10 WAYS STRESS IS WRITTEN ALL OVER YOUR FACE

According to Dr. Sanam Hafeez Psy. D, Colombia University Professor and Founder of Comprehensive Consultation Psychological Services in New York City; stress is written all over our face and can result in looking years older when stressed for prolonged periods of time.

Dr. Hafeez whose expertise is in understanding neural pathways as they respond to anxiety, stress and trauma explains that how we think directly impacts how we age and how youthful we appear. The routine stressors in our lives really impact how fast or slow we age. When stressed, we see it in our skin tone, texture, elasticity, and over all glow.

Featured Photo from PeopleStyle.com

“When someone is under stress they can appear up to 5 years older, 10 years if they don’t manage stress or make changes to their lives. Stressful relationships and careers age people. I have seen patients end relationships or get new jobs and look 10 years younger within days.  People are spending money on creams, facials and cosmetic procedures but if the stress is still there it will still show in their face,” offers Dr. Hafeez.

Here are Ways Stress is Written All Over Your Face

  1.  You have dark circles. Stress results in blood flow to main organs plus capillaries under eyes are fragile and break under stress leaving your face looking sallow and tired. Dark circles seem more apparent.
  2. Mini-Menopause

The jury is still out on exactly how or if this is possible, but it appears that the constant flow of cortisol that goes along with chronic stress causes a dip in estrogen, one that mimics, on a smaller scale, the dip that occurs during menopause. Less estrogen means less collagen and less moisture. So, while estrogen levels may not drop enough to shut down your period, stress may make them dip enough to make your skin look dull and dry.

  1. You notice more wrinkles. Life’s stress due to divorce, death of loved one, job-loss, financial concerns; impacts our brain chemistry. When we feel sad or anxious, are crying or not sleeping well it’s common to see deeper lines around the middle of the eyes, forehead, under eye area and mouth.
  2. You itch, flake and even have hives.  Stress leads to inflammation which may lead to rashes, rosacea, eczema flare ups and changes in skin moisture.
  3. People ask if you’re feeling okay. When the Starbucks barista or guy at the dry cleaners asks if you’re feeling okay, pay attention. These people may not know the details of your life but they know how you look because they see you quickly.
  4. Under-Eye BagsTomorrow’s to-do list can weigh on your mind, keeping you from getting enough beauty sleep. This can cause fluid to pool below your lower eyelid area, and what you end up with is a puffy mess in the a.m. Stomach sleepers, bad news: You can expect the puffiness of your under-eye bags to be even worse because of gravity.
  5. Increased jaw size– Heavy jaw

Grinding teeth and clenching of the jaw are common symptoms of stress. Unfortunately, these habits can cause the jaw muscles to work overtime. This can result not only in damaged teeth, but also a heavier than usual jawline, as the muscles become larger with the grinding action.

    8. Hair Loss

Stress can cause sudden hair loss by literally flipping the switch on the hair follicle’s growth stage from an active to a resting phase. Once the follicle enters this resting phase prematurely, it stays there for about three months, after which time a large amount of hair will be shed. When you experience an overall shedding of hair, you must cast back a few months to find the trigger. Rest assured that in most women, this hair will grow back.

   9. Adult Acne

Acne isn’t just for hormonally crazed teenagers. Many adults can’t seem to outgrow it because of stress hormones. What makes it worse is that tense people often can’t leave pimples alone. Squeezing, poking and picking at them becomes an almost obsessive way to release tension, but it also makes breakouts worse, exacerbating the inflammatory response, and you’re left feeling a bit more stressed. So no picking

   10.  Hormonal Mood Swings

There is a lot of interaction between hormone physiology and mood that works both ways. Our mood can impact our physiology, and our physiology can influence the balance of our hormones. If stress can sit at the top of a cascade of events that lead to undesirable hormonal changes in the body (like those that trigger insomnia, insatiable hunger and weight gain, and collagen breakdown), then what we want to do is find ways to gain the upper hand on our stress level and ensure that we keep all those hormones in check.

According to Dr. Hafeez, “The good news is that we can get to the root cause of our stress and manage it. When you notice changes in your facial appearance take inventory of what is going on in your life and what may be stressing you out. Simple things like sitting quietly for 10 minutes focusing on breathing, writing in a journal, exercising or taking a walk outside, reading, baking, painting, listening to music and reaching for an activity that takes focus off the stress is helpful. If you find yourself reverting back to the stressful issue consider therapy. Clearly there is a connection between how we look and how we feel and think.”

