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Thursday, August 26, 2010

Dry Skin: Dry Skin Fixes for Hands, Feet, Body, Face and Lips

There's nothing worse than dry, itchy skin. Dry skin can happen any time during the year, but is most prevalent in winter (hence the term, "winter itch"). Find out why your skin tends to be dry in winter and how to solve dry hands, feet, body, face and lips year-round.

Why Do I Suffer From Dry Skin in the Winter?

In winter, low temperatures, low humidity and strong, harsh winds deplete skin of its natural lipid layer, which keeps the skin from drying out. The dry air from furnaces and other heating sources also suck the moisture out of skin.

To keep your skin feeling dewy and moist all year-round, follow these dry skin fix-it tips.

Dry Skin Tip: Keep Water Lukewarm, Not Hot

Hot water robs skin of moisture causing dry skin, so it's best to shower in lukewarm water. If you can't bear this rule -- I can't -- try to keep your showers short and try showering only once per day. This also means skipping hot tubs (another rule I simply cannot bear). The hot, hot temperature, combined with drying chemicals, is torture on dry skin.

The same rule applies to hand-washing: Wash hands in lukewarm, never hot, water (this is a rule I firmly abide by). If your skin turns red, the water is simply too hot.

Dry Skin Tip: Moisturize After Showers or Hand Washing

Moisturizer is the key to soft, supple skin. Apply product when skin is slightly damp. For best effect, pat skin dry instead of rubbing with your towel before application.

The skin on my legs can drive me crazy with itchiness all year round. I find I prefer oils to lotions on for the body. Renowned makeup artist Pati Lubroff got me hooked on organic extra virgin coconut oil, which you can buy in health food stores or online. Simply massage the coconut oil all over the body. Trust me, this will get rid of dry, itchy skin and the oil isn't sticky like lotion tends to be.

Antibacterial soap in public places can be harsh on hands, so I like to keep hand salve in my purse (my hands-down favorite is Kiehls). To keep cuticles soft, massage in olive oil.

Extra tip: I love keeping moisturizer and facial water on my desk at work. I spritz Evian Mineral Spray , and then dab on moisturizer. The water locks in moisture and leaves my skin refreshed even in harsh office heat.

Dry Skin Tip: Exfoliate on a Weekly or Semi-Weekly Basis

Moisturizer is much more effective on properly exfoliated skin. Use a scrub in the shower and exfoliate facial skin with a mild scrub made for the face.

It's best to scrub skin when it's dry, according to Marcia Kilgore, the founder of Bliss Spa in New York, in InStyle Magazine. Apply scrub to dry skin before you turn on the water (mix with lotion if it's not moist enough). Massage the scrub into skin for a few minutes for best results.

Extra tip: Dry brush skin before a shower with a body brush to remove flaky skin (it's more effective than brushing wet skin).

Dry Skin Tip: Invest in a Humidifier

Ever notice how older people in desert climates look like leather? The moisture in the air is actually good for skin. If you live in a low-humidity climate or you are around furnaces in the winter, invest in a humidifier.

I once read that your skin needs more than 30 percent humidity to stay properly moisturized. A room heated by a furnace can have as little as 10 percent moisture. In the winter, consider sleeping with a humidifier in your bedroom. Keep doors closed so the moist air doesn't escape the room.

Dry Skin Tip: Skip the Drying Soaps

Soaps can be drying. Stick with a creamy moisturizing cleanser that contains glycerin or petrolatum, such as Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Wash, or Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash(my current drugstore pick).

Extra tip: Simply can't skip the bath? Skip the bubbles, which can contain harsh foaming ingredients and opt for bath oils or oatmeal scrubs, which are great for soothing itchy skin.

Dry Skin Tip: Baby Your Hands & Feet

Hands and feet can suffer terribly from dry, itchy skin. Put on moisturizer and gloves BEFORE you head outdoors in the winter, and consider lathering up your feet in thick moisturizer and sleeping in cotton socks at night.

Extra tip: Cover feet in a thick moisturizer, wrap feet in Saran Wrap, then pull on a pair of socks for a couple hours. Try to sit or lie down while the moisturizer soaks in or risk sliding into a full split and pulling your groin muscles. The same treatment can be done on hands, except try plastic bags and keep hands in a pair of socks. A half-hour should do you.

