Botox at too early an age could actually make you look OLDER

Thanks to the influence of celebrities, younger women than ever are demanding Botox injections a means of wrinkle prevention.

But according to one British doctor, using the cosmetic filler too young could actually speed up the ageing process.

In an article published today, Dr Darren McKeown claims the idea that Botox could halt the development of wrinkles is a myth, and could actually have the opposite effect.

Ageing? Dr Darren McKeown says the idea that Botox could halt the development of wrinkles is a myth, and could actually have the opposite effect

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, he said: 'There is no evidence that in the long term Botox works as a preventative, nor is there any licence to use it as such.

'The drug works on wrinkles by relaxing the muscles responsible for expression lines and is licensed only for the treatment of moderate to severe frown lines.'

 

Using the late screen legend Elizabeth Taylor as an example, he speculated whether she would have looked so attractive late in life if she had succumbed to cosmetic fillers in her youth.

'Starting Botox treatments at an early age ultimately could do more harm to your looks than good,' Dr McKeown explained.

'While Taylor was clearly always a beautiful woman from her teens onwards, arguably her looks did not reach their peak until she was in her mid-thirties.

Mature beauty: Elizabeth Taylor at 25 in 1957 (left) and aged 75 in 2007 (right) - but would she have aged as gracefully if she had used Botox in her youth?

'Had Botox been available to Taylor in her early twenties, would she have ever reached that same level of mature beauty for which she will now always be remembered? I suspect probably not.'

Dr McKeown said that excessive use of Botox over a long period of time can cause the muscles to waste away.

He explained that overuse of the filler could cause 'the face [to] appear inadvertently aged' - despite a lack of wrinkles.

He added that this was more noticeable around the eyes than anywhere else, and was something he had noticed in a number of celebrities.

Of mothers such as Sheena Upton and 'Human Barbie' Sarah Burge, who admitted to injecting their young daughters with Botox, he added: 'What advocates of underage Botox don't realise is that children and adolescents do not have wrinkles: they have facial expression, and the two are not the same.'

Faking it with fashion jewelery

Aaaah! The resplendence of bridal finery…the lovely queen-like clothes, the adornment! One of the most enjoyable aspects of being an Indian bride is dressing up and playing princess for the numerous festivities. And oh yes, who can forget the jewellery!

India has no dearth of variety, the different kinds of stunning jewellery is mind-boggling. Kundan work, diamonds, gemstones, pearls, etc., there’s something for everyone. Getting your Indian wedding jewellery ready can be a huge drain on your finances, and that’s apart from the outfits. But fear not….there’s one option that’s becoming hugely popular – costume or fashion jewellery! A few of you might have cringed reading those words, but going fake need not be a step down. Stores in India have huge selections of costume jewellery nowadays. Glittering chandelier earrings, chic gold cuffs, cocktail rings et al can be yours for a fraction of the price compared to the real deal. Vintage pieces that are more often costume are very much the trend right now too.

If you still can’t see yourself wearing costume jewellery for your wedding ceremony, definitely consider the option for your numerous other wedding related functions like the sangeet, mehndi or cockail party. Thanks to their relative affordability (branded costume jewellery can be expensive too, mind you!) matching your jewellery sets to your outfit is a piece of cake; stores even change the beads, stones and polish for you so you can use for your favourite pieces over and over again. Gold plated jewellery is also popular among those who want the look of gold but without the hefty price tags. A lot of us nowadays can’t justify spending a whole lot of cash for one day or don’t have the means to do so; costume jewellery takes cares of your woes; you can buy stunning pieces and yet keep within budget.

Fashion jewellery is no longer considered tacky, thanks to the great quality of jewellery available. Well-made fashion jewellery can even look chicer than the real stuff! Styles ranging from modern to traditional, stonework to rhinestones, you can play around and even pick up a couple of options. Like all jewellery, real or costume, pay attention to the finish. A so-so quality and finish can ruin your whole look and make it look inexpensive. Brides can even have designs custom-made, for something uniquely their own. Remember, style and elegance need not mean a hefty price tag. Enjoy your baubles!

Khush Singh Celebrity & Bridal Makeup Artist – NJ, NY, CT

 

Source:  http://www.theindianweddingblog.com/ & KhushSingh.com - Celebrity & Bridal Makeup Artist

Indian Wedding Beauty Tips

While planning your wedding, it’s always a good idea to consider the oft-overlooked area of cosmetics.

Try It Out Before the Big Day
If a bride wishes to try a new look, experts suggest a few practice runs long before the big day. Whether it’s a new style or new colors, it’s best to get a sense of how the makeup will look with the gown. Obviously, subdued makeup in subtle tones would be a much better match for a traditional dress than heavy, Gothic eyeliner. So the style of dress is just as important when it comes to choosing makeup looks when planning a wedding.

Equally important in the decision-making process is the bride’s planned hairstyle. An upswept look would call for a very clean, flawless facial palette in warm colors such as violets, lilacs, soft pinks and plums. Naturally the first consideration is matching a bride’s natural skin shades. As a rule, however, the lighter the makeup, the better, particularly for summer weddings with higher temperatures. Also, warm and cooler tones should never be mixed.

