Energy- Boosting

YogaRev up and feel terrific

Simply Natural Beauty

Look your best every day

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Photography: Getty Images: cover photos; Plainpicture Limited: p. 6; Philippe Salomon: p. 9; Beauty - Eyewear: p. 10; Joseph Graziano: p. 11 (top); Thomas MacDonald/Rodale: p. 11 (center); Kang Kim: p. 11 (bottom); Mitch Mandel/

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Contributors: Kathryn Budig, Krista Bennett DeMaio, Abby Gardner, Ginny Graves, Aviva Patz, Julie Stewart, Victoria Wolk

Simply Natural Beauty 4Energy-Boos ting Yoga 19

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EvErY daY, Your BodY battles environmental pollutants and tox-ins—and your looks are the ultimate losers. “Minerals in tap water can dull hair, pollutants can dry out skin, and carbon monoxide and ozone can damage your complexion’s protective barrier and lead to aging, redness, and irritation,” says Dennis Gross, a dermatologist in New York City. Dermatology experts also report that pollution can cause oxidative stress, which has been directly linked to deep forehead lines, crow’s-feet, and nasola-bial folds. It’s enough to make anyone crawl inside a BPA-free plastic bubble. Fortunately, experts say that a few small changes to your beauty routine can give your hair and

boostyour beauty routineWant smoother skin, shinier hair, and even a brighter smile? Just follow this expert advice

skin a detoxifying boost. Here’s how.

Clarify Your ComplexionStart by revitalizing your skin from the outside with a deep-cleaning pro-cess. This is important every day, but especially during warm-weather months. “As the sun gets stronger, the skin naturally thickens with more oil and dead skin, a feature called harden-ing,” Gross says.

Start FreSh with ClayTo remove pore-clogging sebum and skin-drying heavy-metal residue from tap water, pharmacist and homeopath Margo Marrone, cofounder of the Organic Pharmacy, suggests applying a clay mask. “Clay’s negative charge attracts the

positive charge of the impurities and pulls them toward the skin’s surface, where they’re whisked away when you remove the mask,” she says.

exFoliate DailyRather than scrubbing vigorously once a week—and irritating your skin in the process—do the deed daily to slough away the dead skin cells that dull your complexion, suggests Katie Rodan, a dermatologist in the San Francisco Bay area. “Switch to a cleanser with tiny exfoliating par-ticles,” she says. “They should be so small you can’t see them, but you can feel them when you wash.”

Detox with ChelatorS“Our skin absorbs heavy metals every day, and

Boost Your Beauty Routine 5Polish Your At-Home Routine 9

Simply Natural Beauty

contentsLove How You Look 13Wake Up Your Face 17

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Simply Natural Beauty6 7

they can diminish the health and beauty of skin,” Gross says. Worn daily under moisturizer, a serum with chelators, a class of ingredients that detoxify existing buildup and prevent new damage, counteracts these ill effects.

aDD a layer oF ProteCtionOnce you have a clean slate, so to speak, maintain it by applying a moisturizer with sun-screen and antioxidants every morning. The antioxidants neutralize free radicals that damage skin, says Rodan. And the importance of SPF can’t be understated: “If you go outside unprotected, there’s no point in taking antiaging measures, because the sun is the biggest source of inflam-mation, premature aging, and free-radical forma-tion,” Rodan says. Swipe an SPF-containing lip balm over your lips, too.

Prevent Mineral BuilDuPTap water often contains minerals that can build up on your hair, says Gross. If you have hard water (find out at water.usgs.gov/owq), Cunnane Phillips recommends a water-softening filter. Another option: Switch to a conditioner that has chelating agents.

FreShen uP your SMileIf your smile isn’t flashing as brightly as you’d like, use these tricks to polish your pearly whites.

Do a Dental DeeP Cleaning BeFore whiteningYour skin’s not the only part of your body that benefits from exfoli-ation; your teeth do, too. “The process may remove some surface stains, and it makes whitening treatments more effective,” says Irwin Smigel, a celeb-rity cosmetic dentist in New York City and cre-ator of Supersmile. The best way to exfoliate is with a prewhitening gel that deep cleans the surface of your teeth and lays down ingredi-ents to help whiteners penetrate better.

whiten uPNow you’re ready to work on whitening, which will

Like your nose and fore-head, most of your lower lip is exposed to the sun, making it a high-risk spot for UV damage.

revive your hairThanks (or no thanks) to arid conditions, hair often looks dull and dry, says Elizabeth Cunnane Phillips, a trichologist at the Philip Kingsley Trichological Clinic in New York City. Use the

steps below to counter-act the damage and bring your locks back to life.

exFoliate your SCalPClear the way for healthier hair by using an exfoliating scalp treatment to remove dead skin cells. “They can build up around hair follicles, just like they do on your face,” Cunnane Phillips says.

reMove reSiDueIt’s important to wash your hair frequently, no matter what the season, according to Cunnane Phillips. Remove styling-product resi-due, which can cling to hair even after regular shampooing, by washing every day for a week with a sulfate-free, nondrying, purifying shampoo.

be more effective, thanks to your prep work. Want an all-natural alternative to a home-bleaching kit? Snack on strawberries. “They contain malic acid, which acts as an astrin-gent to remove surface discoloration,” Smigel says. For another sur-prising (but less tasty) option, see “Whiten Your Teeth with … Charcoal?”

