Friday, June 20, 2008

7 Steps to Great Makeup

1. Avoid wearing too much

Makeup is meant to enhance features not bring negative attention to you. That's what wearing too much makeup will do; it will bring you unwanted attention. Don't wear too much of anything such as:

1. Eyeliner: dark, thick eyeliner will make you look overdone and will ruin the rest of your makeup.

2. Mascara: too much mascara looks fake and will flake. It looks especially bad if worn with thick eyeliner or dark blue eye eye shadow.

3. Foundation: Make sure your foundation is the same color as your skin. Foundation is meant to protect and give the face a smooth look. The magic word is blend.

4. Powder: The same holds true for powder - not too much. Also, be sure to blend your makeup so there are no obvious lines.

2. Lips

Apply lip liner to completely cover the lips, add color and your lipstick will stay on much longer. Make sure your lip liner doesn't show. Also, your lip color should match your skin tone; wear cool colors if you have cool coloring and warm colors if you have warm coloring. If you want to make your lips look smaller, keep your liner on the inside of your lips. However, if you decide to make your lips look larger, going outside the natural outline of you lips is a mistake. This can look quite messy and unnatural.

3. Appropriate makeup

Wear makeup that is appropriate for the occasion. If you are going to the beach you shouldn't wear the same or as much makeup as you would if you were going dancing. Also, when you are in daylight your makeup should be a lighter than when you are out for the evening.

4. Too little or no makeup

Some women don't wear makeup because they are not sure how to use it and are afraid of being overdone. If you are unsure, start will light colours in your shade. Start slowly and add one product at a time. Maybe start with foundation, add mascara, blush or lipstick. If you are not used to wearing makeup, using a lot a first may be a little too much for you, so start slowly. The bottom line is a little is better than none. If you are still unsure seek professional advice.

5. Overall look

When your makeup is completed it should look natural. That means avoiding colours that clash. If you have dark skin and hair you will look better in darker shades; light colours will make you look washed out. If your hair and skin tone are light, light colours will look better on you. Dark makeup will make you look older and harsh. If you have oily skin, first use oil control moisturizer and foundation. Then be sure to wear loose powder, keeping pressed powder with you for touch ups.

6. Hair color

Your hair color should also be in harmony with your skin. If you have dark hair and you want to add color, keep it close to the same shade. If you have light hair, use light colors. As you age your skin will lighten, so should your hair color. One last thing about hair color - if you do color you hair be sure you keep it up, don't let your roots show.

7. One last thing

Keep makeup looking fresh all day by doing regular touch ups. Don't let your makeup fade or crease. Smile!!!

By : Sheila Dicks

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

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Sciatica

The pain known as sciatica (sometimes misspelled as "syatica" or "psyatica") is caused by irritation of the sciatic nerve (one on each side). The symptoms of sciatica usually start in the buttock and may extend partially or all the way down the leg. The sciatic nerves are each formed by nerve roots from the lower lumbar and sacral parts of the spinal cord. The individual nerve roots come together in the lower pelvis to form the sciatic nerves. Each sciatic nerve then runs from the pelvis down the back of each leg. The sciatic nerve splits into two parts below the knee and the two halves run down the back of the lower leg to the foot.

While there are several possible causes of sciatica, by far the most common source of sciatic nerve irritation is a bulging or herniated disc in the lower lumbar spine. A damaged disc may bulge into the opening where one of the nerve roots exits the spine on it's way to join other nerve roots as part of the sciatic nerve. The bulging disc may create direct nerve pressure, and/or may trigger inflammation and swelling, which can also cause pressure on the nerve. When this occurs, pain and other symptoms may be felt part along the course of the sciatic nerve, starting in the buttock area and possibly running down the leg, sometimes all the way to the foot.

Besides disc bulges, spinal openings for nerves may be narrowed by bone spurs or other bone formations related to spinal degeneration. In some cases, sciatica may result from direct trauma to the nerve after it exits the pelvis, such as what can happen if there is a direct impact or hard pressure applied in the lower buttock region. Rare sources of sciatica can include spinal tumors, which can compress sciatic nerve roots as they exit the spine. Another rare cause of sciatica is a cyst or tumor that compresses the sciatic nerve in the hip or knee area.

Not every buttock or leg pain that people think is sciatica is acutually sciatica. True sciatica (sciatic nerve irritation) is usually felt mostly in the back of the leg (not the front or side of the leg). Symptoms of true sciatica are described by various people as stabbing, burning, tingling, numbness/heaviness, or like an electric shock. But even if symptoms seem like sciatica, they are not always due to actual irritation of the sciatic nerve.

One common condition that closely mimics sciatica is caused by knots of contraction called trigger points in a muscle called the piriformis. The piriformis muscles are located on either side of the lower buttock area, running from the upper thigh bone to the edge of the sacrum (the triangular pelvic bone that is at the base of the spine). In addition to causing symptoms that mimic sciatica, tightness in the piriformis muscle may also cause true sciatic irritation, because the sciatic nerve actually runs through the center of the piriformis muscle in some people, and can be compressed by excessive muscle contraction.

