Beauty care. Beuty of Skin.

Bueaty Bueaty

2007-06-14T04:19:00.000-07:00

LOOK BEAUTY WITH BEAUTY SKIN.

WHY DON'T TRY TO BE BEAUTY?

NOT BUEATY HAHA!

What is Blackhead Acne?

2007-02-14T22:36:00.000-08:00

Which Treatment is Available for Effective Blackhead Removal?"

Essentially Blackhead acne is no different than any other from of acne. The formation of acne is all the same it's the size and color of acne lesions that gives acne different names".

How Do Blackheads Develop?
The exact cause of Acne is unknown, However many doctors and scientists believe that they result from several related factors.
One main factor is the increased productions of androgens (male hormones) in both boys and girls during puberty.
These hormones in turn cause the sebaceous glands to enlarge and produce more sebum (oil). The oil is secreted to the surface of your skin through tiny pores. Acne is the direct result if these pores become clogged with dead skin and infected by bacteria.

What is the distinction between Blackhead and Whitehead?
Simple! With whitehead, the infection remains below the surface of the skin and with its coutnerpart the infection comes through the skin.
The infected area oxidizes with the surrounding air to give it the appearance of a Black mark on the top of the acne skin lesion and hence the name. Please refer to the diagram below…..courtesy of National Institute of Health

Can pregnancy cause Acne?
The female body goes through great deal of hormone change during pregnancy. This change in hormone levels can definitely contribute to formation of Acne. In addition many women will experience acne starting or stopping birth control pills.

Which Treatment Should I Use For Treating These Acne Lesions?
There are a number of Blackhead acne treatments on the market today: Including Benzoyl peroxide, Salicylic acid, Retin-A and many more.

What are Acne Whiteheads?

2007-02-14T22:30:00.000-08:00

How Do You Effectively Treat Whitehead Pimples?

Essentially acne whiteheads are no different than any other from of acne. The basics of acne formation are same whether it is Whitehead or Blackhead or blackhead whiteheads.

How Do Acne Whiteheads Develop?
The exact cause of Whitehead or Blackhead Acne is unknown, However many doctors and scientists believe that they result from several related factors. One main factor is the increased production of androgens (male hormones) in both boys and girls during puberty.
These hormones in turn cause the sebaceous glands to enlarge and produce more sebum (oil). The oil is secreted to the surface of your skin through tiny pores. Blackhead and Whitehead acne is the direct result if these pores becoming clogged with dead skin and infected by bacteria.
What is the distinction between Blackhead and Whitehead? Simple! With whitehead, the infection remains below the surface of the skin and with Blackheads the infection comes through the skin and oxidizes with the air to produce the dark appearence.
Formation of acne whiteheads. Please refer to the diagram below…..courtesy of National Institute of Health

Can pregnancy cause Whitehead or Blackhead Acne?
The female body goes through great deal of hormone change during pregnancy. This change in hormone levels can definitely contribute to formation of Acne. In addition many women will experience acne starting or stopping birth control pills.

Which Treatment Should I Use For Treating acne Whiteheads or Blackheads?
There are a number of acne treatments on the market today: Including Herbal, Benzoyl peroxide, Salicylic acid, Retin-A and many more.

Acne treatment

2007-02-14T22:03:00.000-08:00

Acne treatment is a science that is progressing at a phenomenal rate. In the 80's and 90's the best acne treatment on offer were chemical-based products that worked for most cases. Some were very harsh on the skin, and some actually made the situation worse. In recent years, a switch to a natural acne treatment has seen far more positive results because scientists have been able to study closer how/why the acne is caused, and apply ingredients that actually correct the problem rather than mask it.
With this advance in research, acne home treatment has come to the fore. Instead of visiting a dermatologist for your acne skin treatment, you can simply buy an acne skin care treatment product from your local drug store, or better still, you can buy your acne treatment product / products online.
There are some important things to be aware of though when selecting your acne care treatment. First, a natural acne treatment program is usually the most preferable because they do not contain any chemicals and they do not have any side effects. Next, acne treatment skin care go hand-in-hand. That is, if you practice good skin care, then your acne treatment will be more successful. Third, acne care treatment programs are not overnight solutions. They typically start to show results in 1-2 weeks, and with changes to lifestyle habits and diet, should show long-term results in a matter of months.

What is Acne?

2007-02-14T21:58:00.000-08:00

Acne can easily be described as the result of the blockage of a skin pore. (see figure 1) The blockage is typically caused by excess sebum and/or dead skin cells which haven't exited the hair follicle via the skin pore. (Note: Sebum is a naturally occurring fatty oil that moisturizes the skin and hair. Without it, your hair would be thin and brittle, and your skin would be dry and hard).
What happens is that as your body continually replaces it's skin, sometimes the skin cells do not shed evenly causing a blockage. The sebum (oils) keep producing in the hair follicle and when these oils cannot exit via the pore, they back-up in the follicle and swelling occurs.... and you have a pimple !
This is a basic description of the most common type of acne. There are other more severe types, like Cystic Acne, but in all cases, acne control should be by way of a treatment program, because squeezing pimples can actually magnify the problem, causing infection and further swelling.... and even scarring.
Acne affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide, from childhood, through the teen years and right through to middle/old age. The best thing is, acne control is progressing at a phenomenal rate and today's treatments are curing all types and intensities of acne.

Your Skin Phototype

2007-02-14T21:26:00.000-08:00

Your risk of developing skin cancer among other factors highly depends on your skin type. In 1975, Fitzpatrick, a respected dermatologist created a standard for classifying individuals according to their skin color and burning and tanning responses to sun light exposure. Basically a low number means a higher risk. However, there are people with skin type 3 who develop skin cancer and even people with naturally dark skin can also develop skin cancer.

I I always get a sunburn. I never get a tan. white skin, freckles, blond or redhair, blue or green eyes

II I usually get a sunburn. I sometimes get a tan. white skin, blond hair, blue orgreen eyes
III I seldomly get a sunburn. I usually get a tan. white skin, usually dark hair,and brown eyes
IV-VI I never get a sunburn. I always get a dark tan. brown to dark skin/ brown or black hair/ brown eyes

Skin cancers

2007-02-14T21:02:00.000-08:00

Skin cancers are the most common type of cancer in white populations, both in the UK and worldwide.
Most are easy to treat and pose only a small threat to life. But one type, melanoma, is difficult to treat unless detected early.
There are about 7,000 cases of melanoma a year, compared with approximately 100,000 cases of non malignant skin cancer.
But three quarters of skin cancer deaths are from melanoma. Melanoma is related to the common mole and changes in the appearance of moles should alert suspicion.
It is important to seek medical attention quickly because malignant melanoma tends to spread much more rapidly through the bloodstream than the other two types of skin cancer.
If an adult has a growing, changing, brown or black mark which cannot be covered by the blunt end of a pencil, this should be shown to the doctor without too much delay.
Dr Charlotte Proby, a consultant dermatologist for Cancer Research UK, said: "Skin cancers are caused by over-exposure to the sun and particularly to episodes of sunburn.
"Sunburn as a child or young adult increases your risk of skin cancer."
Doctors advise people to cover up in sunny weather, and to avoid sunburn if at all possible. Read more.

Dry Skin?

2007-02-14T20:57:00.000-08:00

Independent lab test showsshielding lotions are the mosteffective dry skin care productGloves in a Bottle is a shielding lotion that rapidly absorbs into, and bonds with, the outer layer of skin creating a protective layer while retaining the natural moisture from within. This makes it the perfect dry skin care product.It does not wash off, but comes off naturally with exfoliated skin cells. Just reapply every four hours for continued protection.It's greaseless, non-sticky, fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, completely safe and non-toxic.Used and recommended daily for dry skin conditions by a wide range of healthcare professionals. Read more.

Anti-Aging Skin Care

2007-02-14T20:13:00.000-08:00

The aging of your skin may be inevitable. But why rush it? There are ways to slow down sagging and wrinkles. Using skin creams and treatments may already be a part of your daily grooming regimen. However, topical creams cannot be expected to work alone for full efficacy. The best way to start your anti-aging effort is on the inside.
First of all, are you drinking enough water? There are varying opinions about how much water an individual actually needs for good health, but the general consensus remains that you probably aren't drinking enough. If you're thirsty, your skin is thirsty too — which means dryness and wrinkles. Hydrate your skin by drinking water regularly. Read more

Skin structure

2007-02-14T19:57:00.000-08:00

You might be surprised to find out it's the skin, which you might not think of as an organ. No matter how you think of it, your skin is very important. It covers and protects everything inside your body. Without skin, people's muscles, bones, and organs would be hanging out all over the place. Skin holds everything together Read more.

Beauty care tips

2006-11-29T08:27:00.000-08:00

Take a look at your body. How to get rid off the wrinkle?

Lighting and Beauty

2006-11-29T06:35:00.000-08:00

Beauty is all about light. We are constantly in search of glowing skin, sparkling eyes, and shiny hair. In fact, (as any movie star will tell you) much of what passes for external beauty is a carefully controlled mixture of reflection, absorption and shadow.
People with shiny, oily skin try to make it matte, absorbing light so pores also appear smaller. Powder is the most frequent remedy for shiny skin, and the finer the powder, the more likely your chances of applying it effectively. Cheap powders can cake, or may contain talc that irritates skin. Some foundations also claim to contain powder, to minimize shine, but I haven’t found a good one yet. I’ll let you know when I do!
--Editors Tip ----------------------------------------------------------------------
A Quality Lighted Magnification Mirror is Must-Have Beauty ItemPerfect makeup and brows begin with being able to see yourself in the right light. Many bathroom vanities are constructed with low-wattage or even dim fluorescent lights that don't show you what other people will see. Do you work in daylight, under office lights or with halogen lamps? All these things affect the color of your skin and makeup, the visibility of blemishes or facial hair, even the lines on your face or the circles under your eyes. If you're blessed with great light, terrific! But most of us aren't, and it makes a difference in your overall look.For plucking the perfect brow (or eradicating other unwanted facial hair), there's nothing more helpful than a mirror that magnifies. With magnification, you can grasp the unwanted hair with the right tweezers the first time. Add light to the mirror, and you can see everything up close; perfect for applying moisturizer, makeup, and tweezing.See our favorite selection of lighted magnification mirrors that will make you morning beauty regime much easier to do and see. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As women age, our skin tends to dry out, so older women are often concerned with achieving a slightly shiny finish, which can be done with powders or foundations containing mica. Unfortunately, mica can also irritate skin or create sparkle (not glow), which is all right in the evening, by candlelight, but looks garish in broad daylight. Best of all in achieving glow without sparkle or grease, is finding the right moisturizer. A good moisturizer combines water with some sort of lipid, which helps skin absorb the water and hold onto it. The most popular lipids these days come from the all-powerful soybean plant.
Aside from using the right cosmetics, there are a few things you can do in regards to light to increase your outer beauty. First of all, pay attention to the light in your house. Your bathroom, or the room where you do your makeup should have strong, natural light. it plays hell with your ego, but you’re more likely to catch stray hairs or makeup mistakes before leaving the house, not after. Replace anything fluorescent with halogen track lights, use bright but soft-white bulbs in common areas, and make sure your reading lamp is bright but without glare, to prevent eyestrain.
If you’re going out for lunch and want to look your best, sit with the light behind you, and let the other person get the light in his or her face. You’ll get a halo, and your lunch partner will be temporarily blinded. Choose a shadowed spot over a bright window: it’ll keep the UV rays off your epidermis, defray crow’s feet for another month, and soften the focus.
Anytime you can opt for candlelight at dinner, do that. I can’t think of a person in the world who doesn’t look better by candlelight: its soft, flickering play softens features, tones uneven colors and hides a multitude of skin imperfections. (Why do you think the best restaurants are also the candlelit ones?)
You can’t give makeup for a gift (it would be like giving control-top panty hose), but you can give the gift of perfect light. When I’m not sure what to give someone, I always choose candles and candleholders. I’m of the firm opinion that you can never have too many candles, and you can make them fit any gift occasion by altering their number or composition. If you want to spend a hundred dollars on something great, you can buy beeswax pillars. If you have six bucks, you can get a nice scented candle in a glass holder. Last week, I bought some terrific, exotic sandalwood candles for a co-worker’s birthday present, and had enough money left to buy myself a bunch, too.
Light has another important role in beauty--the beauty that comes from feeling happy and healthy. Research on light has shown that the amount of light most of us experience from day to day is inadequate for keeping us healthy. You have probably heard of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), in which people experience profound depression during the winter time, when light grows scarce. In northern regions like Scandinavia, Canada and Siberia, depression is significantly greater than in sunny, southern lands. But there are ways to mediate the effects of short, northern, winter-time days. SAD has long been treated by having sufferers sit under full-spectrum lights that mimic sunlight. A short exposure to bright light in the morning increases energy, decreases appetite and makes us feel better.
The human brain needs light coming through the eyes in order to create and release optimal amounts of serotonin, an important chemical for brain functioning. Without enough serotonin, we become sleepy, slow and depressed. Our bodies don't metabolize the way they should, leading to weight gain. As research becomes more sophisticated, we begin to understand the importance of daily amounts of bright light for our mental and physical health.
Outdoor light, even on a rainy day, is approximately twenty times the amount of normal indoor light. Since most of us spend our days inside, the available light is drastically cut, resulting in depression, lethargy, and a craving for sweets that hits hard once or twice a day. It is possible to remediate the effects of inadequate light by purchasing a full-spectrum light, or by making an extra effort to get outside for an hour during the day.

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

2006-11-29T06:33:00.000-08:00

Benefits of Drinking WaterWe all want smooth, soft, unblemished skin. But sometimes it seems like great skin is either something you’re born with or something you’ll never achieve. These days, the medical industry has created skin care treatments that are halfway between plastic surgery and serious cosmetics. You can have your skin sanded, chemically peeled, zapped with lasers, frozen or injected with Botox, the catchy hyphenated name for botulism toxin. You can spend thousands of dollars in a pretty short period of time to achieve results that may or may not be what you hoped for.
But one of the most wonderful skin care treatments is easily available to everyone, has side benefits that affects not just your rosy glow but your whole body, and is utterly painless to use. It’s called water, and you drink it.
Not coffee. I know, coffee has water. It also has an abundance of interesting chemicals including caffeine, which raises your heartbeat, exaggerates stress on the body and causes diuresis, or loss of hydration. All these things combine to make for ravaged, hag-like skin, which if that’s what you’re aiming for, is just fine. But those of us who want to hold off hagdom as long as possible have to face the facts: that cappuccino may taste good, but it’s going to increase under eye circles, make your kidneys work harder than they should, and can result in breakouts, flushing and blotchy skin.
The facts are these. Not Pepsi, not beer, not juice, not even tea can replace the magical, rejuvenating effects of that old classic, H2O.
--Editor's Note-------------------------------------------------------------------
Filtered Shower Water Can Improve the Health of Your Skin and Hair Did you know that a shower could actually be damaging your hair and skin by causing excessive dryness. It isn't the the shower water that gives you that drying feeling after a hot shower, but the chlorine that is found in almost all city tap water sources. More recently, several shower filters have come out on the market that will filter out almost all the drying chlorine in your shower water leaving your skin refreshed and clean not dry an scaly.
See a shower filter that will rid your water of the drying effects of chorine. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How much water should you drinkWith these thoughts in mind, I decided to actually drink the 8, 8-ounce glasses of water recommended by beauty experts and dermatologists alike. That’s four glasses in the morning, and four more after lunch, a doable goal. I filled my glass from the tap and took a drink. I tasted chlorine, chemicals, weird odiferous things that don’t smell like water should. City water stinks. This was going to be harder than I thought.
Bottled Drinking WaterI could buy bottled water, at a dollar a pint, at the grocery store. Let’s see, there are two cups in a pint, and I need to drink at least 8 cups per day. Four dollars a days sounds like a lot for water, don’t you think? Like I’m going to spend $120 a month on drinking water! And, then I’ll need to buy 28 bottles of water a week, and bring them home and store them. At this rate, I’ll never drink water again.
Tap Water Filters for Safe Drinking Water at HomeBut I went to my girlfriend’s house for dinner, and when she poured water into her fridge pitcher, I noticed a space-age contraption hanging off the tap. She said it’s called a water filter. (Click here to see this water filter), and you drink water with it. When I sipped my glass of water, I understood. No weird chemical smells, no salty-chlorinated creepiness, just clean, tasty water. This stuff I can drink!
She filled a gallon bottle for me, and I brought home a supply. The next day, I went online and checked out drinking water filters, finally choosing the Brita facet water filtration system for its quality and price. I read upon it a little first, and found that the Brita filter removes lead, asbestos, toluene and benzene, among a couple of dozen other impurities and really frightening chemicals.
And somehow, although your water is filtered of all sorts of horrible, cancer-causing agents, the Brita lets the fluoride remain, keeping your teeth strong.
I’m drinking my eight glasses a day now, and am already seeing the positive effects. I never realized how I avoided drinking water because it always tasted so bad, but now I like it—it tastes great!

