Haute Nail Trends 2013: Having Fun is Youthful!

Leave a reply

My most recent torrid affair has been with The Haute Spot nail salon here in Atlanta. David Vu and Chris Tran (A.T.) are without a doubt the most talented nail artists this city has to offer. They specialize in designs and will whip out studs, crystals and dried flowers like it is no big deal. A recent sit down with owner, David Vu (as he painted glossy designs and painstakingly glued crystals onto my matte black nails) revealed 2013 trends and an artists take on age sexy style:

“Nail art is an expression.  It doesn’t matter how old you are.  Having fun is so youthful!”-David

227638_10151323479909035_815298986_n

Studs

529674_10151448553534035_1207968340_n

Word Art

19684_10151423241689035_172877236_n

Color Play/ Ring Finger art

306132_10151469029899035_883072804_n

Geometry

524992_10151438210339035_1525039749_n

602893_538259756195862_1678283717_n

Graphics

541558_10151463676079035_830481535_n

Matte designs

540916_10151448553359035_341806806_n

12 ways to age sexy Christie Brinkley style

Leave a reply
110495178_620x350

“It has become irrelevant to me. I just don’t feel like that number is representative of my spirit, of my energy or anything…I love to fill my life with adventures.”

There is no denying the radiance that 59 year old Christie Brinkley exudes.  This gal just oozes a lust for life.  She is no stranger to adventure, and that just may be one of the most important elements in her quest for youth.  Folks that maintain that awe and wonder of life create a state of agelessness for themselves.  Botox can battle the lines and filler can boost the cheeks, but there is no miracle drug to get that sparkle in the eye.  Make a conscious effort everyday to switch up your routine, learn something new, and adjust your perspective.  According to Dr. Leon Seltzer there are 12 ways to achieve agelessness :

  1.  Maintain an Outlook of Innocence, Wonder, and Awe.
  2. Give Rein to Your Feelings of Curiosity.
  3. Foster a Carefree Sense of Adventure.
  4. Take Your Responsibilities Lightly.
  5. Dare to be More Spontaneous, Adaptable, and Open to Change.
  6. Consciously Cultivate Silliness.
  7.  Indulge Your Sense of Humor.
  8. Stay as Active—and Productive—as Possible.
  9. Travel—Both Outwardly and Inwardly.
  10. Become a Lifelong Learner.
  11.  Be more flexible and open-minded.
  12. Cultivate Your Creativity and Self-Expression.

 

.

Jane Fonda shows us just how sexy 75 can be

Leave a reply

u9iefAiFpK4l

Jane Fonda is very clearly the poster child for aging sexy. The long time fitness siren reveals that exercise, plastic surgery and amazing sex have all contributed to her age appeal. We all want what this gal has at 75.  What is her take on getting there with plastic surgery?:  ”I made sure that they kept my lines,” says Fonda. “I didn’t want to lose my wrinkles, I just wanted to lose the bags under my eyes. I don’t like it when it’s overdone, but we do live in a time when, if you can afford a good doctor, you can have subtle plastic surgery, which probably bought me five more years as an actor when I could be in movies.”

Jane+Fonda+Opening+Party+63rd+Berlinale+International+V4Pm47y0l_yl

fonda12f-1-web

“The only thing I have never known is true intimacy with a man. I absolutely wanted to discover that before dying. It has happened with Richard, I feel totally secure with him. Often, when we make love, I see him as he was 30 years ago.”

Could Gel Nails Be Giving You Old Lady Hands?

3 Replies

3502_3797825957010_48406114_n

I’ve been having a rather torrid love affair with gel nails for over 2 years now.  I keep going back every two weeks and having the same manicurist painstakingly apply a 1920′s half-moon design and sometimes a little glitter to top it off.  It never cracks, chips, or turns colors in the spray tan booth so I promptly wrote this hot little date into my calendar with out a question.  I am a fan of time-saving beauty routines, and this is no exception.  I would, however, like to remind you that that it takes uv light to set these gels.  While I have been assured by my manicurist that the lights are not as strong as the ones in tanning beds, I have noticed that I am starting to show some freckling popping up on my hands.  After some rather thorough research, here are some tips to allow you to keep saving minutes of your life by getting gel manicures without getting old lady hands:

getty_rm_photo_of_age_spots_on_womans_hand

1.  Take a broad spectrum sunscreen with you to apply right before your manicure.  broad-spectrum sunscreen protects against uva and uvb light.  Be sure it contains zinc or titanium dioxide.

