Shine - Off: Expert Tips for Matte Summer Skin

Staying shine-free when the temperatures are high is one of summer’s greatest beauty challenges.
As a professional makeup artist, I know how hard it can be. Depending on where you live, you may need to control excess oil production, perspiration, or both. So if you’re looking for ways rid yourself of unsightly shine this summer, check out some of my pro tips and favorite products. You’ll be glad you did when that mercury starts rising!

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Skin Care Tips for Mature Skin

You don't have to be a mom or even "mature," to experience troublesome changes in your skin.

Whether it's due to stress, diet, pregnancy, climate, or age, occasionally we need to  adjust our skin care routine. With Mother's Day around the corner, Beauty Press asked me for some tips for moms and mature skin.

What are some makeup application tips for mature/aging skin? 

Women tend to have more delicate and sensitive skin. Additionally as we age, skin is affected by fluctuating hormone levels.
Generally it becomes more dry, thin, and has less elasticity allowing fine lines, wrinkles and loose skin to develop.
Makeup is still important, maybe even more important than ever, but a less is more approach is needed. Use a foundation that gives a light coverage, and concealer only where needed - instead of trying to achieve maximum coverage with one product that covers everything. If your skin is a little on the dry side, avoid too much powder as it can make the skin look even more dry.

What are some skin care routine tips for mature/aging skin? 

Hopefully you already have a good skin care routine in place and as your skin matures you just adjust it as needed. The basics, cleanse, tone, and moisturize, never change. The products you use may change however, and you may add serums or anti-aging treatments to your regime. Also, if you've always used soap and water or a foaming or gel cleanser you may find that a lotion or even an oil will work much better for you now as natural oil production will decrease with declining hormones. 


Some women experience what they call a second adolescence. Try spot treating the breakouts instead of trying the entire face as if it's one giant pimple. You'll just end up dehydrating the skin and upsetting the acid balance which protects it.
Remember, you're skin is the largest of the body. Treat it with care and it will take care of you.

Please feel free to leave comments or ask questions.

For the press release and high res images contact Beauty Press.

Top 10 Travel Tips with Makeup Artist Penny Sadler

Beauty and Travel Essentials

My latest story for wanderingeducators.com features products and ideas for making travel more comfortable and assuring you arrive at your destination looking as fresh and as you did at departure,,, almost. Read the story here.

Camera Ready on DFW Closeup

Earlier this spring I was honored to be featured on a local news program, DFW Closeup demonstrating the techniques I teach in my "camera ready" makeup sessions. My model, the daughter of a station employee has beautiful skin but, needed some correction of darkness under her eyes. As I mentioned in my post "Makeup Lesson On Location" under-eye circles are the number one beauty trouble zone. I made up half of her face prior to the taping of the show then, demonstrated on camera some of the key concepts behind getting "camera ready." In just five minutes you'll see lots of great tips and information in this news segment. Contact me for your personal or group session to learn makeup techniques that will take you from the boardroom to the ballroom.

Summer Beauty Aid

I don't know about you, but I am making some major adjustments to my skin care regime this summer.

The heat and the humidity have made my dry skin more sensitive. In my search for a different product to soothe my irritated skin I found this lovely oil absorbing lotion from one of my favorite product lines, La Mer. While I don't suffer from excess oil I thought my readers who do, would appreciate knowing about this product. You can use it under your sunscreen, makeup or any other skin care product. It's also recommended for adult acne. It could be just the thing to re-balance your skin during these hot and humid summer months. Available on line or at specialty retailers.

Tan for your wedding day? Think Again!

To Tan or Not Tan…

If you are naturally a bronzed goddess then perhaps this is not an issue for you. Yet you may want to continue reading just in case you’re considering that extra bronze glow for your wedding day.

Do you get your tan the natural way? or in a tanning booth? Have you opted for more health conscious options like spray on tans and bronzing makeup?

Temporary tanning requires planning. You’ll want it to be fresh for your wedding day. If you are using a tanning booth, PLEASE DO NOT OVERDUE IT. Photographers are using digital cameras now and too much red in your skin will stand out.!

Many brides who are naturally pale feel they should tan because the dress is pale or white. Should this be the case? Maybe, I would suggest you ask a professional, (makeup artist or photographer) opinion before you do it. The color of the dress, even white, can have warm or cool tones, which compliment your skin tone and will not make you look washed out. A tan gone wrong cannot be hidden the day of your wedding.

