Home Recipe for your Shiny hair


Did you know that over 80% of women have dirt, cholesterol or bacteria built-up on the root of their hair due to sticky products used throughout their lifetime?
It's very difficult to get rid of this residue build-up on the hair.

And of course we all want our curly hair to shine.

Check out this home recipe that will leave your hair shiny and free of the ugly gloom of product build-up.

Natural Home Conditioner.

To maintain shiny locks and to remove any residue, follow this hair maintenance recipe.
Don't forget to try a patch test first to ensure you have no allergic reactions.

Wash hair with a clarifying shampoo.

After shampoo is rinsed and is squeezed to remove as much water as possible, soak your hair in a diluted mixture of water and apple cider vinegar (ACV).

Use 2 cups of water with 2 table spoons of apple cider vinegar.
Pour the mixture of ACV and water on the scalp from the roots then down to the tips of the hair or use a spray bottle.

Leave diluted mixture on the hair for about 5-10 minutes.

Cover your curly cues with a plastic cap and wrap head with a warm towel.
Rinse hair with warm water thoroughly to ensure all or any build-up has been removed from the hair.

This hair treatment can be done every two weeks or possibly once a month..

THE BIG NO NO!!!


Hair Stylist Dwayne Pressley says combination shampoos (i.e., two-in-one shampoo/conditioners) should be avoided at all costs.
No two-in-one can clean, soften, strengthen, and shine the hair in one application, says Pressley.

Shampoos and conditioners perform two separate tasks and there is no product out there that does both in one application...
Don't waste your money.

Well, he's the expert..

The best way to reduce Hair breakage


The best way to reduce breakage, maintain the hairs moisture and PH levels and promote hair growth is by doing and avoiding the following things:

Stop Shrinkage & Damage.

One of the best ways to avoid shrinkage and maintain the hairs moisture is to use a hair diffuser.
If you are wearing a curly style and want to avoid a lot of shrinkage a diffuser helps to gently dry the hair but still maintains the hairs length while it is wet.


Detangle the Hair
.

Always handle your hair with care.
Never pull or tug on the hair especially when it's wet.
If your hair is tangles take one hair at a time and slowly and gently pull the hair so it slides smoothly out of the tangle.

If you get too impatient and pull the hair it can easily tear causing unnecessary breakage.
Detangle gently from the ends upward using the fingers first followed by a wide-tooth comb.

An excellent detangler is Infusium 23 or Terax Crema Conditioner.

How to know the Right hair color for our Skin tone?


Almost all the time, it is our face that gets noticed first in each interaction with every blinking human being.

As a first stop on keeping myself look younger, I made sure that I took good care of my face, from hair down to neck.

Styling the hair will make huge difference on my look and consequently to my age.

Below are some points I have considered, and now to pass on to you on how I've made myself look younger through my crowning glory.

The Color.

Some women look stunning on gray hair, but I personally prefer playing with colors.

This is one of the steps I took:
Washing out my increasing gray hair and giving my crowning glory a lighter hair color.

Say, Jane Fonda, Diana Keaton, Bette Midler, Barbara Streisand, Hillary Clinton and Barbara Walters.
They look fabulous and most of all, younger in their light-colored hair, don't they?

But how will we know the right hair color and our skin tone?

That's the same question that popped in my head. Thank goodness for technology.

There are now available websites that allow women to upload their pictures and try out different hair colors.

http://clairol.com for one does this.

Simply upload your latest picture and you can test a variety of shades for you.
I did this and ended up with a glamorous hair that best complemented my complexion.

I also learned that it won't hurt to play with shades.
However, it is still very essential to consider one's skin tone.
The standard I believe is going with up or down two shades, and nothing more than that.

Once I used five shades and it made me looked washed out since it didn't match my skin tone..

The ultimate Acne hygiene tips


One of the most common misconceptions about acne is that it's caused by dirt.
It's not! Acne is caused by a combination of factors you can't control, like your hormone balance and the natural pace of your skin's renewal system.

