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How to Make Your Own Hair Dye

How to Make Your Own Hair Dye

Over the years, the concept of hair dying has become increasingly popular. Whether you want a dramatic or subtle change, the store-bought options are endless. There is a problem with these store-bought hair dyes, though. They contain large amounts of chemicals, which you may not want on your head. Luckily you can create your own hair dye at home, using ingredients that are chemical-free and much less harsh. The ingredients that you need to create your own hair dye will depend largely on the shade you desire, and can possibly be found right in your own kitchen. Keep in mind the results will not be as substantial as with traditional hair dye, but you will feel good knowing no chemicals are being used.

How to Make Blonde Hair Dye

There are a few different natural hair dye options for blonde hair. One uses lemon juice and chamomile tea. All you have to do is mix 2 to 3 tablespoons of lemon juice with two cups of strongly-brewed chamomile tea. Make sure the two are blended well and apply to hair after shampooing. Ring out excess and cover hair with a clear shower cap if possible, and leave the mixture on for thirty minutes or so. To speed up the lightening process, sit out in the sun or under a blow-dryer on low to medium heat while you wait.

Another recipe for blonde hair dye uses six chamomile tea bags, 1/2 cup plain yogurt, and five drops of lavender essential oil. Bring two cups of water to a boil, then add the tea bags and steep for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the tea bags and add the yogurt and essential oil to the tea mixture. Apply to hair as thoroughly as possible, avoiding the scalp if you can. Cover hair with a shower cap, and leave on your hair for 30 to 40 minutes. Again, sitting in the sun or under a hair dryer will speed up the lightening process. Be sure to rinse thoroughly when time is up.

If you choose to use these recipes, you should remember that they are best for hair that is already somewhat blonde. They will lighten dark blonde to light brown hair, but the process may have to be repeated several times until a noticeable result is achieved. If you use these recipes on darker hair, you may get coppery results.

How to Make Brunette Hair Dye

If you are looking to give your hair a shot of dark color, there are a couple ways to make it happen. The first recipe for brunette hair dye uses plain old black coffee or tea. Just brew a couple strong cups of either, or a mixture of both. Let the coffee or tea cool and then apply to clean hair. Ring out the excess and cover hair with a shower cap or plastic wrap. Leave on hair for 20 to 30 minutes, then rinse well. Your hair should have some rich brown tones when you are done. Repeat this method as often as you wish.

Hair can also get a brown boost from a recipe that uses walnut husks. All you have to do is boil 1 to 2 cups of crushed walnut husks in a saucepan with four cups of water. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the heat, and let the mixture steep and cool for an hour or so. Strain the walnut pieces out and use the liquid as your dye. Apply to your hair and let it sit for half an hour. Rinse well and follow with an apple cider vinegar rinse for shine.

How to Make Red Hair Dye

Many people would love to have red hair at least once in their lifetime. You can give yourself a shot of red color with a recipe that uses rosehips and beet juice. Just combine 1/2 cup rosehips with 1/2 cup beet juice, along with 2 cups of water. Place the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer until a strong tea forms, usually about thirty minutes. Remove from heat and let the mixture steep another half hour. Next, strain the mixture and apply the liquid to clean hair. Leave it on your hair for 30 to 45 minutes, then rinse well. Reapply as often as desired. Rosehips and beet juice can both be found at health food stores.

Gray Coverage

If you would like a natural way to cover stubborn gray hair, sage should do the trick. Just mix 1/2 cup of dried sage with two cups of water in a saucepan. Simmer the mixture for thirty minutes or so, and then let it steep for 2 to 3 hours. Strain and apply to gray areas using a spray bottle. Leave on for 15 minutes, then rinse. Repeat this regularly and gray hair should begin to fade after a couple weeks.

These recipes for hair dye will allow you to experiment with your hair color without exposing yourself to harsh chemicals. They will also save you money, as hair dye in stores can be pricey. Be sure to have fun and always use caution when using hair dye. Irritation can still occur even though these recipes are natural. If any redness or irritation develops, discontinue use immediately.

How to Get Over Your Fear of the Dentist

You are not alone. Many people from all walks of life hate going to the dentist. Even a simple cleaning can be enough to strike fear in the heart of even the bravest person. Jokes are made to ease the discomfort. Dentists are painted as things to be feared in movies as a reflection of life. It’s understandable why the dentist might be frightening, especially to children. After all, the dentist’s office is full of strange and intimidating looking equipment and unfamiliar noises.

Where does the fear come from?

A fear of the dentist can come from any number of places. Whether it’s from negative experiences of the past or the uncomfortable surroundings, anxiety over a dentist appointment is a very manageable problem. A good dentist can help even the most anxious of patients have a pleasant visit.

First, find a dentist you trust

The first necessary step to overcoming your fear of dentists is finding a good dentist. Talk to your friends and family for a good recommendation. If the people you know and trust feel comfortable, there’s a greater chance you will, too. If none of your friends and family can make a good recommendation, it’s time to hit the yellow pages or the internet. Look for ads advertising that a dentist is “gentle”, or frequently works with patience fearing dentists. If that’s not enough to help you make your choice, check out reviews online. Many popular review sites have customer reviews, which can be excellent references.

Get clues from your first phone call

After you’ve decided on a dentist, it’s time to make the appointment. Listen to the receptionist. Is she friendly? Does she answer all of your questions and concerns as completely as possible? Friendly, helpful staff is often a sign of a friendly and helpful dentist. If you get a chance, swing by the office and take a look. An office that appears pleasant and busy is a sign of a successful dentist. To be successful, his customers must like his service.

Write up a list of concerns and bring it with you

When preparing for the visit it helps to think of what bothers you about dentistry. If it’s the sound of drilling, picking, and breaking teeth, many dentists will allow you to bring an mp3 player and headphones to tune out the procedure. Come up with a list of other concerns you have so you can discuss them with your dentist at your appointment. Having them on hand will prevent the added anxiety of trying to remember it all when you get there. It may also help to arrange to have a friend come with you to the appointment. Sitting in the waiting room is a lot less intimidating when you don’t have to wait alone. Practice some relaxation techniques in anticipation for your appointment. If you don’t know any, look some up online.

Voice your concerns, don’t try to hide your fear

At the office be sure to inform the dentist or dental hygienist of your concerns. Most dentists are more than happy to help you overcome your fears and make you as comfortable as possible. They are supportive people who are willing to help you overcome any past traumas and work to make the experience as pain-free and easy as possible. Your dentist may also be able to suggest ways to help manage your anxiety, such as visualization or even sedation. Your dentist is also there to answer any questions you have at the beginning of the appointment. Sometimes that knowledge alone can increase your comfort during a cleaning or procedure.

Dr. Takacs, a sedation dentist in Lexington, KY suggests that it’s helpful to change your perspective when it comes to dentistry. “Think of your dentist as a friend,” she advises. “Remind yourself that your dentist, like any other doctor, cares about your wellbeing and is there to help.”

It’s all too easy to think of the dentist as frightening, so sometimes it takes a little while to become comfortable with a different outlook. It’s easier to feel confident about seeing someone nice, friendly, and looking after your oral health than it is to think about someone who does root canals and drills teeth for a living. By focusing on the good, it’s easier to relax even before the appointment begins.

Sometimes getting over your fear of the dentist is as simple as finding a dentist that works well for you. Take some time to find a good dentist and to discuss your concerns openly. It can make a world of difference.

How to Tie a Windsor Knot

If you are going to wear a suit to a formal dinner, you need to know how to tie a Windsor knot. Windsor knots are worn on formal occasions and suit-and-tie affairs. Formal events have rigid dress codes, so your tie needs to conform to the standards, or you’ll look like a boor.

What Is a Windsor Knot?

A Windsor knot is the most famous necktie knot there is. If you are thinking of a tie right now, you are probably envisioning a Windsor knot. You’ll often hear the Windsor-knot referred to as a “Double Windsor” or “Full Windsor”.

The Half-Windsor, a triangular knot that is not related to the Windsor knot at all, is another popular choice for those who wear ties. The Half-Windsor is neat and worked well for medium-weight fabrics and light-weight fabrics.

If you don’t think of the Full Windsor when you think of ties, you are thinking about the Half-Windsor knot.

The Windsor knot is named for King Edward VII of England, the son of Queen Victoria and the King of England from 1901 until 1910. Because Edward VII only ascended to the throne at the age of 60, and because he was excluded from politics during his mother’s reign, the Duke of Windsor (crown prince of England) was identified with a life of leisure. Edward VII was known to be affable and popular among the people and the leaders of Europe, so he was a man of fashion. Because he preferred a wide knot and thick cloth, the Windsor knot was invented as an influence of the Duke’s personal style.

To this day, the Windsor knot is the tie knot worn on formal occasions and dinners – just one step below the white tie on the scale of formality.

Many people believe the Windsor Knot was named for King Edward VIII, grandson of Edward VII. Since Edward VII was famous for abdicating, because of his marriage to an American divorcee, he was the more famous of the two to the 20th century public.

Tying a Windsor Knot

Here’s how to go about tying a Windsor knot. Keep in mind there is a definite long end and short end with formal ties, so these Windsor knot instructions should be easy to follow.

Wide End over Short End

The first move is to take the wide end of the tie over the short end of the tie. The wide end should drape over your left shoulder. Next, bring the wide end under and up through the middle of the loop in the necktie formed by these movements.

Once this is done, bring the wide part of the tie over the loop and out, carrying it to your right.

The Windsor Knot

At this point, you could pull and create a knot, but you don’t want to. You are only halfway through the Windsor knot instructions.

Take the long part of the tie around the short side to your left. Next, bring the short end of the tie over and around the back, pointing towards your right side. Once again, swing the short end of the tie over the long end.

Forming the Full Windsor Knot

Next, move the short end of the necktie over the back of the long side, creating another loop. Push the short end of the tie up and down through this loop. Pull the short end of the tie, which should have your Windsor knot just about formed.
You’ll want to begin adjusting both end of the tie, to get the length and shape just right for both. Remember that getting knot right is only part of tying a knot. You want to shape and adjust the tie until it is perfect. Shaping the tie once the form of the knot is ready is a huge part of your overall look.

Cinch the Windsor-Tied Knot

All that’s left is to begin cinching the knot, by tightening while you draw up the ends toward the color. The knot should be neat and tight, but look stylish and well-formed.

Practice Tying the Windsor Knot

Don’t wait until the night of the big dance, dinner or reception to start practicing your Windsor knot. Get out several of your ties and practice tying them in this style. Get the steps on how to tie a Windsor knot down by heart. If you are having trouble tying the knot, consider buying a thicker tie and seeing if this solves your problem.

By the time of your formal suit-and-tie event, you should be comfortable tying a Windsor knot. That way, you won’t have to have a father or other guy tying your knot for you. You’ll also feel more comfortable tightening and loosening your Windsor knot, if you know how to tie a Windsor knot in the first place.

Enjoy your big night out on the town.

How to Clean Leather

Leather has such a nice look and feel to it. Whether it is clothing or furniture, the smooth texture against your skin is such a luxury. Leather is an elegant material that enhances almost any setting. Unfortunately, leather can be somewhat troublesome to clean. Stains can be hard to remove and if you use the wrong cleaners, you run the risk of damaging the leather. Considering how much leather accessories can cost, that can be an expensive mistake.

Having an pricey jacket or a nice leather couch covered in stains can look tacky. As an investment, you want them to look as good as possible. But if they have some stains or unsightly spots on them, you need to know the proper way in how to clean leather.

Why Is Leather So Hard To Clean

Leather comes in many different styles and finishes. Some are tanned while others have colors dyed into them. All require separate means of cleaning. Cleaners that work on one type of leather might not work on another. It all depends on the handling instructions for that particular type of leather.

Leather comes in two basic styles: finished and unfinished. Finished leather is the type most commonly seen in clothing and furniture. Jackets, boots, purses, and couches are all examples of finished leather. Unfinished leather is found in things like tools, baseball gloves, and some western accessories. Every type of leather is delicate and very susceptible to changes in temperature and weather so care must be taken to keep it in good shape.

The hardest thing about cleaning leather is that the cleaning process can change the leather’s appearance. Since leather is essentially animal skin, it can suffer from much of the same problems as any other type of skin. It can dry out and crack or become permanently stained. Any special coats or finishes that the manufacturer applied to the leather can be damaged as well, creating a worn and weathered look. Finished leather is much easier to clean than unfinished because the finish that a manufacturer puts on the leather acts as a barrier to help protect it.

Tools To Clean Leather

Before you start scrubbing away on your favorite coat, you need to gather the right tools. Unless your leather has seen some serious wear and tear, you generally don’t need to buy any expensive cleaners.

• Mild Hand Soap – A gentle hand soap is usually sufficient for cleaning leather. Only use the liquid kind, never bar soap.
• Olive Oil – Like any other kind of skin, leather needs oils to keep from drying out. Olive oil can be used as a conditioner (but don’t go out and get the expensive kind).
• Soft Cloths or Rags – You’ll need something soft to wipe the leather down with. Don’t use anything stiff or abrasive or you could leave permanent marks on the leather’s finish.

Cleaning Leather Tips

Before you get started be sure to review the following cleaning leather tips. The first step to cleaning leather is to take a cloth, get it damp, and apply just a little soap to it. Do not put the soap directly on the leather. You want to use small amounts applied with a rag. To get the rag damp, you can run it under a tap of warm water or get a bowl of warm water and dip a corner of the rag into it. The rag should not be soaking wet. Its okay if the leather is a little damp afterwards but you don’t want it dripping.

Before you start wiping down the entire piece of leather, test out a small corner somewhere to make sure the leather isn’t going to be harmed by cleaning it. Even though it is only warm water and soap, you don’t want to ruin the leather by drying it out or leaving a permanent dark stain. If the leather tests out okay, proceed with the cleaning.

