The Challenge of Acne: How to Help Your Teenager Cope

With the onset of puberty teenagers are faced with many challenges, among them is trying to understand the new emotional roller coaster they may be going through, as well as the various changes in their body, both internal and external. One of the external changes that many young people experience is acne.

Causes of Acne

Acne is caused when dead skin cells and oil clog the pores. The challenge of acne can be further aggravated when germs get into the pores resulting in redness, swelling and eventually pus. The latter stage is referred to as whitehead or blackhead, depending on the appearance. Acne usually starts with puberty because changes in the hormones cause oil production to increase. While the medical community informs that you cannot get oily skin or acne from eating chocolates and other types of sweets, they agree that using products that clog, rather than clean, the pores should be avoided at all costs.

What Can Parents or Older Persons Do to Help?

Depending on the severity of the acne outbreak, teenagers can become extremely self-conscious to the point where it damages their self-esteem and they prefer to shut themselves off from their friends and associates. Here are some suggestions on hot to help your teenager cope:

1. Boost their self confidence by finding positive things to say about them and give them due commendation. He or she needs to know that while they are understandably concerned about their outward appearance, the person they are on the inside is important and highly valuable and true friends will recognize that.

2. Give them proper guidance. Guide them in using correct products for their skin. Provide them with products that are marked "noncomedogenic" on the label, which means they will not clog the pores. Look for products specifically designed for acne skin care - products with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid and teach them how to test for allergies when using these products, and how to use them. Remember that while many teenagers are 'tech savvy", they likely know nothing about caring for their skin and how to handle the challenge of acne.

3. Take them to see a dermatologist. This is not always required, but some teenagers experience severe cases of acne that require more than over-the-counter treatment. Then again, give them attention to ensure they are following through.

Using Microdermabrasion to Improve the Appearance of Your Skin

What is Microdermabrasion?

Microdermabrasion is a non-invasive procedure used mainly by dermatologists to remove dead cells from the top layer of the skin. A fine, crystal-like substance, usually aluminum oxide crystals, is applied directly to the skin to remove the dead cells. The goal of the process is to reveal healthier skin cells in the underlying skin. While the process was originally introduced by dermatologists and performed in their offices, this market has expanded to include home microdermabrasion kits with machines as well as sets that can be applied with your fingers.

Benefits of Microdermabrasion

1. The results are immediately seen. The process tightens fine lines and refines pores to give you beautifully smoother skin.
2. It improves the appearance of your skin because it reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
3. It is a cost-effective method of rejuvenating the skin, which results in younger looking skin.
4. Treatment can be done in the privacy and comfort of your home as well as in a spa, or a doctor's office.

Downsides to Microdermabrasion

1. The results are not as dramatic as other procedures that give results like chemical peels and laser surgery; however, there are also risk factors attached to those procedures.
2. Because it's a deep exfoliating process, many persons experience a temporary redness of the skin, especially when a machine is used. This usually goes away very quickly.

Note that many beauty manufacturers package microdermabrasion differently. Some package the crystals by themselves or have a 2-in-1 product, while others package the crystals or refining product with a moisturizer. It's best to look for a line that packages the crystals/refiner with a product that replenishes the skin before applying the moisturizer. The reason is that when applying the refining product, you basically irritate the skin and remove dead cells from the top layer of skin. Your next step should be to replenish and soothe the skin with a product that contains a soothing element like green tea extracts, chamomile, aloe vera, etc. Following that you would apply your moisturizer.

While you cannot turn back the hands of time literally, you can use mircodermabrasion to help to restore some youthful glow to your skin and make your skin look more vibrant.

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Yvonne A Jones is an Independent Beauty Consultant who partners with women to develop a skin care program that meets their specific needs. You may visit her website and request more information on developing a skin care program to keep your skin glowing. You may also shop 24/7 with FREE shipping.

The Importance of Proper Nutrition and Good Skin Care

Consuming a healthy diet should not be a difficult task since it is not hard to seek expert or medical guidance on getting the proper nutritional information. There are many experts in the field of nutrition and your choice may range from ones who specialize in natural foods, vegetarian foods, and the list goes on. It is important to note, however, that recognizing the need for proper nutrition and good skin care must start with you.

