How to decide which beauty products to toss?

When just one section of your eye-shadow collection looks like this, it can be a huge task to keep tabs on the expiration dates of every item of makeup you own. 

Plus, how do you know when to really trust the expiration date, when obviously the makeup company's end-goal is for you to buy more makeup?

As it turns out-- your beauty supplies will often times tell you when their time has passed. As soon as you witness any of your makeup products starting to change; either by separating, or a change to the color, texture, or smell, it is a sign that the included ingredients are no longer working as intended, and your makeup needs to be sent to it's trashcan grave.

Depending on the item-- such as lipstick or nail-polish-- the worst thing that will happen is that you suffer through a momentary beauty goof. (A gloppy manicure or crumbly lip-stick never really hurt anybody.) However, when it comes to items like mascara or sunscreen, using products with past-prime ingredients can be much more harmful. (Introducing bacteria to the eye, or sunbathing without proper SPF protection, could prove to be way more detrimental.)

Read on to determine the proper way to handle the following, short-lived beauty products: 

• Nail polish: Unfortunately, those little colored bottles you spend ages selecting, last only about a year. Usually though, it is at around 9 months after opening that the ingredients begin to degrade, and from here on out the color and consistency will noticeably change. You will definitely notice when this starts to happen, the once smooth color us now sticky and tacky. Save yourself the trouble, and toss it as soon as you see this start to happen. 

• Mascara: Again, it's life-span seems to come and go way too quickly. Once a tube of mascara has been opened, on average you have about 3 months of usage. As soon as the formula starts to get clumpy or dry, the mascara has become a breeding ground for bacteria. If you happen to contract an eye-infection (pink-eye, etc.) discard the mascara you were currently using immediately. Reusing the same mascara applicator can cause recurrences.

• Face cream: Most creams are given about a year after opening before being deemed "expired". This is largely due to the idea that your fingers are constantly adding bacteria to the enclosed product, however-- before adding product to your face, I'm going to assume that most people's hands are clean.
  
  That being said, your face cream will let you know when it's time to get thrown away; an oily liquid may appear on the surface, the lotion might look or smell different, or it might feel different to the touch. Pay attention to these signs, and throw away the cream in question.
  
• Perfume: Each time you spritz a squirt of perfume, air is being introduced into the sealed bottle. Over time (roughly 2 years), the presence of oxygen will cause the formula to oxidize, and the strength of the scent will slightly diminish. However, aside from a weaker fragrance, no real harm will come from using older perfume.
  
• Sunscreen: After about 6 months, sunscreen usually begins to lose it effectiveness, however for up to a year after opening the bottle-- as long as the ingredients have not begun to separate, change smell or color-- the sunscreen can still be applied...just be sure to reapply often as the SPF effectiveness on the bottle may have started to decrease.

The net take-away: expiration dates on makeup can seem somewhat arbitrary... Trust your eyes, fingers, and nose to determine when one of your beloved makeup products has expired... for real.

The city of Brotherly Beauty? (Or, 3 new Philly make-up lines to check-out)

Philadelphia may currently be known for cheese-steaks and sports' teams, but New York's little neighbor is starting to make some moves into the more girly of genres...

To wit, Philadelphia has been the home-base of three new emerging make-up lines, each receiving acclaim from local beauty experts.

1. Carie Brescia Cosmetics (Ardmore, PA)

After working as a professional make-up artist and beauty product consultant for years, Carrie Brescia recently decided to put her vast experience to work for herself by developing her very own line of cosmetics, now available to all through e-commerce. 

Local hairstylist and makeup artist Liz Jacobs, who was invited to test all three of these new Philadelphia makeup lines, shares that Carie Brescia "is my favorite of the [new Philly makeup] lines. It has just the right amount of neutral color for a nice, wearable result." 

2. Tenshi (Northern Liberties, PA)

The Tenshi Beauty Bar is located right in the heart of Northern Liberties at the Piazza. Featuring hypo-allergenic makeup in fun colors and patterns (love the cheetah print bronzer!), this line received great endorsements from all the local experts. 

 In particular, the eye-shadow quads were recommended for their high quality pigmentation. Whether applied heavily, or more natural looking, experts agree that however you put it on-- it will look pretty. And the cheetah bronzer? Jacobs gives it a glowing recommendation, saying that matte finish tan is excellent for a change, as women don't need shimmery products all the time...

