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Woman I know you understand The little child inside of the man, Please remember my life is in your hands And woman hold me close to your heart, However distant don't keep us apart, After all it is written in the stars...

Monday, April 7, 2008

Beauty Sleep

by: Cathy Gatson

The Importance of Sleep

Sleep is a restorative process. While we're sleeping, our brain is cycling through the 3 stages of sleep: light, deep and REM. Sleep restores, rejuvenates and energizes the body and brain. Our immune systems are recharged, cells grow and repair themselves, and our bodies conserve energy.

Dangers of Sleep Deprivation

Unfortunately, to many sleep is not valued. In this "open all night" society we now live in, four out of ten Americans are trading much-needed sleep hours for longer hours at the office, gym, club and other activities which seem more important or interesting. What they may not realize is that lack of sleep takes a toll on our mental and physical well being. Studies performed by the
National Sleep Foundation show that even minimal sleep loss has a profoundly detrimental impact on mood, cognition, performance, productivity, communication skills, accident rates and general health.

For optimal functioning throughout the day, the average adult needs between seven to nine hours sleep a night. According to the NSF, the American adult population functions on about six and a half hours of sleep per night.

Don't Sleep?

For some, lack of sleep is not a choice, but a condition. Millions of Americans suffer from insomnia. According to the NSF, a third of Americans are using over the counter or prescription sleep aids at night. If you suffer from insomnia, here are a few tips to help you get some shut eye:

  • Pray before bedtime.
    The bible tells us to "Cast your burden upon the Lord. Don't go to bed with a heavy load.
  • Give it to God. Remember Joy comes in the morning"
  • Avoid caffeinated food and beverages like coffee, teas, soft drinks and chocolate 3 to 4 hours before bedtime.
  • Exercise regularly, but complete your workout at least three hours before bedtime. Keep your body calm.
  • Make sure your mattress is the right one for you. Flip your mattress over periodically.
  • Develop a bedtime ritual. Taking a warm bath 90 minutes before bedtime will
    relax your body and usually make you feel sleepy.
  • Make sure your bedroom is quiet and comfortable.
  • Have a cup of warm milk.
  • Play relaxing music.
  • Go to bed and wake up the same time every day. When your sleep cycle has a regular rhythm you will feel better.

Be a Sleeping Beauty

friend of mine once told me that a woman should present herself to her husband at bedtime like a present. Interesting…so I polled a few colleagues and found overall most husbands prefer their wives to be lingerie clad at bedtime. Nude came in a very close second and pajamas were considered very un-sexy. Wives preferred their hubbys wear only boxers to bed. Whatever your sleepwear preference, bedtime is the opportunity to prepare your mind and body for the rest it deserves. Here are a few more tips to help you sleep pretty:

  • Always remove your makeup and cleanse your face thoroughly before bed (Oil of Olay Foaming Face Wash for Sensitive Skin).
  • Going to bed without washing your face not only leads to mascara-stained sheets (Andrea Eye Q's eye makeup remover pads $3.50+ voted best by Allure Magazines 1999) but the dirt picked up during the day can clog pores and lead to acne.
  • Brush and floss your teeth.
  • Vaseline works wonders on rough spots while you sleep. Try it on feet, elbows, and knees and dab a little on your lips too.
  • There are several night creams on the market now claiming to be more effective if applied at bedtime, here are a few to try: Lancome - Primoridale Intense Night Cream $41.50, Murad Perfecting Night Cream $41.50. If these prices are more than you normally spend then L'Oreal Age Perfect Night Cream and Oil of Olay ProVital night creams are available at Wal-Mart and Target. Prices range from $14 - $15.
  • If you wrap your hair in a scarf at bedtime, remember to wash it regularly.
  • Wear your fancy nighties to bed. Don't save them for a special occasion. You are a special occasion.
  • After your bath or shower ritual slather on a lotion that relaxes you and helps you fall asleep like Origins Night-a-mins moisture lotion or Calm to Your Senses Body Souflee.
  • Marilyn Monroe is said to only have worn Chanel No.5 to bed but if you prefer something a little lighter then Issey Miyake's L'Eau D'Issey Soothing Night Fragrance is a good pick.

Here's wishing you brighter days and more restful nights!

Cathy Gatson is a freelance writer and owner/operator of a hair and body salon located in Northern California.

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Beauty Shop

by: Tamika Johnson

Beauty Shop tells the story of Gina (Queen Latifah) as she moves to Atlanta so her daughter can go to an exclusive music school. She finds a job as a stylist at a high end salon but after a confrontation with her boss leaves and opens her own beauty shop.

Beauty Shop doesn’t quite rise to the occasion as it repackages and regurgitates characters, themes and plots that we have seen before. It is one thing to tell a story that has previously been done yet bring something new to what may be an overdone but entertaining storyline and it is another to retell a story and not bring anything new to the table at all. Beauty Shop falls into the latter category and suffers greatly for it.

