Sharnell’s Skincare and Beauty Store

I am always on the hunt for a great bargain. Like most, I often find myself on the computer searching Ebay listings for some of my favorite things. Skin care and beauty products are no exception! There are certain products that I just refuse to buy anywhere but online at Ebay.com. I have found some of the best deals around on quality skincare and beauty products. Read more

philosophy Shelter Tinted SPF 30

As we all know, sunscreen is a must. But did you know that sunscreen is necessary for all seasons, including the winter? It is so important to protect your skin at all times, even when the weather conditions don’t seem to pose a threat. The truth is, UV rays are always present and will pass through the clouds down onto your skin even in cold temperatures. Furthermore, in areas where it snows, the snow can reflect up to 80% of the sun’s rays and cause sunburn and damage to your skin just as severe as would the hot sun in the summer.So what’s my point? You can switch up your sunscreen to better accommodate your skin throughout the year. That’s how philosophy Shelter Tinted SPF 30 came into my life. I have done a lot of research on philosophy products, but have never actually used any of their product. While shopping for my new skincare last week, I came across this sunscreen and thought I’d give it a try. I am so happy that I did because I absolutely LOVE IT! Here’s why:

1. The texture is perfect for in the winter. You get the protection of SPF 30 with a boost of moisturization, which is always welcomed in the cold and dry months.
2. Your skin is left with a beautiful sheer coverage that is just enough to give you a smooth and balanced look.
3. It is lightweight and has a soothing and gentle lavender fragrance. I love the touch of aromatherapy!
4. A little goes a long way, so one tube can last a very long time.

I am extremely pleased with this tinted SPF and I’m eager to expand my collection of philosophy products. I plan on continuing use of the philosophy Shelter Tinted SPF 30 throughout winter and spring. I am so excited about my new discovery!

What are your experiences with the philosophy brand? Do you have any favorites that you can recommend??

“Soy”ful Skin

 

As women begin to reach mid-age, most will find that their skin will become dull and uneven as a result of the damaging effects from sun exposure and natural aging. There are a number of ways to combat these skin conditions. Of course, the number one way to protect your skin from harmful UV rays is to apply a sunscreen everyday. However, to further enhance your skin’s protection, it is quite beneficial to incorporate antioxidant-rich skincare products, as well as food into your diet. Soy is one of the most favorable supplements in this regard.

Soybean oil, which is high in fatty acids, makes it an essential for our skin. When used as a topical treatment, soy delivers extraordinary results in reducing the appearance of not only fine lines and wrinkles, but also redness and discoloration of the skin caused by acne and sun exposure. It helps to even out skin tone and improve our skin’s texture, resulting in a brighter complexion and more radiant appearance. In addition to being loaded with antioxidants like Vitamin E and Vitamin B complex, soy also contains high-quality proteins. These unique characteristics all play an important role in prevention of premature aging of the skin. Fortunately, studies have shown little to no known irritation caused by soy, which makes soy-based skincare products an excellent addition to skincare regimens for all skin types.

There is credible research indicating that soy consumption can help to support the appearance of healthier skin. Thankfully, we are no longer limited to just tofu. Today there are a wide variety of food products made from soy such as soy flour, soy protein, sprouts, milk, yogurt and cheese. Soy flour is one of the more commonly used products made from soybeans and is actually more nutritious than wheat flour. When soy is consumed on a regular basis in the form of milk curd, it is exceptionally helpful in slowing down the aging process. Soy can also be used as a natural remedy towards eczema. A diet very high in soy can quickly ease the itching associated with eczema. Soy protein helps to strengthen and treat the skin by providing a sufficient amount of amino acids to replace damaged tissue fibers. Another reason soy is an asset to the skin is it’s ability to lower cholesterol levels and aid in weight loss, which allows increased blood flow and nutrition to the skin. The result is a beautiful and healthy glow.

I have actually found a liking for many soy food products. I particularly love to snack on soybeans. These pods are also known as “edamame”. Most people, such as myself, became acquainted with edamame while engaging in a sushi dinner. Now, you can purchase bags of frozen soybeans and prepare them at home in less than five minutes. Not only are soybeans a yummy snack, but they are obviously extremely healthy. Even my toddler son prefers soy milk over regular milk. As an alternative to flavored milk, we will sometimes give him some chocolate or vanilla soy milk, which he finds delightful treat. These are just a few examples of delicious soy foods that can be added to your diet. There are just so many options, it is inevitable that you will find a soy food that you’ll love. Give it a try and enjoy the benefits of beautiful skin, from the inside out!

Tea Therapy for the Skin

A nice cup of hot tea has been a long time home remedy for soothing belly aches and relaxing the body, mind and soul. These days, tea has proven itself to be a true source of therapy for many other health and beauty related issues. Read more

Tips to Keeping a Sun-Kissed Face

With winter just around the corner, daylight is now fading earlier into night. Along with the sunlight, goes the skin’s summer glow. Disguising a tan less body is easy to do in the winter because the cold weather leaves us with no choice but to cover up. But what do you do about the pale, ghost-like appearance of the skin on your face? In my opinion, wearing a foundation darker than your skin’s natural tone only makes it look like you’re wearing a mask . One of my favorite makeup tricks that I am convinced is the best way to keep your facial skin glowing is the use of a self tanner. However, I don’t recommend just any self tanner. Your best bet is a self tanner that is formulated for use on your face only. Sunless facial tanners will produce a more natural and subtle look. All you really want is a pinch of color, not the look of having just spent the entire day at the beach. Here are some additional tips on how to prepare your skin and apply the self tanner so that you are not left with any streaks or patches of color.

