Beauty Tip Information
- Retro Styles & Makeup of the 1980s
- Measuring Your Bra Size
- How to Tie a Scarf
- Popular 70s Fashions and Makeup
- Shaping Eyebrows: Threading, Plucking & Waxing
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
Cooking Tips
Eating a healthy diet may mean learning to use different foods, or learning to cook in a new way. Consider it a challenge – a journey that will result in improved cholesterol goals and an overall healthier you!
Recipes are not set in stone! You can modify most recipes to minimize the fat and cholesterol and keep the flavours you love. The table below lists items that are bad news for your cholesterol health and suggests great alternatives.
Have fun reinventing your favourite recipes – it’s easier than you might think!
| If the recipe calls for: | Use this instead: | Here’s why: |
|---|---|---|
| Sour cream | Fat-free plain yogurt or fat-free sour cream | Fat-free yogurt or fat-free sour cream gives you the flavour without the fat |
| Heavy cream | Evaporated skim milk | Similar texture without the fat and calories |
| An egg | Two egg whites | Yolks are loaded with cholesterol, but there’s no cholesterol in egg whites |
| One cup of butter or oil for baking | Three-quarters of a cup of applesauce | A good substitute with little fat. Choose no-sugar-added applesauce to cut the calories even more. With this substitution, you might need to ‘play’ with the recipe to get the right texture |
| Frosting | Mix 1tbsp icing sugar with 1tbsp water to make a glaze | A glaze adds the sweetness without the fat and calories from frosting |
| Butter for greasing pans | Non-stick spray | A non-fat spray is easy to use and prevents food from sticking to pans |
| Bacon | Turkey bacon | Bacon made from pork is loaded with fat. Turkey bacon is made entirely from turkey meat and contains very little fat |
| Cheese | Low-fat cheese | Avoid fat-free cheese when cooking, it doesn’t melt well. Low-fat cheese such as part-skim mozzarella, is a good choice |
| Seasoning or salt | Fresh or dried herbs, garlic, vinegar, lemon or orange juice in dressing, or low-sodium bouillon cubes | These alternatives can spice up your dishes without adding too many calories, fat or sodium. A wide variety of flavoured vinegars that can spark your tastebuds are available – check the shelves at your local grocery store |
Popular 70s Fashions and Makeup
1970s Style Disco Makeup and Era Fashions that have a Vintage Flair.
The Sixties left the coming decade with an taste for the natural, and the Seventies era particularized the “Natural Look” to makeup and hair. Hair was long, smooth, often very straight, but ideally with a flip on the ends. Think the Mary Tyler Moore show, and you've got the early to middle '70s in a nutshell. The longer hairstyles still required the large curlers (which could really damage your hair with daily use) used in the '60s to create big waves, but electric curling irons were added to the mix when Farrah Fawcett Majors became on of the decade's "It" girls. The flicked up hair cuts worn to some extent by all of Charlie's Angels was applied to bangs or wings on the sides of the head. Farrah combined flicks on both sides with a high lofted center and amazing, wavy curls in streaky golden hair. Never mind that the fabulous Angel had stylists galore to keep her look fresh and "natural"; everybody wanted to look like that. And 'that' entailed more than a superb and constantly-renewed layered haircut: it meant hours with the curling iron, plenty of hair spray or mousse and strict avoidance of anything athletic, outdoorsy or the least bit—well, you know—natural.
1970s make-up styles had a natural, surfer appeal
Along with the "natural" hair of the '70s came a natural look in skin and cosmetics. Earlier decades had made fashionable the dead white complexion, the flawless matte of a movie star skin, and the rosy blush of innocence through the magic of foundation. In the Seventies, it was cool to resemble to surfers at Venice Beach: an all over tan, a golden glow around the face, and minimal looking make up were the things to strive for. Bronzers made an appearance, fake tanning fluids turned thousands of young women bright orange, and women who today look with alarm at the spots appearing on middle aged skin laid out all summer covered all too lightly in a bikini and a slick coat of baby oil.1970s makeup mavens lightened up on the eye makeup, with mascara nearly disappearing for daywear except for something to lengthen, not necessarily thicken the eyelashes. White or pale blue eyeliner was sometimes used on the inside lid to make the eyes appear larger, but dark eyeliners were out of fashion. Pearlescent colors were popular for eye shadow, nail polish and lipstick, and liquid eye shadows became the rage. When foundation was worn at all, it was not matted down with powder, but left alone to shine a bit.
