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 Colors that looked flattering on us in our younger years may not be in style now and can make you look outdated.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?!
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Color treated hair can be difficult to maintain. Some shampoos may strip your color, fade the intensity and leave your hair dry and frizzy. Some conditioners may be too heavy and weigh down your hair while not giving it the essential protein it needs.
I highly recommend the Alterna Caviar Anti Aging Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner Duo, I receive consistent positive feedback from every customer who has tried these two products! The Caviar Anti Aging Moisture Shampoo is a sulfate free cleanser that hydrates dry hair. The Caviar Anti Aging Moisture Conditioner provides daily nourishment for dry hair. Both can be used on fine, color treated, permed, and damaged hair to minimize the visible signs of aging and lock in color. Both are FIVE STAR customer rated products!
For very dry and damaged hair, colored hair, or hair in need of lots of TLC, I recommend Alterna TEN Hair Masque as a once a week indulgence! This masque is the perfect fusion of ten key elements from around the globe to transform any hair from ordinary to extraordinary. Another FIVE STAR customer rated product!
Fight the frizz and captivate with your color! Alterna Caviar Anti Aging products are a MUST HAVE!
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Winter is here, the frost has arrived, our heaters are on, and we’re constantly washing our hands to avoid catching that winter cold! Is it no wonder that our hands have become dry, chapped and cracked. Treat your hands to an exfoliation and get rid of those dead skin cells, followed by regular use of a replenishing hand cream.
We recommend:
Whish Almond Three Whishes Sugar Scrub, a unique combination of Brown Sugar, Raspberry Seeds, Bamboo Powder and Organic Sugar Cane. Apply to wet hands and massage, rinse well with warm water, use once or twice a week to exfoliate dead skin cells.
Followed by:
L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream, this super-creamy balm penetrates quickly to protect, nourish and moisturize your hands. Honey, Almond and Coconut Oil are blended with Shea Butter to create this unique and extremely effective moisturizer. Use daily as needed and after exfoliation.
Winter can be brutal! Take care of the hands that take care of you!
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Many parents write and call asking which product line would be the best to keep their teen’s skin young and healthy. These parents didn’t want their kids to have scars from mild acne break outs, or have their children have to resort to injections or plastic surgery (in years to come.) What were their best options to stop time in its tracks and keep their teen’s skin healthy well into adulthood?
My answers to them were precise but also very simple.
Find a skin care line using a cleanser, toner, moisturizer and SPF. Use the products on a regular basis as directed by the manufacturer. Find a mild exfoliant that’s either physical (scrub) or chemical and use it 2-3 times per month to remove dead skin cells.
Avoid smoking, alcohol consumption and get 8 hours of sleep daily. Doing so can help prevent premature aging!
Be sure to eat a balanced diet, including lots of fruits and vegetables (excellent sources of antioxidants!) Drink plenty of water to help prevent dehydration and help flush toxins out of your body.
The fourth and MOST important suggestion was very simple
Limit your sun exposure and use an SPF on a daily basis!
Use an SPF 15+ daily and an SPF 30+ when you will be outdoors for extended periods of time. Limit your exposure to the sun and avoid tanning booths! You don’t have to get sunburned in order for your skin cells to damage. (Of course you don’t have to be in your teens or 20’s to follow this advice!)
Teach your teens to take care of and protect their skin today and they will have healthier looking skin for many years to come!
Hollywood’s classic glamour era from the 1930’s to 1960’s was an era when more was more! Gentlemen wore suits and ties with overcoats and ladies wore elegant dresses and gowns with elaborate hats or fur coats. Red carpets and spotlights rolled out for movie releases as stars arrived in Cadillacs, Lincolns, Duesenbergs, and Packards.
Joan Crawford and Marlene Dietrich can be remembered for their notorious brows. Jane Mansfield and Marilyn Monroe bring to mind that brilliantly glossy blond bombshell hair. Bette Davis and Elizabeth Taylor had eyes that commanded the movie screen. A wink from Sophia Loren or Julie Newmar’s powerful lashes made any man melt. And heaven forbid Lena Horne or Judy Garland be caught without their ruby red lips!
Classic Hollywood glamour is making a comeback! The key is not go overboard. Start with one of these qualities and mix and match a bit of classic glamour with a bit of modern style.
Here are five great items that can help you achieve some of those Hollywood Diva qualities:
1. Colorscience Voluptuous Stencil will help you perfectly shape and arch your brows without any guess work or errors! Use the stencils to draw in your brows and judge how they look before your tweeze or wax them.
2. Luscious lashes are a must! To stimulate lash growth for longer, thicker, fuller lashes try using RapidLash Eyelash Renewal Serum.
3. For a temporary boost for that night on the town you can instantly pump up your length, volume and definition using Fusion Beauty LashFusionXL.
