#BEAUTY--TIPS TO COMBAT DRY SKIN

Winter can wreak havoc on our skin. The calendar might say spring, but the thermometer says we’re still in the grip of winter. Cold air, low humidity, and indoor heat are a recipe for dry skin and a dull complexion. If you’re suffering from either or both of these, here are some tips for entering spring with a healthy glow.

Cleanse your face only at night, and use lukewarm water. Hot water dehydrates skin. Use a cream formula cleanser. In the morning allow your skin’s natural oils to nourish it.

If you’re like me, you love a steamy bath. However, as with face washing, you should avoid hot water, opting for a lukewarm soak to keep the rest of your skin from getting super dry. Adding a few drops of argan oil will help hydrate your entire body.

Facial oil will give your skin a healthy glow. It immediately absorbs into your skin and won’t clog your pores.

Exfoliate once a week to slough away dead skin cells. This allows moisturizers to penetrate better, another way to give your skin the hydration it needs.

And don’t forget to protect your skin from harmful UV rays by using products with SPF and antioxidants and wearing sunglasses.

Once a week treat yourself to a homemade natural mask. Combine 1 tablespoon each of honey and coconut water, 1 teaspoon of liquid glycerin, and 1 egg. Using your fingertips, apply the mixture to your face and neck. Allow the mask to sit for twenty minutes, then rinse off with warm water.

#BEAUTY TIP--NATURAL DARK SPOT REMOVER

No matter how careful we are about shielding our skin from the damaging effects of the sun, as we age, we begin to see sun spots (also known as age spots) developing on our skin. Commercial creams to combat these can be very expensive. Most people have the mindset that the more expensive a product, the more effective it will be. That’s not always the case. Plus, it’s hard to tell exactly what we’re rubbing into our skin, given the expansive multi-syllabic list of chemicals printed in miniscule type on the label.

I recently came across a more natural way to lessen the effects of those annoying dark patches that are cropping up on my skin. It’s inexpensive and something most of us already have in our kitchen pantry—apple cider vinegar.

Place a few drops on a cotton ball and dab those pesky spots. Apple cider vinegar contains natural alpha hydroxy acids and provides a safe way to lighten those dark skin spots.

#TEA--IT'S NOT JUST FOR DRINKING

photo by Shizuha 

The English love a good “cuppa.” Many Americans also prefer tea over coffee. I generally only drink tea when I have a cold, at a Chinese restaurant, or on a hot summer day when I drink it iced. However, years ago I learned that tea made an excellent dye when I wanted to “age” a needlework project.

Recently I came across some other uses for tea. I had no idea tea could be so versatile. Here are some examples:

1. Because tea contains a small amount of nitrogen, it’s an excellent houseplant fertilizer. Bury a few leaves from used tea bags just below the surface of your plants. The nutrients in the tea will be transferred to your plants as you water them.

2. Tea also contains antioxidants. For dry or irritated skin, spritz cooled black or green tea on your freshly washed face. Allow your face to air dry. The tea will soothe your skin.

3. If you’re like me, you can’t tolerate the overpowering scent of air-fresheners. So what do you do when you need to deal with odors? Try placing several lemon, cinnamon, or peppermint tea bags in areas that need freshening, such as your car or closets. The tea leaves will absorb the odors instead of just masking them.

4. Ever have a problem cleaning dirty cookware? Tea contains tannic acids that will help lift grease. Simply fill the cookware with hot water, add a few used teabags, and soak overnight. The next morning the cookware will clean up much easier.

5. Do you have a fireplace? Do you dread the task of sweeping up the ashes because they fly everywhere? Sprinkle a few cups of recently steeped loose tea leaves over the area before you sweep. The wet tea leaves cling to the ashes, making sweeping cinders a much easier task.

