Tips for stronger nails

Tips for stronger nails

Splitting, peeling fingernails can not only be unattractive, but unhealthy. Improving your nail health requires special care and attention on both the inside and out. Following these tips on both diet and nail care can make your nails stronger and help keep them that way.

Good Nutrition
Experts will say that one of the most important keys to proper nail health is a healthy eating plan. A diet rich in vitamins A, E & Biotin is believed to make nails stronger. Vitamin A can be found in green, yellow and orange vegetables, while good sources of vitamin E include nuts and leafy green vegetables. Biotin is a B vitamin found in eggs, almonds, soybeans and sweet potatoes.

Drinking the recommended allowance of eight to ten glasses of water each day will help keep nails from drying out and peeling. Gelatine dietary supplements, available in a drinkable form, can also help build nail strength from the inside out by thickening weak nails.

Nail Treatments and Care

There are a variety of nail strengtheners and treatments on the market today. Each uses different ingredients to build a strong nail surface to protect against breaks. Nail “fortifiers” made with protein and calcium, are meant to infuse the nail with supplements, making it stronger. Strengtheners with panthenol are designed to lock moisture into nails so they will be more pliable and less likely to break. Nail treatments are even available with a Teflon additive, creating a hard nail surface to withstanding peeling and splitting. These treatments all tend to prescribe a daily use regimen. Make sure to follow directions and apply only a thin coat each day - too much can cause a heavy buildup that will actually backfire and weaken the nails.

Using a daily moisturizer specifically designed for hands and nails will help keep nails properly moisturized. Cuticles should also be well-cared for - keep them moisturized with a cuticle oil and in good shape. Don’t pick at nails, cuticles or the skin around them.

Occasional buffing gives nails a healthy shine and can stimulate growth. Place a small drop of conditioning creme on the nail bed and buff until shiny with a chamois cloth or special nail buffer. Don’t use any other type of file on the nail bed as it can wear down the nail surface.

Some experts will even recommend tapping your nails on a table regularly to increase blood flow and circulation, thereby stimulating nail growth.

While regular manicures can help keep nails and cuticles in a healthy shape, take care to follow proper nail care guidelines. Don’t file down the side of the nail too much or keep them in an unnatural shape, as this make your nail tips prone to breakage. To avoid infection, don’t allow cuticle to be totally removed, only trimmed. Never pick at chipping nail polish - peeling polish layers can take off layers of protective coating from the nail itself. Heavy layers of nail polish and treatments used in manicures can actually weaken nails, so take a week-long break from nail color once a month to let nails “breathe.”

Good Habits

Protecting your nails during everyday tasks will go a long way in keep your nails strong. Although moisture can help keep nails pliable, water itself can actually weaken them dramatically when your hands are soaking in it. Household cleaners can be just as damaging, as most chemicals can be drying to the nails and hands. Wear rubber gloves when washing dishes or using harsh cleaners.

Don’t use your nails as tools to pry open lids or packages or scrape labels - this will almost always result in a nail break. Don’t clean underneath your nails with any sharp object - orange sticks or specific nail tools are rounded and less likely to split your nails. Use a pencil or pen to dial a phone or push buttons to avoid cracking your nails on impact.

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Harmful beauty product ingredients

Harmful beauty product ingredients

Before you next head to your bathroom to cleanse your skin, shampoo your hair, or apply your make-up, you might want to take a gander at the ingredients in your beauty products. Additives, fillers and chemicals are more common in commercially bought brands than we might realize. These common ingredients can dry out the skin and hair, clog the pores and accelerate the aging process.

Many beauty, skin and hair care products contain ingredients that are actually harmful to our hair and skin (not to mention our overall health). What’s worse, some of these ingredients, due to clever marketing campaigns and buzz words, are actually thought to be harmless– sometimes even thought to be good for us. The truth is, they are not. Because of shrewd advertising tactics, the general public is sadly misinformed.

If you are concerned about harmful effects of common beauty products, you may want to avoid products that contain the following ingredients:

Mineral Oil– This product is typically found in lipsticks, lotions, make-up removers, liquid foundations, and is usually the main ingredient in baby oil. The word “mineral” makes this product sound like a nutrient, but in fact it is a crude oil derived from petroleum. Mineral oil literally coats the skin like a film, preventing the pores from doing their job. The skin cannot breath or rid itself of toxins through the substance.

Petroleum– Another like mineral oil, this product can clog the pores and smother the skin. You may find petroleum in your face creams, lotions and lipsticks.

Paraffin– Derived from coal or petroleum, paraffin is a wax filler; the same kind of wax found in cheap candles. It is used to solidify products such as bath bars (they aren’t even allowed to be called soap), and liner pencils. It can be a skin irritant and clogs the pores.

Alpha-Hydroxy Acids (AHA)– AHA is organic and generally thought to be a desirable moisturizing ingredient and natural exfoliant. It is found in skin cleansers, masks and moisturizers. It does exfoliate, but so powerfully that it removes not just dead skin cells, but the skin’s natural protective layer as well. It can make the skin up to 50% more susceptible to harmful UV rays, leaving one vulnerable to the sun’s aging effect, and even skin cancer.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)– This ingredient is commonly found in cosmetics, toothpastes, shampoos, garage floor cleaners and engine de-greasers. Not only is SLS bad for your skin, as it is a detergent that dries the skin out, but when combined with other common chemicals it can form carcinogenic compounds. This chemical is actually used in labs to cause skin irritations on which other products can be tested, but since it is cheap and creates foam, many commercial cosmetic companies use it in their products.

Formaldehyde (formalin)– Yes, the same substance used in labs to preserve dead bodies can often be found in our nail polish, shampoos and skin creams. This substance can be irritating and cause allergic reactions when in contact with the skin. Its fumes are linked to asthma and cancer.

