Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Blush.
Brushy Fresh
I love the feeling of a brand-new makeup brush on my skin! Lucky me I get to fall in love every day. Let's get real for a minute, we all love our expensive makeup brushes but sometimes we may not take care of them like we should. Trust me, there is always time to clean your brushes before they touch your face and this is why there is always time! Let’s just start with the common reasons why you should keep your beautiful brushes clean. Brush cleaner will help them keep their shape and smelling good. Applying products and then not cleaning will cause them to have a build up of the products you use on them. This will cause two things to happen. One, you will not get a true color match when you apply your favorite eye shadow! I'm in love with the Rosegold mineral eye color but if I used the Amber Blaze then dip it in Rosegold it will change it! Which in some cases you want to do but never with the leftovers on your brush, yuck! The second thing that is going to happen is you will not get the right application you are looking for. When using your dirty brushes, it will have build up on them so it could be spotty and cause you to use more makeup to cover you up the not so good application. This is one way you are spending more money than you have to, buying more makeup than what you need. Another way you will spend more money than you need is buying more brushes. By not cleaning them, you are then buying more because they smell, look nasty and are not applying the products the way they first did. Why spend that money when you could just buy a good brush cleaner and spend your money on a special treat for yourself like a new eye color, cheek color or an amazing bronzing powder! Back on track, let’s get to some of the reasons that you may not think about. When your brush touches your face everything that is on your face is now on your brush. If you have trouble with acne this could be the reason why! There will be build up of all the junk that has been on your face and you keep putting it there! This is clogging your pores and can cause you to have acne or skin irritation. Then again, with the irritation you will have to apply more makeup to cover it up and you are spending more money than you should! In case you have not figured it out yet, I do not like to waste money by not cleaning your brushes and that is basically what you are doing! Now, let us go a little deeper into our brush cleaning adventure. If you like bacteria, pink eye and other infections, then not cleaning your brushes is for you! Well I have to tell you all of these things are a likely possibility when you do not clean your precious brushes. In some cases, not cleaning your brushes with the bacteria can lead you to go blind, NO LIE! Like I said earlier everything from your face gets on your brush. When it sits and is not cleaned and then used over and over again that is a breeding ground for bacteria! These bacteria can lead to many things like pink eye. Which leads me into another subject on not sharing brushes, eyeliner, mascara and other products like these. You love your bff but you don't know if they clean their brushes. You are getting ready for an epic night out and OMG you forgot your smudger brush! How are you going to get that perfect eyeliner and smokey eye? No biggie, your bestie has your back. Or so you think until the next day when you have pink eye......yes it could happen! Next time you will remember and not only keep your brushes clean but only use your own! These are just a few reasons why you should always clean your brushes. I hate it when someone calls and tells me that they have pink eye or that they need a new brush when they haven’t had it that long. Buy yourself a good brush cleaner, brush set and take care of it and it will last for years and your face will thank you!
My Top 6 Makeup Products of 2017
With the thousands of products that are released at Sephora, it can be daunting to walk into beauty stores. Before I tested and tried as much makeup as I do now, I just grabbed whatever the sales representative suggested. However, hopefully, with my favorite products that I have tried in 2017, it can give you some ideas on what to grab!
Katie CurtPublished 6 years ago in BlushMy First Attempt at Bath Bombs
My sister came home one day and told us the recipe she has for her bath bombs. I was eager to get some done for a girl at work because she was so stressed out. I wanted to use Frankincense. It is commonly used in a lot of incense burning along with sandalwood and it is one of my favorite musky scents. I like floral scents, too, so I thought it would be nice to try and mix it with lavender. She requested blue-colored soaps and I thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to try it out when my sister was still here.
