9 Tricks to Keep Your Hands Soft and Healthy All Winter Long

Dry, chapped hands are one of the most common winter skin woes. Not only can they crack, peel, and bleed, when your skin barrier is compromised, eczema, psoriasis, and other skin conditions can worsen. Here’s how to keep your hands healthy and moisturized during the cold winter months.

Wear gloves

If it’s cold enough to wear a hat, it’s definitely cold enough to slip on a pair of gloves. Invest in a pair of cashmere or wool-lined leather gloves, which tend to be more effective at blocking wind and keeping hands warm. Building a snowman or shoveling your walkway? Opt for a water-resistant pair. You should don a pair of rubber gloves when washing dishes or cleaning year round, but it’s especially important in the winter, says Francesca Fusco, MD, board-certified dermatologist of Wexler Dermatology in New York City.

Apply SPF every day

Protect hands from the sun’s harmful rays with moisturizing sunscreen. Or opt for a hand lotion with SPF.

Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize

Dr. Fusco encourages patients to keep a tube of moisturizer everywhere—your desk drawer, handbag, kitchen counter, bedside, glove compartment, etc. “Repeated moisturizing through the day nourishes, heals, and protects skin,” she says.

Exfoliate

“Most people don’t think to exfoliate their hands, but it will remove dead skin, which allows better penetration of moisturizer,” explains Dr. Fusco. For a DIY fix, mix a bit of coconut oil and sugar together, then rub on hands in circular motions. You can also use your favorite facial exfoliant. 

Use hand sanitizer sparingly

Overuse of hand sanitizers can dry out hands quickly. Dr. Fusco recommends a non-drying formula.

Wash hands with moisturizing soap

Frequent hand washing with hot water and soap can strip natural oils from skin. The solution: switch to a moisturizing hand soap and make sure the water is lukewarm rather than hot. These are ways you didn’t realize you’re washing your hands wrong.

Avoid hand dryers

When using the ladies room, if you have the option of an automatic dryer (with hot air) or paper towel, opt for the latter. According to Dr. Fusco, the hot blast could dry out your skin even more.

Don’t neglect cuticles

Your cuticles and nails are equally sensitive to harsh winter weather as the rest of your hands. 

Pamper your hands at night

Invest in an ultra-rich, overnight hand cream.

Enjoy your beautiful hands this winter!!!

What Your Nails Say About Your Health

We have listed a few nail issues most girls deal with:

• Vertical ridges are usually harmless but nobody likes them. And all they are communicating is a lack of hydration
• Dryness of the nail can be treated by rubbing the cuticle MD (see below) onto the nail regularly
• Other markings such as white spots, usually is an indication of damage or trauma to the nail and will generally grow out with time
• Yellowing Nails normally signal a lack of nutrients and can easily be cured with a healthy balanced diet combined with a great cuticle oil
• Curling nails normally indicate an iron deficiency
• When the nail separates from the nail bed it is called onychosis and often signals a thyroid problem

Researches have recently discovered that even blood poisoning can materialize in the nails. So, what to do with all these health issues?

For most of them a simple healthy diet will cause an immediate effect but, this tells us that keeping a close watch on what our nails are saying might be the wisest thing you do this year. And adding Coconut oil to the regime might be the second wisest thing you do this year.

If you have not read an article or heard a conversation on coconut oil in the past month, it might be a miracle, because this miraculous oil has certainly made the headlines.

Could it be the next craze?

Absolutely, the proven benefits of this miracle oil is just far too many to oversee. With benefits that can include weight loss, whiter teeth, radiant skin, and shiny healthy hair, coconut oil is the health and beauty cure-all du jour, and that’s a fact.

At Elim they use coconut oil as a base for many of our products. One being the Cuticle MD and seeing that we are talking nails today this is the one we will highlight.

We formulated this winner recipe with a blend of 10 oils, using coconut oil as our base carrier.

Apart from its hydration benefits to the nail, coconut oil also has a natural SPF of 5 and adding to this it is natures natural anti-bacterial agent protecting your nails against fungi and bacteria.

