Meet ~Gwendolyn~, and find out why I’m always
badgering her for beauty tips!
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Dani: Gwen, thanks for taking time to answer my burning beauty questions! It seems like we spend quite a bit of time discussing your secret tricks, wouldn't you say?
Gwen: Absolutely! I love sharing and trading beauty and
health secrets and tips! I like to pick your brain on all the newest trends
since I don't tend to keep up with them myself.
Read on for Gwen's fave tips and tricks...
Photo: Sheila Carroll Photography Makeup: Dani Lazaro
Dani:
I won't admit to our ages, but I will just let the readers know that we are
both over the age of 30. What is your favorite beauty tip for those of us who
want to look as great as you do?
Gwen: I would say the biggest contributor is getting
enough sleep! For me that really affects how my skin looks and my overall
energy level. Since sleep is not always a luxury I get to enjoy, the other two
important things is to stay hydrated and get enough protein in my diet. Other
daily actions that contribute to exterior beauty for me are never going to bed
with my makeup on, changing my pillowcase every other day, using a gentle
cleanser, exercising, and eating consistently healthy clean food. In my
opinion, being beautiful on the inside by helping those that need it, being a
good friend, a good listener, and caring about others, is just as important and
ultimately shows true beauty on the outside!
Photo by Madison Parker
Dani: Ah,
sleep, yes. I’ll have to get myself some of that! I know you've heard me say
you have freakishly fabulous abs. What's the secret?
Gwen: Thank you! There is actually no secret. I just work
at it. I guess it helps that I enjoy working out. Although since I once was a
gymnast; I do mostly gymnast style sit-ups and crunches. They tend to be harder
than the average sit-up, so I get results I am happy with. My favorite is the
V-sit, where your body is in a pike position. It's really effective. I also
vary my abdominal workout between isometric and long full body moves. The key
to building strong abs is not to get injured by letting your back do the work
or by starting off with harder moves like the V-sit. So always start out with
abdominal work that doesn't strain the back and build your way up.
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Photo: Photos by Luna Makeup: Dani Lazaro
Dani:
What is it that makes you feel beautiful?
Gwen: Great question! So many different things. First and
foremost beauty for me goes hand-in-hand with feeling a balance in my life and
being happy. I feel beautiful when I feel strong, both physically and mentally.
I may look all sweaty after a hard workout, but it's an awesome feeling. When I
feel calmness emotionally then I feel strength, which gives me confidence; and
with confidence I feel beautiful. Of course compliments are always nice to hear
if they are genuine. I think it’s human-nature to want a little external
validation once in a while. I especially like it when someone comments on my
skin or fitness. It helps confirm I'm on the right track. I'd have to say
though, being happy, content and having a daily purpose is just as important.
For me it’s all about balance.
Photo: Mike Tyger Makeup: Svio
Dani:
What are some of your favorite beauty products?
Gwen: My all-time favorite is Cetaphil as my facial
cleanser. I've tried so many expensive lines and I keep going back to good old
fashioned simple Cetaphil. It’s just gentle and does not have anything in it
that my skin reacts to. If I'm wearing waterproof makeup I use baby-oil to
remove it, then go back with Cetaphil and an oscillating product like
Clarisconics to get the residual makeup off. My favorite moisturizer is
Dermalogica. I find that line does not have a lot of bells and whistles or
fragrances in the ingredients; so it's gentle on my skin. One "home
remedy" I use all the time is organic coconut oil. I like it because it
doesn't stay greasy or heavy feeling like other oils. It completely absorbs. I
use it on dry skin patches or any inflamed skin to sooth it. I even consume it
daily in my smoothie because of all its great health benefits.
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Photo: Sheila Carroll Photography
Dani:
Any new makeup trends you're really into?
Gwen: To be honest I tend to take the approach "if
it isn't broke don't fix it" when it comes to the latest trend. I really
like the classic and timeless makeup look versus anything too trendy for
day-to-day wear. On the other hand, during a photo shoot I absolutely love to
go as trendy and exotic as it gets! That's my opportunity to really have fun
with looks and transform into a chameleon.
Red is my signature color. So I love a vampy red
lipstick and nails.
If I had to pick something trendy I'd
say I'm having fun with the new pastel nail polishes that are popular this year
like light aqua or robin-egg blue. One trend I like that is finally become a
staple is quality liquid eye-liner pens/markers. They don't pull fragile eyelid
skin like pencils and they go on with more precision than older liquid
versions. Great for those of us that are not professional makeup artists with
steady hands like you Danielle!
Photo by Gordon Whitted
You can keep up with ~Gwendolyn~ here:
http://www.ryze-up.com/magazine/August_2014 -
Cover and Q&A on pages 6-45
https://www.facebook.com/gwendolynmod
http://www.modelmayhem.com/1695226
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ModelingByGwendolyn
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