Nov 25, 2009

Eye Makeup Ideas

Basic Eye Makeup Kits
Most eye makeup assortments offer three basic shades or colors.

1. Highlighter:
The lightest shade, designed to bring out the areas it is applied to.
2. Mid Shade:
This shade should be closest to your natural skin color. It is the most subtle of the colors, but the most important.
3. Contour:
The darkest shade causes the area to recede.

Eye Makeup Ideas for Common Problems
Hooded Eyes
Stunning eyes look great.With a hooded eye, the lids look partly closed. So, to open up the eye, you can use makeup to minimize the eyelid.

Start by drawing more attention to your eyebrows. Ensure they are properly shaped and use them to entice interest upwards from the eyelid.
Cover the skin from the brow bone to the upper lash line with the highlight color.
Next apply the mid shade to most of the surface of the eyelid.
With the contour shade, brush on the outer half of the lid and up towards the brow.
Follow with a fine line of contour under the lower lashes.
This eye type really benefits from having eye makeup – either shadow or eyeliner - under the lower lashes.
When using eyeliner, also extend the line from the outer upper lashes slightly past the edge of the eye.

Droopy Eyes
As eyes age, they inevitably begin to droop. Although you can’t reverse the process, you can try the following eye makeup ideas to camouflage the problem.

Place highlighter on the area immediately under your eyebrow and completely cover the eyelid.
Apply the mid shade to the crease up towards the brow line.
Use the contour color on the outside corner of the upper lashes and brush up towards the crease slightly.
Also apply the contour shade along the entire lash line under the eye.
Other Ideas
Our article, Eye Makeup Tips, covers some other standard methods for transforming wide and close set eyes, prominent eyes, and techniques to help your eyes look big and bold. Check it out if you need more information on these types of eye makeup ideas.

Special Eye Makeup Tricks
Want to update your look or have a special evening out? The following eye makeup ideas will give you some inspiration.

Shimmer eye shadows add drama.
Curling your lashes, before applying mascara, instantly opens your eyes. Not only giving them a larger appearance, but also younger.
Set your eyebrows in place with a little hair gel and an old toothbrush.
Soften the harsh line of liquid liner with a dark eye shadow applied directly over the line and smudge it slightly.
If you get real fancy with your eye makeup, don’t overdo your lips. Pick one or the other to be particularly colorful with; otherwise you will tend to look overdone.
Utilize white eye shadow to brighten and enlarge the eye’s appearance. Simply apply it lightly around the outside of the eye, close to the lashes.
False eyelashes quickly spice up your look for a special occasion.
General Rules about Eye Makeup
Always keep your eye pencils sharp – ideally sharpen them before each use.
When short on time, simply apply the mid shade to your eyelid to give your eyes some pop.
The first spot where you place your pencil or makeup brush will get the most color.
Utilize concealer and powder over the entire eye area – under and over – to ensure a higher quality, longer-life appearance to your eye makeup.

Nov 3, 2009

How to get pretty legs

Beautiful legs are long and slender – that’s the standard nowadays. How to get them? For those of us who don’t have naturally long and shapely legs, there is nothing left to do but to work hard to get the best legs our anatomy allows us to have. In a matter of fact, it’s not so difficult to have beautiful legs – a little exercise, the right diet and the right cosmetics make this task completely attainable. Here we have some simple, but effective tips to make your legs cover girl legs.

Right shoes for pretty legs
Uncomfortable shoes are the worst thing that could happen to your feet. If your foot doesn’t feel comfy in the shoe, it could lead to painful red spots, thick corns and even warts.

- Wear your high heels only on special occasions, because “living” in them could damage your feet and your entire posture. Moreover, high heels can shorten ankle muscles and make your ankles look swollen. Tight, uncomfortable shoes can also deform and puff-up your toes and lead to articulation inflammations.

- To avoid any trouble, wear orthopedic insoles.

How to make your legs appear slimmer – visual tricks- If your ankles are thick, avoid thin heels and stilettos; stick to wedge shoes – they will make your legs look thinner and more feminine.

- Long live the tights! Black, opaque tights make your legs slimmer and go with almost everything. If you want to make your legs look longer, choose a panty-hose with vertical stripes. Forget about tights in light shades – they will make your legs look puffier for sure.

Cosmetic care for beautiful legs
Massage your feet regularly! Use whatever you like – a professional spa series, your favorite body butter or pamper your senses with some aromatherapy products containing essential oils.
Dead skin on feet is quite unpleasant, but can be fixed easily. Soak your feet in cool water for about 10 minutes. This will make the dead skin soft and easy to remove (use a pumice stone or a foot file). Apply some softening foot cream afterwards.
Old dry skin is not as visible on legs as it is on feet, but it’s still there. You need to exfoliate once again to get smooth and silky legs. Exfoliating not only removes rough skin, it prepares your legs for a closer shave.
Smearing your legs with body oil will make them shine seductevily. Even olive oil or almond oil would do. Your feet will look even better if you have a suntan.

Various tips for pretty legs
To get relief from stress, push the center of your foot with your thumb.
To refresh your feet drip 10 drops lemon or mint essential oils in 1 liter cold water. Soak a pair of cotton knee high socks and put them on – you’ll feel instant refreshment on your tired feet!
If you want to have pretty legs you can’t go without basic leg exercises. Squats, lunges, step-ups – the more, the better! Exercise will get your legs in shape in no time, but be sure to increase intensity every week. Another good way to exercise your legs is to cycle. Cycling strengthens your muscles and helps you get rid of fats on the tights.
Last, but not least – keep healthy weight. You can’t expect to have pretty legs if you’re overweight. The whole body should be in proportion. A big body and skinny legs (or vice versa) is not considered “pretty”.

10 things you should avoid when applying make-up!

1. Always apply face powder after cr?me. On a dry skin the face powder clogs the pores making them visible. However, on an oily skin powder doesn’t last long.
When choosing a nuance, remember that brighter shades are not face-flattering. Bright colors accentuate wrinkles and signs of tiredness.
Our advice: apply a small amount of foundation in the chin area, which is close to your natural skin tone. Fixate it with a sponge by gently tapping on. Then apply powder in a peach-pink nuance with a big brush.

2. Don’t restrict the foundation application only to the chin area. This will result in an unnatural effect of a mask.
The trick is to use a damp makeup sponge and apply the foundation starting from the neck and going up. After that tap off excess foundation for fixation and do not apply any powder on top.

3. Applying eyeliner on the inner rims of the eyes doesn’t make them look bigger. On the contrary – it makes them smaller and less sparkling.
To add depth to the eyes put tiny dots at the base of the eyelashes on both eyelids and then join them up. Ideally the line should always be applied as close to the base of the eyelashes as possible and accentuated with eyeliner.

4. Don’t apply rouge creme after face powder.
This would result in two bright spots on your cheeks. The rule is – after face powder apply only rouge powder.

5. The nuance of the pencil used for outlining the lips shouldn’t be darker than the lipstick.
6. The dark line stiffens the face’s sensual expression. Always use a pencil in a nuance that’s close to the lipstick.

7. Don’t apply shades in a dark nuance on the upper eyelid.
Darker shades make the eyes look sunken. To avoid that always apply beige or pink nuances on the upper lid.

