The Top Colors Of Summer

Every season or so, fashion houses release new styles and new colors. This summer, there are six colors one should include to be on top of things.  Some of the colors are beautifully bright while others are more subdued.  The colors can be incorporated into the wardrobe you already have by wearing a scarf, buying a new blouse, or pants.  You don't have to buy everything new.

The first color to look at is yellow but not just any yellow. Although the use of a pale, buttery yellow is still being used, the bright sunshine yellows are gaining popularity but it's not a highlighter yellow.  If you add the bright yellow in via a scarf, or shoes, it will pop out, drawing people's attention.  On the other hand, if you prefer more attention, buy a suit or dress in the color. People often feel that yellow is a difficult color to wear but if you find a shade that goes with your skin tone, you'll look great.  If you have cool undertones, look at a daffodil, lemon, or super bright yellow but if you have warm undertones, look more at a goldenrod, buttercup, or honey shades.

Next, check out a pale purple such as lilac, periwinkle, or lavender.  Since it is a pale shade, it won't pop in the same way as brighter colors so look at using more of the color in a midi dress, large tote bag, or a long sleeved blouse or do a whole outfit from head to toe in a pale purple. 

The third color to check out is a bright lime shade that is close to a neon green. This is such a bright color, one should only wear it if you like standing out in a crowd.  Match the lime shade pieces of clothing with neutral shades so it doesn't overwhelm you or match it up with pastels and paler shades for a more subdued look.

Of course, the bright barbie pink is still a popular shade.  This popular color is one that flatters more people and is an easy shade to wear. This is a shade that could be worn as a maxi dress, a wide legged pair of trousers, or it can be used as a pop of color via a small handbag, or summer sandals. It is a color that makes people smile.

Next, look at a sunset orange. This shade enhances your summer glow without needing to use extra bronzer.  This orange is not horrible.  The best way to wear it is to pair it with white so you get more of a creamsicle look. In addition, this shade looks good with so many other shades, including the trending colors of summer.  Think about using it as a bit of color with the rest of the outfit to catch the eye.

Finally, there is Kelly green which is a bold color but a bit easier to wear than lime green. It is also a more flattering color for a wider range of skin tones than the lime.  Although it looks great paired with blues, purples, and pinks, it is best paired with the more neutral shades such as white, black, or beige.  To stand out wear a Kelly green maxi dress and coat.  

So if you are updating your wardrobe for summer, look at bright sunny yellow, pale purple, barbie pink, lime or Kelly green, and sunset orange.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.

Why Moisturize Your Neck

 

Most of us are great at moisturizing our faces or bodies but we often skip over our necks because it just seems to be in a weird location so we miss it. If we don't pay attention to our necks, they can become prematurely wrinkled and look old.

The cell composition of the neck is different from the rest of the body. Think about it, you do not get pimples on the neck but you get them on the face or body. It is thinner and more prone to wrinkling. When skin is thinner, it does not have as much collagen so the skin lacks the support to keep it from getting wrinkled.  The skin on your neck is about as thin as the skin on your eyelids. Due to the thinness of neck skin, it loses elasticity sooner than other parts of the body

In addition, your neck does not produce the natural oils the rest of your body produces. Your face produces oil which helps keep your skin moisturized and young but your neck has only a few sebaceous or oil glands so it produces only a little oil, not enough to protect the skin. When people have lots of sebaceous glands, they heal wounds better and experience fewer signs of aging. You also have a sheet of muscles that run from the jawline to the clavicle.  It is used by people on a regular basis and can be stretched out, causing people to look older. The skin on the neck is also being effected by gravity as it causes a pull on the skin.  Furthermore, the position we sleep in and how we hold our faces during the day can lead to aging.

As far as signs of aging, age spots and wrinkles will appear first on your neck and upper chest. Since we often forget to apply sunscreen the neck skin experiences damage from UV and environmental factors.  Your skin can become blotchy due to years of spraying perfume on your neck. 

One of the things you can do to prevent aging on your neck is to apply sunscreen to your neck every day.  Most people remember to use sunscreen on their face and body but forget to cover the neck.  It is also recommended that people exfoliate the skin on the neck using a product with glycolic or lactic acid. Apply any retinol product at night when it is most effective. 

