Lighten Up Too Much Tanner

Q. I recently bought a self tanner at the grocery store and I got too much tanner on my feet and knees. Do you have a suggestion for lightening this area?

A. Self tanners are a great option to the tanning bed and outdoor sun. They are much better for your skin, but can be tricky to do yourself. If at all possible I suggest you get your sunless tanning in a salon or spa with a spray tanning professional. It will cost a little more but the results will be worth it. To help fade the over-tanned areas of your skin the best solution is exfoliation. In my experience the very best product to exfoliate with in order to lighten your skin is simple household baking soda. Make a mixture of half a cup of water to one cup of baking soda. Apply the mixture to your over tan areas and let it stay on for a few minutes, about 3 or 4. After you have allowed the mix to stay on for a short while begin to exfoliate using your fingers or a soft sponge. Move in circular motions, do not scrub hard or use too much pressure. You indicate the areas of over tan are your feet and knees. These body parts can stand a firmer scrub and a stronger amount of pressure than some other parts. If the over tan is on your face you should use very mild pressure but repeat the process washing off the baking soda between tries. This method works quite well and I think you will be surprised at the amount of tan you’ll loose. Don’t let this problem keep you from using sunless tanning as an alternative to the tanning bed or real sun. It takes practice to get the technique right. Try putting lotion or petroleum jelly on your knees, feet, and between your fingers to keep from getting too much tanning product on these areas. Be sure to wash your hands well after applying the tanning agent. You should also consider my advice and go to a spa that offers spray tanning by a professional.

Q. What are you seeing as the hottest ways to do hair for the prom or a wedding? I am in both in May.

A. According to trade magazines here are the latest trends in formal hair:
The braid is all the rage this year for everything from weddings and proms to beach wear. There are loads of variations on the braid with fun styles and options. For a formal looking braid, tease the top to give yourself some height then pull your hair to the side like you were going for a side pony and make your braid. The hottest formal look for braids is the fishbone braid; somewhat flat and similar to a fishbone neck chain. A professional stylist should be able to give this to you. A popular variation on this theme is the side pony. This look gets sleek if you smooth over your bangs to the side and add loose, not tight, curls in the long free hair. Be sure to tease and get height on top. For a more casual look the half up style is still popular this year. Pull just the top of your hair up and pin it back then curl the back in soft loose curls. The classic up-do bun is never out of style either. There is always some trendy popular version of this style and the classic ballerina bun will never be out, especially for brides. To get the most current look for this classic try a side part. If you have straight bangs, leave them down. Get the teased up volume for the top and then work the back into any version of a bun you want. If you can afford a professional stylist you will not regret it. You can then relax and let an expert do your hair. Always remember that the most important part of any event is that you are comfortable. Choose a hairstyle that you feel good in and then relax and have fun!

Looking Younger With White Teeth

Q. Does getting your teeth whitened really make you look younger?

A. Absolutely. Age affects more than just your skin. Age itself can yellow or dull your teeth but years of lifestyle choices will show on your teeth as well. Teeth reflect years of coffee and tea drinking, smoking, and eating teeth staining foods. To make it even more poignant young people are currently on a “teeth whitening craze”. Unlike in years past, young people can get teeth whitening gels, toothpastes and treatments at any grocery store. They are also more and more often opting for professional teeth whitening under an LED light. This craze works to contrast the super white teeth of a younger generation against the duller teeth of the older crowd; making the mature group appear not only older but also out of the loop. White teeth also look fresh and clean and attractive, lending a youthful appeal to your smile. The good thing is that in the scope of anti-aging treatments, teeth whitening is one of the most affordable. The systems you buy at the super market are effective but results will be slower than the professional LED systems. Look around for places that offer professional teeth whitening many spas and salons offer the light and gel process at an affordable price. Teeth whitening is a great way to add a boost of confidence as well. It’s not risky and it’s not expensive, and it’s not very time consuming so I say, go for it. You might even smile more and that is always a good thing.

Hwo to correctly apply lipstick

Q. I always wear my lipstick down flat and then I think it does not go on as well. Is there a correct way to apply your lipstick from a lipstick tube?




A. I once went to a wedding shower where we all played a game about how we wore down our lipstick tubes. In the game, the way you wore down your tube told something about your personality, in reality all it tells is how you apply your lipstick. I researched your question and found that the Covergirl division of Procter and Gamble had suggestions for how to apply and how to not apply your lip color. According to Covergirl, if your lipstick ends up being flat as a pancake on top it means you most likely apply your color to your lower lip first, then rub your lips together to get the color on the top lips. If you are without a mirror this is a safe way to put on your lip color but it will almost always leave your outer mouth corners bare. If on the other hand your tube ends up with a sharp point you most likely are pressing the lipstick between your lips and rubbing it back and forth. This will make your lip color uneven and it will make your expensive lipstick more likely to break. The perfect way to apply your lip color from a tube of lipstick is to apply color to both your top and bottom lips evenly. If you do this your lipstick should maintain the slightly pyramid shape it starts with when it’s new, your color will go on your entire mouth and be even and you will not damage your tube. For the very best lip coverage, apply lipliner to a relaxed mouth, then open your mouth slightly and say “Oh” apply your lipstick evenly to top and bottom lips and with your mouth in the “Oh” pattern you’ll be able to reach the entire lip surface. I hope this helps because I am so upset when I end up breaking a perfect tube of lipstick it’s worse than breaking a nail!

