Beauty Brainstorm Blog

Go Bananas

Bananas are a great food source and can be a great skincare supplement if you have the time.  Beautifulskinblog  has some all natural made at home masks.  Make sure you know your skin type so you don’t irritate your skin.  Or, keep it simple with MaryKay masks  you can;

1.  Hydrate masks
2. Tighten pores  masks or
3. Clarify masks

 Have fun and pick the best mask for you.

 Here is a great skin care facial treatment that will leave your skin glowing;

1.  Mash ¼ of a small banana – makes about 1/8 of a cup
2. Whip 1 eggwhite until foamy
3. Add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
4. Add mashed Bananas and blend well

 Apply a thin layer for 30 minutes or less, then apply a light moisturizer  and voila…you will GO BANANAS  over how good your skin feels.

It is football playoff time and that means 2 things usually.  Cold Weather and the victorious team usually has a good Defense (although the Packers and Rams did try to prove otherwise last weekend).  Around here it also has been pretty cold the last few weeks.  Do you know what the temperature was this morning at 6 am?  39 degrees!

Cold weather exaggerates the drying out of your skin and lips.  In fact, do you know what they say is one of the first places to notice dry cold weather AND HOT humid weather?  YOUR LIPS.  You know in the summer time how many times you reach for that lip balm (MaryKay of course) to protect you from the harmful UVA of the sun and fight the chapped dry lips syndrome.  Well, in the cold weather because of the natural moisture from your mouth and tongue, combined with the icy winds and cold air, your lips quickly can become chapped.  How do you combat that?

 MaryKay Satin Lips Mask and Balm.  Sold separately or as a complete defense mechanism as a set; The mask is used to buff away dry skin with , and then using it in tandem, you moisturize your lips with Satin Lips® Lip .  This gives your lips protection for at least 6 hours; enough time to get inside out of the heat/cold.

 So be like the winning professional football teams and put your best defense to work for you; Satin Lips Mask and Balm

 Taking care of your skin should be a top priority, since it’s the first thing people see, however only a percentage of the population actually research and know how to properly take care of their skin. Even some of those people who know how to take care of their skin don’t follow the proper steps to ensuring their skin looks its best.

Step 1:
Wash your face twice a day with three in one facial cleanser.  This cleanser should be one that cleanses, exfoliates and moisturizes all in one.

Step 2:
If you have acne, apply an acne treating toner  to your skin with a q-tip to your blemishes. A toner helps to further balance the ph in the skin.

Step 3:
Apply a lotion with a sunscreen for daily wear to prevent sun damage to your skin. The sun can damage your skin, just by getting in and out of your car through the day, you do not have to be attempting to get a tan to get skin damage, which is why it is important to wear an additional facial lotion with sunscreen throughout the day.

At night an additional facial moisturizer should be applied to your face, to help restore and heal any damage your skin has incurred. 

Step 4:
Apply a moisturizing lotion  twice a day to keep your skin from drying out.

If your skin dries it out during the winter winds, you should apply a special moisturizing facial mask  to restore your skin.

Using a microdermabrasion peel for your face is also a great way to keep your skin healthy. This kind of peel can be used twice a week to deeply cleanse your pores of bacteria.

Properly cleansing your face and using the right products at the right time, in the right manner will help to keep your skin looking healthy all year long. Your face is how people remember you; special attention should be done to take care of your skin, since it is the first thing people see. Have a beauty consultant to help you keep your skin healthy and balanced is a great way to ensure you look your best all year long.

We have all heard about the benefits of anti-oxidants on fighting free radicals and combating the effects of aging.  Some of the best resources of getting anti-oxidants are through vegetables such as broccoli.  Did you know the anti-oxidants in broccoli also contain toxins?  However these toxins are a beneficial toxin evolved to dissuade insects and other animals from eating broccoli. In humans they induce a mild, adaptive stress response that increases the anti-oxidants.  If we ate broccoli without toxins, it is not enough to function as an anti-oxidant in the body according to Dr. John Ratey, MD in his book “Spark”.

He goes on to further say that if you add exercise, restrict calories and eat vegetables, the result will be good stress on your body.  This stress challenges cells and causes us to adapt and grow.  Warning here:  This is a delicate balance, if stress goes from mild to chronic (ie: greatly restrict calories-stop eating), the genetic actions can cause atrophy and cells die!

The process of aging lowers our stress threshold, as does self esteem.  We can attack this natural process through aerobic exercise.  Exercise releases many chemicals in the body that stimulates cells, causing the release of positive anti-aging allies.  Additionally, by adding supplements such as Juice Plus,  we can achieve all of the fruits and vegetables necessary to stimulate our own defense mechanisms to operate a peak efficiency.  Further research has found that the acai plant also provides additional resources of anti-oxidants, which is also found in chocolates which further keeps our skin young and healthy.

