Guest Feature: Saving Your Hands & Feet in the Summer

Happy Friday, all!

I hope the weather stays this sunny and beautiful for the weekend so I can swim, swim, swim!

Every now and then, I will feature a mini "interview" I had with a friend or family member. For this post, I asked my cousin Kim, who is a professional beautician and manicurist, about summer hand/foot care and popular nail polish colors.

Q: What is the best way to take care of nails, hands, and feet in the summer? 

Kim: Always wear gloves when working in the garden. Also, cuticle oil is very important. For the feet, exfoliate. During the summer, your heels especially will dry out because people mostly wear sandals.

Pretty Panda recommends:

• Earth Therapeutics Tea Tree Oil Cooling Foot Scrub
• Avon Foot Scrubs
• bodycology Exfoliating Sugar Scrub
• Make your own hand/foot scrub!

Q. What colors are popular for summer 2013?

Kim:  Green seems to be popular, along with aqua and teal.

Pretty Panda recommends:

• Color Club's Age of Aquarius
• Ulta Nail Lacquer in Mint Condition
• Essie Nail Polish in Mojito Madness

Q. Do you prefer any brands over others? If so, why?

Kim: OPI is the most popular and the one that lasts the longest.

Pretty Panda recommends:

• OPI Nail Polish in A Rose at Dawn, Broke By Noon
• OPI Nail Polish in Cajun Shrimp
• OPI Nail Polish in Suzi Says Feng Shui

Thanks for your help, Kim! 

What colors do you guys like right now?

Pretty Panda's Ponderings

• Brett bought me pair of fresh new kicks as part of our anniversary gift exchange! I love Harley Quinn so much! (I didn't have a chance to snap a picture yet--sorry!)
• He also bought me a gift card to Ulta! We don't have a Sephora close by, but Ulta seems to be working out very well. :)
• Songza.com is my addiction.

Kim is a nail technician at Dulce Salon in Houma, LA.

Can It Survive 9 to 5? 5.29.13

Technically, I work earlier than 9 AM and get off earlier than 5 PM, but then this post's title wouldn't rhyme (and that would be tragic).

I will post a "Beginning of the Day" picture and an "After the Day" picture on some work days to see how my makeup and hair lasted. I did not add any makeup, blot my face with a tissue, or add anything to my hair in the "after" picture; you're going to see me after a long day without any alterations!

Please refer to My Beauty Profile for extra information.

Today, May 29, 2013

Beginning of the Day: 6:50 AM

Makeup (in order of application)

• CoverGirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Liquid Foundation (claims to be a primer, foundation, and concealer in one)
• Yaby concealer sample from my May Ipsy bag
• CoverGirl Professional Loose Powder
• Pink blush from a daiso (dollar store) in Japan
• Concrete Minerals Electric Eye Primer
• Too Faced Boudoir Eyes eye shadow palette (In the Buff on brow bone, Fuzzy Handcuffs on lid, and Voulez-Vous in the crease)
• e.l.f. Essential Shimmer Eyeliner Pencil in Gunmetal
• Rimmel Volume Flash Mascara The Max in Extreme Black
• Ulta lipstick
• Estee Lauder lipgloss 
• Mary Kay Makeup Finishing Spray by Skindinavia

Hair Products (in order of application)

• Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Leave-In Conditioning Cream
• Garnier Fructis Curl Sculpting Cream-Gel
• TresEmme TRES Two Extra Hold Hairspray 

Outside factors to consider

• Weather: Humid, some rain, mostly sunny and warm
• Environment: Mostly in my office
• Crying/Sweating: No
• Eating/Drinking: Yes, for lunch and some water during the day

End of the Day: 5:00 PM

I look pretty tired, eh? The Mary Kay spray helped me out tremendously; my skin felt fresh at this time, even after a long day at work. My blush seems to have disappeared, causing me to look less lively. My lipstick and lipgloss left this party after lunch, obviously.

Now let's focus on my eyes: creased shadow and vanishing liner. I have owned the Concrete Minerals primer for about two years, and I have been trying to love it--I truly have. My eyelids are slightly oily, though, so that could be a major reason. I have read that not all primers work perfectly for everyone, so maybe someone with drier eyelids would have better results with this primer. 

I do think I would need to powder my face at least once in the afternoon to keep my "fresh" look, and I would also need to reapply my lip products (duh!).

My hair held up surprisingly well despite the humidity. I had extra wisps of frizz at the top of my head at the end of my work day, but a little hairspray or styling cream could have conquered those beasts!

How did your face and hair hold up today?

Pretty Panda's Ponderings

• I met my mom for lunch today, and we both have leftovers for dinner. Two meals for one price? I'll take it.
• I swam for over an hour after I took my "after" picture. The water was perfect.

How I Clean My Makeup Brushes

I am guilty of neglecting makeup brushes.

I used to rely solely on whatever brushes, sponges, or puffs accompanied my makeup. After using my sponges up, I would just toss them and buy new ones. I still like to use them occasionally, but after I bought my Mary Kay and EcoTools brushes, I entered into a love affair (and have been saving some money!).

