Secrets of your beauty (Olga Belyaeva). The secrets of your beauty What is the secret of your beauty

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It is impossible to unequivocally answer the question about the secret of female attractiveness; one can only list possible options. Undoubtedly, the main thing is a woman’s appearance. Those who claim that the inner world of a person is primarily important to them are disingenuous, since this is not entirely true.

The first assessment of a person, and especially a woman, is most often given by appearance. It is always much easier for a girl endowed with regular facial features to be included in the category of beauties. She simply doesn’t need to be sophisticated and disguise her shortcomings.

Natural talents are undoubtedly good, but all women, without exception, must monitor the condition of their skin, take care of the beauty of their figure, be able to carefully style their hair, do a beautiful manicure and pedicure, and apply perfect makeup. And besides this, you definitely need to know how to dress.

Many famous women, recognized standards of beauty, had flaws that were skillfully hidden under a properly chosen skirt or dress. But it’s not enough to be able to select clothes perfectly; you also need to keep them in proper condition.

It is important that the sleeves on the sweater do not sag, the heels of the socks do not sparkle with holes, and the blouse is not decorated with hooks.

Inner beauty of a woman

Internal qualities, such as honesty, delicacy, patience, tenderness, goodwill, and willingness to help, also play a significant role in female attractiveness. In addition, the feeling of your own attractiveness is important.

There are women who do not have any external charms, but men are crazy about them and consider them beauties.

The secret of such persons is their opinion about themselves. When they look in the mirror, they do not complain about their nose, lips, hair, but find what makes them special and emphasize this.

You will be surprised, but many men claim that they lost their heads when they saw the look of beautiful eyes, a radiant childish smile, or felt the naivety of a woman’s soul.

From all of the above, only one thing is clear - scientists have not yet come up with such an elixir, after drinking which a girl can become a beauty, and they have not published a book in which female attractiveness is revealed. But one component that makes up a woman’s beauty can be named with confidence. Try to surround her with warmth, love and attention, and you will see how quickly beauty begins to bloom.

In order to be able to do correct makeup, you don’t have to be a professional. We understand how important it is for you to always be well dressed and have excellent hair and makeup.

So, nowadays appearance is important in all areas of life. Whatever you do, it is important to always remain attractive. On the other hand, a lot depends on your free time. The fact is that not every person is able to devote several hours every day to taking care of beauty. This means that it is worth learning how to use the time you have wisely.

What to do? You don't want to spend hours in front of the mirror, but you always want to? Correct makeup can be turned into a simple process. Moreover, it can bring joy.

You'll see, with a little effort, you will begin to literally radiate freshness and beauty. On the other hand, these makeup secrets will allow you to always remain yourself.

Correct makeup and its 7 secrets for your beauty

1. Ideal complexion and blush

To add color, we apply blush to the cheekbones. Sometimes it happens that we apply too much blush. But, trying to wipe them off our face, we only smear blush on our skin. As a result, a shapeless spot appears on the face.

What to do? Indeed, you need to know how to use blush correctly. Firstly, it is recommended to apply blush gradually. Start where the natural blush appears. It's about highlighting your cheekbones. And, of course, make them even more attractive.

So, how to apply blush and highlighter correctly:

Don't put too much blush on your brush. So, it is better to apply several thin layers of the product to your face. It is much more difficult to remove their excess. As a rule, in this case we often have to wash our face and start from scratch.
Apply blush just below the cheekbone line light circular movements of the brush. Pull your cheeks in as if you were drinking through a straw. This trick will allow you to see the line of your cheekbones.
Once the blush is well distributed on the cheekbones, apply a small amount of highlighter. It should be applied to the cheekbone line itself. So, we are talking about a small amount of light shine. It should not look like a bright, conspicuous line.
After that, take a smaller brush. Apply remaining gloss to hairline.

2. Apply mascara without smudging your skin

Perhaps the easiest place to apply makeup is on eyelashes. On the other hand, emphasized eyelashes are the most eye-catching. But it happens that for some people, using mascara causes a number of difficulties.

So, some of us do not know how to distribute mascara on our eyelashes well. As a result, your eyes may look overloaded and your eyelashes may appear overly thick. On the other hand, mascara often leaves stains around the eyes. The secret of professionals will help you prevent this.

Take a clean, dry spoon.
To apply mascara to the upper lashes, place the spoon over upper eyelid. So, it will be a “shield” against mascara stains.

3. Perfect arrows

The following secret will help you get perfect arrows. Surely you dream about this! Cat look or the style of the Egyptian Queen Nefertiti, everyday arrows... You can hardly resist them!

Some people use a small ruler for this. But the most effective way to achieve such arrows is to use tape. Now you will find out exactly what to do.

Place the tape on your lower lash line.
Draw eyeliner along this line.
Carefully remove the tape. That's all! You've got perfect arrows.

4. Long-lasting lip color

Perhaps you would like to make your lipstick more durable. To do this you will need a napkin, a brush and some translucent powder. Nothing more is needed. Thanks to this powder, lipstick will stay on your lips longer.

Basic Steps

Start with cocoa butter, Vaseline or moisturizer.
Secondly, outline your lips with a pencil and apply your favorite lipstick.
Place a tissue on your lips. It will absorb excess makeup.
Using a brush, apply powder to your lips. This, in turn, will allow you to fix the lipstick.

Attention: This makeup secret has its pitfalls. The fact is that thanks to the powder, the color of the lipstick becomes matte. If this is your goal, then no problem. If you want to maintain the shine of your lipstick, be careful.

5. False eyelash effect

Want to achieve the effect of false eyelashes, but don't know how to use them? Then pay attention to this trick. Of course, these eyelashes are very beautiful. The eyes look amazing with them. So, the time has come to introduce you to this beauty secret. Thanks to it, your eyelashes will become more voluminous, as if you had extended them.

Basic Steps

First, apply a thin layer of mascara to your eyelashes.
After this, apply a small amount of powder to the upper part of the eyelashes. This should be done while the eyelashes are still wet.
Finally, apply mascara to them again. That's all, the correct makeup is ready!

6. How to restore eyeshadow

In the beginning, your eyeshadows were bright and saturated colors. But then something happened and, unfortunately, they faded. It may also be that the shadows look different in the box and on the eyelid.

