If the amount of money consumers spend on hair care products annually is any indication, most people are concerned about the appearance of their hair and strive to attain beautiful, healthy and stylish locks.  In fact, most will go to any lengths to achieve their desired look. From professional salon treatments to over-the-counter serums, hair care is a big business.

The only problem is that while many people are buying the right hair care products for their hair, they forget to follow basic hair care regimens that will guarantee the health and beauty of their tresses. Additionally, many are also causing needless damage to their hair by participating in unhealthy hair care behavior.

So, what should you do to make sure that your hair stays healthy, shiny and strong?
To avoid all hair care disasters, follow these 10 absolute don’ts of great hair care.
Hair care don’ts

1. Avoid unprofessional and over-the-counter hair care products whenever you can. Many of these only offer false hopes and promises.

2. Do not cut your own bangs. Leave all of your cutting needs, even bangs, to your hair care professional.

3. Avoid excessive sun, chlorine and salt water during the summer months. Excessive exposure can cause severe damage that is irreversible even if you use the best hair care products.

4. Do not use clarifying hair care products on your tresses more than one time per week. They can strip hair of moisture and essential oils.

5. Do not visit a hair care salon without first getting a referral from someone you can trust. Choosing a salon based on an advertisement or sale alone is very risky.

6. Do not purchase hair color that comes in a box.

7. Never stick with an outdated look because you are afraid of looking different. Styles change for a reason. Ask your hair care professional to bring you into this decade with a new style.

8. Do not straighten your hair with a clothes iron. C’mon, this was so over in the 70s. We have straightening irons that won’t damage your hair for this now. Look in the hair care isle.

9. Don’t brush your hair or put too much tension on it while it is still wet. This will cause breakage. Also, do not wear tight styles such as corn rows for extended periods of time unless you have ethnic hair.

10. Never use sun-lightening products such as lemon juice or over-the-counter hair care products designed to lighten hair with the sun unless you want a very short hair cut in the future.

In the end, hair care is a very individualized and personal thing. Feel free to add your own flair and style to your hair care routine, but remember to include hair care principles that will benefit your hair and avoid those that damage it.

Plant nutrients play a key role in anti aging. Fruit, vegetables, and plant extracts have an array of chemical constituents, called phytochemicals or phytonutrients, that are hugely beneficial to skin health and beauty.

In plants, phytochemicals confer characteristics like color, which can help the plant by providing an attractive beacon to passing bees to help in pollination. Or they offer a protective effect to the plant to prevent insects from harming it, or repel grazing animals. But they have often been found to have benefits for human health when analyzed in laboratories. It is these chemicals in plants that make fruit and vegetables so much more valuable than simply the macro nutrients like vitamin C.

Antioxidants are one class of phytonutrients, though there are many. Antioxidants work by supplying an extra oxygen molecule to those molecules that are missing one, called free radicals. If antioxidants don’t supply the missing oxygen molecule to free radicals, the free radicals will take an oxygen molecule from another compound in the body, making one that was previously healthy and intact itself a free radical. Free radicals are not ‘baddies’, simply unstable chemical molecules, but the effect they have on the body is negative, as they can damage cells. Free radicals are produced as a normal by product of the metabolic processes of our cells, as well as by our immune system as it counteracts the effects of pathogens and the environment.

The trick is to keep the balance in the body where there is enough of a supply of antioxidants to cope with the body’s production of free radicals.

Free radicals affect the skin in three main ways. They can alter the fatty layers in your cellular membranes. These fatty layers provide structure to the cell, and control which nutrients and other agents can pass in and out. They can alter the DNA within cells, which aside from the potential to develop into serious illnesses, can make your skin inclined to wrinkles and sagging before its natural biological time. Altered DNA creates a blueprint for collagen and elastin fibers that don’t function as healthy, normal ones would. And to compound matters, the skin’s pores need healthy collagen and elastin fibers to stay tight and small. So another undesired result is open, large pores.

Free radicals also lead to a process called the cross-linking of collagen fibers. This occurs in the skin’s dermis, as a result of collagen and elastin fibers becoming hard, thick, and then binding together. Cross-linked fibers create wrinkles, skin sag, and cause your regular expression lines to become etched in your face as a permanent fixture. With healthy collagen and elastin fibers these expression lines would simply disappear once you moved your facial muscles in a different way. And enzymes that metabolize collagen are encouraged by free radicals, which, given the importance of collagen in youthful looking skin, is best minimized.