The main problem with Beauty Shop is that it is Barber Shop with women. From the plot twists to the characters inside the shop, it is the exact same movie as Barbershop except with Queen Latifah at the helm instead of Ice Cube. There is the funny, familial and penny pinching boss, Gina (Queen Latifah). There is the misguided, yet full of potential stylist in training, Darnelle (Keshia Knight-Pulliman). There’s the arrogant, know it all stylist who is a pain in everyone’s side, Chanel (Golden Brooks).
There’s the novice stylist of a different race that can’t get any business, Lynn (Alicia Silverstone) and finally there’s the opposite sex stylist who is the only one of his kind in the salon, James (Bryce Wilson). Add to that the money problems, someone trying to take over the business and the possibility that the shop may have to close for good and you have the same movie, same story without any added flare. You even have the character that hawks their goods at the shop: in Barbershop it was a man selling bootleg CDs and DVDs and in Beauty Shop it is a woman selling catfish and monkey bread. The concept of being original must have never crossed the writer’s minds.

And once again I say, can we dispense with the gay stylists. That is a stereotype that can go to the stereotype graveyard never to be seen or heard of again…ever. Kevin Bacon, an actor I love does an absolutely horrible and I repeat horrible job playing Latifah’s gay and fascist boss. We can also dispense with "metrosexuals" the new overused and unfunny effeminate male stereotype that is going to appear in every movie where men are employed in what are typically considered to be women’s jobs. If so, I say please stop now before you make audiences suffer anymore then we already have at this new, unnecessary caricature. There was one of these characters in "Guess Who", and one of Beauty Shop’s many subplots is trying to figure out if the only male stylist is gay, straight or a metrosexual which would be a cross between the two.

For positives, there were some laughs and the opportunity to see a shirtless Djimon Hounsou was almost worth my money, but overall Beauty Shop was unoriginal and a bore. Ultimately the question is -- do you really want to spend your money on something you’ve already seen before. For me the answer is simple: No, I don’t.

About the Author

Tamika Johnson is a freelance writer and owner of PrologueReviews.com. To read more reviews by Tamika or to have your book, music or film reviewed visit http://www.prologuereviews.com

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Beauty of Nature Talent of Man, a New Ancient Art Form

by: Peter Lewitin

Beauty of Nature Talent of Man, a New Ancient Art Form

Since Mankind first stood erect and developed a consciousness of the world in which he lived; Nature has been a place of many dangers. Violence and death, the need to survive, and the biological urge to reproduce, and to nurture ourselves and our offspring has always been a prime motivational factor.

Being alert to our surroundings has profound implications, and is as pertinent today as it was in the distant primitive past.

"He's street smart", Is one way that we designate and congratulate the modern man, who has learned to be aware of his basic world and how to survive.

All living things, share this "aware of surroundings, street smart" necessity for survival.

There are many things which separate us as Humans, from other living things. Most are obvious, and have been studied, examined, dissected, and extrapolated ad nauseum.

However, the Human Spirit, has special abilities and insights which help to define the Soul inherent in Human existence, and is actually a definitive proof of its existence.

Recognition of beauty. Not the beauty necessary for reproduction and the sexual urges which enable its success, but a more abstract and intellectual beauty. The "BEAUTY OF NATURE".

An animal will stop and survey his surroundings, sniff the air, look at flowers, rocks, majestic mountains, but his motivation is survival. They are searching for a hidden enemy, or a source of necessary food.

Man is different. He can look at a beautiful sunset or a majestic peak, or a natural wonder like the Grand Canyon, an out cropping of rocks or any one of a million gifts of Natures Bounty and beauty, and feel our Soul vibrate and soar in sync with the abundant largess which Mother Nature, and God, has provided.

Of course we have a Soul, feel it beat in rhythm with the beauty of Nature.

Humanity has always been attracted to these dramatic gifts and we create parks, and national monuments, and fight to preserve these special areas of natural beauty.

The beauty of nature does not exist exclusively on this type of macro scale. There is a unique beauty of nature that exists on a very real, yet micro scale.

A new Art Form. An original way to capture and worship that which "God has wrought." There are certain natural stones which have captured the originality and overwhelming beauty which is inherent on a macro scale by a Grand Canyon. Imagine, the dramatic originality of Nature, "one of a kind works of art”, available to enjoy and display in your home or office.

This new art form has several methodologies. The nature of the stone makes it a work of art naturally. This can be further enhanced using certain treatments, applied to the stone strategically, to enhance the effects already within it. Stone is also fast becoming a medium of choice for the innovative artist, as this material soaks up paint and gives a depth to color that isn’t achieved on traditional mediums. Sculpture is the most ancient form of stone art; however stacked sculpture is a new form that involves adding stone to a piece to achieve a desired effect.

