Beauty Tips and Tricks
The Truth About Beauty
The Truth About Beauty
The truth: Our society is obsessed with beauty and a lot of women are willing to do almost anything in pursuit of it. These truths make it difficult to be a woman sometimes, but this doesn`t mean that we women have to live our lives by this truth, or that is should dictate how we feel about ourselves. The absolute truth is that beauty does come in all shapes and sizes.The Simple Truth
At some point in our lives, we women come to a crossroads. We either accept ourselves the way that we were created and strive to be our most healthy and beautiful version, or we spend our time and money pursuing the media`s ideal of beauty. The fact is that since it`s impossible to remove ourselves from society`s influence, either choice is hard. I believe, however, that if we choose to be our most beautiful and healthful selves within our own standards, we ultimately find more peace here in time.The Good News
The good news is that we women are consistently too hard on ourselves. How is that good news? That means that others always see us as more beautiful than we see ourselves - we simply don`t give ourselves enough credit. Moreover, we underestimate the amount of attention that our personality gets from others over our looks. We all know someone that isn`t calendar or pin-up material, but their energy, their charm, their humor, and the qualities that make them inherently unique make them highly attractive to us, enjoyable to be around, and many times, lovely to look at. We all know someone like that, but we just have a hard time believing that any one sees us this way. And that`s just not logical is it?At The End of the Day
It may seem hard to believe, but at the end of the day, what people remember about us is not the physical impression we make, but how we touch them personally. Many women find this difficult to keep in perspective, myself included. Here are some tips for helping yourself know how beautiful you are.Accept the fact that it`s hard for all of us and that how you feel is normal, and then do something about it. Most of us women feel at least okay about ourselves until we open that Victoria`s Secret catalog. If media images of women bother you and make you feel inadequate, that`s okay - now you know you`re human. Avoid them and focus your attention elsewhere.
Sexy Skin is In
If you think smooth sexy skin is only for celebrities like J.Lo, Beyonce and Jessica Alba, you're wrong. You can have it too. Here's how to get a flawless complexion, top to bottom. You manage to find the time to incorporate manicures, pedicures and haircuts into your busy schedule on a regular basis. But do you treat your skin right? Washing your face and removing makeup before bed is a start, but a weekly deep cleaning is essential to keeping your skin looking and feeling its best. We asked Manhattan-based skin care expert Lia Schorr to give us some tips for an easy and effective skin cleansing regimen to prep skin for changing seasons.
Step 1: Cleanse
Cleanse your face with a gentle, creamy liquid cleanser. "Bar soap is not only drying, but it's not hygienic," she says. "The dirt that comes off your hands ends up on your face." Put your liquid cleanser on a ball of cotton and then apply it to your skin. (Your hands just aren't clean enough, she says.) Make sure you rinse with lukewarm water because hot water can aggravate the skin and inflame capillaries.
Step 2: Tone
In the old days, toner was analogous to harsh. But there are a multitude of toners on the market today that are gentle and formulated to balance the skin. Schorr recommends using a gentle toner over your face and neck after you have rinsed thoroughly. This removes the last traces of your cleanser and restores the pH balance of the skin so it won't over-secrete or under-secrete oil. For oily or combination skin, you can use a toner that is more astringent. For oily skin, look for ingredients like witch hazel. It's true they are drying, but oily complexions may need this drying effect.
Step 3: Exfoliate
The purpose of gently exfoliating the skin is to remove the buildup of dead skin cells that causes breakouts. Also, you want to smooth the skin's surface so your treatment products can be absorbed more evenly. But don't use exfoliators that are too harsh, says Schorr. Look for very fine abrasives. Scrubs that contain ground-nut shells or apricot pits may irritate the skin because the edges are uneven and can cause microscopic tears. Never use loofahs and buff puffs on your face, she says. "Your face is not a floor and should not be scrubbed like one," she says. "Over-exfoliating will only result in removing healthy new skin."
Step 4: Steam
Gently steam your face once a week for five to ten minutes as part of your deep-cleansing ritual. Place a handful of chamomile in a pot of water and bring to a boil. Turn the flame off and let the mixture "brew" and cool. When it's cooled enough so the steam doesn't burn you, place a towel over your head for a tent-like effect and expose your face to the vapor. However tempting it may be, do not squeeze or pick any blemishes after you have steamed.