3. Tu by Claudia Seyler (Northern Liberties, PA) 

In order to best supplement the demand for makeup at the Tu Belleza Studio (also in Northern Liberties), makeup artist Claudia Seyler decided to develop her own line. All of her products are organic, and are meant to be easy on the skin so as to not cause any unwanted irritation or break-outs. 
The Tu line is supposed to make the skin itself look perfect, as opposed to just adding pigment or shimmer on top. By appointment only, the Tu Belleza Studio strives to be a peaceful, relaxing place to go, for all beauty needs.

Seeing as Philadelphia is already the home-base of fashion retailers Urban Outfitters (and ergo Anthropologie and Free People) and Lily Pulitzer, musicians (Pink, Will Smith,  and actors (Tina Fey, Bradley Cooper) here's hoping that the city of Brotherly Love is in the process of becoming the East Coast's second most glamorous city. (Or at least, switched over from the top contender of UGLIEST American city, to Most Attractive American city...!)

Spring cleaning your make-up bag

For some reason unbeknownest to me, the Spring season has become infamous as the time of the year to properly clean-out everything. Along with the clothing/bedding switch and excessive cleaning that is most likely to be taking place at this time of year, it is also a great opportunity to tackle a more insidious, under-the-radar mess: your make-up drawer. 

Despite the fact that these products are constantly coming into contact with your face, most women hardly ever think about the cleanliness/shelf-life of these products. The following is a just quick check-list of things to consider as you go through beauty products: 

• Any lotion based make-up product with an SPF in it (such as a foundation) has an especially limited shelf-life. After about 6 months, the active sunscreen ingredients begin to break-down, so that although the make-up appears to work as usual, your skin is not receiving the same amount of sun protection that you intended. If you want to hold on to these products, please be sure to apply another form of sun protection first.
  
• Time to wash all make-up brushes-- including mascara wands. If the brushes (mascara wands included, if older than 3 months) have not been washed regularly, they are most likely bacteria receptacles. You can either use wash made specifically for make-up brushes, or a gentle shampoo, to cleanse the brushes. Once clean, allow to air-dry.
  
  
• Go through and inspect everything you use on a regular basis. If anything appears to have changed consistency, color, or smells strange-- toss it.
  
• During the normal wear-and-tear of being tossed into a drawer or bag, it is likely that loose debris from the multiple colors inside a compact will have shifted onto each other, and possibly coated the interior mirror. Use a tissue to clean the powders off the mirror, and use a butter-knife to gently scrape the discolored layers off to make your compact look like new again (and prevent bacteria from growing).
  
• For your collection of lipsticks and lip-gloss tubes, rubbing the surface with a paper-towel soaked in rubbing alcohol is a great way to clean and disinfect the areas that are coming into contact with your mouth.

Are there any make-up cleaning tips that you would like to share? If so, please do! We love hearing your feed-back! 

The first [official] unretouched makeup ad!

In a world dominated by completely random acts attracting unprecedented amounts of free publicity via the inter-webs (for example, please consider that phenom Justin Beiber was discovered on YouTube), every company is vying for the popularity (and financial gain) that comes with a marketing campaign going "viral". 

Despite the many failed attempts, it is nice to see established companies attempting to actually produce "viral" material that is beneficial and relevant to their brand, and the masses.

As our lives become more and more computerized, there are pros-- increased ease for keeping in touch with people, getting news, making on the spot restaurant decisions, etc., ... and there are cons. 

With the proliferation of HD televisions, and rampantly air-brushed magazine and beauty ads, the expectation for a perfect appearance has increased to unattainable proportions. An increase in self-consciousness about one's appearance, combined with standards that can never be met (no normal person walks out of their house looking as perfectly air-brushed, styled, and coiffed as the Kardashian clan would make it appear), means a verified financial boon for the beauty industry: demand keeps increasing and can never fully be sated. 

It is in this vein that Makeup Forever's new campaign is so refreshing; even though the model is undoubtedly a natural beauty, a notary has certified that the ad below has NOT been retouched at all.

Despite the beauty/perfection of the model's face, look at the arm holding the camera-- that skin actually looks real?! And under her eyes? Faint traces of dark-circles can still be detected... It is so nice though, to look at a make-up ad, and see results that you could actually be able to recreate on your own face. (A stark contrast to the "Evolution of Beauty" video that Dove soap created a few years ago, which documented the photo-shopping that takes place to turn an ordinary girl into a billboard model-- before and after images shown at the top left of this article.)