A gift of Nature, the majesty of the Earth, to cherish and uplift your spirit, and beautify your environment. Bask in the reflective beauty of your World. Stone art provides a true Cornacopia of originality and creativity.

A great place to get inspired is the museum of stone art at http://art.pebblez.com
About the Author
Peter Lewitin is an author and artist whose works are on display at http://art.pebblez.com
Peter Lewitin is an author, a designer, and an artist. Check his website to see some of his creations of Decorative stone art

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BEAUTY IS WELLNESS FROM WITHIN

by: Dr. Renate Bodden ND

Beauty comes from within, we as women can wear all the make-up we want and yes it can make a difference as far as self esteem, enhance our features, improve the look of our skin. But if the body is not healthy due to being obese, certain organ dis-stress, the body can be out of balance in Mind-Body and Spirit. There are certain Holistic modalities that are used in my practice to bring about balance and our Wingspan Wellness Weekends, enhance the healing due to rest, relaxation,and concentration on self.

Renate Bodden is a Doctor of Naturopathy, Reiki Master and certified Yoga Instructor. Renate resides in Houston, Texas, and is very passionate about Wellness, her Holistic Health modalities include Kinesiology,Nutrition, Bachflower Therapy, Reiki Therapeutic body Treatment and Yoga.

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Beauty Foods That Will Keep You Young and Healthy

by: Donna Monday

You’ve heard that old saying: True beauty comes from within. Well, now nutritional experts have confirmed that you really are what you eat.

Forget French fries and fatty hamburgers. If you want to look beautiful and feel young and healthy, you’ll eat a generous variety of super foods that have been proven to work wonders on the human body.

For a list of vitamin rich foods see:

http://www.1-minute-beauty-diva.com/ArticlesVitaminsandBeauty.html

Whether you’re on a low fat diet, low carb diet, or no diet, adding these super foods to your plate should become as second nature to you as putting your lipstick on in the morning.

Healthy Skin

Eat: blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, currants, purple grapes, pumpkin, carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatoes.

Healthy Eyes

Eat: broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, bok choy, kale, spinach, romaine lettuce, mustard greens, turnip greens

Strong Bones

Eat: yogurt, kefir, soy, tofu, Drink: skim milk

Reduce Stress

Eat: beans (navy, pinto, red, black, etc.), green beans, sugar snap peas, green peas, chick peas

Boost Immune System

Eat: turkey, skinless chicken breast, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, spinach, Drink: black or green tea

Sun Protection for Skin

Eat: tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit

For more information on beauty and health visit: http://www.1-minute-beauty-diva.com/ArticlesVitaminsandBeauty.html

About The Author
Donna Monday writes beauty related articles for http://www.1-minute-beauty-diva.com.


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Beauty doesn’t have to be Expensive

by: Melanie Breeze

Where do you buy your beauty supplies? If you buy them from a department store- you are paying way too much! I was a department store buyer for many years. I was hooked on a particular brand, and I thought that the products were only available at the department store. I was wrong. With a little bit of time and research, I was able to shave off 50% of my beauty supply bill. Imagine what you could do with the extra money. The process is actually really simple. All you have to do is find the right websites.

Many of us are hooked on a particular brand of beauty supplies. We have used them for years, and love the way that they make us look and feel. The price tag however isn’t very pretty. Try doing a search online for your favorite beauty products. You may find that auction sites such as EBay.com have really good deals. Make sure to find out about shipping and return policies. I am a sucker for a free shipping deal, so try to find them whenever possible. You may also be able to purchase the product directly from the manufacturer’s website. Look for online promotions that will give you discounts on the items you buy most. Coupon sites can give you even better discounts, so shop around.

If you are feeling adventurous and want to try a new cheaper brand, have no fear. Most websites will include a list of ingredients for all of their products. You can then compare this list with products that you have tried before. Look for products that have natural ingredients. If you can’t produce anything on the label, chances are its not a good deal. There are many companies that focus on creating cheap designer knock-offs, so you may get a fragrance or cologne for much less than the name brand.

Buying beauty supplies online can be a lot of fun. You will be amazed at the level of savings, and pleased with the final product. Try getting together with friends and family members to compare beauty regimens. You may find a new product or item that you cannot live without. Always remember- beauty doesn’t have to be expensive!

Melanie Breeze, avid online shopper and user of CouponChief, is always shopping around for the best deals. You can find beauty supply bargains and savings available around the web at CouponChief, all in one location. Always find an online coupon 1st before making ANY purchase!

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Beauty Divine

by: Advice Diva

The quest for beauty, age defiance and physical enhancement are at an all time high. The beauty industry, comprised of simple salons to mega-corporate giants, pulls in billions of dollars annually. People are obsessed with making themselves beautiful and more attractive for their own personal satisfaction and so others can see them they want to be seen. Not only do people search for ways to enhance themselves, but they also seek beauty and attraction in other things, most notably a dating partner.

