Being Different

When Christmas is just around the corner, we can’t help but think of all things lavish and splendid.  Christmas, after all, is the most wonderful time of the year.  Everybody is having the same thought of being noticeable and being different among the many.  Today, tester gathers  all the luxurious fashion creation, with which you can pamper yourself to the fullest throughout the season. 

From casual to elegant style of bags you will be confident while you are on your feet.  The choice is yours with the  designer bags.  You have the  choice to pick out the best bags you want.  From simple  to huge occasions.   Designer bags will make you stand out in the crowd.  You can complete the look you want with the collection of shoes.  In tune with the  bags pairing, perfect  choice of the  designer shoes will look you outrageous.  

In a world of bare contrasts and restrained tones, life has a tendency to look ordinary.  But fashion and style is forever.  First along the line to present your best look with the designer dresses.  Your stunning look fashion icons would be like you’re on the red carpet.  Wear your choice of dress with such incredible style.  Always dress to feel you are the best.   All the trends.  All the time.

 

Banish that frizz! (2 of 2)

Good morning friends.  This is the second part of my article.  Let me continue here now ….

- DO try using a hair pick when your hair is wet, then finger comb when you hair is dry. If you have “bed head” in the morning, spritz your hair with water and finger comb into place.

- DO consider hair products that protect against UV rays as they have a Sun Protection Factor.

- DO buy a shower head water filter. It gives you chlorine-free and harsh mineral-free water that helps make the products you use more effective.

- DO drink a lot of water. The health of your hair also comes from within.

- DON’T overuse blow dryers, flat irons and curling irons. The more heat you use to style your hair, the more you are drying your strands out. If you must use one, set it at a lower temperature than you usually use… and use a thermal protectant on your hair before you begin.

- DON’T rub your hair with a towel when wet. Let your hair set in the towel for 10 minutes instead, then take the towel off. Use a hand towel to squeeze the hair up from the ends to the roots.

- DON’T touch your hair while it’s drying.

- DON’T use fine tooth combs and brushes.

- DON’T use styling products with high alcohol content or shampoos with sulfates.

- DON’T let your hairstylist use a razor to layer your hair. Although layering is good, razors contribute to split ends.

The most important DO is to love your hair. Many are jealous of the regal quality of curly and wavy hair!  - The Times of India

Banish that frizz! (1 of 2)

Good morning everyone.  Does your hair sometimes look like you just stuck your finger into an electrical outlet? Are there days your hair appears two feet taller than what it was the day before?

Chances are if your hair has even the slightest wave or curl, it’ll be susceptible to frizz. If the frizzes are messing with your looks, go through this list of Do’s and Don’ts:

- DO massage your scalp and hair with conditioner instead of shampoo. Natural oils will remain in your hair, relaxing the frizz.

- DO shampoo no more than twice or thrice a week as shampoo strips the hair off natural oil after each wash.

- DO rinse with the coldest water you can stand. The cold water locks down the hair cuticle and makes hair look sleeker, less frizzy.

- DO use a big round brush to smooth your hair as you dry. The advantage of aluminum brushes is that the inner core warms with the heat of the dryer, providing the double advantage of heat and styling at the same time.

- DO carry an umbrella if you think it might rain. Wet hair leads to frizz. And wear a hat to cover your head in the sun and the wind.

- DO have your hair cut regularly. No matter how long your hair is, split ends only add to the problem.

- DO blow dry in a downward motion. Running the hair dryer over hair up and down causes the cuticle to frizz and split. Divide hair is sections with curler pins and dry one section at a time.

Soak up the sun for a beautiful you!

Good morning friends.  While you’ve heard and have been told countless times how you must protect your skin from over exposure in the sun, a little bit of sunshine will do you a world of good. Here’s why you ought to step out a bit more…

- If you’re among those who’s always hated your pale skin, allow yourself a little bit of sunshine to get that healthy glow.

- Research says that regular exposure to sunlight will help protect your skin in the future because your body will build resistance to ultraviolet light over time that can be harmful to the skin.

- A little bit of tanning is fine — it makes your skin more resistive when infections come calling.

- Suffer from acne, boils, psoriasis or eczema? Get some sun. If your baby is suffering from diaper rash, leave the little one open in sunlight for a few minutes.

