Revitalize and Rebuild Your Skin with the Right Anti Aging Facial Skin Care

Stress and the environment, in addition to hormonal aging, can diminish the healthy appearance of skin. However, you can regain that youthful glow and revitalize and rebuild your skin. The secret is in using the right anti aging facial skin care products and adopting a healthy lifestyle.

Rejuvenate and Promote Healthy Skin the Healthy Way

You can combat the signs of environmental and biological aging of your skin by finding and executing the right daily skin care plan. This should include cleansing your face with the right cleansers, moisturizing with the right anti aging cream, and a nutritious diet. You should also minimize your exposure to UV rays. In fact, the best anti aging facial skin care plan is a full body approach to wellness and health.

Your skin can begin losing moisture when you are in your twenties, so it is important to moisturize regularly. Your skin’s natural moisturizer continues to decrease as estrogen levels decrease, at which time you are losing collagen as well. So you are left with dry and dead skin cells in addition to thinner, sagging skin. This is why you must properly cleanse your face with the right anti aging facial skin care cleanser, removing dead skin cells and other impurities. Cleansing should be followed up with an anti aging facial skin care cream or serum that does not contain any harsh chemicals. If possible, you should opt for anti aging facial skin care products that contain natural ingredients only. These are easily absorbed and do not contain any toxins in support of your overall health. Your moisturizer should not only restore any moisture that has been lost, it should also promote the generation of new, healthy cells.

You deserve to feel great and young both inside and out, and a healthy lifestyle will allow you to do so. This requires a healthy, nutritious diet, which should be a part of every anti aging facial skin care plan. Stay away from fatty foods and eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. Just as you should nourish your skin with the beneficial natural ingredients from the outside, you should nourish your body and skin with natural foods you take in. The right food and plenty of water will keep your body healthy and your skin moisturized and vibrant. With the proper nutrition, you can help your body, as well as your skin maintain its youthful appearance by fighting the free radicals that can be so damaging.

Finding Natural Skin Care Cosmetics

There are natural skin care and cosmetic products on the market today that can be very helpful to people who have skin allergies or other problems that may prevent them from using makeup under normal circumstances. Although these products are usually more expensive than regular makeup, which is saying a lot since makeup is already expensive; the price is worth it to be able to wear makeup again without having detrimental effects. In addition, using natural herbal cosmetics and natural skin care products is also a way to eliminate harmful toxins that are absorbed into the skin or consumed accidentally from lipstick or glosses on the lips. Regular makeup only abides by the government's regulations for safe materials to have in makeup and other skin care products which are not as stringent as one might think. Unfortunately, these regulations still allow synthetic materials to be used in supposedly natural skin care and cosmetic products that have been shown to cause diseases, birth defects and cancer in some users.

Organic

The best natural skin care and cosmetic companies have agreed to uphold a higher standard in their products than is required by the government. These companies care that their products do not harm the environment and the women and men who use them. This is an especially important issue for women, since they are typically more concerned with a proper skin care regimen from the time they are a teenager. In addition, they put products on their face daily, from lotions to cosmetics, which soak into the skin throughout the day. If these products have chemicals in them that are toxic, they can cause lasting harm to the women who use them. If more women would think about the amount of materials that are used on their face daily, which soak in and are eaten inadvertently through the course of every day, they would likely rise up and force more companies who claim to have natural skin care and cosmetic products to live up to their claims and truly use materials that are not harmful.

The environment is helped by women choosing to use natural skin care and cosmetic products since these products do not cause the same detrimental issues that other products cause when washed into the water supply. Other products can cause reproductive issues as well as immune system issues in animals that live in or near water supplies. Women who choose natural skin care and cosmetic products help to prevent these issues.

Skin Warts and Your Beauty

Warts are very common. At anyone time something like ten per cent of the population will have a wart or two somewhere on their bodies. Warts are caused by viruses, they are infectious, and they seem to affect children more than adults (we tend to develop immunity to them as the years go by), and most of them will disappear without any treatment.

It is because warts tend to disappear by themselves that there are so many marvellous 'cures' available. Listen to tellers of old wives tales and you will discover that it is possible to get rid of warts by blowing on them nine times when the moon is full, by rubbing them with a slice of raw mea t and then burying it in the garden and by stroking the warts with a tortoiseshell cat's tail in the month of May.

Some of the more modern remedies are not much better and unless a wart is inconvenient, painful or particularly embarrassing it is best to leave it alone. It will probably disappear in time without leaving any scar.

Verrucas Warts that appear on the soles of the feet are, for some reason, known as verrucas and because they get trodden on quite a lot can be painful and annoying. It is worth taking some trouble to get rid of them. You can buy remedies containing salicylic acid from a pharmacist but do read the instructions very carefully and make sure that you do not get any of the application on healthy skin around the wart. It isn't sensible to try removing warts at home without first consulting your doctor.

The question of whether children with verrucas should be allowed into swimming baths always crops up when these warts are mentioned. The consensus of opinion seems to be that it is much more dangerous to stop children learning to swim than it is to let them into pools with verrucas on their feet. The best compromise is to cover the warts with a temporary protective coating, such as waterproof sticking plaster.

You should always see your doctor if you are not certain that what you have is a wart, if a wart changes color, grows in size or bleeds. Warty-looking growths can be malignant and, although this risk is slight, it must not be ignored.

Getting in Shape at a Minimum of Cost: Home Fitness Exercise

Not everyone knows that it is very possible to get in shape without buying expensive gym memberships that usually come with contracts that do not get used to their fullest extent as life changes, or even buying home fitness exercise equipment. Home fitness exercise merely takes a shifting of perspective so that the individuals see their house as full of exercise equipment already, not to mention the variety of activities that can be done for exercise out of doors.

