Stories In Life» beauty tips

having fun with zumba

adminchari — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 22:33:30 +0000

I remember in my May post that I mentioned wii zumba. Well, hubby gave in and buys me one of that last July. I have to say, it’s indeed a fun way to exercise. Even if I’m alone doing it, I’m still having fun and it doesn’t bore me. I guess it’s because it’s in a video game format where I’m challenged and exercising at the same time. It’s a much better way to spend my time as compared to sitting in front of my computer playing online games. With it, I’m not only mentally stimulated, I’m also doing physical activity.

Basically, Zumba Fitness is the first and only Latin-inspired dance-fitness program that has taken the world by storm. It features nine different dance styles, such as salsa, hip-hop, and mambo and uses the included Zumba Fitness belt to create a real-time gaming experience. The belt wraps around the waist allowing the motion controller to move with the motion of your hips where the movement originates from. Learning the Zumba moves and techniques is simple with the help of Zumba instructors Tanya, Gina, and Zumba’s creator Beto.

Warning to Skin Peeling Products

adminchari — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 02:10:31 +0000

“We are warning consumers about the use of skin peelers because they can cause serious injuries, particularly when not used under the supervision of a physician,” said Commissioner David A. Kessler, M.D.

The FDA issued the warning after it received reports of several injuries caused by chemical skin peeling products. The products in question contain ingredients that are supposed to remove wrinkles, blemishes, blotches and acne scars, usually claiming that they restore youthful-looking skin. But the FDA says they may penetrate the skin too deeply, causing severe skin damage. In several cases, persons have been hospitalized for severe burns, swelling and pain.

Harsh chemical peeling products contain different ingredients and their strengths vary, as may each person’s reactions to the chemicals used. Peeling products usually contain different acids such as resorcinol, phenol, lactic acid, trichloroacetic acid, salicylic acid, and glycolic acid and other alpha hydroxy acids. These are generally applied to the skin for a brief time each day, for 6 to 12 days. The skin initially reddens, like sunburn, then darkens and finally peels away, revealing what manufacturers claim will be “new skin.” But treatments may be painful and leave permanent scars.

Chemical peels used to be performed only by plastic surgeons and dermatologists. However, they are now administered by a variety of non-medical professionals such as cosmetologists and beauticians, some using newly marketed preparations. Some of the products can even be purchased by mail. Many have inadequate instructions; none have been approved by FDA as being safe and effective.

In the course of conducting its investigation, the FDA will review all products marketed with skin peeling claims. Dr. Kessler said FDA is working with state attorneys general who are also taking measures to stop the sale and use of hazardous skin peeling products.

In a warning letter sent to one manufacturer, the FDA said that it considers their product to be a new drug that cannot be legally marketed without FDA approval, and that the product is misbranded and presents a significant health hazard.

Other over-the-counter products designed to renew and rejuvenate are not affected by this announcement. Learn to read the labels on the products you use and choose those that are non-toxic and safe. For more information, see our article on Skin Care Product Labels – Natural vs. Toxic Chemicals.

How environment causes Dry Skin

adminchari — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 02:43:56 +0000

Environmental exposure is the most common cause of dry skin. For instance, winter is the time when most people experience “winter itch,” which is characterized by flaky dry skin. The temperature and humidity levels drop sharply during winter, and the cold and the wind can leave your skin chapped and sore by sapping its moisture and natural oils. On the other hand, this is also true if you live in the desert climates, where humidity levels plummet as the temperature rises.

Pollution is also an environmental cause of dry skin. A 1997 Berkeley study showed that exposure to ozone concentrations drained the skin’s supply of Vitamin E by 25% in as little as two hours. People are more prone to this risk in cities with high ozone densities, such as Los Angeles and Mexico City. Smoke and dust also absorb the moisture in the skin, leaving it parched.