2. Try to only put the tips of your fingers under the lights and only leave them in as long as it takes for them to set.  There really is no need to keep tapping the lights to come on after the timer goes off, plus my manicurist says that it weakens the polish.

3.  If you do notice sun spots on your paws, look into having them treated with IPL or Photofacial.  They will get darker for about two weeks then fade or fall off.

4.  Consider using a vitamin C serum on your hands right before your manicure as studies show this can provide some protection.

Post-apocalyptic Skin Woes. DIY Beauty In Case of Survival

2 Replies
Post Apocalypse Glamour

49b99d4841e16

After a brief scan of my Facebook feed it seems I somehow missed that the end of the world is happening on 12/21/12. China apparently has shown great interest in preparing for the apocalyptic doomsday by stockpiling candles. At least I won’t have to worry about sun exposure since there will be no light. We all know that vanity is my forte, so it should come as no great surprise that my first thought was holy smokes, who is going to do my microdermabrasion? If I survive the apocalypse, how on earth will I combat the steady and dreadful cadence of time as it swallows my face whole leaving sagging jowls and neck wrinkles in its wake? Naturally, I thought about stockpiling facial scrubs and Botox much like the Chinese and their candles. Think of how rich I will be when the House Wives of Atlanta are scrambling to trade me 10 bags of coffee, a goose, and their last bit of vicodan for a bottle of Botox and a clean needle! I think I am on to something. It can’t be that I am the only femme fatale that is lying in the bathtub with a glass of wine thinking about post-apocalyptic skin care and so I carefully constructed a survival list for you:

1. Folks will be trading food and what not instead of currency so stock up on sugar. Sugar makes for a great exfoliator. You can take a little ash from your fire and some fat from the goose you were traded and mix it all up with the sugar to create an exfoliating soap. I swear this is how Cleopatra did it between milk baths. Or if you are very rich and smart, like I will be, you could just mix a little sugar in with a gentle cleanser.

2. In an addition to sugar, be sure to hoard honey. A cleanser, anti-bacterial, and moisturizer all in one, honey will be pure gold. Especially when everyone notices your pretty and plump skin while they are sitting by candle light playing rummy. That’s right no IPhones after the apocalypse.

3. Oils will make for good currency. They will of course be needed for cooking and providing nutrition, but more importantly they will condition your hair and treat acne. Argan oil, coconut oil, and olive oils will be the most prized. I, myself, think I will go on a whim this week and buy up all of the unrefined coconut oil at whole foods to put on the shelf with my Botox and fancy face exfoliants.

I hope this little list jumpstarts your preparations for skin survival after this Fridays “end of the world as we know it party.” What beauty product or procedure will you have a hard time going without after the apocalypse?

Should you jump on the wagon with microdermabrasion or a chemical peel?

Leave a reply

Every single human on the planet will need to speed up skin cell turnover with exfoliation after the age of about 28. Done. It is a fact. If you are not exfoliating then you are probably wondering where your luster went, why you are broken out, and why your skin tone is so darn patchy. It’s ok. Never too late to start. There are many many ways to exfoliate and demolish that dead flaky skin that is hindering your god given glow. Let us delve a little deeper into the utterly fascinating world of skin cell turnover:

Skin cell turnover is the sad little march of new skin cells to the top of the epidermis where they ultimately meet their demise and slough off. This march of doom can take anywhere from 14 days (in our infancy) to months and months (in old age). The typical span being about 30-40 days for us 30-50 something’s. The trick to luminous, tight and youthful looking skin is to decrease the time that new skin cells spend marching to their death and hanging out on our faces.

microdermabrasion_1

Microdermabrasion is great little way to get the blood flowing to the surface of the skin and get some fairly hard core exfoliation going for you. Ease your feet into the deep pool of anti-aging addictions by trying this little gem of a treatment first. I love microdermabrasion for any one that has healthy but dull skin or very light and superficial acne scarring. If you have redness, irritation, rosacea, broken capillaries, or a great disdain for following a treatment protocol of every 3-4 weeks for at least six treatments, then this is not a good option for you. Retin A users beware, while I don’t recommend microdermabrasion for you (remember that whole lipid barrier discussion on the sonic cleansing post), you must at least go off of your Retin A 3-4 days before a treatment.