Types of Exercise

There are a variety of home fitness exercises that individuals can do to increase their cardiovascular health at little to no cost. Going on a brisk walk for thirty minutes to an hour not only increases cardiovascular health, but it also allows individuals to enjoy the outdoors, a nice break from the office. For the more adventurous, these walks could be jogs or runs, possibly training for the next community fun run in order to give them the inspiration they need to continue the exercise. Either of these activities are great to do with friends or pets, which also helps with the motivation needed to continue.

For a minimal cost, individuals who live in colder climates and do not want to run or walk out of doors in the coldest of weather can buy a jump rope or an aerobics or yoga DVD to do their home fitness exercise for cardio vascular strength. These items cost anywhere from five to twenty dollars, which is less than a month's cost at a gym and usually lasts a lifetime. Jumping rope can get tedious, but putting on a favorite CD or flipping to a favorite TV station and cranking the volume can help the time pass quickly. In addition, individuals can do interval training, where they jump as fast as possible during commercials and then watch the show while doing stomach crunches or pushups.

In order to gain more strength, there are also great home fitness exercises that can be done using the furniture and tools that are in common households. For leg strength, individuals can do lunges across the living room or down the hallway, making sure that the front knee does not bend in front of the toes so that they do not injure their knees. In addition, they can do calf raises on any set of steps, holding onto the railing and lowering their heels as far as possible and then raising up on their toes as high as possible. These can be done with toes turned in, out or straight. For arm strength, individuals can do wall pushups, regular pushups, military pushups, pushups with their feet on a chair and hands on the floor, and dips with their hands on a chair for their triceps.

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Ways to Prevent Wrinkles Easily

Most of the organs in our bodies age without our being aware of anything very much happening: our lungs, kidneys, heart and liver all begin to wear out but, unless they fail to function effectively, we are not usually aware of what is happening.

Skin is different. As we age, the changes which take place in our skin become clearly apparent:

1 There is an increase in the amount of natural skin pigmentation and instead of being regular and even, it tends to be rather blotchy, producing freckle-like patches or 'liver spots'.

2 There is a build up of dead cells and these collect together to cause dryness and roughness.

3 As the connective tissue beneath the skin loses its firmness, the elastic fibres break down, the skin loses its natural plasticity, and the changes in sex hormone production which accompany old age lower the production of natural skin oils.

All these combine with environmental factors - such as sunshine, high winds and chemical pollutants in the atmosphere - to produce skin wrinkling.

Although it isn't possible to prevent all wrinkles developing it is possible to slow down the process:

1 One of the simplest and most effective ways is to keep out of the sun as much as possible, or at least to use effective sunscreen creams. The sun is a giant wrinkle­ making machine.

2 Use a good moisturizing cream regularly to protect your skin from the sun and from pollutants.

Exercise is often promoted as an effective way to stay young looking. Beauty experts have thought up complex routines designed to strengthen the facial muscles. However, I don't know of any evidence to suggest that exercising your muscles will retard the development of wrinkles. The harsh truth is that it is the collapse, breakdown and disappearance of the proteins, elastin and collagen, in the skin which determines the formation of wrinkles - and these are not restored by exercise.

Massage is another frequently recommended remedy for wrinkles. But again, I do not know or any evidence proving that it works. Indeed, I suspect that massage could hasten the development of wrinkles rather than prevent them. Nor do I think that rubbing in special creams will help. You need to use good supplies of your ordinary moisturizing cream all over your body, but I don't think there is any value in buying special creams.

One specific pollutant often associated with wrinkle formation is tobacco. I'm doubtful about this. I suspect that if tobacco does cause wrinkles it is because smokers tend to screw up their eyes against the smoke. The answer is either to give up smoking or to use a cigarette holder.

There are scores of remedies available for the treatment of wrinkles but I think that a lot of them are quite useless. You can, for example, buy special' anti-wrinkle' creams, but these only work as masking creams - they do not make the wrinkles disappear. Then there are the special electrical treatments that beauty salons sometimes offer. I don't have much faith in them either. Nor do I recommend special collagen injections or laser treatments, both of which could be dangerous in unskilled hands. Special pills and diets are a waste of money, vitamins won't help wrinkles and nor will vitamin creams. I don't think you should waste your money on garlic, ginseng or any of the magical and mysterious remedies now on the market either. Finally, while discussing remedies I don't recommend for wrinkles I must mention dermabrasion and chemosurgery. In dermabrasion the surface layer of the skin is removed mechanically - with a very tough brush. In chemosurgery the skin's top layer is removed in much the same way as it would be if acid were splashed on to it. Both these remedies are potentially dangerous and I think you should avoid them.

The only effective, permanent way of dealing with wrinkles that already exist is to visit a plastic surgeon. However, I would repeat my advice that you should only visit a plastic surgeon who has been recommended by your own family doctor. Never follow up advertisements offering plastic surgery.

The classic way in which a plastic surgeon deals with wrinkles is by tightening the skin. Just as you can remove the surface wrinkles from a piece of cloth by pulling it tight so you can remove the wrinkles from skin.

A standard face lift, to deal with deep creases and sagging skin, takes several hours. Using either a local or a general anesthetic the surgeon makes small cuts in front of the ears, cuts the facial skin away from the face and then literally pulls the skin tight before cutting off the excess and resuturing. There is usually some bruising for a week or two, but the eventual scars can usually be covered up with hair.

Unfortunately, there are a number of risks with face lift surgery. If the circulation is impaired, skin may slough off and if the facial nerve is cut permanent paralysis can result.