Other phytonutrients in plants that are of importance to skin beauty are carotenoids and flavanoids. Flavanoids are great for the health of blood vessels. They strengthen the capillaries that supply important nutrients to the skin’s cells, as well as supporting cellular membranes. Healthy cell membranes regenerate quickly, and slow the aging process. Carotenoids also strengthen cell membranes. It seems carrots are not just good for eyesight! And flavanoids help reduce inflammation, as well as increasing levels of glutathione, which is an antioxidant.

Want beautiful nails?  Let’s have a look at some of the most basic tools to keep your nails looking terrific!
Nail creams

Nail creams not only help you strengthen your nail by giving them a protein and mineral boost but also protect your nails from getting over dry, chipped or cracked.  Nail creams are also known to avoid ail splits and cure them.
These days, nail creams come in a combination of hand and nail cream and foot and nail cream. These combinations also help to groom the hand and feet along with the nail and give them a soft and dewy feel.
Nail Manicure and Pedicure tools

The best way to take care of and groom your nails is to get a regular manicure and pedicure. Not only will it help your nails but also your hands and feet; not to mention giving you an opportunity to relax and pamper yourself. The tools for such treatments are varied but a few basic must haves, if you plan to give this treatment to yourself are Nail polish wipes and removers, Nail brush, Cuticle cream, Cuticle cutter, cuticle stick, cuticle pusher and finally nail cutter and file.
When looking for nail polish wipes, try and find lint free wipes as they will not leave any lint residue on your nails post the treatment, allowing you to apply smooth polish on your nails. Also, when choosing a cuticle stick or a cuticle pusher, it is wise to invest in a soft but firm rubber or soft wooden stick. Avoid using a metal cuticle stick as it is harder.
Nail Polish and Polish Remover

There is huge variety of nail varnishes to choose from today. The color pallet is astounding as are the types of varnishes available. You can choose from mild to high frosted shades to high gloss colors and from extreme glitters and metallic’s to gothic shades.  Today you can even find double shaded nail paints which change color when they come in contact with the UV Rays of the sun. The choices are unlimited!
When choosing a nail polish remover, it is better to invest a few more dollars and go for a non-alcoholic remover as this will benefit your nails in the long run and prevent nail damage like dryness, breakage etc.

Nail files and buffers

Nail files and nail buffers are the most introductory nail grooming implements available today. These instrumentsare used to give shape to the nails and top them off with a smooth surface. The nail file can be used to give any shape to the nail. The most popular shapes are round and square. These shapes are great for everyday wear and give the nails a chic and elegant appearance. When filing nails to give them shape, it is important to remember to file only in one direction as not doing so will cause them to leave uneven edges and splits on the nail which can cause cracks in the long run.

If your nail surface is a bit uneven or lacks radiance you can select to use a buffer to buff the top of your nail to give it a spontaneous shine and evenness. However don’t recourse to buffing more than a couple of times every three weeks or so as it strips the nail of its natural oils and also thins the nail, making it weaker and more vulnerable to damage. Always top a buffing session with an application of a nail strengthener.

Imagine browsing through skin care aisles and finding that one, perfect product that boasts of all-natural ingredients. Serendipity, right? Then you go and read the label expecting to find a virtual salad but instead finding yourself reading benzoic acid, butyl stearate, and some totally unpronounceable names. You’re no botanist but you’re sure that those stuff don’t grow on trees. This is because most commercial items meant for skin care nowadays contain preservatives and other chemicals to maintain their consistency and shelf life. Problem is, most of these chemicals can actually irritate more sensitive skin.

What solution is there for this kind of crisis? Simple. Mix your own, homemade skin care line. There’s nothing to it as most ingredients are found in your fridge or fruit basket. All-natural skin recipes are easily found in the Internet or even in magazines. Usually, these skin care mixes are composed of a combination of one or two fruits. Combinations like these can include either the fruit pulp, fruit juice, or both. Milk, water or honey are usually added to smoothen the mixture. Add-ons such as oatmeal, wheat germ, brown sugar, and dried herbs are also included for more specialized concoctions such as a pimple treatment, flaking, and oily skin.

Skin care using natural ingredients offers great variety. There are facial cleansers, scrubs, moisturizing creams, and face masks. Don’t worry because indications for use are usually found with the recipes. The recipes indicate whether the mixture is for normal, dry, oily, sensitive, and acne-prone skin. Some are even more specialized as blackhead removers or whitening solutions.