About Dr. SanamHafeez: 

Dr. Hafeez  is available to speak to media on a plethora of topics that connect stress, anxiety and depression and its negative impact on our wellbeing and physical appearance. She provides neuropsychological educational and developmental evaluations in her practice.  She also works with children and adults who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), learning disabilities, autism, attention and memory problems, trauma and brain injury, abuse, childhood development and psychopathology (bipolar, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, etc…) In addition, Dr. Hafeez serves as a medical expert and expert witness by providing full evaluations and witness testimony to law firms and courts.

butter LONDON + The Knot at Kohl’s

Wedding season is upon us and what better way to celebrate than with butter LONDON’s newest collaboration with The Knot. Join us next Saturday, May 20th, at Kohl’s Caesar’s Bay for complimentary manicures and makeup touch ups.

 

butter LONDON + The Knot Beauty Spotlight Event at Kohl’s

Saturday, May 20th

11:00 am – 6:00 pm

Kohl’s Caesar’s Bay

8973 Bay Pkwy #1, Brooklyn, NY 11214 (Beauty Department)
RSVP for manicures and makeup touchups – 718.266.6357

Eavara Botanical Facial Cleanser and Pure Paradise Day Cream | Beauty Review

Most women want to appear naturally beautiful without the dependence of makeup.  On this site, I am always an advocate for glowing skin because it’s the foundation (or the base) of cosmetics application.

Eavara has a new Botanical Facial Cleanser and Day Cream.  The company’s philosophy is organic and natural skin care.  This means, there’s no chemical ingredients that could potentially irritate the skin.  

I had the opportunity to review the product line.  My first impression was the botanical scent and soft texture of the cleanser.  This particular product can be used both day and night, which is the proper skin care regimen.

After washing my face and patting dry with a towel, I applied the Pure Paradise Day Cream.  The directions on the bottle states use after cleansing and before makeup.  

After using the product (for a week) my skin had a natural, radiant appearance and received fewer breakouts due to the climate change.  To learn more about the product for yourself visit Eavara.com 

Memorial Day Beauty Must-Haves

With Memorial Day just around the corner, upgrade your beauty routine for the new season and only pack the essentials! Look your best all weekend long with these beauty must-haves.

Cool off after a few days in the sun with the KORRES Greek Yoghurt After- Sun Cooling Gel. An ultra-cooling cream gel that immediately provides long-lasting freshness and comfort to the face and body. Ideal for after sun exposure, nourishing Greek Yoghurt hydrates the skin, instantly relieving excessive heat and stinging. Cooling Gel helps reduce skin redness and prolong suntan ($26; Sephora.com).

Store the Lavanila Laboratories Mini Sport Luxe Deodorant in your beach bag for long lasting freshness all weekend long. This deodorant was created for life in motion. Lavanila’s proprietary, award-winning beta glucan technology is infused with SmartSport™ for high-performance defense and nourishment, and bursts with long-lasting vanilla breeze freshness to break down sweat molecules and deliver superior, invisible, all-natural odor protection. ($9; Lavanila.com).

Take your Cuvée Essentials wherever you go while traveling this long weekend. A three-piece travel set to help prolong any style, the Shampoo, Conditioner and Styling Balm are the basics for the girl on the move. Shampoo and Conditioner to gently cleanse, add shine and hydration. Styling balm will help protect, tame frizz, without weighing hair down. Now that’s glamour on the go! ($30; CuveeBeauty.com).

Keep your hair up and out of your face in the summer sun, while still looking chic with the Hairdo 23” Long Wave Pony – which clips right over your own ponytail! This 23” Long Wave Pony features Tru2Life® heat-friendly synthetic hair that can be flat-ironed, curled or blown out, and has a long, smooth band of wrap-around hair that securely attaches with a hook-and-loop fastening strip for a look that’s seamless. ($59; Ulta and Ulta.com).

Eye Health with Glasses and Shades | Sarah Bernard

Our eyes are windows to the world, and we’re not doing enough to protect them. Constant exposure to the sun ‘and’ screens is taking a toll on our eyes.

