What Eyeshadow Colors Enhance Your Eye Color

While anything truly goes with eyeshadow, taking advantage of some color theory will help enhance your natural eye color. The color wheel is that beautiful circle of primary, secondary, tertiary, complementary..... color! Knowing the color wheel and color theory and then using that as part of your eyeshadow artistry can make your eyes pop!

Here is a guide to color palettes you can work for your eye color:

Blue eyes will be brightened if you use eyeshadows in browns, pinks, peaches, oranges or metals like copper, bronze and silver. Use a bronze eyeliner. Try the quad eyeshadow palette in Warm Sunrise.

Brown eyes will become sparkly when you use eyeshadows in blues, greens, teals or purples. ANY color, really does work with brown eyes. (Lucky.) Try a blue eyeliner.  Try the quad eyeshadow palette in Steel Blues.

Hazel eyes, since the colors can "shift", will pull toward the dominant color around them (more green with greens, more brown with neutrals). Hazel eyes look stunning with purples, greens and neutrals. Go for purple eyeliner. Try the quad eyeshadow palette in Khaki Style.

Green eyes will be magical when you use eyeshadows in reds, rusts, purples, pinks, violets or greys. Use a grey eyeliner. The quad eyeshadow palette in Purple Pop is perfect for you!

3 Ways to Treat Acne Scars (and 4 Topical Products to Try Before Heading to a Physician)

If you have ever experienced severe acne, you may have acne scars. And, while acne scars do fade over time, sometimes these undesirable acne scars last and it might make you frustrated. It’s not always how you treat acne when you first have it that causes scarring, either. Some people have a genetic predisposition to how their skin responds to acne.

Types of Acne Scars

Discoloration

Acnes may cause dark spots that are pink, red, purple, brown or black. These are actually not acne scars, it is post inflammatory hyperpigmentation, or PIH. This is a reaction where the skin produces more melanin in reaction to the acne inflammation. The discoloration will fade over time, but the discoloration can be minimized by encouraging new skin growth. To reduce PIH, exfoliate your skin regularly with a product that includes glycolic acid, use a product to reduce discoloration (Anew Clinical Absolute Even Multi-Tone Skin Corrector), and wear sunscreen because the sun will make discoloration darker as it reacts with the melanin.

Pits & Depressions

Some acne will leave indentations in the skin. This is a result of collagen in the skin being destroyed. These depressions, or pock marks, can have different appearances:

• Ice pick - long, deep indentations usually caused by cyst acne
• Boxcar - a rounded indentation usually caused by destruction of collagen when acne erupts
• Rolling - waves of skin, often caused when underlying layers of skin attach to skin and pull it tight

Growths

Some acne actually creates a chunk of skin growth. Keloid (Hypertrophic) scars are caused by an overproduction of scar tissues in reaction to a wound. Any wound can create a keloid growth, which typically raises above the skin.

 

Acne Scar Treatment Options

If you are in a place where you want to try to treat your acne scars, there are a few options.

Dermatologist or Esthetician Procedures

• Laser - Laser resurfacing surgery is ablative or non ablative. Ablative laser resurfacing (CO2 or erbium) is probably the number one choice for effectiveness, especially for atrophic scarring. However, this is a procedure that removes layers of the dermis through the epidermis, and therefore an open wound that needs care to avoid infection and may cause hyperpigmentation (discoloration). Ablative laser treatments target areas to stimulate collagen growth and smooth the skin. They also do not go as deep.
• Fillers - Dermal fillers are injected into the skin to help lift depression type acne scars and make the skin appear smoother. Unfortunately, this treatment is typically temporary.
• Punch excision -Typically used for ice pick type scars, this treatment cuts out the entire scar, and the remaining wound is sealed together. It can also be used to close large open pores.
• Skin needling - Collagen Induction Therapy is one of the newest professional treatments for acne scars. The procedure punctures the skin with micro needles, which creates tiny wounds that then stimulates new collagen growth.
• Subcision - Sometimes scars will seal into a pucker due to abnormal collagen growth. This type of scar can be rebuilt using subcision, where those puckering collagen fibers are released with a surgical needle, and this allows the scar to regrow evenly.
• Dermabrasion - This treatment removes layers of skin with a wire brush. This resurfacing of the skin encourages skin to repair as it grows back. Microdermabrasion uses an abrasive spray to remove skin layers.
• Chemical peels - Chemicals are used to peel off layers of the skin which stimulates collagen growth and encourage a smooth texture.

