FanSided-sabshernandez

#spotlight

My skin tone is yellow, but my cheeks are naturally red and gets even "redder" when I am feeling too hot or too cold. I am an avid BB cream user, and even with BB on my face, the red areas turn gray because the redness shines through the BB cream so it is not corrected, just covered.

I am doing an unbiased review on 2 color correcting bases here today (you know -those primers that come in green and purple?) that I have been using for a while now, and so that I can show you also what the purpose of these colored bases are and why they make a good base. Although it is not in their label, this is basically what a CC cream is.

Read more »

I am one of those girls who are born with fair skin with a mix of pink and yellow undertones. A frustrated J-Lo wanna be who would do anything to get that gorgeous golden tanned skin.

Read more »

Q: "Hi ms. sabs! I have a question. I am on a quest for project clear skin. i am getting married in january and i would like to at least have clear supple skin to prep my skin before makeup. i have been following your blog for quite sometime and i even went to your mylancome event launch so i could meet you in person. When i saw you, i really admired your clear beautiful skin. do you have a skin care routine that i can inspire from? what products do you use? can you give me a description what they do? how long will it take for my skin to clear up? thanks ms. sabs!" -leah [sent via EMAIL on May 22, 2009]

A: Thanks Leah for your very flattering email. Well, first of all, let me share with you that when I was growing up, I had extremely dry skin. I would flake all over my face specially around the nose area. I was really annoyed so I started putting moisturizer at 13. As soon as I put on my first moisturizer, I was addicted with the feeling.

I switched from moisturizer to moisturizer until I found the perfect formula for me. When I joined Lancome almost 4 years ago, they gave me my first Lancome moisturizer. It was the Primordiale Optimum. I used the entire bottle and it really worked wonders for me. From then on, I tried different Lancome products and through the years, my skin improved.

This is me (photographed) without makeup. As you can see, compared to my picture with makeup, I have a lot of spots spread all over my face. This is what a spot eraser does, it erases the dark spots only on areas you need erasing. Don't go for whitening products because sometimes these products will not allow you to have any kind of sun exposure at all, and the moment you step out onto the sun, your face may get more dark spots! I have a lot of tiny freckles too that I am now working on.

If you look even closer, you will see fine lines starting to appear around my eyes. This is where an eye cream comes in. A night cream aids in repairing your skin during the night, so it's good to invest in a night cream as well. Of course, before anything else, you have to tone your face. A toner doesn't "close" pores. Toners are actually used to remove any remaining dirt and cleansers on your face before you pile another layer of moisturizer.

I took a photo of my skin care products so I can better explain what each one does. I do not mean to plug but I really own mostly Lancome products. There are other products that I use though, products which are not available with Lancome.

1. Gelatee Confort, Comforting Skin Cleansing Milk - Emolliently-rich and milky creme cleanser gently melts away makeup and impurities. Rinse or tissue off.

2. Eau De Bienfait Clarte, 3 in 1 Cleansing and Toning for Face and Eyes - In one step, this refreshing cleansing water lifts and removes impurities and even waterproof, long-lasting face, eye and lip makeup. Skin is purified, toned and revitalized.

3. Bi-Facil, Non Oily Instant Cleanser for Sensitive Eyes - Double-phase, fresh-as-water liquid eye makeup remover. Activates when shaken to gently whisk away even waterproof eye makeup, while conditioning and refreshing the skin. Ideal for sensitive skin and contact lens wearers.

4. Huile Eclat, Remove-all Deep Cleansing Oil for Face and Eyes -This all-in-one cleansing oil instantly dissolves even waterproof face and eye makeup. Immediately skin texture and tone are refined. Skin is velvety soft and dewy, without any greasy after-feel.

5. Blanc Expert NeuroWhite X3, Ultimate Whitening Hydrating Emulsion Moist - This product whitens, hydrates and refines skin for a sublime look during the day. Brown spots appearance diminishes and complexion becomes luminously transparent.

6. Galateis Clarte, Gentle Clarifying and Cleansing Fluid for Face and Eyes - Creamy tissue or rinse off cleanser specially designed for dry skin. Leaves skin feeling clean, soft and soothed. Removes even the heaviest makeup.

7. Primordiale Optimum Levres, Visibly Plumping Effect Smoothing Lip Treatment - As the aging process begins, your skin’s cellular activity slows down, resulting in rough and uneven texture, and the appearance of fine lines around the lip contours. A lip treatment to visibly smooth and renew the lips, restoring their vitality.

