Glam New Year’s Eve In

If you are the get all dressed up and glamorous type of lady with low profile plans for the night, make the two meet in the middle!  Pair some of the things that make you feel glammed up with things that function practically for a night in.   

NYE 2011 by amariebeauty featuring skinny leg jeans

Mom Mode Wardrobe Essentials

These items were put together with the lifestyle of a Mom at the fore front.

Mom Mode Wadrobe Staples by amariebeauty featuring a shirt dress

When you are trying to build your adult wardrobe think about styles that fit your body type, identify your personal style and translate into your daily life well.
 
Basics are good start when you simply can’t buy everything you want.  Having the right basic pieces help you mix and match and create more outfits.  Using accessories can give an outfit a sense of style and make it your own.
 
Always start with under garments that do the job right.  Proper fit is key to how clothes will hang on your body.
 
Run with your signature color, you know the one.  The color that you are always drawn too and makes you feel your absolute best.  Be on the look out for sales on those type of pieces and invest in some quality keepers.  For the more trendy items that help fill in the gaps pick inexpensive items. 

Tip Off Tuesday: Fast Fixes with Clear Nail Polish

photo source

Got a runner in your panty hose or tights?  Save them, for the night anyway, by brushing clear nail polish over the snag. This will keep it from getting bigger and bigger by the minute, allowing you to keep your outfit in tact.

3 more handy tricks using clear nail polish...

• Coat costume jewelry with a thin layer to keep it looking like new.
  
• Tighten up a pair of sunglasses by putting a drop of polish on the wobbly screws.
• Polish the post of cheap earrings to keep the irritation away.

Easy Sparkle Tips for Your Nails. Only 1 Extra Step!

Prep and polish as usual, try these steps for your best DIY manicure.  Next up no dipping, dusting or crazy hard work to get the pretty little glitterama look at the edge of your manicure.  Grab yourself a bottle of nail art glitter polish.  Then add vertical strokes all across the top, seal with your favorite top coat.  Done. 

These nail art polishes are available at the Dollar Tree.  They work fabulously!

photo source

Kid Style: A Restyled Skirt

This skirt is a favorite from Abercrombie kids.  It was a hand me down and the distressed hole it came with looked more like a raggedy hole.  It needed to be upcycled for sure.


I wanted the boho-shabby look.  To create the look I added a patch to the hole, and repurposed an old tee shirt into a braided belt and infinity scarf to pair with it.

The patch is part of a embroidered tunic that my little red head wore as a baby.  I cut the piece I needed to size and sewed it on with my machine to insure it was durable for washing and wearing.  The repurposed accessories were exactly my speed because they were a no sew project!  Simple steps of cutting and stretching the fabric and we were in business. 

Tip Off Tuesday: Skip Sunscreen for Photos Sake

The SPF in moisturizer with sunscreen reflects off the cameras flash in nighttime or low light photos.  It gives your face a white over cast or ‘glow' effect. 
Chances are you will be snapped in a photo or two this Holiday season.  It’s likely you will be indoors most of the time for the celebrations and many times out at night so you can safely skip the SPF and swap it for coverage with out the sunscreen.

SPF AT NIGHT=PHOTO GLOW

DIY Fresh Facial Glow at Home

Facial Fresh Glow by amariebeauty on polyvore.com

Cleanse.  Take this daily step and slow it down to be thorough.  Remove all makeup, even the residual mascara and elusive eyeliner.
Try added this unconventional method, it's an extra step but it's free and effective!

Steam.  Once your face is bare steam it with a hot towel to open your pores.  See tips for a good towel steam here.


Extract.  If you have any blemishes now is the time to get rid of those.  Please never pick, use a needle or scrape at your face.  It can scar or become infected.  If a blemish is ready to be extracted it can be removed with proper technique.  You will know if it’s ready... big white head, check, pores filled with black/white heads, check.  For my tips on technique see the notes at the bottom of the post.

Massage.  Clearly this step is much better if someone else is doing it but the function of it is all the same.  The massage stimulates cellular turnover, helping to rid dead skin cells and let younger ones surface revealing healthier, more glowing skin.  It also stimulates collagen production to help skin stay taught and plump.  You can buy inexpensive massage cream formulated for the face at beauty supply stores.  I actual use the generic of Cetaphil’s gentle cleanser because I always have that on hand. Rinse well. 

Scrub.  Use a gentle exfoliant to get all the massage cream removed from your face and smooth the skins surface.  Let the scrub do the work and use gentle motions when applying.
 
Mask.  Now your skin is prepped and ready to receive some treatment.  Apply a mask based on what you are targeting.  For instance a moisture builder, acne clearer or oil controller.  Avoid alcohol based masks and look for ingredients with some acting power.  Follow specific product instructions for application.

this is the time to apply any additional serums or treatment products if you so desire.  I am a sensitive skin gal so I stick to the basics.
 
Moisturize.  Slather your choice of moisturizer on in an upward motion.  Use something for your skin type.  Moisturizing seals in all the good stuff and creates a protective barrier against the bad stuff like free radicals, weather and sunshine when using an SPF.

**NOTES**
Blemish Clearing.
Wait until it is ready, as in has a head that is white or dark.  Use pressure not picking.  Draw it out between your index fingers.  Some never will quite be ready thus never need “popped” simply treated with a spot clearing cream or dried out with a clay mask.  You know the ones, the nasty undergrounders.  If its resistant hold a hot cloth over it to loosen it up.

This post is linked up in the Sharing the Beauty party, check over at Yellow Heart Art for more face care and products.

Festive Little Extras

Let's face it, many of us girls love our basic black.  What is not to love?!  Invest wisely in those solid wardrobe staples and dress them up with inexpensive accessories.  That basic black ensemble is entirely interchangeable, just by swapping the little extras you can go from classic to trendy to chic to whatever your occasion so commands.  So take it to the holiday's by adding some festive little touches.

Festive Extras by amariebeauty featuring a black clutch