3. Applying moisturizers and makeup with a heavy hand.

Do you have habit of piling layers of makeup onto your face? Caking on your makeup clogs your pores. Clogged pores are an ideal breeding ground for acne-causing bacteria.

Solution:

Always lightly apply your makeup and moisturizer. One easy trick for assuring that you are applying your makeup and moisturizer lightly is that you feel a tickling sensation as you apply your cosmetics. The added benefit of light facial handling is that you reduce stretching and irritating your skin, a combination that can help limit onset of wrinkles and acne breakouts.

4. Not evenly applying cosmetics

If you notice a collection of pimples surrounding your temple or hairline, this could be because you start applying makeup or moisturizer at bottom of your face and work your way upward. However, if makeup or moisturizer collects on your temples or at hairline, cosmetic excess may clog pores and cause zits.

Solution:

When applying makeup or a moisturizer, spread it evenly across entire face. Keep in mind that hair styling agents may have spread to your hairline and this increases chances of pores getting congested and zits arising. Also, while cleansing your face, apply a warm cloth onto your hairline area to help remove waxy build-up that comes from hair styling agents, moisturizers and makeup.

So next time you are applying makeup or your moisturizer, call to mind feather and cotton, your metaphor for staying “light” and “clean” with your skin.

Doing It on Side

In funding terms, this means working another job to support oneself while launching an idea on side. Working freelance or independent consulting jobs offers maximum flexibility to squeeze in start-up ventures.

Business Plan Contests

Such contests are a great way for women to not only get money but also to validate their idea. Usually these contests will kick off major contacts that can help new businesses move forward at a faster pace.

Ladies Who Launch favorites include:

• Springboard (www.springboardenterprises.org) (founders also founded Boldcap Ventures mentioned above).
• National Institute for Entrepreneurship's Venture Bowl - Ladies Who Launch featured executive director, Suzanne Isack.
• NY Small Business Awards

Friends and Family

Women are great at multitasking due to their non-linear thinking instincts, so starting a business while raising a family may not be as far-fetched as it seems, but rather a logical starting point. For examples of women who did this, Ladies Who Launch features include: Molly Snyder and Jane Scott Hodges. These women started businesses that took off while starting families.

Funding through friends and family is a great alternative for women because, unlike traditional venture capital, which requires giving up a huge degree of control while answering to strangers, with this option, they can garner financial support without losing as much control or meeting stringent reporting requirements which may hinder them from focusing on moving their businesses forward. Some examples of Ladies Who Launch features who used this as their primary funding means: Suzy Jurist, Lela Rose and Lizzy Flannagan.

Debt Structure

It is becoming easier for women to find and obtain loans from different sources. Loans are a great way to minimize control issues and also to force women to think long term and develop a revenue plan that works. The Small Business Association is one great way to obtain debt financing.

Starting Small, Growing Slowly This is a funding mechanism because women can manage their growth with money coming in and can grow slowly. Patience is a virtue. Women are often balancing and juggling so much anyway that tempered growth is a natural conduit to their lifestyles.