Halogen Bulbs Best Lighting For Applying Makeup When Daylight Won't Do

This is an important beauty question.....Under what lighting do you apply makeup?

We've all heard that natural daylight is the best light for putting on your foundation, concealer, blush, mascara, liner, powder, and so forth.

Why? Because you can see every 'nook and cranny' across your face. Natural daylight is truly unforgiving, but at least you can tell when the blush is a bit much, or the powder you've applied, has been over-done and settled into your fine lines.

What you don't want to do, is put on your makeup under the nasty fluorescent lighting that you see most commonly in offices and office bathrooms. The lighting there gives off a harsh green cast, and no one's complexion looks pretty under afluorescent halo.

Professional makeup artists will tell you that halogen lighting is the best way to go when applying makeup, if you can't get a good dose of natural daylight into your room, or you are applying makeup at night.

Halogen lighting is incandescent lighting and very close to the look of natural daylight. But it gives off sharper detail.

Most of us have incandescent bulbs in our lamps at home. And the lighting that emerges is soft and yellow, and flatters the skin, but the halogen bulbs give a better level of detail, and that is key when putting on makeup.

The only bad thing we can find about halogen lighting, is that the bulb gets very, very hot. It is excellent in overhead lighting like a chandelier. But when replacing a halogen bulb, one must use caution:

"Do NOT touch the glass envelope. The salts in your skin oils penetrate and weaken the glass. The bulb not only has a shorter life, but when the bulb dies the filament doesn’t merely burn out, but rather the bulb envelope shatters."

Well, having learned all that, if you can put on makeup in natural daylight, you will always get the best and most honest lighting for your skin.

Retinoids Refresh Face And Neck: Now Add Some To Baby Hands

Retinoids.

We know some 40 years later, that these Vitamin A derivatives, most notably Retin-A and Renova, do a face and neck a lot of good.

Retinoids have the chemical compounds that can brighten skin, soften fine lines and wrinkles, and improve skin texture.

So why not take a little left-over from your nightly ritual and baby your hands.

Let's be honest here.......Hands can be a dead giveaway, as we like to say. Most times, we are so busy trying to 'save' our faces and necks, that we forget to even treat our precious hands.

New York Dermatologist Heidi Waldorf has this advice:

Apply the same retinoid you put on your face and neck to your hands. And then, add a layer of Vaseline on top. Wear a pair of cotton gloves to bed.

In the morning, your hands will feel and look a lot smoother and softer. And you will be protecting them from further environmental damage. Even brown spots on hands will slowly lighten up and gently fade.

Retinoids usually come in prescription form, such as Retin-A, Renova, Avita, Tazorac, and several others.

But you can buy retinoids in creams and serums over-the-counter and still get excellent results. These might not be as powerful as Retin-A, but they are certainly less irritating. Try RoC Retinol Correxion Deep WrinkleNight Cream ($22, at drugstores).

Here's to younger-looking hands in 2011!

How To Beat Dry Tired Skin That Results From Holiday Flying

Sometimes, the only way to get there fast, is by taking a plane. And when it comes to the holidays, you and your skin could be spending quite a few hours in the clouds trying to get to and from your destination.

So, what does flying have to do with your complexion? And what's the big deal?

If you've ever spent time on a flight, you would notice how dry your skin can feel after landing. It's all about the airplane cabin's very low humidity.

Oh, yeah. Your skin gets robbed of moisture. So, here are a few fabulous flying tips for healthy skin:

1. Sunscreen. Think about it. When you are in flight, you are sitting much closer to the sun. You need to protect your face and neck, especially. Get a sunscreen with a decent SPF. One of the best around--La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL Lait SPF ($34). This company has been in the forefront for quite some time now when it comes to superior sun protection. Great for sensitive skin

2. Moisturizer. You need to nourish your skin, when traveling by air. To get rid of dry, tired skin that results from time spent on an airplane, look for ingredients that contain alpha lipoic acid. We like this one--Perricone MD Age Correct Face Finishing Moisturizer ($65). This stuff will leave your skin looking luminous and smooth.

By the way: Apply the moisturizer first; allow to dry, then apply the sunscreen.

3. And don't forget to keep lip balm nearby, too. Your lips will definitely feel the extremely low humidity upon flight. Eye drops like Visine, also help irritated, sensitive eyes feel and look refreshed. And consider saline nasal gel to battle a dry, itchy nose from spending time in the air. And lastly, bottled water always does a body good.

Come On, Anna Wintour: GaGa One Of Vogue's Best Dressed In 2010?!

Okay, we have had absolutely enough! We can't take it anymore with the 23-year-old pantless wonder. Tell her to please go away.....go very far away.....

Her real birth name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta. We're talking about Lady Gaga, of course. This year ,Vogue magazine has named the very talented singer, The Visionary for her eccentric sense of fashion and her constant shocking pieces of apparel, in their Best Dressed list of 2010??!!

Lady Gaga's latest look-at-me stint happened Monday evening in Paris, as she walked into a Bruce Field store, well, pantless. Oh yeah, GagGa got a little 'cheeky,' might we add, in the freezing cold air. Apparently, her concert in the City of Lights had been canceled, so she decided to do a little Christmas shopping.

Black leather jacket, black fishnet tights, and a dominatrix collar, and Gaga was good to go.