The regime? We recommend a Cuticle Oil with a dropper and not a brush on cuticle oil, use it daily, keep it in your hand bag,

One drop to nourish all your nails should make the worlds difference in just a week.

Here’s to happy healthy nails.

Click here to buy yours today https://www.elimspaproducts.com/?ap_id=Essentialsforwomen

The Eyeliner Rules

How to get a perfect application every time.

1. Make sure your eyeliner pencil or brush, if you’re applying a gel, are clean or freshly sharpened before you start.
2. The shape of your eye will pretty much dictate how you wear your eyeliner. Use the curve of your lower lash line to help you create the perfect flick on the upper lid.
3. Remember, the further in you bring your eyeliner line, the closer together your eyes will appear so if you want to create a bit more distance start your eyeliner a little further along your lash line.
4. Eyeliner is not just for the top lash line or under the bottom lashes, lining the inside of your upper and lower lash line creates just as much impact and is easier to master if you find the top of the lid tricky.
5. It’s not all about black eyeliner. Switch things up with a more muted brown or grey or jazzy metallics.
6. An eyeliner trick that all the pro’s use is applying a flesh coloured pencil along the bottom lid line. It creates the illusion of making your eyes look instantly more wide awake.

It's Monday.....

How to Curl your Hair with a Flat Iron!

The 7 Essential Beauty Products to Keep on Your Work Desk

 Here are the beauty products that should take up residence in your office. Productivity never looked so good! (Thank you CosmopolitanSA)

1 Face Wipes

Wipes are really useful: they can clean up spills on your desk or your new white shirt, you can use them to clean your desk and, most importantly, they can be used for their intended purpose – to keep your face feeling fresh and clean.

Garnier Skin Naturals Micellar Extra-Gentle Cleansing Wipes, R52

2 Facial Mist

The office environment can be draining – and not just on your soul. Most companies have air-conditioning systems to keep you from melting into a puddle in summer, but they also suck moisture out the air and, in turn, your skin. One spritz of facial mist and you’ll be instantly hydrated.

Mario Badescu Facial Spray With Aloe, Cucumber And Green Tea, R250

3 A Nail File

One of the things that the beauty team get asked for most often by colleagues in other departments is an emery board. Really. Having one of these on hand can help you and your co-workers in a manicure crisis.

Basics Nail File, R14,95

4 Hand Cream

Looking after your hands during the work day is important, especially if they work hard typing for you. Chances are that you are washing your hands vigorously after using the nasty office loos, so make sure you moisturise them thoroughly afterwards.

Neutrogena Anti-Ageing Hand Cream SPF 25 / R92.95

5 Dry Shampoo

Things can be a bit crazy in the mornings. We get it. And often we have to forego some shower time to be able to get to work on time, and then you only realise when you reach the office that your hair is looking a bit manky. Having a can of dry shampoo on hand can give your hair a pick-me-up so that no-one will ever know.

Batiste Dry Shampoo Plus in Divine Dark, R89,95

6 Lip Balm

One of the most important beauty products to have within arm’s reach all day is a nourishing lip balm. Our lips can become dry, cracked and sore, whether it’s from the cooling system or picking at them constantly because you are worried about how you are going to finish your reports. Slather this on – you’ll thank us later.

Nuxe Rêve de Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm, R195

7 A Red Lipstick

Sometimes work life gets hectic. Suddenly you have a client meeting that you weren’t prepared for and you have no idea how you are going to wing it. This is when it comes time to apply a liberal coat of confidence – to your lips, that is. It’ll make you feel a lot more together and, in turn, a lot more powerful.

Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy Matte Sculpting Lipstick in Volatile, R440

How to Wash Your Hair (Yes, It Really Matters)

If you’re totally confused about the “right way” to wash your hair, you’re not alone. We grew up being taught to wash it every day, and then later we learned you should probably only be sudsing up a couple times a week—and now there’s the whole “no ‘poo method” floating around the internet.

Using the correct techniques can make a world of difference in your hair’s health, bounce and shine—but if you’re making some common mistakes, you could be damaging your lovely locks without even realizing it. We asked two of New York’s foremost hair pros, hair stylist Nunzio Saviano of Nunzio Saviano Salon in New York and Kyle White, lead colorist at Oscar Blandi Salon, to share their best tips for lathering up—and doing it the right way.

