Of course you want to look your best on your wedding day — and your groom does, too! Prepare yourself and your sweetie by devising a complete regimen of hair, skin, and health care as soon as you start your planning. Some simple dos and don’ts will help you develop your beauty calendar.

• Never get a “new” haircut or change your hairstyle right before your wedding. Not only do you run the risk of “looking like a stranger in your own hair,” but you might wind up hating your new coif and feeling miserable on your big day.
• Getting a facial on the day of your wedding, or anytime close to it, is also ill-advised. Most professional facials involve rigorous cleansing methods that can leave skin looking blotchy, reddened, or even damaged for a few days to a week afterward. If you want a facial, schedule it at least a week or two in advance.
• Do not use tanning the day of or the day before the wedding.
• Wax facial hair in advance; this harsh treatment may cause temporary irritation and blotchiness on your otherwise radiant visage.

Facials, waxes, artificial tans, and drastic haircuts aside, there is no proper or improper way to pamper yourself on your wedding day. If you feel confident in your ability to style your own hair, apply your own cosmetics and do your own nails, there’s no need to make a trip to the salon. Of course, if you’re anything at all like the majority of brides, you’ll reach for the security of professional stylists come wedding day.

Hair, Beautiful Hair!

As a bride, you have choices. Of course, you can do your hair yourself, or you can hire someone to do it for you — live it up, you are the bride! Depending on who you select to do your hair on the wedding day, you may have to go to the stylist’s salon, or you can find a stylist to come to the comfort and convenience of your home/hotel. Whatever option you choose, pay attention to some basic hair dos:

• Make an appointment to consult with your hairdresser or hired stylist a few months before.
• Schedule a trial run. Bring your headpiece and ask the stylist to try a few options.
• Ask the hairdresser if he/she can come to you. How much extra would this cost? Do you have to pay more for work that runs over-time, and how much?
• Make sure the hairdresser knows exactly where and when to meet you.
• Wear a button-down shirt when getting your hair styled. There’s nothing worse than realizing you’re going to have to cut yourself out of your favorite shirt, or ruin your hair pulling your shirt over your head.

Put on a Happy Face

Like your hairdresser, a professional makeup artist can help you feel more confident or give you a completely new look. Even if you’re already satisfied with your daily makeup selection and application skills, you may want to try something different for your wedding day. A professional makeup artist will ensure you have that wedding day glow without looking overly made up or overdone. It is important that you look and feel comfortable in your own skin. Ultimately, you want to look a little more glamorous. Here are some makeup dos:

• Schedule a consultation with a trusted makeup artist in your price range.
• Go in for a practice session (trial run), just so there are no surprises on the day.
• If you like the makeup application, make an appointment for the day of your wedding.
• Ask if the makeup artist can come to you? If yes, how much would this service cost?

Nails

Even if you’ve always considered manicures to be frivolous, you might want to make an exception for your wedding day. Well-manicured nails and beautiful hands are another part of the complete bridal beauty package. If your regular routine includes caring for your nails, and that is your preferred look, then you shouldn’t need any special attention — just make an appointment with your emery board! However, if you are interested in a little something extra, here are some options for beautifying your hands:

• A French manicure accents the white half moons at the tips of your fingernails and gives them a high buff. This option costs a little more but is well worth the time and expense.
• Acrylics provide real-looking nails. If you’re a biter, this is the way to go.
• A standard manicure shapes and polishes the nails.
• As for colors, stick with subtle shades such as sheer pink or off-white. Stay away from the fire-engine reds and the offbeat bright or super-dark shades; these colors might be fun for the honeymoon, but they would probably raise eyebrows during the ceremony.

Don’t go running for the hills just yet… perms are back. Long haired curly perms and body waves are springin’ up all over the place! I’m sure you’re thinking that yeah, it would be great to have beautiful body and curls, but we all remember the frizzy perms of the 1980′s. How do you know if a perm will work for your hair?

