Will custom rubber bracelets go out of fashion?

November 9, 2008 – 6:22 pm

In the last two years custom rubber bracelets have invaded our life. And despite fashion gurus pronouncing them a ‘passing fad’ they are still around — and are still climbing the popularity charts.

So what makes the custom rubber bracelets so popular? Highly customizable and cheap: those are the two qualities that make these rubber wristbands so popular.

The custom rubber bracelets can be custom-manufactured for any purpose: charity, crowd control, storing medical information, fashion… And the ordinary ones usually cost just around $1 a piece — yes, with all those customized messages and colors.

What are custom rubber bracelets? Well, they are simply colorful rubber loops that can be stretched over one’s palms and worn on one’s wrist. And they usually have some message stamped on them, such as ‘Come Home Soon’ (that is popular with the relatives of American servicemen) or any other message. Some big hospitals even stamp information such as a patient’s name, medication, timings, etc on the rubber band bracelets. This allows the hospital staff to quickly access the vital info without referring to a file in an emergency situation.

Well, that is only one aspect of their customization ability. They can be ordered in any color — yellow, green, pink, black, translucent, glow-in-the-dark… there is a color for everything. The yellow ones are the most well-known, popularized by ace cyclist and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong. In fact, it was Armstrong’s ‘LiveStrong’ custom rubber bracelets that kicked off the trend of wearing rubber bracelets.

Then followed numerous others: there were custom rubber bracelets for tsunami relief, to show support to American troops, to rally students against bullying, as a tool for crowd control, for just being trendy… Soon there was a flood of those colorful solid rubber loops. By the way, the custom rubber bracelets needn’t be really rubber. They are also made of silicone.

Recently there has been a flood of criticism against the custom rubber bracelets, caused mostly by the numerous rubber wristbands that have been popping up all around with all kinds of silly messages. Does that mean society is getting fed up with the custom rubber bracelets?

Not by a long shot. Custom rubber bracelets are going to be around, whether their popularity rises or wanes. Because they are so useful little devices, that can be put to use in a number of situations. They may go out of fashion or come into fashion, but they will always be around in some form or other, in some situation or another.


Best Beauty Tips For A Healthy And Natural Look

November 8, 2008 – 6:57 pm

‘Beauty is skin deep’, so goes the good old saying. But, that does not rob the charm of enhancing your looks. So, hey there, beauty conscious, there’s just no harm in having some of the best beauty tips up your sleeves. For looking and feeling beautiful is a sign of health and happiness. And in an age where looking good spells confidence and success, it’s vital that you have the best beauty tips handy.

Pamper Your Body

The first secret to true beauty is a natural body glow. Try a refreshing exfoliate with a homemade mix of olive oil, sea salt or sugar. Dry brushing your body, preferably with a natural bristle brush before a bath. It helps to stimulate the glands.

A Little Thought for your Eyes, Hands and Feet

- Moisturise your hands and feet regularly. Don’t forget to file your nails and apply nail polish.

- Free your eyes of the tired look simply with a spoon. Keep it in the fridge and apply to the eyelids.

- Once you have ensured a healthy body, be in fashion with the best make-up tips.

Magic of Natural Make-Up

The secret of smart make-up is to keep it natural. But often unhygienic and wrong use of make-up causes harm. Here are the best beauty tips to avoid a make-up mess:

- Eye care: To ensure healthy eyes change your mascara every three months, eye shadows every six to twelve months and sharpen your eye pencil regularly

- Mascara basics: To avoid mascara smudging, apply a thin layer to the top lashes only and then use an eyelash brush

- Natural glow: A gel blush or cream gives a more natural look than a powder

- Brow beauty: For a natural look, eyebrows must not look pencil thin. Use a definer for extra volume.

- Eyeliner tips: Use liquid liner instead of a pencil, to avoid smudging in the crease of the lid

- Foundation fashion: While choosing a concealer or foundation, check the shade on the palm side of your wrist. It tells whether the shade would look natural on you.

Haute Hair Tips

A homemade hair pack is better than shampooing. Natural stuff like apple cider vinegar keeps shampoo toxins at bay. The right hairdo makes the correct fashion statement. Always discuss your face shape with your hairdresser, to decide on a style

Do’s ‘N’ Don’ts

Common beauty blunders arise from ignorance. Here are the best beauty tips to be better informed:

- Avoid soap and switch to natural cleansers
- Wash your face often
- Use an eye cream regularly
- Drink lots of water
- Never forget a sunscreen
- Use natural beauty packs

Mind Matters

Last but not the least; you just can’t glow unless its heart felt. So, the best beauty tips include doing something you enjoy whenever you can. Always take a break, chat with friends, forget your worries, set your mind free and just watch the wonders.


