Lather Up! Our Sunscreen Secrets

[1.Neutrogena Beach Defense SPF 30 Lotion 2.Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen, SPF 45 3.Obagi ProfessionalC Suncare Broad Spectrum SPF 30 4. Banana Boat Ultra Defense Broad Spectrum Sunscreen, SPF 50 Lotion, 8 fl oz]

Last week we got really inspired by this awesome video created by Thomas Leveritt, posted by Upworthy that highlights the importance of sunscreen. As Arizona girls, we have always been taught to wear sunscreen since the sun is pretty much out 24/7! However, often times sunscreen has been a chore to put on. Well, Thomas Leveritt's video further shows us why wearing sunscreen is important because it severely protects our skin from sun damage. It doesn't matter if your skin is light or dark; we all need sun protection to some degree.

TSS Reader and Alpha Delta Pi alumnae, Stephanie Rosa works for a company called Solta Medical, a division of Valeant Aesthetics. We reached out to her to get some better insight on the importance of sunscreen. Stephanie shared that,"The Importance of putting sunscreen on is huge! You should wear it every day, 35 SPF minimum, although 50 is recommended. Anything above 50 (75,90) doesn't make a difference, it's all marketing gimmicks. Also, the term water resistant is now being revoked by the FDA because it's not possible to have a sunscreen that is water resistant. That'll be seen in the next few months. Also, it's necessary to have UVA & UVB protection for it to do it's job! FDA will now require companies to state that it has both to be considered proper sunscreen". 

Stephanie further explained that,"Obagi makes several lines that work wonderfully and feel awesome on the skin. I use the Obagi Professional C Sunscreen and I LOVE it! It works really well as a primer too. Lastly, always having Vitamin C in addition to the sunscreen is a must. The Vitamin C serves as a serum/antioxidant".

What sunscreen do you recommend to stay protected? Share with us below!

Easy Breezy Summer by Becca

Photography: Rachel Elaine Photography

Summer is here and finding that perfect look is always a dilemma . It's too hot for full hair and makeup so TSS Dolled Up Contributor, Becca, compiled a guide for the perfect effortless summer look. 

Easy Breezy Summer
by: Becca

Nothing says summer quite like beachy waves! Bumble and Bumble’s Surf Spray is just the thing to help you achieve that look even if you live no where near the ocean . Spray freshly washed and slighty damp hair all over, then separate into four sections and braid . Let your hair dry for 15 minutes then remove braids and scrunch hair and voilà, perfect beachy waves ! 

Onto your fabulous face. Prep eyes for eyeshadow with a primer (my favorite is Urban Decay’s Primer Potion)  and sweep on a single shade from the Sonia Kashuk Shimmering Sands Quad (super cheap and available at Target!). 

TIP: Every cosmetic routine has two parts: skincare and color. Skincare is everything before cosmetics and color is all the fun stuff post skincare. Start your color portion of your makeup routine with the eyeshadow to avoid fallout from excess pigment or sparkles. 

Apply Ole Henriksen Perfect Truth CC Cream evenly over face with a brush or fingertips. CC Cremes are a great summer option because they are light, provide coverage, and help to correct imperfections and protect the skin with SPF. 

Follow up with the NARS  bronzer blush duo in Orgasm/Laguna. Apply bronzer on the outer perimeter of the face, bridge of the nose and mid cheeks, then apply blush on the apples of the cheeks moving upward toward the ear. 

Finish the look with a coat of Tarte’s  Lights Camera Lashes mascara and some Maybelline Babylips and you’ve got the perfect effortless summer look!   

Have more questions or need some more Dolled Up beauty tips? Contact Becca at becashmon@yahoo.com or via Instagram at @beautybybec.

The Magical Skin Cream: Egyptian Magic

Egyptian Magic

We have had multiple "secret" submissions on this magical product so we had to try it out and without a doubt it is TSS APPROVED!  We know, we know- the label on the container seems a bit questionable but don't judge a skin cream by its label because this product is amazing!

After you wash your face before bed, get a tiny bit of Egyptian Magic on your fingers and massage it throughout your face; it will leave your skin a bit pasty and shiny.  In the morning when you wake up just wash your face with warm water to rinse it off.  Continue this process every night and you will really see the results after a couple of nights!  This cream isn't just for your face but you can use Egyptian Magic as an eye cream, anti-wrinkle cream, to remove scars and stretch marks! 