Dry Skin Tip: Stay Hydrated But Don't Go Overboard

Many people believe if they drink more water, they'll hydrate skin. But I've read time and time again that this is a myth and you simply cannot moisturize skin from the inside out.

That said, a small study recently published by the University of Hamburg (and reported in Allure magazine), suggests people who drink relatively little water could see a significant benefit in skin hydration if they started drinking nine eight-ounce glasses of water per day. What does this mean? Probably that dehydration does affect skin, but a normally hydrated person isn't going to see major benefits by drinking even more water.

My advice: don't expect bottled water to save you from dry skin and the winter itch.

Dry Skin Tip: Don't Forget Your Lips

Licking your lips will not moisturize them and instead will help dry them out. Lips retain less moisture than other parts of the body, so they tend to dry out more quickly. A simple lip balm helps, as does my all-time favorite lip trick learned in high school from "Seventeen" magazine: moisturize your lips with Vaseline. Take a toothbrush and "brush" your lips in a circular motion. This will remove dead flakes and leave your lips soft and supple.
If you have the bucks, try: Kinerase Lip Treatment (about $38).

Dry Skin Tip: Protect Your Face, Too

If you have super, duper sensitive skin, consider avoiding rinsing your face with tap water, which can contain harsh minerals that are especially drying to the skin (Dr. Dennis Gross once told me New York water contains a lot of harsh minerals, while Seattle water, for example, does not. Go figure).

Consider Fish Oil Pills

New studies show omega-3 fish oil pills may soothe super dry skin. Patients who took fish oils pills in a study reported in Allure magazine, saw significant results within a few weeks. "You can see, within six weeks, the skin, hair and nails improve markedly," according to skin expert Dr. Andrew Weil in Allure. Ever since I started taking fish oil pills in March, 2007, I have received numerous compliments on how amazing my skin looks. So there you have it.

5 Dos and 5 Don’ts to Help Slow the Aging Skin Process

Maybe you're in your 20s or early 30s and you think you can't possibly have (gulp) aging skin yet. Well, you're wrong. Your skin's 'youthfulness' has less to do with age than how it's been treated, so if exposed to sun, smoke and stress, your skin will start ‘acting old,’ losing collagen, glow and elasticity. Lines will develop and pores can seem more pronounced. It's easier to prevent damage than to repair it but the good news is you CAN reverse skin damage.

Here are 5 dos and 5 don’ts to help slow down and reverse the aging process and leave your skin glowing at any age.

  • Do stop smoking. Ever notice the skin of a lifelong smoker? It can appear wrinkly like a squashed paper bag. The fact is, smoking is the 2nd biggest cause of skin damage after sun exposure. Why? Nicotine constricts blood vessels and decreases the flow of oxygen to the skin. Not good things.

  • Do use an AHA or BHA (also known as retinols) every day. A daily application of a one percent prescription retinoid lotion (such as Retin-A or even better, Tazorac) can erase years from your face. AHAs used properly not only take off lots of dead skin, but can seem to take 10 years off as well by reducing fine lines. (Keep in mind these products do NOT shrink pores. Your pore size is completely hereditary, so don't believe promises of permanent reduction). Over-the-counter options such as RoC Deep Wrinkle Night Cream (see compare link below to buy) are good, but prescription creams work the best. Extra tip: You must stay out of the sun if you use retinoids. You are extra-susceptible to sunburns.


  • Do exfoliate once a week. Choose a formulation that's best for your skin type. Chemical exfoliators (glycolic or salicylic acid) are best for oily or combo skin, while scrubs found in microdermabrasives work best for sensitive skin. Some tried-and-true products we love include Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion in a Jar:


    or Lancome Resurface C Microdermabrasion


  • Do use an eye cream daily. Eyes are one of the first places to show aging. The skin around the eyes is extra thin so you'll want to protect it from the sun with eye cream with SPF. A great one is: Clarins Eye Contour Care SPF30.

