Professional manicures can be extremely expensive, but with a little time and patience, and the right products, you can manicure yourself at home and achieve a very professional look. I suggest products from Essie and Nailtiques to get a salon quality manicure from your house.

The first thing to do is to clean old nail polish off with a nail varnish remover, like Nailtiques’ non-acetone remover. Put liquid on cotton pads to remove, and then wash your hands thoroughly to ensure there are no traces of this remover, as this will affect your new polish.

File your nails with an emery board (not metal files) to remove any ragged edges and to leave your nails at a uniform length. Swipe the emery board in one direction only, do not ‘saw’ backwards and forwards across the top of your nail, as this will split the nail layers.

Put your fingertips to soak in a small bowl with warm water and a little dish washing soap: this will soften your cuticles while removing any excess oil which may impede good adherence of nail varnish.

Once the cuticles are softened, apply some cuticle cream and massage in gently. Use the tip of an orange stick with a thin layer of cotton wrapped around and push back gently on the cuticles. Rub gently in a circular motion to remove any dead cuticle skin, while pushing back healthy cuticle away from the nail. Wash off any remaining cream or oil, and repeat all with the other hand, leaving the first to dry.

Once both hands are prepared for polishing, starting with the driest of the two, begin with a base coat. A general-purpose base coat will protect your nails from absorbing dyes from the nail polish (which will leave your nails tinted slightly even after you’ve removed your polish) and help the nail varnish last longer. A real good one here is Essie’s First Base Base Coat.

Nails which are dry, ridged or prone to splitting and peeling will need a special base coat for the problem, like Essie’s
Protein Base Coat or Nailltique’s Protein Formula. Three strokes is enough to cover the nail, one on each side and then one up the center, always beginning at the cuticle.

Allow this to dry then add the first coat of your chosen color, again with only three strokes; one each side and one up the center. It is very important to allow each coat to dry thoroughly before continuing with the next. Three coats is optimum as this will achieve the closest to the colour that you picked from the chart. Essie has a very wide range of colors to choose from and their nail varnish contains no Formaldehyde, DBP or Toluene.

Finish the job with a good top coat from Essie: this will protect your polish and nails from chipping or damage.

The best way to test if each layer is dry is with the tip of your tongue. Touch the nail very gently with your tongue, and if you can taste the varnish it’s not dry. If you spoil the surface of any coat, you need to go back and start again from the base coat up. Nailtiques’ Cuticle and Hand Cream will keep both in excellent, soft condition between manicures.

If you follow these tips on how to give yourself a professional style manicure at home, you should be able to achieve a salon quality look to your nails. Nailtiques and Essie provide all the top quality nail care products that one could possibly need, and are available at excellent prices from http://www.febstore.com

How to Get the Best Shave: Top 10 Shaving Tips

1.Make Sure Your Beard is Thoroughly Wet:
One of the keys to a great close shave without irritation or razor burn is to make sure your beard is thoroughly wet. Facial hair will
absorb moisture up to 30% of its volume. Hair swollen with water becomes quite weak and therefore easier to cut. Showering before shaving is
the ideal way to ensure you beard is properly moistened. If a shower is not possible, rinse your face and then apply a warm moistened towel
to your face for at least a couple of minutes. This is the technique that barbers use. Never shave cold or apply shaving products to a dry
face – this is one of the leading causes of razor burn and shaving rash.

2.Use a Quality Shaving Cream:
Use a shaving cream that has a high concentration of lubricants (eg silicones) and moisturizers. The best shaving creams create a rich
creamy lather and do not foam up like the cheaper drug store brands. The less "foaming" in the shave cream the better, as it is
what is in contact with the skin and beard that matters – all else is wasted. Less resistance, less irritation and less nicks also mean a
longer lasting blade! While the primary function of the shaving cream is to lubricate your face so that the razor will glide smoothly and
effortlessly across the surface, it also serves to lock the moisture into the whiskers, keeping them soft and upright, primed for the cut.
The ideal scenario is to leave the shaving cream on your face for at least a minute before you begin cutting, so that the beard is as soft
and wet as possible.

