A Handy Solution For Beautiful Hands

Before getting rid of dust and grime in your house, make sure your hands don't take a beating in the process. Give your hands the care and attention they deserve by following these tips:

• Lock in the Moisture: Applying moisturizer to damp skin immediately after a shower or bath allows skin to seal in the moisturizer. Choose a moisturizer that's effective and safe for sensitive skin, and free of potentially irritating fragrances or dyes.

• Guard Against Harsh Chemicals: Exposure to chemicals and detergents in household cleaning products can take a toll on hands and dry out and irritate sensitive skin. Look for gloves that are designed to keep hands looking their best. "Playtex Living Gloves have multiple layers of neoprene to provide superior protection, versus ordinary latex gloves, from the harsh chemicals found in common household cleaning products," says Joe Hourihan, a vice president of research and development at Playtex Products, Inc. Get into the habit of wearing gloves every time you clean.

• Fight Bacteria and Germs: Hourihan says Playtex Living Gloves have Ultra-Fresh® anti-microbial protection to inhibit the growth of odor-causing bacteria, mold and mildew. The gloves also provide excellent hot-water protection.

• Protect Your Manicure: Your hands are your ultimate accessory and you'll want them to look good in any season. Wearing gloves whenever you're cleaning will help your manicures last longer and keep your nails from becoming brittle.

• Take Your Hands to the Spa: Warm a cup of milk in the microwave for 30 seconds (or until warm but comfortable to the touch). Soak your hands for five minutes to strengthen nails and hydrate skin.

Take a page from the model's beauty handbook and wear gloves to keep your hands looking young and feeling silky.

"My hands aren't just important to me, they're my business. So I make it my business to take care of them," says Ellen Sirot, top NYC hand model, Ford Models. "Whenever I do anything that can damage my hands, such as housework, washing dishes or even gardening, I always wear my Playtex Living Gloves."

In addition to keeping your hands soft, Playtex Products Inc. is proud to make a donation to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. on behalf of Playtex Living Gloves (www.NationalBreast Cancer.org).

Following a few simple tips may be all it takes to keep your hands beautiful.

A Guide To Rudimentary Information For Everlasting Finger-Nails

This is why, since old times, there has been a long standing obsession with stunning looking nails initially among ladies. In the present day the market place is overflowing with different wares to facilitate you to look after your fingernails be it on the hands or toes. There is a wide variety of grooming tools and cosmetic products available just about everywhere for easy access to great nails. Let us have a look at some of the most basic tools to keep your pincers content!


Nail creams

Nail creams are one of the best invented products for hands and feet nails. The nail creams not only help you strengthen your nail by giving them a protein and mineral boost but also protect your nails from getting over dry, chipped or cracked. The nail creams are also known to avoid ail splits and cure them.
These days, nail creams come in a combination of hand and nail cream and foot and nail cream. These combinations also help to groom the hand and feet along with the nail and give them a soft and dewy feel and help get rid of calluses, dry skin etc. to give you a well groomed look.


Nail Manicure and Pedicure tools

The best way to take care of and groom your nails is to get a regular manicure and pedicure. Not only will it help your nails but also your hands and feet; not to mention giving you an opportunity to relax and pamper yourself. The tools for such treatments are varied but a few basic must haves, if you plan to give this treatment to yourself are Nail polish wipes and removers, Nail brush, Cuticle cream, Cuticle cutter, cuticle stick, cuticle pusher and finally nail cutter and file.
When looking for nail polish wipes, try and find lint free wipes as they will not leave any lint residue on your nails post the treatment, allowing you to apply smooth polish on your nails. Also, when choosing a cuticle stick or a cuticle pusher, it is wise to invest in a soft but firm rubber or soft wooden stick. Avoid using a metal cuticle stick as it is harder.


Nail Polish and Polish Remover

There is huge variety of nail varnishes to choose from today. The color pallet is astounding as are the types of varnishes available. You can choose from mild to high frosted shades to high gloss colors and from extreme glitters and metallic’s to gothic shades. Today you can even find double shaded nail paints which change color when they come in contact with the UV Rays of the sun. The choices are unlimited!
When choosing a nail polish remover, it is better to invest a few more dollars and go for a non-alcoholic remover as this will benefit your nails in the long run and prevent nail damage like dryness, breakage etc.

