Category: beauty

8 Beauty Activities You Can Do Right Now

If you’re stuck at home feeling bored, then this post is for you. In it, we take a look at some of the beauty activities that you can do right now to wile away the hours. 

Do Some Cupping

Cupping is an ancient healing technique introduced centuries ago, designed to help people through the worst of their symptoms and physical ailments. Largely forgotten, today it’s experiencing a resurgence and celebrities have started using it for soothing stiff muscles and improving circulation. Cupping is primarily for people who do heavy exercise, but anyone can potentially benefit from it. 

Give Your Hair Some TLC

If your hair is feeling a little dry after a long winter, you might want to give it some TLC with rise-off hair masks. These days, brands are including more natural ingredients in their products. Look for brands that use things like peppermint, amla and allspice as these natural ingredients are wonderful for both the hair and the scalp. After a couple of treatments, your hair will look sleeker, straighter and smoother. 

Get A DIY Salon Facial

You could go to the salon right now, or you could give yourself a similar facial. For instance, you could give yourself a personal microneedling (which can be a little painful) or recreate the famous hydrafacial with a combination of exfoliation, peel and moisturizer. 

Whiten Your Teeth

Even if you go to the dentist for regular scaling, teeth whitening is often essential. Tannins in food can cause them to look discolored over time, making them duller and less striking. 

You can whiten your teeth at home, but it’s best to go for professional bleaching if you want dramatic results. 

Get A Pedicure

Over the winter months, the dry air can cause your feet to start looking and feeling a little past their best. That’s why getting a pedicure is a great idea. 

You can either do this yourself, or you can go to a professional nail salon. Get them to remove any tough skin and treat your toenails which can sometimes become damaged from walking around in tight shoes all day long. 

Organize Your Makeup Drawer

If your makeup is a mess at the moment, try tidying it up a little. Organize it into various containers, and clean up your vanity or dresser, if you have one. 

If space is an issue, don’t be afraid to go big. Get rid of your small dresser and replace it with a larger one. Or, failing that, add some shelving to either side. 

Reduce Puffiness With Gua Sha

Gua sha is the act of passing smooth gemstones over your face. The idea is to use the rock’s inherent healing properties to reduce the inflammation in the skin and cut down on redness. 

Start Derma Rolling

Derma rolling is incredibly inexpensive if you buy your own kit. Rollers are often just a few dollars. They contain tiny needles which penetrate the skin, forcing it to increase its production of elastin and collagen. You can repeat the treatment once every six months or so. 

What to Buy at the Sephora Spring Sale!

If you know me, you know I have a huge makeup obsession. Sephora is probably my favorite store, ever. I could spend hours just browsing the shelves inside Sephora. So whenever Sephora has a sale, I’m on it like white on rice. Here are some items I’m looking to purchase during the Sephora spring sale, plus some of my faves for you to shop!

Hourglass Foundation Stick – I just ran out of this foundation. It’s full coverage and lasts all day. The texture is creamy and leaves your skin looking flawless.

Supergoop Glow Screen – Hands down my favorite sunscreen! It’s lightweight, non-greasy and leaves the perfect glow!

Drunk Elephant Sukari Baby Facial – I haven’t tried this one, but I’ve heard great things. It’s pricey so definitely going to take advantage during the sale!

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Eyeliner – Charlotte Tilbury is hands down one of my favorite brands. I’ve been wanting to try this eyeliner since it launched. It’s a purple/brown color and I have nothing like it.

Farmacy Cleansing Balm – This is my favorite cleansing balm. It doesn’t leave an oily residue on the skin like many cleansing balms and it really helps get everything off.

Innisfree Clay Mask – My pores have been out of control lately. I need a good (and cheap) clay mask to use and this Korean brand is supposed to be great and affordable.

What are your Sephora favorites? Let me know in the comments below!

How to Take Care of Your Hair

If you’re noticing that your hair is starting to feel a little tired and it’s not responding well to the styling measures you take each day, it might be time to start thinking about how you can begin to look after it a little better. There are lots of ways in which you can begin to take better care of your hair and we’re going to discuss those things right now. Read on to find out what you need to know about keeping your hair in optimal condition.