Alcohol or Isopropyl Alcohol– This petroleum-derived chemical found in perfumes, hair sprays, after-shave lotions, body lotions, and hair color products can also be found in products such as anti-freeze and solvents. It is a toxic substance. Its fumes can cause nausea, headaches, dizziness and depression. It has a drying/aging effect when used directly on the skin.

Talc– found in loose and pressed powders, such as blushes, powdered foundations, and baby powder. This mineral is a potential carcinogen when inhaled.

Laquer– Generally added to water-proof mascara to make lashes look full and keep color from running, prolonged use of this hardening chemical will eventually lead to the loss and thinning of eye lashes.

Collagen– Many of us are under the impression that collagen is good for our skin. And indeed, the body’s naturally produced collagen keeps our skin healthy and elastic. Unfortunately, the collagen added to cosmetic creams, moisturizers and other skin care products are extracted from animal skins and ground chicken feet. The protein cannot penetrate the pores by rubbing it on the skin; it only serves to clog the pores and keep the skin from functioning properly.

Lanolin– Another product we are often under the impression is healthy for our skin, it is a fat derived from wool and is known as a skin sensitizer which causes irritations and rashes.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of the harmful ingredients found in many products we use daily. If you are concerned about the effects such additives will have on your beauty and health, you may want to make yourself aware of just what you are putting on your body by reading ingredients before making purchases. Don’t let catch words like “natural” or “organic” fool you; just because something is natural doesn’t mean it won’t harm you. Manure is natural, but you wouldn’t rub it all over your body, would you?

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Pedicure Tips

Pedicure Tips

Giving yourself a professional looking pedicure at home is a snap if you follow some simple steps. Pedicures can be done alone of course, but they are so much more fun when you invite a group of girlfriends over for a pedicure party. Here are tips to help you achieve salon quality results without the expense.

You need the following materials, which you can find at drug or beauty supply stores.

Pumice stone or dry skin buffer
Toe separators or cotton balls/roll

Emory board

Cuticle remover

Orangewood stick

Color nail polish

Base coat

Top coat

Nail polish remover

Quick dry spray

Nail clippers

Dish pan

Cotton balls

Towels

Cuticle nippers, if desired

Lotion

Nail buffer, if desired

Paper pedicure slippers, if desired.

1. Thoroughly saturate a cotton ball with nail polish remover and use it to remove any old polish you may have on your toenails from you last pedicure. Gently pressing the cotton ball on the nail for a moment before wiping the nail with a circular motion will make it easier to remove the polish.

2. Fill the dishpan with enough warm soapy water to cover your feet. Soak for at least five minutes.

Note: Whenever you are working on one foot, the other foot should be soaking in the warm water.

3. Dry your foot and apply the cuticle remover at the base of each nail. Wait one minute for the remover to soften the cuticle. Use the wedged end of the orangewood stick to push the cuticle back. If desired, carefully snip off the excess cuticle. Repeat this procedure on the other foot.

Note: If you like, you may trim your cuticles with cuticle nippers. I don't recommend this if you aren't experienced at it. Once you start trimming cuticles you have to keep doing it every time you give yourself a pedicure. You may nick yourself in the process and bleed. This will not make for a relaxing pedicure experience!

4. Using the nail clippers, cut off any nails that are too long. Length is a personal preference, but make sure the nail is shorter than the toe. Be careful not to cut the nails too short as this can cause ingrown toenails and can be quite painful. With the emery board, file the nail into a square shape.

5. Use the nail buffer to smooth any roughness or ridges on the surface of the nails.

6. Wet the pumice stone in the dishpan. Rub any areas of dry or flaking skin gently with the pumice stone. Rinse the foot and dry. You may also use skin buffing sponge instead of the pumice stone.

Note: Do not ever use a filing tool that cuts your skin or allow one to be used on your feet. Not only is it unsanitary, but you may cut too deeply, causing pain or even drawing blood.

7. Apply a generous amount of lotion to the foot, massaging it in and taking care to cover all the foot, especially the dry and flaky parts. Massage the lotion up your legs to your knees. Close your eyes and relax for 10 minutes, allowing your skin to soak in the soothing lotion.

8. Saturate a cotton ball with nail polish remover and go back over your toenails, making sure that all lotion residue is removed. This is important, since the polish will not stick to any surface that still has lotion residue on it.

9. Press the toe separators between the toes, so that each toe is not rubbing on the next.

Note: If doing a group pedicure, make sure that each person has their own pair of toe separators, for the sake of hygiene. If toe separators are not available, use cotton balls or a roll of cotton. Be very careful to keep the cotton away from the nails themselves, as cotton fibers will ruin the look of the polish.

10. Brush 1 coat of the base coat over each nail. Allow it to dry for one minute.

11. Apply 2 coats of the nail color. Allow it to dry for 5 minutes.

12. Apply the top coat. Allow it to dry for 1 minute, then spray your nails with the quick dry spray.

If possible allow a half hour for the nails to dry completely. If you don't have that much time, carefully remove the toe separators and slip your feet into open toed shoes. Be very careful that the wet nails don't touch the shoes or other toes. You may want to use the paper "sandals" that are available at beauty supply stores to preserve your polish until it is dry.

This entire procedure should take about an hour. After your nails are dry, you can look down often and admire your handiwork. Your pedicure should last about 2 weeks, or even longer if you apply more coats of the topcoat.

Have fun!

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The Importance of Good Personal Hygiene

The Importance of Good Personal Hygiene

Maintaining personal hygiene is necessary for many reasons; these can be personal, social, for health reasons, psychological or simply as a way of life. Essentially keeping a good standard of hygiene helps to prevent the development and spread of infections, illnesses and bad odours.

Personal Reasons

Many people, women in particular, are very conscious of their hygiene needs and practices. This can be a result of being taught of the importance from an early age, from being picked-on at school for head lice or similar, or as a way of making themselves more attractive to the opposite sex.

