Shampoo and You

Believe it or not, there is a right and wrong way to wash your hair. How you shampoo and condition your hair will make all the difference in its health, shine, and overall condition.

The first thing you should do is to comb the tangles out of the hair before you wet it so your hair will wash easily and the tangles will not worsen. Then, wet your hair thoroughly under the shower. (When washing your hair, it is best to do so in the shower, as you won't be able to rinse properly in the sink.) Rinse your hair under the shower to get rid of the leave-on conditioner and styling products you have used previously, using gentle strokes of your fingertips.

Then, pour a dollop of shampoo in the palm of your hand. Rub your hands together, and then apply the shampoo to your scalp and massage it in a circular motion. You should put the shampoo on your scalp and not at the ends of your hair, as the shampoo will dry your hair's ends and cause it to weaken and split. Rinse the shampoo off. (One of the best shampoo types to use is a shampoo with a balanced P.H. value, these shampoos will return your hair to its natural P.H. level and make manageability very easy.)

Sometimes, we need to shampoo our hair for a second time. The purpose of the first shampoo is to clean the oil and dirt off; the second shampoo is supposed to let the shampoo treat our hair. So, repeat the process, but let the shampoo sit on your hair for around a couple of minutes. Rinse the hair completely after this.

To get the excess water off your hair, just squeeze the water out. Be gentle! To protect your hair, smooth your hands from the top of your head down to remove excess water. Do not pull or tug at the hair because the hair is at its most delicate when it is soaked. When the excess water is out, apply a dollop of conditioner and apply it along the hairline, the nape and the ends of the hair. Pile your hair on top of your head and let the conditioner stay there for around ten minutes. And then, rinse it off completely.

Many people believe that shampooing everyday will be too drying to their hair, especially if they have naturally curly or damaged hair. However, it is completely safe to wash your hair every day. If you have very dry hair, use shampoos that are designed to be gentle and conditioners that will help seal in extra moisture. Most styling brands clearly mark their shampoos and conditioners according to hair type (ex: volumizing, color-treated, dry & damaged). You wouldn't go a whole day without washing your face, and the same should go for your hair. Skipping a day can not only result in dull, limp locks, but also the dirt and grease from your hair can spread to your face while you sleep, causing unsightly blemishes.

Follow these tips and you will have clean, shiny,healthy hair!

Beauty On the Safe Side

Just as everything has a shelf life, so does make-up. With the New Year now is the perfect time to go through your make-up and see what has passed it's expiration date or what you are not using. Anything that has passed it's date needs to be tossed. And anything that you aren't using, go ahead and toss.
Foundation - You'll need to check the ingredients on this. Anything water-based will last about 12 months. Oil-based can last up to 18 months. It can separate or dry up and it is hard to use at this point.
Eyeshadow - Powders: It's good to replace every 2 years. Creams: It's good to replace 9-12. Check for when they start to dry out.
Eye liner - This should be replaced every 2 years. It needs to be sharpened regularly.
Concealer - Up to 12 months.
Lipstick - It's good to replace this every year as bacteria can collect and live on the stick. A change in the way it tastes or smells means to toss it!
Lip liner - This should be replaced every 2 years. It needs to be sharpened regularly.
Mascara - Up to 3 months. This is the product that will need to be tossed as soon as it dries out or at the 3 months mark.
Nail Polish - Up to 12 months or when it starts to get thick.
Powder - Up to 2 years.
Blush - Replace every 2 years. Cream blush needs to be replaced 9-12 months. Check for it being dried out.

Follow these precautions to protect yourself and the quality of your cosmetics:
*Keep makeup containers tightly closed except when in use.
*Keep makeup out of sunlight; light can degrade preservatives.
*Don't use eye cosmetics if you have an eye infection, such as conjunctivitis, and throw away all products you were using when you first discovered the infection.
*Never add any liquid to bring the product back to its original consistency. Adding water or, even worse, saliva could introduce bacteria that could easily grow out of control.

*Never share.
*Throw makeup away if the color changes or an odor develops. Preservatives can degrade over time and may no longer be able to fight bacteria.

I'm going to go throw away my mascara right now--I know it's past the 3 month date. I'm also going to look at the rest of my make-up and toss what I'm not using or what's old. Are any of the big cosmetic companies having a promotion now?

The Magic of Aging

I found a really fun forum at thebeautybrains.com. It has lots of good information about all kinds of beauty questions. I was there doing a little research on chemicals that are found in cosmetics. When I was done with that, I scrolled a bit and found an interesting post. It listed a site that contained the photos of an actress as she ages from 10 to 60. http://missatlaplaya.blogspot.com/2008/11/magic-of-make-up-photography-and-good.html

It is interesting to see how beautiful she becomes as she ages. I like her at 50 the best. (30 is kind of a stretch with all of the make-up). I read someone's comment that said if this had been an American project, the actress would have looked her best at 20 and very frumpy at 50 and 60. I think it's probably a French project. After traveling to France last summer I really respect how beautiful French women look and their attitude toward aging. We have a lot to learn!

