what SPF do you really need?

With summer basically here we are all going to be spending some time outdoors. We all know how important sunscreen is, so I'm not going to ramble on and on about it. Because if you're like me, you get a little tired of every single magazine talking about the risks of being in the sun. We get it!!!
How do you know what type of SPF is right for you? Is it really necessary to use SPF 100? The answer is no!!! Here's what some of the leading dermatologists are saying about what kind of protection we need to be using for our days in the sun. 

There is no sunscreen or SPF that completely protects us from the suns UVA and UVB rays. If you use an SPF of 15 you are getting protection for about two hours. It will protect you from 94% of those harmful rays. SPF 30 blocks about 97%. From there on, these numbers don't really increase. If you from SPF of 50 to 100 the amount of protection increases by LESS that 1%! If you factor in swimming and sweating you obviously need to apply more, but as a general rule, every two hours is enough to protect your skin. If you want to be extra careful, wear a hat and protective clothing.


So here are some things to remember this summer! 
1. Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going outside
2. Apply every two hours or more if you're swimming or sweating
3. Tanning (although it looks good) is skin damage!!!
4. From 10-3 is where the most damage can occur from the sun


Hope this helps you prepare for more happy days in the sun!!!

eye shadows and eye colors!!

 If you're like most people, you may get stuck using the same colors on your eyes. Here are a few tips on what colors to use to make your eyes pop! I filmed this segment for a morning show in Houston a few months back. Hope y'all find it useful!!  (for some reason it only lets me post the link to the video and not the video itself. Sorry!)

http://livewellnetwork.com/Mirror-Mirror/episodes/Eye-Makeup-by-Eye-Color/8095441

Heat resistant makeup tricks!

Don't you wish your makeup could look as great as it does in the morning all day!?
Keeping your makeup in place throughout the day can be hard, especially during the summer. Here are a few simple tricks that will keep you from having a makeup meltdown!




Apply your makeup as usual. Be sure to use a primer on your lids to hold you eyeshadow and liner in place  (I like primers from MAC and Urban Decay) After applying your foudation or tinted moisturizer, lock that in with powder.  Always remember, anything liquid that goes on your face must be set with a powder! I love makeup forever's translucent powder.
It makes your skin look velvety smooth while holding your foundation in place. If you get oily throughout the day use  blotting papers instead of applying more power. This way your makeup won't end up looking cakey.


Now here's the kicker... I love to use this on all my brides. The magic potion is called Model in a Bottle. It's resistant to heat, humidity, tears, and water! What more could you ask for! I use it on myself if I have a long busy day with no time for breaks and touchups. This is a must. You will love it! Just give yourself three sprays and you're good to go!

product of the week!

This is my new favorite beauty purchase and deserves to be called the product of the week! It's Lancome Teint Miracle. This foundation goes on so smoothly and never looks heavy or cakey.

Best of all it's oil free, non-comedogenic, contains an spf of 15, good for sensitive skin, and it's made from 37% pure water. 

I love that it's easy to layer. I have found that with this foundation, I don't really have to use concealer because I can pat on a little extra in certain areas that need more coverage and it blends in beautifully. It really does make your skin look luminous and flawless! I love this stuff!!! It retails for $37 and can be found at sephora or an department store. I know it's a little pricey, however if you are going to splurge on one makeup item, please let it be foundation!! Having a flawless face is essential for any makeup look! 

summer ready skin!

It's about that time of year! For all of us in Texas it comes a lot sooner. SUMMER HEAT!!
As the temperature rises, we tend to wear less clothing. Ladies, we break out our summer dresses, and tank-tops and show some skin! Here are a few tips to get your skin ready! I'll make sure to keep you glowing all summer long!

Let me start off with my body scrub. Lately, my chest and back have been feeling more congested than usual. I hate that feeling! It's like small bumps that are so tiny you can't pop them. The cause? Sweat, an allergic reaction to your detergent, or you could just be someone that's prone to breaking out in those areas. Over the past six weeks I have been going to hot yoga. It's been great, but I have never sweat more in my life. Don't get me wrong, sweating is good for your skin. It gets rid of all those toxins and dead skin cells. However, I have been having a few breakouts along the way. For me, the best solution has been Neutrogena Acne wash in pink grapefruit. It seems to be working nicely! I purchased this product from Target. It has a lovely fresh smell. Why does this work? The active ingredient is 2% salicylic acid. This ingredient is great for clearing up skin without being too harsh or bleaching out your clothes and towels (like benzyol peroxide). Even though it's technically made to be used on your face, I love it as an extra little scrub for my chest and back. 

