Fashion Bit: Top Makeup Trends

Fall 2012 Makeup Trends

LIPS : Red is always a great option for Fall, but this year red is coming with a twist - the most popular lip colour for the upcoming season will be mulberry. It's a deep mulled-wine colour with rich chocolate brown undertones and creamy matte or even shiny finish. This gorgeous coulour fits perfectly into the Fall and looks great on both blondes and brunettes. 

EYES: According to Harpers Bazaar many catwalks included the Futuristic Eyes look, which is way too dramatic for the off-stage. But choose a dramatically dark carbon black eyeliner and apply it in thick streaks and add saturated eye shadows beyond the outer corners of your eyes.

Also, another hit for the Fall are multi-toned eyes. Choose eye shadows with hints of silver or gold incorporated into the colour. Coloured mascaras are also in for the upcoming season.

BROWS: The upcoming season sports thick and well-defined brows. Accentuate the shape and the arch of your brows to perfectly frame your face. 

FACE: Although more fashionable during Spring months, this Fall surprised us with the trend of fresh and natural looking faces. Clear and fresh skin and dewy complexion are wanted, so easy-to-sport No Makeup Makeup Look will be desired in the following months.

What do you think of the upcoming trends? Which one do you prefer?

xoxo,

Iskra




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Diet: Snack Idea

Hummus

Hummus is a very popular Middle Eastern dish that made its way into our kitchens. It's super healthy and delicious. It can be served as a dip or spread over bread or meat. The way I love to eat it is as a snack with fresh carrots. Here is a simple recipe on how to make homemade hummus.

Ingredients: 1 can garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)

                  2 tbsp tahini

                  2 cloves garlic

                  4 tbsp lemon juice

                  2 tbsp olive oil

                  1 tsp salt

                  black pepper (to taste)

Add garlic into the blender. Add the garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, salt and pepper and blend until it forms a creamy paste. Put the mixture in a serving bowl and pour the olive oil on top. 

Bon Appetit :)

xoxo,

Iskra

Beauty Bit: Facial Exfoliants

Physical vs. Chemical Exfoliants

Exfoliation, or the removal of dead skin cells, is a very important step in facial care. Regular exfoliation will make your skin smooth and soft, and will also lessen the breakouts. It will also make your skin better at absorbing moisturizers, or other treatments. Exfoliation stimulates new cell growth by removing skin cells that your body is no longer shedding.

The exfoliants can be divided into two large groups: physical and chemical exfoliants.

Physical Exfoliants

Physical exfoliants basically manually remove the dead skin cells through friction with the help of abrasive ingredients. Some physical exfoliants use natural products, such as almonds, seeds, etc., and can be rather harsh on sensitive skin; other products use gentle synthetic beads. However, many dermatologists agree that those with acne shouldn't use physical exfoliants, since they can irritate already inflamed skin and thus cause redness and  breakouts. 

Most popular forms of physical exfoliants are scrubs, abrasive pads and cloths and microdermabrasion.

Chemical Exfoliants

Chemical exfoliants remove dead skin cells by using an acid or enzyme, so no abrasive agents are needed. You simply apply the exfoliant (which can be in a form of a lotion, gel, tonic, mask, etc.) and the "chemical" does the work, so you do not rub it into your skin. Some treatments are supposed to be rinsed right away, while others are left throughout the night and they work on your skin while you sleep. 

Most popular forms of chemical exfoliants are Retinoids (such as RetinA), AHA (Alpha Glycolic Acids), BHA (Beta Glycolica Acids) and Chemical Peels.

Before using any of these, consult your dermatologist and he / she will reccomend the most suitable exfoliant form for your skin type.

I have not tried that many exfoliants, but I have been using Eucerin Dermo Puryfier Scrub for a few months now and I love it. I have sensitive, acne prone skin and this scrub is gentle enough not to irritate my skin, but also removes dead cells and makes my skin smooth and soft.

Fashion Bit: Top Trends

Fashionable Fall / Winter 2012

After doing a lot of on-line research and comparing it with what I've seen in stores lately under the new arrivals, I made this list of top fall 2012 trends.

1. Maroon Trousers - This is truly a beautiful colour, awesome for the upcoming months of

fall. You can pair them with a black shirt and black boots, or combine them with a lacy white / ivory shirt and heel. Either way, they will look amazing and stylish.

2. Print Trousers  - To add a little pop to the season, there are print trousers. The prints are different, but one of the most popular ones is the floral print.

3. Lace - A trend that was super popular this summer will continue into the fall/winter. I'm so happy that many stores have beautiful lace dresses under the new arrivals,   because I love love love this trend. 

4. Black Leather - What seems to be a huge hit among the top designers is black leather; pants, jackets, coats, or just on sleeves of a t-shirt, leather sure seems to be a must for the upcoming seasons.

