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Every night I use Pond’s cold cream to cleanse my skin. I follow the cleansing with moisturizer before applying eye cream and Retin-A. As you may know by now, I’m convinced Retin-A will be my secret to looking 60 when I’m really 70. Once every couple weeks I may treat myself to a microdermabrasion scrub or a hydrating mask.
In the morning, I use a washcloth dipped in organic coconut oil to wash off the dry skin flakes that sometimes come from Retin-A. I follow that (sometimes) with antioxidant rich Vitamin C cream and I top that with La-Roche Posay’s SPF 60 tinted sunscreen.
After all of this, it’s amazing I find the time to floss.
Dermatologists are always touting retinols, antioxidants AND microdermabrasion, but if one is on a prescription-strength retinoid (like my Retin-A), should she also be subjecting her skin daily to a Vitamin C cream and twice a month to a scrub? I was wondering how much is too much, so I turned to Maryann Mikhail, a dermatologist at Manhattan’s Spring Street Dermatology with that exact question.
Find out what she had to say.
Image: Photographer’s Choice
How Much Skincare is Too Much? originally appeared on About.com Beauty on Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 at 23:09:38.
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Last week I wrote about my stay at Rancho La Puerta spa in Baja, Mexico, where I exercised all week, got massages and facials and fell in love with a healthy guacamole recipe made with avocados and peas.
People wrote to me asking for more information, so I called up the Ranch’s corporate offices in San Diego and they happily sent it to me their Aztec Guacamole recipe.
Turns out you use a cup of frozen peas for each avocado to make this delicious guac. Don’t like peas? Don’t worry, you don’t taste them at all. I was blown away when I found out the guacamole had peas in it. You can also use cooked asparagus tips, edamame or broccoli. Other ingredients are expected: lime juice, onion, cilantro, garlic, jalapeno, tomato, sea salt and pepper. Get the recipe.
Photo courtesy Rancho La Puerta
Rancho La Puerta’s Famous Guacamole Recipe (Made With Peas!) originally appeared on About.com Beauty on Saturday, March 6th, 2010 at 18:10:11.
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I recently got a heartbreaking email from a young woman about to go off to college and struggling with acne scars. The scars, she wrote, have been a huge blow to the self-confidence she once had. She wanted to know if I had any makeup tricks for covering up the scars and she was worried that her email to me would be a bother. It was anything but.
This email reminded me that we all have flaws that we try to hide. Some of us have cellulite that keeps us from enjoying the beach. Others have crooked teeth that we hide by covering our mouths with our hands. How many times has someone said to you, “I have a huge pimple on my face,” and you thought to yourself, “Good grief, I never even would have registered that?”
I taught this young woman a three-step process to cover up her acne that I learned from Bobbi Brown’s wonderful book, “Makeup Manual,” but I also told her about my dear friend David who has acne scars from his teens that almost completely cover his shoulders and back. I know about them because David goes about life with his shirt off quite a bit and while you can’t help but notice his scars at first, you quickly forget them and focus on David’s amazing energy, his confidence and his zest for life.
The most important beauty tip I can give anyone is to work on being content with who you are because that has an amazing power to outshine all the wrinkles, cellulite and scarring you might have.
You can read my letter here.
Image: Photodisc
How to Cover Up Acne Scars originally appeared on About.com Beauty on Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 at 00:21:58.
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Three years ago I spent an unforgettable week at Rancho La Puerta, a fitness spa in Tecate, Mexico, where I learned about the benefits of fish oil pills from Dr. Frank Lipman, tried out Pilates for the first time, got a great low-fat guacamole recipe partially made out of peas (peas!) and learned how to remove the kinks and knots in my muscles using a tennis ball.
I’m not kidding. I took a class at Rancho that taught us how to use tennis balls to massage out the knots in our legs, backs, necks and arms. We learned several positions that involved the floor, a wall and ourselves. I was reminded of the tennis ball trick this week in Tulum, Mexico, when I was paying $120 for deep tissue massages. I thought, “this is great, but the tennis ball is virtually free!”
