Ageless Beauty - MORE Tips to Looking 10 Years Younger

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A Ford Model's Secrets to Ageless Beauty

Advice from a successful model on skin, lips, hair, and fashion that will keep you looking — and feeling — young. 

by Shelley GoodStein • 

Shelley GoodStein is the author of "Face This: Real Advice from Real Models, Photographers and Make Up Artists on How to Become Picture Perfect!"

Competing in the modeling world at any age is challenging, but now that I'm 47 years old, hitting the runway with girls half my age is definitely a test in self-confidence. Here are some tips to keeping current and fresh in a world where looking your best is always the goal.

To become inspired, pick a few celebrities in your age range that resemble you and take note of the changes in their hairstyle, wardrobe, and overall look. They are getting the best advice from the best stylists, designers, and makeup artists in the world. My own style icon is Demi Moore, a standout beauty who continues to get better with age. Besides stalking the stars, here are some other tips you can use to help find your fountain of youth.

1. Let your skin show through.

Less is more when it comes to makeup. Using too much foundation and powder accentuates fine lines and is a one-way ticket to looking older than you are. If your skin is pretty even, you may want to ditch your foundation and just use a light concealer on areas that are pigmented to even out your skin tone. Try a tinted moisturizer or the new BB Creams, which are great all-in-one time savers! If you're using a foundation, keep it light and start with a primer, a silicone based under-makeup, makeup that sort of glosses the skin to keep product from settling into any wrinkles or fine lines. This is the place toshow some skin and let it glow through your makeup!

2. Lighten up your lips.

Dark lipstick will age you and seep into or draw attention to those fine lines around your lips that sometimes are referred to as "bar codes" as you age. It's best to trace around your natural lip line with a lip pencil that matches the color of your lips and then gloss or use a light shimmery pink color. Stay away from peachy orange shades, which can make your teeth appear yellow. Also steer clear of matte or traditional lipsticks that can dry out lips. Instead choose lighter, sheer, hydrating, glossier lipsticks to look younger instantly. Many higher-end brands like Dior and Chanel carry these in their line. They cost a little more but are totally worth the splurge. 

3. Define your eyes.

When you want to make an impact with your look, focus on your eyes — it's what people notice first. Lining your eyes will make them appear full and wide open, but go softer by using a pencil or shadow in charcoal, dark brown or navy. Nothing accentuates crow's feet and tiny lines around your eyes as much as a harsh, black liquid eyeliner. Use a less-intense line underneath or it will weigh your eye down and make you look tired. Skip mascara on lower lashes entirely if you have dark circles under your eyes, because it will draw attention to the darkness. 

4. Age-defying hair.

Age should not influence your choices with hairstyle, color, or length. What should be determining your decisions are your lifestyle/career, how much time you can devote to your hair each day, and the products and tools you want to use. I think a great length for almost everyone is shoulder-length hair, and it keeps people guessing at your age! As we get older our hair thins, but adding highlights for dimension will make it appear thicker as will long layers.  

5. Stay current.

Fashion changes twice a year so choose a trend that you love and incorporate it into your style. When it comes to your wardrobe, it's important to make sure your clothes are tailored and fit you. More bulk and heavier fabrics make you look bigger. When in doubt, always go the more classic, timeless route and add great accessories. 

The Biggest secret of all to looking youthful is staying healthy! Pay attention to your weight, what you're eating, and add exercise into your daily routine. There's a big difference in getting older and beingold. Have fun, smile, enjoy your life, and you will soon discover the secret to ageless beauty! 

Spilling Beauty Secrets that Celebrities Would Rather Keep to Themselves.

As a model I am constantly having my makeup done by different makeup artists. Each one has their own special skills and techniques they use to make their A-listers look stunning! These secrets seem to be reserved only for actresses, models and celebrities because they are so well guarded, but I am sharing a few of them with you that the rich and famous would probably rather keep to themselves. Shhhhhhhhh....

Just like a fairy tale there is a beginning to the happily ever after beauty transformation. And it starts with a makeup primer. Good for you if you're already using this under your foundation, but I bet you missed the confidential memo about the importance of using one for your eyes. You need to use an eye shadow primer so the shadow has something to cling on to and doesn’t crease up into the folds of your eyes making you look old and tired. The one I see used the most on set is NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base $24.

