Hollywood Secrets to Looking Younger

"It is said that no star is a heroine to her makeup artist." -- Richard Corliss, American writer
If you are like me, you're constantly surprised when you find out how old some of Hollywood's hottest and still-working celebrities are.
Who knew Susan Sarandon was past 60, or Christie Brinkley (a face of Cover Girl) was born in 1954. Of course, looking young in Hollywood means avoiding an early, forced retirement, but just what ARE these celebrity secrets? And better yet, how can you and I benefit from what they use and what they know?
Keeping skin in gorgeous condition is an incredibly time-consuming and expensive job requirement for the typical celebrity. But here are a few secrets I've uncovered for you, plus tips on how you too can get younger-looking skin.
Secret #1: Injectable fillersTo treat those deep smile lines, forehead wrinkles and crow's feet, celebrities turn to hyaluronic-acid fillers such as Restylane, Juvederm or Juvederm Ultra Plus (for deeper lines).
Procedures must be done by a professional and the cost is $600-$1,000 a needle. Results can last up to six months.
Secret #2: Botox is still hotBotox is certainly not a secret, but according to dermatologist Tina Alster of Washington, D.C., in the April 2007 issue of Harper's Bazaar, "Botox remains the gold standard for treating crow's lines and wrinkles."
Botox works by paralyzing the muscles beneath wrinkles. If used too much, Botox use can be obvious, as witnessed by several actresses including Halle Berry, Nicole Kidman and Marcia Cross who've fallen victim to "unmoveable forehead" jokes. Botox costs about $300-$500 per treated area. Results last three to six months.
Secret #3: They go under the laserAs we age, our collage production slows down significantly making our faces appear thinner, and more gaunt (on the plus side, collagen depletion shows off great bone structure). Boosting collagen production is big business in Hollywood and more and more celebs are turning to laser skin resurfacing to boost theirs.
How it works: Lasers such as Fraxel -- currently the most popular laser on the market -- are able to penetrate deep within the skin to treat damaged skin. According to Fraxel's official Website, the laser creates microscopic tears deep within the skin which trigger the body to naturally produce more collagen in the repairing process.
Cost is about $1,000 a session. Like most laser therapies (including hair removal, which I underwent), you'll need three to five sessions spaced about a month apart.
Secret #4: They get chemical peels Yes, yes, yes, of course celebrities (the male ones as well) are constantly getting eye lifts and face lifts and the bags removed from under their eyes, but what so many of them are doing that you and I aren't is exfoliating, chemically. And therein lies our secret number four.
Ever notice how your foundation looks when it's applied to scaly, dry skin? You look older and ashier. The celebrities sheer a few years off their faces in under an hour with a professional chemical peel. Chemical peels work by removing the damaged top layers of skin.
A mild, glycolic acid chemical peel will set you back $150-$300, but you can get similar results in just one month with MD Skincare Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel. It's about $68 for 30 daily applications.
Secret #5: Professional makeup artists do their makeup for big eventsOK so you and I can't have Mally Roncal on hand every morning before we go to work, but even celebrities don't go out in full makeup every day. But for big events? Oh yes they do.
You and I can look red carpet perfect before events by hitting the makeup counters at department stores or beauty salons.
Usually it's proper etiquette to buy a few products when you get your makeup done at a beauty counter, but for a fee you can have your makeup done professionally (I advise calling ahead to schedule an appointment). If there's no charge, at least tip well. I had my makeup done professionally at the John Barrett Salon at Bergdorf Goodman and as I walked home a group of men outside a gay bar practically ransacked me with compliments. It made my night.
Secret #6: They are filmed in tons of makeup I have seen the paparrazi shots of Heidi Klum without makeup and can I just say Girl Ain't All That. She's pretty of course, but she had major undereye circles and pasty skin. Then there's my all-time favorite story about Tyra Banks told to me by a security guard at NY's Bliss Spa. Even Tyra admits she's not all that. So what can you learn from this? A little bit of the right makeup can go a long way.
Secret #7: They stay out of the sun Nicole Kidman is famously afraid of the sun. She stays out of it at all costs. In fact, many celebrities simply avoid that sun by wearing hats and slathering on sunscreen. They know the sun is the No. 1 cause of prematurely aging skin.
You and I can avoid the sun by not only wearing hats, but getting in the habit of wearing sunscreen every day, no matter the weather. (I'm also a big fan of teaching sons and daughters about sunscreen very early in life). Find out what the best sunscreen in the world is here .
Secret #8: They are all about retinols To keep fine lines from becoming wrinkles, actresses in their 20s turn to retinoid creams. I have read of dermatologists who swear of all the antioxidants, peels, scrubs and injections, retinoids are the best way to wipe years off your face.
Prescription retinoids like Renova, Tazorac and Retin-A are popular, but if you prefer over-the-counter, consider Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Intensive Face Lotion SPF 20
This is my favorite secret. Not all celebrities have perfect skin. In fact, so much of skincare is about genetics. If you have bad skin genes, then chances are no amount of lotions and potions and peels and lasers are going to help your skin look like bone china (which, by the way, I just found out is made out of real bone, ewwww). The fact is Britney Spears has horrible skin. So does Cameron Diaz. Jennifer Lopez supposedly has pimples (so say those in the know). Just like magazine pros can sculpt Mariah Carey into a Giselle look-alike, they can airbrush Cameron's erupting face into Nicole Kidman perfection. (Check out this amazing Dove commercial to see what happens to a plain model when she gets airbrushed). So there. Now we can all rest easy, basking in our perfectly normal imperfections. SCR/ ABOUT. COM

