18 Beauty Tricks to Try Only when You’re Sleeping

Real Beauty – Wed, 11 Apr, 2012

Get your beauty rest-literally. Your body repairs and restores itself most during biological processes that occur when you're catching Z's. We consulted doctors and experts for the best overnight miracles.

#1: Zap Zits

Pimples may disappear like magic if you treat them with a product containing an antibacterial ingredient (bacteria can cause acne) and a sebum controller like zinc, says Kansas City, Missouri, dermatologist Audrey Kunin, M.D., associate clinical instructor of dermatology at the University of Kansas School of Medicine.

#2: Soothe Irritation

To reduce redness, makeup expert Jane Iredale recommends dusting on a loose micronized mineral powder with titanium dioxide or zinc oxide, both of which have anti-inflammatory properties and won't clog your pores.

#3: Reduce Wrinkles

A cream or serum with vitamin A or retinol will help counteract fine lines, says Dr. Leffell, M.D., professor of dermatology and surgery at Yale University's School of Medicine, and since it can make your skin sun-sensitive for a few hours, it's best used at night. To treat deeper wrinkles, ask your dermatologist about a prescription for Renova, Retin-A or Avage, a cream that recently received FDA approval. Use every other night to reduce the chance of irritation.

Read More:The Best Overnight Skin Treatments

#4: Protect Your Face

On the nights you're not using vitamin A, try a cream or lotion with antioxidants, which help fight off skin-damaging free radicals. Since you're most exposed to these particles when you're out in the sun and fresh air, nighttime is your best bet for a fix, says Los Angeles-based dermatologist Howard Murad, M.D.

#5: Hydrate Dry, Rough Feet

Rub on a foot cream, then pull on cotton socks to hold the moisture in. (Have trouble sleeping in socks? Cut off the toe ends so your feet can breathe. Your heels will still reap the benefits.)

#6: Get Silky

Plagued by dull or flaky skin? Instead of vitamin A, use a glycolic acid cream to slough away the dead skin cells, which will help increase moisture retention. Check the label: You're not looking for straight glycolic acid, but rather its salt compound form, which will be listed as glycolic acid compound or glycolic and ammonium glycolate. The compound has been buffered to make it less acidic (i.e., less harsh) than glycolic acid - plus it's time-released, so it works all night,  says Dr. Kunin.

#7: Defeat Major Skin Flaking

If your skin's still alligator-rough after regular glycolic acid use, try an at-home microdermabrasion kit with a buffing tool and cream. Follow with a moisturizer containing a gentle emollient like dimethicone or beeswax. The dermabrasion will exfoliate your skin thoroughly, letting the moisturizer penetrate deeply.

#8: Prevent Puff

Do you retain water in your face and eye area? Lisa Okesson, national training manager for makeup company Shu Uemura USA, suggests this old Hollywood secret: Sleep on your back and use a slightly elevated firm pillow to help prevent fluids from pooling in your facial tissues at night.

Read More: 101 Tips For Your Best Skin Ever

#9 Smooth Crepey Lids

Heavy creams can cause whiteheads to form on the thin skin of your eyelids. For that area, many doctors like Neova Eye Therapy, a light gel with a GHK copper peptide to help rebuild collagen. Or wear the lightweight eye therapy mask while you sleep - it releases natural wrinkle-fighting ingredients.

#10: Moisturize Your Undereye Area

Hate the taut feeling of too-dry skin but find soothing eye gels too greasy? Dab on anti-wrinkle concealers packed with hydrators like beeswax, soybean oil, and panthenol.

#11: Save Chafed Elbows

Slip on (and sleep in) ultrathin gel-lined sleeves, which force-feed olive and jojoba oils into that ever-scruffy area.

#12: Solve Sore Fingertips

Washing your hands (and dishes) can leave the tips of your digits cracked. Apply a small amount of ethyl cyanoacrylate - a.k.a. Krazy Glue - over the crack or split to seal your skin, says Dr. Leffell. It'll peel off naturally over the next couple of weeks as the new skin grows in.