Deep Condition Every Week

A deep condition is the least your hair deserves, and you should be doing this once a week. Regular conditioning often isn’t enough for many people, so it’s worth going the extra mile and ensuring your hair gets the level of nourishment it needs and deserves. Doing this once a week will help it to feel alive and revitalized throughout the week and that’s how it should feel.

Use the Right Vitamins and Supplements

Using good vitamins that can help you to improve the health and strength of your hair is a good idea as well. There are lots of hair vitamins out there that you might want to consider, so find out more about the options and find the ones that you feel will be most beneficial to you. Everyone’s hair is different so you might want to try some options and see which works best.

Eat Plenty of Healthy Protein

Eating the right kinds of foods will also help you to ensure your hair is as strong and healthy as it should be. In particular, you should try to make sure that you’re getting enough healthy protein into your diet as possible. This is great for your hair and you can get it from foods such as leafy greens, oily fish such as salmon and various kinds of nuts and fibers.

Give Your Hair the Chance to Chill on Some Days

Some days, you should really give your hair the opportunity to just do its thing. You don’t always need to be applying heat and lots of products to it. If you dedicate a day or two per week to just leave your hair as it is, it’ll get the chance to chill and that can be really beneficial throughout the week and all year round.

Get it Cut Regularly

Getting your hair cut regularly is not just about maintaining your style. It’s also about making sure that the quality of your hair is strong. And even if you’re trying to grow your hair out, you should get it trimmed by a professional regularly to remove problems such as split ends.

Taking better care of your hair is something we should all do, and we all can do it. It’s easy to neglect your hair and not go to the lengths you should. But when you see the outcomes that come from taking these extra steps, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start taking better care of your hair sooner.

How to Stay Sane During Quarantine

We’re at a strange point in time right now. It’s fair to say that the world is a much different place than it was a month ago, there’s not a corner of the earth that hasn’t been affected by the recent pandemic. Whether you’re on formal quarantine or lock down or are just choosing to self isolate, being at home can feel a little tedious after a while and can increase anxiety when you’re sitting around with too much time on your hands. If you can, see this as ‘downtime’, try and make the most of a bad situation and aim to do fun and productive things where possible to make yourself feel better. The only thing we can do now is to try to make the most of this situation, so here are some ideas to make your day a little better.

Have a spa day

Chances are you have tons of spa products in the house. If you’re like me you probably have them in your cabinet but totally forgot about it. But now is the perfect time to get them out- bath bombs, bubble bath, oils, hair and face mask, foot masks. Spend some time really pampering yourself, get a hot bath and relax with music and candles, treat your hair and skin and paint your nails. On a normal day you probably don’t get the time to do all of this, so why not make the most of it? Not only will it make you feel better physically but it can reduce stress and make you feel better mentally too. If you and your partner are isolated together you could even give each other massages and turn your home into a mini spa for the day. 

Try some new makeup looks

Playing around with makeup can be a lot of fun, but again it might not be something you get the time to sit and do that often. If you have a lot of products, get them out, fall in love with different things again and follow along with some makeup tutorials on Youtube. You might be all dressed up with nowhere to go, but you could snap some photos for your blog, Instagram channel or just for a new Facebook profile picture. You could get really creative and try things you wouldn’t normally do, just because you have the means to do so and the time on your hands! Have fun with it, you can always just wash it off if it goes wrong so don’t worry about trying to get it perfect on the first attempt. I did this the other day, as seen in the photo above. I saw a photo that Kathleen Lights posted on IG and tried to recreate it, let me know what you think in the comments below!

Do some online shopping

Online shopping has become a real lifeline during these times. You can continue to support business by ordering from them and having goods shipped to your door. Just be aware of social distancing when your deliveries arrive, leave a note asking for things to be left on your doorstep or just call through the door so you don’t need to come in contact with people unnecessarily. Maybe some new summer dresses will cheer you up (hopefully we’ll be over the worst of this madness by then) or perhaps you could order some homeware items and have fun redecorating and decluttering a room in your home. You could treat yourself to something that will cheer you up, get materials for a project or buy something you need but have been putting off for a while. If deliveries are still going ahead in your area then do continue to buy as it helps the economy in these difficult times. 

