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Drink Your Water – It’s Key!

August 29, 2017

As a benchmark, we’re encouraged to drink at least eight glasses of water a day. Since our bodies are composed of over 60 per cent water, hydration is essential to ensure that our bodily fluids support normal processes such as digestion, circulation and kidney function. However, there are many other unexpected health (and beauty) benefits that come from drinking water everyday:

1) Better Skin

Everyday we are exposed to chemicals and toxins, whether it’s in the air we breathe, the food we eat or the products we use. Certain toxins that we use inflame the skin, which can result in acne and skin irritations. Like any other cell in the body, skin is made up of water. Drinking eight or more glasses a day restores our skin cell functions and flushes away toxins, resulting in clearer and more hydrated skin!

2) Headache Cure

Put the painkillers away and cure your headache with some good ‘ole H20! Dehydration is one of the leading causes of headaches, as a lack of fluids causes shrinkage in brain volume. This results in the brain pulling away from the skull, which triggers the pain associated with headaches. While sometimes medication is necessary, wait 15 minutes and drink 500ml of water before going to the medicine cabinet.

3) Curb Cravings

Control your caloric intake with, you guessed it, water! Drinking water speeds up your metabolism while also tricking your mind into thinking it’s full. By drinking a glass of water before each meal, studies have shown that people eat up to 30 per cent less calories. Reaching for water also simultaneously limits your consumption of other sugar and chemical-filled beverages, such as soda and fruit juice.

4) Wake Up!

Move over coffee! Hydration is the energy booster you’ve been looking for. When we’re dehydrated, our energy level and concentration decreases. By staying hydrated, our body functions as it should. Save your bank account by opting for a glass of water instead of that daily $5 latte!

5) Immune Boost

We all know that feeling- when you’re sick the thought of eating or drinking makes you feel even worse. However, you still need to meet your daily water requirement for your body to function and to strengthen your immune system. Water clears toxins and boosts your overall health – to get you into tip-top shape in no time! So, why water? We’re happy to say that FaceOff requires only warm water to remove oil, impurities and makeup! This limits the exposure to harmful chemicals that are in most makeup removers, and allows for easy, on-the-go use. H2-O-Yeah!

5 Tips to help you Nail that Winged Eyeliner

August 29, 2017

You prime your eyelids and spend 20 minutes blending in that smokey eye, and then suddenly it’s all ruined from your failed attempt to nail that winged eyeliner.

Don’t worry, I’m here to help. As someone who is semi-new to the winged lifestyle, I’ve found some nifty tricks to help you get that winged look you’ve always been hoping for!

Tape:

You’ve probably seen this trick floating around Instagram, simple place a piece of scotch tape along the bottom corner of your eye and extend into the direction of the end of your brow. In small strokes, I always start from the wing and inwards, draw a line from the line of the tape to your eyelid and then thin out as you move closer towards the inner corner of your eye. If you want a more dramatic and bold wing, make the wing thicker.

Card Trick:

No, I am not suggesting hiring a magician to perform a magic card trick to get your winged eyeliner slaying. Get any playing card and similar to the tape trick; line it up along the bottom crease. Angle it again towards your brows, as high or low as you want the wing to be and then with small strokes draw a line from the wing inward or vice versa (whatever is more comfortable for you). Unlike the tape trick, there is no need to peel off sticky tape from your face and will leave with a sharp and crisp line.

Concealer:

If you are feeling confident enough to free hand it, good for you, I will be forever jealous. Lightly stroke your eyeliner outwards to your wing, try to angle your brush/tip to make the end of the wing sharp. Of course you may smudge a little eyeliner outside of the line but don’t fret, simply get some concealer on a brush and go over top of the extra eyeliner. It will cover it like a breeze and give you a sharp, crisp wing!

Connect the dots:

This one makes drawing a line and wing so much easier. Instead of drawing one single line in one stroke it’s best to use dots and then fill in. Start with three dots, 2 on the edges of the colored parts of your eye, one in the center of the eye. Then move to the end of your eye, place a dot there. The last two dots will be slightly elevated and angled towards the end of your eyebrow. Depending on how dramatic of a look you are going for, you can place your dots and far or as close to the corner of the eye you want. Then slowly, connect the dots!

