How to Straighten Your Hair Without Heat in 3 Easy Steps

Whether you’ve got wavy or curly hair, straightening your tresses can become a huge hassle. Hitting the curls with a flat iron or blow dryer is fine, but after a while your hair becomes so damaged that it begins to look worse for the wear.

Even if you use a heat protectant spray, your hair can only take so much and it’s only a matter of time until you find dead, split ends.

In an effort to protect your locks from an ever-present heat styling routine, we’re bringing you the steps for how to straighten your hair without heat. The end results won’t be a flat ironed look, but they’re a much healthier alternative.

What You’ll Need:

• Straightening Shampoo and Conditioner
• Large Rollers
• Roller Clips
• Straight Hairspray

Step One: Use the Right Shampoo and Conditioner. To combat frizz and curl, use a shampoo and conditioner combo that will give you optimal results. Fekkai’s Silky Straight Iron-less Shampoo is our favorite option.

Step Two: Roll Up. Once you towel dry your hair, section off and put in large rollers—the larger, the better (think soda can width). Clip rollers in place and allow your hair to dry.

Step Three: Spray Hair. After your hair dries, apply Living Proof Straight Spray to seal in the style.

10 Natural Remedies for Shrinking Your Pores

Pores. No matter how clear or tiny yours are, they can always be smaller, right? Harsh treatments and even some serums can sometimes be counterintuitive by clogging up your pores further or, worse, spawning breakouts, though.

So, we chatted with some top skin professionals to find out which natural remedies can really make a difference when it comes to smoother, flawless skin. Below are their top tips and recipes to shrink your pores — the natural way.

Rice: Skin guru David Pollock stresses the importance of using a gentle physical exfoliator every day. “Our skin is in a constant state of renewal, which can slow with age,” he says. “A physical exfoliator will scrub away dead, possibly dangerous, skin cells.” He suggests using a cleanser with rice or jojoba beads that won’t damage your skin and can be used everyday.

Papaya, Lemon Juice and Honey: Detox and deep clean your pores a couple of times a week, Pollock advises. Try this mask he concocted using half of a papaya (seeds and pulp removed), one teaspoon of lemon juice, and one tablespoon of honey: While mashing the papaya, slowly blend in the lemon juice and honey. Apply the mixture to clean skin and let it sit for 10 minutes, then rinse it off well. “The papaya helps exfoliate dead skin cells, while the lemon juice acts like a light fruit acid and the honey nourishes and balances the skin’s pH,” he explains.

Seaweed and Honey: Dermatologist Dr. Jeannette Graf suggests adding seaweed powder and manuka honey to a clay mask (with a couple of drops of rose or lavender essential oils as well), then blend it well into a paste. “This will help draw out impurities in the skin,” she says. “Plus, manuka honey has anti-bacterial and anti-acne properties.” While she notes that pore size is determined by genetics, this at-home mask may help make them look smaller.

Apple Cider Vinegar: Before applying moisturizer, Pollock suggests creating your own astringent with apple cider vinegar “to reset the skin’s acidic pH and remove any residual impurities.”

Vitamin C and Aloe Vera: Rianna Loving, creator and founder of organic skincare brand ORGO Beauty, says these two ingredients work in tandem to reduce pore size. “Vitamin C aids healthy skin by killing the bacteria in your pores and can increase your immune system, rejuvenating your liver, which will break down the toxins that help form blackheads,” she says. “Aloe helps fight infections that build up inside the pores, as they are rich in enzymes that eliminate bacteria and reduce the inflammation of the blackhead.” To create an at-home treatment, grate one medium-sized orange and blend with raw or fragrance-free and chemical-free aloe gel. Blend until the mixture is smooth,  then apply onto your face and leave for 15-to-20 minutes. Wash it off with warm water.

Wild Durian Fruit Enzymes: Incorporate a chemical peel or exfoliator serum into your routine a couple nights a week, Pollock says. “Look for serums containing chemical exfoliators, such as salicylic acid, glycolic or lactic acid, retinols, or my favorite, wild durian fruit enzymes from South Asia.”

