Category Beautiful Skin

Versatile Lemons

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lemonsWhen I was a child I was obsessed with lemons.  I loved their bright, cheerful yellow color, invigorating aroma and delightful, tart flavor.  In fact, I used to suck on lemon wedges so often that I stripped part of the enamel from my front teeth as a result.  However, I broke that habit long ago, but my love for lemons remained.

Lemons are truly amazing.  Though they have a tart, acidic flavor, they have a powerful alkaline effect on the body and prevent the accumulation of excess acid which can result in rheumatic pain.  Even the oil from lemons has anti-inflammatory properties that, when rubbed into inflamed joints (mix a few drops with 1 teaspoon of almond, jojoba or grapeseed oil), will alleviate pain.

Lemons are packed with citric acid, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, pectin, bioflavonoids and limonene which support immunity.  The juice of lemons acts as a digestive aid and is a liver cleanser, so regular consumption can act as a very effective weight loss aid.   A few drops of lemon juice added to a meal can aid in digestion and can also help to treat constipation.  Additionally, regular consumption of lemons can help to lower blood cholesterol levels.  If you want a natural breath freshener, you can rinse your mouth out with the juice of one lemon mixed into a glass of tepid water several times a day, or you can chew on a lemon slice after each meal.  The lemon and water mixture can also be employed as a treatment for canker sores.

Individuals who are plagued with frequent acne flare-ups may notice an improvement in the condition of their skin after incorporating lemons into their regular meal plan, since the alkaline nature of lemons can kill the bacteria known to cause acne.  Try drinking a glass of water with a teaspoon of lemon juice in the morning and see if your skin begins to clear up.  Some proponents of the lemon juice cure will drink the juice of half a lemon in a glass of water twice daily and swear by its multiple benefits.  You can also take lemon juice and apply it directly to acne blemishes and leave on overnight.  Another remedy involves mixing equal parts of rosewater and lemon juice, applying to acne-afflicted skin and allowing to sit for 30 minutes, then rinsing off with water.  This can be done twice daily.

If you suffer from corns or callouses, you can make a lemon poultice by placing a lemon slice onto the corn and bandage, or you can apply lemon oil to the corn.  Allow these treatments to sit overnight for best results.  Eczema can also be treated with lemons by adding several drops of lemon oil to one cup of lukewarm water and one tablespoon of honey.  Soak gauze bandages in this mixture and apply to affected area for 30 minutes.  If dandruff or dry scalp conditions plague you, take the juice and apply to the scalp.  Allow to sit for 30 minutes, then shampoo.

There are countless other benefits which lemons offer, but the ones I have mentioned here are my favorites.  I hope you enjoy the benefits of this amazing fruit!

My Skincare Regimen

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I’d like to say that I have a detailed skincare regimen, but I really don’t.  In my line of work I am asked frequently what serums, potions, brews, etc. I use to keep my skin looking its best.  I swear this is not a copout, but honestly, eating clean food is my number one insurance policy for good skin.  This is not to say that I don’t take care of my skin.  I follow certain guidelines which I am pretty consistent about, but I think people will be surprised by what I don’t do and what I don’t use, as well as the reasons behind why I don’t incorporate certain steps and products in my routine.

Face WashMy Nightly Regimen:

At night I remove eye makeup with a cotton ball soaked in Kiehl’s Extremely Gentle Eye Makeup Remover.  Then I use a dollop of Earth Science Clarifying Facial Wash on my Clarisonic Professional Skin Care Brush.  Once that is completed, I pat my skin lightly and apply moisturizer while my skin is still damp.  I vary which moisturizer I use, either turning to Kiehl’s Cryste Marine, Nerium AD, Vivite Vibrance Therapy, or Skin Food Peach Sake Pore Serum depending on whether my skin is on the dry side or more oily (I have skin that tends towards the oily end of the spectrum).  Every 2 to 4 days, I apply Latisse to my upper lash margins.

I do NOT use a separate neck cream or eye cream, nor do I use Retin-A.  My skin tends to react to regular use of retinoic acid or glycolic acid so that is part of the reason why I switch my moisturizer frequently (Vivite Vibrance Therapy has retinol, which I also react to if I use it for prolonged periods of time).  I also do not use fancy serums or skin tightening potions to firm my skin.  I will admit that I have been a bit alarmed by the ever increasing amount of sag that my skin adopts over time and have somewhat accepted it as part of the aging process.  Besides, I know that laser therapies are very much hit-or-miss when it comes to conferring a tightening effect on skin that is progresssively losing elasticity.

My Daily Regimen:

I do not wash my face in the morning as I believe it strips my already clean face (from the night before) of essential oils which it needs.  The only thing I do is dust translucent loose powder on my face which has SPF in it so that I can get some UV protection.

