Retinoids And AHAs/BHAs Make Nice Skin.... But Not At Same Time

Retinoids and AHA/BHAs equal nice skin.

But how you use beauty products that feature strong ingredients like Retin-A or retinol in conjunction with AHAs like glycolic acid or BHAs like salicylic acid, makes a huge difference.

For instance, most dermatologists would agree that regular use of Retin-A at night and AHA/glycolic during the day is perfect for skin rejuvenation.

However, combining a retinoid with an AHA or BHA at the same time, is a no-no, because the effectiveness for both ingredients gets greatly diminished.

And always remember this:

AHAs/BHAs in the A.M., and Retinoids in the P.M. Plus, plenty of sunscreen as you head out the door, every day.

By the way, always apply retinoids at night because the sun can also make the retinoid less effective.

We have learned that using Retin-A at night, which is a Vitamin A-derivative, and a glycolic acid cream in the morning, can still be quite irritating to skin. So, at least one day a week, we let our skin rest, and apply nothing at night or morning.

We all seem to be so impatient for healthy, clear, youthful skin. Most of us are anxious to rub in this or that on our faces and necks, and sometimes, these beauty products are strong and harsh. Break-outs can occur. Redness, rashes, swelling. We have experienced it all.

And be especially sensitive to the eye area. Both retinoids and AHAs/BHAs can be brutal to the delicate skin surrounding the eyes and under the eyes. Do not apply too much product. Less is better, trust us.

Need Some Beauty Attention: Try 'Girl Meets Pearl' Illuminator

The girls at Benefit Cosmetics always have their fingers on the beauty pulse, and one of their newest hot products is 'Girl Meets Pearl' Illuminator ($30, at beauty stores like Sephora). A lot of women love it. Girl Meets Pearl received 4 1/2 stars out of 5 at Sephora

Let's put it this way......Do you need some beauty attention? Do you wish you could brighten your complexion? Highlight all your sexy parts? Light up a room?

Well, try this little number by Benefit. And get your glow on!!

Girl Meets Pearl is basically a warm, subtle liquid highlighter of golden pink luminosity. Just dab a little where you want to light up---face, brow bone, cheek bones, along the nape of the neck.

Celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Gisele Bundchen,Shakira, and Kim Kardashian are just four beauties who love to put on highlighter, and wear it so well.

An added 'benefit' to Benefit's 'Girl Meets Pearl' Illuminator is the luscious scent it leaves behind. So yummy in raspberry and chamomille. And ingredients like sweet almond seed firms up and smooths skin, while sesame seed oil moisturizes nicely. It feesl so silky going on.

An illuminator like this one, provides just the right amount of light-reflecting pigments. Yeah, it's radiance in a tube.

You can watch a YouTube demo of Girl Meets Pearl by theskinnyxo here

Smoky Eyes Of Martina McBride Take Beauty Edge At 2010 CMA's

Spectacular blue eyes! You would think that maybe blue-colored contact lenses are key to singer Martina McBride's unforgettable eyes, but according to her fan website, not so:

"Those are Martina's very own blue eyes. She does wear contacts, but they're clear."

Last night at the 44th Annual Country Music Awards show in Nashville, Martina McBride's eyes were more memorable than the sparkling cocktail dress she wore. Here are a few reasons why her eyes give her the beauty edge:

1. Wide-set eyes. Martina's eyes are large and far apart, and yet, nicely give balance to her facial features.

2. Incredible smoky eye makeup with lots of mascara, and a soft, nude lip bring attention to them. We've read that Mary Beth Felts of Nashville does Martina's makeup. Well, Mary Beth gets an A+ in our humble opinion.

3. Blue eyes and brunette hair make a wonderful complimentary combination.

4. Good brows with a high arch also frame the eyes.

If you're blessed with such striking blue eyes, we suggest doing a Martina smoky eye using colors in the charcoal or silver shades.

How To Look Glam And Polished With High Ponytail Trend

Louis Vuitton has unveiled a new ad campaign featuring the gorgeous trio of Christy Turlington, Natalia Vordinova and Karen Elson, for Fall/Winter 2010-11.

The glam models were photographed by Steven Meisel in a New York studio, which was made to look like a Hollywood star’s old-fashioned dressing room.

The pics are so beautiful, we almost........We said 'almost,' don't even care about the luxurious Louis Vuitton new handbags! Okay, we're just kidding.

What we adore is the entire elegance and sophistication of the vintage look. The models are dressed in Marc Jacobs with feminine, corseted waists and full skirts. And those high ponytails rock! That's the hot button hairstyle we're talking about. It's the ’50s-style high ponytails right from the Louis Vuitton runway.

