You can buy new shoes all you want, but it’s your face that everyone is looking at all day. So, take care of it. We all want to put our best face forward. Make it your New Year’s Resolution to pay more attention to the largest organ of your body. . . Your skin! Here are some tips to a fabulous new you!

Stick to a regimen: Find products that are best for your skin and stick with them. You can’t expect any product to work if you are only using them here and there. Everyone should be using a cleanser, toner, moisturizer and eye cream daily. Other products like masks, exfoliants, and spot treatments can be used on an as-needed basis depending on your skin type and skincare concerns. All of these products can be confusing, so I recommend visiting a local skincare specialist for a consultation. You can always email me if you have any questions.

Most important is to get organized. Write down your routine for the week and post it inside of your medicine cabinet.Everytime you open your cabinet, whether to brush your teeth, floss or whatever… That list of how to take care of your skin is right there - in your face! Follow that list diligently, until you have muscle memory. Be patient and remember that your skin takes about 28 days to renew itself, so it’s going to take about that long for you to notice the major difference that your new routine is making. Stick with it and your hard work and determination will definitely pay off!

I love this little goody for traveling. These are the ever so famous Peter Thomas Roth botanical buffing beads which leaves your face and body oh so soft. It now comes in three other scents which will just intoxicate you. The set includes the Original Blue, Parisian Passion, Asian Sensation, Moroccan Spice and Caribbean Sunset Scents. This scrub is one of the best around. Ultra-fine jojoba beads and botanical nutrients work in two ways. First, they help exfoliate your dead skin cells, which allow your treatment products to actually penetrate and do what they are supposed to do.  These beads also help open up clogged pores and clear away blackheads and whiteheads. They do all of this with any irritation. I like using these products on my body before I sun bathe or before I self tan. It makes my tan look so much smother and deeper. It’s a good value too! Only $36.

My daughter got this as a secret Santa gift this year. What a sweet little surprise. The packaging is so nice. It looks great on her window sill. Her room is accented in orange and cranberry, so it matches great. But, the big surprise from this little ceramic jar is the scent. Kyara. I never heard of it before. It’s Japanese inspired, a deep earthy blend of precious woods and amber. It’s sweet, yet deep. I’m adding this to my “what to bring for a little token gift” when we go to friends’ home for dinner. My husband will probably still bring the wine, but I’m going to be special and different and bring my little Voluspa - Kyara.

Is it wet or is it dry? It’s so wet that it looks like glass. There are so many different finishes for lip glosses and everyone has an opinion about what makes a good one. This product is slick, wet and easy to apply. This gloss is a favorite among our customers. Lips look so much like glass that you could probably see your own reflection in it.  And, unlike most glosses, this Napoleon Perdis Lacquer has real staying power.

     I want to send Happy Holidays greetings to our wonderful community and all friends near and far.               

               I wish peace and health to all!

Do you need a little help finding those last minute gifts? Beautiful-Faces.com has fantastic gifts for under $25. So whether you’re looking for a gift for a friend, daughter, teacher or work mate, consider one of these thoughtful gifts.  Or maybe you just want to get a little something for yourself while prices are unbeatable! Great little stocking stuffers!

Frederic Fekkai - Anti Frizz Silkening Cream - A great find. She’ll be so happy to get this! A styling product that makes everyone’s hair so shiney and managable. $25

Lauren G Adams

Kisses and Hugs blue stackable ring -  $21.00

                                          Napoleon Perdis - Barely Blushing Cheek Tint  -$19.00

                                                       For the most natural blush…

Napoleon Perdis - Lip Lacquer - $20                   

1.            Oh… what gorgeous lips!!! 
2. Sue Devitt – Wicked Lash Line Enhancer - $20

3. Apply at your lashline for thicker lashes…  

We all had mini facials last night. What a great holiday treat! Sarah and Cheryl from Alaur Skin Solutions® popped in yesterday afternoon and Sarah just started talking to our clients and before you know it she was prepping skin and painting on the Meristem Peel–Off Mask.  We all looked like shiny aliens. But, after she peeled off the masks our skin was so soft and so hydrated. Susan says don’t be shy about putting on the mask; it’s got to really cover your skin. And, let it dry. We used blow dryers on our faces, some of us were so anxious to experience the results. One of our clients wanted to go home with the mask on her face, so the cold air would chill the mask. Masks generally make your skin feel clean and tight, and this one does that, but it’s also really hydrating and plumps up your skin. Meristem is the key ingredient, along with sage, arnica, matricaria and chamomile. Meristem, a natural oak tree protein, is an extraordinary anti-aging ingredient. Together these ingredients refine skin texture and release dead skin cells to encourage new cell growth. Mask one or two times a week. Meristem Mask is a winner of the “beauty awards - insider’s choice”. Thanks Alaur!! I vote for any product that makes me look young or younger.