Common Causes, Cures and Treatments of Insomnia

2006-11-29T06:30:00.000-08:00

Everyone suffers from insomnia at some time: my friend Elizabeth used to revel in it, experiencing extended sleeplessness for weeks at a time. When she was a pre-teen, she thought insomnia was a normal part of life because for her, it was. Her family would go to bed around 10:30, at which time she would turn on the light (or sneak into the living-room) and read until 3 or 4 AM. Getting up in the morning was hard, because Elizabeth was only getting about four hours of sleep at a time.
In her early twenties, she made insomnia work for her by studying late at night. She took a tremendous load of courses, worked a couple of part-time jobs, dated heavily and still had hours and hours left over. About once a semester, usually at finals week, she'd break down entirely and get whatever flu was going around: it was her body's main strategy for getting some rest.
As Elizabeth got older and settled down, insomnia settled down too. Maybe it was having someone else to cuddle with, or maybe the anxieties of her youth diminished. Anyway, she has maybe three nights a month when she can't sleep, and gets up to read in the living-room.
--Editor's Note-------------------------------------------------------------------
Discover How to Have a Peaceful Nights Sleep Do you have difficulty getting to sleep, wake frequently during the night and can't get back to sleep easily, or wake in the morning before the birds? If so, you're not alone. Literally millions of people from every corner of the globe suffer from some form of sleep disorder. But the good news is that thousands of people are now discovering that there is a natural cure for their problem.
Read how you can wake up refreshed from a full nights sleep by using simple natural techiques to relax your body. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elizabeth was pretty lucky, though. She found ways to cope with her body's insistence on staying awake. But millions of people experience insomnia, and when you have a demanding job or a fussy baby, a night of not being able to sleep can feel tortuous. And once you're in your thirties, insomnia has a strongly negative affect on your looks (hence the term, "beauty sleep"). Undereye circles, blotchy skin and bleary eyes are only three of the drawbacks of insomnia.
Insomnia is caused by so many factors that you can have one reason or six, each one potent enough to keep a person awake. When I can't sleep, I consider the following possible causes:
Common cause of insomnia and sleep deprivation disorder
1. Caffeine. Some people get jittery after a single cup of coffee and others can drink gallons with no discernable effect. In some situations, drinking moderate amounts of caffeine (which includes tea and cola, by the way) seems to have no effect until you've been at it for several days in a row. If I can't sleep and don't have a pressing reason for anxiety, I think back over the past several days and unusually realize I've been hitting the iced tea by the gallon. Leaving it alone for a few days usually puts things right again.
2. Stress. If you're worried or tense, insomnia comes along as part of the package. You can try a couple of techniques to relieve your tension enough to get to sleep.
a. Promise yourself you'll deal with whatever it is the very first thing in the morning. If you're like me, putting off paying a bill or making an unpleasant phone call can worry at me until I can't sleep. Promising to solve the problem helps you to temporarily shelve it (but you'd better keep that promise, or you'll never trust yourself again!)
b. Setting aside a daily time for worry can help you contain it. Take ten minutes out of each day and worry like crazy. Make lists of the things you're agonizing over, then rate each item from 1-10 on a "likelihood of happening" scale. When you find yourself worrying at other times of the day or night, remind yourself that you'll worry tomorrow, at 3PM and set it aside.
c. Imagine yourself taking a bundle of worries and locking them inside a cabinet. Take your time and be thorough. They may try to wiggle away or sneak out, but gather them all together. You may decide to put rubber bands around them or have them sedated. You might want to tie them together and roll them up like a fire hose. Be as creative as you can when picturing your worries and the way you're going to handle them. Will you stow them in an iron-bound trunk? A cedar chest? A garage or barn? Visualize the type of lock you'll use and see yourself locking the door or cabinet. Sometimes, just elaborating on this exercise is enough to put yourself to sleep.
d. If nothing you try seems to work, consider visiting a therapist to help you learn more about reducing your anxiety. Medications have proven very effective.
4. Hormones. Insomnia can result from hormonal fluctuations. Keeping an insomnia diary can help you figure out if sleeplessness is linked to your menstrual cycle. Sleeplessness is also one of the symptoms of menopause. If you're generally content with the way your hormones are performing, you may choose to induce sleep by having an extra glass of wine at night, or a hot bath. If hormones are causing you real problems, try herbal remedies or go have a chat with your ob-gyn about the latest in the medical community's understanding about women's sexual health.
5. Sugar. Eating late snacks or desserts can cause insomnia as your blood sugar races around trying to find something to do. Replace sweets with sugar-free snacks and see if it helps. Eating a meal late at night can also cause insomnia, either because of the rise in blood sugar or because trying to sleep before your meal is fully assimilated can give you indigestion.
6. Exercise. Studies have shown that when people exercise later in the evening, they also tend to have a harder time getting to sleep.
7. Too much alcohol. If you drink a lot, sleeplessness occurs when the body rebounds from the depressant effect of alcohol on the central nervous system. This happens to chronic alcoholics, but also to people who don't usually drink much but make an exception at a bachelor party and have more than a couple. Typically, alcohol makes us sleepy, but as the alcohol is metabolized by the body, the change wakes us up. Too much sugar can work the same way in reverse, first making us high and lively, then sending the blood sugar into a crashing low. Sugar is often a major cause of sleeplessness in children. They get hopped up on popsicles and won't go down for a nap. When a grown-up tries to get them to nap anyway, the blood sugar crash comes along, and the result is a screeching, wailing, but exhausted child. Fun stuff, huh!
We've all seen the commercials for pain relievers and cold medicines with "sleep aids", which often consist of either decongestants or alcohol. There are also herbal remedies, usually containing chamomile, which is a sleep aid know world-wide since medieval times. Valerian root (
to see an example of a
.) smells stinky, even ground and in capsule form, but it's also effective and gentle. Of course, there are always pharmaceutical remedies for sleeplessness, but they should be last resorts, because they tend to be habit-forming and have other side effects.
If you don't have to go to work the next morning, insomnia can be pretty manageable. You might find that with punchiness comes creativity, so I wouldn't rule out getting out of bed to sketch, bake or plan next year's garden. Also, not having the stress of counting the hours until you have to get to work can often calm you down to the point of relaxation. If you're expected at work the next day, you could call in sick the night before. Then, if you can't get to sleep, you can stay home and rest the next day, and if you can get to sleep, you can show up the next day.

Deep Sea Skin and Bath Products: Beauty Benefits Salt, Mud and Minerals Found in this Natural Oasis

2006-11-29T06:28:00.000-08:00

The Dead Sea has long been known as a health-promoting region, and there is nothing more essential to beauty than a healthy body and skin. The salt and minerals found in Dead Sea products create cosmetics and spa therapies unequalled by any other natural mineral sources. The Dead Sea contains fifteen times the magnesium found in ordinary sea water; magnesium helps the metabolism of skin cells, as well as being an anti-allergen. Other Dead Sea minerals include zinc, bromine, iodine and potassium.
Black Dead Sea mud enjoys a reputation of having been used by Kings and Queens of ancient times. Today, you can buy pure black Dead Sea mud by the kilo or pound to use as a mud body wrap, or in smaller packages for facial mud masks. There are also black mud soaps to remedy acne and other skin conditions.
Skin Care and the Dead Sea Mineral Mud MasksFor skin care, you can purchase mud and minerals in a mask that can unclog pores, smooth skin or act as a moisturizer in combination with essential and natural oils. There are also serums, moisturizers and acne medicines made from Dead Sea minerals. You can find exfoliating facial salts reported to kill the bacteria that cause acne. For a facial care regime, you may decide to buy a skin care set; soap, mask, toner, salts and lotion rich with Dead Sea minerals. Dead Sea shampoo and conditioner will keep your hair healthy and shiny; dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis and other scalp conditions can be alleviated with specialized Dead Sea hair care products.
Anti Aging Properties of the Natural Salts and Minerals from the Dead SeaThere are a plethora of Dead Sea face care products, many of which feature anti-aging and wrinkle-reducing ingredients. The minerals present in the Dead Sea have properties that include creating and promoting healthy cell regeneration, skin permeability and elasticity, moisture-retention and protection from allergies and infections. In addition to the rich sea salts present in Dead Sea products, you may see ingredients like Vitamins A and B, soy protein and essential oils like chamomile. Eye creams, luxurious serums, moisturizers and masks can be used to renew and keep your skin's youthful glow.
If you like home-based spa treatments, you may prefer Dead Sea salt scrubs for body care and exfoliation. Bodywraps featuring added ingredients like shea butter for softening, and bath salts and massage oils complete your home spa cabinet of luxurious skin care items. Nail care, cuticle creams and manicure and pedicure lotions treat you to an invigorating, healthful glow. From head to foot, there are Dead Sea products that pamper your hair, nails and skin.
Healthy Natural Alternative to Products with ChemicalsDead Sea salt is enjoyed by many people as a healthy alternative to chemical-laden bath products, many of which contain added dyes, synthetic fragrances and even alcohols, which can be drying and irritating. Remember—your skin isn't just an envelope that keeps your body together—it's a permeable organ that absorbs and reacts to the things it comes in contact with! When you soak your body in Dead Sea salts, the unique and health-giving minerals of the Dead Sea wash your skin with the same minerals that bring well-being back to people who travel all the way to the region for spa therapy. You can buy Dead Sea bath salt products enriched with herbs like lemongrass and natural aromatics such as vanilla, coconut or lavender. Soybean protein additives also help strengthen, soothe and rejuvenate the skin.
Dead Sea salts are included in many cosmetics, so if you want to reap the benefits particular to Dead Sea minerals, make sure the products you purchase have those ingredients high up on the ingredient list: the closer to the top of the list, the higher the concentration of the minerals.

Skin Conditions that Dead Sea Salts, Mud and Minerals Products May Serve As Healthy Remedies

2006-11-29T06:26:00.000-08:00

The minerals from Dead Sea mud have been used throughout history for the treatment of health conditions such as arthritis, acne, psoriasis and eczema, which affect the skin and immune systems of millions of people worldwide. The Dead Sea is 1200 feet below sea level; its unique geographic position creates a climate known nowhere else in the world. Although there are more than 300 sunny days each year and the average temperature is over ninety degrees, it is possible to sunbathe in the waters for hours at a time without the need for sunscreen. A special atmospheric layer covers the Dead Sea, protecting bathers from harmful rays while inundating them with beneficial minerals, comforting humidity and health-promoting warmth. The humidity is around 35%, and the oxygen content so far below sea level is extra-rich, creating an ideal situation for the treatment of asthma. The lack of pollens and other allergens gives great relief to allergy sufferers, too.
About Dead Sea Essential Salts and Natural MineralsThe salt content from the Dead Sea is around thirty percent—about ten times higher than that of ordinary seawater—and people who visit the area find that the high mineral content combined with a regimen of extended soaking and floating brings them renewal and relief from suffering. Because of the high density of salts in the Dead Sea, the buoyancy of the human body is increased so that visitors can float in the water with no effort at all.
There are strong concentrations of beneficial minerals in Dead Sea products, among them being 12 minerals that are simply not available in other sea-based products. Scientists believe it is these minerals, combined with the unparalleled environment of the Dead Sea region that help restore people to health. Long established as a therapeutic source, the Dead Sea region abounds in spas, treatment centers and hotels where visitors can bathe in public or private in the health-giving waters of the sea.
Since the Dead Sea is located in Israel, many people who would benefit from its healing properties cannot travel to the source; for these people, Dead Sea salt and mineral products can bridge the essential gap between illness and health. Companies that make products from Dead Sea minerals create treatment creams, wraps, mud masks and moisturizers designed to help people benefit from Dead Sea minerals in their own homes.
Skin Care Products with Black Mud Found in the Dead SeaBlack Dead Sea mud is often used as a therapeutic body wrap at spas; facial masks are also made of this miracle substance, to care for the skin, refine the pores, and as a natural anti-aging therapy. For psoriasis treatment, application of Dead Sea mud in combination with baths using Dead Sea salts have brought significant remissions for many patients, and the minerals in Dead Sea salts have also been included in psoriasis creams. Psoriasis flare-ups are less common when patients have experienced Dead Sea treatments. Dead Sea mud has also been found to relieve arthritis pain in joints, perhaps due to the influence of the high mineral content. Soaking in a bath of Dead Sea salts can alleviate muscle soreness; for a homemade, skin softening bath, combine Dead Sea salts with a cupful of oatmeal placed in an old nylon stocking. The minerals soak into your skin and the oatmeal creates a moisture shield that smoothes and softens.
The facts about treating stretch marks include the realization that they fade over time but are rarely eradicated with creams. But moisturized skin helps minimize the appearance of stretch marks, and creams made from Dead Sea minerals help skin regain its youthful moisture. Anti-aging cream isn't just for stretch marks; use it on elbows, heels and even your face.
If you can't visit the Dead Sea, you can still find Dead Sea

How to Clean Professional Makeup and Cosmetics Brushes

2006-11-29T06:25:00.000-08:00

Professional Cosmetics Brushes are Essential for Flawless Make up ApplicationIf you wear makeup, you need to know how to clean makeup brushes. If you don't clean your make up brushes, you'll either wind up spoiling them and throwing them away, or they will mess up your clean, fresh look by changing the colors of your makeup. If you're not sure how to clean makeup brushes, don't worry; it's simple. The main thing is using the right type of cleaner for the kind of cosmetic brush you have. It's also most important to clean your makeup brushes frequently, so that there's very little build up on them.
Applying your make up correctly is at least as important as the quality of the makeup itself. Professional makeup artists take a lot of time smoothing, blending and brushing creams and powders into their clients' soon flawless faces. Great brushes help make perfect makeup possible.
What Materials and Hair Products are Brushes Made of?Makeup brushes come in all sorts of materials, with the cheapest usually being made of sponge or plastic and the most expensive some sort of animal hair. High quality natural hair brushes used by professional models and painters are made of sable, and if you want a particular brush shape in an excellent quality brush, you can find them at art supply stores. Badger fur, pony hair and even squirrel hair are also used to make brushes. The best makeup, such as mineral makeup, will often come with a set of fine brushes: perfect application gives your makeup a beautiful soft finish.
--Editors Tip ----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Importance of Properly Cleaning Your Makeup Brushes Properly cleaning your makeup brushes will save you time, money and even your face! You will save time because clean makeup brushes make application easier, so that loose powder goes where you want it instead of clinging to an oily brush. You won't have to makeup as often because your makeup will be fresh—not contaminated with skin oils and old, oxidized colors. You'll save money by cleaning your makeup brushes because they will last longer, so you won't have to buy new ones. And you can save your face—from breakouts associated with bacterial and oil build up on grimy old brushes. Five minutes a week, a little sudsy water, and your makeup brushes will stay fresh and new much longer See a selection of inexpensive brush cleaner that will renew dirty cosmetics brushes. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Properly Cleaning Your Cosmetic Brushes Will Make Them Last LongerBesides letting your brushes last longer (very important if you're going to buy more expensive, smoother brushes), if you know how to clean your make up brushes, you can minimize skin problems such as breakouts from accumulated oils or eye infections from mascara brushes. Hygiene is one reason that experts say never to share your makeup with a friend: you can transmit bacteria on the applicators. Cold sores, acne, rashes and staph germs can move easily from one makeup brush to another, so never borrow someone else's brush or powder puff. In fact, for people who apply makeup using their fingers, it's not even a good idea to wipe your fingers across someone else's blusher or eye shadow, because you're picking up bacteria from their fingers and skin.
How to Wash Your Make up Brushes Free of BacteriaYou can wash your makeup brushes in warm, soapy water, using an antibacterial soap, shampoo or a hand sanitizer. There are also special products for cleaning your makeup brushes. Lipstick brushes may need extra care because of the extra emollients in lip colors, which can make them sticky and hard to wash. Wash them with a gentle oil removing wash you may already use for your skin, and take your time, working out the lipstick from the brush bristles.
Shape brushes while wet and let them dry to preserve their smoothness. Lay them flat instead of standing them on end, or you will damage either the bristles or handle of the brush. Wash them gently, never scrubbing, or the hairs will start to come out. Follow any cleaning instructions that come with your makeup brushes in case they have special requirements. And if you can't make up your mind to commit to cleaning your brushes, you can always buy disposable sponge brushes and throw them away more frequently. Especially if you suffer from very oily skin or acne, make sure you're always using a clean makeup brush to minimize bacterial problems that may increase your skin trouble.
Dirty Makeup Brushes Carry Bacteria and Will Not Give You a Flawless LookWhatever you do, don't use the same makeup brushes day in and day out without washing them. Aside from harboring bacteria, makeup pigments bind with the oils from your skin, making brushes sticky and dirty. Makeup colors can change, becoming darker or more orange due to oxidation and to mixing with skin oils or dust, making a mess of your daily makeup routine. Clean your brushes once a week to keep them working properly, and if a brush becomes stained or misshapen, throw it out and get a new

The Amazing Benefits of Hydrotherapy.

2006-11-29T06:23:00.000-08:00

I went to the salon a couple of weeks ago, and skipped the pedicure in favor of a relaxing facial. The aesthetician used a super-soft, micro-bead type scrub, a brisk but not-too alcoholic toner, and a wonderful, silky moisturizer that gave my skin the feel of rose petals clinging to a baby’s bottom. It was that smooth.
But thinking back on the experience, I realized that of all the fruit-oil and nut kernel extracts that were applied to my face that day, the thing that felt like absolute heaven was plain old water. Steam, actually, from a small steamer that directed a soft jet of cool steam against my face for nearly ten minutes. Yes, even cool steam opens your pores and releases impurities: it also keeps your skin moist rather than drying it out, as warm steam does. (Never, ever use hot steam on your face, and never let anyone else do it either).
--Editors Tip ----------------------------------------------------------------------
A Cool Steam Facial Has Beneficial Beauty and Health BenefitsIf you get a really good facial, the aesthetician will more than likely spend some time directing a stream of cool "steam" at your face. It feels like a soft ocean breeze, and it does the nearly impossible; opening pores while moisturizing skin. It's usually followed up by a pore treatment and toner and moisturizer. In fact, when you pay for a professional facial, you're really paying for the cooled steam: the other parts of the process—the wrapping, mask, moisturizers and pore treatments can all be had at home.Now you can have the whole thing, and save scads of money while beautifying your skin. With a humidifier, you can perfect the at-home facial, but you can also do so much more. Humidifiers add moisture to any room so that in the dry room heat of winter, or dusty, hot summers, your skin is soft, smooth and comfortable. Add a drop of essential oil for aromatherapy.See our favorite cool stream humidifier that will be great for your face and your home. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
But with the tip, that facial cost me $75, and the thing I liked most and wanted to take home with me was the steam. I started thinking about ways I could get more steam into my life without forking out so much money at the salon. Hot water makes hot steam, which is unacceptable, so the bowl and towel-over-the-head routine wouldn’t work. I didn’t want one of those personal steamers because you have to set your face into them and do nothing: I wanted something that would work while I did other things. I pondered, then I remembered the vaporizer that my friend Judy bought for her baby Emily when Ems got croupy. I called Judy, and she turned me on to the fact that vaporizers make warm steam from boiling water, and humidifiers push cool water vapor into the room.
I read a little about humidifiers and finally chose the Vicks Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier. I chose it because it has a built-in water filter, you can control the mist speed, and it’s possible to direct the mist too. Even though this humidifier has a water filter, you should use filtered water in your vaporizer because the hard minerals in most tap water can clog it up after you’ve used it awhile, seriously shortening the lifespan of the appliance. If you already have a water filter on your tap, great! If not, just get down to the grocery store and buy a few gallons of the cheapo drinking water, then keep the jugs so you can refill them at one of the water machines most supermarkets have parked outside.
After using it on a hot day, I realized that running the humidifier could be useful for more than just beautifying the skin; it’s a fine way to add moisture to the air, which helps to cool off the room, keeping static electricity down, and indoors ferns fresh. If you happen to grow orchids, a vaporizer can keep your flowers as perfect as your skin. All this, for way less than the cost of a single salon facial. Pretty smart, huh!

Eye Makeup.

2006-11-29T06:21:00.000-08:00

Learn what & how to apply eye shadow, liner & mascara for perfect eye make up.You can tell the decade in which a movie was made by the eye-makeup of the stars. In the forties, it was either glamorous or understated, depending on the scene (evening and dressy or daytime and subtle) and the character (bad women wore lots of eye shadow, day and night). Eyebrows were mostly plucked out and painted or drawn on slightly higher, although some stars, like Betty Becall, got away with slender, perfectly-shaped natural brows.
If you look at I Love Lucy episodes, you can see that Lucy wore lots of makeup. Eye shadow was light if she used it at all (in her 1960's The Lucy Show, she wore lots of bright blue shadow), but Max Factor laid on the mascara, and her brows were made up with pencil or paint, usually in a curved fashion that accessorized her goofy persona.

