ME & M@.......FaShioN!!!

The Romans, Egyptians and oriental women were known to have very fastidious beauty and bathing routines. For them, bathing was a major social event. They also promoted the healing powers of warm water to which various herbs, salts and flowers were added, thus ensuring health-giving qualities to their baths.

MIXED HERBS AND LEAF BATH:-Take a handful of bay leaves. rosemary and chamomile leaves. Put all these together in a piece of muslin. Tie it tight and soak this bundle in your bathtub or water bucket in slightly warm water for half an hour. The fragrance permeates into the water. Remove the bundle of muslin and gently rub it all over your body and then bathe with the fragrant water. This bath is most relaxing and helps tone up the body.
FLORAL BATH:-Chamomile flowers, rose petals or fragrant tube roses. even agrimony, wrapped in a muslin cloth or bag. soaked in water would have the same toning and smoothening effect upon your skin.
MILK BATH:- traditional elaborate bath that literally ‘feeds’ your skin! Considered to be the very height of luxury, it was used by Nero’s wife. Poppaea, and has since been a favorite over the years. Poppaea bathed in donkey’s milk and water. Several innovations have been introduced to make tills a fascinating bath regime. It’s easily made at home.
Take Half Litre Milk. To this add 2 tablespoons of honey. Add strained chamomile juice or the juice of crushed rose petals obtained by infusing them in water. Mix all these and pour the mixture into warm bath water. Soak yourself in the bath­tub. or keep pouring slowly over your body. rubbing all over. Be leisurely about this. After the milk and flower water has been used up. You could bathe with normal cold water.
BATH FOR DRY SKIN:-Take 200 ml. of glycerin. and add to this 200 ml. of rose water. Pour this in a bottle. Smear this all over your body and beginning at the neck, start rubbing it in gently as you go downwards, to your arms. torso, legs and back. Continuously massage the mixture into your skin. nourishing it. Once the solution is absorbed into the skin take a normal bath using a glycerin-based soap.
ALM0ND BATH:-This is also an ideal solution for people with a dry skin. It should be used especially during severe winters when even normal and oily skins tend to dry up. You should use this treatment instead of soap. Take a piece of muslin. crush a few almonds and tie them in it. Wet your body: rub this almond bag allover your body vigorously. Keep adding a little water and continue scrubbing. This immediately exfoliates without damaging your skin and at the same time it nourishes the skin with its natural oils.
VINEGAR BATH:-Those with an oily skin problem should definitely try this. Take a mug water and add to it a little malt vinegar. Mix well and massage your body with this diluted vinegar water. Take a bath with cold water and feel the difference.

The actress talks potluck dinners, character pieces and her new role as a superpsychic.

By Sarah Nicole Prickett

Camilla Belle in Push (Summit Entertainment). Photography by John P. Johnson

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When Camilla Belle isn’t on set or jetting to Brazil (the 22-year-old movie starlet’s ancestral homeland), you can find her in the kitchen.

“I’m a huge foodie,” says Belle—who, in her Miu Miu sample sizes, is difficult to imagine as a huge anything. “I’m always cooking or trying new restaurants, or my friends and I will have potluck dinners.” Her favourite recipe? A zingy lemon-curd tart. And yes, that’s the juiciest secret she’ll share.

While the brunette beauty says she believes cooking is the way to a man’s heart, she won’t tell which man it is this week. (Twilight’s Robert Pattinson? A Jonas brother? Depends which gossip rag you read.)

“I’ve always been very private, my whole life,” says Belle, who was born in Los Angeles and lives there with her parents. “My friends always think I work in the secret service!”

That secrecy serves the actress well in her latest role: a rebel with an indeterminate
cause—and super-psychic powers—in Push, this month’s twisty spy thriller.

“She always keeps you guessing,” Belle says of her character, Kira, who escapes from a government-run brainwashing program and may hold the key to its undoing. She co-stars with Djimon Hounsou, Dakota Fanning and Chris Evans (“Such an amazing cast!”) in the paranormal adventure, in theatres now.

Next up: Belle wants to make more “small, independent character pieces,” like her 2005 breakout film, The Ballad of Jack and Rose. Rumour has it she’s due to star in Bruce Willis’s directorial debut, Three Stories of Joan, as well as the indie drama Lorelei alongside Helena Bonham Carter. A return to low-budget film sets? Good thing the girl can cook.

Laura Keogh asks Clinique’s Dr. Paolo Giacomoni about capturing eternal youth.

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When a scientist begins an interview about a new anti-aging cream with “Once upon a time,” I consider it to be a pretty lofty introduction since most fairy tales end happily. In the case of an anti-aging cream, ending happily means looking younger. Dr. Paolo Giacomoni’s story is about seeking eternal life, but with the caveat that “longevity without youth is a curse.” As executive director of research and development for Clinique, he understands the irony in his speech, and offers a disclaimer: “I’m not promising that you’re going to live longer with our cream.” However, he does take great pains to explain, in his thick-as-molasses Italian accent, how the company’s Youth Surge Age Decelerating Moisturizer SPF 15 ($59, at department stores) can help your skin preserve its youthful appearance for as long as possible—maybe longer than Mother Nature intended.

