Customers frequently call in wanting to know what products will help alleviate their ongoing symptoms of redness in their cheeks, nose, chin, and forehead. Many times customers describe small bumps or pimples that accompany the redness along with occasional itching or irritation especially during times of extreme environmental heat or cold.

Some may just need more intense hydration and products that help address dilated capillary veins that produce redness. For others this can be an ongoing medical condition called Rosacea that should be diagnosed and supervised by a physician. There is no cure for Rosacea, however there are skin care products and regimens designed to help alleviate irritation and calm the skin.

Pevonia Botanica provides four excellent products that help soothe and calm sensitive skin using Green Tea, Licorice and Chamomile. RS2 Gentle Cleanser gently cleans and removes surface impurities while calming and desensitizing the skin. Rose RS2 Gentle Lotion is a gentle toning lotion with Licorice, Green Tea, and Chamomile to help reduce blotchiness. RS2 Concentrate is an excellent serum that helps strengthen capillaries (fine veins), control blotchiness and decongest pores. The final step is RS2 Care Cream with UV protection to hydrate your skin, protect it from damaging UV rays and promote vaso-constriction (reducing fine vein redness).

The B. Kamins line also provides four wonderful products to soothe the symptoms of rosacea. Booster Blue Rosacea Cleanser helps to remove dirt and impurities while soothing and calming redness using B. Kamins Bio-Maple compound and chamomile. Booster Blue Soothing Skin Concentrate is an anti-inflammatory serum that helps reduce redness and calm and soothe skin. Booster Blue Soothing Day Cream is a daily moisturizer with SPF to help moisturize, relieve inflammation, protect against UV rays and create an antioxidant barrier to protect skin cells from free radicals. Finally the Booster Blue Rosacea Masque is a weekly facial treatment that is applied to wet skin and allowed to dry for 5-10 minutes and removed with water to reduce redness and promote a healthier complexion.

Even if you don’t have rosacea but experience problems with dilated capillaries or very sensitive skin, both of these product lines are excellent choices to help overcome those red cheek woes!

Have you entered our latest giveaway? You could win a 5-product regimen from NIA24! Enter now!

Personally when it comes to hair I stand firm by the statement “Bigger is better.” Thick, voluptuous hair can show youthfulness and vitality, and in Snookies case… a lot of personality! Teasing your hair to the high heavens day in and day out can be very damaging. Setting up a system of products that help to thicken up the hair follicle and provide protection will ensure natural volume.

Frederic Fekkai ADVANCED Full Blown Volume Shampoo and Conditioner amplifiy each strand from root to tip with is Hair Plumping Complex for visible all day volume.

Rene Furterer Volumea Volumizing Conditioning Spray No-Rinse increases hair volume by 11% leaving your hair light and airy with no extra weight.

Lastly, Oscar Blandi Lacca Hairspray for Volume and Hold (OC032) to seal the deal. This hairspray contains the unexpected ingredient sugar cane and honey for a natural hold and gorgeous shine.

What’s your favorite big hair look, tip, or trick?!

Have you entered our latest giveaway? You could win a 5-product regimen from NIA24! Enter now!

Recently I had the pleasure of meeting one of the Arcona representatives while completing training on their products. My first question to be answered was, “What does Arcona mean?” Arcona is the name of the lady chemist that developed this line of skin care products based on natural cosmeceutical grade ingredients in 1989.

My second question to be answered was, “with so many “natural” products out there what makes Arcona different?” The answer to that question is that Arcona products contain natural ingredients such as antioxidants, active enzymes, amino acids at a high concentration level that are designed to assist your skin’s renewal process. These cosmeceutical grade ingredients are obtained through cold-processing for maximum ingredient concentration without reducing the effectiveness.

I was also pleased to find out that Arcona products are vegan, with the exception of a couple of products containing honey! Arcona products also do not contain any fillers, parabens, perfumes, dyes or sodium lauryl sulphates.

I had the pleasure of trying The Basic Five Program for Normal Skin. The kit contains the Golden Grain Gommage (Morning Exfoliant.), Magic White Ice (Hydrator), Desert Mist (Protective Serum), Toner Tea Bar (Night time Cleanser), and Gentle Solution (Night time Repair Serum).