Bottom line; start exercising, eat and/or take necessary fruits and vegetables; mix in  healthy chocolate, treat the outside of your skin and you have put up the best defense against natures aging process that is available.

Looking for tips to better take care of your skin, leaving it healthier than before? Follow the tips provided below and you will be sure to have healthier, better looking skin.

1. Dry hands this winter? Try swapping out ordinary hand lotion for a formula with SPF.  The sun’s UVA light prevents production of moisturizers in skin and is present 365 day/year; therefore the need to add a SPF to your lotion could prevent drying out of the skin.
2. Combat wrinkles with red colored fruit! Studies show that the anti-oxidants in raspberries, strawberries, cranberries and pomegranates block an enzyme that breaks down collagen, which leads to wrinkles.
3. Keep teeth white by drinking morning orange juice through a straw – a recent study shows that OJ softens tooth enamel which may make your teeth more susceptible to discoloration; you can rinse after, with a drink of water.
4. Make your joints strong with sesame seeds – 2 tablespoons supply more than 80% of your daily intake of copper, which is an anti-inflammatory that may ease arthritis pain.
5. Fight sun damage on your skin – take 2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds and supply yourself with 40% of RDA of Vitamin E, a known anti-oxidant that fights sun damage
6. Enhance a healthy heart with flaxseed – 2 tablespoons in your cereal is rich in alpha-linolenic acid that helps lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
7. Speaking of hearts – don’t overeat, this is the #1 thing you can do for your heart.  Studies show that we tend to eat almost 40% more in a group than by yourself. So be careful at the parties this season.
8. Look younger this coming year – In addition to using moisturizers to keep your skin young, blow dry hair smooth, get a manicure, and don’t forget the eye brows, shape them, it will make your eyes, pop.
9. Keep your skin young – start exercising, it gets the blood pumping which brings oxygen and nutrients to the skin.
10.  Do you have acne – not only should you use a great acne skin care product  but don’t forget to use moisturizer. If you are using prescription based acne medicine, they can dry your skin out, which may trigger inflammation.
11.  Hide lines with a facial highlighting pen – These amazing innovations contain light reflecting particles that optically smooth wrinkles.
12.  Use concealer to give skin a smooth youthful look – Why let age and nature own you, take charge and use an appropriate foundation to add the youthful look to your face.

Don’t you just love the Holidays?  I do.  Family, Friends and the rich food.  While most of us tend to overeat and drink this can lead to more changes in our skin.  If you have dark circles under your eyes; overeating rich foods and drinking can aggravate them more.  Remember to drink more water to help flush out the toxins andtake care of yoru skin.  Skin care is one of the most important things to remember at this time of the year, along with your health; but they both seem to be forgotten as the season moves on.  (If you really love the sweets and treats the holiday brings, look into healthy chocolate .  This chocolate is filled with Antioxidants that are important for your overall body, mind and great for the soul)!

If you would like to heal damaged and tired skin, then try Serum+C  from Mary Kay, is a new skin care product that was made to heal damaged and tired skin. It is made with 5 of the highest levels of Vitamin C from all over the world, Vitamin C aids in rejuvenating and reviving skin, making you look and feel better. All of our faces are exposed to bad air throughout the day, which is why we need a skin care product that helps to remove the bad particles from our faces, like a 3-in-1Cleanser ,  but also applying healing skin care products to revitalize the damaged portions of our face will make people wonder how we keep our skin looking so healthy.. Moisturizing lotion  is also a key component to your skin’s vitality

More goes into taking care of your skin, then just washing it once or twice a day. Lotions and serums should become a part of our daily defense as well as preventive preparation for the Holiday fun. Try it, your skin will love you for it!

November is here and so is the time that our temperature typically begins changing as well.  . Colder weather and stronger winds can leave your skin feeling dry and scaly during these winter months. Keeping your skin protected from this damage is important to the vitality of your skin for years to come.

The skin care products you use during this time could mean the survival of the flesh over the next few months. According to Dr. Oz, soaps can take off the protective layer of oil from your skin, which can leave your skin chapped and itchy. Dr. Oz suggests using an oil on your skin first, then a deep scrub to cleanse the skin, then after you need another layer of a moisturizing lotion  to restore the essential protective layer of your skin.

When you follow these steps it will help to protect your skin from wind damage and the cold. There are several facial scrubs  that can help keep your skin glowing.  Facial scrubs are good to use once or twice a week depending on your type of skin to deeply cleanse your face.  Just remember to always follow up with an extra hydration .

Do you like Oyster?  Vitamin D and Zinc are found in oysters and it has been proven that together this vitamin and mineral can keep your skin healthy during dry weather!

