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Health and Beauty - February 2009

Dry Skin

February 22nd 2009 13:53
When a person’s skin becomes dry, the epidermis (the outermost layers of the skin) are damaged and dead. Your skin will feel rough to the touch, tight, and even itchy and inflamed. Dry skin often looks white and flaky. Low sebum levels are the cause of dry skin due to environmental factors and lack of basic skin care. Dry skin can be cured, just by following a few simple steps.

If you are used to using cheap store soaps, throw them away. These soaps are very drying to the skin. Store soaps are made from harsh chemicals and contain no glycerin (a humectant that draws moisture to the skin). The glycerin is taken out during the soap making process leaving a hard bar of soap when finished. These soaps generally don’t last very long and can be quite costly. Opt for a natural soap. Natural soaps are made of vegetable oils that are choc full of vitamins and contain glycerine. Natural soaps moisturise your skin while washing and don’t leave your skin feeling dry and tight. Once you have tried a natural soap you will never go back to using cheap store soap again.


Avoid using cleansers that have harsh chemicals. Instead use a mild sulphate free natural body wash or gel. Cleansers that contain chemicals only strip away the natural oils from the skin leaving the feeling dry.

Don’t take long hot baths because this can aggravate dry skin in the winter months. Instead try short, lukewarm baths or showers. When you get out of the shower or bath gently pat your skin dry and apply your moisturiser while your skin is damp. This will help seal in moisture and leave your skin feeling soft and smooth.

Moisturise your body daily. Moisturisers are designed to reduce water loss from the epidermis and preventing the skin from dryness. It acts as a barrier from extreme weather conditions and grime. Daily moisturising will leave you skin feeling soft and supple.

To help keep your lips soft and hydrated use a lip balm. Avoid licking you lips, as this will only cause further dryness and cracking. Lip balms are also great to apply on dry and brittle nails.

Drink 8 glasses of water a day, this will keep your body hydrated throughout the day.
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Sick of the gym? Try these out!

February 12th 2009 01:02
It didn’t take me long to realize that me and a gym membership just aren’t compatible. After the initial three weeks of psyching myself up and regularly going to the gym every second day, the motivation began to wane and driving to the gym soon became like driving to the dentist to get my wisdom tooth taken out. So looking around for alternative forms of exercise is always a good option. Msn.com Health road-tested four technologies that promise an improvement in your general health and physical appearance.

Powerplate
powerplate

Used by the likes of Kylie and Elle McPherson, this vibrating platform helps to tone your whole body in three, ten-minute weekly sessions so no more endless hours toiling in the gym. Powerplate transmits waves of energy throughout the body and each vibration activates muscle contractions between 25-50 times per second. The results include improvement in blood circulation, increase in muscle strength and flexibility, and decreased cellulite.

MSN Health’s verdict is that the Powerplate does work. The following day after a ten minute session, you feel like you’ve just run a marathon and results were noticeable after ten sessions.

Check out your local gym to see if they have a PowerPlate machine. Expect each session to cost around $30 or, if you have money to burn, get one of your own for a mere $6000.
For further info, check out www.powerplate.com.

Computer Games that encourage you to get off your butt

nintendo wii fit

I’ve never been a fan of computer games where you sit in front of the TV like a zombie and the only thing frantically moving are your thumbs, so I’m quite happy that the likes of PS2 and Wii have come up with computer games that actually get you moving.

There’s the Wii Fit with more than 40 exercises and you can choose from yoga, balance, muscle workouts and aerobic categories. The Wii balance board also helps analyse your BMI (Body Mass Index) and assigns your Wii Fit Age. I’ve also tried out PS2 Eye Toy and Wii Sports where you can choose from a collection of games to get your heart rate going.

In agreement with MSN Health, while they may not burn as much calories as a workout in a gym, at least it’s fun and you’re not constantly eyeing the clock to see if the hour is over yet. And any computer game that can act as an icebreaker and get a group of people together can’t be bad.

Emdermologie
Endermologie is a 35 minute, non-invasive treatment that manipulates the connective tissue in your body, helping to reduce cellulite as well as offering slimming and anti-aging benefits. Typically, 14-20 treatments are required but this is based on age, body type, cellulite type and grade. Each session costs between $120-$150.
MSN Health saw improved results in the appearance of cellulite after only four visits.

Chi Oxygen
chi oxygen

You can be forgiven for thinking that this is just a foot and ankle massage but the Chi Oxygen supposedly helps with back pain, poor circulation, nervous tension, stress and menstrual cramps. It produces a wave-like motion through the body, ‘similar to a swimming fish’, and encourages the flow of oxygen throughout the body, alleviating stress and tension on the spine. 15 minutes on the machine is equivalent to having walked 4.5 kilometres.

MSN Health says this is more like a relaxing treat with two or three five-minute sessions leaving you energized but with no great results concerning physical improvements.

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Beautiful Hands

February 6th 2009 07:18
Beautiful Hands

Your hands are usually the first place on your body to show signs of age, and they can make you look 5 to 10 years older than you really are, but it’s not too late to turn back the hands of time.

These are the days your hands look their best. They are soft, plump, and evenly toned. Your primary concern isn’t so much combating the signs of aging, but preventing them.

Cumulative sun exposure is the biggest cause of premature skin aging and now’s the time to start protecting yourself. Apply a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 at least twice a day.

