8 Super-Healthy Summer Foods You Should Be Eating

Many of summer’s fruits and vegetables are brimming with secret health benefits. Here are some of my favorites and why they’re a particularly good choice in the summer.

• Corn: Nothing says summer like fresh sweet corn. And did you know that two antioxidants—lutein and zeaxanthin—in corn may act like natural sunglasses, helping to form macular pigment that filters out some of the sun’s damaging rays? It’s true. The same antioxidants may also help lower your risk of developing age-related macular degeneration—the leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 60 (though much of the damage occurs decades earlier).
• Iced Coffee: An iced pick-me-up is a great way to start your summer mornings. Better yet: drinking a single cup of coffee daily may lower your risk of developing skin cancer. In one study of more than 93,000 women, published in the European Journal of Cancer Prevention, those who drank one cup of caffeinated coffee a day reduced their risk of developing nonmelanoma skin cancer by about 10 percent. And the more they drank—up to about 6 cups or so per day—the lower their risk. Decaf didn’t seem to offer the same protection.
• Tart Cherries: They deliver a host of health benefits. You may have heard that drinking tart cherry juice can help you get a better night’s sleep and quell post-workout pain (read more about that here). But did you know that compounds in tart cherries may also help you slim down and get leaner? When scientists at the University of Michigan Health System put rats on a high-fat diet supplemented with either a tart-cherry powder (equal to 1% of the weight of their total diet) or the same number of calories from carbohydrate, those that got the cherry powder gained less weight and body fat. Why? The anthocyanins in tart cherries activate a molecule that helps rev up fat burning and decrease fat storage.
• Tomatoes: There’s no question that sunscreen should be your first line of defense against the blazing summer sun. But eating tomatoes could give you a little extra protection: consuming more lycopene—the carotenoid that makes tomatoes red—may protect your skin from sunburn. In one study, participants who were exposed to UV light had almost 50 percent less skin reddening after they ate 2 1/2 tablespoons of tomato paste (or drank about 1 2/3 cups of carrot juice daily), in addition to their regular diet, for 10 to 12 weeks. Supplements, however, weren’t as effective: in the same study, those who received a lycopene supplement or synthetic lycopene weren’t significantly protected against sunburn.
• Watermelon: Staying hydrated keeps your memory sharp and your mood stable. It also helps keep your body cool (by sweating) during hot summer months. The good news is that you don’t just have to drink water. You can eat it, too: in addition to delivering skin-protecting lycopene, watermelon is 92 percent water (hence the name). Another boon? Research shows that eating foods that are full of water helps keep you satisfied on fewer calories. (Interestingly enough, drinking water alongside foods doesn’t have the same effect.)
• Raspberries: Raspberries are a great source of fiber—some of it soluble in the form of pectin, which helps lower cholesterol. One cup of raspberries has 8 grams of fiber—and a study in the Journal of Nutrition suggests that eating more fiber may help prevent weight gain or even promote weight loss. Over the course of a two-year study, researchers found that when study participants boosted their fiber by 8 grams for every 1,000 calories, they lost about 4 1/2 pounds. Try it for yourself. If you’re consuming 2,000 calories per day, aim to increase your fiber by 16 grams.
• Iced Tea: Sure, a tall glass of iced tea on a hot day is refreshing, but did you know it might also do your body good? Studies show if you drink tea regularly, you may lower your risk of Alzheimer’s and diabetes, plus have healthier teeth and gums and stronger bones. How? Tea is rich in a class of antioxidants called flavonoids. Regardless of the variety—black, green, oolong, white or herbal—maximize the power of tea’s flavonoids by drinking it freshly brewed. If you want to keep a batch of cold tea in your refrigerator, “add a little lemon juice,” recommends Jeffrey Blumberg, Ph.D., director of the Antioxidants Research Laboratory at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston. The citric acid and vitamin C in that squeeze of lemon—or lime, or orange—help preserve the flavonoids.
• Blueberries: Fresh blueberries straight from the berry patch are a special treat! Turns out the antioxidants in them may help ward off muscle fatigue by mopping up the additional free radicals that muscles produce during exercise, according to recent research out of New Zealand.

via: eatingwell.com

 

Teeth Whitening Tips

Does a megawatt smile have to cost megabucks? After all, some dentists have questioned the safety and effectiveness of home-whitening kids. We went to the experts to learn the truth about whitening your teeth.