#BEAUTY TIPS FOR PRINCESSES WITH GUEST AUTHOR STACY JUBA

In addition to working on her new Storybook Valley chick lit/sweet romance series, set at a theme park, Stacy Juba has written books about ice hockey, teen psychics, U.S. flag etiquette for kids, and determined women sleuths. She also runs an editing service and is the founder of the Glass Slipper Sisters, a group of fifteen authors who have published Cinderella-themed romance novels. Learn more about Stacy and her books at her website/blog. 

Ten Beauty Tips That Every Princess Must Know

After researching princess fashion for my new chick lit novel Fooling Around With Cinderella, I can only imagine what Kate Middleton had to go through as a real princess-in-training. As the new replacement Cinderella for the Storybook Valley theme park, Jaine Andersen needed to learn a lot. As it turns out, you need more than a fancy ball gown to pull off the royal look. Here are Jaine’s fashion tips:

1. Watch Audrey Hepburn in the movie Roman Holiday in desperate hope of picking up Audrey’s regal bearing. It may be depressing as you’ll never be as regal as Audrey, but you might learn a thing or two.

2. For makeup, eyes are crucial. Not only will you need eye shadow base, a few complementary hues of eye shadow, eyeliner, and mascara, but you will also require lash curling and eyebrow plucking. You should probably do the curling and plucking first so your eyes don’t tear up, making your eye makeup smear. In addition, you will need powder, blush, lipstick, and lip liner.

3. Next, you need to dress the part. Jaine wears a rich gold ball gown embroidered with silver thread and gleaming pearls. You will need to get used to lots of tulle, and to feeling like a parade float. Warning: going to the bathroom will become an ordeal.

4. If your own hair isn’t lovely enough, then you will require a wig or hair extensions. A classic blonde Gibson girl wig is a popular princess choice, with its fluffy upsweep style and soft curls across the forehead.

5. A pair of killer shoes is essential. And unfortunately, killer isn’t an exaggeration. These shoes will hurt and cause blisters. Jaine wears translucent pumps that resemble glass slippers. When no one is around, she kicks off the shoes and slips her feet into a pair of flip-flops.

6. No one ever tells princesses about animation lessons. Once you look the part, now you have to act the part. This means you must enhance your role through nonverbal communication, also known as animation. For example, when waving to your subjects, pretend that you are screwing in a lightbulb. Recite this mantra: elbow, elbow, wrist, wrist.

7. When signing autographs, your signature must say, “I am a princess.” Not literally, but your handwriting must possess a certain beauty and flourish. This requires endless lessons and may lead to carpal tunnel syndrome.

8. Watch your posture. Don’t slouch. Ever.

9. All princesses need pearly white teeth. One secret for white teeth is extra brushing with lemon and baking soda.

10. Here is how to do a proper curtsy: gather the folds of your gown, tuck your right foot behind the left, and bend the knees into a curtsy. Slowly and gracefully, resume the upright position, lower your hand to the sides, and raise your head. Know it. Live it. Do it. All the time.

And here is one bonus tip. Never break character. People expect princesses to act a certain way. Even when you want to kick and scream, wear a bright smile and act polite. If you absolutely cannot be civil, then signal to your assistant, who will then usher you out of the public eye as quickly as possible and tell everyone that you have food poisoning.  

There you have it, everything you need to act and look like a princess. Jaine wishes you good luck. Lots of it. 

Fooling Around with Cinderella

What happens when the glass slippers pinch Cinderella's toes? When Jaine Andersen proposes a new marketing role to the local amusement park, general manager Dylan Callahan charms her into filling Cinderella’s glass slippers for the summer. Her reign transforms Jaine’s ordinary life into chaos that would bewilder a fairy godmother. Secretly dating her bad boy boss, running wedding errands for her ungrateful sisters, and defending herself from the park’s resident villain means Jaine needs lots more than a comfy pair of shoes to restore order in her kingdom. First in the Storybook Valley series, a blend of sweet romance, chick lit, and fairy tale fun. 

