Friday, December 23, 2011

FIXING HAIR DISASTERS

Sometimes beauty treatments can do more harm than good. Find out how to set right, hair treatments gone wrong and more.


Simona got her hair coloured and in about a week her hair appeared dry like straw. Her bad hair not only earned her rude remarks but also got her confidence level dropping down to an all time low. Had it not been for her cousin who gave her some heart lifting advice on how to fix her hair, her hair would have remained a disaster.


Fashion and beauty trends keep changing all the time. When streaks become a fad we see many heads streaked in different hues. If your favourite sports, movie or TV star sports a certain hair style you too may follow suit. But many a times the hair colour or cut may not suit you or worse, the chemicals used in styling may end up having adverse effects on your hair. After a bad hair job all you can think of is, what do I do to fix my hair to like it was before? If you do not have helpful cousins, read on to turn bad hair days into I love my hair days.


When straightening goes messy

You loved the results of your straightened and wanted to kiss the mirror. But after the first wash you met with a rude awakening. Your straight hair had turned dry, wavy and frizzy. You would not dream of stepping out of the house with such hair. Wearing a cap for months is not the solution. Here are some quick solutions for undesired straight hair.

Quick Fix

Get a hair cut that decreases the volumised look
Get hot oil massage done every week
Get hair protein treatment every month
Get a hair cut done every two- three months
Apply some leave-in conditioner every time you wash your hair
Use shampoo for dry damaged hair
Oil your hair every alternate day. Oiling hair before turning in for the night is helpful
Apply Aloe Vera gel before washing your hair
Tie a pony tail if you feel your hair is unruly.
Wear a bandana to cover your mane and look stylish
Do not get any chemical treatments done for the next six months.

You will have to wait for some months for new hair to grow. Remember the process cannot be reversed in an instant but is temporary. You need to be patient with yourself and treat your hair with some tender loving care.


When your perm looks like a nest

You got bored of your poker straight hair and wished you would have curls dangling all over your shoulders. Every time you use rollers on your hair, you are showered with compliments. You wished deep inside your heart that if these curls would stay with you forever, it would change your life. So you got your hair permed.

Within a few days your mane has split ends; it is dry and turned frizzy. Soon hair fall began. You started tying your hair in a bun in the hopes that it would hide your disastrous hair. Alas, a strand or two would just spring out of nowhere. If your hair is simply driving you up the wall, get some relief from the chemical treatment gone wrong. Use the tips given below and reach out to healthy hair.

Quick Fix

Trim your hair to avoid split-ends
Get hot oil treatment done every week
Get deep conditioning done every ten days
Ask your doctor for a prescription to control hair fall
Use a shampoo for dry and damaged hair
Oil your hair before turning in for the night every alternate day
Avoid blow drying
Wear a wig if the damage is too hard to handle. Buy something that suits your personality

Perming will take some time to wear off so take it easy and be patient. Be kind to your hair and it will be better.


When your hair colour is a shock

After fantasising yourself in that lovely hair shade a zillionth time you finally got your hair coloured. But horrors of horror it turned out an absolute mess. It doesn't look like the picture you had seen. Follow these tips to save yourself of questions you do not want to answer.

Quick Fix

Avoid bleaching you hair again
Avoid applying henna on coloured hair. It makes hair brittle
Find a shade very close to your natural hair colour
Choose a dark brown shade if nothing else helps
Opt for an ammonia-free hair colour
Consult a credible hair stylist before the second round of hair colouring
Before colouring your hair get a strand test done. You do not want to repeat the same mistake again
Oil your hair regularly after the treatment.
Avoid getting chemical treatments at least for six months
Get regular protein treatments
Use shampoo and conditioner for coloured hair


When a hair cut goes wrong

There is very little you can do to turn around a bad hair cut. But there is hope. Read on to find some helpful tips that can rid you off an embarrassing cut.

