It's an age-old question, quite literally. Should women of a certain age grow old gracefully or seek modern-day cosmetic tricks to help them hold back the tide of time? Naturally, we all have to come to terms with ageing at some point in our lives. But while some women will love turning 40, others loathe getting older. Some see age as an asset, but to others it's a liability. So is there equilibrium? Maybe, says Regina Jere-Malanda as she explores some dos and don'ts of ageless beauty.
Before critics get their knives out, New African Woman would like to categorically emphasise that there is nothing wrong with looking your age! But again, nothing should stop anyone from searching for the elixir of ageless beauty if that is what they want. The problem arises when women feel pressurised into looking younger, as Charla Krupp (the American writer and former beauty editor at Glamour magazine) appears to do in her book How Not To Look Old, in which she recommends that to counter discrimination in the workplace and in society in general, older women should not bother with political solutions but try and look younger. "Aging sucks" is her mantra.
But whether a woman wants to look or feel younger than they really are should really be a matter of personal choice. However, recommending sensible and healthy measures on how to achieve that timeless-beauty look does no harm unless imposed on an unwilling target. For us black women, we are always surrounded by graceful, ageless beauties from as far back as the days of Cleopatra in Egypt to today's array of famous gorgeous black women worldwide.
Black Don't Crack
With an age range of between 35 and 75, Tina Turner, Iman, Winnie Mandela, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Sade, Diana Ross, Beverly Johnson, Vanessa Williams, Tyra Banks, Halle Berry and many more are not only considered some of the most beautiful black women, they also exemplify ageless beauty. In Afro-speak they are the embodiment of "Black don't crack", a term commonly used to describe why most black people naturally look younger than their true age. As the first black woman to grace the cover of Vogue back in 1974, beauty mogul Beverly Johnson, who now runs her own self-named empire of Afro hair and beauty products, says of her ageless beauty: "I've always looked at my career as a business. I feel that we are a generation that embraces age, as opposed to just giving up."
Italian actress Sophia Loren, who is revered as the embodiment of timeless natural beauty, once attributed the secret of her inimitable beauty to "a love of life, spaghetti and the odd bath in virgin olive oil".
The practice of bathing in olive oil dates back to her Roman ancestors. Sophia Loren has never had plastic surgery. Early in her career, she was urged to have her nose done, but she declined, and she has continued to reject the notion that women must mould themselves to fit some unnatural ideal of beauty. Hear! hear!
But we black women are in luck when it comes to youthful looks, fewer skin flaws and imperfections. This is mainly thanks to Mother Nature. Our pigmentation and the amount of melanin in the skin go a long way in keeping us looking youthful with age. This is why it is very important not to tamper with our natural pigmentation through dreadful skin-lightening products.
But in this contemporary age of advanced cosmetic fads and technology, in which the majority of us black women are willing participants, what is the best way to everlasting and youthful beauty? In a random order, New African Woman has rounded up some of the much-talked-about dos and don'ts of ageless beauty.
The Dos and Don'ts of Ageless Beauty
Stay current and comfortable: Make-up shouldn't be used to mask your flaws, but to enhance your best features. Try finding a fresh, modern beauty look that you feel comfortable with, as long as it doesn't date you.
Have an open mind: Ageing is often associated with hanging onto old and deep-set views. Open up to new ideas, new lifestyles and appropriate fashion trends. You do not have to like everything new, but keep your mind open to other fashion ideas than the ones you have held on to for years.
Keep up to date: If your hair, clothes and make-up haven't changed in a decade, they become an easy giveaway to your real age. Keep up to date with a youthful but appropriate look.
Good posture: This is not only a health ideal, but the right posture also makes you look taller, slimmer and reflects how confident you are in yourself. Experts say a person with low self-esteem will usually exhibit poor posture--a slouching or curving back, for example.
Have a great hairdo or haircut: Have your hair done properly. Bad or mediocre hairstyles are a no-no when you are at a certain age. Avoid DIY styles. If you can afford to, get a good, top-of-the-range hairdresser. And if your hairdresser looks out of fashion or only does hair of people of certain age, find a new one.
Choose a hairstyle that suits your face and your age. A general rule for women 'of a certain age' is to keep hair shoulder length or shorter. Braids are always a great do. There is no harm keeping your hair modern and following current trends--appropriately though.
