#BEAUTY--ANTI-AGING TIP

Recipe for Young-looking Hands and Décolletage

As we age, we spend lots of time and money fighting the signs of age on our faces. However, few of us ever think about two other areas that give away our age—our hands and our décolletage. Here’s a recipe to keep those areas looking young as well.

Ingredients:

1teaspoon kelp powder

1 Tablespoon honey

1 Tablespoon yogurt

Mix together above ingredients. Apply to back of hands and décolletage. Allow to sit for ten minutes, then remove with warm, damp cloth.

BEAUTY WITH NICOLE - NAIL CARE

Give Yourself a Nail Lift

Many women try to ward off the signs of aging with everything from botox injections to face lifts, but one of the first places to show signs of aging is our nails. They become yellow and brittle and develop ridges. Ever think of giving yourself a nail lift? Here are a few simple ways you can counter nail aging:

1. Buff your nails in an up-and-down direction, never side-to-side. This will help minimize ridges and yellowing.

2. Avoid deep colored polishes. They can discolor nails. Use pink and nude shades instead.

3. Exercise is not just for your muscles. Your nails benefit from exercise as well by increasing blood flow to your hands and feet. Increased circulation in your nail beds will improve the look of your nails.

4. Biotin supplements can help improve nail brittleness.

5. Did you know that thickening toe nails can be caused by wearing heels and shoes that are too tight? Stuffing your tootsies into pointy-toed stilettos impedes circulation.

BEAUTY WITH NICOLE--LOTIONS AND POTIONS AND CREAMS, OH MY!

Nicole Emmerling is the beauty editor at American Woman.   She’ll drop by on Thursdays from time to time to offer various beauty tips and trends to help us all look our best.  She’s got her work cut out for her, given so many of us (me!) have little time to pamper ourselves and even less money to do so.--AP

LOTIONS AND POTIONS AND CREAMS, OH MY!
by Nicole Emmerling

Many of the editors at American Woman are like Anastasia, of a “certain” age and fighting it every step of the way.  How much have you spent over the past year on anti-aging lotions and serums to ward off or reduce the onset of crow’s feet and laugh lines?  Too much, I’m sure.  Products found in drug stores can run you $50 and up.  Specialty products from high-end companies can be as much as $200 for less than 2 oz.  What price beauty!

Well, listen up, ladies, because the truth is that no matter what Madison Ave. is touting, none of these products lives up to the hype.  You may see minimal improvement, but is minimal improvement worth maximum bucks?

If you want your skin to look young, healthy, and vibrant, this is what you need to do:

• Wash your face twice a day.  Many women are afraid to wash their faces too often because they’re worried about drying out their skin.  What you should be worried about is all the crud and toxins that build up on your skin throughout the day.

• Hydrate.  Regular moisturizing gives your skin a healthy glow and can act as a barrier against both pollutants and air borne bacteria.  Using moisturizer is far more beneficial to your skin than any pricey anti-aging serum.

• Exfoliate.  The outermost layer of your skin is made up of dead skin cells.  Use an exfoliating scrub once a week to remove this dead skin.  Then apply moisturizer while your skin is still damp. 

• Use sunscreen every day, no matter the weather.  Yes, we all need Vitamin D, but sunscreen is a skin’s best friend.  Always protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays.  Trust me, those wrinkly prune women you see walking around all spent way too much time working on their tans as teens and young adults.  Besides, wrinkles may be the least of their worries.  Melanoma kill. 

• Get a good night’s sleep.  Aside from those unsightly bags and dark under eye circles, lack of sleep can cause excessive production of stress hormones that may slow collagen production, and collagen is what keeps us looking young.

One final piece of advice: May is National Skin Cancer Awareness Month. Know the signs of skin cancer and have any suspicious growth checked by your doctor.  

Have a beauty tip you'd like to share?  Let's hear from you!  And remember, everyone who posts a comment this week is entered to win a book from our Book Club Friday guest author.-- AP