If you follow skin-care technology news as closely as some track the count of Jolie-Pitt offspring, then you’ve heard of sirtuins, enzymes that help safeguard the integrity of a cell’s DNA. There has been extensive independent research showing that increased levels of sirtuins in yeast cells boosted their duplication capability while maintaining their health. But what does this mean for the age-spotted masses?

According to Giacomoni, our cells “have their own lifespan,” and if we can maintain their lifetime while protecting the cell from damage, then our skin will look younger longer. Now, if you’re wondering how yeast relates to your skin, Giacomoni explains: “Like an expensive car that has some parts in common with less-expensive cars, we humans have some genes in common with yeast.” He’s being cheeky. But he has my attention.

Using sirtuin technology, Clinique has come up with a trio of ingredients that will allegedly result in your skin’s own Groundhog Day—you’ll appear 30 over and over and over. “We have in our epidermis several million cells, and every day, every one of the cells duplicates. And one cell is about one-1000th of an inch in diameter, but it contains about six feet of DNA. Imagine duplicating, every day, six feet of material without breaking it,” exclaims Giacomoni. “Before the cell duplicates, it makes many sirtuins, and these work with the DNA in such a way that it can replicate without breaking.” Upholding the DNA chain is important because cells without perfectly linked DNA do not maintain the structure of the skin.

Using what Giacomoni calls the “three musketeers” of age reversal, Youth Surge “addresses the damage that comes from within.” The first, isonicotinamide, keeps cellular activity moving, while the second, NADH, has two roles in the cell: to generate fuel and help repair any DNA damage. “The bad news is that when [NADH] is used to repair DNA, it is no longer helpful in making fuel. The cell will either die from lack of fuel despite being repaired, or survive and replicate, but with damage,” says Giacomoni. With added NADH, even if you suffer DNA sun damage, you can mend it. “The latest and very best antioxidant ever,” according to Giacomoni, is luteolin, the third element.

Add to that vitamin C, high-powered sunscreens and threhalose (to deadbolt moisture in the skin), plus decarboxy carnosine HCI, which maintains the snap of elastin easily damaged by glycation, and Giacomoni says Youth Surge will help “reduce the rate at which the body gets older—at least the skin of the body. We don’t want to live long for the sake of long living. We want to be in great shape.” Sounds like a fairy tale for big girls

Sunday is a day of relaxing and that is exactly what I did as I sat back in my seat, watching with sparkling eyes as models graced the runway at the Building Our Future Fashion Show, which featured some of the city’s most distinguished independent designers including Rebecca King, Niki Gerety and Sova Design.

Niki Gerety (nikigerety.com) worked extensively in Ireland and the U.K. before moving to Saskatchewan in 2007 to continue her creative endeavors. Rebecca King’s high-end fashion line, which she creates in a downtown studio and sells across Western Canada, mirrors her own sophisticated flair. Sherri Hrycay of Sova Design (sovadesign.ca) showcased her hats with a contemporary twist influenced by traditional techniques and Edwardian design.

I had the privilege of sitting down with Gerety after the show, her first in Canada. It seems that design is in her genes—her great-grandparents were tailors and she grew up watching her grandmother, a dressmaker, craft beautiful creations. A Celtic cross, hand painted in gold, on the hip of one of her dresses affirms the influence of her Irish roots.

Gerety, who also does work for television and theatre productions, views the province as a place with open opportunities. “Saskatchewan has so much open space to work with and there is so much talent here,” she explains. When asked where she finds inspiration for her pieces she says, “I go out and find the fabric and the fabric inspires me.”

Make-up artist TOXIOUS explains what he advise females to keeps in their make-up bags and why, whilst Ali Hynes picks out three of the best tweezers...

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Three of the best tweezers: (left) Precision Point, £15, by Space NK, Wide Grip Slant, £16, by Tweezerman (0845 262 1731) and right, Diamond Grip, £8.99, by Revlon (0800 085 2716)


What's in my make-up bag?

Make-up artist TOXIOUS has done shoots for Vogue and i-D with Rachel Weisz and Kate Moss. Here he explains the best products that he always advise girls to keep in their make-up bags at all time...

Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Eye Mask£35, by Bliss (blisslondon.co.uk). I love this eye mask – great on models straight off the 'red-eye'. It instantly brightens eyes after little sleep. It's magic.

Diorshow Black Out Mascara £19.50, by Dior (020 7216 0216). This mascara is so black it makes you look like you have got false lashes on.

Vitalumiere Liquid Foundation £29, by Chanel (020 7493 3836) This foundation gives all skin types the appearance of retouching. Skin just glows – it's the best.

Colour Rush Mono Special Effects in Glitzed £3.42, by Rimmel, from Boots (boots.com). A gorgeous silver eyeshadow that really brightens a smoky eye – just add a dot to the inner-corner of the eye.

The Multiple £27, by NARS (narscosmetics.co.uk). I love this on cheeks and lips in a shade called Orgasm – it's pure radiance and suits everyone.

