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Tips For Long Hair And For Hair Care

2011
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Making a commitment to grow long hair: Ten tips for hair care, health and beauty

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Luxurious, healthy, shinning long hair is something that many women desire, and struggle to attain.  Of course, it’s impossible to grow long hair overnight (unless you opt for hair extensions or wigs.)  However there are many steps women can take to help speed up the process of growing long hair, and to ensure the health and quality of their locks.  In fact many women aren’t even aware that these simple tips for long hair can make such a significant difference. 

Once you have made the commitment to grow your hair long, it is crucial to find a trusted hair dresser, stylist, or beauty professional who will support your decision, and provide you with guidance, products and tips for long hair throughout the growth process.  If you do visit different stylists at points throughout the process, be sure to inform them of your goal. 

Ten Helpful Tips For Long Hair:

1)    Typically, hair is genetically programmed to grow at maximum rate of six inches per year.  Hair tends to grow slower in the winter and more rapidly in the summer.  If you are trying to grow your hair long, it is important to be aware of your diet, any medications you take, and environmental factors.  Some prescription medications can slow hair growth.  A balanced, nutritious diet will speed up the growing process and improve hair health.  Environmental factors such as weather, sunlight, air and water pollutants or chemicals can damage hair and slow hair growth.  If you are striving for long, healthy hair, avoid smoking, caffeine and carbonated sodas.

2)    Thyroid dysfunctions are the most common source of hair problems.  An underactive thyroid can lead to greasy and limp hair, while an overactive thyroid can result in extremely dry or brittle hair.  If either of these conditions applies to your hair, consult your doctor for a thyroid test.  Supplements to improve thyroid health are widely available.

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Six Certified Skincare Tips

2011
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1. Understand the Problem

“Pimples during the teen years are primarily due to the huge surge in hormones during puberty,” says New York City–based Marsha Gordon, M.D., a consulting dermatologist to St. Ives. “The hormones increase sebum production, making the cells that line your pores sticky—which in turn clogs them so that oil can’t escape.” When oil gets backed up, your pore develops a bump. If it’s squeezed or becomes too full and the lining cracks, sebum and bacteria seep out into the skin and provoke inflammation. Chicago-based dermatologist Brooke Jackson, M.D., adds, “If you’re involved in sports that require gear like helmets or pads, trapped sweat and dirt can trigger breakouts. It’s important to wash your face as soon as possible after workouts.”

2. Don’t Be Lazy

“Establishing a good routine in your teens may prevent problems in your 20s,” Jackson says. “Your doctor can prescribe medications, and you may buy products to help, but they don’t do any good if you don’t use them regularly.” The number one mistake girls make in taking care of their skin? “Falling asleep with makeup on!” Gordon answers. “Leaving your cosmetics on overnight can cause breakouts.” It’s also crucial to give your skin the occasional scrub or peel. “Exfoliation is essential to slough off dead skin cells,” she notes. “But be gentle. Start mild and increase frequency once you know what your skin is able to handle.”

3. Keep Products Basic

“Skin needs to be able to breathe,” says New York City celebrity facialist Tracie Martyn. “Stay away from anything too waxy or greasy when it comes to makeup or facial products.” Look for moisturizers with salicylic acid—they hydrate as they unclog pores and gently exfoliate skin. And even if you have oily skin and are prone to breakouts, moisturizing is still a must. “It’s a myth that drying out a zit will make it go away,” Gordon says. “Overdrying may actually inflame a pimple and slow down recovery.”


4. Never Be Picky

To avoid infections and scars, don’t take matters into your own hands (regardless of how tempting it may be). “I’ve had teen clients who have attacked their spots with needles, pens, and tweezers,” says Wanda Herrera, a cosmetologist at Cal-A-Vie spa in Vista, California. “They’ve ended up with scars that can take months, if not years, to heal.” If your spot doesn’t fade on its own within a few days, see a skin-care professional.


5. Think Big Picture

Healthy skin starts from the inside out: “Eat a diet rich in good fats—found in foods like salmon, avocado, nuts, and olive oil—for a soft, supple, and acne-free face,” says Nicholas Perricone, M.D., a Meriden, Connecticut–based dermatologist. “Sugary or starchy foods [like fries or white bread] can exacerbate problems.” Also remember to get enough sleep. “Get at least eight hours every night. It’s vital to avoid puffy eyes and dark circles and to be vibrant!” he notes.


6. Always Shield Your Skin

“Don’t ever leave your house without sunscreen. Use at least SPF 30 to protect against age spots and skin dehydration—not to mention cancer,” advises Beverly Hills aesthetician Sonya Dakar. “And if you think being in the sun will make your acne go away, think again. Acne-causing bacteria love the sun and sweat; the sun ‘ripens’ the breakout and makes it worse.”




