How to Win Your Girlfriend Back - Powerful Ways to Pull Her Back

When you want nothing more in the world to reconcile with your ex-girlfriend, it can seem as though everything is standing in your way. The more that you find yourself thinking about her and how to attract her back, the more confusion that you feel and you are not sure which direction that you should take. This is perfectly natural to feel this way, as almost everyone has a hard time dealing with breakup situations.

Is there a way that you can pull her back to YOU? Is there a way that you can attract her back and not have to deal with all of the confusion anymore?

Here are a few tips that may help you out:

1. Be delicate when discussing things with your ex-girlfriend. You do not want to push her further away from you by not using the right tact when you are talking with her. While there is good reason for you to feel anxious about things, you want to talk to your ex-girlfriend in a calm and collected manner. The whole point is to pull her back, not push her out.

2. Hear her side of things. While you will have your own viewpoints, you want to make sure that you hear her perspective on the reasons why things were not working out. Don't dwell on these factors, and look for ways that you can solve the problems so that they do not get in the way again.

3. Ease into any discussions of reconciling with her. You don't want to be too forward with letting her know that you want to get back together. Remember how fun it was at the beginning of the relationship when there was that feeling of not knowing and this made you step your game up with her a little more? Recreate that feeling so that you can bring the spark back.

These three tips can easily help you to pull your ex-girlfriend back to you. However, there are more advanced techniques and strategies that you can use that will help you to get her back fast. Time is of the essence when dealing with your ex-girlfriend, and you do not want to allow too much time to pass. Otherwise, there is one thing that you can be sure of.

Getting her back will take more effort and the chances of her meeting a new guy will rise, if you choose to wait for far too long.

Weight Loss- How To Factor In Food Labels

Information is an important part of any major effort, and that includes trying to lose weight. When we know exactly what's going into our bodies, we can make informed decisions about how to take control, rather than making hopeful guesses and blind leaps.

A key tool in gathering this information is the nutrition label found on the packaging of almost every piece of food we buy. This little label provides essential information summarized to help you maximize your weight-management efforts. Knowing how to read this label is a vital skill that should be part of every grocery shopping trip.

By simply taking a moment to factor in these nutritional facts, you gain concrete, reliable data that can take the guesswork out of your diet. Here, we give you the skinny on what to look for, so you can quickly get the info you need and get going.

Step One - Look at the Serving Size

This is the single most important piece of information on the Nutrition Facts label. All the other information on the list is based on a single serving size, so knowing this size is vital to understanding the rest of what we're reading.

Consider a chicken noodle soup can, for example. The label says that the soup has 890 mg of sodium, or 37% of the daily-recommended intake for a 2,000-calorie diet. This is not the total for the entire can, it is the total per serving. However, there are 2.5 servings in a single can. This means the can has 2225 mg of sodium, or 92.5% of the daily value. This is the difference between one can being a third of our daily allowance and nearly ALL of our daily allowance.

Step Two - Look at the Categories

There are a number of elements listed, always in a standard order, and again always broken down by serving size. Not every label has every item. Foods made from fruit typically don't list cholesterol, for example. As a rule of thumb, if the label doesn't list it, then that element isn't present (or at least not in a statistically significant amount). These sections typically have a hard number per servings, but also can include sub-sections explaining in more detail.

For example, the categories on our sample soup can include: * Calories: Our chicken noodle soup has 60 calories per serving, with 20 of them coming from fat. * Total Fat: This can has two grams of fat per serving, .5 of which are saturated fats. The can contains zero grams of the particularly troublesome transfats.

Step Three - Look at the Numbers

There are several important groups of numbers on every Nutrition Facts label. Each set of numbers has their own meaning, and can provide a great deal of information.

The first number to consider is typically labeled "%DV," which stands for percent of daily value. A serving of chicken noodle soup has 15mg of cholesterol, which is 5% of the daily-recommended value.

Notice that these percentages, however, are based on a 2000 calorie a day diet. Everyone's dietary needs are different, so the Nutrition Facts label has to shoot for an average. If you were an athlete training on a 2400 calorie a day diet, 5% of your daily cholesterol would be 18mg, not 15mg.

This means that while the percentages are a useful guideline, they can only serve as that. More important are the hard numbers of these ingredients, in grams and milligrams. Consult your dietician or nutritionist and establish what your target daily allowance of calories, fats, and the like will be, and then use that information to determine what your percentages are.

Step Four - Make the Info Count

Of course, we need more than a list of raw data when it comes to taking control of our eating habits. As mentioned above, remember that you need to speak with a professional and identify your specific dietary needs before you can truly take advantage of this information.

For example, a diabetic has different nutritional requirements than someone who is simply a few pounds overweight. For the diabetic, the carbohydrates section will probably be the most important, since it includes the sugar content of the food in question. For someone simply looking to lose a few pounds, knowing the calorie content is probably going to be the focus, so they can compare their exercise to their diet intake. Sodium will of course be relevant to those with high blood pressure, and so forth.

The important thing to remember is that this label is a tool for taking control, not a warning list to make you feel guilty about eating. Yes, our can of soup has a great deal of sodium in it, something that should give us pause. That doesn't mean we have to skip it, it simply means we need to consider reducing salt intake in our other foods for the rest of the day, or perhaps having only half the can at a time, with a piece of fruit as a side.

The Nutrition Facts label is a great opportunity for personal empowerment, because it gives us so much of the information we need, in one convenient place. For example, consider organizing your daily food journal in the same way a nutrition label is laid out. Take some time to examine the labels in your pantry, and find a way you can use this information to help you take control.

How and why fashion trends return

There are many reasons for fashion trends to recycle, other than the most obvious one - that designers periodically run out of new ideas. They, like writers, can experience a momentary idea block. It isn't pretty but it happens to the best of us. However, that is by no means the primary reason behind the "everything old is new again" full circle we experience from time to time.

