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January 31st, 2006

Keep Your Manly Man Image during Your Grooming Regiment

For years the extent of grooming for men was a haircut and a quick shave. However, in today’s society men are faced with a number of grooming options that may seem, to some, a little on the feminine side. Men now have the option of partaking in almost every grooming practice that women do. Advancements in grooming and changes of attitudes have allowed men to take care of their hair, skin and nails in ways that men never have in the past.

A man’s hands can become rough and callused. For some men, this does not seem like much of a concern. However, some men may be surprised to know that something as small as taking care of their hands can prove to be a huge turn on for women. Manicures have long been thought of as a practice reserved for women only. But in recent years more and more men have taken up the process of keeping up with the care of their hands and nails. In addition to providing men with a rejuvenating process for their hands, manicures can also prove to be a relaxing and stress-relieving process. Most manicures begin with the client soaking his hands or having them placed in a warm wrap of some sorts. After that the skin of the hands is exfoliated, nails are trimmed and cuticles are cut to give hands and nails a soft and appealing appearance. Many manicures also include a hand massage which many men will find to be a very relaxing experience. In addition to discovering how relaxing a manicure can be, men who have never experienced a manicure may also be surprised at the positive response a manicure will get from their partner. Soft, well-treated hands can make a huge difference. travel to st petersburg

There are a number of other treatments in addition to manicures that men can pursue to enhance their grooming. One of these treatments is the facial. Facials provide customers with skin care in perhaps the most important area to groom – the face. Keeping the skin on your face clear and clean can make a huge difference when it comes to personal hygiene and grooming. Like manicures, facials were also long thought of as a practice only acceptable for women. However, in recent years facials have become more and more prevalent for men as well. The human face is made up of sensitive skin and should be cared for more carefully than other areas of the body that are covered by tougher skin. Facials can cleanse pores like no other processes, resulting in healthy skin that will undoubtedly be noticed. Since many men overlook the fact that skincare is of the utmost importance – particularly skincare for the face – facials can make a world of difference for those who have long neglected the skin on their face. Facial skin can vary from person to person but can often be either very oily or very dry. Facials can help to change either of these conditions, moisturizing and cleansing the skin better than any facial cleanser will do.

For a long time, hair care was not something that many men considered an important concern. However, lately more men have begun dying their hair, something women have done for decades. When people enter middle age and grey hairs begin to appear, many people see hair dye as a way of maintaining their youthful looks. For men, dying their hair can seem somewhat girly, but they should rest assured that there is nothing wrong with coloring their hair. In fact, for men who feel uncomfortable with getting their hair colored at a salon, at-home hair dye kits can be purchased.

For women who wish their man would take up some more meticulous grooming habits but cannot seem to convince him to make an appointment at a local spa, booking a couples appointment might just be the answer to their problem. By booking a couples appointment the man may see the spa trip as a date with his wife or girlfriend rather than a trip he is making to a spa to beautify and exfoliate. Many spas have an option for couples who are looking to visit the spa together. Couples can book together and take part in whatever spa treatments they would like to pursue together.

Posted by Administrator as General, Skins, Skin Care, Skin Diseases, Skin Doctors, Skin Treatment at 7:52 PM PST

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January 30th, 2006

Pucker Up – Lip Products to Kiss and Tell About

What is it about the celebrity photos we see in magazines that make these women so attractive? Yes, natural beauty and photo retouching has plenty to do with it, but you may also notice that most of them have a great smile highlighted by gorgeous lips. So what can you do to make your own lips lovely and kissable?

Beautiful lips are easier to achieve than you may think. A lot of your look will depend on the type of lip products you are using.

Keep them supple: One of the first steps to creating luscious lips is to keep them soft and smooth. That may be easy for those of you blessed with naturally moist skin, but most women need to turn to thick, soothing lip balms to help avoid cracking or roughness, particularly in very sunny, dry, windy or cold climates. The weather and environment can both wreak havoc on your lips, so look to products like Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm or Lifeguard’s Choice, which contains ultra emollient lanolin and almond oil to protect and restore lips. The Lifeguard’s Choice balm from Burt’s Bees isn’t restricted to your lips either; it can be used on ears, nose and other areas prone to dryness and chapping, so it’s a great product to having on hand. There are all kinds of great lip balms (sometimes also called lip conditioners) available. Many come in delicious flavors and colors, as well as it different formats – pots, tubes and sticks – so shop around until you find one that works well for your lips and that you enjoy using.

Definition: You’ve probably heard of lip liner but may be wondering if it’s really necessary. The answer? It depends. If your habit is to slick on a light gloss, which needs to be reapplied fairly often, you probably don’t want or need lip liner. If you wear lipstick, however, particularly in a bold shade, lip liner will give you a crisp, defined look with no smears or feathering. Plus, the liner will help your lipstick stay in place longer. Some women use lip liner to draw an outline at the very rim of their lips and then fill with lipstick while others draw the outline and then fill in the rest of their lips with the same color before adding lipstick for a more durable application. Lip liners come in traditional ‘pencils’ (you’ll need a small sharpener, too) and also in highly pigmented cream pens. M.A.C. Cosmetics offers a superb collection of both pencil and cream lip liners in a terrific range of long-lasting colors. Check out your local M.A.C. cosmetics counter or go to their website for more information.

