Healthy Hair Looks Attractive

For Dandruff
  • Massage the Scalp with pure coconut oil. This will also help for growth of hair.
  • Apply coconut oil which has been boiled with small onions. Wash it off with a mixture of green gram powder and water drained from cooked (boiled) rice.
  • Apply a mixture of almond oil and gooseberry juice with finger tips on the scalp.
  • Apply the warm mixture of olive oil, lemon juice and coconut oil. Do a steam -towel- wrap for 15 minutes and wash the hair with a shampoo.
  • Apply a paste of fenugreek and mustard to the scalp.
  • Mix Shikakai powder with the water drained from the cooked rice and wash the hair with it.
  • Crush the leaves of five petal hibiscus flower and take the juice. Wash the hair with this juice.
  • Heat the oil with a little camphor. Apply the oil in the scalp and massage for 10 minutes. After 30 minutes wash the hair with a herbal shampoo. Do the steam -towel- wrap for 15 minutes.

For Healthy and Shiny hair

  • It is better to apply castor oil for a healthy growth of hair.
  • Wash hair with tea once in a week.
  • Apply besan in the hair and wash it with water drained from the cooked rice.
  • Soak a handful of gooseberry in a cup of milk for two hours. Make it as a paste and apply in the hair.
  • Apply the mixture of an egg white, 2 spoon of castor oil, 1 spoon glycerin, in the scalp and hair. Wash it after some time.
  • Massage hair with warm coconut oil an hour before washing. Let it soak. Cover your head with a hot towel and wash your hair after an hour or so.
  • Boil a few hibiscus flowers in coconut oil. Filter and use this hair oil to control hair loss and thinning.
  • Do a ’steam-towel-wrap’ once in a while, if your cuticles are damaged, as this steaming opens out the pores and absorbs the oil.
  • Deep condition with curd, beer and egg.
  • Mix a little vinegar in warm water and rinse your hair with this solution. This will add bounce to dull and lifeless hair.
  • Soak 1 teaspoon fenugreek in curd and keep it for a night. Have it in the next morning.
  • Boil coconut oil with the juices of curry leaves, basil, hibiscus flower and gooseberry. Apply on hair, keep it for sometime and rinse.
  • Egg white and curd is a good conditioner for hair.
  • Take a cup of coconut and mustard oils. Soak half a cup of curry leaves in the oil mixture and keep it for a night. Next morning, heat on a slow fire till the curry leaves turn crisp. Remove from heat and add two to three camphor balls. Allow oil to cool and then strain. Apply oil to hair roots using cotton wool along the parting and massage in circular movements. Leave the oil overnight and shampoo the next morning. Repeat twice a week.
  • Add a lemon peel to a ’shikakai’ and ‘amla’ mixture while washing your hair.

For Graying

  • Take a little Mehandi , an egg, juice of half a lemon, one table spoon of instant coffee powder. Mix it together and apply on the hair. Wash it after 45 minutes.
  • Boil one cup of dried gooseberry with 4 cups of water. Add a pinch of sugar in it. Keep boiling till the quantity of the liquid reduces to one cup. Mix 2 cups of Mehendi, an egg, juice of a lemon and the gooseberry solution and apply on hair. Wash the hair after two hours.
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Home Remedy For Dry Hair

A good remedy for weak and dry hair is the hair mask with lemon juice.

You will need: 2 tbsp. castor oil /or almond oil/, 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice and 1 tbsp. honey. Add the honey and the castor oil to the lemon juice. Mix all the ingredients well and apply the mixture generously first to the roots and then to the entire length of the hair. Wrap your hair with a towel. Leave the mask on for approximately one and a half hour. Use gentle shampoo and wash your beautiful hair. Do the mask twice to achieve best results – the mask will nourish and hydrate your hair deeply, while making it appear healthier and more shining.

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Hair Conditioner

There many factors influencing the way our hair looks, among them regular taking care of our hair and conditioning. Hairs are considered to be skin appendages, as well as nails, sebaceous and sweat glands. A grown up man has got approximately 5 million hairs altogether. There are about 100 000 hairs of the scalp and their thickness goes from 40 to 800 per cm2. There are different types of hair, i.e.: lanugo, or downy hair, and the hair of a grown up person.

How is our hair built?

The hair root of an individual hair forms a tiny but long tunnel (called a follicle) which reaches into the lower layers of the skin. The hair is divided into a shaft: the portion growing above the skin and the hair roots anchored in inside the follicle. At the end of the tiny tunnel, there is a hair papilla. The papilla is the centre of growth for the hair; it is where nutrients are taken up from the blood. Another part of the hair is its hair bulb which contains pigments. The content of the tubular hair determines its colour. The surface of the tubular structure is scale-like, covered with tiny plates. Each hair has got three layers: interior, cortical and hair shell.

Melanocyte, a pigment-producing cell in the hair determines their colour. The pigment that melanocytes make is called melanin. The major determinant of colour is not the number but rather the activity of the melanocytes. Melanin production takes place in unique organelles (tiny structures within the cell) known as melanosomes. Darkly pigmented skin, hair and eyes have melanosomes that contain more melananin.

The hair is built in a tubular way and consists primarily of a substance called keratin. This is scleroproteid with the variety of amino acids which form polypeptide chains. In keratin there are such amino acids as: arginine, cystine, glycine, tyrosine, fenyloalanine, lysine, and other amino acids.

How does the hair grow?

Hair does not contain nerves or blood, but instead is rooted in living skin, which is how a uniform structure is formed.

Hair does not grow continuously. There are three phases of hair life. The transitory phase which lasts approximately 2 to 4 weeks, and a hair turns loose from the papilla and moves slowly upward in the hair follicle. During the resting phase, which lasts from 2 to 4 months, hair has reached the sebaceous gland and is ready to fall out, thus making room for his successor. The growth phase is the phase during which hair sits firmly in the hair papilla and, dependent upon genetic factors, matures during its 2 to 7 years of growth, becoming longer and longer. The majority of hair on a healthy grown up person’s scalp is in the growth phase while only 10% of hair is in the resting phase.

On the scalp 85% of hair should be in the growth phase.

The lifespan of hair on a head may vary from four to even twenty five years. The hair may be 2 meters long then. This hair is also the quickest growing hair of a human body. The hair grows 0.35mm a day on average. The phase of growth of a man’s beard lasts approximately 40 weeks. The cycle of eyelashes’ growth varies from 3 to 5 months. For babies, in their first half a year of life, the resting phase of hair cycle is much longer than for adults. Downy hairs are only a few centimetres long before they start falling out, which is quite normal. The physiological norm for the hair loss of an average person is about 100 hairs per twenty-four hours. If we lose more, this may be a sign of some malfunctioning of our body. The state of hair is important in diagnosis of many diseases.

What can influence the condition of our hair?

There are numerous important factors which influence the state of our hair, its thickness, the right growth, as well as its physiological composition and biochemical.

Nourishing elements

These are very important. The way a person’s hair looks provides strong evidence on his malnutrition or/and under nourishment. It has been proved that after two weeks of following a non-protein diet, there are signs of disappearing of hair bulbs and thinning of the hair follicles.

Amino acids – are necessary to make the proper hair growth possible. While doing some experiments on animals, it has been proved that the most dangerous is the deficiency of cystine. In turn, the deficiency of metionin causes dryness and brittleness of hair. The deficiency of tryptophan causes alopecia, while the deficiency of cystein makes the hair lose the gloss.

Carbohydrates – give hair the proper amount of energy which is important for hair metabolism. It is because hair in follicles is one of the fastest growing parts of human body.