Q. I am getting older, 43, and don’t know what to do with my hair. It’s showing some grey, and it’s boring. I don’t want to go really short either. What do you suggest?




A. The New York Times Bestseller, “How Not To Look Old”, by Charla Krupp lists some very specific strategies for staying young and hip. The book makes suggestions for hair that I have found to be valuable. Charla states that nothing ages you like grey hair, too-short bangs, too-long hair parted down the middle, helmet head hair, hair that is too high, a severe up-do, or visibly thinning hair. She goes on to claim that once you reach a certain age, you look better with bangs. I have found this to be the case unless you have very curly hair or cowlicks in the front hair line. Bangs accentuate your best features and camouflage negative ones like a large forehead, wrinkles on the forehead, or a receding hairline. Soft fringe (the term in the beauty biz for bangs), can draw attention to your eyes and away from your jaw line which may be starting to show some signs of age. It may seem like a simple thing to cut bangs but it’s really best left to a professional stylist. A good stylist can assure you the correct length of bangs, the right angle and can make sure your hair is balanced. The popularity of bangs peak and valley but they never go out of style and they almost always make you look younger. Your question seemed to suggest that you are thinking about color for your hair as well. Going back to the Charla Krupp philosophy she states that in order to look young, fresh, and vibrant color your hair two shades lighter than your natural color and around your face 3 or 4 shades lighter. She calls hair highlights the makeup you never take off. Ms. Krupp claims that hair color is fashion and that the current fashion trend is shiny, expensive color. She goes on to claim that a great hair color is a status symbol, like a designer hand bag. She calls hair color and investment and suggests that you protect it with the proper shampoos and conditioner. I agree with her. As we age we all become a little more high maintenance. Investing in our self keeps you in the game both at work and in your personal life. Being 43 is a great age, you are still young and vibrant plus you are most likely wise from your life experiences. Your appearance should be as full of life as you are, but don’t get too caught up in the trap of younger is always better. Be the best you can be and embrace the strength and power that only comes with the richness of having lived a while.

Q. I am 23 and am just starting to grow a goatee. My girlfriend says I would look better in a full beard. How do you suggest men decide what type of beard to wear?




A. In the female dominated world of personal style facial hair is one option that is exclusively masculine. While the classic clean shaven face will always be in style, it is very trendy right now to have facial hair of one type or another. A few considerations before you choose what to do with your whiskers. You are 23, how well does your facial hair grow? If it’s sparse or choppy you could end up looking like Shaggy from Scooby Do fame, not so attractive. Other considerations are your facial shape, and your skills with the razor or the trimmers. The five o’clock shadow, about a day’s growth of facial hair, is a fun popular look with the 20 and 30 something crowd. It’s great because you can wear it on a weekend or to a party, look hip and masculine, but shave it off easily for work on Monday. While this look is sexy and cool on younger men, it tends to look un-kept or sloppy on the older man, with the possible exception of George Clooney. The full beard and mustache is great for men with a slightly full face. You can be creative in how you trim the sides and this look is also good for the man with some acne scars or other facial imperfections to hide. Be sure to keep it trim and neat at the bottom edges if you want to stay stylish. Stats show that most women do not like the full beard if it’s bushy, sloppy or too long. Right now, the most popular facial hair trend for young men is the goatee. Brad Pitt may have helped make this look so popular but it is by far the most worn at the moment. As with the full beard, be sure you keep the bottom edges clean and neat. If your beard is full you may also need to keep the trimmer handy to assure your goatee is not too bushy. Here’s the fun part about being a man and growing your facial hair. You can try out lots of looks and be creative. Unlike growing out your hair for a new hair style, your beard grows quickly and you can change it up often. Have fun with it. Try a few styles and you can decide what looks great on you.

Q, Is there any basic rules about what blush to buy? My sister has very light skin and I think she wears her blush too dark. I have darker skin and that same blush looks ok on me. I know it’s hard to say for sure without seeing someone but do you have a basic guide we can follow?




A. Natural cheek tones, like skin tones vary from person to person. I could write a whole chapter on how to use the color wheel, the base color in your complexion, the amount of red or yellow you have in your skin, etc… The best solution is to visit a salon or spa with a makeup artist. Bring your makeup bag in with you. Have the specialist go over your skin, give you a makeover with their product and then have them do a comparison and evaluation of your entire makeup bag. If a color is wrong for you, give it away or throw it away. Don’t wear what does not look great on you. That is my best advice to anyone interested in updating their makeup or their appearance. Now to really answer your question, I can give you some very basic guidelines. Soft pink color tones are ideal for light skinned people. Peach tones tend to be the best for medium skin tones and that would be the largest majority of people. Peach toned blushes are the most recommended. Darker skinned women look best in plum or grape based shades. Another way to blush is a bronzer. All skin tones will look good in a version of a bronzer. Lighter bronzer tones for lighter skin, medium bronze for most of us, and darker bronzes for darker skin. The reason bronzers tend to be more universal is that they more closely match the way our skin darkens naturally in the sun. My advice to anyone who plans on spending money on makeup is always to try before you buy. Go someplace, I advise a spa or salon, and have someone help you find the shades that work best on you. Then buy only what you think looks great.