Beauty is all about light. We areconstantly in search of glowing skin, sparkling eyes, and shiny hair. In fact,(as any movie star will tell you) much of what passes for external beauty is acarefully controlled mixture of reflection, absorption and shadow.
People with shiny, oily skin try to make itmatte, absorbing light so pores also appear smaller. Powder is the mostfrequent remedy for shiny skin, and the finer the powder, the more likely yourchances of applying it effectively. Cheap powders can cake, or may contain talcthat irritates skin.
As women age, our skin tends to dry out, soolder women are often concerned with achieving a slightly shiny finish, whichcan be done with powders or foundations containing mica. Unfortunately, micacan also irritate skin or create sparkle (not glow), which is all right in theevening, by candlelight, but looks garish in broad daylight. Best of all inachieving glow without sparkle or grease, is finding the right moisturizer. Agood moisturizer combines water with some sort of lipid, which helps skinabsorb the water and hold onto it. The most popular lipids these days come fromthe all-powerful soybean plant.
Aside from using the right cosmetics, thereare a few things you can do in regards to light to increase your outer beauty.First of all, pay attention to the light in your house. Your bathroom or theroom where you do your makeup should have strong, natural light. It plays hellwith your ego, but you’re more likely to catch stray hairs or makeup mistakesbefore leaving the house, not after. Replace anything fluorescent with halogentrack lights, use bright but soft-white bulbs in common areas, and make sureyour reading lamp is bright but without glare, to prevent eyestrain.
If you’re going out for lunch and want tolook your best, sit with the light behind you, and let the other person get thelight in his or her face. You’ll get a halo, and your lunch partner will betemporarily blinded. Choose a shadowed spot over a bright window: it’ll keepthe UV rays off your epidermis, defray crow’s feet for another month, andsoften the focus.
Anytime you can opt for candlelight atdinner, do that. I can’t think of a person in the world who doesn’t look betterby candlelight: its soft, flickering play softens features, tones uneven colorsand hides a multitude of skin imperfections. (Why do you think the bestrestaurants are also the candlelit ones?)
You can’t give makeup for a gift (it wouldbe like giving control-top panty hose), but you can give the gift of perfectlight. When I’m not sure what to give someone, I always choose candles andcandleholders. I’m of the firm opinion that you can never have too manycandles, and you can make them fit any gift occasion by altering their numberor composition. If you want to spend a hundred dollars on something great, youcan buy beeswax pillars. If you have six bucks, you can get a nice scentedcandle in a glass holder. Last week, I bought some terrific, exotic sandalwoodcandles for a co-worker’s birthday present, and had enough money left to buymyself a bunch, too.
Light has another important role inbeauty--the beauty that comes from feeling happy and healthy. Research on lighthas shown that the amount of light most of us experience from day to day isinadequate for keeping us healthy. You have probably heard of SeasonalAffective Disorder (SAD), in which people experience profound depression duringthe winter time, when light grows scarce. In northern regions like Scandinavia , Canada and Siberia , depression is significantlygreater than in sunny, southern lands. But there are ways to mediate theeffects of short, northern, winter-time days. SAD has long been treated byhaving sufferers sit under full-spectrum lights that mimic sunlight. A short exposureto bright light in the morning increases energy, decreases appetite and makesus feel better.
The human brain needs light coming throughthe eyes in order to create and release optimal amounts of serotonin, animportant chemical for brain functioning. Without enough serotonin, we becomesleepy, slow and depressed. Our bodies don't metabolize the way they should,leading to weight gain. As research becomes more sophisticated, we begin tounderstand the importance of daily amounts of bright light for our mental andphysical health.
Outdoor light, even on a rainy day, isapproximately twenty times the amount of normal indoor light. Since most of usspend our days inside, the available light is drastically cut, resulting indepression, lethargy, and a craving for sweets that hits hard once or twice aday. It is possible to remediate the effects of inadequate light by purchasinga full-spectrum light, or by making an extra effort to get outside for an hourduring the day.
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