Top 4 Uses of Shea Butter
Shea butter is a popular ingredient which is used in many different products these days, such as skin products and hair products. This ingredient has been used for many years by people in Africa as a food source and cosmetic product. Coming from a tree called the Shea Karite, it is widely known because of it healing and moisturizing properties. Scientists have discovered the amazing benefits of shea butter and found that it can be used for a variety of problems. Here are the 4 most popular uses of this ingredient in our every day lives.
1. Treat Dry Skin
Shea butter is known to have the ability to moisturize any type of skin. It is particularly good for people with dry or flaky skin because it helps moisturize and renew your skin cells to make it look younger and smoother. To do this, apply some on your skin after taking a shower and leave it on. Unlike other product, you will find that it is quickly absorbed into your skin, giving you almost immediate results.
2. Treat Acne
Shea butter also has a soothing and healing property which is good in treating acne. Because skin irritation is part of the reason of acne, this ingredient soothes the skin to prevent the inflammation. Although you may think that it is oily, it can actually help improve the skin tone and clear blemishes if used correctly. The vitamins contained in this ingredient helps clear the pores and remove excessive oil on your face. Using it with African black soap often yields even better results.
3. Stretch Mark Cream
Stretch marks are often a problem among pregnant women. Shea butter is used in many stretch mark creams as a major ingredient because it helps retain skin elasticity. To use it, women often rub this butter on their belly to prevent stretch marks and also to reduce existing marks. This is one of the most effective products to get rid of stretch marks because the fatty acids help in providing nutrients to the skin to maintain its elasticity.
4. Hair Moisturizer
One of the popular uses of shea butter is to moisturize your hair. People with dry or damaged hair often use this as a moisturizing ingredient to seal in the moisture in their hair. Because of its popularity, many hair products such as shampoos and conditioners incorporate this ingredient in it. These products make it easier for you to enjoy its benefits without doing additional work. However, you need to select quality products because cheaper ones may not have as much benefits as better quality ones. A tip is to look at the ingredients on the label and see whether it is listed as one of the first few ingredients.
Simple Ways for Treating Dreadlocks
Back in 1960, dreadlocks were real hip. The hairstyle was introduced as a part of Rastafarian culture. Nevertheless the real use of dreadlocks can be traced back to centuries ago among others with the civilization of Maoris, Maasais, Pakistani’s Sufi malangs and fakirs. As fashionable as dreadlocks are, it is recognized that caring for the dreadlocks is not easy; the matted, twisted, entangled hair makes it impossible to treat the hair in usual way. Dreadlocks cannot be brushed nor combed.
Generally, the problem in a person wearing dreadlocks is how to maintain the dread knots when new hair grows. Naturally grown hair is not intact to the twist and makes the dreadlocks look untidy and frizzy. Many beauty tricks suggest using bee-based wax to take care of this problem: a classic mistake. The usage of bee-based wax in inconsiderate amount only makes the hair ceased to make the dreads budding appropriately. Bee-based wax does not permit your hair to naturally lock your hair tightly. Wax can only be used for short term occasion such as tidying up your dreads for a party.
For daily use, dreadlocks washing can be taken care with hair products containing the essence of Aloe Vera and lime juice. Such product can easily wash your dreads. For more natural way, the appliance of fresh Aloe Vera directly on your dreadlocks or sprinkles of lime juice to your scalp works as well.
To maintain your maturing dreadlocks, daily rolling is the simplest procedure to do. From the top to your length of your dread, put a dread in your palm and roll it dynamically from side to side. Next, put the base of your dread between your thumb and forefinger then press them onto your scalp and roll it constantly in one direction roll. Never change the direction you are rolling.
Last but the most annoying problem a dreadlocks wearer commonly has is the itchiness of the scalp. This is a usual problem a person with dreadlocks has to face since the matted dreads lock in the heat between the hair and the scalp. A professional beauty product provides cooling spray with peppermint essence mixture to combat the trouble. Nevertheless, if you are a more back-to-nature of a person, you can make your own scalp relief spray by using cider vinegar sprayed neatly onto your itchy scalp. Let the vinegar stay for 15-20 minutes on your scalp, then thoroughly rinse out. You may not like the smell of it, but cider vinegar really helps the itch a lot.