#13: Fortify Brittle Nails

Look for polishes infused with the strengthening properties of hydrolyzed wheat protein and calcium, and let the coat penetrate throughout the night. It's clear, so you won't end up with smudged color come dawn.

#14: Relieve Chapping

For raw, dry hands, try a foot cream instead of a hand cream, says A-list manicurist Kristi Marie Jones. You'll be better able to tolerate the heavier consistency at night.

#15: Treat Foot Cracks

Apply Polysporin antibiotic ointment to seal cracks on the bottom of your feet, says Dr. Kunin. Top with Epilyte lotion (available at drugstores) to soften the sides of the cracks so the skin is better able to heal.

#16: Get Rid of Calluses

Soak your feet for a few minutes in lukewarm water, then massage in Carmol 20 or AmLactin 12 percent cream or lotion; both over-the-counter preparations contain ingredients to soften your soles' thick keratin layer, says Dr. Leffell.

#17: Hydrate Flaky Lips

Dry lips seem to crack the most at night, says Iredale, making lipstick application uneven and cakey in the a.m. Slather your lips with lip balm overnight to repair damage while you sleep.

#18: Repair Cuticles

"Paper absorbs the natural oils from your fingers, leaving cuticles ragged," says Jones. During the day, hands are too busy for repair work, so try this before bed: Rub a cuticle cream (oils may dissipate too quickly) around your nail bed.

http://ca.shine.yahoo.com/18-beauty-tricks-to-try-only-when-you’re-sleeping.html

How to Get Perky Eyes at Every Age

The secret to great eyes is to start taking care of them as soon as possible. Whether you're in your 20s, 30s, 40s, or 50s and beyond, it's never too late to start giving your peepers a little TLC. Here, we show you the treatments to start now to ensuregorgeous eyes no matter how old you are.

In Your 20s...Start to Prep

Wrinkles might be the last thing you see near your eyes in your twenties, but dark circles from lack of sleep or one too many cocktails are probably frequent visitors on your face. This doesn't directly age you, but it sure as heck makes you look older. Dr. David E. Bank, MD, suggests using a good eye cream to slow down the aging process and keep wrinkles away longer. Apply a lighter cream with SPF in the morning, like Neutrogena Visibly Firm Eye Cream, and a thicker one at night like RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream. To avoid breakouts, steer clear of creams that contain octyl stearate, which can clog pores and leave your skin feeling greasy.

Pair this routine with getting at least seven hours of sleep, not smoking, and eating relatively healthy. You're not young forever, after all!

In Your 30s...Find a Serum

Since the first signs of aging usually happen around the eyes, you may start to see some differences in your thirties, warns Bank. "On top of the beginning appearances of crow's feet, you'll notice that your skin is drier and duller in color. This is because the rate of new cells being produced by your skin is starting to slow down."

Bank recommends investing in an eye cream to rejuvenate the skin, like Neocutis Biogel or a serum, likeLancôme Rénergie Microlift R.A.R.E Eye Serum to help tighten fine lines and brighten up dark circles. "Stay away from eye creams with sodium chloride or isopropyl myristate, as these ingredients can irritate your skin and lead to excessive dryness," says Bank.

In Your 40s...Keep Hydrated

By the time you're in your forties, the years of sun damage you did in your twenties finally start to rear its ugly head. That, on top of what Bank calls your lymphatic drainage — the way your body gets rid of toxins decreases in speed to result in puffiness around the eyes and much thinner skin. Since sebum production is also starting to slow (how your skin stays moisturized and sometimes too oily), invest in a rich moisturizer and a skin brightener to lighten up a tired complexion.

Try Olay Regenerist Eye Lifting Serum or L'Oreal Plenitude Revitalift Anti-Wrinkle Firming Cream to fix worn out eyes and tighten up puffy skin.

In Your 50s and Beyond...Squash Wrinkled Lids

"A key sign of aging around the eyes is when your eyelids become hooded and wrinkled," says Bank. "This shows that the skin's elasticity is starting to break down." Bank suggests trying a vitamin A retinol-based product to help firm up and even out skin tone. By applying regularly, you can actually speed up the production of new skin cells and collagen.

