Are You a Fan of the 'No-Makeup' Look?

Written by: Elizabeth Holmes
First appeared:  www.wsj.com           

Beauty trendsetters are pushing a very particular look for spring: the bare face. And much to makeup companies’ relief, it takes new products to achieve it.

High fashion brands such as Givenchy and Marc Jacobs are putting the stripped-down aesthetic in ads and on runways. Several movie beauty icons— Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, Marion Cotillard—braved the big screen with little-to-no visible makeup in some of the Oscar season’s highest-profile films. Dakota Johnson, star of the forthcoming “Fifty Shades of Grey,” is on the cover of February Vogue looking as if she isn’t wearing makeup at all. 

“It’s an aspirational look,” says Jennifer Balbier, senior vice president of global product development for artistry brands, including MAC Cosmetics , at Estée Lauder Cos.

The fresh face is a swing of the style pendulum away from the camera-ready, fully made-up look of reality TV’s Kardashian sisters. Social media helped spread that look, with product-laden video tutorials on YouTube drawing millions of views.

ENLARGE

A look from MAC Cosmetics’ Spring Summer 2015 runway trend book PHOTO: F. MARTIN RAMIN/THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, STYLING BY ANNE CARDENAS

The move towards minimal is a product of social media, too. Instagrammers of all ages post makeup-free selfies, often with the hashtag #IWokeUpLikeThis. “Millennials are saying, ‘This is the authentic me, I don’t need to cover up who I am,’ ” says Orrea Light, vice president of product development for L’Oréal Paris.

Cosmetics brands are responding with lighter foundations, sheerer lip glosses and new products to accentuate cheekbones and brows, two features that are especially important with the bare look. “Even when women want to have this ‘no makeup’ look, they still feel more comfortable wearing some makeup,” says Magalie Parksuwan, executive director of global marketing for NARS Cosmetics. “They just need to have the right products, to make it look like there’s no makeup.”

Andi Miller, a 34-year-old mother of a 4-year-old who lives northeast of Dallas and works at a local university, says she sports the look several times a week. She says she has swapped her foundation for a BB cream, adds a little dark-circle corrector under her eyes and then swipes on some blush, light eye shadow and lip gloss. “For me, it’s all about looking fresh and awake,” she says, “like maybe I slept better than I really did.”

Some women have always worn a less-is-more makeup look, but the latest iteration is even more minimal. Whereas it might have taken a dozen products to create the old natural look, now it takes only a couple. “It’s fewer steps,” says Regina Maguire, senior vice president of product innovation and marketing for Gurwitch Products, maker of Laura Mercier makeup and skincare. 

Even professionals find it takes a little bit of makeup to pull off the no-makeup look. When designer Marc Jacobs sent models down the runway for Spring 2015, they looked as if they were wearing no makeup. The show notes, though, said they were wearing NARS moisturizer, and a bit of NARS concealer under the eyes and elsewhere as needed. “It’s good to be able to see a bare face,” François Nars, the brand’s founder and creative director, said backstage. 

Givenchy Creative Director Riccardo Tisci gave a no-makeup mood to the brand’s spring 2015 ads featuring Julia Roberts —but the actress did wear a bit of makeup for photography purposes, a spokesman said.

When shooting the movie “Wild,” about a young woman’s hike of the Pacific Crest Trail, director Jean-Marc Vallée requested no makeup be used for Ms. Witherspoon, says Robin Mathews, the actress’s personal makeup artist and the department head on the film.

For the first third of the hike, Ms. Mathews says, she took steps to simulate the effects of the hike on Ms. Witherspoon’s look, creating broken capillaries and bags under her eyes. As the hike progressed, Ms. Mathews eased up on those techniques, and by the end she added just a hint of makeup: tinted moisturizer, sheer concealer and a bit of powder. 

“It’s when she’s come into her own and found herself,” Ms. Mathews says of the character.

Companies’ push of a bare face comes as color cosmetics sales are slowing. Sales bumped up 1.2% in 2014 from 2013, to nearly $12.3 billion, according to preliminary data from market-research firm Euromonitor International. That follows annual growth of about 6% in 2011 and 2012, and less than 4% in 2013.

Some beauty executives say the new look reflects greater interest in skin care and a broader cultural focus on wellness. Not many women who are at spin class at dawn and sipping green juice for breakfast want to apply a full face of makeup.