Self-esteem, confidence and motivation can all be altered by our body image, often reflected on our ability to care for ourselves and keep good hygiene practices.

A bright white smile with clean and healthy teeth can endear people to us, whereas brown, unhealthy teeth can cause embarrassment and can alter our sense of well-being.

Healthy hair, skin and nails are signs of a good well-balanced diet and can give us confidence in everyday life.

Social Reasons

Most people hate to be talked about, especially in a negative manner. By ensuring that our body is clean and well presented, we are more assured of projecting a positive body image that reflects our personalities.

Children should be taught the importance of hygiene and how to achieve good hygiene very early to keep themselves and others healthy and to reduce the risk of being bullied at school.

Health Reasons

If a person is due to go into hospital, sometimes that person becomes very aware of their hygiene. The thought of being vulnerable and exposed to strangers can cause the person to become very strict on their hygiene needs.

If you have cut yourself, the wound should be cleaned and dressed suitably, this can help reduced the risk of infection and pain.

Conditions such as head lice, athlete’s foot etc. should be treated immediately to prevent further infections and spread to others.

Hand washing cannot be emphasised enough as this simple action can prevent a plethora of illnesses and disorders developing. Many people ‘forget’ to wash their hands after using the toilet or before handling foods; this deed can cause a great deal of illness and even death.

Psychological Issues

By being well presented, clean and tidy, people can feel more confident, especially in social situations. Many job interviews and such like are highly dependent of hygiene as many decisions are made by first impressions within the first few minutes of meeting; these decisions are often made in the sub-conscious. Our chances of succeeding either in work or social settings, or even with the opposite sex can be altered by our maintenance of hygiene.

Maintaining hygiene practices helps to reduce the risks of ill health, but equally important affects how we and others perceive ourselves and can influence our levels of confidence and self-esteem which can affect many aspects of our lives.

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Foot Hygiene

Foot Hygiene

They have to last a lifetime, so why are feet and toenails often the most neglected part of the body? A well tended to foot, not only looks much nicer in appearance, but should also carry on being fully functional without problems until no longer needed.

Common Foot Problems

Bunions: bunions (or Hallux Valgus), are bumps that develop around the main joint of the big toe. The prominence can become swollen and painful causing the sufferer limited options in foot wear, and can affect the distances that can be comfortably walked.

Although bunions can be caused by arthritis, the main reason for them developing is prolonged wearing of ill-fitting shoes. Many fashions display models wearing very high heels with severely tapered toes; these types of shoes can all contribute to a bunion forming. Bunions can be padded and appropriate footwear selected, but may still result in the possibility of a surgical correction.

Verrucas: these are normally circular areas of hardened skin that occur on the base of the foot and between the toes. They are a highly contagious occurrence caused by a viral infection and are often seen in children. The circular areas are often found to contain a small black dot at the centre; this is a collection of blood sent to try and fight the virus.

Treatments can be sought from the chemist, though they may need specialist treatment from a chiropodist if there are many at the same time or they do not respond to treatment.

Corns and Calluses: these are caused by an accumulation of dead skin at areas of pressure, and appear as hardened thick skin that can be very rough to touch. They can be uncomfortable and irritating for the sufferer and can be relieved by padding the area with special plasters bought from the chemist. If they continue to be problematic or get worse, they can be treated by a chiropodist who will perhaps want to shave the hard skin away. This should not be attempted at home.

Hard Skin: hard skin accumulates when the feet have been working all day and footwear causes friction. It can appear anywhere, but is common on the heel and main joint of the big toe. If it is left untreated, heels can become cracked and can bleed. A pumice stone is a natural product that helps to slough the skin off. It is best achieved after a bath as the water will have softened the skin. Once the bulk of hard skin has been removed a moisturising cream that is especially created for keeping hard skin of the feet under control is advisable. There are other hard skin removing devices available, so try to find the one that you find easiest to work with.

Foot Odours: smelly feet are very common and causes can be from poor foot hygiene to incorrect footwear. Shoes that are made of plastics, or that are worn for very long periods can all contribute to malodorous feet.

The feet contain many sweat glands that produce fluids that lay on the skin or are absorbed into the materials around them. As feet are often contained within a shoe, the bacteria in the fluid are left to multiply and create bad odours.

Washing feet at least twice a day will help to reduce bacterial build-up; wearing loose cotton socks will prevent excessive fluid from being produced and excreted, and a good anti-bacterial spray will help to decrease the effects of bacteria.

Athlete’s Foot: a fungal infection, athlete’s foot is a highly contagious disorder that requires treatment from an anti-fungal preparation. Stringent foot hygiene is essential in the control of the spread of athlete’s foot, and can be best avoided by not sharing towels, flannels, socks or shoes at any time.

The use of sandals or flip-flops when around a swimming-pool or in the summer when strolling on the patio will help to prevent the infection from spreading.

Toenails: toenails are very important in protecting the ends of the toes, and also in the general appearance of feet. Incorrect trimming technique can cause the nail to become embedded in the toe and nail bed; using clean sharp clippers (not scissors), trim straight across the nail without following the curve of the nail. File down sharp corners with an emery board.

General foot care involves washing regularly, drying properly, including between the toes and the base of the nail, using an appropriate moisturiser and wearing appropriate footwear. Many people find themselves on their feet all day, and walk miles during normal everyday routines or with work; feet have a lot of responsibility as they have to achieve all of this and carry our body weight as well. Due to this heavy workload, surely they deserve a little TLC at the end of the day; after all they have many more years of work to do.

