Leslie’s Five Beauty Tips for 2019

Make 2019 a beautiful year!! These five beauty tips can help your skin, hair and eyes be better than ever, at any age.

1. Water, No Dry, Repeat - Not only do you need to stay hydrated on the inside, but you also need to keep your skin hydrated as well. My Grandma Baxter, who always had beautiful, young looking skin, swore by water. What I mean is, water is a natural hydrator so she never dried her face or body, with a towel, after a bath or shower. She would air dry. That allows for the water to soak into your skin and naturally hydrate it leaving it soft and going. I have done this since I was a little girl and passed the tip down to my daughter too.

2. Coconut Oil Isn't Just For Cooking - After my bath or shower, while air drying, I will smooth coconut oil onto my skin and ket it soak in with the water. Coconut oil, unlike baby oil, will completely soak in leaving no greasy feeling. I put it on my face, body and hair. Use generously on your body, but vary sparingly on your hair. You can even put in in a spray bottle and dilute it with warm water to apply. Also, just by the coconut oil in the big jar, over in the grocery section or online. It's way cheaper that way and a jar will last you forever.

3. Spend a Little Extra on Hair Products - My aunt was a beautician and used to always tell us that the cheaper drug store shampoos and conditioners were the same as the more expensive salon products. She was wrong. I feel like I have tried every shampoo on the market and I can tell you that Redken products are by far the BEST! What you save in other beauty ways, you should then spend on buying these incredible products. They are a little pricey compared to the drug store products but they do last a long time and it is well worth every penny. Just determine your hair type and needs and there is a Redken line for YOU. For my thick, wavy, sometimes over dry and processed hair, I use the Redken All Soft line.

4. Give Hair, Skin and Nails a Boost - Ask you doctor about taking a Biotin vitamin supplement. I started taking one around age 47 because I noticed that my hair and nails seemed to be thinning. After taking it for around 3 months, I started noticing a big difference. Biotin is very expensive either and can be bought over the counter and can be bought at your favorite store or online.

5. Real or Fake? Who Cares! - I have worn fake eyelashes, on and off, for years. Mostly when appearing on stage. But, after I turned 40, it seemed  like my lashes weren't as think or as long as they were when I was younger. So, I know where them about everyday. I feel like they make my eyes more youthful and full. I don't use the really think ones, only the soft wispy lashes to enhance what I still have. LOL They are my guilty pleasure like a monthly massage or mani/pedi, but they are a lot cheaper. The best and most inexpensive lashes I have used are at the Dollar General. I buy them in the three pack. Now, I realize the most women are intimidated by fake eyelashes, scared to try them because they don't know how to apply them. But, with a little practice, you will become a pro. Also, get the dark colored lash glue, not the clear and definitely not the adhesive strips.