An easy place to start is to try making use of the tons of nutritional information you find on food labels, since this will give you first-hand information about the nutritional values of the foods you include in your diet. Today’s technology allows us to break down components found in food and identifying each element and their corresponding values for nutrition, as well as allowing us to know how much we need to ensure we get balanced nutrition from these food groups.

Do not hesitate to subscribe to natural means of nutritional sourcing.
Fortified nutritional health supplements derived from fruit or vegetable extracts compared to synthetic vitamin or mineral sources provide better chances of you getting the right and natural source of nutrition. You guarantee yourself with less risk from adverse effects with natural supplements compared to synthetic ones made from chemicals or artificial sources.

Remembering that the condition of your internal organs is reflected on your skin, your largest external organ, will motivate you to condition yourself to follow through on your regimen of taking in proper nutrition. You will also be motivated to make this a habit through positive feedback. A hastily crafted diet regimen and a half-hearted decision to pursue a program of proper nutrition could only last you a couple of weeks, or even just days without the right motive. Thus, long-term planning and a dogged determination to push through with a proper diet regimen is a vital key to a successful and healthy nutritional program.

How about your skin care routine? As a Beauty Consultant I still meet people who see no harm in going to bed with the day's dust and dirt on their face. Many use the excuse that they do not wear 'make-up' so it's not necessary. Think about it for a moment: The next time you wash your car, check how long before that shiny windscreen starts to accumulate dust. The same dust gets on your skin and needs to be washed off at the end of the day so as not to clog your pores. You also want to cleanse your skin to enhance and stimulate the cells in your face and body.

The time and effort you make to practice proper nutrition good skin care will make a huge difference to your overall appearance as well as to how you feel inside.

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Yvonne A Jones is an Independent Beauty Consultant who partners with women to develop a skin care program that meets their specific needs. You may visit her website at http://marykay.com/yjones and request more information on developing a skin care program to keep your skin glowing.

Skin Care and a Healthy Diet

Getting the correct nourishment in your body can significantly improve your ability to have healthy skin; therefore, skin care and a healthy diet support each other.
A healthy diet plays an important factor in determining your overall health condition, and when coupled with physical activity, a diet regimen is a significant factor in establishing a balanced weight level. Another key is ensuring that you are incorporating your skin care routines and maximizing its effects.

One of the major reasons why people go on a diet is due to obesity. Obesity increases the risk for cardio-vascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, kidney and liver problems, among many others. Research indicates that the appearance of the skin is a reflection of the conditions existing in internal organs.

One of the most glaring is how the skin appears dull or have dark spots, especially along the folds of the skin for obese or overweight individuals, with some also having dark areas on the nose, neck, elbows and knees. While many persons go on a diet for aesthetic purposes, it may be a necessity for others for health reasons. But it is very important to consult with a medical practitioner or get other expert opinion on the most effective ways to incorporate a healthy diet in your routine, one that is suited to your body type, height, existing health conditions, etc.

Your skin is your largest organ and the first thing that someone sees as they approach you. Keep your skin glowing by practicing good skin care and consuming a healthy diet.

Is a Flawless Complexion Only for the Stars?

"How can I get a flawless complexion?" you may ask. Taking care of your skin at an early age is an important part of the equation but very few people beyond the teenage years have a naturally flawless complexion. However, the Stars are not the only ones who can appear to have a flawless complexion. Here are some tips from an Independent Makeup artist that can help you to achieve the flawless look.

Prepare the Palette: Just as an artist needs clean prepared material to create a masterpiece, your skin must be prepared with excellent skin care products that include a suitable moisturizer. This will allow the foundation to glide on for even coverage.

Use a Concealer-Girl's Best (or 2nd) Friend: Use a concealer close to your skin tone to cover imperfections like uneven pigmentation and dark undereye circles. For more pronounced brown spots, use a yellow concealer to neutralize them.

Your Foundation : If unsure of your correct foundation shade, do the stripe test along your jaw line and allow your foundation to dry. The correct shade should disappear into your skin for a natural look. Apply with fingers then use a cosmetic sponge to spread and blend. You may blend in downward strokes so that fine facial hair will lay flat.

The Finishing Touch: A loose powder or mineral powder foundation gives your skin a finished, flawless look. Use a makeup sponge to apply powder then finish with a large powder brush in a downward motion to remove any excess.

Follow these steps to a flawless looking complexion.

