Tips for a Perfect-Looking Complexion

All it takes is a quick look at magazine cover headlines to know how many people are seeking the perfect complexion. You probably already know the basics with cleansing, exfoliating, moisturizing, and other typical methods for improving complexion.

There are other options for improving the look of your skin:

• Learn to contour

Contouring is the process of using lighter and darker colors to highlight and lowlight certain parts of your face. This method simply accentuates your natural features. While it differs from face to face, there are some basic areas you can look to accentuate. For beginners, you can use a bronzer or darker shadow for lowlighting along the sides of the jawline and the hollow of your cheek. You can brush a lighter and/or shimmery highlighter along your cheekbones, brow bones, chin, and the tip of your nose.

• Make sure you have the right foundation

There’s a reason there are so many different types of foundations to choose from - complexions come in many different shades and textures. It can be a good idea to try different types and get expert advice on your right shade, which can be difficult to match on your own. Either try out your shades in several different types of light, or seek out expert shade-matching advice with a makeup artist.

It’s also important to understand the different forms of foundations: you can choose from powdered, liquid, cream, or spray. The type that is right for you will depend on your skin type (dry, oily, combination) and how much coverage you desire, as some types are better for the layering required for more uneven skin tones.

However, this level of makeup application isn’t for everyone. Another idea for achieving the perfect complexion is to look for balms and creams that improve the look of your skin. A new niche of creams, such as BB cream (blemish balm) or CC cream (color control) is opening up that uses more technological methods for improving the look of skin.

Along this route, you can also look to other types of products like you’ll find in NeriumAD’s line of skincare - a skin cream that uses powerful ingredients from nature, such as Nerium oleander extract, and advanced technological methods to create a product that improves the look of your skin, addressing issues such as wrinkles, fine lines, discoloration, and uneven texture. This means less work with makeup and less time agonizing over how many more layers of foundation you’ll need before achieving that even, youthful glow.  

Update Your Skin Care Arsenal with Nerium oleander: The “Desert Rose”

The rose exists as one of the most powerful religious symbols in pagan and early Christian religion and has been known throughout history to represent purification, extraordinary beauty, and very powerful healing. Therefore, it is no wonder that Nerium oleander, a shrub that grows

in warm, subtropical regions, is referred to as the “Desert Rose” in ancient texts. Purification, extraordinary beauty, and very powerful healing are all characteristics that are found in the Nerium oleander plant. Appropriately, usage of “the desert rose” for medicinal purposes dates back at least 3500 years and the beneficial properties contained within the plant’s extract continue to transform the way we view skin care today:

• The rose was a symbol for purification in the Middle Ages and rosewater was often used to freshen clothing; some speculate that the rose’s promise of purification was the attribute responsible for the inclusion of hardened rose petals the creation of the Monks’ original rosaries. Not surprisingly, skin creams that contain the NAE-8 extract from the Nerium oleander plant are clinically proven to brighten skin and soothe redness. The properties of the “desert rose” calm irritated skin cells and blend away imperfections resulting in a smoother, more even skin tone. Skin care products that boast Nerium oleander extract in their ingredient lists offer a pure, healthy, organic route to reviving skin.

• Hailed for and immortalized by its comprehensive yet immeasurable beauty, the rose lends inspiring variations of this quality to Nerium oleander. Not only are the blooms of the “desert rose” coveted for their elegance and flaunted in award-winning gardens worldwide, the extent of the plant’s ability to reveal skin’s natural radiance has only recently surfaced in a succinct, palpable form. When integrated into skin care formulas, Nerium oleander NAE-8 extract is able to actively reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The properties of the extract promote a more youthful, refined surface in a short period of time. It is no accident that Nerium oleander is equated with symbolic and literal, tangible beauty.

• The associations with power and the capacity to heal that lie within the rose are evidenced in the Pagan definition of the symbol: the feminine half of God (or Goddess.) And while she may not be a “Goddess,” “Mother Nature” delivered with Nerium oleander. A generous product of our efficient Earth, the NAE-8 extract’s remarkable healing power firms the appearance of the skin and diminishes visibility of discoloration for results that are both natural and quantifiable as one of the miracles of modern day science.

