sensitive skin

Staffer Beauty Snoop: Associate Art Director Lauren Kukafka

October 20, 2011 at 7:21 am
By Fitness Magazine

Next up in our Staffer Beauty Snoop series, Associate Art Director Lauren Kukafka shares her keep-it-simple beauty philosophy and secrets:

Describe your beauty style in three words or less: Less is more!
What are the three beauty products you can’t live without? Aveeno Cleansing Pads, DDF Aloe Toner and moisturizer.
What’s your beauty routine in the morning? The three products above I use in the morning and night. I never switch it up! If it works, why change it?
Post-workout? I usually let my hair air dry after working in a bit of anti-frizz cream.
What beauty product or treatment instantly makes you feel good?  Washing up before bed. I am known to take a really long time. I love to feel really clean before bed, so I wash my face for like 20 minutes!
What’s the best beauty tip you’ve ever received (or thought of yourself)? I have seriously sensitive skin, and I used to try lots of new stuff, just for fun. I would always be allergic to it, however, which is no fun! Now I know just to use what works.

—By Jaclyn Smock, beauty intern

Soothe Sensitive Skin

September 19, 2011 at 7:21 am
By Eleanor Langston

In the October issue of FITNESS (on sale tomorrow!), we have a must-read feature all about sensitive skin, which is perfect for the 60 percent of American women who say they have complexion irritation. We feature a couple of fantastic makeup products that will help you fake flawless skin, but you should also try these incredible makeup tricks from Emily Kate Warren, a makeup artist in San Francisco and New York City.

Time to prime. If you have red patches, instead of trying to cover up all of the ruddiness with a concealer, simply pick a primer in a yellow or green tint. The tint will help tone down these areas so they’re not so obvious. Next, use tinted moisturizer all over, then spot cover with a yellow-toned concealer to camouflage as needed.

Don’t fight it. Leave the natural redness in your cheeks and simply sweep a matte, pale pink blush on the tops of your apples. Similar to embracing your hair’s natural texture, it’s more flattering to play up your natural rosiness on your cheeks. Just apply it lightly–the more you swipe, the more you’re going to make your cheeks look red.

Tell us: What are your makeup tricks for sensitive skin?

Scrub Your Way to Soft Skin

October 27, 2010 at 6:56 am
By Fitness Magazine

Along with the crisp air and colored leaves, autumn brings dry skin. While it’s easy to moisturize your body with creamy and freshly-fragranced lotions, it’s not so simple when it comes to your face. My sister Sabrina noticed her skin getting drier as the weather has become colder, leaving her face dull and her foundation flaky. She asked me what she could do to keep her face smooth throughout the season, and I told her my secret to keeping skin soft all year round: exfoliating.

Using a soft scrub in the shower removes excess dead cells and keeps flakiness at bay. For chronic dryness, it’s best to use scrubs with physical exfoliators like the beads in L’Oréal Paris Go 360˚ Clean Deep Exfoliating Scrub or Kate Somerville ExfoliKate® Intensive Exfoliating Treatment. Also look for scrubs with fruit enzymes, like Wei East Pomegranate Buffing Beads Exfoliator.

For acne-prone skin, choose scrubs with salicylic acid, such as St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Scrub. The salicylic acid clears breakouts, while the refreshing green tea component tackles redness and irritation.

Scrubs are not recommended for sensitive skin types, but don’t worry, we’ve still got you covered! Try an exfoliating pad instead, like Philosophy Microdelivery Mini Peel Pads, which slough skin, tone and brighten without the harshness.

The final key to combating dry skin is to use a moisturizer with SPF. This will keep your face hydrated, makeup smooth and skin protected! What scrubs do you use to keep skin soft during the chilly months?

-Nina Ramadan, beauty intern

Pumpkin, Spice and Everything Nice

October 6, 2010 at 6:37 am
By Fitness Magazine

With fall well under way, haunted hayrides and homemade apple pies aren’t the only things to look forward to this season. Pumpkin-infused beauty products have made their way back into stores, and this time, they’re taking over the beauty scene. Not only do pumpkins make for delicious autumn desserts and side-dishes, but they are also ideal for skincare. Pumpkins are rich in antioxidants, and also contain enzymes with exfoliating properties. And because they are high in vitamin A, vitamin C, and zinc, pumpkin-infused beauty products are a superb choice for those with sensitive skin.

I’ve compiled a list of the Fall 2010 pumpkin-infused beauty must-haves, which are available at Sephora, except where noted:

1) Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Gentle Exfoliating Treatment

2) Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Peel

3) Philosophy Pumpkin Spice Lip Shine

4) Zia Treatments Pumpkin Exfoliating Mask (found at Zia Natural Skincare)

Too many trips to the pumpkin patches? Don’t throw out those leftover jack-o-lanterns! Try an easy at-home mask by combining 2 tbsp mashed pumpkins, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp honey, and 1/2 tsp milk, and applying to your face for 15 minutes. Will you try pumpkin-infused products this fall?

-Nina Ramadan, beauty intern