Fortunately, there are a number of things you can control that may help you keep your acne in check.
Begin by following these simple suggestions for healthy skin hygiene.

Tip #1:

Don't over-wash.
Since dirt is not causing your acne, excessive scrubbing and washing won't make it go away.
Try to limit yourself to two washings per day, anything more than that can leave your healthy skin dry, and your acne-prone areas irritated.
Habitual over-washing may also stimulate extra oil production, which could result in more breakouts.

Tip #2:

Skip harsh scrubs.
It's okay to exfoliate, but be sure to use a gentle formula with small, smooth grains.
Avoid products with almond or apricot shell fragments, they can irritate or even tear your skin and further aggravate your acne.

Tip #3:

Say no to alcohol.
If you use a toner, avoid products with high concentrations of isopropyl alcohol, or common rubbing alcohol.
A strong astringent, alcohol strips the top layer of your skin, causing your sebaceous glands to produce more oil.
The result?
Dry, red skin, and possibly more blemishes.

Tip #4:

Don't squeeze or pick.
Squeezing or picking your blemishes with fingernails, pins or anything else can force bacteria deeper into the skin, causing greater inflammation and infection.
You'll also increase the damage to the surrounding skin, so the blemish is more likely to leave a permanent acne scar.

Tip #5:

Hands off!
Propionibacterium acnes (the bacteria that causes breakouts) is a normal resident of your skin. It doesn't lead to acne until it gets trapped inside the hair follicle.
Excessive touching of your face, including rubbing or even resting your chin in your hands, can drive bacteria into your pores, where it can begin its dirtywork.

Tip #6:

Work out, wash off.
When you exercise, your movement generates heat.
Clothing and equipment cause friction.
Until you shower off, heat and moisture are trapped against your skin, creating an ideal breeding ground for the spread of bacteria.
So whenever you can, shower off immediately after exercising.

Tip #7:

Acne Prevention Treatment.
Find a regimen and stick with it.
Most cases of mild acne can be improved with "over-the-counter" products, or products that don't require a prescription from your doctor.
There is a wide range of treatments available, and there's a good chance one of them will work for you.
If you start treatment before your acne gets severe, you'll have a better chance of avoiding physical and emotional problems down the road.

But if your acne gets worse or lasts more than a couple of weeks, see a dermatologist..

Remove the acne triggers during Exercise


Moderate exercise is actually good for your skin.
It helps you maintain a healthy body and manage your stress levels, too.

If you find your acne is aggravated by regular exercise, then you may want to examine your routine.
What do you wear?
Where do you go?
How hard do you work?

Exercise-related acne is usually caused by something you put on your body rather something you do with it.
Remove these outside factors, and you may put an end to your workout breakouts.
Here are just a few things to watch for.

Make-up.
When exercising, wear as little make-up as possible.
Even oil-free and non-comedogenic (non-pore-clogging) cosmetics can clog pores if worn during heavy exercise.

When you're done working out, wash as soon as possible.

Sunscreen.
If your regimen takes you outdoors, always wear sunscreen.
While acne may improve slightly after brief periods in the sun, studies show that prolonged exposure actually promotes comedones (clogged pores) and, of course, sun damage.

Some kinds of acne medication make skin more sensitive to the sun, so sunscreen is even more important.
When choosing a sunscreen, look for products that are oil-free and have a protection factor of at least SPF 15 for both UVA and UVB rays.

Like make-up, sunscreen can travel across the skin's surface and lodge in the pores, so wash immediately after working out.

Clothing.
If you're prone to body acne, avoid garments made exclusively with lycra or nylon. Why?
Some synthetic fabrics can trap the heat and moisture against your skin, creating a fertile breeding ground for the bacteria that contribute to acne.

For moderate exercise, your best bet is lightweight, loose-fitting cotton, or a lycra- cotton blend.
Natural fabrics allow the skin to breathe, and loose garments are less likely to cause friction.
If you're exercising vigorously and working up a good sweat, however, you may want to try some of the new fabrics designed to wick moisture away from your skin.

