De-bloat after your Vacation.

After returning from vacation, I noticed that suddenly my favorite jeans felt tighter. It's hard to feel my best when I feel fat. Stepping on the scale - plus 5 pounds, Ahhhhhh yes ...  the bloat. 

Eating out usually means a bit more gluttony, and definitely more sodium - leading straight to water weight. What you don’t want to do is to Starve yourself after your trip because it will slow down your body's metabolism to conserve energy. It will also set you up to overeat. 


It’s important not to freak out and remind yourself that weight loss and weight gain are mathematical equations and in a few days it would be nearly impossible to consume enough extra calories for a real 5 pound gain. 1 lb = 3500 calories AND 5 lbs = 17,500 calories extra. 

1.  My fist day back I cut back on calories. 

Not very hard to do since I have usually overindulged and felt constantly full on vacation. Bethenny Frankel, author of Naturally Thin, suggests whipping up a big pot of vegetable soup to slim down. Just throw some onions, broccoli and carrots, in a fat free chicken stock and puree to eat with brown rice. 

2.  Fill up with loads of de-bloating foods to tell your body to get rid of all that water. Some natural diuretics are watermelon, asparagus, oats, cucumber, ginger, pineapple, and yogurts containing probiotics ("good" bacteria) can help.

3.  Eat fiber to help clear your colon of any undigested foods and air. Foods like bananas that are high in potassium  have also been shown to beat bloat by causing your body to flush out the water.

4.  Drink lots of water to stay hydrated. Sodium intake acts like a water retention magnet so you need to drink enough water to flush all of this from your system or your body will keep trying to save water reserves.

5.  Sweat it out. Working out not only helps burn calories away but you can sweat out unwanted water swelling. Before supermodel Heidi Klum gets in front of the camera she de-bloats with an Epsom salt-rich bath. Magnesium sulphate in the salts draw out the fluids from your body.

6. Plenty of Zzzzzz's. Sleeping raises growth hormone and reduces stress. Stress can increase cortisol levels in your body over time and cortisol inhibits sodium loss through the small intestines. Water will stay where the sodium is which often causes water retention. So focus on getting to bed early and letting your metabolism get in check to help your body recover from the overindulging. 

To learn more model's secrets to looking your best and taking your best photos check out my new book Face This: Real advice from real models, photographers and makeup artists on how to become Picture Perfect! Available for just $7.99 on Kindle, Nook and iTunes. Also as paperback from Amazon.com

 

Travel Beauty

Models are travel show super stars, often jet setting and keeping long hours ... here are some of their tips to pack along for your next vacation.

July 4th is the time we really dig into Summer! BBQ's, beach trips and lots of travel. Whether you're driving to that family reunion or getting on board the plane, looking your best and traveling do not always go hand in hand. What to do when you are on the go:

1. Hydrate and Moisturize. The day before be sure to drink lots of water and put an extra dose of moisturizer on  the night before you fly to avert some of the dehydrating effects of the cabin pressure.

2. Skip the heavy makeup.  Instead, use a primer which is silicone based to put a layer of protection on your face and keep any makeup you do wear in place. Use a tinted moisturizer and add a little concealer on any uneven spots/redness instead of foundation. It is inevitable that you will snooze for awhile so to avoid mascara traveling down your cheek, go without, or use a waterproof formula. Creamy eye shadows also tend to become displaced.

3. Since you cannot travel with liquids be sure and pick up a travel size pack of baby wipes to use for any facial makeup mishaps and also to keep your hands clean. Try to not touch your face alot during your travel to avoid breakouts from bacteria you unknowingly pick up. Be sure and use your wipes before applying any makeup in transit to protect your skin from whatever is on your fingers.

4. Pass on the alcohol, because it will dehydrate your skin and make your face look puffy, but stow away a travel sized vodka if you're offered one and mix it with your shampoo for super shiny hair the next day on your trip.

5. Reading and watching back to back movies compounded with the dryness of the plane will leave your eyes stinging. Apply some ice under your eyes for a wake up call along with lubricating drops and Visine to bring back your twinkle.

6. To refresh your face, never put on more make up or powder, instead use a mist with glycerin (just water will evaporate and dry out your skin) and pack blotting or rice papers to soak up the shine without drying out your skin more.

7. Add some shimmer right before you arrive using a highlighter (creamy pen or powder) on your brow bone, top of your cheek bone, right above the cupid bow of your lip, and your collar bone to perk up your complexion. Finish with a nice glossy lip!

DrugStore Beauty on a Budget!

It is easy to spend lots of $$$ for great beauty products, but it's always fun to get a deal! There are some products that I think are definitely worth the splurge, like a concealer that blends perfectly to your skin tone and brand name eye shadows that are rich and adhere better, but sometimes just because it costs more and comes in fancy packaging does not mean it performs better. Here are some of my favorite steals available at your corner drugstore (and you'll still have change left over to buy some chocolate!)

Many great lipsticks have ingredients that allow them to really last and be long wearing, but lip glosses don't require so many to really SHINE! Try Sally Hansen Diamond 12 hour lip treatment for just $2.99, it's like a drugstore version of MAC's lipglass.

To liven up your hair color and to add shine John Frieda's Color Glaze at less than $10 is a real bargain considering you can use it more than once and is much less expensive than the $75 you'd pay at his NYC Salon for this glossing treatment.

Almost every makeup artist on every photo shoot I go to uses this mascara in the pink tube. For less than $5 it is a total WIN! There are few differences in high end brands since basically all mascara formulas are the same. What makes the biggest difference is the wand. Most all brands are switching from the nylon bristled wands to plastic or rubber ones so that any mascara you use will be clump free, but here's what you should know:

1. A curved brush gives you more lift.

2. A comb style brush will separate more.

3. A smaller brush will coat each lash.

4. Bigger brushes will put more color on your lashes but require a bigger tube that will dry out faster.

Be sure you are replacing your mascara every 3 months because of bacteria/ drying out, and clean off your wand to avoid clumping.

The pros know that great makeup brushes are the place to start for perfect makeup application! Sonia Kashuk, available at Target, is consistently known for her awesome, high quality brushes that are extremely soft and non-shedding. I love this flat blusher brush which is very dense and works great for powder. I would compare this to my favorite MAC brushes that go for over $50, but at $15 - this is definitely a MUST HAVE!




If you are looking to add a little drama to your eyes, individual lashes are your ticket! Ardell gets this done on the cheap with amazing individual lashes that lay flat and are virtually undetectable when used at the corner of your eyes.


Think you can't put them on yourself? Watch this short video by my friend Janine from Beauty Geeks to see just how easy it can be!

EYELASH DEMO CLICK HERE