My first delight was applying the Golden Grain Gommage. The blend of distilled water, jojoba beads along with Cranberry, Blueberry White Tea and Grapefruit Seed Extracts gently exfoliated my skin leaving it fresh and smooth.

Next I applied the Magic White Ice. Because I have dry skin I was skeptical that this thin moisturizing lotion would be able to quench my skin’s thirst. I remembered during the training how we were informed that the Arcona products don’t have heavy creams. Their philosophy is to balance your skin’s hydration level and you won’t need heavy creams to compensate. I was very pleased with the results! My skin felt hydrated and renewed and I had a satisfaction in knowing that this had been achieved through natural ingredients and without harmful chemicals.

Finally I applied the Desert Mist. My first thought was this serum appeared oily and would sit on my face creating a shiny complexion. Absolutely the opposite! It quickly absorbed into my skin within a minute creating an antioxidant barrier that helped strengthen my collagen level and acted as a humectant to bind moisture to my skin.

In the evening I followed up by using the Toner Tea Bar. I ran a clean washcloth under warm water and rubbed it on the bar and proceeded to cleanse my face in upward outward circles as the directions suggested. The organic smell of the blend of black tea, green tea, honey, and essential oils by itself was already soothing and relaxing. I found the Toner Tea Bar to be deeply cleansing without drying my skin. I tend to have dry skin and this bar was wonderful on my skin even though this is the bar for Normal Skin!
I completed the night time treatment by applying the Gentle Solution as a night time treatment to nourish and repair my skin with its antioxidants.

After having used these products for two weeks now I can honestly say I enjoy them! I am very pleased with how my skin looks and feels and would highly recommend this line of products for the most scrupulous customer searching for a line of natural based products that are customer and environmentally friendly!

Have you entered our latest giveaway? You could win a 5-product regimen from NIA24! Enter now!

The winter months can wreak havoc on our skin causing it to be drier than it is the rest of the year. Our feet are one area that may need extra attention during this cold time of year.

Bliss Foot Patrol is a fabulous exfoliating and softening cream to treat those tootsies. This cream utilizes both alpha hydroxy acids and salicylic acid to exfoliate away those rough, dry skin cells while the soothing aloe leaf penetrates to soften skin.

Perhaps if you ask nicely, you might also get someone to rub those aching feet for you. You deserve it, right?

Have you entered our latest giveaway? You could win a 5-product regimen from NIA24! Enter now!

We’ve all heard the term “less is more” however there is a very fine line to what works on each side of the fence. Typically for your day look you’d stay on the lighter side of things while at night you’d be more drawn towards a darker look. While that may be a general rule of thumb in makeup application, you might need to think twice.

It’s often said that “With age, comes beauty”. I believe that it is quite true especially when it comes to appearance. There’s a certain grace about a woman. Certain colors or makeup in general can actually age your appearance and create facial faults. Here are some guidelines to make sure your application is radiant and doesn’t dull your shine:

• Steer clear of harsh dark eye makeup – Dark colors can sometimes add shadows around the eye area, making you appear tired. If you use a darker shade in your crease it should be blended out until it only creates a contour/ slight shadow.
• Stick with complimentary colors to your eye color, skin, and hair colors. Mostly that includes neutrals, plums, or olives. Shades of blue are few and far between that have to be matched perfectly!
• For overall face color, think radiance. Opt for blushes and lip colors in shades of peach/pink with gold hues. Corals are the most universal colors for skin shades and age. Steer clear of orange, reds, and sometimes browns which can make the skin appear muddy.
• Steer clear of thick cakey makeup as it sets into your imperfections, pores, and wrinkles making them more obvious. If you can, try using only a tinted moisturizer or liquid foundation. They tend to blend easier onto the skin and are more lightweight then creams or powders.
• While higher pigmented makeup is usually better quality, don’t overdo application. Too much color draws unwanted attention to only the areas applied. The look you want is even and smooth.
• In conclusion, you want to accentuate your natural features/ beauty. Pick only one feature as your focus and make sure the rest easily blends into that feature. Your ending result should be youthful and classy!

What are your favorite make-up looks, tips and tricks? We’d love to know! Comment or share with us on Facebook!

