Top Beauty Tips

By Susie Ippolito

If I were writing this story three years ago, it would have been an entirely different tone. I likely would have directed our readers to products that promise miracles. But since I moved to Syracuse, the clean Central New York air and laid-back lifestyle has changed all of that for me.

Now, my all-time best beauty tips have nothing to do with makeup and everything to do with self care.

Water

Water is your body’s best beauty friend. Every morning, drink a large glass of warm water with half of a lemon squeezed into it. Drink up before your morning caffeine fix. The lemon alkalizes the stomach and helps to flush out toxins. The result is skin that is more clear, smooth and naturally radiant.

Sweat

If you want to feel great without makeup, then go out and sweat. You will clear toxins from your body, clean out your pores and enjoy the kind of healthy glow you can’t buy at Sephora.

Zap a zit in a day

Somehow, it never fails that when we have a special occasion of any kind, an enormous zit appears in a completely conspicuous place, like the tip of the nose. Stressing out about this will only inflame the situation. Pounding on the makeup will only make it angry.

Instead, grab some Visine and saturate a cotton pad. Hold the pad to the problematic pimple and keep it there. Do this continually throughout the day and it will reduce the redness and become significantly smaller. Stay hydrated, apply a light moisturizer and then go ahead and put makeup on for your big night out.

SPF

Sun protection is as essential to our skin as water. The sun’s rays work to degrade the overall quality of our skin, taking away its elasticity, firmness and even causing fine lines and wrinkles.

Wear SPF every day. Whether the weather calls for gray skies or blue, put sunblock on under your foundation and over your moisturizer.

Wash your face every AM and PM

Even if you don’t wear makeup, a good cleanser that is appropriate for your skin type will give your skin a more even tone and texture. The right cleanser will leave your skin feeling clean and soft, never dry or tight.

Get a good mask

If you have a specific skin concern, get a mask to address it. Think you don’t have time to do a mask twice a week? Keep it in the shower and apply it before you wash your hair.

Special event prep

If you have a special event coming up, follow all of the above advice and add a warm washcloth to your nighttime regime. After cleansing the skin, run a washcloth under very warm (not hot) water. Ring it out slightly, so it is not dripping but has retained the warmth. Lay it over your face for 30 seconds. Remove and repeat three times. Apply your moisturizer. Stand back and enjoy the glow.

Don’t smoke.

Don’t smoke.

Practice self care as often as possible

I realize self care can be hard to work in to our very busy days. Do your best and work it in whenever and wherever you can. Promise yourself five minutes of only positive self-talk every day. Or, vow to stop comparing your thighs to the woman next to you. Or, invest in the best possible body lotion you can afford in a scent you adore and apply it head-to-toe every night before bed.

These small gestures of kindness connect you to you and, I promise, will boost your beauty confidence more than any product ever could. SWM

Read more from Susie Ippolito at susieippolito.com.