The first important reason behind fashion recycling is the visceral need to return to what we believe was a better time. That was never truer than it is in today. Certain eras speak to the feelings we want to recapture, like romance, stability or financial acuity.

So the return of the big shoulder in women's fashion hearkens back to the 80's when it was okay to be wealthy. It was also a time when women felt no need to apologize for their intelligence and ambition. The revitalization of the shirtdress speaks to the need for some women to return attention to hearth and home. Dresses in general speak to a woman's readiness to once again embrace her femininity. The fact is that few recycled fashion trends are based on chance alone; tired of recent fashion but frightened of where the future is going, sometimes the only comfort that can be found lies within that with which we are most familiar.

Sometimes fashion speaks to the need to redefine ourselves as human beings. Call it a rebirth of sorts. When fashion designers catch on to that need, they spin new and interesting takes on where they think women should be going. Sometimes they come up with something new and exciting, at other times they merely rework old designs. Either way, the end result is often exactly what is called for.

Fashion periodically focuses on a specific culture to provide what is known as escapist fashion. It allows those of us unfamiliar with other cultures to take a peek into that world and become a part of it through our dress. A few years back there was a heavy emphasis on oriental design. Luscious silk and satin tops and kimonos were popular because they transported women away from their normal humdrum lives. While those styles were not new at all in the Orient, they were new for much of the rest of the world and that made them a part of a fashion revolution.

Of course sometimes recycled fashion is simply a matter of fatigue. After all, how many hundreds of different looks can any designer expect to develop year after year? When it doubt, it is smart to return to what has worked well in the past. As for those of us who choose to wear these looks, we often just agree to go with the flow.

Lastly, fashion often returns to the classics simply because they are just that - classic. They are things with which we can seldom go wrong. Think about the Channel LBD (little black dress), a string of pearls, the stiletto heel, or a trench coat. Those items fit into almost any setting at any time in history and can be worn by almost anyone.

So what are some of the key items that we can expect to return in fashion now and in the near future? Some are obvious like those noted above. Others remain a little more elusive but here are some of my predictions and picks:

* Pearls. Although they are rarely out of style, today's woman chooses choosing pearls as her go to piece of jewelry. With tough times, money is short and there is little left for the luxury of gold and gemstones. Pearls however, are always in style.
* The brooch. A jewelry item that constantly recycles, it may soon become a classic. It can be worn alone on a jacket, dress, top, or coat. It can be paired with other jewelry items. It can be turned into a medallion necklace or add zing to a bracelet or clutch. Few jewelry pieces have that kind of versatility.
* Button earrings. Hoops and chandeliers come and go but button earrings are always perfect. They aren't too large or too small. They don't demand attention or detract from clothing. They come in a wide variety of materials and they are relatively inexpensive. In short, they are very nearly perfect.
* The scarf. A colorful scarf can add drama to any piece of clothing. It can accent a casual hairstyle or replace an item of jewelry. Best of all, it can be mixed and matched with almost everything in a woman's wardrobe.
* A crisp white shirt will never go out of style. While the length or cut may alter slightly from year to year, it remains a must-have piece. It looks equally good with a suit or a pair of jeans; thereby extending a woman's wardrobe tenfold.
* A leather blazer. Faux leather is even acceptable in this day and age as long as it is one of the good copies and not the cheap pleather of yesteryear. Like the white shirt, a leather jacket can be worn with almost anything. It can replace a suit jacket, jazz up a denim skirt; or make a dress appear more casual. Additionally, leather is durable and will last for many years.
* The pencil skirt. Although they weren't seen much for several years, they have definitely made a strong comeback and designers are vowing not to let them get away again. Why? Because almost every woman can wear one and it can be played up or down to suit the occasion; making it not only versatile but also fun.
* The shoe boot. Once a trend that came and went with abandon, the shoe boot is today's classic footwear item. One can be found to suit the need of virtually any woman without her having to worry about the "calf" issues. No longer granny's shoe, today's shoe boot comes in a variety of styles, colors, and fabrics, making it easy to find the perfect one for any occasion.

These just touch on a few of the "oldies but goodies" we can expect to see become fashion classics. As times change there is one thing of which we can be certain. If we hang on to that old favorite jacket or coat long enough, it will come back into style.

Ten beauty tips using common household items

Lots of us today are just plain tired of throwing away big bucks on beauty products that simply don’t work as advertised. Rather than throwing more good money after bad, some women today are pulling out products that they already have on hand to make their own beauty products. Here are some of my favorites:

Tip #1 – Repair dry, damaged hair with an avocado conditioner made right in your own kitchen. Cut the avocado into small pieces and throw into your blender, food processor, or Magic Bullet. Mix in one-half cup of mayonnaise or a few tablespoons of olive oil. Next, wash and towel the hair. Apply the conditioner liberally and work it throughout the hair using a wide toothcomb. Cover it with a shower cap and let it sit for at least 10 minutes. Rinse, dry, and style as usual.

Tip #2 – Lighten skin discoloration while you soften it by adding buttermilk to your bath water. Between a pint and a half-quart is more than enough to do the trick. You can also add in a few drops of your favorite essential oil to make a luxurious spa treatment that your skin will love.

Tip #3 - Keep your heart healthy by eating chocolate. But not just any chocolate will do, and you can’t eat as much of the sweet confection as you might like! According to various studies, a couple of squares of unsweetened or semi-sweet dark chocolate a day will do the trick.

Tip #4 – Use old coffee grounds to chase away unsightly cellulite. Apply the grounds directly to the affected area, then wrap it with kitchen plastic wrap. Let the grounds sit in place for about 30 minutes. Remove the wrap and wash away the grounds. Repeat the treatment regularly to continue fading the marks.

