5 Simple Beauty Fixes For Every Woman

Dr. Toyin Bode-Abass

Looking pretty doesn’t have to take all morning. Streamline your beauty routine, and give yourself a prettier, more stylish look. Find 5 quick tips to get started:

1. Skin

Clear skin: Skin clarity reflects underlying health. Pimples are a sign of infection — acne is caused by bacteria — and can signal diseases like skin parasites. If you’re acne-prone, try a product containing two percent salicylic acid. If skin doesn’t improve, visit a dermatologist for more comprehensive treatment.

2. Eyes

Large eyes: The size of your eyes matter. Women with baby-like widely-spaced eyes are perceived as most attractive. Don’t have bold baby eyes? Worry not. A quick and easy way to fix this is to sketch a line on the top lash line using a smoky shade, and then smudge eye shadow with a brush or your fingertip to soften and blend.

Long lashes: Lashes are supposed to keep dirt out of your eyes. Long, fanned-out eyelashes instantly make eyes look well rested. Because human sight is drawn to motion, fluttering the lashes can get you noticed. Take advantage of your lashes by making them longer and more visible.

Use a curler to open up your eyes, make them look larger and more awake. The curler also makes lashes appear longer which can help you look better even without any makeup at all. Next, use mascara to sweep middle lashes upward toward brows, inner corners, toward nose and outer lashes toward temples. I advise you go for black — darker hues offer the most definition. Skip lower lashes if you’re no pro as under eye smudges make you look wiped out.

Raise your brows:  Well-groomed arches can lift your entire face. Brush brows up and shape them using brow set – you can also use hair serum (not gel). Apply it using your fingers or a clean mascara wand in an up-and-out motion. The brow set/hair serum holds brows in place all day and adds a light-reflecting glow.

Bags around lower lids: Woke up with baggy eyes or bloated face? Sleeping facedown causes fluid to pool under skin, and so does eating sodium-rich foods – causing the appearance of bags around your lower lids. A bag of frozen vegetables will bring down swelling in about five minutes. You  could also place a slice of cucumber on each eye to reduce swelling.

Get rid of crows feet: Have you got crows feet around your eyes? The lines around the outer corner of the eye. Tighten skin by applying lip balm to the area using a cotton bud. The deep moisture keeps skin smooth. Avoid petroleum products, they can cause foundation to cake.

3. Mouth

Luscious lips: Oestrogen levels rise during ovulation thereby increasing blood flow under the skin’s surface – flushing cheeks and lips with a pink or red tone.  This is noticeable in fair skinned wonen – it evokes attraction response in men. No wonder Marilyn Monroe always wore red lipstick. Use a soft stain to achieve a natural-looking flush. Apply the color to your lips with your finger tip, then gently blur the lip line so you get a feminine and natural look. I love to tap extra color on the center of my lips after blurring the lip line – for an extra juicy pout.

Get a sexy smile: Exfoliate the top layer of stains on teeth by brushing with a gritty paste. You can get a whiter smile by applying a whitener. Better yet, see your dentist.

4. Hair

Clean hair: Bet most ladies desire the glossy, smooth strands that bounce weightlessly as seen in shampoo commercials. We are all drawn to hair that look and feel clean, even more to hair that smells nice. Hair can be very sensorial as it stirs sight, touch, smell sensations – and even memories because hair is arousing and primal in its appeal. Frequent washings can strip hair of moisture. A great trick is to spritz your hair brush with your favorite fragrance, then comb through your hair to distribute the scent. Keep hair clean and flake free, and if you get really bad flakes like I do – see a dermatologist. It may not just be dandruff, in my case I was told I had seborrhoeic dermatitis.

Thick glossy hair: Though hair thickness is directly influenced by health, diet, and hormones at any age, hair naturally thins as we grow older. Each strand has its own blood supply, so thick, flowing hair communicate a sense of wellness. Hair grows fastest and thickest between the ages of 16 and 24, so it’s an indicator of youth. Dull hair looks damaged and makes you appear older. To get the sheen, apply a quarter-size drop of hair serum through dry strands. Start at the ends — the oldest and driest area — and move toward roots.

5. Nails

Groom your nails: Get the right shape and shade going. Trim your nails so they’re no longer than the tops of fingers, then file them into a squoval – straight line with rounded edges. This gives your hands a lengthened look. Buff in one direction – a seesaw motion can weaken tips, causing them to split and chip. Coat with frosty or shimmery polish, neutrals look great on everyone.

You do not need a stylist or make-up artist for your everyday look. I love looking all glammed up for occasions, that’s a good time to enlist the services of a make-up artist.

Try your hands on these quick fixes that do not require much time, effort or resources and see how you can look prettier in minutes.

Dr. Toyin Bode-Abass is a proud Wife and Mom, Medical Doctor, Women Empowerment Advocate, Wellness Coach, Integrative Medicine Consultant, Icon of Womanhood, Writer and Blogger. See more of her articles on her blog -http://www.fitnesswithdrtba.com