By now, it is common knowledge that exercise is not only how to keep our bodies fit and healthy, but also how to keep our brains in good shape, especially as we move forward into our 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond. Study after study confirm that physical activity is vital in helping us stay mentally alert as well as enhancing our cardiovascular and immune systems, among other benefits.

But here’s the thing: few of us relish the idea of exercising purely for the sake of exercising. Reasons vary from “It’s boring” to “I’ve never been physically active” to “I can’t get motivated,” to cite but some of the more common ones.

So, if we are going to take the plunge and engage in a regular exercise regime, we need support, help, techniques to get us up off that cozy couch into something more physically demanding than handling the remote.

Know Thyself

This technique may surprise some, but it’s very basic. For example, I hate running. I hated running after a ball when I was young and my mother insisted I learn to play tennis. I hated jogging when it was all the rage, and supposedly you could meet cute guys on the track. Which I never did, but that’s another story. If an activity involved running, I instantly counted myself out.

However, if physical activity involved music and dance, I was all over it. Ballet when I was young, jazz dancing in my 30s, ice dancing in my 40s, back to ballet in my 60s, and oh joy – the discovery of ballroom dancing in my 70s.

Know thyself. If what thrills you is running, find a form of exercise that features running. That may be jogging, or maybe not. It could be working the treadmill at your local gym; it could be trotting along with your beloved dog. It could be tennis or running to first base with your local softball team. There is any number of physical activities that incorporate running as a main feature.

There are so many different forms of exercise that, given a little thought and self-exploration, you will find one or more that appeal to you. You will be far more motivated to actually engage in the activity consistently if it resonates with who you are.

Have a Purpose

It’s a lot easier to keep yourself motivated and on track if you give yourself a goal, something tangible you are working towards. Otherwise, you may soon feel like a hamster on an endless wheel – same old thing day in, day out, week in, week out.

Pam Butcher, at 89, found a wonderful way of keeping her exercise choice motivating and rewarding. Although she started playing tennis in her earlier years, once her family was raised, Pam became intrigued by table tennis.

She started, as we all do, having to learn the sport, and in the process, got good at it. With that, Pam began to enter table tennis competitions, and in the years since has traveled far from her native U.K. to the U.S. and China among other countries, garnering medals as a World Table Tennis Champion in her age category.

Set Goals

Competition is a solid motivator for some. I know for myself, that competing as a ballroom dancer certainly gets me into that practice studio regularly. But if competition isn’t for you, that doesn’t matter. What matters is that you find a purpose for doing what you do. The easiest way to create a purpose is to set goals.

For example, if your joy is jogging, set yourself some weekly or monthly goals. Put those up on your fridge or bathroom mirror, and check off your goals as you attain them. If your activity involves learning a skill, like tennis or cycling, create goals that track your progress.

Be gentle with yourself. Positive reinforcement works best, so set small goals that are realistically achievable, and reward yourself with gold stars or a latte, whatever says “Yeah, me!” to you.

Be sure to include a victory phone call to your significant other or best friend. Eventually, you can set more long-term goals, such as running in a marathon or cycling with a team. Regardless of how small or large your goals are, sharing the results with someone who knows what your goals are and is supportive of you. It is a time-honored way of helping stay the course.

And staying the course is what it’s all about. Enjoy.

Is there a form of exercise you’d like to try? Why? What type of physical or mental benefits have you experienced after exercising regularly?

Minimal doesn’t mean no makeup, nor does it mean using all browns so that you blend in with the wallpaper. You are wonderful, beautiful, and have too much to offer in this crazy world to blend in! Minimal means simple but stylish makeup that stands out. It’s a technique.

As mature women, it means knowing when to draw the line on, well, lines! For example, using liquid liner, pencil, and strong colors can often look garish and overdone. It takes a practiced hand and some education to learn how to make-up so that it looks current and age appropriate, but it can be done.

In this video and article, I will go over some basics with minimal makeup for fall 2021, including what part to pop, blended eyeliner, and picking the right lip color.

Pick a Part to Pop

What is your best feature? Do you have beautiful eye color or shape? Or are your lips full and luscious? Or perhaps you have those magnificent cheekbones that many of us pine for? Whatever is your best feature, that is the one to focus on for minimal makeup.

A bride to-be recently emailed me a picture of the makeup trial run application for her fall wedding to get some advice on how to improve it. The makeup looked heavy and mask-like because the artist failed to pick a part to pop and instead applied heavy eyeliner, heavy pink blush, and too bright lips.

To have a more classic minimal look, I recommended that she focus on the bride’s large, expressive eyes, and then minimize everything else with softer tones and blending.