Trigger points in other muscles in the buttocks and upper thigh can cause referred pain in the side of the leg that may be mistaken for sciatica as well. It should be kept in mind that true sciatica and piriformis syndrome are associated with symptoms that are primarily felt in the back of the leg. If symptoms are in the front or side of the leg, there's a good chance that the problem is not sciatica.

Treatment of sciatica is usually associated with treating a bulging disc. The first line of treatment is usually an attempt to reduce inflammation to reduce pressure on the nerve bymeans of oral medications. If oral medications fail, steroids may be injected in the area of the disc bulge in order to provide more potent anti-inflammatory effects. A variety of other types of treatment may also be used, such as physical therapy, massage, chiropractic or osteopathic spinal manipulation, acupuncture, or one of the newest forms of treatment, spinal decompression. In some situations, surgery may be recommended as a last resort.

Most episodes of sciatica will resolve within a period of several weeks with or without treatment, but due to the severity of the pain typically involved, most people with sciatica will seek out treatment. Unfortunately, due to misconceptions by doctors and patients alike regarding the nature of sciatica, the necessary steps to prevent a return of sciatica are usually not taken. So, even though most people do recover from a bout of sciatica, nearly all will eventually have problems again at some point. Even sciatica sufferers initially treated successfully with surgery will often have future problems with sciatica.

The good news is that with awareness of how to manage sciatica and a little bit of effort dedicated to prevention, most people can avoid ongoing long-term sciatica problems. The challenge is simply to making people aware of the necessity of a "management" versus "cure" approach to sciatica and getting them to follow-through with preventive exercises and other self-care techniques.
by: George Best

Friday, June 13, 2008

Menopause Hormone Bounce

Women who are experiencing irregular periods, night sweats and all the other lovely symptoms that go along with menopause may feel they're doing a crazy dance called the menopause hormone bounce. Their moods may bounce up and down like a rubber ball due to the menopause hormone changes.

While some fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone hormone levels does occur during menopause and makes a woman feel as if they're bouncing, menopause hormone levels are truly decreasing. In the early or perimenopause stage as it's often called, the changes may be slight, then level off. This is likely to be followed by another drop in hormone levels. It's this dropping and leveling off, then dropping and leveling off that causes a woman to feel as if she's undergoing menopause hormone bouncing.

When seen this way, the ups and downs of menopause hormone levels is more understandable and explains why women often feel as if they're at the mercy of their hormones. They are. The constant decreasing and adjusting involved in menopause hormones is not something that can be controlled without the use of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). HRT smoothes out the menopause hormone levels and keeps many of the more unpleasant menopause symptoms and conditions from wrecking havoc with a woman's life.

HRT is not for everyone, though. Only women who are experiencing extreme menopause hormone problems should opt for HRT treatment. Even then, HRT isn't recommended for long-term use. HRT is, however, necessary for women who have an induced menopause hormone condition due to surgery. Though HRT may be somewhat controversial, it is still one of the most reliable and effective treatments for menopause hormone problems and should be considered by any woman who is going through a dramatic menopause.

Women who have milder menopause hormone conditions may be helped by herbal remedies for menopause. Many herbs such as black cohosh, St. John's Wort and valerian have been found to offer relief for many menopause hormone problems. Before taking anything, a woman should see her doctor and have a good physical examination and make sure that any medicines or herbs are safe for her particular menopause hormone symptoms. Never take a label's word for it that it's safe. Get your doctor's advice first because the last thing you want to do is add to your menopause woes!

About the author:
Sandra's blog can be found at http://www.menopauseblogonline.com

by: Sandra Lovelace



Monday, June 9, 2008

What Causes Adult Acne?

For many people the question of “what causes adult acne” has been a tireless quest in search of an answer to a problem that plagues many individuals worldwide. For instance 90 percent of all adolescents and almost 25 percent of all adults are acne sufferers. In terms of gender approximately 50% of all adult men and 50% of all adult women suffer or have suffered from some form of acne. One difference in gender is where the acne outbreak takes place and the severity of zits and blackheads that form. Males more often have the severe form of acne rather than females, due to their hormones. Generally the infected areas that tend to break out most frequently (the chest and back) are unfortunately more difficult to treat.

The real cause of acne can actually be a blend of several factors. Typically there are several steps that lead to zits, pimples, blackheads and minor skin blemishes. The main cause of acne is due to the blocking or clogging of hair follicles, more commonly know as pores. Unfortunately the reasons and combination of events that cause pores to become clogged isn’t fully known. There are many contributing elements for teenagers and adults alike, which can include hereditary factors such as whether or not there is a history of acne problems and if so, to what extent, hormones, dietary and vitamin supplemental intake and stress related factors. Other forces or events that can strongly influence the development of acne and pimples include your body’s normal function of eradicating itself of its dead skin cells. If this cycle gets out of whack or becomes irregular due to climate and other environmental forces or overall body health at the time it can cause your hormones and their effect on your own body’s sebum production to increase which is bad for your complexion but outstanding for breeding acne.

