Is your daily routine taking its toll on your skin? A couple missteps can actually make you look older! Are you buying into old wives tales – that actually don’t actually work? What are the most common skin myths out there? Make Her Up is going to try and weed through some of the junk – and debunk some of those skincare myths!

As you get older, make sure you’re using the appropriate moisturizer!

Moisturizing your face is an important part of a healthy skincare routine. But using the same product you did in your 20s won’t cut it in your 40s and beyond. As you age, your skin dries out and your body secretes less oil. To keep your skin looking radiant, upgrade to a hydrating cream with antioxidants and an SPF of at least 15. Antioxidants will help reduce wrinkles at night and SPF will guard against the sun’s rays.

Don’t re-use your washcloth or loofa! 

Bacteria can build up and cause breakouts and other skin issues!

Never use bar soap on your face!

It can overdry delicate facial skin with detergent soaps, toners, and over exfoliation.

Watch the expiration dates on your beauty products!

Beauty and skincare products do go bad. Efficacy of products can decrease, especially with SPF. As soon as you open a product, some ingredients will start to oxidize and degrade. And every time you touch a product you transfer germs!

Buy the right products for YOUR skin! 

Dry Skin: Look for products that add moisture and contain hydrating ingredients (i.e. milky or cream cleansers as opposed to foaming ones; hydrating toners, and moisture-boosting lotion/creams – possibly thicker or richer ones. Ingredients like Q-10, ascorbic acid, hylauronic acid, retinol…) Exfoliating and using a moisturizing mask is also important!

Oily Skin: Look for products that help remove excess oil and calm the over production of sebum (i.e. foaming cleansers; pH balancing toners with a gentle astringent, and mattifying/skin evening lighter lotions. Ingredients like thermal water, tea tree oil, xinc oxide, oil free cosmetics and skincare. Clarifying masks are great for oily skin (esp ones containing clay)! Don’t over dry skin though with overwashing or harshly drying chemicals – many people with oily skin make that mistake.

Combination Skin: Look for products that add adequate moisture (especially during dry seasons) and also are non-greasy or overly rich (i.e. gel cleansers, gentle toner, and moisturizer tailored to the season (i.e. lighter for summer, richer for winter).
Sensitive Skin: Be very careful with this skin type, look for products that contain natural ingredients.  Also note, sensitive skin may also be oily, combination or dry, so know your type!

Don’t rely on your makeup for SPF protection!

Think you’re safe from the sun’s rays because your powder or liquid base has an SPF? Think again. For the SPF in a foundation to be effective, you’d have to slather it on as much as you would a normal sunscreen. Instead, use a face cream with sunscreen underneath your makeup. Let sit a good five minutes and then apply your concealer or foundation. No need to break the bank for sunscreen either.

While we’re talking about sun, another important element in skin care is limiting your exposure to the sun and harmful UV rays. ”Eighty percent of premature aging is due to sun damage,” says skin care expert Rand Rusher.

Clean those makeup brushes!

Admit it: You’ve probably been applying your makeup with brushes that haven’t been cleaned in a while. Maybe you powder your nose and then place the puff back directly on to your pressed powder. Look out! Over time, you may be building up harmful bacteria that can lead to acne or eye infections. Be diligent about cleaning your brushes and using fresh applicators. Replace that mascara about every two to three months. (Go here for a great video to show you how to clean your brushes!)

Your cell phone wipes bacteria all over your face!

What does your cell phone have to do with your skin? More than you would think. “We put them everywhere, then pick them up and touch our face,” says  Rusher. He recommends washing your hands frequently and wiping down your phone with wipes to keep what goes near your face as clean as possible.

BONUS: Want a natural face mask recipe?

*Use a sponge towel and cut out holes for your eyes, nose and mouth*

PURE VITAMIN E GEL (1/4 Cup)
Olive Oil (1 tablespoon)
Lemon Juice (1 teaspoon)
Turmeric Powder (1 tablespoon)

*FOR BETTER RESULTS USE A WARM FACE CLOTH ON YOUR SKIN FIRST TO OPEN PORES

Mix ingredients together in a bowl, and use a foundation brush or a paint brush to BRUSH the mixture onto the SPONGE TOWEL, place the SPONGE TOWEL on your face for 20 minutes.  DO this every 2 weeks for glowing radiant skin!

I (Jocelyn) am not a huge fan of heavy makeup. Very rarely will I put a lot of eye makeup on. If I do – I’m going out with the girls, or out on the town with my husband. Other than that, I opt for a more natural look. One thing I’m NEVER a huge fan of, is lipstick. For me, I just don’t like the feel of it on my lips. I know Erin likes lipstick, but she has much better lips than I do! (Time to try lip injections? I kid, I kid.)

When we were asked to go out and purchase a COVERGIRL NatureLuxe Gloss Balm to review, I knew I was the one for the job. I picked two shades. First I grabbed “Grenache, Grenache”, #235. I love it! It’s a shimmery – mauve color. Slightly darker than my lips. Second, I picked “Clay Argile”, #260, which is pictured below. I am in LOVE with this color. It’s a beautiful pinkish/pearly color that looks very natural. My husband took this picture of me (above) wearing it. It’s natural and beautiful, and I love it! It completes my natural makeup look beautifully.

What I did for my makeup here, was started with a shadow primer. Then I topped it with a baby pink eyeshadow – all over my eyelid. Then, using a eyeliner brush I applied rose colored eyeshadow along my lashes – as an eyeliner. I lightly blended the two colors in, and finished it off with a coat of black mascara. I then chose COVERGIRL NatureLuxe Gloss Balm in the shade “Clay Argile” or #260 (see below). I think it all goes together really well!  I think it’s a really beautiful way to wear your makeup this spring!