Egyptian Magic costs about $37.00 and you can purchase it at any Whole Foods store or you can find it online- Urban Outfitters even sells Egyptian Magic!  It's been a hot commodity and it has every right to be!  Many celebrities like Rashida Jones love this product too!

Try it out and tell us what you think!  Have your favorite "secret" beauty product? Share it with us by emailing us at secrets@thesororitysecrets.com! 

The Best Nail Hardener

Going to the nail salon once or twice a month can get a bit pricey, we budget our money so we can afford keep our nails pretty.  We've talked about our favorite top coat in the past, but what's more important is how healthy your actual nail is.

We received this secret and we had to share it!  It caught our interest right away because not only is it impossible to pronounce the name and it's from Columbia, but you can also buy it at any drug store in the US!  Quimica Alemana is the company and the product's name and it is sworn to be the best nail hardener out there.  Quimica Alemana helps nail biters and also those with weak nails that peel or breaks easily.  You will see the difference after only a couple of weeks!

Save your self some money and stop getting gel nails or acrylics and go au natural by getting your nails healthy and strong with Quimica Alemana!

Lashes 101

 

Eyelashes: Ardell Professional. Eyelash Adhesive: Duo (black).

A lot of our readers have been asking us to share our tips on how to apply lashes perfectly.  Let's face it, putting on lashes is an intricate activity, yet totally worth it once you get those luscious lashes on! Ali is by far the expert on applying lashes so we asked her to give us a step by step on how to make putting on lashes easier.

Step 1: Buy eyelashes & glue from any beauty supply store or drugstore. Our favorite brands include Ardell Professional, and Lilly Lashes.  We prefer black Duo eyelash adhesive because the glue dries black and will blend in with your eyeliner.  A few things to keep in mind... winged lashes (longer at the outer ends) will emphasize a cat-eye or smoky eye look, while rounded lashes (same width all the way around, or longest in the center) will emphasize a more doll-like and rounded eye look.  The ones we used on Karen, for example, are more rounded.  After you purchase the lashes and take them out of the package, bend them a little bit with your fingers to round them more in the direction of the curve of the eye.  This will help to make them curve better along the natural shape of your eye, before you apply them.

Step 2:  Do your eye makeup first, completing every step except for eyeliner and mascara.  You will finish eyeliner and mascara after your lashes are applied and have dried.  Now, get ready to put your lashes on, one at a time!  A secret we like is to keep a Q-Tip on hand with one of the tip ends snapped off.  The now cotton-less end of the Q-Tip can help to clean up the glue line after you apply the lash, in case glue gets somewhere it's not supposed to be.  If you really have a glue accident, wait for the glue to completely dry first- it will peel right off.

Step 3:  Squeeze the glue gently from the tube, and line at along the lash line of the faux lashes.  Wait about 20 seconds, allowing the glue to get slightly "tacky".  Then, grab the eyelashes in the center of the strip, placing them on your upper lash line in the center of your eye.  Aim for slightly above your own lash line-- this will help to not remove your own eyelashes when taking them off later.  We like to start in the center, and work our way around!  Next, bring the lashes to the outer corner, then the inner corner-- we recommend tweezers for eyelash newbies, to really get the corners applied.  Press the lashes to your lash line (pressing straight "in", not pressing up or down), applying the pressure from your fingertips to the inner and outer corners, as to secure the edges.  Press and hold for about 5 seconds at a time (repeating if necessary), until you see the glue start to turn from grey to black.  As you press "in" you can also make the eyelashes appear slightly curled, just by using your finger!  If someone else is helping to put them on you, the trick is to look down when putting them on (not completely closing your eye) so that glue does not get on your lower lashes.

Step 4: Repeat process on other eye.  If your eyes water, gently blot with a tissue; careful as to not move the eyelash or glue.  Avoid touching your eyelashes for about a minute or two to let them dry, and you're done! Oh wait, one more thing...don't forget to apply eyeliner and mascara.  Once completely dry, mascara can help to blend your real lashes in with the fake ones.  You will need less mascara than normal, just a little does it.  Eyeliner above the lash/glue line is also an important step, to cover up any traces of the glue, and blend the lashes into the rest of your eye makeup.  One tool to not use: an eyelash curler!  The curler will likely pull your faux lashes off. 

Step 5: When removing your lashes after a long night of being fabulous, gently peel from the outer corner first, peeling inwards.

