by Tara Mackey | Beauty, Blogroll
Ready for summer? GOOD. Because it’s LITERALLY here tomorrow. And as my favorite season rolls around, I have to remember that more sun = more dry skin!
As you prepare to show more skin, get ready to face the sun’s rays with my top summer skin tips!
EXFOLIATE
What it does: Exfoliation removes dead, dulling skin debris to prevent congestion and improve hydration from toners and moisturizers.
When: Perform in the mornings prior to toner, moisturizer, SPF and make-up application. Tip: Make-up will last longer on exfoliated skin!
Faves: I love the Acure Brightening Scrub, CoCo Kind’s Sea Moss Exfoliator and Hene Organics lip scrub.
HYDRATE
What It Does: Keeps skin moist and supple to ward off aging, sun spots and wrinkles.
How: Up your regimen’s level of hydration with intensive serums, perfect for use all day long or as needed. They work best when layered underneath a moisturizing SPF. Toners are a refreshing pore pick me up, working to even out your skin’s complexion.
Faves: The Essential Care Kit by Genetix is a long-time favorite and a must-have. This organic trio is amazing for anything from sensitive to acne prone to mature skin! Thayer’s makes my favorite toner.
SLATHER
What It Does: Slathering on a luxurious body oil every day after you shower keeps skin moist to ward off dry skin, cellulite and wrinkles.
HOW: Pat your skin dry. Gently blot at your skin to dry it. This can prevent you from stripping natural oils that moisturize your skin. Get optimal amounts of moisture without oversaturating your skin by determining the best product for your face and body. I recommend the full sizes of Genetix serums, which are scent free and essential oil free. Slather these luxe serums all over your body from neck to toe, concentrating on the secret spots we all miss (see next tip!)
SECRET SPOTS
What It Does: We all have spots that dry out more than others, so it’s more important than ever to keep these precious places hydrated so we don’t end up with dry, cracking, scaly skin.
HOW: Apply to the spots you may normally miss. Here are some secret spots people miss when moisturizing:
- Lips
- Tip of nose/nose
- Above the eyes
- Shoulders
- Elbows
- Knees
- Behind the knees
- Neck
VOILA! Beautiful skin is yours!
by Tara Mackey | Beauty, Blogroll, Green Beauty
Can organic beauty still look glamorous, fresh and fun? Of course!
You’ve been asking me about my go-to summer look. I love this look because it’s SIMPLE, fresh and under 10 mins! You can also do this look without any tools if you prefer, but I added some of the brushes I use for your convenience!
PRODUCTS USED (IN ORDER):
SKIN PREP: The Jasmine Garden Toner | Glow Brightening Serum| C’Lavie .21 Serum
FOUNDATION + CONCEALER: Vapour Atmosphere Foundation | Minimalist Foundation Serum
HIGHLIGHTER: Bio Brightener Stick | Magic Luminizer
BLUSH: Vapour Blush in Courtesan
BRONZER: Bio Bronze Powder
EYES: Smoke and Mirrors Eye Palette
I mix the last three colors on the left and apply to the top of my eyes with a vegan makeup brush. Then I apply a small layer of the second color under my eye lid for a pop with an angled brush (this works well if the color is orange, bronze or black).
LIPS: Ilia lip crayon in Come Undone
FINISHING POWDER: RMS Beauty UnPowder | Alima Pure Contour Powder (around cheeks, nose, temples and under the chin)
Voila! 10 mins or less and you’re glam to go!
xoxo,
Tara
by Tara Mackey | Beauty, Blogroll, Green Beauty
Election stuff. Are you as over it as I am? OK, OK… I am stuck somewhere between “anxiously refreshing The Huffington Post roughly 10x a day” and “If you turn on the news I might ACTUALLY kill you with my eyes.”
I’m sure I am not the only one who feels like the last few months have been stress incarnate. I cannot wait for Tuesday to come — and GO — so that we can be OVER all this madness. Amirite?
