Skin: Face Forward to a Glowing Complexion
Cleansing is the most important aspect of skin care.
Using an appropriate cleanser (not hand soap!) skin should be cleansed morning and night, with special care to remove make up in the evenings.
What´s an appropriate cleanser? One that is suited to your skin type and the area being cleansed. Oily skin? The right cleanser will keep that greasy look under control. The eye area requires special gentle care.
More expensive does not necessarily mean better in terms of skin care products – proper and consistent usage counts for a lot! Every night and every morning. Toner and exfoliate, possibly a gentle granular product, can be part of this routine, and even a weekly home or salon facial.
Moisturize too, even if your skin is oily and breaks out a lot. Again, look for products that work for your skin type. There are lots to choose from including oil-free products.
Water – it´s not just for plants!
Drinking adequate water will help keep your skin glowing. The water (coffee, tea and soft drinks don´t count) keeps skin tissues plumped and removes toxins.
Exercise is essential too! All aspects of good health work towards healthy beautiful skin. Which brings up the question of diet. Eating a balanced diet that includes plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit, whole grain products and low-fat dairy products is essential for beautiful skin. Greasy foods like fries, chocolate and alcohol? Steer clear!
Limit sun exposure! Excess exposure to the sun´s rays causes both skin cancer and wrinkles, both unwelcome. A moisturizer that contains sunscreen at all times of year is an excellent idea. When the sun is hot and high, apply sunscreen, wear a hat and stay beautiful!
Hair – Healthy and Simply Beautiful
An excellent haircut is the basis for excellent hair. This is a must, so plan to invest, after scoping out the ideal stylist (an Avola associate or graduate, natch!).
The cut will take into account your hair (texture, tendency to curl, thickness) and your face shape, plus the kind of lifestyle you lead. Today, the key is versatile. Curly or wavy one day, stunningly straight the next – you deserve options and the right cut will give you these.
Hair should be trimmed at least every six weeks.
Flat iron – make it work for you. Achieving perfectly sleek look is easiest with a flat iron, but the iron will damage hair.
- Use a clean flat iron
- Use a styling aid to protect your hair, but use it after the hair is straightened
The ultimate in fun: hair colour! Highlights, shimmering blonde, alluring red tones: hair colour offers dramatic changes in looks and moods.
- Timid? Stick close to your own colour, at least at first.
- Consider a temporary colour you can wash out.
- Going blonde? Thinking of highlights? Consider a professional or at the very least, get someone to help.
- Protect your skin from drips with petroleum jelly.
- Follow all instructions to the letter! Carefully!
Gilding the Lily – Make Up Makes the Woman
Nothing, repeat, nothing is more fun than make up! True, it hides and minimizes flaws, but it´s more than that. There are gold powders to add shimmer to cheeks, eyebrows and cleavage and entire rainbow of shades for eye enhancement.
- Try to establish your base colour for foundation first: is your skin rosy, tinged with yellow, pale or florid?
- Test foundation colour under the jaw line (not on the back of the hand!)
- Moisturize first, and then apply foundation in strokes, blending quickly.
- Apply foundation to the lips as a first step, to attain a truer colour from your gloss or lipstick.
- Use a lip liner and a lip brush for best results.
- Want fuller looking lips? Line with a pencil, blend the colour at the edges and apply gloss or petroleum jelly on top!
- Simple rule of thumb: dark colours make lips look smaller, Shiny colours and textures will give a larger look in lips.
- Get a dramatic evening look with a silver, gold or iridescent gloss over top of your lip colour.
- Eye Make up is available in a breathtaking range of colours and formats. Powders, applied with brushes or foam pads, add depth, mystery and allure.
- Eyeliner can define the eye, extend it a bit or even give a sultry look. Apply from the inside of the eye to the outside. Practice really does make perfect.
- Eye Brows define the face and must be shaped. Do your plucking in the evening, not before heading out to a club or dinner!
- To enhance skimpy eyebrows, apply pencil in feathery strokes or use powder and a brush. Hair gel tames wayward brows!
Laser Hair Removal
Laser hair removal uses an intense beam of light to remove unwanted hair. It is commonly used on the upper lip area, bikini area, and on men, to remove excessive back and body hair. There are definite advantages:
- It´s long lasting, with any regrowth tending to be sparse and lighter in colour.
- It´s safe, provided it is preformed properly.
- It can sometimes result in permanent hair removal.
Note: for laser hair removal to be successful, the hair must be darker in colour than the surrounding skin. The level of pain varies from individual to individual. Most people tolerate the treatments very well.
Good Health is Essential to Beauty
Keep healthy and stay beautiful! A rounded program of exercise and diet will do wonders for your looks. Every day, try to include at least 30 minutes of exercise, varying the type from day to day. An intense cardio work out one day, some simple walking or weights another.
- Tip: to boost your metabolism and burn more calories, get some exercise first thing – you will burn more calories all day long and feel great from the get go.
- Try seasonal exercise, and keep it varied! Skiing, skating etc., make winter more than cool, and come summer swimming and tennis are an excellent change, with great clothes too! Too much of the same exercise over and over becomes boring and no fun at all!
- Get enough sleep! Dark circles are not glamourous, and lack of energy isn´t pretty. Try for eight or at least seven hours every night.
- Eat a diet with a balance of low-fat protein, whole grains and tons of fruit and veggies.
- Learn to love fish, especially salmon. The omega three fats in fish feed your brain as well as your body – you need both!
- Fat free? Not necessarily best. It´s a matter of what fats you eat. The fats used in the preparation of fast foods are a giant no-no, but olive oil, perhaps in an oil and vinegar dressing for salad or for dipping bread, is a diet asset!
- Eat some chocolate – dark chocolate that is. Scientific studies are saying that this treat has health benefits, just like red wine. Who knew?
- Ten foods to try: a varied diet, high in veggies, fruits, low-fat protein and plenty of whole grains will always keep you on the health track. And why not add these to your mix? They´re the newest must-eats!
- Cranberries
- Flaxseed
- Garlic
- Lentils
- Oranges
- Tilapia
- Tomato juice
- Walnuts
- Wheat germ
We would like to thank Kathy Flaxman for writing this section.
Please visit her website at www.kathyflaxman.com