Let’s be honest, although perms have been greatly improved over the past 5-10 years, they are going to cause some damage to your hair. Not all damage is bad, but I’d like to discuss some red flags if you are thinking about perming your hair.

RED FLAG #1 – Highlighted Hair
If your hair is more than 30-40% highlighted, you may want to think twice before perming. In fact, if your hair is highlighted at all, you might want to think twice. Highlighting is damaging to your hair, so perming over-bleached hair that probably has some damage to the hair’s cuticle will likely cause big time frizz. Plus, you’ll have to touch up your highlights as you usually do, causing more potential damage. While frizz can be taken care of with product, it can also be a sign of serious breakage. So, think twice before perming your highlighted hair. Your hair stylist can help you decide if your hair has been too highlighted for a perm.

RED FLAG #2 – Dry Hair
Is your hair already dry, brittle, or frizzy? If so, a perm will definitely dry it out more. You may consider reconditioning treatments and/or daily treatments to get your hair in shape and moisturized before considering a perm. The bottom line is, if your hair is frizzy before a perm, it will be drier and frizzier after a perm.

RED FLAG #3 – Lots and Lots of Short Layers
All those short layers look great with a sassy straight style, but how will curls look with all those layers? Remember, curl equals volume, so if your layers hit around your ears and jawline, you’ll get volume there. Maybe that’s a good thing if you have a very narrow face, but perhaps your head will resemble a mushroom with too much volume at that part of your face. It’s my advice to wait until after a perm to cut layers or grow them out a bit before you get a perm. Remember, curly hair requires a different cutting style than cutting straight hair.

RED FLAG #4 – Colored Hair
Although not as dangerous as perming highlighted hair, if your hair is colored, you may want to give more thought to a perm. It will be in your best interest to allow 2- 3 weeks before and after your perm to color your hair. Also, keep in mind that a perm will likely lighten your color. As I said, perming over colored hair is safer than perming over highlighted hair, but anytime your hair as been previously chemically treated, a perm may cause unwanted damage.

The Bottom Line
I think perms are great, but they are not for everyone. It’s important to discuss your hair type, maintenance, and type of curl desired with your hair stylist prior to getting a perm. She will also be able to help you determine what type of perm solution, perm wrap, and cut will be best for your desired results. Please, under any circumstances, do not buy and attempt a home perm. Please.

Maintenance after the perm is also key to keeping a perm frizz free and keeping your hair healthy. The industry is full of hair products that have been formulated with permed hair in mind.

Trying to avoid all the delicious holiday treats and stay in your regular eating and exercise routines are not easy for any of us. Just remember it’s that much harder when the holidays have past and you are left with unwanted extra pounds.

Eat more veggies with your meal,instead of loading up on mashed potatoes and stuffing- Make a better choice and fill up on veggies with your turkey.

Skip the gravy,dressing and high calorie condiments- Most of the time the dressings and condiments are higher in calories than the foods you put them on.

Try to find some time to still fit in your regular exercise routine,even if you have to cut in half. It’s better to do some exercise than none at all. You don’t want to have to start your exercise routine all over again,which we all know can be overwhelming. If you are finding it heard to make time to get into the gym,try some of these work-outs that you can do from home.

Brisk walk
Jumping jacks
Jump rope
Push-ups
Sit-ups
Squats

Make it a family affair
Take a hike
Walk around the neighborhood
Go on a bike ride
Have a race with the kids to see who can run the fastest
Play a team sport with the family before the big Christmas dinner

Try these delicious holiday smoothies

Apple Pie Smoothie
3 Gala Apples
½ cup of vanilla yogurt
¾ cup of apple juice
½ cup almond milk
¼ granola
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp honey
pinch nutmeg

Santa’s North Pole Smoothie
2 cups vanilla frozen yogurt
¼ cup coconut milk
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 frozen banana
1 ½ cups ice cubes
Blend until smooth
garnish with peppermint candy cane crumbles

Happy Holidays!

