Treatment for your tresses that are good enough to eat
If your hair is suffering from a lack of luster, split ends or general malaise, don’t despair. The solution might be as close as your kitchen. Here are some of the top treatments people swear by when it comes to adding life to their locks.
Mayonnaise
Want to soften hair and leave it shiny? Then mayonnaise is the conditioning condiment for you. Comb just enough mayo through your hair to coat it lightly. Then leave on for 30 minutes before shampooing out per normal. For a deeper conditioning treatment, place a shower cap on top of your mayo-coated locks and leave on for longer (even overnight if you’re feeling extra dry). Other interesting uses? Next time you get gum stuck in your hair, rub Mayo in until the gum dissolves right out.
Vinegar
Used for centuries as health tonic, this tasty, tangy acid can help remove residue that dulls your hair. Add about a tablespoon of vinegar to your hair as you rinse it. And if you have an itchy scalp or dandruff, try massaging full-strength apple cider vinegar into your scalp before shampooing. In addition to adding shine to your hair, vinegar is also known for its skin healing properties.
Avocado
Talk about green goddess. Once you’re through with this rich hair mask you’ll be ready to take on the world. Combine an avocado, one egg yolk and a dash of olive oil and massage it through your hair. As with most of these treatments, leave on for at least 30 minutes. Then shampoo, rinse and condition as normal. And remember, even if an avocado is past its prime for your salad, you can still use it on your hair so it doesn’t go to waste.
Eggs
Finally! A way to benefit from eggs’ natural proteins without the cholesterol! Crack a few eggs and beat together in bowl. After shampooing, massage through your hair and leave on before rinsing out thoroughly. This treatment should help repair or strengthen your hair follicles — leading to silkier locks with good body. Alternate ideas include whisking one egg yolk together with a dash of olive oil and 3/4 cups warm water.
Beer
Some people use beer as a styling tonic, but you can just as easily benefit from this brew as a conditioner. Shampoo and rinse as usual. Then pour one bottle of beer through your hair and massage through from scalp to ends. Rinse thoroughly with cold water. And don’t worry; if you rinse well enough you won’t even smell the hops on your hair. You’ll just be left with shinier hair with more beautiful body.
So now that you’ve got the recipe for beautiful hair, see what you can do to get a bodacious body.
Doing manicure at home is not at all difficult. It’s a very easy procedure which can be done easily at home and saves lots of your money which you usually have to pay to a beauty saloon if you go there to get your manicure done.
Just invest once in a good manicure kit and 100 times you can do it yourself as per your comfort in at your home to beautify your hands. Do it by yourself you need a nail polish remover, cotton, base coat and a nail color of your choice, nail cutter and filer, hand cream, scrubber, a small tub to soak your hands in, a clean napkin to wipe your hands and a manicure kit which have essential tools to polish nails and remove cuticles without damaging them. Follow these steps to manicure your hands at home-
Remove the nail polish from your nails with a good quality nail polish remover. If the color still persist in the corners or cuticles then remove it with the cuticle stick or if you don’t have one you can use the ear bud after soaking it in the nail polish remover to clean the nail polish from corners and cuticles.
Soak the nails in the lukewarm olive oil or water for few minutes it makes them softer to cut them easily and give a good shape. Wipe the nails off with cotton or napkin and cut them properly. Now give them the desired shape with the filer. Some people like to keep them flat, some square and most of the people like to give them oval shape.
After shaping the nails now its time to cut the cuticles.
Cuticles should not be scratched otherwise it harms the nails and the joint of the nail with the finger. So with the help of cuticle cutter, push the edges back so that the white cuticles don appear on the nails.
Now soak the hands in the lukewarm soapy water. Soap should be mild for the hands as excessive soda in soaps makes the hands dry and rough. Now apply scrubber on the hands and wash it off. Brush the nails with a soft manicure brush. If you don’t have one, you can use your old soft toothbrush to help you with this.