Quick Fix

Consult an experienced hair stylist for giving another cut
Wear a cap when you move out
Wear a bandana till your hair grows back
Use clips to pin up hair neatly
Buy a wig if you have a social event and you want to look your best

Treat your hair with love and care. Agonising and worrying over your hair will not make it grow any faster. Occupy yourself with something else. Read a book, practice yoga or count your blessings.


When you have burnt hair

This can be really tragic. Burning hair with chemicals or fire can only be helped with a hair cut. In case the locks are at a higher end or near the forehead you will need these ideas to cover them up.

Try on a bandana
Get a haircut done
Wear scarves. There is a huge variety available in markets
Use a moisturising shampoo and conditioner
Use a leave-in conditioner everyday to soothe hair
Oil your hair regularly


When you have dead hair

Dead hair is a result of using excessive chemicals and hair styling products. To prevent your mane from being dead here are some life saving fixes.

Quick Fix

Oil your hair regularly
Use a shampoo and conditioner for dry and damaged hair
Avoid blow drying hair
Avoid chemical treatments
Avoid applying henna for six months
Apply egg mask every week


When you have chewing gum in your hair

This may be an accident or not. But there are some very easy ways to get out of this one without chopping off your beloved tresses.

Quick Fix

Apply coconut oil on the area. The gum will slide easily
Apply some moisturising cream on it, if you are out


Your hair is a valuable beauty asset and this is no secret. Treat it with care to prevent it from becoming a disaster. Be true to yourself and get makeovers done that are right just for you.


Did you ever have a hair disaster? How did you fix it? Do you think chemical hair treatments are the only way to look beautiful? To share your experiences, views, and tips

10 BEAUTY TIPS

1. Brushing Up

Make body brushing a part of your daily routine. Scrubbing out dirt and grime is the least of its advantages. Body brushing tones and stimulates skin, helping with the natural drainage of the lymph glands. It also helps combat cellulite. When brushing, work towards the heart, up from your legs and thighs, and down from your neck. Oh, and remember, skin should be dry while body-brushing, so make sure you have a soft brush - you don't want abrasions that are hard to explain!


2. Banana Rama

For a great homemade face softener, try this: mash a banana and apply it to your face. Leave on for ten minutes and wash off with lukewarm water. Your face feels like satin. Plus, it puts those over ripe gooey bananas to good use!


3. Pearly White

Ever looked in the mirror and felt that your teeth were going from white to off-white to yellow? Take a hard look at your habits. The biggest culprits in the teeth-yellowing process are tobacco, coffee, tea and red wine. So if you must indulge, brush your teeth afterwards whenever possible, or at least rinse with water.


4. Shades Of Summer

A snazzy pair of sunglasses not only looks great, but also delays the onset of crow's feet (wrinkles on the sides of the eyes) which are accelerated by squinting in the sun.


5. Peaches And Cream

Great looks come with great skin, so get crackin' on that epidermis. Dirt and oil blocks pores causing blackheads and pimples, while dirt, grime and pollutants are drawn to oily skin like moths to a flame. So wash your face as often as possible, and cleanse at least twice a day.


6. Instant Glow

So you've just reached home after a nerve-wrecking day at the office and have to leave immediately for a dinner party thrown by your husband's most revered business client. How to get that glow in a flash? You could cheat and layer on the blusher, but a better option would be to try this: simply mix equal amounts of lemon and honey, apply it to your face and wash off after ten minutes.


7. Luscious Locks

Nothing improves the quality of your hair better than getting a regular oil massage. Get it done at home once a week if you have a husband or mother-in-law that dotes on you, or visit your neighbourhood parlour.


8. All Steamed Up

After applying oil wrap your hair in a steaming towel for twenty minutes. Give your hair this steaming treatment at least once a month. Steaming hair after applying oil helps it soak deeper into the follicles.


9. Fun In The Sun

The sun's warmth may make you feel good but it's ultraviolet rays over time cause at best, dry wrinkly skin and at worst, skin cancer. Don't step out without loading on that sunscreen. In the summers, avoid stepping out between 12:00 to 2:00 when the sun is at its peak.