Vitamins – Hair is very sensitive to the deficits of all vitamins but in particular to the deficiency of Vitamin A. Avitaminosis / hypovitaminosis A may cause particular ocular and dermal changes. The most important ocular changes are: the night blindness and changes of cornea. As for the dermal changes we may find one called hyperkeratosis. The hair of a sick person becomes weak, dry and brittle.

Microelements – The deficiency of microelements has got a great impact on the hair growth. The most important microelements are: zinc, iron and copper.

  • The deficiency of zinc may cause, among many others symptoms, hyperkeratosis of skin and hair loss. The 24-hour requirement for zinc is 2mg. This element is very difficult to assimilate. This means that only 1/6 part of zinc brought with food gets assimilated by our body. Zinc also is easily extracted with faeces, urine and sweat. Therefore even if the amount of zinc (10-15mg) in our diet is sufficient in the majority of cases, sometimes there are cases of deficiency of this element in our country.
  • The deficiency of copper may lead to some structural changes and discolouration. Pathological changes in hairs in so-called Menkes complex, which is genetically conditioned defect of transportation of copper in the alimentary tract, are good examples of such changes.
  • The deficiency of iron may cause the alopecia. The example of such a state is sideropenia, which causes an extensive alopecia of women.

In many cases microelements get inside hair through the blood, firstly into its bulb and then into its root and further. Arsenic and selenium are examples of such microelements. Other elements can also get inside hair through the keratin, for example lead. Lead remains mainly on the outer parts of hair, though. Intoxication with lead, arsenic and selenium may also cause alopecia.

Hormonal agents

They have very a strong impact on hair growth. The example of such may be the activity of testosterone, one of the androgenic hormones. Androgens stimulate the growth of hair but the head whereas on the scalp, androgens remain responsible for the male type of alopecia. Alopecia is genetically conditioned. When a man reaches his sexual maturity, testosterone causes thinning of hair on his head in specific places. Hair bulb starts disappearing.

Stress

It has got an enormous effect on the way our hair look. It may cause the extensiveness of hair loss and development of alopecia.

Natural adornment

Hair protects from the destructive thermal factors and UVA/UVB. However, its active role is not very important, which is quite the reverse to the psychosocial importance of hair in human life. It is because hair is the natural adornment of man. Its appearance has got a huge impact not only on our general feeling but also on our relations with other people.

We need to remember that taking care of our hair by using chemical preparation, we should also provide our body with appropriate nutrition and balanced diet because this is the best way we can take care of our health.

If our hair tends to fall out, the reasons for this should be traced in the dysfunction of inner organs, e.g. any kind of hormonal disorder or food deficiency. In some cases, after consulting a doctor first, we can use special vitamin or microelement preparation as a supplement of our diet.

It is very important to notice that examining our hair, in many cases may help us to put the diagnosis about the general health condition of our body.

Examining of hair

Owing to different scientific methods we are able to find out the degree of hair loss, as well as to check the hair shaft under the electron or light microscope and to examine the state of a hair root, which enables to calculate the percentage of hair growth, involution and rest phases.

Absorptive spectrophotometry defines the amount of microelements (e.g. Mg, Zn, Fe) in human hair which allows to discover the deficiency of metals necessary for the hair growth and defines the level of the body poisoning, for instance by lead. WHO and International Agency for the Protection of Environment have chosen human hair as a distinctive element to evaluate the influence of toxic substances on living organisms.

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Secrets Behind A Glowing Face

Wanna know the secret behind ‘getting the glow on the face‘?? Here you go…
  1. Always apply a light moisturizer, under-eye cream and sun-screen before leaving your house. Even if you are not going out, a hint of tinted moisture does no harm.
  2. If you want to get that glow, ensure there’s no trace of makeup before you go to bed. Use Makeup removers
  3. Sleep does wonders to your skin, so try to get atleast 7 to 8 hours of rest everyday.
  4. Try and go in for a massage and facial at least once a month. This will help tone your skin.
  5. Drink lots of water, and if you can try to have at least 2 to 3 glasses of coconut water a day.
  6. Work out is a good way to keep your skin healthy as it detoxifies the body. If you love to swim hit the pool everyday. For those who are not fond of water; you have the option of going for a jog.
  7. Stick to a healthy diet of fruits and vegetables. Opt for salads instead of oily food. Use less oil while cooking. Try steaming, baking or roasting instead. It saves you a lot of calories, and is lighter to digest.
  8. Is is also very important to go on a calorie binge at times. If gorging on a chocolate pastry makes you happy, go ahead. But remember to do this not more once a week. It could go the other way, and you may have to repent.
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Manage Your Cholesterol Level

Low-density lipoproteins are considered as bad cholesterol which circulates throughout the blood streams and they slowly build up within the inner walls of the arteries that connect to the heart and brain. When these low density lipoproteins are combined with other substances, they often form plaque, which can be a thick and hard deposit that can narrow down arteries and make them less flexible. Along with the loss in flexibility, there is a loss in the flow of the blood. This condition is more commonly known as atherosclerosis. When a person is suffering from atherosclerosis, a clot can form and block the narrow arteries which can result in a stroke or even a heart attack.

The levels of low density lipoproteins are better when they are lower, the lower they are, the lower the risk of having a stroke or heart attack is. Overall, there are five categories that the levels fall into, optimal which is less than 100mg/dL, 100 to 129 mg/dL is considered as Near Optimal or Above Optimal, 130 to 159 mg/dL is considered to be Borderline High, 160 to 189 mg/dL is considered as having a High LDL Level, anything above 190 mg/dL falls under something that is Very High.

There are many other risk factors when it comes to heart disease and strokes which can help determine the LDL level of a person as well as give the person a proper and appropriate fitting treatment specifically just for them. A healthy level for one may not always be the same healthy for another friend or person. It is extremely important to be honest and open with your doctors and discuss all available treatments, the differences between levels, and the best plan that works for you overall.

There are many doctors that help profile your cholesterol level which may give you a great starting point as to learning about what you can do to prevent and treat yourself if your LDL cholesterol level is specifically high. Doctors can provide a report with information that you need to fully understand in order to maintain and manage your cholesterol level, the different health risks that may affect you and the available treatments that are open to you.

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The Major Factors Influencing The Health

Body Care
Moderateness in every things, moderate exercise, food, work, rest, sex and sleep.
Prevent poisoning of body, with cigarette smoke, alcohol, drugs or even with food.
b) Mind Care
Positive thinking about healthy life and consider it a purpose for living.
Avoid anxiety about your organs, heart, Lever; Kidney etc., which can be taken care of by themselves.
c) Hereditary
Heredity is closely related to health; watch and care your parents !
Memory means the ability of keeping facts in the conscious mind and of being able to call them back at will; preservation of past experience for future use. In other words, memory is the process of 1) encoding, 2) storing, and 3) retrieving information that we collect through our lifetime. Memory affects when we fail to do any of the three.

Psychologists conducted many surveys amongst many people of different ages and levels and found that their first memories are formed after the age of four. They also say that our memories improve well into middle childhood.

Like health and beauty, sound memory is the gift of God and we can improve it only by natural ways through scientific way.

Proper nutrition is important. Getting the proper nutrients in your diet is important in memory improvement. Vitamin and mineral supplements may be required to ensure proper nutrition.

Getting enough sleep. Lack of sleep can interfere with memory. . Today, students have very busy schedules with school activities, sports and extra curricular activities that the only time left for studying is late at night or they end up cramming for tests and finals at the last minute.