8. Primordiale Optimum Nuit, Visibly Skin Regenerating Night Treatment - a night cream to visibly smooth and renew skin, restoring its youthful look and vitality.

9. Hydra Zen NeuroCalm, Soothing Anti-Stress Moisturising Gel Essence - Its original and incredibly fresh texture brings intense hydration, immediately and for 24 hours. Deliciously hydrated, skin recovers comfort, softness and luminosity.

10. Primordiale Optimum Yeux, Visibly Smoothing Eye Treatment - This rich, luxurious gel cream hydrates the delicate skin around the eyes for immediate softness. Lancôme’s exclusive technology with Pure Vitamin E helps protect the fragile eye area from premature aging factors so it’s free to repair itself. 11. Blanc Expert NeuroWhite X3, High Potency Whitening Spot Eraser - Targets damaged surface cells to reduce the appearance of dark spots, while a combination of Vitamin CG and botanical extracts helps even out and brighten the complexion.

MORNING ROUTINE:
1. Wash face with cold water and use Huile Eclat.
2. I tone my face.
3. I apply my SPF 70 sunblock from VMV.




NIGHT ROUTINE:
1. If I am wearing makeup, I use Bi-Facil for my eyes and my cleansing milk to remove the makeup.
2. I wash my face with the cleansing oil.
3. Tone.
4. I apply my eye cream in light stippling motions.
5. Then, I spot erase my freckles and other dark spots.
6. I massage my Hydra Zen Soothing Anti-Stress gel until it has completely been absorbed.
7. I put on my Skin Regenerating Night Treatment cream.
8. Apply lip treatment.

Remember to find your own skin care routine. You do not have to use these products. Test different products and find out which one works for you and your skin type.

I was surfing the net for a good chocolate chip cookie recipe when I came across this article... Just want to share with you some interesting news about the effects of chocolate on our skin:

Sometimes if you're lucky, science reverses some of its findings and dire warnings in your lifetime. For example, I'm sure, like most women, you were told as a teenager to stay away from chocolate, supposedly the #1 cause of pimples. Not that you always followed that advice. But now, halleluiah, the Journal of Nutrition is giving us our chocolate back. I don't know if teens still have to worry but as long as I don't have to...well.

Scientists have already found that cocoa can contain more antioxidants per cup than red wine or green tea do. But the even better news--depending on your fancy--is that ingesting certain compounds in cocoa can smooth the skin and decrease its sensitivity to the sun.

In a recent test, women who drank a cocoa beverage high in antioxidants called flavonols daily experienced reduced redness in response to UV-light exposure--15% less than usual after 6 weeks and 25 % less at 12 weeks--while a group given a low-flavonol cocoa drink had no change.

The women also showed significant improvements in their skins' texture and hydration, which the investigators believe were attributable to measurably improved blood flow to the skin. The low-calorie, high-flavored cocoa powder, made by the candy manufacturer Mars, is not currently available, but flavonols are abundant in dark chocolate. Of course, while a little dark chocolate is good for you, a lot is not better. Chocolate still is loaded with calories. In the meantime, I'm just happy to have it off my forbidden list and able to have a nibble now and again. For my skin, naturally.

GET LAIS' CHOCOLATE-y LOOK:

1. Start by cleansing, toning, and moisturizing your skin.

2. Spot conceal only. You will be wearing a whole lot of brown shades so a heavy foundation might look a bit too heavy as well.

3. Lightly dust some powder on your face just to set the concealer.

4. Contour your cheekbones with a deep shade of brown. Don't use a bronzer for this gives a tan/orange look. If you have a light-chocolate brown eye shadow, use this. But remember to use just a small amount because eye shadows are highly pigmented! So when you dip your blush brush, tap off excess until there is hardly any product left on your brush.

5. Use taupe as a base for your eyes. Apply from your lash lines up to your creases. Define your crease with a chocolate brown shade and blend a bone shade on your brow bones to soften the hard edges.

6. BLEND BLEND BLEND!

7. I used Lancome's Le Crayon Khol in Brun as a liner. Draw a thick line along the lash lines and blend the edges well until you are given just a faint line defining the lashes.

8. For the lips, keep it light. Your eyes already give a lot of definition so I used Lancome's Color Fever Lipstick in No. 212 Wicked Brown which is just a sheer pigmented lip color. It is lighter than lipstick, but a bit more color than lip gloss.

