Best Kept Beauty Secrets

Serious Skincare

2009-11-07T13:42:00.001+07:00

Serious skin care vs. winter weather, cleansers, and stress. Serious skin care fights the moisture stolen from skin. The latest intensive creams are like dryness police, working night and day to protect and replenish.

When it comes to moisturizers, they can be too rich or too thick. Serious skin care goes well beyond cold cream and petroleum jelly, today's skin care products are remedies for dry skin and are packed with sophisticated ingredients. Now, natural skin care companies think they have fixed the final frontier, the ten-ply cashmere of hydration: super rich, long-lasting, and ultra-healing.

Dry skin is a probably the most common complaint. In a recent survey, 60% of a sample of women cited it as their top serious skin care concern, even ahead of wrinkles. Over 70% said their body was dry in winter and 40% said it was their face (vs. 34% and 15%, respectively, in the summer).

Since the 1970s, scientists have reported a global rise in the frequency of dry skin. Nobody knows why for sure. Part of the answer is linked to the increase in people's exposure to chemicals, pollution, and acid rain. Our hydration expectations have shifted from flawlessly powdered, matte skin to more realistic dewy complexions.

Serious skin care experts also state dry skin is a topic that is commonly discussed. There is no standard definition for the condition. Even if you recognize it only by its symptoms: scaling, tightness, lines, irritation, and itchiness. The immediate cause is a disturbance in the skins outermost layer, which is made up of skin cells and lipids, fatty substances that help maintain moisture in the skin. When the balance of lipids get upset, the skin loses water, and skin cells, normally shed unnoticed, accumulate as white flakes.

Serious skin care experts say many dry-skin sufferers inherit the condition, but stress can also be a trigger. In a recent study, researchers found when people reported high anxiety levels, their skin's permeability barrier (which retains moisture and repels irritants) was slower to recover after tape was applied to their skin and ripped off. The sale of specialty skin care products exploded when the study was understood.

Age is another cause of dry skin, since lipid levels decline over the years, especially when levels of estrogen drop during menopause. While teenage girls need to moisturize infrequently, the skin's need for lubrication asserts itself a decade later. A client of a skin care products company says, My roommate in college would moisturize after every shower, and I remember thinking she was like an exotic dancer, always having to oil herself.

The environment, including harsh winds, sunlight, and central heating also removes moisture from the skin. But the real harm comes from Americans' increasing indulgence in their favorite daily ritual. Younger women often shower two or three times a day, using harsh cleansers (and not moisturizing). The body just can't take it. Soap strips away lipids, and if lotion is not applied after a shower, evaporating water causes a rapid loss of moisture from within the skin. Not only is dry skin unappealing and itchy, but as its condition deteriorates, the skin become more vulnerable to bacteria, allergens, and chemicals. These, in turn, worsen the problem, causing the skin to relinquish more water and repair itself less and less effectively. IHD brings you Also with calming botanicals, DNA restorative enzymes, and age-fighting Gen III ingredients from advanced bio-technology. Also blended are the latest free-radical fighting vitamins and botanicals (vitamins A, D. B, and C, Japanese green tea extract, ginko biloba extract, and echinecea purpura).

This article is brought to you by IH Distribution, LLC.

Bringing you health, anti-aging and skin care products from around the world. Shop online: www.ihdistribution.com & www.ihd.myarbonne.com or contact us: sales@ihdistribution.com

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Selecting a Professional Body Waxing Salon

2009-08-10T23:48:00.001+07:00

When performed properly, waxing can be one of the quickest and longest-lasting hair removal methods available. However, done improperly it can be painful and dangerous, risking infection, deep tissue bruising, and torn muscle tissue, and worse. This is why finding a skilled, safe, and clean professional waxing salon is an important part of this hair removal method.

First, you'll want to scout out the prospective salons. Ask your friends, look online, look in the yellow pages. Remember, a good salon will have good things said about them.

Once you have several places in mind, time to get out the phone and make some calls. Talk to the aestheticians. Some questions you may want to ask, are... How long has she been waxing, and where did she train? What type of wax do they use? Is it hard wax, soft wax, or do they actually use sugaring? What does their procedure and consist of? Do they use any powder or lotion? What does their sanitation consist of? Also pay attention to her mannerisms. A good waxer should be friendly and make you feel comfortable. If she is cold or seems reluctant to talk about her methods this not a good sign. Also you'll want to discuss cost and the area you want to be waxed.

Now, once you have a feel for your prospects, pay them a visit and check out their facilities. Talk to the employees, they should be friendly and personable. Get a feel for the place. Everything should be clean and neat, akin to a doctor's office. Ask if you can view the area where the waxing is performed. It should likewise be clean and tidy.

So far so good. Time to schedule a visit. Remember, during the waxing procedure if anything makes you uncomfortable or concerned, you can tell them to stop right there. After all, this is your money and you deserve acceptable, professional treatment for it.

Prices can range from $30 to $100, depending on the area to be waxed and quality of the salon.

by Greta of http://hairemoval.blogspot.com/

Makeup Tips According To The Seasons Introduction

2009-05-18T19:42:00.001+07:00

There is a concept in makeup now of listing it in terms of warm and cool. This can cover foundations, powders and even blushes. It comes from a system introduced a few decades back that can be loosely described as color coding. It was, in basic terms, a system where a person (mainly women but men too) could figure out how to choose their clothes and even makeup according to an individual's skin complexion. Each skin complexion would match up with a particular season of the year. If a person had very fair skin tone, that person would be considered a spring and would match their clothes and even makeup to what was considered spring colors. If a person had a medium skin tone, that person would be considered a summer and would match their clothes and even makeup to what was considered summer colors. If a person had a more tan skin tone, that person would be considered a fall and would match their clothes and even makeup to what was considered fall colors. If a person had a more rich skin tone, that person would be considered a winter and would match their clothes and even makeup to what was considered winter colors.

Books were written and home parties were hosted on this color coding technique. It was unique in that when a person thought they knew what season they were under, some people on a few occasion were surprised to find themselves under another season. It was assumed that people of an Ethnic background would automatically be classified as winters, but some Caucasian people quite often fell under this category as well. To give a general idea how this all worked, the season winter will be used in the following examples and suggestions.

Winters would pick foundations under cool shades and with a rose base. Examples of cool foundation shades were rose and sand. Test a foundation on the jaw line to get the proper matching shade. Cover dark scars and blemishes with a cover stick in the cool shade category. Blushes were to be chosen in the cool shades particularly the rose family. Examples of cool blushes ranged from blue-pink to burgundy with the exception of clear red.

Lipsticks were to be chosen in the cool shades particularly in rose tones. Examples of cool lipstick shades were pinks, plums, burgundies, (the plums and burgundies can also be brownish) blue-reds and clear reds. The reds could be used as a base for the other colors. If any of the lipstick colors turned blue; it was suggested to try a frosted lipstick. A lipstick brush or pencil was to be used to outline the lips. When buying a lipstick brush, one that a sable tip was suggested.

Eyebrow pencils were to chosen in the cool shades. Examples of eyebrow pencils in the cool shades were charcoal brown, or the ones with grayish and/or taupe tones. Eye shadows were to be used in powder form. If using crayons, a creamy crayon was recommended.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Beauty

Beauty Basics Eight Tips For Naturally Beautiful Hair

2009-05-15T01:36:00.001+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

Wrinkle Buster In Your Kitchen

2009-05-12T16:06:00.001+07:00

Many cosmetic companies are capitalizing on on our need to fight the signs of aging. Prices for these miracle concoctions can run as high as $200 for a cream! So what is in these small jars of hope and promise? Looking through the ingredients and deciphering the scientific names, you may discover that some of the ingredients are derived from fruits and vegetables that we regularly buy in the Produce section of our favorite grocer.

A simple fruit, grapes, has been used in anti-aging treatments as an antioxidant and a skin rejuvenator. Seed or Seedless? With Seeds! An added benefit is provided when you use the grapes with seeds. The seeds contain proanthocyanidin which is considered to be a very potent antioxidant. A study shows that grapeseeds can be a potent healer of the skin. In addition to being a potent healer, it also makes a wonderful skin softner as well as improving the skin's texture.

Want an easy way to put grape skin conditioning and healing properties to the test?

Open a white grape and rub the mashed grapes over your face and neck. Leave it on for 15 minutes or until dry and rinse with lukewarm water. Repeat daily. In a week or two, you may be hard pressed to find those tale-tell signs of aging when you consult with your mirror!

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. For more information visit Danielle's website http://www.wrapyourselfslim.com

Your Simple Guide To Healthy Younger Looking Skin

2009-05-12T16:00:00.001+07:00

Limit your skin?s exposure to the sun. Excessive UV exposure leads to wrinkles, discolouration, loss of tone and dehydration. Always use a sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 15.

Always drink plenty of water. This assists in flushing out impurities, fostering the development of new cells and improving circulation. Drink six to eight glasses of water a day.

Plenty of sleep at night time is essential. This is when cells renew themselves and repair the day?s damage. Seven to eight hours of sleep a night is ideal. Any less will result in your skin showing signs of fatigue.

Eating the right balance of foods is vital. You are what you eat. A healthy diet comprising of fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish and complex carbohydrates is recommended for most people. The better your diet the better your skin will look.

Exercise on a regular basis keeps your heart and muscles fit. It also helps your skin by improving your circulation, which eliminates toxins giving your skin a healthy glow. At least twenty minutes of aerobic exercise is recommended daily. Walking, running, swimming, cycling and dancing are all excellent aerobic activities.

Do not smoke as it destroys the underlying structure of the skin, leading to premature aging. It results in wrinkles and destroys elasticity. Over time smoking causes skin to thicken and discolour and creates lines around the mouth.

Make sure that you do not drink too much alcohol or caffeine. Moderation is the key e.g. a glass of wine is relaxing but too much wine dehydrates your system, robs you of vital nutrients and may interrupt healthy sleep patterns.

Try and reduce the stress in your life. Anxiety gives rise to a number of surface manifestations, including blemishes, hives, impaired circulation, itching, irritation and under eye circles. The key is to relax! Adopt sensible time management strategies. Participate in stress busting activities such as jogging, yoga or meditation. If stress gets the upper hand consult your doctor or a counsellor.

While all these steps will help with providing healthier, younger looking skin, it is also important to get a helping hand by getting access to quality anti aging products and vitamins and minerals with traceability.

I would be delighted to send you free information about the leading anti aging products on the market.

Aled Evans has a great interest in health and beauty issues which will help people lead a healthier, happier life.He is also an official distributor of Artistry beauty products and Nutrilite health products.

Tips for Transitioning Your Skin Care and Looks from Summer to Fall

2009-05-05T19:57:00.001+07:00

Fall's the time to repair the price paid for ?fun in the sun? and prepare for cooler, dryer air. Then experiment with the season's new looks!

As healthy as being outdoors can feel, the ultraviolet rays of the sun can damage skin cells through sunscreens and sun blocks.** Chlorine and other chemicals in hot tubs and pools, salt water at the beach, and super-conditioned air can leach away nutrients and cause dryness. What to do? Have some fun ... create a ?spa? environment in your bath area and follow these simple steps.

Step one in reversing the effects of summer is to remove the dead surface skin cells that have built up. For your face, select a mask or microdermabrasion product that?s appropriate for your skin type (dry, normal, combination, oily, blemish-prone). Also pick an exfoliator made specifically for the lips. For your body, choose a scrub or buffing cream. If you have sensitive skin, avoid scents and perfumes since they can be irritants. Then follow the product directions for application and use, massaging gently.

Step two is to moisturize the newer, younger skin you've revealed. Liberally apply a facial moisturizer (paying special attention to the neck and d?collet?), eye cream, lip balm, and body lotion (or cream), allowing time for the products to be absorbed into your skin. You want to replace the moisture that?s been stripped away during cleansing, restore what?s been lost during the summer and start to protect against cold weather and dry indoor heat.

Now, after each cleansing, apply moisturizers and, if necessary, increase the intensity of the products. At night, use a specially formulated product for your face that works while you sleep. For problem areas such as elbows, knees, hands and feet, put on extra lotion or cream (wear mitts and footies to bed, as needed). During the day, continue to wear sunscreen or sun block to protect your skin from ultraviolet rays.

As sun exposure or a tan fades, adjust your foundation and/or powder to a lighter shade. Test the shade along your jaw line to blend with both your face and neck; watch to see if it ?disappears? into your skin.

The lighter, sun-kissed colors of summer typically transition to darker, earthier colors in fall. If you?re trying to adapt the season's shades or find the hues that work best for you, try these tricks.

For eyes, eye shadows with a base or elements of color opposite that of your eyes (on the color wheel) will make your eyes stand out the most. Consider a wide spectrum of the colors that are in style. If teal?s fashionable, experiment with different tints of blues and greens and blue-greens. Mix colors or tone them down with neutrals until you find the ones that complement your face and wardrobe.

For cheeks and lips, the most flattering colors are usually the ones that pick up the natural warm tones in your face.

Once you're ready, enjoy the season!

**For skin abnormalities, please consult a board-certified dermatologist.

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

Body Care In Fall Nail Care

2009-04-28T19:51:00.001+07:00

As the weather becomes colder, proper nail care becomes more and more important. Here is the list of do?s and dont?s that will make your nail care procedure easier:

DO?s & DON?T?s for nail care:

Do not put your hands into any kind of washing up liquid

Think about a leftover bowl of a chicken casserole and what happens when you squirt one bit of detergent on that. Now consider what that?s doing to the natural oils in your hands and the natural oils in the fingernails which is the only part holding the finger nails together. It?s totally destructive!

It?s dangerous to cut the cuticles of your nails

The cuticle is a natural seal where the skin bonds with the nail. If you open a cuticle up, you allow bacteria to have access straight into the blood system.

The cuticle solution

Cuticles should be removed with cuticle removing solution. Also, every time your hands are in the bath for a long time, rubbing the cuticle and moving it back removes the dead cells. They must be very soft to do that and be in the water for 15 minutes.

Beware of fast drying nail polishes

Fast drying nail polishes today have a high percentage isopropyl alcohol (IPA). This tends to make nails dry and crumble. Once the polish dries up it become brittle, flaky and begins to chip off. A nail polish that bonds really well is also the type that takes a while to dry. So it?s a trade-off.

Be square!

People tend to point their fingernails when they?re filing, which leads to filing away the sides of the nail. Because the sides is what gives the fingernail strength, pointed nails will tend to give you splits in the sides. Pointed nails break much easier. They should grow until there is at least an eighth of an inch of free edge before you start to point them. People started to wear their nails square (particularly in the USA) out of necessity because they needed the side wall of the nail to give it strength.

Every thing you touch

... is an emery board. If you have the slightest snag on the ends of your nails, it will cause your nails to rip. Every time you touch something, fingernails bend. Fingernails are meant to bend but every time you do, that snag will open up more and eventually turn into a split. How do you avoid this calamity? Use a very gentle file, never a metal file.

Best beauty tip in the world

Use a thick hand cream, smother your hands in it, wear cotton gloves, then rubber gloves and then do the washing up. The heat will melt the cream, releasing the natural oils and in two weeks even the roughest hands will look like a baby?s bum. The transformation is amazing.

And it?s a way to beat the household blues! It will make the fingernails grow too. The natural oils in the fingernails is what holds them together!

http://allwomenstalk.com

Face Value

2009-04-24T13:06:00.001+07:00

Micro-dermabrasion is one of the more recent skin-care techniques to have crossed over from Hollywood to the mainstream. So what exactly is micro-dermabrasion and what does it promise particularly for women over 40? Do you need a doctor or is it something you can do yourself?

As an alternative to a dermatologist?s office or with an expensive in-spa professional treatment, there are micro-dermabrasion creams and scrubs you can apply at home. These contain the same crystals you'd find in professional treatments, but many cut out the use of a specialized tool for application. Instead, you use your hands to rub the products into your face, neck or arms, pushing the crystals against your skin so they grab and remove the dead cells of the outer layer of your skin. The benefit is replacing dead, dull skin cells with new, healthy ones.

When looking for a Micro-dermabrasion Home System you?ll want to find a system that includes both a Refiner and Replenisher to achieve the maximum benefits:

Step 1, Refine: Contains aluminum oxide crystals ? the same professional-grade, highly refined aluminum oxide crystals that dermatologists use. These crystals are super exfoliates that gently buff away rough, dull, lifeless skin cells that naturally accumulate on the surface of your skin.

Step 2, Replenish: A serum that nourishes the newly revealed healthier younger-looking skin with vitamins, antioxidants and an anti-irritant. It soothes, smoothes and softens the skin.

