Helpful Hints and Natural Remedies for Dry Hair

With a huge market of dry skin potions made of oils and natural herbal extracts and super duty all-day extra dry hand creams aimed at keeping skin moist throughout the harshest of conditions, dry hair seems to be the first part of the body that is neglected. Even though winter is almost over, dry skin doesn’t end with the first day of spring and your hair needs to be taken care of just as much as cracked hands, feet, or elbows.
Having an itchy, dry scalp can not only be annoying but sometimes unsightly and embarrassing by showing up on your clothes. When the scalp is very dry the follicles flake off in little white sheets that can fall from your head when you least expect them, unlike dandruff, having a dry scalp can be caused by too much sun, too much shampooing, blow drying, chlorine, or coloring among other harsh ways of stripping the natural oils from your hair. When dry scalp flakes occur normally they are slight and only occur once every month as the skin sheds.
When you have dry scalp whether it is due to stress, weather conditions, genetics, or another outside source, constantly scratching can leave your hair greasy from the oils and dirt from underneath your fingernails. The natural oil secreted by your scalp is called sebum and is produced by the hair follicles. When the hair is washed the follicles protect themselves by creating more sebum in order to keep the hair from getting dehydrated. The more you wash your hair the greasier it can become which is why washing every other day or every few days is best for the health of your scalp as well as the physical appearance of your hair.
Hair masks can also be temporarily beneficial for overly dry hair. Oils such as almond, avocado, olive, rosemary, shea, and burdock among others can be mixed with honey and used on the hair to restore the moisture. Another natural remedy is mixing egg yolks and massaging them onto the hair and scalp and some people like to use mayonnaise to revive dry hair.
Dandruff, on the other hand, also produces white (and sometimes yellow) flakes due to a fungus affecting the scalp making it severely irritated. The inflammation causes your skin to shed quicker than just a dry scalp because it can occur anywhere from 7 to 21 days out of the month. There is no cure for dandruff and although there are pricy shampoos and conditioners that help curb the itch and flakes, there are natural remedies available.
Found in The Herbal Home Spa, by Greta Breedlove, this is a quick, natural, and less-expensive way to prep your scalp to lessen the outbreak of dandruff:
2 tablespoons cornmeal1/2 cup grape seed oil1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar1 shower cap
Mix all 3 ingredients together and after rinsing your hair with warm water, rub a tablespoon at a time into your scalp using a circular motion with your fingertips until you have covered your entire head. Place shower cap over your whole head and secure with pins if needed. Leave mixture on for at least 30 minutes then rinse well and shampoo and condition normally.
Besides homemade concoctions that will most likely make your hands slimy and make your hair smell disgusting, you should consider that the best way to keep your hair shiny and healthy is by eating a balanced diet with loads of fruits and veggies aimed at keeping the skin full of nutrients to ensure natural sebum production.
Don’t forget, your hair is just as much a part of your body as organs or skin.

Hairstyles For Women With Big Noses

Ladies fitting into these categories, may I first of all, in all sincerity, compliment you that you blessed with a beautiful big nose. After all, other women complain that they hate looking in the mirror to see their flat noses that do not make an imprint at all on their face! However, for you, the different planes of your face is clearly defined.

Listed below are a summary of do's and don't's of how to have you hair done (and a little bit about other parts of the face). After all, where would you have the time to read lengthy posts when guys are knocking down your door to date gorgeous you!

Do's:-
(i) Have long sexy textured, feathery or even heavy bangs that are swept to the side and slightly covering your eyebrows (creating volume at the crown);
(ii) Have a soft cut with layers with side parting; and
(iii) Blow wavy, billowy curls at the level below your nose and let it cascade down your shoulders with the hair at the sides pulled back;
(iv) Highlight your hair with gold or other colours that are happy colours (unique and edgy colours would be a good choice as well); and
(v) Highlight the sides of your nose with sheer foundation and blend well.

Avoid:-
(i) Short hair lengths; and
(ii) Straight edges.

By the way, most superstar celebrities have big noses too and look how gorgeous they are! For example, Ashlee Simpson, Jennifer Anniston and so on!

Safe Home Remedies For Dandruff

Shedding skin is a natural process of skin renewal that takes place all over the body including the head area everyday. However when fungal infections gain access to favourable areas and conditions, skin shedding can increase substantially.

The fungal infection causing Dandruff is known as Malassezia. Malassezia feeds on oil secreted by hair follicles and increases skin renewal turn around times from a couple of weeks to a couple of days. The infection is spread by communal use of towels, combs and brushes. Before treatment can be conducted the type Dandruff must first be identified as being either waxy or dry dandruff. Waxy Dandruff occurs in patches on the scalp when oily sebum mixes with dry skin cells. Dry dandruff is present when small white pieces of skin lie loose on head or is attached to hair. Various remedies are available to treat dandruff including home remedies.

Treatment for dandruff can take form of prescribed or natural remedies. Prescription remedies are available from your physician and natural remedies you can make yourself at home. Caution must be excised with home remedies to ensure that they are safe. Chemical reaction can result from various chemicals being mixed as well as poisoning from ingredients recommended in home recipes. The following home recipes are safe and reliable to use in treating all types of dandruff:
Hot olive or Coconut oil - Massage hot olive or coconut oil on scalp before bedtime. This will moisturise the skin assisting itchiness and flaking. In the morning rub onto scalp lemon juice mixed with vinegar. Leave 2 minutes and wash hair with good quality moisturising shampoo.
Rosemary, Sage, Thyme or Neem - Make a strong tea-like solution from either Rosemary, Sage, Thyme or Neem leaves by adding the leaves to boiling water and leaving to brew for 24 hours. Strain and pour water over just-washed hair and leave in. Style your hair as usual but keep styling products to the minimum as these products can increase dandruff.

Aloe Vera - Rub crushed fresh Aloe Vera leaves or gel onto scalp and leave for 15 minutes before you wash you hair.
Beetroot - Boil beetroot, make a paste and massage onto scalp before bedtime. Please avoid using red beet as it will stain your hair as well as clothing and linen. White beetroot would be best.
Egg - Beat three whole eggs with three tablespoons of water. Rub mixture on damp hair and massage onto scalp. Leave in for 15 minutes. Wash hair with lukewarm water.
Aspirins - Dissolve two Aspirins a quality dandruff shampoo. Leave the mixture on for 3 minutes, rinse thoroughly and style as normal.

Ways to Lose Face Fat Fast

We all know that when people gain weight, you can see it in their face. That is because there are fat glands in the face and the body does store some fat there. Sometimes, individuals might have a slender body, but still store fat in the face. There are some exercises that you can do to exercise chubby cheeks or a double chin. Any movement on your body burns at least some calories, so it doesn't hurt to do some face exercises. Here are some exercises that can help you lose face fat.

Many people who want to lose face fat have a double chin. If you have a double chin, there is an exercise that you can do. Curl your bottom lip over your bottom teeth. Open your mouth wide, and work your lower jaw up and down. This is something that you can do for a few minutes everyday, and it can eventually see some difference in your chin. Chewing gum on a regular basis can also reduce you chin eventually.

If you have chubby cheeks, there are a couple things that you can do. Smile more often. You might even practice smiling in the mirror. Try smiling with your teeth and without your teeth. After a minute or two, you will start to feel the burn in your cheeks. That is your face muscle working. You can also work your chin by frowning. You can frown regularly, and then do and exaggerated frown. You will probably start to feel a little fatigued in the face after these exercises.

These exercises might help to tone some parts of your face a little bit, but you have to remember that fat loss takes more than just working one small area of the body. If you truly want to burn the face fat, you will have to approach it like reducing any other area of fat. You can exercise the area more than others if you like, but ultimately, working out your entire body is the best way to lose face fat.

Exercise the rest of your body. I already mentioned that you can often see fat gain in the face. Well, it is also true that you can see weight loss in the face! If you make the effort to eat healthier foods and get more exercise overall, you may start to see some thinning in your face.
You can start off with some very simple exercises to burn some extra calories. Walking is a natural and effective exercise. If you walk more often, you will simply burn more calories. You can also jog, or do a few sprints to really get your heart pumping. Aerobic activity like dancing can also burn fat. Talking the stairs instead of the elevator and getting up to change the channel on the television (instead of using the remote) can cause your metabolism to rise. If you watch a lot of TV, get on a treadmill and watch, or get up and move around during commercials. Simply moving your body more will raise your metabolism and help you to lose face fat.

Developing some muscle tone also helps to increase your metabolism and burn fat. You can get some wrist or ankle weights to wear while you are walking. You can also get some dumbbells to do some strength training exercises. There are many workout DVDs that you can buy, or you can join a class. You can also take a dance or aerobics class. These things are also available on DVD in most places that they sell movies.

The final way to lose face fat is to watch what you eat. Try to eat balanced diet that incorporates all of the food groups with balance. Eat whole grains, fruits and vegetables the most, and meat and dairy a little less.

Choose Natural Soap for Sensitive Skin

All natural soaps are not created equal. The term “natural” can be defined many ways. Some people consider any soap that is homemade or handcrafted natural, even if it contains synthetic ingredients. While others think that if soap is made with organic oils, it can still be considered natural even if it contains synthetic fragrances. When you are at the store and trying to choose a natural soap for your sensitive skin, you want to be sure to read the ingredients.

Here is a list of things to look for when you are reading the ingredients on a bar of “natural” soap.