Cleaning Leather Techniques

It’s easy to take a rushed approach when cleaning leather. Techniques such using the right amount of water to dampen a cloth can be easily overlooked.  Be sure to pay attention to details outlined in this guide in order to get the best results.

Using the damp rag with the soap, gently rub the soapy lather across the leather. Don’t use a lot of lather, just leave a thin skim. Clean the leather until you have covered the entire surface and all the dirt and stains have been removed.

Your next step is going to be removing the soap. The best way to do this is to take another damp rag and gently wipe away any of the soapy residue. DO NOT RINSE THE LEATHER WITH RUNNING WATER. Leather is not completely water-resistant. It is an animal hide which means it’s porous so it will eventually absorb all that water. Getting it too wet will dry the leather out and that is a sure fire way to ruin it. Plus, it will take days to completely dry from being wet.

Once you have wiped off all of the soap, you need to dry the leather. Do this by using another soft clean rag but don’t wet this one. You’re drying it, remember? Wipe the entire surface down until all the excess water is gone. At this point the leather may still be damp from absorbing some of the water. Let the leather sit awhile and completely dry before you condition it.

After the leather has dried completely, you need to condition the material. Even a gentle cleaning with soap and water can dry it out so the leather will need to have its oils replenished. You can get all kinds of different leather finishes and conditioners made especially for that purpose. But the best item to use is actually olive oil and chances are you already have it in your kitchen. Take a clean dry rag and put just a little olive oil on it. Use the rag to rub the oil into the leather. Don’t use too much or you’ll end up with a really greasy piece of leather. A little olive oil goes a long way. After you’ve conditioned it, let it dry again.

If you are cleaning a piece of unfinished leather, you can use the same steps above but you will need to use a glycerine-based soap, also known as “saddle soap”. You can find this at any decent leather shop, saddle shop, or even stores that carry a lot of leather items such as clothing and shoe retail stores. And remember, when in doubt about how to properly clean leather, you can always take it to a dry cleaner for assistance.

To learn more about how to clean leather, we recommend:

• How to Clean Leather

How to Clean Suede

Suede has such a soft and elegant look and feel. Wearing it is like wearing warm butter and if you have a sofa chair made out of it, you just sink right into it. Suede looks great but it is also a problem to clean. Unlike other types of leather that have smooth finishes, the nap that makes suede distinctive also makes it harder to maintain. You can’t use just any type of cleaner on it or you risk ruining the nap.

Some suede items are imitation, created from synthetic products. These are actually easier to clean that the real thing. Always check your item’s label to see what materials it is made from. This article outlines instructions and tips for cleaning suede furniture & clothing. Understanding the proper way to clean suede furniture and clothing can save you frustration when stains occur and it can also save you money by prolonging the life of your suede products.

What Is Suede Made From

Suede is different from full-grain leather. While most leather is made from cow hide, suede is made from calves, lambs, goats, or even deer. It is softer and much more subtle than full-grain leather. What gives suede its nappy texture is due to the part of the hide that suede comes from as well as the finish that the manufacturer puts on the leather.

Tools For Cleaning Suede

Suede is very delicate so cleaning it requires a little extra care from other types of leather. Like every job, you have to have the right kind of tools to do it properly.

• Suede Brush – A suede brush is a soft bristle brush specifically designed for cleaning suede’s nappy texture without ruining it. You can get one at just about any supermarket, leather shop, or shoe store.
• Toothbrush – In addition to a suede brush, a toothbrush comes in handy for removing small areas of dirt and mud. Just don’t brush your teeth with it afterwards.
• Soft Towels or Cloth – Soft towels and cloths are a must for cleaning suede. Never use anything stiff or abrasive or you’ll ruin the nap.
• Suede Eraser – This unique and handy item is useful for removing marks left on the suede after mud and dirt has been removed.
• Pencil Eraser – For removing any last and small marks, the pink eraser at the end of a pencil works wonders.

Steps To Cleaning Suede

If the suede has any dirt or mud on it, you need to let it dry completely before trying to remove it. Wiping damp mud from suede just smears it around and makes it harder to clean off later.

When the mud has dried, use a toothbrush or the suede brush to remove it. Do not scrub at the suede with a knife, file, or anything stiff and harsh. You’ll end up ruining the texture of the nap.

After the clumps of dried mud have been removed, there might still be dirty spots and marks on the nap. On larger areas, you can use the suede eraser. Gently rub it in one direction to remove the grime. Don’t rub it back and forth or you might rub the dirt deeper into the nap. After that if there are still marks, you can try using a pencil eraser in the same way. After the marks have been removed, used a towel or cloth to gently work the nap back up.

If the suede has gotten wet and has water stains on it, let the suede dry completely first. A good way to do that is to take a few towels and wrap or press the item between the towels. They will absorb much of the water. Afterwards, let the item air dry completely.

Once the suede is dry, try brushing out the stains. If they won’t come out, a good method to use to remove them is to take a spray bottle and wet the entire suede. When it dries, the stain will blend in with the rest of the leather. You can then use a suede brush to restore the leather’s nap.

If your suede has stains on it from body oils, food, ink, or other accidental spills, carefully use a towel or napkin to clean up any excess and let dry before you proceed further. If the stain is old, you can try using a suede brush or suede eraser on the stain. If the stain proves stubborn, you may have to go out and buy a suede de-greaser to get it out.

Sometimes stains can be extremely tough on suede. A popular home remedy you can try is white vinegar. Take a cloth or piece of cotton, dab some white vinegar on it, and gently rub at the spot. Afterwards, let it dry completely and check to see if the stain has come out.

Tossing your suede item in the freezer (if it will fit) is a great way to remove chewing gum and wax from suede. Once the sticky particles freeze, they can be pulled right out. Afterwards, use your suede brush or suede eraser to work the nap back into shape.

Ink can be a real problem getting out of anything. With suede, something that you can try is Windex. The chemicals in Windex act as a degreaser with ink and can be effective in some cases.

Once you get your suede item clean (or as clean as its going to get) you need to protect it. You can find several spray products that act as weather-proofing and stain-blocking for your suede. Most of these products work well but you have to reapply them regularly every six months or so. Always check the label of any product to find out how to properly apply it.

The sad fact that anyone who owns suede knows is that sometimes you can’t remove a stain without professional help. Taking suede to the dry cleaners may end up being your only option but be warned. Even them, there is no guarantee that even a professional can get rid of the stains. It is just the nature of suede.

How to Tie a Tie

Learning how to tie a tie is a skill that all men should master. That’s because life is filled with formal occasions such as weddings, business meetings, jury duty, and job interviews. If you want to look your best during these events, wearing a tie is a necessity. In the following article, we’ll provide step-by-step instructions on how to tie a tie, as well as offering a number of useful tips and techniques for selecting a tie and making it last.

How to Tie a Tie Tips

Before we look at how to tie a tie, let’s examine a number of how to tie a tie tips.

Tip #1 – When removing a tie, do not just widen the loop and pull it over your head. Staying in this position can damage the tie and limit the use you’ll get out of it. Instead, perform the steps used to tie the tie, but in reverse order. It can then be hung on a tie rack.

Tip #2 – If your tie is wrinkled, this can be corrected by wrapping the tie around your hand. Then remove your hand and set the tie aside for several hours.

Tip #3 – When purchasing a new tie, it’s a good idea to bring along the shirt and jacket you’ll be wearing with it. This will allow you to make sure the pattern and texture are a good match. You should also check the quality of the fabric, making sure that loose threads or other imperfections aren’t visible.

Tip #4 – When figuring tie length, remember that the widest section of your tie should come down to the upper part of your belt.

Tip #5 – If you iron your tie to remove wrinkles, be sure to cover it with a cotton cloth to protect it from direct heat. You should also make sure the temperature of the iron isn’t too hot, as it can damage the tie and make it appear flat. The iron should be no hotter than 170 degrees for wool ties and 140 degrees for silk and polyester ties.

Tip #6 – If you spill something on your tie, do not use a stain remover. First blot the area with a tissue. Remember to blot, as rubbing will only make things worse. Dampen a washcloth and see if the stain can be removed that way. If it can, use a hair-dryer on a low setting to eliminate any excess moisture. If the above step doesn’t work, do not put the tie into the washing machine. At this point, your best bet is to take your tie to the local dry cleaners. While they can remove the stain, the tie will also lose its shine. For this reason, you should do everything possible to keep your ties from getting stained in the first place.

Step by Step Easy How to Instructions

The following is a guide filled with step by step easy how to instructions for tying 5 different types of tie knots: four-in-hand, windsor knot, half windsor knot,  pratt knot, and bow tie knot.

How to Tie a Four-in-Hand

1. The wide end of your tie should hang over your neck onto the right side of your body. It should hang about 12 inches past the narrow end (which is on the left side of your body).
2. Take the wide end of the tie and cross it over the narrow end.
3. The wide end should then be turned back underneath the narrow end.
4. Now bring the wide end back in front of the narrow end of the tie.
5. These movements will have created a loop around your neck. Take the wide end and pull it up through the loop.
6. Use your index finger to loosely hold the front of the knot. Take the wide end and bring it down through the front loop.
7. Take your index finger away, hold the narrow end of the tie, and slide the knot upwards.
8. Now you know how to tie a tie in the Four-in-Hand style.

How to Tie a Windsor Knot

The Windsor knot works well with spread collar shirts, and it’s the preferred knot of choice for job interviews and business meetings. Men with wide necks should also like it, as the thick knot makes the neck length appear shorter.

1. The wide end of your tie should be draped over the right side of your body. It should hang 12 inches past the narrow end, which is draped over the left side of your body.
2. Take the wide end and cross it over the narrow end.
3. A loop has now been created between your tie and collar. Bring the wide end up through it.
4. Bring the wide end back down to rest in front of your torso.
5. Take the wide end and pull it underneath the narrow end and to the right. Then bring it back through the loop and to the right once again. When you’re finished, the wide end should appear inside out.
6. Going from right to left, bring the wide end of the tie across the front.
7. Once again pull the wide end up through the loop.
8. Take the wide end and bring it down through the front knot.
9. Use both hands for this part. Tighten the knot and pull it up near the collar.
10. Now you know how to tie a tie in the Windsor knot style.

How to Tie a Half Windsor Knot

Perfect for wider ties, the Half Windsor Knot forms a triangular knot than complements most dress shirts.

1. The wide part of the tie should hang on the right side, while the narrow side should be on the left. The wide end should hang 12 inches below the narrow end.
2. Take the wide end and cross it over the narrow end.
3. Now bring the wide end around and behind the narrow section of the tie.
4. Grasp the wide end of the necktie and pull it upwards.
5. The wide end should now be pulled through the loop and to the right of the tie.
6. Now bring the wide end around the front of the tie. It should go over the narrow end of the tie from right to left.
7. Take the wide end of the tie and bring it up through the loop.
8. Bring the wide end of the necktie down through the knot in the front.
9. Use both hands to tighten the knot and pull it up towards the collar.
10. Now you know how to tie a tie in the half Windsor knot style.

How to Tie a Pratt Knot

While not as wide as the Windsor, the Pratt knot (also known as a Shelby) is still considered to be a wide knot. It works well on wide ties made of medium to light fabric, and it goes well with any dress shirt.

1. When you begin, the necktie should be inside out. The wide end should be on the right side of your body and extend 12 inches past the narrow end, which is on the left side.
2. The wide end of the tie should be crossed under the narrow end.
3. Now take the wide end and go over and under the tie’s narrow end.
4. Before you tighten, make sure to pull the tie’s loop down.
5. Move the wide end of the tie over to the right, then pull it up behind the loop.
6. The wide end of the tie should be brought up through the knot. You can now tighten the knot as much as you’re comfortable with.
7. Now you know how to tie a tie in the Pratt knot style.

How to Tie a Bow Tie Knot

Traditionally worn with tuxedos, many bow ties are of the clip-on variety. If you often attend formal ceremonies, however, you may want to go the more traditional route and learn to tie a bow tie knot. Remember that a properly tied bow tie knot should never go past the tips of your shirt collar, and it should never be broader than the widest area of your neck.

1. The bow tie should be placed around your neck. Since neither side is wider than the other, we’ll refer to one side as “Side A” and the other as “Side B.” Side A should hang on the left side of your body, and it should be about two inches longer than Side B.
2. Take Side A and cross it over Side B.
3. Now that a loop has been formed, bring Side A up and under the loop.
4. Take Side B and double it up. This will form the front base loop of your bow tie.
5. Take Side A and loop it over the center of the loop just made with Side B.
6. Make sure to use your fingers to hold all the current progress in place. Double up Side A and insert it through the loop that’s in back of the bow tie.
7. You should now be able to tug on the ends of the bow tie to adjust it. Check the center knot to make sure that it’s straight.
8. Now you know how to tie a tie in the Bow Tie knot style.

For more advice about how to tie a tie, check out:

• How to Tie a Neckerchief

How to Apply Bronzer

Learn how to apply bronzer to give yourself the “tan” look during the cold weather months, if you don’t have time or inclination to go to the tanning bed, or in the summer to give a slighty tanned or fully tanned complexion a bronzed sheen. A bronzer is a powder, not unlike blush, which women often apply to their faces to make their nose, forehead and cheekbones appear tanner. You can also buy body tanner in spray-on or lotion form.

Tips for Applying Bronzer Properly

Applying bronzer properly can give a woman golden highlights to her skin tone. A woman usually applies bronze powder with a brush to her face, temples, cheekbones, shoulders and upper chest. Women have different opinions on the effectiveness of bronzer products, but when pulled off the right way, bronzer can give you that sunkissed look just about everyone is going for. Ultimately, it’s best if you get a (moderate) natural sun tan in lieu of the tanning bed or spray-on tan, but there are parts of the country that’s not even a possibility. The following tips for applying bronzer properly should help you make the best of the product you’re using.

Select a Bronzer

When choosing a bronzer, select a bronze color with roughly the same tone, but a few shades darker than your natural skin color. Don’t select a bronzer that is too dark for your complexion, or else the effect with be jarring and fake.

