Thursday, July 23, 2009

Best Skin Care Products for Oily Faces


Having the best face means taking care of it to make it all clean and fresh-looking. Well, wouldn't you feel the very opposite if you had oily gunk all over you face! An oily face isn't a pretty sight to behold, like how dry and flaky skin isn't, too. The best way to combat this problem is having the proper arsenal of skin care products for your face:

1. Cleansing - this is an essential part of your regimen. DO NOT GO TO BED WITHOUT IT! Remember to wash slowly, touch your face softly and pat towel dry- not rub to dry! Find a good facial cleansing wash, and always be on the look out for the oil-free skin care lines! Cetaphil Mild Cleanser is a good product that cleanses your face thoroughly, and is still gentle and has a moisturizing effect. It's okay that there's some moisturizer there! Don't fret. Moisturizers help regulate the texture of the skin, so even if your skin feels dry after washing, it is already fully moisturized. Bioré Shine Free face wash, which probably is in the top shelf among all cleansers as it is designed exactly to fit the needs of the oil-faced.

2. Toning - Neutrogena Clean and Clear Oil-free Toner is one of the highly recommended skin care products in the market today. Toners help refine the skin texture and minimize the pores. You can buy anything you want when you have oily skin, as only the dry-skinned people usually have a problem with the alcohols in the toners. A good ingredient to watch out for in all the product you're considering is witch hazel which helps control the oil production.

3. Moisturizing - Now now don't panic! Even oily faced individuals need their recommended dosage of moisturizers, too! The best product to purchase is Clean and Clear: Advantage Oil-Free Acne Moisturizer. If you'd like a moisturizer with a sun protection formula, go for Splurge Moisturizer Clarifying Complexion Shield which is wonderful for oily skin and is non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores!

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Beauty Tips for Beautiful Brows

Eyebrows come in three ways: too thin, too thick, and just right. Unfortunately, many women fall in the first two categories and it’s just sad when we see beautiful faces with eyebrows that make us shake our heads and go “tsk, tsk!”

As small as they are, eyebrows are a huge part of our entire face. Some may not pay a huge attention to it, but it can greatly affect how we look to ourselves and other people. Just imagine if you suddenly shaved your eyebrows, it will look terrible, sometimes make you seem alien and strange!

Remember that:

1. Caring for eyebrows is also a hair care regimen that should be a priority. It’s not just your hair that needs trimming nor your underarm and leg hair that needs waxing, your eyebrows should be examined at least twice in a week to see if it needs a trim by threading or waxing.

2. Putting your best face forward means ensuring that you clean your eyebrows too! Tweeze strays, and check for tiny hair growth. Invest in an superb tweezer, one that isn’t sharp as to cut the hair in half, or hurt the skin on your eyebrows. Having eyebrows tweezed is the cheapest alternative to keeping eyebrows pretty.

3. If your talents don’t extend into eyebrow tweezing, go to the nearest salon and ask for an eyebrow threading service or wax it out. It costs more, but you’ll be assured of a professional finish. My advice is to pay for a waxing just to form your brows to perfection, and from then on just maintain it using a tweezer at home.

Research about the best eyebrow shapes that complement the shape of your face. Be careful not to over-tweeze or over-wax your hair, as it could damage the follicles and you’d be sorry later on to lose eyebrow hair than you have to. Love your eyebrows!

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Making Health and Fitness Your Lifestyle


Diet & Eating Habits
Having a healthy lifestyle means adopting good eating habits and doing your best to stick to the kind of food that don't come as pre-packaged goods. Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, cooking from scratch, and staying away from those with high levels of trans fat, MSG, preservatives and the like is one of the most important things you can do to jumpstart the lifestyle you want

- Reduce your intake of fatty foods. It's okay to still include a good amount of oils, fats, sugar and salt as long as it is taken very sparingly.
- Though you may eat a lot of food, you have to watch out your serving size, too! No matter how much protein you get from grilled chicken breasts, iron from steamed fish and other seafood dishes, and even in the healthiest vegetable platters, they should always be in the proper serving size as recommended for your lifestyle, age, as well as height and weight.
-Opt for your dishes to be steamed or grilled, rather than soaked in oil and deep fried. Did you know that grilling and steaming has so much advantages? For one, it keeps in the vitamins and minerals that are natural in the food, and it also keeps the calories lower than if deep-frying or stir-frying it.