Herbal Beauty

External impurities and internal toxins are the worst enemies of our body and skin and herbal beauty products and detoxification remedies help us not only to get rid of them but also provide additional nutrients to the body. Some of the popular herbs known for detoxification, elimination and expulsion of toxins from the body, providing nutrition and stimulation to skin and other vital organs such as liver and digestive system, are Burdock Root, Cascara Sagrada, Dandelion Root, Echinacea Purpurea Root, Fenugreek, Ginger Root, Lactobacillus Sporogenes, Marshmallow Root, Milk Thistle Concentrate, Pepsin, Red Clover Flowers, Sarsaparilla Root and Yellow Dock Root among many others.Natural herbal products are skin-friendly, have almost nil side effects, provide nourishment to skin and contain minerals and vitamins that keep your skin healthy. Skin care products must be fragrance free, should not have artificial colors, should be non-irritating and non-comedogenic and must be cruelty-free. Sometimes beauty problems are born out of dietary imbalance and must be paid attention to from that aspect. Weak fingernails may be symbolic of calcium deficiency while lusterless hair may speak of silicon deficiency. Dull and dry skin needs more vitamin D. Healthy person looks naturally beautiful. Green tea, calendula, linden, chamomile and rosemary are some of the natural herbal products that work quite well as sunscreens and skin revitalizers.Choose lip balms with Aloe Vera for they soothe cracked and dry lips and get rid of painful cold sores and fever blisters. Other herbal lip balms can include Apricot, Bee Propolis, Beeswax, Camphor, Castor Oil, Golden Seal, Icelandis Moss, Jojoba Oil, Menthol and/or Squalane. Products that use animal testing should be strictly avoided. Use only cruelty-free products. Herbal products are the safest bet in this category. Herbal shampoos and conditioners are gentle, organic, environmental-friendly, safe and are made from herbal extracts.They have ingredients like Aloe Vera, Burdock, Chamomile, Coconut Oil, Comfrey, Jojoba Oil, Marshmallow, Rose Hips, Rosemary and/or Sage. They are effective in treating dry and damaged hair, cleanse and nourish the scalp and hair and prevent dandruff. Natural botanical moisturizers with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and humectants have herbal extracts of Aloe Vera, Chamomile and Jojoba Oil and are usually free of color and artificial fragrance src:beauty. com

