Looking good can make you feel good...

I don't know about you... but whenever I get a new dress, a new item of designer jewellery, a pair of new heels, or something that makes me feel beautiful - it changes my whole attitude - once I am wearing it.

It's like make-up - we where it as a mask to hide our true self but when we wear our make up, the change in our confidence is radically transformed.

I am unsure of the reason behind this, but I don't understand why some people think this is wrong to give a little glam to who we really are?  I think it can change the person behind it all - but for the better!

A good example of this is happened last Saturday night. I had to compare and host an event to over 300 people at a Martial Arts demonstration.

My father had asked me to wear my Martial Art clothing (very macho and boyish) - however I expressed in doing so it wouldn't make me feel under confident in myself - my attitude and wont feel the part of 'host' in my head as there was no separation of me and the performers in my head. 

My mother being a woman - backed me all the way and persuaded my dad!

I wore a tailored black skirt suit - killer heels and accessoried with a scarf and bang - my confidence could not be knocked and I gave a great performance.

So I say if you look good you will feel good! Try it!

Tummy Troubles

All of us can suffer from bloating, this is something that I have been experiencing lately with stress. There are few things we can do to help this, although every one of us is different some basic ideas are below:

* Some people suffer as they aren’t getting enough exercise and may suffer from constipation. This can also be affected by your amount of fiber intake. Exercise encourages food to move around our system and fiber keeps our inside working efficiently.

* Be careful when you introduce more fiber to your diet, do it gradually so your body can adapt, or this could end up bloating you more! I source fiber from use AllBran as a good source of fiber, or switch to wholemeal products and eat wholemeal toast.

* Dehydration can lead to constipation so drink lots of water at regular intervals.

* We often see now the introduction of pro-biotic yogurts they now have a “friendly bacteria” added to encourage things to keep moving.

* Salt can also cause the tummy to bloat; too much salt can lead to water retention.

I believe that to maintain a flat healthy stomach you simply need to maintain a healthy varied diet, but here are just a few tips to help you along the way.

Dazzle using your eyes...

Don’t we just love it when our eyes are bright and sparkly?

Occarding to sources our eyes are the first to suffer as the weather gets warmer! Common conditions such as Hayfever can make eyes tired, sore and red.

• A good solution to this is to nip down to your local chemist and purchase some refreshing eye drops to help this problem.
  
• Anti-histamines such as benadryl can also help these symptoms but always seek medical advice first.
  
• Light exercise is also said to make eyes and water itch perhaps if you run outside you battle with the elements or at the gym possibly the air conditioning blowing into your face.
  
• If you war glasses make sure they have a UV block some cheaper frames do not which could be harmful.
  
• Sunglasses not only look really cool but it prevents the sun from conducting damage to our eyes.
  
• People can also experience dry eyes in hotter conditions for this you can get artificial tears from any good chemist.
  
• If you want bright eyes stay clear of eye whiteners they contain bad chemicals that constrict the blood vessels not a clever move and can in fact make your eyes even redder what a contradiction.
  
• I would also say don’t have to many late nights this will immediately make you feel fresher and on it like a hobbit!

Make up advice for girls…

I like to wear pretty heavy eye make up, every girl has their own personality but here are a few tips in taking care of your eyes,

I have four steps to achieving my desired look…

1. I apply two shades of eye shadow to my eyes I use No7 which is a great brand as it comes in sensitive forms for different skin types, I use a lighter shade below the brow and darker on the eye lid or I use lighter on the inner lid and work out to a darker on the outside.

2. I use an Estee Lauder black eyeliner to line the inside of my eyes you can also get sensitive versions but make sure you keep your pencil at a medium consistently not too sharp not to blunt

3. I then use a black Rimmel liquid eyeliner to line the eyelid above the lashes it adds definition but you need a steady had and lots of practise

4. I then use a curler and apply it to my lashes for extra volume then use Max Factor Master effects black mascara to have extra volume and length.

Everyone has their own way of applying their make up but I like to have sparkling defined eyes as in most cases it’s the first thing people look at and your eyes are what give you away the most. I feel a lot of your personality is projected through them which is why this is so important to me.

How to Tan Safely and in Style!

Now a days having a tan is “trendy” and with our summer being a little on the rubbish side people have resorted to tanning safely the “fake” way. Now I don’t mean fake as in visiting your local tan booth this I would not recommend but why not try the “do it yourself” self tanners.

I am guilty of this and have even resorted to a spray tan at one stage this summer as I have booked a late summer holiday and feeling rather pasty! The spray tan I indulged in was at my local beauty parlour, now you have to be a little brave as you get to wear paper knickers and show your boobs to the beauty therapist but the result is worth it and last for 10-12 days.

HOWEVER a few tips:

Don’t shower for 8 hours after this has been done
Careful when you first come out as your still tacky and you can easily smudge yourself (if this happens use nail varnish remover!)
Be careful on hot nights and this could stain your bed or your clothes in fact
When it wears of be prepared for a few streaks!

Alternatively the “do it yourself” products I spoke about earlier are just as good! I am currently using the Johnson light building tanner in dark.


It builds a natural tone and I don’t have that pasty feeling. You can do this one twice or every other day to your desired look.

I don’t promote tanning salons or over excessive outdoor sunning, this causes a lot of sun damage and can lead to skin cancer, everyone is susceptible to skin cancer. No matter how light or dark your skin is, we all have to be protect ourselves by using sunblock and wearing protective clothing.

If you have a holiday coming up of course like me you love to get a tan and relax in the sun but you can do this safely!

