Facials are an excellent way to keep your skin clear, smooth and healthy, but they are quite expensive.  Most salons recommend getting a facial monthly, but that can burn a big hole on your wallet, especially at the price range of at least $60 to $200 a month!  A great way to save money, and still have great skin is to extend the results of your professional facial buy doing an "at- home facial" 2x a month or more if you have problematic skin.

Here is your B.Youneek At Home Facial

1) Cleanse & Exfoliate: Use a gentle cleanser that does not contain Sodium Laurel Sulfate (a toxic ingredient found in many soaps that will actually dry & aggravate skin).  My favorites are any natural milled bar soaps that even last longer than liquid soaps.  Try Tea Tree Oil Soap for oily/combo skin, or almond soap for dry/normal.  After washing the face, mix some sea salt & jojoba oil in a small bowl & massage into skin in a circular motion.  This will rid you of any dead skin & smooth the surface to reveal newer, smoother skin below.

2) Steam & Mask: Take a small washcloth and wet with very warm water & press against skin.  Repeat this process with new water about 4- 5 times.  Next, apply a face mask appropriate for your skin type, or make your own.  I suggest a clay- based mask for oily to combination skin such as Alba Deep Sea Facial Mask.  Dry to normal skin, mix & 6 oz. of  yogurt, 2 tbls honey & 2 tbls of wheat germ, & 1 tsp olive oil to make your mask.  Leave on & relax for 15 minutes, and rinse.

Remember to leave extractions to the pros, unless you have some blemishes that are obviously ready to be "released."  Be sure to always extract these with clean hands and tissues, and leave the difficult ones for the pros.  Some cystic- pimples can actually get worse by squeezing, sending the clogged matter back into the skin even deeper.

3) Tone & Moisturize: After rinsing off the mask, use a toner appropriate for your skin type.  Oily- combination skin should use a toner with a small amount of alcohol in it to remove oil & clean pores deeper since oily skin is more prone to breakouts.  Some of my favorites are Clinique #2 or #3 Lotion, or Mario Badescu's Special Cucumber Lotion (from the Mario Badescu NYC Salon).  Swipe appropriate lotion across the skin to refine & remove excess mask products, and then apply your moisturizer.  Those with acne- prone skin, apply tea tree oil (naturally dries acne) to blemishes before applying a light moisturizer. 

Great moisturizers contain all- natural ingredients & DO NOT contain propelyne glycol, parabans, or mineral oil.  Check labels!  Some I like: Alba Sea Moss Moisturizer and Burts Bees Radiance Day Cream and Burts Bees Ageless Eye Cream.


Skin Product Lines I Like:

Alba Botanica
Aubry Organics
Burts Bees
Philosophy (Make Up- Optional Skin package is great)

*Always check ingredient labels for parabans, mineral oil, propelyne glycol and sodium laurel sulfate- all toxic ingredients you want to stay away from.

With this at- home facial routine done twice a month, you should be able to extend the results of your professional facial, and even improve your skin!  All it takes is a few extra minutes of your time, time that you deserve to give to yourself  

In our opinion, the best beauty secrets and regimens are always the most basic and natural.  Making educated decisions is key, as is doing your homework.  We did ours, and we'd like to share our insights!

1) Have a "Routine" that you follow every single day.  In order to see results in your beauty routine,  you need to have consistency.  That means, have a simple plan for yourself that you follow daily with your skin care, fitness routine and daily diet.  This is not a "temporary program," this will be your way of life.  Just because this will become a daily effort, doesn't mean it has to be a strenuous one...just as it takes time to form any habit, good or bad, it will take time to adjust to and eventually it will be something that is a part of your life.  Having a "routine" is one of the best basic secrets to long- term beauty.

2) B.Youneek believes that "natural" in every aspect of beauty, is best because it's what nature intended.  While today's technology in the beauty & fitness industries is quite impressive, it's not always affordable, healthy or natural.   Having a facelift may erase wrinkles for a few years, but do you really want to look like a wax statue with no facial expressions and spend a small fortune to boot?  There are natural, inexpensive and non- invasive alternatives to fighting wrinkles, cellulite, fat, acne, etc...  There is a natural alternative to every single conventional beauty service out there, you just need to find it.  Do your homework!   B.Youneek is working on something very exciting for you on natural beauty alternatives, so stay tuned!

3) Take some time to unwind.  Yet another very basic, but very important ingredient to staying beautiful all- round.  Stress creates wrinkles, contributes to weight gain, moodiness, unwillingness to stick to your "routine" and can create disease in some extreme cases.  Take a moment for yourself every day, and make this a part of your routine, even if it's only 15 minutes.  C'mon, you can afford that!  One of our favorite ways to unwind is to meditate for just a few minutes to be grateful for what we have and visualize our goals.  It's a great way to relax and bring positive energy to your day.

We know it's hard in today's world to make time for yourself, but if you don't do it...no one else will.  Respect, love and accept yourself first before anyone else.  We hope you've enjoyed this article, and we wish you a beautiful, blessed day!

