Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Bikini Waxing Styles

Styles of bikini wax treatments are emerging in response to lifestyle and fashion trends. Waxing is probably the best way to remove unwanted hair from the bikini areas as it gives a smooth, clean surface and long-lasting results. Nowadays there are a few very popular pubic hair removal styles. No matter what is the reason you want to change your bikini “hairstyle“ you should be well informed and prepared before you visit the nearest beauty parlor.

Types Of Bikini Wax Styles:


Regular Bikini Wax
– this style is appropriate for “beginners“. The Bikini Style involves hair removal from the both sides of the bikini line. This pubic hair removal style is also known as “ the regular style“ and is used mainly by the older women. In other words the regular bikini wax removes hair just around the front of the bikini line.

French Wax – this style is similar to the bikini style. French style is also known as “modified bikini wax“`. It takes away some of the hair in the pubic region. The French style is appropriate for those women who love to wear bikinis and other skimpy outfits. In French Bikini Style a tiny, narrow strip of hair is left on the upper part.

Full Brazilian Style – also known as Hollywood Bikini Style, Bare Pubic Style, Sphynyx Style. The Full Brazilian is probably the most preferred pubic style. In it the pubic hair is completely removed, usually by waxing. In other words you are completely “bare“. The Full Brazilian wax involves a complete removal of hair from the buttocks, anus, vulva.

Brazilian Wax – also known as Playboy Style involves removal of hair from the anus, buttocks, vulva and only a very narrow strip is left. The Brazilian wax is among the most preferred bikini styles as it looks sexy and is easy to groom. Recent pulls has shown that the Brazilian style is the most preferred by the men.

Landing Strip – also very common bikini “hairstyle“. It basically leaves a bit of pubic hair in the front center. The strip usually narrows in about 1.25 inches more than the regular wax.

Other alternatives Nowadays more and more women opt for different, more interesting designs – butterfly, diamond, heart, lighting bolt, star, arrows. If you want something like this you should have it done by a professional because it will be very difficult for you to do it alone. Some women even choose to dye their pubic hair in different colors – red, green, blue, yellow with the aid of specially designed dye for pubic hair.

The pain To be absolutely honest with you I should tell you the truth – there is pain, a lot of pain especially in the Full Brazilian Wax. Fortunately you can take painkiller an hour prior to the procedure to alleviate the pain. Remember: always schedule the appointment after your menstrual cycle and have it done by a licensed esthetician.

What you should expect:As I said above the best way to remove unwanted pubic hair is waxing as the results can last up to 3/ 4 weeks. It’s normal to experience during and a few hours after the waxing procedure.

After the waxing procedure:After the hair removal your skin may become red and more sensitive but it’s something normal. There are some great products (powders, lotions, creams, moisturizers, gels) that contain chamomile extract, Aloe Vera to calm down the skin

Useful Beauty Tips:

-Make sure you know exactly how each method is performed because the terminology may vary
with different salons and Spas.
-Your hair should be at least ¼ of an inch to wax it.
-Avoid direct sun exposure or tanning beds a few days after waxing.
-Take a painkiller (like ibuprofen) an hour prior to the waxing treatment to alleviate the pain.
-You can apply a topical numbing cream before your service.
-Don’t wax your bikini line if you are diabetic, if you take Accutane, Retin or if you apply alpha hydroxy acids to the bikini area.
-Always have your bikini wax done by a professional, especially for the first time and then try to wax at home.
-After several times of waxing your bikini line it will hurt less and less.
-Always indicate whether you want a regular bikini wax or a Full Brazilian for example to avoid unwanted surprises.
-Wax at least a day before special event to give your skin enough time to calm down.
-Through moisturizing after waxing can help to avoid the problem of ingrown hair, which is when the hair grows back under the skin causing infection.

Monday, November 12, 2007

How To Wash Your Face Properly?

Washing your face every day is crucial, no matter your age or skin type. When you wash your face you remove any impurities, makeup residue and oil which if not removed may lead to some serious skin problems – clogged pores (blackheads), whiteheads, pimples, spots etc.Nowadays there is a wide range of facial cleansers – foams, gels, creams designed for every skin type from oily to hypersensitive.

