Vegetable Glycerin in Skincare

Hello gorgeous!!

I can't believe it's Spring already!! Although Spring season is barely here in the south of Mississippi, I'm still excited to know that daylight is longer now! I've never liked the winter season because it's always dark at 5 pm (like hello? It's already nighttime?). What about you guys? Also, don't you think it's now time to wear flattering shirts, tanks, skirts and shorts, and sundresses! Oh, I bet some of you will think of beach and relaxing while soaking in the sun (ugh, definitely not me 'cause UV gets me headache and burnt skin!

Today I'd like to discuss about vegetable glycerin or mostly known as glycerin/glycerine/glycerol. 

Glycerin and glycerol has same chemical formula (C3H8O3) although some people say one is by-product of the other or vice versa. But what are they? According to Paula's choice, glycerin "is present in all natural lipids (fats), whether animal or vegetable. It can be derived from natural substances by hydrolysis of fats. It is a skin-identical ingredient, meaning it is a substance found naturally in skin" Most websites describe it as "odorless, syrupy liquid, sweet, humectant." Vegetable glycerin is usually derived from coconut, soy, and other palm types.

Glycerin is also a popular ingredients to make cosmetics/skincare, lotion, shampoo, toothpaste candles, and even food. Its humectant substance keeps the food moist (for example its often used in cakes, pies) while for skin most likely attracts the moisture from the air keeping the skin from drying out.

Interesting facts: it was founded in 1779 by Karl Scheele but not until second world war did it become popular. It has sweet taste but not causes tooth decay. It is soluble in water and alcohol but not oil.

Now that we know about it, would I consider it safe or good for skin? I would say yes it is both safe and good for our skin. Additionally, having the right emollients in the skincare product will make glycerin works its best to keep our skin moistured without tacky feeling or any cloggings. Some botanical and natural oil would enhance its humectant properties and it won't even cause any bad things whatsoever (clogging, tacky, drying from the inside out, scaling). Don't forget that it is also edible.

Ki Ki from Qi Qi Naturals also uses vegetable glycerin as one ingredients in her green products such as mascara, Lavender hand lotion and toothpaste (sorry this product is currently sold only at a local farmers market-not on Etsy).

I found an interesting formula of liquid foaming hand soap which using glycerin, any soap (castille, liquid or melted from regular soap), essential oils, water and foaming pump bottle. Not only it costs a lot cheaper than regular hand soap, it's moisturizing while providing same benefit as any soap. You can be creative by adding Tea Tree Oil as anti-bacterial agent.
So, next time you see vegetable glycerin in your products, you can be confident that it provides its purpose as a good moisturizer for your skin.

Keep our natural beauty! Enjoy the weather, folks!


- dora -

Carmine, the non Vegan yet Natural Colorant used in Cosmetics & Food

Hello everyone,

First I want to apologize for being absent in a very long time. It's a long story. So, how are doing ya'll?

I'd like to talk about carmine today. What is it? and why?

Let 's get started!

Carmine (noun), according to dictionary.com is
1. a crimson or purplish-red color.
2. a crimson pigment obtained from cochineal.

From these two explanations, we get the idea that carmine is crimson or purplish-red color which obtained from cochineal. Wait...what??!

Cochineal? Also known as Dactylopius coccus is "a scale insect that manufactures a deep maroon pigment and stores this pigment in body fluids and tissues. The pigmentation is a bitter, astringent chemical called carminic acid (10% total dry weight), which is extremely effective in repelling potential predators, such as ants; ants find this anthraquinone to be unpalatable."*

These are some pictures I got when I type "cochineal" using search engine.

Honestly, at first when I found out about this colorant, I felt uncomfortable almost disturbed. I bought a lipstick by "TheBalm" a long time ago and this brand claims to use natural ingredients. By all means, I didn't expect the products have to use carmine as their colorant. So, I started to do some research about that out of my curiosity. Not surprisingly, this type of dye has been used since hundreds of years ago even in the fifteenth century. Europeans, Australians, Native Americans had used them for textile industry to gain many recpectable red colors. And ever since, they've also used carminic acid as food and cosmetic colorant.

Interestingly, I found out that carminic acid is used by Starbucks co., one of my favorite coffee shop. I did check FDA regulations about this type of colorant and they approve the usage of cochineal as long as it is mentioned in the list of ingredients as carmine or cochineal extract. Hm, we might never knew we have been "eating some bugs" while drinking our beverage. Many foods are using cochineal extract, ice cream, yogurt, drinks, etc.

Compared to other cosmetic colorant which probably contains lead/minion, cadmium, manganese, chromium, carmine is more safe. It's been proven for many years that people have been using it over centuries for food and cosmetics. On the other hand, lead could become toxin when ingested. We (our body) can't even be exposed to lead AT ALL. Imagine putting on as your lipstick/lipgloss? Hell no!

Now these facts lead me to a different perpective. I am not worried too much about having carmine in my lipstick anymore. It's natural, indeed. If I have to choose between any kind of colorant (for example and I made these up: #23 pink petal or #213 red brick) and carmine or carminic acid or cochineal extract, I rather to go with carmine than those nasty unknown colorants. I think bugs are more edible than metals.

So, if you are against this non-Vegan colorant, you should carefully read all the ingredients on the product label information, where usually carmine also written as crimson lake, natural red 4, cochineal extract. FDA requires to put 'carmine' or 'cochineal extract' on the list.