5. High Collars/ Turtlenecks - Perfect for winter to keep us warm, turtlenecks seem to have their comeback this fall.

6. Peplums - Another interesting trend are peplum dresses in various colours and in print, too. 

7. Long and Oversized Coats - This trend seems to be a huge hit on the runaways. 

8. Side Panel Jeans - Aside from comfortable denim, this fall bring us another trend; side panel jeans. A twist to familiar jeans is a line on both leggings. Other trends including the jeans are floral print, polka dots and coated denim. Also, tapered and baggy jeans are likely to be very popular in the upcoming months.

As to colours, the most popular combination is black and blue (cobalt). Another trend coulors include white, black, and gold. 

How do you like the upcoming seasons' fashion? Which trend is your favorite?

xoxo,

Iskra

Diet: A Lunch Quickie

Tuna Pasta

This recipe is healthy, but super quick to make! I make this dish pretty often, since it's delicious, light and, well, truth be told - I loooove tuna :)

Ingredients: 1,5 cup whole wheat pasta
                  
                  1 mozzarella cheese (optional)

                  2 tbsp olive oil
                  1 medium onion
                  3 coves garlic
                  1 can tuna (preferably in water, not oil)
                  1 can pelati tomatoes 
                  
                  spices - salt, sugar (just a pinch), pepper, 
                  2 -3 laurel leaves, garlic powder,                
                  cayenne pepper, basil, rosemary, cilantro
Serves 2!

While the whole wheat pasta is still cooking on the stove, finely mince onion and garlic. Cover the pot with 2 tbsp of olive oil and add minced onion and garlic. Saute until they turn golden, then add the canned tomatoes and mash them into smaller pieces with a ladle. Add all of the spices (to taste) and let it cook for approximately 5 - 10 minutes. Add the dried tuna into the pot and mix it into the sauce. Let it sit on fire for another 2 - 3 minutes and remove from the stove. 

When serving, first put pasta into a plate, then add chopped up mozzarella cheese and spread the sauce on top. That way the cheese will melt better. 

Bon Appetit :)

xoxo, 
Iskra
                  

Beauty Bit: Sugar Coated Lips!

DIY Sugar Lip Scrubs 

With colder weather, our skin becomes more dry and sensitive, and our lips tend to get chapped. In order to prevent that and make them smooth and kissable, here are a few DIY  all-natural recipes that you can whisk at home.

Honey, I Wanna Kiss Scrub

Ingredients: 3 tsp olive or jojoba oil

                 2 tsp honey

                 2 tsp finely grated white or brown sugar

Mix all the ingredients together until they form a nice paste. Rub gently into your lips, using circular motions. Rinse with warm water and apply a lip balm if needed.

Olive or jojoba oil will hydrate your lips, while honey contains cleansing and healing properties and is a natural binder of the paste. Finely grated sugar is a natural gentle exfoliant will scrub your lips nicely, without damaging it.

I'm Coco-Loco About You Scrub

Ingredients: 1 tbsp coconut oil (unrefined is always better)

                 1 tbsp honey

                 2 tbsp brown sugar

Very similar to the Honey, I Wanna Kiss scrub, but with another nourishing and great tasting oil. Put the mixture in a small container and keep it for 2 weeks in refrigerator. 

Pout Like A Model's Scrub

Ingredients: 1 tbsp sugar

                 1 tbsp honey

                 1/2 tsp olive or jojoba oil

                 1/2 tsp vaseline

Mix all of the ingredients well until they form a paste. Put the mixture into a container to store and keep it in fridge for a week. 

What are your DIY lips secrets? Share them in the comments below and let me know how you like these free recipes :)

xoxo,

Iskra

Beauty Bit: Pucker Up!

Healthy and Beautiful Lips

A lot of our habits make our lips dry and
chipped, and we are not even aware of it.

1. Don't lick your lips! It may bring a momentary relief, but it just makes the problem worse. Our saliva evaporates quickly and leaves our lips drier than they previously were. Plus, the enzymes in our mouth, used to digest food, are harsh for the delicate skin of our mouth.

2. Avoid breathing with an open mouth. The air flowing constantly in and out dries the skin on our lips.

3. Eat a healthy diet, filled with veggies and fruit. Vitamins B and E are very important for   healthy lips and skin in general. Also, a balanced amount of healthy fats and oils is important for the skin (but also for hair and nails) and prevents it from being too dried out. Add salmon, avocado and olive oil to your meals. 

4. Drink a lot of water! Dehydration can cause chapped lips. In a way, our lips act like berries left to dry in the sun - they take all the water they can find. But if there is not enough water to "suck in", they simply dry out.

5. Get a gentle scrub and exfoliate your lips when needed (sugar lip scrub recipes). Afterwards you can treat your lips with a special lip mask, like this one: blend a small piece of avocado, 1 tsp honey and 1 - 2 tbsp plain yogurt. Apply it on your lips and let it sit for 5 - 10 minutes, before rinsing it off.

6. Avoid using lip plumpers, since their ingredients are very drying and irritating for the lips.

7. Find a suitable lip balm to hydrate your lips, and choose one with an SPF factor.

And now that you have your beautiful lips, don't forget to smile, because smile is one of the most beautiful things we can do with our lips... except kissing, of course ;)

xoxo,
Iskra