The cleansers gently clean the skin without irritating it, they remove all the impurities – dirt, oil, that have accumulated during the day or during the night, leaving the skin clean, tight and soft.It’s essential to choose a cleanser that is appropriate for your skin type and for your skin’s needs.

Those women with combination or oily skin should look for a stronger cleanser containing oil-absorbing ingredients; those with dry or sensitive skin should look for a milder formula with more nourishing and moisturizing ingredients.It’s crucial to select skincare products that are oil-free (don’t contain oil), non-comedogenic (won’t clog pores), hypoallergenic (won’t irritate the skin) and non-acnegenic (won’t cause acne).

Today most of the facial cleansers contain many active ingredients – alpha hydroxy acids, salicylic acid, glycolic acid, essential oil, vitamins, minerals, glycerin, collagen, elastin, sodium laureth sulfate.
You should wash your face at least twice a day (in the morning and in the evening) in order to keep your skin clear and flawless.


HOW TO WASH YOUR FACE PROPERLY

Step One. Wash your handsWash your hands every time before cleansing your face, applying makeup or touching your face. If your hands are dirty you may rub bacteria or dirt onto your skin. Use an antibacterial soap and gently wash your hands with lukewarm water.

Step Two. Tie your hairTie your hair – this way it will be more comfortable for you when you wash your face.Step Three. Remove your makeupRemove your makeup with a mild makeup remover. Although facial cleansers remove all kind of makeup effectively you had better remove it prior to washing your face. Choose a mild makeup remover that suits your skin type and first remove the eye makeup.

Step Four. Wet your faceSplash your face with lukewarm water to prepare your skin for the cleanser and to open your pores for a deeper cleansing.

Step Five. Apply the cleanserPlace a small amount (a dime-size) of the cleansing product on your palm or to a washcloth.Using your fingertips or a brush gently rub the cleanser all over your face. Make sure you cover all areas – chin, forehead, nose, cheeks, neck. Massage your face with gentle circular motions for a minute. Remember: never remove the cleanser immediately after you apply it – let it penetrate your skin for a dew minutes (it usually takes one/ two minutes).

Step Six. Rinse your face Rinse your face to remove the cleanser. Splash your face with water several times until you feel that the cleanser has rinsed off completely. You can use a face sponge, a muslin cloth or cotton pads to remove the cleansing product.

Step Seven. Splash your face with cold waterRinse your face with cold water to close the open pores and to improve your blood circulation.

Step Eight. Gently blot your facePat your face with a clean towel.

Step Nine. Tone your skin.If your skin is oily or combination it’s crucial to use a facial toner. The toners remove any traces of makeup, dirt and oil that your cleanser may have missed. They also reduce pores, eliminate oil and refine the skin. What they do in addition to making your skin feel tighter, is prepare the skin for the moisturizer.

Step Ten. Moisturize your skin Apply a moisturizer or a hydrating face cream every time after washing your face to moisturize your face. Again make sure the moisturizer is appropriate for your skin type.


Useful Beauty Tips:

-Washing your face twice a day is a must in order to keep your skin clear.
-Never use bar soaps to wash your face as they tend to dry out the skin.
-Never wash your face with hot or too cold water – you may irritate your skin.
-Never over-cleanse your skin.
-Avoid cleansing products containing alcohol or any harsh chemicals.
-Always remove your makeup before you wash your face.
-Remember: hot water can strip your skin of its natural oils, leaving it dry and irritated.
-Always apply the cleansing products to a wet face.
-Always make sure you have removed all traces of the cleanser, otherwise it can irritate your skin.
-Never rub your skin.
-Always make sure the cleansing product is appropriate for your skin type.
-Wash your face at least twice a day.
-Always apply moisturizer after washing your face.
-Don’t forget to exfoliate your skin once or twice a week with a mild exfoliator to remove the dead skin cells.
-It’s best to wash your face with lukewarm water rather than with hot or cold water.
-Avoid using strong or harsh cleansers and toners.
-Cream based cleansers are appropriate for the winter months as they moisturize the skin.
-If your skin is sensitive choose a fragrance-free cleanser.
-If your skin is oily look for a water-based cleanser in gel or foam formula.
-If your skin is dry look for a cream cleanser that moisturizes your skin.