People also forget to apply lotion to their necks as they apply lotion to their bodies.  It is easy to forget the neck. Although any type of moisturizing lotion can be used on the neck, it is strongly recommended one choose a lotion designed for the neck because they help stimulate collagen and elastin. It is important the moisturizer has vitamin C, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin A, the same important anti-aging ingredients found in face products.  If you want, you can use the same products on your neck that you use on your face if you want. When applying the cream or lotion to the neck, it should be applied using an upward and outward motions. It is important to include the back of the neck and ears when applying the moisturizer.  

So when you do your daily skin routine, don't forget your neck.  Extend the application of sunscreen down your neck so its protected and be sure to extend it down your chest to your neck line of your clothing.  Exfoliate, apply serums and moisturizers, finish with sunscreen during the day but at night include a retinol product.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.

Preventing Chapped Lips

For many people, they fight chapped lips only during the winter but for others, including myself, they seem to fight chapped lips year round.   Chapped lips are dry, cracked skin on your lips.  They are caused by dry or cold weather, exposure to the sun, dehydration, or licking your lips too much.

This happens because the skin on your lips are thinner and more sensitive than the rest of the skin on your body.  Your lips do not have any oil glands so your lips are at risk of becoming chapped.  Chapped lips is a medical condition called cheilitis.  In addition, if the chapped lips are caused by licking them, this is referred to as lip lickers dermatitis. Furthermore, chapped lips can occur seasonally or all year round. Sometimes, one gets chapped lips due to certain medicines.

Chapped lips are diagnosed visually by seeing dry or cracked lips, peeling skin, itching skin, or sores around the mouth.  There are ways to prevent chapped lips by doing a few easy things.  First, protect your lips before you go out.  Apply a lip balm or cream that contains sun screen since you need to protect your skin from the sun. Your lips tend to be exposed to sun so wear a scarf that adds a layer of protection.  Don't forget to reapply the creme or balm regularly on your lips. 

Refrain from licking your lips.  Although the moisture seems to make it feel better, it evaporates quickly, leaving your lips dryer than before. If you find yourself licking your lips due to the flavored lip balm, switch to a plain unflavored version so you don't lick your lips.  

Make sure you are hydrated by drinking lots of liquid throughout the day and when you are home, run your humidifier so there is sufficient moisture in the air. In addition, try to avoid irritants and allergens like fragrances, or dyes and breathe through your nose.  When you breath through your mouth, you cause your lips to dry out.

To treat and keep from getting chapped lips, many of us reach for certain products such as lip balms designed to repair and prevent them.  First of all, it is recommended one reach for a healing ointment rather than a lip balm but for many, it is easier to find a lip balm or chap stick. When buying a healing ointment or balm, look for one that is  fragrance free, hypoallergenic, have oils such as caster seed oil, shea butter, ceramides, dimethacone, titanium oxide or other sunscreen.  Avoid balms that contain camphor or eucalyptus, menthol, flavoring such as peppermint, cinnamon, certain waxes, or salicylic acid.

Lip balms actually seal the cracks in your lips while hydrating at the same time.  Lip balm should be applied as needed throughout the day. Make sure to reapply it after you eat or drink and apply it just before bed to protect your lips overnight and allow the lips to hydrate.  If you are outdoors, make sure you reapply the balm at least once every two hours so the sun screen protects your lips.

If your lips begin bleeding, use a lip creme designed to heal chapped lips but if the lips do not improve after a week or two, see your doctor for additional help.  It is possible to use lip gloss if you don't have anything else but it is still recommended one use a healing ointment or lip balm over the gloss.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.

Cooking Dinner

 

Preparation

 

The Skin Cycle

Many people know that cells are created, last a while, die before falling off the skin but do you know how long it takes from birth to death?  Your skin goes through a regular cycle over a certain period of time.

Let's start with the makeup of your skin.  The inner most layer is the hypodermis which is where the cells are created.  It is made up of nerves, large blood vessels, connective and fatty tissues. It's the layer that helps regulate your body temperature. Over time, the fatty layer decreases causing your skin to sag.

The middle layer is the dermis or corium. This layer has the blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients through your body while removing waste products. There is a lot of collagen in this layer and when the amount of collagen decreases, your skin develops wrinkles. Your skin loses its elasticity as you age and this layer has a lot of elastic fibers.  The amount of collagen in your skin is responsible for how many fine lines and wrinkles appear in your skin.  The more collagen in the dermis, the younger your skin looks. 

The top layer is the epidermis.  It is the thinnest layer designed to protect your other layers of skin. This layer is composed of four different layers with several different types of cells. This is the layer that sheds the older dead skin cells and the process slows down as you age and your ability to repair cuts also slows down at the same time. 

