Women Self-Tanners

No doubt having a tan makes you feel thinner, sexier and healthier. But these days baking in the sun is becoming increasingly more unpopular as more women realize the sun's UV rays age skin faster than anything (not to mention increase your chance of developing the deadliest form of skin cancer, melanoma).
If you're ready to skip laying out but don't want to give up glowing skin, self-tanners are a great bet. Self-tanners can darken skin for up to a week thanks to dihydroxyacetone, or DHA. 

Here we run down five tips for self-tanning your face and body:

Tip #1: Salon tans are your best bet

If you want a flawless, professional application and can afford the price, head to a spa or salon. For upwards of $60, you can get one of many options: Full body exfoliation and professional application of self-tanner, airbrush bronzing (where an aesthetician sprays a fine mist of tanner over your entire body), or your least expensive option: Spray tanning. 

Tip #2: How to use self-tanner on your face

This is a four-step process. Pull hair up in a ponytail before you start so you don't miss any parts. According to InStyle's May 2007 issue, makeup artist Scott Barnes once missed a spot on Jennifer Lopez's ear because he forgot to pull her hair up.
First, prep skin by gently cleansing and exfoliating. Skip moisturizer, which may interfere with the tanner.
Step two: Apply undereye cream. According to Barnes in InStyle, you want the color of your skin to be lighter under the eyes, it makes you look younger.
Step three: blend a few drops of self-tanner and equal parts moisturizer in the palm of your hand then apply over face and neck. You only want to go one shade darker than your natural color.
Step four: Let color develop for three hours then follow up with a sweep of bronzer on forehead, cheeks and nose -- areas where the sun naturally shines.
Don't forget: Smooth remaining tanner over earlobes and upper ears. Wash hands thoroughly. Don't skip the sunscreen. 

Tip #3: How to self-tan your body

For this three-step process, start by exfoliating skin with a body scrub in the shower paying special attention to rough areas including knees and elbows (dry skin absorbs higher concentrations of tanner). Shave before you tan. InStyle suggests using a body oil, instead of shaving cream, when shaving.
Barnes suggests rubbing Vaseline on cuticles and nails. This protects your manicure and keeps fingertips and nails from staining.
Apply tanner limb by limb, starting with your legs. Apply over the shin and calf of a leg, sweeping tanner down over your ankle, foot and toes. Then apply tanner to your thigh from front to back, using the excess to cover your knee. Repeat on your other leg. For the final step, apply tanner to your hips, stomach and torso, following with your shoulders and arms. Wait 10 minutes to dry before dressing and avoid any excessive activity that will make you sweat for at least a few hours. If your tan hasn't set, sweat could cause streaking.
Bonus tips: To remove tanner from palms, without washing off product from the tops of your hands, rub palms along a wet washcloth, making sure to get in between fingers.
Give arms, legs and decolletage a subtle glow with a body shimmer.
To create fake fab abs, create a contour with the tanner. InStyle magazine suggests flexing your stomach muscles in front of mirror, leaning to the side to see where your "ab line" is, then tracing the outside of your muscle with a bit of tanner on your finger. Do the same to the other side. Once it dries, do an all-over coat. 

Tip #4: Pick the right tanner

There are several types of tanners: Tanners created just for the face, airbrush tanners, cream tans, bronzing gel, tinted tans and tan enhancers. There's body shimmer and bronzing powder. You can layer tanners as colors fade. How? Apply a lotion then follow with bronzing powder or shimmer. Just be careful not to go too dark. 

Tip #5: So you messed up, uh-oh

If you end up with a streaky tan, you can fix with an astringent toner or even toothpaste. Exfoliate to even out a patchy application. Not dark enough? Repeat the procedure. Just make sure you gave the tan enough time to develop.