Tip #5 - Make your own facial mask with honey, yogurt, and bananas. Mix one-half cup of plain yogurt with one tablespoon of raw honey and one-quarter mashed banana. Blend well in a blender, food processor, or Magic Bullet. Apply the mixture liberally to the freshly cleansed skin of the face and neck. Let the mask sit for between 15 and 20 minutes. Rinse the mask off with cool water, pat dry, and go.

Tip #6 – Make your own facial scrub by mixing the juice of one orange with a few tablespoons for cornstarch and a few grains of kosher salt. Apply the scrub to the face and neck area, working it in gently with small circular motions. Then rinse the skin, pat it dry, and apply your normal skin care regimen.

Tip #7 - Use a dab of olive oil to freshly shampooed hair to add shine and youthful vitality. About a nickel size portion should be enough for short to chin-length hair. A quarter’s portion may be required for longer tresses. Just pour the oil into the center of your hands and then rub them together. Work the oil throughout the hair. Follow up by using a wide toothcomb to make sure the oil is evenly distributed. Let sit in place for between 10 and 20 minutes. Rinse with cool water, dry, and style as usual.

Tip #8 - Get rid of the old dead, flaky skin on your feet and heels with a homemade foot scrub made from strawberries. Blend about a dozen strawberries together with one teaspoon of kosher salt and your favorite essential oil or some olive oil from the kitchen. Apply the scrub to the feet, rubbing it in thoroughly with strong, circular motions. Next, soak feet in Epsom salt for about 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse, dry, and apply the moisturizing cream of your choice.

Tip #9 – Make that green cast on your hair that is caused by too much pool chlorine go away with a tomato juice rinse. Simply wash the hair normally. Then apply the tomato juice straight from the can. Work throughout the hair using a wide toothcomb. Cover and let sit for about 10 to 15 minutes. Then rinse, condition, dry, and style as usual.

Tip #10 - Help cleanse and detangle hair easily with vinegar. It has been used for decades as a natural hair rinse. It will remove product build-up from hairspray, mousse, gel, and other hair setting lotions while it also works to keep the hair from tangling. Simply mix equal parts of vinegar together with water. After shampooing the hair, apply your normal conditioner and rinse. Then add the vinegar mixture and work it through the hair to the ends. Rinse again, dry, and style as normal.

More budget-beating home-made beauty ideas

With economic down turns happening all over the world, women everywhere are looking for ways to conserve money, and this often means abandoning many of those products that are considered luxuries. The good news is that most of us already have items at home that we can use to replace them, and here are a few of my favorite ideas.

Tip #1 - egg yolk acne treatment
Replace that expensive acne treatment will simple egg yolk. Separate the yolk from the white part of the egg, saving the white for another beauty treatment. Whip up the yolk until it is light and fluffy. Then use a cotton ball or make-up sponge to apply the mixture anywhere on the body where acne exists. Allow the treatment to dry thoroughly and then rinse it away with cool water.

Tip #2 - egg white skin moisturizer
Whip up the egg white left over from the tip #1 until it is stiff like meringue. Add a drop or two of olive oil, vitamin E or glycerin, but no more than that, or the mixture will get watery. Apply the mixture with a cotton ball or make-up sponge. Let it sit on the skin for between 15 and 30 minutes. Rinse with cool water to discover deliciously moisturized skin once again.

Tip #3 - egg & lemon dandruff shampoo

If you cannot afford expensive dandruff shampoos, don't worry. Eggs can help in that department too. Mix a few drops of lemon juice in with one egg. Beat the mixture until it becomes frothy. Pour the mixture into a squeeze bottle and then apply it to the hair all over the head. Work it through thoroughly with your fingers or a large tooth comb. Cover hair with a plastic shower cap and wait between 15 and 45 minutes. Shampoo, condition and rinse for flake free hair.

Tip #4 - vinegar for dieting

If you want to lose a few pounds but can no longer afford expensive diet pills, try this home remedy instead. Pour a few drops of apple vinegar over foods like vegetables or salads or better still, mix a teaspoon into your water. Vinegar helps to abate hunger. You will eat less and before long find that you have dropped a few pounds without starving yourself along the way.

Tip #5 - vinegar for digestion

Are you having trouble digesting your food? Vinegar can help with that as well. Just take a tablespoon for bedtime and enjoy a peaceful night's sleep without those painful indigestion pangs.

Tip #6 - vinegar head-lice shampoo

If your child comes home from school with a case of head lice, you might think that expensive lice removing shampoos are called for, whether you can afford them or not. The good news is that you have a natural lice treatment right in your kitchen cabinet. Just pour straight vinegar over the areas of the head where the lice are the worst. Let it sit for a few minutes and then use a lice comb to remove them.

Tip #7 - natural hair dyes

If you want to brighten up your dulling red hair but can't afford expensive hair dyes that's okay. You probably have one of two products in your kitchen that can do the job just as well. Both beet and cranberry juice can be used as a hair brightner on red or auburn locks. All you have to do is shampoo as usual and then pour the juice over the hair several times. Let it sit in place for between 10 and 30 minutes and then rinse with cool water.

Tip #8 - tea-bag skin tighteners

Do you wish you could afford those expensive skin tightners on the market today? You have something in your kitchen pantry that will work just as well. Never throw away old tea bags. At bath time, just drop them into your water. They will work magic, with the ingredients of polyphenol and tannin tightening up the skin while also improving blood circulation.

Tip #9 - champagne hair volumizer

Never throw away the champagne you didn't finish drinking - use it as a hair volumizing treatment. Mix equal parts of water and champagne together and pour the mixture into a spray bottle. After shampooing and conditioning your hair, spray on your homemade mixture. Then style the hair as usual. The powerful antioxidants in the grapes work to repair damaged hair, making it look and feel thicker with each successive treatment.

