Hair Removal Option for Women

What causes facial hair in women? The same hormones that cause it in men. Let's face it: we're a hairy breed. And in the all too human world of beauty, we value smooth, hairless skin. Our hormones create hair, even in the female of the species, and as women we spend a lot of time fighting Nature to please Fashion. Removing facial hair is an issue for women all over the world: even in ancient times, women used hot honey and tree saps to remove unwanted hair from the jaw line, upper lip, eyebrows and chin.

Waxing Unwanted Facial Hair

Today, waxing is still a popular hair removal option: it's relatively inexpensive, more thorough than plucking individual hairs with tweezers and can be done any time. Hot wax kits consist of a "wax" made of sugar or honey, (this is called "sugaring"), beeswax or resin. The easiest way to do waxing at home is to buy a microwavable wax, apply with a wooden spatula, then spread with a strip of cotton muslin and pull off the wax along with the offending hair. But, if you don't have the patience to melt the wax slowly at the recommended power setting, stir it thoroughly, test a tiny bit on the tip of your finger and ascertain whether it's too hot, you shouldn't do that kind of waxing because you run the risk of getting badly burned. Microwaves work hot and fast, and the wax must be carefully watched, timed, stirred, and tested before applying. It takes patience.

Bleaching Upper Lip Hair to Reduce its Appearance

Another popular at-home hair removal method is bleach. You can buy cream bleaching creams that are mixed with an activator and then applied to the facial hair. You cannot use cream bleaches on eyebrows or anywhere near your eyes—if they get in your eyes, you can go blind. Some people may experience facial redness or sensitivity from bleaching, so it's a good idea to do a 24 hour test patch first. But if the bleach doesn't bother your skin, and if you use it weekly, you'll not only be rendering facial hair more invisible, after awhile it will become fragile and start to break off, lessening its appearance even more.

Shaving is not a best practice for removing facial hair

Some people wonder how to remove facial hair by shaving, and this is a good place to say that shaving is a bad idea. It will leave stubble, and the only thing worse than facial hair is facial stubble. Forget shaving anything on your face.

Natural Beauty Product Suggestions for Oilier Skin

Oil free moisturizers usually contain glycerin and water, and some of the best products also contain tea extracts and oatmeal. Oatmeal has long been recognized as a soothing skin care product, and when used as a mask can brighten your skin without drying it out too much. Companies like Aveeno are making oatmeal based moisturizers and makeup that work wonderfully to care for the skin. Beauty tips columns always contain the oatmeal facial mask as a remedy for oily skin. Just puree oatmeal with a little water, wipe on the skin, allow to dry most but not all they way, and rinse off.

Luckily, caring for your oily skin has never been easier, since a tremendous range of products ensures that there's something for everyone. Treating oily skin is done at two levels; prevention and blemish control. Gentle treatment, the right oil-control makeup and proper nutrition can help prevent oily skin. Blemishes can be treated with tea tree oil or one of the natural remedies including green or white tea extract (powerful antioxidants) and skin calming oils such as lavender or chamomile.

Shape Eye Brows with Threading, Waxing and Plucking with Tweezers

Eyebrows are tricky creatures. You know how they’re supposed to look, but sometimes they don’t want to cooperate, and because they’re growing out of your head, they have a semi permanent character that defies wishes and good intentions.

One of the many problems of eyebrows is the fact that if they aren’t the right color, they can either dominate your face or disappear entirely. Their unfortunate (but necessary) proximity to your eyeballs makes it a pretty major no-no to just sweep the haircolor across each brow and hope it doesn’t drip into your eyes. That’s why the goddess of practical beauty created the eyebrow pencil, an unsatisfactory solution, but sometimes better than nothing if your eyebrows happen to be very pale.

Shaping Your Eyebrows: How to get the perfect arch shape

Shape is also crucial, and if your eyebrows are coarse, creating and maintaining the ideal shape is difficult because pulling out individual hairs can leave large gaps, or severely shorten the length of a brow if you happen to pull out the half-inch hair on the very end.

