Do It Yourself French Manicure

Ooh La La ... Do It Yourself French Manicure
by Kathryn D'Imperio

Want professional looking nails without spending your days pay in the salon? With some practice and a little patience, you can enjoy fancy nails anytime you want for only the cost of your nail polish!

Their pale pink base and bright white tips characterize the ever-popular French manicures, which are a common request at nail salons everywhere. Professional nail stylists may paint your nails alone or they may apply fake tips if you desire. Based on your personal preferences, a nail designer will give your nails a strengthening and conditioning workout prior to painting them. If you get your nails done with fake tips, you may have to make a trip back to the salon to get your French tips refilled when your nails have grown noticeably.

Keeping longer, healthy nails will be most conducive to sporting a French manicure. To complete your own French manicure, begin with the following steps to prepare your nails for the procedure.

• Using a cotton ball soaked in nail polish remover, wipe off any old nail polish prior to painting nails. Wash hands and soak in warm water for a few moments.
• With an orangewood stick, gently push back the cuticles so they are all even with each other once the water has softened your skin.
• With nail clippers, beauty scissors or a nail file, shape your nails evenly.
• With a steady hand, carefully paint only the tip of each nail with a white hue. A second coat may be desirable, depending on the thickness and opaqueness of the polish. Allow polish to dry between coats.
• Using a slightly transparent pink or nude color, paint the entire nail once the tips have dried. A second coat may be necessary. Allow nails to dry thoroughly.
• Once all the coats have dried, apply a clear topcoat to protect your new French manicure. To lengthen the manicures lifespan, make an effort to paint a clear coat on each night. Be sure it has ample time to dry completely.
• If you are feeling especially creative and ambitious, kick off your shoes and match your tootsies to your fingertips!

This procedure is best performed on a lazy morning or evening when no other pressing errands or tasks will get in the way. After painting your nails, avoid doing things with your hands while they dry.

For an easier painting technique, check the beauty section of a drug store or superstore for a French manicure kit. The set should contain, at the very least, nail polish in white and pink or beige and a clear topcoat. Some manicure sets - like COVERGIRLs French Manicure Kit  will contain tiny, sticky nail guides. These make the manicure process 100 times easier by allowing you to place the guides on each nail individually, leaving a small margin where the polish can spill outside the tip without tainting the rest of the nail.

As the holidays approach, let your crazy side out by concocting a wildly modified French manicure - green and white for St. Patricks Day, pastel shades for Easter, black and orange for Halloween and red and green for Christmas. Have fun and remember, even if you find the do-it-yourself French manicure difficult at first, practice will provide you with the skills you need to create beautiful and perfect manicures all year long!

Eyebrow Waxing

Eyebrow Waxing
By Joanne Elliott

Unless you have very sensitive skin, waxing is a quick and relatively easy alternative to plucking your eyebrows. Although it is generally best to get eyebrows waxed professionally it can be expensive - up to around $15 as a general rule, although salons do differ. If you have a tighter budget, or if you are feeling fairly brave, here are some simple steps for you to try at home...

1) Preparing the Eyebrow

Brush the eyebrow into place with a baby toothbrush or clean mascara wand, so that their natural shape is neatly defined. Next, apply an astringent such as witch hazel to anesthetize the sensitive skin under the brow. Work out your natural brow shape by standing several feet away from a mirror, and following these simple steps�

Working out the length of the eyebrow

Hold a ruler parallel to your nose, and level with the inner corner of the eye, to work out where the brow should begin. If your eyes are close together, make the gap between the brows wider. If your eyes are far apart, don�t wax the start line of the brow too much so that they are closer together. Mark the correct point with a dot.

Working out the curve of the eyebrow

You can work out where the highest point of the curve/ arch should be by holding a ruler from the edge of the nostril past the outer edge of the iris (the colored part of the eye) and up to the eyebrow. Mark the spot with a dot.

Final planning

Now link up the dots in a gentle arch to draw on the ideal shape of the eyebrow that you want to achieve. This will give you a guideline to go by when applying the wax. You should aim for a smooth arched brow that tapers slightly at the outer ends.

2) Applying the Wax

Buy a professional waxing kit - basically a jar or tub of wax which can be warmed up in boiling water and applied with a small applicator or spatula, and (usually muslin) removal strips. Each product varies slightly, so be sure to read the manufacturers directions carefully.

Warm up the wax to optimum temperature and use the small spatula to apply a thin layer of wax to the growth. Make sure that you only use a small amount of wax on the spatula to avoid the wax dripping when it is applied. Apply wax with the hair growth under the eyebrow, (i.e. in the same direction that the hair grows in). You don�t need to use much, and you should not let the wax dry.

3) Removing the Hair

This is the painful bit! Ouch!!

Never wax above the eyebrow, only ever shape from below. Waxing from under the brow will widen your eyes and help to get the line even. This will make you look younger and much more glamorous if done correctly! As soon as it is applied remove the wax against the hair growth, (i.e. in the opposite direction that the hair grows in). This is done by gently smoothing a piece of cotton muslin over the waxed area, pulling the skin taut with one hand, and pulling the muslin off with the other.

It is a good idea to take a little hair off at a time, especially if you have fairly this growth. You will be surprised how much difference a little hair removal will make to your appearance.

