SuperSimpleBeauty.com

Halfway there - I’m snoozing like a baby, and check out my latest retinol product review

2 new habits to add this week - they’re great for aging skin, and the work from the inside AND outside!

5. Go Green - and all the other colors, in food form.  No, not rainbow sherbet, but good ol’ fruits & veggies.  We know they’re good for us, and allure has some ideas to sneak more into our diet:

• Think small, a serving is one cup of leafy greens like lettuce, but half a cup of denser foods like most fruits.  So a big salad full of greens could pack up to 5 servings, and a handful of grapes is a whole serving - don’t sell your snacks short!
• Garnish, with your colors.  The veggie doesn’t have to be the main event of the meal to count!  A side salad, blueberries in your cereal, dried fruit in a trail mix - all great ways to sneak servings.
• Snack Smarter, keep fruit and chopped veggies around at work, to make it easier to eat them than hit the vending machine.  Also, try appeasing a craving with veggies, like a carrot dipped in salsa.  It’s no chip, but might satisfy your crunch craving.

6. Exfoliate!  You’ve probably noticed by now that we recommend a lot of exfoliating.  It’s one of the easiest ways to look younger, fast, and when you do it 2-3 times a week, it will reduce wrinkles and other signs of aging skin.  This week, we’re going a little farther - an AHA peel - done at home of course.

• It’s stronger than exfoliating with a manual scrub (like microbeads), but not immediately noticable, so be sure to check the peel on your arm.  Leave it on as long as you would on your face, then wait a day and see if a reaction occurs.
• Don’t leave it on longer than the box says, it won’t work better but it might irritate your skin.  Afterwards, use a plain gentle moisturizer to avoid chemical overkill.  The day you peel, stay away from scrubs, AHA lotions/creams, and retinol.
• USE SPF!!!! Use at least SPF 30, and be especially careful for a few days after a peel.  The sunburn would be really really bad! Like blisters.  Ouch!

Leave your comments and share your experiences with us all!  Hopefully we’ve all acquired some new anti-aging habits by now, let’s trade tips!

LoriOnMaui

Well, I did OK on week one - I at least wore sunscreen when I went outside for long, and I did use my antioxidant serum most days. Healthy skin habits, yeah!

Here goes week 2… you can get daily tips from allure sent to your email too, if you want a little reminder to take care of your skin every day!

3. Sleep it Off! Sleep is so important for aging skin. It’s the time when your skin can repair itself, especially with the help of nighttime skin treatments - so think of bedtime as beautytime too! If you go to bed late now, try going to bed just 15 minutes earlier each night for four nights. You’re going to bed a whole hour earlier, but without the struggle! It also helps to make bedtime a ritual. Avoid caffeine, working out, and eating for a few hours before bed. Take some time for yourself to do your skin care routine before bed; it’s good for your skin, and helps trigger your mind for bedtime

4. Add Retinol. This is a super skin chemical - made from Vitamin A, it can reduce wrinkles, unclog pores, and smooth the skin. Retinol can be a little harsh on skin, so use it at night, on washed, dry skin. This isn’t one you want to add water to. Start out applying your retinol product every other night, if your skin isn’t burning much after 2 weeks start using it every night. If your skin gets too irritated, try adding a little bit of moisturizer to the product. Also, be careful using too many harsh products at once: don’t exfoliate within 24 hours of using a retinol product, and wait 30 minutes between using retinol and a product with AHAs or benzoyl peroxide.

If you try any new retinol products, leave a comment so we can all see if you liked it. I’m on the lookout for a new one so watch for a product review coming soon!

LoriOnMaui

Martha’s resident beauty expert, Eve, showed us today how to get the Perfect Tan!

No, it’s not 2 hours each side on a Maui beach (aaahhhhhh), but it will help you achieve a nice fake glow

A tan can give that air of ageless beauty, but the real thing is just terrible for aging skin!

Eve’s tips are great for face and body - even the shimmer powder, it’s so nice on your shoulders for a night out.

1. Exfoliate - get that layer of skin off so the self-tanner can spread more smoothly.  You can even use an exfoliating mask or peel on your face to exfoliate.  Most self-tanners are pretty gentle so you can use them after an at-home peel.