It's a brilliant concept, and one that Makeup For Ever is surely hoping will go "viral". Promoting the results a real person can achieve is an ideal way of introducing Makeup For Ever's new line of HD Invisible Cover Foundation, which is meant to emphasize that women can look flawless without digital enhancements... they just need to use this foundation.

Another plus of a world filled with Social Media is that companies are being forced to be more transparent and honest with consumers. As this goes on, hopefully beauty expectations can come back down to a level that is realistic. Makeup For Ever received wonderful praise for this campaign, and hopefully other makeup companies will follow suit to prove what their products can actually do.

Have you noticed any other campaigns that celebrate real, natural appearances? If so, which ones? (I'm also partial to Levi's "All asses were not created equal" campaign...)

The time machine in your makeup bag...

 The woman below has changed nothing about her face, except her makeup. 

Just a few simple changes took her from looking middle-aged in the 1970s, to looking significantly younger in 2011.

The thing with makeup is, it can either be your best friend, or your worst enemy. Generally speaking, people use makeup to look better. (I'm not including the Marilyn Mansons and Lady Gagas of the world, whom use makeup more to shock, than flatter.) However, sometimes people with good intentions are unknowingly sabotaging themselves, so that their makeup application actually detracts from their looks instead of improving them. 

Take our featured model above, her makeup both ages her, and hides her inherent prettiness. Her overly thin brows, garish makeup colors, and bland foundation make her look way older than her true years. 

Eyebrows are a key component to your appearance, as they frame your facial features. (The rest of her makeup could have been beautifully done, and yet her overly plucked, drawn-in, wrong colored brows would have ruined the look of her entire face.) They are completely unflattering, and very unnatural looking. Even though the new brow was drawn-in thicker and darker, the more realistic shape softens her features, and nicely frames her pretty brown eyes. 

The lipstick color and the eyeshadow together give an overall clownish impression. If they were used independently of each other... it would still be bad. The particular shade of lipstick used draws attention to the yellowness of her teeth,  and makes her upper lip look noticeably thin and asymmetrical. The blue eyeshadow is much too loud for daytime, and seems haphazardly applied. A more natural looking lip and plum eye-color emphasize and flatter her features as opposed to overwhelming them. 

Her skin is in beautiful condition, but her uniformly applied foundation washes her out. (Aside from her brows, eyelids and lips, her face is devoid of any color.) A light pop of blush on her cheeks makes her skin look bright and glowing-- and immediately younger.

Feel free to experiment with your makeup routine in the privacy of your own home, you may be surprised to find that the more natural something looks, the better. (If you have any good before & afters, or tips, please feel to share!)

Secrets to looking younger with makeup

It's a double edged sword in every aspect of your appearance-- any change can improve your appearance, but there is also the risk that the change might end up detracting from your looks. 

While makeup can be your biggest ally when it comes to changing or improving your appearance, there are some common mistakes you should avoid so as to prevent yourself from inadvertently making yourself look older.

Consider the model pictured to the left. Obviously she is a beautiful girl-- and yet her makeup application significantly ages her. 

To avoid some common aging makeup pitfalls, follow the tips below to enhance, and preserve your natural beauty.

Makeup techniques to avoid:

Harsh, dark eye makeup: As witnessed on Sharon Stone at the 2011 Oscars, there comes a time in every woman's life where thick, black eyeliner ages you, and makes eyes seem tiny-- the exact opposite effect desired. (In fact, looking at this picture more closely, Sharon Stone might be a poster child woman for all of the antigaging makeup "Don'ts".)

Thick foundation: When the foundation is visibly caked into your pores, it gives an overall impression of unhealthiness. It's ok to utilize makeup in an attempt to make the skin look uniform, but a lighter touch, and lighter formula of makeup, will make skin look more natural and healthy. (Extra bad if you can see the makeup sitting on top of fine facial hairs.) 

Thick lipliner: Similar to the heavily applied dark eyeliner, defining your lips is supposed to make them look larger, even though the opposite is what occurs. In addition, this is an outdated look, and any fine wrinkles around the mouth, or thinning of the lips, will be more apparent.

