Here is a list of the eight must-have items for your make-up kit. The specific brand you will choose will depend on your budget, your preferences and your skin type but this should serve as your guideline as to what you really need. Following this list will save you from making unnecessary make-up purchases.

1. Tinted moisturizer- unless you’re going to a dinner party or a photo shoot, you don’t really need to pile on the make-up. Instead of using foundation (liquid or cake), purchase a good tinted moisturizer. Tinted moisturizers give your skin an even, clean, natural look. It also gives you the added benefit of moisturizing your skin.

2. Tweezers- there is nothing like clean brows to give your face an instant face-lift. With the right brow shape, your face can look young and clean. The best tweezers are relatively cheap so they will probably be the cheapest must-have in your make-up kit. Good tweezers can last you many years.
3. Eyelash curler- Bright, clear, open eyes can make a big difference in a person’s look. Curled lashes help in showcasing beautiful eyes.

4. Blush- Healthy flushed cheeks can make a person look absolutely gorgeous and can complete a person’s natural look. There are a number of blushes available in the market in different forms: powder, gel, pencil and others. Some products even work as both cheek and lip tints.

5. Lipstick- Select a good shade of lipstick that can take you from day to night. You can get several shades of lipstick because there are plenty of inexpensive brands available but you must have one lipstick shade that can work for all your outfits and for different occasions. Once you find a shade that works for your skin tone and your outfits, make sure to get a fresh tube as soon as it runs out. This lipstick will be your signature shade, something you don’t have to think twice about putting on when you’re in a rush.

6. Eyeliner- eyeliners can be used to line eyelids or define eyebrows. It can make your eyes look bigger or smaller depending on your preference. Pencil eyeliners are great because they are inexpensive and they don’t drip.

7. Lip gloss- for days when you don’t feel like wearing make-up but can not step out of the house looking unkempt, lip gloss can add an instant ‘oomph’ to your look. Lip gloss are also great when you need to do quick touch ups.

8. Mascara- applying mascara can make a person look extra glamorous with very little effort. Invest in a good mascara to give your eyes an instant ‘pop’. Mascaras are also great for when you want the more dramatic effect of smoky eyes.

The process of drying hair, then curling, relaxing, or straightening it is one that takes time and the use of quality tools and products. If you are using the wrong hairstyling products, hair can easily become frizzy, damaged, and even break. This can lead to poor moisture and “dead” hair that is difficult or impossible to style. Finding the right hair dryer for the task at hand is just as important as finding the best styling tools, such as hair straighteners and curling irons. Hair relaxers are most commonly used for women with excessively curly, thick, or African American hair.

Americans spend approximately 7 billion dollars per year on hair styling equipment, salon visits, and general hair maintenance. Although there are many beauty benefits of staying ahead of the season’s trends, changing the condition of the hair on a regular basis can cause hair damage.

Hair straighteners are one of the most popular ways to achieve a sleek and chic look, and many different methods have been tried. Still, one of the best ways to achieve this look is by using Sedu hair straighteners. These are combination of ceramic hair straighteners and ionic tourmalilne technology that make use of infra red heat. When a woman decides to use one of these tools, their hair becomes flat and free of curls without damage, because the heat they output is much less damaging than steam and standard flat iron hair straighteners in general.

Ceramic hair straighteners are becoming a popular choice because they are lightweight, can heat up quickly, and leave little damage to the particles of the hair. Women who do decide to straighten their hair at home need to find the best hair straighteners for their hair type, along with the best hair dryers for a complete routine. Many choose Sedu flat irons, simply for their ease of use and even heat distribution. The Solia flat iron is another popular choice and is constructed in a similar fashion as the Sedu flat iron.