Take a Holistic ApproachYour skin isn’t only affected not only by what it’s exposed to outdoors and in your home, but also by what’s going on within you. “Skin is a window into our overall health,” says Cybele Fishman, MD, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. She’s one of

a growing number of integrative dermatolo-gists who take a holistic approach to skin care. According to Fishman, what happens on skin’s surface—dryness, break-outs, wrinkles—can be a symptom of what’s going on inside your body, be it inflammation, hormonal changes, or nutritional issues. Treat skin from the inside and you’ll reap some great outer rewards, too.

ChooSe Skin- FrienDly FooDYour skin doesn’t require some special internal cleanse. “I don’t put people on restrictive diets,” says Fishman. Instead, she suggests loading up on anti-inflammatory foods, such as walnuts, salmon, and antioxidant-rich

Bottoms Up for Better SkinHere’s to a new way to enhance your radiance: Drink it. Detoxifying charcoal water is just one of several new sips that contain ingredients you’d typically slather on. Naturo-paths and celebs alike are chugging them to promote heal-ing of dry skin or inflammatory issues, such as psoriasis and acne, from the inside out. Consider breakout-clearing bentonite-clay water, antioxidant rose water, and aloe juice, a clear, tart liquid from the plant that’s rich in skin- supporting vitamins C and E and damage-preventing antioxidants. For maximum effects, down the elixir of your choice three to five times a week.

Whiten Your Teeth with … Charcoal?No, not the barbecue kind but a treated form called activated charcoal (sold in health-food stores), which can chemically attract stains away from tooth enamel so teeth appear whiter. Here’s how to do it.

1. Open one or two capsules of activated charcoal and pour the powder into a cup.

2. Add enough water to cover the bottom of the cup and mix to form a paste.

3. Dab—don’t rub or scrub—the gritty paste on all visible surfaces of your teeth.

4. Wait 3 minutes, then rinse. Repeat daily or as often as you’d like.

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Simply Natural Beauty8 9

vegetables and fruits like broccoli and berries. Or try her favorite: a glass of red wine (which can have anti-inflammatory properties). Increase your water intake, too. “Skin cells don’t function optimally under dehydrated condi-tions,” she says. Sipping isn’t the only way to get your H2O: Cauliflower is 92% water, and cucum-ber has even more, plus a dose of vitamin K, which may help reduce broken capillaries.

get your Beauty SleePPoor sleep has been linked to the shortening of telomeres, protective structures that surround your DNA. Research suggests that the longer your telomeres, the longer the visible signs of aging stay away. Plus, a sleepy body pumps out less human growth hormone, which helps keep skin plump. Need assistance falling asleep? Fishman advises sniffing

calming lavender. For a double-duty treat-ment, place 30 drops of lavender essential oil in 1 ounce of jojoba oil and massage the mixture on your hands (don’t worry, it sinks in quickly) to improve slumber and soften hands while you’re at it.

PoP the right PillS“In a perfect world, we’d eat healthy all the time,” says Fishman. But because we’re only human, she recommends three daily supplements. (Note: Consult your doctor before taking any supplement.) The first is a probiotic—good bacte-ria that help balance the microorganisms in your digestive system, which makes for happy skin, says Fishman. Take it on an empty stomach. The other two are omega-3 EPA (fish oil) and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an omega-6 fatty acid found in black currant and borage seed oils. These

anti-inflammatories also strengthen skin’s barrier, keeping moisture in and irritants out, Fishman says. She suggests taking 600 mg of EPA and 70 mg of GLA daily.

take toPiCalS SeriouSlyWhat you apply topically to your skin does matter, acknowledges Fishman. Her product rules:1. Enhance skin’s barrier with mois-turizers that contain a water-attracting humectant (like glyc-erin), an occlusive (like shea butter) to lock it in, and a soothing agent (such as green tea).2. Don’t skip night cream—skin loses hydra-tion while you snooze. Also, be sure to apply face and body lotions within minutes of showering, as hot water can deplete skin of its natural lipids.3. Avoid skin strippers. That means no soap (instead, try a facial wash) or shaving foam (go for a cream).

Prime Time for Beauty ProductsYou know you’re most productive at certain times of the day, and believe it or not, so is your skin. It works hardest for about 1 hour per day, from 11 pm to midnight. Research shows that this is when skin repair and renewal peak. “It’s when cells need nutrients most and antiaging products can have the most impact,” says New York City dermatologist Dennis Gross. The process is triggered by natural light cycles, not your sleep schedule, so whether 11 pm is bedtime or not, cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize before then. Products with vitamins A, B, and C are the best options for reducing wrinkles and upping protec-tion just when you need it most.

Glow from Head to ToeTalk about cell service: A scalp, facial, and body massage enhances circu-lation, giving your cells the oxygen and nutrients they need to regenerate and shine. But forget the pricey spa facials and full-body wraps and instead try these do-it-yourself methods.

Step 1: SCruB your SCalPImproving circulation to the follicles is one of your best bets for keeping the hair on your head healthy, and scalp massage can help, says Rob Danoff, program director of the combined Family Medicine–Emer-gency Medicine residency program at Aria Health in Philadelphia.

polishyour at-home habitsNow that you’ve revealed your radiance, retain it by revving up your circulation at home in a few minutes a day. Plus, try a natural alternative to a face-lift—no knife necessary

WhY do ItScalp massage gives crucial cellular functions (like absorbing nutrients and eliminating waste, such as carbon dioxide) a little kick in the pants.hoW to do It1. While shampooing, use your fingertips to apply light, steady pressure along the center of your scalp, right where your middle part would fall.2. Continue for 3 to 5 minutes, then rinse.