1. Start with a rinse

Just like your laundry needs a rinse cycle before you add detergent, hair should be thoroughly wet before you add your shampoo. “Hot water will open the cuticle, which is good for removing any dirt or product trapped in the hair,” says White. Another bonus: “When your hair is rinsed in warm water, it loosens the oils through the scalp and opens the cuticle so it is able to absorb the oil” in your conditioner, says Saviano.

2. If you have long hair, condition first

Yes, really! “If you have hair beneath the shoulders, protect fragile ends from drying out and further damage by running a small amount of conditioner through them and lightly rinsing, before any shampooing. This will not only keep ends healthy, it will fill any holes in the cuticle with moisture, making it smoother and boosting shine,” says White.

3. Lather up — but only at the scalp

“You only need to shampoo the hair at the scalp, particularly at the nape,” Saviano says.

White agrees. “The best way to lather up is from roots to ends. The hair closest to the scalp is the youngest and will inevitably be the oiliest, while the end of the hair is the oldest and usually driest, most fragile part of the hair.”
Don’t use more shampoo than you need; both Saviano and White say that a quarter-sized amount of shampoo is enough. If your hair is particularly long or thick, go ahead and double that.

4. Be gentle!

Friction can permanently damage your hair’s cuticle, leading to breakage and frizz. Think about washing your hair like you hand wash your delicates — very carefully.
“Start your lather at the roots,” says White. “Increase blood flow to the scalp and stimulate hair growth by using vertical strokes with medium pressure.” Don’t use circular motions, which can tangle your hair.

Next, “Smooth the lather over the ends in a straight stroking motion,” White advises. “Do not scrub the fragile ends or use a back and forth motion like you’re washing a rag on a washboard.”

5. Don’t rinse and repeat

Despite what the instructions on the back of your shampoo bottle may say, there’s no need to wash your hair twice.
“Avoid stripping the hair by doing one shampoo only, which is usually sufficient,” says White. “Unless the hair is extremely dirty and the first shampoo didn’t produce a lather.” In that case, go ahead and lather up one more time.

6. Add conditioner from the mid-lengths to the tips

After you’ve rinsed out your shampoo, “squeeze some of the water out of the hair before you put in the conditioner,” says Saviano. “Then clip your hair up and finish showering, leaving the conditioner rinse out for the final step of your shower.”

The longer the conditioner stays on your hair, the better it absorbs. Don’t put conditioner at the roots of your hair; the natural oil from your scalp is more concentrated there.

7. Finish with a cold water rinse

“Cold water will shut the cuticle tight, sealing the shingle-like outer layer, which will cause it to reflect the most light and give off the most shine,” says White.

More Hair Washing Tips…
Use a shampoo and conditioner that’s made for your hair type. If your hair is dry, choose moisturizing products. If you color your hair, opt for color-safe formulas. “Volumizing” shampoos tend to leave hair drier, so they’re best for fine hair types that would be weighed down by more moisturizing products.

How often you wash your hair depends on your hair type, too. If you have oily or fine hair, you may need to shampoo daily. Normal or dry hair can lather up closer to three times a week.

Filter your water. White recommends using a shower filter, such as the T3 Source Showerhead, since it “removes rust and minerals from water that can dull color, and deposit on blondes making them dark and muddy.” (We’ve tried it, and it also made our hair super soft.)

Supplied by stylecaster

It's Monday......

Have an amazing week.......

Happy Father's Day.....

To all our Amazing Dad's, Happy Father's Day!

A beginner's guide to finding the best hair oil

It's not just thick manes or coarse hair that can benefit from oil; even thin, fine and oily locks can reap the rewards too. It's just a matter of finding the right elixir for you…

1. Argan oil: Best for dry or frizzy hair

Hailed as liquid gold in its native Morocco, nutty argan oil kick started the UK's hair oil obsession. Rich in fatty acids and vitamin E, it can help turn dry, coarse and unruly hair into softer and shinier, more manageable tresses, while cutting frizz and fly-aways too.

