Permanently Beautiful

Many women use exercise to get in shape and lose weight, but one of the lesser known benefits of regular exercise is that it can do wonders for your skin.  “Any
increase to the body’s circulation will improve the look of the skin, as well as boost detoxification and cell renewal,” Annet King, Director of Training and education at Dermalogica told reporter Marissa Kristal of Psychology Today.

According to many beauty experts, regular exercise should not only be a daily part of your health routine, but also a regular part of your beauty regimen.
King recommends yoga and stress relieving exercises to help to smooth lines (as muscles can become tightly contracted in the face) and prevent acne  breakouts as exercise and acne are very much related.

Although many women want to look and therefore feel their best while exercising, King cautioned that, in order to keep exercise healthy for the skin, it is important to work out without make up on, especially if you are prone to breakouts.  Permanent makeup and permanent cosmetics  actually present a perfect solution for health savvy women in New York, New Jersey, and everywhere who want to look and feel beautiful during their exercise  routine as well as in everyday life.

What’s hot in lip makeup for Fall 2011? Colleen Egan of Allure Magazine recently reported on the 12 sexiest new Fall makeup trends. Defined lips are a big part of getting the season’s most updated look. Fall’s shorter and dimmer days make it the perfect season for brightening things up with bold lip color.

Wine red lips are hot for fall. Don’t be afraid of this fun trend. There is a shade of red that works well for everyone. Find your perfect shade, and you can pull it off and look great! Allure suggests that dark burgundy lips to make a deep impact. In order to get the look, keep the rest of makeup simple. This season, fashionistas will even be spicing up their lips with a touch of gloss. Just be careful not to over apply! A little dab will do over top of bold color!

Not feeling like you’ll be brave enough for bold lips this Fall? Another Fall 2011 makeup trend is one that is perfect for day time, the workplace and anytime. Allure reminds us that “basics don’t have to be boring.” Use a peach toned lipstick to get an understated neutral look that is still very Fall appropriate.

if your lips lack definition or are more defined than you would like, there is a solution for you, thanks to the innovations of permanent cosmetics. Consulting with artist Melany Whitney in New Jersey, New York, or Florida is easy and a great way to find your perfect lip color and shape.

We’ve recently discussed the importance of choosing a sunscreen with both UVA and UVB protection to protect against premature aging and skin cancer.  For those with permanent cosmetics, sunscreen does more than just protect the skin.  Sunscreen keeps permanent makeup looking fresh and prevents fading. 

Permanent cosmetics can be damaged by the sun’s rays year-round and summer is a time to be particularly vigilant.  Wearers of permanent cosmetics should always remember to apply sunscreen each morning and re-apply every two to three hours throughout the day.  Men and women who wear permanent makeup should follow this routine to ensure their investment is protected. 

In addition to sunscreen, we recommend using Chap Stick Ultra (35 SPF Plus) or Banana Boat in stick form.  These products are great for protecting both lips and eyebrows.  Chap Stick should be applied each morning onto eyebrows, and when in the sun, Chap Stick should also be re-applied every two to three hours.  Chap Stick is easy to use, inexpensively found at the drug store, and will not run into eyes.   Remember to wear sunglasses as well.  This will even protect your permanent eyeliner.  Follow these tips to have fun in the sun this summer without damaging your permanent cosmetics.

The length of protection provided (SPF) is one of the most important things to look for in a sunscreen.  You’ll also need to make sure that the sunscreen you’re buying protects against both UVB and UVA rays.  Wearing the right UVA and UVB protection can keep you looking beautiful year round for many years to come. 

In the past, many consumers were under the impression that only UVB protection was needed.  This is because UVB rays are what cause the skin to turn red or sun burn.  As it turns out, UVB protection is not all that is needed.  UVA rays do not just innocently tan the skin and give it a healthy glow.  They do a great deal of hidden damage.

Many sunbathers mistakenly welcome UVA rays in hopes of getting a great tan.  Dermatologists now know that UVA rays actually penetrate the skin even deeper than UVB rays, causing premature aging, brown spots, and even melanoma to develop.  UVA accounts for more than 95 percent of the UV rays we’re exposed to and, compared to UVB rays, generates far more free radicals.

