Showing posts with label Beauty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Beauty. Show all posts


Here’s the rub: You’ve noticed an itchy patch on your scalp and, ugh, a few flakes on your shoulders. But you just shelled out hundreds of dollars on that primo hair color. Do not (we repeat: do not!) pick up a generic drugstore dandruff shampoo. Many have stripping sulfates in them. So how do you tackle your flakes and keep your color bright? Read on.

  What you need: Your regular color-safe shampoo and a bottle of tea tree oil What you do: Squeeze your usual amount of shampoo into your palm. Then add a few drops of tea tree oil and gently massage the mixture into your scalp. Let sit for a couple minutes (wash your face, shave your legs, whatever) and rinse thoroughly. Follow with conditioner.





 Why it works: Tea tree oil has natural antimicrobial and antiseptic properties that help with dryness and itchiness. When added to your sulfate-free shampoo, you get major scalp relief without sacrificing your color. Pro tip: Always dilute the oil with your shampoo and be sparing with how much you add. It’s extremely potent on its own and can be conversely over-drying if applied in excess. So, basically, just don’t dump the little bottle directly on your head and you should be fine.


Hands: They text and type and swipe and (sometimes) cook. We put them through a lot on a daily basis…and it shows. Get them soft and mani-ready with this simple, natural two-ingredient scrub you can whip up in minutes. What you need: A jar of raw honey, a bag of white sugar, a small bowl, a whisk and two large plastic Ziploc bags. What you do: In a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons of the raw honey with ¼ cup of sugar. Slather the scrub all over your hands, making sure to also massage the mixture into your cuticles. Cover each hand with a plastic bag (since you can imagine this gets rather messy) and sit still for a few minutes while the honey works its magic. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water (anything too hot can strip away moisture), pat your hands dry and finish with your regular lotion. Why it works: As you can expect, the sugar gently exfoliates the skin. But what you might not know: It is also a natural humectant (meaning it draws moisture into the skin). The raw honey (as opposed to processed conventional honey) has inherent antibacterial properties (great for keeping your cuticles clean) and is extremely moisturizing as well. For deeper hydration: Cover your plastic-wrapped hands in warm towels to help the moisturizing ingredients penetrate even deeper. Also, it feels heavenly.
SALVATORE FERRAGAMO is upping its campaign to curb counterfeits by inserting microchips in the heels of its shoes and in a selection of its bags. But, the move is said to be not only about stopping fraudsters, but to also help with resale value. Related Reading When Clothing Is Your Second Language When Clothing Is Your Second Language "The people who can afford to spend thousands on a purse often get tired of them after six months and tend to sell them on eBay," Greg Furman of the Luxury Market Council in New York, told The Times. "More and more brands are realising that there is resale value to their products that's lost on eBay." In short, if sellers can prove that the item they are selling is the real thing, the sale price jumps significantly.
Salvatore Ferragamo autumn/winter 2016 Picture credit: Indigital The Italian fashion house has been quick to point out that the chip (which is inimitable) cannot be seen in the shoe or bag, and will only be able to be read at a distance of 4cm or less, so fears of being tracked are unfounded. The brand has been persistent in identifying counterfeiters, confiscating 12,400 illegal items last year that had a total value of $17 million. It has also sought to expand the number of e-commerce sites that it monitors as well as targeting trade fairs and individual sellers, for which this latest technology tool will no doubt come in very useful indeed.



Although you may think you know all there is to know about taking care of your teeth and brushing daily along with the occasional floss is sufficient, you might be mistaken. Stained, yellow teeth can be a true representation of one’s hygiene and as a result can be a huge turn off. No matter how much you try not to smile, it’s one of the first things we notice about someone - so just how we spend time and money on our hair, we should also give our teeth the same treatment. Good Health Taking care of our teeth is not just for decorative reasons, it’s also for your health. It is known that not taking proper care of your teeth and gums can lead to losing teeth prematurely and excruciating tooth ache. But that’s not all, unhealthy gums can lead to disease which given time the bacteria can spread to other vital organs of your body. Don’t let this scare you, I’m sure your teeth won’t be at this stage right now.
The Basics So first off, brushing. This is the most important thing to get into your routine - as kids we’re all taught to brush twice a day and this is the right way to go by. A manual toothbrush or an electric toothbrush are both perfectly fine, although the electric can get the job done quicker. Just an important rule to remember is to buy a brush which fits your mouth properly, with not too hard bristles as these can be a little too abrasive on the teeth. A toothpaste high in fluoride not only makes your teeth whiter but also is more effective in preventing decay. I know we all lead busy lives and often it might be a case that after that long day we just want to quickly get to bed, however you need to give your teeth the attention they deserve - two to three minutes is all it takes, particularly at night. Don't forget to brush your tongue for extra fresh breathr
Should you Floss? Okay, so you’ve spent three minutes brushing but there are some areas in which your brush can’t get to. So whoever told you flossing is not important is wrong; small remains of food can produce decay which in turn develops gum disease. So ideally this should also be done twice a day; at first this will hurt a little and will make your gums bleed, but like a normal cut or graze the skin needs to heal to become stronger. Don't force it between teeth and you shouldn’t be too abrasive against your gums - just gently rub in a curved motion.
The Perfect Smile Aesthetics are important when it comes to teeth and I’m sure there are a lot of us who want, whiter, straighter teeth. It’s becoming more of a ‘trend’ to have perfect teeth and thankfully there are some cheaper options for this. For example you can purchase whitening tooth paste from Blanx or Crest teeth whitening strips, however the effects aren't so long lasting. Getting professional whitening treatments can be costly if you have important events coming up, however it can make a huge difference to your confidence.
Foods to Avoid A healthy diet also plays an important role in great teeth too. Smoking cigarettes and drinking certain drinks by example alone create staining; and as much as we believe coffee is the biggest problem, it is in fact tea that is more likely to stain your teeth. Secondly, the more sugary foods our teeth come in contact with the more bacteria your mouth produces, so stick to low sugar foods when snacking. There are also some myths that certain foods help with whitening teeth; coconut oil, banana skins and believe it or not, strawberries also act as a natural teeth whitener, who knew?

