Natural Secrets of Beauty — Part 3

Adapted from “Secrets of Youth and Beauty” by Daniele Ryman.

Many creams intended to beautify the eyes and the surrounding skin can have the opposite effect. The following light gel, which you can make up yourself, will naturally ease the symptoms.

The causes of puffy, darkened and unhealthy looking eyes are usually late nights, too much alcohol, cigarette smoke and allergies. Bags under the eyes may also indicate kidney problems.

Apply a little of this gel –which will keep for three days in a refrigerator — to boost circulation and reduce puffiness, lines and wrinkles.

Eye Gel
Half a cucumber, liquidized
1 capsule wheatgerm oil
50ml herbal infusion of either marigold, fennel, comfrey or parsley (one teaspoon of herb)

Make up the herbal infusion in 50ml of boiled water, cool and strain. Stir it into the liquidized cucumber with the contents of the wheatgerm capsule.

Apply a little to the skin around the eyes and pat it in.

In a test of the latest eye make-up removers, six experts were asked to try five products.

The best was L’Oreal Dermo Expertise Gentle Eye Make-up Remover (pictured) with a perfect score of 10/10. It was described as gentle for sensitive skin, quick to act and effective.

Second, with 9/10, was Simple Conditioning Eye Make-up Remover. The bottle design was found to be particularly useful when using cotton buds for correcting.

Third, with 8/10, was Lancome Bi-Facil Non-oily Instant Cleanser Sensitive Eyes. The fact that it’s non-oily and gentle to the eyes were its plus points.

All around me are the sounds of a spring storm. The wind elicits groans out of winter-weary tree limbs and throws raindrops against the glass like a desperate lover tossing pebbles at the window to signal his arrival. This is no gentle spring shower, this is a storm.

With all this grey surrounding me, I had to write of something sunnier and I found something gold and gorgeous to light up this dreary day.

L’Oreal’s Wear Infinite Eyeshadow Quartets contain the perfect bronze, gold, amber, copper and cocoa shades to make eyes shimmer and highlight them against the bronze glow we all plan to have this summer. I like the Golden Sunshine quad. For deeper tones there is the Bronze Sunset shade collection.

Rage as it will, the storm will soon give over to warmer, sunnier summer and I may just hurry it along by giving my eyes that summer shimmer today.

It’s spring finally and under a warming sun that is creeping higher in the sky each day your makeup looks tired and out of place. Time to shake off winter routines and go for something light and breezy, something that lets the real you shine out.

Metallics are fine for nighttime wear but if you’re going to be out and about in the sunshine, you might feel and look more natural in mattes and neutral colors.

Eyeliner should be dotted in between the lashes, not a drawn line. Eyeshadows can be neutrals, pinks, sandy beige or earthy. Maybelline Expert Wear Eye Shadow Duo in Cocoa Delight or Indian Summer have neutral shades that are suitable for most skin tones. Try brown mascara if you have light brown or blonde hair, you can use black if your hair is darker.

When you get to lips, it’s okay to stay neutral but forget the matte and go for a moisture-drenched gloss. Gloss in barely-there hues will give you a fresh look and a hint of color. I like Revlon’s Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in Nude Lustre.