Also don’t forget to shop my boutique John and Suki! Use code SHOP20 for 20% off any item.

Organize your closet

This is something I need to do that I’ve been putting off. Take everything out and put what you won’t wear into boxes labeled donate as it can help to make decisions easier. Put back what you want to keep, and pass along the other items when you get the opportunity after you’re out of self isolation or quarantine. Having a thinned out wardrobe can actually give you more clothing and outfit options as you can see exactly what you have, and you’ve only kept things that fit you and that you like. No more rummaging through items you don’t want or need. 

Write some blog posts (or start a blog)

Blogging is one of the best hobbies you can have. It’s fun, it’s productive and there are lots of ways to earn money later down the line. If you already have a blog, now is the time to create some great content for it. You could review products you’ve been loving, take outfit photos, write a diary of your thoughts or give tips and advice to others. If you don’t have a blog then what better time to start one? It will likely take you a few hours to get set up, think of a blog name and open an account on blogger or wordpress. Buy a template off Etsy to make it look nice, and purchase a domain name to link to your blog. From there you can open an email address and new social media pages linking to your site. Once all of that is done, you’re free to start creating content and networking with other bloggers. Since it’s this starting point that takes the time, it’s a great opportunity now that you have the time to get it up and running. From there you could just post once or twice a week if you wanted to and enjoy this hobby for many years to come.

How will you be staying sane at the moment? Leave your tips in the comments below!

 

Create Your Own Shampoo + Conditioner with Formulate!

Formulate

Ever wonder if the shampoo and conditioner you buy at the store is really one size fits all? There are so many different options out there for you to choose from, what if you were able to create your own?

That is where Formulate comes in. Formulate is a new company that allows you to create your own shampoo and conditioner. It’s super simple, you go on their website and take their quiz aka the “hair wizard”.

On their hair wizard, you get to answer questions about your hair type and what you are looking for. For example, my hair type is fine and wavy. You also answer questions about what it is you are looking for. I was looking for something that helped control oil, protected my color and helped with split ends.

Once you fill out the hair wizard, Formulate gives you your very own personal shampoo and conditioner! It’s amazing. Definitely go check it out now and create your very own shampoo and conditioner here.

 

How to Style a Bridal Hair Piece for Everyday

bridal hair piece

A couple weeks ago my friend Shirley reached out to me to tell me about a new company her mom and her just started. Shirley and I interned together at Burberry in NYC seven years ago, can you believe it?! I feel old. LOL. Anyways, when Shirley told me about her new ventures, I was so excited because I think it’s something you guys will love! Shirley’s new line is called Shirley and Audrey and they sell accessories for the modern bride. Now you might be thinking “Esther, I’m not getting married…”. Well girl, neither am I. But these items are so beautiful that you can wear them on your wedding day, or even just out to an event!

I got the hair wreath in Mary, and I wore it to a charity event I went to. I wore it like a headband and tied it in the back. It went so perfectly with what I was wearing and really elevated the outfit. Not to mention, I got tons of compliments on it! I think a hair wreath like this would be so perfect for any event where you need to dress up a little bit, or could even be used as a fancier “flower crown” for something like Coachella!

Whether you are a bride, or just a girl looking for some beautiful items to jazz up your hairdo, go check out Shirley and Audrey. Their quality is AMAZING and all the items are simply beautiful!

For Girls Who Brunch readers, Shirley was kind enough to offer 10% off anything on their website with code GWB10. Also, be sure to follow me on Instagram at @esthercollins because I will be giving away one of these hair wreaths there!

L’BRI Natural Skincare

Organic and natural products are all the rage these days. I’m a total fan of anything that’s organic and all natural especially if I’m going to be putting it all over my body and face. Over the past few years I’ve slowly switched my skincare over to a more natural approach. That is why I was super excited when L’BRI reached out to me to try their products. L’BRI is an aloe-based line of products that uses natural ingredients and is 100% cruelty-free!

L’BRI has amazing products ranging from skin to body, and even hair care products. All of their products smell natural without any of that fake perfume scent, which is the WORST when skincare products smell bad! They sent me a line of their body and hair care items that smell like cucumbers, it’s so fresh! All of the products feel extremely luxurious on the skin.