The other trick that makes your eyes look bigger is lining the inside rim with a white or flesh colored eye pencil. My favorites to use are Tarte's EmphasEYES Inner Rim Brightener $18 and Smashbox 'Eye Beam' Double-Ended  Brightener $22. You can highlight and brighten your eyes in one step. After lining the rims, you want to make sure to highlight the inner corner of your eyes and the brow bone. This added step is what brings the sparkle you see from the eyes in red carpet photos.

It is well known that olive oil is a healthy alternative to use in our diet, but it can also be used to remove your eye makeup. A study from the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology comfirmed that oleic acid, which comprises 80 % of olive oil, can seep into the layers of the skin and help prevent premature aging. Not only effective in moisturizing this delicate area of our face, if you use olive oil to remove your eye makeup you may also notice an improvement in your lashes. See my Going to Great Lengths blog post for why moisturizing your eyes will add to oomph to your lashes and watch this video by Michelle Phan using olive oil to remove her makeup.

If your teeth are sensitive to whiteners, try using another little secret that some of my model friends use for their pearly whites. After you are done brushing your teeth, rinse your toothbrush and dip it in hydrogen peroxide and brush again. Hydrogen peroxide not only whitens teeth, it kills germs and helps canker sores heal.

Using injectable fillers are not the only way to get that bee stung lip look. You may have tried some glosses with lip plumpers (my favorite is Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker) , but the problem is that they are expensive and only come in limited shades and formulations. You can achieve this puckered pout after you apply your favorite lipstick by dabbing on some ordinary peppermint extract or cinnamon oil, which can last for up to 4 hours, or use it mixed in with some Vaseline for your lips. It puffs by irritating the lips and dramatically increasing blood circulation. You can purchase the oils at a health food or massage oil store for about $5 and the bottle will last a long time. Just be sure you are not allergic by testing on your wrist first.

If you like being in the know, order your copy or download my book  Face This  where I share these and many more secrets to looking prettier in your pictures!

A Real Model's Diet - the Inside Skinny!

The Supermodel Diet … 
It’s not all about cutting carbs, starving or cabbage soup.

Many people ask me how models stay skinny? Convinced of some supermodel secret to dieting, everyone wants the short cut. Truth is, there is none. Some women, believe it or not, really don’t have to obsess over their weight. However, I have noticed some commonalities to the way my model friends eat that I want to share with you because models aren’t the only ones who like to look thin. 

Adhere to a Routine. Models tend to eat the same thing every day for breakfast. One of my best skinny model friends has a bowl of hot oatmeal, raisins and skim milk … EVERY SINGLE MORNING! This makes choosing what to eat a no-brainer and takes the variable of adding in extra calories out of the equation.

Brown bag your lunch. If you are grabbing something on the go, when ordering out do it the model way:

• Linda Evangelista has been quoted saying, “ I don’t diet. I just don’t eat as much as I’d like to.”  Order an appetizer as your entrée. Portion control is KEY and this method does it for you. If you’re with a friend order 2 apps and split them for variety.

• Skip the sauces and choose tomato or oil and vinegar in place of mayo, cream or butter sauces. Better yet, order all topping on the side and use sparingly.

• Use spices! According to a Forbes article, models that make the most money often eat fibrous foods with spices to speed up their metabolism. So reach for the red pepper flakes and hot sauce girls!

• What keeps me skinny is that I only eat food I really like. If something is on my plate that is just so-so, I leave it. It's important to be mindful of what you're eating and why.

Eat Green and Only White if it's protien . This is an easy trick we can all use. When you are making choices remember to load up on green leafy vegetables and keep away from any white processed carbs (bread, pasta, cookies, rice) Eating white only for protein  - egg whites, chicken, turkey, pork or fish.

Get Moving. Most models don’t aspire to have that hardcore, muscle-bound bodybuilder figure, but when interviewed you will hear ALL of them talk about doing some sort of regular exercise like yoga, pilates, or jogging ... several days a week – No Excuses!

Snack. At runway shows, it is common practice for the producers to bring in food platters. What is interesting is that the fruit and veggies trays are always empty, while the sandwich plates and chip bowls remain full. Models know that it’s important to snack on healthy low calorie foods. They are careful to never arrive anywhere feeling ravenous. I always carry a granola bar or nuts in my model tote when I show up for a job. Eating a banana and drinking a bottle of water before dinner will  help you eat less and pass on the bread basket or seconds because you already feel full. By the way, models are always drinking water and staying well hydrated!

Supplement. The Aussie supermodel, Elle Macpherson is reportedly a fan of dietary fish oil and makes foods like makerel and salmon, which coincidentally are good for glowing skin, a beauty staple. Emergen C and vitamins are also on a model’s list.