Lack of sleep interferes with concentration and memory. It also weakens the immune system, can lead to higher occurrences of health problems. If sleeplessness is problem, then learn to take 10 to 15 minute meditations in order to energize yourself . Take frequent breaks while studying to accommodate your meditations. Use your meditation time to program yourself to have better concentration and recall abilities. Overcoming sleeplessness will help you focus better and learn more.

Rehearsal is another common technique for memory improvement. We have all used this at one point in our lifetime. The basic principle behind rehearsal is to repeat something over and over again until we know it.

Moderate and regular brain exercise like doing mathematics with out calculator, attempting to different types of puzzles, baffles etc. will also sharpen the memory.

Make mental pictures of what you are studying whenever possible and project them onto an imaginary screen. This enables stronger impressions of the information by involving more brain cells, making the information easier to recall.

Do not take alcohol. Watch your drugs. Over medication can lead to memory problems, as we get older.

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Morning Sickness During Early Pregnancy

Although it is a common part of early pregnancy, morning sickness can be very draining and detrimental to health and steps should be taken to minimise the effect.

What Is Morning Sickness?

Morning sickness is a term given to the type of sickness that occurs during early pregnancy. It is a loose term as the sickness can occur at any time not solely in the morning.

Why Does It Happen?

It is thought that morning occurs as a response to hormonal and chemical changes that occur in the body. During the first three months of pregnancy the unborn foetus is developing all of its body parts and functions, which then grow and mature in the remainder of the pregnancy. There is not a full understanding for the actual physiological processes that occur but this is generally accepted as the reason.

Can It Be Dangerous?

Most women will learn to cope with morning sickness as they know it is normally temporary and will pass as the pregnancy progresses, but for others it can be extremely bad and damaging to health.

The most dangerous aspect of morning sickness is the risk of becoming dehydrated. As the body loses fluid from sickness and oral fluids cannot often be tolerated very well, there is a chance that dehydration can occur and a significant depletion or loss of essential vitamins and minerals.

When morning sickness becomes a danger to health it is called ‘hyper emesis gravidarum’ and your midwife will help you understand this condition and its effects. It must be treated to prevent any negative effects on health that may jeopardise either the mother the baby or both.

There is also the risk to dental health as the acids found in vomit can erode the enamel on teeth.

Preventing Morning Sickness

It may not be possible to prevent morning sickness at all, but it is advised that you allow yourself extra time to carry out activities during the periods when sickness is most likely which varies between women.

Allow your self a snack first thing in the morning as this is thought to prevent nausea from occurring. Avoid foods and smells that are likely to set off an episode of nausea and ask someone else to prepare meals if this also contributes.

Eat small amounts more often so your stomach is not as full and will be able to digest the food better and more quickly allowing nutritional compounds to be absorbed into the system.

Most importantly, drink plenty of clear fluids. Many women are reluctant to drink more fluids because of the already increasing frequency and urgency for urination, but this will be extremely beneficial to health and will help protect you from dehydration.

Coping With Morning Sickness

The best way to cope with morning sickness is to remind your self that it is temporary and is a sign of a healthy pregnancy. If it helps, ask someone else to help at mealtimes and to bring you snacks and water throughout the day, especially first thing in the morning, often before you even get out of bed.

Avoid smells and other things that make you feel nauseous. If you can’t keep much down, eat whatever it is that you fancy, providing it is allowed during pregnancy. It is better to have something rather than nothing at all. Drinking ginger ale or eating ginger biscuits is thought to be very good at preventing nausea so keep a supply of these items handy.

If you feel you are passing less water, feel tired and are developing dry skin, please tell your midwife as this is a sign of dehydration and will need treating, often with the use of fluids administered through a vein. Do not worry about the nutritional needs of your baby as a growing foetus will still be receiving all it needs from your body; it is your body that is at risk.

Visit your dentist and tell them that you are experiencing particularly bad morning sickness and they will examine your teeth and advise as necessary. If you are still working, take your toothbrush and mouthwash to work with you in case you are sick at work. This will allow you to freshen up and remain confident when talking to people as well as making you feel better.

Inform your employer of your morning sickness and tell them that you may need several shorter breaks in order to take small amounts of food or water during this time.

Morning sickness is a very common complaint in early pregnancy and usually eases by around three months. If it continues or prevents you from eating or drinking at all, inform your midwife as you may need medical help to maintain hydration.

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Woman’s General Health Care

Your health is a responsibility shared by you and your doctor. It is your doctor’s responsibility to help you stay well and to treat you when you are ill. It is your responsibility to keep in touch with your body and to be alert to any changes in your body and its functions that may signal something is wrong. Your doctor can help you do this by performing exams on a routine basis.

An obstetrician-gynecologist (ob-gyn) has special education, training, and skills in women’s health. As a specialist in women’s health, your ob-gyn can devise a care plan designed for your needs. He or she can teach you how to maintain your health and prevent disease, to detect problems that only a doctor or certain tests can find, and, should you become ill, to provide care for you.

Finding a Primary-Care Physician
In the past, most American families had a doctor who looked after all their healthcare needs-everything from delivering babies to setting broken bones and treating both minor and serious illnesses. As medicine has become more specialized and society has become more mobile, this has changed. Today, many people no longer have a family doctor-instead, they seek a physician’s services only when they are ill.

A primary-care physician is a doctor who assumes overall responsibility for a patient’s medical care. A primary family doctor does not necessarily treat every medical problem. He or she does, however, determine if a patient should be referred to a specialist, such as a gynecologist, cardiologist, or surgeon who can administer the needed care. We work closely with many excellent primary care physicians and can help you find the right one for you and your family. At this time, however, our physicians do not serve as primary care physicians.

If you need a primary care physician, check out those who work closely with us by searching the Lowell General Hospital.

Your Obstetrician-Gynecologist’s Role in Your Care
Obstetrics is the care of a woman from the preconception period (when a woman is planning to become pregnant), to very early pregnancy, through labor and childbirth, and after a baby is born. Gynecology covers a woman’s general health care, from menarche/puberty through menopause, including issues of sexuality, nutrition, hormones, etc.

Our physicians will provide you with expertise when you have gynecologic problems or are pregnant. All of our health practitioners are available for routine exams as well as for complex gynecologic and obstetric problems.

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A Guideline About Food Addiction

Modern society�s image of the beautiful woman is someone who fits a certain size, usually size 6 or smaller, someone with a certain kind of bone structure, someone with a certain kind of face. This image is glorified in many, many fashion magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Elle and Vogue. This image is, unfortunately, not true for the average woman, who has to struggle with size 8 or bigger, who does not have the same delicate bone structure, who does not have the particular kind of face that one would see on a model. Not all of us are born to fit such an image of what is considered the beautiful woman. In fact, very, very few fit that given image at all. And yet, there are so many women out there who try desperately to fit that image, who will try all means available to them and that which they can afford just to be able to fit that image. Sadly, despite whatever measure we might take, some of us are just that: fat. If we are not genetically predisposed to being overweight, there are other reasons why we are carrying around extra flesh on our bodies. It could be because we are addicted to food. And while this is not a general or a blanket statement on why women are fat, it could be because we basically have issues with ourselves that we cannot face, and we hide behind the comfort that food brings us whenever we had to deal with something that we find truly stressful. Examine yourself. Are you fat because your genes have dictated that your body should be formed that way? Are you fat because you are lazy? Or are you fat because you cannot stop eating? That character from the Austin Powers series of movies, the one they have named Fat Bastard, captured it so poignantly with this line: �I eat because I am unhappy, and I am unhappy because I eat.� Is it that case for you too? If you are one of us, one of those women who are afflicted with food addiction, the first step towards recovery always involves recognition. Recognize and admit to yourself that you have an issue that you need to deal with and that you are using food to cover up for the fear, the anxiety and the sadness that you feel whenever you are forced to face something you do not want to handle. Once you have gotten a handle of the situation, the next step would be to determine what gives you so much stress and anxiety, enough to turn to the comfort of food. More often than not, it has something to do with self-image. If it is indeed the case, that your food addiction has something to do with self-image, then the next step would be to embrace what you are and accept that you cannot be what you are not. Most importantly, do not take this journey of ridding yourself with food addiction alone. It is so very easy to fall back into the old pattern of bingeing after being upset with something if you are dealing with it alone. Seek help with a counselor or a support group. There are others like us, like you; you need not go through this all alone.
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Healthy Woman

