Nail Care Tips & Advice

If a wedding is coming up, the bride should spend as much time choosing among bridal hair styles as she spends in choosing her wedding gown. As early as possible, she should choose a hair salon so that she and the hairstylist can plan and test her style long before the wedding date. There are many reputable hair salons in South Tampa

This is not the time for a drastic haircut. If the bride has long hair, for example, she should not suddenly opt for a very short haircut. A trim would be good, though, and would ensure that the bride does not show ragged or split ends. If the bride wants hair color, this is also not the time to experiment with drastic change and flamboyant shades. Hair color should look natural on a bride.

The traditional image of a bride is to have long hair on her wedding day. If the bride has short hair, though, she still has many options in short bridal hair styles, from sleek to curly. If she wants to get the long hair effect for the special day, she can ask her hairstylist for extensions. She can have the extensions styled as an elegant updo or as a very feminine flowing mane.

When deciding between an updo and leaving hair down, a bride should take the style of her gown and her facial shape into consideration. All these should be taken into consideration while planning her entire look.

One of the most romantic hair styles for brides involves soft waves that are barely there. These can be created using strips of soft cloth called “rag rollers”, the more common jumbo rollers or hot rollers.

If the bride’s hair is naturally curly, she should take advantage of it and wear those sensual and glamorous curls on her wedding. Spirals or ringlets can be fashioned in her hair using some mousse, a finger diffuser and a curling iron. Yes, a curling iron is used even for already curly hair. A smaller barrel tightens the curls while a bigger barrel loosens the curls. Sometimes, hair stylists combine tight and loose curls. The curls should be allowed to cool completely before combing with fingers so as to retain the curls. Avoid using combs and brushes since these tend to cause frizzy hair. To add shine, add serum. Finish the curly look with hair spray that allows movement along with the hold.

Straight hair can be shown off with smooth and polished styles. Long side-swept bangs can look very sultry and sophisticated. The hair can also be swept off the face to fall behind the ears in a clean and innocent style. For some texture, parts of the hair can be braided.

The best hair styles can be achieved using quality hair products, such as those from TIGI and Paul Mitchell. Hair accessories can add more interest to bridal hair styles. A headband can be used with fresh flowers or studded with faux jewels. Tiaras, combs, barettes and hairpins with Austrian crystals and rhinestones may also be used.

Whatever a bride chooses from the wide range of bridal hair styles, she will surely look beautiful on her wedding day. She shouldn’t forget to complement it with the perfect manicure and pedicure, though. Waxing of any unwanted facial hair is also necessary to make sure her makeup will show her off at her best. Waxing of unwanted body hair would also prepare her for the honeymoon, especially if they are going to the beach. It would be very convenient if the hair salon she chooses in South Tampa offers all these other services, as well. After all, a bride should be relaxed while preparing for her wedding.

Botox. Plastic surgery. Diet. Aerobic exercise. Sunbed. Manicure. Pedicure. Highlights. Lowlights. Wax.

Ask anyone what they dislike about their bodies, and you get an answer in five seconds. Ask anyone what they like about their bodies, and you get silence, or a counter-question: are we supposed to like our bodies?

There is an entire industry that relies on our rejection of our ageing bodies. And does it make any difference? To our budgets, yes. To our egos, yes. To our appearance, yes. But the difference only lasts for a short while. If we want to look better ‘ or at least different ‘ for a short while, we need to sustain the outer changes. If we want to look different permanently, we have to go for more drastic measures such as plastic surgery.

Regardless of the measures we take, our bodies grow old. We become more aware of every single part of our body, not always because we love these different parts, but often because they become painful or more obvious as we grow older.

We often forget to listen to our bodies. All physical ailments are a reflection of a part of our spirits that are crying out for attention. What do we do? We either live with the ailment, or we suffer from it. In some cases we become aware of this link between the body and the spirit. We become aware that our bodies reflect a spiritual dis-ease that we need to address.

Then the question arises: how do we address the dis-ease? Often we only get this awareness when parts of our bodies stop functioning, for example when our hearts or kidneys fail. Or the dis-ease grows in specific parts of our bodies, like a cancer. Then people feel it is too late to do anything about it, and they simply give up living, and the slow process of bodily decay start.

