Skin-Saving Tips

1. Don't overdo cosmeceuticals. With more and more beauty potions containing alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), salicylic acids, antioxidants, and retinoids, mixing a cleanser from one line with a scrub or daytime moisturizer from another, then a night cream from yet another, can lead to over-exfoliation and irritation, says Deborah S. Sarnoff, M.D., associate clinical professor of dermatology at the New York University School of Medicine, in New York City. This can add up to a real problem, especially for women with olive and darker complexions, who are more prone to discoloration when their skin is irritated. To play it really safe, stick with one line of products which are formulated to work together. If you use any prescription products, such as Renova, ask your dermatologist to advise you on how to combine prescription treatments with over-the-counter cosmeceutical products.

2. Shake your booty. Twenty to 30 minutes of any aerobic exercise will give you a glow. Exercise increases blood flow, which brings more nutrients to the skin, says Sarnoff. But beware -- the buildup of oil and perspiration can result in sweatband acne, folliculitis, and prickly heat. The solution: Shower as soon as possible after working out.

3. Don't get intimate with the phone. Constant rubbing on the mouthpiece may lead to rashes around the chin and mouth, says Alexa Boer Kimball, M.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of dermatology at Stanford University Medical Center, in Palo Alto. Hold the phone away from those areas when talking, and clean it often with a mild soapy solution or rubbing alcohol.

4. Check your birthday suit for spots. Any sudden or suspicious-looking bump, mole, or other growth is reason to see a dermatologist. But as skin-cancer rates rise, having a full body check by a professional is crucial -- especially for those of us in the baby-oil-and-iodine, pre-sunscreen generation. "People in a high-risk group -- having a personal or family history of skin cancer, a lot of moles, fair skin, and/or light eyes or hair -- may need regular checkups starting in their teens, and probably no later than age 35," says Randall K. Roenigk, M.D., professor and chairman of the department of dermatology at the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota. Even if you're not in a high-risk group, the American Cancer Society recommends that between the ages of 20 and 40, people have a cancer-related checkup, including a skin exam, every three to four years. Once you hit your 40s, begin having a cancer-related checkup, including a skin exam, every year. You should also be doing monthly self-exams to keep an eye out for changes and growths. (For step-by-step instructions on how to do a head-to-toe self-exam, call the American Cancer Society at 800-227-2345; ask for a free copy of their brochure, "What You Should Know About Melanoma." Or visit www.cancer.org.)
www.cancer.org

More Advice


5. Eat healthy. Antioxidants (vitamins A, C, and E) -- which help reduce sun damage and fight certain cancers, including skin cancer -- are essential to your health, says Wilma F. Bergfeld, M.D., director of clinical research, department of dermatology at the Cleveland Clinic. She recommends a well-balanced diet filled with at least five servings a day of fruits and vegetables, plus a multivitamin that meets RDA standards.

6. Don't wear your makeup to bed. We all know it, but we sometimes do it anyway. "Layers of foundation, powder, and blusher left on overnight can clog pores and lead to acne or folliculitis," warns Sarnoff. Take it all off before bed with a mild non-soap cleanser. But don't waste your money on a cleanser with glycolic acid or AHAs: "It's not on your face long enough to absorb into the skin," says Sarnoff. "These ingredients are more effective in your moisturizer."

7. Hands off those zits. Poking, prodding, and popping can prolong a pimple's life and make the problem worse. Scarring and the spread of infection are two possible consequences. To speed up healing, cleanse your face, then apply a warm compress, such as a clean, damp washcloth. Next, dab on an over-the-counter cream or lotion containing a drying agent, such as salicylic acid, sulfur, or benzoyl peroxide.

8. Get your shut-eye. Most of us don't get the eight to nine hours we need to avoid sleep deprivation. There haven't been any conclusive studies on how being tired affects skin, says Alexa Boyer Kimball, but the effects aren't hard to detect -- namely, under-eye circles. The solution: Budget in sleep time, including a short afternoon nap whenever you can manage it. The downside: Sleeping in the same position for years on end can lead to wrinkles. Look for special pillows that help prevent sleep creases on your face.  

9. Adopt "water, water, every day" as your mantra. Yes, drinking water does keep you hydrated, which helps skin look and feel better," says Bergfeld. Get in the standard 6 to 8 eight-ounce glasses throughout the day -- more if you're a heavy exerciser. Bergfeld also warns that many of the new sugar substitutes are dehydrating, so drink more water if you're into low-cal liquids.

Bike For Beauty!

