Happy New Year’s Eve everyone! It is time to wash away 2008 and put on a new face of beginnings. May 2009 be a beautiful year full of clear skin, beautiful smiles, and peace and love in all areas of our lives.
Who knows what the new year will bring, but it is going to be exciting to find out. May God bless us and may we cherish each day.
Did you make any New Year’s resolutions? I don’t really make New Year’s resolutions. Each and every day is a new day and a new beginning. Live life to the fullest and if you mess up, tomorrow is a new day.
Here’s to a happy 2009!
Cheers!
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Aging happens to everybody. Unfortunately, as we get older our eyes cannot see words in books or blogs as clearly as in the past. Do you think you might need glasses? It is important to take care of your eyes and providing them with glasses will keep you from squinting. And the less your squint, the less wrinkles you will get around your eyes. Anti wrinkle cream works, but so does the proper glasses.
There are simple reading glasses that are cute too. They make really nice glasses nowadays, in big brand names as well. Looking like the sexy secretary every once in awhile probably won't be so bad either. If they really bother you though, you could always try contacts. It is all about seeing better and making sure you don't squint, which can cause more wrinkles.
So have fun reading your books next to a warm fire this winter and be cute doing it. Also remember to wear sunscreen around your eyes even in the winter. Sunscreen is the best anti-aging skincare product. If your face sunscreen stings your eyes then try using a separate one for around your eyes. Use a gentle physical one or the Hawaiian Tropics Baby Faces and Tender Places one is really gentle too. Don't forget about sunglasses either. You can buy prescription sunglasses as well. Sunglasses with broad spectrum UVA/UVB built right into the lenses will protect you from the sun's harsh rays. Sunglasses are wonderful for anti-aging and they will last you forever, unlike the anti wrinkle creams.
Mineral makeup is huge right now. I do not personally use mineral makeup, but most of my friends do and my Mom does too. My friend has asked me why I do not use mineral makeup? No reason. I have just never tried it.
Mineral makeup contains natural ingredients, including Titanium dioxide and Zinc oxide. Having sunscreen in makeup never hurts that is for sure. And some say that Zinc oxide actually help people with acne, which is one reason why many acne prone say that mineral makeup heals their acne.
Please be aware though, that just wearing mineral makeup alone without sunscreen is not enough protection for everyday running around. Remember to apply a ¼ teaspoon of sunscreen to your face everyday.
Since, researching mineral makeup and sunscreen more, I have found that wearing a physical sunscreen with mineral makeup is best. If you wear a chemical sunscreen the oxides in the makeup can destabilize the ingredients in the chemical sunscreen. Many people do however, say that is taking it too far and that there is little affect by wearing mineral makeup over chemical sunscreen. So it is up to you and your instincts.
My Mom has asked me to look for good mineral makeup that provides great coverage, but still feels light. Mineralsecrets.com looks like a great place to me, what do you think? There is no membership to join and they have free access to aestheticians to answer any of your questions. Plus, you can buy trial sizes, I recommend buying a trial size of pretty much any new beauty product to test it out. Try out the mineral makeup product for a week or two in order to see how you like it and if it breaks you out or not.
Merry Christmas! I hope you all are having a beautiful Christmas with your loved ones today.
Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior was born on Christmas day. Celebrate the greatest gift you will ever receive today. The gift of life. God gave his sinless, perfect son to humble himself into a baby human boy in a manger.
And the loving Lord Jesus Christ gave his life to erase all of our sins, for we are all sinners. All we have to do is accept this wonderful gift and we will be forgive of our sins and we will go to heaven.
Merry Christmas to all!
May you find God everyday and be filled with love, peace, and patience this new year!
Matthew 1:21 "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
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If you have been reading my blog, then you may know that the Vaseline brand is one of my favorite lotions. Vaseline is one of the most moisturizing ingredients. Plus, it comes right from the earth so how more natural can you get, for all you natural product lovers out there.
Well, guess what? Vaseline has a new lotion! It is called Vaseline Clinical Therapy lotion. I actually received an email about it. Here is a video all about the new lotion:
Did you watch the video? This Vaseline Clinical Therapy lotion started in a small town in Alaska and it spreaded by word of mouth! Since, Alaska is very cold in these winter months, it was a perfect place to try it out. I heard that it is not too greasy, too thick, not too thin.
