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 BEAUTY and SKIN CARE |
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We all hope to
age beautifully, but keep in mind how
you define yourself goes
beyond your physical
appearance. Look beyond and see the heart
and
soul of the total person within.
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| Youthful Eyebrows |
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 Grooming eyebrows gives the illusion of lifted lids, and having
more skin showing at the brow bone opens up the entire eye. Splurge
and let a pro do it the first time or two until you learn the tricks.
If your eyebrows are the wrong shape, they can actually make you
look older and even sadder. After 35, try to have them a little fuller
than in your 20's. Very fine brows give an aged look.
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| Wear Makeup - How and
Why |
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Foundation smoothes out skin tone, covers tiny blemishes, blocks
the sun and protects the skin from wind and cold. Pick a light, semi-sheer
product to make skin look extra radiant, and use it daily. Light-reflective
products in foundations and under-eye
creams help to veil dark rings and imperfections. Use concealer
to eliminate age spots or darker blemishes. Look for one that is
yellow-toned rather than pink, to blend with natural skin tone more
easily. Blush adds sparkle to a tired face, but apply with discretion.
Go for tawny shades, rather than pinks.
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| Consider the New Injectables |
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 Filling in furrows or smoothing out wrinkles with injectables such as Restylane or Botox isn't for everyone. However, with the popularity of such procedures ever increasing, it's nice to know we have such quick and relatively painless options.
With Botox you can still smile and frown, but the skin on the treated areas, normally the forehead and around the eyes, won't wrinkle as much as usual. Injecting dermal fillers into the skin plumps it up, makes it firmer and smoothes out lines and wrinkles.
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| Dry Winter Skin |
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In the winter, take shorter tub baths or showers and use tepid
water. Replace lost moisture with
a good body lotion immediately following each bath or shower. Since
the skin on your face is the thinnest on the body, avoid using soap
on your face. Invest in a good cleanser that won't overdry your skin.
Moisturizing the face and neck is most important, both morning and
night.
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| Curl Your Lashes |
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 Curling your eyelashes gives you bigger, more wide-open eyes.
Curl first, then apply blackish-brown or brown mascara. Wipe the
mascara wand on a tissue before you give the first coat, to stop
lashes from caking.
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| Don't Overlook Your Neck |
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It's never too soon to give this area extra attention. Apply the
same anti-wrinkle treatment you use on your face to your neck. Using
both hands, massage in the cream with upward strokes, from the middle
of your neck to the back, swiping it up behind your ears, too. The
skin on your neck may be more sensitive than on your face, so you
may want to avoid creams with alpha-hydroxy acid, which can sting
and irritate.
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| Sunscreen is a Must |
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 The sun is 90 percent responsible for skin aging and wrinkles
due to tanning are more visible than wrinkles from the natural
aging process. Sun damage continues to be a threat throughout the
adult years, so be vigilant about wearing SPF. Women can mix a tiny
amount of suncreen with their moisturizer in the mornings for ease
of application.
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| Enjoy Perfume |
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Fragrances can help us feel younger. Certain scents may take
you back to warm, happy places of your youth with one little
spritz. Remember that perfumes can be very powerful, so use them
sparingly and be considerate of others. Some people are hypersensitive
to fragrances.
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| What Shades of Lipstick
to Avoid |
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 Steer clear of brown lipstick shades. The older you are, the 'creamier'
your lips should look. Women over 50 should avoid matte or a gloss
and stick with a creamy lipstick. And generally, as you age, lighter
shades are better.
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| Beauty Sleep |
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Sleep is as important to your health as water and food. Men need
seven and women need eight hours of quality sleep a night. During
sleep, melatonin, a powerful repair hormone is secreted from the
pineal gland. Growth hormone is also secreted while we are asleep.
During our sleep, the brain gets a much needed rest and clears
itself from a lot of toxic waste. Try these tips for a better night's
sleep:
- Avoid caffeine after lunch
- Exercise for at least 30 minutes each day
- Go to bed and get up around the same time every day, even on
weekends
- Avoid eating a heavy dinner late at night
- Tune out any distractions with earplugs
- Build a before-bedtime ritual, such as a warm bath, reading,
or a glass of warm milk
- Avoid alcohol before bed
- Resist the temptation to nap in the afternoons
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| Exfoliation |
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Proper skin exfoliation can increase the renewal of fresher, younger
looking skin cells by as much as 30% and prevent dry, dull looking
skin. For some people, washing vigorously is enough, while others
need exfoliation. For professional results, consider
exfoliating the skin using microdermabrasion – this
will help remove deadened skin cells and expose the healthy skin
beneath.