Some people might conclude that canvassing the importance of beauty in the dating world is a bit gratuitous. We all know its out there and it can even be considered nature's cruelest form of sexual selection. You either have it or you don't. However, I think it is a poignant topic of consideration whether you are just now entering the dating realm or you have been in it for years and whether you are male or female. Today's society places heavy weight on good looks in the work place and in social scenes. You can't escape it and you can not deny it. Amidst growing liberties, democracy, the abolition of racial and religious oppression and the rising demand for an open mind one would naturally assume that our advanced culture would not treat certain individuals better simply because of advantageous genetic facial features. But we all know that this is the furthest from the truth. We see it every day.

Doctor Nancy Etcoff, a faculty member of Harvard University and a psychologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, has beautifully illustrated the ageless hunt for beauty in her book Survival of the Prettiest. I was enthralled with the hundreds of references throughout history Dr. Etcoff found and adapted to the importance of beauty. One of the most interesting ones involved Eleanor Roosevelt. When asked if she had any regrets she remarked that she only wished she had been prettier. To hear a statement such as this coming from a heroine to women everywhere, it makes one want to examine why and how being beautiful or handsome plays such a dubious role in our every day lives. As Dr. Etcoff examines this very thought further in her book, I think it would be best if we just accept our idealistic qualities and move on to facing them.

When it comes down to selecting new single men and women we choose to date, our very first assessment of the potential mate is based on looks. Most people will say that they are looking for more profound qualities such as character, motivation, sensitivity, a commonality in activities, beliefs and a sense of humor and that looks, although important, are not at the top of the list. Of course everyone wants to feel as if he or she had more noble intents in mind. And although this may be true, nature tends to sway our first choice. Psychological tests upon tests show that we all gravitate towards the more attractive person at first. This is not something that we can readily help, nor can we consider it malevolent behavior. It is simply programmed into us from commercials, magazine ads, celebrities and more. It is a learned responsive behavior. While not everyone looks like Naomi Campbell or Brad Pitt and there are only a few genetic anomalies in this world who apparently represent what we all should look like, we can all take steps and measures to improve the way we look and how we appear to others. It is the very first rule in dating!

The first person you need to impress is yourself. When you look good you feel good. Take advantage of what modern science has created in the field of beauty. From getting the basic proper shampoo and conditioner for you hair to hair regrowth products and surgery, from makeup to enhance your features to elective surgery for more dramatic effects. Your wardrobe should be a priority issue as well. If you are still showing up at the door to pick up your date in those same ripped jeans you have had since the 1980's, think about a complete wardrobe overhaul. Getting in shape is an absolute must. Not only does it show that you care about your body, it is essential for your health and it will help you to feel great physically and emotionally. The better you feel about yourself, the more confident you will appear. And confidence is a very sexy and appealing part of your overall appearance.

In her book Dr. Etcoff assumes that people, mostly men, are more attracted to beautiful people for short term relationships while beauty is less important when seeking a committed relationship. However, it is that attractive quality of sex appeal which will get you in the door. When you are just getting to know people for dating purposes such as with the use of online dating resources, your appearance is going to be one of the most compelling forces in attracting dates. Everyone wants someone to fall in love with them for the right reasons, but you can't change basic human instinct and the natural affinity for beauty. You don't have to be the most beautiful or most handsome person in the room, but you can take the time and effort to look the best you possibly can.

About the Author

The Advice Diva has written four self-help guides on relationships and dating which can be found at http://www.advicediva.com She also hosts an online advice column which is completely free of charge. The Diva does not claim to be an expert in any field. However, she has the ability to understand relationships through past experience and her incredible insight.

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Beauty Comes From Within

by: David Stanton

Since real beauty comes from within, it's important that your beauty products bring out your best natural qualities. Natural beauty product reviews can help you choose which products are best suited to your own individual needs.

One popular type of natural beauty product is stretch mark removal cream. Since stretch marks are pretty common--their causes range from pregnancy to body building--a lot of people can be helped by a natural, effective treatment for them. While reading natural beauty product reviews, I noticed that the best stretch mark remedies contain high amounts of Emu Oil, Aloe Vera Gel, Collagen, Elastin and Vitamin E. When these key ingredients are combined in a highly concentrated cream, they can not only help reduce stretch marks you already have, but actually help prevent new ones from forming!

One of the most helpful things about natural beauty product reviews is that they tell you about the ingredients in the best beauty products out there. Whenever you're looking for skin treatments--whether it's cellulite cream, spider vein therapy, sunless tanning or stretch mark removal--you want to make sure that the ingredients are safe and actually make your skin look better, not worse. What's the point of diminishing stretch marks if the skin around them becomes red and irritated? Natural beauty products tend to be safer, because they don't include a lot of harsh chemicals in their ingredients.

