Beauty treasures, made in Hawaii.

Summertime is almost here and as we ease into the hot weather and start putting our coats away, I decided to jump start my summer by going to Hawaii.
Sweet breeze, beautiful sunsets and the ocean, the most relaxing place of all. The sound of the waves was like a whispering fairy in my ears. A sail boat ride deep into the blue and the fierce waves splashing against it. Where does that leave your skin?
Hhhhhmmm! thirsty and irritated. It is all fun and games till you get a sunburn. A “skin expert”, as I want to call myself, I have always been extra careful about the sun and the layers of protection.
Hawaii is a different place, the UV levels are higher than California especially mid day. If you choose to be out at that time you need serious protection beyond just sun block. Clothing with an SPF 50 is recommended in conjunction with a hat and an umbrella.
Years ago as I was growing up, we never thought that the sun was so dangerous. If we got burned we put yogurt on it for an hour till we stung like rotten milk and then it felt better. Why yogurt? the cooling effect of it and the soothing effect of the lactose and fat will take away discomfort.
Here is my skin secret from Hawaii. First of, Hawaii has it’s own great products and I love buying them because I feel that I am supporting the local economy and they take so much pride in making it. Their Plumeria fragrances and body lotions are delightful. My all time favorite is their, Oils of Hawaii “Kukui nut oil”. Great for sunburn, eczema and super hydrating, this oil is a natural way to nourish your skin without the guilt of “bad” ingredients.

A sun block of SPF30 to SPF70 is always in my bag. I lather the cream up at first but after an hour in the water I use the spray and go over it. I am not a fan of the spray only because i think breathing it is not good for you but I hold my breath, look the opposite site and walk away from others before I spray. The spray tends to cover better and wider areas.
Your lips are another sensitive area that needs a lot of attention while in the sun. In Hawaii I found a local made lip balm called Shaka Laka and it protected my lips from the rays. I know we tent to want to wear our fabulous gloss to the beach but since our lips are made with thinner skin than the rest of our body, something that reflective is probably a bad choice.

A wide brim hat is always on my head. Target has a great selection of really cute wide brim hats and reasonably priced.
Sun guard is another way of protection. It is a product that you use in the wash to add sun block to your clothes considering your clothes are not exactly a fully protective layer, especially the lighter colored ones.
Relax, enjoy and come back with a healthy tan, not a second degree burn.
ALOHA and MAHALO!!

How to keep your makeup safe part deoux

Continued from my last article.
Foundations: what is their shelf life and how to keep them clean and germ free.
Foundations in a tube or bottle are the safest. You pump them out to your hand and apply, germs do not have a way of entering so you can keep them around for a while. Usually you will be done with them before they expire or start smelling. Keep them in a cool dry place, preferably not the bathroom where you shower because the steam is obviously not cool and dry. Also the car is another no no, especially here in California where the weather is mostly warm. The car generates a lot of heat even if it is not 105 degrees outside.

Cream foundations in a jar or thick foundations in a pan are great for coverage if you need something heavier but be careful when you deep those fingers in it and apply. I am sure like most of us you wash your hands before application but fingers and nails somehow keep a good dose of germs around that are transferred to the product. Also the oils from your face will transfer through your hands and find a new home in your cream foundation. With time this will alter the quality of the product same way it alters it when it is applied on your face over the course of the day. The color and consistency changes over time and that is because the oils from your skin and the ingredients of the product have their own chemical reaction.

The best way to use cream foundations is to take a portion out and put it on the back side of your hand or on a clean surface such as a palette (paper, glass or stainless steel). You can use a little plastic knife or a spatula to transfer the product to it’s new home. Make-up artists do that all the time since we use it on different people but I strongly suggest you do the same for your own personal foundation at home.

Now, although I am a germ phobe I have to say that applying foundation with your fingers tips from palette to face is fine. This way you save some of the product that sponges usually tent to “suck up”. If you do choose to use sponges- which you can find at any beauty store- make sure to use disposables and toss them after each use. If that seems as too much waste and I am with you on that, for your own personal use I would suggest you wash your used sponge with water and regular hand soap and let dry before your next use. (However a little dump sponge makes for a great application. I spay mine with some Evian water before use.)

As long as you follow all of the above your foundations can have a shelf life up to five years as long as they do not smell and the consistency has not changed, for example the oils have separated.

All other products, skincare and all have expiration dates on them now. I would follow those dates only because that is how long the product can retain it’s active ingredients and benefit your skin.

Sun blocks are the ones that I would toss after they been opened for a year. So if you bought a sun block this summer and did not completely emptied it so next summer you decide you will finish it up before buying a new one, beware! Sun block tents to be in a warm environment which with time it sacrifices it’s quality. This is not one to take a chance with! Especially with your child’s sun block. There is a big variety of sun blocks at any price range out there so please do not risk a burn, which will end up costing you way more in the future.

Now, one of the most important part of applying make-up is BRUSHES.

Some use brushes even for foundation application which I am a big supporter of. Less trash for starters and heavier application, for the ones that like that. This is a great way of applying anything to your face since they are easy to clean and you can control the application to your liking. However, a lot of germs can build up in the brushes, so please clean them after every use. You can use a professional brush cleaner, alcohol or just plain soap and water and let them dry on a cup overnight. The powder and blush brush you can use a couple of times if you need to take with you in your purse.

HAPPY AND CLEAN MAKEOVERS LADIES!!!