It never needs to be like that. I had a dear friend who developed cancer. She had an agonizing time of anger towards herself (for being ill) and those around her (for being healthy when she was ill) and hatred of everyone and everything that reminded her of what she could have been. I saw her physical, emotional and mental health deteriorate rapidly over a period of less than two years, and there was nothing anyone could do to remove this black cloud over her. She did not want to have it removed.

During that time I read much about cancer and how people dealt with it. I read about a man that was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given three months to live. He decided to refuse all medical treatment and withdraw from the world. He went to live in a cabin in the mountains. His diet consisted of anything that he could find from the plants around him, and fresh spring water. He found peace and prepared to die.

After three months he was still alive, and started a small vegetable garden. He felt better in himself, and his body was far less stressed. That man died peacefully of old age more than forty years later in that same cabin.

My friend did not find the same peace. She changed her diet and angrily shook the vegetable smoothies. She danced like a maniac to get the right energy in her body, until she was exhausted. She devoured books about cures for cancer, and tried each cure with a vengeance. She refused to give up, and focused her entire being on not wanting to give up life. And guess what? She got what she focused on. She gave up life, being such an angry soul. She refused contact with her friends and drove her children to despair with her fight against the cancer, and then left her body. She gave strict instructions that she did not want a funeral or even a memorial service. She was too angry even after she had passed on.

Our bodies do not suddenly explode with such clues that something is wrong spiritually. Most of the time we get more subtle clues, such as tension in our shoulders or headaches. We gain weight when our bodies lose the fight against the quantity and quality of food that we consume. We develop aches and pains from muscles and joints that do not get regular exercise.

Our bodies are temples of God. That means our bodies are used as a visible expression of the soul that dwells within the body. The Architect did a perfect design of our bodies. We build that design every day ‘ not so perfect.

I have seen people being totally self-destructive. How do you explain the reasoning of a man that sees his dear friend slowly dying of emphysema, because he had been a heavy smoker all his life? How do you explain them chatting in a sunny spot, one sucking on the oxygen mask, the other sucking on a cigarette? Before you judge them, how does your own self-destructive streak manifest? What do you do to sabotage yourself every day?

And we forget that all our physical ailments and our appearance are a reflection of the God that dwells inside of us. On the one hand my body is a perfect expression of that God and does not need a diet or botox or highlights. On the other hand God gave me a body to look after and to take care of for as long as I want to use it. These two arguments are equally strong. We need to love our bodies as they are, and we also need to take care of our bodies.

Whenever I see my dad walking with difficulty because he gets no exercise, I remind myself that I do not want to grow old like that. I will get around to walking a reasonable distance every day, and I will eat smaller portions. I promise. I only have about ten kilograms to lose – that is far less than other people have to lose, so I am OK. I will go on a diet before I gain more weight.

As from today, I will turn a new leave. I will walk more and eat less. I will look in the mirror and see the perfection of God’s creation. I will also see where I have messed up that creation and find something natural to do about it. I will believe you saying this if you believe me writing it. Why do we always wait for a health crisis before we really notice how our bodies reflect the status of our souls?

Applying mascara is certainly not the easiest thing in the world. From smearing globs of mascara on your carefully-shaded eyelids, to stabbing yourself in the eye with the brush, there are plenty of things that can go wrong for the novice mascara user. Despite these potential obstacles, applying mascara is a relatively straightforward process. Once you get the hang of it, it is easier to avoid common mistakes, and clean up the mess more easily on those occasions when it is necessary.

How to Apply Mascara

These simple steps can help you apply mascara correctly the first time. You can use these tips as a guide the first time you apply mascara, or simply to help you out if you are having application problems for some reason.

Step One: Apply mascara after applying the rest of your eye make-up. Always make sure your lashes are clean and dry before you start applying mascara.

Step Two: Start the application process by curling your lashes. Spending a few dollars on an eyelash curler is definitely a great investment! An eyelash curler can do wonders for the mascara application process. Be sure to always curl before applying mascara, as trying to curl your lashes when they are coated promotes clumping.

To curl your lashes, place the mouthpiece of the curler over your lashes then squeeze the handles together for a count of five. Start from the base of your lashes, and then repeat the process over the length of your lashes till you reach the tips.