Step 2: try aCuPreSSureAccording to the traditional Chinese med-icine practice of acupressure, pressing specific

spots on your face can clear blockages, leading to radiant skin, says Injae Choe, a licensed massage and acupressure thera-pist in New York City.WhY do ItPutting pressure on your facial muscles forces them to contract and

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release, which gets your blood pumping in the same way a biceps curl would, says Jame Hes-kett, a women’s health specialist and medical director of Wellpath in New York City.hoW to do ItUse the tips of your index fingers to work on acupoints 1 through 12 (shown on p. 12), in order. Use light pres-sure and hold gently for up to 30 seconds per point. Repeat as often as desired through-out the day or right

Try a Wrinkle- Reducing WorkoutIf you feel like the only way to stave off smile lines is to stay straight-faced for life, it’s time to grin again: Flexing facial muscles can put the brakes on wrinkle formation. The moves described on p. 12 may

before bed. Only have a second? Focus on point 9—it’s long been tied to a brightening effect on the complexion.

Step 3: Dry-BruSh your whole BoDyYour skin below the neck needs love, too. If you do this total-body routine once a day, it will make a huge difference in your circulation, Heskett says.WhY do ItWorking the firm-bristle brush over your entire body encourages proper blood flow.

hoW to do It1. Before you shower, grab a dry brush and start at the tops of your feet, working your way up your body and brush-ing with long, straight strokes in the direction of your heart, keeping the pressure light.2. Each stroke should take 2 seconds, and you’ll need only about four strokes per section of your body.3. Skip your neck, décol-letage, and face—the thin skin there is too delicate for this kind of brushing.

Hit the Kitchen for Hair and Skin Care

look funny, but a study in the Journal of Dermato-logical Treatment found they work. A small group of women ages 35 to 58 performed facial exercises twice a day; after 8 weeks, their skin was firmer and more elastic. “It’s bodybuilding for your face,” says Los Angeles–based aestheti-

Glean from the Garden to Beautify Your BodyMost of us use herbs to flavor our food, but we can also unlock their power to heal and protect our skin. By incorporating herbs and essential oils into DIY beauty products, you can harness the benefits of herbs and start feeling better almost instantly.

1. ENErgIzINg FacIal ScruB: In a blender or coffee grinder, combine 1 cup rolled oats, ⅓ cup cornmeal, and ⅓ cup dried peppermint (or an herb of your choice). Grind to a fine powder. Store in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 months. To use, place a small amount of the mixture in your hand and add enough water to make a paste. Massage the scrub gently over your face, then rinse thoroughly.

2. SoothINg haNd SalvE: In a double boiler over low heat, gently heat 8 ounces lavender-infused sweet almond oil. Add 1 ounce grated beeswax and stir until melt-ed. Remove the pan from the heat and stir

in the contents of 4 vitamin E capsules, 10 drops lavender essential oil, and 10 drops rosemary essential oil. Pour into clean, dry tins. When the salve has cooled completely, put the caps on the tins. Store in a cool, dry location for up to 1 year.

3. MoISturIzINg BodY ScruB: Combine ½ cup coconut oil with 1 cup sugar and 10 drops lavender (or your choice) essential oil. Store in a clean glass jar and use in the shower.

cian Carole Maggio, who’s been teaching Facercise since 1981. “Isolating a facial muscle tones and tightens it, minimizing lines and wrinkles.” Do three reps of each of the moves twice a day, holding each rep for 3 seconds at first. Work up to 10 seconds per rep.

Who knew that a few lowly kitchen staples can double as natural beauty-product standouts?

1. applE cIdEr vINEgar: There’s little this fer-mented-fruit tonic can’t do. You probably already use it for cooking and cleaning; you can use it for conditioning, too. Its astringent properties make hair look shinier, and apple cider vinegar can also treat dandruff by reducing the growth of the fungus Malassezia furfur, according to Lyla Blake-Gumbs, MD, an alternative medicine specialist at Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Integrative Medicine. For your skin, reduce blemishes by holding a vinegar-dampened cotton ball on the affected area for 5 minutes, or mix one part apple cider vinegar with three parts water for a nat-ural oil-reducing toner. Shopping tip: Buy it cold-pressed and unpasteurized. Heat can destroy beneficial nutrients and enzymes in the vinegar.

2. BakINg Soda: Put this all-purpose powder to work for your hair and body. Mix it with shampoo to get rid of product buildup or keep a jar of it in the shower as a natu-ral body scrub. Be sure to choose the crystal form (sodium bicarbonate), and combine it with coarse salt or sugar for extra polishing power.

3. EggS: Sometimes having egg on your face is a good thing. Lecithin, an emulsifier found in yolks, moistens the skin. For a facial mask, mix 1 egg yolk and 2 teaspoons honey to form a light paste. Apply to your face and neck, let it set for 10 to 15 minutes, then rinse it off with warm water. And egg whites are good for more than angel food cake and meringue; they can also clean an oily complexion, treat acne, and tighten skin. Lightly beat 1 egg white with ½ teaspoon lemon juice, apply to your face, and let dry. Then apply a second layer. Leave it on for about 10 minutes, and then rinse with warm water.

