You know that one friend who always seems to have flawless, thick and voluminous hair? Well, I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. There's a 99 percent chance she has plain ol' thin hair just like the rest of us. The only difference between her and us is she knows a thing or two about making thin hair appear way thicker than it actually is.
So what are some of the tricks she's using? Luckily, I know a few of these all-knowing beauty secret goddesses, so I tapped them for some of their best tips.
1. Use texturizing spray
Let texturizing spray and mousse products be your hair's best friend. It will help to hold your style while also giving you the bonus of added volume. Just make sure not to overuse it, or it will weigh down your hair.
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2. Add layers
The key to giving thin hair dimension is layers, layers, layers. Experiment with bangs. Try long layers. Go short and choppy. Whatever your look, there's a layer for you.
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3. Use your fingers
Instead of using a brush while you blow-dry your hair, use your fingers for the first 90 percent of the session. It will add volume and decrease the chance you will break your hair while drying.
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5. Get a balayage
Just like a cut is important for your thin hair journey, so is the color. Monotone colors lead to one-dimensional hair. And one-dimensional is just another way to say "flat." Whomp-whomp.
The upside is that means you get to add some color into your life. My personal fave is the balayage, which is a painted highlighting technique that will leave your hair looking natural while still turning heads.
She just picked the wrong household item. Use a toothbrush (preferably a new one and not your roommate's when you're mad she ate your chips) to back-comb your hair into volumed perfection.
The right cut is everything. For thin hair, it's often recommended that you keep the style short and layered, which is great too, because generally, that means a cut that's easy to style and maintain.
Cheating the thin hair game starts with healthy, growing locks. And the foundation to healthy, growing locks is a smart system. You wouldn't go out in the sun without sunscreen and expect to be wrinkle-free, so don't expect thick hair without using a good base, like the Aveda Invati system.
Have a fabulous thick hair hack of your own? Let us know in the comments below.
We're always coming across tips for how to play up blue and brown eyes — but not so much for green eyes. There might be a good reason for that: Some stats say that only 2 percent of the world's population actually have green eyes. But just because green eyes are the rarest doesn't mean they don't deserve a little attention. We dug up some makeup tips and tricks that will bring out that beautiful color.
1. Work with some purples
Purple and green are on the opposite sides of the color wheel, so when you smoke out your lids with some purple shadow, the green part of your eye really pops in contrast.
"Purple is one of my favorites for green eyes," celeb makeup artist Renee Garnes told Glamour. "I love to smudge a purple pencil around the eyes, then top it with a [purple] shadow that is in the same color range and blend it for a bit of drama."
2. Go warm
Purple isn't the only color you should layer on for green eyes. Warm colors in general will also help bring out your best feature according to SheKnows beauty expert Nina Sutton.
"Gold and copper are great for highlighting green eyes," Sutton advises. "A general rule of thumb for green eyes is to choose warm shades vs. cooler shades."
3. Play up your cheeks
Just like warm eye shadow hues will bring attention to your eyes, a pop of blush can have the same impact — and a nice warm peach or pink is your best bet.
Nars actually has a whole Orgasm collection that has the perfect peach to bring out the green in your eyes.
Red is another color on the wheel that complements green nicely, so choose a liner that has a bit of a red undertone. Just like with shadow, purples work here too!
"Garnet, amethyst, and bronze are particularly dazzling on green eyes," Charlotte Tilbury, creator of Colour Chameleon Eyeshadow Pencils, told Allure.
But those colors can also make you look tired, Allure notes, especially if they are too pink. Lining the lid in black first helps.
Speaking of black liner, we've seen a lot of tips which suggest that black liner is too overpowering and can wash out green eyes — but we find a hard black line just brings them out even more! For a softer look, try a warm brown pencil.
Any dedicated beauty shopper is all-too familiar with the double-edged sword that is buying products. You know, that feeling when you start unpacking, sniffing, and swiping your latest major beauty haul while floating around in a cloud of decadent, kid-in-a-candy-store-level bliss…until you unroll that long (long, long) receipt and you realize with a quick, nauseating thwack that you overdid it. Again.
We’ve been there, and we get it. But imagine you lived in a world where you didn’t have to fight to resist the siren song of the 300th perfect red lipstick you just have to have. Where you could—dare we say—even feel good about splurging on that ultra-fancy moisturizer that costs more than a week’s worth of groceries. Or, at the very least, a world where your hard-spent dollars actually get you additional beauty loot for free. Yes, this fantasy world can be a reality, and all it requires is that you sign up for one these nine most-loved beauty rewards programs, and give your bank account (and sanity) a breather.
Biggest perks: With Sephora’s famous, multi-leveled rewards program, your next huge spending day will actually pay off. Level one—which requires only the smallest of purchases to reach—earns you a free birthday gift and free beauty classes (like a class on no-makeup makeup, how to shape your brows, and how to apply fake lashes). And, for an extra $10, Sephora will give you a full year of free, two-day shipping. Spend $350 or more in a calendar year, and you’ll automatically get bumped up to the VIB level, which includes all the basic benefits, plus free, exclusive gifts, extra seasonal discounts and promo codes, and one free custom makeover. And if you spend $1,000 or more a year, you’ll get upgraded to VIB Rouge, which also gives you free 2-day shipping (no $10 required), a private help hotline for all of your beauty quandaries, and invitations to exclusive events and product launches.
Biggest perks: Now here’s a points system we can really get into: For every $1 you spend online or in story, you’ll earn one point, which can be redeemed toward literally any product the store carries (plus, you’ll also get a zillion email offers that treat you to two-, three-, or even five-times the points on certain items). And during your birthday month, you’ll earn double points on all of your buys, plus a free birthday gift. And when you spend $450 in a calendar year, you’ll go platinum, which means every buck you spend earns you 1.25 expiration-proof points, so you can get your freebies even faster, plus a $10 coupon to go along with your birthday present. And that sounds a lot like two presents to us.
Biggest perks: Drugstore beauty products are no joke, so you definitely want to get the most bang for your buck at your corner store. Sign up for the CVS ExtraCare Beauty Club and you’ll automatically receive 10-percent off of your next big beauty purchase, and for every $50 you spend, you’ll receive $5 off. But the biggest perk to CVS’s club is the number of kick-ass coupons that’ll appear in your inbox like little day-brightening surprises.
Biggest perks: M.A.C. has your back when it comes to its rewards program. Yes, you can expect free shipping, free samples with every purchase, and an anniversary gift (because even if your significant other forgets, M.A.C. will never leave you), but the real gold here is in the Back To M.A.C. program, which gives you a free lipstick—or eyeshadow or lip gloss, if you become a Select program member—when you return the original packaging for six M.A.C. products to your nearest M.A.C. store (hello, environmental-friendly rewards). And if you send $150 in one year, you’ll also get a free, 30-minute makeup application, a first glimpse at new collections, and free, two-day shipping on orders of $50 or more. Go big with $500 a year, and M.A.C will give you two 60-minute makeup applications (meaning you’re officially covered for wedding season), as well as early access to new collections, and, of course, an even better anniversary gift. It must be love.
