Nothing can distract like a floral print
The weather has been so terrible that it makes little difference whether you wear your bikini during the day or night. Either way you will not get a tan. We intended to photograph them as the sun went down. In fact, the sun neither rose nor fell. Never mind, it's amazing what a whopping great flash can do.
In any case, the lighting was better than in the average changing room, where an ugly glow tends to dapple the skin, highlighting stretch marks and cellulite. It takes a leap of imagination to believe you will ever look anything but awful.
At times like these a loud floral bikini seems a terrible idea. This is the wrong attitude. The more pattern, the more camouflage. The eye is drawn to fabric rather than flesh. There are other good reasons for wearing floral bikinis. They're cheerful, unpretentious and very, very English. You can wear them in the garden and look kitsch, at Hunstanton, and look witty, or on the Riviera, and look like everyone else. The louder and naffer the pattern, the better.
In fact, bikinis are the great exception to fashion. Sometimes the craze is for tiny swatches of fabric suspended from silver threads, some times for shorts and bra combos that wouldn't disgrace the Olympic running track. Whatever, the devoted bikini wearer knows what suits her and buys it year in, year out.
The best bikinis are not only trend-defying but also gravity-defying; they hoist up, push in and pull out while appearing to be barely there. Of course, some of the best will also cost an arm and a leg.
You can't always spend your way to a good fit, however. Often it's a matter of plain old leg work - stepping out of one bikini and into the next until you find the best for you.
If you can find a cheap one, buy it. Unless you plan to avoid all contact with salt water, sand, pebbles and rough wooden boat seats - in which case you have missed the point of holidays - then an expensive swimsuit may soon look the same as a cheap one. Snags will pucker those pricey slips of fabrics (some bikinis work out at around Pounds 10 per square inch) and sand will wreck the texture. It's not worth it. Buy a nice cheap bikini - but not one that's too rock bottom, so to speak - a little thought should have gone into its construction.
The most expensive on this page is by Huit, the French swimwear company that specialises in little tiny flowery things that still provide Bardoesque buttressing. The cheapest is by La Redoute, the French mail order catalogue. Knickerbox has come up trumps again with another a great pattern, while Next still does bargain swimwear better than most. A Slix bikini is less expensive than you might fear.
In any case, the lighting was better than in the average changing room, where an ugly glow tends to dapple the skin, highlighting stretch marks and cellulite. It takes a leap of imagination to believe you will ever look anything but awful.
At times like these a loud floral bikini seems a terrible idea. This is the wrong attitude. The more pattern, the more camouflage. The eye is drawn to fabric rather than flesh. There are other good reasons for wearing floral bikinis. They're cheerful, unpretentious and very, very English. You can wear them in the garden and look kitsch, at Hunstanton, and look witty, or on the Riviera, and look like everyone else. The louder and naffer the pattern, the better.
In fact, bikinis are the great exception to fashion. Sometimes the craze is for tiny swatches of fabric suspended from silver threads, some times for shorts and bra combos that wouldn't disgrace the Olympic running track. Whatever, the devoted bikini wearer knows what suits her and buys it year in, year out.
The best bikinis are not only trend-defying but also gravity-defying; they hoist up, push in and pull out while appearing to be barely there. Of course, some of the best will also cost an arm and a leg.
You can't always spend your way to a good fit, however. Often it's a matter of plain old leg work - stepping out of one bikini and into the next until you find the best for you.
If you can find a cheap one, buy it. Unless you plan to avoid all contact with salt water, sand, pebbles and rough wooden boat seats - in which case you have missed the point of holidays - then an expensive swimsuit may soon look the same as a cheap one. Snags will pucker those pricey slips of fabrics (some bikinis work out at around Pounds 10 per square inch) and sand will wreck the texture. It's not worth it. Buy a nice cheap bikini - but not one that's too rock bottom, so to speak - a little thought should have gone into its construction.
The most expensive on this page is by Huit, the French swimwear company that specialises in little tiny flowery things that still provide Bardoesque buttressing. The cheapest is by La Redoute, the French mail order catalogue. Knickerbox has come up trumps again with another a great pattern, while Next still does bargain swimwear better than most. A Slix bikini is less expensive than you might fear.