3.A Shaving Brush is One of the Best Tools:
One of the best tools you can use to achieve the optimum shave is a shaving brush (as top barbers do). A shaving brush does a couple of
things. First, it helps raise the hair so that a closer cut is possible. Second, it helps create a rich creamy lather with the shaving cream
that stays close to the skin. And, finally, it helps remove dead skin cells (exfoliation) which reduces the chance of blemishes, razor bumps
and also helps the skin look and feel smooth and healthy. Always look for a shaving brush with bristles that have the right balance between
softness (to create a rich creamy lather that stays close to the skin) and resistance to raise the beard (making a closer cut easier!)

4.Apply the shaving cream using the brush in a circular motion ending in an upward stroke to help lift the beard up and away from
the face.

5.Use a Quality Razor and Change the Blades:
Always use a good quality sharp razor blade. Be sure the blade is sharp. You’re not just cutting off hair, you’re also scraping off up to
two layers of surface skin when you shave. A dull blade is more traumatic to the skin, making your face feel scratchy and look blotchy – a
dull razor is one of the contributing factors to razor burn and shaving rash. Depending on the toughness of your beard, change the blade
somewhere between every three and every ten shaves, if you shave every day. Two weeks is too long to go without changing blades. Regardless
of the number of shaves, if the blade becomes dull, ditch it. As to which brand of razor to use – we think you can’t go wrong with any of
the Gillette Mach series. Of course there are very high quality and expensive razors available at specialty retailers that you may want to
try.
Rinse your blade under hot water before you begin to shave and after every few swipes. This removes the accumulated shaving cream, whiskers,
and skin gunk. The use of hot water here is to help lubricate, has nothing to do with "killing bacteria."

6. Use the Razor Properly:
Ideally shave in the direction of the beard growth. Start with the sides, then the moustache area and last the chin. The chin hairs are the
toughest, so this allows them the most time to soften under the shave cream.

7.If you want an even Closer Shave:
If you wish to achieve an even closer shave (as many barbers do) apply some more lather from your brush (add more cream if necessary) to the
areas you wish to shave again. Keep everything moist. This is one of the extra advantages of using a brush. For most guys, re-shaving
certain areas with the grain should do the job. Professional barbers, by the way, usually first shave with the grain, and then re-shave
going sideways – but they’re trained professionals!
But, don’t overshave. Too much shaving will cause skin irritation and the dreaded razor burn and shaving rash. Rinse the blade thoroughly
before you put it away. (The water temperature isn’t going to have any impact on bacteria; you’re rinsing the blade to get rid of hairs,
shaving cream, oils, and gunk, not to kill bacteria. You’d need to boil the razor for that or rinse it in alcohol, which is not necessary.)
After rinsing, shake the razor, but do not wipe the blade with a towel or tissue – that will just make it dull faster.

8.Cleanse and Soothe After Shaving:
After shaving, when the skin is most vulnerable, rinse the face with warm water and use a facial wash that has a high concentration of tea
tree oil (a natural antiseptic that is ideal to help cleanse and protect from spots and shaving rash) and witch hazel (for its soothing,
healing and astringent properties).

9. Rinse with the coolest water that is comfortable and pat dry with a clean towel. (Don’t rub! Just pat).

10.Finish off with an After Shave Lotion or Balm:
Shaving can remove up to two layers of skin. There is no other regular activity that does this, which is why it is so important to use a
good quality moisturizer after shaving. An after shave lotion, designed as an after shave balm and moisturizer in one, is the ideal way to
replace lost moisture and soothe the skin. And, be sure to use one made just for guys – these formulas are designed so that they are not
greasy, absorb quickly and dry with a matte finish so that your face doesn’t look shiny. Typically mositurizers made for women are too
greasy as men tend to have not only thicker skin but also oiler skin than women due to men’s larger sebaceous glands. The best after shave
lotions not only replace lost moisture and soothe, but also have ingredients that will cool and refresh the skin.

Farouk’s CHI Flat Iron is simply the best hair straightener on the market. It is very easy to use, with a 10 foot swivel head cable which makes it even easier. The cable is longer than on most other brands, and the swivel head makes it so much easier to manage and manipulate.

You will find the CHI hair straightener much quicker to use than other irons, it does the job efficiently and leaves the hair silky smooth. It works for all hair types, from really dry, frizzy hair, even ethnic hair, right down to hair that is barely wavy, but needs a little smoothing. More dry frizzy hair will need protective product to stop it drying out too much.