Consider the Natural Look
Neutral tones, also known as varied earth tone shades, are quite popular for brides. Their colors are subtle and muddied, offering a more enhanced natural look. Many brides opt for this look: simple concealer, a bit of eyeliner and light lipstick are both easy to apply, lend a natural look and require less maintenance on the big day.

Also important to consider when planning wedding day makeup is how it will photograph. If possible, request the photographer take a few trial photos of the bride while wearing the intended makeup. This will highlight any possible conflicts between the chosen colors and how they photograph.

Allow Time to Test
When planning the wedding, some brides feel most comfortable scheduling a bit of time before the ceremony to meet with a beauty products consultant. Some consultants are willing to provide service right at the wedding location; others prefer the bride and her attendants visit the salon. Should your wedding include a salon visit, again a dry-run is advisable. The bride and attendants should visit at least one time prior to the ceremony date, choose the makeup they’ll be using and practice applying it as they’ll want it to look for the wedding. Most importantly, a bride should never hire an unknown makeup consultant for her big day; it must be someone they know and trust who has applied makeup for them once or twice at a minimum.

<a href="http://khushsingh.com/">Khush Singh - Celebrity & Indian Bridal Makeup Artist...Born with a Brush in her hand</a>

Expert Tips on your Wedding Pictures

	It is that one day in your life when you want to look back and not notice your face looking goth white, or your outfit clashing with the backdrop, or the light shining in your eyes giving you a supernatural look. What should brides to be and grooms to be keep in mind when they get their wedding photographs done? We asked ace fashion photographer Jatin Kampani to give us some tips. A wedding is a live event, and capturing pictures which sum the essence and the energy of the event is a skill that the photographer must have. Kampani is against the posed norm for wedding photographs. He says, "When capturing moments to remember, candid shots look much better as opposed to posed. Posing is best left to professional models in a photo shoot , which is essentially stage managed, and the entire purpose of capturing the emotions and mood of the bride and the groom on the most important day of their lives would be lost as it would look stage managed too." Be natural, be aware, and be yourself. Lighting is an important part of any wedding photography, given that the scenario is the usually a stage or mandap which has photographers aim direct light at the subjects. According to Jatin, "As far as the lighting goes, it would be better to use diffused lighting bounced off the ceiling or a wall rather than flash lights pointing at the subjects directly otherwise the images will tend to look too flat and harsh." Makeup for photography is definitely tricky given that it needs to be natural enough not to look like a mask, and yet play up your best features in the photographs. Says Jatin, "Again, with the make up, keep it simple and not too loud. One wants to look good and pleasing on their wedding day, wanting to stand out and not making the make up the stand out feature." Other tips you could use are visiting the site of the wedding and reception to determine the best spots to be photographed against. Decide on the colours of the backdrop to make sure they complement what you will be wearing. Too strong or too overwhelming backdrops could make you look washed out. Meet up with your photographer beforehand to determine the shots you require and when they will be shot. From:Wedingsutras.com and KhushSingh.com Khush Singh New York New Jersey Bridal & Indian Bridal Makeup Artists

<a href="http://khushsingh.com/">Khush Singh - Celebrity & Indian Bridal Makeup Artist...Born with a Brush in her hand</a>

Tip and Tricks

Have you ever woken up in the morning, only to be faced with two rather tell-tale black rings around your eyes? (It’s not a great look is it?) And you think this is very strange, as you cleansed and toned the night before, so how did these black mascara flakes come to be resting around your eyes?

It’s simple. Proper make-up removal comes with a few tips and tricks that will help to ensure that all traces of the black stuff are thoroughly removed, and you wake up to gorgeous, unmarked, bright eyes in the morning!

Here they are:

- Always begin with a cleansing wipe or cotton pad doused in cleanser (we like: NIVEA Visage Gentle Facial Cleansing Wipes for its purifying and toning abilities), and sweep all over your face to remove the first layer of make-up.
- Next, soak a cotton pad in a gentle eye-makeup remover (try: NIVEA Visage Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover Lotion), and press it over your peepers for 10 seconds to help remove excess stubborn mascara.
- Finally, go back over your face and eyes with a wash cleanser to remove all remaining traces of product, tone your skin, and leave it feeling refreshed in one fell swoop. Try: NIVEA Visage Gentle Cleansing Créme Wash.

Following these steps will ensure that your eyes are always sans the just-fell-into-bed-without-washing-my-face look in the morning, and your skin can benefit from a night of make-up-free rejuvenation.

Bridal Makeup - Do' and Don'ts for your Wedding Photographs...