Blue eyeshadow: Unless you are very careful, blue eyeshadow can quickly send a message of "bad makeup." Neutral colors, such as copper, champagne, and peach, are much more flattering for maturing skin. 

Glitter: Makeups with subtle shimmer are fine for daily use, however try to avoid makeups (usually eyeshadows) that have a more distinct glitter component. The heavier glitter particles are prone to settling into fine lines and wrinkles, making them more obvious. 

Anti-aging Makeup tips to try: 

Let Mascara define your eyes: Properly defined eye-lashes are a more natural looking way of making your eyes pop. (Eyeliner is fine, as long as the color and usage are appropriate.)  Makeup artist Cindy Joseph offers the following application advice; "With mascara, you don't want to apply in a rush. Do one good coat, keeping the lashes perfectly combed so they are separated. A second coat will make them look longer and thicker." 

Go for dewy skin, as opposed to matte: Multitasking makeup that lends color and moisture can help make the skin look younger. Fresh, dewy looking skin is much more natural looking than matte, cakey looking foundation. 

Shimmery makeup can be used for multiple purposes: Shimmery creams and powders can be used for eye-shadows, liners, lip color, and high-lighters. A soft champagne color can be applied right underneath the brow-bone, in the inner corners of your eyes, and along your clavicle. The light will reflect off all of these areas, for a subtly eye-catching effect.

To look your best, embrace the things that make you-- you.

Look at it this way, I am saving you from one super-long, monster blog post...

Everyday since attending the "Just you, only better" workshop this past Friday, I have attempted to sum up the experience in one post.

However, it is proving impossible to adequately cover the key-points that every speaker made, without creating a ridiculously long post. So instead, I'm admitting defeat, and over the upcoming days I will post the highlights from each of the separate segments.

In hindsight,  it was interesting to note that after everything was said and done, the net take-away from all of the speakers (including the hair-stylist, makeup artist, fashionista, nutritionist, yogi, chef, fitness guru, etc.) was the same across the board, and totally on-topic with the name of the workshop.

You are who you are. Your hair is the texture it is, the size and shape of your bones is predetermined, and your body type is genetic. You can fight against everything you naturally are in order to meet a perceived notion of "perfect", but in the end-- it will make your life so much happier and easier to just embrace the unique qualities that make you, You!

Each speaker emphasized the ways that self-acceptance would improve their specific area of expertise. For instance, the Bobbi Brown make-up artist shared that the key of makeup is not to fix your face, but to enhance it. (She also pointed out that the most important thing to ensuring good makeup application is healthy, clear skin *ahem* but more on that later.)

While the Philly Fashionista reviewed some upcoming clothing trends to look for, she advised that each new fashion craze may not be appropriate for everyone. However, with some discretion, most styles can be tweaked to work for any wardrobe. (For example, if huge floral prints are not flattering, choose a smaller print, or perhaps get your floral fix with a printed hand-bag or scarf.)

Bottom line: do not change yourself to fit a desired mold, figure out a way for everything else to fit into your life.

By accepting, and appreciating, yourself, you poise yourself for a more satisfying life. Embracing your curls, hips, personality, and current life situation, allows you to clearly see ways to happily improve yourself, so that you're still just you... only better.  

Are you makeup dependent?

Cosmetics have a curious way of infiltrating the lives of women. 

Even though all females start out the same-- fresh-faced and ready to face everyday au naturel-- at some point, makeup invariably enters the equation, and women never quite look at themselves the same way again.

A recent survey shows how far reaching the impact of  makeup has on the every-day lives of American women:

• Six out of ten women would "never" go to work barefaced.
  
• One-third of all women would "never" leave home to run errands, without makeup on.
  
• One-third of all women think that men wouldn't find them attractive without makeup.
  
• It takes the average woman two and a half months before she would let a new love interest see her without makeup.

Do you find yourself agreeing with these findings?

On the one hand, people should feel comfortable doing whatever makes them feel good about themselves. However, on the other hand... it seems a little sad that so many women feel insecure about their natural appearances, especially considering that this skin scenario is solely experienced by the female gender. (The average male will never worry about swiping

on some mascara, bronzer, and gloss before running out the door.)

The great appearance equalizer might just be skin-care though, because although a multitude of skin-sins can be hidden by makeup-- the texture of skin (pimples, wrinkles, hairs) can never be completely camouflaged by makeup, regardless of gender.