The first thing to know, most teeth-whitening products can’t reduce every type of stain. “They’ll help if you have surface stains caused by things like coffee, smoking, and wine,” explains Lyndon Cooper, D.D.S., Ph.D., former president of the American College of Prosthodontists. “They can also help some intrinsic stains, caused by things like too much fluoride.” But if you have stains caused by trauma or a genetic problem, these products won’t help.

If you’ve always had yellow teeth, you should see a prosthodonist—it could be one of the more severe types of stains. If your teeth gradually discolored over the years, however, the problem probably exists on the surface, meaning you can whiten them without the aid of a professional. Here’s how.

• Whitening toothpaste: “These have bleaching chemicals and a mild abrasive that helps clean the tooth,” says Dr. Cooper. “And you don’t need to worry about the abrasive scratching your enamel.” If your teeth can handle the brushing, they can usually handle the paste. Just don’t use them more than three times a day, and consider combining the toothpaste with one of the other methods below.
• White strips: “The bleach enters the pores of your teeth,” Cooper says, “and lightens the inside of the enamel, making them up to two shades lighter.” A common concern is that bleach dehydrates the tooth, causing white spots, but it’s not a major problem. “The tooth recovers very shortly after bleaching,” Cooper says. “Avoid wine, coffee, and chocolate for up to 40 minutes after whitening,” he says. “These bleaching products open up the pores in your teeth, exposing them to anything you put in your mouth afterward.” Another thing to keep in mind: Sensitivity. If the strips cause any pain, stop using them and see a dentist or prosthodontist.
• Dentist-supervised bleaching trays: Haven’t heard of ‘em? A dentist customizes trays to your teeth and gives you a whitening agent to use at home. How long you keep it in your mouth and how often you use it depends on the prescription. Unlike the white strips, this whitens all of your teeth—not just the ones in the front. Not just that, it allows for a higher concentration of bleach, which is why this method is the most effective. The drawbacks: “Just be extra careful if you have sensitive teeth,” says Dr. Cooper. “This should be supervised by your prosthodonitst or dentist, because of the high levels of bleach.” It will also set you back at least $300. Dr. Cooper has one last piece of advice: Begin your teeth-whitening regimen—even whitening strips—a few weeks before your annual dentist visit. “This way your dentist can address any sensitivity issues,” he says. “And if the product doesn’t work, he or she can determine if the discoloration is more serious.”

7 Makeup Tips from Professional Makeup Aritst

So you want to look like you just stepped off the runway or fresh out the set of a movie? Here are 7 makeup tips from a few makeup artist.

• Get this vintage-y, super-rich lip color to last all day by applying lipstick with a lip brush and topping with a coat of translucent powder, three times in a row. It won't budge. You can top with gloss if you'd like. - Amy Nadine, head makeup artist for Mark
• For a full brow look, even if you've over plucked, grab brow powder in a shade that matches your brows and a brow brush. Start by brushing brows up, then fill in with powder under the arch for a more pronounced look. - Sharon Gault, makeup artist
• If you don't know what you're going to wear, keep makeup simple, clean and not too done. Try applying a touch of an earthy color (such as sage green) on the lids and keeping the rest of the face neutral. - Lisa O'Connor, makeup artist
• To make skin glow as if you've been drinking 10 glasses of water a day, highlight cheekbones with a frosted off-white shadow. - Gregory Arlt, makeup artist for MAC
• To tone down a too bright cheek stain, apply a touch of foundation over the stain to give cheeks a more subtle flush finish, like you just pinched your cheeks. - Lori Taylor, Smashbox Regional Training Executive
• Under sweltering conditions, don't continuously powder your face as you do your makeup or the result will look cakey. Wait until just before you're ready to go out, then blot excess moisture and set with powder. - Lisa O'Connor, makeup artist
• If you want a matte lip look without buying a new shade, simply dust a bit of powder over your lipstick to tone down the shine. - Sharon Gault, makeup artist for Smashbox

5 Hair Tips from Professional Stylist

Here are 5 quick tips to have your looking like you just came from the salon:

• The trick to getting that thin piece of hair to stay wrapped around a ponytail elastic is to slide a bobby pin through the end of the small piece and then roll the bobby pin upward toward the elastic (like you would roll hair up in a curler). Slide the pin in under the hair elastic to secure the piece. - Craig Carter, hair stylist
• Want this '40s-inspired loose curl? Curl two-inch sections with a 1-inch curling iron and pin at the scalp. Spray with flexible-hold hairspray and wait 30 minutes. Then remove the pins and comb out - but be gentle or you'll create static and pouf. - Gianni Rostti, stylist for Warren Tricomi
• Even flat hair can have extreme volume with a few simple steps. Start by misting a styling spray that volumizes (like Paul Mitchell Extra Body Finishing Spray, $14.95, at salons) throughout hair. Then use a small (1-inch) curling iron to create curls all over your head. Let the curls cool completely, then brush hair out and back comb or tease for even more volume. Finish with hairspray. - Sean James, hair stylist
• For a sleek but non-greasy looking ponytail, smooth frizzies by gliding a matte sculpting wax, like ghd Sculpting Wax Matte Finish, $26 over the top layer of hair before securing it into a ponytail. - Craig Carter, hair stylist
• You can achieve soft, touchable curls in one of three ways: pin curls, hot rollers or braids. (For pin curls, roll hair up and secure each curl with clips or bobby pins, then blow-dry.) Let hair set for as long as possible, then take down and secure curls with a light hairspray. - Hasblady Guzman, hair stylist for Aveda

How to minimize pores

While it's impossible to shrink the actual size of your pores, there are ways to minimize their appearance. Start by reducing the amount of oil on your skin, which can clog up your pores and make them look bigger. Wash your face twice a day with an exfoliating cleanser that contains ingredients like salicylic acid to slough away the gunk in your pores. Follow that up with an oil-free, noncomedogenic moisturizer (use one with at least an SPF 15 during the day since sun damage can stretch out your pores). Once a week, use an at-home microdermabrasion or chemical peel kit to remove dead skin cells so your skin looks smoother and your pores are less noticeable.

Applying Sunscreen

We all know that UV rays cause signs of premature aging such as dark spots, large pores and wrinkles. But slapping on some sunscreen in the morning doesn't mean you can be worry-free for the rest of the day. There are four key SPF application rules all dermatologists recommend to keep your skin safe:

 

• An ounce of prevention—literally. You need to use a full ounce of sunscreen (think of a shot glass full) to adequately cover your entire body. For your face, a quarter-size dollop should do the trick. Also, use a sunscreen that has broad-spectrum SPF 15 or higher. Need to stock up on sunscreen? Check out these great SPF picks.
• Reapply every two hours. UVA rays actually breakdown sunscreen, which is why you need to slather up every couple of hours, especially if you're at the beach.
• Don't overlook the nooks and crannies. The most common places for skin cancer to pop up? Between your toes, on your scalp, and in your ears, so be sure to slather on the sunscreen from your head to your feet and everything in between.
• Apply it before you go outside. It takes about 15 minutes for most sunscreens to be effective, so slather it on before you even step into the sun.

 

How To Remove Blackheads Step By Step

Blackheads are hard to get rid of but not removing them early makes it very difficult and painful later on. They’ll also leave big holes in your skin when you finally get them out. Follow these steps to extract blackheads.

Step 1 – Exfoliating Scrub

1. Exfoliate your face thoroughly with a facial scrub for five minutes.
2. Focus on the areas with the most blackheads like your nose, lip area, forehead and cheeks.
3. Rinse with warm water.

Step 2 – Facial Steam

1. Add two tablespoons of baking soda to a pot of water and bring it to a boil.
2. Drape a towel over your head and steam your face for five minutes.
3. This opens your pores and softens your skin making extraction easier.

Step 3 - Extraction

1. Use clean fingers or facial sponges to gently squeeze your skin on either side of the blackhead until it pops out.
2. For deep stubborn blackheads use a blackhead extractor. Gently press down over the blackhead until it comes out.
3. Wipe a clean cotton ball soaked with astringent over the area to sterilize.