	Getting your make up right for the big day can feel like a massive task, even if you have entrusted yourself to the care of a professional make up artist. At times, if the make up professional goofs up, you could end up looking eeriely white faced or like a overtly pink pastry in all your photographs. Make up for a wedding should be done keeping in mind the time of the wedding, for a morning function, keep your colours simple and natural and yet defined, you can go for the all out glam look during the day. Here are some tips that will help you look beautiful both at the wedding itself, and in the photographs you look at for years to come. Less is More: Don’t get your face made into a mask. Too much foundation, blush and eye make up can take you to the borderline of drag. Insist the make up stays natural. Your best features need to be accentuated and your not so perfect features need to be camouflaged skilfully. Wear as much make up as you are comfortable with or you will look ill at ease in your photographs. According to Cory Walia, make up expert, the biggest mistake most brides make is choosing blush and lip shades to match their outfits rather than their skin tones. For dusky complexions he recommends shades like caramel and coffee, cobalt and olive green which go with a dusky skin. Pinks, light blues and greens are not recommended. A medium complexion can carry off any colours. Fair complexions he says should stick to pastel shades like peach, baby pink rather than bright reds and fuchsias which can get a trifle overwhelming. Ensure that your makeup is good for flash photography, choose foundations which have a yellow undertone, which can create a warm appearance in photographs. Judicious use of bronzer at the forehead, the high curve of your cheeks, and the bridge of your nose can create a flushed healthy look. Use a light dusting of loose powder to set your make up, too much heavy pressed powder use can make your face look chalky and dull, and no powder will make your skin shine. Your wedding day should have you looking classic, keep your eyeshadow colours natural like bronzes, smoky hues, charcoals, pinks and peaches rather than opt for colours like greens and blues. Make sure your eyebrows and eyes are well defined so they show well in photographs, but do ensure the blending of shades is done well. The flash can bleach out your features so some definition is always welcome. Shimmer can look glamourous in person but if not used well can make your face look oily. Stick to the matte as far as possible. Use shimmer as a highlighter not as an all over element in your make up. Above all, be at ease with your look, if you feel ill at ease, it will show in your photographs. Meet your make up artiste before hand and discuss the kind of look you want with swatches from your outfit, to let them know the colours they could use to complement the outfit. The complete look should look put together seamlessly with no elements that stand out. That, and the confidence that she is looking her best, is what makes a bride look radiant and beautiful both on camera and off.
	Photo Credits:
	Holland Photo Arts, Andrena Photography, Mili and Sid Ghosh, BinaryFlips Photography, Kumari Photo and Design, Deepika Ghumman From:Wedingsutras.com and KhushSingh.com Khush Singh New York New Jersey Bridal & Indian Bridal Makeup Artists

Face Cream claims to get to the root of wrinkles

It's hailed as the magic beauty ingredient that can take years off your face.

And collagen, the skin-plumping protein said to smooth out laugh lines and crow’s feet, seems to be in most anti-wrinkle creams on the market these days.

But what if it were possible to target your skin’s own ‘collagen factory’ and coax it to pump out more of its own?

L'Oreal is to launch a new anti-wrinkle treatment called Lift-Activ which they say has been validated by scientific research

That’s the claim, at least, of a cream which is being touted as the first to get to the root of wrinkles.

Its makers say it will be the first anti-ageing cream to pinpoint the collagen-making cells which are vital to youthful skin.

Rubbed into the skin once a day for eight weeks, it tricks ageing skin cells into pumping out levels of collagen normally seen in a much younger body. This plumps up the skin, reducing the depth of wrinkles, according to its makers L’Oreal.

The weapon which targets the key cells is a sugar called rhamnose. It is found in an Amazonian vine called uncaria or cat’s claw and, closer to home, in the sap of the silver birch.

While many types of cells make collagen, those made by cells called papillary fibroblasts contribute the most to the skin’s bounce and texture.

L’Oreal said its scientists screened thousands of naturally-occurring compounds to find one that boosted production of collagen.

The French firm says its product is the first to zero in on these key cells. The cream, called LiftActive Derm Source, which will be launched under the company’s Vichy label in April and will cost about 27 a pot, has been tested by hundreds of women.

When they used it daily for two months, their wrinkles became shorter and shallower by up to a fifth, L’Oreal said.

Julie McManus, the company’s head of scientific affairs, said: ‘For us this is a breakthrough because we have found a compound which can produce an effect on this very important group of cells.

‘Other collagen-stimulating creams work in a relatively untargeted manner. We’ve shown that we’re having an effect exactly where we want it.’

The worth of anti-ageing creams that simply contain collagen, rather than boost its production, has been questioned by scientists.

They said the collagen molecules in such creams are so large that very few make it through the skin.

Dr Blanca Sengerova, an Oxford University protein biochemist, said: ‘It really frustrates me when I see adverts for anti-wrinkle creams containing collagen.

‘Although collagen is structurally important, the protein molecule is far too large to pass through the barrier posed by the skin.’

As a result, the collagen molecules sit on the surface of the face until they are rubbed off or washed away.

Jonathan Hadgraft, professor of biophysical chemistry at the University of London, said: ‘If it did penetrate the skin and get into the blood, it would have to be classed as a medicine.’

Research from another skincare firm, Olay, shows that lines formed by laughing can quickly become permanently etched on our faces.

And the drier the skin is, the quicker the wrinkles take hold, with our 20s and 40s being the prime time for developing lines.