Make an effort: Try your best to look good, to take care of your skin and pamper your body. The end result will have an effect not only on your looks, but also on your spirits, mood and self-esteem. Have a positive attitude: Always think and tell yourself that you are beautiful and act as such. It will show!
Avoid looking too trendy: Don't try to dress totally inappropriately for your age. Observe what younger people are wearing and adapt it to your age and personal style. You can wear almost anything as long as it's appropriate, fits you well and suits your body.
Pick up a fashion magazine: Read one occasionally to get the basic idea of what's new and youthful, yet age appropriate. Be open minded to new styles and ideas, but don't feel you have to fit in. Note what celebrities your age are wearing: What do they wear in their real lives? There are many celebrities in their forties and over and they all look fabulous, on and off the red carpet.
Hot wardrobe: Always have one hot, popular item in your wardrobe at all times. Whether this is an item of clothing or an accessory, you will appear as if you're keeping up with the times without spending a fortune.
Buy and wear a bra that fits properly: Where possible, get measured to know your perfect fit and size. Sags and bulges just ruin any beautiful look.
Don't be predictable: At a certain age we tend to stick to what we know best--same shop, same style, same hair, same make-up. Try a new shopping experience and broaden your style horizons.
Wear retro differently every time: If you have a fashion item modelled on something from your heyday, do not wear it exactly the same way as it was then--that just pushes you into a time warp.
Make-up and beauty
Shape those brows: Well-groomed eyebrows open up your face and give eyes more definition. But after the age of 35, always shape them in a fuller line, as very fine brows give an ageing look. Where possible, ask a professional to shape them for you-the wrong shape can be a disaster and make you look not just stupid, but sad too.
Luscious lips? After 35, avoid dark matted or glossy lipstick. Try creamy light shades or golden hints.
Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate: This helps increase and renew fresh and younger looking skin, as well as removing dry, dull looking skin, and maintains a healthy cell turnover.
Why not try exfoliating the skin using microdermabrasion? This will help remove dead skin cells to expose the healthy and beautiful skin that lies beneath.
try a moisturiser rich in antioxidants to prevent skin damage. Regular professional facials are recommended if you can afford to.
Love your hands: Never neglect your hardworking hands as they can be the easiest giveaway to one's true age. Moisturise your hands every so often throughout the day.
Have a facelift: Yes, we said it! But holistically, that is. This includes gentle massage of the face, neck and shoulders to produce a better skin tone, reduce fine lines and wrinkles and make your face look fresh.
Don't overlook your neck: The skin on your neck may be more sensitive than on your face, but don't ignore it.
Massage in a good moisturiser. A top tip is to invest in a good moisturiser.
Maintain a good diet: Drink plenty of water and consume antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables.
Maintain a healthy weight: As we age, we tend to lose our lean muscle mass very quickly and it is replaced by fat. This slows our metabolism. So if your weight is currently over the healthy range for your height, losing weight will be beneficial to your health, your looks and how you feel.
Exercise: It is commonly accepted that as we grow older we tend to become less active physically. However, just 30 minutes of any activity a day will go a long way.
A short run, a brisk walk, simple weightlifts, etc. where possible, invest in a gym membership.
Get your beauty sleep: As important as food, water and exercise is your sleep. Have at least eight hours of sleep every day to rest and detoxify your brain. The effects of a good well-rested night trickle down to your looks the next day.
All in all, however, just as Oprah Winfrey (who has a team of hairstylists and make-up artists who keep her looking youthfully good for her age) deeply believes, ageless beauty is something we can't always buy, nip or tuck.
She states: "I have found, for myself, that the best secret to ageing is about your attitude ... I think it's how you feel about yourself at any given moment ... if you're in love with yourself, if you feel that you have something to offer to yourself, your family and the world."
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
BALANCED EATING HABIT
The Secret to Feeling Fantastic, Looking Younger
And Adding Years to Your Life
Healthy eating is essential to your health and well being. In your great grandparents’ days, healthy eating was easy. Food was grown on nutrient rich soil without herbicides and pesticides. It was whole, natural and unprocessed. Meals, breads and desserts were cooked or baked in the home from scratch, not produced in a laboratory from chemicals not intended for human consumption.
Times have changed!
It’s true. With our fast-paced lifestyles, we don’t have time to devote hours or entire days to preparing healthy meals to nourish our families and ourselves. But are we really doing ourselves a favor by eating highly processed food, laden with sugar, in many forms, and filled with chemicals we can’t pronounce, much less know want they are and what they are doing to our insides?
I grew up on a better-than-average Standard American Diet (SAD). My dad had a large vegetable garden. We had many different fruits growing on trees, bushes and vines in our yard. My mother cooked from scratch. We didn’t have chips, candy and sodas, except on holidays and special occasions. But we did eat white bread, canned vegetables, pasteurized and homogenized dairy products, including processed cheese and ice cream, boxed cereals with sugar added, and desserts and pastries made from white sugar and white flour when my mother baked.
I had a history of frequent fevers and sore throats as a child. I was diagnosed with chronic gastritis in high school. I suffered with ugly acne as a teen and young adult. I went through a period in my 20’s of constant low-grade fevers. Through much of my childhood and young adulthood, I experienced chronic headaches.
While a student at a major mid-western university, I visited the dermatology clinic associated with the university’s medical school for my chronic acne. I was given a prescription for tetracycline to be taken four times a day, which I did religiously, nonstop, for five years! I was advised that as long as I took my tetracycline four times a day, I could eat anything I wanted. Diet was not important! This was my ticket from a better-than-average SAD diet to a full-fledged, bottom-of-the-barrel, SAD diet.
And Adding Years to Your Life
Healthy eating is essential to your health and well being. In your great grandparents’ days, healthy eating was easy. Food was grown on nutrient rich soil without herbicides and pesticides. It was whole, natural and unprocessed. Meals, breads and desserts were cooked or baked in the home from scratch, not produced in a laboratory from chemicals not intended for human consumption.
Times have changed!
It’s true. With our fast-paced lifestyles, we don’t have time to devote hours or entire days to preparing healthy meals to nourish our families and ourselves. But are we really doing ourselves a favor by eating highly processed food, laden with sugar, in many forms, and filled with chemicals we can’t pronounce, much less know want they are and what they are doing to our insides?
I grew up on a better-than-average Standard American Diet (SAD). My dad had a large vegetable garden. We had many different fruits growing on trees, bushes and vines in our yard. My mother cooked from scratch. We didn’t have chips, candy and sodas, except on holidays and special occasions. But we did eat white bread, canned vegetables, pasteurized and homogenized dairy products, including processed cheese and ice cream, boxed cereals with sugar added, and desserts and pastries made from white sugar and white flour when my mother baked.
I had a history of frequent fevers and sore throats as a child. I was diagnosed with chronic gastritis in high school. I suffered with ugly acne as a teen and young adult. I went through a period in my 20’s of constant low-grade fevers. Through much of my childhood and young adulthood, I experienced chronic headaches.
While a student at a major mid-western university, I visited the dermatology clinic associated with the university’s medical school for my chronic acne. I was given a prescription for tetracycline to be taken four times a day, which I did religiously, nonstop, for five years! I was advised that as long as I took my tetracycline four times a day, I could eat anything I wanted. Diet was not important! This was my ticket from a better-than-average SAD diet to a full-fledged, bottom-of-the-barrel, SAD diet.
HOW TO GET RID OF WRINKLES ON YOUR FACE
Do you think that Anti-aging Creams really work to look younger?
Many people with wrinkles you can see that multitudes of people are already looking for the treatment. The treatment helps them to get rid of these wrinkles as soon as possible.
The problem of wrinkle takes time to produce results and many people don't have the tolerance to wait for a long time. So, they opt for treatments that produce faster results immediately. The treatment continues and it's very painful for them.
Aging is a fact of life, everyone wants to look young for as long as possible. So, there are plenty of good beauty products and anti-aging creams that can help your skin.
Extensive research can also be done on the effects of anti-wrinkle creams which have shown that they are effective at removing the wrinkles from the skin. However, the long-term treatment must be applied on a daily basis for the numerous months before positive results.
Anti-wrinkle cream has many benefits over the other creams. In this wrinkle cream review, you can simply and usually compare two different anti wrinkle creams.
While seeing many different types of anti-wrinkle creams, consumers are often at a loss and they are also perplex to think hat which type of brand they should choose for their skin. Finding cream is not a difficult task. Therefore, it is only up to your skin which type of cream suits you best and which produces the best result for you.
There is one thing you should understand that anti-aging skin care industry is huge, valuable and many billions of dollars. As there is big currency to be made in anti-aging and beauty products like face creams, topical products, facial and sensitive skin treatments etc.