Ride a Bike, Eat Right and Loose Some Extra Pounds

Weight loss is the biggest obstacle between most people and current standards of beauty. Part of the problem is that our current standards are based on the less-than-one-percent of the population who manages to stay 15-20 pounds underweight, but the weight loss situation in the U.S. in particular has worsened drastically because we eat like pigs. Food is cheaper in the U.S. than anywhere in the world, junk food makes up a large part of the national diet, and most of us are addicted to sugar. Add this to the fact that most Americans now get about as much daily exercise as the average bookend, and the big mystery behind the explosion of heart disease and intestinal problems experienced by so many Americans is explained with utter clarity.

The common understanding is that combining diet and exercise is the best weight-loss solution. If I had to pick one, I'd choose increased exercise. Exercise raises your metabolism for hours after you're done working out, increasing your fat-burning capacity. It also makes you feel good, keeps your bones strong and reduces stress. A half-hour of aerobic exercise three or four times a week is the general prescription for good muscle tone and healthy aerobic capacity.

Dieting works, to an extent. The drawback to dieting is that, once the diet is over, the weight tends to return. For people who undertake strict diets that limit their caloric intake without considering their daily nutritional needs, the weight comes back and then some, so that someone who loses twenty pounds on a crash diet may very well gain back thirty. Furthermore, strict diets tell the body that there's a famine on, and the body is a very smart machine. When you start eating again, your body remembers the recent famine, lowering its metabolism to conserve fuel. Your body hangs onto the new calories like grim death, storing away fats, converting carbohydrates to yet more fats, trying to save you from starvation. And there you are, hungry still, but fatter than ever.

The other problem with dieting, especially for kids and teens, is that dieting greatly increases the chance of acquiring an eating disorder. Teaching kids correct eating habits is one way to prevent childhood obesity, but between school lunches and a culture entirely focused on snacking, that had better not be your only strategy. Raising kids who think it's fun to go canoeing, who'd rather go swimming than play a computer game is a better way to keep them at a healthy weight.

My friend Gerald tried every diet under the sun, but nothing seemed to work. He blamed himself: he'd get so hungry that he'd binge within a week, then feel like there was no point in continuing. He had a funny metabolism, I guess: even on a high-protein diet, he was always starving. He decided that diets weren't going to work. He hated to exercise: he joined a gym, but quit out of total boredom. He tried jogging, but it messed up his knees.

Finally, Gerald went to a nutritionist. She took a look at what he was eating (she had him keep a food diary), and she explained calories and told him about how many he should be eating to lose weight at a normal rate. But once she was done talking nutrition, she spent a lot of time talking to him about exercise. And then she did a remarkable thing. She took him bike riding.

I guess she figured he wasn't motivated enough to go alone, and since she knew his low opinion of all things physical, she didn't even tell him the plan. She just told him to come to their next appointment dressed for exercise, and she had two bikes hooked to the back of her station wagon. She drove him over to a bike path, adjusted the second bike to fit him, and they rode about four miles while she talked to him about calorie burning and oxygenating the blood and the benefits of sunshine and fresh air on the average male couch potato. She talked about how no-impact biking still strengthens bones and builds muscle, which then burns calories more efficiently. (And all the time, young women in Lycra were running past them, bouncing tightly along on perfectly-toned calves. The scenery couldn't have been more conducive to Gerald's conversion.)

Gerald bought a bike and started riding three times a week. He visits the nutritionist once a month, mostly to brag, because the weight started coming off right away and he looks great. He still eats a lot, but it doesn't much matter because he burns it right off. One of his complaints about exercise had been that he didn't have enough time, but the nutritionist helped him make some practical changes, such as substituting an online grocery delivery service for the two hours a week he used to spend shopping and standing in line. He tricked out his bike with a new seat and ergonomic handlebars that he got at www.nashbar.com,and although he'll never have the interest to be a triathlete, he accomplished his goal and found a new way to meet women.


source : freebeautytips.org

Dark Under Eye Circles Remedies

Dark Under Eye Circles Treatment & How to Hide or Lighten Them with Makeup

Most women over thirty will at some point wonder how to get rid of under eye circles. There are three ways to attack the problem of dark under-eye circles: prevention, topical application and cosmetic restoration. Holistic prevention, while being the easiest solution for some people is also the least effective for most.