Of all the products that I’ve tried so far with L’BRI, I wanted to share with you guys some of my favorites. The Intense Body Butter is definitely one of my favorites. I’m not normally a big lotion or body butter girl but this is SO luxurious. It’s a beautiful whipped texture and just melts into the skin. The other item I really have been enjoying is the Smooth n’ Firm Eye Repair Gel. Normally with eye gels you get such a small tube of it, but you really get a huge tub of this stuff. It will definitely last me a while! And lastly my other favorite has been the Gentle Facial Freshener. This is a toner type that you can spray on your face under or over makeup to just refresh your face and leave it glowing.

So if you guys are looking for a natural line of products, definitely go check out L’BRI! Also, they are offering you guys a week’s worth of products, FOR FREE! All you have to do is pay for shipping and then you can test out these fabulous products!

L'BRI

Photography: Jordan Zobrist

Thank you to L’BRI for sponsoring this post.

Kevyn Aucoin The Celestial Powder in Candlelight Review + Swatch

Highlighters are all the rage, and I have definitely jumped on that train. I picked up the Kevyn Aucoin The Celestial Powder in Candlelight at Sephora (so happy Sephora now carries Kevyn Aucoin!). Now this highlighter is not cheap. It’s $44 for .11oz. But, this has been a highlighter I have been wanting to try for a while. I absolutely love this highlighter. It’s perfect for everyday wear. Now if you are looking for a highlighter that’s super shimmery or really pops, this is not the highlighter for you. This highlighter is the type that gives you a glow from within look. It’s very subtle and you can only really tell you are wearing it when the light hits it.

This powder is extremely finely milled. It’s super buttery and melts onto the skin. It’s super easy to blend and looks very natural. The only downside I have to this product is since it is such a fine powder, if you blend too much it almost disappears. But on the upside you can definitely layer this without it looking overly powdery or cakey. Color wise this has a slight yellow/golden undertone which I think would go great with just about any skin type.

If you are looking for a very natural highlight, I think this would be the perfect fit. If you are looking for that BAM in your face highlight, this is not the one for you. Overall rating: A-

Smile Brilliant Teeth Whitening Review

teeth-whiteningI’m a sucker for white teeth, I have been since high school. I mean who doesn’t love a perfectly white smile? I’ve gotten my teeth professionally whitened four times since high school and as much as I love it, it’s hard to shell out hundreds and hundreds of dollars for a white smile. That is why when Smile Brilliant reached out to me, I was super excited to try out their at home teeth whitening kit.

Since I got my teeth whitened at the dentist less than a year ago, my teeth are still pretty white. But these at home kits are perfect for maintaining that white smile. I was sent a kit in which I was able to create my own molds. The instructions were super quick and easy to understand. Once you make the molds of your teeth, you then send the molds into Smile Brilliant for them to create your custom trays. This only took a few days for them to make the trays and mail them back to me. I was impressed with the quick turnaround.

smile-brilliant

 

Once you get the trays, you are given two different gels. One syringe is the teeth whitening gel, and the other is the desensitizing gel. You put the teeth whitening gel on first and leave it on for as long as you can stand, I did around 45 minutes. After that you put on the desensitizing gel and allow that to sit for another 20 minutes or so. I love that they give you the desensitizing gel. I have super sensitive teeth so for me the desensitizing gel was everything.

IMG_1690

I’ve used the Smile Brilliant teeth whitening kit a couple times a week since I received it over a month ago. I’ve noticed my smile is brighter and whiter with each use! I can’t wait to continue to use this kit. It’s perfect for those with sensitive teeth, like myself! It’s also less than half the price of getting your teeth professionally whitened with the same results! If you guys are interested in checking out the at home teeth whitening kit, here is what you need to know before buying. You can also view a more in depth review on YouTube.

Want to win your own Smile Brilliant kit?? Enter here for a chance to win $139 towards your own teeth whitening kit! *Giveaway open to UK, Australia, Canada, and USA residents*

You can also get 5% off any purchase using promo code thegirlswhobrunch5 at checkout! Let me know if any of you have tried teeth whitening before in the comments below! Good luck!

 


How Much Is Teeth Whitening