Back to my bad brush habits. I always have rinsed off my brushes with warm water and soap after each use--I still do this so I have clean ones for the next day--but just like my skin and hair, my brushes need deep cleaning, too. I saw different beauty tips on Pinterest, and one cleaning method seemed simple enough: warm water, dish soap, and olive oil.

OK, yeah, soap and water makes sense, but olive oil? Yes, I use a tiny amount of olive oil to keep my brushes soft (kind of like conditioner). My favorite soap to use is Dawn's Hand Renewal because it cleans without as many harsh detergents as regular dish soaps. I deep-clean my brushes once a week (usually on Sunday after I have applied my makeup for the day) and let them soak for at least two or three hours.

I didn't have any olive oil on hand for this last cleaning, but the Dawn Hand Renewal dish soap is gentle enough to allow me to use the olive oil every other week.

Here's what I do:

• I take a bottle of dish soap and squeeze out a quarter-sized amount into the bottom of a large plastic cup (the cup I used is the blue one in the background). If I am using olive oil, I pour a nickel-sized amount into the cup.

• Then I take my longest brush (my foundation brush) and use it brush-side-down to swirl the soap around. I then place all of my brushes into the cup.

• Now I wait for about two to three hours (sometimes overnight if I am lazy and know that I won't be wearing much makeup the next day). I then take the cup and gently dump out the water and brushes into the sink. I rinse off my brushes until the water runs clear, and I gently pat them dry with a soft cloth. 
• Finally, I lay my brushes down to dry on the cloth. Make sure the location is safe from siblings and pets (my indoor cat, Katsuke, thinks brushes are his toys and will not hesitate to "assist" me!).

The drying process can take several hours, so if you know you need to use some brushes the next day, I suggest deep cleaning only a few at a time. 

Supplies: Tall plastic cup, warm water, dish soap (I use Dawn Hand Renewal), and olive oil (occasionally)

Length of soak time: At least two to three hours

Length of drying time: Several hours (sometimes up to 12 for completely dry brushes)

What method(s) do you use to deep clean your brushes?

If you use this same one, tell me how you came across it. If not and you try it, tell me how it goes!

Have a great evening! <3

Pretty Panda's Ponderings

• I had an unusually busy day at work today, but I'd rather the time pass quickly.
• Happy 6-year Dating Anniversary, Brett! I think you'll enjoy what I bought for you. ;)
• Biscuits with butter and honey. Amen.

Too Faced Boudoir Eyes Palette & Looks

How often do I spend money on high-end makeup? Not very.

I decided to treat myself, though, by stopping into Ulta and buying the Too Faced Boudoir Eyes Soft & Sexy Palette after reading reviews and watching YouTube tutorials.

Shades (from top left)

Day

In the Buff (matte white)

Fuzzy Handcuffs (matte peachy pink)

Voulez-Vous (slightly shimmery purple)

Left to right: In the Buff, Fuzzy Handcuffs, & Voulez-Vous

Classic

Satin Sheets (shimmery rose gold)

Sugar Walls (shimmery taupe)

Garter Belt (matte gray)

 Left to right: Satin Sheets, Sugar Walls, & Garter Belt

Fashion

Birthday Suit (shimmery tan)

Lap Dance (shimmery metallic purple)

French Tickler (shimmery black with hints of glitter)

Left to right: Birthday Suit, Lap Dance, & French Tickler

A helpful fold-out card accompanies this palette; you can refer to each tutorial to achieve a suggested look for each style.

 Ooh-la-la! ;)

My boyfriend laughed out loud when he read the names, and I can't help but giggle every time I see them, too.

The colors are gorgeous. I love the romantic, come-hither appeal of the packaging (which is a durable tin), and the color scheme will flatter every eye color and shape.

Here are a few ways in which I have worn this palette:

I'm sure cheaper palettes are out there with just as pleasing results, but I am happy that I chose to give this palette a try. I can wear the shades to work and out at night, and black eyeliner only emphasizes the "seductive" factor.

My only complaint is that fallout occurs even with a primer. I used the e.l.f. eyelid primer in all of these "look" pictures, and some shimmer fell below my eyes--nothing that makes me look like I had a rough day or night, but my boyfriend asked me a few times, "Hey, is that glitter under your eyes?" :/

Also, if you are the kind of person who loves receiving sponges or brushes with a palette, you're out of luck. I like to use my EcoTools or my Mary Kay brushes regardless of what accompanies a palette, but I know freebies are always appreciated, especially for those who travel or keep makeup in a purse.

Should You Try It? If you have been curious about this palette and don't mind splurging a little, I recommend purchasing it and playing around with the colors. Soft, smokey eyes are always stylish, and you might giggle every time you read the names, too. :P

What: Too Faced Boudoir Eyes Soft & Sexy Palette

MSRP: $36

Pros: Beautiful, long-lasting eye shadows that provide several looks for day or night

Cons: Some fallout even with a primer, no brushes/sponges

I'll post a day and night tutorial soon so you can have some ideas how you can wear these lovely shades!

Pretty Panda's Pondering

• I had such relaxing Memorial Day weekend. I swam every day, and I joined Brett and some friends for dinner Saturday night. 
• I finally played my new copy of Hello Kitty Seasons today for a few minutes before I cooked some tilapia and yellow rice. Total estrogen attack!
• Brett and I celebrate 6 years of dating tomorrow!