What techniques do you have on applying lashes? We want to hear!

Photo Finish Look

 Foundation Primer: Smashbox-Photo Finish Luminizing

We finally got our Co-Founder, Karen, to dish out her secret to looking photogenic in photos!  No photoshop here folks! Karen said her secret to her photo finish look  in pictures is Photo Finish  Luminizing Foundation Primer.  "I recently discovered this product at Smashbox and it has made a huge difference in my photos!"  

What's the process of using this product?

"After you have applied your powder, take a pea size amount of the foundation primer and put it on the parts of your face where the light from the camera will reflect off of: your forehead, cheeks, bridge of nose, and chin. Use the beauty blender or your finger to smoothly rub it into your face."

Where can you buy it?

"You can usually get them at the Smashbox counter found in Nordstroms or at Macy's or QVC, but I would recommend buying it from Amazon  or Beauty.com "

What makes this product different from other primer products?

"I love this product because it is oil-free! A lot of foundation primers are oily and give off an oily glow look. The Photo Finish Luminizing Foundation Primer gives off a natural, more matte glow that translates well in photos!"

Now that we know Karen's secret to her photo finish glow, lets all try it out (click here to try)! 

Let us know what other products you use to make your face glow in pictures; we would love to hear!

Pink Pop

Lipstick: MAC Candy Yum Yum (buy here and here).  Nail Polish: OPI Mod About You.  Top: Express.

Brighten up your day!  We've been having fun with lipstick colors lately, and we instantly fell in love with this shade by MAC Cosmetics.  Ali doesn't usually wear lipstick (she's more of a sheer gloss kind of girl), but she flipped over this neon pink color, and gave it a whirl.  It's the most vibrant shade of pink lipstick we've ever seen!  This particular shade, Candy Yum Yum, just recently became a part of MAC's permanent lipstick color collection-- it was formerly a limited edition hue.  MAC actually calls this color "the lipstick dreams were made of" on their website.  Now hooked on the hot pink, Ali is no longer afraid of adding a bold lip to her makeup routine.

What's your all-time favorite daring lip color to wear?

Beauty Blender

beautyblender: Amazon

Don't underestimate this cute little pink thing, because it happens to hold a very special power to give you perfect flawless skin. Some people like to use brushes or their fingers to apply foundation.  If you look really close, you can see the lines from your brush (or fingers) in the foundation that’s now on your face.  By utilizing the beautyblender over your face after applying foundation, the sponge blends in the foundation smoothly.  Hello matte, perfect coverage!

Towards the end of the day, do you find your makeup to be a bit oily?  By carrying the sponge in your purse, instead of piling more make up on, you can use it to blend everything back in.  Save money by using less make up!  The beautyblender sponges are only $19.95 at Sephora but you can get them for only $6.00 on Amazon! They are reusable for at least 6 months if you wash it after every use. 

A little secret to getting that perfect look!

Banana Powder

Banana Powder: Ben Nye

It’s the product behind Kim Kardashian’s perfect face structure, it’s what makes every celebrities’ contour stand out on the red carpet. We all happen to be celebrity news junkies and have always wondered how every celebrity has such beautiful faces.  Makeup can only go so far, but why do these women have such beautiful facial structures?

It’s the product that has had all the makeup artists buzzing.  The Banana Powder by BenNye is the product that adds that special glow.  By simply adding the Banana Powder on the bridge of your nose, your cheek bones, your cupid’s bow, chin, and the center of your forehead and blending it in, it highlights and enhances your natural facial structure.  The Banana Powder has been sold out everywhere online since Kim Kardashian’s make up artist publicized that this product is his finishing touch to her perfect face.

Banana Powder by Ben Nye has been sold out online for quite some time because of its hype and it’s cost of only $25.00.  Once we used it, we loved it.  Try it out, let us know how it works for you!

Nude Is the New Pink

Lip gloss: MAC Cosmetics Tinted Lipglass-Underage

Earlier this month we had so much fun getting dolled up for our video shoot. One of our latest discoveries was how much we adored nude lip gloss! Nude lips can be a hard look to pull off especially when your lips have a tint to it that could change the nude appearance. We found that applying concealer and moisturizer on our lips before applying the nude lip gloss really helped to bring the nude color out. It even looked nice adding a dash of light pink lipgloss to the mix. Sometimes less color is more!

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