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rESEarch SuggEStS that putting a smidgen of effort into your grooming routine automatically makes you feel more positive about your looks. Below, experts weigh in on some of the most pressing concerns of women 40-plus. The answers might help you accept your appearance for good.

Your Hang-up:

Makeup That BackfiresMakeup is supposed to make you look better and fresher, but you find that you actually look older after you’ve finished putting on your face.

what’S haPPeningPowders are typically made of silicone, which

lovehow you lookThere’s a fine line between embracing your face, flaws and all, and waving a big, white flag of surrender. Here, experts help women handle some of their biggest beauty hang-ups

can settle in wrinkles and make them more obvious, says Jeannette Graf, a dermatologist and an assistant clinical profes-sor at Mount Sinai Hospi-tal in New York City.

here’S helPChoose a water-based liquid foundation that has illuminating parti-cles. For coverage that looks airbrushed rather than caked on, buff the

foundation into skin using a makeup-blending sponge, suggests Mai Quynh, a Los Angeles–based makeup artist. Then run a clean cotton swab along creases to swipe excess product out of your fine lines.

Your Hang-up:

Perpetually Puffy EyesYou’re tired of look-ing tired. Thanks to

You’re Gorgeous Remember this next time you’re feeling self-critical: So-called flaws, like a crooked nose or uneven eye-brows, could make you extra attractive to the right people. A study found that, symmetry aside, we deem faces most beautiful when they remind us of friends, loved ones, and treasured life experiences. So quit knocking yourself. Your imperfections are actually assets to those who matter most.

NEckPlace one hand below your neck, keeping your fingers close together but your thumb spread wide. Place your other hand on top. Point your chin toward the ceiling and pull down on your chest. Smile with your lips closed.

uppEr lIpCreate a V shape with your thumb and index finger and place it at the upper corners of your mouth. Place your other hand in the same position on top of your first hand. Look up and try to smile against your pressed fingers.

uppEr aNd loWEr EYElIdSForm “binoculars” over your eyes with your thumbs and index fin-gers. Gently lift your index fingers and lower your thumbs, widening the circles. Keeping your fingers against your skin, scrunch your lower eyelids, as if squinting.

loWEr EYElIdSPlace your index fingers on the outside corners of your eyes and your middle fingers on the inside corners of your eyes. Keep your fin-gers in place, pressing gently, and close your eyes while looking up.

uppEr EYElIdSPlace your index fingers on the outside corners of your eyes and your middle fingers in the centers of your eyebrows. Push up gently and look down, then squeeze your eyes shut tight, working the muscle around your eyeballs.

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under-eye puffiness, even if you get a good night’s sleep and feel well rested, you still look like you need a nap.

what’S haPPeningThe delicate skin and muscles around your eyes weaken with time, and fat under your lower lids can migrate down-ward, contributing to round-the-clock puffi-ness no matter what you eat or how long you sleep. These slipped fat pockets are usually hereditary. If your under-eye pouches tend to come and go, it’s probably the result of fluid accumulating in the area due to sinus issues—among other causes.

here’S helPTake an antihistamine, sleep on an extra pillow (so fluid can drain rather than settle during the night), and cover each eye area with a cold compress for 3 minutes when you wake up. This triple threat will combat pooling fluid and stuffy sinuses, says Jessica Wu, an assistant clinical professor of dermatol-ogy at the University of Southern California. Also enlist creams and cos-metics. At night, apply an eye cream that contains anti-inflammatory ingre-dients, such as calendula and licorice, to the skin underneath your eyes.

what’S haPPeningWhile a disappearing-brow act can sometimes be blamed on hormonal issues, such as hypothy-roidism or heredity, it’s usually just part of the normal aging process, says Wu.

here’S helPTry the prescription drug Latisse. It’s FDA approved for the growth of eyelashes, but it works on brows, too, Wu says. (She should know; she uses it on her own arches.) The only caveat: It’ll take longer than the standard 3 to 4 months to see results, because eyebrow skin is thicker than the skin around your lashes, she says. So in the meantime, use a brow pencil to fill in spaces.

3 Antiaging Makeup Tips from Beauty Bloggers

By day, dust shimmery, peachy shadows on your upper lids for a brighter, fully rested effect, Quynh suggests. (For more on using highlighter to fake wakefulness, see “Wake Up Your Face,” p. 17.) Avoid dark eye shadows; they’ll enhance the swol-len look, she cautions. For more severe cases, consider a surgery called blepharoplasty, which can remove excess fat and correct sagging skin there to get rid of bags for good.

Your Hang-up:

A Hairy SituationYou’re plagued by tiny hairs that pop up on your chin and around your lips, and you wonder what you can do, aside from wielding your tweezers.

what’S haPPeningEstrogen levels begin to decline in your mid- to late 30s, so the levels of

androgens (“male” hor-mones all women have a little of ) are higher than normal in your blood-stream. The unsavory result: dark, stubborn hairs on your upper lip and chin.

here’S helPPluck (you guessed it), wax, or thread the stray hairs. Or, for lasting results, try laser hair removal. Just resist the urge to pick up a razor: Shaving can cause ingrown hairs. But if things get really hairy, talk to your ob-gyn. She may suggest birth control to tame haywire hor-mones, says Wu.

Your Hang-up:

Disappearing BrowsYour strong, expressive brows are thinning and, frankly, boring, but you fear that any fix will seem obvious or unnatural.