8. Don’t choose eye shades on the basis of your eye color.
This is the best way to hide the natural color of the eyes.
Only contrasting colors accentuate the true nuance of eyes – if you have blue eyes, choose dark brown nuances; green-eyed women should opt for pink shades.
Brown and black eyes go best with all violet nuances.

9. Avoid wearing lipstick if you have plum lips.
The best way to accentuate this naturally sensual feature is by applying lipstick in a dark pink tone with a fine brush.

10. Avoid green shades when your eyes are tired.
Green nuances only make signs of tiredness more visible.
Beige and peach nuances are your best choice here. If you want to make your eyes appear bigger, apply mascara on the upper eye lashes.

Citrus fruits – a natural remedy during the winter months

Doesn’t the orange smell bring up associations with the Holiday season? Winter is the season of the citrus fruits and you can enjoy their abundance during the cold months and holiday days. Which fruits are citric?

Citrus fruits are slightly sour and juicy. These include oranges, tangerines, lemons, grapefruits, limes, satsuma, clementine and all hybrids of these. The kiwi is often mistaken for a citric fruit due to its high content of Vitamin C and the fact that is a more exotic fruit; however it does not classify as a citric fruit.

Citrus fruits are, without a doubt, one of the healthiest foods. Their thick peel reduces the amount of pesticides and nitrates, which can otherwise penetrate it easily and are found in higher amounts in any other fruit. Citrus fruits are most commonly thought of a good source of vitamins and antioxidants, containing a particularly high amount of Vitamin C, which makes them the best defense for the immune system. Consuming several citrus fruits a day prevents flu and colds during the winter months. Besides these substances, citrus fruits also contain an impressive list of other essential nutrients, including glycaemic and non-glycaemic carbohydrate (sugars and fibre), potassium, folate, calcium, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and a variety of phytochemicals. The specific citric acids have been valued as part of a nutritious and healthy diet as they help dissolve fats and reduce the weight. Nutrients contained in citrus fruits are easier to absorb by the organism than any other fruits due to the specific tastiness.

Orange
The well-known and preferred by many round orange fruit is a hybrid of the ancient Chinese grapefruit with a tangerine. It originated from Southeast Asia, most probably South China. Like all citrus fruits the orange is acidic and although not as strong as the lemon, it is still quite strong, which makes it an integral part of any healthy diet. It aids digestion, strengthens blood circulation and the heart. Regular consumption of oranges detoxicates the body. It also influences tonus, work capability and mood. Two oranges are a much more powerful energy source than the morning cup of coffee.

It can be consumed raw or in the form of juice. However, bear in mind that the juice needs to be consumed right after been squeezed as all the healthy nutrients disappear once they contact oxygen.

Lemon
Lemons fist grew in India, northern Burma and China. The fruit was known for its antiseptic properties and was used as an antidote for various poisons. It was a common belief that lemons could cure plague, jaundice and malaria and that they were a strong pain reliever. A lemon is rich in vitamins C, A, B, B2 and P. Its consumption stimulates the inner secretory glands, digestion and the liver’s function. Several drops of lemon juice in a glass of water or coffee instantly relieve headache. A glass of lemon juice a day is strongly recommended for people who work long hours and have little time to sleep as it energizes and strengthens the organism.

Lemon aromatherapy is efficient in the case of systematic headaches, fatigue and problems with concentration and memory. Massages with lemon oil enhance your well-being and are recommended during a cold or a flu.

Grapefruit
The grapefruit actually bears its name due to a misunderstanding. Centuries ago an English botanic wrongly classified the fruit as a type of grape and although later it became clear that the fruit is citric, its name was so common that changing it was deemed unnecessary. The grapefruit was first discovered in Barbados.
The slightly more sour taste comes from the higher concentration of citric acids. This makes the fruit perfect for loosing weight. Just as other citrus fruits, the grapefruit enhances digestion and can even be used as a diuretic, strengthens the immune system and energizes the organism. However, studies confirm that the consumption of grapefruit along with a medication should be avoided as some of the fruits’ substances can block the medication’s efficacy. Apart from this, the excessive consumption of grapefruit leads to the blockage of a particular enzyme, which is responsible for the production of the estrogen hormone. Scientists believe that this may be the cause for breast cancer.

Tangerine
This citrus fruit also originates from China. The tangerine contains all the nutrients found in other citrus fruits and its peel is thought to be the most efficient for the production of ethereal oils. The tangerine’s peel is the most valued part of the fruit – in the past it was used as a cure for stomachache and lack of appetite. Only last year scientists proved that the tangerine’s peel can be used successfully in the treatment of cancer, but it will take more time until this method is optimized and fully developed.
Due to its rich stack of vitamins, the tangerine is particularly efficient during colds in the winter. It also relieves digestion problems and tiredness. It has been argued whether the tangerine is allergen-free and children should be allowed to consume large quantities of it.

Ideal Fitness Plans for Women

A lot of women all over the globe are trying to shed unwanted pounds. While some are taking such drastic steps as taking diet pills that might bring more harm to their health, there are others that are going for surgical procedures that pose a great deal of side effects, risks, and complications. However, the fastest and best way to really lose weight effectively and maintain is to adhere to a good fitness strategy.

If you are a woman and you want to lose weight, here are three of the most important components that should be included in your plan for health and fitness:

Eating Healthy

The food that you take in every day plays a vital role in your weight loss. This is because your rate of metabolism will also depend on what you are eating, and in turn, your metabolism will also affect the way you will lose weight.

For a quick weight loss and better health, you must get rid of processed foods in your diet, especially those that contain unnatural ingredients. You should replace these with wholesome foods that are as organic as possible. This means that you have to throw away all the prepackaged and boxed foods in your fridge and instead consume more fresh fruits and vegetables as well as lean meats and whole grains.

Drinking Lots of Water

You should know that water aids in the proper functioning of the systems of the body. It will also aid in heightening the rate of metabolism. This means that increased water intake could encourage a greater loss of weight and could work well with your other strategies on weight loss as well. On the average, you would need at least eight glasses of water daily. However, if you are exercising regularly, this would have to be increased by two to four glasses everyday.

There is a way for you to ensure that you are taking in the proper amount of water every day. You can do this by always keeping a bottle of water near you where ever you go.

Exercising and Keeping Your Body Moving

Even if the metabolism rate of women tends to decrease beginning in their thirties, they can do something to alleviate this situation. They could keep their body moving always so that metabolism could be sped up, calories could be burned continually, and lean muscles mass can be formed. The ideal fitness plan that a woman should have must involve augmenting the muscle tone and heightening her heart rate by at least 65 percent even when at rest.

Because women posses a different structure when it comes to their bodies compared to men, they will fare better with low-impact workouts. There are a number of exercises that could provide these to women, and these include walking, swimming, and biking. It is also best for women to do some exercises for at 30 minutes every day and at least three times per week so that they can speed up their metabolism rates as well as work on the other factors that could help them lose weight. These exercise sessions could gradually be built up to become one-hour sessions done every day.

Five Reasons Women Should Lift Weights

When women decide to start to lose weight, their goal is always to see a smaller number register on the weighing scale. They do a number of things to achieve this goal including going on a diet, exercising, or taking diet pills. Only a few might consider lifting weights.

