Look Younger and Fresher with Our Top Make-Up Tips and Picks

No matter what you do to enhance your anti-ageing wellness, no one is going to notice if you get your make-up wrong. Much in the same way that you don’t carry around your prized possessions in a bin bag, your packaging needs to reflect the gorgeousness that’s going on underneath. After all, you’re making all that effort to take care of your wellbeing, why let bad foundation get in the way? The colours and formulas you put on your face have an immediate impact on how fresh you look. However, according to Sandy Linter, a New York City celebrity makeup artist for Lancôme, ‘With the right products and application tricks, you’ll appear younger.’

 

1. Diffuse fine lines: If you’re already slathering on the moisturiser, you might think you have no need for primer, but you’d be wrong. Linter explains, ‘Primers, unlike moisturizers, have smoothing silicones that fill in and soften lines, so your skin naturally reflects light and glows,’ and primers also help your foundation to glide on more evenly, which is especially crucial if you have dry skin. You get double points for using a primer with collagen-boosting amino peptides, such as CoverGirl & Olay Simply Ageless serum primer.

 

2. Even out your skin: If you have the odd blemish or unsightly area – such as a sun spot, dark circles or red patch – you may be tempted to fix these problems with concealer, before you move on to your foundation. However, Linter recommends that you ‘reach for foundation first. Then go in with concealer and target what needs more coverage.’ Make sure your foundaton is formulated for ageing skin and is packed with hydrating properties – Korres Quercetin & Oak Anti-ageing foundation is a good choice. Linter continues, ‘Once your skin is evened out, you’ll be surprised at how much less cover-up you need to use.’ Pat a non-too-liquidy concealer (such as Maybelline New York Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Spot Concealer + Treatment) right where you need it, but don’t rub it in – you don’t want to cake in your fine lines.

 

3. Think pink: When it comes to your lips, you need a lipstick that contains hydrating ingredients like shea butter and glycerin. New York dermatologist Francesca Fusco, MD, notes that this is because ‘Skin on lips is thin and lacks oil glands, making lines more noticeable.’ For the best colour, Linter argues that a soft but punchy pink ‘flatters all skin tones.’ If you go for Chanel Rouge Coco Shine sheer lipshine in Romance, you get the added bonus of moisturising ceramides.

 

4. Ol’ Blue Eyes: Black eyeliner is a staple in most women’s make-up bags, but an eye-brightening teal can take years off. Brian Duprey, a makeup artist in New York City, argues, ‘Vivid shades give just a hint of colour, not an obvious line,’ and Youngblood Incredible Wear gel liner in Lagoon contains vitamin E to condition lashes.

 

5. Pretty in plum: For your eyelids, you don’t have to stick to boring beiges and browns – why not try a nice plum colour? Duprey advises, ‘If you want to go beyond neutrals on your eyes, try a shade of purple. It’s hands down the most wearable color for all skin tones.’ Neutrogena Crease Proof eye shadow in Stay-Put Plum is worth a go.

 

6. Go nude, but sparkle: Fusco points out that ‘Dark circles can cast a shadow over your entire eye area,’ which is why you need a light-reflective under eye concealer, such as the one from Temptu.

 

7. Rosy cheeks: A creamy blusher in enlivening shades of pink can help you to hang on to that fresh glow. Try L’Oréal Paris Visible Lift Colour Lift blush in Rose Gold.

Categories: anti ageing, concealer, Fine Lines, foundation, make up, makeup artist, nbsp, products, skin, skin tones, techniques, york city

Ingredient Investigation: What’s In Your Anti-Ageing Cream?

Understanding the active ingredients in the products you buy is important in any area of wellness, but the perhaps most important area is that of anti-ageing. People slather all kinds of things on their face or even take pills in the name of looking younger and fresher, so it’s vital you know exactly what you are subjecting your body and, as a result, your wellbeing to. Let’s take a look at how seven active ingredients can affect your anti-ageing wellness.