Obviously, eye shadow is one of the most commonly used tools to get your makeup just right. So pay attention to this advice. So, first of all, apply white eyeshadow to your eyelids.. Then apply colored ones. This may be hard for you to believe, but it is true. A white base will bring back the colors of your eyeshadow.

7. Varnish or fixative spray

You've finished applying your makeup and your skin feels dry and lifeless. Powder, Foundation, blush... You used them, but still something is wrong?

Do not despair! Pay attention to the following secret of professionals. He will definitely help you out. Apply a little nail polish or setting spray over your makeup. Thanks to him:

First, your makeup will become .
Secondly, the face will look natural.
It will also be filled with light, but will not shine.

It seems that the topic of life hacks in makeup has already been completely exhausted: we know how to draw straight arrows using bobby pins or tape, how to paint our nails without staining the cuticle; We know all the options for five-minute styling and homemade recipes for hair masks. Modern ladies are quite savvy in the beauty field and know what techniques can make their life much easier. But, as you know, there is no limit to perfection! And we found almost two dozen more unique answers to the question “What is the secret of your beauty?” So, for your attention - real stories beauty editors and just fashionable girls, which will make you look at self-care in a new way.

TEXT: Anna Drebotiy

Hair

1. Pull wet hair behind your ears and let it dry in this position.

“I learned this technique many years ago from Harry Josh, the stylist who creates Gisele Bundchen's famous hairstyles, and I still use it today. My hair is straight, healthy, but doesn't hold its style well. This method helps a lot: when the strands dry in this position, they keep their wavy shape for a very long time, even without the help of special styling products. This is a real lifesaver on mornings when you have little time to do your hair,” Lynsey Shallon, senior beauty editor at Glamor magazine.

2. Replace your hair towel with an old knit T-shirt

“My hairdresser Teddy Cranford once said that after washing your hair you should dry it with... a T-shirt. The fact is that by squeezing your hair with a towel, you can damage it, while soft cotton fabric perfectly absorbs moisture and is gentle on your hair. I used this secret (with great success, by the way) until I came across the simply ingenious Aquis microfiber turban towel. It is more convenient, but the result is the same: healthy and shiny hair" - Simone Kitchens, beauty director.

3. Create curls using paper towels

“When I once went to my hairdresser (Jin Ou) to get “beach curls,” he said that paper towels could improve the condition of my hair. The strands that are damp after washing should be wrapped on strips of paper. This way, the hair will dry faster, because the moisture will quickly be absorbed into the paper and the curls will remain for a long time. In the mornings, I just lightly dry my hair, and then do this whole procedure according to Jean’s advice. Now I rarely use a hot air dryer, my hair is better and my styling is always amazing!” – Erin Reimel, author.

4. Styling on wet hair

“I thought I had learned everything about styling while preparing one of my materials, but something caught my attention. On the Internet, one girl advised using all hair products immediately after washing your hair. At first glance, you might think that there is no difference from this rush and all balms work well even on damp hair, but it seems to me that after I tried it, I saw the difference. This method is called "squish to condish" - Rachel Nessbaum.

5. Instead of a diffuser for a hairdryer, a kitchen colander will come in handy!

“Sometimes I use a spaghetti colander to make myself beautiful curls. It's very simple and fun: put damp hair in a bowl (just wash off all the remaining pasta from there first, otherwise it will look like you have dandruff) and dry it with a hairdryer from below. The principle of operation is the same as with a diffuser - you get very cute curls!” —Amber Ramberose, editor.

Makeup

6. Use powder to set the makeup

“Sebum accumulates on the eyelids during the day, which disrupts eye makeup - eyeliner spreads, shadows settle in one place. This always annoys me. It seems that I have already tried all the eyeshadow bases, but I don’t see any big difference between them. Then I came up with this trick for myself: before applying makeup, I apply regular face powder to my eyelids, and then I use it to set the entire result. The powder doesn’t change the color of the shadows much and absorbs unnecessary moisture well – now I’m happy.”

7. A small mascara brush will make your look more natural.

“Large brushes don’t cover my eyelashes well. Mascara always accumulates on them in huge portions, clumps form, no matter what good brand I use. When buying new products, I first of all pay attention to the brush, which is ideal for me, for example, in Clinique's Bottom Lash Mascara. It is small, thin, and there is always an ideal amount of product on it, and no excess,” – Perry Samoting, Associate Editor

8. Secret technique for tinting eyelashes

“I apply mascara in a special motion, wave-like, slightly shaking my hand. I start from the very base, almost from the growth line, and so smoothly move upward. It sounds funny, but I think there's a pretty big difference. This way the mascara does not accumulate in one place, is better distributed over the eyelashes and does not roll into lumps. Eyelashes become fluffy and voluminous,” Hayley Lee Savage, beauty assistant.

9. Use lip gloss instead of highlighter

“For daytime makeup, instead of highlighter, I often use... lip gloss, for example, Too Faced's clear Melted Latex lipstick. It seems to me that this creates a more natural glow that is appropriate for everyday makeup. I just apply a couple of drops to my cheekbones,” Kalia Hawkins.

10. Create a “cat look”

“It may seem strange, but I didn’t know the basic rule of the cat eye until I met Daniel Chinchilla, Ariana Grande’s makeup artist. He explained that my main mistake is that I shade the shadows down towards the ears, and the line should always be pulled up towards the eyebrows. Otherwise, the eyelids will appear swollen and the gaze will appear heavy. Now I have mastered this technique and with a sponge I draw a line parallel to the lower eyelashes, and not the upper ones, as I did before,” Jennifer Mulrow, assistant editor.

11. If you apply an eyebrow pencil under the lash line, your eyes will become more expressive.

“I always use eyeliner, but before I apply it, I draw in my lash line with a brow pencil. My Stila eyeliner is black, and the Marc Jacobs "Highliner Matte Gel Eye Crayon in (Earth) quake is dark brown. When you paint the space between the lashes in this way, the eyes appear larger and more expressive," - Azadeh Valanyad, producer.

12. Combing your eyebrows is sacred!

“One day, backstage at the Rosie Assolin spring 2018 show, stylist James Calidoz told our entire editorial staff one little secret. To always look well-groomed, you need to comb your eyebrows. It's very simple, but important. Beautiful eyebrows complete any makeup look. All you need for this is a good brush and a little transparent gel that will fix the result for the whole day.”

