Oily Skin Care Tips

Oily skin can cause several skin problems, including blackheads, shiny skin, makeup that won’t stay on the face, and of course, acne. While there are other causes, oily skin is the most likely.

Many over-the-counter products are made to treat oily skin, but these contain harsh chemicals. Sometimes oily skin care products end up leaving the face dry and rough, which really only causes another set of skin care problems. Some products upset the delicate Ph balance of the skin or skin tone, not to mention that the chemicals in these products are harsh and just flat out may not be safe to use regularly.

Essential Oils for Oily Skin

Citrus essential oils, such as lemon, grapefruit, tangerine and orange, can help with oily skin problems without the harsh effects of using the actual juice from the fruits themselves. Find an all-natural herbal lotion base and add 3 to 4 drops per ounce of the citrus essential oil of choice to the base. Use it on the face in the evening to help prevent oily skin.

Blackheads

Mix an oatmeal paste with unflavored oatmeal, lemon juice and olive oil, using just enough olive oil to wet the mixture. Scrub it onto the face to pull oil from pores and help reduce blackheads. Be sure to wash the face thoroughly with warm water afterward.

Shiny Skin

Mix some lemon juice with warm water and a dash of vinegar and then soak a cotton ball in the mixture and rub it on the face. Allow the skin to dry thoroughly without rinsing before applying makeup or other facial products. This will help reduce shine and may also help with excess sweating on the face that can cause makeup to slide off.

Excessive Sweating

Prior to applying makeup to the face, using a natural and non-scented delicate antiperspirant, such as Dove’s natural products, in the solid form can help with excessive sweating, help reduce shine and actually allow makeup to be applied more smoothly on the face.

Wash Face Gently

Do not overwash the face. Washing the face too frequently can actually cause the body to make more oil because it tricks the body into thinking the face and oil ducts are dry. When washing the face, avoid harsh soaps or chemicals, and settle for more natural alternatives or simply use warm water and a soft washcloth. Do not over scrub, but lightly and gently rub the face with the cloth.

Wear Oil Free Makeup or No Makeup

Wearing oil based makeup when oily skin is a problem only adds to the problem. Wear as little makeup as necessary to achieve the desired look. When wearing a liquid or cream foundation is desired, choose an oil-free foundation and finish with a powder to seal the foundation.

Following these simple, natural tips can help reduce the effects of oily skin and improve skin appearance.

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Summer And Feet!

During the summer, a woman’s feet are just as important as her hair, makeup and clothing. A great outfit can be ruined by ungroomed feet peeking out from her sandals.

Summertime means a change in weather, clothing, and activities. Shoes come off and are replaced by sandals and chappals, with feet on full display. Year round foot maintenance is recommended, but if feet have been neglected during the winter months, now is the time to get them in shape. Here are some foot care tips to keep them looking  neat all summer!

Keep Feet Clean During Summertime

The first rule of summertime is to keep feet clean! Dirty feet are unhealthy and repulsive.  Wash feet regularly to remove the dirt and grime.

Additionally, summertime usually means bare feet around the house. Instead, find comfortable flip flops that can be kicked off and slipped on easily and wear them. Make it a habit to get at least one new pair at the start of every summer.  Use last year’s pair for yard work or cleaning the garage, and get rid of the ratty ones.

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Women’s Fashion – How to Stay in Style For Less

Here are five great ways to spruce up your wardrobe without spending a lot of money.
Most women have noticed that times are tough and there is less money to go around. It is easy to get stressed when funds are low and it can be especially depressing when you grow tired of your wardrobe but have no means of purchasing a fresh look. But don’t despair; there are still ways to keep you looking good without emptying your wallet.

Check out the following ideas for staying fashionable for less:

1. Go through your closet
Like most women, you probably have clothes you don’t wear often and have even forgotten about. Well now is the time to do an inventory check of your wardrobe.

Most likely you will find forgotten treasures that will feel like new clothes again. Also, be creative and try to make your old clothes work in new ways. For example, add belt to that old black dress you found and you will have created a whole new outfit.

