Beauty Tips For Women

Do You Want to Avoid Skin Irritation? Using Herbal Skin Care Products

2009-11-06T22:42:00.002-08:00

When you are looking to avoid the harmful chemicals found gracing the shelves at your local grocery store, you may want to look into some of the herbal skin care products that are available.

Herbal skin care

Herbal skin care avoids the mineral oils and other petroleum products that can cause an irritation to the skin.

Herbal skin care products use natural oils that are found within a variety of seeds or nuts, such as grape seed oil and lemon oil. These ingredients tend to unclog pores, as well as ease the appearance of blemishes and dry skin.

Home Made Skin Care Products

There are tons of recipes for herbal skin care that you can use at home, which are created by picking up a few natural products from the grocery store, health food market, as well as herbal skin care stores and websites.

To create lavender oil for the skin, you will need two cups of lavender flowers, 2 sprigs of rosemary, 1 piece of orange zest, as well as 1? cups of olive or grape seed oil.

Using a mortar or cutting board, you can create the herbal skin care mixture by pounding the lavender, rosemary and orange zest together. Next, you pack the herbs into a 2-cup capacity jar and add the oil.

Cover and shake the ingredients together before leaving the jar in a sunny window for two weeks.

Shake the jar at least once a day during these two weeks. After the time is up, you will need to strain the herbal skin care product and keep it refrigerated when not in use.

Home Made Facial Oil

To make facial oil from calendula flowers, you will need two cups of olive or grape seed oil, ? cup of wheat germ oil, as well as one cup of calendula flowers.

You should combine all of the ingredients in a jar and cover for placement on a sunny windowsill.

For the next two weeks, you will have to shake this herbal skin care remedy at least once per day.

Strain and refrigerate this herbal skin care product after preparation.

Home Made Skin Care Toner

If you are looking for a herbal skin care toner, there is an easy way to create such a product with the inexpensive ingredient of witch hazel, which can be found at any drugstore. Combine 3? cups of liquid witch hazel with ? cup of herbs and place in a jar that sits on a sunny windowsill for one week.

The mixture should be shaken at least once per day. After the herbal skin care remedy is strained, place it in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.

When creating a toner at home, you can prepare a gentler option by adding calendula flowers; for oily skin, add lemon rind and mint to the remedy.

Home Made Facial Mask

A herbal skin care facial mask can be prepared by blending a few herbs together and applying it to the face.

If you are suffering from dry skin, you may want to blend rose petals and chamomile with two tablespoons of oatmeal and distilled water.

Oily skin craves for a blend of sage, yarrow, chamomile, and lemongrass with two tablespoons of distilled water and oatmeal.

After creating the herbal skin care remedy, apply to the face for ten minutes, and then rinsed away.

More skin care products information and FREE exclusive diet and health magazines, are available on our web site: http://www.net-planet.org

The Miracles Of Tea Tree Oil For Skin And Hair Care

2009-11-06T22:42:00.001-08:00

Tea tree, MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA, native to Australia, is a tree or shrub with needle like leaves similar in appearance to cypress with heads of sessile pale flowers. The popular tea tree oil is derived from this tree. The aborigines of Australia have been known to have used the tea tree oil to treat a range of ailments from colds, sores to acne and even whooping cough.

Extensively used in aromatherapy, the leaves when crushed release essential oils of varying amounts and constituents. The oil is so potent that it can be diluted up to many times its volume and it still manages to retain its effectiveness all the same. Although the benefits of tea tree oil are numerous, for beauty treatments, it?s been found effective in skin and hair care. The following sections describe the uses of Tea Tree Oil for skin care and hair care.

Tea tree oil for skin care

Tea tree oil has been used effectively to treat acne, abscess, athlete's foot, blisters, burns, cold sores, insect bites, oily skin, rashes, spots, warts and wounds. You can use tea tree oil to cure sunburns, diaper rash, toenail infections and problems of smelly feet.

Tea tree oil for hair care

Add a few drops of Tea tree oil to your regular shampoo to treat hair problems like persistent dandruff, itchy-scalp and even prevent head-lice. Massage it in, leave it on for 5-7 minutes and rinse off. Adding a few drops in pet shampoo/bath helps keep tics and rashes at bay.

Other benefits of tea tree oil Fed-up with allopathic medicines? Packets of antibiotics that have gone down your throat seem to be of no use? The only things you find they have lightened are your pockets? Well, don't panic, help is at hand, Tea Tree oil can be used to treat a variety of medical problems. A great remedy to soothe your sinuses; dab a drop of tea tree oil around your nose can help clear up blocked sinuses.

Add a few drops in a steam bath or vaporizer and inhale, a great relief for persistent colds and cough. Regular use of tea tree oil has been found to be effective in treating Asthma, bronchitis, catarrh, cough, sinusitis and even tuberculosis.

Tea tree oil is a great general disinfectant and can be effectively used to treat genito-urinary tract infections such as thrush, vaginitis, cystitis and pruitis. Tea tree oil has properties that act as a immune booster. It helps equip the body to fight off a host of infections. Using tea tree oil is particularly effective if the body is already in a weakened condition due to illness, stress or prolonged treatment-involving antibiotics that lead to a reduction of the body's natural resistance.

Using tea tree oil prior to a surgical operation or for those suffering from long-drawn debilitating illness has been found to be beneficial. The anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties have seen tea tree oil being used extensively in soaps, toothpastes, deodorants, disinfectants, gargles, germicides, aftershaves and colognes. Tea tree oil is safe to use, as it is non-toxic and non-irritant.

Although tea tree oil has no known side effects, some individuals may be sensitive to it. This calls for consideration of the strength of tea tree oil and should never be used undiluted on the body and particularly on sensitive areas.

Kevin Pederson has been managing a number of natural home remedies websites which have information on home based natural cures and references to some of the very useful oils like tea tree oils which are very good for your skin and hair .

How To Alleviate Your Acne Problem

2009-11-06T22:42:00.000-08:00

Acne brings huge problems to teenagers. Teenagers who have acne feel isolated, ugly, and insecure. Who wouldn't when everywhere you look, only clear skinned people are put on the pedestal.

You tried every acne product out in the market but nothing seems to work. At this point, you feel that your social life is doomed but fret not because acne won't stay forever if you take the proper actions early.

First step to take is to understand what acne really is and from there you can take the necessary actions in curing or at least reducing your acne problem.

Acne is the term for plugged pores (whiteheads and blackheads), pimples, and deeper lumps (nodules) that happens in the face, neck, chest, back and upper arms. Acne is caused by build up of excess oil and dead skin in a pore. The causes of this are natural hormones, clogged skin and bacteria.

The onset of acne happens between the ages of twelve to seventeen. Almost all teenagers had acne. Many of them used non-prescription treatments to alleviate acne but more than 40% of teenagers in their mid-teens have severe acne cases. Normally, it goes away in the early twenties. Then again, there are many cases wherein acne starts or continues into adulthood.

It is interesting to note though that young men who are more likely to have severe acne, don't consult dermatologists as much as young women do. But then again, young women are more likely to have irregular acne due to hormonal changes during menstrual cycle or due to the cosmetic products they use. This kind of acne may afflict women even into adulthood.

The ultimate question now is how do you reduce acne?

Knowing the facts that debunk the myths and misconceptions about acne may help you alleviate your acne problem.

Myth 1: Acne is caused by poor hygiene.

This may be true if you don't wash your face at all. But if you resort to frequent and vigorous washing, it will definitely cause scarring which will worsen acne. The best approach is to gently wash face twice a day with mild soap and use appropriate acne treatment after.

Myth 2: Acne is caused by diet.

Scientific studies debunked this having found that there is no connection between food and acne.

Myth 3: Acne is caused by stress.

Stressors are not important factors in acne. Only severe stress that needs medication can cause acne as side effects.

Myth 4: Acne is just a cosmetic disease.

Acne does affect how people look but there's no serious threat to physical health. However, acne can result to serious scarring which can affect how these people live their lives.

Myth 5: You just have to let acne run its course.

The truth is, acne can be cleared up using acne products available in the market today. If they don't work for you, then try seeing a dermatologist.

According to Thiboutot (2000), cure of acne lies in knowing three things:

* That resolution to cure acne takes time;

* That what works for one may not work for another;

* and that a dermatologist's help may be needed if all actions you take to cure your acne fail.

Remember that acne responds well to early treatment. So to prevent scarring have your acne treated as soon as acne starts showing up on your face.

Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the AUTHOR'S resource box at the bottom of this article is included and and all links must be Active/Linkable with no syntax changes.

?Charlene J. Nuble 2005. For up to date links and information about acne, please go to: http://acne.besthealthlink.net/ or for updated links and information on all health related topics, go to: http://www.besthealthlink.net/

Lipstick: Love The Look Hate The Work!

2009-11-06T22:36:00.000-08:00

It was not near lunch yet and I was already reapplying my lipstick. Usually, this was a mindless routine task, but on this morning something snapped. I was all alone and thought to myself in annoyance, I wish I could just tattoo my lips a natural color and be done with it. The thought was completely foreign to me and I took a second to consider the possibility. Interesting concept, I thought and then I forgot about it. Tattoos of any kind were way out of my box and one on the lips seemed unthinkable. Two days later, while casually thumbing through a magazine, I discovered there was such a thing as tattooed lipstick. It is called permanent makeup, cosmetic tattoo, dermal pigmentation or micro-pigmentation. Now, after years of freedom from applying lipstick, or practically any makeup, I find it unthinkable to be without my cosmetic tattoos.

Beauty Is Not Pain

I expected a lot of pain when receiving permanent lip color. In fact, it took me five years to muster up the nerve to do it. Finally, while doing extensive training with a permanent makeup practitioner, I decided to trust and put my face in her competent hands. I liked that she is an artist, as I am and her skills as a technician were being clearly and impressively demonstrated to me. It went surprisingly well. For the most part the topical anesthetic worked to block the discomfort, except for small twinges. One especially sharp twinge of pain brought tears to my eyes, but it vanished as quickly as it came. There was no fumbling about, her hands moved efficiently and with an instinct garnered from experience. For an hour or two afterwards my lips felt hot, tender and huge, more than they looked. Nevertheless, I got up from the chair and immediately went to a fine restaurant with a friend, enjoyed myself and took care not to order spicy food. The cosmetic tattoo procedure was simple and caused no inconvenience.

Make Your Lips Look Their Best

There are different options for permanent lip color. The first is a lip line; a single color in a crisp outline around the mouth. The second is a lip shaper; a lip line that is softly blended into the natural lip color. The third is full lip color. The fourth is a combination of full lip color with a lip line or shaper in a slightly darker or different color than the fill. Most lip colors can be achieved, but a good eye and the effective application of basic color theory is essential to success. You will not get the brilliance of topical makeup because permanent makeup is viewed through a veil of skin. Lip balm or gloss will give permanent lip color a lipstick-like sheen. One with sunscreen is always recommended.

The Best Kept Secrets About Permanent Lip Color

The first secret is augmentation. Cosmetic tattoos can create any number of effects on the face. When applying permanent lip color you make small, crisp and precise adjustments in shape that can create symmetry. You can also make lip curves more sensuous, adjust the balance between the upper and lower lip, make the mouth appear slightly larger or smaller, cover scars and even give the lips a subtle upturn. The second secret is based solely on my personal experience and that of some of my clients. It concerns age lines that radiate out around the mouth and tend to fill up with the lipstick you wear. Skillfully applied pigment into the edge of the lips, called the vermilion border, detracts from age lines and may stop or minimize lipstick from bleeding. Granted, it is not often that I apply lipstick, but when I do it stays put. A well-defined vermilion border is not only youthful, but I have been told consistently over the years that my age lines are not visible. I don't believe people were just being nice. The lines are still there, but visually the lips themselves dominate.

Cosmetic Surgery Considerations

What if you wish to address similar lip issues with medical cosmetic procedures? If you choose to get any kind of lip filler, then have permanent makeup done first so the lip shape is clearly established. If you already have lip filler, let it go away completely before having permanent makeup applied. If you wish to treat age lines around the lips, treat them first and then have permanent lip color added later. With these simple tips you can get the most out of your lips and look your best.

Dawn Willard?s extensive career in the fine and applied arts has included lettering, illustrations and photo and film styling. Twenty-three years as a photo and film stylist taught Dawn and array of artistic skills, one being makeup. Ms. Willard?s foray into permanent makeup began in 1996. She currently owns the Permanent Makeup Studio in Asheville North Carolina. She has explored a variety of techniques and has clients coming to her from Illinois, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, New Hampshire, New Mexico and numerous towns in western and central North Carolina. She can be reached at http://www.DawnColors.com or starjump@gmail.com.

Carbohydrates Explained

2009-08-10T09:48:00.002-07:00

The carbohydrates are the starches and sugars which are the main providers of energy for keeping the body working and coping with the activities we undertake. Western man has about half his diet in the form of carbohydrate but in the east it constitutes up to 90% usually taken as grains. It is fortunate that grains are also good providers of protein; starvation is generally the result of too little food rather than too few carbohydrates.

The refining of carbohydrates into white flour, polished rice and white sugar is a prime cause of overweight. Such foods are easy to eat in large amounts whereas if they are as near nature as possible-for example as whole wheat flour; brown rice and raw sugar-the appetite is well satisfied with less quantity.

Another bonus is that the all important dietary fiber, probably in its best form as cereal fiber (bran), is retained. Dietary fiber adds bulk to the contents of the gut, and for this reason is extremely valuable in preventing constipation. It is thought that a Western diet low in dietary fiber may be one of the causes of diverticulitis, appendicitis and varicose veins.

If you include dietary fiber in your diet you will be less likely to suffer from those disorders linked with over-refined foods. It must be remembered that brown bread is often colored with caramel, and has added wheat germ (a good food in itself), but is basically made from a refined or semi-refined flour. It is safest to insist when you can on bread from stone ground whole-wheat flour as this will contain all the necessary nutrients. Brown rice, pulses (lentils, peas and beans) and oatmeal are also excellent sources of dietary fiber.

Kevin Pederson has been managing a number of natural home remedies websites which have information on home based natural cures and remedies for some of the most common illnesses and health problems

Anti Aging Skin Care and Treatments Dermatologists Use and Recommend

2009-08-10T09:48:00.001-07:00

?Mirror, mirror on the wall, who?s fairest of them all? might have been the uttering of one of the most hated characters we have come across, but this concern for outward good looks is too deep-rooted in the human psyche. The basic concept of beauty has been and remains to be soft, flawless, glowing skin. Advancing age, however, takes its toll and the skin becomes blotchy, rough and dull. Seen from this angle, the topic ?anti aging skin care and treatments? calls for sincere reflection. The sagging and sinking skins have had enough of natural beauty tips that do really well unless scars and wrinkles steal appearances and the once healthy skin falls an easy prey to advancing age. It is time now that they get some insight into the steps being taken in anti aging skin care and treatments.

A number of aesthetic or cosmetic plastic surgery like face-lifts, thread lifts, fat transfer and a host of non-surgical skin refinishing treatments are now available to fight back the impacts of aging and the harsh treatments meted out to skin. Given the wide selection of skin-rejuvenating treatments, it is preferable that a reliable dermatologist be entrusted with the responsibility of working out the ideal anti aging skin care treatment to eliminate and soften the effects of aging.

The recommended skin care regimen prescribed by the skin specialist may be a singular or a combination cure, depending on the seriousness of the condition, age and other health related issues. The surgical part of the treatment is handled by the skin specialists but the follow-up skin care program necessitates total patient involvement.

The following section elaborates some of the anti aging skin care treatments, which can be used at home:

Glycolic Acid ? Glycolic or ?fruity acid? treatments are good for pigmented aging skin. The bleaching-cum-moisturizing action of this anti aging skin care treatment removes the skin blotches and smoothens the rough, sun-damaged skin, reviving its natural freshness. Available in two forms (cream and face wash), Glycolic Acid should be applied to the face twice daily or as recommended by the skin specialist. There are no serious medical problems associated with the usage of glycolic acids other than causing temporary skin irritation and redness sometimes. It is regarded as a safe anti-aging skin treatment. Caring for the rejuvenated skin involves use of sun block creams too.

TCA Skin Peels ? The TCA skin peels are the most sought after anti-aging skin care treatments, because these medium strength peels are perfectly safe and essentially effective. They fight back the ravages of advancing years by removing facial lines and wrinkles and give back the skin its lost elasticity, suppleness.

The best thing about this easy-to-apply, home-based anti-aging skin care treatment is that its effect lasts up to a year or so. Twice a year application of TCA peels will certainly benefit the skin and are now available for at home use (see the website below for more on this).

Adding some natural skin care tips like hydrating the body inside out, going for a balanced diet (containing anti-oxidants), a little meditation and other health tips summarize a full-fledged anti aging skin care program.

David Maillie is a chemist with over 12 years experience in biochemical research and clynical analysis. He is an alumni of Cornell University and specializes in biochemical synthesis for public, private, and governmental interests and manufactures various skin peels for plastic surgeons, medispas, and in home use. He can be reached at M.D. Wholesale: http://www.bestskinpeel.com

2005 Holiday Hairstyling Tips Trends and Secrets of the Stars

2009-08-10T09:48:00.000-07:00

Create a super new holiday hairdo that will turn you into a shining star.

With the holiday season just around the corner, there's one question that's on every woman's mind. It doesn't matter if she's young or old, married or single, tall, short, fat, or thin. When the calendar says Only 25 More Shopping Days 'Til Christmas, women want to know?

How can I style my hair for the holidays?

Be Brave, Be Bold, But Be Sensible It's fine to say you want something new and different for the holidays. But what you DON'T want is an unpleasant surprise at the salon.

Think twice before you cut once! (And you thought that was only for tailors!)

We've all heard horror stories about women who give their stylists very specific instructions about what they want?don't listen the advice the hair professional is offering (usually because it contradicts the client's fantasy image)?and end up with an unsuitable holiday hairdo. Instead of feeling their best, these poor hair victims end up spending their holidays hiding, rather than shining.

Can't quite imagine yourself with your hair gathered loosely at the crown with tousled waves flowing down your neck?but like the idea? Wondering how your super-curly hair would look if it were smooth and straight? Afraid to boldly cut off your long dresses in favor of a sleek modern 'do?

You're smart to be cautious. A pixie-cut maybe the perfect holiday hairdo for Halle Berry, but not for you. And once you've cut, or colored, or processed your hair in some way, you're going to be stuck with it.

See it? Consider it? THEN make your decision to cut, curl, and/or color!

Don't Be Scared, Be Prepared With so much going on at holiday time, the last thing you want to do is worry about your holiday hairstyle, but you DO want to look fabulous. To do that, you'll need to think about your hair before the holidays arrive.

A pre-holiday deep conditioning treatment is a must. The oils will nourish your hair and seal the cuticles. If your hair is healthy and in good condition, it will be easy to work with. So whether you or a professional are styling your hair, it will be responsive to being brushed, curled, and combed.

Secret: clean, healthy hair in a simple ponytail looks 100% better than dry, damaged flyaway hair that 's been tortured and lacquered into place.

The Right Tool for the Job There's no holiday hairstyling tool that's more versatile and more essential than the curling iron. Curling irons come in a range of sizes, but all you need to remember is: the narrower the barrel, the tighter the curl.

Look for a curling iron with multiple settings. This will allow you to choose the heat level.

Caution: Curling irons are hot like?well like irons?and can be damaging to your glossy locks. Trimming your hair on a regular basis prevents the damage down by blow-drying from traveling up the hair shaft.)

Fashion Forecast - Going Up! Hair is definitely going to new heights for the holidays with a trend towards upswept hairstyles reminiscent of the 1950's. The emphasis is on soft natural curls and waves that say, Caress me not stiff, lacquered locks that say, Don't touch

To get the up in your up-do, work with lightweight hair products that create volume ? especially mousses. Make sure that you have bobby pins that match your hair color and that they're the right size and strength to hold your hair.

A Traditional Style That's Always Fashionable, Easy, and Sexy The classic chignon sounds French, but it actually dates back to the Greco-Roman times! It's sleek, and chic, and magnificent for the holidays because of its simplicity and timeless appeal. (It's also appealing because it doesn't require that you cut your hair!)

The chignon is the holiday hairstyle of choice for fashion icons Kelly Ripa, Heidi Klum, and everyone's favorite desperate housewife Eva Longoria.

Here's how: Brush straight, medium- to long- hair into a low, tight ponytail at the nape of the neck and secure it with a rubber band. Twist hair several times to make a tight rope, with no frayed-out ends. Curl the rope into a bun and use hairpins to secure to nape of neck. If sleek isn't in your curly hair's vocabulary, consider a braided ponytail. When your hair is wet, work in some styling moose. Then use a hair diffuser to blow-dry scrunching it with your fingers. Grab hair and braid into loose platte down back. Secure with rubber band and then cover with a decorative hair ornament.

What Knots! The complete opposite of the stately chignon is a fun holiday look doesn't require that you cut your hair either -- urban style knots, a randomly placed series of tightly curled sections.

Here's how: To become a knot-head, divide your hair into 9 sections of equal size, securing each with a clip to hold it out of the way. One by one, twist a section into a tight coil and then wrap the coil into a tight knot. This is a holiday hairstyle where decorative hairpins are a must! Use them to hold each knot close to the scalp, but use them sparingly. We suggest one decorative pin for every three plain ones.

Is Bling Your Thing? You don't have to have big bucks to look like you're living large. Even with an everyday budget, your bun or chignon can be transformed into a holiday hairdo that's modern, sexy, and very, very merry with faux diamonds and other fabulous fakes!

Placing diamond clips and delicate barrettes add a sassy touch of glamour to hairstyles for the holiday. Pretty, feminine clips and clasps come in a wide variety of textures and finishes, with ribbons and other charming details

Susan Barclay and hairstyles-today share tips for great hair all year long. If you are looking for a new hairstyle stop by http://www.hairstyles-today.com

Tips and Tricks to Downplay those Pesky Fine Lines and Wrinkles Part One

2009-08-10T09:42:00.000-07:00

Are those fine lines and wrinkles worrying you? Before you do anything drastic?

Do you know that just taking care of your skin routinely can make a noticeable difference in its appearance?

There are five little steps for creating and maintaining healthy skin. They are to cleanse, exfoliate (lightly), freshen or tone, moisturize and protect. Treat your face, twice a day, to steps one through four. Seem too complicated? Some skin care products combine the first three into one timesaving step so all you have to do afterwards is moisturize. (Once a week, exfoliate your face more thoroughly to get rid of any build up of dead surface cells which can dull the appearance of your skin. Then carefully hydrate the newer cells to replace any lost moisture.)

Each morning, add step five to your regime. Protect your skin by using a sunscreen or sun block and then adding a foundation. Foundation helps to shield your face by providing a layer between your skin and the environment. The first trick it to match the color as closely as possible to your jaw line and neck. The second trick is to put on just enough foundation to smooth lightly and easily over your face (preferably with a sponge). Instead of covering up signs of aging, thick foundation settles into and emphasizes the fine lines and wrinkles you want to minimize.

There?s an urban myth that each time you sleep with your makeup on your skin ages by 11 days. Scary thought, isn?t it? Within two weeks of establishing a routine of caring for your face, you should start to reverse the effects of bad habits and see the results in clearer and smoother skin.

Once the appearance of your skin improves, makeup can be used as an enhancement rather than as a ?mask.?

Like foundation, too much concealer will detract from its intent. Concealer should be applied very lightly on under eye circles and blemishes and then blended well with your foundation

For eye color, choose warmer tones over cooler ones, lighter shades over darker, and matte consistencies over those with sparkle ? they?re less aging and ?kinder? to your face.

For eyeliners and eye brow pencils, select a shade of gray or brown or a complementary color rather than black. They?re more natural (unless your hair is black) and look much softer. To emphasize your eyes, line only the top lid and apply extra mascara on your lower lashes. Then ?open? your eyes with an eyelash curler.

For cheeks and lips, the most becoming colors are usually the ones that complement your natural warm skin tones.

Highlight either your eyes or your lips (but not both) then enjoy the visual effect of clearer, smoother skin with subtle makeup!

Sources: Mary Kay Inc., Robert Jones (simple beaute)

Charlotte is an experienced independent beauty consultant with Mary Kay Inc.

Register on Charlotte's Mary Kay Inc. web site to receive a monthly email newsletter, Beaut-e-News(tm), with tips & techniques and a seasonal mailing of the The Look catalog with free samples plus the latest in skin care and color looks (complete privacy ensured).

http://www.marykay.com/charlottemaddox

Using Water to Get Glowing Vibrant Skin

2009-05-18T05:42:00.002-07:00

I?ve mentioned your skin?s need for water before, but it?s such an important topic that it deserves a section all its own.

We sometimes forget our skin -- until something goes wrong! Your skin is the largest organ of your body. The skin protects us from infections, guards us against harmful effects of the sun?s rays, and helps to regulate our body temperature.

But what most of us think about with the skin is how it looks. All of us have seen those with unhealthy skin or complexions. Their skin has a sallow look, pasty, or drawn. It?s not a pretty sight.

And, of course, what the skin needs is moisture. When the body is inadequately hydrated, there?s not enough moisture in the skin tissues, and that can contribute to the drawn and haggard look so many have.

The skin also needs hydration to clean the body of toxins. Your body is constantly in contact with things that are not good for us. Those things can come from the food we eat, the air we breathe, and things we come into contact with by touching. (And in some places in the world -- thankfully not usually in North America! -- even water itself can bring in those toxins).

The simplest way the body gets rid of toxins is through washing. Washing your hands is probably the very best thing you can do to prevent infections, whether your own or someone else?s. Bathing or showering (and shampooing) also get rid of toxic materials our bodies don?t need.

But the cleaning works internally, too. Water courses through your body, a never-ending stream flushing out harmful substances. And if there?s not enough of that water, your body itself can become polluted, something like a river in a time of drought, when there?s just not enough water to clean out all the junk.

Your body can operate like that, too. Because there?s not enough fluid to clean out the toxins, they accumulate in the body?s tissues. The whole body can start to act sluggish, but the place where we see it first is in our skin. And while we are quick to put on lotions and skin treatments, the primary and most important ?skin treatment? you can use comes in a glass -- and it?s available from the tap!

Again, the most important means of taking care of your skin is our regular, 20 glasses a day water plan. Keep drinking on a regular basis. You will find that it becomes a wonderful habit very quickly, and you come to miss it if you?re separated from a water source for very long.

Prevention is of first importance, but if you find you?ve been exposed to something toxic (such as secondhand smoke), first wipe your face with cool (not cold) tap water, and then drink a couple of glasses of water right away. You want to give your body a chance to get rid of the toxins right away, and there?s no better way than water.

You may also notice times when your skin looks drawn or haggard, even when you?re drinking enough (or at least think you are!) In most of these cases, what has happened is that you have become busy or pre-occupied, and haven?t been drinking enough. Whatever the reason, start pumping the water right away. You will even find that water will help you to look better if you?ve temporarily not had enough sleep. If you have to miss a few hour?s sleep (or even a whole night) really load up on the water. It will make you feel better and look better until you can catch up on sleep.

Jim Huffman, RN specializes in natural and alternative healing therapies. His first book is 'Dare to Be Free: How to Get Control of Your Time, Your Life, and Your Nursing Career,' and is aimed at helping other nurses find satisfying, dynamic careers. His website is http://www.NetworkForNurses.com and his health blog is at http://www.shababa.blogspot.com

How to Get Long Luxurious Lashes

2009-05-18T05:42:00.001-07:00

We all love mascara and the way it makes our eyes look but we hate the clumps. There are also so many of them on the market that it is hard to tell which one to choose.

Getting gorgeous lashes is less about the type of mascara you use and more about how you use it.

Here is how to get perfect lashes every time without the mascara mess.

1) Use an eyelash curler before applying mascara. It will give your eyelashes that movie star dramatic curl.

2) Take mascara globs off the mascara wand with a tissue before you apply it.

3) Apply the mascara from the base of your lashes out with a zig zag motion. Make sure that you apply more at the base than at the tips. This will give you that thick,lush lash appearance.

4) To make your eyes look bigger and more dramatic just coat your upper lashes. Leave your bottom lashes clean.

If you happen to smudge mascara on your skin, never try to rub it off. This only creates a smudge, plus rubbing the sensitive area around your eyes is never a smart move. Instead dab a bit of concealer on a q-tip and gently pat it on to the smudge.

That is all it takes to achieve full, luxurious lashes without the mascara mess. Try it for yourself.

Caterina Christakos is the founder of stillagirl.com - a positive place for women and girls. For more beauty tips go to:http://www.stillagirl.com

Beauty and Raw Food

2009-05-18T05:42:00.000-07:00

One of the best ways to improve the appearance of your skin is by incorporating raw food into your diet. Beautiful skin starts from the inside out. People who switch to eating mostly raw food often see an improvement in their skin and look younger.

Heating food above 105 degrees Fahrenheit destroys the enzymes as well as up to 50% of the protein and 70-90% of the vitamins and minerals. Eating cooked food overtaxes the body?s enzyme reserves. Eating more raw food decreases the amount of digestive enzymes your body has to produce. Raw foods are foods in their natural state with the enzymes left intact. Enzymes are needed to perform many functions in the body including digestion, assimilation and elimination of food. A drained enzyme supply can result in vitamin and mineral deficiencies, premature aging and low energy. Raw foods high in enzymes include sprouts, papaya and pineapple.

Free radicals damage your skin and interfere with collagen production causing premature aging. Antioxidants counteract free radicals that age the skin. Berries, especially blueberries, are potent antioxidants that promote collagen which reduces wrinkles. Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons and grapefruit help rid the body of free radicals keeping the skin looking young. Foods high in the antioxidant beta carotene including carrots and apricots protect the skin against sun damage.

CoenzymeQ10 is an effective antioxidant involved in the energy process and present in every cell in the body. CoQ10 levels in the body diminish with age. CoQ10 destroys free radicals and slows aging. Spinach, broccoli and peanuts are foods high in CoQ10.

Alpha-lipoic acid is a powerful antioxidant that boosts the strength of other antioxidants such as Vitamin C and E, and assists the body?s energy production. Alpha-lipoic acid can be found in spinach, brewer?s yeast, broccoli, tomatoes and peas.

Sulfur is a mineral present in every cell in your body. It is needed in collagen production and for healthy skin, hair and nails. Organic sulfur levels in food are lost when processed, heated or dried. Sulfur is known to help improve skin conditions such as acne. High sulfur content foods include asparagus, broccoli, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, red pepper, garlic, onion, watercress and kale.

Silicon is an essential trace mineral needed for healthy skin, hair, nails and bones. Silicon levels decrease with age. Fruits and vegetables are the richest source of silicon including apples, oranges, cherries, grapes, strawberries, beets, cucumber, carrots and green leafy vegetables.

