Beauty Editors Share Their Best Tips
The Yahoo Beauty team shares 17 key beauty tips from anti-wrinkle creams to cleansing. (Photo: Jenna Peffley)
I’ve written about dozens of topics since becoming a writer, but covering all things beauty is one of the most fun (and most beneficial to my skin). Interviewing countless experts, trying hundreds of products, and delving into the industry has given the Yahoo Beauty team some serious beauty know-how. From what’s not worth it (pricey creams) to what really works (retinols), here are 17 key beauty tips from three members of the YB team.
Sara Bliss, Senior Writer
The best beauty creams aren’t the most expensive: The retail cost of a product is based on a lot of factors. A cream will be more expensive if it includes rare ingredients, is handmade, is produced overseas, or is crafted in small batches. Price absolutely isn’t the way to determine which products are the best. The truth is many of the best products are found in the drugstore or big-box stores and are under $20.
Your kitchen is a great source for beauty: Some of the greatest beauty treatments can be found in your kitchen, and in the age of everything being labeled “natural,” these treatments really are. Olive oil is one of the most potent conditioning treatments for your hair. Coconut oil has antibacterial properties, is vitamin-packed, and is an ultrahydrating head-to-toe moisturizer. Apple cider vinegar can be used as a face toner and a buildup-removing hair rinse. And yes, cucumbers really do help combat puffy eyes.
Oils are transformational: It wasn’t so long ago that people balked at the idea of putting oil on their skin, convinced that it would cause breakouts. But oils can actually transform your skin (and hair). Cleansing oils dissolve even the most stubborn makeup. Olive oil or jojoba oil paired with a cotton pad beautifully removes eye makeup. And oil serums penetrate the skin, leaving a gorgeous glow, even in the driest conditions. Layer body or face oil with cream moisturizer, and you will see radiant, hydrated skin.
Hyaluronic acid instantly plumps up skin: While many derms inject hyaluronic acid to fill in wrinkles and smooth skin, you can use its topical forms to fill in fine lines and plump up skin immediately. It’s not comparable with an injectable, but the effect is impressive, especially underneath your eyes. Even better, you can find products with hyaluronic acid at all price points.
Retinoids are the only proven wrinkle fighter: Beauty products make a lot of claims. Most can say that they reduce the appearance of wrinkles, because any cream will plump up skin and make wrinkles look less pronounced. But, retinoids (prescription-strength) and retinols (over-the-counter) have scientific studies to back up their claims. Retinols stimulate collagen, reduce wrinkles, treat acne, and fade sun spots.
Go with exfoliating masks rather than grainy scrubs: Scrubbing with a grainy exfoliant can cause small tears in the skin, leaving you raw and irritated. A better option is to go with an exfoliating peel that uses glycolic acid. It is less irritating than other AHA and BHA formulas and reveals smooth, glowing skin often within minutes of applying.
Yes, you can fix sun damage: For years, the warning against sun worshiping has been that it damages and prematurely ages skin beyond repair. But experts say that while you can’t entirely undo the cellular changes caused by UV radiation, you can heal skin to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, sunspots, sagging skin, and melasma. You can even eliminate precancerous cells before they have a chance to turn into melanoma. Solutions range from drugstore finds to dermatologist’s treatments like lasers. However, the results only last if you are strict about SPF and staying out of the sun going forward.
Skip spray sunscreen: The Food and Drug Administration has been delving into the safety of spray sunscreens since 2011. They are looking into whether unintentionally breathing in sunscreens in aerosol form could be toxic. They are also focusing on whether sprays provide enough of the product to protect your skin from the sun. In 2014, Consumer Reports recommended that spray sunscreens not be used on children. A better option is to go with cream formulas.