Active Lifestyle
Incorporating physical activity is a must. Nutritionists and dieticians can't stress that enough. For you to maintain a healthy body, which is your goal in adopting a healthy lifestyle, regular exercise should be part of your daily regimen. You don't have to pay up a year's worth of gym membership yet; start slowly and add a little bit of exercise will go a long way in preparing you to add some exercise here and there and make it easier for you to make a exercise a routine.

- Walking is the most basic thing you can do, a 15-minute walk to a mile's worth of walking should get that heart of yours pumping and your blood circulating properly. Running is the next step, as it is one of the best cardiovascular exercises that is easily adaptable in anyone's lifestyle.
- Look into biking, swimming, hiking, and even increasing your household chores! Just about any form of regular exercise will help.

Quit Your Vices
Smoking, alcohol, and drug abuse do the most terrible things to your body, both short term and long term. It's that addictive that even with the bad things that it does, people still smoke, drink exessively, and use prohibited drugs. For this, you need to look into yourself and make a commitment to change and quit your vices. There are agencies and professionals that can assist you in quitting these bad habits.

Keep a positive perspective in life, commit to a using healthy products, be happy and constantly surround yourself things that are conducive to your new lifestyle. Inner happiness is crucial to your success of finding a better life for yourself!

Monday, July 20, 2009

Caring Tips for Thicker, Longer Eyelashes

If the eyes are windows to the soul, then the eyelashes must be the drapes that frame it beautifully! Maintain the strength and healthy growth of eyelashes by these few simple steps:



1. Love dumping a dollop of mascara on your lashes? Have mercy! It's important that you at least lower the frequency of usage. If you're a mascara freak like over 60% of the female population, then you should think twice and put the brush down. Sometimes the cosmetic products you're using may be the culprit in falling lashes.

2. Stop rubbing your eyes. Not only is it bad for the super sensitive skin around the eyes, it could also pull it out.

3.If we could just do away with lash curling, we'd probably see more lash around our eyes. The roots of the lashes are not very strong, and they aren't lodged in as deep inside the dermis of the skin so any pulling action, like frequent use of the curler, can pull it out little by litte.



4. Nourish your eyebrows with eyelash growth creams in the market. There are also some alternative home remedies to eyelash conditioning. Some say a dab of vaseline every night does the trick. Moms believe in the egg white deep conditioning where you put a little egg white on your closed lids and especially on both your lashes.

5. A close inspection should reveal some wear and tear, and other problems like cut eyelashes, some twisted strands and bumps around the ring of your lids. If you see something like that you should stop both curling and putting on mascara for a while. Eyelashes that need extra care should find some relief in a cotton swab dipped in olive oil. Hold a cotton to your eye and gently apply it all over the lashes. Some use q-tips for it as well. Leave the oil overnight.

Friday, July 17, 2009

To Splurge or Not to Splurge: On Health and Beauty Products

How do you balance between Quality and Price Tag? Find beauty products on the cheap-- For the health and beauty consumer on a budget!



I don't know about you, but when I find the best products for my face and body, I rather tend to mind the price first before I even buy it. Most of the time, it's always Quality vs. Price for me. It feels like you sometimes can't reach a compromise between the two: paying expensively for quality product, or give up quality to get it cheap. It's terrible!

Always get the complementary packs or free samples. Under no circumstance should you buy any expensive cosmetic and skin care product without trying it first with a testing packets. Don't end up losing more money than you should. Branded products are expensive enough as it is so you have to be extra picky what you buy.

Try out a few products that come with sample sizes. Some stores can offer them for free. If you find a face cream or a pot of concealer you fancy and the store can't give you a sample pack, you can always head out online and scour the web for it. There internet is peppered with thousands of great sites that provide free beauty products samples.