Lemon Juice and Tea Tree Oil: Loving suggests this natural remedy for deep cleaning. “Tea tree oil prevents the excess build up of unwanted oils and infections. It’s got great anti-inflammatory and disinfecting properties,” she explains. “Lemon juice is a great cleaning compound, which works well for pores which are enlarged by the cause of oily skin and blackheads.” Create a toner by mixing a cup of lukewarm matter with five drops of tea tree oil and a teaspoon of lemon juice, then spray onto your face. This will shrink pores and keep them unclogged.

Why You’re Not Getting Instagram Likes: Tips For Taking the Perfect Picture

There are few things that make us feel as good as a well-executed Instagram picture. Say what you will about the trend and millenials, but it’s a universally acknowledged truth: On those off days, there’s nothing like snapping a few good selfies to get us back in that self-esteem groove.

But beware, because nowhere is the “quality over quantity” rule more important, not even in clothes.

That’s right. This is serious business. Excessive selfies are the fastest way to lose followers for us normals (models and celebrities are an entirely different matter, not being real and all), and mediocre selfies, well, it’s like having every opportunity in the world and just throwing it all away.

So unnecessary, especially because anyone in the world can take a good selfie, given the right tips. And thus, we’ve rounded up our best tricks for a good take every time— because believe us, there’s nothing more identity-crisscrossing than not one “like” in sight.

The Most Flattering Filters
We’re big fans of warm-tinted filters like Rise and Hefe, which make you look like you’re basking in the sun everywhere you go (the dream). For your classic selfie, we generally avoid the filters with cold, harsh tones or frames, like Hudson or Kelvin. Unless you’re trying to look like you’re from the ’90s, in which case, go right ahead, you’re on trend! But on the other hand, if you’re really feeling confident, a simple frame can be the good kind of quirky.

Find Your Light
Selfies are a shadow game, and it’s all about playing it. The best are usually a little back-lit, which casts the most flattering shadows (light from your computer monitor can be good, but has kind of a sad undertone). Try not to take any outside on cloudy days, or in fluorescent lighting–the lack of shadows isn’t flattering, and fluorescent are the quickest way to look washed out.

How To Find Your Angle
Everyone has their own favorite angle, but a good rule of thumb is to shoot from around chin level and gently angle up. Too much of a below chin, angled up shot and you could wind up looking like you have a double chin. But whatever you do, don’t angle from above–it doesn’t get more MySpace than that…

Avoid: Duckface
…Or does it! The duck face (otherwise known as pursed, slightly stuck out lips) was a classic of the MySpace era, and it’s in all of our best interests for it to stay there. We’re all in favor of #ThrowbackThursday, but there’s a limit.

Smile, Don’t Scowl
The corners-upturned smile is our go-to expression, because obviously, we’re taking a selfie, how serious can it be? We always giggle at the selfie-ers with moody, broody expressions, even if it’s a flattering pose. A small smile is the best way to show that you’re in on the joke.

Eye Contact is Everything
Likewise, the  “eyes up and away” face may make your eyes look bigger, but at what cost? Looking a little silly, even, we dare say, grade school-ish (shudder). Definitely not what we’re going for. Eye contact is pure confidence in real life, and does as well virtually. Just try not to stare intensely into the camera–try for second date level eye-contact, not marriage proposal.

8 Weirdest Uses For Your Favorite Cult Classic Beauty Products

Whether you’re in a rush or you’re a modern-day Macguyver, double-duty beauty products are the best kind of beauty products. We’re taking multitasking a step further, though, because we’re putting your favorite beauty products that you’ve known and loved for years to good use (and for reasons other than you think). Below, the eight weirdest uses for your favorite cult classic products.

1. L’Oreal Elnett Hairspray for stains:  Everyone knows that a little clear polish can fix a pull in pantyhose, but there are other uses for your trusted hair product. If you find your clothes covered with unexpected makeup stains, pen ink marks or otherwise, apply hairspray liberally and rub it in for a quick fix.

