Hashtag Barbie!

Hashtag Barbie! by kiki-owens featuring moda in pelle shoes

Self Tanner 101

I love using self tanner, even though I am a mixed chick. I honestly love the look. Self tanner can be great, for hiding lighter scars, evening out skin tone stretch marks and camouflaging redness. It like body foundation no beats the glow. And it’s so much better than tanning in the sun, as we all tanning in the sun or in a machine is bad for your skin. It causes premature aging, and sun damage like spots. Also tanning in the sun can cause skin cancer.
So, this post is all about self tanners. What steps to take, different types, tips and tricks… everything you need to know to have a great sunless tan! 

Step 1 Hair Removal
Hair Removal before applying self tanner helps the tan last longer
Step 2 Exfoliate
You want to get rid of any dry dead skin, to avoid a botching tan. I like to exfoliate a couple days ahead and the day of. I like to use a exfoliating body wash, and a luffa.
Step 3 Moisturize Dry Areas
You don’t want any areas of the body darker then others! Dry areas will expose the self tanner more. Knees, Elbows, hands, feet and ankle.
Step 4 Apply Vaseline
Apply Vaseline to the areas you don’t want tanned. Hair line, curdles, palms of hand and sole of feet.
Step 5 Apply Self Tanner
Work in section, like upper arms, hands, thighs and tummy. Use the same movement starting down and moving upward. Don’t forget to blend.
Let’s tanner sit on skin (Time may vary depending on product) from 4-6 hours. Avoid getting water at the time.
Tips for hands and feet
Deep moisturize uses a heavy lotion or oil… wear socks and wear an hour or two before tanning feet.
To blend the hand and feet easier try patting the self tanner in those areas with an extra mitt that is clean.
Work in smaller areas making sure to blend, blend and blend some more.
Step 6 Wash Off/Shower
Wash the Skin; don’t worry if you see same color going down the drain this is normal.
Step 7 Maintaining you’re Tan
Uses a gradual tanner.
Colors of Self Tanner
Light
Medium
Dark, gives the deepest tan.

Different Constancy
Strays Like an aerosol stray, even coverage. Easy to use for first time users, but somewhat messy.
Gels
Creams
Mouse Easy to blend, buildable coverage.

Different Color Base
Self Tanner has a base color
Green Cancels out Oranges and Red

Some Brands
Air Blush Legs
Cost : $14 dollars
Comes in an aerosol bottle, easy to apply. It’s more of a drug store brand, but gives a great tan in a can. lol
Million Dollar Tan
Cost: $20 to $60 dollars
Shake the bottle well before using! The smell isn’t that great, it’s strong. It comes in lotion form, with a white color guard. It can leave the little bit of a orangey color, but I like it because it’s so deep of color. The biggest con is that it fades very patchy, you need to make sure to really exfoliate when using these tanner. It’s love/hate with this one…
I like the cabana tan extreme dark. They have different types.
*Fake Bake Flawless
Cost: $12-20 Dollars
A little orange (not that bad), but a deep color. A great floral or tropic smell. I really like this product; it’s not a bad price and is pretty great. It might leak around edges, because of liq. constantly and packaging. Great color guard fades, medium color. 3-4 lasting color. Take 15 min to dry, sticky feeling.
*St. Tropez Tan
Cost: $40 Dollars
Great for all skin tones, bronze glow. I recommend you get their mitt for apply the product really finish the look. Green based tanner, so no orange or redness. Mouse constancy. Leave on over night. Blend well.
Xen Tan
Cost: Around $34 dollars
Olive/green undertones, no orange here. Fades naturally, no real strong smell. Very Natural, not as deep as a color.

*The Brands that work the best for me, and what I like.
Tips
When apply self tanner to face, be carful it can break you out.
Self tanner might have a smell. Ok, most do and it stinks.
Beware of the orange look, use a tanner that has a olive or green tone to avoid the orange look.
Avoid marks, blend pat and blend! Work in small areas.
If you sleep after doing (but before washing it the first time) your tan, place older bed sheets on your bed, to avoid stains. Also, an old shirt helps. Oh, and beware of your towels!
Tools
Two tanning mitts (Wash them by hand after use)
Extra Pair of Hands for those hard to reach places or a handle brush
Self tanner (Of course)
Exfoliate Wash
Luffa
Vaseline
Lotion

My Diet Plan

Hey, you guys…

This my personal diet plan, I made for myself. If you don’t know I am on a journey to try and lose some weight. It’s the start to a life style change. I blended a lot of different part to diets I liked and tried to make the best of it. I want to try and weight around 125-130, that would be amazing. Right now my weight is 180. I want to lose around 50 pounds. I call this the CoRe diet plan. lol! This is just my diet plan, I don't plan on starting until after the holidays.