    Or try Neutrogena Healthy Defense SPF 30 Eye Cream:


  • Do invest and ingest antioxidants. 'Antioxidants' is a huge word in aging prevention. A huge proponent of antioxidants (found in green teas and beta carotene) is dermatologist Leslie Baumann, MD. To get the best possible protection against free-radical damage, Baumann suggests in Elle magazine that you take both oral and topical antioxidants. Get antioxidants in pill form by taking Heliocare vitamins.


Baumann also suggests less-expensive Olay Vitamins Total Effects Beautiful Skin and Wellness vitamins:

What Type of Skin Do You Have?

There are five basic skin care types: Oily, combination, sensitive, dry and sun-damaged. Your skin type is determined by how much -- or how little -- oil your skin produces. Genes, diet, stress level, medication and even your skincare regimen all determine how much oil your skin produces.

Rona Berg, in her book, "Beauty the New Basics," details the five different skin types. Here's how to tell what skin type you have.

Berg suggests you take the "skin test." Wash your face, pat it dry, then take a few pieces of rice paper or lens-cleaning tissue paper and press on different spots on your face. If your skin is oily, the paper will stick, pick up oily spots and become translucent. If the paper doesn't stick or pick up any oily spots, your skin is dry. If it sticks in your t-zone (forehead, nose and chin) then you have combination (or normal) skin. About 70 percent of women have combination skin.
Here are the five different skin types and their characteristics.
  • Type 1: Oily Oily skin tends to shiny with enlarged pores, and is prone to blackheads and blemishes. You might experience some tightness.

  • Type 2: Combination/normal This skin type has medium pores, a smooth and even texture, good circulation, healthy color, may tend toward dryness on the cheeks while being oily in the t-zone.

  • Type 3: Sensitive Sensitive skin tends to be thin, delicate with fine pores. It flushes easily, is prone to broken capillaries, is frequently allergic and can be rashy.

  • Type 4: Dry Dry skin feels tight, especially after cleansing. You have a tendency towards fine wrinkles, flaking and red patches. In women of color, skin may appear ashy or dull from dead skin buildup.

  • Type 5: Aging or sun-damaged This skin also feels tight with visible wrinkles, slack skin tone -- especially around the cheeks and jawline -- with leathery texture and broken capillaries.

4 Basic Skin Care Needs

There's tried-and-true ways to properly care for your skin, from the right way to cleanse your face, to the best moisturizers and sunscreens.

Before we start with the proper daily 4-step skincare routine, you'll need to know your skin type. How you care for your skin is utterly dependent on the type of skin you have: oily, normal/combination, dry, sensitive or sun- damaged.

The Basic 4-Step Skincare Regimen Step 1: Cleansing

Simple is key here. You need to find a good cleanser that your skin responds well to, and stick with it. See the best cleansers for your skin type.

You can find a good cleanser at the drugstore. There's no need to spend $40 on a fancy wash. Avoid bar soaps as they tend to dry out the skin. According to Rona Berg, in her book, "Beauty," a French cosmetics executive once told her, "Soap should only ever touch your skin from the neck down." We agree. Choose a creamy cleanser if you have dry skin or a clear cleanser if you have oily skin.

Be careful not to cleanse too often. Washing at night should do you. If you have dry skin, consider cold cream like Pond's, which the French use. Simply apply cream, then wipe off, no water needed (if you have hard water it can be especially harsh on skin). Most women prefer the water method: Use warm water to loosen dirt and clogged pores. Use a dime-sized bit of cleanser, then rinse with cool or lukewarm water. You'll also want to take off your makeup with a proper makeup remover.

In the morning, a splash of lukewarm water is all you need (we find it's great for removing excess oils from your nightly moisturizing). Never wash your face with hot or cold water (both can cause broken capillaries). Also be careful about overcleansing skin, see signs you are overcleansing your skin.

Step 2: Exfoliate

Exfoliation is the step most people skip in their weekly skincare routine. But trust me, if you start properly exfoliating your skin, you will notice an almost immediate difference. According to Berg, one of the reasons men's skin looks more youthful than women's is because men tend to exfoliate daily when they shave. There are several ways to exfoliate skin: Microdermabrasion, chemical peels and retinoids.

Scrubs work by removing the top layer of dead skin cells that tend to dull your complexion. We find exfoliating skin once a week with a microdermabrasion kit keeps skin glowing year-round. Make sure you use a gentle scrub with tiny grains. Big grains in cheap scrubs can tear skin and cause more harm than good. My favorite microdermabrasion kit is made by Lancome.