2. Shop second hand
Your local thrift store may become your favorite shopping spot. There are many great women’s fashions hidden in the racks at thrift stores. You are sure to find many gently used clothes that usually cost less than ten or even five dollars.

After a careful search through the racks, you may walk out of a consignment store with a pile of new-to-you clothes for the same price that would only buy you one blouse from a department store. And don’t worry; no one will know they are used if you don’t tell them.

3. Throw a clothing exchange party
Throw a little party and invite some of your closest girlfriends with the charge to bring their old clothes they are tired of. At the party everyone can trade clothes and go home with different outfits.

This is a great way to freshen up your wardrobe with new clothes because one girl’s trash is another girl’s treasure. You’ll have fun partying with your friends and then you’ll leave with new-to-you fashions that you didn’t even pay a dime for.

4. Stock up on the basics
When buying clothes, make sure that you stock up on the basics, meaning clothes that mix and match nicely and clothes that go well with anything. This means that instead of buying a cool but loud patterned blouse you would be better off buying a less crazy top that works well with more bottoms and most accessories.

Another example includes buying neutral shoes instead of the bright red pumps that only match one dress. Your wardrobe may not be as exciting and unique, but your wallet will be fuller and you will have less stress during these economically hard times.

5. Get creative and crafty
When you don’t have the money to buy loads of new clothes, sometimes your only option is to get creative. Try things that you have never done before. Find some new funky buttons at your local craft store and sew them onto an old sweater to create a whole new look.

Try making your own jewelry; you can copy more expensive designs at a fraction of the cost or you can create your own unique pieces. Also ribbon is inexpensive and can be used to spruce up all sorts of outfits as headbands, belts, or whatever. Get in touch with your creative side and you’ll be sure to save money and possibly start a new trend in women’s fashion.

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Sweating and Makeup!

It’s happened to you many times. About halfway through a long, hot day, your makeup starts to melt off. It becomes runny and looks like a complete mess instead of the pulled-together look that you left the house with. Just a little bit of sweat can ruin all of your makeup preparation. There is a way to keep your makeup looking fresh and new, besides hiding in air conditioning all day. Follow these easy steps to make your makeup sweat proof, and enjoy your day outdoors.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You’ll Need:

• 1 container face moisturizer
• 1 hair dryer
• 1 tube waterproof mascara
• 1 container loose face powder
• 1 large powder brush

Look Fresh and New All Day

1. Apply two pumps of moisturizer to your face, including your neck area.
2. Set your hair dryer to the cool setting. Lightly blow-dry your face to help your moisturizer absorb and set into your skin. You will only need to do this for a couple of seconds.
   Apply the rest of your makeup the way that you usually do. Skip your regular mascara for now. You do not need to change the type or how you apply your makeup to make it sweat proof.
3. Sprinkle some loose face powder onto a tissue. Pick up some of the powder with the large powder brush. Lightly brush this powder over your face to set your makeup.
4. Use waterproof mascara to finish your look. This type of mascara will stay put as the sweat starts to run into your eyes.

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How to carry yourself well!

What does it really take to be beautiful? Who are the beauty icon we should follow? DO we really need to look like a model?
The honest truth is that, simply looking like a model will NOT qualify one to be called beautiful.
Beauty is more than just the perfect hairdo, makeup, and clothes. Yes, those things help make a woman look good. But beautiful has a class of its own – a class a woman like you can achieve.
Of course, looking good can help as you make your way toward being beautiful. So here are some tips to get from looking good to becoming beautiful.

1) Your crowning glory
You don’t need to visit the salon every week, but neither should you keep your mane’ looking like a mat on your head.
Take care to keep your hair clean and shiny. On occasion (every 2 months or so), visit a hairstylist who can suggest a good cut that will suit your face and body shape.

2) Carry yourself like a royalty
The idea is for you to be able to walk down a street WITHOUT shuffling your feet and with your head bowed down as if apologizing for your existence. Good posture is indeed vital!
Push your shoulders back with your head resting squarely on your shoulders and stride! Walk as if every hall you pass is a runway – because it is.