Leather

13. To cheer up, the skin needs... coffee!

“I drink black iced coffee every morning and sometimes put a couple of drops on my makeup sponge. This procedure, of course, is “not for everyone,” as they say, but I swear that the caffeine seems to “invigorate” my skin and it begins to glow.”

14. Eye cream can also be applied around the lips

“Many people tell me that eye cream is rubbish, but through experimentation I came up with my formula: the correct use of a good cream can change the world for the better! I apply the cream to my ring finger (this makes the pats more delicate and does not injure the skin) and rub it into the area around the eyes, between the eyes, eyebrows, around the nose and lips. The last one sounds strange, but this area is also very delicate and needs special care. Especially if you, like me, have been smoking for many years. I tested this method and I know what I’m talking about.”

15. Homemade lip scrub

“I love lipsticks more than anything in the world, and sometimes my lips suffer from it. Some textures are very drying and require little treatment and hydration. Instead of paying a lot of money for a lip scrub in the store, you can make it at home by simply mixing Vaseline and sugar. This product exfoliates well, leaving the skin smooth and soft.”

16. If you have dry skin, you can add a few drops of oil to the cream.

“In winter, my skin gets especially dry, so I add a few drops of oil to my makeup base. My current favorite is Healing Balm from Max & Madeleine, but I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who owns it oily skin. But if your skin looks like reptile scales in the cold, then experiment and find a product that suits you.”

17. Be sure to wash off your makeup before going to the gym.

“Every day before work I go to the gym (well, almost every day). And the most important thing before starting exercises is to thoroughly cleanse your facial skin. For example, I use products from the Clinique brand for this. Washing your face thoroughly ensures that sweat and dirt do not accumulate in your pores. I have problematic skin and this procedure protects me from unnecessary rashes every time.”

ISBN 978-5-4485-0070-1

Created in the intellectual publishing system Ridero

This book was written for modern women who want to know how to maintain their beauty at any age.

If the male approach to beauty is extremely simple - fitness two to three times a week, massage once a week, and maintenance facial care from time to time. A woman takes care of herself every day. Women's skin is more delicate, it is more susceptible to both internal influences due to hormonal changes, stress, and external influences - ultraviolet radiation, dry air-conditioned air, cold. Accordingly, women's skin requires more attention and care. In addition, a woman needs special care for her neck and décolleté, hands, depilation, body treatments, and body wraps. Being beautiful is a lot of work, in which we, cosmetologists, are destined to play the role of assistants.

I am Olga Belyaeva, a professional cosmetologist. “Secrets of your beauty” is my first book, which was born as answers to questions from my clients.

CHAPTER 1: WHAT IS BEAUTY?

Humanity has always worshiped beauty and strived for harmony. But the idea of beauty has changed from century to century. In the Renaissance, no one would have looked at today's photo models. The price was for ladies of such appetizing shapes that today's nutritionists, looking at Rubens' paintings, choke on a salad of fresh vegetables. The ideal of beauty is not created by one person. This is a creation of the era that meets the needs of society, its political and social structure. At a time when it was difficult to feed a family, a man was proud of his plump wife - her sides were a clear indicator of his success. Wealthy men married plump girls, and this was the standard for others. Now, when obesity is a sign of unhealthy and inexpensive family nutrition, lack of finances (including for cosmetologists and fitness), slim women are in fashion.

You most likely know that tanning came into fashion only in the twenties of the last century, and the famous Coco Chanel came up with the idea that dark legs and shoulders are beautiful. Before that, only peasants “sunbathed” in the sun. The rich and noble retained a noble pallor.

In the East, there is still no fashion for tanning, and local beauties are preoccupied with skin whitening.

IN Ancient Rome Blondes with light skin were in price, despite the fact that this is unusual for residents of the Apennine Peninsula. But this, apparently, belongs to the category of pleasures, like driving slaves into the mountains for snow in order to get ice cream for dessert.

The beauties who look at us from the paintings of Sandro Botticelli and other medieval artists spent a lot of time in the sun on the roofs of houses so that their hair faded and became the color of honey. The technology included a special composition, due to which, under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, the desired shade was obtained. But with such attention to hair, showing the body was considered a sin, and fashionistas of that era sported long and wide dresses.

The ideal of beauty changed with the advent of the Renaissance: full hips and shoulders, a round face, pinkish rather than pale skin.

Paleness was now perceived as a sign of illness. On the canvases of Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael and other artists we see women who are full of health, cheerful and quite plump. Titian (High Renaissance) and Rubens (Baroque) brought the celebration of bodily fullness - a symbol of vitality - to its apogee. Now we want to send these beauties to a nutritionist and a course of anti-cellulite massage.

Russian beauties in the 15th-17th centuries were also rosy-cheeked, black-browed and plump.

European Rococo is full and high hairstyles, using wigs and frames. To preserve such a work of hairdressing art, women did not wash for weeks and slept motionless.

It was noticed that the faster eras changed, the faster life became, the more often ideals changed female beauty. If earlier ideals remained relevant for centuries, now several decades have passed and the fashion for female beauty is changing dramatically.

In the first half of the 19th century, girls emphasized their natural slimness with light long dress with a high waist, and in the 20s they already showed athletic thinness with miniskirts and trousers. In the 80s of the last century, the fashion for wide (male) shoulders made women a parody of themselves.

Fortunately, the 21st century is returning to women the right to have seductively rounded shapes. Naturally, we are not talking about excess weight, but teenage girls exhausted by diets no longer look sexy.

As for the face, in different eras and different nations one could see both the white “mask” of the geisha and the ruddy face, as in the fairy tale “Morozko”, where the mother rubs her daughter’s cheeks with beets with the words: “You are my princess.”

If we put all the beauties from antiquity to the present day in one row, then in this row there will be both tall and petite; brunettes, blondes and redheads; long-haired and short-haired; skinny and plump; owners of a bronze tan and completely white skin. Fashion for appearance is changeable, however, a woman’s grooming and health were valued both before and now.

Beauty requires sacrifice?