In the hour it takes to get a chemical peel, you can take off five years from your face. Can't afford the price tag for a monthly peel? Try some over-the-counter peels that work over the course of a month. I prefer MD Skincare's.

Retinoids (such as Retin-A or the more moisturizing Renova) also work by removing the top layer of dead skin cells while also generating collagen in the skin. "Collagen is the skin's structural fiber," dermatologist Dennis Gross said in O Magazine. "As we get older, it breaks down, creating lines and large pores." Skincare experts disagree on all sorts of things, but most of them consider retinoids to be a miracle skin saver. I'm addicted to Retin-A, which I pick up in Mexico on my yearly jaunts.

Should you use a toner? Some people swear by toners, but many beauty experts do not (I once read a skincare expert claim, "toners are only for copy machines"). Toners are meant to remove all remaining traces of oil, makeup and dirt, but a good cleanser should do this. I firmly believe it's up to you. If you like the way your skin feels with a toner. Buy it. Use it. Enjoy it.

Step 3: Moisturize

While I know of at least one famous beauty editor who swore skin doesn't need moisturizer, basically everyone else I've read disagrees and is an adamant believer in it. A basic law of beauty is that everyone, no matter her skin type, should moisturize. Even if your skin is oily, it will benefit from moisturizers. (The only exception is those with acne). Why? Moisturizers seal moisture into skin (Berg calls this the "Saran Wrap effect"). So how much should you moisturize? Your skin will tell you. When your skin is tight, it's crying out for moisture. Be careful not to overmoisturize -- this can clog pores.Are eye creams necessary? Well maybe. Some beauty experts strongly recommend eye creams. Why? The skin around the eye contains no fatty tissue and is therefore very thin and susceptible to wrinkles. Special eye creams are formulated to "thicken" this area. Yet other experts (including the beauty editors of Allure in their new book) claim your daily lotion works around the eyes just as well.

Step 4: Apply Sunscreen

O Magazine ran an article featuring interviews with several top skin care experts and dermatologists . Every single one of them said sunscreen was the most important part of your skincare regimen. It was the secret they would pass on to their daughters.

The number-1 cause of wrinkles is sun damage, so it's important to use sunscreen from your early years on even in winter and on cloudy days. A great trick is to purchase two moisturizers: One for night and one for day that includes UV protection. Don't use moisturizers with sunscreen at night, the ingredients are not meant to be used 27/7 and can aggravate skin. When choosing a sunscreen, make sure it contains Mexoryl (found in my favorite sunscreen La-Roche Posay) or Helioplex, found in Neutrogena products.

Make Your Own Homemade Face Mask


You can use basic ingredients found around the house to make your own simple, hydrating masks. If you have oily or acne-prone skin, mud or clay-based masks are great for balancing out your skin. Dry skin will benefit from hydrating masks made from glycerin, honey and oils. Ginseng or green tea masks are great for soothing sensitive skin.

Masks (homemade or otherwise) should stay on for 10-15 minutes, should follow with a thin layer of moisturizer.

Here are recipes we've gathered over the years arranged by skin type.

Should I Splurge on a Cleanser?

Save your money on the cleanser and instead spend it on the products that actually spend time on your face. Why? You're basically paying for the package and the luxurious ingredients when it comes to cleansers. And you're just washing it off.

Basic drugstore cleansers do an excellent job of removing excess oils and dirt. You don't need fancy ingredients for that. Even the fanciest dermatologists and skincare specialists recommend basic drugstore cleansers and moisturizers to clients.

You're better off spending money on luxurious moisturizers that don't strip your face, but rather lock moisture in.

Does drinking 8 glasses of water a day keep my skin moist?

No. Despite years of having this drummed into our heads, this is not true. It is good to keep your body, including your skin, hydrated, however the outermost layer of skin does not absorb water since it is made up of dead skin cells. Moisture level of skin is not determined by internal factors, but rather external ones, such as cold or hot air, dry heat and by the number of oil-producing glands you have. So if you want to hydrate your skin, exfoliate it weekly with a sea-salt scrub or other exfoliator to remove dead skin then apply a rich moisturizer while skin is still damp. Want to hydrate your insides then by all means, drink your 8 glasses of water a day.