Beauty Tips for Hair
The Most Recommended Hair Cut: One great beauty tip to make your hair look beautiful yet easy to manage is to have it cut in Layers. Not everyone looks good in the same type of layers though, so here are some beauty tips on how to get the best cut for your particular face type:
Oval Shape
Having an oval shaped face means that you can get away with pretty much every haircut. The most flattering type of layers, though are long layers. Choose a cut that lets you have long layers without any spiky and short layers to balance the length of your face with the width.
Round Shape
A round face grants you the gift of looking eternally youthful. You can make your face appear slimmer by adding more vertical volume on the top of your head and keep the layers below chin level.
Heart Shape
A wide forehead together with a pointed chin make up a heart shaped face. To balance it out, you can have long layers that are delicate and smooth. When styling them, keep them soft and side swept.
Square Shape
For those with a square shaped face, it’s best to wear layers in medium length. Their texture must be wispy so that it will give the face soft curves. Avoid wearing bangs that are cut straight and also layered bobs that fall on the chin. This should give you a good, flawless look.
Other Hair Beauty Tips you must know:
To keep your hair healthy, deep condition it once for every two weeks. Deep conditioning treatments make their way into the hair shaft and fortify the strands. It is best to use a blow-dryer while deep conditioning because the heat triggers the hair cuticle to open up and let you make the most out of the deep conditioning ingredients.
Wash your hair once only every two to three days, because washing it too much will dry up your scalp and hair. If your hair gets oily easily, then you can spray some water at your hair’s roots to give it a lift. If your hair gets dry easily, then you can condition the ends of your hair because the ends are the ones that experience the most damage and get the least nutrients. If you want to get sexy beach locks, you can actually mix some sea salt with water in a spray bottle and squirt some on your damp hair. Then you scrunch up your hair and let it dry naturally. If your hair gets tangled after a bath, start combing at the ends with a wide toothed comb first. It will be easier to detangle after the ends are loose.
10 Easy Summer Makeup Tips
Summer is definitely approaching, and with this season, more and more people hit the beach, catch some surf, slurp on pina coladas and rocking sexy bikinis. Along with these, your makeup should give off that summery glow that everyone should be raring to have. And so, I give you the top ten amazingly easy summer makeup tips to make you feel like a sun goddess.
TEN EASY SUMMER MAKEUP TIPS
1. Natural Eyes
This summer, well… every summer, it’s all about going natural. You don’t need to have really dark eye shadows in order for you to look chic. The neutral look complements your glowing face during summer. Besides, the weather can get really hot that putting make-up full on can be a lot of work. All that you really need to do is to just have perfectly shaped brows and apply two coats of mascara (it is recommended to use either a black brown or brown mascara to make it more natural) on your lashes and your all set.
2. Go for Gold
Applying gold shimmer on your lids can definitely make your eyes pop. A great tip is to dab a little of it on the inner part of your eye, which is the tear duct area.
3. Opt For Tinted Moisturizers
Liquid and powder foundations can get very heavy during the summer time. Choose tinted moisturizers instead. It provides coverage without the heaviness. All you have to do is to dab a bit of concealer on your problem areas such as under eye circles, and then using a sponge, apply the product evenly all over your face.
4. Bronzer is Your Best Friend
I can never say this enough. This wonderful product instantly gives your face a natural glow without exposing yourself to the sun! Dab some of this product on areas where the sun usually hits you (on your forehead, nose, chin, and cheeks). Don’t put too much product on. the key is to blend until you are satisfied.
5. Put Some Color on Your Cheeks
Applying blush on your cheeks instantly puts color on your face. Peach-toned, or corally toned blushes are great for summer.
6. Go Nude on the Lips
Nude-ish colors are best worn when you are hitting the beach. To keep ‘em cool, place them inside the cooler or let them stay near the air conditioner to keep it from melting.
7. Protect Your Face With a Moisturizer.
Use moisturizers with SPF 15 or higher. It will definitely protect your face from harmful UV rays.
8. Go for Waterproof Mascara
Sweating is inevitable during the warmer seasons, so there is a great possibility for your makeup to melt off. Try using waterproof mascara in order to prevent yourself from having ugly raccoon eyes.
9. Choose Eyeliners That Scream Summer
Warm Brown, slate gray and navy blue eyeliners are great to use during the summer. Apply them with a light hand and you’re good to go.
10. Sunscreen Is Always In
Before you put on those gorgeous Dior sunglasses, apply a generous amount of sunscreen that has broad spectrum SPF 30. You don’t want to have pale goggles on.