Biggest perks: For the online-shopping obsessed (a.k.a. all of us), Smashbox’s online-only rewards program will be the world’s gift to your soul. You get all of the perks you’d expect—birthday gifts, free samples with every purchase, free shipping, and early access to new products—but the minute you sign up for the program, you’ll also get 100 complementary points thrown at you, along with 25 more point on your first order, which means you’ll already have more than $10 to spend as soon as you become a member. You’ll then continue to earn a point for every dollar you spend until you reach $250, at which point every dollar you spend earns you double the points. Yup, that translates to tons of free products for you. Throw in free overnight shipping, exclusive gifts, and VIP concierge service for the highest tier members, and you’ll pretty much be shopping only exclusively at Smashbox from now on.
Biggest perks: In true, French-girl fashion, Lancôme’s rewards program isn’t playing around. Sure, they’ll send you gifts, grant you special access to new product launches, and give you free shipping, but the real standout bonus is how easy they make it to earn rewards. Not only will you earn 10 points per $1 you spend online, but you can also upload pictures of your in-store receipts to grab extra awards points. And for even more points (we know, we’re getting gluttonous), you can connect with the brand on social media, read their blog, watch their pro-makeup-artist videos, or review their products for even more points, all of which gets you full-sized products and special offers from their partners, like Gilt and SpaFinder.
Biggest perks: “I’m not paying $5 to get into a rewards program,” you say, but don’t freak—as soon as you sign up, Sally Beauty spots you $5, so joining is basically free (and trust us; being in the club is definitely worth it). Every time you spend $25 with Sally Beauty in a month, you’ll get a 15-percent-off discount. Stack that on top of all of the other members-only discounts and coupons you’ll be reaping, and you’ll be swimming in beauty products and disposable income in no time.
Biggest perks: We know this sounds crazy, but sometimes, a rewards program isn’t always about getting free loot. Because even though the natural beauty experts at Aveda will let you use your points towards products (10 for every $1, and double on your first purchase as a member), Aveda will also let you put them toward salon and spa services, jewelry, and even exclusive trips. Because sometimes the beauty is in the experience…or, like, a really phenomenal haircut.
Biggest perks: Sure, there are practically a zillion rewards programs for makeup fiends, but skincare lovers can also get their fill of excellent products through Dr. Brandt’s VIP program. This cult-favorite skin-care brand will not only give you a point for every dollar you spend (plus double points on special offers and products), but they’ll also send 50 points your way just for referring your friends, another 20 for every product you review, and 50 more just for becoming a member. What more do you need to inspire a little Brandt loyalty?
Well, more like colors. You can create depth and dimension in thin locks by simply highlighting and lowlighting. An expert hairstylist will know exactly what to do, so find a stylist that specializes in thin hair. By using thickening shadows — or darker under-layers that top light layers can sit on — your expert stylist can create a shadow effect that makes your tresses appear thicker. An alternative is textured weaves, or using light and dark colors to capture dimension and mimic texture.
Vet your local stylist by asking for photo examples of their work, or just ask your thin-haired friends for recommendations.
Thin hair needs texture. That's thin hair 101, but there are specific hair-cutting techniques that can make your hair appear thicker. Short, square layers, layered bobs, mid-length layers and pixie cuts work especially well on women with thin hair.
Not sure if you're ready to take the pixie plunge? Try these various styles out on your face using one of the many makeover apps online. Take a front-facing photo of yourself, upload it and switch out each style to see if they suit you. If one sparks your interest, it's time to take that photo to a local stylist for a clip sesh.
Cut and color are the foundations of a great head of thicker-looking hair, but styling is what will take the look from good to glam. If you have thin hair, you probably already know that teasing is your best friend. By teasing the crown of your head and each individual element you include in your look, you're creating thicker-looking hair.
For example, if you're creating a classic pony, you'll want to tease the crown of your hair, then lightly secure the top portion with an elastic. Then, comb the lower portion of your hair toward the secured elastic and place another one directly under it. Finally, secure both ponies with one elastic and tease the pony underneath toward the base. The many elastics, one on top of the other, will appear to contain nothing but hair. For extra oomph, curl the ends of the ponytail for texture.
Another example is braiding. If you're going to braid your hair, you don't want to just leave it at your standard braid. Braid your hair as normal and secure loosely with an elastic or clip. Then, working gently, separate the individual parts of the braid with your fingers, making it appear thicker and looser.
All right, so toothpaste is probably one of the least sexy topics of beauty conversations — maybe, like, two notches above foot powders and nail clippers, but a full mile away from blush and eyeliner — yet literally every single one of us wants to have whiter teeth (or at least wouldn’t mind having them if they were thrust upon us).
The annoying thing is, though, that not all whitening toothpastes actually work. Like, yes, they’ll make your teeth look a tiny bit brighter, but they won’t come even slightly close to what you see advertised on TV. But don’t think that you need to make a dentist’s appointment to get whiter teeth — just take a trip to the store and pick up a whitening toothpaste that seriously, truly works, like one of these five MVPs.
Keep reading to find your favorite, and get ready for a whiter smile in, well, a few days of consistent, twice-a-day use.
You were loving that super-cute cocktail ring you picked up at Forever 21 until you took it off and noticed your whole finger was green. Now, not so much. It's happened to the best of us, but you don't have to continue to fall victim to dreaded green streaks. Give these tips and tricks a try.
Step 1: Don't panic
This common green stain is not harmful, so there is no need to panic. If it does appear, just remove the piece of jewelry causing the problem and it should fade away. If you are not allergic to metal, the reason for this reaction is chemical. It's due to a combination of the metal and the acids in your skin. Experts say that there are several metals that oxidize with your skin to give you a noticeable green ring around your finger. A ring made of copper is a common culprit, but even silver and gold metals can cause discoloration.
OK, so this solution is easier said than done, but it’s a start. In this situation, the saying "You get what you pay for" applies. A cheap ring may look cute and it seems affordable, but it’ll cost you in other ways. This type of jewelry will tarnish quickly and leave behind a green stain when worn.
Stainless steel, platinum and rhodium-plated jewelry, which includes almost all white gold, are less likely to react to your skin. Look for these specific metals when shopping for rings and decrease the chances of buying jewelry that will turn your finger green.
Keep soaps and lotions away from your ring finger if you want to prevent the green-finger effect. Something as simple as removing rings before washing your hands or before taking a shower can help. Avoid wearing rings in the pool as well. The chlorine from the swimming pool will damage your jewelry and leave the annoying stain.
If you can’t stay away from accessories prone to leaving a dark stain, try clear nail polish as a quick fix. Apply a polymer coating to your ring and let dry. This creates a barrier between your skin and the metal so that the ring can’t turn your finger green. Just remember to reapply the coating often because it tends to wear off.
One day without a shower and thin hair goes from so-so to so greasy. And, in all honesty, the greasiness starts creeping in only a few hours post-shower. Boooooo.
2. Say hello to scalp sunburn.
Yes, it's a thing. If you have thick hair, you've likely never experienced the unholy sensation that is your scalp burning. Don't even get us started on the peeling.
Air Curler, Bumpit, Hot Buns... we've tried every gimmick on the market to give us that thick-haired look. Alas, we haven't enough hair to even hide the bumps and sock buns.
4. Every single hair product in our arsenal says some variation of "volume."
Extra body? Check. Added volume? Check. Voluminous? Check. Bedhead? Check.