The other extremely popular operation to eliminate facial wrinkles involves the eyelids. This is longer lasting than a face lift, heals quickly and is usually very effective. It is also possible to deal with forehead creases by an operation called a frontal ridectomy. The snag with this type of operation is that afterwards the patient's face may not be so mobile or able to produce a full range of facial expressions.

I've mentioned facial wrinkles at some length because they are the ones that worry people most of all. But surgeons can also operate on wrinkles elsewhere. Indeed, the only part of the human body that plastic surgeons cannot straighten out is the insides of the thighs. If you see someone on the beach and you want to know whether their youthful good looks are a result of the knife, look at the insides of the thighs for tell-tale wrinkles and creases.

Removing excess skin is probably the technique most commonly used for wrinkles but there are others. Plastic surgeons used to inject silicone into the skin, for example, although this has gone out of favor because it is known that the silicone does not always stay where it is put.

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Health Risks of Tattoos

Tattoos regularly go in and out of fashion, and if you are tempted to have one it is important to remember that once pigment has been put into the skin it will stay there for ever: tattoos are permanent. It is also important to remember that if the artist doing the tattooing doesn't sterilize his needles very carefully there is a real risk of hepatitis - a dangerous, disabling and sometimes lethal disease.

When tattoos are unwanted the simplest way to deal with them is by the use of a camouflage cream, available either from a pharmacy or through a general practitioner. Over the years a number of methods for removing tattoos have been tried. Surgical removal, followed by skin grafting, and dermabrasion are just two such techniques. More recently surgeons have started to remove tattoos with the aid of carbon dioxide lasers and this technique seems useful and effective, but it still is not clear how the technique works and there is usually some scarring.

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Facts about Sunbeds

In order to supplement holiday sunshine many people now take to sun beds during the winter months. Thousands of sunbeds have been bought for private homes and many clinics have been set up by entrepreneurs anxious to cash in on the boom.

If you are planning on using a sunbed then you should be aware of these facts:

1 There is no evidence to show that spending time on a sunbed improves health or helps to alleviate disease. The reports that do exist seem to be based on subjective evidence provided by happy customers rather than on objective and critical scientific research.

2 Lying on a sunbed is as dangerous as spending time in the sun. Apart from the risk of getting burnt there is risk of skin drying out, wrinkling being induced and cancer developing. There is evidence too that certain disorders, such as psoriasis, can be made worse by lying on a sunbed. All the rules about sunbathing should be obeyed.

3 Goggles must always be worn; otherwise you risk eye damage.

4 Only about one in three people get a good suntan from lying on a sunbed. The other two-thirds end up with either a moderate tan or no tan at all. It seems that there are differences between the suntan obtained from sunshine and the one obtained from a sunbed. People who normally tan well in the sun don't necessarily tan well on a sun bed and a sunbed tan won't prevent burning when your skin is exposed to the sun.

Ringworm Treatment

Different species of ringworm (or tinea) attack different parts of the human body and in slightly different ways. However, the marks are usually round and red with a white scale on top, about the size of a large coin, and they almost invariably itch.

On the scalp ringworm causes bald patches, and it is extremely infectious.

On the feet it produces scaling and blistering in a condition known commonly as athlete's foot.

On the chest or back it usually produces very pale blotches which can be mistaken for vitiligo.

Ringworm Treatment

The treatment of ringworm depends on the precise nature and site of the infection. There is an effective drug called griseofulvin which can be taken orally, but ringworm can also be treated with a cream, shampoo or lotion. Do not try treating any type of ringworm yourself; see your doctor for a precise diagnosis and an appropriate prescription.

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What Causes Stretch Marks (Striae)?

The average newborn baby weighs about seven pounds. The average adult weighs twenty times as much. In order to accommodate this massive, if gradual, increase in size our skin needs to stretch a great deal; if skin did not stretch and grow with us we would all burst out of our skins at a very early age. However, although usually skin can accommodate this gradual change in shape and size very successfully it does sometimes fail to cope: it can be strained by sudden changes in body weight and size, and stretch marks are the visible souvenirs of that unacceptable pressure.

Stretch marks usually show where the elastic fibres of the skin were put under the greatest stress and their number and size is usually proportionate to the rate of weight chance.

It is not known exactly what happens during the development of stretch marks but it seems possible that hormones weaken and rupture the elastic fibres while mechanical forces decide the extent, length and direction of the resulting stretch marks.

Stretch marks can occur at almost any time of life but there are two occasions when they are particularly likely to develop:

1 The earliest date at which stretch marks develop is usually adolescence when changes in hormone levels in the body accompany a fairly rapid weight gain. Experts disagree about just how common striae are at this time but it seems that between a half and three quarters of all girls and about a third of all boys develop marks somewhere on their bodies. Varying in length, stretch marks are usually pink or purple to start with, although they invariably fade to white scars as the years go by, becoming wrinkled and papery with time. Adolescent boys usually develop striae on their backs, buttocks and abdomens while girls develop marks on their breasts as well.

2 The other very common time when women develop stretch marks is, of course, during pregnancy. An ordinary female abdomen has to stretch considerably during those nine months, to cope with the developing foetus, and one side-effect is often a collection of abdominal stretch marks. Nine out of ten young mothers develop them, either on their abdomens or on their breasts. (Marks develop on the breasts because they, too, tend to swell as milk accumulates.)

There is no certain way to prevent stretch marks developing, although there are scores of preparations on the market, designed to help stop striae forming. A little gentle massage with a plain moisturizing cream is probably as useful as anything, and very gentle exercising of the abdominal muscles may help. Stretch marks on the breasts can be minimized by wearing a good, supporting maternity bra.