10. Water, Water Everywhere

You can never drink too much water. It flushes out your toxins and is great for the skin, liver and just about every conceivable body organ! It keeps you cool and feeling fresh, reduces dehydration and rejuvenates your body cells. Drink at least ten glasses of water in a day. Bottoms up!

Simple and Easy Acne Removal Tips

There are many home remedies for acne. Most people have everything they need already somewhere in the house to get started with natural acne removal. Here are a few natural acne cures.

Lemon juice is a great remedy for redness. It acts as a disinfectant and the citric acid is a very effective ingredient for cleaning out the pores. It works equally well on red, inflamed pimples as it does on acne scars, although it may take longer to see results on scars. Just apply a bit of lemon juice to the affected area. It may sting a bit, so if your skin is particularly sensitive, you could try mixing in a bit of honey with it.
Among the various acne removal remedies, tea tree oil is said to be very effective, as it contains an active antimicrobial agent. It is available in its pure form and as gels, lotions, and creams. Many say that it is as effective as benzoyl peroxide, without the side effects. The only drawback is that it might take longer to work. It is best to use a concentration of 5% tea tree oil, and apply it to the affected region a few times in the day.
Honey is a great natural acne treatment thanks to its antibacterial and disinfectant properties. It can be applied directly to the face or mixed with other natural ingredients such as oats or lemon juice. The best type of honey for treating acne is raw honey or manuka honey from New Zealand. It is very gentle, making it great for sensitive skin and works well on infected pimples.
One of the best ways to treat acne problem is to indulge in regular cleaning. Wash the face at least two times a day, once in the morning and once at night. Make sure you use a mild face wash/ soap. Do not scrub the area incessantly. It may heighten the problem, instead of reducing it.
Did you know that oatmeal is an excellent acne removing agent? To use it, the first step would be to cook the oatmeal. Apply this on the affected area and let it stay for about fifteen minutes. Thereafter, wash your face with warm water.
A mixture of yeast and lemon juice works well to get rid of acne. For this, combine a tablespoon of dried or fresh yeast with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Apply this combination on your face and leave it on, until it gets hard. Thereafter, peel it or wash it with warm water.
For getting rid of acne, mix 2 to 3 tea bags with some basil. Cook this mixture in boiling water for about 10 to 20 minutes. Then, apply on the acne-infected area with a cotton ball.
Apart from applying products on the acne, the intake of right ingredients can also help lessen acne. Mix honey in 3 glass of water and squeeze lemon. Drink this to get relieved from acne.

There are many more acne removal tips that mostly include acne treatments at home, that are convenient and relatively painless, which range from consuming zinc rich foods or zinc supplements, to strawberries or their leaves in a poultice. However, the most important of all tips is never to pick or squeeze pimples, for in all likelihood, you will spread the bacteria and cause the pimple to leave behind the scar.

