Archive for June, 2010

Removing facial hair is delicate, since the skin of the face is much gentler than say leg skin. You can never settle for shaving facial hair, since the result will be the regrowth of thicker and darker hairs.

The methods that you can use to deal with undesired facial hair are numerous, each one leaving skin hair-free for a period varying from several days to several years. Select the facial hair removal strategy that is best suited to your needs and skin type.

* Depilatory products *
You can use one of the numerous depilatory creams, gels and foams available. These will spare your facial skin from the dehydration that shaving causes. Before you apply these products, you must carry out a skin test. Apply the product over a small portion of skin to check whether any reddening or inflammation occurs. Your skin might be too sensitive for the usage of such substances. In such cases refrain from using depilatory creams. Keep in mind that these products act in a manner similar to shaving and hairs will start growing again after several days.

* Waxing *
Waxing is probably one of the most popular hair removal methods. It produces long-lasting results. The problem with waxing is that the method is very aggressive and could lead to the inflammation of the gentle facial skin.

One of the biggest waxing advantages is that the effect lasts for several weeks and hair starts growing back thinner and softer. You can use either hot or cold waxing, both options available for home use.

If you want to get excellent results, it will be best to visit a beauty studio where a professional will perform the procedure.

* Tweezing *
The effect of tweezing is similar to the effect of waxing. Its advantage is that removing one hair at a time will diminish skin irritation. The setback of tweezing is that the procedure is too slow to carry out.

Tweezing is most suitable for smaller areas and for softer hair. It can be performed at home and the effect lasts for at least two weeks.

* Electrolysis *
Electrolysis is a hair removal method which is said to produce permanent results. You can get it from a professional only. In the process, a fine needle is used. Electrical current passes through it to destroy the root of hair. Keep in mind that electrolysis is expensive and somehow painful.

* Laser depilation *
Laser depilation produces results that last for a period of several years.

The setback of laser depilation is that it is expensive, time consuming and to get results, you will need to carry out six to eight procedures. The laser is used to destroy the root of hair. The process is painless.

Laser depilation cannot be used in the case of white or fair hairs. These lack the melanin needed to absorb the light energy of the laser and to turn it into heat that destroys hairs.

Laser depilation machines for home use are already available, though many question the result that these are able to produce.

Caring for your hair can be tough. Anything from washing and drying to being out in the sun can be hard on your hair. There are lots of things to do and lots to look for to make sure your hair is getting the best care you can give it.

If you color your hair it’s very important to use a color treatment shampoo. Coloring hair can put lots of extra stress on your hair. Color strips the vitamins and bleach burns your hair vitamins and is really hard to replace them. Try and wash your hair every other day, this will help by letting your natural oils get soaked into the hair and will add some shine.

If you blow dry your hair everyday try to let it air dry a few times a week. Heat will hurt your hair and fray the ends. Try not to curl your hair much, due to the heat sitting on the hair for a period of time it will burn the ends and will put your hair into shock. This may cause frayed ends, stunt your hairs growth and will take shine away from the hair.

When straitening your hair try going over it only once. The more you go down the strand of hair the more damage it will do. Straightening your hair is one of the worst things you can do to hair. Because of all the extra heat it damages the hair faster. Make sure you use a heat protector or a shine serum before and after each use.

To try and rejuvenate your hair after you have damaged it. Try a few of these things.

Olive oil treatment- Put olive oil from root to tip of every stand of hair. Let sit on hair for 20 minutes. When washing out do so as normal. Maybe leave your shampoo on a little longer than normal. When done washing let air dry as much as you can if not all the way. If you have to dry and style then make sure to use a heat protector and a shine serum. Do this 3 or 4 times a week. And do it for a month. When you’re done still wait as long as you can to air dry your hair. And use as little heat to do your hair. Use a reconstructive conditioner. A few that I know of are K pack reconstructive conditioner and L’Oreal makes a really good one as well. Try to use a few times a week maybe every other wash to help you get the best hair as you can. Cutting out as much heat as you can. Trim your hair every 4-6 weeks After coloring hair use a deep conditioner or a leave in treatment to help sooth your hair.

All of these are things I have tried on my hair and they all work. In the past 4 years I have gone from bleach blond to dark brown to bleach blond again and now I’m back to my normal color. My hair has been saved more than once from dead ends and fuzz. Even now that I have had my baby and I went through postpartum alopecia my hair now looks great.

The best beauty tip
basically comes down to one word: SELF-CONFIDENCE.

I was told by my an ex-love that he could not stop writing to some girl friends of his on line because when he was down and out and going through with his divorce, they were the only friends he had. I turned to him and said, “Sure go ahead babe, nothing wrong with friends. Besides I am so much sexier than they are!” He looked back and me and said “Now that is sexy…a Confident Woman!”