Healthy Woman Workshop is a free e-course designed to help you get and stay healthy in just 6 weeks. You’ll read about common health mistakes women make, Pap smears, going to the gynecologist, how to prevent diseases, and much more.
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Flawless Mineral Makeup

Keep Those Brushes Fresh and Clean

The key to application is maintaining good, clean brushes. While it’s true that great brushes can help you to apply flawless and beautiful make-up, if you don’t clean them they will also help you to apply dirt and oil residue. In addition, treating your brushes carelessly can lead to an accumulation of a mixture of make-ups on the tip of your brush—what a mess! Next time you use a brush don’t toss it carelessly back into your make-up bag (this will result in residue and matted tips). In order to properly clean your brushes start by running them under lukewarm water after each usage. Then, put a tiny bit of mild shampoo on your finger, like baby shampoo, creating lather by rubbing your index finger and thumb together. Next, massage shampoo gently into brushes. Rinse when finished; wring out any liquid, then leave to dry on a flat, clean, dry surface.

Applying a Mineral Foundation or Concealer

You’ve heard that mineral cosmetics can do wonders for your skin but how do you apply it? The application process is important, here is a simple guide that will help you to apply a mineral foundation or concealer: Put a small portion of powder into the top of the container. Swirl an application brush into it. Point the brush head upwards and tap the tip of the handle on a hard surface, like the counter (this will evenly settle the powder). Apply in thin layers and only to dry, clean skin. Begin at the jaw and guide towards the middle of the face using up and outward strokes.

Moisturize while enhancing skin tone

Like to wear makeup without feeling like you have any on? On the go a lot and don’t have time to put a little makeup on? No worries, try GloMinerals GloSheer Tint Base, The Body Shop’s Tinted Moisturizer, and MD Tinted Moisturizers. These are great because they have an SPF and keep the complexion looking flawless without being heavy.

All Skin Types Require Moisturizers

All skin types require moisture. Oily skin still needs hydration so it doesn’t start to flake. Make sure to use an alcohol free moisturizing gel for best results. For drier skin types, a lotion or cream should be used during the day and a heavier creme at night to prevent pre-mature aging. Dry skin shows signs of aging quicker than oily skin. Always use a three step skin care regime (cleanse, tone, and moist).

Mineral Cosmetics are Water Resistant

Investing in mineral makeup is a smart decision not only because it stays put all day but also because it’s great for your skin. It’s water resistant! Mineral cosmetics will stay on your skin under wet conditions; weather your face is exposed to a little sweat or the pouring rain your makeup should remain on your skin. If you face any moisture, dab off the excess with a dry towel or handkerchief—don’t rub. To remove mineral cosmetics, use any kind of cold cream, facial cleanser, or eye makeup remover.

Mineral Cosmetics are Good for Problematic Skin

Problematic skin? No problem! Natural mineral makeup is great for all types of skin. Mineral cosmetics are non-acnegenic, and won’t agitate acne-prone skin or cause it to worsen. In many cases women with acne-affected complexions actually claim that with consistent use mineral makeup caused their skin to clear.

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Right Slection of Hairstyles

Hairstyles

When choosing your hairstyle, remember that you’ll have a much easier time if you choose a style that lets hair do what it wants

naturally

Fine Hair has the appearance of softness, which can be very feminine and appealing. However, if you want it to look thicker, you should have it layered slightly. A soft body wave adds fullness and hair coloring can also give more body and make it look thicker.

Course Hair has an overall heavy look – one that makes a statement. Cut is very important and a haircut that shapes the face will also help control the hair. Coloring will soften the texture by filling in and smoothing out the cuticle.

Straight Hair can be thick or thin but when in perfect, shiny condition, it gives the impression of a shimmering sheet of hair. A straight, blunt cut to the length you decide is best. A body wave will create movement and curlers will help add height.

Curly Hair is perhaps the most versatile. You can blow-dry it straight, use rollers of various sizes to adjust the natural curls, or let it go soft and curly on its own.

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Styling n Cuts According To The Face Shape

Face Shapes

There are seven basic types of facial shapes. They are:

1. Oval,
2. Long,
3. Rectangular,
4. Pear,
5. Diamond
6. Square, and
7. Heart

Oval
The oval face is 1.5 times longer that it is wide and its forehead is slightly wider than the jaw. Considered the most ideal and versatile facial shape by hair experts, many haircuts and styles suit an oval face. However, the best styles to go for are the ones that have layers at the height of you best features such as cheekbones, lips or chin. Short layers at the top of the head should be avoided as they make the face look longer, while ladies with an oval face and thick and curly hair should avoid blunt cut as it looks like a pyramid.

Rectangular
Long and narrow facial shape with a square chin and hairline is known as Rectangular facial shape. Hair cut for rectangular face should add width to its sides, play down on its length by adding a fringe on the forehead and a style that has a side part to soften the squareness of the face. Extremely long or short haircuts make the face look longer while chin-length bobs and haircuts add width to the face. Another way to add the width is to add the curls & waves in your hair. However, short layers lend volume to the top further elongating the face then balancing it.

Round
This facial type has a round chin. Hairstyles should add height on top of the head. You have to cut the bulk from the sides of your face to give it an oval look. So, one length haircut or blunt cuts on short hair should be avoided. Hair width needs to be minimized on the sides and around the ears by keeping them flat at those points. Wispy tapered ends take away the attention from the roundness of the face. Hair styles that fall right below the chin and have layers from the top down, elongate the face and look good.

Square
Facial shapes that have a square jaw line and hairline and seem too short, need a hairstyle that lends length and roundness to it. Layered hair around the jaw line soften it a bit while wispy hair take the attention away from the squareness of the face. Layered haircuts that frame the face are best for square faces. Best options are the short, spiky cuts or long, sleek styles with top down layers starting at the jaw line. Blunt cut bangs or chin-length bobs make the face look squarer.

Heart
This facial shape is widest at the temples and narrowest at the jaw line with a small and delicate and sometimes pointed chin. Hairstyle for this shape needs to add width at the jaw line. Eyes and cheekbones are generally strong points of the heart shaped face. Women with short hair can keep the top layers soft and long or side-swept bangs while the women with longer hair can try long, wavy layers that come across to your cheekbones that lend certain rounded look to the pointed chin. Harsh choppy layers or blunt cut bangs do not suit a heart-shaped face.

Pear
This facial shape has a narrow forehead and wide jawline with a round chin. Attempt is to add width to the forehead and the temples while taking the attention away from the roundness of the jaw. You hair should appear wide and full at the top and temples and could be wear brushed away from the face and up toward the ears. Down from the ears, the hair should fall along the chin to soften it and narrow down the jaw line. Chin length hair is best. Decrease the hair volume from the top, the sides and around the ears. Curls around the temples will soften the face.