Bet you can't guess the 1st step to this fashion-forward look!

It's interesting that such a high-fashion makeup look can begin with a simple, everyday product:

2011 is looking good...

New Year, new products, new treatments... so many new things to talk about!

We just received our first shipment yesterday from EOS (stands for Evolution of Smooth) and after reading rave reviews about these adorably packaged, organic, good-for-your-skin products, I am so excited to be offering them to our patients. (Plus, I love how the cheerful packaging makes me smile every time I pass the display.)

More about EOS later though, because I'm also so excited about the new SkinCeutical chemical peels that are joining our inventory of magical skin care treatments!

Whether your skin concern is acne, aging, or unevenness... there is a customizable SkinCeuticals Chemical Peel for you. 

Each of the peels (aging: MicroPeel, acne: MicroPeel Plus, uneven skin: Pigment Balancing Masque) can be made as strong or as mild as needed for your specific skin type, and the MicroPeel is literally the coolest peel ever due to the cryogenic therapy involved. Yup, the last step of this peel includes a man-made snow-ball on a stick, which is used to administer the final step of exfoliation. (It is the coolest thing ever, it feels amazing, and leaves your skin feeling so soft!) 

More on this later, too...

The other thing that has me especially stoked right now, is kind of frustrating considering that it took this long to think of... For months and months we have been trying to teach our patients the best way to use Latisse (use a lipstick brush to apply it to the lashes). However, patients used to always call to say that despite ardent looking, a lidded lipstick brush seemed impossible to find... but no more. We finally found the perfect brush, and are currently stocking it so that all of our Latisse lovers can get the most lash for their buck. 

(The thicker plastic brush on the left is the applicator brush that is included in the Latisse kit, and the thinner brush to the right is the kind that we recommend.)

Next on my to-get list: the perfect eye-lash curler. After Latisse does it's magic and grows your lashes long, longer, longest, the best way to get the most dramatic effect is by curling the lashes and really allowing their length to show. 

I've been doing my homework, but am not fully sold on any one curler yet. Do you have any recommendations on the BEST eye-lash curler out there? 

Also, with resolutions at their year time high, I am told that this is the best time of year for self-tanning. My St. Tropez inventory is stocked and ready to go... will be interesting to see what happens.

Hope you had a wonderful holiday, can't wait to share the rest of 2011 with you. :)

How to get the most out of your Latisse

Considering this is advice I share on an almost daily basis, it was a head-smacking moment when I realized I had yet to post a blog article about the ways to get the most of your teeny, tiny little Latisse bottle. 

It is no secret that I am a HUGE fan of Latisse, as are all of my patients. (The rumors about Latisse changing the color of your eyes or darkening your eye-lids, is sensationalized for the media's sake, as it has no bearing on reality. My light blue eyes haven't changed color one bit, nor have the light eyes of Latisse's new spokesmodel, Claire Danes.) 

Everyone who has tried it, gets results. Granted, the results range from just super long and thick, to almost mutant status (in the best way possible), where the lashes get so long that they look fake-- even without mascara. But like any addiction, Latisse users really like the results they get, and want to keep using-- which leads to Latisse's biggest downfall: it's price-point. 

At $126 per kit, Latisse is definitely a significant eye-lash investment. Allergan (the company that makes it) recommends using a kit per month, which roughly adds up to over $1,000 a year on eye-lashes! That is a lot of money, especially considering today's shaky economical environment. 

After years of use, I have developed a fool-proof way to fully maximize the contents of that tiny Latisse bottle, so that instead of a month, one bottle can last me over 4+ months. It all depends on the application method...

Your Latisse kit comes in a substantially sized box, but once you open it up, it is often shocking to see how little the Latisse bottle actually is.

The majority of the kit is made up of plastic applicator brushes, which Allergan recommends using two of for each application. (One brush per eye, and then in the trash they go.) The brushes are chunky and clumsy, and the cheap plastic bristles don't absorb the liquid, so you go through way more drops than necessary just trying to get it on your eye-- and this is why it is the recommended application. By following Allergan's directions, you go through Latisse extremely quickly, and would definitely another kit after 30 days. 

