No matter how early you wake up, there just isn’t enough time to get ready. In an attempt to save you an hour from your morning routine, here’s how we think you should be doing your morning beauty routine.

1. Fake a Freshly Washed Hair
It’s unhealthy for your tresses to wash them every day (and who has the time to wash, dry and style their hair every single day?). Prolong your blowout and wake up to a sexy bed hair by going to bed with your hair in loose topknot. Leaving your hair down will only cause friction between your strands and the pillow, causing them to look frizzy the next morning. Securing most of your hair away from your body and your pillow will preserve the smoothness of every strand.

2. Get an Eyelash Extension
Eyelash extensions may be expensive, but it is totally worth the splurge, time-wise. You basically wake-up fabulously, since your lashes make eyeliner, mascara and eyeshadow unnecessary. It visually lifts your eyes and cheeks, so you can just focus on nailing a flawless skin and be out of the door in no time.

3. Leave Your Hair Towel-Wrapped While Doing Your Make-Up
Instead of blow drying your hair right out of the shower, wrap it up in a towel while you’re doing your make-up. After your make-up, unwrap your hair and it should be 50 percent dry by this time. This is when you start blow drying in the coolest temperature. When you feel like your hair is almost dry, turn the heat up for a quick blowout. Keep in mind that it is the last bit of moisture that styles and sets the hairstyle, so blow drying your tresses straight out of the shower is just a waste of time.

4. Fill In Brows With Tinted Brow Gel
It’s just a lot of work to shape, shade, blend and set your brows to perfection every single morning. Instead, use a tinted brow gel to fill in your brows. Get a shade lighter than your hair color so it won’t look too strong.

5. Use Double-Duty Products
Since there’s always not enough time in the morning, learn to streamline your make-up process. Use a tinted moisturizer with SPF for an all-in-one application of moisturizer, foundation and sunscreen. Make-up artists also swear by stick blushes since they can use them on the cheeks, lips and even on the eyes. You will save time because you’ll skip rummaging through your vanity or make-up bag to find products and shades that work well together.

Whether you need more sleep, just being lazy or are always pressed for time, these simple tricks will save you a precious amount of time and get you out of the door looking effortlessly fabulous in no time.

Two-tone lipsticks are among the trending items in the lip cosmetic industry just recently. We have witnessed the transition from the classic lipstick to liquid lipsticks, and now the ombré look on one’s lips is quite enjoying popularity especially in a number of countries in Asia.

One Korean cosmetic brand in particular, Laneige, has released a series of two-tone lip bars designed to give the lips a beautiful gradient. The play of colors result to a gorgeous, ombré look. This unique product is popular in Korea and other neighboring countries as well thanks to its product placement in various K-dramas and commercial adverts.

Is two better than one?
Instead of having only one color, this lip stain boasts of two complementary colors in a single formula. This allows a unique combination of colors on one’s lips. The company released the product because of the rise of two lip trends: the ombré lips and the lip stain, allowing the user to achieve a natural, dewy-looking lip color which also has enough coverage for the whole day long.

Sometimes, working with lip liners and matte lipsticks makes it difficult to achieve a layered, rich color combination. Not to mention that things are likely to get messy in the middle of the application process. This is where two-tone lip color proves to be a modern lifesaver to a lot of women: the pigment of the product automatically gives a rosy dual-tone lip color, which is also long-lasting to boot.

Things to know before making a purchase
• It can be tough for dual colors to co-exist on your lips. With that, the two-tone lip stain may work better when applied on full and plump lips. Otherwise, you may not really much appreciate its ombré effect.

• Notably, the darker shade shows up more evidently on the lips compared to the lighter shade. Some light shades may even be so light on your lips that you may think it’s not there at all, making the dual tone effect practically absent.

• While the two-tone outcome may vary among different set of lips, you might need a small applicator or your finger to slightly blend in the colors together. This is done in order for the colors not to look too harsh on the lips.

Where can you get it?
You can get the two-tone lip bar at Sephora SG for around $34, while Lazada Singapore offers it at roughly $32. Best-selling shades include: red blossom, milk blurring, and maxi red (a top choice as it pulls off that natural rosy-looking lips). More unique shades include pink salmon and juicy pop, which plays with the colors red, orange, and yellow—perfect for rocking a summer look!