In the video, I demonstrate two parts to pop; the eyes or the lips. In the first, I used a deeper lipstick called Joanna by Jane Iredale, and in the second, I created a stronger eye using Naturally Matte Eyeshadow Palette. Both looks are easy to do, and use all the same colors except the lipstick. Perfect for WFH (Work from Home) Zoom meetings!

How to Blend Eye Liner

Minimal eye makeup starts with knowing how to blend eyeliner. You can actually use a fairly heavy and dark liner if it is well blended and the rest of the face is softened. Here’s my technique: Apply a pencil eyeliner using a liner that blends easily, like MAC Kajal Eyeliner in Brown Border.

Then use a soft brush like MAC blender brush #231 and run it along the line to soften it down. Do the same for the lower lash-line, being careful not to be too heavy on the line. You can then add a slight crease color so that your face doesn’t flatten out with the heavy liner. If you’d like, add a pop highlight shade to the lid for added dimension.

How to Pick Lip Color

Minimal looks require the right balance of intensity and neutrality in color choices. For example, if you’ve decided to accentuate your eyes, then pick a neutral lip shade to set it off. Try Jane Iredale Stephanie lipstick and Spice lip pencil for a soft but pretty pink.

If you want to make your lips the focal point with a minimal eye, then try a deep raspberry like Joanna Jane Iredale lipstick. The key component here is to have the eye look work in conjunction with the lip color to create a minimal but pretty fall look.

I find that using too skin toned of a lipstick can at times be flat and unexpressive on mature women. If this is the case, add a little lip gloss to brighten it up, like MAC C Thru, a wonderfully neutral but bright lip gloss that works with nearly any lipstick shade on lighter skin tones.

Minimal doesn’t mean no makeup, and it does mean add color in the right tone and quantity! Adding color, strategic blending, and deciding on what part to pop are stylistic challenges that reap huge rewards in the makeup department. As mature ladies, we can become adept at negotiating our color choices and techniques to look our best and stay current.

What does your minimalist fall look consist of? Have you explored minimal makeup techniques? What is your best feature to highlight with makeup? Let’s have a chat!

Tracy Tutor’s Coral and Gold Running Shoes While Working Out

Million Dollar Listing LA Season 13 Premiere Fashion

It wouldn’t be an episode of MDLLA without seeing Tracy Tutor working on her fitness in a cute workout look. And although we all may not have a hot, young personal trainer boyfriend like she has *brb while I go sign up for Equinox*, we can however have her coral and gold running shoes to take out for a spin.

Fashionably,

Faryn

Click Here to Shop Her Adidas Running Shoes in Many Colours

Originally posted at: Tracy Tutor’s Coral and Gold Running Shoes

ICYMI (which, you’d have to be living under a rock without cell service to), there’s a new viral TikTok beauty find that’s breaking the internet. Peter Thomas Roth’s Instant Firmx under-eye tightening gel has always been an anti-aging staple, but last week when 54-year-old TikToker @trinidad1967 posted a video of the product in action, it blew up. In the clip, she applies the cream to her under-eyes and the bags below practically disappear in under 3 minutes. It’s seriously some skincare sorcery. So far, her video has garnered more than 23 million views and has, of course, caused every Person Online out there to buy the product. 

Unfortunately, this means that the miracle gel is sold out practically everywhere — Ulta, Target, Sephora. Even on the PTR website itself, there’s a big bold disclaimer that states the brand is: “experiencing shipping delays” and “are working urgently to ship your order as quickly as possible.” Ugh. The power and peril of TikTok.

But don’t worry. If finding a tightening under-eye gel is your top priority, there are so many other fan favorites out there that work just as well, according to shoppers. Keep scrolling to nab yourself a spot on the waitlist for the OG or buy one of the Peter Thomas Roth Instant Firmx Eye dupes we’ve found for a, uh, more instant fix. 

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

Courtesy: Peter Thomas Roth

Peter Thomas Roth Instant FIRMx Eye Temporary Eye Tightener

Courtesy: Plaxaderm

Plexaderm Rapid Reduction Eye Serum

Amazon’s No. 1 best-selling eye treatment is no joke. It uses similar ingredients, like silicate, as the PTR favorite to reduce the appearance of crow’s feet, eye bags, and wrinkles within 10 minutes of application. Reviewers say it’s “magic in a bottle.” And, for what it’s worth, you can check out the site for jaw-dropping before-and-after photos that are just as impressive as the TikTok video. 

Courtesy: LilyAna Naturals

LilyAna Naturals Eye Cream

Nearly 13,000 people have given this wallet-friendly eye cream a perfect rating thanks to its ability to do it all: reduce the appearance of fine lines, practically erase away under-eye bags, and brighten up any dark circles. After a couple uses, one fan wrote: “My puffy under eyes started to deflate; my upper-lids began to lift; and my fine lines are fading.” 