Diamond
Widest at the forehead but narrow at the forehead and chin, hair styles for a diamond face needs to add width to the forehead and soften or disguise the cheekbones to give an illusion of the oval face. Add more fringe and volume to the forehead and the chin while smooth hair compliment the cheekbones better. A low side parting and a sweep of hair brushed across the forehead add width to the face and make it look shorter. Asymmetric haircuts look good too along with adding to the hair volume with curly or wavy styles.

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Make Your Skin Perfect

Great skin is the first step toward an excellent makeup. Skin plays a vital role in our life, how one looks and feels directly correlates to ones skin.

Partaking in health and beauty rituals indiscriminately – slowing time and gravity’s tentacles continues to lead us on a trail that has been philosophised throughout history. Beauty comes from within, for the beauty that is without resembles the beauty that is within.

Making the best choices for our bodies, and ultimately our skin, is achieved through diet/ food, exercise, regular professional treatments, personalized homecare, and a healthy mental attitude.

The type of skin you have depends on your genes, sex, age, environment, structure and regeneration. How you treat your skin will always be evident in your face, hands and body. Its never too early nor too late to begin looking after your skin.

Skin cleansing is essential: pollution, grease and grime cling to the skin, clogging pores; while the body eliminates toxins through perspiration. If the cleansing process is not thoroughly undertaken, the skin will look and feel sluggish, tired and minor skin problems and irritations will transpire.

Cleansing should be part of the daily routine: upon waking, and before returning to bed; before using special treatments (masks); before and after makeup; and after sport (to wash away perspiration and grime that builds up), all without disturbing the skins natural acidity. The acid mantle (or pH) valiantly guards the skin against bacterial invasion and other disturbances; warding off moisture loss, leaving the skin smooth, fine and blemish free.

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Basic Steps Of Cleansing

Cleansing is the first essential step in your daily skin care routine.

Cleansing the face 2-3 times a day; is adequate for normal skin. If your skin is oily a more frequent cleansing i.e. 4-5 times a day is necessary. If your skin is dry it is best to avoid frequent washing and you may have to use a suitable oil-based cosmetic cleanser instead of soap, which has a dry effect.

There are several alternatives to soap and water cleansing. Cleansers can be in the form of creams, milks, lotions, gels and liquids. All are, a mixture of oil, wax and water which have been formulated to suit different skin types. A cotton -pad dipped in fresh milk available at home, is an equally effective cleanser.

The right way to apply cleansers and creams on your face is in an upward and outward movement. The skin should not be stretched, dragged or pulled. Leave the cleanser on for a minute or two so as to loosen the dirt and make up. Remove it either using a cotton wool or with a tissue paper, again using an upward and out ward movement. Finally rinse with water.

Masks

Basically all face maskes have some sort of a cleansing action. Various ingredients are used in the masks, depending on the skin type. Clay, form an important constituent of many face masks. They help to remove dirt, sebum, and dead skin so that the skin looks clean, soft and youthful.

Fullers earth is a special type of clay often used in face packs. It contains aluminium silicate. As it dries on the skin, it absorbs the superficial dead cells and blots up any excessive oil on the skin. It is therefore excellent for an oily skin but should not be used on dry skin. Kaolin is also a fine clay which has been used for tummy upsets because it absorbs toxins from the system. It removes grime, oils and dead cells. Kaolin is also best for oily skin and best avoided for dry skin.

Another ingredient of some of the masks is the peeling or the exfoliating agent-these remove the top layer of dead cells from the skin, leaving behind fresh youthful skin. Oatmeal and bran are the commonly used peelers. Oatmeal is obtained from oats which is rich in Vitamin B and Vitamin E

Also added to many masks are natural ingredients-cucumbers, curds, lemon juice and Brewer’s Yeast. It restores the acid / alkali balance of the skin.

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Beauty Secrets

Skin plays a vital role in everyone’s life that how one looks and feels, is directly related to one skin. Great skin is the first step towards an excellent makeup also. Making the best choices for our bodies, and ultimately our skin, is achieved through good diet/ food, exercise, regular professional treatments, personalized homecare, and above all, a healthy mental attitude

As far as your daily diet is concerned, track these three secrets in your routine to have a glowing and sensuous skin.

  1. Avoid eating chocolates and foods or drinks that are made with cocoa combination. There is a link between chocolate and skin conditions such as pimples.
  2. Avoid fried and fatty foods in general.
  3. Avoid starchy foods. No cakes, biscuits, sweets, bread or Jams.
The first and foremost step towards beautiful skin is working out what your skin type is. This is necessary, so that you can move forward how to care for your skin, and what products should be used. Below are the 5 different features of skin types, which you can compare to your own skin type. Once you have decided what type your skin is, you can find out what the best way is to look after your skin.
  1. Dry skin
  2. Oily skin
  3. Combinational skin
  4. Sensitive skin
  5. Normal skin
Care for Dry skin:
  • For dry skin, use a creamy cleanser to melt away dirt. Leave it on your skin before sweeping it away with cotton wool. Splash cold water onto your face to clean and refresh your skin. Use a thick cream moisturizer to seal in as much moisture as possible and have a refreshing feel.
Care for Oily skin:
  • To care for oily skin you should start with a gentle, foaming facial wash. This will remove dirt and oil without stripping away moisture. Soak cotton wool in a gentle astringent lotion and sweep it over your skin to refresh and cool it.
  • Even oily skin needs a moisturizer, but choose a light, watery fluid; this will be enough for your skin. Allow the moisturizer to sink in well and then absorb the excess with a tissue to prevent shine.
Care for Combinational skin:
  • If you have combinational skin use a foaming facial wash in the mornings to cleanse your skin. This will keep the oily areas clean to prevent blackheads. In the evening use a cream cleanser to soothe your dry areas. This will keep a balance between excess dryness and excess oiliness. Use a strong astringent for your oily areas and a mild skin freshener for the dry areas. This is not an expensive option, as you will need a little of each. Use moisturizer on your whole face, but make sure you concentrate on your drier areas.
Care for Sensitive Skin:
  • If you have sensitive skin, do not use facial washes or soap; instead use a light, hypoallergenic cleansing lotion. Use a moisturizer to strengthen your skin and provide a barrier against irritants. Make sure you use an non perfumed moisturizer, which will not irritate your skin.
Care for Normal Skin:

To care for normal skin you should start with a gentle foaming facial wash. Massaging it into your face will give you a rosy complexion. Cool your skin with a refreshing toner, and massage it with your fingers in light upward strokes

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Best Skin Care Tips For Teens

Being a teen in today’s world brings many pressures from society to look good. The media is full of beautiful faces that add to the stress of growing up. Don’t let that undermine your self-confidence!

What’s a girl to do? There are many ways to enhance your natural beauty and keep a practical skin care and make-up routine. These tips will help bring out the best in you, but remember, good posture and a smile give a great first impression.

Skin Care Tips

Teenagers have different skin care and make-up needs than mature women. At what age should a teen begin a skin care regimen? Skin care should actually start when they are preteens, as early as the age of 10 or 11. Hormones start to kick in and blemishes may begin to appear.

As you mature, your skin care needs will change, as your skin does. Pay special attention to what products you are using and if there are any undesirable affects taking place. What makes your skin look radiant one month may cause blemishes and break-outs the next.

  • Moisturizer

At an early age, a light moisturizer may be called for — but do not use heavy creams made for dry skin. Choose a product that is formulated for light skin care maintenance and does not block your pores.

A heavy moisturizer will probably wreak havoc and cause pimples. Try using a light moisturizer only once a day, before bedtime. Any more often than that is probably be overdoing it.