Updated skin care and skin appearances in the 70’s
Skin care became more of a concept in the Seventies. In earlier decades, women were concerned about keeping their skin clean and moisturized: most women's skin care arsenal consisted of a bar of soap and a big jar of vintage Ponds cold cream. In the Seventies, products that had been available in spas were being sold to the general public; face masks, toners, astringents and a thousand other cosmetic skin care preparations found their way onto women's shelves—and into their faces. Natural products like oatmeal, avocado and milk were popularized as the public was made more aware of how what they put on their skin might affect their overall health.Disco Fashions, Hair and Cosmetics that Danced the Night Away
Just a wee bit off the mainstream, ethnic inspired fashions were making statements on the street, at school and even at work. Afros were popular for African Americans, showing a new pride in natural hair that had often been suppressed by ironing or chemical straighteners. In solidarity, some Caucasian men wore Afros, too. Clothing fashions for women included turbans, tunics worn over lounge pants, chunky beaded jewelry and woven handbags.Disco was big in the '70s, and the film Saturday Night Live helped create a subculture that sent some young people to discos in micro-minis, heels too clunky to dance in and blinding white disco costumes. Makeup was essentially the same, as was women's hair; it was the disco clothing styles that made it all happen, man. The classic retro '70's outfit for men is still the white disco suit, open-necked, with gold chains.
Shaping Eyebrows: Threading, Plucking & Waxing
Shape Eye Brows with Threading, Waxing and Plucking with Tweezers
Eyebrows are tricky creatures. You know how they’re supposed to look, but sometimes they don’t want to cooperate, and because they’re growing out of your head, they have a semi permanent character that defies wishes and good intentions.One of the many problems of eyebrows is the fact that if they aren’t the right color, they can either dominate your face or disappear entirely. Their unfortunate (but necessary) proximity to your eyeballs makes it a pretty major no-no to just sweep the haircolor across each brow and hope it doesn’t drip into your eyes. That’s why the goddess of practical beauty created the eyebrow pencil, an unsatisfactory solution, but sometimes better than nothing if your eyebrows happen to be very pale.
--Editor's Note --------------------------------------------------------------
Proper Beauty Tools Make Eyebrow Shaping a Breeze
Plucking the perfect eyebrow shape can be a stressful task because no one wants painful, over tweezed brows. Follow the lead of to make up artists and get the right tweezers and eyebrow care beauty tools. For very little money you can get the same eyebrow tweezers most professional salons use.
Learn from the professionals and see some eyebrow care kits that come with everything you need for perfect brows.
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Shaping Your Eyebrows: How to get the perfect arch shape
Shape is also crucial, and if your eyebrows are coarse, creating and maintaining the ideal shape is difficult because pulling out individual hairs can leave large gaps, or severely shorten the length of a brow if you happen to pull out the half-inch hair on the very end.The perfect eyebrow starts above the inside corner of your eye (over the tear duct), and ends at the outside corner, above your eyelashes. Eyebrows should have an arch: in nature, it’s rarely where it should be, which is a frustrating commentary on standards of beauty. Ideally, the arch happens over the iris, the colored part of your eye. It should be gentle, so if you’re planning to reshape your arch, take it very, very slowly. Do a hair or two a day, and err on the side of caution. Hasty plucking can give you a surprised look that lasts for weeks.
How to Pluck Eyebrows with Tweezers: The Do's and Don'ts
Many women pluck their eyebrows with tweezers. Some wax them, but wax is tricky because it’s hard to get an accurate shape. And some go to a hair removal salon to try "threading." Although threading is newly popular in the United States, it is a centuries-old technique of hair removal practiced in India. The eyebrow experts say never, never to pluck your eyebrows from above, but always to pluck from the bottom of the brow. I say, if you have some wild or stray or bushy hairs growing above your brows, feel free to pluck them. I did it once, and nothing bad happened to me.I read somewhere that it’s okay to trim your eyebrows. I think this is good if the single hairs are long and thick. You can pluck some hairs and trim the others, brushing them up, evening the ends (be careful not to trim too much!), then brushing them down checking again and again as you go along.