Natural

There are a variety of home remedies that have been suggested for the treatment of acne scars. Lemon juice has a natural bleaching property and contains natural AHA, and may work for areas of discoloration. Baking soda may work as a mild chemical peel. Tea tree oil may help reduce raised or hypertrophic scars. Aloe vera is great to help cells rebuild. I’ve also seen honey, which has natural antibiotics.

Topical

Topical, or over the counter acne scar treatments are non invasive. Topical treatments could be anything that stimulates collagen repair, vitamin a, or antioxidant, or treatments specifically formulated to address acne scar issues. Many people would rather try diy acne scar treatments or treatments without surgery by a dermatologist or treatments from an esthetician. The beauty of topicals is that no harm can truly be done, and if the treatment doesn’t respond with your skin concerns, you can proceed to the professional treatments.

• Microdermabrasion .. Anew Clinical Resurfacing Expert Smoothing Fluid

What it does: This product with AHA resurfaces the skin 79% as effectively as microdermabrasion

What the reviews say:

• Chemical peel .. Anew Clinical Advanced Retexturizing Peel

What it does: Using glycolic acids from plant products, these pads help retexturize and resurface the top layer of the skin to make it look smoother

What the reviews say:

• Discoloration .. Anew Clinical Absolute Even Multi Tone Skin Corrector

What it does: DSX-7 technology improves the appearance of discoloration, dark spots and red patches

What the reviews say:

 

• Replace collagen .. Anew Clinical Overnight Hydration Mask

What it does: Hyaluronic acid and shea butter work together to fill acne depressions and encourage collagen.

What the reviews say:

DISCLAIMER: The information provided here is meant for general information and is not intended to replace qualified medical expertise or treatment. I can answer general skincare questions, but for diagnosis, treatment or details about skin health, contact your physician, dermatologist or esthetician.

Reasons Why We Moisturize And Prime

Before putting on any makeup, be sure to moisturize and prime! The prep work you do will make a difference - your makeup will last longer, and everything will be smoother.

MOISTURIZE

Moisturizer should be lightweight and have SPF. Moisturizer has a few purposes - it hydrates the skin and it protects it from the additional layers of makeup. The SPF is your sunscreen protection as well. Allow the moisturizer to absorb into your skin and make sure it is dry before applying the primer.

PRIME

Primer should match your skin needs as closely as you can. Why do we even use primer? Well, primer does a few very important things: it fills in lines and creates a clean surface to begin the makeup artistry, it smooths your skin and allows foundation to blend, tinted primers and color correctors can help reduce discoloration, and primer helps to lock in moisture.

Primer should contain two key ingredients: glycerin and some variety of silicone, such as dimethicone. Why? Well, glycerin and silicone both help to seal in moisture and they work to create a stronger barrier to protect your skin all day. Check out The Dermatology Review's opinion on glycerin.

My recommend? Ideal Flawless Beauty Balm. Why? It's lightweight, conceals flaws, minimizes redness, smooths skin, is tinted in five color choices to help with coverage, has SPF 15 for additional sun protection, and contains glycerin to help makeup stick and stay all day.

Mascaras for Length, Volume and Curl

Mascara can transform your look. It is one of the easiest things to add to your makeup to create impact. Different mascaras do different things, though! So, make sure you grab a mascara that has what you are looking for: length, volume, or curl?