What Causes Under-Eye Circles & Darkness
Dark circles under the eyes tends to be a genetic issue and practically unavoidable if dark under eye areas run in your family. But for people whose genetic background doesn't predispose them to dark circles, the easiest solution may be to get some sleep and drink a lot more water. One of the first signs of fatigue or dehydration is dark circles that appear under the eyes. The under-eye skin is thin, with a membrane that runs between a fatty layer and the outer layer of skin we see. When your body needs water, it shows up around the eyes first. Drinking liquor causes dehydration, as does over consumption of sugar and caffeine. Stress also causes under eye puffiness. Diet can impact your face too, especially if you have food allergies, and sulfites in wine can wreak havoc on the delicate skin around your eyes. So, once again, the answer nobody wants to hear: you might be able to banish undereye circles from within by taking care of your health.

Natural Home Remedies for Dark Under Eye Circles
But home remedies can only do so much. If your dark under eye circles don't budge even after a long nap and eight glasses of water a day, it's time to go the cosmetic or make up route. There are lots of options here, some more useful than others. Moisturizers are helpful mainly in that if you have lines around your eyes, the shine from the moisturizer will help lessen them and create a lighter look. Look for moisturizers with natural ingredients such as avocado oil, sesame, Vitamin K and Vitamin E. Moisturizer also works well as a base for under eye makeup like concealer because it smoothes the skin and makes it easier to apply a tinted cosmetic. There are no make-up secrets here: moisturizer will help other makeup keep from caking.

Best Beauty Product to Hide Dark Eye Circles
The best beauty product for under eye circles is concealer, and most makeup artists agree that it's important to use one with a slight golden color, as yellow tones counteract dark ones. Chamomile has long been known as a natural remedy for skin, and some concealers contain this ingredient which can help cure as it covers. Concealer is great for dealing with dark circles as long as you get the right shade and apply it correctly. Some women make the mistake of choosing a concealer that's too light: then you wind up with reverse-raccoon eyes, where the whiteness under your eyes looks strange and somewhat alien. The ideal concealer is usually a shade lighter than your foundation. To some extent, the area under the eyes is somewhat shadier than the rest of your face because the eye sockets naturally are somewhat receded into the face. If your concealer is too light, your eyes will disappear in the glare.

Non Surgical and Surgical Treatments to Correct Puffy Under Eyes
If you're tired of trying to erase your circles with eye cream, you may be looking for a treatment or even a cure. Looking tired all the time can affect your morale as well as the way people treat you. There are non-surgical options to eliminate puffy or dark undereye areas: injections performed by cosmetic surgeons can fill the hollows, and need repeating every three or four months. A really good ocularfacial surgeon can tighten the skin of the eyelids, reducing the puffiness and eliminating the dark circles for years to come. Called blepharoplasty, eyelid surgery can get rid of dark circles, puffy upper or lower eyelids and hollow, tired looking eyes. If you go this route, make sure to find a specialist who has done thousands of eyelids, ask to see before and after pictures and check with the local medical board to check the surgeon's history with other patients.

source : freebeautytips.org

How to Start a Personal Skin Care Routine

by Bette Daoust

One of the most necessary things for any person is skin care. Depending on a persons beliefs they will have different personal skin care routines. For some their personal routine involves going to their favorite parlor to beautify their skin. Some would prefer to do their personal routine through facials and body scrubs, which they use, skin care products for. When it comes to personal skin care individuals have their own convictions. Contrary to what many think skin care doesn't have to be complex or expensive. Considering the benefits you can get by developing a personal skin care routine the cost you may pay out is well worth it.

The first step in determining your personal skin care routine is to find out what your skin type is. You skin is dry, sensitive, normal or oily. Finding your skin type is the most important step in starting a routine. Buying products that aren't suitable for you skin won't work well. The basis of all your skin care product purchases should be those that match your skin type. The following example is of a routine for people with normal skin.

The first and most essential part of a skin care routine is cleansing. Using water that is too hot or cold will only dry your skin and cause damage so during cleansing your should use warm water. The three major components of cleansers are called wetting agents and they are typically oil, water and surfactants. The oil and surfactant help to remove dirt from the skin while the water washes the dirt away. You should take the time to find a cleanser that works well with your bodies chemistry. When shopping for cleansers it is a good idea to use a cleanser that is soap-free since over cleaning the skin can also cause additional damage.

The second step is the removal of dead skin cells through exfoliation. Renewing the skin and removing the dead skin cells is the bodies natural continuation process. The efficiency of skin care products will be increased by the exfoliation process. After cleansing the skin you will perform the exfoliation. If you have normal or oily skin then you should exfoliate your skin at least four to five times a week. If you have sensitive or dry skin then you should exfoliate your skin only one to two times a week.