--Editor's Note-------------------------------------------------------------------
Applying Eye Make-up and Shadow:Taking the Guesswork Out of Choosing the Right Eye Shadow Shade

The world of eye shadows available today can be quite overwhelming. From shimmers to matte and brights to neutrals. Eye shadows are available in just about every color under the sun. If you are like most women, you are probably wondering what colors will best accentuate your eye color and which eye shadows to stay away from. Remember that eye shadow should always coordinate with your eye color not your outfit color - this is not a fashion trend, but a beauty basic every woman should know.
Take the guess work (and stress) out of choosing the right eye shadow colors by purchasing an eye shadow set that is meant for your specific eye color. See the perfect eye shadow collection for blue eyes, brown eyes and green eyes. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other 50's-era female TV stars included Barbara Billingsley, who played Beaver's mother June Cleaver. June's makeup was subtle: what you notice is the seeming clarity of her skin and eyes. Again, no shadow was in evidence: as a married housewife, June didn't have the lifestyle for shaded lids.
In the 60's, makeup, like fashion and lots of other things, went wild. If you've seen Love, American Style, or Laugh-In, you've also seen mile-high beehives, minuscule skirts, and piles of bright shadows (often in blue and green), thick mascara and false, furry eyelashes (often worn by the same woman at the same time), and eyebrows that ranged from dense and black to virtually non-existent. The 60's were about the time when mascara started becoming higher in quality. Women wanted gigantic eyes, and makeup that wouldn't run. They were sick of gluing on false lashes which could fall off into the soup when you least expected it. Mascara responded by becoming more user-friendly.
After the 60's, 70's styles seemed downright tame, but looking back from 2004, the 70's still look pretty freakish. Skirts were still tiny, and short-shorts and bikinis made the summertime scene. Polyester made leisure suits a weird part of the masculine wardrobe, and men who weren't even pimps wore gold chains and pinky rings. In makeup, glitter became part of daytime looks, shimmering in slippery lip gloss, sparkling in eye shadows and glimmering up foundations. James Bond movies spanned the 60's and 70's, giving us a timeless look at bizarre fashions and makeup that could be put on with a trowel.
The eighties were silk blouses and big shoulder pads, and eye makeup became an important part of the career woman's wardrobe. Maybe because women were trying harder than ever before to smash through the recently-identified glass ceiling, makeup was assertive, almost mask-like. Big jewelry, thick hoop earrings and gold projected the dress-for-success look in the Me-decade. Lined and lipsticked mouths and shadowed, mascaraed eyes competed for attention in faces gessoed smooth with thick foundations. Eyebrows tended to be more real and well-groomed rather than yanked out and drawn on, in keeping with the overall bolder, more "masculine"(natural) look.
Since the nineties, a wide range of looks have become acceptable, perhaps because with the aging of the general population, more women have found the style they'll be staying with for the rest of their lives. Let's face it, at some point, we all choose a look and pretty much stick with it, and women who were in their thirties and forties in the 80's predominate in the population, while younger women experiment with lighter makeup, more casual hairstyles and the smaller trends that wash across the seasons in little waves.
If you look at modern-day stars like Isabella Rossilini, Kate Hudson, Julia Roberts and Julianne Moore, you'll notice that, while makeup enhances their natural looks, it never takes center stage. Lipsticks are a slightly stronger expression of natural lip colors, foundations are muted, and eye makeup draw attention not to itself, but to the eyes. It's not that these women don't wear makeup--they do--it's that the makeup is applied with perfect restraint (and then thoroughly airbrushed, but that’s another story).
If you want to be current with your own eye makeup, spend a lot of time figuring out which colors play up the color and shape of your eyes. Don't fall for trendy colors: you'll just have to buy new ones in a couple of months, and they won't look that great on you anyway. Check out neutral tones in beige, brown and grey, with slightly darker colors for evening. Experiment with mascara, but keep in mind that, contrary to what the ads say, longer and thicker lashes are not necessarily always better-looking. Cows have long, thick lashes too. You want enough lashes to outline your eyes, but not so much that no-one can look away from them.
Eyebrows should be as natural as possible while observing a certain restraint in terms of thickness. If your brows are very pale, you might try a brow pencil, but go gently with it, and get opinions from real and honest friends before taking your new look outside.
As trends have taken us from one extreme to another, finding your own look keeps you from making fashion mistakes that will haunt you in photographs for years to come. With the medical and cosmetics industries coming up with more and more sophisticated formulas, it's a good idea to check out new products that contain sunscreens, hypoallergenic properties and herbal or cosmeceutical ingredients shown to decrease lines, prevent skin cancer or soothe sensitive skin. Obviously, you aren't going to buy into every fashion fairy tale: decades ago, women were using hormones extracted from animals as anti-aging moisturizers. But when you do find something that works for you, you can dance for joy and bless the fashion goddesses for bringing you clearer skin, fewer wrinkles or non-greasy protection from UV rays. With recent advances in skin care, just imagine what the next decade will bring!

Facial Mud Masques

2006-11-29T06:18:00.000-08:00

Facial Mud Masques for Oily Skin by Kathryn D'Imperio
Oily, dry, combination – no matter what type your skin may be, sometimes a normal cleansing routine just isn’t enough. They say beauty is only skin deep – well, then perhaps that is where we should begin our daily beauty regimens. Cleansing, toning, refining and moisturizing one’s face daily is a major part of keeping healthy skin, but sometimes those steps could use a little help from a more powerful rejuvenating technique.
Facial mud and clay masques can work wonders on skin and the best part is, you need not set up an appointment at a salon for the perfect facial! Many brands offer great facial masque products, like Freeman’s Beautiful Skinฎ Facial Mud Masque or their Beautiful Skinฎ Mineral Clay Masque. Queen Heleneฎ offers a very effective product, The Original Mint Julep Masque, which goes on green and just zaps the oil from your skin. These are just a few of the countless facial masque products out there.
To fully reap all the benefits of a facial mud masque, a certain skin care itinerary should be followed, beginning with a gentle cleansing with face wash. Following the cleansing, apply the face masque to your entire face, and neck if you desire, and allow it to dry completely. Masque should normally dry in about 10 to 15 minutes, though it can be left on problem areas overnight for the utmost therapy. Rinse the masque from your face with warm water and a washcloth. To conclude the complete home facial process, use an exfoliating face scrub followed by a facial moisturizer.
This sounds all well and good, but who really has a half an hour or more to spend on facial treatments every couple of days or even once a week? Even if you cannot spare the time for each step of the facial process, using the mud masque at least once a week will give you noticeable results in your complexion.

Benefits of a facial mud masque:

Absorbs excess oil
Aids in shrinking large pores
Clarifies skin’s texture
Eases tension lines on face and neck
Helps to dry up pimples
Reduces appearance of blemishes
Relaxes tired muscles
Removes dry cells and impurities
Replenishes vitamins, minerals and moisture
Rinses away blackheads

No matter how you go about your facial care routine, using a masque at least once in a while will truly invigorate you, leaving your face silky smooth and soft. Because the results are immediate and purely amazing, you may even find yourself wishing to use a masque more than once a week. Enjoy the clean and clear effects of a facial masque and relax while you use it… after all, it will be like having your own spa treatment in the comfort of your home!

What Causes Rosacea Symptoms and Skin Care Products

2006-11-29T06:17:00.000-08:00

Rosacea Symptoms and Common CausesIf you have really red skin that flushes easily with your emotions, that reacts badly to spicy food or alcohol, that gets bumpy and acne breaks out along with being chronically too-red, you may have rosacea. The culprit is heredity: if your ancestral background is Nordic or Celtic or very Anglo, those fair-skinned genes may be causing your problem. Some ways of dealing with red skin include wearing the right makeup and moisturizers, avoiding spices and liquor in your diet, applying certain creams and lotions and some cosmetic procedures that target the problem under the skin.
Learn to Avoid Your Rosacea Trigger to Help Your SkinIf your skin is mostly just red and flushy without breaking out or getting bumpy, the best thing you can do for it is keep it cool and keep it covered. Some people get more flushed when they’re eating or drinking hot things, like tea, soup or spicy-hot foods. One chronically flushed friend of mine said that whenever she has a hot drink, she also gets ice water on the side, and she alternates sips of hot with sips of cold. A dermatologist I recently spoke with advocates keeping a mister with you all the time. Fill it with Evian water and mist your face every hour or two throughout the day. She swears by it.
How to Protect Rosacea Prone Skin with the Proper TreatmentsOnce you have a plan for keeping your skin cool, focus on keeping it covered. This means more than wearing a hat in the sun! It means buying and wearing sunblock, not sunscreen. The difference between the two is important: sunscreen lets light through. Sunblock prevents light from getting in. Look for products containing zinc oxide, the best sunblock known. Make sure you get your face and neck thoroughly covered with sunblock, even if you’re just driving down to the mall. You can get sun exposure just sitting in the car. And even once you’re wearing sunblock each and every day, wear that hat, too.
--Editors Tip ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Using the Right Skin Care Products and Makeup is Essential for Controling Your Rosacea Symtoms If you skin is prone to rosacea or rosacea acne you must use only the most gentle skin care products you can find, which sometimes requires visiting a specialty store or online retailer that specializes in rosacea products. Common skin care and cosmetic ingredients that should be avoided, according to a study done by the National Rosacea Society, are alcohols, witch hazel, fragrances, menthol, peppermint, and eucalyptus.
If a skin care or makeup product burns after application - STOP using it immediately. Even a slight burning sensation is your body's way of telling you that it doesn't like the cream, makeup, etc. that you are using. You should also never extensively rub or exfoliate your rosacea prone skin since this can cause even further irritation.
I have taken the time to search the internet for a qualified online retailer of rosacea skin care products. See a variety of rosacea skin care makeup products (Search Help: Visit the link and click on Skin Conditions > Rosacea to see the list of rosacea friendly products). -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rosacea Skin Care Creams, Makeup and ProductsA recent breakthrough in skincare is the use of green or white tea extract. You can take green tea extract internally, and it’s being added to weight-loss supplements, vitamins and snacks because research suggests that chemicals in green and white tea can enhance your metabolism. But for rosacea and other skincare, green tea extract with added caffeine works to reduce the effects of sun exposure. The dermatologist I visited gave me a sample of a cream used by her clientele, and I took it home. It’s called Replenix, and it has green tea, chamomile and cucumber extracts in a soothing lotion base. It’s sort of a beige color (from the high content of tea extract), and has a very light scent, and with its mediceutical- Baby-Boomer name, I didn’t know what to expect.
This morning, I hadn’t put on any moisturizer yet, because I went to check my email right after my shower, and I kind of got caught up in things. My skin was definitely feeling on the crispy side, but when I rubbed the Replenix in, I was amazed by how great it feels going on. It’s smooth, not oily or caky or gloppy at all. It soaked right in, and my face feels totally soft and smooth. Is it silk or velvet? I can’t decide! I’m going to buy a jugful of this stuff...

Color Your Lips - Choosing and Applying Lipstick, Lip Gloss and Liner for Perfectly Pouty Lips

2006-11-29T06:13:00.000-08:00

The best lipsticks are long-lasting, perfectly colored and made with ingredients that enhance not only your look but the health of your lips as well. The best lip looks rely on knowing the best colors for your skin. Use these lip tips to keep your makeup beautiful and your lips smooth and soft.
Before adding lip color or gloss, calm your lips for smoother, long lasting color.If your lips are chapped or dry, lipstick will go on unevenly and fade away fast. Tiny lines around the mouth can trap color, causing lipstick to "bleed"—never a good look! Use a soothing lip treatment or lip balm to moisturize and heal your lips, providing a smooth base for your lip color. Look for calming lip treatment with essential oil of sweet marjoram, lavender, and tarragon, which goes on with a warm tingle and promotes healing. With soft, beautiful lips, your lip color will look and feel better than ever!
--Editor's Note-------------------------------------------------------------------
Pucker Up! Believe it or not - get sexy pouty lips for $1 This is a revolution in cosmetics! I originally heard about this $1 product on the Style TV channel on the show Stripped. Rather than women being overcharged for simple cosmetics, such as lip gloss, this company has decided to create quality cosmetics that only cost a one dollar. These aren't cheap versions of the real stuff, but quality makeup for your lip, eyes and face that many professional makeup artist swear by.
See what you can add to your makeup bag for $1 and E.L.F (Eyes, Lips, Face) Cosmetics. They also have a fun, and convenient, option to put together your own custom makeup kit. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--Editor's Note-------------------------------------------------------------------
Create a Customized Lip Palette Perfect Your Purse

Never get stuck with a lip palette that includes colors you don't like or doesn't include all the tools you need for perfect lips throughout your busy day. In keeping up with the small purse fad, we found a lip palette (measures 4.5 inches wide x 3 inches long x .75 inches deep) that not only fits the many smaller purses, but also includes all the tools you need for perfectly pouty lips for day or night. You can also customize your all-inclusive lip palette with a variety individual cubes of lipstick color, glosses, lip treatments and liners that work best for your skin tone.

Start designing your customized lip palette today and start enjoying a clutter free purse.
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Lipstick—a million colors to choose from!One of the biggest makeup challenges is choosing the right lip color. Some women vary their lipstick in accordance with their wardrobe—a big no-no, since your lipstick is supposed to complement your skin tones!
It's not hard to choose lipstick colors once you know one simple fact. All you need to know is whether your skin tones are "warm" or "cool". It's not about how dark or light you are, or even about your hair or eye color, but what the undertone of your skin is—is it bluish (cool) or yellowish (warm)? Everyone is either warm or cool and it's all about your facial coloring: blondes, brunettes and redheads can be either one.
So how can you tell if you aren't sure? Dig through your makeup bag and find just two shades of any kind of makeup—lip color, eye shadow or blush. Find one color that is orange or rust and another that is pink or lavender. Rub one color on the apple of your cheek and the other color on the apple of the other cheek and then compare. Does one look more "right" than the other? Does one look garish or just wrong? The color that works will show you your skin tone. If the orange color looks right, you have warm tones; if the pink color looks right, you are cool.
Now that you know your skin tone, you are free to choose any lip color in that color family. But that doesn't mean you'll only wear one lipstick shade: you still have plenty to choose from! Take a look at this list of potential lip shades for either coloring:
Warm ColorsCoral, Peachy, Russet, Rust, Amber, Brown, Brick Red, Melon, Salmon, Orange, Sandalwood, Red with yellow undertone, Taupe
Cool ColorsPink, Raspberry, Cherry, Mulberry, Lavender, Plum, Rose, Strawberry, Crimson, Amethyst, Lilac, Red with blue undertone, Mauve
As you can see, the color names associated with warm and cool tones tend to fall into two groups. The warm tones tend to be earthy, woodsy, with only a couple of fruit names (peach and melon). Cool tones tend to contain the names of berries, which are often shades of pink or purple or reds with blue undertones. Warm and cool women can both wear red lipstick, but the "true red" tend to be bluish, so warm women should look for reds with a slight leaning towards brown or orange. Once you understand your skin tone, the trick is not to fall for a pretty name when the shade doesn't flatter your skin. Lipstick makers know that a lush name, reminiscent of flowers or jewels or romance, can sell a lipstick even when the color looks terrible on most women. So beware!
Don't let the name fool you into buying something that looks wrong on you. Read the name after you've looked at the color!The best way to get every shade you want is to buy a whole palette of lip colors. But lipstick palettes usually have two or three colors that work and another fifteen that look just awful. If you've ever bought a lip palette, you know what it's like: there are a couple of colors you want, and you have to buy the rest of the palette to get them. They're the two spots where the color's worn to the bottom of the case in a few months while the rest of the compact is untouched. When you're out of the colors you love, the rest goes into a drawer. "I'll think about it later," we say to ourselves while the little pots of unused, unwearable color pile up inside our vanity drawers.
Wouldn't it be great to get a lip palette of every shade you love? To choose each individual color based on what looks great on you? To know you can mix colors with the confidence of knowing that they will blend beautifully because they are in the same color family? And when a beloved color runs low, wouldn't it be great to just replace it and keep the compact! Guess what? You can!
Use a lip pencil or liner to before putting on lip color.While you don't want to stray too far from the natural shape of your mouth, lip pencils can add clean definition while subtly but powerfully redefining your mouth. Drawn just outside your natural lip line, lip pencil adds fullness; drawn just on the inside, your lips appear slightly thinner.
Want to achieve a luscious pout? Add fullness to the bottom lip with a lip pencil two shades lighter than the one you use on your upper lip.
Love the Julia Roberts look? Soften and enhance your upper lip line by drawing with your lip pencil in a heavy stroke, then smudge ever-so-slightly upwards with the end of your pinkie. Blot, then apply your lipstick to the edge of the original line.
For total freedom in lip color, make sure you have lip liner pencils in several colors. One lip pencil just can't cut it: you'll want to use slightly lighter or darker lip pencils to create the illusion of fullness or to slightly thin out heavier lips.
Great Lip GlossYou can't buy lip gloss from a drugstore—unless you want a gloppy, sticky, slimy mess, perhaps adorned with little bits of sharp glitter and a heavy bubble-gum scent. Perfect for 'tweens, lip gloss for grown-ups should add subtle shine and color. But the best lip glosses do more than shine you up: they add essential organic oils like tangerine, clove, peppermint, lavender, vanilla, grapefruit and rose. Essential oils not only add health to your lips: their natural scents create instant aromatherapy when applied to the lips. Vanilla and peppermint have been shown to increase happy feelings; grapefruit and tangerine give you a boost of energy; rose and lavender are perfect for calming and soothing stressed nerves. Lip gloss with essential oils that does more than make you look wonderful: it makes you feel wonderful too!
Warm and cool shades apply to your lip gloss choices as they do your lipsticks. Choose colors one shade lighter or darker than your favorite lipsticks for an extra layer of light-loving color, or wear them alone for a natural, pretty look.
Want to maximize your lip color wardrobe? Choose your lipsticks first, then add lip pencils one shade darker than each lipstick, and finish by picking lip glosses one shade lighter than each lipstick. Make sure your lip pencils, lipsticks and glosses are all from the same color family that matches your skin tone. Don't forget a calming lip treatment to protect and smooth no matter which colors you wear!
For Work to Dinner to Dancing: A Lip for All ReasonsYour daily lip color should be more muted than your night-time look, but we often dash from work to an evening out without returning home. With a small, portable lip palette, you can bring a daytime and a nighttime shade along with complementary lip pencils with no extra hassle—they fit into your purse! Take along a miniature compact with your daily shade, and add a second, more dramatic color alongside it. Or wear a gloss for day and add a lipstick for night. When you're getting ready for the evening, your glammed-up lip color will be right—and right where you need it.

Cellulite Reduction

2006-11-29T06:11:00.000-08:00

Spa Solutions for Cellulite Reduction

By Wenona Napolitano

I was once told by a doctor that nothing could be done about cellulite once you have it. Now modern science has come up with several ways to reduce the appearance of cellulite. I guess they realized how important beauty is and how much money they could make off women that want to be beautiful. Most of the spa treatments are pricey, but if you have the money and you want smooth thighs it is well worth it.
Endermologie is one of the most popular treatments for cellulite it uses a motorized machine that has rollers that lift, stretch, spin and suck the skin. The treatment loosens the connective tissues that gives fat and skin that bumpy texture. It improves the circulation and helps make the skin appear smoother. Cost can range from $50 to $150 a session with up to 14 visits being recommended.
Tri-Active LaserDermology is another treatment for cellulite. It combines a machine that gives a suction massage, localized cooling, and heated laser stimulation to the skin and fat beneath. It breaks down fat pockets and increases circulation. 10 to 15 sessions are usually required and costs can range from $100-$200 per treatment.
VelaSmooth consists of radio frequency waves to break up fat pockets and infrared heat to improve circulation followed by massage to loosen connective tissue. Currently VelaSmooth is only approved in Europe and Canada but FDA approval is pending. For more information and updates visit www.syneron.com/cellulite.html
The Anushka 5 week Body Contouring Program combines personalized diet, topical lotions, muscle stimulation, inflatable leg boots, body wraps, and rollers to tone and firm thighs and break down cellulite.
Acupuncture can also be used to treat cellulite. To find a reputable acupuncturist that can do treatments for cellulite visit www.acufinder.com
Mesotherapy is a treatment that injects a solution of enzymes and detergents into troubled areas to melt away fat. The treatment was developed in France over 50 years ago but is not regulated in the United States. Some plastic surgeons do use this therapy.
Another option is a personalized cellulite reduction work out program incorporating targeted leg workouts, toning, and cardio and strength training. Adding Pilates works wonders at toning and smoothing thighs and buttocks.
Cellulite can be treatable but even after treatments cellulite may not be completely gone but noticeably reduced. Regular maintenance may still be required after the initial treatments.
See also: Home Cellulite Treatments - what you can do at home to reduce cellulite.