 

1. Peptides: These short chains of amino acids can be synthesized in an infinite order of different combinations, but in skincare scientists add fatty ends to help peptides penetrate the skin. Various peptides can

 

• Stimulate your collagen production


• Regulate your fibroblast collagenase production (which breaks down collagen)


• Stimulate growth factors


• Stimulate antioxidant enzymes


• Enhance matrix proteins


• Enhance your skin’s wound healing and cell repair


• Modulate your skin pigmentation


• Provide antimicrobial activity

 

However, be sure to check the percentage of peptides on the label as some products only contain enough for marketing reasons, and won’t do anything at all for your skin.

 

2. Retinol: This is derived from vitamin A and works on your DNA so that it promotes healthy keratinocytes. When you administer retinol on your skin, it causes the epidermis to thicken, collagen and elastin to increase and UV-induced collagenese to decrease. This means that retinol is handy as a treatment for your fine lines, wrinkles, and hyper-pigmentation.

 

3. Antioxidants: Vitamin C neutralises free radicals in your skin and stimulates and cross links collagen during synthesis. In skincare, it works great for fine lines and course wrinkles, and improves your tone, laxity and dark pigmentation. Vitamin E protects your skin from the oxidative damage of UV exposure, such as erythema, edema, and sunburn cell formation. Like French and Saunders, though these antioxidants work well on their own, they are at their best when used together.

 

4. Sun cream: You might confine sun cream to the summer months, but it’s actually the most important product on this list. True, modest amounts of exposure to the sun helps your body to produce vitamin D and this is beneficial to your wellbeing, too much UV exposure is detrimental, and injures your skin’s fibroblasts. This means you produce less collagen and elastin, leading to less dense, robust, and elastic skin – with more wrinkles and pigmentation! Use a sun cream that is protective of UVA and UVB and is photo stable.

 

5. Advanced Glycation End-products (AGE): Wellness experts have joined the dots between glycation and disease and ageing. In the abnormal process of glycation, sugars are joined to fats and proteins your body in a non-enzymatic way, which, over time, influences the metabolism of your cells. The sugars bind to proteins such as collagen, elastin, and cell membranes, which causes the formation of Advanced Glycation End-products. However, some skincare products promote your ability to help protect the skin’s natural collagen from this, so try Prestige-Clinique Youth Surge SPF 15 or Dr. Brandt Lineless Anti-Glycation.

 

6. Sirtuins: These cellular proteins are thought to be the prime central regulators of ageing, promoting cell repair and production of protective antioxidants. Some products even enhance your body’s ability to turn on these “longevity genes” which helps to maintain the healthy balance of your skin cells.

 

7. Ceramides: These cellular fats (lipids) are found in between your skin cells, and help keep pathogens out and moisture in your skin. You need this hydration in order for your skin to look healthy and vibrant.

Categories: active ingredients, advanced glycation, anti ageing, Antioxidants, cell repair, Fine Lines, peptides, retinol, skin, skin cells, Sun Cream, uv exposure

Young but Not Free:Are Anti-Ageing Products Worth the Cash?

In any beauty store in the country, you’ll find products designed to make you look younger. Be it for your wrinkles or age spots, these products promise anti-ageing wellness in a bottle – but are they making promises they can’t keep? You can’t help but be a little skeptical as to exactly how beneficial these miracle products are to your wellbeing, but it seems that this skepticism doesn’t stop you from forking out the big bucks.

 

‘Yes, there has been a tremendous anti-ageing craze accompanied by a boom in available products, technology and procedures,’ notes Dr. Elizabeth Hale, a dermatologist at New York University Medical Centre. ‘Increasingly, people are searching for products and procedures that deliver results without the cost, risks and downtime of more invasive cosmetic surgery. There are many great options out there for people seeking results, but the key is to find a doctor that you trust and one that will help you to look natural. One should strive to look like a better, more relaxed, version of themselves; no one should look “done”.’