Whether or not our ancestors fully understood the scope of the relevancy of comparing Nerium oleander to the rose is unclear. However, the reasoning behind centuries of harnessing the potential of the “Desert Rose” for medicinal use is no mystery. Herbal practitioners paved the way for current day biotechnologists to unveil the real science behind NAE-8 extract’s ability to transform the appearance of skin. Ambition and research across the board, combined with present day clinical trials led to factual results and a solution for our battle against aging. The breakthrough discoveries and substantial hope that comprise the Nerium oleander NAE-8 oleander extract guarantee that the future of skin care will indeed come out “smelling like a rose.”

Common Mistakes to Avoid: Safeguarding Your Skin this September

Autumn weather entertains with prospects of back-to-school sales, sampling sweet potato pie, and sensational, seasonal activities that range from tromping through the leaves to entertaining guests, to quiet, cozy nights at home. Don’t let fall’s sumptuous scenery and scarf-wielding winds distract you when it comes to your skin care routine. Here, seasonal mistakes that are commonly made in skin care and ways to avoid them:

-Side Stepping Sunscreen

The rays of summer are gone, but it is especially easy to get sunburned on a breezy, overcast day. Why? Without the blazing heat to remind us, many of us forget to apply sunscreen as a part of our skin care routine. Sandy beaches and ocean waves are fast becoming a less relevant part of our agenda, but sunscreen is still an aspect of skin care that we cannot dismiss. Spray, stick, lotion or body cream, stick with an SPF throughout the year to protect your skin from sun damage.

-Forgetting a Great Pair of Gloves

A summer in the sun can leave skin looking and feeling parched. Don’t let the crisp autumn air add insult to injury when it comes to your hands. Fall comes with a drop in the air’s humidity and winds that may seem easy and breezy can actually leave your hands cracked and dry.

In addition to using hand creams, shield hands from new variations of harsh weather elements with a snug pair of gloves. Get glamorous or go simple, but don’t leave hands unprotected.

-Depriving Your Skin of Redness-Relieving Nerium oleander NAE-8 Extract

NeriumAD Age-Defying Treatment includes Nerium oleander NAE-8 extract. The properties of the Nerium oleander plant instantly calms and soothes skin, fights redness and helps skin to appear less inflamed. When redness-relief becomes a concern, even out blotchiness with the healing power of Nerium AD.

-Tanning Your Way to Retaining a Summer Glow

Sure, that bronzed look that summer’s rays so generously lends is fading, but that’s no reason to rush to the tanning beds. Not only is the “fake-bake” look a far cry from a natural golden glow, tanning jeopardizes your health. If you are absolutely intent on keeping that sun-kissed skin all year long, find a salon that specializes in spray tans. Find customer reviews online to measure the quality of results before investing.

While preparing for a season of leaves-a-changing and pumpkin pie baking, make time to pamper your skin as well. Allow your skin to adapt by avoiding common mistakes and stay savvy with these skin care tips this September.

The Rise of Super-Ingredients: Three natural plants in the therapeutic spotlight

It seems like every day you’re hearing about the latest miracle plant—the modern day quest for the fountain of youth. However, the truth is that there are some natural ingredients that have maintained their place in the therapeutic spotlight for a reason. Laboratories and cosmetic counters alike are starting to recognize that the most powerful ingredients may come from nature rather than a test tube, developing better extraction methods and formulas to utilize these ingredients to their full potential. Take a look at three super-plants to consider for your routine:

Acai berry: This powerful super-food has been used by Brazilian natives for centuries, but modern communities are just starting to take a close look at what acai berry can do. Known to have one of the highest antioxidant values, it is often used to help aid digestion and sexual function. Antioxidants have been promoted for use to fight free radicals, improve circulation, manage weight, improve brain function, boost immune function, and the ingredient is also believed to contribute to eye and cell  health.

