Nectar Skincare

modcloth: DIY: Glitter nail polish. Have you ever walked into...

empressla — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 15:48:39 -0700

DIY: Glitter nail polish. Have you ever walked into your favorite drug store or cosmetic provider looking for glitter nail polish? Of course! Did you ever just think I wish I could mix this one and this one? Well, now you can with this super simple diy project! Glitter nail polish to match every outfit, yes please! (via The Beauty Department)

<3 Chelsey, ModStylist

Need styling suggestions, trend tips, or dress details? Ask a ModStylist and your question might be featured on our feed!

Easy peasy!

Mixing Skin Care Products: do's and don'ts!

empressla — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:57:21 -0800

Mixing Skin Care Products: do's and don'ts!:

Beautylish has a great article about what to watch out for when using different products on your skin. It’s definitely good to know, especially if you’re trying to get more from your skincare regimen.

When I developed Nectar Skincare, I wanted to make sure the formulas worked well with other products for this main reason. As a longtime acne sufferer, I was unaware of the adverse reactions and ended up getting long term scarring from layering benzoyl peroxide and retinoids. So, when I sat down with chemists to create Nectar, I wanted products that wouldn’t interfere with what my dermatologist prescribed.

Nectar is pH balanced, aloe vera-based, and engineered to complement existing skincare regimens, whether you’re treating acne, recovering from treatments or simply wanting to pamper your skin with natural products.

Feb. 1, 2012 marks a whole year since the development of Nectar Skincare! I can’t wait to share what’s next for us, stay tuned and follow us for updates!

Sincerely,
Celeste
Owner, Nectar Skincare

How to Apply Eyeliner: 10 looks for beginners and pros

empressla — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 15:03:41 -0800

How to Apply Eyeliner: 10 looks for beginners and pros:

Eyeliner is a quick and easy way to dress up your everyday look. It’s my favorite part of my makeup routine! There are so many different styles and ways to draw a line— here are some tips from TotalBeauty.com, a great source for beauty and skincare advice!

“Sorry, but if you’re not the new princess of Wales, there’s no excuse for wearing the same blasé eyeliner day in and day out — especially when there are so many different, outrageous ways to use this essential makeup tool. Whether you’re an eyeliner rookie or a winged-tip-wearing-snob, we break down the basics and bring you the expert techniques you need to master these stunning looks on your first try. ”

I have really oily, acne prone skin, and have tried nearly everything to fix it. I'm an athlete, and eat very healthy. Any ideas? Thanks x

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 23:24:27 -0800

Hi chinup-child!

I wish I were more like you! I’ve gone to yoga maybe once in the last 6 months, and I eat sweets all the time! You’re on the right track with eating healthy and staying active.

Having oily and acne-prone skin can be tough to deal with, and the best advice I can tell you is to develop a routine and be careful of what comes into contact with your skin. Skin care can be as easy as 1-2-3, so long as you do so regularly.

As an athlete, be careful to keep your skin clean after exercising or practice. Wash off the sweat, use a fresh or disposable towel, and try not to touch your face. Try adding an antibacterial toner to your routine, like Nectar’s Skin Soothe, which will keep your pores clean and less prone to acne.

Also, take note of what comes into contact with your face and where you break out. Is your hair touching your face a lot? Do you rest your hand on your chin? How often do you wash your makeup brushes and sponges? Do you use a towel to dry your skin? Just by being aware, you can recognize your acne-forming habits and prevent new breakouts.

Oftentimes, those with oily skin under-moisturize— oily skin has enough oil, but sometimes not enough hydration. Toning the skin will help your moisturizer become more effective, and you might find that your oiliness will lessen as your skin becomes more balanced.

Hopefully that helps! Healthy skin is happy skin.

Sincerely, Celeste

Questions, comments or suggestions? Leave a comment on our blog at nectarskin.tumblr.com/ask. For more from Nectar Skincare and to learn about our aloe vera gel-based products, go to http://www.nectarskincare.com. Articles and posts are not meant to replace the advice of licensed, medical professionals. If you have concerns, consult your doctor.