2. Moisturize - this is also to help the self-tanner go on smoothly, dry skin absorbs more of the pigment so you want to make sure all your skin is evenly moist.

3. Sunscreen - yep, under self-tanner.  Unless you put it on at night (not recommended for white sheets!), you’ll go in the sun after putting on self-tanner, so you still need sunscreen.  It will soak into your skin better under the tanner.

4. Apply Self-Tanner - go in long, even strokes and be sure to rub in evenly.  Spray tanners are great for hard-to-reach spots, and you’ll want to choose a facial tanner to use on your face, they’re more gentle.

5. Finish with Bronzer or Shimmer - This is a great way to enhance your newly tanned skin.  It takes about 60 minutes for the self-tanner to fully develop, so you want to wait before you add another layer.  Once you’re satisfied with the depth of your tan, add the shimmer and wow!  It also helps blend any streaks you might end up with.  It seems like there are always streaks, no matter how well you blend!  Oh, don’t forget to wash your hands off well after applying the self-tanner - especially between your fingers and under the nails.  Orange hands give away a fake-n-bake every time!

To Ageless Beauty,

LoriOnMaui

I love simple tips for anti-aging skin care!

Today I read an article with 8 simple ways to reverse aging skin. Nothing groundbreaking, but I love the way they implement the changes: 2 easy changes per week X 4 weeks = 8 new anti-aging habits !!

I’m going to try it - just 2 changes a week. And I’ll write about my success and what’s up next every week to keep me - and anyone else who wants to join in - on track!

1. Add Antioxidants: Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables is a great way to get some antioxidants happening inside, but covering your face with one from the outside every day is a great way to block some of the aging caused by environmental exposure - sun, pollutants, makeup. I love Ageless Serum for it’s 12 fresh plant extracts, packed full of antioxidants!

2. Skip the Sun: My favorite anti-aging skin care tip, use sunscreen! Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF of at least 30. I love Neutrogena’s sunscreen line with Helioplex because it protects from all UVA and UVB rays, and comes in really high SPF - up to 85!

So that’s it for week one! Simple, right? Just make sure to use an anti-aging serum with antioxidants and a good sunscreen every day, that’s not too hard!  I’m going to try to be good this week and take care of my skin every day.

To Ageless Beauty,

LoriOnMaui

Scientists have found a gene that causes aging in humans and mice.  When they turned off the gene in aging mice, it caused their skin to look younger again in two weeks.  Wow!  Imagine if we could do that in people…

They did the experiment on mice bred with an altered version of the gene that could be turned off with a cream.  Obviously it will take a while to see if there’s a way to do this with humans.  They’re saying 5 to 10 years, but they also don’t know the long-term consequences of turning off the gene.  Much more testing is needed, but it’s amazing that a gene can reverse aging skin.

I’m amazed all the time by the new facial skin care technologies.  Simple is still best, but it’s fun to imagine what skin care might be like in the future.  What if our anti-aging treatments began in vitro by manipulating a gene!  For now, I stick with a natural wrinkle treatment and healthy habits to slow signs of aging skin.

LoriOnMaui

Most of us eventually find a need to reduce wrinkles and fine lines on our faces, and most of us have probably at least thought about whether we would use Botox.  It’s one of the most publicized anti-aging treatments out there so everyone has an opinion.

I’ve heard some women refuse to consider Botox because they’re squeamish.  Not of what Botox is made of (botulinum toxin - from dead cells ew!), but of the needles!  I’m not normally afraid of needles, but I agree with these ladies that having a big, long needle stuck repeatedly into your face doesn’t sound like much fun!

Soon, this may not be a problem for those of us who want to reduce wrinkles by relaxing the facial muscles.  A new gel is being developed that contains the same ingredient as Botox, but it’s in a form that can penetrate the skin topically.  You’ll still need to go to the doctor to have it done - it signals the nerves and facial muscles to relax, so a mistake could leave you much worse than you started - you’ve seen someone with botched Botox who can’t move their foreheads at all - and it lasts up to four months!

