COSMETIC TIPS AND TRICKS - WITH A LITTLE HISTORY

by: Mary Amos
Women have been wearing cosmetics for thousands of years. Archaeologists have evidence of men and women using cosmetics in Egypt over 6000 years ago! Wealthy Egyptian women would paint their nails, massage their faces with creams and oils, apply lipstick and eyeliner, and even color their hair. Obviously, things haven’t changed that much over the last few millennia!

How Do You Put Cosmetics On?

The most important thing you can do when applying makeup is to start with a clean face. A clean face gives you the perfect palate for applying the rest of your cosmetics. A dirty face, on the other hand, will make it much more difficult. A clean face will also help keep your skin look clear and healthy.

After you have thoroughly cleaned your face, apply foundation smoothly and evenly. When applied correctly, it should not look like you’re wearing foundation. The purpose of foundation is to smooth out your skin colors to cover up any blemishes and to help you put your cosmetics on better. Your face should feel light and natural. If it is obvious that you’re wearing foundation, or if your face feels like it’s covered with guck, then you’ve put too much on. Also consider if you have the right type of foundation. To work properly, the foundation has to match your skin tone as closely as possible. If you are having trouble picking the right color of foundation, talk to a cosmetics consultant at one of the cosmetics counters at your local department store. If you’ve only put a bit too much foundation on, you can blot at your skin with some toilet paper to remove the excess foundation without having to start from scratch.

If required, you can then apply some concealer to your face with your fingers. Concealer can be particularly useful around your eyes so any dark circles don’t have you confused for a racoon! No matter where you use concealer, always remember to blend, blend, blend. If the concealer is not blended into the rest of your face, it will only draw attention to the spots your are attempting to cover up.

It is only after you’ve washed your face and applied foundation and concealer that you’re ready to move on to the more noticeable cosmetics such as eyeliner, eye shadow, mascara, blush and lipstick.

What are Cosmetics Made Of?

The ancient Egyptians mainly made their cosmetics from clay and oils (with the occasional dash of mercury). Modern cosmetics are made from an unbelievable array of products. Lipstick often contains fish by-products and blush can contain mica, a translucent mineral! While the Food and Drug Administration controls what can be used in cosmetics, the precise ingredients are often protected as trade secrets.

If you really want to know what’s going on your face, you can chose to buy organic cosmetics that will make their makeup from simple, natural materials. This can also be a useful strategy if you are concerns about animal testing. If you only want to buy cosmetics that have not been tested on animals, make sure to inquire whether the cosmetics you are purchasing were tested on animals or not.

70 - 80% OF WOMEN DO NOT WEAR THE RIGHT SIZE BRA!

by: Kalwant Rana
Every woman knows the difficulty involved in finding the right bra. Questions like What cup Size are you now? What style do you require? Seem to never end!

Well...First and foremost it is essential that you know your correct size. A badly fitting bra can lead to back problems, muscle tension, and even headaches. If you are in your teen years, the strain caused by a badly fitting bra can lead to permanent problems with posture and even back pain. So that?s why teens should be fit by a bra expert at least twice a year or even after every noticeable growth pattern.

Your first consideration should be the reason you need the bra; is it for athletics, coverage, comfort or support? There are different types and styles of bras made for specific types of bodies and physical activities. Although it would be nice, no one bra can do it all; you have different bras for different jobs. A Sexy bra for those intimate private moments or a Sports Bra for when you want to perform arduous exercise.

First Bras

Training bras are for younger girls who have just started to develop breasts and are not able to fit into standard size bras. Age is not the concern, rather its getting the right fit and support for your breast size.

Wireless Bras

Light support or wireless bras usually have no underwire and are sometimes the preferred choice for those with smaller breasts. They are less constricting and more comfortable than full support bras. As they are wireless they offer less shaping and more freedom than other bras. You can find the padded and unpadded variety; what you choose is a matter of personal preference.

Underwire Bras

Full support or underwire bras usually have an underwire or plastic boning holding them up. It doesn't matter what breast size you are, however it is a must for those with larger cup sizes. They also are available in padded or unpadded varieties.