For a refreshing toner that’s gentle, try our Skin Soothe Toner!...

empressla — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 15:24:12 -0800

For a refreshing toner that’s gentle, try our Skin Soothe Toner! It’s a cool blend of aloe, cucumber, and ginseng.

$24/6oz on http://www.nectarskincare.com

beautylish:

What’s toner for and is it necessary? Learn more now!

Intern for Nectar Skincare! :)

empressla — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 15:14:00 -0800

Nectar Skincare, a growing skin care and cosmetics company based in Los Angeles, is looking for a talented PR & Marketing intern for the spring semester. Interns will meet with the owner once a week and then work independently at least 10 hours a week.

Projects will be fun as well as informational, and then it’s up to you to present the information creatively. You will curate the Nectar blog, grow the Nectar fan base, run focus groups and conduct research, develop marketing strategy, fulfill sample requests, and more. By the end of this internship, you will have a presentable portfolio of self-directed projects, plus quantifiable results from campaigns. Applicants must be tech savvy, have strong writing skills, an eye for design, and an entrepreneurial mindset with an interest in cosmetics and retail. Interns must also be detail-oriented and self-starters, due to the independent nature of this internship.

About Nectar

Nectar Skincare was started in 2011 by USC Alumna Celeste Perez, a graduate of USC Annenberg. After just one month of business, Nectar was chosen as a finalist in DailyCandy.com’s Start Small, Go Big 2011 business competition. Nectar Skincare is a premium natural skincare line dedicated to providing gentle, naturally derived skincare that works. Particularly formulated for all types of sensitive skin, Nectar seeks to enrich and encourage healthy, luminous skin by fusing modern breakthroughs in skincare with traditional natural ingredients. Nectar Skincare is based in Los Angeles, California and all products are made in the U.S.A. For more information, visit http://www.nectarskincare.com.

This internship is for school credit only. To apply, e-mail a cover letter and resume to celeste@nectarskincare.com.

Are there still any samples left? The link is not working for me.

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 18:57:03 -0700

Hi MissAlbania17!

We’re sorry, there are no samples left. Please see this message from our owner regarding the free samples:

http://www.nectarskincare.com/pages/a-message-from-the-owner-10-26-2011

Thank you for contacting us!

A Message from the Owner

empressla — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 18:57:00 -0700

Recently, Nectar Skincare was featured on several websites, who promised their readers free samples to all who filled out a marketing questionnaire. We had no involvement in this, and did not place these ads ourselves. This was done without permission from Nectar Skincare, its owner, or any related party. In fact, we were completely unaware that this had even happened until we suddenly started receiving thousands of emails. We have done what we can to remove the ads and posts, and we sincerely apologize for any confusion this may have caused.

Nectar is not a corporation, nor do we have the capability or resources to send samples to all 15,000 requests we received over the last 24 hours. Nectar is a very small, start-up business that was launched only a few months ago, and we are currently focused on building a clientele-base in our local market. The survey was mistakenly distributed. Though we would love to introduce you to our products, we would hate to compromise the growth of our business or the quality of our products by focusing on sampling. Nectar Skincare products are only created in small batches, and by small, we mean 10 or so at a time.

We are sorry that we can’t provide samples for all of the requests we received, but we are thrilled so many of you were interested in our products. Many of you have signed up for our newsletter, and we will continue to send free skincare tips, discount codes on Nectar Skincare products, and news about our company. You can unsubscribe by clicking here. We would also like to give you an exclusive promotional code for $10 off of your first order with Nectar Skincare. Just type “LG4BND10” in the discount code area upon checkout.This offer will expire Dec. 31, 2011.

We thank you for your time, but most especially your enthusiasm about Nectar Skincare. Again, we apologize for the confusion. We hope you will stay in touch as our business grows.