1. Choose a pencil in a hue close to your hair’s natural shade. 2. Draw light, feathery strokes throughout clean brows. Any underlying makeup or lotion will make lines look harsher and darker, since the products hold on to pigment. 3. Comb brows with a clean brush to blend and soften the color, says Sania Vucetaj, owner of Sania’s Brow Bar in New York City.

Your Hang-up:

Unwanted PuckeringYou’d like to kiss this problem good-bye: The skin above your lips is puckering, even though you don’t smoke and avoid sucking from straws.

what’S haPPeningEven if you’ve stayed away from those crease-causing habits, unconsciously pursing your lips can also lead to wrinkles—as can just, you know, getting older.

here’S helPTighten the area with the help of skin-strengthening peptides, collagen, or retinol, suggests Graf. Apply a nonirritating retinol treatment to your face nightly, paying special atten-tion to the skin around your mouth. Each day, apply a product that contains line-reducing collagen, skin-plumping peptides, and hydrating hyaluronic acid directly on your lips.

Like you, at-home makeup gurus are real women without a pro hair and makeup team to gussy them up every morning. Steal their hard-won secrets to freshen up your own routine.

FIltErEd WrINklES Apply a highlighting concealer along the full length of any fine line or wrinkle, then blend the product with a finger or fluffy brush. The lightness visually “lifts” the fold in your skin, says Marnie Goldberg, of msgoldgirl.com.

INSta-SMooth lIpS For youthful, smooth lips, run a clean toothbrush or damp washcloth over them, suggest Dia Dibble and Michelle Bouse, of @thebeautybookends.com. Nightly, use a hydrating lip serum with line-reducing peptides.

lIkaBlE laShES Wield a lash curler to make thin, sparse lashes look longer and hide hooded lids, suggests Kim Hudnall, of @thehip chickonline.com. “For major length, I hold the curler near the root for about 15 to 20 seconds,” she says.

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Making Peace with CreasesWomen under public scrutiny reflect on how they finally learned to accept what they see in the mirror

“I FaMouSlY do Not WorrY” “From my late 20s on, I had these puffy eye bags. Everyone was always asking me if I got enough sleep—even if I got 12 hours the night before. So at 36, I decided to have them lasered. They just zip out that little pocket of fat. And you know what? It was totally effective.

“Since then, I’ve found myself so con-fident that I famously do not worry about my appearance at all. My kids tease me about it. When I was in my 20s and dating—well, unsuccessfully dating—I would try many more things to try to make myself look attractive, but now I try not to look at myself that critically. I have sort of a potato-ey nose, and my hair is still kind of a disaster, but so what? At 52, I think the most recent photos of myself are the best photos I’ve seen. But I’m a little farsighted now. A pleasant soft focus: That’s what age gives you to compensate.” —Sandra Tsing Loh, author of The Mad-woman in the Volvo: My Year of Raging Hormones

“BEautY IS Your BodY at EaSE” “Some very unat-tractive footage of me—terrible light-ing, frumpy clothes, unflattering camera angles—once made its way into a widely distributed documentary. The discomfort that came from caring what others think made me realize how deeply I value the freedom that comes from moving through life without being fixated on how others see me.

“I don’t just look one way; I am human and dynamic—let it be! Unself-conscious beauty is the most attractive quality a woman can have. I see gorgeous, riveting women in their 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s. Beauty is not as much about outer appearanc-es as it is about feeling at ease in your body. People respond to this kind of authenticity, and it puts them at ease, too.” —Elizabeth Mattis-Namgyel, Buddhist practi-tioner and author of The Power of an Open Question

wakeupyour face

Fake a full night’s sleep with clever makeup fixes for tired eyes and skin

lEt’S FacE It: We all have nights spent tossing and turning or burning the midnight oil. Come morning, you might feel like a zombie, but that doesn’t mean you have to look like one. Take these look-alive tips from makeup artist Mally

Roncal, president and founder of Mally Beauty and author of Love, Lashes, and Lipstick: My Secrets for a Gorgeous, Happy Life.

Strike out Dark CirCleSA golden- or yellow-based concealer in a shade that’s a bit lighter than your skin will help counteract purple and brown under-eye circles. Gently finger-tap it

from the inner corner of your eyes outward in a semicircle so you have a

consistent tone all around.

lay a FounDationTransform dull, tired-looking

skin with a dewy foundation: Creams and liquids are fine

choices (as long as they don’t say “matte” on the label), but

skip talc-based powders, which can make your skin

look chalky. Blend the

“MY NoSE IS juSt MY NoSE” “I wasn’t ever terribly insecure, but there was always something about my looks that bugged me: My nose was too big, I had too many freckles, and don’t get me started on the lines that go from my cheekbones to my eyes. What are those? (Don’t tell me it’s age; I’ve had them since I was a teenager.)

“So, given what I do, I just figured I had my sense of humor, if nothing else. But decade by decade, things changed. When I was in my 20s, I realized my nose wasn’t ‘big’—it was just my nose. In my 30s, I began cherishing my freckles; they make me feel sun-kissed and youthful. And by 2014, when I turned 40, I finally accepted that those lines on my face are part of my face, and my face isn’t going anywhere. I always thought the year of turning 40 would be the year of breakdowns and fear, the year I panicked about what new crease would pop up where and how I could stop it. But it didn’t happen that way. Instead, I grew comfortable in my own skin. When I looked at my friends, who were all aging right along with me, all I saw was that they were getting more and more beautiful, which made me realize … maybe I was, too. As I grew comfortable with who I was on the inside, the outside began to match. I could have a sense of humor and love the way I look. Who knew? After all, it is my face, so if I don’t love it, who—aside from my mom—will?” —Sarah Colonna, comedian and author of Has Anyone Seen My Pants?

