I've come across numerous tips featured in popular, mainstream magazines, but most were simply too difficult to achieve - I don't always carry around a hairspray to fix my wild mane, nor do I bring along a big pump of moisturizer and foundation. So, what's a girl gotta do? Here are some tips I've collected so far:

Dry or Frizzy Hair? Humidity and rain? When frizz and flyaways attack, reach for a little hand cream - dilute it with some water - and there you got some serum! Or if the hair is a complete mess, bring a hairband! Make a pony tail or a messy bun. Work with your tangles to rock a trendy, messy bun.

Defuse Booze Breath? Order a glass of water along with booze to counteract the effects of booze, and carry around mini brushlike tools, plus dental floss with mint flavour is great too!

Oily Skin in the Club - Hit up the bathroom for some toilet paper or purchase Clean & Clear Oil-Absorbing Sheets, tiny enough for the purse!

Greasy Hair? Pat roots with the face powder then tousle to blend it in. It will absorb the excess oils plus offer instant volume.

Racoon Eyes? Trying to rub away mascara or liner with a tissue will only irritate your delicate under-eye skin. Instead, reach for the hand lotion. Dab a little bit under the eye and gently swipe it away with a soft tissue.

Smelly Pits? The alcohol in hand sanitizer is perfect for killing the odor-causing bacretia. Rub a small amount onto each underarm, or if you just shaved, dab them with a little perfume. Those small easy to carry roller balls come in handy.

Dehydrated, dry lips? Wet your lips, then dab a little bit of petroleum jelly, like Vaseline lip therapy, as it seals in the water.

Melting Self Tanner? Dab some translucent face powder on the areas where you sweat the most. The light layer will help absorb sweat later on, minimizing the risk of a rub-off.

MUST HAVES staples in my purse:

• sanitizer
• face powder
• hand cream or lotion
• tissue paper
• lipstick
• mini-mirror
• mascara
• eye-curler
• concealer

From choosing a moisturizing anti-aging cream to investing in laser resurfacing, follow these tips to keep your skin looking young this winter.

Cold, dry weather can wreak havoc on your skin. In fact, you might feel like your skin is aging over night as wrinkles, crow’s feet and other imperfections seem more pronounced. Fight back with a winter antiaging strategy that keeps your skin soft and supple. 

Get extra moisture

There’s no doubt about it – the winter air dries out your skin. Not only are you battling cold air outside, you’re also fighting the dry air inside that can rob skin of its natural water and oil levels. To combat the dryness, choose a creamy face wash instead of a foaming formula. Make sure you use a moisturizing face cream after washing. You may need to choose a stronger anti-aging cream to use in the winter than you do in the summer.

Protect your skin

While the lack of sunshine would suggest otherwise, sunscreen is still essential to skin protection in the winter. The sun can damage your skin – increasing wrinkles and age spots – just as badly in the winter as it can in the summer. Your daily moisturizing face cream should contain an SPF of at least 15. Apply this to your face and neck. If you are going to be exposed to the elements for long periods of time, you may need to use traditional sunblock as well. Keep in mind that the snow can reflect the sun’s rays, so daytime skiing trips and sledding adventures can make you especially prone to sunburned skin. In addition, be careful not to shower with water that is too hot. While a steaming shower seems to erase the bone chilling cold, it an also strip your skin of its natural oils. Opt for lukewarm showers and baths instead or you’ll end up aiding the aging process.

Exfoliate 
Exfoliating can give your skin a healthy glow. That’s because exfoliating removes dead skin cells and leaves behind an even tone. It can also help promote the growth of new cells. Choose an exfoliator with round beads. Granules should be avoided since they can scratch and irritate skin. Be careful not to exfoliate too often – once a week is optimal for best results.