Some of Qi Qi Naturals products use carmine as their colorant: Rose Lipbalm and Shimmer Peach Lipstick. However, owner Ki Ki offers to replace carmine to other ingredient as consideration for vegan customers. Again, I myself don't mind with cochineal extract in my products. It's natural after all which supposedly much less harms than chemical or synthetic colorants.

Keep our natural beauty!

-dora-

source: *http://www.botgard.ucla.edu/html/botanytextbooks/economicbotany/Cochineal/

NEW !!! Natural Bar Soaps on Qi Qi Naturals' Etsy Store

Hi All,


I hope all of you are doing well ! It's Columbus Day, so some of you are perhaps having an extra day off ! How great!!! Happy Shopping for those who are getting discount stuff!!
First, I apologize for being absent for a while. Really really sorry from the bottom of my heart.
Now it's time to reveal the good news: Qi Qi Naturals now has bar soaps !!!
OMG! Yes, This is so exciting ! There are 4 kinds of them that gotten the names from its scents.

1. Peppermint and Mocha
2. Grapefruit and Calendula
3. Green tea and Silk
4. All-in-One (Body, Hair, Shaving)


Here some pictures I copied from Qi Qi Naturals' Etsy page:
and the link is https://www.etsy.com/listing/204025127/all-natural-handmade-body-soap-4?ref=shop_home_active_7

This the packaging. It is a nice vintage looking packaging, simple yet elegant and informative.

Can't wait to try? If you guys are interested in getting those and if you don't have an Etsy account yet, Kiki provides you a link that gives you a $5 gift card for FIRST ORDER ON ETSY ONLY.
https://www.etsy.com/invites/buy/?iid=ITFL5wA8XJmalFmb66b-xasrxVde2Upnp885u4sxU0w.

Have any of you tried this or does any of you want to try this or have some comments? We'd like to know what your opinions are. Thank you!

Enjoy your day !!! Adios !!!


-dora-

Today's Pick: Pink Clay Blush & Rosy Clay Blush

- All natural blush made with clay & minerals

Hi All!

Today's Pick by Qi Qi Naturals is Pink Clay Blush and Rosy Clay Blush. The blush are made with all natural clay and minerals. Both colors are infused with jojoba oil which is rich in Vitamin E and promotes radiant looking for the skin.
The color is derived from natural clay either Australian Pink Clay or Australian Red Reef Clay. The blush are very pigmented, so a little goes a long way.
Available on Etsy for $6.

The look on my face: (my skin tone is light to medium). I am wearing Qi Qi Naturals' Pink Clay Blush, Bronzer, Coral Lipstick and Clay Eyeliner.

Xoxo, Dora.

Here's the link :

https://www.etsy.com/listing/187666981/pink-clay-blush-rosy-clay-blush-all?ref=shop_home_active_5

The product's description as from Etsy:

Pink Clay Blush & Rosy Clay Blush

Get yourself a natural-looking color with Pink Clay Blush/ Rosy Clay Blush that enhances your beauty by providing healthy youthful look on your cheeks. 

Our Clay Blushes contains Australian Pink Clay/Australian Red Reef Clay, Organic Jojoba Oil and Mineral powders that have antioxidant benefits for protecting the skin from free radicals. 

Pink or Rosy color, please choose the color you like! 

Direction: Apply on cheek using a blush until desired color popped. A little goes a long way!

*****Pink Clay Blush*****
Color: Coral with a slightly copper shimmer. It is bright and vivid! Ingredients: Australian pink clay, *Jojoba oil, Micas, Titanium dioxide, Sericite mica & Magnesium stearate (*Organic)

*****Rosy Clay Blush*****
Color: Matte Rosy color. It has slightly cool undertone. Great for night look! Ingredients: Zinc oxide, Sericite mica, Silk powder, Magnesium stearate, Australian Red Reef Clay, *Jojoba oil, Vitamin E oil, Mica (*Organic)

------------------------------
Key Ingredients:(*Organic)

Australian Pink Clay is perfect for balancing the most stressed and sensitive of skins, it’s hydrating properties help to refine delicate lines, moisturize, and improve the overall texture of the skin.

Australian Red Reef Rich in essential minerals, and with a high iron content, Australian Red Reef Clay helps to replenish your skin, creating a soft and healthy glow.

*Jojoba OilOrganic Jojoba oil golden closely resembles the sebum of the skin, and is rich in vitamin E. This oil promotes a glowing complexion. 
------------------------------Store in a cool, dark, dry place.

In a 10g plastic jar with a sifter (pre-sealed with a clear label) 

Larger size is available on request.

Please choose the color you like!

NEW! Qi Qi Naturals' Acne Spot Treatment "Clear Me Up"

- with Organic Jojoba Oil and therapeutic grade essential oils

Hi there!!

I have a good news for you with acne problems! Qi Qi Naturals just launched a new product! It's a treatment for acne and blemishes called "Clear Me Up". It comes in a rollerball bottle which make it easy to apply. Moreover, it's made with all natural ingredients to keep your natural beauty.

