Six Beauty Tips To Live By in 2014

1. When testing out a new product, test it out on one part of your face only.  I typically test out new products on my forehead or half of my face.  This way, if something breaks me out, I can contain the breakout and know that it's the product that's causing the skin to act crazy.  Plus, you'll have to go into hiding for a lot longer if you breakout all over!

2. Read expiration dates on your cosmetics and throw them out if they are expired. There will typically be a jar symbol with "6m" or "12m" on it.  This means it expires 6 months or 12 months from the day you open it.  Especially with more natural cosmetics that don't use preservatives, you want to be careful that you don't push your luck and pay attention to the expiration dates--there may be a bacteria farm in there.  If there's no expiration indicator, ask the sales person or the company--they should have an answer for you.

3. More is not more.  If the directions say to "apply a thin layer," apply a thin layer.  I used to do the opposite with zit creams--I thought if i slathered it on thicker, it would destroy the bacteria quicker.  Actually not the case--the only thing it does is dry the skin surrounding the invader, and you don't want to dry out the skin that's doing fine.  You're also wasting product, because putting on more won't help get you there quicker. It's a shame, I know. 

4. When applying eye creams, use your fourth ring finger to apply the eye cream to tap on the eye cream.  The tapping should be so light, that you barely see your eye skin move.  Any sort of pulling to your eye area is bad, as the skin around your eye is extremely delicate.  I'm in my early thirties now and I'm definitely seeing the effects of how pulling/rubbing/daily use of eyeliner on my bottom lid can cause fine lines.  Prevention is key, as I haven't found any eye creams that miraculously make my eyes look younger….yet!  

5.  Take care of your neck and décolleté.  You don't want to have a wrinkly, saggy neck and a perfect complexion.  I've read several articles and all of them confirm that you don't need a special neck and décolleté moisturizer--just use the same moisturizer you use for your face and that should suffice.  Don't forget to put SPF on your neck and décolleté as well--this area needs as much sun protection as everything else!

6. Lastly, sample, sample, sample!  Try samples of things you want to try and test them out on your face for a week or two.  If you get good results, buy the full size item.  As good as Sephora's return policy is, you don't want to be the person who is constantly trying things and returning them.  This ends up becoming a time killer because you have to make another trip back to the store, and who doesn't need more hours back in their lives? :) Plus,  lot of organic, more natural cosmetic lines will offer small sample sizes for purchase at a reasonable price.