Choose a proper shade for your hair color, as well. Pink tints are best for blondes, while orange tints look better with brunettes. Don’t choose the orange if you’re going blonde, though, because this makes your skin look orange – which is never good.

Use a Proper Brush

Find a makeup brush that works well for bronzer. I would suggest you use the same sort of brush you would use when applying blush. I prefer larger, softer round-end brushes to the kind that come store-bought in blush cases.

If you select an improper brush, you might end up with lines or blotchy patterns. Avoid lines and blotches. In my mind, it’s better to go with untanned skin.

Exfoliate Your Face

Exfoliate your skin before you apply skin bronze. If you don’t, when you put the bronze on your face, it might causes lines or splotchy spots.

Besides, skin exfoliation is a good idea in general. Your body regrows a new top layer of skin every 35 days. Skin grows from inside your body out, so the skin on the surface of your body is the oldest layer of skin. As you replace old skin, the cells of the outer layer die and flake off.

Exfoliating your skin takes that dead layer of skin off. That’s why men who have just shaved their beard appear to have such smooth skin, because they razor takes the dead skin off their face. Women don’t shave their face, so they need to exfoliate, instead.

By a loofah, exfoliating sponge or exfoliating gloves. Buy an exfoliant (without pumice in it) and exfoliate your skin. Don’t scrub too hard, because the skin on your face is delicate. A soft scrub does the trick.

Apply a Powder

Like makeup, it’s better to put on a base or foundation layer before you apply the bronze powder. If you don’t, the effect is often shiny skin that doesn’t look right. Base takes off the shiny from moisture and oil, because excess amounts of either are absorbed by the base.

When you’re applying bronzer, touch the part of the face that would normally be highlighted by a sun tan: forehead, cheeks and nose. Dust the face lightly at first. Getting off bronzer if you apply too much is harder than applying a little more if your first dusting doesn’t do the trick. Also, if you start light and build the color as you go, you’ll get the shading for your skin color right.

Blend the Bronzer

Once you are finished, test out the bronzing in a day setting or under bright lights to make sure you did it right. It’s easy to apply to heavy, so it’s better to test every time you put on bronzer.

If you overdid it, use a cotton pad to blend the bronzer.

Bronzer Makeup Tutorial

If you want to see a visual how-to guide for applying bronzer, take a look at this Bronzer Make Up Tutorial. It’s a couple of minutes and shows where and how you brush the bronzer on.

Applying Bronzing Powder

The Sun can be damaging to your skin. UV rays dry out the skin and break down the cells. Women who spend their lives over-tanning in the Spring and Summer end up with leathery skin that is unattractive, while overexposure to ultra-violet rays can cause cancer. Before you overdo your summer tanning, consider getting a tan, but enhancing with bronzing powder. If you do get a sunburn, remember to take plenty of Vitamin D, which helps in healthy skin growth.

Ultimately, a bronze tan looks healthier and more attractive than a deep tan. Whatever you do, don’t sit out in the solar rays all summer by the poolside. Skin bronze is just one of a series of options. If you do choose bronzer, here’s hoping our little tutorial on how to apply bronzer will help you look beautiful and save your skin.

How to Apply Fake Eyelashes

Knowing how to apply fake eyelashes is one of the trickiest fashion moves you can pull off. While long, captivating eyelashes adds to a woman’s beauty, poorly applied lashes make you look like an amateur. So if you’re going to enhance your natural beauty by “making your eyes pop”, be stylish about it.

Choose Your Look

Eyelashes can make a radical difference to a woman’s appearance, or they add a subtle nuance to your overall look. The decision is whether to apply a full eyelash makeover, or whether to add some accents to what you already have. Either can be exactly what you’re looking for.

Adding fake eyelashes to the outside of your eyes gives you a sophisticated look that people might not notice at first, but will subtly enhance your natural beauty. A full set of eyelashes is dramatic and eye-catching and can change a woman’s whole appearance. Either way, fake eye lashes help you change your style for a night or weekend.

Coordinate Colors

You want to coordinate the color of your eyelashes, so your fake lashes don’t clash with your normal look. If you have light eyelashes and you put on bold, black fake eyelashes, that’s just going to look strange.

If you have dark eye lashes, buy black ones. This avoids the need for a bunch of gunky black mascara, while drawing attention to the darkness of your eyes. If you’re going out in the evening, purchase brown fake eyelashes for pale natural lashes. The darkness of the evening requires it.

But if you have pale eyelashes, you need to apply blond eyelashes or light brown lashes if you’re going out in the daytime. Women with darker natural eyelashes should use dark brown fake eyelashes during the day, so the lashes will reflect a little more light than black.

Fit Your Eyelashes

When buying fake eyelashes, remember to choose the length you want and the curve that fit your eyes. Length is a matter of taste, so choose accordingly. As far as the line of your eyelashes, coordinate the natural line of your eyelashes with the fake lashes you are buying. It’s a matter of taking those lashes out to their logical conclusion. Otherwise, your regular lashes and the fakes will clash and it will look odd.

How to Apply Fake Eyelashes Tutorial

Now that we are ready apply eyelashes, start with a clean slate. Wash away all makeup and eyeliner from around your eyes. Get rid of everything and start from scratch. Now you’re ready to follow the steps outlined in this “how to apply fake eyelashes” tutorial.

Adhesive and Eyelashes

You will use an adhesive or glue to bond your fake eyelashes onto the real things. Apply a tiny amount of glue onto the base of your fake eyelashes. Be sparse. You can always add more later if it’s not enough, but too much glue becomes a mess quickly.

Apply glue to the fake lashes, not your lashes. You don’t want any more glue around your eyes than necessary.

Let the adhesive sit for about a minute.

Apply Lashes while Looking in the Mirror

Here comes the tricky part. You’re going to need to look into a mirror as you apply the false lashes to your eyelashes. Experienced women can do this on a mirror wall in their room. For newbies, I would suggest you get a smaller mirror on a table under a bright light. This gives you maximum visibility when applying the false eyelashes.

Set the fake lashes as close as possible to the “lash line”, trying to be as uniform as can be on each succeeding fake lash. Once again, follow the natural curve of the lash, meaning you’re going to get the directions just right. This can be frustrating at first, so understand that going in and don’t get too frustrated.

Adjust the Lashes

Once you have the lashes applies, you still have time to adjust. Using your fingers or tweezers to adjust your eyelashes ever so slightly. If neither of those work, try using a toothpick for fine adjustments.

Applying Fake Eyelash Tips

The following are a set of applying fake eyelash tips mean to aid you troubleshoot the trouble you may run into when dealing with fake eyelashes.

Using Lash Clumps

Eyelash clumps are falsies with about 10-15 eyelashes per clump, usually applied to the outer edge of your lashes to give you fuller, easier-to-apply eyelashes. Instead of putting on one eyelashes at a time, you’re putting on 15. Brilliant.

When applying an eyelash clump, go through the same steps as above: start completely clean, pick out the right color and size, then add adhesive.

Practice Applying Fake Eyelashes

Practice several times before you try the fake eyelashes at a big event or on a big date. This is a difficult fashion stunt and you’ll want to master how to apply fake eyelashes before you try doing it in prime time.

Removing Eyelashes

You can reuse fake lashes. Simply remove them with a warm compress, which should free up the glue. Don’t yank on your eyelashes, especially if you haven’t loosened them up: that can pull out your real eyelashes. Soak the fake lashes in an eyelash-cleaning solution, to remove gluey residue.

How to Tie a Bow Tie

One reason bow ties have never surmounted neckties is because it’s hard to learn how to tie a bow tie. Because a bowtie is smaller than a necktie, tying the tie requires more dexterity and fine hand work. With some a few tips and some practice, though, you’ll be able to tie a bow tie with little trouble.

Remember, tying a bow tie isn’t any different than tying your shoe string. You want to tie them close enough and neat enough that look sharp once the bow tie is in place – that’s all. If the bow tie isn’t perfect after you tie it off, remember to adjust the tie to specifications.

Step by Step Instructions for How to Tie a Bow Tie the Easy Way

Learning how to tie the bow tie is all about getting the tying motion down, then the art of adjusting the bow tie. Keep adjusting until you have it right. The following set of instructions should help you learn how to tie a bow tie the easy way.

Adjust Your Shirt

Turn your collar up, so that your collar won’t get in the way of tying your bow tie. Button the top button of your dress shirt. You want your shirt and bow tie to fit snug against your neck.

Adjust the Bow Tie’s Length

Adjust the tie so it fits your neck size. You want the tie to fit snugly, with some room left for you to breathe comfortably.

Prepare to Tie

Prepare the bow tie for tying by measuring out the two ends, letting each hang down your front on either side of your neck. One end of the tie should hang down about 1.5 inches lower than the other side.

Tying the Ends Together

Take the longer end in hand, take it across and then behind the shorter end of the tie. Once it is behind the shorter end, take the long end over the short end. This should form a basic knot, with the longer end looped under, back and then over the short end of the bow tie.

Once you do this, cinch the knot in a snug fashion around your neck. The shorter end of the tie should now be cinched into half of an hourglass shape.

The Short End of the Bow Tie

Double the short end of the bow tie upon itself. Fold or pinch the short end at the thickest part of its length, which should be halfway through the short end of the bow. This should form the kind of bow you’re looking to make. This bow should be in front, and you can now position the bow into a horizontal position on your neck. (Horizontal being how a bow tie is supposed to look when finished.) You should now have half your bow tie in place.

The Long End of the Bow Tie

Now, take the other end of the tie, which should have been the longer end to start with, double this end of the bow tie upon itself and pinch in the middle to form a bow. Once again, fold this second bow over the bow you already have in place. Next, in a fashion similar to how you folded the other half of the tie, fold the longer end of the bow tie. This should form a similar bow shape.

Then take this second bow you’ve formed (the longer end, originally) and fold it underneath the first bow you formed.

This should tie off the first bow and leave room for your to tuck the second bow behind the first bow, in mirror fashion.

Adjust the Bow Tie

Now that you have the two bows in place, you’ll need to adjust the shape of the two bows, so your tie will look neat and organized. Adjust by pulling on the ends of the bows, which should help to straighten out any imperfections in your bowtie set-up.

Adjust the knot in the middle, making it look neat and full. A disorganized knot will ruin the entire look of your bow tie.

How to Tie a Western Bow Tie

Tying a western bowtie isn’t much different than the standard bow tie, but you’ll be working with a different piece of equipment. Most “western bow ties” are thinner than the bow ties you’re used to. These are the step by step instructions for tying a western bow tie.

Adjust the Bow Tie

Adjust both ends of the bow tie to where they are of equal length. Cross one end over the other end and pull the two snugly around your neck. Adjust accordingly, to make sure this fit will be comfortable and neat all night.

The Lead End

Call the end that’s laying on top of the other end of the bow the “lead end”. Take this end underneath the loop and once again pull the bow snug. This really is no different than tying a shoestring at this point – just with bigger strings.

At this point, take the lend end of your tie and lay it over your second end of the tie. The second end should be hanging towards the ground, down the front of your shirt. When you bring the lend end behind, this should form a small loop.

Thread the Loop

Take the lead end of the tie and thread it through the loop you’ve created.

Cinch the Tie

Next, take both ends of the tie and pull on them in opposite directions. This should let you cinch up the tie, roughly into the place you want it to fit. Adjust the two end until they are roughly the same length.

Make a Knot in the Bow Tie

Once you have the bow tie cinched into the place you want it, make a knot by pulling the two ends a little tighter.

Often, the center knot will be bunched up at this point. Don’t get frustrated. Simply smooth out the center knot and adjust it. Like with learning how to tie the bow tie, western bow tie tying is mostly about making adjustments once you near completion. You want your bow to be as neat as possible, so smooth until perfect.

If the western bow tie completely frustrates you, you can find all kinds of clip-on western bow ties in costume shops and novelty shops. This shouldn’t be taken as a commentary on the fashion sense of wearing a western bow tie – just a statement of fact. People like to dress up like cowboys and westerners, that’s all.

Now you know how to tie a bow tie and a western bow tie. You can mix the two into your outfit ensemble from time to time. Bow ties get a lot of grief in the media, but a good, well-tied bow tie is a classic way for a man to look neat and sharp. Add the bow tie to your wardrobe ideas.

How to Apply Foundation

Foundation is the most basic part of your makeup regimen — it’s right there in the name. With a good foundation, the rest of your makeup will be easy to apply and beautiful on your skin.

The right foundation can even out your skin tone and award you the appearance (if only briefly) of flawless natural skin. But you have to apply foundation properly, otherwise you risk looking like a clown. There, I said it.

To avoid the dreaded Bozo appearance, follow these simple steps for a flawless foundation and complexion.

1. Begin with clean hands and a clean face. If you start your foundation application with dirty tools and a dirty canvas, how can it possible turn out right? Starting with clean tools is also smart because dirty makeup can spread infection, cause beauty disasters, and just generally muck up your whole world.
2. Before you plunk your foundation down all over your face, you should apply a moisturizing sunscreen product. Ideally, you will use a proper SPF for your sun protection needs. If you don’t want to use a sunscreen, you can choose a basic moisturizer or a makeup “primer” (look in specialty beauty stores) that’s right for your specific skin type. All basic foundations will go on to your face more smoothly if the skin is well-hydrated and healthy. If you want to do like the makeup artists do, look for a foundation primer product — it creates a smooth skin surface for foundation to be applied on.
3. After you’ve applied the sunscreen or product of your choice, you need to let it dry before you try to smear foundation all over it. This is a basic step but one that you just can’t skip.
4. 

   How to Apply Foundation

   If you find you are still getting a gloopy mess from combining moisturizer and foundation, wipe away any excess product with a tissue before adding foundation. Greasy skin will quickly make your foundation a mess, and it will be nearly impossible to apply properly to boot.