Phytochemicals are plant chemicals that help the body defend against damage and are said to have anti-aging properties. Phytochemicals can be found in berries, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, spinach, carrots, cocoa and bell pepper.

Raw nuts and seeds are high in Vitamin E which is beneficial to the skin. Selenium keeps the skin elastic and can be found in garlic, onions and shallots.

When the body rids itself of toxins, it passes through the skin which is the largest elimination organ. Raw food increases your detoxification rate. Drinking water helps the body rid itself of toxins. Seaweed is high in vitamins and minerals beneficial to the skin and also helps rid the body of toxins.

To achieve a healthy complexion, drink plenty of water and eat plenty of raw food. What goes into your body is reflective in your overall appearance.

Elizabeth Kiely is the owner of EK: http://www.eklbc.com

Acne and Makeup: A HowTo Guide

2009-05-18T05:36:00.000-07:00

Righty...so your new acne medication promises fast results in 10 days, but you've got to face the world today. What can we do to tie over the proceeding period before the acne goes down?

Well all you need is to learn a few creative acne makeup concealing tips to help you look your very best at school, work or play.

But remember -- Makeup conceals acne, it doesn't cure it!

But you already knew that, right? Using makeup to conceal acne isn't difficult, but there are some basic rules that you should always follow.

Your basic acne makeup toolkit

Your three acne hiding weapons will be a concealer, a foundation and a finishing powder. Stay away from the dollar store and use only brand names that you can trust.

Choose only oil-free makeup products that match your skin tone. Oil-free is the key to success here so read the labels carefully. You don't want to aggravate your existing acne problem by layering a fresh coat of oil on skin that already has too much to begin with. Choose a hypoallergenic brand while you're at it.

If this is the first time that you are using a new brand, test the makeup applying small dabs to a spot under your jaw to see how your skin reacts. If you are going to have a problem you'll know within an hour or so after applying it. Nothing's worse than adding more blotches to an already colorful face.

Before you begin

Wash your face with your normal face cleansing product and pat dry. Apply your acne medication per the instructions and let it dry throughly.

Start with the concealer

Apply the concealer in a light dabbing motion directly to any dark blotches or red areas that the acne has produced on your skin. Blend the concealer in using a disposable facial sponge. Use the concealer sparingly. You can always apply more if you need it but you don't want to layer it on too thickly. It will look terrible when it dries.

Next, apply the foundation

Apply the foundation sparingly as well and use a light dabbing motion here too. Blend the foundation with your sponge and reapply to any areas that need it.

And now for the final touch

Apply a light layer of the oil-free powder using a large makeup brush. This will take care of any shine that the acne concealer and foundation left behind and it will give you an even and finished look.

Throw away the disposable sponges when you are through so you don't transfer yesterday's skin oil to tomorrow's clean face!

Before you go to bed

Wash your face throughly to remove all makeup before you go to bed, but preferably as soon as you can after you return home. You want your skin to breath and your acne to get as much fresh air as possible.

John Wellington is from AcneHelpZone.com providing people suffering from acne with quick, relevant and free acne resources that they can download and take away with them for easy reference.

Make Up in 2 Minutes

2009-05-14T11:36:00.002-07:00

Make up does wonder to the overall image. It makes the face polished and pretty looking. I have met one too many women who told me they have no time for make up application. These women are definitely at a disadvantage in the job market, because women who put make up on, makes about 35% more than those who don?t.

A perfect make up application has many steps. However, some days, women have to wake up and run out for work, with no time for breakfast or a long make up routine. If you are a busy woman with no time in the morning, follow this quick make up routine that will guarantee you looking simple and fresh.

These are the tools and make up you must have on hand ? face powder, big powder brush, lipstick, eyelash curler, mascara and concealer.

Be sure the concealer is a shade lighter than your face. By the time it covers the dark blemish, the colour of the coverage will be very close to your natural skin tone. The face powder colour is to match your own face colour. Use a lipstick that is a shade or two darker than your lips ? for radiance. As for mascara ? if you are a brunette, you may choose very dark brown to black. However, if you are blond or very fair, use taupe or medium brown instead for more harmony.

Here are the steps for a 2 minute make up application:

1. Wash, tone and moisturize your face, apply sunscreen, then put some lipbalm on the lips.

2. Dab on concealer using your finger tip ? preferably your ring finger. Dab it on on any blemishes you have, as well as on your undereye circles. Blend well.

3. Dust on face powder with a big fluffy powder brush.

4. Put on lipstick.

5. Curl your eyelashes, sweep on mascara.

Voila - simple and fresh. Now you are ready to rush out!

Noelle Wong sees and unveils beauty in people. She is the owner of iN-IMAGE! Inc., a personal image consulting company in Toronto that offers one-on-one consultations and workshops to help people increase their personal presence. Her website is http://www.in-image.com, blog site is http://www.in-image.blogspot.com

Dangers of Skin Lightening Products

2009-05-14T11:36:00.001-07:00

Would you use a cream or soap that may have the following long term side effects ? skin cancer, liver damage, kidney damage or poisoning?

In the modern appearance conscious society in which we live there is a myth that lighter paler complexions portray beauty, riches and success.

This misguided belief has resulted in a huge market in the UK of skin lightening products. Some people use them secretly knowing what the side effects are, others using poorly labelled under the counter products not knowing what dangers they are letting themselves in for. Manufacturers may not be fully versed with the side effects or labelling may be misleading or economical with the truth.

Why do we have colour in our skin?

There are three reasons for the colour of our skin:

The cells contained within the dermis and epidermis provide a natural yellow, white colour

oSuperficial blood vessels provide a blue or red tint determined by oxygen content

oMelanin produced by melanocytes scattered within the basal layer of the skin

It is this third point which determines how dark a persons skin is; more melanin production results in darker skin. Melanin has another key function - it plays a major protective role. It is the skins own natural protection from the harmful ultra violet rays of the sun. Without it the skin is extremely vulnerable and we would have to cover exposed skins with sun screen or risk a greater chance of developing skin cancer.

How skin lightening products work

There are two chemicals found in skin lightening products, Hydroquinone or Mercury.

oHydroquinone (C6H6O2) is a severely toxic and very powerful chemical used in photo processing, the manufacture of rubber and is an active agent in hair dyes.

oMercury in the form of Mercury Chloride & Ammoniated Mercury is carcinogenic. They appear on the list of toxic substances that can only be purchased via pharmacies with prescribed labels of toxicity.

Both products perform a similar process. In the short term they will initially cause the skin to lighten by inhibiting the production of melanin. Without melanin formation in the basal layer no brown pigmentation will be visible.

The long term effects, however, are those that must be addressed.

The long term effects of using skin lightening products

Hydroquinone or Mercury applied to the skin will react with ultra violet rays and re-oxidise, leading to more pigmentation and premature ageing. More product is then applied in an attempt to correct the darker blotchy appearance.

These are the beginnings of a vicious cycle. By altering the skins natural structure and inhibiting the production of Melanin, it?s natural protection, the skin is more susceptible to skin cancer.

Prolonged use of Hydroquinone will thicken collegen fibres damaging the connective tissues. The result is rough blotchy skin leaving it with a spotty cavier appearance.

Mercury will slowly accumulate within the skin cells striping the skin of it?s natural pigment leaving behind the tell tale signs of gray/ blue pigmentation in the folds of the skin. In the long term the chemical will damage vital organs and lead to liver and kidney failure and mercury poisoning.

Are these products legal?

Products containing up to 2 percent Hydroquinone were legally available in the UK until 2001 when the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) issued the draft 24th Commission Directive. This bans preparations with Hydroquinone due to the long term effects as it accumulates in the tissues. The UK Cosmetic Product Regulations 1978 prohibits the use of Mercury compounds.

However, the demand for theses products is so high that there are illegal imports via small operators from Asia and Africa of creams, lotions and soaps of up to 6 percent which are sold under the counter in the UK. Graham McPherson from Trading Standards said ?we regularly find consignments varying from a couple of hundred items to a couple of thousand items on a monthly basis.?

Second generation of skin lightening products

Sujata Kashap, a skin care specialist, has been investigating a new highly toxic chemical that is already hitting the shops. Sujata said ?even if hydroquinone and mercury products are successfully banned in the UK there is be a second generation of products containing Kajoic Acid that also work by inhibiting melanin production. Which means that in 5 years time we will be back in the same situation.?

We need to stop this ?disease? from spreading

For many years beauty has been associated with being fair. Models are as white as possible and people are commended on the fairness of their skin. We feel that we must bow down to the social pressures or we suffer from the psychological effects which cause us to use products which may permanently disfigure or cause horrific side effects.

Banning products containing Hydroquinone and Mercury will not stop the products from entering the UK and being sold under the counter. The only way we can make a positive impact on preventing this ?disease? from spreading is through continuous campaigns raising awareness via the media and the government.

RGP Contact Lenses Would They Work for You?

2009-05-14T11:36:00.000-07:00

Modern RGP contact lenses have a lot of advantages over soft contact lenses. They are healthier for your eyes, they don't dry out and they last for years. But people are afraid that RGP lenses aren't comfortable. Lets look at the advantages and disadvantages of RGP lenses and how they can work for your eyes.

Whenever they hear the words Rigid Gas Permeable, most people think hard contact lenses, confusing RGP lenses with PMMS - hard lenses of the previous generation. RGP are made from a different type of plastic, which makes them more flexible than hard lenses. And their most important feature is high oxygen permeability.

Advantages of RGP lenses

As the name suggests, these lenses are gas permeable - they don't block oxygen flow to your corneas. Oxygen is very important for the health of your eyes because its lack can cause serious eye problems, including inflammation of the cornea.

RGP contacts don't contain any water, so they don't dry out. RGP is ideal for people who work in the dry conditions or outside, in the wind. RGP can also benefit computer users, since people blink less often, when working at the computer, and their eyes can become dry. If you wear soft lenses and your eyes feel dry by the end of the day, consider RGP - they don't suck moisture from your eyes and feel comfortable even at the end of the day.

RGP are very good for correcting high degree of astigmatism and presbyopia. They are also the only lenses for some eye diseases, like keratoconus.

RGP lenses are more resistant to protein and lipid deposits. This is especially important for people with high protein secretions

Rigid Gas Permeable contacts provide extremely sharp vision, even in the dark.

Do RGP cost a fortune?

RGP lenses are quite pricey. But when consider that RGP lenses usually last for 2-3 years, the overall cost isn't so high. You would spend much more replacing soft contact lenses every 2 weeks.

Are RGP lenses comfortable?

A concept of a rigid lens being in your eye scares most people, because they don't believe that such a lens can be comfortable. But in fact it is - people who wear RGP contact lenses report that a minute after they put the lens in they feel like there is nothing in their eyes.

However, RGP lenses have an adjustment period. During the first 5-7 days of wearing RGP contacts you might feel a little discomfort. Eventually, though, your eyes adjust and you stop noticing the lenses.

Many doctors agree that RGP lenses are healthier for your eyes than any other kind of contact lens.

Tanya Turner is a contact lens expert and a founder of http://www.1-contact-lenses-consumer-guide.com/, where you can find unbiased information about eye health and all types of contact lenses with reviews and pictures

Great Looking Skin ? A Simple 4 Step Skin Care Guide

2009-05-14T11:30:00.000-07:00

Step 1: Decide what type of skin you have.

This is important so you know how to care for your skin and what products to use. There are 3 basic skin types: dry, oily and combination skin types.

Type 1: Dry Skin

Dry skin occurs when the dermis does not secrete enough oil, or sebum. The result is tight, drawn, flaky skin and a dull complexion. In more extreme cases, dry skin lacks elasticity and can be extremely sensitive to the sun, wind, and cold temperatures.

Type 2: Oily Skin

This type of skin has over-reactive oil producing glands, which makes the face shiny, especially the forehead, down the central panel of your nose and the chin (the T-zone). The pores of this skin type are enlarged making it prone to blackhead, pimple and acne. Oily skin needs special cleansing to keep the pores unclogged.

Type 3: Combination Skin

People with combination skin typically have some oily skin and either normal or dry skin on different parts of their face. Normal skin has a balanced oil and water content and feels smooth and velvety, not dry or oily. Normal skin is evenly toned with tiny, generally unclogged pores. After a wash it feels smooth and comfortable. Normal skin only occasionally breaks out in spots.

Combination: Normal to Oil

People with normal to oily skin generally have normal skin on their cheeks and oily skin with enlarged pores on their T zone, the area that stretches across the forehead and down the nose and chin. The T-zone needs extra attention as spots may often break out in this area.

Combination: Dry to Oily

This skin type is also marked by oily skin in the T zone and dry, taut skin on the cheeks.

Step 2: Develop a good daily Skincare regime.

There are 3 steps to basic daily skincare:

a. Cleansing

b. Toning

c. Moisturising

Let's break down each step.

Cleansing does just that, it cleans your skin. By cleansing, you are removing any dirt, oil, bacteria and makeup.

Toning does three things: it removes anything that your cleanser didn't already take care of, it restores the pH level of your skin and it prepares your skin to receive the moisturiser.

Moisturising helps to seal in your skin's natural oils and it acts as a barrier between your skin and the environment. Even oily skin needs a moisturiser, but chose a light product. It is best to moisturize immediately after applying toner. Moisturising is something everyone of every skin type should do, including those with oil rich skin.

Besides these daily steps you should also, less frequently, exfoliate and use a facial mask.

Exfoliation allows you to remove dead skin cells sitting on the surface of your skin. The circular motion in which exfoliating should be performed also helps to stimulate your skin allowing oxygen to come to the surface. Exfoliating is a crucial step for those with either dry skin or those with dehydrated oil rich skin.

Facial masks give you an extra boost to combat any concerns you might have for your skin. Just remember not to keep your mask on for more than 15 minutes because you could actually burn your skin. All masks should not be applied on the eyes (there are eye masks specifically formulated for this delicate area) and should be washed off with a warm face cloth.

So how often should you really be doing all of this ? Cleansing, toning and moisturising should happen twice daily; morning and night. You can exfoliate and give yourself a mask every one to two weeks depending on your skincare concerns.

Here are the steps you should follow for your day to day routine:

1. Cleanse

2. Tone

3. Moisturise

And here are the steps to be followed on the days you choose to also exfoliate and apply a mask:

1. Cleanse

2. Tone

3. Exfoliate

4. Tone

5. Mask

6. Tone

7. Moisturise

This may seem like a lot to do but your every day routine shouldn't take more than 3 minutes and your weekly routine no more than 20 minutes.

Step 3. Choose appropriate skincare products for your skin type

Your beauty specialist will be able to advise you on the best products for your skin type and skin care routine.

Step 4. Lifestyle impacts on the health and appearance of your skin, here are some lifestyle tips for enhancing your skin's appearance:

1. Avoid over exposure to the sun.

Sun damage leads to hyper-pigmentation (brown spots) which can develop into serious skin disease. Excessive exposure can also exaggerate and thicken fine lines. Use an SPF 15 or higher foundation or sun cream on all exposed skin, especially on your face.

2. Don't smoke

Easier said than done for smokers but please remember your skin is a large organ and it needs a lot of circulation. Smoking impairs circulation dramatically. That's why smokers' skin can look dull and gray

3. Get adequate rest and nutrition

Eat right and get plenty of rest. Keep vitamins such as C and E in your diet regime.

4. Protect yourself from stress - both emotional and environmental stress.

5. Touch your face less and wash your hands more!

It's very tempting to pick, poke, squeeze, and scratch in front of the mirror. But the more you traumatize the skin, the greater your risk of scarring. Apply treatment products and let them work.

6. Keep your makeup clean.

Replace the sponges in your compact on a regular basis.

7. Exercise.

Exercise promotes capillary functioning which can decrease premature aging. It also increases oxygen to the tissues which helps skin look young.

Donna is a trained makeup artist with her own beauty business. As both a business women and a mom with 2 children Donna understands the time pressures on women today and through this, and other articles, has endeavored to take the complexity out of looking great with some busy women friendly beauty tips and advice. If you would like to read more of Donna's articles check out her website: http://www.coloursandscents.co.nz

Make An Easy Lotion For Your Skin

2009-05-12T02:07:00.000-07:00

Years ago I found out how incredible easy it is to make lotion. It is so inexpensive and organic that I wondered why anyone would even consider spending a dime on the chemical rich lotions on the market.

Besides I had an added incentive, I have eczema, so I am extremely sensitive to what I put on my skin. Making my own lotion was a great alternative for me.

To begin, for a lotion base all you need is water, oil and an emulsifier. An emulsifier is simply an ingredient that blends the water and oil together. Here is the base that I begin with to make my lotion:

? cup distilled water
? cup oil (I usually use olive, almond, macadamia nut, or grape seed)
1 TBS liquid lecithin

You can experiment from here by adding essential oils, combining other oils; you can steep beneficial herbs into your water before you add your oil, etc?

Here is a nice winter lotion to get you started:

? cup distilled water
? cup olive oil
1 TBS lecithin
6-8 drops of geranium oil
2-4 drops Myrrh oil
400 IU Vitamin E oil (1-2 open capsules)

Geranium oil is good for supporting balance and rejuvenating dry skin conditions and for wrinkled and matured skin. Myrrh is a gentle oil that is effective in replenishing moisture.

Vitamin E oil is an excellent antioxidant and helps to protect the skin as well as a nice preservative.

Blend all ingredients in the blender either on whip or cream. You will have a nice creamy firm lotion. Add more water to make a lighter lotion. Store in the refrigerator in hot climates or store in a cool place. Shake well before use.

Enjoy your lotion. Hopefully this little recipe will inspire you to become creative!

About The Author

Danielle Sims explored her library of alternative health, herbal books, and aromatherapy books and created a blueprint for making her own body wrap formulas at home. Now she offers this information in an e-book entitled Wrap Yourself Slim: Body Wrap Exposed. Monthly newsletter is also available at her web site. for more information go to http://www.wrapyourselfslim.com

links@wrapyourselfslim.com

The Milky Way to Beauty

2009-05-12T02:06:00.001-07:00

For years, goats milk has been a staple in most culture. Nutrinionally it is superior to cows milk because it contains more nutrients, vitamins, proteins and minerals. Its fat globules are smaller than those of cow's milk, makng its absorption in the skin and digestive system faster and easier.

Scientists are learning that these remedies have a solid basis in scientific fact. Cosmetic chemists call goat's milk nature's liposomes because it is so easily absorbed into the skin, bringing with it moisture and restorative proteins, minerals and vitamins.

Goat's milk also contains over 50 nutrients, including the vital vitamins of A, C and B-complex, minerals and other elements that nourish and rejuvenate dehydrated skin. Vitamin A slows down the effects of aging, as well as prevents age spots and thickening of the skin. Zinc contributes to the reconstruction of collagen fibres, encouraging moisture retention and maintaining the skin's elasticity/ Riboflavin or Vitamin B-2 is another anti-oxidant and is essential for healthy skin, nails, hair and general good health.

Alpha-Hydroxy acid(AHA) naturally exfoliate skin. Goat's milk has AHA components that contribute to the micro-peeling process, gentry scrubbing off dead skin cells. Goat's milk helps nourish the newly-grown skin and may encourage the production of elastin. New skin emerges smooth, healthy and younger looking.

Now you can enjoy all these benefits in a goat's milk, bath daily with goats milk cream bar because it will help rejuvenate your skin naturally.

Jerome is an author of different websites. He conducts research in technology, auctions, health and more and put it into an interesting article. He is an avid reader and during his spare time, he watches tv and enjoys the normal life.

For your health concerns, visit http://www.bearyhealthy.com/

Fruits for Your Skin

2009-05-12T02:06:00.000-07:00

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin and it is required daily by our body. Lemon, orange etc are the best sources of Vitamin C. Vitamin C helps your skin glow and look beautiful and it is not just due to the creams and lotions you apply.

Orange is a great source of Vitamin C and it is recommended for daily intake to keep the skin healthy. Vitamin C also protects the skin from ultraviolet rays. Vitamin C also acts as an anti-aging agent and makes the skin wrinkle free. At least 200 mg of Vitamin C is required daily by our body and consuming one orange would help you meet your daily needs of Vitamin C.

It is good to take an orange than have a glass of orange juice. Vitamin C also helps in healing wounds and making the skin look good and beautiful. Dull looking skin requires Vitamin C for nourishment. It also helps if you have bleeding gums. Vitamin C is an antioxidant and helps the skin. Vitamin C also helps in to slowing down the degeneration of skin and organs in our body.

Instead of taking Vitamin C pills, it is advised to take fruits and vegetables containing natural vitamins. Fruits have more natural vitamins and fibers than vitamin pills.

Paul has been providing answers to lots of queries through his website on a wide variety of subjects ranging from satellite phones to acne. To learn more visit http://www.askaquery.com/Answers/qn1649.html

You are welcome to republish the above article only if you add our hyperlinked URL.

Abdominoplasty Prices

2009-05-12T02:00:00.003-07:00

Abdominoplasty, known as a tuck, is a very common cosmetic procedure. If you are interested in potentially having the surgery, you need to know the typical prices.

Losing weight is the perennial battle as we grow older. It is the lucky soul who does not naturally gain weight as the years pass. Exercise and diet are undoubtedly the best way to attack this inevitable process, a fact repeated in the media and literature over and over. The problem, of course, is who has time given the hectic pace of life?

An abdominoplasty is one option for battling the bulge. The costs of the procedures, however, may come as a bit of a shock if you aren?t aware of them going in. The prices tend to be a bit high given the nature of the procedure.

While abdominoplasty is the name used for most cosmetic abdominal surgeries, there is not one procedure as suggested. In truth, procedures range from full tucks to mini-tucks and so on. The difference is purely a matter of what you are trying to achieve. As you might guess, a full tuck is going to take longer, which results in a higher price. Mini-tucks are more isolated and less expensive given the time in question.

Abdominoplasty prices vary greatly depending on a number of other practical issues. The location of the tuck procedure is going to have an impact, to wit, Beverly Hills surgeons charge much more than surgeons in Oklahoma City. Further, there seems to be a direct correlation between the number of times the surgeon has been on television and the price. If you must have a celebrity surgeon, you are going to pay for it.

In general, the cost of a full abdominoplasty will range from $4,000 to $7,000 dollars. Mini tucks will run as much as half of this figure, but the specific cost is entirely dependent upon what is being done.

Abdominoplasty prices can cause serious sticker shock when you first get an estimate. Remember, health insurance rarely pays for plastic surgery.

Ricardo de Silva is with PlasticSurgeonPractices.com - a directory of plastic surgeons.

SO What Exactly Does a Beauty Consultant DO for Her Customers?

2009-05-12T02:00:00.002-07:00

If a picture is worth a thousand words, the answer can be found in The Best in Service video on my company web site.

But I'll try to explain ...

Say you?re looking for a fix to a skin care problem or makeup colors for a new outfit. You can go to a store OR you can contact your beauty consultant. If you go to a drug or discount store, you?re on your own to sort through the different brands and choices but you can save money. If you go to a department store, trained professionals help narrow your selections but you pay for your products plus the store's overhead. If you call a good beauty consultant, she can come to you, share her expertise AND offer your special prices and promotions.

OK, you try a few products but you?re not quite sure they?re what you want. Does a store provide free samples to try again later at your convenience? If you make a purchase, does a store call in a few days to ask if you?re pleased with your choices? A good beauty consultant does both.

If you?re happy with your purchases, does a store keep track of your preferences, suggest complementary items and call to update you about new products you might like? A good beauty consultant does. And, if your selection isn?t quite right, a good beauty consultant will reimburse you so that you're completely satisfied.

Are there in-store hostess programs? In other words, if you shop with a few friends, can you get some of your products discounted or for free? Do you have to wait for periodic store promotions to receive a gift with purchase or can you get one whenever you shop? What if you have a makeup ?emergency? and need products ASAP? Are your products dropped off or mailed to you by a store? A good beauty consultant offers you a hostess program, a gift with purchase plus product delivery or shipping any time.

With a beauty consultant, you can ...

~preview products and stay fashion forward with the latest beauty tips & trends plus application techniques

~request complimentary consultations as well as free samples of products

~experiment with skin care and cosmetics in the comfort of your home

~participate in hostess programs for special pricing

~arrange for personal gift services

~request product delivery or shipping

~be guaranteed 100% satisfaction

Oh, and you can get your skin care and cosmetics at cost ...

SO, what exactly does a beauty consultant DO for her customers?

Charlotte is an experienced independent beauty consultant with Mary Kay Inc.

http://www.marykay.com/charlottemaddox

Health Benefits Of Cucumber

2009-05-12T02:00:00.001-07:00

When the cucumber became important as a health food in the eighteenth century, it did not take long for people to forget those medical properties which had been well-known first of all to the Greeks and Romans and then later to the Arab physicians.

Today we see the cucumber as a provider of a very healthy juice beneficial for its properties as an increaser of the flow of urine and as a complement to the effects of celery and carrot juice for rheumatic conditions, while at the same time being a soothing skin lotion.

Japanese research in the first half of this century indicated that there was a valuable substance present in the cucumber juice for the treatment of the whole intestinal tract. Sad to say this work has not been pursued and the active factor still retains the secret of its identity.

Other health benefits of cucumber is derived from the fact that it is very low in calories, about 4 per ounce (54KJ per 100g) being an average figure. Very high potassium contents have been claimed for the plant which from the most up-to-date analyses available would seem to be an exaggeration. The vitamin content is also generally to be found between low and average for the edible vegetable.

Nevertheless, cucumber juice is certainly beneficial the treatment of rheumatic conditions. It does not matter too much that the reason for this effect is not clear. What is important is that it helps many sufferers.

Although the whole juice is the best skin lotion it is worth remembering that the peel itself, like lemon peel, should always be retained and used on the hands especially after they have been in a strong detergent or in very hot water. It is not necessary to rub hard - indeed skin care with cucumber should be a gentle, fragrant art.

Kevin Pederson has been managing a number of natural home remedies websites which have information on home based natural cures and some guidelines on the benefits of different fruit and vegetables.

Permanent Cosmetics

2009-05-12T02:00:00.000-07:00

What is Permanent Makeup?

Permanent makeup is a state-of-the-art form of cosmetic tattooing. The specialized techniques used for permanent cosmetics are often referred to as micropigmentation, micropigment implantation or dermagraphics. The cosmetic implantation technique deposits tiny individual implants of pigment into the dermal layer of skin to enhance facial features. The 3 most common procedures are eyebrows, eyeliner and full lip color. How Is It Done?

Permanent cosmetic procedures are performed using various machines, including the traditional (or specialized) tattoo or coil machines; the pen or rotary machine and the non-machine or hand tool method.

What Can Be Done?

- Eyebrows - Eyeliner
- LipLiner - Full Lips
- Cleft Lip - Beauty Marks
-Skin Grafts
-Scar Camouflage
-Areola repigmentation

Who Benefits?

Women who:

?Have sparse brows and are tired of brow pencils
?Are tired of their makeup smearing
?Are athletic, yet still want to look their best
?Are allergic to conventional cosmetics
?Wear contact lenses
?Want to streamline their daily makeup r?gime
?Have colorless lips or uneven lip borders
?Have had breast reconstruction surgery (can tattoo an areola)
?Have scars and want them blended with their surrounding normal skin

?Does it hurt??

Topical cream anesthetics are used to numb the area. Most people equate the sensation as similar to tweezing or waxing. Nancy provides instructions which further promote comfort. Not following instructions can promote bleeding and increase sensitivity. Permanent makeup intrigues me, ?..I don?t know much about it??..

You probably know of someone who has permanent makeup and they love it. Or you may have seen or heard stories of bad work. It seems that the media is more likely to expound on the horror stories rather than the beautiful work that can be permanent makeup.

What Could Help Me Know If Permanent Makeup Is For Me?

First you must determine if there is something about your face, or body that you?re unhappy with. Say your brows are sparse, you use pencil every day and you?re tired of it. You may want to look into what permanent makeup can do for you. If you?ve had breast reconstruction and the areola/nipple was not replaced, then a permanent makeup artist can tattoo one on, making a woman feel whole again. Napoleon Hill said ?We Refuse to Believe What We Don?t Understand?. Without further knowledge the average person cannot make an educated decision about whether or not something will work for them. This means learn as much as possible about permanent makeup prior to making a a firm decision about it.

What Things Should I Look For In A Technician?

Once you have decided that you want permanent makeup, find out more about the technician. See if they have a website; visit that website. See if the information provided makes sense to you. Did you learn anything from it? Contact the technician, but instead of first asking ?how much it costs??, do this:

1) Learn as much about permanent makeup yourself before you talk to a prospective technician. Remember, this is your body/face ? you need to do your research and not rely only on the information they provide you.

2) How many procedures have they done?

3) What educational training have they had?

4) Do they have a portfolio of ?before? and ?after? photos you can review? Do you like what you see?

5) Does the technician seem interested in you?

6) Are they willing to provide answers to your questions?

7) Meet with her for a consultation.

8) Do you get a good feeling about this technician?

9) Ask how she keeps the procedure safe.

10) Then ask for costs. However, be advised this is not the industry to be looking for bargain basement prices?...you will get what you pay for?...trust me. I?ve repaired work that was inexpensive to the client who was only price shopping.

We?re On The Web
www.alwayslookyourbest.com

NANCY LATOUCHE
PERMANENT MAKEUP CONSULTANT
(714) 404-1306

Nancy LaTouche is a retired Board Certified Permanent Makeup Technician/Artist/Consultant.

Nancy is completing an E-book on Permanent Makeup due end of 2006, directed at new technicians. It will be information not provided in a typical course instruction, and will be published on her website upon completion. If you are a technician that is interested, see http://www.alwayslookyourbest.com

Foundation Top Picks!

2009-05-12T01:54:00.000-07:00

Hi, I'm the Fashion & Beauty Consultant for Estate Jewelry International where we don't just sell jewelry but pamper the whole you!

It's always tough finding the perfect foundation for your skin type, color, and texture. Some products are heavy,some don't cover so well, others don't blend well. We'll review a few of the products which we tried.

Tinted Moisturizers

* Laura Mercier tint moisturizer that leaves your skin feeling fresh. Comes in 7 shades all very natural. It has an SPF of 20 and is fortified with age-defying antioxidants.

* Elizabeth Arden tint moisturizer blends easily with enough coverage that you don't feel naked. It doesn't build up on dry patches. Demotologist tested. It has a SPF of 15

* Hydramax tint moisturizer is a lightweight hydrating lotion balancing moisture and coverage with natural-colour tint. Extract of Butterfly Lavender helps boost hydration by stimulating the water-trapping proteins essential for skin's proper moisture balance. Comes in 2 shades.

* Bobbi Brown tint moisturizer won the Best New Foundation award in Nov 2004 in Health Magazine. This formula is rich and luxurious so its perfect for anyone with extra dry skin. It blends easily and gives skin light coverage. Deeply moisturizes skin, to help reduce the look of fine lines. Dermatologist tested.