Here are the ingredients: Active Ingredients: Dimethicone (1%) (Skin Protectant)
It has more glycerin and Dimethicone than other Vaseline lotions. There are so many debates on which is better, Vaseline or glycerin. And so I have heard that a combo of Vaseline and glycerin works best. Plus, this Clinical Therapy lotion is suppose to provide 60% more moisture than prescription lotion, but you can buy it over the counter!
I really want to try this lotion out! I will let you know how I like it in a future post.
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On these cold crazy weather days, how do you fix your hair? I am not a big heat styling lady. I prefer to use the least amount of blow drying and curling iron as I can. Of course my hair is naturally straight. A couple pieces in front are not perfectly straight, but all the rest is.
If I do use a blow dryer I make sure to use a heat protectant spray, one with no alcohol and little to no silicones or any ingredient with -cone at the end. There are water-soluble -cones that are okay, because they wash out easily with just water. I use VO5 miracle mist, but I think they discontinued their product. So on to find a new hair product, isn’t that the worst when they discontinue a product?
Also smoothing a drop of jojoba oil or silicone cream in your hair can help if it is raining. Again, it depends if your hair likes silicone or not. Some people love silicone and some people don’t.
Happy hair day!
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Are there days when you have perfectly clear skin, free from blemishes? I still have a few little post acne marks left over from past acne. However, there are days when I do not have a single pimple.
Since, I was around 12 years old I cannot remember a day where I did not have a least one pimple. It was not until these last couple years where I have enjoyed the experience of completely clear skin. I do still get pimples some days now, but my face is not covered.
Have you experience clear skin before? I know some people have naturally clear skin and hardly ever get one pimple. Do they take their clear skin for granted, I bet they do sometimes. I am happy that they have been blessed with such great skin. And I know that I am happy to have one day of clear skin, I do not take it for granted and hope I never do.
However, be happy everyday with whatever skin you have at that moment, because it could always be worst.
Here’s to a day of clear beautiful skin!
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Shopping, shopping, and more shopping. Did you make sure to pick up all the skincare essentials for everybody on your list? Have you gotten all of your Christmas shopping done yet? What about your Dad? Is he worried about aging at all? Does he want to look his best? I have just about bought something for everybody. Of course my Dad’s birthday is the day after Christmas so I will have to pick something extra up for him next week and I am thinking about getting him the best anti wrinkle cream.
Men need skincare products too. Sunscreen is the number one anti-aging product to buy, then retinoids. Hopefully, you can get your dad to use at least the sunscreen. Make sure it is a good one that protects against UVA and UVB rays. The sun's rays are very harsh and a huge cause of wrinkles. So give your Dad the best anti aging wrinkle cream ever, sunscreen. Yes, start thinking of sunscreen as an anti aging cream, because really is the best.
Christmas is all about giving and helping those less fortunate than you. Giving tells someone that you care about them. Giving also makes you feel happy and healthy too.
And do not forget the reason for the season. Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior was born on Christmas day! Jesus Christ is all about love and life.
Lets love each other and give to each other a little more this Christmas. Giving shows God thanks for everything he has given you. And shouldn't we all try to honor God a little more at Christmas time?
What does all of this have to do with beauty? It is beautiful to give and make others smile. Giving brings more joy to everybody. And smiling more makes you more beautiful. A smile can light up the room, a smile is contagious, a smile makes you more happy, a smile is beautiful.
Stay beautiful and happy during this Christmas season everybody!
Green and natural skincare products are becoming more and more popular. Especially, with the “man-made global warming."
Now, I am all for protecting the earth and natural ingredients, but a product has to work. And not all natural skincare products work. And not all of the natural ingredients are safe, many do not all go through the rigorous testing as chemical ingredients do.
Well, California and the California Environmental Protection Agency has their final recommendations for the green chemistry legislation. (cosmeticsdesign.com)
Expand pollution prevention and product stewardship programs.
Develop green chemistry education and training through new and existing programs and partnerships.
Create an online product ingredient network to disclose chemical ingredients for products sold in California, while protecting trade secrets.
Create an online toxics clearinghouse or online database of chemical toxicity and hazards populated with the guidance of a Green Ribbon Science Panel to help prioritize chemicals of concern and data needs.
Accelerate the quest for safer products, creating a systematic, science-based process to evaluate chemicals of concern and alternatives to ensure product safety and reduce or eliminate the need for chemical-by-chemical bans.
Move towards a cradle-to-cradle economy, establishing a California Green Products Registry to develop green metrics and tools (e.g. environmental footprint calculators, sustainability indexes) for a range of consumer products and encourage their use by businesses.