There is such a saying, and perhaps it exists for a reason. In some countries, there were, and still are, quite cruel ways to make a woman “beautiful” in accordance with local traditions, sometimes without her consent. The Padaung people live in Myanmar, Burma and Thailand. Girls from the age of 5 wear spirals made of copper rods around their necks; as they get older, the number of turns of the spiral increases, and when they get married, they get a giraffe woman - a beauty, incredibly attractive to local men. Women in the South African Ndbele tribe perform similar tricks with necks, although they wear rings from the age of 12 and wear them until marriage.

In the Ethiopian Mursi tribe, young girls have a special clay plate inserted into their lower lip. The most enviable brides are those who have a larger plate.

Until the 20th century, little Chinese girls had their legs mutilated by bandaging them so that the girl was unable to move without assistance. Not only was the girl condemned to disability, she endured severe pain.

And today, for the sake of “beauty”, some women also sacrifice themselves. Have you seen what Donatella Versace, Jocelyn Waldenstein, Jackie Stallone have turned themselves into through plastic surgery? And how many women have lost not only their natural beauty, but also their health, and even their lives!

Therefore, I am inclined to believe that you need to take care of preserving youth and beauty as early as possible, and your own health should be an unshakable priority.

Moreover, cosmetology has made a big leap in its development since the beginning of the century. Even over the twelve years that I have been working as a cosmetologist, new procedures and devices have appeared that help to easily and painlessly solve problems that were previously considered insoluble. Cosmetic procedures have become available. Now women's beauty is protected by creams with nanoparticles and beauty injections - these are good reasons not to go under the surgeon's knife. At least until the age of sixty.

Hollywood actress Renee Zellweger made plastic surgery and lost that sweet Bridget Jones smile for which millions loved her. Her questioningly raised eyebrow, which gave her a look of bewilderment turning into skepticism, disappeared.

Of course, being an actress and not “working on your face” is unacceptable. Only 30% of roles go to women who have crossed the line of middle age. These conclusions were reached in 2013 by the San Diego Center for the Study of Women in Film and Television based on a study of the 100 best films of the year.

Being young and beautiful is a professional necessity for actresses, but women of other professions also want to remain young and beautiful for as long as possible, preferably up to a hundred years.

Beauty in the modern world

Chip Scholz (speaker, writer, certified business trainer, lead coach of Scholz and Associates) in his blog on Harvard Business Review described how the American Center for Talent Innovation conducted a survey on the perception of the image of a successful person, including appearance. More than a third of respondents consider neatness and well-groomed appearance to be key elements of how we perceive a person - a result higher than that of external attractiveness, which was noted by only a fifth of respondents. It turned out that it was not a matter of figure, height or weight. The point is how you manage your external data.

Everyone can improve their appearance by taking care of themselves. Style standards may vary, but a well-groomed appearance communicates discipline, competence, good health and that you care. When you look well-groomed, you let others know that their opinion is worth your time and money. Many people believe that failure to look presentable indicates either poor judgment or lack of discipline.

Taking care of your appearance is the message you want to give to others, which is aimed at shaping public opinion and investment in the future. Many studies confirm that people who are subconsciously perceived as attractive have a much easier life: they are more likely to be hired Good work, they earn more, they are given smaller fines. Attractive candidates get more votes in elections, attractive students get more attention from teachers.

In any case, improving your appearance leads to increased self-confidence. When you spend time on your appearance and style, you begin to communicate more freely. And your desire to look well-groomed is perceived by people as friendliness and discipline.

CHAPTER 2: WHAT IS AGING?

There are more than 300 theories describing the mechanisms of aging. But everyone agrees on one thing: aging is a biological process that begins at 25-30 years old, it affects the entire body as a whole.

Skin aging is not only visible signs: wrinkles of various origins, uneven pigmentation, gravitational sagging of the skin, dry skin, etc. The mechanisms of aging affect the most important subtle processes occurring in the epidermis and dermis.

The skin consists of the epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous tissue, sweat glands, hair follicles and sebaceous glands.

At the very top of the epithelium lies a layer that we call the epidermis, it has a thickness of 50-80 microns and consists of five layers of cells: horny, shiny, granular, spinous and basal.

The most superficial layer is the horny layer. It comes into contact with the external environment. Its cells do not have nuclei, which is why they are called scales, but are filled with keratin fibrils containing sulfur-rich proteins, minerals, polysaccharides and lipids.

The cells of the stratum corneum die every 10-30 days and slough off. So that they do not interfere with the skin’s breathing, they need to be removed regularly using scrubs and other cosmetics.

The lower part of the stratum corneum is often called the stratum pellucida. It is with the thickness of this layer that the skin’s permeability to external influences. Ideally, nothing should penetrate this protective protein barrier that could disturb homeostasis. The thickness of the skin channels is 10 nm.

Among other things, the water-fat layer that covers our epidermis provides powerful protection to our skin.

Under the shiny layer is a granular layer, consisting of 1-4 rows of anucleate cells containing eleidin. Look at your palms and soles - that's him.

Even deeper lies the spinous layer - 3-8 rows of cells with numerous deep projections (spines), which firmly adhere to neighboring cells. The core is quite large, there is pigment.

At the very bottom is the basal layer. This is the mother cell of the epidermis. Cells here are actively dividing, proteins, lipids and polysaccharides are being synthesized. Melanin is also produced here, which gives the skin color and protects it from the sun.

If there was no blood supply in the epidermis, then there was in the dermis. In addition to the main amorphous substance, the dermis contains connective tissue fibers (collagen, elastic, reticular) and cellular elements (histiocytes, fibroblasts).

The dermis consists of two layers: papillary and reticular. The papillary, at the top, has a wavy surface of collagen, elastic and reticular fibers. The quality of these fibers directly affects skin turgor and elasticity. It is worth noting that collagen fibers are regularly renewed, but elastic fibers are not. This is why with age the skin ages and becomes flabby.

The reticular layer of the dermis consists of coarse collagen fibers; they are intertwined and lie in bundles parallel to the surface of the skin. These are the same Langer lines - conditional lines on the surface of the skin, indicating the direction of its maximum extensibility.

Lymph nodes are also located here, large arterial vessels form a deep network, intertwining around the sweat and sebaceous glands, hair follicles. Venous vessels mainly follow the course of arterial vessels.

What else is important to know about the skin in order to understand the purpose and meaning of most cosmetic procedures?