via: black-women-beauty-central.com

8 Beauty Tips for the Summer!

1. Protect Your Skin: Protect your skin from UV rays by using a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. 
2. Chic Travel Pouches: Favorite luxe resort line Calypso St. Barth makes an appearance at Target this month with a collection of limited-edition tie-dye- patterned cases ideal for toting your beauty essentials to the pool or beach.
3. Wrinkle-Hiding Tanner: Finally, a two-in-one product that gives a natural glow and fills fine lines. Clarins Instant Smooth Self Tanning slides on over moisturizer, and there’s no need to use foundation.
4. Pumped-Up Polish: A sunny coral-pink or red polish adds the perfect dose of color to a neutral-hued swimsuit or sundress. 
5. Sheer Lip Color: Bright pouts are turning sheer for summer. Six new translucent gloss-meets-balm lip shades from Yves Saint Laurent provide just the right amount of color and moisture.
6. Leg Bronzer: Minis and shorts call for tan gams. To banish pasty skin in a pinch, try rubbing on Guerlain Terracotta Jambes de Gazelle Bronzing Mist, a fast-drying, nonsticky tinted formula (not a self-tanner) that leaves behind a fruity floral aroma and washes off in the shower.
7. Skin Luminizers: Add radiance to your complexion by topping your regular bronzer with a highlighting pink or peach blush. Contour your cheekbones using a matte bronzer, then add some shimmer for a healthy glow. We like the long-lasting powder options from Lancôme and Estée Lauder.
8. Shiny Hair Booster: Bumble and Bumble Shine On spray contains light silicones to keep frizz at bay. Plus, the petite bottle packs easily in your beach bag for glossing touch-ups throughout the day. Mist it on dry hair to gain back luster and give your color a lift.

via: harpersbazaar.com

Perfect nail colours for Summer 2012

Painting nails is like killing two birds with one stone. On one hand, this is a great way to take care of yourself, a number one step of beauty regime. Since men are not familiar with paining nails (I mean, regular men, not EMOs), polished nails distinguish women from men and make it the easiest way to attract the opposite sex. It's also a great way of spending your free time at ease. Imagine painting your nails while being completely gassed - definitely not possible.
As we all know, not only clothes are affected with seasons. Nails get seasonal too. In Summer 2012, there are quite a few remarkable nail trends to follow. Colours always play the first fiddle so why don't you take advantage of winter weather and stay home to try new nail colours? Here they are!

1. Number one, burgundy. This colour nods to the trendy wine hue palette and it's a winter classic that never goes out of style. Rich, deep, and sophisticated, it shines with a polished perfection. Wear it with a deep burgundy lip for a classic evening look as seen in Salvatore Ferragamo. Guess who is sporting burgundy nails? Selena Gomez herself!
2. Number two, silver and gold. Of course not at one go. This season presents a new take on these classic hues. Silver is more reminiscent of a gunmetal gray whereas gold plays with green undertones. Keep the polish short and square to avoid looking too vampy (Fergie sports the trend impeccably). Search for inspiration in runway as the trend was seen in Chanel fashion show.
3. Number three, emerald green. You'll love this shimmering and electrifying colour just like Rihanna does. The rock star-worthy colour extends a huge nail polish trend of last seasons, jade green (aka mint) invented by Karl Lagerfeld himself. Ready to amplify any holiday ensemble? Paint your long round talons in emerald green for an instant effect!
4. Number four, nude. The contemporary fashion staple: there were pumps, bags and now we have nails. The perfect beige is the modern way to wear a nude nail. Choose the rounder tips to elongate the fingers just like Lady Gaga. Spice it up a bit with a half-moon manicure consisting of black and beige, as in Phillip Lim.

Always keep in mind that good nude nail polish can go from casual to dressy.

6 Apps That Will Make You Skinny!

1. Nike Training Club Free: With access to 85 custom-built workouts, these drills build on the fundamentals of strength, cardio, interval, and core training to help you tone your body like an A-lister.
2. Zombies, Run! $7.99: This brilliant app submerges you in a highly interactive audio adventure. Co-created by award-winning novelist Naomi Alderman, the guttural breaths and rattling groans of the walking dead get closer, surrounding you on every side -- all you can do is run!
3. Fooducate Free: We're smart enough not to believe all "healthy" and "low calorie" claims on packages, but who has time to stand in the canned foods aisle for 20 minutes trying to make sense of the nutrition labels? Enter Fooducate. Simply scan the product's barcode with your phone, and you'll instantly know the healthfulness of the food with Fooducate's letter grade.
4. RunKeeper Free: RunKeeper uses the GPS technology in your iPhone to track your fitness activity, giving you comparable results to those expensive GPS watches. The app tracks how far you went, how long it took you, your pace, and how many calories you burned. You can even enter your target pace, and the app will coach you (through your headphones) on whether you're ahead or behind. Genius.
5. The Snack App Free: With hundreds of snack options, you can satiate your craving responsibly by choosing a 50-, 100-, or 200-calorie snack in the category of your choosing: salty, sweet, cheesy, or even sinful. Each snack suggestion comes with a nutritional breakdown so that you're aware of how much you're consuming even in your moment of weakness. And the app will also show you exercise options to burn off those calories if you're feeling post-binge guilt.
6. Gorilla Workout, $1.99: Gorilla Workout has more than 40 routines that are targeted at specific muscle groups, including your abs, arms, or legs. With a mix of cardio and strength training, the app will help you shed excess fat where you need to most and build muscle elsewhere in a short amount of time.