The Treatment

What could be better on a cold winter's day than to get the pampering to come to you? Return to Glory offers everything from a one-on-one facial to couples' massages, to an all-out 'beauty party' for you and your friends. Prices start at £55 for any hour-long treatment, and booking – Greater London only, but there are plans to expand further afield – is through a user-friendly website. returntoglory.co.uk

Beauty Tip

When applying nail varnish always be sure to paint underneath the surface of the free edge of the nail, too. This will seal your colour and prevent chipping. If your nails aren't very long just brush a horizontal stroke along the end of the nail-bed. This will seal the ends on short nails

Clockwise from left;

The body oil

Unwind Samphire Vital Body Oil, £28, by Molton Brown (0808 178 1188). An exotically perfumed 'dry’ oil that will rehydrate, boost circulation and ease tired, aching limbs. Simply massage into muscles to relax them after a work-out.

The feet treat

Fitness Foot Balm, £13.70, by Dr Hauschka (drhauschka.co.uk). We tend to forget about our feet, so it’s worth gently massaging this balm into your soles and between your toes to cool and soothe after the gym. It relieves muscle tension and relaxes you.

The body scrub

Jump Start, £16.64, by Origins (origins.co.uk). This scrub will help re-energise you after a work-out. The blend of oils boosts metabolism, while the apricot seeds softly exfoliate. You will be left with silky-smooth skin.

The travel set

Mini Travel Set, £6, by The Body Shop (01903 844554). Rather than lug all your favourite products to the gym, simply decant small amounts into these containers. Rinse out when finished and re-use.

The conditioner

Swimcap, £17, by Philip Kingsley (philipkingsley.com). Swimming is a great way to stay in shape, but the chlorine can damage your hair. Apply Swimcap before entering the pool to guard against discolouration and keep hair conditioned.

The mini kit

Pocket Cow Bath & Body, £18.50, by Cowshed (cowshedonline.com). A great set that contains shampoo, conditioner, body lotion and two shower gels. Perfect for turning your post-gym shower into a mini-spa experience

The deodorant

Under-army, £13, by Bliss (blisslondon.co.uk). A super-effective deodorant that leaves no residue on clothes and smells of mint, leaving you feeling cool and refreshed.

Model Erin O'Conner and comedian David Walliams arrive with a guest at 'Hats: An Anthology' by milliner Stephen Jones Photo: GETTY


Stephen Jones launched his exhibition, “Hats: An Anthology”, at the Victoria & Albert Museum yesterday evening with an array of celebrity guests...

Hats right! And Hats on for Stephen Jones, whose gala opening of “Hats: An Anthology” at the Victoria & Albert Museum caused a mega millinery-fest.

Tricorns, trappers and Trilbys; berets and balaclavas; paper party hats and picture hats; flowers, frills and feathers ... every conceivable type of headgear made its way into the V&A for the party.

Judy Blame came with a dagger through his skull – a children’s party trick from the Pound Store. Graham Rebak of Beach Blanket Babylon turned an original Rolling Stones’ ‘Sticky Fingers’ vinyl LP into a hat. Designer Selina Blow wore a fabulous silver brocade turban. “How Issy would have adored this,” she said.

There was a couple in matching Spanish galleons, made from brown cardboard. Jeweller, Hervé van der Straten, popped into Poilane in Elizabeth Street, bought a big round loaf and simply carved out a crown so he could wear it on his head. The flour kept on trickling onto his shoulders, but he didn’t seem to mind – and nobody tried to take a bite either.

One man had grabbed a stag’s head off the wall and festooned it with streamers and dreadlocks. Someone else had glued a plastic lobster onto the grilled covering of a room-fan; DJ ‘Tatsy Tim’, just wore his usual – orange and black Mohican. And the man himself? Mr Jones made a black glitter beret to match his tie. Everyone agreed this was the sort of party that could only happen in London.

Simon Ward of the British Fashion Council, in paper hat, thought we should do it once a year! Now hat’s a fantastic idea...

What is good and what is bad about online fashion boutiques? Let's have a look using an example of a newly launched one...

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The announcements and press releases say that "featuring the hottest and freshest fashions from top designers, www.shopadoraBELLA.com officially “opened for business” this week, offering customers trendy, hard-to-find items, free shipping and fashion tips on “what’s hot”.

The range of items is quite wide. The choice of fashionable items seems to reflect the season and pubic interest (closely correlationg with what we call fashion). The hope page is featuring Rachel Mara's new Bird Print Dress for summer. It is really stylish, and sure to inspire compliments wherever you wear it. I would agree.

The other item exhibited is Cosmofact's famous Bunny Print T-Shirt, which is "so soft and stretchy that you'll find yourself wanting to wear it all of the time!" Well, I would disagree...

Usability and design are good. Customers can navigate the site by designer or by various fashion categories such as dresses, tops, bags, accessories, pants, skirts, lingerie or loungewear. They can also view fashion tips on “What’s Hot”. Additionally, the site features information and articles on the individual designers, showcasing their inspirations, celebrity clients, and origins. Each week, several items will be featured on sale and www.shopadoraBELLA.com will ship free to anywhere in the U.S.