Concerned about dark armpits? Some ladies turn to laser treatments to whiten this area, but that option can easily get expensive – bad news if you don’t have a high beautification budget. Still, that doesn’t mean that you should resign wearing sleeved tops for the rest of your life. We listed down some of the inexpensive and natural ways that could help you score lighter armpits.

1. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is used by most people to treat certain skin issues, and one of its other common uses is lightening the skin. Just apply coconut oil 10 minutes before taking your bath every day. Massage it in a circular motion, and then wash it using lukewarm water and mild soap.

2. Cucumber

Perhaps you’ve tried the old-school trick of rejuvenating your swollen, tired eyes using cucumber slices. Guess what? You can also use these crunchy and refreshing veggies to whiten your pits as well. Simply spread the cucumber’s juice and grated pieces on your trouble areas to make great use of its natural bleaching properties.

3. Papaya

Papaya soaps are the cult favourite whitening products for a reason. The fruit is loaded with papain, an enzyme that promotes skin renewal in brightening and whitening. An extra tip: papain is concentrated on the peel of papaya, so use that instead of the flesh to brighten your underarms.

4. Potato

Potatoes are the best when they’re deep-fried, but they’re also good when it comes to brightening the skin. That’s because this starchy crop is loaded with an enzyme called catecholase, which has whitening properties. So mash those taters into paste and gently massage them onto your armpits.

5. Sugar

Your pits might appear dark because of the accumulated dead skin cells, which is why exfoliation is the key. Simply mix honey and sugar together to create a scrub that won’t just smell heavenly, but will slough off the icky layer as well.

6. Yogurt

If you’ve meticulously attended to the needs of your skin, then there’s a good chance you’ve encountered products containing alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) – a chemical compound that targets dead skin cells to reveal the brighter and fairer skin underneath. So reach for a cup of yogurt to help you in your battle against dark underarms, since this creamy concoction is loaded with lactic acid, a popular form of AHA.

Having white underarms doesn’t have to be as complicated and expensive as you thought it to be. By knowing what causes your pits to darken and using any of these natural remedies, you can already achieve lighter and fairer underarms.

The quest to achieve fuller eyebrows is often filled with depilatory accidents – you get a little too excited with your tweezers and your brows suddenly look way too thin. Now, you’re left panicking since eyebrows are known to be quite difficult to re-grow. Fortunately, you no longer have to go through this traumatizing experience just to achieve those fuller-looking eyebrows. Here, we listed down the best brow plumping hacks that’ll surely cater to your arches’ needs.

1. Use Volumizing Brow Gel

Unlike the cult favourite eyebrow mascaras that only add colour, volumizing gels are loaded with special fibres that add definition and texture to the eyebrow hairs. Achieving a bushy brow look is just one brush wiggle away with these mascara-lookalikes.

2. Opt for Darker Colour

Fuller eyebrows tend to have darker hair, so filling your arches with a light brown shade when your hair is black won’t make any sense. Your brows will look fuller and more natural if you match its shade with how dark your strands are – and you can even opt to go a little darker if you’re feeling a bit bold.

3. Draw Some Brow Hairs

If you prefer full eyebrows that don’t look drawn on, then use brow pens and pencils to create finer strokes that mimic real eyebrow hairs. Using these products will keep you from applying too much product and getting that blocky brow look as well.

4. Put on Eyebrow Extensions

A lot of salons in Singapore now offer eyebrow extensions, so why not try this option instead. Eyebrow specialists use real human hair to match it to yours and then attach the hairs to your eyebrows. They cost about a hundred bucks, but you can ensure that you’ll have fuller-looking eyebrows up to two weeks.

5. Apply Eyebrow Serums

Can’t stand to fake full eyebrows any longer? Then apply good serums to re-grow and thicken your thin brows. Castor oil is tried and tested grandma trick, as it feeds the follicles to produce fuller, thicker hairs and promotes root growth even from dormant follicles. The only downside to this trick is it could take up to a month to work, but what’s a month’s worth of waiting if you’ll have results that last forever.

Achieving fuller arches is now easier, even if you’re not born with a pair of thick brows. Simply putting the aforementioned tips to work is already enough to help you fake bushy brows and achieve a youthful-looking version of yourself.