We don’t think twice about grabbing sunscreen to protect our skin from harmful U-V rays that cause sunburn and skin cancer. But, most people don’t realize our eyes can also suffer sunburn; causing both short and long-term damage.

But the great outdoors isn’t our only concern. On any given day for approximately 8.5 hours, our eyes are fixated on TVs, computer screens, iPads, e-books and smart phones. The Vision Council reports that blue light penetrates deep into the eye, which may result in:

  • Long-term vision problems, such as macular degeneration, cataracts and damage to the retina
  • Sleep disruption, due to the suppression of melatonin

It’s time to keep your eyes on the prize! The world’s leading provider of eyewear solutions is focused on helping you see your future with lines specifically designed to protect your eyes from sun and screen exposure!

Lifestyle and Fashion television contributor, Sarah Bernard discussed:

  • Limiting blue light exposure with the 20-20-20 rule
  • Foster Grant’s protective eyewear  — 4 collections specifically designed to protect eyes, including readers!  With consumers age 35 and up now using them, it’s no longer an “age thing”. Think fun, fashion option!
  • The in-style specs for the summer

Sephora Inside JCPenney Grand Opening Recap

Sephora hosted their grand opening inside of JCPenney at the Riverchase Galleria. There was live music, demos, and customers received a clutch bag with samples. A few of the featured beauty brands included Urban Decay, NARS Cosmetics, Beauty Blender, La Mer, GlamGlow, and Marc Jacobs.

Grand opening visitors could receive free mini makeovers; creating a Smoky Eye, Essential Eyeliner, Polished Brows, and Contouring.

I purchased Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Gloss and Sephora Collection Mink Eyelashes for my beauty arsenal.

 

 

Sally Hansen x Madeline Poole May Trend: Negative Space

When it comes to nail trends, Sally Hansen Global Color Ambassador Madeline Poole is the expert on what’s hot. This season, she reports that Negative Space is the trendiest and easiest nail art look you can create at home with Sally Hansen nail polish.

“Fashion week Spring 2017 saw tons of nails in this style on the runway” reported Madeline, “such was the case at Proenza Schoeler and Vera Wang.” Negative Space design makes a feature of empty space and asymmetry, something seen not only on nails this season, but also in the collections of designers like Christopher Kane, who showed sheer paneled negative space dresses.
The Negative Space trend is simple to create yourself. All you need is a regular bobby pin, Sally Hansen Miracle Gel in Creme de la Creme and Miracle Gel Top Coat. The #1 no light gel system, Miracle Gel will make your nails on-trend for up to 14 days of color and shine. See below for an easy step-by-step!
Step 1: Starting with clean nails, apply the “Negative Space” design with Miracle Gel in Creme de la Creme to your nails using the bobby pin.
Step 2: Apply a coat of Miracle Gel Top Coat to seal your mani. It’s that easy!

Artis Elite Mirror Oval 7

It’s no secret that celebrities, influencers and makeup artists can’t get enough of Artis. So, why would it be a surprise that everyone’s favorite celebrity makeup artists, Sir John (responsible for achieving Beyonce’s flawless looks), and Ana Marie Rizzieri (behind Rose Byrne’s gorgeous looks in Henrietta Lacks on HBO), have one major thing in common – they both love using the Artis Elite Mirror Oval 7!

Artis Elite Mirror Oval 7 ($62 at ArtisBrush.com):

This patented, perfect size face brush brilliant applies foundation, blush, highlighting, bronzing, skincare, and setting powders. Artis brushes are made exclusively with CosmeFibre, a revolutionary engineered fibre made for applying cosmetic and makeup products.