Keep in mind that “Broad spectrum” or “complete protection” labeled on sunscreen may mean there is some UVA protection, but you must always read beyond that.  Since the FDA currently has no regulations on how to measure and label the degree of UVA protection in sunscreen, you’ll want to look for sunscreens that “meet the standards from the Skin Cancer Foundation.”

Did you know that nearly one third of people never use sunscreen?  This finding was published in a recent article by Consumer Reports.  In addition, almost 70 percent admitted to only using sunscreen occasionally.  These findings are concerning considering many dermatologists say forgoing sunscreen is the worst mistake you can make for your skin.

When looking to purchase your sunscreen for the summer, not just any sunscreen will do.  Follow these four basic rules when it comes to shopping for your sun protection this year:
 
1. Read labels and make sure you’re getting UVA protection. While UVB rays burn the skin and have traditionally been thought to be the most important rays to avoid, UVA rays have been found to be extremely dangerous as well.  

2. Be sure to choose an SPF of 30 or higher.  SPF or ’sun protection factor’ refers to how long you can stay in the sun without getting burned.  SPF 30 buffers 97 percent of the sun’s rays.  You’ll want this at the very least.
 
3. Don’t rely on SPF in your makeup an moisturizer to keep your skin safe.  This is one common mistake that women often make during the summer as well as year round.  Since makeup spreads and comes off easily, SPF in makeup offers relatively poor protection from the sun’s rays. 
 
4. Look for sunscreens with antioxidants and extra sun protection such as vitamins C and E, soy, and green tea.  These all offer extra protection against the sun’s harmful rays because they help your immune system.  Stay tuned for more skincare and permanent makeup tips.

Whether you’re male or female you’ve probably experienced the dreaded “you look tired” comment at some point in your lifetime.  It often happens when you go into work feeling your most vibrant, energetic, and quite frankly, awake.  Many women surely take this as an insult, as it is commonly known that we simply don’t look our best when we’re tired. 

You wonder to yourself, “How could I feel so awake, but look so dull and tired?”  The truth is, what we portray on the outside doesn’t always perfectly reflect how we’re feeling on the inside, or even how much sleep we got the night before.  Some common natural features like smaller eyes, lighter eye lashes, paler lips, and fair skin can create the illusion of a tired look. 

This week, we’re going to take a look at five great tips to avoid the “you look tired” comment, look more awake, and ultimately feel more confident.  Our first tip for looking more awake is moisturizer! 

In our late 20s and early 30s our bodies start producing less sebum, which means we must keep the outer most layer of our skin moisturized to prevent cracking, wrinkles, sun damage, and crow’s feet, all of which make us look older and tired.  Moisturize all over paying special attention to the eye area.  Try to use creams that include sun protection as well as creams with antioxidants and exfoliates like Vitamin A.  Stay tuned for more tips from our Melany Whitney Permanantly Beautiful blog.

Well-cared-for skin is the foundation of a beautiful face. Whether you enhance your natural beauty with permanent cosmetics or the jumbled contents of a makeup bag, developing an effective daily cleansing and moisturizing routine is essential. Beautiful skin doesn’t have to be time-consuming. A few quick tips from skin care experts will keep your skin looking lovely and feeling wonderful!

• Put aside those gel cleaners and start using cream cleansers at night. Creams contain oils which quickly dissolve dirt, sunscreen, makeup, lipstick and eye makeup. Because they moisturize as they clean, creams leave your skin feeling silky soft.   
• To streamline your skin care regimen, look for all-in-one skin care products that combine moisturizer, sunscreen, anti-oxidants and foundation. One dab takes care of everything! If you can’t bear to give up your favorite products, mix individual products in the palm of your hand and apply as one — much faster than applying each layer individually.
• Look for dual-duty eye treatments too. Many cosmetic manufacturers offer eye-care products that depuff while erasing dark circles.
• Less is more with skin creams. Don’t slather; it takes longer for thick applications to soak in. Dot a dime-sized dollop of skin cream onto forehead, nose, cheeks and chin and blend gently to create a thin, light coat.
• To keep skin looking luminous, slough off dead skin cells three times a week (less frequently if your skin is dry). Massage a gentle, granular scrub into your skin and rinse thoroughly.

