By Kim Putens “How can I get rid of the fine lines, dark circles, and puffiness around my eyes?” The eye area is the most delicate and where the first signs of aging begin to creep up on us. Most often, it is the area that is most neglected until we see that first wrinkle. The most important thing to realize is that prevention is the best defense against the inevitable aging process. Choosing to use an eye cream at an early age is the best defense against those fine lines creeping in before we’re ready. There are also a few other remedies to weaken the defenses of those fine lines and to address other eye concerns. Aging – When we begin to age, the eye area is the first to show those signs. That is why it is the most important area to take care of. Taking care of our eyes is quite simple – moisturizer. Keeping the eye area moisturized is key to maintaining its elasticity and keeping the crows feet and wrinkles away. Choosing an appropriate moisturizer is important. Too light of a moisturizer won’t be effective and too heavy of a moisturizer will just make your make-up a runny mess. To determine the right weight of a moisturizer, look for a moisturizer that absorbs into the skin just enough to still provide relief and still be a little slick. Furthermore, the right moisturizer must not be too intense. The eye area is the most delicate skin on our face and requires that we take great care to ensure it is treated accordingly. A moisturizer designed specifically for the eye area is the best choice. Choosing any facial moisturizer isn’t appropriate because they often contain too many active ingredients that are too much for the eye area…
By Kim Putens It has been an unusually hot summer. I have been struggling with every aspect of my grooming. Every product I put in my hair either feels sticky or does not perform at all. With such thin hair, I rely upon my products to perform. But, in this heat and humidity, it is almost impossible. My solution: a ponytail almost every day. Most daunting for me, however, has been my makeup. I need to wear makeup. I have dark circles under my eyes – thanks to heredity – and my skin can be sallow when I get a bit of color. The problem: the extreme heat and high humidity make my makeup feel like it is slipping off my face. I wonder if others are struggling with this same problem. So, I thought I would offer some tips and solutions I have found that help to keep my makeup in place and looking good. Tip #1 – Lighten Up. All of us, despite our best attempts to cover up, will get a little bit of sun this summer. This presents an opportunity and a challenge. The opportunity – to lessen the number of layers of makeup you would normally wear. The challenge – the colors we wear when we are paler will change when we get a hint of color. My suggestions: Put away the foundation. Either switch to a tinted moisturizer or wear nothing at all. I would lean toward nothing. Even a tinted moisturizer will feel heavy in extremely humid climates. Substitute foundation or tinted moisturizer with a powder or bronzer. If you use powder, however, only dust on your skin lightly with a brush. Please resist the need to blot with a sponge. If you use a puff or sponge, you could make the powder…
By Kim Putens Summer hits and we immediately toss off our boots and pull out our flip-flops. Undoubtedly we do this out of relief that warm air has arrived and because our feet need a break from winter’s confining shoes. But, most of the time, we really do not take note of the condition of our neglected winter feet. For many of us, it simply means a trip to the local spa for a pedicure followed by weekly or bi-weekly visits to keep them looking good. For me, the idea of a $60 pedicure makes me cringe. Multiply that by several trips a month … I have better things to spend my money on. It really is not that hard to take care of your feet and keep them looking fabulous – all at a fraction of the cost. Uncover and Observe. Slip off your shoes and take note of the condition of your feet from the winter. I mean really take a look at them. I most notice my feet while doing yoga. For some reason, this is when I get up close and personal with my feet and take notice of their condition. I notice all the calluses that have built up, the rough skin on my heels, and the un-groomed toenails. Peel Back the Layers. Now it is time to get rid of the rough build up from winter. Invest in a good foot file. Most foot files dull out over time; most notably pumice stones wear out very quickly. While you might have to spend a little more money for a really good one, it should last forever if taken care of properly. The best are those made of crushed diamonds. Sounds decadent, but if you think about it, diamonds do not wear out and they…