Natural skin care routine have many advantages. First, the ingredients are easily available and the choices are great. They are also natural, thus, greatly reducing risks of allergies or skin irritations. Second, the ingredients are cheap, which translates into more savings more you. Third, you can modify the recipes to suit your needs. Since the risks for irritations are minimal, experimentations are relatively safe. Fourth, vitamins and antioxidants are naturally found in fruits, while milk and honey have restorative properties. Therefore, you get the same vitamins found in commercial products while limiting or eradicating chemicals.

As these skin care recipes use natural ingredients they require refrigeration and can only keep for a week. However, it is better to make these in small quantities or batches for immediate use. In addition, these recipes contain natural hydroxy acids and vitamins for direct and instant skin rejuvenation. Also, don’t forget to keep fit by exercising, having a balanced, healthy diet and regular sleep. With these pre-requisites and your new skin care solutions, you’re on your way to having the healthy skin that can top what science can offer. Now, that’s what you call natural.

The right cosmetics for any skin type is important to create a fresh natural appearance as well as to prevent reactions to the cosmetics such as allergies with resulting rashes, itching and weeping or breakouts with whiteheads or blackheads and painful skin eruptions. Every person’s skin is unique and different areas on a person’s face may have different characteristics which must be taken into consideration when choosing appropriate cosmetics.

If you’ve been disappointed when your powder eye shadow creases and slides before lunch or your foundation looks lined and caked, understanding the characteristics of your skin and purchasing appropriate cosmetics for your skin type is a worthwhile exercise. Here are some tips to help you look your best.

Avoid cosmetics that dry or irritate your skin

Each different skin type will react differently to the various types of cosmetics. Even if a particular brand works for your eye shadow, the same brand may not work for lipstick. This is because the skin type on your eyelids may be very different from the skin type on your lips. When you are choosing cosmetics such as foundation, for example, avoid drying cosmetics or cosmetics that cause your skin to break out. Unfortunately, you may have to try several products in order to determine those that work on your skin consistently. Another issue which must be considered is that your skin may build up a reaction to a particular cosmetic which did not previously cause a skin irritation, so you may be forced to find an alternative to a tried and true brand which worked well in the past. Skin characteristics may change significantly over a lifetime as well, forcing a change in the type of cosmetics which you select.

Consider your skin tone when selecting cosmetics

Even if the particular type of cosmetic is just right for your skin type, choosing the wrong color–one which is either too light or too dark will make the cosmetics less than attractive. Select cosmetics that complement and match your skin tone and minor imperfections in skin tone and texture will disappear. Darker foundations, deeper colors for eye shadow and eyeliner will be best suited for those with chocolate or olive skin tones. On the other end of the spectrum, if you have pale skin, you should choose lighter shades of foundation and eye makeup. Cosmetics should enhance, never overpower the skin tones.

Invest in quality makeup

Quality makeup often tends to get painful to the pocketbook, but it shows on your skin. Cheap makeup can cake or slide on your skin and isn’t as likely to blend. It is more likely to sit on the surface, giving a plastic look. Look for good quality cosmetics that aren’t necessarily expensive. It’s better to invest in yourself by purchasing quality makeup that you know looks great with your skin type.
Dry Skin

If you are the victim of skin that is dry, don’t despair. You should find a mousse or crème type foundation. If you use a concealer, make sure it is cream based and your compact powder should be pressed compact powder.  You should avoid loose power or oil free formulas as they will tend to settle in the fine lines on your face. Eye makeup is best done with silk-textured powder or crème eye shadows and eyeliner should be either a shimmer pencil or a matte type. Moisture is the key word with lipsticks and lip glosses. Find a moisturizing lipstick and use lip gloss that has ingredients such as aloe or vitamin E, both of which provide additional lip moisture.

Sensitive Skin

Look for products that are labeled specifically for use with sensitive skin and avoid fragrances in your cosmetic products. Non-allergenic is another phrase to look for on the labels. The key is to avoid anything with high dye levels or preservatives.

Combination Skin

You can either choose different products for different skin conditions on your face or you can select products which are specifically created for combination skin. Even so-called normal skin often has areas which are more or less oily than other areas. Normal skin may have times during the monthly cycle when it is oilier than usual.

Oily Skin

For oily skin, try using an oil free primer before applying a matte type foundation that won’t clog your pores.Loose powder has fewer oils than pressed powder. Blot the skin periodically throughout the days to remove any shine. Avoid cremes for eye shadow or mascara and creamy style lip pencils.