5. It takes three hair ties to put hair in a bun, yet it still falls out.
Buns are a major challenge with thin hair. So it's especially annoying when, after much manipulation, you finally get a bun you're halfway happy with, only for your thin hair to slip through the hair band after an hour.
6. Speaking of buns, they're comically tiny.
I mean, like, really little. They look like ping pong balls. You know, of hair. And a messy bun? Yeah, right. Thanks for the chuckle.
7. Normal hair loss causes major anxiety.
While we realize everyone loses something like 100 hairs each day, we're 97 percent certain the amount we lose every single time we take a shower is triple that. Or perhaps the loss is merely multiplied because we know we can't afford to lose any of it.
8. Napping is a death sentence for a cute 'do.
Thin hair does not respond well to sleep. If you think you've got a cowlick, you've never seen a thin-haired girl after she rolls out of bed.
9. We have a life mantra: it's "wash the roots, condition the ends."
There is no other way. All other advice is irrelevant.
10. It's more than just a surface level problem
Almost everything can affect hair fullness — stress, nutrition, sleep, hair care products — so we're always on the hunt for simple ways to help improve it from the inside out.
11. It looks oh so good after being blown out...
But it leaves your hair feeling like straw. Heat styling is the thin-haired girl's biggest frenemy.
12. See also: Does not hold curl.
Well, it does when you use an entire can of hairspray, which is pretty much how we roll.
13. Tangles are the bane of the thin-haired girl's existence.
Seriously, how can so little hair end up so majorly matted? Going swimming leads to serious contemplation about getting a Demi Moore in G.I. Jane buzz cut.
14. All we want for Christmas is extensions.
When all our friends were asking their parents for cell phones or designer jeans for holidays, we were asking for faux hair. That'll do a number on your psyche.
15. Thick hair envy.
Rapunzel. The entire cast of Pretty Little Liars. Shakira. We love you, but we kinda hate you, too. Don't take it personally — we're just bitter about your enviably thick locks. Shave them and we'll call it even. Just joking! Sort of. OK, not really. OK, not at all.
Oh, you just rocked a big messy braid? If a rat tail and a cornrow met, fell in love and had a baby, that's what my messy braid would look like — the offspring of a rat tail and a cornrow.
17. We're legitimately concerned about female pattern baldness.
For real. We actually check for bald patches after showers. And when we pull our hair up. And always.
18. One word: static.
Static is an entirely different beast when you have thin hair. You know those orbs with electric currents you put your hand on? That's basically what thin hair with static looks like.
19. That one thing people are always saying.
"Wow, you have really thin hair!" Really? Hmm, I hadn't noticed. Thank you for pointing that out.
Let’s get this out of the way: Save for a touch of highlighter or the addition of a new brow pencil, I’ve had the same makeup routine for the better part of the last decade. Sure, I’ll swipe on an extra coat of mascara if I’m headed to a wedding or I’ll throw a tube of lipstick in my bag if I’m truly feeling ambitious, but other than that, it’s the same six-minute routine every single morning: mist, serum, moisturizer, sunscreen, primer, BB cream, concealer, highlighter, brow pencil and done.
To the untrained eye, nine steps seems like seven steps too many for someone who refers to themselves as low-maintenance, but still, I don’t fuss with eye shadow palette, I’ve never walked outside with a smoky eye, and I couldn’t imagine fiddling with lip liner or worse, liquid liner at 8 in the morning. I mostly can’t be bothered with concealing my under-eye bags, and if my skin looks truly tired, I’d rather go without makeup than piling it on in an attempt to disguise. This generally results in me looking some version of the same, save for the days I’m really tired. Those days, I don't look good. I’ve learned to live with it.
So imagine my delight when I discovered a way to make myself look more awake as I’m literally walking out the door — no mirror needed. It started a few weeks ago when I realized I had to run out to a meeting in the middle of the workday — I was already late so I didn’t have time to freshen up, and all I had on me was my Glossier Balm Dotcom in Cherry. As I was in the elevator, I dabbed some on my lips, and then my cheeks and then my eyelids. I’m not totally sure what compelled me to do the latter — especially considering I don’t wear eye shadow — but when I got to the meeting, the PR rep swiftly complimented my look: She told me, the palest olive-skinned woman alive, that I looked well-rested and sun-kissed, which I laughed off because I cower in fear of the sun.
But when I caught a glimpse of myself, I had to agree: The all-over hint of color left me looking cohesive and put-together in a modern way, rather than the clownish nightmare I’d imagined. And sure, lip gloss on the lids isn’t a new idea, but for regular folk like myself (see: not an editorial model), it always seemed like one of those things that was better in theory. Not so, reader. Not so.
Image: ImaxTree
The best part of the look is that it works well for everyday wear, especially if you keep the color concentrated on the center of the lid, extending just above the crease. I’ve since played around with it a bit and found that a touch of highlighter, then red lip balm (I’ve used both Glossier’s iteration and Rosebud Salve) and then NYX’s Lid Lacquer makes it look both intentional and downright pretty.
In fact, during a recent date night for Valentine’s Day, I got extra-ambitious and applied the lip balm around my eye à la Au Jour Le Jour’s spring 2017 show (as seen above), and though it looks unbearably sticky, it feels pretty similar to having a thin face mask on. My boyfriend didn’t even mention the new look throughout the date, but when we went out again this weekend, he looked at me and said, “You look great babe, but aren’t you gonna do that eye thing again tonight?”
Within the past decade, gray hair has transformed its awful, tired connotation from something that you frantically try to cover up before anyone notices to a hairstyle you might like — and even embrace.
Because women such as Linda Rodin, Stacy London and Jamie Lee Curtis have shown off their naturally gray strands proudly over the past few years, it’s opened doors for celebs including Rita Ora, Rihanna and Lady Gaga to play around with the trend — as well as countless other women who went gray before they’d have liked.
In any case, there’s no reason that a man’s natural aging process should make him look distinguished, while the very same thing makes a woman look like they’ve given up. So whether you’re a natural gray or your silver strands are the result of a good dye job, here are 12 quotes that prove gray hair is majorly chic.