How Much Should I Exfoliate?

Women should exfoliate using a scrub once or twice a week. You want to be sure not to overexfoliate or use a product with granules that can tear at the skin (I'm thinking of those hard, rock-like exfoliators you can buy over the counter, avoid those at all costs). Rub the product in a circular motion for 30 seconds and then wash off. If you have oily skin, large pores or acne-prone skin, you can try an at-home microdermabrasion system.

Beauty Secrets of the 'Desperate Housewives'

Society has come a long way now that TV's hottest stars are (gulp!) over 40. Finally Hollywood has learned what many of us have known all along: Women are sexy at any age. Since 'Desperate Housewives' came out, America has been transfixed. So how do these women manage to look so hot at 30, 40 and older? We've collected all their beauty bits and pieces from TV, magazines and more and here we share them with you.

Teri Hatcher's beauty secrets. US Weekly reports the secret to Teri's look is the old adage, 'less is more.' Since Teri is 40, less makeup makes her look fresher. Her makeup artist and hairstylist, Don Malot, adds a luminescent liquid to her foundation to make her skin 'dewy and glowy.' He also uses a brown shadow with shimmer to make Hatcher's brown eyes stand out.

How to get her hair. Although Hatcher has naturally wavy hair and wore soft curls on the red carpet the night she won the Golden Globe, she prefers it straight. Since even wavy hair can look flat (and flat, straight hair is not 'in' at the moment), Malot gives it extra body by applying Redken Spray Starch to damp strands before drying Hatcher's hair straight.

How to look 30 when you're 40. InStyle Magazine pulled together a photo gallery of her hairstyles from 1986 to now. Check it out. You'll notice she's grown out her once short locks. This is a great hint for those of you over 40: don't go for short-short hair or over-coiffed do's. Instead, opt for a shoulder-length shag with layers. Avoid the blunt cuts.

Plastic Surgery: Has she or hasn't she? The UK's Daily Mail puts Hatcher under the plastic surgery microscope. Experts debate whether she's had an under-eye lift (Hatcher tends to have baggy eyes), Botox and a nose job. Hatcher admitted to using Botox on Oprah in April, 2006. See photos from then and now and then judge for yourself.

Eva Longoria's beauty secrets. Longoria, the only star on the show under 40 (she's 31) tells Us Weekly, "I don't overdo the hair and makeup." Like Hatcher, she knows the secret to looking young is to not pile on the makeup. Instead, Longoria adds color to her dark looks by adding a bit of gold shimmer cream from Girlactik to her cheeks & forehead. The actress also loves the line's Star Shadows in Timeless & Satin.

How to look 20 when you're 30. Do highlight your best features. Longoria, for example, shows off her legs, not her cleavage. If it's your eyes, play them up. If you have full lips, show them off with a gloss or dare to go red. Don't use a thick concealer, it will settle into fine lines highlighting your flaws. For a dewy glow, try Longoria's favorite foundation, Laura Mercier Foundation .

Marcia Cross's beauty secrets. More than the other stars on the show, Cross is known for her porcelain complexion. How does she keep her skin so gorgeous at 43? Us Weekly reports Cross uses the ultra-luxe and super-hydrating Crème de la Mer to keep her skin soft. She then applies a creamy foundation and tops it all off with a pressed powder. For lips, she uses glosses by Dessert Beauty (try Desserts Deliciously Kissable Plumping Lip Gloss in Dreamy.

Want Cross's hair on 'Housewives'? Newsweek reports that when Cross showed for the photos for the magazine's article in late 2004, she balked when asked to pose as Bree Van Der Kamp. It seems Cross didn't want to pose in her character's trademark 'do, the flip that has helped make her famous. But if you want the look it's easy to do, simply blow dry your hair straight but flip the bottom up with a round, steel brush. The aluminum barrel on these brushes rely on the heat and act as a curling iron for your hair.