This is probably because many women associate lifting weights with unsightly muscle tone. Because most women want to achieve a slimmer figure that is still feminine, they do not like the idea of having a hard-toned, muscular body.

However, there are a number of reasons why lifting weights may be very beneficial to women who want to lose weight. Lifting weights could be one of the things that will help them reach their goal of slimming down.

Here are five of the top reasons for women to lift weights:

1) Body fats are lost in the process of lifting weights. Doing strength training at least two or three times every week for just about two months will for the average woman to gain almost a kilo of muscle. This will result in her losing over two kilos of fat. This is because as your lean muscles are amplified, your metabolism while just at rest heightens as well. This will let you burn calories even while you are sitting at work or just simply watching a TV show.

2) Strength training using weights will make you stronger physically. The benefits of being strong are needed for women who have a busy and full life, especially working moms. This will help in doing the chores in the house like carrying the bags of groceries in from your car, managing the increasing weight of your toddler, or opening the lid of that jar that always seems to be inhumanly tight and impossible to open. This will result in being more independent and less dependent on others to do a number of things for you.

3) The risk for osteoporosis will be decreased by lifting weights. Studies have shown that lifting weights can help increase a woman’s bone density by 13 percent in just a matter of six months. Along with the daily intake of calcium, this could lead to lesser bone fractures in the later years of life.

4) Bulking up is a no-no when you are lifting weights. Because women don’t have enough hormones to build bulk when it comes to muscles, it is not recommended. For women, lifting weights would just mean aiding the definition of muscles, thus leading to them looking and feeling better. This will also make them fit into clothes that they were not able to fit into before.

5) Your mood and attitude would benefit from lifting weights. Women who lift weights feel more capable of doing things. This makes them more confident, thus helping them fight the factors that cause depression.

by: James Pendergraft

Nov 2, 2009

How to Fix Your Shattered Eye Shadow, Powder or Blush

Uh-oh, your favorite eyeshadow dropped on the bathroom floor and now it's in pieces. How to fix? It's actually quite simple. To fix broken powders (caused by dropping, bumping or even extreme temperatures), the key is drops of rubbing alcohol.
Add a few drops of rubbing alcohol to your compact, then smooth the powder in place with your finger wrapped in Saran Wrap, or, as Real Simple suggests in the April 2007 issue, a butter knife. Let it dry before you use again. If the damage is too far gone, you can dump the powder in a jar and use it as loose powder. Real Simple also suggest placing cotton puffs over individual powders then shutting the case, when traveling.

People ask me to recommend eyeshadows all the time. I really like Lancome's shadows and for drugstore brands, Maybelline is nice, but my favorite is L'Oreal Infinite Duos

How to Get Smokey Eyes

Smokey eyes have been a big style for quite awhile and there's no sign this particular trend is dying. Here we show you step-by-step instructions on how to get the perfect smokey eye.

The key to the perfect smokey eye is proper blending. You want to make sure colors are blended together flawlessly. Also, it's important to pair light base colors with rich dark colors. Nice mixes include: Soft gold base with deep purple on top, champagne base with bright blue and peach base with green hue.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: 5 minutes
Here's How:

Prep the lid. The key to keeping eyeshadow from melting into your eyelid crease as the day goes on is to kept eyelids oil-free. To do this start with an eyeshadow base (also called "primer"). I prefer to dab at bit of MAC's 'paint' on lids before shadow application. Or try Fresh Freshface Perfecting Eye Primer.

Apply eyeliner. If you're going for a typical black, brown or gray smoky eye, apply liner in one of those colors above the upper lash line, drawing line thicker in the middle of eye. If your opting for a jewel-toned eye (violet makes a gorgeous smokey eye), line eyes with a purple, blue or deep green liner.

Blend in color on bottom lashes For color on the bottom (a key smokey eye look) you'll want a lighter eyeliner. The key is to "smudge it." You can also apply a bit of shadow to get full smudge effect.

Apply light base color Again, the key to a smokey eye is pairing a lighter base with the darker hue. I prefer a nice cream shade for my base. Sweep a light, shimmery shadow over the lids to your browbone. I love Stila's whipped eye shadows $20. The moist "mousse" consistency seems to stay on forever. My favorite colors are taupe and pearl.

Blend in darker color, but keep dark color below the crease. Now that you have the base and eyeliner on, it's time to get the smoky effect. You need a darker eyeshadow shade. Using an eyeshadow brush blend in color starting at your lash line, blending up. Make sure to blend color into the lash line so the eye liner disappears. Stop deep color at crease.

Doublecheck your work Make sure eyes match and blend color with a Q-tip if need be.

Finish with several coats of volumizing mascara. Tried and true mascaras (featured in "Elle" magazine) include DiorShow Mascara & L'Oreal Paris Volume Shocking Mascara. Elle's writer says they are the best volumizers she's tried.

Tips:

Remember to keep lips nude. When applying strong makeup (like smokey eyes or red lips) put the focus on either eyes or lips, never both. (Think Angelina Jolie: She either plays up her huge eyes or her huge lips, never both. If she did, she'd look like a clown).
For a bit of fun, try a blue or purple mascara. It will make blue eyes "pop."
Liner doesn't have to come in pencil form. Makeup experts know eyeshadows make some of the best eyeliners. To do this take an eyeliner brush (available at Sephora, MAC or any dept store), wet it, then dab wet brush into the dark shadow. This allows for a deep, precise line. You can also use the dark shadows without wetting brush first. Either way, eyeliner is necessary for smoky eye.
This season go jewel-toned (blue is great for you blue-eyed girls) and keep your eyes smoky but stay away from dark browns and black. Instead, go for a deep purple, a gold-brown or any of the many vibrant colors in this year.
What You Need:

Eye primer (you don't need it, but it's great for keeping shadow in place)
2 Shadows: One light, one darker
Eyeliner
Makeup brushes
Mascara

Eat Like an Athlete to Lose Weight

Exercise is excellent for weight loss, but it is most effective when it is combined with a proper diet.

If you are trying to lose weight and are exercising regularly, you may be sabotaging your weight loss efforts by not eating properly. Even the most strenuous exercise regime can be rendered ineffective if you not eating properly. Failure to eat properly hurts you in two ways. First of all, if you are not fueling your body properly, you may not have the energy for long or intense workouts. Secondly, if you are eating too much, you may not be going far enough into calorie deficit to promote weight loss. This article will discuss how carbohydrates, proteins and fats can also be part of a healthy weight loss program. However, before starting any weight loss program, you should consult with your doctor about your fitness and diet plans as well as the use of supplements in your diet.

To lose one pound of body weight, you have to expend 3500 more calories than you consume. This means you can lose one pound of body weight per week by creating a calorie deficit of 500 calories each day of the week. This can be accomplished by cutting 500 calories out of your diet, keeping your diet the same and burning off an additional 500 calories each day through exercise or by a combination of reducing your calorie intake and increasing your exercise to equal a 500 calorie deficit. The combination of reducing your calorie intake and exercising is ideal, especially if you are already consuming too many calories per day. This can help you to return to a healthy eating pattern while the exercises you perform will help to improve your cardiovascular health and tone your muscles.