Now wipe off your hands and massage them well with the hand cream or moisturizer.
Wipe off the nails from a cotton ball so that no traces of soap or cream are left on them. Now apply the base coat on the nails, let it dry and apply another coat. When it gets dry then apply the transparent coat to lock the color of the nails.
When the nails color is 3/4 th dry, soak them in chilled water in a bowl for few minutes. It freezes the color on the nails and helps it stay on them for longest time.
Now your beautiful nails and hands are ready to make many jealous of them. For the natural beauty of nails eat balanced food including dairy products and take vitamins in adequate quantity.
The skin is the first barrier between inside and outside world. Dust, dirt, environmental agents and skin care ingredients enter the body through this important protective organ providing significant access to the blood stream. Usually, to protect yourself from all the potentially dangerous factors and to keep your good appearance, you are using skin care products. Their purpose is to cleanse, nourish, regenerate and protect.
In today’s market the modern cosmetic industry is given us skin care products with splendid texture, appealing color, nice smell and … chemical ingredients.
You know exactly which is the most active ingredient or ingredients from a skin care formulation: collagen, alpha hydroxyl acids, vitamin C-ester, testosterone and so on. The advertising is based on the known effect of each primer ingredient onto the skin such as: Collagen-anti wrinkles, alpha hydroxyl acid- peeling, et cetera.
What you don’t know is how all the other chemical ingredients from a skin care product, even in tiny amount, will affect your health in time. Even a low dosage at repeated exposure will affect your body as much as a high dosage will affect at one time application.
You are not aware that the chemicals are not recognized by our body and therefore they can not be used in our metabolic pathway to be destroyed and eliminate. They are stored in fat tissues, in the blood arteries and veins, and ultimately in organs. On the other hand they can induce alterations at the cellular level. Some of the chemical ingredients have been already proven to induce cancer and birth defects.
A cosmetic company, developing natural skin care products (And I am not talking of products that have one or two natural ingredients in the list and they are claiming being natural) is more difficult to establish. The reasons are multiple and I will reveal them in a future article. In spite of the difficulties, it is very rewarding for a company to offer his customers healthy products with no long term side effects.
What you get is a complex of vitamins, minerals, phytohormons, fatty acids, enzymes everything that the skin needs. It is difficult to eliminate deep wrinkles, but you can diminish them most of all prevent them! The way to do this is to let the skin cells properly function by giving them everything they need, the right amount of recognizable nutrients.
What you don’t know about natural Cosmetics is the complexity and difficulty to create a synergy of the active molecules to get the maximum skin benefit. In order to get these results you must have a deep understanding of the biochemical processes to evaluate and predict how a natural mixture acts as an entirety. This is a time consuming process and requires long term studies and tests.
I think that in this particular time a returning to the ancient herbs and oils knowledge with a complete understanding of a modern science is one of the trends that we will have to promote in the cosmetic business as well as in food technology.
About the Author:
Claudia Budu has a master in biochemistry and a Ph.D. in cell biology. Living in three continents: Europe, Middle East and North America she came in touch with different cultures. Everything that she has learned from others and with more than 20 years of scientific expertise resulted in creations of TelBari skin care products. http://www.telbari.com
Let’s face it, you are engaged in an ongoing battle when you are afflicted with acne. While acne treatments for a mild case of acne are usually successful, moderate acne is a greater problem. Even dermatologists cannot cure a severe case of acne but can only provide an acne treatment regimen.
However, you can support your acne treatment efforts with proper acne skin care in order to reduce the recurrence of acne flare-ups and not aggravate existing acne.
Knowing What You’re Doing
One of the first pieces of advice is to make sure that you understand and follow the directions for any acne remedy that you are using. If you are taking a prescription acne medicine, read the patient leaflet that accompanies the medication carefully. Typically for moderate to severe acne a dermatologist may prescribe several acne medicines, each with its own treatment protocol and directions.