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Teen Beauty

Teen Beauty Toners

Many women assume they need toner. They believe it removes the extra makeup and oils on your skin, while minimizing pores. There are hundreds of toners on the market. Every brand sells it. But is toner really necessary?
Answer: No, unless you have really oily skin. "Toners just add an extra step and expense," said Jeffrey Dover, MD, associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale University School of Medicine
While many people feel toners truly cleanse their faces, removing any excess makeup residue, most beauty editors agree toners are not a "must-have" part of most people's skincare regimen. Since most modern toners aren't as drying as the ones of the past, I believe they aren't harmful to most skin types. However, this is up for debate, as you'll see below.
So who should use toner? People with extremely oily or acne-prone skin and those of us who want extra cleansing after wearing a lot of makeup. If you love your toner and sincerely believe it works, then by all means do not throw it out. What's most important is your own skin's reaction to it, not the hype surrounding toner's necessity in the beauty world. 

What the Experts Say

"Today most dermatologists agree toner isn't necessary. Its main purpose is to remove traces of makeup and residual cleanser, but a high-quality cleanser, even a creamy one, should rinse off easily with water alone. Some women like the fact that toner leaves their face tight and smooth. But that taut, tingly sensation actually indicates dryness."
"Skip the toner. When we say this in the magazine, we always get outraged letters from aestheticians saying skin isn't truly clean until it's been swabbed down. But dermatologists say toner can be overly drying on all but the oiliest skin. If you can't resist the lure of the cotton ball, make sure your bottle is alcohol free.
"For many women, toners are the logical next step in a skincare regimen, but I don't buy it. Literally. Whether they are called balancers, clarifying lotions, skin purifiers, or astringents (the strongest ones), toners are a pricey broth of water, color, preservatives, witch hazel, alcohol -- and not much else. In fact, for most women, toners are a redundant product: toners are supposed to remove every last trace of oil, sweat, and makeup from your face -- but so will a good cleanser. A toner will make your pores look smaller by swelling the tissue around the pore, but a moisturizer will do the same thing -- and more." -- "Beauty, the New Basics" by Rona Berg
"Often sold as a must-use step, toners are truly optional." -- Bobbi Brown in "Bobbi Brown Beauty" 

"Fact: you probably don't need toner. Many skincare companies insist that cleanse/tone/moisturize should be the basic, three-step skincare regime, but we disagree. (And so do some of the world's leading facialist "gurus" including Eve Lom, Amanda Lacey and Janet Filderman.)" -- "Total Beauty" by Sarah Stacey and Josephine Fairley
"Beauticians often try to sell us that by using toner during a facial, they're 'closing the pores.' Baloney. Pores aren't elevator doors which can open and shut." -- "Total Beauty" by Sarah Stacey and Josephine Fairley
"There's something about toners that people love. Toners are actually relics of the days when most cleansers left a heavy residue on the skin and one needed to remove it by taking this extra step. Today's cleansers pretty much clean up after themselves, so a toner with strong astringent action is unnecessary, in some case, not to mention dehydrating." -- "Age-Less" by Fredric Brandt, MD

The Beauty Experts Who Promote Toner

Of all my beauty books, these are three that mention toner as a bonus (still, they don't consider them "must-have"):
"If skin feels too oily or you're wearing a lot of makeup, a toner can clean away anything your cleanser has left behind. The newest formulas are alcohol-free and don't strip skin of its necessary oils." Bobbi Brown in "Bobbi Brown Living Beauty"
"Irritant-free toners are an excellent skin-care option for all skin types. They are fine as an cleansing step after removing the cleanser. Toners can also soothe skin, lightly moisturize it, and provide some antioxidant and anti-irritant protection." -- "The Beauty Bible" by Paula Begoun
"A toner is a curious thing ... it's meant to refresh and rejuvenate the skin whenever you feel you need it. It cleans, smooths, acts as an anti-inflammatory, and helps minimize pores while also preventing breakouts. We love it because it gives your skin a boost, good tone and a healthy glow." -- "The Beauty Buyble, The Best Beauty Products 2007" by Paula Conway and Maureen Regan

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Teen Beauty - Sunscreens

the Difference Between a Sunscreen and a Sunblock

Sunscreens are the most popular at the moment. Available in creams, lotions and gels, they contain chemicals that absorb UV rays. They are also inconspicous on the skin. The chemicals that are most often found in sunscreens include PABA, Benzophenones, Cinnamates, Salicylates,
Sunblocks instead of absorbing UV rays, reflect them. At one time sunblocks could be spotted by the opaque white film, but new technology has created sunblocks with particles so tiny, that the opaque film in no longer noticeable. Chemicals most common in sunblocks include Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.

