A heart-shaped face brings focus to eyes by wearing side-swept bangs, fringe on brow or long layers at the top. - BodySoulAndSpiritSalon.com

Did you know the nail plate is made up of dead keratin cells held together by a natural glue of fats and water? - BodySoulAndSpiritSalon.com

Square face shapes shouldn't wear one-length bobs or blunt bangs. It emphasizes the squareness of the face. - BodySoulAndSpiritSalon.com

Tomato Broccoli (Quick Lunch)

 

1 each broccoli, bunch
12 each cherry tomatoes
3 tablespoon parsley, minced
2 tablespoon chives, chopped
1 salt

Into a lunch box put as follows: Clean and cut up the broccoli until the box is almost full. Quarter the cherry tomatoes and put on top. Add parsley and chives and salt to taste. Do not mix! At work, mix, then nuke for 8 minutes for soft broccoli, or 6 minutes for crunchier broccoli.

11/2009 www.freecookingrecipes.net

Beauty Diary - Get the Connection?

Our skin is affected not only by the foods which we eat, but also by the things which it absorbs. This means that whatever you put onto your skin could potentially have a direct effect on its health and appearance. When looking at the cosmetic and skin care products which you use, it may surprise you to know that most of them could be potentially causing your skin problems instead of helping them.

Identifying the Cause of the Problem If you are struggling to find the cause of your skin problem then try writing down everything that you use on your body and hair during your daily routine. Note when you started using each product. Is it an old favorite you have used for the last 15 years, or is it a brand new product you just picked up? Have there been any other changes to your beauty routine? If there have been then it is more than likely that the change in products has led to the problems with your skin. Writing a beauty diary will help you narrow down the potential offenders.

A figure which may surprise you is that most women tend to use around 12 personal care products a day. This could be anything from soap to shower gel, deodorant, make-up and even moisturizers, cleanser and toner. Each one of these products has on average 15-30 potentially harmful ingredients.

By being your own personal beauty investigator, you can eliminate the product from your beauty routine that could be causing the trouble. If you are having a reaction, allergic or otherwise, it most likely is connected to a new product introduced into your routine. On occasion though, old favorites can start to cause irritation after prolonged use, so don't rule them out. Once you have a date that your skin issue began, first take a hard look at the products you have used after that date.

At this point you should:

1. Look at the remaining products in question and determine if they come in contact with the area of your body with which you have issues. For example, if you have acne on your forehead, remember that not only pertains to your cosmetics but also your hair and shampoo which come in contact with this area and must be considered.

2. Read the ingredient labels of the identified new products. If you notice a trend in the ingredients of all your products you could be allergic to one or many of these repeating ingredients.

3. Remove one or all of the isolated products from your routine. If you must use a similar product make sure that it is made of different ingredients. If you are not using a natural product already try an all-natural alternative. Read the ingredient labels to confirm that it is truly natural. These natural alternatives generally contain less ingredients and are free of many irritating chemicals found in traditional products. If you are already using a natural product that you would like to eliminate make sure you replace it with an entirely different formula.

4. Keep the suspect products out of your beauty routine for at least 3-4 months.

5. Do your homework. A quick google search for 'safe cosmetics' or 'cosmetic database' will give you detailed information about the general safety of thousands of products you may be using. Make sure your products fall within the 'green' range for safety in the online safe cosmetics databases.

6. During this time note any changes to your issue and overall health.

7. By writing down the cosmetics you use and the ingredients in them you will then be able to log on to safe cosmetic databases and determine the safety rating for that particular product.

Cutting Out the Risk of Harming Your Skin There are over 10,500 ingredients used in cosmetics and skin care products. Of those only 11% have ever been tested for safety. The FDA does not require testing of cosmetic and beauty care products. With this huge knowledge gap about the ingredients in our beauty products it is often better to stick to what is known and tested to be safe. If you are interested in eliminating potential unknowns from your routine try natural alternatives to your drug-store or department store brands. There are lots of options available both online and in your local health food store.

Start that beauty diary and learn more about your own beauty habits! You may see a connection between your skin problems and the product you use.

 

11/20090 by: Kristin Adams  Article Source: http://www.articlecity.com/articles/women/article_2475.shtml

Sleeping And Muscle Relaxation Technique

One of the most simple and easily learned techniques for relaxation is Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR), a widely-used procedure today that was originally developed in 1939.

The PMR procedure teaches you to relax your muscles through a two-step process. First you deliberately apply tension to certain muscle groups, and then you stop the tension and turn your attention to noticing how the muscles relax as the tension flows away. 

Through repetitive practice you quickly learn to recognize-and distinguish-the associated feelings of a tensed muscle and a completely relaxed muscle. With this simple knowledge, you can then induce physical muscular relaxation at the first signs of the tension that accompanies anxiety. And with physical relaxation comes mental calmness-in any situation.

Before practicing PMR, you should consult with your physician if you have a history of serious injuries, muscle spasms, or back problems, because the deliberate muscle tensing of the PMR procedure could exacerbate any of these pre-existing conditions. If you continue with this procedure against a doctor's advice, you do so at your own risk.

There are two steps in the self-administered Progressive Muscle Relaxation procedure: (a) deliberately tensing muscle groups, and (b) releasing the induced tension. This two-step process will be described after you are introduced to the muscle groups.