With a Micro-dermabrasion Home System you'll receive instant results: Fight fine lines, refine pores and achieve beautifully smooth skin ? immediately ? with a simple, two-step set.

It is a great ?at home? alternative for busy women who want to save time and money.

You Glow Girl!

Leslie Freude, the Skin Care Girl, is a Beauty Consultant. For consultations, product information and to sign up for your free issue of Beauty News visit: http://skincaregrl.blogspot.com or write Leslie at skincare-girl@comcast.net

Future Skin Rejuvenation Techniques

2009-04-13T19:12:00.001+07:00

The best way to rejuvenate skin is by exercising. When you exercise, your skin breathes and the sweat that is released cleanses the pores of the skin. This is the reason why people have glowing skin after exercising. There are a lot of skin creams, lotions etc that are in the market which assist in keeping the skin clean and fresh.

Most people nearly have 5 pounds of dead skin, normally. If they can shed these 5 pounds within a short duration, then it would really be good. But most of them are trapped with their busy schedules and are unable to spare any time for the workout sessions. Hence a new device has been introduced that assists in removing the dead skin from the body using a vacuum system.

Other products that are good for the skin are face packs, face scrubs etc. A lot of research is being done by a lot of companies to assist people in having great skin. So in future, you will find a lot of new products, new lotions, new creams, new scrubs etc that would help you in removing dead skin and make the skin glow. These products are manufactured keeping the skin texture in mind as people have different skin textures.

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/qn1594.html

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

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

2009-04-12T18:06:00.001+07:00

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

Toxic Ingredients in Cosmetics and Skin Care Products

2009-04-02T13:03:00.001+07:00

Have you ever examined the ingredients listed on the labels of your cosmetics or other skin care products? Do you know what those ingredients are?

What you may not realize is that many of the skin care products and cosmetics you are buying contain ingredients that are not only harmful to your skin, but also to your long term health. Many of these ingredients are known carcinogens (cancer-causing substances) and are used by the cosmetic industry simply because they are cheap!

Harmful Ingredients Commonly Found in Skin Care Products and Cosmetics - The following are just some of the synthetic chemicals that have been identified by scientific studies to be harmful to our health.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate (ALS) - Often described as being derived from coconut to disguise their toxic nature, these chemicals are commonly used in shampoos, toothpaste, foaming facial and body cleansers and bubble bath. SLS and ALS can cause severe skin irritation, and are easily absorbed into the body, building up in the brain, heart, lungs and liver, leading to potential long term health problems. SLS and ALS may also cause cataracts, and prevent children's eyes from developing properly.

Paraben Preservatives - Parabens are widely used in cosmetics, deodorants, skin care and baby products to prolong their shelf life. They are known to be highly toxic and have caused rashes and allergic reactions. Recent scientific studies in the UK found a strong link between the use of parabens and the increasing rate of breast cancer in women. Researchers found a high concentration of parabens in 90% of breast tumors tested.

Propylene Glycol - Found in many beauty creams, cosmetics and cleansers, Propylene Glycol can cause skin rashes and contact dermatitis, and has been shown to cause damage to the kidneys and liver.

Isopropyl Alcohol - Alcohol is used as a solvent in many skin care products. It causes skin irritation and strips the skin of its natural acid mantle, promoting the growth of bacteria, moulds and viruses. It may also cause premature ageing of skin.

DEA (Diethanolamine), TEA (Triethanolamine) and MEA (Monoethanolamine) - These substances are harsh solvents and detergents that are used in cosmetics and face and body creams as an emollient. They can cause allergic reactions, and long term use of DEA-based products (such as Cocamide DEA) have been linked to an increase in the incidence of liver and kidney cancer.

Aluminum - A common ingredient in antiperspirants, aluminum has been linked to Alzheimer's Disease.

Mineral Oil - Derived from petroleum (crude oil), mineral oil is commonly found as a main ingredient of face and body creams and cosmetics. Baby oil is 100% mineral oil! It coats the skin like a plastic film, clogging pores and stopping the skin from eliminating toxins, which can lead to acne and other skin disorders. Other petroleum based ingredients include paraffin wax, paraffin oil and petrolatum.

Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) - Used as a thickener in skin care products and cosmetics, PEGs interfere with the skin's natural moisture balance, causing an increase in ageing and leaving the skin vulnerable to bacteria.

Talc - Talc is a soft mineral used in talcum powders and cosmetic powders. Scientific studies have shown that routine application of talcum powder to the genital area is linked with a three-to-fourfold increase in the development of ovarian cancer. Inhaling cosmetic powders containing talc may also be harmful to long term health.

How To Avoid These Toxins - Examine the labels of your cosmetics and skin care products carefully, and learn to recognize ingredients that are harmful to your skin and to your health. Many web sites have lists of potentially harmful ingredients in addition to those shown above (e.g. Environmental Working Group).

Don't be fooled by the words 'natural' or 'organic' on the front of the label. Many products contain at least one or two natural or organic ingredients, but they may also contain harmful synthetic chemicals as well.

Whenever possible, choose products with 100% natural ingredients such as essential oils and herbs. Your skin will love you for it!

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The Skin Benefits Of Omega 3 Tinned But Untamed

2009-03-30T13:28:00.001+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.

What Condition Is Your Hair In?

2009-03-29T20:01:00.001+07:00

Our hair can be categorized in three different ways:

Healthy
Dry
Damaged

Characteristics of Healthy Hair

Smooth texture and feel
Shiny
Hair loss is 75?100 strands per day
Hair loss consists of entire hair strands (contains bulb)
Holds curl well
Relatively easy to comb while wet
Good elasticity (hair strand stretches when pulled)
Healthy scalp
No breakage
Minimal split ends

Characteristics of Dry or Stressed Hair

Hair loss is 75?100+ per day
Hair is dry to the touch but responds well to moisture
May have some scalp problems
Dull appearance
Itchy scalp
Loses curl easily
May be frizzy
Hair has poor elasticity (does not stretch before breaking)
Breakage (hair strands are short)
Split ends

Characteristics of Damaged Hair

Dull

Dry

Coarse

Frequent use of oil does not help retain moisture and/or the effects do not last long

Tangles easily, difficult to comb while wet

Frizzy

Breakage is severe in spots

Visible split ends

Scalp may be unhealthy

May have excessive dandruff

About The Author

Nicole Elizabeth Smith, the author of Healthy Black Hair (2003), is a freelance health and beauty writer and a graduate of Michigan State University. She and her son Zack live in Michigan. Currently, she is beauty editor for www.myhairbook.com.

nicole@myhairbook.com

Facial Enhancements with Surgical Implants

2009-03-27T19:55:00.001+07:00

It goes without saying that the appearance of the human face plays a massive role in interactions between each of us. Implants offer an opportunity to put forth your best side.

Facial Enhancements with Surgical Implants

There are many definitions for plastic surgery. One of the more common is the correction or modification of abnormalities in the body. What exactly constitutes an abnormality is the subject of great debate, to wit, an actual abnormality or something a person subjectively does not care for in their appearance.

Surgical implants used for facial enhancements definitely tend to fall within a more medically determined definition of plastic surgery. The implants are often used to address imperfections that are both subjectively perceived and physically present from a medical perspective. Seriously small chins and uneven or collapsed cheek bones are a common area of surgical intervention.

Surgical solutions for facial defects are all about reshaping the face to a more traditional structure. The goal could be to increase the size of a chin to create linear balance from side views or to enhance one side of the face to create balance in appearance. Obviously, there are other situations as well. What is not disputed, however, is the emotional and psychological benefit of such enhancements when a serious defect exists.

To reshape a facial area, plastic surgeons will often use implants. The implants can be preset or customized for the particular problem. For individuals with seriously reduced chins, for example, an implant is placed at the point of the chin to create volume and more natural look. The goal in the surgery is to create a more balanced face by moving enhancing the chin in such a way that a view from the side shows a generally uniform slope from forehead to chin.

Facial surgery of this type is surprisingly uncomplicated for the patient. It is often done in less than two hours and hospitalization is rarely required. Generally, patients can return to work in a week and any indication of a surgical procedure can be gone as soon as two weeks after the fact. Obviously, each situation is different so consult with your medical professional to gain an understanding of your situation and the reasonable results that can be expected.

Facial abnormalities, whether perceived or medically significant, can be the crux of confidence problems. If you fall within this classification, do not hesitate to contact a plastic surgeon to discuss the options available to you. Make sure to look at before and after pictures to get a definitive idea of the solutions available.

Ricardo de Silva is with PlasticSurgeonPractices.com - a directory of plastic surgeons. Visit us to read more plastic surgery articles.

How To Do Body Wrap AtHome

2009-03-26T14:47:00.001+07:00

The body wrap is a beauty treatment that helps you tone up and tighten your body, improve your body circulation and detoxify your body. There are many spas that offer different types of body wraps like chocolate, aloe Vera, seaweed body wrap, etc. Body wraps basically work in two stages through absorption and squeezing. By wrapping the body, the pores get opened and fluids are extracted or absorbed by the wrap. This stage is called the absorption stage of the body wrap. Once the fluids are extracted, empty pockets are left in between the cells that when squeezed together, makes the body thinner and leaner than before. This is called the squeezing stage.

Now, not everyone has the time and the patience to go to the spa to get a body wrap done. This is when you should give yourself a partial or full body wrap in the privacy in your home with the help of home body wraps. Not only do you save time in this way, you also save money as the kit basically costs about 1/3 of what a salon may charge for the same wrap!

When applying a body wrap at home, it is necessary to choose a place in your house where you will not be disturbed for an hour. You need some space where you can lie down comfortably. To do this, you can put a camping mattress on the floor, or a plastic sheet to avoid any. Once this is ready, keep some towels handy to wipe yourself after the body wrap and a blanket to wrap yourself warm, if needed.

The next step lies in mixing the body wrap and smearing in onto the body, as you would a suntan lotion. Then the blankets have to be wrapped around your body. Sit in this wrap for half an hour to one hour, and then when you wash yourself, you are sure to be happy looking at your body that has become more slimmer and compact. However, there are some tips to be kept in mind when applying a body wrap.

It is always better to have a warm shower before applying the wrap as this opens the pores of the body and facilitates better absorption of the body wrap. The thermal blanket can be used to keep yourself warm if you feel cold with the body wrap on. It is always better to drink lots of water both before and after the body wrap helps in flushing the toxins out. It is also advisable to stay away from caffeine, soda drinks, sugar, fried fatty foods and alcohol for 48 hours after the body wrap, to experience a better effect from the body wrap.

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 body wrap advice.

Find more about infrared body wrap, mud body wraps and many other bady wrap and spa resources on http://www.alldayspas.com/

Make Up Tips: How to Apply Foundation

2009-03-25T13:10:00.001+07:00

Things you will need.

1. Moisturizer

2. Foundation

3. Sponge/applicator

Application of foundation is not as hard as you think. the hardest part about applying foundation is choosing a foundation that is right for you. Most companies have a wide selection of foundation colors ranging from fair to ebony. Once you've chosen a foundation, the hard part is over. To do this, test foundations along your jaw line. You will know the best color because it will disappear into your skin and match completely

First things first, many people apply foundation straight from the tube which is a big mistake. Doing so normally results in dry looking ashy skin (unless your skin is naturally soft and supple) Before application of a foundation your skin needs a base, such as a moisturizer. If you have oily skin an oil free moisturizer will do. It is typically recommended to use a foundation with at least spf15 if you do not already use a sunscreen to keep your skin looking soft, youthful and beautiful.

1. First start by applying 4 dabs of foundation with your face with your finger tips. One on your forehead, your cheeks and your chin.

2. Smooth it out with a sponge. This step is very important. Be sure to blend, blend and blend. Most women make the mistake of forgetting to apply under the cheek which can give you a masked look. Unnatural looking streaks are often seen close to the ears, mouth, jaw line, temples and sides of the nose when blending is not properly done.

3. After application of foundation a loose power is used to set the foundation in place for a more natural looking finish. Loose powers are also used through out the day to freshen up your look.

http://chicexpress.com is dedicated in helping women with their fashion and beauty needs. Visit http://www.chicexpress.com for more free tips and information.

The Secret of Beautiful Skin

2009-03-24T12:19:00.001+07:00

The secret of beautiful skin involves protecting it from the outside and nourishing it from the inside.

Women spend hundreds of millions of dollars on expensive miracle skincare products, but great looking skin does not have to be expensive!

The secret of beautiful skin is simply concentrating on both the inside and outside and this does not have to be expensive.

Protection from the outside

Harmful UV rays are far and away the biggest cause of skin damage and the advice when choosing a day cream is to make sure that is SPF 15.

In the evening use any cream you feel suits your skin type were all different, but don?t spend a lot of money, all you need to do is keep the skin hydrated.

There is no point in moisturizing your skin and then let the suns rays destroy it.

Everyday prevention is definitely better than cure. On the subject of cure, all the creams that claim to repair damage are simply pedalling to vanity ? They don?t.

The myth of beautiful skin

A moisturizer can keep the skin hydrated and with SPF protect it and that?s all.

Its common sense, however many women fall for the hundreds of millions of year advertising campaigns that claim to give them a quick miracle and end up disappointed.

The real secret of beautiful skin is protection from the outside and nourishment from within - Combine the two and you will have beautiful skin.

Here are some great foods to include in your diet for radiant skin.

Drink lots of water

Two liters of water a day should be drunk this helps keep the skin hydrated and flush away toxins from the body

Eat vegetables & Fruit

Eat 2 - 3 portions of vegetables for lots of nutrients for the skin,

The best ones are below, but really any vegetable or fruit is good and in terms of vegetables try and eat them raw if you can.

Sweet potatoes tomatoes and spinach

For three important antioxidants

Beta-carotene is present in sweet potatoes, lycopene in tomatoes and lutein in spinach.

They enter the skin and help reflect harmful UV rays and act as a permanent sunscreen.

Cherries, blueberries, blackberries, grapes

Contain anthocyanins an antioxidant that keeps the skin supplied with nutrients through the blood vessels that lead into the face.

Oily fish

As we all know oily fish are a great source of protein to regenerate collagen and elastin, as well as omega 3 oils, these are essential to keep the skin both subtle and hydrated.

Good sources include: Salmon, mackerel, herrings and sardines.

Crab, sardines, lean beef and wheat germ

A good source of copper, a trace element that is essential for the making of melanin, the pigment in the skin that helps to absorb harmful UV rays from the sun.

It also helps fight age spots which are the most obvious sign of skin aging.

Soya milk, lentils, bean sprouts, yogurt & wholegrain cereals

These contain plant oestrogens, which help make lubricating oils and collagen in the skin for a healthier complexion. They also repair collagen and elastin, which slow down the thinning of the skin and the formation of fine lines which most women fear!

Oats

Contain the trace element silic acid, which is used to make the spongy cells that lie between collagen and elastin fibers. This makes the skin full and plump and by consequence slows down the formation of fine lines.

Whole meal pitta, gogi berries & muesli

Pitta contains ferulic acid, berries contain vitamin c, muesli contains vitamin E. These are great antiaging vitamins

Vitamin C and e are great for fighting harmful UV rays and gogi berries have 15 times more vitamin C than an orange gram for gram.

The secret of beautiful skin is actually simple!

Protect from the outside and nourish from the inside. Forget the miracle cures follow the advice above and you will have beautiful radiant skin for life.

For more FREE Information on the secrets of beautiful skin as well as other articles, features, downloads and FREE fashion video's visit:

http://www.net-planet.org

Common Pitfalls Of Plastic Surgery

2009-03-23T10:26:00.001+07:00

Common pitfalls of plastic surgery are those involving before and after pictures with photographic tricks or attractive models instead of the surgeon's patients, that are publicly displayed in printed ads, online advertisement or broadcasted by TV,audio-visual or specific tele-shopping and infomercials.

Before and after pictures are useful to help you make the decision to have cosmetic surgery when they are real, but not advisable as criteria to select a surgeon, since no ethical surgeon can guarantee results this way, but if so, be sure to get his promises in writing.

Fake testimonials implying that anyone can get these results of people sharing their experiences may only be a marketing plan whether viewed on TV, through the internet, heard on the radio or at the surgeon's office; they have a powerful influence in the patient's final decision. Pitfalls can not be easily detected due to the impossibility to verify the authenticity of any given testimonial or the identity of the happy patients.

Because the purpose of testimonials are considered to be a way to solicit patients, most professional societies and State medical boards prohibit the use of testimonials to advertise Plastic Surgery. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) considers this marketing tool a violation to the code of ethics of 97% of certified surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, members of ASPS.