2. Maybelline Great Lash Mascara for shoe scuffs: Whether you’re hitting the streets of Fashion Week or running around in the office all day, your shoes are bound to catch the brunt of your work day. What’s the use of dealing with scuffed up shoes when you can take the excess mascara off the brush and use a paper towel to cover the problem area? It’s a temporary fix, but it’ll get you through the day.

3. Dickson’s Witch Hazel to clean jewelry: While it’s no surprise that the daily wear and tear of our jewelry is enough to collect dirt, it’s not always so easy to clean it. Dab some witch hazel onto a cotton ball and gently clean your jewelry to restore it to its sparkly, shiny self.

4. Essie’s Nail Polish in Ballet Slippers for marking and organization: With the millions of ways to communicate and send information these days, staying organized can get pretty rough. Put your favorite polish to use by marking and color coordinating papers and folders, then take things a step further by marking the perfect temperature on your shower or the thermostat.

5. SuperSolano Hairdryer to remove stickers and price tags: We spend more time (and get more chips in our nail polish) removing price tag sticker than we’d like to admit. Good news for you retail therapy junkies, though. Simply turning on your blowdryer and concentrating it on stubborn adhesive will speed up the process and help in the removal of stickers and tags.

6. Urban Decay NAKED Palette for hiding your roots: In a time pinch and when there’s no salon in sight, use one of the shadows closest to your hair color to touch up your roots for the day.

7. Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre for static cling: Static cling and lint are pretty much inevitable through sweater season, so apply a small amount of lotion to your hand and say goodbye to static cling and sweater lint with a light swipe over the fabric.

8. Mason Pearson Hair Brush for carpet stains: Though you’d have to be practically made of money to do this, there’s one thing that will help you get rid of stains in the carpet better than a toothbrush. If you have a hairbrush handy take it to the carpet to lift stains. This method is amore effective due to the larger surface area of the brush, concentrated on the stain.

The Worst Mistakes You Make When Applying Concealer

Whether you’re covering up blemishes or prepping your skin, concealer is a must have. But chances are that you might be making some avoidable mistakes with your makeup, or even worse; you might not being using this multi-purpose product to its full potential. In order to avoid any of the above, we’ve put together some of the common concealer related mistakes, and some cool tricks you probably never considered before!

Using your fingers: You may have heard this is a great way to apply concealer because it helps smoothen the application. We’re sorry to say that you’ve been misinformed. When applying makeup, our hands touch a variety of other products, and when we finally get to our concealer, there might be remnants on your fingers, which can end up casting a shadow over your concealer. Save yourself the trouble (and mess) and invest in a concealer brush or applicator for a flawless application.

There is a time and place for every texture: Like all makeup, different kinds do different things. Concealers come in different shades and textures, so make sure you’re matching the texture to its use. For example, a liquid concealer is preferable for under eye application, as opposed to a cream concealer which can crease and look cake-y under the eyes.

Tap, don’t stroke: This is another common mistake when applying concealer. Whatever tool you’re using to apply your concealer, use light tapping motions to blend the product in. This will result in an airbrush-like finish.

Powder up: This is an often overlooked rule when using any type of liquid makeup. Some might not see the importance of setting your makeup, especially concealer, but this keeps the product from sliding off your face later in the day.

Not using it as foundation: For those who haven’t discovered the magic of using concealer as foundation, listen up. When you’re looking for a lighter coverage, swap your foundation for your a pump or two of your favorite concealer in the spots that need a bit of evening.

Prep and Prime: Priming your face before makeup application is a must. Use concealer to prep your eyes and lips before applying any product over top. It works as a neutralizing base and allows the colors of your eyeshadow or lipstick to pop. A lighter shade also makes your lips look larger, giving you the effect of a plumped pout.

A little goes a long way: We all make the mistake of thinking that we need more product than we actually do, but when it comes to concealer, less is more! The less concealer you apply, the more natural your makeup will look. Plus, using it sparingly means spending less money. Win-win.

After or before foundation? The question about whether we should apply concealer before or after foundation is an age old one. There really is no right or wrong answer for everyone. Both methods produce different results, so if to cover up under eye circles, apply before foundation. If you’d like a blemish free complexion, we suggest you apply after foundation.