Tip #10 - natural ink stain remover

If you have ever gotten ink in a piece of clothing, you probably just gave up and threw it away. But, when money is tight, that sort of thing isn't acceptable. Instead try using vegetable shortening to remove those pesky ink stains. Just rub the shortening in using a circular motion until the ink begins to bleed out through the back of the fabric. Then get rid of the greasy residue with a degreasing detergent to make the article of clothing as good as new once again.

Stay tuned for future kitchen ideas to help you pinch pennies without losing any of the products that you love.

Fruits and vegetables - nature's beauty products

Everyone understands the health benefits of eating fresh fruits and vegetables. However, few people think about using those very same items to make healthy, all natural beauty products. However, the truth is that both fruits and vegetables are chock full of antioxidants and valuable vitamins, minerals, and nutrients like vitamin A, B, C, D and E, carotenoids, co enzyme Q 10, phytonutrients, polyphenols, potassium, selenium, and zinc to name a few.

Combined with other ingredients, fruits and vegetables are extremely useful in making some of the best facial masques, skin creams, bath treatments, and skin ointments that can be found anywhere.

Fruits such as bananas, berries, cantaloupe, grapes, lemons, oranges, peaches, and pineapple can be used to make facial masks, luxurious skin creams, cosmetics and anti-aging products. Vegetables like avocados, carrots, cucumbers, greens, peppers, potatoes, and tomatoes have similar valuable uses. Below are some examples:

• Avocado is packed with properties that naturally help the skin in its own collagen production.
• Banana has natural oils that work perfectly as skin softeners while the fruit’s rich vitamins and nutrients are wonderful for improving hair’s elasticity.
• Beans of differing varieties can be useful in fighting off the first signs of aging.
• Blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries are packed with antioxidants as well as their own natural anti-inflammatory properties. Used in skin cream, they can help soothe skin while repairing surface cells.
• Cantaloupe makes a soothing skin cream that ensures a radiant and glowing complexion.
• Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which can help smooth rough skin patches.
• Cucumbers have long been known to help in the reduction of dark circles underneath the eyes.
• Garlic can help stave off signs of aging by jumpstarting new tissue regeneration.
• Grapes contain polyphernols, which hydrate both the hair and skin.
• Greens are rich in antioxidants that reduce skin inflammation and prevent cell damage.
• Lemons act as a natural skin bleach and softener. Used on rough elbows, knees, or foot calluses lemon can help even out skin color and make skin softer and more supple.
• Peaches are chock full of antioxidants and nutrients that work to protect skin from damaging UV rays.
• Peppers help increase circulation and work well in cosmetics to plump up the lips.
• Pineapple contains a powerful enzyme that helps eliminate dead skin while protecting it from free radicals.
• Potato helps to alleviate dark circles underneath the eyes.
• Strawberries are a natural tooth whitener.
• Sweet potatoes are great for helping to stop the signs of aging.
• Tomato is rich in lycopene which helps to fight free radicals, and its vitamin C boosts collagen production.
• Watermelon helps to soothe sunburn and makes minor skin repairs by encouraging tissue regeneration.

Ingested or used in creams, masques, and ointments it is clear that Mother Nature still makes the products that work best to make our lives more comfortable as well as more fulfilling.

Look for my other articles on using kitchen pantry items to make homemade beauty products, and watch for future installments focusing on the health and beauty benefits of fruits and vegetables!

How you can stay looking and feeling good while pregnant

Most women think that it's okay to stop exerting effort in looking beautiful during pregnancy but it's not. Pregnancy is a time when your hormones are in a rage. It is easy to be overwhelmed by new feelings, sensations, and changes in your body that make you feel not in control. Taking care of your pregnant self lets you be in control and preserve your health and beauty. It's not easy to look in a mirror with disheveled hair and dry, blotchy skin. It's also frustrating to try and fit yourself in your pre-pregnant outfits. Get rid of the idea that this is normal. What's normal is a pregnant woman embracing and enjoying her pregnancy by taking care of her body, her health and beauty.

Studies by the MRC/US Anxiety and Stress Disorders Research Unit show that babies born of happy mothers are healthier -- they are heavier, more active, and agreeable. They also absorb more nutrients from their first feedings which are essential for their nourishment. Happy mothers are also found to produce better-quality milk for their babies. Negative emotions increase the risk of developing post-pregnancy depression. This affects how a mother bonds and cares for her newborn. The best way to ward off this negativity is to preserve your health and beauty.

First, follow a healthy diet under the specifications of your doctor. Do not assume that the diet your other pregnant friend follows is right for you. Your health and beauty needs are unique. You may have deficiencies or skin care needs, which your friend's diet cannot address. Second, take supplements and vitamins according to your doctor's instructions. Never take drugs or any form of medicine without your doctor's approval. It may have adverse effects on your baby. Third, exercise lightly to avoid gaining excess weight. Expectant mothers normally gain 15-20 pounds anything higher than that can give you a difficult delivery. Fourth, get adequate sleep and rest. Nothing is more stressful than sleepless nights because of hormones and restlessness. Make up for lost sleep during the day your body tells you when it needs some shut-eye. 

Of course, a pregnant woman's health and beauty are not limited to her physical needs. Her emotional and psychological well-being are just as important. You know that nothing boosts your confidence than being thought of and complimented as beautiful. You can easily get that goddess feeling again through modern maternity fashion. Take all those loose, tent-like dresses your mother-in-law lent you. Contemporary maternity designers are coming out with new designs that showcase your pregnant body rather than hiding it. Take advantage of your fuller cleavage and wear lower necklines. Show off your pregnant belly in stretch tops that hug your curves in solid colors. Avoid hiding in busy prints and opt for simple, understated accents and accessories. Change your hairstyle -- pregnancy is a perfect excuse to try the new pixie cut. Keep your posture straight and your feet pretty in fun flats and funky mules.