Sincerely,

Celeste Perez

Owner, Nectar Skincare

does this product make you break out before it begins to clear up your skin?

empressla — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 02:43:00 -0700

Hi Nicole!

The answer to your question is… no! Nectar is a gentle alternative to existing acne-fighting products. It was not created to “purge” the skin.

I hate that process! Why should my skin get even worse before it gets better? Where’s the logic in making yourself break out if what you really want is clear skin? Using the Nectar Skincare system, you can work your way towards clear skin without the risk of increased break outs and acne.

Nectar Skincare products are based in aloe vera. Aloe vera is a tried and true, natural skin-soothing ingredient. It is often used to treat everything from sunburns to skin irritations. Because of this, our products can actually calm enflamed and blemished skin. We build our products around aloe vera so we can include more effective ingredients with little to no irritation.
Our products are hypo-allergenic, made without harsh preservatives, free of synthetic fragrances, and paraben-free. Nectar formulas were made with sensitive skin in mind, so we avoided the harmful, comedogenic ingredients that make most people break out.
You can use Nectar Skincare with prescription medications and topical creams or gels. Though it’s common for prescriptions to cause break outs before clearing the skin, the use of Nectar Skincare in conjunction with prescriptions helps to tone down these breakouts and enhances prescribed regimens.

The Nectar System is a simple 3 step process:

Cleanse with Fresh Face Cleanser: Gently cleanse and naturally exfoliate the skin with this non-foaming gel-cream. Gentle cleansing is the best way to treat acne. Anything too harsh, like medicated cleansers, scrubbing beads, and products that claim to be oil-free can only irritate the skin more and cause more redness and breakouts.
Tone with Skin Soothe Toner: Aloe Vera Juice, Cucumber Juice, and Witch Hazel make this toner especially effective for blemished skin. It is alcohol-free, so it doesn’t dry out the skin or cause the skin to create more oil, and it works as an antiseptic and antibacterial to keep bacteria from infecting the pores. Using an antibacterial product is essential to preventing break outs. You can also ensure less breakouts by using benzoyl peroxide or clindamycin gels after toning. These also prevent bacterial growth from causing pimples and acne.
Moisturize with Day Elixir: When you have acne, it seems counter-productive to use moisturizer. On the contrary! Moisturizer may be what makes or breaks your skin. You need to maintain a good moisture balance in order to stop the skin from overcompensating for what it lacks. Moisturizer also provides a barrier between the skin and everyday environmental pollution, be it smog or makeup. Also, since our moisturizers are very light and aloe-vera based, there’s little risk of irritation.

I truly believe in my own products, and honestly, I haven’t had a breakout in months. I’m extra careful to keep my skin clean and balanced, and knowing what I know now, it’s always best to go gentle if you’re trying to avoid a breakout. :)

So, no, Nectar Skincare won’t make you break out before it begins to clear up your skin. However, it’s on you to take care of your skin on a regular basis!

Thanks for the question, Nicole! Talk to you soon!

Sincerely, Celeste

We’re making our NYFW debut this week! The YOON by Jessie...

empressla — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 18:52:21 -0700

We’re making our NYFW debut this week!

The YOON by Jessie Yoon show will have deluxe Nectar Skincare sample sets for 100 VIP guests.

Each set includes:

Gentle Eye Makeup Remover (.5 oz)
Fresh Face Cleanser (.5 oz)
Skin Soothe Toner (.5 oz)
Day Elixir (.17 oz)
Glow Therapy (.17 oz)

We’re so excited for the East Coast to try our samples— hope you like them! Happy Fashion Week!

Watch Nectar Skincare’s owner, Celeste Perez, on Kababayan...

empressla — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 15:20:36 -0700

Watch Nectar Skincare’s owner, Celeste Perez, on Kababayan LA with Jannelle So!

Keep voting for Celeste and Nectar Skincare on DailyCandy!
http://www.dailycandy.com/startsmallgobig/the-vote.html

Follow Nectar Skincare on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/nectarskin

Ask us anything on Tumblr:
http://www.nectarskin.tumblr.com/ask

We hope you enjoy them, Cristina! Get your own set of...

empressla — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 15:08:35 -0700

We hope you enjoy them, Cristina!