Contour and highlight: Want some contouring a la Kim Kardashian? Put your concealer palette to use! Use a darker shade to contour your cheekbones, jawline and nose. Then use a lighter concealer can help draw light to the center of your nose, center of your forehead and the apples of your cheeks.

Wipe it off: Taking off any type of makeup is necessary, but especially liquid makeup. Leaving concealer or foundation on overnight might result in blocked pores, which leads to a plethora of skin troubles. Get yourself some good makeup remover wipes and a gentle facial cleanser to really get the most out of your beauty sleep.

Beauty Rules You Should Be Following Right Now

Winter is harsh — not just on our mood and routine, but our skin, too. We should be always be taking good care of our skin year-round, but there are some rules you need to be following  to give skin a strong fighting chance right now. Read on below for the beauty rules you should be following right now.

Never sleep in your makeup: “This suffocates your skin, causing aging,” says Kim Laudati of Kim Laudati Skin Care. It also promotes breakouts. The pollution and makeup itself all need to be removed prior to sleep. We regenerate cells the fastest when sleeping, so don’t cheat yourself out of healthy, new skin.

Always wear SPF: “Skin cancer is in the top 5 cancer killers in the United States! It’s not just a little something that you get cut off and forget about,” Laudati says. Also, sun damage causes wrinkles and sun spots (dark brown spotting) so why not enjoy the sun while protecting yourself from that trifecta?

Never over-scrub: Sure, your exfoliating products all say “use daily” and some even suggest twice daily, but don’t believe everything they say. “The cold, hard clinical fact is that too much scrubbing will actually slow down your cell turnover as your skin tries to protect itself,” says Laudati. Slow cell turnover means faster signs of aging, dull looking skin and skin that will be more prone to break out from dead skin cell build up.

Groom your brows: They say your eyes are the window to your soul, so let your eyebrows be your window treatments!! “In my book, no makeup look is complete without the final framing, and filling in of the eyebrows. Cleaning up and stray hairs and filling in your brows creates a polished look and is the finishing touch to a professional and gorgeous look!” says Achelle Dunaway, creative director for e.l.f. Cosmetics.

Get a monthly facial: “Without proper cleaning and exfoliation, you are really just applying your products to layers of dead skin cells,” says Rianna Loving, creator of Orgo Beauty. These professional treatments help reduce wrinkles and scarring, plus they help to brighten, increase elasticity, clean pores and smooth skin.

Moisturize: Even oily skin needs moisture to keep balanced. Always apply just enough product to cover your skin so as to not clog pores and waste product. “I suggest moisturizing twice daily after cleansing and before SPF and makeup for supple and hydrated skin,” says Laudati.

Wash your makeup brushes weekly:  “I’m not a huge fan of makeup brush cleansers, as they are normally high in alcohol, which is very drying and can be very irritating to skin. If you’re not a professional makeup artist, a good rule of thumb is to wash your brushes in disinfecting soap once weekly, spin or tap to remove excess water, blot with a clean napkin or hand towel and air dry between two dry napkins or a clean, dry hand towel,” says Laudati. Keep your brushes in a plastic container that closes. The container is easy to clean, and at the same time you’re washing your brushes you can clean the container. It’ll also keep airborne pollutants off your brushes throughout the week.

Sleep with a humidifier if you live in a cold climate: During the winter months the air contains less water and thus can dry out and crack your skin. “By sleeping with a humidifier you add water back into the air. Your skin will thank you,” says Dr. Gary Goldfaden.

Hydrate: Drinking at least eight 8 oz. glasses of water every day keeps your body working properly and nourishes the skin, says Ami Shvartzman, glo minerals National Makeup Artist.

Clean your cell phone: “Cell phones are magnets for bacteria, so keep it clean and keep a clearer complexion,” says Shvartzman.

Do not use products that contain mineral oil: It is used extensively in the United States because it is inexpensive. However, mineral oil is molecularly too large to penetrate the skin, so it just sits on the skin’s surface. It can also clog pores. The reality of mineral oil is that it’s a byproduct of processing petroleum. Is that really the best thing to be putting on your skin?