Health and beauty are essentials for a pregnant woman. Take care of yours to be better-equipped in caring for your baby. Treat your pregnancy as your time to shine with natural health and beauty. Staying healthy and beautiful during pregnancy is not only easy it is the best thing you can do for yourself and your baby.

About the Author

Elizabeth Gilley writes articles for the Beauty Biz on beauty, fashion, diet and fitness.

Elizabeth's homepage

Tips to choose an essential oil

An "essential oil" is an aromatic oil extracted from a plant, the concentrated essence of that plant, and these oils (also known as volatile oils) are used in aromatherapy, as well as perfumes and food flavorings. In aromatherapy they are used in a number of different ways to have a healing effect on the body. As well as having a physical benefit, using an essential oil in massage is thought to improve a person’s physical, psychological and emotional well being in different ways, depending on the specific essential oil (or combination of oils) being used.

Essential oils are very concentrated and so often only one of two drops are needed to have a beneficial effect. However this potency also means they should be used with care, and you should always be aware of any specific contraindications when using them.

The most common types of essential oil are: lavendar, chamomile, tea tree, eucalyptus, peppermint and ginger. Below you'll find a brief description of the benefits each brings and ways in which you can use them at home.

Lavender

This is the most commonly used and versatile essential oil, fantastic for reducing stress and inducing relaxation, and an excellent cure for insomnia. You could try putting a couple of drops in a vapourizer or oil burner or even on your pillow to help you sleep. You could also mix a couple of drops with some massage oil and massage it in to your neck and shoulders. Or even better, get someone else to do it!

It is also helpful in relieving headaches and toothache. A drop can be applied to the temples or to the jaw area.

It is known for its healing and soothing properties. It is particularly effective as a treatment for burns and scalds and cuts and wounds. Neat lavender can be poured on to a sterile gauze and applied to a burn or wound. It is one of the most popular oils to use during childbirth as it can help induce relaxation and reduce anxiety and pain. Vapourising the oil or placing drops in a oil burner in your birthing room is probably the best way to get the most out of the oil.

It makes a great insect repellant and a good antidote to insect bites to help relieve itching. It can be applied directly to bites and mixed with a cream or oil and applied to the skin as a repellant.

Chamomile (Roman)

This essential oil is known for its sedative and anti-inflammatory properties. It is an excellent nerve tonic and so is a very effective stress-reliever. Once again it is good at relieving headaches and toothache and is recommended to help against teething pains in babies. Use it in a vapouriser or oil burner.

It has a calming effect on the digestive system. Use a couple of drops in a massage oil and very gently apply to the abdomen.

Cold chamomile teabags make excellent soothing eye compresses.

Tea tree

This has strong anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties. It is an excellent cure for many infections including thrush, athletes foot and cystitis. A couple of drops can be mixed with a sink full of water to provide a douche wash. It can be applied directly to athletes foot.

It can help provide relief from respiratory conditions such as asthma, bronchitis and sinusitis. Try putting a couple of drops in a bowl of steaming water and inhale.

It is a great treatment for a variety of skin conditions such as cold sores and herpes. It can be applied directly to either of these using a cotton bud. Because of its antimicrobial properties it is also great for any wound healing. As with lavender oil it can be poured on to a sterile gauze and applied to a wound.

Eucalyptus

This essential oil is probably best known for its use as a decongestant, especially during a cold. Place a couple of drops in a bowl of steaming water and inhale. Or place in a vapouriser or oil burner. You could also place a couple of drops on a tissue and/or pillow at night and inhale the vapours

It is also an excellent insect repellant and helps to relieve insect bites.

Its warming properties help to relieve muscular aches and pains. Use in a massage oil base and massage in to the achey areas.

Peppermint

This is a very effective essential oil for treating disorders of the digestive system. It helps to relive nausea, indigestion, diarrhoea and flatulence. Mix a couple of drops with a massage oil and apply gently to the abdomen.

It is excellent in helping to relieve travel sickness. Place a couple of drops on a tissue and inhale every few minutes.

It has a cooling effect on the skin and can be applied to the temples or back of the neck to relieve headaches. Be very careful to avoid going too near the eyes.

It can help increase concentration and clear the head when feeling mentally fatigued. Try adding some to a vapouriser or oil burner when working or studying.

It is a great mucular pain reliever and can be added to massage oil and massaged in to the affected areas.

It can also be beneficial in relieving the symptoms of a cold or flu. Use in a bowl of steaming water as with eucalyptus.

Ginger

This is a warming essential oil and is very stimulating for the system. It is therefore excellent for treating muscular aches and pains and rhematism and poor circulation such as cold hands and feet. Again massage in to the affected areas after mixing with a massage oil.

It is known for its ability to relieve travel and morning sickness. Place a couple of drops on a tissue and inhale every few minutes. It is also very healing for sore throats, coughs and sinusitis. Use in a vapouriser or oil burner.

As you can see, each essential oil has various benefits and uses, and some of the different essential oils share similar properties. They are a very potent and effective method of treating many conditions and are a natural way to improve your overall well-being. Care must be taken though to ensure any contraindications have been considered before use.

Seven things you should do to keep the weight off!