Even climate-controlled environments can play a part in drying your skin. Modern-day mechanical wonders, such as centralized heating and air-conditioning, can actually cause humidity levels to drop inside the living space and cause dry skin. Forced-air furnaces and fireplaces also contribute to dry skin. Devices such as household humidifiers can help prevent this.

While it’s common knowledge that the sun (like all types of heat) dries the skin, it should also be worth noting that ultraviolet (UV) radiation damages the dermis, deep beneath the top layer of the skin. Collagen and elastin fibers break down more quickly than normal when this happens, paving the way for wrinkles and sagging skin. While sun-exposed skin only looks like ordinary dry skin, the damage done is actually much worse than it initially appears. Sunscreen should be used daily to avoid this.

Guidelines to Ease Acne Breakouts

adminchari — Mon, 16 May 2011 01:52:58 +0000

One of the main daily routines to help with acne breakouts is washing your face or outbreak areas twice a day. It is vitally important to keep your skin clean. The way and the products you use to wash your face are also important.

Wash your face GENTLY at least twice a day and after any strenuous exercise that has caused perspiration. Do not SCRUB your face or skin. This actually can cause more harm than good and can even inflame your pimples.

Use a very mild soap like Neutrogena. Do not use anything that makes your skin feel overly dry. It is not necessary to use an astringent, yet if you do, only use it where your skin is very oily. If you visit a dermatologist, he/she should be able to recommend the best soap for your particular acne symptoms.

Do not excessively handle your skin. Your hands have bacteria on them and can cause the acne to get even worse. In other words, DO NOT pick at your pimples. I know that it is very hard not to do, yet it is very good advice. Only a doctor, with special instruments can effectively “pick” at pimples in a way that will not cause more inflammation and excessive scarring.

Use a special sunscreen that is at least spf15 and is non-comedogenic, non-oily, which means it does not clog pores. A good sunscreen for acne sufferers is Neutrogena SPF 45 Sunblock with Parsol 1789. You should always try to avoid tanning and sunburn because both could cause acne pimples and acne scars to become even more noticeable.

Shaving with acne can be tricky. It may be wise to invest in a good electric razor. Alternatively, if you use a safety razor, make sure you use a good shaving cream that really softens the hair follicles and skin. Try not to nick the acne pimples.

If you choose to use base makeup, it is recommended you choose a makeup that is oil free (and again) non-comedogenic. There are acne cover-ups that are available that also have acne medication. One product that is my favorite is Clinique’s acne cover-up. It can cover up even the worst outbreaks.

Taking these few extra steps with acne skin care can make a world of difference in your flare-ups.

Best Work Out of the Waist

adminchari — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 12:15:08 +0000

Working out the waist involves multiple motions of the trunk and legs. Doing this will improve your core strength, which is important for spine stability and daily functional movement. The main muscles to zero in on are the rectus abdominis, obliques and erector spinae. The rectus abdominis is in the center of the stomach, the obliques are on the sides and the erector spinae sits in the lower back. Incorporate body-weight and fitness gear into your workouts to obtain your goal.

Hang from a pullup bar to do knee raises. Grasp the bar with an overhand, shoulder-width grip and let your legs hang straight down. Keep your upper body still as you lift your legs and bend your knees. Stop when your thighs parallel the floor, slowly lower your legs and repeat.
Lie face-up on a decline bench to do crunches. Hook your feet under the padded supports, place your hands on the sides of your head and move your shoulders about 4 inches off the bench. Squeeze your abs forcefully for a full second, slowly lower yourself back down and repeat.
Grab a set of dumbbells to do Saxon side bends. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the weights above your head with your palms facing forward and elbows slightly bent. Keep your lower body still as you bend laterally to your right side. Rise back up, bend to your left, and continue to alternate back and forth in a steady motion.
Hold a medicine ball in front of your chest to do Russian twists. Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat. Rotate your torso to your right side and move the ball by your right hip. Rotate back up and to your left side as you move the ball to your left hip. Continue to move back and forth in a steady motion.
Execute a set of back extensions on a stability ball. Lie face-down on the ball with your hips near the apex and arms crossed on your chest. Keep your legs straight as you bend forward at the waist and lower your body over the ball. Rise back up in a steady motion and repeat for a set of repetitions. Brace your feet against a wall if you lose your balance.
Perform a set of bird dogs. Get into an all-fours position with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Extend your right arm out in front of your body and left leg behind your body. Form a straight line from your hand to heel and hold for a second. Lower your limbs, repeat on the other side, and continue to alternate back and forth.

