Fragrantly Beautiful

Our top-to-toe beauty guide

By SUE MOXLEY and CHERYL CARTER

October 16, 2006

YOU might think you know the basics when it comes to beauty, but you’d be amazed at how many mistakes we all make every day.

Getting the simple grooming laws right can make all the difference when it comes to looking your best.

DO blot your lips after applying lipstick. For extra staying power add a dusting of loose powder with a brush before adding a second coat.

DON’T over-pluck your eyebrows! Hold a pencil and line it up with the inner corner of your eye and your eyebrows — this is where your eyebrows should start.

Pluck any stray hairs that are in between your two brows, and any at the outer edge underneath the brow to create a nice clean arch. If you pluck when you have just got out of the bath, you will find the hairs come out painlessly as the pores will be open.

DO apply foundation under your chin and blend down your neck no matter how close the colour match of your foundation to your skin. Your chin shades your neck from the sun so your neck may be lighter in colour. Blending the foundation will minimise the difference in skin shades.

DO line your lips with a colour that is close to your own and use a cotton bud to blend away any hard edges. Alternatively, choose a lipliner that is close to your chosen lipstick. Do not use a dark lipliner with a lighter colour lipstick. This is a definite no-no. It is possibly the worst beauty mistake you can make!

DON’T rub your hair with a towel after washing, as this can damage the cuticle and cause split ends. Instead, wrap your hair in a towel and gently squeeze and pat it. Give your hair a holiday and let it dry naturally whenever possible.

DON’T backcomb your hair. Backcombing causes hair to split and break. But if you must do it, only backcomb from the root — never at the ends. When you comb it out, do it section by section and wash and condition with an intensive treatment

DO massage your scalp when washing your hair as this helps stimulate blood flow which feeds the follicles and allows healthy regrowth.

DON’T cut your fringe when it is wet. Some people insist on cutting their own fringe as a trip to the salon seems a touch indulgent for a tiny trim. But remember that when your hair is dry it will shorten. Snip very carefully in line with or just above your brows when your hair is dry.

DO apply false tan to the back of your hands. Most brands advise to wash hands thoroughly after applying but then you usually end up with white hands. Apply a small amount to the back of one hand straight from the bottle and then rub in with the back of the other hand. Avoid washing your hands for a few hours and your hands will be brown, but your palms will not.

DON’T scrub your teeth backwards and forwards. Cleaning too hard and too long can cause enamel to wear away. Always brush up and down or in small circular movements.
Hold your toothbrush at a 45 degree angle and gently clean up into the gum. This is where food can stay hidden and cause gum disease. Try to finish with a mouthwash.

DO moisturise your throat, neck and chest. The skin here is very delicate and is one of the first places to show signs of ageing. Apply sun protection in the summer and moisturise daily.

DON’T load on the eye cream. Too much will cause puffiness under the eye and can actually do more harm than good by dragging and stretching the delicate skin. Apply a few dots under the eye and pat in with the fourth finger of your hand. Always use cream created for eyes as this is lighter than other creams.

DO cut your toenails straight across leaving the edges longer than the toe. Cutting too short at the corners can cause painful ingrowing toenails. If you prefer the rounded look file a slightly rounded edge with an emery board.

DON’T forget to exfoliate after shaving or waxing. Ingrown hairs occur when the hair gets trapped inside the follicle or the hair curls over and grows back into the skin. Using a gentle product to exfoliate away the top layers of dead skin will stop this happening.

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posted by Cheryl Levesque @ 10:26 AM