Lifestyle Choices

It’s a time-honored sensual ritual: the smell of cleanser. The sound of splashing. The feel of a clean, dry towel. Was it ever as simple as soap and water? Clearly, renaissance woman who washed their faces in their own urine didn’t think so. How and with what you cleanse your skin depends on your skin type. (more…)

We age. Our circulatory system pumps more slowly, bring less blood to our skin and causing dehydration. We make fewer new cells, and the cells we do create lose their ability to adhere to one another. Melanocytes, which control pigmentation, become fewer and work less efficiently: we get blotchy or lose color. Collagen production slows down, making our skin less elastic. And that’s just the natural aging process. (more…)

Eyelashes may have the practical purpose of keeping debris out of our eyes, by we have invested them with much deeper meaning. We hold our lashes in such reverence that we bat them for attention, and even make wishes on them when they fall out. Still, most of us have complaints. (more…)

A makeup wardrobe is not like clothing wardrobe, which is built up over time. Makeup not only gets old fast, But technology changes our options faster than many of us change our lip color. (more…)

1. Always wear a sunscreen, whether it’s built into your moisturizer or in a separate lotion.

(more…)

“Don’t give me any of your lip,” we might say when someone’s putting on an attitude we don’t appreciate. Attitude is, after all, what lips are all about. They can bbe pale and innocent or pouty and seductive, and with the right lipstick, you’re in the driver’s seat. Suffice it to say, we like our lips moist and plump, and sometimes we like them red. Texture. It’s as important as color. (more…)

• Apply makeup in daylight, near a window. It will look much more natural. If you don’t have a window or it’s dark outside, you can purchase at specialty stores lightbulbs specifically designed for makeup application.
• Update your makeup seasonally, even if it means just two new shades of lipstick. Your look will stay fresh and modern.
• Keep your makeup brushes clean. Wash them weekly, or they’ll dry out and won’t spread makeup evenly; worse, germs may accumulate.
• Read fashion and beauty magazines for tips and updates on new products. Experiment.
• Give your skin a break from makeup at least once a week. More important,
  accept your face without makeup and know you look fine.
• Don’t skimp on quality when buying tools. Be gentle and never pull on your skin when applying makeup. Apply lip balm every morning and night for smooth, moist lips.
• Always apply loose powder immediately after putting on foundation and before adding the rest of your makeup.

UVA and UVB rays.

Ultraviolet rays cause our skin to burn and age. Both UVA and UVB rays penetrate the epidermis and trigger melanin production. Most sunscreens provide protection from UVB, which tends to vary in intensity according to season, altitude, and time of day. UVA rays (”aging rays“) are more constant and harder to protect against. They can burn through windows and loose-knit clothing to penetrate to the dermis, or second layer of the skin, and affect collagen production. (more…)

Active moisture.

An increasing number of moisturizers now come with active ingredients, such as AHAs and sunscreens. A few general rules: AHAs are said to improve the smoothness and appearance of your skin. A dermatologist can prescribe higher doses than you will be able to find in over-the-counter lotions. The downside to AHAs? They can be irritating to sensitive or dry skin. And they often smell funny. (more…)

Our mothers may as well have been casting their faces in cement. Masks went on thick and cold, and dried hard and fast. Today’s masks can be wet or dry, and treat a range of oils. (more…)

Toner, Astringents, and clarifying Lotions. All three remove dirt and oil, but some do it more harshly than others. Astringents and clarifying lotions containing alcohol are most efficient for removing greasy buildup from oily and acne-prone skin. (more…)

Drinking water aids the metabolic processes of the body and is important to your health in general, but it does not contributes directly to the moistness of your skin unless you are severely dehydrated. Most people gain and lose moisture in their skin through their environment, not by drinking water. (more…)

Foaming cleansers contain surfactants—molecules that dissolve oil-based materials on the skin. They are gentle enough for NORMAL SKIN but strong enough to handle the oilier T-zone. Water and oil don’t mix, which is why we can’t depend on H90 alone to penetrate greasy buildup on the surface of our skin. (more…)

Truly sensitive skin is rare. A recent study found that while 0 percent of us believe our skin is sensitive, the actual number may be closer to 6 percent. We tend to have fair complexions. (more…)

Breakouts are supposed to stop after our teens, right? Wrong more than 60 percent of women continue to get pimples and blackheads into their thirties and forties. Those with darker and olive skin tones suffer more—though they don’t burn in the sun and tend to wrinkle less. (more…)

1. Sleeping with your makeup on. Mascaraed lashes can break. Left-on foundations and blush can clog pores and cause breakouts.

(more…)

Nails are made of keratin, the same substance as hair. The nail we see is ‘dead’, and the growing area of nail is below the cuticle. Poor health is often reflected in the state of the nails: brittleness, cracking, splitting and lack of luster. (more…)

Natural mineral-based cosmetics represent a unique technology in skincare, combining makeup, concealer and sun block all in one. They are made out of non-reactive elements like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Titanium is described by the American FDA as one of the purest and most effective ingredients available for sun protection. Zinc oxide has long been used to encourage the healing of skin disorders. (more…)

The fragrance of eau de Cologne is light and refreshing, perfect for an after-bath splash. Alternatively you could keep it in an aerosol bottle in the fridge during hot weather to use as a scented cooling spray. (more…)

A Brush With Heaven

Good brushes make a huge difference, not only to how well you apply make-up, but to how much fun you have doing it. MAC, Jane Iredale, Trish McEvoy and some of the other top ranges offer an intelligent collection of great brushes to help even an amateur with a shaky hand achieve a professional look. Owning a few beautiful brushes makes the make-up ritual a luxurious affair. (more…)