The perfect eyebrow starts above the inside corner of your eye (over the tear duct), and ends at the outside corner, above your eyelashes. Eyebrows should have an arch: in nature, it’s rarely where it should be, which is a frustrating commentary on standards of beauty. Ideally, the arch happens over the iris, the colored part of your eye. It should be gentle, so if you’re planning to reshape your arch, take it very, very slowly. Do a hair or two a day, and err on the side of caution. Hasty plucking can give you a surprised look that lasts for weeks.

How to Pluck Eyebrows with Tweezers: The Do's and Don'ts

Many women pluck their eyebrows with tweezers. Some wax them, but wax is tricky because it’s hard to get an accurate shape. And some go to a hair removal salon to try "threading." Although threading is newly popular in the United States, it is a centuries-old technique of hair removal practiced in India. The eyebrow experts say never, never to pluck your eyebrows from above, but always to pluck from the bottom of the brow. I say, if you have some wild or stray or bushy hairs growing above your brows, feel free to pluck them. I did it once, and nothing bad happened to me.

I read somewhere that it’s okay to trim your eyebrows. I think this is good if the single hairs are long and thick. You can pluck some hairs and trim the others, brushing them up, evening the ends (be careful not to trim too much!), then brushing them down checking again and again as you go along.

Use Eyebrow Gel to Keep Your Brow Shape Neat after Tweezing

Finally, keeping your brows neat can be done with special eyebrow gel, or you can use a little hair gel to smooth them and keep them shapely.

Sun Protection: Using Sunscreen & Wise Exposure to the UVB/UVA Rays

Judy got married before anyone else, and although we all envied her happiness and her handsome hubbie and their beautiful home, when she had her first baby, all envy stopped. She ballooned up and couldn’t wear her clothes: even her gorgeous shoe collection was rendered obsolete by hormonal horrors. She was sick every day for three solid months, she got moody and no one could get along with her, and once the baby came along, she had a terrible time getting back to her pre-baby weight.

Still, she went low-carb and worked out like a fiend. She stuck to her plan, and eventually the weight came off, and those cute tangerine suede loafers (from J. Crew) slipped smoothly back onto her perfect size seven feet.

Judy swears by several things that helped her regain her post-baby beauty. One was the support of her hubbie Mike, who changed his work schedule so she could have afternoons to herself four days each and every week. This helped her get to the gym and the salon, while Mike and Baby Emily bonded. The second thing was her mom-in-law Freddie, who baby-sits once or twice a week so that Mike and Judy can go out and pretend to be normal people again. (What a nice woman –is Judy the luckiest, or what?)

The third thing Judy swears by is called Rosebud Salve, a family-company retro-classic that comes in a groovy rose-labeled tin and smells like a little bit of heaven. Judy uses it for everything, from lip balm to burn ointment. She says it kept her nursing days smooth and pain-free by using it morning and night, you-know-where. And when little Emily developed a babyish but unattractive rash in a tender place, Judy hauled out the tin of Rosebud Salve and slathered it on.

Types of Perfumes and Fragrance Categories

Perfume has always been a vital part of human culture: people have perfumed their hair and bodies with oils, resins, flower and herb extracts and animal scents since earliest history. Wearing scent is pleasurable; it is an expression of individuality; it attracts mates and makes us nice to be close to. Perfumes are more for the wearer: they make us feel wonderful.

Fragrances are classed—and priced—by their alcohol content, with the least expensive being eau de toilettes and eau de colognes containing between 3% and 8% fragrance with the other 92-97% of the content being made up of alcohol, water and color. Eau de parfum contains actual perfume oils of 8-15%. You pay more for perfume because it is stronger at application and lasts longer than eau de toilette. Perfume (or “parfum”) contains somewhere between 15% and 30% of perfume oils and lasts longer than other scent types—typically around six hours. Always try to take a sample of perfume home to try for a week or two and make sure it is the right fragrance and strength for you before buying.

