May Beauty

Remove Unwanted Hair

April 28th, 2008

Unwanted hair is a common problem among young women because we like to be sleek and neat. We don’t want to use a razor anymore not matter how gentle they are these days. A method popular with those in the know is hot wax hair removal because it gives such a wonderful finish. It is not the most recent of methods but as a beauty maintenance treatment it stands the test of time.

Because there are so many hair removal products on the market now you may still be asking yourself why hot wax hair removal is still so popular. Although there are a few downsides to hair removal using wax, there are more advantages to using this system. The greatest benefit which remains to this day is that wax removal is still inexpensive. Using a razor isn’t the most pleasant of ways to remove unwanted hair and not very nice when you cut yourself!

It’s not just the fact that you have a razor cut that won’t stop bleeding; it’s that it always happens right before you have an engagement. I think the poor guys have it worse though, having to shave everyday and still getting the 5 O’clock shadow, something that we girls don’t have to worry about if we use wax removal. I think the biggest plus point to the hot wax hair removal process is that your hair returns thinner each time you use it. Shaving doesn’t come anywhere near as close and the more I wax the better.

Of course once you start shaving, the hair just seems to grow back thicker, quite the opposite of the wax system. I know many people say how painful the hot wax hair removal method is but it is nowhere near as bad as it is portrayed. If you compare it to products like the Epilady, you definitely understand that hot wax is superior. This device had to be invented by a man; one who enjoys torture. I briefly used the Epilady (and by briefly I mean a second) and tossed the thing away, I wouldn’t send it to my worst enemy.

I only tried hot wax hair removal after one of my college friends suggested I try it as it was how she removed unwanted hair. I was so convinced I haven’t used any of the other uncomfortable systems since. It’s strange when you think about the poor reputation for comfort that wax removal has. When you think about the alternatives, to my mind there is no comparison, it beats them hands down.

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Tanning Your Skin

April 28th, 2008

Many people use tanning booths for years in order to maintain a year round all over tan. Recently many new techniques have been devised to counter the attack on the dangers of this sun worship craze because the rates of skin cancer are on the increase. Spray tanning is the latest of these and is becoming very popular as a safe method which produces excellent results without the danger. The spray system appears to be more consistent than other artificial methods like crams or lotions where streak marks are not uncommon.

Manufacturers, quick to join the rush, have produced home spray tanning systems. Whatever type of fake tan you intend to use as a regular method, there are a number of things that can help to make it last longer and improve the look. Cleaning the dead skin off your body is the most important step using a proprietary exfoliation scrub which can be bought from any drugstore. If this isn’t done, dead skin will gradually drop off leaving odd, light patches and spoil the effect.

Once this process is complete, it is advisable to prepare your skin further by applying a moisturizing cream (or lotion) to it which will make the agent easier to apply. Once you have done this you will be ready to apply the tanning lotion or cream but remember to wear latex gloves as long applications mean that the tanning solution coats the hands producing an orange effect on the palms which everyone can see. Lighter coats should always be applied to the joints and feet as they will appear darker, which is a dead giveaway that fake tan has been applied. Where a spray tanning system has been used it is quite normal, once it has been applied, to use some sort of towel to wipe any excess so streaking does not occur.

To avoid any smears, marks or cracking, you will need to relax and remain still, while the tanning agent dries. Don’t forget to wear some old clothes as fake tan is notorious for staining almost anything it touches. You should choose something dark and also maybe something you don’t particularly care for until the excess is worn off. Applying an artificial tan successfully means there are a few rules to follow which should ensure it looks as genuine as possible.

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Botox Injections

April 28th, 2008

For the last few years if you have wanted to eliminate the signs of aging like wrinkles, sagging skin and other lines then it is more than likely you would consider using botox; there are many myths about what it is and before a person starts a course, it is worth finding out more information. Before this can be done we need to go back a little in time to when this was originally discovered. The substance is derived from Botulinum toxin, discovered nearly five decades ago; it was used to treat patients with neurological problems.

A treatment finally came in 1989 when the FDA granted approval for it to be used on these patients with visual conditions; conditions that caused uncontrollable blinking and crossed eyes were the first people to benefit. In the year 2000 was given the all clear for the of treatment cervical dystonia. this disorder causes severe neck and shoulder contractions but they also permitted it to be used with other eye problems. However, it was the discovery of the effect botox had on reducing frown lines that finally changed things; after this in 2002 the FDA approved it’s use on the condition that it was a cosmetic procedure.

You see botox is a neuro toxin, meaning it paralyses the muscles it is injected into and makes them relax; eventually, over a period of several months, given enough of these injections, the frown lines start to soften. If this procedure is continued, in many instances the lines will soften so much they will seem to disappear; now the same procedure is used on other areas of the face where lines form, generally with age. The form used in these injections is one that has been cleaned up and diluted, posing no threat; Botulinum toxin can be deadly and at the very least make us unwell but when it is used in cosmetic procedures it is safe.

