Beauty Looks

7.16.2016

Green Beauty: Tomato Toner for Oily Skin


Watch the Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWe6v4oI7Eg&feature=youtu.be

Update: You may notice some separation in the product. Just shake it before each use.

Before I started using natural products I found that toners and astringents can be very drying. Over drying your skin with alcohol-based products can actually increase the amount of oil your skin produces. Not only do these products not help but they’re also filled with toxic ingredients that aren’t safe for you or the environments. With some research I found that you can make your own toner with things you probably already have in your kitchen. 

Do you ever wonder why people put cucumbers on their eyelids at the spa? Well, cucumbers have soothing properties that reduce inflammation and puffiness on the skin. Cucumbers are also 95% water so they are a great hydrating product; especially in warm weather. Tomatoes are the key ingredient for this toner. Tomatoes have antioxidants that fight against cells that can damage your skin. Tomatoes are also acidic (don’t worry the level is safe for consummation and application) so it does a great job in tightening the pores that produce excess oils. It’s important to understand that you will never be able to close your pores and your body will always excrete oils, sweat, etc. It’s just that the larger your pores are the more oily your skin can get and the easier it is for your skin to be prone to breakouts. Tomatoes are also rich in vitamin A, C and K. Vitamins A and C are commonly found in acne products but they're added with a bunch of toxic ingredients so the purpose can be defeated. Now that you know about the health bit let’s get into the actual DIY!


 Ingredients (Sizing depends on how much you would like)

1 handful of grape tomatoes, ½ of a tomato or 2-3 slices of a tomato

3-4 slices of cucumber

½ cup of green tea (from a tea bag- don’t use a Snapple or Honest tea)

½ cup of apple cider vinegar

½ cup of water (to dilute the acidity levels)

½ teaspoon of lemon [or lime] juice*

These ingredients are customizable. Feel free to add rose water, tea tree oil, essential oil or witch hazel for a different effect. *optional


Directions - With A Blender

1.      Add wet ingredients into a blender and blend!

2.      Transfer into an oil bottle (mine is an old jojoba oil bottle from Trader Joe’s. You can also use a mason jar, soap dispenser, water bottle or anything else that can hold your toner.)

Directions -Without a Blender

1.      Diffuse cucumbers in 1 cup of water overnight. Because of this step you won’t need to add the ½ cup of water that I mentioned above.

2.      Add green tea bags into cucumber-water and warm. Let it cool down completely before moving to the next step. It should not be above room temperature at all


3.      Squeeze tomato liquid into the cucumber-water (if you have a strainer use that to avoid the seeds getting into your toner but it’s not a big deal if you don’t have one).

4.      Add ½ of apple cider vinegar and mix it all together (You can add any of the optional ingredients that I mentioned above)


5.      Transfer into a holder and enjoy!



Gross; I know but I wanted to show you guys that it really does a great job in removing excess dirt from your face even after you've washed it.

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Green Beauty: Tomato Toner for Oily Skin

7.16.2016

7.10.2016

Green Beauty: Activated Charcoal Mask with Minimal Products



Update: I recommend using this product and then exfoliating after. I've noticed that all of the product does not come off with just water. Working on some new variations to combat this. 

About a year ago I bought my first charcoal-based product. I didn’t do any research on it but all I knew was that it was supposed to detoxify my skin. It was natural too so I was sold. I purchased the activated charcoal face scrub from Onyae Naturals and although I haven’t repurchased in a while I absolutely love this product. I noticed that my skin would clear up when I used it about twice a week and it was then that I decided to do some research into activated charcoal (Onyae Naturals Activated Charcoal Face Scrub Review).




For one, this is not a new or innovative material. Activated charcoal has been around for centuries which shouldn’t surprise us folk that like raw materials. Just know that any natural or earth-based material has been around for ages and that our generation or the one before are not the first to find out about it or incorporate it into our lifestyles. According to this article activated charcoal can be made from bituminous coal, sub-bituminous coal, lignite coal, coconut shells, wood, etc.  More from this article:

Activated carbon is defined as carbon that has been heated or otherwise treated to increase its adsorptive capacity.
The key property of activated carbon is adsorption, which allows gases and chemicals to adhere to millions of microscopic pores on the internal surface area of the material. Adsorption should not be confused with absorption (spelled with a B). Adsorption is the adhesion of molecules from a gas or liquid (adsorbate) to a surface of a material (adsorbent). Absorption is the process in which a molecule (the adsorbate) permeates or is dissolved by a liquid or solid (the absorbent). So Adsorption is a surface adhesion phenomenon while absorption utilizes the total volume of the material to capture the absorbent.
“Activating” carbon is the process of making the carbon high in surface area to facilitate adsorption.
Adsorption opens a world of opportunity for industrial applications. Activated carbon is used to filter water, purify gas, and is even used as an ingredient in prescription medicines.


