The Post-Indulgence Diet

Everyone loves a good holiday like Mardi Gras when you get to meet new people, spend time with the old, and best of all have your fill of delicious food! Cajun cuisine in particular is great because it's filled with lean protein like shrimp and fish. Then again, it can also be filled with fat and oils and rumor has it these aren't so great for your figure or your face. The jury's still out on exactly how fatty foods harm your skin, but there seems to be a consensus on what helps it. So the next time you decide to throw caution to the wind and savor every flavor that comes your way, remember to load up on these skin-saving staples right after.

Fat Tuesday-Inspired Look

What You'll Need:
Eye Shadow Trio in amethyst
Eye Shadow in mermaid and diamond
Cream Liner in espresso
Blush in paradise
Sheer Lipstick in fiji

The Best Looks at New York Fashion Week

Ten Reasons Not To Tan

Before you rush to the nearest tanning salon or sandy beach to get your bronze glow in time for the warmer months, consider these facts. 1. Certain skin types are naturally sensitive to UV exposure 2. When you tan, you are essentially creating an intentional sunburn 3. Tanned skin indicates damage due to UV radiation, not health and vitality 4. Prolonged over-exposure to UV radiation can lead to premature skin aging. 5. Tanning can injure and mutate the DNA of skin cells 6. Ten minutes in a tanning bed = ten minutes under the hot Mediterranean sun (skincancer.org) 7. The commercial tanning industry is largely unregulated meaning you can miss out on "safeguards" like tanning goggles or be exposed to excessive amounts of UV radiation (fda.gov) 8. Indoor tanning equipment can emit as much UVA and UVB radiation as the sun, and sometimes more. (American Academy of Dermatology) 9. The World Health Organization has declared indoor tanning beds to be carcinogens or cancer-causing agents like tobacco. 10. Tanning increases your risk of developing melanoma, other forms of skin cancer, and eye disease (who.int) Safe Alternatives: glo minerals Bronze, Sheer Tint Illuminator, Body Bronzer, or Body Glisten

Allergy-Proof Your Makeup

What's not to like about spring? The snow has finally melted, the trees are starting to bloom, and your killer fashion sense is no longer buried underneath layers of bulky fabric. But with all of those images of you lounging with an iced-latte under the sun swirling in your mind, it's easy to overlook springtime's biggest downside—"Sniff, sniff," sound familiar?—allergies! All it can take is a little pollen to trigger enough itching, sneezing, and swelling to ruin your look. So you might want to stock up on antihistamines, tissues, and a few allergy-proof staples. Prevent smudges from watery eyes with water-resistant mascara Water-resistant mascara Wash away pollen and dust with a gentle cleanser Purifying Gel Cleanser Use a moisturizer with anti-inflammatory ingredients to reduce inflammation Conditioning Restorative Cream Camouflage redness around your nose with a hypo-allergenic powder Redness Relief Powder Dab on an eye cream to reduce puffiness, and dark circles Vital Eye Cream

Product Review: Eye Restore

It helps wrinkles & puffiness, helps cover under-eye discoloration, and is make-up friendly...all these things at the same time, better than anything I've tried so far. Usually a produict will be strong in one or two areas of perfomance, so you have to layer on several things, & often that then affects the integrity of what you are using. A lot of them actually settle in the fine lines so the lines end up showing up even more, but gloEye Restore doesn't do that. I have very oily skin so eye products tend to "creep" on me, but this one stays put. I can use it both on my lids & under my eyes in daytime, & that is very unusual for me. Most lid creams make my shadow really crease. I tried this initially from a sample Dermstore sent me, & boy am I glad I did!





Order now at gloprofessional.com

Leading Ladies of the Oscars

Product Review: Redness Relief Powder

This stuff is awesome! I use it over my foundation and blush - it blends together the various hues of my face and diminishes redness so I have a polished uniform look!

