Hands down, one of my favorite makeup tool is the heated eyelash curler. My sister introduced this to me last year and I’m so in love with it I don’t know what I would do without it! This handy little tool is perfect for curling stubborn straight lashes, anytime, anywhere.

I use this at the very end after I’ve applied all my makeup, pre-curled with a traditional lash curler and mascara-ed up my lashes because it works best after mascara application. The heated curler warms the waxes in mascara to create stronger, longer-lasting curl.

I like to turn it on while I’m nearly done with my last coat of mascara as it does take about 15 seconds to warm up. Placing the comb directly on the lashline, I would slowly comb my lashes as I would a mascara brush. It’s best to hold for one or two seconds, then release to allow for the heat to curl the lashes.

As you can imagine, the comb can get pretty dirty over time since the mascara will transfer due to the heat and coil. So before I use it on my lashes, I like to gently rub the comb on a kleenex while its warming up. It doesn’t get all the mascara residue off but it will give you a cleaner start.

I’ve been using this for over a year now and my lashes look fabulous every time.

Pick one up from Sephora for only $16!

Dry.

Beat up.

Cut up.

Ugly.

Sore.

These are all descriptions of my HANDS! Not very lady-like huh? Well, it’s the truth. I’ve been helping out at my boyfriend’s new restaurant and every night I would come home with a new cut or scrap and really rough, dry hands. I realized I have to do something about them fast before I have nothing left but unattractive ugly stumps rather than soft feminine hands.

You use your hands a lot no matter what your daily responsibilities, and dry, chapped hands can make the whole day miserable. The dryness can be even worse in the winter when cold weather strikes. Regular hand washing, which is important to keep germs at bay, can take its toll on your skin. Using a moisturizing soap will help, but contact with water still dries out skin by rinsing away its protective layer of moisture, so the more you wash, the more your hands are at risk of becoming chapped.

What I like to do is apply hand cream at night and wear moisturizing gloves to sleep to give my skin the extra boost they need to see it through the dry season. Various kinds of gloves are available — some are designed to be used with lotions, and others will get the job done on their own. They’re sometimes called “spa gloves” and can cost anywhere from $10 to almost $50, available at drugstores and specialty retailers.

Moisturizing gloves contain a number of ingredients to help your skin, such as oils, vitamins and aloe. Often, these ingredients are part of a lining inside the gloves, although sometimes the fabrics themselves are infused with moisturizing agents. Some gloves are even scented, so if you have any fragrance allergies, be sure to check the label before you choose your gloves.

If you’re thinking about giving moisturizing gloves a try, check out How Stuff Works to find out which type could be the right fit for you.

So this is what I’ve been feeling all week long… Bummed out like someone walking around with a bag over her head. Why you ask? Because a week ago on Friday, I broke out with 4 monstrous zits on my face. Every day since then, they’ve invited their friends and family to come out and play. I woke up with 8 on Saturday, then 4 more appeared on Sunday, until finally I counted 15 red throbbing zits on my face on Monday morning. All of which were visible on my T-zone.

No amount of makeup could cover them because they’re huge and three dimensional. They cast their own shadows and have their own area codes. I was so depressed I stayed tucked away at home like a hermit.

I can’t remember the last time I broke out like this. I’m 26 years old and well over the awkward acne years. Even as a kid I had very little acne issues. My face was clear for the most part and every once in a while, I had the occasional one or two pimples that went away fairly quickly. I’m not stressed either! So why is this happening to me?????

According to Acne.org, adult acne affects 25% of all adult men and 50% of adult women at some time in our adult lives. Dermatologists are seeing more adult acne than in previous decades. Some can still get acne in their forties and fifties. So when do you stop getting zits? The answer is never!

Although the causes of adult acne are unknown, possible causes include stress, cosmetics, hormones, and an increase of resistant bacteria. Some things that can make acne worse is leaning on or rubbing the skin, squeezing or picking at pimples, and hard scrubbing of the skin.

So what have I been doing to keep my breakout in check?

Neosporin. The active ingredients and powerful antibiotics in Neosporin are far more effective than benzoyl peroxide. Although applying this topical gel can be greasy and uncomfortable, the oil base helps from drying out your skin. It speeds up the healing process and prevents scarring.

I’ve also been using the minimal amount of makeup and coverup; most days I opt for no makeup and stay home like a hermit. Also, use a light facial scrub to clean your pores and wash away dead skin cells. Finish with a clean face cloth and warm water.

Its been almost a week after the breakout and I noticed over half of the acne that appeared on my face shrank notably and the redness has lightened considerably. I intend to keep using Neosporin in the morning and before I go to sleep.

Getting adult acne is common and there is nothing you can do about it. It can be very depressing. It’s definitely put a slump in my confidence level. But nothing can be done to make acne magically disappear so learn to take care of your skin and get the right treatment. Like everything else, healing takes time.

To read more about acne, check out Acne.org.

Halloween is just around the corner! If you’re out of ideas for a costume, hopefully these will give you some inspiration. Kandee Johnson has posted over a dozen make-up tutorials for her Halloween series. You can check them out at her YouTube VideoStream.

My favorites are the Michael Jackson, Edward Scissorhands, and the Queen of Hearts costumes!

For more Halloween ideas, check out the Spirit Costume Store and 3Wishes.com (adult costumes).

Skin cells die and new cells regenerate as we grow older. These dead cells come to rest on the top layer of our skin, making our skin look dull and sometimes patchy. Although dead skin is replaced naturally by new cells, this process takes longer as we age. This is why exfoliation should be a part of your regular routine.

A simple homemade remedy is the sugar and water face scrub. Sugar, especially organic sugar, is an excellent exfoliant. It removes dead cells from the skin as well as cleaning dirt, pollutants and other harmful toxins from the pores while retaining moisture. This simple and natural scrub makes the skin look healthy and radiant in minutes.

• You will need 2 tablespoons of sugar and 3 tablespoons of warm water.
• Prepare the homemade scrub by pouring warm water over the sugar.
• Using your fingers, apply the mixture on your face and gently massage in circular motion.
• Rinse with warm water or use a warm washcloth.
• Always apply moisturizer after every scrub because exfoliating dries out your skin!

Never over exfoliate because this will cause skin irritation. How often to exfoliate depends on your age. In your twenties, exfoliate twice a week with a granular face scrub that is gentle on the skin. In your thirties, exfoliate every alternate day or on a daily basis. Once you enter your forties, you should consider going in for a few microdermabrasion treatments. This treatment removes dry, dead tissue with an abrasive crystal to encourage rejuvenation. It is non-surgical and you can be back at work the same day.

For more information on exfoliation, check out Exfoliation101.