Author: mxmissy

SAY BON VOYAGE TO BAD SKIN…

Posted on by mxmissy

Expert Dermatologist with
Skincare Tips for Winter Travelers

Another winter is upon us and with it comes the escape to warmer
climates. However, traveling puts additional stress on you and your
skin. Regardless of whether you are traveling by car or plane, for
business or pleasure, board certified dermatologist Dr. Margarita Lolis’,
must-know skin tips for winter travelers will help make your time
away more relaxing and leave your skin rosy on arrival.

Why is it so dry in the sky? There-circulated air on planes combined with the lack of humidity is incredibly drying to skin. The air inside the cabin of a plane usually has a humidity level of 10 to 20 percent, much lower than a comfortable typical indoor humidity of 30 to 65 percent. This leaves skin in desperate need of moisture.

“Most people notice their skin may dry out or even breakout when they travel by air but they may not know why,” says Dr. Lolis. “Whenever the environment is moisture-free such as with recirculated air in a plane cabin, the air actually draws moisture from wherever it can, including the skin. Dry skin will tend to get drier and oily skin will get even oilier to compensate for dehydration. This is why it’s so important to use moisturizer with hyaluronic acid that does a great job of pulling moisture and keeping it on the skin.”

Prep for in-flight moisture maintenance. A hydrating mist is perfect for in flight application. Dr. Lolis recommends spraying a couple of pumps onto your face for instant hydration. It also feels    great and helps cool you down if you’re on a warm airplane.

Skip the salty snacks. Airport food is not very skin-friendly. “While peanuts and pretzels may look delicious, salt can cause swelling,” warns Dr. Lolis. “Instead, snack on dried fruits and prepack chopped veggies in baggies such as peppers, cherry tomatoes and celery, which are filled with water.”

It’s time to take off your makeup! If you regularly wear makeup, keep it to a minimum on the flight. “Dry airplane air combined with foundation and powders is a recipe for disaster to your pores. To avoid clogged pores and subsequent breakouts, opt for tinted moisturizer with concealer. Also use a tinted lip balm in lieu of lipstick. Dry cabin air only makes lips dryer,” recommends Lolis.

Puffy Eyes. Jet lag always shows through your skin but mostly in the eyes. Lack of sleep due to possible time changes can have you looking sleepy and puffy. Bring an eye cream in your carry-on that contains caffeine. Another option? “Bring two green tea bags with you on the plane,” says Dr. Lolis. “A half hour before landing, ask the flight attendant for hot water and soak a few minutes. Then add ice to cool down the bags, and apply them to your eyelids before landing. The green tea has antioxidants and anti-inflammatories to decrease puffiness so you’ll look your best when you land.”

Weather-Proof Your Skincare Products. Pick and pack skin products based on the climate of your destination. “For snowbirds, when going to a warm, humid destination, pay extra attention to exfoliation in order  to reduce the dead skin cells trapped by excess moisture, and pack a cleanser with salicylic acid,” suggests Dr. Lolis. If traveling to a colder climate extra moisture and skin protection from the elements is key. “To function properly, the epidermis needs to maintain a certain moisture level; in the winter, low temperatures, low humidity, and strong wind deplete skin of its natural protective barrier, allowing that level to drop,” says Dr. Lolis. “Sunscreen is always a must regardless of climate you may be traveling to,” she adds.

Don’t rely on Hotel Beauty Products: People often breakout when they’re on vacation, because hotel products are typically made for people with normal to dry skin. In lieu of using hotel toiletries while traveling,  consider packing a few key essentials in your travel beauty bag. “Hotel soaps can be very drying and overly scented,” warns Dr. Lolis. “Beware if you have sensitive skin and remember to   bring your own toiletries.”

About the expert: Dr. Margarita Lolis, M.D. is a board-certified cosmetic, medical dermatologist and a fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon with over 20 years of  experience. In her practice, she addresses common skin concerns such as acne prevention and treatment in both teens and adults, sun-damage, skin discoloration, wrinkles, changes to skin texture and loss of volume. On the medical side, she is a trusted expert in melanoma and over-all skin health. Dr. Lolis prides herself in honoring facial symmetry to deliver a natural look to her clients. She always recommends a healthy skin care regimen plus lifestyle habits that are aligned with her holistic approach to beauty. Dr. Lolis is a member of the American Academy of Dermatology, American College of Mohs Surgery, and the American Society of Anti-aging. Her practice, Skin, Laser, and Surgery Specialists is in New York City and Bergen Country, New Jersey.