Once a Week:Face Mask

I am fairly religious about applying a mask to my face and neck once per week and notice a difference in the tone and texture of my skin after I do so.  I cleanse my face in the same manner I use at bedtime, then I use either Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask or 10.0.6 Deep Down Detox Ultra-Cleansing Mud Mask on my nose and chin area, while Repechage Honey and Almond Scrub is applied to the rest of my face, neck and decollete.  I let the mask sit on my skin for 15 to 20 minutes, then I remove with a wet washcloth and warm water.  Then I pat dry and use one of my moisturizers.

Supplements Women Need

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Find original post at:  http://www.rxmuscle.com/rx-girl-articles/7082-supplements-women-need.html

Natural Woman

The number of nutritional supplements which are available today can be pretty intimidating to those who are not familiar with the benefits which they confer on those who take them.  If you also consider the performance supplements which are marketed to fitness-minded individuals, and which are marketed mostly to men, women are often left bewildered.  Since it is my aim to address the issues of women in this article, I will not discuss general supplements such as multivitamins, CLA, fish oil, CoQ10 or the like.  Rather, I will focus on supplements which have demonstrated efficacy in treating female-specific woes.

Biotin:   This substance promotes growth of healthy hair and nails and is something I have taken daily for many years.  Though I have horribly thin nails (and continue to suffer from them despite biotin), my hair has actually gotten considerably thicker in the past ten years, and I honestly believe that biotin has played a large role with respect to my hair health.  Another great benefit of biotin is the demonstrated effect it has on regulation of blood glucose.  I recommend taking the maximum dose possible, 5,000 micrograms per day.

Calcium:  Calcium is a mineral which is a critical component of bone health.  There are three mistakes I see people making when taking this supplement:

  1.  Taking it without Vitamin D or magnesium – Both Vitamin D and magnesium must be present in order for the body to be able to absorb calcium.
  2. Taking it on an empty stomach – Calcium is best absorbed when taken with food.
  3. Taking large doses at one time – The body is unable to absorb much more than 500 milligrams of calcium at one time.  Since the general daily dose in women of childbearing age is 1,000 mg, supplementation should be broken up into 2 doses of 500 milligrams each per day.

DHEA: Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a precursor hormone which is produced in the adrenal glands which is later converted to sex hormones such as estrogen and testosterone.  Levels of DHEA fall with advancing age and can also decline as a result of exposure to stress.  Signs of declining DHEA include stress, fatigue, memory loss, depression, dry skin, and decreased libido.  Women are struggling with infertility may also find that DHEA will increase their fertility by promoting hormonal balance and ovulation.  I generally feel that any woman over the age of 35 would benefit from supplementation with DHEA at 5 to 15 milligrams per day.

Folic Acid:  Many women are aware that supplementation with folic acid decreases the risk of neural tube defects in a developing fetus, but not many know that folic acid has been proven to lower blood pressure in women and prevent development of hypertension.  A daily dose of 800 micrograms is advised.

ALA:  Alpha lipoic acid, or ALA for short, is effective in regulating blood glucose, optimizing carbohydrate consumption and reducing sugar cravings.  Effective dose ranges are between 100 to 200 milligrams, taken two to three times daily.

Chromium Picolinate:  Chromium picolinate can decrease sugar cravings and is effective at regulating blood glucose.  A dose of 200 micrograms three times daily is optimal.

Vanadyl Sulfate:  This is another supplement which can curb sugar cravings.  Take 10 milligrams three times daily.

Phosphatidylserine Complex:  This supplement supports the adrenal glands during stressful times.  Those with poorly functioning adrenal glands should not take this supplement.  A daily dose of  200 milligrams taken earlier in the day is recommended.

Perfect Stage Makeup – Learn How To Do It Yourself

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For those of you who did not see my original post at http://www.rxmuscle.com/rx-girl-articles/6198-perfect-stage-makeup.html, I am re-posting here!Smoky eye

Perfect Stage Makeup

 

Let’s say you have decided to compete in your first contest and have already chosen your suit and accessories, booked your tanning appointment and, in an effort to keep costs down, decided to do your own makeup.  If you have done stage makeup for other competitors then you most likely know what colors and techniques to use in order to avoid looking like a ghost onstage.  However, if the extent of your makeup application skills has not ventured beyond bridal makeup and a nice going-out-on-the-town look, you might want to read on.

