Essential Diva Beauty

Never leave home
without them!

I told you  about how I remembered  phasing into wearing makeup as a teenager. It used to be a way for me to cover acne and of course look pretty like every other teenage girl I swore who looked better than me. It seemed I was the only one who had bad skin back then but it wasn't true. It was also a way for me to learn how to spend money wisely on personal items. Thankfully, cosmetics are much easier to find nowadays, there are more brands to choose from and there is a wider price range to suit everyone's budget.

I still have my occasional bouts of adult acne especially when stress levels are high or I've given in to too many sweet, salty, oily temptations. I don't use makeup to hide behind anymore instead I use it to cover and even out any spots or discolorations. I like to define and enhance my appearance when using cosmetics. I prefer a more natural look with hints of color.

Whether or not you do a full application process using every liner, stick, powder, and blush or you're just a one tool carrying girl, we all have our basic essentials----'glamorous at a drops notice.' hidden somewhere in that bag. They stay there and you will definitely dump EVERYTHING out to get to them.

LA COLORS EYELINER/BROW PENCIL

Here's what's usually included in my on-the-go-kit:

• Black Eyeliner (of course)
• Eyebrow/Lash Brush
• Tinted Lip Gloss
• Face Powder
• All Over Shimmer Stick

 I don't buy long eyeliner pencils anymore, because they always broke in my bags. I usually wear jet black, but have tried many other colors such as midnight blue and grape purple.
A sharp point is a must for your eyeliner to give you the defining lines you want. Its better to  purchase an eyeliner that comes with its own sharpener or is self sharpening.

Lip balm is also a great substitute for lip gloss and it's healthy for your lips. Rub a little on your finger and use as a spot moisturizer.

What do you DIVAS keep in your on-the-go-kit and never leave home without? Let us know.

Diva Beauty on a Dime Budget

I've always enjoyed wearing makeup.

 As a teenager I first starting using my face as a canvas to hide all the image destroying zits that sparsely covered my forehead and formed in patches on my cheeks. Naturally, at the time of my face painting phase, I was unaware of the scientific improvements being made to treat acne that would eventually appear first in the doctors office as Retin A. Meanwhile I continued to strip all the natural oils from my skin by over washing my face with soap, and further drying it out by applying rubbing alcohol to my zits. This is not a good idea. Sometimes my face was so tight and dry in places it hurt and then I ironically ended up applying some kind of oil (petroleum jelly aka Vaseline or regular baby oil) to soothe and restore the obviously necessary moisture back to my skin. Yes, the teenage years; I've since learned much healthier skincare methods.

Cosmetics always have been and still are an expense for most women when adapting a budget. The Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) jobs I worked as a teen enabled me to start purchasing make up on my own. When I got my first close up look at the price of cosmetics, I realized getting pretty was going to be pretty expensive, and as expected, along the way, there were a few expensive mistakes made. How I wish the idea of the tester trays had caught on more back then.

 In the early eighties, most cosmetics were sold in chain stores like F.W. Woolworth (now Footlocker) or major department stores like Macy's and Bloomingdale's or the more affordable Alexander's (I'll reminisce about Alexander's another blog). I didn't even know places like Sephora existed and any local store or neighborhood bodega had a very minuscule stock and basically nothing for someone of  medium to darker skin tones such as my own. I may have been gainfully employed, but at age 14 I really still wasn't allowed to go shopping in a store alone and really wasn't supposed to be buying makeup, thus began what I called my "Teenage girl's mission to go shopping for---".  As soon as I got paid I hit the stores.

Now fast forward to present day. While the business of beauty is booming unfortunately the economy has not been wonderful to all of our pockets. Still if you shop around you can find products to fit every budget.

When you have an extremely tight budget, you should focus on your best features and spend your money on the products that will enhance them.

Five Tips for Budget Beauty 

• It's always good to experiment, but when you find a brand you like, stick with it. This way you'll have an estimate of what you will be spending when you run out.

•  Check the Sunday news for health and beauty store sales like CVS, Walgreen, or Rite Aid. Look for discounts and coupons in magazines....yes, I said magazines like the paper ones which I still prefer because they come with lots of free samples. Store circulars also carry coupons for cosmetics and of course all that annoying paper that person keeps stuffing in your mailbox is worth looking through sometimes.

• Know your skin type before you buy and take the time to read the ingredients. Why buy something if it makes your skin look and feel worse.

• Purchase multi-functional products like an all over cover stick and buy in bulk when you can.

• Stock up as much as possible so you can still look good in hard times.

 Whatever the amount of your beauty allowance, invest in the products you apply the most, and go less expensive on items you may only use for special occasions.

 Stay looking good in a tough economy.

Check out your local Dollar Tree for many of these products for one dollar!