When you shop for an engagement ring or other diamond jewelry you’ll find there are many ways to make a diamond appear larger than it actually is. The diamond’s cut, shape, and setting all have an impact on its apparent size.

Put these five techniques to work for you if you want to buy a diamond engagement ring that looks larger than its true carat weight.

Browse Fancy Diamond Shapes

Fancy shaped diamonds usually look larger than round diamonds of equal weight, especially diamonds with elongated shapes, such as marquise, oval and pear shaped diamonds.

Choose a Pave-Set Diamond Ring

A pavé setting looks like a continuous surface of diamonds, but is actually made up of small diamonds set side by side into little holes, their surfaces nearly level with the setting. Tiny beads are crafted from the surrounding metal to hold the diamonds in place.

It’s difficult to distinguish individual stones, so a pavé setting makes you think the jewelry has more–and larger–diamonds than it truly does. Keep in mind that diamond rings with intricate pavé settings can be expensive, so sometimes it’s less costly to buy a larger diamond.

Explore the Illusion Setting

The diamond in an illusion setting is mounted to a mirror-like plate before being set into the band, making it look larger, with more brilliance.

There’s a downside to the illusion setting–it’s more difficult to repair.

Choose an Engagement Ring with Side Stones

Small diamonds set into the band on either side of a center stone won’t necessarily make the focal diamond look larger, but can give an engagement ring more overall pizzazz.

Select a Bezel Set Diamond

Choose a diamond in a bezel setting, where a rim totally encircles the stone. White gold or platinum will blend with and enhance a white diamond, making it appear larger. A yellow gold bezel setting can throw a yellowish tint back onto the diamond.

Shallow cut diamonds look larger, but with a penalty.

You might be tempted to buy an engagement ring set with diamonds that are cut shallow–not as deep as they ideally should be. Shallow cut diamonds do appear larger than the same size stones with a more proportional cut, but what you gain in size you lose in brilliance. Light traveling through a shallow cut tends to go out the back instead of bouncing off of the sides of the stone and back into your vision.

One of the most important steps we can take to have a fabulous ‘do on a daily basis is to create a routine that is suitable for our hair type. Fine hair seems to be one of the most challenging hair types to deal with, however, with a few clever styling tips getting the hairstyles you want will be less of a hassle.

Fine hair is one of the problems women often complain about. Although fine hair is not necessarily thin hair, styling it can often be quite problematic. Fine hair is mostly a genetic trait so it is one of the things we have to learn how to live with and to find ways to give our tresses the structure that  we desire. There are several methods that can be used to create a more interesting hairstyle with various degrees of complexity. From the haircut we choose to the way we take care of our tresses and the styling techniques we use, every aspect tends to be equally important in helping us look our best.

Creating more volume is one of the top objectives with this hair type. You can take several approaches to make the hair appear thicker. Choosing a layered hairstyle and going for a shorter cut, adding highlights and lowlights to create depth and movement or even adding bangs are some of the strategies you can implement to have thicker looking strands for a longer period of time with a relative small effort for maintenance. Although more expensive a good solution is might also be experimenting  with hair extensions to create the volume you really want.

• As far as the ideal hair length is concerned, short and medium hairstyles are seen as good choices as  the hair tends to appear thicker and healthier this way and the level of maintenance decreases accordingly.
  If you pair some of these long term solutions with others that have a powerful, instant effect you will be able to maximize your chances of creating the look you really want for yourself and that will highlight your best traits.
• The secret to wonderful looking tresses starts in the shower. The frequency with which you wash your hair, the shampoos and conditioners you use and the blow drying technique all have a huge impact on the way your tresses eventually look.

  It is recommended to avoid washing your every day as it will only make your locks look worse because the natural oils will be stripped. Washing  your hair with a volumizing shampoo is one of the top strategies that you can use to create the desired look. It is not recommended to use a rinse out conditioner unless your hair tends to tangle extremely easy.

