Perfect Skin Do's and Dont's

"What spirit is so empty and blind, that it cannot recognize the fact that the foot is more noble than the shoe, and skin more beautiful that the garment with which it is clothed?" -- Buonarroti Michelangelo

5 Dos and 5 Don’ts to Help Slow the Aging Skin Process

Maybe you're in your 20s or early 30s and you think you can't possibly have (gulp) aging skin yet. Well, you're wrong. Your skin's 'youthfulness' has less to do with age than how it's been treated, so if exposed to sun, smoke and stress, your skin will start ‘acting old,’ losing collagen, glow and elasticity. Lines will develop and pores can seem more pronounced. It's easier to prevent damage than to repair it but the good news is you CAN reverse skin damage.

Here are 5 dos and 5 don’ts to help slow down and reverse the aging process and leave your skin glowing at any age.

• Do stop smoking. Ever notice the skin of a lifelong smoker? It can appear wrinkly like a squashed paper bag. The fact is, smoking is the 2nd biggest cause of skin damage after sun exposure. Why? Nicotine constricts blood vessels and decreases the flow of oxygen to the skin. Not good things.
  
  
• Do use an AHA or BHA (also known as retinols) every day. A daily application of a one percent prescription retinoid lotion (such as Retin-A or even better, Tazorac) can erase years from your face. AHAs used properly not only take off lots of dead skin, but can seem to take 10 years off as well by reducing fine lines. (Keep in mind these products do NOT shrink pores. Your pore size is completely hereditary, so don't believe promises of permanent reduction). Over-the-counter options such as RoC Deep Wrinkle Night Cream (see compare link below to buy) are good, but prescription creams work the best. Extra tip: You must stay out of the sun if you use retinoids. You are extra-susceptible to sunburns.
  
  
  
• Do exfoliate once a week. Choose a formulation that's best for your skin type. Chemical exfoliators (glycolic or salicylic acid) are best for oily or combo skin, while scrubs found in microdermabrasives work best for sensitive skin. Some tried-and-true products we love include Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion in a Jar:
  or Lancome Resurface C Microdermabrasion
  
  
  
• Do use an eye cream daily. Eyes are one of the first places to show aging. The skin around the eyes is extra thin so you'll want to protect it from the sun with eye cream with SPF. A great one is: Clarins Eye Contour Care SPF30.
  
  Or try Neutrogena Healthy Defense SPF 30 Eye Cream:
  
  
  
  
• Do invest and ingest antioxidants. 'Antioxidants' is a huge word in aging prevention. A huge proponent of antioxidants (found in green teas and beta carotene) is dermatologist Leslie Baumann, MD. To get the best possible protection against free-radical damage, Baumann suggests in Elle magazine that you take both oral and topical antioxidants. Get antioxidants in pill form by taking Heliocare vitamins.
  
  
  Baumann also suggests less-expensive Olay Vitamins Total Effects Beautiful Skin and Wellness vitamins:

You saw the 5 'dos' for perfect skin care. Now here are 5 don'ts:

Don’t pull and rub your skin. Aging skin has been under attack by UV rays, stress and carbon monoxide so don't stress it more by pulling on it.

Don’t forget to moisturize. While it's a myth that wrinkles are caused by dry skin, moisturizing can improve the appearance of lines by temporarily plumping them up. Dennis Gross, MD, the creator of MD Skincare, swears by lotions that contain ultrahydrating hyaluronic acid and essential fatty acids (also known as EFAs). Look for these in Gross's MD Skincare Auto-Balancing Moisture Sunscreen SPF 10:



Extra tip: Moisturizers are best used on damp skin. They lock the moisture in. Gross doesn't use tap water when washing skin because of harsh minerals found in many city water sources. Instead, he rinses off with Evian water.

Don’t ignore your neck and chest. The neck and chest are first to show the signs of aging (they have fewer oil glands than the rest of your body), yet most of us ignore them. Look for moisturizers that have age-fighting ingredients like vitamin A (retinols), kinetin, copper or vitamin C.

Don’t forget the sunscreen. This is a no-brainer. You’ve had it ingrained in your head since youth, but seriously, even in winter it can take just 20 minutes of unprotected sun exposure to damage the skin. Here's a list of great sunscreens, including what I believe to be the best sunscreen in the world. By the way, it's a MYTH that 80 percent of your lifetime sun damage occurs before age 18, according to the April, 2006, issue of O Magazine. Katie Rodan, MD, adjunct professor of dermatology at Stanford University School of Medicine, says in O that this myth stands officially debunked and studies indicate we get only 23 percent of total UV exposure by age 18. Of course it gets worse as we age. So you CAN prevent sun-induced aging by wearing sunscreen.

Don’t tan. Even if wrinkles haven't shown up yet, you need to stop tanning now because they will. Once signs of aging appears, you'll be spending a lot of money to reverse it. So if you do have sun damage? You can reverse the damage with photorejuvenation such as pulsed light treatments. Many spas and dermatologists provide these pricey fixes.