- Sunlight is also known to stimulate appetite and improve digestion and metabolism.

- There’s no other better way to boost your immune system than sunshine. Not only will this increase your white blood cells but also makes them fight diseases better.

- It improves circulation and increases the level of oxygen in your blood.

- Experts say that one of the best ways to calm down or improve your mood is to step out and soak up the sun. Sunlight encourages and increases the amount of endorphins and serotonin in your brain, which makes you feel better.

- Not sleeping properly in the nights? Blame it on the lack of sunlight you get during the day. Natural sunlight increases your melatonin output thereby letting you sleep peacefully.

- Sunlight is known to improve liver functioning and break down toxins that may lead to diseases.

- Have swollen, arthritic joints? Sit in the sun for some time daily.

- Sunlight aids in converting a form of cholesterol present in your skin into vitamin D, which then lowers blood cholesterol levels.  – The Times of India

Suffocate head lice for a cleaner scalp

Good morning friends.  A treatment that involves suffocating head lice is quite effective in battling the itchy problem, says a new study.

The non-neurotoxic treatment for head lice has an average of 91.2 per cent treatment success rate after one week, and is safe in humans from six months of age and up.

Benzyl Alcohol Lotion 5percent (known as UlesfiaTM) works by suffocating lice, a method which has been attempted by treating with household items such as mayonnaise, olive oil and petroleum jelly.

Studies have shown that overnight treatments with these home remedies may initially appear to kill lice, but later a ‘resurrection effect’ occurs after rinsing, because lice can resist asphyxiation. This is because of the louse’s ability to presumably close its spiracles, the external entry points to the breathing apparatus, when submerged.

Unlike commonly used asphyxiant remedies, scanning electron microscopy appears to indicate that benzyl alcohol lotion effectively asphyxiates lice by ‘stunning’ the spiracles open, allowing the lotion, comprised of mineral oil and other inactive ingredients, to infiltrate the ‘honeycomb’ respiratory apparatus and kill lice.

The phase III trials were comprised of two multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials, conducted among ten geographically diverse sites which assessed the clinical effectiveness and safety of benzyl alcohol lotion. The trails saw the participation of 250 volunteers, who were randomized to treatment or vehicle (lotion but with no active ingredient) groups, treatment was given at day one and day seven, and participants were checked for success at day eight and day 14. On day eight the treatment group had a success rate of 91.2 per cent as an average of both trials, and a 75.6 per cent success rate on day 14; in the vehicle group the success rates were 27.9 per cent and 15.5 per cent respectively.

Study author Terri L Meinking of Global Health Associates of Miami, US, said: “Existing over-the-counter head lice treatments contain neurotoxic pesticides as active ingredients, resulting in potential toxicity and other problems, including lengthy applications, odor, ineffective treatment. Resistance has also become a problem now that lice have had such prolonged exposure to these products.

This leaves practitioners, parents and patients hoping for a safe, non-neurotoxic cure.”

Meinking added: “Since the most popular products have been made readily available, their overuse has caused lice to become resistant just as bacteria have become resistant to many antibiotics.

Because benzyl alcohol lotion kills by suffocation, resistance should not be an issue.”  - The Times of India

The findings of the study have appeared in Pediatric Dermatology.

 

Get Rid of the Dark Circles Under Your Eyes

Vitamin K

This unique, rich formula contains Super Vitamin K which begins to work the instant you put it on to effectively eliminate the appearance of dark circle—and continued use helps to keep them away.  No prescription required.  Visit www.vitaksolution.com or call 1-888-766-7331

Visual source:  drugstore

Hot Baths

I’ve heard that hot baths can dry out my skin, but I love taking them when the weather gets cold.  Is there a way to make them more moisturizing? –H.J., Tarrytown, N.Y.

DON’T LET THE BATH GET TOO hot—it should be comfortable to step into.  “Hot water removes the oils from your skin,” says Jerome d. Fallon, M.D., instructor of dermatology at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.