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Facial Tips and Tricks:

Facial Tips and Tricks:

• Choosing a facial mask requires one to pay keen attention to the skin type and purchase a facial mask in accordance with the skin’s needs. These few minutes dedicated to finding the right kind of facial mask is what will spell the difference for the freshened and revitalized look to your face.
• The other great benefit of commercially available facial masks is that they require minimum effort on your part as all the beautification, detoxification and exfoliation work is done by the active ingredients of the facial masks.
• A facial mask is a unique and instantaneous way to complement the daily skin care routine and adds to the breathing power granted to the pores of the skin when combined with the beauty regime of cleansing, toning and moisturizing.
• Whether your facial is the mask variety or cream-and-wash kind, take care that it must not be done too frequently as this can endanger the ph balance of your skin. Applying a facial mask should be restricted to a weekly procedure and correspond to your skin type to ensure the most positive beautifying effect to your face.
• If you have a dry skin, look for facials that will replenish the moisture needed by your facial skin and go in for products that offer coco or shea butter, lanolin, Vaseline, natural or scented fruit or nut-extract oils for extra nourishment. Fruit extracts like strawberry, peach, apricot and banana with milk components are believed to rejuvenate and hydrate dry skin.
• Choose a facial that will soften the upper derma layers and improve its color, clean and contract, intensify circulation of blood so you get that healthy, youthful glow on your face.
• Always thoroughly cleanse your skin to receive the maximum benefit of a home facial and include the neck area for massaging and treating during a facial too!

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HYGIENE TIPS FOR YOUR FACE

HYGIENE TIPS FOR YOUR FACE

DO wash your face twice everyday to avoid breakouts and zits. If your face is extra oily, wash your face three times a day

DO NOT touch your face too much because you will make your pores dirty which will cause zits to appear

DO take a shower at least every day(every other day is alright too)

if you have dry skin, DO use moisturizing lotion

DO NOT eat too many greasy foods

DO use products like Neutrogena Pore Clarifying Treatment

DO use masks

DO use zit creams like Clearasel, Oxy(or you can get a prescription medicine like benzoyl peroxide)

DO use water based foundation as opposed to oil-based

if you are having a major breakout, DO NOT put any makeup on your face to cover it up because that will just make your zits stay longer and you will get more

if you have a rash on your face, DO NOT put anything on it

IF YOUR ZIT PROBLEMS GET REALLY BAD, GO SEE YOUR DERMATOLOGIST

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How to become a model

How to become a model

The glamorous world of Modeling, offers an exciting, adventurous as well as a lucrative career to youngsters. As a model you may have the opportunity to travel to beautiful locations, be pampered, be able to attend events with celebrities and earn an attractive pay packet. But in spite of the glamour and popularity this profession needs hard work and sacrifice. Dedication and perseverance is needed to be successful in this field. In the beginning you may have to face rejections. Once you choose modeling as your career, don't give up when you get frustrated and things don't move quickly. You need to be physically, mentally and emotionally strong to succeed as a good model. This highly competitive career requires a lot of stamina and patience. Here are some tips on how to start modeling.

Requisites for Modelling

The main quality to become a model is the looks - he/ she should be tall, slender, attractive or good looking. Perfect skin, good teeth, healthy and well cut hair are assets for those looking forward for a modeling career. Moreover one should be photogenic. Being photogenic is one of the most important quality to have for a model.

There are standard measurements that are required for becoming a model. The model must have a well-proportioned body. They should be tall, fashion industry criteria for best models are 5'7" to 6' or 6' plus. For a man, height should be 6' or 6' plus and he should be muscular. The best measurements for female models are 5'9" , 34 bust, 24" waist, 34" hips. If you are within one inch of these measurements you will be very ideal to model almost anything. There are also models who fall in the Plus size category with a well-toned and proportioned body. Though age doesn't matter much, ideally, a young woman starting out must be between 15 to 22 years old. There is no perfect weight. But a model must be slim and well proportioned.

He/she must be thoroughly professional-be on time for assignments, open to flexible timings and must be able to handle criticism. Other qualities include willingness to travel alone, self reliance, communicative skills, patience, stamina, will power, business skills etc. A good knowledge of acting, camera friendly attitude also helps in the field. A models professionalism, character, good looks, and above all photogenic qualities will reward success in this profession.

Portfolio

A models basic promotional tool is a portfolio which consists of a series of photographs taken by a professional photographer. Only the best pictures of standard size ( 9 by 12 inches ) must be included in the portfolio. The portfolio should ideally have a casual head shot, styled head shot, body shot (conservative swimsuit or lingerie), a fashion shot (sexy), action shot, an editorial shot and even a catalogue shot. Avoid using 2 pictures of the same shoot. You can keep on adding photographs from works you do, once you start getting assignments. Try to keep your portfolio at the agency as they may have clients who comes for an immediate pick.

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Tips for Luscious Lips

Tips for Luscious Lips

We all want luscious kissable lips. Here are a few tricks to help you achieve those beautiful lips.

• For longer lip color wear, apply lip color and blot off the excess, this will help set your color. Then apply a thin layer of pressed powder and apply color again. This will give your color something to cling on to.
• A thin layer of chapstick will also hold your lip color in addition to healing dry, chap lips.
• For fuller, poutier lips, apply lip gloss in the center of your lips.
• Lip lacquers give lips a high glossy look . This can be used alone or in conjunction with lip color.
• For those evenings out on the town, use a lip gloss with a little glitter or an iridescent shade over your color.
• If you like the matte look, use a lip primer before your apply lip color to keep your lips from drying out.

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Lip Care

Lip Care

• You can mix one-tablespoon cranberry sauce juice with two tablespoons Vaseline for a delicious home made lip balm.
• Apply the juice of lemon skin for avoiding black colour of lips

• Massage your lips with coriander leaf juice for soft and rosy lips.