Visit and showp24/7 at my website for these products at http://marykay.com/yjones

Your Skin Type - Caring for Dry Skin

Dry skin is a condition that affects a large percentage of women. For some the condition is mild and is corrected by a moisturizer. On the other hand, there are women for whom this is a painful problem as their skin can become so dry that it itches, flakes or peels. Because dry skin does not produce and hold moisture, it may look parched and feel tight after washing. Of course, your face is not the only place that dry skin will appear; it can also be on the knees, hands, in the mid-section and feet.

Some causes of dry skin are -

i) Dry skin has a low level of sebum, the natural oil substance produced by the sebaceous glands, which is the skin's natural moisturizer.
ii) Environmental factors like exposure to the sun, cold, chemicals and even the wind.
iii) Poor diet. A diet that is deficient in essential vitamins and minerals will reduce the moisture produced by the skin
iv) Skin diseases like dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, or seborrhea
v) Medical conditions like diabetes and hypothyroidism
vi) Diuretics and antihistamines.

Recommendations for dry skin care:

- Use a gentle cleanser two times per day
- Follow with a moisturizer for dry skin, applied two times per day, that hydrates and is absorbed quickly to leave your skin soft, supple and fresh.
- Use sunscreen with at least SPF 15
- If your skin is extremely dry, you will need to use a rich moisture lotion that forms a shield to decrease moisture evaporation and improve the resilience and elasticity of your skin. It should also increase your skin's ability to retain moisture.
- Since there are no oil glands directly under your eyes, you should use a rich moisturizer specifically designed for use around the eye area.
- Eat a well-balanced diet that is loaded with vitamins and minerals while limiting your intake of "junk food" that's high in saturated fats.
- Avoid or limit your consumption of alcohol, caffeine, and sugary drinks.

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And now I invite you to visit my website to shop online 24/7 for products that will assist in correcting the problem of dry, itchy skin. If you already have a Beauty Consultant, please contact her for more information.

Skin Care Products for Young Girls

Young women are recognizing the need to start caring for their skin at an early age, and this is important as to the extent possible you want to prevent skin conditions that have to be corrected later.

Young women, including teens, need a simple, yet gentle approach to basic skin care, that consists of cleansing, exfoliating and moisturizing. Unfortunately many of the
exfoliating products on the market are very harsh and usually only serve to irritate young skin.

Young girls are prone to experience breakouts and or acne and for these persons customized skin care is important. Consistency is also very important. To treat acne products with salicylic acid are recommended and this should be added to the skin care routine.

It's never o.k. to go to bed without washing your face with a good cleanser and applying a moisturizer. Keep in mind that even if you have oily skin, you still need a moisturizer that suitable for your skin type; one that smooths and softens, but with oil-absorbing properties to help control excess oil.
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I invite you to visit my website to learn more about skin care products designed for young skin and to learn more about products designed to treat breakouts and acne Please leave your questions and/or comments.

4 Ways to Increase Physical Activity and Reverse Diabetes

Researchers and health care providers note that increasing physical activity and exercising regularly can have a significant effect on controlling or even reversing diabetes. Exercise that targets blood sugar control is the most effective and this is what the Diabetes Reversal Plan helps you to achieve.

1. If you are sedentary, add a 10-minute walk to your routine everyday, and then increase this to 15 minutes. Each day try to walk a little more briskly to the point that if you are able to jog you can do so.
2. After one month you should increase the intensity of your workout as well as vary the routine. In the Diabetes Reversal Plan a workout system called Tabata that requires just 12 minutes is recommended. Pages 52 and 53 of the report give details of the workout system.
3. Research in diabetes and sports medicine journals note the value of adding some weight training to your weekly exercise and emphasize how much this can improve blood sugar and increase muscle mass.
4. Vary the exercise. If walking is what you are capable of doing, then stick to that, but if your health care provider approves other forms of exercise, like swimming, running, cycling, use of a cardio-machine or anything that adds high intensity, then by all means add it to your routine.

5 Quick Tips to Enhance Your Natural Beauty

1. Give Your Eyes Definition

To bring out the natural beauty of your eyes, use soft yellows, greens, golds and shades of brown. These colors give a more natural look as they work with your natural skin tone to define the contours of the eye. Soft, muted or matte shades are more natural than very shimmery ones.