The wand matters. Have you ever noticed that different mascaras have different shaped wands? Well, those different wand shapes actually have different results for your lashes!

• straight for natural
• sparse for length
• thick for volume
• tapered for winged 
• spiral for precision
• big for volume
• curved for curl

 

Then, consider how the mascara is applied to really get the best look!

LENGTH

Choose a mascara designed for lengthening lashes. A sparse wand will allow lightweight mascara application in order to extend lashes. Don't wiggle, which can cause lashes to clump.

VOLUME

Choose a high volume mascara. With a volume mascara, you are likely to get clumps out of the bottle, so be sure to twist the wand inside to coat it thoroughly, and then after you pull it out of the bottle, scrape excess mascara off of the wand onto the top of the bottle.

The secret to volume is LAYERS! Just like when you apply paint, you want to use multiple, thin layers, and not one heavy, globby layer. Scrape excess mascara off the wand each time, and apply multiple thin layers to the lashes. But layer quickly... dried mascara will contribute to clumping of future layers.

CURL

Use an eyelash curler before applying mascara. Start at the root of the lashes, and gently curl, working upwards to enhance the curl, depending on the length of your lashes.

Choose a curved mascara wand, which will help you better create and reinforce lash curl.

Apply the mascara to the lashes in an upward sweep. Try not to brush out the curl that you just worked really hard to make.

5 Healthy Foods for Healthy Skin

You are what you eat, right? We have all heard that if you have a steady diet of candy and potato chips, your health (and your skin) will suffer. So what are *the* best food choices for magnificent skin? I have found three articles that guide us to the top foods for healthy skin: one from a doctor, one from a nutritionist and the third from a scientific dermatology journal.


The first article, What are the best foods for healthy skin? is written by Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D. This article lists specific foods that are rich in antioxidants that will contribute to healthy skin. http://mayocl.in/1Tvm2ES

The next article, by a well known nutritionist, Joy Bauer, details 8 specific foods that directly affect your skin's appearance. In 8 Foods for Healthy, Gorgeous Skin, Joy gives a little bit of the science behind why each type of food helps our skin. http://bit.ly/22Dy1Xg

The last article is a scientific article published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthethic Dermatology. The article, The Role of Dietary Intervention in Skin Disease, provides key scientific evidence for the connection between diet and skin, with references coming from some pivotal skin-diet studies. http://1.usa.gov/1mvl5lb

Using the valuable information from these three articles, I'm giving you a list of super foods that will contribute to having healthy, glowing, problem free skin. Add these foods to your diet, or use them as snacks in place of those potato chips!

• Carrots - Carrots have the antioxidant beta-carotene which does two things for skin: 1. it works to protect the skin against sun damage, and 2. it works to help the skin rebuild cells. Carrots also have Vitamin A, and a deficiency in Vitamin A often presents as dry skin.
• Nuts - Nuts, specifically almonds, are a great choice for healthy skin, primarily because of the Vitamin E which nourishes the skin. 
• Tomatoes – Tomatoes and tomato products (like juice and tomato paste, especially) have lycopene, which works to protect against UV skin damage. And get this - "Human studies have also supported the role of dietary factors in reducing aspects of photocarcinogenesis. In one RCT, ingestion of tomato paste, which is rich in lycopene, was found to protect skin against UVR-induced effects, including erythema and DNA damage." Erthema is sunburn. Lycopene works to actually prevent sunburn!
• Fish - Fish that contains Omega-3 (like salmon, sardines, herring, anchovies) work to generate stronger skin cells due to the fatty acids. Omega-3 can also help reduce symptoms of psoriasis.
• Tropical Fruit - Fruits such as pineapple and papaya are high in Vitamin C which primarily works to defend against free radicals and contributes to collagen production and directly helps with anti-aging efforts.

What are your favorites? Share using hashtag #skinfood and tell us what you like to eat every day!