Pastels are having a very fashionable moment this spring, and beauty is no exception to the trend. Peachy pouts and cheeks were all over the Spring 2012 runways with designers like Phillip Lim, Carolina Herrera and Marc Jacobs embracing the feminine and subtle look. 

Pretty peach makeup is perfect for sunny spring days and it’s subdued enough for the office or classroom. To test the trend try a creamy, peach blush such as NARS’ Orgasm blush (What a name, right?) or a fresh lip-gloss like Stila’s Peach Lip Glaze. Peach nails are also a great way to go for a pop of flirty color. Personally, I like Essie’s A Crewed Interest. It’s a luminous shade of peach that’s as pretty as it is on-trend.

Peachy makeup is a great look to try if you like to keep your beauty routine minimal or tend to err on the side of subtle, rather than bold. Pair your peach blush or lip with dewy foundation and a sweep of mascara for a perfectly flirty yet feminine finish. 

Are you feeling peachy keen this spring?

XO Lauren

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When it comes to lips this season, the fall 2011 runways were a bit two-faced. While many designers such as Missoni, Gucci and Diane von Furstenberg lead the pack with bold bordeaux lips, others including Chanel, Alexander McQueen, 3.1 Phillip Lim and Stella McCartney countered with contrasting pouts in shades of nude. Red lips also made an appearance on the runways at Jil Sander, Miu Miu and Ralph Lauren. Needless to say, the fashion frontrunner is definitely Missoni’s rich merlot, plum tinged lip.

While bold is beautiful, it is also intimidating. The best way to take your lips to the dark side is by keeping the rest of your makeup understated. I prefer bold lipstick for evening outings. Burgundy pouts are particularly ideal for girls’ nights. I can assure you, vampy red pouts are not exactly date friendly. Need I say total man-repeller? And no girl wants to see her man sporting a Missoni kisser either… Anyway, I love to wear a deep red lip with winged eyeliner. It’s a classic look that’s perfectly glamorous and appropriate for nighttime.

To get the “it lip” of the season, try the lipstick Missoni models donned during the fall runway show: MAC lipstick in Media. Apply the lipstick with the same steps listed in this red lip tutorial.  And voila—rich, sultry, fashion-forward lips are yours in a snap.

Are you going to give this bold beauty look a try?

XO Lauren

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Photos: Total Beauty, Style.com

This past weekend I headed to the nail salon with my roommate for a mani-pedi. I don’t get my nails done very often because I prefer to do a color change every few days and enjoy painting them myself so this was a treat. When we arrived I selected my color (cherry red) and she, instead of doing the same, informed me she would be getting a gel manicure. I was curious because I had seen the finished product, but never seen it applied. I watched as the manicurist applied layers to my roommate’s nails and had her place her hands under a blue light in-between each. She repeated this several times and then it was done. They looked beautiful and promised to remain that way for up to 2-3 weeks. This sounded almost too good to be true so I decided to do a little research on these gel nails…

First, I learned that there are two different kinds of gel nails. The first is the one my roommate opted for. This was a light cured gel. It is a premixed gel that is applied to your nail and then cured using an ultra violet light. Now growing up in a beach town and seeing first hand...

Read the rest of my post by clicking here!

XO Lauren

Source: TheBeautyDepartment.com
Photo: Spencer Higgins

Fasten your seat belts ladies! I have spent a lot of time traveling in the last couple months, which can really take a toll on your appearance. So, I thought I would share a few helpful beauty tips that I have picked up along the way...