Buy: LilyAna Naturals Eye Cream $29.99

Courtesy: Neutrogena

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Gel Eye Cream 

Don’t ever knock drugstore products until you try them. Especially when they’re dermatologist-approved and have 8,000 perfect ratings like this hydrating cream. Neutrogena’s under-eye gel relies on the power of hyaluronic acid (the ingredient in so many serums that gives your skin hydration and bounce) to de-puff your skin and leave it looking “10-15 years younger,” according to one reviewer.  

Buy: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Eye Gel-Cream $13.84

Courtesy: Neutrogena

Garnier SkinActive Ultra-Lift Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream 

Garnier’s eye cream uses the power of retinol, caffeine, and rice peptides to quickly add some bounce back into your skin. Gently dab it on to feel its firming and hydrating powers in action. 

Buy: Garnier SkinActive Ultra-Lift Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream $11.30

Courtesy: Neutrogena

Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair

Don’t let the affordable price fool you: This eye cream puts in some serious work. The retinol-rich product is a routine staple for anybody who struggles with crow’s feet or puffy under-eyes. One user who consistently applies the repairing treatment wrote: “I am 54, but everyone guesses I’m in my late 30’s to early 40’s.” 

Buy: Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair $15.92

If 2021 brought us one positive thing, it’s that when it comes to beauty and fashion trends, anything goes. This next year is about individuality more than ever. After all, 2020 is when we said goodbye to bras and hello to face masks and goodbye to hard pants and hello to sweatsuits. Who would have thought?! Tattoo and piercing trends for 2022 are just as unique. We’re all about customization this year, getting exactly what we’ve been dreaming about.

But that doesn’t mean we can’t look to our favorite celebrities for inspiration. You can take Kaia Gerber‘s snakebite piercing and add it to a conch like Keke Palmer. Or (and?) keep freeing the nipple this year with a piercing like Rihanna’s, Kristen Stewart and (allegedly) Kendall and Kylie Jenner.

Celebrity piercings are a great place to find inspo but so is Instagram. We love following the top piercers across the country to see what innovative looks they create on regular people just like us. That’s why we chatted with Lisa Bubbers, co-founder and CMO of Studs, to find out what’s she’s loving right now. Save these looks for when you’re able to get in to see a professional piercer to show them exactly what you were thinking. This way, you’re more likely to love the finished product.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

Source: Instagram

Snakebite

“We consistently see people come into Studs for snakebite piercings, which are two piercings stacked closely together (like the mark of snake fangs),” says Bubbers. “You can create this look anywhere on the ear (the lobe, midi, helix, or even the conch) and you can use either the same jewelry in each hole or put different earrings to mix it up!”

Not only is this stacked piercing trend, seen on Kaia Gerber, so freaking cute, it’s also pretty practical. You see, many of us got our first ear piercing back in elementary school and maybe didn’t see the best of the best when it comes to professionals. (We’re looking at you, Claire’s.) Because of that, the placement of your hole might be in an awkward place. A snakebite piercing is an easy way to make that too-low hole look intentional. Just have your piercer place another hole right on top or below your original one.

Source: Instagram

Constellation

Not surprisingly, constellation piercings are just getting more and more popular. “A constellation piercing is a unique group of piercings up and in your ear (usually more than three) that, when connected, could form a shape similar to a constellation in the stars,” explains Bubbers. “This piercing style varies based on each individual’s ear anatomy, so they’re always in unique and interesting positions.”

Source: Instagram

Conch

A conch piercing is placed in the center part of the ear and can be either an inner or outer conch style. While it might feel like everyone is getting a conch piercing, check with your piercer to make sure it’s right for you. “We’ve seen more and more people come into Studs requesting a conch piercing, so we definitely think this is a trend to keep an eye on for fall and winter,” says Bubbers. “The piercing is done on the inner part of your ear, so it’s a subtle but fun addition to any earscape especially with more decorative piercing jewelry.”

Where the hole goes can depend on the shape of your ear. These piercings also take a long time to heal, up to even nine months, so you’ll want to talk a lot about aftercare. If you do decide to take the plunge, both a stud and a tiny hoop look chic as hell. Unsurprisingly, Studs hawks a vast array of cute stud earrings. We especially love the new NYC-inspired ones ($20-$40 each at Studs). 

Source: Instagram

Bermuda Triangle

“[It’s] a simple and dainty piercing trend, which features three piercings that make the shape of a triangle,” explains Bubbers. “And, if you have two lobe piercings, it’s easy to add the third piercing at the top as the point to create the look!”

Source: Instagram

Stacked Lobe

This was a huge spring and summer trend and Bubbers doesn’t see it going away anytime soon. “Depending on how big of a lobe you have will determine the piercing patterns that you can make in the area — but there are so many options to make the stacked lobe unique to your ear and your style,” she explains.