Most companies also give out special promos and trial offers that can help you avail free make up samples and trial packs of a skin as well as hair care products. Even with the ever popular mineral make up, which comes in extremely high prices, they have it.

Never, ever buy a big bottle of something that you haven't tried out before. You never know how it would look on you, or what reaction it could produce to your skin. Imagine purchasing a Shisheido invigorating cream and finding out later that it aggravates your oily skin even more? Don't waste your money, there are sample sizes so you can get to know the best product for you!

Monday, July 13, 2009

The Way to Healthy, Sunless Tanning

Give your skin a healthy boost of color without catching harmful UV rays from the sun and the tanning parlor!



Summer means beaches, and beaches mean a lot of fun in the sun and sand! We can't have summer without showing off the perfect color of tan but care for our skin as well. A tan skin is absolutely beautiful when done just right. But spending too much time under the sun is a dangerous thing to do, as the sun's harsh rays can be unforgiving to your skin.

The safest (and cheapest) way to get a tan is by using a Self-tanner. Tanning lotions are a favorite among many Tan-skin maniacs, as they come in various intensities and color tone and you easily give your skin a warm glow with rub-on or spray-on tan.

One of the top brands is Solerra Sunless Tanners, which provide the sun-kissed look without being vulnerable from UV rays. They have an exclusive range of professional-quality self-tanners that you can choose from.

We want beauty and health hand in hand, so why not opt to stay away from strong UV rays and opt to get a perfect golden tan in a bottle!

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Slow the Aging Process with Ionized Water

According to experts and researchers, Ionized water has antioxidant properties that can help you retain youth and beauty by slowing down the aging process one glass at a time.



Water is essential for the survival of all forms of life, including us. It is paramount that we store water inside our bodies and replenish anything that we lose! What's important is we get the purest and cleanest water, and it doesn't hurt if the water has minerals and special properties that slow down the aging process, keeping us healthy and young-looking in one go.

Ionized water is a powerful antioxidant. Antioxidants promote inhibitors of free radicals that are the source of aging problems and even disease. The antioxidants present in the ionized water help in our fight even against cancer and other debilitating sickness. And because it's in the water, not in solid form, it's the most easiest to absorb by the body.

We're told to eat pre-packaged goods, slather cream and buy all those expensive health and beauty products to get the best nutrients and minerals in achieving the pinnacle of wellness. Who knew that all these benefits can simply come from a glass of ionized water?

Surprised? Now you know.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Beauty on the Inside: A Healthy Body with Acai Berries

No health conscious person I know has not NOT heard of Acai Berries and the wonders that they were said to give. The market is now almost up to its neck with Acai berry supplements, vitamins, energy drinks and the like. You can also find that It's a major ingredient of healthy products that we see in stores today.

I researched about Acai Palm in Wikipedia, on how acai berry is being sold as fruit juices, teas, smoothies and even ice cream, because research was done and comparative analysis has shown that it has a higher antioxidant potency compared to all other 11 varieties of juice pulps and most sellers of acai berry has pronounced it to be one of the best nutrient-rich fruit in the world.



Acai berry products are a dime a dozen these days, but you have to find out quality acai berry brands so you can get your money's worth and get the most nutrition out of the product you choose.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Read Before You Buy - Health and Beauty Products

The economy might set us back and make us tighten our belts with strict budgeting --- still, there are indulgences that we can't do without!



Skin care is a billion-dollar industry, and there are plenty of products in the market. Be smart! Read beauty and skin care reviews!

Health and beauty products should still be at the top of your list, but it doesn't mean that you blow all your cash on designer brands with expensive lines as there are better alternatives to save money when it comes to purchasing skin and hair care.

Reading articles and news features, my favorite includes About.com Beauty and the like. I want fair product reviews, so I will really know how to get the best deals and the highest quality item for a skin care purchase. I don't want to be one of those victims of creams and lotions that never work, or cleansers that hurt the face. I want to get the best beauty products out there.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

The 3-Step Guide to a Better Self-Tan

Don't burn your skin trying to achieve the perfect sun-kissed look. Be tan, bold and beautiful with sunless self-tanning!