Impressive sounding surgeon's credentials or a plastic surgery procedure that does not name the surgeon may be listed as pitfalls of plastic surgery. While it is obvious to expect that a surgeon has the proper training, credentials and experience to provide the plastic surgery procedure or service you are seeking, remember that many physicians may call themselves plastic surgeons or cosmetic surgeons with training. In fact, in most states any physician may perform any procedure without peer scrutiny and no training requirements.

Since there are no requirements that the physician be is a trained surgeon, anyone may claim to be a board-certified surgeon simply by joining a sound-a-like organization, but the true meaning is that The American Society of Plastic Surgeons enforces one of the most rigorous ethical codes in the medical profession, so the best way to find out a surgeon's facts is consulting only surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

Other pitfalls of plastic surgery are those offering dramatic results with superficial treatments, minimal or non-invasive procedures, no risk or little risk and downtime as well as a variety of products, procedures or manipulations without mention of the doctor's qualification, board certification or his/her specialty. These promises are designed more for marketing reasons than a real therapeutic value.

These individual procedures may be inexpensive, but offers only little or temporal improvement, so it is necessary for multiple sessions before seeing positive results, raising in the mean time the costs, often comparable to the total cost of the plastic surgery. Non surgical procedures with high tech names suggest new approaches to youthful appearance and the expectation of major effectiveness.

All these issues make it difficult for patients to separate plastic surgery hype from reality.

Matthew Leo is the publisher of http://www.CosmeticEnhancement.info, http://www.AcneMedicine.info and http://www.ADietGuide.com websites.

How to be Photogenic?

2009-03-22T16:43:00.001+07:00

Everybody likes to look good. Though many people look good naturally but when it comes to photographs the images do not justify their beauty. Although, snapshots are not the exact presentations of your look or personality, they become the objects of judgment according to many people. If you do not display a photogenic face, you are often ditched or taunted by people. So it is a good idea to try to develop a photogenic face. You can have a photogenic face if the photographer takes proper care of lighting, camera angles etc. The following steps could help you look better.

Wear suitable clothes especially the ones that will add a glow to your skin tone. The color patterns should be carefully studied. Choose an angle that will reflect a good texture of your hair and show the smooth texture of your skin. Stand or sit in a proper posture to make you look smarter. Give a natural smile, because a forced smile will make you appear as if you have forcefully stretched your lips. Compare your snapshots with your friends who have a photogenic face.

When all these tips do not effectively work out, then try out digital technology by editing, cropping and artificially enhancing your snaps to look better. You can find many photo retouching service providers online.

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

Fat Acceptance

2009-03-21T22:15:00.001+07:00

With tons of information out there on ?Fat Acceptance? does it do more harm than good? Being body positive and body fat are two different topics. South Beach Diet may work for one but not the other.

How can one confuse having a body positive attitude than with a ?Fat Acceptance One? Are you really fat and happy? Most women are in emotional pain around their body size but to hail on for ?Fat Acceptance? is a no-no, neither should one be ostracized for be overweight or fat.

This is more than just a debatable topic of ?Fat Acceptance? what about health. Can you really sit and tell yourself you like wearing a size 22 and find the extra ?Pinch an Inch? to be conformable and contrite? Can you feel both? Ask yourself, deep inside, how you really feel.

So where is the ?happy medium?? Eye Candy yes, waif like magazine models perhaps not, but some women are naturally thin. Shows like ?The Biggest Loser?, ?Fat Actress? make fun of those who do not fit into the cookie cuter world of what we deem as ?Eye Candy?.

We should all be accepted and not ostracized for size, and looks. ?Size acceptance? and ?Fat Acceptance? are two different issues here. Yes, promote size, we all come in different shapes, but promote ?Fat?? What about health?

We strongly condemn any diet marketing strategy based on guilt and unrealistic expectations, says Peggy Howell, a spokesperson for the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance. Such approaches cause untold suffering to fat people by ruining their self-esteem.?

This would fall under stapling!?!

However some sites, and blogs take this too far, can you be happy, fat, and un-healthy at any size?

Why make this harder than it has to be, follow the BMI chart. However getting within our range can be difficult, while women and men, work their way from a high BMI to a lower healthy one, we should accept people of all sizes, ?Size Acceptance? but not promote fat. Promote Health, Size and not Fat.

Discuss this online at http://www.sheunlimited.com

The Daily Scandalmonger
?Scandalmonger Diaries?
Fat Acceptance
Entry 3
By Veronica Marie Kettler

Marie is Editor-in-Chief for She Unlimited Magazine. http://www.sheunlimited.com and heads up the community at http://www.sheunlimited.com/forums. Marie is committed to making a difference. Marie Is Making a difference in the Women sectors online, media and print. Marie believes that individual style is a form of self-expression. Marie knows the trends and where to find them. Her expertise and knowledge give consumers everywhere the insight they need to get the latest styles and products that fit everyone and every budget, both online and off. For More information or how to become and editor for She Unlimited Magazine please e-mail: admin@sheunlimited.com

Understanding Aging Skin and Wrinkles

2009-03-17T14:14:00.001+07:00

We?ve all seen the pictures of elderly men and women whose skin shows the wear and tear of aging. While wrinkles may be considered a sign of wisdom and experience, most of us would rather not have them. Wrinkles may look cute and cuddly on a Sharpei but they aren?t so appealing for those of us who have to look at ourselves in the mirror on a daily basis.

Wrinkles and other signs of aging can appear just about anywhere on the human body however; they tend to be more prevalent in areas that have had extensive exposure to the sun. The most common breading grounds for wrinkles tend to be the face, hands, forearms, and neck. There are several categories of skin wrinkles including fine lines, surface lines, and deep furrows. Anti wrinkle treatments are generally most effective on fine lines. Deep creases typically require more drastic measures to correct.

So what causes wrinkles anyway? Wrinkles tend to develop with age as skin looses Elastin or the fibers that give skin its elastic quality and help to hold in moisture. The loss of Elastin along with a protein called Collagen in the middle layer of human skin (Dermis) allows the skin to gradually become thinner and begin to sag. There are a variety of contributing factors including exposure to the sun, smoking, heredity, and skin type. Some of these factors such as heredity and skin type are currently beyond our control forcing us to focus on those areas where we can make an impact. First and foremost; do not smoke. Smoking has been proven to increase wear and tear on the skin and lead to premature signs of aging. If you are currently a smoker; quit. It?s never too late to start making the right decisions and to begin promoting healthy skin. Second, avoid excessive exposure to the sun. Ultraviolet light is known to be damaging to the skin and can speed the aging process. This includes self tanning parlors where users are exposed to concentrated UV light for even short to moderate periods of time. When you are going to be outdoors, be sure to protect your skin with a sunscreen with an SPF rating of at least a 15. Be sure to reapply often if your plans include swimming or exercise.

OK, that?s all fine and dandy you say but ?What can I do about the wrinkles I already have?? There are several potential solutions available ranging from painful injections and complicated cosmetic surgeries to topical creams and moisturizers that can help reduce the appearance of existing wrinkles. Anyone considering cosmetic treatments for existing wrinkles should consult a medical professional so that they may be informed about the risks and expenses involved with cosmetic surgery. For those of you who may be looking for less painful and less expensive alternatives, there are still many viable options. Keeping your skin clean and moist is perhaps one of the easiest and least expensive actions you can take to reduce the appearance of fine lines. Staying properly hydrated is another important aspect of proper skin care. Following these simple steps can help keep the signs of aging in check. If you would like to go a step beyond basic skin care to go on the offensive against wrinkles, you may want to look into some of the newer topical facial creams that have come on the market. Some of the very best ones are listed in medical publications such as the Physicians Desk Reference and have clinical trial data to back up their results. Many products on the market will claim to reduce wrinkles but you must seek out products that can support their claims.

Additional information can be found at the following website:

Athena 7 Minute Lift

This article is provided by Greek Island Labs. Greek Island Labs was founded on the principal of promoting health and well being through the use of natural time-tested ingredients blended with Greek wisdom to create harmony between nature and science. For additional information, please visit our website at: http://www.7minutelift.com

Japanese Hair Straightening Is It Right for You?

2009-03-15T19:06:00.001+07:00

Japanese Hair Straightening, also known as Thermal Reconditioning, is one very popular hair straightening technique you just might want to think twice about before having done.

Originating in Japan in the late 90?s the chemical products used in the process go by the names Liscio, Yuko and U.S. made Bio Ionics.

The treatment can take anywhere from 3 to 6 hours and involves numerous steps with costs ranging from $300 to $1,500 depending on the salon.

A cheaper price should raise some red flags as to the quality of the chemicals used or the expertise of the stylist according to the experts.

The result is permanently straight hair but after 4 to 6 months any new hair growth will need to be treated as well. This usually costs close to the same amount as the original treatment because it is a more time-consuming process involving straightening hair closer to the roots.

Because of the chemicals and techniques used you will not be able to curl the treated hair so you definitely want to take that into consideration beforehand.

There is also a growing concern from some stylists that thermal reconditioning may not be the perfect hair straightening solution after all.

First off, experts estimate that at least 80 percent of people that are having the treatment are not really good reconditioning candidates for several reasons:

Any recent chemical processes done to your hair such as hair coloring, bleaching or hair relaxing can cause serious problems including hair loss and breakage if you elect to have the treatment done. A hair strand test must be done first to determine whether your hair can accept the chemicals. If the salon does not offer a strand test you might want to reconsider who you trust your hair to.

It does not work on African hair because it is too fragile and can?t take the heat required during the straightening process. It is not the same as a hair relaxer which is made especially for African hair.

In fact, a growing number of women are claiming serious hair breakage problems and it has been reported in the press that one of the top Hollywood celebrity hair stylists refuses to perform the treatment because she thinks it is too much of a risk to her client?s hair.

Many women are led to believe that the process is actually good for your hair but there have been no clinical studies to prove this and by definition anything that physically alters the hair structure at the molecular level is damaging.

Even though many women have had the Japanese Hair Straightening process done to their hair with great success you should know that there can be some risk involved and if you decide to have it done to your hair be sure you use a reputable salon with properly trained stylists that will test your hair first.

For alternatives to permanent hair straightening please visit us at: http://www.hair-straighteners-experts.com. We specialize in information about sedu hair straightener products that offer great temporary hair straightening results.

Need to Look Your Best in a Hurry? Tips for a Quick and Polished Look!

2009-03-15T12:47:00.001+07:00

Need to look your best in a hurry? Start with your face: it?s your ?canvas.?

Two ways to improve your appearance quickly are to get the glow of healthy skin and then create a polished look.

Have a little extra time the night before your event? Eliminate the buildup of dead surface cells that dull skin with a mask or microdermabrasion (use the right products for your skin type and special needs). Replenish moisture lost during the super-cleansing by hydrating your skin thoroughly. Define fuzzy lines, like your eyebrows, by shaping them to complement your face.

On the day of your event, cleanse, freshen (or tone), and moisturize your face and eye areas; foundation and makeup go on more smoothly and evenly over well-hydrated skin. Since the eye areas don't produce their own moisture, use an eye cream; it?s specially formulated for that delicate skin. Moisturizers for the face tend to have humectants which can puff up the skin around the eyes.

Foundation and powder: Apply concealer, if necessary, and foundation. Then finish your face with powder. Powder ?sets? the foundation so it lasts longer with less need for touch ups.

Eye primer: Put on eye primer or dust powder over your eyelids. Both provide a base for eye color so the color goes on evenly and stays in place longer without creasing and smudging.

Eye color: The simplest approach to eye color is to apply a neutral or soft shade (from the upper lashes to the brows) which will enhance or ?pop? another color placed over it. Almost as easy is another technique using two colors. Follow the eye primer with a single color from lash to brow. Then apply a second stronger (or darker) color over the lids and into the creases to complement the shape of your eyes. If you?re getting ready for an evening event, be more dramatic than for an event during the day.

Eye liner: Line the eyes if it enhances them, staying close to the lash lines.

Mascara: To make your eye lashes appear thicker and longer, start with the wand close to the eyes and then wiggle the wand back and forth as you move it away from your eyes. To really ?open? your eyes, use an eyelash curler.

Eyebrows: A simple and natural way to emphasize the eyebrows is to brush them with a matching shade of eye color and then set the color with a gel. The gel also helps emphasize and maintain the shape of your brows.

Cheek color: For your cheek color, either smile and apply blush to the apples of your cheeks or sweep it up along your cheek bones starting two fingers away from your nose and stopping at your temples. Then blend the color gently.

Lip liner, lipstick, lip gloss: If color 'bleeding' is a problem, run a lip outliner pencil along the outer edges of your lips. Define your lips with a lip liner, fill in color with a lipstick and polish with gloss.

You're done ... your canvas is now a ?work of art!?

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

http://www.marykay.com/charlottemaddox

Acne And Carbohydrates Is There A Link?

2009-03-12T20:56:00.001+07:00

There has been a lot of speculation about how diet and food intake affects acne. There is a relationship between what we eat and how our skin reacts, although the exact interaction is not clearly understood. All food has properties that are helpful or harmful to our bodies. Most foods have a combination of helpful and harmful components and our bodies are designed to utilize the positive attributes of the food and to eliminate the negative. Sometimes, based on our bodies? ability to process food, there may be changes in chemical and hormonal balances caused by food. Some contributing factors to changes in body metabolism are:

- Change in diet
- Change in climate
- High stress levels
- Natural hormonal changes in the body due to age and development
- Illness and infections within the body

In this article we are going to explore the relationship between carbohydrates and acne.

Carbohydrates

There are low-carbohydrate and high-carbohydrate foods found in the average daily diet. Teenagers and adults who eat a high carbohydrate diet are more prone to acne and outbreaks. Teenagers and adults who eat a lower carbohydrate diet that limits the amount of refined sugars have significantly fewer acne problems and outbreaks. High carbohydrate foods include candies, highly processed foods such as white bread, sugary cereals and fast foods. It is believed by scientists and nutritionists that the high carbohydrate foods trigger a sharp increase in insulin production that in turn triggers hormonal increases leading to oily skin and clogged pores.

Best Diet Choices

If you have acne, we recommend that you try the following changes in your diet (after discussing it with your doctor of course):

- Eat as much natural food as possible such as fruits and vegetables.
- Limit high carbohydrate items and switch to whole grain wheat products.
- Avoid fried foods or foods cooked in oils.
- Drink at least six glasses of water per day.
- Eat high fiber foods. These high fiber foods tend to be generally low carbohydrate foods.
- Avoid any foods that you may be allergic to. Keep a record of what is eaten for a week and see if there is any pattern to outbreaks.

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

Beauty Tip: Perfect Eyebrows

2009-03-12T17:48:00.001+07:00

Eyebrows are a natural frame for the eyes and should be in proportion to the face. Perfectly shaped eyebrows will enhance the look of your eyes, your face and will accentuate your makeup while; ill kept, unruly eyebrows will hide the beauty of your eyes.

1.Pluck only from the underside of the brow in the direction that the hair grows. Don't pluck from the top of the brow and chance plucking too much and losing the shape of the brow. You may also want to pluck any stray hairs between the brows. If you find it painful apply a lubricant before you pluck, preferably one that had a dulling effect like oral gel.

2.If you find your eyebrows are starting to thin use a brow color to fill them in using feather strokes, do not draw on lines in place of eyebrows.

3.Brows should be the same color as your hair or a shade lighter.

4.Your brow should start right above the inner corner of your eye. To determine where the eyebrow should start place a pencil against the nostril and line it up with the inner corner of your eye. Your eyebrow should end at a diagonal with the outer corner of your eye. To determine this, place a pencil at the side of your nose ending at the outer corner of your eye. The eyebrow should arch above the outer rim of the iris.

Be careful when you tweeze and if you are unsure go to a professional. Incorrect tweezing can ruin the look of your eyebrows and after a certain time the eyebrow will not grow back. If you do use a professional, keep regular appointments and don't let your eyebrows get too unruly between appointments. Or, after you have had a professional do your eyebrows keep them in shape by plucking the stray hairs as they grow.

Sheila Dicks is an Image and Wardrobe consultant who teaches women how to dress to suit their body type and look slimmer. You can visit her at http://www.sheilasfashionsense.com to download her ebook 'Image Makeovers' and get 'How to Build a Wardrobe' free.

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

2009-03-11T14:33:00.000+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.

Colour in Cosmetics

2009-03-10T14:39:00.001+07:00

Many people avoid artificial colours in their foods, but don't check out the colours in cosmetics and personal care products. It is only in recent years that cosmetics have started to carry a full list of ingredients on their packaging.

Making sense of the ingredients can be difficult for the lay person. This is particularly true for colourings, which often go under the guise of numbers rather than names.