There is washing your face with water and cleanser and there’s cleansing the face with micellar water. Although this sounds like a trendy French item, it actually is a simple and straightforward beauty product that’s mild to use on a daily basis for removing your make-up. Here are the reasons why your favourite Youtube beauty gurus and skincare experts highly recommend this product.

1. It’s not just a cleanser

Chances are the facial cleansers you’re using as of the moment require rinsing with soap and water. Miscellar water, on the other hand, don’t require rinsing. Yup, you heard it right. Simply moisten a cotton pad with the product, use it to wipe away make-up on your face and you’re good to go.

2. It cuts your routine in half

When you’re travelling, using miscellar water can cut your skincare routine down to just one step, without depriving your skin of the attention it needs to maintain its glow. Moreover, when you’re in a long-haul flight, you’d be sceptical to wash your face with the lavatory water. Your safest and quickest solution? Cleanse your face with miscellar water.

3. It’s ideal for sensitive skin

Since this product was primarily created as a substitute to UK’s harsh tap water, it’s an ideal product for people with sensitive skin. Its gentle ingredients surely won’t wreck havoc to your skin. These products are free of fragrance, alcohol, soap, and other chemicals that are too harsh and can cause irritation and inflammation.

4. It can be used to correct make-up mishaps

Every girl knows the struggle of perfecting a cat eye. If your hand is too shaky or your lines aren’t even, moisten a Q-tip with miscellar water and use it to correct and clean up the edges for a sleek flick.

5. It’s a gentler substitute for face wipes

Face wipes are staple bedside skincare products. Whenever we’re tempted to just clean up the face in one swipe, we automatically reach for the face wipes. However, they are often saturated with alcohol and drying chemicals. Miscellar water is a gentler alternative to your traditional face wipes. It can easily remove your make-up without being too harsh on the skin. If you can’t let go of face wipes, look for one in miscellar variant.

Whether you’re looking for more skin-friendly beauty stuff or just a lazy gal looking for a multi-tasking beauty product, miscellar water is a skincare item that deserves a special place in your vanity. With its gentle formulation and ease of use, you know you’ll never go wrong with this product.

Growing up with curly or wavy hair can be difficult. Perhaps you envied your friends who were blessed with naturally straight hair, and tried almost every styling method just to make your strands as straight as theirs. However, all the abuse you’ve done on your naturally-textured tresses will leave it looking damaged later on. To keep that from happening, we listed down some fool-proof hair hacks that will surely make your natural waves and curls look amazing.

1. Hydrate Your Curls

Any type of hair feels and looks better when it’s well-hydrated. One way of doing it is to use moisturizing conditioner after shampooing your locks. If you want, you can also treat your strands to some deep conditioning session once or twice a week, depending on how damaged your tresses are. If you don’t have that much time to let your hair soak in masks, however, then applying hair serums and oils can also be a good choice.

2. Ditch Your Hairbrush

Running a brush through curly or wavy hair only leads to one thing: hair frizz. So instead of brushing your strands post-shower, do it before and during baths. Allowing water to run through your hair will also help in binding the strands back together, causing lesser frizz once dried.

3. Plop-Dry Your Strands

Rubbing your tresses with a towel after drying is another sure-fire way of getting frizzy strands. To avoid this, simply squeeze the excess water out of your locks and “plop” dry it instead. Plopping will help preserve the natural curls of your hair, making it look less messy.

4. Avoid Touching Your Hair

Resist the urge to run your fingers through your hair as you let it dry, since the natural oils from your hands will likely transfer onto your locks and weigh it down. Trust us, it’ll be worth it when your hair dries in its untouched glory.

5. Don Your Favourite Up-Do

If all else fails to work, get a reliable hairstyle ready as your plan B. We all have our fair share of bad hair days, which is why you shouldn’t punish your strands by overusing a hairstyling tool. Instead, pull your hair up in a messy bun, and put some feminine flair to it by wearing side braids or using cute hair accessories.

Caring for curly or wavy hair isn’t always a walk in the park, but by following these tips, you’ll definitely be able to properly care for your strands and enjoy the beauty it adds to your appearance.

These are the times when people are more concerned about their physical appearances. People, no matter what age or gender, tend to invest in expensive but effective skin care products to maintain good-looking skin and to banish annoying skin blemishes.