So how to do the massage? Basically, you place a tennis ball between you and a wall or the floor. You want to place the ball at a pressure point (usually found along either side of the spine, along the lower back and at the top of the back) and then gently move the ball up and down providing just enough pressure that it feels good, not wincingly painful. You can keep the ball on the knots for a few seconds or even a few minutes.
For more information on tennis ball massage, check out this article I found on a wonderful, witty Website on solving chronic pain issues called “saveyourself.ca.”
Photo: Digital Vision
Skip the $120 Massage & Buy a Can of Tennis Balls Instead? originally appeared on About.com Beauty on Sunday, February 28th, 2010 at 22:32:52.
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Posted February 28th, 2010. Add a comment
It’s weird, but every once in awhile someone compliments me on my brows. Of course this leads me to wonder, “Why not my eyes? Don’t you like my hair? Is ‘brows’ the BEST YOU CAN DO?” But I take the compliment graciously and tell them my secret to groomed brows: threading.
Every few weeks I wander into a little threading shop underground at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in NY (yes, that’s “30 Rock” to you) and I get my brows done for a mere $8 — $10 with tip. They do a great job, it doesn’t hurt too much (not like waxing) and I’m out of there in 5 minutes.
You can find threading shops in larger towns and cities. They seem to be on every other block in NY. I highly recommend you try one on your next visit to the big city. Here’s how it works.
My Secret to Amazing Brows originally appeared on About.com Beauty on Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010 at 20:11:08.
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Posted February 23rd, 2010. Add a comment
Every time I put something on here for older women, my readers go crazy with love for me. So here’s a few more tips I’ve picked up and want to share for women over 60:
- Less is more. The older you get, the less makeup you want to wear. Foundation and heavy powders tend to settle into lines and wrinkles and they sit on top of facial hair, making that baby hair on your cheeks stand out.
- Don’t shave or tweeze that chin. As you age, you tend to grow chin hairs. Most women I know have a few, but I know women with mini beards at 40. I tweezed mine for years until I read that they grow back heavier (!). I can’t vouch if this is true, but the real way to get rid of chin hair is electrolysis. You have to go a bejillion times, but it does get rid of them.
- Stay away from shimmer. Shimmer makeup on the eyes is like a beacon on a wrinkled lid (hey, my lids are wrinkled and I’m not even 40!). Shimmer lipstick only shows off a wrinkled lip (I have wrinkly lips too! But I like my lips). And shimmery nail polish brings attention to hands and age spots. Stick with a matte polish.
- Think dewy, think moist. The older your skin gets, the drier it tends to be. Many older women with dry skin make the mistake of buying powdered blush and foundation. Instead, stick with blush in liquid form and use foundation sparingly, covering up only the spots that need to be covered, usually along the nose, under the eyes and on cheeks.
The most important beauty lesson of all for older women is to think young. I know women who are 30 who seem like 60 and I know 70-year-olds with the spark of a 25-year-old. Embrace life and forget about age and you’ll find others will be blown away if they find out how old you really are.
Makeup Tips for Older Women originally appeared on About.com Beauty on Sunday, February 21st, 2010 at 20:03:49.
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Posted February 21st, 2010. Add a comment
Fashion Week in New York ended today and I missed the whole thing (again) despite living in New York and working only 10 blocks from the tents.
I used to go to Fashion Week and I love looking at the B-list celebrities (sometimes A-list!), but I have a day job and this means I’m too booked to devote the many hours of shows and waiting in lines that it takes to properly cover Fashion Week. Also, the makeup and hair trends are always just a little too bizarre for the average person, in my opinion, and the average Mrs. Joe America doesn’t get, or always care about the concept of presenting fashion six months before it hits the shops.
My fellow colleague at About, Women’s Fashion Guide Cynthia Nellis, always goes to Fashion Week and she’s got some great buzz on this year’s shows and the hottest trends for Fall 2010. Check out her coverage on her site.
