Every woman deserves an area in her home that is entirely hers. If you do not have that space, begin to create one. It will be your own laboratory, where you can establish a home “spa.”This area will be the one place you will use to store your own ideas and creations.
Do-It-Yourself Mouthwashes
Tea Wash
Boil a strong cup of mint (peppermint, spearmint, etc.) tea. Cool and rinse.
Honey/Clove Rinse
Mix 1/4 cup of honey with 1 teaspoon of ground cloves. This mouthwash can be thinned down if desired.
Take Care Of Your Feet
When purchasing a heel higher than one inch, go up a half size. There’s some natural swelling that occurs that necessitates advancing at least half a size in order to accommodate the toe area. This is one time when smaller is not more attractive. A tight shoe bulges the foot out, not to mention what it does for the wearer’s expression. A larger shoe actually gives the foot a longer, more graceful line.
Change Shoes
Try not to wear the same pair of shoes two days in a row. Give them at least 24 hours to air out.
Use an Antiperspirant
The foot contains more sweat glands than the underarm area. Don’t waste that precious money on expensive foot powders and other foot remedies. Not only is this cosmetically important, but it is key in keeping bacteria at bay.
Soak Your Feet
At least once a week, steep 4 tea bags (purchase an inexpensive brand because it will contain a larger content of tannic acid) in 2 cups of boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Add 2 cups of cool water. Soak for up to 30 minutes. Note: Don’t use herbal tea because it’s the tannic acid that will cause proteins in the skin to bond. This thickens the skin and blocks many of its sweat pores.
The Healthy Breasts
Wear a Bra
The chest muscles don’t provide enough support to go braless, no matter how small your breasts are. Keep your weight constant. You can take all natural weight loss pills to control your weight. Yo-yo dieting can cause the breasts to sag.
When trying on a bra, lean way over to make sure breasts fit snugly and comfortably in cups.
Exercise in the Proper Bra
If your breasts feel tender after a workout, you’re probably not wearing a bra that is supportive enough.
A sports bra should be made of material that prevents sweat from gathering underneath and between the breasts.
Make sure that the straps don’t slip while running or jumping.
Perspiration
Perspiration can collect in the cleavage and especially under the bust. Keep the area dry by dusting the breasts with talcum powder before dressing.
Bulges
Should you find yourself “pouring out” of your bra, choose a style with more support at the sides and underneath.
Bathing
The beauty benefits of bathing are many. Use this time as a restorative, a spa, and personal time.
Temperature
Keep water warm, rather than hot. A too-hot bath strips the skin of moisture and will leave you feeling dehydrated.
Additives
-TEA
Tie a tea bag under the faucet so that the water will run through the bag. Use your favorite herbal teas, which will scent the water and you. The aroma will relax and invigorate you.
-alka-seltzer
Toss a tablet into your tub and your bath will fill up with tiny bubbles, skin softeners, and other good things.
-baby oil
Soften water and your skin to silken elegance with a splash of baby oil
Other Intimate Information
Hair Removal
Getting rid of hair is so much fun, isn’t it? Here are some pointers that I hope will make the job a bit less tedious.
Don’t shave right after getting out of bed. Skin tends to be puffy in the morning, and stubble is not as visible. Try to wait a half hour if you can.
Make sure hair is well-moistened. Use shaving cream, soap, or other softener.
Start at ankles, go to bikini line, and then to underarms. This gives coarser hair a chance to soften.
Avoid getting waxed just before or during your period. You are more sensitive to pain at this time.
Tweeze hair in the tub. It’s easier to tweeze when skin’s warm and soft.
Shave opposite hair growth. It prevents hairs from curling under the skin and becoming ingrown.
Numb areas with witch hazel or ice to lessen pain.
-the bikini area
The bikini line can be difficult to shave because the hair grows in so many different directions. Always prepare the skin with soap and water. Don’t stop shaving the bikini area just because the colder months have set in and you’ve stopped wearing a bathing suit. Discontinuing to shave this area will cause it to become overly sensitive. So when the warmer months return, you’ll literally have to “break in” that area again. Ouch!
Some women choose to shave or trim their pubic hair for hygienic purposes as well as appearance. Use caution when doing so. Use small scissors for safety. Don’t shave your bikini line before going to the beach if you’re skin is prone to irritation. You risk a rash or mottled skin.
-underarms
Hair also grows in different directions in the underarm area. Teach yourself to shave up and down and sideways. Always prep this area thoroughly.