4) The Aftermath

Any straggly hairs left over after waxing can be easily plucked out using a set of good tweezers. Apply a soothing balm like tea tree oil onto the area afterwards. You should avoid direct sunlight, acid based facial treatments, and liquid makeup for several hours.

To give the gorgeous new eyebrow shape emphasis, use an eyebrow pencil or tinted brow shadow to subtly fill in any gaps, and even out the natural color tone. Don�t worry if you make mistakes, even if you have bald patches or empty spaces. Practice makes perfect, and anyway, the hair will have grown back before you know it!!

Quick Hand Treatment

Hands are the most visible parts of you, but they also take a lot of abuse. You use them in everyday activity, and yet, they are the ultimate accessory. You must give them the same attention you give your face.

* Soften your hands even while you do the dishes. Add a little almond oil (about a teaspoon) to dishwater. The water will soften rought skin while the oil seals the moisture.

* Slough off dead skin cells with a solution made of sea salt lemon. Brush it into hands with an old toothbrush. Do this twice a week to soften hands and remove discoloration.

* Wash hands thoroughly with warm water, then, using a coarse washcloth, rub briskly. While skin is slightly damp, apply a mixture of one teaspoon honey and one teaspoon olive oil. Place hands in small plastic bags, then in a pair of cotton gloves for thirty minutes. The heat helps the treatment penetrate.

* Warm a cup of milk in the microwave for thirty seconds (or until warm, but comfortable to the touch). Soak your hands for five minutes to strengthen nails and hydrate skin. Not only is milk loaded with lactic acid, a natural alpha hydroxy acid that gently exfoliates dead skin, but its high calcium content will strengthen fragile nails.

Tips for Beautiful, Shiny Hair

•                Mix mehandi powder , coconut milk and coconut oil to get paste. Apply it on hair and massage gently. Leave it for one hour. Then wash your hair to get shiny silky hair. It also prevents hair fall. Do this twice a week. People with dry hair try this.

•                For black hair: Dry curry leaves for one day (in the sun), heat coconut oil and add dried curry leaves to it. Leave the oil for one day. Now its ready for use. For health hair add curry leaves to your food.

•                Use Strawberry hair mask: mash eight strawberries with one-tablespoon mayonnaise. Massage this into washed but damp hair. Cover it with a shower cap and then a warm towel. Wash out with a shampoo and then condition. This mask will give your hair a rich gloss.

•                For blonde hair use a few tablespoons of lemon juice to your rinse water. This will make your hair shiny.

•                For brown and red hair add a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to your rinse water.

For shiny hair you can also mix one teaspoon of honey into 4 cups of warm water. After shampooing, pour the mixture through your hair, but do not rinse. Dry as normal.

Home Remedies for Cracked Heels

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• 1. The foremost home remedy to cure cracked heels is to adopt a healthy weight and lifestyle.
• 2. Avoid wearing thin soled shoes and shoes with open backside. 
• 3. Regularly use pumice stone bars for exfoliating/removing the dead skin around heels.
• 4. Apply Moisturizing oil-based cream daily to the affected area. This may require more than one daily treatment. A cream that has zinc oxide works very well.
• 5. A home remedy for cracked heels may be found in the addition of zinc and omega-3 fatty acids to your daily nutritional regimen.
• 6. A regular foot bath and foot massage helps to keep the skin on heals healthy and soft.
• 7. Diabetic patients should immediately consult their physician if the fissures persist for a long time and show color changes.

4 Beauty Tips Before Going To Bed

1.                FOR FACE,HANDS,LEGS: Apply moisturizer before going to bed. Choose moisturizer that suits your skin type (Oily,dry,combination or sensitive skin). Moisturizer help firm the skin and fight against aging. Before applying moisturizer, clean your face with cleanser and rinse with toner.You can massage your hands and legs with baby oil or use moisturizer.Exfoliate the skin to remove dead skin cells. This clears the skin pores.

2.  FOR LIPS,ORAL: Apply lip balm or petroleum jelly. Brush your teeth before going to bed. Use mouth wash/Salt water(should be warm) to gargle.This kills the bacteria in mouth. Mouth washes may also be used to help remove mucous and food particles deeper down in the throat.

3.  FOR EYES: You might be working for hours infront of the computer. Place a piece of cucumber on your eyes to reduce tension. This will reduce dark circle around eyes or may prevent dark circles formation.

4. SLEEP AT YOUR BACK: Smashing your face into a pillow creates fold lines that eventually become permanent if they're repeated every night. Spending time on your back also helps counter the effects of gravity that accumulate during the day. In a recent study of 38 women and men, Japanese researchers found there was greater wrinkling in the afternoon than in the morning; they concluded that the face literally falls with gravity as 

How To Get Rid of Pimples

Pimples are as pesky as can be. They’re unannounced, annoying, and just downright ugly! So how do you get rid of a pesky pimple that comes knocking without a warning? There are many products out there that can help you get rid of pimples, but you could be wasting your money on something that might not work for your skin.

The best thing you can do is find relief with something you already have right in your own home. Press a chilled chamomile tea bag against the pimple which will reduce the redness.

Crush an aspirin and blend it with water to make a paste that will help de-clog your pores. Dab on some bacteria-killing benzoyl peroxide (you can find that at any drug store) and this will also work as not only a treatment but as a cover-up as well.

So now you have a pimple fighting potion that not only costs you nothing,but will also work wonders for your skin. So try this method…you won’t be disappointed!