Nail files and buffers

Nail files and nail buffers are the most introductory nail grooming implements available today. These instrumentsare used to give shape to the nails and top them off with a smooth surface. The nail file can be used to give any shape to the nail. The most popular shapes are round and square. These shapes are great for everyday wear and give the nails a chic and elegant appearance. When filing nails to give them shape, it is important to remember to file only in one direction as not doing so will cause them to leave uneven edges and splits on the nail which can cause cracks in the long run.

If your nail surface is a bit uneven or lacks radiance you can select to use a buffer to buff the top of your nail to give it a spontaneous shine and evenness. However don't recourse to buffing more than a couple of times every three weeks or so as it strips the nail of its natural oils and also thins the nail, making it weaker and more vulnerable to damage. Always top a buffing session with an application of a nail strengthener.

A Fruitful Skin Renewal

Imagine browsing through skin care aisles and finding that one, perfect product that boasts of all-natural ingredients. Serendipity, right? Then you go and read the label expecting to find a virtual salad but instead finding yourself reading benzoic acid, butyl stearate, and some totally unpronounceable names. You're no botanist but you're sure that those stuff don't grow on trees. This is because most commercial items meant for skin care nowadays contain preservatives and other chemicals to maintain their consistency and shelf life. Problem is, most of these chemicals can actually irritate more sensitive skin.

What solution is there for this kind of crisis? Simple. Mix your own, homemade skin care line. There's nothing to it as most ingredients are found in your fridge or fruit basket. All-natural skin recipes are easily found in the Internet or even in magazines. Usually, these skin care mixes are composed of a combination of one or two fruits. Combinations like these can include either the fruit pulp, fruit juice, or both. Milk, water or honey are usually added to smoothen the mixture. Add-ons such as oatmeal, wheat germ, brown sugar, and dried herbs are also included for more specialized concoctions such as a pimple treatment, flaking, and oily skin.

Skin care using natural ingredients offers great variety. There are facial cleansers, scrubs, moisturizing creams, and face masks. Don't worry because indications for use are usually found with the recipes. The recipes indicate whether the mixture is for normal, dry, oily, sensitive, and acne-prone skin. Some are even more specialized as blackhead removers or whitening solutions.

Natural skin care routine have many advantages. First, the ingredients are easily available and the choices are great. They are also natural, thus, greatly reducing risks of allergies or skin irritations. Second, the ingredients are cheap, which translates into more savings more you. Third, you can modify the recipes to suit your needs. Since the risks for irritations are minimal, experimentations are relatively safe. Fourth, vitamins and antioxidants are naturally found in fruits, while milk and honey have restorative properties. Therefore, you get the same vitamins found in commercial products while limiting or eradicating chemicals.

As these skin care recipes use natural ingredients they require refrigeration and can only keep for a week. However, it is better to make these in small quantities or batches for immediate use. In addition, these recipes contain natural hydroxy acids and vitamins for direct and instant skin rejuvenation. Also, don't forget to keep fit by exercising, having a balanced, healthy diet and regular sleep. With these pre-requisites and your new skin care solutions, you're on your way to having the healthy skin that can top what science can offer. Now, that's what you call natural.

A few things about contact lenses

Nowadays, it is estimated that more than 100 million people around the world wear contact lenses. These items are very popular and technology improves them daily making them even more desirable.

Why do people wear contact lenses?

There are people who wear contact lenses, instead of glasses, for esthetical reasons. They like themselves better with contact lenses than with glasses. Another reason that determines people to wear contact lenses is the cosmetic one. There is a great variety of decorative contact lenses that can change the eye’s appearance. And there are those who appreciate their practical side. They cannot play certain sports with glasses; they use devices that are incompatible with glasses etc. There is that category of people who are forced to wear contact lenses for therapeutic reasons. In their case, the contact lens is not an option. The contact lens can be a bandage in the healing process of different diseases or injuries of the cornea and it is a luxury that heals. There is also a combination between the two reasons - colour lenses with correction power which actually please a lot of persons.

The first contact lenses ever made were developed out of glass. After that, new types appeared, as the ones made of Plexiglas and the rigid gas permeable ones, but, nowadays, the soft contact lens is the most appreciated. Modern materials include silicon hydrogel or other plastic polymers like etalficon A, galyficon A, senofilcon A (used in the fabrication of Acuvue contact lenses). Rigid gas permeable contact lenses are recommended to the persons with dry eyes as these lenses contain no water that could evaporate during the wearing.