I learned this from a man. I have always got my best beauty ideas from Men.

Another thing a guy told me is that he hates it when women wear pants. He likes women in skirts and dresses and thinks a woman’s legs uncovered is so beautiful than covered. I rarely wear pants anymore.

But more importantly than what a woman wears is how she projects herself. It is the total package that must exude CONFIDENCE. You must radiate the fact that you are really comfortable being you and believe with your heart that you are sexy and gorgeous.

There was a popular song recently that asked a poignant question and illustrates how this whole concept of sex appeal goes hand in hand with self-confidence. It asks, “Don’t cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me?”…and she struts her stuff. You look at her and think, wow this girl is so sexually appealing because she is confident that she is hot.

Have CONFIDENCE in who you are and you will be beautiful and if you don’t know how to have confidence, take DRAMA and learn how to act like a woman with SELF-CONFIDENCE. Then kick back and watch how your “beauty” meter start soaring skywards.
You will be amazed.

Beauty comes within and emanates from your perception and belief about yourself as a woman.

HAIR REMOVAL: IS SHAVING OK?

With so many different forms of hair removal, you may ask yourself this very question. Shaving is the oldest form of removing unwanted hair, but you may find your skin gets irritated easily by shaving. Looking into other methods of removing hair is a personal decision. Another important thing to think about is, just where is the hair that you want removed placed on your body? Different locations can be more sensitive to an old fashioned razor and you may want to learn different methods.

Of course shaving is OK, and is a good way to remove unwanted hair. Depending on your skins sensitivities you just need to learn the proper ways of doing it. For starters, you NEVER want to shave your skin dry! This can and most likely will cause some unsightly razor burn and be very uncomfortable. Shave in the shower towards the end of your shower or bath when you skin has absorbed plenty of moisture.

Then when you get out of the shower or bath moisturize your skin well. This can help stop razor burn! You also want to remember to shave the way the hair grows in. Going over the hair in the correct direction of the hair growth is the best way to avoid any irritations.

If you are just sick of shaving every day, there are other options available to you. You can give some of these hair removal methods to find the one that best suits you.

Waxing
Tweezing
Depilatories
Electrolysis or Laser Hair Removal

Again depending on where the hair you want removed it determines the best hair removal treatment for you. Since some areas are much more sensitive then others, you want to treat each area the bes t you can to prevent irritating your skin.

Shaving is fine, you just need to moisturize your skin well before putting a razor to it! The most common areas one wants to remove hair from, either a man or a woman, are the following.

Armpits
Legs
Face
Pubic Area
Eyebrows
Stomach
Back
Chest

Ea ch area is different and requires different care. The eyebrows in my opinion should never be shaved! Rather they should be tweezed or waxed. Shaving does have to be done frequently because the hair grows back rather fast. The bottom line is of course shaving is OK. It has been done for so many years and is practices every day by millions of people. Just never shave on dry skin because it will cause skin to be irritated and cause razor burn!

In an ideal world, every woman and man would have a customized skin care routine. However, most people don’t have the time, resources or motivation to develop a skin care regimen that is specific to their individual skin care needs. Fortunately, there are plenty of product testers (like myself), who are more than happy to try out hundreds of skin care products in order to discover which brands deliver on their promise of clearer, healthier, younger looking skin.

Although my experience as a product tester allows me to try out high-end skin care products free of charge, I can’t bring myself to recommend expensive products unless they provide really amazing results. Therefore, with the exception of a few “splurge” items, the products on the following list are generally affordable and can be found at your local discount retailer or drug store.

As I mentioned earlier, the best skin care routine is one that is customized to your individual skin care needs, which means that not all of the products mentioned below are the right fit for every skin type. These products are recommended for combination skin (because that is my skin type), but because combination skin is a mixture of oily, dry and/or sensitive areas, some of the following products could be beneficial for these skin types as well.

Before you spend your hard earned cash on expensive skin care products, read the following list of affordable products that offer some pretty amazing results.

* Best cleanser: Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash

Recommended to me by my dermatologist, Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash is the best cleanser that I have found for my combination skin. It’s hypoallergenic and soap-free so it doesn’t clog pores or dry out your skin. Purpose also lathers and cleanses better than Cetaphil, another cleanser brand commonly recommended by leading dermatologists. Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash also received Allure magazine’s Editor’s Choice Award in 2008.

