As we age many things change---one major thing being our lips!

Where do they go?

Hormones changing often cause our lips to thin.

While I invented fullips enhancers to give us that extra little plump here are some other important tips to remember!

1)  Stay hydrated.  Dehydration can cause lips to lose some of their natural fullness.  So being well hydrated is beneficial, not to mention to your overall health too!
 "Coffee, tea, sodas, alcohol, etc...anything with caffeine will decrease the results tremendously, do to the diuretic effects of those products."

2)  Moisture.  Keeping your lips well moisturized, just like you would the rest of your face, not only keeps them fuller looking, but their overall appearance is better.  

3)  Exfoliate your lips.  Yes, while we often think about exfoliating our skin, we often forget that our lips can also benefit.  Use a very soft brush, gently.  In fact, Fullips packages include small exfoliation brushes with every order as a gift, I think it's that important!  Remember, nothing is nicer and more kissable than soft lips!

4)  Consider using a Plumping Gloss.  There are several good ones on the market. Even if you prefer more color than you can get with just a gloss, or have your favorite lipstick, you can use a plumping gloss underneath your favorite color, still giving you the benefit of the plumping effect.  With any new plumping gloss, remember to always check the ingredients first to make sure you do not have any allergies.

5)  Hormones.  If your lips seem to have thinned due to age, and possible hormone changes, you might talk to your doctor about checking your hormone levels as a lack of estrogen can add to this problem.  (I use Bio-Identical pellets and love them!)  However if you are not a candidate for hormone replacement, then using alternative, natural options may be best in these situations.

6)  Liner.  When applying your lipstick, consider using a lip liner.  If you use a neutral lip color then you can take it just outside the edge of your lip line and it will still look natural.  Additionally, using the liner as a barrier, your lipstick is less likely to bleed.

7)  Find a Moisturizing Lipstick.  While I personally like the look of matte finish lipsticks, they can be more drying and your lips will not look as full.  However, if you have a special matte color you prefer, you could still try a plumping gloss under it. I am adding a great liquid matte the my line which lasts and does not cause me any dryness. None of my products are ever tested on animals!

8)  Lip Liner Illusions.  For a fuller looking lip using a liner, add a thicker line under your bottom lip in the center of your mouth.  It creates the illusion of more depth and fullness.


Bonus Fullips Enhancer Tips:

*For those that have a Fullips enhancer, here are some extra tips.  For those coming straight to our blog, the Fullips product was created to offer a natural and less expensive alternative for those wanting fuller lips, without the use of chemicals or invasive procedures.  Our enhancers come in 3 sizes and shapes for a variety of uses.

The Small Oval is my personal favorite!  It was developed to be used vertically, to target the middle of the mouth. In doing this, it takes the focus off the outside area where many older women, like myself, have more noticeable laugh lines and often get a turned down mouth look.  By drawing attention to the center of my mouth, and focusing on a smaller area, the fullness is more pronounced and distracts from the areas that I do not like.  It is kind of a smoke and mirrors thing, but it works! :)

The Medium Oval can focus both on the whole mouth area, and be turned vertically for targeting certain areas.  It can be used to do one lip at a time, and while that takes a little more practice to perfect, it is very useful if you have one lip that is smaller than the other.  If you are looking at just targeting smaller areas, like the center of your mouth, the small one is still the best.  But the Medium Oval tool provides options for both overall fullness and targeting.

The Large Round is our most popular seller for those looking to achieve an overall, fuller look.  It is best for doing the whole mouth area, but not as useful for targeting specific areas.  While some customers use it for one lip at a time, the size is best used for encompassing the whole mouth.  Generally, those with an overall larger mouth shape, and younger people, prefer this one.  Even though my 26 year old daughter in our demo uses the medium oval.  It's such a personal choice really.

And...next blog, I will have tips for my latest product Nexsey! Designed to hide those neck wrinkles that also age us far beyond what we feel! Sixy is the New Sexy!

xoxo Linda

How to Deal with Dry Winter Skin

Unless you’re among the lucky camp that never has to worry about their skin, seasonal changes can wreak havoc on your complexion. Our skin is the largest organ of the body, so it definitely needs some extra special attention. In order to avoid the drying effects of winter, take a look at these tips below.

 

Talk To a Specialist
While it may seem indulgent, working with a great skin care specialist is one of the best things you can do for your skin. These are specialized skin experts that can assess your skin for any underlying issues, and explain how to best use skin care products to your advantage. For instance, if you have sensitive, climate sensitive skin, he or she will most likely tell you to avoid benzoyl peroxide, as it can dry out your skin.

