Archive for the ‘Grooming’ Category:
Eye makeup tips that make the most of those ‘windows to the soul’
It’s been said that the eyes are the ‘windows to the soul’. Women have used eye makeup for thousands of years to make the most of these alluring windows, mainly for the purpose of attracting the opposite sex. Look at Cleopatra. While the Egyptian era list of eye makeup tips are not what women generally use today, eye makeup is here to stay, still applied to much the same objective. Unless you’re talking stage makeup, today’s women go for a more natural look to play up the beauty of their eyes. Here we’ve got some eye makeup tips for beautiful eyes which also protect the delicate eye skin area from sagging and wrinkles on down the road of life.
While people didn’t live as long in ancient Egypt, women still wanted to look as young as possible for as long as possible. They were well aware that the skin around the eyes was the thinnest and most delicate skin of the face and took appropriate steps to protect that skin from aging. That fact has changed down through the centuries, so among our eye makeup tips, this may be the most important.
Interestingly, some of the Egyptian women’s eye makeup tips are still in use today. The use of milk baths, honey and rose water, to keep the skin soft and supple is recommended for today’s woman. In addition to these regimens, modern science has also provided us with creams designed especially for use around the eyes. These creams are lighter than normal anti-wrinkle face creams, facilitating a less heavy-handed application and thus, less stretching and damage to this delicate skin.
When you apply any of these skin softeners around the eye area, use your pinky and always work from the outside in, towards your nose. While the opposite seems logical, all you’re accomplishing is hastening the telltale sagging around the outer corners of the eye. So, always, from the outside in!
Here’s a little-known, but valuable eye makeup tip: after applying a moisturizer, allow a few minutes for the moisturizer or cream to be absorbed. This helps prevent eye shadows, liners and mascara from caking or running.
Always apply your eye make up in this order: first, an eye liner, if you use one, then eye shadow and finally mascara. If you use an eye liner, sharpen that pencil well. A thin line looks natural, whereas a heavy line does not. Remember that your goal is ultimately, to appear as though your not wearing eye make up at all!
When applying eye shadow, the soft foam brush type applicator allows the finest and most subtle application. The lipstick style applicators can work, but only when you dab the color on and then, using your pinky, smudge it with a light hand. When you simply draw a line with the stick type, you’re stretching that skin – trouble later!
The last of our eye makeup tips? Mascara is a beloved item in the makeup case, but is too often overdone. Unless you have jet black lashes, resist the temptation of black mascara. A brown-black looks more natural, while still giving your eyes a dramatic look. When it comes to mascara, more is not better. Choose a waterproof mascara, with a wand that separates the lashes and apply lightly.
Follow these eye makeup tips to the letter for a fabulous look, lots of attention from the gents and better looking skin around the eyes for years to come.
Hair coloring: women love to do it, but read this before you jump in, uninformed!
Women have been coloring their hair for centuries, mostly with herbal dyes to cover up errant gray hairs that crept in with age. Egyptian women used henna as a dye and shine treatment that rendered hair so lovely and burnished that women today still use this hair color treatment. Then, during the 1700s, those bouffant white wigs became a popular diversion in hair coloring, sweeping both men and women into the craze. Remember Josephine Bonaparte – and George Washington? Yes. So this method of decorating the appearance has persisted right up to the present day.
You can go to any drugstore and find both sides of one long aisle dedicated to hair coloring products. Modern science has devised a way to make your hair any color, or mixture of colors, you might desire. You don’t need to stick to the conventional colors and shades. In addition to the natural colors of blond, brunette and red, including every variation between, you can choose from day-glo lime, yellow or orange, or go with a streaked effect of black on fire engine red. There is literally no limit to your hair coloring options.
When I was a kid, I used to gaze in awe at older ladies with pale blue hair. At the time, I thought it was a dye job gone bad. Now, after perusing the selection of hair color products, I know that it must have been a deliberate choice. Guess it’s supposed to be a more elegant form of just plain gray. OK, so now we’ll get to some of the caveats you should be aware of regarding this most popular of hobbies.
If you’ve got naturally dark hair, the only way you’re going to end up with blond hair is to bleach it. “So?”, you say. Well, the chemicals required to leach the color out of your hair can be very harsh. If your hair is fine, this can be a bad hair day indeed. You might end up with hair so fragile it breaks when you brush it. You must also consider that once the deed is done, your hair continues to grow – from the roots – which means you’ll either be ‘touching up’ the telltale roots, or just letting the hair grow out. You might even need to resort to drastic measures, including a new, shorter haircut.
Perhaps a better hair coloring idea for the dark haired woman would be henna. Henna produces subtle, but magnificent changes, over time. There are a variety of shades available, ranging from deep red to black, with which to adorn yourself. Henna also makes your hair extremely shiny and soft, while actually improving the condition of your hair.
What if you’re natural hair is light and you’d like to try out being a redhead, or go to a deep black? Again, there’s the problem with the roots. In addition, your complexion must be considered. Rare is the individual with naturally light hair whose complexion will look ‘right’ as a redhead, or with black hair. Sometimes it works, but sometimes not.
So how can you avoid hair coloring catastrophes? Your best bet is to get online and do a virtual hair makeover. Try all the colors you see as possibilities. It won’t cost you a penny. The virtual makeover websites have all sorts of advice, articles and beauty products, including hair coloring products galore. Do your homework before you start messing with the hair you have to walk around with every day! Besides, it’s fun. When you’ve decided what color hair suits you, go for it!
How to use a hair blow dryer without frying your hair!
The hair blow dryer has been around for decades now. Such a handy gadget, especially when you’re in a hurry. Yet, used improperly, a blow dryer can severely damage your hair, in just a month’s time, particularly when used on a daily basis. You can end up with broken ends and split hairs (which continue splitting in an unattractive path right up to the roots). The end result may be a new, shorter do you didn’t anticipate! On the other hand, used properly, your hairstyle – and the blow dryer can live in peaceful harmony for years. Here are some tips on how to use the hair blow dryer to keep your beautiful locks looking beautiful.
Most blow dryers come equipped with at least three heat settings: high, low and air. While the high setting may be tempting when you’re in a rush, it’s recommended that you use the medium or low setting. These gadgets put out enough heat to burn your face or neck on high, so think what might happen to your hair! With this amount of heat, you need to use a good hair conditioner, to help retain your natural oils, each time you shampoo.
Always towel dry your hair, before wielding the mighty hair blow dryer towards your locks. Draw a bath towel across your forehead, drawing the towel back towards the nape of your neck. Next, lightly twist the towel in a circular motion until you’ve reached the ends of your hair. Untwist the towel and remove. Brush out your hair, then use a comb for any remaining tangles. Part your hair as usual.
Now you’re ready for the hair blow dryer routine. Hold the dryer about 6” away from your scalp. Any closer means potential damage to your hair – think split ends and breakage.
Grab one section of hair at a time, pulling it away from your head and out to the side, keeping hold of the ends. Don’t try to fully dry each section. Repeat for each section, until you’ve made the rounds. Your hair should now be semi-damp.
If you set your hair in rollers, now is the time to do it.
If your hair style is ‘wash and wear’, turn your head upside down and brush thoroughly, from the roots to the ends. This helps add volume and evenly distributes any dampness remaining.
Turn your head upright and brush it out again, parting as usual. Again, use the comb as necessary.
Turn the blow hair dryer’s heat setting to the air setting. Repeat as before, section by section, now using your hairbrush to hold the ends.
All done! Wasn’t that easy? And, doesn’t your hair look great? Yes! That’s the proper way to use the hair blow dryer.
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