A person's ideal weight will vary depending on various factors, such as bone structure, quantity of muscle, and genes. You could do the BMI test, or you could take your waist to hip ratio measurement and decide if you need to take action.. Here are some additional interesting snippets that might help:

   1. Eat more slowly! Researchers at Osaka University in Japan found that people who ate quickly were more likely to be overweight. Eating quickly as well as eating until full had a greater additional effect on being overweight. (ref: British Medical Journal, October 2008)
   2. Dairy foods fill you up and have the ability to bind to fat which is then excreted. So, fill up on low-fat yoghurts or cottage cheese! (ref: The Truth about Food.)
   3. Soups are good for satiety. Solid food combined with liquid in a soup sit for longer in the stomach, so you feel full for longer.
   4. Don’t snack at night. Not because you’ll store more fat at night, that’s a myth. But you’re likely to eat more at night if you snack then. After dinner, brush your teeth so you’re telling yourself the kitchen door is closed.
   5. Don’t skip breakfast. You are more than twice as likely to be overweight than those who take breakfast.
   6. If you’re eating a healthy, balanced diet but still can’t shift the pounds…. cut portion sizes!. We’ve got so used to supersizing our portions that most of us don’t know what a portion should be. Either use a smaller plate or, better still, use a portion-control plate with compartments for protein, carbs and veg. See www.thedietplate.com.
   7. Chromium can help you reduce weight. It improves sensitivity to insulin which then curbs fat and sugar cravings and reduces appetite. A recent study also shows that chromium can reverse diabetes (ref: Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics)

I hope these tips help make a difference!

A review of four of the top lip liners on the market right now

As women age, our lips get smaller. It’s another one of those wonderful tricks that Mother Nature keeps in store for us when we least need or want it. Consequently, the older we get, the more likely it becomes that we will require lip liner to ensure that our lipstick looks fresh for as long as possible.

As is the case with many cosmetics, there are a lot of lip lining products on the market. Some, of course, are better than others. Let me share the knowledge I’ve gained so far on the liners that I have tried.

Maybelline’s Moisture Extreme

My overall favorite lip liner is Maybelline’s Moisture Extreme. It is advertised as a longwearing, budge-proof lip liner that comes in a variety of colors. These include bordeaux, delicate pink, hazelnut, mocha, red glamour, and rose.

What I like best about Moisture Extreme is that it goes on smoothly, without pulling or tugging at the already thin, delicate skin of the mouth area. The product is so creamy that it is effortless to apply. It doesn’t feather into those tricky little lines around the mouth and it even helps keep the lipstick that you put on top of it from feathering as well.

Although I really didn’t expect it to live up to its smear-proof advertising, this product actually honored its claim. Even after my lipstick had worn off, the delicate shade of the liner remained to make certain my lips stayed pretty all day long, no matter what I ate or drank.

Although this pencil requires sharpening, it doesn’t break as easily as some of the more expensive liners that are out there. It holds up well and will very likely last until you are ready to change the color. At around $5.50 per pencil, it is worth every penny.

Maybelline’s Long Lasting Lipliner

Almost as good is Maybelline’s Long Lasting Lipliner. It comes in a convenient retractable pencil format. The soft kohl pencil ensures a smooth application that won’t irritate the lips or feather into fine lines and wrinkles.

This lip liner is quick and easy to use, locking in color that will last for hours. I love how easily Long Lasting Lipliner blends, while leaving brilliant color in place that won’t smear or fade away.

This Maybelline product comes in several colors, including bordeaux, brown, icy beige, red, rose, and rosewood. Retailing for just over $5.00, this pencil will last quite a while.

Cover Girl’s Outlast Smoothwear Liner

If you aren’t a big Maybelline fan, you might wish to try Cover Girl’s Outlast Smoothwear Liner. These silky-soft pencils also glide smoothly across the mouth to ensure a flawless application each and every time. Because the liner is creamy soft, it won’t damage the mouth’s already thinning skin.

Much like Maybelline’s products, this Cover Girl liner seems almost impenetrable. It coats the lip area with a long lasting color that stays and stays. And there is no need to worry that it will bleed into those tiny mouth lines.

The Outlast Smoothwear Liner comes in a retractable pencil that makes certain it is ready to use at any time, and in a wide variety of colors which includes berry, blush, burgundy, chocolate, coffee, nude, plum, raisin, rose, ruby, spice, and wine.

Outlast Smoothwear Liner retails for just under $6.00. Although it is slightly more expensive, if you are a Cover Girl fan, you might consider it worth the extra money.

Queen Collection Lasting Lip Pencil

Queen Latifah offers yet another wonderful Cover Girl lip liner called the Queen Collection Lasting Lip Pencil. It comes in the shades of burgundy, chocolate, coffee, plum, raisin, and rose. It is relatively inexpensive at around $6.00 per retractable pencil.

This liner is also silky smooth as it glides over the lips, to deposit the perfect amount of foundation product. The beautiful shades seem to caress the lips gently while providing a brilliant color barrier that will keep your lipstick in place until you are ready to remove it.

Overall verdict

All four of these lip liners are excellent. They all get five out of five stars, with a slight edge to Maybelline’s Moisture Extreme; my all time fave!

The benefits of cold temperature treatments

 Author: Doreen Corbey

The cold stones have the effect of initially speeding up breathing and moving blood from the surface of the skin, but once the body has become used to the temperature, the muscles relax and blood returns to the skin leaving it glowing. This treatment is great for removing toxins from the body, especially the draining sequence of a facial massage with the marble stones.

At home

There are, of course, cold water treatments you can try for yourself at home - cold showers are not just for Eastern European athletes! If you don’t have a shower, or removable shower head, a bowl of water will do.

Make sure you’ve bathed/showered with hot water and that your body is warm. Then, taking the shower head, turn the water to cold and direct it at one foot and up the front of that leg til you reach the hip. Then start again at the foot and direct the water up the other side of the leg. Repeat on the other leg. When you’re feeling stronger, continue the jet of water up the whole front of the body and lastly the back. For the first few goes it's fine to go just go as far as the tops of your legs.

The usual rule of alternating temperature treatments is that you generally start warming the body, then chilling it and repeat this twice more. However, this is not always feasible and, I think uses too much water, so I generally just start off with hot and finish with a cold rinse.

Still not persuaded?

If the idea of getting cold still holds no allure, ask yourself why athletes and dancers are advised to immerse their limbs in buckets of knee- deep ice cold water. Answer - it prevents injury and reduces swelling even before it’s apparent. After every treatment I give, especially after massage, I immerse my hands and arms in cold water - it feels like ice-cream on a hot day. My cold rinse at the end of every shower leaves me feeling alive and zinging.