Recommended Facial Cleansers:


Clearasil Daily Face Wash ($4.60) - The antibacterial formula foams away dirt and oil better than soap - leaves skin feeling fresh.



Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask ($6.90) - As a Daily Cleanser to kill the bacteria that can cause blackheads and breakouts. As an Intensive Mask for deep cleansing and extra oil control.



Eucerin Redness Relief Soothing Cleanser ($9) - Gentle, soap-free gel removes makeup and impurities without irritation. Redness Relief Soothing Cleanser gently yet effectively cleanses as it soothes visibly red skin.



L’Oreal Dermo-Expertise Ideal Balance Foaming Cream Cleanser ($6.50) - formulated for combination skin to help remove dull skin and unclog pores. Helps reduce the appearance of pores and helps keep skin soft and purified.



Clinique Liquid Facial Soap ($14.50) - Cleanses without stripping protective lipids. Preps skin for the exfoliating action of Clarifying Lotion. Convenient pump dispenses just the right amount.



Clinique Wash-Away Gel Cleanser ($17.50) - Soothing, cooling, concentrated gel-foam cleanser for oily skin. Fast, easy take-off for clinging makeups.



Lancome Pure Focus Deep Purifying Cleansing Gel ($22) - With its micro-granules, this gel eliminates all impurities and removes all make-up. Your skin is left feeling healthy and deeply cleansed. Avoid eye contour area.

Monday, September 24, 2007

Water or Coke ?

Some interesting facts that I would like to share :

WATER

1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. (Likely applies to half the world population)

2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is mistaken for hunger.

3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%.

4. One glass of water shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.

5. Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.

8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%., and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

Are you drinking the amount of water you should drink every day?

COKE

1. In many states the highway patrol carries two gallons of Coke in the trunk to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.

2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of Coke and it will be gone in two days.

3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl and let the "real thing" sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous china.

4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.

5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion.

6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Apply a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.

7. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake. Thirty minutes before ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix with the Coke for a sumptuous brown gravy.

8. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of Coke into the load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains. It will also clean road haze from your windshield.

So, are you going to have a glass of Coke instead of a glass of water? Think about it again.

Monday, September 10, 2007

Lime can do wonders

Lime is the best physician at all times. It relieves many symptoms which no doctor could do. Lime is very effective in coughs, cold and influenza. A big glass of warm water, one table spoon honey, half a lemon works wonders. Those who drink one lemon drink every day hardly have to visit a doctor.

Lime destroys the toxins in the body. Typhoid and other diseases die within no time. It is very effective in destroying the uric acid. It is very effective in destroying bacteria from intestinal tract. I t cures constipation, loss of appetite, arthritis, skin diseases, heart diseases. The high potassium content in them makes the lime very useful for preventing and curing heart diseases. It strengthens the teeth and gums. It freshens the breath. It purifies blood and liver.

It stimulates the functions of the kidney, liver and sweat glands. A ripe lime is a good appetizer. It destroys intestinal worms and expels the excessive gases formed in the digestive tract. Regular exercies and the juice helps excreting waste toxins innyour body. It purifies blood. Each and every cell of the body is rejuvenated by taking lime.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Let's talk about women and OBESITY (Part 2)

Some young mothers despite normal delivery gain weight steadily because they are fed on fatty & starchy food in place of proper nutritious food under the erroneous notion that the weakness caused by labour can only be compensated by a rich diet. Sometimes young mothers, after delivery is also make rest more than it is necessary. Just as exercises is a must till almost the last stages of delivery for easy delivery, mild exercise after delivery is necessary for the contraction of the uterus to its original size. But exercise becomes more difficult if there is a weight increase. There fore, obesity worsens the condition. Women, who use contraceptive devices, oral contraceptives on a regular basis also tend to become obese. This is due to the effect on the hormones contained in those drugs.

