4 Beauty Bloggers Share What Beauty Means to Them
It's a big B word.
What does beauty mean to you? It's personal, we get it, but it's a topic of note lately and one we'll be chatting about at C&CLA this Saturday.
As such, we had the most brilliant brunch with Clinique to kick off #CreateCultivateLA and it was a blast! Moisture surge was a hit! Millennial pink was the color. Beauty was the topic of discussion.
Destiney aka: Mom Crush Monday told us that Moms all around the world epitomize beauty to her. We asked her and Denise Vasi how they are teaching their daughters about beauty.
Destiney says, "Moms just radiate so much light and beauty to me. I teach my daughter about beauty through affirmations. We talk about being beautiful from the inside out."
Denise Vasi shared that when teaching her daughter about beauty, "The most important thing I want her to know is that beauty starts from the inside and whatever natural state she's in at any moment, that is when she's the most beautiful."
Specs and Blazers aka: Nike shared with us that she feels the most beautiful, "when I'm creating and writing for my blog."
Sazan says her two-month-old daughter epitomizes beauty to her, "because she's perfect!" We believe it.
Melissa Alatorre's definition of true beauty is, "Being confident in who you are and being yourself and never changing because you are unique and beautiful just the way you are."
Sophie Elkus and Simply Bianca Alexa both say their mothers define beauty for them. Sophie loves that her mom is caring and cooks for her. Moms are the best.
Bianca shared that her mother and grandmother epitomize beauty for her, "because they're such strong and powerful women and ever since I was little they've taught me to be comfortable in my own skin and to love who I am."
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Your Best Bet to Getting Through Long Days at the Office
Say goodbye to tired eyes.
Long days. Long nights. It’s a routine inevitable in any job, and one many of us are used to. While we certainly don’t recommend doing it a lot (for your mental and physical health), sometimes, you gotta do what you gotta do.
For those inevitable moments when you have to pull long hours but still have to perform and stay on your game, there are five ways to help keep your mind and body fresh.
1. Stay Hydrated
Yes, coffee is very appealing when pulling long hours (hello lovely Nespresso machine!) but coffee also dehydrates you, which makes your eyes tired... which, is the worst thing ever. Make sure to counterbalance any cup of coffee (or shot of espresso, amen) with a glass of water. It will also keep you fresh
2. Take A Walk
Long hours, often comes with long sitting spells. And if you haven’t heard to saying “sitting is the new smoking”. YIKES! We suggest taking a quick walk, preferably outside. Not only will this get your blood flowing and help you up your steps for the day, it will also clear your head and give you a mental breather. Sometimes, stepping away from the one thing you’ve been looking at ALL. DAY. is exactly what you need to reignite your inspiration!
3. Eat Up
We’ve all heard the term “brain foods,” but it’s not just a buzz phrase. There’s actually merit to the notion that certain foods can help you focus longer and harder. If you suspect that you’re going to have a late night in the near, plan ahead! Stock up on blueberries, avocados, nuts, seeds, and if you’re feeling really adventurous, some salmon (known for its Omega-3 fatty acids).
4. Practice a Little Self Care
If you’re anything like us, you probably have the tendency to neglect yourself when stressed or slammed with certain assignments. But there are always some quick things you can do to zoosh your spirit and self. And your eyes are one of the first giveaways that you’re feeling tired. The perfect antidote for long hours? A buildable, lightweight eye cream that will keep your eyes looking and feeling fresh into the wee hours of the morning. Origins A Perfect World Age-Defense Eye Cream with SPF 20 will brighten the under eye area and will prevent premature signs of aging (damn you, computer screen), and will protect you from harmful UV rays. Just dab some on throughout the (seemingly endless) day to protect the delicate skin and look refreshed.
5. Wash Your Face and Moisturize
Seems simple, but splashing cold water on your face and dabbing an antioxidant-rich moisturizer on mid-day can feel like a cup of coffee for your skin. Origins A Perfect World SPF-40 Age Defense Moisturizer with White Tea is clinically proven to instantly boost hydration levels by over 60%. Super-charge your skin and then super-charge the rest of your day while protecting it from environmental stressors.
Have tips you feel like divulging? Share in the comments below!
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Ask the Expert: Pro Beauty Tips for Looking Polished at AM Meetings
And every other work-related beauty question you've ever had. (We asked.)
photo credit: Spring
Look, most of us don’t have time to get ‘the world is my runway’ ready in the am. There are meetings to take, deals to close, coffee to grab, errands to run… the list goes on. But we know that looking the part, helps fuel your confidence. So how does one put their best face forward when they have so little time and so much to do?
