Talent Agency 411

Although concealer is one of those “optional” products, I personally would never leave the house unless well concealed. (Shades will work if you’re in a pinch, but on a cloudy day, it’s a dead giveaway.)

Foundation, what is the purpose of foundation? Simple, the purpose of foundation is to even out your skin tone (not to make it darker, we have bronzing products for that). There are oh, so many types to choose from out there. The sheerest of all looks would be a loose powder. However, you have many more options and today’s formulas are mostly all non-comedogenic (will not clog pores) and safe for sensitive skin. Some even have SPF built right in for extra added protection. Whether you choose cream, liquid, oil-free, powder or cream-to-powder foundation, always choose a color that completely disappears or is a very close match to your natural skin tone. Most cosmetic companies have formulas in a wide range of shades for a perfect match. (You can always look for a 100% satisfaction guarantee to ensure you don’t accumulate several mismatched and unusable foundation products. Mary Kay offers such a guarantee.)

Concealer and foundation lay the groundwork for a well made face. Hide those dark circles that make you look tired, stressed and drawn out. Even out your skin tone for a polished, put together look and a radiant glow. Take pride in your appearance and those around you will begin to take notice. Because, when you know you look fabulous, you feel great about yourself.

Have a great day!

Dawn Hull
Professional Skin Care Consultant
http://www.MaryKay.com/ShopOnline

Sign up to receive a FREE monthly beauty newsletter: Beaut-e-News - Discover what’s new, what’s now what’s changing the face of makeup and skin care! You’ll find beauty secrets revealed and tips and techniques that will help you look your beautiful best. Click here to register: http://www.marykay.com/PWS/MyMK/Login.aspx?Moniker=SHOPONLINE

Women have historically been the race most likely to take advantage of plastic surgery. To the surprise of many, more and more men are looking to plastic surgery.

Men Going In For Plastic Surgery?

Mention plastic surgery patients and one immediately thinks of women. The names of procedures such as facelifts and breast augmentation, lend themselves to this assumption. In truth, women make up approximately 80 percent of all plastic surgery patients.

Of course, the above figure means 20 percent of the patients for plastic surgery are men. Given the fact there were over 10 million plastic surgery procedures in 2005, two to three million men underwent enhancement procedures. Obviously, plastic surgery for men is no longer a taboo or unmanly option.

Men tend to pursue personal enhancements for the same reasons as women. They desire to improve a perceived physical fault or push back the effects of time. The most popular procedures with men are facelifts, nose jobs, eyelid lifts and liposuction for the infamous beer gut. For obvious reasons, breast augmentation is not popular! Although the same titles are used for these procedures, the actual processes undertaken can vary widely from women to men due to the different contours found in the body of each gender.

So, why are more and more men turning to plastic surgery? There appear to be a few reasons. Men and women are both living longer. With this increased life expectancy, men tend to work far longer in the past and seek to keep their appearance in order. Even powerful men in the sports world, such as Jerry Jones [owner of Dallas Cowboys] have gone under the knife to improve or maintain their appearance.

As society faces the fact that we live longer, the idea of plastic surgery is no longer something that raises eyebrows. While celebrity men regularly undertake it, the rest of us are also getting in on the act.

Ricardo de Silva is with PlasticSurgeonPractices.com a directory of plastic surgeons.

Some people desire enough of a tan for just one occasion such as an evening out. Some people look at all options available in sunless tanning products and decide to tan the old-fashioned way, after all. For those who opt for a traditional, sun-induced tan, caution and protective measures are recommended.

Currently, sunless tanning spray can be found at high-end salons or spas and can anywhere from $25 per session to up to $100 for a few one-hour sessions. Sunless tanning spray contains dihydroxyacetone (DHA). DHA is applied in a fine mist to the entire body of the customer. DHA reacts with dead skin cells on the surface of the body, causing them to turn brown. Most tanners who use the spray method report good, realistic results and excellent coverage. The spray on tans last five to seven days, typically.

Sunless tanning spray is either water or oil based. The former is recommended for people with sensitive skin. The FDA has approved DHA as safe since the 1970s. It is colorless — the color change in tanners’ skin is chemical — but may at first emit a slight odor, which should disappear after showering. It will not stain clothing.