Step Three: Moving from the inside of your eye to the outside, stroke the mascara wand gently over your upper lashes. Reduce clumping by wiggling the wand slightly as you brush it along the length of your lashes. The wiggling motion not only helps separate your lashes and reduce clumping, it also helps to give your lashes a little more length.

Step Four: Use an eyelash comb to separate your lashes if necessary. This should be done before the lashes have dried.

Step Five: Apply mascara lightly to your bottom lashes, if desired. Work from the outside of your eye toward the inside.

Step Six: Repeat steps three to five if you want to apply a second coat. Try applying a second coat over the entire lash length, or over the tips only, to see which works best for you.

Optional: As an optional final step, carefully reapply your curl with a battery operated heated lash curler, rather than your standard curler. These heated lash curlers are definitely the thing if you want your curl to last all day and all night. If you choose to try this, make sure your lashes are absolutely dry, as curling wet lashes may cause clumping.

The following are some other variations you can try to give your lashes a different look:

Try some variations on basic black and brown. Colored mascara is back, and the new season’s shades look stunning. For a more natural look, apply one or two coats of clear mascara, rather than a color variety. This can work particularly well for blondes who prefer not to use darker colors. For any skin and hair tones, use your normal mascara on your top lashes. Apply clear mascara to your lower lashes to add some length and definition for a subtle daytime look.

Application Tips

Make sure to use the right tools. An eyelash curler and lash comb may not seem like essential pieces of equipment, but they make a huge difference to the final result. Curling your lashes helps open up your eye area, and using a lash brush is the best way to ensure your lashes are well-separated and free from clumps. Another tip to help separate your lashes and reduce clumping is to run a clean mascara wand through your lashes after applying mascara. This is a little easier to do than using a lash comb if you are a beginner. You can buy packs of clean wands at most beauty supply stores. Mascara smudges very easily on concealers and oil-based foundations. Dust a little powder under your eyes before applying mascara, to help prevent any smudges forming. If you do get smudges, the powder also makes them easier to remove. Speaking of removing smudges, do this by lightly swiping or rolling a cotton swab over the smudge. If the smudge is resistant to this method, moisten the swab just a little then try again. It is perfectly fine to apply mascara to your upper lashes only. This can be a great look for blondes in particular, and can also help open up small or deep-set eyes. Practice applying mascara with a product that’s easy to wash off, like E.L.F. Earth & Water Mascara Duo.

Are you due for a haircut at your favorite hair salon in South Tampa? If so, perhaps you are at a loss with all the many hair styles to choose from. Here are some tips on choosing hair styles that would be most flattering to your face shape.

Hair Styles for Round Faces

To slim down a round face, the shortest you should go would be just below the chin. Ask for soft, graduated layers, preferably going longer. Wispy and tapered ends will stylishly complement the look. Long side-swept bangs will make a round face look narrower.

Avoid sporting short curly hair as this will emphasize the roundness of your face. Short blunt cuts of one length all around will also have this effect.

Hair Styles for Square Faces

So-called square faces have strong angular jaws. Best examples are Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow, Rosario Dawson, Isabella Rosellini and Demi Moore. If you want short hair, you can soften the jaw with curls, spiky styles or choppy ends. For long hair, ask for layers from the jawline downwards.

Avoid blunt cut bangs and one length bobs to the chin as these emphasize the jaws.

Hair Styles for Oblong Faces

Oblong faces are longer than oval faces. Sarah Jessica Parker and Liv Tyler are good examples. To counteract the long shape, the illusion of width should be created. This can be done through curls and waves that add volume. Bangs that skim the brow also help. The best hair length would be to the chin. For longer hair, the style should be much shorter on the sides and longer towards the back.

Avoid long hair of one length all over.

Hair Styles for Heart-Shaped Faces

Heart-shaped faces have pointy chins. Consider Katie Holmes, Reese Witherspoon and Rachel Bilson. Distract the eye from your chin by having bangs and add soft layers with movement at the sides of the face.

Avoid blunt cut bangs and choppy layers.

Hair Styles for Oval Faces

This is the perfect face shape. Examples are Jessica Alba and Kate Hudson. Those with oval faces look good in any hair style and hair length. Since you don’t have a problem with your face shape, consider the natural texture of your hair and go for the style that makes the most of it.