5. The most important tip in the article — PLEASE cover your dark eye circles with concealer. This is an important step to avoid a “dead” look on your face. Remember to pat the concealer onto your skin — don’t ever rub it in. You know the finger marks in a child’s fingerpaint pictures? You don’t want those on your eyes.
6. Pick up a makeup sponge (or just use your clean fingertips) to apply small dots of foundation to your cheeks, chin, the tip of the nose and your forehead. If you have the time and money, learn to love foundation brushes when applying foundation — they’ll actually save you money by soaking up less foundation. Another bonus to foundation bushes — they are great for blending.
7. Using the same sponge (or just your fingertips or preferably a foundation brush) start to “blend” the dots together. The worst place for obvious foundation lines? Near your hairline and the line of your jaw. Blend these areas especially carefully.
8. The last step is also the simplest. At this point you’re ready to set the foundation with a little loose powder immediately after you apply your mascara.

Tips for Applying Foundation Properly

Here’s a few extra tips for applying foundation properly. Once you’ve mastered the basics above, these tips are what will separate the beautiful from the average.

Foundation is not necessarily best applied all over your whole face. You should consider using spot fixes for the areas of your face that need extra coverage — eyes, nose and chin for starters.

Also, if you use a makeup sponge, make sure and wash it out well each time so the sponge doesn’t start building up nasty amounts of bacteria.

How to Cut Hair

Learning how to cut hair can be a great advantage in these tough economic times. Instead of a monthly visit to your barber or stylist, you can cut your hair for free in the privacy of your own home. This article includes all the tools you’ll need to get started, step-by-step instructions, and a number of useful tips.

Haircutting Supplies

Before you learn how to cut hair, it’s also important to know what you’ll need in order to get the job done. Whether you’re going for a buzz cut or a more traditional cut, having the following haircutting supplies on hand should keep you covered in any situation.

• Sharp scissors (if you plan on cutting your own hair on a regular basis, try picking up a pair of salon scissors from a beauty supply retailer)
• Electric clippers
• Spray bottle filled with water
• Drop cloth or towel
• Stationary mirror
• Portable mirror

Cutting Your Hair Instructions

Now that you’ve assembled all the necessary tools, it’s time to move on to cutting your hair. If you’re learning how to cut hair for the first time, this will take some time to master. Be patient. Before long, you’ll be cutting your own hair like a pro and saving money in the process. Here are the instructions:

1. Have a plan – How do you want your hair to look once you’re finished? It’s important to have an idea in mind before you begin cutting your hair. Since you’re cutting your own hair, the style is likely to be basic, but you’ll still need to consider the options.
2. Wash your hair – This is an important step, as it helps to untangle and remove knots from your hair. It also removes any dirt, oil and other impurities that might give your scissors trouble. Just prior to cutting, you want your hair to be damp, not wet. If your hair begins to dry during cutting, you can always use your spray bottle to get it damp again.
3. Comb your hair – Now that your hair is damp, it’s time to comb it. This will get rid of any tangles or knots that weren’t eliminated during the washing process.
4. Stay calm – People often become nervous when learning how to cut hair. A rise in anxiety levels can make the act harder than it has to be. Take a deep breath and calm down.
5. Using your hand, take a small section of hair and pull it straight. Decide where you want to cut and place your index and middle fingers on that spot. Your fingers will serve as a guide to ensure that you cut in a straight line. Be sure to only cut about ½ inch with each snip of the scissors.
6. When you’re first learning how to cut hair, it’s a good idea to stop after each snip and take a look at your progress. Release your hair and allow it to fall loose. Make sure things are going as you planned. If a mistake has been made, don’t freak out. Hair will always grow back, so anything you’ve done can be undone with the passage of time.
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   How to Cut Hair

   Don’t alternate between sides when cutting your hair. Start by cutting one side completely, then cut the other side to match. If you try to alternate, you may find yourself cutting off more length than initially desired.

8. If you wish to give your hair a layered effect, the best strategy is to cut sections in various lengths. Each cut should be made at a sharp angle. This will take some time to master, so remember to exercise patience.
9. It’s much easier to cut hair in the front, so try to pull as much hair up front as possible. If you need to cut hair at the back of your head, set up a second mirror to go with your stationary mirror. This will allow you to see the back of your head as you work. As mentioned in step #5, pause after each snip to examine your progress.
10. When you think you’re finished, take sections from both sides of your head and pull them forward to see if the lengths match. If you find a piece that’s too long, you can also trim it with your scissors. Just be careful not to take this step too far.

Haircutting Tips

In addition to the step-by-step instructions offered above, these haircutting tips will serve you well.

Keep it simple – When cutting at home, don’t try to get too creative. Stick with simply hairstyles that don’t require years of training.

When cutting curly hair, keep in mind that it will appear to shrink once it’s dry. For this reason, you may want to cut curly hair longer than normal.

Another option involves going to a stylist and getting the haircut of your choice. Then, every month, you can trim your head to maintain the style. This will require an occasional visit back to the salon, however, as most people’s hair tends to grow faster on one side than the other. Still, you’re saving money on all the months you do it yourself.

Men who want an easy-to-maintain style can either shave their heads with a razor or use electric clippers.

If you have thick or course hair, you’ll want to cut in smaller sections than normal. Some people’s hair is so thick that trying to cut the usual ½ inch will be close to impossible. If you notice your hair bending between the blades of the scissors, then you’ll know to lessen the length of the cut.

To cut bangs, part your hair in the center of your head. Then comb forward an equal amount of hair from either side of the parting line. Cut evenly across each section of hair.

Another technique for cutting your own hair involves leaning over and combing all your hair forward (making sure it’s wet, of course). Cut in a straight line and work from one side to the other. When you think you’re finished, stand up and check the length on all sides by parting and combing it. If you find any long pieces of hair, they can be trimmed with your scissors. Since you can’t see your hair when leaning over, this technique relies more on touch.

With these simple tips, you should have a firm understanding of how to cut hair. It will still be challenging at first, but your persistence will be rewarded in the form of a neatly-trimmed head of hair and a thicker wallet.

For more information about cutting hair, visit:

• How to Cut Your Own Hair

How to Apply Mascara

Lots of women wear mascara without knowing how to do it right. All eye makeup can be difficult and when applied or worn improperly makes for a really messy appearance.

The whole point of mascara is to alter the look of your eye lashes which in turn alters the look of your eyes. Mascara is a relatively simple application (in terms of makeup) but a process that is ignored by far too many women. By changing a few behaviors you can change the entire look of your makeup.

Here’s ten quick tips on how to apply and wear mascara that may keep you out of your next makeup faux pas.

1. Apply mascara properly. It is a simple three-step process. First, wiggle the mascara wand left to right at the base of your lashes. Mascara that is placed near the roots of the lash provides the greatest amount of “length”. Then pull the mascara wand through your lashes, “wiggling” it a little as you go. This wiggling motion is important — it acts to separate your lashes. Finally, close the eye and place the mascara wand on top of your lashes at their base and pull the wand through to remove any clumps. You can skip the final step if you’re confident in your mascara’s anti-clump ability.
2. To keep your mascara from clumping, there are a few tricks of the trade. For some women, using a lash comb is just too much to ask. These tools keep your lashes free of clumps while adding a nice amount of separation to your lashes. To use them, just apply mascara at the base of your lashes then “wiggle” the lash comb through to the tips of your lashes. If you’re just not into the lash comb, your best chance at staying clump-free is to remove any extra mascara from the wand before applying. Wipe your wand on some tissue to eliminate clumps before you apply.
3. Makeup artists swear by disposable mascara wands — called “spoolies”. The idea here is to use a fresh mascara wand every time you apply. To use, push a clean mascara spoolie through your lashes when they’re wet. You can find these disposable wands at any store that carries beauty products.
4. You can and should mix mascaras. This is another makeup artist trick — apply one coat of a lengthening mascara followed by another coat of a mascara that is good at thickening lashes. Yes this is a little time-consuming but the effect is very dramatic, making your eyes really “pop”.
5. Whereas most women seem scared to add a colored mascara to their regimen, you shouldn’t be afraid to go for a little color. Your basic black mascara will work for all women but that color can be a little harsh on women with blonde hair or light skin. For light hair or skin, use a combination of brown and black for daytime and go full black at night. If you’re really adventurous, you can try a few other colors. For bright blue eyes, use a blue mascara. For the same effect with brown eyes reach for a purple-colored product.
6. 

   How to Apply Mascara

   You really need to break down and buy (and use) an eyelash curlers. Yeah they look scary and it is time consuming, but curling your lashes will give your eyes a wide and bright look that you can’t get any other way. Mascara curler cold? Put it under a warm blowdryer for a few seconds. Contrary to popular opinion, you don’t have to use an eyelash curler before you apply mascara — it will work just fine afterward as long as the mascara is dry.
7. Blinking after applying will add a few coats to your lash’s ends. Blink directly onto the mascara brush to give your lash ends the boost they need.
8. A big tip that most women never learned — powder under your eyes before you apply mascara. You know those terrible mascara smudges you see on so many women? That happens because the mascara is drawn out by concealer or your other eye makeup. Powdering under the eye will protect from the terrible smudge.
9. We’ve already talked about “wiggling” the wand — but do you know how to zig zag? “Zig-zagging” the mascara wand back and forth on your lashes while applying the makeup will cut down big time on clumping and other disasters..
10. Last but not least — invest in and learn to use a mascara primer. This product will coat your lashes and do much of the work of lash separation well before you apply your mascara.

Some Last-Minute Tips to Keep Your Mascara Nice and Neat

If you want to add a second coat of mascara, make sure and add it before the first coat has dried, otherwise you’ll get clumps.

You may have seen people “pumping” the wand in and out of the mascara tube — don’t do this. All it does is add air to the mascara which dries it out and ruins it faster than normal.

For a steadier hand when applying mascara, bend the wand at a 90 degree angle. You will find your grip is stronger and your lines cleaner.

Finally — please wait at least five seconds before you blink after you apply mascara. If you don’t wait, you’ll get wet mascara all over your lids.

How to Shave

Learning how to shave is one of the most important moments in the life of a young man, as it signals that he’s maturing into an adult. But there are a number of options available when shaving, and even grown-ups may want to experiment to find the one that gives them the closest shave and offers the greatest convenience. Below, we have included step-by-step instructions on how to shave with a standard razor, straight razor, and electric razor.

How to Shave with a Razor

If you want to know how to shave with a standard razor, this section will provide everything you need. Besides getting a close shave, you’ll also be able to avoid ingrown hairs and razor burn. For details on how to shave with a straight razor or how to shave with an electric razor, scroll towards the bottom of the page.

What You’ll Need

To follow our instructions on how to shave with a razor, you’ll need the following items:

• Razor (many brands are available, and they can be purchased at any store)
• Wash cloth
• Sink with running water
• Shaving cream or shaving gel
• Toner
• Moisturizer

Shaving Instructions

1. Before shaving, wash your face in warm water. By eliminating oil and other impurities, you will decrease your chances of getting an infection if you cut yourself. Another option is to use exfoliating crème to help prepare your beard and skin. Even if you decide not to exfoliate, you should still wash your face prior to shaving.
2. Take a wash cloth, soak it in warm water, and then press it against your beard for half a minute. This will cause the hair on your face to loosen, thus making it easier to shave.
3. Use your shaving cream canister to release a ball of shaving gel into the palm of your hand. Use upward, circular motions to apply the gel or cream to your neck and beard.
4. Starting at the top of your beard, shave downwards to the edge of your jaw-line. This should be done in long, even strokes. For a closer shave, you can pull skin taunt with your hand. Remember that a new razor will always give a closer shave than a used one. Also remember to rinse your razor following each stroke. Otherwise, it will become filled with hair and not cut as well.
5. When shaving your neck and under the chin, work upwards with the grain. This will help to prevent ingrown hairs and razor burn.
6. When shaving your upper lip, stretch it out and shave downwards. Stretching will cause the skin to tighten, thus giving you a closer shave.
7. Once you’ve finished, use warm water to wash off excess shaving cream. If you see any spots you’ve missed, you can wet your razor and perform any necessary touch-ups.
8. Stay away from alcohol-based aftershaves. The alcohol will cause your skin to dry out. Instead, use a toner containing aloe extract and vitamins. To keep your skin especially healthy, finish the process by applying a moisturizer to your face and neck.

How to Shave with a Straight Razor

If you want the smoothest skin possible, learn how to shave with a straight razor. It takes an average of 100 shaves to master the art, but it will more than pay for itself in the long run. Follow the steps below and discover why this was the preferred method of shaving until the 1950s.

What You’ll Need

To follow our instructions on shaving with a straight razor, you’ll need the following supplies:

• Straight razor
• A hone (a stone used for sharpening blades – the grit should be at least 6000)
• Hanging strop or paddle strop (A strop is a piece of leather or canvas used to sharpen the razor blade. Hanging strops will need to be pulled tight while in use, while a paddle strop is ideal for travelers.)
• Mug shaving soap (shaving cream out of a can doesn’t work well when shaving with a straight razor)
• Shaving brush (badger hair is best, but boar bristle will also work)
• Sink with running water
• A bowl or mug
• Styptic powder (used to seal cuts to the skin, styptic powder can be purchased at a barber supply store)
• Mirror

Things to Remember

• Always keep your razor sharp.
• Pay attention. Shaving with a straight razor can be dangerous.
• Learning to properly shave with a safety razor takes time. Be patient.
• If your beard is heavy, you’ll need to strop and hone your razor more often.
• If you get razor burn, it’s time to sharpen your straight razor.
• If your razor pulls on the skin while shaving, then it’s time to sharpen your straight razor.
• Don’t store your straight razor in the bathroom. Bathrooms can be humid, and this humidity can cause your razor to rust.
• Never use a side-to-side or slicing motion when shaving. You will cut yourself.
• If you drop your razor, do not try to catch it. Let it fall to the floor and then pick it up.
• Do not walk with an open razor.

