To Find Out How You'll Age, a New Study Says to Look to This Key Family Member

Got wrinkles? Blame your mom. An animal study published earlier this week in the journal Nature suggests that how well (or not well) we'll age is partially determined by the genes passed down from mother to child.

What researchers looked at in mice was the "the mitochondrion" of cells (aka the cells' power plants) and found that mDNA with mutations inherited from the mother in particular accelerated the aging process.

But wait--don't send your mom a box of black roses just yet. This is merely one factor. Whether it's possible to stop this mDNA damage by living well hasn't been determined yet. So your lifestyle might really be mostly to blame for those fine lines after all. But, for now, if you want to know how you'll age, how your mom is handling the process might help give you some clues (like Eva Amurri and her mom Susan Sarandon up there).

You can read more about the findings at sciencedaily.com. 

How to Make Your Face Look Thinner with Makeup

You wouldn't know it by looking at those taupe and beige shades in your makeup palette, but they're actually the secret to a perfectly defined face. The right neutral tones can bring out your eyes, sculpt your nose and chisel your cheekbones. "Contouring with dark and light colors creates the best version of yourself," says makeup artist Linda Hay. Still, it takes some artistry to master the technique. Here, Hay gives us a lesson in contouring 101 for a gorgeous effect.

By Kari Molvar

 

Step 1: Work some magic

"Contouring can be very technical but the basic theory is that you want to use dark, matte shades on areas you want to recede and absorb light, such as the sides of the nose and pockets of the cheeks, and light, shimmery shades on those you want to bring forward and reflect light, like the tops of the cheeks." 

Step 2: Get the right kit

"I like contouring kits, since they have all the shades you need right there and some, like Smashbox's Step-By-Step, have application instructions inside, too." 

Step 3: Learn the dark arts

"With the darkest color in the kit, I sculpt under the height of the cheekbones and diagonally down toward the jawline using a small round brush and feathering the edges. This deepens the hollows of the cheeks, creating the illusion of depth there. You can also do the sides of your nose for a slimmer shape." 

Step 4: Play with dimension

"I sweep the medium color over the tops of the apples and into the hollows of the cheeks, feathering it away toward the corner of the mouth. I also go around the hair line under the jawline to define the face, and make it more three-dimensional." 

Step 5: Catch the light

"I use the lightest color on top of the cheekbones then swoop it underneath the eyes and gently on top of the brow bone. You can also do the bridge of the nose and just the top of the chin in a small circle to bring the face forward." 

Step 6: Don't forget blush

"Lastly, I like to add a little color to the face to bring it to life. I'll usually go for a pretty pink blush and apply it a little bit further back than the apples of the cheeks. It's a simple trick that adds more dimension, and you're done." NARS Orgasm Blush, $29, sephora.com.

5 Surprising Ways to Get Great Skin

by Starre Vartan, Mother Nature Network

There's so much misinformation out there regarding skin care, not to mention plenty of old-wives' tales (some of which are actually right) and lots of well-intentioned bad advice. That's because skin care is tricky, and depends on your skin type. However, there are some tried and true rules - most of which violate at least a rule or two you may have heard elsewhere - that really do work for all skin types.

How have I learned the information below? From speaking with skin experts, makeup artists (natural and conventional) and testing out literally thousands of products over the last 10 years that I've been reviewing natural beauty products.

1. You don't need to wash your face with hot water to get it clean: In fact, hot water can cause redness and irritation in people with sensitive skin, and for those with normal skin, it can still dry out delicate facial skin, leaving it more susceptible to all kinds of issues, from red, flaky dermis to acne. Wash your face with mildly warm to air-temperature water. It will get the job done without irritating your skin. The same goes for the rest of your body; it may feel good to burn it up in the shower, but especially as cool weather draws closer, this is guaranteed to irritate your skin.

2. Oil is good for your skin, not bad: Many vegetable oils are old-school ways of moisturizing the skin that we have long ignored. (I can't be the only one who has heard stories of her great-grandmother lathering her hands up with olive oil and then wearing cotton gloves to bed). You can wash your face with coconut oil or slather it on after you've showered; same with sesame oil and olive oil (go with the smell you prefer). After using an oil a couple of times, you will notice that your skin - whether oily or dry - evens out and is either less oily or more naturally moisturized. Most new formulations of high-end beauty products contain skin-protecting oils because they work (use argan or sea buckthorn oils on your face if you want to start with a lighter lipid first).
3. You don't need to scrub to exfoliate: Scrubbing with most drug-store brand cleansing scrubs is much too harsh for most skin types (more frequent and harder face-washing can actually exacerbate acne, so lighten up). Instead of using toxin- and chemical-packed scrubs in a tube, exfoliate naturally using fruit. As long as you are not allergic (obviously), rubbing the inside skin of a fresh mango, mashed strawberries, or fresh pineapple chunks directly on your face, leaving the natural, fruit acid AHAs on there for a few minutes, then rinsing off, is the best exfoliator you can get. This method may be a little too much for extra-sensitive skin, but works well for all other skin types.

4. What matters most for healthy skin is not what you put on it, but what you eat: A healthy diet with lots of fresh fruits and veggies, lots of water (and maybe a skin-benefiting tea), minimal alcohol and plenty of sweat-drenching exercise will make skin glow more than any expensive cleanser or moisturizer. You'll feel great too.

5. Chocolate doesn't cause acne, but bread and pasta might: There have never been any conclusive studies linking chocolate-eating to acne, though there have been some that connect high-glycemic foods to breakouts.