Carbohydrates Fuel Your Workouts

Despite the popularity of diets high in protein and low in carbohydrates, most athletes do not follow this type of eating pattern. This is because low carbohydrate diets are often not sufficient for athletes who require increased amounts of energy to fuel their daily training sessions. If you want to train like a seasoned athlete, you should be mindful that you also need to eat like an athlete. This means you should be consuming healthy carbohydrates daily so you have enough energy to complete your workouts.

Choosing healthy carbohydrates such as multigrain breads, whole wheat pastas, oatmeal and other whole grains in addition to fruits and vegetables will help your body stay fueled throughout your workouts. However, over processed foods such as white breads and pastas made from white flower may result in weight gain because your body cannot use these nutrients as efficiently. They will help to fuel your workouts effectively, but because they are so highly processed, they do not cause your body to work very hard to digest and utilize these nutrients. As a result, you will not be enjoying the metabolic increase which accompanies the digestion of whole grain foods.

Consume Enough Protein Daily and at the Right Times

Protein consumption is very important for weight loss. You should be consuming enough protein each day to help you feel full, fuel your workouts and help your muscles to grow. Those who are trying to lose weight are wise to incorporate a source of protein in each meal and snack because protein helps them to feel more satiated. This feeling of satiety will keep you from feeling the urge to eat shortly after a meal or a snack. Proper protein consumption is also important if you are exercising to lose weight because the proteins you consume will help you to repair muscles damaged during high intensity workouts. Small muscle tears are an indication of an effective workout, but to enjoy the muscle growth which accompanies these types of workouts, you must consume the protein necessary to repair these muscle tears. The amount of protein you require will vary according to your current weight and lifestyle. If you live a relatively sedentary lifestyle, you should consume 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight. If you live a rather active lifestyle and exercise regularly, you should consume 1.0-1.2 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

Protein consumption is important during a fitness and weight loss routine, but it is not simply important to consume protein, you also need to ensure you are consuming protein at the right times. Protein should be a part of each of your meals and snacks, but it should also be a part of your post workout meal or snack as well. Ideally, you should consume a protein rich meal or snack within the first 90 minutes after your workout to facilitate muscle recovery.

Incorporate Healthy Fats Sparingly

Athletes realize that healthy fats are critical to an ideal diet. You should strive to consume moderate amounts of healthy fats. You can find these fats in items such as olive oil, avocado, salmon and nuts. The unsaturated fats found in these food items are considered healthy, but they are also typically high in calories, so it is important to only use these products sparingly to maintain a healthy diet. This will help you lose weight. It is generally recommended that no more than 20% of your daily calorie intake come from fats.

Consider Adding Supplements to Your Diet

Most seasoned athletes realize a healthy diet sometimes includes chemical supplements. If you are striving to eat more like an athlete to tone up your body, you might want to consider Meltorin. Meltorin is designed to bolster your metabolism. You can learn more about Meltorin at the following web address: www.Meltorin.com.

How to Lose Weight the Easy Way

If you think you have to follow strict rules or suffer to lose weight, think again. The easy way to lose weight is to indulge your weaknesses.

Sounds crazy, doesn't it? But when I finally understood this concept, I understood why most diets fail us. That's right. The diets fail us.

Because they force us to follow rules that go against human nature.

It's really quite simple. The more you can't have something, the more you want it. Until you become absolutely obsessed.

Think about it.

Suppose you like to snack at night. If you follow a diet that eliminates snacks or eating after a certain time of day, you constantly have to fight the urge to snack at night.

And that's like asking to fail.

In fact, that's probably when you will fail. And if you decide you can't live with that restriction, you'll abandon the diet altogether.

But if you schedule a satisfying snack for that time every night, it'll be easier to stick with your weight loss program. So by indulging your weakness, you overcome it.

Another common problem is having a sweet tooth.

What if your diet doesn't let you indulge often enough? Or you're only allowed to take one or two small bites of a tasty snack and it doesn't satisfy you?

That's almost like torture.

This time, suppose chocolate is your weakness. If you can't have it, how are you most likely to fail on your diet?

That's right. By eventually giving up and splurging on chocolate. Because you'll feel deprived and become absolutely obsessed with eating it.

But if you put chocolate and other sweets in your weight loss program in amounts that are satisfying, you'll reduce or even eliminate the problem. And you're much more likely to stay on your eating plan. And lose the weight.

So again, by indulging your weakness, you overcome it.

Now understand that when I say you overcome your weakness, I don't mean you won't crave chocolate. I just mean you're more likely to keep your cravings under control and stay on your diet.

And you may find that the more chocolate you eat, the less chocolate you want.

It's like working in a candy store. If your boss never allows you to eat candy, you'll want it more.

Sure, you may try to follow the rules at first. But eventually, you'll start sneaking candy.

You'll promise yourself you'll only do it once. But we both know you'll do it again. And again. And again.

Until you're stuffing yourself with as much candy as you can get.

Now suppose your boss tells you that you can eat all the candy you want whenever you want. Your face will light up as you imagine yourself gorging on candy every day.

But the reality is you'll probably indulge in your favorites at first, then level off. You may eat candy from time to time, but your obsession will evaporate.

After all, if the candy's always available to you, what's the urgency in eating it?

You'll still like candy as much as you always did. But you'll probably eat much less when you know you can have it anytime.

It's just human nature. The more you can't have something, the more you want it.

And the reverse is also true: the more you can have something, the less you want it. So you're less likely to binge and ruin your weight loss.

Again, by indulging your weakness, you overcome it.

Have you ever tried a low-carb diet? When you cheated, did you reach for another steak or did you grab some carbs?

Exactly. We always cheat on a diet by breaking the rules.

So stop torturing yourself with strict diet rules. Instead, indulge your weaknesses and lose weight the easy way.

Disclaimer: This information is presented for educational purposes only. This isn't medical advice and it's not a substitute for any advice or treatment from your physician. You should always see your doctor before starting any new diet.

Want to lose weight by indulging your weaknesses? Debbie Fontana created the delicious I Love to Cheat lifestyle diet that conforms to you� your needs� your wants� your lifestyle. So stop torturing yourself with strict diet rules. Lose weight the easy way. http://www.ILoveToCheatDiet.com

How to get rid of stretch marks

Stretch marks are among the worst things that could happen to your skin. Alas, they are very common and can appear almost everywhere. The only thing we can do is learn what stretch marks in fact are and the possible ways to deal with them.