-loofah your legs
Try to give your legs a light scrub with a loofah before you shave them. This will get rid of all the excess dead skin cells that may otherwise clog up your razor. If you use a double-edge razor, then switch to a single-edge one.
Deodorants
There are more deodorants on the market than ever. The skinny on deodorants is that there’s a lot of hype in the marketing. Sweat is sweat, whether it’s on a man or woman. Models don’t want to lose big jobs by ruining a designer dress with perspiration. You won’t find any fancy, delicate flowery deodorants in a model’s bag. Go get the strongest (yes, the ones made for a man) antiperspirant that you can find, and forget about the fancy, overpriced, weak stuff.
Bloat
If you have a tendency toward excess bloating, don’t chew gum, sip through a straw, or drink from a bottle. These cause you to swallow air, which goes to your stomach.
Baring Skin
Make sure to wash after shampooing and conditioning your hair. Hair products leave a residue of oil on your shoulders and back.
Always wear sunscreen on exposed chest and back areas.
Cellulite
The methods of getting rid of cellulite are controversial to say the least. The cottage cheese that seems to gather on the back of the thighs and other spots are best eliminated by working it off in an aerobic program. Spot exercises fail miserably. Running, walking, dancing, swimming, and skating rev up the body’s metabolism for burning fat throughout the body.
Work off cellulite in your tub. Lie on your stomach, bend one knee, raise and lower heel to the ceiling. Try not to drown doing this exercise.
Some cellulite marks that are unsightly can be diminished with massage. Break open a vitamin E capsule with a safety pin (1,000 units) and rub into those pesky areas.
Sleep For Beauty
There can be no doubt about it. When we don’t get enough sleep, we don’t look well. Most of us need at least eight hours of uninterrupted sleep. Tossing and turning or awakening several times a night is detrimental not only to your looks, but to your overall psyche. Unfortunately, it’s not always so easy to fall asleep and stay asleep. But there are ways to put the odds in your favor.
Melatonin
This is the supplement you’ve been reading about, “nature’s sleeping pill.” Taken twenty minutes before bedtime, melatonin is certainly worth a try. Some users have expressed concern about nightmarish dreams, while others have praised the vivid, lucid dreams they have been experiencing. Although still controversial, this supplement has also been linked to anti-aging properties.
Eat Early
There are very important reasons not to eat past 5 or 6 p.m. Late-night eating makes for difficulty in sleeping. You will end up wide awake, while your body is trying to digest your last meal. If you’ve eaten certain kinds of foods, you’ll experience painful heartburn. Plus, as every successful dieter knows, those late meals are not good for weight reduction.
Scent Your Pillow
Add a few drops of eucalyptus (available at health stores and natural supermarkets) to promote breathing. Stuffy nasal passages, whether due to a cold, flu, or allergies, can cause you to awaken during the night. Scientists have discovered that when you have a cold, you awaken up to a hundred times, although you may not be aware of it.
Drink Tea
Several teas on the market today have been found to be helpful in inducing sleep. Although chamomile tea promotes sleep, it’s also a diuretic, defeating its purpose.
Set Your Clock
Try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends. Your body will try to adjust to a regular schedule. Sleeping in on weekends will disrupt your body’s inner clock.
Sleeping on Your Back
Here’s an age-old beauty secret that you won’t pay a cent for, but could save you dozens of wrinkles over the years. Wrinkles form on the side you sleep on. If you can’t train yourself to remain on your back, invest in a satin pillow. Your face is going to slide around all night on this pillowcase, discouraging the wrinkling effect.
Keep It Cool
In an offbeat way, a slightly cool room is in fact, a beauty treatment. A room that is too hot can cause you to perspire. This increases oil production, which clogs the skin’s pores. Equally important is to sleep on (and in) bed clothing that “breathes.”
Get Plenty of Exercise
Although going through a rigorous workout routine just before bed can keep you awake, regular exercise may help you to sleep longer and more soundly. If you should find yourself “wired,” do some easy stretching to relax and soothe your muscles and promote those zzzz’s.
Wash Off Your Makeup
Please remove every bit of face and eye makeup before getting into bed. Failing to do so can cause bacteria build up and acne.
Take a Bath
A warm bath will relax the body into a “ready for sleep” mode. Use bathing as a prelude to a night of beautiful dreams.
Get Gorgeous
Use the heaviest moisturizer you can find to make up for the loss of water during the night. Fight free radicals during the night by puncturing a vitamin C capsule and adding it to your night cream. Elevate your head with a firm pillow to eliminate puffiness.
