Get Gilded This Summer With Erzulie’s Mineral Cream Eye Shadows

Posted on July 12, 2013 by ylstylebar

Mineral Cream Eye Shadow – Image from Erzulie Cosmetics

Hello lovelies! We hope you had a beautiful Independence Day last week, we know we did here in San Jose. Today we wanted to share one of our new favorite products for achieving a signature summer look: gilded eyes!

You can achieve this look with Erzulie’s Mineral Cream Eye Shadow in Gilda. It’s a creamy, golden eye shadow full of amazing ingredients like argan oil! Apply with your finger tip to your upper lids, and use a brush along your lower lashes. You can set the look further by dusting over a golden powder. One of our favorite things about this shadow is it’s multitasking ability: use this cream as a base, shadow, highlighter, or if you are feeling bold a lip color! It’s priced fantastically at $5 a pot, or you can score two shadows for $9 at Rhonda’s Etsy Shop.

Have you rocked a shimmery gilded look yet this summer?

2 DIY Avocado Summer Spa Recipes

Posted on June 28, 2013 by ylstylebar

Aguacate / Avocado (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Hey there Y&L readers 🙂 Happy Friday! Today we wanted to share some summer beauty recipes featuring a warm weather ingredient—avocados! Avocadoes are great for moisturizing and soothing skin and hair that’s been dried out from a day at the beach or pool! So this weekend treat yourself to one of these at-home spa remedies.

Avocado Face Mask

Ingredients:

1/2 a very ripe avocado
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon coconut oil

Directions:

Peel the avocado and mash it well.
Add the honey and coconut oil and stir to combine.
Apply to a clean dry face, avoiding your eyes, and leave on for about 10-15 minutes.
After your mask had time to work it’s magic, take a warm wet wash cloth and wipe your face clean.

Avocado Hair Mask Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 egg yolk
1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp honey
1/2 an avocado

Directions:

Whisk together the egg yolk, extra-virgin olive oil, and honey together in a small bowl.
Mash in 1/2 of an avocado with a fork.
While you’re in the shower, apply the paste first to the ends of your hair and then all over your hair.
Let it soak into your strands for 15 to 20 minutes, rinse it out, shampoo, and then rinse

How do you keep your strands and skin happy during summer activities?

Summertime Makeup Part II: Face

Posted on June 7, 2013 by ylstylebar

Image from EcoTools.

Hello there lovelies! We hope you enjoyed our summertime eye makeup tips last week 🙂 And as promised, we wanted to share some tips for keeping your foundation, blush, bronzer, and concealer in place this summer even in the bright sun and warm temperatures! Similar to eye makeup the biggest issues are melting & creasing of your makeup.

Foundation Tips:

Always start with a primer. Just like you prime your eyelids, you need to prime your face if you want to ensure that your makeup stays crease free and in place all day. We are big fans of Korres Face Primer, available for $28 from Sephora. This stuff is free of silicone, parabens, sulfates, petrochemicals, mineral oil, synthetic dyes & fragrances, and other unpleasant ingredients! It smells amazing and a little bit goes a long way, so even with a heftier price tag, it’s a good investment.
Ditch heavy creamy foundations and opt for tinted moisturizers or BB creams instead. Thick liquid foundation is way more likely to melt and crease. So take the opportunity to lighten up your face makeup in the summer. Use your favorite tinted moisturizer or BB Cream. We’ve mentioned it before, but we LOVE Jane Iredale’s Glow Time BB Cream available for $48 online or in stores at Pharmaca. With a higher price tag, you can take comfort knowing this BB Cream will last you all year!
Set your BB cream or tinted moisturizer with a lightly tinted or translucent loose powder. To reduce shine and keep your makeup in place take a fluffy brush and lightly dust a translucent or lightly tinted mineral powder on your face. We love Everyday Mineral’s Finishing Dust on sale right now for $6.99, normally $12.99.

Concealer Tips:

Choose a densely pigmented concealer that is creamy (not liquidy) to hide circles and lines. The sun can melt and shine right through lightly pigmented concealers, revealing dark circles, blemishes, and other things you’d rather hide. Again we love the affordable and natural Erzulie Mineral Erase Cream in Light/Medium Light (just $8.50/pot). Just apply the concealer with your ring finger to hide under eye circles and brush to conceal blemishes!

Blush/Bronzer Tips:

Ditch the powder and go with a creamy blush during the warmer months. Sweat and powder blush don’t mix well. We love The All Natural Face’s Vegan Cream Blush in Peachy Rose, available for $4 online. Our favorite splurge cream blush is Jane Iredale In Touch Cream Blush available for $28 online and in stores at Pharmaca. So apply a cream blush to the apples of your cheek and blend with your finger tips or a brush.
Apply in the right places. Bronzer is fantastic during the summer. Who doesn’t want to look like a glowing goddess? Just be sure to keep it classy and natural looking by applying in the right places. Apply bronzer just to the high points of your face, where the sun naturally hits you: on your forehead, cheekbones, chin, and nose. If you want a creamy bronzer option, we love The All Natural Face’s Vegan Cream Lip/Cheek Highlighter available for $5.75 online.