Chemical peels are for folks that want to amp up their beauty routine. Chemical peels, unlike microdermabrasion, can really be customized as far as the depth of the peel and ingredients used to address the concern (wrinkling, irregular color etc.). Superficial, medium depth and deep chemical peels are available with a variety of additives that sucker punch anything from melasma (pregnancy mask) to acne and those, near to the heart, fine lines and wrinkles. Please see this post on glycolic acid peels if you want a little more information on peeling.

Your Dangerous Love Affair: The Sonic Cleansing Brush.

Leave a reply

How could this miracle cleansing tool that leaves you with baby soft skin be back biting you?! How completely satisfying is it to get in the hot steamy shower with your sonic cleansing brush and step out with the smoothest skin of your life? There is no denying the outright allure of that little device. Some companies recommend using the brush to cleanse your delicate little face two times a day, and many of my clients are at least avid once a day users. But there is an ugly and dark side to the sonic addiction. I have clients that come to me with red irritated skin, acne flair ups and cystic pimples. After investigating for culprits, the one common factor is that they all are having a dangerous love affair with their cleansing brush! Here is why my clients are forbidden from using any cleansing brush more than 1-2 times a week:

You know me; there will be an anatomy lesson to be sure!

The top layer of skin, (aka Stratum Corneum) is made up of fats, cholesterol, water and protein. It retains moisture for you and protects you from bacteria, elements, and shriveling up like a prune. We call it the lipid barrier.

Once that lipid barrier breaks down, you start losing moisture (trans epidermal water loss aka. TEWL), your skin gets inflamed and red, bacteria can fight its way into the skin, and you may develop a rash or acne flair up. This is EXACTLY what happens when many people use their sonic brush every single day.

The beloved sonic brush is day after day breaking down that lipid barrier and causing water loss. While I have noticed that there are some skin types that can tolerate the brush (thick and very oily skin types), most can only afford to use the brush once or twice a week.

So, my friends, I encourage you to break up with your sonic brush. Bring it out only once or twice a week at most, and be sure to replace the lipid barrier with great emollient (replaces lipids) moisturizer.

I've had it with you!

I have had it with you!

So what do I tell my suffering folks that have already messed up their lipid barrier with overzealous sonic cleansing?

1. Stop using the tawdry sonic brush altogether for at least 2 weeks

2. Stop using all actives (retinoids, glycolics etc.)…on a side note if you are using tretinoin (renova, retin a) please throw away the sonic brush it will eat your face off.

2. Use a gentle creamy cleanser that is free of my most hated ingredient SLS (sodium laureth sulfate)

3. For two weeks switch your moisturizer to an emollient cream that will replace the lipid barrier such as Oxygenetix moisturizer (my personal go to) or CeraVe over the counter

4. Lactic acid has been shown to help barrier function and increase fatty acids so use a gentle lactic acid toner or serum like PCA’s Nutrient Toner once daily.

Hollywoods sexiest 40- somethings

Leave a reply

These girls show how hot and gorgeous being a 40 something can be with a little prevention (hello sunscreen, vitamin C, and little dab of Botox!)

1. Kristen Davis- Age 47

2.  Carmen Electra- Age 40

3.  Sandra Bullock- age 47

4.  Gwen Stefani- Age 42

5.  Faith Hill- Age 44

6.  Naomi Watts- age 43

7. Nichole Kidman- Age 45

8. Martina McBride- 46

9. Jennifer Aniston- Age 43

10.  Elizabeth Hurley – Age 47

What your eyes say about you.