Soap is scented with fragrance and essential oils. Essential oils are oils that are derived directly from plants, while fragrance oils are synthetically created. Many fragrances are not available as essential oils, or are too expensive, so soapmakers will use fragrance oils. If you have sensitive skin you may want to use only soaps scented with essential oils, as that fragrance oils can be a skin irritant. Many soapmakers will label their soap as natural even if they use fragrance oils, so this is a key ingredient to check. Read the ingredient list to see what kind of colorants are in the soap to determine how natural the soap is. There are a variety of colorants available that vary from completely natural to very synthetic. If you want a very natural bar of soap, you should look for soap that is colored with natural herbs, rather than synthetic colorants such as FD&C Red#3.
Soap can also be colored with mineral colorants, which may or may not be synthetic depending on their source. If you have sensitive skin, use soaps with herbal or mineral colorants, as these are the most natural and the least likely to irritate your skin. All soap is made using lye, so don’t be scared if you see it listed as an ingredient. Lye, combined with oil, makes soap, so lye is used to make soap, but there is no residual lye in a bar of soap. Since there isn’t any actual lye in the final bar of soap, some soapmakers prefer to list the oils in the soap as ‘saponified oils’. This means that the oil was combined with lye to make the soap, and soap made with lye is completely natural.
Decide how natural you want your soap to be. If you have very sensitive skin, you should probably choose the most natural soap. Many skin conditions, such as eczema and psoriasis, tend to clear up or become less irritated when people choose to use natural soap. If you would like to learn about the natural soap that I make, you can visit my website, which is listed below in the Resources section.

Smart Ways to Get Waves With Straight Hair

Want wavy hair, but you are naturally straight? No problem! Just follow these steps and you'll have the wavy hair you've always wanted!

Step1 There are two ways to achieve wavy hair.
The first way is to braid your hair when it is wet. You want to french braid it in two pigtails. Start the braid as high up as you want the waves to be, and braid it all the way to the ends. Put a hair band on each end to keep it in place. Then go to sleep.

Step2In the morning, undo the braids and finger your hair out so that it fluffs. DO NOT brush it!! If you do, you might become more of a poodle than a beach babe. You can hairspray it if you want to make sure it stays put. Using the scrunch method with the hairspray as outlined below may help you get the look you want out of it.

Step3 The second way to get wavy hair is to start with just-washed hair that's been sitting in a towel for a while, or to wet it with a spray bottle. It needs to be damp, but not dripping. Towel-dried after a shower is fine, but will take longer. First, flip your hair over, so you are looking at the floor.

Step4 Next, set your blow drier to the hot setting, and turn it on high. While drying your hair, use your free hand to grab chunks of your hair starting from the ends. Open your hand palm up, and while it's right under your hair, push your hand up towards the ceiling while closing it around a bunch of your hair.

Step5Do this over and over, while blow drying, to each section of your hair. After you've scrunched each a little bit, turn off the dryer, and get your hairspray/scrunch spray (while scrunch spray is the best to use, you can get the same results with a strong hold hairspray as well).

Step6 Stand up and spray one side of your hair. Then scrunch all the hair you just sprayed using the same method as before with your palm up and pushing the hair up toward the ceiling while closing your hand around it. Then spray another side, and continue scrunching.

Step7Once you've scrunched all your hair again, flip back over, and repeat the blow dryer step over again. Then stand back up and repeat the hairspray step. *The amount of times you repeat these steps will vary based on how wet your hair is.

Tips & Warnings

• If your hair is not fully dry when you are done, it may start to straighten out during the day. If it does, just hairspray and scrunch it some more, and it should stay. I recommend making sure your hair is fully dry when you are ready to go. That way, the hairspray will do it's job and keep your hair wavy.
• When it's time to wash/brush your hair, it will hurt! Brush it out before you wash it to minimize knots when you get out of the shower. Beauty is pain!

Regrow your hair with potatoes

It’s not a secret that potatoes can work wonders to your hair. So if you want to regrow your hair and make it look healthier it is very advisable to make potato mask and apply it to your scalp and hair at least once a week. To prepare it take a dish, add one yolk, one tea-spoon of vegetable oil, one tea-spoon of liquid honey and a tea-spoon of fine salt to it. Take two potatoes of medium size. Wash, peel, and grate them. Add grated potatoes to the dish and mix everything thouroughly. Prior to washing your hair divide it into locks and put the prepared mask on the scalp. Put some of the mask on your hair along the whole length. Wrap a warm towel around your head and keep it for 30-40 minutes. Wash your hair with a soft shampoo and rinse it with clear water with a small amount of vinegar or citric acid.

Actually, potatoes are perfect for any kind of hair treatment. Potato masks can be used in case of both greasy and dry hair: it all depends what you add to them. Proper treatment will surely make your hair brilliant and silky. It will also be of great help in case of hair loss.

Masks with potatoes and curdled milk are useful for treating greasy hair. Peel and grate several potatoes. Squeeze out 6 spoonsfuls of potato juice and mix them with about 200 ml of curdled milk (the greasier is your hair - the sourer should be curdled milk. Mix it carefully and put it on your hair roots and along the whole length of your hair. Wrap your head with polythene and a warm towel and keepp it for about half an hour. Wash your hair thoroughly with a shampoo for greasy hair.

Use potato mask with a yolk and honey to treat dry hair. Grate 3 medium-sized potatoes, squeeze out juice and mix it with with 1 egg yolk and 20 g of liquid honey. Mix it carafully and rub it into your scalp with soft movements for it to be absorbed better. Also put this mask on clean and slightly damp hair. Leave the mask for about 30 minutes and wash it with warm water without any shampoo. Don’t use a hair-drier.

Most Popular Facts about Human Hair

• Healthy hair is usually strong and elastic due to greasing produced by sebaceous glands. It can be stretched 1.5 times longer and then it returns to its normal length undamaged. It is almost as strong as aluminum and is capable to sustain the weight of 0.1 to 0.2 kg. That’s why in old times people used ropes made of women’s plaits to elevate heavy loads.
• Hair is hygroscopic, i.e. it can absorb water. It is rather acidproof, but vulnerable to alkali.
• Hair has the ability to accumulate certain substances. That’s why it’s successfully used by criminalists in their investigations.
• First hair appears on the head of a child when he is in a womb of a mother, approximately on 4-5 month of pregnancy.
• Intensity of hair growth depends on the season and time of day: it grows faster in spring and summer than in winter and autumn. Also hair growth is not that intensive at night than during daytime.
• A single hair can grow from 2 to 7 years with the speed of 0,3-0,4 mm a day.
• Hair grows averagely 2 years on men’s heads and 4-5 years on women’s.
• Normally a man loses 30-100 hair a day. Each follicle bears about 20-30 hair during human life.
  
• Hair grows about 1 cm a month. An adult man has about 100,000 hair, and its amount depends on color.
• A single hair of Africans and Asians is the thickest. It can be 3 times thicker than that of European blondes. But at the same time blondes have the biggest amount of hair on their heads - about 150,000. Redheads have the thickest hair, but its amount is smaller than that of brunettes.

Earrings for Your Face Shape

There are few women having perfect face shape, many ladies may think of changing hair style to make them look great. However, that might take you a long time to do your hair and sometimes the final looking is a disaster. Do you believe that wearing a pair of earrings could flatter your face shape?

Face shape-Oval face: This is the ideal face shape, and actually, many kinds of earrings could go for this kind of face perfectly. You can try some sterling silver earrings.Steer clear: To avoid sporting a too-long face, don't wear incredibly long shapes that will just pull you down.

Face shape-Round face: Ladies who have round face for sure want to make their face look slimmer, and the long length earrings are really helpful.Steer clear: circular earrings, such as hoops, as well as tiny studs and button earrings.

Face shape-Heart face: To balance the wide forehead you should wear Chandelier and teardrop earrings.Steer clear: earrings that have the same shape as your face, like heart-shaped hoops. Avoid wearing very short earrings.

Face shape-Square face: If you want to soft the strong angel of your face, you should wear circular earrings, such as hoops.

Face shape-Steer clear: square, rectangular or harshly angled earrings that echo your face shape.Have strong interesting about earrings? Come to emitations.com to find your favorite.

Wedding Jewelry Trends: Summer 2009

Tired of Easter egg pastel colored bridesmaid dresses and single strand pearl necklaces? Well, so is everyone else. For the up-and-coming bridal seasons of 2009, gear up for fresh combinations, bold accessories and risk-taking numbers that throw caution to the wind. After all, today's bride is as fashion forward, trendsetting and stylish as ever; her jewelry should be too!
While pearls have always been a classic bridal favorite, it's time to spice things up with new designs and colored cultured pearls. Try cocoa colored, gold hued or black pearls in a multi-strand necklace to add awe to a neutral colored dress. Add matching earrings for a pulled together look. For a bracelet, try wearing multiples or don a mother of pearl oversized cuff. Remember that even though it's your wedding day, you shouldn't have to sacrifice your true style and the jewelry in which you'll feel most comfortable.

Colored stones are a great way to incorporate some interest into your bridal look. Jewelry sets with rich sparklers in ruby red, sapphire and emerald gemstones are eye-catching and can pull in the color of your bridesmaid's dresses. Black stones such as onyx or black pearls look fabulous as a stud earring and can also provide great contrast with a white dress. Incorporating color into your look is a modern and fun way to remember your big day.

The cuff bracelet is all over the runways at major fashion shows, and it's also becoming a staple of wedding jewelry as well. With so many choices, you can be sure to find a cuff that will work with your look, whether it's dainty and divine or heavily adorned with stones. If going with a statement piece, try raw gemstones and diamonds set in matte gold for a truly stunning bridal cuff that will make any Mrs. -to-be shine.

Diet Secrets of the Stars

Looking at the stars, you would think they were all born with perfect bodies. No one is born with a perfect body. How do they look so amazing? To saunter down the red carpet looking gorgeous takes some work. Well with their money, they work out with personal trainers and some go under the knife. For the most part, they watch what they eat. One of the biggest weight loss trends is to cut carbs. One huge diet trend is the “Zone”. Jennifer Aniston actually dropped thirty pounds on the diet. Friend’s stars like Matt Leblanc and Matthew Perry have also had success with the zone. It works on 40 percent carbs, 30 percent protein and 30 percent-unsaturated fats.