PHOTO CREDITS
(Model) Photographed by Pat Dy
Makeup by Sabs Hernandez for Lancome Paris
Hair by Felicity Son of Khiel's Stylist Series
Model: Lais Villela of Ahensiya Modelo
Styled by: Jennie Llamas-Garcia
Text by Valerie Gladstone

I am both a steam bath and sauna aficionado. I really can't go through the day without having that hour session of sauna and steam. Every morning after a hard workout, I take and make time to do a long sauna and a steam bath. I have been doing this for nearly a year and I do not plan to stop anytime soon. I didn't really know the health benefits of the sauna and steam bath until I noticed a lot of positive effects it had on my skin, and that is just one of the positive results it had when I did a little research on it!
Skin cleansing is the method used to remove the surface dirt and other substances which accumulate and cause clogging of the pores of your skin. You should perform regular skin cleansing for a blemish free and healthy complexion.

Skin cleansing, in addition to other cleansing methods like colon cleansing and liver cleansing, can also be used effectively for the treatment of multiple chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, and pesticide and chemical exposure. It is also used to release stored toxins under the skin. In the skin cleansing method, the elimination of toxins is usually done by stimulating the lymphatic system. It also helps to improve blood circulation and the removal of dead cells from the skin.

You can use long handled natural bristle brush or loofah sponge for skin cleansing. Start from the soles of your feet and finish with the scalp. During skin cleansing, you need to brush in small circles from the feet towards the chest. You should avoid the sensitive areas such as face, breasts, and other sensitive areas during the skin cleansing process.

Since the contrast between the hot and cold water increases the micro circulation of the body tissues, it is better to do the skin cleansing before a contrast shower. This helps to bring nutrients and oxygen to the damaged tissues and aids in the elimination of waste and toxic substances. Contrast showers also helps to increase the number of white blood cells.

Sauna is widely used as a skin cleansing method. This is an ideal process for the elimination of the environmental chemicals stored in the fat cells. For skin cleansing using sauna, you should use a dry heat sauna that is not treated with the toxic chemicals.

After your sauna and steam bath, exfoliate with a brush or a loofah from your foot to your head. Use circular motions to scrub off dead skin and toxins!

THE CORRECT WAY TO TAKE A STEAMBATH

1. SHOWER - after a hard workout when the body is hot, take a cool shower. Do not use water where you are near shivering. Just use water that is cooler than your body temperature and cool down. I personally don't like wearing anything in the Sauna room, I just bring my own beach towel (long enough to protect my whole body when I am lying face-down on the bench).

2. TEMPERATURE CHECK - For Steam Baths it is 43-46C (110-116F). The steam room in my gym doesn't have a temperature controller so I just set the knob on high. For the Sauna, the most beneficial temperature is 70-90C (160-194F).

3. HYDRATE - Before going inside the room, drink a glass of water. Remember that you will be sweating bucket loads so drink up! You may bring a glass of water with you or some ice to wet your lips and your face if it gets too hot.

4. OIL UP - Massage some oil on your body when you are inside the room. Not only will this help prevent your skin from over drying, but depending on the oil that you use, the scent could be very soothing and therapeutic. So when choosing your oil, go to spas or beauty stores and check their aromatherapy oils. I personally use Lavander from Watsons, or Ellipse Body Oil in Morning Dew. I do not really spend a lot on these oils because you use a whole lot of them everyday. So buy one that is both natural and smells good.

5. SCALP & HAIR PROTECTION - Before entering the room, I massage my scalp with coconut milk. I buy this in the supermarket. Then, I wrap a damp towel around my head and enter the sauna.

6. ACTIVATE HEAT - Activate the sauna stones by splashing some water on it. Sauna rooms usually have scented water inside the room that you can use. The more water you pour, the hotter it is.

7. BENCH - There are 2 levels in the sauna room. If you sit on the higher bench, it is hotter than that of the lower one. I choose to lie facing down on the high bench.

8. INTERVALS - Stay for about minutes. You can't bring watches or anything mechanical in the sauna for this WILL break. Sauna rooms usually have hour glasses mounted on the wall. The standard is 12 minutes so stay until it about half-way finished. Take a cool shower and wash away the oil, sweat and dirt. Go back to the sauna and wipe water. Repeat about 3 or 4 times.

9. STEAM - If you would like to to do both the sauna and steam bath, you may do so. Just remember to cool down after each session and drink lots of water! If you feel light headed and dizzy, stop and catch some cool air. Rest and take a cool shower.



PHOTO CREDITS
Hair and Makeup by Sabs Hernandez for Lancome Paris
Shots of Sauna and Products from Google Images