Model walk

As a follow-up to my previous video tip on how to walk like a model, here is another clip by top model Jessica Stam (she has modeled for Versace, for instance) with great tips on walking that brings out the best in you, makes your posture look great, and also makes your clothes look better on you.

Beauty in the times of recession

Lately there is a lot of bad news about the economy and it looks like many people are trying to save money. But do not worry, your looks do not have to suffer for a shortage of cash.

Beauty products. According to many studies most beauty products give similar results; price does not determine their effectiveness. Some drugstore products perform as well as some of the most expensive beauty products. What is important is to read the ingredient list carefully before buying a product.

Moisturizers. The moisturizers from Olay Total Effects and Avon Anew gave as good results as Lancome and better results than pricier La Praire in a survey by Consumer Reports. There are many other great moisturizers at reasonable prices.

Cleansers. Avoid the expensive new cleansing wipes; they just add to your budget and are a big waste for the environment. You can get the same results just by using your hands, a hand towel or a marine sponge with your cleanser. Choose a gentle cleanser even if you have very oily skin.

Exfoliate. There are great products for exfoliation at reasonable prices. This is a step in your beauty routine you should not skip; you will see the difference. Although you can use sponges or home made products such as oats and yogurt, if you are past 30, perhaps, in addition to those you may to try microdermabrasion alternated with a peeling. My favorite peeling is "Peel and Reveal" by Elizabeth Arden.

Hair cuts. The shorter you keep your hair the more often you will need to go to the beauty salon. Geometrical haircuts such as the hair cut of the moment, the bob, require more visits to the salon. If you are short on cash choose less structured haircuts or longer lengths.

Color. Color is the money maker in beauty salons, especially highlights. It is easy to understand why, color treatments require frequent visits, and generally speaking, they are more expensive than haircuts. If you color your hair to cover grays, try at home color kits. Highlights and radical color changes are best to leave to the experts.

Manicures and pedicures. If you love to have them done professionally, try to space them out by maintaining them at home by repainting the nails and toes and exfoliating the feet. The cheapest alternative is to do them yourself.

Massages. They are great, not only for relaxation, they are also healthy because of increasing circulation and controlling stress. Try a massage school instead of a spa; they offer good quality massages at lower cost. Other alternative is to try spas like Massage Envy. They require membership and the client has to commit to one massage a month, but usually it is not a long term commitment and it can be broken with one month's notice. In my area the massage is only $38 and no tipping is required.

Styling your hair. There are salons that have hair boot camps to teach you how to straighten your hair. You can see pictures and try to imitate the styles. It is a rewarding experience to do your own hair. For special occasions, it is not a bad idea to get your girlfriends together to get ready.

Shop around and get creative for beauty products and services to fit your budget without sacrificing quality.

We have a lot of natural beauty recipes, that we have tried, in our Spa at Home section in the website.

Ageless Demi Moore

Demi Moore is on the cover of the current issue of the V magazine. Demi looks spectacular. She looks better now than when she was younger. Demi proves that the myth of not using long hair after 40, is a myth

Nars new collection

Shanghai Lilly is the name of Nars cosmetics spring collection. The colors are deep and intriguing, they describe it as a dichotomy of innocence and seduction. The colors are very wearable and easy to combine with your existing makeup.

The Lolita fashion in Japan

Tokyo is a city filled with fashion. Young women in this city spend a fortune on clothes and accessories. Just a quick look at most Japanese magazines makes this obvious, but that is not all; their fashion is centered on brands. Japanese people love expensive brands. They consume 50% of all luxury products worldwide.

One of my first surprises when I when to Tokyo back in the mid-nineties was to see that every other woman had a Louis Vuitton bag. Taking into consideration that Louis Vuitton at the time sold for about $1,000 in Japan, that makes this fact even more surprising.

There are clear divisions on the fashion scene in Tokyo from teenagers to middle agers and office ladies (corporate female employees), fruits (a fashion trend among some young people) and the Lolita fashion. Each group has a defined fashion style and there are magazines for all groups.