• The blow drying technique used is also very important because you can easily create volume and  lift the roots if you use the right technique. You should start blow drying your hair from the back of the head and work your way up because in this way you will have an easier time lifting the roots without too much effort. There are also a few products that, if used correctly can improve  the way  your tresses look. Typically silicone based products tend to work well because these products tend  to swell the hair shaft making the hair look healthier.

Although volumizing products can  prove to be the answer to the for the problems you are experiencing on  a daily basis it is important to resist the temptation to overuse these hair products or to make some common hair product mistakes like using a heavy hair spray or a strong shine serum as this mindset will prove to be counterproductive and might even cause serious hair damage. Instead try turning to some good styling techniques to get the desired effects.

• Techniques like backcombing and or adding curls are highly effective for bringing out the best in  your delicate tresses. If you are using the flat iron to create sedu hairstyles you are doing a big disservice to your tresses so it’s best to replace your flat iron with hot rollers  or a curling  iron for maximum flexibility.
• Bleaching your tresses is another way to make the hair appear thicker, however  most hair stylists advise against using this technique as a volume booster for reasons that are  not hard  to understand: the hair shaft can suffer severe  damage and repeated exposure to harsh chemicals can be even more detrimental.

Being invited to a formal or casual dinner party can be both exciting and nerve wrecking at once.  It’s great to be going, but too often we are left to wonder what to do and what not to do once we have arrived.  Most hosts and hostesses invite their friends and family to their homes in order to have a great time and enjoy good food and friendly fellowship together.  Try not to get upset about the event and realize that you company is desired and your host or hostess is looking forward to spending a great evening together with you and a group of his or her close friends.  Just in case you need a few refresher tips on what is expected during the evening, here are some general social and dining etiquette rules for dinner parties.

• Follow whatever dress code is suggested by your host or hostess on your invitation.
• Be punctual, ideally you should try to arrive at least 10 minutes before the announced start time. Make every effort not to arrive late.
• Come bearing gifts.It is polite to bring a token hostess gift.  Try to avoid flowers, candy or any other food item that the host or hostess will feel obliged to share during the party.  You should not expect your gift to be used or served during the dinner party.
• Follow the host or hostesses lead during the evening.  During a formal dinner party there will normally be name cards and the seating will typically be a man then a woman alternately around the table. The women are generally seated to the right of the men and it is not uncommon for couples to be seated apart.  If there are no cards, wait for the host or hostess to indicate where you are to sit.
• Some homes and families offer a prayer or blessing as their custom prior to each meal.  As a dinner guest you should feel free to either join in the prayer or sit respectfully silentduring their expression.  If a toast is offered, you should join in. If the host or hostess stands then so should you.
• The serving of the tea or coffee will signify that the formal dinner has concluded.  At this point you should feel free to either leave or mingle. Again, watch the host and hostess for clues about their expectations.
• Always remember to send a handwritten thank you note to the host or hostess after a formal dinner party.

Part of the great enjoyment of going to a dinner party is enjoying the great conversation and laughter with friends and acquaintances.  Be yourself and do your part to make the evening one that all will remember for a long time.

How long do the skin care ingredients in my lotions, body scrubs and other skin and body care products last? When should I throw them away?

For most skin and body care products, there is an easy way to find out how long the skin care ingredients are good for. Simply look on the back of the container. Many times you’ll see what looks like a skin care product tub that is opened with a number on it. The number is usually 6, 12, 24 or 36. What this means is that you can safely use this opened product for the number of months it says. But let’s remember that dipping your fingers into product does bring bacteria into the mix. Always us a spatula, or my favorite, a baby spoon that you can get at the drugstore.

