Be beautiful from
the outside in
True beauty lies on the inside. But
“even if you are beautiful on the inside,
you will feel even better if you are feeling gorgeous on the outside as well,” says
Heidi Whitford, Miss Jackson’s skin and
beauty buyer.
The most important thing you can do
for an all-over more beautiful you this
year is to see a beauty adviser for an
analysis of skin care and color updates,
Whitford says. Whether you have been
using the same products since you were
14 or you have had any changes (whether
personal, hormonal or seasonal), a visit
with a skin care and color expert in the
cosmetics department can get you on the
right regimen for your skin and beauty
needs, making all the difference in the
way you look and feel about yourself.
If you are looking for a basic regime, try
Erno Laszlo’s “clocking” analysis for great
skin, or for a more clinical approach to
skin care, try MDFormulations or ReVive,
Whitford says. If you want color for
everyday needs, visit the Trish McEvoy
counter to get set up with the correct
“planner system,” depending on your
lifestyle habits. For a natural, paraben-free makeup collection, try Bare Minerals
“Swirl, Tap and Buff” philosophy and Get
Started Kit, or for a more dramatic nighttime look, stop by the NARS studio to see
the hottest colors of the season.
Don’t put off until tomorrow
what you can do today
“When people come to me with so
many wrinkles, we often have to do multiple procedures (to reverse the signs of
aging),” says Rhonda Whitlock, registered
nurse and owner of Whitlock Plastic
Surgery and Reflexion Medical Spa.
If you begin maintaining healthy skin, a
lot of aging can be avoided completely.
“Products such as Obagi Skin System, a
prescription anti-aging regimen, can actually reverse the signs of aging,” Whitlock
says. “And with Botox, wrinkles may
never appear.”
In addition, Whitlock encourages
everyone to schedule “me” time and relax
with facials, massages and indulgent treatments.
If Mother Nature didn’t give you what
you intended, make your own fate. Small
breasts are a snap to fix and love handles
don’t have to exist, Whitlock says. With
advanced processes such as SmartLipo,
procedures can now be done in the office.
However, don’t replace diet and exercise,
Whitlock says. When you need a boost,
there are affordable options available.
Timing is everything, and Dr. Jeff
Swetnam with Face and Body Medical
Aesthetics says winter is the best time to
have procedures such as breast augmentation, breast lifts and tummy tucks done
because doing so gives you ample time
to heal and be ready for spring and summer wear.
Facial surgery falls into this category
as well. As previously mentioned, diet,
exercise and supplements go a long way
toward making us look and feel better.
But the other key component affecting our
health — smoking — is often forgotten or
ignored.
“If you smoke … quit,” Swetnam says.
Ask your doctor about quitting smoking, as there are now medications to help
you quit, Swetnam says. Smoking takes
a toll on skin and can speed the aging
process.
Next on Swetnam’s list: Use sunscreen.
This is important to stop further UV
damage. And, yes, you do get exposure
on cloudy days, and even when riding
in the car, so use sunscreen as part of a
daily routine. Then, begin using a quality
skin care line.
“We like to personalize a skin care
routine for our patients, as it is hard to
treat everyone’s problems with the same
products,” Swetnam says.
Nothing makes another
person feel good like
looking at a beautiful
smile, Dr. William
Letcher says.
“I’m a dentist and I know I’m prejudiced, but your smile can be
compared to stunningly beautiful jewelry that you never remove,”
he says.
Your teeth are a critical aesthetic element.
“I hear uplifting stories from our patients who have gotten
better jobs and raised their self-esteem just by fixing their teeth,”
Letcher says. What a difference a smile can make.