Step 5: Revitalize
Facial masks are used to revitalize and tighten the skin. For those with oily skin, clay- based masks are best. Hydrating gel masks or cream masks should be used by those with dry or sensitive skin. If you have combination skin, apply a mud mask only over the T-zone, which is the center of the forehead, nose and chin and the center of cheeks. For a real at-home "spa experience," soak two cotton balls in rosewater and then apply to eyelids while the mask is drying. Schorr recommends doing a "patch test" on your leg before applying a new type of mask to make sure you don't have an allergic reaction to it.
Step 6: Moisturize
Regularly moisturizing your skin is critical to maintaining young and healthy looking skin. Another very important reason to wear a daily moisturizer is for protection against the sun's damaging rays. Moisturizers should be used every morning and every night for maximum results. (Even oily complexions need some sort of moisturizer. Just make sure you find one that's non-comedogenic and formulated not to block pores.) Nighttime is the best time to apply repairing treatments such as anti-aging or anti-wrinkle creams. During the day, make sure you use a moisturizer that contains an SPF of at least 15.
Recommended Products
- Product Name: Silky Milky Cleanser
- Price: $35 for 8 ounces
- Available: Lia Schorr Day Spa, 212-486-9670
- Product Name: Cucumber Bracer Toner
- Price: $34 for 8 ounces
- Available: Lia Schorr Day Spa, 212-486-9670
- Product Name: Azuline Face Mask
- Price: $40 for 2 ounces
- Available: Lia Schorr Day Spa, 212-486-9670
Are Your Girl's Good Looks Worth The High Maintenance?
Gentlemen,let`s be sincere - this is a matter of self-assessment. She`s juggling a demanding list of priorities; and if she's doing it all with the composure of a goddess, there`s more at work than she`s letting you see. If it feels like she`s slacking off on her grooming a bit as your relationship progresses, don`t be too disappointed. She`s only human.
Despite how casual a woman may make the Superstar Illusion seem - hours, years, and loads of shopping, research, touch-ups and effort have gone into her appearance. It isn`t uncommon for a girl to spend about four hours getting ready for those first few dates.
Men do the same things, to some degree; but let`s face it. A woman`s societal value is largely judged by her appearance before other qualities. Whether you believe in these judgment standards or not, you were on some subconscious level exposed to their teachings since before your age became a whole number.
For those of you who do accept these ideals and openly think that it`s important for a woman to always look her best, don`t be ashamed. It`s okay to feel that way. What matters is whether the woman you`re with holds that same opinion. (And be sure to spot the closest emergency exit if you want to voice that opinion around unfamiliar females.)
The point where reality clashes with these cultural ideals is that, despite all of the good qualities that we are intended to foster, our time and energy is limited. It isn`t possible to have the perfect body, academic history, health, relationship, job, family, home, and the perfect state of mind. With a significant amount of effort, however, one may be able to straddle an illusion of having all these things. The real-world truth is that it takes work and compromise - or a lot of luck and good genes.
If you`re one of the many men who are brave enough to admit that you want a girl who has it all, be ready to look at her realistically - especially if you want her presentability to be paramount. A killer body can eat away hours every day at the gym; sleek, hair-free skin on limbs south of the eyebrows is expensive, laborious, and often painful to maintain; an immaculate complexion is nearly impossible to come by. Those awesome, matching lace bra-and-panty sets probably don`t come in multiples of thirty in her closet. There`s got to be a ratty, gray training bra in there somewhere.
Guys are commonly baffled when the diva they got on the first date slowly starts looking plainer. No, she`s not getting lazy. Considering everything in her life she has to micromanage, she now has a blooming relationship to look after, which will be gradually taking up more of her time. That means less time primping.
It`s much like when a woman complains that her sweetheart doesn`t take her out to fancy restaurants anymore or buy her jewelry on every lesser occasion, like St. Patrick`s Day. Guys` resources are just as finite as their girlfriend`s; and a stable, involved relationship entails moving past the wooing phase in which you put forth an unusual effort to impress, towards a more intimate arrangement in which you begin sharing realities. In reality, if nobody`s seeing their legs... a lot of gals don`t shave them every day.
Keep in mind that if you feel nostalgic of those first few knockout days, the best way to bring out the diva in her is to take her on a fancy date again. Effort shown is duly rewarded.
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