Lolita fashion is one of the most unique styles (see the pictures); it is a Japanese created style, originally created by young girls, not famous designers. It has become expensive, but originally it was not like that. There are a few types of Lolita: black Lolita, white Lolita, Lolita (plain Lolita), sweet Lolita, and Goth Lolita. The names are self-explanatory.

Usually in Japan, girls (teenagers) dress like this for a few years and then grow up and adapt to a new fashion trend.

The Lolita fashion has inspired designers around the world (Gwen Stefani is a classic example with her Harajuku line) as well as followers in other countries, especially Asian countries. It offers an alternative to the young Japanese to be fashionable and unique, to follow their creative instincts and not to buy into the expensive brands culture. The concept of uniqueness is a problem in Japan, a society that emphasizes a group mentality. The Lolita fashion, as well as all other alternative fashions in Japan, is a rebellion against the standards.

Simple skincare regimen

Natasha Singer of the Times did a terrific article "Fountain of Youth?" And the tag line says, "Go Wash Your Face." Yes, she was serious.

So what is her advice to be young forever without spending incredible amounts of money on cosmetic surgery or personal care products. Here is a summary of her recommendations:

1. Throw away old personal care products
Unless the package tells you an expiration date, simply throw away after one year especially if you touch the product by hand.

2. Do not smoke
If you do, even rarely, please try to quit. Apart from what it does to your lungs, smoking is hard on the skin too.

3. Leave the pimples alone
The more you touch them the worse they become.

4. Sleep more
There is no better time for the skin to repair itself than when you are sleeping. 6 to 8 hours of good sleep is awesome.

5. Reduce stress
There are many other benefits of living stress free but you will notice an immediate change in your skin when your stress levels are low.

6. Always wear sunscreen
The rule of thumb is that during the time there is sun, you should wear sunscreen. No exceptions.

7. Simplify your skincare regimen
Use no more than four products (a mild cleanser; a sunscreen or moisturizer containing sunscreen; a product that contains antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E, pomegranate, soy and green tea; and an antiwrinkle product containing ingredients like retinoids, a form of vitamin A, or protein fragments called peptides) daily.

8. Wash your face before going to bed
Believe it or not but there is dust all around you, even inside an airconditioned building. So wash off that dirt each night.

9. Buy good quality products but do not spend more than $30 on each item
If something costs more than that you are paying not for ingredients but for advertising, marketing, and the big bucks paid to a Hollywood star to endorse that product.

Kinerase cream review

I had wanted to try Kinerase for a while so finally I got a couple of samples at Nordstrom. I was excited to try the cream (1 % concentration). I used the cream for a couple of weeks only so I cannot say about making expression lines and wrinkles look better. I do not have wrinkles, but I have dry skin in the cold season and I try to keep it well moisturized. My skin is also slightly sensitive and tends to get red easily and occasionally breaks out.

The cream is absorbed fast, it is not oily, it does not leave residues and it almost does not have any smell (which I like). The problem for my skin was that it made it feel drier, it did not provide any moisture, after a few days feeling like this I applied another cream on top.

I do not like to write negative reviews so I read a lot of reviews on the Internet (in Makeup Alley and in Dermadoctor) and I found that my case was not unique. Many people feel that the cream makes the skin drier. It is an immediate sensation and I did not see any positive results, but I have to recognize that 2 weeks is not enough time to see any solid results, but due to the effect on my skin I could not use it any longer.

I am not saying that this is not a good cream, but if you want to try it, get a sample first. Less than half of the reviews are positive. I read that the company that makes this product (Valeant Pharmaceuticals) experiments on animals. This is not something I approve of and one more reason I would not buy it.

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Product review: Under age moisturizer

I love to try new cosmetics; sometimes I get good ones other not so good ones, and sometimes something really good. In this last category I found Under Age by the natural skin care line Kiss my Face. As its label said, it is an Ultra Hydrating Moisturizer. It is a rich cream for normal skin in winter and to dry skin the rest of year.