Stretch Marks (Striae) Treatment

Once stretch marks have developed the most effective way to deal with them is with a camouflage cream. Your local pharmacist should be able to recommend a suitable one but if you have difficulty, ask your doctor to refer you to a dermatologist, who should be able to advise you on suitable creams - indeed some specialist dermatologists now work closely with specially trained beauticians. I would not suggest plastic surgery for stretch marks because the result may be scars that are more noticeable than the stretch marks. Remember, although they rarely disappear entirely stretch marks do usually fade as the years go by.

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Steroids for Your Skin

These creams and ointments have been in use since the 1950s and have a powerful effect on the skin. Also known as topical steroids they are believed to work in three different ways:

1 They make surface blood vessels close up tightly, thereby reducing the amount of redness visible in the skin.

2 They slow down the production of new cells.

3 They reduce skin inflammation (thereby having an important effect on conditions such as eczema).

Although they are particularly effective in the treatment of most types of dermatitis and eczema, some cases of intertrigo, occasionally psoriasis and a variety of other disorders, topical steroids can make some other conditions worse and are particularly likely to produce problems if used on the face, under the arms or around the genital area. The side-effects produced by steroids vary but skin atrophy, acne and some types of dermatitis can all be caused by creams and ointments of this type. Children and babies are particularly susceptible.

Treatment with steroids

When prescribed for skin conditions, steroids should be applied fairly sparingly (the majority of patients use more steroid cream than is necessary). They should be rubbed in very gently but thoroughly and should be kept off areas of healthy skin if possible. These creams should not be obtained on repeat prescription.

There are many different types of steroid cream available, some much more powerful than others. Obviously, the least powerful preparation that will do the job is the most suitable one.

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Types of Soap

The manufacture and sale of soap is a multi-million industry and the cosmetics companies are constantly working hard to find new ways to convince us that they have produced a soap that surpasses all others. Unfortu­nately, their claims are based more on advertising hype than on scientific truth and the only result is increased confusion.

Ordinary soap is often dismissed as harmful and useless by beauticians who want to sell you something much more esoteric and expensive. This just isn't so. The purpose of any dermatological cleansing. (The sort of term favored by beauticians for a process most of us know as 'washing') is to remove dirt and grease. Ordinary soap, when used with water, does this very effectively.

Soap consists of two basic ingredients: fats and lye (an alkaline solution). The fats work particularly well as cleansers. The one unfortunate effect associated with soaps is that by removing natural oils from the skin they car) have a drying effect. I do feel, however, that this effect is over­emphasized by beauty experts. You are not likely to get too much of a drying effect from using soap as long as you use a moisturizing cream afterwards.

In their attempts to corner profitable sections of the soap buying market manufacturers produce many different 'special' soaps:

Transparent soaps
These are more difficult to make than­ ordinary soaps and consequently cost more but I have not been able to find any evidence to suggest that they are more effective or safer than any other type.

Super fatted soaps
Super fatted soaps these are sold for people with very dry skin. Again, I don't know of any evidence that these are worth buying.

Triple or hard-milled soaps
Triple or hard-milled soaps are ones that have been processed to a very hard consistency. I can't see why you should buy those either.

Perfumed soaps
Perfumed soaps many manufacturers add extra ingredients to their soaps. Some add perfumes and, indeed, some design soaps to fit into their range of products, incorporating the same perfume as the colognes and deodorants. I can't see any point in buying a perfumed soap because you should always rinse it off thoroughly and added perfume is merely a potential source of skin irritation.

Medicated soaps
Medicated soaps are equally unnecessary. The usual additives to medicated soaps are antiseptics or disinfectants but I don't believe these serve any useful purpose. I do believe, -however, that they can sometimes cause some skin irritation.

pH soaps
Since it is known that the skin is normally slightly acid whereas most soaps are slightly alkaline there are now soaps designed to help maintain the skin's natural acidic balance. I think that attempts to preserve the pH of the skin with soap are entirely worthless.

Moisturizing soaps
I don't think there is any point in buying soaps that contain a moisturizer either. You cannot wash your skin and put a moisturizer on at the same time.

Liquid soaps
Liquid soaps these are very popular with some sections of the soap industry but I don't know of any reason why you should spend your money on liquid soap rather than on an ordinary bar of soap. Liquid soap is simply likely to cost you more, because of its packaging.

Now for some positive advice. I believe that the best soap to buy is the cheapest, simplest non-scented soap that suits you. A soap that contains few added and unnecessary ingredients is less likely to cause allergy problems than one that is stuffed to the wrapper with perfumes and soon. Use water that is warm rather than hot and smooth the soap on quite gently in widening, circular movements. Then rinse off all of the lather, preferably using running water.

When you have washed, use your ordinary moisturizing cream.

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Things to know about Shampoo

There are hundreds of different types of shampoo available and a good deal of nonsense is written about their various qualities.

First and foremost, a shampoo is designed to get hair clean. To do this the single most important ingredient of nearly all shampoos is a detergent to help loosen dirt and oil from the hair - if you try to remove them with water alone they will cling to the individual hairs and defy all your efforts.

When using a shampoo it is important to wet your hair first of all, and to rinse it thoroughly afterwards. It is best to wash hair under running water because it is easier to remove all the shampoo that way. If you wash your hair once a week, or less frequently than that, you might need two applications of shampoo. If you are washing it more than once a week, you only need one application.

Regardless of the many claims by manufacturers the best shampoo for you is the cheapest one that does not cause an allergy reaction and that doesn't contain any unwanted perfume. If you suffer from dandruff, however, then you do need a special anti-dandruff shampoo.

I don't think there is ever any point in paying extra for shampoos that contain beer, special herbs, vitamins etc. Certainly it is not sensible to buy a shampoo that contains a conditioner because to try and condition your hair at the same time as you are washing it is like trying to put your make-up on at the same time as you are washing your face! When you have washed your hair you need to be able to wash out all traces of the shampoo that you have used, before you apply conditioner.