We are just baffled at Vogue magazine. The fashion mag of all fashion mags is telling us that Lady Gaga is one of the publication's best dressed? Are you kidding us, Anna Wintour?!

Vogue magazine has enjoyed such a fine, classy reputation all these years, and this is how they continue the Vogue tradition?

Legendary model Iman was recently asked about Lady Gaga's style, whether it was good or bad. Iman politely and diplomatically answered that Gaga is an artist, and therefore, we assume, she gets a pass on her kooky trashy costumes.

We take nothing away from the young singer's brilliant work as an artist, or any outfit she might wear at a concert. But to walk around the globe trying to 'shock' people, over and over again with her tired acts of attention, well, it's a bit much.

We do not believe that Lady Gaga is a fashion visionary, and for that, Vogue, we are puzzled. We remain a longtime subscriber, but this one has us scratching our heads.

How To Treat Your Winter Hobbit Feet With Salicylic Acid TLC

The first day of winter, and for some of us, our feet tell the whole story:

the roughness. dryness, calluses. Even blisters and corns. And cracked heels

Sadly, we call them our winter Hobbit feet. And for good reason.

If you recall the great writing of JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit, then you remember the feet of these kind-hearted creatures:
"(Hobbits)wear no shoes, because their feet grow natural leather soles and grow thick warm brown hair like the stuff on their heads” (The Hobbit pg. 12).

We don't care how sexy your new shoes are, if your feet look beaten up and callused, well, it's not pretty. Dry, rough feet also make you look older.

You don't want to stop being active and healthy, so we hunted down this little beauty product for your feet It's been around for a number of years, Keralyt Gel, an over-the-counter salicylic acid ($17, 1 oz. tube).

New York dermatologist Heidi Waldorf suggests in Harper's magazine to using Keralyt Gel this way:

Before heading for your work-out, apply a "thin layer of Keralyt Gel and a dollop of Vaseline to areas where your skin is thick or scaly, then put on your socks." Later, rinse off in the shower for softer, more attractive feet.

According to Dr. Waldorf, the Keralyt and Vaseline together, really help keep those nasty calluses and blisters in check.

Click here for Keralyt product location.

Great Gift Idea Under $25 For The Makeup Lover In Your Life

Great gift for the gal-on-the-go! We love this handsome Sonia Kashuk Dripping in Diamonds 8-Piece Cosmetic Brush Set at Target.

First of all, you are getting a gorgeous, slim clutch bag with pretty, clear jeweled accents. And inside, you will find every makeup user's essentials----7 fine quality brushes including: a blush/powder brush, an eye shadow brush, an angled eye shadow brush and a lash/brow comb. Just $24.99!

Hey...we just found it at Target online for only $21.99. Even better! Order it by Tuesday, Dec. 21st and get it on time.

Sonia Kashuk is a professional makeup artist well-known in the beauty industry. Model Cindy Crawford is good friends with Sonia and wears makeup from Sonia Kashuk's line (also at Target). So, if her products are good enough for supermodel Cindy, then we imagine these cosmetic brushes are quality pieces, too.

Sonia Kashuk certainly knows her way around a tube of lipstick. And she has the resume to prove it. According to Target, Sonia has worked with some of the best in the business, including designers and celebrities like Oscar de la Renta, Marc Jacobs, Sharon Stone, and Britney Spears. Kashuk has also appeared as a makeup expert on television shows including The Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, The Early Show, and The View, and her work is regularly featured in countless fashion and beauty magazines.

Two Reasons Why Olive Oil Is Amazing Beauty Food

Olive oil. It really does a body, and face good.

And our Beauty Tip Today is a 2-fer.

You've heard about the Mediterranean diet and how sensible it is, and more importantly, that it works. And olive oil plays a major role in the diet plan.

If you're looking to keep your insides 'toned' and drop a few pounds on the outside, try this method by Karina Smirnoff of Dancing with the Stars fame. Her body is incredible. Here's her olive oil beauty tip:

Karina told US Weekly magazine that she avoids red meat, and dines on egg whites, fish, and salad. And has, "a tablespoon of olive oil on an empty stomach to help with digestion."

And here's the food science behind Karina's diet tip:

"Research suggests that replacing other types of fats with monounsaturated fat, especially olive oil, helps people lose a moderate amount of weight without additional food restriction or physical activity. So just imagine what adding a lower-calorie diet and increased physical activity (which is always a good idea) to the consumption of monounsaturated fats like olive oil could do for your weight-loss efforts."

So, we have learned that olive oil is excellent for your body, both inside and out. But did you know that olive oil is also wonderful for the face?!

We love this tip, and just read about it from celebrity cosmetic dermatologist Jessica Wu of Los Angeles. You might want to stock up on the oil after this.

According to Dr. Wu, extra-virgin olive oil makes for a super gentle moisturizer. The oil happens to contain fatty acids similar to those found in your skin. And if your complexion is dry and sensitive from using strong, anti-aging serums and creams, then you need to reach for the oil.

When the face becomes irritated, that brings an immediate halt to your skin care regimen. Dr. Wu advises slathering on a thin layer of unflavored extra-virgin olive oil to your face and neck at night. You will see a remarkable improvement.

Two inexpensive and healthy reasons why olive oil. is an amazing beauty food