Tips and Tricks to Downplay Those Pesky Fine Lines and Wrinkles
- Part One
Are those fine lines and wrinkles worrying you? Before you do
anything drastic...
Do you know that just taking care of your skin routinely can
make a noticeable difference in its appearance?
There are five little steps for creating and maintaining healthy
skin. They are to cleanse, exfoliate (lightly), freshen or tone,
moisturize and protect. Treat your face, twice a day, to steps
one through four. Seem too complicated? Some skin care products
combine the first three into one timesaving step so all you have
to do afterwards is moisturize. (Once a week, exfoliate your
face more thoroughly to get rid of any build up of dead surface
cells which can dull the appearance of your skin. Then carefully
hydrate the newer cells to replace any lost moisture.)
Each morning, add step five to your regime. Protect your skin by
using a sunscreen or sun block and then adding a foundation.
Foundation helps to shield your face by providing a layer
between your skin and the environment. The first trick it to
match the color as closely as possible to your jaw line and
neck. The second trick is to put on just enough foundation to
smooth lightly and easily over your face (preferably with a
sponge). Instead of covering up signs of aging, thick foundation
settles into and emphasizes the fine lines and wrinkles you want
to minimize.
There's an urban myth that each time you sleep with your makeup
on your skin ages by 11 days. Scary thought, isn't it? Within
two weeks of establishing a routine of caring for your face, you
should start to reverse the effects of bad habits and see the
results in clearer and smoother skin.
Once the appearance of your skin improves, makeup can be used
as an enhancement rather than as a "mask."
Like foundation, too much concealer will detract from its
intent. Concealer should be applied very lightly on under eye
circles and blemishes and then blended well with your foundation
For eye color, choose warmer tones over cooler ones, lighter
shades over darker, and matte consistencies over those with
sparkle ... they're less aging and "kinder" to your face.
For eyeliners and eye brow pencils, select a shade of gray or
brown or a complementary color rather than black. They're more
natural (unless your hair is black) and look much softer. To
emphasize your eyes, line only the top lid and apply extra
mascara on your lower lashes. Then "open" your eyes with an
eyelash curler.
For cheeks and lips, the most becoming colors are usually the
ones that complement your natural warm skin tones.
Highlight either your eyes or your lips (but not both) then
enjoy the visual effect of clearer, smoother skin with subtle
makeup!
Sources: Mary Kay Inc., Robert Jones (simple beaute)