Photo by Bradley Young

I hate to say it, but this is true…! The positions in which you sleep do in fact affect the wrinkles on your face – That’s why some lines are named sleep lines. If you happen to sleep in the same position, on the same side of your face night after night, your skin will be repeatedly smashed up against your pillow – and as you age the skin’s natural collagen and connective tissues become less supportive; which is why when you mush your face into your pillow you can get the wrinkles. How do you prevent this from happening? Try sleeping on you back – Some people find this proves more difficult than it sounds. Helpful tricks to aid in avoiding sleep lines: satin pillowcases or specially formed beauty sleep pillows which alleviate pressure on the face and pulling of your skin.

My Face Pillow $59.99

Dream Skin Anti-Aging Beauty silk soft facial pillow $39.00

Save My Face La Petite White Satin Pillow $58.59

Spasik 100% Pure Silk Facial Beauty Pillowcase (standard size) $19.99

Do you immediately reach for the razor the moment you hop into the shower? If you’re thinking yes, you’re making a mistake. Shaving isn’t exactly the highlight of any woman’s day, and it’s perfectly reasonable to want to get it over with, but if you follow this advice you will have smoother, happier legs and skin.

End Your Bath/Shower with a Shave

Let yourself relax and meditate for a moment when you first step into the warm rushing water. Allow the heat and steam to open up your follicles and pores and soften your hair before grabbing the razor.

Remember to Exfoliate Your Skin

Dead skin cells clog up your razor; it’s as simple as that. A clogged blade can lead to cuts and razor burn- ouch! If you want to get that clean, close shave use a sugar or salt scrub (I prefer these sugar scrubs) every day.

Use Shaving Cream

I will admit that I don’t always do this, and I usually live to regret it. There is a reason for these lathery creams though, it adds moisture to your skin and allows the razor to glide gently and easily over your skin, avoiding nicks and cuts. DO NOT use bar-soap! This actually dries out your skin provides little lubrication leading to more cuts. REMEMBER: Not all shaving creams are the same. There are different creams for all different skin types – read the labels.

Buy New Blades

Expensive razors are all well and good, but if you aren’t replacing the blades regularly you razor won’t do you any good. After anywhere from five to ten shaves blades are ineffective – causing blotchy hair patches, bumps, and possibly bacterial infections.

Shave Before You Sleep

Did you know that shaving your legs at night will make them more smooth in the morning? While you are asleep, your legs swell slightly, upon waking the inflammation goes down and the hair retreats deeper into its follicles.

Life is so full of unpredictable beauty and strange surprises. Sometimes that beauty is too much for people to handle. Do you know that feeling? When something is just too beautiful? When someone says something or writes something or plays something that moves you to the point of tears, maybe even changes you. One of the most beneficial and valuable gifts we can give to ourselves in this life: is allowing ourselves to be surprised!

It is okay if life surprises you.

It’s a good thing!

Tanning: A nice tan can give you a glow, and let’s face it, it looks good! But something you should know is that a nice suntan does not prevent sun damage, it is sun damage. While tanning the UV rays penetrate your skin and damage your pigment cells – with every tan and burn your skin becomes more damaged. The effects of this are cumulative.

Sunburn: You can fry your skin in a matter of hours, and unfortunately there is no actual cure for a sunburn. Bad sun reactions could be anything from pain, swelling, blistering and may even cause nausea, fever and chills – a cold compress and lotions my provide temporary relief, but if you do have a bad burn be sure to see a dermatologist.

Eye damage: The sun can cause cataracts (one of the leading causes of blindness)

Premature wrinkling: Without sufficient protection against the sun (hats, visors, sunscreens) your skin will loose its elasticity and begin to sag and deep wrinkles will begin to appear. Spotting may also occur – any spots that are red, yellow, town or has a scaly appearance may be early stages of skin cancer.