Shop more of my closet on Poshmark

Ready - - Set - - GO! - - ->Diva Nutrition

 I recently went for a check up to my doctor and not to my surprise I had gained a substantial amount of weight. However, it was much more than I had anticipated. According to others and self I did not look as if I weighed as much as I did. Since I did not look overweight I did not dwell on the fact that I had gained weight. Instead I focused on what I could do to ( I started last year) continue to drop a few pounds. This month at my next check up I was happy to find out I had lost three pounds! In the past I would not have been happy about three little pounds, but this time I was satisfied because I had not previously given myself  a goal of losing a particular amount of weight. As my body has been changing with age it seems to have distributed the weight throughout my body so that it doesn't all show in one place.

I now want to share how I plan to work on one of the agreements I made with myself and the love hate relationship I have with food, weight and body image.

First: I've decided not to weight myself for a while or at least until my next doctor's appointment next month. I think a monthly weigh-in is good to start off with because at least you're giving yourself a reasonable amount of time to show progress. Unless you really believe you are going to lose two or three pounds a day, weighing yourself daily or even weekly is only going to discourage you because once you step on the scale you expect to see the numbers go down. If the numbers stay the same or go up a pound, you will feel like you are failing but it's too soon to tell.

Second: I am going to start training my body to do the work itself. I know this is going to begin with what, when and how I eat.

We may not all be a fan of vegetables but everyone usually likes some type of vegetable. I happen to love vegetables---not all, but most. I've chosen salad as a meal to eat that can include any type of vegetable you like.  Nowadays you can purchase fresh bagged salads, but they can be costly. They are mostly bags of various types of lettuce. Use them if you have no time to prepare your own or if a kitchen is not available. Consider buying your own lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers etc. You will soon discover that it cost less, and you get more salads made. You also will enjoy inventing your own salad combinations when you prepare them yourself. A salad can be quite filling but remember NOT to overload with the toppings such as croutons, crispy noodles, bacon bits or shredded cheese. Do use them to add flavor, Grilled chicken, turkey or pork can be added as well as shrimp or fish.

Next of course are the salad dressings. Don't overload on them. Blue cheese is my favorite but it's the most fattening. Try seasoning your salad with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Use a little olive oil and vinegar. I have to watch my blood pressure so I use lemon pepper in place of salt. Lemon juice is also good on vegetables.

***STOP!***

NEVER go SHOPPING when you are HUNGRY.

When you are hungry for a snack, fill a bowl with some baby carrots. They are great way to cure your sweet tooth and a great source of vitamin A. It's cold outside and what better meal to eat than homemade vegetable soup or stew. this is an excellent way to use any old vegetables. Just remember that vegetables lose most of their vitamins when they are cooked.

Vegetables help to regulate your digestive system. When your body releases waste it is slowing getting rid of the pounds hence the more you 'go', the more you lose.

If you have any comments, suggestions or recipes for a healthy and delicious meal, I would love for you to share them.

The Sweet Smell of a Diva (YOU)

Suddenly being or becoming a housewife is considered glamorous. A far cry from the perfection of the Donna Reed era, housewives have come a long way from the frumpy Roseanne Barr days.

Popping up all over the country,  from Beverly Hills, to Jersey, to Atlanta, housewives are no longer wearing sweat pants and mom jeans. Instead, the latest attire for making a grocery stop is a pair of skinny jeans and sexy stilettos and lets not forget the Jackie O sized sunglasses with the fabulous housewife hair. You can be assured when they are occupying the same space as you, a whiff of a special scent will delight your nose.

Which housewife (scent) are you?

Chic and Sophisticated*

Hot and Raunchy*

Sweet and Sassy*

Wild and Sexy*

 Love these perfumes?

Describe what makes you match any one of the four beloved scents shown and you could receive one FREE!!!

*Just pay $7.99 shipping

Limited to product availability

Note: Masquerade by Bob Mackie is a scented lotion not a perfume.

Diva Lynn Skin Care

Seasonal Skincare Tips for Healthy and Beautiful Skin

Caring for your skin properly is a year round job. Depending on your skin type: Dry, Normal, Oily, or Combination, the weather can put stress, wear and tear on your epidermis. No matter which is your skin  type, Diva Lynn has some simple tips for warm weather  skincare.

Tip#1
Help care for and protect your skin with a gentle cleanser. Try not to use body soap.

Tip#2
Regular exfoliating using a mild facial scrub will remove dead skin cells for a smoother feel.

Tip#3
Diminish the look of large pores with a skin toner such as witch hazel.

Tip#4
Always follow up with a moisturizer and continue to apply throughout the day.

Over exposure to the sun can have lasting harmful effects on your skin. Apply sun screen with an SPF of 30 or more.

Diva Lynn recommends giving yourself a home spa treatment.   

Covering up in the winter doesn’t mean ignoring your skin. The cold weather can be brutal on your skin with wind and cold, drying it as much as the sun. To keep your skin looking healthy and beautiful all year long,

remember:

• cleanse
• exfoliate
• tone
• moisturize 

Try an essential to get you started and receive a free facial puff

 

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