But What't Hot tends to be rather expensive, much more expensive that average items. Candice Held Vintage Scarf Double Bandeau Dress costs $379.00, Bianca Nero Mini Shift Dress is at $211.00, a light Rachel Mara Red Bird Print Dress will take away yours $338.00. Even Satisfaction Shu Shu Belt costs $125.00. Does 'being hot' mean a high price?

The brainchild of creator Jennifer Spiegelhalter was developed with the goal of creating a comprehensive shopping experience for the woman who wants to pull the items from her closet 5 years from now and still feel as sexy in the fashions as the day she purchased them.

According to Spiegelhalter, “I launched this site simply because I love being at the forefront of fashion, clothing, and designers. I developed a great love for clothing at a young age and decided to launch an online store for women who want easy access to current as well as up and coming designers’ hot items and all the latest trends.”

Spiegelhalter runs her online store from Louisville, Kentucky. Most stock is hard to find high-fashion women’s clothing as well as jewelry and accessories. The site offers an eclectic mix of new and established contemporary designers, including Voom by Joy Han, flirty dresses by Yoana Baraschi, butter soft Italian leather bags by Beth Springer, lingerie inspired tops by Diane Samandi, dreamy, rarely found dresses by Candice Held and funky, hand-painted ShuShu belts.

The site is claiming to carry fashion lines that are not always easily accessible to the general public, and strives to change this by fast forwarding the hottest items straight from the runways into people’s homes, whether they live in a small town or the heart of the city.

51st Grammy Awards winners List
A list of winners at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards.
Record of the Year: "Please Read The Letter," Robert Plant and Alison Krauss; T Bone Burnett, producer; Mike Piersante, engineer/mixer; track from "Raising Sand" (Rounder)
New Artist: Adele
Rock Album: "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends," Coldplay (Capitol Records)
Pop Collaboration With Vocals: "Rich Woman," Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, track from "Raising Sand" (Rounder)
Song of the Year: "Viva La Vida," Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion and Chris Martin, songwriters (Coldplay), track from "Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends" (Capitol Records; Publishers: Universal Music-MGB Songs)
Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals: "Stay," Sugarland, track from "Enjoy the Ride" (Mercury Records)

With a hair straightener from Morphy Richards you can do far more than just straighten your hair. Our hair straighteners are versatile, multi-purpose styling tools that can be used in a variety of ways to create a huge range of exciting and dynamic hairstyles. With a little imagination, your Morphy Richards hair straightener can transform your look and bring real personality to your hair.
Adding shine to your hair they say this is now possible by straightening your hair using special straightners. Years ago there were the Babyliss Straight and Shine Steam Straightners which for 7years ago worked very well at straightening your hair and seemingly adding shine to your hair. There is now a newer version of these called Thermaglass Salon Slim Hair Straightners, these are supposed to give your hair a smoother and straighter look whilst giving your hair extra shine.

There are also different widths of hair straightners the wide ones and the slim ones. The wide ones are better for people with thicker and longer hair whilst the slim ones would take a lot of effort to straighten thick hair but work well on long hair just takes a little longer.

Hair Straightener Guide
With a hair straightener from Morphy Richards you can do far more than just straighten your hair. Our hair straighteners are versatile, multi-purpose styling tools that can be used in a variety of ways to create a huge range of exciting and dynamic hairstyles. With a little imagination, your Morphy Richards hair straightener can transform your look and bring real personality to your hair.

Modern flat irons
High-end modern hair straighteners have ceramic heating elements, which cause less damage to hair, are more effective and heat up faster than non-ceramic coated heating plates. Less expensive brands usually do not have ceramic heating elements though some may have a paint-like coating that gives the appearance of ceramic plating.
Many high end straighteners claim to use ionic and infra red technology, which claims to seal in moisture and oils and to reduce static and frizz.
Depending on the hair type, repeated use of hair straighteners, like most other heat styling tools, can cause varying amounts of damage such as split ends, thinning of the hair shaft and even causing hair to become brittle and prone to breakage. Generally, after extensive damage, hair will show signs of dryness and display an unhealthy appearance. However, many companies, such as L'Oreal and Tresemme, have began to manufacture heat protection sprays and cream which aim to reduce the amount of damage that is caused by the use of straighteners.

Curling With Hair Straighteners
Curling with your hair straightener is a simple way to add body and texture to your hair. Although it may seem surprising, a Morphy Richards hair straightener is actually a very effective tool for creating curls in your hair.

* Begin by straightening your hair if it isn't straight already. This will give you a ''blank canvas'' to work with.
* Divide your hair into sections. The more sections you make, the looser your curls will be.
* Clamp your hair straighteners over a section, trying to keep the heated plates as close to the roots as possible. As you pull your hair straighteners through your hair, turn them 180 degrees by rotating your wrist. Make sure you maintain an even, gentle tension on your hair. To produce tighter curls clamp harder, rotate the straightener more and increase the tension on your hair.
* Don't brush your hair after curling - simply tease your fingers through it to add body and bounce.

Creating Flips With Your Straightener
Creating flips with your hair straightener is an easy technique that adds real character to any hair style. To create a flip in your hair, simply straighten your hair as normal, but, when you reach the tip, curve your hair straightener outwards to introduce a flip out, or inward to create a flip in. This straightforward technique is a great way to add interest and put an intriguing spin on a straight hairstyle.

