Hot or Not Beauty

Do you love free stuff? Do you love makeup? Better yet, do you love Laura Geller Makeup? And the final question is do you love reading beauty blogs? If you can answer yes to all of the following, I have got the contest for you.

I am offering full sizes of Laura Geller’s best selling products to the winner of this contest. (This contest is in no way affiliated with Laura Geller Makeup Company, but it is the makeup line of choice that I am giving away because I love it!)

The top referrer of readers to my blog will receive the following:
1. Laura Geller Spackle
2. Laura Geller Balance & Brighten
3. Laura Geller Bronze & Brighten
4. Laura Geller Blush & Brighten in Golden Apricot
5. Laura Geller Powder Pencil
6. Laura Geller Lip Shiner
You can view these products at Sephora.com.

This total package is a retail cost of $135. What you must do to win:

1. Refer readers to my blog, Hot or Not Beauty.
2. The reader that you refer must write a beauty question addressed to Ms. Hot or Not.
3. The reader that you refer must include their name, email address and your name and email address in the comments section.
4. The person that refers the most readers who post a question to Ms. Hot or Not, will receive the goodies noted above. So it’s really important to have the email addresses for contact purposes!

In addition, the top 5 beauty questions will receive a full size Laura Geller Baked it, a $28 value.
The contest will run through June 1st, with a winner being announced by June 8th. (Give me time to tabulate!)

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Dear Ms. Hot or Not Beauty –

I’m an African American woman in my 30’s and I have never worn sunscreen. I keep hearing that it’s important. But I also have heard that dark skin has a natural sun protection built in. What do you recommend?
Thanks
C
Dearest C –

Thanks so much for first of all reading and secondly for inquiring about such an important subject matter. The short answer is YES! No matter what your skin color, you should be wearing an SPF daily. While darker skins typically do not burn as quickly as their fair counterparts, constant sun exposure can lead to a host of skin care ills down the road. Hyperpigmentation being a primary offender. Many women of color in their 30’s and above wonder why suddenly they have outbreaks of dark spots afflicting thier once even complexions. Well, it’s due to all that casual sun exposure over the years.

First let’s learn how an SPF works.
Just as a screen filters light, a sunscreen filters the sun’s rays. The ingredients in sunscreen absorb ultraviolet (UV) radiation by forming a barrier on the skin’s surface. Energy from sunlight is converted to heat, dissipating harmlessly. No sunscreen can shield the sun 100%, so it’s important if you want full protection to wear long sleeves, big hats, sunglasses — the works!

How do you know how much to use?
First you have to calculate how fast you burn. If it takes you 10 minutes to burn, then you will be protected for 150 minutes with and SPF of 15 or 300 minutes with an SPF of 30. You multiply the time it takes you to burn (10 minutes) by the amount of SPF in your sunscreen. If you are sweating or in and out of water, it’s important to reapply frequently to keep protected.

According to the American Melanoma Foundation:

What is an SPF?
The Sun Protection Factor (SPF) displayed on the sunscreen label ranges from 2 to as high as 50 and refers to the product’s ability to screen or block out the sun’s harmful rays. For example, if you use a sunscreen with an SPF 15, you can be in the sun 15 times longer that you can without sunscreen before burning. Consumers need to be aware that SPF protection does not increase proportionally with an increased SPF number. While an SPF of 2 will absorb 50% of ultraviolet radiation, an SPF of 15 absorbs 93% and an SPF of 34 absorbs 97%.

It is also important to have a combination of chemical sunscreens in your product. Some protect from UVB rays (burn) and others from UVA (aging).

For darker skins, I recommend chemical sunscreens. When formulated correctly, these will melt into the skin without leaving an ashy, purply hued residue as does titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. Look for ingredients like Avobenzone [butyl-methyoxydibenzoylmethane; Parsol 1789],
Octinoxate and Octisalate. If you do use a physical sunscreen such as zinc or titanium dioxide, look for a micelized version.

Some great sunscreens to check out are made by Peter Thomas Roth, Cellex C, Murad, Skin Ceuticals and MD Formulations. They can all be found at DermaDoctor.

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A few days ago I begged for questions for my new column, Ask Ms. Hot or Not. And I got plenty of questions to answer. The first one off the press was from Erin who wrote:

Dear Ms. Hot or Not:
I would love to know how to get rid of bumps or razor burn on your bikini area. Are there any good razors or products to use to try to prevent them all together?

It’s warming up all over and it’s almost time for those leg baring, high cut, show-it-all bikinis. And for those who dare to bare, being hair free is of most importance. For women who wear bikinis there is always the question of wax or shave. Brazilian and Playboy style waxings can leave the bikini area sensitive and prone to infection if not properly treated after waxing. While waxing leaves skin stubble free and eliminates the need to remove hair again for up to six weeks, shaving is a whole new can of worms.

Improper shaving can leave skin irritated and prone to having ingrown hairs. This is often the condition that that is evident on the surface of the skin that we catagorize as bikini bumps. Using the right shaving method is one way to cut down on the possibility of bumps.

How to Shave:
Start by getting pubic hair and skin thoroughly saturated with a shaving cream. Soap will not do the trick. Try a product that’s made for men like Jack Black Beard Lube which moisturizes the hair and skin. This helps to soften the hair and makes shaving easier. First, be sure to adequately wet the skin and the bikini hair. Since pubic hair is coarser than facial hair, this is an important step. If you are using a disposable razor, choose one that is for sensitive skin. At times, too close leave hair too far below the surface and it may create a bump if proper exfoliation doesn’t occur between shaves. (more about exfoliation to follow) Gillette Mach 3 razor is my razor of choice for clean close shaves. With a disposable or with a cartridge type head, replace after each shave.

When you begin to shave, pull the skin tight with your non-shaving hand. Then shave in upward strokes. Make sure there is adequate shaving cream on the hair and skin before each stroke. Without this protection, you’re likely to get red and bumpy after you shave.

Some experts recommend rubbing an ice cube over the shaved bikini area to reduce redness and discomfort. A pure Aloe Vera Gel is ideal for using after shaving to conquer irritation. Also over the counter hydrocortisone creams are helpful. Some post-shave products made up of mainly rubbing alcohol can actually increase inflammation. So consider taking a Tylenol or Ibuprofen to reduce the amount of inflamation that may occur.

(more…)

For several years, I spent my time writing advice for Sephora.com. If you are a product junkie, you know that it’s the hugest e-tailer of beauty products, cosmetics, fragrance, haircare and skincare in the world. As a makeup artist and esthetician with years of experience and one who has tried thousands of products, I am what you might call a pretty jaded guru. I’m not impressed by hype, but by results.

So in my own humble opinion, I know what’s hot and what’s not. But this is where I need you — the beauty blog readers out there. I am starting a new feature — Ask Ms. Hot or Not. So please send your questions to me via the contact link on the page, or in the comments section. If I don’t know the answer, I will do the research. If it’s a product I haven’t reviewed, I’ll get it, use it and review it. And know, I will give you my honest opinion.

Please, deluge me!

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