Another popular diet is the low carb-high fat Atkins. How does this diet work? Isn’t fat the culprit here? It is meat and cheese rich. The plans philosophy is to cut sugar and carbohydrates in order to lose the weight. The body goes into ketosis, which is where the body is tricked into thinking it is starving. The body burns glycerin so there is a big amount of weight dropped quickly which makes it popular. Who wouldn’t want to drop weight quickly! After a few weeks, carbs are reintroduced but limited. This diet is not for everyone because ketosis affects the kidneys and muscle tissues. Of course, with any diet you should research it and talk to your doctor.

Well remember this is Hollywood. With Hollywood comes parties and with parties comes drugs. Some celebs use them to stay thin. One such drug is cocaine which is popular among some stars like Lindsey Lohan who was pulled over for drunk driving and had coke on her. A new comer in the world of slimming drugs is Adderall. The number of celebs getting addicted to it is rising. It keeps you awake and suppresses the appetite. These young Hollywood types fail to realize everything comes with a price. This drug can cause heart problems, psychotic episodes and depression. Well sounds great to me!

Of course, there is the popular fasting approach. This is typically a diet of liquids. A fast approach is to mix together water, maple syrup and cayenne pepper. Mmm, sounds yummy! Some go so far as to check themselves into a hospital. They are put on an IV just to stop eating altogether. Then there are the constant coffees, smokes and other so-called weight shedders who are obviously doing more harm then well. These are all the extremes that stars will go through just to be thin. They fail to realize that sometimes you can go too far. There is thin, and then there is unhealthy. Your body needs the nutrients that food provides and without it, your body shuts down.

Therefore, there is no real secret to the stars thin builds. We all would like to think there is. We have to remember they are just human like the rest of us. The answer to a healthy lifestyle is everything in moderation. Make sure you exercise and drink lots of water. The rest will take care of itself. No one is perfect and we should not kill ourselves to try to achieve that which is unachievable.

6 Ways to Get Rid of Chapped Lips

Soft, smooth lips are very attractive, but often hard to achieve, especially in the cooler months of the year. Make your lips soft, smooth and totally cool by following this fool-proof guide.

1--Get a washcloth and run it under some warm water. Make sure it is not too hot or it will burn your lips and your face. Make sure the wash cloth is completely wet and squeeze it out to remove excess water.

2--Rub the washcloth over your lips. Don't rub them too hard, rub them gently but firmly. Don't rub your lips for too long. If they start to burn, take the washcloth off, splash cool water on your lips and put some Vaseline on. Or use a soft bristled tooth brush to get rid of dead skin.

3--Rinse out the washcloth and squeeze off the excess water. Then leave it to dry.

4--Pat your lips dry and apply a coat of lip balm. This could be plain lip balm, an aloe vera lip balm or one with SPF protection. Make sure your lips are completely dry before you apply the lip balm.

5--Apply lip gloss or a moisturizing lipstick over the top to make your lips moist and keep them smooth. This could be a nude lipstick or a coloured lipstick.

6--Repeat this process as many times as you feel necessary, and eventually your lips will start to feel smooth. Don't neglect the process and keep doing it properly every time.

How to Apply Artsy Eyeliner

Makeup is all about using your imagination to create something amazing. Take something you fancy and run with it. Let your makeup reflect your personality. Be daring - but be you!

Steps

• Pick something you fancy, whether it be a colour, a shape or your grandmother's cat. It can be anything that you like and find appealing.
• Nick someone else's idea. Ryan Ross from the rock band Panic At the Disco has applied bats and wintry trees with his eyeliner. Hayley Williams from Paramore and Amy Winehouse often wing their eyeliner and draw it past their eyes. Use their looks for inspiration.
• Experiment. Look at different colors, shapes, textures and shadows. Think about why you picked a particular color or feature in the first place.
• Examine your blank canvas. Really look at your eyes; are they almond shaped, wide set, or far apart? Individual features can make your designs unique. For example, your eyelid's crease; is it close to your eyebrow, Does it slope severely? Make your features part of your design.
• Gather your tools. You can use your fingers or cosmetic wedges, for smudging and large effects. Look for soft brushes and, of course, for eyeliner and eyeshadow. Use an angled brush for liners and eyebrows. A few pointed brushes or makeup sponges can help with detailed work. Fine tipped brushes keep multiple applications looking neat.
• Apply foundation, evenly, around your eyes and let this dry. This provides a base for your makeup, and makes it stay put for longer.
• Replicate the colors or shapes of the item you picked earlier. For instance, say you chose green: you'd apply a base color of green on the crease. Then, you might apply a dark green onto your eyelid, followed by a bright or glittery green near closer to your nose. Finally, you could blend a soft green just below the brow. Let your imagination run riot. If you don't like the effect, you can always start again.
• Finish off your look. Heated eyelash curlers, false eyelashes, and or brightly colored mascara can create dramatic effects.
  
  

Tips

• If you decide to take the eyeliner out onto your cheeks, take it slowly. Your skin's texture will differ. Your cheeks may be more difficult to achieve smooth lines, so take your time, and remember, practice makes perfect.
• If you are finding it difficult to scale or imagine your design, drawing the design onto paper first can help you to 'map' it out.
• Decide whether you want your design to match your outfit or stand out.
• Make sure that the rest of your makeup is quite neutral, or, at the very least, matching.
  
  

Warnings

• Think about how subtle you want to be and remember when applying. If you mess up, it's better to remove your makeup and start fresh than to cake more layers on.
• It may be best to invest in a waterproof eyeliner - nothing could be worse than ending up with a black smear across a good half of your face.
• Do not share eyeliner. Doing so can lead to eye infections and, in a worst case scenario, blindness.
  
  

Things You'll Need

• Eyeliner (pencil or liquid- or you can just use some eyeshadow with a very fine brush)
• Base eyeshadow, possibly a bright color that will stand out, such as acid green or purple, or a darker, more muted colur.
• Try Nars eyeliner, its has many hours of staying power
  

Permanent Solutions to Dry Itchy Skin

If you struggle with dry itchy skin, you know how uncomfortable it can be. You want to itch it, but try not to. And those who do itch often end up needing not just something to soothe the skin, but also something to heal it.
Well, there is good news for sufferers of dry itchy skin. Recent advancements in skin care ingredients have produced some new creams and lotions that are great for dry skin care. When these ingredients are combined together in a skin cream, they make an incredibly effective moisturizer. But that's just the beginning.
These new dry skin care products also contain ingredients that have powerful healing properties as well as the ability to support the body's own production of collagen and elastin. So, let's go ahead and look at some of these natural ingredients that will help with your dry itchy skin.
The first one I want to mention is called Cynergy TK. This is a recently developed substance that is produce in New Zealand. The thing that makes Cynergy TK so effective is that it has very high levels of the protein keratin that has been extracted from the wool of sheep. Keratin is very important to the human body and is one of the many compounds that it uses to produce collagen and elastin.
However, don't get the idea that it is only good for collagen production. Clinical studies on Cynergy TK show that it substantially increases the moisture content of the skin. It produced a 27 % increase in skin hydration over 24 hours. It also helps repair the skin by increasing the production of new skin cells.
Another very effective ingredient for healing dry itchy skin is Active Manuka Honey. This is a unique honey that science has shown has antibacterial properties. Studies have shown it to help with collagen, elastin and skin cell production. Manuka Honey has a higher amount of antioxidants than any other honey.
One last ingredient to be looking for is Jojoba Oil. This is a powerful moisturizer that is very similar to the natural oils produced by the human body. Effective dry skin care that contains this natural oil will quickly restore health to dry skin.
You will notice that all three of these are natural ingredients. Cynergy TK comes from the wool of sheep, Manuka honey is a natural honey, and Jojoba Oil from the Jojoba plant. All the ingredients in a cream for dry itchy skin should be this natural. Avoid things like mineral oil. They will more often than not damage the skin over time.
Keep these things in mind as you seek the best dry skin care. Today's skin care products are far ahead of anything that existed even 10 years ago. Visit my website to see more natural substances that have been shown scientifically to be effective moisturizers and healers of dry skin.

When a Woman Smells Best

The scent of a woman is more attractive at certain times of the month, suggests a new study that had men sniffing women's armpit odor.
"We were interested whether armpit odor changes across menstrual cycle," said study author Jan Havlieek of the Department of Anthropology at Charles University, Prague. "To test this, we asked a group of women to wear cotton pads in their armpits for 24 hours."
The women didn't wear perfumes, use deodorants, eat spicy or smelly foods, smoke, drink alcohol or use hormonal contraceptives such as the pill. Body odor was collected during three phases: menstrual (at the beginning); follicular (between the first day of menstruation and the onset of ovulation); and luteal (the fertile stage).
"The fresh pads were subsequently rated for their attractiveness and intensity by a group of 42 men," Havlieek told LiveScience.
The most attractive smells, men said, were from the time between the first day of menstruation and ovulation.

The cycle
The typically 28-day menstrual cycle involves the physiological changes that occur in a woman to prepare for a possibility of pregnancy. It is controlled by the reproductive hormone system.
A cycle is divided into four parts and starts on the first day of menstruation, which is the shedding of tissue and blood from the womb. In the follicular phase, a dominant ovarian follicle—which is a sack that contains the ova, or egg—grows, becoming ready to ovulate. The mature egg is then released in the phase known as ovulation around day 12. The cycle ends with the fertile phase.
Although many men would tell you they're always in the mood, Havlieek and colleagues discovered that men find odors during the follicular phase the most attractive and least intense. On the other hand, the highest intensity smells, corresponding to the lowest attractiveness for men, were found during the time of menstrual bleeding.
"Traditionally it's believed that ovulation in human female is concealed and there are no changes in attractiveness across the cycle," Havlieek said.
The study is detailed in the January issue of the journal Ethology.

