BAD BEAUTY HABITS TO BREAK BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE

We understand most of your beauty regimen is not up for debate. We would never try to come between your nightlyClarisonic sessions or weekly in-shower deep conditioning treatments. But other parts of your tried and true beauty routine may have strayed off course over the years. We won’t mention the dangers of popping pimples or falling asleep with your makeup on—we know you’ve been getting that since high school. However, there are a few bad beauty habits you may have picked up since graduation that need to be broken now.

The Problem: Focusing Only on the Face

Why it’s a habit: You already spend countless precious moments in the bathroom slathering your face with every beautifying potion you can find (isn’t that enough?).

Why you need to quit: Aging is not limited to the skin between our hairline and jawline. Neglecting your neck and décolletage leaves that skin unprotected against damaging environmental factors and can cause the region south of your chin to age quicker than your face. Remember, no area of skin is cancer-proof–with every slather of moisturizer and SPF, you’re not just warding off age spots and thinning skin, you’re protecting your health.

The Problem: Working Out in Makeup

Why it’s a habit: You rush in to the gym straight from work and just want to get your sweat on. Plus, you never know who you might see, right?

Why you need to quit: Rounding out mile three with mascara running down your cheek is never a good look. Yes, getting a regular sweat session in is great for your skin, but makeup blocks pores and prevents sweat from escaping, which traps bacteria and leads to breakouts. Besides, no one wants to look over and see your face smeared all over your gym towel. Luckily there is an easy fix for this one, run a makeup removing towelette across your face before you hop on the treadmill. MDC Tip: L’Oréal Ideal Clean All Skin Types Makeup Removing Towelettes are our gym bag staple.

The Problem: Tweezing Ingrown Hairs

Why it’s a habit: Because you can feel it, you can see it, and you know it’s there!

Why you need to quit: The truth is no matter how determined you are, you will never get that hair. Digging for it, however, will lead to scarring and possibly infection—certainly not the satisfaction you seek. Instead, exfoliate regularly and apply a pimple treatment with salicylic acid (like SkinCeuticals Blemish + Age Defense or Ole Henriksen Roll On Acne Clearing Solution). If you see a head start to appear, make an appointment with a pro to finish the job.

The Problem: Messing with Your Hair When Wet

Why it’s a habit: Your post shower rituals are pretty much set in stone at this point:towel dry, brush, blow dry.

Why you need to quit: Twisting your locks up in a towel is a recipe for disaster. Wet hair is far more delicate than dry hair, making prone to breakage and damage. It needs to be treated with extra care. That means no vigorous rubbing with the terry cloth, no wrapping it up tightly, no forceful hair whipping, and no brushing. Save your strands and swap your bath towel for a gentler option. Use an old, worn-in cotton t-shirt to gently squeeze and blot water from your hair, section by section. And keep the brush away until at least 90% dry. If you must detangle, make a wide-tooth comb your go-to tool.

The Problem: Rubbing Your Eyes

Why it’s a habit: Allergies, itchy contacts, just because… You don’t know–it’s just a habit, OK?

Why you need to quit: The skin around your eyes is very delicate. In the short term, all that rubbing can cause inflammation. In the long term, it damages collagen and elastin, making it harder for your beloved eye cream to the job you want it to do. For a quick fix, moisturize and soothe dry eyes with a few drops of unpreserved artificial tears. And keep the skin around your eye properly hydrated with a mild eye cream. MDC Tip: be prepared for the day and pop a pot of Kiehl’s Abyssine Eye Cream + in your purse.

Confession time: What’s your worst beauty habit? Spill it below!

Credit:Glamour

Ankle Boots

Fall is here—yay! I love to be active as much as possible in the fall, before the weather gets cold. So it's all about that perfect shoe that will take me from the office to weekend, without breaking my back (or bank): the black ankle boot. Here are some of my faves for the season (oh, yes, and there are some to dream about too!). Be sure also to check out Fawnia's boot feature if you haven't yet met your fall boot mate!

I shared these beauties on Instagram—they are available here at Diesel. I knew they would be perfect for dashing from one end of the city to another in style and comfort!