Heather WilkinsPublished 6 years ago in BlushMichelle Phan: 'Make Up'
Throughout our life, we absorb knowledge about beauty and style just from living our lives, trial and error. But how often do you personally experience, or know someone who does, that feeling of helplessness when it comes to beauty, fashion, or even acquiring a job? Or perhaps you feel rather confident when it comes to your skills in those areas. No matter who you are, what walk of life you come from, or how successful you already are, trust me when I say, Michelle Phan’s book, Make Up: Your Life Guide to Beauty, Style, and Success–Online and Off, is a must-read for everyone.
Christina HammondPublished 6 years ago in BlushNatural Beauty Hacks from a Certified Homeopathic Remedies Specialist
Finding all-natural ways to do anything in life just sounds better. There are more and more people waking up to the benefits of connecting with nature, especially when it comes to treating themselves or applying and ingesting things. Having a happier life starts with the inside out, but today, I want to really focus on the "out." I don't have perfect hair or skin, nor do I spend most of my time pining over perfect bodily attributes. Learning to love yourself as-is is key for a balanced center. But, man, does it feel good when you have clear, smooth skin and shiny, healthy hair. I've put together a list and some instructions for natural ways to treat yourself and look great because you want to look great.
Coffee for Hair Growth?
Don’t we all wish our hair would magically grow overnight? I know personally I have always enjoyed having short hair because for me it is easier to care for. But then there will come times when I will miss my long hair and so I decide to grow it out again. But it takes SO LONG! Especially since my hair started from a pixie cut. And everyone knows how awkward those are to grow out if you’re not careful you’ve got a one-way ticket to a mullet. Ewww. Obviously, I have spent a great deal of time on the internet researching different way to help accelerate hair growth, and I have found one that I absolutely must share with everyone! Before sharing this with everyone I did test it out for one month so that I would be able to give you a detailed review on whether or not it actually works.
Christina HammondPublished 6 years ago in BlushHere Are Your Holiday Beauty Deals for Last Minute Shopping
I know, it's very difficult to find your loved one a gift around the holidays, especially if you're not entirely sure what she'll like. But, you know she's really into the world of beauty and everything that revolves around it. From makeup to skincare, haircare, and even nail care... what could she possibly want?
Jacqueline HanikehPublished 6 years ago in BlushWhat Products are Good for Natural Hair?
Natural hair became a major thing within the past couple of years. I remember when I decided to go natural during my ninth grade summer. I knew one thing when I made that decision...I HATED GETTING PERMS. They smelled, my hair never grew, and I was tired of the constant scalp burns. Screw scalp burns.
Davida MariePublished 6 years ago in BlushBeauty Resolutions for 2018!
It's almost the 2018 New Year, and we are all looking to improve ourselves one habit at a time. Habits become routines and our routines make up our daily lives and character. In order for us to improve, we need to know what needs fixing (or tweaking shall I say.) This will also and most definitely involve our BEAUTY ROUTINES!
Evan OvertonPublished 6 years ago in BlushRice Toner
I know I am not alone in my struggles in finding the perfect products for my face. Our faces are one of the first things people we meet notice, and so we can all be rather paranoid about the condition of our faces, and justly so. Even if you are a person who honestly does not care how other people think of them there is never any harm in looking good for yourself or even just caring about taking care of your body.
Christina HammondPublished 6 years ago in BlushHow I Treat My Acne
A Little Backstory... As I hit puberty, my skin went crazy. It seemed as though every time my skin would start to clear up, more acne would appear. I have always had a bad habit of squeezing and picking at it whenever I'm stressed, which turns what was just a small pimple into a permanent scar on my face. Up until about two years ago, I don't think I had ever treated my skin nicely, explaining why it wasn't nice back.
Why This Isn't Just Your Average Red Lip...#Fenty
2017 couldn't be a better time for inclusivity! There have been so many new beauty trends that have hit the scenes this year. From Pat McGrath's blinding skin illuminators, to au-naturale Korean beauty skin care routines, to incredible magnetic face masks, there are numerous innovations that send consumers running to their nearest Neiman Marcus or Sephora.
Evan OvertonPublished 6 years ago in Blush