Further sniffing
Two other studies by different research teams came to similar conclusions. But those investigations used T-shirts for odor sampling, "making it difficult to pinpoint the source of the smell," said Havlieek, whose team restricted sampling to armpits only.
Finally, the attractiveness of women's faces also changes during the month.
Havlieek's team found that facial images of women in the follicular phase—when the dominant ovarian follicle is getting ready to ovulate—are considered more attractive as compared to images taken in the luteal or fertile phase of the cycle.
The researchers hope to find out which chemical compounds are responsible for the odor changes across a woman's menstrual cycle.

Why Do Humans Kiss

This is the scenario. You are staring into her eyes while she stares into yours. Instinctively, you embrace her and pull her close. She touches your face while you lean in and your lips connect. The sensation leaves you breathless and you can’t even begin to wonder, “Why are we kissing anyway?” The question has been on the minds of countless individuals in the past and present. But only a select few dared to question why it occurs.

The simplest information for this phenomenon is the humans kiss because it feels good. However, is this explanation sufficient? Some scientists have studied the history of kissing by looking at the human anatomy and history. So far, these scientists haven’t been able to explain where and why kissing occurs though there are certainly a lot of theories.

Is kissing an instinct or is it learned? Many believe that it is a learned behavior dating back to ancient times. Back then, mothers had to chew food and then pass it on the mouths of their children. Supporting this theory is the fact that there are tribes that don’t kiss at all. On the other side of the spectrum are those who support the theory that kissing is an instinctive behavior.

Why instinctive, you would ask. Well, some scientists believe that animal behavior is proof. Most animals rub themselves as a sign of affection but there are animals that do pucker their lips like people. Look at the bonobos, for example, they make up after a big fight, they kiss to comfort each other, and they develop bonds just like humans. Similarly, they sometimes kiss each other for no apparent reason.

Right now though, there is a more interesting theory. It seems as if some people believe humans kiss to sniff a potential mate. Kissing is said to be a way to find a quality partner because kissing allows pheromones to “communicate” biological information about whether or not the offspring will be strong and healthy. It has been studied that women unconsciously prefer a male scent with an immune system different from their own. This will make their offspring stronger.

No matter the kind of theory and explanation that people might think of though, those who enjoy kissing are content. They live for the tingly sensation of lip locking, the pulse of the nerve endings, and the dizzying sensation that comes with intimacy and falling in love.

Salmon May Be Best-Kept Beauty Secret

Forget about creams and serums for glowing skin, shinier hair and brighter eyes. Eat some salmon, sweet potatoes and spinach and get ready for the beauty to shine from the inside out, some experts say.
"Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce stress, fight depression, and boost mood, according to preliminary research," says Lisa Drayer, author of The Beauty Diet.
Drayer has identified foods that offer both beauty and stress-reduction benefits. The list also includes yogurt, blueberries, spinach, kiwis, tomatoes, oysters, sweet potatoes, walnuts, green tea and dark chocolate.
These foods provide various nutrients such as antioxidants and zinc, selenium, vitamin C and calcium.
Each food has varied beauty and stress-reduction benefits.

Foods Reduce Stress
Blueberries, for example, which are ranked No. 1 for antioxidant activity by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, contain anthocyanins that keep the collagen in the skin intact. They also offer a healthy dose of potassium, which helps lower blood pressure.
Drayer adds that one cup of plain, low-fat yogurt is also packed with both beauty and stress reduction benefits.
"It supplies about 450 milligrams of calcium -- an important beauty mineral associated with strong bones, good posture and a beautiful smile," she says. "And protein in yogurt serves as a building block for strong skin, hair and nails. But research also suggests that a high calcium intake can also help reduce the risk of PMS and alleviate stress-related PMS symptoms."
Other foods you may love have benefits: Chocolate contains feel-good chemicals. Green tea contains theanin, which promotes relaxation. Walnuts contain an amino acid that contributes to relaxation of the blood vessels.
"Brittle nails? Maybe you're suffering from an iron deficiency," Drayer says. "Dry skin? Perhaps you're not eating enough beauty-enhancing fats."

Stress Equals Ugly
Drayer says stress can also affect one’s appearance.
"Stress can contribute to wrinkles and may aggravate skin conditions including eczema and acne," she says. "Additionally, the effects of stress not only can show up in your face, but also around your middle."
Stress is often linked to overeating, so the selection of food is crucial, she says.
"If you’ve ever gone through half a bag of Hershey’s Kisses without realizing it, you know there is a link between anxiety and eating," she says.

Take Stress Eater Quiz
Another diet, the Stress Eater Diet, addresses those concerns directly.
"A stress eater is a person that uses food as a coping mechanism and reaches for food when they are anxious, upset or stressed," says Dr. Robert Posner, author of the Stress Eater Diet.
If you still wonder if you fit into this category, take a quiz at StressEaterQuiz.com.
"Stress can damage the body and the mind and ultimately cause death. It is important to manage stress wisely and not cope with food," says Posner. "A balanced diet will help keep the blood sugar stable and give the body the nutrients it needs to fight the stress and stay healthy while reducing overweight and obesity."

Tough Economy And Stress
Increasingly, people are trying to find comfort in food because of the economic climate, Posner says.
"Right now, 80 percent of Americans are stressed because of the economic downturn and the associated stressors of job security or loss, housing and stock market declines, healthcare concerns, rising prices, etc.," he says. "Close to 70 percent report an average of two sleepless nights per week. This program can provide a way for people to cope with stress and improve their health and their lives."
The diet also includes stress relieving exercises such as cardio and weight resistance and calming techniques such as deep breathing and mediation.
The key to not stress eating is eating foods that help boost serotonin levels, says Posner.
"Serotonin helps to balance mood and appetite," he says. "Low serotonin levels can cause more hunger and cravings as well as a depressed state known as the blues."
Foods that provide a lift include eggs, dairy, bananas, nuts, bread, rice, potatoes, turkey and meats.
Posner says both men and women can become stress eaters.
"The diet will help anyone with stress to understand why they are eating and help to change behaviors so they can eat more healthfully," he says.
The diet will help participants lose weight as well, but Posner says sometimes stress eaters may not necessarily have a weight problem.
"Yet they deal with stress through food and can get out of control at any time," he says. "This can lead to nutritional deficiencies, frequent illness, and long-term health issues like diabetes and heart disease."

What You Need to Eat to Get a Healthy and Youthful Skin

We all know that what we eat has a tremendous influence on how we look, because everything we eat becomes a part of us. Beautiful and glowing skin is one of the most important signs of good health and one of the secrets of personal success. It is the biggest organ of your body, and in order to keep your skin healthy and youthful, you must nourish it with certain vitamins and minerals. Below, you can learn what are those nutrients and in what foods they occur.

• Vitamin A and beta-carotene.

Vitamin A, a potent fat-soluble vitamin, is one of the most important elements for normal activities of skin cells. It assists in maintaining and repairing epithelial tissues. It is a powerful antioxidant, which helps in neutralization of free radicals and various negative processes in your skin, has anti-inflammatory properties, prevents wrinkles and makes your skin look fresher. You can find Vitamin A in egg yolks, low fat dairy products, fish fat, liver, and other foods. Beta-carotene is the most effective source of Vitamin A. Besides, this element has an excellent property to protect our skin against harmful effects associated with sunburn. Such foods as carrots, spinach, broccoli, watermelon, apricot, sweet potatoes, are the best sources of Beta-carotene.

• Vitamin B.

Important vitamins of this group include Vitamin В1, В2, В3, В6, В9 and В10. These vitamins are responsible for forming good nails, hair and skin. They assist in converting calories into energy and boost the function of the oil-producing glands helping to keep your skin fresh, moist and youthful. Such foods as milk, potatoes, eggs, red meat, fish, cabbage, whole grains, beans, breads and cereals, bananas and many others contain great amounts of Vitamin B.

• Vitamin C.

This anti-oxidant is very important for our skin that is why it is used in many cosmetic creams and lotions for skin. Vitamin C improves hydration of skin, nourishes and refreshes it. However, exposure to sun and various stresses drain this vitamin from our skin, so it becomes sensitive to possible damages and negative effects of the environment. A great number of foods contain this vitamin, including oranges and other citrus fruits, strawberries, broccoli, green peppers, sweet potatoes and others.

• Vitamin E.

This vitamin has the reputation of “the Vitamin of Youth”. It is one of the most powerful antioxidants, which slows down the processes connected with aging of the cells and breaks down collegen, responsible for sagging and wrinkles. Vitamin E makes your skin look better and also protects it against harmful effects of the environment. Nuts, tomatoes, spinach and other leafy vegetables, sesame and olive oils, fish and other types of seafood are good source of Vitamin E.

• Zinc and Selenium.

Both of these elements are good antioxidants, which are necessary for growing healthy hair and nails, healing wounds, improving metabolism and slowing down aging processes in our body. Zinc aids in maintaining normal levels of collagen in your skin and improves skin elasticity and firmness. It occurs in leafy vegetables, oysters, red meat, mushrooms, soy beans, nuts and pumpkin seeds. Selenium helps to decrease negative effects of ultraviolet and has certain properties to prevent skin cancer. Seafood, whole grains, eggs, tomatoes, garlic can be good sources of selenium.

• Iron.

This element is essential for hair, nail and skin regeneration. Besides, iron assists in providing your body cells with oxygen. Iron is an element which occurs in apples, apricot, chicken, seafood, whole grain, and other foods.