15 Body Tips for Men

1. Just because back hair is hard to shave doesn’t mean you have a green light to let it go unchecked. Buy an extended shaver specifically for back hair to make the process easier.
2. Sunless tanning lotions aren’t only for female skin. Apply the lotion after you shower, and remember to wash your hands immediately after application.
3. An obvious tip is to shower every day. When showering, use soap and water on every nook and cranny. It’s amazing how many people out there think that a shower consists of standing under the water for five minutes.
4. Drink plenty of water because it will make your skin look healthier, and you younger.
5. Whether or not you choose to completely shave your pubic hair is a personal choice; however, you should at least trim your pubic hair.
6. While you’re in the barber shop, make sure they shave the back of your neck to prevent it from getting too hairy. Also, check the back of your neck in the mirror from time to time to ensure that it’s clean-shaven.
7. If you tend to sweat a lot, try trimming your armpit hair. The less hair there, the less bacteria, which will make you smell much better!
8. David Hasselhoff may have thought his chest hair was hot, but it’s definitely not. If you have what looks like a small animal on your chest, you should shave it off immediately.
9. Those who have trouble keeping their body hair under control might want to consider hair removal treatments. Laser, electrolysis and waxing are three common methods for taking care of the problem.
10. By exercising and eating healthy meals, you’ll gain more energy, and become a happier person all-around.
11. One essential shower product you should always have is body wash. Body wash tones, moisturizes and softens your skin, which are three things that soap doesn’t always do.
12. Never leave the house without first applying deodorant! Keep a stick in your car or locker at work if you tend to forget.
13. If you don’t feel like sunless tanning lotion is doing the job for you, perhaps you should visit the salon and jump in a tanning bed.
14. Don’t become a tanning addict. Tanning beds are great for getting a quick, streak less tan, but over-tanning can lead to wrinkly, leathery skin when you get older.
15. Just like your face, your body needs to be exfoliated once a week so that you don’t get body acne. Find an exfoliating body wash at any drug store, and make sure you actually use it!

via: beauty-tips.net

5 Tips for Flawless Skin

We all know that one baby-faced person with perfect skin. No blemishes, no dry spots - just a smooth, clear, radiant complexion. How do they achieve and maintain such a perfect complexion year-round? Here are some secrets.

1.Science and Medicine. The main thing women use to achieve the baby-face complexion are pills. There are several different kinds of pills that can control acne; birth control, hormones, antibiotics or pills specifically made for controlling acne. If you want to go this route, talk with your doctor and find out which would best be suited for you. If you are nature-oriented and do not want to mess around with pills, keep on reading. There are more beauty care secrets!

2.Use Cool Water. Many of us have long been taught that drying out your skin is the best way to control acne. We have news! It's not. Drying out your skin will cause it to produce more oil to gain back its 'protective layer'. Washing your face with a mild gel, such as Cetaphil or Spectrojel, and rinsing with cool-lukewarm water will keep your skin clean and clear without drying it out.

3.Keep Hydrated – Inside and Out. Aside from drinking plenty of water each day, fill your sink with lukewarm or cool water and add a few drops of oil. Coconut oil and Almond Oil are great choices. Hold your breath and soak your face for as long as you can. Come up for air and keep soaking for about 3-5 minutes. Your skin loves to soak up water, and you probably know that after having a long bath your skin feels the most soft and smooth. Finish your soak by immediately applying a light, unscented facial moisturizer and either let your skin air-dry or gently pat dry with a towel.