Push Up Bras

Sometimes referred to as padded bras and more famously attributed to the Wonderbra. They lift the breasts and add more shape to them with extra padding. There are some more innovative versions around that use silicone inserts or water sacks to enhance your look even further. They are known to "lift and separate" the breasts, creating a full cleavage and most importantly offer lots of support.

Plus Size Bras

Plus size bras have finally found a home away from the unsightly bras of yesteryear to the sleek and sexy bras of today. From sports to sexy to your everyday bra, plus size bras are know available in many styles and brands. You can get extremely feminine lacy plus size bras, or bras finished in satin, silk, lace and cotton, under wire and strapless bras.

Sports Bras

Probably the least flattering and sexy in the bra family but ironically the most important one for growing teens to have. As well as offering full support, they also stop the breasts from moving during strenuous activity. The tissue in your breasts is very delicate and growing tissue especially needs to be protected during high impact exercise.

Nursing Bras

Your breasts start changing shape from the fourth month of pregnancy. As a result, most women find their previous bra too small. Purchase a nursing bras close to your due date or shortly after your baby arrives, because your breasts will grow larger toward the end of your pregnancy and when milk comes in. Consider buying a bra that has flaps and can be opened and refastened easily. Since milk leakage is inevitable, it also makes sense to buy nursing pads to protect both your bra and clothes. It is always better to buy 100% cotton bras, as cotton is a breathable fabric. Synthetic fabrics trap moisture and encourage bacterial growth and soreness.

Mastectomy Bras

These types of bras are designed with pockets in the cup area to hold a breast prosthesis. There is a wide range of styles and colors available. The silicone breast prosthesis simulates the natural breast with regards to its shape and weight. The prosthesis's main advantage of is that it provides symmetry and balance to a persons body, who has survived from breast cancer. Wearing the right prosthesis is primarily important to your ultimate comfort level. With a superior fitting prosthesis, and a well-made and fitted mastectomy bra, you in turn will help to balance your posture and provide fortification for your chest and breast cancer scars.

Now you know the importance of the bra and the many types available, you should know firstly what size you need and how to determine that size. The following article gives you an insight into how to measure your self and the importance of a well fitted bra.

THE SMART WOMAN MANIFESTO: WHAT IS A SMART WOMAN?

by: Vicki Flaugher
A Smart Woman uses her entire toolbox of experiences, talents, feelings, logic, intuition, education, and yes, even her mistakes, to live her life authentically engaged. She takes the time to care for herself, evaluate what she really thinks and feels, and acts and reacts from a place of patient love, energized compassion, and balanced accountability. Choices are opportunities and she welcomes them. Opportunity leads to her future and she faces that future with a ready and willing heart and a nimble and open mind.

A Smart Woman respects others’ points of view while still making her own choices. She gives generously to others while nurturing herself. She knows the value of boundaries and is skillful in using them to build stronger relationships. She speaks up when she needs to and she knows how and when to supportively listen as she keeps her vision of peace and tolerance in sight. She knows when to walk away, wishing luck and best wishes to those who are on another path. She knows and values her true worth.

Adaptable, caring, capable, and clever, a Smart Woman embraces life and triumphantly whoops and hollers her way to joy. She claims her power and her divine birthright, as each of us do, in a myriad of infinitely beautiful and unique ways, creating a fulfilling life as a Smart Woman. She's not out to prove anything to anybody. She is here to learn, live, love, laugh, and contribute.

I believe we all have a lot to share, to communicate, to witness, and to celebrate. I would feel honored and thrilled to know you are by my side. So, what do you think? Are you ready to explore? I hope so, because today, I am making firm plans and those plans include you. I am a Smart Woman with firm plans. Are you?

Here's to you and your Smart Woman path!

PERSONALIZED PICTURE PURSE: A PERFECT GIFT FOR A PERFECT WIFE

by: Mario Churchill
Because you forgot about your wedding anniversary last year, you now know that the saying "hell hath known no fury than a woman scorned" is an understatement. Forgetting about your wedding anniversary while you're out drinking with your friends can really make your wife beyond furious.