Beauty Care Made Easy with the Right Tweezers, Manicure and Pedicure Tools

2006-11-29T06:07:00.000-08:00

Buying the Right TweezersShopping for tweezers can be confusing because there are so many different shapes. Which tweezers are best for plucking eyebrows? Which kind should you buy for removing splinters? When it comes to shaping brows, creating the perfect arch or doing minor clean-up between waxing or threading, a great pair of tweezers can make the difference between staying hair-free and getting a little shaggy around the edges.
Celebrity eyebrows can be deal-breakers: where would Judy Garland have been without her thick, trademark brows? Eyebrows that enhance the beauty of the face are created by stylists and maintained by aestheticians. Waxing is one popular option in shaping brows, but because individual hairs grow at different rates, you sometimes need a more targeted approach. Slant-tip tweezers (try these from Tweezerman) are the acknowledged top of the line when it comes to defining the shape of the eye through a classical arch of the brow. Slant tips can grab the hair easily because they have more area than pointed tweezers, and because the pressure is stronger at the tip of the tweezers where it lies closest to the skin, the hair is easier to pull from the follicle.
How to Pluck Your EyebrowsOnce you have your pair of tweezers, plucking a naturally-shaped brow is simple. You should take into consideration the type of hair that makes up your brow: it is coarse or fine, light or dark? Do you plan to use eye pencil to enhance your brows, or do you prefer a natural solution? Fine, light eyebrows may need to be slightly thicker in order to establish them in the overall look of your face: light brows that are too thin will disappear, giving your face a rabbity look. Eye pencil is a great way to slightly darken super-blonde brows: choose a shade just slightly darker than your natural shade for a subtle enhancement. Thick, dark brows can be either professionally lightened at a salon or plucked slightly thinner to minimize their impact.

Start by patting your eyebrow with warm water to open the pores and make plucking less painful.
Getting eyebrows too thin is an even bigger mistake than leaving them too heavy, so start by plucking only the hairs that definitely don't belong. Pluck in the direction of the hair's growth to avoid irritating the skin.
Remove hairs between the brows, and then begin to clean up the area under the brow line by plucking the hairs that fall outside the main brow.
You may want to shorten your eyebrows if the hair continues past the outer corner of your eye.
Never pull out several hairs at once: that's a great way to get a "bald" look! Take out one at a time.
Once you have created a clean brow area, you can further define brows by adding or increasing a slight natural arch that rises just above the middle of your iris. Go carefully here and keep the arch very slight, or you will wear a look of perpetual surprise!
If your eyebrows are very thick, you may want to remove a few hairs growing in the middle of the brow. This should be undertaken carefully, since removing a defining hair can leave an empty patch in your eyebrows. Brush your eyebrow up with a small brush and see which hairs are too thickly grouped. Grasping a single hair with your tweezers, but without pulling it out, move the hair away from the rest of the brow to see the potential effect of permanently removing it. Does it leave a "hole"? If so, don't pluck it, but try another hair. When you can pull out a hair without leaving an empty space (the rest of the brow should brush back and neatly cover the tweezed area), remove the hair.
After plucking your eyebrows, dab them with witch hazel or tea tree oil to soothe the skin and prevent breakouts.
Pluck eyebrows (as the hairs regrow) from underneath to maintain a neat look.

Must Haves in Your Beauty Care Kit

Other additions to your beauty kit should include an eyelash curler and nail care tools. Curling your eyelashes only takes a minute and adds to the sparkle in your eyes. Just press the lashes into the eyelash curler, hold for a few seconds, and release. Your eyes will look brighter because the upwards-curling lashes will display your upper, inner eyelid rim. The whiteness of the rim combined with the white of your eye makes your iris appear brighter in contrast as well as giving your eyes a wide-awake look that's also appealing. And when it comes to dealing with fingernails and toenails, your beauty supply should definitely include a set of files, buffers, orange sticks and creams for at home manicures and pedicures.

At Home Pedicure and Manicures

There are few body parts that serve us as well as the foot. Our feet take us through the world, let us dance and explore, and wander around in shoes ranging from ratty sneakers to upscale heels and leather boots. Don't they deserve some special treatment from time to time? Here's how to keep your feet happy and healthy:
A foot bath.

Now, you can certainly arrange a footbath during your regular bath, or you can fill a plastic tub with very warm water, essential oils or bath salts and lower your aching tootsies in. (If you have polish on your toes, remove it before starting to soak your feet). Soak for at least five minutes, and using a nail brush, give your toenails a good scrub, getting out lint, grime and whatever else accumulates under nails. Use a pumice stone to rub away calluses—but don't try to remove them in one sitting! Calluses take time to create and they take time to remove; often several months of pedicures will be needed before a callous is gone.
Clip your nails with a good pair of nail clippers, being careful not to cut any living skin. (Little tags of dead cuticle can be trimmed off, but if it hurts it's not dead, so don't cut it.) Round the nails slightly with a file so that sharp edges don't cut into the delicate skin of your toes. On the tops of toenails, smooth the nail with a file into a pretty, slightly curved shape.
Once you have finished clipping and filing your nails, you may want to give your feet another quick soak and scrub. Next, dry your feet and between your toes with a soft towel, and rub in a good cream. If you aren't planning to polish your toenails, rub them with essential oil or coconut oil to replenish the oils and restore shine lost during your pedicure, and your pedicure is done.
If you do plan to add polish, don't put cream or oils on your toenails or the polish won't adhere properly. Dry your feet, add cream to the foot but not the toenails, and follow with polish. You may want to put cotton puffs between your toes to prevent the polish from smudging before it dries. After a coat of polish, you may want to add a top coat in order to keep your polish from chipping.
Learn more about the beauty tools that professional stylists and make-up artist use at Tweezerman

Beauty Benefits of Goats Milk Based Soaps and Skin Care Products

2006-11-29T06:04:00.000-08:00

What makes goat’s milk and dairy-based soapand beauty care products different from other natural or organic soaps?Milk based soaps have recently been rediscovered, largely due to the current research on milk proteins that is teaching consumers about the way skin benefits from contact with whey protein and lactic acid. Lactic acid helps smooth skin by exfoliation, and milk also contains Vitamins A and D, whose benefits include giving skin strength and suppleness. Many milk based soaps are made of goat's milk, which has the same ph as human skin. Goats produce a high fat, creamy milk that's easily digested because its molecules are smaller than those of cow's milk. People allergic to cow's milk often drink goat's milk instead because of the protein profile of goat's milk, which more closely resembles that of human milk, and which makes goat milk easier to digest. The other upside of using goats' milk in all kind of products is the fact that goats are more easily farmed than cows or sheep: they forage on all kinds of feed, are resistant to injury and disease and are providers of wool, meat and milk.
How is goat’s milk soap made?But you can't make soap from milk alone. Other ingredients could include natural oils from seeds, nuts, and vegetables, such as soybeans or coconuts. Soap has two main ingredients; lye and fat. When lye combines with a fat, chemical interaction hardens the oils, creating a bar of hard soap. When our great-grandmothers made their all natural soap, they used wood ashes and lard: the ashes were soaked in water, which leached out lye. Cooking lard with lye created soap. Original lye soaps were unscented and very harsh. They were also used for scrubbing laundry and floors, so their harshness helped pioneers get their clothes and homes—as well as their families—clean.
Why soap making is usually left to professional craftersToday, you can make your own soap much more easily than the pioneers did. Buy soapmaking ingredients online, at some craft stores, or at co-ops and natural food stores. Lye is a caustic agent though, and you have to be careful when using it because when it's undiluted, it can eat holes in your skin as easily as it can destroy your clothes. There are rules for working with lye; never make lye-based soaps as a fun craft for children; it's just too dangerous. But once lye combines with fats and saponification takes place, it's no longer the caustic agent it started out as. If you aren’t crafty, but still want access to milk based soaps, there are many online retailers online that sell this wonderful soap.If you want to try soapmaking at home but don't want to deal with lye, the easiest, gentlest soap in the world can be made with three ingredients; glycerin, water and scent. Glycerin is derived from fat, either animal or vegetable and can be bought in blocks or chips at any place that sells soapmaking supplies. Melt glycerin on the stove over a low temperature, add essential or fragrance oils for scent or food coloring for hue, then pour the liquid into soap molds. When the soap is cooled, simply unmold it.
What ingredients, like scent and exfoliants, are added to homemade milk soap?Aromatherapy soaps include natural and organic scents such as lavender, vanilla, and rose oils. For aromatherapy purposes, only buy soaps scented with organic essential oils; "fragrance" oils are based on synthetic chemicals and don't have the beneficial neurological properties of essential oils.Adding ingredients like goat's milk to a soap base as a liquid ingredient allows the beneficial properties of the milk to become part of the cleanser. You can use regular or powdered milk in soapmaking. (For a classic milk bath without soapmaking, add a cup or two of milk powder to hot water and climb in for a skin-smoothing soak). Other healthy ingredients include oils like olive oil, almonds, oatmeal, honey, herbal ingredients, vitamins and exfoliants like cornmeal or coffee grounds. Soaps of synthetic glycerin and organic soy milk or soy protein are a vegan bathing delight. There are recipes for therapeutic use, acne prevention and sensitive complexion and body care. Homemade soap makes a marvelous gift, too!

Home Cellulite Treatments

2006-11-29T05:46:00.000-08:00

Home Cellulite Treatments
Home Treatments and Products for Cellulite Reduction By Wenona Napolitano
Cellulite occurs when the connective tissue pulls down on fat causing the fat to bulge under the skin. The less fat you have the less noticeable cellulite is. Diet and exercise play an important role in reducing the appearance of cellulite.
If you want to reduce cellulite you need to detox your body, especially your liver and colon. Lay off nicotine and caffeine, do not consume excess salt or fat and drink plenty of water. Eat foods rich in nutrients like soy, blueberries and nuts. Make sure you get the nutrients glucosamine, B vitamins and essential fatty acids. Onions are also a wonderful food to combat cellulite. Onions act as a natural diuretic releasing water buildup from skin cells.
Exercise to lose weight and tone your legs and buttocks. Do specific exercises to increase muscle mass in your thighs like walking, biking, stair climbing, yoga and pilates. The less fat and more muscle you have will make cellulite disappear. Muscle will stretch the skin and smooth out the dimpled bumpy appearance.
To increase circulation and break up the fat do daily massages to troubled areas. You can also use a body brush in the shower or bath with a body wash or exfoliating product to help increase circulation. Use aromatherapy oils in your bath to stimulate your system: Sage, cypress, and juniper oils aid with cellulite reduction.
Wearing pantyhose will also help combat and reduce cellulite, especially the body shaping ones that contour your thighs. Pantyhose compress fat and help aid circulation. There are cellulite reduction pantyhose on the market now specifically made to help reduce the appearance of cellulite.
You can make a body wrap at home with coffee grounds and seaweed to help reduce cellulite. Take warm coffee grounds and spread on troubled areas, wrap with moist seaweed (can be purchased at health food stores) then cover with plastic wrap. Keep the wrap on for about a half hour. Un wrap and rinse off in the shower. Massage your thighs as you rinse off.
There are also many commercial products that you can purchase to help combat cellulite. Some of the most popular are: L’Oreal Sublime Slim which consists of a day and a night gel to apply daily, Clarins Total Body Lift, Murad Firm and Tone Serum, Body Creator Aromatic Firming Cream, Algotherm Pulpe Activ Minceur, and Guinot Absolue Minceur home version products.
If you have money to spend on your cellulite treatment, there are many good Spa cellulite reduction methods.
Cellulite may never completely disappear but at least you can minimize it and make your thighs look as good as possible when you want to put on a bikini or a mini skirt.

Discover Skirt Lengths, Styles and Fashions that Flatter Your Body and are Appropriate for Various Occassions like Work or An Evening Out

2006-11-29T05:45:00.000-08:00

If you're looking for a slightly dressy look, skirts are a good way to start. Not as formal as a dress, but a clear upgrade from pants (as well as a nod to fashion history--women have only been wearing pants in public for forty years or so), skirts give you more flexibility in your wardrobe without dressing it down.
Skirt styles and lengths for work (nothing too sexy, please!)It's hard to be specific about skirts because there are so many styles, but I'll try to give a basic overview. In general, daytime career looks for the office should be moderate, or even on the conservative side, with hems lengths just above or just below the knee. In fall and winter, you can get away with long skirts at work as long as they are in nice looking, lined fabrics and colors that are definitely not evening style. Tweed, slub or natural silks, cotton and wool are fine: velvets or refined silks are too dressy for the office.
Skirt fashions for the warmer months of summer and springSkirts for spring and summer can be lighter in color (whites, creams and pastels) and fabric than those for fall and winter, but depending on where you work, pastel cotton or flowery skirts of any kind may be too ingénue. If you work in a professional wardrobe environment, skirts need to stick to the straight and narrow in lightweight wools, linen blends (to avoid the wrinkles of 100% linen), or lined broadcloth.
If you're looking for cool clothing in hot, summertime weather, skirts may not actually be your best bet. If you don't wear hose because of the heat, there's nothing to stop the sweat from pooling behind your knees and gluing your legs together. You might stay cooler in a pair of linen pants (we're not even going to discuss gauchos here: they never hang right).
--Editor's Note --------------------------------------------------------------
Here are some of my favorite stores to find cute, figure flattering skirts for day and evening occassions Women's Skirts
Coldwater Creek
Chadwick's of Boston
Macy's
Nordstroms Sale Plus Size Skirts
Catherine's - Discount Coupon
Jessica London
Roamans
Lane Bryant Junior / Teen Skirts
Delias
Fashion Bug
Target -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You can still wear a sassy women's skirt in the cold of winterIn winter, you can get a slightly retro look without looking weirdly old-fashioned by wearing a wool skirt and sweater combination with a pair of knee high swede or leather boots. The plaid skirt and complementary single-hued sweater never completely go out of fashion, but you do have to be careful about not looking like a Catholic schoolgirl. Grown-up shoes like pumps or knee high boots help the modern look.<
I like skirts in cold weather because I can layer tights or even long johns underneath longer skirts, add boots and still look pulled together. An extra layer under the sweater can be a long-sleeved leotard that fits snugly and keeps you warm. I find that even in very cold weather, tights and a skirt can keep me warmer than a pair of pants, because pants are too bulky to layer under them. Skirts work just fine.
Skirt shapes that flatter almost any figure: A-line, flared and belledSkirts fit most women best if they flare slightly around the hips, making a little extra room for sitting and bending. Slightly A-line or belled skirts are usually most flattering and hide any aspects you may not like about your buns, hips and thighs. This is a problem area for many, many women, so don't think you are the only one. If you're thin, you can take advantage of slim hips to wear pencil skirts, but if you are thinner than you'd like to be, you can add a little substance by wearing a skirt with heavier fabric and a more generous cut. As long as it fits your waist, you can "swim around" a little bit and round out your figure with rounder skirt style.
Dress up or dress down a skirt with a great sweater set or knit topKnit tops look nice with skirts, but may be more casual than the look you want. Sweaters, twin sets or jackets dress up the look. The right blouse can look good, but you have to be careful to find one that tucks in neatly or looks good left out. Avoid blouses with frills or bows: prettifying a blouse often makes it look frumpy (another of life's mysteries).

Dressing a Tall Womens Figure in Longer Length Clothes Sizes and Where to Find Clothing

2006-11-29T05:43:00.000-08:00

Should You Be Shopping For Tall Sized ClothingTall women come in two types: models, and the rest of us. Although in the Western world, men and women have been growing taller and taller over the generations, women over 5 ft 8" are considered tall when it comes to clothing manufacturers, who apparently measure their profits in the extra inch or two it would take to make tall women (or plus size women) comfortable in their clothes. Tall women also run the risk of becoming terrifically shy, since they tend to shoot up like bamboo while the nastiest little boys in junior high are still all mouth and no brains. Being tall makes it nearly impossible for girls to disappear, which lets them in for a lot of teasing and mental torture. The lucky girls use their height to establish an athletic career, and can pound short, nasty boys into the turf, but the rest of us just suffer through it and hope to exact our revenge in college.

Be Proud of Your Tall Model Like HeightThere is no way to look less tall. Let's just get that out of the way right now. Slouching, if anything, makes women look taller, which may be why the flappers affected a bizarre, S-shaped posture that made them look like they had belly cramps. Tall was sexy then, even with cramps.
In fact, tall is sexy now, but if you were one of those tormented, willowy teens, you may not have gotten over the trauma of living in a world where it's better to be mediocre than to stand out in any way from the crowd. If you have problems accepting that tall is sexy, note the fact that most girls can't even consider a modeling career if they're under 5 ft 9".
High Heels vs. Flat ShoesFashionistas tell tall gals to wear flats, maybe because fashion is based on the idea that no matter what you look like, you should attempt the opposite. Flat shoes don't add height, but they also don't do much for your legs. If you're going to be tall, (and, clearly you are), have fabulous legs and great posture to match. Downplay your height, and you downplay a positive attribute: play it up, and you're operating in a whole new league: real, individual, unapologetic style.
Worried About Dating a Shorter Men - Don't Be!Here's another radical idea. If you're uncomfortable dating men who are shorter than you, don't bother. You don't owe any favors to a guy who's probably dating you because he likes your looks: you should like his looks, and if short guys don't appeal to you, don't waste their time or yours. Tall men are often looking for tall women for very practical reasons: they're easier to dance with, and they make a tall man feel like he's out with a woman, not a doll. You have every right to date men you find appealing.
Dress in Clothes to Flatter Your Tall Body TypePlay up your height with tall clothes: long lines, knee-high boots (with heels), long hair. Look for bias-cut dresses, straight skirts and fitted blouses. Don't ever try to minimize your arms, legs, hands or neck; they are sexy features, and longer is better. Pay homage to them with opera-style gloves, sheer, sheer hose, nicely-filed gleaming nails and ropes of pearls.
I hope this has given you a different perspective: a higher perspective than most articles that purport to address the concerns of tall women and then put them in ugly shoes.

Herbal Help for Acne

2006-11-29T05:42:00.001-08:00

By Wenona Napolitano
If you have acne you’ve probably tried all the over the counter products and maybe even the prescription products on the market. Perhaps they don’t work for you or they irritate your skin and dry it out. There are other options. Herbal treatments and nutritional supplements can also help with acne, either applied directly to the skin or taken orally.
Zinc supplements worked wonders for me. I take 50 milligrams a day, twice daily and it helps keep my skin clearer than any prescription I’ve ever tried. You can find Zinc at a grocery store or drug store in the aisle with vitamin and mineral supplements. At Wal-Mart it’s only $2.13 a bottle. You can also order from catalogs and online websites.
Herbs that work wonders at clearing up acne are: Echinacea taken orally and applied externally to the skin, Oregon grape root applied as a cream, tea tree oil applied to the skin, oregano and basil oil applied to the skin or taken orally.
Be careful using any new product because you may be sensitive to it and if you are using any prescriptions or other topical acne treatments you might have to watch out for reactions. Check with your dermatologist to make sure it is alright to use any herbal treatments with the medicine you are already using.