ENLARGE

Products behind the no-makeup look: Left to right, Stila Shape & Shade Custom Contour Duo, $40, and brush, $38; Laura Mercer Infusion de Rose Nourishing Oil, $62; MAC Prep+Prime Natural Radiance, $41; Clinique Chubby Stick Baby Tint Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm, $17; Dior Skin Star Concealer, $36; Glossier Soothing Face Mist, $18; NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation, $48; Dior Cheek & Lip Glow, $37; NARS The Multiple, $39; Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer, $27; Urban Decay Naked Palette, $54 PHOTO: F. MARTIN RAMIN/THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, STYLING BY ANNE CARDENAS

“Having great skin allows you to ‘just wake up like this’,” says Emily Weiss, founder and CEO of beauty blog Into the Gloss. “The better your skin, the less makeup you have to wear.” Ms. Weiss launched her Glossier line of four products last fall with just one color cosmetic, a sheer facial tint; the others are skin care.

“A lot of women now are taking care of their skin so they don’t have to rely on makeup,” says Daniel Martin, a celebrity makeup artist for Dior. For them, it’s a reallocation of time and money, he says. They are spending more on an evening skin-care regimen and facials, and less on a morning makeup routine.

So-called blur products, which reflect light to camouflage flaws, are popular. Mr. Martin uses Dior’s Dreamskin Perfect Skin Creator under makeup. It is the brand’s best-selling U.S. skincare product, selling 1,000 a week, a spokeswoman said.

Cosmetics sellers say the no-makeup trend represents a shift in the types of makeup women use most often, not a departure from cosmetics altogether. Executives say new products aim to accentuate natural features, not cover flaws. 

Flesh-toned powders and creams, known as contouring products, give the illusion of sculpted cheekbones, nose and chin. Stila’s new Shape & Shade Custom Contour Duo, in a cream format without shimmer, creates a matte texture meant to mimic skin. Women can wear less color makeup, such as blush, says Sarah Lucero, Stila’s global director of artistry, “because you have the perfect canvas down.”

Concealer remains core to the look, executives says, as more women eschew a full coating of foundation and instead “spot treat” blemishes and other specific flaws. A new foundation-concealer combination product from Clinique, “Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer,” is set to launch next month with a doe-foot applicator so women can dot use it sparingly or more as needed. 

Brows are integral. “If you have the perfect made-up brow, you can face the world with no other piece of makeup on,” says Anne Marie Nelson-Bogle, vice president of marketing at Maybelline New York. Eye Studio Brow Drama, which Maybelline launched in October, is in effect mascara for the brows, Ms. Nelson-Bogle says, with a tinted gel formula that adds color and assists with shaping.

Open House Launch!

Yesterday was my Initial Launch Party for the fabulous Rodan + Fields Skincare Line!  I hosted a casual come/go Open House for my friends from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. It was SO MUCH FUN to get to see so many friends in the middle of the day, on their lunch hour, or with their babies while their big kids were in school. We had coffee and tea and had so much fun playing with all the products and checking out all the latest and greatest in skincare - and I truly believe Rodan + Fields HAS the latest and greatest!  Thanks everyone for coming - hope you had fun!

How To Correctly Apply Eye Cream

By Kathleen Hou
Brought to you by: nymag.com

Before I knew any better, my preferred method for applying eye cream wasn't all that different from my technique for applying schmear to a bagel. Then one day, my mom caught me dipping into one of her fancy jars and shrieked, snatching it out of my hand. "So this is why my eye cream keeps disappearing," she scolded. The Mystery of the Endlessly Disappearing Clé de Peau Beauté eye cream became a closed case. Along with the time she taught me that you should be wary of psychics offering free readings, this turned out to be one of the most valuable lessons my mother ever imparted to me. When I became a beauty editor, I found that my friends were just as flummoxed by eye-cream application as I once was. So, we made a set of GIFs that break down the correct process for applying eye cream, step by step.

 

Step 1: Although your eye cream may have specific instructions, you generally want to apply eye cream using your ring finger. It's the lightest one to touch, which is ideal for the delicate under-eye area, where skin is the thinnest and blood vessels are the most visible. You want to dot the eye cream under your eye, moving from inner to outer corner.