3)You make the clothes (not the other way around).
Be realistic about your body shape. Not everyone’s got an hourglass figure (and guess what? Not everyone desires that either!).
Don’t torture yourself by forcing your body into clothes that will not suit and fit you. Appreciate what you have and dress to highlight your figure. You may consult your friend to determine what types of clothes that will flatter your body shape and make you look hot yet comfortable.
Finally, the best beauty secret of all….
Love yourself! It is by far the best beauty treatment you can get. Develop a positive attitude on everything there is about you – from the way you think, to how you talk and of course how you look. People will recognize that there is something about you that makes you irresistible – and that is when you feel great about yourself, no matter what others think or say. You can start being beautiful – now!

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How to Be the Perfect Bride

1.Make sure you and your fiance knows exactly where the wedding is going to be held, and that you have both agreed on the costs, and the number of guests that will be invited.

2.Send out the invitations a few months before the wedding and make sure your guests know exactly when and where the wedding is going to be held and, most importantly, who is getting married! You can purchase your invitation cards, but it’s more personal and special to make them by hand.

3.If you are going to have bridesmaids at the wedding, take them shopping for outfits with you. Note down any wedding/bridesmaid dresses that you like, then compare them until you find your perfect dress.

4.Book the decorators, musicians, caterers, and florists a few months in advance so that you’ll know if they will be availabe for the wedding.

5.Decide if you are going to have your hair loose, curly, straight, or up-do.

Tips

Remember, the ‘perfect’ dress should suit your figure.

• Book the decorators, musicians, caterers, and florists a few months in advance, so that you’ll know they’ll be availabe.
• Get shoes that are pretty, but also ones that you are able to walk in. Hobbling down the isle in 7″ stilletoes is not very attractive
• If you want lose weight for your big day, the sooner you start working out, the better.
• Don’t decide to give your eyebrows some last-minute plucking, it’ll make your eyes swollen and red.
• Start doing your hair and make-up a few hour’s before the wedding so that you can be sure you’ll look perfect on time.
• Have somthing light to eat before you put your dress on.
• Your dress should be the last thing you put on (unless it would ruin your hair)
• Get a few good nights sleep before the wedding, especialy because the night before it will probably be very hard to get any sleep.
• Photographers are crucial.
• Have a flexible schedule, so that if things run a little late it won’t mess up any of your other plans.
• The most important thing of all is to put all other worries aside, its your wedding day! Get out there and enjoy yourself!

Dyeing Your Hair

Theres just something so special about being a woman, donning a new look with a great makeover, trying out a new hairstyle or hair color. We all need a change sometimes, and what better to change than the color of our hair?

Dyeing our hair a new shade shifts us into a new sense of being, gives us a new persona to assume and fulfill. We can be the boisterous blonde we never were, the pretty  brunette, the electric redhead or the mysterious ebony-haired beauty. And with this exciting new shade also comes a stunning blast of self-confidence and invigoration.

Changing the color of our hair gives us freedom and a sense of renewal, even if the only thing different from yesterday to today is the color of the strands on our heads. Depending on your comfort levels, you can try at-home coloring kits or you can make an appointment with your stylist. Opt for highlights only or color your entire mane for the ultimate head-turning factor.

Tips and Tricks:

Try to stick pretty close to your natural hair color if it is your first time. This way it wont be the end of the world when your roots start growing in.Also, you might consider a temporary washout color treatment if you are a beginner. This gives you the freedom and flexibility to remedy the situation if you dont like the new color of your hair. 

If you opt for do-it-yourself highlights, have a family member or a friend help you, if possible. It is always nice to have another set of eyes to guide you through things you cannot clearly see. Mirrors may be deceiving, so having someone there to help really could be the difference between an okay dye job and an excellent one.

Follow the instructions closely and thoroughly. No skipping steps. Test a small area of your hair as instructed, just to be sure you arent allergic to anything in the dye.

Leave your hair down as you color it and you will achieve a more even look.Pinning your hair on top of your head leaves more to chance.

Part hair into sections and apply color from roots to ends, starting near the temples. Double-check the instructions to be sure you are following them properly.

To prevent hair from dripping on your skin, apply a thin layer of moisturizer or petroleum jelly to the skin at your hairline. Most hair dyes will not drip, but in case they do, this makes cleanup so much easier!