Fragrance Blending Families

Fragrances may be floral, spicy, woody, herbal, musky, powdery (also called “chypre”) or “aqueous” a recent designation for aromatherapy scents that are based more on a concept of a “watery” smell than an actual scent. The recent rediscovery of herbal and floral scents combined with recent technology for scent capture has created new markets for subtle extracts—“headspace” scents extracted through the use of gas chromatography, creating entirely new classes of perfumes. Food scents such as vanilla, chocolate, cherry and coffee have made their way into perfumery to the chagrin of many classical perfumers and to the happiness of younger customers who like fruity, foody, unsophisticated scents. Many perfumes combine the scent categories, creating combinations such as “Oriental” which is usually identified by heavy florals and spices. Aldehydes, which made their debut with the heady scent of Chanel No. 5, are pure chemicals whose particular odors are named by letters rather than names. Aldehydes, while completely man-made are also compelling and immensely popular, making up many of the elegant perfumes of today.

Stop a Nail Biting Habit with Proper Natural Nail Care

The first thing we can all do in having good-looking hands is to keep them clean by washing regularly. It’s amazing how many people (guys especially, but some women and girls too) walk around with grubby non manicured finger nails. Get a nail brush and put it by the sink, so it’s convenient whenever you wash your hands. An added plus of a nail brushing your fingers is the way it feels: those soft bristles and the luxurious soapy lather take your hands on a daily very mini spa vacation. Always follow up with a nice hand cream or lotion to keep your hands moisturized.

Stop nail biting. Break your toddler or child's habit early

Beautiful hands and nail care start with basics, and not having raggy, bleeding cuticles is a primary step in having presentable hands. Granted, one of the hardest habits to break is to stop fingernail biting, but it’s also one of the more disfiguring things that can happen to a hand. We all know someone who bites their nails to the quick, then starts on those ragged cuticles. Nail-biting usually starts in early childhood as a toddler with some people never outgrowing it, while others only revert to nail-biting in times of stress.

Nail care and nail biting products

There are some products on the market to stop nail-biting, super-hot or bitter things to paint on your nails. I've heard some nail-biters say that the nasty taste didn't stop them, but they must work for some people.

Finally, for nail-biters and non-nail-biters alike, hand cream right before bed is a great way to keep your skin smooth. When things are looking rough (or if you’re a biter who’s trying to quit), you can get some wonderfully thin cotton gloves, slather on a hand cream like Sephora’s Bliss Glamour Glove Gel and glove up until morning. The cotton will keep the hand cream off the pillows and on your hands where it belongs. And for a real spa-treatment, get some little cotton socks and give your feet the same experience.

Nail polish shows off those fingers

And for a little something extra try a nice bright nail polish for your next manicure. OPI nail products give a great professional finish that looks like you went to a manicure salon or spa. But buyer beware of the "fake" acrylic manicure. Your own natural nails are better than using fake "glue on" nails. If your manicurist doesn't properly clean tier tools, acrylic nail application can cause the dreaded nail fungus that has to be specially treated for months at a time. My advice save the acrylic french manicure for a special event or occasion like attending the Boston symphony in a black sleek gown.

History and Origins of Perfume, Fragrance and Cologne

When the Emperor Napoleon of France was about to return from battle, he sent a message to Josephine. “Am returning in three days. Don’t wash.” While modern-day noses may not agree with Napoleon’s sentiments, there is some evidence that lovers are attracted by each others’ natural smell above and beyond the scents of soap, perfume, fragrance, cologne and chewing gum. That we are influenced by naturally-emitted scents called pheromones, so subtle and yet so powerful that we can be drawn to or repelled by people for reasons we don’t even understand. (History doesn’t record whether or not Josephine obeyed Napoleon’s order.)

Olfactory research has shown that certain odors can prevent shoplifting, inspire confidences and make us hungry even when our stomachs are full. The perception of fragrance is embedded in the portion of our brains where emotions arise, making smells from childhood immediate memory triggers, and creating a strong emotional pull towards or away from smells depending on the positive or negative associations of the memories they are attached to.

Choosing a perfume is like choosing a lover: you don’t rush; you learn everything you can; you take your own feelings seriously. With an eye to these requirements, the aim of this article is to teach you about the types of fragrance, the fragrance families, the right ways to wear perfume, and how to shop for the perfect perfume.