  • Pimples and Blemishes

Acne is a #1 skin care concern for teens. Keep your face and hair clean, wash your hands frequently, and keep them away from your face. There are many products available on the market today for acne prevention and cures, and they are much more effective than years ago.

Once you begin experiencing problems, take action to avoid lifetime scarring. You can go to the Blemishes Page to find out how to get rid of pimples, preventative maintenance and how to reduce the appearance of blemishes once they appear.

Make-up for Teenagers

Most teenage girls begin wearing light make-up around the ages of 12-13 as they become more aware of their appearance. As a teen, your make-up should look natural and enhance your facial features. Don’t overdo it, this will only make you look silly. With a few simple, inexpensive products, you can play up your finest features — and look great!

Keep your make-up light for school. You don’t need to use make-up on every facial feature you have! Mix and match to find out what looks best on you.

For parties, you may want to add a little more make-up to enhance your features. Make sure you blend it in well with your fingers or a cosmetics brush and check it in bright light when you’re finished.

  • Foundation

Foundation for teens is not necessary. While it can clog your pores, it will also look overdone. Skip the foundation and use a concealer on your blemishes only. Lightly dust on some loose powder over your entire face to even out your skin tone, control oil, and set the concealer.

  • Freckles

Don’t try to hide your freckles. You may not appreciate them, but they are part of you. Exposure to sunlight makes freckles darker so avoiding the sun and using a sunscreen will keep them in check. As you get older, they can fade — and then they won’t be an issue.

  • Eye Make-up

You may not be interested in eye shadow until you’re a little older. If so, that’s great. When you do begin wearing it, keep it light and use any trendy metallics and sparkles sparingly. They can flake off into your eyes and cause irritation. Eye shadow does not have to match your eyes, however earth tones (tan, brown, gray) are very complimentary to blue, brown and hazel eyes.

When you begin using mascara, brown works best for both blondes and brunettes. Black is probably too harsh, especially in the daytime. If you think brown isn’t dark enough, try brownish-black.

Waterproof mascara may be necessary for sports and outdoor activities in warm weather. It stays on longer and doesn’t run — but it’s harder to take off. It’s best to keep make-up to a minimum and you won’t have to worry about undesired smearing.

If you’re going to use an eyeliner, a pencil liner looks more natural than liquid liner. Learn to apply it with a steady hand for straight lines, and blot it with a tissue if you get it on too dark.

  • Blush

Liquid and stick blush are popular choices for teens because they glide on smoothly and blend in well. Pinks and peaches compliment almost any skin tone. Apply to the apple of your cheeks and blend outwards, towards your hairline.

  • Lips

For luscious lips, lip gloss does the trick. If you want to add some color to your lips for a nighttime look, try a lipstick in a sheer color. For extra shine, put the lip gloss on over your lipstick. Always have lip balm handy for chapped lips.

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Lip Colors Represent The Mood

Whether you choose palest pink or striking scarlet, here are the quickest lip tips for a perfect finish every time. Research suggests that we choose a lip color to reflect our moods – vibrant colors when we feel confident and want to be noticed, and paler shades when we feel introverted or even low.

Whether this is true or not, there is a cornucopia of products to color and protect your lips – lipsticks, glosses, lip powders – many enhanced with moisturizers and ultraviolet filters. Whichever color you choose, for whatever reason, remember these five tips:

Before applying lip color, prepare your lips with moisturizer or a specially designed lip primer, so that the color goes on evenly and lasts longer without feathering.

A lip brush gives a professional finish to your lips.

It is not essential to use lip pencil you can get a good finish with a primer and brush alone) but if you do want to use lip pencil, for instance with a very vibrant lipstick that needs a precise outline, it should be the same color as the lipstick. With more neutral shades, opt for a lip liner close to your natural lip color.

Avoid frosted lipsticks as they rarely enhance your teeth or the shape of your mouth.

Choose a lip color to pull a look together, but, remember, as a general rule, blue-toned (rather than orange-toned) reds and pinks and browns will make your teeth appear whiter.

Before going out in the evening or for a special highly polished finish it is worth taking time over applying your lipstick.

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Healthy Nails

Tips to Keep Your Nails Strong

When you write down your shopping list, as you punch a phone number into your cell, while you wash dishes, do the ironing, clean the windows, or do one hundred other things that women do on any given day � do you take notice of the condition of your nails?

Our hands are such an integral part of our daily lives, and constantly, we risk their health and strength, often without even noticing, because of the hustle and bustle of our day-to-day activities. Take a few moments each day, or at least a few times a week, to monitor the condition of your nails � the color, the texture, the appearance of ridges or white marks.

Make a greater effort to take good care of your nails, and you will be thrilled with the way they complement your wardrobe and your own personal style. Consider the following tips as a way to enhance the health and quality of your nails.

Great, Healthy Nails

    Apply speed-dry nail polish when time is of the essence.Drink lots of water. Keep your body hydrated everyday to maintain healthy nails.

    Fortify your diet with FDA approved vitamins or supplements. Your fingernails count on you to be responsible with your health and your diet. Unless instructed otherwise by your physician, increase your daily doses of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, calcium, folic acid, protein, Vitamin B12, and zinc.

    Touch up your manicure on a daily basis to prevent chips and cracks.

    Your nails depend on you to maintain a healthy diet. Take in lots.

Nail polish tips:

    Finish with a clear topcoat to add gloss and sheen.Start with a base coat to strengthen and protect the nails.

    Store nail polish in the refrigerator to maintain a smooth consistency.

    Try not to store nail polish in a room that becomes cold. The nail polish bottles may break without warning, leaving you with a big mess.

To avoid breaking nails or brittle nails:

    Avoid using your nails as tools. This means no picking, scratching, digging, pinching, etc. You know who you are!Increase the amount of calcium in your diet.

    Use products containing alcohol, especially perfumed lotions, sparingly. These items can make nails prone to breaking.

    Wear rubber gloves when you do chores that involve continual submersion in water or contact with harsh detergents or chemicals.

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Find Beauty At Home

Face mask for dry skin

1. Take 1 tbsp olive oil and mix with 2 tbsp of fresh cream, leave it on the face for 10 minutes and then wash your face with warm water.

2. Mix 1 tbsp of honey with 15 drops of orange juice and 1 tbsp of fuller’s earth and add 1 tbsp of rose water. Mix well and apply on the face, wash off after 10 miuntes.

homemade beauty tips

Face mask for oily skin

1. Mix a tbsp of honey with 1 egg white and apply thickly on the face and neck. Leave for 10 minutes and wash off.

2. Mix 2 tbsp of papaya pulp with 10 drops of lemon juice and leave it for 20 minutes and then rinse well.

3. Take fresh juice of any of the fruits (orange, sweet lime, watermelon or papaya) and apply on the face as a mask. This is very relaxing, it cleanses the skin, closes pores and stimulates blood circulation.

Carrot Facial Mask

Ingredients Needed:
2-3 large carrots
4 1/2 tablespoons honey

Directions:
Cook carrots, then mash. Mix with honey. Apply gently to the skin, wait 10 minutes. Rinse off with cool water.

Glowing Facial Mask

You will love your radiant skin after using this recipe…

All you need is:
1 tbsp fuller’s earth
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp mashed papaya

Mix and put on face for 20 minutes then rinse off.

Honey Facial Mask

Perhaps the best facial mask is honey.

Place a cloth in warm water and apply to your face to open the pores. Smear on honey, and leave on for 15 to 30 minutes.
Rinse off with warm water, then use cold water to close the pores.
Use once a week.