1 Reply

Your eyes are the windows to the soul, so what do people see in yours?  According to the ancient art of face reading, your eyes shed light on how open you are and your character.

Blue Eyes-  You are highly sexual and a very sensitive soul.

Green Eyes- You are highly intelligent and a problem solver.  Your nature is very practical.

Brown Eyes- You are trust worthy and very social.  You are very passionate by nature.

Gray Eyes- You are refined and have an active imagination.  You are not easily brought to excitement.

Black Eyes-  You are strong willed and don’t mind speaking up.

“My Fashion Chick” shares secrets to dressing sexier every decade.

Leave a reply

When I hit my thirties and my body started changing, my credit card took the heat! I shopped like mad to find pieces that helped me feel like the sauce pot I was.  I felt like I was going through another awkward growing phase, never sure if I was dressing too old or too young or if I should stop wearing panty hose.   Women I have talked with share the same lament no matter what decade they were entering into.  Sometimes a girl just has to get some help to keep it together, and I have  learned from a very important contact that it need not cost a fortune to look like a million bucks.   Let me introduce you to a chick that has made it into my little black book:  Jen Pascual founder of My Fashion Chick, specializing in personal shopping and wardrobe editing.  Of course I hounded the Atlantan bombshell for secrets on dressing sexy at any age.  I am very excited to be joined by Jen of My Fashion Chick in an exclusive interview for dermaDARLING readers.

Mention dermaDarling to My Fashion Chick and recieve 20% off personal shopping or wardrobe editing. How do you think celebrities look so darn good?

What do you think is the key for turning heads at any age?

The key for turning heads, at any age, is your attitude – the way you “display” yourself.  You can be wearing the most fabulous, trendy outfit but if you can’t work the attitude, your style is lost.

 What advice do you have for gals that are updating their closets and feel confused because they don’t know how to dress hot for their age?

Fashion is a lifestyle.  First, when I do Wardrobe Editing, I glance through quickly and toss out anything that looks outdated.  Then I go through for a second time and consider each piece, picture what I could pair the piece with and how I could accessorize to make it look new. Some things never go out of style; they just need to be revamped.  For example, if you are in your 40s, toss away any skirt or dress that is too short.  Wearing something to make you look younger will actually age you by about 10 years.  And we don’t want that.

 What are the key pieces any woman needs in her fashion arsenal to help her look and feel saucy?

The misconception is that you have to spend a lot on fashion when in fact you don’t. I think that every woman, at any age, should own a great pair of jeans and a trendy pair of riding boots. You can find great jeans that aren’t too pricy and look spectacular.  Women tend to think that the more expensive the item is the better it will look.  That’s not always the case.  My $15 pair of jeans look so much better than my $80 pair.  As for riding boots, it doesn’t matter what color – wear them with a tunic, leggings, the right accessories, and you’re good to go. And don’t forget about finding a hairstyle that suits you.  People forget that their hair acts as an accessory.  If you have the right cut, and great makeup, your clothing will look better.  And make you look younger.

Do you have any insider’s secrets from personal shopping?

I do but shhhhhh…most of the time there are coupons for a store.  Also, almost everything goes on sale at some point.  If you can wait, it will be worth it.  If it’s an item you fell you’ll never see again, grab it and run.  You’ll make up for the cost with a less expensive item at another time.

What are your top 10 do’s and don’t s after 40?

I don’t have any.  My rule is not to have any rules.  If you’re 40, but look 30, dress like you’re 30.  You can dress in a modified way where you don’t come off as looking absolutely ridiculous. You wear what you feel comfortable in.  If you’re wearing a miniskirt, and you’re not comfortable, people will pick up on that and it will end up making you look ridiculous.  If you can still work it, wear it.

 How do we find you on the web?

My website is http://www.myfashionchick.com. For fashion tips and tricks, follow my Facebook page My Fashion Chick.  I post outfit ideas, hair and makeup.  I offer Personal Shopping and Wardrobe Editing in the Atlanta area, Online Styling anywhere in the US, and I teach you how to shop for less on any budget.  You don’t have to spend a lot for fashion.  Fashion comes down to what you do with clothing after you purchase it.