4.Blot Excess Oil. If your skin is constantly oily and shiny, blot with oil absorbing sheets. There are many different brands and they all have one main goal; to remove excess oil without the need for adding more pore-clogging powder to your face. Keeping as less stuff off your face as possible will keep it looking fresh and healthy.

5.Keep it Clean! The number one rule of maintaining healthy looking and flawless skin is to keep your hands off it. Your hands and fingertips are crawling with bacteria. You don't want this on your face and seeping into your pores. This is the number one way breakouts occur! Try to keep as much away from your face as possible and always remember to wash off your makeup at the end of each day.
Following these simple beauty care tips will give you smooth, clear and hydrated skin making it easy to apply makeup or feel confident without wearing any cover-up at all.

via: dailymakeover.com

Top 4 Hair Styles

Every year brings a new collection of trendy hair styles. There are 4 types of styles this year that will be popular: They include wavy hairstyles, hair styles with layers, hairstyles with bangs and the bob hair style.

Wavy – This hair style features soft, bouncy waves all over. Create this hairstyle by first applying a curl-enhancing cream or gel and a heat protectant to damp hair. Blow dry the hair using a diffuser attachment and just your fingers to shape and position the hair. Once the hair is completely dry, you can add all over waves using a medium barrel curling iron. Roll up small sections of hair in the curling iron and hold in a vertical position for about 20-30 seconds, or until the hair in the curling iron feels hot to the touch.

Layers– Layers are a great addition to any haircut. They help to add movement to a style, reduce bulkiness and can sometimes make styling easier. If you have extra frizzy or thick hair, you will want to go with very long layers as short layers do not work well with frizzy hair. A very popular trend today is to get a short to medium length haircut with very long layers added throughout. The short shag hairstyle, similar to Meg Ryan's in Harry met Sally, is making a comeback this year. It has that heavy layered- looks like you grabbed the scissors and started cutting your hair every which way-look that can be worn in a short or medium length.

Bangs – Hair bangs, like layers, are a great addition to any haircut. The most popular type is the side-swept bang. These bangs are longer, past the eyebrow, and are styled swept off to one side of the face for a very flattering look. There is also the full bang, short and choppy bang and the fringe bangs. Fringe bangs are just a hint of bang and are the best type of bang to start with if you have never had bangs before. Create the piecey bangs look quickly by applying a small amount of pomade to the ends of the hair.

Bobs – The bob is still a very popular style. Although bob trendsetters Victoria Beckham and Katie Holmes no longer wear bob hairstyles, this type of cut is still popular because of its flattering appearance and easy style-ability. There are many different versions of the bob, including the inverted bob, short, medium and long length bobs. Adding highlights or lowlights to the bob haircut can create a more dimensional look.

via: dailymakeover.com

21 Beauty Tips for Women

1. Sleeping on your back will prevent many wrinkles and breakouts on your face, and even wrinkles in your cleavage area.
2. Wearing clothes that are tight make you look heavier. Even a slim girl can bulge over too-tight jeans.
3. Put on a coat of clear nail polish before a colored polish to keep your nails from discoloring.
4. Being angry really does take away from your beauty now and will result in more wrinkles later.
5. Wearing less make-up makes you look younger.
6. Vitamins and minerals are needed for health and beauty, but more is not always better. Too much Vitamin A or Selenium can cause hair loss. There is nothing beautiful about losing your hair.
7. If you are unhappy with a hair conditioner, it will still make a great "shaving cream" for your legs in the shower.
8. When shaving, don't stretch the skin or you could cause ingrown hairs by shaving hair off slightly under the skin.
9. Drink plenty of water and get eight hours of sleep every day.
10. Tighten bra straps as they stretch out, or buy a new bra when they can't tighten any further, to keep the bosom looking young and perky.
11. Instead of shaving over and over, with the hairs coming in darker and thicker each time, try waxing. Waxing to remove hair will result in softer hairs each time and result in permanent hair loss after a few sessions. Aussie Nad's is an all-natural product which is easy to use.
12. Sleeping on two or three pillows at a time, or putting a wedge pillow under your regular pillow will help get rid of dark circles under your eyes.
13. Exercise while dieting is a must or your skin will be too large (and saggy) for your smaller body. It is much, much tougher to tighten skin after your body shrinks than as you go.
14. After washing your face, rinse in cold water (fair-skinned people should use cool instead of cold) to close the pores and tighten the facial muscles.
15. If you are out of quick-dry spray for nails, dip your fingers into a bowl of ice-cold water. (Don't to touch the sides of the bowl.) Your nails will dry very quickly.
16. Good posture can make you look much slimmer.
17. Wearing a low heel will give you better posture than wearing flat shoes.
18. Wearing very high heels too often will give you a masculine, muscular calf instead of a feminine, rounded calf.
19. Renew thick nail polish by adding a few drops of fingernail polish remover to the bottle.
20. Make a nail polish bottle not get stuck closed, put a thin coat of Vaseline inside the lid.
21. Clean hair brushes occasionally with dish soap and borax. In a dishpan of very warm water, add 1/2 cup of borax and a few drops of liquid dish soap. Swish the brushes to stir, rinse, and let air dry. Scrub any stubborn spots with a used toothbrush.

