Beauty Blunders, Busters and Breakthroughs...Oh My!

Guess what? Everything those people, commercials and print ads said to sell you a product can’t exactly be taken for a grain of salt.  So how do you know if what you’re getting is worth your money and your patience?  1. Become an ingredient snob (but really, who has the time?) 2. Make your own line (We simply aren’t the Kardashians.) or 3. Follow these simple tidbits of advice (Easy.)

First on our tour: Myths

Myth #1: More Product Yields Better Results

False:  While to the cognitive thinker more=more, right? …Not necessarily. Only enough product is needed to cover the area you are treating, all the area needs are the ingredients to get absorbed into the pores to begin working – more product won’t make that process happen any faster…you’ll just use more and end up having to replenish before you really need to (No rinse and repeat necessary.)

Myth #2: Junk Food Will Make You Break Out

False: A little (Read: nibble) indulgence never hurt anyone, especially your face.  Unless you have a known allergy to the ingredients (let’s just listen to common sense there.)   A poor diet can however have adverse affects on the skin – so keeping with relatively healthy eating habits can make your skin glow!

Myth #3: Extreme Routine Face Cleansing Will Eliminate Acne

False:  It sounds batty, but over-cleansing your skin can do more bad than good.  Stripping the skin of its natural oils causes the glands to go into overdrive and churn out even more sebum, making you a greasy (and very possibly broken-out) mess.  Stick to a gentle cleanser used once at night before bed and in the morning, always following with a moisturizer no matter what your skin type.  Exfoliation should only take place 2 to 3 times a week to give skin time to bounce back and regenerate new, happy cells.

Myth #4: Tanning Clears Up Breakouts

False: What? No Way! Yes way…sure you’ve noticed less breakouts than before after a round of UV-worshipping, but the only reason is all that glorious darkening of your skin is a whole lot of damage happening.  Damage ranging from drying it out, to hyperpigmentation, to wrinkles down the road – basically it’s a your skin cell’s way of screaming out to stop baking pronto. Skin cancer anyone? Thought not, use a daily SPF and if out in the sun reapply every 2 hours (yes, even if it says water-proof.) Your skin will thank you by not making you appear 20 years older.

Myth #5: Beauty Products Have a Shelf Life

True: Just like your favorite produce, your makeup products have an expiration date.  Remember you are using these things on your skin so they can accumulate bacteria, to keep them fresh remember to use a brush solvent on your makeup brushes to sanitize and never share makeup, germs are still germs, even in frosty pink shadow. Here are a few common ones: Mascara and Liquid Eye Liners: 3 months. Liquid Face Makeup, Cream Eye Shadow: 6 months. Powder Face Makeup, Powder Eye Shadows, Pencil Eye Liners, Lipstick, Lip gloss: 2 years

Next up: Facts

·      Your cell phone is making you break out.  Solution: Wipe down your screen with an antibacterial wipe as much as possible to counteract the petri dish of germs, sweat, and dead skin cells.  Also a really awesome Bluetooth headset wouldn’t be a bad idea either.

·      You still need sunscreen on a cloudy day.  Don’t fall into the false sense of security that an overcast day seems to provide, the sun’s UVA and UVB rays are still as strong as ever and can still do plenty of damage.

·      Baking soda is still as awesome as it once was. ["Uses for Baking Soda: Health and Beauty”]

·      Just because it says natural doesn’t mean it is.  Unless you are mixing up the concoction yourself in the kitchen (which is totally fun, a blog for another time) the product contains preservatives and other ingredients to extend its shelf life.

Enjoy yours.  -BadBrainsBeth

Get Out of Your Head

Perusing the plethora of "beauty" blogs, I realize there is a common thread amongst them - they focus on only a few non-essential elements be it makeup, fashion, hair, what have you...

Not to rain on my bloggin' ladies' (and yes gentlemen) parades, they are fancy endeavors all the same and provide ways to take your look to the next level, but I am a firm believer in beauty being beyond skin deep - both literally and figuratively...health and wellness shape how you look on the outside and you can't paint (or makeup) without a clean canvas.

So saddling up my high horse, I present to you some every day habits to truly consider inviting into your routine (and if you are already a believer, I pat you on the back):

• A multivitamin - any drugstore brand will do, don't relish on an extra capsule unless you know you are deficient in it.  This will help balance your system, make you feel less sluggish, and even aide in weight management.
• Water, water everywhere - you've heard it before, and I'll say it again: drink plenty of water.  Nothing can make your skin look more worn-down than being dehydrated.  Water flushes out toxins from the body and plumps up the skin giving you that glowing complexion. (I carry a bottle with me everywhere I go, so when I get the thirst it's there to quench)
• Stay fit - this doesn't mean you have to hit the gym (although some of those machines are so fun, and the eye candy ain't bad either), get outside for a stroll, ride a bike...anything that gets your heart rate up and endorphins flowing: it beats the bloat and you'll feel aaaaahh-mazing.
• DON'T smoke - this ages your skin worse than any other bad habit, it has the ability to make you look 20 years older.  There are plenty of methods available out there to help you quit, so why are you still smoking? Try yoga to chill out, sounds nutty but it totally works.
• Eat breakfast, lunch, dinner, and some snacks - yes that's right I said EAT.  Starving your body of anything will not help you maintain a goal, it will more than likely cause adverse affects: Breakfast gets your metabolism rollin', lunch should make you feel refreshed not sleepy, and dinner should be a light meal (not too close to bed time as your digestive system doesn't work quite as well when you sleep)
• Have your coffee and drink it too - caffeine (in moderation) has been proven to have great health benefits and keeps your mind working throughout the day, get it from sources such as coffees and teas instead of sodas: all the perk without the punch of refined sugars. (Make sure to have your water on hand as it is a natural diuretic)
• S.L.E.E.P -  Sleeping Less Earns Enlarged Pores...okay it was the best I could come up with, but the common thread is beauty sleep is fact, not myth, so catch up on those zzz's.
• Last but certainly not least, find time to de-stress!  Stress can lead to breakouts, erratic sleep patterns, and snapping at anyone within your peripheral vision.

Next blog preview: Beauty blunders, busters, and breakthroughs...oh my!

-Beth

Who Writes This?

Beth Anne.

I started this blog because my friends, family and clients found my advice simple and useful - things so simple they had gotten lost in this world of beauty chaos.  I use myself as a guinea pig, sometimes as a fool, but all in the name of human sacrifice...and better beauty brains.

In real life, I spend my days perusing vintage, selling out myself for ice cream and generally make awkward-inducing mistakes that results in the witty and wise remarks this blog entails. Enjoy.

Love,
Beth
betharinni@att.net