Makeup Tips For College Girls

.To correct a classic look, apply a light powder foundation mineral Bulk or tinted moisturizer.
.Create a healthy glow on the cheeks by Blush in Coral fishing subtle or pink. Did they find the apples of the cheeks and cheekbones for a more precise definition.
.Powder Blush avoid stays over whether cosmetics cream.
.Keep lips neutral. Stick to shades of nude photography pink or brown. Lighter shades of pink will help you with a natural look to achieve.
.Allow your eyes soft, smoky effect with dark or bright colors, to the front line. The eyeliner should not have a certain form, then try to purify the line near the eyelashes. Put a little mascara to open your eyes. No makeup no makeup is look The a look and thumb. This look has become very popular on the podium until recently. There is an effect of a luminous complexion.
.For this look, apply a liquid foundation, then correct the errors with a concealer or a proofreader. Berzin Irani indicates that it is under concealer essential.
.To set the foundation, dust some loose powder or mineral powder.
.Apply the powder little plum red or pink.
.Look to Mark to create the cheekbones, the creation of a sculpted.
. Keep your mouth by the light in the colors of pink or plum.
.Select the softness and sweetness of the lips.
.The liner must be a limited form and try brown or dark shades of brown to use. Apply eye shadow colors of brown or chocolate, and you end up with a little mascara eyes open. Femme fatale Femme fatale look The to look is timeless, beautiful and glamorous. This is a vintage look on the podium. It is appropriate to seek a party or night.
. Before reaching the femme fatale is a liquid foundation, then correct the errors with a concealer or a proofreader. Define the composition of minerals loose powder.
.Add the definition and subtle highlights cheeks with a blush or powder sculpture in shades of brown or darker.
.Create a “vampish pouting. Stick to shades of red and plum, shine your lips with vibrant colors.
.This is very dramatic, as the eyes should be bold and seductive. Use pastel colors to create a smoky eye. With black eyeliner close to the lash line. Create voluminous lashes with two or three coats of mascara. The eyebrows should be clearly defined as well. Kajal or Kohl used to define your eyes.

Continue Losing Weight And Keep It Off

in order to lose weight safely, effectively, and oh yeah, for free. At this point, you also know what your own personal weight loss diet plan should be. You're pretty much set and ready to go. However, before you do, there's a few other things you're going to want to know.

In Phase 3 you will learn how to make sure you continue losing weight and, even more importantly, keep the weight off for good. I'm also going to give some additional pieces of weight loss information that didn't fit in anywhere in Phase 1 and 2 as well as answer a couple of questions you may have thought of throughout the course of The Lose Weight Diet.

Continue Losing Weight
What I'm about to say may scare you a little. However, it shouldn't. It is completely normal and is supposed to happen. At some point, you MAY stop losing weight. I can't tell you when exactly, but unless you have a really small amount of weight to lose, there is a chance that at some point your weight loss might come to a stop. Hang on, calm down. It's no big deal. Seriously... if it does happen, it was supposed to happen. The reason for this is because as you gradually begin to lose weight, you're body will start to change. Yeah, you'll look better, you'll be healthier, you'll feel better, but one other change will come to your calorie maintenance level.

For example, let's say you started at 200lbs and you calculated your maintenance level to be 3500 calories (these are just made up numbers). You then figured that in order to start losing weight, you'd need to eat 3000 calories per day (500 below maintenance). Since then, you've consistently lost weight and are currently down to 185lbs. But... your weight loss has stopped. It's been 3 weeks and you haven't lost even half a pound.
What this means is that your calorie maintenance level, which was 3500 calories when you were 200lbs, has changed now that you're at 185lbs. Your maintenance level has become lower. It is now 3000 calories. So, what do you do? Simple, reduce your calorie intake by an additional 250 calories. In this example, you'd start eating 2750 calories per day for now on. (3000 - 250 = 2750) OR, you could continue to eat the same number of calories (3000 in this example) per day, but just burn off the 250 calories through exercise.

Keep in mind though that this may not even happen to you. If it doesn't, cool. If it does, just make the simple 250 calorie adjustment (through diet and/or workout) to make sure you continue to lose weight.

I would recommend giving it 2-4 weeks of seeing no weight loss whatsoever before you make this adjustment just to be sure that you are indeed no longer losing weight. Sometimes your diet could have been off a little that week, or maybe you missed a workout or two. Something like this could make it appear as though you are no longer losing when in fact you just weren't as consistent as you should have been.
Weighing Yourself
Many times throughout The Lose Weight Diet I've made a reference to your weight. What I didn't do however was mention HOW you should weigh yourself. First and foremost, you should weigh yourself once a week. No more, no less. You should also keep some kind of written/typed log of your weight each week so you can properly track your progress.