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#BEAUTY WITH GUEST AUTHOR STEPHANIE QUEEN

USA Today bestselling author Stephanie Queen lives in New Hampshire with the trees, rocks, her cat Kitty, and some brave squirrels. Somehow she finds inspiration to write stories filled with romance, intrigue and a dose of humor. Learn more about Stephanie and her books at her website. 

Beauty Tips by Stephanie Queen (not a beauty queen!)

I may not be a beauty queen—and I’m definitely not like the gorgeous heroine in my latest novel, Shana George, who like most romance heroines, may as well be a beauty queen. But I’m just like the next girl in real life, and we all want to look our best—especially when we’re out somewhere special or in front of scads of people. On occasion, we all want to go out and stun the world—or at least a few people in our immediate vicinity who may have forgotten their eyeglasses at home. Kidding. We all have it in us!

Here are 5 Tips to Maximize the Bloom—even for those of us (theoretically) past our bloom:

1. Get a GOOD night’s SLEEP – 7-9 hours. No more and no less. And it’s okay if you wake up in the middle of it—just roll over and go back to sleep until you put in your time. Poor Shana George never gets to sleep in Beachcomber Baby!

2. Get a GOOD face powder to layer over the moisturizer and the foundation – but very lightly. I use Lancome. It’s pricey, but noticeably better than the drug store brands. I don’t think Shana has applied makeup once in the entire Beachcomber Investigations series. Luckily she works in the dark a lot!

3. Pay MOST attention to your EYES when deciding on makeup! Light them up! Experiment until they look glamorous and gorgeous and like you, only brighter! I use eyeliner and highlight the brow bone with a lighter shadow or even a concealer to give extra depth and pop. Shana has fabulous green eyes but she scowls a lot—mostly at her lover-nemesis Dane Blaise. Don’t scowl in real life!

4. Wear EXCELLENT undergarments. Wear comfortable undergarments designed to fit your figure, whatever it is. No bulging, cutting or even squeezing! Enhancing is okay! (It goes without saying that all your clothes should fit correctly—nothing too tight and nothing too loose or baggy!) Shana shamelessly ignores this rule and has been known to wear tight dresses and bikinis. No wonder Dane can’t remember that she’s forbidden fruit!

5. Wear your COLOR!  If you haven’t had your colors done, you might want to try it, or at least read up on what your best colors might be. They might not be the colors you like best, so you might not be able to tell for yourself. Some people look good in lots of colors, but you want to find the one that’s the BEST! And run with it! Shana’s colors are beach colors, teal and aqua and cool blue like the ocean at State Beach on Martha’s Vineyard.

Although there’s a million other tips and tricks, these are my top five because they’re high impact and mostly easy. These are things you can do at any age and any condition.

So if you see me out in public, as author Stephanie Queen, signing books or speaking—feel free to grade me on the 5 Tips to Maximize the Bloom!

Also feel free to check out my latest novel, Beachcomber Baby and soon-to-be-released Beachcomber Investigations, now on pre-order. This romantic detective series features the perpetually beautiful detective, Shana George, who’s paired up with her perpetually dangerous partner in crime solving, Dane Blaise. It’s all about this couple of crazy in love-hate private investigators on Martha’s Vineyard!

Beachcomber Baby - Beachcomber Investigations series book 3

A romantic detective series

Dark and dangerous Dane and shamelessly sexy Shana team up like oil & water on a mission to save a baby while they wage a personal war of love & hate between them.

Ex-special ops legend Dane Blaise doesn't like cases involving babies. In his experience, they always end bad. Really bad.

When Father Donahue hands Shana a baby and the mission is to find the baby's mother, the ex-Scotland Yard detective can't resist taking the case. She convinces Dane to help her with only because it's not the baby that's missing--it's the baby's mother.

But they discover the priest dragged them into the tip of an iceberg full of trouble with an ex-Russian KGB operative turned-criminal and his comrades. Things look bad. Really bad.