Getting a sexy summer look is not worth stressing your beautiful skin for! Get beautiful, healthy skin without being vulnerable to skin diseases caused by UV rays, but still get the golden glow of someone who's been frolicking all summer. Here are the three tips to start:

1. Get Ready - Preparations for self-tanning is as crucial as anything else, so begin by prepping up the skin. Usually you start by cleaning your body, sort of like starting on a clean slate or a clean canvas. If you have to shave, then do this now, use a light oil instead of a heavy shaving cream.

You cleanse your leg, arm, torso, chest, neck and face (or all the skin, if you want a whole body tan) with a soft cleansing soap, removing all traces of dirt and sebum.

2. Get Set - Tanning experts recommend exfoliating after cleansing, so the skin strips off a little of the old skin to get a more even tone. The key to this is gentle exfoliation, so stay away from harsh scrubs and find some exfoliating creams with micro beads.

Rinse off and pat your skin dry with a soft towel. Don't use lotions or any other moisturizing creams because it really will interfere with the distribution of the tanning cream/spray and you'll end up with a watery and smudgy tan.

3. Go- Put your hair up in a towel or tie it back with a pony tail so no spot goes untouched. Apply a good under eye cream (brightening and firming) because it helps in giving you a fresh face with the tan tone. This way, the tan looks more natural and perfect.

Get your self-tanner out, mix it with your favorite moisturizer and apply to the skin you want to tan. Wait for ten to thirty minutes until the lotion sets. Don't forget to check on how the color looks on creases, hard to reach areas and the like. For your face, check earlobes, temples and the nape you can use a light bronzer for highlights. And if you want a fierce glow, get a body shimmer and apply lightly to chest or shoulders area.

Tanning makes you feel and look good, but watch out for products that contain a bad orangey tint! Create a beautiful skin tone with Solerra sunless tanning, which has a light cream. One tip to remember is you only want to go one shade darker than your natural color, and build it up from there.

It's time to show off that beautiful tan skin!

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Perfect Smiles: Teeth Whitening Made Easy

Bad and stain-filled teeth doesn't give us that healthy and beautiful look. Give yourself something to smile about with a teeth whitening product that you can do at home!



We are all obsessed with our pearly whites... especially when we look and see that they're not so white anymore! We spend hundred of dollars in dental procedures in an effort to make our teeth healthy and beautiful.

There are many ways to whiten a stained teeth, whether you choose your dentist to do it for you or you whiten your teeth yourself. There are people who go to a professional or a dentist for whitening, but the cost per visit is staggering, and it sometimes takes three or more sessions to fully complete the whitening process.

Because everyone can't afford the dentist, there are home teeth whiteners available in the market. They come in all forms, shapes and containers. There are creams, liquids, strips and even trays. When deciding to whiten your teeth by yourself, you can choose among a wide variety of brands. There are commercial products and there are home made alternatives. But, you have to be careful about the teeth whitening products that you use. Some products may cause more harm than good.

A popular choice for whitening would be the EZBright Advanced Teeth Whitening System, which whitens your teeth in 15 minutes or less. It also has a good formula that maintains the strength of your teeth against sensitivity, and in the prevention of cavities and it doesn't irritate the gums like other products.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Fun Facts About Your Teeth

Knowing about your teeth helps you in being able to maintain and take care of your beautiful set properly.



A smile can light up a dour day and conveys a positive vibe to the people who see it! People are doing great lengths to find a good teeth whitening product. Taking care of your teeth is no easy feat, especially because hereditary factors and things that your are ingesting have a big influence over its overall health.

4 Parts of a Tooth

1. The Enamel - This functions as a protector of the whole tooth. When you're chewing food, drinking acidic beverages, or eating something with a high amount of tartar, the enamel prevents those things from destroying the tooth entirely. It is the white covering of the tooth, and it's the one that gets stained over the years.