The lipid barrier of the skin ensures the integrity of the skin, preventing bacteria, viruses and other exogenous substances from penetrating through the spaces between the scales of the stratum corneum. As the name implies, the barrier consists of lipids, which in turn have nothing to do with sebum formed in the cells of the sebaceous glands.

Lipids in the stratum corneum are synthesized in epidermal cells. Their release into the intercellular space occurs at the level of the transition of the granular layer to the stratum corneum, where with the help of enzymes the cells are assembled into lipid layers, or membranes. The lipid barrier consists of several continuous layers superimposed on one another. It is important to understand that water molecules between the layers are in motion, moving from the lower layers of the skin to the upper ones. Having reached the surface, the water evaporates.

The lipid barrier consists of ceramides, free fatty acids and cholesterol. These three types of lipids require fatty acids, especially linolenic acid, a deficiency of which causes itching, flaking and inflammation on the skin. That's why even oily skin needs oil treatment from time to time. I would especially like to note the importance of getting polyunsaturated fatty acids from food, since they are not synthesized in our body. Among vegetable oils, grape seed oil is very rich in these acids, and among nuts – pine nuts. But more on that in turn.

The essence of aging

Scientists have proven that with age, the quality of skin processes, including regenerative ones, does not decrease, but their speed significantly slows down. If young skin copes with any trouble in 12 hours, then the skin of an older person needs 30 hours. recovery period. This is why intact skin works equally well as a protective barrier in people of any age; the differences begin when the skin is damaged and needs repair.

External factors constantly attack the skin (urban ecology, ultraviolet radiation, smoking, dry office air and much more), problems accumulate and without special anti-aging creams and procedures that, in fact, support self-healing, the skin can begin to age.

Therefore, in order to stay young as long as possible, you need to start preventing aging as early as possible and do it very competently.

Where does aging begin?

At the age of 18-25, the first wrinkles appear in the upper part of the face (on the forehead and around the eyes), dynamic, then turning into static. Even very young girls begin to notice small swellings under their eyes from time to time, and sometimes their face swells in the morning. For some it is earlier, for others it is later, it depends on the biomechanics of the face and lifestyle.

How to care for young skin? Protect yourself from ultraviolet radiation, maintain fat and water balance, use antioxidants internally and externally.

As I already wrote, recovery processes decrease with age. At 35-40 years old we see results on our face. Daily stress becomes more and more traumatic and destructive. Now your own recovery processes must be supported by anti-age procedures and anti-aging cosmetics containing substances that enhance the synthesis of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid, protect cell membranes, DNA and mitochondria.

What ingredients should you look for in creams that can give a visible anti-aging effect? These are various acid compositions, hyaluronic acid, retins, peptides, including those that block excess facial activity, vitamins, unsaturated fatty acids - all those ingredients that work on the quality of the skin: color, pore size, wrinkles, visible capillaries, which adequately moisturize, nourish and improve microcirculation.

By the age of fifty, aging descends on the middle and lower areas of the face. You can notice folds in the upper eyelid and sagging in the lower eyelid, nasolacrimal grooves and sacs appear, nasolabial folds form, the clarity of the oval of the face is disrupted, and for many, a double chin and so-called jowls become apparent. Cosmetologists call this condition of soft tissues ptosis (drooping), or gravitational changes in the face and neck.

By the age of sixty, if previous age stages were missed in terms of professional cosmetic care, a huge deficit of repair mechanisms accumulates in the skin. The stock of accumulated “unhealed” damage becomes critical. Anti-age cosmetics for this age are protection, support and replacement of what is lost. Mature skin needs active substances, both from previous age groups and not previously used - bioflavonoids with phytoestrogenic activity, intradermal moisturizers, vascular-stabilizing components, anti-inflammatory substances. To replenish the lipid barrier, cholesterol is required in a special ratio with ceramides and fatty acids.

Since changes occur already in the deeper layers of the face - in the muscles, in the bones of the facial skull, in the vessels, it is not enough to fight age-related changes at this stage with drugs alone.

It is always worth remembering that exposed areas of the body - the neck, décolleté, hands, as well as flexure areas in the elbow and wrist joints - also need protection and restoration.

How to delay aging to as late an age as possible? It’s both difficult and simple at the same time: to lead healthy image life, get enough sleep, don’t take minor troubles to heart, visit a professional cosmetologist, choose the right home care for yourself. More on all this below.

CHAPTER 3: BEAUTY IS AN AREA OF PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY

Agree that even the most best cream will not work as well as it could if applied after a sleepless night. In this chapter we will talk about what not a single cosmetologist, or even a single surgeon, can do for you. Only we ourselves can preserve health and youth - and this is the basic condition for our beauty.

So, youth is, first of all, the amount of energy we have every day. Small child he plays all day, rushing here and there, but the old man can sit in place for hours because he has no strength to move.

The concern of modern scientists is the fatigue syndrome that affects city residents. Phrases such as “I’m very tired after work”, “I’ll sleep off on the weekend”, “let’s go to the club to rest and relax” can be heard from very young people. To escape the feeling of a squeezed lemon, people drink coffee, green tea, energy. These remedies help to cheer up for a while, but do not in any way affect the reasons for such well-being.

The source of our strength and energy is in the mitochondria. Mitochondria (from the Greek ????? - thread and ??????? - grain, grain) are organelles measuring 0.5 microns in most plant, animal and human cells, responsible for the exchange of energy within the body, they are a kind of energy cell stations. The main function of mitochondria is the oxidation of organic compounds that come with food and inhaled air. When they decay, energy is released, which the cell uses to synthesize ATP molecules, which in turn are a universal source of energy for all biochemical processes occurring in living systems.

As we age, our mitochondria undergo changes: their total number decreases and their efficiency decreases.

Scientists at Harvard University conducted research and discovered two enzymes, SIRT3 and SIRT4, which stimulate the functioning of mitochondria, prolonging the life of the cell. I will not describe the details - a voluminous article was published in the scientific publication Cell - but these enzymes are produced in us in two cases: 1) low-calorie diet and 2) active physical activity. And although this advice can be heard from most centenarians, scientists have deciphered the mechanism itself, why, with very moderate nutrition and intense exercise, mitochondria are not only restored, but begin to work even more productively, they become a real factory for the production and release of energy. As a result, the process of cell aging not only slows down, but the cells stop dying.