If you're fair skinned like I am, you know how hard it can be to enjoy the great outdoors. There's nothing unusual about stretch marks or cellulite or spider veins. They are the natural effects of having bodies that grow and change. Using natural, high quality products to safely improve your skin's appearance can help you feel less self-conscious at the beach or in the bedroom.

Then your natural, individual beauty can shine through!


About the Author
Dermaglow provide natural and organic skin care products to help stretch marks, cellulite and spider viens. http://www.dermaglow.co.uk/index.html

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Beauty Basics Tips

by: R. L. Fielding

Despite the media coverage of makeover reality shows, the majority of Americans are not looking for extreme transformations. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, most of us want to look better, naturally, with 68-percent preferring a subtle change. And experts agree that looking your best could be accomplished at home for considerably less.

Dr. Linda Franks, a leader in the specialized skin care frontier, says “To get that timeless, healthy look you need to start with an appropriate skincare regime. Taking good care of your skin can stave off fine lines, wrinkles, age spots and even dry skin.”

Doctors say whatever your skin type, the key is to cleanse it gently.
  • Avoid hot water and use lukewarm instead, to prevent over-drying.
  • And throw in the towel – traditional washcloths are too abrasive for the face, so use your hands and fingers.

Sixty-eight-percent of women claim to have sensitive skin which means dry, tight, chapped or easily irritated skin.

  • Moisturize regularly.
  • Avoid harsh cleansers with ingredients such as fragrances, dyes and preservatives because sensitive skin is easily damaged and takes longer to recover.

If your skin is dry and easily irritated, don’t wash more than once a day. You may risk stripping the skin of its natural oils.

  • Look for non-irritating cleansing washes that are soap-free.
  • Use light, oil-free, water-based moisturizers to help maintain the skin’s natural barrier.
  • Make sure to choose a facial moisturizer with an SPF of at least 15, which protects against both UVB and UVA rays.

Skin sensitivity may also result from the third most common, non-surgical skincare procedure known as Microdermabrasion. Microdermabrasion is a quick and easy, non-invasive procedure that helps to reveal healthier-looking skin by sweeping away dead skin cells.

  • Dr. Franks reveals that, following the treatment, the best way to avoid irritation is by opting for an ultra-gentle cleanser and moisturizer.
  • A new clinical study shows that PURPOSE gentle cleansing wash and dual treatment moisture lotion with spf 15 are compatible with this procedure.

How else can you obtain optimal skin health? Dr. Franks says, “Exercise opens up blood vessels to make skin look healthy and youthful. It’s so important for healthy skin.”

  • Regular cardiovascular exercise increases blood flow to the skin which assists in collagen production.
  • Maintaining muscle mass through exercise can also help anchor and support skin, keeping it taut.
  • And drink up! At least eight, eight-ounce glasses of water a day are crucial for optimal skin hydration.

So before you sign on for an extreme and expensive makeover, just think back on some simple, beauty basics! You just might like what you see!

About the Author

PURPOSE® Skin Care (www.purposeskincare.com) manufactures a number of skin care Products, including sunscreen, moisturizer, and face wash.

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Beauty Basics at Face Value

by: Chris Spewock

BEAUTY BASICS AT FACE VALUE

Last year, more than eight-point-seven-million people underwent cosmetic procedures to enhance what nature gave them, or didn’t. But experts tell us that Americans may be jumping into invasive procedures too quickly.

Despite the media coverage of makeover reality shows, the majority of Americans are not looking for extreme transformations. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, most of us want to look better, naturally, with 68-percent preferring a subtle change. And experts agree that looking your best could be accomplished at home for considerably less.

Dr. Linda Franks, a leader in the specialized skin care frontier, says “To get that timeless, healthy look you need to start with an appropriate skincare regime. Taking good care of your skin can stave off fine lines, wrinkles, age spots and even dry skin.”

Where to begin? At the sink! Doctors say whatever your skin type, the key is to cleanse it gently. Avoid hot water and use lukewarm instead, to prevent over-drying. And throw in the towel – traditional washcloths are too abrasive for the face, so use your hands and fingers.

Sixty-eight-percent of women claim to have sensitive skin which means dry, tight, chapped or easily irritated skin. Dr. Franks advises moisturizing regularly and avoiding harsh cleansers with ingredients such as fragrances, dyes and preservatives because sensitive skin is easily damaged and takes longer to recover.

If your skin is dry and easily irritated, don’t wash more than once a day. You may risk stripping the skin of its natural oils. Dr. Franks recommends looking for non-irritating cleansing washes that are soap-free, moisturizers that are light, oil-free, and water-based to help maintain the skin’s natural barrier. Another tip—make sure to choose a facial moisturizer with an SPF of at least 15, which protects against both UVB and UVA rays.