2. The Dentin - A strong yellow material that has the nerves inside. It supports the enamel as well, and serves as a protector to the innermost part of the teeth. Even if the enamel gets a lot of wear and tear, the Dentin serves as another barrier.

3. The Pulp - It is where you can find all the nerves include the blood vessels and the lymph vessels, transmitting signals to the brain. This is the part that needs protection the most because it is super sensitive. Whenever you have a cavity problem, you should immediately go to the dentist before the cavity reaches the dentin and into the pulp. Once it gets to it, the toothache will be too excruciating to handle.

4. Finally, the Cementrum which covers the root of the tooth and is the reason why our teeth is locked into the bones on our jaw.

Maintaining Those Pearly Whites

The reason behind the ugly yellow tint that our teeth have is because of a thin layer developing on the teeth that even regular brushing can't take away completely. If left alone, the film eats away the enamel, and that's how the yellowish tint of the Dentin underneath the enamel is starting to show. For other discolorations, it may also be some problems inside the tooth, adding to the fact that our teeth darken as we age.

Recommendations

If you are very concerned about the stains and would like to get rid of it, there are a lot of products on the market that will really whiten your teeth. Be careful and always look at the ingredients there before you purchase. Make smart decisions when buying health and beauty products all the time!

Monday, July 6, 2009

Tips to Ease Away Your Joint Problems

Stop getting weighed down by arthritis, rheumatism and other joint problems with these tips to keep your bones and joints healthy and pain-free



Everyday we utilize our bodies to do things, and it wears down sometimes. From our muscles to our joint tissues, we suffer wear and tear. Here are top ways you can prevent and lessen the pain you experience for your joint problems.

1. Simple exercises can go a long way - short exercises can help your joints and bones get more used to an active you! One of the best exercise routine would be some light yoga steps that you can incorporate into your morning routine. Yoga also helps you regulate breathing, keep you fit, and the movements make the blood circulate better and your joints more flexible.

If you're not too sure about Yoga, why not opt for activities that you already love? Walking around leisurely or taking a bike ride around the block can help. These are light activities that aren't too daunting for anyone. If you want a more active approach, swimming can also work as long as you're not overexerting in this activity.

2. Eat Nutrient rich food - You might think that this is a general advice to give, but remember that problems in the bones and joints are caused from deterioration due to mineral and vitamin deficiencies. What we eat and DON'T eat affects us in a lot of ways.

It's important that we get vitamin C as much as we can. Citrus fruits provide a huge quantity of vitamin c, like in oranges, mangoes, berries and other fruits. It also helps to incorporate carrot and cabbage soup in your diet. This might or might not work, but this is usually what grandmothers prepare to help them control the joint pain problems they have.

3. Get the right joint pain relief - Picking the right kind of supplements and pain relieving creams can be daunting. There are a lot of products that are just out for your money. One thing to remember is to get a product that is all-natural with no side effects and is 100% safe for you.

If you'd like a joint pain relief in the form of oral supplement, it can really help you ease the pain as it is designed to target the root of the problem. Flexin joint pain remedy is one of the few highly-regarded supplements for bone joint problems. There are also pain relief creams in the market and it's important to read the labels, check for any allergies it might cause, and also the effectivity of that product.

Always remember to take care of your bones and joints so you can live life to the fullest!

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Hair Care From Roots To Tips

All of us want the healthiest and most beautiful head of hair possible. Here are tips to take care of your crowning glory and keep it frizz-free and shiny!



Hair comes in all cut, color, texture and volume. Some have fine or thick hair, greasy or dry hair, super straight or extremely curly and even hair that's in between. Most of the time it's not easy picking a hair care product that gives the necessary treatment you need. Here is a short guide to hair care for problem hairs:

Is your hair too thick for your liking? The trick to remedy this kind of problem hair is cleansing. The thickness may account for product build-up that are stuck on the hair strand. Some products promise a great solution for your problems, but they may have heavy ingredients that stick to your hair. Another reason for thick hair is you may not be rinsing the product well. The answer to your thick hair woes is a good cleansing shampoo that washes away all the residue and chemicals in your hair. One good product to watch out for is Neutrogena RainBath series.

