Posts filed under 'Beauty'
Slathering a whole lot of creams and lotions on the skin cannot make it glow. It is balanced and nutrient-rich diets that can bring a soft incandescence to the skin making it look beautiful. Vitamin A, C and E are increasingly important because of their antioxidant capabilities. Free radicals are thought to be the cause of many diseases from cancers to colds. The free radicals damage a person’s DNA, causing unwanted changes in the basic building blocks of the cells. This damage can often be prevented, and sometimes be reversed, with the healing properties of antioxidants.
Vitamin A works as an antioxidant of invaluable worth. It disarms molecules called the free radicals. These are unleashed by white blood cells whenever the skin is irritated by sun, smoke or pollution. If left unchecked free radical molecules cause damage to healthy skin collagen, which brings firmness to the skin. Damaged collagen causes wrinkles, slacken the skin and can lead to skin cancer. Vitamin A is found in many yellow and green vegetables, egg yolk, butter, liver and fish oils. Retinoids, the active ingredients in vitamin A, can reduce and prevent wrinkles, brown spots etc and bring about improvement in skin texture and tone.
Beta-carotene contained in carrots, leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes, squash, cantaloupes, meat, butter and cheese, also contains agents that act as free radical scavengers and protect the body cells. A combination of vitamin A and beta-carotene can work wonders in protecting the skin from harmful effects of free radicals.
Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is found in vegetables and citrus fruits. It acts as an antioxidant by scavenging and quenching free radicals throughout the body. The harmful effects caused by sunlight’s UVA and UVB rays can be nullified by vitamin C and this can control skin damage.
Vitamin E like vitamin A and C, is an antioxidant. When combined with Vitamin C, it acts as a powerful protective factor against the UVB rays of the sun. Vitamin E is present in vegetables, oils, seeds, corn, soy, whole-wheat flour, margarine, nuts and some meats and dairy products. Vitamin E is also used on the skin for protection against sunburn.
To find the required amount of antioxidants, it is necessary to eat a varied diet.
December 20th, 2006
I have been on photo shoots where the make-up artist spent most of his or her time working on a model’s skin. At first, this didn’t make sense to me: why not devote more energy to features like the eyes or mouth? Then a make-up artist explained to me that skin is the foundation of the complete look. If skin looks flawed, no one will look past it to see the eyes or mouth. That made sense. After that, I made more effort with foundation, concealer, and powder. I also started looking more closely at my skin-care regime-after all, make-up can help hide skin problems, but it can never be a substitute for good skin care.
A powder compact is an invaluable accessory for a busy woman. You can quickly powder your face during a hectic day and keep your skin looking smooth, even, and blemish-free.
October 16th, 2006
After living with the cut a while, I would grow frustrated. With the above-mentioned bob, for example, I woke up at 5 a.m. each morning to wash and condition my hair, blow-dry, and say a prayer asking the weather gods for a perfectly dry day because even a touch of humidity would encourage my strands to return to their wavy ways. By the end of the day, my hair had begun creeping back to its natural position. If had a dinner date, I needed to run home and either wet my hair down and re-blow-dry, or plug in a straightening iron and spend 30 minutes removing kinks. My straight-haired friends literally woke up and ran a brush through their hair. That’s it. Their strands fell effortlessly into place, which meant they could go from college to a night out without going home first. Yet even this wasn’t enough to tell me I had chosen the wrong style.
At the time, I was a drama student. It took a comment from the drama department’s costume and make-up director to make me rethink my coif. “Your hairstyle makes your chin look weak,” she said. “You might want to try a softer style.” But the cut was such a sexy, late 80s, New Wave look! I loved it! “You like the haircut better than you like your face?” she asked. She had a point. I stopped blow-drying my strands straight and had a few softening layers added. The moral of this long-winded tale? A hairstyle should accentuate your total look-not be your look.
Tweak your look to keep it modern and to ward off boredom, but don’t have a radical change simply for the sake of change. If you’re happy with a cut and it works for you, why give it up?