Skin sensitivity may also result from the third most common, non-surgical skincare procedure known as Microdermabrasion. Microdermabrasion is a quick and easy, non-invasive procedure that helps to reveal healthier-looking skin by sweeping away dead skin cells. Dr. Franks reveals that, following the treatment, the best way to avoid irritation is by opting for an ultra-gentle cleanser and moisturizer.

A new clinical study shows that PURPOSE gentle cleansing wash and dual treatment moisture lotion with spf 15 are compatible with this procedure.

How else can you obtain optimal skin health? Here are some other healthy basics to keep your skin looking its best:

Dr. Franks says, “Exercise opens up blood vessels to make skin look healthy and youthful. It’s so important for healthy skin.” Regular cardiovascular exercise increases blood flow to the skin which assists in collagen production. Maintaining muscle mass through exercise can also help anchor and support skin, keeping it taut.

And drink up! At least eight, eight-ounce glasses of water a day are crucial for optimal skin hydration.

So before you sign on for an extreme and expensive makeover, just think back on some simple, beauty basics! You just might like what you see!

- End Article -

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Beauty as a Sexual Object

by: Punkerslut

To fall in love -- considered by some as the ultimate quest in life, and prepared by others with a constant and unending flow of fantasies, dreams, and enchanting ideas. And what we find sometimes to be so uniquely freakish of a fetish of our own, so personally vaulted and denied at every conscious inquiry -- we find, in fact, that it is a secrecy of our own sexuality and our own fantasies, that disallows us from discovering that, what we find to be deviant is actually commonplace in the minds of all individuals. There is no person whose sexual ideas are unique, no fantasy of anyone that is not based on the same roots of the fantasies of others.
This is sexuality, a social and emotional facet of every human. So, it must be granted as truth, that it is the repression of sexuality in our society, that convinces us that our own sexuality is a freak, a deviancy, an intolerably disgusting and improper attitude. Despite the fact that sexuality has been an intrinsic part of the lives of the hundreds and hundreds of millions of people, or the hundreds of billions of animals, there are still some puritanical ideas of people to oppose it. And, even if sexuality weren't commonplace, one would think that the argument of "so long as none are harmed, let it be," would be enough to justify it. I think that it was not a matter of argument, but one of shame and repression, that granted the puritan-minded people to believe and preach as they do.

If, in fact, those of the puritanical ideas had no conception of sexuality, I do not believe they could have the will to rally against sex. If it is just a fact of life, nothing that personally effected them, then it would not be something they could muster so much unforgiving hate for. Alas, I do not think these puritanical ideas have done much of anything to uplift the personality of goodness or the character of charity. The idea that sex is an evil is not a friend of the ideals of kindness, intelligence, or truth.

These puritanical soldiers have done nothing but bog down the structure of civilization, waging a war against our own animal nature. By seeing their own feelings of sexuality, experiencing the desires and urges, the thoughts and inhibitions, puritans find themselves villified with their own character, ashamed and mortified. I think that people manage to put anger, passion, and strong, powerful emotions into vengeance, when it is their own personal nature that they are attacking. The puritans have allowed themselves to be cruel, brutal, and absolutely cold blooded in their war against sex. As the blood running through civilization warmed, the extent to which they were allowed to fight has been limited and limited. Tortures and murders were an intrinsic part of the original Puritan culture, when it came to their attitude about punishing sex.

It is a rather popular statement, that beaty is in the eye of the beholder. Yet everyone seems to interpret this statement differently. The fact that someone or something is beuatiful is only true because there is a critic to call it that. No artwork exemplified beauty without an onlooker, no song brought forward melody without a listener, no poem created peacefulness or rage without a reader. There can be no argument to this. We find, also, that just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so is ugliness in the eye of the beholder. The same artwork that was called beautiful by one may be called ugly, disgusting, or otherwise unappealing by another. It is here that the true meaning of the phrase may be captured.

The only reason why something is appealing or unappealing, attractive or unattractive, is because there is a mind in the sensory organs there to judge. The ideas of what is or is not gorgeous, enchanting, homely, or wretched are all dependent upon the viewer. Then we apply these ideas to a person. One's voice is seen as glorious in tone or rancid in quality. The face and body become a considerable work of art or a defaced panting, or something in between or to a more extreme. Judging a body and a face, though, as beautiful or ugly, is a much different action than judging a painting as either beautiful or ugly.

A person, unlike a painting or a poem, is conscious, capable of emotion and happiness. All of a sudden, their physical attributes become subject to criticism and judgment. What is the purpose, though, of finding someone attractive or unattractive? The simple and obvious answer is for thepurpose of mating and procreation. Now that the reason for appeal or unappeal, in a person's beauty anyway, has been uncovered, another question remains open. If a person's outter shell can be judged as ugly or beautiful, by one person or another, and since this judgment does not help us to determine their character, should we disregard beauty and ugliness as a deterent to a person's true self?