Healthy Pregnancy Information on Proper Beauty Care, Exercise & Nutrition

Women are having babies later in life, and many women are into their forties before the biological time bomb goes off, leaving them thinking, "Omigad: I've just got to have a baby RIGHT NOW". The sudden baby urge is a phenomenon that has never been explained satisfactorily, and now, with women starting high-powered careers in their twenties, and realizing fifteen years down the road that, in the struggle of getting that MBA they forgot to do things about getting pregnant, it isn't so much explored as it is attacked with calendars, hormones, thermometers and implantations.

It's safer than ever before to have a late-life child, but Down syndrome and other birth defects do become more likely, and complications that result in injury to the mother are more likely too. The fact is, our bodies are vastly different at forty-something than they are at twenty-something; less resilient, longer to heal. Modern medical care makes it possible for preemies of under one pound to grow into healthy adults, and with today's understanding of the importance of planning, nutrition, and supplements such as folic acid, older moms experience much less risk than they did even ten years ago.

If you're pregnant and in your late thirties to early forties, you probably have inner and outer resources than younger women. You've probably planned your pregnancy, painted the nursery and are emotionally ready for motherhood. You may even have money saved for your child's education. So, with all your ducks in a tidy row, it may seem even more unfair that morning sickness, fatigue, bloating and blotchy skin are dancing attendance on your upcoming blessed event.

It may not be a surprise to you that many of the things you should be doing to stay healthy during pregnancy are also the things that will keep you looking your best, even in those early, wretched and retching, weeks. Read on for before, during and after beauty tips for pregnant ladies and brand-new moms.

1. I know you think you should be and could be Superwoman. You could try, but you'll probably just wear yourself out, and frankly, they don't give awards for Superwomen. If you can afford it, cut back on the work hours, take every sick day, holiday and personal day off, and don't even think about taking a shorter-than-usual maternity leave.

2. Rest. Step away from the computer, put your feet up, close your eyes, read a book, listen to music. Sleep doesn't count as rest, by the way: your normal nighttime sleep is also still required. Rest in between meetings at work, take naps on weekends, and avoid social events you don't really want to attend anyway by saying quietly (and with just a hint of gravity), "Oh, I'd love to, but I can't. I have to rest."

3. To assist you in resting, consider having groceries or dry cleaning delivered, go out for a meal once in awhile instead of cooking at home, and enlist the aid of those who live with you in things like doing the dishes, putting stuff away, or cleaning the tub. You might feel guilty before the baby comes, but once that wee creature arrives, you'll kick yourself for not having pre-trained your family to help.

4. When you aren't resting, exercise. Take walks, go swimming or take water aerobics, do whatever activities your ob-gyn says is okay for your particular stage of gestated bliss. Exercise is great for the skin, perks up the mental attitude, keeps the kilos down, and promotes your baby's health too.

5. Obviously, you won't smoke, take dope, use over-the-counter medications, or drink alcohol. Pay attention to your caffeine intake, too (remember, what Mommy does, Baby does too). Also, watch the sugar. Diabetes occurs more frequently in older pregnant women, and watching your diet can help keep your blood sugar under control.

6. Undereye circles sometimes come along with morning sickness because you get dehydrated, and it shows up in the thinning skin under the eyes. Drink plenty of water throughout your pregnancy.

7. Buy the prettiest maternity clothes you can find. Subsiding into sweats for months on end will compound any feelings of unattractiveness you may experience. Your body will certainly grow rounder--even around the ankles--but that's no reason to give up on fashion. Fashion loves you, and will always take you back.

8. Your skin color may change during pregnancy, and you may need to buy different shades of makeup. Some lucky women look fabulous between months four and eight: their skin glows, their eyes sparkle. If you are one of these women, count your blessings. If you're one of the other 90%, treat yourself to an occasional facial.

9. Some women get acne from the drastic hormonal surges of pregnancy. Check with your doctor before using anything remotely medicinal: your skin may absorb chemicals that aren't good for the baby. The acne is temporary, and will disappear once your body's hormone levels have evened out.

