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General Beauty Tips

Fri, 01/12/2007 - 05:40 — Nancy
Face Care
Begin by washing your hands to prevent any bacteria from transferring to your face. As you begin to wash, start with your hairline as hairstyling products tend to attract dirt. Next, apply your cleanser to your face, lips, and down your neck, making sure you cover all areas where you apply your makeup. After applying your cleanser, use the balls of your fingers to gently work the cleanser into your skin. Wait one minute then use a soft cotton ball to work away any dirt or excess makeup build-up. Finally wash your face clean with water and a quality face wash until your face becomes perfectly clean.
Exfoliating
You can spend a lot of money on exfoliating products that you are supposed to use every day or every few days. But you have a pretty good exfoliant sitting in your bathroom already - and it doesn't cost you any more to use it! It's called a wash cloth! Most terry cloth wash cloths do a very good job of exfoliating - especially on the rest of your body. Don't overlook this inexpensive beauty product.
Eye Care for Dark Circles
Use a mirror to have a good look at the actual color of your dark circles. If the color of your darkness is gray, lightly apply a soft pink eye shadow to the circles before applying your foundation. If your darkness is a blue hue, use a light peach color first instead. Also, steer clear of blue and purple eye shadows, which accentuate the blue in the dark circles. Don't wear eyeliner or mascara on your lower lashes; these just contribute to the area's overall darkness. Poor circulation is also to blame for puffiness and dark circles. Look for an eye cream with anti-inflammatory properties to increase circulation which will increase the blood flow to alleviate and brighten dark circles.
Normal Skin
Normal/Combination skin will benefit from a good beauty cleansing regimen and usually performs well when left alone. Make sure to drink plenty of water; we recommend at least eight glasses a day. To slow the signs of aging, we also suggest that you moisturize your neck and skin on a daily basis.
Oily Skin
Cleanse only two or three times at the very most with a product made for your skin type as washing more frequently will only strip the skin of oil which simply stimulates the oil glands to replace it. While washing, avoid rubbing soap into the skin as this can clog pores. Be careful to only massage your face with your fingertips slowly. Steaming several times a week with lavender oil, chamomile, dried parsley, rosemary or thyme can also help.
Dry Skin
During the summer months when the weather is hot and humidity is low, moisture is lost from the skin which can lead to dry skin. A good moisturizer is also important in the winter when central heating can have the same effect. As a general rule, the lower the humidity, the heavier your moisturizer should be.
Flaky Skin
Diet and lifestyle play an important role in the appearance of your skin. Aside from drinking lots of fluid, a weekly mask is extremely beneficial.
Lip Care
If you want to get great looking lips that shimmer, try applying sparkling eye shadow over the top of your lipstick to create a new shiny shade. To achieve a pouty mouth, emphasize your top lip by dabbing a touch of gloss in the center. Oh, by the way, there is little credible evidence that lip plumpers work, so carefully consider that expensive product before buying.
Fragrance Advice
Perfume scents last longer on oily skin and have a stronger fragrance as compared to dry skin. If you have dry skin, we suggest that you apply a layer of oil-based natural skin lotion to your skin before applying your perfume. The best spots to apply perfume are at the nape of the neck, the inner elbow, behind the ears, and along the shoulders. Also avoid spraying perfume on silk; it will damage the material.

Remember that perfumes (and the various weaker versions) all have three notes to them: Top, Middle, and Bottom. The top note will be the first to evaporate away. It is also the one that irritates most people when you have it on too strong. The middle note seems to be the one that most pleases the wearer.

If you're wearing the fragrance for someone special, remember that it's the bottom note of the fragrance that is going to be the most attractive and hypnotic to him/her; give it time to wear off the top note at least.

Layer Your Fragrance
Layering helps extend the scent of your fragrance. Applying a layer of lotion or cream prior to wearing your fragrance will help pro-long the wear of your favorite scent.
Mineral Make-Up
Many people have heard of Mineral make-up, but they don't know enough about it. Mineral make-up is non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic, UVA & UVB protection, anti-inflammatory, water-resistant, and covers blemishes: acne, rosacea, and post laser treatment.
Fingernails
Fingernails are made of the same stuff as your hair, not gelatin. The number one trick to healthy, strong nails: vitamins. Many especially believe in pre-natal vitamins, but I find cheap store brand multivitamins are just about as good and less expensive.