Instead for paying for expensive face creams and facial procedures, why not invest in something more convenient to use and more effective?

Drinking collagen is one of the latest beauty trends nowadays quickly gaining a huge following worldwide. A lot of people are ecstatic to be informed that you can drink your way to better skin, no matter what age.

Collagen: The Lowdown

Collagen is the protein present in your skin. It is the fundamental element that keeps the dermis of the skin youthful and supple, and also keeps the body joints well lubricated. Collagen is also rich in amino acids commonly tagged as “nonessential” but is still vital in keeping the body functions smooth.

Some examples of these amino acids are glycine, which helps boost sleep, and proline and hydroxyproline which are needed in the skin.

As we age, collagen eventually breaks down, resulting in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. This is why aestheticians inject collagen as a filler to help erase lines and make the skin (or sometimes the lips) plump and supple.

The trend

The ingested collagen trend started in Asia, with brands like Amore Pacific and Shiseido introducing the drinkable collagen in their skin care line. This is usually in the form of supplements, powders and drinks. In the recent years, more Western brands are also jumping on the ingestible collagen bandwagon.

Why drink collagen?

Collagen, as a natural protein, is unique since it contains high amounts of hysine, glycine and proline- essential amino acids for the repair of skin and bone tissues.

Drinking collagen instead of injecting it applying as a topical cream is advised because this way, the while body is provided with the essential ingredients for the repair and creation of connective tissues. In addition, a recent study shows that drinking oral collagen peptides regularly significantly affects the hydration and collagen density of the skin.

According to Naomi Whittel, CEO and founder of health and nutrition brand Reserveage, when you ingest collagen, the pool of essential amino acids available for the collagen-manufacturing cells in the body is increased.

The fibroblasts in the dermis are the one’s responsible for the production of collagen so increasing the pool of collagen in the body stimulates the production of collagen in the dermal layer.

Predictions

A lot of specialists are claiming that the ingestible collagen trend will be a huge beauty trend in no time since this supports the idea that a beautiful outward appearance starts by taking care of your insides. Its convenient procedure is only an added reason as to why this trend is steadily gaining popularity.

Other wellness and beauty brands are also doing some finishing touches on their collagen line before launching it in the market. Most of these brands derive collagen from marine resources such as fish scales.

If there is one feature that you want to highlight, what would it be? It could be the lips, nose, chin, forehead or eyes. In this case, you want to emphasize your eyes. Eyes are the most expressive of them all so it is just right to highlight it. However, of them all, eyes prove to be difficult to groom.

It is such a task that sometimes, Singaporean women do not consider it at all. There are others who consider it but they are always late for work. It is time that you know some tips to make things easier for you. Here are some tips worth considering when it comes to making your eyes beautiful than ever:

• For longer lasting eye makeup: You want your eye makeup to last long, right? The first thing that you should do is line eyes using pencil liner then apply eye shadow with the same shade.
• For complex liquid liners: The trick is to have a steady hand so putting liquid liners can be easy. However, if you have unsteady hands, you should first line the eyes with pencil liner. After lining it, trace it with your liquid liner. This is one neat trick.
• For monolid: If your eyelids conceal your eyeliner, it is called monolid. This is not a problem because there is always something that you can do. Start by drawing arched line using pencil liner above the lash line thicker.
• For instant defining of brows: It is important that you carry along with you a white liner. Yes, there is a white liner and it can be used to define or highlight eye lift. Using your white liner, line above and below your eyebrows and smudge it using your sponge brush.
• For drawing straight line: It is sometimes a struggle to draw a straight line. This is natural but you can practice by drawing dots first and then finish by connecting them. Remember not to make dots too big.

• For ombre effect: Ombre refers to colors or tones that shade into each other. You can create an ombre effect by starting at the inner side of your eye with light eyeliner (like white). Then continue shading the outside corner of the eye with dark eyeliners then move at the middle but stop halfway. Look for a sponge brush and blend the inner and outer colors so it will overlap.
• For that perfect cat-eye shape: Cat-eye should be mastered and perfected. It is not that hard contrary to what other people believe. To create that perfect cat-eye shape, make sure that you use a spoon. The handle will serve as your guide in drawing the angled line while the curve can help you with creating the shape.
• For crumbly eyeliner: There will come a time that you eyeliner will have crumbles. Crumbles can mess up the rest of your makeup. Experts shared that to help the eyeliners with regaining its shape you have to freeze it for at least ten minutes before actually using it in your eyes.
• For fixing smudges: It is normal to have smudges but what is normal is not being able to fix it. If you have smudged liner, consider a skin-colored liner. Draw the liner instead of wiping everything and starting all over again.

