Shop With Style

You’re seeing it everywhere right now. The dark lip trend is in magazines, on the runways, even strutting up and down the city streets and sipping at the local coffee shop. You might be thinking, “That trend isn’t for me. I’ll never be able to pull that look off.” But guess what? You soooo can!  And here’s how…

• Pick the right shade – Rest assured, there is a lush, dark hue for each and every skin tone out there. If you have fair to medium tone skin, try versions of purple-based merlot colors. For those with medium to olive skin tones, try hues of burgundy with a more terra cotta base. Deep tone skin can really push the boundaries of deep and dark, so try a merlot with a bit of black or brown.
• Exfoliate, Exfoliate, Exfoliate – You’ll hear this tip in almost every lip color guide…because it honestly makes a huge difference to how color glides on and looks. If your lips are dry, cracked, and flaky, any lip color will get stuck in the cracks and crevices…but a dark lip color will look positively atrocious. Scrub gently with a product like Fresh Sugar Lip Polish, or Bliss Fabulips. You can also use something simple like olive oil and sugar. Then wipe with a warm, damp cloth and follow with a non-waxy moisturizer.
• Check your upper lip – You may not think it will make a difference, but trust us, it will. Wearing a dark lip color will draw attention to…yep, you guessed it…your lips. Not only can the dark color get snagged on the tiny hairs, but the hairs can also cast a shadow on that upper lip. Both of which will draw the wrong type of attention. And bleaching the hair won’t work. So, go the distance and remove the hair completely.
• Let your skin glow – Dark lips will tend to highlight any blotchiness or imperfections in the skin, so even it up and make it glow as much as possible. That means scrubbing and exfoliating your face, removing any little patches of dry skin, then applying a skin brightening BB or CC cream, which will also help to even things up and get you glowing. After all, you want a clean, even canvas for those bold lips!
• Even the base – Everyone’s lips have some sort of natural hue, and sometimes, that hue can throw off a perfectly wonderful deep Winter lip color. So after applying foundation, dab on a bit to your lips and blend. You’re not looking to completely white-out your own hue, you just want to tone it down a bit so that the lip color reads true when you apply it.
• Strategically line – Lining when applying a dark lip color can be tricky. If you make a mistake, it will be very The best way to line a dark lip is to start with a nude color. Line just outside your natural lip line and blend away from your lip. The will not only help to keep the lip color from running, it will also make the color itself pop. Next, apply a liner in a similar shade to your lip color to just the area of your cupid’s bow and the middle portion of your bottom lip. Next, apply the lip color with a lip brush, to give you more control over color placement.

And there you go! Perfectly luscious, perfectly beautiful deep, dark lips for the Winter season.

It’s easy to get into a rut with wearing jewelry. Day in, day out, it’s sometimes just easier to keep the same pieces on…or off… whichever the case may be. Either way, your style can begin to suffer, and you can quickly get bored with accessorizing. That’s the last thing we want to happen! You’ve got so much fabulousness inside you ready to come out…and these suggestions will help to get your creative ideas flowing again!