Use Eyebrow Gel to Keep Your Brow Shape Neat after Tweezing
Finally, keeping your brows neat can be done with special eyebrow gel, or you can use a little hair gel to smooth them and keep them shapely.You can buy an entire professional-style brow kit that includes tweezers, pencils, grooming gels and brush from Anastasia at www.drugstore.com.
How to Tie a Scarf
How to Tie and Wear a Womans Scarf Many Fashionable Ways
When it comes to accessorizing that special outfit, the scarf is the one item you want to have in your wardrobe. The scarf is the perfect accessory as it can add pizzaz to any outfit from the perfect little black dress to a business suit or your favorite T-shirt and jeans outfit. The scarf can add a sensational look making even the plainest outfit into a fabulous fashion hit. You should try to have a variety of scarves such as the pashmina, cashmere, fleece, silk and the scarf belt, then you will be ready for any occasion.Scarves Can be Worn Many Places on the Body Besides Your Neck
There are numerous ways to wear a scarf, making it a very versatile accessory. Wear it around your neck, tied, knotted or draped. Wear a scarf around head to keep your hair in place or around your waist as a belt. Wear a large scarf around your shoulders as a shawl.If you really feel like “tying one on” try tying a silk scarf around your hips. Just by tying a scarf around your hips, like a scarf belt, you can make your waist look smaller. You can achieve this look very easily by folding a long oblong scarf into the desired width, draping it around your hips and positioning it as a sash. Adjust it as you like. Let it hang down asymmetrically drawing the eye downward to produce a smaller looking waist.
How to Tie a Silk Scarf Around Your Neck
Of course, the traditional way to wear a scarf is around the neck. A fashion statement can be made by tying your scarf in creative ways. Try tying a small square scarf around your neck as a choker or a longer oblong scarf can be knotted in front and hang straight down. The smaller silk (many times can be found in washable silk) scarves look great with a scarf pin to secure them in place. Use a crystal brooch, ring or scarf pin that is all the rage now to hold your scarf in the front. The scarf clips are great to use. Shell scarf holders that you can find at your beach resort gift shops are great options as well. These are just a few ways to hold that perfect designer silk scarf in place. If you don’t have a scarf pin or brooch, try wearing that long oblong scarf in the Grace Kelly style by holding it across the front of our neck and then bringing one end around to fall done your right front side and then bring other end around your neck to fall down your left front side. This is a great way to wear those designer silk scarves that are so light and airy now days. They are great for summer and spring. Another way to wear the long oblong scarf is just drape it around your neck and shoulders and then let it hang down dramatically in front.
How to Wear a Winter Cashmere Scarf and Keep Warm
For winter wear your wool or cashmere scarf and get extra warmth around your neck , by folding the long oblong scarf in half and positioning around your neck with the two ends on one side and the fold of scarf on your other side. Next take the two ends and slip thru the fold of the scarf. By pulling on the two ends you can tighten the scarf as you like around your neck. If it is really cold out you can tuck these ends into your coat for added warmth or if you want a fashionable look then fan the two ends out as desired. This looks great for the thinner summer scarves for a more fashionable look. The knitted scarf is great to wear this way too and often comes with matching gloves to complete your outfit. Usually the knitted scarf is just worn by looping it around your neck.