 

According to Hale, there are certain products and procedures that she uses personally and recommends on a regular basis. These include a daily broad-spectrum sunscreen (such as Coppertone or SkinMedica Physical Defense), retinol or prescription-based tretinoin (which is found in Roc, Renova and RetinA), stem cell-derived products to stimulate collagen and elastic (like Lifeline Skin Care), Botulinum Toxin injections, Hyaluronic Acid and poly-L-lactic acid fillers and Fractional Resurfacing lasers. Hale explains, ‘With the right sunscreen, topicals and minimally invasive procedures, along with a healthy diet and lifestyle which includes exercise, we can all look… natural and rejuvenated.’

 

Let’s take a look at the scientific evidence behind the commonly listed active ingredients in anti-aging products:

 

Peptides – These are small proteins that help stimulate new cells to grow, and the theory goes that they make your skin more plump, which reduces your fine lines. However, Hale asserts that, while this is a nice idea, there’s really no evidence which conclusively proves peptides really do anything to reduce wrinkles.

 

Alpha-hydroxy acids – The natural ingredients found in fruits and milk sugars, including lactic, glycolic and citric acids, are collectively known as alpha-hydroxy acids. These acids work to exfoliate your skin, which removes dead skin cells and makes room for new, healthier ones. Hale notes these acids vary in terms of impact and what they do. For brighter skin, you want lactic acid but you should opt for glycolic acid if you want your skin to look smoother, as this one reduces fine lines and wrinkles.

 

Retinol – You’ll find this natural form of vitamin A in a variety of over-the-counter skin creams, and the idea is that it boosts the thickness and elasticity of your skin and reduces the appearance of wrinkles. Hale affirms that this is backed up by ample evidence, but the prescription version tretinoin or Retin-A is much stronger. Still, though it may be more effective than over-the-counter retinol, doctors warn that tretinoin can also cause more side effects, so tread with caution.

 

Resveratrol – A lot of people like this plant compound, as it is found in red wine and studies have shown that drinking wine in moderation has some health benefits. However, when it comes to the supplement form of this anti-ageing plant, the jury is out. According to research published in a 2008 edition of the journal Cell Metabolism, resveratrol slowed down age-related decline in mice, but subsequent studies have not confirmed similar results from the supplement form.

 

Antioxidants – It is commonly believed that antioxidants protect your cells from free radicals, which damage your body and increase your risk for diseases. When it comes to age prevention, antioxidants are only effective in certain formulations. The most time-tested combo is vitamins C and E.

Categories: alpha hydroxy, anti ageing, Antioxidants, Fine Lines, hydroxy acids, lactic acid, nbsp, products, resveratrol, retinol, supplement form, wrinkles nbsp

Budget Wrinkle-Smoothers for Great Skin

There’s an enormous amount of pressure on women to maintain a youthful appearance, yet the hefty price tag attached to the so-called solutions means the majority of women are in a catch-22. For women to stay young, it seems they have to pay a fortune in order to rid themselves of wrinkles. It doesn’t need to be that way though – with some thoughtful preventative measures and low-cost alternatives, you can still retain your youthful glow. These include moisturising regularly, both on the surface and from the inside too.

 

In your 20s

Preventative measures now can save you a lot of time and money further down the line. The best way to achieve this is to use antioxidants to prevent and repair the damage caused by pollution, sun damage and stress. The best time for this repair phase is during your sleep, when the skin is already busy repairing any damage. Wearing a minimum of an SPF15 each day will protect your skin from the ageing effects of the sun, as well as studies showing that regular application of sun cream can help to repair the damage of previous sun exposure. So if you tanned excessively during your teens, there may be some hope of repairing the damage for the future.

