Wedding Day Picture Perfect!

Brides to Be! You've been designing table-scapes, ordering favors, going to dress fittings and taking care of all the teensy weensy details? Did you remember to take care of your skin!?  Don't worry and don't cry, you can start today!

All Brides want their skin radiant and glowing on their wedding day, regardless of their current make up practices... a lot or a little. Something to keep in mind is that healthy skin is glowing skin. So how exactly should you begin your preparation. Very simple

1. Relax by getting enough rest. While your body is sleeping is when you're body rejuvenates itself.
2. Know you're skin type so you can use the correct skin care system on you're face
3. Start a twice daily beauty routine TODAY.

Get Some ZZzzzzzz.......

According to the National Sleep Foundation there is no "magic number" for the number of hours of sleep a person is supposed to get a night. Instead they say, "sleep needs are individual. Just like any other characteristics you are born with, the amount of sleep you need to function best may be different for you than for someone who is of the same age and gender."  So you may only need 7 hours of sleep after running wedding day errands and you're best friend may need 9 hours a night to keep "Bridezilla" at bay. So what should you keep in mind.

• Be aware of the clues you're body gives when it's sleepy. Like irritability, moody and snapish.
• Every one's sleep needs differ. Work on understanding yours by keeping a sleep journal with how many hours of sleep were achieved and generally how you felt in the morning and throughout the day.

What Skin Are You In? 
Making sure your skin is as healthy as it can possibly be first requires you to know your skin type. This will allow you to then choose the best skin care system and products for you. Generally there are 5 types of skin. Normal, Dry, Oily, Combo, and Sensitive. Each of which have their own characteristics. To determine your skin type in the morning use a clean facial tissue to wipe your face

• Normal skin will not leave any traces of oil and should feel vibrant, elastic, and supple. Normal skin is the least problematic type. It looks clean and smooth and has a good circulation and healthy complexion.
• Dry skin will leave the paper clean too, but your facial skin will feel flaky, dry, and tight after you have wiped it. Dry skin can easily develop a sallow tone, wrinkles, and fine pores, and it is very prone to aging and irritating.
• Oily skin will leave spots of facial oil on it, corresponding to the areas of your cheeks, nose, and forehead. Oily skin is problematic – it usually looks greasy, thick, coarse, and shiny, has enlarged pores, and tends to break out with acne. Careful cleaning, minimizing of carbohydrate consumption, and avoiding rich creams can be helpful in improving the quality of oily skin.
• Combo skin types will leave have traces of oil coming from your nose and forehead, but will be clean in the areas that touched your cheeks. Combination skin has patches of both dry and oily skin, and it requires different types of care in relation to particular facial areas. Dry zones, which are usually located on the cheeks and around the eyes, should be treated with rich creams and moisturizers. Oily areas, usually on the forehead and nose, will benefit from frequent and thorough cleaning.
• Sensitive types won't leave an oily residue as it is usually very dry, tends to feel tight, and becomes inflamed and irritated easily. Typically, sensitive skin develops reddish and scaly areas, can be itchy and tingly, and is prone to breaking into spots. It is the most problematic and fragile type of skin, which needs a very special type of care. It is usually best to seek the professional help of a dermatologist if you have sensitive skin.

Twice A Day Keeps Blemishes Away!
Committing to a daily skin care routine that you complete twice a day at least a month before your wedding date will be crucial to ensuring you have picture perfect skin! Don't be scared if you have passed that one month mark and are still just using hot water and a washcloth, it's never to late to start. Some skin care systems provide visible results in 24 hours. A good routine is one that you can realistically fit into your already busy day. Yup ladies, EVERY DAY.

I hear Brides say all the time when they are contemplating their make up for the wedding day, "I want to look myself, not a lot of makeup...just better." Well, if you commit to a daily skin care routine you can achieve that enhanced look with less make up. Here's the secret, make up applies better to healthy skin, and there won't be a need to "cover" anything up. Here is what you need...