It’s definitely exciting to have summer to look forward to. These ten easy makeup tips will be able to help you become a definite head turner.
Hair Removal Options – 5 Methods to Consider
For men, there are numerous hair removal options available and you may not have realized it. Whether you just want to groom a bit better or you want to reduce an excessive hair problem, men can look and feel great when they use the right hair removal procedure.
Take into consideration the following options. Determine which one may help you to solve your unwanted hair concerns.
1: Laser Hair Removal
This method can become a permanent solution. It is more expensive than other methods because it is done within the confines of a skin technician’s office. It may require several treatments.
The technician uses a high-powered laser to damage the follicle that produces hair. Once damaged, the follicle no longer produces hair. Over time you have a permanent solution. It can be effective in most areas of the body. You can thin out hair using this method or remove it all.
2: Shaving
You have done it many times, but it is a hassle. For some men, subtle is back the next day. Shaving is the least expensive option initially, but when you add up the time and material costs over a year or more, it is expensive. Shaving is a fast solution, though.
3: Hair Removal Creams
Another option for men is the use of hair removal creams. These creams destroy the hair itself and thus create a clean, smooth skin surface. Some products work better than others do, but some people may not have good results with these products.
They are far less expensive than laser treatments, but this method does not last either. You may see less hair over a two-week period, which makes it a better option than shaving.
4: Waxing
Perhaps the most painful of all options, waxing provides a middle road in terms of costs. It, too, lasts up to a few weeks, and is not a permanent solution to hair growth. This procedure will remove all or most of the hair in an area.
Use it for large areas you need to remove hair from, such as your back. It does cause a significant amount of initial pain that lasts seconds, just like getting your hair pulled.
5: Electrolysis
The only FDA recognized method of permanent hair loss is electrolysis. In this method, a technician runs a device containing a very thin needle over the skin. The needle enters the hair and electrifies, killing the cells that grow hair.
The process does take time to remove hair completely, but once done, the hair is unable to grow again. Electrolysis can be more expensive because you need a technician to perform it.
In any of these circumstances, men can lose hair. Hair removal options can range widely based on budget and desired outcome. If you think laser hair removal, for example, is too expensive, do consider the long-term costs associated with waxing or shaving.
It becomes far more affordable then. In many cases, these procedures can produce the lasting results you want and need to create smooth skin.
I hope you found this article helpful.
Beauty Tips – Choosing Make Up Brushes
With so much emphasis on looks, it’s no wonder that every woman today is getting her hands on any substance that has established itself as a beauty product. While I have no qualms with looking good, I am however concerned about how many go about this exercise.
Its like I always say, for one to get a flawless and professional make up one must be equipped with the right tools; and what better investment to make than investing in good and quality make up brushes.
Choosing the right quality of brush ensures that you will enjoy a flamboyant and glowing appearance. However, it has been my experience that most people tend to be confused with the hundreds of brushes in the market. So how do you know which one is the best for you?
It all depends on your taste. If you prefer to use chemical based make up then that is up to you. However, with the growing acceptance of a more natural way of life, many are now opting for mineral make up instead. With this change has also come the introduction of new brushes that are suitable for mineral make up application.
By far the best place to buy these brushes is from companies that have a reputation for producing mineral make up and cosmetics. These companies use good quality materials in order to maintain their reputation while at the same time have been known to test their brushes for long term use and make the necessary changes if they find their product to be wanting in one aspect or another.
One of the most important things to examine is the hair in the brush. The sable, mink and squirrel brushes are usually the best although they cost quite a bit. If perhaps for one reason or another, these are not suitable for you, then there are other pocket friendly options that range from pony hair, goat and even human hair.
When choosing powder brushes; avoid purchasing the big brushes for powder as this may make it harder to get the powder into the areas you need. The same also applies to blush brushes.
Always choose a lip brush that has fine bristles and a straight edge. For those who prefer adorning themselves with lip line, then I recommend them to choose a small lip brush with a pointed tip.
Good eyeliner brushes come with long tapered bristles and have very pointy ends. Not only is this design effective in getting to the base of the eyelashes but is also suitable for creating a very subtle and natural line.
Test for durability before you make any purchases. Brushes made of natural bristles tend to easily lose the bristles with use. To ensure that the brush is strong enough, pull the bristles gently. If they are easily uprooted, then abandon that brand and choose another.
I can never say this enough – not all make up brushes are equal. Quality, not quantity is the rule. The quality is always the difference between a bad make up application and a good one.