Give some cold water treatment a try - your body will thank you for it!

About the Author

Doreen has had a passion for massage since she was 15 years old. She still has that passion, and offers massage, specialist facials and other beauty treatments in her home-based salon in Surrey. With any energy left over she will devour all the beauty pages of all the magazines she can lay her hands on!

Doreen's homepage: Bellessence

Review: InStyler Rotating Hot Iron Hair Straightener

Having baby fine, delicate hair I am constantly looking for something to help me obtain some of today's hot new styles. After watching several infomercials on television for a new rotating iron called "The InStyler," I decided to give it a try.

It looked simple enough to operate and promised to give dry and damaged hair a beautiful sheen. Best of all, it looked like it was easy to use no matter what style you wanted to achieve; it straightened kinky hair and waved or curled already straight hair.

Unfortunately, the commercial made the product look far easier to use than it really is. After multiple tries, I discovered I still had not achieved any level of accuracy with the styling iron. What I had managed, however, was to further dry out and damage my already delicate hair.

Not wanting to be unfair in my assessment of the product, I decided to ask my daughter, daughter-in-law, and some friends to check it out as well. My daughter also has fine hair but it is thicker than mine is and she is an expert with a traditional curling iron. However, even she could not master The InStyler.

My daughter in law has natural curly hair that is thick and coarser in nature. She also had problems conquering the product, although she did like the final results once she did.

The results for my friends were pretty much the same. Those with thin, delicate, or fine hair hated The InStyler while those with thicker, coarser hair experienced better results. However, even they said they could not justify the $120 price tag.

This product gets mixed reviews. It apparently works on thick hair or hair that is coarse. However it is far from easy to operate; the learning curve is long and frustrating to say the least and it is far too easy to damage hair with the product's heating planes.

The InStyler can be purchased from television infomercials or through the television-shopping network QVC. The cost varies slightly but ranges between $100 and $120.

I could not, in good faith, recommend this product. It is too difficult to handle and can cause permanent hair damage.

Tips to Remove Facial Mole Safely & Naturally

“I often feel self-conscious when people stare at my face moles as though I am an alien from outer space. Sometimes, the words they say are irritating, and it will upset me for many days.”

“One day, out of frustration I decided to take action. In my mind, I wanted to get rid of my unsightly face spots. I spent hours doing research online for a solution. Amazingly there was plenty of information on how to remove a facial mole.”

To help you find the best solution, here are the most common methods you can use to get rid of your face moles.

1) Laser mole removal
This procedure is normally handled by a plastic surgeon. A laser device will be used to bombard laser beam at the selective spot on your skin in order to burn away the mole. The debris will absorbed by the body immune system during the healing process. Laser treatment
is a perfect solution for small and flat facial mole. When the mole is large and thick, more surgical sessions are required to eliminate the mole entirely, and therefore the treatment cost can be very high for most people.  Other drawbacks of laser surgery are pain, scarring, possible infection, partial removal of mole and skin discoloration.

2) Mole Surgery Methods
The common surgeries to remove moles are shaving, excision and cauterization. These treatments are carried out by a dermatologist. Depending on the condition of your face moles, your doctors should be able to recommend a surgery that is most suitable for you. The surgery will only take a short time with an outpatient visit. Sutures are performed to close the wound after the operation, and therefore scarring will normally be formed for all surgical alternatives.

3) Natural Mole Removal
There are plenty of non-surgical, natural remedies you can carry out at the comfort of your own home. These home remedies usually work on the same principle which uses natural herbs
to cauterize the facial mole. They are very safe and effective to use, and you should see great result within a few days.

To learn more about natural home remedies for removing unsightly face moles, please visit our site for more information.

Is Yoga Right for You?

A lot of women perform yoga exercises not just to lose weight or maintain proper body weight but also because they want to be healthy emotionally and mentally. Yoga is also known to contribute to the decrease of a number of problems during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. There is research to prove this, but it’s easy to see the physical, mental, and emotional benefits evident on those women who practice yoga.

Yoga Helps You Cope with a Busy Lifestyle

If you are still undecided about yoga, then there are a number of things about it that will help you decide. One of these is its relevance to today’s world, even if it is one of the most ancient practices of all times.

Yoga is considered as the perfect solution that helps women cope with their busy days and the resulting mental and physical stress. This is especially true if they are working moms who need to deal with the pressures of both work and home. Sitting behind a desk or even driving a car for several hours every day would already result in a woman’s having shoulder and back problems that will not only affect their lives at the office but also at home when they are dealing with the family and household chores.

Choosing the Best Yoga Style Helps

Deciding if yoga is really right for you would also require you to choose the yoga style that will fit your lifestyle, personality, and needs. If you are a working mom, your yoga needs might differ from those women who are just working at the office for long hours every day. As such, it is very important to find the perfect teacher or trainer who has the right knowledge about yoga who is not only qualified and accredited but also compassionate and sensitive to what you really need.

Yoga Styles:

1)Vini Yoga. This is a personal practice that could be developed through the incorporation of meditation, proper breathing, and posture as well as prayer and rituals. The amount of all these aspects that could be incorporated into your yoga practice will have to be changed though as a woman and her needs change and develop. Therefore, if you are still a student or a young professional, then the physical aspects of yoga might be more important for you, while older women might focus more on the spiritual, mental, and emotional aspects.

2)Ashtanga Yoga. Also considered as the power yoga, this style is known to be flowing and athletic. Breathing is very important in this yoga style as a woman flows through a series of postures. This is able to generate a lot of sweat and body heat, thus helping women detoxify their bodies.

3)Ananda Yoga. This yoga style makes use of temperate poses. This is gently meditative and perfect for those who would like to practice a yoga style that helps them to look inwards so they can focus on making their emotions better.