Work a Party. VIP invitations are always coming to models via their agency, promoters and social networks. Many believe that most models exist strictly on cigarettes, caffeine and alcohol, but lots of supermodels, like Heidi Klum, avoid alcohol. Most people realize that alcohol is filled with empty calories so drink sparkling water from a wine glass or a Diet Coke in between your cocktails. Also, carry a purse so you can’t snack as easily with your hands free.

Contrary to popular belief, not all supermodels have an eating disorder or believe in dieting, but they are motivated to keep a disciplined routine when it comes to eating. The secret comes from finding the sweet spot … a happy weight and an achievable way to maintain it.

Once you have the diet down pat, check out my other post on how to Make your Legs Look Longer or The Dream Diet: How to Lose Weight While you Sleep

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

 

How to DeBloat after all Your Holiday Partying

The media suggest that the average American usually gains between 7-10 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Years, but according to the most reliable study to date published in the New England Journal of Medicine, it is less than one pound!


If your clothes feel tight and your face puffy it is more likely you are experiencing the "bloat" which can tip the scales up to 5 pounds plus.

Holiday festivities include family potluck gatherings, neighborhood gift exchanges, Thanksgiving dinner, cookie swaps, Christmas and office parties, not to mention the celebratory New Years toast!  All of these rich and processed foods that are being served usually mean more sodium - leading straight to water weight. 

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.  Here are some  strategies to help you de-bloat.

1.  In between parties cut back on calories. 

This shouldn't be very hard to do since you have overindulged and feel full. 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.

Shelley GoodStein is a 47 year old FORD model who speaks to women through television, national articles and public forums about a model's secrets to looking good from the inside out and the beauty of aging! She is the author of Face This: Advice From Real Models, Photographers and Make Up Artists on How to Become Picture Perfect!

How to take your Best Halloween Photos

It's hard to believe, but Halloween has now become the most photographed holiday in America so here are some photo tips to make sure you are camera ready!

IMMA BE, IMMA BE, IMMA IMMA IMMA BEE with the Bee Keeper!

My best advice ... Shoot first and ask questions later!

The secret in getting an amazing quality photograph is in the quantity of photos you take! So when you think you got it, shoot some more. Also, try shooting the same photo in different modes. One in automatic and another with a different exposure. This concept works for the flash too. Take some with it on and some without, being careful that you aren't shooting into a reflective surface with your flash like mirrors or glass. For an eery effect use candles or a flashlight to illuminate.  If you don't know how to use the settings and dials on your camera now's the time to figure out how to use just one. If you have lost your manual, google it to get your one lesson or watch a tutorial on You Tube. Who knows maybe you'll get bitten by the shutterbug after you see what you are capable of creating.


When you're shooting kids you should kneel down to their eye level, zoom in and Get Closer! Don't spend a lot of energy making your subjects pose a certain way. Rather, take advantage of the spontaneity in the character of their costumes and encourage everyone to act their part by flying, groaning or squinting while adding in the action of their guise. Make sure you're talking, joking and keeping it natural looking all the while you click! You should shoot fast before you lose the enthusiasm and fun, or the light. 


Shooting at twilight will be the best time to get the right lighting. Remember to take advantage of side lighting from the sun and if you backlight your trick or treater make sure to force your flash on so that the faces don't look muddy or dark.


When you are shooting a group, keep the background simple and make everyone invade some personal space to get closer together. Keep them interacting, laughing and then shoot several photos quickly. Sneak around and get some candids after everyone thinks you've put your camera away. These shots are usually the all time faves!

Special Effects for A Hallowed Night!

Here's a few tips for a girl heading out to the local Haunted House!

To give lips the picture perfect pout I just ordered Violent Lips Glitteratti for some added sparkle. They are a line of glitter, rainbow,"wild side" to fishnet themed, temporary lip tatoos that are vitamin enhanced and last for 4-8 hours. You can even buy them to express a single word on your lips like Fiesty, Poison or XOXO. ($15 for 3 sets)

To do a glitter lip yourself using gloss and craft glitter watch this easy DIY video to know how. 

Just in time, Make up For Ever recently launched Fluo Night Black Light Pigment. They are not only eerily fluorescent but they also show up under a black light. Glowing in the dark and body painting has never been easier! The white shade, available at Sephora for $31, is invisible in normal lights, but surprises brilliantly under UV.

