I'm delighted to introduce Leoni Drobinski, a Boston born Lady who loves organic and eco beauty... She is also passionate about natural skincare, health and loves yoga and pilates. Oh yes...and she's also is crazy about chocolate cupcakes and brownies. Her Motto.....
Enjoy life!
Leoni Drobinski
When I think of beauty, I think of women that have graced our lives with their natural beauty, personality, style and grace - women like Jackie Kennedy Onassis,
Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor,
Sophia Loren
and Grace Kelly.
We are born with the looks that God has given us and some are more fortunate than others in that department. Every woman has the potential to be beautiful if they learn how to enhance their natural beauty with the appropriate products and techniques. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder as they say. Caring for your skin is a work in progress and can take years off your age if you have an effective and disciplined beauty routine.
My Australian born mother (also named Leonie but with an e) had the most beautiful and soft velvet skin, as did her mother before her.
Mum had flowing hair down to her bottom with beautiful dark brown eyes that captured my father's attention when he was stationed in Australia as an American Air Force serviceman/ meteorologist from Long Island. My mother's sister, who is 92 years young, has the same translucent skin with classical high cheekbones and natural beauty. All her life Mum only used Ponds Cold Cream on her face and never used soap. I must admit I have never used soap on my skin either. Lipstick was the beauty item for my mother and she would always wear it before my father arrived home at the end of the working day. I have inherited my mother's love of lipstick to this day and never go without it, except on the weekends. I am a recent fan of lip gloss as the gloss finishes off your lipstick to a T.
Your face is like a canvas and women should learn what suits them the best, according to their skin color, skin texture and face shape. There are some great products on the market to choose from and some of my favorites that I can't live without include Maybelline mascara, lip gloss, blush, foundation and concealer (for those nasty blemishes) Women can get blemishes at any age. Knowing how to apply makeup is another key factor in looking beautiful. Some women are blessed with good skin straight up, but others like me have to learn to take care of our skin and use products that are beneficial to your particular skin type. Fish oil tablets, taken daily, give your skin a healthy glow and I highly recommend them. See your doctor first for advice if you have a medical condition. You will certainly notice the difference in the quality of your skin which will leave you looking radiant. People often ask what I have on my skin and I giggle as it is the effects of the fish oil. I am the happiest when my skin is in peak condition.
As you grow older (no one likes to think about that), your skin tends to dry out and you need to change your beauty routine. Change becomes more obvious as a result of hormones and menopause. Getting a proper assessment from a skin specialist is a worthwhile investment. Using sunscreen daily will help your skin from drying out and keep the skin moist and supple. Place sunscreen on your beauty stand with your other creams so you don't forget to use it in the mornings. Make this a routine. The skin needs to be protected against harmful sun rays, pollution and the environment. I live in Brisbane, Australia, which has the highest skin cancer rate in the world. We are lucky to have 300 days of sunshine per year but this may have a detrimental affect on the quality of our skin. Always wear a hat or umbrella when in the sun and you will have youthful and unwrinkled skin.
The most important factor about skin care is to cleanse your face twice a day. If you wear makeup during the day you need to cleanse again. Moisturizing should be another element of your daily regime and you should invest in a good eye and neck cream. The neck area is where the first sign of ageing begins for women. A good neck massage technique is to use your hands, making gentle upward movements a few times after putting on your neck cream. The skin around the neck is delicate so don't be too rough. You can be a little rough on your face when you give yourself a vigorous massage to waken up the skin and pinch your face. Exfoliate twice a week - but if you have delicate or sensitive skin like myself, exfoliate once a week (including your body), when you are standing in the shower. Some women prefer dry brushing prior to the shower. Gloves are ideal for this and may help reduce cellulite on your legs.
Women are too focused on ageing, rather than just enjoying life and maintaining excellent health by exercise and eating healthy food. Rejoice in your age, feel comfortable and start being active in your daily life. If you look younger than your real age count yourself blessed and grow old gracefully.