"To exercise these new powers in the best interests of consumers, state regulators will have to develop a science-based program to identify chemicals of concern, evaluate them and analyze alternatives.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) claims it is watered down and devoid of substance.
“We hope we're wrong,” said EWG president Richard Wiles. “But these bills do not establish a human health safety standard or public health goal for chemicals of concern or their prospective substitutes. In fact, they are completely devoid of any tangible commitment to protect the health of the people of California.
“They provide a statutory shield for chemical companies who want to delay health protections and preserve the status quo while bureaucrats ponder the problem.”' (cosmeticdesign.com)
Knowing that the ingredients in our skincare products are safe is very important. All of this new regulation sounds very costly though and it sounds like it may hurt the companies and consumers' pocket books. I am for chemical companies too, I think all of the testing that they already do makes a product more safe than some natural ingredients.
And actually there is no such thing as a chemical free skincare product. Did you know that water is a chemical? Yup that is right, so is air. Water is H20 and air is made up of the chemicals nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide. So do not believe a company that tells you they are chemical free, because they are NOT! There is no reason to avoid chemicals at all cost in your products. Many natural companies like to cause fear and panic about chemicals, because that will get you to pay more for a product that may not even work. Plus, we know that the majority of chemical sunscreens have better protection of UVA rays than physical natural sunscreens.
The cold, dry, winter days can be harsh on your lips too. What is your favorite lip product. Lots of people like the regular original Vaseline, regular chap stick, Burts Beewax, Lipfusion, Lansinoh, and my favorite Aquaphor.
Aquaphor healing ointment is a thick petroleum jelly like Vaseline, except better. Aquaphor contains some medication in it too, so it protects your lips a little better.
Here are the ingredients: Active Ingredient: Petroleum (41%), Inactive Ingredients: Mineral Oil, Ceresin, Lanolin Alcohol, Panthenol, Glycerin, Bisabolol
The panthenol and glycerin may help to moistorize your lips more too. Petroleum and minerol oil form a protective layer over your lips, allowing your lips time to heal and protect themselves from the environment. Bisabolol is also an very good anti-irritant and anti-inflammatory.
I wear Aquaphor every night and it last pretty much the whole night on me. I use to have to reapply chap stick every couple hours, but with Aquaphor I hardly ever reapply.
Aquaphor can also be wore on the driest parts of your body, like your hands, feet, and even your face. If your face gets really irritated and dry from harsh skincare products, try a thin layer of Aquaphor over night.
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My skin is pretty good. My skin was really clear for a couple weeks and then all of the sudden I started getting little pimples on my chin and cheeks again. At least they are tiny ones, hopefully the spots will be gone after a few days.
During this busy Christmas season try not to stress. Stress does NOT cause acne, but stress can aggravate your acne. Stress can make you sweat more, which could cause more pimples too.
So have a happy Christmas season, make sure to take time out to spend with your love ones. If you are stuck in your car during busy shopping traffic, make sure to relax by listening to Christmas music. Take some time out for yourself. You deserve it, it is Christmas time after all.
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Rather you choose to make a gift for someone or buy it, you are bound to be on your feet a lot this month. The Christmas season is the time for shopping. Giving to your love ones and those less fortunate is important for everyone, perhaps pick up a jar of Vaseline as a stocking stuffer.
Being on your feet can be great for your waistline, as I mentioned in yesterday’s post, but it can also bring havoc on your feet. Taking care of your feet during the wintertime should be on your list too.
The cold, windy, winter days can make your feet more dry. And the extra time on your feet can make them sore. It is time to treat your feet with a little gift for their strength of holding you up this season.
Every night put on a little extra thick cream or the original Vaseline in a big tub all over your feet. Then slip on your cozy soft socks and get your beauty sleep. Since it is wintertime, wearing socks should not be too hard or hot. Many people wonder how to get great feet for summer, but taking care of them in the winter is essential too. And if you take care of them now you may not even need to ship them into shape come summertime.
Are you feeling the holiday spirit yet? Are you feeling joyful and healthy?
I like to celebrate pretty much the whole month of December. Baking cookies and buying candy starts early along with decorating. I am excited for all the cookies, fudge, and hot chocolate.
How do we still stay beautiful without the extra bulge? Shopping helps and we all do a lot of that during Christmas time. Also try to exercise everyday for at least 30 minutes.