Dermatend: The Latest Wrinkles
There's no market as rich in hype and hokum as that for "anti-aging" and "anti-wrinkle" skin-care products. Though the claims made for many of these creams and lotions are without substance, the ingredients in some
products (with names like Age Management Serum, Night Repair, and Turnaround Cream) are being seriously studied by scientists and may hold some promise. Retin-A, which started getting lots of publicity a few years ago, is the best-known anti-wrinkle cream. What are these anti-aging ingredients, and what do we really know about them?
Retin-A. This vitamin A derivative (generic name, tretinoin) is a prescription drug approved by the FDA only to treat severe acne. Years ago, dermatologists began to notice that in some older patients the drug not only cleared up acne, but also smoothed out some wrinkles and reduced blemishes. Subsequent research found that Retin-A can reduce fine wrinkles, restore collagen formation, and produce rosier skin - to some extent. A small study found that it can help fade age spots. A manufacturer is now seeking approval from the FDA for tretinoin specifically as an anti-wrinkle drug, to be called Renova.
The drug's effect is usually subtle; it has little effect on deep or coarse facial wrinkles. The immediate effect of Retin-A is skin inflammation lasting two weeks to several months. In other words, for minor improvements, you may have a red, swollen, peeling face for a month or more. And you'll need to continue with the drug indefinitely to maintain any improvement. No one knows what its long-term effects may be. Finally, since it isn't known how much Retin-A is absorbed through the skin, and high doses of vitamin A can cause birth defects, pregnant women-or those who may become pregnant-should
not use the drug.
Retinol, retinyl palmitate, and other vitamin A derivatives. Because some doctors are reluctant to prescribe Retin-A for people who don't have acne, certain skin-care companies are promoting nonprescription skin creams containing vitamin A relatives as if these ingredients worked against wrinkles like Retin-A, but without the side effects. Despite the claims, the evidence that these other forms of vitamin A lessen wrinkles is far from conclusive. For instance, some animal studies have found that retinol may improve the skin's connective tissue, which weakens with aging and sun exposure. But the amounts of retinol and other compounds actually used in these products may be too low to have any effect on the skin. And if the concentrations were increased, there would be a greater risk of side effects-and of toxicity if these vitamin A derivatives are absorbed through the skin.
Vitamin C and E. The theory behind using these two antioxidants on the skin is that if - and that's a big if-they penetrate the outer layer of skin and settle in the dermis, they may scavenge free radicals (created by ultraviolet rays) and retard skin damage. Unpublished preliminary research by scientists at Duke University Medical Center suggested that a high-concentration solution of vitamin C can be absorbed through the skin and may protect against sun damage in people. Other studies, mostly using animals, have had inconsistent results.
For more reference on dermatend read http://thebeautyreviewer.com- Does DermaTend Work? We Have the Truth.
The research on the anti-aging properties of vitamin E has also had inconsistent results. The vitamin does have a legitimate use on the skin. Because it's an
oil, it works as a moisturizer - that is, it keeps the skin's moisture from evaporating-whether it's used as a cosmetic ingredient or applied straight from the capsule. But, as such, it's no more effective than mineral oil, petroleum jelly, or other moisturizing ingredients. There have been reports of skin irritation caused by vitamin E as well as C.
Glycolic acid and other alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs). Derived originally from fruit, sugar, or milk, these "exfoliants" have been used for years by dermatologists in facial peels - sometimes with extreme irritation. They are supposed to make the skin smoother and less wrinkled by making it shed
or peel. Various over-the-counter creams and lotions now contain low levels of these acids (higher concentrations are available only by prescription). Many
dermatologists believe that the concentrations of AHAs in the nonprescription products are too low to have a significant effect on wrinkles.
Nayad and liposomes. These are found in many anti-aging cosmetics. Nayad is a yeast derivative that's touted as a restorative for the skin's connective tissue. There are no published data to support these claims. Liposomes act as fatty envelopes that are supposed to help other ingredients penetrate the skin. Again, the manufacturers supply no data to support any of the claims - it's wishful thinking, at best.
Bottom line. If you can't live with your wrinkles, talk to a dermatologist about the pros and cons of Retin-A. Don't assume that these other creams and lotions will help. Rather than trying to remove wrinkles, do what you can to prevent them: wear a potent sunscreen whenever you're in the sun (some cosmetics contain sunscreen ingredients). Any moisturizer will help your skin appear smoother, though it won't get rid of wrinkles.