In many countries colours in cosmetics are listed as colour index numbers. C.I. numbers are allocated by the Society of Dyers and Colourists. The scheme covers colours used in food, personal care products, cosmetics, household products and fabric dyeing. So, for example you will not normally see ?tartrazine? listed in your lipstick ingredients, but it may be there listed as C.I. 19140. Erythrosine will be listed as C.I. 45430, and so on.

The USA uses a different system: the FD & C colors have been categorised by the American Food & Drink Administration for use in foods, drugs and cosmetics. So in this system tartrazine is FD & C yellow 5, and amaranth is FD & C red 2.

The ?E Number? system is used by the European Community (EC). This is a system of giving code numbers to food additives, some of which are also used in cosmetics and personal care products. This system is also used in some other countries but without the E prefix, so E102 becomes simply colour ?102?.

All this confusion for the average consumer would not be important, but for the fact that some of these colours are known to cause problems in susceptible individuals. For example, tartrazine (also known as FD & C Yellow 5, CI 1914 and EI02) can cause migraines, itching, rhinitis and agitation in susceptible individuals. Many individuals avoid its use in food, but do not realise how extensively it is used in cosmetics, such as lipstick, and personal care products.

The big worries in terms of colours in cosmetics and personal care products are lipstick, coloured lip balms, lip gloss and lip pencils, because anyone who uses these regularly ?eats? a fair quantity over their life time, but these colours also appear in skin cream, foundation, mascara and so on too. (Remember also that these colours can also be in 'natural' cosmetics and skin care products.)

Another worry is that even the 'experts' cannot agree on an international 'safe' list of colours, so that a colour may be allowed in one country, but banned elsewhere. For example, quinoline yellow is allowed within the European Community and in some other countries, but is banned in Japan, Norway and the United States.

As ever, the advice is: keep yourself informed and read the label. Here is a list of the different names and numbers that common colourings go under:

Tartrazine: E102 or FD & C Yellow 5 or C.I. 19140
Quinoline yellow or E104 or C.I. 47005
Sunset yellow or E110 or FD & C Yellow 6 or C.I. 15985
Amaranth or E123 or FD & C Red 2 or C.I. 16185
Ponceau 4R or E124 or C.I. 16255
Erythrosine or E127 or FD & C Red 3 or C.I. 45430
Red 2Gor E128 or C.I. 18050
Allura red AC or E129 or FD & C Red 40or C.I. 16035
Patent blue V or E131 or C.I. 42051
Indigo carmine or E132 or FD & C Blue 2or C.I. 73015
Brilliant blue FCF or FD & C Blue 1 orC.I. 42090
Fast green FCFor FD & C Green 3 orC.I. 42053
Green S or E142 or C.I. 44090

Jane Thurnell-Read is a writer and researcher on health, stress, alternative medicine, and happiness. Visit her web site http://www.healthandgoodness.com for tips and information on how to live a happier, healthier life no matter how busy you are.

Holistic Skin Care Regrowing The Garden Of Youth

2009-03-09T01:08:00.001+07:00

To win the battle against the effects of time and the environment, we need to do more than just apply lotions and creams to our faces. No matter how sophisticated the ingredients grow, those anti aging creams only improve the appearance of the dead layers of skin on the surface. To reach the deeper, living cells, we need to nourish ourselves from within.

Juices are an great way to get vital antioxidants, phytonutrients, and vitamins in fruits and vegetables we normally would not eat regularly. For example, pomegranate juice has been found to prevent the thickening of the arteries if drunk daily, as well as slow down the oxidation of cholesterol. And new research indicates it may have a much stronger antioxidant effect than red wine and green tea. Beauty foods like these can be a very effective tool in improving the way our skin looks and feels.

Antioxidants are an excellent way to slow down the aging process on our skin. There are a variety of antioxidants found in fruit and vegetables. These include polyphenols, flavanoids, and proanthocyanadins. Proanthacyanadins help capillary walls stay strong, which is important in making sure all the right nutrients and oxygen get to our cells. If our cells are starving because of nutrient transportation problems, they are not going to be healthy, or look good. Blueberries and blackberries are rich sources of proanthocyanadins, so that's a great excuse to make these delicious fruits part of a regular diet. If you can't get fresh berries, or they're too expensive, try frozen berries as they still retain their nutritional value.

Paul Bedson, who utilizes traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in his approach to the body, suggests these juices for good skin health:

Carrot, celery and lemon juice
Cucumber, lettuce, and pineapple juice
Half a glass of cucumber juice with half a glass of water

TCM sees healthy skin function in relation to how well the other organs of elimination function. The skin is considered an organ of elimination as it excretes about one quarter of the body's wastes through perspiration. The other organs of elimination are the kidneys, the lungs, the liver and the bowels. The rationale behind considering the excretory organs as a whole when addressing skin health, is that if one of the organs is overloaded, or not doing its job properly, it throws the whole system of excretion out of balance, placing greater stress on the other eliminatory channels. So juices, food and supplements that support these other channels of elimination should also lead to a corresponding improvement in the skin.

Herbs that support the eliminatory channels, and thus indirectly the skin, include burdock, cleavers, nettles, goldenseal, yellow dock, and milk thistle, or st marys thistle.

References: Paul Bedson, The Complete Family Guide To Natural Healing (Hinkler Books, 2005)
Erica Angyal, Gorgeous Skin In 30 Days (Lothian Books, 2005
http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/news/ng.asp?n=62044-tesco-pomegreat-pomegranate

Do you suffer from acne? Would you like to learn 6 acne nutrition tips to help you manage your acne better? Or an acne diet article that discusses the link between insulin, bread and acne? Click on the links to find out.

Nutritional Benefits Of Figs

2009-03-08T02:10:00.001+07:00

Figs are well known for their mild laxative effect, so care should be exercised when consuming fig juice. Try a small quantity at first, prepared from two or three fresh figs. The laxative prepared from the more concentrated, dried figs alone is so mild that it is suitable for children, so the action of the fresh fruit should cause you no alarm. However the term, syrup of figs, is often used to describe Compound Syrup of Figs, this stronger laxative has added senna, rhubarb and cascara extract to make it much stronger.

Fig juice is also recognized for its soothing effect on irritated bronchia: passages. This demulcent action is soothing to the inflamed mucous membranes that produce catarrh during a cold. Fresh figs are a poor source of vitamin C, but they are a better source of vitamin B6 than most other fruits. Figs contain 110 mg of vitamin B6 per 100g.

Figs played an important part in the diet of both the ancient Greeks and Romans. The ancient Greeks fed large quantities to their athletes, the Spartans, in the belief that the fruit encouraged strength and swiftness. The Roman's fed fresh figs to their slaves, particularly the agricultural workers, but dried figs were also widely consumed.

Kevin Pederson has been managing a number of natural home remedies websites which have information on home based natural cures and information on the health benefits of fig.

Cosmetic Surgery: PostOp Care Is Essential

2009-03-07T02:41:00.001+07:00

As with any other surgical procedure, post-operative care is imperative in the case of cosmetic surgery as well. Following the post-operative advice of your cosmetic surgeon could well be the difference between a stellar result and a mediocre one. Regular follow up visits are crucial in monitoring the progress of recovery. The recovery time and the amount of post-operative care largely depend on the type of cosmetic surgery performed. For instance, major cosmetic surgery procedures, such as abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) and sizeable liposuction necessitate proper nursing for a significant period after surgery.

Another point worth noting is that follow-up surgeries (or touchups) might be required to eliminate undesired effects of surgery, or to attain better results. For instance, a woman?s breast implants might internally rupture and therefore necessitate a follow-up surgery. Moreover, cosmetic surgery has associated complications and risks, such as scarring, blood clots, bleeding, or an adverse reaction of anesthesia. Thus post-operative care is pivotal for attaining satisfactory results and in order to expedite the recovery process.

Post-operative care entails being careful about the body part, which has been operated upon. Undue stress and exertion to that portion, just a few days after surgery, may lead to unforeseen complications. You must strictly follow the advice of the surgeon on this issue. In addition to this, you must have realistic expectations from the surgical procedure. Since a major cosmetic surgery involves a significant recovery period, you must not expect instant results after surgery.

The most crucial aspect of cosmetic surgery is to choose a surgeon who has loads of expertise in the pertinent field, since he/she can effectively advise you about proper post-operative care. Cosmetic surgery is something that one opts for in order to improve ones appearance and, in turn, ones life. So if you don?t want to settle for anything less, simply adhere to your surgeon?s advice on post-operative care.

Nicola publishes an informational site about liposuction, with articles and news, tips and views to help you make the correct choice about Liposuction and Lipoplasty at http://lipo.plastic-surgery-info.net

Tummy Tucks and Scarring

2009-03-07T00:50:00.001+07:00

Plastic surgeons are doing more and more tummy tucks as the effects of poor nutrition, stress and a lack of exercise takes affect on all of us. This brings up the issue of tummy tucks and scarring.

Tummy Tucks and Scarring

Many people who find that diet and exercise are not enough to shape their abdominal area are turning to abdominoplasty. Abdominoplasty, which is also known as a tummy tuck, is one of the most common body sculpting plastic surgery procedures that is performed today. While this procedure is a relatively quick method for getting rid of that spare tire, you need to give some thought to the potential scarring that will result in some cases.

Tummy tuck scarring is very common after having the operation. The traditional tummy tuck procedure involves making a large cut horizontally across the lower abdomen from hip to hip. This cut allows surgeons to access the underlying abdominal area, where they can remove fat, tighten muscle and get rid of excess skin in the stomach area. Often, this procedure can require other areas to be cut and realigned such as the area around the navel or belly button. All of these cuts can, and will, leave scarring to some extent.

Luckily, most tummy tuck scarring is usually positioned below the waistline where bathing suit bottoms and underwear cover the scar from view. Some people are still upset by the idea of purposely inflicting a large mark on their body, however, it becomes an issue of weighing them against the excess skin and fat in the area. Furthermore, your plastic surgeon is not a mad scientist. They are trained to provide you with body enhancements, not large disfigurements. They will do everything possible to minimize scarring.

So, should your abandon the idea of undergoing abdominoplasty because of scarring? It is a decision that only you can make, but you must only make the decision when you have all of the facts. In this case, the facts mean sitting down with your plastic surgeon and reviewing pictures of other patients. The surgeon should have before and after pictures of tummy tuck patients. You can view their tummy tuck scarring and ask your plastic surgeon to identify the pictures that represent what he or she believe will be closest to yours.

Tummy tuck scarring sound like a serious matter and they are for some people. The key is to make an informed decision with your plastic surgeon after viewing before and after pictures. For most people, they are sufficiently small that they do not constitute a reason to avoid the surgery.

Ricardo de Silva is with PlasticSurgeonPractices.com - a directory of plastic surgeons. Visit us to read more plastic surgery articles.

Beauty Doesn't Have To Be Expensive

2009-03-06T21:35:00.001+07:00

Where do you buy your beauty supplies? If you buy them from a department store- you are paying way too much! I was a department store buyer for many years. I was hooked on a particular brand, and I thought that the products were only available at the department store. I was wrong. With a little bit of time and research, I was able to shave off 50% of my beauty supply bill. Imagine what you could do with the extra money. The process is actually really simple. All you have to do is find the right websites.

Many of us are hooked on a particular brand of beauty supplies. We have used them for years, and love the way that they make us look and feel. The price tag however isn?t very pretty. Try doing a search online for your favorite beauty products. You may find that auction sites such as EBay.com have really good deals. Make sure to find out about shipping and return policies. I am a sucker for a free shipping deal, so try to find them whenever possible. You may also be able to purchase the product directly from the manufacturer?s website. Look for online promotions that will give you discounts on the items you buy most. Coupon sites can give you even better discounts, so shop around.

If you are feeling adventurous and want to try a new cheaper brand, have no fear. Most websites will include a list of ingredients for all of their products. You can then compare this list with products that you have tried before. Look for products that have natural ingredients. If you can?t produce anything on the label, chances are its not a good deal. There are many companies that focus on creating cheap designer knock-offs, so you may get a fragrance or cologne for much less than the name brand.

Buying beauty supplies online can be a lot of fun. You will be amazed at the level of savings, and pleased with the final product. Try getting together with friends and family members to compare beauty regimens. You may find a new product or item that you cannot live without. Always remember- beauty doesn?t have to be expensive!

Melanie Breeze, avid online shopper and user of CouponChief, is always shopping around for the best deals. You can find beauty supply bargains and savings available around the web at CouponChief, all in one location. Always find an online coupon 1st before making ANY purchase!

Anorexia Nervosa An Eating Disorder!

2009-03-06T02:18:00.000+07:00

Anorexia can be termed or also mean as person who has lost his/her appetite. It can be seen as a form of disease which is very harmful posing a threat to your life. This is a voluntary starving process wherein people kill their desire to eat and end up starving oneself. There are many components which makes this disease complex such as psychological, sociological and physiological. The weight loss doesn?t happen very rapidly but it is a very slow process and looks like any other weight reducing programme in the beginning. But it is after some months you realize the effect it has taken upon your health.

This affects the personality of the person drastically and the outgoing and extrovert person becomes very introvert and subdued. The level of concentration starts depleting too which proves to be big problem for many young people who are the major victims in this disease. The inability to maintain 15 percent of an individual?s normal weight is one of the very serious matters which have to be handled very delicately. Due to starving process there are repeated practices of binge eating and vomiting. Fear plays a very important part, as it the fear of putting on weight, that they discard the idea of being hungry which can also be said as killing yourself gradually and slowly.

The shrinking body is the number one sign you would see in all the people suffering from anorexia. The minimal body weight of the person is also not maintained which makes it very risky for the person. Body doesn?t get enough supplements in the form of vitamins or proteins due to which the nail and hair becomes brittle and the skin without any source of energy turns yellow and pale. In such kind of health, psychologically the person is traumatized, and depression starts kicking in. Due to the shrinking body there is drop in the body temperature which makes the person more vulnerable to cold. Even with the body remaining 1/4 of its size the person suffering with this disorder find themselves to be fat, which can be maintained as a psychological barrier.

The people who are mostly affected with anorexia are mostly girls or women of very young age. The portrayal of abnormally thin women in advertisements and movies as embodiments of beauty has made young women and teenaged girls want to be like them. This alone cannot be considered as the factor determining the anorexic patients. Other factors like eating disorders, genetics, environment, personalities and bio-chemistry. For many anorexia starts off for activities like dance, sports which require a certain body structure. Such kind of disorders also run in families and girls find themselves at a higher risk of getting affected by this disease.

Treatment for such a disease is reversible. Once it is diagnosed the treatment should begin immediately. Most of these cases if detected early, the success rate is good too. Once detected most of these patients are admitted in the hospital and treated accordingly. There is a weight gain program and it takes time depending upon the individual. A set target for food intake per week is assigned which accordingly is increased so as to get the person back on his/her feet, literally. There are different kind of therapies such as normal, group, individual and family. There is lot of emotional baggage for many people who suffer from anorexia and those feeling have to be dealt with, by some psychological sessions or other therapies.

Kevin Pederson has been managing a number of natural home remedies websites which have information on this would help in knowing anorexia and how to fight it out.

Clipin Hair Extensions Beautiful Result or Advertising Hype?

2009-03-06T01:34:00.000+07:00

What are clip-in hair extensions and how are they attached?

Clip-in extensions are perfect if you want to turn your hair into beautiful flowing locks instantly. But, of course, on the down side, they have to be removed at the end of the day. So clip-ins are good for a party, a special date or just whenever you want to look different for a few hours. They are much cheaper than salon-made permanent hair extensions. Another advantage is that clip-ins don?t damage your own hair in any way.

Quality hair extensions are several strands of hair, each attached individually. Usually 3- or 4-inch wide pieces go on the back of your head in several layers, and a few 1- or 2-inch wide pieces are put on the sides. As the name suggests, each strand is attach? to your own hair with a clip. With a little bit of practice, clipping the extensions in becomes rather easy and takes only a few minutes. Taking them off is even easier.

You can usually find 14?, 16? and 18? clip-in extensions. Anything longer puts too much tension on your own hair.

Who can wear clip-in extensions?

Clip-in extensions are suitable for people whose natural hair is shoulder length or longer. If you have medium length hair, extensions can make it longer. If you have long but very fine hair, or your hair is not in its best condition, clip-in hair extensions are a great way to bring richness and fullness to your hair.

However, clip-in extensions will not work for women with very short hair. Extensions only look natural when they are mixed in with your natural hair, so if your hair is short, people will notice that you are wearing extensions. If you have a short haircut, but are dying for long locks, buy a wig that is similar in color to your natural hair. High quality designers wigs look very natural - nobody will guess that you are wearing a wig unless you tell them. If a wig is not for you, then you can go for salon-made hair extensions that are braided or glued to your own hair. These stay in for several months, but cost significantly more than clip-ins.