Stretch marks appear when the body changes its shape very quickly. It means that stretch marks develop when you lose or gain weight fast. All of these unexpected changes cause the middle layer of the skin to tear on the most strained places. If you’re a woman, now you see why stretch marks appear mostly on your tummy, hips or breasts. If treated timely and properly, however, stretch marks are very likely to disappear. Chronic stretch marks are more difficult to deal with, but not impossible. So here is what you need to do to get rid of stretch marks:

Timely treatment is successful treatment: you should take action as soon as you notice the appearance of stretch marks. The earlier – the better.
Massage it out! – massage does a great job in improving skin texture. Massage the affected area four times a day using moisturizers with key ingredients shea butter, cocoa butter or essential oils, and you will see the result for sure after a couple of weeks. There are also endermologie procedures, in which endermologie machines are used to massage the skin. A good, deep massage expels toxins and triggers the production of collagen and elastine.
Tanning – natural sun tan and self-tanners help to visually reduce stretch marks. Before applying the self-tanner it is better to exfoliate the skin.
Topical treatment to the rescue! It is very effective in getting rid of stretch marks. Substances such as Vitamin C, Retinoid, Topical Tretinoin, Reastin, wheat germ oil and Glycolic acid are proven to do a great job against this skin flaw. You should however consult a specialist before use any of them on your body.
Laser treatment helps a lot. Moreover, it’s effective against all kinds of stretch marks – red, purple and white ones. There are several ways of using laser power for this purpose:
- vascular lasers – though these procedures are a bit pricey (between $400 – $500 per session and you’ll need up to 6 of them), vascular laser reduces red stretch marks;

- fractionated laser – it treats chronic stretch marks and is even more expensive -minimum of 3 sessions and $1000 per each;

- pulsed dye laser – it targets the underlying skin layers, stimulating collagen and elastine production. Works well on both new and old stretch marks. Not recommended for people with dark skin tones (Fitzpatrick Skin Type IV, V or VI), and forbidden for pregnant or nursing women. Cost: $500 to $800, five procedures.

- excimer laser – it also treats chronic stretch marks by accelerating the production of melanin on the treated areas, so the stretch marks get the same colour as normal skin. It is the most expensive treatment – you’ll need 10 to 20 procedures that will cost from $300 to $700 each.

Microdermabrasion – using micro crystals to polish the skin, microdermabrasion removes the dead outer skin layer and stimulates the growth of new, healthy and flawless sin. Works well with older stretch marks.
Surgical procedures – affected skin is surgically removed. This is the most harmful way to get rid of stretch marks and we do not recommend it. Effectiveness and cost depend on the areas affected.
And remember – before using any of the treatments consult with a specialist to learn what would work best for you and avoid any potential harm.

Tips for seductive Lips

No matter what make up is trendy this season, there is one thing that never goes out of fashion – lips that look healthy, full, voluptuous and tempting. Even if your make up doesn’t emphasis on your lips, good looking lips always make you look healthier, happier and more attractive. On the other hand, if you prefer to underline your lips with a bright bold color, you should know how to wear lipstick the right way and avoid the clown look. Using these simple and easy tips, you can have full and sexy lips using products you probably already have.

Get rid of everything that uglifies your lips!
2 or 3 times a week clean your lips with the peeling product you use on your face. Use the exfoliator to brush gently their surface, which should be absolutely dry and make-up free. When you’re done, remove any scrub residues using cotton, soaked in face tonic. Dry gently.

Make them soft and tender
Whether you decide to use a special balm or a super hydrating cream, never forget that your lips don’t have any sebaceous glands to produce sebum. That’s why they are extremely delicate and easily get irritated by cold, dry air, rough wind and other aggressive environmental factors. Apply a thick layer of the lip care product you’ve chosen and wait for the product to penetrate your lips. Don’t rub, just wait for about 5 minutes and then use a soft wipe to soak any excess balm/cream. You can deal with chapped lips with great success if you apply a natural shea butter lip balm each night. The lip balm will take effect at night while you’re sleeping and in the morning you’ll have soft, moisturized lips and a perfect base for your makeup to put on. Don’t forget to use the product frequently, especially in winter. Also, when using a hydrating or nourishing face mask, don’t forget to apply it on your lips, too!

Now you have created the perfect base for your lips make up and can proceed to applying the perfect shade. How to make your lips look fuller, how to fix little lip imperfections and how to wear lipstick – below.

How to care for dry skin

Dry skin does not only look unappealing, it also feels tight and uncomfortable. Moreover, dry skin is predisposed to premature aging wrinkles, dry patches, redness and rosacea. It has a parched look, and in heavier cases it is characterized by chapping and cracking. We offer some basic tips on how to care for dry skin, but first we must see what causes this condition.

In general, dry skin has low moist levels, which might be a result of several causes
Oil glands don’t produce enough sebum, hence the hydrolipidic protective layer is thin or missing. This causes the skin to dehydrate, chap and flake.
Aggressive environmental factors such as wind, air-conditioning, extreme temperatures, as well as chemicals and cosmetics make normal skin dry, and dry skin’s bad condition – even worse.
The type of one’s skin is often genetically dependent.
Dry skin may be a result of nutritional deficiencies, especially lack of Vitamin A and B vitamins
Medical conditions such as dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, seborrhea, underactive thyroid, diabetes and others.
Skin dehydrates because of certain drugs including diuretics, antispasmodics and antihistamines.
How to cleanse dry skin
Dry skin is very sensitive, thus need special treatment. Many women don’t know how to care for their dry skin and often make mistakes that make matters worse. To cleanse your sensitive face, you need to keep in mind the following:

Deposits in tap water irritate and dry the skin. The worst you can do is to clean your face with hot tap water. You should use cool mineral water instead.
Don’t use a washcloth – it is too irritating. Use just your fingers to gently apply and rub the skin care product.
Soap is not a friend of dry skin. Along with grime, it also removes the natural oils that protect the skin. For gentle cleansing use a non-detergent, pH-neutral cosmetic product.

How to get sexy summer look in 5 minutes

I am always on the run, especially in summer, so I’ve made up my signature summer look. It’s sexy, stylish and easy to do in 4 simple steps for just 5 minutes. Here’s how.

STEP 1 – Skin prep

My face is beautifully tanned and I enjoy it to the maximum by only applying my daily moisturizer, skipping foundation. If you can’t afford to skip foundation, go for a light liquid formula or even better tinted moisturizer. Ideally these should be with shimmering particles to reflect sunlight and a shade or two darker than your natural skin tone.

STEP 2 – Face

I use bronzing pearls instead of loose or compact powder. Pearls are ideal for sculpting the face and giving it a natural healthy glow. I’ll share a little trick about them. Pearls usually come in at least three shades in the pot – bronze, copper and gold. I have taken out almost all of the gold pearls and have put them in a separate pot. You might use any used up cosmetic pot you have at hand.


I dip the large powder brush in the dark pearls and sweep it all over my face, starting from the apples of my cheeks, then cheeks, temples and finally T-zone. I apply them on neck, decolte, cleavage and shoulders as they are exposed as well.

Next I dip the round blush brush in the gold pearls to use them as highlighter. I apply it on areas that are naturally sun-kissed: T-zone – center of forehead, nose and chin; triangles under the eyes, just above the cheekbones, center of neck and drawing a V on cleavage.

STEP 3 – Eyes

I keep my eyes simple, yet sexy. I use eye pencil in olive color to outline my upper and lower eyelids, making the line thicker at the outer corners and lightly smudge it for a tender smoky effect. I prefer olive to black or brown, as it is dark enough to enhance any eye color, yet not too dark to look overdone and aggressive. Moreover olive makes all eyes look mysterious and exotic.

Then I again use my gold pearls, this time as eye shadow. With the base eye shadow brush I apply the gold dust on the brow bone, just under the eyebrows and on inner corners of eyes.

I finish with two layers of my favorite black volume mascara.