Homemade Treatments for Hair Growth

There are a variety of treatments that have been passed down from generation-to-generation, and are said to improve hair growth and minimize baldness in both men and women. Here is a list that we've compiled of the most popular home remedies for hair growth:

Cayenne pepper and olive oil can be combined to promote blood circulation to your hair follicles.

To create this, you'll need 2 tablespoons of cayenne pepper and 2 cups of olive oil.

1. Mix them together, and then store the mixture in a dark bottle so as to protect the solution from the sun.
2. Let the mixture meld together for two weeks before you begin applying it to your scalp and hair regularly.
3. Let the mixture sit on your hair for half an hour or more before you use shampoo and conditioner

Recommended usage is every other day.

Another pepper treatment involves the use of Castor oil and vodka!
To create this treatment, you'll need one large jalapeno pepper, 0.5 cup of vodka, and 2 tablespoons of Castor oil.

1. Begin by dicing the pepper up into small pieces, add the vodka, and let the mixture meld together for 10-15 days.
2. Once you've waited long enough, spoon the peppers out of the vodka, and then add the Castor oil and shake well.
3. Massage onto your scalp, and allow it to rest on your hair for an hour before washing with shampoo and conditioner.
4. You can also sleep with this treatment on your locks (use a night cap to avoid ruining your pillow)

via: beauty-tips.net

Top 5 Grooming Tips for Men

1. Get Rid the Gray Hair
The fastest way to take years off of your look is to get rid of gray hair. It's less noticeable and more natural to begin coloring your hair when you first begin to go gray. An easy-to-use product formulated specifically for men, such as Just For Men Hair color, can be used at home to cover gray hair with natural looking results.
If your beard and mustache turns gray first, the makers of Just For Men Hair color have a brush-in gel in a no-drip formula that's perfect for covering facial hair.

2. Go Short if You are Balding
Balding is another common problem among men. Opting for a comb-over just dates your look. Get comfortable with your changing look and opt for a modern short haircut.
When men begin to lose the hair on their heads, they may begin to notice unwanted hair in other places, like their nose, ears or back. Be sure to trim or wax unwanted hair for a clean, contemporary look.

3. Protect and Pamper Your Skin
The best way to prevent wrinkles and skin cancer is to protect your skin from sun damage by using a daily moisturizer with sunscreen.
A good daily skin care routine includes cleansing, followed by a gentle facial exfoliate scrub, which also enhances shaving ease and comfort. Follow with a moisturizer containing sunscreen for day and at night a moisturizer with AHAs to encourage skin regeneration.

4. Pay Attention to Hands and Feet
Don't forget to include your hands and feet in your grooming routine. Well-manicured nails and toes contribute to good hygiene and grooming habits. Make time to clip and file your nails at home.
Foot odor is a common problem among many men, and is relatively easy to treat. Scrub your feet daily and dry them completely. Insert a pair of Odor-Eaters Insoles into your shoes, which will absorb wetness and odor.

5. Extend the Life of Your Razor Blades
All you need is a bottle of mineral oil and some rubbing alcohol.
After shaving, thoroughly clean and dry your razor blades and then completely immerse the razor head in a shallow dish filled with mineral oil. Use the rubbing alcohol to wash away the oil next time you need to use the razor.
By immersing the blades in oil, you stop the oxidization process that dulls their sharp edges. A daily mineral oil soak can double or even triple the life of your cartridges.

via Beverly Smith

Quick Grooming Tips 4 Men!!!!