Hang from a pullup bar to do knee raises. Grasp the bar with an overhand, shoulder-width grip and let your legs hang straight down. Keep your upper body still as you lift your legs and bend your knees. Stop when your thighs parallel the floor, slowly lower your legs and repeat.

Lie face-up on a decline bench to do crunches. Hook your feet under the padded supports, place your hands on the sides of your head and move your shoulders about 4 inches off the bench. Squeeze your abs forcefully for a full second, slowly lower yourself back down and repeat.

Grab a set of dumbbells to do Saxon side bends. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the weights above your head with your palms facing forward and elbows slightly bent. Keep your lower body still as you bend laterally to your right side. Rise back up, bend to your left, and continue to alternate back and forth in a steady motion.

Hold a medicine ball in front of your chest to do Russian twists. Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat. Rotate your torso to your right side and move the ball by your right hip. Rotate back up and to your left side as you move the ball to your left hip. Continue to move back and forth in a steady motion.

Execute a set of back extensions on a stability ball. Lie face-down on the ball with your hips near the apex and arms crossed on your chest. Keep your legs straight as you bend forward at the waist and lower your body over the ball. Rise back up in a steady motion and repeat for a set of repetitions. Brace your feet against a wall if you lose your balance.

Perform a set of bird dogs. Get into an all-fours position with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Extend your right arm out in front of your body and left leg behind your body. Form a straight line from your hand to heel and hold for a second. Lower your limbs, repeat on the other side, and continue to alternate back and forth.

Stay Fashionable on the Beach with your Swimsuit

adminchari — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 05:25:19 +0000

Essentially, swimsuits are designed to cover at least the genitals and in most conservative culture the breast of a woman. It can be body-hugging or loosely fitting and there are a variety from garments designed to maintain as much modesty as possible to the garments designed to expose as much of the body as possible without the actual nudity. Men’s swim wear styles are swimming trunks such as board shorts, jammers, Speedo style briefs, thongs, briefs, g-strings, or bikini while women’s swim wear are generally either one piece, bikinis, or thongs.

Recently, there is an improvement made for women’s swimsuit, the Burqini is more conservative clothing that were designed for Muslim women. This type of swim wear covers the whole body and head but not the face in a way similar to a diver’s wet suit. The another type of swimsuit that most often takes the shape of a bikini bottom without the corresponding top that leaves the women’s breast uncovered.

This swimsuit commonly used by women in many places throughout South America and Europe, though due to particularly severe culturally and socially forbidden they are almost never seen in the United State except in some places with a strong European culture influence. There are also special kinds of swimsuits for competitive swimming that is designed to reduce skin drag, and can resemble unitards; this called the Dive skins swimwear. This suit is made from spandex and provides little thermal protection but it protects the skin from abrasion and stings. Some of the competitive swimmers also wear special swimsuits that include the partial and full bodysuits and racer backs styles, jammers, and racing briefs to help their glide through the water and gain speed advantages.

Swimming without a swimsuit is a form of social nudity but in some special nude beaches may be reserved for nude sunbathing and swimming. As another option to a bathing suit, some people uses their trousers, underpants or t-shirts as a make shift swimsuit. At swimming pools this norm is not permitted because underwear is unlined, may become translucent and may be perceived as unclean unlike is some beaches this is considered to be more relaxed and more comfortable. Wearing swimsuit is also for the purpose of body display in beauty pageants.