• Geometric – Geometric shapes are huge right now, and there are lots of options out there. Triangles, pyramids, even a chunky plain band can look modern and geometrical. You can also arrange the rings by thinking geometrically, by keeping the larger rings to your pointer, thumb, and pinky finger, while wearing thinner rings on your middle and ring fingers. Think symmetry and balance.
• Colored stones – Not necessarily working off of colors in your outfit (although that would look fierce too) another fresh way to wear rings is to pile on the color. Think gemstones, pearls, even turquoise (which is another massive trend right now). Different sizes and shapes and hues of the same color. Talk about a statement!
• One color metal – This is one of the fastest and easiest ways to make an impact with your accessories…but we’re not talking just one or two rings. No way! For this trick to wow you’ve got to wear multiple pieces, varying sizes and shapes, but all one color metal. Yellow gold, rose gold, copper, silver…your choice. And if you want to double up on the stylishness, pair yellow and rose gold or copper with clothes in warm, Fall hues (brown, rust, tan)…and pair cooler colored clothes (black, grey, white) with silver, gunmetal, or black tungsten or titanium.
• Mixed metal – In a similar idea as the above, this look involves mixing rings of varying shapes and sizes in differing finishes… shiny and brushed, silver, yellow and rose gold hues. Make sure you incorporate both thick and thin rings so that the difference in texture and finish can really stand out!
• Mad for midis – Yes, another definite trend are midi rings. Most midis are quite thin, but there are so many shapes and sizes, some open, some connected to another ring worn further up the finger. Layer them together, wear them on every finger, or every other finger. The more you wear, the bigger the statement.
• Stacked – Another one of the most flattering and fashionable ways to accessorize with rings is to stack them. You can even mix bold and modern with delicate and feminine designs. Also, wearing multiples of thin rings stacked together is a fab way to layer interest into your look without it being overpowering.

It never fails. You have a big weekend planned, good friends, lots of laughs… not to mention you’ve got a fierce outfit already picked out. And then, BAM! Right there…in the middle of your chin…a pimple the size of an apple. There’s no way you can get that thing cleared by Friday night, right? Wrong!  We just so happen to have 10 easy and natural cures (that you probably have around the house right now) to send that pimple packing ASAP.

• Toothpaste – This is a tried and true pimple buster. Just make sure it’s a white toothpaste, not a gel-based one. The cleaning properties in it work to absorb oil, while the anti-bacterial properties fight bacteria. You only need a very small amount, dab it onto the pimple, and allow to dry overnight.
• Honey – Put this down on the long list of amazing things that honey can do. It is a natural antibiotic which helps kill the bacteria that causes pimples. It is also naturally hydrating, so it won’t dry out the skin around the pimple (unlike the toothpaste, which might cause a little redness). Dab a small amount onto the pimple and allow to dry (at least an hour). Wipe clean with a warm damp cloth.
• Calamine lotion – Yes, in addition to treating severe itching caused by anything from chicken pox to poison ivy, Calamine lotion can also be used to treat acne. Since it contains zinc oxide, it soothes the redness and reduces the inflammation of acne. It also works to absorb the excess oil in and around the pimple. Just dab some on the pimple before and allow it to dry before you go to bed.
• Orange peel/Banana peel – It sounds odd, but they’ve been known to work! The acidity in the orange peel works to dry out the pimple, and the banana peel contains Lutein, which is a powerful antioxidant that also reduces inflammation. Choose either peel (the orange might be too acidic for sensitive skin), then rub gently in circular motions over the pimple and allow to dry. Then rinse clean with a warm damp cloth.
• Aspirin paste – When crushed and mixed with a few drops of water, made into a paste, and applied to the pimple, this aspirin cure can be remarkably effective. Aspirin is an anti-inflammatory agent, so it works to reduce the swelling and redness. Dab onto the pimple, allow to dry, and leave it on the area overnight.
• Baking soda – Baking soda is another classic cure-all home remedy that has been around for many years. To use on pimples, add a few drops of lemon juice or water to the baking soda, make a paste, and then apply to the area. Allow to dry for 10-15 minutes, then wipe clean with a warm damp cloth.
• Lemon juice – This treatment can be a bit drying for those with sensitive skin, but it really does work. First, make sure you are using fresh, real lemon juice, not something from concentrate or a container. Lemon juice is not only a natural astringent, but it also has acidic properties that help to dry out and treat the pimple. Dab the lemon juice onto the pimple with a cotton swab or cotton ball, and allow the juice to dry on the pimple (20 minutes or so). Then wipe with a warm damp cloth. You can then apply an oil-free moisturizer, if necessary.

And, just like that…you’ll be all set to hit the town with your friends, rocking that perfect outfit, and that nasty pimple will be a distant memory!