Most women regret going under the knife

A new research suggests that two thirds of Brits who've had cosmetic surgery regret the procedure, with the majority complaining they didn't look how they imagined after the op.

The poll of 2,638 people, by a firm of medical negligence solicitors, found that 83 percent of people who've had plastic surgery would never consider having a cosmetic procedure again, the Daily Starreported.

The research by medicalaccidentgroup.co.uk was conducted as part of an ongoing study into how Brits feel about any cosmetic surgery that they've had.

The respondents aged 18 and over and from around the UK had all had cosmetic surgery in the last five years.

They were quizzed about the procedures they'd had and how they felt about the results.

For 33 percent, the results of the procedure didn't match the image they had in their heads before going into surgery.

Nearly a quarter (24 percent) encountered complications during or after the op and 17 percent felt the side effects weren't fully explained.

For 13 percent, having surgery failed to increase their self-confidence, and in fact, made them feel less comfortable than before the surgery.

Sadly eight percent regret spending the money and are now in debt as a result of paying for a nip and tuck.

The most common surgeries among the survey group were breast augmentations (31 percent) and nose jobs (27 percent). Liposuction came a close third at 24 percent, while 16 percent had eyelid surgery.

Asked how they felt following surgery, two thirds (65 percent) said they "regret having cosmetic surgery" although 28 percent said they "couldn't be happier with the results".

Seven Cosmetic Tips for African American Women

African American women have skin tones ranging from one end of the color spectrum to the other. They can follow the same rules for applying makeup as women of other ethnicities (such as proper blending or choosing colors based on undertone). The biggest difference may come in where colors are concerned and selecting the best makeup shades based upon your complexion.

When you get ready to make yourself up for the day, adhere to some guidelines so that people noticeyou and not your makeup. Use your cosmetics to enhance your natural beauty instead of hiding it. These tips may help:

Tips

• For the most complementary look, start with a good foundation. If your complexion is flawless, you can skip this step if you want to. However, make sure you choose makeup compatible with African American skin tones. This is key for avoiding an unattractive ashy undertone that can show up with a base that's too light. There are several cosmetics brands that cater to black women, but even among mainstream lines that are targeted to all women, you can find a range of foundation shades from light to dark. MAC Cosmetics is a great line that carries high-intensity colors suitable for women of all skin shades.

 

• For women with clear skin, simply use concealer where needed, such as under the eyes or to hide dark spots. Follow with a light dusting of loose powder for a natural look.

• Stick with the right palette. Knowing your skin's undertones is important for choosing the right makeup colors for you. African American women, like all women, have undertones in their skin that range from cool, neutral or warm. When you know what your undertones are, you're able to select makeup colors that are most compatible with your skin tone.

• Go bold if you want to. One of the great things about having a deep complexion is being able to wear bold shades that can overpower women with fair skin. This includes gold, bronze, orange, fuchsia and silver makeup. Just be sure you wear these bright colors judiciously; select a feature to draw attention to and focus on that, leaving the rest of your face neutral.

• Focus on your best features. What do you love best about your face? Whatever part it is, accentuate it. If you love your eyes, wear an attention-getting eyeshadow and two to three coats of mascara. Or line them in Cleopatra-style for dramatic effect. If your lips are your best feature, wear a bright shade of lipstick, followed with gloss (save heavy gloss for nighttime as it may be too much for the office).

Avoid These Looks

• Don't go too dark. Even if you have a very dark complexion, you don't have to stick to dark makeup colors. In fact, this can make your entire look too drab. Instead, experiment with various shades, even colors you thought weren't right for you. Spend an afternoon at a department store makeup counter and let an expert apply various colors on your face to see which ones you like (it's always considered a courtesy to buy something afterwards).

• Don't line your lips in black. Some women have a preference for lining their pretty lips in black or a nearly black lipliner and then applying red or another bright shade of lipstick. This is not an attractive look. Lipliner should match your lipstick color as closely as possible. Lipliner is not there to draw attention to itself-its job is to contain your lipstick so that it doesn't feather and bleed.

Makeup how-to: The 5 best ways to use concealer

The right concealer is a huge asset for brightening tired looking eyes, evening out skin tone and hiding flaws. Learn how to use concealer for beautiful results!

We use cosmetics to play up our best features and diminish the not-so-great ones. Concealers help with both issues; many of us rely on a good concealer for dark circles under the eyes, uneven skin tone and of course to cover up blemishes of all kinds! Concealers are used by great makeup artists to create the look of near-perfect skin! That’s something we all want, right?

Used properly, a good concealer provides coverage that is both complete and natural. But admit it, we’ve all stared at those made-up faces with strange pale circles in all the wrong places. You may have seen your own concealer become pasty-looking and cracked, not doing a thing to glam up your eyes! Using concealer takes a bit of finesse and practice, but when done correctly, can do wonders for your look. You should also take some time to get the right shade and consistency for your skin.

Here are 5 things to do that will help you get the most from this beauty essential:

1. Select the best concealer type for your skin

The good news is that we have so many excellent concealers to choose from; but the variety makes it hard to decide. Liquid concealers will smooth on easily and blend well; they are ideal for dry skin and in the eye area, since they don’t cake and provide a slightly shinier finish. Cream and solid concealers tend to have more opacity and staying power. They are great for balancing uneven skin tone but may take a bit more practice to blend in just right. Tip: Mix a little of your liquid foundation in with your concealer to get a better match.

2. Get the right color

You are looking for two things here: color and shade. The color should resemble your skin tone, whether it’s rosy, ivory, golden or sallow. Use a matched concealer for blemishes and freckles. Then for under-the-eye coverage, you need to take that skin color and go lighter by about one shade. Why? You want a very slight “lift” from your concealer that reflects light. You’ll notice these days that there are green tinted concealers available. Concealers with a green tint are said to help mask spots of redness. With so many choices out there, I strongly recommend going into your trusted cosmetics store and doing this in person. Once you find the best product you can reorder it online, but it’s hard to get the right concealer without actually seeing it on your face. Here’s an added tip: If you are looking at solid concealer, consider a duo or trio combination. Then you can mix and blend for greater flexibility.

 

3. Know when to apply concealer

The hotly debated question in makeup circles is whether to apply concealer before or after your foundation. I will say that there are great arguments for both. Apply your concealer before foundation if you use foundation only in select areas of your face. Some days you may even go with just the concealer and skip the foundation altogether! For more targeted (and intense) spot coverage you may want to apply foundation first and concealer last so that it stays where you apply it. You just need to take extra care that it is well blended with the rest of your makeup.

4. Learn the best way to apply concealer

Concealer, like foundation, benefits from a practiced technique of patting and blending. Ideally you should have a few tools to help: a concealer brush, clean makeup sponges and a well-lit mirror. For eyes: Dab concealer along the edge of your under-eye crescent, starting at the bridge of nose and dotting a line about 2/3 of the way to the outer edge of the eye. Using a concealer brush or small corner of a makeup sponge, lightly pat and blend the product. Keep the layer very thin and let dry, then apply another layer if necessary. Gradual layers of concealer create a more natural look for the final result.

 

5. Try concealer as a highlighting tool

The funny thing about concealers is that they can minimize and maximize at the same time! What I mean is that if you take advantage of concealer’s light-reflecting properties you can add a really wonderful brightness, especially around the eyes, that will actually make you look wide awake and full of energy (even if you aren’t).

***

Concealer truly is an amazing product. As a camouflage and blending tool it is about as close to airbrushing as we’re going to get in our real-life appearance. The more care and time you put into understanding how concealer works and which products suit your skin’s particular needs, the more dramatic improvement you will see—under your eyes, around your nose, all over