Beauty basics to help you embrace autumn

(ARA) - Fall is a time of transition. Not only do you need to prepare your skin for the cold months ahead, but it’s time to transform your look from light and airy to soft and classic.

Focus on a few beauty basics – skin, make-up, fashion and fragrance – and you’ll have all you need for a fantastic fall.

Great skin is always in
As the weather gets cooler and drier, your skin needs extra moisture to keep it supple. Keep warm weather memories alive with a scent reminiscent of summer and try Coconut Milk Body Lotion from The Body Shop. Treat yourself to the finest ingredients – ethically sourced community trade virgin coconut oil from Samoa – and get soft, smooth and deliciously scented skin.

Pucker up
Autumn lips are washed in soft color. International make-up artist Chase Aston says this fall is all about the perfect pout and recommends Colourglide Lip Color from The Body Shop.

Aston shares his tips for luscious and gorgeous lips:
* Use a lip liner for added definition and to help prevent feathering.
* Enhance the natural color of your lips by gently gliding on lip color. For added pout power, use a lipstick/concealer brush.
* Look for a shade that complements your skin tone. With 37 shades, you can easily find Colourglide Lip Color that works for you.

Ultra-modern eyes
This fall, dramatic smoldering eyes are what’s fabulous.

To achieve fall’s hottest eye looks, Aston gives these sizzling tips:
* Smudge together forest green, shimmering grey and lilac to create a chic, modern, smoky eye.
* To create an intense, sultry eye look, look for a palette that features a warm trio of rich brown, golden copper and shimmering sand hues.
* Try a metallic eye definer. Alone, it can be used to line and define or use it to complement your favorite eye shadow. “Choose shades that contrast your eyes to make them pop,” says Aston. “Apply color to the eyelid or along the lash-line as an accent for impact.”

Bundle up
Classic, “back to basics” clothing was all the rage on the fall runways. This season’s must-have piece is the crisp white jacket that works with everything from jeans to a little black dress. The key accessory to sport is perfectly fitting with the chill in the air – gloves. Half gloves, fingerless gloves and long gloves are gracing the arms of starlets walking the red carpet and go with everything from rugged parkas to dainty and ladylike skirts. If you’ve got a special occasion to dress for, or if you’re just plain feeling glam, the gold dress, inspired by the rich tones of autumn, is the choice for your holiday parties.

For more information on fall beauty basics, visit TheBodyShop-USA.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Keep Your Eyes Beautiful With Safe Makeup Tips

(NAPSI)-Department store and drugstore makeup aisles are filled with a tempting array of makeup colors and products for the eyes. But knowing how to apply and remove eye makeup properly will not only make your eyes beautiful; it will also protect your vision as well.

“Makeup is a part of many women’s everyday routine, but they should be aware that improperly applied makeup is a risk to the eye,” says Cynthia Bradford, M.D., clinical correspondent for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Oklahoma. “Even something as simple as testing a sample at the makeup counter can lead to problems. We want the public to know how to look their best without jeopardizing their eye health.”

Through its EyeSmart campaign, the Academy wants to remind consumers to use healthy and safe habits when using and testing makeup. Dr. Bradford explains: “Proper care and caution when using makeup can prevent eye infections that range from minor cases that can be treated with medication to more serious cases that could impair vision.”

Here are some safe makeup tips from Dr. Bradford:

Infection: It’s very important to remember that makeup expires, especially eye makeup. Eye makeup should be thrown away three months after it is purchased but immediately if you develop an eye infection when you are using it. Liquid or creamy makeup can harbor bacteria easily. Once you open and use mascara, cream eye shadow or face base, you should replace it within three months. If you have eye surgery, do not wear makeup around the eye until your ophthalmologist tells you it is safe to do so and then only use fresh, new makeup. Never share your makeup with anyone else.

Allergy: If you tend to be easily allergic when you try a new product, introduce only one new product at a time. If there is no reaction, you can add another new product. If you try a new product line of makeup and add too many products at once, it is hard to pinpoint which one is the offending product. If you notice that you become allergic to a product, you should find out what the ingredients are in the product and bring that to your doctor’s attention. Dr. Bradford recommends using the least amount of products on or around your eyes to prevent irritation or infection.

Applying: When applying makeup, be sure your face and eyelids are very clean before you begin. Never apply makeup over the oil glands of the upper or lower eyelid, as these oil glands secrete oil that protects the surface of the eye. To avoid covering the oil glands or inadvertently applying makeup directly on the eye, always apply makeup outside the lash line, away from the eye.

Removing: At night, remove all eye makeup, especially mascara that can stick to the lashes. Use a clean cotton swab to brush along the base of the eyelashes to get the last resistant debris of eye makeup off. If you use an eye makeup remover, make sure you don’t get any in your eye. When you are done, rinse the remover off your eyelids completely to avoid possible irritation of the eye or lids.

If you think you have an eye infection or allergic reaction to your eye makeup, it is important to seek medical help by contacting your ophthalmologist.

Learn about eye diseases and the names of eye M.D.s in your area by visiting www.GetEyeSmart.org.

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Is Laser Vision Correction Right For You?

NAPSI -Now nearly 15 years old, LASIK vision correction is the most common elective surgery in the United States, performed on 700,000 people annually. Besides being popular with patients, most of them are satisfied with the results. A recent analysis of studies looking at patients’ satisfaction after LASIK, a popular type of laser vision correction surgery, found that more than 95 percent of them were satisfied with the procedure.

“LASIK stands for laser in situ keratomileusis and is a procedure that permanently changes the shape of the cornea, the clear covering on the front of the eye,” said Marguerite McDonald, M.D., FACS, president of the International Society of Refractive Surgery and a clinical correspondent for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. “The change improves the way that the eye focuses light rays, decreasing your dependence on eyeglasses or contacts or, in the vast majority of cases, eliminating the need for distance correction entirely.”

LASIK is performed in an outpatient surgical suite. The doctor creates a paper-thin, hinged flap on the top of the cornea. The computer-controlled cold laser then sculpts the exposed cornea tissue, removing microscopic bits of tissue. Flattening the cornea corrects nearsightedness, while steepening the cornea corrects farsightedness. Smoothing out irregularities in the cornea corrects astigmatism. The entire procedure takes about 10 to 15 minutes per eye. With LASIK, there is generally little discomfort during and after surgery. Vision is generally slightly blurry on the day of the surgery but improves considerably the next day.

“LASIK is not for everyone, and your ophthalmologist can advise you about certain conditions that may prevent you from being a good candidate for the procedure,” added Dr. McDonald.

The ideal candidate is over 18 years of age, not pregnant or nursing and free of uncontrolled eye disease. You should not have had a significant change in your eye prescription in the past year and should have a prescription within the range of correction for LASIK.

Like any surgery, LASIK carries risks that should be carefully considered. Some people experience side effects after LASIK that usually disappear over time. These side effects may include discomfort or pain, hazy or blurry vision, scratchiness, dryness, glare, halos or starbursts around lights, light sensitivity, or small pink or red patches on the white of the eye that disappear in one to three days. Most of these are temporary and resolve on their own and most longer-term complications can be treated without any loss of vision. Serious complications leading to vision loss that cannot be corrected are possible but extremely rare. The same can be said about the very rare serious complications of wearing contact lenses.

If you and your doctor decide that LASIK is right for you, you may join millions of people who have had a refractive surgery procedure and are enjoying active lifestyles less dependent on eyeglasses or contacts.

For more information, visit www.GetEyeSmart.org.

Better vision and high satisfaction are seen in the overwhelming majority of LASIK patients.