5 Basic skin types

Hello guys!
So sorry I haven't posted for a while now - had exams and work and just running around trying to get things done! Finally got some time to myself

so skin types? how many of us have had trouble with this specially when you go to buy some makeup and they ask you what your skin type is? - half the time im just like ummm uhhh well... i dont know! it's difficult to explain because sometimes its dry sometimes its oily and sometimes its both!
But it is so important to know your skin type in order to take the right decision about your products and skin care method. off course we have no say in these matters as we are born with it but after a certain time it really depends on how well you take care of your skin and diet. I read somewhere... "after 30 a woman looks the way she deserves!" how true is that?

The 5 basic types of skin im sure we all have hear about are:

1. Normal 
2. Oily
3. Sensitive
4. Combination 
5. Dry

It looks easy enough but how do you determine what skin type is yours?
Initially I thought my skin was dry, then oily then sensitive - I had no clue what I was doing! But then again my skin is so weird, like in the morning it will be dry and throughout the day it becomes oily and then by the end of the day I just cant wait to get home and get it off my face! How do you determine what type skin is that then? I read a lot of beauty blogs and websites to help me find an answer and then on some random blog I read about using just a tissue and I tried it! must say simple, easy and best way to find out what skin type you are - so i'm going to share it with you!

Normal Skin - first thing in the morning, take a clean facial tissue and wipe your face gently. If there are no traces of oil or redness on the face then safe to say your skin type is normal. Your skin should feel vibrant and supple - generally people who look after their diet and excercise well are blessed with normal skin as it is the easiest to look after!

Oily skin - If your tissue has traces of oil... dun dun dunnnnn you have oily skin!
but I can guarantee you it wont be all over the face, you may find it more oily on you T-zone or cheeks or chin or forehead. Oily skin has a lot of issues, looks greasy, shiny, enlarged pores and unfortunately is acne prone. On a positive note though oily skin will not age and wrinkle quickly and obviously there are so many great products out there that you can use to help control the oil.

Sensitive Skin - Don't need a tissue for this one... I think people who have sensitive skin already know because its a fussy skin type! usually has red patches on the face, dry and sometimes flaky too and can get irritated very easily. I know people with sensitive skin have to be sooooooo careful about what they put on their face and also what they eat because it affects the skin right away! sensitive skin is the most problematic and fragile type of skin. 

Combination - this type is a combination of oily and dry. this is my skin type! So if I wipe my face with a tissue It will be completely dry where ive wiped my cheeks but my entire T-Zone is an oily mess!  This is a little tricky to maintain because the dry areas need rich creams which can give good moisture and the oily areas need oil control and cleansing.

Dry Skin - when you use the tissue it will be clean but your skin will feel flaky (like when your sunburnt) dry and tight. You would have fine pores and your skin is more likely to wrinkle easily. Dry skin shows sings or irritation and aging a lot quicker than the other skin types but as anything good care of your skin and a healthy diet should help maintain it.



So there we go! I hope it helps you guys :)
Oh I should mention, if you haven't heard or tried then I will 101% recommend checking out the website at least! - http://www.paulaschoice.com.au
The products are amazing and they cater to every single skin type! Also there is a ton of information on skin care, products and even makeup. If you have time then for sure just have a read through some of those articles they are very informative and trust me you'll be happy you had a look!

OK! so I think I'm done for the day :) I will be posting more frequently now that I don't have to worry much about studies! I've just started working at Kikki K (Its a awesome stationery store!) and I am loving those products... I feel like i'm going to end up buying the whole store for myself lol! I might just throw in a post about some of the christmas goodies I've got that i'm so excited about.

Anyway cya later! Hope everyone is enjoying the christmas season and getting all their shopping done! :)

Danni
xx

5 things you need to know before you buy!

Hey there lovely people! sorry haven't posted for a few days!
Got exams coming up so trying to study and juggle 2 jobs (don't do it!)
I'm a mess right now! oh the struggle of this life...

Anyway I thought today I would write about the 5 most important things you need to know before you start buying products! 
I am obviously not a makeup artist - far from it! but I remembered when I first started exploring the world of makeup (not a fun experience) I wish I had done all these things, which surely would have saved me a lot of time and money! 

1. Know your skin type! 

I can't tell you how important this is! Skin types are - normal, dry, oily, sensitive and combination. Knowing your skin type is extremely important when looking at buying foundations and concealers because these days most of the brands cater to your skin type. For example Revlon, their colorstay range has foundations for dry, oily and combination skin etc. Also it will help keep your skin healthy and glowing using the right type of product! ( I will be writing another post explaining skin types in detail and how to determine what skin type you are?) 