rganic Makeup and Eco Friendly Cosmetics For Natural Skin Care

As we see our world being destroyed by pollutants which cause disease and destruction of animal habitats, we are slowly beginning to focus more on making eco friendly choices. One way we can make our daily lives “green” is to begin using organic makeup. This choice will not only make your skin more youthful and attractive, it can also prevent you from purchasing a product toxic to the environment or aiding in animal cruelty.
Safe and Natural Skin Care ProductsWhen searching for organic makeup you want to ensure the products are safe for sensitive skin and have no parabens, petroleums, glutene or other synthetic ingredients. These chemicals should be avoided! They can cause harmful reactions including rashes, headaches, cancer and brain damage. Skin care products which are synthetic often contain compounds like mercury, lead, formaldehyde and petroleum. These artificial products can create serious and harmful reactions, especially for those with sensitive skin.
The best tip in skin care is to use products which are certified organic, such as those from companies like Lavera, Saffron Rouge and Vegan. Every cosmetic you can think of can be found in an organic product. From blush to lipstick, organic products are available!
The products available in organic forms include (but are not limited to) the following:
Concealer
Foundation
Eyeliner
Blush
Lipstick
Lotion/creams
Soap/body wash/ shampoo
These items often contain no preservatives, colorants, dyes or perfumes. It may be surprising to know the fifth largest allergen in the world is fragrance. Products with fragrance can cause headaches, rashes and more. Instead of using products with harmful ingredients, look for organic makeup containing pure organic plant oils, herbs, flower extracts and essential oils.
Some Mineral Makeups Contain Harmful ChemicalsDo not be fooled by products simply stating they are “mineral makeup” and therefore assume they’re safe for your body. Many mineral makeup products contain a powder form of titanium dioxide which when inhaled can cause effects such as those experienced by asbestos exposure and even lung cancer. Titanium dioxide is safe when used in creams, preventing inhalation.
Other ingredients to watch for include propylene glycol and diproylene glycol, which are odorless and colorless. These ingredients are simple fragrance carriers and are safe and often found in skin care products. You are also likely to see dimethicone which is a silicone based polymer found in bodily care products. It is an anti foaming agent, skin protectant and conditioning agent. It is non-toxic, non flammable and inert or having little to no ability to react. Silicone is another popular ingredient in cosmetics and is ubiquitous in the earth, making it safe for bodily use.
Eco Friendly Ingredients MatterWhen you are looking for natural cosmetics or other skin care products, it’s important to pay attention to ingredients. As we become more aware of the products we use and how they affect our world, we must take action to choose the healthiest products. You can begin making your life more eco friendly today!src:freebeauty dot com

How to get rid of spots and blemishes

Recently, in a moment of supreme recklessness and, let’s face it, hubris, I boasted that despite a total disregard for proper cleansing I had not had a spot for ages. Talk about tempting fate. The very weekend of publication, a terrible vengeance was visited upon me: not one but two large, painful and mercilessly prominent carbuncles.
As ever, I overreacted. “Look! I’ve got a spot. I must be ill or something,” I said to my husband, my voice high and urgent with self-pity. Quite what I was expecting him to do about it, I don’t know; but when he rummaged in his washbag and produced a small red and white tube, I was a little taken aback. “Try this,” he said, and went back to reading his book.
The tube in question was Dr Sebagh’s Breakout Spot-On (£35; from www.spacenk.com). I had no idea my husband even knew about Dr Sebagh, let alone carried one of his products around in his washbag. What else don’t I know about him, I fretted to myself as I stood in front of the bathroom mirror, dabbing on the pinkish cream. What else is he hiding? Is he having secret facials? Microdermabrasion? Botox? I eyed him suspiciously as I came out of the bathroom. He looked normal – in so far as a man engrossed in The Conservative Revolution in the Weimar Republic can appear normal.
The cream, as it turned out, was pretty impressive, especially for my skin type, which is that lethal mix of maturing with an oily T. As well as anti-bacterial and inflammatory components, it also contains ingredients to soothe and condition the skin and stop it from drying out. I used it at regular intervals for a little under a week, and not only did it succeed in stifling my blemishes (they seemed just to lose interest and fade away), the surrounding area did not suffer at all.
What Dr Sebagh sadly couldn’t do was hide them. No matter how hard I tried, nothing seemed to work – and, in fact, most of the concealers in my (extensive) collection just drew attention to the problem. This is where I could have done with a tube of Clinique’s Clearing Concealer (£11.26, available nationwide from May 1), which camouflages as it treats – something that spot sufferers will love. It comes in three shades, including a green tint that looks alarming at first, but which is surprisingly effective at toning down redness.
Not only is it much better for your skin than using a normal concealer (it contains a variety of inflammation-busting ingredients, such as salicylic acid and a seaweed extract that helps reduce sebum production), it also has an excellent non-slip matt texture which ensures it stays put for hours. At the risk of tempting fate again, it might just be the perfect solution for unexpected break-outs. sec:timesonline