1. The best way to use your CHI flat iron is to take small meshes (sections) of hair, 2 to 3 inches wide and 1/4 inch to ½ inch thick. The thicker your hair, the smaller meshes you should take.

2. Slide one plate under the mesh, close to the root without touching the scalp. Close the plates and slide slowly down the length of the hair to the tip. When your hair is really curly, go more slowly, allowing the heat to penetrate more fully, but don’t let it burn. It is best to go over it a second time, than risk burning your hair.

3. With shorter hair, it’s best to lift the hair up right from the scalp, and slide the irons upwards away from the scalp. This will allow you to more easily separate one mesh from another..

4. With longer hair of course this is not possible, because your arms wouldn’t be long enough! But you can start by making a parting just above your ear, sweeping everything to the other side of your head, and starting on the small amount that is left around this ear, gradually bringing a little more down on top of it. This way you won’t miss any..

The CHI Hair Straightener does a very good job even if your hair is already fairly straight. You will find just gliding the irons gently down the length of your hair will give you a silky smooth finish. When using any CHI Tools, allow the hair to cool before brushing or combing. This will ensure that your style will last longer.

Your CHI flat iron will also work as a curling tong. For this you would point the plates downwards, take a small mesh, about ½ to 1 inch square, and again starting close to the roots, wind the hair around one plate all the way from the root to the tip, then close the plates. After about 10 seconds, open the plates and slide them out of the curl, leaving the hair in the curl shape until it is cool. This can also be done from halfway down the length of the hair, if you only want the bottom curled.

Among the many CHI tools on the market, there are curling tongs which will make this job even easier, but curling can be done with the flat irons with a little bit of practice.

How to Fix Frizzy Hair

Curly hair by its very nature is delicate. When it becomes damaged or dry, the curls frizz out and if you live in a humid climate, look out!
No need to panic, though, here are some tricks to keep frizziness at bay. 

1. Learn to like your curls. Straightening efforts and hair relaxants damage hair.
2. Keep shampooing to a minimum since shampoo tends to dry out hair. If you do wash your hair daily, dilute shampoo with an equal amount of
   water.
3. Use a daily conditioner to keep hair moisturized. Finger-brush your hair while the conditioner is in it. Then rinse.
4. Apply a leave-in conditioner or anti-frizz serum to your damp hair.
5. Deep-condition your hair once a week.
6. To touch up your hair in the afternoon, moisten your fingers with water and a small amount of conditioner. Run your fingers through your
   hair and smooth out the frizz.

For more information on products that will help you manage your frizzy hair please visit:  http://www.febstore.com/brands/Pantene/pantene-med-thick-hair-solutions-frizzy-to-smooth-shampoo-12 

How To Effectively Eliminate Frizzy Hair

Does Frizzy Hair affect you like it does to so many others?

Frizzy Hair can be caused by many different factors, the most common of them being dry, thin split-ended hair and/or hair that reacts badly
to humidity. Curly hair is most commonly known for its unruly frizziness and flyaway ends, CHI
Curl Preserve Shampoo and CHI
Curl Preserve Conditioner can
help to totally eliminate your frizz dilemma!

You can effectively eliminate Frizzy Hair in 4 simple steps with the help of CHI Curl Preserve Shampoo and CHI Curl Preserve Conditioner…

ntent here.

.

You
should get your haircut at least every 6 to 8 weeks in order to avoid getting split ends and also to help keep your hair beautifully
healthy. Ask for a blunt cut, but you must always make sure your hairdresser is qualified and is aware of your hair type.

Try to find a hairdresser that you can trust, that understands exactly what you want, and how to cut hair that is prone to frizziness, as
too many layers or feathering can lead to horrendous frizz, on frizz prone hair types. Ask your hairdresser to use CHI Curl Preserve Shampoo
and CHI Curl Preserve Conditioner for the best results every time.

.You should get your haircut at least every 6 to 8 weeks in order to avoid getting split ends and also to help keep your hair beautifully
healthy. Ask for a blunt cut, but you must always make sure your hairdresser is qualified and is aware of your hair type.