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20 Beauty Secrets Every Teen Should Know

2011
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No, I’m not! I’m not a tomboy! I love my makeup! That’s not true! I’m not a tomboy!” — Hilary Duff, Academy Award-winning actress There’s nothing worse than getting advice from older people, we know, we know, but the truth is some advice is worth taking and keeping, especially when it comes to fun beauty tips. We’ve been reading fashion magazines and testing beauty products for years. In this time, we’ve read 1000s of beauty tips, tried 1000s of products, but only a few are worth keeping around. So, here we share with you the 20 things we wish we knew when we were teenagers. 1. Skip the foundation If you have acne the first thing you want to do is slather on the thick foundation. Don’t. Foundation is for women over 35. Not only will it cover up your natural beauty, but foundation on a teenager looks anything but natural. Instead, cover up blemishes with concealer, then follow with a powder or tinted mosturizer. Tinted moisturizers tend to be lighter than heavy foundations. 2. You pat concealer in, you never rub it in We know this from watching the Tyra Banks show. When applying concealer, put a bit on the pad of your middle finger and pat it in. Never rub. Got acne? Pat the concealer on top of it. 3. Play up your lips or your eyes, never both If you are wearing heavy eye makeup, go for nude lips with just a bit of gloss. Prefer the drama of dark lipstick? Keep face light (stay away from heavy blush) and wear only mascara on your eyes and a light eyeshadow. Don’t heavily line your eyes. Play up both and you’ll look like a clown. And never, ever line lips in a darker color than your gloss or lipstick. 4. Less is more Ever notice how some of your friends look best with no makeup at all? No matter your age, too much makeup makes you look worse. If you wear foundation, powder, blush, liner, mascara, eyeshadow, lip liner and gloss on an everyday basis, then you’re overdoing it. Tone it down: All you really need is a great mascara, concealer for blemishes and gloss. Add a pop of blush in winter. 5. Natural hair is always hot If you have super dark hair, lighten your look by going a shade darker or getting lighter highlights. Blonde? Try highlights, especially framing the face. We see too many teens lightening their hair several shades and the look can be super-tacky, not super-fabulous. The trick is to let people assume you were born with sun-kissed hair, not that you gave yourself a bad dye job from a bottle. More hair color tips here. 6. Vaseline is your best friend Vaseline is a great, cheap eye makeup remover. It’s also great for fixing chapped, scaly lips. Slather on a bunch of Vaseline, then use a toothbrush to massage lips. Wipe the excess off on a tissue. Your lips will be smooth and soft. 7. You can never go wrong with layers Long layers are great for any hair type: Super curly, straight or wavy. It makes thin hair appear thicker, curly hair appear manageable and wavy hair appear just-got-back-from-the-beach sexy. Just make sure you don’t get too many layers cut in. Too many short layers is dated. 8. Acne? Get thee to a dermatologist, stat Biggest mistake people with acne make? Not going to a dermatologist. Forget those $150 jeans you covet. Getting rid of those pimples will be the best investment you’ll ever make. And the only guaranteed way to do it is with a dermatologist. 9. Spend money on key beauty products Not sure what to splurge on and what to save on? I give you the scoop in this article. See if you should splurge or save on cleansers, mascara, concealer and more. 10. Buying foundation or lipstick? Test it first There are some beauty products you simply must try out at a department store or Sephora before you buy. These include: Foundation, lipstick, blush and powder. Buy these products in a grocery store and you’ll be lucky if you picked the right color for your skin tone. What you can get away with without testing: Mascara, eye liner, most basic eye shadows and lip gloss. 11. When can you skip sunscreen ? Never Here’s a trick we wish we knew: The first beauty product you should apply every day is sunscreen, even if it’s cloudy or rainy outside. Why? Good habits start young and if you use sunscreen now, you’ll have gorgeous skin when you’re 50, 60, 70. Remember, the sun’s UV rays can penetrate clouds and car windows. 12. Wrapping hair around the barrel creates waves There’s nothing cooler than long, layered waves. To get them, wind hair AROUND the barrel of a large curling iron. Reverse direction for each 2-inch section (wind up for one, down for another). 13. Self-tanner will always stink Unfortunately, even the best ones smell. Your best bet is to apply self-tanner a good 24 hours before an important event and take a shower (don’t loofah) to wash off any smell. For really big events like a dance or wedding, consider a professional spray tan. These are pricey and don’t last long, so make sure to do it a day before the big event. 14. Don’t let nails go Not into manicures and pedicures? No worries. Just make sure to keep nails clean and the same length. If you do want to paint them, don’t keep the polish on until half of it’s chipped away. Also, there’s nothing worse than too-long toenails. Keep nails clipped between pedicures! People tend to judge others by the care they put into their hands and feet. 15. Don’t line the inside of your eyes It will make your eyes appear smaller. Instead, line just at the lash line. Also, an obvious line doesn’t look natural. Smudge the line just a bit. 16. Oily hair? Invest in a dry shampoo If you have blonde hair, sprinkling a bit of baby powder on your roots and at your crown will soak up excess oils. If you have brown hair, you might be better off with a dry shampoo for your hair color. 17. Shave legs at the end of the shower Cut down on nicks and cuts by making shaving the very last step in your shower or bathing ritual. Nine more shaving tips here 18. Know your best feature and play it up What feature do people comment on most? Play it up. If you’re told you have Angelina Jolie lips, make sure to wear gloss and play with bold lipstick colors. If it’s your eye color people love, find eyeshadow colors that complement them and make sure to wear mascara. Also, know what color shirts look best on you and go shopping. 19. Scrubs are great for dry skin If you have dry, itchy skin in winter, invest in a scrub and handmitts and scrub away in the bathtub. Make sure to slather on a thick moisturizer afterward. For dry, callousy feet, buy a pumice stone. They work better than any of the other wimpy options on the market. 20. Remember: Beauty is mostly internal Think about a girl you know who’s overweight yet all the guys love her. Why? Because she’s confident. If you aren’t wearing makeup and your toes haven’t been repainted in weeks, if you’re happy and smiling you will still be 10 times prettier than the mopey cheerleader sitting next to you in class. Trust us (wink).

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