Step 2: Press or tap, don't rub. Use a light patting motion under the eye, which gently presses the product into the eye area. You can follow that with a gentle glide along the orbital bone, to further sink the product into the skin.

Step 3: For extra de-puffing, you can use the same finger to gently press the eye cream around the entirety of the orbital eye bone. Don't forget to gently press at the side temple, a pressure point. 

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Beauty Sleep - Is it a Real Thing?

My #1 Skin Tip: Beauty Sleep

Written By: Elizabeth Tanzi, MD, Co-Director of the Washington Institute of
Dermatologic Laser Surgery in Washington D.C.

Good sleep habits are essential for living a long, healthy and productive life. But sleep is equally important for beautiful, healthy skin. "Beauty" sleep is not just an old wives' tale. Sleep allows the skin to restore its natural balance and increases the effectiveness of certain skin care ingredients, potentially providing more benefit to your skin. When you don't get enough sleep, your skin will show it. Eyes look dark and puffy after even a single night of poor sleep, but chronic sleep deprivation is particularly damaging. It leads to a dull, dehydrated complexion and can wreak havoc on skin prone to acne.

How does sleep save skin? Medical research has demonstrated sleep affects the skin in a variety of ways:

• Lack of sleep leads to increased levels of stress hormones in the body. Chronic high levels of stress hormones in the body cause increased inflammation within the skin that subsequently leads to acceleration of aging (wrinkles!) and worsening of acne. 

• Sleep deprivation reduces the skin's ability to stay hydrated and supple leading to a dull, dehydrated appearance.

• People with poor sleep habits can have trouble with skin sensitivity and irritation due to a reduction in the skin's ability to protect itself from chemicals and pollutants in the environment.

The bottom line is that sleep is vital for healthy (and beautiful) skin!  To develop good sleeping habits, try these tips:

• Develop a regular bedtime schedule and stick to it
• Avoid caffeine 4 to 6 hours before bed
• Limit alchohol and heavy meals before sleep
• Get regular exercise (this is great for the skin too; increases circulation and delivers much needed oxygen and nutrients to the skin)
• Try to wake up at the same time every morning, even on weekends

Golden Globe Skin

How many of you watched the Golden Globes Sunday night?  Aside from laughing at the hilarity of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler (how can you not LOVE them!?) I noticed how gorgeous Miss Golden Globe, Greer Grammar, daughter of Kelsey Grammar, was this year.  Guess what?  She not only uses Rodan + Fields, but she sells it too! 

Six Essential Nutrients for Beautiful Skin

Your skin is a reflection of your inner being. Aside from lifestyle and genetics, what you eat plays a role in your skin health. Eating the right foods will not only enhance your natural beauty, it will help minimize wrinkles, acne, inflammation and other skin-related conditions. Most people treat their skin with chemical-ridden products, but don’t address the root cause, which may lie within. Your best-kept beauty secrets are sitting right there in your grocery store! Be sure to eat foods that include these nutrients often, and you'll reap the benefits of having a beautiful, glowing and healthy skin. 

Vitamin C

Like vitamin E, vitamin C is also a powerful antioxidant. Vitamin C helps to reduce oxidative stress to the body and may lower cancer risk. Vitamin C is also involved in the synthesis of collagen, an important protein for making your skin supple. Many fruits and vegetables are great sources of vitamin C, so be sure to include them in your diet. Food sources high in vitamin C include: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, bell peppers, guava, acerola, beet greens, grapefruit, strawberries, red and green bell peppers, kale, parsley, collard greens and turnip greens.

Selenium

Selenium is a powerful antioxidant trace mineral that is responsible for maintaining skin firmness and elasticity. This mineral not only prevents acne but also aids in skin cancer prevention. It promotes absorption of vitamin E and enhances the antioxidant function of vitamin E, which is mainly stored in the skin. The end result is glowing skin and less deterioration to the skin's collagen. Food sources high in selenium include: brazil nuts, walnuts, red snapper, tuna, liver, wheat germ, herring, onion, seafood, whole grains, brown rice and poultry.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is one of the key vitamins for skin health. When combined with vitamin A, vitamin E is especially effective at preventing certain skin cancers. Because of vitamin E’s antioxidant properties, it helps fight free radicals caused by pollution, smoking, processed foods and sun exposure. Free radicals are the catalyst for premature skin aging such as wrinkles. Food sources high in vitamin E include: almonds, eggs, walnuts, avocados, asparagus, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, spinach, oatmeal, and olives.