2. Coconut oil: Best for all hair types

The ultimate multi-tasker, coconut oil can be used on all hair types (yes even greasy hair) to replenish your strands and also keep your scalp healthy. Packed full of carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, coconut oil can help to build stronger strands too, making it a great weekly treatment for locks prone to breakage and slow growth.

3. Macadamia oil: Best for extremely dry or damaged hair

Nut oils tend to be the most intensive, and macadamia is one of the richest available. Use it on very dry or damaged hair as a weekly mask, or to replenish your tresses after a series of heavy heat styling sessions.

4. Kalahari melon seed oil: Best for sensitive skin

High in omega-6, the fatty acids known to boost hair growth, protein and vitamins C, B2 and G, kalahari melon seed oil is an excellent reparative oil, known to be particularly gentle on sensitive skin and scalps. If you suffer from dermatitis, psoriasis or often have itchy reactions to beauty products, this is the shine boosting hair oil for you.

5. Almond oil: Best for beating dandruff

Though one of the lighter nut oils, almond oil is jam-packed with goodness. Along with antioxidants, vitamin E, fatty acids and protein, it's also high in magnesium, which will help to boost hair growth and reduce breakage. If you suffer from irritation on your scalp, try massaging your scalp with almond oil whenever you wash your hair, to reduce inflammation, redness and dandruff.

6. Baobab oil: Best for boosting growth

Fairly new to the British hair market, there's plenty of hype surrounding baobab oil and its high vitamin content. Along with the essential fatty acids needed for deep hydration and nourishment, baobab also packs vitamins A, D, E, and F, which all combine to improve the elasticity of your locks, and encourage cell regeneration. That's right, it can actually help your hair grow faster!

7. Marula oil: Best for holiday hair

If you don't like the nutty smell of oils like argan and macadamia, marula makes for a fruitier alternative. Nourishing and packed with vitamin C, it's great for all hair types, but especially handy on holiday, as it'll protect your hair from drying out in the sun.

8. Abyssinian oil: Best for fine hair

Also known as organic crambe seed oil, abyssinian is intensely hydrating but extremely light in weight and texture, making it a brilliant option for thin, fine or greasy hair that can easily become lank if overloaded. The molecular structure of abyssinian oil also makes it one of the most heat resistant oils, and so perfect to use as a pre-heat styling product.

Supplied by Cosmopolitan

It's Friday......

How To Make Your Lips Look Bigger — Naturally

These genius tips will give you a Kylie Jenner pout with barely any effort

Quit Looking Tired! 10 Tips for Naturally Reducing the Appearance of Puffy Eyes

It can be disheartening to get ready for a big event—a job interview, first date, or wedding—and look in the mirror, only to see tired, puffy eyes looking back.
Whether or not you’re really tired, you probably don’t want to look it. What can you do to lessen the appearance of tired, puffy eyes? Here are a few tips.

What Causes Puffy Eyes?

Puffy eyes may seem like a skin issue because that’s where it shows up, but it's actually something that’s happening under the skin. The eye area is one of the most sensitive and thinnest places for our skin so it can tell us a lot about what is actually happening internally.
Puffy eyes are actually a form of edema, or water retention, that shows up under the eyes and that can be caused by a lot of different things.
Waking up with puffy eyes is really common because as you’re horizontal for several hours, excess water tends to settle there.
Bad/not enough sleep is one reason for puffy eyes, but it isn't the only one. Allergies, sinus problems, dust and pollution can increase inflammation and water retention around the eyes along with smoke, too much heat or air conditioning, and eye strain (including reading in the dark, staring at a computer all day, and being in lights that are too bright)—things that make your eyes water!
Some medications can cause eye puffiness because they can affect the natural balance of water in the system, be it dehydration or water retention. I know it’s counter-intuitive to think of dehydration as a cause of puffiness but it totally can, since when we’re dehydrated our bodies start to preserve the water that we do have and our eye sockets are a place we can hold some extra water.
A fluctuation in the body’s hormones, blood sugar, or hemoglobin can all be attributed to puffy eyes too. I’ll take the opportunity here to remind you that our bodies are a set of systems all working together and all fed the same way, through the blood. When it comes to water retention and excavation, that’s a job for our kidneys, which they do while they’re cleaning toxins from our blood and helping to keep our levels balanced. Fluctuations in our body chemistry affects our kidneys, which in turn affect our water balance and can cause puffy eyes.
As we age, our eyes also have a harder time adapting to all these conditions, which means we may notice puffy eyes more often than usual. Add to that the fact that our skin around the eyes starts to weaken and thin, and puffiness becomes much more visible.