4. Brilliantly shining hair, whether you’re a blonde, brunette, or red head, stops traffic in it’s tracks! Try using Alterna Caviar Anti Aging Polishing Serum to add a weightless, anti-frizz gloss that adds shine to your hair!
5. For those ruby red lips that command respect anywhere you go try DuWop Private Red. It’s an excellent red lipstick that adjusts to each woman’s skin tone creating your own “Private Red!”
Now go out and work the red carpet!
Have you entered our latest giveaway? You could win skincare treasures from Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare! Enter now!
Hollywood’s classic glamour-era look is making a comeback. Throughout their careers Joan Crawford and Marlene Dietrich can be remembered for their deep ruby red “Hollywood” lips.
For those ruby red lips that command respect anywhere you go try using Fusion Beauty LipFusion Micro Injected Lip Plumping Pencil in Glam. Apply a thin layer of lip balm to condition your lips. Next pencil in just below your lower lip line and continue to the outer corner of each side of your lower lip to give the illusion of a fuller lower lip. When you pencil in your upper lip start in the center just above where you would normally pencil. Work your way up and outward with the highest part of your rounded arch about one third of the way to the corner. Once you have the liner finished you can complete the look with DuWop Private Red. It’s an excellent red lipstick that adjusts to each woman’s skin tone creating your own “Private Red!”
Blotting off excess lipstick by placing a tissue between your lips and pressing your lips together followed by an application of a translucent powder can help set your lip color, making it last longer! If you want to boost the “glam” you can apply a thin layer of Nuxe Lip Gloss Prodigieux Nutri-Protector Lip Gloss- Charismatic Red.
Like this blog and share it with your friends on Facebook! Or leave us a comment, questions, or feedback – if you have a question, one of our estheticians will respond to you directly when you supply your email address in your response, remember, email addresses are not posted with your comment.
Have you entered our latest giveaway? You could win skincare treasures from Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare! Enter now!
A look from the eyes and the raise of the brow can send a powerful message without a word! Elizabeth Taylor, Vivien Leigh and Bette Davis were all famous for their beautiful eyes and elegantly commanding eyebrows!
Colorscience Voluptuous Stencil will help you perfectly shape and arch your brows without any guess work or errors! Use the stencils to draw in your brows and judge how they look before your tweeze or wax them.
In April of 2010 I had the pleasure of trying the StriVectin Instant Facial Sculpting Cream. If you have read any of my other product reviews you may already know my skin tends to be a bit more on the dry side. Finding a moisturizer can be difficult for me. Friends and coworkers asked why I would be using this product since I didn’t have any fine lines, wrinkles or sagging skin?
My answer to them was that I had heard so many positive reviews on this product and, if it truly worked I wanted the benefits of the lifting, tightening, toning and moisturizing of my skin now before these problems arise!
So often I have customers call in to consultation on how to keep their skin young looking, firm and healthy. My first answer is sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen! My second recommendation would be StriVectin Instant Facial Sculpting Cream.
I applied the product twice a day, once in the morning after cleansing and toning my skin, and once in the evening after cleansing and toning my skin. I stayed true to this regimen for four weeks and after that have been applying it mornings and evenings 3 times a week as directed to maintain results.
Since using the Instant Facial Sculpting Cream my skin has been healthy and hydrated. I’ve noticed firmness to my facial area and I see no evidence of fine lines or deep wrinkles that would suggest my age. I recently ran into a friend (38) who graduated from high school a year before I did. I was amazed at how much he had aged and how much the StriVectin had stopped time in its tracks for me. While I don’t claim to have perfect skin, at 37 years old I still have people guess I’m in my late 20’s to early 30’s!
I can’t speak highly about StriVectin Instant Facial Sculpting Cream and HIGHLY recommend it for anyone wanting to turn back the hands of time or stop time in its tracks!
Lately, everyone is on a quest to either retain their youth they have, or turn back the hands of time to look younger. For those of us with pocket books that are not so deep as to afford cosmetic surgery (if needed), an injectable medicine with little to no down time sounds attractive!
But what exactly is Botox and where does it come from? In a nutshell Botox Cosmetic by Allergan is a low dosage of botulinum toxin that temporarily relaxes or temporarily paralyzes facial muscles. It was approved by the FDA in 1989 for limited use for eyelid spasms and crossed eyes. By 2002 it had been approved for use on moderate or severe frown lines and lines between the brows. By temporarily paralyzing select facial muscles, it can decrease your facial muscle’s ability to contract. The result is less wrinkling of the skin from repeated muscle movement. The results are temporary and can last anywhere from 3 – 6 months depending on the number of follow up treatments. Botox can also be used to treat hyperhydrosis or extreme sweating.
If you decide Botox is for you please make sure you see a qualified, trained physician or dermatologist. Botox is available by prescription only from a doctor. Botox “parties” have become a popular event where a licensed physician will offer services at a discounted rate if someone gets a group of people together and hosts the event. The concern is that although the doctor may be licensed to administer injectables, the doctor that attends the “party” may not be trained in the specialty of facial muscles and the administering of a facial muscle relaxant.
