Finding the right facial for your skin type is a constant battle, and you’ll only know this if you’ve been burdened with problem skin. There are tons of facial salons today that it’s difficult to decide which one will suit you best. Here are some guidelines that will help you choose the right place, the right people, and the right facials for you:

Skin Analysis. Your dermatologist or, in some cases, a “facial therapist”, will examine your skin under a lit magnifying glass to diagnose any existing skin problems like acne, clogged pores, discoloration, broken capillaries, fine lines, and so on. Only then will she know the treatment suitable for your skin type.

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So you’re brave enough to do it yourself? Try this at home body waxing, then, but don’t say you weren’t warned.

Homemade Sugar Wax

Ingredients: 2 cups sugar, 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup lemon (nimbu) juice

Cooking: Mix the sugar, water, and lemon juice in a saucepan, and heat it over a low flame. Keep stirring the mixture until all the sugar has melted and you have achieved a thick brown liquid mass. Let it cool slightly. (more…)

Loose tendrils, scruffy strands or even itchy stubbles — how much “carpet” could you really keep? The choice is yours on whether you want to stay bushwhacked or go bald.

Hollywood icons love this procedure. Kirstie Alley once said, “It feels like a baby’s butt, only all over.” Why, you ask, would you do this to yourself? To be honest, the pain isn’t at all a death sentence and the benefits are undeniable; you’ll have a smooth, bump-free bikini area that looks fabulous in a bathing or au naturel.

But what, you ask yourself again, is the big deal of having a Brazilian (all-off) wax anyway? Why not just keep the mop of hair on? For all you wax virgins: a Brazilian wax removes everything in your nether regions, front and back, leaving you completely smooth everywhere beneath your underwear — meaning, you’ll never have to worry about straying strands again.

Are you still prudish toward waxing? Waxing has become an important part of a woman’s beauty habit, and because Lay Bare uses the cold procedure, it is less traumatic — especially for first-timers.

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Makeup trends come and go, but whatever the season, radiantly fair skin is always in. Here’s how to achieve the glow:

Beauty experts often say that the best makeup won’t make much difference if you have dull, uneven skin. While makeup can give the illusion of fair, luminous skin, proper skin care should be your top priority. If you were born with great skin, consider yourself fortunate. But for those who strive for fair, luminous skin, help is on the way.

The causes of skin darkening:

Your skin color depends on the number, size, type, shade and distribution of melanin in your skin. However, exposure to daytime elements, particularly the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays, can stimulate the production of melanin, leading to uneven skin and further skin darkening. At night, free radicals in the environment such as pollution, air conditioning and fluorescent light can dull and darken the skin as well.

“Whitening vs Brightening”

While whitening products lighten and even out your skin tone, brightening products bring out the skin’s radiance. Pond’s Double White Day and Night system now combines the two benefits. It lightens the skin, especially the dark spots and blemishes. At the same time, it exfoliates dead skin cells that make the skin look dull.

How it works:

Whitens during the day. It whitens the skin in two ways:

• From within: Vitamin B3 controls the dispersion of melanin so your skin is fairer and more even.
• On the outside: SPF 17 protects you skin against UVA/UVB rays which darken the skin

Brightens at night. It brightens the skin by removing dullness caused by dead skin cells. AHA helps exfoliate dull, dead skin cells to make your skin more radiant.

1. Moisturization. Packed with ingredients such as Alpha-Hydroxy Acids, Collagen, Vitamins B3, A, E and SPF 17, these work day and night to moisturize the skin, speed up skin exfoliation, control melanin dispersion and protect your skin from the sun’s damaging rays.
2. Special care. Used twice a week, concentrated Vitamin B3 and AHA lighten the skin and dark spots intensively, as well as accelerate the removal of dull, dead skin cells. An intensive eye treatment helps lighten those dreaded dark circles. Alpha-Hydroxy Acids gently exfoliate the thin skin around the eyes, while a patented NMF promotes skin circulation and controls melanin dispersion around the eyes.

Age can be a mere number when your skin wins against lines and wrinkles.

When did it stop being fun and start being scary?

When you were young, it was all about the rush. There was exhilaration in everything you did; the rigorous sport activities you engaged in, the late nights of partying with friends and all those stressful meetings to meet your deadlines. There seemed to be no end to the excitement and your energy was unyielding. But sometimes a reality check is called for.

As the years go by, you realize that you age and that things change. Your daily activities have started to take a toll on your and your skin has begun to show signs of aging. Suddenly you get a panic attack and start to look on aging as the enemy.

Like the woman of today, you have to face it. You can’t fight age, but you can fight wrinkles. But before you do, know the basics and learn how to fight them.

There are 3 causes of wrinkles:

The first cause of wrinkles is facial expressions. Remember squinting your eyes while doing research? Those long frowns you made when you had to do overtime? And those scowling looks (or extended pursed lips that you gave your boyfriend when he was 10 minutes late in picking you up? Just as all these have caused you unwanted stress, they can also result to more lines and wrinkles on your face.

Avoid crows feet around your eyes.

Nivea visage Q10 Plus Eye Cream wins the battle against crow’s feet with its special cream formulation. It effectively shields skin from the sun and promotes cell energy production to fight skin aging. It also has UV filters which protect against premature skin aging and prevent puffiness in the eye area.

The second cause of wrinkles is prolonged exposure to the sun, the skin loses the ability to repair itself, and the damage accumulates. As you get older, years of sun damage start to surface on your skin, making it look dull, less even and more wrinkled than before.

Protect yourself from the sun during the day.

Nivea Visage Q10 Plus Day Fluid’s SPF15 successfully protects your skin from the sun. Formulated to be light and faster absorbing than the other day creams, it’s perfect for use even under make-up. No greasy and sticky feeling during the day.

The third cause of wrinkles is the inescapable fact that everyone ages.  Over time, your body and skin cells start to slow down the production of energy cells. When the skin cells have less external pollution is lessened – your skin’s immune system becomes vulnerable to almost everything. (more…)