How To Look Younger By Bobbi Brown

We all want to look younger, and yes, the right makeup can take us there. Women love Bobbi Brown's no nonsense makeup routine, and her healthy, natural approach to looking good.

And as Bobbi would remind us all, try to be the best you can be. Don't try to look like someone else. When she was growing up, all-American model, Cheryl Tiegs, was Bobbi's beauty icon. Cheryl was tall, slender with blonde hair and blue eyes. Bobbi Brown looked nothing like her and was disappointed in not resembling Cheryl Tiegs, until she saw actress Ali MacGraw with her long dark hair and eyes. Bobbi then finally "saw the possibilty of my own beauty."

Well said.

Bobbi has more advice on how to look younger instantly. She told Harper's Bazaar Magazine:

"Use color to bring out your cheeks. Everyone should have a beautiful pink blush. As soon as you put it on, you won't notice anything else. Playing up your features will draw attention away from lines."

Try Bobbi Brown's Pink Satin Collection Blush in Pale Pink ($20).

For more information, visit: http://www.bobbibrown.com/.

Bobbi Brown's lifestyle appears at her website. This is the philosophy she tries to follow:

1. Always be on time.
2. Look people in the eye.

3. Tell the truth.

4. Don't smoke.

5. Drink lots of water.

6. Exercise.

7. Eat healthy.

8. Read.

9. Be nice.

10. Never give up.

How To Lose Weight During Your Menstrual Cycle

Ladies, we all want to lose a little weight, but it can get complicated because of our menstrual cycle. There are many ups and downs, days of bloating, days the body doesn't want to move, etc.

What if there were a way to learn exactly when your body burns the most fat?

Wouldn't you pay a high price for that precious nugget?

Muscle & Fitness Magazine did an article on the female fat cycle. And according to researchers from Australia, all women are equal and alike during certain times of their menstrual cycle. For instance, one study found that,"the female body burns much more fat, especially during high-intensity aerobic exercise, during the luteal phase of your menstrual cycle than it does during the follicular phase."

In other words, you will lose more weight during days 14-28 of your period than during days 1-13 of your period. It has to do with the estrogen and progesterone levels during a woman's cycle.

Now to take advantage of your own fat burning machine, do lower-intensity exercise when you get your period. Use about 60%-70% of your maximum heart rate for about 40-60 minutes per session for days 1-13. Do cardio on the treadmill or elliptical climber.

Around day 14, switch over to high-intensity exercise, where you use 80%-90% maximum heart rate for about 30 minutes per session. Do that tougher exercise regimen for days 14-28. Push your cardio on the stationary bike or stair-stepper.

This plan will help you really strip the fat and lose weight.

Yogurt For Natural Beauty

Sometimes, our mothers and grandmothers knew best. Yes, yogurt is really good for you and is a wonderful natural beauty treatment. And it's delicious!

Yogurt delivers lots of vitamins and minerals to the body. It is an excellent source of protein and calcium and as most of you already know, yogurt maintains good gastro-intestinal health.

Here are two perfect reasons to eat yogurt for natural beauty on the outside:

1. For clear skin. If you suffer from acne, try plain yogurt.

Some women find benzoyl peroxide and/or salicylic acid to be rough on their sensitive skin. And there are others who don’t like putting such ‘chemical’ treatments on their faces.

Just add plain yogurt with live cultures to your diet. The acidophilus present in yogurt is that of ‘friendly’ bacteria. It will clear up your skin and also prevent vaginal yeast infections. Well, that’s what some women swear by.

2. For healthy gums. Any flavor is fine for periodontal purposes.

According to a recent study at Japan's Kyushu University, researchers found that those who ate fermented milk products such as yogurt (at least 2 oz. a day), had significantly improved gum health. The key 'magic' ingredient being calcium.

Of course, you would want to choose your yogurt carefully. We're talking natural and organic.

Celebrities like Cindy Crawford have given thumbs up to Stonyfield Farm Organic Yogurt.

