The Style Page discovers six (non-food!) uses for coconut oil

In my post Seven fave skin care products, I teased:

In a subsequent post, I'll reveal a product that adds sheen to the skin and protects the skin from the elements. It also adds shine to the hair and smooths flyaways. And it's 100% natural, food-grade, vegan, and organic! Interested??!!

The suspense is over. The miracle product is: coconut oil!

Source: barleans.com via STYLE on Pinterest

I don't mean to push Barlean's over other brands, as I have no basis for comparison, but this is the brand that the staff in the personal care department of Whole Foods recommended and I bought.  The difference is that she uses it for cooking purposes (including popping corn!) and I use it on my skin and hair.

Barlean's is solid in the jar at room temperature, but liquefies when rubbed in the hands.

Six uses for coconut oil:

How to wear bright eyeshadow

Who doesn't like makeovers and before and afters? Here's a step-by-step tutorial on how to wear bright eyeshadow:

Real-Woman Tutorial: How to Wear Bright Eyeshadow

Yes, you can wear teal shadow without looking garish -- just follow these steps

This tutorial is designed to show you step-by-step how to wear bright colored eyeshadow (which is doable even if you have small or Asian eyes). Brightly colored eyes can dress up a look when paired with a neutral or nude face, or accessorize an entire outfit. Just make sure you know how to wear it before rocking it in the office. See how-to

For my part, I think that Asians and women with deeper skintones wear bright eyeshadows better than their lighter complexioned sisters.

Get Your Best Lashes and Lips

Readers and Bloggers share their favorite tricks for playing up our flirtiest features

Oh, those eyes! Those lips! Keep all eyes fixed on your gorgeous face with these alluring tips and tricks from TotalBeauty.com's glam-savvy readers and bloggers. See tricks

TotalBeauty bloggers provide tips on lips and eyes in conjunction with "sneak peak" reviews of MAX Factor Vivid Impact Lipcolor and MAX Factor 2000 Calorie Extreme Lash Plumper Mascara.

Temptalia shows you how to create the cat eye

Real-Woman Tutorial: Perfect Eyeliner

Quick and easy tips for a perfect cat eye, liquid liner and more - brought to you by fellow blogger Temptalia

This tutorial is designed to show you step-by-step how to line your upper lash line and wing out the liner subtly, which is typically called a cat-eye. Check out these tips and you'll be on your way to perfectly-lined eyes in no time. See how-to

Caring for your makeup brushes

Here's advice from Shalini Vadhera of Global Goddess Beauty in her e-newsletter that got my attention.

She provides the conventional wisdom about when to discard makeup:

Concealer: Up to 12 months
Powder: 2 years
Cream & gel cleansers: 1 year

Pencil eye liner: 3 years
Eyeshadow: 3 years
Foundation: 1 year
Lip liner: 3 years
Lipstick: 2 years, but if it starts to smell, replace it
Mascara: the fastest of these cosmetics to expire, will last no more than 3 months!

We know that cosmetics last longer than what she quoted: in fact, industry insiders have admitted that cosmetics are good to use five years after purchase.

Shalini then writes,

Here's a trick to keep your cosmetics lasting as long as possible. Use clean brushes, not fingers, for a healthy application. Brushes should be washed every 2-3 months in a mild detergent and laid flat to dry. If they begin to fray or split, replace them in order to ensure the smoothest application.

I was surprised that she recommended 2-3 months between washings. Usually, pros recommend washing brushes every month. This is especially important for eye makeup brushes for hygienic reasons.

Here's what I've learned about caring for makeup brushes:

* It takes about a day for eye makeup brushes to dry after washing.
* For face makeup brushes, it can take up to 2 days to dry after washing.
* Be judicious about using spray-on, tissue-off brush cleaners. These cleaners are a great convenience, but many contain alcohol or other ingredients that strip oils from natural hair bristles.
* If you develop an eye infection, it's essential to wash your brushes. You might want to avoid eye makeup altogether until the eye infection is gone.
* If you use loose mineral powders, clean your brushes often so that color applies true.
* Shampoo is essentially detergent, so you can use shampoo to wash your brushes.