Natural Remedies for Your Feet

It is not easy to describe, how much work our feet do for us, and how terribly we mistreat them! Walking on incredibly high heels, standing on feet for hours, wearing very uncomfortable, but fashionable shoes! Sometimes, our feet are crying for help, and everything we can do is just 5-10 minutes of daily care. However, not may of us find time for that, until we start feeling pain in our feet after hard working days. Sore feet, dry feet, heel spurs, wounds, hematomas and blisters, fungal infections - these are just few problems which are familiar to many people, especially women. Why don’t we treat our feet right?

There are a lot of easy and good natural treatments which can help to relax and comfort our tired feet. It would be enough just simply soak your feet in warm water for 10-15 minutes before the bedtime. Warm water can soothe and relax your muscles, and adding several drops of an essential oil into the water will have numerous positive effects on your body and mind. Besides, if you are not that lazy or tired in the end of the day, you can use both cold and warm treatment for your feet, soaking them in a bucket of hot and then in a bucket of cold water (2-3 minutes each).

Sore foot or foot pain can be relieved by a food bath with various essential oils, especially Eucalyptus, Chamomile, Peppermint, Rosemary, Lavender or even Olive oil. Specialists recommend soaking your feet in warm water with several mustard seeds: such bath can help to stimulate blood flow to your feet, fasten metabolism and detoxification in your tissues and bring relief to pains in muscles and joints. Nutritionists recommend eating asparagus, which can help to remove extra fluids from the body and reduce swellings. Finally, massaging your tired feet with two drops of Clove oil and several drops of Sesame oil can help to improve blood circulation in your feet and soothe your skin.

Foot odor is another quite common and very embarrassing problem, which has many very effective natural solutions. Placing some leaves of Sage (Salvia officinalis) into your shoes is one of the oldest and the most tested recommendations that can assist you in keeping the odor under control. Regular soaking your feet in a mixture of 50-70 g of apple vinegar and warm water is another natural way to avoid the odor. You can also use lemon juice instead of the vinegar. Finally, using special foot bath with tea on a regular basis can help you forget about foot odor. Soak your feet once a day in 1 liter of warm water with 3-4 tea bags.

If you have such problem as fungal infection on your toenails, you can use Celandine (Chelidonium majus) tincture, which can be mixed with several drops of Tea Tree, Chamomile or Lemon oil. It is also recommended to use Celandine foot bath: boil 4-5 table spoons of Celandine flowers in 1 liter of water for 3-5 minutes, wait until it cools down and bathe your foot for 20-30 minutes. Besides, to treat fungal infection on the toenails it is possible to use burdock leaves. Pick 1-2 fresh burdock leaves, tear them into small pieces and smash them untill you receive something like a paste. Place some of the paste on the infected toenail and wrap it around with some small piece of soft cloth. Keep overnight.

Foot Care Tips

Taking care of your flattering feet. Many of you pay little or no attention to the importance of proper foot care.
You would jam your feet into your favorite fashionable shoes, stub their toes, ignore their nails, kick them around, and demand that they carry you around all day.
No wonder they look a little worse for the wear.
Luckily, there are plenty of simple, inexpensive tricks you can use to have your feet looking and feeling their best in no time at all.
There are so many elements of everyday living that are absolutely torturous for your feet.
For example, shoes that are too small for your legs, standing all day, stuffy boots, and exposing them to the locker room floor at your local gym are some examples of scenarios to which most women can relate to.
You never take foot care seriously, until your feet start to hurt and reject the burdens you place on them, they are often taken for granted, so avoid problems in the future, invest some effort and time to proper foot care, it is definitely a worthwhile investment.
Relaxing foot care - you know how amazing it feels to have your feet taken care off if you’ve ever had a professional pedicure: soaking, exfoliation, moisturizing and maybe even massage.
The best part is you can recreate this experience at home with only a small investment of time, money, resources and achieving the purpose of excellent foot care.
Begin by removing any old nail polish with a remover-soaked cotton swab and then soaking your feet in a tub of relaxing, hot water. To increase the pleasant feeling, toss in some bath or Epsom salts.
If you have a home foot care bath with bubbles or jets, that’s even betterSoak for at least five to ten minutes; the heat will promote blood circulation in your feet and soften your skin and you can use the time to read, watch television or just lean back and relax.
When you’re done soaking, use a small brush to buff one foot at a time, removing dead skin and softening your feet. After you’ve finished brushing, let each foot go back into the water.
To further soften any rough spots like your heels or the sides of your toes, you can use a dollop of foot scrub lotion. Take a pumice stone to finish off any lingering rough skin, once you’ve massaged the lotion into your feet.
This is a great tool, so take your time and rinse your feet when you’re done. Feeling good with foot care by now? There’s more. Dry your feet with a soft towel while remove them from the water and rub your feet with some of your favorite lotion.
A peppermint lotion may be particularly soothing and relaxing, especially if you have willing partner to handle this step for you. Either way, it feels marvelous. Now it’s time to add a little style after you’ve finished massaging your feet.
Trim and shape your nails with clippers and a file, and then use a cuticle stick to gently push back your supple cuticles. You may want to scale away excess cuticle skin, although it’s imperative to do this carefully to avoid damaging the cuticle.
You'll need a cuticle trimmer for this. Once your cuticles are under control, you will want to even out the surface of your nail by applying a clear or opaque base coat.
This will help hide any ridges or lumpy areas that might show up if you applied nail color directly to the affected area.
Add a coat of your favorite nail color when the base coat is dry. Choose something soft and light for a conservative look or something bold and daring for more flair.
It’s a good idea to apply several coats to improve the durability of your finish, whatever your choice is. Use a small cloth or cotton swab, dipped in nail polish remover to dissolve stains that may have been deposited around the edges of your toe nail and clean up any messy areas as you go.
To prevent chips and scuff marks from harming your pedicure masterpiece, use an additional coat of clear sealer will. That’s it!
You’re ready to strap on a pair of open-toe sandals or to pad around the house in your bare, and very fashionable, flattering feet. One element of great feet is looking pretty, right?
Other foot care tips on keeping your feet healthy:Wash and dry your feet carefully to avoid fungal and bacterial problems. Wear supportive, and only wear well-fitted shoes.
Another significant problems worth mentioning is - if cuts and scrapes on your feet are not healing well could indicate a more serious problem such as diabetes. Just beware, you need to be serious about foot care.

11 common causes of dry skin

A dry skin problem can be uncomfortable and even maddening. Your skin might feel tight and painful; it might look dull or red or flaky. Worst of all is the itchiness -- the sort of overwhelming itchiness that makes you feel like you're infested with fleas, that keeps you awake at night, miserably raking your skin with a back scratcher.
"Dry skin is extremely common," says Barney Kenet, a dermatologist from New York Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Medical Center. "There are probably close to 100 million dried out, itchy people in this country right now." And if the itching weren't bad enough, a dry skin problem can be more than just a superficial issue, experts say.
"Your intact, healthy skin is your body's primary defense against infection," says Claude Burton , professor of dermatology at Duke University School of Medicine. If you let your skin get dried out and cracked, you could be giving all sorts of nasty bacteria a way in. That can lead to more serious problems.
There are lots of good reasons to do something about your dry, itchy skin -- your looks, your health, and your sanity. So it's time to put down the back scratcher and really figure out what's really causing your dry skin problem.
Simple causes include harsh soap, itchy clothing, misusing moisturizer, and long, hot showers. But the medications you take -- and even medical conditions such as diabetes, psoriasis, hypothyroidism, and malnutrition -- can also cause severe dry skin. Read on to understand how and why these problems dry out your skin.

Understanding Dry Skin
Let's start with some skin basics. Normal, healthy skin is coated in a thin layer of natural lipids, or fatty substances. They keep in moisture, leaving the skin soft and supple.
What causes dry skin -- or xerosis, as it's known medically? Usually, something in the environment -- or something you're doing to your skin -- is stripping away these fatty oils, leaving your skin unprotected. Less often, the cause is internal; a health condition or genetic predisposition is making your skin dry out.
While patches of dry, itchy skin can appear anywhere, it's most common on the arms, hands, lower legs, and abdomen. Dry skin is often felt more than it's seen, but on some people it can be noticeable and embarrassing. For many African-Americans, dry skin is a special concern, since the flakes of skin can look gray, or "ashy," says Vesna Petronic-Rosic, assistant professor of medicine and director of the Dermatology Outpatient Clinic at the University of Chicago Medical School.
If untreated, dry skin can sometimes lead to dermatitis -- inflammation of the skin -- swelling, and infection. The good news is that just as most causes of dry skin are external, most cures for dry skin are external. With careful dry skin care, you can usually solve the problem.

--Dry Skin Problem: Misusing Moisturizer
If you've been contending with dry skin, you've probably already tried a moisturizer -- if not dozens. But while moisturizers are a crucial part of dry skin care, experts say that we don't always use them very well.
The biggest mistake we make is applying moisturizer on dry skin, when it's least likely to help. "You have to put on moisturizer when your skin is still damp," says Kenet, author of How to Wash Your Face. "That way, the moisturizer is trapping the moisture still on your skin." Your skin shouldn't be sopping wet -- just pat yourself dry with a towel and put it on. Let it soak in for a few minutes, and then towel off the excess, Kenet says.
You've also got to get the right type of moisturizer. Experts recommend that people with dry skin get mild moisturizers that have no perfumes. Often, the cheaper stuff you can get at the drugstore is better than the high-end products, Kenet says. The moisturizer must also be thick and greasy for good dry skin care.
Petronic-Rosic has a simple moisturizer test. "Put some of your lotion in the palm of your hand and flip your hand over," she tells WebMD. "If it runs or drips, it's not thick enough for dry skin."