Of course, now that you know that it is essential for you to remember your wedding anniversary or in any case, any occasion, like your wife's birthday, you would make all the necessary plans this year to make it special. You made dinner reservations to your favorite restaurant, you make sure that you leave work early, and you even set the alarm on your PDA hours before the big event.

However, you may be forgetting something. Because you will be celebrating your wedding anniversary or your wife's birthday, it is just right for you to buy her a special gift. A gift for your wife should be something that she will truly appreciate. It should be something that will remind her of all the special moments you shared together and one that should be truly unique.

If you're thinking of buying her that new gaming console you have been wanting, forget about it. It should be something that she can appreciate and should not be something you want.

To start thinking of a perfect gift for your wife, you should think of what will remind her of the special times you shared together. If you thought of a picture, then you are on the right track. However, giving her a picture that reminds her of the special times both of you shared isn't enough.

Why not enhancing the photo? Why not try and printing it to something that she uses everyday? Why not give her a purse that is personalized with the picture of you and her looking very happy. A personalized picture purse is one of the best gifts you can ever give to your wife. You can even add another surprise by buying and putting that expensive pearl necklace she always wanted inside the purse.

A personalized picture purse is simply a purse where the photo of your choice will be printed on it. It is something that she can use everyday and it will be something that will remind her of the great times both of you shared in that romantic vacation or on your wedding day.

Today, there are a great number of websites that offer personalized photo purse services. Here, you can choose the kind of purse you want to give your wife. All you need to do is send a digital photograph via email and give out your home address or work address to avoid spoiling the surprise then pay for it. Some website offers credit card billings while there are others that accept cash on delivery.

Getting her a personalized picture purse is one of the best gifts you can ever give to your wife. It will show your creativity and at the same time, show how thoughtful you are as well. Add a little something she wants (she will be giving you hints months before the occasion so pay close attention to her) inside the purse and double the surprise.

So, if you are looking for a perfect gift for your wife on a special occasion, such as your wedding anniversary, her birthday and others, a personalized picture purse with a little something inside is the perfect choice.

HOW TO CREATE CHARISMA WITH COLORS AND STYLE

by: Sue Brubaker
Ever seen all those celebrities on television and how they just exude so much radiance and magnetism, that you cannot help but stay glued watching them? What is it about them that keep them attractive and desirable?

The answer is one word: charisma. The process on how to achieve and possess such similar charismatic flair involves another word: colors.

The following are basic tips and advice to help you have your own charisma with the use of colors and style techniques.

First things first, know yourself.

It helps to get the varied opinions of people who know you best. Ask around and interview family members, friends, relatives, or colleagues, and try to make them give an opinion – an honest one of course – of what it is they think are the colors that best suit you. Alternatively, you could always ask and engage the services of a consultant that specializes on image enhancement.

Such a professional could readily determine the kind of colors that work best for your particular eye color and tone of your skin, as well as your hair.

Choose the colors that work best for you.

A very effective way to test which colors are best for your skin is to face a mirror, preferably with natural available daylight, while holding a fabric or a piece of clothing under your chin or beside your eyes. Now, observe which stands out. Does the color stand out or do your features stand out?

Appropriate colors should focus more on you, and not on the dress or garment. If you have eyes as blue as the ocean, then wearing a dress that is similarly blue in color will help make your very own eyes attractive and stand out.

Wrong colors are those that make your appearance dull. It may even look repulsive, or it could cast a shadow on you. Wrong colors also give people the impression that you are sick or tired, even if you feel perfectly fine.

Apply prints and shapes.

Prints in any garments you plan to wear should just as well be proportionate to your physical features, as based on the naturalness of your body’s geometry. If your features are between medium to small, it is just as perfect that any patterns or jewelry you are to wear are sized in a similar manner.

Also, your face’s shape and features should also determine the shapes and kinds of accessories you are to wear. Oval faces may just as well wear oval earrings as well. However, a combination of features is present sometimes. Eyes that are oval sometimes belong to a face with a chin that is square. Look in the mirror and analyze what goes best with what.

Layer your clothes.

