Month: July 2013

Kate Middleton’s Beauty Secrets

Since Kate and His Royal Highness Prince William started courting, everyone has been discussing Mrs Cambridge’s beauty secrets, especially since commencing her royal duties with her wedding to him and becoming a Duchess.

Wherever the Duchess went, the onlookers and media have been fascinated and blown away by her beauty and elegant, effortless style. Whatever the occasion, she looked impeccable. Even during her pregnancy.

And again, with her first appearance after giving birth to the little Prince, people from all over the world have been impressed by her looks.

So how does she achieve this effortless look of elegant beauty?

Skin

According to close friends, Kate resorts to skincare products with bee venom ingredients. Yes, bee venom. Where we shy back and wince with the idea of bees and their painful venom, Kate sees the venom with all its benefits. Bee venom is said to refine and repair the skin, leaving a smooth, younger-looking face and body surface that radiances a healthy glow.

Of course we don’t recommend that you find a large stick and start poking about the trees in your nearest forrest in an effort to find some bees. This would not be a great idea and would most likely end up with you having, well, a very swollen face due to all the stings you will receive from a swarm of angry bees.

Instead if you wish you try bee venom a quick search online can bring up all sorts of skincare products, produced by various brands.

Body.

For her body, besides the before mentioned skincare products, the Duchess also likes to resort to fake tan to help with looking tanned, after all the British weather isn’t known for its sunny side!

Now there is one thing using fake tan to create an overall nice looking darker complexion and then there’s looking like an Umpa Lumpa.

Of course Kate manages to apply the tan evenly and subtly to her skin, giving her a nice tanned glowing apperance, without the whole orange look.

Hair

In terms of hair, Kate trusts her locks only to Kerastase and Phyto, two popular French haircare brands who use a combination of various natural ingredients, giving her mane a healthy shine, and making millions of women green with envy. Since we cant remember the last time Kate had a bad hair day, these natural products seem to do the trick. Also wearing your hair in similar fashion wherever you go, mostly down or in a half-up do, certainly helps too!

Fashion

Kate Middleton has an impeccable taste in fashion. Always looking the part with her elegance, she brings out her biggest physical asset – Her Waist.

Whether she wears a short or long dress, or trousers and a blouse, her waist is always accentuated, making her frame appear even smaller than it already is.

Additionally to this, Kate always wears a high-cut top, to round off her elegancy in contrast to many other celebrities, who use their chests to gain media attention.

Snail Slime – Natures Very Own Flux Capacitor.

 

If I was to ask you to put a snail on your face, I could have a guess as to what the answer may be, however what if I was to tell you that snails have the uncanny ability to turn back the clock? No, stop right there, I don’t mean that tucked under their little shells is a flux capacitor. However found in their mollusk mucus is said to be a cure for a variety of ills, including acne, scars and burns, and most importantly wrinkles.

Yes that’s right the secret to eternal youth could be lying at the bottom of your back garden. Snail slime is rich in proteins of high and low molecular weight hyaluronic acid and antioxidants. This ‘miracle’ mucus has two main effects when applied to human skin, these are:

1. Stimulation of new fresh collagen, elastin and dermal components in the skin

2. Minimise damage that is caused by free radicals that are the reason for premature aging.

Why Do We Age?

Good question and if you know the answer to this question then you are within reach of a Noble Prize. The fact is no one really understands why we age, yes even those men in white coats have no clue. Well that’s not entirely true…there are two main theories that at present are our best ideas as to why we get old, get grey hair and lose our memories.

Theory 1 – We are Programmed to Die

This theory is known as the Gene Expression Theory Of Aging. It states that after a pre-programmed amount of time our bodies send out a code that basically slows down repairs. Proof for this theory is found in less complicated organisms such as coral and sponges that appear to show no sign of aging. This could mean that as organisms became more and more complex an evolutionary change may have occurred. Further justification of this theory can be found in the life spans or varying animals too – for example while some flies only live for a few days, the Bowhead Whale has been known to live up to 211 years. Why this massive difference? Is genetics the answer? Who knows….maybe.

Theory 2 – Age takes its toll.

Basically put the second theory states that as we get older the damage to our bodies becomes too extensive. As we all know are bodies are very complex ‘machines’ and with the constant damage to the tissue, cells and DNA it ceases the ability to repair itself and eventually shuts down.

Super Snail Treatment

So as far as I am aware your typical snail doesn’t possess some god like ability to turn back the sands of time however as discussed above their slime does have some anti aging properties.

A Japanese salon in Tokyo has took advantage of these properties and started a revolutionary treatment named the Celebrity Escargot Course that involves placing lives snails on a person’s face, allowing the snails to slither across the complexion. The treatment that lasts around 60 minutes will set you back around £161 – this also includes a series of facial massages and the use of an electrical pulse machine.

In addition the salon also uses creams that have been infused with snail slime from snails that are on a special diet of organic vegetables. Well you wouldnt want a snail that had been feasting off Big Macs sliding about on your skin now would you?

If the above doesn’t quite appeal to you then the Premier Laser Clinic might have the answer you’re looking for. Our Sublative treatment uses a fractionated radio frequency to provide a truly unique procedure. Sublative is FDA approved and is clinically proven to treat fine lines, stretch marks and wrinkles.

The Water Bottle Lottery – Are You Drinking Poison?

 

The hidden numbers that could be damaging your health. 