Three Fundamental Skin Care Techniques No Woman Should Skip

2006-11-29T05:42:00.000-08:00

(1) Cleanse skin no more than twice daily with a mild cleaner that doesn't over dry you skin. Be sure to use a cleanser meant for your skin type

(2) Gently exfoliate your skin on a daily basis to remove dead skin cells and expose newer, healthier glowing skin underneath.

(3) Apply a moisturizer. A moisturizer with sunscreen of at least SPF 15 should be applied during the day.

For more helpful advice and products for healthier skin check out the Skin Store. This skin resource not only offers helpful skin advice, but breaks down products by function, skin type, skin condition and active ingredients making it easier to find the perfect fix for your skin.

Tips, Advice and Ideas on What to Wear and How to Act on a First Date

2006-11-29T05:41:00.000-08:00

First Dates and Meeting the Parents AdviceThere are three extremely trying times to choose the right clothes for the occasion: job interviews, first dates and meeting the parents nights. First date dressing is tough because you usually don't know the other person well enough to predict what will be attractive to him. You want to look fabulous but not unattainable, chic but not cheap. Add to the problem that you may or may not be familiar with where you are going, and you have the perfect explanation for women who choose to stay home in a chenille robe with a bottle of Two-Buck Chuck and a box of microwave kettle corn.
Let's go over some first date dress basics. Maybe you'll get lucky and I'll have an idea you haven't already considered.
Any ideas on where you going on your first date?If you can, have a conversation with your date to find out where you're going. But be simple with your questions to make sure you dont' sound to controlling. This will help immeasurably, even if you can just get a sense of the formality of the occasion. A good tip is it's always better to be a little overdressed. We've all at some time or another ended up at the baseball game in a frilly, walk-in-the-park sundress, which beats hell out of going to see Itzhak Perlman wearing skateboarding pants (which happened to me once).
--Editors Tip ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Good Date Movies For At Home Dates If you are still on your first few dates with a guy or girl, stay away from the serious dramas, bloody action flicks, and overly sad romantic (mushy-gushy) movies. Try sticking with up-beat, light hearted movies that are in the romantic comedy genre. He'll enjoy the comedy and you can enjoy the little bit of romance. See a selection of recommended romantic comedies that are great for first dates or newly dating occassions. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Advice On Shoes: Comfortable vs. SexyFind out if you will be walking, and if so, how far. If the guy's at all exercise or nature oriented, double or triple the estimate he gives you and you'll probably come close to the truth. (And if he flat-out lies about how far the walk is, don't go out with him a second time. Use this estimate to choose the durability and support of your shoes, and if you aren't confident, pack along some cuter, (invariably less comfortable) shoes in a bag.
The Little Black Dating DressIf you're having the classic dinner date in a place created to impress women on first dates, the choice is simple. There is no substitute for the little black dress (known in fashion circles as LBD). If you don't have one of these must-haves, get out the catalogs, visit your favorite designer on-line and choose the version that suits you best. Add a purse, pumps and stole to match, and there you have it. For premium wearability, your LBD should be of medium length, and although the classic is sleeveless (meant to be worn with opera-length gloves), choose the sleeve length based on your comfort.
The little black dress saw Audrey Hepburn's character through most of "Breakfast at Tiffany's", and there's no reason why you shouldn't wear yours to parties, first dates and anytime you want to feel absolutely classic. Vary your jewelry and accessories, and you can wear it to work, for lunch in the park, shopping with the girls and dancing with the boys (or the other way 'round, if you prefer).
The Coffee or Lunch Day time DateIf your date has read the advice columns that say to take the pressure off by having a coffee date or a daytime date, you can expect to dress more casually. In this case, it doesn't much matter what you wear (as long as it's neat and put-together), because you already know they guy is either nervous or non-committal. In the first case, you can graciously put him at ease: in the second, you can keep him guessing.
Choice of the low-impact date does not indicate a man's potential as a long-term romance. Cheapskates and guys who aren't sure they want to "really" date will choose the daytime scenario because it's simple and cheap. They get exposure without investment. Nice guys and shy guys will choose this date because of its low-drama possibilities. They get to be with you without having to act like Cary Grant. Nice guys and shy guys will either up the ante or wait quietly in agony for you to express interest in seeing them again. Cheapskates will expect you to pay for your own coffee. Non-committal guys will say they'll call you, then won't.
I want to add an aside about the coffee comment above. I struggled with this question for years, and paid for a lot of coffee (and dated several cheapskates) until I figured out the flaw in the feminist tao. You see, feminists are expected to buy their own stuff, and sometimes the guy's stuff too, in order to show how liberated we really are. The mindset is, if you're going to be "freer" than non-feminists, you should expect to pay your own way. The fact is, if you adhere to this policy, you will be less free than other women because you will have less money. The other important fact to consider is that women still earn about 60% of what their male counterparts earn. Until we're paid equally, men should always buy the coffee.
There is a creepy idea (often unspoken, often assumed) that if a woman in not planning to become sexually involved with a man, she should pay half. If you ask me, that's selling sex pretty cheap. I say, forget all that crap and hang out with guys who don't have a problem buying your coffee and dinner or waiting until you're good and ready before making any moves on you. Besides all that, if you're dating because you're looking for a commitment, you want a guy who's going to be willing and able to pay on a mortgage, and later, for child support. His willingness to shell out $2.50 for a latte is a very slight indicator of his potential, but it's better than nothing.
Who Should Pay on the First Date? Guy vs. GirlAlthough you shouldn't expect to pay for things on a first date, bring along plenty of available funding. At least enough for cab fare home.
If you think he's the sincere type and you want to show that you like him (without saying anything scary like, "I like you"), you might add an element to your daytime-date outfit that you don't wear every day just to acknowledge that something nice is happening on this day. Wear a pair of pants one shade nicer than what you usually wear, or trade walking shoes for pumps. Don't make big changes in makeup, though. Men have definite feelings about and reactions to make-up, and if your face looks noticeably different, he will become frightened and disoriented.
Wedding and Special Occassion Party DatesPart of the way we judge a potential relationship is by the events we attend together. In straight relationships, going to a wedding with a date is an automatic increase in that relationship's potential intimacy, if the man has invited the woman along. If the woman invites the man and he's not ready for the commitment of witnessing someone else's commitment, he will either decline, bail at the last minute, or attend with great discomfort and break off the relationship soon after. In same or opposite-sex couples, asking someone to attend a wedding with you is a bold maneuver to be taken on only if you're sure your relationship is ready for it, or if you want the other person to break up with you. (A sit-com scenario. Someone asks a woman, "What do you say if you want to get rid of a guy?" Her answer: "I say, 'I love you and I want to have your babies'".
If you get asked to a wedding on a first date, you're either with a social inept, a potential stalker, someone who's been in love with you from afar for ten years, someone who thinks it'll be a good way to get laid, or someone who has nothing left to lose. For these reasons, I would not accept such a first date, eliminating the need for discussing what to wear at such a debacle.
Dates to Baseball or Sporting Event GamesJeans or chinos, a hat, layers, and bring a thick sweater if you live near the sea. Nothing too sexy, nothing that can't be washed if you have beer spilled on you or if you sit in gum.
The Sleaze Factor: Don't Dress Too SexyIt's tempting to dress as sexy as the magazine models, but in the harsh light of day or the romantic candlelight of evening, it rarely works out that way. Sexy has a way of turning sleazy when you least expect it. The artistry of dressing to impress means utilizing restraint, so save the micro-minis and see-through tops for those rumpus-filled evenings at home and opt for looking pretty in public.

Why Do We Get Wrinkles?

2006-11-29T05:40:00.000-08:00

By Anna Lynn C. Sibal
Wrinkles. Some women see them as the bane of their existence, and they actually go through all means they could possibly afford just to get those wrinkles off their faces, the means ranging from expensive creams to Botox to plastic surgery and facelift. Our culture and society is so youth-oriented that wrinkles, especially on women, have become totally undesirable.

Petite Concerns.

2006-11-29T05:39:00.000-08:00

Every woman has her fashion-related cross to bear, and for Petites it may seem that the whole world is out to prevent you from reaching the top cupboard as well as the highest rung of the corporate ladder. There are some strategies you've no doubt discovered, such as developing a ferocious look to keep people from patting you because you're so little and cute. Ferocity, when backed up with intelligence, has probably saved more Petites in the work world than three-inch heels ever could, and if you've avoided getting mean with stupid people because you don't want to be known by the B-word, you might want to reconsider. B------ get grudging respect and may inspire fear, which are pretty powerful payoffs when it comes to having a high-powered career.
Dignity doesn't have to be tall. One of the most dignified people I ever met was a Navy Lieutenant who barely broke 5 feet in height. She hardly ever smiled on the job, and her watch section (mostly big, burly guys) was frankly intimidated by her. They called her Little Hitler, not because she was in any way anti-Semitic, but because she was tiny and in absolute control of every situation. I knew her outside of her job, where she could afford to be a person, and she was once of the nicest people I ever met. But she knew that, in a military organization where sexual harassment was the rule, not the exception, that she had to be tougher than anyone else. All this is to say that, you can follow all the fashion precepts for Petites, but what people see about you isn't your height or lack of height. It's your integrity and determination, your sense of humor, your sense of self that people will remember most. Higher heels will bring your eyes up, but may make you less sure of foot, and thus, wobbly. If you have strong ankles and want to add a couple of inches, go right ahead. But I saw one fashion tip that said Petites should wear pointy-toed shoes because it makes them look taller than square toes. I think that's ridiculous.
I guess beauty tips for Petites depend a lot on what you're trying to achieve. If you're looking for a sweetheart, being doll-like has certain advantages, and you can play it up with frilly clothes and ask people to get things off shelves for you. (Try that when you're five-foot-nine!) If you really want to look taller, tall shoes and flowing garment lines are supposed to work. (To add height to their frames, stars like Marlon Brando and Bogie stood on crates. Some CEOs have been know to dominate a room by having the seat of the CEO chair made a couple of inches higher than every other seat in the room. I even knew one twisted little freak of a publisher who insisted that his employees sit down the second they entered any room where he was. If someone forgot, he raged at them, accusing them of trying to humiliate him. But that's another story.) Great posture is a boon too, and also makes you remarkable because most tall women tend to slouch.
As to clothing, if I were Petite, I would go for the Audrey Hepburn look--fairy-like, severely tailored and strong as steel wire. Long, columnar gowns for evening, flowing, straight-leg pants, simple lines, are the basis of elegance at any height.

The Plusses of Plus Size.

2006-11-29T05:38:00.000-08:00

Plus Size Figures Can Still Be HealthyIt's no secret that our culture worships thinness and equates the emaciated state with great beauty. It's also no secret that more and more of the population is succumbing to "obesity", gaining more weight than ever before. One secret that remains is that you can be overweight on the charts while still being healthy and beautiful. And the plus in the recent trend towards overweight in the general population means that, slowly but inexorably, fashion designers will be designing attractive clothes for plus-sized women. It's about time!
Why is being thinner in style historically speaking?It's only in the past sixty years that thinness became the standard for beauty, and it started in the U.S. Even into the 1950's, women were expected to have considerable curves, and if look at pictures of great beauties from the early 1900's, you'll see some amazing feminine forms. Lilly Langtry, considered the most lovely woman of her time, weighed around 180 pounds. The Gibson Girls of around 1915 were wasp-waisted thanks to the death-grip of tightly-laced corsets, but they also augmented their natural rumps with great big bustles. A big behind was considered charming.
Some feminist theorists point out that the demand for women's thinness came along just as women were starting to assert themselves socially. The sixties, when the women's movement burgeoned, the Pill came along and women could be sexually active without enduring unwanted pregnancy. Divorce laws changed, freeing women from onerous marriages, (and freeing some husbands too). Finally, women started entering the workforce in large numbers for the first time, excepting the years of W.W.II when the government first urged women into the workplace, then threw them out at the end of the war. One theory is that the sudden emphasis on thinness came about as a social pressure to keep women from being as powerful as they could be. Perhaps unconsciously, men and women have been colluding, creating a society where women have many social freedoms, but taking away the greatest freedom of all--the right to feed oneself adequately.
I'm always reminded of this theory when I see an advertisement for a particular treadmill It shows a woman finishing her workout, then folding up the treadmill and sliding it under the bed. The voice-over says, "Soon, you'll both be taking up less space". The first time I heard it, I got mad, but I wasn't exactly sure why. Then I recalled my college readings, that suggested that women are expected to attain unnatural levels of thinness so that they will take up less physical space, minimizing their impact on the world.
Many Cultures Perfer a Fuller Womens FigureSo it makes me wonder how our world will change over the next few decades. At one time, (and in many cultures still), beautiful women were round, curvy, plump, even downright fat. Right now, over 60% of American women are over size 12. Is it possible that those times of larger feminine beauty are returning?
Popular Plus Size CelebritiesThere has always been a section of the masculine population that considers women more attractive when they aren't thin, and there are some notable exceptions to the industry-wide narrowness in the television world. Witness Ina Garten, whose Barefoot Contessa show on the Food Network illustrates fabulous cooking and gracious dining. Ina is a beautiful woman (I know a man who says he loves her, although they will never meet if his girlfriend can help it!) She's a plus-size beauty, with a satiny, brunette bob, gorgeous skin, wide eyes, and a husky laugh. What's not to love?
What women like Ina Garten know, is that there is so much more to life than counting your carbohydrates. There are white roses and candles on the table, champagne and kir, plum tarts and boef bourgignon, for example.
So here's an idea. What if, instead of focusing on taking up less space, we all spent more time attending to our greatness? Can you imagine what the world would be like if all the hours spent at the gym were spent instead on developing compassion? If nail salons were replaced with the old-fashioned European salons where people met to discuss art, music and current events? What is we all spent as much time and money on growing our characters as we now spend on reducing our waistlines?
Remind yourself that its OKAY if you need a larger sizeI think most people are motivated to diet in order to fit a particular clothing size. That way lies madness, as sizes vary drastically, even within brands. Life is much simpler when clothes fit the person, rather than the other way around. And for plus-size people, finding the designs that complement the body is more than half the battle. Although many designers are starting to include plus size fashions (in sections separated from non-plus-sized clothes), the clothes often fall into the "giant-black tunic over giant black stretch pants" category. Look at companies that specialize in plus-sized clothes --my particular favorite for stylish, pretty clothing is Zaftique at www.igigi.com and www.zaftique.com.
So, here are my beauty tips for plus sized women. You will not find the recommendation to wear black apparel because it's so slimming, or to wear neutrals because they help you "blend in". And I'm not going to write about career-wear here; check out the previous articles on professional and business-casual work wear.
1. Wear clothes that you love. If you feel pretty or elegant or sexy or classy in an plus size skirt, dress or other outfit, that's the way people will see you. Spend a little more if you have to, but find clothes and designers that work for you.
2. Wear brightly colored outfits to feel cheerful. Let your self shine through and only wear black if you happen to like the way you look in black. For example, EVERY woman should own a pair of the classic black plus size pants that go with everything. Just pair them with a bright shirt or blouse on top. Use your own good sense when mixing and matching.
3. If you have them, flaunt them. Some plus size tops, tanks and shirts were made to show off beautiful shoulders, or a nice bust. Don't hide in cowl-necks or tunics if you have the option of a nice V-neck or an off-the-shoulder top.
4. Pretty curvy legs are pretty curvy legs. Buy the best-looking hose in natural colors, strappy shoes or sexy boots and show the real estate between ankle and knee--the prettiest parts of the leg. A great aline skirt is wonderful way to show off nice legs as well.
5. Work on increasing your happiness and body images. It doesn't matter what you wear if you're happy, and the most fabulous clothes in the world can't cover up an unhappy face (remember Princess Diana in the unhappily-married-ever-after years?)
6. Exercise for your health, not for your derriere. Not for your mother, your boyfriend, the fashion industry, or your ideas of what you "should" look like. Focus on feel-good exercise like dancing, wandering through the woods, playing in the water. Stop tormenting yourself with the Stairmaster, and go outside to play.
7. Friendship is one of the primary components of a happy life. It's also one of the hardest things to maintain once we're grown up. Find friends, nurture relationships by hanging out together, make time for each other, and you'll enrich your life immeasurably.
For more information on plus size clothing fashions, styling tips and flattering clothes that look great on your body check out www.Plus-Size-Clothing.org

Get Rid of Acne Scars

2006-11-29T05:37:00.000-08:00

By Wenona Napolitano
At some point you had acne, now you are left with embarrassing, ugly scars. There are ways to diminish and reduce the appearance of the acne scars. The severity of the scars will determine what you will need to do to diminish them. I would recommend seeking advice from a dermatologist or a cosmetic surgeon to determine the best course of action.
For very mild scarring you can try a few at home procedures and products to help reduce the appearance of the scars. At home dermabrasion and chemical peels can help diminish some scarring especially if you also use retinol or alpha hydroxyl acid lotions or creams. For sensitive skin you may not want to apply retinol or alpha hydroxyl products right after dermabrasion or peels because it can cause redness and irritation. Other products you can try are scar reducing creams like Mederma or Rosehip seed oil which is said to be great at reducing scar tissue. Aloe Vera juice and gels and lavender oils are also said to work well on reducing scars.

Womens Business Casual Clothing

2006-11-29T05:35:00.001-08:00

Womens Business Casual Clothing& Attire that is Proper for Your Office's Dress Code

Basics about proper womens business casual clothingBusiness casual attire ranges from coat and tie to well-pressed jeans, with the moderate range being chinos and Oxford shirts. But those conventional dress codes are for men: women usually look too casual in chinos, and in trying to find a semi-professional look, the proper business casual office wardrobe can become a confusing quagmire of bad fashion choices.
If you want to stay on the upper end of business casual, your best bet is to wear skirts more often than pants to work. As sexist as it is, people of both genders and all ages still perceive women to be better-dressed (and thus, more professional-looking) when wearing skirts. Business casual means you don't have to shell out the big bucks for a suit-skirt: you can go with slightly tailored chino, cotton, linen or wool skirts. Like professional skirts, business casual skirts should fall slightly below or above the knee, with occasional forays into long skirts being acceptable in autumn and winter. Mini-skirts should not be part of the business casual wardrobe; nor should midriff-baring tops, running shoes, or anklets.