After learning the full PMR procedure as follows, you will spend about 10 minutes a day maintaining your proficiency by practicing a shortened form of the procedure. As you practice the short procedure, you will be simultaneously learning cue-controlled relaxation.

Ultimately, you will acquire something that will probably become an indispensable part of your daily life, and the initial drudgery of practice will be long-forgotten.
It is recommended that you practice full PMR twice a day for about a week before moving on to the shortened form (below). Of course, the time needed to master the full PMR procedure varies from person to person.

Here are some suggestions for practice:

• Always practice full PMR in a quiet place, along, with no distractions like television or phones. We don't suggest even using background music.

• Remove your shoes and wear loose clothing

• Don't eat, smoke or drink right before practicing PMR. It's best to practice before meals rather than after to avoid problems with digestion.

• Never practice this while under the influence of any intoxicants.

• Sit in a comfortable chair or lying down in bed.

• Plan on falling asleep before the cycle is complete if you do this in bed

• If you are doing PMR just to relax instead of falling asleep, after you are done, relax with your eyes closed for a few seconds and then get up slowly. If you stand up too quickly, you could experience a sudden drop in blood pressure which could cause you to feel faint.

Some people like to count backwards from 5 to 1 timed to slow, deep breathing and then say "Eyes open, supremely calm, fully alert."

You will be working with most all the major muscle groups in your body, but for convenience you will make a systematic progression from your feet upwards. Here is the most popular recommended sequence:

• Right foot

• Right lower leg and foot

• Entire right leg

• Left foot

• Left lower leg and foot

• Entire left leg

• Right hand

• Right forearm and hand

• Entire right arm

• Left hand

• Left forearm and hand

• Entire left arm

• Abdomen

• Chest

• Neck and shoulders

• Face

If you're left handed, begin with your left side.

 

11/2009  Jasmine Stone Article Source: http://www.approvedarticles.com

Beauty Quote of the Month

Beauty - in projection and perceiving - is 99.9% attitude.

Grey Livingston

Proverbs 11:14

 

A city without wise leaders will end up in ruin;
a city with many wise leaders will be kept safe.

Pineapple-Pecan Cheese Spread

2-8 ounce cans of crushed pineapple

1-8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened

4 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
1 cup of chopped pecans
1/2 cup of finely chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup of minced green onions or chives

Drain the two cans of pineapple. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth and blend in the che ddar cheese, mayonnaise, and the soy sauce and mix until smooth. Stir in the pineapple, pecans, green pepper, and onions or chi ves. Refrigerate covered until chilled through. Serve as a stuffing for celery stalks or with assorted breads or crackers.

09/2009 www.freecookingrecipes.net

Women's Need for Beauty

Have you ever gazed at a painting by Monet and felt as if you had been instantly transported to a lovely garden in Giverny, France? Have you ever walked into a flower shop and felt wonderfully overcome by the blended fragrances of sterling roses, stargazer lilies, and English lavender? Or have you perhaps recently redecorated your master bedroom in your favorite colors and have now created your perfect sanctuary?

As women, we tend to be the caretakers of everyone around us, leaving little, if any, time for ourselves. For that reason, it’s important that we circumvent the outer chaos of our hectic lives by surrounding ourselves with things that evoke calm and tranquility, if only for moments at a time. And those “things” can be as different and unique as each woman is different and unique. We’ve all heard the old saying “Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.” And so it is with this concept of surrounding ourselves with beauty. It’s whatever elicits and captures this visceral response for you. And if you’ve been tightening your purse strings of late, try any of these budget-friendly, simple, but effective, “beauty” tips:

1. Buy fresh flowers from your local Farmers Market, where they‘re generally less expensive than the flower shop or even the grocery store. Or if an entire bouquet is beyond your current budget, one single rose stem will do the trick. Place them on your nightstand so that these fragrant blooms are the first thing you see when you wake up in the morning and the last thing you see when you retire in the evening.

2. Instead of listening to the news, play a feel-good CD as you’re getting yourself ready in the morning. This may be your favorite music artist or perhaps a personal-growth audio. The key is that it moves you in some positive, uplifting way.

3. Commune with nature by taking a walk through a local park, or stop by one on your way home. Enjoy the simplicity of nature and all of her inherently calming ways. Let Mother Earth nurture you.

4. De-clutter and organize your office space or work area. You’ll discover this will do wonders for reducing stress levels (not to mention create a more efficient environment).

5. Take a luxurious candlelit bubble bath before bed. Be sure to play soothing music. Then close your eyes and picture your body soaking away all of the day’s anxiety and worries.

6. Reach out and offer to help someone in need. Run an errand for a neighbor who has been under the weather lately. Call a loved one who has been facing challenges and offer your support or simply a listening ear. Visit your local library and offer to be a volunteer reader.

7. Give yourself permission to indulge in a favorite treat on occasion, and do it without guilt. That tiramisu may be just what your soul has been craving.

So, whether your “beauty” is visual, auditory, sensory, or tactile, begin surrounding yourself daily with whatever that is for you. Be good to yourself. You’ll soon begin to see your days magically transform into more positive and enjoyable experiences. After all, that’s the “beauty” of it. 

09/2009 by: Tina Clark Article Source: http://www.articlecity.com/articles/women/article_3200.shtml