* Avon tint moisturizer is great for younger skin, however it has a tendency to stick out like a sore thumb on dry skin. I tried applying it as a foundation with a make up sponge and as a moisturiser using my fingertips and both times my skin looked terrible. It has a nice feel and a pleasant floral scent but the overall look it gave me was not natural in any way, the dry spots on my face seemed to show badly. Perhaps better suited for pre 40's skin. Liquid Foundations

* Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk liquid foundation is lush yet feather light with a very sheer texture. It is exceptional at correcting discoloration, elimating redness and blotchiness. Comes in 14 shades.

* L'Oreal True Match liquid foundation is a nice light weight and has terrific texture. No oils, fragrences or pore clogging materials. Contains vitamins B & E as well as glycerin to nourish the skin. Available in 24 colors.

* Laura Mercier liquid foundation is water based yet exceptionally creamy with a nice smooth finish. It has great coverage for a non oil based product. It isn't greasy or drying and the color matches well. Application is best with a sponge, and you can get more or less coverage depending on how much you apply. Takes a few minutes to set.

* Revlon Age Defying liquid foundation has great coverage and does not feel heavy. It does have a fragrance which does not go away. May hot be the best choice if your skin is at all oily. By mid day face may tend to feel oily and some experience zit outbreaks. It has an SPF of 30. Limited colors.

* T Leclerc Hydrating Fluid liquid foundation is best applied with a sponge or fingers. Its super thin so you hardly know its there. Comes in 6 shades. It has an SPF of 8. Mousse Foundation

* Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse is my all time favourite foundation. It gives great coverage but you feel like you've got nothing on. It's lighweight and easy to apply. I find it's best applied with fingers. If your skins a little on the dry side apply a moisturizer and then the mousse and it says light weight. It lasts all day and I've never had a break out using this product. It's advertised as a revolutionary whipped formula and that describes its texture perfetly. Available in 10 shades.

* Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Mousse is easy to apply and it never looks cakey or thick. Good coverage for such a sheer foundation. Great for dry skin. If you have oily or dry skin you may find yourself oily by mid day. I must say the smell can be a little harsh. If your at all sensative to smells have a whiff before buying. Dermatologist, clinically, allergy tested. Recommended for all skin types, except extra-oily.

* Erno Laszlo Absolute Finish Finishing Mousse Foundation is water free, air whipped providing flawless coverage. It is good for almost all skin types except for very oily skin and those that have a sensitivity to salicylic acid. Its very light and coverage can be sheer to complete. Stays on all day. Its a water free air whipped. Contains Emu Oil and essential fatty acids for non greasy moisturizing. Antioxidants vitamin A, C, & E to defend against free radical damage. It has UVA and UVB protection, and it is Dermatologist tested.

Wouldn't life be grand if one product worked for all of us. However, that's not the case so although I try and review products I cannot tell you how they will work on your skin. Most reputable cosmetic companies will refund or exchange a product if you are unhappy with it. When you find a product that works for you stay with it.

Remember your fashion statement includes the whole you from your hair to the polish on your toes, from your hat to your shoes, from your earrings to the rings on your fingers. So be sure to let the world know who you are and Make Your Fashion Statement!

Sher Matsen from Estate Jewelry International have been serving customers for over 20 years, providing affordable estate jewelry, and a wealth of information on jewelry, fashion, designers, and beauty with on staff industry professionals. Please visit us at http://www.estatejewelryinternational.com/

How to Choose a Perfume?

2009-05-05T05:57:00.002-07:00

There is not an ultimate advice because everyone interprets odors in their own way, and the same fragrance can smell totally different considering type of skin, hair color, temperament and even the season of a year. There are important nuances if you do not want to seem vulgar or lacking of taste.

First, when you choose a perfume, do not account on anybody except yourself. When you breathe in the scent, imagine yourself in it, wear it, like an unseen dress, and look at. Does it fit you? After some training, you will learn which of them best suits you.

Second, do not buy cheap perfumes in occidental places.

Third, when using perfumes it is important to take to account the season, the clothes and the place where you are planning to go. It is known that day perfumes are subtler and more transparent than evening perfumes which are considered as darker and richer in their aroma and mysteriousness.

At work at the office or just on a walk, it is better to use day perfumes; they are softer and lighter. In the evening, going to the theatre, it is essential to emphasize the luxury. When you are preparing to a date, avoid using perfumes that include lavender, wood, cumarine and bergamot. Your secret goal is to temptate your man, to shock his senses, to give him a hope, not to demonstrate proud independence and unavailability.

There is an advice of an old Russian perfumer who had worked for many years for CHANEL: ?At night, use perfumes with fruity scents- they evoke the taste (flavor) sense. These odors turn a woman from a flower to a lustful fruit that promises pleasure?.

In winter, cypress perfumes are recommended. Their heavy, sharp woody notes emphasize the luxury of furs and give a feeling of internal heat. By the way, in 1948 Rochas introduced a special winter perfume to use on furs only.

In summer, it is recommended to use sweet-honey and flowery perfumes. They make woman feel like a blossoming fresh flower. Never exaggerate with perfumes. Psychologists have proved that our sense of smell stop reacting to odors we are used to, but people around us feel them very well. So it is not recommended to exaggerate if you do not want to become an object of irritation.

Our experts have made a research to find the best discount beauty products online source. Find the results only on Chanel, Dior and other beauty products website. More valuable web content on http://www.tigilet.com

Treatment Options for Hand and Foot Eczema

2009-05-05T05:57:00.001-07:00

There are many kinds of eczema, and too few people who can tell you how to cure them. Scientists are trying get a better handle on the causes of such eczema as hand and foot eczema, but they may still have years to go before they find a tested and sound way to prevent the condition.

In the meantime, your best bet is to follow the latest advice that health experts offer on the problem.

To get relief from hand and foot eczema and other forms of the condition, it is important to make key lifestyle modifications. These may not necessarily be an eczema cure, but they can help to prevent flare-ups.

First, see your dermatologist regularly for treatment. Second, use the medication that he or she prescribes. They may not be quite as reassuring as an eczema cure, but these steps, can be the difference between keeping the condition at bay, or letting it ruin your life.

What You Can Do First To Help Yourself

Start your assault on your hand and foot eczema by avoiding the many things around your home that can irritate the condition.

Things that can irritate your skin include household cleansers, detergents, aftershave lotions, soap, gasoline, turpentine, and other solvents. Try to steer clear of these things that make your hand and foot eczema flare up.

Of course, it?s also essential to wash your hands only when absolutely needed. Soaps and wetness can cause skin irritation. Dry your hands completely, as well, after you wash them.

The Importance of Wearing Gloves

Other ways to experience a temporary eczema cure involve all the methods under the sun to protect your hands. These include wearing gloves to protect the skin. Put on vinyl or plastic gloves for work it it requires you leaving your hands in water for long periods of time.

Wear gloves and shoes, too, when you think your hands will be exposed to anything that can irritate your skin and bring on hand and foot eczema.

Another potential temporary eczema cure are cotton gloves underneath plastic gloves, as well as cotton socks in plastic or leather shoes. The cotton can soak up sweat from your hands and feet. If even this cotton is getting drenched, then take frequent breaks from your activities or work.

Remove your gloves and shoes to prevent a buildup of sweat inside them. Don?t forget your gloves when you go outside during the winter either. Cold air and low humidity are enemies of your skin and can easily bring on hand and foot eczema by drying out your skin.

Other Eczema Triggers You Should Think About

Besides cold and dry air, stress and other psychological factors can also be an eczema trigger. Learning how to manage your emotions can be an eczema cure all to itself. You may not be able to get at the root cause of eczema by cutting back on the stress in your life.

But controlling your emotions and avoiding stressful situations can be a potent way to reduce the frequency and the intensity of your eczema attacks. Your behavior, then, can be a powerful eczema cure until doctors come up with the ultimate one.

About The Author

Mike Long is a successful web publisher and health afficionado providing valuable tips, advice, and info at http://www.FlourishingHealth.com

His many articles provide the reader with well researched products, money saving tips, and valuable topical insight on topics such as hand and foot eczema.

3 Easy Ways to Treat Body Acne!

2009-05-05T05:57:00.000-07:00

Are you suffering from Body acne? or Zits below the neckline? Don?t worry. You are not alone! Lot?s of teen get body acne. It is common in the winter months, when you are wearing piles of heavy clothing.

Sweat can clog skin pores and lead to breakouts all over. Other things that can cause body acne are tight fitting clothing ( It traps sweat against the skin, leading to clogged pores and blemishes) stress and hormones. Body acne commonly pops up on the chest and back.

? To zap body acne and prevent it from coming back, you can wash your body daily with a salicylic acid based cleanser. Look for this ingredient on product labels.

? Shower daily and be sure to shower as soon as possible anytime you have been sweating ? such as after playing sports, working outside or just being in the sun. After your shower, you can follow up by a body moisturizer that contains Alfa Hydroxy acid. This will exfoliate skin and help prevent breakouts, without drying skin out.

? At Nighttime you can treat body acne just like facial acne, by applying an acne zapping gel or cream at the effected parts.

? If your body acne is particularly bad and wont respond to this treatment after about a month, you will probably need to see a dermatologist.

Venkata Ramana is a Health Enthusiast. Visit his Acne and Depression websites and gain maximum Information to stay fit and healthy.

Building A Bridge: Cosmetic Surgery and Micropigmentation

2009-05-05T05:51:00.000-07:00

There are many reasons women and men want to change or alter their physical appearance. Aging, illness and accidents are a few of the circumstantial reasons, but regardless of the circumstances the most common motivation is the desire for increased confidence and satisfaction with one?s look. One way to add vibrancy to your facial features and to regain some of your color and appeal is to invest in micropigmentation or permanent makeup procedures. Micropigmentation can increase definition of the eyes, lips and eyebrows and this definition lights up the face so you appear more present and more attractive.

Like plastic and cosmetic surgery, permanent makeup has often been misunderstood and degraded. The media has sensationalized occurrences of allergic reactions and poor technique and rarely reported on the wonderful results a majority of micropigmentation clients receive. Don?t get me wrong, there are risks and a trained, ethical practitioner will inform you of all of the potential problems involved and will take the time to assist you in making a decision that is in your best interests.

The Importance of Understanding Cosmetic Surgery

As the American Academy of Micropigmentation (AAM) and the Society of Permanent Cosmetic Professionals (SPCP) have created new standards and certification processes the industry of micropigmentation has become more respected every year as a profession and as an art. Plastic surgeons agree it takes talent and experience to complete permanent makeup procedures that work. Cosmetic surgery and micropigmentation are both costly and time consuming to correct when procedures have been done poorly or by an untrained hand.

While researching the topic of micropigmentation online you will find that the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and even the University of Pennsylvania Health System?s Department of Plastic Surgery all recommend micropigmentation or permanent makeup as an option. It is often considered a complimentary procedure that has a number of advantages.

At www.surgery.org the ASAPS discusses how micropigmentation can help recreate the areola around the nipple or to restore the color of skin where natural pigmentation has been lost. Permanent makeup can also help visually correct eye and lip shape when they less than ideal.

Dixie Medford, President of the Society of Permanent Cosmetic Professionals, and an experienced professional, states in her article Permanent Makeup A Modern Look At An Ancient Art that ?Women aren?t going to tattoo parlors to get permanent makeup. Instead they are visiting their local salon or medical office.? ?More and more physicians, nurses and licensed estheticians,? she continues, ?are adding Intradermal Pigmentation, otherwise referred to as Permanent Cosmetics, to their menu of services.? Dixie Medford, also discusses the importance of permanent makeup practitioners knowing their clients and understanding the implications of plastic surgery procedures in her article Waking Up With Makeup Could Be A Nightmare.

She states the following, ?The technician needs to be aware of when and how to do eyebrows on plastic surgery patients that are considering or having brow lift surgery or Botox injections.? ?It is important,? Medford continues, ?to be aware of the impact of aging skin and the changes that will occur in the brow shape.? She goes on to say; ?Plastic surgery and aging are also factors to consider when performing eyeliner?.The permanent cosmetic technician must take additional consideration when working on post surgical clients.?

Micropigmentation as an Alternative

Permanent makeup works well as a complimentary procedure for patients seeking plastic surgery, however, it can also be considered an alternative to particular procedures. The same effects created by a surgical brow lift or collagen injections into the lips can sometimes be achieved through micropigmentation. There are many reasons a patient should not choose to have plastic surgery. Often these reasons are associated with physical or mental health problems. A good cosmetic surgeon will be certain their potential patient is physically able to handle a surgery and to heal well. They will make sure the potential patient is in a healthy frame of mind and has a positive perspective on the procedure since this too can affect the healing process and outcome of the surgery.

For these patients micropigmentation may be a less intense and risky procedure. Also, if a patient has experienced problems after a facelift, micropigmentation can help to correct drooping eyelids and other issues so the client can avoid additional expensive corrective surgery.

Tips on How to Make the Most of Your Beauty Budget

2009-04-28T05:51:00.002-07:00

Do you know that the 'average' woman spends about $600 a year on skin care and color cosmetics, according to the beauty industry? Whether she uses only cleansers and lotions or has an array of beauty products, shopping can be time-consuming and expensive. So, here are some quick tips on how to make the most of your beauty budget.

Part of the 'secret' is to insist on quality for those items that matter ... and the most important items are those that help you care for your skin. Look to see if the product line includes the following steps: cleansing, exfoliating, refining or toning and moisturizing. Then review the ingredients for compatability with your individual skin type and sensitivities. If you're not sure how your skin will react, ask for samples and test them on your forearm.

Quality isn't necessarily costly though you may spend a little more to find a product line that is the most effective for you. Conversely, expensive isn't necessarily the best choice. Very high-priced product lines typically contain rare substances that may or may not work for you. Unless you are already using optimum products for your skin, you should notice a difference within two weeks to a month of starting a new regime. Your skin should appear clearer, smoother and well-moisturized.

After skin care, the right foundation or powder and concealer are important beauty buys. Depending upon the amount of coverage you want, select a foundation, creme to powder foundation, dual coverage powder foundation, pressed or loose powder and concealer that blend as closely as possible with your face. (With foundation, test the shade along your jaw line to compare the color with both your face and neck; watch to see if it ?disappears? into your skin.)

Another part of the 'secret' to making the most of your beauty budget is spending less on color products that change with the seasons such as eye shadows, blushes and lipsticks. Most product lines will offer the lastest hot colors, which tend to be similar, so comparison shop. Another idea is to accumulate a palette of primary eye colors which can be mixed to create your own hot colors.

There's no need to spend too much to look your best!

Charlotte is an experienced independent beauty consultant with Mary Kay Inc.

http://www.marykay.com/charlottemaddox

Natural Skin Care What About It?

2009-04-28T05:51:00.001-07:00

Consumers are turning to wholesome and therapeutic elements found in Mother Nature for skin care therapies and beauty treatments. There is an awareness of the potentially harmful effects associated with the long term use of synthetic chemicals found in many formulas. To name a few - 1,4-dioxane, a cancer causing contaminant found in cosmetic products; silicone emollients which coat the skin and trap anything beneath it - not allowing the skin to breathe; formaldehyde, cancer-causing vapor that can cause allergies, irritations to eyes, nose and throat, headaches and chronic fatigue.

Few people realize that skin is a ?dynamic tissue?. Up to 60% of the skin products that we apply are absorbed into our bloodstream! Cosmetics, lotions and creams are an important part of life but we need to be aware of the damage chemicals have on our system. The only way to correct this is to find something less harmful. Natural and organic herbal skin care is the answer - grown without synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and genetically engineered seeds.

Vitamins
In the last few years many manufacturers have begun to add vitamins and antioxidants to their formulas. Look for vitamin A to assist in preventing roughness and dryness. C and E are the simplest forms of antioxidants and will help in the prevention of sun damage and in fighting premature wrinkles.

There is some evidence that vitamin C may pass through the skin?s top layer and heal tissue that has been damaged by a burn or an injury. A study recently showed that applying topical Vitamin C, 15 to 30 minutes after UV exposure, sunburn cells decreased and repair to the damage had begun. The one problem of this vitamin is that it is unstable when left open to the air. Research is continuing to optimize this but one consistent way is to use an anhydrous (no water) base cream.

Vitamin D interacts with sunlight to form in our bodies and is considered an antioxidant and an anticarcinogen. Although it can be toxic in large amounts, sunbathing won?t result in an overdose.

Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is a soothing plant and the base of many natural cleansing formulas, offering exfoliation, moisturizing and protection. This ?miracle? plant dates back to the time of Cleopatra but was lost for years. It was rediscovered during the Second World War when it was used for treating burn victims. It is now used as an ingredient that will help with antiaging, in the healing of wounds and sun damaged tissue. Apply aloe gel several times a day and watch the redness of a sunburn disappear without peeling.

Topical use of a cream containing 0.5 percent aloe vera extract three times a day for four weeks shows a high cure rate of lesions in psoriasis patients. Further research suggests that this plant may have a mild analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect with no known adverse reactions. The problem of eczema can be addressed with specific ingredients such as aloe vera which provides soothing, cleansing and healing.

A great idea in using natural formulas is to do-it-yourself. To prepare an aloe vera home recipe, take the slippery part from inside the plant, puree in a blender and keep refrigerated. Apply a coat of the gel for 5 minutes and rinse. Over time watch for spots, acne and scars to disappear.

Jojoba Oil
Plant and animal species around the world were being identified and quickly outlawed for hunting and harvesting. The use of products derived from these sources was banned. The endangered sperm whale produced waxes that were greatly valued for their function in cosmetics. During the 60?s and 70?s a liquid wax (jojoba oil) found in the deserts of California, Arizona and Mexico was discovered by scientists. It not only replaced the prohibited wax from the sperm whale but appeared to actually be superior.

This jojoba oil is an excellent moisturizing agent and has spreading and lubricating properties. It leaves a rich non-oily velvety feel and enhances flexibility and suppleness. Studies done at the University of Michigan demonstrated that it is quickly absorbed. Because of this, pores and hair follicles remain open maintaining their proper functioning ability.

Applied directly and as often as required it is known to reduce wrinkles and bring relief to sensitive skin. The desert peoples of Southern California and Mexico had long been using it to treat rashes and cuts because of anti-bacterial qualities.

Many companies and name brands are introducing their all natural skin care lines and in many cases, samples are available to try out their product.

But you, the consumer, needs to realize that any product, natural or chemical based may have side effects. It is most important to read and study the information on your product of interest, know your skin type and what effect you want to achieve.

With so many choices in skin care and beauty products, it becomes confusing as to what is the best value for the money. No one has all the answers. But I do have the time to check out and make myself knowledgeble about what is out there. Many consumers are busy with other things and may not have the time to do the research. I attempt on my sites to give them some answers, or at least point them in the direction that will give them some answers. My sites are http://www.skin-care-n-cosmetics.com and http://www.perfume-n-cologne-shop.com

Tanning The Natural Way

2009-04-28T05:51:00.000-07:00

This is a call to everybody. Save your skin, now before it?s too late! Having a tan makes you look more healthy and gorgeous. But how do you do it without bad consequences?

There are a lot of people who would like to have golden brown skin. It is not a new sight when people go to the beach to lie almost naked under the sun just to have an equal tan. But, it is not so safe to do just that because of the super harmful UV rays. Instead of getting only a perfectly golden skin, one might suffer a serious case of skin cancer later, too.

There are plenty of options in tanning today. More modern ways are undergoing medical treatment to acquire a sun-less tan. However, there are still some modern techniques that use radiation powered machines to tan the skin. And radiation is also bad to the health.

There are more techniques that could give a person a perfect tan. But most of them cost so much because they are highly specialized techniques and reduces (or even eliminates) usage of radiation or UV rays. But to an average person who desires to have a golden skin, it would not be very practical to pay so much to have the desired healthy golden skin.

There are ways to achieve a perfect tan without exposing yourself to the sun and spending so much on skin clinics. There are ready-to-use products that are safe to use and are inexpensive compared to the services offered in skin clinics.

Here are some tips for a safe, sunless and costless tanning right in your homes. Remember that before applying those sunless tanners, the body must first be thoroughly cleaned and exfoliated by using loofah or soft cloth to wash off dust and dead skin cells. This way, even tan will surely be achieved. Use moderate amount on knees, elbows and other parts with thick, dry skin, as they will appear darker. Use a sponge paintbrush, about two to three inches in size, in applying tanner on the back. When applying in the face, avoid spreading in and around the eyes. After application, immediately wash hands thoroughly with soap and water. Use a make-up wedge when applying at the backs of your hands in smooth even strokes as well as on your feet and between the toes. Apply the tanner using both horizontal and vertical strokes or circular motion.

When using a spray tanner, avoid saturating it. Instead, spray and blend quickly and thoroughly over one body part then do the same to the rest of the body. After making sure the tanner is applied evenly, wait for about one hour before applying any moisturizer or foundation or going swimming/bathing. Also, avoid contact with carpets, fabrics, clothing, and furniture. If necessary, and for a deeper tan, repeat process.

A very important reminder for you: Stay away from the sun from 10:00 in the morning to 3:00 in the afternoon. That is when the sun is most harmful. Remember that wanting a beautiful skin is not merely an act of vanity. Taking care of your skin is also taking care of your health. Protecting it from the sun is the most important gift you could give your skin. Have a beautiful and safe tan just right in your home without spending so much.

About The Author

The writer, Caryl B. Grecia, works for Sphinx Cyberworld Ventures whose website, http://www.beautytips1001.com, features other proven natural beauty care tips such as skin care, acne treatment, dry hair/oily hair help, dandruff treatments, weight loss tips, help for puffy eyes and dieting recipes. For more questions and comments send e-mail to support@e-mart4all.com

Catty Eyes Are The Statement This Season!

2009-04-28T05:45:00.000-07:00

It?s a catty kind of season with dramatic cat eyes entering this season front and center. If you?ve check the catwalk, no pun intended, this season ?catty is certainly in. Gucci, Sass & Bride gave cat eyes a whole new meaning. Estee Lauder is calling the look the ?new Cleopatra.? Very retro and certain to make a statement as this look has great impact!

You?re a gal who has confidence in her style and you want to be ?in? with this seasons ?cat eyes.? How do you accomplish this futuristic feline look at home?

First make sure you have a black eyeliner pencil in your make up repertoire . Maybelline Cool Effect is an eyeliner eye shadow combination, Cover Girl has there eyeslicks gel eyecolors, and Estee Lauder has the Softsmudge Black. There are plenty of other good ones on the market.

Apply foundation, make sure it?s flawlessly applied and then highlight temples and cheekbones ever so slightly. Add light lip color ? remember your eyes are the focus.

Cover under the eye with concealer. This will prevent smudging.

Define your eyes with a light shadow covering the entire lid, blend softly up to the brow bone ? soft grey, cream, beige, off white, taupe, soft pink, soft lavender all work great.

Work a deep dark shade into the contour to define, then blend along the crease

Next apply a your black eyeliner nice and thick along the lash line. Draw the bottom line thick and up towards the ear.

To open the eye up you can line inside the lash line with a white pencil Or for every day wear draw thin lines using a soft gray shadow or pencil

Add mascara and if you wish a touch of sparkle and your done. Pretty simple!

Make Your Fashion Statement!

Sher from Estate Jewelry International have been serving customers for over 20 years, providing affordable estate jewelry, and a wealth of information on jewelry, fashion, designers, and beauty with on staff industry professionals. Please visit us at Estate Jewelry International.

What Are Natural Cosmetics

2009-04-23T23:06:00.002-07:00

Natural Cosmetics refer to the cosmetics produced from things obtained from nature. They may either involve using the products directly or derivatives of these products. Nature offers innumerable products which can be wisely utilized in preparing different types of cosmetics. Plant products are the most widely used ingredients in natural cosmetics. Thus, they are also often referred to as herbal cosmetics.

Natural cosmetics have been used since times immemorial. Historical records testify that all the ancient civilizations had discovered and harnessed the utilities of natural or herbal products for cosmetic use. Medicines, cosmetics and toiletries had all been prepared from natural products- herbal products being most commonly used.

Benefits of natural cosmetics

Natural cosmetics have a host of benefits. Being natural, they are considered to be quite harmless on the skin. They contain time tested ingredients with proven efficacy. A judicious combination of potent herbs can not only produce cosmetic effect but also help cure skin ailments and hair problems. The natural products- leaves, roots, fruits etc. supply several essential nutrients to the skin too. The essential oils of certain plants can bring forth miraculous results.

All kinds of cosmetics from nature

There can be natural alternatives suggested to almost all kinds of cosmetics. Cleansers, toners, moisturizers, face masks, creams, lotions, face packs- all are available in herbal varieties. Various natural lip gels and balms, soaps, shampoos, conditioners, hair packs, hair gels, sun protective bases and makeup ranges are also on offer.

Beauty recipes from China and India using traditional herbs have earned a special significance the world over. Ayurvedic recipes from India for skin and hair treatment also serve as cosmetics. They are often widely acclaimed as the ultimate in skin and hair care simply because of the effective results produced upon their usage.

Natural cosmetics use various parts of plants- the leaves, the bark, the roots, the oil extracted from seeds, the fruits and also at times the whole plant. Alongside, mud and mineral products, honey etc. may be used. Milk, milk cream, yoghurt and eggs are also largely used in various natural cosmetics as an ingredient to add body.

Some simple household products may also double up as natural cosmetics. These constitute home remedies for skin and hair problems. Spices and condiments like turmeric and saffron quite often figure in the list of ingredients for natural cosmetics. Natural cleansers like milk and lemon are effective natural cosmetics in themselves. Fruits can make up excellent face packs. The names of cucumbers, peaches and apricots can be especially mentioned in this regard. The oils obtained from almond and coconut act as very good massage oils for skin and hair. The application of these oils brings a healthy glow to the skin and hair and makes them beautiful. They also help restore or maintain youth by controlling wrinkle and crease formation on the surface of the skin.

Extensive range of natural cosmetics to pamper you

There is an extensive range of natural cosmetics on offer. We can conveniently choose from these as per our requirement. Associated with natural cosmetics are natural perfumes obtained from essential oils of rare herbs. These may also come within the ambit of natural cosmetics. The natural cosmetics certainly promise to pamper your beauty and aesthetic senses and bring about a transformation in the way you look about yourself and nature.

For more infomative health and beauty articles or to browse our wide variety of quality herbal supplements visit http://www.natural-health-4-life.com

Health Benefits Of Cucumber

2009-04-23T23:06:00.001-07:00

Kevin Pederson has been managing a number of natural home remedies websites which have information on home based natural cures and some guidelines on the benefits of different fruit and vegetables.

The Skin Benefits Of Omega 3 Tinned But Untamed

2009-04-23T23:06:00.000-07:00

Omega 3 fatty acids and protein are great for healthy skin. Hair, skin and nails are mostly made of protein, though the minerals, vitamins, and phytochemicals we get from the best type of carbohydrates - fruit and vegetables - are also crucial if skin care is your goal.

Protein is needed to repair cells, it is important for energy levels, balancing blood sugar levels, and is involved with glutathione production. Glutathione is an important antioxidant, and antioxidants are essential components of eating your way to beauty.

So what are some good sources of protein that are somewhat under-represented in our average diet?

Fish is excellent as it supplies both protein, and the omega 3 fatty acids, which are believed to contribute to skin health. The oily fish like salmon, tuna, cod and mackerel are good natural sources of omega 3, that have the advantage of avoiding the reflux problem associated with many fish oil supplements. Being a whole food, these fish also have DMAE, which is excellent for protecting cellular membranes and improving skin tone. (Angyal) Recommended sources of DMAE from fish are anchovies, sardines, and wild salmon.

Canned salmon is a good option, generally. Although it may seem strange to encourage people to eat canned salmon over fresh salmon, it has some important advantages that are the direct result of farming practices for fresh fish. According to Erica Angyal, the author of Gorgeous Skin In 30 Days, canned salmon is typically wild salmon. Wild salmon and farmed salmon that was raised in crowded pens made of nets (think of an underwater battery cage), have some important differences in nutrient value.

The food farmed salmon are fed is very different to what wild salmon eat. Wild salmon eat other sea residents such as shrimp and krill. And it is this diet that gives them the lovely pink color we associate with salmon. On the other hand, farmed salmon are fed soybean pellets and other cereal based food, which changes their ratio of essential fatty acids. They become characterized by higher levels of saturated fats and omega 6 fatty acids (linoleic acid), which we get plenty of in our diets anyway, and their levels of the beneficial omega 3 fatty acids become lower. Given that the whole point many people eat fish for is to change this very ratio in themselves, it seems to negate the point somewhat.

On top of this, farmed salmon, like their counterparts in the poultry and beef industries, are fed antibiotics to keep them healthy and protect the farmer's investment. There is an expectation of cost effectiveness and market value that determines the type of conditions farmed salmon grow in. To compensate for the lack of pink color, colors are added that can be made both naturally and synthetically. Whether they are natural or synthetic is generally up to the farmer.

This is not to say farmed salmon is bad, or has no omega 3 fatty acids. It does, and it is better than nothing. And fresh fish is a lovely meal. But like eating free range eggs in preference to battery cage eggs, wild salmon is an infinitely better nutritional choice.

References: E Angyal, Gorgeous Skin In 30 Days (Lothian, 2005)

Do you have acne? Learn which vitamins and minerals are best to help repair the skin and manage acne in this acne nutrition article. Or learn more about the effects of carbohydrates on acne in this diets to clear acne article.

Makeup Bag Secrets of the Celebrities

2009-04-23T23:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered why celebrities seem to look gorgeous no matter where they are and no matter what the moment? Are they prettier than the rest of us so it?s easy for them? Not at all ? they are just smarter about what their makeup bag holds. Read on for makeup bag secrets of the celebrities.

Celebrities will tell you having their makeup at their fingertips is their number one priority and it should be for every woman. That?s not to say you have to pack around 50 pounds of makeup. Just a tube of lipstick can do a lot to freshen your face. Actresses like Sandra Bullock, Jennifer Anniston, or Angelina Jole will all tell you that the ultimate makeup bag is really no secret at all.

You can buy fashionable and trendy makeup bags ranging in size from compact to purse size so even your makeup back can make a fashion statement. But lets face it. It?s what we put in it the makeup bag that really counts. And why is it no matter what size your makeup bag is, it seems to be too small or the makeup you most need at the moment doesn?t appear to have made it into the bag? It?s time solve that problem by putting together the makeup bag of the celebrities with all their secrets.

Your makeup bag is really a matter of your personal taste. Choose one that grabs your attention, fits your personality and fits your purse. There?s no sense buying a huge makeup bag when you pack a tiny purse. You can buy discount bags for as little as $5.00 or designer makeup bags for as much as $100.00.