Get your own set of aloe-vera based product samples from Nectar Skincare by going to our website at http://www.nectarskincare.com! While you’re there, don’t forget to vote for us at DailyCandy’s Start Small, Go Big competition! We’re in the top three for beauty businesses and we need your votes! Tell your friends and we’ll give you a promo code to use in our shop. :)

simplycristina:

And got my @nectarskin samples! :) #suchagirl (Taken with instagram)

How Influential Are You? Tell Your Friends About Nectar!

empressla — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 13:26:45 -0700

For every 10 friends you Tweet, email or FB message about Nectar for SSGB, get 10-25% off at the Nectar Skincare Shop. Just tag, @reply or forward the message to Nectar Skincare for verification. Tell 50 or more and get 25% off plus free shipping and a deluxe sample set of our products for free!

Send your friends and followers here to vote for Nectar Skincare: DailyCandy - Start Small, Go Big! 2011

Support minority-owned, female-led businesses! Who run the world? GIRLS. :)

Vote for Nectar at DailyCandy's Start Small, Go Big!

empressla — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 17:23:21 -0700

Vote for Nectar at DailyCandy's Start Small, Go Big!:

I have bad skin. Luckily, I also have big dreams.

Earlier this year, I followed my heart and decided to start a business with the goal of helping others be happy and healthy. Nectar Skincare helps me do that, one face at a time. After much research and lots of work, I have developed a line that is as gentle as natural remedies, and as effective as prescription-grade skin care. I no longer have trouble with my skin, thanks to the products I’ve worked so hard to create. My products are now sold through our online shop at http://nectarskincare.com!

Since our launch in July, we have had an overwhelmingly positive response to our products and — I honestly don’t know how this happened, but I’m honored nonetheless — out of more than 3,000 businesses, mine was chosen as a finalist for DailyCandy’s Start Small, Go Big small business competition!

Winners will not only receive an all-expenses paid trip to NYC, but valuable mentoring and business planning sessions with industry veterans like the owners of Fresh cosmetics and Kate Somerville. Past winners have been set up with retailers, public relations opportunities, and the perfect clientele base— things I have only been able to dream of since I started developing my business earlier this year.

Here’s how to help:

You can vote once every day by clicking on the link above, with as many email addresses as you have. Share or reblog this with your friends! Don’t forget to tag/e-mail/message @NectarSkin, and we’ll give you a promo code to use in our shop or free samples to try!

The contest ends Sept. 16th, so we have 20 days to go! Let’s do this!

Can this be my theme song? Talk to me, Amerie! Gotta Work -...

empressla — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 13:23:00 -0700

Can this be my theme song? Talk to me, Amerie!

Gotta Work - Amerie

“Sometimes you gotta work hard for it.”

Oooh, Nectar Blue nails! This is actually really easy to do....

empressla — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 18:48:00 -0700

Oooh, Nectar Blue nails!

This is actually really easy to do. All you need is a sponge, two or three colors of polish and a paper plate. I’ve done this myself a few times, and it always lasts a while.

First, base coat! Let it dry because a good base coat makes a big difference!
For the look in the photo, apply a coat of your lightest color (an opaque cream should do), and then let it dry. For a true gradient, choose colors in the same family, always starting with the lightest shade.
Once your nails have dried, pour a little bit of the next color of polish onto your plate and lightly dip the sponge into the polish. Starting a third of the way down your nail, lightly dab the color all the way to the tip. You should let it dry for about 5 minutes, but it usually dries faster because the application is so thin. Repeat this process with darker colors.
Add a one-coat glitter polish (Milani in Blue Flash is perfect for the look above and just $4.99) to the tips!
Finally, top Coat! I love Sally Hansen Acrylic Top Coat.

