FACIAL MASKS

Facial masks are more than just silly tricks to get your “beauty rest”. Facial masks are a great way to condition, clean or treat the skin. With the variety of facial masks you can apply to your skin, anyone can use them for a multitude of benefits. They are an important part of skin care. It is recommended that you use a facial mask at least once a week. A weekly facial mask session cannot only help your skin receive moisture, but it can also ease skin disorders, though it is not necessary to go overboard and wear one every night.

The type of mask you can use depends on skin condition. Oily skin gets a great benefit out of mud or clay masks, because the ingredients cleanse impurities causing acne. Masks that contain alpha-hydroxy acids act to exfoliate, cleaning away dead skin cells, and hydrating masks are made with anything from glycerin to aromatherapy oils.

Masks from green tea help calm irritated skin, especially after a deep cleansing facial. Facial masks are usually left on for no more than 20 minutes, and rinsed off with warm water. After rinsing the facial mask off, apply a thin layer of moisturizer to your face that works best with your skin type.

Shiseido
Purifying Mask ($27.00, shiseido.com)
PRODUCT 101: A creamy, rinse-off facial mask formulated with Marine Mineral Clay to absorb dulling surface sebum and impurities and leave skin visibly refined and refreshed. Reveals radiant new skin for a more youthful look. Contains a unique combination of highly-porous Marine Mineral Clay, kaolin, and powder ingredients to absorb surface sebum and impurities and minimize the appearance of pores.

Shiseido
Pure Retinol Intensive Revitalizing Face Mask ($62.00, shiseido.com)
PRODUCT 101: A concentrated treatment that targets fine lines and wrinkles as it saturates skin with moisture. Restore youthful suppleness and radiance with a single application of this vitality-enhancing complex. Suitable for all skin types, this advanced formula features Shiseido-original Pure Liquid Retinol and anti-photowrinkle system with Chlorella plant extract.

EYE BELIEVE IN YOU

HOW TO DIMINISH PUFFINESS AND DARK CIRCLES

What ages you most? Surprisingly, it might not be wrinkles or gray hair but dark circles under your eyes. Although dark circles under eyes usually aren’t a sign of exhaustion or serious illness, they can make you feel old, unhealthy and exhausted, and most of us have experienced the “raccoon eyes.”

Handle with care. The skin under the eyes is the thinnest on the body. The many blood vessels in this area can show through the delicate skin, contributing to the appearance of dark under eye circles, especially if the vessels become dilated. Fat pads surround the eyes, and the muscles that enclose the upper and lower eyelids hold the fat pads (and skin) in place. As we age, skin and muscle lose elasticity, which can result in sagging around the eyes. With this known fact, as a makeup artist and avid beauty addict, I stress out the importance of a proper rigid eye care system to almost everyone that I encounter. I will always go out of my way to get my eye cream fix.

Puffiness under the eyes occurs when you retain water and your under eye tissue swells. Dark circles indicate blood vessels or hereditary pigment. To reduce puffiness, look for an eye cream containing caffeine, which causes blood vessels to temporarily constrict, or shrink. You should also avoid salt and drink plenty of water. For a quick at-home fix, apply cool compresses (tea bags soaked in ice water or cucumber slices work well) and rest with your head elevated for as little as 15 minutes or as long as overnight. To lighten dark areas, use a cream containing hydroquinone or kojic acid; both brighten hyper-pigmented skin. To cosmetically improve the appearance of dark circles, apply eye cream that contain mica or light-diffusing particles to make the skin seem lighter and brighter, if necessary, follow with concealer.

Shiseido
Benefiance Concentrated Anti Wrinkle Eye Cream ($50.00, shiseido.com)
PRODUCT 101: An ultra-rich, age-defense eye cream that protects skin from dehydration and dramatically minimizes the appearance of wrinkles and lines to promote a youthfully smooth, radiant look. Developed with Shiseido-exclusive Anti-Photowrinkle System, consisting of plant extract chlorella to counteract the appearance of future wrinkles. Recommended for dry and very dry skin. Pat around eye area, morning and night, as last step of skincare routine.

Murad
Lighten and Brighten Eye Treatment ($75.00, murad.com)
PRODUCT 101: A patented, triple-action formula targets the signs of environmental damage around the eye area. Scientifically proven to fight multiple signs of distress around the delicate eye area by lightening dark under eye circles and diminishing under eye bags and puffiness. Clinical testing has shown that using this product lightens dark under eye circles by an average of 59% and diminishes under eye bags and puffiness by up to 50%.

LOOK YOUNGER

STEPS TO AGING WELL

1. Consume enough calories. With too few calories in your diet, the appearance of skin, hair and posture can suffer. In particular, foods rich in antioxidants, like berries, leafy greens and soy products, and those with omega-3 fatty acids, such as certain fish (salmon and sardines), olive oil and some nuts, may help ward off wrinkles.

2. Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. They contain antioxidants, which fend off free radicals. (Free radicals build up in the body through daily living, are increased by pollution, smoking and sunlight, and breakdown cell membranes, contributing to aging.)

3. Cut back significantly on refined sugars and sugar packed soft drinks. Sugar causes reactions in your body that can contribute to the breakdown of collagen. Sometimes, I’ll have a craving for something sweet, like chocolate, instead I’ll find a substitution. I’ll have a bowl of blueberries instead.

4. Drink ten to twelve 8-oz. glasses of water or green tea a day. Inadequate hydration can lead to dry skin, which can make wrinkles more obvious. I love iced green tea, unsweetened of course, with a slice of lemon.

5. Limit yourself to no more than five to seven alcoholic beverages per week. Over time, excessive alcohol consumption will leave your skin looking sallow.

6. Take a multivitamin daily. Your supplement should have at least 400 IU of vitamin E; 25,000 IU of beta-carotene; 2000 mg of vitamin D; and other antioxidants. Among other positive effects, these antioxidants, combined with sun avoidance and protection, help skin wrinkle-free.

7. Always wear at least SPF 30, even indoors. Tanning robs the skin of collagen and leads to loss of elasticity. Even some indoor lighting emits damaging UV waves. If I could drink sunscreen for maximum protection, I would. I never go outside without a generous layer.

8. Use products with anti-aging ingredients. By your mid to late twenties, you need skincare with anti-aging ingredients: alpha-hydroxy or glycolic acids and vitamin-rich serums. Additionally, moisturizing daily will help keep wrinkles from becoming more dramatic.

9. Consider microdermabrasion or a chemical peel. These dermatologist-performed procedures can help erase the appearance of some sun damage.

10. Stop smoking. Smoking creates vertical lines around your lips and robs your skin of oxygen, muddying your complexion and undermining collagen production.

11. Exercise at least four times a week. A cardio workout will help keep your weight down and your energy levels up, and will improve circulation.

12. Reduce stress daily. Try yoga or meditation. Exfoliating is a simple stress reducer for me.

13. Get at least seven hours of sleep nightly. Less sleep may undermine the immune system and further stress the body by keeping it from repairing and replenishing cells.