Beauty Monday: 5 Beauty Tools I......

 I actually got tagged on Instagram to to post about 5 Beauty Tools I... and thought this would make the perfect Beauty Monday post. As I haven't posted in a while (tons as happened/changed) so I'm getting back on track! Woohoo! Enjoy!

1. Beauty product I can't live without: Annabelle's Brow Pencil and Benefit's Gimme Brow are two product I can't live without! Brows frame your eye and help shape your face. They can make you look put together when your rushing out of the house or don't feel like doing much with your face that day. Early call times consist of shaping my brows with Annabelle's pencil and filling in with some Gimme Brow! 
2. Makeup item I will splurge on: This is more a beauty tool rather than makeup, I will splurge on brushes and I will splurge a lot. I believe that having the right tools makes all the difference with application, blending & execution. l admit I'm more of a brush addict that product addict, especially when it comes to my kit. 
3. Product(s) I travel with: To things I always toss in my purse & ALWAYS have with me wherever I go is my lip balm & Arbonne's Skin Conditioning Oil. My skin gets very dry during travel so having these two conditioning products for me is a must. Recently, popped into Kielh's and was curious to try  out their lip balm as I was running out. It has a lot of natural oils & vitamins , but the only thing I don't like is that the main ingredient is petrolatum (vaseline), for myself it does the trick but because of the petrolatum I wouldn't purchase it again. Arbonne's Skin Conditioning Oil is great cause it's tiny and goes a long way and doesn't leave your hands greasy but moisturized. Perfect for our dry Canadian winters!
4. Beauty Tool I Can't live without: I probably could but choose not too. After purchasing the Mini Beautyblenders for my kit I got my own. Just makes blending so much easier and faster underneath the eyes. So why not? And it's TINY barely takes up any space in your makeup bag!
5. Beauty product I normally don't buy: Would be bronzer....Seriously I don't, I always use it for my contour but somehow I always end up getting one from someone else or a freebie (YAY!) Also, because I only use it underneath my cheekbones it lasts me FOREVER! I do really like M.A.C's Bronzing Powder because even though it's undertone is orange, the pigmentation isn't as strong so it's real easy to get it looking like a shadow as opposed to an orange streak under your cheeks. *Less is more people*

Post Gym Essentials

I'm the type of girl that loves to workout midday. Because of my freelance schedule that usually a possibility, if it isn't...then I get my butt into the gym in the evening. 

But anyways for those of you finding yourself choosing between the gym and something else because you know you will have to look good for it? After having these essentials in your gym bag, choose no more! Look fresh after the gym without carrying your whole makeup bag!

These are a few of my favourites. 

GOSH Fresh Up! Dry shampoo, spray it into your roots & bangs if you've got them. Run your fingers through your roots to make sure all the product is spread out. You'll notice your hair go back to it's original state of voluminous & no sign of grease to be found!

This next one I find to be a GENIUS, it's roll on perfume! I'm very picky with perfume senses, I don't like anything too sweet or strong. The one I'm currently carrying is Torry Burch's perfume. It's perfect and the packaging is pretty too!

All natural Bite Lush Lip Wipes are wipes I cannot live without! These beauties truly get your intense lip colour right off in just ONE swipe. I love wearing intense lip colours but obviously at the gym, it looks ridiculous and wiping with a dry Kleenex just leaves your lips in a stained mess. Then when your done at the gym and want to reapply your lip colour it'll look fresh again.

Last but not least is Arbonne's FC5 Mattifying Powder. Great after the gym because it soaks up oils and because it's light green (green cancels out red) it tones down your red face from all that running and lifting! ;)

This is what I carry with me to the gym and it keeps me looking and feeling fresh!

Nomadic Beauty

Winter. One Easy Step to Protect Your Skin.

Everyone's skin takes a bit of a beating in the area of hydration in the winter. Keeping your skin from flaking and getting dry has proved to be a bit of a challenge and taking a bit more time and effort with your skin care routine. Even when inside, the dry heat can be damaging.

Like an answer to my prayers, I came across some advice to use primer in the winter to protect your face. In the winter, I would normally set aside my primer because I don't quite need it because my skin isn't as oily, so my makeup stays in place all day without it. 

As my Torontonian readers know, the past couple of weeks have gone down to -20C, so it was the perfect time to test this theory. Before trying out this theory I would find my skin being more red, irritated and dry than normal because of the cold.

