Have you ever wondered how celebrities and stars manage to maintain flawless skin for those countless close-ups, despite their hectic schedule? Worse still, they often spend their days in heavy make-up. Some days, I feel as though I’ve spent a lifetime seeking the answer to this riddle. Fortunately, actress Kerry Washington of the television show Scandal has shared some of her secrets to having radiant skin in a recent article, you can read more about it here. Kerry has admitted that she did not always have the perfect, clear skin we see on television and in magazines. She once suffered... Continue reading

Living in the heat of a southern California summer while trying to maintain a fresh face of make-up can be quite difficult. Personally, unless I am indoors with air conditioning, I can feel my skin becoming slick and my powder foundation begins to look muddy. Luckily, there are some easy to follow tips that can help with these issues without having to stop all of the outdoor summer fun. First and foremost, before anything goes on your face, it is important to exfoliate your skin so that your skin will be smooth. This will help the products to stay on.... Continue reading

In this day and age, we commonly purchase almost everything online. I, for one, adore online shopping! It’s so convenient, and things can get shipped right away. However, when something appears too good to be true, it probably is. These days, fraud is everywhere online. So while clothes, electronics, and pet toys, to name a few, are great when purchased online, more important and/or expensive items should only be bought from reputable and known websites. When it comes to skin care, makeup, or beauty products, I become even more wary, because there might be health risks involved. Unless it is... Continue reading

Recently Yahoo! Shine caught up with Lucy Hale – she is one of the stars of ABC Family’s hit show, Pretty Little Liars - to get her tips on how to look awake even when you aren’t feeling so energetic. Living in Los Angeles, we all have fast paced full schedules which usually does not give us much time to rest. I found her tips to be pretty helpful, and decided to share some tips of my own for looking less tired! Cover up dark circles. Being tired causes your skin to react in ways that it normally doesn’t. For... Continue reading

The other day, a cashier asked my age as I was purchasing NyQuil (who knew you had to be over 21 to buy NyQuil?). My mind went blank and I stuttered for a few moments as I stumbled towards an answer. This led to the thought that it would be nice if you could be the age you felt inside. You want to look your best at your age, and to do that, you have to take care of yourself first. With that in mind, try these tips to pamper yourself and start looking younger! Manage your time and stress... Continue reading

We all want thicker, darker, and longer lashes, and there are so many ways to get them! The eyes are one of the most important aspects of your face, as they are usually the first feature you notice when looking at someone. So how do you get these luscious lashes? (Besides caking on the mascara, of course.) Latisse. The first step to getting natural-looking lashes is Latisse. Latisse is a prescription treatment for hypotrichosis (inadequate or not enough lashes) to grow eyelashes longer, fuller, and darker. It’s extremely easy to use; you just apply it to your lash line every... Continue reading

One of the key factors for youth and beauty is glowing, even toned-skin. Therefore, as you get older, you must become more vigilant in applying sunscreen. Ultra-violet (UV) radiation from the sun is the most common cause for uneven skin tone (or hyperpigmentation). Also, skin cell turnover slows down as you age, and that can also cause your once radiant skin to appear dull. With the right products and proper care, you can turn back the signs on the clock. Just look at the picture that Jennifer Aniston (44 years old) just posted without makeup! At the Chow Center for... Continue reading

As you may already know, the Chow Center for Facial Plastic Surgery has recently added a clinical esthetician to our staff. Naturally, I immediately took advantage of this opportunity! I sought her out because of a large pimple I had the other day, which I wanted (needed!) to be gone by the weekend. She knows a tremendous amount about cosmetic skin care (she’s been in the field or training since the age of 12), and she gave me some great advice about just what I’ve been doing wrong all these years. I learned some great tips, and I wanted to... Continue reading

BB creams (beauty or blemish creams) which were very popular in Asia have now officially began to catch on in the US. BB creams are basically over the counter multi-tasking tinted moisturizers that help hydrate and even out your skin tone while providing your skin with some common antioxidants. They even treat pimples and blemishes to a degree. But now, the beauty industry is introducing what it hopes will be yet another craze: CC creams! CC creams are color or complexion correcting creams. While not as effective as medical grade skin care, they are similar to BB creams but offer... Continue reading

In a recent blog entry, we noted that one of the key factors to looking great is good skin and provided tips on how to keep your skin healthy. If you missed that article, you can read it here. Have you been following these tips and still find yourself with skin woes? Maybe you didn’t know about some of these surprising things that can ruin your skin! Caffeine. Are you a caffeine addict like me? I must have my coffee every morning in order to get through the day. However, caffeine is a mild diuretic, which means that it causes... Continue reading

One of the key factors to looking great is good skin. As the largest organ in the body, it’s one of the first things that others notice when they look at you! Now that the rising temperatures and melting makeup of summer is right around the corner, you want to have great skin so that you can lookyour best for the season. Unfortunately, most of us are cursed with less than perfect skin. Don’t be discouraged, though--everyoneneeds a little help in the skin department sooner or later. Here are some great tips for keeping your skin clear! Get rid of... Continue reading

Mother’s Day is right around the corner, and we all can’t help but think of our mothers as the holiday approaches. When I was younger, my mom always used to give me advice, but (of course!) I never listened. Now that I am older, I have realized that many of the things she told me were true! So in the spirit of Mother’s Day, here is some beauty advice from my dear mother that I have found to be the most useful. Take care of your neck and hands. So often we overlook these two essential parts of our body.... Continue reading