If you decide to wear contact lenses, you first have to go to an ophthalmologist, no matter what your reason may be. The doctor will be the one to decide which type of contact lenses fit your eyes best. Different factors will be considered for the prescription of a certain contact lens: the material (the silicon hydrogel is one of the newest discoveries in the field), the wearing time (daily wear, extended wear or continuous wear), the shape (spherical, toric or multifocal) and many more. Depending of the material, the contact lens can be either rigid or soft. The rigid one can be gas-tight or gas-permeable, but the soft one is always gas-permeable. There can also be a further classification made on the moisture content, on the amount of water in the contact lens.

The wearing time

A daily contact lens is safer as the risk of infection is lower than at the long term contact lens. This type does not require cleaning, being single-use only. It is sterile. And it even keeps you away from spending money on cleaning or storage solutions. On the other hand, the extended wear type of contact lenses allows people to easily wear contacts for a longer period while allowing oxygenation (they usually have a high oxygen permeability rate). Some people prefer them as their convenience is obvious, but the risk of infection is higher than at the daily type of contact lenses due to the bacterial stagnation, dust accumulation and so on.

One of the most popular contact lenses brand in the world is Acuvue, produced by Johnson & Johnson’s subsidiary Vistakon Company. They provide both vision and esthetical contact lenses. They design disposable lenses, making types that are to be replaced every two weeks (Acuvue, Acuvue 2, Acuvue 2 Colors, Acuvue Advanced and Acuvue Oasys) or less (1-Day Acuvue). They’ve also started making extended wear lenses.

Where to buy them from

Contact lens quality is very important. Low-quality contact lenses can damage the eye, causing irritations or hurting the eyelid or the cornea. Attention must be paid to the way the lenses are worn, kept and cleaned because, even if they are high-quality, they present different risks. So, the contact lenses must be bought from specialised stores after consulting a doctor. Places where these items are available can be found anywhere as the contact lenses are very popular. Another tendency is to acquire them from an on-line store. This method can even be less expensive and still offer the same quality. You just need the prescription. But be careful and only choose reputable stores. Your health is at stake.

All About Beautiful Nails

Only if you take proper care of your nails will they look good. To keep your nails healthy and good all the time you will have to work hard on them. While at home, you can use a nail file, which is available in different sizes, shapes and designs.

To make your nails look beautiful, you can apply nail polish or use art nails. Art nails are basically fake nails that you can stick on your nail. Art nails are available in hundreds of designs and colors. You can choose from a floral design to a silvery tattoo design. You can even wear art nails that match with different dresses. As for nail polish, they are available in hundreds of colors and great shades. You can find every color from red to navy blue to even black. You can also find nail polish in glossy colors or with matte finish. One of the salient points of nail polish is that it can hide any flaw in your nail and at the same time provide a protective cover.

One of the most common types of nail polish is the base coat, which will prepare your nails for the actual solid color nail polish. The base coat will also protect your nails from getting discolored due to a color nail polish. The top coat of a nail polish also known as the clear coat is normally used on dry nail polish for protecting and hardening the color. It will protect the color from chipping off.

Tips for keeping your nails in great condition

How do you get really stunning nails? Well! There is no magic involved. Here are a few tips that will help you to keep your nails in good shape and they will look great too:

* You can apply some nail varnish remover just prior to coloring your nails. You can use the varnish even if you don't need to remove your old polish. The main function of the varnish is that it will make your nails look better by removing any kind of dirt or grease. This will also help the nail polish to last longer and not ship off.
* French manicure is considered as the best treatment for your nails. There are times when you might have problems in achieving the right and the most perfect type of French manicure. In such a scenario what you can really do is use a white nail pencil just underneath your nail tip instead of the white polish you have been using so far. This will make your French manicure much easier.
* Always ensure that the waiting time after application of a nail varnish is long so that each layer gets enough time to dry. This will also ensure that you get a lasting finish.
* To remove excess nail varnish, always use a cotton bud to remove it from the top of the bottle. This will basically prevent the nail varnish bottle from getting glued shut
* There is several beauty and cosmetic companies that sell nail polish with matching lip stick colors too. Using the same color on your nails as is the color of your lipstick will definitely enhance your overall appearance. Alternatively, you can even use nail colors that are in contrast with the lip stick colors.
* It is always better to apply numerous thin color coats as compared to a single coat of thick color. Numerous thin coats mean that the nail polish will last longer.
* Avoid removing and then reapplying nail polish more than twice a week. If you remove and apply nail polish thrice or 4 times a week then it will make your nails dry. You can get a remover that has a built-in moisturizer so that you can protect your nails from drying.
* You should give your hand and fingers a little massage from time to time so that the blood circulation is maintained. Good blood circulation means that there will be good nail growth.
* The simplest is the solid color manicure. It employs the use of mild solid nail colors and basic neutrals.