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Ways To Remove Unwanted Facial Hair

Unwanted facial hair has been a growing concern among women for a long time now. A smooth and silky hairless face is a dream of every woman that can maximize the beauty and appeal of their appearance. Moreover, facial hair has been a universal problem for transsexual women, which is also supposed to be one of the most difficult problems to solve. To combat these problems a number of methods have come to facilitate facial hair removal. Given below are some of the most common facial hair removal methods.

Application of Depilatory creams, lotions and gels

Using depilatory gels, lotions and creams for facial hair removal is one of the common and popular methods. The structure of the facial hair is altered by the chemical substance present in these creams and lotions to facilitate the removal of the hair. It is crucial to ensure the quality of the cream or the lotion before applying it on the facial skin because the chemical used in them can cause irritation to the skin. Therefore, use only those products that are specifically formulated for facial applications. It is recommended to perform a test on a small area of the facial skin to check how your skin reacts to the chemical and then apply it. Always follow the directions of use for preventing chemical burns or irritation.

Waxing

Waxing can be very effective for removing unwanted facial hair. If you choose to opt for waxing, consider doing it every 4 to 6 weeks. Before using the wax test a small area of the facial skin to detect allergic reaction. Never apply wax on irritated or sunburned skin.

Electrolysis

Electrolysis is considered to be one of the most popular and effective methods of permanent hair removal. This method uses electric current to destroy the hair roots permanently. However, electrolysis may require several treatments over a period of time to follow, as each hair follicle needs to be destroyed individually.

Laser

Permanent Facial hair removal through laser needs to be done specifically by a licensed professional. Although time-consuming and expensive, laser treatments may not be a permanent solution for removing unwanted facial hair. Depending on the thickness of your facial hair and skin type it is best to consult a professional before opting for a Laser treatment.

Shaving

Although shaving is adopted as one of the easiest and quickest solution to remove facial hair, it is not recommended for women, as the hair tends to come back very rapidly. Moreover, the use of razor may not be ideal on the sensitive facial skin, which might lead to irritation or other skin problems.

Tweezing

Tweezing involves the plucking out of the unwanted facial hair from the root. Although it takes a longer time for the hair to grow back after tweezing, it can be painful at times to pluck out the hair. However, tweezing is preferred over shaving.

Tips

  • Consider using a lotion that contains alpha-hydroxy acid after using any of the above mentioned facial hair removal treatments to exfoliate skin, which prevents ingrown hairs.
  • If none of the methods seem to be effective, bleach the hair for an easy and safe way to conceal unwanted facial hair.
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Easy To Get A Natural Beauty

It is only natural for human nature to desire for an appealing appearance. Walking towards the path of natural beauty is not difficult if you really desire for it. You need to discipline yourself to attain that glow on your face. If you think availing the natural beauty products will be instrumental for achieving the best skin, best hair or the best body, then you are wrong.

Natural beauty is a combination of natural beauty products, natural beauty care regimens, good nutrition and definitely physical exertion.

Before jumping on the bandwagon of several natural beauty treatments, it is necessary for you to understand your skin type and the changes that you wish to make for your look. Accept your unique qualities and make the most of it by using natural beauty products or even following natural beauty tips. It is not necessary to run around searching for beauty in expensive beauty products, instead explore the “natural goodness” of ingredients from your kitchen and refrigerator.

There are many ways to experience the real natural beauty without getting obsessive for achieving beauty as an award. Get an idea about natural skin care regime through the following:

  • A beautiful face is not complete without beautiful hair. Therefore, it is important to follow natural hair care tips for keeping your hair grounded and soft.
  • Skin is responsible for our appearance and is vulnerable to lot of problems. The good news is, regular natural skin care tips can resolve most of the skin problems.
  • Some of the body parts remain neglected, as the face is one of the most pampered parts of the body. Do not be partial with your natural goodness of homemade recipes and restrict to face only. Follow natural body care tips diligently and feel the difference.
  • It is better to wind up your natural beauty treatments with natural hand care and natural foot care, because hands and feet are as important as your face.

When you look amazing, it reveals the love and care you have for yourself. Let the spark light within as you shine brightly.

Caution: Be careful about skin allergies; consult a skin specialist if necessary.

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Hair Styles for Different Kinds of Hair

There is some basic information you need to know before you start looking at short latest hair styles or wondering if you should go blonde or keep your black hair.

Styles are determined by hair type, facial configuration, and length of cut. Short hair means those cuts that fall above the jaw line. Long hair styles fall below the shoulders.
Different hair styles within those parameters of short and long work for different kinds of hair, different facial features, and different occasions. Bridal hair styles will be different from teen hair styles and the latest hair styles may not be the best for you just because they’re currently in.

The latest hair style that’s “in” for you should be the one that best matches your facial features. It’s always best to be armed with some basic information before you make any changes from cut to hair color. Salon consultations are the best route, but there are basic rules of thumb by which anyone can be guided. The following text contains information about the latest women hair styles along with good expert styling tips

Curly Longing to be Straight

Because curly hair tends to get frizzy, it can present annoying styling problems. Using hair spray to spritz the hair before shaping it with the fingers or with a brush works but be aware that the alcohol in the spray will dry your hair and make the frizziness worse. The more you use hair spray the more you will need to moisturize your hair.

Select a wide tooth comb to work on tangles in straight, gentle, downward strokes. Don’t jerk the hair or work at it vigorously with a brush. You’ll damage the outer cuticle of the hair and increase its tendency to get tangled. Never brush wet hair. If possible, let your hair air dry.

Since hair style selection is based largely on facial shape, curly hair, which has good volume and body, can be coaxed into almost any style, especially when straightening products or accessories like a flat iron are used. Straightening products contain harsh chemicals and mechanical straightening implements that generate heat can burn the hair. Always moisturize and condition your curly hair when using these products.

Just as a general rule, the best curly hair styles are short. These cuts take advantage of your hair’s natural body and can be charmingly low maintenance. The longer the length of your curly hair the more problems you will have with it and the greater its tendency to tangle and to break.

Straight Longing to Curl

Straight hair can be of any type and texture. It can be cut into short or long lengths. The major problem is that straight hair often just won’t curl. Unfortunately women with straight hair usually wish they had curly hair just as those with curly hair long for straight, silky tresses. That’s usually where the trouble starts.

The degree of curl in hair is determined by the chemistry of the hair. Sulfur atoms in hair proteins join together in disulfide bonds. If the two atoms are far apart when they join, they literally bend the hair. If they are close together, the hair remains straight. By using a group of chemicals known as permanent wave solution, the cuticle of the hair is penetrated so the disulfide bonds can be broken down and replaced with new ones with greater distance between the atoms. The result is curly hair that will stay curly until new growth appears at the roots and begins to loosen the hair.

Permanents are the only long-term way to coax stubborn straight hair into wavier styles but they are hard on the hair. Shorter term solutions would be curling irons or rollers. By the end of the day, new hair styled with these implements tends to relax and if the day is humid, the increased moisture in the hair will cause any curl achieved to fall rapidly.

Your straight hair can be worn stylishly long and braided or put up in various knots and twists. Conversely stubbornly straight hair lends itself beautifully to extremely short hair styles. In the medium range of length, however, where more body is required to hold shape, extremely straight hair does not perform as well. If curls are your heart’s desire, it’s time to get a permanent and to begin a rigorous regiment of moisturizing and replenishing your hair to prevent chemical damage.

Special Hair Challenges for African Americans

African Americans face some special challenges with their hair because, unlike Europeans, the individual shafts of their hair are flat and roll into tight curls with a tendency to frizz. Consequently African American women tend to use chemical relaxing agents on their hair with regularity, making moisturizing and conditioning an absolute must.