Probably the most versatile shoe, maybe EVER, black ankle boots are always worth the investment! I wear mine with everything from shorts to skirts and dresses to skinny jeans starting in late summer all the way through to spring. Another part of the beauty of black ankle boots is that you can find them almost anywhere—at any price point. Try them for yourself—you may be surprised by how often you'll find yourself slipping them on!
Since mine tend to wear out so quickly, I've searched high and low and have already got my eye on these—each of them truly the perfect black ankle boots for every occasion:

Credit:Glamour

Feng Shui: Change your whole lifestyle for the better!

Your living space may be damaging your finances, health and emotional well-being. Read the Feng Shui guide and learn how to create the balance you need.


The topic of feng shui bagua applications is one of the most popular feng shui topics for several reasons. One, it is best to know the bagua of your home or office because this knowledge allows you to achieve lasting results in creating good feng shui energy. 

Two, there are two (yes, I am playing with words!) feng shui bagua schools that tend to create confusion for the feng shui beginner. That is, until the clarity is there and you make a choice as to which bagua school to apply in your home.

And three, the feng shui bagua is a mystical, ancient tool, so it is good to always keep in mind that there are many levels, meanings and interpretations to it. One look at a professional feng shui compass with its endless rings of information is enough to assure a fascinating journey into this ancient body of knowledge! 

There is an additional aspect to the feng shui bagua application that might not apply to you unless you live in the Southern hemisphere. The seemingly controversial topic of the correct application of bagua in the Southern hemisphere is not that controversial if you take the time to look into it. 

However, how exactly do you reverse the classical feng shui bagua? Find out.

Peanut butter cheesecake

This irresistible cheesecake is the perfect indulgence for peanut butter fans - freeze for up to two months and serve as a show-stopping dinner party dessert

Ingrediants:
For the base
50g butter
175g pack peanut cookies

For the filling
5 gelatine leaves
500g tub ricotta
175g smooth peanut butter
175g golden syrup
150ml milk

To decorate
270ml pot double cream
2 tbsp soft brown sugar
1 bar peanut brittle, crushed

Method:

1. Oil and line a 20cm round loose- bottomed cake tin with cling film, making it as smooth as possible. Melt the butter in a pan. Crush the biscuits by bashing them in a bag with a rolling pin, then stir them into the butter until very well coated. Press the mixture firmly into the base of the tin and chill.
2. Soak the gelatine in water while you make the filling. Tip the ricotta into a bowl, then beat in the peanut butter and syrup. Ricotta has a slightly grainy texture so blitz until smooth with a stick blender for a smoother texture if you prefer.
3. Take the soaked gelatine from the water and squeeze dry. Put it into a pan with the milk and heat very gently until the gelatine dissolves. Beat into the peanut mixture, then tip onto the biscuit base. Chill until set.

Perfect Makeup: 8 Super-Easy Steps

No glam squad needed! Follow our step-by-step guide for a makeup look that’s great on every face, every day. (It took our testers an average of four minutes, 38 seconds!

Step 1: Hide Dark Circles

The first step of all: Apply a moisturizer with SPF to help concealer glide on smoothly.
Then use concealer only where you need it, like on undereye circles and blemishes, advises makeup artist Ana Marie Rizzieri, who created the look in these photos. Try a creamy formula, like Laura Mercier Secret Concealer, in a shade that matches your skin tone. “Choosing a shade lighter is a myth,” she says. “Too-white circles under your eyes look like you wore goggles while tanning.” Apply in little stripes with a pointed concealer brush. Then blend using your ring finger for the lightest touch, and don’t tug on delicate undereye areas, Rizzieri instructs.

Expert tip: To get at fine lines, use the point of your brush.

Step 2: A Touch of Base

To get perfectly even skin the speedy way, use a foundation stick.
It’s easy and gives you plenty precise application. We like Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick . Try Rizzieri’s technique: Using the stick like a giant marker, draw thick lines down cheekbones, the sides of your nose and above brows, and blend with your fingers. Want to look a little more sun-kissed? Before blending, use a second stick that’s two or three shades darker in all the same places for a streak-free glow (it looks dark in the pictures, but we promise it melts right in). Mix both colors together over your face and down onto your neck using your fingers—the heat from your hands will warm up the foundation and help it glide.

Expert tip: Want lighter coverage? Rub moisturizer on your hands before you blend for a sheer, dewy finish.

Step 3: Reassess and Perfect!