Graziella & Liana
B.Youneek Total Image Development

 

Beauty is timeless. At any age, there is inner and outer beauty, and I look to one of the women who has exemplified this for me all my life...my grandmother. I wanted to find out some of the beauty secrets she has for keeping her skin so youthful, and how she has so much energy at 80- God Bless! I am also curious as to her answers on deeper questions on beauty... so let's see what my wise, 80-years young grandmother has to say!

Q: What do you do to keep your skin & physique so youthful looking at 80?
A: From a very young age, I have kept my skin routine very simple. I made sure that I washed my face of any impurities every night before bed, and applied a cream. Some of the product brands that I have used over the years are Nivea, Ponds, Eterna 27, Lancome, and Dr. Rico Perez. And, I always ate home- cooked, whole foods. I never ate any processed foods, and had large quantities of fruits and vegetables which were abundant on my family farm in Italy. I snacked on homemade bread with tomatoes and fresh olive oil, and all types of nuts. For protein I ate chicken, fish, and legumes mostly. I have always taken a multi- vitamin, and vitamins c and e on a regular basis.
I have kept active by walking, gardening, and dancing anytime I had the chance! Dancing & music has always brought me happiness, and anytime, anywhere there was music I danced!

I ask if this is also why she thinks she has an abundance of energy? She says definitely!

Q: How would you define beauty?
A: Beauty is not only on the outside, but on the inside. Beauty is having confidence, exuding love, and being generous. I am so proud of my family, and the happiness I have within because of their presence in my life, comes out as beauty.

Q: What is one physical characteristic that you like about yourself?
A: At my age, I am happy that I have been able to keep my body in good shape. I feel like I am young, and not really my age.

Q: What is one piece of advice you could give to others to stay beautiful for a lifetime?
A: I would say it is to love others. Being happy with yourself, avoiding envy, and loving yourself and others will keep you beautiful for a lifetime.

As I re-read my grandmother's answers, I can't help but think that there is also another key ingredient to staying beautiful that is evident in all her answers...and that is your state of mind: I can attest to this, that my grandmother never limits herself because of age. She is always ready to embrace life, new developments, and thinks with her heart. She looks upon her life in the past, and the life she has ahead of her with wise eyes and an open heart. May God Bless my Grandmother with many, many more years of a good life and all of you reading this!
Go fourth and Be the Beautiful You that You Are!

Don't forget to check out the last post below on the"Top 10++ Super Foods of 2008"

*Note: This is an Oldie, but Goodie that I feel needs to be reposted- imported from our old blog location- enjoy!

Download | Duration: 00:02:12

Check out what Teresa Sterlacci, Miss New Jersey US 06-07 has to say about her makeover!  B.Youneek posts FREE daily beauty tips on Twitter--->TotalBeautyTips


Create Teresa's Glamorous Eyes Yourself--->

Glamorous Eyes:
1) Start with a bare eyelids and sweep either a pale gold shadow or slivery white shadow all over lids.
2) With an angled eyeshadow brush, add a coffee/ mocha color at the very base & center of eyelids, sweeping up in diagonal line to the outer corners of the eyes.

3) Now for the DRAMA Use jet black liquid liner on the top eyelids, creating a little "wing" at the outer corners.  Then apply a jet black pencil on the inner lower lids.

4) Last thing, add a volumizing mascara first to the corners of lashes, and then all over lashes for a super- glamorous look!

Download | Duration: 00:04:56

This video podcast demonstrates the makeup application techniques used to transform Miss New Jersey US 07 Teresa Sterlacci into the Beauty Queen that she is!
Stay tuned for following podcasts that will break down each technique individually, and Teresa's personal interview about her makeover... in the meantime, check out our site B.Youneek Total Image Development

Teresa came to B.Youneek after having learned that Graziella (co-founder of B.Youneek) was a previous Miss New Jersey who placed as First Runner- Up to Miss United States, and wanted some coaching to prepare for the national competition.    Teresa has lost 25 pounds with the personalized diet and exercise program created just for her by B.Youneek.  Both Graziella & Liana worked closely with Teresa to find a new look that she felt comfortable and happy with in makeup, hair, and fashion.  Teresa has learned how to create her new made-over look on her own with detailed information.  B.Youneek also coached Teresa on stage presence, etiquette, and public speaking to polish her personal presentation and overall presence.  Teresa was elated with her makeover, and says that in some ways, "B.Youneek has changed my life for the better."

Welcome to B.Youneek Total Beauty Tips!
A Place Where You Can Find Beauty, Make-up, fitness, wellness and fashion tips for free!

We just wanted to take this moment to introduce ourselves:
Graziella & Liana Baratta of B.Youneek Total Image Development.

We are passionate image consultants with extensive backgrounds in the performing arts, fashion, modeling, fitness and pageantry. With our combined talents we offer clients a comprehensive list of image- makeover services & packages. Check out our featured client Miss New Jersey US 2007!  We are so proud of all of her hard work and accomplishments!
We will begin posting beauty tips for every season and reason, so stay tuned!
www.Byouneek.com