Lifestyle Choices

Essential oils are absorbed through the skin and penetrate its deepest layers. The main property of all essential oils is that they are highly antiseptic, though at different degrees, depending on the essence chosen. They help speed up the removal of old skin cells and thus encourage the production of new cells.

Essential oils help muscles to regain a healthy condition and aid the soft tissue to get rid of excess fluid and waste materials or, if required, to restore lost hydration. They also act as blood regulators, improving the blood circulation. With the help of pressure points on nerve centres, the essential oils help to regulate the nervous system, making it more alert to impulses and quicker to react. (more…)

Step 3: Powder

A complete dusting of translucent powder (avoid the eyes) is now necessary to `set’ the foundation so that it will last all day. Never apply powder blusher directly on to a cream foundation because it will not blend in softly; your skin will ‘grab’ it and look blotchy and harsh.

• Choose a translucent powder that is ‘colourless’ or neutral in shade, so that it blends with your skintone.
• Apply powder all over the face with a large, fluffy brush, dusting across the forehead and down over the cheeks, nose and across the mouth, chin and jawline.

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When relaxing at home, at weekends or on holiday, it’s great to give the skin and yourself a break from wearing make-up. But otherwise, all women look and feel better with a little colour, ‘their’ colours, to enhance their skintone, eyes and hair. (more…)

The effects of the sun can be seen on the skin of any present or former sun-worshipper in the form of wrinkles, dark spots, roughness, leathery skin texture and a sallow complexion, often with prominent bursts of blood vessels. Under the microscope this shows up as thickening of the outer layer of the skin, with extra grouped pigment cells, and in the deeper dermis, clumps of non-functional elastic tissue and loss of collagen. (more…)

Salon facials help turn good skin into great, but they can be very costly. Why not learn to give yourself one at home instead? The following facial is adapted from one offered at a famous New York City salon:

1. Cleanse skin with cleansing cream or lotion; remove with pure, facial-quality cotton. Don’t use synthetic cosmetic puffs; they’re too rough for the face.
2. Place loose camomile tea leaves in a pot of water and bring to a boil; remove pot from the heat. Transfer liquid to a large ceramic bowl.
3. Lean face a comfortable distance over the bowl; the steam should feel hot but should not burn. Drape a thick towel over your head to keep the steam from escaping. When the steam is gone, strain the liquid from the bowl and place it in the freezer until very cold.

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The oval (top left) is considered the ideal shape, but don’t despair: You can improve on nature by the proper application of shadow base (a shade darker than your foundation) and highlighter (a shade lighter than foundation). (Note: The white areas in the diagram represent the highlighter; shaded areas represent the shadow base). Begin by applying your foundation, then consult the descriptions below for providing your own corrective shaping.

• Rectangular or oblong face. Use shadow base to darken lower jaw and chin. Blend well in all directions. Then apply highlighter on each side of the face between the center of the cheek and the ear. Blend outward.

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Foundation is one of the secrets of fabulous, flawless-looking skin. No longer heavy and greasy, today’s foundations are specially formulated to give you longer-wearing, more natural coverage. Your first installment in the foundation story: zero in on your skin type, then pick the blend that’s made for you.

Application

Learn to apply foundation properly for a smooth, “no-seams” look.

1. Cleanse face with a product made for your skin type.
2. Exfoliate with a gentle scrub to remove dead cells.
3. Tone with a product made for your skin type to close pores.

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For extraordinary color, shape, and appeal, follow these simple steps:

• Apply a thin coat of foundation to lips; blot. This will give color a good base for adhering.
• Using a sharp lip pencil (select a color that’s the same or slightly lighter than lip color choice), outline your mouth to give it a well-defined shape. Lips less than perfect?
• Use a flat lipbrush with firm bristles to apply a lip color. Start at center and work toward edges. The lipbrush gives you control and helps to spread the color evenly. Choose a creamy lipstick (labeled moisturizing or conditioning) that glides on easily.
• Blot by placing a tissue over your lips and patting on translucent powder with a wide, fluffy brush. Enough of the powder will sift through the paper onto lips to keep the color in place.