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Eye care

Eye care

• Dip wads of cotton in a chilled mixture of cucumber and potato juice. Keep this on your eyelids for 15 to 20 minutes and gently wash it off. Apply a little baby oil.
• For long eyelashes.., apply a thin coat of castor oil every night. It strengthens lashes and cools your eyes.

• Massage a few drops of coconut oil around the eyes to get rid off dark circles.

• To reduce puffiness of your eyes, grate a potato; tie in a cloth and place the cloth over your eyes for about 15 minutes.
• Add a small pinch of salt in water and wash for bright and sparkling eyes.
• Mix tomato juice and lemon juice in equal quantity and apply around the eyes. After 30 minutes wash it off with cold and hot water alternatively.
• Make a paste of sandal wood and nutmeg. Apply the paste around the eyes before sleeping and wash it off in the morning.
• Crush a cucumber and take the juice. Add a little rose water and apply around the eyes and wash it after 30 minutes.

• Place cotton wool swabs dipped in cold milk on closed eyes for removing dark circles.

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Body Care

Body Care

• Mix six-teaspoon petroleum jelly, two-teaspoon glycerin and two-teaspoon lemon juice. Apply this moisturizing lotion at least twice a week if you have dry and flaky, arms and legs
• Peel and grate a cucumber. Squeeze the juice to this, mix half-a-teaspoon glycerin and half-a-teaspoon rose water. Apply this on sunburns, leave it for some time.
• If you have cracked heels, melt paraffin wax; mix it with little mustard oil and apply on the affected area. Leave it overnight. After 10 or 15 days, your heels will become smooth.
• Massage your body with a mixture of coconut oil and any of your favourite scented oils like lavender or rosemary.
• For rough palms, use a mixture of glycerin and limejuice in equal proportion.

• For cracked heals, massage the foot with coconut oil and keep the foot in warm water for some time. Wipe the water off the feet and apply a mixture of hibiscus flower(10), Henna (1 handful) and juice of half a lemon. when dry wash it off.

• Remove scars on your hands and feet by rubbing them with lemon peel.

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Tips for Perfect Pedicure

Tips for Perfect Pedicure

A pedicure can be a wonderful form of pampering your feet, and at the same time it can lift your spirits and soothe your aching feet also.

• You will be seated with your feet resting on a small stool or in a large chair with a basin at the feet.
• Nail polish from your toenails will be removed.
• Some saloon cut and shape nails before being soaked others do it after being soaked. You can select the shape square or round.
• Your feet are soaked in a large basin, with some vibration to it. Feet are soaked for about five minutes.
• A foot is removed from the water and cuticle lotion is applied to the end of the toenails. An orange stick used to push the cuticles from the toenails.
• Dead skin around the toenail edge is cut with a cuticle trimmer.
• A dot of oil is rubbed into every toe and the foot is replaced in the basin.
• The same procedure is followed for the second foot and returned to the warm water.
• A pumice stone is used to remove callouses and dead skin from the base of the first foot and returned to the warm water.
• The dead skin and callouses is removed from the second foot as well.
• Feet are removed from water and patted dry with a clean, soft towel.
• A nail buffer is used to give the nail a nice smooth shine. The nails maybe trimmed now or in the end.
• Moisturizing lotion is applied to the leg and foot in a massaging motion.
• A cotton ball dipped in nail polish remover is used to remove oil and lotion from the toenails.
• Feet are dried thoroughly and cotton wedged between the toenails to keep the toes separate.
• Two coats of colored polish and one coat of topcoat are applied.
• Allow your toenails to dry completely. Sit in front of the fan if necessary.
• Make sure your toes are completely dry before removing the toe separators.
• Carefully ease your feet into your open sandals making sure that you do not damage your nail polish. Do not wear closed shoes or socks for another hour at least. It will take that long for the polish to dry completely.

Pacify Your Soles

• Soak your feet in the hot water for five minutes, and then rest them on the rim of the bucket.
• Dip a foot file, such as Dr. Scholl's Dual Action Swedish File, in the water, then use it to smooth your heels, the balls of your feet and the outsides of your little toes.
• Pat feet dry with a towel.
• Apply moisturizing lotion all over your feet.
  

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Selecting products for your hair

Selecting products for your hair

Of course, we all know that there is so much variety available when it comes to hair products. Every lady and her mama had an idea of what hair products to buy for her hair; whether they buy the right thing or not is the main issue here.

There are many reasons why we buy the particular products that we buy; and the suitability or otherwise of these products for our hair-type cannot be one of them. If it were, then we would pay more attention to the information given on the pack as a way of deciding whether or not the product is ideal for us.
So why do we buy what we buy? I have been running a hair studio for over ten years and from all the reasons I have been given by clients, I have narrowed this down to 5 major ones.

AESTHETICS:
We love a good-looking product and the manufacturers know this. There is nothing as reassuring as a really ‘fine’ girl on the pack. It gives you hope that just maybe if you use this product, you too will be ‘fine’ like the girl. If the packaging contains some bright colors like sunny yellow, luminous orange or blood red, then it will also look good on your dresser, won’t it? We are ignorant of the fact that most of those photographs that appear on the pack feature professional models with extensions put in their hair to add length and volume.

NAME:
We also love double-barreled names or names that we can call with a foreign sounding accent. Have you not noticed that you have truly arrived when you start using ‘Soft and Beautiful’, ‘Soft and Free’ or ‘Dark and Lovely’? I even like the way we bend our neck when saying the ‘dick-and-duck’ name, as if we don’t know that every other lady in the salon is watching us strut our stuff.

NATURAL:
We seem to be reassured by the presence of certain words on the pack. These include [but are not restricted to] words like natural, gentle, mild, for children, exclusive and herbal. In fact, if the herbal is qualified with nice-sounding scientific jargon, even better. So we go crazy for names like botanicals, nature’s something or ‘at-one-with-nature’. We believe sincerely that even though chemicals damage our hair, if we stick to ‘nature’s-own-formula’, then we are somehow ‘protecting’ our hair from damage.