Shaving Instructions

1. To prepare your beard for shaving with a straight razor, either hold a hot, wet towel to your face or take a hot shower. You may want to apply the hot towel twice to achieve maximum results.
2. Run hot water and fill your mug or bowl (with the soap already inside). Allow the brush to soak.
3. Get your face wet.
4. Mix the lather in a swirling motion and continue until it forms stiff peaks.
5. Using the brush, apply lather to the face like you’re painting a house. Cover all areas that you wish to shave.
6. Take the straight razor and strop it 60 times. This will ensure that the blade is sharp and the lather has sufficient time to prepare your beard for shaving.
7. If the lather has dried during step #6, apply more to your face.
8. As you shave, stretch your skin in the area where the razor is making contact. When touching the skin with the razor, a 20 degree cutting angle is best.
9. On the first pass with the razor, shave with the grain (in the direction that hair is growing). Continue until all areas of the face have been covered. Begin with short strokes and finish with long ones.
10. Apply more lather and begin the second pass. This time you’ll shave sideways to the grain. The second pass will only apply to your jawline and the sides of your face. Begin with short strokes and finish with long ones.
11. If you have a thick beard or want an extra close shave, make a third pass against the grain. This is the step where most men cut themselves, so be careful. Skip the upper lip on this step. You can use lather on this step, but some men prefer water only so that they can better see what they’re doing.
12. Rinse your face with cold water.
13. Dry the razor.
14. Rinse the brush out, shake off the extra moisture, and then hang it upside down to dry.

How to Shave with an Electric Razor

The pinnacle of modern convenience, the electric razor allows you to shave with a minimum amount of fuss. You also won’t have to worry about painful nicks and cuts. For step-by-step tips on how to shave with an electric razor, read the section below.

What You’ll Need

To follow our instructions on how to shave with an electric razor, you’ll need the following items:

• Electric razor
• Pre-shave lotion
• Moisturizer
• Sink with running water

Things to Remember

• Many new models of electric razors can accommodate shaving gel or shaving cream.
• Many models can now be used in the shower.
• Keep the blades clean at all times and replace them regularly.
• When first shaving with an electric razor, it may take a few weeks for your skin to adjust.

Shaving Instructions

1. Expose your face to hot water prior to shaving. The best way to do this is to shower before you shave. This helps to open pores.
2. Make sure your skin is dry before you begin shaving.
3. Use a pre-shave lotion before shaving with an electric razor. This makes hair easier to cut and removes extra oil from the skin.
4. Pull the skin taut while shaving in an area. Shave against the grain, but avoid covering the same area repeatedly or you’ll risk getting razor burn. Repeat until you’ve shaved your entire face.
5. Once you’re finished shaving with an electric razor, apply moisturizer to the skin. Aftershave can also be used, but alcohol often dries out the skin. This step can also be skipped.

For more information about how to shave, see:

• Should I Shave My Head Bald?

How to Iron a Shirt

Ironing clothes is one of those household chores that has been around since the first wrinkle was ever noticed and it bothered someone. Early cultures used whatever was on hand to try to smooth out their garments, from stones, wood, and even glass. The Chinese were the first to use heated metal to iron clothes, but it wasn’t until 1882 that the first electric iron appeared, created by an inventor named Howard Seeley. Since then the electric iron has become a common item in any household.

Ironing can be tricky, especially when it comes to shirts. You have to have the iron at the right setting and use the proper equipment. If you don’t, your shirt will end up with more wrinkles than when you started. If you have a nice shirt but are afraid to apply the old flat iron to it, here are some handy instructions to make sure you do a crisp job without burning a hole through it.

This is how to iron a shirt:

Tools Needed

You are going to need just a few basic items to iron a shirt. You won’t get very far without these. The good news is these are investments that you can use for years to come.

Electric Iron – There are many brands of irons on the market and some are more costly than others. Whatever iron you use, just make sure it has several settings for different types of clothing.

Ironing Board – You have to use an ironing board. Don’t try to use the kitchen table. Ironing boards come in different widths but all have a cushion on them to help smooth out the shirt. Most have fold-out legs but a few sit down on the floor.

Spray Starch – Starch is a handy spray that makes your shirts crisp-looking and firmly pressed. Starch makes your shirt stiff and less likely to wrinkle as it is worn.

Spray Bottle With Water – Some electric irons come with a water reservoir that you can fill and spray on your clothing as you iron it. If it doesn’t, you can get a simple spray bottle and do the same thing.

Know Your Settings

Different materials require different heat. Delicate materials like silk require low heat. Heavier garments made of cotton blends or wool require higher heat. The idea is to make sure you use the right setting with the right material or you risk burning the shirt. Always check the label on the shirt for instructions on proper care. It will tell you what the shirt is made from and possibly what settings to use when ironing. Common materials are cotton, polyester, rayon, nylon, and silk. And if it says dryclean only, take it to the drycleaners.

How To Iron A Shirt

Before you apply a hot iron to your favorite shirt, set up your ironing board. Choose a clean spot with plenty of light. You need to be able to see what you are doing, and you don’t want dirt floating around while you work. If you need to, sweep before you iron.

Set up the ironing board so that it is nice and sturdy. If your floor is uneven and the board wobbles, it will make ironing difficult. If you are right-handed, put the wide end of the board to your right and the narrow end to your left. Make sure the height is right for you. If not, adjust the legs until it is at a comfortable level. You want to be standing at the middle of the ironing board and able to reach both ends.

Plug in the iron and turn it to the right setting (according to the shirt’s label). Leave the iron standing on its end for a moment and allow it to reach the proper temperature. If the iron isn’t heated properly, you’ll be wasting your time.

Shirts are more easily ironed if the shirt is still damp from the wash. If it has been sitting in the bottom of your closet and is dry and wrinkled, you will need to spray it with the water either from the iron’s reservoir or from the spray bottle. If you want to use starch, put the shirt on a hanger and spray the entire shirt. The more starch you use, the stiffer the shirt will be when you are done.

You should start with the collar. Put the back of the collar against the board and carefully run the iron over it a few times. When you are done, flip the collar over and iron the other side.

Iron the sleeves next. Take one of the sleeves and stretch the back part over the tip of the ironing board. Iron the back of the sleeve first. You will probably have to stretch the sleeve with your free hand to make sure you don’t iron any wrinkles into it. After that, iron the front part of the sleeve. Stretch it over the tip of the board just like before and iron it the same way. Once you are done with one sleeve, repeat the process to the other one. As you iron, you might find it easier to iron in different directions to keep from making wrinkles.

After you have the sleeves looking nice and pressed, it’s time for the front of the shirt. Take the front half of the shirt and place it over the board. Begin at the shoulder and work your way down, always moving the iron in the same direction. You should never stop the iron. It should always be moving. If the iron stops for too long in one spot, you’ll scorch the shirt. Once you have finished with the front half of the shirt, turn the shirt over and iron the back of it in the same manner.

As you iron, be sure to use the spray bottle or the water in your iron if needed. Damp works better than dry, because you want to create steam. If your shirt dries out while you iron it, spray it again. Also, make sure you iron the section down the front with the button holes. This section is notorious for wrinkles and can ruin the look of a nicely ironed shirt.

After you have ironed the entire shirt, place it on a hanger. Button up the collar so that it hangs nice and straight,t then put it up somewhere with enough space around it so it doesn’t get wrinkled. You don’t want to have to go through the entire process again.

How to Apply Blush

A lot of women simply don’t know how to apply blush. There is a subtle difference in well-blended blush that adds color and radiance to your face and the rosy-cheeked blush that is noticeable and artificial looking. Applying blush correctly is all about subtlety, shading and blending. Perfect blush application means that a person notices you have color in your cheeks, but can’t tell where the blush starts. In fact, they believe your color is natural.

I’ll offer the quick blush application tips, then the full and perfect way to apply blush to your face.

Picking the Right Color Blush

The foundation of how a woman applies blush correctly is choosing the right color blush. There are a couple of factors you should take into account: natural color and matching colors.

Select Your Natural Shade

Notice the color of your cheeks after you have been exercising. This is the color blush you should be wearing. As stated earlier, blush should look natural on you and the most natural blush will be one that mimics your cheeks when they really are blushed.

Match Your Blush to Lipstick

Also remember to match the color of your blush to the same “color family” of your lipstick. This doesn’t mean that the two need to be the exact same color, but that the two need to match. If your blush and your lipstick clash, your makeup isn’t going to look quite right. People will notice there’s something odd and unnatural about your makeup application, even if they can’t quite put their finger on it.

Choose the Best Blush Type

Some women have dry skin, while other women have oily skin. Match your blush to the type of skin you have. If you have dry skin, wear a cream blush. If you have oily skin, wear a powder blush. The cream blush keep a fast more moisturized, but will create a “too oily” look if you apply it to already oily skin. The dry blush cream tones down the shininess and oiliness of skin, but can further dry out the skin of a woman with naturally dry skin.

Match Blush to Your Setting

You actually need to select two or three shades of blush, depending on the setting you’re in. When you will be wearing blush primarily in the day, you’ll want a lighter shade of blush.

When you are preparing to wear blush in the dark or at night, you’ll want slightly darker shades of blush. This adds a more dramatic shade to your cheeks that works better in the shadows associated with nighttime settings.

Considered a more muted blush if you intend on an outing that goes from daytime to nighttime. This more roundly covers both bases and doesn’t entail any major fashion mistakes.

Lay a Good Foundation

Foundation makeup is important when applying blush. You’ll want to be able to have natural looking base, powder and eye makeup on your face already, before ever applying blush.

Get a Special Blush

Buy a full and round brush to apply your blush with. You don’t want to use the same brush for your blush applications that you use for your powder applications, or this will get messy and hurt the final effect.

Also, you don’t want to use the brush that comes with powder blush, at least most of the time. These brushes tend to be smaller, which means you’ll blend more and be more prone to messing up. The larger, fuller blush brushes provide a softer look and is how the professional makeup artists would apply.

Applying Blush to the Brush

When using a powder brush, apply a small amount of powder onto the brush. Tap off the excess blush gently.

When using a creme, dab a small amount of blush out of the bottle with your middle finger. You don’t want to use a brush in this case.

Place on the Apple of Your Check

Smile into a mirror. This should let your see the “apple of your cheek”, which is the ball of the cheek or on the cheekbone. This should be the center of your blush application.

When using a brush to add powder blush, start by brushing the blush onto the apple of your cheek, then gently brush from your cheekbone to your hairline. Continue smiling, so you see this spot definitely.

When using your figure, apply cream blush to the same spot, then gently blend from your cheekbone toward the hairline.

Or Suck in Your Cheeks

Another method is to suck in your cheeks and apply blush this way, since sucking in your cheeks will expose your cheekbones. This is particularly useful for women who want to highlight their bone structure.

Vary Application according to Preference

If you have a full face, focus your blush near your hairline. If you want to highlight your bone structure and high cheekbones, concentrate the blush more towards the center of your face.

Blend until Lines are Invisible

Many women prefer their blush to be entirely subtle. Also, blend blush a little further down your face, if you want a more natural look. This is less flashy.

Keep blending the blush until there is no discernible line between your blush and makeup. You want subtlety and invisibility with your blush, so it adds color, but otherwise doesn’t appear to be there. If you leave a red circle on your cheek, you’ll look like a clown.

The lighter your skin tone is, the lighter your blush should be. You simply don’t need as much.

Rosier Cheeks

If you want to highlight the blush in your makeup, use gel or liquid tint blush. These can stain your clothes, so be careful and wash your hands thoroughly after using.

Don’t brush the underside of your cheekbones, which is a common mistake with younger women and girls. This is an artificial look and seldom looks good on a person.

Brush Maintenance

Maintain your brushes by using makeup remover or non-soap cleaners on your brushes occasionally. You won’t have to buy new brushes as often this way.

Blush Application Tips

Different women have different things they want to do with their blush, but when deciding how to apply blush, keep in mind that you are wanting to add color to your cheeks without appearing artificial or “made up”. Careful selection of colors and the right kind of blush for you will add to the overall beauty of your face, while maintaining a natural look.

How to Straighten Hair

For people with uncontrollable curly or wavy hair, knowing how to straighten hair lowers hairstyle costs and lets you sculpt your look better than you otherwise might be able to. Curliness and waviness are too entirely different hair problems, so I’ll try to cover each in their own turn.

A personal hair style is a huge part of a person’s “look”, because just about everybody you meet will look at your face and head first, or look at your head when talking to you. What you do with your hair directly affects how people perceive you.

Good Hair and Bad Hair

If you have a stylish hair cut, you look svelte, polished and stylish. If you have a bad hair style, you look like you have bad taste and no fashion sense at all. If you have shaggy or out of control hair, you appear as if you don’t care what you look like at all. Even if you have a bad hair day, the people you meet that day will think that’s your personal style.

Straightening your hair style makes your hair neater and easier to manage, and gives you a sense of control. While someone like myself (wavy hair) gets complimented all the time by straight-haired people who “wish they had my curl”, it’s nice to not mess with the curls and waves occasionally, too. Don’t let your natural hair style put your in a box, fashion wise. Take control by learning how to straighten your hair.

How to Straighten Curly Hair

Let’s start with how to straighten curly hair. Straight haired people will admire you for all those crinkles, while you envy their naturally straight hair. Here’s how to see what life is like on the other side.

Wash and Condition Your Hair

Begins the process by washing your hair. Use a conditioner while you’re shampooing, so your hair will be more manageable throughout the hair-straightening process.

Some people wash and dry their hair the night before, because the oils accumulated while you’re sleeping will make your hair more manageable the next day. I personally cannot stand overnight oil on my hair, but this is a personal preference.

Dry Your Hair

Dry your hair thoroughly, but not with a hair dryer. Instead, give your hair a quick dry with a towel. Do not use a hair dryer yet.

Instead, squeeze any excess water of our your hair. Then comb through your hair in preparation of the straitening treatment.