Enter: The Expert. We got the scoop from Laura Mercier’s very own Benjamin Ruiz, LM’s Director of Global Creative Artistry, on how to feel put together while not spending a full two hours in front of the mirror (ain’t nobody got time for that).
So here you are! Your 6 need to know beauty questions answered. (Insert prayer hands here.)
Q: I want to look amazing for an early pitch/investor meeting/interview. What are my go-tos for looking polished, but professional. Amazing, but not over-the-top. How do I achieve this?
Benjamin Ruiz: Focus on your skin and creating a natural look that will look and feel pulled together. Make the skin a priority by selecting either a foundation or Tinted Moisturizer that best complements your skin tone and use it to even out the complexion, rather than adding heavy coverage. The goal is to ensure that your skin looks like skin. If you have any redness or problem areas, apply a concealer, like Secret Camouflage, to conceal these concerns.
To ensure your makeup stays flawless, set your makeup with a translucent powder to lock in your complexion products. Try using a velour puff to press-and-roll the powder onto your face, ensuring contact with the foundation for longevity. For cheeks, select colors that are fresh and resemble good health, like a soft peach, rose or even a neutral brown. Apply to the apples of the cheeks and pull the color outwards, fading as your move to the center of the year. Keep your eyes polished and elegant with a long-wearing eye color, like Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour, which are incredibly quick to use, lasts all day and give a beautiful look with very little effort. Simply swipe them on the eyelid at the last line and blend upwards towards the crease with your fingertips. As you move towards the crease, begin to fade out. Use a contrasting or deeper shade to smudge a soft liner look at the last line for contrast and definition, finishing the eye with mascara. For lips, select a shade that is easy to maintain since you may not have the luxury to touch up during the meeting. Select a color that complements your skin tone and brightens your teeth; you can never go wrong with a shade that is similar or slightly deeper than your natural lip color.
"For lips: Select a color that complements your skin tone and brightens your teeth."
Tweet this.
Q: Are there products I can incorporate into my nighttime routine that will help me in the AM?
BR: The rule of thumb is don’t skip skincare – you don’t have to have a complicated routine but have a routine nonetheless! Commit to removing your makeup every night with a makeup remover and use a moisturizer. These two steps will make your skin thank you and reward you in the morning.
Q: I have been pulling all-nighters getting ready for this presentation, but I want to put my best face forward. How do I best disguise dark circles?
BR: Before concealing, make sure the eye area is well hydrated with an eye cream or serum. When concealing, select a shade that matches your skin tone. Apply a very small amount of concealer with a brush only to the areas of darkness and work in light layers until you’re confident you have the right coverage. Set it and lock it in by applying a light set of powder.
Q: For women who don’t ‘do’ makeup. How can they achieve a very simple, but fresh face in the am that doesn’t require a lot of time?
BR: Keep it simple and use your fingertips to apply everything. Focus your time on the features you want to accentuate, from glowing skin or using natural soft tones for the eyes, lips and cheeks. Start by applying a tinted moisturizer to gently even out the skin. Now, add a cream cheek color to the center of the apple of your cheeks, melting it into the tinted moisturizer, making sure to soften the edges and set entire face with power. Keep eyes and lips simple, you just want to gently enhancing these areas. With fingertips, apply a small amount of eyeshadow to the center of your eyelid at lash line and blend up, it should immediately fade into skin tone as it moves up the eyelid with less intensity. Finish the lips with a lip stain or gloss. For a longer lasting lip, line lips with a lip pencil and fill in and top with your favorite stain, balm or gloss.
Q: If I only have time for three products-- what are my go-tos?
BR: If you're in a pinch for time and need to get out the door quick, use these three products to create a complete look: foundation, lipstick and mascara. Apply foundation with fingertips where needed to even out skin and then come back with a light tapping motion to add extra coverage for spots and under eyes. This works fairly well when time for concealer isn't possible. Next, use a lipstick in a flattering color for you skin to the apple of the cheeks. Finish the look with mascara and since you won't be using a liner, wiggle the mascara wand to the base of the lashes to help define lash line, do the same to the bottom if you wear mascara there. With these three products you can have a fast and rather complete look in record time!
Q: I have meetings that are going to last ALL day. How do I make sure I look as bright-faced in the PM as I did in my AM meeting?
BR: I cannot stress enough how important a foundation primer is to your overall makeup. It creates a smooth, even surface for applying foundation to help your makeup last longer and stay color-true. If you’re able to refresh your makeup, touch up with a finishing powder that adds subtle luminosity, like Candleglow Sheer Perfecting Powder, gently dusting all over the face. Add a bit of highlighting concealer under the eyes to brighten the face.
Have other questions? Add them in the comments below!