What you should know: Like many of these ingredients, the way the plant is prepared relates to its effectiveness. The most nutrient-rich part of the berry is the skin, which is not always kept intact after processing. Around 80% of the acai berry is actually seed, so look for products that use the most potent part of the berry.

Aloe vera: Aloe extract has a long history of use in herbal medicine, dating back to ancient Egypt when the plant was worshipped as the “Plant of Immortality.” Legend says that even Cleopatra and Nefertiti used the plant in their skincare routines. Today, Aloe vera is used in both the cosmetic and therapeutic world as a soother, healer, and rejuvenator. Aloe extract is most commonly used to treat sunburns, but offers a world of other skin benefits as well. The ingredient is intensely moisturizing, promoted for use as an anti-irritant and acne treatment. Aloe extract is also useful for improving the look of aging, containing antioxidants, vitamin C and E, and other ingredients that help make skin appear smooth and firm.

What you should know: It’s all about the manufacturing methods. Unless you’re using fresh aloe, look for advanced extraction and refining methods that help preserve the natural benefits of the Aloe vera extract.

Nerium oleander: This is perhaps the newest super-plant to be making headlines. Nerium oleander has been used for centuries in a variety of herbal treatments, and you’ll notice the plant popping up in a number of clinical trials for medical treatments. But while these medical treatments are still in development, the plant’s extract is also a powerful cosmetic ingredient as well, promoted for use to improve the look of aging.

What you should know: Nerium oleander extract is so powerful that you must only use the plant under expert advice. While ingesting the plant itself is toxic, advanced extraction methods can gather the extract in a form that is safe for use in skin treatment creams. The safety and effectiveness of the extract as a skincare ingredient was put to the test in clinical trials of NeriumAD Age-Defying Treatment, which contains the patented NAE-8 extract from Nerium oleander. Trials not only proved that as an ingredient in NeriumAD, the extract was safe, but also documented an average 30% reduction in the appearance of wrinkles and/or discoloration within a 30 day period. It is interesting to note that the product also lists another of our super plants, in the form of Aloe Barbadensis Leaf, in its ingredients.

Herbal superpowers: Nerium oleander’s folk tradition shines in modern use

Growing up, I liked to pretend my grandmother’s garden was a mysterious tropical Eden. She had the typical short white picket fence bordering the garden, and the matching archway entrance had long been covered by vines that curled around my fingers and brushed my cheek as I walked through. Grandma’s neat walking path took me through towering tomato plants, tantalizing mint patches whose scent seemed to follow me for hours after, and bushy, blooming sweet oleanders.

Grandma would tell me her garden had superpowers. I mistakenly thought she was playing along with my fantasizing, perhaps trying to get me into actually taking care of the plants rather than trampling them. I would imagine abilities for these plants:

“That bush is a truth serum!” I would tell her as she trimmed her darlings.

“This aloe can heal burns,” she said. I thought she just didn’t have a very active imagination.

I jumped to my next subject. “This flower can shoot lasers!”

“Chamomile can help you sleep.”

I happened upon one of my favorites, the oleander, which was growing strong with long narrow leaves and puffy white and red flowers. “That one,” Grandma said, before I could come up with nonsense, “is one of the most potent herbs in the world. It’s been used for thousands of years.”

I reached for a leaf, but found Grandma swiftly at my side. “Don’t pick at my plants, you know that. Anyway, it’s toxic unless used right.”

I was confused, remembering I’d been told never to eat oleander. How can something toxic be used as a medicine—for centuries? I would find that oleander had long been used to boost the immune system, as an antimicrobial, for skin care, and a range of other promoted uses. Grandma noticed my confusion. “Medicine is only good when used in a certain way. If you don’t follow the directions, use too much, or too little, you are not going to have a good time. Listen to the professionals. Let me show you.”

Following her into the house, I wondered what concoction she’d show me. She’d been working with an herbalist to stock her shelves with jars of liquids that made the room smell like flowers. Grandma brought fresh oleander to her herbalist, who had learned from thousands of years of folk tradition how to use the plant safely and effectively. “If you could get to the extract without damaging it, then you’d really have something,” Grandma surmised, like she was onto the next big thing. She was. 