If a pesky zit or mark is still poking through, go back and hide it with an extra layer of concealer. 
Use the same kind as in step one (it worked for Alice’s forehead scratch), or try a cover-up that contains salicylic acid, like Almay Clear Complexion Concealer, which helps shrink blemishes while it camouflages. Dab it onto problem areas with a pointed brush instead of slicking it on from the tube. Right on top of the blemish, “it’s not meant to be totally blended in,” says Rizzieri, but to avoid cakeyness, use your ring finger to pat its perimeter outward until smooth.

Expert tip: For staying power, apply powder over top with a puff to absorb oil and to keep cover-up from sliding off midday.

Step 4: Now Blush!

Forget shading and sculpting cheekbones with a brush and powder, and try a cream blush instead for that glow-from-within effect. 
Apply to the apples of your cheeks, as seen here. (The fast way to find yours: Smile!) Then blend the color up toward your temples with your fingers. Our pick: (Yves Saint Laurent Creme de Blush in No. 6 Rouge Passion. Bright, bold hues like the berry shade used on our model can look natural, but if you’re color-shy, build the intensity by gradually layering it on.

Expert tip: Gone overboard? Defuse a clownlike situation by applying a bit of foundation over top instead of washing it all off and starting from scratch.

Step 5: Apply Shimmery Eye Base

For pro-looking eye makeup in no time, apply a wash of sheer, shimmery cream shadow from lash lines to brow bones using your pointer finger. 
Try Revlon Illuminance Creme Shadow in Copper Canyon, which comes with all the shades you need to create this look. (Bonus: Shimmer helps hide stray eyebrow hairs if you don’t have time to tweeze!) If your skin is fair like our model’s, try a silvery white shade. For medium to dark skin tones, opt for a champagne color instead. To get an extra bright-eyed effect, dot the color onto the inner corners of your eyes too. Celebs use this trick on the red carpet all the time, Rizzieri says.

Expert tip: If your lids tend to be on the oilier side, use a primer all over them first to help shadow last.

Credit:Glamour

7 minute workout to shape your body!

Say goodbye to marathon gym sessions—now all you’ll need in there is seven solid minutes!

Sound too good to be true? Buh-lieve it! The American College of Sports Medicine’s Health & Fitness Journal recently found that a seven-minute trip to the weight room for interval training (combined with some cardio like a run) will pretty much have you covered!

But these seven minutes will not be easy—you should experience “steady discomfort” for the duration of your workout, AKA it will be seven minutes of really. hard. work. Get ready to sweat!

What exactly is interval training? It’s super intense activity, combined with brief periods of rest—so, 30 seconds of squats or lunges, with a ten-second break in between reps. Allowing your body to rest and then kicking it back into gear forces you to work much harder than if your heart rate stays at a steady pace.

The new study found that for optimum results, you’ll do 12 exercises, and all you’ll need is a chair and a wall—you use your body weight in place of dumbbells. (This means you can even do the workout in your room or dorm room, if you can’t make the trek to the gym!)

"The scientific seven-minute workout is good if you'er short on time and need a high intensity full body training session," said Jay McLeod, who trains Bella Thorne. "Combine it with cardio, a resistance training program, and a healthy diet!" 

Check out the full workout here. The bad news? It will be seven minutes of hell. The good news? It will be over in just seven minutes!

Would you try this new workout? Let me know in the comments!

Credit: Seventeen

Katy Perry's New "Roar" Video Gets Slammed by PETA

I've already admitted that I'm a fan of Katy Perry's latest single "Roar" and the jungle-

themed video she made to go along with it, but apparently not everyone feels the same

way. Animal rights activists PETA have expressed anger about the singer's use of exotic 

creatures in the clip, suggesting that Perry's furry friends could have been subject to 

abuse during the shoot. “Animals used for entertainment endure horrific cruelty and suffer

 from extreme confinement and violent training methods,” PETA spokeswoman Merrilee 

Burke said in a statement. “They often become stressed and anxious when hauled around 

and forced into unfamiliar or frightening situations.” The Serengeti Ranch that provided 

the tigers, monkeys, elephant and more for Perry's video doesn't have the best track 

record—the organization has come under fire many times by the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture. Watch the video in question below, and tell me your thoughts in the 

comments.

Check Katy's video HERE!



Credit: Marie Claire