Omega-3s

These essential fatty acids (EFAs) offer healing benefits in various inflammatory conditions such as eczema. Omega-3s also manage overexposure of cortisol levels, which in turn helps keep skin supple and guard against wrinkle formation. EFAs are also responsible for skin repair, moisture content and overall flexibility. Since the body doesn't produce these fatty acids, they must be obtained through your diet. Food sources high in omega-3s include: walnuts, salmon, mackerel, sardines, flaxseeds, and chia seeds. You can also supplement with a fish oil pill.

Vitamin A + Beta-Carotene
Vitamin A is critical for skin repair and maintenance. If you suffer from flaky or dry skin, it could be a sign you're deficient in vitamin A. Beta-carotene, the precursor to vitamin A, is an antioxidant found in brightly colored foods. This antioxidant helps to reduce free radical damage that occurs due to skin damage caused by sun overexposure. Foods sources high in vitamin A and beta-carotene include: liver, collard greens, asparagus, peaches, beet greens, kale, spinach, eggs, sweet potato, cantaloupe, and red peppers.

Zinc

Zinc is an important trace mineral that helps repair damaged tissue and heals wounds. Another important use for zinc includes protecting skin from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. If you suffer from acne, it may be as a result of a zinc deficiency. Zinc may help prevent acne and regulate the production of oil in the skin. Foods sources high in zinc include: oysters, pecans, poultry, pumpkin seeds, ginger, legumes, seafood, mushrooms and whole grains.

I promise you will notice a big difference in the way your skin looks as you feed your body the nutrients it needs!

This article was originally posted by www.mindbodygreen.com

I ❤️ This Roller!

Have any of you used the AMP MD Micro-Exfoliating Roller yet?? I am obsessed! It utilizes micro-exfoliation (tiny tiny little needles) to improve the tone and texture of your complexion as skin responds to the contact of the micro-needle tips. The best thing is - when combined with the REVERSE Regime, your REVERSE results are accelerated while also promoting a firmer-looking complexion.  

If you order them together as part of this special - 20% off both! Check out the link below to order today - as you do NOT want to miss out on the GORGEOUS skin you could be enjoying today!

REVERSE Amp It Up Special

Health Myth: Do You Really Need to Wear Sunscreen in the Winter?

It's winter, the sun is MIA, and you can't remember the last time you weren't wearing a parka. So do you really need to lotion up? In a word, yes. But since "because-I-said-so" arguments only hold so much weight, we're proving it with the top five reasons you should be wearing sunscreen right now.

1. Contrary to popular opinion, the Earth is actually the closest to the sun in the winter and the farthest from it in the summer, says Robert Guida, M.D., a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York City. 

2. You know that the ozone layer is good and that ozone depletion is bad, but do you know why? The ozone acts like the Earth's sunshield, absorbing harmful UVB rays before they near the ground. Problem is, the layer is at its thinnest in the winter (according to the National Science Foundation Polar Programs UV Monitoring Network).

3. Snow and ice might as well come with UV warnings. They can reflect up to 80 percent of UV rays, which not only cause skin cancer but are also the source of about 90 percent of all wrinkles, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. If that weren't bad enough, those rays can hit your skin not once but twice, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation.

4. Windburn and sunburn are one dynamic (and evil) duo. So when freezing temps and biting winds leave your skin dry, agitated, and pretty much in the fetal position, UV rays have a clear shot at your skin, Guida says. Way to kick you when you're down.

5. Attention, winter-sport enthusiasts: The higher the slopes, the higher your sun exposure. In one University of Canterbury study, skiers at an altitude of two kilometers (that's about 6,562 feet for all of the metric system-phobes out there) were exposed to UV rays that were up to 30 percent greater than when they were at a lower site. UV-radiation exposure increases about 5 percent with every 1,000 feet above sea level.

6. Sun rays have a way of working their way through about everything—except freshly smeared sunblock, of course. In fact, about 80 percent of rays pass through clouds. Meanwhile, a white cotton shirt has about an SPF value of seven, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. 

So, this UV-soaked (albeit dreary) winter, check your complaints at the medicine cabinet and put that sunscreen to good use. 