By Kim Putens With the change in weather comes adjustments in the way we care for and dress our skin. For men, the changes may actually mean more work. They may actually have to consider caring for their skin before heading out into the bright sun. While, for women, these changes might mean less work – lighter skin care products and less make-up. For women, the result may be a quicker routine. So, what must you do to get ready for summer? For starters, get a really good sunscreen. Consider two different types of sunscreen products. One that is for maximum protection. This would be a typical sunscreen product that you would use when playing sports and going to the pool or beach. Another sunscreen product would be for every day. This would be a light moisturizer with sunscreen. A tinted moisturizer with sunscreen would be a good choice to add a little color, even out skin tone, and provide protection from the sun. Second, take a look at your skin care regimen. Even the driest of skin types need to lighten up on skin care products in the summer. I have dry, like the Sahara desert, skin in the winter, but in the summer my skin is much more moist due to the natural humidity in the air. Be sure to switch up your skin care regimen to products that are more appropriate for the current climate. Many products used during the winter months can be pore clogging in the summer. Even though my skin is dry in the winter, I reach for much lighter moisturizers in the summer. If you have combination skin, consider only using moisturizer at night. Your skin may be naturally moist enough during the day that you may not need one. Try it out,…
By Genevieve LeFranc As former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright so deftly put it, “There is a special place in hell for women who do not help other women.” With Mother’s Day fast approaching, it’s the perfect time to not only thank the women we love, but to also learn from them. Some of the best beauty advice comes from the women in our lives we respect and admire most for their inner and outer beauty. This month I reached out to beautiful women I know. I asked them to share their beauty knowledge and beauty tips, how they work with their different features and skin types, or a philosophy they swear by. These smart, savvy women tell us which products work for them, and the simple, seemingly obvious rules many of them live by. They represent different ages, races, and ethnicities across a wide beauty spectrum. From students and professionals to new moms and grandmothers, let’s join forces, share the girl power, and trade our tricks! Dolores M. – 56 On eye makeup and aging: Wearing eye makeup is getting more difficult as I age and wrinkles appear, especially around my eyes. Those fine little wrinkles are places where eye makeup settles and I end up looking like I’ve done a bad job applying eye shadow! As a result I am at the point where I just use mascara to enhance my eyes—rarely do I use eye shadow. Go-to product: I’ve used Oil of Olay (the original pink stuff) all my life and lately have been using their nighttime firming cream. Kyle A. – 20 Go-to product: My all-time favorite is Maybelline Falsies mascara. This little tube of magic makes my lashes fuller and longer. Who knew I could get million dollar lashes for less than 10 bucks! Favorite…
By Kim Putens Spring is finally here – a great time to pair back the layers of our beauty routines, and lighten our load. The big trend this spring is lighter make-up. Forget the heavy pigments and piled on high make-up from winter. This is the time to let your natural skin shine through. The beauty trends for spring that we like look like a resurrection of the 60’s and 70’s – natural, ethereal, dewy and colorful. Barefaced, doe-eyed, and pale colors, reminiscent of Bridget Bardot, are flooding the beauty scene. SKIN – Beautiful skin that looks like it has barely been touched is the trend. This is the time to throw out those heavy, matte foundations and make room for tinted moisturizers. Tinted moisturizers will give your skin a hydrated look with very little effort. And, because they are lighter in weight, your skin won’t look like it’s been fitted with a mask of make-up. It’s also time to let skin shine, but not sparkle. Shining with shimmer and glitter is not the objective. The key to this look is keeping the skin looking hydrated as though it’s glowing from within. It’s best to look for products infused with mica that help to reflect natural light and make the skin glow. Also, a natural looking glow is one that is subtle and applied strategically either on the cheekbones or around the temples. CHEEKS – Get cheeky this spring with a dab of dewiness. Simply add a little gloss or mica enriched moisturizer to the cheeks to make them glow. Do this while keeping the cheek color subtle, but fresh. Look for barely-there colors of light pinks and peach tones. You can also give your cheeks a lift by adding cream bronzer below the cheekbone area. This will automatically turn…
By Genevieve LeFranc After bone dry winter weeks of resorting to messy buns and wool caps to mask lifeless, static-stricken locks, everyone is ready for a new hair look. Temperatures are fluctuating and spring is right around the corner, but I just can’t wait to give my favorite transitional season look a go…..the braid. While spring and summer provide the moisture to give hair gorgeous volume and texture, winter weather strips your mane of any body or bounce. A braid, however, doesn’t rely on volume to look great, and instantly disguises limp locks in a chic and put-together ’do. It’s quick, easy, and looks effortlessly sexy. Unlike popular trends like skinny jeans or skin-tight minis, braids work for women of all ages—everyone can wear them! Braids are an inclusive trend women can get in on and pull off, no matter age or hair length. I love braids because they can be dressed up or down, transition easily to a workout, are appropriate and practical for work, simple and sexy for a date, and add flair to typical pulled-back styles. Many women avoid braids due to their juvenile reputation earned by the likes of Pippi Longstocking and Cindy Brady. However, braids are now more edgy and modern and have been elevated to high-glam status by the many celebrities sporting them. For those of us past our awkward youth but bored with ponytails and uptight buns, braids are the perfect way to switch up your hairstyle while remaining age appropriate, stylish, and elegant. Give these various styles a go this spring, and you’ll be in on the latest hair trend hitting the runway and red carpet. The Messy Side Braid Probably my favorite braid style, the messy braid is the epitome of effortless, relaxed sexy—this undone style gives off a carefree, sultry…
