Archive for February, 2009
Where do you buy your beauty supplies? If you buy them from a department store- you are paying way too much! I was a department store buyer for many years. I was hooked on a particular brand, and I thought that the products were only available at the department store. I was wrong. With a little bit of time and research, I was able to shave off 50% of my beauty supply bill. Imagine what you could do with the extra money. The process is actually really simple. All you have to do is find the right websites.
Many of us are hooked on a particular brand of beauty supplies. We have used them for years, and love the way that they make us look and feel. The price tag however isn’t very pretty. Try doing a search online for your favorite beauty products. You may find that auction sites such as EBay.com have really good deals. Make sure to find out about shipping and return policies. I am a sucker for a free shipping deal, so try to find them whenever possible. You may also be able to purchase the product directly from the manufacturer’s website. Look for online promotions that will give you discounts on the items you buy most. Coupon sites can give you even better discounts, so shop around.
If you are feeling adventurous and want to try a new cheaper brand, have no fear. Most websites will include a list of ingredients for all of their products. You can then compare this list with products that Read the rest of this entry »
Gold jewelry can never go out of style. It can look good on almost everyone. It is the ultimate amalgamation of classic beauty, wealth and style.
The value of gold jewelry depends not only upon the style or the designer who has designed it, but most importantly it is dependent upon the quality of gold used to make the gold jewelry. The quality of gold in the gold jewelry is determined by its percentage or by the karat. The higher the karat number, the higher the percentage of gold in your gold jewelry. The various karat numbers are 24K, 18K, 14K, 12K and 10K – 24K is pure gold.
Gold jewelry is also available in various forms. In some cases it is plated with gold, in some it is filled with gold and in some others the gold jewelry is made of pure gold. Gold by itself is very soft and isn’t practical for daily wear which is why it has to be mixed with other additional metals to give it tensile strength such that it can be molded into various designs. Other metals are mixed with it to make it more durable (and to lower its cost).
Adding other metals to the mix also allows metallurgists to change the color of gold. Palladium or nickel can be added to create white gold. Adding copper produces a rose or pink tint, while silver gives gold a greenish cast. If you want jewelry which can be worn regularly then it is wise to get it made out of solid gold (Solid gold is a term that can be used to describe an item that’s at least 10K (in the US) gold all the way through. Even though it’s a gold alloy–18K, 14K, or anything down to 10K–it can be called solid gold.).
It is simple to look and feel more beautiful starting today. You can even put away your pocketbook because these tips are free.
1. Smile… it will brighten your day and others around you will feel your energy.
2. Stretch… cats know that total body stretch does wonders. Follow their example and roll up slowly out of bed and stretch gently. (For more tips on stretching here is a great book: AM/ PM Stretch for Health.)
3. Exercise… at least 20 mins of any continuous activity will boost your energy level and reduce bad stressors. You don’t even to pay a membership fee. The key is continuous like a 20min walk or even mopping your floors. You will look and feel better.
4. Drink water. No other liquid is quite like it. Clear your system. 8 glasses are recommended daily. Your skin will radiate.
5. Rest… you need to take breaks during the day and sleep at night. Takes breaks away from work space to keep fresh and focused. Make sure you are getting sufficient sleep at night since your body regenerates while you are sleeping. If you are constantly letting your mind wonder make a conscious decision to put away thoughts till morning. It is amazing how good your subconscious mind listens to your conscious mind (so be careful what you tell yourself)
6. Do good. When you do something for someone else without expecting anything in return you benefit in ways unimaginable. (the key is don’t expect anything in return)
7. Exchange… the money you spend on junk food for food that will enrich your body and soul. Start with a simple plan of exchange. Because some think healthy foods cost more, find out your spending pattern by making 2 lists:
. foods you like that are healthy that you normally don’t buy
. foods you like that are “junk food” that you normally buy
calculate the cost of the 2nd list then use this amount to fund your “healthy” purchase. (of course you have to say bye-bye to the “junk food”)
8. “Stop and smell the roses”. Look for good in everything. This is a toughie because most of us are “trained” to look for faults, errors, shortcomings, defects, etc. Begin with yourself. List all your assets (not just physical). Then realize all the good in being you. Move on to other things around you. Work on this consciously every day till it becomes a habit. There is something good about everything and everyone. Once you realize this you will be finding good everywhere without even trying.
9. Learn… something new every day. Pick up a book. or search online. Learn to do something you have always wanted to do. You can even start for free by researching online. Search the subject and start stimulating and enriching your mind today.