2. Make Your Eyes Appear Brighter

Curl your lashes. Curling your lashes give them definition and make you appear well-rested and fully awake. Use a heated metal lash curler and if you do not have a self-heated curler available, heat a metal lash curler with a hair dryer on low heat for about 5 seconds. Remember to curl before applying mascara.

3. Hide Blemishes

Dealing with acne blemishes, uneven skin tone or broken capillaries? Apply a small amount of concealer, stipple to blend in with skin and let dry. Set with a foundation or loose powder. Perfect, even-toned complexion in seconds!

4. Enhancing or Adding a Healthy Glow

Use a Mineral Bronzer that's only one or two shades darker than you normal skin tone. Sweep your bronzer on your forehead, the bridge of your nose and the apple of your cheeks. An added benefit of mineral bronzers is that they may also be used over the eyes.

5. Do You Want A Lip Product That Does it All?

For color, protection and moisture, use a Tinted Lip Balm with Sunscreen SPF15. Many women love to use a lip gloss over their lipstick but if you are in a hurry to get out the door, off to play tennis, or shopping an all in one product is ideal. You get beauty and protection in one.

I invite you to visit my website to view these products and enjoy a Virtual Makeover.
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Yvonne Jones is an Skin Care and Image Consultant and her product of choice for 10 years is Mary Kay Cosmetics.

Effects of Stress Management on Diabetes

One definition of stress is "the body's reaction to a change that requires a physical, mental or emotional adjustment or response." It has also been defined as forces from the outside world that impinge on an individual and can cause severe problems. From time to time you will hear someone say that they work better under stress, but that is not an effective strategy for long-term gain.

The effects of stress on people who have been diagnosed with diabetes vary but there is one point of agreement and that stress has a negative impact on diabetics and it is important to practice effective stress management techniques. Following are two areas that stress affects:

1. Stress Hormones Raise Your Glucose Level: When you experience stressful situations your body immediately gets into action to provide you with what it thinks you need to fight off attacks. For example, you breathing speeds up and so does your heart. The body also seeks to protect you by sending more energy or glucose to the muscles. Because the muscles may not be absorbing this added energy the result is that sugar builds up in the blood.

2. Stress Hormones Can Cause You to Gain Weight: In response to stress your body releases stress hormones, and one of these cortisol has been identified as being responsible for increasing the appetite. Cortisol also encourages belly fat, which raises your risk of heart attack.

Stress management includes practicing relaxation techniques like taking deep, slow breaths when you begin to feel agitated. A side effect is that it will strengthen your diaphragm. When possible, get a massage, which could also lower your glucose levels. When stress hormone levels are reduced you will feel less hungry.

In Phase 3 of The Diabetes Reversal Report
the Diabetes Reversal Plan for exercise and physical activity is introduced, which offers a specific approach to target blood control effectively. The Plan includes a workout system called Tabata. I encourage you to learn more about this system and the other strategies by visiting http://www.saygoodbyetodiabetes.com

Your Hands - Do You Give Them the Care They Deserve?

Please indulge me in this brief exercise. Look at your hands. Do they look dry, a little 'cracked' along the fingers, and maybe chalky between your fingers? Now, rub your palms against each other. Is there a nice, soft sound or is the sound harsh a lot like sandpaper? How about the cuticles? Do they look dry and maybe peeling even if your nails are shaped beautifully?

Thanks for completing the exercise. Were you satisfied with the results of the exercise or did it make you realize that your hands could do with a little extra care? You are not alone! Your hands are two of the most exposed areas of your body and take a lot of abuse along the way as they take care of the rest of your body and multitude of tasks you assign them everyday.

It is possible to care for your hands and restore the look and feel by using a 3-step pampering system daily that helps keep your hands feeling and looking renewed, soothed and pampered. Here are the steps:

1) An Emollient Night Cream maintains moisture in the skin and hydrates dry areas
2) The 2nd step cleanses and exfoliates in one step and leaves your hands feeling soft and smooth (remember the sandpaper?)
3) The Hand Cream provides instant hydration to moisturize and condition your hands for hours.

I would be happy to send you a sample of these three products. Please contact me at yjones@marykay.com or y-jones@comcast.net to request a sample. You may view the product and request the sample by going directly to http://budurl.com/ubqy
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Yvonne A Jones is a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant who loves teaching skin care & color cosmetic techniques and partnering with women to develop a skin care program for their particular needs. You can visit her website at http://yvonneajones.com for more tips. You may also visit and shop 24 hours a day at http://www.marykay.com/yjones

Yvonne also writes articles designed for the Home-Based and Small Business professional at: http://www.mysuccesscircleonline.com

4 Tips to Increase Your Self-Esteem

In the first part of these two articles on increasing your self-esteem, I commented that your self-esteem could be a little low right now because of not reaching goals of various kinds. The great thing is that you are still alive to continue the journey and set new goals.