Dry Skin Problem: Dry Air
"Dry air is probably the most common cause of dry skin, especially during the winter," says Kenet, "It draws the moisture right out of the skin." Dry skin during winter even gets its own name: winter itch.
While cold, harsh weather does dry your skin, the biggest problem in the winter lies indoors -- the dry heat churned out by your furnace. (During the summer, air conditioning can have a similar effect.) To counteract the dry heat, start with a moisturizer. Turning down the thermostat a bit in the winter can also help, Kenet says.
Other dry skin care tips include using a humidifier in your bedroom, and bundling up -- with hats, scarves and gloves, when you're outside. Petronic-Rosic recommends that people wear socks that go high up their shins during the winter. "Cold air can actually get under the pant leg and dry out the skin on the legs," she tells . "I see it all the time, but it's the sort of thing people don't think about."

Dry Skin Problem: Long, Hot Showers & Baths
Prolonged exposure to water -- especially hot water -- can wash away the natural oils that protect your skin. If you get out of the bath or shower and your skin feels tight, it's dried out.
So what should you do? First, choose showers over baths. But that's not all. If you're accustomed to waking up in the morning with a long, languid shower, dermatologists have some brutal advice: limit showers to a few minutes and skip the hot water.
"The water doesn't have to be cold," says Kenet. "But it should be lukewarm rather than hot." Kenet also recommends angling the shower head away from you while you shave or soap up. It's another way of reducing the time your skin is being pounded by the water.
Afterward, pat your body dry with a towel -- rather than vigorously rubbing it -- and put on a moisturizer right away.

Dry Skin Problem: Soap
"One of the biggest problems people have with dry skin stems from their soap," says Burton. Soap can quickly strip away your skin's protective oils, and we tend to use way too much of it.
"The average person who goes to school or work just doesn't get very dirty during the day," says Petronic-Rosic. "But [in the shower] many people scrub at their skin like it's the bottom of their shoes." Unless you're a child or a ditch digger, the only parts of the body that need any soap or cleanser at all are the face, hands, feet, groin and underarms. The rest of the body can usually just be rinsed off with water.
While our doctors -- and our mothers -- always told us to wash our hands frequently, that can also lead to trouble. Ironically, while done in the quest to rid ourselves of germs, excessive hand washing can dry out the skin and cause it to crack and bleed, making infection much more likely.
Many of us choose unwisely when we're in the soap aisle of the supermarket. We go for harsh soaps that generate lots of lather and leave us feeling squeaky clean. "The bubbling and lathering from soap removes the oils from the surface of the skin and dries it out," says Petronic-Rosic.
For dry skin care, look for milder, "fragrance-free" soaps. That's not the same as "unscented," which may still have perfumes, Kenet says. For many people with dry skin, the best choice is a mild, non-soap skin cleanser, experts say.
Whatever you do, don't use any harsh implements to wash yourself. "People will get these incredibly abrasive sponges and brushes," says Burton. "Sanding your skin is not a good idea."

Dry Skin Problem: Itchy Clothing
Kenet says that many people obstinately wear clothing that they find itchy. But no matter how much you might love the look of a sweater, it's not worth it if it's uncomfortable. "If a sweater is itchy when you try it on, it's never going to get any less itchy," Kenet says.
In fact, it might get more itchy. Dry skin is especially sensitive to contact irritants, so continually exposing your skin to uncomfortable clothing could make your skin drier and itchier, Petronic-Rosic says.
Go with clothes that feel comfortable the first time you put them on. "Instead of wool, choose cashmere if you can afford it," says Kenet. "But cotton is just fine." Make sure your clothing isn't too tight either, since chafing can also cause and irritate dry skin.

Dry Skin Problem: Medications and Drugs
A number of medicines have the side effect of drying out the skin. They include drugs for
High blood pressure, like diuretics Allergies, like antihistamines Acne and other skin conditions, like retinoids If you notice the onset of a dry skin problem after starting a medication, talk to your doctor. He or she may be able to help by changing the dose or switching the medication.

Dry Skin Problem: Medical Conditions
Usually, dry skin is caused by external factors. But sometimes, it can be a sign of a something going on internally, whether it's a natural physiologic change or an illness.
For instance, dry skin often develops when people get older, especially in women. "Changes in hormone levels can cause dry skin as we age," says Petronic-Rosic. As many as 75% of people over 64 have dry skin. Other people, regardless of age, are simply genetically prone to dry skin.
A number of medical conditions can result in dry skin. Some of the more common of these medical causes are:
Skin conditions, like eczema and psoriasis. While they usually need direct treatment, careful use of moisturizers often helps.
Diabetes. Fluctuations in glucose levels can lead to dehydration, and that dries the skin out. Given that diabetes can also slow healing and increase the risk of infections, it's especially important for people with this condition to keep their skin healthy.
Hypothyroidism. Low levels of thyroid hormone can reduce the amount of oil produced by your skin. As a result, skin becomes dry and rough and moisturizer is unlikely to help. Hypothyroidism is usually accompanied by other symptoms, like fatigue and weight gain, Kenet says.
Malnutrition. Not getting the nutrients you need can leave your skin dried out. One possible cause is an eating disorder. Other diseases, both minor and serious, can also cause dry skin problems. The best way to treat these cases of dry skin depends on the illness. Sometimes, getting medication for the underlying condition directly will resolve the dry skin. But in other cases, you might still need to follow some of the basic dry skin care tips outlined above. Ask your doctor for advice.

Getting Help for Dry, Itchy Skin
While dry skin can be a sign of these more serious health conditions, it's usually nothing more than run-of-the-mill dry skin -- regardless of how horrible it feels.
"I see a lot of people who are in so much discomfort from their dry skin that they think that they must be really sick," says Kenet. "But they're not, and it's actually so easy to help them."
So if your dry skin problem is making miserable, it's time to talk to a doctor. He or she can help you identify the causes and get you the treatment you need. Doctors can recommend medicine if you need it, which could include antihistamines for itchiness or prescription creams, including steroids.
"If you've been struggling with dry skin, and you've tried various things and none of them work, don't hesitate to see a doctor," says Petronic-Rosic. "There's just no reason to suffer when we can help in so many ways."

Ways to Thin Your Cheeks

Having thin cheeks is something every girl (and guy) aspire to have. The caved in- prominent cheek bones look- always make your best features stand out. Now there's a way to have thin cheeks without being extremely thin!

Firstly, if you are tanned, go for the bronzed look- if you are pale, go for the fair look. Apply foundation on your entire face, concentrating mostly on your nose and cheek area. For the pale look, apply powder instead.

Take a darker tone foundation and apply it at the apples of your cheeks- smile when you're doing that, so you won't make any mistakes. For the fair look, suck in your cheeks and apply blusher on your cheek bones. Smudge a VERY little amount of eyeliner the part of your cheeks that is nearest to your ears. For the fair look, do the same thing. Apply your normal skin tone powder.

If you want it to last longer, apply sunscreen on your cheeks before applying your makeup. If possible, get a friend to smudge the eyeliner for you- You can't really see the side of your cheeks that well .

Do NOT overdose on the eyeliner or you'll look absolutely RIDICULOUS.

Do not wear this and then jump in a swimming pool or get naked with a hottie in a hot tub.

Look Cute Without Makeup

Sometimes you want to look naturally cute without having to put on loads of makeup to look "natural". To make you look great without makeup, follow these steps!

Steps
1--Sleep well and keep hydrated: it makes your skin look young and healthy. It also improves shadows and circles around eyes (therefore no need for concealer there). 7-10 hours is perfect.

2--If you have acne, use a salicylic acid treatment and a benzoil peroxide treatment; both are different medications that improve your face drastically if used for a long period of time.

3--Wash your face and apply either a tinted moisturizer or the self tanner of your choice!

4--Pluck/wax your eyebrows in its natural curve: Plucking/waxing eyebrows makes eyes look cleaner and bigger.

5--Try transparent mascara. It makes your eyes stand out, but is much more natural looking than black mascara. You could also try curling eyelashes to make your eyes look bigger and fresh. This is cute for women who don't want to wear mascara.

6--If you do want to add a little makeup, wear some pink blush to brighten your look, or some light lip balm to keep lips moisturized.

7--One thing to do if you can't keep away from makeup is to use healthy options. Try a light lip gloss with SPF protection that protects your lips, or tinted.

8--Shampoo your hair every other day, but condition every day. This will make your hair look good and not get rid of those important natural oils in hair that make hair in perfect condition; neither greasy or dirty.

9--Don't choose a hairstyle for yourself just because its 'in'. Wear one that fits your face structure and looks good on you (ex. if you have a round shaped head go for curls, if you are heart shaped go for wavy, and if you are oval shaped choose either curly or straight.)

Tips

• Always make sure you are clean and smell good.
• Drink lots of water. It'll make your skin look fabulous without any make-up. Also, sunscreen will help keep your skin in great condition as well.
• If you have light eyelashes, eyelash tinting is a good idea as it makes them longer and more defined without needing mascara
  

10 ways to dress slimmer

Most women want to look slimmer at one time or another. Perhaps it is because we will be an event where we know photographs will be taken and don’t want the extra ten camera-pounds to show. Or perhaps we actually need to lose a few pounds and would like a quick fix that doesn’t include a 48-hour crash diet. There are many ways that you can dress to drop visual pounds from your frame.

