Two Ways to Wake Up Beautiful

I'm combining two of the 10 ways InStyle suggests to wake up beautiful because they don't require a beauty product and they're habits you can begin tonight!

Sleep on your back. "Note to Audrey Hepburn fans: Lying on your stomach is bad for beauty sleep. The average head weighs seven to eight pounds - a lot of pressure to be putting on your face every night. In fact, many dermatologists say they can tell what side of the face people sleep on by the number of wrinkles there."

Get a lift. "Sleep with your head elevated on two pillows, or put the headrest area of your bed on two- to four-inch pieces of wood. Gravity helps lymph and blood flow so fluid won't accumulate."

I actually have done both of these pretty much my entire life so I can't tell you if there is some miraculous change once you start, but, hey! It's worth a shot for less wrinkles, right??

Aquaphor: Multi-Purpose

In the April issue of InStyle, there is a section on the 10 ways to wake up beautiful. We're going to try all 10 ways and report back on our findings.

The first one we've tried is actually number four on the list: Save money, not wrinkles. They say...

At night you don't need to worry about eye treatments smearing your make-up, so slather on the richest formula you can find. Aquaphor conditions the lashes and hydrates the delicate eye skin really well.

I started using Aquaphor about eight years ago when I ran my first marathon. I used it to prevent chafing in the places you don't want chafing, but also on my lips because they dry out really quickly during any kind of outdoor exercise.

Then I realized it had more uses when I burned myself on a hot pan and it soothed the searing feeling. It also is great for cuts and scrapes and any kind of dry skin.

So I tried it on my eyes (which also means I am now washing my face at night). It is WONDERFUL! You definitely don't want to wear it during the day, but to sleep in? InStyle is right. It's one way to wake up beautiful.

You can get it at the drugstore, it's cheap, and it comes in a variety of sizes. I have the tub in my bathroom, I carry a tube in my purse, and I have a lipgloss-sized tube for my lips.

L’Oreal’s Wrinkle De-Crease Collagen Filler

Guest blog written by Candice Stone (@CandiceStone)

My first fine lines around my eyes arrived along with my 35th birthday a few years ago and since then I have tried a whole host of products that claim to help reduce fine lines and wrinkles.

I used Strivectin MD when it was touted as the new wonder treatment. Wonder treatment? Not really, but it does help – the only downside is the high price tag. (*Editor's note: This is our favorite eye cream).

I then tried Alpha Hydrox products after hearing from Dr Oz on Oprah that Alpha Hydroxy Acids are one of the few things that really work to support aging skin. I didn’t find that at all.

Finally I tried L’Oreal’s Wrinkle De-Crease Collagen Filler which you can get at the local drugstore or supermarket for less than $20. L’Oreal claims the Collagen Bio-Spheres in the product expand on contact with the water found naturally in the skin to fill fine lines and wrinkles immediately – I have certainly found that there is an immediate noticeable improvement.

They also claim that you will continue to see improvements over time with continued use and again I have found this to be true. I apply it at night after washing and again in the morning under make-up to take advantage of the ‘immediate plumping & filling’. No sensitivity or break-outs with using the product either.

Why pay more than $100 for a beauty product when a sub-$20 dollar product works so well! My only concern is that I have been trying to move towards only natural products in my beauty bag and this does not fit the bill – however, until I find something natural that works as well I am not prepared to give the lines and wrinkles an inch!

A Paraben-Free Anti-Aging Eye Treatment

Guest blog written by Vicki Zerbee (@vickizerbee)

Before I found my favorite eye treatment, I had flaky skin under my eyes that was hard to look at and hard to cover. It was worse in the winter, but I would have it year-round. Any attempt at concealing the flakes on this tender skin around the eyes resulted in a messy, and even more unflattering, look.

I also had the same fine lines and wrinkles under and around my eyes that all women get as they age, and they are no fun either. I was looking for a product that was safe, natural, and would be effective at making my eyes look healthy and younger.

I found a paraben-free, hypoallergenic, ophthalmologist-tested formula that contains anti-aging botanicals and vitamin C, to help fine lines and wrinkles disappear. Enfuselle Eye Treatment has been clinically proven to decrease the appearance of skin wrinkles more than 200 percent in as little as two weeks. It also decreases visible fine lines and increases skin resilience and firmness.

I have not had flakes of any kind under my eyes since I started using this eye treatment and I can't tell you how happy that makes me. When I tell my story, women can relate to it because many of them have issues with their eyes and are looking for solutions.

I will use this eye treatment forever!

Dermalogica: The Cure for Combination Skin

I have been searching for the right face wash for as long as I remember. I have been blessed with combination skin. By being blessed I really mean born with a big fat curse and I blame my Italian mother. Although face washes promised to moisturize the dry patches and remove oil from my T-zone areas, I would end up with one cheek being dry, my forehead still being oily or a little blemish on my nose.

Until I was introduced to the Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel. Its part of a skin care system researched and developed by the International Dermal Institute. It promised me it would “wash away impurities without stripping or drying” and it did! It’s soap-free, fragrance-free, my face is never too dry and I have had minimal “impurities” ever since.

They have also developed an online Face Mapping^SM skin analysis that analyzes your skin and provides recommendations on what your face needs. Pretty cool!

I Found the Perfect Eyecream!

I received a little Beauty Insider gift from Sephora last week. It's a nice big tube of StriVectin-SD Eye Cream.

You know I've been looking for an eye cream and this is it! It's formulated to help to significantly improve the appearance of fine lines. Apparently it aids in the build-up of collagen, which I didn't realize happened except when you wanted lips like Angelina Jolie.

Those "wrinkles" my husband told me he loves are gone. Pair that with the new trendy braids in your hair look and I'm back to looking like I'm in my 20s!

The Taste of Her Cherry Chapstick!

And here's the cherry chapstick version. Didn't we all feel sassy when we were in high school and our lips were tinted red from our fancy chapstick. Tastes good, feels good and smells good. What more can I say? Katy Perry famously talks about "The taste of her cherry chapstick!"

The new and improved version now has SPF 4! Oh, and there is a strawberry flavor but it's definitely not as tasty.