Cindy makes a smart choice, too. Stonyfield Yogurt has been around for 25 years and is based in Londonderry, New Hampshire. The popular yogurt brand adds six live cultures to its yogurts to help keep folks naturally balanced. And with flavors like Black Cherry, Key Lime, and Lotsa Lemon, what's not to love?

For more information, visit: http://www.stonyfield.com/.

Face Serums And How To Use Them

Serum or cream? That's a skin care choice that many women become confused about. Usually, women with oily skin, select the face serum, because it is lighter and won't clog pores. Those with dry skin, pick the face cream because it's heavier and provides moisturizing effects. But not always....

If you want to battle the signs of aging, like wrinkles and sagging skin, always opt for the serum.

According to New York City dermatologist, David J. Goldberg, the face serums are more potent. "Creams usually contain less than 10 percent of active ingredients; serums have up to 70 percent," he says. So, in other words, you are getting more bang for your buck, with a serum.

Here are 3 top-notch face serums:

Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Supplement, 1 fl. oz, $60. http://www.bobbibrown.com/.

Good for all skin types. Bobbi brown's face serum is made with white birch extract to reduce the look of fine, dry lines. Grape extract is also featured in this serum, to brighten the complexion. After one month, you should see firmer skin with a smoother surface and a lovely glow.

Skin Biology Super CP Serum, 1 oz, $23.95. http://www.skinbiology.com/.

Skin Biology's Super CP is a strong skin remodeling face serum made with its patented copper peptides. Just a few tiny drops smoothed over the face in the morning, followed by an hydroxy acid at night. Skin will tighten up and complexion will brighten after a few weeks of usage.

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Intensive Serum, 1 oz, $19.99. http://www.neutrogena.com/.

A highly concentrated formula with a good amount of Retinol combined with anti-oxidant multi vitamins. After four weeks, you should notice a healthier glow with smoother skin, and wrinkles appear less noticeable.

Perfume. Design Your Own Fragrance

Ladies, let's be honest. Perfume is a very personal thing. Your fragrance is your own. In fact, don't you hate it when you're smelling your own perfume on the woman behind you in the checkout line?

I once complimented a friend on the cologne she was wearing. She told me the label, how unique a fragrance it was, and that not too many women knew about it. Then I went out and bought some. The next time I bumped into my friend, she smelled the fragrance on me. And she was fuming that I had stolen HER scent.

You get the picture. Well, now you can design or create your own perfume! How wonderful is that?! Check out www.perfumelab.com.

Perfume Lab is a company located in France. For 30 euro, or about $47, you can 'build' your very own fragrance. And for about 75 euro, or $118, you can receive your individual perfume creation kit.

According to Perfume Lab, a single perfume can contain up to 300 ingredients and take up to 2 years to create. But Perfume Lab has made the process so much easier.You can choose from 21 ingredient bases, like vanilla, amber, and citrus. You also get an education in fragrance-making. Perfumes have top notes, middle notes and end notes. You choose the amount of this and that.

The only drawback to such a special website like perfumelab.com, is its inability to provide smell-a-vision. You cannot inhale the aroma of your creation. However, the folks at Perfume Lab are more than happy to assist your in your fragrance design.

Come on. How romantic and lovely would it be to receive your own perfume! Wouldn't this make a super gift?

Chanel's Blue Satin Is It For Nails

Dark nails are still ruling the runway, the boardroom, the suburbs, and beyond.

And the trendiest nail going at the moment is navy. No, the black polish boom is still here to stay, but Chanel's Blue Satin ($19) is the 'it' shade. And some of the hottest women in Hollywood are sporting the true blue hue. Blue Satin is not always easy to find. It's sold-out in many stores. But Ebay is always a good place to search for those-hard-to-find beauty items.

Dark nail polish has become a rather acceptable fashion accessory. And it isn't just for the 20-something crowd. If you keep nails short, then navy, black, or deep purple polish, looks smart, sophisticated, and sexy, for all ages.

