Monday, June 14, 2010

The Quest for Beauty on a Bargain

One thing is for sure, even if different societies have different standards for beauty we all strive to achieve a certain standard. Whether it is a simple one we have set for ourselves or the sometimes almost impossible standard imposed on us by the media, we all go on that all important quest for beauty.

The desire to look good is inherent in all of us although some people are more diligent in acting on this desire. Sometimes in our minds, we want to look a certain way but our bodies and nature fail us. Sometimes, it takes too much time which some of us dont have. Looking good can mean a lot of time spent on rituals and it can also mean a lot of good dollar spent on beauty and cosmetic products.

There are just so many products that one has to use to stay beautiful especially if one is not genetically lucky to have been born with good skin, good hair or a great body to begin with.

The key in looking good is to take the best possible care of the body by leading a healthy lifestyle and using beauty products that provide the best and most consistent results. This will entail a lot of discipline in your part as leading a totally healthy lifestyle is not the easiest thing in the world. As for using the best beauty products in the market, this will require a lot of research and testing as you need to find what works for you. All products have different effects for people as the bodys chemicals reacts with the products chemical make-up. Some products that work magnificently for one person may not work for another.

To find the best cosmetic and beauty products available in the world, go online and read forums and reviews on specific products. You can search for a specific product targeting your specific beauty concern and read up on the available products in the market. Then you can read up on independent consumer reviews and opinions. Looking for beauty products online will also help you find products you have not previously heard of.

Once you have chosen all the products you need to help you look and feel your best, use the internet to find the best deal on beauty products online. There are plenty of websites offering a wide range of beauty products from hair care to nail products. Compare prices so that you can get the best beauty deal online. There are a lot of benefits to shopping for beauty products online. You can do the whole thing at the comforts of your own home and you can also get enormous discounts from online retailers. You also get the products directly in your mail which saves you time.

It may be best to try to get product samples before you purchase a product and once youre sure its the best brand for you, you can order them online. Online retailers are able to extend generous discounts because they do not maintain a physical store and have less overhead and operational costs.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

How to Apply Fake Tan

The dangers of sunbathing are well documented which is why self tanning is becoming increasingly popular. Follow these simple steps to ensure you achieve a perfect looking tan.

Pre- Application

(a) If you have sensitive skin, do a patch test on a small area of skin 24 hours before applying to the entire body. If a reaction develops do not use.

(b) Exfoliate thoroughly and preferably for 2-3 days prior to the self tan application. This will give a smoother surface for the fake tan to be applied and will prevent the tan becoming patchy and uneven.

(c) Moisturise on a daily basis, preferable using a moisturiser that is from the same brand as the self tanning product. Avoid oil based moisturisers which can prevent absorption of self tanning products making them patchy and uneven.

(d) Remove any unwanted hair at least 24 hours before applying the self tan.

(e) Remove hard skin from heels of feet.


Before You Start

(a) Remove all traces of make up with a non oil based cleanser or make up remover.

(b) Remove jewellery.

(c) Do not wear perfume, deodorant or oil based body lotion.


Application Instructions

Step 1: Exfoliating
Exfoliate the entire body using a generous amount of exfoliating product, paying particular attention to elbows, knees, hands, feet and ankles. Once the product has been rubbed thoroughly into the skin it can either be mitted, sponged or rinsed off. Dry the skin thoroughly.

Step 2: Moisturising
Apply moisturising body lotion all over the body, paying particular attention to drier areas including the elbows, knees, ankles, feet and hands. Leave to absorb thoroughly.

Step 3: Fake Tan Application
(a) Wear gloves to protect the hands from staining.
(b) Apply a small amount of fake tan to the fingertips, and apply to the face in small circular movements. Blend the product over the entire face, as if applying foundation. (c) Apply minimum product around the eyebrows and hair line, to the ears and behind the ears.
(d) Apply the product evenly to the neck and shoulders, again working in small circular movements down towards the arms.
(e) Bend the elbows, and apply minimum product to elbows working down towards the lower arm and apply evenly.
(f) Apply product to breast area if required working down towards the stomach.
Bend knees and sweep only minimum product over knees.
(g) Apply a generous amount of product evenly to upper and lower legs but again using minimum products over the ankle.
(h) Sweep minimal fake tan over the feet, avoiding contact with the nails and soles of the feet as this may cause staining.
(i) Ask someone to help you apply self tan to your back.
(j) Take off one glove and sweep it across the other hand. Take off the second glove and sweep it over the other hand gently. Avoid getting product on the nail plate and palms of the hands as this causes staining.