Nicollette Sheridan's beauty secrets. Us Weekly reports Sheridan treats her face to monthly customized Super Performance Facial Treatments ($200 a pop) at L.A.'s Jim Wayne salon. These facials help treat her skin (which is dry & sensitive according to her facialist, Octavia Ellington). As for her hair, Jim Wayne cuts her trademark blonde locks in long layers for a 'young, sexy, hot look,' he tells Us. The makeup artists on 'Housewives' use pink tones on the actress, who is reportedly a 'gloss maven' and prefers Jessica Simpson's link textDessert beauty line.

Has Sheridan or hasn't Sheridan? Whether or not Sheridan has gone under the knife has been under debate for years. Her post-Knots Landing face drew notice from gossip columnist Liz Smith, who dubbed it 'startlingly exotic' & 'a little transgendered-esque.' Sheridan immediately fought back with a statement that called Smith's allegations, 'malicious and patently false rumors… sprung whole cloth from ... feverish, overactive and inaccurate imaginations.' She even had plastic surgeon Frank Ryan examine her face without finding a single scar. Judge her transformation for yourself on InStyle . AwfulPlasticSurgery.com debates whether Sheridan has had breast implants.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

5 Must Have Accessories

A sleek gold clutch will match all your formal wear and also looks hot with jeans and a cute top.
The days of matching your shoes to your handbag are long over and so is basic black. A tan handbag is far more versatile and flattering.

A stack of gold bangles add instant class to any outfit — day or night. Just don't wear them to an interview or important meeting when you don't want to risk being jangly.
You're never fully dressed without a belt. Sport it with slacks, jeans, dresses and atop of cardigans.
Diamond studs are to the new millennium as pearl earrings were to the 80s. That is to say, an elegant touch for all your outfits. Forget buying the real thing and go with a pair of believable fakes.

How to straighten hair with a flat iron


Everyone loses between 40 and 120 strands a day, depending on how much hair you have, your age and your hair's growth cycle. People with fine hair tend to have more of it and therefore will lose more of it than their thicker-haired sisters and brothers. Your hair also thins as you get older, particularly after menopause for women. But unlike aging men, the thinning tends to stop after awhile.

Here are common causes of thinning and hair loss:

1. Seasonality. You'll lose the most hair in the fall -- typically November and December when hair reaches maturity in its growth cycle.

2. Diet. Hair loss can occur through poor dieting. According to dermatologist George Cotsarelis, M.D., director of the University of Pennsylvania Hair and Scalp Clinic, iron deficiency may be the cause. He states in the April 2006 issue of "Ladies Home Journal," it might be worth checking your levels with your doctor and take a supplement if they're low.

3. Aging. Marc Avram, MD, a Manhattan hair transplantation specialist, told Elle Magazine, "As we get older, follicles shrink, producing skinnier, shorter strands; then the follicles start to die off. That rate and the extent of that process is a matter of genetics."

3. Pregnancy Some women experience hair loss with pregnancy or as part of post-pregnancy hormonal changes. Other women experience hair loss when going on or off (usually off) the birth control pill.

4. Illness or intense stress Sometimes hair loss occurs as a result of illness. Stress, excessive weight loss, iron deficiency and thyroid problems can also cause hair loss.

If you're really worried, ask your doctor, however, experts say you really only need to worry if your part is getting wider or you can see your scalp through your hair. For severe cases, you might consult a "trichologist," a physician who specializes in hair loss.

Extra tip: If you're a woman you won't experience male-pattern baldness. Women's hair tends to thin all over. The only FDA-approved hair loss treatment is minoxidil. Minoxidil works in 60-70 percent of cases by improving the follicle's ability to produce hair.

Are You "Overcleansing " Your Skin?

Your skin naturally acts as a barrier, meaning it keeps out what it's supposed to (dirt) while keeping in the good stuff (moisture and yes, some oils). When you over-cleanse your skin, you strip your skin of the oils that keep skin healthy and balanced.

People with oily skin have a tendency for zealous cleansing in effort to get rid of the sheen. The result is skin that feels taut and tight. This is actually NOT good. Be careful of cleansers with alcohol which will strip skin of its essential oils. Skin that feels taut and tight after cleansing is a clear sign that you may be overcleansing or using too harsh a cleanser for your skin type. Some effects of overcleansing include:

  • Rashes. Products that should sit on the skin (think sunscreen) will permeate skin if skin's natural barrier is damaged.
  • Adult acne. Cleansing your skin more than twice a day can trigger a panic response and send your oil glands into overdrive. Plus, if moisturizers don't soak into the skin -- instead sitting atop skin -- then you may be prone to acne.
  • Seborrheic dermatitis (flaking red scales around the scalp & on the t-zone).
The key here is balance. You want your skin to feel 'dewy'. Taut & tight is bad, dewy and moisturized is good.