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, here are a few tips to get ultra soft, smooth, kissable lips:
* Apply Vaseline to your lips each night before bedtime. You may have another lip balm product you will want to use instead, but if not, good old Vaseline works wonders.
* Keep an extra toothbrush handy and use it to lightly brush the surface of your lips each day to remove dead or dry skin. You will want to do this just as your Vaseline or other moisturizer is wearing off so that the dry skin comes off smoothly and easily. If you wait until your lips are already dry, it won't do much good!
* Always use a water-resistant lip balm with SPF protection(yes, even in the winter... and especially while skiing or snowboarding). The skin on your lips is ultra thin and delicate. Since you don't need to ''tan'' your lips, the only thing sun exposure will do is cause your lips to burn, chap or dry out. This can make applying any type of lip color a nightmare. A protective lip balm will prevent damage and soften your lips all at the same time.
* Use a lip liner that is close to your natural lip color. You don't want to use one that's too dark - your lip liner is there to help keep your lip color in place and make it last longer, not to create a distracting line around your mouth.
v2.351 and 45/366: February 14th (Happy Valentine's Day!)
Creative Commons License photo credit: Phoney Nickle

* When applying lipstick, blot your lipstick with a tissue after applying each layer. This will give your base lip color extra staying power.
* February is a perfect time to try fun, flirty shades in pink, red or berry. Once you've finalized your clothing choices, choose a shade that compliments your coloring and goes well with your outfit.
* After applying your lipstick, finish off your look with a soft, shiny lipgloss. But be sure not to go overboard on the gloss - too much can take your lips from gorgeous to gooey. Also, by layering and blotting your lipstick as mentioned in the above step, you won't have to touch up your lipstick during the evening, which usually requires precision - and a mirror. Glosses are lighter and easier to apply, so you can quickly and easily touch up the shine if needed.

These tips will give you a perfect pout and help your lip color last much longer - throughout your entire Valentine's Day date, perhaps?

Here are some simple ways to keep your oily skin under control.

Have you ever caught a glimpse of yourself mid-day only to notice that your makeup was completely gone and your nose looked like you could see your own reflection in it? Like millions of women, you have been cursed with oily skin. In a nutshell, oily skin is caused by your oil glands working a mile a minute to produce an excessive amount of oil. While oily skin can affect your entire face, more often than not, it is limited to the notorious T-zone. Your T-zone consists of your forehead, nose and chin. If you have ever looked at your own reflection and the words ''Oil Slick'' came to mind, you could probably use some help controlling the oil on your skin.

1) If you are like most women, you hate the thought of having to wash your face before going to bed. It's hard enough forcing ourselves to brush our teeth a full two minutes without throwing a face washing into the mix. When makeup is involved, it can be a tedious process scrubbing the makeup off and then cleansing the skin. Trust me, though, when I say that cleansing your skin is probably the number one thing you can do that will help control your oily skin. You will want to wash your face twice a day, once when you wake up and once before going to bed. However, you do not want to wash your face any more than that. Washing one's face too much causes the skin to dry out, which might make some of you think, great, that's what I need. This is an oil death wish for the skin, however. When the skin dries out, it causes the oil glands to go into overtime producing even MORE oil which is the opposite of what you want.

2) Blotting your face regularly during the day with blotting paper will keep the oil from your T zone down to a minimum. While blotting does not prevent the oil, it lessens the shine. Some stores and salons sell specially designed blotting papers however, if you do not want to shell out money for these blotting papers, here is a neat trick. Simple white tissue paper (the kind you use for gifts) or toilet seat covers (yes, the ones they have at public restrooms) also do the trick, for a fraction of the price.

3) Stay away from any kind of skin cleansers or moisturizers that offer extra moisturizer. Use oil-free products. You do not need to be adding extra moisture to your already oily face.

4) Toners applied after washing the face are great ways to control the production of oil. However, you will want to be certain that the toner does not contain alcohol, as that will only serve to dry out the skin, which, in turn, causes an increase in oil production. Look for a toner that has something more natural like witch hazel as its main ingredient.

5) It's no lie when they say, ''You are what you eat.'' Avoid greasy foods like burgers, fried foods and chocolate as they will tend to affect your complexion. Drink at least eight to ten glasses of water a day to keep yourself hydrated.

When all else fails, consult your dermatologist who may be able to prescribe a topical medication to apply to control the oil.

Glycolic acid skin care products have been shown to be effective when used to improve the condition of dry skin, reduce damage caused by the sun and to treat scarring resulting from acne. Glycolic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) and is extracted from sugar cane. It has traditionally been used as a moisturiser and exfoliant.
Exactly how AHA's including glycolic acid works is still not clear but currently the most popular theories are that it reduces inflammation, moisturises and removes dead skin cells. All three together leave the skin looking smoother, healthier and with a better color. Clinical studies have shown that glycolic acid skin care products markedly improve fine lines and wrinkles, often in three or four weeks. Glycolic acid has also been shown to be effective for treating damaged skin and is an excellent moisturiser. As we age less sebum is produced so dryness often occurs. Glycolic acid has been shown to improve the moisture content of the skin by as much as 200 percents when used regularly so is particularly helpful for older skins.