Here are 4 more tips to get that self-esteem engine revving to high gear, which I've modified from an article in my local newspaper:

1. Forget about the word 'diet'! Decide to eliminate one food per week and see how it makes you feel. Do it for another week and add another item. Or, if this was in the category of high carbs or junk food, substitute it with a fruit or vegetable.

2. Do something fun for someone in your community. Bring a smile to someone else. "There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving" is so true.

3. If you're not doing this, find ways to laugh at yourself. Your stress level will decrease dramatically. While you're at it, laugh at stress too. I know; it's easier said than done!

4. Take time for yourself. Take a book or your MP3 player to a quiet place - a park, a lake, the beach. Or, you may thrive of activity around you; go to a restaurant or coffee-shop for a cup of coffee or a smoothie. Let this be your time to refresh your mind and spirit.

Yvonne A Jones is a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant who loves teaching skin care & color cosmetic techniques and partnering with women to develop a skin care program for their particular needs. You can visit her website at http://yvonneajones.com for more tips. You may also shop 24 hours a day at http://www.marykay.com/yjones

Building Your Self-Esteem By Making Small Changes

It's the middle of the calendar year, and for many of us the start of a new year in our Direct Sales business. Are you feeling a little down that you did not accomplish all of your goals? At the beginning of the calendar year, did you make a resolve to release some pounds, which are still sitting there? Is your self-esteem feeling a little beaten right now?

I found some tips in an article in my local newspaper that are timely. Here are two for today:

1) Learn something new and exciting about yourself. Only way to find out is to try something you've not done before or perhaps you started and stopped like, a different type of exercise, listening to a different genre on music, go to your library and start a reading program for yourself or do daily Bible reading. You may be surprised that you actually enjoy doing something new!

2) Nurture yourself: Get a massage or a manicure, but if that's not in your budget, get a polish change or get your nails buffed. Feeling pampered is a state of mind and doesn't have to cost you a lot of money. Even a nice hand cream can make you feel pampered.
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Yvonne A Jones is an Independent Beauty Consultant with Mary Kay Cosmetics who loves teaching skin care and partnering with women to develop a skin care program for their particular needs. You can visit her website at http://www.marykay.com/yjones

Foundation is More Than Makeup-It Protects Your Skin

Everyone wants "natural beauty." As a Skin Care and Beauty Consultant I hear the statement all the time, "I don't like make-up. I just like to look natural." Working with customers I find that most of them refer to foundation when they say "make-up." Recently I attended a pampering session with a group of ladies and several asked if they 'really needed foundation'?

Foundation should be part of your beauty and skin care routine. Mary Kay foundation acts as a buffer similar to the windshield in a car. It keeps the dust and grime floating around from getting into your pores. At the end of the day you wash it off and it all goes down the drain.

Foundations come in many different formulas: cream, cream to powder, liquid, tinted moisturizers, and mineral powder foundation to satisfy different needs from providing extra coverage to light, weightless powder finish. Tinted moisturizers are favorites with customers who want just a light coverage but with the added benefit of sunscreen protection. You should always check to see that your foundation is non-comedogenic, which means it will not clog the pores.

If you already have a Beauty Consultant, please contact her for more information. If not, I invite you to visit my website at: http://marykay.com/yjones. By clicking here you will be taken to the page that shows the six types of foundations available. If you would like to receive further information, please send an e-mail to yjones@marykay.com. You may also place your order on my secure site at http://marykay.com/yjones.

Do You Keep Your Customers Updated on Your Services and Products?

Do your customers know all the services you offer or when you have new products? This might seem like a strange question, but as a Skin Care and Beauty/Image Consultant I recently found out that some of my customers did not know I offered a gift service because I have never offered it to them.

In addition to marketing the #1 selling brand of skin care and color cosmetics (independent survey results) , the company I represent has pampering products as well as a large number of supplements that are designed to address specific skin care concerns.