Choose the Best Sunscreenf you have ever been to the tanning/sunscreen aisle at your local drugstore, you know how overwhelming it can be. SPF this, UVA that, and then throw in UVBs in the mix and the confusion begins!

Choosing the Right SPF

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. The higher the SPF number, the better protection against the sun's harmful UVB rays. The SPF number lets you know how much longer you can stay out of the sun without burning. For example, if it takes 15 minutes for a person to burn, an SPF 15 will allow them to stay out in the sun 15 times longer without burning.

The American Academy of Dermatology recommends wearing an SPF of 15 or higher for maximum protection. SPF is available in factors from 2-60. Does highest mean the best protection? Not necessarily. An SPF of 50 only provides 1-2% more protection than an SPF30.

UVA and UVB Protection

The label of the sunscreen will indicate the UVA or UVB protection.

UVA rays are responsible for the aging effect of the sun. However, overexposure to UVA rays can cause skin cancer.

UVB rays are responsible for sunburns and skin cancer.

Choose a product that has states "UVA/UVB" protection or has "broad spectrum" protectant.

Waterproof vs Water Resistant

If you are looking for a sunscreen to use while in the water, choose a sunscreen that is "waterproof" or "water resistant".

"Waterproof" sunscreen should provide protection in the water for 80 minutes, while "water resistant" provides only 40 minutes of protection.

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How to Protect Skin in the Winter

Skincare is totally seasonal, just like your wardrobe. In summer, you're busy with sun protection (aren't you?) and self-tanners, while in winter you may seem addicted to moisturizers because your skin gets so dried out and flaky (this is called "winter itch"). So why the dry skin in winter? Low temperatures, low humidity and strong, harsh winds deplete skin of its natural lipid layer which keeps the skin from drying out.
To keep your skin feeling dewy and moist even in the harsh winter weather, follow these tips:

Keep Water Lukewarm, Not Hot

Hot water robs skin of moisture, so it's best to shower in lukewarm water. If you can't bear this rule -- I can't -- try to keep your warm showers short and try showering only once per day. This also means skipping the hot tubs in winter (another rule I simply cannot bear). The hot, hot temperature, combined with drying chemicals, is torture on skin.
The same rule applies to hand-washing: Wash hands in lukewarm, never hot, water (this is a rule I firmly abide by). If your skin turns red, the water is simply too hot. 

Moisturize After Showers or Handwashing

Moisturizer is the key to soft, supple skin in winter. Apply product when skin is slightly damp. For best effect, pat skin dry instead of rubbing with your towel before application.
Antibacterial soap in public places can be harsh on hands, so I like to keep hand salve in my purse . To keep cuticles soft, I massage in olive oil.
Extra tip: I love keeping moisturizer and facial water on my desk at work. and then dab on moisturizer. The water locks in moisture and leaves my skin refreshed even in harsh office heat. 

Exfoliate on a Weekly or Semi-weekly Basis

Moisturizer is much more effective on properly exfoliated skin. Use a scrub in the shower and exfoliate facial skin with a mild scrub made for the face. 

It's best to scrub skin when it's dry. Apply scrub to dry skin before you turn on the water (mix with lotion if it's not moist enough). Massage the scrub in for a good five minutes for best results

Extra tip: Dry brush skin before a shower with a body brush to remove flaky skin (it's more effective than brushing in the shower).

Invest in a Humidifier

Furnaces rob air of moisture, leaving very little humidity in the air. I once read that your skin needs more than 30 percent humidity to stay properly moisturized. A room heated by a furnace can have as little as 10 percent moisture. In the winter, consider sleeping with a humidifier in your bedroom. Keep doors closed so the moist air doesn't escape the room.

