Enjoy a cup of green tea with hot pepper sauce! Quebec's Laval University researchers found that eating a teaspoon of hot pepper sauce before meals reduced the amount of food people ate. They discovered that the hot pepper sauce had an effect on the nervous system so that their subjects not only ate less they had more energy.

The University of Geneva in Switzerland reported that if you drink three cups of green tea a day, you will burn more fat.

Hairbrush Cleanliness

Recently I read a health tip concerning our hairbrushes that made perfect sense to me. If you take your hairbrush into the shower with you and wash it with shampoo at least three times per week, you will drastically cut down on the bacteria that collects daily in your brush and then transferred onto your hair. These bacteria can creep onto your face and neck resulting in unwanted blemishes. If you are prone to regular outbreaks, your hairbrush might be the culprit.

BRIGHTEN YOUR SMILE

One of the first things people notice about you is your smile. Lighter teeth can provide you with a younger appearance and I'm all for that. You know that when we reach a certain age, our teeth may not be as bright and vibrant as we'd like so teeth whitening can help you appear years younger. Having a beautiful smile enhances your face! 

1)  Cleanser:  Tellurian Cleanser is natural, gentle and effective.  After applying it to your face, allow it to "sit" about 30 seconds or more so that makeup is "lifted".  I remove the Cleanser with a warm, wet washcloth; keep rinsing until all residue is removed.

2)  Daily Lift / Clarifying Facial Mask:  Most days I apply Daily Lift for ten minutes, removing with a warm, wet washcloth.  Usually twice per week, I will apply the Clarifying Facial Mask, leaving it on for 10 minutes or so and then removing it with a warm, wet washcloth.

3)  Vitamin C Serum: I appreciate this product because it evens my skin tone dramatically (try it on the back of one hand to see a most amazing demonstration of its lightening effect).  This product is readily absorbed and retained within my skin; I allow it to "sit" about one minute before applying the Anti Oxidant Complex.

4)  Anti Oxidant Complex:  This complex contains twelve different antioxidant/free radical scavengers that protect our skin:  Tocopheryl Acetate, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Beta Carotine, Pychnogenol (50x more powerful that Vitamin C!) Superoxide Dimutatse, Lactoperoxidase, Lactoferrin, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Green Tea Extract, L-Ergothionine, Gingko Biloba Extract and L-Lysine Methionine. This product defends your skin from free radical damage and helps to repair the cells.

5)  Eye Treatment:  Using this product while performing the "100 circle" exercise will dramatically improve the under eye area.  The appearance of wrinkles will be satisfactorily reduced.

6)  Day Cream:  This cream moisturizes and protects your skin while the treatments are working in the deeper tissues.

7)  Sunscreen:  Just a light smoothing of sunscreen and I'm protected all day from daylight as well as the harsh, overhead lights in most offices.

Nighttime

1)  Cleanser:  A clean face before bedtime is a "must".  My sister believes it is the most important cleansing of the day and I agree.  Sometimes we're bone tired and washing our face sounds like a chore, but you will be happier with yourself when you take the time to remove the day from your face.  One aesthetician told me that if you don't wash your face at night, the effect ages your facial skin about ten days. Yikes!

2)  Vitamin C:  An important addition to your nighttime routine because your body regenerates and revitalizes during the night, it helps my skin look its best.

3)  Retinol:  I like this treatment because it pampers my skin. (It's great for keeping acne flare-ups to a bare minimum).  My skin feels firmer and looks remarkably clear; it really can help reduce and sometimes eliminate fine lines and wrinkles in about 4 weeks.

4)  Eye Treatment:  Perform the "100" circle exercise before bedtime and wake up with beautiful, hydrated under eyes.

5)  Night Cream:  The formula for this cream is an intense combination of intercellular nutrients that replenish and revitalize the skin throughout the night.  You'll see results every morning!