Goodbye Fashion Week, See Ya in September originally appeared on About.com Beauty on Friday, February 19th, 2010 at 20:19:33.
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Posted February 19th, 2010. Add a comment
I love it when I have bangs because they cover up my ginormous forehead, but it turns out bangs are great for bringing attention to your eyes too, according to stylist Tommy Buckett in Glamour magazine. “They’re a quick change without a full-on cut,” he says in this month’s issue.
There are several types of bangs including my favorites: blunt, sideswept and brow-skimmers. Get inspired with these photo galleries:
Gallery 1: Reese’s amazing sideswept bangs & more
Gallery 2: Christina Ricci’s sophisticated blunt bangs & more
Gallery 3: Reese’s brow-skimming bangs (do you prefer these on her?)
Gallery 5: Some of my favorite bangs on long hair
Photo: Model Helen Christensen by Getty Images
Got Beautiful Eyes? Get Yourself Some Bangs originally appeared on About.com Beauty on Friday, February 19th, 2010 at 19:54:15.
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I once tried on a red wig and couldn’t believe I looked good in it because I looked completely washed out in the black wigs and the brown wigs that I’d tried on before. Not only did I look good in it, but somehow I felt sultrier.
If you’re curious about going red or transforming your own look, I would advise to NOT DO IT YOURSELF. Any time you go more than 2 shades darker or lighter or transform your look with an entirely new color, put your head in the hands of a paid professional. I can’t tell you how many emails I get from people who hate their color and want to fix it at home. My advice to them is “get thee to the salon.”
More fun stuff on red hair:
Photo of Florence Welch by Dave Hogan, Getty Images
Could You Ever Go This Red? originally appeared on About.com Beauty on Tuesday, February 16th, 2010 at 23:29:05.
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Posted February 16th, 2010. Add a comment
Here’s the situation: The night is young, your girlfriends are already heading to that amazing nightclub by Nolita and you look, well…horrid. Yes we live in the city that never sleeps, but the lack of getting a good night’s rest can cause major damage to your physique. Not getting your daily dose of eight hours [...]
Posted February 15th, 2010. Add a comment
This freezing cold weather is making my skin sensitive and dry (global warming? yeah right!) I can’t use some of my usual anti-aging products.
Posted February 15th, 2010. Add a comment
Picture this: you’re in your favorite boutique or department store, on the prowl for the perfect dress to compliment a decadent and sexy night out with your honey.
Posted February 15th, 2010. Add a comment
A hot spring trend this year is to coordinate your lip color with your mani/pedi, according to manicurist to the stars Deborah Lippman in March’s Marie Claire. How to translate this look from the runway to your home: try a light pink on fingers, toes and lips. You can also do bubblegum pinks or cherry reds.
Try This: Coordinate Your Lips, Manicure & Pedicure originally appeared on About.com Beauty on Friday, February 12th, 2010 at 13:15:41.
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Posted February 12th, 2010. Add a comment
I love this rock ‘n roll cut on actress Jessica Alba, which she showed off on the “Valentine’s Day” premiere red carpet. Edgy, saucy and cool, this look is a nice change from the typical long locks all the other hot actresses on the red carpet (Jennifer Garner, Julia Roberts, Demi Moore, Jessica Biel) showed off.
What do you think of her hairstyle?
More short cuts:
Image of Jessica Alba, Kevin Winter of Getty Images
Jessica Alba Gets a Deep Brown Shag: Love It or Hate It? originally appeared on About.com Beauty on Tuesday, February 9th, 2010 at 20:17:14.
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Posted February 9th, 2010. Add a comment
There’s no better feeling than freshly scrubbed and moisturized skin. An important part of your weekly skin routine is exfoliation and you can use facial scrubs, microdermabrasion kits or peels. Peels work to brighten skin by removing dead skin cells with lactic (milk) or citric (juice) acids. Scrubs work to manually remove dead skin. I like to use both, switching between the two every few weeks. Always make sure to follow with moisturizer after exfoliation.