Glycolic acid skin care products are also thought to increase the production of collagen and elastin. Collagen is present in the dermis (the second layer of the skin) and provides a firm foundation. When collagen is damaged the skin begins to sag and wrinkles and fine lines appear. Elastin is important to preserve the elasticity of the skin. Both collagen and elastin are damaged by environmental factors including damage by the sun and the effects of cigarette smoke and their production decreases as we age. Increasing the production of both collagen and elastin will result in less wrinkles and fine lines and a more elastic skin.


To see the full effect of using glycolic acid skin care products they need to be used for six months or more. The effect is not permanent and the skin will slowly revert to it's original condition if you stop using the products. Most products have a glycolic acid concentration of between 5 percents and 10 percents. You should never use a product with more than 10 percents glycolic acid as this is considered to be too corrosive.

The FDA has issued guidelines for the use of glycolic acid skin care products :

1. The concentration of the glycolic acid must be less than 10 percents
2. The pH must be above 3.5
3. The product must contain a sunscreen or there must be a warning on the packaging to inform people that a sunscreen must be used.

Things to Consider When Choosing a Glycolic Acid Product

1.If you use a product containing glycolic acid use other products that do not contain glycolic acid. Using two or more products containing glycolic acid can be irritating to the skin.
Glycolic acid to prevent irritation. Some products have less than 5 percents and are less effective. Products above 8 percents, especially if you have not used a glycolic acid skin care products may cause redness, stinging and irritation.

2.Always use a sunscreen in addition to the glycolic acid skin care product. Ideally sunscreens would be incorporated in the products but at present this is not possible as sunscreens are not stable at the lower pH needed for the glycolic acid to work effectively.

3.Always check the concentration of glycolic acid on the label.

4.Ideally you should use a product containing glycolic acid with the help of a dermatologist, especially if you have not used them before. They can ensure that the concentration is right for your skin.

So are they getting divorced, or not?

Well, after the weeken'd newspapers, all fingers pointed to the 'yes' answer, Britney Spears is in the process of divorcing Kevin Federline, but in an interview with Dateline’s Matt Lauer, the pop princess broke down in tears when the subject was mentioned. She said that she and Kevin we 'just people', and that all of the reports had made her am 'emotional wreck'. So, maybe there is a little ray of hope for the couple, who have a son, Sean Preston, and another child on the way. Let's hope so hey....

Los Angeles, July 24: An 18-year-old aspiring actress from Puerto Rico, who hopes to someday star in US and Latin American films, was crowned Sunday night as Miss Universe 2006.
Miss USA Tara Conner was the contest`s fourth runner-up. Also finishing in the top five were second runner-up Lauriane Gillieron of Switzerland and third runner-up Lourdes Arevalos of Paraguay.

Conner was vying to become the first U.S. winner since Brook Lee in 1997. The Kentucky native wore a red-white-and-blue jockey outfit and cracked a whip during the opening parade of nations. Several of the contestants sported costumes featuring colorful native dress, including feathers, sequins, fur, massive headpieces and, in the case of Miss Japan, a Samurai sword.

Awards were given for photogenic, congeniality and national costume.

Lia Andrea Ramos of Philippines was chosen most photogenic in an online vote by the public. Angela Asare of Ghana won the congeniality award in a vote by all 86 contestants. Chibana, who carried the impressive looking Samurai sword, won the award for best national costume.

"They were probably afraid not to pick Miss Japan or she would use that sword," quipped Carson Kressley of TV`s "Queer Eye," who provided commentary along with 2004 Miss USA Shandi Finnessey. Opera singer Vittorio Grigolo and Latin singer Chelo provided musical performances.

The pageant began with the top 20 finalists` names being announced early in the show. Then their scores were discarded and competition began again, with the field gradually narrowed throughout the night.
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As soon as the final 20 had been selected, they immediately strutted across the stage in skimpy two-piece bikinis for the swimsuit competition.

After being narrowed to the final 10, the competition moved to evening gowns, with the smiling contestants walking across the stage to music provided by Grigolo.

The field of 86 was actually narrowed to 20 last week during preliminary judging in the contest`s swimsuit, evening gown and interview categories, but finalists weren`t announced until Sunday`s show was under way, allowing all 86 to be introduced to the television audience.

The winner travels the world for a year on behalf of charities and pageant sponsors.

Natalie Glebova of Canada was to crown her successor at the end of the two-hour telecast with a diamond-and-pearl-studded headpiece valued at $250,000.

"My year as Miss Universe has meant more to me than I can express," said Glebova, who began her reign with a trip to South Africa where she publicly took an HIV test.