PRICE:
We love a bargain and so we rather go for quantity than quality. This is despite the fact that we know price is synonymous with good quality. Some of us will even argue that the hair does not need neutralizing shampoo, and it is a scam to make us pay more for relaxing cream. So, we would rather buy a relaxing cream without shampoo for as little as N60, while ignoring the one that comes complete with all the after-care products you will need to ensure hair does not break.

AVAILABILITY:
Of all the reasons I have encountered, this is the only one that makes sense to me. You may know the right things to buy for your hair and you may be able to afford them, but there is not much that you can do if the products are not available. This is especially true if you do not live in an urban area, where demand for hairdressing products is low, which would in turn encourage retailing of such products. In other words, we will buy what is affordable and available if our preferred option is not in stock, irrespective of whether the product is compatible with our hair or not.

WHAT TO CONSIDER
We can choose the right products for the right reason; and this has to do with knowing our hair and scalp type. If you make a list about the characteristics of your hair and scalp, you would go a long way to determining what exactly you can use successfully. The pertinent questions to ask are: is my scalp dry and itchy most of the time?; is it normal but sensitive when I apply relaxing cream?; do I burn easily when I have a touch-up?; is my hair ‘thin’ or fine in texture?; and, is my hair hard and brittle?

The answers should help you narrow your choice from the wide variety of products available today. Suffice it to say that I would prefer for you to get your hair and scalp analyzed professionally to save you the stress, then your stylist can make recommendations. The most important thing left to say is that when you find the perfect product that seems to make your hair look fantastic, please, please, do not change because a new product is 'reigning'. It can be so difficult to find the products that best suit you; so when you find something that works, stick to it and don’t feel tempted to change a winning formula.

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Want to look polish? Follow these quick beauty tips

Want to look polish? Follow these quick beauty tips

Apply it light and rightUsing the right products, you can achieve a polished look just minutes before company arrives. Keep your makeup routine simple and light.

Face base
Begin by using a product that gives you a healthy glow like , any oil-free, lightweight skin-brightening lotion that can be worn alone or mixed with foundation. Dust on some lightweight powder to set your base layer and prevent excess shine. If you are not comfortable using a liquid product on your skin

Shining eyes
Looking polish is the time for all-out glamour, so keep matte eye shadows for the office. For younger skin, choose shadows with frost; for mature skin, choose satin finishes that won’t highlight fine lines

Lash out
Dare to be different by trying on a pair of false eyelashes.

Get lippy
To finish the look, ditch time-consuming lip liners and lipstick for a luscious lip gloss that can be quickly reapplied between courses. Sleeks natural lip shine comes highly recommended.

Water wonderful
You can’t look your best with lotions and foundations alone — beauty begins with looking after what is under your skin. Drink up to eight glasses a day. This beauty booster not only flushes away oils from the skin, it helps the skin’s surface get rid of toxins and encourages skin-cell renewal.

Eat and look sweet
For more beauty boosters, ensure your diet includes antioxidants, these help rid the body of free radicals, which attack cell membranes, resulting in premature aging. Fruits and vegetables. oolong, green tea and pomegranate juice are great sources of antioxidants.

Give moisturizer a hand
Hands that are constantly dipping into water need added protection, There’s a need to embrace the use of hand creams. A lot of women neglect their hands , yet this is the first part of the body that begins to show signs aging. –Do look for products containing silicone and/or glycerin

Beam with a sound skin regime
The weather can dry out skin, leaving it itchy and flaky. A simple routine that includes cleansing, toning and moisturizing, is recommended look for products specifically made for your skin type. Most importantly, when moisturizing skin that will be exposed to winter sun, ensure the products you use contain a minimum SPF of 15.

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Foods and Vitamins to Beautify Your Skin

Foods and Vitamins to Beautify Your Skin

When it comes to caring for your skin, vitamins and good nutrition can be just as beneficial as a good skin care treatment. Vitamins are important in keeping your skin looking and feeling healthy. They can also help prevent and treat any problem areas and skin disorders. This article discusses:

• What are the vitamins that keep your skin healthy?
• Which food products/items contain vitamins for a healthy skin?
• Learn more on supplements that helps your skin to stay healthy

When it comes to caring for your skin, vitamins and good nutrition can be just as beneficial as a good skin care treatment. Vitamins are important in keeping your skin looking and feeling healthy. They can also help prevent and treat any problem areas and skin disorders. A bad diet that is lacking in vitamins can make your skin blotchy and lifeless. When looking at your overall skin care, pay attention to your diet and ensure it includes the right vitamins good for skin care.

Vitamins and Minerals

Here are some of the best minerals and vitamins for healthy skin. Including these skin rejuvenating vitamins in your diet will help keep your skin looking healthy and free from problems.

VITAMIN A

Vitamin A is a very good vitamin for healthy skin. It helps strengthen the skin and repair tissues. It can be taken in foods, as a supplement or as a topical cream. Vitamin A can help prevent dry skin and acne. It can also be used to treat wrinkles.

VITAMIN E

Vitamin E is an antioxidant that can help prevent free radical damage to the skin. Vitamin E is a good vitamin to take when your skin is suffering some damage from the sun or other factors.

VITAMIN C

Vitamin C helps with healing wounds and other damage to the skin. There is some evidence to suggest it may rejuvenate the skin. Vitamin C will also help the immune system fight off illnesses.

VITAMIN D

Vitamin D is an antioxidant that may play a role in skin pigmentation.

VITAMIN B

Vitamin B helps keep your skin tone healthy. It is also a good vitamin for relieving stress, and so it may prevent some of the skin problems (like eczema) that can be caused by stress. There are a number of different vitamins in the vitamin B group.