One word of warning: Once you start an anti-aging regimen, you have to keep it up. The effects of acid peels, AHAs, moisturizers -- all the anti-aging products that remove dead skin cells and make skin look plumper -- won't last forever. You have to maintain them.

Want more information on anti-aging? Try these books from the dermatologists mentioned in this article.

WHY NOT TO WEAR SKINNY JEANS

Shopbop

Many of us like the way skinny jeans look, but there's no debate about their comfort level. Looser fitting denim styles, trousers, or leggings are preferable, and if you were looking for an excuse to stash your tight jeans, here's a health reason: Doctors say increasing numbers of women are coming to them with meralgia paresthetica.

Do you ever feel a numb, pins-and-needles tingling feeling along your thigh? Do you get a weird burning or itching sensation down your upper leg? This condition is caused by constant pressure cutting off the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve.

According to this MSNBC story, one skinny jean wearer, Parmeeta Ghoman, went to her doctor because it felt like she was "floating" and she couldn't feel her legs. “It felt really strange — it felt like my leg had gone to sleep,” says Ghoman. Another woman from this CBS report said her jean pain was so bad that her doctor now has her taking anti-seizure medicine to control her symptoms.

While sufferers of this condition are typically construction workers, police officers who wear heavy belts, pregnant women, or obese people, experts say increasing levels of young, healthy women have experienced the symptoms because of their skinny jeans.

Luckily, the damage is usually not permanent. Chiropractic physician Dr. William Madosky told MSNBC, "The key is, you remove the pressure, and the nerve regenerates.” Also, he adds that you should avoid wearing these jeans with high heels, since it can make the situation worse by forcing you to tilt your pelvis forward and adding more pressure on the nerve.

And of course, if you're experiencing this kind of pain, you should consult your own doctor right away and stop wearing those tight trousers!

Have you ever experienced any of these tingly thigh feelings from wearing your tight jeans? Would you stop wearing them if they caused discomfort, or do you stick to wearing what looks good (skinny jeans, stilettos, etc) no matter what the pain? [MSNBC] [CBS5.com]

have faith in me

Have faith in me
'Cause there are things that I've seen I don't believe
So cling to what you know and never let go
You should know things aren't always what they seem.

I said I'd never let you go and I never did
I said I'd never let you fall and I always meant it
If you didn't have this chance then I never did
You'll always find me right there, again

I've gone crazy
'Cause there are things in the streets I don't believe
So we'll pretend its alright and stay in for the night
What a world
I'll keep you safe here with me


They've got me on the outside looking in
But I can't see at all
With the weight of the world on our shoulders
They just wanna see me fall


Have faith in me

The Best and Worst Hairstyles for Your Face Shape.

At least now I know better. But what about you? Do you know what hairstyle best suits your face? Check out the pics below to find out.

Round face: the best
Simple lines with as little volume at the sides as possible, like this simple mid-length bob, are the best choice for round faces. Ginnifer Goodwin gets it right.

Round face: the worst
This center part emphasizes a full forehead, and the volume at the sides widens the cheeks. Clarkson would look much slimmer with volume at the crown and sleek sides.

Square face: the best
The most famous square face in the world knows to keep the hair soft and flowing, with volume only at the crown. While hair should be sleek, it shouldn't hug the face and flatten its contours.

Square face: the worst
Heavy bangs typically exaggerate a square face shape. Pulling the rest of the hair back makes Jessica Alba's face look even more square, flat and ungraceful.

Oval face: the best
When you're blessed with a symmetrical oval face, you should show it off. Halle Berry's simple feminine updo lets her face do the talking.

Oval face: the worst
Compared with her simple updo, this tousled, face-hugging style with a lot going on manages to make even one of the world's most beautiful oval faces look ordinary.

Heart face: the best
A heart-shaped face like Christina Ricci's can look like a work of art with the right hairstyle like this simple bob. Keep the bangs narrow (width-wise) in order to minimize a broad forehead. Length should be chin-length or longer with no volume on the sides.

Heart face: the worst
Heart-shaped faces should avoid styles that emphasize a bare forehead and open up at the sides, emphasizing the width of the face. All you see here is Ricci's forehead. We think Christina should stick with the bangs.

Diamond face: the best
A diamond face is an oval with angles. Almost any style works for this shape, but soft draping bangs and gentle sweeping lines are great for countering the shape's sharp angles. This bob is one of Rihanna's best looks.

Diamond face: the worst
Diamond shapes should stick with graceful, flowing styles that avoid volume at the top and sides. This look is all top volume, which gives Rihanna a bit of a "Conehead" look.

Oblong face: the best
The oblong shape is possibly the most challenging face shape to style. Kelly Rowland gets it right with long side-swept bangs and volume at the sides, which together work to create the illusion of facial fullness while minimizing face length.

Oblong face: the worst
While bangs can work for oblong shapes, they should be soft and preferably angled to help create the illusion of roundness. Stick-straight bangs with stick-straight sides just flatten and further elongate Liv Tyler's face in this photo.