Although it is rich, it absorbs very easily and leaves no residues. You get really soft skin. I plan to get it for winter. I love the smell and how it leaves my skin.

Bad luck

In August, Allure magazine had sweepstakes for about 20,000 giveaways. For some of them, there was a raffle, for others the person needed to go to the Allure website every hour to participate. Whoever got there first would get the products, according to them. Some products were only or a few but others had many opportunities; I think there was 1000 of one product.

I thought I had a good chance to log in at the hour and get something since I work on a computer all day. I synchronized my clock with the official USA time and logged in. I participated in almost all giveaways. I got nothing, absolutely nothing, not even one of the 1,000 one-dollar items for the first 1,000 people who logged in.

I do not know what I did wrong. Perhaps, their time in the computers was really off or perhaps I had bad luck.

I do not think of myself as a bad luck carrier, but who knows. Perhaps since I chose not to receive any newsletters (they had an option to receive mailing and promotional materials from the sponsors) I was disqualified, but that was not a requirement so I hope that was not the reason. Something was definitely wrong.

I have since been wondering if participating in sweepstakes and raffles like this are worth the effort. Yes, I see some people winning them, but like the lottery, it seems that the probability is rather small. I have not given up hope, though. Next time I will opt in for the marketing messages and see if I win something.

Beauty of Sophia Loren

If there is one woman in the world who can exemplify eternal beauty, it is Sophia Loren. In one of those rare instances, as she gets older, she looks beautiful in her own way. I have never seen any signs of her trying to look younger. She just looks right for her own age. And that is what the strategy should be for all of us. Many of us often look older than our age because we have not taken care of ourselves or have not kept up with fashion and style or have simply lost that enthusiasm for living. To do this you do not need designer clothes or plastic surgery or expensive makeup - you just need to think that you are beautiful and take care of minor things like wardrobe, skincare, and makeup.

Product review: Annique Rooibos ResQue Crème

The Annique line is a South African cosmetics company. Most of their products are based on the use of Rooibos tea as a key ingredient. As you may know, Rooibos tea is a drink from South Africa rich in antioxidants and it has good flavor too.

The creator of Annique uses the same ingredient for skin care due to its antioxidant content. One of the products is the ResQue crème. I got to know the skin care line years ago at a skin care trade show in NYC. A few months later I tried the ResQue Crème.

According to its description, it provides relief for many every day skin conditions such as itchy skin, dry and cracked skin, minor scratches, heat rash, pimples, eczema, insect bites and everyday chafing and skin irritations. I used the crème while traveling to India, it helped to keep my skin hydrated during the long flight and also during the trip.

It has a thick consistency and that makes it difficult to apply, but it really helps to soften dry areas and calms the skin. This is a cream worth having at home.

It is not easy to get it in the United States, not even online. There are some sellers in Canada.

Product review: La Roche-Posay Nutritic

I got a sample of this cream at CVS. It is a moisturizing cream for dry skin and it comes in 2 concentrations: 2.5% and 5%. I tried the 5% concentration and this is what we found out:

My skin is not very dry and it tends to break out, but I was feeling it to be dry at the end of winter, so I tried the cream since I love to try new creams and cosmetics. I was pleasantly surprised by this moisturizer.

Most creams for dry skin are heavy or leave residues on the skin, but not this one. It is rich, but it gets absorbed fast and it leaves the skin fresh and hydrated. Besides that it helped my skin feel and look better. The cream has an ingredient that I do not like: Petrolatum. It may block the pores and cause pimples in people with acne tendencies. My skin tends to develop pimples and the cream did not cause them. Petrolatum (petroleum jelly or Vaseline) is a common ingredient in many creams, but with the growing tendency toward natural ingredients, its use is declining.

This is a good moisturizer for dry skin at a reasonable price of about $26.

Style lessons with Tim Gunn

I have been reading "A Guide to Quality and taste" by Tim Gunn. As you know Tim is the elegant Director of Fashion at the prestigious Parsons School of Design and he also appears in Project Runway and in his own show "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style."