• Vitamin B1 is an antioxidant that helps rid the body of toxins. It can also assist circulation.
• Vitamin B2 helps keep the skin healthy. It can also help prevent acne.
• Vitamin B3 improves circulation.
• Vitamin B5 helps reduce stress.
• Vitamin B6 helps keep the immune system healthy.

ZINC

Zinc helps the skin's natural healing process. It is good in preventing the over-production of sebum, which will also help clear up acne. Zinc also helps the immune system.

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PROFESSIONAL MANICURE SETS

PROFESSIONAL MANICURE SETS

Here are all the tools you will need to give yourself a manicure or pedicure. Some items on the list are essential, but some items can be left until later. You can also buy professional manicure sets or individual manicure and pedicure sets.

The Basics

1. Bowl of warm water (this will have to be a very large bowl for a pedicure).
2. Nail polish remover.
3. Cuticle pusher (preferably orangewood)
4. A hand towel.
5. Nail clippers or scissors.
6. Clear nail polish.
7. Cotton pads.
8. Finger brush.
9. Nail file or emery board.
10. Nail polishing board (or nail buffer).
11. Massage lotion or hand lotion.
12. Pumice stone.

Extras

1. Finger bath.
2. Foot bath.
3. Bath salt.
4. Cuticle remover (this is not necessary).
5. Cuticle oil (this is not necessary).
6. Colored nail polish. (This isn't necessary if you do not want colored nails.)
7. Base coat.
8. Top coat.
9. Professional Items
10. Pedicure machines (can also be used for manicures).

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Ten Steps to Give yourself an at Home Manicure

Ten Steps to Give yourself an at Home Manicure

This is a fun, easy, and safe way to achieve polished fingernails without paying the higher beauty store prices when going through these ten steps. This is for adults only, or to do with adult supervision for younger girls, always keeping safety in mind, and always putting the products up safely after use. Before beginning, wash your nails thoroughly, even with the polish on your fingernails. Try mostly to get your nails clean underneath your nail cartilage where it is not attached to the skin before beginning. If you notice growths, tiny knobs under there, or any redness or dirt substance that does not come out from under your fingernail bed, stop this process, and go to see a medical doctor.

You will need:

• 1 pack of cotton balls
• 1 fingernail polish remover
• 1 emery board
• 1 nail trimmer
• 1 cuticle remover
• 1 bottle of fingernail polish
• A couple of paper towels

Nail polish removing.

Firstly, take out as many cotton balls as needed one at a time, and safely douse each fingernail with nail polish remover, until your whole fingernail is your natural true color. It is available now at the stores in bottle or sponge form in a bottle. For the sponge type, you have to dip your finger into the container, usually a plastic one, and swish your finger around frequently checking it to make sure your fingernail polish is coming off. For the fingernail polish in the bottle without a sponge embedded in it, you have to carefully tip it about a fourth of the way over using the cotton ball at the top to stop up the top from spilling out all over, and If you need to, you can have some paper towel handy to wipe off any excess fingernail polish remover that spills over as a result. Whichever fingernail polish remover you choose, swab your fingernails one by one until they are your natural color.

If you frequently use fingernail polish, your natural nail can become tinted a little of a yellowing color, not to be confused with bold yellow, and not red or green, or swollen. If your fingernails or fingers start to become red, green, or swollen, seek medical attention immediately. If you are doing ok, and your nails are now their natural color, go to step 2.

Filing your nails with an emery board.

Next, you should have what is called an emery board. An emery board is usually a very inexpensive fingernail board used for filing down rough nail surfaces that is rough on the surface at least on one side. An emery board should not be used to scrape your natural nail surface at all. It will make your smooth fingernails rough.

You can use the emery board quite effectively on the end of your nail, in order to give it a consistent shape and make the tip of your nail smooth, not rough. Emery board comes in all shapes and sizes, and you can even look for one to fit your personality or wardrobe color-wise. As soon as you are done smoothing the tips of your nails in a uniform manner, proceed to the next step 3.

Trimming your fingernails.

A fingernail trimmer is used in your home nail process when you want to reshape or shorten your nails more efficiently than with an emery board. You can make your fingernails shorter using fingernail clippers, which are clippers that are small in size designed to fit your nail shape and be able to cut your fingernail tip surface, without having enough force in them to really do massive cutting damage, but still use safety.

You should trim your nails at least once a month if they are healthy. Never trim unhealthy, discolored or brittle fingernails. Never trim your nails to the quick, which is the place where your fingernail cartilage meets your skin.

Be mindful of safety, even at this stage of the process. If you have hypoglycemia, or any other disease such as Parkinson’s or nerves, do not clip your own fingernails if you might have an issue of safety. Some fingernails are hard, and take some sharper fingernail cutters to cut through them. If this is the case with yours, you may want to consider going to a salon or a simple medical visit and have a professional trim them. However, if not, trim away. This is mostly a basic and fun procedure for most people. Then start with step #4.

Cuticle removing.

Next, you need to use your cuticle remover to remove your cuticle, or actually push it down. Your cuticle is that soft skin that forms at the bottom of your fingernail at the place where your fingernail cartilage and your skin meet. It is just like a foreskin. Its job is to cover the place where your nail cartilage meets your skin, and make a smooth transition for that to happen. As your fingernails grow, your cuticle skin stretches, and this process of removing your cuticle pushes back that excess to promote your nail growth and health.

Again, you would want to check your cuticle area for rashes, redness, swelling, discoloration of any kind, and if any of those issues are present in your cuticle, seek the advice of a medical professional before pushing it back.

If you find that it looks pretty much like your fingernail and finger color, but with a different smoother and softer texture, go ahead and push the cuticle back with the cuticle remover, which is a little stick like device with a softer but firm tip made especially for the cuticle. It is not a cutting type tool. It looks a little shorter than a chopstick, but has a necessary soft tipped end to make sure that your cuticle does not get damaged.