The Celebrity makeup bag is based on the assumption that your makeup bag is small to medium in size. For those that have a tinier bag you?ll have to choose which items to remove. For those packing a large bag, add all the extras that will fit. The celebrities tell us the most important thing you need to put in your bag is a small double sided compact mirror. You can purchase a nice size travel mirror complete with protective cover for around $5.00.

The next most important tool for the celebrities are the makeup brushes. Make sure you have a blush and eyeshadow brush in your bag. Or you can purchase a compact set of miniature brushed for around $10.00. That will ensure you?ll have every brush you need. Now to the makeup. Jennifer Aniston says your foundation or powder is the absolute most essential makeup bag requirement. If the original container is too large, then purchase a compact bottle or transfer some to an after market container that seals well. Angela Jole won?t leave home without her favorite lipstick. Pick only one or your bags going to get full too fast. Remember your building a compact version of your real makeup case. You can add a lip gloss if you like. Eyeshadow is also a must have for touchup. Choose a palette of colors you can wear or use anytime. There is no good way to pack a variety of colors, so it?s best to choose your most reliable colors. And for heavens sake don?t? forget to add mascara and eyeliner.

According to the stars you also need to make sure you have your blush. Now this can be a bit trickier because the containers are a bit big. Best to look for a flat compact style blush. To keep you fresh, you can also add some prepackaged facial cleansing cloths, a travel toothbrush and toothpaste, and a travel size deodorant.

That?s it, you know now the makeup bag secrets of the celebrities . All the basics, to get you through the day and have you looking gorgeous. So what was the big secret?

If You Want Health and Beauty Don't Visit the Doctor!

2009-04-13T05:12:00.002-07:00

We are waking up to the fact that doctors are not the answer to our problems. Dishing out anti-biotics to treat symptoms instead of the cause means that health problems are prolonged rather than cured. On top of that doctors waiting lists, the traditionally unhelpful doctors receptionist and the attitude of many doctors who take as little time as possible to treat us, drive us to an alternative.

Many of the health problems we have nowadays are because of our diet. Newspapers report it, and deep down we all know it, but the information is so conflicting that most people end up more confused than informed, and so we tend to ignore the information altogether.

We are brainwashed into believing that with new methods of farming, global food imports and the ready supply of processed foods in supermarkets, we are eating better than ever. The real picture however is that as our choices widen, the nutritional content of food is decreasing dramatically, and is going unnoticed and almost forgotten.

Our natural instincts are to eat food which tastes the best. This would be normally be fresh fruit and vegetables, however, the global food market pick produce when unripe and ship it in gas storage around the world, which means the nutrient levels are decreased and the taste deteriorated. In processed food the lack of nutrition is covered up by artificial flavours, salt, sugar and sweeteners, tricking our tongue into thinking we are eating real food when really much of it provides us with very little indeed. Junk food is so much more than just fast food chain burgers.

For thousands of years nature has provided for humans fresh fruit and vegetables, seeds and nuts for optimum nutrition. These contain high water content and are brimming with life-giving nutrients and micronutrients. In our scientific 21st century it has also been scientifically proven that fruit and vegetables can in fact lower the risk of a number of diseases and ailments. But with huge companies heavily marketing drugs to us to patch up health problems, we have not realised that the real way forward is to prevent disease, rather than just ?go in for repairs? when we get ill.

Scientists have tried to make up for the lack of nutrients we have in our western diet, due to the tinned, pasteurised, concentrated nature of the food we eat, by replicating certain key plant chemicals, called vitamins, and providing them to us in their isolated form in pills. To some extent this has been effective, but due to their isolated nature and unknown optimum dosages, their effect is limited.

It seems we just cannot do better than nature and its 3 billion years of evolution, in the space of 100 years. The best formula for our body is to get the nutrition we need from the source the body understands? fresh, organic, fruit and vegetables, nuts and seeds.

One way to make sure your body receives the correct nutrition is to see a dietician. The UN and governments, as well as the nutritionists and dieticians the world over, are recommending five portions of fruit and vegetables per day for healthier lives and anti-ageing. More and more it will be the dieticians, rather than doctors or even plastic surgeons, who will be worth a visit.

M Williams Envida http://www.envida.info Find out what the worlds top dieticians and doctors are recommending for anti-aging, fertility and health and be in the company of many famous faces, top althletes, top business people and beautiful models.

Aging is All About Self Esteem

2009-04-13T05:12:00.001-07:00

Many of you probably think that aging is something that is just part of the normal life cycle. If your concept of the life cycle is then something like you're born, you age and then you die then it's not surprizing that this is where you are headed. Although you are likely not alone in believing this I would like to challenge you to take a step back from this belief for a moment.

What I'd like you to try now is to repeat the statement to yourself again once, and as you do try not to listen to the words. Instead listen to how the words make you feel inside. I know that this may sound strange or feel a bit callenging but try it anyway. Alternately you can allow someone else to read it to you as you focus on and listen to the feelings it evokes within you.

So again the statement is:

(A) You're born, you age and then you die.

Now if you are a sensitive individual I can guess that the feelings that emerged with hearing such a statement were not exactly pleasant. For instance did you feel any of the following: saddness, heaviness, frustration, anger, hopelessness, helplessness, a sinking feeling, feeling limited or trapped?

If so, what do you think these feelings are trying to communicate to you about statement(A)? Well, if you consider this long enough, you'll probably agree that these feelings are suggesting to you that that statement is not good for you i.e. it is toxic to you. Just think about it.

When you eat something that isn't good for your body how does it react? Not well, right? That reaction is your body telling you that's not good for you! In the same way the feelings you may have had about statement (A) are telling you the same thing about the statement itself.

So you see, your body reacts not only to foods, it also reacts to beliefs that happen to be inside you that are not good for you. A belief is simply a statement that you choose to keep inside of yourself because you think it is going to be useful to you in some way. I'm only guessing that all this may be a new revelation for you. If not, I congratulate you on your wisdom.

Now when you eat something that isn't good for you, what do you do? Well, you make sure that that food never finds its way back inside you, don't you? So my next question is: Why have you persisted in keeping statement (A) inside you if it makes you feel so bad? In other words why do you believe statement (A) is useful to you?

Well you might now say something like, It's not a question of whether it's good for me or not, it's just a fact, I can't change it. Well this last statement is another belief, isn't it? How does it make you feel? Probably the same way statement (A) made you feel, correct?

So are you beginning to see how many toxic beliefs you have inside you? By toxic, I mean something that makes you feel uncomfortable, uneasy, sick, sad etc.. It's no wonder you're body is deteriorating i.e. aging. After all isn't aging what happens to you when you take something toxic inside yourself and it stays there for a long period and undermines the normal functioning of your body so that it breaks down?

Now that you've followed me so far I want to add that the choice to take something toxic into ones' self is an issue of Self Esteem! That is, if you like yourself sufficiently, you are unlikely to choose to take into yourself something that is toxic to you, correct? Whether it's bad food, cigarettes, toxic chemicals, drugs or beliefs, the effects are the same.

You may even be surprized if I said to you that the latter are probably more toxic than all the others.

What's interesting about all of this is that you actually do have a choice! If you want to know more about how you can exercise this choice you may wish to visit the web site below in my bio.

Dr. Nick Arrizza is trained in Chemical Engineering, Business Management & Leadership, Medicine and Psychiatry. He is a Key Note Speaker, Author of Esteem for the Self: A Manual for Personal Transformation (available in e-book format at: http://www.telecoaching4u.com/ebook.htm), Stress Management Coach, Peak Performance Coach & Researcher, Specializes in Life and Executive Performance Coaching, is the Developer of a powerful new tool called the Mind Resonance Process(TM) that helps build physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well being by helping to permanently release negative beliefs, emotions, perceptions and memories. He holds live workshops, international telephone coaching sessions and international teleconference workshops on Physical. Emotional, Mental and Spiritual Well Being.

Personal URL: http://www.telecoaching4u.com

Can You be TOO Feminine?

2009-04-13T05:12:00.000-07:00

I have a client, I?ll call Julie. She?s a beautiful and fit woman that I?m working with on the phone. She?s polite and sweet and extremely smart. I enjoy her immensely and she?s working with me to get better social skills and so she can work better with men.

I guess I?m pretty good at this. I grew up with a mom who had 8 brothers. My dad had 7 brothers and I have 2 brothers of my own. I have a sister too but when I was younger I was the girl in the neighborhood who would compete with the boys while playing kickball or pickle in the front yard. I liked to win. My sister was more into crafts and sewing. I picked those up later, but was never as talented as my sister in domestic things.

I was the one who had to learn how to be feminine. I was always ?one of the boys? until college when I realized that I wasn?t being treated special by the guys at all. They were rough and tough around me and didn?t hesitate to talk down to me either. I remember once in college I felt I?d had enough. I was a freshman and hanging out with the football players. They all liked hanging with me but when it came time to ask the girls out for a party, I was the one stuck at home. I decided to change that in the blink of an eye.

I disappeared.

I no longer went to the cafeteria to just hang out every night. I ate at another location and basically didn?t reappear for another month. When I finally decided to make an appearance.. I was a bit coy about where I?d been. I had lost a few lbs but didn?t show up in sweats any more and didn?t laugh quite as loud as before. Guess what happened? They all asked me out!!!

I finally realized that to be treated like a QUEEN, you have to BE A QUEEN!!! It was a lesson I never forgot and it?s allowed me to be treated well in business and my personal life my whole adulthood. I demand to be treated well. I leave if I?m not.

So, MY lesson was how NOT to be ONE of the boys!!! The lesson my CLIENT is learning is to BE one of the guys!

First of all, what are the advantages of being a woman in business who can ?yuck it up with the guys?? Well, there are times where she?s going to be their boss. She?s going to be the one bearing bad news, or the one praising them, or the one selling to them. If she feels comfortable and can be their friend, then there won?t be the uncomfortable tension that sometimes happens between men and women in business.

Many women who didn?t have the advantage of growing up with brothers or being an athlete view men as a mystery. They haven?t figured out how to talk with them (to the point and share INFORMATION, not STORIES ) and they haven?t learned how to be treated well by them. (confront them for bad behavior or dump them!)

But how can a woman, who is used to being so feminine get to the point where she is comfortable with the men?

I read a passage from a great book to my client today. It?s from ?Women who Run with the Wolves? by Clarissa Pinkola Estes.

?Within every woman there is a wild and natural creature, a powerful force, filled with good instincts, passionate creativity, and ageless knowing. Her name is Wild Woman, but she is an endangered species. Though the gifts of wildish nature come to us at birth, society?s attempt to ?civilize? us into rigid roles has plundered this treasure, and muffled the deep, life-giving messages of our own souls. Without Wild Woman, we become over-domesticated, fearful, uncreative, trapped.?

YES!! This is what she needed to hear. I actually told her she could try being more MASCULINE. I challenged her to go to a few rodeos, whoop it up with some cowboys who ride bulls, go to a few sports games and sit with the rowdy folks, wear jeans, drink beer, go camping, get her hands dirty, take pottery lessons, and do some loud belly laughing!

She was amazed! No one had EVER told her that she could try being more MASCULINE in order to get along better with men. I assured her that there would be NO way that she?d turn into a man eating monster but that she?d just get the ?feel? for what its like to be more comfortable with that wild part of her nature that she wanted to nurture.

She loved it. I did too. It?s something I?d never really coached on but it was definitely a lesson that I?d like to give to women who are too stuffy, too conservative, too suppressed, too domesticated or TOO FEMININE.

Being feminine lady is a wonderful thing?. but abandoning your ?masculine side? will make you slightly uncomfortable and fearful in the presence of others. While men will appreciate your sophistication at a dinner party, they may avoid you while cutting lose. We?ve all heard how much business is done on the golf course. That?s because people do business when they feel comfortable with others.

So ask yourself.. are you comfortable with others in every situation? If not, then push yourself to be in situations that potentially make you uncomfortable. When you can be comfortable with being uncomfortable, you are on your way to making others comfortable too.

And that is the BEST trait of a sophisticated lady!

Mary Gardner, The Charisma Coach! is an Executive Communications Consultant and Trainer. She works with, coaches and trains individuals, sales teams, executives, and celebrities. She owned and operated one of the first coaching institutions on the east coast, CCI, in NYC, Philly and NJ. Mary has appeared on ABC?s 20/20 and has self published a book on public speaking. Mary is married to Sway and is mommy to Jeremy 5, and lives in Orlando, FL.

Contact mary at: mary@marygardner.com or Web: www.marygardner.com

Makeup For Acne Scars! Where Effective Cosmetic Products Camouflage Scars Not Your Life

2009-04-13T05:06:00.000-07:00

Are you dropping out of society due to experiencing scars after acne breakouts? Are you searching for quality makeup for acne scars to help you blend your skin imperfections, and to also eliminate any future blemishes?

If your answer is yes to the questions above, then let me help you find the best cosmetic scar treatments that will allow you to get back out into the world, and enjoy your life the way you deserve to!

Nowadays, there are many advanced makeup products such as camouflage makeup specially designed for scars, and are widely offered by professional online skincare suppliers. These special skin products help you positively conceal such physical imperfections, such as scars, hyper pigmentation, rosacea, burns, and dark freckles to name a few.

If you happen to suffer from any of these conditions listed above, you?re not alone, and this is why quality acne cosmetics and scar treatments have been designed specially for you to help you in your current condition.

Now You Can Get The Scar Coverage You Need, Custom Made For You!

With treatment makeup, many of these uniquely designed scar products give you a large array of colors to choose from, helping match your skin tone perfectly, thus offering you that custom looking facial skin color blend. You pick 2-3 shades, and unify these colors together for that natural cosmetics look, and quality finishing touch!

The specially created Camouflage makeup products are made with mineral pigments that are fragrance and oil free, so it does not irritate your skin. The best thing is that the finish looks flawless, and your complexion will have virtually no signs of visible acne scars.

Don?t ever think that you?re the only one that has facial scars in this world! You would be surprised and amazed on how many of your favorite celebrities, and athletes have the same scar condition as you. This is the main reason why top quality scar cosmetics have been created, and when you?re under the camera and public microscope, these stars don?t want to take any chances of exposing their skin condition to their fans.

With that in mind, you can now take advantage of these quality skincare makeup products as well, and you don?t have to settle for the over-the-counter generic items that give you that caked on look, and do not properly blend away your scars. In most cases these retail products end up enhancing the look of your scar, rather than blending them.

You may notice that the prices on these products are a little higher than your retail store generic makeup products, but when you actually try them, you will understand why, and also realize that these uniquely designed scar care makeup items easily available to you online, are created for you in mind, and will eventually allow you to get your life back, by feeling comfortable in the public eye again!

About the author: William is the owner and the author of ?1st In Acne Skin Care Products? available at http://www.1st-in-acne-skin-care-products.com A great source for Acne Scar Makeup! Find information and tips on finding quality scar makeup products, facial cleansers, and many pure detoxifying products that will not only help you prevent facial scarring, but also aid in getting rid of your stubborn acne blemishes, that are the major cause and development of your scars.

Spa Etiquette What You Need to Know

2009-04-12T04:06:00.002-07:00

Spa-goers visiting the spa for the first time often need to know what is expected of them as they prepare for their spa experience. As the spa strives to provide the client with a tranquil and safe environment so too the spa-goer has certain expectations placed upon them. To make the spa experience as relaxing and enjoyable as possible here are a few simple guidelines to follow:

1. Book well in advance and where possible pick up a brochure from the spa that includes prices and treatments. Call 24-hours in advance if you need to cancel or reschedule.

2. Request detailed information on the type of treatment booked.

3. Ask about the therapist assigned to you. Do you prefer a male or female spa therapist? An often missed and important detail.

4. Wear suitable clothes and be prepared to undress according to spa treatment you have booked. Spa robes and slippers are provided for the comfort of the client and spa personnel are trained in proper draping techniques for complete comfort and privacy.

5. Arrive 10 ? 15 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment to ensure you are calm and relaxed before the spa treatment.

6. Always alert the spa therapist to any current or chronic health condition that may need to be addressed before your spa treatment.

7. In consideration of the other spa clientele, cell phones and pagers are not a good idea in the spa ? remember your there to get away from the stress!

8. Allow the therapist to advise and prepare you for the treatment you have reserved. As you relax and benefit from the spa treatment you will be sure to feel the stress melt away.

9. Everyone is different ? so feel free to speak or not during your treatment. Share information and feedback on your personal comfort level or any sensitive areas on the body.

10. Relax you?re at the spa! Enjoy the treatment and reap the full benefits.

11. Take time as you prepare to leave the treatment room, however, remember there may be another client waiting to use the space.

12. Determine the tipping policy in advance and be prepared accordingly.

13. Let the spa personnel know if your experience at the spa was as expected. Your feedback is always appreciated.

14. Now is a good time to ask about any new products to take home. Scented candles or essentials oils will help you to enjoy the spa experience at home.

15. Remember the right way to spa is your way so always have good communication with the spa personnel and make the experience a relaxing and memorable one.

Canadian spas offer many innovative ways to experience spa. For more information please go to Spas in Canada

Contact: email spas@spasincanada.ca

Spas in Canada ?2005

A. Kocsi is co-founder of Spas in Canada

After many years enjoying spas in Europe and drawing upon her knowledge of the corporate world along with an successful career in Public Relations and International Marketing Spas in Canada was created.

Teen Beauty Pageants Such as the California Teen Scholarship Pageant Can Help Build Confidence

2009-04-12T04:06:00.001-07:00

While beauty pageants have gotten a bad name over the years, there are some great pageants out there that help women further their academic aspirations. The California Teen Scholarship Pageant is one such pageant that isn't all about beauty or modeling, it's about helping women further their education, build confidence, and even give them a leg up on helping in their local community. These pageants really are much different than your traditional teen pageant or beauty pageant and are worth looking into for every woman.

The great thing about scholarship pageants is that they don't focus on beauty alone. Of course, judging does include beauty and poise, but it's not just about beauty. In fact, these scholarship pageants usually do not have a swimsuit or talent judging, which is a load off of most girls' minds. In fact, pageants like the California Teen Scholarship Pageant usually judge on grade point average, poise, beauty, and overall personality and aspirations. This means that every teen, whether she has been in pageants all of her life or this is her first one.

In fact, teen pageants such as the California Teen Scholarship Pageant encourage young women from all backgrounds and all experience levels to get involved. Most of the teens that get involved with these scholarship pageants are first time pageant competitors. California pageants report that many of the girls compete once and come back the next year with a couple friends so that they can all compete and hopefully win a scholarship to help them to go the school of their choice. The great thing about this is that good portions of the teens are on an even playing field, so that anyone truly can win. You don't have to be the most beautiful teen in the state to win this pageant, because it's about so much more than that.

Most of the teen scholarship pageants allow girls to register for the competition online or through the mail. You'll usually be required to send a picture and an essay or completed questionnaire in ahead of time and then a judging panel will determine who will go on to compete in the actual pageant. Teens that do not get into the pageant the first time they apply should not be deterred; instead they should plan to apply again the following year. These scholarship pageants really are a great way to help pay for school, which we all know is extraordinarily expensive.

If there is a teen in your life that needs to build some self-confidence or could use some help paying for college, a pageant such as the California Teen Scholarship Pageant is a great idea. This pageant is all about rewarding the girl that is going places, to make college more affordable and reward her for all of her hard work. The most traditional aspect of these pageants is the evening gown round, which only requires that the teens wear a long dress. The teen can pick any type of dress that she wants, so she feels comfortable and is able to portray her personality. The evening gown round is done to help the judges determine the teen that is able to carry herself well in every situation.

Many teens are looking for a way to get noticed, to pay for college, and help build their resume and self-confidence. Pageants such as the California Teen Scholarship Pageant can help a teen do all of these things, and more. These scholarship pageants really are a confidence builder, and can be the one thing that catapults a young woman to a place where she can succeed and do the very best at whatever it is she wants to do.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Learn more about California Teen Scholarship Pageant or Majon's Health and Beauty directory.

AntiAging Skin Care Products: The Evolution

2009-04-12T04:06:00.000-07:00

During the last 10 years more attention is paid to the anti aging skin care. Developments within this category were influenced by such factors as competition among the major brands, introduction of new technologies and new ingredients, as well as worldwide increase in demand for the so-called rejuvenating cosmetics. People have no intentions of putting up with aging. Today they are turning to alternative therapies and anti aging products; however, they will not spend money on products which do not produce the wished results.

First anti aging skin care products appeared during the late 1980s. The first liposome ingredient delivery system was part of first generation anti aging skin care.

David Jago, an expert in the market analysis for MINTEL, evaluates the changes, which have taken place since then: At present, the special properties, ingredients and benefits of the products are clearly shown on the label. In the late 1980s, it was only said that those products were firming, softening the skin, reducing lines etc., but their functional ingredients were usually not disclosed. Today?s press often informs us of specific ingredients and their benefits, thus contributing to the consumers? education. As a result, there appeared a category of skin care products intended for specific age groups or needs. Usually, women aim at making their aging skin look younger, or their young skin - healthier.

In the beginning of 1990s, many anti aging skin care ingredients have been studied. The most important of those, Alpha Hydroxyl Acids (AHA), became the first ingredients to affect the aging skin. Sally Penford, of the International Dermal Institute, a postgraduate training school for therapists, comments: It stimulated women to start considering cosmetic surgery, glycolic acid peels and laser skin treatments.

Another great revolution in anti aging skin care has been in the use of A, C and E vitamins, as well as group B vitamins and main fatty acids ? they all have a special role of agents preventing premature aging. Of course they do not make miracles, but can support the good condition of the skin. As skin ages and is repeatedly exposed to harmful UV rays, the level of vitamin A, produced in the body, constantly decreases. The skin renewal processes slow down and the epidermal layer becomes progressively thinner. Some of the research of the ingredients, such as vitamin C, was held in 1990s. Further, scientists identified two key chemical helpers to assist in the delivery of vitamin C through the skin.

The formulations derived from it led to the development of anti aging skin care products, containing vitamin C and products, which contained a combination of vitamin C and pure Retinol (until recently, it has been extremely hard to combine both Retinol and vitamin C together in a stable formulation, as both ingredients are easily oxidized, when exposed to the air, and become inactive). In 1990s this type of skin care was already produced all over the world.

Further on, a great deal of interest in the anti-oxidants has been shown. A lot of studies have been done which show that protecting the skin can delay the onset of aging. The SUVIMAX studies in France showed that the use of anti-oxidants on the skin slows down the aging process. It is also possible to reduce lines and improve skin firmness.

Benefits of anti-oxidants were detected in grape seeds extracts. After that, cosmetic companies started using these benefits in their skin care products. Grape polyphenols are natural compounds derived from green grape seed extract which have been shown to have a powerful anti-oxidant effect. They shield the skin from the aggression of a wide range of free radicals and are known to help maintain the skin's moisture levels.

In the middle of 1990s Estee Lauder has completed research into understanding more about skin cells losing energy. Dr. Maes, Vice-President Research and Development, Estee Lauder Worldwide, explains: We cannot make the skin look like when it was in youth. Technologies can decrease the lines by 50%, but we will never decrease them by 100%. We have studied skin samples and found that its thickness is already decreasing from the age of 20. In biological terms, if the cells are losing energy they will also lose their ability to protect themselves against the environment.

He compares this loss of energy to that of a battery running low which needs to be recharged. Thus, to slow down aging and protect the skin cells, manufacturers started using anti-oxidants, sunscreens and skin energizing technologies to ?recharge? cells. They are described as a next generation skin nourishers that enable skin to tap into a fuel source of bio-available micro-nutrients.

The scientists have studied different types of skin aging and it means that they are capable of developing skin care which will effectively abate aging. It is recognized that 90% of skin damage is caused by external environmental aging. This includes smoking, wind, chemicals, and, most importantly, UV radiation. The level of pollution increases so quickly that skin cells can not develop self-protection mechanisms. Free radicals or oxidants are naturally generated in the body as a reaction to the aggression of external, environmental factors as well as internal factors such as stress and tiredness. A consequence of this aggression is an acceleration of the skin's aging process. Most of skin damage is done in the early years and people do not see the results of this until they are in their forties and fifties.

The reason for this is due to the skin's chronological aging, which we can do nothing about. Internal, chronological aging is largely a consequence of genetics and affects skin all over the body.

Modern scientific research in skin care and the growing knowledge of the skin's physiology mean that it is possible to stop and even repair skin damage which occurs later on in life. Thus, the latest thinking and research is focused on developing skin protection not from a plain Sun Protection Factor but from the cells themselves. The case in point is a new area of cosmetology (allocosmetics) and skin care products of modern generation of late 1990s, which are based on cell extracts that have lately drawn much attention of scientists. Cells can segment themselves and reproduce identical copies, replace old skin cells by new ones of the same type, take part in biochemical skin processes. This is what we call lifetime self-rejuvenation.

The strides made in anti aging technology over the past decade have been astounding and clearly show no signs of abating. We can be certain that there will be many more exciting achievements in anti aging skin care technology to come.

Plazan youth-enhancing placenta cosmetics is a proven way to rejuvenate your skin and keep it looking great for year.

We offer:

Facial Care Products

Natural Body Care Products

Professional Skin Care Products Line

Skin Care Products for Men

All Plazan natural skin care products are clinically proven to be safe and effective.

Please visit Plazan Skin Care web site (http://www.plazanskincare.com) to find out more about our anti aging skin care products.

Beauty Tip: Foundation Secrets For A Flawless Complexion

2009-04-12T04:00:00.000-07:00

1. For a natural look your foundation must match your skin tone. Test foundations along your jawline. You will know the best color because it will disappear into your skin.

2. Spread foundation on your hands and pat it on your face, then smooth out with a sponge making sure not to pull or stretch the skin. Be extra careful in the area around your eyes where the skin is super thin. Don't forget to apply foundation on your eyelids and lips.

3. To make foundation last apply moisturizer first giving the foundation a base. Dry skin will soak up the foundation if not given that base. For oily skin use an oil-free moisturizer and powder foundation

4. On hot days foundation can be difficult to keep looking fresh. Set your foundation in the morning using a loose powder and puff, then do regular touch ups throughout the day.

5. To cover imperfections apply foundation first and then go back and dot on a concealer that neutralizes red. For noticeable imperfections like very dark circles and birthmarks use a yellow concealer (available from Mary Kay). Don?t use too much powder in problem areas because it will draw attention to it.

6. To avoid a foundation line around the jaw apply foundation as usual then use a little moisturizer in your hand and blend it down your neck.

7. For evening mix some shimmer powder with your powder and put it where you want to attract light such as the bridge of the nose, underneath the brow bone, the temples, cheekbone, chin and shoulders.

8. Always use a foundation with a sunscreen of at least 15 to prevent future sun damage.

9. Change your foundation shade if the color of your skin changes.

10. After you apply foundation go near a window to make sure it looks natural. Natural light is the ultimate test.

Sheila Dicks is a wardrobe and image consultant who teaches women how to look slimmer by dressing to suit their body type. Visit her at http://www.sheilasfashionsense.com to download a copy of her e-book Image Makeovers and get How to Build a Wardrobe free.

Easy Recipe For Clear Skin During Summer Months

2009-04-01T23:03:00.002-07:00

Here's a great recipe for a toner/astringent that I love to use every summer- it's especially great for combination skin. It helps clear pores from sweat, dirt, and other ickies, yet still offers some nice moisturizing benefits for a nice glow. It also feels really nice and refreshing!

1/2 cup witch hazel

1/4 cup water (Tea, especially green or chamomile, is even better!)

1/4 cup lemon juice

5 drops natural vegetable glycerine

5 drops lavender essential oil

2-3 drops peppermint essential oil

Just shake it all up really well in a small bottle. When you're ready to use it, just dab some on a cotton ball and gently wipe your face clean. Couldn't be easier!

You can adjust the essential oils to more or less, depending on your skin type. I find it's best to use in between face washings as a freshening up. I noticed sometimes using a toner or astringent right after washing your face can create an imbalance in skin that can dry it out too much - sometimes within an hour it can retaliate and be more oily than it was before! (Especially during the summer heat!)

Don't forget- sometimes half the fun in homemade beauty recipes is is being creative. If you'd like, don't be afraid to try your own unique variations!

You can visit Lisa Chambers' website at http://www.chambersessentials.com for more free information, recipes, and tips based on natural or crafty point of views.

The Benefits of Discount Salon Equipment

2009-04-01T23:03:00.001-07:00

Many suppliers of salon equipment offer products that are labeled as ?discount? for various reasons. Some discounted salon equipment may be a good bargain, but the buyer must always be an educated consumer when purchasing such discounted items.

Discount salon equipment may pertain to both new and used equipment. There are many suppliers that tout the word ?discount? to entice consumers to purchase their products. In an effort to convince the customer that they offer better prices than their competitors, they loosely advertise that they offer ?discount? prices. There are numerous, reputable suppliers that do offer great buys and low prices on quality equipment; however it is extremely important to be a wise consumer and conduct basic product research prior to purchasing discount salon equipment.

Suppliers of discount salon equipment typically offer many different styles and brands of equipment. Large suppliers are often able to offer deep discounts to the customer due to their ability to make bulk purchases directly from the factory. This can equate to great cost savings for the consumer. Unlike smaller suppliers, businesses specializing in discount salon equipment typically do not offer customization of equipment. They offer what is currently in stock and quickly ship to the customer in an effort to bring in new equipment. Many discount suppliers have elaborate e-commerce sites and online catalogs that allow potential customers to easily research available products and prices.

Suppliers of discount salon equipment frequently offer financing or leasing options to qualified customers. Even at discount prices, some salon equipment can be very expensive. The option of financing or leasing equipment often makes good business sense to a salon owner. The ability to break a large payment into smaller monthly payments or take advantage of lower monthly ?lease? payments may appeal to a new salon owner or simply entice a thrifty customer to make a purchase.

In purchasing discount salon equipment it is important to know that the supplier is reputable. Ask questions about their return and exchange policies. If the policy is not easily understood or does not exist, make a purchase elsewhere. The Better Business Bureau is a great resource when attempting to ensure that a supplier is reputable. Networking and asking other salon owners where they purchase their equipment may also lead to capturing a great deal.

Salon Equipment Info provides detailed information about beauty, hair, nail, tanning salon equipment, as well as wholesale and discount salon equipment. Salon Equipment Info is the sister site of Hair Extensions Web.

The Why When Where & How of Cosmetic Shopping

2009-04-01T23:03:00.000-07:00

A cosmetic case that won?t zip closed, that basketful of make-up on your bathroom counter, the vanity drawer crammed with products and colors you?re saving just in case. We all have a stockpile of make-up that is either impractical, a little too glitzy or just plain old. You don?t need to stockpile your cosmetics. In fact, you really shouldn?t for a few very good reasons.

WHY?

Your beauty supplies may not be marked with a specified shelf life, but they have one. Write purchase or throw away date on bottom new products with a permanent marker. Old products are not safe, do not wear correctly and subtle changes in color may occur.