Apply Hair Straightener

Apply straightening cream to your still damp hair. Work the creamy straightener evenly throughout your hair. Don’t be sparse with the straightening cream. You want to apply liberal amounts of it to get the desired effects.

Divide Your Hair into 3 Sections

Next, you’ll want to try to divide your hair into three separate sections. These roughly should be top of the head, the middle layer of hair and the underneath or bottom portion of your hair. Once you have the three separated, clips the top and middle sections of your hair together.

Dry the Bottom Layer of Hair

Get out a blow dryer and start drying the bottom layer of your hair. Dry the hair in 2-3 inch sections at a time, working from one side of your hair to the other.

Once this is over, dry the middle section of your hair. When this is finished, dry the top layer of your hair.

Once again, separate your hair as you did before, into top, middle and lower hair layers.

Straighten with the Straightening Iron

Your hair should be totally dry by now. Once this is accomplished, take out the straightening iron and begin to straighten your hair with the iron, working from one side to the next. Straighten with the iron in approximately 1-inch sections of your hair at a time.

When straightening with the iron, press slowly from the root of your hair to the tip of the hair. Once you have finished the bottom part, move on to the middle layers of your hair and, finally, the top layer of your hair.

Be careful that you don’t hold the straightening iron on any stretch of your hair for too long. Doing so produces scorched and damaged hair that is harder to style, and doesn’t look nearly as nice.

Some people by straightening irons that dispense with the need for the drying process. If this appeals to you, research the implications. It’s a method I’ve never used, so I won’t recommend it. I have friends who swear by it, though.

Add Shine Gloss

Place about a dime-sized sample of shine gloss in the palm of your hand and rub your hands together. Then rubs your hands over your hair, working in the shine gloss to work your straightened hair.

Your naturally curly hair should now be straight, as well as responsive to your stylings. Style your hair in the shape you wish.

How to Straighten Ethnic Hair

For those wanting information on how to straighten ethnic curls, I’ve provided a short tutorial. This guide should give you the basics for ethnic hair straightening.

Relax Your Curl

Buy a chemical curl relaxer like “Lovely No-Lye” or “Dark”. Apply the hair relaxing formula approximately every 6-8 weeks. This will help keep your hair straight, instead of curly.

If your hair or scalp doesn’t respond well to chemical relaxers like those mentioned above, consider a non-chemical relaxer like BodipHier. “Bodiphier” doesn’t straighten as dramatically as the chemical straightening formulas, but you can produce the same effect by blow drying your hair and working the hair follicles.

Apply Heat

In either case, further straighten your hair by applying heat with a pressing comb or ceramic flat iron. Maintain an air-conditioned room while you do this, because if the room is humid or you sweat on the hair, this will reverse the straightening effect you are working towards.

Treat with Hair Conditioner

After you have straightened your kink, maintain your hair by applying conditioners regularly. Chemical treatments and heat presses strip the hair of certain natural conditioners, making your hair more easily damaged when straightened. Conditioning products replenish these oils and gives your hair the protection it needs.

Hair Straightening Tips

As you straighten your hair multiple times, you’ll learn what works for your hair best and learn more about how to straighten hair. If your first try isn’t entirely what you envisioned, keep trying, so you won’t be limited to just one hair style.

How to Do a Manicure

Learning how to do a manicure is not unlike doing a pedicure, though a few of the supplies and techniques will be different. A finished set of fingernails is one of the defining characteristics of the sexy woman and a good manicure isn’t that hard to pull off.

One of the first luxuries a woman cuts out of the budget in a bad economy is a trip to the salon or spa, so knowing how to give yourself a manicure becomes a must. Once you know how to treat your own nails, you can save money and show off your femininity at the same time.

Before we start, let’s cover one of the important terms in our study of manicures: the “French manicure”.

What Is a French Manicure?

A French manicure is the modern manicure: a treatment of the hands and fingernails. A French manicure can be performed at home or in a nail salon. The fashion has been to get a French manicure from a manicurist or “professional nail technician”, but there’s no reason why you can’t do your own nails at home.

The modern French manicure became the fashion in 1920’s and 1930’s Paris, which spawned many of the current fashion trends in the western world. Manicures of this sort were probably being performed in France as early as the 18th century, though. Manicures and hand beauty are much older, though, as the first manicure is seen in the historical record as far back as 3000 B.C., in what is present-day India.

Manicure Equipment

The tools you need for a manicure are roughly the same as the tools you need for a pedicure, so you shouldn’t be out the cost for a whole lot of different tools. Here is a comprehensive list of manicurist tools.

• Nail Clippers
• Cuticle Clippers or Nippers
• Cuticle Pusher or Orange Wood
• Emory Board
• Manicure Table
• Base Coat Nail Polish
• Nail Polish
• Color Varnish
• Nail Polish Remover
• Hand Cream
• Sanitizing Sprays
• Cotton Balls
• Hand Towels

Remember that hands, fingers and fingernails touch the face, eyes and mouth often, so you want to keep sanitizing spray handy during a manicure, much more so than you would for the pedicure. Good hygiene is essential with hand care.

Consider buying a personal nail tool kit the next time you visit your salon. These tool kits will have many of the manicurist tools discussed above. It’s perfectly natural for women to buy a personal nail tool kit, even when they aren’t doing their own manicures at home, so don’t have a guilty look on your face when you pick up your personal manicure kit at your favorite salon.

Paraffin Treatments – Hot Oil Manicures

Optional hand treatments like paraffin wax and hot oil treatments can also be applied during a manicure. Paraffin wax treatments soften and moisturize your hands, due to the absorption of essential oils and natural emollients. Common ingredients to a paraffin dip are chamomile, aloe vera, azulene and tea tree oil.

A hot oil manicure is used for women with dry skin and troublesome cuticles, because it softens dry skins, cleans the cuticles and softens brittle nails. The usual oils used for hot oil hand baths are olive oil and mineral oil.

Doing a Manicure

Now that we have our supplies and an overview of your options, it’s time to get to the business of doing a manicure. Start by removing any old nail polish you might have on your fingernails. This lets you start fresh and paint from the base up.

File the Fingernails

Clip the nails or have your subject clip their own nails beforehand. Next, use an emory board or nail file to file the nails.

When filing fingernails, file in only one direction. Don’t seesaw, like you would a handsaw. You’re trying to file, not saw, the nails.

Soak the Hands

You’ll want to soak hands in warm water for 10-15 minutes before you begin to work on the hands directly. Don’t soak your hands before filing your nails, though.

Tend the Cuticles

Push back cuticles along the nails. If you have trouble pushing back cuticles with a cuticle pusher or orangewood stick, use a cuticle moisturizer to make this process easier. When using a cuticle moisturizer, soak the hands in the moisturizer.

When treating cuticles, never use nail clippers or scissors to remove cuticles. These tools are not made for that purpose and too close of a cut will cause pain for the recipient and blemishes in the finished manicure.

Pamper the Hands

Work on dry skin on the hands with a moisturizing lotion. Work in the moisturizing lotion by massaging the hands.

For women who have dry or rough skin, use an exfoliating lotion to reduce the dryness and roughness.

Apply Polish to the Nails

Apply a base coat of nail polish to your fingernails. Don’t worry about stray marks. Simply clean away stray marks with a cotton swab treated with nail polish remover. Another option is to add a small sable nail brush to your tools, which can be treated with nail polish remover to remove stray marks.

Once you have a solid base and it has dried, apply a top coat of polish. Applying a second coat to deepen the color is optional. The top coat acts as a sealant, as well.

Add a color varnish to add luster to your nail polish. Once again, this performs the function of a sealant.

Quick Drying Manicures

Remember that manicures are about pampering yourself and others. Don’t give a manicure when you’re in a hurry, because you’ll end up rushing through the nail drying part of the manicure. When performing the role of the manicurist, entertain your friend or give them something they can entertain themselves with, such as a magazine, book or television.

If you do get in a hurry waiting for nails to dry, place the nails in ice-cold water. Some might find this unpleasant and I don’t usually recommend this, since cold water soaking can cause dry hands in some. This is optional when the subject of the manicure has underestimated time constraints and begins to hurry you.

This is not recommended, though. Soaking in hot water or cold water tends to cause nails to expand or contract ever so slightly, meaning the nail polish is more likely to chip faster than normal.

Doing a Manicure

Know you know how to do a manicure. While a manicure takes a little time and care, performing your own manicures means you don’t have to ruin your budget on salon treatments, while still maintaining one of the truly feminine traits: the manicured hand.

How to Do a Pedicure

Learn how to do a pedicure to save yourself money or to treat you partner extra special. There’s nothing more sensual than giving your boyfriend or girlfriend a pedicure, at least if you know how to do a good pedicure. Otherwise, your feet and nails won’t look in top shape and the whole exercise becomes a mess.

So I’ve compiled a step-by-step guide to giving pedicures, as well as instructions for pampering yourself and saving money by giving yourself the pedicure treatment. You don’t have to run off to the Bella Fontana Spa to treat yourself right.

You might think a pedicure is a luxury, but good nail care can prevent toenail diseases, nail disorders and problems with dead skin cells on the bottom of your feat. Many spa treatments these days include lower leg treatments along with a pedicure, such as leg waxing or shaving and a lower leg massage. These are not part of the traditional pedicure though. Those with lower leg circulation problems should avoid leg massages, because this can lead to blood clots.

With our qualifications and warnings out of the way, let’s discuss how to give a pedicure.

Collect Pedicure Supplies

Below is a list of supplies to consider getting for your pedicure treatment. Some of these are optional, while others are essential.

Essential Pedicure Supplies

• Toenail Clippers
• Nail File
• Nail Polish (Dry or Liquid)
• Base Coat
• Acetone (or Polish Remover)
• Cotton Balls
• Cotton Swabs
• Cuticle Nipper (Remover)
• Cuticle Pusher
• Cuticle Cream
• Towels

Optional Pedicure Supplies

• Foot Cream or Lotion
• Razor Strips
• Wax Strips
• Orangewood Stick (Cuticle Pushing)
• Base Coat
• Polish Thinner
• Nail Dryer
• Nail Bleach
• Nail Conditioner
• Cuticle Oil
• Toe Separation Device

Remove Nail Polish

Once you have your supplies, you’re ready to start the pedicure. First, remove any nail polish remaining from your toenails. You want to start over with a blank slate and old nail polish is just going to get in your way.

Soak Your Feet

Soak your feet for 10-15 minutes in warm water. Consider adding a foot soak or Epsom salt if the person is having foot problems. Dry your feet with a towel in preparation for the next step in the pedicure. Don’t start to clip toenails when toes and nails are wet.

Clip the Toenails

Clip all toenails straight across. Straight clips prevent in-grown toenails along the edges of the nails.

Use a proper toenail clipper. I would suggest that you not use scissors unless you are a professional pedicurist. Even then, that makes me nervous.

Don’t cut too deep or your subject will have sore and sometimes bloody toenails. This is easier to do when cutting someone else’s toenails than your own, so be extra careful and attentive.

File the Toenails

File each and every toenail, to eliminate rough edges. This is an important step, because you want toenails to appear natural, while well-trimmed. You want the pedicures toenails to be smooth, with no sign of jaggedness or freshly cut nails.

Treat the Cuticles

Pay attention to the cuticles. Push any cuticles back which are obtruding on the toenail. Once again, you want your toenail to look perfect after a pedicure.

If you’re having trouble with cuticles, use a cuticle moisturizer or cuticle oil and then try pushing the cuticle back with a cuticle pusher or orangewood stick. If this does not work, consider using the cuticle nipper or cuticle remover. Only do this when no other method is available to you.

Never cut cuticles with a nail clipper or scissors. That’s recommended for your own toes, much less the pedicures of a friend or lover. It’s easy to cause damage cutting cuticles with improper tools and that’s going to completely ruin the effect of the pedicure treatment.

Tend to the Feet

Examine the feet for dry skin or roughened skin patches. You will want to exfoliate these areas with a loofah or pumice stone. Exfoliating these rough patches of skin can help avoid corns and other “hard skin” foot problems. You tend to find roughened skin at the base of the feet and around the bigger joints.

Massage the Feet

Once you have taken care of the cuticles, you’ll want to massage the feet. Massage while using a moisturizing lotion. This assists in treating any dry skin patches on the feet.

Prepare for the Nail Treatment

Now that you have taken care of cuticles and dry skin on the feet, it’s time to attend to the nails once more. Separate the toes with cotton. There are also toe separation devices on the market, if you prefer.

I like the look of the cotton on the feet, especially if you’re giving a pedicure to a boyfriend, girlfriend or lover. Maybe I just have a foot fetish.

Polishing the Toenails

Add a base coat to the toenails. Give the coating time to dry.

Once the base coat is dry, apply nail polish to the toes. You’ll want to clean up stray marks with a cotton swab that is treated with polish remover of some kind. Once again, let the polish dry.

Apply a second coat of nail polish for deeper color. The second coating of the same color makes the pedicure look deeper and more professional. Once again, clear away any stray marks.

Apply Clear Toe Polish

Finally, add a top coating of clear nail polish. This gives shine and protects the colored polish from chipping, for a longer-lasting pedicure. Once more, give the nails time to dry. Don’t put on shoes for 1-2 hours after the final coat of polish is applied.

You might notice from the toe polishing portion of these instructions that a good pedicure takes time. Set aside plenty of time and use patience, whether you’re giving a pedicure to a friend or giving yourself a pedicure. Nail polishing and foot treatment are about pampering yourself or others, and a good pampering should never be rushed.

Pedicure Specialist

Now that you know how to give a pedicure, try out these techniques on yourself or with a trusted friend. Learn the techniques by heart and practice to improve your skills at cuticle pushing, foot massage, dry skin treatment and polishing nails. Once you become better a pedicures, you might become the go-to person among your circle of friends for pedicure treatments. Or you might keep the secrets of how to do a pedicure between you and your significant other.