• Moisturize!  I can’t stress this one enough. The recycled air in the plane can really dry out your pretty skin. The night before you are headed to the airport be sure to use a good moisturizer and lots of it. Also don’t forget to include a travel sized face and lip moisturizer in your carry-on luggage to use during the flight.
• It’s time to “takeoff”… your makeup!  If you are like me and dread the thought of strolling though the airport bare faced, then pack some makeup removing wipes in your bag. Then, once you have boarded the plane, remove your makeup and apply a layer of moisturizer.
• Avoid carbonation and salty foods.  I know this one is a challenge considering the first things to be served on a plane are salted nuts and soda, but stay strong ladies! Instead, opt for some herbal tea or good old H2O. Also try packing your own snacks. Things like unsalted nuts or dried fruit make an excellent in-flight treat and won’t leave you puffy or bloated. It is also smart to avoid alcohol (sorry!) because it is more likely to make you dehydrated.
• Compression socks.  Some of you might experience swelling in your hands and feet while flying. One way to avoid this is by wearing compression socks.  They aren’t the most fashionable items, but they keep your tootsies from swelling up during the flight.
• Freshen up!  Most perfume bottles exceed the limit of liquid ounces allowed through security and have to travel in our checked luggage, but no one wants to arrive at their final destination smelling like a 747. Next time you fly pack a couple of perfume samples with you. They work just as well and won’t be confiscated in security.

Have more tips for for flying pretty? Share them in the comments below!

XO Lauren

Source: TheBeautyDepartment.com

Lately, as I have been studying new trends for my clothing lines, I have been seeing vintage florals everywhere and some of the places they have been popping up are a little unexpected. I have seen sunglasses, platforms, hand bags… and now nails.

I couldn’t be more thrilled about this because I am the kind of girl who wears florals year round. So, when I stumbled across what is sure to be my next manicure I knew I had to share with all of you. If you have ever attempted to paint leopard spots on your nails you know that intricate designs like this are challenging, but doable.

If you want to try this look on your own nails get a tiny paintbrush (the brush that comes with the polish will be too thick) and use the nail polish as if it were paint. You can do any color or design you like.

Upload a photo of your floral fingers to your LaurenConrad.com profile page (click here to learn how) and link to the image in the comments below. I'll feature your photos in the Primp Gallery!

XO Lauren

Source: TheBeautyDepartment

Photo: thecommaqueen.tumblr, ale-kat.tumblr

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Tanning is so old school. These days we ladies know better than to coat our skin in oil and bake all day in the sunshine. No thank you! I love a good glow, but I’ll opt for a self-tanner and skip the premature aging and skin damage please. Unfortunately there are many lessons to be learned when it comes to self-tanners. Self-tanning mishaps are embarrassing, but they happen to the best of us. Streaky application and orange palms are just a few of the easy-to-spot giveaways that you’ve been (shhh!) faking it.

So here are a few tips on how to look sun kissed without the sun…

{PREP}

• One of the most important steps for self-tanning is to exfoliate your skin. Before you get started, hop into the shower and give your skin a good scrub.
• Also, avoid shaving immediately before (or after) applying self tanner.
• When your skin is nice and clean, towel off and make sure you are completely dry. Once you’re dry, apply a barrier ointment (Vaseline, Aquaphor, Bag Balm…) onto your fingernails, toenails and cuticles to avoid discoloration.

{APPLICATION}

• Every self-tanner is different and they come in all different forms (gels, foams, lotions, sprays, towelettes… just to name a few). Your application strategy will depend on which one you choose to use. Sprays are pretty simple. They can be done over an old towel and dry fairly quickly. When applying gels, lotions or foams, one of the biggest mistakes that people make is getting it on their palms. This just looks unnatural and a little weird. You can avoid this by cleaning you hands immediately after applying the self-tanner.
• Using a nailbrush and soap, scrub your palms to make sure none of the tanner remains. This strategy comes with some risk though and might not be 100% effective. If you don’t want to use your bare hand you can always slip on a pair of disposable latex gloves to protect them. Another way to avoid orange palms is to simply not use your hands. Instead, use a sponge paintbrush (you can buy these at hardware stores). Try to get one that is 3 inches wide for effective coverage.
• Before you get started, always test a small amount of self-tanner on your skin. The same tanner can react differently on two separate people, so always try a test spot the day before to make sure you won’t end up looking like an oompa loompa.
• When you are ready to apply begin at your feet and work your way up to avoid creasing the color by bending over.
• Once your entire body (with the exception of your palms and the bottom of your feet) has an even coat of self-tanner on it, apply a layer of lotion around your wrists, ankles, elbows, the backs of your knees and underarms. Basically you are slightly diluting the color in these areas that naturally appear lighter on your body. This will make your tan appear most realistic.