 

The application technique is the key to my entire Latisse trick. In order to get the most from your bottle, you have to use it as sparingly as possible, which means using a brush that actually holds the liquid, and absorbs only as much as you need. 

Instead of the wasteful brushes Allergan supplies, my best success has come from a lipstick brush. Retractable, with a lid, and nice, soft bristles, these brushes can usually be found inexpensively at any drugstore, and absolutely anywhere online. 

By using a brush like this, you can control more precisely the liquid you are using. 

Make sure your lipstick brush has a lid-- this way your brush never fully dries out, and never has to be fully re-saturated. The bristles on a brush like this are absorbent, and hold just enough liquid to adequately apply across your lash-line. (In addition, these brushes can be periodically washed if needed.)

These days, when I need a new kit I just take the little bottle out and put it in my make-up case. Instead of just throwing them out, I take the included applicator brushes and store them with my arts & crafts supplies. You never know when disposable paint brushes might come in handy... and that's about the only thing they're good for. 

This application method will definitely allow you more mileage from the 3mL bottle.  

Do you have any Latisse tricks and/or tips?

The jewel of her eye: Tarte's crystal covered eye-lash curler

For the girl that has everything (in our case, including killer lashes thanks to Latisse) what better way to extra emphasize (again-- in our case, ridiculously long) eyelashes than the perfect eyelash curler?

Tarte cosmetics has released a limited edition, crystal encrusted version of it's already popular eye-lash curler, just in time for the holidays! 

Ergonomically designed to be easy on both your hands and your lashes, it enables the user to get the most dramatic results from their lashes. (See before & after below.) Made to accommodate all eye shapes and sizes, the rubber padding is supposed to help prevent leaving any obvious "crimping" marks in your eye-lashes. 

The jeweled eye-lash curler has received great reviews, and is an adorable product guaranteed to appeal to many people. With it's reasonable price-tag (only $15) this is one eye-lash curler that you better get before you blink and it's gone. 

(Extra props to Tarte for it's dedication to the environment, and their free advice on what to do with the packaging so as to not waste anything.)

"Shatter" proof your nail polish trends

Every season, the fashion industry comes out with all new trends that do their darndest to inspire as much spending as possible. 

To combat this, every season fashion media comes out with easy ways to update the stuff you already have --on the cheap-- to get the "new" look while investing as little as possible. These updates usually include purchasing some of-the-moment accessories to update your wardrobe, such as a "statement" necklace or fringed scarf that you can easily add to your current favorites. 

Although never as prominently featured as clothing trends, nails also go through a style revolution with every season change.It's easy (or cheap, rather) to accommodate changes in nail shapes and lengths, but keeping up with the current color crazes can also be a futile investment. The nail colors you bought for this Winter will doubtfully be what you want to wear this Spring, Summer, or even next Winter...

Fortunately there is OPI. 

One of the major players in the world of nail polishes, OPI recently developed a way to make any nail polish you currently own look decidedly fresh and current. The bottle looks to be simply black nail polish, distinguishable only because of it's silver crackled lid. 

Although not available until January 2011, this new "black shatter" formula is a black liquid that is applied on top of any color nail polish; glitter, metallic, matte, old, or new. One coat is all that is needed, and as it dries it bonds together in unique patterns across the nail, making a cheetah-like print atop your selected nail color. The amount of "shattering" that occurs depends on how much Shatter you apply, and how forcefully you apply it. (The video below does a great job showing exactly what to expect and how it works.) According to media hype surrounding the release of this product, Serena Williams and Katy Perry (along with a slew of magazine editors) are huge proponents of this crackling nail accoutrement.

Much more 2011 than any other type of decorative top-coat (sorry, but ttfn glitter), OPI's Black Shatter is an $8 investment that is all that's needed to completely update your entire current collection of nail polish. 

P.S. The "Black" in it's name leads me to believe other Shatter colors might be coming. Silver and gold would be welcome additions.

Got Lucky: Top 10 essential beauty tips

Over the past ten years of its existence, Lucky magazine-- a magazine dedicated to shopping-- is the only printed publication that has evolved with me, resulting in a magazine that I still LOVE to see in my mailbox as much as I did at its inception in 2000. (On a side note, it was a little horrifying to see that Kim France is no longer the editor. It feels like I've lost a dear friend, and I hope that Lucky stays Lucky without her... if that's even possible.)