Moisturizing is even more vital for a healthy complexion now, and finding a hard working night creamcan do wonders on dry skin as you sleep. Try NeoCutis Lumiere Bio-restorative Eye Cream with PSP for day and Clinique Anti-Gravity Firming Eye Lift Cream for nighttime use.

Related Links

• Deflate Puffy Eyes in a Flash
• Wrinkle-Free Eyes at Every Age
• Get Rid of Dark Circles
• 5-Minute Makeup Lessons
• Beauty Tips That'll Change Your Life

Style Tips From Sex And The City

Twelve years ago Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda strutted onto our TV screens and forever meshed feminism and style. Take a look back on some of those beauty moments from Season I to the big screen. (By Rose L. Thayer)

How It All Began

It all began back in 1998 with Carrie's crispy curls, white eyeliner, and those awkward interviews during each episode — nothing could stop women everywhere from being captivated by her (and her friends') trials and tribulations! Let's journey through some of the looks we've loved — and loved to hate — from Season 1 right through the Sex and the City sequel. Bring on the hats, shoes, halter tops, and hair dos and don'ts!

Classic Charlotte

Count on Charlotte to always be put-together, conservative, and simply elegant. Her style is the epitome of the classic American look, ripped straight from the pages of a Ralph Lauren catalog. Whether she's working at her art gallery, attending singles' night at a synagogue, or chasing around two children and a nanny, Charlotte never falters in her dress — or her morals.

The Ever-Evolving Carrie

No matter how you feel about the insane outfits Carrie has worn throughout the years (which change as often as she and Mr. Big break up), you can't deny that she pulls them off with her trademark je ne sais quoi. Who else could travel to Paris in such a clichéd Parisian hat and make it look so chic and effortless, or sport a petticoat and Dior fashions in the Arabian Desert? But, hey, how many of us, given the body, budget, and opportunity, can really say we wouldn't do the same?

That Is So Samantha

Samantha is a woman who knows what she wants and knows who she is. She keeps her look the same — bangs, blond hair, and hot man candy by her side — but plays it up with trendy outfits, Birkin bags, and sparkling, treading-on-gaudy jewelry.

No-Nonsense Miranda

Thank goodness Miranda's tough lawyer look wears off as the show continues. Everything about early Miranda is harsh, from her super-dark, slicked back red hair to the no-nonsense way she handles the men in her life. Before Steve, who knew she even had a soft side?

Series Finale

By the close of the series in 2004, all the women are looking their best. They have really found their groove — in their lives and in their styles. Miranda especially is dramatically and beautifully transformed by the final season. Her highlighted, layered bob softens her overall appearance, and gone is the buttoned-up, no-frills fashion sense of the earlier episodes.

The Fab Four Today

Twelve years later, these four women still look amazing — you could say they're like fine wine! And judging by the box office numbers for their latest film, it seems that America is still madly in love. We'll stay tuned for Sex and the City: The Golden Years!

If you want to look younger...

Who knew looking younger could be this easy! Discover 10 brilliant tips that turn back the clock and find 7 more must-try tricks here.

1. Choose a Lighter Lipstick
Dark shades can be unflattering on mature skin because lips get thinner with age, explains makeup artist Matin Maulawizada, who works with celebrities like Angelina Jolie. To keep lipstick from looking too severe, choose rosy reds or flesh-colored shades, and stay away from peaches and oranges, which can make teeth appear yellow. We like Lancôme Color Design Lipcolor in Natural Beauty ($22). And remember, swiping on lipstick without other makeup can make you look older than if you wear no makeup at all.

Related: 10 Stunning Beauty Trends for Fall

2. Baby Your Hands
Derms agree that hands are a dead age giveaway. To keep them young, apply the same retinoid from your face to your hands and add a layer of Vaseline, says New York dermatologist Heidi Waldorf. Wear cotton gloves to bed to keep the treatment in place overnight. Skin looks suppler, and cuticles will benefit too.

3. Schedule an Eye Exam
When you can't see properly, you squint, overcompensating for the work your eyes should be doing and deepening frown lines, says Hirsch. She adds, "Ninety percent of the time when women in their 30s come in for Botox, I send them to the ophthalmologist because they need a stronger prescription."

