FACIALS: Why its Important to start getting them in your 20’s.

Not to scare you into skincare but aging starts day one. Think about it, we are born and then from that moment on we are constantly changing, growing and inevitably aging.  I believe it’s important to see it for what it is and embrace it! You’re going to get old. God willing. So, are you going to just let it happen or are you going to FIGHT!

My personal ambition in life is to maintain my skin to the extent that when I am 60, I will still look tight and firm and hopefully wrinkle free as I am in my 20’s. Sounds like a dream, but if you’re not dreaming I believe you’re not living. I have high hopes for my skin future and to achieve that, I have to be serious about my skincare and overall maintenance of my skin.

This involves protecting my skin from the sun, using a rigorous professional (key word) skincare line, and doing facials regularly. If this doesn’t make sense to you, you probably aren’t in love with your skin. I could just assume. Clients don’t understand the purpose, the value, and the full benefit of facials and what a good skincare routine can do until they just do it! So, JUST DO IT!

I believe in being preventive. Preventing wrinkles and aging is so much easier than correcting existing aging concerns. Not to say that is impossible to correct fine lines and such but it’s just easier done as a preventive measure. I really want to encourage those in their 20’s to understand the importance of taking care of their skin and understanding the full benefit of doing so.

Starting in your 20’s just gives you a total head start! Ask anyone 50 plus, if they wish they had better taken care of their skin at a younger age. You know the answer!

Getting that running head start insures that when you become 50 you’ll look more like 35. Or my personal goal 25. May we never act or look our age! #GOALS

Facials, corrective treatments, working on issues immediately as they arise must be an integral part of maintaining the overall look and health of your skin. It becomes easy when you start maintenance early. That’s why its called anti-aging! We don’t want to age we want to prevent aging!

Jump on this bandwagon! Trust me you’ll be thanking me when 60 comes around and you’re the hottest and youngest looking grandma in your circle of friends. Your going to have to get younger friends just to look like you fit in because your skin is so flawless!

Soak this in.

Get facials. Getting them monthly is ideal.

Skincare. Do it! Why? Because I said so, and your dead skin cells are ready to be put to rest. For real! I understand if you’re low maintenance. Here is my best advice. Cleanse, Exfoliate, Moisturize, Repeat.

Cleanse: Daily, AM and PM.

Exfoliate: Depending on the exfoliator, 2 to 3 times weekly.

Moisturize: AM and PM. Yes! You have to do this because as your skin dries out it’s going to shrivel like a prune, if you’re not keeping it hydrated. NOT OKAY! Moisturize!

New Year, New You!

 

 

With the new year comes a season of change. Where many are looking for a fresh start, a new beginning, or maybe starting the year off with a list of unyielding resolutions and high expectations. Which I think is great!! In theory.

I believe it is easier to make the choice to simply be a better you in the new year. Deciding to make changes when a change needs to be made and to be open to new possibilities with a positive mindset.

Further I believe the new year is a good time to set new routines and get back to a better regime. Skincare is a great place to start! Forget about the closet you’ve been meaning to clean out and focus on what everyone can actually see. Your skin! Although, let’s not completely forget about the clutter in the closet.

Here are some tips for having a healthy, younger and fresh faced 2016!

Drink more water!  A healthy skin is a hydrated skin. Drinking water is good as an overall health practice. Don’t expect miracle results from this alone. Our bodies are constantly losing water and our skin is in constant need of rehydration to avoid dehydration which eventually contributes to aging. Products to keep in mind when it comes to keeping a hydrated skin are ones containing hyaluronic acid. This super ingredient holds 1,000 times its own weight in water, thus attracting water and holding it there. Which is awesome!

Cleanse your skin day and night!  Yes! Day and night! Your pores will love you more for it. It takes 21 days to form a habit and once you do you’ll be hooked. You can see the health benefit of doing it on a regular basis. I have one exception to this though and it’s winter. Winter skin is different and needs to be handled so. If your skin gets really dry in the winter or year round you may want to cleanse only at night getting off makeup and the gunk of the day. Then, in the morning just splash water or apply more moisturizer so your not striping the skin of those necessary oils (this is you if you have that dry tight feeling after cleansing).

Mandatory – Use an eye cream!  Day and night! Yes, day and night. Every night! Every single one. Im serious. The skin around your eye is so very delicate and you must treat it as such. It will not always be tight and firm and youthful. The less you appreciate it the more it shall age. The eye area is typically the first area to start seeing signs of aging and the hardest to correct because of its delicate nature. Hydration is vital. Further apply a small amount to the tip of your ring finger then tap the cream around the orbital bone area. DO NOT RUB!!! Just tap.

SPF! SPF! SPF! Many of my clients when asked “Do you wear sunscreen daily?” will proclaim “Oh I don’t go outside.” I then think to myself, how did you get to the spa? Truly many of us think the same way. That we simply don’t ever outside. Not true. We get in our cars and drive all over town and back and forth to work. The sun sees you and I see you! The majority of dark pigmentation that freckles the faces of my clients is predominately on the left side of there faces. Just the side the window happens to be on. Hmm. Adding sunscreen whether in your makeup or moisturizer is vital to anti-aging.

Don’t sleep in your makeup. It adds to aging in many ways and it is clogging to the pores. Force yourself into the routine of cleansing at night or at least get makeup wipes and leave them by the nightstand.

Exfoliate. Throw your exfoliant in the shower if you’re lazy. That helps make it easy and you’ll use it more. Exfoliating boosts the cell turnover which in turn improves overall skin health and anti-aging and acne!

Don’t forget the neck!!  We slather product after product on our faces yet constantly forget what’s right beneath. Your neck! Apply your moisturizer, cleanse and when in the shower exfoliate there as well. Make sure to apply product in upward strokes to prevent the gradual downturn of loss of elasticity. Upward strokes will help that area stay lifted. I promise it all helps!

Try sleeping on your back.  I know this sounds kind of silly but sleeping on your stomach or side verses sleeping on your back can really cause aging lines on the face. Further, if you gravitate to one side you can really see vertical aging lines more predominately on one side. Try sleeping on your back with a pillow under your knees. It helps to align your spine and is more comfortable in trying to sleep on the back. You may not always stay on your back during sleep but your working at preventing aging. Every little thing helps.

Now that the new year has come try adding a few things to your regime that hopefully not only will improve your life but keep your skin youthful as well!!

Bridal Makeup: Kissable Lips

When you buy your wedding dress you say, “Can I dance in this?” You have to think about what you’ll be doing while you are wearing the dress. So, when thinking about your lip color for the big day you should think “Can I kiss him with this on?”

As important as looking absolutely flawless on your big day is, I think caring about how your future hubs is going to look is just as important! Overly glossed, lined and lip smacked lips look great walking down the isle, but seeing it smeared all over your man’s face on the way back isn’t as cute. So as a bridal makeup artist, I try and think about the makeup and the lip product in particular as more than just the look but wearability.

These are a few of my wedding day go to lip looks.

Burt’s Bees lip shimmer (color: peony)

It’s a cross between chapstick and lipstick. Not glossy, but has a hint of shimmer (non glittery). Great for that low-mantinence bride that knows she needs color on her lips for pictures, ect., but could truly care less. It’s easy, small, and could fit in your bra if need be!

Sephora – Cream lip stain (Red 01)

Red is a bold look for any bride, but if done right can be glamorous! This product is a matte drying lipstick stain. This is my personal go-to red lipstick product. I love it! Also, you can apply a clear gloss over it but also looks great just matte (and will transfer and be more kissable without the gloss).

Tarte LipSurgence lip tints

This line carries some of my favorite lip products by far. Tarte makes a few different lip products; glosses, matte lip color and more of a creamy lipstick that I prefer. The LipSurgence lip tint is a creamy lipstick blend, that has a light glossy shine. Depending on the color choice I would pair a neutral liner with these just to give added definition.

I love a bold lip on a bride, the pop of color in my opinion is to die for and so glam, but I believe neutrals are the way to go. Enough color, but not to much. Bridal makeup to me is about being a better version of yourself. Yourself being the key word in that sentence. You want to look like YOU!

Wearing a lightly colored neutral is easier, low-maintenence and can be re-applied with ease. Also, it will wear better throughout dinner. Which is just as much a concern. While on the other hand, red lipstick, needs constant care and reapplication. Although, if you’re just dying to have a Hollywood glam look on your big day, wear the red lipstick for your bridal portraits. That’s the easiest way to get the best of both worlds. Because your lips should not be an added concern on your big day.

Stay gorgeous ladies!!! 💋

The Sun vs. Your Skin

It’s finally summer! Thank goodness! While you’re at the beach soaking up the sun or sitting poolside, remember that as much as you love the rays and a good tan, your skin does not so much. We all know that the sun and UV rays are damaging to our skin. Most of us though could care less because we’re young. Yeah, for the moment!

Beauty is fleeting and being young doesn’t last forever as well as that plump, firm, flawless face of yours. So if you have any chance at looking decent as far as your skin goes into your 40s, 50s and 60s. You better grab the sunblock!!! Now!

Get serious about your skin! Because good skin is in! Seriously, good skin is the movement. The damage that you do to you’re skin when your younger really catches up to you when you’re older. Overexposure to the sun causes damage and that damage though you don’t see it right now. Will catch up to you! Take care of the one and only skin you get.

 4 Easy Tips for maintaining Healthy Skin all Summer!

Wear your shades in the sun. All day, everyday. This not only protects your eyes from UV rays (which is important) but also keeps you from making that wrinkly furrowed brows face in the sun. In so doing prevents premature aging. Win!

Wear a hat!! The bigger the better! Hats help protect your face, neck and shoulders from the sun. You can even buy sun hats with SPF protection to help block the rays.  A floppy hat on the beach is a cute accessory anyway and lets face it, after a day on the beach we all need something to help control our nappy beach mane. So wearing a hat is multi-benifical. You look cute, you’re protecting your skin and your hiding that wild beach hair!

Sunblocks are the biggest preventive to aging when it comes to the sun. It’s important to get both UVA and UVB protection from your sunblock. UVA being the aging rays and UVB being the burning rays. What most people don’t realize when it comes to wearing sunscreen is to truly protect the skin you must reapply! This is key. Most blocks recommend you to reapply every 80 minutes. Which is about every hour and a half. I know this sucks! I know!! I make it easy by using a SPF lotion to start the day on vacation and then switching to a spray when I get a little lazier throughout the day. Sunscreen. Just do it!

Stay in the shade! Take an umbrella to the beach. They make UV blocking umbrellas with SPF protection built in as well. I got mine at a Wings beach store for only $20. You’re still on the beach, you’re still technically out in the sun enjoying the weather, you’re just protected under the shade of an umbrella and your skin loves you for it. Choose your skin, choose the shade.

While your living it up on the beach, soaking up the rays, having the best summer 2015 can produce just try to remember your skin. Remember to show a little love to your skin!