Step4: Allow to dry thoroughly without coming into contact with water


While Tan Develops

(a) Wear loose clothing and no footwear if possible
(b) Avoid perspiration by avoiding exercise and heat
(c) Keep the skin completely dry
(d) Do not apply any other toiletries or beauty products
(e) Do not shower for at least 6-8 hours. Preferably apply before bed and shower in the morning.

After the tan has developed avoid using the following beauty products:

(a) Harsh exfoliating products and facial scrubs
(b) Products that contain AHAs
(c) Body brushes / loofahs / mitts

Gently pat the skin dry after showering, do not rub. Avoid excessive use of soaps. Avoid waxing, shaving or bleaching. Avoid swimming as this will shorten the life of the tan, and will lighten the colour.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Easy Home Remedy for Moisture control of Skin

Many women find that their skin becomes drier after the age of 35.This may be a welcome change for those who suffered from oily skin earlier in life, but women with normal or dry skin may find that their skin appears flaky, tight, and lacks the lustrous appearance that moisture imparts. Skin dryness is caused not only by moisture loss from the skin's outer layer, but also from a lack of moisture moving upward from the underlying layers of the skin. Applying a moisturizer softens and moisturizes the top layer of skin, but the effects are only temporary.

To have soft, pliable, moist skin, you need to lubricate your skin from the inside. Drink at least six glasses of pure water daily and eat plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits to keep your body tissues well-hydrated. Don't wait to drink until you are thirsty because by then you are already dehydrated. Instead, keep a container of water handy for sipping throughout the day. If you find plain water boring, try making unsweetened or lightly sweetened herbal teas such as linden flower, chamomile, or mint.

A moist external environment also provides moisture for your skin and helps to keep cells plump. Use a humidifier during the winter months to counteract the drying effects of indoor heating and also during the summer if you use air conditioning or if you live in a dry climate. Misting your skin frequently with pure mineral water or a facial mist containing floral waters and aromatherapy essential oils provides an immediate and refreshing boost of moisture for your skin throughout the day. Soaking in a warm bath is an effective way of hydrating the skin of your entire body. Avoid excessively hot water, because it can remove protective oils from your skin. After a 15-minute soak, massage your body with an aromatherapy oil while you are still wet from the bath, and then gently pat your skin dry with a towel. The thin layer of aromatherapy oil acts as a protective barrier that prevents the evaporation of moisture that your skin has absorbed from the bath.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Dealing With Dandruff - Natural Treatments

CAUSES OF DANDRUFF

Although the cause of dandruff is not completely understood, it is currently theorized that one of the main causes is a breakdown of the scalps natural lipid barrier, leaving it more exposed to infection by the microscopic yeast that is commonly found in the scalp. When the yeast overgrows, it leads to an inflammatory response that kills off scalp cells at a high rate, which in turn slough off in sticky patches and flakes.

The condition is identified by:

 White or clear flakes on the scalp, through the hair, and on clothing.
 Itchy scalp which may be red and inflamed.

Some young teens find they develop dandruff when they hit puberty because their hygiene habits haven’t changed to meet the challenges of newly accelerated sebum production.

Stress, poor hygiene and poor diet can make the scalp more susceptible to dandruff. High sugar foods in particular are known to exacerbate yeast infections.

The hair should be brushed regularly to loosen flakes and stimulate blood supply to the scalp, which will accelerate the natural immune response to infection.

TREATING DANDRUFF

There are few habits you can develop and natural treatments you can use to treat dandruff.

Nutrition: An excess of sugar in the diet can exacerbate any yeast infection. Try reducing your intake of all sugars and refined starches while treating for dandruff.