Please visit Glam.com’s Amazon store and check out all the beautiful colors available (and for so cheap!). 

Get the sheer color and shine of a gloss with the soft, lightweight feel of SPF 15 balm. Fortified with mango and shea butter, this feel-good formula leaves your lips feeling decadent and delicious. I love that this balm feels so smooth on my lips. It’s so nice feeling, I’m going to have to pick up more colors!

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of COVERGIRL.

CLICK HERE to purchase COVERGIRL Natureluxe Gloss Balm

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Facial exercises don’t give the same results as plastic surgery, although informational websites argue compellingly to the contrary. Facial exercises are unarguably a no-cost alternative to expensive cosmetic procedures, and they take only a few minutes of dedicated time. However, medical experts at the American Academy of Dermatology say the blink-squint-grimace repetitions you practice in front of the mirror each day only make matters worse.

Facial exercises as an alternative to plastic surgery are an easy sell. Paula Begoun, author of “The Original Beauty Bible” and numerous books on skincare and cosmetic procedures, explains that promoters of facial exercises use the argument that facial exercises are effective because facial muscles are directly attached to the skin rather than the bone. Theoretically, working the face muscles should lead to tighter, smoother skin. However, the movement of the skin is in itself the cause of sagging, Begoun explains. If you’re a believer in facial exercises, look closely in the mirror when performing them. If you see laugh lines and crow’s-feet crinkle and groove with every muscular contraction, you’re merely working on making these a more noticeable feature of your countenance.

The AAD advises anyone who’s been performing facial exercises to prevent aging to stop before they compound their problems. Dermatologist and former AAD president Wilma Bergfeld doesn’t recommend them, although she concedes that they could be beneficial in “controlled situations.” She goes on to state, “However, you would never want to do anything that moves the facial skin, especially as it ages, or over-manipulate the skin because it would create more wrinkling, increasing the loss of elasticity in the skin.” Similarly, facial relaxation exercises like those taught in certain yoga classes won’t reduce wrinkles and other signs of aging already present.

Facial workouts don’t have a physical downside, says New York City-based oral and maxillo-facial surgeon Richard Elias in a March 2007 “New York Times” article. But drooping jowls, a sagging neck and lines around your lips are unlikely to benefit from facial exercises. “Only a face-lift can do that,” Elias says. “When you do a face-lift, you’re removing fat and loose skin, and pulling some skin back.” Skin tightening procedures that use laser devices are a less invasive method of enhancing your cosmetic appearance. The AAD cautions that laser devices don’t give the same pronounced results as plastic surgery (such as a face-lift), but treatments do yield mild to moderate results.

I did a lot of research and reading of this topic. Do facial exercisers really work? From what I’ve concluded after scouring the internet for research is they DO work… a little. Most people who spent MONTHS using them saw very little change in their face. Is it really worth it? All that work for some change that’s only visible if you work really, really hard? I don’t think so.

My advice for keeping your face beautiful and healthy is – and has always been – take care of your skin from the get-go. Don’t pile on the foundation everyday for 20 years and expect your skin to glow when you’re in your 50′s and 60′s. Treat your skin well! Wash your face with gentle cleanser every night. Lotion your face with a mild non-scented lotion every night and every morning. Make sure to lotion your neck as well, every time. The women I know now who are in their 50′s and 60′s who have the best skin – are women who never wore much makeup from the beginning. If you wear a lot of makeup, you have to treat your skin with even more care.

PS: Check out the hilarious video above for Facial Flex. Is that not creepy or what!

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Photo Credit: iStock

Have you found yourself daydreaming about a beauty app that would make your life easier? Or what we might be able to accomplish with our phones in the future. I have a Future of Beauty assignment to think up a few beauty apps I wish existed, who knows some of them might not be too far off.

1. My Wardrobe App:

Anytime you buy clothes, accessories, shoes or a handbag you scan the tag. A picture of the item is immediately added to your Wardrobe App. Clothes you already own can be photographed with your phone and added to your Wardrobe as well. The app will suggest new outfit combinations, what to wear for the current seasons trends, and can also suggest simple  items to purchase that will multiply new outfit options.

2. My Complexion App

Every girl or guys best friend, simply snap a photo of your face (or problem area) and the app will go to work. Whether your issue is acne, dry skin, or enlarged pores. The app will analyze your skin and link directly to items that you can purchase to fix your toughest complexion problems.

3. My Trend App

Have you fallen in love with the newest trend? Sometimes the things we love might not have a barcode or we don’t know a name to research the item for purchase. Well whether you have fallen in love with a  coral hat, cognac leather boots, or the perfect red lipstick you are just a picture away from being able to purchase. The My Trend app can instantly search for your newest obsession just snap a photo and the app immediately goes to work, within seconds you will have a list of items that match your picture for sale locally or online.

4. My Beauty Bidder

Looking for some new makeup or a great outfit for a night on the town? With my beauty bidder you can name your own price for your next purchase. Type in your desired product and the price you want to pay. The app will send your request immediately to retailers. Once a seller has agreed to the sale price your item will automatically be billed to you and shipped.

5. My Colors App

Still not sure what your color is, or what shade of lipstick or shirt will make you look like a million bucks? The My Colors App will store your skin tone and color down to seasonal variances. Snap a photo of an item of clothing or a beauty product. The app will then determine which color will complement you most. It will also suggest other pieces and products to draw out your best features.