After testing this theory for a few weeks, to my pleasant observation, my skin isn't as dry as before & redness and irritation has drastically decreased. Yet temperatures are still in the minuses!

Everyone has heard of primers, but what are they actually for? 

Primers are used as a base to created a layer between your skin and your makeup for a smoother application, to increase your makeup's longevity and some primers absorb your skin's oils, have SPF protection and some contain antioxidants such as A, C & E or grape seed or green tea extract. 

Most primers are silicone or water based. Some are tinted for colour correction and others can leave you with a pearlized finish. 

It usually takes a bit of time to find a primer that works for you and your skin. I've had a lot of difficulty because more primers cause me to break out, because come can really clog your pores. But I've finally found one that works for me and I've never broken out from and it's Arbonne's Makeup Primer.

 

So there you are my Nomadic Beauty readers, a little titbit for Beauty Monday! 

Nomadic Beauty

Beauty Monday: December Favourites

During December I've had some products really stood out! Here they are!

1.  My number ONE is Benefit's High Brow highlighting pencil. Great for highlighting right under your brow for some height as well as in the inner corner of your eyes to brighten up!

My number TWO is Urban Decay's Eye Primer is perfect for your holiday shimmers! Keeps your shadows in place all day & all night! If you feel like going a little bit more natural for a day, this is perfect to apply alone, along with some mascara.

My number THREE is Makeup Forever's Limited Edition Studio Kit, this is a fun one! I love this for the holidays! And you can totally rock these colours for January & February. It comes with some nice natural ones and some really nice fun ones! It even comes with a booklet of which colours to combine for makeup newbies!

These are my top 3 favourites for December! If you'd like to find out about my whole list of December Favourites check out my video here:

 

Beauty Monday: Skin Care, Winter Time, Changing It Up

So the cold and dry air are finally here! Yay!

If you haven't changed up your skin care routine from the summer time you might notice your products might not be working so well for you.

That's because winter is a bit more harsh on our skin. Even if you have an "oily complexion" your skin might be needing a bit more hydration than you think.

Things you might want to consider:

1. You might want to stop yourself from washing your face in the morning. As long as you've cleansed your skin the night before from your makeup, oils, outdoor dirt & pollution that your face has accumulated from the day before, you really don't need wash your face in the morning since all you did was sleep. Therefore instead for grabbing for your face wash in the morning, just splash your face with lukewarm water to wash off the residue of you night cream, so that you aren't striping your skin of your oils. And then proceed with your toner & day cream.

2. Example: If your skin care products are for "oily complexions" you might want to switch to "combination" if your using "combination" you might want to switch for "dry" skin. Really just upping your level of hydration.



3. Once a week do a hydration mask.

4. If you're finding your skin is a bit more flaky when putting on makeup, switch out your foundation for a tinted moisturizer or BB cream. And set with a powder foundation if you want a bit more coverage, if your happy with the coverage of the cream then just set it with you favourite setting powder.

Beauty Monday: November Favourites!!!

November is coming to an end, so what better way to end it then to talk about some of my favourites from the month of November. So excited to share with you all!

My number ONE : Formula X Nail Polish, awesome for the on-the-go girl! No chip for at least 5 days. Why do I prefer this nail polish over Shellac or Gel? Because even after you take it off your nails are in perfectly good shape! No wear & tear which is my fav thing about it. It is a 4-step process, but don't worry, it dries super fast! It comes with a Nail Cleanser, Base Coat, Colour & Top Coat.

My number TWO: I did feature this mascara on my blog last week, but I couldn't help myself but post about it again! I absolutely L-O-V-E "It's A Long Story Mascara"! It help grow my lashes, my lashes are healthier than they've ever been & it coats my lashes beautifully! If you would like the full article on the mascara please click on this link: http://nomadicbeauty.blogspot.ca/2014/11/beauty-monday-batting-my-lashes-with.html
                                 


My number THREE: Arbonne's Tinted Moisturizer, as the seasons change my combination skin does become dryer. So before I apply my "Got You Covered Powder Foundation" by Arbonne, I dab a bit of this tinted moisturizer to help with the dryness.

My number FOUR: Totally in love with Josie Maran's Argan Infinity Lip and Cheek Creamy Oil. This past month my lips have really taken a beating from the dry weather. And by that I've been trying to stay away from lipsticks that sometimes tend to dry out my lips. So that mean no to colour:( 

But with this Lip and Cheek Creamy Oil I could have a sheer colour while still moisturizing my lips!!! 

P.S I've become obsessed with berry!