Naturally, this does not mean that you now need to starve yourself. This should not be done so as not to slow down your metabolism. You just need to reduce the total calorie content of dishes in the diet and increase physical activity - that’s the whole secret.

“Secrets of your beauty” is my first book, which was born as answers to questions from my clients. This book is written for modern women who want to know how to maintain their beauty at any age.

CHAPTER 3: BEAUTY IS AN AREA OF PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY

Agree that even the best cream will not work as well as it could if applied after a sleepless night. In this chapter we will talk about what not a single cosmetologist, or even a single surgeon, can do for you. Only we ourselves can preserve health and youth - and this is the basic condition for our beauty.

So, youth is, first of all, the amount of energy we have every day. A small child plays all day, rushing here and there, but an old man can sit in place for hours because he has no strength to move.

The concern of modern scientists is the fatigue syndrome that affects city residents. Phrases such as “I’m very tired after work”, “I’ll sleep off on the weekend”, “let’s go to the club to rest and relax” can be heard from very young people. To escape the feeling of a squeezed lemon, people drink coffee, green tea, and energy drinks. These remedies help to cheer up for a while, but do not in any way affect the reasons for such well-being.

The source of our strength and energy is in the mitochondria. Mitochondria (from the Greek μίτος - thread and χόνδρος - grain, grain) are organelles 0.5 microns in size in most plant, animal and human cells, responsible for the exchange of energy within the body, these are peculiar energy stations of cells. The main function of mitochondria is the oxidation of organic compounds that come with food and inhaled air. When they decay, energy is released, which the cell uses to synthesize ATP molecules, which in turn are a universal source of energy for all biochemical processes occurring in living systems.

As we age, our mitochondria undergo changes: their total number decreases and their efficiency decreases.

I read in one of the medical scientific journals how an employee of the New York State University, Gary Dudley, experimentally established a direct relationship between the influence of the intensity of work performed on the growth of the number of mitochondria. The essence of the experiment: for 8 weeks, five days a week, rats ran from 5 to 90 minutes a day. The running intensity scale varied between 40 and 100 percent of maximum oxygen consumption. Mr. Dudley concluded that the longer and more intense physical activity, the greater the growth of mitochondria in the body.

Changes at the cellular and molecular levels depending on exercise activities formed the basis of research at the Universities of Sydney and Copenhagen, where a global analysis of the effects was made physical activity per person. The scientists took skeletal muscle biopsies from four healthy but athletically untrained men. After 10 minutes of intense exercise, the researchers counted 1,004 unique molecular changes in the subjects.

In addition to low-calorie nutrition and physical activity, the energy of youth can be drawn from SPA procedures, contrast douches, massage and self-massage, and working with a psychologist.

I think you will agree that it is important not only what we eat, but also how, in what quantities and when we eat. As my experience in the beauty industry has shown, poor nutrition more often than other reasons becomes a source of women's dissatisfaction with themselves. Lack of vitamins and minerals, slagging in the body, overeating affects the skin of the face and body. Very often, before starting, for example, a course of kelp wraps or other procedures, I strongly recommend that clients start eating right, improve their drinking regime and start doing a simple set of physical exercises. Then the effect of the procedures will be visible much faster and will be long lasting.

As it is?

For a long time it was believed that water taken with food dilutes gastric juice and interferes with the digestion process. But recent studies agree that drinking a little water at room temperature during meals will be rather beneficial; it will prevent diseases such as gastritis, enteritis, and constipation. Just don’t wash down your meals with carbonated or heavily chilled drinks. In combination with meat foods, soda can provoke the appearance of cholesterol plaques on blood vessels, and cold water causes food, being insufficiently digested, to quickly leave the stomach.

This discovery was described in 1969 in his scientific work by V. D. Lindenbraten, professor at the Leningrad Institute of Experimental Medicine of the USSR Academy of Medical Sciences. His dissertation was entitled “Materials on the question of the effect of heat on the body.”

The essence of the discovery is that radiologists, studying the stomach, fed the patient barium porridge; if the porridge was warm, then it lingered in the stomach for enough time to set up the equipment and conduct research. If the porridge was from the refrigerator, then it left the stomach too quickly, but if you wash down the food with cold drinks, then this time is reduced from four to five hours to twenty minutes.

Thus, they proved that cold water literally pushes food out of the stomach.

As we can see, drinking iced drinks with food is the shortest path to obesity, because it is impossible to get enough of such food, and the feeling of hunger quickly reappears. In addition, putrefactive processes begin in the intestines, because high-quality digestion has not occurred. Do you understand how fast food restaurant owners made their fortunes? Therefore, if you decide to have a fast food snack, take either hot drinks or juices at room temperature, or ask for a glass of boiling water to slightly dilute the cola or sprite, which must be without ice.

Why is this extremely important? In the stomach, proteins are prepared for further processing and absorption. If you wash down your food with cold drinks, the protein part of the food in the stomach will not be fully processed, proteins will not be broken down into amino acids, and the entire protein component will simply rot in the intestines at a temperature of 36.6 degrees. Hence colitis, enteritis and other intestinal troubles, which then become noticeable problems of the facial skin. The same mechanism works if you eat ice cream immediately after lunch or dinner.

This concerns drinking, but what should be said about the meal itself. Most nutritionists agree that it is most correct to eat fractionally: eat 4-5 times a day, but in small portions. This will help avoid stomach distension and help you feel light and energized throughout the day. It is recommended to include fruits and nuts in a separate meal, such as second breakfast or afternoon snack. As a result, your body does not starve and does not store fat for a rainy day.

When there is?

The ancient health science of Ayurveda answers this question. According to these treatises, our digestion, like our entire body, lives according to the laws of nature and is connected with the energy of the sun. Agni - the fire of digestion - wakes up with sunrise at about half past six. Best time to have breakfast 6-7 am. At 9 am Agni fades away until noon. It is recommended to have lunch at noon and dinner at 6-7 pm. When the Sun sets, our digestive system stops working, so everything undigested remains in the stomach overnight, and in the morning you can feel heaviness and even nausea. If you overeat at night, over time, excess weight and skin problems will appear, as well as persistent fatigue.

What is?

Of course, everyone knows that you need to lean on vegetables and fruits, low-fat meat, healthy seafood and cereals. Naturally, it is better not to overindulge in sweets and baked goods.