During this Halloween season what kind of mask are you wearing?  Are you scary? Tough?  Inspirational? Supportive? Cautious?  We all put on different kinds of masks and sometimes they differ from day to day.  The masks you wear can give insight into your personality style and/or someone else’s style. 

The personality test I enjoy is called the DISC test.  In this test you pick a word in 28 different boxes that most exemplifies you and least exemplifies you.  The corresponding answer sheet catalogues these answers and accurately predicts the type of personality people are.  Knowing this not only helps you be able to deal with others by knowing their different traits, but also knowing what your blend is and what mask you are most comfortable behind.  Everyone is a blend of all categories, some stronger than others.  A simplified way of looking at these are relating it to a type of animal/fish;

• D - Doberman – Tough, like big challenges, bark as bad as bite.
• I – Fluffy Puppy – Content to have fun; likes recognition and praise.
• S – Cat – Doesn’t like conflict; finds spots that are most comfortable and retreats there.
• C – Tropical fish – Checks everything out thoroughly, rocks, both sides of tank; ceramic figures. Curious by nature, doesn’t like sudden change.

 You can get more of this by going to DISC.

 Speaking of Masks, a facial mask is a great way to help fight blemishes, soften your skin or can even be used as a relaxer. A good skin care mask should be used once a week depending on what your skin care specialist suggests. Your face may be dry and therefore needs a moisturizing mask. Your face may be breaking out and needs a facial mask that will clear your blemishes. Maybe your face needs tightening, a mask can be good for that as well. Whatever the need, quality skin care products are needed on a daily basis and masks should be worn to help keep your face in check. If the mask you are wearing everyday is in need of  replenishment or if your skin needs to glow;  MaryKay offers masks for every skin type.  This Halloween, make sure your mask is right for you.

We have all heard of eating healthy for a healthy life.  Eat low fat foods, all natural, not processed; eat in moderation; stay away from Trans fat, sugars and fried foods.  But did you know that certain types of foods can complement a skincare program?  They can, according to Fitness Magazine ;

• Pomegranates – Soft skin is good skin.  This fruit is packed with Vitamin C, a key ingredient that guards against the wrinkling effects of sun damage.  The juice in these seeds contains two compounds that fight sun damage.  The first fights free radicals and the second can increase your body’s capacity to preserve collagen, which is the sub-dermal connective tissues that makes skin look smooth and plump. 
• Blueberries – Smooth those fine lines with this awesome fruit that contains more anti-oxidants than almost any other food.  These anti-oxidants result in extra protection against skin damaging free radicals that can come from the sun, stress or over-exercise (running). 
• Kale and Spinach – Firm your skin  with Spinach and Kale.  Spinach is loaded with beta-carotene and lutein, two nutrients that have been shown to improve skin elasticity.  Kale and Spinach both have powerful anti-oxidants that help guard against damage by the sun. 
• Cold Water Fish – Want to reduce redness in the skin?  Sardines, Salmon and Mackerel contain omega-3 fatty acids which help keep moisture in the skin.
• Green Tea – In addition to using Timewise Age Fighting Skin Care Products ; drinking green tea can help reduce those annoying brown spots. 
• Olive Oil – Want a healthy glow?  Olive Oil contains the “good fats” of omega-3’s, which can improve circulation, leaving skin rosy and supple.

 You can get all of this from JuicePlus  and from Mary Kay’s Timewise Replensing Serum+c

Be smart, eat healthy, use a quality skincare products,  add in some of the key foods above and enjoy life “out loud”.

Well we are well into the second week of October and on a lot of school teachers minds are, what can my students use to raise funds for their school during the Holiday season this year?

The average fundraising opportunities continue to stay the same year after year; students are selling cookie dough, wrapping paper and gifts people can order out of magazines. But there is a fundraising opportunity many schools may not know about or haven’t tapped into yet. Schools can take advantage of a fundraising opportunity using skin care through Mary Kay with Meridee Cole.

How Does This Work?

Students will receive a Mary Kay catalogue with all the skin care products including age fighting face wash, moisturizer and skin repairs. Makeup products like cover up, eye shadow, mascara and blush. Women’s beauty products like Satin Hands, perfume, and revitalizing body care products. Featured men’s skin care products have  cologne, shaving cream and body wash. 

The simplicity is that anyone who wants to support the fundraiser, simply goes online to www.marykay.com/merideecole and places the order from there.  All they need to do is to enter in the organizations name in the comments section.  There is no inventory to handle; no money to turn in, no deliveries to be done; Meridee does it all.  A check for 20% of the purchases goes back to organization.  It couldn’t be easier!

Fundraising with skin care is fun, helpful to the school and also helps to improve people’s life. Contact Meridee to set up a fundraising opportunity with skin care.