A few tips to safe sunning:

• Use a good daily moisturizer—any moisturizer from Neutrogena with sun protection will do the trick. They're great and very light on the skin.
• Protect the parts we forget we have – Your scalp, ears, toes!
• Don't forget to protect your eyes. A great pair of fashionable sunglasses that offer broad spectrum protection are also a must-have.
• A sun hat – it looks good and protects
• Protect your lips with sunscreen, too – use an SPF 30 Pocket Sticks for Lips Only.
  

Your health is important and although sunning yourself may seem harmless if done over excessively this could prove fatal to your health!

You and your skin… Duckeys skin tips!

Is your skin fit to be seen by the world?

You would be surprised that with a few simple additions to your daily routine, it could solve many of your summer skin issues.

I try and keep my routine as much as possible having one major cleanse session usually on a Sunday when I have more time. There are certain products available that will in fact help you along the way.

For dry skin…

• If you want silky smooth skin for summer then it is essential that you moisturise more than one a day, perhaps when you wake up and before you go to bed.
• Use a really good moisturiser if your going to do this then why not do it properly?
• Avoid harsh products containing elements such as alcohol this strips the skin of its natural oils wo you would be better to use a mild cleanser instead.
• You may be effected by sensitive skin? If this is the case then swap your regular products for a label that contains hypoallergenic products.
• Perfumed products can sometimes cause irritation so replace them with perfume free products to see if this relieves it.
• To form a barrier protection for your skin try using a PH balanced soap free cleaner then a hypoallergenic moisturiser.
  
  For Oily skin…
  
• Try using oil free products on the skin they wont block your pores.
• If you suffer from spots or acne look out for products containing benzoyl peroxide which help unblock the pores. Ask your chemist for more information.
• Many people find tee tree oil also helps the skin.
• When exfoliating do this with care as your skin is delicate this should only be done once a week at most it can actually damage the skin by removing its protective layer.
  
  I hope these tips have been helpful to you… if you have anymore tips to share please leave them below.

Take care of your skin!

How many of us now a days take care of our skin...?

I have a small routine I do daily and a complete cleanse I usually apply on a Sunday evening or when I have time to fit it in.

As for men... does a man have to be extremely confident with his sexuality now a days to take care of his skin?

It is a small fact that most most would put taking care of their skin at the bottom of their to do list! However being a girl I think if a man can take care of his skin it says a lot for his personality!

We all may not bother to do this for the below reasons:

• It takes too much time
• We cannot be bothered
• The expense of the products
• We simply do not have the knowledge of where to start, nor do they care.

As our skin is like our third lung, one of the first things others notice, and is one of the greatest beauty or attractiveness factors, skin care should be an important part of a daily routine.

Not only does the skin play a part in your identity and appreareance, it shows us whats happening on the inside of our bodies. The skin acts as a protection from things like pollution, bacteria and sicknesses.

Unfortunately as we age, our skin starts to lose its elasticity, and wrinkles, fine lines, and crow’s feet start to form. I have heard we should start our anti-ageing process at 25 years old, before its too late rather than after! Which kind of makes sense!

In order for a man and woman to prolong the youthful appearance of skin it really only takes a few minutes a day.

Here are my top tips:


1. Use a gentle exfoliation cream, to get rid of dry skin

2. Then wash your face with a gentle soap

3. Splash with cold water to close the pores this acts as a protection

4. Use a good moisturizer this should ideally contain an SPF of 15 or greater – you can apply this with a cotton wool pad cleansing deep into the pores

5. You can also get various other treatments such as face packs, under eye balm and lip balm you can use for extra benefit

TIPS:

• Buying a moisturizer that has SPF protects you from skin cancers and keeps you looking youthful for longer so in essence it does two jobs and protects on a daily basis.
  
• Eating a healthy and well balanced diet will also do wonders for your skin.
  
• Foods that are high in saturated fats, such as chips, fried foods, like donuts and processed foods such as pre-bought chicken burgers, will all cause the skin to age prematurely.
  
• As for the expense there are some great products on the market now a days just go to your local chemist and you are spoilt for choice. I think that Clinque is a good range and not over priced for the quality of the products. You can even make your own products...

I was exploring a website the other day and they gave advice on how you can make your own remedies!

Apart from being easy to prepare, the freshness of natural ingredients will be loved by one and all. Now I don't know how good these are I can't say I have tested them yet but when I do the photos will be on here ladies and gents! And if you try them leave a comment and let me know how you got on!

Face Cleanser

You can add together plain yogurt to half a cup of oatmeal, which will in turn form a paste. After mixing well, apply this on the face, of course as usual avoiding eye area! …After 10-15 minutes wash off with lukewarm water. As Oatmeal, is hypoallergenic, is highly absorptive and softens skin. Apparently Oats have been clinically proven to dry and itchy skin.

Body Cleansers

You can flush out the toxins by adding a cup of hot water to lime. Internally you can make a paste formed of sea salt and water can be rubbed into the body before shower, almost acting as an exfoliation method allowing at least a minute before washing off.

Face Pack (oily skin)

Add about 8 to 9 Strawberries mashed up and three tablespoon of honey (sounds almost yummy)… then mix (but don’t blend). Add this to your face and allow a few minutes set, then wash off or eat it... mmmm there’s a challenge!

Face Pack (dry skin)

Mash up some bananas with a fork, but not so the mixture goes to runny. Add a drop of honey and leave for ten minutes then wash off.

Face Pack (Normal Skin)

Cook 1 peach, until its soft enough to mash with a fork, like the processes above and add a tablespoon of honey and this time oatmeal so as to thicken’s. Apply to skin and wait for 10-15 minutes before rinsing this time with cool water.

No excuses!

So if you want to stay youthful and radient start today!