Three Common Dark Skin Issues: Discoloration

Photocredit: lipstickally.com

What makes dark skin unique from all other skin types is melanin, a naturally-occurring pigment found just underneath the skin's surface. While everyone's skin has melanin to some degree, dark skin types have more creating richer colors in a variety of shades. A plus side to having darker skin is greater resistance to sunburns, photo-aging and skin cancer since melanin naturally absorbs some ultra violet radiation (this doesn't mean you get to skip out on sunscreen though). But a downside is more noticeable skin discoloration. What is it? Skin discoloration comes in two forms: loss of pigment (hypo-pigmentation) and excessive pigment (hyper-pigmentation). It can be small like freckles, or big like patches that connect across areas of the body. Either way, common causes are skin damage, sun damage, genetics, or skin disorders. Examples Skin damage: anything that compromises the integrity of the skin like a cut burn or acne can inhibit or accelerate the production of melanin during the healing process. Can be temporary or permanent. Genetics: having a natural predisposition to uneven skin tone. Sun Damage: Increased melanin production to protect the body against ultraviolet radiation (e.g. freckles) Skin Disorders: Medical conditions like Vitiligo where melanocytes (melanin-producing cells) stop functioning properly. What Can You Do To keep your complexion as smooth and even as possible, try avoiding any behaviors that can damage it like picking at blemishes, forgetting to wear sunscreen, and ignoring irregularities that could signal a more serious condition. Mild cases of skin discoloration can be treated at home by using products like glo therapeutics Brightening Serum or Lightening Serum to help balance pigmentation. But for more pressing cases, do not hesitate to contact a skincare professional.

Product Review: Vital Eye Cream

I have extremely dry skin. Keeps my skin moisturized all day without appearing oily"

Three Common Dark Skin Care Issues: Razor Bumps

No one likes razor bumps. They're itchy and uncomfortable and not at all what you want to look at after an ouch-worthy trip to the salon. And although almost every woman who has ever picked up a razor has gotten them at some point, African American women tend to get them the most. This is because of the way coarse hair is structured. Unlike straight hair textures, coarse hair can curl back into the skin after it is improperly cut and grow sideways causing those familiar pin-prick spots of inflammation. It can happen anywhere on the body, but is more likely to develop in areas where hair is more abrasive like under the arms or along the bikini area. To stop them from happening, (and get rid of the ones you have), follow these tips! Before hair removal 1.Make sure all the tools of whatever method you prefer are sanitized. That means use only clean razors, tweezers, and wooden sticks for every wax application—no double-dipping! 2. Gently exfoliate your skin to remove dead cells that could potentially block hair growth in the future. 3. Soften the skin with a warm compress to open pores and remove debris that could cause irritation During hair removal 1. Use a moisturizing gel or cream when shaving to prevent cutting too close and protect the skin 2. Pluck hair quickly in the direction that it grows After hair removal Apply a moisturizing product with anti-bacterial ingredients like essential oils to soften skin, and prevent infection. (Lycon Ingrown X-It Solution or glo therapeutics Renew Serum)

Three Common Dark Skin Care Concerns: Acne

Acne is a unique skincare condition in that it affects nearly everyone. But what makes it particularly damaging to dark skin is its potential for scarring. Dark skin earns its rich pigment from melanocytes or color-producing cells located within the epidermis (outer-layer of skin). When the skin is damaged, new cells, including melanocytes, replicate to fill in any gaps that could compromise the immune system. But sometimes too many melanocytes are produced creating dark patches (hyper-pigmentation), or they aren't produced at all creating white patches (hypo-pigmentation). To preserve the evenness of your complexion when having an outbreak, make sure to avoid picking at your blemishes, using abrasive washes, and scrubbing aggressively which can all lead to inflammation and scarring. Instead, use mild acne-treating products that contains salicylic acid to gently clear blocked pores and see a licensed skincare professionals if more serious cases like nodules (deep acne lesions )or cysts exist. To treat acne, try glo therapeutics Clear Skin Kit.

glō•essentials Launch in NYC

gloProfessional launches its first ever hair care line in New York City, NY on February 3, 2012!

