Fountain of Youth

Dehydration can affect every person of every age. Most of us drink water only when we feel thristy. But the key to a well hydrated skin is to drink water even before you are thirsty. In order to keep skin’s collagen intact, you must make sure that you consume enough water. If you are not sure whether your skin is dehydrated, begin by drinking more water than you ever did before. After one week, observe whether your skin’s condition improves. Most people will find that their skin takes on a rosy, youthful, healthy look. As a minimum, drink eight glasses of water a day and don't wait for your skin to get dehydrated. A dewy complexion brightens up your face and also allows your make-up to stick, giving it a smooth application rather than a cakey/patchy finish.

Buy The Look - Jessica Alba Summer Chic Wear

Unlike any other Hollywood stars who try to show a bit too much, Jessica prefers chic to laid back wear. She revealed "I never dress for men - I dress more for women. I'm not the mini-skirt-and-cleavage girl, ever. I'm guilty, in an LA way, of wearing too many sweatsuits, but it's because of work. I have such long hours that I want to be in my pajamas."

summer look - simple strap dress

Clad in skinny jeans and t-shirt, with a matching scarf to complete the look

Jessica loves scarfs, which can instantly transform your looks in a plain outfit

Clever use of scarfs as accessories 

Convinced yet?

Girl-next-door look, Jessica in her sweet bubble print baby blue dress wrapped in an accentuating belt with a pink cardigan for not bearing too much

It's so easy to pair a skinny jeans with a pair of flat heels and look effortlessly hot

Casual chic look, in her high waisted skinny jeans and stilettos

Facercise

It doesn't have to be Botox. Rather than splurging thousands of dollars into a solution that lasts you only 3-4 months, why not try these amazingly simple steps to exercise your facial muscles? A wee bit of persistency and dedication is required here. No instant result but you will notice your rewards which comes naturally, at zero cost.

While large muscle groups of the body such as the hips, thighs and back should be worked on alternating days, the smaller muscles such as the face can be exercised on a daily basis!

Exercising your forehead

Raise your eyebrows without creating wrinkles on your forehead. Elevate your eyebrows up and down one hundred times.

Tone your cheeks

Pucker your lips into O-shape. You should feel the skin around your chin tightening. Then spread your lips back by smiling. Repeat the pucker and smile quickly one hundred times.

I have seen my mom done it for the longest time and the result spoke for itself. It only takes 5-10 minutes of your time daily to create a gentle stretching that will, in effect, increase and regenerate collagen and elastin, as well as firm and tone the look of your face.

Proper Ways to Clease Your Face Daily

Yes, there is no shortcut here. Religiously follow the 4 steps below in your daily cleansing regime and the key is to do it gently and slowly to allow better absorption. Do not rush the process.

Step 1. Removal of dirt

You just can't skip this step. Make sure you remove any impurities, makeup residue and oil which could lead to some serious skin problems like clogged pores (blackheads), whiteheads, pimples, spots etc with a gentle make up remover.

Step 2. Cleanse

Apply a pea-sized bit of cleanser onto your wet fingertips and and rub them together. Next, massage it all over your face gently in circular motion for one minute to let it penetrate into your skin. Just do not do it rigorously. Then rinse with cool or lukewarm water. Never wash your face with hot or cold water, which can cause broken capillaries. Wash your face twice daily to avoid overcleansing, once when you wake up and once before you hit the sack.

Step 3: Tone

After patting your face dry with a soft towel, just spritz a little toner on a wad of cotton and gently dab your skin with it.

Step 4: Moisturise

No matter what your skin type is, you should always moisturise. It helps to soften, plump up your skin and leaves your skin feeling soft and supple. Remember though, too much moisturizer can lead to clogged pores and blackheads. Dab just a few dots on your forehead, cheeks, nose and chin and gently rub them over.

Celebrity Decoded - Beyonce Knowles

Think Beyonce, think glam glam glam! The Sasha Fierce is forever shimmering and elegant! So, what is her make-up protocol really?

Beyonce's make up tricks has a lot to do with looking luminous and fresh, emphasising on her strong brows and beautiful eyes.

Face

Spread a light-reflecting moisturiser over your face. Next, apply a sheer, dewy foundation and blend it evenly over your face. Use a concealer to hide your blemish, undereye circles or zits.

Brows

Fill in the sparse in between your brows and try to accentuate the arch if possible with a darker shade.

Eyes

Play up your eyes. It's all about focusing on the eyes so work your eyes to achieve that mesmerising look. To score that look:

1. eye shadow - Beyonce knows just which shades that work best for her. She usually opt for a darker shade of eye-shadow to cover her lid or go for a smoky eye. If you are wondering, black and dark shades of gray are her common choices.

2. eye-liner - go black on the eye-liner. Apply a skinny stiff layer around the lash line. Smudge your lower lash line for that added appeal.
3. if you wish, illuminate the corners of your eyes with a shimmery pencil to brighten up your eyes.
4. mascara - finish off by curling lashes and adding a couple of layers of voluminous mascara for a dramatic effect.