In order to achieve the acne free skin that you desire, it is important to use all the acne treatments properly and in the correct order. Consider bringing a tablet of paper, a pen, and a friend or relative with you to your appointment with your dermatologist. Simply jot down some notes about the order and time of day for applying each acne medicine and what its purpose is.
Remember, just because the acne clears with the use of your acne medicines doesn’t necessarily mean that you have succeeded in curing acne. Most people with moderate to severe acne must continue to use their acne medicine long-term to prevent any recurrence of their acne problem. Using the acne treatments properly should translate to clear skin and freedom from acne scars.
What About Over-the-Counter Remedies?
Besides using medications prescribed by a doctor, there are a large number of products on the market labeled as skin cleansers, facial cleansers, pore cleansers, and facial pore cleaners that can be used in curing acne.
When cleansing skin that is afflicted with acne, an important point to remember is not to scrub the skin; never scrub your face with a washcloth. It is a misconception that acne is caused by dirt clogging the pores of the skin. You don’t scrub away the offending dirt; you can’t scrub away the offensive acne and achieve acne free skin.
Over-washing or scrubbing skin afflicted with acne only serves to aggravate the condition. Rather use only a gentle skin cleanser, lukewarm water, and a gentle motion with your fingertips as your primary acne skin care regime. When you wash your face with your hands, be sure to first thoroughly wash your hands.
Do Natural Treatments Really Work?
Look for gentle cleansers that are sold as acne solutions. When you’re evaluating skin cleansers for acne, include natural acne treatments in your search as well. For example, a soap made from Echinacea and other herbal ingredients is an effective antibiotic facial cleanser that helps fight acne and restore clear skin. Tea tree oil also has known antibiotic properties and serves as a mild anesthetic that will soothe the irritated skin.
Oily skin is implicated as a one of the causes of acne. It doesn’t necessarily make sense to use a moisturizer on oily skin as a means of achieving clear skin. But many of the acne treatments, whether they are prescribed or available as over-the-counter products, have a tendency to irritate the skin while curing acne.
A moisturizer is a boost to irritated skin and keeps skin from becoming overly dry due to the acne treatments that have been applied. Look for a moisturizer with the following properties:
- oil-free
- won’t clog pores (non-comodogenic)
- containing a sun-screen
Besides a great desire to just scrub away the acne, many people try to remove the acne pimples by hand as a way to get clear skin. People who are afflicted with acne should avoid touching their face except to gently wash it with mild cleanser as already discussed.
By trying to remove pimples by hand you run the risk of creating acne scars that will last for a lifetime. Instead, have patience and rely on your prescription or over-the-counter acne treatment to work. Acne remedies usually take 6 to 8 weeks before curing acne.
For male acne sufferers, the daily ritual of shaving can be a problem. One acne sufferer has recommended the Gillette Sensor Excel as a gentle and effective razor to use. Other males prefer to try an electric razor. The advice is to shave delicately to avoid nicking the skin and to shave only as often as necessary. Finding a moisturizing shave gel may be one way to enhance your acne skin care program.
Female acne sufferers have their unique problems too, in finding the right cosmetic products to use. Females who are accustomed to using a foundation product may find that the foundation is difficult to apply smoothly if the facial skin becomes irritated due to the acne treatments being applied.
You may have to abandon the use of some cosmetics during the acne treatment period. Be sure to select only oil-free cosmetics and ones that are labeled as non-comodogenic (won’t clog pores) to use on your road to clear skin.
Proper acne skin care is a necessary addition to your arsenal for fighting your battle with acne and achieving clear skin once again.
About the Author:
John Lenaghan offers information and advice about the best acne treatments and skin care at the Acne Squad website. Visit http://www.acnesquad.com for more information about dealing with acne.
If you’ve ever stood in the aisle of the skincare section of your favorite cosmetics department looking for a face cream to help you look younger and healthier, you know how confusing it can be to find a product that will help improve the look and texture of your skin.