September 29th, 2006
Fat injections are ideal for plumping up the deep lines that run from nose to mouth and mouth to chin. They’re also great for filling in indented scars or the depressed areas that show up on some of our lower cheeks as we age. One of the nice things about these injections is that the process uses a material that may already be hanging around your tummy, bottom, or thighs: fat. It doesn’t require a lot of fat, usually just a few ounces. After choosing a donor site, your dermatologist will clean and anesthetize the area before making a small incision, from which fat is withdrawn. Before the fat can be reinjected, however, it must be purified of any blood or other material.
Dermatologists can also plump up old-looking hands with a fat transplantation procedure. After all, when it comes to broadcasting your age, your hands speak louder than your face.
Once the fat is cleansed, you can return to your dermatologist, who will numb the area to be treated before injecting it with fat cells. No bandages or other wrapping are required afterwards. The entire procedure usually takes an hour. Results last about 3 to 6 months. With repeated treatments, however, the outcome can last longer. This is because some of the fat begins to incorporate into the surrounding tissue.
September 25th, 2006
You probably know menopause is that time when your ovaries stop producing oestrogen. Menopause can occur at any time during your adult years, but most commonly happens during your late 40s to mid-50s. Yet regardless of when it happens, menopause signals the end of your reproductive years, meaning no more pregnancies and no more periods. In my opinion, there are some fabulous benefits to this, including not having to worry about birth control and never suffering from menstrual cramps again. Menopause is not, however, so fabulous for your hair. That’s because oestrogen protects you against hair loss; without oestrogen, your locks may grow noticeably thinner. For those of you who aren’t near menopause, ask your mothers, aunts, grandmothers, or post-menopausal friends about how their mane altered after “the change”; most will admit their hair has not only grown a little (or a lot) thinner, but also finer in texture.
More had news. For those of you genetically predisposed toward female-pattern hair loss, menopause is when you’ll learn whether or not you’re going to be affected- this also has to do with the sudden lack of hair-helping oestrogen. Some women find hormone replacement therapy protects them near-totally or partially from all kinds of post-menopausal hair loss. However, hormone replacement therapy has been linked with breast, endometrial, and liver cancers; discuss the risks with your doctor.
Hair do don’ts
I generally dislike categorizing hairstyles as “do’s” or don’ts”. However, here are two looks that I cannot keep quiet about:
1. You still come across the flick every so often, even though the style hasn’t been in fashion since the 70s and 80s. To achive the result, the fringe is teased at the roots and combed back. It is then sprayed with plenty of hair spray or alternatively, it is heavily gelled. The fringe, or flick, then falls like a wave away from the forehead. The heavy use of styling products has the effect of creating a single “piece” of stiffened hair.
2. The mullet is another look from the 80s. During punk days, the style was adopted by both females and males. Today, however, it is more commonly seen on men. From the front, the coif appears to be a typical men’s short cut. It’s not until you get past the ears that it becomes obvious a man is wearing a mullet; there, hair suddenly drops into a longer’ do. Interestingly, some men sport mullets that are very short up front and very long at the back. Other names for the mullet include the ape drape, the hockey cut, the dual-cut, and the country & western. In addition to rural and suburban men in English-speaking countries, the mullet is popular among North American ice-hockey players, country singers, and in Central and South America.
September 16th, 2006
Age may be just a numbers, but why have them know it when you can keep them guessing? The baby steps to loosing year’s starts with your hair and make-up and wearing gloss that can make a big difference
However, discovering ageless style isn’t always a piece of birthday cake. Sometimes, turning to a baby clip or an awkward crop can make you look like you are trying just too hard! So if its easy cosmetic changes here and there you are seeking, then your search ends here.
• Don’t wear tons of make-up
• Youthful skin grows to get healthy tons. Wake it up with regular exfoliation.
• High or low, definitely follow a skin care regime of cleansing, toning and moisturizing.
• Opt for cream-based cheek color over powdered one. When applying blush, tap and dab the color lightly only on the apples.
• Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate!
• Caramels, dusty pinks topped with gloss make the lips look much younger
• Stay away from matte reds, browns and deep mauves.
• The right concealer can take away years, but a wrong colored one can make your eye bags look much darker.
• For those wearing glasses, stay away from mental frames and go for colored plastic ones.
• As far as eyeliners go, choose from grey or brown instead of black.
• Mascara is a great lifter for the eyes but too much can look cakey and terribly severe.
• Hold the forsty lip and nail colors.
