Recipe for the Perfect Pedi

Looking for a salon-style pedicure without the salon price? Julie Gabriel, author of The Green Beauty Guide, suggests you check your pantry—you may be closer than you think.

Ingredients
½ cup applesauce
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. sea salt
½ lemon
(Flowers optional)

Directions
Mix vinegar, honey and applesauce in a bowl. Squeeze lemon half and stir in the juice. Add salt and baking soda and blend well. Apply mixture to clean feet, and massage to exfoliate. Leave on for 3 – 4 minutes then rinse with warm water.

We Recommend
Once you’ve scrubbed and smoothed, lock in moisture with Happy Feet. This luxurious blend of cocoa seed, shea butter and lush botanicals rehydrates dry, cracked skin for visibly softer feet and toes.

Pür Xtra: Hot Rocks for Eyes, Lips and Cheeks

Can one product give you a complete look? You bet. Here, Pür pro makeup artist Allison Schecter shows how you can use our multitasking 3D Hot Rocks to spotlight your eyes, play up your pout and warm up your cheeks. See how below or watch on Facebook and YouTube.

 

Con-ventional Makeup

This Labor Day Weekend, Dragon*Con will once again grace the city of Atlanta. This is one of the biggest multi-media, pop culture, sci-fi, fantasy, gaming, comic, etc conventions in the country, and being a slightly nerdy, anime-watching, fantasy book-reading gamer girl, I am super excited. Like hundreds of con-goers, I plan to dress up. While people spend lots of time and money on extravagant and elaborate costumes, I’ve always thought an amazing costume is a complete waste without proper hair and makeup to match.

However, you don’t need to purchase gobs of costume makeup to be comic couture. The cosmetics you already have in your vanity are more helpful than you think!

Superhero Chic

The natural beauties of comics, video games, fantasy series and cartoons are designed as if they have makeup on. Don’t dress up as Wonder Woman or Princess Leia without any makeup! That’s just wrong! Full skin coverage with a primer and 4-in-1 is a must, plus a bold lash line, beautiful brows, cheek color/ highlight and, of course, lipstick.

Think Outside the Makeup Box

For more wacky effects, get creative with your makeup. Used creatively, the same eye shadow, blush, bronzer, gel liner and lip pencils you normally use for everyday looks can transform into the perfect tools for low to medium intensity costume makeup. If you need to draw a design on your face, add unusual hues to your skin tone or fake a hardcore tan; a little primer (or eye prep) and powder makeup can go a long way.

Eye Pencil

An eyeliner pencil is like a magical makeup wand, and there are tons of ways to utilize it in costume makeup. Bold eyes need a heavy line and perhaps some dramatic tails. Cat costume? Draw some whiskers and a Captivating Cat Eye!  Reinforcing a shadow with eye pencil beneath makes it nearly indestructible, so your design or eye look will last all con long!

 

Captivating Cat Eyes in Three Easy Steps

Few eye looks are as seductive as the sultry cat eye. In addition to the requisite tools—gel eyeliner (black), a flat eyeliner brush and mascara—you’ll need a healthy dose of confidence to own this classic runway look.

Step One: Line Your Lashes
Using your gel eyeliner and eyeliner brush, trace your lash line from the inner corner of your eye to the outer corner, flicking the line up at the end. Make sure you follow the lash line as closely as possible to create the proper effect. (You can also create a “path” to follow using a mineral makeup pencil. Just be sure to cover your guide line completely with your eyeliner gel.) Once both eyes are lined, use your brush to even out the ends.
 
Step Two: Add Mascara
This scene-stealing look is all about drama. Play it up with a volumizing mascara like Triple Impact. Start with a light coat and curl as you comb. For high drama, try press-on lashes and embrace your inner diva!

Step Three: Bold Brows
You’ll need bold brows to capture this classic look. For those on the threadbare side, get ‘em in shape with a brow definer like Mineral Brow Perfection.  Use the shaping wax to “fluff” up those arches and the mineral brow powder to fill them in.

Smoky or Sheer?
While the classic cat eye has typically been shadow-free, a more contemporary trend pairs this smoldering look with a smoky finish. For smoky cat eyes, apply darker shades around the socket to make your eyes pop. “Flick” color from the outer corner of the eye (in the direction of your eyeliner) up to the brow bone. This creates a large, almond-shaped—truly cat-like—effect. Smudge the edges and apply a lighter coat to eyelids, if desired.

Pür Minerals on Say Yes to the Dress

Fans of TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress have something new to look forward to. Yesterday, Pür Minerals wrapped up shooting on a blog episode for the show’s website. Shot at Atlanta’s premier bridal salon, Bridals by Lori, the online-exclusive piece, turns the focus to bridesmaids and how to create stunning, do-it-yourself looks that look like the work of a professional makeup artist.

Bridesmaids and Special Occasion Managers Krystle Arnold (left) and Courtney Means (right) on set at Bridals by Lori

Want to get the looks seen on the episode? Pür will be offering exclusive kits featuring each of their products used, along with how-to tips and behind-the-scenes videos. Tune into TLC.com in two weeks to catch Pür on-set and in action, and get the looks seen on the show right here on purminerals.com.

This Is Where It's App

Alright, it took some convincing, but I’ll finally admit it: the iPhone is pretty cool. After seeing the latest model in action, I was sufficiently impressed. Especially when it came to handling apps.

Google Maps and Angry Birds aside, the number of apps I couldn’t live without are too few to mention. That is, until I played around on Pür Minerals’ own iPürBeauty App.