Now for the face! You can obviously use this on your face, but I like to use something a little more organic. Here are two options for face scrubs that you can make at home for next to nothing!

If you are feeling broken out this is what you can do. 

Ingredients-

half of a lemon

pure cane sugar (brown sugar works too!) 

Next, all you have to do is squeeze the juice out of the lemon, dip a cotton ball in the juice, sprinkle some sugar on top and start scrubbing! It smells so good, you'll want to lick your face off! If you have extremely sensitive skin, be careful because the acid from the lemon is strong. I like it though, it gives you a nice tingly feeling! Ahhh!!!

The next scrub that I like is a more hydrating scrub. I did this after I was sick a few months ago. My skin was dehydrated, flaky and gross! My makeup wouldn't even sit on my face properly because it was so dry. This is what I used and it immediately worked!

For Dry Skin

Ingredients-

Olive Oil

Pure cane sugar (or brown sugar) 

Mix the two together and get to scrubbing!! You're skin will feel fabulously smooth and nourished! Just be careful when scrubbing. Women especially tend to be rough with their skin, so go at it lightly.

There you have it! Now go show off that glowing skin from head to toe! Enjoy!!

how to pop a pimple

This may be a little more of a gross post, but it's still very important! 
Pimples! We all get them! Some of them hurt, some of them go away over night, some last for a week. Here's a few tips on how to treat them so they'll go away asap without leaving behind any marks!!


Cystic- These are actually the easiest to deal with. These pimples are very large, deep, and under the skin. They usually don't pop or ever get a white head, but do tend to hurt. Since these pimples don't pop, DO NOT try pop them!! The best thing you can do is get a spot treatment (something that has 2% salicylic works best) on it a few times a day. This will start to kill the bacteria and speed healing. You can also apply ice to it to reduce the swelling. If you try to pop it or pick at it, it's just going to make it bigger and more irritated. It can also make the bacteria travel. Think of it this way, if you're trying to pop a pimple and it doesn't actually pop, all that nasty stuff is just going to travel under your skin and spread. Every time you're tempted to pick at it, just remember that. It usually helps me not want to touch it!! 


Whiteheads- You've got one that's a doozie and ready to pop!? I know it's gross, but don't lie, we all get a little excited to pop zits, or pick at them. Don't lie to yourself, we all do it! This is the best way to go about popping that white head. Make sure your face has been cleansed. Then take toilet paper and wrap it around your finger tips and give it a squeeze. Make sure you apply pressure downward into your skin. This will help get all the gunk out. Keep on doing this until nothing comes out. Keep it covered until it stops bleeding, and then apply your spot treatment


Milia Acne- This is where you have tiny little bumps all over. The most common place you'll find this is on your forehead. These are a little more difficult to treat. I would not recommend using any type of scrub ever on skin like this. What ends up happening is that the bacteria gets spread around. Obviously we don't want to do that! The best way to treat this, is to use a masque 2x a week to help exfoliate. You can also apply that spot treatment on that area. Just watch to make sure you're not over drying your skin. When you see any kind of whitehead or open pores go ahead and try to extract it like we talked about above.


Blackheads- People ask me what the difference is between whiteheads and blackheads all the time. The only difference is that whiteheads have a layer of dead skin over the bacteria. Blackheads do not. They are oxidized, which turns them black. Almost everyone has a collection of blackhead on, or around there nose. They're actually not that hard to get out either. Just make sure your skin is washed (it helps if you prepare your skin with a masque too) and wrap those fingers up again, and press hard all along your nose area. If your skin is ready, and has been cleansed well and taken care of, they blackheads will come right out! 


It's really pretty simple stuff! I had bad acne when I was a teenager and even in my early 20's, so trust me, I have a lot of experience with zits!! Not to mention that I pop other peoples pimples too :)  The best thing to remember is to keep your skin clean, and don't touch it!! 


ginny lee

feeling yucky? this will help!

Over this past week I've had a terrible cold. You know how it goes, runny then stuffy nose, phlegm in your chest, sinus infection that's so intense it feels like your head is going to explode.... Ect. I took all kinds of medicines to speed my recovery. I felt miserable. Then I started thinking of all my friends who are pregnant and going through their winter colds. They can't take anything because they have a little bun in the oven. I couldn't imagine feeling so poorly and not being to suck back some nyquil to help me sleep!! Here's something I did, that helped me relax, breath better, feel better and sleep better. AND all you pregnant ladies can do it too! My friend told me about this remedy, and it really works! 