Here's the link:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/189216807/acne-spot-treatment-clear-me-up-with?ref=shop_home_active_1

Some information I copied from Etsy page:

Acne Spot Treatment "Clear Me Up" from Qi Qi Naturals - $6 (USD)

If you're anything like me, the initial reaction to a pimple is to lob as many harsh chemicals at it as possible, hoping it will disappear instantly—or at least overnight. This spot treatment serum will battle it out with your blemishes. Formulated with Tea tree, Lemongrass and Lavender essential oils. "Clear Me Up" helps calm and reduce redness while Organic Jojoba Oil promotes healthy skin. Each roll-on bottle is 5 ml. 

I use therapeutic grade essential oils and I am not stingy about my essential oils. I put enough amount of essential oils in order to get the best benefits from the essential oils. 

Direction: Apply to face in the morning and evening after cleansing. Or as needed. 
---------------------------------

Key Ingredients:
(*Organic)

*Jojoba Oil
nutrient-rich oil moisturizes for soft, supple skin.

Lavender Oil
acts as an antiseptic and cleanser, while balancing, soothes and heals.

Tea Tree Oil
It has been found to cut deep into the skin oils thus unblocking the pores on the skin. This ensures that any other acne causing-bacteria which are still deeper in the skin are eradicated to prevent any other future infections. This means that tea tree oil for acne is a very powerful natural remedy for acne in that it removes all the bacteria that may cause future infections! 

Lemongrass
It contains antibacterial and antimicrobial components. This combination of astringent and antibacterial qualities makes it an excellent choice for acne prone skin.
--------------------------------

Store in a cool, dry, dark place.

In a 5 ml roll-on glass bottle. It is good for traveling and putting in your purse. 

Larger size is available on request.

Ingredients: *Jojoba Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Essential oils of Tea Tree, Lemongrass & Lavender
---------------------------------

This product contains no preservatives, no parabens, no dyes, no animal products or testing (we test everything personally), no added water. Our ingredients are all certified organic, vegan and are locally sourced or fair trade certified.

Qi Qi Naturals' Grand Opening at Etsy: 10% OFF !!

Hi everyone!

Yay!! I'm so excited to let you know that Qi Qi Naturals is now available at Etsy.com.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/QiQiNaturals

From Kiki's Instagram:

"I am so thrilled and honored today to announce the official launch of my new All-Natural handcrafted skincare brand, Qi Qi Naturals!  It is available on Etsy.com and at local herb store. The past year has been full of challenges and trials. I couldn't be happier than to have my own skincare brand (I have worked in the beauty industry for about 12 years). And it is like a dream comes true!"

And for the Grand Opening event, Qi Qi Naturals offers 10% off for everyone for a minimum purchase of $10 until Jun 30.
Use the code ENJOY10OFF when check out.

Let's stop by, shop, and spoil your skin with all natural skincare products from Qi Qi Naturals. They work wonderful on my skin because "Nature makes the best skincare".

See you in the next blog/event !
Keep our natural beauty!

-dora-

Sunscreen... for Dummies !

Hi Everyone !

How ya'll doin' ?

Summer is around the corner! Or at the place I live, I would call it is already Summer for it's been few days the temperature is around 80F (27C) in addition to humidity, making it feel like almost 90F ! Gosh, I'm not looking forward for being in 90s degree plus humidity. Imagine about 100F roughly. Yeah..
Anyway, let's talk about sunscreen because it will be our most necessary item in our bag! Well, to me IT CERTAINLY IS! Here we go....
(I collect the materials from many pages, mostly from FDA website).

Why do I need it?
First of all, to avoid sunburn. Sunburn could be really painful or annoying to some people. Secondly, to avoid other skin problems caused by ultraviolet radiation such as aging, wrinkles, dark spots. Lastly, to prevent skin cancer which also caused by UV radiation.

What is sunscreen? What is sunblock?
Shortly, sunscreen is non-colored chemical protection, meaning the ingredients absorb and penetrate the skin as work as a filter to reduce the radiation mostly only UVB although nowadays some have UVA protection. A sunblock is a white-colored physical protection meaning blocking the radiation against UVA and UVB.
Afterall, nowadays many sunscreen lotions offer protection against UVA and UVB, so basically the SPF number is more important. Let's move on!

What is SPF?
It stands for Sun Protection Factor. Usually the range is within 15 to 100.
What's the meaning of SPF number?
Yeah, roughly it's about the period of protection you will get: multiply the number with 'how long you are able to stay in the sunlight until you get sunburn.' If you get sunburn after 15minutes being exposed to the sun, then applying SPF 30 roughly will get you keep protected for 450minutes [30x15minutes].
Now, this could mislead anyone, please keep in mind that it doesn't always work that way! Some notes you need to know:
1. how much of the application. If you only apply sunscreen half of the instruction mentioned, you only have about 1/3 or 1/4 of protection. [using same example above, about 112-150minutes]
2. sunlight intensity. During the day, especially by noon [10am-2pm], the sunlight intensity is the highest while early morning and late afternoon are less intense. Therefore, you need to re-apply you sunscreen most likely during the day at noon.
3. water/sweat factor. If you swim, sunscreen will be washed off. And if you sweat a lot, the sunscreen will be washed off. Therefore, the protection is no longer reliable. For example if you sweat a lot and wash off the sunscreen in 60minutes, you will get sunburn shortly after, although you expect the SPF30 will protect you for 450minutes! Again, keep in  mind that you always have to keep re-applying every 2-hour to be safe.

