Everybody out there is trying to sell you something! Skin care products for women are available all over the internet with an overwhelming array of claims, packaging and bargains. Where to begin? How about right here with 3 tips to choosing the best skin care products for women? All-righty then!

Option #1: Choose by brand: May be you’ve heard great things about professional makeup artist Laura Geller’s Spackle and Caulk line. Or maybe you want to try one of the dermatologist’s lines like mdSkincare by Dr. Dennis Gross. Chances are if you like one product in a line, you’ll like the rest. Kind of like finding a great book and then seeking out the rest of the author’s work.

Option#2: Choose by skin issue: This is an easy way to browse skin care products for women. You might stumble upon the Philosophy acne kit, a really good place to start. Or if you do a search for rosacea treatment products you might find md formulation’s Critical Care Calming Gel.

Option #3: Word of mouth: Probably the best way to make your final decision is on the recommendations of other people. Skin care products establish a reputation based on results. A line like Carol’s Daughter, which started out of a kitchen in Brooklyn, is now respected nationwide because of its great results. The Carol’s Daughter’s Tui Hair Collection (yes, your scalp counts as skin!) is loved by women of all ethnicities because it’s all-natural, never tested on animals, and completely hydrates your hair and scalp. Hey, that was word of mouth! I love making your life easier.

Sincerely,

Caterina Christakos - founder of stillagirl.com - a positive place for women and girls

Choosing the best skin care beauty product for your face is not as easy as it seems. How many times have you ended up with a product that was ineffective, left your skin feeling bad, or just wasn’t worth the money? Over the years I made enough mistakes, and learned enough about skin care and facial health, to develop a few guidelines that I use whenever I choose a new skin care beauty product. And (yes joy of joys!) today I share them with you.

1. Know your skin type- This isn’t as easy as it sounds. I’ve met so many women over the years who didn’t realize they had combination skin. If you’re very dry or very oily it’s pretty clear, but you combination types get lost in the crowd. If you’re not 100% sure, visit a couple of makeup counters and use the free advice. I wouldn’t buy your makeup up (see price saving online deal below!), but free advice is great. Buy your skin care regime based on your type.
2. Start small- Instead of blowing your paycheck on the complete line of any skin care beauty product, look for a sample starter kit that will give you appropriate products at a discounted price. If you discovered in #1 that you have dry to combination skin try the Starter Set: Cosmedicine Starter Set: Basic Skin Health ($77 Value) Starter Set: Basic Skin Health. You’ll get all the basics: cleanser, toner, exfoliator, eye cream and moisturizer, in sample amounts at a discounted price. The set values at $77, but you get it for $48 at www.sephora.com
3. Assess your success- I’m amazed by the number of women who don’t bother to really assess how well their skin care beauty product is working. I always hear, ‘It’s OK, but I still have bad acne/fine lines/ age spots…” Then it’s not OK. Or it may be OK for basic skin care, but there is another product out there you need to add to your regimen. There are answers- go look for them.

Imagine that in the above 3-step process you purchased the Great Skin Combination Oily to Oily set from Clinique. You know that 1) you have oily skin so you 2) took advantage of the online only deal to buy the set at a discount of over $13, and at step 3) you realize that yes you really do like how it works but……

Don’t let a big but get in the way of good skin health! Maybe you need to add Dr. Brandt Skincare Pores No More 1 oz or use it in place of a product in the set. Maybe you want to try a different skincare set. Your decision is not forever- and it shouldn’t be! Keep evaluating what works and what doesn’t. That’s what will get you great skin.

Sincerely,

Caterina Christakos - founder of stillagirl.com - a positive place for women and girls

Makeup Advice Get a Flawless Face

Before you spend anytime listening to makeup advice on how to match skin tone, or the best shades for your coloring, you had better make sure you’ve got the basics down first. Whenever I run across an article dispensing makeup advice I think, “Where’s the info on choosing a foundation, and getting your skin ready?” So here it is.

According to me, who spends hours on end reading up on the latest skincare and makeup advice around, you need a firm foundation before you can build a castle. (Your beautiful face being the castle, see?) One of the biggest mistakes women make is to throw makeup onto a face that is not smooth and ready for it.