Image: Michaela Early/SheKnows
“It's great to have gray hair. Ask anyone who's bald.” — Rodney Dangerfield
“I want to be who I am now. I rock my gray hair because it is a blessing. I colored mine for many years, but I've gotten compliments from so many men and women about being brave enough to sport the gray. I even wear it on the cover of my record. I am comfortable in my skin and I want listeners to feel that as well.” — Regina Belle
“I love to see old women. I love wrinkles. I love gray hair.” — Alber Elbaz
“There’s a reason why forty, fifty, and sixty don’t look the way they used to, and it’s not because of feminism, or better living through exercise. It’s because of hair dye.” — Nora Ephron
Image: Michaela Early/SheKnows
“It never occurred to me to be like 'Oh now my hair is gray, I had better adapt to that.'”— Linda Rodin
“There was a deep sense of insecurity that I traded the gray streak in for as sort of a badge of honor. Now, I even have a gray clause with Pantene, where I said, ‘You can do whatever you want to my hair but you can't dye my gray streak.’ It’s a part of me!” — Stacy London, Into The Gloss
“In a time when so many men are dyeing, I think these guys see a silvery still-in-the-game dame as a kind of relief, like they could let their hair down, too, should they have any.” — Kathleen Rockwell Lawrence
“After getting a buzz cut — I style my hair short, so this was an easy transition — we discovered that my natural gray color was light, bright, and becoming. I began to feel lighter, younger, and sassier. I started to feel more authentic, — Dawn Doherty
Image: Michaela Early/SheKnows
"It is not by the gray of the hair that one knows the age of the heart." — Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton
“I’m extremely low-maintenance with my hair. It’s either long or short. I started going gray at 26, but I wasn’t confident enough to let that happen yet. When I was 37, I moved to France and I thought, ‘I’m anonymous here. I can do this.’ And I let it go gray, cold-turkey.”— Catherine Walsh Coty
"Nobody has said ohmygodyouwentgray!! Because the thing is, it isn’t. It isn’t white, either, or silver — not quite, not exactly. But it is a glorious color.” — Vicki Woods
“I called my brother, who is 10 years older than me, and he said, ‘At last! You accept!’ Accept what? ‘You accept your own beauty!’ He said, ‘I like white hair.’ And I said, “I thought men hate white hair!’ And he said, ‘No! Men hate women who hate themselves.’”— Sophie Fontanel
Being an adult is weird. By now, you’re expected to automatically know some stuff about life, like how to file your taxes, jumpstart your car, cook at least a semi-respectable meal, and, according to every junior-high kid on social media with Kardashian-level contouring, be really, really good at makeup. And sometimes, it can feel like all of that beauty knowledge skipped your brain and infiltrated your friend’s or co-worker’s, and now you’re stuck with a whole bunch of basic questions, and the tiniest bit of shame about asking them.
But, hey, we don’t care. Like, at all. We don’t care if you still aren’t sure how to use concealer, or what face primers do, or why your foundation keeps melting off your face by noon. That’s why we’re here—to educate your ass, so you can feel a little bit more informed. So we answered your most-confusing, semi-embarrassing, WTF-worthy makeup questions, below, with the hope that you’ll feel a little less out of the loop next time you’re doing your makeup. And, if you have any other beauty questions you’re dying to have answered, make sure to ask us in the comments below! Keep reading to have your brain blown.
Image: Imaxtree
Q: “OK, do I really need to use primer? What does it even do?”
THE ANSWER: Oh, my god—yes. Yes, yes, yes. We can’t scream yes enough. Not using a primer before applying your makeup is like putting shoes on wet feet, or painting an un-sanded house, or, uh, wearing your bra over your shirt. It just doesn’t make sense, OK? Because makeup primers are filled with silicones that transform every skin type into a silky, smooth, fine-line-free canvas for makeup to literally glide over, like an airbrushed portrait. It also keeps your concealer (and tinted moisturizer and eyeliner and eyeshadow and everything else) from sliding throughout the day, and also, it’s pure magic.
THE FIX: Buy a freaking primer! Now! You can go high-end with the cult-favorite Smashbox Photo Finish Primer, or get similar results for cheap with our favorite drugstore dupe: Monistat Chafing Gel (no, it has nothing to do with your vagina; the anti-chafing gel is filled with the same active ingredients as Smashbox’s version, for a quarter of the cost). Just smooth a rice-sized blob of primer over you clean, dry skin, wait a minute, and apply your makeup as usual.
Q: “Why does eyeliner leave marks in the crease of my eye or smudge underneath my eyes?”
THE ANSWER: You can blame your eyelids for your liner troubles. Hooded eyelids cause your lash lines to smash against your upper eyelids each time you blink, leaving a stamp-like smudge on your skin. And, if your lids are especially oily (hey—it’s not gross; even those with dry skin can have oilier lids), the liner will slowly slide down your face throughout the day.
THE FIX: No, you don’t need to get eyelid surgery to wear eyeliner—you just need to turn your eyelids into a smooth, dry canvas for makeup, which means keeping the area free of moisturizers and eye creams in the morning, then loading up on primers and powders. First, smooth an eyelid primer over your lids (we’re obsessed with Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion) to create a smooth, matte base, then dust a translucent loose powder or neutral-toned eyeshadow over your lids to set the primer. Then, and almost as importantly, you need to examine your eyeliner. If you’re using kohl or crayon, which are meant to smudge, swap them for a long-wear gel eyeliner, L’Oréal Infallible Never Fail Eyeliner or Make Up For Ever Eye Pencil, then “set” your liner by dusting the line with eyeshadow of the same color.
Image: Imaxtree
Q: “How do I actually conceal a zit without it looking cakey or obvious?”
THE ANSWER: With the patience of a war-zone negotiator, and the care of a Faberge-egg decorator.
THE FIX: If your skin is red and irritated from breakouts, smooth on a green color-correcting face primer (we love Givenchy Acti’mine Color Correcting Primer in Acti Kiwi) to tone down the redness, then apply your foundation as usual, avoiding the zit itself. With a small concealer brush, dab a thick, dry concealer (the drier a concealer is, like those found in pots or tubes, like Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage, the better it’ll adhere to skin) over the very center of the pimple, gently twisting the brush to make sure the concealer fills your skin’s nooks and crannies. Gently tap the center of the zit with your finger to blend the concealer into the surrounding skin, then lightly dust the zit with a fluffy brush dipped in finishing powder to keep the concealer from sliding off.
Q: “Why does my makeup always cake up around my nose?”
THE ANSWER: Two things that don’t mix: foundation and oily skin. Or, really, any type of makeup and oily skin. If your base is slippery with oil (which can come from a super-rich moisturizer, or your skin’s natural production), your makeup will inevitably slide around, caking around your nostrils, creasing under your eyes, and settling into the fine lines on your forehead.
THE FIX: Stick with thin layers of lightweight moisturizers in the morning, like Simple Protecting Light Moisturizer SPF 15, and give all skin-care products at least 10 minutes to sink in before applying your makeup. Smooth a mattifying face primer, like Becca Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector, over your skin to stave off midday oil and give your makeup something to adhere to, and then blend sheer layers of concealer and foundation over your face, making sure to really buff around the crevices of your nose where makeup tends to cake. Finish by dusting your T-zone with translucent setting powder, like Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Pressed Setting Powder.
Image: Imaxtree
Q: “Why do my dark circles always look so obvious, and how do I cover them up?”
THE ANSWER: Ugh, genetics, right? Unfortunately, those dark rings below your eyes are as much a part of you as your left hand or your deep affinity for cheese, so we’re sorry to say that you’re stuck with them. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still lessen their appearance through concealer, drugs (not those kind), and good, ‘ol-fashioned sleep.
THE FIX: If your dark circles have only surfaced in the last few weeks—and brought with them a few bags—try popping an antihistamine (reduces the puffiness that can come with allergies) and get to bed earlier (helps decrease water retention). But if under-eye circles run in the family and have plagued you for years, your best bet is to learn the art of camouflage, which means finding a creamy, peach- or red-toned concealer (peach neutralizes blue-hued circles, while red neutralizes green-hued circles), like Benefit Erase Paste Brightening Concealer for light-to-medium tones, and Becca Backlight Target Color Corrector for dark-to-deep tones, and avoiding anything that looks even remotely yellow (yellow-toned products—a.k.a. most concealers—make circles look more obvious). With a damp Beauty Blender or sponge, dab the concealer over the shadows, on the inner corners of your eyes, and down the sides of your nose, then tap your regular concealer on top.