• Smoothing cleanser
• Regenerating toner
• Intensive renewal serum (to firm and lift the skin)
• Corrective eye cream
• Restorative Day Cream with SPF 20
• Night Repair Cream

I highly suggest researching your products and selecting a system that is PURE| SAFE| BENEFICIAL

There is no better time than now to start taking care of yourself and your skin so you can be fabulous and flawless on the big day!

Here's to a Joyous Face!

http://www.joyousfaces.myarbonne.com/

Facebook Fanpage ~ Like for tips and updates

Mineral Oil On My Face!?!? YUCK!!!

I've been reading various articles about mineral oil and it's use as a major ingredient in many of our favorite "big brand" skin care products. According to the articles mineral oil is used extensively in skin care products, anti aging products, and cosmetics. So I decided to research exactly what it is and why it SHOULD NOT be something I'm rubbing into my skin or my families.

To paraphrase the scientific definition, mineral oil is a petrochemical product, which basically means that it is derived from crude oil as a by product (that alone sounds gross) of the process used to create petroleum products, IE gasoline and is also called white oil. By the way...it doesn't spoil.

You are probably most familiar with mineral oil from baby oil as it is 100% mineral oil that has fragrance added. Hhhhmm...do you really want to rub that on your baby's skin? I sure don't!

Skin is the body's largest organ and must have proper nutrients to do it's job properly. Skin has a dual purpose, to remove toxins and absorb nutrients. As mineral oil creates a barrier, it does not allow the skin to perform it's duties. Imagine covering your body in an over sized yellow glove used to wash dishes. That is in essence what you are doing when you use mineral oil on your skin, or any products that contain it.

Some say mineral oil is linked to cancer, allergies and immunotoxicity. I had to look that word up also. Immunotoxicity is the toxicity of biological systems in the body and irritation of the skin, eyes or lungs. It's also suggested that mineral oil can lead to acne and premature aging.

Now I am by no means a doctor, so I cannot verify the information. However the argument is a compelling one for sure.

So you are probably wondering what to do now. You've dashed to your beauty drawer and read that the ingredient lists on your fav skin care products do indeed contain mineral oil...GASP!

I invite you to consider a highly regarded, premium brand, Arbonne. Our products are healthy, botanically based and are inspired by nature. We offer skin care, cosmetics, aromatherapy and health & wellness products.

To learn more and arrange a consultation or host a party please contact me.

Mobile: 917-435-3859

email: joyousfaces@myarbonne.com

Facebook:  Joyous Faces Fan Page

Twitter: @joyousfaces

Here's to a Joyous Face!!



EAT & GLOW!

Having a skin care system to get glowing skin is always a great idea! Eating properly AND using a great skin care system is a fantastic idea. It's time to go beyond the surface and take a look at not only what's in your beauty drawer but also what's in your food pantry and refrigerator.

The truth of the matter is, if you have a horrible diet, then your skin is definitely not as radiant as it could be. The healthier you eat the better your skin will be. The trick is to incorporate these foods into your diet and work towards a more balanced diet. I am by no means saying turn into a health freak...everyone loves a good piece of chocolate!

Visit my website & sign the guestbook to receive a FREE ginger scrub & body wash

EAT & GLOW

Low Fat Dairy...

A key player in your skins health is vitamin A. The best source is low fat dairy products. In fact, the vitality of our skin cells are dependent on it. This is doubly important for people with diabetes or a thyroid condition. Generally people with those medical conditions cannot transform beta carotene, which is the form of vitamin A found in many foods we naturally associate like carrots, into vitamin A. The A found in dairy products is absolute A so it is absorbed by everyone. Yogurt is not only rich in vitamin A, but it also includes "live" bacteria that is great for your intestinal health, which will show itself in the condition of your skin.