1. Wear jeans that have a boot or flare cut. This cut visually balances out curves, and will make your hips appear smaller than they would if you wore tapered pants.
2. Wear black. The color black creates a negative space, which detracts from extra weight. It is not called the slimming color for nothing. The worst thing you can do if you want to appear slimmer is to dress in a mélange of bright colors and large prints.
3. Wear clothing that gives you a shape. If you wear one baggy piece, make sure that the other piece is fitted. Baggy, shapeless clothes will make even a runway model look as though she has gained fifty pounds.
4. Highlight the areas you like; disguise the areas you are uncomfortable with. If you are worried about the size of your hips, try wearing a plain pair of black pants with a fitted red top. The bright color will draw attention upwards, away from your hips. Add a nice neckline and a necklace to the top, and the eye is drawn even further upward, to your face.
5. Choose dresses with a bit of an A-line cut. Generally speaking, an A-line cut is the most flattering, skimming lightly over the stomach and hips, and reducing the need to suck in one’s stomach.
6. Try highlighting your legs. Long, flowing dresses rarely make anyone look slimmer. Try a shorter dress or skirt that hits at or above the knee. Add heels for a leg-slimming look. While you are focusing on your legs, if you have a light complexion, consider using a self-tanner. Adding a bit of color to your legs is also slimming.
7. Wear clothes that fit. Clothes that are either too loose or too tight will create problems. Clothes that are too loose add pounds by adding bulk to your figure. Clothes that are too tight create fat where none may exist, by pushing fat above the waistline of your jeans, for example. Push-up bras are good; push-up jeans are definitely not. You do not want a bicycle tire around your middle, which with tight low rise jeans, is a common fashion blunder. Go ahead and wear your correct size, even if you don’t like the number on the label!
8. Try some of the newer non-torturous undergarments. There are many body smoothers on the market that are gentle to wear, and that can make your silk pants slide smoothly over your hips and thighs with nary a bump or bulge. Some panties are the equivalent of a quick tummy tuck, eliminating the poochy look. These are great with form-fitting dresses, especially the infamous clingy knit variety.
9. Avoid horizontal stripes. Vertical stripes and lines are much more slimming, as they draw the eye up and down, as opposed to back and forth. Even an elongated necklace or a lengthy scarf can create a slimming vertical look.
10. Avoid pleats, ruffles and other volume adding embellishments like the plague. You may feel comfortable with a ruffle or two around your neckline, but if your hips are what you are worried about, for goodness sakes don’t wear a pleated skirt! Also watch out for some of the newer fuller skirts that are in fashion right now. Chances are, if the skirt makes a 120-pound model look full around the hips, it is going to do the same for you.

The best thing to do is to experiment and see what works for you. If you are self-conscious about your body, the temptation can be to cover up by wearing large tee shirts or other baggy clothes. Remember, this only adds pounds. Invest in some quality clothes that are well tailored and play up your best features. Don’t worry about following every trend. While most trends work well in the hyperskinny world of runway models, they do not work well for the average woman. Try things out and find out what looks good on you. It may help to take an honest friend whose opinion you value shopping with you. Don’t wait to lose extra pounds to start dressing attractively. Start now, and you’ll find that as you begin to look like the person you want to be, any unwanted pounds will be more inclined to come off. Meanwhile, you’ll look snazzy, and gain self-confidence, which is always a good thing!

Keep Teeth in Tip-Top Shape

Daily brushing and flossing, and regular dental visits, are important ways to keep your pearly whites healthy.

Here are additional suggestions for better tooth health, provided by the Nemours Foundation:

• Be careful not to brush your teeth too hard, which can damage sensitive gums.
• Brush from your gumline to the top of each tooth in short, gentle strokes. Make sure you thoroughly brush the entire height of your teeth (especially where you chew).
• Be sure to get the bristles down in the crevices where food can collect. Thoroughly brush the insides of your teeth.
• For the backs of hard-to-brush front teeth, try holding the toothbrush almost vertically, and brush up and down.
• Always brush your tongue and the roof of your mouth to get rid of bacteria. Use a sweeping, forward motion to clean these areas.
• Brush your teeth for two to three minutes at a time. Carefully floss between your teeth, back and forth, and gently down to the gumline.
• Curve the floss around each tooth -- don't forget the backs of teeth.
• Gently move the floss up and down to dislodge food and bacteria-laden plaque.
  

Nail Care Dos and Don'ts

Who among us doesn't feel better when we have a great set of nails to show off? Going to the salon and getting the works is one thing, but what are the steps to caring for those gorgeous nails all week long? Paula Begoun tells us the dos and don'ts of nail care from her book, The Beauty Bible (Beginning Press):

• Do coat the outside of the nails with polish or ridge fillers, which can help protect the nail and prevent breaking and splitting, at least while the manicure lasts.
• Do moisturize the cuticle area to prevent cracking and peeling, which can hurt the matrix. Do wear gloves to protect nails and cuticles from housework, gardening and washing dishes.
• Do be cautious when doing office work. Nails and cuticles take a beating filing, opening letters (use a letter opener), typing (use the flat of your finger pads on the keyboard instead of the tips of your nails) and handling papers.
• Do apply hand cream frequently, especially after you're done washing your hands, and pay attention to the cuticle area.
• Do wear a sunscreen during the day on your hands and cuticles to prevent sun damage, which can hurt your nails. Reapply every time you wash your hands.
• Do meticulously clean all nail implements and change nail files often. Bacteria and other microbes can get transferred by the nail tools you use, causing infection or harm to the matrix.
• Do disinfect any tears or cuts to the cuticle, and treat ingrown nails as soon as possible. Nail infections are not only unsightly, but also can cause long-lasting damage to the nail. Any drugstore antibacterial ointment, such as Polysporin, Neosporin or Bacitracin, will do.
• Don't use nail products that contain formaldehyde or toluene. They pose health risks for the nail and for your entire body as well.
• Don't use fingernails as tools to pry things open.
• Don't use your fingers as letter openers. That destroys the cuticles, which destroys the nail matrix and affects nail growth and strength.
• Don't soak nails for long periods, and never use any kind of soap or detergent when soaking. Nails and cuticles that become engorged with water weaken, and the longer soap or detergent is in contact with skin and nails (despite the advertisements for Palmolive dish detergent) the greater the potential for damaging the nail and cuticle structure.
• Don't overuse any kind of nail-polish remover. Use a minimal amount on the nail and avoid getting too much on the cuticle and skin.
• Don't push the cuticle back too far. Leave the cuticle alone as much as possible. Trim only the part of the cuticle that has started to lift away from the nail.
• Don't allow any manicurist to touch your hands with utensils that have not been properly sterilized. The importance of this step cannot be stressed enough. Risking your health and well-being for a manicure is just not worth it, and that is a definite possibility with bacteria-laden nail instruments!
• Don't pull or tear at hangnails. Always gently cut them away, leaving the cuticle intact and as untampered with as possible.
• Don't ignore nail or cuticle inflammation. Disinfect the skin as soon as you can with an antibacterial or antifungal agent. Any change to the nail's appearance needs to be checked out by a dermatologist.

The chocolate 'cure' for acne

It has long been seen as the enemy of clear skin, but eating chocolate could prove more effective than beauty products at banishing spots, it is claimed.
Acne Care chocolate bars, which are about to hit UK shelves, are said to deliver antioxidants and micro-nutrients that help clear the skin.
They are among a raft of weird and wacky 'functional foods' - or 'neutraceuticals' - being showcased at a London show later this month and which promise to transform a shopper's grocery basket into a medicine cabinet.
US Acne Care manufacturer Frutels recommends consumers take between two and five chocolate doses per day to see results in two weeks or less.
A spokesman said: 'This product takes beauty foods to another level by not only tackling acne care in an ingestible form, but by using a food that has been associated with causing acne to make these claims.'
The company says the chocolate will support the body's defences and 'clarify the skin from within'.

How to Be Sexy

Being sexy is a matter of mind power. To be sexy, you must feel sexy and think sexy. Being sexy isn't necessarily what you look like, but how you portray yourself to others. Having a great personality, being witty, and having great social skills are all ways that you can be sexy. To find the sexy within yourself...keep reading.
Being sexy is a matter of mind power. To be sexy, you must feel sexy and think sexy. Being sexy isn't necessarily what you look like, but how you portray yourself to others. Having a great personality, being witty, and having great social skills are all ways that you can be sexy. To find the sexy within yourself...keep reading.

Step1-- Being sexy is all about having confidence in yourself. Sexiness comes from feeling good about who you are and showing that to others. In order to feel sexy, try finding things about yourself that you like. Do you have a great smile? A fun personality? Or maybe you have a great ability to get along with others. Whatever you have...flaunt it. Be sexy using what you've got and don't be afraid to be confident in what you have. Everyone has a sexiness about them that just needs a little boost through increased self-esteem.

Step2 --Ask others what they like best about you. Another perspective can help you feel sexy as people around you will see more good things in you than you will see in yourself. If you feel comfortable, ask a friend what is sexy about you or ask your partner. You will find that you have many more sexy qualities than you realized. This will help boost your confidence and make you feel sexier.

Step3 --Dress sexy (not trashy, but sexy...classy). Dressing nice will help you to feel sexy. The better you believe you look on the outside, the more confident you will feel on the inside. Others will notice you too, which will boost your ability to believe that you are sexy. Find some favorite outfits and enhance your wardrobe by mixing and matching items you feel most confident wearing. The compliments you receive will reinforce your self-esteem. Feeling sexy is totally a positive state of mind.

Step4 --When you want to be sexy for your partner, dress sexy in the bedroom. Find a cute camisole and pantie set that you feel sexy wearing. Again, you don't have to be trashy, just sexy. If lacy pantie sets are not your thing, find a sexy cotton, form fitting nightie that you feel comfortable in. The idea isn't to be something your not, but to find something sexy that you feel confident wearing. As long as your comfortable, you will feel good about what your wearing and sexiness will come naturally.

Step5 --Wear sexy scents. Find a perfume or body lotion that signifies you. If you feel sexy in floral scents, enhance that with a Sweet Pea spray mist or cologne, for example. People are attracted to great smells and sexiness can totally be boosted by wearing sexy scents. Have you ever smelled someone's cologne that you just loved and it made you enjoy being around them? Smelling great will make others want to be near you and will boost your confidence. When you smell nice, you will feel sexy.