Do clip-in extensions look natural?

It depends on the quality of extensions you get. First, you should know that hair extensions can be made from natural human hair or from synthetic fibers. I will be honest: synthetic hair extensions are cheap, but you get exactly what you pay for. They just don?t look right. High quality human hair clip-in extensions, on the other hand, look like they grow from your own head.

If you look online, you will find many brands of clip-in extension. It is best to go for a well known maker of hair-pieces and extensions, such as Diva in a Box, PutOnPieces or Raquel Welch. See pictures of clip-in hair extensions (will be a link) from different brands.

Since the extensions are mixed in with your own hair, color matching is very important. And the good news is that human hair clip-in extensions can be colored to match your own hair color exactly. However, I wouldn?t recommend doing that at home - it is better to color your extensions at the salon. You can also use hot iron on the human hair extensions to curl them a little.

How much do they cost?

The cost varies greatly, depending on the material. Synthetic hair extensions will cost you less than $100. For a real human hair extensions, you might pay from $200 to $400. However, you can get good discounts through online hair extensions and wigs shops

Clip-in hair extensions can be real fun. They will help you to create a different image instantly, which is very important for a busy modern woman.

Tanya Turner is wig and hair extensions expert and a publisher of http://www.WigsGuide.info, an online hair extensions and hairstyle magazine, that provides information, reviews and pictures of all types of hair extensions including clip-in hair extensions.

Health & Beauty: 5 Steps to PainFree Shaving for Sexy Smooth Summertime Legs

2009-03-05T22:36:00.000+07:00

Summertime is near. And with the days getting longer and warmer, out come the shorts, mini-skirts, and bare legs.

Like most women, I?ve tried it all: shaving, waxing, depilatories? you name it. While I do love the benefits of waxing, waiting a couple of weeks during the summer for the hair to get long enough to wax is not my idea of a good time. And I?ve never had success with depilatories.

So what?s a girl to do? Fall back on our old friend: the razor.

While shaving is definitely the easiest, quickest, and least expensive hair-removal option, shaving still comes with its own problems: most notably nicks, cuts, and the dreaded ?razor burn.? But it doesn?t have to. There are some very simple (and economical!) things you can do to avoid the pit-falls of shaving.

Follow these five easy steps that will keep you and your razor friends?all the way through the long, lazy days of summer:

Exfoliate, Exfoliate, Exfoliate. I can?t stress this enough. Exfoliation helps to smooth the skin by remove dead skin cells while softening the coarse hair on your legs. And that adds up to smoother, easier shaving.

Grab your trusty scrub puff or a washcloth and a moisturizing body wash. You don?t need to scrub hard, as the puff or washcloth will do most of the work. (And while you?re at it, wash your whole body like this?your skin will glow!

Save the Shave ?Til the End. While it?s not quite like saving the best for last, waiting until the end of your shower will make shaving much easier. Ask any man. They usually wait until the end (or after) their shower to shave, giving their stubble time to soften. Not only is it easier to shave, but it allows for a much closer shave.

The hair on your legs is coarse and needs time to soften in the hot water. Shaving at the beginning of your shower or bath, before the hair softens, will almost guarantee nicks, cuts and/or razor-burn. So to save yourself some pain?and get smoother legs?by saving the shaving until the end.

Use a New(er) Blade. This one may seem like a no-brainer, but so many women don?t change blades often enough. While I couldn?t find statistics from any of the razor companies as to how many shaves a you can get from one disposable blade, the women in my informal poll agree that a razor blade is usually only good for about 10 shaves. And that number can be even less if you have very heavy or very coarse hair.

You know when it?s not sharp enough. It may feel dull or like it?s pulling at your skin. It may look old. Or you may realize that you can?t remember the last time you changed it. But the rule of thumb: it?s better to change too often than not often enough. A dull blade is more likely to cause nicks, cuts and razor-burn.

So switch out that old blade with a new one. Just remember that a new blade is sharp?so always shave slowly and carefully!

Use Conditioner. If you only remember one tip from this article, remember this: conditioner is the best substance to use to shave with! Yes, I?m talking about hair conditioner. Conditioner provides a thin layer of protection on your skin, helps the blade glide smoothly, and further softens your hair.

I keep a large bottle of inexpensive conditioner in my shower (I get the jumbo size from Costco, with a pump in it?which also makes it easier to dispense) that is dedicated for shaving. Use about the same amount that you do when putting lotion on your legs. Make sure you rinse your blade well after shaving. Try this tip once and you?ll never go back to soap or shaving cream again!

Moisturize While Wet. This is the final step to the pain-free shave. You can moisturize with one of the new in-shower lotions, the kind that you put on and then rinse off in the shower. Or, after turning off the water but before reaching for your towel, you can moisturize with body oil or baby oil.

I keep a bottle of almond oil in the shower, and add my favorite aromatherapy oils to it. Not only will your skin retain more moisture this way, but you also won?t be rubbing lotion onto dry skin?a combination I have found almost guarantees razor burn.

Incorporate these simple tips into your shaving routine and you?ll be on your way to smooth and sexy legs, all summer long!

Kimberly Sobie is a freelance writer, consultant, executive coach, and tax attorney. She lives in Seattle with her husband, son, and cat.

Using Water to Get Glowing Vibrant Skin

2009-03-05T18:13:00.000+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

Beauty Salon Supplies

2009-03-05T02:08:00.001+07:00

The basic necessities for setting up a beauty salon are beauty salon equipment and supplies. They form the backbone of any beauty salon and help it to function efficiently. Thankfully, numerous companies exist to supply good-quality beauty salon products.

Beauty salon supplies can be divided into hair care, skin care, bath, hand and foot, hair color, cosmetics, and hair removal products besides many others.

A huge number of brands and companies exist which provide different types of beauty salon products.

For basic skin and body care, beauty salons usually have antimicrobial hand and body wash, sea mineral masques, pedicure and manicure kits, professional paraffin bath, facial care, and hot spa for nails. Therabath, Theraffin, FantaSea, Body Drench and many more supply creams, masques, washes, gels, and other things for essential body and skin care.

Other products of brands such as Burts Bees, Dermagolica, Murad, Zia Natural, and American Crew (specially suited for men), are also very effective and of excellent quality.

Tools such as hair flat irons, curling irons, crimpers, hair setters, and many others are also a must for all beauty salons. Babyliss, Caruso, Helen of Troy, Hot Tools, jilbere de Paris, Diana the Hunter, and Secret to Beauty are some other brands which provide excellent hair care and styling appliances.

For hair removal, bleaching, and spa, the best brands available are GiGi, Clean +Easy, Satin Smooth, TherabathPro, One touch, The Melting Pot, and many more.

Cosmetics, make-up, and accessories are a core part of beauty salons too. Some good cosmetic products are provided by brands like Japonesque, Lipchic, Lip Venom, Palladio Cosmetics, and Studio Basics.

FolicaPro, Sally Beauty, Iowa Beauty and Barber Supply, and Bob?s Beauty Supply are some companies where you can find good-quality and branded beauty salon supplies.

A truly amazing range of products can be found at Beauty Deals, which deals in all types of beauty salon supplies of almost all reputed and renowned brands available in the market.

Supplies like dryers, clippers, capes, perms, hair removal and spa can all be sought at discounted rates at Cameo Beauty Supplies, Beauty Deals, and Iowa Beauty and Barber Supply, which allows a savings of nearly 66%.

Beauty Salons provides detailed information on Beauty Salons, Beauty Salon Software, Beauty Salon Equipment, Beauty Salon Supplies and more. Beauty Salons is affiliated with Natural Beauty Products.

Body Massage: The Healing Touch

2009-03-04T02:28:00.001+07:00

Most of us experience this feeling of just giving up our fatigued bodies to a masseur who will massage away all the aches and pains caused by physical stress and mental tensions. The pain just seems to vanish out of your system once it is their expert hands. If you keep dreaming about this on your low days, well you are probably not alone for massage is a known stress reliever. Massage at its best has the power to restore the individual physically, mentally and spiritually.

What is a full body massage? How to massage?

Technically, full body massage is a hands-on manipulation of the skin, muscle and joints to relax muscle spasm, relieve tension, improve circulation and hasten elimination of toxins and wastes from the body. Massage is an ancient art. It has been known to be in practice in the Orient for over 3000 years. The expert hand of the masseur not only rubs away fatigue inducing stress but also improves blood circulation in the body. Apart from creating a pleasant sensation on the skin, it also works on the soft tissue (the muscles, tendons and ligaments) to improve muscle tone. Although it mainly affects the muscles just underneath the skin, its benefits may also reach the deeper layers of muscle and possibly even the internal organs.

Massage Therapy: Alternative medicine?

An essential part of alternative medicine, massage has gained popularity in the West too and is widely used to treat a variety of ailments. Different forms of massage include - Acupressure, Athletic Massage, Polarity Massage, Reflexology, Rolfing, Shiatsu, Sports Massage, Swedish Massage, Traeger Massage and Watsu. Aromatherapy massage makes use of aromatic essential oils known for their stress relieving effects. Manipulation of soft tissues affects many of our bodily systems; hence massage therapy stands to help many of the health problems we face today.

General Benefits of Massage

? Soothing relaxation
? Healing
? Eases tension, stiffness and pain
? Improves breathing
? Improves circulation
? Enhances well-being

The therapeutic benefits of massage

? Massage aims to develop, maintain, rehabilitate or augment physical function.
? Boost immune system function, improve circulation and speed up recovery time.
? Relax tight and tense muscles
? Ease or prevent physical dysfunction and pain.
? Reduces overall stress and fatigue
? Massage therapy is effective in the control of pain - chronic or acute, stress reduction and in creating a sense of soothing relaxation and well-being.
? Massage can be fun and can be wonderfully sensual; it can be an effective tool to revive a sagging sex life. Erotic Thai massages or even simple massages are a great way to begin a night of intimacy.

Full Body Massage helps you relax!

Although even a one odd massage does leave you with a pleasant feeling, the effects of massage are cumulative and undergoing a series or course of massage treatments, is what will give you the maximum benefits. Regular massages strengthen and tones the muscles and boosts the entire body mechanism, so as to prevent unnecessary strains and injuries. Massage has the power to stimulate the nervous system as much as it can relax, hence it can be used, depending on the individual's need.

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

The Ultimate Beauty Tip: Good Posture

2009-03-03T22:31:00.001+07:00

When you think of projecting a professional image, do you consider your posture? Most people don?t think of it, but the way we stand, sit, and move affects just how professional we look. So, if we take the time to wear the clothing that best suits us, get the most flattering hairstyle and perfect our makeup, then it would make sense that we wouldn?t want to ruin our look by having poor posture. And that?s what poor posture will do ? it will ruin an otherwise professional look.

There are other advantages to having good posture:

1.Good posture will boost self-confidence. Try this: take a deep breath and stand straight. Do you feel better? More confident?

2.Good posture opens your diaphragm making your voice sound better.

3.It improves your health by allowing your organs to function more easily.

4.It also makes you look slimmer, younger and your clothes look better.

To know if you have good posture stand sideways in front of a full-length mirror and stand as you do naturally. Is your:

*Neck straight

*Shoulders square

*Tummy in

*Feet pointing forward

Or do you have:

* Slopped shoulders

* Drooping bust

* Chest caved in

To achieve good posture you must make it a habit by keeping your shoulders back, abdomen pulled in, your head lifted and chin parallel to the ground. This won?t be easy if you are not used to it because you will have to build the muscles that keep your body in the correct position. It will take patience and practice. When you make a decision to work on your posture don?t expect it to happen overnight but rest assured it will improve and you will see and feel the difference.

Sheila Dicks is an Image and Wardrobe consultant who helps women learn how to dress to suit their body type and look slimmer. You can reach her at http://www.sheilasfashionsense.com to download her ebook, Image Makeovers and get How to Build a Wardrobe ebook free.

The Revolution in Skin Care

2009-03-03T17:56:00.001+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.

9 Steps Toward Nontoxic Health and Beauty

2009-03-02T22:46:00.001+07:00

1.Make your own deodorant.

You can make your own deodorant by adding together equal parts of baking soda and cornstarch. This is a wonderful recipe for deodorant, and it works. The baking soda absorbs the odor. The cornstarch absorbs the wetness.

2.Perfumes are not necessarily your friend.

Perfumes can be costly and may contain toxins. Pure essential oils can keep you smelling heavenly. Essential oils have also been proven to have many healing benefits.

3.Read the label.

Sometimes it is as simple as reading the label. Though many labels are purposely misleading, reading the label will help us know whether a product is one that we want to put in or on our bodies. If you see a long list of ingredients, and you don't know what most of them are or what they do, you probably want to avoid that product.

4.Check your kitchen.

The best products for our beauty and health are often in our kitchens. Nature provides wonderful fruits, vegetable, seeds and berries, any of which make the best cosmetics and body-care products. Somehow or other, we have learned to doubt Nature. We feel that we know best. We have gone against the laws of Nature in favor of commercialism.

5.Wash new clothes before you wear them.

The clothes you buy go through many processes and many hands before you buy them yourself. If the garment is washable, please be sure to wash it before you wear it for the first time. This will ensure that excess chemicals, pesticides, dyes and bleaches are removed before it meets your body.

6.Our body is one unit.

We often forget that our body is one unit. Many of us have the idea that it is all right to use toxic products on our hair, for instance. We believe that a product used outside our body will not affect the inside of our body. This is not true. Therefore, if you would not put a product in your body (eat it), please do not put it on your body. The reverse holds true.

7.Less is more.

Many of us have cabinets full of cosmetics and so-called health products. We are bombarded constantly with products that promise to make us healthy, youthful and beautiful. However, the truth is, less is more. Find products with the least amount of ingredients. Single-ingredient products, such as coconut oil, Shea butter or various clays, are superb products. Likewise, an occasional meal that consists only of one nutritious food will give your digestive system a rest.

8.Research.

We spend a great deal of time in researching vacation spots we want to travel to. We will ask in-depth questions about whether the car we're thinking of buying gets good mileage and drives well. However, we spend little time researching the products that we put in and on our bodies. Our bodies are our temples. Learn about your body and the food and products you consume.

9.Talk to your elders.

Many of our ancestors knew the health and beauty secrets of the plants and the earth. Over the years, however, we have been taught to discount their knowledge of health and beauty as old-fashioned. The beauty and health industry would love you to believe this. Do not let our elders take these secrets with them to the grave.

Wambui Bahati Miss Inspiration is a professional speaker and entertainer. Her mission: Reminding you of your magnificence.

http://www.wambui-bahati.com
http://www.inspiration-motivation-celebration.com/

5 Insider Beauty Secrets Other Women Don't Want You To Know! (Part 2)

2009-03-02T16:47:00.001+07:00

By far one of the most important of our beauty assets is our smile. Who can resist an enigmatic sparkling white smile?

You also can't hide yellow teeth like you can most other physical defects. So you should always be sure your smile is at it's best.

Perfectly straight teeth aren't always necessary either, so if you could never afford braces or retainers don't worry too much.

Some of the most beautiful women I know (and even myself), have never worn braces in their life. And have small imperfections in the straightness of their teeth.

Even some famous actresses have teeth that have obviously never worn braces (think Amber Tamblyn, Kirsten Dunst, Kristin Kreuk).

And yet they still manage to be amazingly beautiful because their teeth are well cared for, and shine like pearls.

So how can you make your smile enviable without spending a fortune at a dentists or on teeth whitening products?

Beauty Secret 4

Whiten and brighten your smile.

For this little beauty secret you use two household items that are rock bottom cheap to buy; Baking Soda, and Peroxide.

Yep, thats how simple it is.

You take the baking soda and peroxide and you make a thick paste out of them. You shouldn't need more than a tablespoon of the paste.

Apply the paste to teeth, and leave on for 5 to 10 minutes every morning and night.

The most effective way to do this, and brighten your smile, is by brushing your teeth with the paste.

Baking soda and peroxide will not only whiten your teeth but clean them too, if you use them in place of toothpaste.

Then just sit back and watch the results!

Your smile will become visibly whiter, and to boot you'll save a bundle on toothpaste, and teeth whiteners.

-----------------------------------------

Don't you always hate it when summer rolls around, and your body is hardly swimsuit or shorts ready?

Or even the rest of the year when it seems impossible to disguise those figure flaws!

Beauty Secret 5

Hide figure flaws and defects.

If you are bigger in the butt and upper thighs than in the hips and waist:

Wear tighter tops to show off your trim upper body, and skirts that taper towards the hemline to disguise your pear shape.