Make sure that you get the proper instructions on how to style your new haircut in order to achieve the same look once at home. Stock up on the necessary hair styling and hair care products. Most salons would recommend products like TIGI and Paul Mitchell. If they have these for sale, you better take some home for convenience.

You might also want to highlight your new hair style with color. The right placement of color can further boost the effect of certain hair styles on your face shape.

If you have short hair and are impatient at having to grow it out, you can have the long hair look you want by asking for extensions. Your stylist may still have to trim your hair and the extensions to ensure proper blending in an appropriate style.

Once you have the hair style you want, why not go all the way and avail of waxing, manicure and pedicure services, as well? That will complete your makeover and will really make you feel like a new and more beautiful person. Of course, the new hair style as well as the waxing, manicure and pedicure do not really change who you are. They do enhance what you have, though, and the resulting confidence will radiate from you like an inner glow.

Since the beginning of time, humans have been preoccupied in making their bodies more attractive and beautiful through tattooing with plant dyes and other colorful natural ingredients. If you think that nails were spared from this preoccupation, you should think again. You see, as far back as 5,000 years ago, people from India were known to express their art works on their hands and nails using mehndi or henna, which were derived from plants.

Knowing More About Nail Art

The tradition of adorning nails with beautiful symbols and colors is gaining popularity in the country today. More and more salons are not just offering simple manicures, pedicures and nail extensions but also what is called nail art. Aside from just painting nails with different-colored polishes, you can now see some decorated with precious stones, metals, or just beautiful drawings of butterflies, ladybugs and flowers. Some are even pierced or stamped with various small objects, such as beads and metal balls.

Nowadays, nail art is starting to become one of the more popular ways to express oneself. The good thing for most people is it’s not usually permanent as tattoos; so you can easily change the designs and colors to suit your needs. For people who are working and who have strict office codes, they can still satisfy their craving for art through their toenails.

Contemporary Trends And Styles In Nail Art

Painting And Airbrushing

Two of the easiest and most common ways of expressing yourself through your nails are by painting with ordinary nail polish brush and painting with airbrush. Simple designs, symbols and drawings can be achieved through these methods. For a more dazzling and chic effect, you can always request for some glitters. You will find many salons offering such services.

If you have little girls, you can also let them wear hand painted or airbrushed nail art during the summer. They will absolutely love having crawling spiders, little daisies, bright stars, and even cute little hearts on their small nails.

Marbling

If you are into abstract art, you will surely love this new nail art style. However, this requires a lot of patience on the part of the artist because proper mixing of colors in order to get the desired marble effect can be difficult. Unless you are intending to use psychedelic and loud colors, this style can be worn even in the office. Just make sure you chose pastel and light colors so as not to shock your superiors.

Piercing And Detailing

Body piercing is in vogue, especially for teens and young adults. If you are interested in hoops and other piercing gadgets but do not want to get hurt, you can opt to have your piercing done on your nails. However, it is best that you go to a professional nail technician because you don’t want your nails being chipped in the process. Usually, hoops are placed on acrylic nails and not on the real ones.

Some people are addicted to gemstones and precious metals. Instead of putting these pricey materials inside your mouth and on your teeth, you can just place them on your nails. Usually, stones and other precious materials are placed in acrylic or gel-based nails because they are stronger and longer. You can have whatever detailing art you want, so long as you have the money, the resources, and a very good nail guru.

Taking Care Of Your Nails

Since having nail art is not that cheap, you would want to make it last for a long time. Thus, you need to take good care of your nails.

The first thing you have to remember when you have nail art is that you should not handle any type of bleach or strong chemicals. If you must, make sure you wear gloves. If you do not have someone to wash the clothes for you, it would be best not to wear shirts and dresses made from fragile materials that need hand washing. Hand washing and too much detergent could easily break your nails or fade the polish.

You should also give your nails a few days or weeks of rest after each nail art or detailing, particularly if you require the use of acrylic, gels, or piercing equipment. Many people tend to develop nail fungus because of this. If you already have nail fungus, be sure to wait for it to heal completely before doing any nail art so that you will prevent the spread of the disease and further deterioration of your nails. For fast elimination of nail fungus, you can rely on Somasin. Visit http://www.somasin.com/ for more details.