What are your favorite meltproof makeup products?

Summertime Eye Makeup Tips

Posted on May 31, 2013 by ylstylebar

Picture of Mona Johannesson from Listal

Hello there ladies! Are you as excited for summer as we are at Y&L? What’s not to love about warm weather, backyard BBQ’s, and relaxing days at the pool? Well nothing except for makeup that melts, smears, and just doesn’t stay put… Don’t worry though, we’ve got you covered with a few tricks that will keep your eye makeup in place even in the hot summer sun! Oh and be sure to tune in next week when we share some tips for keeping your concealer and foundation set!

So some of the major makeup issues during the summer include: melting eye makeup, greasy lids, and concealer that collects in your creases.

To Combat Greasy Lids:

Apply a primer. We love this affordable Magic Vegan Eye Shadow Primer by The All Natural Face (just $7/bottle).
Apply eye shadow or finishing powder. After you apply a primer, if you have particularly greasy lids or it’s a humid day add some double insurance and apply a shadow or finishing powder, this helps to set the product. You can go with a nude option, or your favorite color. We love the Pure and Natural Tinted Finishing Veil by Willow Tree Minerals on Etsy (just $13.95)

For Under Eye Concealer That Stays Put:

Make sure you moisturize first and let it dry. To keep your concealer from looking cakey you always want to apply moisturizer to your eyes, and give it time to dry.
Apply a generous amount of creamy under eye concealer. Using a concealer brush and a cream concealer 1-2 shades lighter than your foundation apply the concealer under your eyes. Start at the inner corner of your eye up towards where the inner brow starts. Continue by making a half moon shape following the lower lash line all the way to the outer corner of the eye. Blend the concealer using your finger tips. We love Erzulie Mineral Erase Cream in Light/Medium Light (just $8.50/pot).
Set the concealer with a mineral powder concealer. To keep the concealer in place it’s best to set it with a generous amount of concealing mineral powder. Our favorite is Pure and Natural Mineral Concealer in Beauty Sleep from Willow Tree Minerals ($10/pot). This product has just the right amount of light reflecting minerals to hide under eye circles! Press the powder into the concealer starting at the inner corner and brush across the under eye area, sweeping off any extra.

For Eye Liner That Doesn’t Melt:

Start with a pencil. After you’ve primed and applied shadow it’s time to apply liner. When you want eyeliner that lasts you need to apply a few layers of product. It’s best to start with a pencil along your upper lash line (and bottom lashes too if you wear it there). We love Jane Iredale’s Eye Pencil in Black ($11 per stick). Just make sure you let the pencil set for a little bit.
Apply a liquid liner next. After you’ve applied the pencil, trace your line with a liquid liner and allow it to dry. We love ZuZu Luxe’s Liquid Liner in Raven ($14 a bottle).
Set your liner with a shadow in the same shade. Using an eyeliner brush dip it into a shadow or powder eyeliner the same shade as your liquid or pencil. Lightly dab it onto your eyeliner line. DO NOT DRAG IT ALONG THE LINE. Just dab and press, moving along your lashes. This helps to set the product. We love Pure and Natural Mineral Eye Liner in Charcoal Crush by Willow Tree Minerals on Etsy (just $5.95).

What tips and tricks do you have for keeping your eye makeup in place during the summer months?

Get Sun, Not Wrinkles: Our Favorite Natural Sunscreens!

Posted on May 17, 2013 by ylstylebar

It’s that time of year when you are dying to get a tan and hit the beach. But don’t even think about going out without sunscreen. I don’t know if you remember back to earlier this year but a few of our stylists sat down for an interview… and both of them stressed how important it is to wear sunscreen. Yes you want glowing skin… but no, we don’t think you want dry wrinkly skin or skin cancer for that matter! You can still get a tan while wearing protection, you’ll just save your face years of aging 🙂

When picking a sunscreen it’s important to read the ingredients and try to choose something safer and more natural. If you are avoiding skin cancer why would you want to expose yourself to other chemicals that can hurt you … seems to defeat the purpose to us! So we’ve got a few of our favorite natural and safe sun protection for your face and body!

Alba Botanica Natural Very Emollient Facial Sunscreen SPF 20 – This is a great sunscreen for your face! It’s hypoallergenic, fragrance free, and won’t clog your pores! It has a nice subtle vanilla smell to it too! Normally priced around $10.99/tube, you can snag two tubes for $15.75 on Amazon (yay Amazon!). When you are looking for a facial sunscreen always get at least SPF 15, and you won’t really need more than SPF 30.

Natural Very Emollient Sunscreen Facial Mineral Broad Spectrum SPF 20 – $15.75 for a 2-pack on Amazon.

Jason Mineral Natural Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 30 – A great sunscreen for the rest of your skin, this product is also fragrance free and perfect for sensitive skin. It’s got a light scent of chamomile and calendula and sells for about $12.49/bottle.

Jason Mineral Natural Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 30 – $12.49/bottle available at most health food stores or on Amazon.