Water And Fiber: The New “Nutrients”

November 8, 2008 – 8:56 am

This is part 2 of the subject of nutrients. Be sure to read part 1 of “Skin Problems? It May Be A Lack Of Nutrients” before reading this part.

Royal Jelly is a nutrient that can be used as a topical application as well as taken as a supplement. This nutrient that comes from bees is full of vitamins, pantothenic acid and amino acids. Royal Jelly can help with darkening of the skin, blemishes and wrinkles. When taken orally, its properties can help in delaying collagen from deteriorating which can help the skin look younger.

L-Cysteine (commonly known as just Cysteine) is a nutrient that helps the collagen in the skin to hold together. Most of the skin is high in this nutrient. People can get a good daily amount of this nutrient from foods like milk but mainly eggs.

Gamma-Linolenic Acid (GLA for short and commonly known as just Linolenic Acid) with its anti-inflammatory properties is great for the skin. It’s basically known as evening primrose oil in its supplementation form. Common cooking oils have this acid like extra virgin olive oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, corn oil and safflower oil. Just 2 tablespoons per day of these oils (preferably cold pressed) can be added to the daily diet by cooking with them, or they can even be made into a light vinaigrette dressing for salads. In supplementation form 500 mg of evening primrose oil is needed.

There is two more important “nutrients” that are very common and also very important when it comes to good skin care. The first one is water. Water is an important part of all tissues in the body including skin tissue. Water helps to supply important minerals to the body. Drinking about 8 to 10 glasses of pure, plain water will provide enough moisture and give keep good water balance in the body.

The second important “nutrient” is fiber. There are three types of fiber. The fiber in grains is called bran. The fiber in fruit is called pectin. The fiber in vegetables is called psyllium. People should aim to add least 40 grams of fiber from one, two, or all three of the different fibers to the daily diet. A person should add this to their diet slowly if their diet is low in fiber in the first place. Fiber can help to clear the complexion of the skin although studies have not uncovered how. It may be how fiber improves bowel elimination and therefore limiting the absorption of acne-aggravating properties, toxic substances and saturated fats.

Sources of bran from food are of course bran, whole wheat bread, brown rice, rolled oats, Grape-Nuts cereal and even white rice and shredded wheat. Sources of pectin from fruit are apples, strawberries and other berries such as blueberries and raspberries, pears, melons, oranges and other citrus fruits like tangerines and grapefruits. Sources of psyllium from vegetables are beets, green beans, green peas, potatoes, carrots and celery. Vegetable bulk powders like Metamucil and Citrucel are ok but add them slowly to the diet like a quarter teaspoon to each meal and add a quarter teaspoon each week to each meal until the amount is a full teaspoon to each meal.


Look Younger with a Healthy Skin

November 7, 2008 – 11:30 am

Do you wish you had more energy, less wrinkles, more stamina, cope better with stress? May be even turn the clock to look and feel younger. Yes! A lot of us do.

The truth is, it is possible and there is No Secrets. Feeling good and younger goes from the inside out. You can age gracefully with more energy, looking healthier and younger and have a glowing skin by taking five simple steps:

A Healthy Diet

The quality and quantity of the food you eat will have a direct reflection on your health, the look of your skin and hair as well as overall stamina. Avoid as much as possible commercially prepared meals and packaged foods. Eat natural, local fresh vegetables and fruits. Whole foods with the least processing, simply prepared contains more nutrients, vitamins and enzymes and are more useful for the body. A diet rich in fiber and antioxidant, whole grain, monounsaturated (canola and peanut oil, avocado) and polyunsaturated fats (nuts and seeds in general) will help your heart, lower your cholesterol and increase your overall energy. Free simple and easy healthy gourmet recipes good for your health and tasty to your palate.