How To Find The Best Tanning Lotion
With so many self tanning products in the market, finding the best tanning lotion can seem like a difficult task. Though there are a number of tanning products, a few simple precautions will ensure that you choose the tanning lotion that best suits your individual requirements and preferences.
Now that the cold weather is almost at an end, it is time to start thinking about preparing for the summer months which lie ahead. A lovely tanned complexion is the perfect post-winter break look.
Unfortunately, many people lack both time and money to indulge themselves in a tropical vacation. With the right tanning product, you will be able to reproduce the perfect summer look at just a fraction of the cost of a winter vacation.
Tips For Identifying The Best Tanning Lotion
* Check the List of Ingredients: The key ingredient in most self tanner products is Dihydroxyacetone. Dihydroxyacetone or DHA is a simple carbohydrate which darkens the skin by reacting with the amino acids found naturally on the skin’s surface. The compound which is also known as glycerone is generally derived from plant sources such as sugar beets and sugar cane, or by the fermentation of glycerin and is considered the most effective self tanning stabilizer. DHA is also believed to have the added benefit of reducing skin flaking and helps restore its suppleness. The best tanning lotions also contain DHA refinements that produce a more natural looking color and better fading.
* Color, Texture and Aroma: Many first-generation tanning products have an unfortunate side effect of leaving an unpleasant smell and several poor quality self tanners can leave your skin tinted an unappealing shade of orange. Care should be taken to avoid such products by always conducting a patch test before starting to use any new tanning lotion, cream, gel or spray. The best tanning lotion will give your skin a gentle, natural golden glow without any kind of unpleasant odor. Many of these products are lightly scented for greater appeal though you can also opt for a non-fragrant tanning lotion. Additionally, a good self-tanner is light, non-greasy and easy to apply. In case of tanning sprays, check whether the aerosol can is light and easy-to-use so that there is no strain on the wrist or arms.
* Always Choose Area-Specific Products: Today, most tanning products are specifically formulated for specific parts of the body such as the face, back, limbs. Consequently, it is essential to ensure that the product you choose is indeed suited for its intended use. For example, a face tanning cream or lotion is much gentler on the skin of the face than one for the back or for the legs. A facial tanner will not be the best tanning lotion for the back, arms or legs and vice versa.
It is essential that you test any new products before applying them on your body. Never apply a tanning lotion on broken skin. In case you encounter any kind of skin discoloration or pimples or rough or scaly patches, avoid that particular area and ideally consult a dermatologist.
The Benefits That Hyaluronic Acid Can Offer
Hyaluronic acid is being touted as a true miracle in the science of skin care. The ingredient is getting major attention from doctors and spas around the world, and researchers are constantly finding new ways that the ingredient can benefit the skin. Hyaluronic acid is something that our bodies naturally produce when we are younger, but as we age, we stop producing it. This makes it easier for sun damage to occur, as well as dryness and loss of collagen and elastin. Replacing the acid with a pure and natural form of itself, however, can help reverse this.
Hyaluronic acid serum can offer a wide range of benefits. It is definitely effective in helping to produce healthier, younger looking skin. A low molecular weight HA serum can penetrate deep into your skin, hydrating cells, restoring collagen and elastin function, and even destroying the free radicals that form from sun, chemical, and pollutant exposure. HA is actually an excellent antioxidant, and when your serum is capable of reaching the deepest layers of your skin, it can be incredibly effective at reversing damage to your cells.
This isn’t all that hyaluronic acid can do, however. It is a superb moisturizer, which makes it wonderful for dry skin as well as for use after laser hair removal. What makes it especially unique is that even though it is nature’s perfect moisturizer, it is also ideal for people with excessively oily skin. Hyaluronic acid can help prevent excessive oil production, giving your skin the balance and moisture that it needs without that grime and shine. It is also excellent for helping to stop the inflammation caused by Retin-A treatments.
Whenever you want an ingredient that can truly do everything to keep your skin healthy, hyaluronic acid is the natural choice. It can help repair the damage caused by excessive sun exposure, eliminating redness, irritation, pain, and dryness. It can moisturize better than any lotion on the market. It can provide the same cosmetic result as Botox without the need for toxic injections. When you stop to think about it, there is really very little that you cannot accomplish if you take the time to find a pure, fresh, and low molecular weight hyaluronic acid serum. We all want what is best for our skin and our appearance, and the simple fact is that using a naturally occurring ingredient in the skin just makes sense.