Which should I get, a sunscreen with lower or higher SPF number?
Higher. Because you will get more protection. I recommend get the SPF 30 instead of SPF 15, even though the protection is not double, but kind of. Keep in mind the SPF 50 only slightly different with SPF 30 or SPF 15. For example the protection from SPF 15 is 93%, SPF 30 is 96-97% and SPF 50 is 98%.
The higher the better, especially if you happen to put only half amount of lotion as in the instruction. If you have SPF 30 and only apply half of the instruction, then you are most likely still having SPF 10 on you.


Why do I need to apply sunscreen 15 minutes before going outside?
to give your skin some time to absorb the lotion into deeper skin layers thus it works longer and effectively.

Well, I think that's all I want to share with you. So, don't forget to put on your sunscreen lotion before going outside, and also put on some lipbalm with at least SPF 15 to protect your lips. It's okay to be tanned but it's not okay to get sunburn!
Keep your natural beauty! :)

xoxo,
-dora-

PS: makeup, lotion, body butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil, our natural skin oil, and some ingredients offer a little amount of SPF sunscreen. So, in the case you ran out of sunscreen, grab a little bit of coconut oil and use it as your natural sunscreen!
I might going to write about it later, but it won't be my next blog.

NOTE: I bought all of the above items using my own money, I don't get any benefits from them and I just happen to have them at the moment. I don't intentionally try to promote any of those brands. Please understand, thank you!

Mineral Skincare and Cosmetics

Some people say mineral cosmetics are for oily skin.

Hi Gorgeus!!

Ever wonder what are these mineral skincare or cosmetics? Well, according to Merriam-Webster dictionary, mineral is:

1. a substance (such as quartz, coal, petroleum, salt, etc.) that is naturally formed under the ground
2. a chemical substance (such as iron or zinc) that occurs naturally in certain foods and that is important for good health

So, when we talk about mineral makeup or skincare, my thought refers to the first meaning, a natural substance from the ground. Hence, I would say that mineral cosmetics are made using some natural ingredients. 
I am sure you've already heard or even used mineral cosmetics before since this type of makeup or skincare has been around for a while ever and has become never ending trend. Some popular mineral cosmetics are mineral powder, mineral foundation, mineral eyeshadows, blush, etc. Some mineral skincare are clay mask, cleansers, moisturizers and many more.

I think the reason mineral cosmetics/skincare are good is that they are free of harsh chemicals (preservatives, fragrance, water, dyes) which would be overwhelming to some people with sensitive skins or acne prone. I myself am struggling with dry and flaky skin under my nose area. I used to wear regular foundation/powder and it emphasized the flakiness. Seriously, it looked terrible. Either the previous skincare I used had some chemical that my skin was prone of or not enough moisturizer agents, I don't know. But I suspect those were the most reasonable cause.

When Kiki introduced me to her skincare products, I was grateful. To be honest, I was skeptical at first, well, you know, natural versus regular brands. However, I'd love to try her products mainly because she says she has dry combination skin like me. Hey, I'd never seen she had flaky skin! So, I thought, this may work! Indeed it works. I started to get compliments of my skin. Ever since, I always look for mineral or natural skincare/makeup [if Qi Qi doesn't carry] or at least, I would read the ingredients of the products before buying. Something that takes some time.. but worth it! 


Now, let's dig deeper into these stuff.
Are mineral makeup or skincare only for oily skin? No. I have experienced that they shouldn't be only meant for oily skin. In fact, good mineral makeup could balance the oil level of the skin [make the skin less dry if you have dry skin and make the skin less oily if you have oily skin]. 

However, beware! Some brands may claim that their products are made using mineral ingredients or naming them after mineral skincare/cosmetics but they still use water and preservatives and perfume which mean chemical substance. Or they actually only use one or two natural ingredients [not all naturals]. Now perhaps these products don't have as much benefits from their natural ingredients. Keep in mind, the chemical substances/preservatives might reduce the mineral potentials.

Applying Mineral Powder Foundation or Finishing Powder
As I have dry skin, I apply powder relatively generous only on T-zone. Sometimes, I put on my cheeks and all over the face, but I think it's not necessary. For me, a thin layer should be enough. Liquid or cream foundation would work better for my skin. And when I use my liquid foundation, I use my moisturizer and sunscreen underneath. Lastly, I apply sheer mineral powder as finishing powder. Voila!


Mineral Skincare Ingredients
Let me write some ingredients that are usually part of mineral skincare/cosmetics.

Clay [Kaolin Clay, Rhassoul Clay, Australian Pink Clay, Bentonite Clay, etc]
Usually used in mask, cleanser, foundation, blush, any kind of dry cosmetic products.
Benefits: quick absorbent and some help with skin conditions (dry/flaky/oily).

Any Herbs Powder [Arrowroot, Kelp, Rose, Lavender, Lemon Peel]
Benefits: based on their natural contents such as vitamins, antioxidant and anti-inflammation, anti-bacterial agents.

Mica and Sericite Mica
Benefits: firstly, they are from natural source which are better than dyes or any coloring ingredients. They can be really good to your skin, however, if you have sensitive skin, you might want to test this first as they can be tricky to some sensitive skin.
I have no problems with them.

Titanium Dioxide
Benefits: Suncreen

Magnesium Stearate
[stearic acid salt] It is commonly used as thickening agent in many skincare and makeup; helps to get the desired texture of a product. It is also used to reduce the clear/transparent appearance of finished products.
FDA says it is safe to be consumed.