My number FIVE: Ok, I CANNOT rave ENOUGH about Benefit's High Brow in Champagne! LOVE LOVE LOVE! Perfect to highlight right underneath the brow and when I need a quick fix in the morning or just have a day of running errands I apply this pencil in my tear duct area to give my eyes a bit more luminosity and finish it off with so mascara EST VOILA! Perfect makeup in 5 minutes. I think this fat pencil has become a staple in my personal makeup. 

That's all for my November Fav's! I'm curious to see what products I'll discover for December! Stay tuned!

Nomadic Beauty

Beauty Monday: Batting My Lashes With It's A Long Story Mascara

When clients & models used to ask me about what the best type of mascara I would just give them names of my favourite Drugstore brands like L'Oreal's Volume mascara or Mabelline's Great Lash mascara which I had very good experiences with and used both in my kit and personal makeup. Because I never believed you should spend 40 bucks on a mascara, those were my go to's, although I once got a sample of Dior's mascara and really liked it...I didn't like it enough to spend more than $12 on a mascara.

BUT, after a month of using Arbonne's "It's A Long Story Mascara" for health reasons, I fell in LOVE! My lashes have grown & strengthened, I wasn't promised this so when I noticed I was pleasantly surprised! I'm a two coat girl cause I like the volume and it coats the lashes beautifully!
Without mascara my lashes feel healthy & hydrated, long & voluminous I absolutely LOVE it!

Arbonne's products are botanically based, vegan & cruelty free, which is my reason for switching over and paying a bit more for my mascara. It's basically the dirtiest thing you put on your eyes so you want to be safe as possible. "It's A Long Story Mascara" not only looks great but smells great too!

Nomadic Beauty

Beauty Monday: "You can OVER exfoliate?!" Wait...what does stripping mean?

We are always hearing about exfoliating, but rarely does anyone ever explain what it does for the skin.

Exfoliating is meant for the removal of dead/dull skin, to unclog pores & speed up cell renewal. 

Caution: Before you go all scrub crazy, if your under the age of 30 I suggest exfoliating once a week. If you are over 30 you can go 3 times a week, as skin renewal does start to slow by that time. Over exfoliating can lead to stripping the skin causing breakouts and irritation. Of course,everybody's bodies are different so it might take a bit of trial & error to figure out what works for you. 

There are two ways to exfoliate, mechanically & chemically.

Mechanically:

Electronics -  One of the more popular ones at the moment that beauty bloggers and magazines have been raving about is the Clarisonic brush. And yes, I love it too. It's beautiful. Leaves the skin feeling so good and clean. It has one brush but the inside of it and onside of it revolve in opposite motions, creating 300 movements per second. It even has a timer of 30 sec. per facial part (forehead, nose & chin and each cheek side) get 30 seconds. It's great and because it is "gentle" I was using it every morning (bad idea). My skin became stripped (when your have taken off more natural oils of your skin than needed), I knew because I was breaking out more than usual & my skin became more sensitive. I gave my skin 1 month to recover, now, I use it once a week.

Scrubs: like a cleanser, come in either gel or cream form with abrasive materials in it such as sugar or salt crystals, micro-beads, crushed almonds sheds, ect. Likewise, use this once a week, I love Arbonne's Exfoliating New Cell Renewal scrub because you can also use it as a mask. Which is what I do with it once a week. But remember when using a scrub don't rub rigorously as it will irritate the skin because you are already using abrasive products on your skin already.

Chemically: These are scrubs that contain salicylic acid, aglicolic acid, fruit enzymes, citric acid or malice acid. Strong concentrations are used by medical professionals and in lower-concetrations sold over the counter. 

Hope this gives you a bit of insight on exfoliating and understand how it works and how much of it you should be doing. 

        Nomadic Beauty

Benefits of eye cream, the difference between eye cream & face cream.

Regardless of how old you are, skin care is extremely important. Cleansing (especially at night), exfoliating (ONCE a week if you're under the age of 30), and of course moisturizing.

We all know about face creams and more or less why we should use them. But what about eye creams? What's the difference? Until I started using an eye cream I struggled with dark circles under my eyes. Now, along with proper sleep and hydration, I don't need to use concealer anymore!

The skin around our eyes is much thinner than the rest of our skin, which makes it more delicate and prone to show signs of ageing. When the area underneath the eyes gets dark circles or puffy, it is a sign from our body that tells us we are dehydrated or not getting enough sleep. As a result, this area begins to age more quickly. Since it's the only place on the skin that doesn't contain oil glands, they need extra hydration, not only from drinking water, but topically as well. This is where the eye creams come in.