While we sit and wait and hope and pray and try not to drink all the gluten free beer in the fridge, don’t forget that this is the PERFECT day for a self-love date. Since you’ll inevitably be sitting on the couch biting your nails anyway, you might as well pamper yourself. Here are 5 face masks to help you destress this week:
IF YOUR SKIN NEEDS A SUPER CHARGE:
Then the Pele Mask by Mahalo is for you! Named after the Hawaiian Volcano Goddess Pele, the mask is supercharged by “botox-plant” Hibiscus, anti-inflammatory Turmeric, collagen-boosting Vitamin C, anti-aging Neem leaf, oxygenating Cayenne, sebum-balancing Witch Hazel, wrinkle-fading Guava, acne-fighting Holy Basil, toxin-magnet Volcanic Ash Clay and bacteria-absorbing Activated Bamboo Charcoal. A concentrated, intelligently detoxifying bioactive mask that transforms problem, tired skin to unveil glowing, paradise-radiant complexion. Activated by water, this astute formula morphs from dull powder to a satin mousse, swelling and sizzling as it brings to life the luxurious botanicals. Perfect for de-stressing your skin as well as your mood.
IF YOU NEED A NEW RITUAL:
If you think this week is the best time for a new skincare and self-love ritual, The Honey Mud is going to be your new best friend! A distinctive union of raw Honey, White Halloysite Clay and aromatic pure plant oils come together to bring you a truly intoxicating and highly addictive cleansing or masking ritual. This amazing cleansing “mud” can be used to clean skin or leave it on for 10-15 mins to use it as a mask. The Honey Mud infuses your skin with active enzymes and nourishment while restoring your optimal hydration and individual rhythm. A unique fresh start feeling!
IF YOU NEED SOME R&R:
There’s nothing quite like the feeling AFTER your votes are in. I know my #1 goal will be to do my Cacao Antioxidant Ritual. These pre-mixed mask is an all-time favorite! Josh Rosebrook’s products were made for your serious R&R days. Your skin will thank you, too! This mask contains excellent organic ingredients for brightening, rejuvenating, detoxifying, toning, tightening, and softening skin. This powerful organic antioxidant mask is the ultimate multi-tasker. I absolutely love the delicious chocolate-y smell and how it instantly leaves skin looking clearer, tighter and brighter.
IF YOU BLEED BLUE:
If you can’t get enough BLUE on Election Day, I have just the mask for you! Indie Lee’s Clearing Mask is a gentle yet effective detoxifying mask. Fruit acids help eliminate dead skin cells while plant extracts nourish and protect the skin. Purify clogged pores and relieve congested skin with organic healing ingredients like seaweed, chamomile, camphor extract and bentonite clay. This mask is one of my favorite ways to both cleanse and rehydrate skin when it’s being fussy or dull. Truly works on sensitive skin like mine.
IF YOU ROCK RED:
Ready to make your skin great again? I have JUST the solution! This cellular repair mask is incredible. Organic ingredients repair, regenerate and fortify damaged or mature skin. Formulated with Raspberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, and Strawberries, this anti-aging mask nourishes and restores vitality. It smells SO amazing you’ll want to eat it… and the ingredients are so pure that you CAN! This mask removes environmental damage while infusing your skin with some great antioxidants and much needed nutrients.
LOOKING FOR MORE WAYS TO DESTRESS? YOU’LL LOVE THIS.
by Tara Mackey | Blogroll, Health, Skincare
Botox. It’s all the rage – especially here in Southern California. Kind of considered standard, actually. I recently even overheard girls in HIGH SCHOOL banter back and forth about “who would need it first” (no talk about maybe not needing it at all – oh no!) I wondered: why is it considered standard to 15 year olds to head straight for the needle when there are SO many amazing ways to create and maintain a youthful appearance naturally??
Before taking the plunge into Botox – or maybe as a healthier alternative for the future – try these suggestions first!
What IS Botox??
Botox is a neurotoxin. Let me repeat that. It’s a neurotoxin: a POISON that acts on the nervous system. Cosmetically it’s used to remove the appearance of wrinkles by temporarily paralyzing muscles.
Possible short term effects include flu-like symptoms, droopy eyelid or cockeyed eyebrows, crooked smile or drooling, trouble breathing, loss of bladder control, and other super sexy sounding things.
Its long- term effects on the brain, nervous system and muscles are unknown, although we do know that there can be some decreased ability to perform routine facial expressions depending on how and where it is injected.
Also, it’s injected straight into your face.
By the way, it doesn’t last. Nope.
Get over that fear of needles in your face, pray that the injection sight doesn’t scar, hand your hard earned money to a stranger to “fix” something that’s “wrong with you”… and you STILL have to go back 6 months later!! Sometimes even sooner!
