisturizer.
• Check your upper lip – You may not think it will make a difference, but trust us, it will. Wearing a dark lip color will draw attention to…yep, you guessed it…your lips. Not only can the dark color get snagged on the tiny hairs, but the hairs can also cast a shadow on that upper lip. Both of which will draw the wrong type of attention. And bleaching the hair won’t work. So, go the distance and remove the hair completely.
• Let your skin glow – Dark lips will tend to highlight any blotchiness or imperfections in the skin, so even it up and make it glow as much as possible. That means scrubbing and exfoliating your face, removing any little patches of dry skin, then applying a skin brightening BB or CC cream, which will also help to even things up and get you glowing. After all, you want a clean, even canvas for those bold lips!
• Even the base – Everyone’s lips have some sort of natural hue, and sometimes, that hue can throw off a perfectly wonderful deep Winter lip color. So after applying foundation, dab on a bit to your lips and blend. You’re not looking to completely white-out your own hue, you just want to tone it down a bit so that the lip color reads true when you apply it.
• Strategically line – Lining when applying a dark lip color can be tricky. If you make a mistake, it will be very The best way to line a dark lip is to start with a nude color. Line just outside your natural lip line and blend away from your lip. The will not only help to keep the lip color from running, it will also make the color itself pop. Next, apply a liner in a similar shade to your lip color to just the area of your cupid’s bow and the middle portion of your bottom lip. Next, apply the lip color with a lip brush, to give you more control over color placement.

And there you go! Perfectly luscious, perfectly beautiful deep, dark lips for the Winter season.

No one likes going through a breakup – it is a bad situation for everyone involved. However, there is only so much crying and eating ice cream you can do until you need to get back out there and feel like yourself again. For a fashionista, that means putting on your best outfit and showing it off.

There is no better way to get an outfit you feel amazing in than to buy something new.

Here are a few items that it is absolutely fine to buy after a breakup:

Killer LBD

Ready to be the center of attention again? After a long-term relationship, you probably don’t have any great dresses to just go out and dance in. You don’t need just any little black dress – you need one that is going to turn every eye toward you and give you the pick of the rebound.

Find a little black dress that offers something extra – like sequins, glitter, feathers, a low cut back, or all of the above. Don’t be afraid to be overdressed!

Strappy Shoes

We rarely feel prettier than we do when we are strutting around in a fantastic pair of high heels. After a breakup, invest in a pair of strappy heels that make you walk just a little bit taller. You can pair them with your LBD from above, or just wear them out and about where you know your ex will be.

Just make sure you can walk in them – in case you do see him and you want to walk away quickly.

Something For Underneath

Even if you aren’t ready to move on completely yet, you still want to feel like you have your groove back. The best way to do that is to know you have a secret – especially one that is dainty and lacy. You’ll move differently and feel different in your clothing – and if someone gets to see it, they will be in for a surprise.

Make sure this isn’t a piece of clothing that you have any good memories with your ex in, because that could make you feel worse.

Revenge Body Worthy

While a “revenge body” isn’t the best term in the world – there is something to be said about getting into a better workout routine post-breakup. After eating all of that ice cream and sitting around all day, you are probably feeling pretty bad. Instead of sulking, get out and get your muscles working – you’ll feel better. If you get into better physical shape in the process, more power to you.

Buy a few new pieces of workout gear to really bring home that need to be healthier.

Remember how amazing you are and that surviving after a breakup is all part of the process – you’ll get there and you’ll be more fabulous than before.

It never fails. You have a big weekend planned, good friends, lots of laughs… not to mention you’ve got a fierce outfit already picked out. And then, BAM! Right there…in the middle of your chin…a pimple the size of an apple. There’s no way you can get that thing cleared by Friday night, right? Wrong!  We just so happen to have 10 easy and natural cures (that you probably have around the house right now) to send that pimple packing ASAP.

• Toothpaste – This is a tried and true pimple buster. Just make sure it’s a white toothpaste, not a gel-based one. The cleaning properties in it work to absorb oil, while the anti-bacterial properties fight bacteria. You only need a very small amount, dab it onto the pimple, and allow to dry overnight.
• Honey – Put this down on the long list of amazing things that honey can do. It is a natural antibiotic which helps kill the bacteria that causes pimples. It is also naturally hydrating, so it won’t dry out the skin around the pimple (unlike the toothpaste, which might cause a little redness). Dab a small amount onto the pimple and allow to dry (at least an hour). Wipe clean with a warm damp cloth.
• Calamine lotion – Yes, in addition to treating severe itching caused by anything from chicken pox to poison ivy, Calamine lotion can also be used to treat acne. Since it contains zinc oxide, it soothes the redness and reduces the inflammation of acne. It also works to absorb the excess oil in and around the pimple. Just dab some on the pimple before and allow it to dry before you go to bed.
• Orange peel/Banana peel – It sounds odd, but they’ve been known to work! The acidity in the orange peel works to dry out the pimple, and the banana peel contains Lutein, which is a powerful antioxidant that also reduces inflammation. Choose either peel (the orange might be too acidic for sensitive skin), then rub gently in circular motions over the pimple and allow to dry. Then rinse clean with a warm damp cloth.
• Aspirin paste – When crushed and mixed with a few drops of water, made into a paste, and applied to the pimple, this aspirin cure can be remarkably effective. Aspirin is an anti-inflammatory agent, so it works to reduce the swelling and redness. Dab onto the pimple, allow to dry, and leave it on the area overnight.
• Baking soda – Baking soda is another classic cure-all home remedy that has been around for many years. To use on pimples, add a few drops of lemon juice or water to the baking soda, make a paste, and then apply to the area. Allow to dry for 10-15 minutes, then wipe clean with a warm damp cloth.
• Lemon juice – This treatment can be a bit drying for those with sensitive skin, but it really does work. First, make sure you are using fresh, real lemon juice, not something from concentrate or a container. Lemon juice is not only a natural astringent, but it also has acidic properties that help to dry out and treat the pimple. Dab the lemon juice onto the pimple with a cotton swab or cotton ball, and allow the juice to dry on the pimple (20 minutes or so). Then wipe with a warm damp cloth. You can then apply an oil-free moisturizer, if necessary.

And, just like that…you’ll be all set to hit the town with your friends, rocking that perfect outfit, and that nasty pimple will be a distant memory!