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| Try Skin Rejuvenation |
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 Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) treatment can improve skin
tone and texture, lift and hydrate skin, and even out pigmentation.
It makes skin firmer and smoother, reducing lines and wrinkles. It
can be used on the face, neck and chest as well as other areas which
have been exposed to sun, such as the hands. Consult a qualified
practitioner for this treatment.
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| Dull, Dry Hair |
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As you get older, your hair can change texture, start to lose its
shine, and appear dull and lifeless. Start by using a clarifying shampoo
to remove residues, followed by a cold-water rinse to boost shine.
Conditioners with a little silicone can add shine, as can silicone
serums; avoid leave-in conditioners. Spray-on shine products work
well, but don't overdo it, as they build up quickly and can look
greasy. For a serious case of the dulls, try a colorless gloss.
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| Eye Makeup in the Right
Colors |
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 Use a light-colored eye shadow to open up your eyes and make them
look bigger, but avoid anything shiny because it's so artificial
looking. Curl your eyelashes and use
dark brown or black mascara. Avoid other colors over 40. Also avoid
waterproof mascara since you'll have to rub hard to get it off, which
can stress the delicate skin around your eyes.
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| Acupuncture for Facial Rejuvenation |
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 During facial rejuvenation acupuncture, tiny, hair-fine acupuncture
needles, used to stimulate the flow of qi, are inserted into specific
points on the face, targeting the treatment areas. It hydrates and
plumps the skin, improving the appearance of facial lines and preventing
new ones from forming. It is also used to treat baggy eyelids, dark
circles around the eyes, discoloured skin, scars and other blemishes.
There can be slight discomfort when the needles are inserted, and
temporary, mild bruising after treatment, but it is far safer and less
expensive than invasive surgery.
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| The Skin Around the Eyes Needs Special Treatment |
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 The skin around the eyes requires very gentle handling. Never put
heavy night creams around
the delicate eye area because the oil content of these heavy preparations
stretch the under-eye skin causing puffiness. Also avoid astringents
or anti-spot lotions to come into contact with this area, all of
them contain drying ingredients which will cause wrinkling and aging
of skin. Eye creams should be light in texture and when applied
around the eye should be carried out gently without any massage.
Use a light touch to apply creams or remove make-up and avoid pulling
or stretching these delicate tissues. Choose cleansers and nourishing
creams that are particularly suited to the care of the skin around
the eyes like a light moisturized cleanser and an almond based
cream.
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| Chemical Peels |
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Chemical peels can restore a youthful look to the skin. They
improve the appearance of sun-damaged skin on the face or backs
of hands, as well as some spots, blemishes and acne scarring. Acids
are used to remove the outer layers of the skin and improve its
appearance. There are three types of peel:
- Superficial peel - The most commonly used, it removes the outer
layer of cells, lightly exfoliating the skin to give a healthy
glow.
- Medium-depth peel - This penetrates further into the skin to
reduce small wrinkles and acne scars, and to even out skin colour
and tone.
- Deep peel - Not widely available, it penetrates the lower dermal
layer of the skin to remove or lessen deeper wrinkles, lines
and scars.
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| Avoiding Sun Exposure |
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 The simplest and cheapest way to keep your skin healthy and
young looking is to stay out of the sun. Here are some tips on
keeping your skin healthy:
- Wear protective clothing like a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses,
lightweight long-sleeved shirts and long pants
- Avoid the sun between 10 AM and 3 PM and don't be fooled by
cloudy skies
- Use sunscreen with an SFP of 30 or more on your face, and 15
or more on your body
- Avoid artificial tanning such as sunlamps and tanning
beds
- Check your skin often for changes in the size, shape,
color, or feel of birthmarks, moles, and spots
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| Laser Resurfacing |
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Laser resurfacing works by directing a precise and intense beam
of laser light back and forth over areas of skin to be treated. Each
pass of the light vaporizes the upper layers of damaged skin and
causes the skin to contract. This results in tightening the collagen
and elastic fibers of the dermis, producing a new skin layer that
is tighter, firmer and more youthful looking. There are two types
of lasers and doctors often combine the two on different areas of
the face. The results are long-lasting.