10. During your pregnancy and after the baby comes, accept help when it's offered. Lots of new moms feel that they should be able to do everything themselves, but in fact, it takes a village to keep Baby's laundry done. Line up a reliable sitter before the birth, so that as soon as you can, you can go out for dinner or a movie without worrying. Let friends cook you dinner, and coerce family members into chores. Fatherly creatures should also be pressed into service when it comes to hourly chores such as feeding, changing or holding Baby.Training your partner in baby-tending does more than get you some extra sleep: it helps Dad and Baby bond.

Business Professional Dress Code for Women in the Office

Your work wardrobe depends largely on what you do for a living, and if you aren't a natural-born fashion hound, it can be difficult to put together work ensembles that are practical, comfortable and affordable. Besides the obligatory chinos and polo shirt-uniforms of many retail establishments, there are three types of working wardrobes: professional, business casual and casual. In this column, we're going to cover the basics of dressing for the professional office.

Women's Business Professional Workplace Dress Code Described

Probably the easiest wardrobe to assemble is the professional one that most large corporate firms expect from women. Most corporations and firms whose employees affect professional dress have strict if unwritten dress codes: observing what other people wear is the best way to decide on your own wardrobe basics. Even now, many firms expect women to dress in skirts rather than pants to work, which raises complications in terms of choosing comfortable shoes that look good. If you are applying for a position with a company where professional dress is the norm, do as much reconnaissance work as you can to determine what designers are favored, whether suit blouses are strictly white and tailored or more feminine and colorful, and what makeup styles are in fashion. Wear the best shoes you can afford to your interview, spend more money on hose that won't snag and run before you even get to the interview, and wear a skirt, even if women also wear pants in that culture.

How to Dress for a Job Interview

When you're interviewing, it's always better to dress a little more on the formal and conservative side. This is relative, of course. If you're going for a job at a funky piercing studio, you shouldn't show up in Donna Karan, but leave the ripped jeans at home until you've gotten the job. For professional work environments, it means opting for tailored over trendy and severe over sexy. Forget the Allie McBeal micro-minis and tights tops: TV fashion does not apply in the real-world professional workplace, and people won't take you seriously if the first thing they recall about you is your astonishing cleavage. If you want to base your wardrobe on a relevant TV show, think West Wing or The Practice.

Green Tea: How to Drink up Natural Beauty Benefits

For centuries green tea has been used daily by cultures outside of the United States. We as Americans only recently understand the many health and beauty benefits that are received through the use of green tea. Green tea can be used as a drink such as in tea or it can be applied to the skin through lotions. There are even vitamin supplements with green tea for tablet ingestion. The benefits of green tea use can cover areas of health, weight loss and aging reduction.

Natural Health Properties of Green Tea Extract

Green tea extracts are naturally rich in antioxidants, which protect against the harmful effects of free radicals in the body. Free radicals naturally occur in the body and can cause accelerated aging, cancers and heart disease. The antioxidants decrease the risk of free radical effects. Studies have shown that green tea can lower cholesterol; decrease chances for cancers, heart disease and aid arthritis sufferers. Sipping green tea daily can aid the body in over health prevention.

Diet and Weight Loss with Benefits

Green tea contains natural ingredients that both flush toxins from the body as well as raise the metabolic rate burning calories and fat at an increased rate. It also enhances fat oxidation while providing the body with more energy with less caffeine than other energy boosting beverages. Sipping green tea daily can help boost your energy levels and your mood while decreasing the fat production in the body.

How to Look Younger with Green Teas

Pollution, sun exposure, smoking and diet can all cause our skin to age at an accelerated rate. Wrinkles, sunspots and other signs of age can be treated with green tea. Many beauty product lines are realizing the benefits that the antioxidants in green tea have on the skin. It can be used as a natural exfoliant, a moisturizer and line reducer. Companies such as Garnier are using green leaf extracts in anti aging and sun treated skin lines. Another beauty tip for green tea use is for a healthy, beautiful smile. Green tea naturally has fluoride in it, which prevents cavities in the teeth.

How To Take Green Tea in Your Diet

Green tea is now widely sold in most grocery chains as well as local Asian market places. You can purchase 100 tea bags for less than $2.00. You can also find beauty products and vitamins containing green tea at most of your local drug stores. If you are interested in DIY beauty care there are books and websites that offer more detailed tips on green tea use. Tips can include facial spritzes and scrubs created from seeping fresh green tea leaves.

Scientists are still studying green tea powders, beverages and creams in search of additional benefits. Green tea is becoming a wide used product for numerous health and beauty purposes. It is affordable and effective in maintaining a healthier and richer quality of life. Perhaps this natural product is not the only one of it’s kind. We may find that our neighbors to the East have even more health benefits for us to discover. The next time you are looking for a way to boost your health, look for products containing green tea and try it for yourself.

Skin Care Products with Black Mud Found in the Dead Sea

Black Dead Sea mud is often used as a therapeutic body wrap at spas; facial masks are also made of this miracle substance, to care for the skin, refine the pores, and as a natural anti-aging therapy. For psoriasis treatment, application of Dead Sea mud in combination with baths using Dead Sea salts have brought significant remissions for many patients, and the minerals in Dead Sea salts have also been included in psoriasis creams. Psoriasis flare-ups are less common when patients have experienced Dead Sea treatments. Dead Sea mud has also been found to relieve arthritis pain in joints, perhaps due to the influence of the high mineral content. Soaking in a bath of Dead Sea salts can alleviate muscle soreness; for a homemade, skin softening bath, combine Dead Sea salts with a cupful of oatmeal placed in an old nylon stocking. The minerals soak into your skin and the oatmeal creates a moisture shield that smoothes and softens.

The facts about treating stretch marks include the realization that they fade over time but are rarely eradicated with creams. But moisturized skin helps minimize the appearance of stretch marks, and creams made from Dead Sea minerals help skin regain its youthful moisture. Anti-aging cream isn't just for stretch marks; use it on elbows, heels and even your face.

How to Clean Professional Makeup and Cosmetics Brushes

if you wear makeup, you need to know how to clean makeup brushes. If you don't clean your make up brushes, you'll either wind up spoiling them and throwing them away, or they will mess up your clean, fresh look by changing the colors of your makeup. If you're not sure how to clean makeup brushes, don't worry; it's simple. The main thing is using the right type of cleaner for the kind of cosmetic brush you have. It's also most important to clean your makeup brushes frequently, so that there's very little build up on them.

Applying your make up correctly is at least as important as the quality of the makeup itself. Professional makeup artists take a lot of time smoothing, blending and brushing creams and powders into their clients' soon flawless faces. Great brushes help make perfect makeup possible.

What Materials and Hair Products are Brushes Made of?

Makeup brushes come in all sorts of materials, with the cheapest usually being made of sponge or plastic and the most expensive some sort of animal hair. High quality natural hair brushes used by professional models and painters are made of sable, and if you want a particular brush shape in an excellent quality brush, you can find them at art supply stores. Badger fur, pony hair and even squirrel hair are also used to make brushes. The best makeup, such as mineral makeup, will often come with a set of fine brushes: perfect application gives your makeup a beautiful soft finish.

Beauty Benefits of Goats Milk Based Soaps and Skin Care Products

Milk based soaps have recently been rediscovered, largely due to the current research on milk proteins that is teaching consumers about the way skin benefits from contact with whey protein and lactic acid. Lactic acid helps smooth skin by exfoliation, and milk also contains Vitamins A and D, whose benefits include giving skin strength and suppleness. Many milk based soaps are made of goat's milk, which has the same ph as human skin. Goats produce a high fat, creamy milk that's easily digested because its molecules are smaller than those of cow's milk.

People allergic to cow's milk often drink goat's milk instead because of the protein profile of goat's milk, which more closely resembles that of human milk, and which makes goat milk easier to digest. The other upside of using goats' milk in all kind of products is the fact that goats are more easily farmed than cows or sheep: they forage on all kinds of feed, are resistant to injury and disease and are providers of wool, meat and milk.

How is goat’s milk soap made?

But you can't make soap from milk alone. Other ingredients could include natural oils from seeds, nuts, and vegetables, such as soybeans or coconuts. Soap has two main ingredients; lye and fat. When lye combines with a fat, chemical interaction hardens the oils, creating a bar of hard soap. When our great-grandmothers made their all natural soap, they used wood ashes and lard: the ashes were soaked in water, which leached out lye. Cooking lard with lye created soap. Original lye soaps were unscented and very harsh. They were also used for scrubbing laundry and floors, so their harshness helped pioneers get their clothes and homes—as well as their families—clean.

Beauty and Health Benefits of Drinking Water - Filtered, Bottled, Tap or Distilled

We all want smooth, soft, unblemished skin. But sometimes it seems like great skin is either something you’re born with or something you’ll never achieve. These days, the medical industry has created skin care treatments that are halfway between plastic surgery and serious cosmetics. You can have your skin sanded, chemically peeled, zapped with lasers, frozen or injected with Botox, the catchy hyphenated name for botulism toxin. You can spend thousands of dollars in a pretty short period of time to achieve results that may or may not be what you hoped for.

But one of the most wonderful skin care treatments is easily available to everyone, has side benefits that affects not just your rosy glow but your whole body, and is utterly painless to use. It’s called water, and you drink it.

Not coffee. I know, coffee has water. It also has an abundance of interesting chemicals including caffeine, which raises your heartbeat, exaggerates stress on the body and causes diuresis, or loss of hydration. All these things combine to make for ravaged, hag-like skin, which if that’s what you’re aiming for, is just fine. But those of us who want to hold off hagdom as long as possible have to face the facts: that cappuccino may taste good, but it’s going to increase under eye circles, make your kidneys work harder than they should, and can result in breakouts, flushing and blotchy skin.

The facts are these. Not Pepsi, not beer, not juice, not even tea can replace the magical, rejuvenating effects of that old classic, H2O.

Shaving Tips

How To Get A Close Shave

Whether you’re learning to shave for the first time as a young lady or you’ve been shaving for years, chances are you’re legs aren’t as smooth as you’d like them to be. There aren’t any incredibly secret or hidden tricks when it comes to attaining a close shave. It’s not difficult! All you must do is follow these simple safety hints and hair removal advice and before you know it you’ll learn how to get smooth and sexy legs, every time you shave.

Selecting the Perfect Razors for You

The first step you should take, before shaving your underarms, legs or bikini area is choosing a razor. It may sound like an easy task, but finding a razor that’s best for your body and skin can be a challenge. Some people prefer to use an electric razor while others like a ceramic or double edge straight razor. The best way to find out what works best for you is to experiment. Try each type of razor and see which one you feel most comfortable using. If you’re looking for a close shave, steer clear of disposable razors, unless you’re traveling. Whether you go with Venus or Gillette has less consequence than what type of razor you choose.

Using a Lubricator

One of the vital components needed in attaining a shave free of knicks is lubrication. Many people are mistaken and think soap is a good way to prepare your legs for the shaving process. The truth is that soap can often dry out your skin, making you more prone to knicks, bleeding, ingrown hairs and bumps. Shaving cream or gel is often the easiest way to prepare your legs for the process and avoid a rash, unwanted stubble or missed hair growth.

After Shaving

Remember this warning; never leave the bathroom after shaving without moisturizing. It is vital you moisturize your legs after shaving them. After getting out of the shower or bath, be sure to grab some unscented body lotion and give your legs a good drink. Use unscented varieties because they’re easier on your open pores and won’t likely break you out in a razor rash. If you’re extremely sensitive, be sure to skip the lotion and go straight for a little baby oil. It will provide the moisture, without leaving you with red bumps. With oil, a little goes a long way!

Shaving Tips

The key to getting a good shave is following a good routine. Here are some other shaving tips that can help you get the close shave you desire.

* Wait until the end of your bath or shower to shave. It’s when the skin is most supple and the hairs are softer.
* Shave in the morning for a guarantee of smooth legs throughout the day.
* Don’t shave before hitting the beach or pool. If you need to shave for these events, do so the night before.
* Shaving your bikini line every day will help you avoid razor rash in that area.
* If you run out of shaving cream or gel, grab your hair conditioner instead. It works great as a lubricant for shaving and will leave your legs conditioned and smelling great.

BEATUY TIPS

Few of us are lucky enough to have been born with perfect skin. There are many ways to improve your God-given complexion, which I will be covering in the future. However, for a great way to help us have that “Flawless Look”, Foundation Make-up is our best friend. In my 20 plus years in the Cosmetics & Beauty business, one of the comments I hear the most is…”I would love to wear foundation, but- I can never find one that looks right”

Here are some of the basics to remember when choosing and applying foundation.

1. Skin Type. What is your skin type? It is very important that you get a foundation that suits your skin. A person with dry skin will need a more moisturizing foundation or maybe a cream. Whereas someone with combination to oily skin will need an oil controlling foundation. If a foundation states that it is for all skin types, the two extremes of dry and oily may not have the best results.

2. Shades. There are so many shades to choose from…Where do you start? The best way to choose a shade is by trying them on and NOT on the back of your hand. To test a shade, you need to try it on you face, at the jaw line. The shade that disappears is the one for you. Please do not be temped to give yourself a tan with your foundation. You can add colour with your blusher or bronzer. Your foundation’s purpose is to smooth and even out your own skin tones. If your shade is too dark it can be ageing, too light and you look unwell or tired.
Flourescent lighting is our worst enemy. Always try to choose in natural sunlight. If possible next to a window or doorway.

3. Application. For best results, always apply your foundation straight after your moisturizer. (no matter what your skin type) while it is still moist. Blend with your fingers or a sponge from the middle of your face, outwards. Blend well around the hairline, nose and eyebrows. Put a thin layer on your eyes. If your shade is right, you should not have to blend past your jaw line.

4. Tip. If you want a light coverage, try mixing your foundation with a little moisturizer and then applying it like a moisturizer. This will give you a nice fresh & light look. Great for the summer.

5. Finish. To get that model finished look and to set your foundation to last all day use powder. A loose powder is best. Just pat it on and using a large brush, brush off the excess in downward strokes to smooth down any fine facial hair. Be careful not to put too much around the eyes, as this can be ageing, especially for us ladies of a more interesting age!

6. Myth. Wearing a foundation is bad for your skin….Actually, these days the opposite is true. Foundations are good for your skin because they will protect your skin from the environment and some even have SPF to protect you from the suns very damaging effects.

Saving Face

According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), nearly 7 million Americans underwent surgical and nonsurgical cosmetic procedures in 2002. Laura Bradbard was one of them.

Despite the sudden explosion of such "lunchtime" techniques as Restylane for erasing wrinkles, and Botox (botulinum toxin type A) for smoothing out frown lines, Bradbard, of Gaithersburg, Md., opted for a longer-lasting reconstructive facelift that included a chin implant, eyelid surgery, and surprisingly, only a few days of pain-free recovery.

"None of this was medically necessary," admits Bradbard, a 48-year-old FDA press officer, "but I had been feeling worn out and tired. What I saw in the mirror was sad." Bradbard says she didn't get a facelift to look younger; she only wanted her face to look more balanced. In the end, she says, "My doctor gave me a chin that geometrically fit my face," and a look that she says makes her feel better about herself.

Like Bradbard, others are spending a lot of money to look good. "With patients living 90-plus years, today's anti-aging modalities offer people noninvasive procedures that mimic true facelifts," says Craig R. Dufresne, M.D., a plastic and reconstructive surgeon in Chevy Chase, Md., who performed Bradbard's surgery. However, Dufresne says he suggested reconstructive surgery for Bradbard because "she wanted to deal with structural changes to restore facial balance," which was more than the chemical action of a drug could produce. "And skin product application (such as wrinkle fillers) following a facelift," adds Dufresne, "will actually allow the facelift or any other reconstructive procedure to last longer and make a great result even better."