Maybe we should blame it on Chanel's Vamp. It seems to have started about 13 years ago. Remember that one??? With the deep red undertones? It seemed almost ‘witchy’ or ghoulish to be wearing it at the time. A delicious, naughty-girl fashion trend.

Vamp had not really taken off, until designer Karl Lagerfeld sent his models down the catwalk, strutting boldly with the bold Vamp nail color. After folks caught sight of the striking and unusual nail shade, Vamp soared in popularity. And according to Chanel's international director of makeup creation, Dominique Moncourtois, Vamp remains "the 9th or 10th best seller of Chanel’s 30 colors."

You don’t have to spend $19 on a bottle of Chanel's Blue Satin nail polish. OPI has a lovely polish with marine undertones and at a cheaper price tag ($8.50). It's called Yoga-ta-Get This Blue.

And if you prefer to drench your nails in a much lighter but more vibrant shade, pink colors are also hot for the spring/summer season. Just take a peek at OPI's India collection( http://www.opi.com/) , and you will see fuchsias, corals, oranges, and reds. How about ElePhantastic Pink for your toes?

Whichever nail shade you choose, remember to have a little fun expressing yourself.

Fabulous Facials For Practically Free

Tiny pores. Smooth texture. Firm and plump. With a lovely glow. These are just a few words to describe healthy skin. From paraffin masks to stone therapy massage to papaya enzyme peels, facials are not just for the super wealthy these days. Yes, we all can afford some kind of fabulous facial, and it doesn’t have to come from a day spa.

Facials don’t come cheap. An average facial costs about $75. And this is what basically happens. Your skin receives a deep cleansing. Exfoliation, or the removal of dead skin cells, is next. Massage follows. There is extraction of impurities like blackheads. And lastly, an application of products that zero in on your skin type, such as dry, oily, combination, or sensitive. This of course is done by a professional. And it feels heavenly to lie back and let someone else give you the star treatment.

Facial Kits To Try At Home
Here are two different facials that are quite reasonable in price, and can be used in the privacy of your own home:

Kaz–The Steam Facial
This portable little machine is a unique item that works with vaporizer technology. As the Kaz makers explain, "It produces a cloud of gently controlled vapor that deep cleans your pores."
And this little steamer can be found for under $30. And you can use it over and over again. A product that really works. All you need is some water.

Alpha Beta Peel Home Facial
This jar by MD Skincare is just another wonderful way to smooth out your complexion and leave you with a silky glow and texture. It consists of a two-step peel chock full of hydroxy acids and antioxidants.

The Alpha Beta Peel Home Facial in a jar contains 30 applications and costs $72. Still a good deal and goes a long way. You can find it at www.SoftSurroundings.com.

Famous Spa Home Facial Recipes
The following facial recipes are actually 10 years old and still work beautifully. A friend cut out these recipes from a magazine and sent them to me long ago. These home facials are courtesy of the Ole Henriksen of Sweden Salon in Los Angeles. These treatments are simple and will save you the high cost of a Hollywood facial.

"Pick Me Up" For Dry Skin
1. Mix jojoba and/or sesame seed oil together.
2. Add 2 or 3 teaspoons of aloe vera gel ( can buy at health food stores).
3. Smooth mixture over damp, freshly washed skin.
Note: Be sure to apply to damp skin. Helps to lock in moisture.

"Pick Me Up" For Oily/Acne Prone Skin
One step.
1. Smooth aloe vera gel on freshly washed skin, twice a day. Facialist Cheryl Pereira, says that aloe vera gel is the best thing for oily skin.
"It mattes oils that accumulate on the skin’s surface, but doesn’t dry out skin, which can cause irritation and blemishes. "

Nourishing Mask" For All Skin Types
1. Combine 2 to 3 heaping Tablespoons of plain yogurt, an equal amount of honey, and I egg yolk.
2. Slather the mixture over dry skin.
3. Lie down on your back and rest for 10-15 minutes.
4. Rinse off thoroughly with cool water.
This mask not only nourishes the skin, but tightens it. And we all know that means, a more youthful appearance.