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| Rouge the Right Way |
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Wear enough blush, and put it in the right place. Smile or suck
in your cheeks to locate the apples of your cheeks. Begin at the
center of the apple and apply blush up to the corner of the eye
and the temple. Never apply blush below the cheekbones. This stripe
of color only creates an illusion that brings the face down and
makes you look older.
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| Whiten and Brighten Your Teeth |
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 Over
time, teeth may yellow from coffee, tea or red wine stains. You can
whiten teeth quickly with over-the-counter products such as Crest
Whitestrips. Professional, 1-hour whitening processes are available
from dentists and clinics.
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| Fight Wrinkles at Home |
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Retin-A or Renova. Either one of the two prescription drugs, used
daily, can alter the skin's metabolism, while continually exfoliating
the top later to uncover the smoother skin underneath. Many people
who use these drugs experience redness, dryness, itchiness, peeling
or a burning sensation, at least temporarily.
Alpha hydroxy acid treatments such as glycolic acids. These prescription
creams contain acids found in fruits, milk, and sugar cane. Like
Retin-A and Renova, AHAs help shed the skin's outer layer, but the
anti-aging effects of AHAs are less pronounced, and the side effects
tend to be less bothersome. AHAs can be bought without a prescription,
but in much less potent strengths.
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| Drink Water and Soften
Fine Lines |
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 Drinking water hydrates your body and prevents your skin from appearing
ashy and dull. Like a moisturizer, drinking enough water hydrates
your skin from the inside out, keeping fine lines and wrinkles from
looking obvious. Just like you would apply anti-aging moisturizers
to your skin, you must also hydrate your entire body.
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| Smoother Skin with Dermal Fillers |
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Skin starts to sag and wrinkle naturally with age, as underlying
fat and collagen diminishes. Injecting dermal fillers into the skin
plumps it up, makes it firmer and smoothes out lines and wrinkles.
 Dermal fillers, for example Restylane, may be based on hyaluronic
acid, a naturally occurring substance widely used in medicine. Other
types are made with collagen, produced from cows' skin. Newer types
of filler with other ingredients claim to have a longer lasting effect,
but aren't widely available. Always use a qualified professional for
any such treatments.
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| Don't Neglect Your Hands |
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Your hands can be a dead giveaway to your true age, showing
the effects of sun damage, dryness, brown
spots, and thinning skin. Moisturize in the morning, at night and
after each hand washing. Apply sunscreen to the top of your hands
and forearms before going outside. Anti-aging agents such as a retinoid
cream can even out mottled skin, improve texture, and stimulate the
growth of collagen. Body makeup can be used to tone down the color
of large, raised, or unsightly blue veins. Bleaching creams can lighten
mild discolorations. If your hands have dark brown blotches, see
a dermatologist for a more powerful product.
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| Vitamin C - Take It and
Wear It |
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Vitamin C helps our immune
systems, protects us from
free radicals which may cause heart disease and cancer, and is responsible
for producing collagen. When used in skin care products, vitamin
C can help by lightening and brightening
your skin and plumping up fine lines and wrinkles. So use vitamin
C both ways.
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| Try a Lighter Eyeliner |
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 Black or very dark eyeliner can emphasize
fine lines around the eyes and look very harsh. Try switching from
black to charcoal, dark grays, dark blues or similar colors for a
softer look.
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| Plump Those Lips |
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A little patch of gloss dead center on your lower lip immediately
makes it look plumper. Pale colors make lips look larger than dark
ones.
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| Six Great Creams for Under $20 |
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Undereye Bags - RoC Protient Actif Pur Eye Contour Gel
Crow's Feet - L'Oreal Dermo-Expertise Wrinkle De-Crease Eye
Sun Protection - Kiehl’s Ultra Moisturizing Eye Stick SPF 30
Puffiness - DHC Eye Off-Shade
Dark Circles - Almay Kinetin Skincare Firming & Brightening Eye Cream
Droopy Lids - Olay Regenerist Eye Lifting Serum
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| Try a Holistic Facelift |
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 A holistic facelift includes gentle massage and manipulation of
the scalp, face, neck and shoulders. Results are visible immediately,
with results such as better skin tone, looking more relaxed, and
lessening of fine lines and wrinkles. Practitioners claim that regular
treatments help to slow down the effects of ageing, and that skin
tone continues to improve, and lines and wrinkles to soften, as you
have further treatments.
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