The reason people want to use the injections is because every time you laugh, smile, frown, or for that matter do just about anything with your facial muscles, wrinkles are caused by the underlying contractions of these muscles. When we are young and our skin is more elastic, these lines do not show but as we age the constant use of facial muscles leaves us with lines; this is something that many skin creams have attempted to do for many years. After being injected into the effected area, botox temporarily paralyzes these muscles so that you can’t make these expressions; these treatments provide the user with a facial surface that is smooth and often referred to as looking like a dummy or mannequin.

Whilst the face can still provide expressions, they are seriously reduced but this give the effect of someone looking much younger than they really are. Some will be happy that the people who can afford the treatment are still the wealthy with individual treatments still costing a great deal of money; the average cost of just one injection in the United States ranges from a few hundred dollars to in excess of 1,000 dollars, depending on where the injection is used. There is always some concern about new treatments and botox is no exception with many people worried about the long term effects of injections, but even so this has not stopped its popularity.

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Acne Skin Care

March 25th, 2008

It wasn’t that long ago when acne (Zits) was considered a curse for the many individuals that suffer from this problem; fortunately, the problems it causes are being investigated. Research into the causes, and possible treatments, for the condition is ongoing; these days, even with serious cases, there are many skin care treatments available. Despite the number of acne skin care products currently available on the market, they are broadly categorized into three distinctly separate groups:

  • Internet or Drugstore: Treatment that helps prevents condition
  • Over-the-counter
  • Specialized, on-prescription acne products

Those that fall into the preventative category are based around general skin conditioning. For example, toners and skin cleansers that have been formulated to help prevent acne. Many people use products similar to this every day as part of their skin care regime irrespective of whether or not they have the condition.

Some of these products are designed to act like an acne skin care product and act against the causes of this complaint. They work by limiting the production of sebum/oil and prevent clogging of skin pores. These products prevent the oil from getting trapped in pores and can hamper the growth of bacteria, this can lead to the bad skin condition.

General skin care treatments also include special exfoliation products like skin peels. Dead skin cells and other atmospheric pollutants are removed cleaning the pores which reduce the chance of any bacterial growth.

Many different, specially formulated acne skin care products designed to reduce the problems have now been made available without prescription. Skin care products have been formulated to extract the excess oil that bacteria need to promote the development of acne. These products have benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid as ingredients which the bacterium reacts badly too.

It is preferable when you first start using this type of product to keep the concentration of it low, around 5.5 percent is best. You can always try a cleaner or cream containing alpha hydroxy acid if this doesn’t work. It might just be a case of trial and error, if nothing seems to work speak to your dermatologist for any advice or try a different acne skin care product.

There are benefits of seeing your doctor or dermatologist, they can prescribe you with a prescription for treatments not available over the counter, for example a course of antibiotics. Under certain circumstances, having the infected material removed from the pores under a local anesthetic may be suggested by your dermatologist. This is something you should never attempt yourself.

Hormone treatment might be suggested as hormone changes can lead to acne. This type of skin care treatment has been very effective in a large number of cases. Constant research has paid off, and whilst they cannot cure the condition, it is becoming easier to treat.

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Anti-Aging Skin Care

March 25th, 2008

The use of anti-ageing skin care products has grown enormously over the last two decades; the growth in popularity is due in no small part to the fact that we are all living and working longer. We achieve this with beauty products that synthesize the production of the protein collagen; with around a quarter of our skin protein being collagen, the importance of this substance has not gone unnoticed. Most anti-ageing products (collagen included) fall into a category of natural everyday products we all use; this group is called antioxidants and apart from their cell repairing ability, they may be able to reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.

Although the benefits of vitamin C (an anti-oxidant) are well documented, it is still debated as to what our daily amount should be. Unfortunately all skin care treatments that use vitamin C have the problem of atmospheric oxidization to contend with once the product is exposed to the air.

To overcome this problem, manufacturers use alternative skin care treatments that still provide the same benefits but not the high manufacturing costs. These alternative products are not as effective as vitamin C but vitamin E and lipoic acid are anti-oxidants and are now being used.

Found in human blood, vitamin E is not only an antioxidant but is designed to increase the immune system’s resistance to disease and can also help ward off cancer. Lipoic acid is also an energy making component of the body, found in every cell, it can also help reduce the ageing process which affects the skin.

Other compounds called phytochemicals have proved to be beneficial in the formulation of anti-ageing skin care products; they are removed from various plants. Another benefit, like that of alpha-lipoic acid, is their ability to reduce the prevalence of certain cancers like prostate, colon and breast cancer.

Surprisingly, the group of vitamins; B5, B6, and B12 have also shown that they can be used to help reduce the effects of ageing. This is a vast area that has the potential for many new anti-ageing skin care products and services in the future but research needs to continue.

