5 BROW TIPS TO LOOK YOUNGER | ADVANCED: PERFECT BROWS MAKEUP TUTORIAL

5 BROW TIPS TO LOOK YOUNGER | ADVANCED: PERFECT BROWS MAKEUP TUTORIAL

 

Are your eyebrows aging you? Want tips on how to look younger, naturally?

In this post, I’ll be talking about eyebrow makeup hacks that everyone should know, in fact, I’ll be zooming in on five brow tips to look younger in this perfect brows makeup tutorial and read on if you wanna know how to achieve an instant eye-lift!

As I’m steadily inching towards the big 50, I am obsessed with how to look younger with makeup and eyebrows are definitely my thing. Not only do they frame our face, they also help us communicate better. In fact, I learnt very early on in my personal grooming class that eyebrow makeup is the only makeup you need to wear if you don't have time for anything else. Yup! It's that important!

Good on you if you have naturally beautiful brows, but for the rest of us who have sparse, over-plucked or hairless brows and have been waiting for forever for them to grow or regrow, you can check out this video I made on how to grow fuller eyebrows naturally. I can tell you it was hard work.

So if you prefer to use makeup to create the perfect brow, here's:-

Tip #1

Straighten your brows as best you can. I know, it used to be that having that high arch was in vogue. But as we age, our facial features change. Like my hooded eyes are heavier and more hooded than ever and my brow bones are all I see - jutting out! And, I also feel more hollow at the temples and having our eyebrows go up so high only to have it come crashing down again just makes all of that appear more obvious and it just looks harsh and is terribly aging. So, definitely consider softening or lowering the arch.

Tip #2

It used to be the thinner the brows, the better. But you know what? Actually, the opposite is true especially when we get older. Thick eyebrows are like a mark of youth. Just as you had a fuller set of hair when you were younger, having thicker brows will give you a more youthful look, so if you have been thinning them down, stop!

Tip #3

Keep them short!

You know how our eyes have the tendency to droop as we get older? Our temples too start to hollow and get sunken in as we age. So when brows are drawn too long, they not only drag down our eye shape, making us look sad but they also highlight the hollow and make us look old. Therefore, if you’re ever in doubt, shorten it ever so slightly. And on that note, remember also that both ends of the brows must have a perfectly clean and super sharp finish. I’ll elaborate on that in another post, so be sure to subscribe to know exactly when that new post is up.

Tip #4

Now if you’re wondering where to start your brows consider this - where you start your brows is directly related to how narrow or broad your nose will appear. When you consciously move your brows closer together you immediately create the impression of a straighter, slimmer, and sharper nose! Another great tip that I discovered is this, contouring my nose helps me know exactly where to start filling in my brows. I’ll break it down for you in another post so watch this space. Meanwhile, as promised, here’s how to achieve an instant eye-lift with...

Tip #5

I’ll be the first to admit, I struggled with this one for years. I was always unsure of how to start my brows, like do I draw them straight up or do I just follow my brow hairs? Well, the answer is, brows should always start at 90 degrees. They should always go straight up to give you an instant eye-lift and to help me achieve that, I would usually use a brow mascara that closely matches the colour of my hair to comb my brows upwards and outwards. Then, I would fill in the gaps with a waterproof brow gel that also matches the shade of my natural brow hairs. 

And those are the five brow tips to look younger in this perfect brows makeup tutorial. If you learnt useful tips today, remember to share them with your friends.

In my upcoming posts, I’ll talk about how to make your brows come alive, look more three-dimensional as opposed to them looking flat and lifeless. I’ll also be talking about how to create more contrast with a very natural-looking colour gradation in your brows and explain the principle behind why our brows should be darker towards the ends and how that one little trick can make a dramatic difference to help you look amazing both in photographs and videos as well. All these coming up and more so be sure to subscribe, to be notified, when they're up!

Till my next post, have a beautiful day!

Love, Lynette Tan 

How to make Sourdough Baguette? Easy Sourdough Baguette Recipe

How to make Sourdough Baguette? Easy Sourdough Baguette Recipe

 

All you knead is flour, water, sourdough starter and salt! That's it!

It's that simple!

This recipe makes one skinny baguette (250g) or four baby baguettes (@ 62g) at about 71% hydration.