When the body’s function of shedding dead skin cells becomes irregular the normal dead skin cells that combine with your body’s natural sebum oil as it drains through the skin’s surface become clogged and cause blocked pores. This substance becomes somewhat sticky, further clogging the passageway. This allows the cultivating and incubating of bacteria, which begins to grow around these clogged areas. As a normal reaction your body’s white blood cells attack the bacteria, fighting it and pushing it out of the body. The outcome of this battle between the white blood cells and bacteria leads to a growth usually within 14-day to 21-days. These growths are referred to as microcomedones. Microcomedones turn into comedones, which are more commonly referred to as blemishes, pimples or acne.

As you can see the formation of acne is based on a series of events, which starts with the blocking of pores. The outcome is usually an increase in production of microcomedones which results in the very noticeable skin blemish known throughout the world as zits, blackheads, acne or pimples.

About the Author

Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Clear-Skin-Solutions.com. He provides more acne clearing solutions, remedies and home acne treatment information that you can research in your pajamas on his website.

by: Tim Gorman

The Best Acne Treatments

The best acne treatments may be the ones that help you avoid the acne in the first place. The best acne treatments can be prescribed by your doctor. You will have to decide the best acne treatments for you.

One of the best acne treatments has to do with keeping your skin clean. There are many products on the market that can be considered some of the best acne treatments available.

Changes in your diet can be another one of the best acne treatments. Some people insist that one of the best acne treatments is to eat a high-fiber diet. The best acne treatments involving diet also mean cutting down on junk foods, chocolate, tea, coffee, fried foods, sugar, sodas and artificial sweeteners. These dietary changes are considered by many to be some of the best acne treatments.

The best acne treatments may be the ones that involve adding supplements to your diet. Acidophilus can be taken in capsule or liquid form and is usually taken 2 or 3 times a day. The best acne treatments that involve using supplements may also include some of the following: brewer’s yeast, chromium, Vitamin B6, Zinc, Vitamin C and E, Vitamin A and B-5, selenium, essential fatty acids and Vitamin B-complex.

The best acne treatments may be those suggested by your physician. Your family doctor may recommend a dermatologist who may know of the best acne treatments. There are medications that can be used to help with acne and your doctor will be able to prescribe them for you.

The best acne treatments may vary depending on the individual and the type of acne.

About the Author

Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Clear-Skin-Solutions.com. He provides more acne clearing solutions, remedies and acne treatment information that you can research in your pajamas on his website.

by: Tim Gorman

Acne Control The Natural Way!

Want to get rid of those zits in your face but you are currently low on budget? How about looking for acne control to avoid the sudden appearance of acne in your skin? So how do we do this?

First, what is acne? Acne is a skin disorder caused by the hormones action on the oil glands of the skin which is called the sebaceous glands. The excretion of oils from this glands can lead to congested skin pores. This is when acne occurs. The face, neck, chest, back and shoulders is where the glands are most profuse, that is why most acne are found on this locations. People who are with this kind of disorder often tends to be depressed, and humiliated.

There are a lot of factors that can generate acne to transpire. First is our Genes. Genetics can't be changed but other factors like our daily routine and the way we take care of our skin can be improved to make acne control no problem at all. Don't feel so sad about your acne because there's lots of things you can do. This acne control tips will help you say bye-bye to those zits.

1. Include Fruits and Vegetables in your daily Diet. A healthy diet consists of at least four to five servings of fruits and vegetables. Acne control will be a lot easier if you start including this in your daily habit.

2. Rose water can be used as a facial cleanser. Dipped in a cotton, clean your face using this everyday for at least two to three times each day.

3. Don't wait for your pimples to form. If you see a bit of it in your face, do something. Acne control is best done early. Pat some ice on the affected area for this will make it less swollen.

4. Acne control is easier when accompanied with multivitamins. Start taking vitamins that contains zinc supplement. Zinc helps in making your skin stronger and acne resistant.

5. Cucumber can help in acne control. Blend it with some water to form a mask. Put it in your face and leave it for about half an hour before rinsing it off. This is a good and affordable acne control remedy that can also refresh your skin.

6. Use only mild soaps and avoid soaps that contains petroleum based products and animal based ingredient for this causes your skin to get dry and irritated.

7. Using alcohol free facial cleansers makes Acne control trouble-free. Alcohol tends to dry your skin more.

8. Makeup also prompt the occurrence of acne. Choose your makeup wisely. Most of the makeup available contains petroleum based ingredients that makes skin dry. An all natural makeup helps acne control become more effortless.

9. Lastly, Drinking loads of water is very important. It flushes out the dirt in our body, Making acne control more natural.

Now you have a list of some helpful tips in acne control. It is your choice if you are to do these methods. There are lots of ways in acne control, be it naturally or by technology. Skin products are always around for you to pick your choice. The thing is, these products are very costly. If you are the innovative type of person, better try this methods in acne control. It is all natural and wont do any harm in your body. No side effects of course! Plus, you can really save a bunch out of this. There's no harm in trying! Saying goodbye to those acne is just a step away!

About the Author: Kirsten Hawkins is a freelance writer specializing in skin conditions such as acne and rosacea. Visit http://www.acnesolution411.com/ for more information on acne and acne treatments.

Source: www.isnare.com
by: Kirsten Hawkins