The Darker the Berry... 
Fruits like blueberries, plums, blackberries, and strawberries have the highest antioxidant content of any food. This is super important because the help fight against free radicals. Free radicals damage the outer layer of the skin and ultimately the make up or DNA of skin cells. They are formed by sun exposure. The awesome thing about the dark fruits is their antioxidants help shield the cell, resulting in less damage. Ultimately you are guarding against premature aging.
Also try: artichokes; black, pinto and red beans; prunes; pecans

Fatty Acids...
"Essential fatty acids are responsible for healthy cell membranes, which is not only what act as barriers to harmful things but also as the passageway for nutrients to cross in and out and for waste products to get in and out of the cell," says Ann Yelmokas McDermott, PhD, a nutritionist at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston (WebMD website). The cell membrane also retains water, so the better the barrier the better your cells can hold in moisture. And that means plumper, younger looking skin.
Foods like walnuts, salmon, canola oil, and flax seed are all great sources of fatty acids

Some of these foods are already in your diet so you're already providing a great service to your skin. For anyone who does have a less than stellar diet, try introducing new foods that will benefit your skin and help it glow!

http://www.joyousfaces.myarbonne.com/

visit the website & sign the guestbook to receive a FREE ginger scrub & body wash

BROW-tastic!

Eyebrows play a major part in our appearance. They are possibly one of the most distinctive facial features and one of the most expressive. 


Few things will make you come across more groomed than well done eyebrows. Many of us have our eyebrows professionally waxed or tweezed and most recently many women have converted to threading. I highly suggest visiting a professional salon or boutique, they will provide the perfect foundation for you to follow later for maintenance. You will simply have to tweeze where the eyebrow grows back in.

Tools of the Trade:

1. Invest in a great pair of tweezers with a slanted edge
2. A dual sided magnifying mirror with a bright light
3. Arbonne FC5 Exfoliating New Cell Scrub
4. Aloe Vera Gel
5. Arbonne Eyebrow Gel

I use ARBONNE products. They are safe, pure, and beneficial. Visit my website to learn more about the products mentioned in this blog. Be sure to sign the guestbook to receive a FREE ginger scrub & body wash set!

Prep your face.

Cleanse your skin. Exfoliating with a gentle scrub helps prep the area as well. I use all Arbonne products and like the FC5 Exfoliating New Cell Scrub. It gently exfoliates to uncover radiant skin. Brush brows up and out.

1. To find where the beginning of your brow should go, take a long eyeshadow brush or pencil and hold it parallel (up &down) to the side of your nose. Where the pencil meets your brow is where your brow should begin.
2. To find the end of your brow, extend the brush diagonally from your nostril, following the outside edge of your eye toward the brow. Where the inside edge of the brush hits is where your brow should end.
3. The best brows have a slight arch. To find yours, hold the brush parallel to the outside edge of the colored part of your eye (the iris). Where the brush meets the brow is where the highest part of your brow should be.

 "How to Pluck" on About.com

Go easy on the tweeze!

Don't over do it. This is the biggest mistake we make. It can take MONTHS for eyebrows to grow back in. Keep this in mind. The space between your brows should be the same width or a little wider then your eyes.

Make sure to tweeze in the direction your eyebrow hairs grow. Also don't grab to many hairs at a time and hold your skin tight as you tweeze. 

Give equal attention to both the top and the bottom of your brows. Many people believe you should only tweeze from the top. Not true! You want both the bottoms and tops to be smooth. Be careful, but tweeze the top AND the bottom.

Stop and Go!

Stop every few hairs to review what you've done already. If you over tweeze you will have to live with filling them in with a brow pencil for several months until your brows have had the chance to regrow. Also keep in mind that your eyebrow hairs do not always grow back once they have been tweezed out. 

Soothe & Smooth!

Once you're done tweezing you can apply an aloe vera gel to calm and extract any redness. I like to chill mine in the fridge for 30 minutes before I tweeze.

Tips & Tricks!

To keep tweezers at their best, wipe the tips with alcohol often. This will remove oils and ensure the tweezers have the best grip.

If your eyebrows are spotty you can fill them in by lightly brushing a matte brown shadow into your brows. Use two different browns, a light & dark to keep it as natural as possible. I lightly dip my eyebrow brush into the shadow and brush up and out.