Tips for Winter Haircare

Posted on by mxmissy

Regularly use conditioner or serum
After every wash, a conditioner seals the hair, cares for it and makes it easier to comb. Use at least once a week. If you’re in a hurry, it’s best to use a leave- in spray or conditioner, it does not weigh fine hair, and adds shine and suppleness.

Avoid high temperature blow-drying
 It goes without saying that the hot air can harm the hair unnecessarily. So it is worthwhile turning the hair dryer temperature down a notch – even if it takes a little longer to dry the hair. Hair dryers with ionic technology prevent static charge and make the hair shinier. For other styling devices such as curling iron or straightening iron: Use as sparingly as possible in winter and always spray on a good heat protector in advance. This way you can prevent the fizzy hair that hides underneath the winter knit hats.

Here comes the anti-frizz police
If you have curly hair or naturally frizzy hair, you know the problem: If it’s cold outside, the hair does not curl and does not want to be kept in shape. Anti-Frizz products smooth out and provide moisture – they also provide some heat protection. Pillow fight Rough cotton pillowcases can cause split ends on already damaged hair. In contrast, a soft pillowcase made of silk or satin helps. Another beauty secret? Silk pillowcases also help to smoothen the face wrinkles!

Do the scalp good inside
True beauty also comes from inside – and fortunately there are a few important nutrients that are good for stressed winter hair. Biotin e.g. (in bananas, tomatoes and fish) prevents split ends and hair loss. Vitamin A (in cheese, kale and eggs) strengthens the hair fiber and B vitamins (in whole grains and nuts) give shine and smoothness. Easier to use and dosage are distributed in special capsules for beautiful hair and healthy scalp.

Glitter Hacks that are Borderline Genius

Posted on by mxmissy

Glitter is HOT right now, and we wanna nail the look without getting our eyelashes in a twist! Get your glitter on point so you can master the social slay…

Design Queen
Glitter can something be tricky to use – but thankfully glitter kits have come to our rescue! Most of them come with stencils, applicators and glue so that you can create new designs with ease – winning! You can also create your own glitter stamps out of makeup sponges – cut the design you would like out of the sponge and use it to press on perfectly.

Pout it out
The trick is to combine your favorite matte lipstick with a glitter glaze – really, it’s that easy! For a long lasting result, apply a lip liner followed by the matte lip color of your choice. Then, slick on a sparkly lip gloss in the same or, if you’re feeling cheeky, apply a contrasting glitter color. Alternatively, pat on your conventional glitter combined with a lip sealer to make it stay.

Body Beautiful
Turning your finishing spray into a glow spray is a savvy way to shimmer! Simply pour a liberal amount of fine powder, highlighter or shimmer into your finishing spray and shake it up! Spritz over key areas – face, collarbone and legs (if you’re braving no tights!). It takes 30 seconds and no sticky hands –yas!

Take it off!
One reason that really puts people off from using glitter is having to get it all off before bed. Not to despair! Follow these hacks to easily remove the sparkle without losing your own:

  • Dab the area with sellotape to remove most of it without getting it all over your sink
  • Then use an oil cleanser and cotton pad to swipe away the rest
  • Don’t use normal makeup remover – it will actually make it stick even more!

Courtesy BeautyPress.com

Best-hairdressed: Love your Locks

Posted on by mxmissy

Washing, cutting, and styling: of course, the option of the hairdresser is always there, but how can we get the results at home? Try these tips for best-hairdressed hair.

Outstanding
No question: the weather, no matter what the season, is topic number one. Moreover, you’re never really satisfied with what’s going on outside. Moist cold street air, wind, snow, rain and then much too warm heating air…this strains not only the mood, but also the hair. The result is stubborn tips, greasy roots or dandruff. One of the most unpopular effects of dry heating air, cold, or constant friction with cap & co, is the flying hair, which statically recharge with the removal of moisture and electrify an undesirable life of its own. Here, styling products such as gloss wax, hair oil or styling creams help to bring flyaways back into shape!

Split Ends? Not for me!
Split ends are the nightmare of every woman. But long manes aren’t the only ones who fall victim to them, because even chemical and mechanical stress pro-mote its development. Hair ends, which are particularly heavily strained, become dry and rough, fray easily and eventually split. With split-susceptible hair, you should generally rely on intensive care products that support the resilience of the hair, and moisturizes them. The care routine itself consists of three stages: shampoo, conditioner and intensive moisture treatments to regenerate the roughened cuticle layer and protect the hair from drying out.

Brittle and dull – no thanks!
Heat and friction cause the hair to look brittle and dull. Rich care treatments with oil extracts and hair oils smooth out affected areas and make the hair supple again. If the scalp does not produce enough moisture and fat, dandruff and itching may also develop, an unpleasant phenomenon best encountered with special dandruff shampoos. If you’re in a rush in the morning, a volumizing hairspray to refresh the crushed cap hairstyle, which is sprayed about 30com away and thus provides volume, the style fixed, against friction by warming headgear protects and ultimately provides the necessary shine. Dry shampoo achieves a similar effect and proves to be a savior in need of a greasy morning mane.