The summer months are a great time to go wild with hot, new nail polish colors. Your nails can be as free and funky as you like. During the summer, you can also stick with some more traditional colors. Each season has hot trends for nail polish color as well. This year some of the hottest nail polish colors for the summer months are pinks, blues, and the ever-popular French manicures.

Summer Pinks – Hot and Crazy

This summer, electric pink is one of the hottest nail polish colors being used. This fluorescent pink alternative is a trend that dates back to the 1980’s, and has made its way for a big comeback. Most summer pink nail polishes will dry in a very dull matte finish, but can be quickly remedied with a good top coat.

Pink nail polish can really showcase your nails during the summer months and bring about a “wow” reaction from anyone who glances your way. Even though pink is back for the summer months, straight pink is not the only option. Pinkish-purple shades of nail polish are also perfect for the summer months. Crisp pastels and rich shades really bring out your nails and can be the perfect complement to any summer tan.

Summer Blues – Don’t be Sad

Summer blues? We are not talking about a humdrum mood; we are talking about bold blue nail polish colors, which are great for summertime. Blue nail polishes are deep, sexy, and vibrantly young. The hottest blue shade for nail polish this summer is navy blue, a traditional color that is making a big statement. If navy blue is too dark for you, try a tropical blue shade instead. All summer long you will be lapping up the waves of the deep blue sea, so it is a perfect trend for your nail color.

Do not be afraid to try the bold color of blue for your nail polish this summer. No matter what your skin tone is, you can definitely pull it off. If you are not too sure about blue fingernails, you cannot go wrong trying it out on your toes. Blue toenails are perfectly complemented by a traditional French manicure on the fingers or a subtle summer pink.

The French Manicure

During the summer months, a French manicure is always a safe bet. It is simple, chic, and classic. The French manicure is a very popular nail choice and allows for a very fresh look and feel. It can work during the day or night and goes great with your favorite bikini at the beach as well as a beautiful gown at a summer wedding. However, if you are doing your own French manicure at home, be sure to use a topcoat that does not yellow in the sun.

If you want the classic look of a French manicure but also a little fun, ask your nail technician to add a little subtle nail art. The idea of nail art should not scare you. You could go for a thin line of sparkly color along the tips where the white and pink meet (known as the smile line). Or, instead of choosing the subtle pink color for the base perhaps you could choose a glittery pink to liven up the manicure.

Summer Alternatives – The Metallics

Just as with the hot pinks coming back in style, metallic nail polish colors are as well.

This summer, give silver, gold, and bronze nail polish a try. You have seen both nail colors on celebrities making their way down the red carpets this winter and the trend is not leaving for the summer months either. Metallic nail polish colors are considered neutrals and can go perfectly with any outfit – day or night. Let your nails shine on the shimmering sand!

Just Remember

It is important to remember that the summertime is a few months a year in which you can have fun in the sun. It is a time to let loose and have a good time, so your choices in nail polish colors, make-up, and clothing should all reflect this. The summer is the perfect time to experiment with trends that you wouldn’t normally try in the winter! Go ahead, and let loose!

Nail biting is probably one of the most annoying habits that one can ever have. Not only is annoying, it can also be uncomfortable and embarrassing for anyone who has this kind of habit. These can be the reasons why many people are looking for an effective remedy for nail biting. The sad news is, there is no proven cure for nail biting – but there are methods that can help discourage this nasty habit.

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One of the most popular remedies for nail biting comes in the form of hypnotherapy. There are two ways by which hypnotherapy can be used to help discourage nail biting: with help of a trained therapist and the other is with the help of a series of self-help recordings. Both these methods involve relaxing the mind so the nail biter can focus on getting off his or her nasty habit. Success is often achieved through giving associations and suggestions to the subconscious mind which in turn can deter the annoying habit of nail biting.

Behavioral therapy is another remedy for nail biting that has become widely used by many experts. Much like hypnotherapy, this is also a psychological approach to help deter the nail biting habit. This method involves habit reversal training, which aims to replace the old, annoying habit with a milder one.

However, there have been reports that those who have undergone therapy eventually lapse back to their old habits and they start biting their nails again over time. Oftentimes, this form of regression occurs once therapy sessions are stopped or completed.

Although there is no sure remedy for nail biting, one thing is certain: it is an annoying habit. If you have this kind of habit, then you know that you need to get rid of it before it brings severe harm to your body and your health.

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