Nothing dulls the complexion or hampers feeling good about oneself quite like dry, rough, flaky skin. To help keep skin supple and touchable, exfoliate once or twice a week to remove dead skin cells that tend to build up over time. Some areas such as hands, feet, and elbows require more frequent exfoliation, especially during the dryer times of the year. Using the Ayurvedic method of dry brushing the skin once a week will help to remove the dead skin cells with the added bonus of some detoxification of the body.

Other natural ways to exfoliate include rubbing elbows and heals with a half a lime or lemon (the citric acid will eat away some of the dead skin build-up) or mixing sweet almond oil with salt or sugar to create a homemade exfoliant. This mixture can be used to slough off dead skin cells anywhere on the body. Start by rubbing this concoction the desired areas in a circular motion, rinse, and follow up with a rich moisturizer. To get the most benefit from exfoliating and moisturizing, follow these steps right before bedtime and then cover the treated hands and feet with socks while sleeping to help lock in the moisture. Skin will be baby soft in the morning!

A smell can linger in your memory forever.  We all have scents that we love and that make us feel good.  When you finally find a scent that fits your personality, your mood or the day, it feels great.  Keeping that scent throughout the day can often be a challenge though.

One trick to increase the staying power of your favorite smell is to layer the scents as you get ready.  Layering makes them last longer.  Start with a body wash (if you shower in the mornings) and follow that up with a body sprays or lotion.  There are also deodorants and antiperspirants on the market now with complementary scents.

When achieving the perfect scent for you, the choices are endless.  You can mix and match scents in a more creative way or be more traditional with same-scent combos.  As the day wears on, and your scent wears off, try spritzing a body mist behind your knees and on the wrists to help you feel refreshed and energized with that just starting the day feeling.

With the changing seasons comes the time to change up your wardrobe.  Updating the clothes in your closet can sometimes feel a bit daunting, so try to find versatile individual pieces that work with your style & body type.  This season, go for a look that is feminine yet powerful.  As you are trying on new looks, remember to dress for your body style:

Pear-shaped – Add width to your top to balance your bottom by choosing wide scoop necklines, large lapels, exaggerated shoulders, and fitted torsos.  Streamlined pants can help lengthen your legs but avoid low-rise pants, pocket, pleats, or other details in the hip area.

Triangle-shaped – Show off your fit limbs and trim tummy by picking tops and jackets that are tailored through the middle with moderate V-neck lines.  Flowing skirts just below your knees will show off just enough leg.  Avoid tops with high scoop necks or ruffles, pockets, beading, or buttons on the chest area.

Apple-shaped – Choose tops with deep V-necklines to accentuate your collarbones and cleavage.  Empire waists will help you create one where it may not already exist.  Soft gathers, especially diagonal ones, are flattering, but stay away from fitted, button-front tops.

Rectangle-shaped – Show off your long legs, arms and torso by choosing daring shapes, skirts with paper-bag waists, peplum jackets & wide-leg trousers.  Use some super-feminine touches like lace, satin, & chiffon to give the illusion of curves. Steer clear of loose, boxy shapes and clothes that are ill-fitted.

No matter what style you choose, be sure that you are comfortable with your choices.  Just because a look is in, doesn’t mean that you will like it or feel good in it.  One of the most attractive things about anyone is someone who is confident and feels good with what they are wearing.

Popular hairstyles come and go, but classy never goes out of style.  To create the perfect frame your face, try any of these classic, yet popular looks.

Face Flattering – This is a great look for loosely textured and a well-defined part.  Start by parting the hair while it is still damp.  Align the part with the peak of the eyebrow arch to highlight cheekbones and eyes.  Blow-dry ends with a round brush alternating with flipping out and flipping under.  Finish with a light pomade to add subtle shine.

Sexy but not Stuffy – Start by parting hair into larger sections while damp and rolling with Velcro (or your favorite non-heated) rollers.  Blow dry.  Remove the rollers and gently shake out the hair to loosen the curls.  Finish with a light-hold hairspray.  If bangs need a little more flip, use a curling iron to complete the desired look.

Girl Next Door – Begin by spritzing damp hair with extra-hold hairspray.  Wrap medium-sized sections around rollers.  Blow dry and then remove rollers.  Allow the hair to part in its natural place or part in the middle.  Shake out gently.

Slightly Tousled – To keep hair healthy and smooth, apply a small amount of conditioner to the ends of hair before blow drying.  Next, apply mousse and wrap one-inch sections around a medium-barreled curling iron from the root to the tip.  Secure each curl to the scalp with a bobby pin.  Using a flexible hold hairspray, coat pinned curls lightly and let set 20 minutes.  After removing the bobby pins, let hair fall at its natural part and finger comb gently.

Naturally Curly – For naturally curly hair, start by creating your own hair product by mixing equal parts of curl cream/enhancer, light-hold gel, leave-in conditioner and pomade.  For an easy every day look, apply this specially made hair product to damp curls.  Blow dry with a diffuser or allow to air dry.

Beautiful Body Care — When we think about beauty, most of us concentrate on the face, but what about the body?  How you feel can greatly affect the amount of beauty you put out into the world.  Your body deserves just as much tender loving care as your face and hair.  If you aren’t feeling your best about yourself and how you look from the neck down, some small changes can create a large impact to help energize you and improve your life.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to be a burden or overwhelming.  Small changes to your diet and minimal, but regular, amounts of exercise can help you feel more confident about your body.  In addition to keeping the muscles in shape, there is a lot of skin covering that body of yours.  Look for body washes with anti-aging ingredients and deep moisturizers.  These products can help reduce the look of fine lines in dry skin and restore some of that supple, youthful glow.