• Don’t line your lips.
• The shape of your eyebrow is very important in taking off the years. Not the pencil thin one, nor the bushy ones. Go for a medium thick brow that looks like it’s naturally in good shape.
• The keyword is bronzed, not tanned, thank you!
• For toenail color, go for bright like fuschia and red, but for the hands, stick to neutrals or natural color.
• When getting a hair cut, frame your face well with layers it all in one length.
• Fringes and bangs are very cute.
• Don’t forget the neck when moisturizing your face. Neck is dead give away of age.
• Pamper your tootsies and palms to body oil or creams regularly
September 2nd, 2006
Severe diets that skimp on calories and on one or more nutrients are detrimental to your skin, and so are eating habits that include plenty of complexion-spoiling fast food. Here’s a rundown of common nutrient deficiencies and how they can affect your complexion:
• A lack of protein can lead to a dull, dry complexion and poor wound-healing.
• A shortage of iron can result in a pale complexion.
• A lack of vitamin A can produce dry skin or unexplained break outs.
• A deficiency in vitamin B complex can result in cracks at the corners of the mouth, unexplained break outs, impaired wound-healing, and pallor.
• A lack of vitamin C can cause poor wound-healing, dullness, and easy bruising.
• A shortage of vitamin E can lead to poor wound-healing and dry skin.
• A lack of vitamin K can result in weak, broken, or distended facial capillaries.
• By avoiding just food and sticking to a diet containing all the necessary nutrients, you’ll notice the difference in your complexion.
August 28th, 2006
RUB AWAY FATIGUE - A foot massage can reduce fatigue, rejuvenate muscles, and stimulates nerve endings. The better shape your risk of injury.
Here a 10- minutes do - it- yourself massage. Treat yourself as often as you like. (Note: Do not massage your feet if you have a contagious skin condition such as athlete’s foot. If you have diabetes, consult your physician first.)
1. Working the sole of one clean, bare foot at a time, start by moving the heel of your hand or your thumb in long strokes from the heel to the base of the toes.
2. With comfortable but firm pressure, use a fingertip or thumb to make little circles (the size of a 50p coin) all over the sole of the foot.
3. For deeper relief, press your thumb directly into one point on the sole, and hold for s few seconds. Do this all over the bottom of your foot.
4. Grasping one toe at a time between your thumb and finger, simultaneously squeeze and tug gently along the length of the toe.
5. Finish by making little circles (as in step 2) around the ankle bones.
Other feel-good ideas:
• Put small, sturdy glass bottle or a tennis ball on the floor, and roll it under your foot, bearing down with a little pressure. (Chill the bottle or ball for added relief.)
• Alternate hot and cold foot baths, soaking in hot water for 5 minutes, then cold water for 30 to 60 seconds.
• Use specialty sandals or massage beds; both have nubby insoles/ bases to stimulate circulation.
• Splurge on a professional foot massage.
July 28th, 2006
Winter’s chill may make you crave steamy baths, but long soaks can strip away natural oils. Leaving winter dry skin more dehydrated. Fortunately, there is an easy way to restore moisture. It starts in the kitchen: Mix ½ cup dry oatmeal and ¼ cup buttermilk into a paste. Place in 4 layers of cheesecloth and tie up the ends like a parcel with a baggie tie. Run the shower and rub the cheesecloth bag over your body for a minute or so to gently exfoliate your skin.
Tip: A humid environment will keep your skin from drying out and itching. Moisture can be very soothing if you have psoriasis and the accompanying thick, scaly patches.
July 20th, 2006
You are suffering from eczema if you feel itchy on the scalp. An itchy scalp can be caused by inadequate rinsing after shampooing. Sometimes, it may be caused due to covering the head, effect of chlorine, salt and chemicals in hair preparations.
Solution for eczema
. Use a mild vinegar rinse before shampooing.
. Wash your hair on alternate days with a very mild shampoo followed by a herbal, lemon or vinegar rinse.
. Use a scalp conditioner regularly.
. The herbs i.e. Nettle (bichchubooti), Parsley (Ajmod), Thyme (ban ajwain),
rosemary (rusemary), Yarrow (gahastrapani), Raspberry leaves are all healing and soothing agents.
July 9th, 2006
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