Nature vs. Nurture - Which Factors Keep you Forever Fabulous?

Hi Beauties! Long-time, no see! I’ve been traveling a bit, and airplanes are just about the only place nowadays where I get to catch up on my magazines. Now that I’m back, I’ve got tons to dish about, beginning with an article in Allure that I think every lass worth her lip gloss should know about!

We’ve all been told a million times – “Stay out of the sun,” “Don’t smoke,” “Eat your veggies!” All great tips for looking and feeling young; but just how much of a difference do these vices really make? Will your superior DNA swoop in and save the day? Will your sun protection obsession ever pay off? Allure’s September issue shared the scoop, with a story that chronicled a recent study published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. The research, which examined the effects of different environmental factors on the appearance of identical twins, resulted in some fascinating conclusions. What I learned was that – even though my mom is beautiful – I can’t count on her genes to make up for my indiscretions. The good news? All of us have more influence on the way we age than we think.

So how drastic are the effects of environmental factors? Take a look at these “identical” twins!

These 61-year-old sisters are a prime example of why you should stay out of the sun and skip the cigarettes! Susan, the unfortunate sibling on the right, smoked for 16 years, and sun bathed for more than that. Jeanne, meanwhile, avoided the sun and the smokes. The differences are shocking, and undeniable!

Don’t fret, ladies, it’s not too late! The scientists who conducted the study came up with the following guidelines:

- Cigarettes not only take years off your life –they add years to your appearance. 2.5 years for every 10 years you smoke, to be exact!

- Sun bathing can have an effect on a woman’s skin as early as her 20s! Years of sun bathing can cause up to 80% of all skin aging. (The good news for you outdoorsy gals is that, according to the study, sunscreen can minimize or prevent those effects! Phew!)

- Catherine Deneuve was right when she said that “after a certain age, a woman needs to choose between her face and her behind.” After the age of 40, thinner women appear older than women who are a bit more buxom. (Another reason to have cupcakes at your 40^th birthday celebration!)

- Anti-depressants, excessive alcohol consumption and extreme stress (such as divorce or financial crisis) can also add years to the appearance.

Want to read the full story? Check out the article at the following link:

http://www.stylelist.com/blog/2009/10/30/what-keeps-a-woman-looking-young/

Happy Halloween, you fabulous things!

Look Good and Do Good!

You know you look fabulous. You also know that lookin’ that good ain’t easy! So why not get more out of your look this month? October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and every year countless cosmetics companies come together to “think pink” and help raise funds for breast cancer research. Many of these products are special editions, just for the month of October, while others are just pink versions of your everyday favorites, now with a portion of proceeds going to a cause! I’m always impressed by the multitude of beauty brands that get involved each October – here are a few of my faves!

Sephora’s BCA Pink Eyelash Curler is fun AND functional! Eyelash curlers always have that medieval torture device look to them, but these pink versions are so much friendlier looking! This pinch-free eye-opener is $16, $1 of which goes directly to Breast Cancer Awareness.

If an eyelash curler isn't eye-opening enough, how about a surprising fact, instead: Did you know that 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer over the course of their lives? Balmshell knows –which is why it created its “1 in 8” lip gloss – dedicated to reminding women about the importance of awareness in the fight against this potentially deadly disease.

These tasty lip glosses tint and condition your lips, and their distinctive design (which contains a moving illustration unique to each shade) makes the gloss so great you’ll want to keep the tube after it’s empty. Tilt the tube and a hot pink target slides back and forth between two blossoming trees with eight pretty little bras that vary in size, color and style (Symbolic of the many different types of women affected by breast cancer). When the gloss is done, the handle can be unscrewed and re-attached to the keychain provided with the product - an adorable reminder of an important cause! $1 from the sale of every 1-in-8 lip gloss sold is donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. My favorite shade is “You Give me Fever” but with 15 shades to choose from, every do-good gal can find one to suit her style.

Want to help but also want some swag? Donate $1 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation while shopping at the amazing beauty emporium, ULTA, and enter to win an amazing $500 beauty gift bag, filled with everything from a Chi flat iron to Smashbox eyeshadows! Check out the Web site for more info:

http://www.ulta.com/store/breastcancer/donations.html

Did you win!? Store your swag in this adorable breast cancer awareness train case, also from ULTA. On sale for only $11.25 you can keep all your essentials organized in this perfect pink pouch, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Say Sayonara to Shoppers Remorse, girls – right now you can get your favorite goodies guilt-free, knowing that you’re doing your part to help raise funds and raise awareness in the fight against breast cancer. Go ahead, gals, get gorgeous for the greater good!

Size Matters!

If you’re like me, you love experimentation. You’ll try anything once, so you can figure out what works and what doesn’t work... How else could you achieve truly lush lashes?!

While I always stock up on my tried-and-true favorites, a flashy new product with promises of lengthening, thickening and strengthening attract me to the beauty aisle with a pseudo-gravitational pull and won’t let up until stashed safely in my cart en route to the checkout. Sure, I tell myself I’ll wait until my current tube is empty before opening my new mascara, but usually my willpower gives in before I even reach the bedroom and I crack open the package the moment I walk in the door. Often I find myself unimpressed with the performance of lash purchases, which can offer too little volume or too much clumping, but occasionally I come across a true gem. And gals, when I find a gem, I tell EVERYONE who will listen (men included! Sorry, boys!)

Last week, a lovely yellow tube of mascara caught my attention – I circled, sized it up, and then went in for the kill… purchasing my first-ever tube of Covergirl’s newest mascara, Covergirl Lashblast Length. I love the original Lashblast, Lashblast Luxe just didn't do it for me, so while the potential for Lashblast Length was high, my expectations were somewhere in the middle. Ladies, it was love at first swipe! The spiky wand covered each lash with smooth, natural-looking color and pumped up volume while adding soft, beautiful length to each and every lash. The best part – no matter how many times I swiped through my lashes, this glorious gorgifier WOULD. NOT. CLUMP!!!!!

According to Covergirl, the product’s proprietary blend contains “Elasta-Nylon,” a fibrous, but flexible lengthener that gives up to an 80% longer lash look without flaking. And while 80% seems a bit ambitious for any mascara, I can certainly vouch for the “length sans flake” qualities of this magical makeup. The best part? Lashblast Length is only $6-7 at drugstores, so you can lengthen your lashes without shrinking your bank account! So go ahead and get lengthening, girls! Because when it comes to lashes, bigger is always better! ;)