Style and Makeup Throughout the Decades

The 1920s

The “Roaring Twenties” was a transformational time in women’s fashion. It left behind the conservative styles of the 1910s, consisting long skirts and large hats. Clothes were now less restricting, including shorter dresses and heavy makeup. As World War I was ending, a new woman emerged. The “flapper” most prominently transformed the style of the 1920s woman as she cut her hair, wore makeup, and participated in party activities such as drinking and dancing. Paired along with this change in fashion, the makeup included ivory foundation- making the skin look almost white, contrasting with the heavily applied bold red lipstick. Thin and penciled eyebrows are also common amongst flapper’s classic façade. Women most generally used dark, heavy, and dramatic eye makeup to create their smoky eye look. Made generally from soot and lead, the makeup was used for eyeliner and applied all around the eye. Next, heavy mascara was applied- the first generation was made of wax! Makeup was one of the most vital parts of women’s style in the 1920s and majorly assisted them in asserting their independence.

The 1940s

            Full skirts and tight waists replaced the popular flapper style among women in the 1940s .  Clothing now communicated a more elegant vibe, as did the makeup and hair, such as curled hair and bright red lipstick. Differing from the 1920s, makeup included more prominent eyebrows, slightly tanned foundation, and minimum eye makeup giving off a glamorous vibe. Light rose face powder was generally applied to the face, as pink and reds were very popular makeup colors. In addition, the color rouge was fashionable, coming in the form of compressed powder to be applied to cheeks and lips for lasting color. The 1940s pulled away from the risqué flapper look and lead into a more classic era for women’s style.

 The 1960s

            Completely recreating and reconstructing women’s style was the groovy 1960s. Style icons such as Twiggy promoted a fashion that broke previous traditions. Makeup included false eyelashes because eyes were highlighted to be the main focus of the face.  Lips were generally kept natural, peach and pale pinks were common. As for eyebrows, thick, neat, or drawn on were all popular methods and styles. Hairstyles varied dramatically, from short bobs to bangs. Clothes were short and typically had psychedelic prints and patterns. The age of nice dressing transitioned to casual wear- a breakthrough in the evolution of fashion. The major switch from fancy dresses to jeans and shirts sparked the 1960s counter culture that represented rebellion and freedom.

The 1980s

             Taking clothing and makeup to a whole new level, fashion plummeted into the world of bright colors and legwarmers: the 1980s. Colorful leggings and sneakers were popular among women- especially if bright! Following Madonna’s lead, short skirts and fishnet gloves were worn. Makeup played a part in this wild era, the main focus being bright colors and eye shadow. Bold, bright, and big- the guidelines that most women of that era followed! Bright cheeks were common, as was dramatic eye shadow- ranging from blues, purples, and greens. The fun era of the 1980s gave women so much personality- especially when expressed through makeup and style!

The 2000s

         Shifting into a more modern and calm area, the 2000s moved away from the wild 1980s. Replaced with various different styles, most fit into the category of casual. Some of the various fashions of today include bohemian, preppy, edgy, bright, dramatic, minimalistic, and urban. All styles of the 2000s are very different- but nothing is too out of the ordinary. Makeup follows that trend, as it is generally more natural. Mascara, eyeliner, and nude lips are most commonly seen among women in the 2000s. Fashion has finally met a medium- women can dress and wear makeup in their own personal style versus the previous era’s trend of embracing the style of their time. No matter the year, fashion and makeup has established women’s independence and has assisted women throughout time embrace their femininity.

Nail Knowledge Part II

Splitting nails is often a frustrating problem. Fancy nail polishes and vitamins do not cure split fingernails! Hydration of the nail and proper nail care is vital to the strength of your nails. Water must be within the nail to allow it to be flexible and bend with pressure or force. Glycerin, lactic acid and urea are humectants which bind water to the skin and hold water in the nail plate. 

Here are a few tips to avoid splitting fingernails:

1. Shorten nail length
2. Do not tap nails on hard surfaces like your computer keyboard
3. Keep the skin around the nail in good condition by not picking at the skin or biting the skin around the nail; the outside skin represents the condition of the nail itself. 
4. Wear gloves when using any soaps, detergents, dish detergent or household cleaners. 
5. Avoid formaldehyde in nail care products as it can leave the nail dehydrated. 

Nail Knowledge Part I

For those you who hate repainting your nails every week after the polish chips off, nail shellacs are the answer. The chip-resistant and fade-resistant nail polish lasts for fourteen days and keeps your nails looking chic and healthy.

The shellacs are pigmented polymers that are painted on and bonded to the nail by UV radiation. They are polymerized in three layers with each layer hardened by exposure to the UV light to secure the pigmented polymers of the polish onto the nail. However, there are significant concerns about the safety of UV radiation. The blue/ purple color in the UV lamps at the salon has a wavelength in the visible and UV range that is poorly filtered by the eye and can reach the retina. Over time, this wavelength diminishes the lutein antioxidants stores in the eye, leading to macular degeneration, which impairs vision in the elderly.