On November 8, while CNN angrily debated Election Day forecasts and your aunt posted hourly anti-Trump memes on Facebook, model Maggie Rizer ever so quietly staged her own protest with a very bold, and very shocking move: She split from her agency, Trump Model Management, after a seven-year partnership. “I cannot wake up Wednesday morning being the least bit related to the Trump brand, win or lose,” she wrote when she broke the news via an Instagram photo. “I owe it to myself and to my children to proudly stand up for what I believe in, and that is a world where Donald Trump has no voice for the future of our country.” And with that, Rizer severed ties and left.
In case you’re not a model, let us break something down for you: Models do not just leave their agencies. Models do not leave strongly worded Instagram photos about their ex-agencies unless they’re cool with never booking another job. But then again, most models are not Maggie Rizer—one of the “it” supermodels of the ‘90s; the freckled, all-American girl who regularly shared Vogue covers and Milan runways with Kate Moss and Christy Turlington; the face of Clinique and a regular on the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show runway. Today, 39-year-old Rizer sits atop a platform of hard-earned credibility and respect, with a new, guiding priority in her life that makes the decision to part from her agency definitively easier: her family.
Image: Courtesy of Maggie Rizer
“It sounds cliché, but my kids and my family are truly the most important thing to me,” says Rizer, who, at the time of our mid-day interview, had already been awake for nine hours with her three kids, all under the age of six. “It’s basically a race from the time they wake up to the time they go to bed,” she says. “They’re in a preschool program for a few hours each day, but after that, it’s swim lessons, piano lessons, gymnastics, practice for year-round leagues, and hopefully getting their teeth brushed at some point.” Not that she doesn’t love the insanity, though: “Having kids means having constant chaos, but I honestly thrive in chaos,” she says. “The craziest things and craziest schedules oddly comfort me, which is probably why I took to modeling so well.”
But lest you think this is another story of an ex-supermodel who got saddled with a baby and abandoned her fashion dreams to live out her days in anonymity, hang tight: Rizer didn’t pivot or disappear—she got exactly what she had always wanted. “Even as a kid, I knew I wanted to one day live on a farm with a thousand kids and a billion animals,” says Rizer from her home in Diablo, California, which she shares with her husband, kids, and two dogs. Not quite the farm life, she admits, but still relatively secluded. “That was actually the original goal: Go to college, become a veterinarian, and have a big family,” she says. “The modeling thing was never part of the plan.”
“Even then, I didn’t understand how fortunate I was.”
In fact, if her mother hadn’t seen an Oprah episode called “Can Your Child Be a Star?” during Rizer’s senior year of high school, she likely would’ve never pursued the industry. “My mom went for it and sent polaroids of me into the show, and a rep reached out about signing me,” she says. Within a year, Rizer had postponed college and had been scooped up by photographer Steven Meisel, who shot her for the cover of Vogue Italia’s September issue in 1997.
Almost overnight, Rizer began her upward trajectory into supermodel legacy, appearing in Calvin Klein and Celine campaigns, and walking the runways in New York, Paris, and Milan fashion week. “It sounds weird, but even then, even at that point, I didn’t really get it; I didn’t understand how fortunate I was, or how great the opportunities were,” says Rizer. “I would see so many girls standing in these long casting lines, really desperate for jobs, and I was in a position where amazing opportunities were just being given to me, which is so, so rare.”
Image: Courtesy of Maggie Rizer
It wasn’t until Rizer saw herself on the cover of American Vogue with Kate Moss in 1999 that it finally hit her: She had made it. She was one of the most sought-after models of the decade and her entire career path had almost been a fluke, a no-stakes decision made by her mother one afternoon while watching Oprah—facts that are all too clear to Rizer. “I got one-in-a-million lucky,” she agrees. “I worked hard, of course, but it was also right time, right place; I don’t think it could have happened any other way.”
Which, consequently, is also why Rizer would never consider allowing her kids to follow her into the world modeling. “I got in the right door and had amazing support, but there are so many wrong doors in fashion, and so many drugs, and drinking, and partying, and gross people who just want to take naked pictures of young girls, and I would never want to expose my children to that life,” she says. “I want them to have a normal childhood and feel beautiful because they’re smart and kind, not because someone tells them they fit some image.”
“There are so many gross people who just want to take naked pictures of young girls.”
Not that Rizer has personally faced much adversity to her appearance over the years. “I started modeling in the ‘90s when the idea of beauty wasn’t a Brazilian bombshell or a Cindy Crawford; it was about unique and individual beauty, like that of Erin O’Connor and Karen Elsen,” she says. “So photographers and designers wanted me for me, not because I looked like someone they had in mind.” And even now, in the era of celebrity-offspring models, like the Hailey Baldwins and Kendall Jenners, Rizer continues to get booked for being exactly who she is. “I’m lucky that modeling has expanded to be more inclusive of women of all ages,” says Rizer, who, save for taking some time off in the mid-to-late aughts, has consistently nabbed major covers and campaigns since that first polaroid booking so long ago. “If someone wants to use me for a job, they’re hiring me because I’m me, not because I look like a 16-year-old,” says Rizer. “And that, in itself, speaks volumes to me.”
Image: Courtesy of Maggie Rizer
She’s quick to note, however, that this confidence wasn’t always engrained in her. “I used to be so concerned about what I looked like, and how I looked compared to others, but now, the idea of beauty to me is so much more internal and centered around whether or not you’re a good person,” says Rizer. “After having kids, something just clicked in me, and I started to accept myself for who I am, flaws and all. I’m not going to get a facelift when I’m 60, and if my body isn’t perfect, I’ll know it’s because I’ve had a zillion kids and I love to eat. I’m at a level of self-acceptance that I don’t know if I could have even understood when I was younger.”
Still, Rizer does have her beauty vices, like Rodin Olio Lusso Luxury Body Oil—“it’s incredible; I slather it all over my body after showering, and my skin feels so, so soft”—and Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer, which “covers the redness, without looking like a thick layer of makeup.” Rizer also allows herself one consistent appointment that’s just for her: getting her hair colored. “I was in the car with my kids this morning, and I was telling them how I was finally coloring my hair tomorrow, and they didn’t understand why I was so happy about it,” she says, laughing. “But I seriously need it.”
Image: Courtesy of Maggie Rizer
Despite her lack of time—or, as anybody with kids calls it, life—Rizer isn’t exactly mourning the loss of the beauty routines and gym sessions of her youth. “I don’t want to be the mom who has eight nannies and has someone else raising my kids; I want their memories to be of me,” she says. “So if that means I have to wait a few years until they get older before I can go to the gym five days a week and go to a spa, then I’m OK with that. I’m savoring these times with them, and I’m doing my best.”
Luckily, thanks to her departure from Trump Models—“I wanted to be able to proudly explain my actions to my kids, rather than explain why I continued to associate myself with a disrespectful douchebag,” she told us—the multi-hyphenate mom is now looking forward to tons of relaxing free time, filled with vacations and sleep and…just kidding. Not only is she already in talks with new agencies in New York, but she’s also four-months pregnant with her fourth child, making it seem like she might never slow down—at least, not for a few more decades. “OK, I’ll probably quit modeling before I turn 100,” she jokes. “My life is definitely more chaotic than when I was a teenager, but in the best of ways. Being where I am right now, raising three strong kids and growing my family, that’s the high of my life. Not the fashion shows, not the cover shoots, but exactly where I am right now. This was my dream.”
