Give yourself a weekly manicure. The lack of moisture in the air during the fall season causes nails to chip more often. Giving yourself a weekly manicure with a nourishing hand cream and a fresh coat of eggplant nail polish will ensure your mitts stay pretty and fit for the season.
Use a richer moisturizer. Lack of humidity also causes dryer skin on your face, even if you normally have oily skin. Opt for a richer moisturizer such as Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion , a non-comedogenic formula (it will not clog your pores).
Switch to a Cream Hair Remover. Hair grows a little slower in the winter, which means you will not have to shave as much. Ditch your razor in favor of a moisturizing cream hair remover such as Nair Cream Hair Remover with Aloe Vera for super-smooth legs.
Exfoliate Your Lips. The fall/winter season is especially brutal to our lips, causing excessive dryness and flaking. Protect your lips by exfoliating with a warm washcloth or C.O. Bigelow Smoothing Lip Buffer, then follow up with your favorite creamy lip balm.
Whip Up a Pumpkin Face Mask. I found a yummy recipe for your face over at Care2: a nourishing pumpin face mask with honey:
Pumpkin Facial Mask
2 teaspoons cooked or canned pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon milk (or whipping cream, if your skin is very dry)
1. Combine ingredients and apply to a clean face with gentle circular motions, avoiding the area around your eyes.
2. Allow mask to remain on skin for 10 to 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water, pat dry, and apply your usual moisturizer.
Even though they are supposed to be amazing and I have friends who would not want to live in a world without them, I kind of find Spanx and other types of "shapewear" offensive. The idea that I should suck in and smooth my lumps and bumps with tight-as-heck Lycra so as to fit into clothes that don't totally fit me in the first place seems somehow wrong-headed. Not to mention incredibly uncomfortable (plus, to me, the fact that men don't have to do this makes it extra-ridiculous). I say it's better to find clothes that actually look good on your body and, if you still feel whale-like and self-conscious, either practice self-acceptance OR apply these basic styling tricks of the eye. They're easy. They don't hurt or indent your skin. And they let you work with what you've got.
1. Avoid large prints
Noisy or bright prints basically turn anything they adorn into a billboard. A big one. Stick to solid colors that flatter your skin tone. Also, if you want to fake slenderness, you should avoid super-shiny fabrics.
2. Buy clothes that fit
This one seems like a total "duh," but too many people buy clothes a size too small because they'll fit into them "someday" or a size too big because they feel self conscious about their actual shape. Listen, you are what you are in this moment of time and you can't change things right this second, so why not make the best of what you have? Another word of advice: For jackets, pants and even skirts, if you can't find your exact size off the rack, buy a size up and have the piece tailored. It's a lot cheaper than you think ($10-$30 in most cases) and will make the item look like it was made for you.
3. Never, ever wear cropped pants
I can't emphasize this enough. Capri styles shorten your legs, make you look stumpy and take away any illusion of a long, lean silhouette. Seriously, unless you have a body like Audrey Hepburn, do not wear these pants.
4. Also? No tapered jeans for the rest of your life
Not that we should all be concerned with trends, but skinny jeans are just about a thing of the past and I am a little bit thanking God. For anyone with hips or a butt, this look was pure denim cruelty. I'll tell you why: By narrowing to the extreme at the ankle, they made curvy women look like upside down gourds. Hideous. Instead, opt for pants with a straight leg from the thighs to the feet or a slight flair at the bottom. This will actually balance your hips and make you look sexy and normal.
5. Create a waist
This tip is important for anyone, but it's essential for people with big boobs. You need a waist so that your body doesn't become just Boobs-Legs-Feet. I like wrap tops or those that have details like darts or rouching--they not only create an hourglass shape, they also hide your belly. Apply this nipped-in waist rule to dresses and jackets too.
6. Be careful with necklines
If you go too high--with something like a crewneck or a boat neck--you create the appearance of a more massive upper body. Instead, stick to v-necks, scoops and sweetheart necklines which break up your torso.
7. If you have wide shoulders? Avoid button-downs
This is a rule I follow and it totally makes me look and feel better. Because I'm broad in the chest, when I wear button-down shirts, I resemble a linebacker. The remedy to this is either to avoid these tops altogether or layer them under a vest or v-neck sweater.
8. A-line skirts (and dresses) are your friend
There are few people that don't look good in an A-line cut—its narrow-at-the-top, flowy-at-the-bottom shape is super-comfortable and basically makes your butt and hips disappear. I love these pieces in winter with pretty cardigans and tights and boots.
Step 1: Even Out the Skin
Everyone has something she wants to cover up. Dark circles are probably the biggest problem, but there are also broken capillaries, blemishes, and other skin discolorations. You don’t have to cover every square inch of your face with a thick coat of base. Use a foundation to touch up only those areas that need it, just to even out your skin tone.
Foundations come in liquid, cream, cake, and stick form, but makeup artists say stick varieties are the most user-friendly. “A stick foundation is sheer enough to blend over undereye circles and opaque enough to conceal a pimple,” says New York City makeup artist Liz Michael. Choose one that’s creamy but not too greasy in texture, neutral or yellow-based (since yellow tones neutralize the red in your skin), and a shade that matches your natural skin tone exactly. The best place to test foundations is along the jawline — the color that disappears into your skin is the right one for you.
If you’re in a rush, try mixing your foundation and moisturizer — it will save you the time of slathering on two products, and it will simplify application. “It’s easier to put on a tinted moisturizer than it is to use a sponge to get a full coverage of foundation,” says Tobi Britton, owner of the Makeup Shop in New York.
Step 2: Define the Eyes
The first thing people notice about a person is her eyes, so it’s no surprise that the experts recommend playing them up. The easiest way to do this is with mascara. “A coat of mascara really opens up the eyes and makes you look more awake,” says makeup artist Sonia Kashuk.
Like foundation, mascara is available in a variety of formulas. Professional makeup artists use thickening mascaras on almost everyone, except those with naturally full lashes, in which case they switch to a lighter-formula lash darkener. If you wear contact lenses, make sure that the mascara you use has been ophthalmologist tested.
Black mascara works on just about anyone. But if your lashes are blond or red, try brown instead.
Step 3: Add Color
A hint of color on the cheeks or lips gives your face a healthy glow. Which feature you decide to play up depends partly on your complexion and partly on your taste. Women with light hair and pale complexions tend to feel washed out without blush. Women with darker hair and more color in their faces usually choose lipstick instead.
Blush is available in powders, creams, liquids, and gels. People with oily or problem skin are better off with a powder blush because it provides better coverage and a matte finish. Those with dry complexions should use a moisturizing cream blush. If your skin is normal, any type should work.
Selecting a shade is easy. Your face comes with its own palette: your natural flush. “The color of your cheeks just after exercise is your optimum shade,” says makeup artist Bobbi Brown.
Find the right spot for your blush by smiling and then applying it to the apple of your cheek and back toward the cartilage nub in the center of your ear. “Don’t let it go below the line created between the ear nub and nostril,” says Britton. “When your blush goes too low, it makes your face look wider.”
Choosing a lip color comes down almost exclusively to personal preference. Lip colors with sheer to creamy finishes are the most goof-proof to apply, since you don’t have to worry about staying exactly within the lines of your lips. Anything matte or opaque usually requires more precise application. Use your lips as a guide for choosing a color. Your natural lip color, deepened one shade, is your most wearable color.