As confusing as it is, science and research have become our best friends in the quest for younger looking skin, and the quest isn’t over, there are promising new studies and clinical tests every day that help us understand what it takes to stay looking young and youthful.
Then why are we so confused about what we need?
According to consumer industry tracker Packaged Facts, the 2004 U.S. skincare sales reached $6.4 billion and is expected to reach over $9 billion by the year 2010. If you consider all the skincare manufacturers competing for their share of the industry it’s not surprising that we fall prey to the more prominent marketing hype and miss the actual research findings.
The best advice is to do your homework. Understand what your needs are and be realistic about the results. Don’t expect a magic potion that will erase years off your face in a few days. It took years for those lines and wrinkles to develop, it isn’t practical to expect they will disappear in a few days.
It’s also important to remember that the aging process can only be slowed down, it can’t be reversed. Everyone experiences different levels of improvement. Skin care experts have found it reasonable to expect about a 30% improvement over the course of six to eight weeks time.
The best place to start is to identify what your skin care needs are. Read the labels and understand what the ingredients do.
Depending on what doctors, specialists and advertisers you talk to, you’re likely to get differing answers but if you do your homework by researching the ingredients and using products as prescribed, you will most likely see a difference.
Here are a few facts on the most popular ingredients.
AHA - Alpha Hydroxy Acids
AHA’s are used as a skin exfoliator. It can clear pores and rid the skin of dead cells. Beta Hydroxy or salicylic acids are often used for acne prone skin but can be a bit drying. Experts seem to agree that AHA’s are an excellent skin exfoliator but it is questionable as an anti-aging ingredient.
Copper Peptides
It is not conclusive as to whether copper peptides can reduce the aging process by reducing wrinkles and other signs of aging in the skin. It may be possible since copper peptides seem to stimulate the production of collagen in unscarred skin and help reduce skin inflammation, however there is a lack of clinical evidence and more extensive research studies are needed before the experts can agree completely on these claims.
Green Tea
Teas, be it black, white or green contain antioxidants which are clinically known to fight off free radicals. Most skin care experts agree that these teas can help decrease inflammation and swelling of the skin and can also decrease the effects of UV exposure. Skin care products that contain antioxidant teas are often recommended.
Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic Acid is a humectant that occurs naturally in humans, animals and in young skin, however aging, smoking and dieting can result in its loss.
Hyaluronic Acid has often been used as an injected lubricant for osteoarthritis and other ailments. When applied topically, it helps retain moisture and has been used to plump the skin. Experts can agree that it is excellent in helping retain moisture but are unsure of its long-lasting value.
Kinetin
Kinetin is a plant-growth hormone, and its technical name is N6-furfuryladenine. Kinetin can offer temporary hydrating benefits, however further applications of kinetin need to be investigated. Kinetin is probably best used as a preventive measure as opposed to reducing the look of aging.
Retinol
Most experts seem to agree that Retinol, (a derivative of Vitamin A) and tretinoin (Retinol’s stronger counterpart) which is the active ingredient in Retin-A and Renova, are the most effective ingredients in the fight against anti-aging. They can help regenerate collagen to reduce lines and wrinkles, and help lighten dark spots, freckles and sun damaged skin.
Absorption is a key factor in using retinol so it is recommended that using a combination of retinol and palmitic acid (retinyl palmitate) be used for proper penetration at the cellular level, however if you use retinyl palmitate you will need to use more of this product than one that contains retinol to get the same effect.
Retin-A can cause skin sensitivity in which case retinol is an excellent alternative.
Soy
It is believed that soy has mild skin rejuvenating effects as it contains botanically-based estrogen. IT contains anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory that soothe the skin but there are no anti-aging elements to soy.
About the Author:
Elizabeth is an online skin care consultant who features quality skin care sites and reviews fine skin care products. Get her newsletter and receive your free copy of ‘Beauty and Weight Loss Tips’ Ebook http://www.fine-skin-care-products.com
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