After showering or bathing while your skin is still damp you should apply a moisturizer. Every person no matter what their skin type should use moisturizers, even if their skin is oily. Moisturizers are play an important role in attracting moisture from the environment to your skin and then locking it in the skin. However, harm can result if you use too much moisturizer on your skin.

The last step in your personal skin care routine is the use of sunscreens. One option you can choose is finding a moisturizer or lotion that has a SPF or UV protection built in so that you can get two benefits from one application.

You will have to do some testing first in order to find the best personal skin care product for you. Not all skin care products are going to work for every individual so you can't determine a product is good until you find one that works with your skin. If you have skin disorders it is a good idea to get advice from a dermatologist before starting a personal skin care routine.

Beauty Tips

by Tania Jain

Beauty is an essence. Looking beautiful means having one of the most comforts of life. Looking beautiful means get noticed. And who don't' want to be noticed. The word 'beauty' has a number of synonyms, cute, smart, gorgeous, handsome, and good looking sexy, stylish and after all beautiful.

When we use word beauty or beautiful, it clearly indicates our inclination towards something or object which we like the most. Nature is most beautiful object we have in which we exist in general. The word beautiful is a feminine word. When we listen the word beauty or beautiful, we assume a pretty, cool, charming and good-looking face. Boys or men don't need to be beautiful rather they need to be handsome.

No matter either you are a cool pretty girl / woman or a handsome boy / man; you must need to be smart, intelligent, and diligent. Your smartness, intelligence and diligence all reflect in your personality. And your personality depends on the fact that how you carry yourself and how you associate with the objects or persons around you. Your personality is the integration of your body, mind and soul. Rather you are a big-hearted person having a high degree of IQ. And the amalgamation of beauty with your mind and soul make you a being of get noticed. And who don't want that.

A well groomed child get noticed in his or her prep class, a handsome is get noticed in playgrounds, a sexy lace is get noticed some time on the streets and some time on the discos. A smart and bold person is get noticed in the society. A smart / beautiful manager is get noticed in board meetings.

It means beauty has its place everywhere, it makes its' place, it exists. It exists in every being. Some time it didn't look even though it is there. This is because the person is not taking care of his / her body i.e. skin, nails, eyes, hair, etc.

Taking care of your body means taking care of your self and for that you don't need to put extra effort, you don't need to put extra hour of your work schedule. Only you need to put is the minimum required attention. You need to regulate your life style, you need to discover the ways of living, and you need to monitor yourself with proper care.

How do you do that?

Here are few tips that make you a noticeable personality in the crowd and your body healthy, sexy and overall beautiful.
1. Drink 8 to 12 glasses of water everyday, having more water means feeling less hungry, consuming less food and hence being fit in shape and always looks energetic.
2. You can drink water in a regular interval of half an hour or so, while in office or traveling long, keep you water bottle with you.
3. Take balanced diet rich in carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and good fats.
4. Cut on calories; don't take food that gives high calories and fewer nutrients.
5. Nutrients are necessary to keep you away from sickness and thus helps in being beautiful
6. Take some beet root, cut into small pieces and grind. Squeeze it and massage your face for 5 minutes with beetroot juice. Wash / shower after 10 minutes with mild soap or gram flour. You will feel relaxed and your face will glow.
7. Mix honey in water, and drink it daily in the morning. This will keep your skin shiney and smooth.
8. Massage your body with milk. Moisturizer in the milk will keep your skin smooth and healthy.
9. Keep room temperature moderate, using humidifiers. This will keep you skin away from dryness.
10. If you take shower too long or a bit long, the dead skin of your body automatically gets removed. Don't rub your body with towel. Be gentle on your skin.
11. If you go out in the sun, your skins will loss its fairness. Take cucumber juice and tomato juice and apply it to your skin, shower after 10 minutes. This will make your skin fair.
12. Take rose petals, and grind them. Mix with cream on the top of milk. Shower after 10 minutes.

So take a little care of your body and stay healthy, handsome, beautiful, smart, and bold.
Get noticed!!!

Herbal Skin Care

by Awinita Smith


The skin is essentially the largest organ in the body and performs many vital roles as both a barrier and a regulating influence between the outside world and the controlled environment within the body.

Skin type differs between individuals; sensitive skin is skin that stings easily, especially during or just after cleansing. Oily skin attracts dirt and bacteria and may lead to acne and pimples. Normal skin also needs regular regime for health.