Skin cancer: This is caused by long-term damage and bad sunburns – nearly 90% of all skin cancers occur on body parts which have been exposed to the sun – like the nose, ears, neck, hands, arms, etc… 

Of course, not ALL sun exposure is dangerous. Here is a link to a previous Beauty Muths & Musings post – http://lovelydiahearst.com/?p=931

Falling asleep with your makeup on

Not washing your face before bed can lead to bacterial infections, clogged pores and acne. And, continued cleansing neglect can cause your skin to age up to EIGHT days on one night.

Coffee

I love my morning coffee, I even enjoy a nice afternoon espresso now and again, but be aware that caffeine is a MAJOR culprit when is comes to dry skin and the magnification of wrinkles. If you are a fellow coffee lover, be sure to hydrate and quench your skin by drinking LOTS of water to counteract the superficial affects of caffeine.

Not Hydrating

It’s always surprising to me when people say that they don’t drink water. As humans, your body is composed of over 60% water. We all NEED to drink water to maintain healthy digestion, absorption, circulation, creation of saliva, transportation of nutrients, body temperature and to fight off aging.

Cleanses

Constant cleansing and “yo-yo diets” have MAJOR negative impacts on your skin. This can lead to the breakdown of the natural collagen and elasticity in your skin causing sagging and stretch marks.

Lack of Exercise

It’s important to exercise, get your heart pumping and your blood flowing. Working out leads to perspiration (which may be “gross” but is important) that cleanses the body of toxins and promotes cellular growth.

Bright Pink

You are a giddy, easily excitable and free-spirited individual. People are naturally drawn to your bubbly personality and you welcome meeting and making new friends.

Red

This look is classically chic. You love the era of the roaring 20’s and the old Hollywood glam styles – basically you love anything vintage and sleek. You’re passionate, ambitious and willing to take the lead in any situation.

Dark Plum

You are daring, direct and bold. You set yourself apart from the crowd with your unique, stand-out-style. You don’t bullshit people, subtlety is not your forte – you’re always straight-forward.

Natural, lip balm

You are “wise beyond your years,” ambitious and lead a well-balanced life. You don’t get caught up in high-school drama and gossip and refuse to engage in petty behavior. Always looking to acquire new skills, build new bonds and never waste time you live your life to the fullest are highly productive with your time.

Gloss

You will never lose your childish enthusiasm for living and loving life. You don’t necessarily crave the limelight, but people do naturally gravitate toward you. You love fashion and don’t just follow but create trends, a true fashionista.

Nude

You are quiet and reserved – people who don’t know you may even call you shy. You pay close attention to detail, are very goal-oriented and are deeply compassionate and loyal to those you allow into close circle of friends.

Myth : Sharing Mascara and eyeliner is safe if you only do it with close friends and family or with makeup professionals.

Disgusting and disturbing, right?! My thoughts exactly!

Eyeliner is typically fine and can be rendered “safe,” so long as you re-sharpen the pencil and wipe it down with alcohol before and after every use. But mascara… Sharing mascara is NEVER okay! Not with friends or family and especially not in a salon or on set.

Any truly professional makeup artist will never apply mascara with a used wand or from an old (and potentially unhygienic) tube. Exposure to tainted products it is unsanitary and a potentially serious health hazard. Just think about it… That’s why there are always disposable applicators readily available at all cosmetics counters. Viruses can live on inanimate objects, which is why I strongly recommend you follow the same “No Sharing” rule with lipsticks and gloss.

Keep in mind that every single time you touch a lipstick or mascara, you are  introducing contaminants  to the product.

Here are some tips to help minimize your risk of infection from contaminated products:

If you are looking to buy new products, remember that stores tend to be busier on weekends and holidays. You should try to avoid shopping for cosmetics at this time because as a general rule, more people in the store means more people handling the testers.

Make sure if you are having your makeup professionally applied that the artist is willing to use a fresh, new product.  Always insist that they use disposable applicators to apply lip gloss and mascara.  This also means that they do NOT reintroduce the disposable wand into the gloss or mascara tube after application but are constantly using fresh applicators.