Push back your cuticles one at a time using the cuticle removing tool. These are available from nearly any beauty supply store, or store that carries fingernail accessories of any kind. These are also relatively inexpensive.

It is important to note that if at any time in your process for any reason, if your nails start to bleed mildly or a lot, stop this procedure at once. This is not likely to happen in a normal fingernail manicure, but it may be a nice way of warning you of a problem with your own nails that you may need to get medical attention for.

Pick a color.

Now you are ready to pick out a nail polish color from your own home nail polish collection. Pick out a color that matches your skin coloring, outfit styles that you wear, or shade of lipstick. If you polish your nails frequently, make sure that you give them one or two days to air out and breathe naturally to promote healthy nails in between polishes.

Application of finger nail polish color.

Each bottle of nail polish comes with it's own applicator inside the bottle, attached to the handle of the fingernail polish bottle. Just unscrew the fingernail polish bottle, and scrape off the excess fingernail polish on the fingernail polish brush applicator on the side of the bottle itself. You can use a paper towel for this process, but you may end up with paper towel residue mixed into your color, so I would not recommend it. Also, you need to make sure that you have a steady hand for this in order to get your finger nail polish on your fingernail area only, not on your skin. Skin always needs to breathe, and cannot with polish on it.

When you are ready, take the applicator holding non-dripping color to your nails, brushing from the base of your fingernails upward towards the top tip of your nail. Make sure you coat your whole nail evenly. Starting at the base of the nail and applying polish in an upward motion helps you evenly coat your nail.

Correcting polish mistakes.

If you make a mistake, take a paper towel and douse it with nail polish remover as you did with the cotton ball in step one, and try to get the excess polish off your skin using the flat edge of the paper towel. Then, if you need to re-coat that fingernail, go ahead. If not, great. Just move on to the next fingernail until you are done.

Second coats of nail polish.

Wait at least ten minutes before applying a second coat. You should not paint over your nails another time unless your nail polish is dry the first time. Without air, or low to medium speed fans blowing on them, it will take about five minutes for your fingernails to dry. Using high-speed fans near your wet nail polish can move your fingernail polish around your fingernail and mess its even coat up.

Quick drying nails.

You can buy the quick drying kind of nail polish at the stores, or a quick drying sealer that is clear over the color of your nail polish to quicken drying if you are in a hurry. As a reminder, do not attempt to polish your fingernails in an area that does not have proper ventilation. And do not polish your nails around the face of infants

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Fast Hair Growth Tips

Fast Hair Growth Tips

A fundamental principal in natural hair loss treatment is that the same foods that are good for your health are good for your hair.

Foods that are high in protein, low in carbohydrates, and have reduced fat content can help in maintaining healthier hair and preventing hair loss. For example, soybean, essential fatty acids, found in spinach, walnuts, soy, tuna, sardines, sunflower seeds and canola oil, are important dietary essentials useful in keeping hair healthy. Vitamins and Amino Acids are important for your health and they can also help you to have superior hair growth.

Remember that omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids contain anti-inflammatory properties that are useful in maintaining healthy hair. If you are avoiding fatty diets altogether; insufficient levels of these essential fatty acids could actually lead to quicker hair loss.

Iron deficiency causes maximum damage to the hair by lowering the hemoglobin level, which in turn reduces the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. Oxygen deficiency weakens the hair follicles, leading to dryness of the scalp and hair loss. Take care to have iron supplements if you are suffering from anemia for some reason. However, also bear in mind that too much iron is toxic and can also cause hair loss (and worse). So don’t overdose on the iron supplements.

Proteins and calcium are extremely important for tissues. Any deficiency of either proteins or calcium can permanently damage your hair, therefore a diet rich in protein and calcium is recommended.

Soybean, as we all know is one of the richest sources of proteins and hence is good for hair. But undigested soybean is harmful, hence it is essential to eat only the requisite amount of soybean.

Tips That Prevent Further Hair Loss

Scalp Massage with a natural oil helps stimulate circulation of the scalp and remove dead skin and deposits that may get in the way of healthy hair growth and the health of the follicles which actually are the gateway to healthy growth and maintenance. Every time you wash your hair, be sure to massage the scalp as well.

As you know the sebaceous glands are very important for the healthy hair. But the oil also helps dirt and dust to stick to it. Though it is important to clean the dirt, too much cleaning can be bad. So don’t use the shampoo too frequently.

Wearing you hair up or pulling up your hair in to tight pony tails is bad. Even barrettes can have an effect on your hair health and growth. Avoid using any restrictions on your scalp. Try to keep you hair as free as possible. The mechanical action can result in hair

loss, hair is plucked out the skin leaving the bald patches. The condition is known as traction alopecia and trichotillomania.

Avoid all types of processing on your hair as much as possible, like coloring, straightening, perming, highlighting, blowing dry excessively, straight ironing, curling irons and any other high heat or harsh chemical methods of styling the hair. These will just aggravate your condition by further weakening the internal structure and chemical bonds of the hair shaft, as well as drying the scalp and irritating it further, making the hair fall out more easily at the root.

Do not choose shampoos that are drying. Instead choose shampoos that are creamier and contain clarifying ingredients. Only use quality hair thickening shampoos and conditioners that are actually designed for women with naturally thin, limp hair.

Although certain types of medicine are known to slow down the process of hair loss and even help with some form of hair re-growth, remember that natural hair loss treatment can yield some of the best benefits for anyone concerned about the health of their hair.

The safest and most cost effective way to have a fast hair growth is to use Natural Herbal Supplements which are available for DHT Hair Loss or as Women Health Supplements for hair loss due to menopause and other causes.

A good regimen of exercise and proper hair care techniques also help you to have a good control of hair loss and faster hair growth.

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