Average retail price in 2009 for a pump bottle (6 fl. oz.): $6.29

* Best toner or astringent: Sea Breeze Fresh-Clean Astringent for Sensitive Skin

I have tried tons of expensive toners and astringents over the years and always find myself going back to Sea Breeze. I have found that the regular Sea Breeze formula can be too harsh for the areas of my skin that dry out easily, but the sensitive skin formula is just right for my combination skin. Simply apply a squirt to a cotton pad and smooth over a freshly cleansed face and neck to remove excess dirt, oil and makeup that even a good cleanser can leave behind.

Average retail price in 2009 for a squeeze bottle (10 fl. oz.): $4.99

* Best daily moisturizer: Neutrogena Rapid Clear Acne Defense Face Lotion

Although a close second to Purpose Dual Treatment Moisture Lotion, Neutrogena Rapid Clear Acne Defense Face Lotion wins for best daily moisturizer for combination skin. This oil-free lotion contains salicylic acid to treat acne-prone areas and prevent new breakouts without drying out or irritating sensitive skin. Like the entire Rapid Clear line, the Acne Defense Face Lotion has been proven to visibly reduce breakouts within just eight hours of application.

Average retail price in 2009 for a squeeze bottle (1.7 fl. oz.): $7.69

* Best eye makeup remover: Almay Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover Pads

Marketed as the #1 eye makeup remover in America, Almay Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover Pads truly offer the best eye makeup removal formula on the market. These pre-moistened pads are convenient and great for travel and won’t leave any unsightly black smudges behind. Hypoallergenic and fragrance free, they are formulated with green tea, cucumber and aloe to help sooth the sensitive eye area. Combination skin types should avoid Almay’s moisturizing formula, which can cause breakouts on the upper nose and eyelids.

Average retail price in 2009 for one twist-top container (80 pads): $5.79

* Best acne spot treatment: Neutrogena Rapid Clear 2-in-1 Fight & Fade Gel with MicroClear.

Another amazing product from the Neutrogena Rapid Clear line, this spot treatment not only heals breakouts fast, but it also helps to fade the appearance of old breakouts and prevents new ones. Despite containing 2% salicylic acid, this product won’t dry out your skin like other acne treatments.

Average retail price in 2009 for a squeeze tube (0.5 fl. oz.): $7.99

* Best blackhead treatment: Biore Ultra Deep Cleansing Pore Strips

Despite the use of good cleansers, toners and acne products, combination skin is still prone to blackheads in the T-zone region. Applied once or twice per week as needed, Biore Ultra Deep Cleansing Pore Strips are a cheap and effective way to remove blackheads for your nose, chin and forehead. Boxes of nose strips and face strips are sold in different quantities and in variety packs depending on your needs. Simply wet your skin, apply the strip, wait 10-15 minutes and peel it off. You will see the evidence both in your clearer skin and in the junk on the back of the strip.

Average retail price in 2009 for one box (six nose strips): $7.25

* Best under-eye cream: Auriderm Illume Eye Cream from Biopelle

Out of the dozens of under-eye creams that I have tested, Auriderm Illume Eye Cream from Biopelle is the only product that improves the appearance of dark under-eye circles. Developed as a means of eliminating bruising after cosmetic procedures, Auriderm fades deep purple under-eye circles to a less offensive pinkish tone. You won’t be able to toss your concealer yet, but compared to expensive laser treatments or other ineffective under-eye creams, Auriderm is your best bet. Auriderm should be applied twice per day, once before bed and once in the morning and can be worn under makeup.

Note: Auriderm is not designed to prevent or reduce wrinkles around the eyes (thankfully I don’t have to worry about this quite yet), but a wrinkle cream can be applied on top of this product once it has been absorbed.

Average retail price in 2009 for a squeeze tube (0.5 oz.) $54.99

* Best splurge product: Clarisonic PLUS with Body Brush

Although this article focuses mainly on affordable skin care options, I couldn’t help but include one major splurge item because I am so in love with my Clarisonic PLUS with Body Brush. Available exclusively at Sephora or through Clarisonic.com, the Clarisonic PLUS is a professional-grade facial cleansing system for at home use. If you splurge on one beauty product this year, make it the Clarisonic PLUS. Used daily, it provides super deep pore cleansing, improves skin tone and texture and polishes skin for a more glowing and youthful appearance. It can be used in the bath or shower on only takes a few minutes each day.

Average retail price in 2009 for a Clarisonic PLUS (includes handle, charger, two brush heads, four cleansing products and one renewing serum): $225.00

Well, there you have it. As someone who has tested hundreds of beauty products over the past several years, I recommend the above products more than any others for men and women with combination skin. I strongly urge you to give one or more of these products a try. Don’t waste your money on other more expensive and less effective product lines.