OK, be honest—what comes to mind when you think of lip injections? Probably mixed images of Kylie Jenner, Courtney Love, and a pufferfish, right? And, hey, that’s fair, because fillers have gotten a pretty bad rap over the last few decades for being one of the most obvious (and most easily botched) of cosmetic procedures.
But thanks to two new, FDA-approved fillers that promise to deliver incredibly natural-looking results, lip injections are now growing in popularity as a preventive, anti-aging measure, rather than the va-va-voom lip plumper they’ve always been known as. And because I would very much like for my mouth to look young forever, I decided to test out the new fillers and see just how natural—or crazy—I would look.
I am to first say that thin lips were never much of a concern for me, so I really never saw myself getting injections. But, as Los Angeles dermatologist Annie Chiu (who is one of the first dermatologists in the country to use Refyne and Defyne, the latest fillers on the US market) pointed out when I spoke with her, “Injections are now more about maintenance, and less about enhancement.” According to Chiu, our lips start deflating when we hit 30, and then continue to thin out and head downhill from there—literally. Our mouths start losing structure as we age, which leads to downturned lips, ‘marionette’ lines (the deep parenthesis-like wrinkles on either side of your mouth), and even bone loss at the jawline. “But if you soften those changes with fillers [early on], you change the visual cues of how you and other people perceive your age,” says Chiu. Basically, fillers are the new fountain of youth.
And just as Botox has slowly shifted from being the thing dads get during midlife crises to the thing twenty-somethings get to prevent wrinkles, lip fillers are now being recommended to keep mouths looking young, and it’s all thanks to Refyne and Defyne. The new fillers (which have been used in Canada and Europe for years, but have just been approved by the FDA) are hyaluronic-based formulas that have a new ability to blend in with your own collagen and flex naturally beneath your skin, without that stiff, “did she just get her lips done?” look.
Image: ImaxTree
Despite the glowing promises, though, I asked Chiu to start me off with only the tiniest bit of filler, just in case the process went horribly, horribly wrong. Chiu started by correcting the scaffolding of my face, injecting Defyne (used for filling deep-set lines) into my marionette lines, the corners of my lips, and around my jaw, before injecting Refyne (used for plumping fine lines and folds) into four quadrants around my lips, using a long, tiny tube inserted beneath my skin to position the injections further from my actual lips, which helps prevent crazy bruising and swelling.
It sounds awful, but the prick of the needle felt like any other—not exactly pleasant, but not particularly painful, either. That is, until she directly injected filler into my lips in a few spots, which really, really hurt. Thankfully, the whole process was over rather quickly, and by the end of it, Chiu had injected less than 3/5 of a teaspoon into my face. In fact, the changes were so subtle, only Chiu, her assistant, and I could pinpoint what had gone down in that office, and only if we stared really closely at my mouth.
After the appointment, it took a few days for my lips to feel like themselves again, though I suspect those feelings were primarily psychosomatic—not even my best friend could tell I had anything done just hours after leaving the doctor’s office, which was exactly the effect I was going for. It’s been three weeks since my appointment, and mouth still has totally natural movements, with only the subtlest of extra smoothness, which I’m pretty sure only I can notice.
Image: ImaxTree
But even if I can’t see my fillers (which is a good thing), I like knowing that I have a new anti-aging strategy in place for the future. Yes, it kind of sounds like bullshit, but you can’t argue with research, which shows that these types of injections really do have a preventative effect on aging. “Studies have shown that treating the lips, the areas around the lips, and the smile lines with fillers may actually prevent wrinkle detention,” says Chiu, “So the process is preventative in that it acts like a mechanical force [against deep-set wrinkles].”
And while some people might scoff at using their rent money on something so subtle (a treatment like mine costs about $700, and lasts about a year, max), I personally see the value in keeping my 20-year-old face shape and smile for the rest of my life, if possible. Does it mean I’ll have to skip a few nights out during the year to afford subsequent treatments? Abso-fricken-lutely. But as I see it, all of the sleep I’ll get and the drinks I’ll skip during those nights will pack an anti-aging bonus all their own.
Last weekend, I prepped for a night out with my friend in my usual quick fashion: I smoothed a drop of my favorite BB cream, BareMineral’s Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream, over my face with my fingers, blended a subtle, iridescent eyeshadow across my lids, and finished with a dab of rosy blush and a few swipes of jet-black mascara. My friend, however, who is the epitome of #makeupgoals, made herself incredibly comfortable on her bed, poured herself a (stiff) drink, and settled in for what would be an hour-long ordeal.
She laughed at my uber-quick routine as she spread a billion products out around her, and I was taken aback by her methodical, multi-step process. In the end, we both looked awesome, but it made me wonder whose process was closer to the norm. Do I just possess super-human speed (or, more accurately, borderline-severe laziness) when it comes to applying makeup, or does my friend just take her sweet, sweet time?
Image: ImaxTree
Apparently, I’m not alone in the confusion, because in a recent thread posted to Reddit’s beauty-obsessed sub-Reddit, r/MakeupAddiction, a curious user wrote, “I spend about an hour on my face when I do my makeup! What about you, fellow MUAs?” (Translation: makeup artists). Pretty quickly, the thread amassed over 100 comments, with responses ranging from, well, five minutes to two hours. Helpful, right? Basically, everyone agreed that the time totally depended on the occasion. Obviously, your daily work makeup will take less time than a bold, lashed-up night look—or, as one user put it, “[It] depends on the level of makeup I want to achieve… and how early I get up.”
Cool. But not really helpful. So, breaking it down a bit more, it seems that average morning routines take most users around 10-15 minutes, but some time is shaved off if, as one user described it, one goes into “panic mode” and is running late. And in panic mode, the user’s routine dips down into the five minute mark, including “sunscreen, BB cream, foundation, eyeliner, [and] whatever lip thing I grab on my way out. My superpower is doing my eyeliner in 20 seconds, with relatively even wings. Phew.”
Image: ImaxTree
But when it comes to doing makeup for dressier events, most Reddit users agreed that spending one hour on makeup is pretty standard. Writes one user, “I can cut it down if I need to, but if I’m doing full everything, it’s about an hour.” Others, though, stated their two-hour routines—which, yes, sounds absolutely bananas to someone like me who maxes out at 15 minutes—but not so crazy when you consider how blissfully relaxing the experience is for some people. As one user wrote, “Makeup is one of my calming things to do to help me chill out/zone out and relax, so I like giving myself as much time as possible to do it.” Another user echoed similar sentiments, commenting, “I feel the same way. I feel like I am slightly more into doing makeup than I’m into wearing it. For me, it’s mostly about the process and I don’t have to wear it to work or anything, so I like taking my time with it.”