Have you entered our latest giveaway? You could win a 5-product regimen from NIA24! Enter now!

There’s no denying eyebrows can make or break your look! Eyebrow trends come and go, but for the most part having well groomed brows can make all the difference in the message you send when someone approaches you.

In recent years it’s become much trendier for men to go in and have their brows trimmed, groomed, or waxed. Unfortunately there are those cases where the person they went to got over-zealous and tweezed or waxed too much… and well, you get the idea.
Either lady or gentleman, remember the first rule when tweezing and shaping your brows, you can always tweeze more hair later, but if you tweeze too much now you can’t put it back!

The second thing to keep in mind is the old adage, “The right tool for the right job!” If you want to look fierce, using an old beat up pair of cheap tweezers, bad mirrors, and low lighting won’t get you there.

Be sure you invest in a pair of good tweezers. They don’t have to be expensive but I recommend tweezers at a slanted angle or tweezers that come to a point. I recommend Billion Dollar Brows Tweezers, or Tweezerman Slant Tweezers. Either of these tweezers will allow you to precisely remove one hair at a time versus stubby tweezers that may end up pulling out too many hairs at a time! For best results grasp the hair at the base next to your skin and pull outward in the direction of the growth.

Ladies if you’re not sure on what shape to go with, how thick or thin, try using Colorscience Voluptuous Stencil. Use this as a guide to shadow or pencil in you brows. Once completed, trim or tweeze all the brow hairs that fall outside your new brow shape.

When tweezing your brows don’t forget to use a 10X mirror to get you that close up detailed view. Don’t forget to take a moment and step back and view your results in a regular mirror at a distance as you go.

And always remember Eyebrows are Tweezed, Chickens are Plucked!

Have you entered our latest giveaway? You could win a 5-product regimen from NIA24! Enter now!

There are a gazillion hair products, hair tools, and hair styles that we lust after as magazine-toting, Extra-watching, celeb-envying consumers that we are.

But in 2011 we want you to put down that mag, step away from the TV and instead of envying Jennifer’s, Taylor’s, Sandra’s or whoever else’s hair type and style… envy your own!

Pamper your hair with a once weekly conditioning treatment. Melvita Capiforce Hair Mask is a great choice. Its rich, buttery texture “melts” into hair quickly delivering nourishment and hydration to thirsty strands.

Try heat-less hairstyles and embrace the natural texture of your hair. Heat from your blow-dryer, flat iron and curler damage your hair. Reduce use of heat to keep your hair at its optimum.

If you use heat tools then use a thermal protectant! Try ALTERNA BAMBOO Smooth Kendi Oil Dry Mist, a weightless, nutrient rich mist that combines strengthening, pure Organic Bamboo with smoothing, Organic Kendi Oil to eliminate frizz, protect hair from heat styling tools, enhance shine & protect color while boosting your hair’s health.

Get a regular trim every 6-8 weeks to keep your hair looking fresh. Split ends make your hair look frizzy and unhealthy. If you have bangs then get a bang trim every 4-6 weeks. The hair that frames your face (like bangs and side wispies) requires more attention because these are the essential pieces that pull your entire look together.

And as always, make sure to take your multi-vitamins and essential fatty acids to maintain hair health. Your body doesn’t produce some amino acids and EFA’s that are essential for hair (and skin) beauty, therefore you’ll need to get them from other sources like supplements and of course, a well-balanced diet.

We hope that you (and your hair) have a beautiful year! If you have hair care and hair style tips, please share with us in the comments below, on facebook or on twitter!

Have you entered our latest giveaway? You could win a 5-product regimen from NIA24! Enter now!

Have you tried every mascara on the market yet you’re still disappointed? Nearly all mascaras claim to be non-clumping, water resistant and flake free, but their track record proves otherwise. Whether you purchase the item from a drugstore or department store, you’re left with the same lackluster result.

It’s time to try something totally different, something TUBULAR! Blinc Mascara is an innovative product that forms tiny water resistant tubes around your lashes rather than coating them with traditional paint-like mascara. Envision lacquer shrink-wrapping to the lash creating length and volume while giving 360 degree coverage around each lash. The result is stunning! Even one with the oiliest of eyelids or women that live in extremely humid climates can be worry free of smudging. You’re left with clump free, water resistant, flake free lashes.