Ask about the cleaning procedures the makeup artist uses to care for their products. Sharpening pencils, washing brushes and wiping lipsticks with alcohol– all these things reduce the spread of bacteria

Remember:  When it comes to cosmetics Sharing isn’t caring.

Here are some tips to help minimize your risk of infection from contaminated products:

If you are looking to buy new products, remember that storers tend to be busier on weekends and holidays, you should try to avoid shopping for cosmetics at this time because as a general rule more people in the store means more people handling the testers…

Make sure that if you are having your makeup professionally done that the artist is willing to use a fresh, new product. Then be sure to have them use disposable applicators to apply lip gloss and mascara – This also means that they do NOT reintroduce the disposable wand into the gloss or mascara tube after application but are constantly using fresh applicators.

Ask about what cleaning procedures the makeup artist uses to care for their products – Such as: Sharpening pencils, washing brushes and wiping lipsticks with alcohol, all things that reduce the spread of bacteria

Let me start by informing you that not all wipes are created equal…! Baby wipes are literally meant to be used on a baby’s genitals and anus, which has been sitting in a dirty, poopy diaper. This is not a product you should ever be using on your face, ever!

However “gentle” these products and wipes claim to be is irrelevant; most of you are probably unaware of some of the contents and harsh chemicals in baby wipes – detergents, fragrance and preservatives (just to name a few). The chemicals in these wipes can cause rashes and scratch your sensitive face skin (as its texture is similar to that of a dryer sheet), and breaks down the natural collagen in your skin, which promotes rapid loss in your skins elasticity and leads to premature wrinkles.

Baby wipes may be perfectly good for their initial intended use (lest we forget they are intended to be used on a dirty bottom), but this new, cheap “trend” of using them on your face is a BIG no, no.

Inevitably, using any wipes of your face can pull, stretch and stress your skin; however, if you insist upon using cosmetic wipes on your face, may I suggest healthier alternatives to baby/butt wipes such as those made by MAC Cosmetics, Garnier Nutri-Pure Cleansing Towelettes or Comodynes Convenient Cosmetics Make-Up Remover (the latter can be found at Trader Joe’s

Bottom line:

Baby wipes are meant for your bottom, not your face.

This is not necessarily true. Many people do believe by sipping their lattes and cappuccino’s through a straw will get the coffee to pass their teeth and protect the enamel preventing stains. At the very most you might be reducing the rick of stains, but you are not eliminating it.

One thing to consider is that sucking on a straw is no different than sucking on a cigarette – it causes those unattractive aging, smokers lines. By drinking through straws you are forced to purse your lips, which strengthens the muscle and causes your lips to crease and with age skin thins and loses elasticity. Do yourself a favor and ditch the straws. If you’re worried about stains and fresh breath, go for a Quickee. And no, not that kind of quickee… Get your mind out of the gutter! A Supersmile Quikee is the anytime, anywhere no brush/no rinse whitening tooth polish that helps to freshen breath on the go and is small enough to fit in your pocket or a clutch.

SuperSmile Quikee $10.99

Photo by Magnus Reed

Sun exposure… You need some! Yes, it is important to be sure to “protect the skin you’re in,” but you must understand that the sun is not your enemy. Being over zealous with your lotions and sunscreen is not exactly healthy. Because people are so fearful of UV rays and sun exposure, there is a horrible epidemic of Vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is different from other essential vitamins because our own bodies can manufacture it with sunlight exposure.

Supplements and milk are fine, but the natural way to get it is from the sun. If you are overprotective of sun exposure, coating yourself with lotions and sunscreen and cover-ups, you can be doing yourself  more harm than good.  Your skin is your largest organ. Let the sun shine on it occasionally; it’s good for you!

Everything in moderation! I hate to advise you to go out into the sun,  but a little bit of sunshine is important and healthy for you.  I am not suggesting you to lie out for an hour in the blazing sun — let’s be honest no one wants to look like a saddlebag. We all know the difference between frying ourselves and just feeling the warmth of the sun on our skin.