If you want beautiful blonde tresses, consider seeing your stylist for best results. Dyeing darker hair into a lighter shade, especially blonde, can be a tricky task. Even if youre an at-home hair dyeing professional, remember that its easier to do it right the first time than to cover up any boo-boos.

More Home Coloring Tips: Deep condition before you color your hair. Wait two days after shampooing before coloring. The color will adhere better, since your scalp is more sensitive after shampooing, it will make the process more comfortable. Plus the natural oils in your hair will protect it.

A new hair color is fun … enjoy!

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5 Easy Steps to Applying Makeup

Step 1: Foundation

After cleansing, toning and moisturizing your face, apply a small amount of foundation to the tip of your index finger. Dot on your forehead, nose, cheeks and chin; then blend in an upward and outward motion without leaving a line. Be sure to apply foundation over your eyelids and blend carefully. Glance in the mirror to ensure there’s no line. You can use a concealer to cover imperfections such as blemishes and dark spots.

Step 2: Translucent Powder

Using a powder brush apply translucent powder in a downward motion for a smooth finish. Translucent Powder helps eye makeup and blush to go on smoother and blend better. It also keeps your face looking fresh and your makeup will last longer.

Step 3: Eye Makeup

Starting at your lash line, apply your base color first. Then apply your crease color in the crease area. Apply your highlight color in the highlight color area, below the brow bone. Finally, blend the colors with a cotton ball or your fingertip to remove any obvious line. If the colors are too bright tone them down with a little translucent powder. Next, apply your mascara and finally, dust your entire face downward with translucent powder.

Step 4: Blush

Your blush should be applied to the apples of your cheeks to radiate when you smile. It should go no closer to your nose, but directly beneath the iris of your eye; below nostril-level and into your temple hairline. A must-have: a good blush brush that’s tapered for precise placement.

Step 5: Lipstick

Define the outline of your lips with a professional lip brush or lip liner pencil that closely matches the color of your lipstick. Then apply your lipstick and blend the liner with a lip brush. Start from the center working outwards.

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Your Hairstyle: Choosing The Right One

Your hairstyle tells the world a great deal about you. It speaks volumes about your lifestyle, your perception of yourself, your sense of fashion and style, and your likes and dislikes. It can also help define your mood (or mode) on any given day.

Why is it then that so many people are less than happy with their current style?

For the majority of people it is not lack of trying. Individuals pump literally billions of Ruppees a year into the salon industry in their elusive quest for that holiest of grails — a hairstyle that complements them, is fashionable, and that they are happy with.

Clearly, this is a lot of money to be parting with on an annual basis to be less than happy with the results. While there are no hard and fast formulas to finding your perfect hairstyle, there are some basic questions that you should ask yourself, and some basic rules of thumb that you should follow. 

Analyze this
The first step to finding a style that is right for you is to answer these basic questions. Even if you have never received a hairstyle that you hate, chances are that you will have received a hair cut that you are unable to reproduce at home.

How much time do you have to spend on your hair on a daily basis?
Be honest about this one! There is no point having a stylist give you a hair cut that requires you to spend 45 minutes each morning achieving the desired look if you do not have the time. This question boils down to your lifestyle and you need to consider it carefully before choosing a hairstyle.

How much money do you wish to spend maintaining your hairstyle?
Some high maintenance hairstyles will not only require you to spend large amounts of time styling your own hair, they may also require frequent salon visits. Before you decide on a certain hairstyle, you should calculate the cost of maintaining that style and check whether you can sustain that expenditure.

Do you have the necessary equipment to maintain the style?
Connected to he cost of maintaining a hairstyle, is the question of whether or not you have the necessary equipment. Some hairstyles have to be blow-dried, while others require you to use curling irons, hot-sticks, heated rollers, crimpers, or straightening irons. If you do not already own the pieces of equipment required for the hairstyle, are you in a financial position to simply go out and purchase this equipment? If you do not already own the equipment and cannot simply purchase the equipment, then you need to avoid styles that demand that equipment. 