It's important for me to keep in mind that many of my customers do not use the internet so may not be aware of the services that are offered on my website like the Virtual Makeover, Gift Ideas, Tips and Trends, Beauty on a Budget, bridal services, etc. I enroll my customers in a quarterly catalog program, but with the demands on our time many people just scan through the catalogs and miss important information.

If you are in Direct Sales, I encourage you to make sure that your customers know about all of the services and products you offer. You can do this through keeping in touch with them regularly by phone, e-cards or regular greeting cards.

Please visit my website and take a tour. Learn more about the products and services Mary Kay offers, as well as about the Mary Kay Charitable Foundation that's dedicated to fighting against cancers that affect women and domestic abuse. Also, please scroll over to the upper right and enter your name and e-mail address to start receiving my newsletter. You will also receive a copy of my e-book which I'm currently working on.

How to Protect Yourself from Sun Exposure

The pointers in this article are not intended to alarm you, but to arm you with what you need to protect yourself from sun exposure as we go through the summer months and anywhere temperatures often exceed 80 degrees. The National Institute of Health (NIH) provides the following guidelines to protect yourself from over-exposure to the sun:

• Use a broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, which should be reapplied every two hours.
• Limit your exposure during the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. when ultra-violet (UV) radiation is especially intense.
• Wear protective clothing. Cover your arms and legs with tightly woven, loose-fitting clothes. This is a challenge for those of us who live in warmer climates because our preference is to wear less, but by being selective about the type of fabric, we can still remain cool but protected.
• Wear a wide-brimmed hat to protect your eyes, ears, face, and the back of your neck - an often overlooked part of the body when it comes to providing sun protection.
• Sunglasses: Wear a good-quality wraparound pair of sunglasses. Otherwise, select one with wide side panels that provide 99-100 percent UVA (the UV that causes premature aging) and UVB (the UV that results in burns to the skin) protection to reduce the risk of eye damage.
• Avoid, at all costs, falling asleep in the sun.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends avoiding sunlamps, sun beds, and tanning parlors since these use UV radiation which may damage the skin.

In addition to all of the above, if you develop a mole, a freckle, or a spot that you are concerned about, do not hesitate to see your doctor. Protecting yourself from sun exposure is something only you can control.

Damaging Effects of Over-Exposure to the Sun

Summer officially begins in another few days but temperatures in many parts of the United States have been consistently over 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Summer activities usually involve spending a lot of time outdoors so it's reasonable to ask, "Should I be overly concerned about over-exposure to the sun?

Let's look at some of the potential dangers:

• Skin damage: An immediate effect of over-exposure to the sun is sunburn. Only someone who has experienced a very severe case of sunburn can truly understand the agony this can bring, which can last for days and may involve peeling and blistering.
• One of the long term effects of sunburn is premature wrinkling and sagging of the skin as well as bruising more easily.
• Developing skin cancer. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that "the incidence of skin cancer in the United States has reached epidemic proportions."

• Damage to the immune system: A World Health Organization (WHO) report shows that one category of ultraviolet light - UVB "appears to reduce the effectiveness of the immune system..." It further notes that cold sores caused by the virus Herpes simplex recur more frequently as the body's ability to defend itself against some diseases is reduced.

Should you be overly concerned about sun exposure? The facts indicate that you should be. Over-exposure damages your skin as well as reduces the immune system's natural ability to effectively deal with damage from sunburn.

To ensure that you are protected, please see the products in our Sun Care Collection that are designed to provide protection from harmful UVA and UVB rays. Protecting you skin is vital.

Skin Care and Makeup - Part 2: 7 Beauty Application Tips

In the previous post we covered "Eyes", but I'd be remiss if I left off mascara applications.

1. Mascara:

a) How long should you keep using a tube of mascara? It is recommended that you change your mascara ever 3-4 months. I can hear someone saying, "That would be a waste! I only use it once or twice per week." The reason for the recommended timeframe is to avoid bacterial infection; therefore, if you use mascara infrequently, use disposable wands each time and ensure that you close the cap tightly after each use.

b) Mary Kay offers 3 types of mascara: 1) Ultimate for thickest fullest lashes; 2) Lash Lengthening with vitamins to help condition lashes; and 3) Waterproof - ideal for activites where sweating may be a concern and swimming.

c) If you like the thickness and fullness of the Ultimate but would like to use under conditions that the Waterproof would be better, Robert Jones recommends adding a layer of Waterproof on top of the Ultimate mascara.

d) Too much product on your brush, just wipe off on inexpensive tissue (less lint) then apply.