Eye creams contain more emollient than regular face cream (emollients help hydrate the skin and help keep moisture in). They also contain collagen, and antioxidants such as Vitamin C & peptides that aid in retaining collagen. You may also want to use an eye cream instead of your face cream under your eyes because some facial creams can contain ingredients that are too powerful for the delicate eye area. 

Tip: Apply your eye cream a few minutes before your makeup so that it can properly absorb into the skin .

I always recommend that you do research on your skin care products and make sure that they are safe for you. But here are two of my favourite products that I switch between:

I love the RE Corrective Eye Cream! Even though it's anti-aging it's still ok to use it under 30

It's a bit thicker & super moisturizing which I LOVE for the dryer/colder seasons.

I like this one for the warmer/humid months. It's not as thick but still packed with all the good stuff

& meant for the younger generations. 

Nomadic Beauty

Top Things To Carry In Your Purse For Fall

Now, if your like me and generally change your purse on a daily basis, I suggest having a small travel pouch that you can easily transfer from purse to purse.  It's a great time saver for an on-the-go urban girl.

First off, I recommend throwing in a lip balm, especially with the season now changing to colder dryer weather you might experience chapped  lips.  I love Arbonne's "Lip Saver", botanically based & paraben free!

Blotting tissues, are a great way to  touch up in between meetings, gigs or classes. Absorbing excess oil without disrupting your makeup. Remember, BLOT DON'T RUB. Although I don't recommend shopping at the body shop for skin care (read the ingredients) I have fallen in love with their blotting tissues. 

Mattifying Powder, another great way to touch up your makeup. After blotting with the tissues, just dabbing a bit of powder to keep your face makeup in place. Arbonne's "FC5 Mattifying Powder" works best, a pressed powder that comes in a compact with a mirror and sponge. If you are prone to redness this powder is perfect for you because the powder is lightly tinted green which cancels out any redness on skin.

Lipstick, of course if you've applied lipstick that day, toss it in. If it's a pink toned lipstick you can also use it as blush, just dab some one your cheek to liven up your face when nearing close to the end of the day. 

Visine, if you find that your eyes tend to get itchy or red when the dryer seasons arrive throw this little bottle into your travel pouch for a quick fix!

May this helps your transition into fall!

xo

Arbonne's Garden Palette Review

Arbonne's Garden Palette perfect for transitioning from summer to fall looks. Blush/bronzer combo has the perfect amount of shine and shimmer to highlight those cheek bones! Comes with an awesome 3 in 1 lipstick, lip gloss and lip balm, which I love to use on a daily basis!
BEAUTY TIP: Loving the green eyeshadow, wet you brush with water and use it as a liner. Great for blue eyed babes!
HAPPY MONDAY!!!

Off the plane & off to shoot!!! How does this makeup artist stay healthy and sane?

The day after I landed I was booked the next day early morning for a photoshoot with ACF Magazine (check them out, truly an awesome magazine featuring Canadian designers and artists http://www.amazingcanadianfashion.ca/) & as well as the day after that.

It can get chaotic.

First thing I can suggest is that you get some sleep on your way home. If your one of those people that can't fall asleep on planes or cars or buses, then at least close your eyes for a few hours and let your brain rest.

Second, pack so that your not scrambling through your suitcase at home looking for that specific clothing item that you need. Pack everything you need right away on top of everything else so that you can just grab it and go.

Day of travel? Eat healthy. Give your body the fuel it deserves, so that adjusting to time zone and environment changes is that much easier.

Make sure to eat a proper breakfast before you start your day (not cold cereal) . Your body needs something warm to start off it's metabolism and some sugar to help it's brain function.  

1 egg & 1 egg white is great for protein, with a bowl of 2 tbsp of oatmeal & 1/2 whole wheat toast with honey. 

Your choice of tea or coffee. Grab a fruit on your way out. Take only 15min out of your morning to make.

You also want to prep a lunch for yourself as well. If I don't have time to make one I always grab a shake with me. I love Arbonne's Chocolate plant-based meal replacement! Shake bottle fits like a glove into my purse. 

Another awesome product I LOVE is Arbonne's Energy Fizz Tabs. Works like coffee, but without the gitters. Pop a tab into your water bottle and you are good to go! 

This was just a bit on how to stay healthy and keep it easy while on the go!

“Why do I keep breaking out?! I can't figure out why!"