By Kimberly Putens As if the cold, blustery weather of winter isn’t enough to make most of us want to crawl under our covers and not come out until spring, the havoc it wreaks on our hair is, well, hair-raising. Static electricity, moisture depletion, and not-so-nice texture can make for very bad hair days. To combat the winter hair blues, its best, in theory, to start in the fall before the winter blast hits. Developing a strategy of move frequent trims and treatments in the fall will ensure smooth sailing into winter. The best strategy is to whack off those dead ends in the fall so that the hair has a fighting chance by starting off healthy. Like most of us, that’s all well and good, in theory. So, what to do? First off, it’s never too late to get your hair trimmed. So, book an appointment with your stylist to get your ends trimmed and looking healthy again. That in and of itself will instantly give the hair a boost because dryness starts at the ends. Other things to consider are avoiding and repairing the dryness that winter brings upon our hair. Most of us know that the dryness outside can cause dryness to our hair, but it’s also the dryness inside that exacerbates the problem. Going from the cold, dry climate of the outside to the warm, dry climate of the inside puts a lot of stress on the hair. One strategy for keeping hair looking good starts with a hat. Yes, a hat. We all know how keeping our head covered is key to keeping warmth in our bodies; the same is true about maintaining moisture levels within your hair. Wearing a hat to prevent split ends and breakage is tantamount to wearing gloves to keep your…
By Kim Putens The holidays are over and the winter blues have set in. You looked fabulous getting through the holiday parties, the trips to see Santa, and the late-night shopping adventures, but the hectic schedule and craziness have left you feeling blah. So, here’s how to survive the winter blues and look good doing it. Take care of your skin. When your skin looks great, your makeup looks even better. During these cold, drab winter months, it’s easy for our skin to start looking dull and lifeless. A couple of ideas to jumpstart the appearance of your skin – apply a mask, experience a deep exfoliation, and apply a richer moisturizer. Try a mask that has rejuvenating properties. Masks that rejuvenate the skin work to exfoliate off dead skin and bring back its natural glow. These masks specifically get the blood flowing to the surface so that the skin looks youthful and glowing. A deep exfoliation will get rid of the layers of dull dry skin that have accumulated as a natural winter blanket on the skin. Most over the counter physical exfoliants – the granular ones – will do the trick. Chemical exfoliants with glycolic acid are also very effective. Finally, make sure to apply a richer moisturizer than usual. These winter months are incredibly dry and impact the skin’s natural moisture levels. Using a proper moisturizer is important in providing relief and in diminishing the look of dry, aging skin. Take care of your hair. For many of us, our mood and how we approach the day is dependent upon the way our hair looks. Frizzy hair, split ends, and lifeless locks are consequences of the dry winter months. Frizzy locks are very common. There are many ways to help the hairs lay flat. Try a deep…
By Lauren Bowling Forget Hallmark movies or Christmas trees in Home Depot. I know the holiday season has started when my skin starts freaking out on Black Friday. If you’re like me and experience multiple nasty breakouts every yuletide season, you’re not alone. And while you may wonder, “Is it just the types of foods I’m eating and all the holiday booze that’s driving my skin crazy?” the answer is yes. And also no. This month long period known as “the holidays” are the perfect storm for bad skin ― not only because of food and alcohol, but also because of holiday travel, unavoidable winter weather, irregular schedules and expected holiday stress. And while these things definitely happen all at once during the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, the tips for mitigating holiday skin woes work for any period during the winter months when chaos wreaks havoc on your normal diet and routine. Holiday Skin Sin #1: Skipping Sleep Maybe you don’t associate the holidays with a lack of sleep, but there are many sneaky factors that can make December the most sleepless time of the year. To start, alcohol majorly impacts sleep, and holiday stress ― from financial obligations to juggling work and a packed social calendar ― can keep us up longer. But if you want to keep your skin in peak condition during the holidays, getting good sleep is key. “Lack of sleep not only makes us feel bad, but makes our skin look tired, too,” said Sandra Lee, a board-certified dermatologist and doctor behind the popular TLC show Dr. Pimple Popper. “Bags under the eyes are more obvious, skin looks more sallow, we are probably smiling less, and this translates to negativity,” she told HuffPost. Holiday Skin Sin #2: Indulging In the Wrong Holiday Foods “Most people believe greasy foods lead…
View More