How to Effective Dieting

When it comes to weight loss, usually the first thing that comes to the mind is dieting. More often than not people get tempted to shed those extra kilos by starving themselves for a few days. However the health experts don't recommend such dieting, the weight lost through crash dieting comes back as soon as people start having their scrumptious meals. Moreover, dieting can make the body weak debarring it of required nutrients. It's better to diet consciously and in fact in a healthy manner. There are some healthy dieting tips, which if followed sincerely, can definitely enable you to maintain a vigorous body.

Drink Plenty Of Water - The most effective diet tip is drinking lot of water, as water is the most important catalyst in losing weight and keeping it off. Water works as a natural appetite suppressant by keeping stomach full with no possibility of dehydration, which leads to hunger cravings. It also helps in flushing out toxins from the body and keeping it hydrated. It facilitates mobilization of stored fat by helping the kidneys flush out waste.

Make Sure To Eat Breakfast - Most of the people think that by skipping breakfast, they would avoid extra calories; thus it will reduce their weight. But this is absolutely wrong. Once you skip breakfast, it will make you hungrier later in the day leading to distorted satiety signals (in which it's hard to make out when you're full). It actually results in eating more. In case you don't get time to have breakfast, have a liquid meal to fuel your body.

Increase Your Fibre Intake - Eating foods rich in fibre helps to keep food moving through bowels. Like water, fiber rich foods bulk you up and make you feel full. As a matter of fact, a person can lose around 10 pounds a year just by doubling his fiber intake. High fiber foods are usually low in calories and fill you up quickly. So, eating more of fiber rich food means you're having fewer calories. On an average, a person consumes about 8g of fiber every day, but many health experts suggest 25g. You can start your day with a high fiber cereal; prefer eating fibre throughout the day.

Eat Healthy Fats - Most of the experts assert that fat causes obesity, raises your cholesterol and causes heart disease, but this is not exactly true. The point to consider is, if fat is that bad, why it makes part of our natural diet chain? So, here comes the answer. Fat provides the body with essential fatty acids (like linoleic and linolenic acids), which are required for normal reproduction and growth, over and above for production of prostaglandin, a hormone like compound that regulates blood pressure, blood clotting, and inflammation. A healthy diet suggests eating healthy fats, which includes cold-water fish, mackerel and salmon, nuts, and olive oil.

Lean Protein - Few people know that protein is a great weight control tool. Due to its immediate satiety factor and for keeping full for longer periods, protein acts as a tool to weight management. It helps in balancing out carbs by preventing insulin spikes that can cause a drain in energy and sugar cravings. Protein also helps in maintaining muscle mass, which is vital in the fat burning process. A person must take at least 20% of calories in the form of proteins.

Tips To Match Shoes With Your Outfit

Change is the only constant thing when it comes to fashion. Believe it or not, every day, there is a new style that dominates the market and stores. While mini skirts may be in today, chances are they will become outdated tomorrow. If not more, same is the case with shoes as well. Something that is in-fashion today is capable of being archaic in a few days time. As such, keeping in mind such changes, matching your shoes with your outfit can be a tricky task at hand. Just as your clothes, shoes define your personality. For those who are conservative, open toed footwear or strappy high-heeled ones would be a strict no-no. Bright colored shoes would also have no place in their shoe rack. However, those who are daring and outgoing would feature a variety of footwear in their shoe rack. At the time of choosing footwear for your dress, you need to understand that personal choice is all that matters. Just follow some general rule of the thumb and you are sure to reflect a good choice, without making any fashion faux-pas. Read on to know more about how to match your shoes with your outfit.  
 
Choosing The Perfect Shoes With Your Outfit
 
The Three Main Parameters
 
According to the Occasion
If you are of the opinion that shoes need not be worn according to the occasion, this could come as a blow. Shoes reflect a story of their own. Much can be said about a person's whereabouts by having a look at his or her shoes. While leather shoes define the formal mood, a casual occasion can be dealt with a pair of trendy footwear. While black/ brown leather shoes add style to a man's formal look, for a women medium to high heels work the best for meetings, conferences, offices or any other formal get-togethers.
 
According to the Style
Style is an important consideration to make, while matching shoes with your outfit. It would not only reflect your style quotient, but also mark your aptitude for fashion. While a casual skirt can be paired up with heeled chunky loafers or platforms, knee-high boots go the best with mini skirts. In case you are wearing jeans, sneakers or chunky soled shoes would be a good option to explore. Capris are best when teamed with open toed mules or platform. While long dressy pants prefer boots, sleek fabricated straight glamorous pant will look outstanding when coupled with strapped sandals.
 
According to the Color
This is basically applicable to women at large, though nowadays men are also seen exploring colored shoes. Red/ Yellow sneakers or off white color formals are a common sight with men today. Coming back to women, if you are wearing a red dress, you can pair it up with shoes that have red touch. While black is universal and goes well with any dress, white is best suited when it is teamed with a white or off white dress. Metallic shoes will match clothes that have multicolor in them. For those who want to portray a taller appearance without wearing heels, putting on shoe that match the hemline is a good idea. However, if you are tall and want a reverse effect, choose shoes that contrast the hemline.
 
Tips

• A long skirt is best worn with flat shoes, ballet slippers or backless slip-ons.
• Pumps of medium height work the best when you are off to work. Round, square or slightly tapered heels will give a professional look.
• In case you are wearing palazzo pants, team them up with slip-on open-toed flats or espadrilles.
• Straight glamorous pants look the best when they are worn with strapped, high-heeled sandals.
• Boots, chunky-soled shoes or sneakers go well with jeans as well as corduroy pants.
• For a party look, team your dressy outfit with a glamorous pair of sandals. Pointed-toe shoes with Sabrina heels would work the best.