Equipment.
Some people are more likely to get acne or have their lesions aggravated in the areas affected by sports equipment.
The best defense against friction-related breakouts is a good fit, make sure your helmet doesn't slide around on your forehead, or your wetsuit isn't too tight under the arms.

You can also curb equipment-triggered breakouts by lining your helmet with a layer of soft, washable cotton fabric.
It's a great use for those old t-shirts, too.
And no matter what the sport, it's always a good idea to keep your equipment clean and dry when not in use.

Moisture.
Mom was right, you should get out of those wet clothes!
No matter how you get your exercise: treadmill, trail, tennis court, or whatever, don't sit around in your sweaty clothes or wet bathing suit when you're done.

If you can, shower off immediately and change into dry clothes before driving home.
If this isn't possible, change into dry clothes and wipe down as well as you can.

When toweling sweat off your face, always use a clean towel, and blot gently rather than wipe.
Vigorous wiping can irritate your skin, driving make-up and sunscreen deeper into the pores.

Showering.
Again, it's best to shower immediately after working out.
You may want to use a medicated exfoliant cleanser, but always be gentle with your skin.

Scrubbing harder isn't going to make you any cleaner, or make your acne go away, and it may actually irritate existing lesions or promote the development of new ones.

If you can't shower right away, you can still curb breakouts by wiping down with medicated pads, keep a few in your gym bag just in case.
So keep up the good work!

A healthy exercise program is an integral part of your overall health, and a healthy body is more likely to have healthy skin.
Just keep an eye on the various factors that accompany your regimen, and try to remove the acne triggers.
You'll be on your way to breakout-free workouts..

Knowing about Acne


Acne is an inflammatory disease of the skin, caused by changes in the pilosebaseous units (skin structures consisting of a hair follicle and its associated sebaceous gland).
Acne usually appears during adolescence in its most common form known as "acne vulgaris", which means common acne.

The revolutionary Acnezine, the natural acne treatment product is out in the market to help you solve the never-ending problem of acne.
Excessive secretion of oils from the glands combine with naturally occurring dead skin cells to block the hair follicles.
Acne is caused due to excessive of oil in human body.

Generally people those who eat a lot of oil foodstuff suffer from this problem.
Due to Acne some parts of human body are affected.
Some of them are face, arms etc.

Oil secretions build up beneath the blocked pore, providing a perfect environment for the skin bacteria to multiply uncontrolled.
In response, the skin inflames, producing the visible lesion (acne).
Rashes are occurred on the body, face, chest, back and upper arms are especially affected by acne.
The antioxidant element in Acnezine regulates the oil secretion putting an end to acne slowly and steadily.

The typical lesions of acne are: small whitish or skin-colored bumps (whiteheads) or blackish elevations (blackheads).
More inflamed rashes take the form of pus-filled or reddish bumps, even boil-like tender swellings.
After resolution of the lesions, prominent unsightly acne scars may remain.

Acnezine lightens up these scar marks and makes you feel fresh and comfortable.
The acne condition is common in puberty as a result of an abnormal response to normal levels of the male hormone testosterone. Acne is occurred when the hormones are increased due to excess of oil in the body.
There is however no way to predict how long acne will take to disappear completely or that it will ever recur again.

But you can of course regulate the acne growth with Acnezine, the natural scientific treatment product for acne treatment.
Acne affects a large percentage of humans at some stage in life.
Aside from scarring its main effects are psychological, such as reduced self- esteem and depression.

Continuous yoga exercises along with Acnezine treatment helps in a faster remedy.
A series of five yoga poses can help increase blood flow to your face, flushing away toxins and providing nutrients to your skin.
A daily routine of the following yoga poses are recommended:
standing sun, knee squeeze, seated sun, baby and cobra.

Acne should not be neglected and should be treated with great care and responsibility to ensure a healthy life.