It is going to happen to everyone eventually. Live life to the full and be happy. My aunt died a few years ago and she was almost 95 years young. Aunt Addie never looked her age (she looked years younger) and took care of herself with fruit and cereal (normally bran) for breakfast, a healthy lunch and a small dinner with a cocktail. The cocktail came first, before dinner. I learned so much about life wisdom from her and the most important thing she taught me was not to stress and learn to laugh more in life. Her infectious and positive attitude kept her young at heart and won her many
friends and admirers.
Natural beauty also involves overall health and well being and taking care of yourself. It is important to keep a diary or electronic calendar of your health appointments throughout the year. As you age your body is like a car and needs to have a fine tune up every once and awhile. Regular health appointments are the key to a long, happy and energetic life.
Some of the exercises I suggest for over fabulous 40s bodies include walking, cycling, boxing, swimming, pilates and yoga. Walking does help in eliminating some of that terrible middle age spread that is common with women over the age of 40. The health benefits of walking are great when you consider this activity lowers your blood pressure, lifts your heart rate and gives you a higher life expectancy. You don't have to buy fancy equipment to start your fitness program - only proper walking shoes to avoid foot, ankle, knee and hip problems. Enjoy the outdoors, walk up to 60 minutes per day and throw in a power walk for 10 minutes. Even window shopping is classified as a walking activity and can actually increase your heart rate by doing something you love.
Studies show that over a period of time you actually lose weight and regain your fitness and flexibility. Walking also helps you sleep better at night. So many women have trouble sleeping these days. A drop of lavender oil on your pillowcase may help you have a restful and peaceful sleep. Yoga is ideal for your bones and a healthy spine and stretching reduces injuries due to better flexibility and balance later in life. Scheduling your exercise program is a challenge even for the busiest people so try and fit in as best you can. Make time to be healthy and be rewarded for your effort. Leoni's top beauty tips include.....
NEVER go to bed without taking off your makeup completely, no matter how tired you are!
Drink lots of water to stay hydrated and your skin will reap the rewards
Use a soft face cloth on your face to get rid of makeup and grime.
Cleanse and moisturize twice every day. Night cream is a must while sleeping.
Exfoliate your face and body at least once a week. Get a glove for your body.
Keep your makeup brushes in peak condition by washing them on a regular basis. I wash my brushes regularly in a little organic shampoo and the brushes
are soft and gentle on my skin
. 
Condition and protect dry hands by first using hand cream and then by wearing cotton gloves to bed.
To prevent dryness on feet, rub foot cream on them and wear light cotton socks to bed. Your feet will be soft in the morning.
Use a brightener on your skin and skin conditioner to enhance the texture of your skin.
Wear sunscreen 30 plus daily and invest in a good quality eye cream that will not make your eyeliner run.
If over 40 and beyond use a soft liquid foundation that has a tinted glow, giving you a youthful look and complimenting your natural beauty. Heavy foundations will only highlight wrinkles.
Use make up pads with extra virgin olive oil added for a gentle makeup remover. Olive oil is also excellent as a hair
conditioner before shampooing.
Give yourself a facial, hair and nourishing treatment at least once a week, if possible. Making your own home facial can be fun!
Make time for yourself each day by meditating or doing yoga. Only stress at the big things in life. Being happy will show in your face and be your best beauty asset. Stress only gives wrinkles and gray hairs.
While applying lipstick, if you don't like the shade of color, mix with another for a deeper shade or totally different color. You might be surprised at the result.
Leoni
Bourne Natural Beauty
Brisbane Australia
Email Address : Bournenaturalbeauty@gmail.com
On Twitter @Bournenatural
Thank you so much Leoni for being a Guest Blogger today on the Maybelline Book Blog. Your health and beauty tips are the perfect key to a happy, healthy and productive lifestyle. You did a great job and should be very proud of your article.
Be sure to check out my grandmother's home made Mud-Pack and see what else she did to keep her skin dewy fresh throughout her life. Just click on Beauty Secrets at the top of the page.
Also I hope you read The Maybelline Story and tell all your friends in Australia to do the same. Also don't forget to tell your friends and family to check out you're post today and see if you can work your way up the top "10 most popular posts of the week chart." It's a lot of fun seeing your popularity growing each day!!!
Hope to meet you someday, Best, Sharrie Williams