Start of Diet
Begin Fasting/ Detox of only juicing & Lite Veggie soups, for a month or two!

Rules
Always have Broth Veggie soup with dinner
Drink tea with Lunch and Dinner
Drink a glass of water before you get anything
Eat until you are 80 percent full
Eat slow and Savoir your food

The no-no/Avoid foods,
Flour, dairy and sugars
Fast food
Soda
Junk Food
Grease

Limited Foods
Rice and Pasta (only brown)
Dressing and Condiments
Pita Bread
Protein Bars (Work Days Only)
Corn (Only a 2 cups a week)
White Potato
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Orange Juice
Processed Juices
Cottage Cheese (Only 4 cups a Month)
Rice Cakes
Sweet Pototoes
Quinoa
Low fat ricotta cheese

Great foods
Green Tea
Oolong Tea
Honey
Fruits
Veggies
Juicing drinks
Prune Juice
Greek Yogurt
MultGrain Oatmeal
Eggs
Almond Milk
Cheerio
Rasin Bran
Granola
Dry Fruit

Sweet Craving (Cheat Foods)
Peanut Butter (Half a Cup at Most)
Dark Chocolate
Semi sweet chocolate
Jello (Sugerfree)
Fudgsicle (sugerfree)
Chex Mix


Meats
Avoid
Pork
Yes,
Tofu, Turkey, Fish (salmon is great!)
, Seafood (Skin Removed)

Safe Foods List
apples
apricots
asparagus
beet root
Blueberries
broccoli
cauliflower
carrots
celery
cranberries
cress
cucumber
Cabbage
fennel
garlic
grapefruit
green beans
kale
leek
lemon
lettuce
onion
orange
peppers
pineapple
plum
raspberries
spinach
strawberries
tomatoes
watermelon
Artichokes
Artichoke hearts
Asparagus
Bamboo shoots
Bean sprouts
Brussels sprouts
Cauliflower
Cucumber
Daikon
Eggplant
Leeks
Lentils
Greens (collard, kale, mustard, turnip)
Mushrooms
Okra
Pea pods
Peppers
Radishes
Rutabaga
Spinach
Squash
Sugar snap peas
Swiss chard
Tomato
Water chestnuts
Watercress
Zucchini

Portions
3/4 veggie/fruit 1/4 meat dinner.
Fist Size Serving
Calorie 1200 a day at most

Cooking
Meal Prep
No, Deep frying
No eating before or after 7:30 Daily Fast Period

Work-out
Morning
Running 30 Min -1 Hour in Mornings
Squats 25
Toning: Lifting weights: At 140 goal
Evening
25-40 Sit ups
Stretching and Yoga

Supplements
Take a multivitamin everyday
Drink Fiber Mixed (Benefiber) in the Evening/Morning
Drink a Yakuit every three days

Cat Lady

Cat Lady by kiki-owens featuring black mirror sunglasses

Best Online Shopping

I know they are so many people that trying to sell the idea of this or that to save money shopping, but honestly Ebate is one of the best sites for it. I don’t really need to sale the idea, I just wanna share it with you! Ebate let’s you pick to shop from the stores you already love. They give you money back for shopping, which is great if you are a shop-a-holic like me.

They also offer % discount at certain times. Cash back and coupons!
How the amount to money that you get back depends on each store and what their % is. Chances of seeing a huge return cash back isn’t likely if you are a average shopper, but a penny saved is a penny earn! If you think about the big picture to it really builds up.

Yes, Yes, they really do send you cash back. It’s not a scam.

*I am shopping today due to black friday deal, so happy I saved up! I love the holidays. :)

What if the don’t have the type of stores I like? Chances are they do, they have Walmart, Target, Wetseal, Forever21, ebay, Victoria Secret… To be honest there are so many stores. I can’t name them all!

Do they offer stores that sell stuff other than makeup and clothes, Hecks yes!

You can get your pay out in check form, mailed to your house/whatever. Or you could get it sent to a paypal account. It takes a bit of time for the money to process, they want to make sure your order clears…
Right now, they have a lot of back Friday deals. And it’s free to join!

You can sign up here or just check it out, it free after all!

Bad Beauty Advice and Social Media

I love social media, like YouTube, blogs and Pin Interest, but I am starting to notice a lot of beauty people giving out bad beauty advice. Don't get me wrong, there are so pretty kick buns, beauty people out there. That are talent at what they do, but there are also a lot of average people giving advice like they are professionals. While, I believe you don't have to be a professional to give out advice. I DO believe that you should have a good understand of what you are talking about. I am not try to troll on anyone, but I have seen some nightmares!!