Cleansers/Moisturizers - good for six months.

Foundation - six month shelf life if applied with fingertips, one year if applied with a sponge.

Lipstick - one year.

Eye and Lip Pencils - one year.

Powders and stick concealers - one year.

Eye shadow and blush - two years.

Mascara - good for three months

WHEN?

Shop when seasons change - new season, new colors ? when products have gotten old, and when things are on sale. Keep an eye on those pharmacy and department store circulars. You can find great deals if you're a smart shopper.

WHERE?

Local pharmacy/health and beauty chains are convenient and inexpensive. Shop sales, sometimes you can even buy two items for the price of one. Department stores with high end products and trained cosmetologists often have giveaways.

Look for in-store banners. Some product lines will even mail you invitations/reminders for sales. A purchase as small as lipstick may get you a goodie bag full of trial and even full size products. If you shop during bonus events, you'll get your money?s worth.

Independent Beauty Consultants are in everywhere. There are good products available, but be prepared. These sales people are often friends and it?s hard to say no when a friend must meet a sales quota. If you can stick to buying only what you need, this is a great way to get individualized service in the comfort of your own home.

On-line beauty catalogs may save you a lot of money. But you need to do your research first. Only purchase make-up that you have used in the past. Orange pancake foundation is still orange and thick, even if it was on sale. HOW?

Carefully and with an honest friend at your side. Take someone with you who has your best interests at heart. Trust your friend?s opinions, and don?t get upset if she tells you not to buy that gold shimmer lip gloss.

There are many, many ways to look great and not spend too much... develop your own unique personal style.

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Allison Saunders is a MAC qualified Make-up Artist and the author of an amazing new course, Hollywood Makeup Secrets a step-by-step simple video system for maximizing your inner and outer beauty potential. You can learn more about Allison, and subscribe to her free newsletter by visiting:

http://www.hollywoodmakeupsecrets.com/dt/s.php?id=9

Best Hairstyle Fashions and Beauty Trends for 2006

2009-04-01T23:01:00.000-07:00

Hairstyle and beauty has become quite a fashion statement lately. We have seen prices for a good cut or style skyrocket with no end in sight. Some cuts are going in and out of style every day it seems. As some beauty experts say - your hair can make you or break you. What will be the hot styles and beauty cuts for 2006? Some of these will surprise you.

1) The classic up-do. It has been one of the longest trends but seems to be a temporary style - something to do for a social party or event, but not every day. The hollywood stars like Jessica Simpson and many others sport the updo for Awards banquets and such, but they have personal hair stylists that can have their hair back in whatever style they want the following day. This style is best suited for medium or longer length hair.

2) Hair stenciling for uniqueness - this has been hot overseas in Japan, Milan, Paris, and London and is starting to make its way into the U.S. This is where you or a stylist create a stencil which you then attach to your hair and you use glitter and paint to make a bold, brazen fashion statement. Everything from animal prints (like tiger stripes) to symbols have been used. This works on any length hair, but is more predominantly displayed on shorter hair. Stencils have been used frequently lately on Runway models in shows by Gucci, Calvin Klein, etc...

3) The wedge. This was popular in the 1970's and is once again becoming popular. This was the cutesy do that made the likes of Dorothy Hammil America's sweetheart of that era. This style is gaining popularity amongst 30-40 year olds in search of a short and easily maintained style. The wedge tends to draw attention to your face, not your hair and looks natural. So, if you already have a beautiful face and skin this is a real winner, as it will draw people in to your good looks. We recommend natural, mild makeup with this do.

4) The mullet. Yes, I know we thought it died off in the early 90's, but it is making a surge again. No one knows why, except that is is a very low maintanence style - or basically no style. It is basically a mop of hair for head banging music. Business in the front and party in the back. It has been popping up all over the south and has been seen on the rise even in New York, Chicago, etc... This is a bad style that just won't go away.

5) The Fullet. The female version of the mullet. Just as bad if not worse, but, once again it is making a comeback. Maybe that means the Bangles will make a comeback also? Heavy makeup is common with this do.

6) The flip. The style from the roaring 20's is back as can be seen at the recent awards shows. This style has always been equated with glitz and glamour. It is another easy style and is easy to maintain. The flip goes with almost any makeup regimen. All the stars have worn this do at one time or another - from Jodie Foster to Rita Garbo.

Most of the hairstyles trends for 2006 are comebacks and are easy dos. Basically, people want something that is easy to manage and want variety - a cut that can be easily transformed from one style to another for different events or just for that different look. Women also want a style with easy, light makeup. According to numerous fashion sources these hairstyle and light makeup trends trends will be the big styles of 2006.

Look Better Feel Better

2009-03-29T23:28:00.002-07:00

>Yikes! It?s that me, I though after seeing my reflection. What happened? I feel like a different person and I am right. I went from being a single, ambitious young woman to a loving wife, mother and entrepreneur. All this new roles that I have acquire through life, leave me with more responsibilities and less time on my hands.

So, does this mean I have to sacrifice my physical appearance? I don't think so! Who says that moms can?t be trendy or simply look more put together.

Just to make things clear, I am not talking about wearing over revealing clothes, expending every single penny on shopping sprees or basing your whole existence on the way you look.

My advice is to just make time for improving your overall appearance. Even if you are a stay at home mom, make sure you get up a couple of minutes before the kids and do your hair, apply some lotion and don't just wear worn out t shirt, sweat pants etc.

What ever your beauty routine is just make time for it. It is a proven fact, looking better will help you feel better and influence those around you.

Kenia Morales is the publisher of online magazine http://kpatra.com For Every Aspect of Today's Woman. Visit her site to find a variety of women related issues and topics.

Email: eniamorales@kpatra.com

How To Recognize an Essential Oil?

2009-03-29T23:28:00.001-07:00

A selection of essential oils is now available from health food shops, chemists and by mail order. When you are buying them, be careful to choose essential oils, not perfumed oils. Although these may well smell delicious they are not benefecial for aromatherapy.

An essential oil is:

Thin and watery rather than oily.

Swift to evaporate and it wont leave a greasemark on paper.

Overpoweringly scented when neat, which can be quite unpleasant.

Perfumed oils will always smell pleasant whereas essential oils often have more of the effect of smelling salts.

All essential oils fall into three basic categories:

TOP NOTES : These oils evaporate very quickly. They are generally uplifting and stimulating, with a greenish, fresh aroma.

MIDDLE NOTES : These are used to help with most bodily functions and the body;s metabolism.

BASE NOTES : These are extremely relaxing, sometimes sedative and generally have a lovely, warm aroma.

You'll notice essential oils are always sold in tinted glass bottles (if not, be suspicious). This is becaiuse they are special oils that need a little care. They are damaged by light and should always be stored in a dark, cool place. Be careful to keep the lids tightly screwed on your bottles, otherwise you will be disappointed to discover your oils have evaporated into thin air.

Here is a very informative chart describing the benefits of various essential oils: http://www.ultimate-cosmetics.com/aromatherapy/essential-oils-information.htm

About The Author

For www.ultimate-cosmetics.com

Get more information on aromatherapy and essential oils here: http://www.ultimate-cosmetics.com/aromatherapy/index.htm

nitin@ultimate-cosmetics.com

Beauty The Fight To Get It

2009-03-29T23:28:00.000-07:00

It is not only women that strive for beauty. Men too want to look good, maybe to turn the head of a lady or to impress the boss at work. No matter whom you are, many people strive for this characteristic. Each person, though, strives for it in a different way and for very different reasons then the next. Beauty is always a subjective manner. In saying that, there are many ways in which the beauty of a person is truly revealed.

One of the largest markets in the world is the fashion and beauty industry. Millions of dollars are spent each year on different products and different clothing to create the most beautiful person. This can be anything from make up to shoes. How many of the commercials do you see on television that has something to do with beauty products? In fact, this industry has even gone so far as to put commercials for their products within the television shows we watch every day. Have you ever noticed a brand name product displayed on a bathroom sink? How about an actress talking about her favorite designer by name? Yes, you got it. These are mini commercials to advertise beauty products.

Is there anything wrong with wanting beauty? No of course not. In fact, more and more women are coming back to a natural beauty, one that is not full of tons of make up and glamour, but shows off their natural features. This type of beauty, natural, is one of the most beautiful types of all. By all means, if you have the money and have the desire for beautiful products, why shouldn?t you invest in it? These aspects are very important to men and women alike and should show the true meaning of the market.

Take what you will and run with it! Beauty is all in the personality of the individual. It can be expressed in many ways including through make up, clothes, and accessories. It can also be expressed in the lack of these features as well. Beauty is a wonderful quality that should be treasured. Of course, we all know and should believe that true beauty lies within, but who?s really counting anyway? Let?s get beauty!

Emily Jackson
Beauty

The Gift of Permanent Makeup: The Healing Power of Loving the Way You Look

2009-03-29T23:26:00.000-07:00

Poet, artist and philosopher Kahlil Gibran wrote in his book The Prophet ?Beauty is life when life unveils her holy face. But you are the life and you are the veil. Beauty is eternity gazing at itself in a mirror. But you are eternity and you are the mirror.? In these words he speaks of an age-old human struggle we have all faced, the struggle to see our own inherent beauty. Part of the Universal human experience is to learn how to love, appreciate and enjoy the way we look; our faces and our bodies are often judged by others when it is only our own opinion that truly matters. Loving the way you look can be a spiritual and healing experience, it can change the way you move and speak. It transforms the energy you project to others.

The Vanity Myth

There are many misconceptions when it comes to the practice of permanent makeup or cosmetic tattooing. It is the same myth that pervades the medical field of cosmetic and plastic surgery. There is a belief in America that if a person engages in procedures such as permanent eyeliner, permanent lipstick or other cosmetic changes that they are driven by vanity or are shallow inside. Although I agree that there is a portion of people who will never be satisfied with their appearance, I do not believe these people are the majority. Most of the clients I see in my practice are men and women who are in the process of learning to love themselves more and through this process they eventually gain more confidence and experience a better quality of life.

Let Your Natural Beauty Emerge

There are many reasons to have permanent makeup. Illness, injury and a desire for practicality, efficiency or increased confidence are just a few. All of these motivations have less to do with vanity and more to do with building self-esteem and self-appreciation. Loving yourself is a healing process and I am lucky to work in a field where I can participate in this process with my clientele. I work, not only with their faces but I also connect with their individual energy. I use my artistic eye for color and symmetry to apply the permanent cosmetics, but I also access my intuition in order to see what they see and to understand what they feel needs to change about their appearance.

A wonderful example of this process is a former client named Becky, a college professor and author. ?I have looked at myself in the mirror each day since you did my eyeliner and I am so happy with what looks back at me, ?Becky states, ?I knew I wanted to have the procedure done for esthetics and got a bonus of enhanced self esteem.? ?Thank you for your artistic, beautiful work that walks around with me everyday, collecting compliments whenever I reveal my secret,? she continues. In the end the goal is to create a look that doesn?t compensate for flaws or imperfections, but enhances what is most beautiful about the person naturally. Natural beauty exists within all people and bringing it to the forefront is the key to a great look. Then each day you look in the mirror to see your best facial features highlighted. This allows you to walk with your head high, to feel more comfortable in your own skin and to move forward in ways you may have avoided n the past.

Believe in Your Own Beauty

To achieve a beauty that you can believe in you must make choices to enhance the beauty that is already there. Everyone deserves to leave home feeling confident and excited about their own appearance. Permanent makeup is not a way to cover up the problems; it is way to help your best facial qualities and features to emerge. As you see this previously hidden part of you walk out into the light of day healing takes place and this healing energy can spread through the rest of your life.

Dawn Willard?s twenty-three year career in the fine and applied arts has included lettering, illustrations and photo and film styling. She has learned an array of artistic skills, one being makeup. Ms. Willard currently owns the Permanent Makeup Studio in Asheville North Carolina. She can be reached at http://www.DawnColors.com or starjump@gmail.com.

A Head on Your Beer or a Beer on Your Head?

2009-03-29T06:01:00.002-07:00

This article will give you a little bit of information on how shampoos work to clean your hair. When your hair is at its dirtiest it will contain skin flakes, dust, salt and oil. What the shampoo has to do is break all of this down and pull it away from your hair. Since water cannot do this on its own, you need the shampoo to do the job. Modern shampoos contain a soap-free detergent that actually reduces the surface tension of water and allows it to move into the small crevices in the scalp and hair shaft. As well, oil can build up on your hair and the detergent in the shampoo emulsifies oil up so it can be easily washed away.

It's interesting to see how many different ingredients you will find in a typical bottle of shampoo. If you like a nice, thick shampoo, salt is used for the thickening, and in order to maintain the pH of your hair, citrus acids are added. Fruit extracts will actually draw moisture from the hair and thereby assist in hydrating your hair.

In some shampoo compounds you will actually find egg that adds protein, and will stick to the porous areas of the hair shaft. In some of the specialty shampoos, beer is added as it coats the hair shaft adding body and shine. Other than adding a pleasant scent, perfumes perform very little function. Remember also that most manufacturers will do almost anything to sell their product, sometimes with little regard or care put into the manufacture of it. Remember to purchase a shampoo that is especially formulated for your hair, thus ensuring the right amount of oil is removed. Try some samples from your local pharmacy and remember, sometimes the most expensive shampoo isn't the best for you.

By Terry Price- Remember to visit- http://www.laser-hair-removal-discount.com/wrinkle-cream.html - for more important information wrinkle cream and treating your skin well after the hair is removed.

Acne Rosacea A Blush You Can Do Without

2009-03-29T06:01:00.001-07:00

What do former presidents Bill Clinton and Boris Yeltsin have in common? A condition called acne rosacea, a chronic inflammation of the blood vessels in the skin, which causes a ruddy complexion and small acne-like eruptions on the cheeks, forehead and nose.

In men it can often cause the skin on the nose to thicken and swell, leading toa condition called rhinophyma.

Nobody know what causes it but the list of potential triggers is endless. The main culprits are alcohol and rich, spicy foods.

Because its roots are unknown, there's no permanent cure either, so management is the key. This is partly achieved by identifying what makes the rosacea worse through a process of exclusion and by the use of topical antibiotics - usually metronidazole.

A GP's diagnosis is vital since the symptoms can be similar to more serious conditions such as lupus. Rosacea can last a lifetime, especially in men, but often clears up on its own.

About The Author

Alicia Caldelas for ultimate-cosmetics.com

Find more info about rosacea symptoms, triggers etc. on http://www.ultimate-cosmetics.com/beauty/skindisorders/rosacea-treatment.htm

alicia@ultimate-cosmetics.com

Acne Rosacea Symptoms Causes Treatments

2009-03-29T06:01:00.000-07:00

Acne rosacea is a skin condition characterized by reddish discoloration of the facial skin, particularly in the area of the cheeks, forehead and the nose. It is usually found in fair skinned adults, and is often mistaken for acne. The tiny blood vessels under the skin dilate and give the appearance of ?blushing?. While pimples may occur with acne rosacea there are no whiteheads or blackheads. At first the redness may come and go, but if untreated it will continue to worsen, with pimples and permanent flushing of the face. Extreme cases of acne rosacea that have not been treated can lead to disfigurement of the nose and puffy cheeks. Cosmetic surgery is the only way to repair this severe damage. Acne rosacea may also cause a gritty feeling in the eyes that, if not treated, can lead to impaired vision.

Acne rosacea can occur in men or women. Women tend to get acne rosacea more often than men, but men have more severe symptoms than do women.

Causes of Acne Rosacea

One of the most frustrating things about acne rosacea is that there is no known cause. There are many suggestion as to the origins of rosacea such as:

- Emotional factors that cause blushing or flushing of the face may trigger acne rosacea.
- Changes in the weather may cause acne rosacea to occur.
- Sun exposure generally worsens the condition.
- Mites or certain bacteria may cause the initial outbreaks of acne rosacea.
- Some medications for heart conditions that are used a vasodilator may bring about the onset of acne rosacea.

Treatments Available

It is important to remember that acne rosacea is not the same as teenage acne, and will not respond to over the counter acne treatments. These treatments are more likely to further irritate the skin and cause a worsening of the condition.

The most successful treatment of acne rosacea includes:

- A strong oral antibiotic that gradually decreases to a maintenance level.
- A topical cream that is applied regularly to the affected area. This cream usually will contain antibiotics in conjunction with cortisone or a prescription acne mediation.

Things to avoid/moderate

- Minimize skin exposure to the sun.
- Avoid or minimize smoking
- Moderate alcohol consumption
- Avoid spicy foods

As promised - you now know what acne rosacea is, what causes this condition and how it can be treated/controlled.

Mike Singh is the publisher of http://www.stopping-acne-now.com/. On his website, he shows how to cure a pimple and articles about acne causes and treatments.

Oily Skin Care Tips

2009-03-29T05:59:00.000-07:00

Oily skin can be difficult to deal with but with the right products and techniques it can be managed. One of the most prevalent problems associated with oily skin is breakouts. The excess oil on the skin makes it difficult to prevent blockage of the pores. Another problem that is a result of oily skin is the inability to maintain a desired look with makeup. Following a few oily skin care tips can help alleviate both of these problems.

Preventing breakouts on oily skin can be possible by following a few oily skin care tips. First, washing your face at least twice a day can help to prevent breakouts by preventing pores from getting clogged. Pay close attention to only wash a few times a day because excess washing may only deplete the skin of natural oils that your skin products. It may take a while before you find the right product that will work with your skin type but once you find something that is right be sure to stick with it. Oily skin may also react with certain types of sunblock and moisturizers so when shopping for types of products read the label and be sure they are oil free and won't clog your pores.

Preventing makeup from running and smearing can also be prevented with specific oily skin care tips. One of these tips is to choose a water based foundation. This is important because oil based foundations will only compound your oily skin condition and result in your makeup running off of your face. A water based foundation, however, will not contribute to your oily skin care problem and will hold tightly on your face and will help the rest of your makeup remain intact. Another oily skin care tip is to use an application of pressed powder subsequent to your foundation application to set the foundation.

Jennifer Puffer is the owner of http://www.ultimate-beauty.com. A successful website focusing on providing information and products on topics that include beauty, skin care, make up, hair, mineral makeup, skin care and much more. Jennifer invites you to find more information on skin care tips at http://www.ultimate-beauty.com/skin-care-products.html.

The Right Beauty Supplies Will Make You Look Great!

2009-03-27T05:55:00.002-07:00

Use beauty supplies the right way and yours could well be the face that launched a thousand ships! Growing old may be mandatory, but looking it certainly isn?t. It?s just that one has to do it right. But that?s exactly what?s difficult. The mind boggles with the onslaught of unending types of beauty supplies, countless makeup and enticing brands. Am I using the right beauty supplies? Am I doing it correctly? What about side effects? Thankfully, makeup tips are not very difficult to find.

Trust the beauty supply expert.

Generally, you can always trust a beauty supply expert. And thankfully, one is almost always available without much trouble. The media abounds with beauty supply tips. And then there are brands that you can trust your skin with. Or use exotic mineral beauty supplies that are a great alternative to chemical beauty supplies. They use natural ingredients and causes less damage to the skin. Over a period of time, the presence of wrinkled skin could make that vital difference between skin that used regular beauty supplies and skin that used natural beauty supplies.

Beauty supplies today not only means enhancing beauty that is skin-deep, it also means preservation of skin nutrition. After all, our skin is the largest organ of our body and needs adequate nutrition like any other organ. Consistent, healthy skin care is the best way to avoid wrinkles, sunspots and premature aging. It will pay off in the end. We spend our hard-earned cash on beauty and skincare. Lets make sure that its main beneficiary is our skin, not skin care product manufacturers.

About The Author

Mike Yeager
Publisher
http://www.a1-beauty-4u.com/

mjy610@hotmail.com

Makeup Tips to Turn the Ugly Duckling into a Swan

2009-03-27T05:55:00.001-07:00

Not everybody looks like Helen of Troy. If Mother Nature happened to be harsh on you concerning looks, you can score over her with some easy to practice makeup tips. It is guaranteed that these makeup tips will turn even a plain Jane into a woman of rare and exquisite beauty.

There are makeup tips for every beauty problem. With makeup, you can draw attention to your most beautiful feature or downplay a not particularly appealing one or even hide a scar or blemish.

Every makeup tip is unanimous on one point and that is a good skin foundation. It is essential for that ?oh-so-glamorous? porcelain smooth look. A foundation also gives protection to the delicate facial skin from harmful weather forces and pollution. In conjunction with a moisturizer, it prevents the skin from ageing.

The key to sparkling eyes, as every eye makeup tip will swear by, is light colored eye shadows like brown, mauve, vanilla or beige. You can play in the subtle undertones of the skin and opt for colors like gold, olive, pale purple and gray.

The adventurous at heart can try out bronze, tan or any other shinning translucent eye shadow powder or go in for a layered look by combining two colors. Experimentation is all right, but every make up tip profess one thing, ?don?t go overboard?.

Mascara is another aspect of eye makeup. In fact, there is nothing like a dash of mascara to dramatize the eyes. For a no makeup look, a brown shade or clear mascara is the best. For a wide-eyed innocent gaze, try curling your eyelashes. But curl before applying the mascara and do not curl your lower lashes for they are apt to fall off.

A makeup tip is not meant only for highlighting a facial feature. Makeup can be used as a cover for problematic zones too.

You can make your concealer or foundation stay all day by dusting it with some translucent powder and its good riddance to bad rubbish like pimples, scars and dark circles. For the real obstinate acne, just a dab of concealer, that is one shade lighter than the foundation, bordering on the green or yellow tone is ideal.

For a large nose, light colored shoulder-length voluminous hair is the ideal mask.

There also happens to be a makeup application tip that will help those unhappy with the spacing between their eyes. A medium neutral eye shadow on the inner eyelids with a thick eyeliner stroke bordering the entire length of the eyes will make the eyes appear closer.

For eyes that are too close for comfort, a good beauty makeup tip is to apply a darker tone in matte finish in upward and outward strokes on both the lids and end in a thick flourishing curve.

The essence of all makeup tips is to make you, and not the makeup, stand out in a crowd.

David Maillie is a chemist with over 12 years experience in biochemical research and clynical analysis. He is an alumni of Cornell University and specializes in biochemical synthesis for public, private, and governmental skin care interests. He can be reached at http://www.bestskinpeel.com.

Do You Really Need To Wear A Moisturizer?

2009-03-27T05:55:00.000-07:00

You just may be able to get away without using a moisturizer.

?Not everyone needs or should use a moisturizer, especially women with oily, combination, or acne-prone skin!? Paula Begoun, author of Don?t Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, writes on her website. But what if you just can?t part with your favorite day and night creams? What should you be looking for when shopping for a moisturizer?

According to Paula, a good moisturizer should contain emollients (essential for making skin not feel dry), water-binding agents (ingredients that attract water to the skin and help keep it there), anti-irritants and antioxidants. For daytime, it must contain a well-formulated sunscreen.

If you have an oily t-zone area (forehead, nose and cheeks) and your skin is normal to dry elsewhere on your face, you have combination skin. Most of us will have combination skin at some point in our lives. Use an oil-free moisturizer in the t-zone and a light moisturizer on other areas. In order to normalize your skin, it may be necessary to apply two different types of products on the different areas of your skin. Alternatively, you can skip the moisturizer for your t-zone entirely and just moisturize the cheeks and eyes.

If you have dry skin, your skin may feel dry and itchy and wrinkles are more obvious on your skin than other skin types. Although the use of a moisturizer can help to temporarily smooth out wrinkles, none of them can turn back the clock. Choose one which makes your skin look smooth and feel supple. A water-based moisturizer is preferable, although it won?t last as long as an oil-based moisturizer. However, emollients in water-based moisturizers such as plant oils and shea butter can help to provide your skin with essential moisture. (Tip: Apply moisturizer on damp skin to lock in moisture.)

If you have sensitive skin, you may have red patches on your face and/or are easily irritated by using certain products. It can be difficult to find a product which doesn?t aggravate your skin and cause breakouts or unsightly rashes. Look for moisturizers which do not contain fragrance and ingredients which you know can be potentially irritating to your skin. Even something as harmless as Aloe Vera can cause skin irritations!

Sunscreens are essential for daytime wear to protect your skin from the sun?s harmful UVA and UVB rays. There are plenty of sunscreens on the market which hydrate the skin as well as protect the skin from the harmful rays of the sun. Why not skip the moisturizer and wear a sunscreen instead? The fewer products on your skin, the less likely your skin will develop an irritation to any of the ingredients.

Tara Sabeti is Vice-President of Marketing at http://www.BeautySteals.com, an online retailer of cosmetics, skin care and fragrances. A graduate of Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, she has spent more than five years researching and working in the cosmetics and fashion industries. Her in-depth knowledge of all aspects of the cosmetics industry, from product development to e-marketing, as well as cosmetic applications for women of varying backgrounds, makes Sabeti an authority women can trust.

Quick Professional Beauty Tips For Today's Busy Woman

2009-03-27T05:53:00.000-07:00

If you are ready for beauty to be made simple these quick easy beauty tips are for you. Used by some of the top beauty professionals in the industry these fast and simple beauty tips will instantly improve your appearance and correct some of today?s most common beauty problems.

To reduce the redness and shrink the size of a blemish ? soak a cotton ball with visine. Place the cotton ball on blemish, hold it there for a minute. This will reduce the redness. Next apply a small drop of Preparation H to the blemish. This will shrink the blemish.

For longer lashes ? use a small makeup brush to dust your lashes with face powder before applying mascara and between coats.

To minimize dark under eye circles ? Before applying your foundation use an orange tone concealer mixed with your foundation to cover under eye circles. Apply foundation and set with face powder. Avoid using blue or purple eye shadows.

To instantly lighten eyebrows ? rub a small dot of foundation through your eyebrow and gently brush eyebrows with an old toothbrush.

To disappear wrinkles ? After applying your foundation use a thin small makeup brush to apply highlighter directly in the crease of the wrinkle, blend and set with face powder.

To whiten and brighten your teeth ? use lip colors with blue undertones such as cool red, berries, burgundies and wines.

To refresh oily hair ? sprinkle baby powder onto your hairbrush before brushing your hair.

To prevent bed hair ? before going to bed comb a dime size drop of leave in conditioner through your hair.

To remove yellow discoloration on nails ? soak nails in any over the counter denture cleanser for 5 to 10 minutes.

Eileen Hammel is a Nationally & Internationally Recognized Image, Style and Beauty Expert Ms.Hammel is President of Smarter Image, and Smart Skin Care - Smart Cosmetics by Smarter Image http://www.smartskincaresmartcosmetics.com/

Choosing and Applying Makeup Foundation A Simple Step by Step Guide

2009-03-26T00:47:00.002-07:00

Makeup foundation is the secret to whether your makeup will look good or not.

Foundation helps to smooth out your skin tone, conceal blemishes and gives you a healthier glow. Applying makeup without a foundation base can actually accentuate unsightly skin problems, rather than conceal them. Choosing and applying foundation should be a simple procedure, but there are pitfalls. Here is an easy step by step guide to choosing and applying foundation.

Step 1. Decide what foundation coverage and finish you prefer.

Decide what type of look you would like to achieve. Foundations can offer coverage from sheer to heavy and finishes that range from matte to satin. Degree of coverage and type of finish is very much a personal choice.

Step 2. Choose the right shade

Once you have chosen the ideal formulation (coverage and finish) for you, you're ready to choose the perfect shade to match your skin tone. There is a good selection of foundation shades available from the lightest of shades for pale skin through to shades for the darkest skin tones. Here's how to select the perfect shade for you.

How to select the perfect shade

? Ensure you're in natural daylight when trying out foundation colours, so you can see exactly how your skin will look once you leave the shop.

? Select a couple of shades which look as though they'll match your skin.

? Don't try foundation on your hand or on your wrist- they're a different colour to your face.

? Stroke a little colour onto your jaw line to ensure you get a tone that will blend with your neck as well as your face. The shade that seems to disappear into your skin is the right one for you.

Tip: Bear in mind you may need a slightly darker shade of foundation for summer when your face will naturally tan.

Step 3. Moisturise

Begin with clean hands and a clean face. Apply the moisturiser appropriate to your skin type. Let your skin moisturiser for a few minutes, particularly if your skin is oily. Applying foundation to freshly moisturised skin ensures you have a perfect base with which to work. Apply foundation 10 minutes after moisturising. If you don't allow the moisturiser to absorb into the skin, your foundation could come off.

Step 4 Apply concealer

Camouflage any under-eye circles and facial blemishes with concealer. Your concealer should be a slightly lighter tone than your foundation.

Step 5 Apply foundation

When applying foundation use a cosmetic sponge - using your fingertips can result in an uneven, greasy finish. Dampen the sponge first squeezing out the excess moisture - this will make foundation application easier and prevent the sponge from soaking up too much foundation. Place a small amount of foundation on the back of one hand. Dip your makeup sponge into it. Apply foundation by dotting it on your forehead, cheeks, chin and nose and then blend each one with your sponge. Blend out to your hair and jaw line until the foundation vanishes. Pay special attention to blending around the nose, mouth and jaw line. When applying foundation, slightly rubbing toward the neck area helps create less of a line around the face!

Tip: Be sure to blend, blend, and blend. Special areas to watch are the hair and jaw line. And be sure that your face isn't one color and your neck another.

Tip: When putting on foundation, always do it in a bright room or by a window. This way, you can see what hasn't been blended-in properly.

Tip: Many companies have added sunscreens to their foundations, so they'll protect you from the ageing effects of the sun while you wear them. Look out for the words UV protection and Sun Protection Factor (SPF) numbers on the tube or bottle.

Step 6 Set the foundation with powder

This is an optional step that you may find beneficial. A light brushing of powder on your foundation sets the foundations making it longer lasting. If oil surfaces during the day, blot the area with a tissue then apply a light dusting of powder. Always apply powder to set make-up and reapply throughout the day to prevent shine.

Tip: The light dusting of powder also helps with eye shadow application and also makes the eye shadow longer lasting.

Important! If you want a tanned look, don't use a darker foundation, use a bronzer.

Donna Kelly's passionate interest in beauty and makeup began as a young girl experimenting in front of the mirror with mom's cosmetics - while she was out of course. It was inevitable that Donna would go on to formally train as a makeup artist and eventually launch her own brand of high quality makeup and skin care products. As a business women and mom with 2 children Donna understands the time pressures on women today and through this, and other articles, has endeavored to take the complexity and mystique out of feeling good and looking great with some busy women friendly beauty tips and advice. If you would like to read more of Donna's articles check out her website: Colours & Scents.

Commercial Acne Treatments vs. Home Remedies

2009-03-26T00:47:00.001-07:00

There are a number of both commercial and home remedy acne treatments, which are designed to help treat acne. The most popular of home remedies is the recommendation to wash your face twice each day, with the best times to be in the morning and before you go to bed at night. Keep in mind that it is best to avoid scrubbing too hard as this may aggravate, or even result in, acne.