STEP 4 – Lips

As eyes are usually hidden behind dark shades, lips are key to the look, so I play with them every time. I prefer lip gloss to lipstick. Sometimes I only apply nude shimmering lip gloss for fresh everyday look. Other times I go for brightest colors like orange, coral, fuchsia, red. These usually match some of my accessories like necklace, scarf, sandals, hat, bag or simply my playful mood!

It all takes 2 minutes for face, 2 minutes for eyes and a minute for lips – 5 minutes total. Am now ready to go and enjoy the rest of the summer days as long as possible. Are you following?

How to take care of your bust

Women’s breasts have always been an object of desire and passionate discussion. There are various opinions on what’s the best breast size – big or small, but one thing is for sure: good looking breasts are the ones that are taken good care of. To take good care of your bust means to keep it firm and perky, with no sign of sagging. Gravity is the main enemy of breasts, especially big ones. However, there are a few things you can do to minimize damage caused by gravity and age. Here we offer some advice on how to take care of your bust. Stick to these simple rules and you’ll have beautiful breasts for quite a long time.

1. Keep a healthy weight.
Nothing affects the bust more than weight change. Avoid those diets that promise miraculous weight loss; it’s most likely to gain it again faster than you expect. But that’s not the worst thing about these diets. Losing weight fast make your breasts sag.

2. The most effective weapon against gravity is the right bra.
Be very careful when buying a bra. It may look gorgeous on the mannequin, but there’s no guarantee it will look good on you too. Moreover, and more important – it might not be comfortable enough. Make sure the bra you buy does a good job – to support and protect your bust. Women with larger breasts need a bra with stronger straps which can take some extra weight. Women wearing smaller sizes tend to buy padded bras, because they make their breasts look bigger. Padded bras, however, don’t allow the skin to breath, so it’s better to wear such lingerie on special occasions. An enhancer bra is a good choice for every-day wear. Also keep in mind that your bust changes with time and weight and the bras you’re used to buy, at a certain point may not work for you anymore.

3. Having a good posture is a must if you want good-looking breasts.
Standing up straight not only makes your bust look bigger and firmer, it pulls breast muscles and gives them more support. To keep these muscles in shape, you can also do specific exercise. To fix any posture problems, consult with a chiropractor and take the proper actions. This may mean to join a fitness program or start practicing the proper sport.

4. And talking about bras and exercise…
When practicing intensive activities such as running, jogging, tennis, aerobics, etc., always wear a sports bra. Without wearing proper underwear you help sagging a lot. Studies have shown that sagging is 40% less with women wearing a regular bra and 78% less with women wearing a sports one. So what’s the conclusion? The right bra is essential if you want a beautiful and firm bust.

5. Dry skin.
The breasts and the d?collet? often suffer from dehydration, because women neglect these parts of the body when applying a moisturizer. The bust and the surrounding skin also need special care – apply a moisturizer regularly to preserve skin’s youth and elasticity. Remember, we fight sagging here!

6. Last but not least – health.
Examine your breasts regularly to keep track of any abnormalities. We advice you to choose a date that concurs with regular hormonal changes: ovulation, menstruation, etc, and go to check up at the same date in different months. You can also do some examinations while in the shower: raise one arm and use the other to examine the breast under the lifted arm.

Twenty Six Ways to Lose Weight Naturally

Following are twenty six ways for natural weight loss and to lose weight easily.

1. Consume foods in the natural state when possible. This includes raw, fresh fruits and vegetables (lots of leafy green salads). Raw and non-processed foods are prime sources of natural enzymes needed to stimulate the body�s endocrine glands. Fruits and vegetables are also a natural source of fiber which helps lose weight

2. Food programs should emphasize high protein content obtainable from a variety of meat, dairy products, eggs, cottage cheese, nuts, legumes, and yogurt. It�s advantageous to minimize the amount of fat with the protein. A basic rule of thumb as far as meats are concerned -- if it swims, i.e., fish, its is better than if it flies, i.e., poultry, it is better than if it walks, such as beef or pork.

3. When possible, use foods grown or raised without poisonous chemical sprays or food additives. Wash fruit thoroughly before eating. Enzymes from natural fruit help lose weight.

4. Steam vegetables or cook with a minimum amount of water and for as short a time as possible to minimize destruction of vitamins.. Use that water for soups, broths... to lose weight.

5. Eliminate or minimize the use of refined sugar such as corn syrup, dextrose, sucrose, fructose, brown sugar, 10X sugar. Substitute natural sweets such as unprocessed honey, in moderation, or rose hips powder carob powder, blackstrap molasses, date powder. Refined sugar affects the body�s metabolism and over taxes the pancreas, and often results in a hypoglycemia reaction. Use stevia as a natural substitute for sugar (for baking purposes, one teaspoon stevia is equivalent to one cup of sugar--very healthy way to lose weight). Stay away from Nutrisweet or aspartame. At 92 degrees F it breaks down into formaldehyde.

6. Eliminate the use of bleached white flour products. The valuable nutrients of the whole grain have been removed. Frequently, bleaching and preservative agents are also added that create disharmony with the body. The chemical processing strips as much as 80% of the zinc, magnesium, Vitamin A, and 50% of the manganese, just to name a few. Whole grain cereals and flours are an excellent source of protein as well as B complex vitamins, Vitamin B and unsaturated fatty acids and are also important to keep your colon healthy.

7. Avoid prepackaged breads, pastries, ice cream, cold or prepared cured meats. These foods are saturated with preservatives, artificial colorings, chemical flavoring agents, synthetic emulsifiers, extenders, stabilizers, and so on. Typical ones you'll find are MSG - monosodium glutamate, nitrates, and nitrates, BVO (brominated vegetable oil, EDTA (ethylenediamine tetraacetid acid), Thiourea in dry or frozen fruit, artificial colorings, citrus red No2, Violet No 1, red No. 40, Orange B, Red #3, Blue #1, Yellow #5, and flavorings, (see #26)

8. Minimize fat intake and avoid trans saturated fats You�ll find these in anything that says, �hydrogenated,� or �partially hydrogenated.�

All margarine and cooking oils, i.e., peanut oil, palm oil, and animal fats are high in saturated fats which interfere with the production of prostaglandin. In the absence of prostaglandin, fats adhere to one another and create plaque buildup in the arteries. Use sweet butter and polyunsaturated oils such as rice bran oil and cold pressed safflower oil. To remove particles from the oil before bottling, manufacturers usually heat the oil so its easier to filter, unfortunately, this alone destroys the nature of the oil. �Cold pressed,� means that the oil was filtered at room temperature. Avoid reusing oil, store it in the refrigerator and break open a vitamin E capsule to add to it every two weeks. Treat it as you would treat your arteries.

9. Avoid the use of carbonated soda and drinks containing caffeine, such as coffee, tea and coke. Instead, where possible consume fresh fruit juices, water and decaffeinated herbal teas.

10. During times of the year when fresh vegetables are not available, frozen vegetables are your next best choice as they are frozen with liquid nitrogen and retain much of the nutrients. Avoid canned vegetables and fruits, for they usually are either overcooked or prepared in sugar or fructose solution.

11. Minimize the use of normal table salt, such as sodium chloride. Use Morton�s salt substitute (high in potassium) or onion, chive, garlic mushroom lemon and lie for useful salt substitutes.