By K.Aleisha Fetters for DETAILS Magazine

Comfort Food - Good For Your Skin Too!

I don't know about you, but this time of year I am all about comfort food. We are currently experiencing an arctic freeze here in Kansas City, as it's supposed to be below 0 degrees tonight. So I am ALL about baking and comfort food, staying in - snuggled under a blanket with those I love! This is one of my family's favorite dishes that we've been rotating in our line-up for a few years now. As I was making it for dinner tonight, I was thinking how healthy it also is for our skin - as it combines sweet potato, garlic, AND spinach!  Add some berries on the side and a piece of dark chocolate for dessert and your skin will Thank You!  

Sweet Potato & Spinach Mac & Cheese
By: Erin @ Naturally Ella

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Bake Time: 30 minutes

1 large sweet potato
3 C whole wheat pasta
2 T butter
2 T flour
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 C milk
3/4 C mozzarella cheese, shredded
3/4 C asiago cheese, shredded
1/2 C parmesan cheese, shredded
2 handfuls of raw spinach

1.) Peel and cube sweet potato. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add sweet potato, and cook until tender. Drain and let cool slightly. Mash sweet potato with 1/4 C milk - set aside.

2.) Boil and cook pasta, al dente. Drain and set aside.

3.) Mix together cheeses and set aside.

4.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

5.) In a large sauce pan, melt butter and add garlic, cooking for 1 minute. Whisk in flour and let cook for another 1-2 minutes to cook out the flour taste. Whisk in 1 1/4 C of milk and cook until mixture thickens. Whisk in sweet potato puree and continue to cook until hot.  Remove from heat and add 1 1/2 C of the cheese mixture.

6.) In a large casserole dish, add pasta, spinach and cheese/potato sauce. Toss until everything is coated and mixed. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake for 25-35 minutes - cheese on top should be browning.

Rodan + Fields

I never thought I would work in sales. NEVER. But then again I have never seen such obvious results from a product in my life!

I have always taken good care of my skin - trying to stay up on the latest and greatest products - CE Feurlic, the Clarisonic, the best scrubs, masks, vitamin peels, facial sunscreens, etc. But after turning 40, and getting two Basal Cell Carcinomas on my face within a year - I knew it was time for a change. Having skin cancer at this young of an age means you guessed it - I had major sun damage on my face from my childhood and teen years of mowing lawns, laying out and running track and cross-country. I was ready to try something new, and I had a friend who had mentioned the amazing results she got from Rodan + Fields and so I decided to try it out. I bought the REVERSE Regimen which is specifically to reverse the sun damage we all have from our youth.  Wow - I saw results FAST!  They say it takes 8 weeks to truly see the results but I saw results within 3 DAYS and I had several friends at preschool drop off comment on my skin in that first week alone - asking what I had done differently as my complexion had changed virtually overnight!

I have continued to use their products and now have started using their award winning REDEFINE Multi-Funtion Eye Cream, AMP MD Micro-Exfoliating Roller and now the REDEFINE Regime. I now know that those products I used to use were NOT working - as I never saw a change in my skin and with Rodan + Fields I DO see a change - and quite a dramatic one. I'm so excited that I'm not wasting my money anymore on the latest fads and gadgets out there and truly know that I am in good hands with two of the the most respected dermatologist in the country and this amazing skincare they developed.  It's truly as close as you can get to visiting the dermatologist without waiting 6 months for an appointment!

I'm so passionate about this company and their products - I want to tell everyone I care about it! Where else can you get dermatology-based skincare from the the comfort of your own home - or office, just by texting, calling or emailing me!  I will do all the ordering for you or you can order yourself through my personal website!  We can work together to find the right products for YOU!

Please call me and we can discuss your personal skin care needs or if it's easier, just email me and I can send  you the SkinCare Solution Tool to find the best product fit for you right now.  

I look forward to working with you and cannot wait to WOW you with your results!!

Jenny McGinnis

Rodan & Fields Consultant

Jenny.A.McGinnis@gmail.com

# 913.706.5597

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year Everyone!!

This is THE YEAR to focus on YOU and how better to do that than with a new skin care regime that I guarantee will blow you away with the results!! 

Call, text or email me to learn more!

Jenny McGinnis - #913.706.5597