Dior's Multi-Wear Adhesive Patches may have been the norm on the runway in Paris this year but decked out with Swavroski crystals and velvet they will definitely help indulge your costume in a dramatic eye look, the easy "press-on" way!

Don't forget your nails as you hand out your treats...This year there's OPI's Black Shatter which will create a crackled, shattered look on your nails. Or maybe you'll want to freak your friends out with an all white nail splattered with red, blood-like tips!

Happy Halloween and remember:
"Sometimes GORE is not more ... add some pretty to your BOO!"

Family Photos - Tips to Capturing the Moment

Click here to watch my video on the best ways to capture the spirit of your family ... the fun one!

It's that time of year again for families everywhere to endure the process of dressing up and looking happily into the camera all for the sake of the holiday card! This video will help inspire you and give you some things to think about so you can all really sparkle without putting makeup and gloss on Dad or the kids!

Basically, kids should dress like kids, and adults like grown ups. But leave the super hero t-shirts at home! Solids are best but one person in a small stripe or plaid will be ok. Mid-tones work great, like blues, but if everyone is dressed in denim it will look like a sea of blue so add some complementary colors in the same tone, or go all pastels/vivids or a variety of earth tones. You want to think coordinating, not matchy. Lay everything out ahead of time and make sure it all fits, the better the planning the easier to relax on picture day! This is not the time to try out a new hair do because you will hate it later on if you do something that you wouldn't normally do.

And what about including the long time boy-friend in your portrait? Well, families are constantly changing with additions and exits so I say include them if it represents the snapshot of your family at the moment. Just make sure they are placed somewhere on the end so if need be you can crop them out later on! After you get the money shot where everyone is perfectly positioned and looking at the camera, let everyone relax and be themselves. Posey posey pictures will never be the ones you love because they don't illicit any real emotion when you look at them and do people really ever say cheese when they smile? 

Honestly, don't be overly concerned about the messy hair or skinned knees, these photos are for you, to document your life. And if you decide to send out holiday cards ... well, your real friends don't judge! Be yourself and let the love for your family show through genuinely ~ These are the shots people talk about!!!

Skinny Fat - Ideal Body Weight Will Not Make You Immune!

Your dress size just may be luring you into a false sense of security when it comes to this subject.

Skinny fat seems to be a contradictory term, after all its what’s on the inside that counts - Right? Well, being thin doesn’t mean you're healthy! And this skinny girl, is here to tell  you that just because you are close to your ideal body weight does not mean that you aren't suffering from skinny fat ... models included! 

What is skinny fat? Although not scientifically defined, here are some urban dictionary quotes to help you understand this concept:

“Skinny fat is a self induced syndrome where an individual is fairly close to their healthy weight, or even at their healthy weight, but they have little if any muscle definition. The sufferer generally doesn’t exercise regularly or is a habitual on and off again exerciser. The sufferer also generally doesn’t follow any type of healthy nutrition plan, rather they eat anything and everything they want.”

“This term is used when a person is thin, yet does not eat healthy or take care of themselves. They think they don’t need to watch the junk they eat because they are thin. They can be more unhealthy then an overweight person.”

And finally for the visual we have all seen (Yikes) too many times:

“Skinny-fat girls usually wear clothes that are TOO small for their 'not so skinny' bodies. A skinny-fat girl usually may wear a pair of low-rise jeans that are WAY too tight causing her fat to spill out of the top of her pants.”

Primarily associated with the female gender is another pesky problem of fat distribution called cellulite. According to a study by Neutrogena, 70 percent of women have cellulite. Improving your diet and exercise is a perfect way to start repairing this uneven skin appearance. If your tummy, butt and thighs are flaccid and subcutaneous fat is layered on top of those muscles, it will contribute to the hail damage you see there. Losing weight and Resistance training or Pilates is a definite must for minimizing the appearance of cellulite.

When it comes to being fit, experts say there is no short cut! (By the way, save your money because cellulite creams don’t work.) If you want to be healthy you need to incorporate weight bearing exercises into a low fat diet and go for the burn!

Halloween Tutorials - Best Makeup Videos for that Spooky-Sexy Vibe!

Halloween brings out the kid in all of us but gone are the days when a sheet with two eye holes or the face painted cat whisker/nose combo will get you much notice. The Wicked Witch of the West even needed a green face and warts to get her scare on. Here are some of my favorite makeup tutorial videos that can help inspire any girl to rock a Halloween Bash.