INGREDIENTS:

60g bread flour

60g all-purpose flour

78g ice-cold water

48g sourdough starter

3g   pink salt

METHOD:

1. Mix all ingredients together in your stand mixer at low speed for three minutes

2. Let it sit for 30 minutes

3. Stretch and fold, and let sit for another 30 minutes

4. Stretch and fold it again and let sit for a further 30 minutes

5. After two hours from the time you mixed everything together, divide dough into four equal parts

6. Pre-shape each dough into a log (pls see video above for details), let sit for 20 minutes

7. Final shape the dough into baguettes, with pointy ends

8. Cover, and let it sit in an air-conditioned bedroom, overnight

9. Next morning, preheat oven until it reaches 230°C

10. Before baking, score the bread so steam can escape

11. Spritz some water on the surface, dust some flour

12. Bake baguettes for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Tag me @lovelynettetan when you make it so I can share in the joy of the birth of your baguettes, sincerely!

Love, Lynette Tan

How to Apply Blush the Right Way|3 Common Mistakes when Applying Blush

How to Apply Blush the Right Way|3 Common Mistakes when Applying Blush

 

Blush on.

I never quite thought about it but now that I am thinking about it, it actually makes a lot of sense.

It used to be fashionable to smile into the mirror when applying blush but now that's passé. Why? Because age is catching up to us and the pull of gravity is just not helping.

In this episode, I talk about three most common mistakes when applying blush. Elaborating on the first point brought up earlier, we need to stop smiling to ourselves when applying blush simply because the blush position shifts downwards when we relax and rest our faces. Besides, our faces wrinkle when we smile. Applying blush there, just highlights these fine lines more. 

Also, another common mistake is using a cream blush on a powdered face or vice versa. No, it's not a big deal but more often than not, that results in unnaturally patchy looking blush. And if you or the people around you can tell that you've got blush on, you've put on too much. 

The third most common mistake is using shimmery blush. If you remember nothing else, memorise this. 

Shimmer highlights our flaws and magnifies our pores

So what do we do?

1. Always use a matte, cream blush. It's more blend-able for one. And matte products generally help hide fine lines, better.

2. Always keep a straight face, and apply blush nice and high

3. Always use a powder blush on a powdered face and a cream blush on a cream or liquid foundation

 

Remember, the blush is supposed to be a healthy splash of colour on the cheeks, nothing more.

Hope that was helpful and blush on, sincerely

Love, Lynette Tan

How to make Sourdough Ciabatta? Easy Sourdough Ciabatta Bread Recipe

How to make Sourdough Ciabatta? Easy Sourdough Ciabatta Bread Recipe  

"Sourdough is easy!" is something I thought I'd never say. 

My sourdough journey started over a year ago with countless failings at manipulating this gluey glob of flour and water.

But many thanks to family and friends for their unwavering support and taste testing even my most awful bakes.

My conclusion, is that it takes time. 

It really does take a while for sourdough starters to develop flavour, gain strength and to become really vigorous in order to give the breads their much needed lift. Best practice is to feed it at least once, the night before to "awaken" the microbes within.

Another secret to successful bread baking is to understand bakers percentage - the lingo do-it-yourself dough punchers, like myself, use to communicate with each other.  

That, coupled with patience and an intimate understanding of how it all works, works wonders, literally.

In this video, I show you how to make sourdough ciabatta using an easy sourdough ciabatta bread recipe. It's a high hydration dough, slightly stickier than usual but the principles are the same.

Again, it's good for just one loaf so feel free to adjust upwards.

INGREDIENTS:-

185g    bread flour

143g    ice cold water

50g      sourdough starter

4g        pink salt

METHOD:-

1. Mix everything together

2. Stretch & fold the dough twice, at half hour intervals

3. Shape by folding it like an envelope

4. Put it in a lined loaf pan, the same one you're gonna bake in

5. Leave it in an air-conditioned room, 21°C - 26°C, overnight

6. Put it in fridge, preheat the oven at 250°C for about 30 minutes

7. Once internal oven temperature hits 220°C, bake bread for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown

I pray you'll have good success at baking this delish sandwich loaf, goes great with cured meats and fresh tomatoes. Gosh! It even tastes good on its own or with some extra virgin olive oil, on the side.

Do let me know how you go and tag me @lovelynettetan so I too can ogle at your creation.

Sincerely.

Love, Lynette Tan

HOW TO USE THE KONJAC SPONGE GUIDE | 5 BEST PRACTICES

HOW TO USE THE KONJAC SPONGE GUIDE | 5 BEST PRACTICES  

This, is what I would call the lazy woman's way to great skin! And you can use it to deep cleanse, daily!

This week, let's talk about how to use the konjac sponge plus five best practices. No worries, it's 100 per cent natural, suitable for all skin types. Yet, it's gentle enough for everyday use. You could use it to deep cleanse your pores, daily and promote blood circulation on your face.

The konjac sponge is plant derived and it originated from Yunnan, China. Fast forward to today and you can find it practically anywhere - at your personal care store or pharmacy.

I finally learnt how to use it after years of abusing it so here are some great tips to extend its longevity.