12. Avoid fast foods as they have salt and additives. Eliminate use of carbonated beverages, club soda or seltzer. They rob your body of calcium. Your calcium balance is required for natural weight loss.

13. Prepare moderate quantities of food to minimize leftovers for three reasons: A. Leftovers are tempting to finish so they won�t be left over. B. Leftovers, when reheated, lose most of their nutrient value. C. Leftovers are oxidized and interfere with normal functioning that interferes with weight loss.

14. Use unsalted butter as opposed to margarine and where possible minimize the use of butter. Instead season food with herbs and spices and lose weight naturally.

15. Pan broil meats in a non-stick skillet without fat. Use Pam.

16. Use canned fish packed in water.

17. Replace half the oil in salad dressing with broth or water.

18. Use yogurt instead of mayonnaise or sour cream.

19. Thicken soups and sauces with pureed vegetables instead of flour or cornstarch.

20. Use bouillon instead of gravy on meats and casseroles.

21. Avoid using aluminum cookware as aluminum may be toxic to the human body. (not proven yet)

22. Vitamins and herbs could make a difference. A well balanced multi-vitamin in a rice bran base such as the Complete Nutritional System by Rainbow Light. An effective calcium and mineral supplement such as Xooma Coral Calcium distributed by HTN can keep your body healthy and save you the problems of any of 150 different diseases that are a result of calcium deficiency. Most supplements on the market are equivalent to licking a chalk board and leave one deficient in calcium.

23. Eat fruits and drink fruit juice either � hour before or � hour after meals to allow proper digestion of protein.

24. Microwave ovens are great for making hot water, but questionable for cooking.

25. The nutritional value of dairy products, i.e., milk, cheese and butter are questionable. If you do include them, it�s recommended that you use skim milk and nonprocessed cheeses to aid in losing weight naturally.

26. Ice cream -- Soy cream with fruit juice is recommended. Otherwise, except your own homemade ice cream, you�ll find gobs of sugar not to mention the real goodies such as #1. deithyl glucol (used instead of eggs), #2. peperonal (used instead of vanilla), #3. aldehyde 17 (cherry flavor), #4. ethyl acetate, (pineapple flavor), #5. butyr aldehyde (nut flavor), #6. amyl acetate (banana flavor), and #7. benzyl acetate (strawberry). Other uses of these chemicals are #1. antifreeeze and paint thinner, #2. kills lice, #3. dye for plastics and lumber, #4. leather cleaner, #5. ingredient in rubber cement, #6. oil paint solvent, #7. nitrate solvent. Read the labels. Use stevia to make your own ice cream.

27 Since items # 21 and 24 are more for health than losing weight, this item is worth both of them--EXERCISE. Moderate exercise such as rebounding three times daily for three minutes or brisk walking 20 minutes per day.

If you have difficulty applying and sticking with the twenty six ways of losing weight, hypnosis is the next step to losing weight naturally.

Richard Kuhns B.S.Ch.E., NGH certified, a prominent figure in the field of hypnosis with his best selling hypnosis and stress management cds at http://www.DStressDoc.com and http://www.PanicBusters.com. His aim is to make it possible for anyone to manage emotional binge eating. For more information please visit http://www.dstressdoc.com/BingeEatingEbook.htm

How To lose Tummy Flab

How to lose Tummy Flab is probably the question most asked of fitness experts and nutritionists whenever they see a new client. If you have been having a difficult time with a stubborn waistline, the information below may give you the answer you have been looking for � including one way to get immediate results.


First of all, stop eating at night. Many experts reject this theory but I have some practical reasons why I recommend it. First, a lot of us do most of our binge damage at night: going into the cupboards for cookies, candies and anything else that�s sweet. If you decide to just not eat at night this will help you to decrease the amount of these unhealthy sugars you are including in your diet.

Also, most of us are less active at night, meaning that we burn fewer calories at night, and while we are sleeping, our metabolism is at its slowest.

The second way to lose Tummy Flab is to include an exercise regime into your every day life. This can be easier said than done, given our demanding lifestyles. Many of us have stressful jobs that require long hours or family commitments that take up our time even after work is finished. regardless, exercise is a crucial part of any weight loss plan.


Also, make sure the exercise is well-balanced. It does you little good to concentrate on an intense routine of only doing 500 crunches. You need to include the cardio and the strength training that will affect your whole body. This will help you experience significant results.


The third thing that can help you to lose Tummy Flab is lower your alcohol intake. You have probably already heard that alcohol is basically liquid calories. It is a wasteful way to go through the calories your weight loss diet will allow you in a day and it goes straight to your Tummy.


If you currently consume a lot of alcohol, cutting down immediately will probably show you some extremely fast results.

Papaya: A Natural Choice for a Facial Mask

Papaya is a natural for incorporating into your skin care regime. The fruit offers anti-oxidants and are rich in essential enzymes. Papaya has both preventative and restorative properties when used in skin care. Papaya�s powerful fruit enzymes are know to aid and accelerate healing in skin disorders such as acne. In addition, the fruit enzymes are a gently exfoliation to the skin.

The yellow fruit is usually available all year long, however is more easily found in the super markets between April and October. Papaya offers extensive benefits in skin care therapy. When applied to the face, it reduces wrinkles, nourishes the skin with Vitamin A which accelerates the formation of new skin cells, and exfoliates the skin. In addition, it is loaded with Vitamin C, which is an anti-oxidant. The beta-carotene in this fruit protects the skin and promotes elasticity.

Papaya is used is many skin care products today and provides a �natural� face lift and rejuvenation bring a wonderful and natural glow to the skin. It is commonly seen in toners, moisturizers, and facial peels. In addition, it is gently enough for all skin types.

An occasional facial peel is a great way to loosen dead skin cells, which improve the texture of the skin while restoring elasticity. In addition, peels reduce pore size, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and helps with blotchiness and stimulate collage production.

To effectively use this recipe, cleanse face and steam to open pores. The skin will be moist and receptive to the peel.

Papaya Peel

Ingredients:
1 cup fresh pineapple
Half-a-cup fresh papaya
1 tablespoon honey

Puree fruit together. Add honey and mix into a smooth paste.
Pineapple and papaya contain natural enzymes and alpha-hydroxy acids that remove dead skin cells while the honey moisturizes the skin. Leave mask on 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse completely.


For more wonderful skin care recipes and products, visit http://completeskincaretherapy.com

Rules for Spring Beauty

There's a new sophistication in spring makeup this year. It is neither softly feminine nor is it hard edged. There's a flash of metal but it is offset by pale softness. Make-up is minimalist this season that hints at purity, but it is far from perfect.

FRESH SKIN

Give your skin the perfect finish and ditch the bronzer for once. Spring clean your skin and give it a dewy freshness with a mist of sheer foundation to conceal the flaws. Prep your face with a makeup primer. Dust your face lightly with translucent powder to get a clean finish. Dab a little shimmer cream on the high points in your face to reflect light for a dewy look.

OLD BROWS

Thin, over-tweezed, brows are passe. During the fashion weeks, international makeup artists worked on thick, well defined, arched brows to frame the face. Well-defined brows add character to the look. Get yours done to match the shape of your face. The winged look and the arched shape are the popular choice for the make-up artists this season. They claim that thicker brows add glamour to the otherwise low-key make-up of the season.