Chi hair straighteners are another option for women looking to remove frizz and create a flat and sleek look. Chi hair straighteners first became popular with the Chi ceramic hairstyling iron. These hair straighteners and flat irons offer removable plates that also help protect the hair cuticle. Chi hair straighteners are designed in such a way that they help seal in color and moisture. Farouk Systems, Inc. is the only authorized manufacturer of the Chi hair products; finding an authentic model is an important part of the shopping process. Chi flat irons offer an adjustable temperature dial in addition to a flat heating option that provides intermittent heat for specific parts of the hair. Chi hair straighteners heat up very quickly, offering convenience and ease of use. The line of Chi hair straighteners is also available in three different sizes: Mini, Chi Turbo, and Big Chi Turbo.

When purchasing ceramic hair straighteners, especially Sedu hair straighteners or Sedu flat irons, it’s important to set a budget. Most of the highlighted hair straighteners range in price from $100 to $150, and occasionally will be more expensive.

In order to make sure that the hair follicles and strands do not become damaged, the best hair straighteners are made with high quality ceramic plates. These units are designed to maintain steady temperatures and will prevent excessive heat damage from occurring. Hair straighteners made exclusively with metal plates, for example, will have uneven distribution and may lead to overheating of the hair. Sedu hair straighteners, as another example, have become famous for their steady heat regulation. This is why the ceramic hair straighteners are becoming the standard of choice for hair salons all over the civilized world.

The width of the ceramic hair straightener is important, since coarse hair types require the additional width. The size of the ceramic plates is also an important consideration when dealing with long hair, because once again, the larger plates can help provide a more even and consistent straightening of the hair. Many top quality hair straighteners and flat irons come with attachments for different sized plates. For women who are trying to be more creative with their hair, the different attachments can help with successfully creating these different hairstyles.

We recommend that you spend the extra time to discover which hairstyling equipment will best suit your everyday needs and your desires to be creative. Once you have purchased your hairstyling equipment, be sure to read the documentation that is shipped with it, so that you will have a full measure of the capabilities of your new hairstyling tools. Once you have received your new hairstyling tools, you will find that all of your “bad hair days” are a thing of the past.

Unfortunately, for a vast number of women we ‘buy’ into it, literally. We spend dollar after dollar on cosmetic products that one by one pile up in our “make-up” drawer, exercise videos and exercise equipment by one ‘perfect’ physical specimen after another (who because of our hard-earned money can now afford liposuction), chemical processes and extensions in our hair to achieve the most “flattering’ styles, we offer bodies up to the sacrificial alter of beauty to be plucked, waxed, shaved , exfoliated, nipped, tucked and for what? So we can continue to chase the always unattainable beauty ideal?

Don’t get me wrong, I prefer to shave my legs, I wear nail polish and lipstick and make-up (when I know I’m going somewhere groovier than the grocery store), and I don’t wear socks with sandals. But I’d like to think that if one day I awoke and couldn’t wear one cosmetic product, relax my ethnic hair or lose that extra 5 lbs; I would know that I was still a beautiful woman. And extraneous physical accouterment’s aside, I would not cease to be a lovely unique human being.

This is what concerns me now that I have a daughter. I look into the future and dread the day when she will come home crying (as many kids do) because someone at school told her she was ugly. As we all know kids can be cruel and most times they are repeating the things they hear and learn at home.

I would like to be able to not just tell her with my loving words but also show her by my life example that she is a beautiful girl. I want her to see that she is beautiful; not because of what she wears on her body, applies to her face or hair or by how much she weighs. I want my daughter to grow up with the knowledge that true beauty is what comes from inside and radiates outside in the acts of kindness and consideration you give to others, the way you love and respect yourself, the joy you take in sharing time with family and friends, and the sacrifices you make so that others can be happy. True beauty is loving yourself no matter what your shade, size, financial or educational situation. I hope as she grows up in this increasingly appearance obsessed world, that she can pass every reflection of herself with a smile of security and peace. I am only just reaching that place myself.

It has taken me many years of spending and self-doubt to finally realize that you cannot find in a bottle that which can only come from within.