Colorful accessories can define your personal business casual styleIn business casual dress codes, you can play around more with color, but if you want to build a look that's polished, save the ultra-trendy clothes for the weekend. Bring bright colors into your wardrobe by way of scarves, but keep your clothes in the neutral range for maximum professionalism with minimal economic investment.
Womens business casual looks don't have to mimic men's fashionsThe recent trend in fitted cotton-spandex blend tops (cuffs, lapels and nipped-in waist), provides today's working woman with a blouse that doesn't have to be tucked in, that fits nicely and that looks tailored as well. They're available in a range of colors, and can be worn with skirts or pants. The most common mistake with these tops is to wear them too tight, which can look pretty tacky. If they fit well, they create a put-together look without much work or expense on your part.
Business casual shoes appropriate for the workplaceLoafers, low-heeled pumps, and strappy sandals can all work in the business-casual environment. (Don't pay attention to websites that list flip-flops as summertime career shoes: they are not.) Match your shoes to your overall look, and if you wear sandals, make sure your feet and toenails look neat. Boots are fine in cool weather, and you may choose a style that comes an inch or two below the knee, or shorter, ankle-top boots.
Some colorful jewelry and makeup is okay for a business casual outfitJewelry and makeup can be a bit brighter and more playful than it is in professional dress, but try to keep your style consistent across each outfit. I have a friend who spent some time at school in the Midwest, and one of her overriding memories was of university secretaries who wore business casual skirts with holiday-themed earrings, red plastic Santa's dangling from their earlobes, or jack-o'-lantern pins stapled across fuzzy, orange sweaters. It's easy to go wrong with jewelry, but if you keep it simple and only wear a couple of pieces at a time, you'll be safe. (I said "no anklets, under any circumstances," already, didn't I?")
Key to Dressing in Business Casual at the OfficeThe key to a successful working wardrobe is to dress better than your co-workers (and your boss) without anyone really being able to say how you do it. It's more about style than expense, and if you start with a couple of skirts, a couple of tailored-looking pairs of pants and a half-dozen tops to match, you're on your way. Avoiding trendy looks (boat-necks, three-quarter sleeves, anything slinky or glittery) means you'll have an easier time matching pieces, and the stuff you acquire won't go out of season as easily. For major wardrobe staples, staying with neutral colors (off-white, chino, taupe, gray, brown, dark blue) will help you create and add to your cache of separates.

Pamper Your Skin at the Spa

2006-11-29T05:35:00.000-08:00

By Anna Lynn C. Sibal
Smooth, clear and flawless skin is an indication of good health, not just of beauty. Whatever lifestyle choices we make, or whatever forms of abuse we make our bodies go through, such as drinking, bingeing and smoking, getting stressed out lots of times, or lack of exercise and sleep, show easily enough on our skin. It is easy to tell if a person is not of good health: she always looks wan and sallow, her skin dry and flaking, and most likely sporting dark circles under the eyes. A person who is at the peak of health has smooth and soft skin that is alit with a rosy glow.

Business Professional Dress Code for Women in the Office

2006-11-29T05:33:00.001-08:00

Types of Office Dress Codes Policies for the Working WomanYour work wardrobe depends largely on what you do for a living, and if you aren't a natural-born fashion hound, it can be difficult to put together work ensembles that are practical, comfortable and affordable. Besides the obligatory chinos and polo shirt-uniforms of many retail establishments, there are three types of working wardrobes: professional, business casual and casual. In this column, we're going to cover the basics of dressing for the professional office.
Women's Business Professional Workplace Dress Code DescribedProbably the easiest wardrobe to assemble is the professional one that most large corporate firms expect from women. Most corporations and firms whose employees affect professional dress have strict if unwritten dress codes: observing what other people wear is the best way to decide on your own wardrobe basics. Even now, many firms expect women to dress in skirts rather than pants to work, which raises complications in terms of choosing comfortable shoes that look good. If you are applying for a position with a company where professional dress is the norm, do as much reconnaissance work as you can to determine what designers are favored, whether suit blouses are strictly white and tailored or more feminine and colorful, and what makeup styles are in fashion. Wear the best shoes you can afford to your interview, spend more money on hose that won't snag and run before you even get to the interview, and wear a skirt, even if women also wear pants in that culture..

How to Dress for a Job InterviewWhen you're interviewing, it's always better to dress a little more on the formal and conservative side. This is relative, of course. If you're going for a job at a funky piercing studio, you shouldn't show up in Donna Karan, but leave the ripped jeans at home until you've gotten the job. For professional work environments, it means opting for tailored over trendy and severe over sexy. Forget the Allie McBeal micro-minis and tights tops: TV fashion does not apply in the real-world professional workplace, and people won't take you seriously if the first thing they recall about you is your astonishing cleavage. If you want to base your wardrobe on a relevant TV show, think West Wing or The Practice.
The Classic Womens Business Suit We Should All HaveMost suit skirts have the same basic shape: either pencil-straight or a slight flare as they fall from the waistband. A kick-pleat can be a nice addition, or a small slit in front or on the side may add interest. Good suits have skirts that are lined, and are usually made in wool gabardine. Skirts should fall a couple of inches below the knee or an inch above the knee (depending on your personal comfort zone). If you have cute knees (and most people do), don't cover them up--the expanse of leg between your shoes and your skirt will be an attractive wardrobe feature.
Hose should be tasteful and unnoticeable. Stay with nude colors, or maybe sheer black hose in winter. You can wear tights to keep your legs warm if you're going to wear boots in the winter, but keep the colors muted.
What to Look for When Choosing a Formal or Career Pant or Skirt SuitWhen you're putting together a professional Career wardrobe, plan for the long-term. Good suits with a jacket, pants and a skirt are expensive, but they may last you for ten years, and if you choose a classic look, outdated clothes won't be an issue. Choose conservative, neutral colors, black, gray, navy, white or beige for suits and shoes, and make sure each piece you add can be mixed and matched with pieces you already have. One simple way to achieve a pulled-together look based on separates is to find a designer you like and stick with him or her when purchasing your suits. (Ann Taylor has marvelous working wardrobes.) Three skirts, two jackets, five blouses and two pairs of pumps (one black, one brown) should see you through the first six months or so, at least until your new paycheck has caught up with your standard of living. At that point, you can start adding separates piece by piece, with the eventual goal of being able to take last week's clothes to the dry cleaners and still have plenty to wear until the weekend.
Classic Professional Womens Career Shoes StylesShoes are crucial to the excellent wardrobe. First of all, they should fit as perfectly as possible, because they contribute directly to your health and well-being. Bad shoes contribute to bad posture, back, neck and leg pain, and create foot issues like bunions and corns. Especially if you walk from trains, spend a lot of time traveling, or work on your feet, your shoes must provide you with support.
Professional wardrobes require pumps. A moderate heel (around one inch high, up to two inches if you need the extra height), is classy and sensible without being frumpy. Avoid stilettos, wedge heels, trendy colors, odd designs or patterns and open toes. Shoes should be elegant, tasteful, and not the first thing people notice about you. (Some people look at your shoes first; they consider good shoes an indicator of taste and breeding. If you're wearing the right shoes, they'll pass muster, and the rest of you will then be considered.) Shoes should be made of a good quality leather or something so like leather that you can't tell the difference. Ideally, your shoes will also point up the finer aspects of your legs without trying too hard. The toes of your shoes can be slightly rounded for comfort, or if you have narrow feet, slightly triangular toes are all right too. If your feet are wide, you may need to go for a slightly boxy toe, but before getting square-toed shoes, consider checking out shoe designers who provide deeper rather than wider toes-boxes.
Some companies don't consider boots professional dress, no matter how well-made they are, but in other firms, wearing boots in fall and winter is acceptable. The perfect boot for the workplace is sleek and sophisticated, with no trendy additions. It should be brown or black, have a medium heel, a leather or suede finish, and should hit you one to two inches below the knee. (Try boots on with your work skirt before committing to a purchase to make sure the combination works.) A hidden zipper is your best bet: lace-ups look a little too Victoria's Secret to be professional.
Professional Attire on a BudgetThe money that you spend on acquiring the perfect shoes can be made up for in your budget when you shop for blouses. If your blouse is usually going to be worn under a jacket, you can skimp on the quality and get away with it as long as the cut and fabric are good. Linen blouses are a nice idea, but all-linen wrinkles right away: go for a blend. Cotton-poly or the more recent stretchy blends of cotton and Lycra will keep their shape better than all-cotton or cotton-linen blends. Some people can wear silk: others find it doesn't breathe well enough to be comfortable. If you do go with silk, you may find some wonderful blouses in the new, washable silks. Avoid anything ruffly, frilly or lacy, and forget about colorful accents on your blouses in the way of buttons or bows. Think Katherine Hepburn: tailored, classy, very understated.
Keep Jewelry and Accessories Simple and Tasteful at the WorkplaceYour jewelry and makeup will fit in with the professional look by being understated as well. Keep makeup muted and elegant: use neutral tones and minimal eye makeup. Lipstick can be a bit brighter; after all, that's what it's for, but ignore any trendy statements in the way of metallics, glitters, glosses or hot colors.
Jewelry should be simple, without fuss or glitter. Follow the rule of three, wearing a bracelet and earrings, or necklace and bracelet, but not all three at the same time. (Wearing earrings and necklace becomes unbalanced because all your jewelry is clustered around your face. You may be able to get away with it if earrings and the necklace are utterly simple.) For earrings, wear hoops (not too big), or studs, but avoid dangling pieces that will destroy the clean line of a professional suit. If any one piece of jewelry has gems, keep other pieces solid.
If you wear a watch, don't wear a bracelet, not even on the other wrist. Your watch should be elegant, and if you want to make it into a piece of jewelry, splurge on something with diamonds and a sleek style that matches your suits.
Never, ever wear an anklet or armband to work.
The single strand of pearls favored by yesteryear's clothing designers and movie stars is timeless: if you're starting your professional jewelry wardrobe, a medium-length pearl necklace and a really great watch (maybe with an oyster or mother-of-pearl dial) are excellent starter pieces.
Your handbag says a lot about you, and it can be hard to find the right handbag for work. Even if you always carry a briefcase, there will be times when you will to go to a luncheon, and your briefcase will need to stay behind. Like shoes, great handbags can cost a fortune, and the really elegant ones will also be innocuous until closely inspected. If you don't fancy spending a couple of hundred bucks on a purse that you're going to use about once a month, visit consignment shops to look for a classic design with minimal wear. Get crocodile, lizard or leather, or an excellent imitation in an animal-free textile. Don't bring a fabric bag to a professional do: it never looks right. You probably already know whether you prefer a clutch to a strappy purse: clutches have a cleaner look, but some people are more comfortable with a strap. When it comes to purses, smaller is better, although it should be big enough to hold your necessities.
Now you have the basics of your professional wardrobe. Keep in mind that, like a career, your wardrobe can be built over time starting with a few basics and adding gradually over a period of years. Keep it simple and straightforward for a look of timeless, understated elegance.

Washable Silk.

2006-11-29T05:33:00.000-08:00

Natural beauty products have an allure that chemicals can’t reproduce. There’s something exciting about using a moisturizer that has plant extracts and beeswax and things that grew outside in the sun. Maybe it goes along with the romantic ideal of natural beauty—a fresh glow, perfect skin that never needs exfoliating or makeup, wide, bright eyes, soft hair.
When we buy products that have natural ingredients, we’re also buying the history that goes along with them. For centuries, people have used aloe vera, herbal salves, rosewater and kaolin to beautify themselves. You can still buy kohl and henna, two cosmetics favored by Egyptian royals. There’s a definite emotional appeal to using the same makeup Cleopatra used!
Another ancient ingredient that’s just finding its place in twenty-first century cosmetics is silk. We’re all aware of what silk can do as a clothing fabric, and its history stretches back thousands of years and across continents. Silk was traded on the spice routes, in some cultures its use was limited to the very rich and noble born, not only because of its costliness, but by law. In World Wars One and Two, silk production was relegated to the war effort, and women painted lines up the backs of their legs to mimic the look of the seamed silk stockings they could no longer buy. The silk that had been used for dresses, parasols and unmentionables went to make parachutes.
These days, silk production has modernized to the point that this once dry-clean-only fabric can now be made colorfast and washable. I love silk bedding in the winter, because it’s light, but very warm because of its tight weave. (Silk pillow cases were once prescribed to keep salon-sprayed, sixties hairdos intact. I love my white silk pillowcases because they feel cool on my face, and they make my hair softer and easy to brush.)
But the recent revolution in silk is in cosmetics. Silk proteins are added to shampoos and moisturizers, adding strength and softness to the structure of hair and skin. Filaments that once took soldiers from flaming planes safely to the ground now smooth skin in lotions, powders and foundations. All this from a strange little worm that refuses to eat anything but mulberry leaves...

Natural Skin Care

2006-11-29T05:32:00.000-08:00

More Vibrant Skin…Try Juicing! By Kathryn M. D’Imperio

Did you know that your diet contributes greatly to the clarity and condition of your skin? It’s true. Pay attention next time you eat an entire candy bar by yourself, or take notice of your skin’s tone and texture if you opt for a better diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, salads, healthier foods, and lots of water. Natural skin care at its best...
Nutritional consultant and author Elaine Wilkes, N.C., M.A. offers a delicious tip to getting radiant, glowing skin. In her book Food Choices Made Easy! Finally A Summary of What All The Health Experts Say!, Wilkes provides helpful tips compiled from hundreds of health advisors on how to get skin that looks and feels healthy and young. Tips she delves into include advice on weight loss, great foods to eat and those to avoid, and money saving tips, to name a few.

Wedding Wear.

2006-11-29T05:31:00.000-08:00

I got lucky when my friends from school decided to marry their long-term boyfriends. I was a bridesmaid both times, and I privately worried that one of my friends (good, sensible young women) would go insane when it came time to choose bridesmaid dresses. It’s been known to happen: a prospective bride asks her best friends to stand up with her, then dresses them like the dolls made by insane homemakers to cover up toilet paper rolls.
When you go to the bridal salons, there are the endless rows of white gowns, and then, against the wall, a garish assortment of satin horrors. I loved my friends, but hormones and the pressures of engagement can do weird things to even lifelong friends. (If you’re looking for a gorgeous wedding or bridesmaid dress that doesn’t make you look like the marriage-fairy pelted you with magic bad-taste beans, take a look at the bias-cut silk gowns at J. Crew.)
Laura’s wedding came first, in early spring. The wind blasted in icy drafts through the outside corridors of a lovely, gray-stone Episcopal church. Laura’s mother-in-law came to town bringing her favorite mink stole—a gift for the bride. Laura thought about the sleek little creatures who’d given their all, weighed the possibility of offending her fiancé's mother, swallowed hard and graciously accepted the mink. Good thing, too. It was twenty degrees on The Day, and her dress was décolleté.
Our dresses were not build for warmth either, but they were perfect. Ivory, with a vague damask pattern. Fluttery sleeves that didn’t mean a thing. Sleek, flowing waistlines. Calf-length. Heather has bright blue eyes and dark, wavy hair. A bust men swooned over, long legs. Laura’s sister Kathy, blonde, very slim, elegant. Me, feeling dowdy and nervous until Laura graced me by asking me to help her manage her voluminous gown and petticoats. She had to squeeze into the tiny bathroom at the church for a practically last-minute tinkle. Her dress puffed up around her, the train bulged out the open door, where I held it off the stone floor and blocked the view of potential passersby. My face was partly buried in the silky mink. At that moment, Laura looked like one of those toilet-roll dolls, extra fancy, wedding-style. We laughed until I had to go too.
Heather’s wedding was neat because she and Kevin did most of it themselves. They folded a thousand paper origami cranes, and we placed them around the banquet hall, with flowers and streamers. We danced all night. Her gown was movie star glam—strapless, classy. I remembered the day we all drove to the bridal salon and spent the day trying on wedding gowns, and how she narrowed it down from about three hundred to two, to one in short order. She always seemed to know just what she wanted. For Heather’s wedding, we wore emerald green, her favorite color. Also slightly damask, rayon, not satin, same easy shape as the ivory dresses we wore at Laura’s wedding. Beautiful, and simple. I wore mine again and again that year.
A real friend wants you to feel comfortable and look pretty, even on her wedding day. She doesn’t saddle you with costly dresses you’ll never wear again, or with ugly, dyed-to-match shoes. She drives you to the bridal salon and makes you try on wedding gowns along with her, because it’s fun. She asks you to hold her mink while she takes a pre-wedding pee, sitting on the toilet in clouds of silk and tulle, and laughs her ass off at the picture she presents. Like I said, when my friends got married, I got lucky.

How to Tie and Wear a Womans Scarf Many Fashionable Ways

2006-11-29T05:30:00.000-08:00

A Scarf is the Womens Must Have Accessory for Any SeasonWhen it comes to accessorizing that special outfit, the scarf is the one item you want to have in your wardrobe. The scarf is the perfect accessory as it can add pizzaz to any outfit from the perfect little black dress to a business suit or your favorite T-shirt and jeans outfit. The scarf can add a sensational look making even the plainest outfit into a fabulous fashion hit. You should try to have a variety of scarves such as the pashmina, cashmere, fleece, silk and the scarf belt, then you will be ready for any occasion.
Scarves Can be Worm Many Places on the Body Besides Your NeckThere are numerous ways to wear a scarf, making it a very versatile accessory. Wear it around your neck, tied, knotted or draped. Wear a scarf around head to keep your hair in place or around your waist as a belt. Wear a large scarf around your shoulders as a shawl.If you really feel like “tying one on” try tying a silk scarf around your hips. Just by tying a scarf around your hips, like a scarf belt, you can make your waist look smaller. You can achieve this look very easily by folding a long oblong scarf into the desired width, draping it around your hips and positioning it as a sash. Adjust it as you like. Let it hang down asymmetrically drawing the eye downward to produce a smaller looking waist.
How to Tie a Silk Scarf Around You NeckOf course, the traditional way to wear a scarf is around the neck. A fashion statement can be made by tying your scarf in creative ways. Try tying a small square scarf around your neck as a choker or a longer oblong scarf can be knotted in front and hang straight down. The smaller silk scarves look great with a scarf pin to secure them in place. Use a crystal brooch, ring or scarf pin that is all the rage now to hold your scarf in the front. The scarf clips are great to use. Shell scarf holders that you can find at your beach resort gift shops are great options as well. These are just a few ways to hold that perfect designer silk scarf in place. If you don’t have a scarf pin or brooch, try wearing that long oblong scarf in the Grace Kelly style by holding it across the front of our neck and then bringing one end around to fall done your right front side and then bring other end around your neck to fall down your left front side. This is a great way to wear those designer silk scarves that are so light and airy now days. They are great for summer and spring. Another way to wear the long oblong scarf is just drape it around your neck and shoulders and then let it hang down dramatically in front.
How to Wear a Winter Cashmere Scarf and Keep WarmFor winter wear your wool or cashmere scarf and get extra warmth around your neck , by folding the long oblong scarf in half and positioning around your neck with the two ends on one side and the fold of scarf on your other side. Next take the two ends and slip thru the fold of the scarf. By pulling on the two ends you can tighten the scarf as you like around your neck. If it is really cold out you can tuck these ends into your coat for added warmth or if you want a fashionable look then fan the two ends out as desired. This looks great for the thinner summer scarves for a more fashionable look. The knitted scarf is great to wear this way too and often comes with matching gloves to complete your outfit. Usually the knitted scarf is just worn by looping it around your neck.
Tying a Scarf to Make a Hair Accessory and Keep Your Hair Style in PlaceA large square scarf can be folded in half forming a triangle that can then be tied around your neck loosely to hang dramatically off one shoulder. Then of course there is always the head that can be covered with the larger square scarf. Hold your hair in place while riding in your convertible this summer by using a light weight chiffon or silk scarf. You can either tie the scarf in front under your chin or try tying it in the back of your head. A smaller scarf can also be folded to a create an hair ban. Another way to wear the square scarf is as a Turban. Fold the square into a triangle and fold edge under over the forehead. Take the two ends to the back and cross them over each other bringing them again to the front to tie on top of the head. You can then tuck in the ends or any loose fabric and adjust as you desire. Be creative with your scarf tying and have fun trying out the many different ways to wear your fashion scarves.