Guide to care your Jewelry


Fine jewelry can very easily become tarnished, dirty and dull.
To keep your favorite pieces shiny, sparkling and new, proper jewelry care is the key.
The wrong method of cleaning can also cause permanent damage to your jewelry!

Please consider the following recommendations to ensuring a long and beautiful life for your jewelry.
This list is not all inclusive and only provides warnings for some of the most common mistakes in cleaning jewelry.

General Cleaning:

  1. Before you start cleaning jewelry always do a quick visual check to see if there are any loose or damaged gemstones; cracked or broken metal; bent or warped prongs/tips; discolored or pitting metal.
    You wouldn't want to cause any further damage.


  2. Jewelry should be removed before showering or cleaning.
    A film can form if the soap is not washed off completely.
    This film will then become a magnet for dirt, dust and other contaminants.


  3. Use a nub free, 100%cotton cloth and gently wipe the piece clean using only the soft pads of your fingers.


  4. You can also purchase jeweler's cloths from jewelry stores.
    Be sure to use fresh cloths since the dirt and grit left on the cloth from a previous use will now leave scrapes and pits in the piece you are trying to clean and polish.


  5. Commercial cleaners can be purchased at jewelry stores.
    Always remember to read the instructions on the commercial cleaners first before you attempt cleaning.


  6. Never clean your jewelry in bleach!
    Doing this will literally breakdow
    your jewelry.
    Bleach as an oxidizing agent that will react to the metal, causing it to become very brittle.
    Similarly, avoid swimming pools and bathing in hot tubs as chlorine products are added to prevent bacteria growth.


  7. Besides chlorine bleach, denatured alcohol, turpentine, acetone, and ammonia are harmful too.
    These chemicals can dull or even pit the surface on softer gemstones.


  8. For best results, polish silver or gold with a jewelry polishing cloth.
    Use of tissue or paper towels can cause scratches because of the fibers in these products.


  9. An old toothbrush is very handy.
    Make sure that you use an old, soft bristle brush.
    Lightly brush at hard to reach areas while frequently applying cleaning solution.


  10. Never use toothpaste or other abrasives to clean metal or stones.
    Some websites recommend toothpaste as a cleaner, but this is not an accepted practice by fine jewelers.
    The abrasives in toothpaste can damage the surface of the metal.
    Toothpaste will also abrade the surface on amber, lapis, turquoise and other soft stones.


  11. An ultrasonic vibrating cleaner may be appropriate for some jewelry, but always read the instructions first.
    Ultrasonic vibrating machines can loosen or damage precious gemstones while cleaning the jewelry.
    And the chemicals are not recommended for pearls and many other fine stones.
    Also never ultrasonic different metals at the same time, silver can tarnish gold if cleaned together.


  12. Be careful when cleaning costume or vermeil jewelry, as it's very sensitive to any cleaning solutions.
    Costume or vermeil jewelry is a base metal with another layer of more precious metal (e.g. Gold) plated over or absorbed into it.
    This layer is not made for abrasive cleaning.


  13. Always use warm not HOT water.
    Cleaning agents can be absorbed and react to very hot water causing jewelry to discolor.
    Sterling silver is especially sensitive to hot water and can discolor in a heartbeat.


  14. Be very careful when using any soaking method to clean jewelry that has soft stones such as amber, lapis lazuli, or turquoise.
    Extended soaking in any solution may harm the polish on the stone and cause it to discolor.

Things to know about Stretch Marks (2)

To help avoid getting stretch marks, it is important to monitor weight gain closely.
Pregnant women need to put on weight as a natural part of the childbearing process.
They should, however, be careful to not gain more weight than what is recommended by the doctor.
Pregnant woman should not, of course, starve themselves in order to avoid stretch marks. They should, however, take care to watch their diets and put pregnancy weight on slowly.
This gives the skin more time to gradually stretch to accommodate for the growing baby inside.