Applying fingernail polish takes practice. Next time you have a vacation, or just a few days off, practice. Just give the nails a chance to recover after taking one trial coat off before doing it again.

Don't do it like they do in the salons - you're not getting paid by the customer! Apply one coat and give it time to dry at least a little. (You can even try a hair dryer on the low-, or no-, heat setting.) I find the sun is the best nail dryer. Applying another coat on top of a still wet coat is a recipe for long drying times. (After I leave a salon, it can take up to 8 hours to get a reasonably hard dry.)

Home Peels
Home peels are very simple to use as it is extremely gentle on the skin thus does not require the presence of a medical doctor. The dosage is perfect for sensitive-skin individuals as you would not compromise with the result of a professional peel. Apply to cleanse face and leave on for 3-10 minutes depending on the brand.
Grooming
Grooming refers to personally hygiene as well as your personal appearance. Start by keep your fingernails trimmed and clean. When brushing your teeth, brush your tongue as well. Your tongue attracts bacteria and can cause bad breath. When outside, wear sunglasses. The sun will damage the skin around your eyes and squinting will leave creases over time and can cause headaches. In hot weather, we suggest you wear light-colored cotton clothing. This will absorb less heat and you will have less visible sweat stains. If you don't iron clothes, remember to remove your laundry immediately from your dryer to avoid creases.
Brows that Wow
Do not hide the beauty of your eyes under unruly, unkempt brows! Perfectly coiffed eyebrows are a natural frame for your eyes and will enhance your look and accentuate your makeup if done right.

Great brows are achievable for anyone… just follow these simple steps to brow perfection:

  • Your brow should begin right above the inner corner of your eye and end at a diagonal with the outer corner of your eye. An easy way to determine where the eyebrow should begin, place a pencil against the side of your nose and line it up with the inner corner of your eye. To see where the brow should end, place a pencil diagonally from the side of your nose ending at the outer corner of your eye. The eyebrow should arch above the upper rim of your iris.
  • Comb your brows in the direction the hair grows, then use a brow pencil to lightly trace the start and finish point and the shape you wish your brows to be.
  • Only pluck from the underside of the brow in the direction that the hair grows. If you pluck from the top you chance plucking too much and losing the shape of your brow.
  • Pluck any stray hairs between the brows.
  • If you find plucking painful, dull the area with an ice cube or lubricant prior to tweezing. Hint: dental pain relief gel has a slight numbing property and works great! If you find your eyebrows are starting to thin use a brow color (powder or pencil) in the same color as your hair (or even a shade lighter) and fill them in lightly. Use feathery strokes, and don't draw on lines in place of eyebrows.
Long Lashes
Great lashes are more about the application than about the brand you choose. Here are some great tips to get perfect lashes every time:
  • Apply your mascara in front of a mirror with both feet on the ground, not in the car, or on the bus!
  • Start with a mascara color that is a good color match for your own lashes. If you are going for a subtle look, try clear mascara.
  • Before applying your mascara, give your eyelashes that movie diva drama by using an eyelash curler… carefully! Remove any globs of mascara from the wand with a tissue before you apply.
  • To apply, start at the base of your lashes and work your way out with a zig-zag motion, applying more at the base than at the tips to give your lashes a rich, full look. For optimum drama, make your eyes look bigger by just coating your upper lashes with mascara. Leave your bottom lashes au natural.
  • If you happen to smudge your mascara do not try to rub it off. First use a tissue to dab the spot. Then dab a drop of concealer on to the smudge until it is complete concealed. Blend lightly by patting with your pinky finger. Keep your lashes looking great by applying a drop of olive oil to clean lashes before you go to sleep at night. To make sure you do not get any in your eyes, place the drop of oil on a tissue, bring it up to your eyes and bat your lashes against the oiled part of the tissue. You only need a small amount to reap the benefits. * If you have sensitive eyes though, ask your doctor first.