How to Apply Makeup

Learning how to apply makeup is an important skill for any woman who wants to look her best. The following steps cover the application process from start to finish in a simple, easy-to-understand fashion.

General Tips

Before we discuss how to apply makeup, here are a few basic tips to keep in mind:

• Prior to applying makeup, be sure to clean and moisturize your face.
• Consider investing in more expensive makeup tools. High quality does matter when applying makeup.
• Curl eyelashes before applying mascara.
• Throw away older cosmetics, as bacteria can grow in their containers.
• Makeup brushes can be cleaned by washing them in a mild gel shampoo and warm water. Allow them to air-dry.

How to Apply Foundation

It’s important to choose a foundation that matches your skin tone exactly. If you choose the wrong foundation, you skin could end up looking orange or pink. Most women have yellow-based skin, so a yellow base would be most appropriate. To experiment with various tones, apply the foundation in dots around the center of your face, and then blend it with your fingertips or a cosmetic sponge.

When choosing a foundation, you have three options:

1. Cream Foundations – Providing good coverage, cream foundations are available in sticks or compacts, and they’re the top option for professional makeup artists. The finished product is flawless and creamy, but you’ll need to choose a shade identical to your natural skin tone. Otherwise, cream foundations will be more noticeable than other types of foundation. Perfect for women who need heavier coverage, such as those with dry or mature skin. Apply in long, sweeping motions with a sponge and then blend.
2. Liquid Foundations – This type of foundation offers a natural look with sheer coverage. It’s popular due to the ease of application. Both oil and water-based formulas are available. This option is best for women with clear skin, and it should be blended in a little at a time.
3. Powder Foundations – Combining a powder and a foundation, it’s designed for the woman who’s in a hurry. This option works best on lighter skin tones. Apply like you would any other compact powder.

Once you’ve selected the foundation that’s best for you, use a cosmetic sponge for application. This will give you greater control. Blending is also important. Foundation should be blended on the ear lobes, into the hairline, and under the jawline. Special attention should be paid to the areas over and under the eyes, around the corners of the mouth, and in the corners of the nose.

When the foundation has been applied, it can be set by using a yellow-based translucent face powder. (Assuming, of course, that your face has the traditional yellow tone. Otherwise, another shade may be necessary.)

How to Apply Concealer

Concealers are available in pots, tubes, creams and sticks. They are used to cover marks, veins, freckles, blemishes, and any other type of imperfection. Your concealer should be one shade lighter than your foundation. Apply with a fine-tipped brush, or dot and blend with your fingertips. Special attention should be paid to the outer corner of the eyes and inside of the bridge of the nose, as these tend to turn into dark areas for many women.

If you want to keep concealer or foundation on for longer than usual, apply a loose or pressed powder to the surface of your skin.

How to Apply Eye Shadow

To begin this step, make sure you have three shades of eye shadow: light, medium, and dark. Use the light shade to cover the entire area from the lash line to the eyebrow. This will serve the same purpose as your foundation. Next, apply the medium shade onto the lower lid and then blend with the base color. Finally, apply the dark shade at the outer corner of the eye and along the lash line. Blend well to help create a more defined look around the eye.

How to Apply Eyeliner

When learning how to apply makeup, the techniques for eyeliner should not be overlooked. You can either use an eyeliner pencil or a thin liner brush. For the lower lid, line the outer two-thirds (or all the way, if you’re going for a darker look). With the upper lid, you’ll want to line all the way across.

If you’re using an eyeliner pencil, make sure to choose one that glides easily. You can also open your mouth slightly when using an eye pencil. This will relax the eye muscles and make for an easier application.

For women with wide set eyes, try emphasizing the inside corners of the eye. If eyes are set close together, highlight the outer corners. If your eyes droop, the outer end of the line should be turned upwards.

Some women prefer to use eye shadow in place of traditional eyeliners. While this might take some getting used to for older women, those just learning how to apply makeup will quickly take to it. The advantage is that eye shadow comes in numerous colors, giving a woman more available shades in her palette.

How to Apply Mascara

When applying mascara, you want to make sure that it covers the lash from the root to the tip. Mascara is available in a number of shades, but brown works best for women with fair complexions and black or brown-black for those with darker complexions. To get more mascara on your brush, try twirling it inside the container. If you pump the brush inside the container, the mascara will dry out sooner.

For the upper lashes, take the mascara wand and wiggle it back and forth at the base of the lashes. Then roll it though the lashes to distribute color. Use full strokes to create a thick-looking lash.

For the lower eyelashes, hold the mascara wand in a vertical direction and move it from side to side.

Try applying mascara in two thin coats to the upper and lower lashes. This will help you to avoid clumping.

How to Apply Blush

The best way to learn how to apply blush is to smile. By smiling, you’ll be able to see the apples of your cheeks. Apply blush to this area or directly below, with the goal being to give the cheekbones a lift and greater definition. And never forget these words: Less is best.

Blush can be purchased in cream, liquid, or powder. The easiest to apply is powder blush, and it remains the most popular option among women.

To apply blush, brush downward from the ear to the middle of the cheek. Start at the top of the ear and stop at the apple.

How to Apply Lipstick

For an optimum effect, try to select a lipstick color that complements your skin tone. Start with a neutral pencil and follow your natural lip line. Then use a lip brush to fill in the selected color of lipstick.

Women over 40 should avoid matte lipsticks. Women with full lips should consider applying the lightest color they can find. This will result in a fuller look. If you get lipstick on your clothing during the application process, it can be removed by rubbing it with glycerine and then washing normally.

As a substitute or complement for lipstick, many women are now using lip gloss. Women with full lips should avoid using too much lip gloss.

How to Braid Hair

Learning how to braid hair can be challenging at first, but it’ll pay off with a little patience and adhering to the instructions detailed in this article. Whether you’re looking to master the art of English braids, French braids, Dutch braids, fishtail braids, or dreadlocks, we have detailed instructions on how to make your hair look its best.

Braiding Materials

Before you get started, you will need to make sure you have the following braiding materials on hand:

• Wide-tooth comb
• Rat tail comb (for fishtail or French braid)
• Fine-tooth comb
• Ponytail holder
• Spray bottle
• Styling crème or gel
• Finishing spray
• Stationary mirror
• Adjustable mirror
• Rubber bands (for dreadlocks)

Basic Braiding Tips

No matter which style you’re going for, these basic braiding tips will help make the experience a more pleasant one.

• Braiding damp hair can make things easier for those with wavy or curly hair.
• Be careful not to get your hair too damp while braiding. Otherwise, it will take a long time to dry.
• For those with fine hair or hair of different lengths, you might consider applying a bit of gel or styling cream before beginning the braiding process. Afterwards, a finishing spray can be used to prevent stray hairs from springing up.
• In addition to a stationary mirror, it’s a good idea to set up an adjustable mirror at an angle where you can see the back of your head. Trying to hold the mirror in your hand while braiding can make the process more difficult than it needs to be.
• Fingernails should be filed smoothly to prevent catching them on a braided section and undoing your work.
• Remove any jewelry which might snag on braided hair and undo your work.
• Make sure that hair is smooth and tangle free before starting the braiding process. Begin with the wide-tooth comb and run it through the hair until it encounters no resistance. Then switch to the fine-tooth comb and work on smaller sections of hair.
• Another tip on how to braid hair involves combing long hair occasionally during the braiding process. This will ensure that it remains smooth. This also applies to the ends of the sections that have already been braided.

English Braids

This section provides step-by-step instructions on how to create English braids. This is the most basic style of braid.

1. Make sure that hair is completely free of knots and tangles.
2. Your hair should be divided evenly into three sections. Once again, make sure hair is smooth and tangle-free.
3. The right section should now be crossed over the middle section. The section that was originally known as the right section now becomes the middle section.
4. To make sure that the plait is tightened, pull all sections away from each other.
5. The left section should now be crossed over the middle section. The section that was originally known as the left section now becomes the middle section.
6. Once again tighten the plait by pulling the sections away from one another.
7. This process should be continued by switching between the right and left sections, always making sure to tighten each plait as you go.
8. When the length of your hair has been braided, the end can be secured with the ponytail holder listed in the Braiding Materials section.

If you encounter difficulty, try placing three pieces of string or rope on a table to practice the proper motions. When you start getting the hang of how to braid hair, you can increase your speed by holding all the sections. This will also serve to create more uniform plaits.

Fishtail Braids

If you want to create an impressive braid consisting of two strands, then follow these step-by-step instructions on how to make fishtail braids (also known as Herringbone braids).

1. Make sure your hair is smooth and free of tangles and knots.
2. Identify the section of hair where you want the braid to begin. In most cases, this will either be right behind your bangs or the hairline at the front of your head. Divide this area into two even sections.
3. Once again comb these sections to remove any knots or tangles.
4. Begin the braiding process by crossing the right hand section over the left hand section.
5. To tighten the plait, pull the sections away from each other.
6. This step requires the use of a rat tail comb. Lift a section of hair from the right side. Do this by measuring against the scalp from the hairline to the center of the braid about ½ to one inch beneath the first plait. The more strands of hair that are includes, the more woven the finished product will look.
7. Take this new section and add it to the right section. Then cross them over the left section. As always, finish by tightening the plait.
8. Repeat step #6, but this time with a section of hair from the left side. Add this to the left section, and then cross it over the right section.
9. Alternate from right to left, tightening the plaits as you go. This should continue until you reach the hairline at the back of your neck.
10. The remaining hair can be woven into an English braid, secured in a ponytail holder, or secured with a hair tie.

To try underbraiding when doing fishtail braids, cross the sections under each other instead of over.

Dreadlocks

Dreadlocks are popular among the younger crowd, reggae musicians, and many professional athletes. If you’re looking for a distinctive hairstyle, why not give them a try? It should be noted that dreadlocks are difficult to do own your own, so it’s wise to enlist the help of a friend or two (especially if your hair is very long).

1. In order to make proper dreadlocks, you’ll need to have at least three inches of hair to work with. If your hair is currently short, you’re going to need to wait while it grows to an appropriate length.
2. Before you begin, make sure that your hair is dry and clean. Despite rumors to the contrary, greasy or dirty hair does not help in the dreading process. Your hair should also be smooth and free from knots and tangles.
3. Hair should then be divided into sections. Begin with the underside of your hair and work forward. The larger the sections of hair, the larger the dreadlocks will be. Most dreads range in size from ½ inch to one inch. Thicker dreadlocks are easier to maintain in the long run, as they quickly become more compact. Place a rubber band around each section to keep it separated.
4. Select a section of hair to tease or backcomb. Before you start, remove the rubber band from this section. Begin at the root and work your way down. Do this several times to make sure the knot is good and tight. Once the area looks like a dreadlock, move on to another section.
5. Once you’ve finished this step with each section, you should have a full head of dreadlocks. When done, be sure to twist and play with your dreads in order to help them get settled and becomes more compact.

French Braids

To create beautiful French braids, just follow these instruction. More advanced than English braids, the effect is also more impressive and serves as a sign that you’re mastering the art of how to braid hair.

1. Make sure hair is smooth and tangle free.
2. Select where you want the braid to start and divide this area into three sections. Most French braids begin at the crown of the head.
3. Comb the hair to make sure all knots and tangles have been removed.
4. The right hand area is crossed over the section in the middle. This right section is now considered the middle section.
5. Tighten the plait by pulling the sections away from each other.
6. The left section is now crossed over the middle section. The left section is now considered the middle section. As always, tighten the plait by pulling the sections away from one another.
7. This step requires the pointed end of a rat tail comb. Use it to lift a small section from the right side by drawing a line against the scalp from the hairline to the center of the braid. This should be ½ to one inch beneath the initial plait.
8. Add this new area of hair to the right section and then cross it over the middle. Make sure to tighten the plait.
9. Repeat step #7, but do it to the left side. Add this area to the left section and cross it over the middle. Tighten the plait.
10. Repeat these steps, alternating between the right and left sections. Continue until you’ve reached the hairline, then either tie into an English braid or secure with a ponytail holder.

Dutch Braids

Dutch braids are also known as inverted braids or underbraids. When complete, they look like a braided rope that sits on top of your head. To create them, follow the same steps as those for the French braid. But instead of crossing hair over the middle section, you cross it under. This is why they’re referred to as underbraids.

The steps listed above should get you started on how to braid hair. Once you’ve mastered the basic English and French braids, you can always practice with more advanced techniques. Just remember to follow the instructions step by step, stay patient, and be willing to learn from your mistakes. Before long, you’ll be wowing friends and members of the opposite sex with your elegant new hairstyles.

How to Tie a Scarf

Knowing how to tie a scarf gives you so many fashion options for completing an outfit or adding chic to your everyday look. Whether you want to wear a glamorous scarf around the neck or wear a head scarf, we’ll give you a how-to guide for tying your own scarves.

How To Tie a Neck Scarf

Scarves can make your everyday outfit look special, while providing protection from the wind and elements. Here’s how to tie a standard scarf so you can wear it around your neck.

Fold the Scarf

Fold your scarf diagonally, so it appears in the shape of a triangle. Grab the broad point and middle point and fold repeatedly, so the scarf eventually forms roughly a 2 to 3 inch band. Drape your scarf and tie into a knot, so the scarf continues to drape without adjustment.

Where you tie your scarf can be important. If you want to show off an open-collar blouse, tie the scarf off in the front. If you want a slightly sassier look, tie off on the side.

Easy Scarf Tying

Another method is to fold the scarf into a triangle, like before. Next, wrap the scarf around the back of your neck, where the tips point down around your front. Tie the scarf into a knot and adjust the knot to compliment your neckline.

The Scarf Shawl

You can also turn the scarf into a shawl. Once again, make the triangle pattern. Then drape the half-scarf over one of your shoulders. The point of the shawl should extend to one elbow, while the ends hang on either side of your torso. Next, tie your scarf at your waist, or tie both ends off at the opposite hip from the covered elbow.