Listen to your body.

Here is are a series of questions to ask yourself when you notice that you are breaking out more than usual:

1. Is it my time of the month? Or close to it?

If it’s around 2 weeks before your period, chances are that hormonal changes are the main reasons causing you to break out.

2. Have I changed foundations?

If so, the new foundation that you are using may be too heavy for your skin, especially if your previous foundation was of a lighter formulation (silicon vs. water based). Another possibility to consider is that the new foundation contains a certain ingredient that your skin does not respond well to, in which case it’s signalling you to stop using it.
If you haven’t recently changed your foundation, then figure how long you’ve been using it for. If it’s been more than 2 years…THROW IT OUT, IT’S GONE BAD.

Note: Any creamy/liquid products have a shelf life of about 2 years. 

3. Have I changed my skin care brand or regime?

Any change of your skin care products or your regime MAY trigger a breakout. Sometimes when you switch to healthier products, your skin breaks out because it’s cleansing itself of toxins. If you’ve used your new products for a couple of weeks and you're still breaking out, the products might not be right for you and your skin. It’s a trial and error process. 

TIP: If you are trying out new products or switching regimes to improve your skin for a special event (even when getting advice from a professional), remember to do so at least 4 weeks prior to it. Everyone's skin is different, and what might work for one person may not be right for you.

4. Are there any changes to my daily routine, environment, food and/or emotions which can be triggering my body to react in a different way?

For example:
-Travelling (different time zone)
-Not getting enough sleep
-Not eating well (toxins in unhealthy foods cause breakouts)
-Healthy changes in eating habits (switching to a healthier diet plan may trigger you to breakout as a result of a cleansing process)
-Am I exercising more? (Wash your face immediately after sweating...sweat causes breakouts)

In the end, any changes that you go through on an internal or external level affect your body. Listen to what your body is telling you. Your body gives you signs and signals all the time, but your job is to take notice of them and make changes.

That’s all my loves. Please comment and like. I would love to know YOUR opinions. 

Is your hair not doing what you'd like it too? Here's why!

You get up in the morning and aren't happy with your hair. So you wash it, put tons of product in it, blow dry it (you still aren't happy with it) so you go for the hot tools. You style it as perfectly as you can....and still...it looks awful. Ponytail it is...still not happy.

Have you ever noticed that when you don't care how your hair turns out or put no pressure and your just playing around that's when it turns out the best?

Well, here's your answer. You're trying to control it. STOP! I used to be one "THOSE" who would wash my hair everyday and blow dry it. Yes, yes it was DRY as hay.

On this recent trip I had no access to a hair dryer so I was forced to let my hair air dry...even my bangs! :O I started to see that I naturally have nice wavy/curly hair, so now I rock it.

Take a chance and see want happens, to ease the process of controlling you hair which is especially hard to do when traveling, here a few steps you can take:

1.  Start by washing your hair every 2 days. (It save you time and your hair some breakage).  When you do wash it, dry half of it and let the rest air dry.

2. If your prone to frizz this Arbonne hair serum does the trick! (less is more)

3. Play around with some messy up do's. Pintrest is great for picking up ideas. Remember don't control just let it be and play. It doesn't have to look exactly like the picture, no one will know ;)

4. Feeling a bit flat? I understand you. Dry shampoo is your best remedy. (less is more)

5.  TRUST Let your hair do it's thing. The more you trust and give it love the better it will look! 

Travel safe loves!

Welcome

Hello Everybody,

I'd love to welcome you to my blog and thank you for visiting. In this blog what you will receive valuable information on the beauty industry, beauty & travel, health and wellness and of course yes, how to achieve everyday Radiance (self love).

With my first blog I'd love to start you off with a tidbit about what to apply so that you stay comfortable & keep looking fresh throughout your trip:

Well Arbonne's Got You Covered Mineral Foundation has defiantly got me covered, applied with a Duo Fibre Stipple Brush. Long lasting without having to touch up much and not feeling like your wearing makeup. Next having my brows at least slightly filled in always helps me feel more awake. I love Annabelle's retractable brow pencils. Mascara is like my religion so I always apply. If im on a shorter flight like this one I've added a bit of brown eyeshadow as liner to define my eyes.

My hair naturally has a waves to it so I just keeped it in its natural state with a pump of Arbonne's Texturing Mousse for some volume & defined it with Marc Anthony's Beach Spray (smells like coconut).

Thank you for visiting, 

Yours truly,

Natalia