Alright, cool. So basically, there’s no true consensus. I guess my friend was totally justified in spending an hour on her makeup, since this was technically a night-out affair, just as I was in the right for my incredibly paired-down routine (though, I think I might have won, because most people listed themselves in the 10-15-minute zone. Huzzah). Still, it doesn’t really matter. Whether you spend five minutes or five hours on your makeup, your routine is your own personal choice. And as long as you get out the door at a relatively reasonable time—don’t worry; we didn’t miss happy hour—then who really cares? OK, I still do, a bit, but whatever.
It’s weird how makeup sponges consistently fall in this in-between zone of hygiene. Like, how many of you would rub the same damp, balled-up washcloth that sits in the corner of your vanity, never fully drying, over your face every single day for weeks—or months—on end? Uh, probably none of you. But yet you’ll let your Beauty Blender chill in its own spore-filled cesspool for months, caked in makeup and skin oils, and keep smashing it into your skin without ever taking the time to clean it. Sound about right?
The problem isn’t (always) that people are lazy bacteria-lovers, but that most people don’t actually know how to clean their Beauty Blenders. And sure, the company makes its own soaps and cleansers and magical potions that you can buy for a hefty lump of cash, and yes, these brand-approved products will definitely help prolong the life of your sponge and yadda yadda yadda, but what if you don’t want to spend the money or go through the hassle, just to get your sponge clean? Welp, that’s where we come in.
Image: Imaxtree
We wrangled five of the best Beauty Blender-cleaning tutorials (and even threw in one using a brand-approved cleanser, because hey, rules are cool, too) to help motivate you to finally clean your damn makeup sponge. And if these videos don’t do it, just think of the fact that your Beauty Blender could, right now, be harboring viruses, bacteria, and even a hard, gross lump of poop-like foundation. Yup. Annie, go get your sponge.
Caress it with some baby shampoo
Like the baby you never had. Or the baby you currently do have. Point is, treat it like a baby.
Nuke it in the microwave with some dish soap
Bye, bye, bacteria-infested sponge. Just don’t go overboard and melt it, OK?
Suds it up and rinse it out with Dawn
If it’s good enough for baby penguins and oil-slicked chicks, it’s good enough for your sponge.
Give it a little olive-oil conditioning massage
Because even neglected makeup sponges need a little TLC…and some anti-bacterial rinsing.
…Or just use the brand-approved Beauty Blender Solid Cleanser
Alright, so you’re officially on the liquid-lipstick train. Congrats, and welcome—we’ve all been waiting for you. But, as you’ve probably already experienced in your newfound love, not all liquid lipsticks are created equal. Or, quite frankly, even slightly on the same playing field. Whether they leave your lips looking like a dehydrated, cracked disaster, or they flake off the center of your lips by noon, liquid lipsticks are tricky. That is, until we got here.
Because rather than leave you in a sticky, angry mess, we rounded up our absolute favorite (no, really; these guys are great) drugstore liquid lipsticks that do what they’re supposed to do—nothing more, nothing less. Well, maybe a little bit more, because they make you look like a zillion bucks. Scroll down to see our favorites, then get swiping.
If you have long, thick, shampoo-commercial-worthy hair, then, uh, go away, because we’re really envious of you. OK, OK, come back. We know (or, we’ve been told, at least) that having long hair isn’t always the joyous event it appears to be, because sometimes, you just don’t want your heavy hair hanging on your neck. Sometimes, you want to have a cute little updo like your thin-haired friends, without needing 200 heavy-duty bobby pins and a can of hairspray. And that’s where we come in.
We scoured the interwebs to find a definitive list of the best long-hair tutorials that even hair newbs can do on themselves. And no, not one of these looks involves sausage curls or prom-like poofs. So keep reading to see our favorite videos, then break out your brush and mirror, because someone’s getting their hair done tonight. (It’s you.)
Twist-and-Rolled Bun
Alright, yes, this one looks a bit fancier than your average ponytail, but we promise it won’t look stuffy, as long as you don’t spray the hell out of it with hairspray.
Triple-Layered Updo
This insanely pretty updo looks sculpturesque, but is actually the result of multiple two-strand twists and braids wrapped and pinned together.
Super-Soft Lace Braid
If you can braid your hair, tie a messy bun, and make the whole thing look a bit messy (trust us—you can), then you can master this super simple, and surprisingly pretty bun.
Halo Braid
Do not fear the crown braid. Sure, it looks unattainably pretty and difficult, but we promise it’s weirdly easy with long hair. Just braid, braid, braid until you’re out of hair, and wrap it around your head like a crown. Boom.
Messy Top-Knot Bun
Alright, we’re throwin’ in a half-updo, because vlogger Bree Kish has the hair of our dreams, and we can’t not share this style. Check out her super fast and simple topknot, using only a few pins and elastics.
All right, to be completely honest, even as a beauty product hoarder and new-release stalker, I’m surprisingly extremely lazy when it comes to applying makeup. But even on my most hesitant, reluctant-to-make-an-effort mornings (you know, the days that you run out the door after smacking your alarm a million times), there’s one product that I always take time to apply: a matte lipstick. And although I’ve tested and tried a shit-ton of matte lipsticks at this point, I had never found my perfect lazy-girl-approved match — until now.
Enter Maybelline’s Color Sensational Inti-Matte Nudes, my favorite line of matte lipsticks to date. Aside from the fact that these nudes come in 10 neutral shades that fit pretty much every skin tone (shoutout to Maybelline for actually thinking of diversity, here), their main selling point is that they happen to be made out of magic and fairy dust — or at least that’s what I thought when I first swiped one on. Because unlike most matte lipsticks that suck the moisture out of your lips or flake by lunch, these mattes actually stay on and stay hydrating, even through two cups of coffee (uh, zero lipstick marks on my mugs, by the way) and a soupy lunch. In fact, by the time my first coat of Brown Blush faded after a good six hours, my lips felt noticeably softer, like I had used a balm instead of a lipstick.
Image: Maybelline
And if that glowing, fangirly review wasn’t enough to entice you, maybe the fact that each of these suckers is only $7.49 will, meaning you won’t have another repeat episode of the last time you fell in love with a product only to discover it was incredibly out of your price range (sorry, Tom Ford — it’s not you; it’s me).
And seeing as I readily admit how deeply, deeply low-maintenance I am and that I will throw a tantrum if I have to spend more than 23 seconds on something like lipstick, trust me when I say that Maybelline basically just made my life — or at least my mornings — significantly better. So I suggest that you promptly go buy your nude and test it out for yourself while I sit here and pray to the beauty gods that it never gets discontinued, lest I cease to exist.
As a beauty editor, and as a rational human being, I literally, yes literally, die inside each time someone says to me, “Of course I wash my face—well, OK, I use makeup wipes, but it’s the same thing.” Oh my god. Guys, I cannot explain to you how wrong this is, and how much I hate makeup wipes. And because a good majority of you reading this just got defensive, clutching your wipes to your chest like a wounded animal, I’m going to patiently explain, once and for all, why you should never, ever, ever use makeup wipes, ever again.
OK, well, never again, unless you use them for fun things, like removing makeup from your hands, or fixing liquid liner gone wrong. Or, if you promise to be extra gentle and super careful on your face, and only use them sparingly (that’s my disclaimer to sound nicer, but I will deny this allowance if you ever run into me on the street, because makeup wipes suck). “Yes, makeup wipes are better than nothing,” says badass Yale dermatologist Mona Gohara, queen of #realtalk, “but they’re basically the equivalent of swirling dirty toilet water around your bathroom, so it’s up to you if you really want that.” Uh, burn.