Anti-aging cream depends upon your age; your skin type and the sensitivity of your skin. Understanding the main causes of wrinkles as you can simply select an anti-wrinkle cream according to your skin tone. You can look at the products that will be flexible and comfortable for you as well.
However, the general rule of these anti-aging skin care products contains potentially useful ingredients and it also presents quality in such small quantities.
Many people with wrinkles you can see that multitudes of people are already looking for the treatment. The treatment helps them to get rid of these wrinkles as soon as possible.
The problem of wrinkle takes time to produce results and many people don't have the tolerance to wait for a long time. So, they opt for treatments that produce faster results immediately. The treatment continues and it's very painful for them.
Aging is a fact of life, everyone wants to look young for as long as possible. So, there are plenty of good beauty products and anti-aging creams that can help your skin.
Extensive research can also be done on the effects of anti-wrinkle creams which have shown that they are effective at removing the wrinkles from the skin. However, the long-term treatment must be applied on a daily basis for the numerous months before positive results.
Anti-wrinkle cream has many benefits over the other creams. In this wrinkle cream review, you can simply and usually compare two different anti wrinkle creams.
While seeing many different types of anti-wrinkle creams, consumers are often at a loss and they are also perplex to think hat which type of brand they should choose for their skin. Finding cream is not a difficult task. Therefore, it is only up to your skin which type of cream suits you best and which produces the best result for you.
There is one thing you should understand that anti-aging skin care industry is huge, valuable and many billions of dollars. As there is big currency to be made in anti-aging and beauty products like face creams, topical products, facial and sensitive skin treatments etc.
Anti-aging cream depends upon your age; your skin type and the sensitivity of your skin. Understanding the main causes of wrinkles as you can simply select an anti-wrinkle cream according to your skin tone. You can look at the products that will be flexible and comfortable for you as well.
However, the general rule of these anti-aging skin care products contains potentially useful ingredients and it also presents quality in such small quantities.
DEVELOPING HEALTHY EATING HABITS EASILY AND EFFORTLESSLY
*
The Secret To Developing Healthy Eating Habits …
Easily And Effortlessly
Healthy eating doesn’t have to be boring or hard or time consuming. It doesn’t have to taste bland or distasteful or downright awful. Eating healthfully can be a delightful, taste-tempting, delicious experience … if you just know how.
After working with thousands of patients, trying to get them to eat healthfully and addressing the challenges that they faced in transitioning to healthy eating, I devised a simple program that anyone can use to start eating healthfully … NOW. This program was designed to give you complete control over how you transition to a healthy eating plan. You make the changes at a rate that is comfortable for you. It helps you
* make healthy changes at your own pace
* choose what healthy foods you will include and when
* choose which unhealthy foods you eliminate and when
* feel satisfied with your healthy food choices, never deprived
* feel in charge of your healthy eating plan
* feel successful making gradual changes in your eating habits
* ultimately arrive at a totally healthy eating lifestyle, without stress or anxiety
* enjoy eating healthy food
* eventually prefer eating healthy food because you like it and it tastes good
Healthy Eating Advisor is here to be your personal guide on your healthy eating journey. It is your objective resource for what’s healthy and what’s not. It will guide you along the path of the basics and the “not so basics” of good nutrition, and will help you to see through the manufacturers’ mislabeling of grossly unhealthy products.
Make your healthy eating journey an adventure into the world of delicious tasting wholesome foods
The Secret To Developing Healthy Eating Habits …
Easily And Effortlessly
Healthy eating doesn’t have to be boring or hard or time consuming. It doesn’t have to taste bland or distasteful or downright awful. Eating healthfully can be a delightful, taste-tempting, delicious experience … if you just know how.
After working with thousands of patients, trying to get them to eat healthfully and addressing the challenges that they faced in transitioning to healthy eating, I devised a simple program that anyone can use to start eating healthfully … NOW. This program was designed to give you complete control over how you transition to a healthy eating plan. You make the changes at a rate that is comfortable for you. It helps you
* make healthy changes at your own pace
* choose what healthy foods you will include and when
* choose which unhealthy foods you eliminate and when
* feel satisfied with your healthy food choices, never deprived
* feel in charge of your healthy eating plan
* feel successful making gradual changes in your eating habits
* ultimately arrive at a totally healthy eating lifestyle, without stress or anxiety
* enjoy eating healthy food
* eventually prefer eating healthy food because you like it and it tastes good
Healthy Eating Advisor is here to be your personal guide on your healthy eating journey. It is your objective resource for what’s healthy and what’s not. It will guide you along the path of the basics and the “not so basics” of good nutrition, and will help you to see through the manufacturers’ mislabeling of grossly unhealthy products.