I use the entire line of products:  Skin Smoothing Scrub, Hand & Body Moisturizer and the Soothing Serum after every sun exposure.

Keep the air vent trained on your feet, not on your face!

The end of the year brings colder weather.  Many of you will be using car heaters that can be damaging to our facial skin.  Remember to keep the air vents trained on your feet, not on your face!  

Hands need protection, too...

Keep your hands soft and supple in the cold weather by applying every treatment you use on your face to the back of your hands (i.e, Daily Lift, Vitamin C Serum, Day Crème, Sunscreen, etc.).  Wearing gloves and mittens will help alleviate red, chapped winter skin.

Sleeping:

All of us know how important a good night sleep is to our well being and the reduction of stress.  Did you know that you could be advancing the aging of your face because of incorrect sleeping posture?  It's true!  Avoid waking up with those lines and creases that are so cute on a three year old but not when you're forty by being aware of how your head and face are positioned on the pillow.  Personally, I recommend a buckwheat pillow for sleeping because those kernels do not allow you to sleep comfortably on your face.  If you don't have a "bucky", you can position your current pillow behind your ear when you lay on your side.  I believe your subconscious can help you remember that as you turn during the night,  the pillow needs to reposition behind your ear. Never sleep on your stomach.  Not only can that sleeping position cause back stress, it can also cause vertical wrinkles on your face near your nose.

Petroleum Jelly: 

Petroleum Jelly is a wonderful skin protector and according to many physicians, it can't be beat for protecting skin and keeping it healthy.  Many well know actresses swear that they use it every night around their eyes and their mouths to keep those fragile areas hydrated while they sleep. This odorless, tasteless substance has been used for a very long time in cosmetics because of its softening property. For nighttime use, place a small amount of jelly on your ring finger and apply it to the eye area beginning under the inner brown and continue around the eye area until a full circle has been completed around the upper and lower eye region.  Gently perform this "circle exercise" about 100 times around each eye, making certain the area is well lubricated with each circle.

Neck: 

Our necks begin to lose tone and elasticity due to gravity and muscle atrophy when we approach forty. No matter what your age, you can improve this area easily by implementing a few exercises while taking special care in cleansing and applying moisturizers.  Let's begin with moisturizing this area. So many of us neglect the neck and then our age begins to show.  Keep this delicate skin moisturized day and night with Petroleum Jelly or your favorite throat cream. To properly apply moisturizers to the neck, always begin at the base of your neck with soft, even, upward stroking.  Use both hands to apply the preparation, using only your fingertips. Of course, implementing the Facial Magic neck exercises will make a huge difference in the overall appearance of your neck because no cream or skin preparation I know of will help lift the sagging muscles or diminish a double chin. 

Lips: 

Our lips are usually a dead giveaway of aging! Yes, those lush lips we enjoyed in our 20's and 30's begin to lose their plumpness as we push 40. We can avoid that dreaded "pursed" look naturally by exercising the mouth and lip areas and by using preparations that keep the mouth area hydrated. For softer lips immediately, apply a thin coat of Petroleum Jelly to both top and bottom lips. Take a baby's toothbrush and gently "scrub" the lips. You'll be amazed by the new softness. If you want fuller, more sensual lips, check out the new lip device, Luscious Lips. When you use the Facial Magic Upper Lip exercise and the Luscious Lips device in combination, you won't have to draw outside the lip line and feathery lipstick will be a thing of the past.

Eyes: 

When our eyes begin to look tired, we need to give them a lift.  A NON-SURGICAL lift. Perhaps you're seeing puffiness in the under eye area or your eyelids are drooping; both conditions can be remedied without a fuss. First of all, if you see puffiness under your eyes, that is an indication that you're probably not getting enough water in your system and I recommend that you buy a bottle of water and chug it now! Most medical professionals insist that 64 ounces of water per day is ideal and I agree.  Yes, you'll be in the bathroom more often but your skin will appreciate the benefits of water. Also, under eye puffiness can indicate that you're sleeping on a pillow that is too flat, ingesting too much salt or perhaps celebrating with alcohol to a greater degree than normal. You can easily elevate your bed by installing old telephone books under the headboard. You really won't notice the increased elevation yet the results will be pleasing. To lift the upper eye, refer to the Facial Magic exercises here.