Sleeping Well And Enough

While we sleep, we rejuvenate our body and relax our mind. It is a time where we restock our energy. Sleeping well and enough is very important for ultimate health. Comfortable bedroom and bed, enough fresh air, not too cold and not too hot, make sure you relax before you go to bed. Television and other stimulants are not good at bed time. It is recommended that you get between 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night. If you have trouble sleeping, go and see a doctor and find the cause of the insomnia. For women during menopause, imbalance hormones can be the cause of sleep disturbance. Apnea, snoring can also cause sleep interruption

Natural Skin Care Products

Skin care products like the food you eat have to be chosen very carefully. Synthetic chemicals and highly processed ingredients in personal care products can create unwanted skin conditions: premature aging of the skin, acne, dry skin or wrinkles. When you buy skin care products choose naturally made skin, make up, body and hair care. Like the food we eat, creams, moisturizers, cleansers are nutrition for the skin and affect our overall health as they penetrate the skin, the cells and get into the blood stream and various intern organs.

Relaxation And Me Time

In our society we are often under the pressure of things to do, dead lines, family obligation and overtime. We leave very little time for relaxation, time out and time to just pamper and take care of ourselves. It is important to take a break from our busy schedule for relaxation.

Fitness

Fitness and exercise do not have to be excruciating to be efficient. Simply walking 30mn a day, using the stairs instead of the elevator, park your car a little further away in the supermarket parking can make a big different. Those are efficient little tricks when you have a busy life and are not able to find time to exercise time or just getting back into shape.


Home Remedies For Zits

November 6, 2008 – 11:58 am

Eliminating zits is the most sought after treatment among the younger generation. Zit is a common and chronic skin inflammatory condition. Zits are usually found on the skin of the face, neck, chest and shoulders. Nearly six out of ten young people between the ages of twelve and twenty-four have from some zits. Zit causes a great deal of embarrassment at an age when people tend to be sensitive about their personal appearance.

Home remedy for Pimples using Orange peel
Homemade zit Treatment using Orange peel has been found very effective. Pound the orange peel with water on a piece stone and apply to acne affected areas.

Home remedies for Acne using Lemon
A simple remedy at home for acne: Lemon juice applied regularly has proved very beneficial in reducing zits and acne.

Home pimple treatment using Garlic
Garlic has been used successfully to cure acne. Rub with raw garlic several times a day. Garlic is known to have cured the toughest of acne problem. The external use of garlic helps to clear the skin of spots, pimples and boils. Acne can further be cured by eating three seeds of raw garlic once daily for a month. This purifies the blood stream and ensures basic cleansing of blood keeping acne away.

Zit treatment using Coriander and Mint Juice
A teaspoon of coriander juice, mixed with a pinch of turmeric powder, is another effective home remedy for pimples and blackheads. The mixture should be applied to the face after thoroughly washing it every night before retiring. Mint juice can be used in a similar manner as coriander juice.

Pimple treatment using Cucumber
Grated cucumber applied over the face, eyes, and neck for fifteen to twenty minutes has been found effective. It is the best tonic for the skin of the face. Its regular use prevents pimples and blackheads.


Dress like a Fashion Model

September 20, 2008 – 2:51 am

Clothes have a profound effect on us psychologically. Choosing the wrong color makes you look sick and ghastly. Worse, it spoils your day as the color of your clothes can affect your mood. First of all, you need to consider your skin tone, eye and hair color. It is advisable to try out clothes in different colour and get a close friend or family member to see if a particular color suits you. If possible, try to get as many colors in your wardrobe that suit you.

Both white and black are versatile colors. A white top can match a bottom of any color. Similarly, a black bottom can go with any color for your top. Different colors connote and express different emotions to suit each new day. Wearing white lightens and brightens your mood and symbolises purity and cleanliness. Black gives you elegance and an air of mystery not to mention sex appeal. Red makes you stand out in the crowd and works well especially if you want to draw attention. It symbolises passion, energy and excitement. Yellow connotes optimism, fun and joy. Blue is soothing and calming as well as inspiring. Lastly green symbolise freshness, harmony and love.

It is always better to over dress for an occasion . For example , if the invitation card says smart casual, you can always overdress with your jacket. If everyone wears one, you won’t feel awkward or embarrassed especially if it is a sales presentation and you stand to lose points with your client. If no one wears jackets you can always take it off and blend in with the crowd.

No one has a perfect figure all the time. What you need to do is to accentuate your strength and downplay bad points. Wear larger prints in areas where you want people to focus and smaller prints on parts which you want to draw attention away from. Skirt length should be knee level if your thighs are big. Jacket hems should not fall where your hips are the widest. It should be a little higher up. Wear something which gives you a lower or wider neckline. It makes your neck look longer and your face thinner. The overall impression is a slimmer you. Follow these rules. Dark colors tend to make you look slimmer while light and bright colors tend to make you look plumber. If possible, go for a monochromatic look which makes you look slimmer. Clothes with vertical stripes make you look slimmer too. Try not to expose your arms with sleeveless tops.