The last trimester of a pregnancy is when women generally put on the most weight.
This is because this is when the baby is doing most of its growing.
To help avoid stretch marks during this time of the pregnancy, and at any other time, be sure to regularly apply rich body creams, cocoa butter, olive oil or shea butter on your skin.
Make sure to consult with a doctor, first, however, because some ingredients found in certain creams can be harmful to unborn babies.

Body cream (aka proper hydration to your body) helps decrease the likelihood of developing stretch marks because it helps keep the skin flexible.
Likewise, drinking plenty of water helps maintain the skin ’swelasticity.
This is especially true if you are pregnant.

Fortunately, stretch marks generally fade after weight lost.
For women who gain stretch marks during pregnancy, stretch marks usually fade to a slightly lighter color than the surrounding skin, though the etching will always remain.

For women who are bodybuilders, it is important to put on muscle mass slowly.
Quickly adding on muscle mass will force the skin to stretch beyond its ability.
Therefore, a bodybuilding program should be designed to slowly add on bulk.

For women who are not pregnant and who are not bodybuilders, the best way to avoid stretch marks is to simply monitor your diet and maintain a healthy body weight.
Don ’t forget that drinking plenty of water is a great way to help keep the skin more pliable.

If you still develop stretch marks, which many women do during puberty as their bodies rapidly grown, there is little that can be done to get rid of them.
Although there are many lotions and creams on the market claiming to be able to get rid of stretch marks, there is no proof that they work.
There are also surgeries available to help with lessening the visibility of stretch marks, but they can ’t get rid of stretch marks completely.
Instead, the best option is to cover up the stretch marks.
Many women used over-the-counter sunless tanning lotions to do this, or they get a sunless tanning treatment from a salon.
These lotions help even out the skin color, since the pigmentation of stretch marks is lighter than the rest of the skin.
Getting a real tan, however, does not have the same effect because stretch marks are scarred tissue and scarred tissue does not tan the same as healthy tissue.
Through precautions and a healthy lifestyle, most women can help minimize stretch marks.
That said, some of life ’s big life-changes, such as puberty and childbirth, can make avoiding stretch marks nearly impossible.
Therefore, it ’s important to apply body creams or hydrating natural oils and drink plenty of water to keep the skin ’s elasticity and, if all else fails, cover up those stretch marks and chalk it up as just another part of being a woman!

Things to know about Stretch Marks (1)

I really don’t know any woman out there who doesn ’t have stretch marks.

That said, some women have stretch marks that are more prominent that others and for those women, stretch marks become a source of self-consciousness.

For some women, stretch marks are solely located around the belly area, but for some other women they have stretch marks on their arms, breast, tights and buttock area.

Although, it’s going to be very hard to avoid having stretch marks, there are a number of things women should know about stretch marks in order to minimize their chances of having to deal with too many of them.

There are so many facts that most of us women don’t know about stretch marks that make avoiding them easier.

Here are things you need to know about them:

  • Stretch marks are scientifically known as are a form of scarring.
    They usually rear their ugly heads during puberty, or as the result of excessive weight gain, such as during pregnancy.


  • Did you know that even people who engage in body building can get stretch marks?
    Yes, stretch marks have nothing to do with the number you see on your scale.


  • Stretch marks are the result of skin being stretched beyond its natural elasticity.
    This stretching causes a disruption of the body ’s collagen production. Collagen is a special protein that helps keep the skin elastic and, therefore, able to stretch when we gain weight.
    When this collagen production is disrupted, the skin loses its elasticity, which makes it more prone to stretch marks.


  • Stretch mark are usually found in a series as small, indented streaks.
    They are generally rough and uneven.
    In women with light skin, they are usually a pink or reddish-brown color.
    They might sometimes almost look purple.
    For darker skinned women, stretch marks are usually brown.


  • Genetics plays a larger role in whether or not you will develop stretch marks.
    So, if your mom or her sister have stretch marks, you possible will be more likely to get them as well (alas).