Zinc Oxide
A natural source of coloring agent, sunscreen, and skin protection.
Is it safe? FDA says it is safe as cosmetics ingredients.

All in all, Mineral Products seem to have more benefit than regular products. The choice is yours. Like I always said, believe your skin, if your products caused you breakouts or any uncomfortable sensations, stop using them! Mineral or not, your skin knows what works best!
Keep your natural beauty :)

-dora-

Qi Qi Naturals Event: Sea Mist Botanical Store in Oregon A

Qi Qi Naturals products will be selling at a local botanical store and Etsy.com soon! Stay tuned!!!
Please support small business and cruelty-Free products!

From Sea Mist Botanicals Owner
"Sea Mist Botanicals now carries Qi Qi Naturals. Stop by and check out these wonderful new products.
Mineral Foundation, Cheek and lip stain, eye serum, face oil, Herbal face cream and more....

Sea Mist Botanicals carries fresh organic herbs, salve kits, bath salt, sage, lotions, pet products, soaps and so much more. 

Open Monday thru Saturday 10am to 6pm.

16209 W Hoffeldt Ln Suite C, Behind rice bowl. Look for the big red flag."

Here are some preview photos: 

All of the products are handcrafted by Kiki with love and are cruelty-free

"Try Me" Kit

Also, we are currently developing our Etsy store at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/QiQiNaturals

Please stop by and spoil yourself by letting natural products touch and improve your natural beauty!

Thank you!

DO and DON'Ts Part 4: Eye Makeup

Hi Lovelies!

Eye Makeup 

It's almost Spring! Sure thing we want to look fresh in Spring time when it's no longer so cold but not hot like Summer time. So, what colors are wonderful in Spring time? Any colors like flowers (nice bright color) such as pink, violet, light blue, mint, orange, gold and white will give us fresh look especially to be put on eye area. Yay!

Is Eye Makeup that important? Personally, I do believe 'eyes express one's beauty' because eyes can show people who the person is. So, yes, eye makeup is important as to emphasize a woman's beauty by giving a straight and bright look through her eyes. It sure does make a difference. Hence, let's talk about DO and DON'Ts for Eye Makeup!
(Please note that I'm not a Makeup Artist nor an expert, everything I do I learn by own experience or any tutorials/articles, so you might have a better way)

Eyebrow Filler (It could be eyebrow pencil/cake/powder)
Do
1. Choose natural color that looks like your eye brows'.
2. I usually use the cake type filler or powder on light brown/grey/taupe. Grey match with my skin since my skin is medium n yellowy.
3. I like powder that comes with brushes and wax. Usually one brush is for sort of combing my brow to make it neat in one direction and organized shape while the other one is for applying the wax and powder. The reason I don't like pencil is because my brows are wide but thin; it's hard to fill and shape my brows using pencil.
4. I haven't tried the eyebrow shaping kit and look forward to try it; however, in shaping my eyebrows, I only work on slightly giving extra color on where the hair is. I like to keep their natural shape. I don't work over or expand my eyebrows.
5. Check and choose products that are using natural ingredients if possible.
6. Eyebrow brush/comb is really recommended to fix eyebrow hair and stimulate growth.
Don't
1. Work over on your eyebrows, eyebrows that are too thick look ridiculous and people end up looking at your eyebrows, not to your eyes! Eyebrows that are too big/oversize (for example almost touching each other at the nose) make you look angry or scary. Err... yeah, really.
2. Forget to clean your brushes. When I'm lazy, acne will happily show up on my eyebrows!
3. Forget to clean your makeup when you're home.
4. Use if you have any skin problems.

Eyeliner (pencil/liquid/gel)
Do
1. Choose the form of eyeliner you're comfortable with. So far, I like the liquid eyeliner the most because it gives a bold look and it's easier to make cat eye. (I don't like smudgy look from pencil.)
2. Choose Waterproof type if you like to line your waterline.
3. When it comes to choosing color, I definitely like dark color such as black, dark brown, purple and dark jade. Since I'm Asian, I have single eyelid therefore dark eyeliner really helps to bigger my eyes.
4. I usually apply from inner corner to outer corner on my top lash line. As for bottom lash line, I apply by mood how do I want to look like on that day (sometimes I put all the way sometimes outer half while I use shimmery cream color eyeshadow for inner half or sometimes I use the shimmery cream color eyeshadow only. It depends).
5. Some products use natural ingredients to get their color from cocoa powder or charcoal. 
6. Clean your eye makeup with makeup cleaner once you're home. This is the most important to avoid red eye. 
Don't
1. Don't touch your eyes area too much while wearing eye makeup, either you mess up the makeup or you may get red eye.
2. Forget to clean especially if you're using waterproof eye makeup.
3. Don't use liquid eyeliner over three months to avoid irritation from the brush. (But honestly, I break this rule since I don't wear makeup everyday).