One common problem for women here in Singapore is chapped or dry lips. Most people may think that this is okay but for women it can be unattractive not to mention painful. Symptoms include redness, dryness, flaking, sore and tender and cracking. Chapped lips can be a symptom of an underlying illness like vitamin deficiency, dehydration ad allergic reaction.

The good news here is that there are many products available in the market these days that can help us treat chapped lips. However, it can cost you. If you want to save money and can personally look into the treatments, here are some home remedies to restore the lip’s former glory:

• Sugar: To treat chapped lips, the first thing that you should know is to exfoliate dead cells. Exfoliating it first can help restore its softness sooner. Sugar can be of great help. You only need two teaspoons of sugar and one teaspoon of honey. Mix it together and then apply the paste unto the lips. Let the paste sit there for few minutes. After few minutes, gently rub the mixture using fingers. This is done to loosen the present dead skin cells. After rubbing, you can wash it.

• Rose petals: Do you have a rose garden or rose plant? It can be useful. Roses can moisturize the lips plus it can enhance the lip’s color. The first thing that you should do is to wash rose petals. Soak it in milk for hours and then mash until it becomes paste. The paste can now be applied on your dry lips. If it is not too much a bother, apply it for at least thrice a day and do not forget to apply before going to bed.

• Castor oil: One good treatment is castor oil. This is the simplest thing since you do not need to make something out of it. You just need to apply the oil to your lips as often as you want.

• Coconut oil: Like castor oil, you can apply it purely to your chapped or dry lips caused by cold or dry weather. If coconut oil is not available, olive oil will do.

• Milk cream: Milk cream contains high fat which is an excellent lip moisturizer. You only need to put the fresh milk cream directly unto your lips. It can also help the lip heal faster.

• Aloe vera gel: Aloe vera gel is common for its healing qualities. Putting gel on the lips every day can relieve the pain and heal it. Yes, it has unpleasant taste but do not mind it. The healing quality is surely worth it.

• Petroleum jelly: If you are too lazy to mix something, you can buy petroleum jelly and it is not that expensive either. It is one of the most effective items for treating dry lips. You only need to apply some several times a day.

• Water: The most natural thing that you can do is to drink lots of water. Dehydration may be the reason that is causing your lips to dry. Keep your body well hydrated and you will not endure dry lips.

Apart from your holiday photos, there’s one more thing that’ll remind you of the amazing summer vacation you had—your tan lines. If you want to know how to get rid of those pesky lines on your arms, chest, neck, and legs, try scouring through your kitchen pantry for instant home remedies.

1. Lemon Juice. As a natural exfoliant, lemon juice is perfect for getting rid of obvious tan lines, but don’t use it alone as it could potentially burn your skin. Mix it with an equal part of honey, dab onto the lines, and leave it on for 25 minutes before washing it off.

2. Cucumbers. The vitamin C content and natural moisture in cucumbers is what makes it an ideal tan line treatment. Cut cucumber into thin slices, mash it until it turns into paste, and then leave it on the affected area for about 20 minutes.

3. Potatoes. Just as it can help in healing burns, potatoes can also aid in eliminating tan lines. Just like cucumbers, cut up a potato into thin slices and place it on the area to be treated. Leave it on for 15 minutes and you’ll notice colour changes in your skin in an instant.

4. Black Tea. If your tan line appears more like a burn line, then this treatment can be extra useful for you. All you have to do is make a cup of iced black tea, pour it into an extra spray bottle, and then spritz it to yourself after showering. Not only will this trick soothe your skin, it’ll also help in fading stark tan lines much faster.

5. Aloe Vera. Products containing vitamin E or aloe Vera are also great remedies for bad tan lines. These products work by moisturizing your skin, helping it rejuvenate while promoting growth of skin cells. This way, you get to nourish your skin while getting rid of the pesky lines you got from lounging on the beach.