What really had me wanting to talk about this is when it comes to hair coloring and Youtube. Ok, hair color is one of those things that you really should have some idea of what you are talking about. There is so much when it comes to hair coloring like levels, tones, and process.

Now, I know that a lot of you, more than likely think that I am hating, but I am not. I just don't want my beautiful readers to follow everything they see someone on social media doing. And not all professional are the best either, I am not say that.

What I am saying is do your own research, don't treat you hair(Or whatever) like someone else (It might not turn out the same way.) and find out how creditable the person giving you advice is.

You could end up saving yourself a lot of trouble. Social Media is crowd with (SOME) individual trying to get famous or copy other people. <-- Those type of people normally fade out, but the content reminds. So, be careful! There is nothing wrong with following someone for their personally, just wanna put that out there, too.

To the Social Media Context Makers
There is nothing wrong with sharing your ideas with people/readers, if you talented and interesting. Just keep them informed that you weren't a professional.

I don't know if it's a ego, or what.. but making readers/viewers believe that you are something that you were is wrong. Viewers/readers put a lot of trust into social media. Please present yourself correctly if you are doing something that could harm/damage or ruin something/someone.

There is nothing wrong with being a normal person with a great personally(or whatever). You can get viewers and readers, by being you. And if not why does it matter this should be something you like doing! A passion, hobby or whatever.

If you want to offer better information go to school to learn more about the topic you are tell people about or deeply study or shadow a pro!

Lots of love,

Kiki O.

P.S I am not talk about one, just in general. And I am sorry if I hurt anyone feeling!

WildFox Couture

I have been loving the WildFox Couture clothes! They are so cute! They are a bit pricing (*Cough *Cough Okay, a little more than a little bit Avg $130 per item), but I feel like they are worth it. Plus, they have sales. They had their first online one not long ago. Anywho, they style of clothes is pretty unique. They describe themselves as Vintage Inspired Clothes for Dreamers. Wildfox Couture was created by Emily Faulstich and Kim Gordon in LA.
There are five different collection by them so far. Foxercise,Barbie Dreamhouse, Holiday, Sense & Eccentricity and Rainbow Dream Girls.

What I like about them, is their bright pastel colors. Some of their clothes show cute characters, and pop art graphics. L-O-V-E it.

Below are a couple examples of their clothes,

WildFox Couture by kiki-owens featuring Wildfox

Wildfox slim fit sweater
$220 - jades24.com

Wildfox green top
$210 - jades24.com

Wildfox long sleeve crop top
coggles.com

Wildfox pattern sweater
$140 - yoox.com

Wildfox mesh top
bloomingdales.com

Wildfox top
$155 - donnaida.com

Wildfox white top
vestiairecollective.com

Wildfox socks
$37 - nordstrom.com

Wildfox round sunglasses
wildfox.com

Just really cute! I really like the Reindeer sweater, and I am planing on getting one. What do you guys think are they worth the price?

Skin Makeover: Plastic Surgery

Acne Scars, Hyper pigment, sun damage, wrinkles? Skin Makeover! If you have try all the at home products, it might be time to talk with a plastic surgery.

Personally there is a limit to what a cream, can do. I don't care who makes it, or what it has in it... If you have really really damage skin, the way thing that might help is plastic surgery.

I know a lot of people are afraid to do something like this, but you shouldn't have to living with those acne scars or sunspots. A lot of times it's is cheaper and less painful then you think. Over all something to look into and do some research on.

A List of Some Different Treatments

1. Laser Skin Resurfacing
Cost: $1,850
Downtime: Around 8 week or longer
What it's for: treats wrinkles, acne scars, age spots, face blemishes, stretch marks, scars, sun damage and hyperpigmentation.
What it does: Uses intense light to burn skin, helping regrow new skin.

2. Scar Subcision
Cost: Vary depending on how many scars, around $150 per scar.
Downtime: Varies
What it's for: People with rolling scars & pitted scars.
What it does: Subcision is better paired with a filler.

3. Dermabrasion
Cost: $1,125
Downtime: regrowth of skin occurs in 5 to 8 days. The pink or red color, usually fades in 6 to 12 weeks.
What it's for: Scars, Color changes in the skin (like Melasma), fine lines and wrinkles and even skin texture.
What it does: a wire brush or a diamond wheel rapidly, taking off and leveling the top layers of the skin. This process injures or wounds the skin and causes it to bleed. As the wound heals, new skin grows to replace the damaged skin that was removed.

4. Fillers
Cost: Depends on type of Filler and how much injected... Est. $200-$500
Downtime: Around week
What it's for: Cosmetic treatment used to smooth wrinkles or pitted scars in the skin,
What it does: A needle goes into skin and add a "filler" to plump skin.

