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Regardless of whether your skin type is dry, oily, normal or even sensitive, moisturising should be an integral part of your skincare routine.  Moisturisers seals the moisture in and regulates the oil levels in the skin that's why even if you're prone to acne, or breakouts, you should still use a moisturiser.  The key lies in using a  well-formulated moisturiser on a regular basis and applying it properly.  

To maximize the benefits that moisturisers can offer to your skin, moisturise in the morning after you shower when your skin is clean and hydrated and at night since the skin rejuvenates itself while you sleep.  Herbalife offers the Daily Glow Moisturiser, an all-purpose hydrating lotion with illuminating properties to give your face a healthy glow. Skin looks radiant, even without makeup. The other one is the Replenishing Night Cream, this rich, luxurious cream helps deliver much needed moisture to the skin at night. Long-term hydration allows you to awaken with softer, smoother skin. Use these 2 Moisturisers day and night with appropriate amount, 2 to 4 pumps, to help ensure a healthy and hydrated skin for years to come. 

Featured Question for the Week: (From "Ask Jacquie", Herbalife SKIN Tips and Trends. Click here to access the Herbalife SKIN website)

Q: What is the best way to apply moisturiser to my skin? Is there some special trick I should know about?

A: Applying moisturiser to your face takes a bit of practice to ensure you are using the right amount of product and that you are covering all areas that need to be covered. I have found two successful ways of applying creams and lotions. Hopefully one will be perfect for you. The first is the 5 dot method. For this practice you simply pump your moisturiser onto your fingertip. Then, place 5 dots of product on your face; one dot on your forehead, nose, chin and each cheek. Once the dots are in place you simply blend outwards and upwards against gravity until all areas are covered. Based on the condition of your skin you will be able to determine if 1 pump of product is enough. The second way to apply moisturiser is to pump the product into the palm of your clean hand. I would start with just one pump at first. Rub your palms together about 2 to 3 times. This will ultimately warm the product up a bit for when you massage into your skin. You can start with your cheeks which are usually the dryest, move up to your forehead, nose and end with your chin. If you have ever had a facial this is probably how your product was applied. Give each method a try and see which one you prefer!

Want to gain weight healthfully?  It takes a combination of healthy, calorie-dense foods and resistance training to build lean body mass.

When it comes to your overall health, you often hear that you should work to “achieve and maintain a healthy body weight”.  And when you hear that, it’s natural to think that it applies only to people who have extra weight to lose.  But there are those who have the opposite weight problem – they struggle with trying to gain healthy body weight.   And while plenty of overweight folks might be happy to trade places with those who struggle to gain, they should know that underweight people often find it just as hard to achieve their weight goals as those who are trying to lose.  And, just as many overweight people do, those who feel skinny or scrawny may have issues with body image, or feel as if all they do is think about food.

Healthy weight gain takes time

Whenever weight change is the goal – whether it’s to lose or to gain- most people want quick results.  But in either case, the process is usually fairly slow and gradual.  In order for an underweight person to gain a pound in a week’s time, they need to eat an extra 500 calories above what they burn every single day – which is often easier said than done.  And sometimes (in an attempt to speed the process along) people turn to unhealthy, high calorie foods – like donuts and French fries – that are loaded with fat and sugar.  Aside from the fact that these foods don’t provide proper nutrition for an active body, they’re also not likely to lead to healthy weight gain.

Healthy foods for healthy weight gain

Gaining weight in a healthy way, then, requires more than simply eating more calories – you want to emphasize healthy foods that are also calorie-dense to ensure that you will ‘bulk up’ rather than simply ‘fatten up’.  But, boosting calories alone – even from very healthy foods – could simply add more fat to your frame if you don’t couple it with resistance exercise.  So gaining healthy lean body mass requires a one-two punch of healthy eating along with strength training.

It also helps to eat on a schedule – and to set aside some extra time to eat more often – in order to work in those extra calories.   It does take some forward planning and a lot of patience, but with practice, you can achieve healthy weight gain.  Here are some tips to help you.

