Freckles - Prevent 'em or Treat 'em?

Freckles - Prevent 'em or Treat 'em?

Millions of people around the world have freckles. However, there are those who wish that a full freckle remover existed. So, if you are interested in freckle removal, remedies for freckles and freckle treatments then it is in your best interest to continue reading this article and find out what can you do with them.

What Are Freckles?

Freckles are marks that appear in our skin as a consequence to our exposure to the sun. They are usually present in people with pale skin, blond or red hair. However, what causes freckles? The active ingredient for the production of freckles is the melanocortin-1 receptor MC1R gene variant. When a person has this gene variant, and spends time under the sun, freckles will start to make their appearance, especially in the face. When the sun rays penetrate their skin, they make contact with the melanocytes, activating them. As a reaction, they will create new freckles or increase the size of the older ones.

Different Types Of Freckles

There are two main types of freckles, known as ephelides and lentigines. Ephelides comes from the Greek word for freckle: ephelis. The principal characteristic of this form of freckle is its color (red or light brown). Usually, they appear during the summer months and tend to disappear through the winter. In the case of lentigines (the word comes from Latin, lentil), things are a bit different. Most of the times they appear in children and their skin develops a spot of darker colors (brown to black). Finally, they don't disappear during winter. Although they may not be very attractive in appearance, they don't pose any type of risk. Although these are the two main types of freckles, there are some variations that need to be considered. For example, when an adult develops lentigines, they are usually called "age spots" or "liver spots". However, you shouldn't be deceived by these names. They are the manifestation of overexposure to the sun in a skin that has a genetic tendency to develop freckles.

How Can Freckles Be Treated?

The most popular freckle remover in these days is laser. Laser procedures are able to remove the freckle from the skin without causing any kind of damage to the surrounding tissue. Plus, it doesn't require high doses of anesthesia and they are procedures that are very quick to perform.

For a time, cryosurgery was also popular for treating freckles. This procedure uses liquid nitrogen in order to freeze the affected region of the skin so the freckle can be easily removed. However, with the advent of laser technology, cryosurgery has lost some terrain. There are some cases, though, in which dermatologists still recommend the use of cryosurgery

Do Freckles Pose Health Risks?

Yes and no. If a person has freckles, the best thing that he or she can do is to visit, each year, a dermatologist. The doctor will take pictures of the most important freckles in the body in order to evaluate them after a year. Why is it needed? The reason is that a freckle could be the antecessor to a more dangerous kind of spot: melanoma. The doctor needs to assure himself that there hasn't been any change in the pattern of the freckle. If your family has an antecedent of cancer and you have freckles, then you may have a genetic disposition for melanoma. Look for a dermatologist and let him examine your skin. Additionally, do not forget to tell him if there have been cases of skin cancer in your family. This information is very important for him since he will be able to implement a proper treatment

How Can Freckles Be Prevented?

The best way to avoid their appearance is by not having any kind of contact with intense sun, especially during the summer. Of course, few people will want to follow this option since most of them want to spend time in the outsides, especially in the beach. So, if you are one of those persons, your best choice is to use sunscreen. Consult your dermatologist in order to determine which kind, and level, of sunscreen you need to use.Teen freckles can be a nuisance for many adolescents who consider their external image the most important thing for them. However, it is very important that parents teach their kids that there is no magical remedy. If they have been born with freckles, they will have to accept it as part of their lives. Although a freckle remover can eliminate the ones that pose a health risk, the truth is that freckles are here to stay

Enjoy
Lorette
http://www.make-up-tip.com

Natural Ways to Keep Skin Healthy

Natural Ways to Keep Skin Healthy

Here are some tips for healthy skin, using natural products

FOODS FOR HEALTHY SKIN

One of the top tips for healthy skin care is to eat healthy foods. Here are some of the best foods for healthy skin.

• Foods containing Omega-3 fatty acids (eg. Tuna, mackerel, herrings and sardines)
• Foods containing Vitamin A or beta-carotene (eg. Sweet potato, carrot, mango and spinach)
• Foods containing zinc (e.g. Beef, peanuts, roasted pumpkin)
• Fresh fruit and vegetables
• Water
• Tea

HYDRATIONS

kin hydration is very important, especially for people with dry skin. Drinking lots of water is one way of keeping skin hydrated. Water also helps brings nutrients to the skin. It is important to avoid dehydrating drinks, like cola, coffee and alcohol. Cold weather and hot water can dry out skin, so these should be avoided as much as possible. People with dry skin should always wear a sunscreen, even during winter.

