Instant Anti-Aging Tips

While the right skin care products can do wonders over time, there are occasions when you need an instant lift. Whether you’re prepping for a party, reunion, or date night, these quick tips will get you out the door looking gorgeous and radiant.

2. Banish Dark Circles
At least you can look like you got a full 8 hours
After 40, skin loses elasticity and thins, which can make you look tired and allow blood vessels to show through, heightening discoloration. Concealer lightens dark circles, gives lids the appearance of a lift, and brightens your face. Here are three steps to cover correctly.

1. Choose the Right Hue: Pick a yellow-based formula that’s at least two shades lighter than your skin tone.
2. Apply It: Using a small-headed concealer brush, apply a dab along the lower lashes to the innermost corner of eyes and the hollows of the nose. You can also use your ring finger, which has a naturally light touch and added warmth to tap and gently blend.
3. Set: A dusting of a sheer, loose, yellow-toned powder locks the concealer in place.

3. Give Your Face a “Lift”
Our brains associate thick, groomed eyebrows with youthfulness
“When brows are thin and light, they make your features disappear, adding years to even the youngest looking face,” says Damone Roberts, a celebrity eyebrow artist. Fill in sparse spots with a dark brow shadow to create the illusion of thickness. Apply the powder with an eyebrow brush or a washed and dried mascara brush (aka a spooly brush) and then use your fingertip to blend it. Don’t, however, increase the height of your arch in order to “lift” your face. “You’ll go from looking youthful to looking angry,” Roberts says. Simply follow the natural contour of your brow.

4. Smooth Fine Lines
A last-minute regimen that works
One hour before your event, exfoliate and apply moisturizer; the combination offers immediate plumping that lasts several hours. “Even gentle sloughing causes skin to swell slightly, making wrinkles less noticeable,” says Elizabeth Briden, MD, adjunct associate clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Minnesota. Use a scrub with smooth, spherical beads that polish without causing redness (look for polyethylene at the top of the ingredient list). Follow with a moisturizer that contains zinc or comfrey - to reduce sun damage and heal inflammation.

5. Hide a Blemish
Step-by-step tips to camouflage flare-ups
“In my own battles with the occasional blemish, I’ve found that the opaque coverage offered by stick foundation works best,” says makeup guru Bobbi Brown, best-selling beauty author and founder of her own multimillion-dollar cosmetics business. Surprisingly, she says, concealer is not the solution; it’s designed to be lighter than your skin tone and will accentuate the discoloration. Choose a foundation that’s the same color as your skin and spot-apply it using a small, pointed brush; then pat with your index finger to blend. Finish by applying sheer powder with a velour puff or small powder brush. If you still see the blemish, repeat this process.

6. Soothe Redness
Relieve irritated skin naturally Soak a clean washcloth in cold milk and place it over your face for 10 minutes. “Milk contains proteins, fat, amino acids, and vitamin A—all of which reduce redness and calm irritated skin,” says David Bank, MD, a dermatologist in Mount Kisco, NY. Bonus: The lactic acid in milk exfoliates, so skin looks soft and glowing.

Natural Anti-Aging Facial Masks are also a great way to instantly add plumpness and vibrancy to dull, dry skin. Look for all natural or herbal ingredients to reduce the possibility of allergic reactions.

Herbal Facial Masks and Proper Skin Care

The secret to proper facial cleansing and radiant skin is to get rid of any dead cells and toxins not thrown off naturally by the skin; remove all makeup, dirt, grime and chemical pollutants; clear out clogged pores and eliminate infection-causing bacteria without stripping away the skin’s natural oils and hydration.

Most facial care products-cleansers, masks and scrubs, dry the skin and alter its PH balance, causing skin to become more alkaline. In fact, advertisers have led us to believe the best facial products are the ones that make the most suds or leave a ‘squeaky-clean’ sensation. In principal, this result sounds good, especially if you have oily skin, but in fact the body always seeks to normalize itself – that is to balance and heal – so when we remove the skin’s oil content, it responds by making more oil to compensate for the loss.

If we dry the skin too much, it will produce excessive amounts of oil that may exacerbate an existing acne condition. Of course, if you have dry skin already, you do not want to make it drier. If you have sensitive skin, you do not want to irritate it further with harsh chemicals and soaps.

Herbal clay masks have been found to do wonders for the skin – naturally. The herbs act as a gentle scrub to clear away the dirt, toxins, pollutants and dead skin cells, but they do not strip away the necessary moisture in the skin. At the same time, they are balancing, nutritive, healing and totally free of toxic ingredients.

For deeper exfoliation, experts recommend herbal masks at least once or twice a week.
The skin sheds cells at a rate of one million per hour, so it is important to do a mild exfoliation daily. A that rate, it takes the skin about one month to completely regenerate itself and the herbal mask, “peels” away the old cells, so new ones can grow. The dead cells are also the top protective layer of the skin, however, and if we remove too much too soon, we leave the new cell growth unprotected. If the cells are not growing in at the rate we remove them, skin problems will develop.

An herbal facial mask can perform wonders on dry, oily, flaky, or just plain tired skin without damaging the renewing skin cells. Before setting out to purchase a facial mask first, ask yourself what you want to fix or change about your complexion. Is your skin excessively oily? Does it feel dry and tight? Does your skin look dull and flaky in the mirror? Whatever your specific skin type, herbal clay masks (preferably organic) will bring out your best appearance.

If you are blessed with oily skin, be thankful. Your skin will age the best, with fewer wrinkles than those with dry skin. Those with oily skin should only be careful to prevent blackheads and clogged pores; this is easy if you use the right products and facial masks. Do not be seduced by products that claim to “pull” the clogs out of your pores. These will damage your skin over time, making your pores permanently enlarged. Better are dissolving facial masks that remove pore-clogging matter gently. Another great attributeof a clay facial mask is that it will leave very tiny residue behind, filling in fine lines and slightly enlarges pores. This is a perfect way to prepare for a big night out, giving you a perfectly smooth surface over which to apply makeup.

A facial mask should be applied weekly and left on the skin for at least 15 minutes or longer. Apply in a circular motion and use enough product to leave a thick layer on your face. Spend time relaxing while the mask does its job. Remove the mask with warm water and gentle scrubbing.

Treating your face to an herbal clay mask each week will keep you looking fresh and youthful and maintain optimal skin health.