Here’s the skinny: starting with a photo of yourself (or from the built-in image library), the app first identifies your eyes, lips, cheeks, etc. using sophisticated facial recognition software. It then lets you create a plethora of virtual looks using products from across the brand’s entire makeup collection. Create a winner, and you can save it for a later purchase or share it via email or Facebook. Land a dud, and you can scrap it and start over. This is the ultimate “try it before you buy it” tool.

Remembering how clumsy facial recognition apps used to be (one particularly bad virtual hairstyle program comes to mind immediately), it’s amazing how clear and accurate Pür’s app is. The eye shadow actually covers your eyelids, not your forehead—what a novel concept! And if by chance your image is off, you can readjust the coordinates yourself with just a few screen taps.

Yes, this is one program that definitely makes the “must-have” list. Just watch out—you won’t believe how long your wish list will grow.

To download iPürBeauty, click here.

That Eyeliner is Stacked!

Many of us already know the aesthetic joys of blending and stacking eye shadows. So many beautiful effects can be created with a smudge here and a dash of color there. A technique I also enjoy and get many compliments with is stacking eyeliners. Combining eyeliner shades is a great way to simultaneously add depth and a hint of color to your look. If you’re leery of using blue, purple, gold and green eye shadow, this is a great segue between a natural palette and more colorful looks. For this look, I use Onyx Mineral Eye Defining Pencil as a base, and any of the other pencil shades stack atop.

First, draw Onyx eye pencil along the lash line, stopping about halfway to the inner corner. Thicken the line toward the outer edge of the eye. Then trace your colored pencil (I used Jadeite for the example below) along the top of your Onyx line and taper the line-off at the inner corner of your eye. Smudge until satisfied.

 

This eyeliner look can be as dramatic or subtle as you want, depending on how dense and thick your lines are. It looks great as a contrast to a neutral eye and complements brighter looks.

Splitting Hairs

Fight the Fray with Pür Minerals

Whether from too many color treatments, too much curling or too long without a cut, split ends are a hair’s frazzled cry for help. While a trim may be the only true solution, Pür’s got the tips and tricks to tame those wayward locks before your next trip to the salon.

Warm & Cool
Washing your hair in warm water opens up the hair cuticles, allowing for a deeper clean and a chance to nourish the hair shaft. To prevent future breaks and splitting, opt for a gentle, nutrient-rich cleanser like Pür’s Mineral Wash over generic shampoos which can dry out the hair and make matters worse. Follow with your favorite conditioner and rinse out with cool water to close cuticles and lock in moisture.

Comb Territory
If you comb your hair while it’s still wet, stroke gently with a wide-tooth comb. Now would also be a good time to work in a good leave-in conditioner or an alcohol-free silk styling spritz. For dry hair, use a soft bristle brush, again stroking gently. Never tug or pull at hair as this can aggravate splits.

Quick Fix
Using a blow dryer and a soft bristle round or paddle brush, thoroughly dry hair, including split ends. Try to brush ends as straight as possible while blow drying to limit fly-aways. Once dry, apply a hydrating balm like Pür Balm to tips and work though to mend splits and control stray ends. Loaded with nourishing shea butter, vitamin E and essential oils, this quick fix balm provides the pür-fect dose of hair-taming hydration.

Bridal Style Tips for Short Hair

When I was in high school, I grew out my hair for my senior year. I wanted a lovely up-do at prom like all the other girls. Not long after graduation, I chopped my locks again and never looked back. My hair is fine and wouldn’t hold a curl if the fate of the entire world depended on it. When my husband proposed to me, I had an adorable, angled bob, and even though I had two years to grow out my hair, the thought never occurred to me. When it was time to start looking into hair styles for the big day, I decided to stick to my spunky short hair. It had become a Prentice trademark.

Short hair may seem like a problem for a bridal look, but in reality, it is super simple (and less expensive than hitting the salon for an intricate 'do or extensions). I over-thought what to do with my hair. Since my short style is an important part of my image, I played with what it naturally does and how I typically like for it to look. Here are a few tips to making long-lasting impressions with short tresses:

Play Up Accessories

There are so many beautiful pieces that brides can wear in their hair, like tiaras, combs, clips, pearls, flowers and feathers. Rather than try to figure out how to make your pixie cut defy physics and look like an up-do from a magazine, get the formal, glamour you desire by adding an accessory to your hair. Veils also look lovely with short hair. 

                    Play Up Makeup

Face-framing haircuts, like many short styles, make the perfect canvas for stunning makeup. Have fun with your makeup and experiment. Here is a bridal makeup video and a couple other bridal looks to try! Bold eyes and lips will look stunning with your face front and center.

 

Don’t Grow Too Little Too Late

If you really can’t stand the idea of keeping your short hair for your big day, that’s fine. Just start growing as soon as possible. Remember, hair only grows about half an inch per month, so procrastinating until weeks before your wedding will only result in your current short hairstyle looking overgrown and messy.

How to Get Berry Stained Lips

Fun, fresh and flirty, berry stained lips are everything a summer lip look should be. And with Pür’s Petal Pout Lip Gloss Sticks, creating the perfect berry stained pout has never been easier. Here’s how.

First, apply a thin layer of moisturizer or lip balm to prime lips and keep color from fading or bleeding. (We recommend Mineral Lip Revival.) Don’t use too much—just enough to moisten lips—and be sure to wipe off any excess with a tissue.

Next, choose the lip gloss stick that works best with your skin tone. (You can also use Pout Plumping Lip Gloss to create a similar effect.) Starting with your lower lip, lightly dab color over the center; repeat for your upper lip. Then, using your index finger, gently smudge color over lips so that it fades toward the corners of your mouth. The idea is to create a natural-looking pout that appears “stained” in the middle—just as though you enjoyed some sweet summer fruit.