While smooth, sleek latest hairstyles are more difficult for African American women to achieve they are not impossible thanks to relaxers and to implements like flat irons. The upside of the tighter quality of African American hair is that it responds well to braiding and weaving and will hold sculpted styles that are almost impossible for European hair unless the hair is practically lacquered into place.

African American women should tie up their hair at night or sleep with a scarf or cap to help prevent tangling and breakage. Most do not need to wash their hair more than once a week with deep conditioning only once a month. As little heat as possible should be applied to the hair and avoid alcohol based hair sprays and gels. Minimize the amount of “product” in your hair as much as possible.

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Trendy Bridal Make Up

In our part of the world New Year is usually associated with weddings and this year is no different. Wedding season is in full swing these days – one hardly sees any vacant marriage hall. It’s that time of the year when designers have no time to take further orders tailors are in demand, when caterers are all booked, and beauticians are all busy decking up those pretty brides. You! got lucky to get hold of renowned beautician Angie Marshall who despite her hectic schedule spared some time to share her expertise with us.”This season bridal makeup is blended and the base is subtle. You can say that the buzz word in bridal makeup today is ‘blending’. Today’s brides are more aware and they want to look naturally beautiful and no one likes to have the ‘plastered’ look. The wedding colour trend for 2008 will bring a fashionable new colour scheme and a monochromatic colour palette for brides to select from,” shares Angie.

According to her, in 2008 brighter and dark shades will be used in makeup. ”Chocolate brown is also a colour which has been, and will continue to be popular next year. Chocolate brown is also a neutral colour which pairs nicely with both yellow and orange.”

”Makeup trends include matte foundation for the face. From dark red to deep browns and pinks, lip colours are vibrant and flashy. This season there is much emphasis on eyes – take your pick of bold red, green, blue and even yellow. You can balance out this look with black eyeliner,” she adds.

As far as hair is concerned she predicts that there will be fusion of colours like blonde with chocolate brown. ”Personally I don’t like flat colours and I like to play with them. Though soft curls are in vogue, women here still go for straight hair.”

To give our readers a fair idea of what brides want to be like and how they should look, Angie has taken gorgeous Rubab as a model bride. ”I have tried to give Rubab a very traditional yet contemporary look. Since she has a flawless skin it was easy for me to do her makeup. As you can see in the pictures I have paid special attention to eyes,” says Angie.

When doing bridal makeup Angie always takes care of bride’s preference. ”We (makeup artists) should keep in mind that it’s her big day and she should be given a free hand. We should not act like dictators. While doing bridal makeup I keep the bride’s fearures and clothes in mind. I believe that bride’s jewellery and makeup should complement each other. If the wedding ‘jora’ is too heavy then the makeup should be subtle and vice versa.”

Angie truly advocates radiant skin. ”You should take care of your skin and should have regular facials for if your skin is good then the makeup looks automatically good on you. Here, brides normally expect beauticians to make them beautiful. Well, we cannot do wonders in one day. If you really want to glow on your big day then you may as well start pampering your skin from now,” advises Angie.

She also shares some useful beauty tips for the brides-to-be. ”In winters we should try to keep our skin hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Also using an eye cream is a must. And before going to bed never forget to clean your skin with a good cleanser. These are simple things to do but the benefits are long term.”

Keep in mind that if you draw your colour inspiration from nature, and the season you are marrying in, your wedding will be beautiful. Colours drawn from nature are always fashionable, yet timeless. Ultimately, the colour you select for your wedding should be something you are comfortable with. Select colours you will be able to enjoy in your photographs for years to come.

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Know The Secrets About Eye shadow

Secret #1: Blending is key

Ok, well I sorta knew this, but I wasn’t sure HOW TO BLEND. You use three different colors: The base, usually a very light taupe, a highlighter for the crease and a main color for the lid, but how to get them to look as if they merge into each other like the colors of a rainbow?

My secret: Start light then go darker. Brush the base color, apply the lid color and THEN apply the highlighter. Also, don’t be too heavy-handed or you’ll have to start over. Extra tip: Practice makes perfect. Play with your makeup a few days before a big event.

Secret #2: Choose shadows that make the color of your eyes pop

Gone are the days when beauty experts advised against blue shadow. Matching the color of your eye with a shadow actually brings the color out (think blue shadow on blue eyes). At the same time, contrasting colors make eyes pop too (think a deep jeweled blue shadow on deep brown eyes).

Secret #3: Never cover your browbone with deep color — unless you’re doing a cover shoot for Vogue

You don’t want the drama too much shadow brings. Apply shadow up to the browbone but don’t apply shadow ON the bone unless it’s a neutral color or a highlighter.

Secret #4: Highlighter can make or break your look

When applying dark shadow to the crease of your eye, be careful to blend only on the outside edge. Get to close to the eye and you’ll cause your eyes to look teeny and beady.

Secret #5: Set shadow with a great base

Primers are super hot right now because they help set makeup that stays for hours. I’ve found the secret to keeping shadow in place for hours is a shadow base. Almost everyone makes them but I swear by MAC Paints.

Secret #6: Shimmer is hot, but plays up wrinkles

Shimmer makes eyes really pop, but it also highlights heavy lids, lines and wrinkles. A great look for shimmer is to create a ‘nude’ lid, but apply a bit of gold shimmer to the browbone. Gorgeous!

Secret #7: Smokey is great, but keep it to the lid

Making up a smokey eye? Keep color to the lid and just under the lower lashline. Don’t extend color above the crease.

Secret #8: How to pair shadow with red lips

Remember the beauty rule ‘Thou Shalt Not Play up the Lips AND the Mouth.’ If you’re going for dramatic red lips (never out of fashion), cover unsightly blue lines on lids with a concealer or shadow primer and then keep eyeshadow light.

Secret #9: Make eyes brighter with white

A dot of white shadow or pencil on the inside of the eye near the tear duct will make eyes look brighter.

Secret #10: Go for color Taupe and lavender look great on all eye colors. Also consider mixing shades if you bought a color that’s just too bold for you. Mixing an electric blue with taupe can turn out the most perfect color

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Tips To get a Perfect Bridal Makeup

Your bridal makeup will be captured forever in your wedding photos. Therefore, it’s very important to plan your bridal makeup look well in advance.

Here are some wedding day makeup tips that will have you looking picture perfect.

  • Hire a professional makeup artist. The expense of using a professional is well worth it. On your wedding day, you will be nervous and won’t want to do your makeup yourself. Relying on a friend or family member isn’t the best option. If you can afford it, hire a makeup pro.
  • Have a pre-wedding consultation a few weeks before you wedding. Most professional makeup artists include one consultation as part of their pricing. Bring a swatch from your wedding dress and pictures of how you will be wearing your hair. Doing so will give the makeup artist an idea of what he or she will be working with on your wedding day.
  • Apply a primer under your foundation to help your makeup last longer. Also use a primer on your eyelids to prevent eye shadow from creasing or melting.
  • Use waterproof mascara.
  • Keep eye makeup natural and light. You don’t want to look like a raccoon in photos.
  • Fill in your lips with lip pencil before applying lipstick. This will give your lipstick a good base to help the color last.
  • Place a towel over your head when putting on your gown. This way you can avoid getting cosmetics on your wedding dress.
  • Have blotting papers or powdered rice papers on hand. These convenient papers can eliminate shine on your wedding day.
  • Put Vaseline on your front teeth. This trick will stop lipstick from getting on your teeth, which can ruin photo
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