Spoon It:
Who knew a spoon would be helpful to wing your eyeliner! Grab the handle of the spoon and line it up along the bottom crease of your eyes (similar to the card and tape trick). Trace along the handle of the spoon and draw your wing. Now using the head of the spoon, line it up with the line you drew from the handle, and stroke from the outer wing, inwards towards the corner of your eye. From the outer corner of your eye, continue drawing a small line along the lid into the inner crease. Who knew spooning would be so simple!

Well hopefully these five easy tricks will help your eyeliner go from racoon eyes to slaying queen! Try them out at let us know which tip you liked best! Or maybe you have some tips of your own – tell us in the comments below!

WHICH MASCARA IS THE BEST MASCARA?

August 29, 2017

People always ask, “as a professional makeup artist, which mascara do you think works the best.” Well, I’m here to tell you a little secret the beauty industry is keeping from you. All mascara formulas are pretty much the exact same thing: wax, pigment and film formers. You will find little differences like darker colours and waterproof formulas, but overall the difference is in the brush.

The truth is, it's easier and cheaper for beauty brands to create a breakthrough brush than a breakthrough formula. In fact, many brands “share' a formula, but the effects can be drastically different due to the brush, wiper, and bottle. So, let me give you a lesson on what to look for when shopping for mascara

Thick Bristle Wand – These are the most common mascara wands you will find. They are meant to give fullness to existing lashes. It is ideal for those with shorter and thinner lashes as it is meant for coverage and length.

Comb Wands – This brush will create long luxurious lashes. This brush is ideal for people who already have thick lashes but want some length as well. The brush defines each lash and coats them from root to tip. Mascara tends to dry up less on these kinds of bristles since the formula slides on and off much easier.

Curved Wand – These wands were made to mimic the natural arc of eyelashes. You should use this brush if you’re looking for something that not only defines and coats each lash, but curls and lifts them. Curved wands create a gentle curl in the centre of the eye and lift the edges up to make eyes seem bigger and more open. Make sure you use the wand so that the curve faces upwards, and the lashes sit into the curve – sweep the wand from side to side across your lashes whilst pulling it upwards from the root to the tip to encourage your lashes to curl.

Tapered Wand – This wand is very similar to the thick bristle wand, but since it is thick on one side and then tapers off into a point, you are able to get volume and length from the thick part and use the tip to define individual lashes.

Ball Wand – These wands might look weird, but it is just a smaller version of the thick bristle wand. This wand requires you to work in smaller sections. It is for all perfectionists out there! This wand allows you to be super accurate and define each individual lash. The only downside is, because of the shape, you tend to transfer product onto your eyelids more often.

So ladies and gentlemen, when looking for the perfect mascara, don’t worry about the mascara formula. Promotional items that contain vitamins, argan oil and botanical extracts are at such low percentages that it doesn’t change the product. The truth is, it’s all in the wand.

REMOVING MAKEUP BEFORE BED

August 28, 2017

We all know the struggle of not wanting to take your makeup off before bed. We’re too tired or just too lazy, but it is extremely important to fight the fatigue and do it anyway.

Keeping makeup on while you sleep is one of the worst things you can do for your skin. While you sleep, your skin regenerates itself. When you leave your makeup on it gets stuck in your pores, the skin ceases to breathe and therefore the restoration is unable to take place. As most makeups are made of oily substances, your skin will become congested which will lead to breakouts, fine lines, and both puffiness and dark circles around the eyes.

Washing your face is an art, that should be done in a specific order.

STEP ONE:

The first step is removing your lip colour. It is common for lip colour to smear all over your face so removing it first will avoid future mess.

STEP TWO:

Next, move on to your eyes. It is important to remember that the skin surrounding your eyes is extremely thin and delicate, which is why the FaceOff Cloth is perfect for removing mascara, liner and eyeshadow. You need to be gentle and always remember to never rub. For best results, wet your FaceOff Cloth and gently dab over your eyes, which will soften and loosen up the makeup so you can softly wipe it away.

STEP THREE:

Your last step is your base. Once you have removed your foundation continue with toner and finish with night moisturizer and eye cream to hydrate your skin and keep those dark circles away. The quick five minutes you will spend wiping off your makeup for the night will leave your skin thanking you for years to come!