What you'll need-


Vicks vapor rub, or eucalyptus oil
1 large cooking pot
1 sheet 
1 phone book (or something shaped like it)

1. To start off, bring your pot of water to a boil. While your water is simmering, take your sheet and phone book and set it in your bathroom.

2.  Get naked

3.  When your water is boiling place either 15 or so drops of eucalyptus oil or a spoon full of vics into the water. Stir it up well. 

4.  Then carefully take your boiling water (make sure it has a lid on it) into your bathroom. 

5. Climb under your sheet and set the pot of water on top of your phone book. Make sure you're completely closed in under that sheet. 

6.  Slowly uncover the pot and take deep breathes in. Don't stick you're head directly over because it will burn your face! Just be careful. After a minute or so you leave the lid off. 

7. Then just chill under your little teepee. Try to stay under there long enough to build up a sweat.... About 15 minutes.  

8. After that, bundle up and go to bed!! 

I hope you all are staying healthy and well this winter. If you do start to feel yucky, give this a try! Hope this helps, especially for my pregnant loved ones:)


ginny lee 

Makeup Brushes

There are so many different kinds of makeup brushes out there. How do you know which ones to buy? Are the expensive ones really worth it? Which makeup brushes are essential to your collection? Here are a few tips to get you on the right track.


I like to use natural brushes for my eyes and cheeks. Basically, anything that is a dry makeup. Some good bristles that you'll find in makeup brushes are pony hair, goat hair, sable, and italian badger. These are really soft, and usually made very well. This way you'll get a good application without your eye shadow falling everywhere. I use crown brushes. They have a fabulous selection of brushes and they are VERY inexpensive!! The quality is great. Lots of pro's use these and you won't believe what a good deal they are. When it comes to designer brushes such as MAC, you're really only paying for the name.


Now, there is a time for synthetic brushes. Taklon brushes are synthetic and good for using cream or liquid makeup. These bristles are soft yet firm and don't absorb product like fluffier brushes do. It's also a lot easier to clean your lip glosses and concealer off of these brushes.  


The good news is that you don't need a billion different brushes to achieve the look that you're wanting to get.  I don't ever use a foundation brush. It's so hard to use and all it does is smear your makeup around. If I'm doing makeup on someone else I use a sponge. If I'm putting it on myself I just use my hands. You'll get the blest blending that way. You can always be creative and use one brush for multiple things. Here are a few basic brushes that I like. These are brushes you need in your makeup collection! 

powder brush

blush brush

large fluffy brush for blending eye shadows together

this flat brush is for lining the eyes after applying eyeliner. You can also just use it with eye liner to blend it in to your lid so you don't have a super obvious line

basic eye shadow brush for the eye lid area

this is a contouring brush that goes directly into the eye socket. Set your brush there, and rub the color in back and forth until it's blended in well

this is a lip brush, but you can also use it for a concealer

These aren't all crown brushes, I just tried to find photos of brushes that have the same shape of what you're needing. Hope this is helpful to y'all! 

ginny lee

Moisturize!!

I don't care what kind of skin you have, you need to be wearing a moisturizer. One of the most important elements in healthy skin is to keep it balanced! I always tell this to my clients. Whatever we do in our facial the goal is to keep our skin balanced. In order to do that we have to keep our PH at a steady, healthy level. Now, There are lots of different kind of moisturizers out there for all our skin needs. Even oily skin needs a moisturizer. A lot of people think that they don't need to moisturize because they're oily! WRONG! Using something light will actually help prevent you from being more oily. If you try to dry your skin out it's going to irritate it and cause it to produce more oil and more breakouts. Just use something light, and you'll be good to go! Here are a few options for different skin types.


Dry: I love this stuff. It's been getting me through these cold winter days! I actually couldn't believe how dry my skin got this season. Emulsion came to my rescue!!! It's loaded with shea butter, anti oxidants, rich emollients, and  jojoba oil! (my favorite oil). It's extremely healing to dry, cracked irritated skin. I love this stuff. It's also purple!! 

Normal: This stuff smells like vanilla ice cream. Don't worry, the smell doesn't linger. 