FULL LASHES

Recreate wide-eyed innocence with some fake lashes. You can go a little overboard with it without feeling guilty. Instead of attaching the whole lash strip, makeup artists cut little lash clusters and glued them in between the real lashes at equal distance. Then piled on mascara to set the eye look. They enhanced the look with a dash of beige or gold eye shadow. If you are not ready to go for falsies, then use a double dose of lengthening and volumising mascara. Use a lash primer before you apply the mascara to build the volume. Go easy on the eye shadow though.

ELEGANT EYES

Metals are hot for spring eye make-up. It adds that edge to the spring's soft makeup. In almost all the major international shows, whether it was Chanel, Prada or Donna Karan, models sported variations of gold and silver shadows. Wear yours as a layer over a beige, khaki or brown shade to create an intense look. Ditch the black eyeliner this season. Focus on using dark colours like, silver grey, midnight blue or chocolate brown as a liner. In case you cannot live without the staple black eyeliner, then use it to draw a thin line to rim your upper and lower lash lines without extending it at the corner to highlight the eyes. To get a soft, spring maiden look, use a peach, pink or lilac shade on your lid close to the lash line, then blend in silver or gold shadow till the crease.

CORAL CHEEKS

A dash of peach, coral or subtle red blush on your cheekbones is the way to enhance spring's fresh face trend. Makeup artists put the coral and red blush where bronzers used to sit last season. To get your blush right, start with a peach blush from the lower apple of your cheeks going up to the temple. Then blend in an intense coral or red colour half way from the cheekbones till the hairline to create a subtly graded look. Pick a blush with a pearly accent to it rather than one that gives a matte effect.

LUSCIOUS LIPS

Neutral and pink lips are back again this season but with a little twist. Instead of hi gloss, the texture is sheer or creamy matte. When choosing a nude shade, go for the ones that have a warm undertone with a hint of gold or terracotta. To get a healthy look, try a peach lipstick or a beige pink gloss. If the rest of your face is muted, then give your lips a full dose of colour with a bright pink lip colour, be it rose, pink or fuchsia. For a more glam night out, pick a bright coral; it is the new red for the season and complements skin tone beautifully. To get a soft matte finish, use a lip pencil dipped in lip balm to fill in your mouth. Or use a gloss and gently blot away the shine. No harsh lip line if you want to look hip.

HIP HAIR

Like rest of the look, hair this season is fuss free and off your face. Low buns, high ponytails, pulled-back braids, loose waves and headbands define tress trend for spring. Slick back your hair and twist it around to form a low bun at the nape. Pull out a few strands to soften the hairstyle. To add glamour to this style, simply make a side part and then pull back the hair into a low chignon. Pull up your hair into a really high ponytail and wrap the base with hair to give a sophisticated look. To dress it up, use a wide silk or organza ribbon to tie up a large bow around the ponytail. A headband is no longer a schoolgirl hair accessory. It adds femininity to adult hair dos as well. Ornate or stretchy bands are a fashionable way to keep hair off your face.

Visit http://www.time4tips.com for more beauty tips and makeup techniques. Master the art of applying and removing makeup perfectly with this DIY Makeup guide

Eight tips To Manage Your Dry Skin

To maintain healthy and good-looking skin, you will need to follow several precautions by adhering to a good regimen of skin care and management. Here are some timely tips and suggestions to manage your dry skin:

Things that you should do:

1. Always use a non-commercial and safe soap with a very low alkaline content. Excessive alkali in your soap may cause your skin drying out very quickly.

2. Ensure that you are drinking lot of water to maintain the required amount of water in the body. Water is an absolute necessity for providing hydration in your skin. Water can also keep your skin soft, supple and clear. Lack of moisture is the main cause for dry skin with lots of cracking and chapping. You may need to drink at least eight glasses of water every day.

3. Good eating habit and a healthy living style is also a critical factor. You will need to eat properly to maintain good and healthy skin condition. A good and nutritious diet is also an essential factor for managing your skin. Make it a point to eat at least five portions of fruits and green vegetables everyday to maintain your vitamin levels. If you are short of required nutrients, you can take multivitamin tablets.

4. You must be able to sleep for at least 8 hours every day. Sleep is very essential for your skin.

5. Hot water could be very dangerous for your skin. Hot water can destroy your skin layers. Always use warm water for bath and face wash. Restrict your bathing for lesser than five minutes.

6. Regular exercise and a strict working regimen will help a neat and unhindered flow of fresh blood and oxygen to your skin cells. This will help you create a glowing and radiating skin.

7. Winter is also a cruel month for your skin. You can use a humidifier to keep water from going out of the skin cells.

8. Do not rub your skin with a rough towel. Instead, use a soft towel by gently patting the upper layers.

The author, Kenith Smith is also the founder of www.dryskinpro.com

Why You Should Switch To Mineral Makeup

Many women who enjoy wearing makeup do so for many reasons. Sometimes it is to cover up blemishes and imperfections of the skin. Sometimes it is just to highlight facial features to add a touch more beauty.

However, the problem is that many types of makeup are really horrible and harsh to facial skin, actually causing damage with prolonged use. Unfortunately, a lot of women find a makeup that they like and they wouldn�t change it for the world � even if it is causing damage to their skin.

Thankfully, there is a form of makeup that every woman should try. It is called mineral makeup. There are several brands available, but one of the really great brands out there is called Jane Iredale.

What Makes Mineral Makeup Different From Other Types Of Makeup?

You probably hear this in every single makeup advertisement, but mineral makeup is truly unique. You will hardly believe the difference that mineral makeup makes to your skin.

First of all, mineral makeup is non-comedogenic. In terms of skin care products, it means that it will not block your pores. This is important because makeup which blocks the pores can cause skin blemishes when it gets trapped beneath the skin. Non-comedogenic makeup is great for acne-prone skin because it reduces the chances of getting acne.

Secondly, mineral makeup, such as the products available from Jane Iredale, is all natural and hypo-allergenic. That means even women who have super-sensitive skin can wear mineral makeup.

Third, mineral makeup gives complete coverage for all kinds of skin imperfections. Even women with rosacea can use mineral makeup and it will completely cover the redness and even out the skin tone.

Another reason that women should try mineral makeup is because it is long-lasting and rarely needs touch-ups throughout the day. This means that you can actually save money with mineral makeup because over time you will use less, and it will last much longer than other types of makeup.

Mineral Makeup Is Actually Good For Your Skin

While so many people forget to use sunscreen on a daily basis to protect the skin and prevent pre-mature aging, if you switch to mineral makeup, this will no longer be a problem. Mineral makeup has built in sun protection � up to an SPF 20. This means that your face is protected from harmful UVA and UVB rays.

Mineral makeup is so good for your skin, that it comes highly recommended by plastic surgeons and dermatologists worldwide. The mineral makeup forms a breathable barrier that actually protects the skin from environmental pollutants that can cause free radical damage.

Some professionals even say that mineral makeup is so good for your skin that you can actually sleep in it with no worries. If you haven�t already given mineral makeup a try, or if you are in the market for mineral makeup, it is definitely worth it to make the switch. Mineral makeup products, such as those available from Jane Iredale, are available from skincare professionals. Once you try mineral makeup, you will never want to use any other kind of makeup!