SLEEP AND SKIN REJUVENATION

Getting a good night's sleep is important for healthy skin care. As people sleep, skin rejuvenation takes place and the cells undergo a process of repair. This is important because this is the time when the skin is restored and recovers from any harm it has suffered during the day. To help skin stay healthy, you should ensure you get at least seven (preferably eight) hours of sleep a night. Make-up can interfere with the skin's rejuvenation process, so all make-up should be removed before going to bed.

Enjoy
Lorette
http://www.make-up-tip.com

Skin care quiz: Best practices for healthy skin

Skin care quiz: Best practices for healthy skin
From MayoClinic.com

Does your skin care routine leave your skin looking its best? Are you doing all you can to keep your skin looking youthful? Sort through common perceptions — and misperceptions — surrounding skin care and find out the best ways to keep your skin healthy.

Take the quiz below to see how much you know.

http://health.msn.com/centers/skincare/quiz.aspx?cp-documentid=100154032&GT1=9145

Enjoy
Lorette
http://www.make-up-tip.com

12 Secrets to Sexy Hair - - What Your Stylist Didn't Tell You (But Told Us)

Don't you just love it when your stylist teaches you a trick that you just know you'll use for the rest of your life? Here we've compiled 12 secrets to sexy hair that we learned from years of talking to stylists & compiling style secrets from magazines. Enjoy!

Secret #1: Skip the daily shampoo Chances are you've heard the beauty secret that dirty hair is easier to style. Well it's true. Washing hair every 2-3 days does not result in 'dirty' hair per se, but actually helps promote healthy hair. Washing hair every day robs hair of essential oils which can lead to dry scalp & hair. So skip the daily scrubs.
If you have dry, coarse hair, be sure to condition ends every day. Oily, lifeless hair? Try adding body by spritzing water at the roots. Water will reactivate your styling products and add lift to the roots.

You can also try changing parts & if you have dry shampoo (or baby powder if you have light hair) hair, you can try sprinkling some on your roots. Check out your dry shampoo options from $4 & up

Secret #2: Buns are cool, but keep them loose Updos aren't just for prom, New Years & Lois Lane. But keep the brush away and finger-comb hair into a low, disheveled bun or knot. Leave the tight, ballerina 'do for the dancers. Check out these gorgeous photos of sexy buns

Secret #3: Want Sexy, Messy, 'Just Off the Beach' Waves? The secret is in sea salt spray. We once dropped by one of Manhattan's hottest salons to check in on the new perming trend. We wanted sexy, loose waves & we were wondering if they did them there via the perming process.
No can do, said the girl at the front desk, who just happened to have the hair we wanted. "Do you happen to perm your hair?" We asked, oh-so-delicately. She blushed ever so slightly, then leaned to tell us a little secret. "Nope, I use sea salt. And I make it myself." You too can make a spray using a bottle, sea salt & water. But if you want to buy it yourself, we recommend our favorite sea salt spray, Bumble & Bumble's Surf Spray.

Secret #4: Don't bring out the brush too soon When blowdrying hair, separate tangles with fingers until hair is about 80% dry THEN try brushing. You want to make sure your fingers glide through hair effortlessly before introducing a brush to wet or even damp hair.

Secret #5: Bangs are hot, just make sure you get the right bangs We love the look of thick, heavy bangs & side-swept bangs. Just avoid the thin, wispy, all-one-length bang -- it will make your face look 'boxy' and dated. A very hot look right now are thick bangs paired with long, wavy layers. Sexy. Especially with perfect highlights. Not ready for the thick bangs? Try side-swept bangs paired with long layers. Layering hair with bangs works best because it's less boxy while allowing your hair to grow out without looking too extreme if you decide to grow out the trend.

Secret #6: Yes, you can go blonde or red Some skin types work best with colors than others. Most olive-skinned women (think J.Lo) can get away with any hair color: Blonde, black, brunette & even red. Women with pink tones have a harder time & can't get too drastic. But believe it or not, pink skin tones tend to work best with red hair color. As for going blonde, if you were fairly blonde-ish as a child in the summer, then you are a good candidate for going blonde as an adult. But olive-skinned girls with black or brown hair can look great blonde, too. Have a stylist help pick the right tone for you.

Secret #7: Skip the long, one-length style Long, blunt-cut hair just isn't fresh. Cutting in long layers can shave off years off your look.

Secret #8: The secret to 'piece-y' hair You know the look you're going for. That long, wavy hair where the waves seem to fall in pieces. Some stylists swear it's in the cut. It most definitely is -- but you also need the right product.
To get thie 'piece-y' look, you want long layers -- hair that's just one length simply won't do. Your stylist will also want to lighten the thickness of hair by texturizing, this basically lightens the load & gives hair needed body. Texturizing also gives hair thickness at the roots, allowing it to fall in sexy, soft waves.
Once you have the perfect cut, however, don't forget the product. A good pomade run through hair helps separate pieces. We like Kenra Platinum Texturizing Taffy Pomade. But almost every haircare brand will have a nice pomade.

Can I Fix My Split Ends?

In a word: no. Nope. Sorry. The only way to get rid of split ends is to cut them off. Serums can temporarily seal a split end, but they can't repair them. So why do you need to trim split ends? Because they will split up the hair shaft causing even more hair damage. You can, however, hide split ends by twisting your hair into a bun or chignon. (I have been known to wear my hair in a casual bun for months because I put off going to the salon.

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How to Apply Eyeshadow - 10 tips and tricks

Secret #1: Blending is key Ok, well I sorta knew this, but I wasn't sure HOW TO BLEND. You use three different colors: The base, usually a very light taupe, a highlighter for the crease and a main color for the lid, but how to get them to look as if they merge into each other like the colors of a rainbow? My secret: Start light then go darker. Brush the base color, apply the lid color and THEN apply the highlighter. Also, don't be too heavy-handed or you'll have to start over. Extra tip: Practice makes perfect. Play with your makeup a few days before a big event.

Secret #2: Choose shadows that make the color of your eyes pop Gone are the days when beauty experts advised against blue shadow. Matching the color of your eye with a shadow actually brings the color out (think blue shadow on blue eyes). At the same time, contrasting colors make eyes pop too (think a deep jeweled blue shadow on deep brown eyes).

Secret #3: Never cover your browbone with deep color -- unless you're doing a cover shoot for Vogue You don't want the drama too much shadow brings. Apply shadow up to the browbone but don't apply shadow ON the bone unless it's a neutral color or a highlighter

Secret #4: Highlighter can make or break your look When applying dark shadow to the crease of your eye, be careful to blend only on the outside edge. Get to close to the eye and you'll cause your eyes to look teeny and beady.

Secret #5: Set shadow with a great base Primers are super hot right now because they help set makeup that stays for hours. I've found the secret to keeping shadow in place for hours is a shadow base. Almost everyone makes them but I swear by MAC Paints

Secret #6: Shimmer is hot, but plays up wrinkles Shimmer makes eyes really pop, but it also highlights heavy lids, lines and wrinkles. A great look for shimmer is to create a 'nude' lid, but apply a bit of gold shimmer to the browbone. Gorgeous!

Secret #7: Smokey is great, but keep it to the lid Making up a smokey eye? Keep color to the lid and just under the lower lashline. Don't extend color above the crease.

Secret #8: How to pair shadow with red lips Remember the beauty rule 'Thou Shalt Not Play up the Lips AND the Mouth.' If you're going for dramatic red lips (never out of fashion), cover unsightly blue lines on lids with a concealer or shadow primer and then keep eyeshadow light.

Secret #9: Make eyes brighter with white A dot of white shadow or pencil on the inside of the eye near the tear duct will make eyes look brighter.

Secret #10: Go for color Taupe and lavender look great on all eye colors. Also consider mixing shades if you bought a color that's just too bold for you. Mixing an electric blue with taupe can turn out the most perfect color.

enjoy
lorette
http://www.make-up-tip.com

Quick Tips: How to Detangle Hair

Long, fine hair is especially susceptible to tangles.

If you have trouble detangling your hair (or your kid's), here's are some tips:

1. Always, always use conditioner after you shampoo. If you have oily hair (many people with fine hair, do), apply conditioner to the bottom 2/3rds of your hair. If you have normal or dry hair, try a leave-in conditioner, applied to ends.

2. Use a wide-tooth comb.

3. Start detangling from the bottom up.

4. If hair is dry and tangled and you don't want to wet hair, rub a few drops of shine serum in your palms then run your hands through your hair. The serum will help you work out the knots with a comb.

enjoy,
lorette
http://www.make-up-tip.com