Cosette's Beauty Pantry

What is cellulite ? The truth is almost all women have the dreaded “ orange peel-skin ” look. Cellulite is found in both overweight and slim women but excess weight makes it even worse.  Cellulite is the accumulation of fat, fluid and toxins that develops under the skin.  It is mostly a women's problem because men tend to have lower percentages of body fat. There are various anti- cellulite  treatments, that include pills,  suction  machines, creams, wraps and even liposuction.  Still, lifestyle changes   through   diet and exercise are the best way to help reduce cellulite and fat cell size.   A good anti-cellulite diet includes eating low-fat, low-carb, high-fibre foods especially fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.   Although cellulite is hard to eliminate totally if you follow these tips you should see a significant improvement. Tips: Drink eight glasses of water per day to flush out any excess sodium that causes fluid retention.  Water flushe

A couple of weeks ago, I stumbled upon a skincare forum and a few users were talking about using diaper rash cream on their faces.   They were raving about the amazing effect it had on the skin.   Some of them also claimed that this cream heals acne and prevents breakouts. I was a little sceptical, to tell you the truth, so I decided to do a little research.  If it’s safe to use on babies skin, it is probably safe to use on your face, right?  As it turns out, the active ingredient in diaper rash cream is Zinc oxide !  (A few weeks ago I wrote about the benefits of Zinc oxide , in an earlier post.)  So, I decided to give it a try.  I went to the nearest pharmacy and I chose a Zinc and Castor oil ointment.  Castor oil provides a soothing and moisturising effect on the skin.  Its antioxidant properties help to cleanse the skin and remove toxins.  When used regularly, Castor oil helps flush out oil glands and may help alleviate adult acne. I use this cream in the evening

Happy weekend, everyone! I already posted two blog posts earlier today, but I still wanted to give you a few tips.  Today’s topic is workout skincare .  Should you wear make-up to work out?  Is it bad for your skin? The general rule is; don’t work out with full face make-up: I know that you want to look your best whatever you’re doing, but your skin needs to breathe.   You should always cleanse your face thoroughly before exercising.  Be sure to remove all foundation, since it will melt and mix with the sweat to block pores and cause blemishes. If you are one of those people who wouldn’t be caught dead without make-up, use mineral make-up.  Mineral make-up is talc-free and won’t clog pores!  You could also use a tinted moisturiser.  Also, make sure that your mascara is waterproof.    It’s important to cleanse again after exercising.  You should rinse your face with cold water; this will tighten the dilated capillaries that have expanded during

Autumn/Fall is already here and it’s time to pamper your skin after summer. During fall, the skin needs extra nourishment and protection.  Summer’s blazing sun, hot dry heat and forgetting to apply and re-apply sunscreen can damage and dry the skin.  As the seasons change, so do the needs of your skin.   Your skin tends to retain less moisture because of the cooler, drier air.  During this time of the year, many people experience various skin issues including; dryness, fine lines, dull skin tone, sun and/or age spots, flaking and irritation.  Follow a few guidelines and you could have problem-free skin all year round. Exfoliation:   Post-summer skin looks dehydrated and dull, so exfoliation is extremely important as it gets rid of the dead damaged cells.  This step will prepare the skin to absorb more moisture and nutrition.  You could do this at home using a scrub/exfoliant, or using an at-home peeling or you could have a professional peeling done. Moisturisin

Fall/Autumn-Winter 2011-2012 make-up trends Summer is over, and with the new season come new make-up trends.  The main trends in make-up for this season can be described as natural, elegant and sexy.  This fall and winter, every girl can find something suitable for her personality. One of the main trends is definitely, the natural look: Nude lips and bare face Pink/nude lips are very popular, combined with barely-there makeup.   This fall you can forget about intense, bold coral or pink blushers.   Make sure you have a flawless face, using the right shade of foundation or tinted  moisturiser  and a good concealer.   For this look do not overuse powder, looking natural is the key. Natural eyebrows Forget thin, over-plucked eyebrows.  This fall it's all about full, natural broad (almost bushy), brows. Neither too neat nor too messy.  So you should be more careful with your tweezers, but the shadows and brow pencils may also come in handy. Gi

Hello everyone!  In September 2010, I started this blog, Skin Care Suggestions .  I post skincare tips and advice for different skin types.  I also write about my experience with skincare products, treatments and home remedies. Now, a year later, I will also be posting hair and make-up tips and advice on my new blog:  Hair and Make-up Suggestions .   I am not a hairstylist or a make-up artist, I am just a girly girl who loves experimenting with hairstyles, cuts and colours.  I also love dressing up and wearing make-up, though I don't feel like I have to wear make-up every day!  Feel free to follow me on  Twitter for updates! XOXO  Euphrasie85 Update: I merged my two blogs

Hello everyone! If I had to ask how many of you pay attention to the ingredients list when choosing a beauty product, the answer would probably be very few.  The main reason for this is that the majority of us (the consumers) have no idea what the scientific names of the ingredients mean.  Nonetheless, I do think that is it crucial to understand the importance of ingredients, especially for those with sensitive and/or acne-prone skin. But what does Comedogenic mean?  This means that the product may contribute to the production of comedones (blackheads and whiteheads), and therefore may cause or aggravate acne.  When ingredients are tested for their comedogenic or irritating level, they are ranked on a scale of 0-5. 0 means that the ingredient is non-comedogenic and non-irritating, while an ingredient that receives a 5 is the worst in terms of comedogenic/irritating levels. Remember that all ingredient lists are in order of predominance, with the ingredients used in the great