Sometimes, this is the best recourse for anyone, so as not to appear overly dressed or under dressed for the occasion. Wearing layers makes it convenient for anyone to take off that scarf, jacket, or tie, so as not to appear too formal.

Overall, practice makes perfect. Eventually, getting used to the colors you have on you will make you more confident and attractive, as you get to determine which makes you feel more magnetic and charismatic. The important thing is being comfortable with your own skin, your own color, and your own style. Work on those features, enhancing them without the need to change them. You are unique; embrace your uniqueness. That charisma cannot be bought or sold.

Please visit http://www.AntiAgeCenter.com for more beauty tips.

HOW TO REMOVE BACK HAIR QUICKLY AND EASILY

by: Laura Scott
Men today are looking for ways to remove back hair without much effort and pain. There are many modern methods of back hair removal for you to consider. The one you choose of course will depend on how much time and money you have to invest to remove back hair, as well as the level of pain you are willing to take. Some methods are painless, some methods take a great deal of time, and some methods can be painful, the choice is yours.

To help you make the decision we have put together some of the best methods to remove back hair and the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Shaving

Back hair removal with shaving is a little difficult and cannot be done without the assistance of another person. You will not be able to remove back hair yourself with shaving. Therefore, shaving might be hard if you do not have a willing assistant. Another problem with shaving is that you would have to take it to task about every two days or even sooner. Shaving is simply not a long-term method of back hair removal.

Waxing

To remove back hair with waxing, you would again need assistance, you would likely have visit a salon or have someone help you, again it can not be done on your own. While you might be able to reach some areas of your back, it would be hard to reach it all. Using wax to remove back hair is an effective and longer lasting method of back hair removal, however, it is also a painful method.

Laser Removal

Laser back hair removal is something many men are choosing to do in today’s world, simply because it is more effective and longer lasting than anything other form of treatment. A good thing about using laser to remove back hair is that laser is great for larger areas, such as the back.

Distinct disadvantages of laser and back hair removal include it is time consuming; it requires many treatments to become effective. Furthermore, laser hair removal is not for everyone, especially those with dark skin tones, tans, or those with light hair. It is also something that cannot be done at home, you must see a professional to have this method performed and to remove back hair.

Creams, Lotions, and Sprays

To remove back hair with creams, lotions, and sprays, it is important to pick up a product that works well for back hair. There are many different times of products that are geared towards specific areas of the body. The great thing about these methods is that they are pain free, can be done at home, and in some cases, can be done by yourself, without assistance from anyone else.

The bad thing about these methods is that they are not always effective. If you do succeed in back hair removal, the results will not be long lasting, therefore, requiring frequent use.

TIPS FOR WEARING PERFUME

by: Marilyn Pokorney
Perfumes can be fun to wear. Here are some tips on buying and using perfumes.

When buying perfume always try a sample. Wear it for about 10 minutes before deciding if you like it. This allows the alcohol to evaporate and the oils in perfumes to interact with the oil on the skin and will be a little different for everyone.

Try samples in the late afternoon. The power of smell is stronger during that time of day.

When starting a new perfume always use it on only one small area of skin. If there is an allergy to any of the ingredients it's the safest way to discover it. After an hour, if there is no reaction, the perfume is safe to wear.

When wearing perfume put it on the pulse points. The inner wrists, behind the knee, and below the jawline near the ears. The pulse sends out the scent.

Perfume will keep fresher longer if you store it in a cool, dark place since sunlight and heat interact with the oils in the perfume.

When testing or wearing perfume don't rub the wrists together. It lessens the effect of the perfume.

Don't apply perfume to clothing or jewelry. It can cause stains and even damage jewelry.

Don't wear one perfume all year all. Temperatures affect the scent. Cold temperatures reduce the intensity of the perfume so wear stronger scents in the winter.

In the summer wear lighter scents. But be warned, bees can be lured to the perfume mistaking it for flowers.

Once you open a bottle of perfume wear it! It will keep indefinitely when not opened but......... once the air has gained entrance to the perfume, it must be used within a year or two at the maxium.

For unusual perfumes including one called Tomato Perfume visit: http://www.apluswriting.net/beauty/perfume.htm