Try to find a hairdresser that you can trust, that understands exactly what you want, and how to cut hair that is prone to frizziness, as
too many layers or feathering can lead to horrendous frizz, on frizz prone hair types. Ask your hairdresser to use CHI Curl Preserve Shampoo
and CHI Curl Preserve Conditioner for the best results every time.

.

You
should get your haircut at least every 6 to 8 weeks in order to avoid getting split ends and also to help keep your hair beautifully
healthy. Ask for a blunt cut, but you must always make sure your hairdresser is qualified and is aware of your hair type.

Try to find a hairdresser that you can trust, that understands exactly what you want, and how to cut hair that is prone to frizziness, as
too many layers or feathering can lead to horrendous frizz, on frizz prone hair types. Ask your hairdresser to use CHI Curl Preserve Shampoo
and CHI Curl Preserve Conditioner for the best results every time.

How to Cure Dark Armpits

We go to great lengths to look after our armpits. Not only do we continuously throw on deodorants and antiperspirants in an effort to make
them smell nice, but men and women alike spend time every day removing the area from that area.

So after all that care is taken, a lot of men and women are discouraged to find that their armpit area seems to chronically be darker than
the rest of their body. This often leads to embarrassment, and even causes some men and women to completely avoid certain articles of
clothing that would otherwise put their darkened armpits on display.
There are a number of reasons why the armpit area may be darker than the rest of your body, some of them being major health concerns. Some
of these include:

• Diabetes type II
• Obesity
• Hormonal imbalances
• Endocrine disorders
• Tumors
• Medications

Sometimes your armpits will appear darker than the rest of your body because you have fair skin and the hair growing beneath the surface is
dark (try waxing as this will at least initially pull the dark hairs out from the root and the skin).You can start getting rid of you dark
armpit area today with some simple home remedies. One that you can do today is use a lemon. Cut a lemon so that you have a slice, and then
rub it right over the armpit area. Lemons naturally lighten the skin, cleanse the skin, and they have antimicrobial properties which help
prevent any continued darkening of your armpit area.Alternatively, you can take aloe vera gel and rub it under your arm pits, or you can try
using baking soda under your arms. The benefit to baking soda is that it not only can help lighten your armpits, but it will also help
absorb any sweat and odor.Another great way to try and treat your dark underarms yourself is to take fish oil supplements on a daily basis.
You can find fish oil capsules in any grocery store or natural help food store.It’s also important to keep the area as clean as possible and
to wear clothing that is made from natural fibers. Excessive sweating or tight fitting clothing can be the cause behind your dark armpit
woes, so try cleansing the armpit area twice a day and wear clothing that is made from cotton, wool, and other natural fibers.If you are
looking for a medical type of treatment for your dark underarms, there’s good news for you: you can receive over the counter treatments from
your doctor. There are oral medications that you can take, such as isotretinoin, and prescription creams that contain vitamin A that can be
applied to the area to help lighten up the skin.Lastly, if none of the above seem to be helping, it is possible to opt for laser
dermabrasion of the armpit area. This will greatly help reduce the darkening of your armpits.