To keep Dane on the mission, Shana will need to uncover the dark secret of his terrible past baby case. Can she convince him to forget his past to save this baby--and save their partnership?

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BEAUTY WITH NICOLE -- HEAD-TO-TOE BEAUTY TIPS

Today beauty editor Nicole Emmerling offers some great beauty tips for every part of your body. -- AP

For Your Skin -- Always apply moisturizer to slightly damp skin.

For Your Hair -- When you need a touch-up but your appointment with your colorist isn’t for a few more days, here’s a trick for hiding those roots: instead of your usual straight part, zigzag your part.

For Your Face -- Keep your hands away from your face to prevent pimples.

For Your Brows -- Always tweeze in the direction the hair grows.

For Your Hands -- Gently push your cuticles back with a towel each time you wash your hands.

For Your Eyes -- Before applying eye shadow, first apply moisturizer, then foundation to your lids.

For Your Lips -- If you smile as you’re applying your lipstick, you won’t miss any spots.

For Your Legs -- To avoid stinging, don’t use scented moisturizer or ones containing alpha hydroxy acids right after you shave.

For Your Feet -- To prevent ingrown nails, always trim toenails straight across.

BEAUTY WITH NICOLE -- POSTURE TO PREVENT WRINKLES?

Every once in awhile, one of our editors comes across an interesting study. Today Nicole shares one that at first glance has nothing to do with beauty, but she puts a beauty tip spin to it. -- AP

That’s right, Anastasia. I recently came across an article that cited some newly published research about posture. We all know that poor posture can cause body aches and pains. It’s also been linked to joint problems and arthritis. However, according to this new research, published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, posture also affects your mind. Standing tall with your shoulders back (remember how your mom always told you not to slouch?) makes a person feel more in control and more able to handle stress.

Now here’s the beauty spin: We all know that stress can age us. It shows on our faces. So by practicing good posture, we might just keep those worry lines at bay. Hey, it’s worth a try, right?

Sounds good to me, Nicole, and if it works, think of what you could save on wrinkle creams. Thoughts, readers? Post a comment to enter the drawing for a book from our guest author on Friday. -- AP

BEAUTY WITH NICOLE -- MAKE-UP VANISHING ACT

As the day wears on, does your eye shadow wear off? Here’s a great tip to ensure staying power. Use a combination of cream and powder eye shadow. Apply the cream shadow first. Use either a flesh color or the same color as the powder shadow. Apply the powder shadow over the cream shadow. The powder will adhere better and last longer.

Great tip, Nicole! Readers, do you have any make-up tips you’d like to share? Let’s hear from you. -- AP

BEAUTY WITH NICOLE - UNSCENTED VS. FRAGRANCE FREE

Beauty editor Nicole Emmerling offers some advice for people with sensitive skin. -- AP

Sensitive skin is often even more sensitive in winter. To avoid irritants, buy lotions, moisturizers, cleansers, and make-up without scents. However, be aware that “unscented” products often contain scents to neutralize the scent of the product. These masking agents can also be irritating. To make sure you’re buying something truly fragrance-free, look for “fragrance free” on the label, not “unscented.”

A great tip, Nicole! Thanks for sharing. Our Book Club Friday guest this week has a very special treat for our readers. Be sure to stop by on Friday to find out what it is. -- AP-- AP

BEAUTY WITH NICOLE-- WINTER SKIN CARE TIPS

Winter means dry skin. Beauty editor Nicole Emmerling is here today with some tips for keeping your skin moist and healthy throughout the winter. -- AP

Winter can wreak havoc on exposed skin, Anastasia. Cold temperatures cause skin to chafe. So my first tip is pretty much a no-brainer: cover as much exposed skin as possible when you venture outside.

Because winter is also cold and flu season, we all tend to wash our hands more often. This is great for keeping germs at bay, but it also tends to dry out our hands. To counter the drying effect of all that hand washing, use hand cream after each washing. Use moisturizers that contain natural products such as avocado oil and camellia seed oil. If your hands are extra dry, apply cream before bed and wear a lightweight pair of gloves while sleeping.