He has all the credentials to have a book with that title. I found that the book has very good information and it is written in an elegant, but easy style. It has humor and good information. If you have seen Tim on TV, as you read the pages of this book, you will hear his voice.

The book does not have long lists and pictures telling you what type of pants to wear (that is what he does on his show too - he lets people pick their own clothes but gives them broad guidelines on how to shop and also provides them with a list of items that they need to buy after examining their wardrobe). It has detailed explanations on how to make your own selections. Quality, taste and style is his mantra or his other mantraafter "make it work."

The book has chapters on "who are you," "posture," selecting accessories, and others. The accessories' chapter recommends "say no to the it bag." It is a different book about style, fashion and dressing. The advice is deep, but very practical.

Blackberry manicure

The picture shows a manicure style created by NailBar during the past summer. Nail Bar is a prestigious nail salon with many locations in Spain. The inspiration for the design was the Blackberry Pearl (PDA) and that is the name of the nail design as well.

It is a French manicure with a twist, black and white.

Beautiful shampoo

There is no scarcity of beautiful packaging in the beauty industry. In one of the trade shows I attended, I got to see a really cute one from the line Belletresse. Their shampoo and conditioner comes for delicate hair, full-bodied hair and color treated hair. Besides their cute packaging, their products are parabens free and vegan.

What causes acne and how to stop it?

We all love stories and companies will feed them to us to sell their products. That is what results in myths. For this reason there are dozens of myths about our bodies, particularly skin. Joshua Fox, MD, founder of Advanced Dermatology and a spokesman for the American Academy of Dermatology exposes some common skin myths so that we can separate fact from fiction and take care of our skin:

Myth #1: Acne is for teenagers.

Unfortunately, plenty of people in their 20s and 30s (and beyond) experience breakouts, whether they were pimply teenagers or not. And more women -- more than 50 percent - will develop acne long after graduation from high school.

Myth #2: If your face breaks out, it's because you're not washing it as often - or as aggressively -- as you should.

Wrong, says Dr. Fox. "Sure, if you wear oil-based makeup or heavy creams and don't wash your face properly, you'll wind up with blocked pores, which can turn into blemishes. But acne isn't caused by dirty skin."

The bottom line: Keep your skin clean, but don't overdo it. Washing once or twice a day with a mild cleanser should be enough. Studies show washing more often doesn't lessen outbreaks. Scrubbing and/or using harsh products will only damage your skin and might even make your acne worse.

Myths #3 and #4: Eating too much chocolate, pizza or potato chips will make you break out. Or, conversely, diet has nothing to do with acne.

Both of these are untrue, says Dr. Fox. "Years ago," he explains, "teenagers were told that acne was caused by eating certain foods. But there was little evidence implicating these things in acne, and in recent years many doctors have taken the opposite position, telling patients that diet has nothing to do with acne."

He continues, "Today, we're seeing research showing a definite link between eating a healthy diet and having healthy skin. And there's even been a study showing that teenage girls who drink lots of milk have a higher incidence of acne than those who drink very little milk."

So what's the bottom line?

"Be sure you're eating plenty of nutritious foods," says Dr. Fox. "And pay attention to your own triggers. If you notice that you break out after eating a certain food, avoid it. Also, keep any grease from touching your skin as we know it is a precipitant. So if you eat pizza or potato chips -- eat them sitting down and wash your hands after eating them."

Do over the counter beauty products work?

Aging is a terrifying emotion. Wrinkles, fine lines, flaccid skin, gray hair, whatever sign of aging we see, panic sets in. That weakness has, naturally, been exploited by marketers for centuries. That is why almost every single project on the market tries to make a connection that it will help us look and feel younger.

While plastic surgery can reverse some of the signs of aging, nothing can stop aging. Healthy eating habits, regular exercise, inner peace, and a good sense of style can definitely slow down aging and make us look and feel younger, but that cream/lotion/spray/pill that somebody is hawking on television or a magazine is not going to work.