What is your normal makeup routine? I don’t usually put much on, since I don’t like the feeling of a lot of product on my face. For my birthday recently, one of my girlfriends gave me a gorgeous highlighter blush. Given my dislike of too much makeup, I hadn’t really used one before. Still, I had to use this gift! I ended up loving it so much that it has become an important part of my daily routine! Highlighting is important because it can accentuate your best features and also hide imperfections. A little goes a long way! Since I... Continue reading

Left: Mila Kunis (age 29), Middle: Natalie Portman (age 31), Right: Cate Blanchett (age 43) Photo Credit: People.com. Jason Merritt/Getty (2); Frazer Harrison/Getty Is there a peak beauty age? According to a new study from Allure magazine, there is! I found this study quite interesting since I, as well as some of the other staff at Chow Center for Facial Plastic Surgery, am definitely about to hit the so called “peak beauty age.” The average age that people think women are the most beautiful is around 31. However, men think women peak earlier at the age of 29. Personally, I... Continue reading

The days are getting longer, the weather is warming up, and the sun is shining brighter! These are signs that spring is officially here. I know I am definitely feeling pressure to break out of my winter hibernation and get my face looking fantastic for all the fun outdoor activities that are coming up soon. So here are some tips to shed your winter blues and get fresh-faced for spring. Brighten up your skin. With hotter weather, you definitely want to start wearing less makeup for a fresher look. It’s also much easier when you don’t have to worry about... Continue reading

Almost everyone has a strong impression about the minimally invasive injectables and cosmetic procedures that are available today. Unfortunately, misconceptions about aesthetic procedures abound. Many people believe that almost all plastic surgery results in an “overdone” appearance, but the opposite is actually true. For example, over 2.6 million people received Botox last year in the United States alone, and 1.6 million received some type of facial filler. This means you probably know someone who has had Botox or a minimally invasive filler, such as Juvederm, Radiesse, or Sculptra. When performed by a qualified facial plastic surgeon, this image enhancement goes... Continue reading

Taking the time to take care of your skin will really pay off as your get older. Great skin equates to youthfulness and beauty. As with many things, it is always best to prevent a problem before you have to fix it. For example, it is much easier to try to prevent dark spots on your skin than it is to try to get rid of the ones that you already have. So if you are taking the time to take care of your skin, you will find yourself with at least a handful of skin care products. A question... Continue reading

Labor Day weekend is bittersweet, as it marks the end of summer and the beginning of the fall season. Before you know it, you’ll have to start getting ready for the busy holiday season! So for now, we should all be taking advantage of the month or two we have to get ready to look fabulous just in time for the holidays. The first step is to get rid of the summer damage that you may have inflicted on your skin! A great way to refresh and rejuvenate your skin is with a series of chemical peels. After a chemical... Continue reading

If you haven’t already heard the steady stream of news about skin cancer these days, tanning is very damaging to your skin. In fact, it causes wrinkles, lax skin, brown spots (known as hyperpigmentation), skin cancer, and more. A nice tan might look great when you are in your twenties or thirties, but it causes irreversible damage and premature aging to your skin. The last thing anyone wants is premature aging. Not to mention the fact that tanning causes your risk of skin cancer to increase (which yes, can spread to your vital organs and become life threatening!). According to... Continue reading

Summer is one of my favorite seasons, especially in Southern California. You get nice hot days for outdoor activities such as lounging at the pool or beach, and wonderfully cool nights for barbeques and hanging out. However, with all the busy activities that summer days and nights provide, it’s hard not to make a couple beauty blunders along the way - especially when you need to make your look last from day to night. So here are some issues that I have had to deal with because of the hot weather and long days; hopefully it will help you to... Continue reading

It always happens when you have something important coming up. When you wake up all excited for your first date, or you have an important meeting or presentation at work, a pimple will appear in the most conspicuous place. You never know whom you are going to run into or meet, so you always want to look your best and cover up and get rid of imperfections. So what are some tips and tricks to cover up an existing blemish and keep your skin clear and blemish free for the future? Don’t pick at it. Your first natural instinct when... Continue reading

Each year, around this time, the most popular plastic surgery procedures are totaled. Usually the most popular procedures such as Botox, breast implants, or rhinoplasties, continue to stay high in demand. However, there are some unexpected new increases in other procedures as well! Read more to see what plastic surgery procedures have been increasing in popularity. It’s always interesting to see which cosmetic procedures are trending. It can reflect our constantly changing economy, or the changing views of aesthetic beauty from society. The main increases in more of the unexpected procedures this year, is the rise of chin implants (read... Continue reading

Graduation ceremonies mark the beginning of summer, and for all the new graduates (or if you are back on the job market), it means tons of job applications and interviews. For existing employees, it means you have an influx of new competition heading your way. Whether you are a new graduate looking for a job, or an existing employee trying to gain competiveness in the workplace, you want to give a good impression to your current or future boss. Trying to get through all your job applications and thinking about what to say during interviews is stressful enough, the last... Continue reading

When striving to maintain a youthful appearance, many of us forget the neck. Very often we apply moisturizer to the face and hands, and then neglect the neck. I am certainly guilty of this, as it just comes naturally to not apply product there, and many of us overlook this part of our body. But your neck is like all of the other parts of your body: with time, the skin will lose elasticity and begin to sag (hence the saying “turkey neck”). Without proper care, the neck can become a glaring indicator of old age. Your face may remain... Continue reading

Have you tried to look more refreshed and awake, only to still have people think you are tired all the time? No matter what you do, your face still seems sunken or drawn, and those under eye bags just won't go away. Makeup won't cover it, and skin care products just don't seem to be giving you the results you desire. When you get to this point, you may need to start exploring other more effective options besides just trying to cake on more concealer. What are some culprits that cause you to look worn out and tired, and how... Continue reading