Natural Meets Synthetic: Best of Both Worlds

The substance shown here are examples of natural ingredients that perform valuable roles in cosmetics, often aided by synthetic compounds.

Plant and animal products have been use as bases, colors and fragrances in makeup since ancient times. Today, some people believe that products that come from the earth instead of lab are somehow gentler and more compatible with our skin than synthetics.

But natural products are not always better than synthetics. For example, most make-up contains water, which fosters bacterial growth. Natural preservatives, such as rosemary oil and grape fruit seed extract, don't prevent contamination early as well as synthetic compounds. read more...

Add Pizzazz to Your Bath

A relaxing soak in a warm bath at the end of the taxing day can be one of life’s more pleasurable rituals. With a little imagination and a few simple ingredients, you can turn a tub of warm water into a sensual soak. Now, light a candle, place a little sachet nearby and add one of these to your bath.

Vinegar
Add ½ cup of white vinegar to a few inches of warm (not hot) bath water. The slightly acidic solution helps to rinse away soap residue that, left behind, could irritate sensitive skin. Vinegared bath water also counteracts vaginal infections—the organisms cannot survive in an acidic environment.

Bath Salts and Crystals
If you bathe in hard water, add ½ cup of table salt, baking soda, bath salts or bath crystals to your tub water. It helps make the water soft. read more...

Know Your Skin Type and Make a Splash

Choosing the proper skin care regimen depends on knowing what kind of skin you have.

This may not be as simple as it sounds -- your skin can vary with the seasons and change with age. Still, nearly everyone's skin -- whether young or not-so-young, male or female, fair or dark -- falls into one of the categories I show here. Use this guide to determine which skin type most nearly matches your own.

Cleansing the skin is like preparing a wall for a fresh coat of paint: no matter how pretty the color, the paint job will look slipshod if there are dirty and rough spots underneath. Poorly cleansed skin will look dull and flaky. The oil glands can clog and form whiteheads or pimples, even in people with dry skin. And no amount of even the finest makeup can cover these flaws. read more...

Winning Your Own Personal Beauty Contest

Be more competent and more confident.

Looking your best has very real psychological, social and emotional benefits.
Certainly, self enhancement improves the way others see you respond to you, improving your relationships with friends, family and co-workers. But more important, looking good improves your self-image (how you see yourself) and self-esteem (how you feel about yourself.) It starts a chain reaction that improves the quality of your life. read more...