The same can be done for your feet. (Except wear socks!) And speaking of feet, wash dry, cracked heels with warm water and sea salts to remove the dead skin.

Avoid hot baths, showers, and saunas. Lukewarm water is best.

Don’t forget to wear sunscreen, no matter how cold it is outside. Sunlight reflects off snow and ice, intensifying the sun’s radiation.

Use a home humidifier to counter the drying effects of your home heating system.

Hydrate from the inside by drinking an adequate amount of water each day, and cut down on alcohol and caffeine. Both work against your skin.

Exercise! Staying in shape helps skin stay healthy.

Thanks, Nicole! All great tips, except for the caffeine. There’s no way I can get through my day without it. I’ll just have to drink more water to compensate. What about you, readers? Post a comment to enter the drawing for books plus a special gift from our Book Club Friday author this week. -- AP

BEAUTY WITH NICOLE-- MAKE-UP BRUSH CARE

Beauty editor Nicole Emmerling has some tips today for caring for and extending the life of your make-up brushes. -- AP

Thanks, Anastasia! Many of us have moved away from cosmetic wedges and are now using brushes to apply everything from foundation to powder to lipstick to liner and shadow. Good make-up brushes can be pricey, so you want to treat them with care. If you don’t, you’ll be replacing them often.

Here are some tips that will help extend the life of those brushes:

For brushes where you change color often (eye shadow, liner, and lip brushes), you’re going to need to remove the color after each use. The easiest way to do this is to place a moist paper towel in the palm of your hand. With the brush in your other hand, twirl the brush around the paper towel until you’ve removed all the color. Place the brush on a clean towel to dry.

With repeated use, bacteria and oils will build up on make-up brushes. To sanitize your brushes use a make-up brush cleaner every week or two. Follow the directions on the brush cleaner.

Every few months you want to give your brushes a deeper cleansing. Wet the bristles with warm water and massage a small amount of your face cleanser into a lather. Swish the brushes around in warm water to rinse off the cleanser. Use your fingers to squeeze out any excess water from the bristles and reshape them. Place on a clean towel to dry.

Hmm…sounds quite similar to the way I care for my watercolor brushes. Thanks, Nicole! Readers, do you have any similar tips you’d like to share with us? Let’s hear from you! Post a comment to win a book from our Book Club Friday guest author. -- AP

BEAUTY WITH NICOLE-- WINTER SKIN CARE TIPS

As promised last week, beauty editor Nicole Emmerling is back today with some tips for caring for your skin during the winter months. -- AP

Thanks, Anastasia! First and foremost, it’s important to stay hydrated. We tend to drink less water during the winter because we don’t get thirsty from the heat, but it’s still important to keep up your daily fluid intake. And remember, part of that fluid intake should be from vegetables and fruits that are rich in nutrients.

That leads me to my second tip: Eat a balanced diet. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids are also important during the winter to maintain skin hydration. So make sure your diet includes fish as well as walnuts, Brazil nuts, soy beans, pumpkin seeds, flaxseed, and olive oil, soybean oil, and canola oil.

Exercise is also important for maintaining good skin health throughout the winter. Exercise increases blood flow, and if you remember from last week’s article, cold temperatures impede blood flow, leading to dry, itchy skin.

Use a humidifier, especially if your home is heated by forced air heat.

If you’ve been outside in the snow or icy rain, make sure you remove wet gloves, socks, and any other damp clothing immediately once you go inside. Leaving on damp clothing, thinking they’ll dry soon enough from the indoor heat will, will lead to skin irritation and itching.

Repeating something mentioned last week, keep those showers and baths lukewarm and short. The hotter the water and the longer you stay in it, the more you’ll irritate your skin.

Don’t use soap. Always wash with a moisturizing cleanser. Soap dries out skin.