Oh, the dreaded muffin top. How we hate the word--but how we also can’t avoid it. Sure, there are exercises you can do to reduce its appearance, but maybe you don't feel like hitting the gym and giving up all refined sugar indefinitely. In that case, employ one of these five styling tricks to smooth out your midsection without having to lace up your sneakers or revamp your refrigerator.
5 Styling Tricks for Dressing Your Muffin Top
Buy your correct size (even if it means going up one)

Few sartorial choices are worse than a pair of too-tight pants digging into your sides. Ill-fitting clothes are a major cause of muffin tops, even in women who don’t actually have them. Stop worrying about the number (sizing varies wildly from brand to brand anyway) and go with the size that hugs your midsection without overdoing it.
5 Styling Tricks for Dressing Your Muffin Top
Ditch the low-rises

Remember when Britney's "Slave 4 U" days were all the rage? We do too, and we're still recovering emotionally. Luckily, high rises are everywhere right now--to the delight of pretty much every woman who's ever worried about bending over in a pair of Sevens. High-waisted pants follow your natural curves, all while being on trend. Win win.
5 Styling Tricks for Dressing Your Muffin Top
Play with proportion

Even if your fitted pants are causing a little muffin top sitch, that doesn’t mean it has to be obvious. Styling 101: Pair snug bottoms with looser tops. And pair snug tops with looser bottoms. Not only will you keep the visual balance in check, but you’ll also be flaunting your figure in a sophisticated way.
5 Styling Tricks for Dressing Your Muffin Top
Learn to love stretch fabrics

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Spandex is your friend. While we’re not suggesting picking up a pair of full-on jeggings, look for pants with at least a little stretch for forgiveness. Think about it: A pair of classic Levi’s allow for much less wiggle room than a blend with a little Lycra mixed in. Just be sure to pair said stretchy pants with something chic on top, like a chunky sweater or bomber jacket.

5 Styling Tricks for Dressing Your Muffin Top
Smooth it all out underneath

You know what else is your friend? Shapewear. Obvious but important: This stuff is like an instant tummy tuck and lets you rest easy knowing that your pencil skirt is creating the hourglass you want without letting anyone in on your Spanx secret. And don't worry: All shapewear isn't created equal. As in, it's not all crazy-restrictive girdles. In fact, even the right pair of light briefs can do wonders.

There’s no shame in admitting it--when it comes to the red carpet, we’re all about who wore it best. But turns out, in our fashion-obsessed state, we’d been missing some pretty crucial beauty ideas. To change that, here are eight trends we spotted during this year’s awards season that you can actually wear IRL. Chrissy Teigen's Nude Lip The mom-to-be brought major attention to her pout at last week’s Grammy Awards with a perfect nude lipstick. The color was just a touch on the mauve side, so it made the look appear more warm than washed out. Hint: It’s perfectly suitable for everyday wear.
Kiernan Shipka's Brows We never thought we'd steal beauty tips from a teenager. But she's the chic-est little one in the game. To get her fluffed brow look for yourself, stock up on a tinted brow gel. This stuff is the magic key to textured brows in less than one minute. Emilia Clarke's Half-Up 'Do When was the last time you uttered the words “half up, half down”? In the year...mmm...2003? Enter: Emilia Clarke and her Golden Globes hairstyle. Nothing too extraordinary going on here, but that’s exactly the point. We love how her simple, pulled-back strands compliment her dress (and now we know how we’re styling on own locks for work tomorrow). Viola Davis's Bold Eyes and Lip Doubling up on bold colors is normally a makeup artist’s nightmare, but Viola Davis proves that two brights can, in fact, reign in harmony. Here’s the key: The colors are on the soft side (i.e., navy and pink, instead of your traditional black and red). But be sure to save this look for your next wedding reception, versus your next Wednesday afternoon appointment. Olivia Wilde's Non-Traditional Smoky Eye Unlike some of the others, this look is not something you’ll want to sport on your way to brunch. However, if a fancier occasion is on your horizon, reconsider your black eyeshadow and opt for a deep purple instead, like the Vinyl star did at the Golden Globes. Just maybe don’t go so far out of the lines. Katy Perry's Graphic Eyeliner There are certain things every woman should know: how to correctly pour a glass of wine, how to properly tie a scarf and how to do the perfect cat eye. To get Katy Perry’s Golden Globes look all you need is liquid liner and a bit of Scotch tape (trust). Then take a peek at our handy guide. Get the look: Benefit slanted eyeliner ($24) NBC Sophia Bush's Slick Ponytail Probably the easiest look to pull off, ever. Just load up on the frizz-fighting serum and style hair when wet. Your ponytail is guaranteed to last all day or, you know, through a five-hour awards ceremony.