Tips to End Puffy Eye Woes

If you experience puffy eyes regularly, you may want to take a trip to the doctor, just to make sure the rest of your health is ship-shape.
Here are our top ten tips for reducing the appearance of puffy eyes so you look more awake and ready to go.

Drink plenty of water

Try lemon water first thing in the morning and throughout the day. It’s refreshing and will help hydrate you. Dehydration is one of the main causes of puffy eyes, and is especially common first thing in the morning.

Rose water

Rose is naturally soothing. We love it so much we use it in a lot of our products. For puffy eyes, soak two cotton balls in the rose water, then wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes or so, until chilled. Then remove the plastic and place the cotton balls over your eyes for 5-10 minutes. You can also simply dip two cotton balls in chilled rose water.

Cucumber slices

These really do work! A combination of the coolness, along with the vitamin C and caffeic acid in the vegetable, helps soothe skin and reduce the appearance of puffiness. Simply slice the cucumber and place the slices over your eyes for 5-10 minutes. You can also try chilled tea bags, as these will help to tighten and firm skin around the corners of your eyes. Another great one is sliced, chilled strawberries—they have natural alpha-hydroxy acids that help smooth the look of your skin while reducing the appearance of puffiness.

Anti-Aging Eye Cream

Use this product regularly and you’re likely to see a reduction in the appearance of puffy eyes. We use green tea for antioxidant protection as well as gotu kola to tighten and firm. Use it on all the skin around your eyes, morning and night, to lessen the look of dark circles and puffiness.

Avoid artificial sweeteners

Sweeteners like aspartame and saccharin have been implicated in some studies as potentially causing fluid retention. If you regularly have puffy eyes, try cutting back on diet soda drinks and see if it helps.

Wear sunglasses

Not only do they protect your eyes from UV damage, but they can shield your eyes from the glare of the sun, wind, dust, and other environmental conditions that can encourage puffy eyes.

Check your thyroid

Some people with consistently puffy eyes may have thyroids that aren’t performing as they should. Check with your doctor—a simple blood test can tell you.

Getting enough iron?

Iron deficiency anemia is another cause of fluid retention—check your iron levels. Most post-menopausal women don’t need extra iron, but if you’re pre-menopausal, an iron shortage may be a factor in puffy eyes.

Egg whites

Beat a couple egg whites stiffly, add a drop or two of witch hazel, and apply around the eyes with a brush. Leave on 5-10 minutes. You should feel a tightening sensation, and when you rinse off, your eyes may look much better.

Avoid salty snacks

Sodium encourages water retention, so if you notice your eyes getting puffy and baggy after lunch, rethink that bag of potato chips.

By Annmarie Skin Care

Microneedling vs. Chemical Peels

Microneedling vs. Chemical Peels: Which is right for you?

Whatever your aesthetic goals, microneedling and chemical peels are a great addition to your professional treatment regimen. When applied by an experienced aesthetic provider, these treatments can address a wide range of common skin complaints. Which treatment is right for you? While one or the other may be the better choice, a combination of both treatments could provide you with exceptional results. Not everyone can do it all, however. So if you need to choose one, which should you choose?

Microneedling

Microneedling via a dermal roller has been around for awhile, but microneedling via a micropen is a relatively new skin treatment. The treatment utilizes an automated, handheld device that creates microscopic dermal punctures, or microinjuries, to stimulate the production of collagen and elastin beneath the skin. These are the building blocks of youthful skin and also promote healing and cellular turnover. Following treatment, and after a series of treatments, skin regenerates more quickly. This reduces the appearance of common skin complaints, such as:

• uneven skin tone and texture
• hyperpigmentation and dark spots
• fine lines and wrinkles
• acne scars
• rosacea
• sun damage
• dark circles and under-eye bags

Prior to a microneedling treatment, your provider will apply a topical numbing cream. While the numbing cream takes effect, she will adjust the settings on the micropen to your specific needs. There are varying depths for the needles to penetrate the skin. More extensive skin damage requires greater depth. A topical skin product containing growth factors and other skin nourishing ingredients will also be applied during your treatment. The new microchannels in the skin will drink up these ingredients more effectively, providing your skin with exceptional results.
Following treatment, patients are advised to avoid direct sunlight. Some facial redness and slight bleeding is normal, and some patients also experience some light peeling. Patients liken the experience to recovering from a very mild sunburn.
Repeat treatments are recommended, and this varies from person to person.

Chemical Peels

Chemical peels vary in depth and active ingredients. There are very aggressive peels and more superficial peels, and the type of peel you have depends on your skin care needs and goals. When applied to the skin, chemical peels stimulate rapid skin cell turnover by destroying the outer layer of skin. This prompts the top layer of skin to peel in sheets or slough off, depending on the type of peel used. While you may think of a raw, red-faced Samantha Jones from Sex and the City, don’t worry. While that makes for good television, it’s not reality. You won’t look or feel like your face has been burned off after a chemical peel at Skin by Lovely.
Different chemical peels target different skin conditions. However, chemical peels in general help correct the following skin conditions and complaints:

• acne and oily skin
• acne scars
• fine lines and wrinkles
• dark spots and hyperpigmentation
• sun damage

by Skin by Lovely | Feb 5, 2018

Have a Beautiful Friday......

It all starts with Water!!!

Change your water..... Change your life..... Change our Planet!

No plastic bottles, No huge installation process and all at a touch of a button in your home!
An amazing water system that produces 5 types of water for different uses in the comfort of your home!

What are the water types and what can they do for you?

Strong Kangen Water pH 11
Not for drinking. Strong Kangen Water preserves hygiene in your daily life due to its strong cleaning effect. It has dissolving and heat conducting benefits. Usage: food preparation and cleaning.

Kangen Water®pH 8.5-9.5
This type of water is perfect for drinking and healthy cooking. This electrolytically-reduced, hydrogen-rich water works to restore your body to a more alkaline state, which is optimal for good health. Usage: drinking, food preparation, coffee and tea, soups and stews, and watering plants.
Kangen Water® is also friendly to your budget and to the Environment. Forget about buying and storing all those expensive plastic water bottles!

Clean Water pH 7
Free of chlorine, rust and cloudiness. Neutral water is delicious drinking water. Usage: preparing baby food, taking medication.

Beauty Water pH 4.0-6.0
Not for drinking. This slightly acidic water is recognized for its astringent effects. It's terrific to use for gentle cleaning and beauty care. Usage: face wash, hair care, pet care, polishing, cleaning, and preserving frozen food.

Strong Acidic Water pH 2.7
Not for drinking. This water has disinfecting properties. Use Strong Acidic Water to sanitize kitchen utensils, countertops, and more to prevent cross-contamination. Usages: cleaning and disinfecting, hygiene, and commercial operation.

Invest in your family's future today!

Want more details?? Simply click http://essentialsforwomen.kangendemo.com/ or send us a message!

6 QUICK & EASY BUN HAIRSTYLES YOU NEED TO TRY!

Endermologie (LPG) Treatment

What is Endermologie?

For the face
Acting like a real skin workout, the motorized flaps awaken the natural synthesis of essential rejuvenating substances.This cell stimulation then helps fibroblasts (rejuvenating cells) to boost their production of collagen (firmness), elastin (suppleness), and hyaluronic acid (volume and hydration), naturally present in our skin.

For the body
Acting simultaneously on the release of stubborn localized fat and on skin quality (firmness, cellulite aspect), the new Patent (Roller and motorized flap combined with sequential suction) allows the body technology to act directly on the adipocytes present in our hypodermis (slimming cells) and on the fibroblasts present in our dermis (rejuvenating cells). A 360° treatment that puts an end to the dilemma: slimming or firming?