Choosing your swimwear is a matter of personal tastes and styles and a space to express our individuality. More swimsuits company offers high quality and stylish swimsuits that will fit your body. A lot of this store offers helpful information for finding the right swimsuit for you, the latest trends, styles and fitting ideas and tips for washing and maintaining your swimsuits. Be honest with yourself about your swimsuit fit, if your skin is full to bursting anywhere, you may need to try a larger size because bathing suit sizes tend to be very different and more traditional than most clothing.

Always remember that swimsuits tend to enlarge a bit when it is wet, so make sure that your swimsuit is not already too large when you buy it because you definitely don’t want to lose it when you dive into the pool. Be sure that the swimsuit you will buy is from high quality fabrics and threads and guaranteed to last and it will complement and enhance your personal and trend setting styles in you. And most importantly it will give you comfort and confidence while wearing it and you are assured that its designed is fit for your figure.

Tips for a Healthy, Beautiful Hair

adminchari — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 10:46:30 +0000

The secret of a successful haircut and the hair style that ‘compliments’ the face lies in understanding the face shapes and choosing haircuts and styles calculated to hide the low points of your face and highlight your best features. Whether your hair is long or short, thick or fine, blonde, red or brown, styling it is essential to its overall “look”. Your hairstyle can make or break your image, and even if you have the world’s greatest hair, improper styling can make you look bland, boring and even washed out.

You can always look stylish by using your fingers to make your hairs look wavy. Use a bit of styling cream on damp hair to create ripples and let the hair dry naturally. Get an instant corporate look by opting for a deep side parting or keep your hair in a slicked back style by using styling cream and combing them back. If you have stubborn hair you may opt for hairspray to tame them. Here are a few styling tips to help you on the path to great, glorious hair:

Don’t stick with the same hairstyle for too long. Changing your hairstyle is at the forefront of changing your entire look. A new look can make you look fresh and funky, so chat with your hair stylist about a style that will suit you. Don’t go too dramatic unless you’re after the “wow factor”.
Calming Bang Cowlicks - One of the most effective techniques for dealing with cowlicks at the bang area is to try drying the bangs forward with a vent or round brush so that the cowlick will be weighted down. Another technique is to have a hairstyle that incorporates the cowlick into the style thereby creating lift at the cowlick. Use styling tools to support either styling technique.
Avoid washing your hair too often. While clean hair looks great, try to avoid washing it every day. The more you wash your hair the greasier it will become. Rather opt for a deep cleansing shampoo and ease up on the conditioner when washing your hair.
Ease up on the heat. Try to blow dry and iron your hair (if needed) as little as possible. Heat causes damage to the hair, so bear that in mind when applying heat. If you absolutely must blow dry or iron your hair, ensure you are using a good quality heat product recommended by your hairdresser or product manufacturer.

For an attractive and alluring personality, one has to have a trendy hairstyle. One can also change the hairstyle according to the occasion

Choosing your Hair Conditioner

adminchari — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 10:19:12 +0000

Unlike shampoo conditioner should be chosen depending on the scalp type, conditioners should be chosen depending on the hair type. This helps avoid greasiness, frizz or limp locks. Eventually, hair can become immune to a conditioning formulas effect, and that will actually cause build up, so no matter what conditioner you end up choosing, change the brand of conditioner you use every month. So, here are ways how to choose the right conditioner:

Look for rich, moisturizing conditioner if hair tends to get extra dry or frizzy.
If the hair is limp or fine, use a volumizing conditioner.
Healthy and shiny hair needs only a conditioner made for normal hair.
Use leave-on conditioners at least once a week. Use it in the shower and rinse immediately if the hair is fine but for drier hair, leave it longer.
If there are no conditioners available anymore, or just to avoid chemicals for a change, natural conditioners like mayonnaise or olive oil can be used as a substitute.