Make your healthy eating journey an adventure into the world of delicious tasting wholesome foods
EATING-HEALTHY
What Healthy Eating Will Do For YOU!
Eating healthy food will help you to:
* feel great and have lots of energy so you can enjoy life more
* have a strong immune system so you stay well, even when everyone else is getting sick
* maintain a healthy weight and look slim and trim and physically fit
* stay as alert and mentally sharp at 60, 70 and even 80 as you were at 20
* do the same things at 65 that you did at 20, with the same gusto
* live to be 100 and be physically fit and active
* prevent certain diseases known to be a related to diet and nutrition, particularly cancer, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and obesity
The Consequences of NOT Eating Healthy Food
Many people question the importance of healthy eating because they seemed to be fine not eating healthfully for many years. Then all, of a sudden, they don’t feel well, they’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, heart disease or cancer or have some other health challenges. They don’t understand it. What happened?
Well, simply put, it’s like this. We’re born with a reserve to protect us against some of the assaults against our body. Think of it as a stack of $100 bills. Over time as we abuse our body, for example, by eating processed foods, junk food, unhealthy food, we spend some of those $100 bills. Eventually, if we continue eating unhealthfully, the whole stack will be gone. That’s when we’ll have big problems. We’re no longer able to get away with the indiscretions that we could when we were younger.
If you’ve already experienced this, you know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, your stack of $100 bills hasn’t run out yet. But you don’t know when it will. It could be tomorrow. It could be two weeks, or five or 10 years from now. But why take the chance?
Food is your body’s fuel. It gives your body what it needs to function properly.
Some of the things that you could experience if you’re not eating healthfully might include:
* headaches
* indigestion
* depression
* candida
* difficulty sleeping
* poor memory
* senile dementia
* anorexia/bulimia
* dry skin
* adult acne
* constipation
* poor digestion
* halitosis/bad breath
* mouth/tongue ulcers
* menstrual problems
* diarrhea
* irritability
* fatigue
* polyps
* diverticulitis
* gallstones
* osteoporosis
* COPD – chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
* anemia
* asthma
* mental illness
* irritable bowel syndrome
* fibromyalgia
THE ABSOLUTE SECRET TO LOOKING YOUNGER
The art of looking younger (Dell book)
If you are interested in looking younger, and we totally understand those who like to grow old gracefully, you may want to read the below tips from our readers. We asked women and men over the age of 40 what their tried and true secrets are to looking younger.
The fountain of youth is not only purchased in a bottle. The secrets to looking younger appear to be a lot simpler than you may think. Want younger guys to do a double take? Think you can still get carded? Sleep, exercise, water, a good attitude and some Pond's Cold Cream are just a few of the things that can have you looking years younger.
If you are interested in looking younger, and we totally understand those who like to grow old gracefully, you may want to read the below tips from our readers. We asked women and men over the age of 40 what their tried and true secrets are to looking younger.The fountain of youth is not only purchased in a bottle. The secrets to looking younger appear to be a lot simpler than you may think. Want younger guys to do a double take? Think you can still get carded? Sleep, exercise, water, a good attitude and some Pond's Cold Cream are just a few of the things that can have you looking years younger.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Makeup Tips for Older Women
How to Conceal Wrinkles
Less is more when it comes to downplaying wrinkles on your face. Find out the right and wrong way to apply powders and foundation.
1. way to apply powders and foundation.
Highlight your eyes. Great eye makeup will make eyes "pop" and attract eyes away from the wrinkles on your face. Keep brows groomed and filled in. See How to Make Up Eyes in 8 Steps.
Go light on foundation. Many women with wrinkles make the mistake of trying to cover them. But a face full of heavy foundation only highlights wrinkles. Instead, try a tinted moisturizer and use only on the parts of your face that need covering up. Also, no matter how pale you are, go a shade or two darker with your foundation or tinted moisturizer. Lighter shades only highlight wrinkles. I recommend a great tinted moisturizer in my Top 10 Foundation Picks.