Maybe I realllly just don’t care about having wrinkles that much (in fact, I think they’re kinda sexy) but. I’m sorry. Somebody has to say it.
WHAT?!
I mean, really. WHAT?! WHY?! Why are we injecting a neurotoxin into our faces for SHORT TERM cosmetic benefits?!? A few wrinkles here and there? Too long in the sun, maybe?! A few too many cocktails and not enough water?! Guuuuuuyyyssss.
Do it, don’t do it. I don’t judge. Most of my friends have had it done and they know this much: I love them just the same. I’ve even gone with them to appointments. I’ve held their hand. I’ve watched doctors explain how safe it is. I’ve held tiny paper cups of water to their paralyzed lips. I’ve even been offered it FOR FREE.
But for real, I just can’t do it. Not my style. It’s the neurotoxin in the face thing. I can’t get over it. If there’s even a zillionth of a chance that I’ll end up slobbering, crooked eyed and pissing myself, you can count me out any day of the week. I don’t care WHAT it makes me look like.
That’s me, though. Truthfully, I haven’t felt the need to do it because I know that there are super simple things that can be done – not just proactively, but any time I see an unwanted line creeping in – to stop it in it’s tracks.
You can achieve the same results as Botox – naturally.
Without the needle.
And PS: it’s waaaaay cheaper.
These are my go-to’s that really WORK anytime I feel a wrinkle creeping in or notice a line getting deeper – and they’ve been a skin saver 100% of the time! Taken daily, they are seriously effective, natural solutions that will wipe 5 or more years off your appearance!
I can’t get enough of this stuff! AMAZING for skin, hair, nails and it’ll give you a totally natural glow. It’s an anti-aging supplement and it’s components have been proven in clinical trials to rejuvenate the skin, minimize fine lines, wrinkles, boost nail health, beauty and strength, restore hair growth, beat fatigue and even fight insomnia! I put it in EVERYTHING – my cawffee, water, smoothies, tea, and cooked meals – even my breakfast granola!
Not sold on Collagen yet? In a recent study, women who took just 2.5 g of collagen once a day saw a 20% reduction in wrinkle depth around their eyes… in 8 weeks!! Even more significant, levels of the body’s own procollagen (the precursor to collagen) were significantly elevated, with production up by an impressive 65%!! It seems that the pills in this study could make a woman’s skin behave like a younger version of itself!!
Without collagen your skin loses the elasticity and vibrancy. With it, you can remain young forever!
I’ve always loved calcium carbonate in tonics + shots, but I recently started taking more of it and also putting it into just about everything I eat and drink. WOW!
I swear since I started taking Calcium every day, my skin has never looked better, wrinkles, scars and discoloration have been fading and my HAIR has grown an inch or more a week (another post on this coming soon!) SO CHEAP and the results are fantastic – I could not be happier!! This super convenient powder form couldn’t be simpler and it’s tasteless! Get this NOW.
Colloidial silver is great for cuts, scraps, acne and… wrinkles?! That’s right! I’ve noticed that this spray is AMAZING on deep set wrinkles and dry spots! Topical creams that use silver sulfadiazine increase wound-healing time and it’s worked miracles on my face!
This is truly the perfect combination serum: moisturizing but not greasy. Long lasting. Scent free. Major amounts of age-defying hyaluronic acid (it’s the third ingredient) and melatonin (the fifth). Organic chia seeds brighten. Zinc clears skin. Rose petals soften. Coffee beans lift. Hibiscus acts as a natural Botox. Rosemary and willow bark come to the rescue as antiseptics in case you’re tackling a breakout. Because of ALL of it’s healing, skin loving properties, it’s dubbed the Cellular Recovery Serum! Now that we’ve been around the world together (literally!), I can absolutely say she’s a total lifesaver!
Simply apply a generous to trouble spots. GO. Done. I couldn’t believe it the first time I tried it and it WORKED. It literally looks like you put a 5 years younger costume on your skin! I just LOVE it! Can’t get enough!
Ashitaba is known as “the longevity vegetable”, and has been one of my all time favorite herbs for aging and fine lines! Legit, you will look younger. Ashitaba keeps degenerative diseases from occurring and has the power to rejuvenate your body’s cell properties. It also has growth hormones booster! Within weeks of drinking ashitaba in your tea or putting some on your food, you will feel a noticeable difference in the glow of your skin straight away. It has the effect of detoxifying and purifying your liver and at the same time whitening your skin complexion as it goes through your bloodstream.