As I grew into an herbal amateur myself, I kept an eye on what this powerful plant I’d come to know as Nerium oleander could do, and while it’s at the forefront of a variety of medicinal uses, as an aging adult, its skincare applications caught my attention. I was more interested in science than folk tradition when it came to results, and one product, NeriumAD, is at the forefront of this path. The patented NAE-8 extract from Nerium oleander is extracted via a patent-pending process that preserves the plant’s beneficial properties. This extract is used in a safe formula that, in clinical trials, showed an average of 30% improvement in the appearance of wrinkles and discoloration, a superpower that would have impressed me as a child. I think Grandma would approve. 

Oleander Tops the List: 6 Anti-Aging Tips for Summer Skincare

Yes, the sun has been beaming down on most of us ferociously during the last few months. The hot rays have been mocking us as our hectic lives are hampered with yet another skincare “to do list:”

Sunscreen, check. Sun hat, check. Drinking green tea, hoarding Chia seeds, extra sleep… check, check, check. Back-up bottled water, nighttime moisturizer, mosquito repellent research, check,  check, double-check.

Summer is here, but she is far from long-gone. Her extra hour of daylight is something we are truly thankful for even though our skin might label those extra 60 min. of sun as a challenge. Refuse to let these last few weeks and months of the season add on…. well, add on weeks and months to the appearance of your skin. Here are some tips for skincare that will last a lifetime:

6. When Life Gives You Lemons, Feel Free to Smile

In order to get a head start in fighting upcoming free radicals, begin each morning by day-drinking… lemon juice, that is. Free radicals age your skin and body, but need not do so any longer. Combat the harmful radicals by incorporating lemon juice into your get-up-and-go smoothie. Combine a half a lemon per half-cup of water or fruit/vegetable juice and allow the citrus to rejuvenate your skin from the inside-out.

5. Rest Your Pretty Head (Strategically)

Are you a side sleeper? A stomach sleeper? A spread-eagle/my-body-will-cover-every-area-of-this-bed sleeper? Modify your sleeping habits for a complexion that is more vibrant and closer to wrinkle-free. Negate the unwelcome fine lines that cluster around your eyes by learning to love sleeping on your back. Here’s how:

This strategy sounds odd, I know, but think “pillow creases….” they show up on our faces every morning and they have done so for as long as we can remember. Yet, one horrible, horrible day…. they start fading less quickly. Soon after, these arrogant little creases are camping out around our eyes for our 3 o’clock meetings. And they aren’t kidding…. They have no plans of leaving.

To avoid having “sleeper” wrinkles sneak up on you, save stomach-sleeping for the nights when you are the most tired. Train yourself to prefer sleeping on your back, a position that relieves the pillow-pressure that aggressively affects the skin on the apples of your cheeks, your under-eye areas and your forehead (which, this just in…) is looking for any excuse to boast a new wrinkle.

4. Ignore Your Eyelids No Longer

Under-eye creams are one of the most obvious skin-care tips around. We are flanked by options as soon as we enter the department stores or stumble upon online beauty articles.

The “bags,” “circles,” “dark areas” under our eyes cannot go unnoticed, even without the industry’s constant reminding. Oddly enough, few brands mention the importance of “hydrating” and “renewing” the skin that actually protects our eyes and eventually… gives away our age. Use a moisturizing lotion or anti-aging cream on your eyelids every night and morning to reduce creasing and brighten eyes.

3. For Heaven’s Sake, Invest In a Kneeling Chair

We stand tall and proud as thirty-year-olds, hardly even acknowledging that one day our posture will render itself hunched and devoid of youth.

Google “Kneeling Chair” and prepare to thank yourself daily. Defer the chances of finding your colleagues’ “bad back” comments to be conversation pieces; or worse, common ground.