Skip the Drying Soaps

Stick with a creamy moisturizing cleanser that contains glycerin or petrolatum, such as Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Wash, or Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash (my current drugstore pick).
Extra tip: Simply can't skip the bath? Skip the bubbles, which can contain harsh foaming ingredients and opt for bath oils or oatmeal scrubs, which are great for soothing itchy skin.

Baby Your Hands & Feet

Hands and feet can suffer terribly in winter. Put on moisturizer and gloves BEFORE you head outdoors, and consider lathering up your feet in thick moisturizer and sleeping in cotton socks at night.
Extra tip: Cover feet in a thick moisturizer, wrap feet in Saran Wrap, then pull on a pair of socks for a couple hours. Try to sit or lie down while the moisturizer soaks in or risk sliding into a full split and pulling your groin muscles. The same treatment can be done on hands, except try plastic bags and keep hands in a pair of socks. A half-hour should do you.

Stay Hydrated But Don't Go Overboard

Many people believe if they drink more water, they'll hydrate skin. But I've read time and time again that this is a myth and you simply cannot moisturize skin from the inside out.
That said, a small study recently published by the University of Hamburg (and reported in Allure magazine), suggests people who drink relatively little water could see a significant benefit in skin hydration if they started drinking nine eight-ounce glasses of water per day. What does this mean? Probably that dehydration does affect skin, but a normally hydrated person isn't going to see major benefits by drinking even more water. My advice: don't expect bottled water to save you from winter itch.

Don't Forget Your Lips

Licking your lips will not moisturize them and instead will help dry them out. Lips retain less moisture than other parts of the body, so they tend to dry out more quickly. A simple lip balm helps, as does my all-time favorite lip trick learned in high school from "Seventeen" magazine: moisturize your lips with Vaseline. Take a toothbrush and "brush" your lips in a circular motion. This will remove dead flakes and leave your lips soft and supple. 

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Hair Removal For Women Top 10 Shaving Tips

Shaving first became popular during World War II when nylon stockings were in short supply and bare legs became a trend that has yet to cease.

Today, more and more women are turning to waxing and some are trying laser hair removal , however, shaving remains the least expensive form of hair removal. Here are 10 tips and tricks to ensure you're doing it the right way and cutting down on the nicks and irritation so common to shaved skin.

1. The trick to shaving is to wet your skin and let it soften from the heat and moisture. You don't want to shave dry skin. Shaving is a natural exfoliator and you'll clog up the razor with dead skin while putting yourself at risk for nicks.

2. There's no need to waste your money on shaving creams formulated especially for women. They are virtually the same as the creams sold for men. (Now if you can just find a scent you can live with).

3. You are going to have to experiment with razors until you find the perfect one for you. Ask your friends for recommendations and look for a razor with lubricated strips, pivoting heads and spring-mouonted multiple blades. I've sampled several types and varieties and was amazed at how different each feels.

4. Be sure to change razors or cartridges on a regular basis, a dull blade can lead to nicks. Also, it's best not to borrow your guy's razor. His hair is coarser and will dull a blade. (Plus, don't men typically hate it when women borrow razors?)

5. Be sure to exfoliate your skin before shaving. It gets rid of all the dead skin cells that could clog up your razor, preventing a close shave.

6. Since your leg hairs grow down, you'll want to start at your ankles and shave up. 

For your underarms, you'll need to shave in every direction since the hair there grows every which way.

7. When finished, apply oil or moisturizer. The skin on your legs has few oil glands and has a tendency for dryness.

8. Ingrown hairs are caused when the hairs curl back under the skin. Avoid ingrowns by exfoliating daily and using a glycolic acid body lotion.

9. If you have a chronic case of ingrown hairs, try Tend Skin, an over-the-counter lotion for ingrown hairs, applying it in the morning and at night. The bumps should disappear within a couple days.

10. Consider opting for waxing, at least on your legs. You'll find that if you have coarser hair, it won't grow back as fast

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