I know for a fact that I will be creating variations of these masks but I wanted to start off with something very simple.

Disclaimer: Activated charcoal powder is very fine and light making it the perfect product for a huge mess so be careful when opening the bag and transferring the charcoal. In case of a spill, hard surfaces will be fine after a quick wipe down with a non-toxic cleaner or plain water but fabrics can be trickier


Ingredients
Activated Charcoal – Amazon
            Eye measurements: Use the amount you want depending on how many uses you want. I store mine for two weeks so I use about 4-5 spoonful’s.
           
Tea Tree Oil* – Whole Foods but can be purchased here
            1-2 drops
Sea Salt*
            A Pinch
Water
            Eye measurement but pour liquids in gradually. You should have more dry products than wet to avoid a very water-y consistency
*optional

Mix it all together and enjoy!




Green Beauty: Activated Charcoal Mask with Minimal Products

7.10.2016

1.28.2016

10 Melanin Goddesses Share Their Secrets to Perfect Skin, Self-love & Confidence


#BlackGirlMagic, #Blackout, #BlackGoddess. Every day there’s a new empowering movement proving to people that representation matters and the beauty of Black girls is just as beautiful as the next. Hashtags like #MelaninMonday fight to destroy twisted ideologies that dark skin doesn’t have any value or visual appeal. Unfortunately many girls begin to hate their skin color only to start their journey to self-hatred. I got the chance to feature some Melanin Goddesses and they’re going to tell you how they achieved self-love, how they promote it and some of their favorite skin products.


Her favorite makeup products: Rimmel London's GlamEyes Mascara and on my lips I wear NYC's mahogany lipstick. If not that then it's the cute, mini, pocket-sized Vaseline cocoa butter that'll leave your lips smooth and kiss ready.

“To those who hate darker complexions and favor lighter complexions, I don't hate you. I hurt for you. However you're not going to make me think twice about what beautiful is. The Rihanna’s and Beyonce’s look great...and so do I. There was a time in life where I felt so aware of my dark skin and I always wanted to know what skin tone gradient I fell under. Then I realized that it shouldn't even matter. If my outer appearance bothers you and you've yet to converse with me, it's best we need not to be involved with each other if you're choosing appearance over character anyway. I pray one day you'll be able to love all beautiful things around you especially when it differs from the media's set standard.”



Victoria @finesselori

Fav Makeup Brand: 'BlackUp' is absolutely great and flattering for dark girls! The first time I used it I was so obsessed with it because I couldn't get over how rich it is and it makes our skin look ever more like chocolate (than it naturally does!). I think the contour kit they sell is amazing; I've never come across a contour kit that was perfect until I bought this one - I highly recommend it!

Fav Skin Product:  I can never go without my cocoa butter lotion.  I absolutely love it because it's always been the key to my smooth skin and it's so hydrating. If melanin had a smell, cocoa butter would be it! 


Tayquana @Zdtay

I've disliked my skin for many years. It all started one day, during my 6th grade year, when I had a huge crush on a guy in my English class. Someone ended up telling him and the person that told him, came back to me and said "He says he doesn't like dark skin girls".  After that day, it all of a sudden surfaced everywhere. I saw it all around social media. It never occurred to me that my skin was such a problem until I was hit with that line. When I met my first boyfriend, he loved EVERY inch of me. He made sure he told me I was beautiful every chance he got. Since I've met him, I was over the whole "I'm ugly because I'm dark". You shouldn't need a man to tell you you're beautiful, but that helped on so many levels. Even seeing other beautiful chocolate girls made me feel better about myself. 

My response to Black Men & Women that hate on darker complexions and glamorize lighter complexions: You have a certain preference for what you're attracted to and that's okay but don't ever let a person that doesn't fit your criteria feel bad about their skin. You have a different outlook of beauty but you haven't met EVERY dark skin human so please save the criticism. You're very ignorant if you think the color of your skin determines beauty.