Menopause:

Some women tend to gain weight during their menopause. Due to hormonal imbalance, obesity sets in, even though they had maintained normal weight previously. Menopause is a natural phase in a woman's life. Some women seek medical solutions in the form of hormone supplement for their irregular monthly cycles, disturbing symptoms & mild discomforts. Obesity caused by hormone pills is a bit difficult to get rid unlike other forms of obesity. Yet unani medicines successfully treated these hormone pills related obesity.

Mind over body:

Some women suffer from obesity for identifiable psychological reasons that manifest themselves as expressions of their underlying unhappiness and for no other reason. Such persons feel unwanted at home & outside. They develop severe complexes, become discontented with every one around & become indifferent towards anything & everything. They lose interest in every activity, which provide a pleasant diversion. In such cases, unless the under lying cause is attended to, they remain obese. Whenever they feel tense, overcome with unknown fears they seek a diversion in frequent eating. This type of eating gives them only a false sense of their tension being eased. At such times due to the absence of actual hunger, they resort to eating snacks, which please their palate. This naturally ads bulk the body.

Hormonal influence:

Endocrine glands are organs, which pour internal secretion into our blood. But for these glands, the growth of our body & mind becomes defective & results in various disorders & diseases, obesity being one of them. The glands produce some chemical substances, which are called hormones. Hormone is a circulating chemical substance that is capable of acting on distant organs from its original site. The glands that function in a unique way need a mention in this chapter because a few glands & other functions are responsible for causing obesity. These are the pituitary, thyroid, adrenals, pacers & gonads. Hormones are the agents that stirrup activity and bring about psychological changes in our behavior & bodily functions. Abnormal conditions of our health, is the direct result of an excess or deficient secretion of these hormones.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Talk about women and OBESITY (Part 1)

Some girls, who used to be slim prior to their marriage, gain weight gradually after marriage. This is due to the changed eating habits or eating rich food to which they might not be used to previously. Perhaps a more care free & comfortable life is also to be blamed for this. This is acceptable to them as well as to their spouses now to consider their weight gain as a sign of good health until they become pregnant.

Obesity right from the first month of pregnancy has its own disadvantages. The fatty tissues in the abdomen make it difficult for the expanding uterus, as the months advance exert great pressure on the bladder & bowels, disturbing the function of these waste eliminating organs. Wrong conceptions about the needs of a pregnant woman that she should eat double the amount of food to feed her and her child to be born and she should rest and relax more to preserve her energy for the time of labour. Nothing is near the truth, because the correct way of sensible eating & mild exercises & activities till the time of delivery facilitated a normal & comfortable delivery of a healthy child.

While in some cases there is reduction in weight after childbirth, in other, the young mothers keep gaining weight & remain obese for the rest of their lives. Generally two reasons can be attributed for obesity after childbirth. If normal delivery of the child is not there then this deprive the young mother of normal activities & exercises after delivery, resulting in the uterus not shrinking as it should, and gradually distention of abdomen takes place. The additional nourishment consumed undergoes poor digestion and the weight keeps increasing.

Monday, June 25, 2007

Reasons for Hair Loss

Both men and women lose hair for similar reasons. Hair loss in men is often more dramatic, and follows a specific pattern of loss which has been termed "Male Pattern Baldness". This loss is caused by dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Factors for male hair loss include: heredity, hormones, and aging.

This may also apply to women but to a lesser degree. Women may experience loss of hair after menopause and 2-3 months after having a baby. Other contributing factors include: poor diet, poor circulation, acute illness, radiation, chemotherapy, high stress, thyroid imbalance, certain drugs, coming off the contraceptive pill, diabetes, high doses of vitamin A (more than 100,000 IU), sudden weight loss, high fever, iron deficiency, ringworm, some fungal infections, chemicals and hair dyes, vitamin deficiencies, and lack of proper nutrition.

Drastic or premature hair loss may be caused by:
1. Stress and bodily weakness from overwork.

2. Dietary imbalances or nutritional deficiency.

3. Using abrasive shampoos, hair lacquers, dyes and bleaching, etc.

4. Endocrine disorder.

5. Genetic factors.

6. Infectious diseases.

7. Hormonal metabolic changes in lactating women.

8. Nutrient and protein deficiencies in the hair cells.