I’m still not sure I’d go with the Botox-type option, even without the needles, and this technology is just in the testing phase, so until it’s approved by the FDA, I’m sticking with a natural wrinkle treatment.  My favorite is Ageless serum by Rejuvenate.  It’s all-natural ingredients help reduce wrinkles with no doctor visit needed!  The results really show - the stuff is so good, they want you to try it for free

To Ageless Beauty,

LoriOnMaui

Another great tip from Martha Stewart: a do-it-yourself hair treatment!

Hair Treatment recipe:

2 tbsp sesame oil (plain, not toasted!) warmed in the microwave

1-2 tbsp neem oil (you can get it in capsule form)

Mix these oils, apply to scalp and massage in.  Wrap hair in a hot towel for 20-30 mins, or leave on overnight - but it will ruin your pillowcase, so you might want to dedicate an old one for this purpose.  Shampoo out, rinse with cool water for super shiny hair.

Just like your face, your hair will absorb a hydrating mask better if you exfoliate first.  How?  No, not with kitty litter this time!  You probably do it already, or should…that’s what clarifying shampoo is for.  Don’t do this more than once a week, but it will make all your regular products work better.

Lori on Maui

Ok, Ellen’s guest was pretty funny, but I think most of us aren’t brave enough to try things like sardines and kitty litter on our faces.  The ever-practical Martha Stewart had some more realistic suggestions today.

Easy Super Hydrating At-home Facial

1. Cleanse skin normally

2. Exfoilate skin — this is necessary to alter skin texture.  You gotta get rid of the old to bring in the new!

3. Apply mask, leave on for 10-15 mins and rinse with cool water (remember, hot water is very drying)

Mask recipe:

1/2 avocado

1/2 banana

1 tsp Borage oil (this is often found in capsule form as a supplement - as long as it’s pure & natural, you can break 2-3 capsules open to get the oil out)

Blend together, and apply to face with a fan brush (available at art supply stores).  Brushes are great for applying masks - it feels more luxurious (just like at the spa!), spreads the mask thinly & evenly, and no mask gunk under the fingernails!

Today, both Martha and Ellen had guests suggesting simple at-home facial tips. Not surprisingly, Ellen’s guest had some funny ideas!

We all know eating fish is good for our skin (Omega-3s, hooray!), but did you know wearing fish is good for it too? I would never have thought of this, but Kym Douglas showed viewers a great way to perk up and hydrate skin instantly. It sounds too weird, I almost can’t say it! Grab a tin of sardines and some gauze…place gauze over face…and apply sardines. Just let them sit for a few minutes, and your skin will absorb the oil. I wonder if your face smells fishy after….

If you think that’s weird, check out Kym Douglas’ second at-home trick: a kitty litter exfoilating mask!

It’s pretty simple, but make sure you use unscented litter! Just mix with a little water to make a paste, apply to facial skin (especially where blackheads form, like the T-zone), and leave on while you get dressed. Rinse off, and voila, smooth skin!

LoriOnMaui

On of the best way to look younger is to reduce wrinkles on your face - or at least the appearance of wrinkles.  It’s not as hard as it seems…here’s three simple tips to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.  Notice I said simple - not necessarily easy.  These suggestions are simple actions, but they do require a change in habits.  Consistency is the way to ageless beauty!

1. Quit Smoking!  I’m sure you knew this already, but it can’t be repeated enough: smoking ages your skin like nothing else.  Papery dryness, loss of texture, sallow color, even yellowing fingernails and teeth all contribute significantly to looking older.
2. SPF everyday! You can choose not to smoke, but you can’t avoid the sun. It’s everywhere, so make sure you protect your skin any time you go outside.  You’ll need an anti-aging serum to reverse the signs of aging caused by too much sun exposure in the past, but with a sunscreen, you can prevent future damage.  Use it! Every day! Rain or shine!
3. H2O!  Water is so important for health and for aging skin especially.  Be sure to keep hydrated, inside and out.  Drink lots of water and don’t forget moisturizer!  Try applying your moisturizer while skin is still damp from your shower to really lock in moisture.  This works great on dry legs, feet, and elbows too!

To Ageless Beauty,

LoriOnMaui