A great deal about the ageing process has already been learned and the products available today are already far more advanced than ten years ago but there is still a long way to go. The amount of research going on in this field will undoubtedly bring results in time, hopefully bringing down the cost of these anti-ageing skin care products in addition to increasing their reliability.

At the moment though, science is still behind the field of natural anti-ageing methods and it might take some time to replace them. You know all these things but how many do you practice? Regular exercise, restful sleep, drinking plenty of water, eating a healthy diet and keeping your stress levels low are all necessary.

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Cellulite

March 25th, 2008

The ‘orange peel’ effect seen on some people’s thighs and buttocks are fat cells beneath the skin and is known by the general term ‘cellulite’; the thighs and buttocks might be the main areas that experience this but it can actually be found anywhere. Although additional fat is normal in women, this is not just a problem exclusive to overweight women; even sporting women who do not carry much additional fat can have this condition.

The fats just below the skin surface push against the tissue which results in the skin surface having that dimpled look common of cellulite. After many years of research, scientists still cannot determine the exact reason for its formation or why some are affected more than others but there may be some connection between toxins that enter the body and how certain fat cells store them.

This problem usually comes naturally with aging and similar to wrinkles that form in the face, it is actually the result of lower levels of collagen and elastin in the skin. The condition is almost exclusive to women and has been attributed to hormonal changes that take place as a woman gets older as the fat in the thighs and buttocks of men is the same as fat found in other parts of their bodies.

Even women who do not appear to have cellulite may have them and sometimes this is visible when the skin is compressed as in the case of squatting or when it is pinched between the thumb and forefinger; however as most women suffer with at some stage it seems to be a perfectly normal condition. Although it may not be known what causes, some factors seem to contribute to its build up including age, sex, extra fat carried and skin thickness all seem to aid the formation.

As the reasons for the formation are still a mystery, no complete treatment has been devised to rid the condition from people who suffer with is badly even though there are many creams that claim to rid someone of it. Where cellulite removal massage is offered at a clinic, all that is done is deep tissue massage which just masks the affect so it cannot be seen as readily.

Perhaps the most drastic therapy is liposuction where fat is literally sucked from the body or the more expensive procedure of injecting certain chemicals in a process called mesotherapy. Liposuction is rarely that effective with surface based fat like cellulite and is more proficient at removing deeper fats from the body which are not trapped in the cells but none of these treatments offer anything but short term relief only.

For people who are prone to the problem, there are no magic treatments for selective removal but there are now a number of creams on the market which are designed to help hide the effect it brings. Although no treatment can really help, adjustments to lifestyle habits seem to be a better option which means adopting a healthy diet, with regular physical activity and an overall reduction in weight.

Many toxins that accumulate in the body can be flushed out with regular amounts of water which some believe is still an effective way to keep the body free of harmful substances including the toxins which help with the formation of cellulite.

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Using Beauty Care Products

March 25th, 2008

There are techniques that can be used to ensure you have skin that’s in beautiful condition; by performing some simple skin care techniques every day, results should be seen quite quickly. In the West, women have taken the task of staying attractive to extremes with the use of plastic surgery, liposuction and other invasive treatments. Of course the greatest benefit of today’s beauty care products is they only cost a fraction of traditional cosmetic surgery but can really provide a much more natural look.

When we think of beauty care products for the skin we typically picture cold cream and anti-aging formulas but there are countless items that promote healthy, youthful skin and these may be some of the most important beauty care products on the market. The skin that covers our entire body has an important role to play in continuing our health and beauty so should not be overlooked when it comes to regular maintenance.

The first and most important step in any skin care regimen is to cleanse your face to remove any makeup, dust and bacteria that it has encountered throughout the day. This is done by a gentle massage routine using the cleanser on a cotton pad, finally rinsed off with warm water.

Cleansers are very good at removing the contaminants from your face but they are prone to affect the PH of your skin so you will need to use a toner to restore the PH level one again. To reduce the number of wrinkles and help make your skin soft and supple, use moisturizing creams or lotions once you have finished with the skin toner. By using this beauty care product it will help lock in the moisture something which helps to maintain the skins beauty and condition.

To ensure a more complete skin care cleansing experience and to remove dead skin cells, you will need to exfoliate or use a peel up to twice every week. You must not forget however, that when you carry out this exfoliation you make sure that you continue with a complete cleanse and tone afterwards.

If you suffer with lines, wrinkles or puffiness around your eyes then a good beauty care product suggestion is the use of eye creams which will improve the delicate skin in this region. Water is another undervalued commodity that helps detoxify and improve the skin tone along with regular exercise and a good diet. It is not a good idea to forget the important role our skin plays in our overall health and of course how we look so taking care of it is not just about vanity.

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