Health Problems and Skin Diseases Caused by Smoking Cigarettes

 Smoking
is a habit that harms not only the person who smokes but whoever comes around and is forced to breathe the smoke in. Free radicals are
produced in our organism even when we breathe the smoke passively. The large amount of free radicals cannot be fought by even very strong
antioxidants such as: bio-flavonoids, vitamin C, A or E, mainly because these are able to work only in the epidermal part of our skin.
First of all free radicals make our skin lose its smoothness and elasticity, then they make wrinkles and brown speckles appear, skin
becomes dry, corneous and finally, free radicals damage blood-vessels. Besides free radicals, during the process of smoking more than four
thousand other extremely dangerous and toxic substances are being produced, e.g. tar, carbon dioxide, arsenide, prussic acid and lead.
These toxic substances are responsible for lowering the levels of vitamins A, C and E in our body. These vitamins, as we already know,
protect our skin from the negative influence of free radicals and make the skin elastic, stimulating its regeneration.
As a result of smoking, the microcirculation is disturbed, in blood-vessels particularly. You can say that skin cells are being suffocated
by smoke which reduces the amount of oxygen in the human body and instead it increases the amount of toxic carbon dioxide. This is why the
so-called “tobacco face" person looks tired, has got a grey complexion often with enlarged blood-vessels. Many of you may think then:
"It doesn’t concern me. I don’t smoke a whole package a day. Just two or three light cigarettes, that’s all." However, while you
smoke one cigarette you cause the contraction of your skin blood-vessels which lasts up to 90 minutes after you finish smoking. Therefore, a
smoker’s blood-vessels can receive one fourth of blood less than a non-smoker’s. As a result, cells of the former reveal oxygen deficiency
and the lack of nutritive components in them. In time, such a person’s complexion may lose its pink and healthy coloring and it may start
looking pale, grey and poor.
Anemic anoxia of the facial skin also disturbs the production of collagen and elastic fibers which are responsible for skin’s elasticity.
These fibers get partially damaged, which makes skin thinner, with some irregular callosities and deep wrinkles, especially around the
mouth.
Smoking also causes some necrotic changes inside the skin, which simply means that many cells die and they cannot regenerate or reanimate.
During smoking, the level of estrogens may be lowered, which lowers the amount of collagen fibers and in turn, on makes skin dry. In
addition, smoking also disturbs the process of wounds and injuries healing.
Of course smoking also causes many other negative changes inside our bodies for instance; it limits blood-flow inside blood-vessels, reduces
the ability of blood to transport oxygen and weakens the immunology system. All that damage becomes visible outside our body in the first
place.
Other physical effects of smoking are: fragile nails, hair loss, and aggravation of many skin diseases such as: common acne, acne rosacea
and often recurrence of psoriasis. Furthermore, we can observe yellow spots on nails, hands and teeth as well as worsening of sense of taste
and smell.
Women who have been smoking for many years consult cosmetologists in order to find help with their look and skin problems. However, for
those women who smoke the undertaken surgical intervention can never bring the satisfying effects. Therefore, plastic surgeons are unwilling
to do any lifting or grafting for patients who smoke because their skin heals with much difficulty and it is very probable that
complications will occur later on.
Read more: Health Problems and Skin Diseases Caused by Smoking Cigarettes

With today’s soft, natural flowing hairstyles it’s very important to keep your hair in good condition. Shiny healthy looking hair will attract more attention than an expensive haircut. Hair care for all hair types is just as important as make-up when it comes to looking glamorous.

Whatever your hair type, first and foremost is finding a good shampoo and conditioner. Whether your hair is curly or straight, thick or fine, dry, frizzy or color treated, choosing the right products is very important.

Very fine or thin hair will need a good bodybuilding shampoo and conditioner, to add body and volume to the hair as well as condition and shine. Great examples of these are Biosilk volumizing shampoo and conditioner, or silk therapy thickening shampoo. Try finishing with Joico’s Body Luxe thickening elixir, a great styling product which will give fine and thin hair the added body, volume and shine it needs. Adding curl to fine hair will also give the appearance of more volume.

Thick hair is much easier to deal with, just as long as you choose a good shampoo and conditioner to keep it looking lustrous. A good choice here is CHI organics olive nutrient therapy.  Used alongside a CHI flat iron or curling iron, you can achieve the glowing salon look for yourself.  Thick hair, although heavy, does not need to be a burden.

Curly hair will need ‘taming’ to keep it looking its best while dry, curly hair will need a curl definer to separate and control the curls. Joico’s curl definer creme/gel while work well with both these hair types.  Also, try adding Joico curl activator, a lightweight spray for thin, flyaway curly hair.  Whether you want to keep your curls or straighten them out, CHI tools provide the answer here too.

Color treated hair or damaged hair will need to be handled very gently and given extra special treatment. Over-colored hair, especially when lightened, can become very porous, making it weak and inclined to break. Color Endure shampoo and conditioner from Joico will strengthen and control your color treated hair and keep the color longer.

Damaged hair will benefit from Joico’s K-Pak shampoo and conditioner to rebuild, reconstruct and strengthen, as well as protect; leaving hair as healthy and shiny and it should be.

Frizzy hair requires a great deal of care and attention, needing specialist products to tame and style. Biosilk’s silk therapy treatment has everything you need to take care of frizzy hair and leave it with shiny bouncy curls, or sleek and smooth when straight.

Taking the time to look after your hair is as important as the time you spend on your face and wardrobe. Even the prettiest woman in beautiful designer clothes can look awful with dry, unruly, or limp and dank hair.