There are many benefits to both commercial acne treatments and home remedies. Among them, commercial or prescription acne treatments are often medically recommended. On the flip side, home remedy acne treatments are not medically tested, but they are natural, free and usually contain ingredients that are not harmful. This is not always the case with commercial or prescription acne treatments, which often carry the potential for serious side effects. In addition, they can be quite expensive.

No matter which acne treatment you use, be careful of possible irritation. The last thing that you will want is to aggravate an acne-prone area with a treatment product as this would defeat the entire purpose. The best way to begin with any cream or lotion treatment is to apply the product to a small test area of skin in order to make sure there are no incompatibilities with your skin. In addition, make sure to read any warning or cautionary product labels to make sure that you are using the contents properly. In order for acne treatment medication to work, it has to be used correctly.

If you are searching for popular over the counter acne treatments, you are likely to find a variety of choices. Among them, medicated pads for wiping over the face, lotions, face wash, etc. Prescription acne treatments are often provided to those who need a more aggressive approach at acne treatment and may include the same product categories at a higher level of medication. Home remedy acne treatments include lotions containing aloe vera, a facial mask consisting of 4 tablespoons of honey and one grated apple, an oatmeal and water paste, etc.

This article is to be used for informational purposes only. The information contained herein is not intended to be used in place of, or in conjunction with, professional medical advice regarding the use of any commercial or home remedy acne treatment. Prior to beginning any treatment regimen, the patient must consult a licensed medical doctor or dermatologist for advice and/or to determine the best course of action for his/her individual situation.

Find amore about Witch Hazel acne treatments, bacne scars and many other acne natural treatments on http://www.TheAcneMedicine.com

Natural Skin Care with Essential Oils Part 1

2009-03-26T00:47:00.000-07:00

Looking good starts with great skin, and aromatherapy can help you achieve this in a number of ways: essential oils make excellent moisturizers due to their outstanding penetrative properties. There is always the perfect oil to care for your particular skin condition. First Things First

For a holistic approach, start with nutrition. Skin care starts with what you put into your body, so avoid harsh moisturizers, cigarette smoke, pollution, dry air-conditioning, alcohol, caffeine, and junk food. Having a healthy diet made up of a range of fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, will give your body the building blocks (vitamins and minerals) that it needs to keep your skin looking great. Drinking plenty of water during the day will ensure that your skin is well hydrated, supple and elastic, keeping those wrinkles at bay. Skin Types

Choose the right oils for your skin types, and remember that your skin type will vary: it may become more oily during your period, and more dry during winter.

All skin types can use lavender, and all except oily skins can use chamomile, rose and sandalwood. If you have oily skin, try bergamot, cedar wood, cypress, frankincense, juniper, sage and lemon. Sensitive skin types are usually safe with neroli, chamomile, sandalwood and rose oils.

Applications

Pamper yourself with a variety of ways to use the essential oils that are right for you.

Try a facial steam bath: boil some water, add five drops of your favorite oil (or a combination of two) and using a large towel, steam with eyes closed for five minutes. Alternatively, dilute six drops of your oil in 30mL of jojoba oil base, and use a small amount as a moisturiser at night time. Use a maximum of three different oils in this mixture.

Cleansers, Toners, and Masks

Combine a few drops of your choice of oil with an unperfumed brand of cleanser to cleanse your skin.

Rose water (normal, dry & sensitive skin) or witchhazel (oily skin) are ideal bases for toners ? either spray directly onto the face or apply gently with cotton wool. Herbal infusions such as chamomile, marigold, nettle or rosehip teas can also be used as a base, in combination with orange or lavender oil.

For a natural mask, finely grind oatmeal and mix with hot water to form a paste. Add 15 drops of essential oil per cupful of paste. You might also wish to experiment with adding natural yoghurt to the mixture. After smoothing it onto your face, allow it to dry slightly and then gently wash it off with cotton wool or a beauty sponge. Remember to avoid the eye area.

Angela Page writes about Natural Skin & Beauty Care. For further information and products visit http://www.mybeautyfocus.com. You may reproduce this article only in its entirety, together with the link to the author?s website, from which this article is sourced.

Holiday 2005 Make Up Tips

2009-03-26T00:45:00.000-07:00

There are some great new looks out this fall and holiday season. If you?re planning on going out, you?re probably looking for a new or different look. I?ve compiled several of my favorite styles for this season to help you choose the one that will best fit your situation and needs.

Focus On The Lips

This look is all about your lips. Whether you use a bright jeweled lip color or a matte frost, remember to use a gemstone color. They?re hot this season. Amethyst, ruby, gold, garnet, plum, etc. are all great colors. Try to use a color a few shades darker than your usual lip color.

Don?t do much else but add mascara to your top lashes only. This look is complimented by loads of mascara. You can also add a neutral color to the crease of your eyelid. (The crease of the eyelid is becoming a popular style.)

Line It Up

Do you love eyeliner? Looking for something new and exotic? This is the holiday make up tip for you. It?s all about eyeliner.

Using a dark eyeliner pencil, lightly trace where you want your liner on both the top and bottom lids. Then take black eyeshadow and mix it with a little hydrosol, water, visine, etc. Using a thin eyeliner brush, dip it in your creamy eyeshadow mixture and trace over the eyeliner pencil line. Keep your line very thin. You?ll find it?s easier to trace over the line than to do it freehand.

Now for the fun part. You?ll see a space where your top and bottom lashes meet. Place your eyeliner brush there and draw it outwards. Make a curve as you pull it away. You?ll get a ?cat eye? look and your line will go from thick to thin. You?ll get perfect placement every time.

Then add some baby pink blush just to the apples of your cheeks. Using a brush the same size of the apples of your cheeks works best. Smile and place your brush against your apple. Does it look too big, too small or just right? You?ll be able to tell when you?ve got it right. Tap the excess blush off and tap it onto the apples of your cheeks. It?s easier if you?re smiling while you do this. Dust your brush off on a piece of tissue then gently blend the blush back towards your ear a bit.

For your lips, avoid the gloss. Use a matte or a matte frost in the now popular color of pink with tan undertones.

The Red Lip

Yes, the red lip is back in vogue. And you can wear this awesome look too. It?s red and it?s matte and it?s gorgeous. You can go two ways with this look.

1. Red matte lips and nothing else.

2. Red matte lips and exotic eyes.

For lipstick try a blue-red. It?ll make your teeth look whiter compared to an orange or brown red. Berry colors are usually a winning color.

For the eyes, you?ll have a smudgey look using either jewel tones or matte. Remember not to mix them! One or the other. Apply vibrant gold, copper, chestnut or bronze over the entire eyelid and smudge it below the eye. Don?t use black, gray or charcoal for this look. Use a rich dark brown eyeliner (no black!) and draw a thin line on the top and bottom lashes and if you like, line inside the eye. Then smudge the eyeliner so it?s still a visible line, but smudgey.

No blush for this look.

And there you go! You?ve got three of this season?s hottest styles to help you look your very best for all those holiday parties. Look and feel your best this season by not forgetting to take time for yourself this month. A little pampering can help ease the holiday stress.

Lynn Starner is the proprietor of Beauty Bliss Mineral Cosmetics at http://www.beautyblisscosmetics.com as well as http://www.ultimate-skin-care-tips.com.

Hand Care Tips and Recipes

2009-03-24T23:10:00.002-07:00

For those of you who are do-it-yourself fanatics like I am, our hands are always getting rough treatment. Between gardening, cleaning, painting and puttering around they get exposed to a lot. What can we do to make sure they don?t look like they?ve through a boxing match without gloves? Gentle care is the key. Wear gloves whenever possible so your hands aren?t exposed to cleaning products, dirt and paint. Now that I?ve said that, I?ll admit this is a hard one to do 100% of the time, but do try.

Hand cream is another must have for your hands. Keep it in the bathroom, the bedroom and the kitchen. Use it!

Take care of your nails too. This starts with drinking enough water and eating a healthy diet. But here are a few more tips:

NEVER cut your cuticles. Keep them from drying out by using a good hand cream and hand soaks, then push them gently back with a cuticle/orange stick. Once you do this if you notice any white residue you can gently rub the area to remove this, but no cutting.

When you do cut your nails or hang nails make sure the clippers and other tools are very sharp so they don?t tear as you trim. Always trim neat and clean-not too deep. Once you get them cut, try filing weekly instead of cutting. Use the file in one direction to avoid splitting and use a good quality file. If you maintain your nails this way you may not have cut them. Use gentle hand treatments to soften your skin and your cuticles. Here are a few you can make yourself:

Rosewater Hand Massage

You?ll need:

1 tsp. glycerin
1 tsp. lemon juice
5 drops rose water
Mix together and keep in a small bottle. Use to massage your hands for 15-30 minutes. Don?t forget the cuticles!

Nail Soak

You?ll need:

1 cup bottled water
juice of one lemon
1 tablespoon aloe vera gel
10 drops lemon essential oil
Mix all together and use as a finger soak for about ten minutes on each hand.

Nail Manicure Treatment

You?ll need:

1 Tbsp. distilled water, slightly warmed
1 Tbsp. witch hazel
1 1/2 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. alum powder
Mix above in a glass bowl. Soak nails for 10-15 minutes, occasionally massaging cuticles gently. Rinse with cool water. Use for both hands, then discard.

Some more articles about hand and nail care:
Sexy, Beautiful Hands
Women's Blog - All Women's Talk Hand & Nail Care

Beauty Basics Eight Tips For Naturally Beautiful Hair

2009-03-24T23:10:00.001-07:00

Looking for a more natural approach to hair care? Here are some tips to help your hair look and feel its best.

1. Avoid shampoos that contain sodium laurel sulfate, or sodium laureth sulfate. These chemicals are synthetic detergents that are used in dishwashing liquid and other cleansers. They are valued because they lather well, but they are very harsh, and can dry out your hair. Instead, look for shampoos made with decyl glucose, or decyl glucoside, which are much gentler.

2. Give yourself a hot oil treatment to deep condition your hair. Warm oil penetrates the hair shaft making the hair more flexible and giving it shine. This can also help to prevent split ends which result from dry hair.

3. Eat right and consider taking vitamin and mineral supplements to encourage healthy hair. Several vitamins and minerals have been shown to help hair growth and condition including biotin, vitamin E, vitamin B, vitamin C and MSM.

4. If you are an African American, or if you have extra curly hair, avoid brushing your hair. Use a wide toothed comb, or your fingers to work with your hair. Brushes can destroy African American or extra curly hair by shearing it out of the scalp.

5. Look for essential oils, herbs and vegetable oils in your hair care products. Essential oils such as rosemary, ylang-ylang and west indian bay help to stimulate hair growth. Lavender and tea tree and naturally antiseptic and help to fight dandruff. Vegetable oils such as soybean oil, safflower oil and corn oil are moisturizing and conditioning to the hair shaft.

6. Avoid sleeping in hair accessories such as barrettes, scrunchies, head bands, etc. This can lead to hair damage.

7. Massage your scalp to help stimulate hair growth. Massaging helps stimulate hair growth by increasing the blood flow to the scalp. This nourishes the hair roots and helps to stimulate the hair growth process.

8. If your hair ends are damaged, give yourself a trim every so often to remove damage.

Ololade Franklin publishes Making Good Scents(TM), a newsletter for people who make their own bath and body care products. For information about Making Good Scents(TM) visit http://www.MakingGoodScents.com

Hair Threading As A Hair Removal Technique

2009-03-24T23:10:00.000-07:00

Hair threading is becoming more and more popular as individuals search for a new way to remove hair. The process can be done at home if you would like to or you can get a much better procedure done through a salon. For those that are looking for a new method of hair removal, besides all the waxing and the shaving, hair threading may be the answer for you. Although it is about as painful as waxing, it can help to remove the fine hair that grows over your body.

You will use normal sewing thread to get the job done. The hair will be removed from the root. For an at home method, try this:

Use two feet of sewing thread. Knot the ends to make a large circle.

Hold it in both hands and wind it about ten times until it looks like a bow tie. The wound up portion needs to be in the middle.

Now, spread the fingers of one hand so that the wound portion moves to the other hand. Practice moving it back and forth for a few minutes.

Alternate the fingers that you move, spread and close.

Practice first with your leg hairs until you learn how to do it well.

Prop one leg up while you sit on a chair. Place the wound side of the thread on one side of the hair and lay the thread from the opposite end around both sides of the hair.

Move your fingers as you have been practicing quickly. The hair is captures and pulled from the root.

It is often wise to learn how to do hair threading by watching someone else do it. So, perhaps you should invest in a salon procedure the first time so that you can learn. Yes, it hurts a little and yes it is going to need to be done several times, but the process is one way for you to easily fight back unwanted hair. Once you learn how to do it, you will do it better. And, since there are no real risks of using hair threading there is no reason not to enjoy it.

As a beauty consultant Nicola is always evaluating new products. Visit her site at http://www.epilator.info for resources, views and information about home hair removal.

The Why When Where & How of Cosmetic Shopping

2009-03-24T23:08:00.000-07:00

WHY?

Cleansers/Moisturizers - good for six months.

Foundation - six month shelf life if applied with fingertips, one year if applied with a sponge.

Lipstick - one year.

Eye and Lip Pencils - one year.

Powders and stick concealers - one year.

Eye shadow and blush - two years.

Mascara - good for three months

WHEN?

WHERE?

There are many, many ways to look great and not spend too much... develop your own unique personal style.

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http://www.hollywoodmakeupsecrets.com/dt/s.php?id=9

Flawless Makeup: Are You Using the Right Tools?

2009-03-23T22:19:00.002-07:00

Like organizing our closets we must from time to time clean out our makeup cabinets and make sure what we have is still working for us. If you want flawless makeup and professional looking results you must use the correct makeup tools. The right blush brush for example, will make it possible that your blush gives you a perfect glow rather than a harsh streak or blob. Also, the right tools are necessary to do the job correctly ? to define and conceal.

ESSENTIAL TOOLS:

Sponge: A sponge makes it possible to get into difficult spots and controls makeup application; used correctly a sponge will give your foundation an even finish. A sponge is great for touch-ups and is less likely to pull on the skin. Buy them in bulk and change them often.

Brushes: A good blush brush is soft with bristles that are about 1? inches. Don?t use the small, hard brushes that come in compacts because it will be difficult to get a nice even finish. An eye shadow brush should also be soft. Look for a lipstick brush that is retractable. It helps keep the brush clean and in great shape. A blending brush should be about ? wide and will help blend the different color eye shadows together to create a natural look. Use a brow brush to keep eyebrows under control and give them a smooth look. Your powder brush should be large, soft, firm and fluffy.

Eyelash curler: An eyelash curler is a must if you have short, straight eyelashes or just straight eyelashes. An eyelash curler (along with mascara) will give your eyelashes the appearance of being longer.

Tweezers: Have tweezers close by to keep your eyebrows well groomed. Well-groomed eyebrows will open the eye.

ESSENTIAL PRODUCTS

Cleanser: To have radiant skin you must keep it clean. A cleanser that is compatible with your skin type will do that and keep it moisturized.

Moisturizer: Moisturizers will keep your face feeling fresh and will help foundation glide on. Choose one that is compatible with your skin type.

Exfoliant: Exfoliants do a great job keeping dry patches to a minimum and will get rid of flaky skin.

Foundation: Foundations give the skin an even look and will protect it from the elements. You should be able to see your skin through your foundation. It shouldn?t look like a mask.

Powder: Whether you choose loose powder or a powder compact powder will give your face the final touch, keep your makeup in place and get rid of shine.

Mascara: The best mascara brush has wide spaces and does not cause mascara to clump. Only wear waterproof when you plan to get wet and change your mascara every 3 months to avoid it drying out or attracting bacteria.

Blush: Blush can be powdered or cream. A cream blush is harder to apply and is best for those with dry skin. A powder blush will go on much easier.

Eyebrow Pencil: Use an eyebrow pencil if your eyebrows are thin or to fill in gaps. Choose a color that is a shade lighter than your hair.

Eyeliner: Keep the edges rounded for a softer look; when applying make sure the eyeliner is in the lash line.

Eye shadow: Powder shadows are easier to apply than creams. Use a matte shadow if you have wrinkles around the eyes and keep eye shadow light.

Lip liner: To outline the lips choose a shade that complements your lipstick.

Lipstick: Use a shade that complements your skin tone.

Sheila Dicks is an Image and Wardrobe consultant who helps women feel more confident by dressing to suit their body type. To get tips on how to dress slimmer and find your best styles get a copy of her ebook ?Image Makeover? at http://www.how-to-dress.com or go to http://www.sheilasfashionsense.com to get the Free Report ? 7 Things Your Girlfriends Won?t Tell You About Beauty and Fashion?.

Sensitive Areas Hair Free for Weeks? A Beauty Consultant Reveals How

2009-03-23T22:19:00.001-07:00

Epilady epilators are made with the woman in mind. Their wonderful epilators were created for the contours and curves of your body that will leave even those sensitive areas hair free for four to six weeks and remove the small ugly hairs that all women hate.

Epilady's most popular new design is the New Discrette Compact. This is the smallest and most efficient epilator on the market today in my opinion. It is fast, smooth and quieter than others that you may have tried in the past. It really shows how epilators have improved over the years. The design is great for removing unwanted hair at practically any angle. You will be amazed at how this compact epilator will remove even the finest of hairs right from the root. The wide epilating head will remove hair smoothly and comfortably. It has two operating speeds, has an ergonomic design for easier handling, and come complete with its own carrying case, cleaning brush and power cord.

Many women I know prefer the Epilady Duet, 2-in-1 Epilator and Shaver. This 2 in 1 system gives you the ability to change from epilator to shaver by just flipping it over to the other side. This is the newest design that gives you all the hair removal system you will ever need in one handy design. It has 40 tweezer discs on the epilator head that will give you a faster and more efficient hair removal system. This system is safe to use all on your sensitive skin including face, legs, underarms and your bikini line. The ergonomic design provides a non-slip design hold to aid in the comfort of removing unwanted hair.

Keep watching Epilady for new designs for comfort and pain reducing ways to remove unwanted hair for longer periods of time. They are constantly finding new ways to improve these wonderful products so we can feel confident and wear anything we want without those ugly small hairs growing back quickly.

As a beauty consultant Nicola Kennedy is always evaluating new products. Visit her site at http://www.epilator.info for Epilator Resources, Views and Information to help you choose the Best Epilator for you.

An Overview of Enzyme Peels for Your Face

2009-03-23T22:19:00.000-07:00

When dealing with the refurbishing of facial skin, peels are a popular option. Here is an overview of enzyme peels for your facial skin care needs.

An Overview of Enzyme Peels for Your Face

The enzyme peel is not a new technique at all. It has been performed for a long time ago but often without a deep knowledge on the matter. This is easily confirmed after an overview of those home remedies and cosmetics intended for skin care, such as papaya or green apple facemasks or lotions.

Papaya enzymes are not only good for nutrition but also to peel off epidermal cells, which aids in regenerating the skin. This property is also observed in aloe Vera, pumpkin, pineapple, and other fruits. Restorative enzyme peel is a type of exfoliating non-surgical procedure that uses natural or chemical products to produce exfoliation.

An Enzyme peel accelerates the natural exfoliate process of the skin to get rid of dead skin cells, promote young cell renewal, and visibly diminish scars, stretch marks, aging spots and lines, sun damage, and skin discoloration. Enzymes penetrate the upper layers of the tissue, cleansing pores and improving skin texture, tone, elasticity and tautness.

Although, some enzyme peels work with the aid of acids or mechanical granules, natural enzymes are the most recommended to prevent dryness or allergic reactions. In fact, some strong chemicals used for deep peeling, such as phenol, may cause cancer of the skin or side effects.

In order to obtain the most benefits from enzyme peels, whatever the product you choose or the natural home remedy, you can get the most from it by applying a thin layer to your clean and dry skin, rather than a thick coat. Enzymes work best by rubbing gently in a mild circular motion.

An Enzyme Peel produces results in the short term after begin the application, but you need to perform a routine exfoliation to see good results. Treatments with enzymes improve your skin look and feel, but do not stop aging. Furthermore, you will have to repeat a peeling treatment after a certain period of time to remove new damaged cells and keep your fresh and youthful appearance.

Ricardo de Silva is with PlasticSurgeonPractices.com - a directory of plastic surgeons. Visit us to read more plastic surgery articles.

Splitting Hairs What Can You Do About Split Ends

2009-03-23T22:17:00.000-07:00

Isn't it a shame when you have to worry about covering split ends (or trichoptlosis)-the bane of every self- respecting woman's life! They happen when the protective cuticle has been stripped away from the ends of hair fibers. Split ends are more likely to develop in dry or brittle hair, and typical causes of damage include excessive dying or vigorous brushing.

Once the hair cuticle is removed, it is impossible to replace. Typically, the hair splits into two or three strands, and can be as long or two to three centimeters in length. The best treatment is to cut off the split end of the damaged fiber.

But you don't necessarily have to go to the salon every week to keep your split ends in check. Back in the sixties and seventies, women used to burn off their split ends! Sure that's a little excessive. And there are easier ways to get rid of those dead ends before they split further... do-it-yourself hair trims.

These do-it-yourself trimming tips are for women who are happy with their hair; for those who don't need a restyle, but simply want to freshen things up with a 'homegrown' sort of look. If you are in any doubt, leave it for the professionals!

To Remove Split Ends:

* Take small sections of hair and carefully twist them in a gentle downward motion. Any split ends will automatically stick out.

* Carefully snip into the twist with sharp scissors. Don't cut right through; just cut into the thickness to remove the damaged cuticles and give a natural layered effect.

* Be careful to cut roughly the same amount from each twist. Remember, sometimes the simplest, and least expensive, ideas are the best. So get trimming! You'll not only save a bundle but also time that will ease your life.

Discover all you ever wanted to know about hair. Latest hair styles, new hair loss treatments, best methods of hair removal. Click for daily updated blog of hair news and articles. http://www.hair-unexpurgated.com/

Is Your Skin Care As Pure As It Can Be?

2009-03-22T20:26:00.002-07:00

To achieve a more radiant skin and beautiful complexion, it is vital to use only the purest skin care products, particularly those made only with raw, living and natural ingredients. In this article, I explain why this is the best external skin care possible, which, together with a healthy diet, right lifestyle and a positive mental attitude, helps the skin to become softer, firmer and achieve an unmistakable glow.

From the outset I?d like to emphasize that becoming more beautiful is available to anyone now, regardless of their present health, condition or age, who is willing to create beauty through changes in the diet, external skin care and mental outlook.

What we put on our skin is just as important as the food we eat. The skin is the body?s largest organ and plays a crucial role, not only in the elimination of toxins and in regulating our internal temperature, but also in terms of absorption.

Therefore it is critical to use skin and personal care products that, first of all, are free from toxic chemical ingredients. Some of these ingredients include:

a) Propylene glycol: Found in practically every skin moisturiser, propylene glycol is used as the base ingredient in the manufacture of brake fluid and industrial anti-freeze. It greatly damages and ages the skin. It also causes rashes and dry skin.

b) Lauryl sulphates: These corrosive chemical ingredients used in industry to manufacture garage floor cleaner and engine de-greasing are also one of the main ingredients in practically every major brand of shampoo, bubble bath, face wash, shaving gel & toothpaste. Lauryl sulphates eat away at the mucous lining of the skin, are highly irritant to the eyes and cause urinary tract infections.

c) Parabens: synthetic chemicals which have been linked with breast cancer. They are used as preservatives in many shampoos and personal care products.

Secondly, it is important to use skin care products that are made only with raw, living and natural ingredients such as raw cacao (cocoa) butter and cold-pressed oils. This is because the skin greatly nourishes from the life force, antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and essential fatty acids present in the natural ingredients.

The benefits are numerous. The life energy in the ingredients is highly nourishing and healing. Antioxidants for example, help to reverse skin ageing and inflammation and help heal scar tissue. Minerals play a key role in beautifying the skin, hair & nails. Sulphur, for instance, is a central component of collagen & connective tissue, which provides elasticity & flexibility to the tissues. Vitamins such as A, C and E are moisturizing, soothing and healing to the skin. Essential fatty acids help to remove toxins from tissues.

To ensure that the life force and all these nutrients are retained, skin care products must be made at temperatures below 40C. If ingredients are heated above this level during the manufacturing process, most of the antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and the life force in the ingredients are destroyed. A good example of this is cold-pressed olive oil, which has long been considered a topical remedy for wrinkles and facial lines. Not surprisingly, olive oil is the best source of raw vitamin E. However, it is also is extremely sensitive to temperature and light and becomes completely corrupted when heated.

Heated oils and fats when used in skin care products ?even in the so-called most natural ones- are actually one of the worst offenders to skin beauty. They contain highly toxic transfatty acids, which may be absorbed into the cell membranes, causing them to become porous and weak. Heating oils and fats also leads to the creation of free radicals, which are unstable oxygen molecules that have lost an electron. Collagen, a protein molecule that constitutes 80% of the dermis, is particularly susceptible to free radical damage, which includes wrinkles, lingering scars and stiff collagen

In contrast, cold-pressed fats and oils kept at low temperatures help to beautify the skin, strengthen the cell membranes and restore nutrients to the tissues.

In short, the best external skin care is to use products made using only 100% raw and living ingredients. At present, the only company in the world producing a range of such products is Raw Gaia. More information can be found at http://www.rawgaia.com

Hector Bolanos is the sales & marketing director at Raw Gaia, a natural skin care company. He can be contacted at enquiries@rawgaia.com and on +44 (0)1273 311 476

Choosing the Correct Hair Products for Your Hair

2009-03-22T20:26:00.001-07:00

When choosing your shampoo please look closely at the label. You should see all the materials and substances it was made of. The main thing shampoos consist of are detergents the surfactants that make foam show up when mixing with water and air.

Detergents.

Detergent is shampoo's basic and semantic component. After all the shampoo is intended to wash your hair, that's all. All the stuff that is above this definition is called medicated shampoos, conditioners, antiseborrheic shampoos and so on.

Though the amount of the foam does not determine the quality of the shampoo, the detergent has great influence on it. Nowadays few detergents that differ in its chemical structure exist. They are divided into anionic, cationic, nonionic and amphoteric.

Anionic detergents are most commonly used in shampoos and shower gels. They are cheap and have good purifying qualities. Anionic surfactants can be easily removed from the hair.

Cationic surfactants (with positive ions) are used not so often and have higher concentration. Some of them may cause eye irritation.

Amphoteric surfactants that contain positive or negative ions depending from shampoos pH are used for curing damaged and dry hair.

If we put in a line from worst to best we will get the following: Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Ammonium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, TEA Layril Sulfate, OAA Laureth Sulfate. So as you see last three surfactants are the best ones. On every shampoo's label such detergent is displayed first.

Conditioners

Conditioners are not shampoos but assistants. You can find them as a part of shampoos or in individual bottles. There are lots of conditioners that have different practical significance.

Moisturizers are assigned for dry hair because of their ability to draw moisture. Usually the components are proteins and vegetable extracts. Moisturizers are mostly made of lactoserum.

Reconstructors contain proteins like hydrolyzed keratin. It can easily come through hair shell due to its small molecular weight. Reconstructor conditioners are used when the hair is damaged (i.e after hairdressing)

Acidifier conditioners make your hair shiny and elastic. It gives an impression of boosted volume, but it is only an optical illusion. pH index is about 2.5-3.5.

Thermal protectors can be found in shampoos with Therm or Thermal prefix. (like Thermasilk). Its basis are special polymers that distribute warmth when are put on the hair. This is very helpful for people who use curlers and blow-dry often.

Hair conditioners can form a part of shampoo (so called 2 in 1). But the effect is less noticeable then after separate use. During simultaneous use you have lower chances for conditioner to work properly. As for using shampoos and conditioners of different producers.

Using the conditioner

Place conditioner on the hair, but not on the head.

When doing that you can massage the skin on the head with your fingers

If you have mixed hair you should work up only the tips.

After using the rinser that you should wash your head 2-3 times with warm and the last time with cold water.

Medicated shampoos

Medicated shampoos are used for curing illnesses, especially dandruff. Dandruff appears when the microscopical fungus (Malassezia Furfur) starts its activity. That?s why dandruff shampoos contain substances against seborrhea and antifungal agents.

Zinc Pirythione, Climbazole, Ketoconozole, Selenium Disulphide have antimicrobial effect against Malassezia Furfur that is supposed to cause dandruff appearance. Octopirox, Coal Tar, Selenium Disulphide suppress activity of cells that produce fat. Coal Tar, Sulphur , Salicylic Acid have keratolytic effect on the skin. In other words it is the capability to detach layers of dead cells that cause dandruff to appear.

Choosing a shampoo

First of all you must choose shampoo taking in consideration the type of your hair. Thus if you have dry hair you should buy moisturizing shampoo and so on. It is harder to choose when you got long hair of different types (oily hair at your roots and dry one at the tips). In that case cosmetologists suggest a new haircut.

It is obligatory to pay attention on the detergent. Which one is better you can see in the beginning of the article.

If you like the shampoo but it is not suitable for you try not to experiment with it.

If the hair is damaged (after the hairdressing) you should use shampoos with pH 4.5-5.5

Stuff4Beauty.Com Hair Products Your Premere Salon Connection!

What Does Beauty Really Cost?

2009-03-22T20:26:00.000-07:00

Yes! We all want to be beautiful no matter what. We are shown what is classed as as beauty on a regular basis by the media. Fashion models who look like bean poles and who cant possibly eat chocolate or cream cakes as this would be the ultimate sin.

In reality they probably eat very little!

We are all made to be beautiful in our own way! it might not necessarily be in the way the media portray.

This is a good thing as it would be a rather boring world if we all looked exactly the same.

Time is also a big factor as we struggle to fight against it,nobody likes growing old, but are we really winning or delaying the inevitable?

What is all of this really costing us? we spend millions of pounds a year in the UK on beauty products and treatments.

How many of us know what we are really using in these products? We heard recently about parabens possibly causing cancer yet manufacturers still produce products containing them which we buy and use!

We need to look at what we are buying and what they contain!

Would you knowingly eat something containing poison or harmful ingredients? I know i wouldn't,yet we regularly buy and use thing to so called make ourselves more beautiful without reading the labels.

Here are some of the many things to look for:

DEA,MEA,TEA(not the kind you drink) are irritants which dry the hair and skin ,also known as allergens
METHYL,PROPYL,BUTYL & ETHYL PARABENS: are food grade preservatives-used to preserve products and extend there shelf-life. considered to be highly toxic and have been found in cancerous tumors ,also allergens.
ISOPROPYL:poisonous solvent used in many products.
IMIADAZOILDINYL UREA:formaldehyde-forming preservatives,known to weaken the immune system.
PROPYLENE GLYCOL: wetting agent and solvent main ingredient in antifreeze and brake fluid.
POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL(PEG): is a caustic substance used to dissolve grease. found in oven cleaner and most skin cleansers.