The other important weighing tip is to ALWAYS weigh yourself first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Weighing yourself any time later in the day is useless as there could be a 5-10 pound difference at different times during the day. Also, if possible, try to do it on the same day each week wearing the same amount of clothing (preferably as little as possible). I do it every Wednesday morning right after I wake up.
Tracking Your Progress
One of the keys to successful weight loss is accurately tracking your progress. While weighing yourself every week is one of the best ways to do so, there are 3 other ways.

One way is to have your body fat percentage tested on a somewhat regular basis. Some gyms do this, and some doctors, nutritionists, and personal trainers can do this for you as well. You can also buy body fat calipers and perform the test on yourself. A scale can only tell you if you are gaining or losing weight. Your body fat percentage can tell you if that weight is fat, muscle or water.

A second way to track your progress is with a tape measure. Measure your waist, arms, legs, chest, neck and really wherever else you want. I do this every other week and keep a written log of it. Like weighing yourself, you should also try to do this first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.

A third way is with pictures. Once a month I take a few pictures of myself in the same few poses every time. Since you see yourself many times every single day, it's a little harder for you to notice any changes. But, with pictures, you can literally look back and compare and see every bit of progress you've made.

Create Your Weight Loss Diet Plan

You learned that the key to weight loss is being in a calorie deficit, which means you are burning more calories than you are consuming. You learned that to do this, you just need be about 500 calories below your calorie maintenance level. You also learned that while this is the only real requirement of weight loss, making sure these calories are coming from the right food sources is also important.

Now, in Phase 2, you're going to learn how to put this information to use and create your own weight loss diet plan. The very first thing you're going to need to do is figure out what your calorie maintenance level is

Calculate your daily calorie maintenance level.

Your daily calorie maintenance level is the key number in creating your weight loss diet plan. It is based on many factors and is specific to each person. For example, you and your friend might be the same height and weight, but you might have maintenance levels that are hundreds of calories apart. Since the effectiveness of your weight loss diet plan depends a lot on this number, it is important that you figure it out as accurately as possible.

For the most part there are really only 2 methods of figuring out this "magic" number. The first is a pretty close estimate, and the second is as accurate as can be.

1. Here's the method for getting the "pretty close estimate" of your calorie maintenance level. It requires putting your gender, weight, height, age and activity level through a 6th grade level math formula. However, I have assumed that no one actually wants to sit around doing 6th grade math. I was right, wasn't I? So, I've included a calculator for it instead. All you need to do now is just fill out the quick form below and hit "Calculate!" and you will instantly get your estimated calorie maintenance level. Go ahead and try it.

Protein, Carbs, and Fat

You see, your total daily calorie intake is BY FAR the most important aspect of weight loss. Eat the right amount per day and you will lose weight regardless of where those calories came from. However, the foods and nutrients supplying those calories still do play many important roles in your diet and health for various reasons. As far as these "calorie suppliers" go, there's mainly just three; protein, carbs and fat. Despite what the many fad diets and commercial diet plans have scared you into thinking, your weight loss diet CAN and SHOULD contain a good amount of all three. (Exactly how much of each is coming up next.)

So, while you will definitely lose weight just as a result of being below your maintenance level, how much and what types of protein, carbs and fat you eat will indeed play many important roles in your overall weight loss results. Don't worry, I'll explain all of that next.

Calorie Deficit (Giving your body less calories than it needs)

You just learned the one simple fact that The Lose Weight Diet is based on. Pretty cool huh? I told you, weight loss is all about calories. More specifically, it's about creating a calorie deficit. You need to end up burning more calories than you consume. If your daily calorie maintenance level is 3000 calories, you will lose weight if you started eating 2500 calories a day. You would gain weight if you ate 3500 calories a day. I realize I was only supposed to explain how to lose weight, but you've also just learned how to gain weight.