Buy jeans that are a snug fit and are low rise (the low rise will emphasize your small waist and the tightness has a surprisingly slimming effect on legs and butt).

Dresses that end just a little above the knee work nicely for pear figures as they hide bulky upper legs.

The best swimsuits for pear figures tend to be bikini's that have low cut bottoms with a flounce skirt. This draws eyes away from the legs, and minimizes them at the same time.

If you are bigger in the waist and bust, and your butt and thighs are more slender:

Wear shirts that tend to fall from the peak of your breasts downward, to hide a bulky stomach.

Or wear a snug t-shirt with a button up shirt or sweater over it, leaving the buttons unfastened on the shirt or sweater.

Wear shorts and skirts that are short to emphasize your good feature (your legs).

The best swimsuit for women who are big on top and little on bottom is a full piece that is high cut in the hips.

This hides the stomach, and shows of slender legs and buttocks.

If you are an extremely skinny woman all over:

Wear skirts that flounce out and shirts that ruffle to give you a more rounded appearance.

Wear semi loose dresses that are tight only in the right spots.

For instance emphasize a small waist with a dress that is cinched in the middle but flounces out from the hips to give a curvy appearance.

Wear tight jeans, or loose slacks with a pull over sweater, these will both work well for your figure type.

The best swimsuits for skinny women are of course bikinis. Full pieces give slender women a little girl appearance, and are not very attractive.

The bikini's are best if they're high cut in the hips and butt. This flatters a thin woman best by showing off her waist and legs.

Low cut bikini's will also work well with a skinny woman though, if you want to emphasize slender hips.

If you're a large woman all over:

You should go for just slightly loose fitting clothes. Too loose and you'll only make yourself appear bigger.

Wear panty hose to make your legs look slim. Avoid overly tight clothes at all costs, this will make your skin roll, and you'll look larger than ever.

Choose mainly capris and knee length skirts or dresses for summer.

Avoid shorts, mini skirts, or short dresses until you slim down.

The best swimsuit for a full figure is (you guessed it) a full piece, cut low in the hips, and with a skirted bottom.

If you're a curvy woman (also known as an hour glass figure):

You can wear almost anything you choose to and look good; loose slacks, tight jeans, loose shirts, tight shirts, loose skirts, tight skirts, dresses, bikini's, full pieces, etc...

So be proud of your figure and choose your clothes with some taste to best show off your unique shape.

Now that you'e armed with these beauty secrets, go out and put them to use. You'll definitely start to turn heads, and command a respect in people wherever you go.

Because, remember it's not the shape of your body, or face, or the size of your nose or lips or eyes, that denotes beauty.

It's the proud way you carry yourself, and the neatness, and good taste with which you pick your clothes and accessories.

Be sure to read Part 1 of this informative article. In Part 1 I'll teach you the beauty secrets for clearing acne, making your lips soft and kissable, and a few fashion tips every woman should know. Click Here For Part 1 Of Beauty Secrets

2005 Holiday Hairstyling Tips Trends and Secrets of the Stars

2009-03-02T01:20:00.001+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

Information On Raw Juice Therapy

2009-03-01T22:34:00.001+07:00

When raw juices are unlocked from the cells of plants, pure and vital liquids of great healing power are released, and their infinitely gentle action can coax our bodies back to normality. Raw juices have none of the potentially dangerous side effects of many potent drugs, yet they can eliminate health problems arising from many of those deficiencies created by the bustle and pace of modern life.

The regular addition of such juices to a wise diet is also a great strengthener of bodily function, assisting in the prevention of the prema?ture degeneration of skin, flesh, glands and organs that causes so many who should be enjoying a long and active prime of life to lapse into early senility.

For effective therapy you need to know which fresh vegetable and fruit juices are needed to benefit the body. We will try to explain the best for each condition, with the most important points of each therapy and the best ways of extracting the precious juices, both mechanically and by hand.

Sunshine and good healthy soil enlivened with refreshing rain allow plants to develop to a rich maturity, and the raw juices they yield are the quintessence of nature's handiwork. Readily available and easy to digest, they contain a wealth of nutritional factors needed to supple?ment the diet. The ancient Romans knew this when they added honey, crushed or juiced fruits, aromatic plants and scented flowers to their drinks.

When used swiftly after extraction, raw fruits and vegetable juices are an incomparably effective way of rapidly utilizing the powers of the plants to protect you from illness. The composition of juices is so com?plex that analytical procedures give only a part of the truth. In addition, it is not only the compositions of the individual juices which create their profound effects, it is the subtle natural balance between the con?stituent parts.

On the face of it, juices do not seem likely to be very energizing, but, as experts point out, the calorie content of a litre (1?pt) of grape or pineapple juice is between eight and nine hundred. To achieve the same you would need 1.5 litres (2? pt) of milk or a dozen eggs, 1. 4kg (3lb) of potatoes or 650 grams (1? lb) of meat. Apple juice contains 500 calories per litre; pear juice 420; cherry juice 450; orange juice 400; strawberry juice 220.

The descriptions of plants and vegetables many times mention the wide variations found in their vitamin and mineral contents. What is sure is that storage and cooking are major factors in reducing what is present naturally. Therefore, raw fruits, vegetables and their juices are ideal ways to obtaining maximum nourishment.

The therapeutic uses of juices require that all the factors that are normally present are consumed in sufficient quantities to be efficacious. It would be impossible for most people to consume the amount of raw cabbage needed to give the pint or two a day needed for the treatment of a gastric ulcer. But it is not difficult to take the cabbage in the form of juice.

Remember, juices are never dangerous. But, some drugs are so dangerous that the side effects are almost as bad as the condition they are supposed to treat!

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 some tips on raw juice therapy.

Fake a Tan with Sunless Tanning Lotion

2009-03-01T19:43:00.001+07:00

A great tan is associated with health and beauty. While a bronze look is desirable, especially in the summer or on holiday -- we all know the dangers of the sun's UV rays. Is a temporary tan worth the permanent sun damage, wrinkles, and skin cancer risk? Absolutely not!

You can save time and avoid these risks entirely with sunless tanning lotion. Today's self-tanners give you a deep golden tan, not the orange look of years ago.

Many new self tanning lotions are tinted and these are the ones I recommend. Not only do they give you an initial tan, you're more likely to apply the lotion evenly and avoid streaking.

First, take a shower or bath and exfoliate your skin. Pay special attention to your elbows, knees and any other rough spots. These areas will soak up the self tanning lotion and turn darker so you need to get rid of any dead skin.

Pat yourself dry and pin your hair up. Apply regular body or hand lotion to the dry spots you exfoliated. Allow yourself several minutes to completely dry.

You may choose to wear thin gloves to put on the self tanning lotion and avoid getting it on your hands, but applying it with your bare hands will probably result in a more even application. It's your choice.

Start applying the lotion from the bottom - up, bracing your foot on a chair or stool. Rub in lightly, you can always go back later and apply a second time.

Don't forget the areas that would tan naturally in the sun, the back of your legs, knees, arms, and neck. When applying to your face, remember to smooth it on your eyelids and into your hairline -- avoiding your eyes and hair. For people with sensitive skin, there are self tanning lotions formulated specifically for your face and will result in a more natural look.

If you will be wearing your hair up, don't forget to apply the self tanner on the back of your neck, and behind your ears to look more natural.

When you're finished, wash your hands thoroughly if you chose not to wear gloves, so your palms don't turn an unnatural color. Use a hand towel to dry them completely.

Before the lotion dries, it's more likely to tan what you're wearing too, so let yourself dry and put on some loose clothing. If you're going to be sitting on a cloth chair or couch, sit on a towel to avoid staining.

For a deep, dark tan before a special occasion, apply self tanning lotion before bed, and again in the morning. Before you go out, check yourself in the mirror for any streaks and correct them with a damp paper towel. Apply bronzing powder to your face and shoulders for a finishing touch, and hit the town!

About The Author

Lorene Radenz is a freelance writer and the founder of http://www.beautytipsonline.com and http://www.ibizedge.com - websites for online beauty and business.

Cosmetic Procedures South of The Border

2009-03-01T16:00:00.001+07:00

Cosmetic surgery is rarely covered by health insurance, which makes it a pricey decision. Cosmetic surgery in Mexico can be undertaken cheaply and safely.

Deciding to have cosmetic surgery is a big step. You need to carefully decide whether undergoing major surgery is necessary for you to feel better about yourself, and whether you think that surgery will do all you desire. If you've gone through all of the agony of choosing to have cosmetic surgery, you will soon be in for your second difficult decision - how do I get it done? Cosmetic surgery in the United States is quite expensive, and aside from a few reconstructive procedures, is not covered by health insurance. Many people need to save for years before they can afford the cosmetic procedures they want, but some people choose to go a different route. Some patients choose to get their cosmetic surgery done in a different country, where it will cost significantly less than here in the US. Specifically, cosmetic surgery in Mexico is popular.

When deciding on where to get cosmetic surgery, Mexico may seem to be a logical choice. It's a nearby country, and you don't even need a passport to travel there. Many doctors and facilities speak English in Mexico, especially near the border, which also helps to draw patients. The surgeries performed at hospitals and surgical centers in Mexico are often the same as those that are done in the US, but a lower cost of supplies and other medical necessities keeps the cost down.

One unfortunate aspect of cosmetic surgery Mexico is the number of people who return from that country with botched procedures and even infections and other life threatening problems. Of the thousands of people that travel to Mexico each year for cosmetic surgery, many are drawn by the price tag (often less than half of what it would cost in the US) and don't do the research to make sure that their surgeon and facility is certified and skilled in cosmetic surgery. They are willing to allow procedures to be performed on their bodies with little to no knowledge of the doctor who will be doing the surgery. Some of these surgeons may not even have been trained in cosmetic surgery or even be real doctors!

That's not to say that all of the cosmetic surgery Mexico handles is done incorrectly or at the hands of incompetent doctors. If a patient does their research and makes sure to choose a clinic and doctor who is qualified to do the procedure they want, this surgery can go well. Depending on the hospital and recovery centers available, you may be able to have treatment that is just as good or better than that in the US.

Choosing cosmetic surgery in Mexico offers can be a risky situation, so one needs to be sure of all the details before leaving for your cosmetic procedure. Find a qualified, trained physician and you should be fine.

Ricardo de Silva is with PlasticSurgeonPractices.com - Visit us to read more plastic surgery articles.

5 Important Facts Adults Need to Know Before Getting Braces

2009-02-27T12:50:00.003+07:00

Adult orthodontia is big business. More 40-something year old parents have finally gotten all their children out of braces and now it?s their turn. Some middle-agers are just now becoming metal mouths because they are at a point in their life when they can finally afford it. Still others opt for the wires because after starting over after a divorce they are finally ready to get that gorgeous straight smile!

If you?re considering taking the plunge yourself, here are a few bits of information you should know before making a decision. There are basically three types of braces moms and dads are opting for: standard metal, clear brackets and invisible. The standard ones are the most cost effective and you can even change the color of your rubber bands like all the hip, cool kids are doing. Clear brackets are a bit larger in size than the metal ones. Depending on your bite you may not have enough room to get the clear ones on your lower teeth, at least not initially. The wires are still metal and you can see the braces on your teeth, they?re just not as noticeable. Drawbacks are they are slightly more expensive than the metal brackets and when it comes time to take them off, it?s takes a bit more effort and is consequently a little more uncomfortable. Lastly there are the invisible braces which go behind your teeth, not on the front like most. It takes a while longer to correct your smile and is the most expensive type.

Speaking of expensive, you should on plan on spending about $4,000 for your braces. Clearly you will find some orthodontists who will do it for less, and some for more. It really depends also on the length and severity of treatment. If you have orthodontia insurance coverage, some plans cover up to 50% of the total costs. Most orthodontists will allow you to make monthly payments. You?ll be required to put a down payment on your new beautiful smile.

One thing you may not hear during your initial consultation, yet other adults who have gone before you will testify to is that when you initially get your braces put on your teeth ? it hurts! It hurts a lot and for along time! With children they tell them it may be a little uncomfortable for two or three days and to take Ibuprophin as needed for pain. That?s not the case with adults, although they may give you the same instructions. Think about it. Children who get braces have their permanent teeth for generally three months or three years. Those big teeth haven?t become too accustomed to hanging out in their current location.

Adults, on the other hand, have had those permanent teeth affixed in their mouth for 20-35 years prior to getting braces. They don?t move as easily or as willingly. One mother shared that she was glad she had left over heavy duty pain meds from her c-section five years prior. She lamented that she felt like an elephant was sitting on her head for 10-days straight. Further, she continued she?d rather go through another 52 hours of labor than to get braces put on again.

This is not to frighten you. It does get much easier and you even forget you have them on. When you get adjustments every eight weeks or so, you?re normally a little tender for 24-36 hours, and aspirin does help. The severe pain is just initially when you first get them on. Ask for pain meds. Do not let them tell you to take a few Tylenol and you?ll be fine in three days. You?re in for a rude awakening if you believe that.

But in no time at all, average 18-24 months you will have a Hollywood smile and it will have all been worth it! Open wide ? who?s next?

The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any health care program.

Emily Clark is editor at Lifestyle Health News and Medical Health News where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on many medical, health and lifestyle topics.

Health Benefits Of Nettle

2009-02-27T12:50:00.001+07:00

The stinging nettle (which is called ortie in France and Brennessel in Germany) was said to be introduced into Britain by Caesar's soldiers. They sowed it along the sides of the great straight roads; both the roads and the nettles survive. At the end of a day's march the cooler climate of England and the weary miles made their legs ache. They would gather the nettles and beat each other with them so warming the affected parts. Really an embrocate for the strong.

Culpeper says wittily that they may be found by feeling on the darkest night! He tells us that the juice with honey is a safe and sure medicine to open the pipes and passages of the lungs.

Today the herbal practitioner has found many uses for the humble nettle. The extract with alcohol is a stimulating hair tonic. Urtication, or beating with nettles, is sometimes used as a counter irritant for rheumatic sufferers. It is given to lessen bleeding in the mouth, in the form of a juice, and the juice will apparently greatly relieve painful piles or haemorrhoids if taken a tablespoonful (l5ml) at a time, three times a day.

The active constituents are many and include 5-hydroxytryptamine, histamine, formic acid and gallic acid, plus much readily assimilable iron. Research by Drs Herrmann and Neumann established that an increased metabolic rate took place over a period which lasted from the sixth to the twenty-second hour after taking a glassful. They said that this was very helpful when used in conjunction with therapies for removing -toxins from the blood, and for rheumatism.

For the same reason, nettle juice is a good addition to any iron therapy for anemia. It helps control diarrhea and is at the same time a diuretic which aids the elimination of uric acid. It is powerful so is usually taken a wineglassful at a time. The part of the plant to pick is the top leaves; you may wear gloves or 'Grasp it like a man of mettle and it soft as silk remains.'

Research by Dr Keeser found that the nettle could reduce the blood sugar level. The juice is often good for nervous eczema. The White Dead Nettle (Lamium album) although similar in appearance belongs to a completely different botanical family, but it acts as an astringent and is also effective for diarrhea.

Kevin Pederson has been managing a number of natural home remedies websites which have information on all the natural and home made remedies with the value and benefits of Nettle.

Skin Condition Has Nothing To Do With Age

2009-02-27T12:40:00.001+07:00

Getting older isn?t what it used to be! Today it is becoming easier and easier to achieve a youthful appearance. There are loads of ?treatments? out there we can use to achieve a line free, age defying appearance.

LOOK AND FEEL AS YOUNG AS YOU LIKE!

How is this possible? Take steps to improve your overall health and wellbeing. Good nutrition, exercise, sleep, protection from the sun and a good skincare routine can help to maintain your youthful appearance & wellbeing throughout your life. The skin is the most visible indicator of how your general health may be and the condition of your skin can often signal the first signs of illness or nutritional deficiencies. A healthy, glowing complexion is a sign of good general health.

Skin needs protection both inside and out. It makes sense to nourish the body within to obtain the correct balance of nutrients, because a healthy body is reflected in healthy skin. But the skin itself needs nourishing too. Skin needs protection from exposure to sun, wind and pollution. This is why a regular skin care regime is so essential at any age.

THE EYES REVEAL THE FIRST SIGNS OF AGING.

The area of skin around the eyes is the most delicate and is usually the first to show the signs of aging. The eye area is very thin and also contains many blood vessels. As we age those dark ?circles?, ?bags? or puffiness under the eyes can possibly be due to slowed blood flow and the resulting build-up of lymph.