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Energy Boosting

Yoga

product all over using your fingers, even on your eyelids and just below the jawline.

highlight rightHighlighter can make an exhausted mug look instantly luminous—when done right. Roncal says she sees women

using the wrong prod-ucts, trying to highlight with matte foundation (which doesn’t reflect light, the ultimate goal) or white shimmer (too pale for most). Since the point is glowing—not glittering—skin, avoid using excessive shimmer. Fair skin looks good with

a silvery tone, medium skin is best with gold, and dark skin looks pretty with bronze. Dust on the brow bone, tip of the nose, cheekbones, and cupid’s bow.

Draw the line—twiCeThe secret to big, bright eyes: two eyeliners. Apply black or brown pencil thinly and deeply into the lash line (top, bottom, or both), making sure not a single bit of skin shows. Then draw on top of it (not above) with a slightly lighter-colored and sub-tly shimmery liner—dark gray with black liner, bronze with dark brown.

Make the MoSt oF MaSCaraFor a wide-eyed effect, choose a volumizing mascara in the blackest black. Then, instead of pulling the wand from lash roots to the outside of the eyes, pull it toward the inner corners of your eyes.

Follow These Directions for Smooth Skin SWIpE up For SkIN carE Apply moisturizers in an upward motion so you’re not dragging down your skin, which over time could create wrinkles, says makeup artist Eric Jimenez.

SWIpE doWN For FouNdatIoN When you’re brushing on a base, do so with gentle downward strokes, so the hair and any flaking patches of skin lie flat, for the most even coverage, Jimenez says.

Get Up and Go with the Flow 204 Rejuvenating Moves 26Tap Yoga’s Energizing Power 29

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WE rISE IN thE MorNINg with the best intentions, but without actually setting an intention, it can be hard to stick with even the simplest plan. This 10-minute series, created by yoga teacher Jillian Pransky, helps

you get laser-focused on your own breath and naturally stimulates you, setting you up for a productive day. All you need is a yoga mat and two yoga blocks. If you don’t have yoga blocks for the final

get upand go with the flow

1. Mountain PoSeStrENgthENS: Core, thighslENgthENS: Torso, spineStart in Mountain Pose, your legs and feet together, heels slightly apart, and your arms at your sides with your palms facing downward. Keeping your spine long and your shoulders rolled back and away from your ears, spread your toes and press corners of each foot into the mat. Engage your thighs and lower your belly. Close your eyes and slowly bring your hands together at your heart’s center (shown). Hold for three breaths, fully inflating your lungs and lightening your upper body.

2. StanDing SiDe leanStrENgthENS: CorelENgthENS: Sides of body, armsSweep your arms overhead and interlace your fingers, except for index fingers and thumbs (A). Gently squeeze your arms toward your ears. On an inhalation, press your feet down, engage your thighs, and stretch up and evenly over to the right (B). On an exhalation, gather your belly into your back, press your feet down, and return to center. Repeat to the left side. Do each side four times, then return to Mountain Pose.

position, you can try im-provising with a couple of pillows or rolled-up towels or blankets. “Make your stack of pil-lows, blankets, or blocks high enough so that your head is higher than your heart,” Pransky says.

We all suffer at some point from low energy, whether it’s due to stress, lack of sleep, feeling unwell, or simply being exhausted by a growing to-do list. While yoga can be a calming act, it can also fire up your system and release massive amounts of energy from within—much healthier (and cheaper) than an extra-large cappuc-cino with a double shot of espresso!

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3. Mountain PoSe–Chair PoSe FlowStrENgthENS: Core, thighs, calveslENgthENS: Torso, armsInhale and sweep your arms upward, your biceps alongside your ears (A). On an exhalation, sweep your arms down and behind your body, bending your knees and lowering your hips. Inhale and reach your arms overhead, your biceps by your ears and your pinkies turned in toward each other, arriving in Chair Pose (B). On an exhalation, return to the start. Repeat at least 10 times.

4. warrior ii FlowStrENgthENS: Thighs, shoulders, corelENgthENS: Sides of body, armsExtend your arms out to your sides at shoulder height, and step one foot forward so your feet are directly under your wrists, the outer edge of your back foot parallel to the back of the mat and the toes of your front foot pointing forward. Bend your front knee, lining it up over your front ankle, and come into Warrior II with your palms up (A). On an inhalation, straighten your front leg and sweep your arms overhead, bringing your palms together (B). On an exhalation, return to Warrior II. Repeat 10 times. Switch legs and repeat.

6. DownwarD-FaCing Dog–Plank FlowStrENgthENS: Shoulders, core, armslENgthENS: Back, hamstrings, calvesFrom Downward-Facing Dog, inhale and straighten your hips and back, coming into Plank Pose (shown). Lengthen your spine and press your heels toward the back wall, engaging your thighs. On an exhalation, push down into the balls of your feet and hands, pulling your belly to your spine and lifting your hips back into Downward-Facing Dog. (Try to use your stomach muscles to pull your body from Plank into Dog like you’re doing an upside-down situp,” Pransky says.) Moving with your breath, flow between Downward-Facing Dog and Plank 5 to 10 times.