Do over-the-counter beauty products work?

A new study by Timothy A. Miller, MD, Chief of Plastic Surgery at University of California and Los Angeles says that there is no data that proves that these products actually work in the amount that they are sold. "Although there are a number of beneficial OTC remedies in existence, for many patients, prescription-strength or surgical procedures may be necessary to achieve desired results," according to him.

The study consisted of a review of existing research on ingredients commonly found in OTC anti-aging creams. Key compounds under review included vitamins, antioxidants, alpha-hydroxyl acids, moisturizers, pentapeptides and botanicals. Of these, Vitamin C, alpha-hydroxyl acids and pentapeptides were shown to be the most extensively researched with proven anti-aging benefits.

Vitamin A, or retinols have shown great promise, however their effects have only been proven in prescription-strength formulations; OTC benefits have not been determined. Minimal studies have been performed on Vitamin B, though what evidence does exist is promising. Moisturizers have not been extensively researched, but have been shown to improve the hydration and appearance of skin.

Botanicals such as grape seed extract, soy compounds, green tea and Gingko biloba are relatively new in the market and have gained great popularity in recent years, but their healing qualities have yet to be proven through randomized, placebo-controlled human trials.

So should you give up using over the counter beauty products?

It is important to take care of your skin and using high quality products is important, but just don't believe in the misleading messages on the label. These products will definitely not turn back time, but as I said above, if they are part of a overall healthy lifestyle, you can stay young and beautiful for a long time.

Spray for the legs

I am referring to the spray to make the legs look as if you are wearing stockings. They are not the same but come very close to it.

The absolutely gorgeous model Daniela Pestova told Shape magazine that she uses one of these products for bikini photo shots. Daniela uses Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs. There are many other brands and it is worth considering them. If the product can help Daniela look better, it can do more for all legs.

A trip to the makeup counter

If you like to learn more about makeup, your best bet is to go to a makeup counter such as Sephora or Mac. The makeup applications are free, but you need to buy something My advice is do not buy everything; buy foundation if you like it and maybe concealers. Think about the rest. Sometimes the makeup artists on these counters do not listen to you and you can end up not looking as want.

If you go to a counter such as Mac, go to a fine department store, such as Saks Fifth Avenue or Nordstrom, the products cost the same, but I know the service is much better. Also, go to a quiet store in quiet times so you get more time and attention.

Be specific on what type of makeup you like: natural, modern, etc. Or tell them you like how a celebrity looks (bring the picture in case they do not remember that celebrity). Ask questions and take notes on how they apply your makeup, I do not know about you, but I forget things.

I tell my friends not to be afraid of makeup. I suggest that they read magazines, pay attention to pictures and experiment. Just a little bit of makeup does not cover who you are; it only highlights your strong points. Beauty does not come from makeup, it comes from you.

Makeup transformations

In my years in the beauty industry, I have seen in front of my eyes how women react when they see themselves all made up. I saw them coming in the morning for a day of beauty looking, well, ordinary, and others just jumped out of bed. Then at the end of the day, the transformation happened after the makeup session.

After a makeup application, the reaction was as if someone inside them has been allowed to come out, someone beautiful has finally emerged. Someone they knew or suspected they had inside, but it was hiding. The self-confidence level goes up making these women even more beautiful.

I always ask myself if this feeling was going to last. Is it going to change something permanently in this woman or is it temporary? I do not know the answer. But, as for myself, I know that even though I am a makeup artist (at least I have a diploma, though, I do not do that to make a living) I do not always apply makeup, not even as recommended by minimalist makeup artist Bobby Brown.

I find makeup exciting, it can change how you look. Just a bit of lipstick adds color without changing who you are. I love to browse makeup books. I love the books of late makeup artist Kevin Aucoin. One of my favorite new makeup books is “5 Minutes face, the quick and easy makeup guide for every women” by Carmindy (“What not the wear” makeup artist). This book is very instructive and it has a lot of good tips for the novice and even for the more serious makeup user.

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