If a person has baby-fine hair then too much conditioner will weigh it down. Test the hair at night to see what amount of conditioner works best. Fine hair can be nice and shiny, but too much conditioner makes it look oily, damp or weighted down. The amount of conditioner being used to baby fine hair also matters. Be sure to rinse the hair well. It seems that cooler rinse water works better as it does not leave the scalp feeling heavy or irritated and this has been proven from a lot of hair experts too. Baby shampoo works great to give fine hair extra shine due to its mild content. Flip the hair over while wet and barely blow-dry hair underneath. This will give hair extra bounce.

Nowadays, both women and men have processed hair. Adding moisture is key to finding the right conditioner for color treated, permed, & relaxed hair. Sadly, treated hair usually suffers from oily roots to dry scalp and shaft, and sometimes split ends. So washing processed hair can be a demanding business. The trick is to cleanse the roots while moisturizing the ends.

Benefits of Facials for Aging Skin

adminchari — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 09:26:47 +0000

Basically, skin wrinkles are caused by two main factors: heredity and the environment. There is little you can do about heredity and the natural aging process, but there is something you can do about the other causes. Pollution in the environment, sun exposure and stress can all lead to premature aging of the skin. Using anti-aging creams is beneficial for reducing the appearance of wrinkles. The creams are even more effective when combined with regular facials.

Facials counteract the effects of pollutants and sun exposure on your skin. Having regular facials will also help your skin absorb your anti-aging creams better. Monthly facials improve elasticity, give your skin a smoother texture and improve the hydration of your skin. In addition, a facial will help remove dead skin which aids in the absorption of other creams or lotions used to combat wrinkles. The products used for your facial will depend on your skin type. If you have dry skin, a moisturizing mask will be used to help add moisture to the skin. A rich moisturizer will also be used at the end of the treatment. Oil free products will be used for people with oily skin.

This can be done at home or by a professional in a salon or spa. Facial massage is very beneficial for wrinkles. The massage increases the blood circulation to the muscles of the face, which helps to minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. There are over one hundred muscles in the face and massage helps to relax these muscles. This is particularly effective for wrinkles that result from muscle contractions, such as laugh lines and worry lines.

If you want to enjoy the benefits of facial massage, visit a salon for your facial. Facial massage is best done by a professional who is knowledgeable in massage techniques. An inexperienced person may actually cause more harm than good. When the muscles are not massaged properly, they sag which can cause wrinkles to be more prominent. The massage is also very relaxing. At some salons and spas, the arms, neck and shoulders are massaged as well. This is great for stress relief.

A Must Have Beauty Products

adminchari — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 12:31:48 +0000

Beauty may be only skin deep. It might be in the eye of the beholder. But, for most ordinary women, that beauty needs a little help to shine. This is where good makeup products can come in. By enhancing features that stand out, and de-emphasizing flaws or imperfections, a good makeup collection can really help almost any woman look and feel better. When makeup is necessary (as it is for most of us), there are a few things a woman’s collection shouldn’t be without. They include:

Foundation – unless you’ve been blessed with skin that’s smooth and balanced all over, foundation will be key in creating any look. By smoothing out the skin’s appearance and helping hide any trouble spots, foundation is up there with necessities for any good makeup kit.
Blush – the only problem with foundation is the fact it tends to give skin a monotone appearance. To overcome this and add some depth and beauty, blusher comes in. This can be light and natural or wild and eye-popping; it’s all up to the user. The key here is to highlight cheekbones and add a little color to the foundation’s finish.
Lipstick – ask almost any woman and you’ll find she won’t be caught without her favorite lipstick. Adding a little touch of color when it’s needed, plus a lot of other side benefits, such as conditioning the skin on the lips, this is a basic essential for any well-rounded makeup collection.
Mascara – when the eyes look good, the rest of the face tends to. While it’s not always necessary to wear full eye shadow and liner to look great, a little mascara can go along way all on its own. The choices here are many, too. The look with mascara can be natural or it can be dark and dramatic even when no other eye makeup is worn.