Fine hair can be both a blessing and a curse. People with fine hair have the softest hair but the most breakable and prone to thinning. If you need volume for your hair, look for a good hair care product that has a high keratin content. Products like that come very expensively, and it's hard to look for it in drugstores. An alternative to that would be products that advertise having polymers and wheat proteins in their ingredients. They help get the thickness you want by coating the hair strands with nutrients to make it fuller.

Do you have extremely dull and coarse hair? Well, you're not alone. Millions of people in the US alone are suffering from dull, coarse hair for all kinds of reason. The root of the problem is not having enough moisturizer for your hair. Nowadays, there are a lot of moisturizing hair products that will suit your kind of hair. From light moisturizing to the heavy-duty kind, you can choose from different popular hair care brands. There are shampoos, conditioners and even leave-on that will nourish your hair! especially Ionic Rescue Haircare

Take care not to pick products that are tested on animals. It only means that there are harsh chemicals that needs testing if they are poisonous on living things. Give your hair the best treatment with only the best products for hair care.

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Brighten and Lighten Your Face

More than the controversies and the issues surrounding lightening the skin, we just sometimes really want a brighter complexion to give off a fresh look to feel good and look beautiful inside and out!



Ever get sick of looking at dark spots, big freckles, liver spots and rash-like redness all over your skin? More and more people are turning to various skin care products to help them with their skin irregularities. Let's take a look at several beauty products and ingredients that can lighten our skin and erase imperfection.

Several lightening products in the market contain a low to medium concentration of Hydroquinone that has qualities to inhibit the producton of the blemish-resulting enzyme, tyrosinase. From astringents to topical face creams, hyrdroquinone is everywhere. It is especially recommended for those that have a broader patch of dark skin they want to treat. With a guide from your dermatologist and regular use of sunscreen, there will be noticeable difference in the hue of the dark spots. The downside of Hydroquinone is it is a most harsh chemicals for anybody to put on their skin. The FDA is even proposing to ban this product entirely from the US Markets.

Recommended lightening products that are the best in the market is Meladerm Skin Lightening Cream that contain only natural extracts in their lightening ingredients such as Mulberry and Bearberry both clinically shown to inhibit tyrosinase production. It also has a greater concentration of Licorice extract, which is an effective skin lightener ingredient, good for those with patchy red skin with its anti-inflammatory properties.

Always ensure that you use quality skin lightening products that are made from natural ingredients. As much as possible, stay away from those extremely harsh chemicals that are often dangerous for the skin.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

What are Dark Spots?

Knowledge is power! Get to know more about the dark blemishes in your skin and learn how best to fight back with the proper products!



All of us have unsightly blemishes on our skin, even those models we see on magazines and actors on TV. Not only does a huge amount of concealing and skin products is applied to them to look flawless during their close-ups, but lighting and other editing maneuvers are employed to get amazing results.

For us ordinary citizens, we also have the same problems, but without the benefit of thousands of dollars of products and photo editing. We scour the market for the best skin care creams and lotions with various concentrations of lightening and blemish-fighting ingredients. What's the best product against dull skin and dark spots?

1. Check out products with natural lightening properties like licorice, bearberry, mulberry, and other botanical extracts that can combat blemish. Follow the 3 steps to washing the face: Cleanse, Tone & Moisturize!

2. Cleanse with a mild facial soap that has micro-beads for exfoliation, to get rid of the top most skin filled with dirt. Beauty skin products that have natural lactic acids can help alot!

3. Use a toner that has a gentle cleansing agent, and one that also helps minimize pores. If you're prone to pimples, use a pimple-fighting toner so you prevent the dark spots caused by pimple scars.

4. Use moisturizers and face creams with sun protection formula. The higher the SPF, the better. The minimum number should be SPF 15 and the recommended is SPF 30.

5. For darker spots, use a spot corrector like L'Oreal Ultimate Spot Corrector. It provides faster results for lesser time. It's quite expensive, so you can check out as alternative either Olay Regenerist spot corrector, or Garnier spot lightening products.