Don’t buy something simply because it is on sale and in the bargain bins. There’s a reason for it simply because the sizes available are usually at the both ends of the scales or they could be odd sizes. It is important to wear clothes that fit. Otherwise you feel uncomfortable when you sit down and breathe. Clothes that are either too large or tight will make you look larger than you are. Another important point to note is don’t buy smaller clothes thinking you will slim down in the near future. The size you buy should be the one that fits you now.


Lip Magic

September 19, 2008 – 8:00 am

As we get older our lips get smaller and thinner – it’s a fact of life, but it need not be the end of the world or our attractiveness. If you don’t have the money or the inclination to run off and get collagen injections there are ways you can keep your lips looking great and desirable. By using simple techniques you can create illusions of larger, pouty and more balanced lips.

Lipstick looks best on smooth lips. To keep your lips smooth use a lip exfoliant and always wear some type of lipstick or lip balm, especially wintertime or in the sun.

To start creating wonderful lips use lip liner. Lip liner is a great tool that will keep your lipstick in place, define the shape of your lips and can make your lips look larger or smaller. Use a lip liner color that is lighter than your lipstick and keep the pencil sharp.

Use lip liner to outline the natural lines of your lips and then fill in the lips with a color that blends with your lipstick. This little trick will keep your lipstick in place. Never go outside the natural lines of your lips in an attempt to make your lips look larger. Lip liner will keep your lipstick away from the fine lines around your mouth, which will keep your lipstick from bleeding.

Start by defining the V using feathery, short strokes that are not too sharp. After you have defined and filled in the lips with liner, fill with color using either a lip brush or a tube. Blot with a tissue and reapply lip color. For a fuller look use a lighter color in the middle of the lip.

Tips for Lips:

* Matte is the longest lasting lipstick but can be dry

* Gloss makes lips look fuller

* For extra definition line lips once again after you have applied lip color

* Balms have SPF’s

* Sheer lipstick won’t last long

* Neutral shades will match everything

* Lips will look larger with a medium color

* Moist lipsticks are more likely to bleed


Finding The Perfect Sunglasses

September 18, 2008 – 9:26 am

Where do you go to find the perfect Sunglasses at a price you can afford? The truth is, from what I have seen, there is no place that is going to have real Oakley Sunglasses at a rock bottom price. Oakley is a good brand that offers a lot of benefits, but those benefits do come at a price. However, when it comes to a purchase as significant as a pair of Oakley Sunglasses, you will want to take your time and shop around to make sure you get as good a price as is possible with such top of the line eyewear.

The first thing you may want to do is go to an Oakley Sunglasses retail outlet. Oakley has some of their own stores, and sometimes kiosks, in your local mall or retail complex. They don’t usually have the best prices around, but they do have a full selection of many of the Oakley Sunglasses available. You will also be able to get a starting point as far as price. If you know what the high or higher end is you will be able to better shop for the low prices you want. You have to start somewhere, right? The other advantage to the Oakley Sunglasses retail stores is that the sales staff is usually very knowledgeable and can help you get an idea of which pair will be right for you.

The next place to check, and the one that will likely have the best prices is the internet. Search your favorite search engine for “Oakley Sunglasses ” and you will likely get plenty of hits. Carefully look through some of the top ones and you might get lucky with an overstock outlet or some other great site with good prices. Be aware of what you are looking at and what the site is, though. Oakley Sunglasses are often knocked off and you may end up with fakes that don’t offer the UV protection and durability that real Oakley Sunglasses will give you. The internet is a great place for bargains but is also a great place to find counterfeits of most anything you can think of, including sunglasses.

Lastly, before you make a purchase, ask around. Talk to your friends who either have Oakley Sunglasses or have been looking for them as well. Often times the best deals can really only be found through word of mouth and luck. Let your friends and family know you are in the market for a pair and ask them to keep their eyes open for a bargain. Finding the best prices will only be easier when you get extra eyes out there looking with you.

Oakley Sunglasses are great eyewear that can aid you during bright sun, they look great, and they are durable. They are not one thing, though, and that is cheap. So, when it comes to making a big purchase like that, you want to make sure you get the best price you can. So, get the word out that you are looking, do some research in a Oakley Sunglasses retail location, and search the net. By doing those three things you can assure yourself a smart purchase at the best price possible.