{AFTER}

• Wait at least ten minutes before putting any clothes on and when you do get dressed wear something dark to avoid stains.
• I personally prefer to use self-tanners in the evening because I don’t like the scent or the feel of them on my skin. That way I can tan before bed and wake to a shower and bronzed skin.

{A NOTE TO THE WEARY}
If all this just sounds a little to scary for you then try a gradual tanning lotion. They take longer to show results, but they are effective with a lower risk of streaking and orange palms. Many of you recommend Jergens Natural Glow as your favorite gradual sunless tanner in the comments to my Get Gorgeous... Gams blog. If you haven't already, give it a try and let me know what you think!

{DAMAGE CONTROL}
Oh no! Something has gone wrong. Your color is uneven, too dark or too orange. There are a couple tricks to shortening the lifespan of your less-than-perfect paint job. One is to take a dip in a pool! The chlorine will help to fade your tan. Another option is to use a scrub in the shower for the next couple of days. And if all else fails… wear long sleeves and pants. It’s not ideal, but it works.

Personally, my favorite sunless tanner is Kate Somerville Somerville360 Tanning Towelettes. But I have also used Dior Self-Tanner too.

Do you have any extra tips or tricks for applying self-tanner?

XO Lauren

Photo: beautifulmakeupsearch

*Affiliate links used

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There’s a reason that they call it "beauty sleep." Getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night can actually improve your appearance. While you’re sleeping your body releases human growth hormones. This helps your body create collagen, which gives your skin strength and elasticity.  (Fun Fact “kola” means glue in Greek and Collagen actually means “glue producer”). Also, while you are dreaming away, your skin cells are regenerating and all the muscles in your face that create wrinkles begin to relax.

While the recommended hours of sleep you should be getting each night is between 7 and 9, this just simply isn’t a reality for some of you busy ladies. So just think of this as a reason to catch up on weekends. According to FITNESS Magazine, when you have been asleep for 5 hours “Your skin’s temperature reaches its lowest point and your muscles relax, giving skin its deepest recovery.” So hit the snooze button and dream a little longer.

XO Lauren via TheBeauty Deparment

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Dark spots, premature aging, and wrinkles- oh my!! Summer is quickly approaching which means long days spent in the sunshine. Today we shudder at our mother’s stories of applying baby oil to their skin before tanning. Today we are much more aware of the drastic side effects of too many hours in the sun. But is it possible that we have become too cautious about that shining sphere in the sky? So we ask, how much sun is too much sun? Well listen up ladies because here’s the scoop…

The good stuff:

One of the biggest benefits of sunshine is that it provides your body with Vitamin D. This helps your body protect itself against internal cancers, as well as various neurological, cardiovascular, immune and bone diseases, osteoporosis, depression, breast cancer, an even affects diabetes and obesity (just to name a few). What’s that you say? Sunshine can help prevent cancer? That’s right kids!

The not so good stuff:

It’s a well known fact the too much sun exposure can cause skin damage such as benign tumors, wrinkles, freckles and skin discoloration. But a scarier threat is the big C. UV radiation from the sun is the number one cause of skin cancer today. Also caused by over exposure to the sun are Pre-cancerous skin lesions which are less threatening, but must be surgically removed by a doctor. I am speaking from experience. I have two scars on my back and I only have my failure to properly apply sunscreen to blame.

But what does this all mean??

The sun both causes cancer and prevents it?? Then what do I do? I think the lesson to take away here is that the sun is a wonderful thing. It’s beneficial to our health and if enjoyed responsibly it's nothing to be afraid of. So here are a few tips…

• Hats and sunglasses aren’t just accessories. They can provide protection to both your face and eyes. So bring them along on your adventures in the sun.
• SPF 30 is most recommended. Try a spray-on brand. They only take a moment to apply.
• If possible avoid direct sunlight between the hours of noon and 3pm because this is when the sun is at its strongest.

XO Lauren 

Sources: http://www.oasisadvancedwellness.com/ http://www.webmd.com

Photo: weheartit