Of those individuals who call themselves Freethinkers, artists, independent minds, lovers of intelligence and friends of liberty, it is the typical attitude that a person's emotions and way of thinking is in fact a part of their intrinsic self. There can be no greater proof of this than experience: beautiful people may be cruel and heartless, as the ugly people can be intelligent and meaningful, and vice versa. A person's beauty does not determine the way they think. It does not make them more kind or charitable, nor does it instill in them attributes of vice or cruelty. This fact, I imagine will meet with no argument from those whom have experienced the world. The Freethinkers, though, have further advanced this position, by incorporating this philosophy int their personal lives. They do not judge people on their image, and accept friendship and affection from someone regardless of theri looks, and they are not less scornful of a brutal person no matter their beauty.

They have taken a rational position and they must be commended for that. In another way, some of them have incorporated their philosophy into their sexuality, either consciously or unconsciously. For example, they find someone attractive based on their ideas, their character, their way of thinking and personality. One's physical body becomes esxually arrousing once they are identified with ideas of justice and goodness. They have not warded off human sexuality, so they have much more mindfulness and personal awareness than the puritans. In some cases, a Freethinker who fell in love with someone for their ideas, after the berakup, individuals they see resembling their initial love, even if socially considered unattractive, are considered attractive by the Freethinker.

So it happens, that the phrase comes to us, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," and we find that beautiful and ugly are relative terms, subjective in that they are exsiting only in the mind. Our natural response to this is that a person cannot wholly be judged by their physical, since they are conscious. they are capable of thoughts, ideas, emotions. Thus we find every Freethinker and independent individual falling in love with a personality of a person, irregardless of physical appeal.

There is one fact that must be treated, though. An individual cannot have sex with a personality. As much as the idea is desired, physical affection cannot be given to a thought, an idea, or a character. It is necessary that a body is there. Admiration of an individual and their thoughts is never so pure or heart-warming as when there is a face for that individual, by which emotions and even ideas can be expressed. The look of ease, of a person laying down at the end of a long day, or a look of interest and intrigue, fascinated by the current occurrences, or a look of boldness and strength, defending what we believe in and what we fight for. The analytical expression, unsatisfied with what we know, delving through thoughts, facts, memories, to develope a more just theory -- the expression of deep thought, it allows us a a greater admiration of the deep thought itself. Nothing can greater express sadness than a story one wished to levie by retelling, accompanied by tears.

This is just the face alone: eyes compliment diw th brows, a mouth given a tongue, and a nose, the rest covered with skin enveloping ten thousand muscle strands, all of which can combine to tell us thoughts and emotions. Anger and aggression, sadness and solemnness, pleasure and euphoria, exhaustion and rest -- all feelings by which we can purely communicate to another by the contraction or relaxation of our face muscles. The blessing of the voice adds to whatever feeling we are comunicating, even if we are not speaking actual words. In fact, the emotion or facial expression delivers is dramatically heightened and empathically understood those vocal sounds which transcend all human language, particularly when we express a sudden pain, joy, or understanding.

Then, we are to consider the rest of the body. There are few words so reassuring, as a gentle, affectionate, and understanding touch. The idea of love can be written in a million poems and a thousand essays, which help us understand it in a reflective manner, but few things are so realistically understood as love when through the physical act of it; it is so logical to believe that experience is necessary to knowledge in this situation, just as it is impossible to know the true nature of terror without going through war, or other experiences. Lips, eyelashes, and other facial features, gently caressing, touching, or nuzzling the intimate or even common parts of the body: love-making, never so real or pure as can be demonstrated through experience.

Those gentle parts, the neck, the stomach, the inner arms, find themselves also to be the most intimately felt. Perhaps it is the nature of evolution: ourselves becoming most protective of our most vulnerable parts, that they can also be the most intimate parts, because we feel that we want our lovers to feel those parts which we are most aware of. The other parts, the spinal column, the inner fore arms, the hands, though we are not only protective of them, we regard them during sex as gentle and intimate.

Understand, though, that up to this point, of the necessity of a body for physical expression and physcial love, I have said nothing of beauty, spoken no words on one's complection as it is concerned to sex. I have only demonstrated the purity of expression when physical, when either in body and through the face. Yet there may be something rather unsettling, or otherwise seemingly contradictory about these thoughts. Those who have based their opinion on Freethought and independence, have argued that the physical complection, of beautiful or ugly, is not accurately indicative of a person's inner character. But, on the other hand, the body allows us the most pure and affectionate method of expressing our desires.