5.Fat Grafting
Cost: $1,500 and $4,000
Downtime: Around 2 weeks or longer
What it's for: treats wrinkles, acne scars, dips in skin.
What it does: Your own fat is taken and plump into your skin. Has longer results then filler.

When Seeing/Choosing a Doctor
Always see more than one
Do your own research
See if they have reviews
Ask them about the possibly of side effects

I hope this helps, some of you guys with really damaged skin. Remember they best thing you can do for you skin is careful it, where skin screen and get a good skin routine.

Mrs Batman

Mrs Batman by kiki-owens featuring yellow throw pillows

I wanted to create a mature outfit for a batman love. Something that has class, but still shows the wear is a fan. The thing I did was build the outfit around the skirt. I took the colors from it, and based the other parts of the outfit of them.

The coloring is very neutral, which is important for not overwhelm the eye. To much print with logos would look very childish. That was the key part in creating this look.

Living Artist

Living Artist by kiki-owens featuring a white tee

The Basics of a Skin Care Routine

The Basic of a Skin Care Routine by kiki-owens featuring a facial mask

Your skin is the most important part of your makeup look. It's the canvas to your painting. If you don't take care of it's you will regret it either now or later. It's also important to change up your skin care routine as you age or your skin change.

There are many different type of skin and what works for one person might not work for you. This is why I love making my own custom skin care routine! But if this is your first time in learning about skin the first thing you will want to do is asset your skin. See if there is any skin damage or natural aging to think about before embarking on this.

Firstly ask yourself the following question, to asset your skin

1. Do I have acne?
2. Oily skin or Dry, a mix of both.
3. Spots whether light or dark
4. Under eye circles?
5. Thinning Skin?
6. Scars?
7. Patchness?
8. What do I do to, or with my skin? (Like tan or wear makeup)
9. Other problems.

Parts in a normal skin routine

Makeup Removals
Baby Wipes, work great they are cheap and do safe for even a baby skin.
Some people also use olive oil or coconut oil to remove eye shadow. If you have acne prone skin, I don't recommend it.

Wash
This is the cleanser to your skin, removal oil, Bactria, and left over makeup. It can have medication.

If you have acne prone skin look for a cleanser with Salicylic Acid, it should be listed on the back of the product. It helps in fighting acne.

Forming Cleanser are great for dry skin.

Toner
Restores skin pH balance. A lot of people don't use toners.

Mask
a mash draws out impurities from the skin. Although, there are some masks that do more. Using a mask maybe 2 times a week, masks are not for everyday use.

They are better wipe of with a skin *damp wash cloth.

Treatments
Retinol
Rids the skin of dead skin and creates skin turn over, as well as collagen.
Start off with a low % and more up. Don't use everyday. Be careful, when use wrong it can damage the skin.

Zinc Oxide
Astringent removals excess oils. Reduces, inflammation and the appearance of zits.

Benzoyl Peroxide
Is a great Spot Treatment for acne.

Peptides
Helps fight wrinkles, by rebuilding collagen.

Serum
Made to go deep within the skin a good serum allow nutrient to help the skin.

Different serum have different vitamins, here are some of the more common ones.

-C
Producing Collagen and antioxidants.
-E
Helps fade scars, anti-aging, and and great for sun burns.

Moisturizer
Help seal in Moisturize. If you have dry skin, invest in a good one.

Night Creams
Great for preventing wrinkles, under eye circles or promoting collagen.

Chemical Peel
Not everyone needs a peels! They in my option are for damaged skin, from scarring or pigmentation problems.

Tools
Wash Cloth, use a new wash cloth every time.
Clarisonic Brush, this is great highly recommenced by dermatologist and YouTubers.
Exfoliate Tool, I use Modesa Facial cleansing Buff 3 times a week. (Plus, they only cost a dollar at the Family Dollar store, great right?)

Age and Skin care routine
When your are in your middle 20's, maybe even early start prepping for winkles. You want to stop them before they start. Peptides are great when it comes to helping wrinkles.

*Don't forget about your neck! And hands. Nothing show your age more than the neck and hands, because the are also easily forgotten.

Sensitive Skin
If you have sensitive skin you need to be careful of necessary chemicals and scents. Natural is better for Sensitive skin, also look for mild cleaners and don't uses hash exfoliation tools.

a little note, sometimes where you start a skincare routine, your skin breaks out. It can be a trail and error process to see if the product works for you. You could start off one product at a time or dive it. Another thing it could be is the impurity being drawl out of your skin. Give it a couple days, see if it starts clearing up before discarding a product.

If nothing else use this information and invest in a prepackaged system! Thanks.