If you plan to be in strong sunlight for long periods of time, use a sunscreen that has a UVA-blocking agent in it, since UVA rays cause brown spots and wrinkles.

Once a week, lightly slough off the dead skin flakes on your hands with a gentle scrub. Removing this flaky, occlusive layer will help your daily moisturizer penetrate your skin more deeply.

Apply moisturiser to your hands before going to bed. Wear a pair of cotton gloves overnight and your hands will feel lovely and soft.

To reduce or eliminate age spots or areas of discoloration there are a few alternative remedies,

-A mixture of honey and yoghurt creates a natural bleach that can lighten age spots. 1 teaspoon of plain yoghurt plus 1 teaspoon of honey. Mix together apply to your hands. Allow to dry for 30 minutes and then wash off. Do this once a week.

-A few drops of lemon essential oil added to a vegetable carrier oil, then apply the mixture to your the ageing spots twice a day.

-Cut a lemon in half and rub the lemon on your age spots once a day

-Any beauty products that contain glycolic acid or licorice extract can lighten or eliminate age spots. Glycolic acid contains natural sugars derived from papaya, citrus, or other foods. It gently exfoliates the top layer of the skin, while the licorice bleaches the spot.

Remember to apply a good hand moisturiser whenever your hands are feeling dry and before you go to bed. If you are out and about keep a container of hand moisturiser in your handbag.

How To Improve Your Nails

Dry and brittle nails should be cut when they are soft from bathing. Cutting you nails when they are dry can cause further damage.

If your fingernails are looking dry, apply some lip balm and gently rub into the nail.

Carry an emery board with you. This is so any potential cracks can be smoothed out, preventing further damage to the nail, and reducing snapping.

If your have fragile nails, keep your nails short, this reduces further damage. The longer your nails are the more they are risk of splitting and cracking.

You have probably have heard this many times. Don’t push or cut your cuticles. But if you suffer from over grown and dry cuticles there is nothing more ugly. If you have healthy looking cuticles do not touch them. Cutting healthy cuticles can leave the base of the nail open to infection. Overgrown cuticles need to be softened first by bathing, and then gently push back with a cuticle stick. Cut back the excess cuticle, but not too far back so there is still some cuticle. Once finished apply some moisturiser.

Once a week give your nails a manicure.
-Using a double sided emery board begin to file your nails using a gentle stroke in one direction. Do not file in both directions as this can cause splitting.
-Begin to shape your nails.
-Apply a softener to your cuticles. Allow to sit for a minute or so.
-Transfer your hands to a bowl of warm water and soak for a few minutes.
-Gently push back your cuticles.
-Remove any ridges by using a 4 way manicure block.
-Final step buff and shine.

BIO: Marie Otty is the founder of Essential Stuff, a natural skin care business. All products are handcrafted, 100% vegan and accredited by Choose Cruelty Free. The Essential Stuff range includes Body Butter, Body Mousse, Gardeners Hand Balm, Lip Balm, baby products and more. For more information on the Essential Stuff range please visit www.essentialstuff.com.au









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5 Beauty Predictions for 2009

February 2nd 2009 03:46
The following are 5 beauty products predicted to be more than a marketing gimmick and will actually make a big hit on the Australian shelves this year, according to msn.

Regenerist Micro-sculpting Cream $49.99
olay regenerist micro sculpting cream

This luxurious cream is claimed to be a result of over 50 years of Olay research. With the highest concentration of Olay’s signature amino-peptide complex with a touch of marine proteins, this anti-ageing cream has been dubbed ‘the dream cream’ and progressively lifts and micro-sculpts the skin to restore elasticity, smooth the skin surface and helps firm sagging-prone areas.

I’m a big fan of Olay moisturisers so I’ll definitely watch out for this one when it hits our shelves this month.

Neutrogena Wave Power Cleanser $19.99
neutrogena wave power cleanser

A battery-operated power cleanser guaranteed to give you a soft, glowing skin you’ll notice after the first use. The pack includes 14 deep clean, cleanser-infused foaming pads that removes more dirt, oil and makeup than with ordinary cleansing by massaging the foam deep into the pores. The soft texture of the pads also helps take out dead skin cells, leaving your face clear, smooth and glowing.

Lancome Oscillation Mascara $65
Vibrating. Infinite. Powermascara.
The first vibrating mascara with 7000 oscillations per minute, the mascara helps lengthen, separate and add volume to your lashes with one touch of a button.

Good Skin Labs Smooth 365 Intensive Clarity & Smoothing Pepti $69
This anti-ageing treatment promises visual and textural improvements to the skin, leaving it velvety soft, while offering long-term benefits. It’s a full-bodied serum that speeds peptides into the skin and is absorbed quickly while assisting in evening out the skin tone.

MAC Cosmetics Hello Kitty Range
Here’s one to encourage the young’uns to tinker with make-up.

MAC Cosmetics has teamed up with Sanrio to create the Hello Kitty Range. Catering to ‘people who love to play with makeup’ and are ‘sweet, sexy and slightly edgy, the range will offer two collections : The Hello Kitty Colour Collection and the more high-end Hello Kitty Kouture. The Hello Kitty Colour Collection includes six shades of lipstick such as Fashion Mews and Strayin, for around $25 each and two eyeshadow palettes containing four shades and will retail for around $50 each. Hello Kitty Kouture collection, with products boasting the Hello Kitty figure outlined in Swarovski crystals, has a retail price of up to $150 for a compact powder.
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