4. Invest in the Right Concealer
Cover-up can be tricky to apply; many formulas sink into crevices, emphasizing every fine line. To get the most coverage with the least product, try "camouflage," a dryer form of concealer that can take years off of your face, says Maulawizada. It doesn't contain as much oil as regular concealer, so it won't move, and it's better at hiding sun spots. Try Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage ($28).

Related: Supermodels Without Makeup

4. Lift Your Eyes with a Pencil
Use an eye pencil. Its softness enlarges the eyes more than liquid liners do. To reverse droopy-looking lids, blend liner up at the outer corners with a Q-tip. We like L'Oréal Paris Le Kohl Pencil Smooth Defining Eyeliner in Onyx ($8.49).

5. Supersize your Sunglasses
By now you know how damaging the sun can be, so besides coating on sunscreen, shield yourself with chic accessories. Swap your thinly rimmed aviators for oversize frames and you'll get more protection around your eyes, which wrinkle first, says Boston dermatologist Ranella Hirsch. And don't forget a hat: "Buying a five-dollar fedora now will save you $10,000 with me later," adds Hirsch. Throwing on a scarf can also help prevent sun spots in the décolleté area.

6. Stock Up on Olive Oil
Extra-virgin olive oil contains fatty acids similar to those found in our skin and is an incredibly gentle moisturizer. If you have skin that's dry and sensitive from overloading on harsh face and eye antiagers, bring your skin-care regimen to a halt, says Jessica Wu, an L.A.-based cosmetic dermatologist, and slather on a thin layer of unflavored oil at night instead.

Related: How to Get Glowing Skin at Any Age

7. Reverse Your Brown Spots
Lemon juice diluted with water helps fade sun spots on all skin tones, says New York dermatologist Jessica Krant. Since acids can be irritating, apply it before bed with a Q-tip, and gradually increase to twice daily. Stop if your skin gets too light.

8. Brush Blush Above Your Apples
For an instant cheek lift, place your blush brush at the highest point of your cheekbone and apply color in a circular motion, advises makeup artist Sandy Linter, who works with Elizabeth Hurley. Go for warm pinks, apricots, or bronzes since they create less contrast and make you look younger. A great option is Kevyn Aucoin Pure Powder Glow in Myracle or Neolita ($37 each).

Related: How to Work with Your Skin Type: Top Products and Routines

9. Shield Your Windows
Did you know the average commuter gets almost 200 hours of sun exposure each year just driving? And, Hirsch says, "Eighty percent of all sun exposure is through windows." To ward off sun spots, wrinkles, or worse — skin cancer — derms recommend investing in a clear window film such as Solar Gard, which blocks 99 percent of UVA and UVB rays with SPF 285 in your home or car.

10. Remove Makeup Before Bed
Duh, right? But this is about more than just avoiding clogged pores. It's extremely important to rid your skin of the environmental pollution you've been exposed to throughout the day and wash away free radicals to avoid the breakdown of collagen and elastic tissue, says Wexler. We like St. Ives Fresh Skin Make-up Remover & Facial Cleanser ($3.99).

Related: Products That Make You More Beautiful Overnight

More from Harper's Bazaar:

How Beauty Savvy Are You?

How Beauty Savvy Are You?

What's Your Beauty IQ?

1. Which of these are natural teeth whiteners?
A. Green tea
B. Strawberries
C. Lemons
D. Bananas

Who Knew?
CORRECT ANSWER: B and C. Strawberries and lemons are natural teeth whiteners.


2. What's the best kind of lip balm to prevent chapping?
A. Petroleum jelly
B. Flavored
C. Cocoa Butter
D. Tinted


CORRECT ANSWER: C, Cocoa butter. Some common ingredients in lip balm can actually have an adverse effect. Mineral oil (petroleum jelly) creates an artificial film on your lips, signaling your skin to stop producing lipids, while funky flavors, perfumes, and colors can also dry out skin. To prevent chapping, look for natural-oil-infused balms or those with shea and cocoa butter. 

Test more:, go to: