Avon's Skin So Soft: Not Just a Bath Oil!

Did you know that AVON?s Skin-So-Soft Bath Oil is more than just a bath oil? Just look at the list of uses we?ve found, ?tried and true?!!

1. It?s a bath oil.

2. It?s an after shower moisturizer.

3. It can be used to remove makeup.

4. It?s a suntan oil (not a sunscreen, however).

5. Pour a little in the water of your foot saver to help moisturize your feet while you relax them.

6. It?s a hot oil treatment to soften nails.

7. It?s a good massage oil for those overworked, sore muscles.

8. It?s a good insect repellent for people and their pets (as recommended in Outdoor Life and Field and Stream magazines, plus ?Dear Abby?).

9. It helps relieve itching caused by insect bites and dry skin.

10. Sponge it on screen and around doors and windows to keep crawling bugs, as well as, flies and mosquitoes out.

11. It?s a good wood cleaner, conditioner and polish for natural wood. (Cuts grease and dirt from kitchen cabinets with ease).

12. It removes chewing gum from hair, skin, and most nonporous surfaces.

13. It removes glue and gum left from price tags and labels from glass, metal and most plastics.

14. It cleans tape marks left by bandages from skin.

15. It cleans ink from skin and most vinyl and painted surfaces.

16. It gently cleans heavy grease and oil from skin and nonporous surfaces.

17. It removes soap scum from shower doors, shower curtains, windows, and bathroom and kitchen fixtures.

18. It removes lime and hard water deposits from windows, fixtures, shower doors and tile.

19. It removes tar spots from car finishes without damaging paint finish.

20. It?s an oil lubricant for fitting pipe joints that won?t slip together as easily as they used to.

21. It removes paint and stain from skin ? much gentler than turpentine!

22. It cleans paint brushes easily, and leaves them as soft as new.

23. It removes gum from carpet.

24. It cuts grease and dirt from range hoods.

25. It removes candle wax from furniture, carpeting, and clothing.

26. It removes scuff marks from patent leather shoes.

27. It removes Liquid Nail (paneling glue).

28. Two glass bowls or glasses stuck together? Drizzle a little SSS down the sides and they?ll come apart easily ? no breakage!

29. It removes ?ring around the collar?.

30. Wipe down vinyl surfaces inside your car to preserve the vinyl.This article originally appeared in the June 2000 issue of Jet Aviation's Flight Attendant News.

Matt manages the Corporate Flight Attendant Community website at http://www.corporateflyer.net and http://www.cabinmanagers.com

How To Highlight Your Best Features

Accentuate the Positive:

Beautiful features come in all shapes and sizes. Gorgeous eyes, pouty lips, sculpted cheekbones, artfully arched brows, a flawless complexion. You may not have them all ? hardly anyone has them ALL. But chances are, you?ve got at least one? one really gorgeous facial asset that's the envy of your friends. So, are you making the most of what you?ve got?

Lips? full, pouty, inviting lips.

If you?ve got them, you?re blessed. Make them as kissable as possible. Lip balm with sunscreen is a must. On no make-up days and even under your lipstick. Use a lip balm/moisturizer after you remove your lipstick at the end of the day.

Lipstick and liner should be checked and reapplied every few hours to ensure that all eyes are on your best features for the right reasons. Gloss makes those lips even more tempting.

Eyes? the window to the soul.

How about dressing up your baby blues, your doe-eyes or your emerald beauties?

Eye shadow should complement your complexion, not match your sandals. Have a make-up professional sample different colors on you.

Choose a color combination for day and a separate one for nights out on the town. Two or three shadow colors give your eyelids dimension.

Waterproof mascara is great at weddings and graduations, but not for everyday. It dries out your lashes and causes them to fall out. Don't touch your eyes or rub them.

This causes wrinkles and introduces bacteria. Give some attention to your brows once a week. Always use a makeup remover made for your eyes, wiping gently with a cotton ball.

Cheeks? we all have cheekbones.

Using a good quality, large make-up brush - not the little, cute one that comes with your blusher - is the key to applying blush. Smile at yourself in the mirror. Rest the brush lightly on the ?apple? of the cheek and gently sweep the brush back toward the temple.

Voila, gorgeous cheeks.

Beautiful skin? if you?ve got it, flaunt it.

If your skin is clear and even-toned, you already have what the rest of us are trying to achieve with foundation. Consider using a tinted moisturizer instead.

Or, go natural - forget the foundation during daylight hours.

Foundation is made to cover imperfections. Okay, it does help keep your other makeup in place, but if you can get away with not wearing it most of the time, you should. The rest of us aspire to that freedom. Go on and give us some hope.

Your unique features make you who you are. Show off what you?ve got.

Be the most beautiful you.

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

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

(c)2005 HollywoodMakeupSecrets.com. All rights reserved. ----------------------------------------------------------

Brighten Up Dull & Tired Skin

As we grow older and are constantly exposed to the UV rays of the sun our skin starts to appear dry and dull. This is the result of the outside layer of the skin getting excessive build up and is not exfoliated on a regular basis. Build-up is especially noticed after we have spent the summer in the sun. It?s more apparent to women since we realize that our make-up doesn't look as fresh and our foundation begins to fade within a couple of hours. Our make-up and foundation is actually being absorbed into the accumulated dead skin cells, which gives a very tired and unhealthy look to the skin.

To keep your skin vibrant and healthy on a regular basis, you must have a regimen that incorporates exfoliation and nourishing the skin. Your regular skin care program does not have to be a department store or drug store solution. You can prepare an all nature skin care program right from your kitchen table and manage to get the same results if not better results that your store bought product promises.

Exfoliation:

You should exfoliate at least 2-3 times per week (daily is even better) to keep the skin?s healthy glow. One solution for exfoliating the skin in an in expensive way is to use sugar. Yes, Sugar! Glycolic acid which is found in most AHA (alpha hydroxyl acid) products is from sugar cane. You can benefit from glycolic acid by using sugar for exfoliation.

Simply mix ? to 1 teaspoon of sugar in with a small amount of your favorite skin cleanser. Wet your face and massage the cleanser/sugar mixture over your face for 1-2 minutes. Rinse your face with lukewarm water to remove this mixture and you will instantly feel a difference in your skin.

Nourish:

Give your skin a refreshing drink with a simple nourishing facial mask. The ingredients are powerful and can be found in your kitchen. Combine one or more main ingredient with a liquid ingredient for to make a wonderful facial mask. Base your ingredient choices on the health properties of each item.

Base Ingredient:

• Honey ? It is a humectant (which draws in moisture) and it has antibacterial qualities that also stimulates and smoothes the skin.
• Mango - Provides natural fruit enzymes which also exfoliates the skin and the oil in mangos help moisturize.
• Avocado - A naturally rich moisturizer has essential fats and oils.
• Oatmeal ? Moisturizing and slightly exfoliating

Liquid Ingredient:

• Milk ? Enzymes and Lactose acid to exfoliate and milk fat to condition the skin.
• Aloe Vera Gel ? Healing and softening.
• Egg White ? tightening and conditioning.

You will want to follow your treatments with your favorite hypoallergenic moisturizer. For best results, these treatments can be done 2-3 times a week to help keep your skin youthful and vibrant.

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

Natural MakeUp: Organic Ingredients Make a Better Product

What makes an ingredient natural? More and more leading make-up companies are responding to the demands of today?s educated market and offering their customers make-up containing natural and organic ingredients. Women - and more and more men - are realizing the benefits of leaving behind the man-made ingredients used in cheaper cosmetics and looking for the quality and results that come from natural make up. Cosmetics that have been made using quality ingredients - natural products close to the original state, and, whenever possible, organic certified.

One of the most popular ingredients you find in any natural make-up is almond oil. It is excellent for dry, rough skin and very sensitive skin. You will see it used as a base in massage oil, body lotions and many many bath products. Because it is so gentle it can be used on even a baby?s skin. Almond oil is a natural moisturizer and protects then skin beautifully- making it a great choice for those is drier climates. Adding a few drops of your favourite essential oil, such as rose oil or lavender to almond oil makes wonderful massage oil.

Using natural and organic certified products only serves to enhance the healing qualities of natural ingredients. Reputable companies will not indulge in cheap mass produced ingredients such as petrochemicals, lauryl sulphate, parabins, laureth sulphate and low grade alcohol. Alcohol, which is used as a preservative is still an ingredient - but only food quality and plant derived - such as beet root. Fragrance and colors are never artificial ? artificial scents and additives are to be avoided when looking for a true natural make-up.

You will see the ingredient grape seed extract in a myriad of products. It has restorative properties and is a valuable ingredient in natural make-up - especially face creams and moisturizers. Grape seed extract comes from the tiny seeds of red grapes. Grape seed is extract is rich in anti-oxidants - in fact there are more antioxidants found in grape seed than in vitamins C and E. Grape seed extract will help maintain the skins? elasticity and is a key ingredient in any face cream.

Another ingredient listed on many cosmetic and natural make-up labels is Lemon Oil. You will most often find this in bath and body products, massage oil, lotions and foot care. Lemon oil is derived from a cold pressing of lemon peel. In quality natural cosmetics the oils will come from certified organic fruit. Lemon oil is believed to have energizing properties- often leaving the user feeling refreshed and invigorated.

Rose oil, sometimes called rose otto, is a popular ingredient found in many natural make-up and skin care lines. Be sure it is ?rose oil? and not ?rose essence?, which in most cases is synthetic. Synthetic rose oil has no healing benefits or therapeutic value. Rose oil is often used in skin care because of its gentleness - it is suitable for almost all skin types - especially dry or very sensitive skin. It?s also a much sought after ingredient in natural make-up because it has been attributed to the relief of depression, anxiety, spasms, tension, stress and menopausal problems. You will often see rose oil used in many bath products because of the relaxing and calming effect it has on the user. Rose oil?s delicate scent is thought to increase perception and for this reason and it is believed to have aphrodisiac properties.

Natural ingredients, organic certified ingredients are important to the quality and effectiveness of the products you put on your skin. When you are choosing a natural make-up, look at the labels and try and get a better understanding of what you are putting on your skin - and what is being absorbed into your body. Knowing what is safe and what is effective will help you make better decisions about the products you buy. Using natural sources such as plants and herbs rather than synthetic man-made chemicals is always a better choice. Look for high-quality ingredients, ingredients that are not synthetic and are certified organic on the products you buy.

LJ Bronart is freelance writer in Toronto, Canada. She hopes to promote the organic products and the use of more natural make up.

Sunless Tanning And Products

Sunless tanning, like the name suggests, is getting a tan without sun exposure, and still produces an effect similar in appearance to a traditional suntan. This method of tanning does not involve skin pigmentation or UV exposure, which is often dangerous, to set off the change in skin color. Sunless tanning is also often non-toxic and thus, is quite safe. However, tan is temporary and will wear out or fade away within a couple of days.

Sunless tanning products affect the Stratum Corneum, the surface layer of the skin or the outermost layer of the epidermis, while the Stratum Basale, the deepest layer, is affected by tanning under the sun. There is a wide variety of sunless tanning products available on the market today, such as tanning pills, sunless or self-tanners and bronzers, available in the form of gels, lotions, mousses, sprays and wipes. They can be applied at home in private, or professionally in spas, salons, and other health centers.

Many sunless tanning and cosmetic product manufacturers use an active ingredient called dihydroxyacetone (DHA), a colorless sugar that interacts with the dead cells located in the stratum corneum of the epidermis, as an active ingredient. This is because a change in skin color occurs when dihydroxyacetone creates a reaction with amino acids in the dead layer of the skin. The American Academy of Dermatology suggests that sunless tanning products that contain DHA are the most effective in creating a long-lasting tan.

Erythrulose, a natural based keto-sugar which reacts with the amino acids in the keratin protein on the outer or dead surface layer of the skin, is also often combined with DHA to create a longer lasting sunless tan. However, Erythrulose, like DHA, may cause contact dermatitis, a skin irritation characterized by red, flaky skin, sometimes with cracks or tiny blisters.

Other types of sunless tanning products such as tanning creams, lotions or pills usually contain the amino acid ? Tyrosine. It is believed that Tyrosine aids in the stimulation and regeneration of melanin (Melanin is a pigment and the primary determinant of color in human skin). This, if true, greatly affects and accelerates the tanning process so that?s why many sunless tanning products are called tanning accelerators.

Tanning pills also belong to the category of sunless tanning products, and often contain the chemical ? Canthaxanthin. The chemical works by depositing and spreading itself all over the body, including in the skin after it?s consumed, taking on an orange-brown color. Canthaxanthin is basically a coloring agent used in foods so the FDA does not approve its use a tanning agent. However, many cosmetic companies continue to use it in large quantities as an active agent in tanning products. It has also been established that continual use of canthaxanthin can cause hepatitis and canthaxanthin retinopathy.

One of the recent additions to sunless tanning remedies is Melanotan, a melanocyte (cells located in the bottom layer of the skin's epidermis) - stimulating hormone. Melanotan works by inducing skin pigment. Although extensively tested in countries like Australia, it has to be yet approved for clinical trials in the USA.

Tanning HQ http://tanninghq.com/ articles and information about the tanning and keeping your body looking beautiful.

An Overview of Cosmetic Procedures

Cosmetic surgery this and cosmetic surgery that. To truly understand cosmetic surgery, one needs to get a grasp of the various cosmetic surgery procedures available.

Cosmetic surgery is one of the most talked about topics in the media today. People from all walks of life - from celebrities to soccer moms ? are going under the knife to have their faces and bodies modified. If you're considering having a surgical cosmetic procedure performed, you might be wondering what cosmetic surgery procedures are available to make yourself look and feel better. Well, the technology of body modifying surgery has been steadily evolving over the last 50 years, and now there are more cosmetic surgery procedures available than ever.

One of the most popular cosmetic surgery procedures that is performed on a regular basis is liposuction. Liposuction is the process of removing excess fat deposits under the skin by using a vacuum. A small incision is made in the skin of the area that you wish to remove fat from, and then a thin tube called a cannula is inserted. In order to aid the suction, fluid may be pumped under the skin that includes an anesthetic. Another option is to use an ultrasound probe to break up the fat deposits. The liquefied fat is then suctioned through the cannula. Since there is only a small cut made in the skin, recovery is relatively easy, and the procedure usually leaves only tiny scars or no scars at all.

Another cosmetic surgery that is performed routinely is a rhinoplasty. Rhinoplasty comes from the Greek words for ?nose? and ?to shape? and it is the medical term for a nose job. In rhinoplasty, surgeons reshape the nose by removing and transforming the cartilage in the nose, as well as changing the shape of the skin around the nostrils and smoothing out the tip of the nose. Surgeons can perform these types of cosmetic surgery procedures with only a small incision at the base of the nose, or some will do a ?closed? procedure where there is no incision required. Nose jobs have become commonplace among many different age groups and social groups, and many people elect to have this surgery to correct bumps and crooked appearance of the nose that was either present at birth or caused by an accident.

A third popular procedure is one that most people think of when cosmetic surgery procedures are mentioned. Breast enhancement surgery is very popular and one of the most performed procedures. The use of silicone implants, however, has been banned for some time. Enhancements are now done with saline solution implants or some derivative. With improvements in technology, however, silicone implants are about to become available again.

There are many more cosmetic surgery procedures available for those who wish to modify different parts of their body and face, such as face lifts, tummy tucks, and even buttocks implants. Cosmetic surgeons today specialize in helping to create a new look for patients who have small imperfections or large amounts of correction needed ? and the field is still evolving.

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

Better than Botox?

What?s NOT better than Botox?

Just a quick disclaimer here, I cannot speak from experience, because I have never had a Botox injection. The reason I?ve never had one is because I consider myself a fairly healthy person. I do not go to the doctor to get drugs unless absolutely necessary, and I don?t take antibiotics either. In fact, when I found out that there were antibiotics in milk, I switched to Organic milk.

I just cannot fathom voluntarily putting poison into my face. Botox is a drug derived from Botulinum Toxin A. - A deadly poison produced by Clostridium Botulinum - the bacterium that causes botulism. What! I want to look good, but I don?t want bacterium in my face!

I prefer to use special anti-aging creams in my search for relief of lines and wrinkles. With a wrinkle cream, I can put it all over my face if I want to; it won?t paralyze my face in that particular area; and if it is not working, I can use something else. (Another thought about Botox - if your natural lines cannot move at all, do you think you might get more lines in other, not so natural areas of your face? ? I?m pretty sure that happens!)

I have a friend who is into natural remedies. She puts a piece of tape on the lines between her eyes before she goes to bed at night, trying to diminish that wrinkle line most of us have grown to accept. This works in it?s own small way, but I wouldn?t want to go to bed with tape all over my face (I have lines between my eyes, beside my eyes, on my mouth, etc.) If I stopped smiling I could greatly reduce these lines, but I?m not going to do that either.

The problem with the tape is that it may help you stop frowning while you sleep, but it does not help rejuvenate the skin. You need to incorporate Peptides in an anti wrinkle cream to aid the skins healing process. These protein molecules, found naturally in the body, send out signals when damaged skin is in need of repair, helping your skin start its natural wrinkle reduction process.

You should use a product that contains at least three patented peptides that target both upper and lower layers of the skin, helping to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. One product that I use is OHT Peptide-3.

With OHT Peptide-3 you get the benefits of youthful looking smooth skin without the adverse serious side effects. You can use it in the privacy of your own home, and you will still be able to move your face when you?re done.

I will choose the creams every time because, as I said before, I?m not going to stop smiling ? it is what I do best!

Evelyn Grazini is a Health and Wellness Researcher, and the Editor at ?aHealthStop? Your One Stop Shop for Health, Wellness, and Beauty. Find Discount and Natural Vitamins, Skin Care, Hair Care, Weight Loss, Home Health, and More! http://www.ahealthstop.com

http://www.ahealthstop.com/Recommends/OHTPeptide3

Follow Homemade Beauty Tips ? For Beauty Is In Nature's Grips

Beautiful people of all ages have maintained that beauty is not as much reflected in the rosy, youthful look of the skin. When questioned about the secret to their beautiful skins, they have always attributed it to a healthy lifestyle and a few homemade beauty tips. Healthy lifestyle and homemade beauty tips are mostly based on the refreshing, detoxifying effects of natural and herbal products with the former fortifying the system?s internal strength and the later protecting outwardly.

Homemade beauty tips, as such, are based on judicial choice of herbal ingredients for external skin care. Some home-based natural skin care tips would be as follows:

?Buttermilk/cream and yogurt make excellent skin cleansers.

?After-bath application of almond oil is undoubtedly a great treat for the skin ? the suppleness and glow it brings to the skin is unmatched by even the very best of moisturizers.

?Regular application of honey or yogurt makes the skin soft and has a gentle bleaching effect.

?Sea salt/sugar mixed with olive oil works as an extraordinary at-home body exfoliation preparation.

?Different natural and herbal products like Aloe Vera, Basil, Chamomile, Lavender, Marshmallow, Neem, Oatmeal, Sandalwood, Tea tree oil, Turmeric, Witch Hazel, etc. used as facial packs often help to dispose dead cells and impurities lodged in the skin to unclog pores. Side by side playing the roles of cleansers, the natural produces and elements strike water-oil balance of the skin.

If you find it too troublesome to go for natural skin treatments, the safest choice will be the TCA peels. The ready-to-be-used medically approved TCA peels have an answer for almost all skin problems ? right from acnes to wrinkles and skin pigmentations to dryness. With long lasting effects, TCA peels give back the skin its natural healthfulness. With no harmful side effects (nearing the gentleness of homemade beauty tips), TCA peels can be safely used for teen-age skin problems.

Two is undoubtedly ?company? but three is not always ?crowd?. TCA peels, balanced diets and a few homemade beauty tips make enviable company when it comes to revitalizing the skin. Therefore, surrender to the cares of the threesome and be the proud possessor of a youthful skin and look!

David Maillie is an alumni of Cornell University and specializes in biochemical synthesis for public, private, and governmental interests and manufactures various skin peels and acne treatments for doctors offices and medispas. He can be reached at M.D. Wholesale: http://www.bestskinpeel.com

How To Get Those Big Beautiful Lips You've Always Dreamed Of

Big beautiful lips have always been a symbol of sexiness! Full lips scream kiss me and guys go crazy over them. Full lips are a sign of youthfulness and health.

Great but not all of us were lucky enough to be born with those sexy full lips. Look at the stars, plenty of them flaunt their big full lips, but believe me not all of them were born with those lips!

So what to do?

Well the simplest, most non-invasive, and most affordable way to get full lips is to purchase one of the pout pumper products on the market.

• theBalm Tinted Gloss comes in several sheer hues, each with a delicious flavor. It gives your lips a subtle fuller look.
• Too Faced Lip Injection gives a noticeable size difference to the lips almost instantly. It's not thick or goopy so you can apply it in layers
• LipFusion - Instanly swells the lips and it lasts for up to 12 hours so you don't have to keep reapplying it.
• DuWop Venom Flash - It's colorless but turns your lips a flushed pink with a shimmer. It expands the lips nicely.

Another easy method to create the illusion of bigger lips is quite simple

• Line the outer rim of your lips with a mute lip pencil staying within the natural border of your lips
• Apply a light colored lipstick. Dark colors make your lips appear smaller
• Use the wand of a pearly pink gloss - apply from the bottom of your lips upward to add more dimension
• Lastly dab a bit of gold lip gloss on the center of your bottom lip.

Then of course there are the more invasive and more costly procedures;

1. Your dentist can bond thick veneers onto your front six teeth. This pushes out the upper lip for a fuller look. Are you sitting down? because this process costs on average $1500.00 USD per tooth. Perhaps that's why the only ones using it are the stars.

2. Lip augmentation is performed on an outpatient basis.

• Artecoll is a synthetic material that plumps up the lips. It is synthetic so there is a higher risk of having an allergic reaction, however it lasts longer than collagen.
• Autologen is an injection of your own collagen, extracted from another place on your body. There's no risk of allergic reaction. Results are temporary.
• Collagen is extracted from cows and then injected into your lips. There is a risk of allergic reaction. Results are temporary lasting from 1 - 3 months.
• Dermalogen is collagen extracted from deceased human donors. It's also called injectable Human Tissue Matrix. Also temporary.

  Sher from Estate Jewelry International has been serving customers for over 20 years, providing fashion, jewelry,and wedding help. Please visit us at http://www.estatejewelryinternational.com/

Facial Modifications with Collagen

Facelifts are on the expensive side, a bit painful and can take months to fully heal. Collagen offers a cheaper alternative that heals quickly and can make a noticeable difference.

Facial Modifications with Collagen

There are many different procedures that plastic surgeons can use to restore and rejuvenate the human face. Facelifts, Botox, brow lifts and many other procedures can all be used to create a more youthful and smooth appearance. Of this group, collagen is undisputedly one of the more popular options for enhancing facial areas.

Collagen is a natural substance produced in the human body that helps to form connective tissue. It also provides hydration and strength for the skin. Collagen is made in less quantity as we age. This reduction results in skin losing its elasticity, softness and tightness. Typical effects include sagging skin, wrinkles on flat plains of the face, as well as deep creases on the forehead and the neck. Both collagen and fat harvested from your own body can be used to plump up these areas that are sagging and creased. Collagen can also be used to plump up thin lips, a personal favorite of many celebrities as you no doubt have noticed!

Collagen is made using collagen harvested from animals, so there is a slight chance that your body may react to it. Also, collagen enhancements are not permanent. You will need to have repeat injections later on to maintain the look that you want. Besides collagen, other materials such as Alloderm and Goretex can be used to create the desired look without any cutting or major surgery. Recovery time is slight and the procedure is much less expensive than traditional surgery. No general anesthesia or operating room is involved. In fact, you can be in and out of most procedures in under an hour.

Side effects from collagen enhancements are rare, but there is always a chance they can occur. Side effects include bruising, swelling and allergic reactions. Some people also have allergic reactions to the local anesthetic used to numb the site. As the materials used are foreign to your body, you should discuss any medications you are taking and things you are allergic to with your plastic surgeon. To avoid reactions, of course, you can always choose to have the material drawn from your own body. Hips and buttocks are the most typical harvesting areas.

With collagen, there is a temptation to shop by price. Don?t! We are talking about modifications to your face. It is strongly suggested that you use a board certified plastic surgeon that can show you before and after pictures of his or her previous patients. This will allow you to understand the possible results and get the best care.

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

Indoor Tanning Beds: How Safe Are They?

A tanning bed is a cosmetic device that emits ultraviolet radiation such as UVA and also UVB to generate artificial tanning. Historically, medical devices that emit UVA were developed and adopted for modern indoor tanning. Since UVA (Ultraviolet A of the sun) has less biological effects such as reddening of the skin than UVB (Shortwave Ultraviolet rays), these early tanning beds were considered to be ?safe?. However, it was soon realized that continued use of these devices could also cause sunburns, wrinkles, skin cancer, and were not very effective at inducing tans, so they were eventually phased out. Today, devices that emit a combination of UVA and UVB are predominantly used.

One of the strongest criticisms to the use of indoor tanning beds occurred in December, 1994, when the American Medical Association (AMA) adopted a resolution calling for a ban on the sale and use of tanning equipment, except for medical purposes. However, this resolution was rejected by the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC), an organization that regulates the sale and marketing of indoor tanning equipment.

It has now been established that modern tanning beds and sun lamps typically emit about 93% to 99% UVA radiation - three times the UVA radiation given off by the sun. Tanning occurs when the skin produces additional pigment (coloring) to protect itself against burn from these ultraviolet rays. Continued exposure to UV rays can result in a number of unwanted complications such as eye injury, premature skin aging, light-induced skin rashes, and chances of developing skin cancer. UVB can even cause actual skin burning.

There are three types of common skin cancers - basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma ? and they are all linked to UV radiation. The first cause, according to medical research, is mutations caused the damage inflicted to DNA. Secondly, UV also activates oxygen molecules that damage DNA and other cellular structures; and lastly, localized immunosuppression, that blocks the body's natural ability to protect itself from cancer. The first two types - basal cell and squamous cell - are treatable if detected early but malignant melanoma is often fatal.

A study conducted in Sweden concluded that people who used tanning beds more than 10 times a year were seven times more likely to develop malignant melanoma than those who did not use tanning beds as often, establishing the fact that tanning beds are a major factor that contributes to the development of malignant melanoma.

Other studies have shown that over exposure to ultraviolet rays can also burn or damage the retina, and alter the structure of the lens forming a cataract, which if left untreated may result in complete blindness. Ultraviolet rays can also cause premature skin aging since a tan is damaged skin that is more likely to wrinkle and sag, and when in combination with certain cosmetics and medicines, may cause adverse skin reactions such as rashes and cold sores.

In spite of all the health risks associated with indoor tanning beds, it is estimated that 28 million Americans are tanning indoors annually at about 25,000 tanning salons around the country. The indoor tanning industry in the United States also continues to thrive, raking in as much as $2 billion a year.

Tanning HQ http://tanninghq.com/ articles and information about the tanning and keeping your body looking beautiful.

The Quest for Ageless Beauty

Age creeps up on us all. However we no longer have to allow it to ravage us, unchecked. Antiaging research and development have been releasing studies and new antiaging products almost daily ? all to help us look and feel younger.

For those who want to stay the hand of time and remain youthful and active through and past middle age, there has been no more exciting time to be growing older.

Science has produced many new antiaging solutions. We now know that parts of the aging process can be slowed or delayed. There are steps one can take to support the body and keep healthy processes going.

We now understand the value of early and consistent sun protection, proper nutrition, vitamin supplements, and age-appropriate exercise. Thinning hair can be slowed and maybe even reversed with treatments such as minoxidil, propecia or copper peptide solutions.

Some signs of aging can be ?erased?. There are antiaging procedures such as face lifts, facial peels, dermabrasion and laser resurfacing techniques that quite literally erase facial wrinkles.

Hair replacement can erase a receding hairline by implanting healthy follicles where others have died an untimely death.

There are antiaging skincare products that camouflage signs of aging, at least temporarily. Cosmetics with special properties like light-reflecting particles, foundation shades that match skin tones and provide coverage without a mask like appearance, temporary ?lifts? that tighten facial skin all allow us to look years younger one day at a time.

AHAs, BHAs, Retin A and retinol preparations provide longer lasting results by uncovering more youthful skin beneath the surface and speeding up the skin?s natural rebuilding process. The latest antiaging firming creams for cellulite and slackening skin have performed well in standard industry tests, providing smoother tighter skin that lasts.

Most exciting of all are the new products that hold the promise of actually reversing some signs of aging. Newer antiaging cosmetic surgery techniques give more natural looking and lasting results. Botox, and perhaps the new serums that purport to mimic the muscle-freezing effect of Botox, prevent the formation or deepening of lines of expression.

There are new creams on the market that combine ancient herbal remedies with modern substances created in the laboratory and claim to actually rebuild collagen beneath the skin?s surface removing wrinkles from the inside out! Amazingly, they actually seem to work.

And there are the controversal hormone theraphies, such as HGH and DHEA. They seem to be effective, but at what cost to our future health?

All this has come just in time for the boomer generation, the leading edge of which is now turning sixty. There has never been a bigger demand for effective products to help them stay young and vigorous.

Everyone knows this lovely phrase written by John Keats.

A thing of beauty is a joy forever:
Its loveliness increases
It will never pass into nothingness?

Endymion, 1818

If you desire to take joy in a more youthful and beautiful ?you? and preserve your beauty, if not forever, at least as long as possible, you want to know about the most recent antiaging developments.

Just as importantly, you want to know which antiaging products are proven effective, look promising or are simply fads or marketing hype. You also want to know which product among competing ones offers the best value.

By Jean Bowler. For the latest in antiaging skin care and cosmetic procedures; diet, nutrition and exercise; hormone theraphy; hair loss and more, visit http://www.ageless-beauty.com

The Fundamental Of Fitness

Physical fitness is a set of features a person has in regard to his ability to perform physical activities that require endurance, strength or flexibility and is determined by a combination of regular activity or exercise and genetically inherited ability. It also measures the ability to carry out daily tasks with vigor and without undue fatigue and with sufficient energy to engage in leisure-time pursuits and the vitality to perform at one?s fullest capacity.

Physical fitness is achieved by regular physical activity, proper diet and nutrition and proper rest for physical recovery within the parameters allowed by the genome.

Physical fitness is often divided into following types:

Flexibility: Joint rotation, Static stretching and Dynamic Stretching are all the various forms of flexibility exercises used in warm up.

Cardiovascular endurance: Aerobic capacity describes the functional status of the cardio-respiratory system which includes the heart, lungs or blood vessels. It is defined as the maximum volume of oxygen which can be consumed by ones muscles during exercise. The higher a cardio-respiratory endurance level, the more oxygen is transported to exercising muscles and longer exercise can be maintained without exhaustion which means a higher the level of aerobic fitness.

Muscular strength & endurance: Weight training is a form of exercise for developing the strength and size of skeletal muscles which can provide significant functional benefits and improvement in overall health and well-being.

Body Composition: In physical fitness, body composition is used to describe the percentages of fat, bone and muscle in human bodies. The percentage of fat is of most interest because it can be very helpful in judging health in addition to body weight.

An average healthy male's body should have 12~18 percent fat while in females it is 14~ 20 percent fat. Body fat percentage can be measured in several ways. The most common method is by using measurement calipers to measure the thickness of subcutaneous fat in multiple places on the body. Another method is Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA), which uses the resistance of electrical flow through the body to estimate body fat.

Agility: Agility is the ability to change the body's direction efficiently, and this requires a combination of balance, coordination, speed, and strength.

Balance: Equilibrioception or sense of balance is one of the physiological senses which allow humans to walk without falling. When the sense of balance is disrupted, it causes dizziness, disorientation and nausea.

Speed: Some biological factors that can determine a sprinter's potential are muscular strength, adrenaline use and anaerobic respiration capacity

Task-oriented fitness: A person is said to be physically fit for a particular task with a reasonable efficiency, for example, fit for military service.

NamSing Then is a regular article contributor on many topics. Be sure to visit his other websites Fitness, Exercise Fitness and Female Fitness

How to Improve Your Vision Without Surgery Simple Eye Exercises Work Wonders

We all know how important it is to keep our bodies fit. Going to the gym, jogging, and swimming are all on the good for you list of activities. But did you know that you can exercise your eyes as well? Exercising your eyes keeps them healthy, takes away eyestrain, helps you to focus and even improves your vision without surgery.

Exercise 1. Massage

First close your eyes tightly for 3-5 seconds, then open them for 3-5 seconds. Repeat this 7 or 8 times.

Then close your eyes and massage with circular movements of your fingers for 1-2 minutes. Make sure you press very lightly; otherwise you could hurt your eyes.

Press three fingers of each hand against your upper eyelids, hold for 1-2 seconds, then release. Repeat 5 times.

Exercise 2. Movement

Sit and relax. Roll your eyes clockwise, then anticlockwise. Repeat 5 times, and blink in between each.

Exercise 3. Mark on the glass

Sit about 50 cm from the window. Make a mark on the glass at your eye level (a small sticker, black or red, would be perfect). Look through this mark and focus on something far away for 10-15 seconds; then focus on the mark again.

Exercise 4. Follow a pencil

Hold a pencil in front of you on a length of an arm. Move your arm slowly to your nose, follow the pencil with your eyes until you can keep it in focus. Repeat 10 times.

Exercise 5. Writing on the wall

Look in front of you at the opposite wall and pretend that you are writing with your eyes, without turning your head. It seems difficult at the starts, but with a bit of practice it is really fun. The bigger the letters, the better the effect.

Exercise 6. Watch the time with your eyes

Imagine that you are standing in front of a really big clock. Look at the middle of the clock. Then look at any hour mark, without turning your head. Look back at the center. Then look at another hour mark. Do this at least 12 times. You can also do this exercise with your eyes closed.

When doing the exercises, make sure that you're not facing anybody, or else that they know you're doing eye exercises. Otherwise they might think you have gone nuts.

If you can spare 10-15 minutes a day to do these exercises, it would be very beneficial for the health of your eyes. But it is even more important to do the exercises regularly, than it is to do them for a long time. Even 30-60 seconds of eye movement every hour is very helpful. For example, when your computer takes its sweet time to do something, most people just swear at the poor thing and waste the time, but you can make a few circles with your eyes. Even the first day you do this, you should notice that, when you finished working, your eyes aren't as tired as usual.

See other simple tips for your eye health

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

Beauty Salons

To pamper and take care of ourselves, beauty salons exist. Skin care is not just the hype of today?s world. Prevailing even during the ancient days, it has always been a way of life. Grooming our bodies has at all times remained a pleasure, both with the royalties and common masses.

Setting up a professionally competent, efficient, and reputable beauty salon can be a daunting task. Any beauty salon rests on proper management, service, equipment, and products. And thankfully, to help us, multitudes of companies supply all the necessary things to enable us to set up a good beauty salon.

Equipment and supplies are a must for any beauty salon to work successfully. Without them, no beauty salon can exist. Equipment needed for a beauty salon include salon chairs and stools, salon stations, shampoo bowls, styling chairs, hair steamers, reception furniture, facial beds, and many more things.

Some brands which make good beauty salon equipment include TISPRO, Jeffco, Hotspa, and GiGi besides others. Equipment is generally costly, but they can be bought at a cheaper rate from some wholesale companies. Some starter packages are also good-value-for-money. Such packages include styling chairs, styling stations, shampoo units, and hair steamers. Besides this, there are other packages too, offering much more items at reasonable prices.

Beauty salon supplies usually include all the necessary topical creams, gels, and other products used for styling and taking care of our hair, skin, nails, feet, hand, and hair removal. A huge number of products of different brands are all available in the market which can be bought at wholesale and even discounted packages.

To modernize beauty salons and organize its work, we need beauty salon software. ?Inventory systems?; ?service support?; ?client history?; ?multiple users?; ?bar code support?; ?point of sale?; ?appointment booking?; ?sales tax report?; and many other features are provided by beauty salon software. Such software supports nearly all higher versions of windows and is quick and easy to learn.

With support for learning and free demo CDs available, software companies have helped us greatly in managing the work of salons.

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

Dental Implants and the Risks Involved

Dental implants are becoming more and commonplace in the world of dentistry but there are risks involved. In response to concerns over the health risks associated with dental implants the American Academy of Implant Prosthodontists has issued this message: ?Implants are made of biologically compatible materials which have undergone extensive testing over a period of several years. Since these materials are largely metals, such as titanium, and have never been living tissue, there is no likelihood of causing an antigen-antibody response which could cause rejection similar to that which sometimes occurs with heart and kidney transplants.?

A patient?s risk of problems in regards to dental implant surgery should be assesses by the attending dentist before surgery is undertaken. A patient should be up front about his or her past medical and dental history in order for the dentist to be aware of any health concerns that might arise during or following the surgery. There are risks involved with the surgery and /or the anesthesia uses as well as other medical and psychological risks.

Risks that are directly tied into the surgery include local and systemic infection, nerve injury and the possibly that there will be ?inadvertent perforation of the nasal sinus.? Psychological factors can also play a role in how a patient responds both during and after the surgery as well as to what extent he or she will follow the oral hygiene maintenance that is required of them after surgery in order to facilitate the healing process. What is happening in a person?s personal and professional life and the stressors they are facing make a difference as well. Some of these psychological stressors include, but are not limited to, the family, financial status, job satisfaction and health worries. People who have problems in regards to anxiety, depression, extreme neurotic behaviors, fears about medical procedures as well as past negative dental or medical experiences might need to talk there concerns out beforehand with a trained therapist or counselor at the hospital.

There may be extra risks associated with dental implants for those who smoke, drink or have a dependency on drugs as dental implants are geared for the most part, for those who are in generally good health and have above average dental health and hygiene. Nutrition issues and post operative dental hygiene compliance procedures must be discussed in detail with patients who indulge in any of the aforementioned bad habits as they can pose risks as well as be deterrents to proper healing.

Temporary problems and risks that can occur as a result of dental implant surgery include swelling, bruising and discomfort, problems with speech as well as gingivitis. Long-term risk factors include hyperplasias, nerve injury, local or systemic bacterial infection, local bone loss exacerbation, and lastly, infections endocarditis.

Other risks include the financial costs which can run a patient into thousands of dollars. As well dental implants involve quite a lengthy time commitment on the part of the patient, and many visits to the dentist that could span anywhere from three months to a year and a half.

Stephanie Dilson is a Dental Surgeon and in her spare time runs an informational site on Dental Implants for all those interested in the process to find out valuable information on the cost, benefits, risks and features of this increasingly popular procedure. For more information see http://www.dentalimplantsguide.com

Is Your Face a Nightmare After Christmas?

The party's over and the morning after Christmas brings along the dread of watching your haggard face in the mirror. Hectic partying does that for you -- let's face it. And so we might as well start looking for ways to beat the post party face catastrophe.

WATER YOUR BODY

Your body needs it as much as your plants do! Late nights and alcohol can bring about serious depletion of moisture from your face. Drink as much water as possible throughout the evening. If it is not possible to drink much water during the party, be sure to drink a glass when you come home, before going to bed.

Next morning, over a couple of hours, try to drink a whole bottle (at least 750 ml) of fluids like water, herbal tea (jasmine or chamomile also helps hangovers), lemonade, fresh fruit juices etc. For the rest of the day, keep spritzing your face at regular intervals. You could also go in for a light, fruit-water based moisturizer.

SENSITIVE SKIN

A healthy, glowing skin, if heaped with lots of various makeup ingredients, takes no time to turn into an irritable, sensitive skin. Try to use mild and protective products and don't punish your face by applying a little bit of everything you can find in your makeup box.

Find ways to maximize your look with minimal cosmetics. Always cleanse, tone and moisturize before you apply your makeup. It keeps makeup from looking chalky and also acts as a protective layer.

C-L-E-A-N-S-E

Remove all traces of makeup from your face as soon as possible. Cleanse well before going to sleep that night and cleanse again in the morning.

Besides water, use good quality makeup removers and make it a must to use a good eye makeup remover for the eyes.

Over cleansing can strip protective oils from your skin and make your skin more sensitive. But since its absolutely essential that you remove your makeup when you return, use a gentle cleanser. A cream-based cleanser is the gentlest.

Don't forget to tome and moisturize after you have removed your makeup. Massage your skin with an enriching moisturizer for about 5 minutes to stimulate circulation and glow naturally.

EYE CARE

If you are beginning to get dark circles due to lack of sleep and poor circulation, use an eye cream.

A great remedy from the kitchen is to place potato or zucchini slices on your eyelids for about 5 minutes and apply slight pressure. This helps to drain out excess fluid and soothes your eyes.

PUFFY FACE

The best way to deal with a puffy and zitty face is to cool it down. The 'tried and tested' used tea bags and cucumber slices work well. Another remedy is using ice cubes of rosewater. Chill a tray before leaving for parties and rub it all over your face in the morning.

You can also grate a cucumber, soak a cotton ball in it and wipe your whole face with it. Fifteen minutes in a steam room or a cold shower also works wonders for a puffy face.

So now there's nothing to stop you from enjoying your Christmas and New Year Parties and Bashes. Just get equipped to beat the post-party face catastrophe and party hard!

Lata Tokhi is the Founder and Editor of Dot Com Women (http://www.dotcomwomen.com), a premier women's website and fast-growing online community. For more beauty tips and advice, makeup tricks, interviews with famous Fashion personas, seasonal styles and trends, visit the 'Beauty & Fashion' channel at http://www.dotcomwomen.com/beauty

How to Improve Your Skin's Elasticity

If you are a woman in your late 30's or higher, you have probably noticed your skin?s elasticity is not what it used to be. For most of us this is inevitable. Other body parts begin to sag as we age so why should our skin be any different? Fortunately, there are options available that will help to reverse the effects of age on the skin and also improve elasticity in loose skin that's caused by weight loss. To better understand what exactly causes our skin to sag in the first place, let?s go over a bit of the physical side of the process.

Your skin has two distinct layers called the epidermis and the dermis. The epidermis is on the surface and contains the pigment, epidermal cells, and proteins. The dermis is the layer located underneath the epidermis and contains the dermal cells, blood vessels and nerves, hair follicles, and oil glands plus it is responsible for providing the nutrients for the epidermal layer. It also contains the connective tissue as well as our skin?s collagen.

Although it is located beneath the epidermal layer, it is changes in the dermal layer that cause the outer skin to wrinkle and loose elasticity as we age. As we grow older, the amount of fat found in our lower layer of skin decreases, our glands produce less oil, and collagen and elastin fibers loose their elasticity. The natural process of cell reproduction in the dermal layer also decreases as we grow older, resulting in a slower rejuvenation of our skin cells. So, now that we know just why this happens let?s talk about the part that is more important to those of us suffering from this affliction, the solution.

Although there is no actual magic pill designed to stop this natural aging process, there are options available to slow down and, in some cases, reverse the signs of aging skin. Of course, surgery is always an option and a face lift can take years off your appearance. However, it is a major procedure and recovery is long and can be quite painful. If this is an option you would consider, make sure to do your research and only go to a board certified plastic surgeon with a well established reputation.

For those looking for a less invasive route, there are a variety of products on the market today that offer an easier and less painful solution, though with less dramatic results. Many of these products contain ingredients like copper, Ginseng, elastin, collagen, and HGH (human growth hormone). These are all ingredients that have been proven to have some level of rejuvenating effects on the skin and its elasticity. Most products are geared toward sensitive skin and are generally to be allergy-free.

Brian Fong
http://www.NaturalVisage.com/

There are options available that will help to reverse the effects of age on the skin and also improve elasticity in loose skin that's caused by weight loss.

Little Known Method of Successfully Getting Rid of Unwanted Facial Hair

Women don?t want all that hair in places other than on their head! With either heredity or age, the ladies are bound to get a moustache on their upper lip and it?s never ever welcomed. First there was shaving, and then came the plethora of creams, lotions and potions to remove hair, then there was waxing, and even electrolysis. Now gals, there?s yet another method you may choose to rid that unwanted stache on your upper lip. It?s called Threading.

Threading is done at salons or can also be done at home. The process removes the fine and fuzzy hair right from the root. If it sounds painful, consider the options. If you shave your lip, it?ll come back stubbly, eventually like a man. What wants that? If you use a cream, you?re subjecting yourself to chemical reactions and it doesn?t rid the hair at the root, so it?ll likely just grow back faster and thicker. If you?ve ever had your lip waxed, ripping that sucker off hurts too. Not to mention the bright red upper lip for hours and the small beady blisters for a week. Ick. Ever try plucking your hairs out? Ouch is right! You could bleach that hair, but then you?ll just have a lighter colored moustache. Every method has its drawbacks.

Many women say the best method of hair removal from the upper lip is threading. One of the benefits is that you don?t have to wait for hair to grow a certain length. The concept is that you?re going to get the hair twisted and spun into the thread and thusly yanking, gently yanking it off your face. It might be difficult for you to visualize the procedure, so you may want to have it done in a salon first if you?re not getting the full gist of what needs to happen.

To start take about 24 inches of thread length. Yes, the sewing thread, any kind, nothing special so long as you use a good quality, strong thread. Take both ends and tie them, together in a knot. You?ll have a circle of thread when you?re done tying the ends together. Next hold the thread with both hands and wind them around (loop around) your hands about ten times. Then place the thread around the fingers of both hands. Push the part that is wound up towards one hand by widening the fingers of one hand and at the same time closing the fingers of the other hand. Use an alternating ?open/close? motion with opposite hands.

By opening the fingers of the closed hand and closing the fingers of the other hand, you?re pushing the wound portion in the other direction. It will take some practice. Keep pushing the wound up portion back and forth until you are able to push it back and forth easily. Once you have the hang of it, you might be ready to start practicing on a body part. Don?t use the upper lip as a practice point. Try the leg or some other body part that is easily accessible.

Begin by placing the thread on the portion of your leg or elsewhere that you are going to first try. Place the wound part on one end of the hair, and the thread from the other side should be on both sides of the hair you want to remove. Next, move the wound portion to the other side, making sure that it catches the hair while moving. It will then lift the hair from the root as it moves back and forth.

After you?ve practiced this method and are fairly comfortable with it, move onto your upper lip. It?ll be quick and easy, taking only a couple of minutes every other day. How wonderful will it be to always have a hairless lip!

If all else fails, you may not be an expert threader, but you will at least know what someone is talking about next time they mention threading and they?re not referring to cross-stitching!

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

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

Abdominoplasty Prices

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Beauty And The Beast The Answer To Being Beautiful

It is said that absence makes the heart grow fonder - well so does Beauty - the more you peer at something beautiful the more you yearn for it. Beauty injects an essence of elegance - an emotion felt within which comes with feeling good about your self. But leading a healthy lifestyle has to be the most important of all.

Health plays a major role in contributing to the beautiful feeling experienced when looking good. Many women tend to suffer from Beauty and the Beast syndrome - where one day an effort is made to look good and then the next - no matter what you do - it just is not happening. Why? Well it is no secret; there are two main key issues to take claim of being beautiful. and that is the (take 2 factor) number 1 look good and 2 is feel good - if you don`t feel good about yourself then don`t expect to look good.

Transformation can take place in the beauty department if you make a stand and sort yourself out. Your health dominates how you feel - how you look and how you think so any concerns that are causing you sorrow whether it be a health or beauty matter then remember a problem shared is a problem halved. Speak with your local GP and once you are given the all clear - take note of the change in your whole entity, a personality change comes with looking beautiful.

A fabulous way to find the beauty within - is to let it out. Inner beauty can be released by practising yoga. Yoga is an amazing exercise that understands what the body`s wants and needs are. Anxiety and tension bring on frowns - meaning more wrinkles, this is not part of any known beauty package. A beautiful person injects happiness and smiles that come from the heart (a healthy one)

Feeling good about your self is the first step in the right direction to making your beauty regime a more pleasurable one - guaranteed. Once you have claimed a content mind minus any matters of concern - it is then after you apply your beauty cosmetics you will notice the mirror image of yourself will be that of a changed person. Confront the reflection of the beast in the mirror and watch the beauty transformation take place. Notice how the facial skin turns to that of a fresh complexion - see how the lip gloss is now a glow. All because you feel good.

Beauty /Health magazines have wonderful ideas and tips on being beautiful and you will find many online support centres on beauty very fulfilling but what you have to bear in mind is, these beauty support groups on health and fashion do just that - give advice.

This is about you and being beautiful so regardless of whether the advice given, is by Sharon Stone, you are never going to experience that feeling of walking along the red carpet unless you feel good.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder Fabulous Beauty at http://www.spotthepimple.com Personal Hygiene http://www.bodyodoursmell.com

Fake a Tan with Sunless Tanning Lotion

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About The Author

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

Body Care In Fall Nail Care

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

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

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

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

It?s dangerous to cut the cuticles of your nails

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

The cuticle solution

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

Beware of fast drying nail polishes

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

Be square!

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

Every thing you touch

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

Best beauty tip in the world

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

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

http://allwomenstalk.com

AntiAging Skin Care Products: The Evolution

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We offer:

• Facial Care Products
• Natural Body Care Products
• Professional Skin Care Products Line
• Skin Care Products for Men

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

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

7 Beauty Tips for Looking Younger

Ever since Eve took that first bite of the apple, the human race has been obessed with beauty.

The truth is we begin the aging process just as soon as we pop out of the womb. Every day of our lives our bodies slough off and regenerate new cells. The speed at which that process takes place when we are children is vastly different as we get older.

Every day you are bombarded daily with commercial messages and beauty tips that attempt to lure you into believing that the most recent miracle drug is just what you need to fight off the ravages of Mother Nature.

We are living longer as a whole. Singularly, that can be a curse or a blessing, depending on your perspective. The best route to natural beauty and healthy skin is to take care of what you have. Sounds simple, doesn?t it? The truth is that your skin takes a beating from the environment every single day. Here are some of our favorite beauty tips for keeping your skin fresh and healthy:

1: Stay hydrated and do it with plenty of water! That does not mean soda, caffeine or any other type of liquid, even if it is low cal. Soda (even diet soda) has a high concentration of sodium. Sodium retains fluids. You need fluid that will hydrate and flush your body free of toxins. Make sure you are drinking at least 8 glasses a day!

2: Protect your skin from harmful ultra violet (UV) rays. We all love the sun. We love being in it and we love having a beautiful tan. The truth is you can poison yourself with too much sunshine. UV rays cause skin cancer and if that isn?t bad enough it causes your skin to age faster than it should, contributing to unsightly wrinkles. If you must play in the sun, make certain you are using an adequate sun screen. Don?t leave home without it!

3: Keep your skin clean. Use a soft warm cloth. Skin does not require scrubbing. You will do more harm than good if you do.

4: The best cure for wrinkles is to never have them in the first place! If you are like most of us, you didn?t listen to your Mom when she tried to tell you to stay in the shade, stand up straight and stop squinting!

5: Eat healthy. Knowing how and what to eat, can make a huge difference in how you feel. Improper eating habits can cause depression, weight gain, illness and an overall lethargy.

Weight gain causes your skin to stretch. As you get older, it loses it's elasticity and you're left with sagging skin. The best solution to this is to maintain a proper weight.

A rule of thumb for eating habits are...don't eat more calories than you consume. Don't go one single day without doing something extra and physical for at least 30 minutes per day. This can be three ten minute walks. Or 30 minutes of vigorous aerobics, or 12 minutes of weight lifting and 18 minutes of walking.

6: Don't worry, be happy. A happy outlook appears to trigger the release of endorphins. Endorphins relax the cardiovascular system and cytokines which alert the immune system to pay attention in detecting abnormalities like cancer cells. Listen carefully to yourself. If you have put yourself down since childhood, over a lifetime, negative subliminal messages can take their toll by turning you into a pessimist. Spend one week writing down the phrases you use in your ?self talk.? Chances are you will find that you repeat a dozen or so phrases over and over again that reinforce that negative image. If you know about them, you can change them. Outer beauty and inner joy go hand in hand.

Here are a few quick tips for increasing joy, hope and optimism that will work no matter what your age:

Make a list of at least 50 great things that happen to you every day.

Laugh a lot. You?ll heal your body and your mind.

Discover a new challenge each month.

Try meditating for just five minutes each day.

7: Sex After 50 ? Ha! How many of you jumped ahead to this section?

The importance of physical intimacy actually depends on the couple. An alarming number of men used to give up on sex after 60 and many women used to feel that their sex life ended with menopause. Thankfully, that is no longer the case.

Sex at middle age can actually become better and more satisfying than ever before. Maturity gives a couple more experience in lovemaking. The children are usually grown and left home. The pressures of building a career and day to day life are usually less stressful than in younger years.

Is beauty really skin deep?

The answer is yes and no. It?s a paradox, isn?t it? True beauty begins from the inside out. Don?t you wish there was some way to ?wriggle your nose? and regain that soft skin you had as a child? Well, until someone comes up with the true ?Fountain of Youth? we are stuck with what we have.

Just remember that getting older doesn't have to mean getting old.

Jill Miller is the founder of the Fit4Life Club. Discover the timeless secrets of everlasting youth and beauty. Go here to find out how. Timeless Beauty Tips

Beauty Salon 12 Tips They Don't Want You To Know

Hair Care Professional- Breaking One In

Beauty Salon- It is so important for us to find the right beauty salon so that we can have the right look at the right time. However, there are certain things that beauty salon owners don't want you to know.

According to the September 13, 2005 issue of the LA Times, soon after Hurricane Katrina passed through the states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama beauty salons with power and water reopened. Women who had lost EVERYTHING flocked to those open beauty salons. They wanted to look good even though they did not have a place to live. They wanted and needed professional hair care.

This fact alone confirms your intuition about the absolute necessity of finding the right beauty salon. This holds true for a beauty salon Santa Monica, or a beauty salon Long Beach, Mississippi.

Let me give you some general guidelines and tips to use when you are looking for a new beauty salon. I will also include some helpful suggestions about how to deal with your hair stylist.

1. How far is the beauty salon from your home or work? Is it convenient to either or both?

2. Telephone the salon. Ask if their hair care stylists have experience with your type of hair. For example, is your hair long, curly, textured or exposed to frequent changes to hair color, heat and the elements?

3. Search the Internet for reviews of beauty salons in your work or home zip codes.

4. It seems obvious, but it's crucial: Who do you know whose hair looks fabulous? Ask them where (and to whom) they go.

5. When you get to the beauty salon what does the atmosphere FEEL like to you? Is it peaceful or stressful? Which do you prefer?

6. Are you greeted right away or are you forced to wander around or ?twiddle your thumbs? until someone attends to you?

7. If you've made an appointment is it kept?

8. Is the beauty salon clean and well organized? Does everything seem to be in its place?

9. How is the staff dressed? Are they dressed appropriately to your taste?

10. What does the hair of the staff look like to you? Is the hair of the staff professionally done or is it sloppy?

Ok, you've decided that the beauty salon environment is satisfactory, now how do you deal with the hair stylist?

11. Collect and bring pictures that are appropriate for your type of hair. The biggest beauty salon hair disasters occur when your hair stylist doesn't understand what you want. Pictures help convey your message.

12. Don't immediately go for a cut, take it slower. Book a blow-dry with your selected stylist. Ask, if you were to cut my hair, how would you do it? Once you've set aside the time for a real consultation, here are some key questions to ask yourself as you talk to your stylist:

? DO YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE with the hair care stylist? You should like his or her sense of style. This means clothing, grooming, personality, everything.

? IS THE STYLIST ASKING YOU questions, giving ideas and suggestions that relate to your personality, rather than pointing to a style on the wall or in a book?

? IS THE HAIR CARE STYLIST ADDRESSING the health of your hair, not just proposing to cut off split ends? The two of you should be talking about conditioners and rinses that enhance shine and bounce, and special treatments that can prevent or repair damage done by the environment, such as pollution, sun, chlorine, humidity, or dry air.

? ONCE YOU'VE AGREED ON A LOOK, does the stylist preview how you'll need to blow it dry, wash it, and maintain it? These are all things to think about before actually getting the cut.

If you can answer most of the questions to your satisfaction, then you've probably found a beauty salon and a hair stylist that will make you look fabulous. If you cannot, then move on to the next beauty salon on your list.

Take the above tips with you when you come to Next Salon in Santa Monica, CA. We think that you'll find that you came to the right beauty salon.

Noori Daili specializes in making women and men look luscious and desirable. She is the founder and owner of Next Salon at 2400 Main Street in Santa Monica, California 90405. Call now at 310-392-6645 and mention this article for a 10% savings on hair service appointments. For more info go to the beauty salon website. Online appointments are welcome.

Faster Ways to Remove Unwanted Body Hair

Most people are spending a lot of money on the latest techniques to remove unwanted hair on their faces, legs, arms, chests, backs and private areas. Is it possible to remove hair from such large surface areas? And more importantly, is doing so safe? The answer to both questions is, yes. Removing body hair is possible and if done correctly, and in some cases by a licensed professional, it is also safe.

1. Hair Removal by Laser Treatments.

One of the fastest ways to remove unwanted body hair is by undergoing laser treatments. Although this is the most expensive approach, laser hair removal is the most effective at permanently eliminating body hair. Unlike electrolysis, where each hair follicle must be dealt with individually making the process extremely time-consuming and painful, laser therapy can impact several follicles simultaneously, which greatly speeds up the process. It's great for removing hair from the back and chest, arms and legs.

As stated already however, the costs are extreme. To do an area as large as the back will cost several thousand dollars, and that's per treatment. Several treatments are necessary because the laser technique can only impact hair that is currently in a growing stage. Also, there will be places where hair will regrow and although it will regrow finer and lighter, in order to be permanent, the hair follicle needs to be rendered incapable of growing new hair.

2. Hair Removal by Waxing.

The next best method of removing body hair is waxing. Far less expensive than laser treatments and even electrolysis, waxing works by extracting hairs out of their shafts. Because the hair follicle is not specifically and purposely damaged, hair will regrow, but it will take several weeks for it to reappear. Repetitive application of this hair removal process may ultimately affect the follicle and cause hair growth to cease, however, this is not guaranteed which is why waxing cannot be considered a permanent hair removal method.

Waxing, or sugaring if you're sensitive to wax or prefer an organic solution, works by applying a layer of cold or hot wax or a sugar-based mixture directly on the area where hair is to be removed. After allowing to harden it is very quickly peeled away from the skin, in the opposite direction of the hair growth and viola ? the body hair is pulled free from that area. The process is repeated until the entire body surface is free of hair. It is possible to do this at home, but since most of us have a low tolerance to self-inflicted pain, you'll get better and faster results if you leave this type of work to someone else, at least for the first few times.

If you think it's time to remove unwanted body hair, whether for cosmetic reasons, sports-related competitions or any other reason, go with laser therapy if you can afford it or waxing. They're the best for removing large expanses of body hair.

Copyright 2005. Chileshe Mwape. Visit http://www.health-and-beauty-uk.org.uk/ and http://www.perfect-scent.co.uk/ for informative articles about health and beauty.

Hair Extensions the Truth About Instant Long Hair

Hair extensions - a few hours in the salon and you have long hair that looks like a dream. But is there a downside? Professionally made hair extensions can completely transform your appearance without affecting the health of your hair, but if they are done wrongly extensions can seriously damage your hair. You should know what to expect before going to the salon.

