Choosing the Right Shade of Blush

Personally I prefer NARS Orgasm Blush. I have been using it for over 3 years, and I never get tired of it. It gives you a natural glow, and carries you throughout the year as your skin changes. However, it might not work for everyone.

Here is how to choose the right shade of blush for you:

STEP 1: Consider blush colors that match the color of your cheeks after an aerobic workout. Such shades mimic your natural coloring and help you avoid having cheeks that look painted or artificial.

STEP 2: Head to a department store and have a makeup artist assist you in finding a complementary shade. I am bias to thinking that the women behind the Chanel counter are more knowledgeable. Ask their opinion, they usually make great suggestions. If you can't afford Chanel, see what shade they recommend, and buy the closest color to that shade in a more economical brand.

STEP 3: Remember, the darker your skin tone, the darker your blush should be. Women with fair complexions usually look best in pink or coral shades, while darker complexions are enhanced by wine or burgundy hues.

STEP 4: Keep daytime blush light in tone. Opt for a heavier application to create a more dramatic evening look.

STEP 5: Match the undertones in your lipstick to the color of your blush. If your lips are red, opt for a pink or reddish cheek color. For pink or rose-colored lips, opt for similar hues in your blush color.





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Preventing Crows Feet Eye Wrinkles

SPF all year round. Wear a sunscreen with an SPF of at least fifteen that blocks both UVA and UVB rays whenever you go outside. Be sure to apply it to your eyelids and under your eyes. Your best bet is to choose a foundation with SPF.

Avoid Squinting. Wear sunglasses when you'll be out in the sun to avoid squinting. Squinting can deepen eye wrinkles and Crow's feet. Also, when you're working at your computer, rest your eyes frequently to avoid eye fatigue and squinting. Also consider getting an anti-glare screen for your monitor.

Stop smoking. Smoker's develop Crow's feet quicker than those who don't smoke. The smoke from the cigarettes can irritate the eyes and also promote squinting. Not to mention it's bad for your teeth and skin, as well!

Moisturize. Use an undereye cream that has glycolic acid or vitamin C as an active ingredient. Putting on undereye cream will not only minimize the appearance of wrinkles you already have, it will also prevent from getting them in the future. You are never too young to start. I prefer Murad's Essential C line.

If Crow's feet become a serious problem, see your doctor for a Retin-A prescription. Botox injections are another alternative.


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Preventing Dry Skin in the Winter

The winter low temperatures, low humidity and strong, harsh winds are recipe for uncomfortable, crackly, itchy, dry skin. The dry air from furnaces and other heating sources also suck the moisture out of skin.

To keep your skin feeling dewy and moist, follow these dry skin fix-it tips:

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. The same rule applies to hand-washing: Wash hands in lukewarm, never hot, water. If your skin turns red, the water is simply too hot.

Moisturize After Showers or Hand Washing. Your legs might get itchy from dryness, and not even moisturizer helps this in the winter. Part of this is because shaving can sometimes really dry out your skin. In the winter, I prefer oils to lotions on for the body. A really inexpensive solution is 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.

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. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Protect Your Face, Too. Sometimes your face will get dry and flaky. Make sure you are moisturizing before you go to sleep and before you put make up on. I usually put the lotion on under my primer, just so the makeup doesn't smudge or fade away.

Consider Fish Oil Pills. There are a zillion reasons why you should take Fish Oil pills, if you are interested, check out my other entry about it. This is just another reason, 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.

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10 Tips to Tighten Loose Skin

1. First of all, you should not lose weight quickly. One of the main reasons as to why people end up with that badly sagging skin is because they shed those pounds too quickly. When you lose more than three pounds each week, it is not healthy at all. It will cause your skin to lose that elasticity faster and make it difficult for it to spring back into shape. Whenever you plan to lose weight, you should plan on losing around two pounds each week. This is not only healthier for your skin, but it is likely for it to stay off longer.

2. Use moisturizer each day. Moisturizer will add up to seventy percent of moisturizer to your skin. When you are losing weight, it is great to use a moisturizer as it will help to maintain that elasticity as your body is shrinking. Cover your body in heavy moisturizer each night before you go to bed. Vasoline Intensive Care, Jergens, Suave, any thing that you find at the drug store is fine.

...and night. When you apply the moisturizer to your body at night, you may want to wear long sleeves and long pajamas in order to make sure it does not rub off on your sheets. This will also help to hold that moisture in as you sleep at night.Cocoa Butter is very good for at night. It's very thick and buttery.


3. Use Loofah or a body scrub that really works. When you use a body scrub or loofah at least twice a day, you will be helping to tighten up that lose skin that is caused by weight loss. When you scrub away that surface, you will be causing that skin underneath to generate faster.

4. Drink a lot of water. There is a lot of studies showing that you should drink at least eight glasses of water every day. Why? In order to keep that moisture in your skin. Apart from this, the water is also going to flush those toxins out of your system. It will give your skin that healthy feel and look.

5. Lift weights. A great way to get rid of that excess skin would be to lift weight. When you are losing weight, lifting weights is important.