Alba Botanica Natural Very Emollient Sunblock SPF 30 – We really love Alba products! And this sunscreen is no exception. It is fragrance free just like the facial sunscreen and is available on Amazon for only $9.49/bottle!

Alba Botanica Natural Very Emollient Sunblock SPF 30 – $9.49 on Amazon

What is your favorite sunscreen?

DIY Beach Waves!

Posted on March 1, 2013 by ylstylebar

Beachy Hair Image from Goldfish Kiss!

Happy Friday everybody. Dreaming of warmer places yet? Or planning your spring break trip? Why not get in the warm weather mood with simple, gorgeous beach waves? This look is so easy to achieve and gives you that effortlessly beautiful look! First things first, make up your own batch of Beachy Hair Spray!

Ingredients:

1 cup distilled water (to keep your product from going bad)
2 tsp. virgin cold-pressed coconut oil (we ❤ organic)
2 tsp. sea salt
2 tbsp. hair gel or conditioner of your choice. We love Yes To Carrots conditioner!
Optional: Essential oils of your choice! Vanilla would be nice, or something tropical!
Empty and CLEAN spray bottle

Directions:

Combine all ingredients into the spray bottle and give it a shake.

To Achieve A Beachy Look:

If you have lots of time (like the night before or a few hours)…. Mist your hair with your homemade beachy spray and scrunch your locks. Braid sections of your hair if you want lots of waves. Let your hair air-dry, untie your braids, revive hair with more beach spray, and rock out with your “effortless” look!
If you are short on time… create some subtle waves with your flat iron by taking small sections of hair and twisting the flat iron through them almost like a curling iron. Then spritz your locks with your homemade beachy spray and scrunch your hair!

3 Spring Fashion Trends We Love!

Posted on February 22, 2013 by ylstylebar

Cutout on the Town Dress from ModCloth – $84.99.

It’s almost the weekend… and today we feel like obsessing over spring and summer fashion trends! We’ve got our 3 favorite spring trends and a corresponding piece that would be perfect in any wardrobe!

Cutouts – We think cutouts and cute peekaboo looks that show a tasteful amount of skin are perfect for spring and summer. One of our favorite cutout pieces for spring is the Cutout on the Town Dress from ModCloth! It has a perfectly trendy cutout midriff and hi-lo skirt! You can snag this adorable mint and pink frock for just $84.99!

Black & White – High contrast and loads of chic style in this trend! There are so many ways to incorporate black & white into your spring and summer wardrobe. A classic black and white striped blouse or skirt… or how about this knockout dress by BB Dakota? Add the chic Jamila Black & White Dress to your closet for just $78 from Lulus!

Jamila Black & White Dress by BB Dakota at Lulu’s – $78.

Embellished Palms Tunic by Free People – $148.

Beading – Intricate and feminine details are perfect in any season. But we love some of the beaded pieces that are coming out this spring. Whether on a blouse, skirt, or scarf adding some beading to your wardrobe will give you a mysterious, bohemian, world traveler look! We are particularly fond of this Embellished Palms Tunic sold exclusively by Free People for $148. It comes in 5 great colors, but we are partial to peach :).

What is your favorite spring trend?

Spring Style Inspiration: Bohemian Looks We Love!

Posted on January 29, 2013 by ylstylebar

At Y&L we are dreaming of spring (and summer for that matter) fashion. We can’t wait to get out and soak up the warmer weather in our stylish new wardrobes. But while we must wait for spring, we can at least gawk over some fantastic looks. Today we are in a bohemian mood. Loving the layers, romantic prints, and comfortable carefree looks! Enjoy the picture inspiration.

Love her hair & makeup! Image from Charlene Choi’s Tumblr page.

Romantic and fantastic hair accessory. Would be the perfect look for a bohemian bride in the spring or summer! Image from Wedding Whims Tumblr.

Love pairing printed shorts with tights! Such an adorable spring look. Image from Pinterest.

Loving the mint maxi paired with a crochet top. Perfect spring or summer look. Image from Stylecaster.com.

Stunning hair and makeup. Bangles and bracelets are the perfect boho accessory. Image from Pinterest.

Serious accessory love! Image from Take Me To The Sea Tumblr.

What style inspiration do you want to see next?

10 Dresses We Love for Summer BBQ’s

Posted on June 29, 2012 by ylstylebar

We love dresses, and ModCloth has an ungodly amount of adorable dresses to choose from. Today we’ve picked out our favorite frocks for summer barbecues – several that we think would work perfectly for your upcoming Fourth of July plans!

We love the sweet pattern on this red dress. this faux-wrap, a-line dress would be flattering for most figures!

Carmine and Yours Dress – $49.99

This next dress, also in a shade of red, is in an adorable shirt-dress style perfect for a casual summer gathering.

The Right Idea Dress – $49.99

Floral is perfect for spring and summer. This adorable dress with a sweet heart neckline is romantic and is perfect in that 500 Days of Summer kind of way.

Lace in the Sun Dress – $52.99