DAY 5: Beauty Tip (A PIMPLE! oh no!)

PROBLEM: I just got a break out! Overnight and just in time for my party... interview... etc.

SOLUTION: Don't stress out! This is what might have caused it in the first place.
Ladies, we all know the joys of hormonal breakouts (they usually occur around the chin/mouth area) and lack of sleep, washing our face, or touching our faces with dirty hands (especially this time of year) are all reasons we wake up with "friends" on our faces.

We NEVER want a breakout - I don't care what anyone says, there is NEVER a good time for a pimple!
Two tricks... get a sulfur based lotion (usually pink with liquid) my favorite is BYE BYE BLEMISH - I SWEAR by it!
Apply this product at night before bed...don't squeeze or pick - I promise you will just make it worse.
This lotion applied to breakouts and almost soon to be breakouts - will literally suck the life out of the little guy and be gone before you know it.

But before you get rid of your friend, make sure NOT to put HIGHLIGHTER/Concealer on top - if too light it will only draw more attention to the fact you have a pimple. You want to CORRECT the REDNESS and conceal the discoloration (we can't control the texture or inflammation). So to do this, grab a concealer similar to your skintone with a olive/green undertone - this will neutralize the redness! Just put a bit on your finger and tap into your skin until it melts into your skin and the redness goes away! Walllllllllllllllllllah! All gone!

Best wishes!

Michelle

DAY 2 - Beauty Tip (UNDER-EYES CIRCLES)

PROBLEM: Under-eye discoloration and or puffiness

You will be surprised at how many folks have the same problem! Some of the trouble comes for our lifestyle (lack of sleep, too much fun/drinking...) and some or just hereditary (thanks mom!)
But hope is on the way... if we can't get rid of it - at least we can CONCEAL it!

First we want to try to get the best from our skin as possible. We want to drink as much water as we can to clean out the impurities that hang out - alittle too long. (Excuse me while I go get a glass...)
Next, if possible we want to get as much rest and peaceful sleep as we can (good luck, huh?!) Well how about trying to at least sleep on your back. This will help avoid puffiness and wrinkles.

SOLUTION: Puffiness
When all else fails Preparation H is a good stay by (keep it out of your eyes!) I like to have my clients lay back for 10 min. with a warm tea bag on the eye... Green Tea & Chamomile work great. When it cools, wait a few minutes and remove.
Cool pack of ice can help swollen eyes, just don't make it too cold - some brides have given themselves brainfreeze from that one!

A good night creme for the eye area will work miracles! You need to use it consistantly and over at least a 2 month period you will see results. My favorite is YONKA's PHYTO CONTOUR (specifically for puffiness and dark circles). You need to use the entire tube before you are sure results.

Dark Circles
This is easy to conceal with the right color. Most people grab a light highlighter/concealer and actually make it worse!
All you are doing at this point is drawing attention to your circles. You must first, cover them, then you can highlight on top of them with a light concealer.
Finding the right color can be tricky, but works miracles when done correctly.
If you have fair skin you want to find a orange-ish colored concealer in the similiar shade as your skin.
If you have med skin you can go with a darker orange colored concealer. Check out Bobby Brown.
If you have dark skin you can go with a bright orange colored concealer (don't be frightened, it works GREAT!) Check out MUDShop.com

With light to medium darker pigmented skin I love a caramel colored concealer for the undereye area. Not only will it cover the dark pigmentation, it also highlights. Check out IMAN line.

So there you go... with the right preventative treatment and the correct beauty products... you will have the "soap opera" eyes everyone knows and loves!

If you have any questions, let me know!

Best Wishes and Good Luck!

Michelle