1. If you don't iron your clothes, remove them immediately from the dryer so wrinkles don't set.

2. In hot weather, wear light-colored, cotton clothing and socks. This will absorb less heat and "sweat stains" will be less visible.

3. Consider trimming your arm pit hairs in warm weather. Less hairs, less bacteria, less smell. Think about it.

4. Don't be reluctant to trim or tweeze any stray eyebrow hairs.

5. Good dental hygiene means a dazzling smile.

6. Open your eyes. If hair is the frame for your face, the eyes are the windows. Use eye drops to whiten the whites of your eyes for a fresher, younger look.

Lips Beauty Tip

Having a hard time trying to achieve sexy super pouty lips? Here are a few steps in order to achieve this look that pairs perfectly with a dark smokey eye or a simple clean fresh look!

What you will need: lip balm; lip primer /lip erase/ foundation/concealer; lip pencil; lipstick and lip gloss.

First of all you want a clean canvas much like how you use foundation to achieve an even and clean look on your face as a whole; you want to do the same with your lips. Since most people do their lips last, start with applying a clear lip balm on your lips before applying the rest of your makeup so that your lips will be nice and moist and soft and ready to go once you get to this last step in your routine. I like to use Blistex Deep Moisture Renewal Sunscreen/Lip Protectant. You can use whatever lip balm treatment you would like for this step. You can also use MAC's Lip Conditioner in a jar or tube.

Once you are ready to begin you will want to wipe the excess lip balm off your lips so that you can apply a lip primer/lip erase such as one from MAC Cosmetics or Urban Decay. You can skip this step if you want or you can even use your regular foundation/powder. The point of this step is to even out the color and texture of your lips, and create an even base so that your lip color has something to stick to. Again if you don't want to do this step you don't have to. Some people find this step unnecessary or too drying on the lip.

Using the right lip pencil is crucial at this stage. Even if you are only applying lip gloss defining your lip can save you from the lip gloss or lipstick from bleeding outside of the lines and in the case of lip gloss it can save you from looking like you are drooling. Not a good look on anyone! If you are going for a super clean look you will want to choose a pencil that is a nude or light pink and for a darker look you may want to venture into a purple or even a black pencil (you can use a black eyeliner pencil if you are going for a black or dark wine color).

Start by lining your top lip first. Use light feathering strokes to outline your lip. Begin with your cupids bow. You don't need to go outside your natural lip line for this look. Instead of over-emphasizing the cupids bow try to make the lines more of a straight line or slightly curved line rather than a strict 'V' shape. This is more flattering on most people. Also at the corners you might want to slightly draw the line inwards to draw more attention to your bottom lip.

Next outline your bottom lip. This is where you can over-emphasize your natural lip line, but be careful to only do this in the center of the lip. Don't forget to line the corners and then fill your lips in entirely.

*note this is very important to do if you have not used some sort of primer or base.

Once you have finished lining your lips you can move onto the lipstick. You can use the tube or a brush for this step. All depends on your comfort level. Using a lip brush is sometimes easier to use when you are manipulating your lip line (e.g. exaggerating your natural lip line or making the lip line look smaller; which we are doing both for this look); but if you are comfortable just using the lipstick itself that is fine as well. You will want to use a darker lipstick than lip gloss, or use a clear lip gloss if you are going for a nude lip, or even a slightly lighter nude or pink gloss. You will want to avoid glittery glosses. Also using a matte finished lipstick works best for this look. MAC has the Mattene lipsticks that work great for this and Rimmel has some excellent glosses including a black gloss that will work if you are using a matte black or purple lipstick.

Once you have the lipstick applied its time for the gloss. You don't want to put this all over the lips, just in the center of the lip on both the top and bottom. Just purse your lips together a few times and do the finger trick in order to keep lipstick off your teeth.

If you happen to have lip piercings everything is the same except for the lining of the lips as you may have to line around the actual piercing. Try to keep the center of the lip line thicker than the sides and make sure to wipe the jewelry off so that there isn't product all over the rings so the look doesn't turn into a gooey mess!

Last step is to use concealer with a small brush to clean up your lip line ever so lightly which also helps to keep your lips looking fresh and crisp. Do this lastly to define the line more. You can still skip this step if you wish but it really can make a huge difference. Voila you are done and your pouty lips will surely get noticed!

Relatively simple but can add a polished sexy dramatic look to any one's lips and overall style!

via: dailymakeover.com