Be careful with cosmetic procedures — there are some things you can’t reverse: With injectables and antiaging treatments being done over lunch hour, it might seem like it’s no big deal. Derms and clients are often overzealous, however, resulting in duck lips, overplumped cheeks, and frozen foreheads. And if you’ve gone overboard, you can’t always go back — at least without causing a host of other issues. For example, attempting to dissolve a filler in the lip area might leave the patient with new wrinkles. “If it is little tweaks, in all probability I can get you back,” reveals dermatologist Dr. Macrene Alexiades-Armenakas. “However, injecting filler can cause permanent scar tissue that is not reversible. If you have gone over the deep end, you can’t delay trying to fix it. There is a point of no return.”
There are hazards lurking in beauty products: 12,000 chemicals are used in the cosmetics industry, and almost 90 percent of these have never been evaluated for their impact on long-term health — nor as possible carcinogens and endocrine disrupters. The U.S. is way behind other countries in evaluating the safety of certain chemicals and protecting consumers. For example, the European Union has banned nearly 1,400 chemicals from cosmetics, while the United States has banned only 11. The government hasn’t made industry regulations since 1938. While a bill co-sponsored by Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California and Sen. Susan Collins of Maine is in the works to give the FDA more power to force mandatory recalls with products that pose a public health risk, it’s still not enough. Your choice? Go with brands that voluntarily avoid ingredients like phthalates, sulfates, and parabens. Check out the Environmental Working Group, which rates products for safety.
What you eat affects your skin: Most dermatologists’ go-to solution for skin issues is a prescription cream, but often that just suppresses symptoms rather than delving into the root cause. Meeting with a nutritionist and trying an elimination diet, can help you pinpoint whether your rosacea or acne is actually the result of a food intolerance or allergy. Eating whole foods and avoiding processed foods when possible will always make a difference in your skin.
Double line your eyes: My boss Bobbi Brown taught me this trick. By layering powder and gel liner, your eyes will standout beautifully. Just layer powder liner on top of gel liner to get the look.
Alexandra Perron, Editor
Don’t believe the skin type hype: You should always experiment and find what works for your skin by testing products. For so long I felt like I had to use an oil-free moisturizer, a matte foundation, and a ton of powder to balance out my oily skin, and I only purchased products “for oily skin.” You have to mix and match and really see how your skin reacts to what you’re putting on it. If that dry skin moisturizer is changing your life, keep using it. But don’t be confined to skin type labels on the jars.
You will never regret washing your face before bed: Whether you’re using a wipe, double cleansing, or whipping out your Clarisonic, don’t hit the sheets with a full face of makeup. Your skin needs time to repair while you sleep, and it can’t do that if your longwear foundation is clogging your pores for 24 hours.
Joanna Douglas, Senior Editor
Use cream products whenever possible:
I always hear how much makeup artists love cream-based makeup for summer weather (it doesn’t rub off like powders) and for winter (they rub it into the skin for a more flawless look). I’ve adopted using it year round — a bonus for my dry skin. Look for creaseless formulas that come in pots and stick form, requiring no brushes for a really natural look.
Use bedtime for hair styling: I am really low maintenance with hair and prefer to sleep until the last possible second, so I wash my hair at night and style while I catch zzzs. If I want a really sleek look, I’ll add some argan oil and comb my hair into a ponytail before bed. For a loose wave or bed, I’ll swap my pony for a high bun — when you take it out in the morning it looks like a blowout. For more textured waves, I’ll spritz damp hair with a salt spray or texturizing spray and put it in two braids before hitting the sheets. When you wake up, take the braids out, tousle with your fingers, and use a little hair spray or more texturizer for hold.
Less is more: I have access to so many treatments and products, but due to sensitive reactionary skin, I definitely take on a less-is-more approach. For me that means no foundation (I love letting my skin breathe), minimal skin care (spf, moisturizer, and eye cream), and a little mascara and blush. That’s it! I don’t even exfoliate or get facials, and I only wash my face once a day with a cleansing oil. I definitely believe that if what you’re doing works for your skin, you don’t need to add or do anything else.
Related:
Beauty Editor Splurges: The Products We Always Buy and Why
How One Beauty Editor Made the Transition to Natural Products