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Perfume and Your Health

Individual perfumes often contain a hundred or more ingredients, each of which adds something special to the overall effect. For example, there will be ingredients that provide what are technically known as head or top notes, which have an immediate, rather volatile effect; solid, middle of the range odours, and less volatile, more persistent odours known as the base or lower notes. There are also fixatives - the three main ones used are ambergris, civet and musk - to slow the rate of evaporation and to maintain the quality and character of the fragrance.

Perfumes do not very often produce skin problems but occasionally people find that they are allergic to one particular type of perfume. It is impossible to find out all of the constituents of all the perfumes available (manufacturers are naturally secretive) so if you do develop a rash with a particular type of perfume, try to find another perfume that you like, and that doesn't upset your skin. If you have sensitive skin and find a perfume that suits you, stick with it or at least with that .particular manufacturer.

One last warning: perfumes can cause blotchy sun­ tanning so, if you're going to sunbathe, it is sensible not to put on any perfume.

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Things to know about Nourishing Creams

There are dozens of products on the market which will, according to the manufacturer's claims, nourish your skin. These products contain such varied ingredients asprotein, vitamins, collagen, hormones and just about anything else that sounds efficacious, are said to feed the skin and to add 'specially formulated foods' to the skin's natural diet.

Collagen is probably one of the commonest ingredients, but an awful lot of nonsense is talked about this substance. It is perfectly true that collagen is a normal constituent of good, healthy skin and that without collagen the skin looks wrinkled and aged, but putting replacement collagen into a skin cream isn't likely to do much good at all. The problem is that however much collagen a cream contains there isn't evidence to prove that it will be absorbed by your skin. The same is true of elastin, avocado and all the other ingredients so much loved by those who prepare nourishing creams.

The bald truth is that the inner layers of the skin derive their nourishment from their blood supply, and the cells on the outer surface of the skin are dead. The skin does not absorb food from special creams. If you could absorb substances into your skin, then you'd be full of soap! Nourishing creams are a waste of money. The only thing they nourish is the manufacturers' bank balances.

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Nail Problems and Your Beauty

Here are some of the commonest disorders affecting the nails:

Chronic paronychia is a condition which can be fairly easily diagnosed because the nail folds, the areas where the nails meet the skin, are usually painful, red and swollen. This problem can be caused by the careless use of manicure scissors or a nail file, by over-enthusiastic thumb sucking or by too frequent immersion in water. It is a condition that commonly affects dishwashers, barmaids, kitchen hands and housewives.

Paronychia can usually be prevented by keeping the hands as dry as possible, by using cotton-lined rubber gloves, by making sure that wet hands are always dried carefully and thoroughly and by being careful when grooming the nails with scissors or files.

Hangnails are common too. These little slits along the side of the nails are caused by too much washing and not enough drying, and also by injuries sustained during a manicure. Take care of your hands and hangnails will usually get better by themselves. There isn't any treatment available, but do resist the temptation to pull off any slivers of skin which you find sticking up by the side of a nail. Cut such slivers off neatly with a pair of sharp nail scissors.

Paronychia and hangnails are two problems which most commonly affect the finger nails. There are also two problems which most commonly affect the toe nails:

Ingrowing nails these are very painful and physically limiting. The best way to avoid the problem is to ensure that your toe nails are cut regularly, but not too short. It is important to cut them straight across so that the corners do not grow into the flesh of the toes. Treating the problem usually involves a doctor or chiropodist although, if there isn't any infection, you may be able to deal with it yourself. Ask your pharmacist for advice.

Onychogryphosis is the other problem that affects toe nails more often than finger nails. In this condition the toe nails grow to a tremendous size and definitely need the skilled attention of a chiropodist.

Finally, I must mention that some nail problems can be caused by general health disorders. For example, iron deficiency anemia can result in spoon-shaped nails while in a number of chest conditions the whole shape of the nails can be disturbed. Strange spots and markings that appear on nails can often mark physical or mental problems that took place months before. It takes about six months for a finger nail to grow to its full length (toe nails take about twice as long). Injury, disease and an inadequate diet can all interfere with the production of nail cells and lines, ridges and black or white markings can all be souvenirs of otherwise forgotten illnesses.

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Myth about Your Skin Types

A lot of nonsense is talked about skin types. Some beauty experts will tell you that you've got one sort of skin on your cheeks, another sort on your forehead and so on and so on. There is talk about dry skin, greasy skin and combination skin.

The truth is that your skin is alive and always changing in texture and form. Its state at anyone time depends on a number of factors: your age, the amount of time you've spent in the sun, what you've been putting on it and how you've been looking after it. And because your skin responds to changes in the environment, different areas of skin will need looking after in different ways. . . the skin on your feet may well be dry, whereas the skin on your face is greasy.

Look after your skin by cleaning it carefully and moist­urizing well. Look for individual problem areas and treat them accordingly. But don't be tempted into believing that you have one particular skin type.

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How to Manicure Your Nails

In addition to looking after your nails in these basic ways it is a good idea to give yourself a weekly manicure, following these notes:

1 When cutting and shaping your nails don't take too much off the sides. If you do you will weaken them and they will be more likely to break. Use smooth, even strokes with the coarse side of an emery board or with a steel nail file, and file the nail in one direction only so that you will be less likely to develop rough edges. Finish with the finer side of the board or file.

2 Give your nails a good healthy scrub with a tough brush. You are not likely to damage healthy nails that way and you will get rid of unwanted dirt and dead skin.

3 Look after your cuticles. Don't be too rough on them but, if they are edging forwards, gently push them back with a towel or cotton bud. Do not attack them with anything sharp such as a nail file or scissors because if you do you1l probably produce problems. Use a little moisturizing cream to keep your cuticles looking soft and healthy.