And it also happens that we eat and drink correctly, on time, but the excess weight still persists. Then it’s worth looking for the reason in our body – a kind of chemical laboratory. If the body does not have enough raw materials to produce the necessary hormones that are involved in fat metabolism, then we will inevitably overeat.

Let's look at the hormones that affect our weight. I took these materials from the website www.elle.ru/krasota because complex processes are described so simply and clearly.

Adiponectin is a hormone that literally tells the body to burn fat. Scientists have proven: the more of this hormone in the blood, the faster we lose weight. To stimulate its production, you need to eat pumpkin seeds, spinach and cabbage - the more often, the better.

Ghrelin is also known as the hunger hormone: if there is too much of it, it is harder for us to get enough. It sends signals to the brain that make us want to eat something sweet and fatty, and at the most dangerous time for our figure - in the evening and at night. Ghrelin levels increase with lack of sleep and decrease with protein. Eat an omelet for breakfast and don’t get carried away with coffee; it is believed that coffee helps increase the level of this hormone.

Best friend ghrelin – leptin, or the hormone responsible for appetite. Its low content in the blood provokes overeating. To boost your hormone levels and easily lose a couple of sizes, make it a habit to regularly eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish: salmon, mackerel and sardines are best.

Estrogen. Exceeding estrogen levels not only contributes to the accumulation of extra pounds, but also reduces sexual desire, contributes to frequent migraines, depression, and can even cause problems with the reproductive system. In order to keep the capricious hormone under control, give up fast food and beer (this is especially important for men), stick to a balanced diet, in which be sure to find a place for cabbage, spinach, citrus fruits, green tea and brown rice.

Testosterone. If its level is too low, we are faced with the same symptoms that occur when the “lady” hormone is off the charts: apathy, decreased libido and slow metabolism. Products containing soy, olive, flaxseed and rapeseed oil, and avocado will help keep this hormone normal.

How to stop yourself from overeating?

It happens that the body, under the influence of stress and other factors, “forgot” the feelings of physiological hunger and satiety. What to do? Eat the same breakfast every morning for a week. It's easier to set your satiety threshold with familiar foods, so try to avoid new flavors.

If you are emotional and therefore prone to overeating, write down in a notebook the connection between food and your feelings. Every time you want to eat, ask yourself, is it hunger or emotions? Write down what it is: anxiety, anger, joy, boredom, loneliness?

In a week, it will not only become easier to fight overeating, but you will also understand what emotional background your life, and you can work on this yourself or go to a psychologist.

Take your time. Spend at least half an hour at the table, because the signal to the brain about the onset of satiety is transmitted from the stomach only 15-30 minutes after the start of the meal. Eat slowly, leisurely and thoughtfully.

Do not snack between meals, keep intervals of 3-4 hours. Eat meals strictly at certain hours and you will soon notice that real hunger also wakes up on the clock - right before eating. And the moment of satiety will also become easier to catch in order to stop eating.

In 1998, scientists at the University of Pennsylvania conducted an experiment that today we would call not very ethical, but that doesn’t make it any less convincing.

Scientists took two patients with severe amnesia - they forgot what happened to them just a couple of minutes ago. The patients were fed a hearty, delicious lunch. A few minutes later they were called back to the table, informing them that it was time for lunch. They dined with appetite again. The same thing was repeated a third time. It turns out that it’s so easy to forget that you’re already full and be tempted by something tasty.

What can we conclude? It is very useful to keep a food diary. Moreover, many calorie counting services have now appeared on the Internet.

What else can cause overeating? Lack of certain vitamins.

Scientists have identified “beauty vitamins” that preserve beauty, youth and health.

Vitamin A activates cell renewal, promotes bone strength, and is responsible for visual acuity. It is a powerful antioxidant that protects body cells from free radicals. A deficiency of this vitamin causes dry skin, wrinkles, and acne. As part of cosmetic products, vitamin A helps fight severe skin aging, improves skin color, reducing the formation of small wrinkles, smoothes out traces of stretch marks on the skin caused by excess weight or during pregnancy.

Vitamin E is also an antioxidant - it is called the “vitamin of youth”. It supports the functioning of the female reproductive system and increases the amount of estrogen hormones. Without it, our figure would become masculine.

Vitamin C – also has antioxidant properties. It regulates the formation and destruction of melanin; if this vitamin is lacking in food, freckles, moles, and age spots appear.

The state of our nervous system depends on B vitamins. With a lack of these vitamins, we quickly get tired, drowsiness or nervous breakdowns appear, and in difficult cases depression can develop. Vision decreases, eyelids turn red, and a burning sensation appears in the eyes. Vitamin B5 protects our hair from loss, and vitamin B9 protects our genital area.

Vitamin H is needed for the health of mucous membranes; it is found in brewer's yeast, peanut kernels and liver.

Vitamin D is responsible for the whiteness and health of teeth, the beauty of nails and strong bones.

To get these vitamins from food, balance your diet and avoid “empty calories,” that is, food that does not benefit your health. Take vitamin complexes from time to time; for this, consult your doctor or buy vitamin complexes from trusted manufacturers.

It is very good to replenish your supply of vitamins and minerals with the help of fresh fruits, which also cleanse the body of toxins.

If we say grapefruit, we immediately remember all the fat-burning diets in which it is an obligatory element, because it actively stimulates metabolic processes in the body, removes excess fluid, breaks down fats and activates the process of food absorption. People suffering from stomach diseases should consult a doctor and possibly replace this fruit with pineapple.

Pineapple and kiwi are also very good for breaking down fat; they are rich in vitamins and fiber, which effectively reduces cholesterol and normalizes metabolic processes.

Pear is also rich in fiber, removes toxins and excess water from the kidneys. Pear is rich in cobalt, which makes it a thyroid aid.

Apples are also very healthy, the British even say that if you eat an apple a day, you will forget about doctors, but at the same time, fresh apples provoke a voracious appetite. Therefore, during the diet period it is worth replacing baked ones. By adding honey and cinnamon, you will get an exquisite dessert that is no worse than a cake, but is completely safe for your figure.

Mango is remarkable because it regulates the amount of leptin in the brain, the “hunger” hormone, which tells the body the degree of satiety. If there is not enough leptin, then you can overeat and feel hungry. Mango relieves nervous tension, increases metabolism, lowers cholesterol, and improves vision. The main thing is not to buy Chinese, but African mangoes, which are healthier. They are distinguished by the presence of seeds: Chinese seeds do not.