So, how do you look glam and polished with the high ponytail trend?!

It's easy. First, you need to pick up some Bumble & Bumble Tonic Lotion leave-in conditioner ($18, at Bumbleandbumble.com). This stuff is a celebrity favorite and it's easy to use.

Just spritz some B&B on damp hair. Then blow-dry with a flat brush. Gather hair at the nape of your neck or the crown, and secure with an elastic band.

It's a very classic and elegant look!

How To Banish Blemishes Overnight With Effective Zit Zappers

A clear complexion. Who doesn't desire smooth, beautiful skin

Nothing ruins your day like a pimple. Blemish. Zit.

Let's face it-----beauty products improve every year. Twenty years ago, you didn't have too many options when it came to blemish creams. Now you take a stroll down the drugstore aisle, and you see product after product on how to zap zits overnight.

We did some hunting and came up with 4 effective zit zappers:

1. Mario Badescu Drying Lotion ($17). This stuff has been around for a long time because it works! Celebrities love it and we can see why. The lotion is formulated with calamine and salicylic acid to dry up blemishes, especially pesky whiteheads. You can pick some up at mariobadescu.com.

2. Clearasil Ultra Overnight Face Lotion ($8.50, drugstores). This product does exactly that---it works while you sleep. This is a fast-absorbing blemish buster. It, too, includes the effective salicylic acid ingredients to reduce redness and pimple size by the time you awaken. Goes on smoothly, but doesn't dry

3. Renee Rouleau Anti-Cyst Treatment ($38.50, at reneerouleau.com). When you have those hard, sore, boulder blemishes, then you need to take out the big guns. And here is one of them. The Renee Rouleau gel serum is formulated with lactic acid and ethyl lactate to attack where pimples grow deeply. It dissolves and gets rid of the bacteria and infection ASAP. Safe for sensitive skin.

4. Burt's Bees Natural Acne Solutions Targeted Spot Treatment ($10, drugstores). This also contains salicylic acid and willow bark extract — This extract contains natural beta hydroxy acids, which work as "natural skin exfoliants to help unplug follicles and pores".. Erases the redness and helps prevent future break-outs.

No More Shaving With New No! No! Hair Removal System

We don't know any women that love shaving. Do you?! And yet, most of us do it, because we do not like unwanted hair. And shaving is the cheapest way to get rid of hair.

There are many, many products out there designed to make hair disappear, other than shaving. You've seen them and have probably tried some of them-----waxes, depilatories buffing pads you rub in circles, and even little beauty gadgets that claim to cut off hair at its closest end.

But do they really work well?

Everyone's been talking about the at-home No! No! Hair Removal System. This expensive gadget ($249) uses heat to zap away unwanted hair, better known as Thermicon technology.

And the theory behind it is simple, when you think about it:
NO! NO! heats the hair. The hair then heats the hair follicle, and the follicle is destroyed by the heat. The longer you use the No! No!, the better it works. In other words, over time, less hair grows back. Skin stays smoother and hair-free longer. It's a beauty gadget to invest in. And no, we have not tried the No! No!. We're just trying to research new high-tech beauty products that claim to have the science behind them.

Quick, supposedly painless, and easy. And you can zap unwanted hair, well, just about everywhere, according to the makers of No! No!........where unwanted hair exists -- on the face, arms, knees, and the bikini line, with results of up to 94% hair reduction in 6 weeks. No nicks. No cuts. No rashes.

You can look at this No! No! demo by Jalapena2007 on YouTube.

The No! No! Hair Removal System can be purchased at Sephora beauty stores.

Mary J. Blige Riding High With New Sunglasses Line: Oprah And Kim K Wearing

Mary J. Blige, a 9-time Grammy Award winner. We know that MJB knows music, but did you know she also has a passion for sunglasses?!

We just saw Oprah wearing a pair of Melodies by MJB sunglasses ($190). It was a sexy pair of Oversize Glams. These shades by MJB are hot! And Kim Kardashian was also sporting a pair. She gave a shout-out to MJB on her blog. Love these!

Mary J. Blige is always wearing sunglasses. In fact, she calls them her signature. And MJB just happens to be one of the most stylish performers around. So when she announced that she was launching her own line of eyewear, we knew she wouldn't disappoint.

By the way, Melodies by MJB sunglasses come in 4 styles of frames:

'Incognito' Metal Aviators. 'The MJ's Oversized Glam' (Oprah's fave). 'Showtime' Metal . 'Red Carpet' Oversized Round.

You can find Mary J. Blige's new sunglasses at fine dept. stores like Nordstrom's and Bergdorf Goodman's. Prices range from $165 to $225 a pair.

Take a peek here.