Author: Iskra Banović

Apple cider vinegar is the perfect ingredient to use in your DIY homemade toner–it’s cheap and great for your skin. To be honest, I didn’t even know what toner was until about six months ago–I’m a pretty low-maintenance girl when it comes to my skincare. But as part of my resolutions to take better care of myself, I’ve started paying more attention to my skin, which is a body part that has only ever treated me well. There are tons and tons of toners available to buy, but I switched over from an overpriced brand to a homemade version using apple cider…

Here are the facts you need to know about toner and why it’s good for your skin, and should be part of your beauty routine. If the only toner you know is the one for your printer, then do your skin a favor and listen up. Besides being something that has to do with our printer working (not the official definition), the Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines toner as “a liquid cosmetic for cleansing the skin and contracting the pores.” Basically, toners pick up the slack, if your cleanser wasn’t doing its job properly. There is some discrepancy between whether “toner” and “astringent” are…

Beauty giant L’Oreal is growing a giant vat of human skin, and while it sounds like the makings of a very weird horror movie, it’s actually very good news for animals and for ethical consumers of makeup products. The human skin is being 3-D printed–technology is so cool–with the goal of using it to test cosmetics and make animal testing for makeup completely obsolete. According to The Washington Post, L’Oreal has partnered with a company that is already 3-D printing human tissues for kidneys and livers. The company also produces skin to help treat burn victims, and now L’Oreal wants some of that skin for itself.…

When the seasons change so do our beauty needs. In winter, even those of us with oily skin had dry, parched complexions that needed a heavy dose of moisture. However, in the summer, we may find that nourishing moisture to be too rich and too greasy. Sometimes the heat and humidity call for a lightweight moisturizer, and ideally one with SPF. Check out the 7 best moisturizers that get our readers’ votes: 1. Facial Moisturizing Lotion AM SPF 30 ($10.99, CeraVe) This moisturizer doesn’t contain the usual ingredients found in moisturizers which is why it has stood out from the rest and become…

It was around this time last year that I started taking sunscreen seriously. And by that I mean I started wearing it every day, regardless of the weather or the UV index. I came into the light (figuratively, not literally, of course) after bumping into an old acquaintance from high school. I was in my hometown visiting my parents for the weekend and I ran into her at the drugstore. She’d been a frequent tanning bed occupant since we were in the 10th grade, and wow, did it ever show. I feel a bit awful for saying this, but seeing how…

After last week’s wild episode (no spoilers, no worries!), I can’t stop thinking about the upcoming Game of Thrones season 4 finale. Who’s going to die? Who’s going to bang? Who’s going to have to contend with Arya Stark’s steel blade and equally stone-cold one-liners? Will Jon Snow ever really know anything? Anyway, in order to prep, I figured this week’s collection of beautiful tattoos could be entirely about the book and televisions series that has captivated the world, resulting in parties where dozens of people at a time can go from enthralled to totally horrified in about 60 seconds flat. There’s no shortage of tributes…

There’s no better feeling than waking up in a great mood. You’re well-rested, energized, and ready to take on the day ahead of you when you wake up on the right side of the bed. You’re also motivated, productive, and much happier. In order to achieve this type of positive headspace, you have to make a few simple upgrades to improve your quality of life. That means doing things to improve your mental and physical health. This can be spending more time outside, focusing on self care, or prioritizing getting enough sleep. Achieving a happy life will look different for…

Over the weekend, we heard that Dolly Parton has a bunch of watercolor tattoos that sound way cooler than the average celebrity tattoo. According to Roseanne Barr, Dolly’s tattoos don’t have any ”black or blue lines, all like, pastel gorgeous bows all over everything,” and that sounds fantastic. As a person who possesses a fair amount of tattoos and loves to admire body modification, I was incredibly intrigued to see what hers look like. Alas, there are no photos that show them all as of yet, but that doesn’t mean we cannot collectively ogle other tattoos without outlines! We combed through Pinterest to find the prettiest,…

I find that eyelash curlers are an unexpectedly divisive beauty tool, and not in the sense that men think they look like torture devices (though they absolutely do). I mean that some women swear by them, viewing them as a fundamental part of their everyday makeup routine, while others look at me confusedly when I ask what type they use: “Huh? People actually use those? I’ve never used one in my life.” Or at most, they whip it out for weddings and graduations only. I happen to belong to the former category—I have long used an eyelash curler on a…

Realistically, a mattress cover protects your comfortable pad. Unlike your regular bedding, they’re simple to remove from either the bed and clean, sometimes in a homemade washing machine, so you won’t have to worry about the mattress pad either. They protect the mattress cover from residue and wetness, and many are resistant, which is useful in the event of an accident. To use a mattress protector, all you have to do is buy the right size – they usually come through single, twofold, emperor, ruler, and so on – and drape it over your bedding. Most sleeping mattress protectors are…

I don’t always trust others to make me look beautiful, but when I do…it’s the women who work at Sephora. These are the experts of my face, and I trust almost anything they say unless they are the rep for a specific brand. Usually, instead of asking “What do you recommend?” I get into serious girlfriend-to-girlfriend trust circle mode and ask, “So what mascara are you wearing right now” or “Seriously, what mascara do you use every day?” (Related: 16 Tips On How To Get Hired At Sephora) Because mascara is such an essential item with so much variety, I thought…

Close your eyes. Think of your happy place. Let me guess: you’re thinking about Sephora, aren’t you? Now, what if I told you that I have insider information that will help you get a job at your happy place? Cosmopolitan magazine writer Heather Wood Rudulph sat down with Yvette Nichols, Sephora’s vice president of talent acquisition, to get the scoop on the hiring process at everybody’s favorite beauty store. I’ve rounded up a list of the best tips and tricks from Cosmo‘s interview with Nichols and from a few other Sephora insiders. Read on to learn everything you need to know about getting hired at paradise. 1. You…