Costumes require a mesmerizing look to complete their effect so you'll need to decide if it's going to be a Good Witch, Bad Witch or Mistress of the Night kind of Halloween. Adding the oompf with makeup will guarantee a boost from your normal yawn worthy idea to that lasting, searing impression. Bewitch your friends and arm yourself with a little tube of Latex from Party City to re-create X-Men's blue Mystique above and become a little more creative this year for a bloody-good finish!

Me? I am going as a BEE this year ... just trying to decide if it will be a QUEEN Bee, Honey Bee or KILLER Bee. Yep, the costume stays the same - the difference will be made with the makeup!

TO stay in the know and learn a model's secrets to looking your best Every Day ... check out my new book Face This: Real advice from Real Models!

Lesson #2: Flattering Angles- Tips on How to Take Your Best, Most Gorgeous Photos Ever!

Models and photographers both know that angles are what will make your photos look Shelltacular, whoops, Spectacular! An angle can illuminate, confuse, disorientate, and can turn a boring photo into an emotionally powered shot full of drama! 

My book, Face This, will give you all the tricks to creating the right look and angle for yourself in front of anyone’s camera for perfect photos every time, but what you can do when YOU are the photographer, to make interesting pictures involving angles? Here is your monthly, get-better, photography tip!

EYE-LEVEL. The traditional way most of us take our pictures and view people is head-on, eyes straight forward, at about shoulder level. It conveys reality and represents the moment just as we remember it ... beautiful, but ordinary. Since digital photography is FREE why not change it up a bit with a little more creativity?

LOW-ANGLE.  This  photo is created by the photographer crouching down and angling the lens upward.  These photos convey superiority & power. It can have the added benefit of creating height for the subject by exaggeration. If your angle is strong enough, you can get cool photos with just bright blue sky or trees as a backdrop, eliminating an otherwise distracting background.

HIGH-ANGLE. This is when you elevate your camera over your subject. It tends to make your subject seem smaller, at times almost swallowed up by their surroundings, making them feel more approachable and less intimidating.

CLOSE-UP. This is the classic way to get your best ever photographs of children. Many times it involves laying on the ground, with no angle at all, and using a zoom or getting really close. This technique magnifies a subject and creates a very intimate image of significance with the background just a blur.

Changing your perspective or the angle that you are taking your photo can change the feeling of your photos altogether, so get up on the chair, lay on your back, down on one knee, hover overhead and get in someone’s face for a photo that will be framed and cherished for years ahead!

Calling all goddesses - Fun Birthday Party Ideas with Girlfriends!

Along the transitions in my life, I have been empowered by many great goddesses that have surrounded me in a protective bubble of love, harmony, unity and wondrous kindness. This year for my birthday I called out to my ethereal friends and their demi-gods, to merge these energies to celebrate my birthday and nourish my soul with laughter at a local Hookah lounge.

I asked my girlfriends to come dressed in whatever made them feel goddess-like, flowers in their hair, glitter, draping chiffon … time to play dress up! I selected goddess names for each, framed as a keepsake

 and requested that if they wanted to extend gifts that they be hand made from the heart. I received a wondrous poem, art, and jelly! We were nourished with hummus, entertained by exotic belly dancers and enticed by the pineapple hookah!

Birthdays. Love em or hate em … they are inevitable. Why is it that we dread celebrating or wait until the milestone big-0 to commemorate them? It’s normal to feel reluctant about a change in your chronological age, but I encourage all of you to put away your expectations that you should be checking off a list of accomplishments. Life unfolds for us in such awe-inspiring ways and if you are too caught up in a scheduled path you may miss it!

Birthdays are good for you! A study published last year in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, showed that people get happier as they get older! Have you stopped celebrating your birthdays? How old would you be if you could decide your own age? Personally, I think you have to be over 40 to finally be REALLY happy! I read about a woman in Florida who celebrated her 100^th birthday on a treadmill … She said she “feels good after exercise!”

Here are a few ideas:

• An around the world party
• High tea
• Gratitude party
• Diva Safari ~ night on the town!
• Karaoke room
• SPA Shindig
• Street shopping ~ Walk down a quirky street for a trip down memory lane. Try on outrageous hats, check out an old bookstore, bargain shop at a vintage/resale store, visit a wine bar or funky bistro!

This is what I know:  One bite of birthday cake is never enough, I am the only one like me in the world and I want to live my life from the inside out, celebrating with the people I love most every year – at dinner with my kids, on a long weekend getaway with my husband or throwing a goddess party ... Singing happy birthday every year, right on key!

I would love to hear your birthday ideas!

XOXO 
from the 47 year old celestial brunette!