Don’t disregard your underarms…especially during tank-top season.  Choose a deodorant with moisturizers and soothing ingredients like soy and acai berry or chamomile.  These will reduce redness and condition dry, irritated skin.

If you find yourself struggling with dry or dull skin, you can use a lemon-honey mask by mixing equal parts of lemon juice, honey, and olive oil.  Leave on for 5-15 minutes and rinse with warm water.  Adding a half of a cup of lemon juice to your bath an create an all over brightening effect when you’re getting ready to show off a little skin.  Be sure to take some time to pamper yourself and take care of your body.

No matter what products you use or believe in, nothing is more beautiful than well-cared for skin.  Taking better care of your skin and knowing which products are right for your age and skin type are two of the most essential steps in looking and feeling beautiful.  Quality products don’t have to cost a fortune and great skin care shouldn’t break the bank.

Spend some time researching products you think might meet your needs.  Advice from the beauty counter specialists is free, so spend a little time chatting with them.  Keep in mind that well-hydrated skin will soften the look of fine lines and hydration comes from both inside and out.  Increasing your water intake by just a glass or two a day can create a noticeable difference in no time.

When choosing products for your skin, remember that serums will penetrate more deeply than lotions or creams.  Look for anti-aging products that have a higher concentration of active wrinkle-fighting ingredients, are lightweight, and contain the vitamins and antioxidants needed to repair some of the environmental damage you’ve already endured.

A hint of mint will not only make you feel refreshed, but will help your skin if you are prone to oiliness.  If you are struggling with blackheads and larger pores, try rubbing lemon juice over the areas with the most visible blackheads right before going to sleep at night.  The citric acid will dissolve the oils in the blackheads and after a few nights you should see significantly less spots.  Whatever skin care route you choose to take, consistency is key.  Your skin is your largest organ and deserves daily TLC.

Stay-Put Tips for Eye Make-up:   Looking great when you walk out the door is one thing, but looking great hours later can be quite a challenge some days.  One simple trick is to apply your eyeliner and then use a fine-tip brush to dust on an eye shadow that is almost the same color over the liner.

This will help keep the eyeliner from smudging or running throughout the day and will also helps to create that very popular smoky eye look.  To keep your eye shadow from creasing, put a few drops of contact lens solution on each eye lid before applying your favorite shadow colors.  The sodium chloride in the solution helps to retain moisture making eye shadow indestructible.

We’ve all seen the luxurious set of eye shadow brushes that claim to be perfect for creating those sexy, young-looking eyes.  The truth is you don’t need to invest in expensive eye shadow brushes to create those smoldering looks.  A set of “quality” brushes from the make-up counter can run upwards of $40.00, but a set of craft brushes is much less expensive.

Take a trip to your favorite craft store or the craft section of Wal-Mart and find inexpensive brushes that mimic exactly what expensive ones do.  You also have the options to pick and choose the brushes that actually fit your needs instead of what comes standard.  There are 3 brush styles that every make-up kit should include: a fine tip brush for dusting eye shadow over your eyeliner, a standard size applicator brush for color application (make-up artists prefer to have a couple of these – one for lighter colors and one for darker colors), and of course, a blending brush.

So the next time you’re tempted to buy those high-end brushes, think about stopping by the craft store instead and using the money you save for a few extra colors to liven up your look.

Get some eyeshadow color tips to make yourself a Hazel-eyed Hottie!

You have them, and you love them!  Hazel eyes have an ability unlike any other eye color.  Depending on the light in the room or the color of your clothes, hazel eyes can differ in intensity between shades of green and brown or even sometimes a hint of blue.  Take some time to experiment with a range of colors to create the eye color you’re in the mood for on any given day.

Eye shadow color choices that work for people with brown or green eyes can be extremely beneficial to you, but don’t let them limit your creativity.  Avoid shades of blue and the softer bluish purples.  These colors will not enhance your eyes and may create a lady-of-the-night look that no one wants.  Neutral tones of brown can play up the natural beauty of your eyes, while warm tones of gold and yellow bring out the golden flecks that often grace the hazel eye.

Since this is a website about obtaining free makeup samples and free makeup tips, I don’t normally promote products that are expensive unless I really feel strongly about them.  This skin care product is one of those times!

Recently I have been using  SkinCeuticals Retexturing Activator at the recommendation of my sister.  And if you can’t trust a sister, then who do you trust!!  It was expensive (it retails around $70 for a small bottle).  I found it at the link above for much less than that.

Anyway, this product is in a small bottle, but you don’t need very much since it is a serum. In fact, some users complain that it makes their skin feel sticky. I think that is because they are using too much of it. The instructions say you only need 4-6 drops for your entire face. If you stick to that, then it really does seem to do a good “retexturing” job.  My skin feels smoother than it has in a long time, and it gets rid of the dryness too.   My regular makeup goes on much smoother too and lasts longer.

I think I am going to get more than my money’s worth from this skin care product. Here’s the link if you want to take a look! SkinCeuticals Retexturing Activator