Eyeshadow
Do
1. It's nothing to worry about wearing eyeshadow. If you're a beginner like me, you are looking for natural colors, enough to make your eyes look brighter. Natural/nude/neutral colors are good for everyday look. 
2. Get a palette that has at least 3 colors. 3 is good number because we need bright color for inner corner and brow bone, medium for crease and lid and dark for lash line or as eyeliner. However, I'd rather to get a palette that has more colors in it. More is better! Why? Because you can mix and match to get a different look and create new colors. 
3. Read the ingredients. Since we are aware of makeup products may contain chemical ingredients that are harsh for our skin, go natural!
4. Learn and practice for application. It's fun, really! You can find a lot of tutorials over internet, on youtube, magazines. So, I don't need to teach you anything. Just spend some time at home to try! Experiment.. Experiment...!!
5. Use eyeshadow primer/eye balm before applying to make the color pop and optimizing the eyeshadow by avoiding using too much or wasting it. 
Don't
1. Overwork or use the whole colors in your palette if your palette has 6 colors or more.
2. Forget to clean your brushes. 
3. Forget to clean your makeup when you're home.
4. Use if you have any skin problems.

Eyeshadow Primer
Do
1. A good eyeshadow base usually have transparent/nude like color. Choose nude color or similar with your skin color or foundation that you use. If you like a hint of shimmer, some brands have those in shimmer.
2. Apply from inner corner, eyelids, all the way to brow bone (under eyebrows) and outer corner. I usually only need a tiny dot on each eye.

Don't
Generally it's same as Foundation and other eye makeups.

Mascara
(I'm not a mascara type girl and I don't like mascara because it makes my eyes feel heavy, but... here we go!)
Do
1. Choose the color like. Black and Dark Brown are my favorites.
2. You want to use just a little bit and get the excess tint out first before applying to avoid clumps or stickiness and moreover ruining your makeup!
3. Well, if it's too late and it ruined a bit of your makeup, grab a Q-tip and clean it. Put concealer when needed. Use face/powder brush to smear it. Blend it.
4. Choose the waterproof kind because eyes are sensitive and without you know it, tears come out!
5. You may use the eyelash curler first. When applying, try to push it to the top a little bit, it will help curling your eye lashes.
6. You may use paper to avoid ruining your eyeshadow. It saves time than ruining the makeup and dealing with it.

Don't
- refer to other eye makeups


Tips for All Makeup
# If it's hard to find natural ones, try to find some products that claim to not using certain chemical ingredients (for example: paraben free, sulfates free, phthalates free, GMOs free, fragrance free, etc). 
# The application should be 1. eyeshadow primer. 2. eyeshadow. 3. eyeliner. 4. mascara.
# If you like to use pencil eyeliner/eyebrow, use the good sharp eye pencil sharpener to sharpen it a little bit but not too sharp. As long as it's evenly sharpened. 

Personally, I don't wear makeup when I'm home. I don't have to. When I'm being lazy or don't feel like it, I would only put on my moisturizer/face oil, suncreen, BB cream, eyebrow filler (ergh, my weakness, super thin eyebrows) and sometimes just eyeliner. I try to avoid using too much chemical ingredients when possible and to choose natural skincare and makeup.


Have fun !! See ya'll on my next blog!!
Keep your natural beauty, love your body !! :-) 


-dora- 
 

DIY Natural Gel Eyeliner in Brown
Mix well: 1 part Aloe Vera Gel (upto 2 parts, optional), 1 part Coconut Oil, 1/4 upto 1/2 part Cocoa powder. 
As simple as that! Remember to use clean brush when applying and store in cool dark place.  

DO and DON'Ts Part 3: Face Makeup

Hi Everyone!!

I hope you enjoyed reading my last Do and Don't Lists and it's always great if you like to write me comments and share some additional tips I might not know. You can also suggest me something you'd like me to write about! That would be my pleasure!
Alright, next I want to list more Do and Don't by me about Face Makeup. Here we go:

Blush or Cheek Stain
Do
1. I like to put this after my makeup powder.
2. Usually I apply slightly on cheek bone (or apple on cheek) using blush brush.
3. Choose the color that matches with your makeup and skin color. For example I want to apply coral lipstick, a bit orangey/peachy color blush/stain would be better than pink to make my face look brighter.
4. Make sure you clean your brush on regular basis. Since I don't wear makeup on daily basis, I clean my brushes every 2 months. If you wear makeup everyday, maybe it's better to clean your brushes once every week or two weeks.
5. If possible, get natural ones that using natural coloring such fruit powder.
6. If you put a bit too much, you can apply more makeup powder to smear and hide it or simply just use your brush to blend more.
Don't
1. Put if you find any skin problems. It's either the product is not good for you or you need to clean your brush.
2. Forget to clean your makeup after you're home. Use makeup remover or DIY makeup remover (cotton, distilled water enough to damp the cotton, and Extra Virgin Coconut Oil).

Bronzer
Do
1. Basically almost same like blush, the only difference is that I apply bronzer under my cheek stain. At the deeper area when I suck-in my cheek. Sometimes I apply at chin, a bit on both sides of the forehead and also both sides of my nose to give an elevated look. I'm still learning to contour my face in a better way :)
2. I use the same brush to apply my blush.
3. Using natural ingredients are preferable. The coloring could be from cocoa.
Don't
1. Get bronzer that's too dark. We just want the bronzer to emphasize our blush on the cheek not to looked like bony.
2. Use if you get skin problems.