Sunless tanning spray is not recommended for people with dry and flaky skin or for people with very fair skin. In the case of those with dry skin, a spray tan may end up looking patchy, due to the accelerated shedding of dead skin cells. For those with fair skin, the tan may end up looking too dark or otherwise awkward.

Moisturizing can optimize the life of a spray tan. Other preparations to take are to exfoliate before having sunless tanning spray applied, avoiding showering for at least four hours before the tanning session, and avoiding physical activity for a short while after the spray tan is applied. The better precautions are taken and the more diligently aftercare is pursued, the better the results of a spray tan will be.

Sunless Tanning Info provides detailed information about sunless tanning lotion, booths, sprays, salons, and pills, as well as reviews of best sunless tanning products and methods. Sunless Tanning Info is the sister site of Tanning Beds Web.

As long-term acne sufferers know, acne treatments rarely work and do not work on everyone. The hoax of over the counter acne products, such as creams, cleansers, ointments, etc. and what they do not tell you, is they only clear the surface problem, if they don’t irritate the skin so badly to actually make the problem worse.

Physicians tell you that their medications will not cure acne, but can help you control it. Another mask, just what we need! Physicians refer to acne as a “mysterious disease”. Is there a cure - possibly, some seem to think so. During research for this article, I never really found anything substantial. However, it appears that our biological and hormonal makeup have a lot to do with whether we have acne problems and to what extent, if we do.

Most look at acne as merely a skin problem, but for those who have had acne over a period of years it is so much more. Self-esteem, insecurities and emotional problems may develop as well. The problem with acne medications remains with their claims to kill bacteria on the skin surface. However, bacteria is not the root cause of acne, it is a symptom of acne. Therefore, not one of these products or medications will cure the problem.

If this were indeed a disease, then wouldn’t it make sense that the problem lies within the body, making its entrance through the pores of the skin, which in turn creates the bacterial result. Therefore, the real answer lies within a search for an internal cure.

Another form of lessening the effects of acne is to watch what we eat. While this may help some, others are still plagued and usually go back to their normal diet after only seeing slight improvement.

The sorry truth is that none of the products on the market or through our pharmaceutical industry actually offers the cure. We can spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars and still we have not cured the acne. Our best hopes are for less acne or if lucky, invisible acne.

The ironic part of acne products is to look at the ingredients found in them. Most over the counter products contain at least one of the following active ingredients.

Benzoyl peroxide - Claimed to be the most effective because it removes excess oil from the skin and dead cells from the pores. Benzoyl peroxide may cause excessive drying, minor swelling, scaling and/or redness, as well as sensitivity to UV exposure.

Salicylic acid - Used to prevent pores from clogging and may break down clogged pores that do not have an opening (whiteheads). This active ingredient may cause skin irritation.

Sulfur and resorcinol - This ingredient is used in conjunction with other active ingredients to help remove dead skin and excessive oil and may breakdown both whiteheads and blackheads. This may cause redness and peeling a few days after the first use.

Alcohol and acetone - Commonly found in astringents and cleansing washes. These active ingredients remove dirt and oil from the skin and may cause a burning or stinging sensation.

So what’s the most effective way to control acne? Here are some suggestions from the Mayo Clinic staff.

If using over the counter products, start out with the lowest strength acne products, then increase strength as your skin adjusts to the product.

Never combine products that use different active ingredients, such as Benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid. This combination can cause even more skin problems.

Do not use oily cosmetics, sunscreen, or shampoo. Look for products labeled “oil free” so as not to clog pores.

Wash acne problems areas twice a day. Over-washing and scrubbing can make the acne problem worse.

Cover the problem areas with just enough of the acne product, but do not over apply.

Use a moisturizer that is oil-free and water-based to help alleviate dry, peeling skin.

Picking and squeezing blemishes will cause infection and scarring - so don’t do it.

Acne products take four to six weeks to see results. To date there is no proof of a quick fix.

See a dermatologist if acne problem does not improve.

Other suggestions to help with the underlying cause of acne are to improve eating habits and adding natural food supplements to your diet.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Acne