My Health and Fitness

I am often asked, “how do you get your make-up looking so natural?”

My reply, “make-up only looks as good as the skin underneath.”

Just as in being fit and healthy, there are no “quick fixes” for achieving great skin. A great skin requires both an investment and commitment in time. When these are absent, so are the results. Depending on your current skin-care condition, you have several options.

I’m sure you’ve heard many times to drink eight glasses of water a day, take a multi-vitamin, exercise regularly, and eat a well balanced diet. This same concept, i.e., the fundamentals, also applies to skin-care needs. To improve the overall appearance of your skin, one must cleanse, exfoliate, moisturize, and protect.

For skin-care product recommendations, the choice is really up to the individual. The cosmetic and beauty industry is extensive and I recommend spending some time on researching different brands. Budget will often be a deciding factor and you should plan on spending anywhere from $10 to $300. Because of my experience with the company, I am a big fan of Clinique’s skin-care line and it works great for me! The reason, Clinique is affordable, gentle yet effective on the skin, and their product range is very diverse depending on your current skin-care needs.

There are so many choices in selecting your skin care line. I recommend trying to stay with an entire brand for all your cleansing products. Why? Every product within a brand has a purpose and is created to work as a “system”. Often, when you try bits and pieces from various brands you will not benefit from the products working together. You should do a little research on whatever brand you choose. If you choose a drug store brand that is not well known, there could be an element of risk involved in determining if it will work for you. And, you may not be able to return the items if they don’t work. In comparison, a department store brand will likely be more expensive, but you are paying for the knowledge of the beauty advisor and usually a guaranteed return policy. Many times you may be able to test a sample of the product(s) before purchasing them, which is an advantage. I recommend going to a department store and asking questions about each brand that you are interested in. When your questions have been satisfactorily answered, make your decision! Some common questions may include:

1. What does “brand name” suggest for basic skin care?
2. How does “brand name” determine what products are best for your skin?
3. Is there an AM routine and a PM routine?
4. What is the cost and does it fit your budget?
5. Is there a cost trade off, i.e., will paying a little less greatly reduce product effectiveness?
6. What is the return policy?
7. Ask for a demonstration of the product(s) so you can feel the texture.
8. When should you expect to see results?

Now, for time commitment, plan on spending at least three to five minutes in the morning and again in the evening taking care of your skin. Be patient; results (as in exercise) do not happen overnight. Remember, time invested in yourself equals payoff! It won’t be long before others begin asking you the same question I’ve often heard, “how do you get your make-up looking so natural?”