Streak-free tans, DIY face masks, and the super food that will transform your complexion? It's all right here.
When it comes to taking care of your skin, you don't need to spend major bucks to look great. You really just need these little tricks -- about the right tools, prep, and application. We should know, since we asked a slew of skin experts like dermatologists, makeup artists, nutritionists, and massage therapists for their best skin care secrets.
And to make sure these tips were as amazing as we thought they were, we gave them the Pinterest test. To be worthy of our latest obsession, these tips had to be simple, informative, clever -- and deserving of endless repinnings. We think these tricks all pass … now you just need to try them.
Application 101: Eye cream
Dark circles, puffiness, fine lines -- seems like everyone's got some sort of complaint when it comes to their eye area. The solution for all of these? Eye cream. According to New York City-based dermatologist, Debra Jaliman, eye cream is a must since under-eye skin is the thinnest skin on the body, and has few oil glands. That means it ages quickly, and is more prone to sagging. When looking for a cream, Jaliman says to go for one that has hyaluronic acid in it because it binds water to the skin, which hydrates the skin, reducing fine lines and under-eye dryness. Other effective ingredients include retinol, which helps with darkness and wrinkles, and caffeine, which decreases puffiness.
Once you've found your cream, it's time to apply it. Celebrity makeup artist, Elizabeth Ulloa gave us these helpful tips:
• Use Your Fingers. Brushes can tug at the skin, instead apply the cream underneath your eyes with your fingers.
• Dab It In. Gently dab the cream on your skin until it's absorbed. Do not wipe or smear it across, as this can cause sagging or stretching of the skin.
• Work Your Way Out. As you dab the cream into the skin, work from the inner corner of your eye outward, ending at the outer corner of your eye.
Once you've found your cream, it's time to apply it. Celebrity makeup artist, Elizabeth Ulloa gave us these helpful tips:
• Use Your Fingers. Brushes can tug at the skin, instead apply the cream underneath your eyes with your fingers.
• Dab It In. Gently dab the cream on your skin until it's absorbed. Do not wipe or smear it across, as this can cause sagging or stretching of the skin.
• Work Your Way Out. As you dab the cream into the skin, work from the inner corner of your eye outward, ending at the outer corner of your eye.
DIY face mask
While there are great face masks, scrubs, and peels on the market, they can cost a pretty penny. Save your money by making an all-natural, DIY face mask. This recipe comes from Jaliman, who says antioxidant-rich foods, like berries, are the way to go when it comes to fending off wrinkles and decreasing inflammation in the skin.
Ingredients: 10 blueberries
1 tablespoon plain yogurt
Instructions: Mash together the blueberries and yogurt. Using your fingers, apply the mask to your face. Leave the mask on for 15 minutes, and then wash off.
Ingredients: 10 blueberries
1 tablespoon plain yogurt
Instructions: Mash together the blueberries and yogurt. Using your fingers, apply the mask to your face. Leave the mask on for 15 minutes, and then wash off.
The perfect streak-free tan
Is your summer glow fading fast? Try your hand at a self-tanning lotion. But before you slather it on, make sure you follow these expert tips from Ulloa.
• Prep Your Skin. It's important to get rid of any dead skin cells before you apply a self-tanner, otherwise your tan will be uneven and flake off sooner. Ulloa uses a dry loofah to scrub her skin, and pays extra attention to her knees, ankles, and elbows -- places where the skin is more rough and dry.
• Apply the Tanner. To avoid orange palms, Ulloa suggests wearing a pair of latex gloves when applying the tanner. Then, use a wet sea sponge to actually place the tanning product on your skin. (You can get gloves and a sea sponge at your local drugstore.)
• Correct Streaks. Streaks happen to the best of us.
• Prep Your Skin. It's important to get rid of any dead skin cells before you apply a self-tanner, otherwise your tan will be uneven and flake off sooner. Ulloa uses a dry loofah to scrub her skin, and pays extra attention to her knees, ankles, and elbows -- places where the skin is more rough and dry.
• Apply the Tanner. To avoid orange palms, Ulloa suggests wearing a pair of latex gloves when applying the tanner. Then, use a wet sea sponge to actually place the tanning product on your skin. (You can get gloves and a sea sponge at your local drugstore.)
• Correct Streaks. Streaks happen to the best of us.
To fix streaks, rub a little oil on the skin, like baby oil or Vaseline, and lightly blend the streak into the surrounding tan.
Foodie secret to great skin: Pumpkin
News flash: What you eat has a huge effect on the health of your skin. This fall, indulge in pumpkin and butternut squash -- amazing veggies that are rich in antioxidants, carotenoids, omega-3 fatty acids, iron, zinc, and potassium. These nutrients help the body produce collagen, something our skin needs as we age.
If you're looking for a great recipe that uses these veggies, check out this "Pumpkin, Butternut Squash, and Sage Stir Fry" by clinical nutritionist and health expert, Stella Metsovas.
If you're looking for a great recipe that uses these veggies, check out this "Pumpkin, Butternut Squash, and Sage Stir Fry" by clinical nutritionist and health expert, Stella Metsovas.
