"The Best Beauty Advice I Ever Got"
Makeup artists and skin experts share their most treasured pieces of beauty wisdom.
Celebrate What You Have
“I was an insecure teenager: overweight, braces, freckles. My grandmother Jean pulled me aside one day and said, ‘You only have one life—don’t waste it worrying over what you don’t like about yourself. Celebrate what you have that is beautiful.’ Every time I get down on myself, her words come flooding back to me, crystal clear.”
—Carmindy, makeup artist
Own It
“‘Own what you are.’ I am very petite, but my dad taught me that standing tall, with confidence, is beautiful. With his wise words in my head, sometimes I even feel 5’4”.”
—5'1.5"-tall Boston dermatologist Ranella Hirsch, MD
Give Your Neck Some TLC
“A woman at a cosmetics counter told me in my teens: ‘Every treatment you do to your face, do to your neck as well.’ Great advice. Unfortunately—even after becoming a dermatologist—it was more than 30 years before I actually started following it. So my neck has definitely ages more than my face. It’s never too late, though: In my 50s, I’ve been diligent about applying a retinoid and sunscreen to my neck. (And whatever your age, you should be, too.)”
—New Orleans dermatologist Mary Lupo, MD
Less Is More
“When I was a teenager, my mother took me to Elizabeth Arden for a makeup lesson. The aesthetician showed me how to brush my cheeks with a little blush and use subtle pink shadow on my eyelids. She kept saying, ‘Less is more.’ I still follow that philosophy; wearing too much makeup is aging. The less-is-more approach applies to skincare, too. When you use a lot of products, the combination of irritants and fragrances can do more harm than good.”
—New York City dermatologist Anne Chapas, MD
You Are What's In
“When I went to work for hairstylist Bruno Pittini more than 20 years ago, he told me that ‘fashion is what fits you best.’ It’s true for clothes and so true for hair. Always stay close to what works for your face and your lifestyle. Jackie Kennedy is a classic example: Above-the-shoulder brunette hair worked for her, and she never strayed from that style. When clients ask me, ‘What’s in—short or long hair?’ I always say, ‘What looks best on you is what’s in.’”
—New York City hairstylist Lisa Chiccine
Get Your Shine On
“My mother taught me that shiny hair is key to a polished look. If my hair appears dull, I still make her at-home conditioner: I mix one egg yolk, two tablespoons of rum, two tablespoons of olive oil, and two tablespoons of grapeseed oil. I massage the mixture over my hair and scalp, wrap my head in a hot towel, wait 30 minutes, and rinse. My hair is so glossy afterward, it’s well worth the effort.”
—Mathilde Thomas, cofounder of Caudalie skincare line
Next: 26 beauty habits to break right now
Published 07/31/2012