Don’t let these cuties fool you! They have AMAZING anti-aging benefits! While “fat” is typically a four-letter word in the dieting world, Omega-3 is a good fat. Wrinkles begin with lack of hydration, and healthy fats keep the skin lubricated! They also help maintain the integrity of the cell membrane, which keeps toxins out of the skin and may even help protect against sun damage!
So, there you have it! A few easy, natural, simple ways to go needle-free and still look younger and amazing!
What do you think? Do you have any suggestions that have worked for you? Tweet me! Let’s chit chat!
by Tara Mackey | Blogroll, Featured, Green Beauty
Ohhhh, highlighter. How I love you. Ever since I discovered highlighter, I’ve been obsessed. When highlighter is applied correctly it can brighten up your complexion, play up features you love or can even camouflage less desirable parts of the skin.
Highlighters can help minimize dark circles, decrease the look of wrinkles, and can give a natural, youthful glow. Highlighters are made to emphasize the areas the sun naturally finds your face. It’s usually the last step of my makeup routine!
There are five main areas to apply highlighter:
- Cheekbones for a youthful dew.
- Forehead for a sun-kissed look.
- Underneath the Eye Brow for a glamorous 90’s throwback.
- Inner Eyes to erase tired eyes, dab a bit of highlighter in the inner corners of your eyes.
- Cupid’s bow to give your lips a full, pouty appearance.
I’ve compiled an ultimate guide to the healthiest highlighters!
Gia Minerals Suvar [Use code ORGANICLIFE (or BEAUTIFULEARTH until 4/25) for $$ off] My very personal favorite is from my own collection with Gia Minerals! I’m obsessed with Suvar! This versatile compact can be used as a subtle highlighter or a glamorous eyeshadow. It’s a shimmery, pearlescent white color that’s perfect on the cheeks, to highlight lips, across eyelids or in the corner of the eyes. A little goes such a long way – I’ve barely dug into this palette and I’ve had it for quite a few months now! So fun to play with – and I always get compliments on how dewey and finished my makeup looks!
Kjaer Weis created a cream formula to add a summery “just kissed by the sun” finish to every skin tone. This highlighter can be used to enhance and accentuate, with a warm pearl color that lends itself to use as a cream eye shadow, either by itself or on top of a darker eye shadow for a subtle, iridescent finish. (Use code EARTH10 for 10% off)
W3ll People Bio Brightening Stick is one of my favorite makeup products ever created! This powerful skin brightener has been designed to optically diffuse skin imperfections while capturing light to create a flawless, even glow. It’s the perfect trick for sleepless workaholics to look rested and radiant! The creamy all-natural formula has a satin smooth, weightless finish and uses premium organic botanicals including aloe and grape seed oil to nourish and soothe skin. (Use code EARTH10 for 10% off)
Alima Pure Highlighter is a great pick-me-up for the cheeks, forehead, eyes and shoulders. Incandescent and brightening, they will perk up your complexion, accentuate the features you love and add an overall youthful, healthy glow.
RMS Beauty Living Luminizer is an ultra sheer, glowing, luminizer with a translucent, satin-pearl finish. Lasts all day long. This formula is the ultimate illuminator for highlighting the skin with a sensuous, sheer, luminous glow.
RMS Beauty Eyepolish in Lunar is a pretty perfect champagne pearl shimmer that can double as a highlighter/lipstick for more of a frosted evening look. Apply some to the corner of eyelids for an instant model-down-the-runway effect. Spring looks, here you come!
Vapour Trick Stick Highlighter is amazing for a lit–from–within glow. With a few quick strokes, your skin takes on a lustrous youthful glow that brightens. This stick instantly defines the face.
La Bella Figura Beauty – Brazilian Denise Golden Corrective Highlighter is a personal favorite since I worked on the campaign with them! I’ve loved this highlighter since the founder of the company, Victoria, first opened her in front of me in NOLA before our photoshoot and I saw her sparkle! A warm sun-kissed glow can be yours with this skin loving and nurturing golden highlighter. It also contains Kakadu Plum Extract which is packed with Vitamin-C and is a potent free radical scavenger.
Happy to be able to share my favorite ways to light your face up!
Want more tips on green beauty? Find them here!
With Love,
Tara