10. Reward yourself. Set financial and personal goals and tag them with rewards for accomplishing them. (this one may be something special you have always wanted to do. and not necessarily a purchase.. But if you have done all the above maybe go ahead and splurge a little. You deserve it!
Fitness and beauty can be one and the same. Being fit and healthy will automatically make you look better. A healthy inside creates a healthy outside.
Fitness through exercise can help you to maintain a healthy body weight and improve muscle tone.
Our looks reflect the sum total of who we are and how we live, and the best we can do in life is to make the best of what nature has given is, without excuse, apology, or pretense. If we try to live otherwise, we find ourselves acting on a stage with other actors and actresses–great pretenders without real friends, without real lovers, without real relationships.
While we realize that there is such a thing as “natural beauty,” which is beyond all standards of culture and history in some sense, there are also “relative” standards of beauty.
We all know about fads, styles, and adornments that are “in” one season and “out” the next. This includes cosmetics, hair styles, clothing, and even body weight and size.
These standards may vary from country to country, year to year, or even among different age groups in the same country and year.
For example, full figures are considered the ideal in some historical periods, but slender figures are valued now—at least in Western countries.
The point is that cultural standards change–and we may choose to follow or ignore them–because the cultivation of natural beauty is not dependent upon fads.
In order to get along harmoniously, whether at the level of dating, courtship, or marriage, men and women have to get past physical looks and into the more important qualities that make up human relationships, such as kindness, friendship, and areas of mutual interest.
There is such a thing as a beautiful personality. There can be beauty in the way a person thinks. An attitude or smile can be beautiful. Love is certainly beautiful, and all of life is beautiful when we are in love.
A person is truly beautiful when he or she is healthy. Any disease or illness affects all parts of the body, sometimes for many years before the symptoms are manifested. If the body and mind are not healthy, then a person cannot feel or be truly attractive.
Good health brings a glow to the skin, a ring to the voice, a twinkle to the eye, and a spring to the step that no beauty school can teach.
What’s with this fascination with beauty?
The demand for beauty services in spite of the economy?
Even when there is a recession, beauty parlours still flourish. Beauty products still fly off the shelves.
There is this saying that beauty is skin deep.
Then again, first impressions count.
Put it this way. Beauty is power. That was true centuries ago. That is true today.
When a beautiful woman walks into a bar, men flock to her and offer to buy her drinks. When an unattractive woman walks into the same bar, chances are, she would have to buy her own drinks.
A beautiful salesperson, man or woman is more likely to win the sale. Between a beautiful job seeker and an unattractive one, all other things being equal, the employer is likely to choose the good looker.
Like it or not, looks do count.
In the past, when women were dependent on men to support them, beauty was everything to a woman. A beautiful woman would have more suitors. She would be able to marry up. To marry a rich man who could take care of all her financial needs and that of her children. Long before commercial cosmetics existed, mothers would instruct their daughters on traditional beauty remedies. Simple beauty remedies like using mayonnaise as a moisturizer, or egg white as a firming mask were often used by women in the days before commercial cosmetics.
Then along came women entrepreneurs like Estee Lauder and other women from around the world. They converted traditional beauty recipes which worked for themselves into beauty creams that they sold to other women. Every woman has a right to look her most beautiful and these women were selling others their beauty secrets.
If you’re getting married overseas, there are a few extra considerations when it comes to looking good. It’s time to start planning your ‘princess for the day’ look!
Your wedding attire
there are two main considerations when planning your outfit for a wedding abroad. You need to find something that you will be comfortable wearing, especially if you’re getting married in the sunshine, and you also need to choose something that you can transport relatively easily.
If the temperature on your wedding day is likely to be very cool, a ‘floaty’ beach dress probably isn’t the perfect choice. Look for something that will suit the environment – more of a traditional ball gown-style wedding gown, for example. Equally, consider accessories such as shoes. Pretty beach sandals aren’t the thing for walking around the castle grounds. Instead consider a high heel shoe.
What you wear for your wedding is entirely up to you and there are no real dress rules if you are marrying in the grounds of your hotel. However, if you have arranged for a religious service in a chapel or church you will most likely be expected to respect local custom and cover your head and shoulders. Also in some Eastern countries, such as Thailand there is a specific dress code. Your wedding coordinator or the relevant embassy will advise you.
Transporting and caring for your outfits
when you choose your perfect dress, speak to the designer or store about how best to transport it. It may pack well with plenty of tissue paper, or could be better kept in a dress bag.