Prom Time Dress Rehearsals

September 17, 2008 – 6:45 pm

When thinking about the end of a school year, graduation from High School is foremost on everyone’s mind. The excitement of prom is a large portion of the overall picture. Proms bring many decisions and expenses, but the memories you are sure to have far outweigh any dilemmas you might face preparing for the dance.

If you are a guy, a tuxedo rental is not as big an ordeal as if you are a gal looking for that perfectly exquisite prom dress. Prom dresses are a whole other ball of wax. Purchasing a prom dress is a gala event all in itself. It is almost as if the actual prom will seem like a distant dream manifested by the desire to be unique in a prom dress like no other.

There are boutiques that cater to these types of events. There are consignment shops that offer gently worn alternatives to new and more expensive prom dresses. And there is always shopping online. Purchasing a prom dress online has its own set of challenges but is far from an impossible way to find the perfect dress.

From discount outlets to one of a kind originals shopping online for the perfect prom dress can be made simple and affordable with a few easy steps taken in advance. Knowing your size is key. Following each sites guideline to size is essential. There will be charts for each portion of your body so be honest when buying online and you will be comfortable dancing, sitting, and arriving in the prom dress of your dreams.

You can utilize boutiques and consignment shops as well as the major retail stores in your area to scope out the perfect size and style of prom gowns. You have to take into consideration your height and weight. Certain gown styles and colors express certain personalities and it is easy to make a workable match when you have done some background work before prom arrives.

Let’s face it you have a unique body shape. You also have your own hair and eye color. You have special aspects of your body that might need enhancing or camouflaged. A tiny waist or sizable breasts are always workable into the style you choose as well as small breasts or chunky thighs. Prom is one time where every girl can look like the princess she always dreamed she could be.

Taking what you have learned or already know about your tastes in evening attire and school dances and moving them toward online shopping for a prom dress is fun, easy, and always affordable.


Shopping Choices for Jeans

September 16, 2008 – 3:54 pm

Jeans are often considered as classics. Almost everyone, from toddlers to the elderly own at least a pair of jeans. Men used jeans as their classic uniform for years, while women often take the classic and put twists to update its look. Seven jeans used to be the staple in every woman’s wardrobe. This is with good reason because the brand is one of the top jean-makers who offer great variety in terms of style and color. One could almost be certain to find the right pair in a Seven store.

Aside from the Seven jeans brand, another seemingly endless jean trend surfaced which is a far cry from the tight look of the 80’s and 90’s. The loose and baggy work pants style jeans which not only hide women’s shape, but also cause unflattering silhouettes. These came with the new hiphop culture and was seen from rappers, to groupies, teenagers, and Hollywood stars. Fortunately, these trend in women’s wear wore off soon enough and the only people left wearing them were male rappers.

Nowadays, women’s jeans have more variety other than the super tight and high waisted jeans of the 80’s. Gone are the days when women often wore too long blouses and shirts to cover up the bulges caused by the unrelenting denim fabric. Baggy jeans are also considered as FASHION flubs. Jeans today are all about choices and more choices. This variety of choices makes jeans shopping quite a task. From rise, cut, wash, and texture, it has become a challenge to find the single perfect pair. But still, the old adage stands true. Buy jeans that fit your body well while accentuating your assets and skimming over your flaws. In short, use your body type as a guide in buying jeans.

FASHION insiders claim that the new trend in jeans today is the tight jeans. But this kind of tight jeans are not the 80’s type. They are called tight but actually are just form-fitting. These are the most flattering jean style in market today because they follow the body’s contours and are generally flattering to all shapes. Plus, these usually have Lycra in the fabric which in turn give them a bit of stretch and allow them to be more forgiving to bulges. Bootleg and straight cut tight jeans are usually preferred because they are the most flattering cuts. Dark colors also add up the slimming effect of these jeans. Stylists generally agree that pockets are important in either minimizing or enlarging backsides. Small pockets make behinds look larger, so these are perfect for women with bigger upper bodies for a balanced appearance. Big pockets serve to give the illusion of a smaller derriere. FASHION experts also insist that contrary to popular belief, low waist jeans are not only for people with perfect midsections. These jeans are generally flattering to all shapes of women.

Whether you’re thinking of buying low waist jeans, seven jeans, women’s jeans, tight jeans, or stretch jeans, buy jeans that make you feel comfortable and confident. After all it is the attitude and confidence that really makes or break a person’s look. As a last reminder, a perfect pair of jeans can do wonders for your confidence.