Seven steps to a brighter face
Rock last night’s sweats with these quick makeup fixes. By Sarah Davidson.
We’d all love to erase the effects of a late night. Although we can’t help you with hangovers, regretful hook-ups or homework mishaps, we can show you how to fake your mood the next morning. North by Northwestern talked to Kate Vincent, assistant boutique proprietor at Evanston’s Benefit Cosmetics, about simple ways to perk up your look.
1. Groom your brows. Keeping eyebrows trimmed, plucked, waxed and shaped “makes the eye appear larger and opens up the face,” says Kimberly Slater, a Benefit aesthetician.
2. Apply eye cream. “This is key,” Vincent says. “No matter your age or skin type, eye cream is essential because it increases circulation and adds moisture to prevent future wrinkles.” Use your ring finger to daub the cream around your eye. Vincent recommends Benefit eyecon eye cream, $30.
3. Use a product that firms the skin surrounding the eye, such as Benefit’s ooh la lift cream, $22. Use your ring finger to tap the cream all over your closed eye. This plumps up the skin around your eyes, making them appear more open.
4. Apply a yellow-based under-eye concealer. Yellow hides blue bags under your eyes. The product Vincent recommends, Benefit’s erase paste, $34, contains caffeine. Tap the cream onto your skin and let it absorb.
5. Shape your brows with a brow pencil such as Benefit’s high brow pencil, $20. Make a “v” under the arch of the brow and use your finger to blend. “This opens everything up,” Vincent says.
6. Apply blush or bronzer to your cheeks. Vincent used dallas, $28. Use a blush brush to spread the powder along your cheekbones, the side of your face and even the bridge of your nose.
7. Wear blue mascara. “The blue brightens the whites of your eyes,” Vincent says. Try Benefit BADgal blue mascara, $19.
Track down the sandman
Insomnia got you down? Dr. Ramadevi Gourineni, a sleep specialist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, can help you get more shut-eye. By Katie Wells
1. Don’t lie in bed for hours willing yourself to fall asleep. This only increases frustration and makes it harder to relax. Find a quiet place for a calming activity–anything that won’t stimulate your brain, like reading a boring magazine.
2. Set aside 30 minutes before bedtime to wind down. It takes time to transition from an awakened state to a relaxed one.
3. Limit caffeine intake near the end of the day. You may be tempted to cap off dinner with a Norbucks latte, but coffee should be reserved for the morning hours. Caffeine has a long half-life and will continue to stimulate your body during bedtime. It’s also advisable to only drink between one to three cups each morning.
4. Work out during the day, but not within four hours of sleeping. Exercising near bedtime will raise the metabolic rate of the body, making it harder to relax.
5. Avoid activities like watching TV or using a computer before sleeping. These can be very stimulating for most people.
Headrush
Should we avoid chemical-packed energy drinks? Northwestern’s registered dietitian Megan Campbell has the answers. By Julia Haskins
Red Bull, Rockstar and 5-Hour Energy are household names for students familiar with all-nighters. But new products such as Redline Power Rush-VPX 7 Hour Energy Formula beg the question: Is all that chemical energy necessary? Follow these guidelines before knocking one back.
1. Are you tired or just dehydrated?
“Hydration is important for fatigue,” Campbell says. According to Campbell, sometimes water, Gatorade or tea can be just as effective as an energy drink, without the risk of any adverse effects.
2. Have you eaten lately?
“I always ask how much stress [students] have…to see if that affects their appetite and how they’re eating,” Campbell says. Stress can make you reach for an energy drink as a pick-me-up, but a good meal might be all you really need.
3. Will it work for you?
Campbell attributes the rush some people get from energy drinks to the overload of vitamin B often found in the drinks. “Some of it is just a placebo effect,” Campbell says. That effect may or may not work for you.
4. Are you sleep-deprived?
“Try to get as much sleep as you can,” Campbell says. “Try to have as normal a schedule as you can. Stay well-nourished in the sense of having regular meals…every three to four hours.”
5. Do you really need it?
“There’s no situation [in which energy drinks are] the best choice,” Campbell says. “[Save] caffeine for when you need it. Maybe [save] it for that push for finals.”