Create a Spa Retreat at Home!
May 15, 2007
In today’s high-stress world, a visit to a spa can provide a much needed renewal for your mind, body and soul. If you don’t have the time and/or money to head to the nearest spa or resort, consider creating your own. Experience the benefits of a day at the spa by creating a near-professional spa in your own home. Here are some ideas for transforming you bathroom into a relaxing spa retreat.
SPA TREATMENTS Widely used in spas, bath salts or salt scrubs made with sea salts are wonderful for their detoxifying properties. The Romans, Greeks and other European cultures have long believed in the benefits of healing through bathing in hotsprings.
SPA TOOLS If you’re giving yourself a body treatment, have a body brush, loofah or sponge within easy reach. One of the best ways to revive skin is to exfoliate before you get in the shower. The ancient spas of Japan were known for their dry brushing techniques. Gently brush your body using circular motions with a soft body brush, starting at the feet and working your way up. This light brushing technique removes dead skin cells while stimulating circulation.
Toss It? or Keep It?
May 14, 2007
If you are a product junkie like me then you probably have lotions, creams, tubes of lipstick etc that have been sitting in the same spot untouched for several months or even years. You know the items that you just had to have but then forgot about after the thrill of buying it wore off. This article is intended to be used as a guide for product junkies everywhere to know when a product should be thrown away or kept around for a little while longer.
Everything has a shelf life including our make-up and all other potions and lotions. But there are things you can do to lengthen the life of your products.
1. Keep your products out of the bathroom this includes any prescriptions or over the counter medications too. Humidity can affect the life of all products.
2. Keep away from extreme temperatures including direct sunlight which could change the color and fragrance.
3. Do not share any products unless they come in a pump bottle or new applicator for each use. Bacteria can build up and shorten the life of your product. Or worse cause you to get an infection.
Lotions and Creams
Sterling Silver Jewelry Fashion Trends for the New Year and Beyond
May 13, 2007
Each year, on fashion runways from New York to Paris, Milan, and Toyko, sterling silver is “new again” as designers interpret it in new and exciting ways. What makes sterling silver a fashion perennial? The answer is clear: when it comes to beauty, versatility, durability, and affordability, sterling silver jewelry is unsurpassed.
In the hands of talented artists and designers, sterling silver is constantly “reinvented” to suit the evolving tastes of the women who wear it. But whether as a ring, a necklace, or bracelet, standing alone or presented in combination with gemstones and other precious metals?sterling silver is always in fashion.
Here’s a look at what’s “hot” this year:
Peace of Silver
In 2004, many Oscar presenters and recipients wore gracefully and simply designed “Dove of Peace.” pin. Embraced by such Hollywood luminaries as Meryl Streep, Susan Sarandon, Drew Barrymore, and Leonardo DiCaprio, it has also been seen on the Dali Lama and Nobel Peace Laureates Oscar Aria Sanchez, Betty Williams, Mairead Corrigan Maguire, and former UN Assistant Secretary-General Gillian Sorrensom.
Now non-celebrities may purchase the pin in sterling silver pin to demonstrate both their commitment to peace and their fashion sense. The 2005 sterling silver interpretation was designed by award-winning American jewelry artist Henry Dunay to resonate the energy of Picasso’s “Dove Of Peace.”
Beauty Tip: Foundation Secrets For A Flawless Complexion
May 12, 2007
1. For a natural look your foundation must match your skin tone. Test foundations along your jawline. You will know the best color because it will disappear into your skin.
2. Spread foundation on your hands and pat it on your face, then smooth out with a sponge making sure not to pull or stretch the skin. Be extra careful in the area around your eyes where the skin is super thin. Don’t forget to apply foundation on your eyelids and lips.
3. To make foundation last apply moisturizer first giving the foundation a base. Dry skin will soak up the foundation if not given that base. For oily skin use an oil-free moisturizer and powder foundation
4. On hot days foundation can be difficult to keep looking fresh. Set your foundation in the morning using a loose powder and puff, then do regular touch ups throughout the day.
5. To cover imperfections apply foundation first and then go back and dot on a concealer that neutralizes red. For noticeable imperfections like very dark circles and birthmarks use a yellow concealer (available from Mary Kay). Don’t use too much powder in problem areas because it will draw attention to it.
Rejuvenating Technology for Skin and Body!
May 11, 2007
Currently, tremendous interest and research are being focussed on anti-oxidants and their role in helping to reverse and prevent free radical damage to the body. Enzymes and anti-oxidants protect the body against the harmful effects of these free oxygen radicals. The best known of such enzymes is called SOD (super-oxide dismutase).
- Worldwide studies have shown that people who take anti-oxidants live longer and healthier lives. Anti-oxidants are essential for the removal of free radicals, which can cause premature ageing and can cause diseases such as cancer. Anti-oxidants include vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene, vitamin E, vitamin C and SOD or super-oxide. Because of the polluted environment that we live in, it is not always easy to get access to the natural anti-oxidants like vitamin E and vitamin C.
- Rooibos Tea, (Redbush Tea) is well known all over the world and regarded as safe to drink for its health benefits.
