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