5. DownwarD-FaCing DogStrENgthENS: Shoulders, armslENgthENS: Back, hamstrings, calvesBegin on all fours, your knees hip-width apart and your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Tuck your toes into the mat. Push down into your hands and toes, then pull your belly in and lift your hips to the sky, straightening your legs to come into Downward-Facing Dog (shown). Spread your toes and actively lift your heels to come onto the balls of your feet. Press down strongly through your palms and the balls of your feet and draw your belly in toward your spine. Hold for at least five breaths.

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7. MoDiFieD SiDe PlankStrENgthENS: Core, obliques, shoulderslENgthENS: Sides of body, armsFrom Plank Pose, lower your left knee to the mat, bringing the ball of your left foot to the floor and keeping your right leg extended. Turn your torso to the right, bringing your weight onto your left fingertips and the outside of your right foot. Lift your hips and sweep your right arm overhead, bringing your biceps by your right cheek with your palm facing down. Hold for 5 to 10 breaths. Repeat on the opposite side.

8. wiDe- arM CoBraStrENgthENS: BacklENgthENS: Chest, spineLie facedown on the mat. Place your palms slightly more than mat-width apart and in line with your breastbone, elbows bent. Come onto your fingertips and point your elbows upward and out to sides (A). Press your pelvis, toes, and fingertips into the floor. On an inhalation, reach through the crown of your head, keeping your spine long, and straighten your arms as much as you can, lifting your chest off the mat (B). Hold for 10 breaths.

9. CheSt oPenerLie faceup on the mat with your knees bent and feet hip-width apart, one yoga block beneath your head and another placed lengthwise between your shoulder blades. Allow your knees to fall together. Bring your arms out to the sides, feel-ing the opening through your chest. Release your body weight onto the blocks, allowing your chest to expand with each breath. Rest here at least 2 minutes.

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4 movesNEEd a quIck WaY to pull yourself out of a slump? Kundalini yoga is all about awakening the energy in your spine through movement, repetition, and breath. Brought to the West by Yogi Bhajan in 1969, kun-dalini yoga is a practice of awakening an enormous

rejuvenating

reserve of untapped potential within each of us. It’s normally depicted as a coiled or sleeping serpent, located in the area at the base of the spine. Kundalini practice works to raise the energy up through the spine and employ its power to attain benefits of elevation in

1. StretChLie on your back and lift your legs and chest about 12 inches off the ground. Reach your fingers toward your toes and practice Breath of Fire (see p. 26) for 2 minutes.

2. SPine rollPull your knees to your chest and roll back and forth on your spine for 1 minute.

Breath of FireBreath of Fire is a style of breath work that creates energy from within—and tones your abs, too. Start seated, breathing deeply in and out through your nose. At the top of your inhalation, exhale sharply, releasing all of the air by engaging your diaphragm. As soon as the air is out, inhale sharply and immediately exhale using your diaphragm as a pump. Your breathing should be so fast that the inhalation will happen almost without any thought; the primary focus of this exercise is on making the little punching sensation in your core to help release the breath.

consciousness, physical well-being, and expansive awareness. Los Angeles teacher Kia Miller combines kundalini and vinyasa yoga (generally athletic poses) in this short sequence, which includes her favorite moves for energy. When you need a quick pick-me-up—to get moving in the morning, primed for an important meeting, or energized before an evening out—follow this flow. If the holds feel too long, tailor them to your needs and build up to the full holds. The key is to do enough to get your energy flowing and break through whatever has been holding you back.

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advErtISEMENtS con-stantly bombard us with “miracle” cures: “Eat nothing but cabbage to lose weight and feel great!” or “Take this miracle pill to shed stress and pounds.” At some point we’ve all fallen for these empty promises. But yoga is different. Yoga can make you feel better almost instantly but also dive to the root of your problem. For starters, yoga is the ultimate stress buster. The yoga mat is our own little island where we can lose cell reception, goals, and obligations. The breathing and meditation practice slows the pulse, eases the mind, and clears out space. Doing this daily prepares us to stay calm in even the craziest of circumstances. A study published in BioPsycho-

Social Medicine revealed that long-term yoga practice can significantly reduce fear, anger, and fatigue. Need more reasons to tap into the healing, energizing power of yoga? Here’s a handful.

it liFtS your MooD Feeling low? New research confirms that carving out time for Sun Salutation can increase your energy and help you feel more positive about practically everything. When study participants

practiced hatha yoga for 50 minutes 3 times a week for 7 weeks, they reduced their symptoms of fatigue and depression—some by more than half. “The deep breathing raises levels of oxygen in your blood, making you feel more alert,” says yoga teacher Jillian Pransky. It also calms your sympathetic nervous system, reducing stress, and helps you feel less achy and irritable.” In addition, scientists in Italy found that just 10 days of yoga helped reduce anxiety and

tap yoga’s energizing power

Go Offline on the MatMake a promise to yourself: When the yoga mat comes out, communication devices are turned off. Practice in a room with no phone or computer, or at least turn them off. (Putting your phone on vibrate does not count!) Dedicate this small portion of your day to yourself and no one else. Enjoy the minivacation from the grind.