Use a soft towel to pat your skin after bathing or showing, rather than rubbing, and leave your skin slightly damp. Then, immediately lock in the moisture by applying lotion to your damp skin.

Thanks, Nicole! Great tips. Readers, do you have any tips you’d like to share? Remember to post a comment to be entered into the drawing for a book from this week's Book Club Friday guest author. -- AP

BEAUTY WITH NICOLE-- WINTER SKIN CARE MYTHS

We still have more than a month of winter ahead of us. This snowman is sitting in front of a house a few blocks from me. Gives you some indication of the winter we've had in NJ this year. It's hard to tell in the photo, but he's close to three stories tall! 


Winter weather means all sorts of winter skin problems, too. Beauty editor Nicole Emmerling is here today to dispel some skin care beauty myths. -- AP

Thanks, Anastasia! For those of you who live in areas of the country where winter means cold temps and snow, you know that your skin can take quite a beating from the weather. But do you know why? Blood vessels constrict when your skin is cold. This reduces blood flow to the skin and your oil-secreting glands, which in turn causes skin cells to dry out and flake off, thus irritating your skin and making you itch.

We all do various things to counteract the effects of winter on our skin, but many people don’t realize that some of the remedies they use to fight the dryness, irritation, and itchiness are actually adding to the problem, not helping it.

For instance, do you enjoy a long soak in a hot tub on a cold night, thinking it helps hydrate your skin? Wrong! Whether you’re bathing or showering, super-hot water can irritate your skin. Keep those baths and showers short, use lukewarm water, and always, always slather on body lotion afterwards.

Do you think the only way to counteract dry, cracked skin on your feet is to use a pumice stone? If so, you’re making a bad situation worse. That pumice stone is only going to irritate your feet more. Instead, slather on foot lotion and slip into a pair of socks.

Finally, do you believe that the sun isn’t as strong in winter? Do you skip sunscreen for that reason? You shouldn’t. UVB rays are not as strong in cold weather, but UVA rays remain consistent throughout the year. Get into the routine of using sunscreen year-round.

Thanks, Nicole! Good things to know. And readers, Nicole will be back next week with some more tips for keeping your skin healthy throughout the winter. Remember to post a comment to be entered into the drawing for a book from this week's Book Club Friday guest author. -- AP

BEAUTY WITH NICOLE--10 TIPS TO A BETTER DIY MANICURE

As you all know by now, I have zilch in the way of disposable income. One of the first things that went bye-bye was my weekly nail appointment. I know with the economy being what it is, many of you have also had to cut back on or give up that luxury altogether. For that reason, I’ve asked Nicole drops by today to offer some tips on manicures and pedicures for those of us now doing our own. -- AP

Thanks, Anastasia. Here are a few tips I’ve culled from various nail techs:

1. Always buff nails after filing.

2. Before applying polish, make sure you swipe your nails with a nail polish remover soaked cotton ball to remove any excess oils or soap on the nails. Oil and soap left on nails causes polish to peel.

3. Never shake your polish bottle. This causes air bubbles to form in the polish. Instead, roll the bottle between your palms.

4. Always apply thin layers of polish. Use a basecoat first. Then two thin layers of polish, waiting a few minutes between each coat. Finish with a thin layer of top coat.

5. To apply polish, first stroke the brush down the center of the nail, then along each side.

6. Applying polish to the edge, underneath the tip of the nail will help prevent chipping.

7. Are your nails yellow or stained? Try a drop of lemon or lavender oil on each nail, then buff out the stains.

8. Don’t cut your cuticles. Cuticles protect the nail bed. Push the cuticle back with a cotton covered orange stick.

9. Apply a thin layer of topcoat to your manicure every morning to keep your polish from chipping.

10. Always wear rubber gloves when doing housework or gardening to protect your manicure.

Thanks for the great tips, Nicole! Maybe our readers have tips of their own they’d like to share. Let’s hear from you. Post a comment to be eligible for a free book this week from our Book Club Friday guest author.-- AP