If you’re looking for a bit of pampering, estheticians can also perform customized facials to help that dry winter skin begin to rehydrate. Generally you should see an esthetician a few times a year, but this is an investment that’s definitely worth it.

 

Set Up a Skin Care Routine
Once you’ve seen a skin care expert, they’ll likely have given you a set of products that will work well with your skin. It’s important that you set up a regime and stick to it, and it’s essential that you use all products as directed. While those suffering from dry skin should avoid over washing, it’s essential to cleanse, tone and moisturize twice day. You’ll most likely need to use a heavier moisturizer at night than during the day; however, if you have a combination of both dry and oily skin it may be helpful to avoid using the denser moisturizer on areas more prone to oil production (like the “T” zone).

 

Be Mindful of Your Diet
Most experts will tell you that skin health begins on the inside. Often, when the weather turns cooler, we tend to drink less water and unknowingly begin to dehydrate our bodies, which is directly reflected in our complexions. This is why it’s important to remember to drink plenty of water all year round. This keeps not only our skin but all of our organs functioning optimally. If you find yourself struggling to drink enough, try to alternate with green tea or find creative ways to entice you to sip more H20 throughout the day. You’ll also want to take a look at your diet as well.  Foods like salmon, nuts and avocados that are filled with omega fatty acids that are skin friendly and help us rehydrate our bodies from the inside. Sweet potatoes filled with beta-carotene can supply skin with cell-repairing nutrients that help reverse tissue damage and prevent premature aging, while water and silica-rich vegetables like cucumbers improve both moisture and skin elasticity. Have fresh produce at the ready by using a service like FarmBoxDirect.com—you’ll find fresh fruits and veggies at your doorstep every week! Eating healthy has never been easier.


Keep It Cool
When the outdoor temps start dropping, the indoor temps steadily get higher. Be careful to avoid taking extra hot showers or sitting next to heater that’s cranking out the heat. Prolonged exposure to hot temperatures strips both the skin and the hair of much-needed moisture. Keep showers shorter and cooler and try not to sit too close to any direct heat sources. And, speaking of keeping it cooler, the winter season tends to be stressful for many individuals with the pressures of holiday planning. Stress has many harmful effects on our bodies, and our skin is no exception. Make sure to incorporate time to relax into your winter schedule. Head to a yoga class, reinvigorate your meditation practice, make sure to get an extra hour or two of sleep or take some time to do something that feels calming… your skin will thank you.

The Eyes Have it--It's all about the lashes!

Beauty trends are an ever revolving door. What is old is new again and even the fads we wish would stay buried in the past, tend to resurface!

Brows and lashes are two things that have had an interesting history of trends.  Going as far back as Ancient Egypt, men and women heavily darkened them with kohl. In the Middle Ages both were shaved to create the illusion of a higher forehead, and early versions of mascara and tinting have been around for centuries.

Lashes and brows are still a huge point of focus today. Thick brows and long, luscious lashes dominate social media beauty pages. They can greatly accentuate the shape and size of the eyes and make the rest of your makeup pop. Much the way lipstick highlights your lips, lashes and brows finish your look.

Over time however, just as your hair thins or changes, lashes and brows can befall the same fate and leave us looking for options. While after 50 it’s perhaps not as much about trendsetting, we still want to maintain the same finished and more youthful look.

False eyelashes in particular are all the rage at the moment and options abound!  Full, partial, demi, angled, straight, you name it and they exist. There are thick, thin, wispy and everything in between. They can be applied one lash at a time or all at once in strips. You can attempt to do them at home, or have them professionally done. Price of course varies as well, starting at just a few dollars for drugstore brands or $25 for a more expensive pair.

For those looking to start somewhere, my friend recently launched her own gorgeous line called Eyeris Beauty. They are not only extraordinary, but they are 100% cruelty free, which for me is a big thing! And they can be used up to 20 times allowing for some practice too!

False eyelashes certainly provide the most dramatic change, but you must be careful. Sometimes they can accidentally pull out your own lashes and the last thing you want to do is lose anymore!
And for simpler solutions, of course there is always mascara, all prices and all types. And again, while this is what I mostly use, you have to be careful as it can be drying and when it sticks to your natural lashes can cause further thinning. Last, there are prescription topicals you can ask your doctor about that promote growth. If this is of interest, just be sure to do some research of any possible downsides. The most important thing while enhancing any part of your look is not to cause further damage to anything you already have!

I have tried the false lashes and they were fun and quite dramatic. Personally they're something I would use for special occasions mostly. As I've shared before, I tend to be a bit lazy so anything that requires extra work probably isn't going to make my daily routine. So I suppose my drugstore Covergirl Lash Blast Volume mascara will have to do for now!

Brows are up next month!