2. Research, Research, Research! 

There is so much information out there about cosmetics - I mean if you search on YouTube you will probably get 1000's of videos! Try to gain as much knowledge as you can about products and how to use them. There are so many brands and products out there and it can be absolutely overwhelming when you step into a store and have no idea where to start and what to look at - I know I was like that in the beginning. 
If you want you can go in store and get the makeup artist to help you but to be honest with you, 4 out of 5 times they are going to direct you towards the slightly expensive product for the sake of the sale. Also i don't know about you but I found it extremely uncomfortable to ask them for help (plus not all of them are qualified and know what they are recommending you!). This is the reason you need to do your research! At least have enough knowledge about products and the price range as well. 


3. Sample/Tester

Ask for samples/testers! If you take one thing away from this post then pleaseeeeee let it be this!! Ask for a sample, especially when buying foundation! You don't have to buy anything and please please don't feel pressured into buying anything (even if they give you all the mumbo-jumbo about 'oh this is perfect for you!' and 'this is the best things for you') It's their job! If I was working there I would do the same thing so you as a customer need to be careful about these things because it's your money at the end of the day! 
I know that whenever I have gone into priceline or chemmart and asked for a sample they have always happily given it to me! ( Also helps if you go back to the same store and build a bit of a rapport with the staff! Might bag yourself some freebies! Never hurt to be nice :D ) This is really important because believe me foundation and concealer look so damn different in the shop and outside in natural light, also it gives you time to apply it yourself and get a feel for it before you commit to buy! Just ask guys, and be really polite and friendly about it and I'm sure they will give it to you. try before buy - especially for foundation and concealer ( please don't go asking sample for eye shadows and eyeliners...) 


4. Budget?

Strongly advice that you set a budget, because you will end up spending too much on products that you may not even use. The best place to start I would suggest is priceline in Australia - im not sure if they are a worldwide company. Any local drugstore or chemist who stock basic brands like Revlon, Rimmel London, L'Oreal Paris, Maybelline etc. 
And most importantly stick to it! believe me its way too easy to get carried away.

5. Avoid high end brands

Just because mac is the best doesn't mean you need to start there! I've just recently started buying mac products (after 4 years of starting to use makeup) and to be honest some are a hit and miss but I feel like you should really experiment with a range of products from different brands before you know what works best for your skin and you wallet. Sometimes you may find that a bit of concealer is all you need and foundation isn't needed so its good to try out all these option beforehand. Plus a lot of the cheaper brands are just as good as mac! (not even kidding) - I find the Revlon foundation works much better for my skin than mac and its certainly cheaper - you will only know these things when you've tried it. 


NOTE - One thing I would recommend is go to your local mac store and get them to match you with your perfect concealer and foundation! write it down and that will make your life so much easier because you can find the equivalent shade in different brands! makes life a hell of a lot easier than trying on different shades of foundation.
I have to say though as much as I love mac products their customer service is shocking! They will only make an effort in serving you if you 'look like you're going to buy' so pretend to be extremely ready to hand over your money to them! LOL 
I would also try and go to at least 2 different mac stores and get them to match you because it has happened that they match you with a wrong color! trust me they do it! - for some reason every 'Indian' person they see they automatically recommend NC45 - which isn't always right! So just to double check go to 2 different stores or go different times and get matched by 2 different people!


So good luck guys! I have an exam in the next few days :( hopefully I can put up the post for the skin types in the next few days! Plus I have a lot of things to tell you guys - I just need to find me some time to sit and write! 

Thanks for reading guys :)

Eat your way to fabulous skin!

“You are what you eat!”

Hi guys!

In my last post I told you about some simple things to use to make your skin look great. That got me thinking about other things that can help, obviously all these creams, face mask etc. that we use are external things – what about internal things? I mean what if you were told you just had to eat some food to help keep your skin looking and feeling great? That would be so helpful and easy right?

So today I’m going to list 10 awesome foods that will help keep your body healthy and skin looking great!

Let’s eat our way to fabulous skin…

Actually here is a quick video that lists all those foods that I love eating and I’m sure you guys will too!

The only other thing that I would like to mention, that’s not in the video and that is… WATER!

Water is so important for our skin; I cannot stress enough about this! On an average ladies should be drinking 2-3 liters per day – I know it’s really hard to drink all that water. I've been trying to increase my water intake gradually (doesn't help that I have a weak bladder :( ) but the most I can manage is about 1.5 liters. Keep trying! 

Don't try and drink 3 liters from tomorrow if you aren't used to drinking too much (if you can that's great!) start slowly by drinking a glass of water before and after you eat anything! 