Watch that powder habit. When you were younger, you likely had oilier skin and got used to powdering your entire face. But dewy skin is actually youthful and you should put away your powder (except for the nose and chin). Makeup artists tell me they NEVER use powder on women over 50 unless they're going to be taped, because powder sits atop wrinkles highlighting them.
Find out The Most Important Part of Your Beauty Routine.
How to Conceal Sagging Skin
You've heard the old quote attributed to Catherine Deneuve, "When you get older, you have to be ready to trade your ass for your face." If you have sagging skin, don't run off to a plastic surgeon. Here are my favorite tricks and tips that, unlike a facelift, cost little to nothing.
Downplay jowls with gorgeous earrings, but stay away from chokers, which bring eyes straight to your jawline. Love necklaces? They should hit at the collarbone or lower. Don't wear elaborate earrings and a necklace, pick one or the other. Both can be overkill.
Got a crepe-y neck? Haircuts that hit just below the chin will draw attention away from your neck. Long cuts attract the eye downward, according to stylist John Barrett in the November 2007 issue of O magazine. I also love the look of scarves, wrapped several times around the neck. Very European. Get inspired by 10 Celebrities Over 50 With Gorgeous Hair.
Don't apply blush to the apples of your cheeks or you risk looking like a clown. Instead, choose a rosy blush and using a large fluffy brush, sweep color over the highest point of your cheekbones. Start about an inch in from the nose.
Dewy skin is always youthful. Because aging skin tends to be dry, skip the powders and opt instead for liquid foundation and creamy blush. See 20 Foundation, Concealer & Blush Tips That Will Change Your Life.
Crow's Feet Around the Eyes and Lips
People start developing crow's feet around the eyes in their 30s. I consider my own "laughing lines" and believe it's sign of a good life.
Don't try to cover up wrinkles around the eyes with heavy coats of concealer. You'll end up with raccoon eyes. Instead, apply just a few dabs of concealer and always pat in concealer with your ring finger. You can also use a brush which distributes concealer more evenly.
See my list of Top 10 Concealers.
Always skip powder around the eye area, it settles into wrinkles.
Laugh lines around lips? Plump up lips and bring attention to THEM, not the surrounding area, by using a moisturizing lip gloss. Any time you add moisturizer to skin or lips, it plumps them up, making them appear more youthful.
Saggy Lids
Crepe-y lids are another natural part of the aging process. You can spend thousands on an eyelift or you can try these beauty tips that cost nothing.
Never apply mascara to bottom lashes. Instead, curl lashes and then apply a couple coats of the darkest mascara you can find. Curling lashes always makes eyes pop.
You may enjoy 15 Mascara Tips and Tricks.
Makeup artists also suggest keeping eyeliner to the upper lid only. A liquid liner stays better than pencils. You can practice curving the line up on the outer corners of eyes to "lift" them. Avoid thick, heavy lines, however. I am a believer in rule-breaking however, so I think you can go ahead and line the bottom lashes, just skip the liquid liner and try a pencil instead. Don't make the line thick and be sure to smudge. Also, your eyes will look beady if you try to line the inside of your eyes (my mom used to do this and it drove me crazy). SeeHow to Apply Eyeliner.
Reconsider shimmers. Shimmery eyeshadows only highlight crow's feet. The one area they work in is the inside corner of the eye. Apply a dot of shimmery light eyeshadow in the instead corner of the eye to make eyes pop.
See 10 Eyeshadow Tricks I Wish I Knew Years Ago.
When you have a saggy upper lid, no need to go all out with several different colors of eyeshadow. Instead, keep eyeshadow in place all day with an eyeshadow primer, then apply a couple sweeps of a light eyeshadow that's flattering to your skin color. Skip the bright, crazy colors. I recommend primers in How to Keep Your Eyeshadow in Place for Hours.
False eyelashes have made a comeback. But skip the full lashes from the 70s and instead opt for individual lashes. Seehow to apply false lashes.
Thinning or Bushy Eyebrows
I'm a stickler for good brows and am known for making my friends let me tweeze theirs.
Keeping your brows done nicely is like having a facelift without surgery, according to author Charla Krupp's brow guy. Here are some tips for keeping your brows perfectly done:
Get your brows professionally done. Nothing opens eyes up like curling lashes and keeping your brows neat. If you can't afford waxing or threading every few weeks, use the professional's job as a map for your own tweezing. Simply pluck the stray hairs that grow in between professional tweezing or waxing. How to pluck your own brows.
