At this time of the year our skin needs extra help.
Typically it is experiencing all kinds of stress from the heat,
perspiration mucking up the pores, sunscreens and humidity holding extra grime against the surface, and the extra oil production that the summer and a good dose of humidity bring.
Conversely if you live in a dry heat, you're constantly battling the overwhelming loss of water and moisture from your skin.
So you need to add some repair products and some booster products to your skin care regimen.
I cover this in an upcoming SheKnowsTV show, but here on the blog I'm going to breakdown the individual products that I talk about, so you can get a little more info.
All the products come from a fabulous skincare website that everyone can access, no matter where you are in the world,
Sometimes it hard to get all the details I give on products on our SheKnows shows, and often we have to edit loads of cool info out in order to keep the segments within the time frame allocated.
So I'm going to blog a new category "As Seen On SheKnowsTV" so that its easy to find.
The first of these is from our How To Do The Perfect Red Lip show.
We talked about the 3 P's: Prep it, Prime it and then Paint it!
Because a red lip is so incredibly vibrant and noticeable, the condition of your lips is even more important than ever!
Start prepping the lip by exfoliating away any dead skin or flaky patches.
I'm loving the organic Lip Tea Scrubs from h.wood.beauty (www.hwoodbeauty.com)
(For those of you not in the thriving Hollywood night scene, H.Wood Tea Room is a super chic hangout for the likes of Katy Perry, Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, famous for its Wednesday night "Prohibition Teas")
Follow the scrub with the h.wood.beauty lip balm. This keeps the lip hydrated and nourished, while you are applying the rest of your makeup.
When everything else is done and you're starting your lips its time to lift away any remaining lip balm, and apply a lip primer.
My favorite is Lip Putty from Face Atelier (www.faceatelier.com). Its super sheer, but fills in the lines in the lip, making the lipstick go on extra smooth. It also stops lipstick from feathering, and gives it something extra to hold onto, so your perfect red lip lasts much longer!
Next its time to Paint the lip. Start with your lip liner. First line the lip, then turn the liner on its side and fill the lip in. This helps to create a deep and lasting stain.
Finally use a really good lipbrush - I recommend the Corinna B lip brush (www.CorinnaB.com), to apply the lipstick. A lip brush will give you both precision and longevity as it presses the product into the lip.
Blot once, reapply, and you have the perfect red lip!
I just did a segment on Fox Arizona's Breakfast Show
all about how long makeup products last.
If you google the shelf life of makeup you'll find all kinds of hysteria
that will make you want to throw everything you own in the trash
and buy all new products.
I think that's a load of hooey.
Here's the lowdown, according to me.
* Cosmetic products are loaded with preservatives and last a long long time.
Even organic products contain preservatives and frequently have as much as 50% synthetic preservative in them.(Synthetics last much longer than natural preservatives)
Even if a product has the USDA Organic seal on it, it only has to be 95% organic, so you may still get synthetic chemicals in the mix.
* When reading the ingredients in makeup, the preservatives, most commonly the paraben family,
will appear as, amongst other names, long chemical names that begin with propyl, ethyl, methyl, butyl,etc etc
and frequently end with zoic or zoic acid. Without them your products will have the shelf life of a glass of milk on a kitchen counter.
* The shelf life of your products is largely determined by you, and how you take care of them.
1. Keep them out of direct sunlight
2. Keep them away from heat
Ideally store them in a drawer or cabinet.
3. Maintain really good hygiene standards.
Keep products clean
Don't put fingers into the
Put lids and caps back on them
Sharpen pencils regularly
Clean your makeup brushes regularly
Replace makeup sponges frequently.
* You can generally tell when a product has gone bad.
1. The texture changes. You may see separation in the product, or you may just notice it looks funny.
2. The color changes. Obvious in a lipstick or foundation, but in more transparent products you may see a milkiness or cloudiness or you may see a white lotion has turned a yellow shade. If the color has changed, throw the product out.
3.The smell changes. If the smell has changed at all its a good idea to throw the product out. Preservatives keep products from smelling funny, so if the smell is off then it may mean the preservative has lost its strength.
* Mascaras tend to need replacing most frequently.
If your mascara is drying out or flaking, its time to replace it. Generally they're good for around 12 weeks.
Try to buy fewer products and go for good quality, rather than having masses of the cheap stuff.
Cheap products contain the cheaper ingredients (such as the cheaper synthetic preservatives) and in higher concentration. These ingredients are more likely to cause Dermatitis, allergies and irritation.
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