Try it! You can reply to this blog with photos, I’d love to see how your experiments turn out!

Great News!

empressla — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 05:32:00 -0700

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but here goes:

Nectar Skincare is a finalist for DailyCandy’s Start Small, Go Big 2011!

This is an incredible opportunity, and as a longtime DailyCandy subscriber, I’m thoroughly honored to be a part of it!

DailyCandy is a national women’s lifestyle resource, with more than 3 million fabulous subscribers. It’s basically the holy grail of audiences for ventures like mine, and I know that it will be an amazing, life-changing opportunity.

Starting today, Monday, August 22, you can vote for me to win an all-expenses paid trip to NYC to meet DailyCandy for valuable mentoring and business planning by the owners of Fresh Skincare and Kate Somerville over at DailyCandy’s Start Small, Go Big.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be chosen to participate in something as big as this! When I started Nectar just six months ago, I didn’t know where it would take me. I just knew that I was doing something I loved. Only time (and a lot of hard work) will tell where Nectar will go from here, but hopefully, we’re movin’ on up!

There are a lot of changes in store for Nectar Skincare, follow us on Twitter, Facebook or Tumblr to keep up with our journey!

With love,

Celeste

Hey do you guys have any face mask products

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 13:30:15 -0700

Hi!

Thanks for asking! We currently don’t have any outright face masks, but our Glow Therapy products are meant to be used as mini-facial treatments. Basically, they’re five-minute, deep-cleansing and exfoliating treatment masks. I actually use both, since they’re so mild and can be used on all types of skin. The Lush one is incredible when my skin is dry, and the Light version is great for an all-around quick pick-me-up treatment.

Click on the photos for more info about our Glow Therapy products:

Sincerely,

Celeste
Owner, Nectar Skincare

Skin care for Senior Portraits

empressla — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 15:44:00 -0700

Skin care for Senior Portraits:

Ah, the dreaded senior portait. Do I have some tips for you!

I have been a victim of many a horrible school photo, the worst being my high school senior portrait. Not only did I have a breakout, I also had a mishap with shaping my eyebrows and ended up having to pencil them in, chola-style. I absolutely hated the shots, so I never purchased them. Then, a few months later, I got a call from my classmate, who told me she’d gotten my picture in the mail! The studio used my picture in their ads and sent postcards with my face on them to thousands of students! SO. CRUEL. Anyway, here are some tips to help you prepare your skin for a big event or photo shoot.

The first thing is to visit your dermatologist. I’d do this at least 2 months in advance, if possible. Two months is usually how long it takes to see some long-lasting results from topical creams and antibiotics. Whether you have a couple months or just a couple weeks, get a prescription for oral antibiotics that will kill the acne-causing bacteria in your skin, and if possible, an anti-bacterial gel or foam that you can apply to your skin. If you have a huge, nasty pimple a few days before, you can go in for a cortisone injection that will reduce the swelling and kill the pimple.
Start getting serious about your skincare regimen. Wash, treat and moisturize your face twice a day. No more, no less. It’s best to use really gentle products. Don’t even bother going for super-acne-killing face washes, those are just too harsh for any kind of skin, especially skin that is already irritated and breaking out. Cetaphil is a nice and affordable cleanser option, and Fresh Face by Nectar Skincare is also a great cleanser that is not only gentle, but provides a very subtle exfoliation with natural sugars. Clean skin is the best way to have clear skin.
After cleansing and before moisturizing, apply an anti-bacterial topical like benzoyl peroxide or clindamycin, or even a combination of the two. In all honesty, Retin-A micro is a great treatment, especially for long term results, but I totally understand if it’s irritating. Perhaps it’s not the right thing if you’ve only got a couple weeks to clear your skin up, but topical retinoids are undeniably the best way to train your skin to create less oil. If you want to give it another try, use a lower concentration, like .04% rather than .1%. If it’s still super-irritating, use it only every other night, and use moisturizer and a lot of sunscreen.
Moisturizing after treating the skin can help sensitivity, and also help your makeup to go on smoothly. Just because you have oily skin doesn’t meant you don’t need to moisturize it! In fact, an extra boost of moisture can help decrease some of the oiliness. The seaweed and marine extracts in Day Elixir Light help to control oil. It’s a nice light moisturizer that is aloe vera-based, which helps because I know it is hypoallergenic, and I don’t have to worry about whether or not it will break me out.
Before the big day, make sure you have makeup that matches your skin tone really well. In my experience, a warmer, yellow-based foundation will look great in photos, no matter what skin tone you have. Concealer is another must have, one that matches the overall tone of your face for you to cover more stubborn blemishes and one that is one shade lighter for your under-eye area. I am partial to L’oreal True Match for both foundation and concealer, but I also wear MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation often. You’ll also want to see how beauty powder works for you, like MAC’s Naturalize Skinfinish. This will help create a nice, airbrush effect on the skin.