Now that you have settled on a hairstyle that is right for your lifestyle and your finances, the next step is to check that it will suit you. The most important issue is whether a given hairstyle will compliment your face shape.

Just as your clothes can flatter the parts of your bodies you like, and minimize the parts you don’t like, the cut and style of your hair can bring a sense of proportion and balance to your face. Deciding on a new hairstyle can seem like a hit-and-miss affair — one style might drag your face down and make you look ill, another might make your face look fuller, while others yet may just not suit you for some reason that you can’t quite put your finger on.

A hairstyle may look good on one person but terrible on another, because not everyone has the same shaped face. Your face shape most directly influences which hairstyles you are able to wear well — much more than the color or texture of your hair. While products and techniques exist to modify these other factors, you cannot change your face shape. Learning about your face shape, and knowing the strengths and weaknesses of your face shape will allow you choose a hairstyle that creates a sense of proportion, balance and harmony between the style and your face.

Makeup Tips for Teenagers

Whether you’re a parent or a teen, having some easy makeup tips for teenagers can solve a lot of problems.  As a parent, you can see what’s on the tips list and decide if you are comfortable with them and, as a teen,  you may want a little advice on how to apply makeup to get the best look. 

Keep two things in mind when you’re talking teens and makeup: Makeup products and makeup application.  Discussion over products usually comes down to how many and what color. Discussion over makeup  application usually is all about how much. Your teen can probably get by with relatively few products, but  she might want every product in ten different colors. What she really could use are tips on how to apply makeup so it looks great without making her look too mature for her age.

Your Skin
Before every makeup application, you need to cleanse your skin. Using a cleanser that is right for your skin type, wash your face and neck thoroughly. Don’t rub hard; instead, use gentle circular motions. Rinse completely, and pat dry with a towel.

The first makeup to consider is foundation. Many teenagers don’t need any foundation at all. If you do use foundation to cover blemishes or even out skin tone, it’s important to learn how to apply makeup like foundation with an easy hand. Too much looks caked on, and that never looks good. You should use a powder foundation rather than a liquid. Put it on with a big, fluffy brush, rather than a powder puff. Then blend, blend, blend so it covers your skin and doesn’t flake off. You can use concealer below your eyes and on blemishes if needed. Use the concealer first and then the foundation.

Your Eyes
Next are the eyes. Start with your brows. Your eyebrows really frame your whole face, so keep them neat. It helps to start with a professional eye waxing to give your brows a perfect shape. After that, it’s easy to keep the look up with a pair of good tweezers and a mirror. Tweeze your brows right after you shower, and it will be much easier and less painful.

For eyes that look wide-awake, start by curling your eyelashes before you apply any eye makeup. Eye makeup application can be varied according to what type of look you want. For teenagers just starting out with makeup, those glimmery, shimmery eye shadows are lots of fun, and they look great. Teens can wear nearly any color eye shadow, but you should stay away from colors that are super harsh. If you go with a bold color, make sure the rest of your makeup is minimal, or you’ll wind up with a clown face.

The best way to apply eye shadow is to apply a small amount and blend it into the crease of the eye. Don’t wear eye shadow above the crease, unless it is a very, very light color, without the shimmer.

If you choose to wear eyeliner, never put it on the inside of your lids-either upper or lower. This is a good way to get bacteria in your eye, and you could wind up with a nasty infection. Instead, use eyeliner on your top lid, as close to the lash line as possible. Then use a cotton swab or a stiff makeup brush and blend the color down into your lashes. For your lower lashes, just apply dots of eyeliner between the lashes and then blend.

For mascara, start with the wand at the roots, and wiggle your way to the ends to get full coverage without clumps. If you do get any clumps, use a mascara comb to separate them.

Your Cheeks and Lips
On your cheeks, you need only a bit of cream or gel blush. Pinks work best for teens, with rosy pink as the darkest option. Put the blush on the apples of your cheeks, and then blend well.

No list of how to apply makeup would be complete without discussing lips. For teens, the best thing for lips is a gloss. The shine is unbeatable; you can get them with tints and with flavors. Skip the lip liners and heavy lipsticks. They look too heavy on teens, and there’s plenty of time for these when you’re older.

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