 

FOUNDATION:

 

First and foremost, the foundation you use needs to be DARK.  I mean really dark.  Generally speaking, the color on your face needs to be only a shade or two lighter than the color on your body after you get your spray tan.  For those of you familiar with MAC Foundation colors, Studio Tech NW43 or NW45 are excellent foundation shades for the majority of competitors.  However, I do not like MAC foundations because 1) they are extremely comedogenic, and 2) the compacts dry out very quickly.  Instead, I use Bobbi Brown Stick Foundation in Warm Walnut and that works very well onstage.

 

Make sure to gently exfoliate your skin prior to the day of the competition, and use moisturizer and primer immediately before applying foundation.  Though I usually use a foundation brush to apply foundation for photo shoots, when working with very dark foundations for stage I find that a makeup sponge works better than a brush in applying a nice, thin yet even layer. Make sure to extend foundation onto your neck, ears and hairline, feathering out and blending.  Once this is done, dust some translucent setting powder over the foundation to set it.  Chanel makes an excellent loose powder which I love both for daily use and for shows.

 

EYES:

 

Usually I will do my eye makeup first, then apply foundation since using a lot of black eyeshadow can often create a lot of dust which will ruin your foundation if you have applied it prior to your eye makeup.  When choosing eyeshadow colors, avoid blues, greens and purples as they tend to look garish under the stage lights.  Your best bet is to stick with neutral tones.  You can never go wrong with a dramatic smoky eye.  If you don’t know how to do a smoky eye, check out YouTube for some great smoky eye tutorials. Also check out the image in this article which shows a perfect smoky eye for the stage.  Ideal colors to use for a stage-ready smoky eye are black, champagne or platinum, a beige base, brown and perhaps a warm pink.

 

Here are some guidelines for creating a smoky eye with the above colors:

 

  1. Apply eye shadow primer.  I like Too Faced Shadow Insurance.
  2. Sweep a beige shadow (recommended: MAC Grain) over entire lid and up along browline.
  3. Apply black eyeshadow (recommended: MAC Carbon) over lid but be careful NOT to extend beyond lid crease. Extend shadow beyond outer corner of eye in a V, angling towards brow.  Blend well with a blending brush. Also apply black eyeshadow to the outer portion of the lower lash line.
  4. Take a brown eyeshadow (recommended: MAC Brown Down) and work into crease at outer corners.  Make sure to blend this well.
  5. Take a warm pink (recommended: MAC Da Bling) and sweep it over the inner and mid-portion of the lid.
  6. Apply the champagne (recommended: MAC Ricepaper) or platinum shade on the browbone, the center of the lid, and the inner corner of the eye.
  7. Apply black liquid eyeliner along the upper lash line, sweeping up into a cat eye at the outer corners.  Please refer to the image of cat eye liner for a guideline.

 

Don’t forget false eyelashes!  Finish off with liquid eyeliner and lots of mascara.

 

Make sure to also fill in your brows. I find that shadows work much better than pencils at creating a flattering look.

 

FACE CONTOUR:

 

Make sure to use a blush which is dark enough to show up on your face.  MAC Dollymix is an excellent color for stage.  I tend to extend the blush a bit into the side of the cheek below the cheekbone to avoid a hollowed out look, and will add a bit of bronzer to the blush when I do this.

 

Your contouring powder also needs to be dark, making MAC Deep Dark mineralized skin finish ideal for such a task.  Apply contouring powder in an “E” on each side of the face, starting at the temple, then sweeping under the cheekbone and then along the underside of the jawline and under your chin.  Make sure to blend well!  A bit of highlighting powder also looks lovely when dusted lightly on the apples of the cheeks, forehead and chin, but be sure to use a light hand.

 

LIPS:

 

For your lips, choose pink or red matte shades.  Avoid frosted formulas, oranges and corals as they do not translate well onstage.  Also apply clear or pink lip gloss over your lipstick for a nice finish.  Before you go onstage, make sure to blot the inner part of your lips with tissue to ensure that no lipstick ends up on your teeth.

 

 

IMPORTANT TIPS:

 

If you are nervous about how your makeup might look on the day of the show, practice your techniques until you feel comfortable.  Also, make sure to give yourself enough time to apply your makeup on the day of the competition without feeling rushed.  It is far better to start very early and have extra time to relax AFTER your makeup is applied than to be rushed and perhaps unable to complete your makeup application before stepping onstage.

Typical basic face for my typical day…

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Not a typical day (we went to Disneyland today), but a typical face. This is what I do to get ready:

Curl eyelashes
Fill brows in slightly with brow pencil
Eyeliner at lash line
Concealer under eyes
Translucent loose powder to keep down shine
Light dusting of blush
Lip stain

This takes me about three minutes to complete. You can actually tell that I do not wear foundation because you can see my freckles:

Disneyland today

I wear NONE of the following on a typical day:

Foundation
Eyeshadow
Mascara
Lipgloss
Bronzer