Cleansing: Massage your scalp thoroughly with your fingertips when shampooing. This will help loosen and remove any dead skin flakes and help prevent the infection from continuing. Wash your hair daily until the infection is cleared up.

Conditioning: Use a protective hair condition on the ends of hair only. Avoid getting conditioner on your scalp where it can clog pores and interfere with healing of the skin.

Other Treatments:

○ Massage: Massaging your scalp several times a day with the pads of the fingers only will stimulate blood supply to the hair follicles and help loosen the dead skin flakes.

○ Brushing: Brushing your hair thoroughly on a daily basis will help loosen and remove dead skin flakes, increase the smooth flow of sebum along the hair shaft, and increase blood supply to the hair follicles.

○ Wash Hands After Brushing and Grooming Hair: Fungal infections of the skin are highly contagious, and it is easy to reinfect and spread to other areas of the body. This is why it’s important to wash your hair daily and to brush out any loose dandruff flakes – so that healthy areas of the scalp will not be infected. Washing your hands after brushing, massaging and grooming your hair will also help prevent reinfection or cross infection.

The following herbs and nutrients have been shown to reduce dandruff infections:

Natural Internal Treatments for Dandruff

Alpha-Lipoic Acid, Vanadyl Sulfate, Gynema Sylvestre and Chromium are all natural regulators of blood sugar levels. The can help prevent feeding the infection by keeping blood sugar levels normalized.

Olive Leaf and Oregano Leaf are both natural systemic antifungal agents.

Natural External Treatments for Dandruff

The following herbs can be used as a tonic for reducing fungal infections on a topical basis. Extracts of these herbs or a several drops of their essential oils dissolved in aloe vera gel or witch hazel can greatly relieve the symptoms of itching and flaking in dandruff. Tea tree oil is particularly effective against fungal and bacterial infections.
Clary Sage
Desert Sage
Eucalyptus
Fumitory
Ginkgo Biloba
Ginsen
Grapefruit Seed Extract
Grapefruit Essential Oil
Grapeseed Extract
Juniper Berry Essential Oil
Lavender Essential Oil
Lemongrass
Myrtle
Oregano
Poke Root
Rosemary
Tea Tree Oil

Plastic Surgery Financing: Cheap And Affordable?

Although the advances in technology makes plastic surgery accessible to loads of people, the cost of certain complex procedures is still on the higher side for some people. Thankfully, plastic surgery financing renders such procedures affordable to those who might otherwise renounce the option of surgery due to high expense. Since cosmetic surgery is not covered by health insurance schemes, financing is the only way to cut down the cost of certain expensive procedures.

Several financing options are available to patients. Patients may either opt for easy installment schemes offered by the surgeon or may acquire wealthbuilding.co.za">credit from outside sources. However, it is imperative that the patient puts in a diligent effort to conduct preliminary research, in order to find the best possible financing plan. Plastic surgery financing is available irrespective of complexity and length of the procedure. However, the monthly installment may vary, depending on the total cost of the procedure and time required to repay the loan. Moreover, its always nice to have a good wealthbuilding.co.za">credit rating, since that aids heavily in acquiring the much needed loan for the surgery.

It might be the case that you wont have to fish around for a wealthbuilding.co.za">credit source. Most reputed surgeons have liaisons with plastic surgery financing firms, which make the loan application and approval process a cinch. However, it is advisable to explore all possible options for finance, and then opt for the one that has a suitable rate of interest and installment scheme.

Its true that plastic surgery financing can provide you access to those fabulous cosmetic surgery procedures, which might otherwise seem pricey. But in search for a cheap and affordable option, you must not compromise on the expertise and experience of the surgeon. After all, what would you gain by paying less, if the surgery is an unsuccessful endeavor? Therefore, your primary goal should be to search for an expert surgeon and then look for financing.

Enhanced Fat Loss with Interval Training

In this article I want to compare traditional long, slow cardio with interval training for fat loss. From a fat loss standpoint, the more calories you burn, the better. Let's see how good long, slow cardio and interval training are at burning calories.