“Add a few drops of an oil-based bath product—such as a bath oil or a soak—that is formulated to penetrate skin under water.  Avoid detergent-filled bubble baths and powders, which can dry out your skin,”  says Helga Hefner, a trainer in skin and body care at “Aveda.  Limit soaking time to 15 to 20 minutes.  (Try:  Aveeno Bath Treatment, Erbe Chamomile Bath Foam, Aveda soothing Aqua Therapy).

Beauty tricks use and you should, too!

LIPS  Natural-looking lips depend on correct lip-liner use.  Outline lips with a neutral pencil, then—and this is key—fill completely with the pencil.  top with gloss or lipstick, says Tina Earnshaw, a makeup pro who tends to stars such as Kate Winslet (on whose lower lip the pencil also helps fill in a tiny white scar).

HANDS  “Ignore your hands and they’ll be a give-away of aging,” says UCLA derm Joshua Wieder, M.D. (Think brown spots, dull skin, wrinkles) Dr. Wieder cites the youthful, unlined hands of an artist Kate Hudson and suggest treating yours to Renova or whatever anti-aging cream your use on your face.

BROWS  Matching your eyebrows to your hair makes you look faded (i.e., older), says Damone Roberts, who has tended the brows of Madonna, J.Lo and Lara Flynn Boyle.  His rule of brow;  if you’re blonde, brows should be a shade of two darker than your hair;  if brunette, opt for a shade or two lighter.

LASHES  The secret to luscious eyelashes?  Not just mascara—cake eyeliner, says Lisa Casino of Chroma Makeup, a studio Rachel Weisz frequents.  With a pointed brush, dot it between the base of lashes, then apply mascara.  This adds depth but “won’t read as eyeliner.”  

HAIR  Nelson Chan  of Estetica (client include Heather Graham) finishes hair wil gel, shine drops and, sometimes, a leave-in conditioner, all mixed in a spray bottle for more even application.  Try one part get to two parts waterl; add a few drops of a shine product or leave-in conditioner; shake well. – SELF

 

Touch-Up Trick

Cover roots with ColorMark, a dye that hides growing-in gray during that week or two before your next appointment.  The handheld tube comes with a sponge tip for easy home use.  The dye is temporary, so if you mismatch the shade, you can easily wash out your goof.  Of course, it may be prudent to pass up the paint when rain is in the forecast (or at least carry an umbrella)!

DANDRUFF COUBLE CHECK  Flake-fighting shampoos don’t have to be harsh on hair.  In fact, researchers at Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati found that anti-dandruff products with pyrithione zinc actually conditioned strands and stopped itchy scalp.  Get the ingredient in Denorex of Head & shoulder.

MAKEUP YOU’LL FLIP FOR  Curtail clutter in your cosmetics bag with the Styli-Stye Flat Pencil.  The rectangular shape lets you line eyes or lipsk then smooth on shadow or lipstick;  switch from narrow to wide side to change its use.  As it wears, stay on point with the Flat Sharpener.

WHAT FEET CAN LOOK FORWARD TO  Forget messy powders and goopy ointments.  You may be able to beautify red, irritated feet with antifungal socks coated with molecules that breakdown and kill germs and fungi (like the kinds that cause athlete’s foot).  The souped-up socks could be available in the next few years.  – SELF

Beauty Blaze!

A NATURAL SKIN CALMER    Here’s one for the avid outdoorswoman:  You can place powder from lycopodium (a moss that grows in forests) on wounds to stop bleeding and on skin to calm irritation.  Not traipsoing through the woods?  Enessa Lyco-silk mineral powder has packed the potent plant.  Sprinkle it on bumps and burn caused by shaving or waxing.

SPA SAFETY   Whirlpool baths can be a hotbed for the bacteria that cause the disease known as hot tub lung.  The Archives of Internal Medicine reports that the number of cases is rising, even as specialists say it likely remains under diagnosed.  If you’re frequent soaker, know the symptoms—persistent cough, shortness of breath, fever—and consider turning off the jets in public spas just to be safe (Bubbles can help bacteria get into the air, where it’s easier for you to inhale them.)

BROW WOW  If you use one eyebrow pencil, you might want to start using three, says Randi Mavestrand, a makeup artist in Los Angeles.  Short, light strokes of black, dark brown and gray give dimension, which is essential to creating a natural look.  Towheads and strawberry blonds, however, should skip the black and stick to lighter browns and grays.