6. Exercise as much as possible. You would think this goes with number seven, but when we talk about exercise, we are talking about sit ups, push-ups, running and anything else you can think of. When you are exercising, you will be building those muscles up. This will plump up your skin from the inside and give it that tighter appearance. When you exercise, you will be making sure you will not gain all the weight back that you just tried so hard to lose.

7. Massage your skin. You may not believe this, but massaging the skin helps to build that elasticity back up. You should use mustard oil in order to get the best results. That daily massage will also help your muscles develop. In mustard oil, you will find that there are many medicinal properties in it that will help you to have healthy and glowing skin.

8. Do stomach crunches. It's really important to do those stomach crunches in order to tighten the abdominal skin. If you are not used to doing stomach crunches, then start with one and then increase it by one each day you go along. This is not only a fast method to tone that skin, but it is a fast method to lose weight.

9. Apply Preperation-H. This might come as a shock to you, but any individuals who are looking to tone up their skin actually apply preparation-H to their skin as it will help to tighten it up. It contains lanolin in it, which will penetrate the skin.

10. Start using collagen cream. Applying collagen cream to your stomach area three times a day will help out. You should give the collagen moisture enough time to soak into your skin.


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Choosing Colors that Flatter your Complexion

Have you ever noticed that some colors just look fabulous on you... while others... not so much? There is a method to this madness.

First things first, figure out the season that matches your skin tone:

"Winter": Winter complexions have blue or pink undertones. Skin can be pale white, yellowish-olive, or dark. Winter people are generally brunettes, with deeply colored eyes. Many Asians and African Americans fall into this category.


"Summer": Summer complexions, like winter complexions, have blue or pink undertones. Skin is pale and pink. Summers are often natural blonds or brunettes with pale eyes.

"Autumn": Autumn complexions have golden undertones. Many redheads and brunettes with golden brown eyes fall into this category.

"Spring": Spring complexions have golden undertones and are usually creamy white or peach. Spring people generally have straw-colored or strawberry red hair, freckles, rosy cheeks, and blue or green eyes.


What looks best on you:

Winter: Those with the winter color profile have a lot of depth to their coloring and a lot of contrast between their hair color, eye color and skin tone. Winters should wear hues that are sharp, stark and clear. You will look best in intense, rich colors, like black, navy blue, red, and hot pink. These powerful shades will compliment your coloring. For lighter colors, wear bright white or icy pastels, such as like cool blues, pinks and yellows. Avoid dressing in earthy tones and subdued colors like beige, orange and gold. They will make you look faded and ashen.

Summer: Summers have a low level of contrast between their hair, eye color and skin tone. For you to look your best, choose soft neutrals and pastels, as well as muted colors with cool undertones. Powder blue, dusty pink, mauve, lavender, plum, and pale yellow are all great color choices. Avoid intense, vivid hues because they will look harsh and drown you out. Nor should you wear earth tones. Stay away from black and orange.

Autumn: You have a lot of depth to your coloring and skin tone. Rich golden, spicy and earthy colors will accent your complexion. Therefore, look for a warm undertone when selecting a color. You can wear both muted and rich warm colors that are seen in autumn leaves and spice colors, such as camel, beige, olive, orange, gold, and dark brown. You will also look great in a rich warm gray. Stay away from clear, bright colors and black and white, which will make your look tired and faded. Also steer clear of pastels and blue tones, which will look cold against your complexion and give you a pale appearance.

Spring: Springs can wear very pale, soft colors, such as peach, camel, golden yellow, golden brown, and aqua. You will also look fabulous in ivory, bright greens, true reds, clear blues and coral. Your colors may be particularly hard to find because they can never be too muted or too dark. Avoid black and white, which are too contrasting for you. Also stay away from dark, dull colors.

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Foods for Healthy Skin

I guess you are what you eat, and there is no way around that. If you maintain a balanced diet, not only will you have a slamming body, but also healthy looking skin. Here's what experts told WebMD are the most important in your diet for healthy looking skin:

Low-Fat Dairy Products. One the most important components of skin health is vitamin A. One of the best places to get it is low-fat dairy products. In fact, experts say that the health of our skin cells is dependent on dietary vitamin A.


Blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, and plums. The common link between these four foods is their high antioxidant content. In a study recently published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, these four fruits weighed in with the highest "total antioxidant capacity" of any food. The benefits of these foods for healthy skin are plentiful.


Salmon, Walnuts, Canola Oil, and Flax Seed. These seemingly unrelated foods all deliver essential fatty acids, and thus are key foods for healthy skin.

Healthy Oils. These contain more than essential fatty acids. Eating good-quality oils helps keep skin lubricated and keeps it looking and feeling healthier overall.




Whole-wheat bread, muffins, and cereals; turkey, tuna and brazil nuts. The mineral selenium connects all these foods for healthy skin. Experts say selenium plays a key role in the health of skin cells. Some studies show that even skin damaged by the sun may suffer fewer consequences if selenium levels are high.



Green Tea. Green Tea has anti-inflammatory properties, and it's protective to the cell membrane. It may even help prevent or reduce the risk of skin cancer.

Water. While the exact amount you should drink each day varies, no one disputes the role good hydration plays in keeping skin looking healthy and even young. In addition to keeping cells hydrated, water helps cells move nutrients in and toxins out, which automatically leaves skin looking better.



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