It's got an spf of 17 and will keep your skin balanced. Anyone can wear Hydrate Plus. It's pretty basic,  it protects your skin without it feeling greasy. Great for daily A.M. wear!!

Oily: If you are oily and acne prone, this will help balance your skin out! It dries with a matte feeling on your skin. With 0.5 salicylic acid in it, it will also keep your pores clean and bacteria free! It smells fresh and clean and you only need the tiniest amount. 

Now y'all don't have an excuses not to wear a moisturizer! There's one out there for you, you just need to make sure you have the right formula. In the long run your skin will thank you for it. Enjoy!

ginny lee

'

Lip Service!

It's winter and it's cold! Everything gets dried out, especially our skin and lips!! 

Here is a great remedy for dry cracked lips. I made a video to show you guys. 
(yikes, I love how the video did a freeze frame here.... I look crazy!)
Do this lip scrub! You'll love it. Don't forget it's almost Valentine's Day!!!




ginny

These are a few of my favorite things!

These are some products that I just keep coming back too. I love, love, love trying new brands of skin care, and makeup. I want to know what's best, why it is best and so on. As much as I try different brands of products, these are a few things that I come back to time and time again. They never let me down and I haven't found anything that seems to work better. Some of the stuff on this list is pricey, but I really think it's worth it. Hope you enjoy!!

1.  Laura Mercier foundation $42. I like that she has a few different formulas. You can pick from a tinted moisturizer or a foundation. The tinted moisturizer is a little more translucent but is great for evening out your skin tone.  The foundation gives you a little more coverage. Both formulas come in a regular and oil free. I like the oil free version for my skin. Her foundations are great because they don't leave your skin with that pinky tone. You always want to pick a foundation that has yellow tones. This will cancel out any redness that you have. Most all woman get redness around their nose and mouth. These are hormonal spots, so with our lovely hormones comes redness and irritation at times. Not to mention those lovely 'that time of the month' breakouts we get in those spots. Anyway, evening out your skin tone and having that perfect color match is ABSOLUTELY key to creating your look. If you are going to splurge on one makeup item, this is
it!!!!!

2.  Dior mascara $24.50-$27. I have tried dozens of different kinds of mascara and I always go back to this one.  It does it all, it curls, lengthens, and plumps. Another great thing is that it doesn't flake off through out the day. 

3.  Face Primer $15-$32. There's actually a of different brands that have good primers. It's important to wear because it makes your foundation stay in place and fills in fine lines and pores. I like the ones from MAC. You only need a tiny bit, so it does last a long time.

4.  Caudalie Beauty Elixer $15. I've been using this for several years now. It's the most refreshing mist ever! With a little bit of eucalyptus in it, it feels extremely cooling and calming. You can put this on before you moisturize, and after you are finished with your makeup. Or use it all day to freshen your skin up!

5. Boscia Face Scrub $32.  This is a great scrub because the granules are small and refined. You're skin will feel sooooooo smooth. It's very gentle, so you don't have to worry about over scrubbing which a lot of women like to do. 

6. Hand Relief $18.  I can't say enough about this moisturizer. It's so rich and creamy. It's the only hand cream that relieves my chapped hands. With my line of work I have to constantly wash my hands, so trust me, this stuff works! Plus it doesn't just wash off the first time you wash your hands. It really absorbs in well.

7. Ardell Lashes and Glue $10. This isn't really a must, but it's so fun! This glue is clear and not clumpy. It's great because the lashes stay on for about 4 days! They come in little clumps of 4. That way you can just add a few on the edges of your eyes if you want to glam up your look. It's so easy and fun. All my clients that I do makeup on love these lashes! On a side not, this glue is only to be used for these types of lashes. You don't want to use this glue on a band of lashes that you wear for one night and then take off. For those types of lashes, use black DUO glue.

8. Smolder from MAC $13. It's my favorite black eye liner. It stays on really well, and it goes on smoothly. A lot of cheaper eye liners are so dry that they practically tear your eye up when you try to apply it. That's why I stick with this one:) it's a great formula!

9.  Sebastian Hair Spray $15. All of their hair sprays are great. They have different types of hold but none of them are sticky. They all smell yummy too!

10.  Makeup Forever Translucent Powder $30. For People like me with oily skin, this is a must have! It's the last thing you put on your face.... Even after you apply blush. It's white but it goes on clear. It really does leave your skin velvety soft. It will keep your makeup in place all day and help prevent oil and shine.

