Lash Love.

Eyelashes are much more than a universal symbol of beauty, they protect your eyes. Your lashes keep particles and dust from damaging your eye's surface. Surprisingly, your eyelashes have a relatively short growth cycle, lasting for approximately 30 to 45 days. 

We all want longer, thicker and darker lashes. Many products claim to be able to do so, but in such a short time period it is hard for any product to last longer than the lashes 1 month cycle. The truth is, it's much simpler to introduce your body to a natural routine that will continue to improve lashes with each cycle. Here are some suggestions from all of us at Shear Style ...

1. Diet - Nutirition is key for maintain proper hair, nails and even lashes. Eat your greens and limit your trans-fat intake!
2. Natural moisturizers - olive oil, petroleum jelly (Vasline), vitamin e  and castor oil all work to strenghen lashes. Apply the product around the top and bottom of your lid before bed and wash it off in the morning.
3. Never sleep in your make-up -  Make-up should never stay on your face for longer than 15 hours.
4. Don't touch your eyes! - Toxins, allergic reactions, eye infections, and constant eye rubbing, contribute to eyelash breakage and prevent eyelash growth. Try to always keep your hands away from your eyes when irritation sets in.
5. Vitamins - Here are a few vitamins you can add to your morning routine that will work for you throughout the day...

• Vitamin B-3, also known as niacin, stimulates eyelash growth, eliminates dry and brittle eyelashes, improves blood flow to your hair follicles, aids in cellular reproduction, prevents your eyelashes from falling out and helps your body metabolize keratin, a protein that supports hair growth. (suggested foods: beef liver, salmon, tilapia, tuna, sunflower seeds, peanuts, mushrooms and asparagus)

• Vitamin C is an antioxidant that strengthens your immune system and protects your eyelashes from infections, toxins and diseases that can inhibit hair growth. (suggested foods: cranberries, cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts, pineapples, oranges, tomatoes, grapefruits, kale and strawberries.)

• Vitamin E is an antioxidant that improves immune system function and protects your hair follicles from damaging free-radicals that can prevent your eyelashes from growing, (suggested foods: rich in vitamin E include almonds, hazelnuts, kale, spinach, sunflower seeds, safflower oil, blueberries, peanut butter and avocados.)

How are you treating your peepers protectors? Let us know if this was helpful to you! Tweet us at 

@ShearStyleWpg 

Retinol Magic

Highest Over-The-Counter Retinol Concentration 

Trying to fight signs of ageing? What about blemish scaring or uneven skin tone? If you haven't already heard of the benefits of Retinol than let us at Shear Style tell you!

What It Is...

Retinoic acid is known to plump wrinkles, release collagen and battle sun damage and the breakdown of collagen.

How Fast It Works...

After 4-8 weeks of daily application (preferably at night, as intensity degrades in the light), skin will appear less wrinkled and more even-toned, however 2-6 months is your goal with upkeep!  www.besthealthmag.ca quote's Dr. Alastair Carruthers, a Vancouver dermatologist saying... 

"This is a lifetime commitment; if you stop, age spots usually re-appear within weeks and wrinkles deepen again." 

The Side Effects...

Irritation, peeling, dryness and redness are common in first- time users. 

Where You Can Get It...

Many cosmetic skincare lines offer anti-aging creams containing retinol. Ask a skincare specialist in your local beauty department for more information.

Helpful hint : Product Packaging Matters

• "Because retinol degrades with exposure to light and air, you should choose one with packaging that blocks out both. One-dose capsules that you apply to skin, such as Philosophy Booster Caps ($50 for 60) or products packaged in aluminum, like Vichy Liftactiv Retinol HA ($49, 30 mL), or in opaque glass bottles, like RoC Retin-Ox Wrinkle Correxion Intensive Anti-Wrinkle Serum ($50, 30 mL) or a three-layer tube under a nitrogen blanket protects the retinol in Olay Professional Pro-X Deep Wrinkle Treatment ($55, 30 mL)."

Helpful hint : Highest Concentration Product

• "SkinCeuticals (available through skincare professionals) Retinol 1.0 Maximum Strength Refining Night Cream ($56, 30 mL) contains 1.0%—uniquely, that’s printed right on the package.

One percent is also the highest amount of retinol allowed by Health Canada for over-the-counter products.

• Canadian brands Alyria (sold at physicians’ offices) and drugstore brand Dermaglow Nuvectin Retinol-Px face cream ($75, 45 mL) contains 0.15% retinol. Alyria Retinol Night Complex 1 ($50, 30 g) contains 0.15%, while Night Complex 2 ($60, 30 g) is stronger, at 0.30%.

RoC, L’Oréal Paris, and Vichy do not have any mention of concentration and refuse to release any such information.