Try New Treatments
The winter may also be an ideal time to try laser resurfacing. The procedure works by sending a beam of concentrated light into the skin to remove damaged cells and promote the growth of new skin cells and collagen. Laser resurfacing can reduce fine lines and wrinkles. It also gives your skin a more even, tighter look. Is laser resurfacing safe? Overall, the side effects are minor and include changes in skin’s pigment, burns, scars and bacterial infections, though most users experience little to no side effects. Laser resurfacing can be done by a professional or in the privacy of your own bathroom with an at-home system. You can also check to see if the laser you’ll be using has been approved by Health Canada as a safe and effective product.

Be good to your skin this winter
Giving your skin the royal treatment all winter long will keep it looking soft and supple. The more you care for your skin, the better chance you have of keeping the signs of aging – wrinkles, crow’s feet, age spots – at bay.

Sponsored content was created and provided by Tria Beauty

In April 2012 edition of Harper's Bazaar, I've found a few interesting articles that revealed many secrets about maintaining youthful skin. Here are some of the secrets, or well, not so much of a secret anymore! I hope you will find this information useful.

• The most important rule is to use sunscreen all year round. Then you wouldn't worry about sun damage nearly as much. But if you've already experienced some damage:
  
• Using a mild retinoid in a moisturizing base at night can boost collagen production and fight dark circles and crow's feet.
• Puffy eyes? Try caffeine-containing eye creams. Other ingredients that may help: green tea, chamomile or aloe.
• Big pores? Try a salicylic acid peel to cleanse your pores and fractional non-ablative lasers to help tighten them. 
• Saggy skin? A lot of people claim that Olay Regenerist helps, and only costs $24.99 for a sculpting cream. I think I may try it!
• Pigmentation? Look for products with these ingredients: licorice root, niacin, kojic acid, soy and vitamin C all help treat pigmentation. 

Diet Secrets:

• Go easy on the grilling. Choose lowered-heat cooking methods such as steaming, poaching or using a slow cooker.
• Veggies need backup. Eat veggies and fruits together for a more powerful antioxidant effect. Think: orange, grape, and blueberries.
• Drink coffee, tea, and water instead of hard liquor or sugary juices.
• Eat pure dark chocolate. Avoid processed chocolates and candy is your enemy.
• Exercise is powerful. Workout harder, not longer. To get the most benefits, the truth is that exercise should be hard. 
• Sleep 8 hours a day. Beauty sleep is not a myth!

So, I happen to have a tiny jar of Vaseline. Honestly, I avoid using petroleum jelly, aka Vaseline, as a moisturizer, and especially not for my face, since petroleum is a by-product of gasoline. Yikes! It's not the best choice for a healthy moisturizer.

 
I've also recently found out that it is a sealant, and doesn't get absorbed by the skin:

"studies have shown that Vaseline has no medicinal effect nor any effect on the blistering process, nor is it absorbed by the skin. Petroleum jelly's effectiveness in accelerating wound healing stems from its sealing effect on cuts and burns, which inhibits germs from getting into the wound and keeps the injured area supple by preventing the skin's moisture from evaporating."

But there are ways when petroleum jelly may come in handy, for instance:

• It can soften rough skin on elbows, knees, or heels
• Use it as a makeup remover to lift mascara and liner
• Tame wild eye brows. Tap the product along the brows, then comb
• Use it as hair pomade to prevent fly-aways and split-ends
• Moisturize and heal dry, cracked cuticles
• Mix it with your lipstick to create tinted lip balm (just don't eat it)
• Use Vaseline around your eyes to prevent skin damaging effects of windy/cold weather

I've also found out via Reader's Digest, that the jelly can be used for manicures! The information is quite interesting and something I may try in the future:

No more messy manicures. During home manicures, it’s hard to keep the nail polish from running over on your cuticles. Petroleum jelly can help your manicures look more professional. Dab some along the base of your nails and the sides. If polish seeps off the nail during the manicure, all you do is wipe off the petroleum jelly and the sloppy nail polish is gone.

Also, what counts when buying this jelly is its purity. Pure petroleum jelly is considered to be safe and not as carcinogenic.