1. To achieve smooth results, you must exfoliate your skin before application of your self tanner. A mild exfoliation, such as a scrub, is best to use the day before applying your sunless tanner. Be sure to include your neck and decollete when cleansing, exfoliating and applying tanner so that you have a balanced look.

2. Don’t forget to moisturize your skin. There are two ways that you can moisturize and apply self tanner to your face. The first way is to tone and moisturize before smoothing on your sunless tanner. The other way it so combine your moisturizer and self tanner and massage them into your skin together.

3 . Keep a natural look by using cotton balls saturated with water along your hairline. This will help to avoid the look of a “bordered tan”.

4. To prevent discoloring of your palms, use vinyl or latex gloves. If you are allergic to the gloves, you can use baby wipes or just wash your hands with soap and warm water immediately after applying your facial tanner.

5. Allow your self tanner some time to set before applying your makeup. Rushing the process will leave you with uneven results.

Clarins has just come out with this fantastic new sunless tanner for the face. The Sheer Bronze Self Tanning Hydrating Gel For Face does more than just give your skin a beautiful glow. Your skin will also reap the benefits of hydration from aloe vera extracts, as well as protection from the sun and free radicals with cocoa extracts and vitamin E. The gel texture of this self tanner is exceptional for all skin types.

Dove is another great option, which is easier on the budget. The Dove Energy Glow Daily Face Moisturizer with a Touch of Self Tanner is a facial tanner that comes in two shades of color to accommodate all skin tones. Because this product has a built in self tanner, there is less potency of the tanning ingredients, which allows for daily application without the worry of having too much color on your skin.

A sunless tanner is really the best method to keeping a healthy glow of your skin throughout the year. Whether or not you decide to do this during just the winter or for all seasons, don’t forget to continue using a sunblock. Protecting your skin from the UV-light rays is the #1 way to prevent sun damage and premature aging.

For the Love of Chocolate and Healthy Skin

Can it be true? Chocolate benefits the skin? That’s crazy talk… or is it?

Let me start by saying that I am a self-proclaimed chocoholic. I never have denied the fact, and I never will. I love chocolate. Every time I pop a piece of chocolate into my mouth, I know what the consequences are to my health. But until now, I never really knew the effect it would have on my skin – positive effect that is.

German scientists recently conducted a study which discovered that high levels of flavanol, a plant-based antioxidant found in cocoa, can help to reduce skin redness caused by UV light-exposure, if consumed daily. This conclusion is based upon two groups of women varying in age between 18 and 65 who were simultaneously given one cocoa drink everyday. One group was given high level flavanol cocoa, while the other group consumed a cocoa drink very low in flavanols. By six weeks, the group consuming flavanol-rich cocoa had reduced redness of their skin in response to UV-light by 15% and then 25% by 12 weeks. The other group consuming the low level flavanol cocoa experienced no change. The group of women drinking the cocoa high in flavanols also experienced enhanced moisture, texture and hydration of their skin. Again, the other group had no change. Scientists believe that these exceptional results are due to the improved blood circulation to the skin, which is essential to it’s health. In addition to protecting the skin from UV-light exposure, flavanols act as antioxidants, which defend the skin against free radicals and premature aging.

So does this mean you get to gobble down a big Snickers Bar everyday and throw out your sunblock? Sorry, the answer is a definite NO. First off, you must never omit your sunblock from your skincare regime. And secondly, since flavanols are found in cocoa, your skin will only benefit from chocolate that is as pure as possible . If you consume about three ounces of dark chocolate a day, (which is equivalent to the amount of flavanol in the cocoa from the German study), you can satisfy your sweet tooth everyday, while helping your skin stay healthy. How great is that? I don’t think it gets any better.

If you have a love for chocolate, delight yourself and your skin with some of these skin-friendly dark chocolates. Enjoy!

Mother Nature’s Sun Protection

With all the craze of bareMinerals natural makeup, it was only bound to happen that someone would come up with a suncare product to compliment the powder foundation. Peter Thomas Roth is the lucky winner and I couldn’t be any more excited! I actually heard about this mineral SPF through a friend. I tried it once and was immediately sold on the product! Peter Thomas Roth Instant Mineral SPF 30 is the perfect alterative to the many other greasy and heavy sunblocks that we are used to using. Like the bareMinerals makeup, PTR’s Instant Mineral SPF 30 is free of chemicals. The powder offers a residue-free, matte finish with instant sun protection. What I also love about the Instant Mineral SPF is that it is gentle enough to use on infants over the age of six months. Normally, my toddler son will put up a fight when I try to apply sunblock to his face. However, with the Instant Mineral SPF, he enjoys the tickle from the brush and looks forward to the application! I have found that using the SPF powder over a tinted moisturizer works best because it plays the role as your translucent powder and also eliminates the need for an additional sunblock. The convenient packaging of PTR’s Instant Mineral SPF 30 is great for carrying around in your purse or makeup bag. It allows for quick and easy reapplication throughout the day. Peter Thomas Roth Instant Mineral SPF 30 is definitely a step in the right direction if you want to keep your skin healthy and sun damage free. I never leave home without it and neither should you!