Are we taking unnecessary risks by not doing a simple thing like reading a label?

Is it worth risking your health for the sake of beauty,when these days there are more and more natural alternatives available in our retail stores,supermarkets and online so we can have a more natural way to enhance our beauty. Without the extra costs!

Alison Jones http://www.pureessenceproducts.bravehost.com

Natural Beauty Products That Don't Cost The Earth.

Tips and Advice: Puffy Eyes

2009-03-22T20:24:00.000-07:00

Some of the causes of puffy eyes are: lack of sleep, alcohol, allergies, aging, stress, poor diet and genetics.

To decrease the appearance of puffy eyes use a thinly sliced cold cucumber or a slice of raw potato and place a slice on each eye. Use any cold compress on your eyes for a few minutes, but do not place ice cubes directly on your skin. Cotton wool pads soaked in witch hazel (which reduces swelling) or iced water should also do the trick.

You can also reduce the appearance of puffy eyes by taking a beaten egg white with a drop or two of witch hazel and brushing it under your eyes for a tightening effect.

Do you need to change your lifestyle in order to decrease the puffiness under your eyes?

Do you know that salty foods cause water retention which can accumulate in the eye area? Sodas and alcohol drinks are high in sodium (salt). Drink water instead. Do you drink enough water? Remember you should drink 8 glasses of water per day.

Exercise will help your overall circulation, including your renal circulation and will aid in the elimination of water. Do not sleep on your stomach, instead, sleep on your back with your head elevated so that water cannot accumulate around the eye are.

Here is a great tip: DO NOT NOT NOT use preparation H on your face!

A concealer or highlighter can do wonders to hide puffiness under your eyes. Pat your concealer on first and blend it in so it looks natural. Then apply your foundation and set it with a light dusting of loose powder.

There are many eye treatment creams on the market today that are formulated specifically to reduce bags underneath your eyes. I recommend Colos? Creme Miracle as it reduces puffiness, fine lines and dark circles. It contains collagen, vitamins, elastin and jojoba oil. Store creams in the refrigerator, as the coldness will also help reduce puffiness.

If you continually have eye puffiness go see your doctor. You could be having symptoms of sinusitis or allergies that can be cleared up by antibiotics or medication.

CREDIT BYLINE: Article written by Katrina VanDoran, Editor of Make-up USA Newsletter: http://www.make-upusa.com. Ms. VanDoran is a top makeup artist at her Spa in Brussels, Belgium. She predominantly uses Bren and Colos? Cosmetics and Skin Care products. Make-up USA ? All Rights Reserved.

Great Tips To Cure Skin Blemishes Naturally

2009-03-22T02:43:00.002-07:00

Instead of using harsh chemicals or potions on your body's largest organ, consider using natural methods to clear up any acne problems or embarrassing blemishes.

There are many great tips to cure skin problems using all natural items that cost considerably less than expensive lotions, creams, or cleansers that may do more harm than good.

Look no further to find excellent tips to cure skin issues, from acne to other problems that can wreck an individual's self esteem or social life.

Most individuals who suffer from skin problems are teenagers and may be experiencing difficult times at home or school.

The teenage years are awkward for any child, but especially for those who suffer from acne or other issues.

This time is one of great hormonal imbalance, which usually is the root of the problem.

Some excellent tips to cure skin problems involve your overall health and quality of life.

The old adage, you are what you eat comes to play, since individuals who enjoy well balanced, healthy meals tend to be healthier, their skin will be healthy as well.

These simple treatments will allow you to create a better sense of overall health. In addition to eating well, be sure to drink plenty of water in order to keep your skin hydrated.

Properly hydrated skin is less likely to experience break outs or other problems usually associated with acne.

Also, carefully watch the beauty products you use, since some products will encourage break outs.

When working to control skin problems naturally, you may should turn to you're the items in your kitchen.

A simple masque made from baking soda and water is an excellent way to extract any toxins and clean out your pores.

Instead of using a store bought masque or other skin treatments from your drug store that may contain harmful chemicals and can put a dent in your budget, consider these natural ideas.

Also, egg whites are excellent for especially dry skin and honey is great for oily skin.

Using the natural beauty methods will allow you to control your skin problems naturally without breaking the bank!

'Discover the Remedies and Treatment regarding Acne and Skin Care', find some at Skin Care and Acne Control

Home Made Remedies For Healthy Skin

2009-03-22T02:43:00.001-07:00

Here are some homemade remedies suggested by skin experts.

In order to maintain a healthy and a clear skin tone you need to use suitable medications along with a wholesome diet. In fact, the products that are manufactured are usually made up of harsh chemicals that can easily penetrate into the blood, causing damages to the other organs.

Coconut oil significantly acts as a moistening material when the skin is dry and rough. Therefore it is can be appropriately used to treat various aliments such as roughened lips, eyes, broken capillaries, cellulite or burns etc. Coconut butter can be mixed with lip balm gel, eye cream or may be preserved in sterilized jars. Besides, there are many alternative medications advised such as peppermint for lips, patchouli oil or lavender for acne, chamomile for eczema and grapefruit for cellulite.

The most commonly used ointments for sunburns are strawberries, cucumber slices, gels or the leaf of the aloe vera plant. They are often easily cured as they exhibit soothing, cooling and antifungal properties. If you keep cool tea bags or cucumber slices over the dark circles of your eyes, they will reduce the dark colors formed around the eyelids.

You can also prepare a mixture of cornstarch, baking soda or essential oil to smoothen the texture of your skin. If you are applying it to your feet add tea tree oil to the toner because it kills all the tiny microorganisms that are present.

The most important tip is to consume a healthy diet such as vegetables, fruits and plenty of water. Sleeping soundly is one of the most vital activities, as it nourishes the skin.

If you follow the above-mentioned tips you will surely develop a radiant skin texture.

You are welcome to republish the above article only if you add our hyperlinked URL.

Hair Removal Options: Thermolysis Electrolysis Or Blend?

2009-03-22T02:43:00.000-07:00

You would like to have permanent hair removal. Who wouldn?t? But, there are several methods that you can go about getting it, for the most part. While no method can guarantee 100% effectiveness, most of them can do a good deal to help you. When it comes to choosing, you?ll need to examine your budget, your need for pain as well as your research facts. Here are some of your options specifically electrolysis, thermolysis or a blend.

Electrolysis

In this permanent hair removal technique, the hair is removed directly from the hair follicle. And, in this method, the follicle is destroyed so that the hair can not re-grow. A probe is used and inserted in each and every follicle. The probe uses electrical current to cause a chemical reaction which will then loosen the hair so it can be removed. In fact, it causes a chemical reaction that will change the follicle to lye, a product that will damage it enough to cause permanent hair removal. But, the process takes quite a bit of time since each follicle has to be dealt with individually. This makes it very expensive too. In some cases, you?ll need more than one treatment.

Option Two: Thermolysis

Here, you get the same basic steps but the difference is heat. The process creates heat which will then destroy the follicle. This of course stops the growth of hair. But, if this procedure is done wrong, you can experience more than just the pain you?ll get from either of these treatments, but also scarring and burning. Although it is faster, thermolysis is not as effective.

Combine Them: The Blend

Growing in popularity is the blend method of hair removal. Here, the hair is removed through a quick version of electrolysis. Heat is used, though, which means that while the lye is produced and destroys the follicle, the heat makes it happen faster. And, what makes it even more attractive is the fact that it basically works on all types of hair. The blend method is faster, but still costly and painful.

Which To Choose?

It is up to you which method you use for your permanent hair removal. Make sure to visit a skilled professional to do it so that you get a sterilized location with an individual who knows what they are doing as this can make all of the difference. You lower your risks and get a better result when you go with experience.

As a beauty consultant Nicola is always evaluating new products. Visit her site at http://www.epilator.info for resources, views and information about permanent hair removal.

A Dozen Don'ts To Look Younger

2009-03-22T02:41:00.000-07:00

Tired of always being told you have to do more and spend more too look younger? How would you like to do less and spend less yet look younger? Well now it's possible. All you have to do is avoid these 12 most common beauty mistakes made by women over forty and you will look younger, healthier, and more attractive.

1.Don?t use foundation that's lighter then your skin color. You will look pale, washed out and unhealthy.

2.Don't use powder foundation it tends to collect in creases and make wrinkles more prominent

3.Don't use frosted eye shadow, because its frosted particles settle into lid lines accentuating wrinkles.

4.Don't use iridescent eye shadow it attracts light and draws attention to lines.

5.Don't use brown eye shadows they tend to age the face and create a tired appearance.

6.Don't use black eyeliner it is to harsh and will emphasize any fine lines around the eyes.

7.Don't use overly light under eye concealer this will illuminate any imperfections and lines in the under eye area.

8.Don't over pluck your eyebrows; a very fine brow gives your face an aged look. .

9.Don't use too pale, too dark, or too bright color cosmetics. Anything bold, unnatural, and overpowering on the face makes it appear older and unattractive.

10.Don't apply your blusher too high or too low. If you want to create a natural, younger lift look to your face never apply blush any lower than the bottom of your nose or any higher up than the outside corner of the eye.

11.Don't apply your makeup too heavy because as the skin ages it starts to lose its firmness. Heavily applied makeup tends to slide into and accentuate lines and furrows.

12.Don't over exaggerate your lip line it will look phony even clown like.

Eileen Hammel is a Nationally & Internationally Recognized Image, Style and Beauty Expert Ms.Hammel is President of Smarter Image and Smart Skin Care - Smart Cosmetics by Smarter Image http://www.smartskincaresmartcosmetics.com/

Meditation: Why Meditation And How Does It Help

2009-03-21T08:15:00.002-07:00

The stressful lives we lead today take their toll on our health. Mental stress and physical fatigue drain us of our positive energy leaving us depleted physically, mentally and emotionally. Considered to be part of alternative medicine, meditation is fast gaining popularity amongst conventional medical practitioners as well. Patients are increasingly being advised to meditate for sometime in the day, which is believed to have a positive effect along with the allopathic medicines prescribed for a number of medical conditions.

What is meditation?

Meditation is a technique that helps us focus and calms the mind resulting in relaxed and restful state of physical and mental being. Meditation is generally focused on one constant thing, usually your breath. Meditation is an effective tool to gain mind control, self-awareness and understanding that eventually lead to inner calm and peacefulness. For people practice meditation, it can lead to profound experiences of self-realization and transcendental awareness and knowledge. A proven alternative therapy, meditation is a known stress reliever.

Meditation is beneficial not only psychologically but is known to have positive effects on various health conditions ranging from blood pressure, insomnia to even depression. There are different techniques of meditation that people follow today. These are a product of diverse cultures and peoples around the world. The power of meditation has been harnessed to alleviate pain, suffering and promote healing for centuries in different cultures and religions, in some or the other form.

Types of meditation

There are various types of meditation that originate from various parts of the world. Prayer is possibly the most common one, the others are Transcendental Meditation, mindfulness meditation, Zen meditation, Buddhist Meditation and Taoist Meditation.

The body under meditation

Scientific experimentation and research has found out how the human body reacts under profound meditation. It has been found that the meditation process counteracted the effects of the sympathetic nervous system - the one that wants to fight or flee. Whereas the sympathetic system dilates the pupils and gets the heart rate, respiration and blood pressure up, the parasympathetic system, activated when we meditate, does just the opposite.

Muscle tension decreases, blood pressure drops, and for some extraordinary practitioners, even temperature and basal metabolism rates drop during a prolonged meditation. Oxygen needs of the body are reduced when you are in a highly relaxed state, and brain waves change from the busy beta waves to the blissful alpha waves.

Meditation Techniques

There are two major approaches to meditation, which are Concentrative Meditation and Mindfulness Meditation. These can be explained as follows -

1. Concentrative Meditation
The approach to still the mind is to focus the attention on the breath, image or sound (mantra). This gives way to greater awareness and clarity. In its most basic form concentrative meditation requires you to sit quietly and focus your attention on your breath. Practitioners of yoga and meditation believe that there is a direct correlation between one's state of mind and one's breath. For e.g. when a person is anxious, frightened, agitated or distracted, the breath will tend to be shallow, rapid and irregular. On the other hand, when the mind is calm, focused and composed, the breath tends to be slow, deep and regular.

2. Mindfulness Meditation
In this type of meditation, the mind is aware of all that is happening around you. You just observe the sounds, feelings, sensations, images, thoughts, smells etc without getting involved in them or thing about them. The person is just like a spectator who is witnessing everything but one who does not react or get involved with thoughts, memories, feelings, worries or images. This helps to gain a more calm, clear and non-reactive state of mind.

Kevin Pederson has been managing a number of natural home remedies websites which have information on home based natural cures and remedies for some of the most common illnesses as well as methods of meditation.

Natural Mineral Makeup a Natural Alternative to Greasy Makeup

2009-03-21T08:15:00.001-07:00

Mineral Makeup is a natural alternative to acne causing and pore clogging oil based makeups that dominate the market. Cosmetics are big business, but just because something costs more doesn't mean it's better for your skin. Every liquid you put on your skin is absorbed into the skin and goes directly into the blood stream. Think about that next time you pull out your liquid foundation and apply it to your skin.

The process by which a substance is absorbed into the blood via the skin is called transdermal delivery. It is one of the fastest ways to get something into the blood in a concentrated form. Many drugs are delivered by applying a skin creme or skin patch that contains that drug to areas of the skin that absorb it readily. The face is one of those places.

Transdermal delivery is so effective in fact that many drug companies offer their drugs in some kind of creme or patch for an effective means of dispensing the drug into the blood without getting a shot or taking a pill. It actually takes the body longer to absorb something through the digestive system and get that substance into the blood than it does to apply it directly to the skin. This is something you need to consider when you buy makeup. Read the labels carefully, and if you aren't interested in putting dies, chemicals and preservatives into your blood you may want to consider an alternative form of makeup.

Oil and other chemicals, dies and preservatives not only absorb into your skin, but they also clog your pores, which then build up sebum under the clog and cause acne. Oil based makeups are simply not good for your skin in any way. Naturall many people have turned to mineral makeup as a safe and natural alternative to commercial makeup. Why?

First mineral makeup is made from all natural minerals that come from the earth. Most of them are a combination of the minerals mica, titanium dioxide, and zinc oxide. Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are natural sun blocking agents and are used in almost every over the counter sun block lotion you buy. They are also water proof so the staying power of mineral makeup is usually all day with little or no touch up needed.

The minerals used to make the makeup are very finely milled into a powder that is so fine that it blends very well into the skin and looks very natural. The vast range of colors availiable in the minerals make it possible for mineral makeup manufacturers to offer many different colors. Every concievable color has been made from blush, eyeshadows, lipsticks, and foundation in hundreds of shades. It's easy to buy two or three different foundation shades and blend them for a custom color. The minerals blend very easily together.

The minerals are also milled so fine that they won't clog your pores, and if some of them do manage to get into the blood stream, remember they're all natural and they're minerals. They are completely safe for the body. Many doctors and dermatologists have proclaimed mineral makeup as the skin care makeup because it is so healthy for the skin and does not aggrivate acne and it covers blemishes, acne, large pores, and scars very effectively.

If you're interested in a safe and natural alternative to chemical, oil and preservative laden makeup, minerals may be something for you to look in to.

Find more Natural Mineral Makeup information at http://www.bare-mineral-makeup.info. Get the facts, ingredients, and benefits as well as advice about which brands are the best.

5 Insider Beauty Secrets Other Women Don't Want You To Know! (Part 1)

2009-03-21T08:15:00.000-07:00

Imagine what you would do if you knew miracle working beauty secrets. And if you had the self confidence that comes with being beautiful.

Now before you laugh and say you'll never be beautiful, listen up.

I know where you're coming from! At one time I didn't know any beauty secrets.

Before I learned any beauty secrets I was plain, even bordering on ugly. I had acne, chapped lips, weight issues, wardrobe disasters, and not so white teeth.

But thats all become past with the 5 beauty secrets that have changed my life.

I pulled through all my beauty disasters and learned some valuable beauty secrets as a result.

Now people are always commenting to me on my beauty. Saying I should be a model, etc.... And guys are no longer even an issue! I don't have to look for them, they come to me.

It turns out the best beauty secrets are those that are won by personal knowledge and experience. Not just by reading general tips in magazines.

So by experimentation over the years and by perseverance, I've found out what really works and what doesn't.

Beauty Secret 1

Unchap/beautify your lips with this trick.

For soft, beautifully kissable lips, you need the following: a washcloth (I'm not kidding either), warm water, and your favorite brand of lip balm.

First you apply a coat of lip balm. Then wet one corner of the washcloth, put the warm wet corner of the washcloth between your lips, press them together and hold for 5 seconds.

Then gently massage any remaining lip balm from lips with the wet corner of washcloth, and dry lips with a corner thats dry.

Apply lip balm again to keep your lips chap free. You may also apply lipstick or lip gloss on over the layer of lip balm.

I learned this was the best way to keep lips from chapping, after going through too many winters with dried, and chapped lips.

Beauty Secret 2

Clear your acne, and get beautiful skin.

For clear glowing skin, a little home remedy does wonders for my complexion, as it should with yours too.

Steam your face for 20 minutes every night after washing it, then every other night after steaming your face, massage a half teaspoon castor oil over face.

Leave it on at night while you sleep and wash off immediately upon waking. Steam face for twenty more minutes in the morning after washing. When you finish steaming your face splash your face with cool water and dry it.

If your skin starts to show any signs of a pimple forming. Take one night off from steaming and applying castor oil and apply Benzoyl Peroxide over face.

Take the next night off also from the steaming, castor oil, and benzoyl peroxide. Continue facial regimen with steaming and castor oil the following night.

This beauty secret will moisturize your face at the same time it will help clear up acne and pimples. But only if you work at it consistently.

Beauty Secret 3

Good taste in clothes.

When shopping for clothes try to stay away from really big prints, or weird mixes of colors (eg. green, pink and blue flowers combined on a white background, for instance).

Clothes like these just scream I'm color blind! And if you in fact, actually are color blind, always shop with a friend who isn't and has good taste in clothes.

Buy basic colors. Solid reds, pinks, blues, whites, and blacks. Or things with small tasteful prints and designs.

Then mix and match each basic color with a corresponding one (blue goes well with white, pink, and sometimes with red, and different shades of the same color almost always go well together).

Put these beauty secrets to use, and start seeing the benefits today. Be sure to read Part 2 of this article, which contains the last 2 beauty secrets.

In Part 2 I'll teach you the beauty secrets for whitening your smile without draining your bank account. And how to use clothes to your advantage by hiding figure flaws and defects. Click Here For Part 2 Of Beauty Secrets

Makeup With Contact Lenses On: How to Apply Makeup While Wearing Contact Lenses?

2009-03-21T08:13:00.000-07:00

Ralph Waldo Emerson very rightly said, One of the most wonderful things in nature is a glance of the eye; it transcends speech; it is the bodily symbol of identity. Eye is considered to be an integral party of one's beauty and we at times completely ignoring taking care of it. The unhygienic environment around us along with inevitable aging deteoriates the beauty of eye unless we make a concious effort to take care of it. Here are few healthy tips on how to apply makeup with contact lenses on!

. Always apply cosmetics after you insert your lenses. Apply eye make-up sparingly and take care not to soil or damage a lens. Apply eye make-up on the outer lid margin only, not the inside.

. Use Eye make-up that has been specially formulated to be oil and fragrance free. Use a non-oily mascara which is water-proof to prevent flaking and excessive smudging. Mascara with lash-building fibres should be avoided.

. Replace mascara and eyeliner products very three to six months to avoid contamination.

. Avoid eye shadow that is powder. Use only gel, liquid or cream. Never use eye shadow that is frosted or iridescent. These may contain oyster shells or mica.

. Do not use eyeliner that is directly drawn on the rim of the eye. Keep all eyeliner pencils sharp enough so the wood doesn't scratch the surface of the eye.

. Remove the lenses before removing eye make up all make-up daily with an oily-free remover.

Random Tip: How to achieve the smoky eyes effect-

. Use a highlighter pencil right under the eyebrow, with a wider sweep. near the end, right on the bone. Blend. Emphasing the natural curves of your eye, use silver eye-shadow on the lid and inner corner, and a deeper gray on the socket crease, outer corner and near the lashes.

. Whip out the eyeliner and redefine the shape of your eye by making the line narrower in the inner corner and wider in the outer corner, to give it an upward slanting, almond shape.

Must Read: Skin Care Treatment and Tips - 10 skin care tips a women must know at http://www.weightloss-health.com/skin%20care%20treatment%20tips.htm

Wash your hands prior to putting in each contact, and then apply makeup.

Your mascara needs to have two magic phrases on its label: hypo-allergenic and safe for use by contact lens wearers.

Never apply eye makeup while in a car.

The odd flake of mascara fiber or the wrong eye pencil can make your eyes puff up or can bring that bloodshot effect which obviously you don't want, right?.

Random Tip: Home remedy for black spots-

Try these easy recipes to do away with black spots: Make a mixture of 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice and glycerin and apply it on the spots.

Grind dried basil leaf, neem and mint (100gm each). Add some turmeric powder and rose water to make it into a paste and apply it on the spots.

About the Author

Ashley Green: for http://weightloss-health.com/ your complete and most comprehensive family guide on Health.

To get more free tips and advice on Eye Care, visit us at Free Eye Care Product and Eye Makeup Tips

If you wish to reproduce the above article you are welcome to do so, provided the article is reproduced in its entirety, including this resource box and LIVE link to our website.

Beauty: Emotional Toxins And Your Youthful Appearance

2009-03-17T00:14:00.002-07:00

Most individuals who are concerned with their attractiveness or the idea of losing their youthful appearance often resort to a host of products on the market that act largely on the surface of the person's body.

By on the surface I mean that they focus largely on undoing or covering up the physical manifestations of aging or defects in one's appearance.

A great deal of money has changed hands in such a market and this is a sign of the desire that many have to retain their youthful appearance.

These surface approaches are, in my view misguided because of the fact that one's appearance is actually determined by emotional factors! Emotional factors that are acquired and stored chemically at the cellular level as a result of one's life experience.

Indeed, there is now evidence that such emotional factors can actually affect the structure of our DNA (for instance you may wish to see Dr. Bruce Lipton?s work in the ?Biology of Belief? or Dr. Masaru Emoto in the effects of Thought on the Structure of Ice Crystal Patterns).

Such emotional factors, as my work over the last 10 years has shown, not only detract from one?s appearance, they are actually directly responsible for the aging process itself!

In other words if you carry a life history that has associated with it a great deal of negative experience, this history becomes chemically stored deep within the cells of your body and subsequently affects it in a very physical way.

So what is being said here is that emotions have a very definite affect on the physical functioning and appearance of the body!

I am seeing this repeatedly with clients employing a new modality called the Mind Resonance Process(TM) (MRP) that I have written about extensively here in this ezine.

MRP essentially is an emotional detoxification procedure that purges the negative emotional experiences from the mind and body at the cellular level thereby restoring it to its normal functioning and youthful appearance. The process is quick and easy and starts to yield remarkable results that many find almost hard to believe.

Of course it also needs to be said that if an individual's life experience has been challenging MRP may need to experienced several times to expedite the entire detox process.

As many individuals have become conditioned to fear addressing any sort of internal emotional work they usually opt for less effective surface quick fixes that not only are in themselves often toxic but also require the ongoing expenditure of monies that could be addressed by a more satisfying and empowering permanent solution such as MRP.

If you are inspired by what has been said here and have the courage to reclaim not only your youthfulness but also your life then kindly visit the web link below where I have a special message waiting for you.

Dr. Nick Arrizza is trained in Chemical Engineering, Business Management & Leadership, Medicine and Psychiatry. He is an Energy Psychiatrist, Healer, Key Note Speaker,Editor of a New Ezine Called Spirituality And Science (which is requesting high quality article submissions) Author of Esteem for the Self: A Manual for Personal Transformation (available in ebook format on his web site), Stress Management Coach, Peak Performance Coach & Energy Medicine Researcher, Specializes in Life and Executive Performance Coaching, is the Developer of a powerful new tool called the Mind Resonance Process(TM) that helps build physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well being by helping to permanently release negative beliefs, emotions, perceptions and memories. He holds live workshops, international telephone coaching sessions and international teleconference workshops on Physical. Emotional, Mental and Spiritual Well Being.

Business URL #1: http://www.telecoaching4u.com

Personal URL: http://www.telecoaching4u.com/SpiritualityAndScience.htm

Real Beauty Fitness

2009-03-17T00:14:00.001-07:00

Fitness and beauty can be one and the same. Being fit and healthy will automatically make you look better. A healthy inside creates a healthy outside.

Fitness through exercise can help you to maintain a healthy body weight and improve muscle tone.

Our looks reflect the sum total of who we are and how we live, and the best we can do in life is to make the best of what nature has given is, without excuse, apology, or pretense. If we try to live otherwise, we find ourselves acting on a stage with other actors and actresses--great pretenders without real friends, without real lovers, without real relationships.

While we realize that there is such a thing as natural beauty, which is beyond all standards of culture and history in some sense, there are also relative standards of beauty.

We all know about fads, styles, and adornments that are in one season and out the next. This includes cosmetics, hair styles, clothing, and even body weight and size.

These standards may vary from country to country, year to year, or even among different age groups in the same country and year.

For example, full figures are considered the ideal in some historical periods, but slender figures are valued now--at least in Western countries.

The point is that cultural standards change--and we may choose to follow or ignore them--because the cultivation of natural beauty is not dependent upon fads.

In order to get along harmoniously, whether at the level of dating, courtship, or marriage, men and women have to get past physical looks and into the more important qualities that make up human relationships, such as kindness, friendship, and areas of mutual interest.

There is such a thing as a beautiful personality. There can be beauty in the way a person thinks. An attitude or smile can be beautiful. Love is certainly beautiful, and all of life is beautiful when we are in love.

A person is truly beautiful when he or she is healthy. Any disease or illness affects all parts of the body, sometimes for many years before the symptoms are manifested. If the body and mind are not healthy, then a person cannot feel or be truly attractive.

Good health brings a glow to the skin, a ring to the voice, a twinkle to the eye, and a spring to the step that no beauty school can teach.

Learn more at Beauty Fitness.

Ruby Boyd is the owner of a Natural Health and Beauty website that offers information on how to achieve health and beauty fitness goals naturally.

You may contact me at: 3rdsista@bellsouth.net

Massive Weight Loss Causes "Turkey Waddle" for WLS Patients

2009-03-17T00:14:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine who recently lost nearly 150 pounds after gastric bypass was sharing her excitement with an acquaintance. She was excited because all symptoms of her Type II Diabetes were gone and she no longer takes any medication ? she feels healthier than ever in her life.

Then the acquaintance, a life-long skinny-minny, burst her bubble, ?But doesn?t having that turkey neck bother you? You know, all that wrinkly skin just hanging there??

What a cruel world. My friend was crushed. It is true, she has a turkey neck. Most people who lose massive weight will have a saggy wrinkly neck so kindly referred to in the cosmetic surgery profession as ?turkey waddle?. A saggy neck is a small price to pay for better health and wellness. Even so, we want to look our best after weight loss surgery and having someone draw attention to this residue of our obesity is disheartening.

There are some surgical options to tighten then neck skin: A neck lift is actually a set of procedures used to enhance the appearance of your neck:

?Cervicoplasty is the procedure used to remove excess skin

?Platysmaplasty removes or alters neck muscles

A plastic surgeon also can perform neck liposuction, which removes excess fat. In some cases, Botox injections may be the answer to your problems if you have fullness or bands.

A neck lift was out of the question for my friend, so we did some research and found a more holistic approach that yielded some improvement. From Bharti Vyas? book, ?Beauty Wisdom? we found the following advice:

?Give your neck a weekly massage

?Hold your head in proper alignment ? imagine that your head is being pulled upwards by a piece of string attached to the crown

?Cleanse your neck night and morning the same as you do your face, starting at the collarbones and working up to the jawline.

?Apply a rich-moisturizing cream at night and moisturize with sunscreen during the day. Cover front and sides of neck and the area around the collarbones.

?Exfoliate your neck weekly.

?For crepey neck, apply almond oil as a nourishing moisturizer.

Ms. Vyas also recommends some simple exercise to tone neck muscles (and *Bonus* these are wonderfully relaxing):

?Hold your head in a central position, then lean it as far over as you can towards one shoulder and hold for a count of 10. Your neck may feel rather stiff to begin with. Repeat on the other side, making sure that your shoulders remain still and relaxed throughout. Do five repetitions.

?Keeping your chin level, turn your head to one side so that the chin is over your shoulder. Incline the head backward in a ?come hither? movement. Repeat on the other side. Repeat the sequence five times.

My friend follows these practices faithfully. Her neck is not flawless, but to me it?s beautiful. She has collarbones and a chin and a beaming smile on her healthy face.

Kaye Bailey is a weight loss surgery success story having maintained her health and goal weight for 5+ years. An award winning journalist, she is the author and webmaster of http://www.livingafterwls.com and http://www.livingafterwls.blogspot.com

Fresh & insightful content is added daily, check in often.

To subscribe to the LivingAfterWLS monthly newsletter ?You Have Arrived? click on http://www.livingafterwls.com and enter your details in the subscription box.

The Revolution in Skin Care

2009-03-17T00:12:00.000-07:00

Q: With so many skin care products on the market today, how do you know which one is right for you?

A: I encourage you to become a label reader.

The latest trend in skin care marketing is anti-aging. Many women today are concerned about reversing the signs of aging as well as prevention of the aging process. With so many well known brand name products out there, it may be difficult to find the perfect most beneficial one for you. That is why I encourage you to be a label reader and know what you are putting in and on your body.

The difference between botanically based products and those that only contain botanical ingredients is simply in the recipe. Botanicals can be added to a base of ingredients such as mineral oil, drying alcohols or animal by-products. In a base like that, your skin won?t benefit from the botanicals. You are paying for useless added ingredients that do not benefit your skin or health. For example 98% of cosmetic companies use some type of petrolatum by products, mineral oil, petrolatum or petroleum, in their products. Have you ever turned your products over and read ?animal by products?? No, but the labels might say collagen, elastin and lanolin. Remember that the next time you lick your lips.

Furthermore, what you put on your body, you are essentially putting in your body. Don't believe me? Put a piece of garlic between your toes, you will taste it in about fifteen minutes. Wouldn't you like to be putting something on your body that aids in beauty as well as health? The ingredients are just a important as the effects.