“When I bore a beautiful, chocolate baby girl/boy, I promise to let them know how gorgeous they are from their golden dark skin to their coily kinks and to never let anyone make them think twice about it!”


They need to decolonize their minds. Colorism within POC communities is detrimental to it's growth. This way of thinking is decisive. Willie Lynch wrote about how to control slaves without shackles or violence by dividing them by color, features and hair textures. These ideas still permeate our communities today and it makes us look foolish. Darkskin vs Brownskin vs Lightskin is stupid. All Black is beautiful and we should try to recognize that more.

Fav Makeup Brand: NARS/Bobbi Brown
Cannot live without… Coconut oil


Nyzeire

Can’t live without… Black Soap hands down

I love my… red undertones

I used to not like my complexion at all. I wanted to be lighter so bad because it was all I saw in school, videos, TV, etc. I didn't really start loving my skin until my junior year in high school. My mom played a huge part in me regaining my confidence but it was ultimately up to me to look myself in the mirror and remind myself everyday how beautiful I was.

Stéphany (@Young.godess)
Can’t live without… my Black Soap. I don’t really like applying to many products on my face but that is my holy grail. It leaves my face with a natural glow.

I’ve never disliked my complexion but I did not embrace it as much as I do now. Before I wouldn’t really just say to myself, “Wow your skin is so beautiful!” I would just go about my day but when I would go to school many guys would go for the lighter complexions [girls]. They would go as far as calling a dark skin girl dirty because of her skin tone. So I wouldn’t say I disliked my complexion but it was mostly what was being said around me that made me feel as though my complexion did not matter or have as much value as others. It didn’t make me feel like I should even take the time to embrace my skin tone as much as I should. 


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10 Melanin Goddesses Share Their Secrets to Perfect Skin, Self-love & Confidence

1.28.2016

12.16.2015

My Everyday Makeup - Summer 2015



I don’t know why I never uploaded this to my blog but it’s here now. I recorded this in the summer and I’m watching it now and I realize that I probably need to do an updated routine. I don’t do this every day but this would’ve been something I did when I had time on my hands but I wanted a very subtle look – which is what I normally go for. I listed all the products below and where you can find them! Once I get back in front of a camera I’ll show you guys what I do now because I no longer own makeup brands that test on animals. Enjoy!



Face
**Concealer (highlight) – Kat Von D Lock-It Tattoo “Deep 34”
**Concealer (coverage) – LA Girl HD PRO Concealer “Toffee”

Eyebrows

Eyes
            Lid: Mousse
Inner Corner: Caramel
            Crease: Peanut Butter

Lips
**Lip Balm – Whole Foods “Pomegranate Orange”
***Lipstick - MAC Lustre “Touch”

Application Tools
**Eco Tools Eyebrow Brush & Comb
**Eco Tools Angled Eyeliner/Eyebrow Brush
**Eco Tools Flat Eyeshadow Brush
**ELF Powder Brush
**ELF Blending Brush
**Beauty Sponge – Target

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+ The ELF brushes I purchased from the ELF store in NoHo, NYC (available online) & Eco Tools brushes came in a pack at Duane Reade
** Cruelty-Free
*** Not Cruelty-Free
            +Ones left blank are unknown
(I used the PETA search to conduct labeling the products used in the video)

My Everyday Makeup - Summer 2015

12.16.2015

9.02.2014

BTSwithFarma| Fashion & Yearbook Themed Nails



There's no way I could send you back to school without some fun nail designs. From the "IT" nails to a yearbook theme I hope you'll find something fun and new - after-all, a new school year is the best way to start fresh. If you try any be sure to tweet me or tag me in them on Instagram or Twitter. 

 Purple and sparkle are very popular fashion trend this fall. I used L.A colors in "Berry" as my base coat and added some bling with "Spoiled" by Wet 'n' Wild in "Trust Fund Baby".










Have some fun taking snapshots of the debate team with these cartoon nails. I used Covergirl's Lasting Love as my main color. I outlined the nails with Noir by NK and added the white bubbles with my trusted "Sheer Bliss" by Sally Hansen. 






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BTSwithFarma| Fashion & Yearbook Themed Nails

9.02.2014

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