Just because summer is officially over, don’t think you can put away the sunscreen. The sun’s rays threaten to damage tender human skin year round, particularly if you wear permanent cosmetics. Even in the middle of winter, sun can damage your skin. To be sure, it takes longer for sun exposure to occur during the winter months than it does in the summer due to differing angles in the sun’s rays; but damage can and does occur. The fact that the air doesn’t feel warm does not diminish the impact of the sun’s rays. A bright sunny day after a snowfall can even cause serious sunburn, as many skiers will attest. Snow reflects sunlight onto faces and exposed skin, accelerating damage to unprotected flesh.

Women and men who wear permanent cosmetics need to be particularly wary of potential sun damage. Skin that has been enhanced with permanent cosmetics is somewhat more sensitive to the sun’s rays which can also contribute to fading over time. Permanent cosmetics can fade over the years and require periodic refreshing, but people who wear permanent makeup can prolong the life of their cosmetic tattoos by practicing smart preventative skin care.

Recommended skin care for permanent cosmetics wearers includes cleansing with a mild face wash, moisturizing and wearing sunscreen year round. Many permanent makeup wearers simplify their lives by using a moisturizer that contains sunscreen.

Packing for a holiday trip? Think of all the items women typically pack in their cosmetics bag: moisturizer, concealer, foundation, powder, blush, eyeliner, eye shadow, mascara, eyebrow pencil, lip liner, lipstick, lip gloss — and that’s just the basics! Many women use additional makeup products (bronzer, shading, corrective skin coloring products, etc.). Many more women will pack multiples of many products so they’ll have a selection of colors while they’re visiting. Of course, you also have to pack everything you need to take the whole smear off at the end of the day: makeup remover, cleanser,  nighttime moisturizer, lip moisturizer and more. Then there are all the products you need to repair skin damage caused by wearing all that makeup all day long: skin rejuvenators, blemish control ointments, skin repair creams and more. No wonder the luggage industry makes special makeup cases. By the time you pack up your makeup, there’s hardly room for anything else in your suitcase!

Now compare the contents of a normal makeup case with the contents of a cosmetics bag owned by a woman smart enough to have permanent makeup. A woman with a full face cosmetic enhancement only needs to pack a mild facial cleanser, a good quality moisturizer and a moisturizing lip gloss. Permanent makeup wearers who need to pack light can get by with cleanser and sunscreen, using the sunscreen to moisturize face and lips. When you have permanent makeup, life — and packing — are simple.

Did you catch the Victoria Secrets fashion show last week? Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas certainly held her own against the professional runway competition. She looked utterly amazing in that glittering emerald body suit with its free-flowing cape. In a night filled with plenty of big T and tight A, it was a night of glamour, fantasy and beautiful women. The backstage glimpses of models being made up and stage managers rushing them on stage added to the excitement, but haven’t you always wondered how models achieve that absolutely perfect, flawless on-camera look?  

When asked to reveal their special makeup tips, professional makeup artists agree that totally flawless skin starts with a good moisturizer. Airbrushed foundation application and artistic facial contouring are the techniques the pros use to ensure that models and celebrities put their best face forward. That’s outside the skill set or needs of most women, but there are a number of professional tips you can apply at home.

• For barely there lips, apply a good moisturizer to lips, follow with concealer. Apply pale lip gloss for kissable natural looking lips.
• For a light and luscious lash line, dot along lash line with eyeliner pencil then blend gently with a Q-tip.
• For perfectly groomed eyebrows, fill in and shape brows with a 3B or 6B graphite pencil instead of an eyebrow pencil. While too harsh for blondes, graphite will give brunettes a more natural look.

More tips next time