Various Tattoo Removal Options
Every year there are various people undergoing placement of permanent tattoo somewhere on their bodies. After the placement of tattoo, few people realize that they have made a bad choice and want to remove the tattoo. Till now there are several techniques developed that can be used for tattoo removal.
But, most of the older techniques are not in use because of the advent of laser technology. Methods for removing the tattoo include: laser treatment, intense pulsed light therapy, tattoo removal cream, abrasion, scarification, fading with saline and surgery. Off all these methods, laser removal is the most commonly used method nowadays.
The cost of body art removal can vary greatly depending on the type of method you select. Body art removal price is typically in the range of $150 up to as much as $20,000. Before undergoing any type of tattoo removal method, you need to find answers for:
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• The cost of tattoo removal
• Will the tattoo be totally removed?
• Will it hurt?
• Is there any chance of scarring or some blotchy marks on the skin?
• Is there any health risk involved?
• Is it necessary to consult a specialist for my tattoo design removal or are there any DIY techniques available?
Laser tattoo removal can remove most of the tattoo, some more easily and than others. Usually, laser removal needs several doctor visits over a period of weeks to months. There are innate benefits and risks associated with this method. Laser technology permits the decomposition of tattoo ink within the skin, jump starting your body’s immune system for ink removal that has been treated with the laser. Distinct laser types and wavelengths are used to target distinct colors. Generally laser removal option is less invasive than other options because it is a bloodless and incision free treatment. It can be considered as the safest and least painful choice. But few risks associated with this method include:
• Few people experience skin pigmentation like hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation.
• People who want to remove their new tattoo; it needs more treatment sessions for removal.
• Few people may notice allergic reaction after laser removal because of the ink released from the tattoo.
The extent of these risks may vary for each person. First ensure that you need a thorough discussion with your specialist in order to completely understand how the method works and what can be expected from the treatment.
If you want to have your tattoo completely or partially removed then you should first check out your options and decide which of them will be best for you.
Do You Know How to Check Your Hair Porosity?
Porosity is the measure of the hair’s ability to absorb moisture. This is determined by the condition of the hair’s cuticle layer (the overlapping scales of the hair shaft), and is rated as low, normal, and high. A good analogy would be to consider your hair like a sponge. When the sponge is new it is very porous and absorbs water thus it has good porosity. On the other hand an old sponge where the tiny holes have been damaged does not absorb water as well as it used to.
The hair shaft is made up of cuticle layers which are actually overlapping scales. When the cuticle layer is tightly woven and compact it has low porosity as it inhibits moisture going in and going out.
Low porosity is resistant to hair coloring and perms and must be softened to open the cuticle layers prior to a treatment. The best remedies for low porosity hair are deep conditioning products and products rich in moisture and/or products that contain humectants which will attract moisture.
High porosity on the other hand has an open cuticle layers and absorbs moisture and color treatments more easily. However overly porous hair releases moisture and becomes dry and dull. The best products for high porosity are moisturizes containing natural plant based oils, and mildly acidic rinse. Additionally one should avoid sulfate-based surfactants.
Normal porosity is somewhere in the middle. This texture requires the least amount of maintenance, as it will allow moisture to pass in the hair shaft as needed. Additionally a high porosity will hold a hairstyle and allow chemical processes in the expected manner. However, note that repeated chemical processes can change the porosity by damaging the cuticle layer.
Below are a few tests you can do to figure out your hair’s porosity and help you select the right products.
Test 1: When washing your hair notice how long it takes for your hair to become saturated and fully wet. Hair that wets easily is porous, much like a new sponge. There is also a possibility that you hair could be covered with to many hair care products such as oils and conditioners. Additionally consider how long it takes your hair to dry, hair that dries quickly is porous as the cuticle layers are open and allow air flow.
Test 2: Wash and condition your hair as normal. Towel dry (do not add any other products). Gather one strand of hair and run your index finger and thumb along the shaft starting from the end of the hair strand to the root. Low porosity will feel slick, normal porosity will feel smooth, and high porosity you will feel catches as you move your fingers down the shaft.
Test 3: Take a few strands of hair (from comb or hair brush) and place in a bowl of water. If the hair sinks to the bottom of the bowl in less than a minute or two, it is porous. If only a part of the strand sinks your hair is porous in certain areas and this is quite common.
I hoped this article helped you to understand hair porosity and bring you that much closer to selecting the right hair products for your hair.