In your 30s

Your skin may be looking a little dull by the time you reach your 30s, partly due to stress and partly due to pollution and sun exposure. This may manifest itself in the form of fine lines and brown spots, so you should look to retinol, peptides and alpha hydroxy acids to reverse the damage. Anti ageing ingredients can sometimes lead to flaky skin or redness, but that’s no reason to stop using them. Use these ingredients every other day so that your skin has chance to get used to them. You should also consider your diet – those which are rich in dark green leafy vegetables, olive oil, oily fish and low in milk, butter and sugar will notice an improvement in their skin. You are what you eat, and it’s well worth remembering this when it comes to your skin.

In your 40s

In your 40s, those fine lines you noticed before have become fully-fledged wrinkles, and hyper-pigmentation can start to appear. Hormonal issues can often lead to redness and blotchiness, too. A chemical peel can be a great option for reversing the signs of ageing, which removes the top layer of skin to reveal the smoother skin underneath. Depending on the strength of the peel, you may have some redness or sensitivity for a couple of days afterwards. However, it will help to improve not only the visibility of wrinkles and lines, but also the texture and brightness of your skin. Continuing on with your skincare regime throughout will also ensure that your skin stays moisturised, which is key in preventing further lines from developing

Your skin changes constantly, so it’s important to modify your skincare regime to accommodate these changes. The key aspect of any effective regime is to keep your skin hydrated and protected from the sun – this means wearing an SPF every day in order protect against ageing UV rays, and reapplying regularly if you’re going to be out in the sun for a long time. Your diet, as previously mentioned, is also important so you should try to cut back on the fatty and sugary foods in place of natural nuts, seeds, fruit, vegetables and non-fat dairy produce. This, coupled with plenty of water throughout the day, will help to keep your skin healthy from the inside too.

Categories: ageing, anti-ageing, Fine Lines, lines, preventative measures, Repair, skin, skincare regime, Sun Exposure, time, Tips, Wrinkles

The Fine Line Lies: Why You Just Can’t Get Rid of Wrinkles

No matter what anti-ageing beauty products promise, you can’t avoid wrinkles. I don’t care how many creams you slather over your face, or how many treatments you undergo, those fine lines will appear sooner or later, and you’ll probably be much happier if you just accept the fact and get on with it. However, the beauty and wellness industry is responsible for perpetrating five myths about wrinkles, which you may need to realise before you can move on with your life and just be happy.

 

1. More expensive wrinkle creams are more effective.

While some wrinkle creams are more effective than others, that is not to say that there’s a direct correlation in terms of price. Otherwise, you’d be able to tell how much money a person has just by the wrinkles on their face! Plus, no cream will ever completely rid your face of wrinkles, and any beauty company that promises otherwise is a big fat liar.

 

2. You only get wrinkles from sun exposure.

Yes, sunlight is a huge factor in how early you start to wrinkle up, but there are other causes too. Wrinkles are a natural part of growing older, which you can tell by the fact that we get wrinklier in the UK compared to people in sunnier countries. However, applying sun cream before leaving the house can ward of UVA and UVB rays, which increase your fine lines.

 

3. You can get rid of wrinkles by drinking plenty of water.

People tend to believe this one because water keeps your skin hydrated and is responsible for flushing toxins out of the body. While this can give your skin a more youthful glow – and is beneficial to your well-being – drinking eight to 10 glasses of water a day cannot prevent wrinkles.

 

4. Oily fish can ward of wrinkles.

This isn’t backed up by evidence, and even though oily fish is beneficial to heart health, that tuna sandwich is doing nothing for your skin. According to the World Health Organisation, it’s dangerous to eat more than 12 ounces of fish in a week.

 

5. Facial exercises can prevent premature wrinkling.

Actually, the opposite is true; moving your facial muscles more increases your chances of wrinkles appearing. Unfortunately, this is another reason why you just can’t avoid wrinkles.

Categories: anti-ageing, avoid wrinkles, Fine Lines, oily fish, Sun Exposure, Water, wrinkle creams, Wrinkles