Kneeling chairs align your spine, redirect the burden of weight to your shins or buttocks instead of the knees or legs. Sitting, typing, and writing become tasks that are less draining and more productive. Accordingly, the stress and strain of the day’s workload are more likely to fail to show up in your countenance and have less chances to promote fine lines and wrinkles in the skin. Not to mention, over time a kneeling chair will slow Mother Nature’s evil plan to hunch your spine. Stand tall and sit taller with this anti-aging strategy.

2. Education Matters

Avoid any “Youth-Retention” article that

puts Botox and surgical treatment on a pedestal. If contrived advertising and basic marketing can’t make a product so alluring that your initial reaction is to embrace a product, don’t. Do your research. If your gut suspects that whatever skincare formula you are considering isn’t necessarily a “sanctuary for your skin,” chances are… it isn’t.

1. Pamper Your Skin with Oleander

Oleander extract is the leading breakthrough in biotechnology research. The healing power of the Oleander plant is actually clinically proven to target uneven skin texture, reduce enlarged pores and repair aging or loose skin. Skincare products that are rich in Oleander empower us to dismiss fine lines, wrinkles, and discoloration.

The next time the mirror is holding you captive

as you investigate every inch of your face for signs of aging,  seek out a skin treatment formula or anti-aging cream that incorporates the unique healing processes of Oleander extract.

Shorten your skincare “to-do” lists as autumn approaches. Every season has its’ skincare obstacles, but to the well-informed audience few of these pitfalls are inescapable. Summer can be harsh, but there’s ample opportunity left to marinate in her beauty as long as we choose to protect our skin while basking.

What Makes Skin Look Aged?

One easy way to judge a person’s age is through their skin. However, skin that looks aged may not only be suffering from wrinkles. There are many different effects that contribute to the look of aged skin. Not everyone ages the same, so if you are concerned about your skin, consider all of the qualities that make skin look aged:

Fine lines and wrinkles

As you age, your body becomes less efficient at repairing damaged molecules. Wrinkling starts out in the skin’s thick inner layer, the dermis. Here, your skin forms a natural polymer of collagen fibers woven with proteins. When skin ages, collagen levels decrease, causing these woven materials to become loose and even clumpy, creating a loss in skin elasticity. This is what leads to wrinkling, along with damage from free radicals, an unstable molecule that damages cell function. Free radicals can be difficult to avoid, as they can be found in our air, water, products, and even sunlight.

You will see the most wrinkles on the parts of your face that often become folded from expressions—around the eyes, the smile corners of your mouth, and the creases on your forehead.

Sagging

This loss of skin elasticity is what also causes sagging. Skin will commonly sag along the jawline, mouth, and eye area.

Dryness and thinning

Dryness and thinning are perhaps the most under looked effects of aged skin. As you age, multiple changes in your biology will result in these problems. Sebum pores are enlarged, and yet producing far less sebum. On the other hand, fat cells shrink, diminishing the natural padding and insulation that these cells provide. Fat cells will naturally “spread” to fill in thinned areas and wrinkles. With this decreased padding, it becomes more difficult to cover all the damage.

Discoloration

Aged skin will often have discoloration due to issues with pigmentation. This could be a generally uneven color, dark spots, or light spots. Discoloration occurs due to aging, but can be sped up through damage and even some medications.

Uneven texture

Not everyone has strictly dry or oily skin. Aged skin is often uneven in texture, varying due to large pores, patches of dry or oily skin, blemishes, and other factors. As collagen levels decrease, the skin may not be able to maintain an even and full skin texture, losing an even skin tone as well as firmness and structure.

It can be frustrating to attempt to diminish these effects, not only because there are so many products out there to choose from, but also because different products tend to address only one or two of these issues. Using multiple products can be confusing and expensive. Instead, you should look for one product that can effectively reduce the look of all of the problems that plague aging skin. For a product to accomplish all of this, look to the power of natural ingredients to take on aging skin. One of the must buzzed-about products right now, NeriumAD, utilizes the patented NAE-8 extract to produce scientifically proven results. This miracle product can smooth the look of wrinkles and lines, increase firmness, improve the appearance of skin tone and texture, and contribute to your looking and feeling rejuvenated.