In the next post I’ll give you guys some ideas to keep yourself hydrated! Especially now that we are heading into summer it will be useful!

Thanks for reading guys! 

4 Easy ways to make your skin happy!

Let’s be comfortable in our skin and not worry about makeup!!

Yeah… wouldn't this be a perfect world then? I can hear you guys thinking – “Are you for real!”

Ok Ok I know it’s so difficult to have perfect skin, I’m sitting here writing this with a pimples and blemishes all over my face L  but hear me out? (Or read I guess…)

What if I told you I can tell you some super easy ways that can seriously help your skin looking perfect? I know we are never going to have perfect skin but trust me these face masks that I will tell you about work like magic! (Slow magic… does take some time OK?)

Well, being an Indian all the mom’s and aunties and sisters and every female member of the family has a ‘home cure’ for every problem (my Indian pals! You know what I’m talking about right?) Trust me, like literally everything – from acne to world hunger issues! (Jokes!)

But yeah, when my face started breaking out my mom probably started freaking out more than me and she would tell me to eat some weird Indian medicine or put something on my face! Obviously I was a little (actually a LOT) skeptical about trying them. At first I did it just to get my mom off my back but within a few weeks I started noticing so much change on my face, it was unbelievable!

By that time I had tried so many face washes, creams, peels etc. and nothing had given me such results! I've been all about ‘organic’ or ‘natural’ you know? Trying to use good natural products – so why not go straight to the source and try them? so here we go…

1 Turmeric/Besan Face Mask – this one is my absolute fav. I swear by this one 101%. Give this mask a try once and then you tell me about it – I have no doubts you guys will love it!

           What you will need: Turmeric, Besan (Gram flour) and milk or yogurt.

*Note*: I cannot stress enough about these – please make sure you get pure turmeric powder (otherwise you’re going to look like a minion :/). All the Indian stores sell good quality stuff but still always make sure!

Besan – this is gram flour, I’m not sure if you can get it at Woolworth's or Coles? But you can get this again at any Indian store, like 500g for a few dollars and that will last you a long time!

You can use milk or yogurt in this, I prefer milk but if you do want to use yogurt make sure it’s natural. No flavors (obviously), no fat free and whatever kind – Natural only! (works the best)

How to make it?

Step 1. Take a bowl and put 2-3 teaspoons of besan (gram flour) in it.

Step 2. Add 1-2 teaspoons of turmeric powder to the bowl.

Step 3. Add 1- 1 ½ teaspoons of milk or yogurt

Step 4. Mix mix mix!... and tadaaaaaaaaaa its ready!

You want it to be a creamy consistency, but honestly you can play around with how thick you want it. Off course don’t make it too watery otherwise it’s not going to stay on your face and then you might as well not do it!

Oh! Step 5. Apply it all over your face

I would recommend you leave it on for 10-15 mins, don’t wait till it dries out because it pulls your skin and that’s not good!

Also you can apply this all over your body… I’m not kidding! For real!

Have you guys seen a Bollywood movie with a wedding in it? Maybe you've seen it – the bride sits wearing a white dress and then all the women put this yellow stuff all over her?

Yup! It’s a very fun and important part of Indian weddings called ‘haldi’ – which literally means turmeric. That yellow stuff... you guessed right! It’s this mask. It’s meant to bring out the natural glow of the brides skin and it does work! So yeah… face, arms, legs… wherever you want it! This thing works!

Ohh Ohh one last thing about this… if you accidentally spill it in the sink or shower, get that stuff off their right away! Wet wipes work great, if not then you can put some nail paint remover on a tissue and use that.

2 Buttermilk/mango – this is great to get all those dark spots off!

What you will need: Yogurt, milk, ripe mango.

*Note* - Use natural yogurt for best results. Fresh mangoes aren't readily available here but when you can get them make sure to use ripe mangoes. You need to mash the flesh of the mango, its easy to mash it with the back of a spoon; makes it easy if the mango is really ripe and soft.

How to make it?

Step 1. Put 2 teaspoons of natural yogurt in a bowl.

Step 2. Add 2 teaspoons of freshly mashed mango flesh

Step 3. Add ½ teaspoon of milk

Step 4. Mix mix mix!

Don’t add too much milk because the yogurt and mango are already watery and you don’t want the whole thing to be watery! The texture needs to be creamy, like moisturizer – so you need to almost beat it like you would a egg.

Step 5. Apply it on your face and wash it off after 15-20 mins

   Lemon/Honey – super easy and quick! Naturally moisturizes your skin

What you will need: Lemon and honey

*Note* - you can use lime, lemon whatever you like doesn't really matter. As for the honey I use organic honey, it works best – but you can make this with whatever you have at home.