Image: ImaxTree
“Very few makeup wipes contain ingredients that can actually break down all of your face oils, makeup, and gunk on your skin, so you’re really just rubbing bacteria, irritants, and makeup-wipe residue around your skin and into your pores,” she says. And, notes Gohara, if you do the extra-awful and lazy move of not rinsing your face afterward, you’re then transferring that gunk to your pillow, which then gets transferred back to your skin, and on and on the cycle goes, leading to breakouts, blackheads, irritation, and, oh, did I mention wrinkles? Yup!
“Makeup wipes are inherently harsh on your skin, because the amount of pressure required to remove your makeup—especially mascara and eyeliner—is already way too irritating,” says Gohara. “And over time, that irritation and rubbing, even if it’s just once a day, can cause an increase in fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation.” Basically, makeup wipes suck and will make you look like the Crypt Keeper by age 35. Cool, right?
Image: ImaxTree
But if none of this has persuaded you to ditch your wipes in favor of something gentle (seriously, though?), like a cleansing oil or micellar water, then at least promise to use wipes that have the most intense makeup-removing powers, like Tarte Fresh Eyes Waterproof Makeup Remover Wipes, and hold them against your eyes and face for 15 full seconds (like you would when removing nail polish), before wiping away your makeup. Then, for the love of god, wash your damn face, specifically with a cleanser meant to remove makeup, like Garnier Clean + Makeup Removing Lotion Cleanser, or you’ll still be left with raccoon eyes in the morning.
And, please, never again text me about how despite being “so drunk last night,” you still “took off [your] makeup with wipes.” (Yes, I’m talking to you, Liz.) There’s only so much left of me that can keep dying.
By now you've hopefully seen the gorgeous photos from lingerie brand, Lonely, featuring the stunning 56-year-old model Mercy Brewer. But you may not have heard from the woman herself.
Brewer came from a rough childhood with few career prospects. She became a hair dresser at a career adviser's suggestion and ended up working for Irvine Rusk, who told her to consider modeling. She got her foot in the door as a model in London in the 1980s, eventually working with the best in the business from Kate Moss to Naomi Campbell. She moved to New Zealand in the early 2000s and focused on being a mother, taking odd modelings gigs and designing clothes including costume art, before getting on the catwalk again at New Zealand's Fashion Week last year.
You'd never know it from the images below, but this was Brewer's first work modeling lingerie. On choosing Brewer to be the face of their latest campaign, Lonely says, "Lonely felt Mercy perfectly embodied the the Lonely spirit that celebrates strong, confident women who challenge societal norms and aren’t always represented in mainstream media."
We asked Brewer a few questions about body positivity and the modeling industry. Spoiler alert: She's a badass.
SheKnows: You’ve had a hugely successful career in modeling. How do you feel about modeling’s history of focusing on a narrow range of body sizes? Do you see the body positive movement as an important one in modeling?
Mercy Brewer: Ancient Egyptians depicted a narrow range of body sizes, everyone was portrayed as eternally young and we are transfixed thousands of years later. Ancient Greeks ditto and the film industry. That's thousands of years of 'Behold, this is beauty and the rest of you can toddle off.'
Designers have every right to show their clothes on models they perceive will show their talents to the best advantage. They have a collection that can make or break them. From the first sketch of pen on paper in design school the body is represented as young, long and slender. The model is then sought to bring that vision to life. Voila.
SK: Do you think fashion's attitude toward age is changing? (We loved the Céline ad featuring Joan Didion a few years ago.)
MB: The millions of exclusions from this halcyon wonderclub are now standing up to be counted, and rightly so. To be excluded causes damage and low self-esteem whether as a child in the playground or as an adult who's value is decimated by being completely ignored. The fashion wheel is turning and it's eyes and arms are opening to embrace a more diverse and therefore more interesting and inclusive beauty than hitherto.
It is an extremely important, indeed an essential movement forward. Everyone deserves and has the right as an intelligent human being to feel celebrated, catered for and as valued as the next person.
Image: Harry Were/Courtesy of Lonely
SK: Lingerie ads very rarely target demographics older than, say, 30. Did it feel important to you to be part of something that acknowledged the sensuality and attractiveness of women past that age?
MB: I've never gotten down to my underwear in print before now. Despite not knowing the reception of the campaign, I was determined to back up Lonely's mission of giving everyone validity and value. If people didn't like it I was resolved to take a bullet for the team. As it's turned out the response so far has been phenomenal and extremely positive. That's a wonderful and encouraging reflection of the eyes and mindset of the times.
SK: Would you say that modeling helped you to feel comfortable in your body, or was it a barrier? Do you consider yourself body-confident now? If so, how did you get there?
MB: I was a clothes horse, so modelling underwear was unfamiliar territory. Age and life's lessons, not modelling has made me feel comfortable in my body. I am a woman, I've loved men, I've borne children, I am enough.
SK: What was your favorite piece to wear from the shoot and why?
MB: There is a stone white set Lulu, when I slipped it on, my grey hair shone like the moon. I was reminded of a poem by Byron.
She walks in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes and starry skies; And all that's best of dark and bright Meet in her aspect and her eyes: Thus mellow'd to that tender light Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
That's us older women right there. Not the mainstream beauty, but beauty none the less. Thank you Lonely.
Anyone who’s paid a small fortune for the perfect dye-job knows the struggle of having it fade too soon. (Raise your hand if you’ve ever had to deal with dull, lackluster color only a few short weeks after your trip to the salon—not fun.) Which is why using the right shampoo really, really matters. Still need proof?
Rachel Trach, a salon owner from Canada, posted a video to her Facebook page showing what can happen to your hair when you don’t use the right shampoo. For her experiment, Trach compared Unite 7Seconds Shampoo and what appears to be TRESemmé 24 Hour Body Volume Shampoo. After pouring each product into a separate glass of water, Trach adds a piece of presumably color-treated hair…and the results are kind of horrifying.
Professional Salon Product VS. Drug store product test
Professional Salon Product VS. Drug store product test
In the glass with salon shampoo, the water remained clear, but in the glass with the drugstore version, the hair is stripped of its color, turning the water into the equivalent of grape Kool-Aid. *Gasp* Now, we totally get that you don’t want to watch your hair dye wash down the drain along with all your hopes and dreams. But before you go throwing out your beloved drugstore shampoo, let us explain what actually made this happen.
Image: ImaxTree
One of the main ingredients in the TRESemmé shampoo used for this experiment is Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES), a surfactant, which is a type of ingredient responsible for making your shampoo foam. While surfactants are common in a lot of beauty products, you pretty much want to avoid it like the plague when you have color-treated hair, or else you’ll end up washing away all the money you spent at the salon. The Unite shampoo used in this video is specifically made to protect your hair against color-fading and doesn’t contain SLES. While not exactly an equal comparison, the video definitely proves a point. Your best bet to prolong the life of your hair color? Make sure you’re using color-safe shampoo, like TRESemmé Color Revitalize Shampoo or Color Proof SuperRich Moisture Shampoo. So go wild at your next appointment…we know you’ve been dying (hah!) to try out the vibrant hair color trend.