I suppose that it must be admitted that one's body and face is an important part of love and sexuality. Whether we find one's body to be beautiful or not, the existence of such a body is important. But, beauty can even play a positive role in this. A body may in fact be considered indefferent, perhaps somewhat ugly or holmely. But, once that body has a personality, an opinion, an ideal, a character, these things alone may be enough for us to find them attractive physically. The same can be said of a body we initially find attractive, but then we hear a rather unintelligent, thoughtless mind speak, a rather cocky personality, and an otherwise unattractive character, and we find them ugly physically. It is not always the case, but it happens to be true often. Thus, beauty, no matter what it comes from, a physical complection, is necessary to a meaningful relationship.

Before ending this dissertation, there are still some thoughts on beauty that will not rest in my heart until I have fully explained them. As I stated before, there are many people who would find it immature or thoughtless to love or deeply care about someone just by their physical complection. But, it is almost a thing of serenity, when a young boy's passions are enveloped around just the image of a girl. Granted, he may not be thoughtful in his quest, but he is listening to his desires. The thoughts and ideas that are spurning in his mind may be misguided, but they are gorgeous, wonderful, and even comforting. Fantasies may be pplayed out where just a kindly personality is placed in the boy's fictionaly apparition of her. He will feel joy when he imagines her impressed with every aspect of him, and very loving and caring of him. The same can be said of a girl and her affection for any handsome man.

With this, I end. I can only hope that I have enlightened some minds.

http://www.punkerslut.com/

For Life,

Punkerslut

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Punkerslut (or Andy Carloff) has been writing essays and poetry on social issues which have caught his attention for several years. His website http://www.punkerslut.com/ provides a complete list of all of these writings. His life experience includes homelessness, squating in New Orleans and LA, dropping out of high school, getting expelled from college for "subversive activities," and a myriad of other revolutionary actions.

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Beauty and Ecumenicism

by: Robert Bruce Baird

There are many vantage points from which to find beauty. The side of the mountains overlooking Lake Louise on the grass of the hotel sipping champagne with your most cherished friend is a memory of beauty that will always overcome my consciousness. The purr of my friend and companion as he welcomed me home from a hard days work or the smile on the face of most any person who 'sees' what little part of life we can partake in to help each other. There are many beauties and no real evil. This will be dealt with in greater detail under Abraxas in the concept segment. In the whole of the 'brotherhood' there are many religions and in each one; I have found the essence of beauty expressed by wise and metaphysical or soulful people. In Islam my favorite is Sufism. They make a good point about the poison of negativity and any form of thought that does personal energized harm to other life in this quote:

“The soul who had to sympathize with the whole world was thus prepared that the drop of that poison which always produces contempt, resentment and ill feeling against another was destroyed first. So many talk about purification of the heart, and so few really know what it is. Some say to be pure means to be free from all evil thought, but there is no evil thought.

Call it evil or call it devil, if there is any such thought it is the thought of bitterness against another. No one with sense and understanding would like to retain a single drop of poison in his body. And how ignorant it is on the part of man when he keeps and cherishes a bitter thought against another in his heart. If a drop of poison can cause death of the body, it is equal to a thousand deaths when the heart retains the smallest thought of bitterness." (56)

The fear of nature or one's inner uncertainties has caused many to find evil in places where beauty exists. Once one no longer has to control nature, there is no place where beauty will not be found. It may be a bittersweet beauty such as seeing your lover find a person she wants to marry; when you are an older man with all the love in the world for a person you love in every way. It may be the joy you feel when you know you aren't going to have to schlep or drudge for money in the socially structured gambit to gain material things.

The fears that create the opposite of harmony and brotherhood are the 'poisons' which no true Kelt would know as he/she spoke to Alexander about their creed and their honest appreciation for the soul in everything. Nature has no evil and the crooked bristlecone pine that dormantly awaits the desert rain has lived longer than the rash fast-growing ash that sprouts quickly skyward. In the soul that knows it is immortal the idea of change is welcome and thus the warrior’s death is too.

Thus one who truly loves will let all things and thoughts go free and hope to share the beauty of 'what is'. The Cathars had great 'brothers' in the Sufis who few people in the world are ready to accept the wisdom of in that war-torn realm of misogyny we call the Middle East. In my limited appreciation for the beauty of Jesus I see him being the kind of person who learned and changed throughout each day and therefore all the time he spent on earth.

Each moment is a 'Zen' opportunity for the 'greater good'. But how many of our ways of organizing social behavior really wish good for each individual? There is no beauty in more of any THING; rather beauty exists in the fullness of each and EVERY thing. Oh yes, the turn of phrases and eloquence that waxes and wanes poetic can be a joy which in the crevices of thought are beauty-full but are they really beauty when they seek to arrange MORE for the politician and his cronies or platform? Alexander is said the first to have declared himself Divine while alive. We are in truth, all Divine. It is a divine comedy to be sure, this thing we call life.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Author of Diverse Druids
Columnist for The ES Press Magazine
World-Mysteries.com guest 'expert'

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