Getting rid of post-vacation beauty woes, such as tan lines, can be challenging especially if you don’t have the luxury of time to deal with it. Fortunately, there are natural treatments you can easily access at home and use them as instant remedy to ease away noticeable tan lines.

There sure are a lot of things that we feel bad being lazy about during summertime, but applying makeup isn’t one of those things. If all we need to do is swipe our favourite lippie or apply two coats of mascara, then so be it. But if you’re starting to feel really lazy in doing this too, then it’s time that you take hold on one of the following beauty sticks. Not only will they enable you to skip your makeup brushes altogether, these sticks are also excellent multitaskers that are perfect for your every beauty need.

1. Nudestix Lip and Cheek Pencil. When it comes to stick multitaskers, this would definitely top the list. Not only does it offer eight gorgeous shades to suit every skin tone, this pencil can also be used as an eyeshadow, blusher, and lipstick. Another thing that you’ll love about it is, it has creamy moisturizing formula despite being a pencil, making it a more ideal product to keep in your vanity to save you on those lazy days.

2. Tarte Coloured Clay CC Primer. Not only does this product leave you with flawless-looking skin, it also contains colour correcting clays that brightens your skin and neutralizes redness and appearance of blemishes. All you need to do is dab and blend the product in certain areas of the face, and you’re good to go.

3. Josie Maran Cosmetics Argan Colour Stick. Want to sport that rosy flush as if you just got out from the gym? Then this argan lip and cheek stick is the best choice for you. Aside from its smooth finish, this makeup stick imparts a sheer and natural-looking flush on your skin. Take your pick from its five available shades—pink, coral, rosey, red, and spice—to get that subtle pop of colour to your cheeks.

4. Clinique Chubby Stick Sculpting Contour and Highlight. If you’re after a makeup stick with creamy texture and luminous finish, then this sculpting stick is definitely a thing to consider. Apart from its texture and finish, this highlighting stick also has light-reflecting properties that make the highlighted areas look luminous and healthy instead of being plain reflective.

5. Lipstick Queen Cupid’s Bow. Having problems on applying the lip colour you want? Ditch your lip liner and lipstick for this lip pencil now. Aside from its incredibly pigmented and super comfortable formula, this lip pencil comes in a wide range of colours to choose from. And the packaging? It makes it so easy to work with utmost precision.

There really are times when you feel lazy to put on some makeup, so it’s a relief to know that there are products we can rely on for that “no-makeup” makeup look. Arm yourself with any of these products and ensure you still look fresh and glowing minus the effort.

There are a few physical challenges that mommies deal with after childbirth. While much of your time is spent loving and taking care of your little bundle of joy, you also have to deal with the changes of your body and get back to your original state. Here are some tips to help you get through the common body changes.

1. Squeeze Before You Sneeze

With your little baby having put all sorts of pressure on your pelvic floor and bladder for nine months, a sneeze, giggle, or cough can cause a little leakage soon after giving birth. While this is just normal for the most of moms, it can be a problem and for the most of us embarrassing. To prevent this from happening, squeeze your pelvic floor once you feel like a sneeze or cough is about to happen. This somehow blocks the bladder and prevents leakage from happening.

2. Dress Accordingly

Most women get problematic abdominal sizes after pregnancy. To deal with this postpartum side effect, wear empire style tops. An empire top accentuates the skinniest part of your body, which is right under the bust, and flows away from the rest of your tummy area. This is a popular style today, so you won’t feel or look like you’re still in maternity wear.

3. Ice Your Breasts

The first weeks of being a mom will feel like most of your time revolves around feeding your little one. One side effect of this is engorged breasts that almost always feel full. They will be bigger than your normal size and most of the time more sensitive. Instead of having to express milk right away to empty it, try relieving them with a cold pack or cabbage leaves, which is said to reduce irritations and engorgement.

4. Adjust Your Beauty Routine

Throughout the pregnancy stage, you would be accustomed to the changes in your skin and hair’s condition, all thanks to the unstable hormones. These changes may continue postpartum: you’ll experience hair fall in handfuls for up to six months and your skin may become super sensitive to sunlight. Any stretch marks will eventually fade as long as it’s treated well.

In the months following your childbirth, the best you can do is to embrace these natural body changes and feel good about your postpartum figure.  Be patient and realize that your body needs enough time to get into its former shape and regain its reliable functions.