Ingredients 2 cups fresh pumpkin, cubed
2 cups fresh butternut squash, cubed
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Pinch of sea salt and pepper
Directions Sauté onion and butter over medium heat for two minutes. Add the fresh sage and continue cooking for two to three additional minutes. Add the pumpkin, butternut squash, and broth to the pan and cover; cook until soft. Dress with sea salt, pepper, olive oil, and serve.
2 cups fresh butternut squash, cubed
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Pinch of sea salt and pepper
Directions Sauté onion and butter over medium heat for two minutes. Add the fresh sage and continue cooking for two to three additional minutes. Add the pumpkin, butternut squash, and broth to the pan and cover; cook until soft. Dress with sea salt, pepper, olive oil, and serve.
Perfect skin prep for your next mani
A great manicure isn't only about the polish. Smooth skin and clean cuticles are a must before you even swipe on that first coat. We reached out to celebrity manicurist and creator of Sheswai nail polish, Debbie Leavitt to learn how to prep your skin for your next mani.
• Exfoliate Skin. Get rid of any dead and dull skin cells by exfoliating. Leavitt recommends making your own exfoliant by mixing olive oil with sugar or salt.
• Maintain Cuticles. To keep your cuticles in tip top shape, rub olive oil into your cuticle beds. This will keep them moisturized and supple.
• Nix Dry Skin. Invest in a pair of cuticle clippers and get rid of any hangnails and/or dry skin.
• Apply Lotion. Give your hands extra TLC with a moisturizing lotion.
• Exfoliate Skin. Get rid of any dead and dull skin cells by exfoliating. Leavitt recommends making your own exfoliant by mixing olive oil with sugar or salt.
• Maintain Cuticles. To keep your cuticles in tip top shape, rub olive oil into your cuticle beds. This will keep them moisturized and supple.
• Nix Dry Skin. Invest in a pair of cuticle clippers and get rid of any hangnails and/or dry skin.
• Apply Lotion. Give your hands extra TLC with a moisturizing lotion.
• Wipe Nail Beds. Remove any excess oil from the nail by wiping the nail with some polish remover before you apply polish.
4 new ways to use lotion
Your lotion can do a lot more than just what it says on the label. Check out these four genius ways to use your body lotion. • Remove Static. Apply some lotion to your hands, and run your hands over static-y hair or clothing.
• Shave Legs. Out of shaving cream? Slather on a thick layer of lotion on your legs to soften skin and hair, and then shave.
• Polish Shoes: Squirt some lotion on a soft cotton cloth and rub it into your leather shoes to make them shine.
• Make a Face Scrub: Mix a little sugar with your lotion to create a great face scrub that's also super moisturizing.
Your good skin tool kit
Taking care of your skin isn't just about creams and ointments. There are also a lot of great tools out there that'll help make the process easier. We asked Jaliman and Ulloa about their must-haves. Here's what they said: • Loofah: Ulloa uses a loofah to exfoliate. The trick is to use the loofah dry, and gently scrub your skin with it. Of course, loofahs are also great for applying body wash in the shower.
• Muslin Cloth: Want to really get the dirt off your skin? Ulloa suggests heating up a wet muslin cloth ("it's a sturdy fabric"), and laying it on your face to open up your pores.
• Sonic Cleansing System: These spinning brush heads take the dead skin cells off the surface, along with a lot of bacteria. According to Jaliman, these types of tools, "gives the skin an incredible glow and does it without causing any irritation."
• Sea Sponge: Self-tanner can be messy, but Ulloa swears that a sea sponge can make the application process a whole lot easier. Simply wet the sponge, then sponge on some tanner.
• Ultra Soft Makeup Removal Pads: These makeup removal pads are soft but still pretty strong, and Ulloa likes to use them for applying face masks as well as taking off makeup.
Simple massage techniques
A long massage after a hard day of work really hits the spot. Unfortunately, it's not an indulgence many of us can afford. Instead, grab your significant other, and have them brush up on their skills. Licensed massage therapist, Tamar Kummel, breaks down four basic massage techniques.
• Effluerage. This is a gentle stroke done with your full hand or fingertips. The movements are long and gliding, and you want to make sure you're not pulling the skin while doing this stroke. This is great for a warm up and when applying lotion/oil.
• Petrissage. A more intense stroke, this movement is more about kneading the muscle. You'll want to use a cupped hand or fingers grabbing, as one hand "feeds" the muscle into the other hand.
• Compression. This stroke involves gentle to firm pressure with you simply leaning on a specific muscle.
• Effluerage. This is a gentle stroke done with your full hand or fingertips. The movements are long and gliding, and you want to make sure you're not pulling the skin while doing this stroke. This is great for a warm up and when applying lotion/oil.
• Petrissage. A more intense stroke, this movement is more about kneading the muscle. You'll want to use a cupped hand or fingers grabbing, as one hand "feeds" the muscle into the other hand.
• Compression. This stroke involves gentle to firm pressure with you simply leaning on a specific muscle.
You can hold the compression for anywhere from a few seconds to a minute.
• Tapotement: Just like it sounds, this movement involves beating on the muscle with the side of the hand/fingertips/cupped hand position. This technique is used to warm up the body and increase blood circulation.
• Tapotement: Just like it sounds, this movement involves beating on the muscle with the side of the hand/fingertips/cupped hand position. This technique is used to warm up the body and increase blood circulation.