When we dress, we are trying to present an image that is pleasing to the eye. We want to receive those compliments that tell us that we look great, because then, and only then, will we believe that we do look great. This allows us to feel good about ourselves. Hence, the hunt for the perfect outfit begins and continues forever.Perhaps one of the most important reasons for having difficulty while selecting an outfit from our wardrobe would be the simple fact that the wardrobe is deficient in outfits that complement our body shape. How many times have you played the try on as many outfits as possible in 30 minutes? Game while looking for the perfect outfit to wear, only to be left with the same decision and a mountain of clothes to put away? The actual problem is not that you have nothing to wear it is that you have nothing in the closet that flatters your stature.

So for many of us, the decision about what to wear should begin at the origin of purchase. Exactly how should you choose your outfits? Let's start first by exploring how you currently go about selecting your clothing.You are drawn first by the colors and patterns. Your judgment are more along the lines of whether or not it will look good on you, without thinking about how will it draw attention to your body shape so that it does look good on you. Color is an important feature, and how we display it is the most important aspect of that. The goal should be to take the attention away from the aspect of our body that is the least gratifying to us and place it elsewhere. In order to accomplish this, we need to consider our body shape, decide which feature we wish to accent more, and discover how to accomplish that.
Some helpful tips:

- Those of you who are top heavy and have a full bust will want to draw the eye to the lower portion of your physique. Wear a bolder color from the waist down, and a softer color above.

- If you are thin everywhere, you will want to accentuate your figure by adding dimension. You can do this by choosing outfits that are loose and flowing, and by wearing horizontal patterns.

- If you are bottom heavy and have full hips, you will want to select clothing that draws the eye to the top of your body. You can accomplish this by wearing a splash of color or a bold print on the upper part of your figure, and a solid, darker color below the waist.

- For those of you who are wide everywhere, you will want to stay away from bold patterns or prints. Draw the eye to the upper portion of your torso to create a focal point.

- Those of you who have the envied luck to have a perfect hourglass figure have the easiest path of all. Wear anything you want! Also, remember that simple clothing that fits well is far better than fancier clothing that just ''doesn't look right."

Shrinking your tummy! We all want to be able to do that, to get into that slinky little dress, to fit those really nice pants you've always wanted, or fit into those clothes you wore when you were younger.

So what are some good ways to shrink your tummy? Are they safe? Effective? How do I shrink my tummy?

OK, the most talked about idea to shrink your tummy would be to diet and exercise. Eating healthy foods, lots of vegetables and drinking lots of water is a proven aid in shrinking your tummy. By eating regular salads with meals, Vegetables in your sandwiches, and eating and snacking fruit on a regular basis is a good way to get vitamins and nutrients not to mention it is a lot healthier than eating junk food.
So cut back on fast food, sodas, and anything with large amounts of fat, salt and sugar, however it is ok to eat those foods occasionally, as the body needs to store fat.

So keep an eye on your intake of food, and drink your water by the bucketful!

There is also a lot of dietary supplements or drink replacements out there, they help extremely well in shrinking your tummy, however they are not to be used to completely replace food in your diet, use the drinks when your on the run, or don't have time for a meal. Also a good way to shrink your however is having regular exercise each day, even if it's only twenty minutes it all still helps.
So try signing up to a gym and becoming a regular visitor, most gyms have personal trainers that can assign to you a work out that is going to help your trim and shrink your tummy.
Some good classes to take at a gym to help you shrink your tummy are:

Yoga:
Aerobics and lots of other great classes just check out your local gym for available programs and to find out which ones suit you and your needs.
If you do not feel like joining a gym, and there is a lot of gym equipment you can purchase for home use, and videos and DVD's about Pilate's and other exercises that you can use at home as well.
However you can go for a brisk walk through a park, down a street, try walking to work or to the mall instead of taking a taxi or driving and if you have kids try playing a game of ball with them or something similar.
Quest to shrink your tummy: Try standing up nice and tall with your shoulders back, you would not believe how good posture and decrease the size of your tummy, if your hunch over and try to hide your tummy it just appears bigger! Other measures you can use to shrink your however, consist of liposuction and however stapling from a plastic surgeon, this however is costly and I recommend should only be used in extreme circumstances when all other options have failed. However remember that shrinking your tummy is not going to happen over night so do not expect an overnight miracle or tummy shrinkage, it is going to take a lot of hard work, commitment and effort to get your however to shrink to the size you desire.
But whatever you do to try and shrink your tummy make sure it is absolutely healthy and safe, do not try to starve your self or do anything else that extreme to shrink your however, without food and water your body can cease to function properly resulting in extreme cases the failure of some parts of your body.
And staving yourself can sometimes lead to bigger problems such as anorexia and bulimia:
So remember to be active and exercise regularly, eat healthily and your on your way to healthily shrinking your tummy.
And never give up that dress size is only a few pounds away!

Maybe you are beginning to want to experiment with make up and need to learn how to put on eyeliner. The read on, as this article will go into some detail about how to put on eyeliner. Learning how to put on eyeliner can be a tricky thing to do, yet the more you put eyeliner, the easier it will be to put it on each time you feel in the mood to put on eyeliner.

When learning to put on eyeliner you need to consider the type of eyeliner you want to put on. At this time, there are 2 main types of eyeliner, liquid and pencil. There are pros and cons of both types of eyeliners, obviously there is no pencil to sharpen with liquid eyeliner but the pencil gives you more control where as the brush sometimes has a mind of its own and tends to paint where it wants. The brush may become clogged but the pencil will become blunt or can break easily.