4 Give your toe nails a manicure too, being particularly careful to cut the nails straight across; if you shape the sides you will encourage ingrowing toe nails.

5 I don't think there is any point at all in buying a special nail conditioner of any kind.

http://myshabi.blogspot.com/2008/10/how-to-manicure-your-nails.html

Nail Care

Modern kitchen chemicals (detergents, washing powders, bleaches etc.) are often very powerful and cause a high percentage of nail problems. Washing dishes, clothes and small children means that the average woman's nails are probably soaked more than a dozen times every day. Perhaps more important, they're usually dried properly only once or twice a day: the kitchen towel is probably damp, bald or missing when the telephone rings or the front door bell goes.

The simplest, most effective way to avoid nail damage is to wear rubber gloves. It is important that the gloves are large enough and that, if they don't contain cotton liners, you wear cotton gloves underneath (otherwise you can develop skin problems caused by the rubber). But it is important they should not be worn for more than twenty minutes or so a t a time bee a use they can ca use sweating and irritation.

I know that quite a lot of people argue that they cannot do certain household chores while wearing rubber gloves, but if you buy good, comfortable rubber gloves then you ought to be able to do most chores while wearing them, After all surgeons wear rubber gloves all the time.

If you can't wear gloves, the answer for some chores is a long-handled kitchen mop. Use one of these to help keep your hands out of the water and you will soon notice the benefit. I think long-handled kitchen mops and rubber gloves should be available on prescription!

On those occasions when neither long-handled mops nor rubber gloves are practical, make sure that you rinse your hands thoroughly, dry them very carefully (particularly between the fingers and around the nails) and then generously apply a good simple moisturizing cream.

There are other chores that can damage the nails, of course. And there are other ways to protect yourself. If you use the telephone a great deal, use a pencil to operate the dial; if you do a lot of heavy work or gardening wear protective gloves. You may find that gardening gloves wear out frequently but, if they do, just think how much damage you would have done to your hands if you hadn't been wearing gloves.

http://myshabi.blogspot.com/2008/10/nail-care.html

Skin Moles

They are usually brown or black, but sometimes can be pink. They can be smooth or irregular, flat or raised above the general level of the skin, and some are hairy.

Most skin moles first appear during childhood (they are not present at birth) and one eminent dermatologist has claimed that the average white adult has between fifteen and twenty skin moles spread over his or her body; they can appear absolutely anywhere.

The majority of skin moles are entirely harmless but very, very occasionally one will become cancerous. For this reason any mole which suddenly appears later in life, which changes in size or color or shape, or which bleeds for any reason whatsoever should be examined by a doctor without delay. Although knocking moles or cutting them accidentally doesn't necessarily make them dangerous, you should never try to remove a mole yourself. If it is cancerous you will almost certainly make things worse. If it is harmless then it will very probably bleed anyway. Harmless or otherwise, you will end up needing to call for medical help.

http://myshabi.blogspot.com/2008/10/skin-moles.html

How Do Moisturizers Effect the Skin?

Normal skin contains a good deal of water, which makes skin look plump, fresh and healthy. Skin that has lost its natural moisture looks dry, wrinkled and cracked and feels extremely uncomfortable.

Because it is so important to retain moisture levels, your skin produces constant supplies of natural oil to seal off the skin surface and prevent the evaporation of those precious water supplies. Unfortunately, however, most of us remove that natural oil when we wash. The oil disappears, together with the surface dirt and the dead skin cells. And when the natural oil has gone, the skin is left in a very vulnerable state. Water is almost inevitably lost and the skin becomes dry and cracked.

That's why moisturizers are so important. They enable us to replace those missing natural oils and to help keep the skin moist and fresh looking. Moisturizing creams do their job not by adding moisture to the skin (as their name rather suggests) but by preventing the loss of moisture that is already there.

Moisturizers work in much the same way that waxed paper helps keep bread fresh - not by adding anything but by preserving what is already there.

Most moisturizing creams contain a mixture of oil and water. The thickness and texture of the cream depends on just how much of each substance it contains:

Vanishing creams are at one end of the scale. These contain a relatively large amount of water and a small amount of oil, and they more or less disappear when rubbed on to the skin.

Cold creams are at the other end of the scale. They contain a high proportion of oil, and tend to be much stickier and thicker. If you want to buy the most efficient protective moisturizer available, you should probably choose something like a petroleum jelly that is more or less all oil.

Although the basic constituents of a good moisturizing cream are very simple, most manufacturers do their best to make their cream sound special, complicated and unusual. I really don't know of any reason why you should look for a moisturizing cream made with one particular type of oil, however exotic. Unless it produces an allergy reaction when applied to your skin or smells particularly horrid, one oil will do much the same job as another.

You can buy moisturizing creams with added vitamins, placenta extract, honey, seaweed and heaven knows what else. Again, I don't think these constituents will make any difference at all to the efficiency of the product, although they will undoubtedly make a big difference to its price.

Finally, there are moisturizing creams that contain 'humectants'. Humectants (and that includes substances such as glycerine) absorb moisture from around them. The theory is that the humectant will work by attracting moisture from the atmosphere. It is, therefore, a genuine 'moisturizing' cream in that it is actually bringing moisture in to the skin. That's the theory anyway. In practice, if there is not enough moisture in the atmosphere, the humectant will still have to attract water from somewhere. In the absence of moisture in the atmosphere it will draw its water' supplies from the skin - thereby doing harm rather than good.

My own feeling is that you should buy several very large pots of the cheapest moisturizing cream that you find acceptable, and keep those pots in various places around the house so you can use them often without going into the bathroom or bedroom.