20 Makeup Tricks Every Twenty-Something Needs

Because we tend to spend our time pouring over beauty products, chatting with makeup artists and testing out the products on our own, we also tend to pick up some pretty incredible makeup tricks along the way.

Whether it’s how to get your makeup to last longer, how to apply a product or which products work best for each issue, we’ve got some seriously useful makeup tricks and we’re sharing them with you.

Below are 20 makeup tips every girl needs in her 20s (and beyond).

1. To avoid your lipstick drying out in the center of your mouth, apply a nude color lip balm crayon to the insides of your lips, just behind the lipstick. This won’t change the color of your lipstick, and it’ll keep your lips hydrated, preventing cracking and making it last much longer.

2. Use a cotton swab and a drop of makeup remover to clean up any stray marks or mistakes that may have happened when you applied eyeliner.

3. When your eyebrows are unruly and you’re in a pinch, use lip balm to coax them into place.

4. Apply concealer under your eyes with your ring finger, the weakest finger, to pull the skin there as little as possible. This will avoid making the sensitive skin at your eyes loose, which can cause wrinkles.

5. To make your eyeshadow last longer, begin by applying an eye primer, then wet your brush before dipping into the eyeshadow. The wet shadow will stick to the eyelid better and won’t slide off.

6. For a subtle highlighted look, use a highlighter stick to trace a giant “C” shape on either side of your face. Starting at the inner corner of your eyes, going up to just underneath your eyebrows, following the outer curve of  your face and then going inward towards the apple of your cheek. Blend the highlighter so that there isn’t a clear, visible line, and repeat on the opposite side of your face.

7. Put a touch of white eyeliner in the corner of your eyes and along your bottom water line before pictures to make your eyes look brighter and bigger.

8. For precision and even color application, use a concealer brush instead of a lip brush to apply your lipstick.

9. If you neglect to clean your makeup brushes, you’re putting old makeup, bacteria and oil onto your skin every day, which can cause major breakouts. Clean your brushes once a week with anti-bacterial soap and warm water.

10. To coat your lashes with the most mascara possible, place the mascara wand at the root of your lashes and gently shake the brush up towards the tips, blinking down onto the brush as you go. Plus, don’t be afraid to apply two coats!

11. When you’re doing a smokey eye, use three colors. One light highlighter color in the inner corner and under the brow bone, one medium tone in the center of your lid under the crease, and one darker color in a sideways “V” shape — along the crease, then along the upper lash line. Blend the colors well for the best results.

12. Use green concealer for acne or blemishes (green will counteract the red) and pink concealer for dark circles or spots (pink will counteract the blue or purple colors).

13. On a night when you know your makeup needs to stay put for hours on end, use a makeup setting spray to hold things in place.

14. For a spot treatment on acne, apply a drop of redness reducing eye drops to the area. The formula will help to neutralize the red, evening up your skin tone.

15. To make your nose look smaller, apply a foundation two shades darker than your skin tone in vertical lines down the sides of your nose and blend. Then, apply a strip of highlighter down the center of your nose, blending that, too. The makeup will give you the appearance of a shadow, making your nose look a bit smaller.

16. Always curl your eyelashes before applying mascara, not after. Curling afterwards will cause the mascara to clump.

17. If you use heat styling tools in your hair, style your hair before applying your makeup. The heat from the tool (especially a blow dryer) can dry out the makeup, cause your mascara to shrink, and melt the makeup causing it to go deeper into your pores. Apply your makeup afterwards in a cool room if possible.

18. For a long lasting lip stain that you can DIY, use Kool Aid mix, water and your finger. Added bonus: It tastes great!

19. Get your eyeliner to stay put by using an angled eyeshadow brush and a shadow of the same color, applying it over the liner. The powder shadow will seal the liner in place.

20. Even if your makeup contains SPF, it’s not enough to rely on that alone, because you don’t apply makeup as thoroughly as you would apply sunscreen. Get a lightweight, non-greasy formula to wear underneath your makeup, even when it’s not sunny out.