Comfortable Seat (Sukasana)Begin seated and cross one leg in front of the other, bringing your heels under your knees and keeping your feet flexed. Root into your hips to lift your chest and keep your spine tall. Let your palms rest lightly on your knees.

3. kneeS to noSeHug your knees to your chest and reach your arms along your body or behind your neck for support. Practice Breath of Fire for 2 minutes.

4. ego eraDiCatorSit in Comfortable Seat (see box), but, instead of resting your hands on your knees, reach your arms out 60 degrees with your hands in fists and thumbs stretched up. Practice Breath of Fire for 3 minutes.

Oh, yoga, is there anything you can’t do? Research points to myriad ways that striking a pose can help you feel less blah and more booyah

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depression in people suffering from mood disorders.

it enhanCeS relationShiPSSpending time on the mat helps you become a nicer person and increases your pleasure during sex. According to a study in the Journal of Holistic Nursing, regular practice can make you kinder and more patient. And 1 hour of yoga twice a week for 12 weeks was all it took to increase arousal and lubrication in women with metabolic syndrome, another study found. “Yoga teaches us to stay calm,” says Pransky. “On your mat, the challenge might be holding a difficult pose, and off the mat, it could be your partner pushing your buttons.”

it SteelS againSt illneSSPracticing yoga can strengthen your immune system, say scientists in Japan. After a 90-minute yoga session, people had nearly double their usual concentration of salivary beta-defensin 2, a peptide that attacks microbes. Study author Nobuhiko Eda, PhD, says the relax-ation provided by yoga probably lowers produc-tion of the hormone cor-tisol, which then triggers the release of beta-defen-

sin. A study from India found that even 35 minutes of yoga a day can curb spikes in cortisol. And in another study, healthy people who practiced yoga at least 4 times a week for 12 weeks improved their immune function and increased their antioxidant levels.

it relieveS an aChing BaCkDespite how hard it is to imagine doing Downward-Facing Dog with a bad back, it can work in your favor: A review of studies found evidence that yoga can relieve back pain. And researchers in India found that low-back-pain sufferers who took a 4-week yoga class (and practiced at home) experienced a nearly 20% greater reduction in pain than a group assigned to do general back and ab exercises.

it extenDS graCeWobbling around in poses like Tree and Boat increases a number of very valuable traits—body awareness, hip and ankle flexibility, strength—that can make you age much more gracefully, says

notorious contributor to inflammation, and changes the way we deal with stressful situa-tions in life. “Yoga also improves sleep,” says Kiecolt-Glaser. “Fatigue and poor sleep throw off your biological rhythms, which then affects hor-mones that play a role in inflammation.”

it PainProoFS your BrainResearchers at the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health reported that when sub-jected to the pain of cold water, yogis tolerated the discomfort more than twice as long as nonyogis did. The conscious relax-ation that’s part of yoga practice builds neural connections in the insula that help you deal with pain. The brain changes appear to be greatest in those who have practiced the longest, but studies at Massachusetts General Hospital have shown

that after just 8 weeks of yoga and meditation, participants’ brains had smaller amygdalae, the structures associated with fear and anxiety. Thus scientists believe a few minutes a day in Savasana could protect those with chronic pain from losing gray matter and stave off the depres-sion and memory impair-ment that often result.

it ProteCtS your tiCkerYoga may protect you from heart disease as much as running does, Harvard researchers say. They found that people who did yoga had a reduc-tion in heart disease risk similar to that of joggers and cyclists. (Not working out raised the risk.) The reason yoga works isn’t clear, but it may have to do with the combination of strength-building exer-cise and stress-reducing relaxation, says lead study author Myriam Hunink, PhD. To guard your heart,

do three 60-minute yoga sessions a week.

it MakeS you StanD tallerYoga teaches body awareness, which can improve your posture outside of class, says Kathryn Budig, yoga teacher and author of The Women’s Health Big Book of Yoga. For exam-ple, when you are getting into a deeper twist, you should first extend your spine as you inhale; it prevents compression in your back and allows you to rotate your body to its max (but still safe) place. With regular practice, this consciousness of your body in space spills into your everyday life, so you begin to control how you carry yourself. You’re more likely to sit with a tall spine, lifting out of your lower back and keeping your shoul-der blades rolled back—all of which can give the appearance of being vertically blessed.

Struggling to Strike a Pose?Some people are just naturally more physically flexible, says yoga instructor Kathryn Budig. Still, many other factors (such as age and even the time of day) play into how easily you can touch your toes, so there’s usually room for improvement. Try doing the following exercise four or five times a week: Sit on a yoga block and place a yoga strap over the balls of your feet, keeping your legs straight. Gently pull on the strap as you lift and then lower your chest over your legs. Don’t get frustrated if you don’t see immediate results—just keep at it. Limbering up takes time.

Pamela Jeter, author of a review in the Journal of Alternative and Comple-mentary Medicine.

it CurBS inFlaMMationAn easy, gentle yoga routine may help control chronic inflammation, the villain at the root of many modern ills, from heart disease and cancer to Alzheimer’s disease. In one trial, 2 months of twice-weekly practice reduced inflammation markers in heart failure patients by as much as 25%. In another trial, two 90-minute sessions a week for 3 months lowered several inflam-matory markers in the blood of breast cancer patients by up to 20%. Study author Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, direc-tor of the Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research at Ohio State University, explains that yoga reduces stress, a

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