Honey, I gotta tell ya….

Cleopatra had it right. Fill a bath with milk and honey, and sit in it while the world goes by. Skin needs to be kept hydrated in order to remain soft, supple and elastic. Age, life's stresses, and everyday pollution really stretch our skin to the limit and affect its ability to stay moist. Skin becomes dry, cracked, and yes… those dreaded wrinkles appear.Honey attracts and holds on to moisture, making it a natural humectant.

Honey is also good for sensitive skin. But, the benefits of honey for beauty don't stop there. Studies show that honey has good antioxidant properties. Antioxidants not only play a part in protecting the skin from the harmful rays of the sun, but are also rather handy when it comes to skin rejuvenation. Its antimicrobial talents make it good for skin break-outs without drying the skin.

Honey makes an excellent mask that is convenient and easy to use. It is especially appropriate for dry and damaged skin. It can be used as frequently as desired.

Basic Honey Mask

½-1 teaspoon of honey per facial
Pat and massage honey onto the skin, spreading it evenly over your face. Leave on for 15-20 minutes, then rinse off with warm water.

Give it a try... Honey, you know you're worth it!

How to Properly Apply Perfume

Have you ever had to endure someone's heavy, heavy fragrance? My husband works with a gal who uses so much perfume that their hallway smells like her for an hour after she has walked through. Here is a video to learn how to apply perfume the right way. Jerry might have to find a subtle way to get her to watch it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d-XoKhGwNA

Winter Protection

Now that temperatures are bitter cold for most parts of the country, we have to switch our focus to protection; protect your skin, your nails, and your hair.
Protect your skin: Lacking the sun’s exposure and the light of day for the most part, your skin needs some extra attention in the colder months. A good multivitamin is a great way to get your vitamin D, essential for healthy skin. If you don’t have at least 20 minutes of sun exposure on your skin each day, you need to be taking a multivitamin that contains the highest amount of vitamin D you can find. Moisturizing is also key. Keep lotion or a body butter on you at all times. Keep some at work. Keep some in the car. Keep some on your night stand. Moisturize as often as you can to avoid overtly dry, flaking skin. Drinking lots of water will keep your skin looking healthy as well. H2O puffs the skin back out and makes wrinkles less noticeable.
Protect your nails: Winter nails can look dirty and unkempt unless you are putting some time into them. The easiest and prettiest way to protect nails is to put polish on them. Polish protects the nails from the elements and keeps them from turning brittle. Even if you aren’t a fan of nail polish, you should at least throw a clear coat on your nails to protect them. A great cuticle oil applied regularly will keep hang nails at bay. Keep in mind that nothing ruins a look faster than brittle nails that lack attention.

Protect your hair: Hair, too, can really ruin your day if you’re not taking proper measures to take care of it. Don’t wash your hair everyday. Exposure to too many elements, such as chemicals in your shampoo or even exposure to hard water combined with the cold air can leave your hair frizzy, brittle, and unattractive. If possible, get your ends trimmed every other month. Also go for the extra conditioning with a deep conditioner or a hot oil treatment.
Take the time to protect your skin, nails, and hair. Stay pretty and make the effort to protect your nails, skin and hair. They'll thank you for it!

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How To Look Your Holiday Best
Here are some easy tips on how to look your best at all the holiday festivities you'll attend.

*The simplest way to update last year's little black dress? A touch of gold nail polish. Essie Shifting Power (Essie.com), a metallic shade, is perfect. Gold polish gives all skin tones a healthy, vibrant glow.

*True red lips are the fastest way to dress up your look. They're univerally flattering because of the balance of warm and cool tones. L'Oreal (Lorealparis.com) has Colour Riche Lipcolour in True Red.

*For maximum-lasting lipstick,first line your lips with a liner and then fill in the center of the lips. The liner will provide a base helping to lock lipstick in place. Finish off with a little gloss.

*If you want to have a healthier winter look, add a bit of self-tanner to your daily moisturizer in the morning. A warmer tone will appear within the next four hours.

*Add a little shine to your holiday look. Dust a shimmer powder on your cheekbones and eyelids.

*Wear a little more eye make-up. A wash of shimmery shadow will cause light to bounce off your skin, obscuring fine lines. Open up your eyes by curling your lashes with an eyelash curler and add two coats of mascara.

Try these to look your gorgeous best. And of course, the simplest beauty tip--use your beautiful smile!!