GET THE LOOK: Rita Ora at the 2017 Met Gala

Who: Rita Ora at the 2017 Met Gala
The Look: 1930’s Hollywood
The Inspiration:  Rita’s gorgeous silk gown confection by Marchesa immediately inspired Celebrity Makeup Artist Kathy Jeung to give Rita a strong red lip to match her dress. Kathy added strong brows and bold lashes with a matte skin finish, added glowing shimmery highlights on the cheekbones and lower lash line.
How to Get the Look: 
Skin
Kathy applied Rimmel London Stay Matte Primer all over Rita’s cleansed face to create a smooth mattifying canvas for makeup. She then applied Rimmel London Match Perfection 2 ‘n 1 Concealer in shade Light with her ring finger in a tapping motion underneath Rita’s eyes, erasing dark circles. Kathy applied Rimmel London Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation in Sand with a flat foundation brush in broad strokes over Rita’s face, and blended with a damp sponge, giving Rita a sheer, natural looking matte finish.
Cheeks
Kathy used Rimmel London Kate Moss Sculpting & Highlighting Kit in Golden Sands to highlight the tops of Rita’s cheekbones, above her jawline and down length of her nose. She contoured the hollows under her cheekbones, just under her jawbone and under her chin using a narrow wedge brush and applied the blush using a rounded brush on the apples of her cheeks and extended towards temples.
Kathy added a natural glow and a healthy dose of color by applying Rimmel London’s Natural Bronzer in Sun Bronze, with a large fluffy brush, by dusting lightly along hairline, on temples, on cheeks and under chin. She also blended into the face to soften the contour.
Eyes
Kathy applied the beige shade of the Rimmel London Magnif’Eyes Shadow Contouring Palette in Keep Calm & Wear Gold all over the eyelid to browbone as a base color and browbone highlighter. She used the dark beige matte shade in the eye socket hollow to enhance the crease. She lined Rita’s eyes using Rimmel ScandalEyes Thick & Thin Eyeliner by applying a thin line along the lashes to subtlety blend in the lash line. Lastly, she enhanced Rita’s eye look by using Rimmel London’s brand new volumizing, clump-free Shake It Fresh Mascara to complete the look.
Brows
Kathy gave Rita a structured brow, using Rimmel London Brow This Way Brow Sculpting Kit in Dark Brown. She brushed the powder on to fill in, and extend the shape and give structure to Rita’s eyebrows. She then used Brow This Way Brow Styling Gel in Clear to keep stray hairs in place.
Lips
Kathy lined Rita’s lips using Rimmel London’s Lasting Finish Lip Liner in  Red Dynamite to give added shape and staying power. She finished off the lips by applying Rimmel London’s Show Off Lip Velvet in Burning Lava and Rimmel London Lasting Finish by Kate Moss Matte Lipstick in Kiss of Life. She layered Rimmel London #Insta Fix & Matte Translucent Powder in between the layers to keep everything in place.
Where to Find Them: Rimmel London products are available at chain drug stores and mass retailers nationwide. Visit www.RimmelLondon.com for store locations and to try the newest products with Rimmel London’s exclusive Get The Look App available on iTunes and Google Play. Rimmel London’s new Shake It Fresh is available now at Target.com.
#EdgeYourLook #RimmelRebel
@RimmelLondonUS

How Are You Going to Change Up Your Hair For Spring?

Ammon Carver, L’ANZA Healing Haircare Global Creative Director is here to help put that extra little pep into your step!

Celebrate your tousled texture and strut your natural stuff – now is the time to have more fun and go with a beach-inspired, bouncy and free-spirited style!

o   If you have finer/straight hair, use a dry texture spray like the L’ANZA Healing Style Dry Texture Spray – it has similarities to a dry shampoo and provides that extra volume and juj, without the greasy oil or residue.

o   If you have textured hair (insert Beyoncé’s gorgeous curls), an oil like the L’ANZA Keratin Healing Oil Hair Plumper is great for providing gorgeous fullness, without leaving the hair feeling dry.

  • Go with a lighter shade of Bayalage. Or, if you’re looking for something a bit more drastic without the commitment, a temporary rose gold color tone is a great option.

o   Protect with the L’ANZA Healing ColorCare Color-Preserving Shampoo and Conditioner, which replaces vital nutrients and moisture to maintain color and contains Flower Shield Complex for anti-fading.

  • Braided accents and ponytails are all the latest rage right now – everyone is longing for a fresh and youthful look in the spring! And, if you’re looking for something a bit more edgy, sport a side spiked side part for going out.

o   Finish with the quick-drying L’ANZA Keratin Healing Oil Lustrous Finishing Hairspray that provides great hold, extended UV/hair color protection, shine and volume, and fights frizz/humidity (not to mention it smells amazing).

o   Use the L’ANZA Healing Style Brilliant Texture to polish and provide flyaway control and shine for your spring pony.