Cheek

It's not about the cheeks at all. Go minimal on the cheeks, dust a neautral brown blush to give your cheekbones a little color.

Lips

Lastly, go neutral on your lips by coating a nude gloss for that kissable and shiny lips.

And you are ready to gun any man down!

Top 10 Beauty Myths - Fact or Fiction

1. Washing your face with hot water opens pores, and rinsing with cold closes them

Fiction: Your skin pores do not open and close. Pores enlarge due to excess sebum build-up and skin cells. With proper facial care, pores can shrink. BUT, it does not open and close due to temperature.

2. Cucumber reduces eye puffiness

Fiction: It is not the cucumber that reduces puffiness. It is the contraction of the blood vessels caused by the coldness of the cucumber that actually causes the reduction in swelling. Anything cold will have that same effect. Just make sure to limit the application to 5 minutes for optimal results.

3. Dry skin causes wrinkles

Fiction: Wrinkles are usually created by collagen deterioration. It is typically caused by sun damage, not dry skin. Wrinkles can also be caused by dehydration. Drinking plenty of water will help to keep your skin hydrated.

4. Drinking tea makes my teeth yellow

Fact: Soda, tea, and coffee can all contribute to the yellowing of tooth enamel. If you just can't give up your morning tea or latte, try to sip through a straw when possible to minimize contact with your tooth enamel.

5. The best place to apply perfume is on the pulse point

Fact: Applying perfume to pulse points is the best way to make your scent last all day. Fragrances react with heat, so spritz your perfume on your wrists or the back of your neck and you won't need to worry about re-applying.

6. Red and white wine can stain my pearly whites

Fact: And all this time we thought red wine was the tooth's worst enemy. Turns out, white and red wine negatively affect the surfaces of your teeth which makes them more susceptible to tinting and discoloration.

7. Consistent wear of dark nail polish can turn your nails a yellowish hue

Fact: However, this yellowing is temporary and can also be avoided! Before painting your nails a deep dark hue, paint a layer of clear base coat to protect your nails from any discoloration.

8. Sleeping on your back may prevent wrinkles

Fact: After hearing this, we're never sleeping on our sides again! The American Academy of Dermatology says that sleeping in certain positions may result in "sleep lines." After time, these lines can turn into deep-set wrinkles, so flip over and get your shut-eye on your back.

9. Your skin adapts to the skin-care products you are using and you need to change to new products every now and then

Fiction: Skin doesn't adapt to skin-care products any more than your body adapts to a healthy diet. If spinach and grapes are healthy for you they are always healthy, and they continue to be healthy, even if you eat them every day. The same is true for your skin, as long as you are applying what is healthy for skin (and avoiding negative external sources such as unprotected sun exposure) it remains healthy.

10. Sleep debt is real. You can't make up for lost zzzs

Fact: Most women need between 7.5 and 8.5 hours of sleep every night. The hours we lose to stress, overwork and late-night partying are gone forever.

Beauty ZzZ

Truth about beauty sleep

A girl has to have enough sleep! Quality sleep is essential for healthy and glowing skin as skin goes through a detox, repair and restore process during the night from the harmful effects of stress and the daily wear and tear. Truth is, it is not just the hours that count, as elements of peaceful and uninterrupted sleep come into play. If you often wake up in the middle of the night, meaning your body is not completely relaxed and calm and this will not do any good to your skin.

Sleep Deprivation

Lack of sleep begin to take a toll on the skin and the skin will lose its shine and fine lines will begin to creep up over the long term. It also leaves you feeling lethargic throughout the day, making you look dull. The delicate undereye skin will show signs of sleep deficiency and dark circles will begin to form.  What's worse, your skin tend to become sensitive and more prone to breakouts.

Tricks to Sleep Well

Chamomile has been used throughout the ages as a very effective sleep aid so indulge yourself in a cuppa 30-45 minutes before sleep. Or, a glass of wine to help relax your blood vessels, relieve stress and slow down your heart rate – all of which helps to increase your quality of sleep.

Have that 8 hours snooze daily and wake up to a refreshed you!

Smile and the World Smiles With You~

There is so much going on in our lives and our thoughts that some of us forgot to even smile. Have you ever pondered the power a smile can bring to you and others around you? Not only they bring you one step closer to another, it lifts their moods and yours too, instantly! Ask any gentleman and they will tell you there is nothing more beautiful and charming than a lady who glows and radiates with an impressive smile. It is no wonder that one of the first few lessons the beauty pageants were taught is to smile! Rather than relying on your make-up or pretty accessories to make you look good, how about wearing that smile that lights up your face in a snap?



Frown no more



Some tips for winning smile:

1. Look yourself in the mirror, amplify your smile a little and smile from your heart. It must be natural and pleasant looking.

2. A true smile engages muscles around your eyes and temples. Smile with your entire face, not just your lips, to avoid looking like you are faking it.

3. You might want to make a visit to the dentist if your perfect smile is hindered by your less than perfect or yellow set of teeth.

Exercise that facial muscle of yours and make your smile worth a million today!