Wow for $25 what a deal. Peter Thomas Roth says, “We want to make one thing perfectly clear” and he does….your skin. Peter is a real guy who started off in the skin care business because he needed to clear up his own acne. He cleared it, and started this company and he has so many great products. I especially like this kit for fast action acne attack. Kit has a beta hydroxy acid wash, an AHA/BHA clearing gel, a sulfur/glycolic spot treatment, an oil free moisturizer and a mattifying gel to absorb excess oil. It’s like magic. Acne be gone!

This is a really cool 3 step kit that will turn your conservative side into rocker chic. Rocker Eye Kit comes with everything you need plus directions on how to get a rockin’ look. This 4-piece kit includes a pearlized metallic silver eye shadow and iridescent smoky eye shadow, both right out of the 1980’s, Then, of course is the thick black, very black eyeliner and a double sided brush so you can apply both shadows and liner. What a fun look! I’m thinking Pat Benetar….”Hit me with your best shot.”

Roll em, roll em. Sue Devitt has the most amazing shimmer shadows and love her colors!! Easy to apply and easy to carry in your bag. These shimmery little wonders of eye shadow. are so great, especially at holiday time. Take your daytime eye makeup to an evening look in no time. Roll it on and let the good times roll. You are good to go anywhere

Ever wonder how some women look so good with no makeup at the beach? Or, wake up looking lightly blushed and radiant? Well, a few lucky ones do it naturally, but for the rest of us… I’ll let you in on the secret. Shhh…its a little tube of a crème stain called Beach Tint by Becca. This creamy little tint is kiss-proof and water-resistant, and it dries to a perfect, streak-free, non-greasy and non-drying finish. Use this tint on your cheeks and lips for that oh so natural look. It’s great for traveling, especially for vacationing and those sexy moments when you want to catch his eye, you are walking out of the water, wind in your hair and rosy blushed cheeks! Fabulous girls!

Remember when bronzers were orange and russet in color? I do and I remember always longing for a nice, neutral, cool toned bronzer. Well, the Gold Coast by Sue Devitt gives me, and you that color. Imagine it… It’s not orangey, it almost has a blue under-tone, it looks good on women who have any sort of ruddiness to their skin and it looks so natural – like the sun just gently bronzed you. I especially like this color to be used as a contouring product. Most of the times, when I’m doing makeup, I’ll place a bit of Gold Coast bronzer under a woman’s  cheek bone so I accentuate her bone structure. And, then I use a little blush over the cheeky area and blend right into the Gold Coast bronzer. It’s a beautiful effect. So before you buy your next bronzer, give this one a look. But, try it on. Things are not always as they seem- especially where women are concerned.

Who says every body part needs to be small? This product plumps and stimulates lips like no other. It plumps your lips with 100% Bare Escentuals ingredients. Plus, the colors are great. Amber is a real crowd pleaser and it provides the PERFECT neutral color. Isn’t it liberating girls to finally be able to say the “bigger the better” and not be judged? And, it smells like sugar cookies and peppermint. Yum! Girls you need to “call in” to buy this product. Bare Escentuals doesn’t want us to sell it on line. Oh, and when you call us, ask us when the new Buxom colors are expected to come in. The new colors are gorgeous and have a lot of body to them. They are not as sheer as the Amber; they have more color and are more opaque.

Another Randi favorite, especially when she rises at 4:15 every morning for her favorite spin class. We all know that our face might need a little lift at this hour before one meets the world. So, she applies it first thing in the morning and within 20 minutes of getting to the gym, her face is not only lifted but revitalized.  Who says you can’t have it all, a lifted butt, and lifted face! I say go for it all! While Randi is using Laser Tight for her morning pickup, I use it for my evening “get me looking good to go tonight” cream. Maybe Dr.Brandt didn’t mean for it to be used that way, but after a long day at work, when I freshen my skin for the evening I like to spread the Laser Tight along with my tinted moisturizer or my foundation or whatever I’m wearing that night. It lifts me immediately. And, I love that little tingle. It’s like a glass of champagne for your skin.