Drawn-in brows are a no-no. You know the pencil-thin line you see some of your friends or women in your town wear? Well, they only age you and they're somewhat tacky. Learn how to properly fill in sparse brows.
Avoid tweezing gray brow hairs. Instead, conceal them with a brow powder or pencil.
Thinning Lips
Personally, I love a thin lip. I read somewhere once that it's a sign of intelligence. I don't know about that, but I do know that as we age, our lips lose some of their fat. Here's how to plump up thin lips.
Picking the right lip color is a must. Makeup artist Bobbi Brown suggests skipping the bright colors and instead opt for a color that's just a shade or 2 darker than your natural lip color. Check out 16 Lipstick Tricks and Tips.
As you age, your natural lip line fades. Create a lip line by coloring in lips first with a lip liner, then apply gloss or lipstick over the liner.
Consider getting rid of lipstick and using lip gloss instead. Gloss creates the allusion of puffed-up lips, especially when applied to the middle of lips.
Lip plumpers do work, but the effects don't last long (we're talking under an hour). So skip the plumpers and save your money. Even Vaseline in lips will make them appear larger.
Ack! What to Do About Sprouting Chin Hairs
For the record, I know 30-year-olds with chin hair problems. You can tweeze them or have your stylist tweeze them, but they will always grow back. The only way to keep chin hairs at bay permanently is electrolysis.
How to Get Rid of Your Moustache
You have 2 options for moustaches: Wax them off with a home waxing kit you can buy in any drugstore or have a professional do it. See How to Get Rid of Hair on Your Face.
To lighten dark moustaches, try kit made just for this which you can find in your beauty aisle at the drugstore
Less is more when it comes to downplaying wrinkles on your face. Find out the right and wrong way to apply powders and foundation.
1. way to apply powders and foundation.
Highlight your eyes. Great eye makeup will make eyes "pop" and attract eyes away from the wrinkles on your face. Keep brows groomed and filled in. See How to Make Up Eyes in 8 Steps.
Go light on foundation. Many women with wrinkles make the mistake of trying to cover them. But a face full of heavy foundation only highlights wrinkles. Instead, try a tinted moisturizer and use only on the parts of your face that need covering up. Also, no matter how pale you are, go a shade or two darker with your foundation or tinted moisturizer. Lighter shades only highlight wrinkles. I recommend a great tinted moisturizer in my Top 10 Foundation Picks.
Watch that powder habit. When you were younger, you likely had oilier skin and got used to powdering your entire face. But dewy skin is actually youthful and you should put away your powder (except for the nose and chin). Makeup artists tell me they NEVER use powder on women over 50 unless they're going to be taped, because powder sits atop wrinkles highlighting them.
Find out The Most Important Part of Your Beauty Routine.
How to Conceal Sagging Skin
You've heard the old quote attributed to Catherine Deneuve, "When you get older, you have to be ready to trade your ass for your face." If you have sagging skin, don't run off to a plastic surgeon. Here are my favorite tricks and tips that, unlike a facelift, cost little to nothing.
Downplay jowls with gorgeous earrings, but stay away from chokers, which bring eyes straight to your jawline. Love necklaces? They should hit at the collarbone or lower. Don't wear elaborate earrings and a necklace, pick one or the other. Both can be overkill.
Got a crepe-y neck? Haircuts that hit just below the chin will draw attention away from your neck. Long cuts attract the eye downward, according to stylist John Barrett in the November 2007 issue of O magazine. I also love the look of scarves, wrapped several times around the neck. Very European. Get inspired by 10 Celebrities Over 50 With Gorgeous Hair.
Don't apply blush to the apples of your cheeks or you risk looking like a clown. Instead, choose a rosy blush and using a large fluffy brush, sweep color over the highest point of your cheekbones. Start about an inch in from the nose.
Dewy skin is always youthful. Because aging skin tends to be dry, skip the powders and opt instead for liquid foundation and creamy blush. See 20 Foundation, Concealer & Blush Tips That Will Change Your Life.
Crow's Feet Around the Eyes and Lips
People start developing crow's feet around the eyes in their 30s. I consider my own "laughing lines" and believe it's sign of a good life.
