You're waaaay too busy to even think about how you look, much less do something about it. Beauty is a luxury reserved for supermodels, fresh-faced high school girls, and, oh...fairy tale princesses. Right?
"Absolutely wrong," says esthetician, makeup artist, and day spa owner Susie Galvez. "No one is too busy for beauty. In fact, being beautiful isn't just about how you look, it's about how you feel. So making an effort to look good can actually energize you and help you de-stress. Think of it as an investment in your wellbeing. And it's a myth that you have to spend hours preening in front of a mirror to be beautiful-you can take small, five-minute beauty steps here and there that have a big, all-day-long impact."
Galvez proves her point with her new Ooh la la! series of gift books from London's MQ Publications Limited. These small, 6 x 6 inch books feature sleek metallic covers and are packed with fun, easy, bite-sized beauty tips that will appeal to even the busiest woman. (Cost of each book is US $14.95/ UK ? 6.99/ CAN $17.95). Her four new titles are:
Ooh la la! perfect hair
This book offers tips on making the most of your hairdo by selecting the correct products and styling tools for your hair type. It's full of great ideas on how to put the "luscious" back into your locks.
Sample Tip: To revive flat hair between shampooing, roll hair on Velcro rollers, mist ever so slightly with water, and put a large shower cap on top. Shower as usual. The steam from the shower will help set the style and give the hair extra volume. Blow-dry the rollers for just a minute or two until dry. Take the rollers out and vavoom...volume!
Ooh la la! perfect face
Bursting with professional secrets and tips on how to achieve and maintain a radiant face, this collection helps you solve those beauty emergencies and keep aging at bay.
Sample Tip: Even if you cannot go for a facial as much as you would like, plan on having at least two-one at the end of winter and one at the end of summer. A good, professional facial will remove the seasons from your face. It will take off the extra dead skin cells that these seasons bring, as well as prepare the skin for a new day.
Ooh la la! Perfect Body
Learn the secrets of spa treatments and transform your bathroom into a sanctuary where you can pamper yourself. From tips on keeping your hands and feet in their best condition to quick-fix solutions for those pesky problem areas, this book will help you look and feel great.
Sample Tip: To keep knees, elbows, and skin on the heels in the softest condition and free from discoloration, make some lemon "aid." Squeeze the juice from a lemon into two tablespoons of sugar. Apply the mixture to heels, elbows, and knees. Allow to work for two to three minutes.
Gently rub off with a warm washcloth, pat dry, and add a dab of moisturizer. Areas will feel silky smooth and look more even in color.
Ooh la la! Perfect Makeup
Learn to love your face with these fabulous, fresh, and fun tips. This wonderful collection instructs you on all areas of the makeup process and gives you the confidence to experiment with a multitude of different looks.
Sample Tip: A mauve/brown lip color is a great neutral and universal hue. It works well on almost everyone so it is a perfect handbag or travel bag staple. If desperate, you can actually use it as blush by applying a little dab on the cheeks. It also works well as a soft eye shadow in an emergency.
Galvez suggests that women try a different quick and easy beauty tip from one of her books at least once a week.
"When you take a few minutes out of your hectic routine to pamper yourself, you're proclaiming to the world, 'I count. I deserve to look and feel my best.' And you're also proclaiming it to yourself. We women feel that we have to take care of everyone else, and in the process we neglect us. But if we don't feel good about ourselves, we can't be good wives, mothers, employees, bosses, or friends. So beauty is as much about your psychological and emotional health as it is about flawless eye shadow and polished toenails. Amazing, isn't it, how something that seems so minor can be so powerful?"

