Tying a Scarf to Make a Hair Accessory and Keep Your Hair Style in Place
A large square scarf can be folded in half forming a triangle that can then be tied around your neck loosely to hang dramatically off one shoulder. Then of course there is always the head that can be covered with the larger square scarf. Hold your hair in place while riding in your convertible this summer by using a light weight chiffon or silk scarf. You can either tie the scarf in front under your chin or try tying it in the back of your head. A smaller scarf can also be folded to a create an hair ban. Another way to wear the square scarf is as a Turban. Fold the square into a triangle and fold edge under over the forehead. Take the two ends to the back and cross them over each other bringing them again to the front to tie on top of the head. You can then tuck in the ends or any loose fabric and adjust as you desire. Be creative with your scarf tying and have fun trying out the many different ways to wear your fashion scarves.Measuring Your Bra Size
Bra Size Guide: How to Find Your Bra Size
Did you know that 7 out of 10 women are wearing the wrong bra size. Popular shows like Oprah and TLC’s What Not to Wear have dedicated entire shows to the subject since the problem is so rampant amount women. With such large number wearing the wrong bra size, I began to wonder if perhaps I was wearing the bra size.Since I, Girl Friday, am the editor of this free beauty tips website, I decided to do a little bit of research on behalf of all women on measuring a bra size. Many websites explained how to find your correct bra size and had a size chart to find your resulting cup size. I will paraphrase the important parts about determining your bra size using this method.
How to Measure Bra Size
First put on your favorite bra that you think makes your breasts the right shape and feels most comfortable. Next you will need to find a flexible measuring tape (the kind a seamstress would use). You may also need to grab a trusted friend to help you measure, since it is difficult to keep the tape level around your body. The first measurement to take is around your ribcage, just below your breasts. Now add 5 to this number to get your band size. If the resulting band size was an odd number, you will need to round up to the next even number since bra bands only come in even numbers.The second measurement should be taken around the fullest part of your bosom with your favorite bra on. This measurement is your cup size. Next subtract your band size from your cup size to calculate the right cup size. Refer to the bra cup size chart below:
Bra Size Chart
1” larger than measurement 1--------------------A2” larger than measurement 1--------------------B
3” larger than measurement 1--------------------C
4” larger than measurement 1--------------------D
5” larger than measurement 1--------------------E
6” larger than measurement 1--------------------F
After all the research about finding the right bra size, my measurements put me in the somewhat embarrassing category of 32A. I did indeed fall in the 7 out of 10 women who are wearing the wrong bra size. I figured models have smaller breasts right? It can’t be that bad. So I was off to the store to try on what I thought to be my “measured” bra size. The only problem was a 32A was giving me four breasts (you know the double-bubble affect) instead of two! I was back to square one asking myself “whats my bra size?”
--Editors Tip ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Finding Your Bra Size, Even if Your Department Store Doesn’t Carry It
I really believe that one reason why so many women are wearing the wrong bras size is because local department stores only carry a very limited, standard size selection. We all think that we are suppose to fit in that limited size assortment, which is just not realistic. If you don’t perfectly fit in the standard bras size, most women settle for mediocre fit of what is available, on sale and in the prettiest color.
I too, find myself in a rather hard to find size. I am also someone who prefers to stock up on everyday clothing items when they are on sale, which has been harder after learning my proper size. My new strategy is to buy the proper size, on sale and online. If I can find one at the store, I try it on and then stock up on that style through an online retailer. They are well stocked on unusual sizes and have sales all the time. Many offer free shipping deals, as well. Below are a few of my favorite online bra stores that carry a large variety of sizes brands.
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- Bare Necessities
- Fig Leaves
- Essential Apparel
- Big Girls Bras (my bustier friend’s favorite)
Have a Professional Measure Your Correct Bra Size
Completely frustrated at the department store trying on the wrong size bras, I had to call in the little old woman sales assistant in the bra department to measure my size in the dressing room. I will admit I was a bit shy, but at least I would have a solid answer from a real bra professional. With the tape measure she too, measured the same measurements as I had myself. But when looking at me in the 32A, she saw the problem. She sweetly went out and searched for a 32B bra size for me to try. After trying on this new size it fit absolutely perfect! I was ecstatic and quite happy with the shape result and added perkiness.The moral of the story is have a bra professional fit you with the proper bra size. Measuring with a tape measure may not be enough to get the perfect fit bra. And trust me, a correct size bra makes for a shapely, perky bosom with comfort. If your measured bra size is not translating well to the bra size try going up or down a cup or band size for the perfect fit.
What the Right Bra Size Shouldn’t Do
With so many ladies wearing the wrong bra size, I thought I would take a moment to discuss the signs that you might be wearing the wrong size bra. Below is a list of no-no’s when it comes to bra fit.Breasts should not fall out below the bra when raising your hands above your head. If they do try, going down a band size
The middle part of your bra that sits between your breasts should sit flat on your rib cage. If it doesn’t try, going up a cup size.