How to Tie a Scarf for Men

Scarf tying is doubly tricky for men, because scarf wearing risks humor anyway. So when a man wears a scarf, he needs to pull it off in style. A man needs a thick scarf of at least 5 inches thick.

Fold the Scarf in Half

Fold your scarf halfway along its width. Once again, drape the scarf around your neck. The closed end of the scarf should drape roughly half the length of your body from your chest area.

Tying Your Scarf

Tie the scarf by pulling the open ends of your scarf through the closed end. Tighten the scarf around your neck to secure the scarf in place.

Remember to adjust the scarf while looking in the mirror. Move the scarf into a comfortable position, while testing for style points. Men should complete their scarf arrangement by wearing appropriate clothes to compliment the scarf, from sweating to jackets. You don’t want a random scarf on an inappropriate outfit.

The method of tying I just described should be a sporty style of scarf tying, which should hold up to most rigors and is infinitely to be preferred to merely circling the scarf around your neck. Otherwise, you’ll need to constantly be adjusting your scarf and you’ll lose all effect that you’re going in easy style and comfort.

How to Tie a Head Scarf

A head scarf can help you on a windy day in the city or cover up a bad hair day. Head scarves let a woman throw out a whole different look and reinvent herself for a day. Unfortunately, if you don’t know how to pull off the head scarf, you expose yourself to ridicule.

Here’s how you tie a head scarf the right way, so you add a whole new element to your wardrobe. Once you wear a head scarf once or twice and begin to gain confidence, you’ll have another style point in your arsenal.

Tying a Glamorous Head Scarf

We return to our now-famous scarf triangle to begin this pattern. Next, drape the scarf above your hairline with the point of the triangle directly on the back of your head. This will give you two dangling points that you can cross and drape or tie into a full knot for a smart look.

Tying a Gypsy Head Scarf

If you want to go for the gypsy or urban look, go with a square or rectangular scarf. Once again form this square or rectangle into a triangle, then fold again into an even smaller triangle.

The lengthwise portion of the scarf should rest along your forehead. Tie the ends of the scarf into a knot under your hair. The lengths of the scarf should hang freely to one side or the other.

For those who want to show a little hair underneath their scarf, let the head scarf drape a little more loosely and let the hairline show underneath the scarf.

Scarf Headband

You can also wear a scarf as a headband. Continue folding your scarf lengthwise until you have the thickness you desire in a headband. Next, tilt your face toward the ground and lay your forehead into the scarf, with the loose ends at the back of your head. Make certain all strands of your hair are flipped forward, which is why you tilt your head forward.

Tie your scarf at the back of your head. Once you have the scarf fitted securely on your head, style your loose hair as you see fit.

You can also tie your scarf at the front of your head for a different look, but I wouldn’t recommend that style for most people. It takes a rare person of style and good looks to pull of that look.

Scarf Styles

Learning how to tie a scarf is only part of the trick. Good scarf fashion begins with buying the proper scarf for you. When you decide to buy a scarf, think about everything from the shape and length of the scarf, to the color and pattern of the scarf. You don’t want your scarf wearing to look haphazard, which is a pitfall many scarf wearers fall into.

How to Apply Cologne

A lot of young men who have just started wearing men’s fragrances don’t know how to apply cologne. You’ve probably come across the teen guy who trails a clouds of perfume scents everywhere he goes, dominating any room he’s in. While too much cologne might not be as offensive as body odor, it’s an unpleasant and distracting smell. Men are supposed to have a subtle scent of masculinity, not the smells of perfume.

Of course, you’ve probably noticed there are men who’ve been wearing colognes for years who still don’t know how to put on cologne. And there are young ladies and older women and all the ages in-between that never figured out how to apply perfume. Aromatic scents and essential oils are supposed to mask and enhance a body’s smells, not dominate the room they are in.

But if you don’t know ow to apply cologne right or your sense of smell doesn’t pick up when is too much, how do you start applying fragrances in the right amounts? Read our guide to apply colognes and perfumes and follow these steps the next time you put on all those musky, citrusy oils.

Why Wear Cologne?

Let’s start with the reasons men wear eau de cologne. There are two main reasons: backup for deodorant and personal scent. When you get hot in certain places on your body, the odor protection deodorant provides starts to break down. That’s why you have cologne in reserve, to mask the natural body scents that women you meet are going to find offensive.

Also, you want a signature scent. When you walk into the room, you want women smelling how your cologne smells on your body and asking themselves, “What cologne is he wearing? Nice”. Even better, you want her asking you that question. So wearing a mens fragrance is about wearing a scent that’s going to go well with your body chemistry, and wearing enough that it becomes your scent, while not fumigating the room around you. It’s the difference in wearing a smart tuxedo to a dinner, or wearing a loud purple tuxedo to the same dinner. Applying cologne properly is about having a sense of yourself.

Finally, you want to put on cologne so that it lasts all day, instead of an hour or two and then going away. That’s why guys tend to douse themselves in too much cologne, because they’ve had that experience where they didn’t apply enough and it ran out too soon. You want people to smell this nice, expensive fragrance you bought, and you want them to smell it all day long.

So that’s why we wear cologne and here’s how you apply just the right amounts.

Select the Fragrance for You

Each man will have a different body chemistry. You can have a perfectly good cologne and, if you don’t have the right body chemistry, that cologne won’t smell nice on you. When you purchase colognes or decide to wear a new scent, try it on and see how it smells. Ask the women in your life (mother, sister, girls you know) what the aroma smells like on you. Test it yourself. Ask before you go out on a big date.

Fragrance Notes

Once you find a fragrance which works for you, learn what ingredients it contains and what the fragrance notes are. “Fragrance notes” simply mean what the cologne is supposed to smell like in different stages. Top notes are what the cologne smells like when you first apply it. Middle notes are what the cologne smells like for an hour or two after you apply the cologne. Base notes are what the cologne smells like moving ahead through the day. Each cologne will change with time, so what smells good at first might not smell good later.

Most colognes come with designer suggestions based on fragrance notes. These actually matter, so learn a tiny bit about notes and read them when you buy a new cologne. If you need long-lasting protection, find a cologne reviewed to have good base notes. If you want to make a quick impression, wear cologne with nice middle notes. While top notes are important, this is what cologne smell out of the bottle or when applied at the cologne counter, so top notes have more to do with marketing cologne than wearing it.

Match Scent to Body Chemistry

Also, get a scouting report on which aromas smell best on you. This cologne that you’re testing out with the women in your life has ingredients called “essential oils”, which province the smell of the cologne. They are called “essential” because they provide the “essence”, or smell, of the fragrance. Some essences are considered citrusy. Some are considered musky. Many women’s perfume is considered fruity or floral. Others to look for are amber, wood, leather, aquatic, chypre or gourmand. Men’s fragrances these days are often described as “wood” or “aquatic”, for what they called “outdoors” or “ocean” scents, respectively.

So when you buy a cologne and see whether it smells good on your or not, look at the essential oils and note those. If you want to try out new colognes and build your “fragrance wardrobe” so you don’t always smell the same, test out other cologne brands with similar ingredients to the ones which have worked for you in the past. Subtle differences are often more intriguing to a woman than radically different smells.

Buy a Spray Bottle, If Available

Now that you know what you want to purchase, get the right kind of dispenser to help you with your cologne application. If you have a choice of a spray bottle or simple cap, choose the spray bottle. This is easier to regulate than simply turning the bottle over and letting it pour out.

Some brands don’t give you the option. Weigh this when you purchase cologne, though it’s not a disaster if you have to buy one without the spray dispenser. You might have a few more mishaps, though.

Spritz Once or Twice

Regulate the number of spritzes when applying cologne. One or two is enough when applying to the body. Hold the bottle about 2 inches from your body and spray. This gives a concentrated amount in the right spot, but also provides coverage.

Don’t splash cologne like actors do in the commercials. That looks cool on tv, but is a chief way people overdo their cologne application. Those actors don’t apply cologne that way every day.

When you don’t have the spray bottle, dip your finger into the cologne and apply to spots on your body that you want scent.

Where to Apply Cologne

You want to apply cologne where your body generates the most heat. When you do this, the cologne will “kick in” when you most need it throughout the day: when those body parts heat up and body odor would naturally escape.

The following regions are places to consider applying cologne, depending on your activity and your own personal needs. You know your body best, when it comes to sweating and trouble spots.

• Wrists
• Underarms
• Chest
• Neck
• Thighs
• Back

These spots tend to be wear blood flow is closest to the surface of the skin, or where your clothes fit tightest on your body. For non-strenuous activity, I would recommend applying cologne to your wrists and neck.

Remember, choose one or two of your problem spots to apply cologne. Do not apply cologne to all six areas I described above at once. If you do, you’ll end up dragging that cloud of cologne along with you.

Don’t Rub the Cologne onto Your Skin

A common mistake men make is to apply cologne and then rub the area where the cologne is applied. This is a mistake, because it alters the scent of your cologne. If you bought an expensive new fragrance and you don’t know why it doesn’t smell as good on you, you may be negating a large part of the effect by rubbing the fragrance into your skin or off your problem parts. It’s very common.

Application under the Clothes

You can apply cologne under your clothes to let the scent escape throughout the day. Common places to apply cologne in this way are the chest, underarms or thighs.

Applying Cologne

Now you know how to apply cologne. Once you learn a few basic fragrance concepts and you practice a little bit, applying cologne in the right way is easy and intuitive. Play around with it and see which colognes work best for you, and which parts of your body need cologne the most.

How to Cut Your Own Hair

Cutting your own hair will save you lots of money and time spent in the barber’s chair or salon. Why pay an exorbitant rate for a haircut (not to mention the tip for the stylist or barber) when you could learn to cut your own hair at home in your own time?

Some Helpful Hints for Cutting Your Own Hair

One word of caution — keep it simple, stupid. If you know that you aren’t a professional, don’t go for a super-layered cut or a cut with a lot of jagged angles or hip lines.

The scissors you use to cut your hair are very important. Ideally, you will pick up a pair of hair cutting shears at a beauty supply store or big box retail store before you attempt this haircut. If you can’t afford or find a nice pair of hair shears, you need to find the sharpest pair you can to avoid simply ripping the hair out of your head. But if you’re planning to cut your own hair on a regular basis, you really should buy a high quality pair of scissors, and probably a set of clippers designed for use on human hair.

You know how the salon is always getting your hair wet before they cut it? It turns out that wet hair is much easier to manage than dry hair. If you start out with freshly cleaned and tangle free hair you’ll have a much easier go under your own scissors. Keep your hair wet throughout the process by arming yourself with a spray bottle of water. This way, you can get your hair damp again if it dries out during your haircut.

If you’re nervous about cutting your own hair, you should start the process with a professional cut and then “maintain” this cut by giving yourself trim cuts. If you trim the same amount of hair from all of the parts of your head once a month you won’t have to return to the salon until you want to change your hairstyle. Professional hair stylists know that people’s hair grows unevenly — one side’s hair is often much longer than the other side. If you are worried about having uneven hair, you should probably visit the stylist every now and then to make the hairstyle even.

Once you’re done with your first home haircut, check that the haircut feels even underneath your fingers. Do this by holding clumps of your hair from opposite sides of your head and pull them towards your face to ensure that the sides of your hair are even.

Choosing a Hairstyle and Getting the Right Cut

One basic truth — simple hairstyles are best for at-home hair cuts. If you’re not an experienced stylist, you don’t want to go over the top. The easiest haircut? Cutting the hair to a single standard length all over the head. Once you’ve picked a length you need to get a ruler and your scissors. Remember to always deal with a small chunk of your hair at a time. Start by combing your hair straight out from your scalp and holding a small part of it between your index and middle fingers. Using the ruler, measure your hair to the length you want and go for it — snip off the hair that goes past the length you decided on. Now simply repeat this process until you have cut all of your hair to the right length.

The good news is that this simple method works great for men and women alike, and for people with long or short hair.

Another Simplified Haircut

Looking for an easy and attractive haircut? Instead of getting a ruler involved, you can wet your hair and comb all of it forward. Pick up sections of your hair and run it through your fingers, cutting all the hair into one simple line all the way across. Remember that the smaller the section of hair that you cut, the better. Once you’re finished, stand upright, part your hair in the middle, and comb it straight down. You can check for runaway long pieces by twisting your hair a little between your fingers and looking for chunks that stick out.

This may be a basic haircut, but if you really need a trim and can’t afford the barbershop, you may have to employ it.

Special Hair Types Require Special Haircutting Techniques

If you have curly hair, you’ll find it difficult to give yourself a haircut. Holding curly hair in your fingers can be very intimidating for a first time hair cutter. The way around a curly head? Simply make your hair a bit longer than your “desired” cut length, because curly hair tends to “spring up” as it gets dry, making the hair cut a ton shorter than it would be if the hair were straight. Other types of hair may require different haircutting techniques.

Another hair type that gives people trouble — thick and coarse hair. The way to beat a thick head of hair is to trim very small sections of hair, even smaller than you would use normally. The problem with cutting thick hair is that cutting too much hair at once will make the hair “bend” between the blades of the scissors, changing the length. If you want an even haircut for super thick hair, you’ll have to take extra time to cut it.

Cutting Your Own Bangs

Cutting bangs makes people nervous — if you’re going to trim your bangs, you should start with your hair parted all the way down the center. Pick up an even amount of hair from either side of the part in your hair and comb it forward to your forehead. Using your index and middle finger, smooth out this hair between your index and middle fingers and make small even cuts across.

Once you’ve cut your own hair a few times, you should be more comfortable with cutting your own hair and you have the experience to try out more complex hairstyles. There are plenty of books and other material available online or in bookstores or supply shops that offer you guided step-by-step instructions.

Cutting your own hair could save you hundreds of dollars a year in upkeep costs, but there’s nothing worse than a bad at-home haircut. Use the tips above to create an attractive hairstyle for free.

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