How to Remove Makeup Residue

Bold, dramatic looks are some of our favorite to put on, but sometimes they can be a chore to get off. So when leftovers from your smoky eye or bold blush seem to cling, resist the urge to scrub harder (which can cause irritation, dryness and broken capillaries) and follow these simple steps for sweet dreams and deeply-cleansed skin. 1. Wash your face with a moisturizing cleanser to remove all visible traces of makeup. (Conditioning Milk Cleanser) 2. Follow up with a cleanser created specifically to enter deep into pores to remove hidden dirt and oil. (Purifying Gel Cleanser &Hydrating Gel Cleanser) 3. Finish with a treatment that caters to your skin type to tighten, tone, and balance your skin. (Purifying Tonic &Conditioning Tonic) For more tips and how-to instruction check out these posts: Seven Steps to Better Skin This Week How-to Video Exclusive: Smoky Eye How-to Video Exclusive: Cat Eye How-to Video Exclusive: Flawless Foundation

How to Prevent Heat Damage

Picture this: It's early in the morning and you've just picked up your blow-dryer/flat-iron/curling iron to put the finishing touches on your hair. But instead of a coif luxurious enough to make a Victoria's Secret model jealous, your strands start to smoke and the room oddly smells like burnt popcorn. We call this moment heat damage We're sure many of you have experienced it once or twice. But for those of you lucky enough to have avoided this common hair styling pitfall, heat damage is when high temps crack the cuticle--outermost layer--of the hair shaft and evaporates its inner moisture. Moisture is essential in keeping the hair shiny and pliable and without it, hair tends to look dull and brittle. Here are a few tips on how to avoid it: Use heat tools sparingly.Want curls or waves? Switch to rollers. When using heat, use the lowest heat setting necessary.Just because your flat iron can reach 450 degrees Fahrenheit does not mean that you should use it at that temp. Those with fine and thin hair can typically get away with using their heat tools on the lowest setting while those with more dense and coarse hair need a little more heat. Never use a heat tool directly on wet hair (including blow dryers)Using a heat tool on wet hair causes moisture to boil within the hair shaft and accelerate damage. As for blow dryers, always hold them a few inches away from your hair and pointed downward to smooth the shingle-like layers resting along the hair cuticle. Invest in a heat protectant that contains silicone.Silicones provide a fluid-like barrier along the hair's surface to lock shine in and heat out. glo essentials Style Defining Cream contains Phenyl Trimethicone, a form of silicone that increases hair body, suppleness, and sheen.

Clean Your Cell Phone

We'll bet you $10 dollars you know exactly where your cell phone is right now. And if you don't, you're most likely in a state of panic searching for it next to that stick of gum at the bottom of your purse. That's because over the last few years, digital technology has evolved from a mysterious monster (ahem, Y2K anyone?) into modern life's number one necessity. Nowadays, nearly everyone carries their cell phone with them at all times to stay on top of the latest office email, family announcement, or viral video in real-time. But despite the importance of these small, sleek devices, these same people often forget to clean them, which is bad news for your skin. Consider how cell phones are a magnet for bacteria. they come into contact with a variety of surfaces on a daily basis and then are placed near your mouth creating heat, friction, and blocking pores. Overtime, these conditions create the perfect foundation for breakouts along your jaw-line, cheek, and earlobe. In younger adults, it's normal for such irritation to take the form of blackheads and whiteheads, while more mature adults might struggle witih cyst-like bumps To get rid of them, invest in products that contain salicylic acid, sodium chlorite, and antioxidants to effectively remove bacteria and oil from your pores. And don't forget to clean your cell phone with alcohol or hydrogen peroxide at least once a week! Product Recommendations:glo therapeutics Clear Complexion Pads, Clear Acne Cleanser, Clear Anti Blemish Treatment