Dazzling color: Once your lips are smooth and defined, it’s time to add some color. Fashionable shades change from season to season, but a good rule of thumb to follow is to stick to a natural shade during the day, and go a bit darker at night. You may want to choose a totally dramatic shade of lipstick to highlight a special outfit or for a special occasion, but remember that the color appears to change under different lighting conditions. That daring shade of lipstick that looked so good under the mellow lights of home may take on a more garish look under sunlight or stark florescent lighting often found in retail outlets or office buildings. On the other hand, it may be the perfect touch to draw attention to your lips in a softly lit restaurant. Keep your destination in mind when choosing a lip color. Again, there is a huge selection of lipsticks and lip glosses from which to choose. Generally, lipstick has more staying power than gloss but choose whichever you prefer. If you’re just starting out in the world of lipsticks, several companies offer a number of quality lipsticks designed for moisturizing, volume-boosting and durability.

Final touch — plumping: Remember those magazine pictures? Look closely. Nearly every model appears to have plump lips. Again, there is a wide selection of lip-plumping products available on the market, but you may prefer a simple and more inexpensive trick to achieve fuller-looking lips. Once you’ve applied your lip color of choice, add a dot of shimmering white eye shadow (or eyebrow highlighter) to the center of your lips and blend it carefully toward the edges. Having a subtly lighter area where your mouth opens will give you the look of fuller lips.

Posted by Administrator as General, Skin Problems, Skin Care, Skin Diseases, Skin Doctors, Skin Caring at 7:45 PM PST

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January 27th, 2006

I’m chapped! Winterize Your Lips against the Elements

Every winter, you get chapped lips. It’s uncomfortable, unattractive, and a general nuisance. However, by the time summer rolls around and fall comes in, you have forgotten what happened to your lips in January. Remember so that you can prepare your lips. Chapping is not completely preventable, but you can certainly go a long way in preventing yourself from going through the bleeding and cracking sourness of winter lips, as well as healing lips that have already suffered winter’s spite.

Chapping is really just the dehydration of your lips. Fall is the best time to get started in hydrating. Properly hydrate your lips and you will be able to better fight the elements of winter. For one thing, start using your lip balm in the fall. Wax based lip balms are only effective in the prevention of dry, chapped lips. They do not contain enough moisture to repair lips that have already dried out and chapped. Certainly, they are great for protection but not for fixing the problem once it has happened.

You want to always be hydrating, softening and protecting your lips throughout the fall and winter. Use a moisturizing lip paint or lip stick once or twice a day to look good and protect well. Use at least an SPF 15 to prevent sun damage, and put yourself on the road to great looking lips all year round.

Some lip chapping and dryness may not be caused completely by the elements. Those people on Accutane or who suffer from dry lip problems naturally can make use of the same strategies year round.

In addition to hydration, make sure you are providing your lips proper sun protection. Whether it is lipstick or lip balm, make sure you are using something with an SPF. The preference is for something at a rating of 15 or higher. If you want to wear a lipstick as well, layering is okay. Just make sure you are protecting your lips from those UV rays.

Once winter arrives, there are precautions you should take in addition to the application of lip balm. Think about taking a multivitamin if you don’t already. A lack of vitamin B complex or Iron in your system can be to blame for lip problems. Also, stay hydrated as a whole. Drink fluids often to keep your entire body moist. Most importantly, and you have probably heard this before, but do NOT lick your lips. When you lick them, you do apply moisture to them, but as it evaporates it actually leaves your lips even dryer. So, no matter what, avoid licking or wetting your lips.

A good before bed habit to get into as well is the application of zing oxide to your lips. Some people tend to drool and salivate as they sleep and this moisture, like licking your lips, can cause chapping. The zinc oxide acts as a barrier to protect your lips during the night, as you sleep. Then, by keeping your lips dry you can both prevent chapping and help to heal lips that are already damaged.

Perhaps you work outside or are skiing and lose your lip balm. There is still a solution to the problem. Rub your fingers on the side of your nose and face. You will be able to pick up some of the natural oils that your body produces. Take the oil on your finger and apply it to your lips. You will continue to produce oil as the day wears on and the oil is a great natural protector for your lips. It’s the perfect home remedy for lip chapping.

If your lips are already severely chapped, consult your dermatologist. He or she may prescribe you something like a 2 ½ % hydrocortisone ointment to help get those lips back to where you want them, healthy. If the damage does not seem too bad, there are things you can do at home. For one, studies have shown that creamy lipsticks used with a sunscreen can help soothe already chapped lips. Also, cracked and chapped lips can become infected fairly easily. To prevent this problem, apply antiseptic ointment every day, twice a day if the damage is getting worse. The more important times are at night and in the morning.

Posted by Administrator as General, Skins, Skin Care, Skin Tags, Skin Doctors, Skin Caring at 7:48 PM PST

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