Don't try to cover up wrinkles around the eyes with heavy coats of concealer. You'll end up with raccoon eyes. Instead, apply just a few dabs of concealer and always pat in concealer with your ring finger. You can also use a brush which distributes concealer more evenly.
See my list of Top 10 Concealers.
Always skip powder around the eye area, it settles into wrinkles.
Laugh lines around lips? Plump up lips and bring attention to THEM, not the surrounding area, by using a moisturizing lip gloss. Any time you add moisturizer to skin or lips, it plumps them up, making them appear more youthful.
Saggy Lids
Crepe-y lids are another natural part of the aging process. You can spend thousands on an eyelift or you can try these beauty tips that cost nothing.
Never apply mascara to bottom lashes. Instead, curl lashes and then apply a couple coats of the darkest mascara you can find. Curling lashes always makes eyes pop.
You may enjoy 15 Mascara Tips and Tricks.
Makeup artists also suggest keeping eyeliner to the upper lid only. A liquid liner stays better than pencils. You can practice curving the line up on the outer corners of eyes to "lift" them. Avoid thick, heavy lines, however. I am a believer in rule-breaking however, so I think you can go ahead and line the bottom lashes, just skip the liquid liner and try a pencil instead. Don't make the line thick and be sure to smudge. Also, your eyes will look beady if you try to line the inside of your eyes (my mom used to do this and it drove me crazy). SeeHow to Apply Eyeliner.
Reconsider shimmers. Shimmery eyeshadows only highlight crow's feet. The one area they work in is the inside corner of the eye. Apply a dot of shimmery light eyeshadow in the instead corner of the eye to make eyes pop.
See 10 Eyeshadow Tricks I Wish I Knew Years Ago.
When you have a saggy upper lid, no need to go all out with several different colors of eyeshadow. Instead, keep eyeshadow in place all day with an eyeshadow primer, then apply a couple sweeps of a light eyeshadow that's flattering to your skin color. Skip the bright, crazy colors. I recommend primers in How to Keep Your Eyeshadow in Place for Hours.
False eyelashes have made a comeback. But skip the full lashes from the 70s and instead opt for individual lashes. Seehow to apply false lashes.
Thinning or Bushy Eyebrows
I'm a stickler for good brows and am known for making my friends let me tweeze theirs.
Keeping your brows done nicely is like having a facelift without surgery, according to author Charla Krupp's brow guy. Here are some tips for keeping your brows perfectly done:
Get your brows professionally done. Nothing opens eyes up like curling lashes and keeping your brows neat. If you can't afford waxing or threading every few weeks, use the professional's job as a map for your own tweezing. Simply pluck the stray hairs that grow in between professional tweezing or waxing. How to pluck your own brows.
Drawn-in brows are a no-no. You know the pencil-thin line you see some of your friends or women in your town wear? Well, they only age you and they're somewhat tacky. Learn how to properly fill in sparse brows.
Avoid tweezing gray brow hairs. Instead, conceal them with a brow powder or pencil.
Thinning Lips
Personally, I love a thin lip. I read somewhere once that it's a sign of intelligence. I don't know about that, but I do know that as we age, our lips lose some of their fat. Here's how to plump up thin lips.
Picking the right lip color is a must. Makeup artist Bobbi Brown suggests skipping the bright colors and instead opt for a color that's just a shade or 2 darker than your natural lip color. Check out 16 Lipstick Tricks and Tips.
As you age, your natural lip line fades. Create a lip line by coloring in lips first with a lip liner, then apply gloss or lipstick over the liner.
Consider getting rid of lipstick and using lip gloss instead. Gloss creates the allusion of puffed-up lips, especially when applied to the middle of lips.
Lip plumpers do work, but the effects don't last long (we're talking under an hour). So skip the plumpers and save your money. Even Vaseline in lips will make them appear larger.
Ack! What to Do About Sprouting Chin Hairs
For the record, I know 30-year-olds with chin hair problems. You can tweeze them or have your stylist tweeze them, but they will always grow back. The only way to keep chin hairs at bay permanently is electrolysis.
How to Get Rid of Your Moustache
You have 2 options for moustaches: Wax them off with a home waxing kit you can buy in any drugstore or have a professional do it. See How to Get Rid of Hair on Your Face.
To lighten dark moustaches, try kit made just for this which you can find in your beauty aisle at the drugstore
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