Did you ever wonder how you gained weight? Now you know. You ate more than your maintenance level. To lose weight, you just need to reverse that. Simple, isn't it? You may have noticed that in the example above I subtracted 500 calories from the maintenance level. Subtracting 500 calories from your maintenance level is the magic weight loss number here. The reason for that is because there are about 3500 calories in 1 pound of fat. So, if you ate 500 less calories each day for 7 days, it would equal the 3500 less calories required to lose 1 pound. (500 x 7 = 3500)

Coincidentally, there are 7 days in a week. So, by eating 500 calories below your daily maintenance level, you would lose about 1 pound per week. Now would be a good time to mention that the healthy, safe, good, smart, and all around right amount of weight to lose for most people is 1 or 2 pounds a week. That is the widely agreed upon correct weight loss speed. I am bringing this up now because some people may be thinking, "If my maintenance level was 3000 calories, why shouldn't I just go straight to eating 1000 calories a day instead of only 2500?" Here's why...

Reducing your calorie intake by so much so fast is wrong, potentially unsafe and unhealthy, bad, dumb, silly, stupid, not smart, not good, and all around super incorrect. Got that? You'd end up losing muscle along with the fat. You'd be hungry, annoyed and feel like crap. Your body would go into a state where it actually KEEPS fat. Blah blah blah, blah blah. It would just be the complete opposite of the right thing to do. Remove this idea from your mind.

Calorie Maintenance Level ( big secret )

Your calorie maintenance level is pretty useful to know. Think of it like it's your body's weight loss password, and knowing it will get you into your own private weight loss system. Once you're in, you'll be able to control your weight with ease. In fact, for anyone wondering how to lose weight, this is the number at the heart of that answer. The best way I can explain why is by telling you the big secret...

Like I said, every person's body needs a certain number of calories each day in order for them to maintain their current weight. This is your maintenance level. If your diet plan is made up of the SAME number of calories as this maintenance level, your weight will stay the same. However, if your diet is made up of MORE calories than your maintenance level, you will GAIN weight. But... get this... if your diet is made up of LESS calories than your maintenance level... YOU WILL LOSE WEIGHT!

Calories

You know when you eat food and drink drinks? Well, every one of those foods and every one of those drinks contain calories. Say it with me... calories. The reason I'm mentioning calories to you as though you are 5 years old is because the answer to the almighty "how to lose weight" question all revolves around calories. Not only does everything you eat and drink contain calories, but everything you do burns calories. Literally every step you take and every move you make burns calories. In fact, your body actually burns hundreds and even thousands of calories each day on its own just functioning. You could sit still all day and your body would still burn calories.

So now you may be wondering, if everything you eat contains calories, and everything you do burns calories, shouldn't they just cancel each other out? Yes, they should... and they do. If you consume the exact same number of calories that your body burns each day, your weight would stay exactly the same. If your body naturally burns 3000 calories a day, and you happen to eat 3000 calories a day, your weight would not change. In this example, 3000 calories is what's known as a calorie maintenance level. It's the number of calories required for the body to maintain its current weight.

I should probably have you repeat "calorie maintenance level" with me, because if there's one thing more important than calories when it comes to losing weight... it's your calorie maintenance level.

The Lose Weight Diet

The idea behind this completely free weight loss diet is the ANTI-fad diet. It is the complete opposite of every borderline idiotic and completely unnecessary diet program in existence. It is based strictly on common sense and the simplest and healthiest way the human body was meant to lose weight. It is not based on fancy gimmicks and making sales. The Lose Weight Diet is free.
he Lose Weight Diet is four things:

1. Simple
2. Safe
3. Effective
4. Free

If that sounds ideal to you, then sit back and relax. You've found the right place.
he purpose of Phase 1 is going to make a ton of sense. You see, in order to successfully reach your weight loss goals, you're going to first need to understand how to lose weight. (I told you it would make sense.) That's what Phase 1 is. A complete, yet easy to understand explanation of exactly what is required for weight loss to take place. How it happens, why it happens, and most important of all... what you need to do in order to make it happen. You can not skip ahead. You will need to know this in order to create your weight loss diet plan in Phase 2.

So, to sum up, by the end of this page you're going to know how to lose weight. Sound good? Great.