Fall Beauty To-Do List......

hello ladies!

if you're like me, you don't have the time, money

or even in some cases, the desire to go for 

a bunch of spa treatments every so often.

but after the hot summer, sometimes we NEED some

beauty TLC, right?

SO.......when i saw an article from Total Beauty

 about this very subject,

i thought i would put it in a nutshell and share it with you.

some of it is just good ol' common sense......

and i don't know about you 

but my common sense needs waking up once in awhile

so without further ado, let's talk.......

skin;

summer can leave little gifts on your skin,

like flakiness, peeling, blemishes, dullness.

number 1 tip.......HYDRATION!

but here's the twist.

don't just think of glasses of water.

while you should drink lots of it, 

think about getting hydration from fruits and vegetables.

lettuce is full of water.  cucumbers are good.

mangoes, apricots.....all boost vitamin A which is important

for skin cells.

even better.......green drinks:)

apple, parsley, romaine, apple, lemon, cucumber, ginger......

great for your green beauty drink!

here's another.......

To boost weight loss (and it's just yummy) - 2L water, 1 medium cucumber, 

1 lemon, 10-12 mint leaves. steep overnight in fridge and drink every day.

 Also great for general detox--including clear skin.

tip number 2........SIMPLIFY!

yep....simplify your skin routine.

the article says that all you need to do in the a.m is

use a gentle cleanse, a moisturizer and sunscreen.

that's it!

no brighteners, fillers, deep wrinkle, eye wrinkle.....

at least according to their experts.

sounds good to me.

in the p.m, simply repeat but replace the sunscreen with a retinoid.

retinoids are the most effective wrinkle eraser, 

they unclog pores, boost collagen for fine lines,

and speed cell turnover to even out skin color.

all in one!

just remember that skin can dry out in the cooler months,

if this is you, use a mild soap and gentle moisturizer.

and maybe your foundation can be changed to a more moisturizing formula.

you know what you need.....trust your instinct:)

hair;

anyone have OILY hair?

here's what the experts said to do for this problem.......

STOP WASHING YOUR HAIR SO MUCH:)

seriously, that is the tip.

and i've read it many other places too.  

apparently shampooing strips natural oils from hair

and scalp, possibly over producing oil.

also think about getting dead ends snipped off and

using a weekly deep conditioning treatment.

hair color;

celebrity stylists say Fall is the time to feel free to add

richness to your hair.

maybe some lowlights added to sunbleached blonde hair (hmmmmm:)

rich golds are an easy way to warm up blonde hair.

for brunettes, if you got a little brassy,

deepen the brown a bit, maybe add auburn highlights, 

and a "caramel glaze" over faded ends looks awesome, they say:)

hands and feet;

your new best friend is EPSOM SALTS!

twice weekly, fill a small tub with warm, soapy water

 and a half cup epsom salts;

soak for five minutes then dip a pumice stone

 in the water to smooth heels and balls of the feet.

this is great for easing aches and pains, swelling, blisters and calluses.

hands need help too, especially dry cuticles (guilty)

and guess what......

you probably have the secret treatment in your kitchen right now.

HONEY is a natural healer and is filled with antioxidants.

just warm honey in the microwave a few seconds

and rub it into hands and cuticles.

(warming it makes it easier to maneuver)

for nail polish, the experts here said go with

natural nude/cream or dark trendy colors...either or.

but choose one with a high-gloss finish.

okay...easy enough:)

makeup;

okay, their suggestion is a bit painful.

pull out old photos, check out your pics on facebook.......

see any recurring themes?

shiny skin? maybe you need powder.

small eyes?  work on your shadow technique.

dark eyes?

 maybe tone down the liner.

also, they all agree us girls need to use a primer.

i LOVE the feel and look of my maeup with a primer!

if lining lips is tricky for you,

add a bit of gloss BEFORE so the pencil goes on smoothly.

adjust makeup colors for fall.

your skin color may be different and that pinky/coral

 blush may need to go:)

maybe a richer mascara, eye color.....

how about a bronze eyeliner?

here are some good tips for eye shadow.....

treats just for YOU;

if possible, try to work some of these into your week.

YOU deserve it:)

~start the day with a brisk walk to get your blood pumping.

~take a steaming hot shower, adding lemon oil to a washcloth

and breathing in the calming scents.

(i know you laugh but this is what they do at the spa:)

~once a week use an exfoliating mask.

~give your smile a boost with white strips

~turn the cellphone and TV off once in awhile and 

drink a nice glass of water with lemon.

~then play with the kiddies, read a book or do absolutely nothing:)

~give yourself a mani/pedi.

all simple things but remember....it's all about the simple things.

~lastly.......LAUGH.

it's good for you:)

XOXOXOXOXO

Suzanne