2. Blush/Cheek Color: Designed to brighten the face and make your face look 'alive.' To determine how dark your blush should be - whatever shade you flush or naturally blush to. Many people have adopted the rule that your blush should not be closer to your nose than 2 fingers' width. That may work for some but not everyone. What if you have large fingers or a narrow face? It's recommended that your cheek color should start in the center of the apple of your cheek back to your temple in a sort of upside comma. It is essential to blend, blend, blend so that you finish with a sun-kissed look rather than a 'punched in the cheek' look.

3. Highlighting Powders: Recommended for all skin tones. May be applied on top of cheekbones, forehead and tip of the chin. Ideal to bring out parts of the face to create the 'perfect' oval face.

4. Highlighting Pens: Designed to bring forward recessed areas in the face. Keep in mind that while the highlighting pens will conceal discoloration slightly, they are not concealers.

5. Highlighting and Contouring - What's the Difference? As noted above, highlighting does just that. It highlights or reflects light on certain features so draw attention to these areas and away from trouble spots. Contouring, on the other hand, is used to push away parts of the face that you want to appear to recede.

6. Concealer: My idea of a girl's best friend and the one item you must have in your make-up bag. It is designed to be used on discolored skin. Concealer can draw attention to fine lines so only a very small amount should be used. If the concealer you're using is too dry or cakey, add a small drop of moisturizer to soften. If applying under the eyes to cover dark circles, add a drop of eye cream to moisten.

7. Foundation: Foudation may be applied with a brush, sponge, or your fingers. Make-up artists vary in their opinion as to the 'best' method. I recommend to my customers, and use my fingers to apply then blend with a sponge. Foundation is best selected using the stripe method. Ivory/beige: stripe down the cheek. Bronze/ebony: stripe from the jaw to neck

Skincare and Makeup - 7 Beauty Tips You Want to Keep in Mind when Applying Eye Makeup

This past weekend I attended a one-day workshop with International Makeup Artist and Author, Robert Jones, and came away with a great deal of information that I'd like to share. Here are 7 tips regarding eyes and eye makeup:

1. Cool tones vs warm shades: Warm shades make you look younger. Very few women are true 'cool tones.'

2. Types of Eyeshadows:
a) Frost - Provides much more opaque coverage. Usually comes in light pastel shades that work best on younger skin. Can easily sink into wrinkles so is not recommended for mature skin.
b) Shimmer - Offers great, sheer coverage with a subtle sheen and hint of sparkle. Perfect choice for mature skin as it will not collect in fine lines. Light shimmers work great for highlighting. Dark shimmers are great for adding drama without being too harsh.
c) Matte - the best choice for creating a natural no-makeup look. The best formula for midtone shades because of its natural appearance. Works well for reshaping and defining the eye because of the higher level of color pigment.

3. Eyemakeup Colors: It is not necessary for your eyeshadow to match your clothing. Makeup is an accessory to you - what you need to look your prettiest. If you'd like to include an eye color to match your clothing, layer the desired color on top of the existing warm accent color (unless the accent color is the color of choice).

4. Color of Eyes: To maximize the brilliance of your own eye color, use colors that are on the opposite side of the color wheel. For example, blue eyes will appear more intense when a warm, coppery shade is used.

5. Shadows and Liners: They shape eyes and eyelids. They push away what you don't want to see or be seen too readily and bring forward what you want to see.

6. Eyeliner Application: If you line your bottom lid you MUST line the top eyelid as well otherwise it makes the eyes look tired. Liquid eyeliner is recommended for the top lid only. While not a hard and fast rule, when applied to the bottom lid it could look harsh and unnatural. Suggested application to bottom lid: use a dark eyeshadow and brush or use a pencil then soften with a coat of eyeshadow.

7. Brows: Your eyebrows are the frame for your face. Thicker but softly feathered eyebrows make the face look younger.

And now I'd like to invite you to visit your Independent Beauty Consultant at www.marykay.com/yjones and request a free trial size of the Mary Kay Ultimate Mascara in black which you will need to complete your look.

I also invite you to learn more about Robert Jones and the amazing tools he offers to keep you looking beautiful at http://www.robertjonesbeauty.com/