Try different shampoos and conditioners until you find the right one for you, and choose a product which will help you achieve the style you’re aiming for, whether that be sleek and straight or bouncy and curly. Whatever your hair type, the right products will bring it under control and leave it looking glorious.

Nails chip, crack and break but for some it’s more of a problem than others. With all of the different elements that our hands and fingernails are exposed to on a daily basis, nails are prone to becoming yellowed and discolored from daily wear and tear. For centuries, perfect and clean nails have been a symbol of how well one takes care of him or herself and their status in society, something that has caused the much-admired French manicure to become as popular as it is today.

What is a French Manicure?

French manicures are believed to have originated some time during the 18th Century in Paris, France. As decades went by, this type of manicure continued to grow in popularity until the 1930s, when it became the staple type of salon manicure or at-home “do it yourself” nail treatment. Since then, the French manicure has always been the very most
popular amongst the different manicure techniques that exist today.French manicures are often thought to be the “first” of several different manicurist techniques. This type of manicure is characterized by having a very white nail tip with a pink or nude-shade base.

If you choose to have a French manicure these days, however, you will quickly find out just how many different designs and colors you can have rather than the classic white-tips with a pink-base. Some even opt for small decals to be applied, or even fake jewels and gems to add that some extra sparkle!

How can I Get a French Manicure?

A French manicure is not limited to being something that has to be performed in a spa or salon – you can do it at home too! You can either try “free handing” the design (not recommended for those who even have a slightly shaky hand) or purchase “guiding stickers” that will help you paint only the tips rather than the nail bed.The other option would be to visit a salon and make an appointment to have a manicure. Salons are a fantastic choice as you have a true professional right there, taking care of your nails and ensuring that the job is done correctly.

Professionals will either paint your real nail (if you have nails that are long enough!) or more often will apply a very long false nail to your finger. You specify how long you would like the nail to be, and the nail technician will trim the fake fingernail down to that desired size. From there, you will be able to choose any number of different color combinations, designs, and appliqués to be applied to your nails!

How can I Choose the Best Manicurist for my French Manicure?

Manicures sometimes do go wrong, but there are a few things you can check for to ensure that you are having the most qualified person do your French manicure. You should always:

• Make sure that the manicurist is licensed and that it is displayed.
• Look over the food baths and ensure they’re clean.
• See if fresh hand towels are being used.
• If the salon is neat and tidy.
• Observe the salon to see if any metal tools are returned to a disinfectant after use. This helps spread fungus and bacteria from user to user.
• Make sure the manicurist is listening to YOU and not going with his or her own assumptions of what you want.

These are the quickest, simplest and cheapest way to get your hair out of your eyes, but they can make your hair look great too… Sometimes the simplest things are the best! Variations“Hair elastic” is a broad term that includes scrunchies and ponytailers. A ponytailer is basically a hair elastic with something decorative (marbles or butterflies) attached.

How to Use and Tips How to Use: Using an elastic is pretty much just a case of gathering your hair together and stretching an elastic over it, but if you want to do it right check out how to get the perfect ponytail.Tips: Rubber bands aren’t hair elastics! If you don’t want to break your hair and inflict pain on yourself, make sure you use rubber bands coated with fabric, or “hair elastics” made specially by a hairstyling company.

Suitable Hairstyles If your hair’s long enough for a ponytail, then a hair elastic’s for you.Occasions It’s a total fallacy to think that ponytailsare just for casual occasions! No way! Making sure your hair’s smooth (using a paddle brush and runnng the irons over the top section of your hair) will add a classiness to your ponytail. Disguising the elastic by wrapping your hair around the base of your pony will have the same effect. Scrunchies are also great for hiding your elastic, and for adding a bit of color too.

In Our Opinion…You know what? Ponytails that are all smoothed out and sleek are the best. They look sophisticated and oh so sexy. They can be a classy way for a woman to show off her lovely neck. (We didn’t even mind Beck’s half
up pony either!)

To find hair accesories that are gentle to your hair, please visit: http://www.febstore.com/brands/scunci/scunci-no-damage-elastics-black

To read the entire article please go to:
http://www.thehairstyler.com/features/articles/hair-care/hair-accessories-the-definitive-guide