Facial posture: 

Our mother's were right! Frowning, squinting, pursing your lips and other contortions of your face will take its toll over the years. Let's say you're prone to vertical lines between the brows. Those "concentration" lines can make us look forever angry even when we're not. You can pop them out and help them seem less noticeable by gently touching the area when you feel a frown coming one. The same goes for wrinkling the forehead; just touch the area with your ring finger until the area is relaxed. The Facial Magic video has exercises to increase the strength of the muscles that affect these areas. To help alleviate the vertical lines during the night (if you frown during the day, you most likely will frown during the night), place a small piece of transparent tape over the vertical lines before bedtime.

Stretching the skin: 

Are you aware that rubbing your eyes, propping your face or neck in your hands or even stroking that double chin can adversely affect your skin? Keeping your hands away from your face, neck and mouth not only preserves your skin but keeps bacteria away from your nose and mouth, a sure way to catch that cold or flu bug going around. Another way to alleviate stretching your skin is to be aware when applying your moisturizers and foundations or even washing your face. Use gentle, upward strokes to remove makeup. I've watched women wash their faces like they're scrubbing the kitchen floor. No more! We must create a love affair with our faces so that we can look radiant and de-stressed.

Water in our diet: 

Just like eating nutritious foods, your body will appreciate more water in the diet. Proper hydration keeps wrinkles from forming and our kidneys work more efficiently when toxins and impurities are flushed from the body. Water also aids and assists in dieting along with aiding in every healing process. Bottled water is preferable so that chlorine and other additives are removed. The recommended intake of water by medical professionals is 64 ounces per day. If you're not a water drinker, 64 ounces can sound like a lot of fluid; however, drinking more water is a learned habit and the easiest way I learned to ingest that amount happened when I bought my first large bottle of water. One physician told me to "chug" the water, not sip it. Granted, it's not very "lady-like" but I got the hang of it and you can too. Learn to carry a bottle of water with you everywhere, i.e., in the car, to the office, to the movie, shopping, etc.  Your body and especially your face will enjoy the benefits of more water and you will notice that your complexion improves almost immediately.

Hair styles that flatter: 

Bad hair days are no fun and when we have one, it sets the tone for the rest of our day.  Our hair is supposed to be our "crowning glory" and when it's uncut, unkempt or unclean, it can wreak havoc on our over all appearance.  Sometimes we can wear the same old, tired style for years and sooner or later, it begins to affect how we view ourselves.  Sitting in the salon chair and allowing a stylist to give us a new "do" can be frightening, but change is good! As we mature and take on the responsibilities of parenthood, employment and other cares, our time seems to dissipate which means we sometimes cannot give our hair the attention it needs. No worries!  By keeping a shorter, more trendy hairstyle, we alleviate the need of standing in front of our mirror trying to make our hair look like the stylist did. And, most shorter styles certainly flatter the face and help it to look lifted and toned. Go for it! Allow your hairdresser to make suggestions for a new look that will compliment your face and lifestyle.

Diet and exercise: 

Diet and exercise play an important role in everyone's health. Proper nutrition, vitamin therapy and a moderate fat intake will help improve your facial health, too. We have a great variety of supplements at our fingertips and I believe the most important ones are Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium and Beta Carotine. These four supplements help alleviate free radical damage that inundate us daily. Walking is probably the very best aerobic exercise and it really doesn't cost a thing to do it. One expert in the field of diet and exercise suggests a 30 minute walk every other day. She makes it simple by instructing her charges to walk 15 minutes away from the house and then return. I like that and so will you. Get out of the house, clear your thoughts and breathe!