Beauty is all about light. We are
constantly in search of glowing skin, sparkling eyes, and shiny hair. In fact,
(as any movie star will tell you) much of what passes for external beauty is a
carefully controlled mixture of reflection, absorption and shadow.
People with shiny, oily skin try to make it
matte, absorbing light so pores also appear smaller. Powder is the most
frequent remedy for shiny skin, and the finer the powder, the more likely your
chances of applying it effectively. Cheap powders can cake, or may contain talc
that irritates skin.
As women age, our skin tends to dry out, so
older women are often concerned with achieving a slightly shiny finish, which
can be done with powders or foundations containing mica. Unfortunately, mica
can also irritate skin or create sparkle (not glow), which is all right in the
evening, by candlelight, but looks garish in broad daylight. Best of all in
achieving glow without sparkle or grease, is finding the right moisturizer. A
good moisturizer combines water with some sort of lipid, which helps skin
absorb the water and hold onto it. The most popular lipids these days come from
the all-powerful soybean plant.
Aside from using the right cosmetics, there
are a few things you can do in regards to light to increase your outer beauty.
First of all, pay attention to the light in your house. Your bathroom or the
room where you do your makeup should have strong, natural light. It plays hell
with your ego, but you’re more likely to catch stray hairs or makeup mistakes
before leaving the house, not after. Replace anything fluorescent with halogen
track lights, use bright but soft-white bulbs in common areas, and make sure
your reading lamp is bright but without glare, to prevent eyestrain.
If you’re going out for lunch and want to
look your best, sit with the light behind you, and let the other person get the
light in his or her face. You’ll get a halo, and your lunch partner will be
temporarily blinded. Choose a shadowed spot over a bright window: it’ll keep
the UV rays off your epidermis, defray crow’s feet for another month, and
soften the focus.
Anytime you can opt for candlelight at
dinner, do that. I can’t think of a person in the world who doesn’t look better
by candlelight: its soft, flickering play softens features, tones uneven colors
and hides a multitude of skin imperfections. (Why do you think the best
restaurants are also the candlelit ones?)
You can’t give makeup for a gift (it would
be like giving control-top panty hose), but you can give the gift of perfect
light. When I’m not sure what to give someone, I always choose candles and
candleholders. I’m of the firm opinion that you can never have too many
candles, and you can make them fit any gift occasion by altering their number
or composition. If you want to spend a hundred dollars on something great, you
can buy beeswax pillars. If you have six bucks, you can get a nice scented
candle in a glass holder. Last week, I bought some terrific, exotic sandalwood
candles for a co-worker’s birthday present, and had enough money left to buy
myself a bunch, too.
Light has another important role in
beauty--the beauty that comes from feeling happy and healthy. Research on light
has shown that the amount of light most of us experience from day to day is
inadequate for keeping us healthy. You have probably heard of Seasonal
Affective Disorder (SAD), in which people experience profound depression during
the winter time, when light grows scarce. In northern regions like Scandinavia , Canada
and Siberia , depression is significantly
greater than in sunny, southern lands. But there are ways to mediate the
effects of short, northern, winter-time days. SAD has long been treated by
having sufferers sit under full-spectrum lights that mimic sunlight. A short exposure
to bright light in the morning increases energy, decreases appetite and makes
us feel better.
The human brain needs light coming through
the eyes in order to create and release optimal amounts of serotonin, an
important chemical for brain functioning. Without enough serotonin, we become
sleepy, slow and depressed. Our bodies don't metabolize the way they should,
leading to weight gain. As research becomes more sophisticated, we begin to
understand the importance of daily amounts of bright light for our mental and
physical health.
Outdoor light, even on a rainy day, is
approximately twenty times the amount of normal indoor light. Since most of us
spend our days inside, the available light is drastically cut, resulting in
depression, lethargy, and a craving for sweets that hits hard once or twice a
day. It is possible to remediate the effects of inadequate light by purchasing
a full-spectrum light, or by making an extra effort to get outside for an hour
during the day.