Check out my list of best facial scrubs, microdermabrasion kits and peels.
More best lists:
Photo: MD Skincare
Best Facial Scrubs, Microdermabrasion Kits & Peels originally appeared on About.com Beauty on Sunday, February 7th, 2010 at 23:33:09.
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Posted February 7th, 2010. Add a comment
We all know a guy (or a few) in desperate need of a makeover. Whether they’re wearing suits that are a size or two too large, they have a really bad haircut or they wear socks with sandals (nooooo!), you can see the hipness just under the surface.
So how to make over your guy? If he’s the sensitive sort, I believe in the subtle approach: buy him a great pair of jeans or a bag full of grooming products or suggest he try out your stylist at your salon instead of his regular barber. Point out hairstyles you like on famous guys and tell him, “Oh you would look hot in that haircut!” Men do respond to flattery. This also works with jeans, “Honey, your butt would look great in these,” and getting them to wear a smaller size suit, “You have a great body but it’s lost in your suit.”
Here are some of my favorite tips I’ve learned over the years, including a few I love from GQ’s 25 style rules to live by:
- According to GQ, 3-button suits are out, and 2-buttons are in.
- Short sleeve dress suits with a tie are an absolute no-no.
- Thin ties are more modern than fat ties.
- Many guys wear their suits a size or two too large. Find out if yours is.
- If your guy suffers from nicks and cuts when shaving, GQ suggests you encourage him to shave in the shower. The water and steam will soften his face. Once he’s finished shaving, he should skip the cheapie drugstore aftershaves which are full of alcohol and fragrances and try a balm. About.com’s Men’s Fashion Guide Daniel Billett makes some great recommendations.
- Men can be super self-conscious about hair loss. If your guy is sporting a bologna patch (the round, bald spot at the back of the head), or is making sad attempts at comb-overs, he’s got some options. Some men find success in hair plugs (think Jude Law & Matthew McConaughey!), but I prefer a simple, shaved head, which is super sexy.
- Personally, I’m not a fan of men shaving or waxing their chest hair, I have no problem with a hairy chest but I do have a problem with a sandpaper chest. If your dude hates his man fluff or wants to tame it for the beach, suggest he trim it with a hair trimmer.
If you want more grooming and fashion tips for guys, let me know in the comments section below and I’ll round up some more.
Photo of actor Chris Pine by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
How to Make Over Your Guy originally appeared on About.com Beauty on Thursday, February 4th, 2010 at 22:42:43.
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Posted February 4th, 2010. Add a comment
Ok, how this stuff JUST came to my attention a few weeks ago is beyond me, but Blinc’s tube mascara is the hottest thing to hit the mascara counters since oscillating brushes (a waste of money, IMO).
I’m visiting Seattle and my friends were gushing over Blinc, which they bought at a boutique in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood. The mascara creates tiny, water-resistant “tubes” around lashes, which makes them appear thicker and longer than lashes painted by common mascaras. My friends are crazy about Blinc and love that when you remove the makeup with water, the tubes slide right off. Now that fascinates me. I can’t wait to try it. When I do, I’ll report back to you.
Photo: Blinc
Hottest New Thing in Mascara: Tube Mascara From Blinc originally appeared on About.com Beauty on Sunday, January 31st, 2010 at 16:57:09.
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Posted January 31st, 2010. Add a comment
If you aren’t happy with the size of your nose, you can make it appear smaller with a couple makeup tricks I learned from a makeup artist who works regularly for photo shoots: first, take a foundation that’s a couple shades darker than your regular foundation and apply on either side of your nose. Make sure to blend it in well. You want to create the appearance of a “shadow.”
Then take a highlighting pen (you can find highlighting pens at Sephora or department stores but my favorite is Yves Saint Laurent’s Touche Eclat) and swipe it down the bridge of the nose. The contrast of light vs. dark does wonders on the nose.
How to Make Your Nose Appear Smaller originally appeared on About.com Beauty on Wednesday, January 27th, 2010 at 21:59:50.
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