Cleanser options

Avoid harsh or drying cleansers as well as greasy cleansers since either extreme will react unfavorably with your skin type. The best skin cleanser, regardless of the skin type is a water-soluble cleanser that is gentle on the skin.

Below are some of the techniques on removing acne scars naturally:

1.     Hydration is the key. It has been proven that water is one of the best natural methods on how to remove acne scars and prevent acne breakouts. Drinking at least 8 glasses of water or more helps your skin to shed those unwanted dead skin cells.

2.     A lot of people are recommending the use Vitamin E capsule for those scars. You might apply it topically to the affected area by pricking a spot in the capsule and apply the oil to the scar. Another option is to take it orally to have that cell renewal from the inside.

3.     Rosehip seed oil is also an effective remedy on how to remove acne scars. This is an anti-ageing and anti-wrinkling agent that helps the skin to regenerate. Massage it on the scar twice a day.

4.     Eating a balance diet may help in removing acne scars. The more nutritious foods you include in your meal, the faster the scar will heal. It helps in building the skin cells and gives a healthy skin glow as well.

5.     Combine rose water and paste of sandal wood and apply it on the spot where the scars are. Leave it overnight then rinse with cold water the next day.

Aside from the natural ways of removing acne scars, there are also dermatological procedures that would definitely give you a much faster result. However, pregnancy and other health conditions may hinder your want to undergo these procedures. Here are some of the hi-tech methods on how to remove acne scars effectively.

6.    Not only certified dermatologists do a dermabrasion, but facial salons do as well. Dermabrasion is the removal of the top skin layer using a machine that chafes off the skin. Once the skin heals, the top layer will then have a smoother and clearer appearance.

7.     Laser resurfacing is one of the most affordable anti-scar treatments available. It simply uses a high-energy light that would remove the fine scars and even prevent wrinkles.

8.     You may also have a chemical peel procedure. This is just like dermabrasion. The only difference is that the top layer of the skin is peeled off using chemicals not machines. This is not a very advisable procedure for all since some people may have allergic reactions to the chemicals.

With all the available choices for treatment, you surely would not have an excuse as to why your acne scar is still obvious. It’s your choice whether you would opt for the natural way or the dermatological procedure on how to remove acne scars.

For one thing, some areas of your face may feel tight after you wash. This will typically be on the parts of your face not included in the T-zone area. These areas will likely also look flaky and dull and may feel rough.

First of all, make sure you are cleansing every day. Use a mild cleanser on your entire face. Use the cleanser twice a day, preferably before bed at night and after get up in the morning. These are the times your face most needs to be cleansed anyway, but if you have combination skin it is imperative.

Get a good moisturizer. Once you have identified which parts of your face are the dry parts, most likely these areas are not in the T-zone and this is the area you will treat. Use the moisturizer on those dry areas only. Using it in your oily T-zone will only make that area worse.

The goal when you have combination skin is to normalize it. Normalizing is trying to gain a balance between the oily and dry areas so that all your skin looks and feels the same. In order to accomplish this feat, you want to look for products that are made for such normalization. For instance, ones that contain alpha hydroxyl acids (fruit acids or AHA’s) or retinols will work best. Retinols are a vitamin A derivative. Such products should help you to gain more normal and even looking skin.

The reason AHA creams are so beneficial to your skin is that they area catalyst for skin cell regeneration. By burning off or removing the top layer of skin cells (or the too oily and too dry ones) they expose the healthier skin cells beneath them. These cells are more likely to absorb moisturizers. They also help improve skin elasticity through their water-binding properties. This can help with that “tight” feeling you may get in the dry areas with your combination skin. The only thing about which you need to be aware is that once you are using AHA’s, you need to continue using them. Once you stop, your cells will not regenerate at the rate they were with the AHA and will return to their original state very soon.

Boyle’s project consisted of leaving Post-It notes on bathroom mirrors everywhere with positive statements such as “You are Beautiful” and “Smile! You are Awesome”!  The goal was to get women across the country to influence women to accept themselves the way they are and use positive affirmations to improve their self-esteem.

This is such an uplifting book and one I think many women, moms and women everywhere can relate too! We all have had negative self-talk at one time or another, and this book is an excellent reminder on being positive and living a happy, fulfilled life.