How to Play Up Brown Eyes With Pale Skin

I recently got a question from a high school student in England who wanted advice on how to do her makeup for prom. Amii has pale skin and big brown eyes, she said, and wanted to know how to do her own makeup for prom. This was the advice I gave her.

I suggest playing up your eyes since they seem to be your best feature. Apply a deep brown liquid eyeliner along your upper lashes. Pick out an eyeshadow palette that you like for your lids and apply the lightest shade on the entire lid up to your browbone, then take the darker shade and shade it into the crease. Be sure to blend, blend, blend. If you want a stronger look, apply a pencil liner to the bottom lids and smudge the line with your finger so it looks most natural.

I like the way a white eyeliner applied at the inside corner of the eye makes eyes pop. That's a trick all the makeup artists use.

Apply a couple coats of dark brown or black mascara.

Make sure your brows are cleaned up, either with a professional wax or a tweeze. This will do wonders for your look. Too many girls make the mistake of not cleaning up their brow line.

I also strongly suggest playing up your pale skin with a pink blush. If you want to look "tan," apply bronzer on your forehead, cheeks and nose, all the places where the sun hits.

If you have oily skin, apply powder and keep blotting papers in your purse. These papers soak up oils without ruining your makeup. If you have dry skin (few teens do), sweep a moisturizer over your face before you apply the bronzer and blush. The dewy look is youthful.

Keep lips light so they don't overpower your eyes. If you want color, try a pink lip liner and shade lips in. The color lasts longer than lipstick. Sweep a gloss over lips and you're good to go.

Photo Gallery of Asian Hairstyles

Hair Style photo galleries. Is your hair style outdated? Browse these latest hair styles and see which one suits you most, then print it out and take it to your hairdresser. Whether you want to go short, stay long or find a cut in between, there's a new style for you here.








About Cosmetic

Cosmetics are substances used to enhance the appearance or odor of the human body. Cosmetics include skin-care creams, lotions, powders, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail and toe nail polish, eye and facial makeup, permanent waves, colored contact lenses, hair colors, hair sprays and gels, deodorants, baby products, bath oils, bubble baths, bath salts, butters and many other types of products. A subset of cosmetics is called "make-up," which refers primarily to colored products intended to alter the user’s appearance. Many manufacturers distinguish between decorative cosmetics and care cosmetics.
The manufacture of cosmetics is currently dominated by a small number of multinational corporations that originated in the early 20th century, but the distribution and sale of cosmetics is spread among a wide range of different businesses. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which regulates cosmetics in the United States defines cosmetics as: "intended to be applied to the human body for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance without affecting the body's structure or functions." This broad definition includes, as well, any material intended for use as a component of a cosmetic product. The FDA specifically excludes soap from this category.




The first archaeological evidence of cosmetics usage was found in Egypt around 3500 BC during the Ancient Egypt times with some of the royalty having make up such as Nefertiti, Nefertari, mask of Tutankhamun, etc. The Ancient Greeks and Romans[citation needed] also used cosmetics. The Romans and Ancient Egyptians used cosmetics containing poisonous mercury and often lead. The ancient kingdom of Israel was influenced by cosmetics as recorded in the Old Testament—2 Kings 9:30 where Jezebel painted her eyelids—approximately 840 BC. The Biblical book of Esther describes various beauty treatments as well.

In the Middle Ages, although its use was frowned upon by Church leaders, many women still wore cosmetics. A popular fad for women during the Middle Ages was to have a pale-skinned complexion, which was achieved through either applying pastes of lead, chalk, or flour, or by bloodletting. Women would also put white lead pigment that was known as "ceruse" on their faces to appear to have pale skin.