To commemorate their 10th Birthday, they have all sorts of fun features, such as a time-line of the past decade's trends (good and bad), evolution of certain female celebrity styles, things to expect in the future... and, their top 10 beauty tips of all time. 

As a tribute to the magazine that always provides inspiration, guidance, and ideas, Lucky magazine's "10 Essential Beauty Tips" are shared here:

1. Pat, don't rub your concealer. When you rub, you move the concealer to a different part of your face-- the part that didn't need something concealed. Apply the concealer only to what needs it, then pat lightly-- it'll seem like it'll never blend in, but stick with it and suddenly it will seamlessly disappear, along with whatever it's covering up. 

2. The key to any acne regimen is... staying on the regimen! Once your skin has cleared, you will imagine you are no longer a person with acne. You could not be more wrong. Vigilance is all. Stick to the routine, no matter what.

3. You are almost always prettiest with something close to your natural hair texture. Gisele is still Gisele with a sleek blowout, but when she's got her natural waves, the full jaw-droppingness of Gisele emerges. 

4. Once you've applied self-tanner, go over dry spots (ankles, elbows, toes, etc.) with a bit of moisturizer. This will blend away/diffuse any potential patches. 

5. Vitamin C is the champion glowifier skincare item. Not anti-wrinkle-- thats retinol-- but super-brightening and revivifying. 

6. In general, focus on only your lips or your eyes makeup-wise, not both at the same time. 

7. The hairstylist/aesthetician/manicurist who spends her time trashing the job the last person did on you is thehairstylist/aesthetician/manicurist you need to replace, stat. Truly talented people focus on bringing out the best in you, not telling you what's wrong with you.

8. Work out right before your big event and you'll look at least 50% prettier. (Your skin will glow so incredibly that everyone will ask, "Who did your makeup?")

9. You wear your haircut everyday, so think about that when agonizing over the price:  

You. Wear it. Every. Day. So it should cost more than your shoes and that would still be a reasonable thing.

10. Make your skin cream work harder by applying it to damp skin. Getting your face wet dramatically increases the efficacy of most antiagers. It can also make something just too plain powerful for your skin-- especially if you're sensitive. So if you're using something strong, try a new treatment out on dry skin first. 

New! Customizable "skin" for hiding disfiguring conditions

These days, there is a custom market for just about anything; houses, cars, clothing, jewelry, pets... and now, new skin?

Finally, there is a good, natural looking solution for those suffering from large birthmarks, burns, vitiligo, scars, or any other sort of distressing skin condition. 

Microskin, the brainchild of a makeup artist, chemist, and computer programmers, is a new species of makeup. Made from a computer program that is able to customize a unique formula per person, long-lasting, total coverage is at last available to hide large, offending skin problems.

This is not a solution for blemishes or under-eye circles, this makeup is for hard-core skin issues, such as port-wine stain birthmarks, or large burn areas. A computer program is used in the very beginning to exactly pinpoint your unique skin color, and mix the correct formula. Once made, the makeup is then either applied to the body with an air-brush, or sponged onto smaller areas as needed. 

Waterproof and sweatproof, this makeup is designed to be worn for days at a time, and the only way this stuff comes off is with the appropriate solvent. (The formula is lightweight, and non-greasy, so as to not cause any harm to your skin while wearing it.)

Microskin has only recently become available in America, and was initially developed in Australia. Linda Lowndes, an Australian makeup artist who was devoted to finding a solution for children with birthmarks and scars, spent the past ten years of her life and all of her savings on the development of this realistic looking solution for those suffering from disfiguring skin conditions. 

Although using Microskin on a day to day basis is a considerable investment (consultation, color scanning, six-month supply, training, application equipment, and oil- or alcohol-based remover starts at $700) those who need it consider it money extremely well spent. The $700 can buy these people a pass back into regular society.  

Catherine Carella-Dean, a Long Island school teacher with a port-wine stain covering a good portion of her face, says that "it's so much more realistic looking that anything on the market, and it doesn't feel like your skin is in prison." She doesn't miss her life before Microskin either, revealing that "[she] can finally walk around and not get remarks or rude stares." 

Although it is heartbreaking for anyone to live with conditions that make them feel constantly uncomfortable in their own skin, at least now there is a way to look natural, and camouflage their discolorations into normalcy.

Microskin makeover on Dr. Oz: