tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13366946497985472362024-03-12T23:34:45.771-05:00House of CyclaxFor all things beauty...Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06366573561064716418noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336694649798547236.post-86970028082107427142011-11-26T19:05:00.001-06:002011-11-26T19:06:17.015-06:00Make Your Ex-Boyfriends Shirt Into A Cute New Dress!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ranima.users.photofile.ru/photo/ranima/3914131/93768632.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://ranima.users.photofile.ru/photo/ranima/3914131/93768632.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />
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The gals over at <a href="http://colourheelsdiary.blogspot.com/2011/07/ex-mens-shirt-as-new-dress-for-you.html">Colour Heels Diary</a> have come up with up to 10 different ways you can wear your man's button up shirt. Grab one out of your boyfriend's closet, out of the box of your ex's stuff to give back to him, or maybe just one for yourself at the thrift store! Love these.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ranima.users.photofile.ru/photo/ranima/3914131/93626476.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://ranima.users.photofile.ru/photo/ranima/3914131/93626476.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ranima.users.photofile.ru/photo/ranima/3914131/93626473.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://ranima.users.photofile.ru/photo/ranima/3914131/93626473.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06366573561064716418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336694649798547236.post-90970635051934237742011-09-11T16:20:00.004-05:002011-09-11T20:55:56.405-05:00Favorite Beauty Blogs..<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRidU11FtdLs2LipQd51AMKVjXvAIrMZ6Aw1wIcIm2RirNp9isQcfSY0xLJhqYS_lR4iuYR_wBFm_r_04R8NlVns-5vrxL9QpUqqH06eHd6Xv0v8h-ZZNnf-ZzbKke7xm_sly5yeEZSPRB/s320/Wedding+FOTD+-+MOPAR+087copy+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRidU11FtdLs2LipQd51AMKVjXvAIrMZ6Aw1wIcIm2RirNp9isQcfSY0xLJhqYS_lR4iuYR_wBFm_r_04R8NlVns-5vrxL9QpUqqH06eHd6Xv0v8h-ZZNnf-ZzbKke7xm_sly5yeEZSPRB/s320/Wedding+FOTD+-+MOPAR+087copy+copy.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<a href="http://cherylsbeautyblog.blogspot.com/">Cheryl's Beauty Blog</a>. I have a prejudice against beauty bloggers who aren't beautiful. I'd rather take advice on how to look good by someone who.. well, looks good, Cheryl is just that: she is absolutely stunning and puts her makeup to good use- showing you different looks, tips, and products.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIxVqFtSIY_3yJD5q3lrjWX2OYov6l6Is2aqg5HUPajgQgW-AWcjoHFlHBnUgXW3I46t-GtLy3_CqD6UZG-0aXakvwz-DB1wEbnihpcj8KWDu70e7mFunBWFDmZGfF45Bf4BrMvi5L/s640/SAM_4922.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIxVqFtSIY_3yJD5q3lrjWX2OYov6l6Is2aqg5HUPajgQgW-AWcjoHFlHBnUgXW3I46t-GtLy3_CqD6UZG-0aXakvwz-DB1wEbnihpcj8KWDu70e7mFunBWFDmZGfF45Bf4BrMvi5L/s320/SAM_4922.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<a href="http://giddyprincess.blogspot.com/">A Beauty Blog Written By A Giddy Princess</a>. Another very beautiful and talented blogger. She has great reviews on tanning products, nail swatches and shares looks for day and night.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.fashionmodeldirectory.com/model/000000098058-ruth_crilly-fit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://images.fashionmodeldirectory.com/model/000000098058-ruth_crilly-fit.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<a href="http://www.amodelrecommends.com/">A Model Recommends</a>. Written by a very successful model from the UK, Ruth Crilly recommends different products that she's tried out and shows you her tips and tricks for looking flawless before photo shoots.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GwU96tSwofc/TmZrraHnPFI/AAAAAAAACag/g4QCQIvRlxw/s220/282190_177956848936199_162581220473762_448681_4791365_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GwU96tSwofc/TmZrraHnPFI/AAAAAAAACag/g4QCQIvRlxw/s320/282190_177956848936199_162581220473762_448681_4791365_n.jpg" width="172" /></a></div><br />
<a href="http://nattyngeorge.blogspot.com/">Miss Natty's Beauty Diary Blog</a>. Natalie is another gorgeous blogger- I love her detailed reviews and wide array of products and fashion accessories.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06366573561064716418noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336694649798547236.post-25626035991541861622011-09-10T16:15:00.000-05:002011-09-10T16:33:38.607-05:00Some Reads of the Day..<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://data.whicdn.com/images/14167050/tumblr_lq9sf33ARK1qb17fxo1_500_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://data.whicdn.com/images/14167050/tumblr_lq9sf33ARK1qb17fxo1_500_large.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<a href="http://www.cosmeticscop.com/how-to-find-department-store-doubles-at-the-drugstore.aspx">Drugstore Doubles</a>... the "Cosmetics Cop" Paula Begoun lists drugstore dupes of high end products for a great way to get the best results without breaking the bank!<br />
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<a href="http://www.glamour.com/beauty/blogs/girls-in-the-beauty-department/2011/09/tk-awesome-tricks-i-just-learn.html"> 5 Genius Tricks I Learned From One of Hollywood's Best Makeup Artists</a> via Glamour magazine.<br />
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<a href="http://intheircloset.com/">In Their Closet</a>.. these girls claim to "de-mystify" celebrity wardrobes.. and they do just that! They take recent looks celebrities have been seen in and tell you where the clothes, shoes, and accessories are from, how much they cost, and where to find cheaper versions for yourself!<br />
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<a href="http://www.tipsforglowingskinblog.org/super-foods-for-glowing-skin/">Superfoods For Healthy, Young, Glowing Skin</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.bellasugar.com/Face-Reading-Does-Work-19020700">Do Your Facial Features Predict Your Personality?</a> via BellaSugarSarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06366573561064716418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336694649798547236.post-38863104940274466252011-08-30T14:18:00.001-05:002011-09-11T20:50:59.161-05:00Be Healthier, Happier, and Prettier.. in 30 Seconds or Less?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://data.whicdn.com/images/11940227/Mascara-for-Sensitive-Eyes_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://data.whicdn.com/images/11940227/Mascara-for-Sensitive-Eyes_large.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Skip the mascara or lipgloss- the one thing you need for touching up in your purse is... eye drops!<br />
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In the universal perception of beauty, there are certain things that make a person more attractive. Smooth lustrous hair, clear radiant skin, and sparkling white teeth. All of these traits are signs of youth and vitality; and from early human and animal development, choosing a mate with the best overall health was (and still is!) the most desirable.<br />
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Now here's what you might not know: your eyes are included. Research published in <i>Ethology</i> found that people with red or bloodshot eyes were perceived as sadder, less attractive, and unhealthy. Dr. Robert R. Provine, the lead author in the study, says, "If you met a friend with bloodshot eyes it would be unclear whether to offer sympathy or medical assistance, because red eyes may be a result of weeping, allergies or infectious diseases.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.sciencedaily.com/2011/04/110407101617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images.sciencedaily.com/2011/04/110407101617.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(credit: R. Provine)</span></div><br />
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...Given this discovery, eye drops that 'get the red out' can be considered beauty aids.'"Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06366573561064716418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336694649798547236.post-85323476906326601022011-08-27T17:40:00.002-05:002011-08-27T17:42:21.939-05:00Suncreen 101<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://data.whicdn.com/images/13158399/260490_213079015394603_176101909092314_509037_4757647_n_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://data.whicdn.com/images/13158399/260490_213079015394603_176101909092314_509037_4757647_n_large.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br />
</div>James M. Spencer of Spencer Dermatology & Skin Surgery Center in St. Petersburg, Florida shares some tips to keep you protected as summer heats up.<br />
<div><ul><li><b>Use SPF 30 or higher. </b>People usually apply using a smaller amount than they should, getting the protection closer to an SPF of 15. So unless you want to spend an extra 10 minutes rubbing it in, up your protection!</li>
</ul><ul><li><b>Skip the spray-on sunscreen. </b>A mist is easy and quick, but lacks the coverage you need. To get the full protection listed on the bottle, you need to spray until your skin is moist and let it dry or rub it in.</li>
</ul><ul><li><b>Towels wipe off the SPF. </b>If you wipe off after being in the ocean or pool, reapply! This applies to water- resistant suncreens too.</li>
</ul><ul><li><b>Staying in the shade is not good enough.</b> Finding a shady spot to sit might keep you cooler, but it doesn't protect your skin as well as SPF will. You can get a sun burn in the shade too. </li>
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</div></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06366573561064716418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336694649798547236.post-18163634722313885612011-08-12T13:59:00.000-05:002011-08-12T13:59:00.893-05:0010 Exercise Myths That Won't Go Away<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Utkal, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"></span><br />
<div class="cnnByline" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">By <b style="color: black; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Madison Park</b>, CNN</div><div class="cnn_strytmstmp" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 11px; font-style: inherit; font: normal normal normal 11px/14px arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://wambuafitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/fitness-training-sit-ups.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://wambuafitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/fitness-training-sit-ups.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="cnn_strytmstmp" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 11px; font-style: inherit; font: normal normal normal 11px/14px arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />
</div><div class="cnn_strytmstmp" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font: normal normal normal 11px/14px arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">(CNN) </b>-- We're all looking to maximize results while minimizing time and effort in the gym. That search for shortcuts has translated into a lot of myths about exercise.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">CNN.com asked exercise physiologists, trainers and nutritionists about their most hated exercise myths.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Consider these the 10 persistent myths of fitness.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">10) Your cardio machine is counting the calories you're burning.</b></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"It doesn't mean anything," said Mark Macdonald, personal trainer and author of "Body Confidence" about the calorie numbers spit out by the cardio machine.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Some machines don't even ask for your weight or sex.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"It's not asking your body composition," he said. "If you're at 18% body fat, you're going to burn a lot more than if you're female at 35% body fat."</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">And how many people know their body fat percentage?</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The number calculated by your machine is likely not accurate.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">9) Women shouldn't lift weights because it'll make them bulky.</b></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This one drives Alice Burron, a former female bodybuilder, crazy. She would spend four to five hours a day when she competed, trying to build muscles.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"You really have to overload those muscles to create bulk," said Burron. "It's very, very difficult."</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Women have too much estrogen to build large amounts of bulk. Guys build muscles faster because they have testosterone.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So ladies, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/02/26/toning.obama.arms/index.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #004276; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">don't fear the barbells</a>. Strength training helps decrease body fat, increase lean muscle mass and burn calories more efficiently.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The government's 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommended muscle-strengthening physical activity on at least three days of the week for kids and two or more for adults.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8) Heart rate monitors will let you know how hard you're working.</b></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Heart rate monitoring is a flawed science.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The better detector of how hard you're working is not the newest, gee-whiz tech device, but your own body.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"The perceived exertion, your own sense of how hard you're working is a much more reliable of exercise intensity," said Matt Fitzgerald, senior editor of <a href="http://running.competitor.com/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #004276; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Competitor</a> group.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Perceived exertion means it's your estimation of how hard you are working out and surprisingly, it's very accurate, he said.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"Your perception of your limit can change over time. So yeah, even your own perception isn't perfect. It's still better than heart rate monitor," Fitzgerald said.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Heart rates could falter depending on what kind of exercise you're doing.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The talk test can measure how intensely you're working out depending on whether you can talk in full sentences, short phrases or if you're barely able to muster a few words.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"It's best to learn to recognize your body's signals and get a better control of your effort," said Alex Hutchinson, author of "Which Comes First: Cardio or Weights."</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">7) Your weight is the end all, be all.</b></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Newbies hit the gym, and then weigh themselves every day on the scale.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Week-after-week, they see no <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/01/28/exercise.reboot/index.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #004276; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">downward trend on the scale and get impatient</a>.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">People starting saying, "I haven't lost any weight. This is pointless, I'm not accomplishing anything," said Hutchinson.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">After a few months of increased exercise, they are healthier because they've reduced risk factors such as blood sugar levels. Even though a person may not be losing weight, his health has improved in ways that might not be measured. </span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"They're stuck in this paradigm that weight is the ultimate barometer for fitness. They don't realize the progress they've made and give up."</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">6) Low-intensity exercise burns more fat.</b></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In general, low intensity exercise has its place -- it's less stressful on joints.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The myth is that if you exercise too intensely, you end up burning carbohydrates instead of fat.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It's the most dangerous type of myth because there's a kernel of truth in it, Hutchinson said.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The more intensely you exercise, the higher proportion of carbs you burn. You may burn less fat, but the total amount of calories burned is higher and that is the bigger picture.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">When your body has burned up all the carbs, it starts burning fat.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"You can ignore zones and pay attention to how many calories you burn, which ultimately determines how much body fat you're going to lose," Fitzgerald said.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">5) Chug a protein shake after workout.</b></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"It's eating another meal," said Macdonald, a personal trainer who helped TV host Chelsea Handler get in shape.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Protein shakes, powders and bars are good for emergencies, but "they're the lowest quality food."</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"You're better off eating real food," he said.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The products are more processed. The best way to get protein is through foods such as a turkey sandwich, Greek yogurt with nuts and fruit.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Martin Gibala, chairman of the department of kinesiology at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, agrees. "Protein sources in real food are Number 1. Cheaper and real food may provide other benefits, vitamins and minerals. And some of the components in food may act synergistically in ways we don't understand."</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"When we isolate the compound we think works, it's not as good as the real foods."</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4) You can spot reduce for tight abs or toned arms.</b></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">You may have crunched in vain.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">You won't see muscle definition or a <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/12/23/6pack.abs.update/index.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #004276; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">nice six-pack</a> despite how many crunches you do, because of the layer of fat resting on top of your muscles.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"Don't focus on a body part. Try to get them all," said Burron, a spokeswoman for the American Council on Exercise. "You might have beautiful triceps -- it may not be flopping all over the place. Until the fat is gone, most people wouldn't know it's there."</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">3) As long as I go to the gym 30-45 minutes, that gives me a pass to do what I want for rest of the day.</b></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The gym doesn't negate a bad diet.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Also, emerging research suggests that if you're sedentary most of the day, it may not matter how hard or often you exercise.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">People who spend more time sitting during their leisure time have an increased risk of death, regardless of daily exercise.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/06/24/sitting.shorten.life/index.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #004276; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Sitting for hours can shave years off life</a></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In a study of more than 123,000 healthy people, the American Cancer Society found that women who spent more than six hours a day sitting were 40 percent more likely to die sooner than women who sat less. Men who sat more had 20 percent increased risk of death.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2010/07/22/sit-less-live-longer/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #004276; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Essentially, those who sit less, live a longer life than those who don't.</a></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">2) No pain, no gain.</b></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"The ongoing perception is that people need to feel pain through the entirety of their workout or they're not getting the benefit -- that one's very frustrating to me," said Burron, a personal trainer. "You shouldn't be exercising at a level of pain ever."</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Feeling discomfort during a workout is OK.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"If it's so intense you're thinking of passing out, you can't continue this session for longer, then it's too difficult and you're at increased risk for injuries or burnout," Burron said.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"You want to exercise smarter, not harder," she added. "That's the premise. You don't have to kill yourself. You just have to be smart about it."</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1) Stretching will help prevent injuries.</b></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A growing number of studies challenge the entrenched assumption that stretching helps prevent injuries.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"The way we were taught to stretch, to try to touch your toes -- there's little evidence it prevents injuries," Hutchinson said.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.cfah.org/hbns/archives/viewSupportDoc.cfm?supportingDocID=484" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #004276; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">A review published in 2007</a> of 10 randomized studies about stretching after or before physical activity found that "muscle stretching does not reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness in young healthy adults."</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Static stretching is when you stay in place, bend over to touch your toes, or try to pull your ankles towards your hips.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A study presented this year at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons found that such static stretching before a run neither prevents nor causes injury.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Then a <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21659901" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #004276; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">study published this month</a> in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that static stretches that last longer than a minute could be detrimental to performance.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Athletes often swing their arms and warm up before a game. That type of dynamic stretching such as high knee jogs, walking lunges can help move your muscles through different ranges of motions.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This type of dynamic stretching is different from clutching your limbs, because it focuses on movement.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A study published in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research found professional soccer players who practiced dynamic stretching had higher range of motion than when they practiced only static stretches.</span></span></div><div class="cnnInline" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-top: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">While toe-touches and extra flexibility might be required in gymnastics or figure skating, it's irrelevant for more everyday activities like basketball or weightlifting.</span></span></div></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06366573561064716418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336694649798547236.post-66181773227914928612011-08-09T20:33:00.007-05:002011-09-11T21:01:18.528-05:00Why Makeup Makes You... Happier?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://data.whicdn.com/images/12851870/6004726739_44ab639d72_z_large.jpg?1312376748" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://data.whicdn.com/images/12851870/6004726739_44ab639d72_z_large.jpg?1312376748" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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The University of Basque Country (UPV/EHU) did a study on why people buy and use cosmetics- and found that it is usually for emotional reasons.<br />
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Vanessa Apaolaza, who was a researcher and the lead author of the study, says, "Our emotions often dictate our decisions. In our buying behaviors, we make emotional decisions and justify them rationally. These emotions are in part learned and in part instinctive."<br />
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The study found that when women used products- whether they actually worked or not- it greatly improved their "sensation of well-being gained from... reducing feelings of worry and guilt."<br />
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One factor in why the women from the study found their self-esteem and confidence boosted was "through the perception of 'caring for oneself,'" and products marketed towards that idea helped strengthen those feelings after using them.<br />
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Another idea as to why such positive feelings resulted is the need to feel sexually attractive. From an evolutionary standpoint, femininity is the most desirable feature to the opposite sex in choosing a mate- so enhancing any feminine features, including the contrast of the face (see <a href="http://houseofcyclax.blogspot.com/2010/10/why-makeup-makes-you-prettier.html">Why Makeup Makes You Prettier</a>), and therefore the use of cosmetics (and push-up bras!) are hugely beneficial.<br />
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So while you don't have to spend a lot of money on high-end products to make you a more beautiful looking person, you should invest some time every day in making yourself <i>feel</i> pretty. Even if that means taking an extra five minutes for throwing on some mascara or lipgloss before you go out the door, or slathering on some yummy-smelling lotion before bedtime. You'll look great, and even better- you'll<i> </i>feel great!<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>(study info source: <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110721095846.htm">sciencedaily.com</a>)</i></span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06366573561064716418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336694649798547236.post-11780040092405254022011-08-09T13:50:00.001-05:002011-09-12T18:50:31.955-05:00"Get Gorgeous" Herb Tea For Clear Skin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://data.whicdn.com/images/14632856/tumblr_lqtf08nawl1qe7eluo1_500_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="http://data.whicdn.com/images/14632856/tumblr_lqtf08nawl1qe7eluo1_500_large.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Tea is known for its antioxidant powers and calming effects. In ancient China, it was used for its medicinal effects, and over centuries afterwards its popularity increased and became a luxury all across the world. Different teas do different things, but can one actually make your skin look <i>better</i>?<br />
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The Republic of Tea thinks so. Their "Be Well Red Teas" have many different specialty teas including "Get Gorgeous". Here's what it says on the can:<br />
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<blockquote>"Let's get one thing clear. True beauty comes from within. But when it comes to clear skin, some of us can use a little help. So here's good news: this organic, rooibos-based, naturally caffeine-free tea blend is brimming with antioxidants- your skin's best friend. Studies show antioxidants are champions at fighting free-radicals- those pesky cells responsible for aging. Rooibos, a natural complexion calmer, is lovely on its own. When joined by soothing chamomile, the bright flavor of orange peel and a rainbow of other tasty, beneficial herbs, it's a veritable superstar. Who could ask for more in a tea? Simply brew, sip, and "get gorgeous".</blockquote><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.acne.org/images/products/img-492.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.acne.org/images/products/img-492.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div> Pick some up at <a href="http://www.republicoftea.com/product.aspx?p=V00725">Republic of Tea</a> ($10.50 for 36 tea bags).Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06366573561064716418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336694649798547236.post-66697045215014213712011-08-05T12:00:00.001-05:002011-08-05T12:00:05.616-05:006 Reasons "Friends With Benefits" Never Works<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn.inquisitr.com/wp-content/2011/07/mila-kunis-fake-butt-friends-with-benefits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="http://cdn.inquisitr.com/wp-content/2011/07/mila-kunis-fake-butt-friends-with-benefits.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;">by <cite class="vcard author" style="font-size: 11px; font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.glamour.com/contributors/caitlin-brody" style="color: #660022; text-decoration: none;" title="search site for content by Caitlin Brody">Caitlin Brody</a> via <a href="http://www.glamour.com/sex-love-life/blogs/smitten/2011/07/6-reasons-friends-with-benefit.html">Glamour</a></cite></span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 15px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"></span><br />
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.8em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Even though the movie, which hits theaters tonight, garnered major cuteness points in my book (<a href="http://www.glamour.com/about/justin-timberlake" style="color: #660022; text-decoration: none;">Justin Timberlake</a> and <a href="http://www.glamour.com/about/mila-kunis" style="color: #660022; text-decoration: none;">Mila Kunis</a> = HOT. And the many JT bum shots didn’t hurt...at all), I have trouble getting behind the whole friends-with-benefits thing. It’s just never worked for me. Here’s why:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><strong>1. I’ve found that it’s nearly impossible not to get attached.</strong>After all, a friend with benefits should be a great guy (except maybe when it comes to commitment), which is why we’re friends in the first place. But it’s easy for me to get carried away with thoughts of dates and vacations and ohmigod <a href="http://www.glamour.com/about/kate-middleton" style="color: #660022; text-decoration: none;">Kate Middleton</a> married a prince, why can’t I? I try to cut myself some slack though, because even Samantha Jones got attached every once in a while.</span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.8em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><strong>2. One word: Jealousy.</strong> “Friends” means minimal claim on a guy, so it’s possible that other chicks might come around. And I’m supposed to be OK with it, which I thought would be fine. Key word: thought.</span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.8em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><strong>3. The friendship may never be the same again.</strong> (That sentence could come with its own dramatic background music.) But it’s true: Sex complicates everything!</span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.8em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><strong>4. It’s not just the relationship between the two of you that changes</strong>, but the whole dynamic as a group of friends can change, as well. C’mon, it’s weird for everyone if you’re all PDA, but isn’t it just as weird if you’re not?</span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.8em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><strong>5. At some point, one of you will get awkward.</strong> This one, unfortunately, I’m way too familiar with.</span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.8em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><strong>6. No one is immune.</strong> Not even seemingly invincible Mila could avoid numbers one through five--and that’s reason enough for me. </span></div></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06366573561064716418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336694649798547236.post-25681428280148663542011-08-02T12:23:00.000-05:002011-08-02T12:23:00.600-05:00Love It Or Hate It: Guy's Weigh In On Summer's Hottest Fashion Trends For Women<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fefdfe; color: #535859; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">by <span class="author" style="display: inline;">Elizabeth Mitchell via <a href="http://www.thefashionspot.com/style-trends/news/167583-love-it-or-hate-it-guys-weigh-in-on-summers-hottest-fashion-trends-for-women">TheFashionSpot</a></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fefdfe; color: #535859; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;"></span><br />
<div class="publish">June 14, 2011</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fefdfe; color: #535859; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fefdfe; color: #535859; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><a href="http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/nspimages/nspimages0604/nspimages060400085/382485-awesome-threesome-6-checking-her-out.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/nspimages/nspimages0604/nspimages060400085/382485-awesome-threesome-6-checking-her-out.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fefdfe; color: #535859; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br />
By now, you’ve probably read countless <a href="http://www.thefashionspot.com/tags/trends" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #83618d; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">spring/summer trend reports</a> and could readily recite this season's most talked about fashion and beauty crazes for women off the top of your head (if someone were to actually ask). But have you ever wondered what guys really think about all this stuff? If the new man in your life seriously likes making out with a mouth full of loud lipstick? Or if that hottie you met at the bar last night even noticed your new shoes (or was far too caught up in how hot they made your legs look to care)?<br />
<br />
Well, we took it upon ourselves to find out. We asked five guys what they thought about five of this season’s hottest new trends, and what we discovered just might surprise you! But first, let’s meet the guys:<br />
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px; margin-top: 0px;"><li>Drew: a 25-year-old accountant from North Carolina and a self-proclaimed sports fanatic.</li>
<li>Kenny: a 27-year-old nightlife enthusiast and Founder/CEO of newly launched deals website, <a href="http://www.nighttap.com/" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #83618d; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Night Tap</a>.</li>
<li>Jay: a 29-year-old actor who's learned that honesty isn’t always the best policy, especially when it comes to critiquing a woman's looks.</li>
<li>Paul: a 31-year-old bail agent who openly admits to his cluelessness when it comes to fashion.</li>
<li>Rafael: a 32-year-old fashion designer and stylish store manager at <a href="http://store.robertocavalli.com/navigation.asp?tskay=5CE3DCD9#/home/mm/390/season/main/gender/D" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #83618d; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Just Cavalli</a>.</li>
</ul><br />
Now, let’s see what they had to say!<br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fefdfe; color: #535859; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><h3 style="clear: both; color: #688f93; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.2em; font-style: normal; line-height: 1.2;"><strong>1. Nautical-Inspired Fashion – love it or hate it?</strong></h3><strong><img alt="Nautical look from Madewell" class="pb_alignright" src="http://cdn.thefashionspot.com/images/tfs2010/2011/June/nautical_madewell_com.gif" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; float: right; height: 301px; margin-left: 15px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 200px;" />Drew – </strong><em>I don’t mind the nautical look, but pattern isn’t as important to me as the cut of the clothing. I do like to see more legs during the summer, so the white shorts are definitely a plus!!!</em><br />
<strong>Kenny</strong> –<em> Eh…makes me think of yuppies, but I’m not mad at white and blue.</em><br />
<strong>Rafael </strong>– <em>Whatever about it, but</em> <em>unless you are really thin the nautical look just makes you look like a boat. </em><strong> </strong><br />
<strong>The Overall Verdict? </strong>Most guys are pretty indifferent on this one. Show them a variety of nautical looks, and they’ll probably tell you something different each time. <br />
<div class="pb-Caption" style="color: #777777; font-size: 0.9em; font-style: italic; text-align: right;"><i>image: Madewell</i></div><h3 style="clear: both; color: #688f93; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.2em; font-style: normal; line-height: 1.2;"> </h3><h3 style="clear: both; color: #688f93; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.2em; font-style: normal; line-height: 1.2;"><strong>2. Flared Jeans – what’s the first thing that comes to mind?</strong></h3><strong><img alt="" class="pb_alignright" src="http://cdn.thefashionspot.com/images/tfs2010/2011/June/flare-jeans_instyle_com.gif" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; float: right; height: 282px; margin-left: 15px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 200px;" />Jay </strong>– <em>Bozo the clown in the 70s (clown pants). I’m definitely not a fan – they’re too wide, what do you need all that material for?</em><strong></strong><em>They also kind of hide a girl's figure, mainly the legs. I need to know if you have cankles! And this is a great way to hide them.</em><br />
<strong>Paul</strong> – <em>Bell bottoms are kinda not cool...</em></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fefdfe; color: #535859; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><strong>The Overall Verdict? </strong>If you want to grab a guy’s attention, flares aren’t going to cut it. Men are visual creatures and want to see what the shape of your legs <em>actually</em> look like. Their all-time favorite style on a woman? Skinny jeans!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fefdfe; color: #535859; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><strong>Drew </strong>–<strong><em> </em></strong><em>I thought JNCOs went out of style in the late 90s. I like seeing women in a more fitted look that shows off their figure, like skinny jeans.</em></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fefdfe; color: #535859; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><div class="pb-Caption" style="color: #777777; font-size: 0.9em; font-style: italic; text-align: right;">image: InStyle</div><h3 style="clear: both; color: #688f93; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.2em; font-style: normal; line-height: 1.2;"><strong><br />
</strong></h3><h3 style="clear: both; color: #688f93; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.2em; font-style: normal; line-height: 1.2;"><strong>3. Bright Lips – love it or hate it, and what do guys really think about lipstick?</strong></h3><strong><img alt="fuchsia lips" class="pb_alignright" src="http://cdn.thefashionspot.com/images/tfs2010/2011/June/bright-lips.jpg" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; float: right; height: 297px; margin-left: 15px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 200px;" />Kenny </strong>– <em>Love it. It’s hot when girls accentuate their lips. At the end of the night, I’m going to want to kiss them more. It’s a good look for party girls.</em><br />
<strong>Jay </strong>– <em>Ahhh, well it looks good on pale blondes. Then it’s hot. But if it rubs off on me, I hate it. It tastes kinda weird too!</em><br />
<strong>Rafael </strong>– <em>Used in the right way it can work…and with the right tones for your skin complexion.</em> <em>But it’s more for photo shoots and younger girls. Natural tones probably look best.</em><br />
<strong>The Overall Verdict? </strong>Some guys dig this look, others don’t. It really just depends on the girl, and whether or not you’re going to get it all over them when you’re making out later. Lip gloss is always a good alternative.<br />
<div class="pb-Caption" style="color: #777777; font-size: 0.9em; font-style: italic; text-align: right;">image: Jil Sander S/S 2011 IMAXtree</div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fefdfe; color: #535859; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><h3 style="clear: both; color: #688f93; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.2em; font-style: normal; line-height: 1.2;"><strong><br />
</strong></h3><h3 style="clear: both; color: #688f93; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.2em; font-style: normal; line-height: 1.2;"><strong>4. The Long Bob (or “Lob”) – what’s the first thing that comes to mind? </strong></h3><strong><img alt="Olivia Palermo long bob" class="pb_alignright" src="http://cdn.thefashionspot.com/images/tfs2010/2011/June/lob_glamour_com.gif" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; float: right; height: 336px; margin-left: 15px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 200px;" />Drew </strong>– <em>I’m usually a fan of longer hair, but in this case it looks good. I’m leaning towards liking it. While a pretty face seems to be essential for a bob, a “lob” is a bit more forgiving.</em><br />
<strong>Rafael </strong>– Friends<em> (the sitcom). Not sexy and very boring, girl-next-door.</em><br />
<strong>Kenny </strong>– <em>It’s very Suzy Homemaker-ish. Make a decision ladies. Go long or go short. You can’t do both. Long and free flowing hair like you just left the beach looks best.</em><br />
<strong>The Overall Verdict? </strong>Better than the bob, but still not hotter than long locks.<br />
<div class="pb-Caption" style="color: #777777; font-size: 0.9em; font-style: italic; text-align: right;">image: Olivia Palermo, Glamour.com</div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fefdfe; color: #688f93; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px;"><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fefdfe; color: #688f93; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px;"><strong><br />
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5. Flatforms – love ‘em or hate ‘em, and why?</strong></span><br />
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<strong><img alt="Prada flatform" class="pb_alignright" src="http://cdn.thefashionspot.com/images/tfs2010/2011/June/Prada%20shs%20S11%20004.jpg" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; float: right; height: 300px; margin-left: 15px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 200px;" />Paul </strong>– <em>Hate 'em. The platform looks funny. Heels are sexiest.</em><br />
<strong>Drew </strong>– <em>Not sure how I feel about them. I’m a huge fan of nice legs, which is one reason I love heels, but this look is so different from something I’ve ever seen before…</em><br />
<strong>Jay </strong>– <em>Hate 'em. They look like moon boots! A regular sexy high heel goes a long way.</em><br />
<strong>The Overall Verdict? </strong>Forget about flatforms – they aren’t going to win you style points with the boys anytime soon. And, as we suspected, dudes want to see our pretty little legs in a sexy pair of high heels (not “moon boots” as Jay called them).<br />
<div class="pb-Caption" style="color: #777777; font-size: 0.9em; font-style: italic; text-align: right;"><br />
</div><div class="pb-Caption" style="color: #777777; font-size: 0.9em; font-style: italic; text-align: right;">image: Prada flatform, IMAXtree</div><div class="pb-Caption" style="color: #777777; font-size: 0.9em; font-style: italic; text-align: right;"><br />
</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06366573561064716418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336694649798547236.post-81629606326756200282011-07-31T13:30:00.000-05:002011-07-31T13:30:01.217-05:00How To: Look Prettier in Pictures<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"></span><br />
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><i style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555;">Article from </span><a href="http://www.allure.com/?mbid=sugar" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Allure</span></a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://learnthat.com/files/2010/12/model.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://learnthat.com/files/2010/12/model.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #555555; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />
</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"Chin up" may be a good idea when it comes to facing a bad mood, but it's not the best plan when you're posing for a photograph. A new study published in the journal<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"> </span><a href="http://www.epjournal.net/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Evolutionary Psychology</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cf1900;"> </span></em></a>shows that the angle at which you hold your head may affect how you're<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555;"> </span><a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/11/24/head-tilt-makes-you-sexier-115875-22736018/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">perceived by the opposite sex</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555;">. “</span>For women, a slight downward tilt of the head simulates the view from above and is most feminine and most attractive,” Dr. Darren Burke told the <a href="http://bodyodd.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/12/03/5569978-to-look-better-in-photos-tilt-your-head-study-suggests" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">MSNBC blog The Body Odd</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555;">.</span> For men, a slight backward tilt of the head is judged as most masculine, which can make the man more attractive.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Burke, senior psychology lecturer at the University of Newcastle in Ourimbah, New South Wales, Australia, and his co-author (and wife) Dr. Danielle Sulikowski looked at how the height difference between men and women would influence whether their features were seen as masculine or feminine. They were testing a theory that evolution would have selected features in women that were most feminine when viewed from slightly above — the view men typically have of them.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Next time you post for a picture, tilt your face down slightly and then look up at the camera. Is that your most flattering angle?</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06366573561064716418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336694649798547236.post-43427201776008716192011-07-29T15:35:00.003-05:002011-07-30T06:28:08.663-05:00Tour Carrie & Big's Apartment from Sex & the City 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've already written about Carrie's place in the first SATC movie (link at bottom), but can we just talk about how fantastic her place is in the second one? I'm always inspired.. I hope they come out with more movies just to see the homes. (And clothes). I'd watch!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hiR23n7V__E/TjLQAYKF2NI/AAAAAAAAATM/drzWmiuLrGc/s1600/SATC2+Carrie+and+Big%2527s+hallway+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hiR23n7V__E/TjLQAYKF2NI/AAAAAAAAATM/drzWmiuLrGc/s400/SATC2+Carrie+and+Big%2527s+hallway+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here's a view of the apartment from the foyer. The wallpaper is <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 14px;">Oiseau in Chocolate by <a href="http://www.katieridder.com/">Katie Ridder</a> available through <a href="http://www.hollandandsherry.com/">Holland & Sherry</a> in New York. </span>Let's keep walking!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IF_ycM4d3g4/TjLQGoHkP1I/AAAAAAAAATs/ObzeWnIKIo0/s1600/sex-and-the-city-movie-set-design-04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IF_ycM4d3g4/TjLQGoHkP1I/AAAAAAAAATs/ObzeWnIKIo0/s400/sex-and-the-city-movie-set-design-04.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This little center area is just a walkway filled with bookcases and a beautiful bubble chandelier from </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lindseyadelman.com/">Lindsey Adelman</a>. Hers is hand blown glass laced with 14-kt gold foil and gold murrine. See how to make your own version <a href="http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/lighting/diy-bubble-chandeliers-by-jean-pelle-via-readymade-magazine-105960">here</a>!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E5pdlLMTrJw/TjLO3xNy1BI/AAAAAAAAASY/sMnW4wQ5MVg/s1600/6a00d8341c7dce53ef0133f14ad103970b.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E5pdlLMTrJw/TjLO3xNy1BI/AAAAAAAAASY/sMnW4wQ5MVg/s400/6a00d8341c7dce53ef0133f14ad103970b.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here's a view of their living room. How cool is that center coffee table? It's from <a href="http://www.poltronafrau.com/portal/page/portal/UI/webpages/poltronafrau/catalogue/product?p=code:PF_5394;is_finder_result:1">Poltrona Frou</a>. The two vintage armchairs are from <a href="http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/">Bergdorf Goodman</a>. The sofa that took Carrie "a year and a half" to find is from <a href="http://www.montauksofa.com/">Montauk Sofa</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0HxW2haq08Q/TjLPojE5rqI/AAAAAAAAASc/PIqxiYml_Tc/s1600/SATC2-Carrie-Big-Liivng-Room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0HxW2haq08Q/TjLPojE5rqI/AAAAAAAAASc/PIqxiYml_Tc/s400/SATC2-Carrie-Big-Liivng-Room.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here's an alternate view of the room- and a better shot of the fantastic coffee table. The books you can see there <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 14px;">include Walton Ford; Lewis Carroll; Tracey Chevelier; Sol Levitt, <em>100 Views</em>; <em>The Name of the Rose</em> by Umberto Eco; <em>The Time Traveler's Wife</em> by Audrey Niffenegger; <em>Poe & Fanny</em> by John May; <em>Voices of Time: A Life in Stories</em> by Eduardo Galeano; <em>All Yesterday's Parties: The Velvet Underground in Print 1966-71</em>; and <em>Lady Chatterley's Lover</em> by D.H. Lawrence. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TOi-t5tflXU/TjLP0mx-RFI/AAAAAAAAASk/kKHJI7Jghtc/s1600/6a00d8341c7dce53ef0133f14ad174970b.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TOi-t5tflXU/TjLP0mx-RFI/AAAAAAAAASk/kKHJI7Jghtc/s400/6a00d8341c7dce53ef0133f14ad174970b.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One more alternative view. Here you can see better the floral window treatments. The pillow you see on the chair is the Paul Smith <a href="http://www.therugcompany.info/cushions/paul-smith/birdie-blossom.htm">Birdie Blossom</a>. The blue ottoman was from a custom-made for the movie <a href="http://www.annekyyroquinn.com/">Anne Kyyro Quinn</a> piece.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A_JAf0b0-4E/TjLQFFiZ9uI/AAAAAAAAATk/Pl3_BT49NTw/s1600/SATC2-Apartment-Sitting-Area.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A_JAf0b0-4E/TjLQFFiZ9uI/AAAAAAAAATk/Pl3_BT49NTw/s400/SATC2-Apartment-Sitting-Area.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Closer look at the windows and corner "nook" area, with Art Deco club chairs. Notice there are flowers on EVERY table!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dzexp4IHif8/TjLP8RPID1I/AAAAAAAAAS0/mjCl0fMF8wU/s1600/carrie-and-bigs-kitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dzexp4IHif8/TjLP8RPID1I/AAAAAAAAAS0/mjCl0fMF8wU/s400/carrie-and-bigs-kitchen.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And of course the kitchen, where Carrie spends no time cooking! Very modern and chic.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.stylelist.com/media/2010/06/big-and-carrie-kissing-kitchen-backsplash-sex-and-the-city-2-590ls060210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.stylelist.com/media/2010/06/big-and-carrie-kissing-kitchen-backsplash-sex-and-the-city-2-590ls060210.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here is a closer look at the walls over the counter in the kitchen. These are custom-made silver tiles from <a href="http://www.heathceramics.com/go/heath/">Heath Ceramics</a> in Sausalito, California. "One of the few mid-century American potteries still in existence," says the set designer.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8b703QbJwg0/TjLQDjDY9qI/AAAAAAAAATc/JsM03JeHgN4/s1600/SATC2-Apartment-Dining-Room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8b703QbJwg0/TjLQDjDY9qI/AAAAAAAAATc/JsM03JeHgN4/s400/SATC2-Apartment-Dining-Room.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Take a step back from the kitchen and you have the formal dining room. The fabric on the chairs is "Belgravia" from <a href="http://www.leejofa.com/">Lee Jofa</a>. And the table is a French 1940s mahogany piece from <a href="http://www.alanmossny.com/store/furniture_search.php?FRID=ammZaGpik5fH">Alan Moss Studios</a> in Manhattan. The chandelier is fabulous, it's from <a href="http://propertyfurniture.com/">Property</a> and is made up of oxidized metal discs. I think that's my favorite piece in this room. The lighted bookshelves in the background are fun too.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SRv3OYpPeR0/TjLP5dtxoEI/AAAAAAAAASo/Qm37FG7nqX8/s1600/6a00d8341c7dce53ef01348471f82f970c.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SRv3OYpPeR0/TjLP5dtxoEI/AAAAAAAAASo/Qm37FG7nqX8/s400/6a00d8341c7dce53ef01348471f82f970c.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Moving on to the bedroom. Still more floor-to-ceiling curtains and beautiful rugs. All rugs in Carrie and Big's apartment come from <a href="http://www.therugcompany.info/index.htm">The Rug Company</a>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XBj3GghYvnQ/TjLQHV-AhTI/AAAAAAAAATw/micFPtkkj8Y/s1600/sex-and-the-city-movie-set-design-05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XBj3GghYvnQ/TjLQHV-AhTI/AAAAAAAAATw/micFPtkkj8Y/s400/sex-and-the-city-movie-set-design-05.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A shot of their bed- with a cool modern headboard in <a href="http://search.kravet.com/CoverInformation.aspx?SKU=29868.81&Catalog=400">Velvet Gate Tuxedo</a> from <a href="http://www.kravet.com/">Kravet</a> and of course, lots of pillows with bedding from <a href="http://www.anichini.com/">Anichini</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Euv1wU4puvk/TjLP7YKwqmI/AAAAAAAAASw/j9-knMPWE_s/s1600/carrie-and-bigs-bedroom-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Euv1wU4puvk/TjLP7YKwqmI/AAAAAAAAASw/j9-knMPWE_s/s400/carrie-and-bigs-bedroom-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The other side of the bed- where there's a fold out desk that becomes the TV's stand. This is Thomas O'Brien's "Hallings Secretary". The chair is also from Alan Moss, and the wall paper is Rococo Strip by <a href="http://www.cole-and-son.com/home.asp">Cole & Son</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dym3u_0_s2c/TjLQC-fGYZI/AAAAAAAAATY/2e-LggvNteU/s1600/SATC2-Apartment-Closet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dym3u_0_s2c/TjLQC-fGYZI/AAAAAAAAATY/2e-LggvNteU/s400/SATC2-Apartment-Closet.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Of course, the best part of all is going to be Carrie's closet. Much like the duo-toned cabinets in the kitchen, the woodwork here sets a his-and-her theme, with Carrie's on the right and Big's on the left.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aPqRG3GZiPg/TjLP_7GKxqI/AAAAAAAAATI/KMUMgKBQxoU/s1600/SATC2+Carrie+and+Big%2527s+dressing+room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aPqRG3GZiPg/TjLP_7GKxqI/AAAAAAAAATI/KMUMgKBQxoU/s400/SATC2+Carrie+and+Big%2527s+dressing+room.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Carrie in her closet, getting ready. Let's take a look at that shoe set up..</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GpakJrb7r9s/TjLP6hB1fxI/AAAAAAAAASs/RSSoxZJvX9A/s1600/6a00d8341c7dce53ef01348471f85b970c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GpakJrb7r9s/TjLP6hB1fxI/AAAAAAAAASs/RSSoxZJvX9A/s400/6a00d8341c7dce53ef01348471f85b970c.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Be-a-u-tiful. The shoes in here include styles from Brian Atwood, Charlotte Olympia, Patricia Field (the SATC costume designer), Giuseppe Zanotti, Christian Louboutin, and of course Carrie's favorite- Manolo Blahnik.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://hookedonhouses.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Carries-closet-SatC-2-2-611x343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://hookedonhouses.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Carries-closet-SatC-2-2-611x343.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Alternate view of the closet and a peak at some of Carrie's purses.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6i8747mM9JE/TjLP-Oj2IWI/AAAAAAAAAS8/kPSuSEMLpYk/s1600/SATC2+Carrie+and+Big%2527s+bathroom+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6i8747mM9JE/TjLP-Oj2IWI/AAAAAAAAAS8/kPSuSEMLpYk/s400/SATC2+Carrie+and+Big%2527s+bathroom+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Zoom in to the back side of the closet and you get a glimpse of the bathroom..</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wtxBUydWGOY/TjLP-3AWK4I/AAAAAAAAATA/aZmlZS72Rbc/s1600/SATC2+Carrie+and+Big%2527s+bathroom.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wtxBUydWGOY/TjLP-3AWK4I/AAAAAAAAATA/aZmlZS72Rbc/s400/SATC2+Carrie+and+Big%2527s+bathroom.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">With more flowers, makeup brushes and perfumes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Their apartment is to DIE for. But I wouldn't expect anything less from Ms. Bradshaw :) Check out the post I did on Carrie's apartment makeover from the first movie <a href="http://houseofcyclax.blogspot.com/2010/10/im-loving-carrie-bradshaws-apartment.html">here</a>.</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06366573561064716418noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336694649798547236.post-44422019285227783312011-07-29T09:59:00.001-05:002011-07-29T10:02:46.411-05:00How To Pop A Pimple.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.acnecream.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/how-to-pop-pimple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.acnecream.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/how-to-pop-pimple.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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I'm going to begin this post by stating the obvious: don't pop pimples. You've heard it, I've heard it, that's the best advice they've got and still- that big date is coming up and you say- screw what's better for my skin, I want to look good. Understandable!<br />
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Let's first talk about why they recommend you leave it alone. The first reason given for why you shouldn't pop it is because it has the potential to cause scarring. This is more true of certain skin types than others. For example, darker tones and people with severe acne. My husband is pretty fair skinned and this is no motivation for him to stop- he says "I've never gotten a scar before, so that doesn't mean much to me." While some could argue that what he's saying is naive, it's also the mentality of most people who haven't experienced scarring. It's not much a concern!<br />
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So what else? Here's one thing that's guaranteed to happen: you're squeezing out a good amount of debris from the pimple, but what you don't realize is, you're not getting it all out. Ever. Think of it like a tube of toothpaste. If you squeeze from the middle, a lot comes out. But the stuff at the bottom doesn't. In fact, when you do this on your face, you are forcing much of the infection deeper down into your skin. This causes potential for worsening the pimple.. which is certainly not something you want. Even in the off chance that it doesn't worsen, it will take longer to completely heal up and go away- because you have caused your body a lot of trouble by interfering with its healing process.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://zitpopping.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/zit-anatomy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://zitpopping.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/zit-anatomy.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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See the illustration above to see what I mean: there is no way you can get in your skin deep enough to squeeze everything out from the bottom, where the hair follicle is. Most likely you will get a lot of the surface, forcing everything else deeper below.<br />
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So that's why you don't want to do it. Is that going to stop you? Maybe not. So if you must, you must. But take precautions and do it the right way.<br />
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The first step in popping a pimple properly is to make sure your hands and face are clean. Remember how you drive the infection deeper into your skin by forcing some out? The part of the pore that's open will get infested with whatever bacteria is left on your hands, fingernails, and face- one of the reasons a pimple can get worse after popping, or God forbid- spreading the infection causing more breakouts. Prevent this by being clean. Otherwise, <i>don't touch your face!</i><br />
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Next, disinfect a needle or pin with rubbing alcohol. Gently prick the pimple's surface and cover your fingers with some tissue, and squeeze on the sides. (See pic below). If it is ready, the debris will come out easily, if it is not- do not force it. That is key in popping pimples the right way: only do it when it can be done without too much force. You have a much higher risk of damaging skin tissue by using too much force. This will most certainly take longer to heal up, and the main culprit in scarring.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT1NYKFGnTPlHCNgG-Cj29w28QPulKWW7wQ8-mRgxHIyIfMdBPe3RY9YeBwXBjIRyU9xO9yP7ybnURruJyrejcdOT8SSaFKnhgn9U1bLteE7Zq4ZUkakZSWhyphenhyphenUdCYqNYEwR7uDo7l6XbI/s320/squeezingpimple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT1NYKFGnTPlHCNgG-Cj29w28QPulKWW7wQ8-mRgxHIyIfMdBPe3RY9YeBwXBjIRyU9xO9yP7ybnURruJyrejcdOT8SSaFKnhgn9U1bLteE7Zq4ZUkakZSWhyphenhyphenUdCYqNYEwR7uDo7l6XbI/s320/squeezingpimple.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Afterwards, treat the popped pimple with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Clean-Clear-Advantage-Popped-0-06-Pound/dp/B004D2DQ9I">Clearsil's Popped Pimple Relief Pen</a>.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06366573561064716418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336694649798547236.post-43253629158251999682011-07-28T16:11:00.000-05:002011-07-28T15:14:09.565-05:00DIY French Braid Side Bun<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://shannoneileenblog.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a5c8d9a9970c014e60e714eb970c-400wi" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://shannoneileenblog.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a5c8d9a9970c014e60e714eb970c-400wi" width="340" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">(photo via LoveMaegan.com)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span></div><a href="http://www.lovemaegan.com/2011/04/pretty-side-french-braid-low-updo-hair.html">Maegan</a> has lots of helpful pictures and a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3ln1dyitFA&feature=player_embedded#at=347">video</a> to help teach you how to do it yourself! I was so excited to find this... I tried it out myself and it looks great!Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06366573561064716418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336694649798547236.post-10754883042250310932011-07-27T09:49:00.000-05:002011-07-27T09:49:20.189-05:00Product Review: Bliss No 'Zit' Sherlock Purifying Cleanser + Toner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://slimages.macys.com/is/image/MCY/products/4/optimized/775074_fpx.tif?bgc=255,255,255&wid=327&qlt=90,0&layer=comp&op_sharpen=0&resMode=bicub&op_usm=0.7,1.0,0.5,0&fmt=jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://slimages.macys.com/is/image/MCY/products/4/optimized/775074_fpx.tif?bgc=255,255,255&wid=327&qlt=90,0&layer=comp&op_sharpen=0&resMode=bicub&op_usm=0.7,1.0,0.5,0&fmt=jpeg" width="261" /></a></div><br />
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Have you heard of the <a href="http://www.blissworld.com/spa.aspx">Bliss Spas</a>? A favorite high-end spa of the stars, Bliss has locations in New York, LA, and Hollywood- to name a few. Bliss' facials are notorious for making the celebs glow before big events, and you can often open up a magazine to find someone else raving about them.<br />
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Not only are their spas luxurious, but so are their products. Bliss sells their own line of skincare available at your nearest Sephora or Ulta, and product junkies across the country agree- it's some of the best stuff you can get your hands on.<br />
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Naturally, I was super excited to try some of their products, as I had heard great things about it. I don't usually get many breakouts, but my face had started acting up within the last few weeks, and I had recently purchased "<a href="http://www.blissworld.com/skincare/shop-bliss-products/no-zit-sherlock/bliss-no-zit-sherlock-purifying-cleansertoner.aspx">No 'Zit' Sherlock</a>", so this was a good time to give it a try.<br />
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The smell initially was a bit medicinal- kind of like Vick's Vapo-Rub or a Hall's Cough Drop, mixed with some citrus-y scent. To be honest, I was a bit put off at first, but it wasn't unbearable.<br />
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The cleanser lathers up nicely and worked beautifully with my Clarisonic. My skin is a little bit on the dry side, and the cleanser-and-toner aspect didn't but it a bit. I always added some moisturizer after so my skin didn't feel to "tight" after washing, but I think it would really balance out oily skin quite well.<br />
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As far as breakouts were concerned, I was pleasantly surprised that after washing before bed, I woke up with my blemishes completely deflated and nearly half their size and redness. It only took a couple of days before they were completely gone, and regular upkeep has kept them away.<br />
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Overall I am very satisfied with this product, and highly recommend it!Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06366573561064716418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336694649798547236.post-84613988584579439362011-07-25T09:07:00.000-05:002011-07-25T09:07:03.872-05:00Steal Skincare Tips from Megan Fox<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.troyjensen.com/blog/images/megan-fox-troy-jensen-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://www.troyjensen.com/blog/images/megan-fox-troy-jensen-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Megan Fox is notorious for looking flawless, but her skin in the past has been anything but! She struggles from acne scars, enlarged pores, and breakouts. Being under the spotlight has caused Megan to be obsessed with skincare- and it shows. She uses makeup to hide any imperfections, but she has an extensive routine to keep that face glowing and healthy.<br />
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Let's be realistic here. I'm not going to claim Megan uses things you can find in your kitchen when she can afford the top skincare experts in the country. In fact, Megan has her own personal esthetician that visits her three or four times a week, in the comfort of her own home. She also treats herself to frequent spa visits and facials- a favorite being <a href="http://www.sonyadakarskinclinic.com/pages/Diamond-Peel.html">Sonya Dakar's Diamond Peel Treatment</a> running $725 a session. But that doesn't mean she doesn't have an array of products that are available to the rest of us!<br />
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Megan has been seen picking up the <a href="http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml;jsessionid=XXAAXM1ZFBTLOCV0KRRQX0Q?id=P259803&_requestid=88348">Bliss Pore-fector Gadget Kit </a> at the Bliss Spa. The kit includes Bliss's Detoxifying Facial Toner, and Steep-Clean 15-Minute Facial Mask, as well as an ultra-sonic spatula (which I wrote about <a href="http://houseofcyclax.blogspot.com/2011/06/cleaning-your-pores.html">here</a>) that extracts blackheads and whiteheads.<br />
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She has also spoken a lot about using organic and all-natural products, including the <a href="http://cdn.eminenceorganics.com/Beyond-Organic_c_22.html">Eminence Organic Biodynamic Skincare Line</a>.<br />
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For moisture and sun protection, Megan loves <a href="http://mindiwaltersskincare.com/products.html">Mindi Walters Vitamin C Complex with SPF 15</a>. She is quoted on the site saying, "this is the only product with SPF that does not irritate my skin, I absolutely LOVE it!"<br />
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Another favorite is <a href="http://www.lauramercier.com/store/shop/FLAWLESS-extras_Secret-Brightening-Powder_prod220023">Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder</a>, known to brighten up dull complexion and keep skin looking refreshed and healthy.<br />
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Along with organic skincare products, Megan is very into healthy eating such as organic fruits and vegetables to boost antioxidants and fight damage from free-radicals in the environment.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06366573561064716418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336694649798547236.post-32432715086121526722011-07-24T11:28:00.002-05:002011-07-24T16:10:55.944-05:00How To: Make Your Manicure Last Longer!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cosmeticsclub.tk/img/girls/nails/h/368.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="http://cosmeticsclub.tk/img/girls/nails/h/368.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b><br />
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<b>1. Keep your nails short. </b>Nail polish chips faster on longer nails. Because natural nails are flexible, the longer the nail, the more bendable they are. This puts stress on your polish and makes it prone to chipping.<br />
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<b>2. Wait until each coat is fully dry. </b>Just because your nail polish is dry enough to not smudge when you touch it, does not mean it is dry. Adding another coat on top of polish that isn't fully dry makes it exponentially more prone to smudging. It takes 2 hours or more for one coat to be complete.<br />
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<b>3. Apply a top coat the next day. </b>You don't want to layer on too much nail polish, but one top coat will only do so much. By adding another one the next day, whether you went to a salon or did it yourself, will even further protect the color.<br />
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<b>4. Choose a lighter color. </b>Because darker colors are more pigmented, it doesn't stick as well to the nail as lighter colors do. You have better staying power with a lighter polish.<br />
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<b>5. Rough up your nails. </b>Nail polish doesn't bond to smooth nails as well as it does to rougher ones. Lightly file the top of the nail to rough up the surface a little.. after a coat or two of polish, you won't be able to tell that they're not perfectly smooth, and your color will stay much longer.<br />
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<b>6. Push back your cuticles.</b> Polish doesn't stick well to the skin, so any excess cuticle on the nail is going to allow your polish to peel faster. Chanel's top manicure expert Tom Bachik suggests pushing back your cuticle in the shower to avoid cutting your cuticle later (which still works, but is more dangerous if you were to cut too much off). "Put a little conditioner on a wash rag, and simply push back your cuticle while your skin's nice and soft."<br />
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<b>7. Don't soak your nails. </b>Your nails absorb a lot of of water, and temporarily expand them. Then you put your polish on top, and once the water evaporates out, they shrink down to size and cause tiny breaking points that stress the polish. They'll look nice for a few days but be prone to chipping.<br />
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<b>8. Bring your own polish.</b> Salons are known to add thinners to their nail polishes to make them last longer. This weakens the chemicals that make the polish stay on, and you're better off bringing your own in.<br />
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<b>9. Don't layer on the color.</b> "One of the things about darker polish," says Bachik, "is that it actually has a higher pigment content, so if you add more layers.. it will end up with a tendency to peel."<br />
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<b>10. Use acetone nail polish remover.</b> Bachik says: "the acetone [removers] are much more effective. They break up the color, and they evaporate off the skin very quickly, so they're not on your for a long period of time." Even if you don't have nail polish on, swipe some on your nails to remove the oils that will inhibit the polish from sticking as well to the nail.<br />
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<b>11. Don't use cheap polish.</b> The chemistry in cheaper polishes make them weaker and not last as long. Brands like Essie and OPI have beautiful colors and are worth the money!<br />
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<b>12. Use a base coat. </b>Base coats and top coats are meant to do different things. A 2-in-1 product seems to be the smarter and cheaper option, but it isn't effective. Bachik explains, "Topcoats and basecoats are engineered to do such different things. A basecoat works like double-stick tape, attatching well to both the nail bed and the color. A toppcoat sticks well to only polish- but has a much harder density."Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06366573561064716418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336694649798547236.post-92213619873396425222011-07-21T10:47:00.004-05:002011-07-21T10:55:02.212-05:00Get A Full-Body Makeover- For Less!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #585757; font-family: 'trebuchet MS', Georgia, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"></span><br />
<div class="article-head"><h2 class="size14 normal m0 pad0" style="font-family: Georgia, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; margin-bottom: 1px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="newlook newpaginationlook" id="ctl13_lblSubTitle" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">24 Head-to-Toe Bargain Beauty Tips</span></h2><h2 class="size14 normal m0 pad0" style="font-family: Georgia, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; margin-bottom: 1px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"> By Rachel Fischer Spalding, via <a href="http://www.lifescript.com/Body/Style/Your-Look/Get_a_Full-Body_Makeover_for_Less.aspx">Lifescript</a></span></h2></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b></b></span><br />
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</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b><a href="http://pics.hollywoodrag.com/gallery3/images/full_Victoria_Secret_backst1_medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="http://pics.hollywoodrag.com/gallery3/images/full_Victoria_Secret_backst1_medium.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: 800; line-height: 22px;"><br />
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1) Seriously, use that sunscreen! </i></b>Don’t take our word for it – ask the experts. “If you had to pick just one product to make yourself more beautiful, it would be sunscreen,” says Beverly Hills dermatologist Debra Luftman, M.D., author of <em>The Beauty Prescription </em>(McGraw-Hill, 2008).</span><br />
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Look for a broad spectrum lotion with at least SPF 15, Luftman says. “I like the chemical-free kind with ingredients like zinc and titanium – it doesn’t need to be expensive.”</span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b><i>2) Good skin comes in threes. </i></b>You don’t need a ton of expensive lotions and potions. You really only need three, Luftman says:<i> </i>“A light exfoliant like a glycolic acid, an SPF that can go in your moisturizer, and in the evening, something therapeutic such as salicylic acid or Retinol to correct skin.”</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">No need to shell out the big bucks either; drugstore brands are fine, Luftman says.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b><i>3)</i></b><b> <i>Toss “vintage” makeup. </i></b>You may think you’re saving money by keeping makeup until it runs out, but you’re actually lathering bacteria on your skin, Luftman says. Her recommendation: Dump it after six months.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b><i>4) Get glowy from the grocer. </i></b>Some of the best skin treatments are found in health-food and grocery stores, says Los Angeles facialist Toni Ponzo.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">“Jojoba [oil] is amazing to lubricate wrinkles,” Ponzo says. She also likes paprika, “a natural antioxidant that will create a natural flush and glow” on skin, and avocado oil, which “can be applied directly to the eye area like an eye cream, and it doesn’t have chemicals in it.”</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b><i>5) A DIY facial </i></b>Ponzo recommends this do-it-yourself scrub: Start with dead-sea salt from a natural health store and mix it with your regular cleanser. Then do a plain-yogurt facial applied on your skin for 15 minutes. Yogurt, which has lactic acid, breaks down dead tissue.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b><i>6)</i></b><b> <i>Laxative for your face? </i></b>Facial steaming helps remove impurities from your skin. For a twist, try Ponzo’s at-home secret. “I use this herbal laxative called Swiss Kriss. It comes in flake form so you just add them to hot water and place your face over a steaming bowl.” Swiss Kriss is available at Vitacost.com, iHerb.com and other online health retailers.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b><i>7)</i></b><b> <i>Splurge for beautiful brows. </i></b>You can easily tweeze your eyebrows at home. But see a professional once in a while, just to get the shape started, advises style expert Christopher Hopkins, author of <i>Staging Your Comeback: A Beauty Revival Guide</i> (HCI), a makeover book for women over 45. “Many people just tweeze stray hairs here and there without learning how to create the perfect arch for their face shape,” Hopkins says. A professional gives you a blueprint to follow.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b>Nail It</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Many women pride themselves on finding the cheapest manis and pedis. Yet in these recessionary times, even that can be an unaffordable indulgence. Keep your nails looking their best with these tips from celebrity manicurist Debbie Leavitt.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b><i>8) SOS for cut-rate cuticles. </i></b>Cuticles keep your nail bed protected from germs and bacteria. For an at-home cuticle fix-it, Leavitt suggests using an orangewood stick with tissue or cotton wrapped at the tip. “I never recommend actually cutting the cuticle off.”</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">First, soak your cuticles, then gently push them back with cuticle softener around the base of your nail, “sort of scooping around to remove the dead skin,” Leavitt says. Nip off any loose ends that have come up. Gently trim any hangnails.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b><i>9) Hydrate with olive oil. </i></b>Pricey products aren’t needed to moisturize your nails – a trip to the supermarket will do. “Olive oil is the best to hydrate the skin and nails,” Leavitt says. Simply massage it into the cuticles and your hands. You can also create a scrub – just add a couple tablespoons of sugar to the oil.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b><i>10)</i> </b><b><i>Bag ‘em, lady. </i></b>Apply a thick coat of your favorite moisturizer, place your hand in plastic bags, and wrap with a hot towel. Relax for a few minutes and remove the bag.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b><i>11)</i></b><b> <i>Buff up. </i></b>Winter’s chilly temps make it hard to keep nails peel-free. To fix, buff the problem areas carefully using a nail file with a fine grit. Also, keep your nails shorter − it’ll help prevent peeling.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b><i>12)</i></b><b> <i>The paraffin principle. </i></b>Regular, at-home maintenance can only do so much. A paraffin treatment at a salon will soften skin and improve the appearance of aging hands, Leavitt says. One treatment can last the entire season.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Making tiny tweaks to your beauty routine will boost your confidence. “Let me tell you, you don’t have to have lots of money to look amazing,” Hopkins says.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><strong>A Hair Change </strong>Ready for a more drastic change? You’re not alone. In the first half of the year, “clients often request new cuts,” says celebrity hairstylist Mitch Stone of the Cloutier Agency in Los Angeles, whose clients have included Kim Basinger, Kristin Davis and Kyra Sedgwick.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><strong>13) <em>Go glam with a trendy ‘do. </em></strong>Getting rid of length can be refreshing, Stone says. What do you have to lose? “You don’t like it, you’ll grow it… but at least you won’t be bored.”<br />
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Hollywood’s hottest look is the retro, above-the-shoulders bob, as seen on Katie Holmes. But before you do anything, show your stylist a picture of a cut you’re eyeing and discuss how it can be adapted to suit your features.<br />
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<b><em>14) Put some bang in your hair. </em></b>Not ready for a bob? Cut your front layers into a face-framing fringe and you’ll have a whole new look! Bangs are a great refresher and take off 10 years, says Stone, whose styling work has been seen in magazines such as Vogue. They’re also cheaper than a whole new cut and style.<div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;">But “be careful of the short bangs rock stars and movie stars are wearing,” Stone says. “Not everybody can get away with it.” </div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"><b><i>15)</i> </b><b><i>Color for the commitment-phobe. </i></b>If a new cut scares you, go for color. Most cost-effective is a color wash or glaze – a one-time treatment that will boost your current color and add shine. To make more of a statement, though, consider switching shades.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;">“Go a little blonder now to beat the winter drab,” Stone says. “It’s a change that adds some spring to your step.”</div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"><b><i>16)</i> </b><b><i>Go back to school. </i></b>If a professional stylist or colorist is too expensive, visit a well-known beauty school instead. More affordable than a salon, beauty schools offer many of the same services and students are carefully supervised by pros. Also, training academies like Paul Mitchell − The School in Los Angeles offer slashed price tags on updos for that big wedding or event.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"><b>Style It! </b>Believe it or not, bad economic times bring out the inner beauty goddess in many women, says style expert Hopkins.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;">“In an economic crisis, the one thing you can control is how you look,” says Hopkins, whose work has been featured on HGTV and <i>The Oprah Winfrey Show</i>. We still care about our appearance even if we don’t have spare cash, which is why sales of lipstick (relatively cheap) go up in a recession.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;">“You can look updated on a budget,” Hopkins says. “You just have to get down to basics.”</div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"><b><i>17) It’s a cinch. </i></b>Instead of trying to fill your closet with trendy items, update last year’s classics with a few accessories, such as gloves, a belt or bag.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;">“Find one new accessory that’s fabulous and current, such as a cinch belt,” Hopkins says. It will nip in your long winter sweaters at the waist and go with anything.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;">Stay current by buying those accessories in the season’s hottest shades. Hopkins’ favorite shades right now: winter white and purple.</div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"><b><i>18) Go for arm candy. </i></b>If your budget allows just one accessory, splurge on a handbag, not shoes, Hopkins says. People will always notice a purse first.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;">“A mid-priced bag in alligator or patent leather with chain detailing” will look classy all season. But avoid those oversized hobo bags favored by celebrities – they add bulk to your figure.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"><b><i>19) The return of retro. </i></b>Keep your credit card in your wallet and shop in your mother’s closet. What’s costume jewelry junk to her may be couture gold to you, especially with the return of the “statement necklace” − a large, obvious bauble worn over a simple outfit or layered with other necklaces.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;">“It can be made of anything from turquoise to bone, as long as it looks artistic,” Hopkins says. He advises hitting up the neighborhood Goodwill or vintage store for antique, eye-catching necklaces.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"><b><i>20)</i></b><b> <i>Rent your style. </i></b>The Web site Avelle, formerly known as Bag, Borrow or Steal, lets you “borrow” pricey handbags, jewelry, sunglasses and accessories for a fee. Starting at $10 per month, you can sport a new Gucci, Prada or Coach tote. When you’re sick of it, trade it in for another!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;">The site earned instant fame after its mention in the <i>Sex and the City</i> movie.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;">“People are looking for new ways to shop,” says Becky Gebhardt, Avelle’s vice president of creative. “Renting gives access to luxury without the large expense of ownership.”</div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"><b><i>21) Send your shoes to rehab. </i></b>Don’t run out to replace your favorite boots – you just may need to show them a little love. A good shoe repair place can work wonders: new heels, strap repair, scuff removal and more. Fixes can run as little as $6, depending on the damage.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"><b><i>22) Troll for sales no more. </i></b>Clothing sales are everywhere, but how do you find what you want? Shop It to Me (shopittome.com) does the work for you. The site scours department store and retail Web sites for sales. Simply fill out a free profile with the clothing brands you like (such as Laundry, French Connection, Banana Republic, INC and more), and the site will email you an alert when those items go on sale. You save time<i>and</i> money!<i></i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"><b><i>23) Support your girls. </i></b>Make the clothes you own look better by investing in proper foundation garments – bras, panties and shapewear. Go to a department store or lingerie shop to get your measurements taken properly, Hopkins says. (You don’t have to purchase anything.)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;">“The right-sized bra and shapewear – which most women don’t have – will make you look like you’ve had lipo.”</div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 10px;"><b><i>24) Give your jewelry a dazzling dip. </i></b>A recession doesn’t stop birthdays or anniversaries. When buying new jewelry is impossible, here’s a cheap alternative: rhodium dipping. Rhodium is a precious metal used to create white gold and to brighten up platinum. So turn your yellow gold into dazzling white gold with a relatively inexpensive ($50 and up) rhodium dip. It’ll look like a new piece of jewelry.</div></span></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06366573561064716418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336694649798547236.post-63920204473003457752011-07-11T14:22:00.001-05:002011-07-26T13:53:31.749-05:0010 Ways To Wake Up Beautiful<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.wakeupeasily.com/how-to-wake-up-early.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://www.wakeupeasily.com/how-to-wake-up-early.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="post-header" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="post-header-line-1"></div></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-7758445406974249622" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 466px;"><div class="figure fig-right" style="width: 175px;"><div class="legend">Time Inc. Digital Studio</div><div class="legend"><br />
</div></div><strong>1. Get an Early Start</strong><br />
Make a habit of washing your face a few hours before bed. If you wait until you're tired, you're more likely to blow it off -- allowing "toxins and dirt to stay on there all night," says dermatologist Laurie Polis of N.Y.C. Another consequence? You miss the best time to treat your skin. "At night there's more blood flow to the skin's surface, and there's nothing else on your face to interfere with absorption," Polis says.<br />
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<strong>Try:</strong> Neutrogena Deep Clean Relaxing nightly cleanser, $7; at drugstores.<br />
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<strong>2. Sleep on Your Back</strong><br />
Note to Audrey Hepburn fans: Lying on your stomach is bad for "beauty sleep." The average head weighs 7 to 8 pounds -- a lot of pressure to be putting on your face every night. In fact, many dermatologists say they can tell what side of the face people sleep on by the number of wrinkles there.<br />
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<strong>3. Get a Lift</strong><br />
Sleep with your head elevated on two pillows, or put the headrest area of your bed on 2- to 4-inch pieces of wood. Gravity helps lymph and blood flow so fluid won't accumulate, Polis says.<br />
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4. Save Money, Not Wrinkles</strong><br />
At night you don't need to worry about eye treatments smearing your makeup, so slather on the richest formula you can. Polis swears by Aquaphor: "It conditions lashes and hydrates the delicate eye skin really well."<br />
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<strong>Try:</strong> Aquaphor Healing ointment, $9; <a href="http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/_ylt=Aigii7QGIpPejmdAjJ82421pbqU5/SIG=10ubdctoa/**http%3A//www.drugstore.com/" rel="nofollow" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">drugstore.com</a>.<br />
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<strong>5. Sneak a Glow</strong><br />
Mix a drop of self-tanner into your night cream or use a cream that contains a bit of tan-producing DHA.<br />
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<strong>Try:</strong> Clarins Radiance-Plus self-tanning cream, $52; <a href="http://clarinsusa.com/" rel="nofollow" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">clarinsusa.com</a>.<br />
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<strong>6. Avoid Carb Face</strong><br />
To wake with defined cheekbones, eat a high-protein, low-sugar dinner (try salmon and asparagus, a natural diuretic). Skip the rice, pasta and potatoes. "When our diet's high in glycemic carbohydrates, our features take on a soft, doughy appearance," says Connecticut dermatologist Nicholas Perricone.<br />
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<strong>7. Wrap It Up</strong><br />
To minimize A.M. frizz, sleep on a satin pillowcase or put your hair in a silk scarf. "Those fabrics are much softer than cotton, so there's less friction," says Harry Josh, a John Frieda stylist.<br />
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<strong>8. Find Your Inner Ballerina</strong><br />
Pile hair into a twist on the top of your head (use a scrunchie to avoid crimping). "In the morning you'll have major volume and beautiful waves," Josh says.<br />
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<strong>9. Turn on the Hair Conditioning</strong><br />
Sleep with a moisturizing treatment in damp hair overnight. We like Philip B. Katira Hair Masque, but any rich conditioner will do. Rinse in the morning.<br />
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<strong>Try:</strong> Philip B. Katira Hair Masque, $40; <a href="http://philipb.com/" rel="nofollow" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">philipb.com</a>.<br />
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<strong>10. Pop a Rooster Pill</strong><br />
Trust us, we were skeptical. But after swallowing two Wake Up on Time pills at 11 P.M., we found it much easier to get out of bed seven hours later. Created by a sleep-deprived single mother, the pills contain an energizing blend of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamins B6 and B12 and guarana-seed extract. It's formulated with a coating that releases ingredients into your bloodstream toward the end of your last sleep cycle, so you wake up feeling clear-headed, not fuzzy.<br />
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<strong>Try:</strong> Wake Up On Time, $30/40 tablets; <a href="http://wakeupontime.com/" rel="nofollow" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">wakeupontime.com</a>.</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06366573561064716418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336694649798547236.post-26628206673247859962011-06-23T12:41:00.002-05:002011-06-24T12:38:36.266-05:00Cleaning Your Pores.Clogged pores are whiteheads, and when they get oxygenated, they become blackheads. Either way they're annoying, and you don't want them on your face. Here's a guide for ways to get rid of them!<br />
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</div><div><b>How do they happen?</b></div><div>Your pores are constantly omitting sebum, the oils on your face. Optimally, the pores stay open and the oil spreads across the skin, serving as a natural moisturizer for your face. Often times the pores get clogged with dirt and grime from the day, makeup, and dead skin cells that attach to the sebum and make a sticky consistency that stays in your pore instead of leaving. This often is more frequent in oily skin types, and people who do not exfoliate their skin.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>What are my options?</b></div><div>There are many ways to clean your clogged pores, and I'll discuss your options:</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.acne.org/images/products/biore-pore-strips-large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.acne.org/images/products/biore-pore-strips-large.jpg" /></a></div><div><u><b><br />
</b></u></div><div><u><b>Biore Strips: </b></u> This is the most commonly used way to get rid of blackheads. It's easy and for the most part painless- it feels kind of like ripping off a band-aid. I think it's slightly better. It's like a paper-mache type strip that you apply to your face and let dry, and claims to take the blackheads and whiteheads with it. My personal opinion is that this option is the most inferior way to clear your clogged pores, as it never does it as thoroughly as the other options do. One pro is that it is the only option that doesn't leave your skin red for the rest of the day (unless you have sensitive skin, and then it might). If you want the quickest, easiest option, this is it. If you want something really get everything out, this isn't for you. Cost: Under $10 (per box)</div><div><br />
</div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.kaboodle.com/hi/img/b/0/0/6f/b/AAAAC4rAZ4YAAAAAAG-4DQ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.kaboodle.com/hi/img/b/0/0/6f/b/AAAAC4rAZ4YAAAAAAG-4DQ.jpg" /></a></div><b><u><br />
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<div><b><u>Blackhead Remover:</u> </b>Also known sometimes as a "blackhead extractor", "skin clearing lancet". It's a little metal tool with double-ended loops that you press on your skin and the comedones pop out. The ouch factor is the most of all your options, however it is the cheapest and extremely effective. I've never had a problem getting out a blackhead or whitehead with this tool. It doesn't hurt, but it is definitely uncomfortable, and I find that it is worth the discomfort for the clear skin. It's a one time buy since it is stainless steel and easy to clean. Cost: About $10</div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTApj36FZB1p6DyC64DMA5WkEGqXPO4TLX-VQ4Zpn97JrY-O4_p" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTApj36FZB1p6DyC64DMA5WkEGqXPO4TLX-VQ4Zpn97JrY-O4_p" /></a></div><div><u style="font-weight: bold;">Ultrasonic Spatula:</u> Works as effectively or more than the blackhead removing tool. It is more expensive, however it is also a one time buy. The pros to getting one of these instead are that it is completely painless, and also has other features for skincare, including exfoliation, skin toning, and ultrasonic massage for penetration of facial products and collagen production. Cost: $40-200, depending on the brand.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT9XhEAUmfEKmI68g2Ur7CP6zm8G4SIJbIHoEHdAqFNqyH4pGglqg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT9XhEAUmfEKmI68g2Ur7CP6zm8G4SIJbIHoEHdAqFNqyH4pGglqg" /></a></div><div><b><u>Professional Facials:</u> </b>Getting extractions done professionally is another very thorough way to clean your pores. This is the most expensive option, as you will have to come back regularly to keep your pores clear and the cost of this will add up very quickly. Even if you can afford it, I find that it is still nice to have tools around to use myself in between trips. Pain factor varies from clinician to clinician. Cost: $30-200+ per session.</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>I have personally tried each of the listed options and prefer the blackhead extractor and the ultrasonic spatula. They are the most convenient and thorough cleaners of my skin for the least cost. Regular skin exfoliation and clean skin are keys to keeping your skin clear even without extracting your pores. Before extracting, it is helpful to steam your face, put a towel of warm water over it for a few minutes, or take a shower so the steam can penetrate and open the pores to loosen the gunk inside. This makes extraction easier and therefore less painful. </div><div><br />
</div><div>The key to preventing comedones, or clogged pores, is regular extractions and prescription retinoids- which are the only effective way to minimize pores for good. Products that claim to tighten pores do work, however only for a short period of time. (More on that another time). :)</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06366573561064716418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336694649798547236.post-87633363128289212102011-06-09T11:47:00.003-05:002011-06-09T11:55:21.320-05:00Will Your Date Have Sex On The First Date?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://lifesnips.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/flirting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://lifesnips.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/flirting.jpg" /></a></div><br />
According to OkTrends at OkCupid.com, there's a way to find out.<br />
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"<u>Ask your date:</u> 'Do you like the taste of beer?'<br />
<u>Because:</u> Among all our casual topics, whether someone likes the taste of beer is the <i>single best</i> predictor of if he or she has sex on the first date.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://akcdn.okccdn.com/blog/first_date_questions/BeerGoggles.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="362" src="http://akcdn.okccdn.com/blog/first_date_questions/BeerGoggles.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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No matter their gender or orientation, beer-lovers are 60% more likely to be okay with sleeping with someone they've just met. Sadly, this is the only question witha meaningful correlation for women. For men there are a few others:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b> <u>Predictive question/Implied odds of first-date sex</u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Q</b>: In a certain light, wouldn't nuclear war </div><div style="text-align: center;">be exciting? <b> 'yes'=83%</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Q</b>: Assuming you were in the position to </div><div style="text-align: center;">do so, would you launch nuclear weapons</div><div style="text-align: center;">under any circumstances? <b> </b><b>'yes'=82%</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Q</b>: Could you imagine yourself killing </div><div style="text-align: center;">somone? <b> 'yes'=82%"</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">*"OkTrends is origional research and insights from OkCupid, who's compiled their observations and statistics from hundreds of millions of OkCupid user interactions, all to explore the data side of the online dating world."</span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06366573561064716418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336694649798547236.post-8873570792759833192011-05-16T11:53:00.002-05:002011-05-16T11:55:50.931-05:00Rent The Runway.. Rent A Designer Dress!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nISO9cbbCHk/TdFQBxX0xuI/AAAAAAAAAQk/JTFsS4e-NMY/s1600/rther1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nISO9cbbCHk/TdFQBxX0xuI/AAAAAAAAAQk/JTFsS4e-NMY/s400/rther1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I think I am in love! This is probably the best site I've heard of since... ever. Anyone seen the Sex & the City movie? Where Carrie hires an assistant who rents designer bags? <a href="http://www.renttherunway.com/rtr_home">Rent the Runway</a> is the same concept, except for dresses. And earrings. And necklaces. And purses and clutches. Let me walk you through it!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1RKQi40J7Fs/TdFQCnHAfMI/AAAAAAAAAQo/W3Iw1PBc5L0/s1600/rther2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1RKQi40J7Fs/TdFQCnHAfMI/AAAAAAAAAQo/W3Iw1PBc5L0/s400/rther2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> I know the picture is hard to see, but this is just a little portion of the designer list they have available. They have Dolce & Gabbana, Vera Wang, Alberta Ferretti, Badgley Mischka, Calvin Klein, and Herve Leger, just to name a few!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sGRbjCc8ZAs/TdFQDejcHjI/AAAAAAAAAQs/-SDkpejr6Yg/s1600/rther3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sGRbjCc8ZAs/TdFQDejcHjI/AAAAAAAAAQs/-SDkpejr6Yg/s400/rther3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
In the picture above, I have an arrow showing the price ranges. Yes, it costs anywhere from $50-250 to rent dresses and accessories worth hundreds or thousands. (Yes, thousands!)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OJuwVjQ4azs/TdFQEOR9wHI/AAAAAAAAAQw/FnnxMVEYeL4/s1600/rther4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OJuwVjQ4azs/TdFQEOR9wHI/AAAAAAAAAQw/FnnxMVEYeL4/s400/rther4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
When you find a dress you like, step one says to enter in your area code. Step two is to pick a size, and they will send you one extra size for free, just in case the sizes run a little different than you anticipated! Step three has you pick the date of the event you will be renting the dress for. You can rent for 4 days, or 8 days for an additional fee.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-73hF0FzJcRU/TdFQFLSO2BI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/kZzR2Mrxd0g/s1600/rther5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-73hF0FzJcRU/TdFQFLSO2BI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/kZzR2Mrxd0g/s400/rther5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Above is a picture of just a few of the jewelry options. With each dress they offer accessory recommendations.<br />
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<b><u>Rent the Runway Questions and Answers!</u></b><br />
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<b>Q: How much does it cost to mail what I rent?</b><br />
A: Nothing! RTR will send you a pre-paid envelope to return the items when you are done with them.<br />
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<b>Q: What about damages? Will I have to pay full price?</b><br />
A: RTR handles dry cleaning for the dresses, and offer a $5 insurance that covers any food or drink spills, stick a zipper, or lose a charm or stone from an accessory.<br />
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<b>Q: Will the items I rent be used?</b><br />
No! They will be cleaned and prepared for you alone. Once they have been returned by a renter, they are retired from Rent the Runway.<br />
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<b>Q: If used items are "retired", does that mean what's available now might not be available later?</b><br />
Basically, yes. This is why you should enter the date of your event when searching. Some may not be available after certain dates. Also, that means new dresses and accessories are being added all the time!<b> </b><br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Q: How much does it cost to join <a href="http://www.renttherunway.com/rtr_home">Rent the Runway</a>?</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">A: It is absolutely free! I love it, and I think you will too. :)</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06366573561064716418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336694649798547236.post-88239981395008723232011-05-13T11:49:00.000-05:002011-05-13T11:49:18.479-05:00Royal Wedding/Cinderella Spoof<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aS64zp3hcBY/Tc1gRAMIkBI/AAAAAAAAAQg/_Bd5u96MAP0/s1600/225716_214410728578459_137804856239047_796921_5008007_n+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aS64zp3hcBY/Tc1gRAMIkBI/AAAAAAAAAQg/_Bd5u96MAP0/s400/225716_214410728578459_137804856239047_796921_5008007_n+%25281%2529.jpg" width="340" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Just posting a picture today.. this was too great to not share :) I'm loving this today!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06366573561064716418noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336694649798547236.post-22204531403722949202011-04-21T17:40:00.001-05:002011-07-24T14:16:15.553-05:00Product Review: Olay Regenerist Microdermabrasion & Peel kit<a href="http://imagethumbnails.milo.com/001/226/475/trimmed/1226699_6398475_trimmed.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://imagethumbnails.milo.com/001/226/475/trimmed/1226699_6398475_trimmed.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 424px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 480px;" /></a><br />
<div id="wrap" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-left: 2em; margin-right: 10%;"><div id="body" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-top: 5px;"><div class="deleteBody"><div class="postBody"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
</span></div><div class="postBody"><span class="Apple-style-span">This is quite literally one of the best products I have when it comes to skincare. I've been using it for years and years, and as long as they keep selling it, it will never leave my skincare routine.<br />
<b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="postBody"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>What it claims:</b><br />
<b style="color: #777777;"><br />
</b><a href="http://www.olay.com/skin-care-products/anti-aging-products/micro-dermabrasion-treatment?pid=075609602603&TID=44ba9c13-3f0c-44b9-b3ac-bfd84eea3ca2" style="color: #3366cc; font-weight: bold;">On their website</a><span class="Apple-style-span">, </span><span class="Apple-style-span">Olay says:<br />
The Regenerist Microdermabrasion & Peel System combines the power of two treatments that actively work together to give you the benefits of microdermabrasion and a mini-peel treatment. Yet it’s gentle enough to use up to two times a week for continuous results.<br />
<br />
Add it your skin care routine to:<br />
• Visibly improve skin tone<br />
• Diminish the look of fine lines and wrinkles<br />
<b><br />
</b></span></span></div><div class="postBody"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>What is microdermabrasion, and what's so cool about it?</b><b><br />
</b>Microdermabrasion, also known as micro resurfacing or mechanical exfoliation, is a popular skincare procedure that exfoliates your skin. Regular exfoliators pale in comparison to the results you will see and feel in your own skin. Using tiny micro crystals, it effectively removes the outermost layer of your skin. The size and the composition of these crystals are what makes the exfoliation so much better than typical manual exfoliators.<br />
Having this more effective and better removal of dead skin helps to not only stimulate collagen production, it also helps to correct and even skin tone, decrease the appearance of shallow acne scars, as well as significantly improve fine lines & wrinkles.<br />
A typical professional microdermabrasion session costs up to $120, with a recommended full treatment of 5-10 sessions. This can cost thousands of dollars, but for some, the results are worth it.<br />
At-home kits cost significantly less- the Olay one we're discussing here is around $25. While the immediate results are less dramatic than a professional session, you should be getting the same ultimate results with a little more diligence and time.<b><br />
</b><b><br />
</b></span></span></div><div class="postBody"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>What I say about it:</b><br />
They recommend you use it two times a week, however, since I now use my</span><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span><a href="http://houseofcyclax.blogspot.com/search/label/product%20review" style="color: #3366cc; font-weight: bold;">Clarisonic</a><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span>daily, I have cut down to using it once every week or two, as I haven't needed it quite as much.<br />
Even with all the benefits I've seen and felt from using my Clarisonic, the effects are not quite as immediate and dramatic as this product. My skin feels so luscious and smooth after a treatment, and soaks in products so much better after using it. My makeup goes on so much smoother that I don't feel the need to use a primer beforehand. It's amazing!<br />
I am not being paid for this review, I simply want to share my experience, as I am so pleased with the product, and am certain you will be too. It's most certainly money well spent.</span></div><div class="postBody"></div></div></div></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06366573561064716418noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336694649798547236.post-76128082751615106622011-04-17T10:20:00.001-05:002011-04-17T11:27:31.963-05:00Oil Pulling for Detox!<a href="http://dherbs.com/store-images/oilpulling.gif" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 230px; height: 230px;" src="http://dherbs.com/store-images/oilpulling.gif" border="0" alt="" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /><span class="Apple-style-span">There are a lot of crazy health fads out there, claiming to have all sorts of benefits for your body inside and out. Perhaps the one of the sillier sounding ones is called oil pulling, where you swish oil around in your mouth in order to literally detoxify your whole body. What?</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Well, this may actually work. And you could chalk it all up to placebo effect if you want, as there are many people claiming to see all sorts of wonderful things as a result of this oil pulling. But let's look at the facts.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><b>How does oil pulling work?</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Here is a <a href="http://curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=748471#i">posting</a> from a bio-chemist from Curezone.com:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><i>"</i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; "><i>Here are my thoughts, in a short form, of a biochemically trained brain.</i></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><i>Pretty much everyone here is familiar with the detoxing benefits of an adequate water intake.<br /><br />Chemicals (molecules) come in two forms. Ionic and nonionic. Ionic chemicals are water soluble. When we detox our bodies, we drink lots of water to flush any unwanted toxins out of our body. WELL guess what? That's only half the picture. Nonionic molecules are soluble in body fat and cell membranes. *<br /><br />By oil swishing, you are doing the same thing for your body as when you drink a sufficient amount of water daily. You are giving toxins a medium in which to dissolve, then by spitting the oil out, you are removing whatever toxins came in contact with and dissolved into the oil. Using OIL is beneficial because it dissolves a different chemical class of pollutant/toxin than water. This is why you see healing first in the mouth, then later in different parts of the body. The toxins must migrate to the mouth before they can be removed with this method.<br /><br />This is also why switching to a different type of oil will create a new cycle of healing/detoxing. After you've oil-pulled long enough to "stabilize" your toxin level, you've removed as much toxin as you can with that particular oil. By using different oils with slightly different makeups, you will be able to dissolve slightly different toxins more effeciently. It is not a matter of your body getting "used" to anything -- it has to do with the chemical qualities of the oil itself.<br /><br />With this knowledge, there are a few more things you can do to keep the good feeling going. One I'll endorse is to eat low on the food chain. Any time you eat fat from an animal, you're ingesting the fat-soluble pollutants that were stored in the animal's body. Guess who buys organic milk and butter?? Ha ha.<br /><br />If you had an ample supply of appropriate oil, you could 1. coat your skin to excess, then remove after 15 minutes, or 2. use in an enema, preferably followed by a <a title=" click here to read about Salt Water Flush" href="http://curezone.com/c/?/abbreviations.asp">SWF</a> to keep the toxins from migrating back into the bowel from any oil left after evacuating. These should have similar toxin-removing effects on your body, although they would be considerably more involved, messy, and costly due to the amount of oil required.<br /><br />I hope this has helped some in the community understand the <a href="http://curezone.com/c/?/forums/f.asp?f=443">Science</a> behind oil-pulling. It's not magic, and it's not even that wacky. It's a good, healthy, direct application of chemistry.<br /><br />With this information in mind, you can see where oil-pulling for longer periods will give you a certain increase in benefits, but the daily wait in between cleansing is helpful to the process too. After all, the oil can not remove a toxin located in the bowel. The bloodstream and normal (slow) diffusion will have to carry it to the mouth before you can be rid of it. Think of your body as a sponge -- the oil can only clean one little spot of it at a time. Eventually the whole sponge gets clean... but it takes time and consistency.<br /><br />Please excuse my spelling. It never was very good. ;)<br />Thoughts welcome.<br /><br />* Membranes are made up of molecules with an ionic side (faces the water-rich world and the cell's interior) and a nonionic side (sandwiched together, creates a chemical barrier).</i>"</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><b>What does oil pulling DO?</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Oil pulling is reported to cure: gum & mouth disease, stiff joints, acne, dark eye circles, allergies, asthma, high blood sugar, fine lines and crow's feet, constipation, migraines, bronchitis, eczema, grey hairs, heart disease, kidney disease, gum bleeding, gum sensitivity, lung disease, leukemia, arthritis, meningitis, menopause, hormonal issues, keratosis pilaris, cancer, AIDS, chronic infections, varicose veins, high blood pressure, diabetes, polio, cracked heels and rough skin.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Now some of those claims sound a bit outlandish to me, like the curing of cancer and AIDS. However, it IS common to find skin conditions, mouth and gum problems, joints, and certain other sensitivities to be improved or even diminished.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span">Here is a short blip from Bharat Savur's article on</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; "> <a href="http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/life/2003/02/10/stories/2003021000160400.htm" style="color: navy; text-decoration: underline; ">The Hindu Business Online</a></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; " ><blockquote dir="ltr" style="line-height: 20px; margin-right: 0px; "><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 20px; "><i>..."When Dr Karsch examined the gargled milk-white oil under a microscope with 600 magnification, he saw live organisms swimming in it. It's poisonous, so never swallow it, he warns. These poisons are bacteria-embryos, which, if not eliminated, cause diseases. Apparently, Dr Karsach cured his own chronic blood disease and 15-year-old arthritis.</i></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 20px; "><i>The first sign of improvement is in the teeth-they become firm and white, he says. Other healing indications: fresh, relaxed feeling on waking up, disappearing dark pouches below the eyes, anew appetite and energy, better memory and deep sleep.</i></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 20px; "><i>Dr Karsch swears by the mouth oil-wash for anything from organ-disorders, skin-diseases, menstrual problems, paralysis to every ache and it is in the human anatomy. You can gargle even when you have fever, he says, adding, it takes anything from two days to a year to cure a disease.</i></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 20px; "><i>And if these claims sound exaggerated, he told a conference of Ukrainian cancer specialists, try out the process yourself.</i></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 20px; "><i>Interestingly, Ayurveda advises oil gargling "to purify the taste-buds and the entire system", as explained by Dr Deepak Chopra in Perfect Health. According to this life science, the tongue is mapped by organ-locations -- that is, each section of the tongue is connected to the kidneys, lungs, spleen, liver, heart, pancreas, small intestines, stomach, colon, and spine.</i></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 20px; "><i>Thus, an oil-mouth-massage soothes and stimulates the key meridians where taste meets organ. Simultaneously, as in any skin-massage, the inner skin and lining of the mouth, palate and tongue become warm and supple and the lubrication prevents dryness (the vatic effect).</i></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 20px; "><i>In modern dietetics too, dryness is discussed. For example, lack of Vitamin A (retinal) causes the outer lining of the eyeball to dry and wrinkle, and affects vision.</i></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 20px; "><i>And as any dietician would tell you, all oils contain 960 micrograms of vitamin A per 10 gm (the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A per adult is 600 micrograms). So, it's possible that oil gargling helps in reaching the required retinal to the eyeballs and keeps them elastic and smooth.</i></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 20px; "><i>Likewise, the Ayurvedic `purification of taste-buds' also has its equivalent in dietetics as `antioxidants'. Oxidation literally means `the putrefaction of body-tissues'.</i></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 20px; "><i>And oil-soluble vitamins, A, C, D, and E are antioxidants that protect and prevent the decaying process and help maintain the integral functioning of cell membranes. That's why, many people are ingesting vitamin E pills to stem `aging' (oxidation)."</i></p></blockquote><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 20px; ">Click <a href="http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/life/2003/02/10/stories/2003021000160400.htm" style="color: navy; text-decoration: underline; ">here</a> to read the rest of this article.</p></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><b>How do I do it?</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Best results have been found when the oil used is sunflower or sesame oils, although some claim to see positive results from olive oil and coconut oil as well. Optimally you want a cold pressed oil, but if not, it at least must be a refined oil.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >First thing in the morning on an empty stomach, swish 1 tablespoon of your chosen oil in your mouth without swallowing it. Be sure you have brushed and cleaned your teeth ahead of time, as the oil could concentrate on pulling toxins from the surface of your teeth that you would be brushing off anyway (instead of other parts of the mouth that teeth brushing does not get).</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Pull it through your teeth and around your mouth, as you would with mouthwash. Don't gargle it in your throat. The oil should become watery and liquidy as it mixes with your saliva- this is ok. It is also normal for the consistancy to get a little thicker towards the end of the process, as the mixture fills up with toxins.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >If you have already eaten, wait 4 hours before oil pulling. If you had something to drink, wait 1 hour. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >You want to swish the oil for about 20 minutes. You can go longer, but it is not necessary. The mixture will look bubbly and white or yellowish.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >It is important to rinse out your mouth thoroughly afterwards, to ensure the mouth is completely rid of the toxic oil bits that could be left inside. You can use water, mouthwash, or hydrogen peroxide (at full strength or diluted with water).</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><b>What should I expect after oil pulling?</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >If you're willing to wait and keep up the process, you should see a multitude of benefits over time. Initially you will have a healthier mouth and whiter teeth- after only a couple sessions.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >As does often occur with any detox, symptoms can worsen right before them improve. This is not only normal, this is a good thing. What it means is that the toxins are surfacing and releasing from the body, sometimes causing irritation. Be patient, and soon these symptoms will not only get better, they will go away altogether.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06366573561064716418noreply@blogger.com0