The band of your bra should stay level around the circumference of your body. A band that rides up in the back means your band size is too big.
The bra straps should only be 10% of the support your bra gives. If your bras straps are doing all the work, consider going down a band size.
Breasts should fit comfortably into the bra cup with no overflow, double-bubble, or wrinkles in the bra fabric.
Your bra band should not be giving you the illusion of back fat. If this is happening try a larger band size or a difference style bra.
Retro Styles & Makeup of the 1980s
1980s Retro Makeup Application and Styles That Will Accentuate Any 80s Party Costume or Fashion Outfit.
Like all trends, '80s Makeup Trends seemed normal at the time, but looking back by twenty years or so, we can see the difference in the apparent natural look of today. In the eighties, women were coming into their own as far as workplace issues were concerned, and the trends were towards ultra-smooth color on the face, bright eye and lip shades and plenty of make up. The combination of workplace politics and cheap fluorescent lighting played absolute hell with women's makeup, turning foundations and eye shadows (blue was popular) into strange colors indeed. And makeup was important if you wanted to be taken seriously. It was quite usual for a woman to apply a full set of makeup—foundation, powder, lipstick and liner, mascara, eyeliner and eye shadow—to go to work. Like most fads, 80s makeup trends looked good: nowadays, women who make up that heavily look like they have something to hide.For the perfect eighties theme party costume . . .
But if you're going to an 80's style retro party, you can easily create the eighties look. Fashions are easy: a matching dress or skirt suit with big shoulder pads, preferably in a bright color is a good start. Heels are imperative, and hair should be big and fluffy but very controlled. Remember, the '80s look is all about minimizing flaws but maximizing power. It was the decade of the woman's power suit, along with power lipsticks in bright reds and power perfumes heavy on the oriental floral scents. Need a model? For a perfect '80s hair style and suits, look at reruns of Designing Women.--Editors Tip ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Mica Makeup and Cosmetics Complete the 1980’s Look
Before there was pure mineral makeup, there was mica for eye shadow. Mica is a highly reflective mineral, which makes for strong color and a lasting look. Ground fine, it provides all the glam of glitter without the grit or flakiness, because mica makes a powder so smooth, you can't even feel it once it's on. It's exotic, romantic and lush. In the '70s and '80s, mica was de rigueur for eye shadow, evening contours, dusting on shoulder blades and all sorts of other groovy places. A little pot of mica shadow will last you about fourteen years, unless you decide that it's so cool as a cosmetic that it would look even better swiped onto a wet paintbrush and smeared across a pure white wall in an iridescent rainbow. Then, you might need to buy a second pot. Mica is also great because you can find it all a lot of different colors ranging from black to purple to white, but all iridescent and shiny.
Unless you're planning to cover your entire body with mica, it's easier to apply it damp, either with a sponge or a brush. It's great worked into moisturizer or mixed with lip balm or even put into nail polish. It's inert, so if it gets in your mouth it won't hurt you, but it will still bother your eyes like any dust would, so be careful applying it around the eye area. Because it's so fine, it can be flyaway otherwise, and truly untidy. But it's so much fun to experiment with, you may just decide to buy a big powder puff and go for it.
See a selection of mica makeup that will glam up your eighties look.
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Put some glamour into your eighties look
But if you're looking to do something more glam, Madonna is your model. Not the Madonna of today, with her London-Pilates-yoga chic, but the younger, earthy, in-your-face fashionista who successful combined wedding gowns with soldier boots. Any woman who was a teen in the eighties probably has a mental picture of Madonna that makes ordinary eighties clothing and makeup look like something from another century. Madonna wore makeup, all right, but she wasn't afraid to tear it up with plenty of white foundation and stark black eyeliners. Eighties fashion for the fashionable was all about extremes: shock had its value, and the idea that everyday women were wearing shoulder pads and big brass buttons to claim their share of the glass ceiling workplace was laughable. There was an interesting thing happening in the 1980's: some women were trying to climb the corporate ladder while others were trying to capitalize on a sort of brooding sexuality. The combination was confusing, since the clothes were hard edged but the faces were hidden under piles of makeup. It's almost like women had taken up full body and face armor to meet the wars of the workplace.