‘Tis the season to shimmer and shine! I just love adding a touch of shimmer, especially in the holiday season. It just makes me feel so cheery. So, I took a survey of a bunch of women who came into Beautiful-Faces and asked them what they liked the least about shimmer powders. The over all problem with shimmer is the glitter. I know that sounds funny, shimmers should be shimmery, but not glittery. I know I want to be able to wear a fine powder with a touch of shimmer both day and night, and maybe add on just a bit more for night. These Becca shimmer powders are the perfect weight and the perfect amount of shimmer – NO GLITTER. The Becca Shimmer powder adds a bit of radiance to your skin and I like that! The shimmer deflects light and makes us girls look more glowy. Take a full brush and shimmer away on your cheeks, your cheekbones, your neck and décolleté, your shoulders and all over your body. Don’t forget to add shimmer to your lips, too. It’s so… festive!

When my husband tells me how much he loves my soft skin, I have to say that makes me feel good. I love to moisturize and I always have. Starting off with Jergens as a preteen, I quickly discovered the many attributes of body moisturizers. I love them and I am happy to try them all. Here’s one that I like, especially in the winter. It’s Fresh Sugar Body Oil. It has such a soft sweet smell. It’s a gentle oil filled with many essential oils and extracts, vitamins, antioxidants, white lily, calendula and passion flower. So it smells good, it’s calming to your skin and its healing oils improve of the overall texture of your skin. I like it right out of the shower, while my skin is still moist. It’s also great for massages, not too oily. And, we have a special price for it right now. Normally is $45, now its $40.50 and free shipping.

Well here’s a great product and a great deal all wrapped into one and ready for the holiday season! If you haven’t ever tried the MD Skincare line, this is a great opportunity to get on board. This line is what I call result-oriented. You will see a difference in your skin within just a few days. It’s not a line that‘s designed to over hydrate you and just plump you up with all of the super hydrators. This line is known for its ability to actually change and improve your skin tone, skin texture, elasticity and radiance. The kit is valued at $185 and is now selling for $138. Inside of this kit, you get the infamous Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel Pads for 30 days use. You get small sizes of the Hydra Pure Firming Eye Cream, the Hydra Pure Antioxidant Firming Serum and the Hydra Pure Vitamin C Serum. All fabulous products… And, save all of your containers – they’re great for traveling, just refill them. I do wish they had included the Hydra Pure Intense Moisturizer. It works so well with the other products. Well, try the Demand Results and if you’re happy, then come back for the Hydra Pure Intense Moisturizer. I’ll see you soon. And, you know I’d love to hear what you think.

I’m going to tell you all of the benefits of this Silky C serum, but one of my clients came in and she really said it best. Tina said, “I’m not calling this Silky C. I’m calling it ’Liquid Silk’. My skin never felt so smooth!” Not all vitamin C serums are the same and they’re not supposed to be. You can compare vitamin c serums from DDF to SkinCeuticals to Dr. Brandt to Darphin and you are going to find that they are all formulated differently and do not have the same effect on everyone. So here’s the secret about DDF’s Silky C – to me it’s the perfect C to use in the winter and the perfect C to use if you have dry skin or mature skin. It glides on like silk. As you may know, some C serums evaporate quickly and can leave your skin tighter immediately… And, that can be good sometimes. But, this serum is meant to soften your skin, while giving you all of its benefits. And the list of benefits is quite long. Silky C is an advanced blend of vitamin C, retinol, co-enzyme Q10 and phyto nutrients all designed to promote cellular renewal in your skin. It helps to increase your tone, improve your overall hydration and makes your skin smoother very quickly. I like a product that mixes the retinol and the coenzyme Q10 together. I think that helps to reduce the depth of your wrinkles, rather then just plumping them up, it seems to be actually refining them and smoothing them out.

This lipstick is what I call “starter red”. It’s the perfect red for women who are scared of red. It won’t overwhelm you. It’s sheer and looks great on everyone. Many younger women who are trying red lipstick for the first time will really love this color. There are other benefits of this Vincent Longo lipstick, too. It is a lip stain, so it actually leaves a bit of red behind and never totally wears off and it won’t bleed out of your lip line. Also, it has SPF15 - always good to get the sun protection. And, it has a glossy finish, so it’s not matte and drying. And, of course it’s hypoallergenic! Love it! Got to try it! Go Americana!!