Water alone as a cleanser is not quite enough: removing dirt and grease that sticks to the skin forms a major aspect of cleansing. Use of soaps in skincare will dry the skin and lead to itchiness. Lemon (Citrus Limon) and honey (Meldespumatum) are alternatives to soap as lemon removes grime and oil while honey has antibacterial, antiseptic properties and prevents scar formation. Honey is increasingly being used to treat infected wounds and has been found to be effective in common wound infections.

Jasmine (Jasminum sambac) provides a cooling effect through its good smelling volatile oils and has healing properties, especially for oily or sensitive skin.

Sunflower (Heydichium spicatum) has soothing properties and is regularly used as a massaging agent.

Sandal tree (Santalum album) is useful for alleviating itchy and inflammatory conditions of the skin. It is commonly used as a household remedy by applying a paste of sandalwood on skin rashes and itchy skin.

Carica papaya (papaya) is a small tree with straight and soft stem with leaf scars on it. The fruits are a good source of pection. It removes freckles and smoothes the skin.

The juice of lemon is rich a source of vitamin C. it protects the skin from skin from oxidative damage and helps in preventing pruritus.

Coconut can be used externally for softening the lips and in various cosmetics.

Cucumber helps to keep the facial skin soft, has healing and soothing effect on the damaged skin and exerts a natural sunscreen.

Almond is known for its astringent effect. It has a globulin called amandin. It contains folic acid, alpha tocopherol and zinc, which are useful in skin disorders

Apple fruits contain a B-glycol, octane-1, 3-diol which is an antifungal constituent. It reduces skin inflammation and helps in removing dead skin fragments.

The fresh juice leaves of Kesharanjana are applied on the scalp for promoting the hair growth.

The fruit of Indian gooseberry contains the highest amount of vitamin C. Its fruit is acrid, cooling, refrigerant, diuretic, laxative and used in the preparation of hair dyes. A fixed oil extracted from the fruits is reported to have the property of promoting hair growth.

Beauty and Health Tips

by: Mary Rose

Beauty and health are the two sides of the same coin. You cannot possess either in isolation. Indeed a healthy person is naturally beautiful and the reverse is also true. It is a fact that health and beauty go hand in hand. Health is the metabolic efficiency in all people and beauty brings joy to the beholder. The following are some health and beauty tips that are simple and easy to follow.

Firstly, find ways to move your body. Always make it a point to use the stairs rather than elevators or escalators unless you are pressed for time. If you are overweight, eat less or exercise more to have a youthful body. The daily regime of either calorie restriction or exercise increase has positive effects on the body function. It is important to keep diabetes under control if one is diabetic or even take preventive measures to reduce the onset of diabetes and the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, hyper tension, and cancer or lung disease. Sedentary lifestyle is the greatest bane of health and beauty. It is imperative to exercise 30 minutes a day, 5 or 6 days a week. Indulge in anything that moves your limbs. It is not only a beauty and fitness tool, but a stress reliever as well. You can move around in small time intervals. It will be definitely far more rewarding if you could devote 45 minutes to 1 hour for any physical activity.

The next of the tips is - learn to say no to fried foods, burgers and other fatty meats. Reduce the intake of cheese, butter, nuts, sauces etc. Drinking water is one of the best beauty and health tips we can all follow. Water is essential for virtually every function of the body. The average person needs 1 to 3 liters of water a day. Drink with meals, as well as before, during and after exercise. Remember during your workouts, cold water is more readily absorbed.

The most important of the beauty and health tips is to quit smoking. It is mandatory to be a non smoker in order to improve the overall beauty and health of the individual.

Try to reduce stress filled situations. It is always easier said than done. Devote 30 minutes a day doing something you enjoy. Keep your temper under check and count to ten before losing your temper or getting aggravated. Stay away from people whom you find difficult to cope with. It is also important to practice oral hygiene and stay in a pollution free environment to remain healthy.

Recent studies suggest that a glass of wine or one drink a day is good for the heart, but take it easy!Gulping down glasses of wine can cause health problems such as liver and kidney disease as well as cancer.

There are many health and beauty products available in the market right now. They bring in different promises, guarantees and offers. Think for a while before making the purchase. Collect the details of the products you intend to buy. You should ensure that the product will do well for your beauty and health which you are looking for in it. Health and beauty products do help to improve your skin, health and fitness.

The link between genetics and beauty and health is a powerful one. But if one follows these basic beauty and health ,it is possible to live a healthy and beautiful life.Finally, stay positive. There's an ultimate connection between positive outlook and healthy and happy living. We all agree to the fact that a beautiful mind exists in a beautiful body That is the best of all beauty and health tips.