Type change compliant?
Because the environment is drab and gray, especially in winter, many women are enthusiastic about a color change. Daring the dye provides variety and can bring new self-confidence. Experts see softer metallic tones for the adventurous woman on the rise, but also warm chocolate brown and beautiful copper blends pro-vide color in the dark season.

Date Night Glamour…All Day!

Posted on by mxmissy

Whether you and your crush met on a dating app or while jogging in the park, the first date night ought to be special! But sometimes, and especially if the date takes place on a week night, there’s no time to go back home after work, swap clothes and refresh your look. Follow these easy tricks to get ready for an unforgettable night and reveal your most glamorous side.

Prep, Makeup & Hair
To prepare for a glamorous date, make sure you start the night before. For instant soothing and hydrating results use paraben free face, lips and under-eyes masks. They effectively remove any signs of tiredness, puffiness and dryness and create a perfect canvas for the makeup look. This can be done whilst you’re having a soak in the bath, catching up on your favorite series or even cleaning up your home! Before going to bed, spray a few drops of serum with omega, vitamins and essential oils onto a cotton pad and gently apply on the face and neck. Hair masks are another great way to deep condition and give locks some extra shine so you can swish your hair back and forth with pride! It’s best to apply the mask from mid-length to the tips of your hair and leave on for a good 10-15 minutes before rinsing. Some masks are even specially designed to leave in after shampooing so you don’t have to watch the clock! Argan oil is another great way to get some extra shine and just adding a few drops to your hair before blow drying is an additional step that takes just 30 seconds but could get impress your crush the whole night long!

In terms of makeup, the key to date night glamour is to look effortless as if there was no prep at all! What’s the secret to the effortless makeup look? Keep 3 main beauty products in your purse. First one is a lipstick – for fall apply a darker burgundy or plum color. Additionally, don’t forget to line the lips with a lipliner because this will not only help you fill in the lips with the darker pigment but will also preserve the color during dinner when you eat and drink at the date.

The second most important beauty product essential is a good face powder. It can be translucent or pigmented depending on your skin tone. Powder is crucial because after all nobody wants to be oily on their date night! A good substitute for powder is the face blotting papers which help when you have excessively oily skin or if you’ve just had a busy day on the go, and they’re so light you won’t even notice the addition to your handbag!

Finally, another must-have for the date night glamour look is a an on-the-go setting or texture hair spray. Fall weather can be more humid and could sometimes unexpectedly rain, so it’s always a good idea to carry a product that will help you tame your hair and prep it for a night out with your crush. Apply a little amount of texture spray on the hair to create an effortless yet elegant look.

Spa Weekend at Home

Posted on by mxmissy

Ah, the spa…in theory, it’s a completely relaxing and pampering experience. That is, until you book the appointment, get there, disrobe in front of strangers…you know the drill. Why not transfer your home into a scene of serene, and pamper yourself the way you know how! The good news is that you can bring a version of some luxury spa treatments to your home for a fraction of the cost.

Set the scene
Candles, reed diffusers and essential oils are all ways to make your bathroom look like a sanctuary for shooing away the stress! The right scent can really uplift your mood and make you feel like you’re away on a tropical island. If you’re up for some DIY, having control over mixing your ingredients for treatments means you can play around to see how your skin and hair reacts to various salts, oils, and herbs, which could lead to finding your “miracle” mix. Stay away from any essential oils that are too potent and stimulating (like lemongrass) unless you’re confident in your aromatic blending abilities.

Heat things up
Before jumping into the shower, stash your daily body lotion on top of a radiator or heating vent so it’s warmed up when you rub it on. I tell you, there is nothing better than getting out of a hot shower and rubbing on the heated, soothing lotion. Just be aware that your lotion will get much more liquidy when it’s warm, so it might rush out of its container faster.

Big up the Bath
Whether you’re at the spa or at home, bath time is a great opportunity to lift the aches and pains of your mind, skin, and joints. Bath bombs are a great way to fill your bath with nourishing and moisturizing butters, oils, and additional items. Customize them by adding a tablespoon of your preferred dried flowers and essential oils in overnight or condition with a heat cap if you are pressed for time. Coconut oil also provides shine, and some studies even claim that it helps penetrate the hair to make it stronger. Leave-in intensive masks and oils are another fantastic way to make sure that we get the care we need.

–Courtesy of Beautypress.com