Hot Colors for Cooler Days
May 10, 2007
Labor Day not only marks the end of the summer season, but also summer fashion as well. I’m sure you’ve heard the old fashion adage, “don’t wear white shoes after Labor Day!”. Does this same restriction apply to pink lip-gloss? What about lime green eye shadow? Always wanting to be cosmetic-ly correct, I enlisted the help of hair stylist & make up artist extraordinaire Shea-Shea Johnson co-owner of Thaanx 2 U Hair Salon. Shea-Shea’s impressive celeb list of clients include Alicia Keys, A.J Johnson, Gary Dourdan, Kellita Smith, Kerry Washington, Spike Lee & Tisha Campbell. Anyone talented enough to powder fine @(#* Gary Dourdan’s nose is definitely qualified to share beauty secrets with a wanna be like me. Read on as Shea-Shea offers us some “MAC-nificent suggestions to transition beautifully into Fall.
Changing FacesQ. With cooler days ahead, I asked Shea-Shea if wearing hot, bright colors on our eyes and lips is breaking “the rules”? A. “Simplicity is key. I don’t follow “the rules” but I do believe in keeping it simple. If you want to wear a bright eye shadow it’s important to apply it in moderation, and make sure it is blended well. The object is to not let the eye shadow over power your face.
Celtic Jewelry - A Beautiful Mystery Unraveled
May 10, 2007
Celtic jewelry like the Celts themselves has a rich history and a proud tradition. Immensely beautiful with intricate Celtic symbols and delicate designs, Celtic cross jewelry, Celtic knot jewelry, and beautiful Claddaugh rings have been admired and desired for thousands of years.
Celtic Cross Jewelry
One of the most enduring, and coveted “gifts” of Celtic culture is jewelry featuring the Celtic Cross. According to Irish legend, St. Patrick created the first Celtic cross by drawing a circle over a Latin cross.
For an Irish Catholic, the circle in the Celtic cross may be a symbol of eternity and the endlessness of God’s love. It can even represent a halo emanating from Christ.
Some say the four “arms” of the Celtic Cross represent the elements (fire, earth, air, and water). Others believe the cross denotes the four directions of the compass, and still others feel it is a representation of human existence - mind, body, soul and heart.
Celtic Knots
The most distinguishing characteristic of Celtic knots is their intricate patterns and design?and the debate as to the meaning of those designs. While it is unquestionable that many of the ancient designs had some significance, those meanings changed from tribe to tribe and location to location.
Beauty Sleep
May 9, 2007
Beauty SleepThe health and beauty of a good night’s sleep
by Cathy GatsonSleeping is a necessity, not a luxury. A good night’s sleep is just as crucial to maintaining wellness as is a healthy diet and proper exercise.
The Importance of SleepSleep is a restorative process. While we’re sleeping, our brain is cycling through the 3 stages of sleep: light, deep and REM. Sleep restores, rejuvenates and energizes the body and brain. Our immune systems are recharged, cells grow and repair themselves, and our bodies conserve energy.
Dangers of Sleep DeprivationUnfortunately, to many sleep is not valued. In this “open all night” society we now live in, four out of ten Americans are trading much-needed sleep hours for longer hours at the office, gym, club and other activities which seem more important or interesting. What they may not realize is that lack of sleep takes a toll on our mental and physical well being. Studies performed by the National Sleep Foundation show that even minimal sleep loss has a profoundly detrimental impact on mood, cognition, performance, productivity, communication skills, accident rates and general health. For optimal functioning throughout the day, the average adult needs between seven to nine hours sleep a night. According to the NSF, the American adult population functions on about six and a half hours of sleep per night.
Perfect Lips
May 8, 2007
Nothing impresses your friends more than a perfect lip line, because it is the hardest makeup application to do.To get it, avoid applying the lip pencil too heavily, which will be difficult to blend and soften into the lipstick. Keeping your mouth closed lightly trace the lip line with the lip pencil so it can barely be seen, but can be used as a guide line.
Hold the brush horizontally to trace along the lip line, and do a little bit at a time, backing up and going over it again. Don’t try to get the whole line in one stroke. The best lip brush is a sable with a slightly tapered edge, not straight one.
This provides more control and a cleaner line.If you are really pressed for time, apply lipstick only on the bottom lip and press your lips together. Then, blend out to the lip line with the edge of a lip brush, not the tip, for a precise line, or use a dampened cotton swab for a soft, natural lip line.
When finished, instead of blotting the lips by biting a tissue, lay the tissue across both lips while your mouth is closed. This will imprint your lips, including the edges of the mouth where lipstick usually bleeds. Perfect!
Does Your Watch Keep Time with Fashion or Function?
May 7, 2007
If you haven’t lived under a rock for the past few decades, then you surely know that Rolex stands for luxurious precision timekeeping, and you know that Timex is the premier name in inexpensive, reliable timekeeping. The vast area between the two, however, offers the widest selection of watches-in terms of function, fashion and price.
We’re all creatures of habit, and if one watch has served us well for years, it’s natural that we gravitate toward the same brand and design each time we purchase a new watch. If you’d like to adorn your wrist with a different type of watch, perhaps a Swiss-quartz or high-fashion watch, we offer you a cheat sheet below, to help you get up to speed quickly with the many offerings available today.
If you’ve always thought of a watch as a functional necessity, you might add a few fashionable watches to your collection of watches and bracelets. If you’ve always worn high-fashion watches, consider adding an elegant watch to your collection, perhaps one with a golden mesh band. Whatever your requirements for timekeeping and your sense of fashion, you’ll find a watch to suit your needs.
Impress Your Colleagues Watches
