Photo Credit: Travelsmith

If you are like most of us Bag Ladies, you carry a trendy, stylishly-oversized bag filled with not only all your beauty “necessities” but a wallet, laptop, cell phone, water bottle, glasses, comfortable shoes to wear when no one is looking , etc.  We throw this 10 pound bag over one shoulder and lug it wherever we go.

If you read BEAUTYINTHEBAG you are up on the latest beauty items, but it is not so beautiful to be walking around tilted sideways to compensate for all this weight. No one looks beautiful with lower back pain. I can’t help you with all of the other stuff, but I can help you with what you need to carry in your makeup bag. For some women, this bag is heavier then their laptop!

FACE – My absolute favorite, favorite product is oil blotting tissue. A dab instantly refreshes your entire face without having to apply new makeup. Dust with some light translucent powder,  a touch of lip gloss (all you need if you are using a lasting lip color) and consider yourself refreshed during the work day. Most premium brands sell oil blotting tissues (MAC, Shiseido, Chanel) but why pay up when you can get them at CVS for a fraction of the cost and they are actually just as good? Some even come with added powder, but I personally don’t care for those as I think they can make skin look pasty. I much prefer a light dusting of powder with a brush. Yes, there are also miniature brush kits.

EYES - If you are going out straight from work, almost every brand these days has miniature version of eye makeup. Look for promotions in all major department stores where they offer a sample size products as Gift With Purchase. These are perfect for carrying around.

LIPS - I love the new lipsticks that have stay on power. I use one in the morning to line and fill in (lip liner that shows is VERY aging, so use same color to line and fill). All you need to carry in you bag to refresh is a tinted lip gloss .
 
Carry a medium size makeup bag that easily fits into your bag. If you can’t get in all of your makeup, you are carrying around way too much. Remember, in summer less makeup is much more flattering. I might let you carry a few more beauty products in winter, so stay tuned if you are freaked out by my suggestion to downsize!

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With so many skincare companies borrowing ingredients from the  kitchen and the garden, why not make your own , fresh , natural beauty solutions!  

I actually love to do this. I use organic ingredients where available , sometimes add a few minutes of meditation or soak in a warm bath. A treat for the body and soul!

These are a few of my own home beauty creations:

Have a Blemish?: A dab of toothpaste left on overnight will dry it up well. It works by absorbing the oil, and depending on the brand, flouride acts like an antiseptic.

Puffy Eyes:  Soak 2 tea bags in hot water. When they are cool, place over eyes for 5-10 minutes. The caffeine in the tea bag draws out the water from under the eyes.  Alternatively, a slice of cold cucumber placed on each eye will also help to reduce puffiness. Or stick your eye gel in the fridge for 10 minutes and aaahhhh….

Nigh Time Eye Nourisher: Apply a small amount of organic flax oil around the eye. Flax oil contains tons of Omega 3 essential fatty acids so it will nourish &  moisturize the eye area without creating any puffiness as flax oil is very light and pure.

Body Moisturizer: While I don’t recommend using this product in food preparation, Crisco is a fab body moisturizer. It can seals in moisture as well as shea butter. All moisturizers need to be applied to moist skin to be most effective – like after a bath or shower.

Facial Mask Oily Skin : Plain old fashioned yogurt applied to the skin and allowed to dry will sop up oil instantly while the calcium and probiotics will help to nourish the skin.

Antioxidant Mask: Love this to apply this when soaking in a warm bath. The steam helps the nutrients to absorb into the skin. In a blender combine a few slices of banana (for the potassium) with blueberries. Whip into a paste , leave on for 3-5 minutes and wash off or lick off if you like! Blueberries give your skin a big does of antioxidants while the banana moisturizes . Skin will feel silky and healthy after application.

Sensitive Facial Mask : Crushed oatmeal mixed with cream (the kind you put in your coffee) applied for 3 minutes will soothe and minimize redness.

Exfoliating Scrub : Mix epsom salt …(ok this is not from the kitchen but from the pharmacy). You could use kosher salt but I like epsom so much better. Not as course and is filled with nourishing magnesium [nutrient needed for healthy cell renewal] with flax oil and apply in a gentle rotating motion. Not only will it remove dead skin cells but it will leave skin feeling moist and renewed.

Home Made Lip Gloss: Fresh cranberries mixed with butter will give your lips a hint of color while smoothing fine lines and wrinkles.  Don’t kiss anyone with high cholesterol…..LOL

Astringent/Skin Lightener: A fresh cut lemon will act as an astringent due to its acidic content. Apply every day for a month and you should see some mild lightening of the skin due to it’s exfoliating/bleaching properties.

Facial Moisturizer: Rich in Vitamin A, a crushed avocado has all the nutrients of the best OTC skincare product you could purchase. Apply a small amount at nite. Make sure to keep in refrigerator, it sould last 3 days before losing its benefits.

Sunburn Soother: Soak a cloth in cool skim milk and apply to skin . Keep wet and moist for 5-10 minutes. The calcium /magnesium/vitamins in the milk will absorb the heat and nourish the skin. Apply some flax oil after.

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SAY HELLO TO REX

A new wrinkle -freezing treatment known as REX, formerly known as GFX or Relaxed Expressions, is being offered at selected doctors’ offices to treat the lines between the eyebrows. To date Botox is the most effective treatment but there are those who do not want to be injected with the botulism virus event though it has been around for a long time and appears to be totally safe for most individuals.

The REX works by inserting a probe under the skin at the corner of the temple. You need to be able to frown during the 30 minute procedure so the doctor can access nerve function. The probe emits energy that creates lesions of the muscles that cause the wrinkles between the brows. REX is a more invasive procedure then Botox and can cause swelling and bruising at the site of the insertion. On the surface of this information I am not a fan, even though I prefer “natural” approaches to youthful aging.

Bioform Medical, the company that markets Radiesse, does claim it lasts 12 months. That is way longer then Botox or Dysport which last 3-6 months tops. Jury is still out on this !

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