There is hope, I have found a company with a Swiss formulated skin care line for the whole family*. These products are hypoallergenic and formulated without dyes, chemicals, or synthetic fragrances. They are also PH correct, which is part of their pure, safe and beneficial guarantee. It is not beneficial to use a product that makes you feel squeaky-clean because the PH of skin is 5.5 and we have an acid mantel that keeps down the bacterial infections. PH balanced is what most products advertise and that is about a 7, which is too drying for our skin. A lot of the clear soap that people use on their skin is actually a 14 on the ph scale, the same as perm solution.

I hope you come away from the article with a greater understanding of the importance of skin care and the products used to achieve healthy skin. At least, I hope you have become a label reader and are aware of what you are using and what you should be using.

*Please refer to my Bio and Resource Box for more information.

Michelle Burke an Independent Consultant for Arbonne International, is a small business owner in the Consulting Services industry. My team of consultants and I have a combined experience of eight plus years in this industry. I have extensive knowledge of Arbonne's Swiss skin care line and nutritional products, and would be happy to provide advice based on your particular area of interest. You may visit my website for more information: http://www.gohealthyshop.myarbonne.com or contact me via Email: chellemybelle@pldi.net or Ph:405-694-4766.

Radio Frequency Energy Fans Thermacool

2009-03-15T05:06:00.002-07:00

I guess you wouldn?t think that radio frequency energy would be making waves in the beauty industry? But, it is. A device that uses RFE is being used in the Thermalcool procedure. If you don?t know what Thermacool is, then you haven?t had your ear to the station. Thermacool is the new non-surgical procedure that gives men and women a healthy alternative to surgical facelifts. The process tightens your skin by contracting the deep layers of skin. Thermacool is also known on the market as Thermalift and Thermage. Let?s call it Thermacool because it sounds hip.

Two thumbs up! That?s the rating The Food and Drug Administration is giving Thermacool. The FDA?s approval is leading to the procedures widespread use. Doctors and their patients believe Thermcool irons out wrinkles and reduces sagging skin. The face is the best place to use Thermacool, however it is used on the neck and arms as well. It is a good treatment anywhere there is loose skin. Some folks are using it under the arms and to treat stretch marks on the abdomen and hips.

60-Year Old Lynn Shores had a treatment six months ago and is looking forward to having another one in about three more months. She says, ?I was looking twice my age! I had the procedure done because I wanted to look younger and prettier in my face.? Shores began to see results about two months after having the treatment. She is among a growing number of people who believe the benefits of Thermacool far outweigh the risks. Thermacool may cause some discomfort but the risk of surgery, anesthesia and scarring are less than with surgical procedures. In fact, some people say the procedure really doesn?t hurt that much at all.

So you may be wondering how does it work? It takes anywhere from thirty to forty five minutes to complete the Thermacool procedure. Most patients? only need a topical anesthetic cream placed on the face. Your technician will do that about an hour before the treatment is scheduled to begin. Other people may need Valium or some other kind of oral sedative. ?I was just so jittery about having it done, says 35 year old Marc Thompson. I didn?t know if it would improve my appearance or make it worst. I guess men are just not supposed to try these things, but I took my wife?s recommendation.? Thermacool is not any different from any other surgical procedure if you need a stronger sedative, you?ll need an anesthesiologist to administer the dose.

As I mentioned, Thermacool uses radio frequency energy to apply heat under the epidermis or top layer of the skin. The heat is applied directly into the dermis layer. The dermis layer is right under the epidermis. I could feel a warming on my face. It felt unusual. I couldn?t do anything but lay still,? says Tonya Morgan.

You?ll want to lay still too as the heat causes the tissue in the dermis layer to warm up. This controlled heating of deeper layers of skin and tissue causes the skin to contract and tighten. This is known as volumetric tissue heating. There is some pain every time there is a pulse, but a cooling spray brings some relief after each pulse.

The volumetric tissue heating causes the collagen underneath the skin tissue to contract and shrink. At the same time, the top layer of the skin is kept cool by cryogen cooling. Cryogen cooling keeps the temperature on the surface of the skin cool while the dermis tissues are heated up. The heating action causes two reactions. The first result is an increased thickness in the top layer of skin. It?s the heating that actually causes works to reduce the wrinkles.

The second result is collagen remolding and the production of new collagen. The skin continues to tighten over time as the skin heals. You may be able to see a difference in your appearance immediately. However, it takes most people up to six months to see a difference. It is possible for the procedure to be repeated again after six months. You should let your technicians take before and after pictures to help you see any subtle changes.

Now, you?re probably wondering whether Thermacool, Thermage and Thermalift are right for you. Patient?s who live on a pacemaker cannot undergo the procedure; it?s just too risky. You may want to pass on the procedure if your skin is really, really loose. Surgery may be your only hope. However, Thermacool works best in combination with laser treatments, Botox, resytlane, and collagen injections. Traditional eye, forehead and eyebrow surgeries also work well with Thermacool.

Research shows Thermacool works! If it didn?t the FDA wouldn?t have given it a nod. Patients wouldn?t have issued a strong endorsement either. ?I?ve never felt better about myself. I know most people would be afraid to try a procedure like this, but not me! I?m all for looking younger and healthier. The best part is how good I feel about me,? says Shores.

About The Author

Barry A. S. Lycka is an internationally known cosmetic dermatologist and surgeon who practices in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada where he has worked from 1989. Recently, Dr. Lycka was chosen as Alberta's Dream Makeover Doctor. For more information you can visit his website at http://www.BarryLyckaMD.com.

An Insight Into Colored Contacts

2009-03-15T05:06:00.001-07:00

Since they were first developed as hard glass lenses in the 1950s, contacts have gone through many transformations and technical improvements in quality, look and feel.

Today, with the modern advancements of disposable lenses and toric lenses, more and more people are changing from spectacles and enjoying the benefits of corrective eye lenses.

The latest, exciting development and daring innovation in the contact lens industry, however, is the fabulously varied colored contacts that are now widely available and gaining in popularity.

Gone are the days when contact lenses were worn as a sight correction device. They are far more than just functional corrective eye wear - they're now funky, fun and an outrageously theatrical fashion statement!

Colored contacts let you suggestively enhance the color of your eyes on a permanent basis or just for an occasional night when you want to accessorize with a particular outfit.

Now - whatever the occasion you can make a truly unforgettable 'eye catching' appearance and show off your extraordinary 'eye catching' style!

There are four different types of colored contacts for you to choose from - visibility tints, enhancement tints, opaque-color tints and light-filtering tints.

But the best thing of all is most of these come in styles that can be worn by people who do not necessarily need corrective eye wear. These style contacts are known as plano form lenses.

Visibility tint colored contacts have a practical application. They have a light blue or green tint that, although not visible when being worn, allows you to see them when you are inserting or removing the lenses. And when (not if!) you drop them they are much easier to find!

In contrast, enhancement tint colored contacts have a translucent but darker tint to them. These lenses are not meant to alter or change the shade of your eyes but rather to enrich and enhance your existing eye color - hence, their name.

The Opaque color lenses with their dazzling array of colors have the most dramatic impact and can completely change your eye shade from brown to blue, blue to purple, etc. Wear them as a fashion statement or just for a change of mood if you want.

Light-filtering contacts also have a practical application. When wearing these they will greatly enchance certain colors in your field of view, making them easier for you to see.

Having trouble driving that tiny little golf ball down the fairway? Wearing a pair of these performance lenses will make that golf ball stand out and easier for you to hit. These performance tested lenses will be the next step forward in corrective eye wear.

=============================================

Elaine Clay is the owner of Online Contact Lenses Guide.com. A one-stop online resource guide - find helpful information, tips, articles and advice all about the different types of contact lenses available.

Feel free to use the above article on your web site or ezine. Provided that it is published in it?s entirety, including my resource box above and a ?live? clickable link to: http://www.online-contact-lenses-guide.com

Cleanse and Stimulate Your Scalp with the Right Shampoo!

2009-03-15T05:06:00.000-07:00

Shampoo contributes to good hair care. In our quest for the perfect makeup, the vital importance of good hair care is mostly ignored. Your hair is usually the first thing people notice about you and gives you away in many ways. Is it dull, dry and damaged, or is it shiny, vibrant and healthy? Well-groomed hair contributes to that perfect look and the confidence in your personality. There are so many shampoos, conditioners and other hair care products available today. One needs to find out which one is best for ones hair.

Don?t take shampoos for granted.

Don?t take shampoos for granted. Unfortunately, it is difficult to tell a good shampoo from a bad one, especially when cost, fragrance and foaming are the main purchasing criteria. In fact, good foaming virtually means too much shampoo was used, or rather, wasted. Ideally, the head should have just enough lather to help your fingers massage the shampoo into the scalp and lubricate the hair. This allows sebum and other oils to destroy foam quickly. Today, different shampoos are available for dry hair, permed hair, color treated hair, limp hair, and of course, normal hair. Then there are shampoos which are not typically found in store bought products. For these contain quality ingredients that contribute to the cost of the product.

For example, salon shampoo classically contains higher quality protein based conditioners or moisturizing conditioners, thus enabling the conditioner to penetrate deeper into the hair shaft and lock in moisture.

About The Author

Mike Yeager

Publisher

http://www.a1-beauty-4u.com/

mjy610@hotmail.com

Tips for Great Skin and Good Makeup

2009-03-15T05:04:00.000-07:00

Women have always been crazy about make up and skin care. But it is a foolish idea to treat make up and skin care as different issues. Because, unless your skin is supple and firm, your make up does not add any spark. Given below are a few tips for great skin and good makeup:

1. Whenever you are purchasing any cosmetic product, first look at the product quality and durability because they should not affect the texture of your skin.

2. To test the reliability of the product, first apply it on the earlobes to check if it suits your skin texture.

3. Moreover do not use items that have crossed the expiry date. Some of the products if not stored as suggested get spoilt easily.

4. Maintain the entire make up equipments because you use them often. Cleanliness is an essential activity of skin care. As part of cleanliness, keep your hair and yourself clean always.

5. Even the maintenance of nails is important. Polish them with a coat of polish and after polishing them always rub with oil at the edges.

6. If you have sunken eyes then use liquid eyeliner instead of using a pencil.

7. Do not apply any harsh chemical without the consultation of your physician, especially if you are having a skin disease. Do not try to slit off your pimples or acne. It may start to bleed.

8. When you want to remove all your makeup, do not just wash your face but apply a make up remover.

9. When you are using a deodorant see that there is a distance between the pack nozzle and your skin.

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DermaPro: Botox Alternative and Foundation Set

2009-03-14T22:47:00.002-07:00

Women who wear makeup and want to apply a treatment method for wrinkles are limited in the products available. Many products on the market are oil-based. Using these products with foundation can be messy at best. Most products formulated to treat wrinkles are oil based. It can be difficult to apply foundation over products that are oil based. In addition, the oil can eventually seep through the foundation, giving the skin an uneven appearance. Instead of having to go without foundation, women who use foundation should use an alternative treatment.

The good news about DermaPro is that not only allows women who wear foundation to treat their skin for wrinkles, but it actually facilitates better foundation application. It actually prepares the application process to be smoother. DermaPro is an alternative wrinkle treatment for women who use foundation, but it is also a Botox alternative in general. DermaPro works similar to Botox in that it is formulated to relax the muscles so that wrinkles and fine lines become smoother and less visible to the eye. When you apply DermaPro prior to using foundation, your skin will also appear smooth. So, you can treat you skin while looking beautiful. DermaPro goes a step further and actually improves the way your foundation looks.

It takes a powerful product to treat wrinkles. Most products of this type have a particular ingredient that does all the work. In relation to DermaPro, the active ingredient is Thalassine. There are many chemicals available that can smooth skin afflicted with signs of aging. Although the Thalassine in DermaPro works similar to Botox, it is not a toxin. Dermapro is so light that you can apply it along with a moisturizer, sunscreen and foundation. A 1-ounce bottle of DermaPro costs nearly 100 dollars, which may be considered expensive. However, you won?t use but a minimal amount of the product.

Detailed information about botox alternatives, including tips on wrinkle reduction, are available at Botox alternative.

Skin Care The Importance of Prevention and Maintenance

2009-03-14T22:47:00.001-07:00

When it comes to skin care, many people don?t think about it until they start to see the first signs of wrinkles, usually some time in their thirties. Although paying attention to skin care is beneficial at any age, it is important to learn the basics of good skin care as early as possible, and make it a routine. Many times, however, people just don?t know where to start. With all of the beauty products on the market, and all of the claims of their cleansing and anti-aging benefits, how can we figure out the best skin care regimens for ourselves? There have been many strides made in the field of skin care, and some of the new skin care products combined with some old, tried-and-true methods of care can help anyone keep their skin in the best shape possible.

1. Skin care from the inside out ? One thing that a lot of people don?t realize is that skin care is more than just keeping your skin clean and applying the right kinds of creams. The skin is an organ ? the largest organ of the body - and all the organs of the body need good nutrition in order to function properly. With today?s fast food diets and busy lifestyles, where many peoples? idea of a meal is grabbing a quick bite on the way in or out the door, it?s no wonder that there is a nutritional crisis going on. When it comes to skin care, proper nutrition should be the first thing that we think of. Eating healthy foods, including plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats like olive or canola oil can go a long way in helping the skin stay healthy and supple. A good quality vitamin and mineral supplement each day can help too, especially for busy people who don?t watch their diets as closely as they should. To be healthy, the skin needs the right balance of vitamins and minerals, especially the B vitamins, anti-oxidants such as vitamin C and vitamin E, and essential minerals like calcium and magnesium. Proper eating habits and vitamin and mineral supplementation should be considered the first and most essential beauty products and anti-aging products on our lists.

2. The Importance of Prevention in Skin Care ? It is much harder for skin care beauty products and anti-aging products to work when we don?t work to prevent many skin care problems. Good nutrition is one way to do this, but we also need to do more. One of the most damaging elements to the skin is the sun. Not so long ago, people regarded a nice tan as a sign of healthy skin. Today, most of us know that too much exposure to the ultra-violet rays of the sun and even the so called ?safe? UVA rays that come from tanning booths is extremely damaging, and dangerous, to the skin. UV and UVA rays cause premature aging of the skin, and can also cause other skin conditions such as rashes, inflammation, and skin cancer. A good quality sun block lotion is an essential beauty product to have on hand at all times ? with an SPF of 30 or higher. Sun block should be worn all the time when you are outside ? ultra violet rays are still present even on cloudy days ? and should be reapplied whenever necessary. Hats work well for shielding our faces from the sun, as well as trying to always sit in the shade and not directly in the sun.

3. Cleaning ? Keeping skin clean is essential for good skin care. A mild soap that doesn?t dry the skin can be good, and there are several beauty products on the market that focus on safe skin cleansing. Your skin should be cleansed before applying or reapplying any creams or lotions, and any make-up used on the face should be as clean as possible.

4. Creams and Lotions ? Today there are a variety of creams and lotions on the market that are very helpful for skin care. Beauty products and anti-aging products for the skin have been developed over the years that can help the skin renew itself, that can prevent or reduce wrinkles, help prevent or reduce other signs of skin aging, and clear up acne and other debilitating skin conditions. Exfoliating skin creams help the skin slough off old skin cells and produce newer, more resilient skin cells. Certain moisturizers not only keep the skin supple, they can also help the skin rejuvenate itself, and can soften or plump lines and wrinkles, making them noticeably smoother and less apparent. There are creams and lotions for specific areas of the face and body, such as creams for the delicate area around the eyes, the thicker and rougher area of the elbow, or the vulnerable area of the neck. There are non-prescription and prescription creams that can be extremely helpful for clearing up acne and blackheads.

One of the best things that you can do is consult a dermatologist to figure out the best beauty regimen for your skin type. With all of the wonderful beauty products and anti-aging products on the market, as well as some knowledge about nutrition and preventative skin care, your skin can look its best for a very long time.

Kevin DalPorto is the founder of http://www.whatsyourage.com/ , an anti-aging skin care shop and resource site full of informative skin care articles as well as high quality skin care products.

How To Get Skin Smoothening & Scar Correction

2009-03-14T22:47:00.000-07:00

SKIN SMOOTHENING and SCAR TREATMENT can be performed by , ?Silicone crystal rotoabrader? machine utilizing the principle of removing the damaged upper layer of skin and then allowing lower layers to heal giving a glow & smooth appearance to new skin. The technique can be performed without need of any injections or anaesthesia and the patient can go home immediately after the procedure. This technique gently exfoliates the skin to help minimize fine lines and wrinkles, to help reduce the effects of sun damage and acne scarring and to help minimize pore size and other skin imperfections while stimulating the production of new and healthy skin cells. The result is fresher, healthier and younger looking skin with a smooth texture and a silky touch. This technique is beneficial for both young and mature skin and is safe for all skin types. The circular motion of the resurfacing tool works to stimulate blood flow, to enhance facial muscle tone and boost cell reproduction. Depending upon the type & severity of scarring the patient has to attend clinic in three or four sittings. This technique can be combined with other facial treatments to give better results for desiring patients. This method alleviates all the inconveniences due to traditional dermabrasion like pain, bleeding, hospitalization, difference in skin pigmentation and is much more safe & affordable than laser dermabrasion.

This technique is helpful to those suferring from:

?Acne scarring over face.
?Fine wrinkles over face.
?Rough skin texture.
?Pitted facial scars.
?Large blocked skin pores.
?Loss of facial tone & early facial sagging.
?Superficial pigmentory disorders.
?Facial warts & similar growths.

?Institute of Cosmetic & Laser Surgery? has always aimed to bring in the best, safest, scientific and yet affordable latest techniques for the benefit of patients. ?Institute of Cosmetic & Laser Surgery? is committed to making your beauty dream successful.

Such treatments are routinely being carried out at ?Institute of Cosmetic & Laser Surgery? with the help of ?Virtual Cosmetic Laser Surgery with built in Skin ?Scanner? based on, Japanese Technology of miniaturization of Diode Lasers.

http://www.icls.in

Acne And Makeup Proper Techniques To Hide Your Acne With Makeup

2009-03-14T22:45:00.000-07:00

Acne is of course a very disturbing and upsetting condition, but there are ways to help you to conceal the scars and pimples that are caused by this naturally occurring skin blemish. Makeup is a favorite choice of many people to hide their acne. One of the most important things to consider when choosing makeup to cover acne is that it is appropriate for the condition. Acne can be made worse by makeup that contains oil and so it is best to choose a brand that does not contain any. If you are not sure which is the best to choose, then it is recommended to get some advice from your dermatologist or skin care specialist rather than just guessing. If you have a lot of acne scarring then there are some special camouflage make-ups available nowadays. This can be great for concealing scarring and is also made for those with problem skin.

One of the main things to remember when you are using makeup for acne is to make sure that you skin is very clean and that you use a variety of cleansers that are good for skin with acne. You should also make sure that when you take off the makeup you are very careful to make sure that you have taken all of it off. It is very important to make sure that the skin is clear of all makeup so that the pores are clear and do not get clogged up.

One of the most useful types of makeup when you have acne is concealer. This is very good for covering up blemishes and also works well on scarring. You need to take care when applying this as it is the basis of your makeup and is a vital ingredient in allowing you to camouflage the acne well. Don't use too thick a layer but just make sure that it is even so that it can work well. You also need to apply a foundation to give your skin a natural appearance to cover the fact that you have been using the concealer to cover your acne and not make it so obvious.

Acne and makeup are very well suited to each other despite what some people think, you just to have make sure that you look after the skin by keeping it clean and ensuring that you get it all off afterwards. It can make the skin seem to be a lot clearer and this can give the sufferer a lot more confidence but you need to make sure that buy a makeup that is suited to the condition. If you buy the right makeup and apply it well then it can make a real difference.

Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Clear-Skin-Solutions.com He provides more acne clearing solutions, remedies and acne and makeup tips that you can research in your pajamas on his website.

Read This Article if You Just Want to Be Buff

2009-03-12T06:56:00.002-07:00

Many men want to have more muscular bulk to attract a mate, which makes a lot of sense as the significant other wishes to have a mate who is fit. There appears to be much to the idea of the natural selection in the human species. Although many will not admit it, this appears to be part of the evolutionary process of homo sapiens. Still being lean and trim has many other advantages, such as more energy and strength. Not to mention the positive self-confidence which comes with it.

What seems to be very unfortunate about all this is that kids in high school often start taking steroids in order to build their muscles up to look good, without considering the long term effects. Sports encourage athletes to cheat because winning becomes more important than competing. Although the victory may not be as sweet to them knowing that they cheated, they still get all the trappings of the winnings, such as the prize, girls and status.

Unfortunately we are a society which favors beauty over substance and that is not taking anything away from the beautiful people out there, as many of them do have substance, but we should be honoring both together and paying less never mind to those who only care about looking good over inner character. Anyway those are my thoughts however I am more interested in yours today. Think on this.

Lance Winslow

Acne Causes and Treatment

2009-03-12T06:56:00.001-07:00

Acne is one of the most common skin problems affecting people worldwide. A big misconception is that acne affects only teenagers, but many are surprised to learn that adults also suffer from this same inconvenience. Among the many causes are clogged pores resulting from makeup, everyday air particles and often a simple case of hormonal changes. While acne is a part of life for many individuals, it can be effectively treated.

One of the best natural remedies for acne is to wash your face at least twice on a daily basis. Early in the morning and late at night are both good times to cleanse the face. A moisturizing soap will be the most gentle for your skin whereas others with a harsh ingredient may strip the skin of it?s natural moisture and may even cause itching and/or redness.

Many people choose to use retail acne treatment products, which can be effective if used properly. It is very important, however, that consumers read and understand the instructions and/or warning labels found in the packaging. All acne treatment creams, pads or face wash products should be kept away from the eyes and are for external use only. This is not only true of retail products, but prescribed medications as well.

For a recurring or severe case of acne, many sufferers turn to a dermatologist for a more aggressive treatment. In most cases, a prescribed routine and medication can help to treat acne. In most cases, a follow-up visit will be scheduled so that the doctor may monitor the patient?s progress and determine whether additional steps should be taken to treat the problem.

It is very important to avoid aggravating, or disrupting, any and all acne blemishes. Otherwise, the sufferer will face a possible bacterial infection from dirt and/or germs that may reside underneath the fingernail. Many believe that just because their fingernails appear clean, there is nothing to worry about. That?s simply not true. There are many germs and bacteria, which are not visible to the naked eye, that reside underneath the fingernail. This is why an acne sufferer should avoid any direct contact between their hand and the blemish area(s).

The information in this article is intended for informational purposes only. It should not be considered as, or used in place of, medical advice or professional recommendations for acne diagnosis and/or treatment. If necessary, acne sufferers should consult a dermatologist or qualified physician for acne treatment.

Find more on hormonal acne, acne scar removal and acne laser treatment on CareJournal.org

Dandruff More Than An Itch

2009-03-12T06:56:00.000-07:00

Big companies have made lot of money by selling shampoos to people who have dandruff problems. Famous actors and sports stars have endorsed these products. The flaking of dead skin which looks like snowflakes can be embarrassing experience.

Dandruff can happen to a person of any age but it is found in people between the ages of 10 and 70. Dandruff is a sign of skin disease which can be categorized as fungal infection. There is constant itching and flaking of the scalp which many times can be controlled by shampoos. Having dandruff will also be termed as not taking care of your hair properly. There are different types of dandruff depending upon the skin type of the person as well as on the basis of personal hygiene. They appear to be white, yellow, patches of dead scales, sometime small and sometimes big lumps of it. Many believe that dandruff is due to dry hair but it is the opposite which is true i.e. generally people who have oily scalps suffer most from dandruff.

Dandruff is mainly caused due to a fungus called Malassezia furfur (or also known as pityrosporum). This is generally and naturally found on the skin surface of all people. When this fungus grows out of proportion then the renewal of cells gets imbalanced making the scalp itchy. This fungus feeds on the oil which is released by the hair follicles leading towards an increased cell turnover. In some cases the skin cells may die and is replaced fortnightly, as opposed to around once a month which usually is the case in healthy people. There are many reasons which trigger the immense amount of flaking and sometimes cause redness and irritation due to constant itching. By having a healthy living and persona; hygiene one can have beautiful and lustrous hair.

How To Apply Loose Powder Mineral Cosmetics

2009-03-12T06:54:00.000-07:00

MINERAL COSMETICS MINERAL MAKEUP USERS GUIDE

Applying Loose Mineral Makeup Foundations

Tap a small amount of powder into the top and swirl your brush into it (for best results we recommend using a Kabuki brush). Tap the bottom of the handle with the brush head facing upward on a hard surface (e.g. Bathroom counter). This settles the powder into the brush head. Firmly spread powder on clean, dry skin to evenly blend pigments.

For blemishes, a separate concealer is not needed. Use a shader brush to apply small amounts to the problem areas and blend well. For those with dry, flaky skin, loose mineral foundation can be blended with our specially formulated cream to create a cream foundation. First moisturize as usual, then tap a small amount of powder into the palm of the hand. Add a drop of moisturizer. Blend the two products together until a smooth, creamy consistency is achieved. Use your fingers or make-up wedge to apply.

Applying Loose Mineral Cosmetics Veils

Mineral Veil can be worn alone or over Mineral Foundation. Tap a small amount of powder into the top and swirl your brush into it (for best results I recommend using a Flat top bronzer brush). Tap the bottom of the handle with the brush head facing upward on a hard surface (e.g. Bathroom counter). Brush powder on and blend well.

Applying Mineral Makeup Bronzers

Remove the seal from the sifter, and place the Bronzer brush directly against the sifter holes. Turn both upside down and tap the jar just a little so some powders gets on the brush bristles.

Lift the brush and gently tap the bottom of it on a flat surface to settle the powder into the head. Gently brush the Bronzer on cheeks, cheekbones, and anywhere else you want to add warm tones. The only mistake you can make is to use too much. For darker color, apply a second layer.

Applying Mineral Cosmetics Ultra Mattes For Eyes - Recommended brushes: firm shadow brush, angle liner.

Ultra-Mattes for Eyes can be used as eye shadow or contour color, or as liquid liner. To use as an eye shadow, tip the container at an angle, and tap it until some powder rests on the edge of the sifter. Gently swirl a firm shadow brush into the powder, and then tap the handle of the brush onto the side of the container, letting excess powder fall back into the jar. Apply the shadow with short, firm strokes, then follow up with a swipe of a blending brush until all visible lines are softened. For liquid liner, wet an angled liner brush, then dip the wet brush into the powder. Make a creamy paste on the back of your hand or in the top of the container. The consistency should not be runny. Then trace a thin line around the lash, staying as close to the lash as possible. Once the liner has dried, it can be left as-is, or smudged with the firm shadow brush for a softer effect.

Multi-Purpose Mineral Makeup Powders

Directions

Eye Shadow ~ Use any color from our collection as eye shadow. Simply dip an eye shadow brush into the desired color and apply to your eyelids. Choose a lighter color as a highlighter to apply under the brow. Use a darker color in the crease as a shader.

Blush ~ Because our product is so pure, the use of a blush brush will only waste your product. Instead, use a cotton ball and lightly touch the tip into the desired color. Apply along the cheekbone and blend well.

Eye Liner ~ Dip your liner brush into water. Then wet applicator into the desired color. Mix the powder and water together on the back of your hand or in a separate container to create a creamy liquid liner. Dip the eyeliner brush into the liquid and carefully apply to the upper and/or lower lids, staying as close to the lashes as possible.

Lip Color ~ Dip your lip brush into your clear lip gloss/lip balm and then into the desired color. Apply the mix to your lips and blend well. Add more powder to deepen the color.

Nail Polish ~ Because the pigment contains no dye, you do not need to apply a base coat. Simply use clear nail polish and dip the brush into the desired color and paint onto nails. For a darker color, use more powder. You can also mix the pigments into colored nail polish to change its tint.

Body Shimmer/Highlighter ~ Use a cotton ball and lightly touch it into the desired color. Dust the powder onto your shoulder, face, chest, etc., for a healthy glow. Certain colors can also be used as bronzers

EXTRA TIPS

If your mineral makeup foundation appears pasty, here are a few possibilities:

1. The brush! Unfortunately, the right brush is an absolute necessity when applying loose mineral cosmetics foundations. The best brush for mineral makeup foundation is a Kabuki brush. Kabuki brushes have a very high density of hair- short, firm, and soft to boot. Think of how hard it is to spread cold butter on untoasted bread with a plastic knife. This is what is happening when you're using the brushes (however expensive and high-quality they may be) that you already own. Even bronzer brushes that look similar may not have firm or dense enough hair to accomplish the task. The result? Too much makeup, not well spread, sticking in all of the wrong places, definitely not natural-looking!

2. Too much product on the brush: Mineral makeup is very concentrated. It is made up of pure pigment; the same pigments that cosmetics companies use to add color to pressed and liquid foundations. Because there is little if any 'filler in this type of powder, it is imperative that you put just a little bit of powder on your brush and use that on one cheek. Buff it in well in a circular motion before applying more. How much is enough? If you follow the basic mineral foundation instructions found on the loose mineral makeup foundation product page, you should get the right amount on the brush: Basically, you press the head of the brush directly against the holes of the sifter, tip the whole unit upside down, tap the jar a bit, and then lift the brush off of the sifter. There should be a light dusting of powder on the brush head, and that amount is sufficient to cover at least one cheek, if not the whole face. You can always add another layer, so start with less.

3. The wrong shade: This is especially an issue with women of color. If you have a golden undertone, and the color you apply has a blue or neutral undertone, your face may appear grayish or pasty. It is not necessarily that the product is too light, or has the wrong formula for your skin, just the wrong undertone. Don't assume that mineral cosmetics don't work on ethnic skin. Be persistent until you find a shade that at least comes close. Blending loose mineral makeup foundation shades together, is as simple as shaking the jar, and blending one color with another may achieve that perfect shade that you're looking for!

4. Not enough buffing: Have you ever watched someone (usually a guy!) buff a coat of wax onto their car? They buff for a loooong time! This creates a smooth, silky appearance that simply applying the wax would never achieve. Do the same with your mineral makeup foundation. Buffing with the brush actually brings out the qualities of the minerals. Use a firm (Don't be afraid to be firm, our brushes are very soft) touch, and in a circular motion, blend, or spread the makeup around the cheeks, down the jaw line, over the nose. Do this several times, and you will begin to see your face glow and your skin look flawless and utterly natural.

JR Minerals carry a complete range of all natural, loose powder mineral makeup products, including: Foundations, Light Defusing Translucent Mineral Veils, Blushes, Eye Shadows, Multi-Purpose Minerals, Bronzers, All Natural Vegan Lip Balms, All Natural Essential Oil Face Creams, Professional Quality Makeup brushes and much more! Join our mailing list for special offers and our referral rewards program to earn discounts off your own purchases! Click on this link to go direct to our Online shop: http://jrminerals.com/ourshop/ Click on this link to go to our website for futher information: http://www.jrminerals.com/