By the time we are in our early twenties, we may be showing early signs of damage and wrinkles could be starting to appear. By the mid-thirties, fine lines and wrinkles will be developing, which by 60 will have deepened into ?crow?s feet?, mainly due to a lifetime of exposure to ultraviolet light.

Therefore it is essential not to forget the delicate area of the eye when you are doing your skin care regime. A good eye cream is a must. Sunglasses will also help to protect our delicate eye area and our eyes from the harsh rays of the sun.

THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR DAILY SKIN CARE ROUTINE.

It is now known that the rate of skin aging is dependent not only on the genes you inherited from your parents but also upon internal stress factors such as diet, exercise and mental attitude as well as external stress factors such as excessive exposure to the sun, extreme climatic conditions, air and water borne pollution and chemicals. Skin disorders and premature skin aging occur as a result of a decline in optimal skin function due to any one or all of the above factors. Regular skin care routines, involving cleansing, toning and moisturizing, have been shown to be beneficial in slowing the rate of skin aging and in controlling or preventing skin problems.

Although the skin has its own innate ability to protect itself and repair itself, a good skin care regime can assist this process and protect the skin against unnecessary damage.

Lynette works from home distributing a fantastic line of skin care products. By drawing upon the many benefits of some of the earth's finest herbs and botanical extracts combined with the latest technology, we formulate our products to soothe, refresh, cleanse, nurture and moisturize the skin. NOT TESTED ON ANIMALS http://www.trimtheweight.org/shoponline put in your country and browse the products. I may be emailed: lynetted@dodo.com.au if you would like help in choosing the right product for you.

An Intimate Approach to Beauty

2009-02-27T00:35:00.001+07:00

An Intimate Approach to Beauty

In this article we return to a time when beauty was defined in natural terms. An almost time-forgotten sensual approach to self-care, with simple rituals that will pamper you from the inside out. Where beauty was within every woman and man?s reach and where sometimes, just sometimes less is more.

Dare to be Bare

From time to time leave your skin bare. No make-up, foundations or facial care products that contain chemicals. Know your Skin

Maintaining your skin's moisture balance is essential for overall skin health. However, generally, moisturizers do not replace the essential water needed in skin cells. It is therefore important to leave your skin damp to help your moisturizer or cream penetrate deeper into your skin.

If your skin is oily, you may discover that you do not even need a moisturizer. Even acne prone individuals should not over-wash their skin. Dry skin can actually make the condition worse.

Furthermore, most cleansers and toners with alcohol tend to dry the skin, creating the sensation of needing a moisturizer.

Something as simple as drinking more water will help your skin, nails, your whole well being feel better. All natural, soaps should also be an important element in your skin care regime. These handcrafted soaps maintain its glycerin, which is a water-binding agent. Water-binding agents keep water in the skin, which aids skin damaged by sun and dehydration.

Good Cleansing

Soaps and scrubs should not strip the natural moisture from the skin; instead, these products should help the skin to find its balance as well as enhance your skin?s natural inner glow.

The ideal formulation should help to hydrate the skin so that during cleansing your skin can absorb adequate molecules of water into the cells.

Organic Oats Honey Lavender Facial Scrub is a classic quartet for the face. Its formulation contains organic oats to gently slough off dead skin cells, organic honey to nourish the skin while organic lavender essential oil helps to reduce inflammation.

Create a Bathing Ritual

Water has a healing power for many of us. Just the thought of the vast expanse of clear blue water will tend to relax the inner you. Creating a bathing ritual can offer you the same many physical and mental benefits.

Even cool summer baths can let a fresher you emerge. Surround yourself with nothing but soft candlelight, soothing sounds of nature and sink deep into cool relaxation. Select Citrus bath fizzy to sharpen the senses and restore energy or Lemongrass bath fizzy to relieve exhaustion and fatigue.

The Healing Power of Touch Include a full-body massage with warm oil to your bathing ritual. A body massage can help to increase the firmness of the skin and can even reduce physical and mental fatigue.

A warm Spirit Body Oil will help lift your spirits and nourish the layers of your skin. Spirit Body oils are nothing more than pure plant oils that purify the skin; enhance the complexion and make you feel more attractive.

http://www.anaturalperspective.com is The Place for natural, holistic and organic skincare products.

http://www.anaturalperspective.com sources different skin care products with an emphasis on promoting your well-being. A Natural Perspective brings you all-natural beauty products especially formulated to help bring back your skin to its beautiful, natural balance. You will feel the difference!

Join our Natural Beauty Newsletter. Monthly beauty tips, promotions and articles.

Fruits for Your Skin

2009-02-25T00:54:00.000+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.

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

Applying Makeup and Skin Conditioners

2009-02-25T00:46:00.001+07:00

We all want to look our best before we head out the door, but we sometimes find ourselves running behind schedule and having only a few short minutes to apply our makeup. Well, here are a few quick steps that will have you ready in just minutes.

Applying the skin conditioner should be the very first thing you do before applying makeup. If you know you are running late, apply the conditioner or moisturizer before you begin to get dressed. You should not apply your makeup until the conditioner has been on for about 10 minutes. This gives the conditioner time to soak into your skin and help keep your skin fresh and moisturized. So, if you do this step before getting dressed, you will have time to apply your makeup without the wait.

Now, you are ready to apply the foundation. Use a large sponge and blend the foundation over your face and neck in an upward and outward motion, never in toward your nose.

Next, is the blush, you can use a cr?me blush or a powder blush. Apply with the same motions up and out and accent your cheekbones.

Eye shadow is next. Lightly apply the eye shadow from the inner part of your eye outward. Now, apply the eyeliner. Just lightly start on your upper eyelid and move outward. Do the same for your lower eyelid. Mascara is next. Try to get as close as you can to the end of your eyelashes without poking your eye and move the tip outward. An easier way to apply mascara is to open and shut your eye while holding the mascara in place. Detailed makeup application - http://www.ultimate-cosmetics.com/beauty/Makeup.htm

Now apply a small amount of lipstick. Be sure you are using a moisturizing kind, especially if you tend to have dry chapped lips.

Now, you are ready to go. Applying makeup is not hard. The major mistakes women make is in the products that they purchase. They usually choose the wrong colors for their skin tone.

Try to match your skin tone when you purchase foundation. If you use a darker foundation your face and neck will have a tanned look while the rest of your neck, ears and body are still pale.

For blush and lipsticks, there is a basic rule to remember blondes should use pink colors, brunettes should use peach and if you are a red head you should always use bronze.

Alicia Caldelas for http://www.ultimate-cosmetics.com ? Your ultimate resource to makeup and beauty tips. Get lots of homemade beauty ideas here.

Catch our Beauty Blog! - http://www.ultimate-cosmetics.com/blog/ 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.

The Swan on the Chopping Block

2009-02-20T22:26:00.000+07:00

When Anderson wrote ?The Ugly Duckling?, he was imagining a natural transformation from awkward youth to mature beauty. His vision did not include a meat cleaver. The new network show, ?The Swan? is a travesty on so many levels that it is difficult to know where to begin. There is nothing wrong with using cosmetic surgery to correct a definitive flaw but to turn yourself over to megalomaniacs with scalpels is cause for more therapy than these women are receiving.

It is unconscionable that television should even consider anything so potentially damaging. However, the women who allow themselves to be the golden goose (to mix metaphors) are equally to blame. What sane women would with good conscience turn herself over to strangers without having any input into what is being done.

The Swan reflects society?s superficial attitude towards cosmetic surgery as a cure all for everything from natural aging to an unhealthy lifestyle. It is not enough that millions of baby boomers are already flocking to cosmetic surgeons to graft an artificial spring over a natural winter, now they are fiercely promoting the idea to much younger women even in those in their 20s who admittedly should look far better than they do but could substitute restraint for butchery to improve themselves without outside help. Taking individual responsibility is a far healthier solution to the problem

A healthy person always looks 10 to 20 years younger than her peers. While many women would give anything for beauty, there is one thing that should never be sacrificed --health. Health and beauty are connected vessels: if you steal from one, you steal from the other.

Your inner and outer body are two sides of the same coin. If the colors and forms of your body are changing outwardly, do not be mistaken, for they are also changing inwardly. If surgery is needed on the outside, it might be an indication that surgery will soon be needed on the organs inside as well. Often, the exterior flaws that can be corrected by cosmetic surgery are the result of much more serious internal problems. If the cause is not addressed, the problem will recur.

Cosmetic surgery will not make you younger. Any surgery drastically ages your body. In fact, biologically, you will get older. Facelifts and associated procedures do take years off your face temporarily but add years to your body permanently. Is it worth undergoing 10 to 12 hours of consecutive procedures, exhausting your body, and endangering your life for superficial changes that can largely be obtained through a healthy, disciplined lifestyle?

Think about the images of how the skin was separated from the underlying tissue; how it was lifted back and tightened; how excess skin was trimmed away; and the ear-to-ear incision was closed with surgical staples. Once seen, it is impossible to forget the sight of how the skin was torn or burned, how fat was sucked up, and how foreign materials were implanted.

Since beauty in its natural state requires no force or coercion, the procedures are so gross that it?s difficult to perceive the final result as artistic. Beauty is incompatible with pain and horror. No matter how widely accepted cosmetic surgery is, it will never be separated from the terrible ordeal the subject endured.

Facelifts do not last forever and the negative effects cannot be completely undone. I am asking you to give a new lifestyle a try. You might be surprised how few faults you see in yourself that you are willing to allow someone else to correct. The results will be so astonishing, you just might like yourself the way you are about to become. Beauty, health, and youthfulness are all connected. Your guide for deciding if you are doing the right thing should be--when you gain one, are the others victims?

There is no natural beauty without 100% natural food. The lack of beauty, especially in people over forty, is the result of the consumption of devitalized and denatured foods. Cooked food depletes the body's enzyme reserves and damages its rejuvenating power. On the hand, the Rawsome Diet of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds in their raw state will help your body to make the most of its revitalizing abilities. By restoring the integrity of every cell and by facilitating the operation of every organ, it will bring your weight to its ideal mark, refine your features and add delicacy to your face.

? 2004 Tonya Zavasta

About The Author

Tonya Zavasta is the author of the book ?Your Right to Be Beautiful: How to Halt the Train of Aging and Meet the Most Beautiful You? and of the soon to be published its sequel ?Beautiful on Raw?. In these books Tonya comes across as an ambassador for plain looking women in their quest for physical beauty. Tonya knows firsthand what it is to be humiliated, face adversity and meet the complex obstacles of daily living with a congenital disability. In her forties facing several reconstructive hip surgeries to enable her to walk, she sought a way to offset the devastating effects of anesthetics on her health and appearance. She became convinced that the solution to her quest for health and beauty was to be found in the raw food lifestyle or the Rawsome Diet as she calls it.

To learn more about how you can uncover your Rawsome beauty, visit: www.beautifulonraw.com

Tonyazavasta@hotmail.com

Butt Face

2009-02-19T10:53:00.001+07:00

I know many of us women spend tons of money or have loads of products, and have spent countless amounts of money. There are so many products and creams that claim to dramatically diminish the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, scars, blemishes, as well as strengthen and nourish skin.

The original formula was created for a babies diaper rash. Today, there is a steady following which is causing an unembroidered flurry as its steadfast users praise its exciting intrinsic worth by word of mouth it is described as the miracle cream under $6. A month ago I never heard of A&D, but I did know what diaper rash cream was.

I have found it to be the best moisturizing cream you`ll ever apply to your skin; it is specially formulated with two active ingredients, Petrolatum and Lanolin, and forms a protective barrier to help seal out irritating wetness and allows skin to heal naturally.

If you find yourself getting slapped in the face for having a cute bum, I think it?s a sure sign ?you apparently look like ass. What is the point to dash out into those over priced department stores; just to pile on perfume based lotions? Most of them break you out, and will some of these manufactures ever get it?

We (women) hate, we hate lipstick that taste like perfume! Anyway, there are tons of creams for this, creams for that out there, but it seems diaper rash cream is good for your butt (I mean face) and it will not burn a hole in your pocket.

Diaper Rash Cream is slathered on baby bums all over the world and works wonders for those delicate arses, says Jenni Rivard. Before you know it your face will be smooth and soft like a baby?s butt!

Veronica Marie is Senior Editor for She Unlimited Magazine. http://www.sheunlimited.com and heads up the community at http://www.sheunlimited.com/forums

Easy Recipe For Clear Skin During Summer Months

2009-02-19T10:43:00.001+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.

Rejuvenate Your Skin with a Simple Seaweed Facial Mask

2009-02-19T10:31:00.001+07:00

A few years ago I discovered how to make a simple facial mask that left my face feeling incredibly soft, smooth and looking absolutely radiant. This mask contains kelp, honey, and aloe vera.

Seaweeds have been traditionally used to detoxify the body both internally and externally. They are rich in nutrients which help to both tone and nourish the skin. Seaweed contain mineral salts that can help the skin to hold it?s moisture better, which helps to smooth fine lines.

Adding honey to your mask adds additional moisture to the skin. Honey is a natural humectant that is rich in vitamins, minerals, enzymes and sugar. The sugar and enzymes in honey is a gentle exfoliate for the skin. When possible use raw honey to ensure that you get the maximum quality and benefit of this wonderful golden treat.

Aloe Vera has been known for its amazing healing properties for centuries. It has been used to help heal burns, eczema, sores, acne, insect bites, and more. It?s an antiseptic, highly lubricant, and penetrates deep into the skin.

To benefit from these ingredients, create this simple mask:

1 TBSP Kelp powder
? TBSP honey (raw honey is best)
? TBSP Aloe vera gel (99.9% pure)

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and apply to a clean face. Leave the mask on for 15 minutes and rinse with lukewarm water.

To enjoy glowing, healthy looking skin, use this mask 2 times a week.

I promise you will enjoy this mask and make it a regular part of your beauty program.

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

DermaPro: Botox Alternative and Foundation Set

2009-02-19T01:16:00.000+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.

How to Evaluate Local Beauty Salon Services

2009-02-17T18:34:00.001+07:00

Every woman in the world likes to feel beautiful. Some take measures into their own hands, buying products that they can use at home for hair, skin, and nail care. Others have a favorite hair stylist or manicurist that can help them. And maybe you're one who's actively looking for a new beauty salon - a place where you can go to catch up on the latest hair fashion styles or take your time having someone else take care of you and your outward beauty.

Beauty salons, day spas, and hair and nail care services have all grown in the last few decades as women have become more accustomed to feeling and looking good. Many are willing to pay top dollar for services that they otherwise couldn't or wouldn't do themselves, or entrust to a friend. Plus, beauty salon employees value staying current with the latest in fashion trends, and this includes hairstyles. So there are many reasons why you might considering trying out a beauty salon. In selecting a beauty salon or hair care service in your area, you'll want to consider a number of factors.

Primarily, you want to consider factors like how close the salon is to your home, whether they have a clean and up to date store front appearance, and whether the stylists and employees are friendly and considerate. Of course, you'll want to ask about the price of services and take note of whether the service is done efficiently and with courtesy. If you're new to trying out a beauty salon, inquire about their familiarity with a certain look or type of technique that you're interested in trying out. Also, it helps if you can find someone who gets to know you and the styles you might look best in - that way you can come back to them on a regular basis for continual hair and beauty care. Finding a beauty salon that works for you may take a bit of interviewing and effort. Through the suggestions provided above you'll be able to narrow your focus to those that would best suit your needs.

Dave Lloyd published http://www.abeautysalonnearyou.com to assist individuals with finding the beauty salon in their area that's right for them.

Apples The Magic Of Fall And Beauty

2009-02-17T18:14:00.001+07:00

Ever since ancient times, the apple is considered the divine fruit and was included in rituals of adoration for many gods. Did you know that apples can actually do wonders for your beauty? Apples contain alpha-hydro acids, determining skin rejuvenation and dead cells exfoliation, as well as agents like pectin with firming and anti-inflammatory effects. Moreover, apple consumption guarantees you a fresh breath and healthy dentition.

Apples - more then just a fruit?

Have you been eating onions or garlic and have an important meeting to attend? The apple is the rescue solution! Why? The pectin neutralizes the intense smell of certain ailments, while the fruit fibers act as a tooth brush.

Facial mask based on apples and honey

This particular formula combines the benefits of apples and honey, reputed for its nourishing properties.

Effects:

Your skin will be optimum hydrated and will enjoy a soft and bright appearance.

Ingredients:

half of an apple?s core
2 tea spoons of honey

How to do it:

Mix the ingredients until a homogeny paste is obtained. Keep that paste in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes. Apply the mixture on a priory cleansed face, massaging it gently until the mixture becomes very thick. This way, your blood flow will be stimulated, while your face will become brighter. Wash it off with lukewarm water.