I hope this helps! Let us know how your photos turn out, I’m sure they’ll be great!

Ciao, bella! :)

sillybones:

Okay. I need help and opinions. On the 27 or 28th I am having my senior photo taken. I obviously want to have clear skin for that, but as of right now I am having more breakouts than usual. I really want my skin to be clearer if not totally clear (ish) by the end of the month. I don’t care if it…

hey, i was wondering if maybe you could give me some tips on what natural things and remedies I can use to help my acne. I have very oily skin. Thanks in advance:)

empressla — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 02:49:00 -0700

We oily-skinned types have it bad, don’t we? If anything, we’ll have great skin for a long time, even as we get older. My dad has very oily skin, and is 57 years old with not a wrinkle in sight. I always have him test my products for oily skin because 1) he’s a doctor, and 2) he is very, very picky about what works and what doesn’t.

Now, onto your question:

Natural things and remedies are great. This is how my interest in creating skin care products started, and I’m sure this is how it will always be. Sometimes there’s nothing more satisfying than knowing exactly what you’re putting on your face, and understanding what it’s supposed to do. Here are my top 5 natural skin care ingredients; I have used every single one and have incorporated some of these ingredients into my skin care line because they work!

Grapeseed Oil, Tea Tree Oil – Grapeseed Oil is a nice, light oil with antimicrobial properties that is helpful for acne-prone and oily skin. This oil is also packed with natural antioxidants. I used to apply this daily, almost like moisturizer. After washing my face, I’d put some grapeseed oil on a cotton ball and just swipe it over my face a few times. Tea Tree Oil also has antimicrobial and antifungal effects, but I’ve found that it’s a bit stronger than the grapeseed oil, and not suited for daily use.
Honey – Honey is my holy grail of natural skin care remedies. It’s a natural anti-septic, which is essential for those who have oily and acne prone skin. You can use just plain honey as a facemask too, for healing. You can also add it to your bath to help your skin retain moisture, and you can also use it to create hair removal wax! Most of the time, I just slather it all over my face and rinse it off with lukewarm water.
Milk – Got milk? Bathe in it. 3 cups to your bath and you will see the difference! This is less for your face and more for the well-being of your body. Milk has lactic acid, which is able to break down the bonds between the patches of dead skin cells. After a milk bath and some light exfoliation, your skin will feel like new.
Aloe Vera – Aloe Vera is the cornerstone of most of Nectar Skincare’s products, mostly because it is super-gentle, hypoallergenic, and healing. If you’re looking for a good, natural moisturizer, Day Elixir Light is an Aloe Vera based cream with seaweed, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, and Hyaluronic Acid.
Milk of Magnesia/Clay – Milk of Magnesia, when used as a mask, does a good job of taming oily skin and absorbing excess oil. You can use it every day or just once or twice a week, and trust me, you will see results. As for clay, whether it’s Fuller’s Earth, Kaolin, French or Umbrian, clay masks can also deeply cleanse your skin, draw out impurities and tone down oiliness.

So there you have it, my dear. Oily skin is totally manageable!