Always apply a moisturizing cream after you have washed (if you put the cream on while your skin is still slightly damp your skin will retain that extra moisture) and keep a jar near to the kitchen sink so that when you've been washing up you can apply some cream. Use a moisturizing cream all over your body after a bath or a shower - don't forget your knees, feet, elbows, arms and thighs.

The added bonus from using a moisturizing cream regularly is that you will obtain some protection from the world around you. Very few of us live far away from factory chimneys these days, and the air we breathe in is often very polluted. You've only got to look at old buildings to see the harm that acid in the atmosphere can do. Just imagine the harm that air is doing to your skin. A moisturizing cream will provide some protection. It will also provide some protection against the sun: sunshine dries and ages the skin but the regular use of a good cream can delay the process.

Finally, if you suffer from dry skin, eczema, pruritis (itching), psoriasis or just about any other long-term skin problem, the regular use of a plain moisturizing cream will help to minimize your symptoms.

http://myshabi.blogspot.com/2008/10/how-do-moisturizers-effect-skin.html

Natural Herbal Cosmetics Guide

Natural herbal cosmetics have become extremely popular in the last few years. There are now dozens of firms manufacturing and selling 'natural' cosmetics and many thousands of enthusiasts are making their own cosmetics at home, either with ingredients they, have bough t or with ingredients they have picked in the wild.

To a certain extent I can sympathize with this enthusiasm. Natural herbal cosmetics are sometimes cheaper than the ones made by huge, international companies which have massive advertising and marketing bills to meet. And there is something rather attractive about being 'able to get back to nature and make your own cosmetics. But a couple of warnings are needed:

1 Do not imagine that just because a cosmetic is 'herbal' or 'natural' it cannot produce an allergy reaction. It can.

2 Do be on the watch for confidence tricksters. There are just as many tricksters selling 'herbal' products as there are selling chemical products. You shouldn't automatically believe everything you read simply because there are pretty pictures of flowers and plants on the accompanying brochure or label.

3 Remember that herbal products don't usually contain preservatives. This means that they can't be kept for long periods. They should be bought (or made) in small quantities and then either used or thrown away. If you keep such cosmetics for long periods of time there is a real risk of infection.

http://myshabi.blogspot.com/2008/10/natural-herbal-cosmetics-guide.html

Things to know about Greasy Hair

It is the sebum - a fatty secretion produced by the glands on to the scalp - which makes hair greasy and if these glands are irritated in any way they increase their production of oil. So, if you have a tendency to oily, greasy hair don't wear your hair in a style that needs combing or brushing too often, don't wear a hat unless you have to, don't use really hot water on your scalp and keep out of the sun as much as possible. Greasy hair is easier to manage if it is kept short.

If you wash your hair too often when you have greasy hair you will simply encourage the production of more grease. If you don't wash it very often at all you will forever be embarrassed by greasy hair. So you need to compromise. The best solution is to wash it every two or three days. Don't use water that is too hot or scrub at your scalp too much. Rubbing your scalp hard will simply stimulate the glands to produce more and more grease.

When buying your shampoo look for one that is cheap and free of additives. It is particularly important to avoid one containing a conditioner because your hair already has all the grease it can cope with. If you need a conditioner for split ends, apply it to the split ends and keep it away from the body of your hair.

http://myshabi.blogspot.com/2008/10/things-to-know-about-greasy-hair.html

Problems Around Eyes

There are three main problems which occur around the eyes:

1 Allergy reactions around the eyes are usually caused by cosmetics. The initial symptoms include redness, itching and some swelling of the eyelids and the surrounding tissues. The sight and the eyeball are usually unaffected and this fact alone makes it fairly easy to differentiate between an allergy reaction and an eye infection.

When an allergy reaction develops, the most important thing to do is to remove any make-up and keep the skin free of all cosmetics for a few days. Any product that has been used on or around the eyelids and lashes should be considered suspect - even if it has been used for quite a long time without any apparent problems. It is probably safer to throwaway any product which might have been respon­sible for the reaction, and sensible to avoid any similar product in the future.

2 Infections which involve the eyes cause redness, but there is usually also some grittiness and stickiness and the eye­lids may be stuck together first thing in the morning. The conjunctiva, or white of the eye, may be reddened too.

When symptoms of an eye infection develop it is vital that the sufferer does not share towels or face cloths with other members of the family, since infections of this type are very easily spread.

Eye infections need medical treatment and tend to clear up fairly quickly with antibiotic drops or ointment. Short­-term relief can usually be obtained by bathing the eyes in a weak salt solution and by wearing dark glasses to protect them from the light.

3 Wrinkles are the other common problem to affect the area around the eyes. Changes in the upper and lower eyelids occur relatively early on in the ageing process and an individual who has relatively few wrinkles elsewhere may have quite a number around the eyes, simply because the skin there is exceptionally thin.

Much of the time and effort spent on trying to avoid the development of wrinkles around the eyes (or to get rid of those already there) is wasted. There are only two things that can be done about wrinkles. You can buy masking creams which will cover them up - the bigger the wrinkles the thicker the cream you will need. And don't be misled by advertising - when you remove the cream the wrinkles will still be there underneath. Or you can resort to plastic surgery.

http://myshabi.blogspot.com/2008/10/problems-around-eyes.html

Eye Make-Up Tips

Eye-liner is used to outline the eyelids, mascara to empha­size and sometimes lengthen the eyelashes, eye-shadow to add color and shade to the eyelids, and eyebrow pencils to darken, lengthen or change the shape of the eyebrows.