If you decide to fill with a pencil, apply the pencil with short feathery strokes from the inside of your eyebrow out. Then be sure to carefully rub brows with your brush to soften out the effect.

Eyebrow gels keep your brows in neat and in place all day long. I like Arbonne Clear Eyebrow Gel.

Here's to a Joyous Face!

Visit my website www.joyousfaces.myarbonne.com to learn more about the best in class skincare systems & nutritional essentials. 

You can also follow me on twitter @joyous faces 

 

Happy Feet!

"Grab your coat, and get your hat. Leave your worry on the doorstep. Just direct your FEET, to the sunny side of the street!"

Diva's how wonderful do you feel after a nice relaxing pedicure? I truly enjoy being pampered and when it's all said and done I'm walking on air!

Now to be quite honest I haven't had a professional pedicure since my birthday in December...Don't be alarmed! I still managed to keep my feet looking great and feeling soft with periodic at home maintenance! Follow the steps below and keep your feet happy in between trips to the nail salon.

I use all Arbonne products. I use RE9 Advanced Body to keep my feet soft, especially my heels! 

To learn about the products & the company visit my website and sign the guestbook for a FREE GIFT!

Good-looking toenails are easier to create and maintain than attractive fingernails. Mainly because your toenails need attention every 2 to 3 weeks, while fingernails need a fresh mani every week or week-and-a-half.

What you'll need...

Cotton balls, nail polish remover, a toe nail clipper (not a finger nail clipper, there is a difference), orangewood stick, a nail brush, buffer, antiseptic, pumice stone, nail color & top coat, RE9 Advanced Body Wash & Cream , bowl of soapy water with a few drops of olive oil and lemon juice.

Prep...

Pour the nail polish remover onto the cotton ball to remove any traces of old polish. Then use the buffer to smooth out the top of you nail. Smooth gently. Less is more, so check with your finger as you go.

Soak & Exfoliate...

Make sure your water is warm, to your liking and soak your feet for 3-5 minutes. This will not only assist in cleaning under the nail, it will soften it and the cuticles as well. After soaking use your nailbrush to remove dirt and any dry skin. Then, using your orangewood stick, very gently clean away any remaining dirt under the nails. 

 Dip feet back into water for a quick rinse. Now is the perfect time to use your pumice with the RE9 Advanced Body Wash and gently exfoliate your feet. Pay close attention to your heels and the balls of your feet.

Trim & Cut...

Use the nail clippers to cut and trim your toe nails. Be careful NOT to clip to short and NOT to curve the nail on the corners. You may end up with an ingrown toenail as they grow back. After you are done spray feet with your antiseptic.

Moisturize...

Believe me when I tell you, dry and cracked feet will make a well polished toe nail look horrible. Condition and moisturize your feet with Arbonne's RE9 Advanced Firming Body Cream. Use this time to massage the feet for several minutes. Rub the cream into your cuticles as well and then gently push them back with your orangewood stick.

*If your cuticles are sensitive you can wrap the end of the stick in a piece of your cotton balls.*

   Don't forget to visit my site & sign the guestbook for a FREE ginger scrub & body wash!

Polish...

Remove any oils by wiping your toe nails with your antiseptic or nail polish remover. Prime your nails for polish by applying a clear base coat. To make it easier, place your foot flat on a level surface. Use your toe spreader or cotton balls to keep toes from touching while you polish. Paint a thin coat of base coat on each toenail. If you like a clean fresh look you can stop here. Or live dangerous with some color.

For more drama or to play with hues pick your favorite color and apply the same way you did the base coat and repeat once the first coat of color has dried. 

If you're like me you've messed up on the edges! Don't worry Diva's wrap a piece of cotton around your orangewood stick dip it into your nail polish remover and clean up the edges and any mistakes.

Once your nail polish has dried, apply your top coat for shine and a "polished" look. 

Without ruining your freshly painted toes, find a relaxing place to sit while the polish dries. I prefer a quick nap on the sofa!



http://www.joyousfaces.myarbonne.com/

http://www.twitter.com/joyousfaces

Facebook Fan Page - Visit & 'LIKE"