How to make it?

Step 1. Put 1 tablespoon of lemon/lime juice in a bowl

Step 2. Add 1 teaspoon of honey

Step 3. Mix well – till the lemon juice is completely blended in with the honey

Step 4. Apply to your face for 10-15 mins and wash with lukewarm water

Make sure you don’t use too much lemon, because it’s naturally acidic and if you have acne then it can sting a little. Maybe use more honey and leave it on for a shorter period of time.

4 Egg white face mask – this one is really good for people with oily skin and have acne. Works for anyone with acne as well.

What you need: Egg white, lemon and honey.

*Note* - I generally use organic eggs too but you can use any eggs you have available, it’s not really a big deal. Again lemon lime, whatever you prefer or what’s on hand right? Same with the honey!

How to make it?

Step 1: Add 1 egg white to a bowl

Step 2: Add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice

Step 3: Add ½ teaspoon of honey

Step 4: Mix well! – This will take some time! Easiest way is to use a whisk or fork and beat it till it becomes frothy.

Step 5: Apply to you face for 10-15 mins (wait till this one completely dries) and gently wash off with lukewarm water.

That’s it! All the easy to make at home masks and I know you guys will love the results from these simple methods! Do try them and let me know your thoughts!

Ohh before I leave – I know this post was all about masks but 2 little things I want to share that will help as well! These are 2 homemade drinks (don’t judge them before you try them!). I used to hate them when I was forced by my mom to drink them every day but now it’s a part of my daily routine!

Ok so first one is lemon honey water – that explains it all right? Just add freshly squeezed lemon juice and a teaspoon of honey to warm water, mix it and drink! But wait… you need to have this drink first thing in the morning, before you eat anything else! (Not even water before it!). This kick starts your metabolic system, helps with weight loss and is great for your skin.

The second one is turmeric water (uh huh… that’s right) – just add a teaspoon of turmeric to warm water, mix it, hold your nose and gulp gulp gulp and then quickly drink another glass of water (or you’re going to throw up…. Nah just kidding with you!). I hate it but it’s really good for your skin. 

OkaY! This was a long one… that’s it for today – please try these out trust me you won’t reach for those expensive creams and lotions at the mall ever again!

Try them and let me know how you go?

Now I shall leave you with something to think about…. Hmm

“When you are truly comfortable in your own skin, not everyone will like you, but you won’t care about it one bit!”

Thanks for reading guys! :)

Where do we even begin?

Makeup.... say what? 

Where do we even begin? What is makeup all about?

Growing up with 5 boys I was a tomboy and makeup for me was something that meant nothing at all to me! I mean I was practically a boy and I didn't know anything about makeup.
I always used to think that makeup makes you look fake and you should be proud of what you have and not worry about makeup. which is true and I still think that but I think makeup only enhances what you have, you don't need makeup to look pretty - every person is beautiful in their own way and looks aren't everything. That being said though, I think it does help a lot of girls gain confidence and self-esteem, I know it helped me. 
I don't wear makeup because im ashamed of how my face looks or I want to look like the models on TV, I wear makeup because it gives me that extra boost of confidence and makes me feel better. 

I never had particularly great skin but during my teenage years I was lucky to not go through that crazy acne and breakouts phase - unfortunately now its catching up to me :(
My first experience with so called "makeup" was an absolute DISASTER! believe me it was enough to put me off using any product on my face ever again! 
So being the smart ass I was at that time I decided I knew everything there was to know about what products to use, so with all this confidence I walk into K-mart (yeah you read right... don't judge me, please :/ ). I can't remember what brand it was but yeah I go there and buy myself a foundation. I have no clue how I picked the shade and all but yeah I bought it. I used it and well 3 or 4 days later had an allergic reaction :( I had pimples, puffy red skin and oh it was horrible! It took my skin a good 6 months to get back to 'normal' and obviously I stopped using any products of my face.

Well the whole point of me telling you this is no matter what products you use it is very important to look after your skin. I cannot stress enough about this, you need to look after your skin before anything else. 
Yeah makeup will help hide all the flaws on your face but its not going to make you feel better and that's when you become dependent on it and I think that is something that should never happen! you should be just as comfortable in your own skin as you are when wearing makeup. I see some girls who are so afraid of leaving the house without makeup or even letting their own family see them without makeup - I mean come on! really? 
If only we spent all that time putting on makeup to make our skin look and feel good then we wouldn't have to worry so much about makeup. 

I don't want to be writing too much in this post but in my following post I will tell you guys about the things I've tried to keep my skin flawless, daily routine and the products I use and which have helped and which haven't as well. 
So wait up for the next post :)

Thanks for reading guys!