How to gain weight in a healthy way

• Drink extra calories from fruit juices, low fat milk or soymilk.  If fluids fill you up too much, have them in between meals, rather than with your food.
• Gradually increase portions.  Whenever you’re able to serve yourself, add an extra spoonful or two of food to your plate to gradually increase the amount you eat.  Most people eat whatever they are served, and this often works better than trying to eat a entire second helping.
• Add healthy fats to your vegetables.  Use olive-oil vinaigrette on your salad, and add nuts, seeds, avocado or olives to salads and cooked vegetables.
• Choose calorie-dense whole grains.  Cereal topped with milk or soy milk makes a good snack that isn’t too filling.  The highest calorie cereals are dense and heavy – the box of cereal should feel heavy for its size when you pick it up.  Look for cereals that get their extra calories from nuts, seeds and dried fruits rather than extra fat or sugar.  You can boost the calories in hot cereals by cooking them in milk or soy milk – then stir in nuts or nut butter, dried fruit, seeds or mashed banana. Look for heavy, dense whole grain breads – they tend to have more calories per slice than ‘regular’ bread – and load up on foods like whole grain pasta, brown rice and quinoa.
• Adequate protein is important, but stick with lean proteins – fish and seafood, poultry, lean cuts of meat and vegetarian proteins such as beans and tofu – and increase calories by boosting your portion size, rather than relying on higher-calorie, fatty meats.
• Dried fruits have more calories than fresh fruit on a per-serving basis, and are good added to cold or hot cereal, trail mix, salads and smoothies – or just by the handful as a snack.
• Healthy snacking can help healthy weight gain.  Trying to work in an extra 500 calories or more per day is easier if you include regular snacks.  Aim for three meals and three snacks (mid-morning, mid-afternoon, after dinner) and try to space meals and snacks evenly.  That way, there’s less of a risk that your snack will ruin your appetite for your next meal.  A protein shake, a bowl of cereal with milk and fruit, a sandwich on whole grain bread, or a cup of bean soup are just some examples of healthy snack options.

 Susan Bowerman is Director of Nutrition Training at Herbalife. She is a Registered Dietitian and a Board-Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics.

Skin changes as the years go by – and your skin care routine should change with it! Here are my quick tips to help you look your best at every age.

Skincare in your 20s: 

If you haven’t already started a beauty regime, now’s the time! It’s important to get into a habit of developing a good skin care routine early on because it will help you look your best for years. 

You may be seeing changes to your skin since you’re coming out of your teenage years and your hormones may be changing. Your skin will continue to adjust throughout your 20s, so take some time to figure out what your skin type is and choose your beauty regime accordingly. 

Some simple lifestyle changes can help, too. Late nights out and too much time in the sun can affect the appearance of your skin. Start wearing sunscreen daily if you don’t already do so, because this will help your skin remain elastic and supple. And while it’s tempting to stay out late socialising, try to limit your late nights so you can look your best during the day. 

Skincare in your 30s: 

This is when you may start noticing the signs of aging. Your skin starts to lose collagen and elastin and a few fine lines might make their debut on your face. You may need to change your beauty regime to include more moisturising products. 

It’s common to start seeing signs of aging around your eyes, too. This is the decade when you should consider adding an extra step in your routine to focus specifically on the skin around your eyes. 

Want a quick tip to avoid encroaching laughter lines? Wear big sunglasses! The bigger, the better in my book. If you choose shades with UVA and UVB protection then you’ll be keeping more of your face covered and protected from the sun. And, the best thing about shades is that they reduce the likelihood of squinting. Squinting is not a good look, so throw on some shades when you’re outdoors or driving and you could delay eye wrinkles.

Skincare in your 40s: 

In your 40s, uneven skin tone is one of the most common complaints women have. This can be caused by too many hours in the sun with resulting age spots (so keep up your sunscreen routine!). It can also be a throwback to pregnancy which leaves some women with melisma (also known as the mask of pregnancy).

Other hormonal changes during this decade and the possible onset of menopause could leave you wondering where your youthful skin went. At this time, it’s best to visit your dermatologist for suggestions and possible treatments for your changing skin that will help you look and feel your best. 

Many women in their forties feel confident that they have their skincare regime nailed down so it’s a pain to realise that you may have to adapt and evolve. Happily enough, small changes do add up so you may need only a few tweaks to regain control of your skin.

Skincare in your 50s – and beyond:

A crucial element to skincare as you age is moisturising! By the time you hit your 50s, skin is losing its elasticity and you may start to see sagging. Though you can’t turn back the clock, you can keep your skin (and yourself) hydrated!

It’s also worth reviewing your cosmetics. If you’ve been wearing the same makeup look for a few decades, then it’s probably time to freshen up your style. Many women complain that their eyes appear smaller, so think carefully about your eye make-up. While mascara is a brilliant tool, you may want to switch from a hard black to a softer brown and work to emphasis your eyes in a more nuanced manner. Don’t forget my love of eyelash curlers too – they can turn a beauty bad day around! 

We can’t stop aging, but we can age gracefully and beautifully. If the fountain of youth existed, it would probably have something to do with attitude. If you feel beautiful, that confidence will show in your appearance – no matter what your age! 

Written by beauty expert, Jacquie Carter. Jacquie is Director of Outer Nutrition at Herbalife.