Cosmetic use was frowned upon at many points in Western history. For example, in the 1800s, make-up was used primarily by prostitutes, and Queen Victoria publicly declared makeup improper, vulgar, and acceptable only for use by actors. Adolf Hitler told women that face painting was for clowns and not for the women of the master race.[citation needed]

Women in the 19th century liked to be thought of as fragile ladies. They compared themselves to delicate flowers and emphasised their delicacy and femininity. They aimed always to look pale and interesting. Paleness could be induced by drinking vinegar and avoiding fresh air. Sometimes ladies discreetly used a little rouge on the cheeks, and used "belladonna" to dilate their eyes to make their eyes stand out more. Make-up was frowned upon in general especially during the 1870s when social etiquette became more rigid.

Actresses however were allowed to use make up and famous beauties such as Sarah Bernhardt and Lillie Langtry could be powdered. Most cosmetic products available were still either chemically dubious, or found in the kitchen amid food colorings, berries and beetroot.

By the middle of the 20th century, cosmetics were in widespread use by women in nearly all industrial societies around the world.

Cosmetics have been in use for thousands of years. The absence of regulation of the manufacture and use of cosmetics has led to negative side effects, deformities, blindness, and even death through the ages. Examples of this were the prevalent use of ceruse (white lead), to cover the face during the Renaissance, and blindness caused by the mascara Lash Lure during the early 1900s.

The worldwide annual expenditures for cosmetics today is estimated at $19 billion. Of the major firms, the largest is L'Oréal, which was founded by Eugene Schueller in 1909 as the French Harmless Hair Colouring Company (now owned by Liliane Bettencourt 26% and Nestlé 28%, with the remaining 46% are publicly traded). The market was developed in the USA during the 1910s by Elizabeth Arden, Helena Rubinstein, and Max Factor. These firms were joined by Revlon just before World War II and Estée Lauder just after.

Beauty products are now widely available from dedicated internet-only retailers, who have more recently been joined online by established outlets, including the major department stores and traditional bricks and mortar beauty retailers.

Like most industries, cosmetic companies resist regulation by government agencies like the FDA, and have lobbied against this throughout the years. The FDA does not have to approve or review the cosmetics, or what goes in them before they are sold to the consumers. The FDA only regulates against the colors that can be used in the cosmetics and hair dyes. The cosmetic companies do not have to report any injuries from the products; they also only have voluntary recalls on products

Monday, August 23, 2010

About Jewelry

Jewellery (pronounced /ˈdʒuːəlri/ or /ˈdʒuːələri/) or jewelry (see American and British English spelling differences) is a form of personal adornment, manifesting itself as necklaces, rings, brooches, earrings and bracelets. Jewellery may be made from any material, usually gemstones, precious metals or shells. Factors affecting the choice of materials include cultural differences and the availability of the materials. Jewellery may be appreciated because of its material properties, its patterns or for meaningful symbols. Jewellery differs from other items of personal adornment in that it besides looking appealing, it often has no other purpose. Items such as belts and handbags are considered to be accessories rather than jewellery.
The word jewellery is derived from the word jewel, which was Anglicised from the Old French "jouel" circa the 13th century. Further tracing leads back to the Latin word "jocale", meaning plaything. Jewellery is one of the oldest forms of body adornment; recently-found 100,000-year-old beads made from Nassarius shells are thought to be the oldest known jewellery
Jewellery is sometimes regarded as a way of storing wealth and might also possess some minimal functionality, such as holding a garment together or keeping hair in place. It has from very early times been regarded as a form of personal adornment. The first pieces of jewellery were made from natural materials, such as bone, animal teeth, shell, wood and carved stone. Some jewellery throughout the ages may have specifically been as an indication of a social group. More exotic jewellery is often for wealthier people, with its rarity increasing its value. Due to its personal nature and its indication of social class, some cultures established traditions of burying the dead with their jewellery.




Jewellery has been made to adorn nearly every body part, from hairpins to toe rings and many more types of jewellery. While high-quality jewellery is made with gemstones and precious metals, such as silver or gold, there is also a growing demand for art jewellery where design and creativity is prized above material value. In addition, there is the less costly costume jewellery, made from lower value materials and mass-produced. Other variations include wire sculpture (wrap) jewellery, using anything from base metal wire with rock tumbled stone to precious metals and precious gemstones.

Korea Collection Fashion

See all the pictures from the Korea Collection Fashion.