Guest Post: 101 on Beauty

Long before I even knew my left from right or that red pants didn’t go with a bright pink shirt, my younger sister was elbow deep into my moms make-up drawer digging for the brightest lipstick shade she could find.  While I was letting frogs rest on my face and playing dare by myself to walk underneath my horses girth, my little sister, Chelsea, was pretending as if she was a make-up artist, using herself as the long returning customer.

When I asked my sister to write a guest post, I knew the information she had to share would benefit everyone: from the woman who has never picked up a tube of mascara to the one who spends hours a day “primping.” As they say, “it’s the little things.” You will see through this post that small steps can really make a huge difference.

If you’re anything like myself, while make-up, hair, and fashion are certainly important, they are far down my list of the MOST important; this post will even benefit you.

Today, my sister, Chelsea, is here to share with you a few beauty tips, some you may already know and some that will make you go hummm….why have I never thought of that!?

“My love of make-up/cosmetics started at a very early age. Ever since I can remember, I’ve been drawn to it like a moth drawn to light. My mother told me that when I was little, I was able to perfectly put on lipstick without even looking in the mirror or messing up. I guess I thought that was impressive for a second grader to be able to do, so I brought dark red lipstick to school and put it on right before pictures were taken for the yearbook. I could put it on perfectly, so when my teacher told me I had to wipe it off I was disappointed, needless to say. Looking at the picture now, I can still see the stain of a flawless lipstick application which wasn’t entirely wasted.

Not much has changed since I was young. I still have an extreme obsession with cosmetics. When I go in a store, whether it is CVS, Publix or Macys, I find myself wondering throughout the cosmetic section forgetting the whole reason why I was in the store in the first place. I literally have to tell myself “Stop, Chelsea. You don’t need any of this,” but secretly I know I’ll be back.  No wonder they say, “You can tell what one’s passion is by the way they spend their money.”  I could arguably be the best candidate to validate that saying. My make-up collection is my pride and joy.

When my sister asked me to write a few helpful tips to share with you all  about beauty, I was very excited. Her passion for nutrition has inspired, taught and reached so many people through this blog that I’m honored to be a small part of it at all.  My tips might not be as life changing as nutrition can be, but they if they could help you feel as beautiful on the outside as you are inside!

• Eye shadow primer will change your life. It doesn’t have to be an expensive one, but applying primer before you put on your shadow will help the eyes shadow stay on longer, appear brighter and not crease.  If you want a very bold and pigmented look, loose eye shadows are the best.  MAC has the best loose pigments eye shadows which are more expensive, but  they will last you forever!
• Something I learned from Ashley: If your eye liner pencil is not gliding easy in your inner eye, take a lighter and melt the tip SLIGHTLY. This will make it glide on much easier, but please don’t melt it too much and burn your eye or cause the eyeliner to drip.
• For extremely chapped lips, face or an intense under eye treatment, pop Vitamin E capsules and squeeze out the oil. Vitamin E is rich in antioxidants and wonderful for your skin, but please do this at night only. It is very thick and sticky!
• Instead of paying $30+ for teeth whiteners or as an additive to your routine, buy hydrogen peroxide at your local grocery store for $2 dollars. Swish around the hydrogen peroxide in your mouth for 30 seconds then spit out. Hydrogen peroxide is the same active ingredient found in teeth whitening strips; you won’t get fast results like using teeth whiteners, but it will keep your teeth looking bright and white so you won’t have to buy the expensive products as frequent.
• Under eye concealer is your best friend. Not only will it keep your eye area looking bright, but it can help with your mess- ups. If you apply your eyeliner and get the line a little too think. No worries. Take some under eye concealer and wipe up using your most gentle finger, your ring finger. This will allow you to make the line as thick or thin as you desire without the mess of tips and make-up remover.
• Cheek stain lasts much longer than a normal blush. If you are going somewhere and need a bold look, I highly suggest using a cheek stain right after you apply your foundation. You can also use it as a lip stain so your cheeks and lips will be the perfect matching hue. A little goes a long way, so be sparing.
• To get the perfect smoky eye look, apply your shadow as bottom eye liner from the outside of your eye to the middle. Stopping in the middle will make your eyes appear larger and won’t make you look like a raccoon.
• White eyeliner has multiple advantages. You can apply it on the insider corners of your eye to give your look a bright touch, apply it inside your lower inside lash line for extra brightness, or you can be creative by using it on top above your regular liner line for a fun look.
• Last, but not least …good brushes are KEY to having the perfect make-up application. They can be expensive, but are worth the investment.  Each brush is designed to do a different thing so one brush cannot be universal. For a good, inexpensive brush line try Eco Tools. They can be found at your local drugstore.”

– Chelsea

Thank you, Chelsea, for sharing your wisdom! As I’m sure you’ve noticed through pictures on this blog or if you know my sister, she’s certainly on to something Whatever she’s doing is working; although I’ll give all of the credit to God, it’s tips like these that certainly contribute to her beauty! I hope you got something out of this as well!

Have a wonderful weekend! Happy Easter; so thankful for the cross, today and everyday!

Good health!