How to diminish wrinkles and inflammation
Grate a green apple and apply it on your face. This will lead to vanishing fine lines and calm down irritations. Keep the fruit on for 10 to 20 minutes and then wash it off with lukewarm water.

Acne and greasy skin mask
Mix green grated apple and honey in equal quantities, apply the mixture on your face and massage it well for fast absorption. Keep it on for 10 minutes and then wash it off with cold water.

Swallowed and tired eyes
Mix two spoons of sugarless apple juice and one grated potato. Take two cleansing swabs and imbue them with this mixture. Then apply them on your eyes for 10 to 15 minutes. After that, wash it off with lukewarm water.

Double-effect facial mask: exfoliation and hydration

Ingredients

grated quarter of an apple?s core
one tea spoon of crushed oat
one tea spoon of honey
one tea spoon of cream

How to do it Mix all the ingredients well and apply the result on your face with gentle moves. Keep it on for 10 minutes and then wash it off with warm water.

I hope now, when you are aware of the benefits of apples, not only you'll eat more and be healthier, but you'll use them in your own cosmetic lab.

Mihaela Patroi is copywriter for Find-Help.us, a web site that offers information and reviews on cosmetics. Recent work: Alphaderma CE anti-aging cream research and FAQ.

From Ancient China and India: East Meets West in New AntiAging Cream

2009-02-15T16:53:00.001+07:00

It is interesting to see how scientists are combining ancient knowledge with the latest scientific breakthroughs to create truly effective anti-aging skin care products.

This article will examine Avon?s Anew Alternative Night Cream, a wonderful combination of modern science and ancient wisdom from the Far East. It combines high-tech tetrapeptides with a unique blend of ancient Eastern herbs to reverse facial sag.

I can personally attest that within one month my chin line was more defined, my skin tone more even and my neck noticeably firmer.

The active ingredients, described in detail below, work to: protect the skin from inflammation caused by viruses, bacteria and fungi; improve circulation to speed repair and invigorate the skin; and control the body?s inflammatory response (as your own hormones did in younger days).

Indian Himalayan Herb Protects

Extracts of the Himalayan neem tree, often called Nature?s drugstore, have been used medicinally for at least 2,500 years. The tree is prized for its antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties. Anew Alternative contains extract of the neem tree?s flower (Malia Azadirachta) to prevent skin inflammation.

Chinese Herb Invigorates

The benefits of Szechuan lovage root extract (Ligusticum Chuanxiong Root Extract) were first documented in the Shennong Bencao Jing published in 500 A.D. (representing a compilation of herbal information believed to be 5,000 years old). The Bencao Jing is the earliest extant Chinese pharmacology tome and is still widely referenced today. Lovage root extract is known to invigorate blood and improve circulation. When applied to the skin, lovage root extract not only speeds healing but also improves skin tone.

Tetrapeptides Control Inflammation and Allow Skin to Heal

Finally Anew Alternative contains palmitoyl tetrapeptide-3. Tetrapeptides actually reverse skin sag by reining in the skin?s inflammatory response.

In our younger years, the inflammatory response is a good thing. It is the body?s way of walling off an injured area and preventing spread of infection. When its work is done, hormones shut off the inflammation.

However, as hormone levels decline with age, inflammation runs rampant. Older, hormone-depleted skin takes longer to heal and eventually doesn?t completely heal at all.

I find it very interesting that once you understand how skin care anti-aging ingredients function, you begin to realize that we are not just talking cosmetics and vanity, but that many such treatments can actually result in a better quality of life.

In the case of Anew Alternative with its combination of ancient herbs and modern tetrapeptides, the result is skin that heals better and is less prone to infection.

As another example, in the case of pentapeptides, the result is thicker skin that forms a stronger barrier against infection. Pentapeptides stimulate the growth of new collagen beneath the surface of the skin and plump out wrinkles from within.

Pretty amazing stuff.

For more on effective skin care, visit http://www.ageless-beauty.com/antiaging-skin-care.html.

Jean Bowler was a ballet dancer and instructor, a teacher, a personal trainer and a cosmetics consultant. She is editor of Ageless Beauty ? http://www.ageless-beauty.com

Truth About Low Fat Diets' Benefits

2009-02-14T00:55:00.001+07:00

A national study recently revealed telling facts regarding low-fat diets and their benefits relating to cancer and heart disease. A study concluded by the Women?s Health Initiative (WHI) and Stanford University noted that a low-fat diet, alone, is not enough to greatly reduce the risk of heart disease and/or cancer in adult women. Researchers have found that a reduction in saturated and trans fats may provide more positive results.

The study showed that women who participate in a low-fat diet experienced a 9% reduction in the development of breast cancer. In addition, no significant changes were noted in the occurrence of heart disease. An impressive 49,000 females, ranging in age from 50 to 79, participated in what is known as the America?s largest long-term study of a low-fat diet to ever be noted. The research was conducted over a period of eight years, in which the experts planned to test the theory that low-fat diets were helpful in reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer.

Among the 49,000 subjects, 40% were assigned to a low-fat diet, which required that they reduce their fat intake to 20% of their total calorie intake. In addition, they were to eat fruits and vegetables on five or more instances throughout the day, along with six servings of grain. The remaining 60% of participants were designated as the comparison group and were instructed to maintain their eating habits as always.

Women?s Health Initiative experts, however, noted that a number of low-fat diet participants did not meet the 20% fat intake goal. In a recent news report released from Stanford University, experts conveyed that women who wish to maintain their health should consider a diet that is both low in saturated and trans fats while being rich in fiber and vegetables. This diet would replace one that is geared solely toward the intake of low-fat foods.

?Just switching to low-fat foods is not likely to yield much health benefit in most women,? commented Marcia Stefanick, PhD, professor of medicine at the Stanford Prevention Research Center and chair of the Women?s Health Initiative steering committee. ?Rather than trying to eat low-fat, women should focus on reducing saturated fats and trans fats.?

In addition to any diet program, regular exercise and health screenings should be used for early detection and the most effective treatment.

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 diet and/or exercise regimens. Every individual should consult his/her physician prior to beginning any program consisting of diet and/or exercise.

Find more on 1200 calorie diet, Gall Bladder diet and diverticulitis diet on CareJournal.org

The Foundations of Beauty

2009-02-12T00:18:00.000+07:00

Most of us have heard the old saying, ?Beauty is only skin deep.?

Well, it?s not really true. Beauty is the outer manifestation of good health, good genetics and good will. The state of our health is reflected in the quality of our skin and luster of our hair. Beautiful strong hair and clear smooth skin is the result of good nutrition. The state of our mind and intentions are reflected in our smile, in our eyes, and in the regard our loved ones have for us. A beautiful smile and sparkling eyes are the result of a good attitude. Good genetics? Well, that?s just the result of good luck.

Although it?s not skin deep, it is open to interpretation. After all, beauty IS in the eye of the beholder. Those we love deeply are always beautiful to us, no matter what they actually look like.

Whatever our genetics and luck, whatever our mindset, most women would like to look as healthy and beautiful as they possibly can. Whether want to look magazine-cover perfect; or whether as just as healthy and vibrant and as youthful as possible, the first step in constructing a new beauty regimen is finding out if you are providing the tools your body needs to repair and maintain itself and the health of your skin, hair and nails. The basic factors affecting the appearance of these are 1) nutrition, 2) hydration, 3) toxification, 4) hormonal profile, and 5) sleep.

Nutrition

Your body rebuilds and repairs cellular tissue on a daily basis, and needs adequate protein, fats, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and other micronutrients to perform this function. Your skin regenerates constantly, building new cells underneath and sloughing off old cells. Without adequate protein, your skin will not be able to construct strong healthy collagen structures. Without an adequate amount of the right kinds of fats, your hair and nail cells will be weak and easily broken, and your skin will become dry and lifeless.

Hydration

Adequate hydration is vital to the process. Your body requires enough water to move nutrients into, and wastes out of, cells. Water is the basis of the interstitial tissues that flow between your muscle and fat cells, carrying oxygen and hormones from one to the other. Dehydration can lead to slack skin and lifeless hair.

Toxification

Detoxification is also another fundamental. Your skin is responsible for eliminating approximately 10% of your body?s toxins and metabolic wastes. By ensuring that the other organs of elimination are clean and functioning well, you lighten the load on the skin, allowing it to use its precious energy on repair and re-growth. Certain toxins can have definite adverse effects on the hair. Heavy metal poisoning from mercury can cause hair to fall out and to break and can aggravate gums. Lead causes neural damage that can lead to faulty signaling between your brain and outlying extremities.

Hormonal Profile

Your body produces many different hormones that are used by the body to communicate with outlying organs and tissues and tell it how to react to changing conditions. Some of the hormones that directly affect your hair, skin and nails are estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, and growth hormone. For example, estrogen is important for keeping your skin youthful and resilient, but too much can cause aggravation of the gums and lead to gingivitis. Testosterone is needed to for the important task of producing your body?s own moisturizer, sebum; too much can lead to hair loss from your head and the unsightly growth of excess dark hairs on your face and belly. A lack of progesterone can lead to the skin condition cellulite. The hormones leptin, insulin, and glucagon are important for the maintenance of a healthy weight. As you can see, hormonal balance has a definite and important influence on how you look.

Sleep

Your body requires a certain amount of rest to rebuild, repair and replace cellular tissue. Interestingly enough, the skin is usually regenerated between the hours of 11PM and 2AM, so for best results, you should be sleeping during those hours. Your body also uses the time during sleep to balance brain chemistry. Adequate sleep and rest is one of the most important things you can do to improve the appearance of your skin and the health of your hair and nails, as well as giving you the energy to live actively and the mood enhancement to enjoy life.

Summary

One of the first things you need to do when devising a new beauty routine is to find out whether or not you are getting the right kind of food and enough water to meet your beauty goals. Also, you might want to consider a detoxification routine. Are you are getting enough sleep to put all these other factors to work for you? These are the first things to consider when devising a beauty regimen.

Fawn Bales has studied and practiced alternative and herbal medine for 25 years. She has also studied aesthetic technology and cosmetology. She is the co-author of two natural beauty books and is a managing partner of Botanical Beauty Lab, a women's free resource for natural health and beauty information at http://www.botanicalbeautylab.com

An Overview of Enzyme Peels for Your Face

2009-02-12T00:12:00.001+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.

How a Ultrasonic Home Spa Can Make You Younger and Prettier in 15 Minutes

2009-02-11T00:58:00.001+07:00

Most of you have heard of ultrasonic in different applications. For example, doctors use ultrasonic to treat patients. Opticians use ultrasonic to clean lenses. Industries use ultrasonic to detect and control product quality, quantity, size, thickness, and height. Perhaps you have never heard of ultrasonic home spa can improve your health and beauty.

The history of spa comes from Latin ?Solus Per Aqua?, meaning ?Health via Water?. The concept of immersing the body in water to maintain and restore health is essential to life. Sebastian Kneipp, the ?Father of Hydrotherapy?, said that the correct combination of water and herbs can treat almost any illness.

Today, with the changing social environment, many people are feeling stress and sick. Maintaining a balanced diet, having good exercise, and getting enough rest become a challenging issue for men and women. You may feel stress from work during the day. And then, you get more stress from home with your spouse or children around in the evening. How often do you give yourself a getaway? How about using a home spa to reduce your stress and relieve your pain every day?

A new breakthrough in spa technology combines ultrasonic waves, far infrared rays, and ozone negative ions into one portable home spa machine. This device gives you an alternative health treatment for stress and 36 most common illnesses. Research has shown that five minutes in this ultrasonic bubble bath is equivalent to an hour of professional massage. And, every 15 minutes of ultrasonic bubble bath helps you to burn 200 to 300 calories, which is equivalent to a 3 to 5 km intensive jogging.

Traditional massage applies pressure onto your body tissue directly. In this new home spa technology, ultrasonic bubbles actually apply pressure by penetrating your skin and dilating your cells. This means promoting cell activities and increasing blood circulation. Besides the health benefits, you will get beauty benefits like: deep cleansing, body detoxification, and total body care with shiny and resilient skin tone.

Ultrasonic home spa provides internal warming, total relaxation, body massage, deep cleansing, and beauty contouring. It is different from sauna, jacuzzi, and normal bath because they don?t have the ultrasonic application to drive heat deep into the body, bones, and internal organs.

More importantly, if you want to create your own aroma hydrotherapy at home, you just need to add a few drops of herbal oil that is specially designed to be water soluble for ultrasonic bath. Then, you are ready to enjoy life with a home spa that simulates the natural healing power of a hot spring, a waterfall, and a forest bath.

Visit http://www.globalmcn.com/sg2000 to take a 7 day e-course on how to set up your own ultrasonic home spa for FREE.

Please feel free to reprint this article in your ezine, newsletter, RSS, website, or print publication with original content and author bio.

Dr. Vivian Lee is the founder and CEO of GLOBAL MCN (http://www.globalmcn.com). She writes, coaches, consults and speaks about best practices to accelerate growth and success. She likes to inspire individuals and organizations around the world with value, balance, and trust. Her goal is to empower you, enhance communication, and enrich life. She is an expert in bridging the gap between the East and West, as well as the digital and real spaces in the 21st century. She has a Ph.D. in Organizational Management, major in E-Business; a M.B.A. in Marketing; and a B.Sc. in Biopsychology. Her research interests include Competitive Intelligence, Internet Marketing, and Cross-Cultural Communication.

Skin Care Basics

2009-02-03T21:12:00.001+07:00

Skin Care, everyone knows to take care of our skin, but do we pay attention to the details? The quick answer, probably not. A lot of us still run around in the summer time without sun screen to block harmful UVA and UVB rays. The fact is that the sun is harmful to your skin. We need to take precautions both in the summer and wintertime.

The reality today is that Skin Care has become a big buzzword, not just with dermatologists but also in the business and beauty world. We need to start paying more attention to our skin, and all over not just our faces. So what can we do?

Well Lets start by taking a look at the staple steps of skin care.

First off what skin type are you? oily, normal/combination, dry, sensitive or sun- damaged

Oily: Oily skin tends to be shiny with expanded pores, and is prone to blackheads & blemishes. It's possible to feel tightness.

Combination/normal: This skin type has medium pores, a smooth & level texture, effective circulation, healthy color. Combination / normal skin can tend toward dryness and tightness around the cheek area, but also feel oily in the t-zone.

Sensitive: Sensitive skin tends to be thin, frail with fine pores. Generally sensitive skin flushes easily, and is known to broken capillaries, and can be frequently allergic or rashy.

Dry: Dry skin feels tight which is the main sing of dryness you'll find especially after cleansing your skin. May have small wrinkles, flaking and/or red patches.

Aging or sun-damaged: Similar to dry skin. Aging and sun-damaged skin also feels tight with visible smaller wrinkles, and slack skin tone. You'll find the tone mainly around the cheeks and jaw line.

Once we know what skin type we are it's easier to pick the products we need to use for our daily skin care routine. Now onto the steps

Cleaning: Now unless you are prone to acne, or other breakouts just keep it simple with a cleanser. You want to use a simple wash that your skin doesn't react to and is designed for your skin type. You should try to wash twice a day in combination with exfoliating.

Exfoliate: The most important thing to maintain beautiful skin care is to use a gentle exfoliant daily on your skin. Our skin cells get replaced approx. every 3 weeks, so by clearing away old and dead cells, making way for the new ones we help maintain our glow.

Moisturize: Flat out...everyone should moisturize. Even those of us that have oily skin. Of course some should moisturize their skin more then others, but everyone should. A good rule of thumb is when your skin feels tight it's time to moisturize.

Sunscreen: The biggest cause of wrinkles as we age is damage from the sun. It's important to remember that skin care is a life long journey not just as we age. So ensuring we're protecting our skin with sunscreen both in the early and later years is important. Also consider that the sun doesn't just burn or damage our skin in the summer time, it's a good idea to have some on when doing activities in the winter on sunny days.

These are the simple steps that make up a successful skin care routine. It's important to get into a habit like this daily. This is the key to maintaining great skin well into the later years of our life. Try not to get caught up in the gimmicks of the world. While different injections, and creams can give short-term beauty it's not 100% known how all these products make out over the long run. Concentrate on basic skin care, and slow and steady wins the race.

For more information and resources on taking care of your skin visit Best Skin Care Resources.

5 Important Facts Adults Need to Know Before Getting Braces

2009-02-03T14:07:00.001+07:00

But in no time at all, average 18-24 months you will have a Hollywood smile and it will have all been worth it! Open wide ? who?s next?

Emily Clark is editor at Lifestyle Health News and Medical Health News where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on many medical, health and lifestyle topics.