The most important thing is that you should eat healthy so that the color of your nails doesn’t become yellowish. As long as you maintain a healthy diet with lots of vegetables and fruits, your nails will look beautiful, healthy and will have a pink tinge to it. To make your style statement bolder, you can wear a different color on your finger nails as compared to your toe nails. At the end of the day, coloring your nails is just another way of pampering your self.

"Fad" Weight Loss Diet

Overview:

Obesity is a physical state that refers to excessive body fat. Chances are you have experienced the frustrations of dieting at least once in your life, if you have problems with your weight. Close to a hundred million Americans go on a weight loss diet in any given year and up to ninety-five percent of them regain the weight they lose within five years. Worse, a third will gain back more weight than they lost, in danger of "yo-yoing" from one popular diet to another. The conventional approach to weight problems, focusing on fad weight loss diets or weight loss drugs, may leave you with just as much weight and the additional burden of ill health.

Today, an estimated sixty-five percent of all American adults are obese or overweight. Our culture obsesses about staying thin even as we grow fatter, but this isn’t about appearances. Obesity is known to be a precursor to many debilitating health conditions such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, osteoarthritis, and gallbladder disease. Obesity contributes to as many as 375,000 deaths every year. In addition, the public health costs for obesity are staggering. According to researchers at Harvard University, obesity is a factor in 19% of all cases of heart disease with annual health costs estimated at 30 billion dollars; it’s also a factor in 57% of diabetes cases, with health costs of $9 billion per year.

Set Realistic Goals:

No doubt you have fallen for one or more of the weight loss diet schemes over the years, promising quick and painless weight loss. Many of these quick weight loss diet programs undermine your health, cause physical discomfort, flatulence, and ultimately lead to disappointment when you start regaining weight, shortly after losing it. Fad or quick weight loss diet programs generally overstress one type of food. They contravene the fundamental principle of good nutrition - to remain healthy one must consume a balanced diet, which includes a variety of foods. Safe, healthy, and permanent weight reduction is what’s truly lost among the thousands of popular diet schemes.

Some of the weight loss diet schemes reign supreme briefly, only to fade out. While some wane from popularity due to being unproductive or unsafe, some simply lose the public's curiosity. Examples of such fad diets include the South Beach Diet, Atkins diet, the Grapefruit diet, Cabbage Soup diet, the Rotation diet, Beverly Hills diet, Breatharian, Ornish Plan – the list goes on and on. These fad diets advocate a specific technique (such as eliminating a certain food, or eating only certain combinations of foods) in conjunction with the basic idea that the body makes up the difference in energy by breaking down and utilizing some part of itself, essentially converting matter into energy. This self-cannibalism, or catabolism as it is referred, typically starts with breakdown of stored body fat.

Why Home Exercise Equipment is Better Than a Gym Membership

Everyone buys gym memberships with the best of intentions. You plan to go several times a week. You plan to take advantage of classes or sessions with personal trainers. You have every intention of formulating a plan, and sticking to it. The problem is: the gym is too easy to avoid. And the reasons for avoiding it are just too good.

It's not just laziness. Commute times are getting longer and longer: the last thing you want to do before or after work is spend some more time driving to a gym and fighting for a parking space. That's assuming you even have the option: if you have kids to pick up or drop off, or chores to do at home, you may simply not have the time you feel you need to get a good workout at the gym.

This is where the benefits of home exercise equipment really show. You can snatch a few minutes here and there on the treadmill while dinner's cooking. You can watch your kids while you work out. You can watch your own DVD's in the comfort of air conditioning set to your preference while you use a stationary bike, elliptical or treadmill. You can listen to music you like, set up some aromatherapy that you find inspiring, or do some reading while you exercise. And when you're done, you can take a shower in the comfort of your own bathroom, with all your favorite shampoos, soaps and towels right there waiting for you.
Most importantly, how many times can you look at a piece of exercise equipment before you run out of excuses? If you're thinking, "You have no idea how many", you might be surprised. Every time you see it, you're reminded of the benefits it offers you, and you start thinking of ways to work it into your schedule almost without trying.