If you are going to avoid problems while using one or more of these products:

1 Never borrow or lend eye cosmetics. Infections are very easily passed from person to person in this way.

2 Be careful if you buy cheap eye cosmetics or use eye products made at home. These may be infected, may not contain preservatives, and may contain quite dangerous ingredients, such as lead. I would suggest that you only buy the eye make-up of a reputable manufacturer. Eyes are sensitive and too precious to take risks with.

3 Visit your doctor if you see any signs of an allergy or infection developing. Don't waste money on commercial products designed to clear up eye problems. If you have an eye problem you need to see your doctor - and quickly.

4 Never, ever put drops in your eyes, unless prescribed by your doctor.

5 Don't put eye make-up on while traveling. It's too easy to poke a brush or pencil into your eye.

6 It is possible to buy eyelash dyes that last for several weeks. I don't know of any evidence to suggest that these products could be dangerous, but they do" worry me. If you happened to be allergic to any of the constituents then you would be in trouble, because you can't simply remove them. I would avoid such products.

7 If you wear contact lenses, you need to be particularly careful. Lash extending particles incorporated in. some mascaras can get behind a lens and cause great distress. Take care, and use a soluble mascara.

http://myshabi.blogspot.com/2008/10/eye-make-up-tips.html

What is Lipstick Made Of?

Most lipsticks consist of a fatty base, to ensure that the product stays firm and solid but is easily spread over the lips, and color provided by pigments or dyes. Manufacturers put a lot of time, effort and money into making sure that their products are soft enough to cover the lips smoothly and with the minimum of pressure, do not fade too quickly and stay put while the owner of the lips does other things like eating, drinking, smoking or kissing. Manufacturers also test lipsticks for toxicity, since the product is often swallowed.

Although most lipsticks are sold in stick form you can buy lipsticks which are applied with a brush. This is slightly more time-consuming than using an ordinary lipstick but it is a technique favored by make-up experts and models who believe it produces a more precise and pleasing finish.

Lipstick colors vary in different lights so when choosing a color try to select it in the light thatyou11 be wearing it in: if, for example, you want a lipstick to wear under fluorescent light tryout lipsticks under fluorescent light. When a lipstick goes blue on your lips, by the way, it usually means that the color has begun to wear off.

If you suffer from dry, sore or chapped lips, use an ordinary moisturizer before you put lipstick on.

http://myshabi.blogspot.com/2008/09/what-is-lipstick-made-of.html

Tips and Guidelines for Skin Bleach

Bleach is a substance used to lighten color. Bleaches are most commonly used on the hair and the bleaching ingredient is usually hydrogen peroxide. This strips color from the hair fairly effectively but it can be dangerous if used without due care. Ideally it should only be handled by a skilled, professional hairdresser.

More recently, skin bleaches have become available. For example, there are products containing hydroquinone, a powerful chemical with the ability to remove pigmentation from the skin. This chemical is so powerful that it can actually turn dark skins white. Products containing this ingredient are sometimes used for the treatment of skin blem­ishes, freckles and so on, but do not recommend its use for any such procedure. Hydroquinone is unpredictable and you could end up with permanent, patchy depigmentation.

http://myshabi.blogspot.com/2008/09/tips-and-guidelines-for-skin-bleach.html

What is Electrolysis Hair Removal?

An effective, efficient and permanent method of removing unwanted hair. Tiny needles are inserted into each hair follicle, one at a time, so the operator needs to be skilled. Once inside the follicle the needle destroys the hair root by using electricity to produce a chemical reaction. The main advantage with electrolysis is that it is usually permanent­ the hairs don't grow back again. The disadvantages are that it is slow, rather expensive and sometimes painful. Occasionally a skin reaction may be produced. Electro­lysis is probably best reserved for the most annoying or embarrassing excess hairs - such as those on the female face.

Electrolysis

COMING SOON MAGNES SISTERS HANDBAGS

We are so excited to take on this gorgeous Affordable High End Handbag line

should be available end of September.

According to all the latest fashion mags, this season is heralding a return to the female form. Skinny belts, pencil skirts, and tailoring are replacing the figure-obscuring trapeze and bubble silhouettes.

This is Where Magnes Sisters comes in!

Their collection of handbags are graceful, clean, and resonate with a modern vintage appeal. Stylish and versatile, the bags are crafted in NYC with exclusively designed hardware, sumptuous Italian leather, vintage wools, and playful silky linings.
They're perfect to pair with everything from your skinny jeans to your DVF wrap dress. You can still bring out your ginormous bags from last season when it's time to smuggle popcorn and other contraband into movie theaters, but when you're not sitting in the dark, grab one of these adorable, fashion forward bags.

Check back soon!

www.thefashionplate.com

Pietro Alessandro New python Bags

Gorgeous New Python Fold over Clutch and Python Mini Fold over tote

These bags are ABSOLUTELY Incredible looking ,

These are a must Have!

The colors are just so beautiful and the Quality of bag for the affordable Prices are remarkable

we have done so well with the straw leathers and Distressed and continue to do so

But now with the added Pythons and the outstanding colors

Eggplant, Chestnut, Raspberry, Olive

These bags will totally wow you !

This will be a great season for Pietro!

check them out at www.thefashionplate.com

Big Buddha "Lauren Bag" Featured in Seventeen Magazine

We are in Love with The "Lauren" Bag

Has great style and its a nice size bag!

The Faux snakeskin look is 2 Die 4! and the color that was featured in Seventeen is Pink

But the other colors Brown, and Green are great looking also

Big Buddha keeps coming out with more and more desirable bags and the Public loves them!

Affordable Prices with Great style!

Check out all the bags

The Audrina is also a hot style and i carry that one Love that bag can be worn two ways hand held or as a fold over tote comes in the same colors, Whitney bag is hot, Paige clutch is too die 4

i love the posh wallets , the Monaco i can go on forever check the bags out you will see for yourself

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