80s hair and make-up styles
Glam came along in the 1980s, and the cosmetic and clothing fashions were a combination of Star Trek and an Illinois Human Resources convention. Glam makeup practically preceded the wearer into the room: we're talking eyes so smoky they teared from all the goopy makeup, and big, pillowy, pouty lips, the kind of lips that say, "kiss me and then I'll sue you for sexual harassment". The average woman put on a lot of makeup, did things to her hair with curling irons and bright hair dye color, blow dryers and three kinds of gel, and then it was time to do her eyebrows.More 80’s fashion and outfit ideas
Other 80's styles included workout gear, because the 80's was the time when aerobics really hit the big time. Jane Fonda's workout video made leg warmers a must-have, and it became fashionable to be thin so you could look really great in your gym wear. We saw the advent of lavender jogging suits for women, millions of cross trainers and meaningless little visors for running in the sun while it burned the top of your head. Sunglasses were big, so big in fact, that they reduced the wearer's face to the size of a bug's. Indoor glasses were also big and round, covering from cheek to eyebrow and resulting in glasses wearers pouring on even more eye makeup than ever before.Self Defense Tips for Women
Self Defense & Safety for Women: Protecting Yourself from Crime is Important
Paying attention to your personal safety keeps you beautiful—face and body intact and serene—and there can be more in your purse than lipstick to help you fight back if you're attacked by a mugger. Protecting the purse itself is more a matter of prevention than anything else. If your purse is clutched to you rather than dangling from a strap, you'll be less likely to have someone try to take it from you.If someone does either grab or demand your purse, give it to him; it's not worth risking yourself for whatever's in there! If your purse is large or heavy, you may be able to belt someone with it if you need to, but if you hit someone with your purse, don't be a sissy about it: pack a wallop that will hopefully knock the guy down and preferably out.
Women are often at risk for street crime and sexual assault on a date, partly because muggers don't know how strong and fast women can be, and largely because too many women don't know it either. If you've ever taken a self defense class, you've probably been surprised at just how competently you can defend yourself once you have some encouragement and little bit of training. If you haven't ever taken self defense, try it: even if you never need to use what you learn, you will gain confidence and strength; two things would-be bad guys want to avoid in their victims whenever possible!
Most self defense classes start by teaching students that screaming loudly and running away is often the best device in stopping an attack. Attackers count on the fact that, in the face of an attack, many people are overcome by a weird sense of shame, which makes them quiet and acquiescent. Battered women (and even abused wives) are the ultimate example of people who are attacked and respond with shame and self-blame, so that they don't want anyone to know what's happening to them. Keeping quiet about being abused means that the abuse continues until the woman gains the strength to leave or until her abuser kills her. On the other hand, women who report abuse to the police often stop being victims. On the street among strangers too, people who run and scream get attention, and very often get help.
Self-defense trainers often say that teaching women techniques to kick, grab, punch the testicles or to claw the eyes of an attacker is all very well, but when it push comes to shove, some crime victims freeze and can't use the aggressive fighting techniques covered in their programs. Something in the way women are trained from childhood sometimes prevents us from fighting back as affectively as we can, even when our bodies and our lives are at stake. Overcoming the urge to remain still is a large part of becoming effective at self defense, and part of the information female students receive in personal safety training involves confronting the conflicting emotions we feel when under attack.
Even if you've had self defense training tips in courses or seminars, it helps to have added advantages in the form of self defense products such as a stun gun or pepper spray key chain or defense spray pen. Sometimes just knowing you have a useful weapon in your purse can give you an air of confidence that warns bad guys away. When you're walking alone in the dark or going to your car in an unfamiliar or unsafe place, keeping your hand on your pepper spray (go here to learn more about pepper spray ingredients) is one good tip for crime prevention. Even a hardened attacker can't fight the vicious stinging of a pepper spray, and every woman, young or old, fragile or strong, can gain the benefit of time to run away and scream for help.
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