DKNY Delicious Candy Apples ad

A few weeks ago I wrote about the new fragrances from DKNY: Delicious Candy Apples. Recently I saw this video and I thought it was really cute. I hope you enjoy it. I fell like eating candies now; not good for my skin though.

Beauty products from the kitchen

While it is very convenient (and shopping is always fun and therapeutic) to simply buy personal care products from a shop, even when you are buying something with claims like all-natural, organic, no preservatives added, etc., you still are not sure what you are really buying.

In many cases, you have no choice but to buy products off the shelf and the key is to read the ingredients list carefully and buy only reputed brands. However, some personal care products can be made in your kitchen using products that are already in your pantry.

Gelila, a model, shows three different products in this video.

1. How to use olive oil (an antioxidant) as a moisturizer and to nourish your hair.
   
2. Use baking soda to make an exfoliant.
3. How to make a toner for oily skin using apple cider vinegar and garlic.
   

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.