Would hair extensions cost a fortune?

Yes, extensions done by a professional hair extension artist and made from high quality hair would cost you several hundred dollars. The price really depends on the quality of the hair used - Asian hair is cheaper, while European hair costs 2-3 times more. If you want good looking hair - especially blond hair - you will have to pay for European material.

Online you might find hair extension ?starter kits? with complete instructions, which aren?t difficult to apply. So if you feel adventurous, you can buy a do-it-yourself kit and save significantly. If done correctly, this type of hair extension looks as good as any salon made one. If you decide to follow this route, though, make sure that you order high quality hair.

What types of hair extension are available?

The two major types of hair extension are individual strands and wefts.

Individual strands, as the name implies, are attached one piece at a time to your own hair, usually using glue, or with waxes and polymers. The problem here is that most of the attachment methods require coating your natural hair with rather unfriendly chemicals. Attaching these extensions isn?t a problem, but removing this type of extension can seriously damage your hair.

Wefts, on the other hand, are braided into your hair, so no chemicals are needed. A weft looks like a curtain of hair held together at the top and hanging freely toward the bottom. It is braided into your hair around the midline of your head - about ear level. It is safer for your hair but, on the downside, as you own hair grows wefts have to be rebraided - about once every two months.

What materials are used for hair extensions?

First, hair for extensions can be either synthetic or real human hair. Synthetic extensions are cheaper, of course, but you get what you pay for - they look like artificial strands attached to your hair. They?re not very pleasant to the touch, either.

Human hair used for extensions gives better results. Human extension hair differs by origin. The most common are hair from India and Asian countries. They are great, if you are an Asian woman yourself. Unfortunately this type of hair has a noticeably different texture from a Caucasian?s natural hair, so on Caucasian women they just don?t look right.

European hair is of better quality, usually originating from Spain and Italy, is of better quality but costs more. The only problem is that its natural color is usually coal black. To make a blond extensions out of them, Italian or Spanish hair needs to be heavily bleached.

There are also so-called ?raw? or ?virgin? hair. This is European hair coming from Central and Eastern European countries, like Russia and Poland. The advantage of this hair that it is naturally light and of a very high quality. However, this type of hair is difficult to find and costs an arm and a leg.

Tanya Turner is wig and hair extensions expert and a founder of http://www.WigsGuide.info, where you can find unbiased information about all types of wigs and hair extensions with pictures of most popular wig styles

Should You Make Your Own Beauty Products?

With the huge range of beauty products on the shelves, why do some people still make their own beauty products?

I started making my own skin care products years ago. I got a book about natural skin care. You can actually make masks out of mashed fruit. They are really messy though, but back then, I was really broke. Could not afford to spend on good skin care so I made do with what I could get.

I mashed watermelon and put in on my face. My face felt really clean, but there was a bit of a rash after that. I also read that papaya was used in spas for back exfoliating masks. In fact, the enzymes in papayas and pineapples are often used to exfoliate the skin. These can be rather harsh though, so I never tried that on my face.

One thing led to another. I moved on to make my own creams. I went through a period of time where every body lotion I tried from the stores, from the cheap ones to the $20 ones, made my skin itch. That prompted me to make my own body cream.

The cream recipes I found were mainly for cold cream. These were really heavy, oil based stuff. I wanted something lighter. A water based lotion.

A cream is basically droplets of water suspended in oil, kept in that state by an emulsifier. For my creams, I used beeswax as an emulsifier.

I experimented in the kitchen. After plenty of failed experiments. I finally came up with lotion in a texture I simply loved.

A lotion is made of droplets of oil suspended in water, kept together by an emulsifier. I used lecithin for my lotion. Here are some of the lotions I made.

By varying the water based part, using rosewater or tea instead of plain water, you can make all sorts of lotions. Likewise, you can play around with the oil part of the formula, with various infused oils, or a few drops of different essential oils, to change the lotion or cream. You can make tailor your beauty products to your personal tastes, and needs.

I had lots of fun with that. My skin loved these home made creams when they were fresh.

I even made a batch tailored specially for a cousin, using ingredients that she loves.

Yet, I have since stopped making them.

Why?

Laziness is the main reason. Lack of time is another reason.

So much care must go into making the lotions which don't keep. For me, even if I keep the lotions refrigerated, 2 days after making the lotion, if I use it on my face, my skin breaks out. 3 days later, if I use it on my body, my skin itches.

Preservatives are put in commercial skin care products to prevent these from spoiling. Without preservatives, bacteria, mould and all these nasty things multiply rapidly, spoiling the entire batch, causing nasty reactions on the skin. These home made beauty products don't have preservatives. That meant that I had to make new batches of skincare almost everyday.

Also, care must be taken to ensure all the equipment is sterile so the final product is safe to use. Carelessness could introduce lots of nasty germs into the beauty products you make. The water and oil component must be heated to the same temperature and drops of one are added to the other while mixing thoroughly or the batch might separate.

It is so much more convenient to buy beauty products from brands that agree with my skin condition, than to make them from scratch. That is what I have been doing lately. Plus the reknown skincare lines are way better than what I can make. I mean, with their R & D budgets, they can afford to do plenty of research on creating the most effective beauty products for virtually any beauty need.

At the end of the day, whether you make your beauty products or buy them off the shelf, it is a matter of your personal preference.

The writer is the writer of the articles in Beauty from A Woman's Heart.

Exercise Your Face to Look Healthier & Younger

Do you have a problem area on your face that you would like to change? Double chin, droopy eyes, jowls, pouches, crows feet or marionette lines? Aging is as sneaky as sun damage and it seems that in a twinkling of an eye, your face can look so different that you might wonder just who is that person staring back at you in the mirror?

Could facial exercise be the answer to the age old question ??Can I maintain a youthful appearance?? Must I spend my children?s inheritance to stave off Mother Nature?s footprints across my face?

You can certainly turn back the clock with facial exercise that employs resistance and isometric contractions of the muscles using the thumbs and fingers. This doesn?t mean that you will look sixteen or even twenty again but shaving off ten or fifteen years from your appearance with exercise rivals the results of most plastic surgery procedures.

Plastic surgery techniques do not stop the aging process; muscles in the face continue to make their downward slide dragging the skin unnaturally, creating the need for more and more surgical procedures. With exercise, the muscles become stronger, the skin looks revitalized and lifted. Most importantly, facial exercises can be performed inexpensively at home.

The muscles of the face elongate just like the muscles in your arms, thighs and buttocks; in fact, the muscles in the face will have elongated about one-half inch by the time most people have reached the age of 55. The elongation is the result of atrophy of the muscles and gravity. Even though we talk, sing or laugh, the muscles continue to soften and become lax; it?s only when the facial muscles are specifically exercised do they begin to plump up and support your skin better.

The elongation of facial muscles affects every area of your face. For instance, the ?apples? in your upper cheeks may not be positioned prominently, in fact, when a smile is made, rather than seeing fullness high on the cheeks, the muscles may appear flat and midway between the nose and mouth.

If you add one-half inch to the length of your forehead, your eye area suffers because the downward motion compresses into the brows. What happens if you add one-half inch or more to the area under the chin? The dreaded wattle is developing. One-half inch added to the jaw line means jowls are forming.

Beginning a facial exercise program to sculpt and contour the face may seem daunting at first because the movements and positioning feel somewhat awkward. Remember when you first learned to ride a bicycle? It was so scary! But after a few days of lumps and bumps, you were pedaling like you were a pro. It?s the same with facial exercise, once you become familiar with the movements, you will marvel that these simple steps can easily produce a younger looking face.

You will want to take beginning photos before you start a facial exercise regimen so that you can track your progress and you will want to update your photos at the end of every third week. In about three weeks friends and colleagues will begin noticing that something is definitely different about you. They may think you have changed your hair in some way or that you are sleeping better but you will know what they?re seeing is your pretty face returning.

In hardly any time at all, you will notice how smooth and refreshed your skin looks; your face glows with radiance from increased oxygenation to the muscles and those sagging, droopy muscles are now portraying a more youthful looking you. Without surgery, drugs or anything harmful you can turn back the clock and look at least 10-15 years younger.

Cynthia Rowland is widely recognized as an expert in all natural facial fitness with over thirty years experience in health & beauty related fields. She has appeared on The View, Fit TV, HGTV and other popular shows. This author, speaker and television personality is leading the crusade to keep men and women looking vibrantly younger through natural techniques without spending their children?s inheritance.

Cynthia Rowland, Anti-aging Expert I Save Faces http://www.Facialmagic.com