Bathing Suit Tips for Body Flattering Swimwear for Women and Teen Girls

2006-11-29T05:28:00.000-08:00

Call it what you like, bathing suit or swimwear, it's still hard to pick out.Every year, it happens. Bathing suit weather arrives, and with it, sales on swimwear (or for some, suntan wear.) The good news is, the variety has never been greater. The bad news, the variety and decisions have never been greater.
Decisions, decisions. Now it seems there is a bathing suit for every type of woman or situation as there are mastectomy suits, maternity swimsuits, plus-size swimwear, suits for tall or petite women. And then the real decisions start.
Do I want a one piece, two piece bathing suit, bikini, or tankini. Should it be slimming, help camouflage (you know) with an underwire, or be one of those what they call miracle suits. Should I be bold and go with something hot, sheer, sexy, exotic as in something skimpy like a thong or brazilian g string. Do I splurge and look for a brand name designer like Tommy Hilfiger, Victoria Secret, Anne cole, or sporty with Nike or Lands End. Or do I do as I always do and look on the discount rack or wait for my bathing suit pick to go on sale. And lets not forget color, black, white, floral or florescent. Decisions decisions.

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What womens swimsuit fashion is best and most flattering for your body typeApple shaped body frames have broader shoulders and smaller hips. Two-piece bikinis or tankinis with a solid color top and a patterned bottom will give you a more balance appearance.
Pear shaped body types have larger hips and smaller shoulders with a waist that is larger than the shoulders. One-piece bathing suits with tummy control or other design feature that create the illusion of a waist line will be the most flattering.
Small Bust - To enhance a smaller bust try a halter bikini top that has a seam just under the bust line or a lightly padded or line top. Swim wear with texture can also help detract attention away from your bust line if you feel self-conscious.
Fuller Bottom - Skirted swim suits are back in style and can be found in many different patterns and styles. The skirt flatters a fuller bottomed body type and will give you a more balance look. You may also want to try on a few boy short styles as well. Both of these options offer a little more coverage on the bottom.
Slender, athletic bodies have shoulders, waist and hips that are the similar in width. One-piece or two-piece suits with detailing around the waist will help create a more hourglass shape. Try a wrap style top or a belted bathing suit bottom to create more waist definition.
Hourglass figures have balance shoulders and hips with a smaller waist. If this is you, you're lucky because just about any classic styled bathing suit should flatter your figure.
Buying a swimsuit is about perceptionBuying a swimsuit has a lot to do with beauty because it’s more about perceptions than it is actual good looks. The fact is, with the right attitude, nearly any woman’s swim suit will look good to men, provided there’s a woman in it. Other women are much pickier about what suit looks good on what body, and the worst critic of all is that chick in the mirror. I have a few beauty tips about bathing suits and bikinis, which I will pass on to you in the hopes that they will inspire confidence. Some of them are just theoretical for me, and others I use whenever I shop for a suit. Use what works for you.
How much are you willing to spend for designer swimwear?Like good shoes, good bathing suits cost money. You’re paying for design here, and for things like built-in controls or enhancements. Thanks to the fairly recent craze for selling binkini tops and bottoms separately, retailers have found they can charge a lot more for a whole suit than they could five or six years ago when bottoms and tops were inseparable. On average, a decent suit will cost you around $60. On the other hand, if you have a great body, it doesn’t matter if your suit is cheap because you don’t have anything to hide. Just make sure you buy something that won’t come apart when it hits the water.
When to buy a cheap swimsuit.If you’re only going to wear a bathing suit the three days you go to the beach each year, or for sunning in the back yard, you can go cheaper too. In fact, there’s no reason not to wear a pair of shorts and a bathing suit top or even a camisole or tank top. It’s crazy to spend a lot of money for a suit you aren’t going to wear.
One piece or two piece bathing suit? Who will be looking or who do you want looking?A shy friend of mine went to Mexico, and because she was very modest and didn’t feel very pretty, she wore a pair of men’s trunks and a bikini top in the pool at the hotel. A Mexican fellow who frequented the pool told her that if she wanted to blend in, she’d better drop the trunks and wear bikini bottoms. She did, and they went dancing several times after that. She came home with a golden tan and a happy expression.
Comfort is important, and depending on the beach or pool scene, either no-one will notice you at all, or everyone will be watching everyone else. If it matters to you, or if your boyfriend’s ex is going to be at the party, fork out the big money and look great, even if you only wear that suit that one day.
How much coverage do you want from your beach wear?Crucial to the question of bathing suits is coverage. Again, the nicer your body, the less coverage you need, unless you’re shy or you’re smart and want to save your skin from sun damage. If you plan to be swimming or playing volleyball or surfing, you may want more coverage because a suit that covers more of you also tends to hang on, where flimsier, actually make that skimpier, things might fall off or out.
With board shorts, boyshorts and hipster bikinis, we can buy suits that fit even in the middle of a plus size day or PMS fat attack. A well-cut one-piece can hide and camoflauge an assortment of figure flaws. Contrary to what some experts will tell you, large floral designs do not minimize a heavy body, and you don’t have to wear black either. Depending on where the chubbiness lies, a smaller-coverage suit may turn out to be more flattering than the high-coverage suit you didn’t want to buy anyway. No one can possibly see all the lumps and bumps as the girl in the bathing suit in the mirror does, so pick the least worst suit you can find, and get out there and play!

Picking the Right Jewely and Womens Acessories Can Make or Break a Fashionable Outfit

2006-11-29T05:23:00.001-08:00

Inexpensive colored & semi-precious gemstone jewelry can be quite "rich" lookingPeople have been wearing jewelry since the beginning of time. In some places, beauty as a bone through the nose, in others, golden necklaces studded with beetles’ wings and lapis lazuli were just the thing. These days, we wear jewels all over the place, on our toes, in our noses, and (one of my personal favorites), in the naval. The great thing about jewelry is there’s so much of it, in every color, price and style available.So, how do you choose the perfect gem stones to set off your personal beauty? What if you're not in the market for costly diamonds, but are seeking a little glamor in pale green, deep purple or clear, bright blue? Start your adventure in gemstones by looking at, where you will discover exotic and affordable gems you never dreamed existed. Do you know the plummy red of rhodolite? The liquid fire of a Mexican jelly opal? Here's where you learn that you don't have to spend hundred of dollars for jade, pearls, garnets and zircons, to name but a few of the hundred of stones available at this amazing site.

--Editor's Note --------------------------------------------------------------
Never Be Overwhelmed or Frustrated with Jewelry Shopping AgainMost women have had at least a few frustrating shopping experiences while trying to find the perfect jewelry to match a special outfit. Sometimes the jewelry store's zillion choices can be so overwhelming you don't know where to start. Or you had a budget in mind, but clearly the jewelry sales person didn't understand your idea of a "budget". In either case, there is now a much easier way to shop for jewelry and accessories. One online resource in particular lets you search by price, color, gemstone, jewelry style and several other jewelry descriptives. Showing you only the jewelry choices that fit your particular criteria and get the perfect jewelry item to compliment any outfit. This time skip the nosey jewelry sales person and try searching for your favorite jewelry style using specific criteria. Never buy a piece of jewelry that isn't absolutely perfect again. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What to consider when choosing jewelry to match an outfit:
What does it accessorize? A plain dress? A busy patterned top?Usually jewelry has a purpose. It can be playful and casual, or elegant and very expensive. When I buy jewelry, I think about what I would be wearing with it before making my choice. If I’m wearing jeans and want something to go with my new bathing suit because I’m going on vacation, I’ll look for something in the line of a choker, maybe with a carved stone or something in leather and silver. (Beware of hemp-rope jewelry if you’re planning to wear it swimming. I bought a great choker, but when the water hit it, the hemp fibers shrank up and it became a much-too-real choker. I practically had to get cut out of it.)
What’s the occasion you will be wear the jewelry? Fancy? Casual?Occasion-specific jewelry should be tried on with the outfit before you make a commitment. Dresses with sweetheart necklines can do terrible things to the wrong necklace (if you don’t believe me, look at Susan Lucci in the old episodes of Dallas. Big, shiny, dangling diamonds, a wide expanse of cleavage-lined Hollywood skin and shoulder pads out to here. Horrible). Now that I think of it, there’s only one occasion to wear a sweetheart neckline, and that’s if you’re in a wedding dress and the neckline fits your bust perfectly. The danger in the sweetheart is that if you have big breasts, they can look unwieldy and even floppy; small breasts just rattle around in there.
Where was I? Right, for big-deal dressing up, either wear the dress to the store, or keep your receipt until you know the dress and the necklace, bracelet or earrings match it. If your top has beading or embroidery, necklaces and earrings should be kept simple –no gemstones, just gold, silver or platinum. A rule of thumb; the simpler the dress, the fancier >the jewelry can be. So if your heart is set on the three-tiered, sapphire and platinum job, find a plain black or white frock for the backdrop.
All the fashionist as of yesteryear agreed that you simply cannot go wrong with pearls. Throughout the ages, these little blobs of oyster nacre have graced the necks of royalty. Pearls come in a variety of colors and shapes, the most well-known being the perfectly round, white pearls coveted by 1950's college girls because they matched so perfectly with cashmere twin sets. In the '20's, the flappers wore large, elongated pearls, running in gleaming ropes to waist-length or even longer. Baroque pearls are stunning, their uneven surfaces and their rectangular shapes catching the light like no other pearl can.
Often ignored, freshwater pearls are oval, and can be bought for a fraction of the cost of round ones. An example of their cost--in San Francisco's Chinatown shops, you can buy a 15-inch strand of freshwater pearls for about the cost of an ice-cream cone. Take them home, remove them from the dental floss string, string them on fishing line and add a clasp purchased from your local crafts store for an easy, elegant necklace.
Tahitian or South Sea Pearls are black, with the same opalescent gleam as their white cousins. These can get expensive, and make lovely apology gifts when men forget anniversaries, birthdays and other important occasions like graduations.
About jewelry quantity - How much is okay?As much as I like hardware, I can’t think of an occasion to wear earrings, a necklace and a bracelet all at the same time. It comes out looking tacky. Two out of three is fine, and rings on your fingers are fine any time (not on every finger: two rings per hand are sufficient). If you’re of the belly-ring persuasion, toe-rings are cute too, but omit either necklace or earrings to keep the focus lower on the body. One exception to the two-item rule may be stud earrings. If you wear studs of gold, silver or platinum, or even small gemstones, they won't compete uncomfortably with a necklace and bracelet. In this case, two items may match, but the third should be complimentary, or you'll wind up looking like a little kid who bought the entire plastic wedding-jewelry set at the drugstore. For example, if you wear silver studs with pink zircons and a silver necklace with the same stones, your bracelet could be a plain silver bangle.
I’m a big fan of gemstones. I love tashmarine, wihich is a recently-discovered Asian stone that comes in a most unusual variety of greens. Its softness (5) prevents it from being the ideal ring choice, but set in a necklace, bracelet, or earrings, tashmarine is stunning. Check out tashmarine My other favorite gem-of-the-moment is tanzanite, available in a range of blues and lavenders. A friend of mine needed a belated birthday gift for his wife, and all was forgiven when he presented her with a tanzanite and diamond three-stone pendant. I’d have forgiven him too!

Mineral Makeup Offers Lightweight Natural Looking Coverage that Even Sensitive Skin and African American Skin Types Can Glow in . . .

2006-11-29T05:23:00.000-08:00

Mineral makeup is the latest in the trend in cosmetics toward the simple, all natural and elegant. Mineral base makeup is made with pure minerals rather than fillers and colors, and it comes in powder, liquid or cream versions. The powder makeup is applied with big, fluffy brushes: the brush is dabbed into the powder, then the excess is tapped off and the brush is then applied gently to the face. Start by putting on less than you think you'll need: you'll be surprised at how well the minerals cover. Mineral powder makeup is so finely spun that it's easy to overdo it; putting on too much is a hazard of novice users. But once you get a little experience, you probably won't want to go back to ordinary makeup. Mineral foundation is weightless, and somehow manages to provide coverage while looking invisible. What you get is the look as soon on TV, soft focus but not blurry.
Mineral Cosmetics are Great for Sensitive Skin Types and ConditionsMineral make up is the best cosmetic for women with acne, rosacea or other skin conditions, not only because you can control the coverage by adding thin layers, but because the ingredients are non-comedogenic and inert, less likely to cause reactions. People with allergies can use mineral makeup, and reviews of the various brands consistently mention how easy it is to apply and how wonderfully it camouflages imperfections. African Americans and other ethnic women are delighted to discover that, unlike many other make-up brands which ignore skin colors that don't fall into the narrow range of Caucasian shades, mineral make-up companies are creating makeup that blends beautifully with every skin tone.
Skin Has a Natural Healthy Glow with Mineral Based IngredientsFor basic skin care, add mineral foundation to your regime: many women have noticed that simply using the makeup contributes to their skin's health. They say their pores look smaller, blemishes or roughness that had been caused by unknown allergies to other makeup products disappear and in general their skin looks better after having used the minerals for awhile, even when they aren't wearing makeup. Mineral makeup doesn't contain talc (a known irritant), other fillers, weird chemicals or added colors. Mineral cosmetics do contain zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, both minerals that provide sunscreen protection. Companies like About Face, Bare Essentials, Sheer Cover and Bare Minerals are providing women with cosmetics that actually improve the skin while improving the day to day look of the skin.
Sample Sizes are Available at Many Retailers and on TV to Help Your Choose the Right Foundation Shade for Your Skin ColoringMineral makeup isn't cheap, so if you aren't sure what shade works best on your skin, try to get a sample size to take home and try in different lights. Some companies like Base Escentuals and Loreal have store counters where you can try different shades, but unless the light in the store is similar to the light you work and live under, you may find you get home with a shade that doesn't complement your skin. You may want to purchase two shades; one lighter and one darker, for contouring or mixing. For lightweight coverage, you'll probably just need a foundation color and maybe a blush: for heavier coverage, choose a concealer to apply after the foundation. If you're used to buying inexpensive liquid or cream makeup, you may be shocked at the cost of a good mineral makeup, but it takes awhile to go through it, and most customers find that it's completely worth the price.

Cosmetic Terminology

2006-11-29T05:18:00.001-08:00

Cosmetic Terminology:What Makeup Packaging and Ingredient Tells You About the Product

History and Background on Makeup Ingredients of the PastAlthough women and men have been wearing makeup since earliest history, Max Factor is credited with the invention and mass marketing of pancake foundation makeup in the 1950's. Max Factor, who started out as a wig designer, created the first grease paint makeup for the movies in 1914, and went on to do the makeup of such stars as Lucille Ball, Jean Harlow, Claudette Colbert and Bette Davis. The company was acquired by Proctor & Gamble in 1991, but still does business under the famous name of the master.
And makeup has come a long way since 1914. Very few women these days are willing to rub tinted petroleum products on their faces—unless there's a really brilliant marketing scheme in place to convince them to do so. In fact, consumers have proven again and again that we'll buy practically anything if we thing it will make us look or smell good.
What Does Hypoallergenic Mean When on Makeup Packaging?But let's start with a real shocker, just discovered by this writer while researching this article. Did you know that "hypoallergenic" means nothing at all? It's true! The FDA has no requirement in place that systematizes allergy testing for makeup, so any brand that wants to claim its product is "hypoallergenic" may freely do so, to the detriment of makeup wearers with sensitive skin or one of the many allergic conditions so common to modern life. Ditto for "allergy tested". If it's a food product, manufacturers must let us know if products may have potential for loosing nut allergies, but you could rub your face, all unknowing, with pure peanut oil if it's sold to you by a makeup company. The FDA does prohibit the use of super-toxic chemicals, but other than that, (and I quote the FDA regulation) "Cosmetic firms are responsible for substantiating the safety of their products and ingredients before marketing." The FDA doesn't require them to do any particular testing first.
Non-Comedogenic Cosmetics - Is there such a thing?So, when a makeup claims to be non-comedogenic (pore-clogging), they're just whistling Dixie. Have you ever seen a lotion or liquid foundation that doesn't dry up in the bottle, causing an occasional clog? Why wouldn't it clog your pores if you failed to wash it off? Of course it would.
Oil Free Makeup - Check the Makeup Label to ConfirmNow, "oil-free" is something a consumer can check out. Cosmetic companies do list ingredients on the package, and you can read whether there are oils involved, unless they are hidden by chemical names you don't recognize. For example, palm kernel oil is also known by its name of myristic acid, or tetradecanoic acid .
No Animal Testing and Cruelty Free - Depends?And wait; there's more. Companies that advertise "no animal testing" or "cruelty-free" products may actually test or buy ingredients that have been tested on animals at other manufacturers'. Look for the label that says "No new animal testing". To get truly cruelty-free products, you may want to choose makeup companies who include in their mission statements a clear stand on cruelty-free products. It's not something you can sue over if you find they're lying, but most corporations won't go to the trouble of pretending to be cruelty free to the extent that they'll include it in a mission statement.
Sensitive Skin? Read the Cosmetic Labels Closely for Hidden IngredientsEspecially for those with sensitive skin, fragrance free and talc free makeup may be important. You have to read the labels—"unscented" just means that the product doesn't contain a particular perfume, but it often does mean that fragrance has been added to mask the less-pleasant smell of the unfragranced ingredients. Dye free mouth makeup is rare—lipsticks typically have some sort of dye in them, but mineral makeup is usually dye free. And finally, the claim that a product is "dermatologist tested isn't worth the paper it's written on. There are no legal requirements to fulfill in dermatological testing. Even SPF numbers are not to be relied on, since the FDA hasn't been able to determine effective ways of testing products for protection from UVA and UVB rays.
Steps to Follow When Choosing a Beauty, Makeup or Cosmetics ProductSo, what's a gal to do? You can't rely on labeling to tell you what's really going on in your makeup. But there are a few ways you can protect yourself against makeup products that may not be good for you.

The fewer ingredients, the better. After all, if you're exposed to a multiplicity of chemicals, chance are mathematically greater that you will be sensitive or even allergic to one or a combination of them. If your makeup, however, is made of two or three ingredients, you'll be able to check them out more carefully and you won't be encountering a chemical cocktail every time you put on your makeup.
Learn the beauty industry's lingo. Look up the ingredients in your makeup and find out what they're for and what they do. If there are allergies reported against them, you may also find that out in your research. So that's where that rash is coming from!
Remember that you and your skin are unique. Come popular anti-acne face creams contain camphor, which feels cool on the skin and has a slightly mentholated fragrance that smells clean and nice. Most people aren't sensitive to it, but some people are. For these people, using this "calming, cooling" cream can actually cause peeling, redness and dryness. Even essential oils and "all-natural" ingredients may cause reactions. You may be sensitive to something no one else minds at all. You may be just fine with a product everyone else hates. If you experience a rash, breakouts or stinging from your makeup, find one with different ingredients.

Types of Makeup Brushes and How to Use them to Apply Cosmetics.