Also, there is always a risk of skin cancer from any UV source. However, according to new studies, those concerns are unfounded. Researchers have found that there is a very low risk of squamous cell carcinoma with the UV radiation in the nail salon machines. Actually, only one person in tens of thousands will develop skin cancer because of nail salons’ UV radiation sources.

So if your nails are in need of a touch up, don’t hesitate to use shellacs, but here are some tips to keep you safe.

1. Ingest lutein vitamin supplements or eat more egg yolks, which are full of lutein, to prevent macular degeneration
2. Apply sunscreen to the back of hands to protect against the UV rays
3. ….even wear your sunglasses to the salon!

How To: Cover a Tattoo

1. Always start with a clean surface, exfoliate with a loofah or even better a  scrub like LANARI Skincare’s BEST EVER Sugar Scrub!
2. When you’re trying to build coverage, your hands do not allow easily buildable coverage because they absorb a lot of the product. Use a foundation brush (Makeup Forever 30N HD Brush $39).
3. Start with a thick foundation (depending on the size of what you are trying to cover up), apply in layers until the tattoo is no longer visible. An alternative to foundation is full coverage concealer, the best concealer is Makeup Forever Full Cover, industrial strength and full coverage; it also comes in a array of shades for a correct color match. If your foundation or concealer still is not covering completely, try DermaBlend Cosmetics. 
4. Once the tattoo is covered completely, don’t pack powder on. Dust lightly with a translucent setting powder (Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder) to help it stay on your skin and not end up on your clothes. 

Hot & Cold Foods

Dietary influences on the skin have been around for thousands of years. One of the lasting practices was the Chinese’s, which is based on the yin and yang theory. Yin and yang are opposing forces; yin represents the dark, cold, and males and yang represents the light, hot, and females. Every thing or event can be divided into yin or yang. This is most often seen with food. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) divides every food into five categories: hot, warm, neutral, cool, and cold.

According to TCM, every illness is also either yin or yang, and the distinction decides what foods you can eat to get better. If you have a yang disease, which is hot, you should eat cold/cool foods. Conversely, if you have a yin disease, which is cold, you should eat hot/warm foods. By eating certain foods, you restore balance to you qi, or lifeforce. Healthy people have a balanced qi.

Acne and other skin diseases also have been reported to be due to an unbalanced qi. This is often due to excess yang or heat in their body. This condition is known as yin deficiency, meaning that the body is lacking coldness. Yin deficiency manifests itself with lower back pain, agitation, hot flashes, night sweats, and most importantly: acne and skin rashes.  This imbalance can be fixed by altering the diet by eating foods in the cool and cold categories.

Some foods in the cool or cold categories include pears, apples, yogurt, broccoli, avocado, shellfish, and fish. In general, most raw fruits and vegetables are cool or cold, while meats and dairy products are neutral and warm. However, increasing dietary in cold foods is just as important as decreasing in warm or hot foods, like spices, onions, dairy, and meats.

The TCM belief of eating cool and cold foods to treat acne is supported by current dermatological findings linking acne to diet. Foods that are high in antioxidants, like raw fruits and vegetables, which are also low in fat and sugar, can help acne prone skin.  High intake of pastas, candy, chocolate, and dairy can increase acne breakouts. Dr. Talakoub recommends a diet evaluation if your acne is not improving on standard medical treatments. Call our office at 703-356-5111 if you need an acne examination of if you have questions about dietary influences in acne.  

Dr. Lily Discusses Solutions For Baggy Eyes:

Baggy Eye Solutions: The Skinny Podcast : Skin & Allergy News

Don't Let The Label Fool You! Part II

Broad spectrum means that the sunscreen has been tested to ensure it will provide sun protection against UVA & UVB rays.  What is the difference between UVA and UVB? UVA rays can pass through window glass and penetrate deeper into your skin. UVA rays can cause local suppression of the immune system, which can interfere with your immune system’s ability to protect you against the development and spread of skin cancer. UVA rays also damage the deeper layers of your skin leading to signs of aging the skin as wrinkling and age spots. The UVB rays are burning rays, which are blocked by window glass, and are the primary cause of sunburn. So UVA rays are the aging rays and UVB are the burning rays. Excessive exposure to both forms of UV rays can lead to the development of skin cancer.

Two products with broad spectrum coverage are Anthelios and Elta M.D. McLean Dermatology & Skincare Center offers a full line of skincare products including sunscreens and daily moisturizers with SPF. You should wear SPF daily even on rainy or cloudy days! Even though many products are labeled as broad spectrum, not all products cover the ENTIRE UVA spectrum.