In reality, new skin cells are formed at the inner most or deepest level of the epidermis and then works it way up to the top layer before flaking off.  As far as how long it takes, it varies on age, skin condition, hormones, health, and stress.   When you are young, around 20, the cycle can take between 14 and 21 days, while those classified as middle aged have a cycle that takes around 28 days but takes 45 to 60 days when people hit their 40's and 50's and it takes 60 to 90 days when people reach their 60's and 70's.  So it is said the skin cycle averages between 5 and 6 weeks. 

The length of the skin cycle is important because as we age, it gets longer and this means dead skin cells are accumulating on the outer layer. This causes sagging, fine lines, and wrinkles. In addition, bacteria can be trapped in the layer of dead cells, causing blackheads and acne.  Many of the dead cells are irregularly shaped or discolored and when these are in the top layer, discoloration and spots appear. 

Thus it is important to choose skin care products that encourage faster cell turnover while encouraging new cell production. So when you decide to try a new product, you need to give it a full 28 days to determine if it works because it is important to give your skin a chance to go through most or all of a skin cycle.  It really takes that long.  You can't decide if a product is working in less than that time and if you are a bit older, give it more time before you decide it isn't working.

So now you know more about the cycle of your skin and how long you need to try a product.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.

Different Eyeliner Looks

I'm still doing the nice thin line on the upper eyelid with a thin line on the outer half of the lower lid but I know there are so many different ways to apply it to achieve a variety of looks.  I usually do this particular look because it's fast, easy, and any mistakes don't show as much.  So I need to practice other looks so it becomes as easy to apply as what I use now. I apologize for my drawings ahead of time.  I'm not real good.

We all know about the cat eye where you start on the inner eye and draw it outward increasing the thickness of the line as its applied to the edge and then it continues up and out to form a wing so it ends in line with the end of the eye brow.  It is best accomplished with a liquid eyeliner.

A look similar to the cat eye is the arrow which starts the same as the cat eye but another thick line goes up along the fold becoming narrower and fading out to mid eyeful.  It's like two lines coming to a point at the edge but they are different lengths.  I have a drawing to the left. 

Next is the fishtail liner with a thick line on the top lid and a semi thick line on the bottom lid going from inner to outer corners but the lines extend past the outer edge of the eye without meeting.  There is only a small flare at the end of the top line at the outer edge. A gel or liquid eyeliner is best for this.

Of course one can always stay with the natural line which is a line on the upper eyelid only. This is best done with a pencil eyeliner because you want it to smudge along the upper edge of the line to give it depth. The line itself isn't too thick but it smudges upwards from the line so it looks as if you have some matching eye powder.

The thick winged liner is a thick line on the upper lid which starts thick at the inner corner and ends up going to a nice wing outside the outer corner.  It is thick the whole way from edge to edge. It has a shape that follows the curve of your eyelid.

The standard winged liner is where you have a thicker line on the top eyelid and a thinner line on the bottom meeting at a wing at the outer corner.  To make a bold statement, use the thick all-round winged liner which adds a thick liner to the lower lid and meets at both the inner and outer corners so it looks continuous and appears thick even in the inner corner.

You can also reverse the winged look by having the thinner line on the top lid and the thicker line on the bottom with the wing on the bottom part at the outer edge. This is as if they took the normal winged look and just flipped. 

On the other hand, if ou want something unique, try a thick blue upper liner from inner to outer corner ending at a beautiful wing on the outer corner.  Then do a thick line on the lower eye in say a beautiful sparkly green that meets the wing on the bottom lid of the eye so you have two different colors above and below your eye.

Want something to give a bit of an illusion?  Apply your eyeliner along the top lid of the eye so it isn't thick but comes to a wing on the outer corner.  Then apply a line above the crease so it follows the natural curve but isn't too thick.  This makes it look as if you have a floating line.

Don't want too thick a line but want to make a statement.  Apply your eyeliner as usual but give it a long, long tail that is medium in width so it's seen but not overpowering.  

Last look, is what I call the vamp look but others refer to it as smoky liner.  The black eyeliner flows out from inner corner around the eye.  The upper line is thick and covers the lid while the bottom line is thick and the two lines meet at the outer corner, so the colored area encircles the eye.  Then the edge is rounded at the edge and it's smudged into the area above the crease but not all the way up to the eye brow.

Just a few ideas for changing your eyeliner so you can change your look depending on your look and how you feel.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.