Long, slow cardio burns more calories during training, but interval training burns more calories overall (during and after training), because it makes you burn calories between training sessions since your body must recover from the intense bout. It's "hard" on your body. Winner: interval training.

Long, slow cardio won't help you gain muscle mass. On the other hand, interval training makes you gain muscle mass, because to sprint or bike like crazy you need to push on the pedal really hard. This builds muscle (think of a sprinter). Since the more muscle you have, the higher is your resting metabolic rate, interval training makes you burn more calories all day, every day. Winner: interval training.

Another benefit of interval training is that it takes much less time (about 30 minutes per session). Winner: interval training.

On the other hand, interval training is too hard for beginners. If you're a beginner, stick to slow jogging first for two weeks, and then experiment with increasing the pace for 5 minutes and walking for the next 5 minutes. Once that becomes easy, shorten the work interval and increase its speed. Winner: long, slow cardio.

Overall, if you're fit, interval training is best. But since it's very hard on the body, no one (even elite runners) does it more than twice per week. So, to lose fat quickly, your best bet is a combination of interval training (1-2 times per week) and long, slow cardio (2-3 times per week). Plus it brings variety to your training, which is good. Winner: both.

To sum up, if you want to maximize fat loss, I suggest you do interval training alone on the days you do it, and that you do some weight lifting and then long, slow cardio on the other days you train.

This being said, the specifics of interval training can get tricky. Hopefully I can share with you the method I prefer later. Athletes and smart trainers use interval training: you also should.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

6 Common Cosmetic Dental Procedures Explained

Cosmetic dentistry helps many people get a confident smile, and also corrects many dental anomalies. Six of the most common cosmetic dental procedures are:

1.Dental bonding: This is carried out to fill gaps in the teeth and cover stains and chips. The process involves the application of a composite resin material to the tooth. The material, which is available in several shades, is sculpted to cover the desired area. It is then dried using a high-intensity light or a chemical. The process does not cause any discomfort to the patient except when a minor tooth roughening is done. Dental bonding does not require more than one visit to the dentist and is relatively inexpensive as compared to other dental restoration techniques.

2.Tooth contouring and reshaping: This quick, inexpensive, and non-invasive procedure is used to fix dental issues such as overlaps, shallow pits and grooves in the enamel, worn edges, and chipped teeth. The dentist uses a polishing instrument for the removal of a tiny amount of enamel and the tooth is reformed. The enamel removal procedure is carried out only after dentists confirm through x-rays that the teeth requiring reshaping are strong enough to withstand some enamel loss. The process is completed with the smoothing and polishing of the edges of the newly contoured tooth. The process usually requires a follow-up visit after the first visit.

3.Mouth guards and night guards: These are plastic appliances that offer protection to the mouth during sports and also while sleeping. Mouth guards disperse shock caused by violent contact and thus protect the head and neck. They are prepared using a cast of the teeth. The mouth guards can be stock, mouth-formed, or custom-made. Night guards prevent bruxing between teeth during sleep. They are ideal for people with worn teeth, those who suffer aches in the jaws, and people with teeth that are sensitive to cold.

4.Halitosis or bad breath: The breakdown of food particles by the bacteria present under plaque, in the crevices on the tongue, and between teeth leads to the generation of volatile sulfur compounds (VSC) that cause bad breath. Periodontal disease is also a cause of halitosis. Dentists determine the amount of VSC being generated by using a halimeter. Treatment usually involves following a prescribed oral hygiene routine that may include the use of irrigators, artificial saliva, tongue scrapers, etc.

5.Tooth whitening: This treatment is useful for removing stains that appear due to the consumption to tea, coffee, cigarettes, and wine. Whitening is carried out using bleaching gel, which is usually hydrogen or carbamide peroxide. The gel breaks down releasing oxygen molecules that penetrate the enamel and dentin and disintegrate the stains. The time required for results to appear depends upon the source of the stain and varies from a few hours to a few weeks.

6.Crowns and bridges: Teeth that need repair after an accident or excessive decay can be treated by using a crown, which is an artificial replacement for the upper portion of the tooth. A bridge involves placing an alternate tooth that is held in place using two crowns that are bonded on adjacent teeth.