If the thought of needles and injections doesn’t sit well with you, you may want to consider some alternatives. There are products on the market that can give you an instant lifting and firming of the skin that lasts for several hours and some products have accumulative results.
For instant results:
Alchimie Forever’s Alexandrite Firming Gel for Neck and Bust is ideal to rejuvenate the delicate neck and décolleté area. The gel lifts and firms the skin, helping to impart a more toned and youthful appearance to this often-forgotten part of the body. It can also be used on the facial area and jaw line. The gel absorbs quickly, is not oily or sticky, and helps to prevent shine and reduce pore size.
Kinerase Extreme Lift Face is the alternative to physician administered injectables. This one of a kind formula fills in mild to moderate wrinkles for immediate, undeniable, proven results. It also visibly smoothes and fills trouble spots like forehead furrows, frown lines and crow’s feet. There is no discomfort or loss of facial expression and results are reversible within a day.
Dr. Brandt Lineless Lines No More is a filler and volumizer. It is formulated to help to fill and plump smile lines and nasolabial folds from the inside out, visibly decreasing the depth of wrinkles and folds while smoothing skin’s texture and appearance. Lineless Lines No More promotes youthful-looking skin. Can also be used on an ongoing basis for accumulative results.
For cumulative results:
Strivectin Instant Facial Sculpting Cream is an excellent product to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and crow’s feet. It also accentuates your cheekbones and jaw line as it lifts, tightens and tones your skin… making your face look more sculpted, youthful and defined. You may need to use the product for at least 4 weeks before seeing results and you will need to continue to use it to maintain results. So far I’ve had excellent results!
Kinerase Restructure Firming Face Cream Cream goes beyond stimulating collagen production to target critical elastin protein coils, combining the clinically-proven anti-aging power of Kinetin with revolutionary elastin-strengthening technology. Skin is deeply moisturized, contours are lifted and toned, and expression wrinkles are visibly smoothed.
Everyone has horror stories of waxing woes and waxing jobs gone awry and no I’m not referring to polishing your car’s paint! Here are some simple rules to keep in mind when using waxing as a hair removal option.
If you’re taking a prescription medication for acne, consult your doctor before having any waxing done. Prescription acne medication can make your skin very sensitive and delicate and you can literally end up tearing a whole layer of skin!
Be certain you go to a licensed Esthetician or Cosmetologist. Nail Technicians and Manicurists are not licensed or properly trained to do waxing in most states.
Hair should be at least ¼ of an inch long and not more than ½ inch long. Anything longer than that should be trimmed; otherwise you will feel pain when the wax pulls at unintended adjacent hair! YEOUCH!
All areas to be waxed should be clean and free of debris. Some products require you to pre cleanse and even use a powder, ask your professional.
Wax should be applied in the direction of the hair growth. If you see someone applying it in any old direction beware of sloppy workmanship!
Soft Wax with muslin (fabric) strips are best for large areas: arms, legs, chest, back, stomach. Hard Wax without fabric strips are best for small or sensitive areas or very coarse hair: facial, underarms, bikini. Eyebrow areas can be waxed with either hard or soft wax, followed by tweezing to fine tune.
This is one of the most important steps to effectively waxing with minimal discomfort! When it comes time to pull the wax or muslin strip, be sure to firmly apply pressure with one hand just above the section of wax you are removing. Wax should be pulled in the opposite direction of hair growth. If your professional doesn’t do this, then you’re most certainly going to get an ineffective hair removal and it will end up hurting (more than it needs to.)
NO Double Dipping! Be sure your professional is not double dipping the (disposable) wax applicator stick. For example, dip into wax, apply to skin, re dip into wax, then apply more to skin. Double dipping can introduce germs and bacteria from the skin INTO the wax. Not sure about you but I don’t want someone else’s cooties in the wax that will be used on my face or private areas!
After removing the waxing strip, be sure to remove any residue and use an after waxing treatment product like oil, lotion, or aloe vera gel.
Freshly waxed skin feels very smooth! Not just due to the absence of hair but because it also removes a whole layer of dead skin cells. Be sure to use a moisturizer with and SPF 20 or more to protect those newly exposed skin cells.
Of course your trained professional should know all these things, but you knowing them empowers you to make sure you get the best service possible! If you’re looking for home hair removal options here are some products SkinStore carries that I would suggest MOOM Organic Hair Removal Kit.
Which hair removal method do you prefer: shaving, waxing, laser, epilation or depilatory creams? Leave us a comment below!
Everyone has horror stories of waxing woes and waxing jobs gone awry and no I’m not referring to polishing your car’s paint! Here are some simple rules to keep in mind when using waxing as a hair removal option.
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