Highlighter
Do
1. It is also basically like blush, the only difference is that I apply highlighter under eyes or upper my cheek stain to make the blush more pop, my nose, and slightly between nose and upper lip every now and then.
2. I can use either the same brush for the blush/bronzer or maybe a smaller one, fluffy blending brush could be an ideal one.
3. Choose a slightly brighter color than your powder/foundation to give a natural look. Matte color is always good even though sometimes giving a little bit of shimmer makes a more glamour look. (I like it!)
4. Always clean the makeup after you're home. Your face need to breathe too.

Don't
Choose a color that's too bright or same like powder that doesn't emphasize or give any effect. And don't use if you experience any skin problems.

Anyway, I hope this is really helping. I'm still working on Eye Makeup for my next blog. I hope to post it tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.
See you later! Always keep our natural beauty :)

To Be Continued....

-dora-

DO and DON'Ts Part 2: Cosmetics

Hi Beauties !!

Have you read my recent blog? What do you think? I hope it could be somewhat useful to encourage you living better and healthier! I think it's important to take care of our skin, not only caring of our diet or doing some physical activities.

Now that I listed Do and Don't for Skincare products, how about for cosmetics products or I would like to call it makeup. Again, all of these work for me, hopefully they work for you.

Any of AA, BB, CC, DD Cream Makeup
What are they?
Briefly, they mostly stand for: Anti Aging, Beauty Balm, Color Correction, Dynamic Do-All tinted moisturizers depend on the brands and each has different purposes from tinted moisturizer with sunscreen, brighten skin and even out complexion and so forth. However, they are less heavy than any makeup foundation (some of them may opaque-like). I think it's sort of all-in-one solution for everyday or fast makeup. The alphabet goes to meaning an improved formula from the previous ones. So, CC cream should be better than BB cream. BUT, keep in mind, due to all ingredients are combined in one product, the sunscreen may also be lighter and thus we need to put real sunblock to protect our skin.

Do
1. Read thoroughly all ingredients the product claims to have before buying. Make sure to get all benefits your skin really needs.
2. I recommend to get the one with sunscreen in the case you want all-in-one make up, otherwise, put a thin layer of sunscreen before you apply it for UV protection.
3. Choose the color that slightly darker than your skin color like one or two tone lighter because when you apply, it eventually will blend and look the same as your skin color.
4. Put a thin layer of your daily moisturizer after you clean your face. Leave it at least 5 minutes to absorb. (Apply thinly your sunscreen on sunny day, again allow 5-10mins to absorb). Apply evenly your BB/CC cream.
Don't
1. Apply when you have breakouts or any problems.
2. Get the color that is lighter than your skin tone, as you may end up looking like a ghost!
3. Forget to clean your make up once you're home from outside.

Makeup Foundation/Primer
- refer to Alphabetical Cream Makeup 
You can wear them separately, Face Primer usually opaque-like or nude color and use the Foundation that suits your skin color.

Makeup Powder (Foundation, Compact/Loose, Finishing, etc)
Do
1. Get mineral powder that is formulated for your skin type. They usually say whether good for oily/normal/dry skin.
2. Put a thin layer after your foundation/BB cream.
3. Use powder brush or sponge to apply evenly. Slightly dab/press the brush/sponge onto your skin to make the powder stay. If you swipe it back and forth you will end up wasting your powder.
4. If you want to skip foundation/BB cream, put sunscreen first before applying powder and also choose powder that contains SPF.
5. Choosing the color is almost the same as choosing foundation. Pick a slight darker color than your skin tone or the transparent one. They will blend perfectly with your natural skin color.
6. If you have dry-combination skin (like me), you can skip the whole face and only on T-zone or oily area only.
Don't
1. Use if the texture are not smooth or hard to apply. Texture is important when applying makeup powder to get a flawless look.
2. Apply the powder by swiping back and forth, you will waste your powder.
3. Use if you find any breakouts/pimples/dryness. Listen to whatever your skin says.

Lipstick
Do
1. Get the ones that claim have natural ingredients. Why? As we may accidentally eat some lipstick with our diet. Avoiding unwanted chemical ingredients into your body won't hurt, right?
2. Choose the colors that suit your skin. For example I'm Asian so Coral colors suit better while pink makes me look dull, if you're white, pink and red are good ones though mostly all colors fit you.
3. Put a thin layer of your lip balm before applying to avoid dryness.
4. To get a fully look lips, you can use lip liner before applying lipstick.
Don't
1. Use if it makes your lips dry and chapped.
2. Forget to remove make up when you're home. (I'd rather to put lip balm at home).

Important Note for Buying Healthy Lipstick:
Coloring ingredients. Usually regular brands use dyes or chemical coloring. We are trying to avoid that. So get the ones with coloring like beets powder, alkanet root powder, reef clay, or any fruits powder as they are natural ingredients.

Foundation/Powder and Lipstick are the most common must have items that every woman has in her purse. However, more items are also important for makeup junkies: eye shadows, blush, bronzer, mascara and more. I will continue to work on writing about them soon!

to be continued........

-dora-

DO and DON'Ts Part 1: Skincare

DOs and DON'Ts by me


Facial Cleanser
Do
1. I clean my face twice a day. Tips: in the morning if I stay home whole day, I rinsed my face with cold water only. I know friends who have been doing this since teenagers and their face never have any problems. In the morning, we have good face oil that is useful for our face, our natural oil.
2. Whenever I have make up on, I use DIY eye make up remover (recipe in the bottom of page) before I use my cleanser.
3. Use cleanser with scrubs/grains/beads as they clean pores thoroughly.
Don't
1. Don't be lazy to clean our face. In my own experience, when I was busy and skipped morning rinsing once, acne started to come out. Uh-oh.
2. I read somewhere, since I have dry skin, to avoid foam type cleanser.
3. Don't let your makeup stay for too long, especially when you plan to stay home.