Lemon cleanses the liver of toxins and fats.

Orange cleanses all body systems and improves mood, which makes it indispensable during a diet. But bananas, grapes and melon are best avoided during weight loss

Among other things, eating fruits and vegetables makes us happier. The results of a study by scientists from Australia were published on the medical news website medportal.ru. They conducted a two-year experiment in which 12 thousand people took part. Redzo Mujcik from the University of Queensland and his colleagues surveyed the “lucky” people on how often they ate vegetables and fruits and in what quantities they ate them. As a result, the subjects were asked to rate their level of satisfaction with life on a scale of 10.

To the surprise of many, in practice, the introduction of vegetables and fruits into the diet led people to feelings of peace and happiness. Of course, this is not a “cure for sadness,” but the overall level of satisfaction has increased significantly. It is not yet entirely clear why this effect is observed. Scientists' opinions are divided. Some believe that eating this way increases the amount of vitamin B12 in the body, which consequently increases the production of serotonin and other feel-good chemicals.

Glycemic index

The concept of the glycemic index was introduced into circulation in the 80s of the last century by Canadian University professor Dr. David Jenkins. He was looking for a solution to the problems of diabetics, along the way making a discovery that helps millions of people lose weight.

After consuming foods with a high GI, the blood sugar level rises sharply, and as a result, the pancreas converts glucose into fat, so to speak, “for a rainy day.” This mechanism of the human body appeared in those distant times when people often went hungry. Now times have changed, we can go to the supermarket at any time of the day or night to buy food, however, our body continues to store fat if you are fasting or eating food with a high GI.

In general, in the medical community it is believed that foods with a low glycemic index are preferable for most people: food is digested slowly, blood sugar levels gradually rise and fall, the body does not experience stress and does not store fat.

Those who can eat chocolate bars without worrying about their figure are athletes. For them, food with a high GI can be useful during and after competitions - it helps to quickly restore strength. 2 hours before competition, a low GI meal helps athletes by providing their muscles with slow-release energy.

GI can be low (10-40), medium (40-70) and high (over 70).

In Europe, GIs are indicated on packages, but in our country this is rare. Therefore, remember: hamburger - 85, chocolate bar - 70, chocolate ice cream - 70, milk chocolate - 70, dark chocolate (70% cocoa) - 22, grape (and other fruit juices without sugar) - approximately 46-48, tomato juice – 15, in most meat and fish products the GI is less than 10.

Among vegetables, pumpkin and beets have a high GI, but they are a valuable source of fiber, vitamins and minerals, so you shouldn’t give them up.

But it’s not just the glycemic index that you should look at when choosing food. Pizza, potato chips or muffins have a low GI, but are real “calorie bombs”.

We make nutritional mistakes if:

We skip breakfast. If the body has not received nutrition in the morning, metabolic processes slow down, and in the evening there is a risk of raiding the refrigerator.

We eat too little. It is important to eat not little, but enough and regularly.

We drink little water. Lack of water provokes cravings for fruit juices and carbonated drinks, which are high in sugar.

Is it expensive to eat healthy?

Wrong choice: all semi-finished products, as well as sausages, frankfurters, sausages, and ham. Usually there is so much fat and questionable food additives that even if the label says “diet product”, you shouldn’t believe it.

Expensive: king prawns, rare varieties of fish, veal from alpine meadows.

Good choices: local fish, poultry, low-fat cottage cheese, kefir, eggs. Lentils and peas are good. Although legume protein is more difficult to digest and not as complete, when combined with amino acids already in the diet, they will provide the body with the necessary nutrients.

Wrong choice: everything fried, various fatty sauces, mayonnaise, culinary products.

Expensive: oils and nuts from exotic countries.

Good choices: olive, flaxseed and other oils, walnuts and hazelnuts, fatty sea fish, eggs.

Carbohydrates

Wrong choice: sugar and baked goods. Of course, sometimes you can treat yourself, the main thing is not often.

Expensive: Exotic fruits, black rice and other amazing foods that you can buy at expensive health food stores.

Good choice: local seasonal fruits and berries, oatmeal, buckwheat and other traditional cereals. In pursuit of the exotic, people often forget that pearl barley, familiar from childhood, is no worse than exotic wild rice, and costs much less.

Wrong choice: fried potatoes.

Expensive: cherry tomatoes, arugula and other delights.

Good choices: all vegetables that are traditionally harvested in your region. Vegetables not only add variety to the taste of our food, but are also essential suppliers of fiber, vitamins and minerals.

You've probably noticed that if you don't drink enough water during the day, weakness, decreased performance, and irritability occur.

Water is the main solvent of minerals and is a necessary condition for chemical reactions to take place inside our body. Therefore, if you feel thirsty for a long time, your metabolism slows down, and then extra pounds and cellulite will not keep you waiting. And we don’t need dehydration of the skin.

Although water itself does not dissolve fat deposits or remove them, when losing weight, water becomes strategically necessary. In addition to its ability to keep your metabolism at a good level, drinking warm water half an hour before meals will fill your stomach and you will eat much less.

When is water harmful?

First of all, water of unsuitable quality causes harm.

Boiled water should be consumed only in the form of tea or first courses, since when boiled, oxygen is formed in a strong combination with hydrogen and cannot be released. For the normal functioning of the body, all cells and tissues need oxygen. Nowadays, an oxygen cocktail has been invented and is widely used in sanatorium-resort treatment specifically to solve the problems of hypoxia.

Don't drink untreated tap water either. Tap water is disinfected with chlorine. During the boiling process, pure water molecules evaporate, leaving impurities behind. Hot water, which is supplied through the central water supply, is often supplied with many reagents, so it is strictly forbidden to drink it, neither boiled nor raw.

You should not overuse carbonated water, as gas bubbles irritate the walls of the stomach; it is very important to remember this for people with gastritis and peptic ulcers.

You don't need to drink too much water either. Calculate your daily norm like this: for every kilogram of weight you need 30 ml of water. Especially if you have diseases of the cardiovascular system or kidneys. Consult your doctor about the amount of fluid you should drink. Cardiologists recommend drinking less to relieve excess stress.

End of introductory fragment.