Tips & Warnings

• Stand in front of a mirror and pick out your best features...enhance those features with clothes, makeup, accessories...know that you are sexy!
• Layer sexy scents by purchasing soaps, lotions, and spray mists in the same flavors...wash with the soap, apply the lotion, and then spray the mist to keep you smelling sexy all day.
• Turn offs such as obnoxiousness and egotism are not sexy...just be yourself and don't push your sexiness...you will be sexy all on your own, just as you are by enhancing your natural self.
• Bad habits such as nail biting, smoking, and heavy drinking are not sexy...try to chance bad habits if you can by replacing them with good habits.

Vitamin c as a good skin care solution

What Vitamin C May Provide for Human Skin

For many years, medical scientists have been researching the aging effects of skin. In more recent scientific research, it has been shown that vitamin C used in its purest form (ascorbic acid), can be a very potent antioxidant for the human skin. In fact, it is not only capable of preventing aging skin, but its properties could actually reverse the effects of aging skin.

Today, Vitamin C is believed to play a very important role in providing firmer, smoother and more youthful looking skin when used from a formulation that penetrates deep within the skin. Ascorbic acid, which is the purest form of vitamin C, is a form of vitamin C that has been biologically tested to be useful to human skin. Depending on the formulation used, it is only applied to the skin once per day, but it must be applied to clean, dry skin.

Using a Vitamin C formulation for eight to twelve weeks can gradually show a difference in the appearance of your skin. Your skin may become firmer, smoother and lines can become less prevalent. However, if you already have premature aging skin, the results may not be as effective.

The high concentration of vitamin C is derived from plants that are believed to aid in the human skin’s aging process with their powerful antioxidants. Unlike other chemical-made byproducts of vitamin C serums and creams, if you use the one that is naturally extracted from plants, researchers believe there to be a better absorption into the skin. In addition, Vitamin C is meant to exfoliate dead skin cells, while leaving the new skin cells unharmed.

The Potential Benefits of Vitamin C amongst Human Skin
1. Possible diminishing effect of some age spots
2. Can provide a more radiant facial complexion
3. Skin texture may appear firmer
4. Skin may appear smoother
5. Can restore lost collagen
6. May aid in the reduction of wrinkles
7. Possible diminishing effect of acne
8. Can exfoliate dead skin cells
9. All natural and oil free

Using Vitamin C in its purest form may help decrease fine lines and sagging skin. It may also guard against the aging effects due to sun exposure. However, Vitamin C (just like the sun) can also dry out your skin, which is why dermatologists generally recommend the use of a biobotanical moisturizer along with Vitamin C.

Extracting the acid found in lemons and oranges and combining it with ginseng, chamomile, yarrow and comfrey can provide a Vitamin C formulation for the skin. However, this type of formulation could cause quite a stinging sensation to the skin. For this reason, you should seek the advice of a skin care expert. Most Vitamin C formulations created for use with the skin have special ingredients, which typically include a yeast peptide. Yeast peptide reduces the stinging sensation, which creates a gentler formulation for use with the skin.

High concentration of vitamin C contains natural antioxidants, which is believed to be the better way to treat human skin. While some Vitamin C treatments can be irritating to some people’s skin, there are many formulations on the market that can be used for skin care treatment. However, before you decide to use Vitamin C as a good skin care solution, you should always seek the advice of a medical professional.

Tips To Against Chapped Lip

Chapped lip - it’s uncomfortable, unattractive, and a general nuisance.
However, by the time summer rolls around and fall comes in, you have forgotten what happened to your lips in January.
Chapped lip is not completely preventable, but you can certainly go a long way in preventing yourself from going through the bleeding and cracking sourness of winter lips, as well as healing lips that have already suffered winter’s spite.

So remember so that you can prepare your lips.
Fall is the best time to get started in hydrating to prevent chapped lip which is really just the dehydration of your lipsFor one thing, start using your lip balm in the fall so as to properly hydrate your lips and you will be able to better fight the elements of winter.
Wax based lip balms are only effective in the prevention of dry and chapped lip.They do not contain enough moisture to repair lips that have already dried out and chapped. Certainly, they are great for protection but not for fixing the problem once it has happened.
You want to always be hydrating, softening and protecting your lips throughout the fall and winter. Use a moisturizing lip paint or lip stick once or twice a day to look good and protect well.
Use at least an SPF 15 to prevent sun damage, and put yourself on the road to great looking lips all year round. Some lip chapping and dryness may not be caused completely by the elements.
Those people on Accutane or who suffer from dry lip problems naturally can make use of the same strategies year round.

Provide your lips with proper protection against the direct sun besides hydration. Whether it is lipstick or lip balm, make sure you are using something with an SPF. The preference is for something at a rating of 15 or higher.
If you want to wear a lipstick as well, layering is okay. Just make sure you are protecting your lips from those UV rays. Once winter arrives, there are precautions you should take in addition to the application of lip balm. You may want to consider taking a multi vitamin.

A lack of vitamin B complex or iron in your system can be to blame for lip problems. Also, stay hydrated as a whole. Drink fluids often to keep your entire body moist. Most importantly, and you have probably heard this before, but do NOT lick your lips.
No matter what, avoid licking or wetting your lips. When you lick them, you do apply moisture to them, but as it evaporates it actually leaves your lips even dryer.

Try develop a good before bed habit - apply zing oxide to your lips. Some people tend to drool and salivate as they sleep and this moisture, like licking your lips, and this can cause chapped lip.
The zinc oxide acts as a barrier to protect your lips during the night, as you sleep. Then, by keeping your lips dry you can both prevent chapping and help to heal lips that are already damaged. Perhaps you are skiing or working outside and lose your lip balm.
There is still a solution to the problem. Rub your fingers on the side of your nose and face. You will be able to pick up some of the natural oils that your body produces.
Take the oil on your finger and apply it to your lips. You will continue to produce oil as the day wears on and the oil is a great natural protector for your lips. This is a perfect home remedy for chapped lip.

Consult your dermatologist if your lips are already severely chapped. He or she may prescribe you something like a 2 ? % hydrocortisone ointment to help get those lips back to healthy condition.
If the damage does not seem too bad, there are things you can do at home. For one, studies have shown that creamy lipsticks used with a sunscreen can help soothe already chapped lip. Also, cracked and chapped lip can become infected fairly easily.
To prevent infection to cracked or chapped lip, apply antiseptic ointment every day, twice a day, particularly at night and in the morning.

Beautiful Gorgeous Smile

Most people admit they're not completely comfortable with their smile. A great gorgeous smile begins with how comfortable you fee about yourself.
Some people will say it is because they hate the placement of their teeth, while others will blame it on the color of their teeth. Almost everyone would like their teeth to be a bit straighter and a bit whiter.
Natural looking teeth are very attractive however, especially when they are healthy and bright. Just use these tips to help you get a gorgeous smile you feel comfortable sharing with the world.

You can have a gorgeous smile without braces or professional whitening treatment

Personal Hygiene
It is not a lie that proper hygiene can make or break your smile. To have the best looking smile you possibly can, be sure to see your dentist at least twice a year.
A great way to keep your teeth gleaming is to have two cleansing a year. At your cleansing the technician can also help create a dental record for you and schedule any work that needs to be done.
Get your cavities taken care of right away! The longer you let them go, the better the chance is that the decay will spread to other teeth in the area. Decay is not attractive and can make your smile look less than fabulous.

You need to care for your teeth yourself when you are not at the dentists office.
This means that you should brush your teeth at least two times a day. Make sure you brush them for two minutes at a time as well; one minute for the upper teeth and one minute for the lower teeth. To help prevent decay floss daily.

What You Drink
A gorgeous smile requires more than just proper dental hygiene. To maintain bright teeth you should take a look at your diet. Although most people know calcium is good for your bones, it is also important when it comes to your teeth. Milk is great for ensuring your teeth will be bright and healthy.
Beware some drinks can do more harm than good while milk is a great choice of drink for a gorgeous smile. Dark cola, tea and coffee can change the shade of your teeth.
All of these dark drinks can stain your enamel, leaving your smile dingy instead of bright. You should steer clear of these beverages in large amounts and stick with water or light colored drinks.
Try to brush your teeth immediately after consuming if you do indulge in dark drinks. This will help stop the cycle.

Makeup
For females, the shade of lipstick you wear can determine how bright your smile and teeth look. Women who wear lipsticks with orange tones in them will automatically seem to have yellow toned teeth.
The orange tones bring out the yellow tones in your teeth, even if your teeth are healthy and bright. For the brightest looking teeth, consider lipsticks with pink or purple undertones.
These colors help your teeth look whiter and will give your smile a boost. Be sure to at least smooth on some lip gloss before going out because wearing no lipstick at all can make your teeth look dingy as well.

Whiteners
Many dentists will advise their patients to try over-the-counter whiteners. You can find agents to whiten your teeth in gel or cream forms. You can also find products as teeth strips or mouthpieces. All of these products will whiten your teeth safely over time.
You must be consistent however and use them as directed. Do not use them more than directed however, or you may put yourself at a health risk.
These whiteners are inexpensive and work well. For an overall brighter smile, you can also use toothpaste with whitener in it daily.

Be Your Natural Self
To have a gorgeous smile, you must be comfortable with yourself no matter if your teeth are a little crooked or as straight as an arrow. Wear your smile proudly.
It is a part of you and people will love your smile more if you love it yourself.
The way that you smile says a lot about you as a person. Those that smile with wide grins are usually comfortable with themselves. Those that purse their lips usually have something to hide.
Decide that you are going to be happy with your gorgeous smile and others will notice an improvement as well.