Face Moisturizers
Do
1. Make sure to clean the face before applying.
2. Thin layer should be enough for the whole face. Applying too much will probably make your skin overwhelmed.
3. Make sure you're comfortable with the product; your skin should feel supple, smooth, better. I love my Face Oil since the ingredients are all natural. Thanks to Qi Qi Naturals, my face feels improved.
4. Choose the one with SPF/Suncreen for daytime (preferably SPF 30) and more antioxidant agents for night time.
Don't
1. Don't apply before cleaning your face! Why? because, we never know if the moisturizers will trap bacteria/dirt onto your skin and guess what? pimples start coming out. Oh no!
2. Don't use products that give you breakout, rashes or any problems. I tried ROC Retinol and hey, it's not cheap! $23 or so. Well, I had breakout, either I put too much or what, I don't understand. I tried to rotate with my other face cream, well, my face started to get used to, but, not too long after using it, dry skin. So, I stopped. Really, believe what your skin says.
3. Don't be lazy to apply moisturizers especially if you have dry skin. Moisturizer should help you from dryness and flakiness.

Additional Tips for Facial Skincare:
1. Toner. I believe it helps skin to adapt the application of moisturizer. I use Apple Cider Vinegar as toner after I clean my face. I leave it on for up to 2 hours before rinsing and putting on moisturizer.
2. Facial Brush. If you have Electric Facial Brush (Clarisonic/Olay/Conair), I encourage you to use it maybe at least every week. It helps cleaning and relaxing your face. I usually use my facial scrub while using my brush. Remember, pimples are scared of cleanliness.

Eye Cream/Gel/Serum
Do
1. Make sure you have removed all eye makeup before applying.
2. Apply every night before going to bed. Especially if you are lack of sleep or very tired. A little bit is enough to prevent dark circles, puffiness and hopefully from aging/wrinkles :)
Don't
1. Just like moisturizers, don't apply it if you're not comfortable or the product causes any skin reactions.

Body Lotion, Hand Cream, Foot Cream
- refer to Face Moisturizers

Shower Gel/Soap or Body Wash
- refer to Facial Cleanser

Lip Balm/Gloss
Do
1. Apply as often as possible when you have dry or chapped lips.
2. Find Natural products as lip balm may also be eaten involuntarily.  Nothing could be worse than having unclear chemical ingredients into your body.
3. Apply overnight each day for supple lips.
Don't
1. Don't use a product that's too greasy. My experience,  a good lip balm doesn't need to be greasy. They just don't work on me.
2. Don't be lazy to apply on your lips especially if you have dry lips like me.
3. Stop using the product when you don't see any improvement in few days to a week. I usually see the result within 4 days. But it depends on how often you apply it.

Additional Tips:
1. Butter/Oil. Use Body Butter/Oil for dry skin or during winter time. And most lotions use fragrance which sometimes could cause allergic reaction. Therefore, applying butter/oil is a better way for dry skin. Choose products that contain Vitamin E or Cocoa Butter/Coconut Oil/Olive Oil.
2. Sulfur. It's believed to fight acne. Get facial bar soap that has sulfur in it.
3. Natural. I recommend to use (if possible 100%) natural products. The reason is simply to not putting too much unnecessary chemical ingredients onto our skin. Our skin will always absorb anything we apply, so it's like feeding our skin with the skincare.

DIY My Makeup Remover
1. Cotton
2. Water
3. Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
Damp cotton with just enough water (not too wet), put a little bit of melted EVCO.
Tadaaaa. It's ready to go!!

See you in my next blog!
Keep healthy. Be natural :)


xoxo
-dora-

Skincare vs Cosmetics

Hi Beauties !

I was blogging about Essential Oil and this came into my mind: put together skincare and cosmetics. Firstly, to me, a skincare product is literally a product to take care of our skin. What are they? It could be any moisturizers in forms of liquid/oil, lotion, cream, it could be powder, it could be sunscreen, cleanser, vitamins, anything. As long as we use it to help our skin. From what? dryness, aging, wrinkles, pimples, rashes, eczema, scars or simply to prevent aging in the future. The purpose: a better and healthier skin; a natural beauty.

Cosmetic product is a product that is applied to help a better look. Yes, it's all about 'the look'. What are they? make up foundation, eye shadow, eye liner, blush, bronzer, mascara, lipstick and the gank. I admit, I do apply these to look better. Honestly, I like the way I look with make up on. I could make my eyes look bigger and hide some dark spots on my face. The purpose: a better looking; hiding or improving natural beauty? (I agree with both). Well, that's my opinion.

I summarize some tips (DOs and DON'Ts) about Skincare and Cosmetics from my own experience, so.. if you find a different way, you can do it with your way. Also I'm still learning so maybe I will also change my opinion in the future.

To Be Continued ........ Find it on my next blog!

-dora-

"We, people, live with other people in this world. As spouse, a wife will be forever learning about her husband and vice versa. That's life. It's all about learning." ~ anonymous