5 Best Practices

1. Always soak in warm water for at least one minute before use
2. Gently squeeze and wash sponge in warm water for a further minute, get rid of excess water then apply your favourite face wash directly onto it and wash your face in circular motion
3. Rinse it clean, get rid of excess water, store in fridge until next use
4. Sterilize it in hot water, for a few minutes, at the end of each week
5. Compost it after six to eight weeks or when it starts disintegrating. Replace after three months.

Till my next video, have a beautiful day!

Love,
Lynette Tan

P.S: Watch the video above and subscribe for more!

How to Make Popcorn at Home like the Movies|BEST Movie Theatre Popcorn

How to Make Popcorn at Home like the Movies|BEST Movie Theatre Popcorn

It's the school holidays again! So, I thought I'd do something different with the kiddos. 

I mean, who doesn't love popcorn, right? 

This week, I show you how to make popcorn at home like at the movies. Yes, this is possibly the best movie theatre popcorn recipe because you know and you know exactly what's in there! No surprise there!

As promised, here's the simple, easy to follow recipe. 

INGREDIENTS:

1/4C     organic popping corn

1/2t       pink salt

2T         extra virgin olive oil, EVOO

Optional:

1/4t turmeric

1/4t black pepper

1/4t chilli powder

1/4t cajun mix

1/4t garlic powder

Alternatively, you can omit the pink salt and use 2T salted butter instead of EVOO, and add 1/4t of Italian herbs.

METHOD:

1. Pour EVOO into medium saucepan, heat pot at medium heat for one minute

2. Add popping corn, ensure that they're well coated with EVOO and are in a single layer

3. Cover with heavy lid

4. After the first corn pops, lower the heat

5. Shake the pot once in a while to ensure that the popping corn is still in a single layer

6. When the sound of popping corn slows to a standstill, it's done!

7. Add desired seasoning, serves 4 cups

Try it and let me know how you go. Till next week, stay beautiful and healthy, naturally!

💗Love, Lynette Tan

Sourdough VS White Bread | Why Sourdough Bread is Good for You

Sourdough VS White Bread | Why Sourdough Bread is Good for You

The first ever sourdough was discovered in ancient Egypt at around 4,000BC, according to LA Times, quite by accident, really.

A baker left some flour and water mix sitting around and promptly forgot about it till the wild yeast in the environment had worked its way through most of it. To his amazement, the odd mix puffed up when it was cooked. Hence the rise of sourdough.

Today, we see the rise and rise of sourdough breads in cafés, restaurants and even at home!

But before I get into the nitty gritty of how to make a good sourdough, let's talk about why sourdough bread is good for you.

Sourdough is more flavourful

The complex, vinegar-ish flavour is what distinguishes sourdough from normal white bread. The long fermentation process produces these organic acids, as byproducts, that give it its peculiar tang. I get that it's an acquired taste but heck, it's 100% natural!

Sourdough is more nutritious

Apart from it being way more satisfying than normal white bread. Sourdough has a higher nutrient profile than normal white bread. Problematic anti-nutrients inherently present in grains interfere with mineral absorption in our bodies. But, the natural fermentation process pre-digests these toxic enzymes so we can more readily access the grains' innate vitamins, minerals and nutrients. That, makes sourdough a much gentler substitute to regular white bread especially for those with food sensitivities and digestive issues.

Sourdough increases digestibility

Because of the long fermentation process and the breaking down of notorious anti-nutrients, the pre-digested grains are more easily digested than regular store-bought bread. They also cause noticeably less bloating.

Sourdough is good for your gut

It's both a probiotic as well as a prebiotic. Although much of the probiotic is destroyed by the high heat in the oven, much of the fibre or prebiotic remain intact. These become fodder for your good gut bacteria making you feel satiated so you stay full for longer... giving your microbiome a much needed boost.

Sourdough regulates blood sugar

Sugars and starches are exactly what fuels the fermentation process. The wild, natural yeast and bacteria feed on sugars and starches present in the flour converting them to alcohol and carbon dioxide, which make the sourdough rise. But, what it doesn't do is spike blood sugar.

And those are five good reasons why sourdough bread is good for you. Still not convinced? Here's more food for thought.

Sourdough is made using only water, flour and salt. 

Whereas commercial white breads are made using a long list of ingredients - chemicals and preservatives - so they can last longer. I wonder how long more they'll stay in our bodies?

White Bread

wheat flour

sucrose

palm oil

skimmed milk powder

common salt

dextrose

baker’s yeast

emulsifiers

ammonium sulphate

sodium chloride

calcium sulphate

thiamine

riboflavin

niacin

hydrogen reduced iron

calcium propionate

Everybody's switching to sourdough. Switch to sourdough, today!