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Eyeliners

Finally put on your eyeliner. A good way of emphasizing eye shape without looking too obviously made up is to use a pencil in the same tone you are using for your eye shadow, dotting it all along the upper lashes and then just under the lower ones so the two lines meet at the outer corners and form a little triangle. This kind of liner looks good when it is gently smeared with a brush or fingertip to blend it into the surrounding area and keep it from looking too heavy. You can also use another color line drawn on the inside of the lower lid if you like. If you use a light color there, such as off-white, it will make your eyes look bigger. If you use a bright color such as electric blue or brilliant green, it can look great for evening. (more…)

Light Draws the Eye

Highlighter is a powerful tool when it is used wisely. When carelessly or wrongly applied, it can make a face look positively absurd. The best highlighters are not white. Bone white is too harsh. Instead choose a pale ivory foundation to use as a lightener on the areas of the face you wish

The Eyes Have it

For most women, one of their best features is the eyes. Perhaps this is because eyes reveal so much of what goes on inside one. Makeup for eyes should emphasize this and show off the eyes‘ beauty and color. It should never be applied gratuitously, as it often is. (more…)

Covering the Blemishes

Now is the time to deal with any problems you want to conceal, such as black circles under your eyes or discolorations here and there. Concealer creams and sticks are good here, although some of them are greasy and, particularly under the eyes, tend to sink into tiny lines and make matters worse. If you use a concealer, buy one that is not too light-colored. Many brands are far too pale and, used under the eyes, make you look ghoulish.

Put your concealer on and pat it into the skin with your little finger until it blends perfectly with the surrounding area. If you add a little powder here—particularly under the eyes—even if you don’t wear it on the rest of your face, you will get just the finish you need to make the undesirable area fade into the surrounding skin tones.

The Magic of Light and Shade

The whole secret of successful makeup, no matter what look you are after (the natural, clean face or pure glamour), lies in using light and shade well. The rules are simple. Whatever part of your face you want to bring out or emphasize, you apply a light color to, and whatever part you want to minimize, you cover with a darker shade. In practice it becomes a little more complicated. Shaders and highlighters come in several forms: creams or lotions you put on a naked face or just after applying your foundation, powders you brush on after applying translucent powder, and simple light and dark shades of foundation you put on various areas of the face for effect. (more…)

Every good makeup begins with a water-in-oil moisturizer and a sunscreen lavishly applied over clean skin and then given a chance to settle in. It is rather like making a mayonnaise. You can’t rush things. You need to wait for your skin to take to the moisturizer before you put on your foundation; otherwise you will end up with a flawed finish and your makeup will not last. “Taking” time is usually about two minutes.

Many Moisturizers

In addition to the ordinary moisturizers, there are also tinted ones on the market. These products are halfway between moisturizers and foundations. They impart some color and also provide you with some measure of protection from water loss. In France they are often called creme sport, because they can be worn, by women who ordinarily would not want to cover their skin with a foundation, for instance during a tennis match. They give a very light cover but can be a nice way of simply adding a healthy glow to your skin. Some of them also contain sunscreens. (more…)

SUNBURN

Sunburn is a South African complaint throughout the long hot summer and one which we should take pains to avoid, for it has an ageing and drying effect on the skin.

Sun Protection Oil

This protecting oil should be applied before going out into the sun. The sesame oil blots out the harmful ultra-violet rays.

25 ml (2 tbsp) sesame oil

25 ml (2 tbsp) lanolin

75 ml (6 tbsp) dandelion tea or elder flower tea

Melt lanolin and oil in a double boiler. Slowly add the warm herb infusion. Mix well. Bottle and apply liberally to the skin. (more…)

No matter what your skin type, you can make all-natural skin care treatments at home—for only pennies! Most of the following “recipes” use ingredients found in your kitchen. (Remember that if you are allergic to eating certain foods, using them on your skin will probably cause problems as well. Use common sense when making homemade treatments.)

Cleansing Masks

Ready to give yourself a facial? Cleansing masks are a good way to help skin with too much or too little oil. (more…)

The important thing to remember about your skincare routine is your desired outcome.

You want your skin to function at its best, to age gracefully and to be a sign of your health and vitality. In order to achieve this you need to support your skin in the way it works naturally. Don’t try to override its natural functions, thinking your skincare will produce beautiful skin. It is your skin that has the rejuvenating power, given the right ingredients and care! (more…)