Now, do I always throw away a lotion if it’s over a year old? Not usually. Many times it’s still fine to use as long as the product is not separating or looking a bit “off”. Just use your best judgement and if you think it’s time to toss it, it probably is. Pay more attention to the dates on your facial products, as they usually have special ingredients to help protect your skin. If your product doesn’t have an image on the back, assume it is probably no more than 12 months unless stated. If your product contains organic ingredients or you purchased it from a small company that produces their products after your order is placed, make sure you ask what the shelf life is. In some cases, the shelf life is very small due to the lack in preservatives.

Unopened products that are still sealed usually have a shelf life of 3-5 years or more, so don’t be concerned about the products on the shelf. As long as they stay sealed, they will last many years. The time only starts counting down when you open it.

Everyone has there own tips and tricks for sleeping, habits included. Usually we’d say, “whatever works for you,” but it looks like some of the habits you might have might be doing more harm than good, regardless of what you think!

So here are 6 Myths About Sleeping:

Falling Asleep With The TV On Is Fine

Nope. Artificial light is screwing with your sleep rhythm and suppress the production of melatonin. The influence it has on your sleep is almost completely detrimental, so you should probably ween yourself off of it if it’s just giving you comfort in some way!

Using Wine Or Booze To Help You Get To Sleep

Sure, both wine and other forms of alcohol are sedatives, but it’s what happens when you get to sleep that’s the problem — you become restless! Not only will it cause tossing and turning, you’ll wake up more often — and the bummer is that it’s even worse for women!

Exercising At Night Keeps You Awake

It won’t prevent you from falling asleep, but it may lower your sleep quality slightly!

Herbal Tea Will Make You Sleep Faster

There are a lot of teas out there that claim this, like chamomile. The fact is, though, none of this has ever been proven in studies.

You Can Catch Up On Lost Sleep

Nope! Not unless you’re only talking one or two nights. If you have a particularly rough week, we’re sorry, but there’s no catching up on that — just have to start anew!

Warm Milk

Milk, when tested, failed to affect sleep patterns at all. The logic was that it has tryptophan, which promotes serotonin. Not even the amount in turkey really has any effect on you — tryptophan has to be in its purest form to work!

There you go, guys!

Now it’s past your bedtime — go to bed!!

Let’s face it, shaving is an invasive activity. Applying a sharp metal blade to your face cuts hairs but also removes microscopic layers of skin and can cause irritation like ingrown hairs (or razor bumps). Contrary to uninformed opinions, you shouldn’t abuse your face to get a close shave. Quite the opposite. These seven simple rules will minimize damage and improve your shaving results.

Shave in the shower:Shaving should be your final step before leaving the shower. The warm moisture of a shower makes hairs soft and plump and opens your pores.

Lubricate: A performance shaving formula should form a slick lubricating cushion to allow shaving blades to glide without scraping. Leave it on your face for a minute before shaving. Some believe that pre-shave oils are unnecessary and are sold to supplement the inadequate lubrication of most shaving products.

Use a face scrub:A gentle scrubbing massage will help open pores, prime follicles and raise stubs for a closer shave. This exfoliation removes dead cells and impurities that can cause acne, ingrown hairs and infection. It will also smooth and renew your complexion.

Use a sharp blade:Discard shaving blades after four or five uses. Unfortunately, they don’t stay sharp enough for more than that. Use gentle strokes; don’t put too much pressure on the blade.

Avoid irritants:They can damage your skin and create microscopic swelling. Avoid anything that tingles, stings or numbs during or after shaving, when your skin is vulnerable. Stay away from alcohol or strong plant extracts such as menthol, peppermint or citrus.

Post-trauma soothing: Don’t skip this step; it is important to calm irritation, balance your skin’s moisture content and prevent potential problems such as ingrown hairs or clogged pores. No alcohol! You need proven functional anti-inflammatory and pore-clearing ingredients.

For special occasions: Shave in two steps. First, shave with the grain with very light pressure. Second, reapply a coat of shaving cream and shave against the grain for super-close and smooth results.