Well, there you have it! I hope that this gives you some ideas of new products to purchase if you're looking for a new 'something'!

ginny lee

pin up girl

Y'all ready for my first makeup how-to? Here it is! I want to apologize in advance because the photo quality isn't that great. I'm still working on this, but I think you guys will get the idea. So here we go!

This look is super easy, classy and fun to wear! 

Start off by putting on an eyeshadow primer like this one... It's from MAC and the color is called soft ochre.

 make sure to cover the entire lid. Second step is to apply a taupe color in the crease of your eye. This look is all about the liner, so you really don't have to focus on shading or blending anything too much. Use a round tip brush like this one below.

Then you're going to take you're going to take a black liquid liner and trace it along your lash line. Draw past where your eye ends as though you are going to trace it up to your brows. That will create that 'winged' look. Don't worry about creating a perfect line across your lash line, because you're going to go over the liner with a black shadow (I like carbon from MAC). Use an angled brush to trace over the liner to make it more bold, and soften up the harsh look of liquid liner. Then all  you have to do is add lots of black mascara. Dior is my favorite. Always has been, always will be:) It's a little pricey, but it's so worth it!!! It lasts about 4-5 months. After that pout those lips and apply some red liner and lipstick and you're ready to go!!! 

Again, I'm sorry for the bad lighting and quality of the photos, but I know y'all get the idea. Hope you liked it! Try going glam this weekend, you'll love it!

beauty from the inside out

People ask me all the time, 'how do I get rid of my dull skin? How do I prevent skin aging?' 
While there are lots of different products out there to help slow down the aging process, there's also a less expensive way to help slow down the aging process that happens to our skin. The foods we eat play such an important roll for having healthy skin. This is something that we should be doing now! Don't wait until you're in your late 30's or 40's to start making good habits with your diet. Skin damage happens because of oxidation. Think of an apple that you take a bite out of. It's crisp and white on the inside. If you leave the apple alone, it of course, starts turning brown because it's oxidizing. The same type of thing happens to our skin. It's basically a chemical process that that takes electrons from healthy cells. These nasty little things are called free radicals. I'm sure you have heard that term lots of times with any kind of anti-aging product. That's simply what it means. While there are other components that causes skin to age, we obviously can't control what will inevitably will happen. The two other things that are the most damaging to our skin that we expose our skin to are smoke and sun. So don't smoke and wear sunblock. Problem solved! :)


Here are a few power foods that are also DELICIOUS that will do wonders for your skin and help slow down that aging process. Think of this as feeding your tummy and your skin. 


Avocados- They contain B complex and vitamins. It's extremely nourishing for your skin. Avocados also contain niacin. This is an anti-inflammatory and helps sooth irritated skin states.

Almonds- Packed full of fiber, they also contain large amounts of vitamin E oil. This keeps skin moisturized and smooth.

Mangos- Here is our super fruity food. You'll find this to be rich in vitamin A. Anything with vitamin A is going to fight pre mature skin aging and keeps the surface of the skin smooth, clear, and supple. This is a fruit that fights free radicals. 


Oranges, Bell Peppers, and Tomatoes (to name a few)- These fruits and veggies contain vitamin C. We all know that vitamin C helps prevent you from being sick, BUT did you know that it also is a major skin brightener? Yes indeedy, this vitamin will illuminate your skin! Any topical serum that says it has vitamin C in it will also do the same. This way if your skin is feeling dull you can attack it from the inside out! 


Wild Salmon, Soybeans, Flaxseed and Walnuts- These all have omega 3 fatty acids in them. This is not considered an anti oxidant. It's pretty amazing what these guys do. They basically protect healthy cells, by allowing nutrients to flow in and keep toxins out. 


A lot of woman ask me how to get rid of dark under eye circles. While, some of it has to do with genetics, lack of sleep, and rubbing your eyes too much, there are some foods that help reduce those black eyes. You want to look for foods containing vitamin C, K, and E. A few of the things I mentioned above have those vitamins in them. You can find vitamin K in leafy greens, green tea, and coffee. 


To wrap things up, I can't say enough about water. We all know how important it is to drink enough water every day. So I'm just going to remind you. It's amazing, it's free, and we are all blessed to have access to it . It carries nutrients to all of our cells, and it gets rid of toxins. 

See, it's not so hard to eat well. There are probably two things on this list that I personally don't care for, but I'd eat everything else daily if I had it! 


Hope you are able to enjoy some of these foods with a new appreciation!!


ginny lee