You can also visit us
products (with names like Age Management Serum, Night Repair, and Turnaround Cream) are being seriously studied by scientists and may hold some promise. Retin-A, which started getting lots of publicity a few years ago, is the best-known anti-wrinkle cream. What are these anti-aging ingredients, and what do we really know about them?
Retin-A. This vitamin A derivative (generic name, tretinoin) is a prescription drug approved by the FDA only to treat severe acne. Years ago, dermatologists began to notice that in some older patients the drug not only cleared up acne, but also smoothed out some wrinkles and reduced blemishes. Subsequent research found that Retin-A can reduce fine wrinkles, restore collagen formation, and produce rosier skin - to some extent. A small study found that it can help fade age spots. A manufacturer is now seeking approval from the FDA for tretinoin specifically as an anti-wrinkle drug, to be called Renova.
The drug's effect is usually subtle; it has little effect on deep or coarse facial wrinkles. The immediate effect of Retin-A is skin inflammation lasting two weeks to several months. In other words, for minor improvements, you may have a red, swollen, peeling face for a month or more. And you'll need to continue with the drug indefinitely to maintain any improvement. No one knows what its long-term effects may be. Finally, since it isn't known how much Retin-A is absorbed through the skin, and high doses of vitamin A can cause birth defects, pregnant women-or those who may become pregnant-should
not use the drug.
Retinol, retinyl palmitate, and other vitamin A derivatives. Because some doctors are reluctant to prescribe Retin-A for people who don't have acne, certain skin-care companies are promoting nonprescription skin creams containing vitamin A relatives as if these ingredients worked against wrinkles like Retin-A, but without the side effects. Despite the claims, the evidence that these other forms of vitamin A lessen wrinkles is far from conclusive. For instance, some animal studies have found that retinol may improve the skin's connective tissue, which weakens with aging and sun exposure. But the amounts of retinol and other compounds actually used in these products may be too low to have any effect on the skin. And if the concentrations were increased, there would be a greater risk of side effects-and of toxicity if these vitamin A derivatives are absorbed through the skin.
Vitamin C and E. The theory behind using these two antioxidants on the skin is that if - and that's a big if-they penetrate the outer layer of skin and settle in the dermis, they may scavenge free radicals (created by ultraviolet rays) and retard skin damage. Unpublished preliminary research by scientists at Duke University Medical Center suggested that a high-concentration solution of vitamin C can be absorbed through the skin and may protect against sun damage in people. Other studies, mostly using animals, have had inconsistent results.
For more reference on dermatend read http://thebeautyreviewer.com- Does DermaTend Work? We Have the Truth.
The research on the anti-aging properties of vitamin E has also had inconsistent results. The vitamin does have a legitimate use on the skin. Because it's an
oil, it works as a moisturizer - that is, it keeps the skin's moisture from evaporating-whether it's used as a cosmetic ingredient or applied straight from the capsule. But, as such, it's no more effective than mineral oil, petroleum jelly, or other moisturizing ingredients. There have been reports of skin irritation caused by vitamin E as well as C.
Glycolic acid and other alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs). Derived originally from fruit, sugar, or milk, these "exfoliants" have been used for years by dermatologists in facial peels - sometimes with extreme irritation. They are supposed to make the skin smoother and less wrinkled by making it shed
or peel. Various over-the-counter creams and lotions now contain low levels of these acids (higher concentrations are available only by prescription). Many
dermatologists believe that the concentrations of AHAs in the nonprescription products are too low to have a significant effect on wrinkles.
Nayad and liposomes. These are found in many anti-aging cosmetics. Nayad is a yeast derivative that's touted as a restorative for the skin's connective tissue. There are no published data to support these claims. Liposomes act as fatty envelopes that are supposed to help other ingredients penetrate the skin. Again, the manufacturers supply no data to support any of the claims - it's wishful thinking, at best.
Bottom line. If you can't live with your wrinkles, talk to a dermatologist about the pros and cons of Retin-A. Don't assume that these other creams and lotions will help. Rather than trying to remove wrinkles, do what you can to prevent them: wear a potent sunscreen whenever you're in the sun (some cosmetics contain sunscreen ingredients). Any moisturizer will help your skin appear smoother, though it won't get rid of wrinkles.
You can also visit us