Exercise will keep you in shape, healthy, and happy. Stress from the holidays can add up and exercise is a great way to beat that stress. Colds float around during Christmas time too and exercise can help defeat that as well.
So make exercise a top priority this month.
Also do not forget to enjoy those cookies and fudge! Everything in moderation is key.
Here’s to good health and a Merry Christmas season!
There is a recent study that says if you listen to music, it makes you happy. And your blood vessels will expand causing greater blood flow, which helps the health of your heart.
“And the benefits of joyful music are even greater than that of laughter, according to the researchers from the University of Maryland."(dailymail.co.uk)
Listening to music that makes you happy is better than laughter for your heart! That is amazing! I knew laughter was always good for you and that music was too, but the fact that it is better is remarkable. It is nice to add another way to prevent heart problems.
They say that heavy music can make some people anxious, but if heavy music makes you happy then listen to it. Do not listen to music that you do not like or that makes you anxious, it will have the opposite effect and contract your blood vessels.
I usually listen to rock music and while it is not heavy metal, I can see their point. Lately I have been listening to Christian music of all kinds and I have noticed that I have been more happy lately. And now that I know it helps my heart, I am even more happy.
And being happy and wearing a smile is the key to being beautiful!
I just read a post about fish oil over at BeautyBrains.com one of my favorite fellow beauty bloggers. They talked about how fish oil really does not have any effect on the skin.
I have talked about fish oil here and in another post titled Fish Oil Omega-3 and Beauty Within. I came to the conclusion that fish oil really helps the inside of your body and overall health more than your skin.
I think the question is, what are you looking for omega-3 oil to do to your skin? If you are looking for fish oil to make your skin more soft and moisturized, then a lotion can do that.
Perhaps it is just best to up you intake on salmon and tuna. Forget paying extra for oily pills that may or may not have much affect on your skin. I will have to study more about this though, because so many doctors keep saying to use omega-3 oil for skin and many other benefits.
Antioxidants are all the rage right now in skincare products, as I have mentioned in previous anti aging post here and another antioxidants post here. Antioxidants are suppose to fight free radicals that cause oxidative damage and aging.
Well a new study has found out that the 50 year old theory on free radicals or superoxide is basically wrong! There is not enough evidence to back it up anymore! Superoxide is not a major cause of aging.
Dr David Gems a researcher at the Institute of Healthy aging at UCL has stated:
“Oxidative damage is clearly not a universal, major driver of the aging process. Other factors, such as chemical reactions involving sugars in our body, clearly play a role."
So all of the skincare products that have antioxidants really do not have much of an affect on the skin. And eating a balance diet is very important for your skin and overall well-being, but there is also no clear evidence that supports dietary antioxidants for anti-aging.
We just still need to learn more about the aging process.
So try to age gracefully as best as you can with a smile on your face!
I stopped using a toner months ago and have never looked back. I have found that my skin does not need them. So once less skincare product to buy! :)
If you do use a toner, gentle is usually best. I use to like Neutrogena’s ones, Nivea moisturizing ones, or witch hazel. Toners with no alcohol are the least irritating. And I have oily acne prone skin. Medicated ones full of alcohol are not always needed for my type of skin types. Often times using a medicated toner and acne medication afterwards can be too much.
It took me a long time to realize I did not need a medicated toner and then a long time to realize I did not need any toner!
Is it time to check your toner skincare product needs?
Chocolate taste so good and all the antioxidants are so good for you! Be sure to pick up some super dark chocolate during this month and Christmas time.
Eating chocolate also makes you feel good. Chocolate affects the mood and in a positive way. Chocolate contains many vitamins and other substances that affect your endorphins.
Anandamide is one substance in chocolate that acts like marijuana by affecting the same brain receptors giving a very mild high and there are other substances in chocolate, which prolong the good feeling.
The skincare companies are jumping on this feel good feeling for anti-aging skincare products too.
“A nanoemulsions of the cocoa bean extract is the latest ingredient to join Mibelle's skin care portfolio. Anandamide, which binds to the cannabinoid receptors found in the central nervous system, is involved in the reduction of pain, the stimulation of mood and the relaxation of muscles.
However, cannabinoid receptors are not only found in the central nervous system. They have also been identified in the mast cells, hair follicles and nerve cells of the skin leading the company to investigate anadamides potential as a skin care ingredient." (cosmeticdesign-europe.com)
Anything with chocolate I am all for! This sweet ingredient sounds like a wonderful promising skincare ingredient to me.