If you plan to take a beach trip or lay outside to tan, be conscious of tan lines. A good makeup artist can minimize them but the makeup may come off on the dress. Yes, the photos can be retouched in Photoshop but you can’t Photoshop the moment you walk down the aisle in your gorgeous dress, beautiful hair and flawless makeup and tan lines, which spoil the whole effect.)

Finally the color of the face, neck and ALL visible skin should match. If you meet with a makeup artist for a consultation prior to the wedding and you plan to be a different color on the wedding day you need to let them know.

As with all things related to “ the big day” a bit of advance planning will go a long way to a happy ending.
This originally appeared on strictlyweddings.com/blog

And the winner is...

It's official, Lash Blast has replaced Great Lash in my heart and in my makeup kit.
This mascara really gets the job done. Even my skimpy blonde lashes look longer, thicker and make my eyes pop. Since I switched to Lash Blast I've had more compliments on my eyes than ever before. Really.

Climate proof your skin

I love fall, bittersweet, pumpkins, changing trees, acorns falling, the cool, crisp air, it's my favorite time of year. It's also the most challenging time of year for my skin because I have genetically dry skin. Dry, crisp air means I have to try harder to lubricate my skin from the inside out, and so should you.

In this part of the world most people have combination skin or dry skin. However many people mistakenly believe their skin is oily. To that end, they do everything they can to dry up the imaginary, excess oil. This is totally wrong. Moisture is the best way to combat fine lines and wrinkles. It also helps create a healthy epidermis which protects our skin from disease and the elements.

Here are my tips for lubricating, aka moisturizing, your skin without creating breakout.
Most of them you've heard before. If you've heard it before think about it...it must work!
1. Drink plenty of clean, filtered water. 2. Get your essential fatty acids. 3. Avoid washing your face with soap and water. Use a lotion cleanser. 4. Apply a light hydrating lotion after cleansing. A few I like are Kinerase - Hydraboost, Kate Sommerville - Quench, Complex 15, an oil free lotion.

Your skin will thank you for it.

Correcting Summer Sun Damage

Long before I was a professional makeup artist I had a passionate and innate interest in skin care.
Thanks to my mother, I developed a regular skin care routine as a teenager.

When I began to study makeup artistry one of the most important things I learned was how to correct uneven skin tones and skin imperfections. One of the top 10 questions I'm asked is how to perfect the skin.

We now know that avoiding long term, direct sun especially without any SPF or other protection is one of the best ways to keep your skin smooth and damage free. For those of us who already have sun damage, and that's most of us, please watch the next DFW Closeup. Reporter Vanessa Brown and I will talk about what causes sun damage and how to minimize it. I'll have info on the latest and greatest products to help lighten, brighten and tighten your summer skin.

DFW Closeup - CW33
Sunday, September 13, 2009
7:00 am, CST

Please watch it here and feel free to post your comments.

Flawless Skin is in fashion

Many of you know that I was treated for a basal cell carcinoma in February this year. If you didn't know you can check out the news segment under the "reel" tab on my website. Then look under " in front of the camera." The segment, titled, Skin Cancer Takes Friends was really important to me. My experience taught me a lot and the main thing was this, most people have no idea what the signs of skin cancer are or an understanding of the cause or prevention. I talked about my experience in an effort to raise awareness and understanding.

I've also had the opportunity to try many new products that contain SPF, sun protection factors. I learned a lot about the ingredients in these products and how they work. Most sunscreens now contain a chemical block like oxybenzone and octocrylene. These work by absorbing the suns damaging rays. Avobenzone is a new ingredient that is very popular. However, it breaks down when exposed to sunlight so you must constantly reapply.
Then there are mineral blocks like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. These actually block the suns rays, in other words, they do not allow the sun to penetrate the skin at all. They do not break down in sunlight. Zinc has gotten a bad rap because it's white and everyone thinks, " lifeguard." But newer formulations are micronized and blend much better on the skin so you don't have that white face look.
A combination of the chemical and the block to me seems the best way to go.
Natures Gate and Origins both make products that fit this category.

La Roche-Posay has come out with a new product which contains anthelios. I tried this product when I was in Rome where the sun is brutal in the summer, much like Texas.
This product is far superior to anything I've tried so far when it comes to blocking the sun and it stays put, even when sweating and wearing hats. My scar is on my forehead so it was challenging to keep my head covered 100% of the time. With this sunscreen I was able to protect my skin and keep my scar from hyperpigmenting.
In the USA the strongest you can get is 40. Many dermatologists are now carrying it and you can also purchase it on line. In Dallas, you can get it thru Park Cities Dermatology.