The Beauty Bar Blog

Category: Beauty

How to Choose the Right Anti-Aging Products

With so many anti-aging products on the market and many making bold claims, it can be difficult to know which ones to choose. Here are some tips from dermatologists.

Sunscreen is one of the best anti-aging products you can use. Choose a formula that is broad spectrum, has an SPF of at least 30, and is water-resistant. Reapply sunscreen every two hours if you are outdoors.

A moisturizer can minimize fine lines. Moisturizer is a key ingredient in many anti-aging products. You can use a moisturizer that contains sunscreen, as long as it meets the criteria above.

Use sunscreen and moisturizer for a few weeks and then see how your skin looks. If you still have a specific concern, such as wrinkles or dark spots, choose a product to target that problem. A single product cannot treat all signs of aging, and using multiple products at the same time can irritate your skin and make you look older.

Choose products that are right for your skin type, such as oily or sensitive. Look for products that are hypoallergenic to reduce your chance of having an allergic reaction. A non-comedogenic or non-acnegenic formula will not cause acne. The bottle should also have a phone number for a consumer hotline in case you have questions.

More expensive products do not necessarily work better. Choose a product that is within your price range.

Avoid products that make exaggerated claims. An anti-aging product cannot make you look younger overnight. Have realistic expectations so you will not be disappointed.

The Health and Beauty Benefits of Pumpkin

Autumn is the time of year when people enjoy pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin pie, and other delicious foods and beverages. Pumpkin can also have many health and beauty benefits. It is full of vitamins and minerals and can give you glowing skin and healthy hair.

Pumpkin is a good source of vitamin C that can protect your skin from free radicals that cause wrinkles and skin cancer. Eating it can also promote the production of collagen, which can improve your skin’s tone and elasticity over time.

Alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, and other carotenoids are the antioxidants that give pumpkin its orange color. Eating foods with carotenoids can reverse UV damage and improve skin’s texture.

Pumpkin contains many minerals, including potassium, copper, magnesium, manganese, and iron. Potassium promotes healthy hair and makes it grow faster, while copper and zinc contribute to healthy skin and hair. Zinc also protects cell membranes, maintains collagen, fights acne, and renews skin. Pumpkin seeds are high in zinc. You can incorporate them into your diet by adding them to soups, salads, yogurt, or oatmeal.

Pumpkin also contains most of the B vitamins, including niacin, riboflavin, B6, and folate. Niacin treats acne and improves circulation. Folate also improves circulation, which increases cell turnover.

In addition to eating pumpkin, you can apply it topically in the form of a peel, mask, cream, or conditioner to get healthy skin and hair. It is often used in facials with ingredients such as honey and lemon to soothe and brighten skin and improve a dull complexion. You can make a simple pumpkin hair conditioner by combining ½ can of pumpkin puree, ¼ cup of yogurt, 2 tablespoons of honey, and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil.

How to Shape Your Eyebrows

Shaped and sculpted eyebrows are beautiful. Getting the right shape is important. Here are some tips to help guide you as you shape your eyebrows.

Before you start, visualize the brow shape you want to have. The front of your eyebrows should line up with the upper bridge of your nose.

Before you begin plucking, fill in your brow with a pencil. This will help you avoid overplucking. Hole the pencil perpendicular to the front of your brow and turn it sideways at the arch to create a thinner line at the end. The arch should be three-quarters of the way back from the bridge of your nose, and the tail should taper off and follow the angle of your eye.

After you have drawn the eyebrow shape you want, use a spoolie brush to comb upward to create lift and volume.

The next step is to remove unwanted hairs using slant-tipped tweezers. You should only tweeze underneath your eyebrows unless you are a professional. Tweezing into the arch can bring your brows down. Step back from the mirror from time to time to check the shape of your brow.

The bottom part of your eyebrow is the most important to fill. Hold the tweezers against the front of your brow and the inner arch to see what is missing. Use a pencil to add pigment between the front and the inner arch. Avoid using an overly waxy pencil because it will go on dark and heavy and can stick and clump.

Use a spoolie brush to comb hairs upward at an angle in the direction of your brow. If you see any hairs that are noticeably longer than the others or hang over the edge, trim sparingly.

After you have plucked and trimmed your eyebrow, the area you penciled in will probably have faded. Go back to fill in as necessary, then move on to your other eyebrow.

Repeat the same steps on your other brow. To create a symmetrical look, the tips of the arches should be at the same point.

After you have finished, put a bit of translucent powder over the arches to set the brow pencil, soak up natural oils, and keep your brows looking freshly groomed.

Beauty Products for a Trip to the Beach

If you are heading to the beach this summer, you need to choose your beauty products carefully. Here are some tips to help you look great even after spending time in the water on a hot day.

You should wear sunscreen whenever you are outside, whether it is sunny or cloudy, summer or winter. Choose a broad spectrum sunscreen that will protect you from UVA rays that cause wrinkles and aging and UVB rays that cause sunburn, as well as skin cancer. If you don’t plan to go in the water, wear a matte, oil-free sunscreen under your makeup. Reapply sunscreen after you go in the water, or at least every two hours.

To get a bronze glow, try a self-tanner. Use a quick-drying, luminizing formula and concentrate on problem areas to hide imperfections.

To add color before you head to the beach, use a highlighting stick. Apply it to high points on your face, such as your cheekbones, the bridge of your nose, and the bow of your lips, and even your eyelids.

Wearing makeup in the water can be messy. If you are going to be sunbathing at the beach, you can try a long-wear concealer to cover blemishes.

If you want to wear mascara, choose a waterproof version, but only wear it if you plan to go swimming. Waterproof mascara can be difficult to remove. Tugging around your eyes can cause premature sagging or make you lose some eyelashes.

Coconut oil can serve many purposes. You can use it to remove makeup before you go in the water, moisturize your skin after you leave the beach, or nourish your hair between swims.

If you are going swimming, your hair will probably be full of tangles when you get out of the water. You can undo damage by rinsing your hair with tap water and spritzing it with detangling spray. Rinse it out when you get home. Choose a product that has UVA and UVB protection and is silicone-free.

Makeup Mistakes That Can Make You Look Older

Used correctly, makeup can conceal flaws and take years off your appearance. When used incorrectly, however, it can actually make you look older. Here are some common makeup mistakes and what you should do instead.

Some women use a lot of foundation in an attempt to conceal lines and wrinkles, but that can actually make them look worse. Excessive foundation settles into lines and draws attention to them. Use foundation in moderation.

If you use a foundation that is too light for your skin tone, it can settle into fine lines and exaggerate them. Use a foundation that is one or two shades darker than your natural skin tone.

Primer can give your skin a smooth, silky texture by filling in lines. It also helps makeup stay on. Always use a cream or liquid primer. Powder can make your skin look saggy.

Covering dark circles under your eyes with a heavy layer of concealer can add years to your appearance. Cover up circles with a light base of concealer applied with a brush.

Wearing makeup with too much shimmer can make lines on your face more noticeable and make your eyes look smaller. A matte eye shadow will make your eyes stand out.

Using a dark eyeliner or mascara under your eyes can bring out crow’s feet or under-eye circles, which can make your eyes look smaller. Use a soft, light pencil, not a liquid liner.

A dark or harsh shade of lipstick can make you look older. Avoid dark lipsticks and lip liners.

Putting blush on the apples of your cheeks can make you appear older than you are. It can make lines more prominent and cause your skin to appear droopy. Avoid powder blush because it can settle into lines. Use a liquid blush instead.

Airbrush Makeup is great for girls to use when getting Senior Portraits done. No more retouching makeup in-between outfit changes!