Step one needs to be your skin care regimen. You might want to try the Dr. Brandt Skincare Pores No More. Minimizing your pores will go a long way to making your face look smooth and flawless. You also might try the Clarisonic Skincare Brush to gently exfoliate and remove dead and dry skin that can interfere with makeup application.

Step two involves choosing a foundation that will address your main issues (redness, blemishes ect..) as well as one that heals skin while you wear it. One of my favorites continues to be the i.d. bare Minerals SPF 15 Foundation. I think this does a great job at evening out skin tone, and the minerals are actually good for your skin. The i.d. Multitasking SPF 20 Minerals is especially good as a concealer for blemishes, acne scars and general redness.

Once you’ve taken these 2 steps your skin is truly ready for the rest of your makeup. Try something fun like the Smashbox O-GLOW . Get this- it’s an intuitive blush. That means you just smooth the gel over your cheeks and in seconds it will turn the shade of your natural blush. Talk about talking the guesswork out of choosing makeup shades. Don’t you love makeup advice that makes your life easier?

 Sincerely,

Caterina Christakos - founder of stillagirl.com - a positive place for women and girls

How to Use a Skincare Moisturizer Cream

I don’t care if you’re in your teens, midlife or the golden years- you should be using a really good moisturizer every day. Think of it as nutrition for your skin. You know your body needs water to be healthy, right? Well your skin needs a good skincare moisturizer cream to hydrate and replenish it. If I could, I would stand on the street corners of America and hand out a high quality skincare moisturizer cream to every woman passing by. Barring that possibility, I’ll instead tell you about a couple of my favorites and how to use them.

I like the Kinerase line, which is an entire skin care system for us girls with normal to dry skin. The Kinerase Cream is an awesome moisturizer for any one with some sun damage, or who has had a procedure like a chemical peel or microderm abrasion. That’s because it is so powerfully healing and gentle. OK, the price might seem a bit high, but it’s really a case of getting what you pay for. And you only need to use a dime-sized dollop to cover your whole face. Just remember- massage this into your skin, and let it soak in completely before putting on your sunscreen or makeup.

I also love the Kinerase Intensive Eye Cream . It’s infused with the highest amount of Kinetin allowed for over the counter use, and really improves the tone and texture around the eyes. To use this, or any eye cream, remember to be gentle. I recommend using your ring finger to gently dab the cream around the eye. It is the weakest of your fingers, and you are less likely to poke and prod and pull that gentle skin.

So there you have it. A good skincare moisturizer cream is a critical step to preserve healthy skin, prevent signs of aging, and repair damage. It’s just like voting, I really don’t care which one you pick, just get out there and choose one!

Sincerely,

Caterina Christakos - founder of stillagirl.com - a positive place for women and girls

Bare Escentuals Mineral Makeup

Mineral makeup is the rage. I know- you want pure, organic, and all natural- but you still want coverage. OK ladies, I hear your pleas, I see your need- so here it is: A guide to the Bare Essentials of Bare Escentuals Mineral Makeup.

The questions I get most about mineral makeup are these:

1. Do they really help my skin?
2. Will mineral makeup cover my flaws?
3. Is it a good idea to buy mineral makeup online?

Here’s the dirty low-down. Scratch that. Here’s the pure, all natural, nutrient enhancing low-down. Enhanced skincare products, like Bare Escentuals Mineral Makeup are better for your skin. Partly because of what they don’t have: preservatives, talc, oil, fragrances, dyes and chemicals. Partly because of what they do have: minerals that nourish, hydrate and heal your skin. It’s healing cosmetics- finally!

As for covering flaws, my face is proof. Even though Bare Escentuals i.d bareMinerals Foundation - SPF 15 Sunscreen looks like a powder, it goes on creamy. But wait—what if the color is off? This is what I love about buying Bare Escentuals Mineral Makeup online. If you visit their online site go the “Shade Finder” area. But instead of just trying to match swatches to your skin tone, you use real women, and match yourself to one of them. This was so much easier for me than even testing makeup on my wrist. I was able to scroll down the line of models until I came to the one that most closely matched my coloring and skin tone. And I ended up with a perfect match.

So there you go. Mineral Makeup is all it’s cracked up to be. Now I only wish they’d apply that same technology to paint swatches for my house. No such luck. Luckily, I love Smurf Blue.

Sincerely,

Caterina Christakos - founder of stillagirl.com and stillagirl.net - positive places for women and girls