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Summer Eye Skin Care

In addition to wearing sunscreen and drinking plenty of water, one of the best things you can do for your skin in the summertime is to ease up on the rich moisturizers and thick eye wrinkle creams during the day. While you want your skin to stay hydrated, during the summer your skin doesn’t need the same level of moisture as needed in the winter months.

Slathering on the eye wrinkle cream and moisturizer can build a barrier on the skin and actually prevent moisture from being absorbed. It can also trap skin cells, creating a duller complexion. So, thicker does not always mean better. In fact, some of the best eye wrinkle creams are light-weight. Plus, eye wrinkle creams that are too rich for your skin type can prevent skin cells from properly sloughing off, which can form milia, or small cysts, around the eye area.

An example of an effective light-weight eye wrinkle cream is La Roche-Posay Redermic Eyes. It’s actually a gel but moisturizes like a cream, without creating the thick barrier on your skin. It contains vitamin C to repair and protect the skin, and vitamin E and hyaluronic acid to moisturize.
La Roche-Posay Redermic Eyes

Of course, you know your skin best. If you have dry skin, go ahead and apply a layer of moisturizer, let it soak in, and then apply a second layer if your skin still feels dry. It is good, however, to wear a slightly thicker moisturizer at night when skin cells rejuvenate a little faster.

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Free Sample Alert! Kinerase Cream

Sephora is giving away FREE samples of the new Kinerase PhotoFacials sun damage reversal products! This new Kinerase cream system claims to replicate the benefits of the popular dermatologist-performed photofacial procedure. It reverses the signs of sun damage by reducing eye wrinkles and other fine lines, and improving uneven skin pigmentation (color), tone and texture. The Kinerase PhotoFacials system includes a daily exfoliating cleanser, day moisturizer with spf 50 to protect the skin, and a night moisturizer with kinetin to stimulate cell renewal and reduce the signs of aging. Because this 3-step system is lacking a Kinerase eye cream, I highly recommend adding Kinerase Intensive Eye Cream to the regimen. This Kinerase eye cream is one of the top selling eye wrinkle creams on Sephora.com, and it’s highly rated on many other beauty sites.

The Kinerase PhotoFacials sample is a 4-day supply - what a bargain! No purchase is necessary to receive the free sample if you visit a Sephora store. The Sephora stores inside JCPenney and Sephora Canada stores are not participating in the giveaway. Merchandise purchase IS necessary to receive the free sample online at Sephora.com. Enter promo code PHOTOFACIAL3 at checkout.

This free sample offer is valid July 15 through August 31, 2009 while supplies last. So, hurry to get your free sample, then let us know how you liked the Kinerase PhotoFacials.

Redbook Magazine is also having a sweepstakes to give away Kinerase PhotoFacial systems, valued at $216 each, to three lucky Redbook readers. Simply visit Redbook’s website, enter your information to receive a free trial subscription, and you’ll be entered to win. Good luck!

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Protect Your Skin: The Best and Worst Sunscreens

Sun damage is the leading cause of premature aging. UV rays break down the skin’s collagen and elastin, causing those dreaded eye wrinkles and other not-so-fine lines. To prevent these wrinkles and keep your skin looking younger longer, one of the best things you can do is wear sunscreen every day. Of course, sunscreen is particularly important in the summer when you’re out in the sun longer. So, the website Total Beauty compiled the best and worst sunscreens as rated by its readers.

The worst 4 sunscreens as rated on totalbeauty.com:

1. DDF Daily Matte spf 15, $40 (main complaints: caused some breakouts, didn’t control oil, clumped)

2. Banana Boat UltraMist Sport spf 15 Continuous Clear Spray, $10 (main complaints: does not go on evenly)

3. Philosophy A Pigment of Your Imagination spf 18, $30 (main complaints: sticky and thick, did not improve sun spots as it claims)

4. Eminence Sun Defence Minerals, $58 (main complaints: powder sunscreen caused some breakouts, brush bristles shed, color is too orange)

The best 4 sunscreens as rated on totalbeauty.com:

1. ZO Skin Health Oclipse Sunscreen + Primer spf 30, $85 (main compliments: has titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, sweat-proof, non-greasy, evens skin tone, acts as a slightly tinted primer and moisturizer)

2. Jan Marini Antioxidant Daily Face Protectant Tube SPF 30, $48 (main compliments: “sponges” in the formula absorb oil, doesn’t cause breakouts, good for sensitive skin)

3. DDF Enhancing Sun Protection SPF 30, $32 (main compliments: lasts all day, doesn’t get shiny, evens skin tone, doesn’t smell like typical sunscreen)

4. Obagi Nu-Derm Healthy Skin Protection SPF 35, $37.60 (main compliments: lasts a long time, moisturizes, doesn’t cause breakouts)

A few other sunscreens that made the top ten are Clinique Super City Block Oil-Free Daily Face Protector spf 40 $16.50, Avon Skin So Soft Bug Guard Plus spf 30 Sunscreen $12, and Kiss My Face Face Factor spf 30 For Face and Neck $8.50.

Protect your skin by adding one of these top-rated sunscreens to your daily skin care routine, and you’ll keep eye wrinkles away and keep your skin looking younger for longer.

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How to Fake a Good Nights Sleep: Part 2

As I discussed last week, millions of people don’t get the recommended 8 hours of sleep each night. When we are sleep-deprived, our eye wrinkles become more prominent, and we get puffy eyes and dark circles. Basically, the less sleep you get, the older you tend to look. So, if you can’t get enough sleep, what can you do to look more awake during the day? Allure Magazine shared helpful advice on the Today Show for faking a good nights sleep. Here are a few of their tips on how to reduce puffy eyes and use makeup to conceal sleepy eyes:

To reduce red, puffy eyes:

- Place ice cold spoons, cold cucumbers or bags of frozen peas over the eyes.

- Another way to reduce this inflammation is to take an antihistamine. Or, put nasal spray, such as Afrin, on a cotton ball, and place it on your eyelids for a few seconds. (I have not tried this personally, but if you do, I suggest being very careful not to get any nasal spray in your eyes.)

To conceal eye wrinkles and dark circles using makeup:

- Use an eyelash curler before applying mascara to make eyes look more open.

- Use concealer around your eyes to camouflage dark circles. Then, dab a little shimmer powder or cream on the inner corners of your eyes to make them glow.

- Apply foundation with light-reflectors, such as Lancome Photogenic Lumessence, to make your face look brighter and more awake.

Of course, the best way to look refreshed and awake is to get more sleep! But, when a good nights sleep isn’t possible, just fake it!

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