2006-11-29T05:18:00.000-08:00

If you want to own a really good set of makeup brushes, you can acquire them one at a time to suit your cosmetic needs, or you can buy them already assorted in a bag or box. While some cosmetics come with their own brushes, most professional makeup artists and models buy brushes the way artists do: with an eye to quality in manufacture and purpose. In most cases, you want to buy the best brushes you can afford: they are the tools that will create a flawless makeup look.
If you aren't sure how to use makeup brushes, look at the cheap ones that come along with inexpensive drugstore makeup. They're usually made of plastic, and are usually coarser than they should be, with uneven bristle lengths. They may come apart even as you use them, scattering occasional bristles throughout your makeup or on your face. Basically, cheap makeup brushes are like the bolts that come with some assembly kits: the cheapest available products that make it look like you're getting a discount.
--Editors Tip ----------------------------------------------------------------------
The importance of using makeup brushes and/or Saving Money on Professional Cosmetic Brushes. Great makeup brushes don't have to cost a fortune: but they have to last and make you look terrific. You can find professional cosmetic brushes online for a fraction of the price you would spend on brushes found in a traditional beauty supply store. Don't ever cheat yourself out of a makeup brush: the right brush puts makeup on the right way; no finger smudging or messing around with shedding Q tips or ratty cotton balls. When you use makeup brushes, you take your look to the next level: a high quality professional makeup brush makes a difference in the way your makeup goes on and stays on. It's a difference you can see!Learn how to save money on Professional Cosmetic Brushes.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Different makeups need different brushes. Eye liner goes on with small, thinner brushes to accommodate thin liquid eyeliner makeup. Because you're using them at close range and need a steady hand, it helps to buy an eyeliner brush with very thin bristles and a thicker handle, making it easier to grasp and guide the brush. These tiny brushes are often made of sable. Using your finger to apply layers of eye shadow is messy and clumsy: get several medium-small brushes for layering on small amounts of shadow. Remember, life doesn't come with an air brush! Make sure your eye makeup is as perfect as possible by using the right tools to apply it. And if you you’re your makeup brushes to the gym or work with you, get a brush bag that can roll into a small enough travel size to fit easily into your tote while protecting your brushes.
Concealer brushes are about the same size as eye makeup brushes, and may sometimes be made of sponge instead of natural hair. If you use a heavier concealer, a sponge brush may be useful for dragging across the stick and smoothing the concealer before applying it. For liquid concealer such as that by Chanel, use a smaller brush.
Foundation and blush or bronzer brushes are thicker, with longer bristles and flat tops just right for putting color where you want it. They're for applying and blending larger amounts of liquid or powder makeup, and for creating a contour. Powder brushes, also called kabuki brushes, are ideal for brushing on either ordinary face powder or ultrafine mineral makeup, Like Bare Essentials. If you can only have one brush in your makeup bag, make it a fluffy powder brush, because there's nothing better than a brush that blends the perfect finish.
High quality, natural hair brushes are made from animal hair, which is graded by length, evenness of cut and fineness. Some of the best powder brushes are made from badger hair: sable is often used for smaller, finer brushes because of its silky texture. Squirrel hair is quite expensive, and may even be mixed with cheaper but also very fine pony hair. Handmade goat hair brushes are also popular, being nearly as fine as squirrel.
If you're looking for quality, check out designer brushes and kits from Kevyn Aucoin, Bobbi Brown or Giorgio Armani. If the idea of using animal hair for brushes troubles you, feel free to buy synthetic brushes: new synthetics such as Taklon make perfectly fine brushes as well. If you're doing other people's makeup, you may be looking for disposable makeup brushes. You will probably be able to get away with buying less expensive ones, since you'll be throwing them after one use. Get a refillable holder for keeping the brushes while you work, so they won't get mixed up as you use them.

Waterproof, sweat proof and smudge proof mascara, eye makeup and foundation products that will resist the effects of moisture and humidity.

2006-11-29T05:00:00.000-08:00

Waterproof Make-up Products: No Need to Re-ApplyWaterproof makeup products are the best way to wear mascara, eyeliner and foundation because they stay put until you're ready to remove them. After all, nobody wears makeup only to have to reapply it! But sometimes we forget that water proof cosmetics are such a great option. Swimmers, models, runners and travelers know that sweatproof, smudge proof and water proof makeup products make a lot of sense, but the rest of us need to be reminded to use them. The question isn't so much, 'Why do some people wear waterproof makeup?" It's "Why don't we all?"
New Cosmetics Technologies in Waterproof Makeup Mean No More Clogged PoresSome people worry that waterproof makeup products will stress the skin or clog the pores, but modern make up technology has created lines of liquid eyeliner, nontoxic cosmetic foundations and even stage makeup designed to go on smoothly, stay on endlessly and disappear without a trace when you take them off. You can find waterproof makeup with sunscreen, and these days, SPF is a non-negotiable, either in your makeup or under it. Scar makeup is a prime example of excellent modern day waterproof makeup: if you really want to conceal, you want it to last, and new scar concealing body makeups do the job.

--Editors Tip ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Do you have the right makeup remover to remove your waterproof make-up at then end of the day? Wearing water proof, smudge proof or sweat proof cosmetics means that you'll look great all day or all night. But you still have to remove your makeup to let your skin breathe! Before you go to bed, take the time you need to carefully remove every bit of makeup from your face—foundation, concealer, blush, eyeliner and shadow, lip color. Take it all off with your favorite waterproof makeup remover and follow it up with toner or moisturizer, depending on your skin type. Leaving makeup on overnight can cause clogged pores, breakouts and grubby pillow cases, so stay up three minutes longer and get your face clean before going to bed.Learn how to gently remove your waterproof make-up.

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Smudge-Proof Lipsticks and Lip Liners are Great Day WearWater proof makeup products for lips include tubes of lipstick, boxes of lip color and even lip paints. If you first cover the lips with foundation, you can get a smooth primer coat for lining the lips and then filling them in with color. If you use waterproof foundation as well as lip color, you have an even better chance of keeping your lip color on all day without needing to refresh it. Color, blend, blot and reapply for a perfect mouth. Using waterproof, smudge proof lip color means you won't have to worry about losing your lipstick over an important lunch meeting.
Waterproof Mascara that Doesn't Run on a Hot Day or From a Good CryWater proof eye products are especially terrific because our eyes tend to water, to get rubbed and to be generally irritated more than the rest of our faces. People who wear contact lenses have a difficult time not touching their eyes: they need eye makeup that can stand up to a little rub now and then. Ordinary eye cosmetics can cause problems for lens wearers because non water proof products tend to flake, smear or run, getting into sensitive eyes and ruining delicate lenses. Because lens wearers are more susceptible to eye infections, scratches and sensitivities, they should only wear eye makeup designated for them. There are companies that specialize in eye makeup and eye makeup remover for contact lens wearers.Some makeup can work on more than one area: women have even been known to use a smudged lip liner for a soft pink eye shadow. Eyeliner pencil in a waterproof formula can be made to do double duty as eye shadow in a pinch, but if you buy a bag for your waterproof makeup products, you can carry more with you than a pencil or two to make the change from everyday makeup to something more glamorous for nighttime.
Waterproof Eye Shadows Can Stand a Humid Day without Rubbing OffWaterproof eye shadow means not having to reapply partway through an evening at a hot, crowded club, and since those places never have decent mirrors, you'd better plan to go home with the same makeup you wore in. Many women prefer cream eyeliner and shadow because it goes on more smoothly, but you can also set it more securely with powder. Waterproof cream to powder eyeliner is a powerful makeup combination: getting your eye makeup in waterproof forms is a great way to beat summer heat, winter rains and raccoon eyes at the end of a long day.
Removing Waterproof Cosmetics Takes More Than Soap and WaterWhen it comes to removing waterproof makeup, you have a number of choices. If you're the old fashioned type, you can start with baby oil, but it doesn't have the wonderful cosmeceutical properties of more modern approaches. You can find makeup remover with green tea extract, Vitamin E, and moisturizers of all sorts. There are very mild eye makeup removers made with coconut oil and stronger all over makeup removers for stage makeup.

1980s Retro Makeup Application and Styles That Will Accentuate Any 80s Party Costume or Fashion Outfit.

2006-11-29T04:59:00.000-08:00

Like all trends, '80s Makeup Trends seemed normal at the time, but looking back by twenty years or so, we can see the difference in the apparent natural look of today. In the eighties, women were coming into their own as far as workplace issues were concerned, and the trends were towards ultra-smooth color on the face, bright eye and lip shades and plenty of make up. The combination of workplace politics and cheap fluorescent lighting played absolute hell with women's makeup, turning foundations and eye shadows (blue was popular) into strange colors indeed. And makeup was important if you wanted to be taken seriously. It was quite usual for a woman to apply a full set of makeup—foundation, powder, lipstick and liner, mascara, eyeliner and eye shadow—to go to work. Like most fads, 80s makeup trends looked good: nowadays, women who make up that heavily look like they have something to hide.

For the perfect eighties theme party costume . . .But if you're going to an 80's style retro party, you can easily create the eighties look. Fashions are easy: a matching dress or skirt suit with big shoulder pads, preferably in a bright color is a good start. Heels are imperative, and hair should be big and fluffy but very controlled. Remember, the '80s look is all about minimizing flaws but maximizing power. It was the decade of the woman's power suit, along with power lipsticks in bright reds and power perfumes heavy on the oriental floral scents. Need a model? For a perfect '80s hair style and suits, look at reruns of Designing Women.

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Mica Makeup and Cosmetics Complete the 1980’s Look
Before there was pure mineral makeup, there was mica for eye shadow. Mica is a highly reflective mineral, which makes for strong color and a lasting look. Ground fine, it provides all the glam of glitter without the grit or flakiness, because mica makes a powder so smooth, you can't even feel it once it's on. It's exotic, romantic and lush. In the '70s and '80s, mica was de rigueur for eye shadow, evening contours, dusting on shoulder blades and all sorts of other groovy places. A little pot of mica shadow will last you about fourteen years, unless you decide that it's so cool as a cosmetic that it would look even better swiped onto a wet paintbrush and smeared across a pure white wall in an iridescent rainbow. Then, you might need to buy a second pot. Mica is also great because you can find it all a lot of different colors ranging from black to purple to white, but all iridescent and shiny. Unless you're planning to cover your entire body with mica, it's easier to apply it damp, either with a sponge or a brush. It's great worked into moisturizer or mixed with lip balm or even put into nail polish. It's inert, so if it gets in your mouth it won't hurt you, but it will still bother your eyes like any dust would, so be careful applying it around the eye area. Because it's so fine, it can be flyaway otherwise, and truly untidy. But it's so much fun to experiment with, you may just decide to buy a big powder puff and go for it.See a selection of mica makeup that will glam up your eighties look.

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Put some glamour into your eighties lookBut if you're looking to do something more glam, Madonna is your model. Not the Madonna of today, with her London-Pilates-yoga chic, but the younger, earthy, in-your-face fashionista who successful combined wedding gowns with soldier boots. Any woman who was a teen in the eighties probably has a mental picture of Madonna that makes ordinary eighties clothing and makeup look like something from another century. Madonna wore makeup, all right, but she wasn't afraid to tear it up with plenty of white foundation and stark black eyeliners. Eighties fashion for the fashionable was all about extremes: shock had its value, and the idea that everyday women were wearing shoulder pads and big brass buttons to claim their share of the glass ceiling workplace was laughable. There was an interesting thing happening in the 1980's: some women were trying to climb the corporate ladder while others were trying to capitalize on a sort of brooding sexuality. The combination was confusing, since the clothes were hard edged but the faces were hidden under piles of makeup. It's almost like women had taken up full body and face armor to meet the wars of the workplace.
80s hair and make-up stylesGlam came along in the 1980s, and the cosmetic and clothing fashions were a combination of Star Trek and an Illinois Human Resources convention. Glam makeup practically preceded the wearer into the room: we're talking eyes so smoky they teared from all the goopy makeup, and big, pillowy, pouty lips, the kind of lips that say, "kiss me and then I'll sue you for sexual harassment". The average woman put on a lot of makeup, did things to her hair with curling irons and blow dryers and three kinds of gel, and then it was time to do her eyebrows.
More 80’s fashion and outfit ideas

Other 80's styles included workout gear, because the 80's was the time when aerobics really hit the big time. Jane Fonda's workout video made leg warmers a must-have, and it became fashionable to be thin so you could look really great in your gym wear. We saw the advent of lavender jogging suits for women, millions of cross trainers and meaningless little visors for running in the sun while it burned the top of your head. Sunglasses were big, so big in fact, that they reduced the wearer's face to the size of a bug's. Indoor glasses were also big and round, covering from cheek to eyebrow and resulting in glasses wearers pouring on even more eye makeup than ever before.

1970s Style Disco Makeup and Era Fashions that have a Vintage Flair.

2006-11-29T04:58:00.000-08:00

Seventies hairstyles were long, straight and natural hair cutsThe Sixties left the coming decade with an taste for the natural, and the Seventies era particularized the “Natural Look” to makeup and hair. Hair was long, smooth, often very straight, but ideally with a flip on the ends. Think the Mary Tyler Moore show, and you've got the early to middle '70s in a nutshell. The longer hairstyles still required the large curlers used in the '60s to create big waves, but electric curling irons were added to the mix when Farrah Fawcett Majors became on of the decade's "It" girls. The flicked up hair cuts worn to some extent by all of Charlie's Angels was applied to bangs or wings on the sides of the head. Farrah combined flicks on both sides with a high lofted center and amazing, wavy curls in streaky golden hair. Never mind that the fabulous Angel had stylists galore to keep her look fresh and "natural"; everybody wanted to look like that. And 'that' entailed more than a superb and constantly-renewed layered haircut: it meant hours with the curling iron, plenty of hair spray or mousse and strict avoidance of anything athletic, outdoorsy or the least bit—well, you know—natural.
1970s make-up styles had a natural, surfer appealAlong with the "natural" hair of the '70s came a natural look in skin and cosmetics. Earlier decades had made fashionable the dead white complexion, the flawless matte of a movie star skin, and the rosy blush of innocence through the magic of foundation. In the Seventies, it was cool to resemble to surfers at Venice Beach: an all over tan, a golden glow around the face, and minimal looking make up were the things to strive for. Bronzers made an appearance, fake tanning fluids turned thousands of young women bright orange, and women who today look with alarm at the spots appearing on middle aged skin laid out all summer covered all too lightly in a bikini and a slick coat of baby oil. 1970s makeup mavens lightened up on the eye makeup, with mascara nearly disappearing for daywear except for something to lengthen, not necessarily thicken the eyelashes. White or pale blue eyeliner was sometimes used on the inside lid to make the eyes appear larger, but dark eyeliners were out of fashion. Pearlescent colors were popular for eye shadow, nail polish and lipstick, and liquid eye shadows became the rage. When foundation was worn at all, it was not matted down with powder, but left alone to shine a bit.
Updated skin care and skin appearances in the 70’sSkin care became more of a concept in the Seventies. In earlier decades, women were concerned about keeping their skin clean and moisturized: most women's skin care arsenal consisted of a bar of soap and a big jar of vintage Ponds cold cream. In the Seventies, products that had been available in spas were being sold to the general public; face masks, toners, astringents and a thousand other cosmetic skin care preparations found their way onto women's shelves—and into their faces. Natural products like oatmeal, avocado and milk were popularized as the public was made more aware of how what they put on their skin might affect their overall health.
Disco Fashions, Hair and Cosmetics that Danced the Night AwayJust a wee bit off the mainstream, ethnic inspired fashions were making statements on the street, at school and even at work. Afros were popular for African Americans, showing a new pride in natural hair that had often been suppressed by ironing or chemical straighteners. In solidarity, some Caucasian men wore Afros, too. Clothing fashions for women included turbans, tunics worn over lounge pants, chunky beaded jewelry and woven handbags. Disco was big in the '70s, and the film Saturday Night Live helped create a subculture that sent some young people to discos in micro-minis, heels too clunky to dance in and blinding white disco costumes. Makeup was essentially the same, as was women's hair; it was the disco clothing styles that made it all happen, man. The classic retro '70's outfit for men is still the white disco suit, open-necked, with gold chains.

70s Mod Makeup and Flower Power Fashions that were Popular in the Seventies

2006-11-29T04:57:00.000-08:00

The shift between the '50s and the '60s is usually explained by the fact that, during the Sixties, around 70 million young people became teenagers nearly overnight. In a country whose populations was about 177 million, a significant portion of the population was undergoing that radical, hormone induced, years-long agony called puberty. Post-war economics had made many people comfortable, and teens had more spending power and personal freedom than ever. By sheer numbers, teenagers recreated fashion as a youthful enterprise. The fashions of the Fifties decade were for grown women; Sixties fashion knocked about ten years off the average age of the consumer. When nearly half a nation is adolescent, you can predict rebellion on a grand scale. Add to that the fact that young men were expected to register for the draft and go to war; add to that the tremendous social injustices being perpetrated against blacks and women; add now the passion and power of entitled youth: how could you have anything but an era of revolution?
Sixties Fashions and Clothes for WomenBut, between parental concern and the innate conservatism of the teaching profession, fashion treads slowly at school. School fashions were still modest, with skirt hems below the knee. There wasn't much change between school clothing of the Fifties and early Sixties; administrators simply wouldn't allow it. But trends and party styles changed; jeans and mini-skirts appeared. Hippies wore jeans, granny skirts, combat boots, T-shirts with messages, love beads and sandals. Macramé handbags, ponchos and other ethnic-inspired fashions abounded. Girl Hippies' hair styles were long and straight; girls with wavy or curly hair either combed perm fluid through it or ironed it flat and glossy. Hippies didn't wear makeup, except maybe some fruit-flavored lip gloss; some took to washing at longer intervals, in reaction to the starched cleanliness of the Establishment.
The Mini Skirt Was Part of the Mod Sixties StylesMiniskirts were invented and hit it big in 1966, starting in England, and crossing the Atlantic along with short, bobbed hair and the supermodel Twiggy. The fashionable figure was thin as a rake, only with breasts. The new polyester fabrics were marvelous—drip dry, fitted without necessarily being clingy, and available in a thousand outrageous colors. Bright colors were in: orange, lime green and psychedelic patterns made their debut on the super-short skirts worn by schoolgirls and young women. Platform sandals and go-go boots made short skirts seem even shorter. Kids who didn't go hippie were influenced by the English invasion which brought the Beatles. Parents must have been terrified by hippies, but horror-struck when they saw the micro-mini skirts, heavy makeup and tall, wedge shoes affected by Brit-fashion loving teens. Hairstyles were more controlled than the hippies' smooth hair and could be short or long. Long hair was adorned with tightly wound curls whether up or down—think Sean Connery's James Bond movies. Hair was rolled on curlers the size of soda cans, creating styles with long, luxurious waves. Wigs became popular for women.
1960s Makeup Styles and CosmeticsUnlike the too-natural Hippie look, the early Natural Look was anything but. Heavy foundation (called "translucent"), masked the complexion, which might then be brightened by a mod pink blush. Many cosmetics designers decided to forego blush entirely, settling on a matte, slightly tanned look for foundations, and playing up the eyes. Lips were left nude, covered with foundation, or in shimmering, titanium-based lipsticks in shades so pale they made models into anemic aliens. Pale, silvery lips and a broad expanse of colorless face put focus on the eyes. Mascara was vital to the look; preferably so thickly applied that the lashes clumped together in spikes like false eyelashes. False eyelashes were also in vogue, and many women put mascara on top of them. Eye makeup was harsh: eyeliner all the way around the eye; eye shadow up to the browbone, even in daytime. Big, dramatic eyes were the ultimate fashion ploy. A '60s party theme is Flower Power. Vintage costumes, long boots, groovy music and strobe lights make the look.