For more info visit www.OperationBeautiful.com

Treating photo-damage (due to UV damage, acne scarring, aging, hormonal changes and lack of moisture) takes diligence, and when seeking products to address hyperpigmentation, three key concerns include blocking the melanin production, disabling the melanin transfer, and lastly, blocking melanin retention. This September, Kiehl’s will introduce Photo-Age Corrector

a range of four products, clinically proven to reveal healthier, brighter skin, reverse dark spots and even out overall discoloration in as little as four weeks. Targeting major melanin triggers with safe, natural and effective skin brighteners, use of the Photo-Age Corrector High-Potency Spot Treatment as part of a daily routine will maximize the results–smoother, more radiant, and even-toned skin–by lessening visible sun spots, as well as regulating the future production of pigment, and therefore invisible damage that is beginning to form below the skin’s surface.

Although post-summer is the ideal opportunity to kickoff skin’s repair process, a year-round preventative approach is key. “With effective anti-melanin formulas, it’s possible to lighten spots, but if your skin faces repeated exposure, they will come back,” says Geyer. “Consistent photo-protection is the corner stone to maintaining an evenly toned complexion.” Dr. Geyer’s top five tips to prevent and repair excess pigmentation year-round, include:

1. Protect. Protect. Protect. Since UV light is the #1 cause of uneven skin tone, be diligent about incorporating a broad spectrum sunscreen into your skincare routine 365 days a year–not just when at the beach.

2. Exfoliate nightly. Sloughing away skin’s top, dead skin cells has a stimulatory effect on skin and decreases retention of unwanted pigment in the epidermis. It also allows the active ingredients in products applied afterwards to penetrate deeper and work more efficiently in reversing brown spots.

3. Use antioxidants as a second layer of protection. Products laced with powerful antioxidants such as vitamin C are a great addition to your morning skincare routine. This particular antioxidant is able to effectively neutralize free radicals to help decrease pigmentation.

4. Be cautious of some chemical-based skin lighteners. If you’re using a hydroquinone-based product (a prescription-only chemical skin lightener), care should be taken when applying this ingredient to avoid developing a reverse reaction, known as hypo pigmentation (an over-lightening of the skin). Prevent this from happening by only using a small amount directly on the affected area.

5. Be patient: There is no lightening fast fix! Fading of brown spots takes months, as the skin must go through several renewal processes. Stick with a proven anti-pigmentation regimen to see results and even consider taking some pre-treatment pictures to monitor how much your complexion is beginning to even out.

Accurate information regarding the multitude of anti-aging treatments flooding the marketplace is the best way to make informed decisions for developing your own skin rejuvenation regime which incorporates the anti-aging skin care techniques, strategies and treatments that best address your personal aging skin issues.

The basics of effective skin rejuvenation begin with the facts on anti-aging skin care treatments.  There are several active ingredients that have been clinically proven to be effective skin rejuvenators.  One of the most effective treatments is vitamin A derivatives such a retinol or retinyl palmitate. 

The Retin A or Renova vitamin A treatments are the strongest although the most irritating treatments of the vitamin A options and are only available by prescription. If your skin needs major rejuvenation attention, ask your Doctor if you are a candidate for the prescription vitamin A treatment of Retin A or Renova.

If not, including one of the other retinol alternatives in your skin care routine is an excellent strategy.  The concentration of over-the-counter retinol products can range up to 1%.  The basic rule of thumb is, the higher the concentration, the stronger the treatment.  Be forewarned though, read the directions carefully because the stronger retinol products can be quite irritating to the skin.  Starting slow and gradually working your way up to higher concentrations will allow your skin to adjust to the treatments better.  The vitamin A derivative, Retinyl Palmitate, is the less irritating of the Vitamin A options and is considered to have quite effective rejuvenating qualities.

The next most beneficial anti-aging skin rejuvenation treatment is a chemical exfoliant such as an alpha hydroxyl acid (AHA) or beta hydroxyl acid (BHA) product. The most popular of these acids is an AHA glycolic acid. Glycolic acid should be use in concentrations of 8% to 15% depending on your skin’s sensitivity. Start out with a lower concentration and gradually move up to a 10% then 15% concentration depending on your skin’s tolerance in order to avoid irritation.

The last consideration is including an antioxidant to contain the skin damaging free radicals as well as to encourage overall skin repair. Products containing Vitamin C Ester, Spin Trap, or CoQ10 are all good options to explore.  Then, of course, there are other viable anti-aging treatments which can be incorporated into your regime depending on your particular skin rejuvenation needs which include DMAE, Kinerase or Kinetin, and GHK Copper Peptides.  Finally, the most critical and essential aspect to any successful skin rejuvenation regime is sunscreen, at least once a day, each and every day!