It’s also great for sensitive eyes and contact wearers. For best results apply Blinc on clean, dry lashes. Blinc mascara lasts all day at work, stays put through a vigorous workout and even a full night’s sleep. During application you have a minute and a half to build the volume and length of your lashes to your liking. Once it sets, the tubes clamp onto your lashes for ultimate hold.

When it’s time for removal, no eye makeup remover is required. Water and gentle pressure safely slides the tubes off of your lashes. You’re left with no messy residue that can lead to clogged pores and lashes falling out. Blinc mascara comes in six colors: black, dark brown, medium brown, purple, dark green, and blue.

Ladies strive to look their best when they apply their makeup. Beauty enhancements that improve your looks hide flaws and increase your self confidence. But what looked good on us at one time doesn’t always look flattering years later.

Here are some suggestions and tips on things to avoid as we approach 40 and beyond:

1. Dark eyeliner using liquid liner or pencils above your lash line: While this may look great in our younger years, as our eyelids age and we experience crepiness on our lid, hard lines from liners can call more attention to the fact that we no longer have tight skin around our eyelids. Instead consider using a lighter shade and apply a shadow to the base of your lash line and blend upward. The smoother line will help conceal the crepiness and blending upward draws less attention to sagging lids!

2. Dark eyeliner or eye shadow below your lower lash line: While this may have been all the rage during your night club days it’s just not the best thing for someone with lines. Instead consider keeping the area under your lower lash line neutral. Try adding some mascara to your lower lashes and even lining the inside of your lower eyelid with a white or light tan liner.

3. Staying true to one color scheme: Color schemes come and go. Colors that looked flattering on us in our younger years may not be in style now and can make you look outdated. Try picking up the latest edition of a glamour or fashion magazine and make note of what colors are in season and can freshen up your look.

4. Bronzers, glitters & sparkles: Using heavy bronzers, lots of glitter and sparkle can send out the message, “I’m desperate to look younger!” Try enhancing your look with just a touch of fun sparkle and shimmer. Remember a little bit of bling goes a long way… don’t overdo it!

5. Dark lip colors: While deep dark ruby red lip colors may have defined the Hollywood Glamour era and those colors are making a retro come back for gals in their twenties, using dark colors on your lips later in life can draw attention to aged hollow lips, lines around the lip area and project an overall dark unfriendly tone. Instead consider using a lighter, neutral shade of lip color and a little bit of lip gloss.

6. Too much makeup: Invest in a good quality foundation that meets your coverage needs without going overboard. Even out your skin tone, but remember…Less Is More!

7. Dry skin: Using makeup on dry or dehydrated skin can cause problems blending your makeup, call attention to dry flakes of skin and exacerbate fine lines and wrinkles! Using an oil free moisturizer or oil free makeup primer before can create a much more hydrated and  smooth surface. I suggest a something with dimethicone to fill in fine lines and wrinkles and give you a soft silky texture!

8. Outdated Eyebrows: While most ladies take the time to tweeze their brows or get their brows waxed we need to remember with age all things start moving south! Try reshaping your brows lifting them up a little higher than usual and adjusting your arch a bit higher. A skilled esthetician knows how to do this!

So what are your do’s and don’ts for 40′s, 50′s and beyond?!

Have you heard about our latest Giveaway? SkinStore.com has partnered with NIA24 for the New You Confessions event. It’s time to confess your sins against your skin!

Are you a tanning bed diva? Do you forget your daily SPF? Maybe you fall asleep with your make-up on!? Share your confessions and enter to win a free consultation with a licensed SkinStore.com esthetician and a five-product NIA24 skin care regimen customized just for YOU! This is a value of more than $300!

What are you waiting for? Share your confessions now and enter the giveaway.

Contest starts on January 18, 2011 and ends on February 7, 2011.

UPDATE: Congratulations to our NIA24 Giveaway Winners.. Claire L. from HI, Deborah R. from MA, Anita S. from TX, Ilene L. from WI and Liz E. from AL. Be sure to check your email to claim your prize and schedule your professional consultation! Big thanks to everyone who entered! Stay tuned for more exciting giveaways… Coming soon!