When choosing what type of eyeliner we are going to use we have to weigh this up against our experience of putting on eyeliner. A beginner would use a pencil because of their unsteady hand and the more experienced person would probably prefer the liquid because they will be able to put their eyeliner on in one glide of the brush. For the beginners, a good tip when putting on eyeliner would be to make sure the tip of the pencil is blunt. After the pencil has been sharpened, gently use the pencil to write your name a couple times. Do this every time the pencil has been sharpened again. It can become annoying when you have to repeatedly sharpen the pencil when you want to put on eyeliner, but if your have an unsteady hand then a pencil is what you should be using.

Liquid liner, on the other hand, requires a steady hand. The beauty of liquid liner is it glides on. But in saying this it is not for the impatient person. A good thing about liquid liner is once you have the hang of putting it on its fast which a good thing is if you are not the type of person to be mucking around with eye makeup an having to put it on.

If we now start on how to put on eyeliner you want to start from the middle of the eye and put it on working outwards on the top and bottom of the eye. Try to see an invisible line right through your lower lashes this will help guide you when you are first learning how to put on eyeliner. You can smudge your eyeliner at the outer corners of the eyes. This gives the eyes a soft smoky look and is quite dramatic if done well. Don't smudge the whole line off, just the outer corners of the eyes. Some people like to line the whole eye, to do this you want to start your line from the corner of your inner eye and line around the whole eye, taking your line from the inner eye to the outside corner of the eye along the top and the bottom.

To get the look that is right for you, you will have to experiment with the eyeliner. You could watch how other women are wearing their eyeliner and try that look for yourself. Try different colors and play around with the shape of your eyes a bit. Don't be afraid to get away from the black. Remember to use eyeliner (liquid or pencil) sparingly, in particular, the black eyeliner. The point of eyeliner is to show the shape of the eye and it is the shape of the eye that can be manipulated by the way the eyeliner is applied.

Winters grasps everything in its cold and frosty feeling. Your skin, too suffers a lot in winters. When your skin dries out during the wintertime, you supplement your skin with various rich moisturizers and cold creams. But, this might not be enough.
Here are some tips on how to look glamorous with winter make-up tips.
Step1 Use a foundation which has a rich moisturizing effect in it, in order to keep your skin equipped with necessary moisture. In other practice, use a moisturizer prior to applying foundation, incase you have the normal foundation. This will help your foundation go on much more smoothly and give a perfect look.
Step2 During the winter, avoid usage of make-up sponges. The sponges sop up the vital moisturizers of your skin.When applying foundation during winter, it's a safer practice to use a foundation brush instead.
Step3 The best thing about winters is that you can test different colors in make-up. Go for vibrant and rich colors for a change. It gives you a fresher livelier look. When we say vibrant, it does not mean overly done make-up. Brighter colors like plum red and rich maroons would give you a graceful and gorgeous look.
Step4 Winters tend to make your lips dry and crack. Hence prefer using lipstick with an added moisturizer or apply a gloss over your much loved lipstick, giving your lips a lustrous healthy look.
Step5 For final touch, add a little bronzer to your face. This will give you a sun-kissed tinge, giving you a bracing and dazzling look, in the dull season.

Gel blushes are for the very young or those with impeccable skin. It will look as if you aren't wearing a thing and the touch of color will look so natural. They don't seem to have the lasting power of the cream and powder combination.
What Color is My Natural Blush Color?You want a color that is natural but have no way of knowing what that color might be?? Here's a quick way to find out. Check out your face when you come in from the cold. You will see your natural color AND you will see where you blush naturally as well.

With the passage of time, the style trends in brides have changed. The expenses are too much for arranging a wedding.
The main focus of a wedding is a bride for other people. In Pakistan people are very choosing in bridal jewelry designs. Normally the bride wears gold bangles in one hand and the trend is to wear any stylish bangles at the other.
Because these colorful bangles look great in the photo sessions. And everybody knows that pictures of that day is very important for the couple. In this picture, We have a very beautiful red bangles suitable for a bride for her barat day.

Gul Ahmed Prints 2009..Lawn Chiffon ,Colorita Essenza, Dive De Chiffon , La Chiffon , Cotton Silk, Petals , Sarene White, Swiss Voile , Floral Fragrance , Regalia , Diamantes , Embroidered , Inspiration , Fleur De Chiffon , Native Earth , Black and White , Camouflage , Fusion Croche....

Bridal Jewelry Baraat Dresses Walima Dresses

Eid Mehendi has great significance in all Eastern wedding traditions, and no wedding is complete without the decoration of the bride's hands and feet - in many cultures on both the front and back of the hands right up to the elbow, and on the bottom half of the legs. The Mehndi night is something like a hen night in the West, with all the bride's female friends and relatives getting together to celebrate. They spend the evening singing traditional Mehndi songs, which tell of he good luck and blessings that Mehndi will bring, and of its significance with different in-laws. The patterns of mehndi are typically quite intricate and predominantly applied to brides before wedding ceremony.