Ok so I was pumping iron in the gym this morning when all of a sudden I hear two blokes to the right of me start talking. Honestly I wasn’t trying to listen in or anything…well maybe a little, but they were talking loudly and I was resting after completing my third and final set. I can’t remember exactly how the conversation went, but it was something like this…

Dave: John lemme have a look at your water bottle

John: Why? You’ve got your own mate

Dave: Just something I read on the tinterweb (I am guessing he meant the internet) last night. Wanna check to see if your bottle is poisonous

I don’t actually know if these were their real names or not as I wasn’t ear wigging that much. They just looked like a John and a Dave to me, actually come to think of it the tall one probably looked more like a Paul? Anyway that doesnt matter, this was the part where my little ears pricked up. Water bottle…poisonous? Yup that sure got my attention.

John: What are you talking about…poisonous?

Dave: Well apparently if the little triangle on the bottom of ya bottle has a number 1 in it then you should not use it more than once due to the chemicals leakin into the water.

This conversation continued whilst I pretended to do some other exercise still listening in until they both got up and left the area I was in. Now obviously it’s one thing listening in to someone else’s conversation from the same room but it’s another to then follow and stalk these people around the gym to continue to listen to their conversation. I would have to research this myself…was it really possible that the bottle I use every day in the gym could be damaging to my health?

The Little Hidden Number In A Triangle

I have been drinking from these bottles for years but have never once noticed the secretive little number that resides in the triangle that can usually be found hiding at the bottom of the bottle. So what do these numbers mean? Which are safe and which are not? Well with a little research I found the following.

Safe Plastics

Plastics that are safe include the numbers 2, 4 and 5.

#2: HPDE (high-density polyethylene):

This is a high density plastic which is very resilient to chemical leaching. This plastic is usually found in milk jugs and shampoo bottles.

#4 LDPE (low density polyethylene):

This plastic like above is also resilient to chemical leaching. You will mostly likely find this plastic in sandwich bags and shopping bags.

#5 PP (polypropylene):

PP is another plastic that is resistant to chemical leaching. It is semi transparent or white in appearance and is used for yogurt containers and syrup bottles.

Un-Safe Plastics

Now for the bad numbers…1, 3, 6 and 7

#1 PET/PETE (polyethylene terephthalate):

These bottles should only be used a single time and then thrown away immediately after. You should try and avoid these whenever possible due to the leaching of the heavy metal antimony and the hormone disrupting chemical BPA.

#3 PVC (polyvinyl chloride):

This is the most common plastic found in water bottles. PVC plastic is known to leach 2 dangerous chemicals DEHP (di-2-ehtylhexyl phthalate) and bispehonal-A.

#6 PS (polystyrene):

PS leach’s styrene which is a known carcinogen. Side effects of this chemical include headaches, dizziness, fatigue and drowsiness. PS is usually found in disposable cups and containers.

#7 PC/PLA: Polycarbonate:

This is most definitely the worst plastic to use as it’s made with BPA. The worrying thing here is that it can be found in baby bottles, water coolers, re-usable water bottles and storage containers that are used for food.

Drink in Safety

In addition to looking out for the above there are a few other tips that can make sure that the water you are drinking is safe.

• Don’t drink any bottled water that has been sat around for months.

• Have a little smell of your water before you have a drink. If it has a plasticy smell then throw it away.

• Keep your bottled water in the shade and away from direct sunlight. When plastic becomes hot it leaches chemicals into the water at a quicker rate. Who wants warm water anyway?

• If possible drink tap water and buy a suitable container to contain it. The best containers are made of either the safe plastics mentioned above, stainless steel or glass.

Next time I go to the gym I am going to make sure I have a bottle made from HDPE (high density polyethylene) that is manufactured without BPA. When I think of the amount of times I have used my water bottle in the past it is quite frightening to think of the hazardous chemicals I have been in taking with every mouthful of water.

Please Share or like this article to raise awareness of this not well known danger. While a lot of people feel they are being healthy they are unaware of the chemicals they are swallowing in their water due to old and un-suitable bottles.

 

 

Quick Guide To Hair Removal

Hair Removal Options

Summer is finally here. Its thats time of year when people jet off on their summer hols, unearth their BBQ from under the clutter in the shed and wear short-sleeve t-shirts, shorts, dresses and bikinis.

If you haven’t already done so it’s time to remove them unwanted hairs. So you have a few options available to you, but which one is best?

1) Shaving

2) Waxing

3) Hair removal cream

4) Bleaching

5) Plucking

6) Laser Hair Removal

Below we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each method. The ratings shown below are only an approximation as some peoples hair grows a lot quicker or slower than others.

Days Till Re-Growth: 1 (sometimes less)

Cost Score: 8/10

Efficiently Rating: 2/10

Well this method is probably the most commonly used technique used by both men and women to keep their hairs from getting out of control.

Advantages:

• Very quick

• inexpensive and painless (well unless you have a blunt blade)

Disadvantages:

• Can cause irritation

• If your shaving skills with the blade are not the greatest you can end up with cuts to your face, legs and arms

• Only a day later stubbly re-growth can be seen

Days Till Re-Growth: 2-4 weeks

Cost Score: 6/10

Efficiently Rating: 7/10

Waxing works by removing the hair from deep within the root. Waxing can be done in the comfort for your own home or you can get it done at a salon.

Advantages:

• Good results (compared to shaving)

• Re-growth is quite slow

Disadvantages:

• Painful – seriously this method hurts

• Can cause in-growing hairs

• Red patches on skin

• If the wax is too hot you can burn your skin

Days Till Re-Growth: 2-7 days

Cost Score: 7/10

Efficiently Rating: 3.5/10

I am sure you have all read the reviews on Amazon about what can happen when men use hair removal cream. This product works as it contains chemicals that dissolve the hairs at the root.

Advantages:

• Painless (if used correctly)

• Softer re-growth than other methods such as shaving

Disadvantages:

• Not the most efficient

• Can get very messy

• Can cause irritation on sensitive skin

• Doesn’t have the most pleasant of fragrances.

Days Till Re-Growth: n/a

Cost Score: 7/10

Efficiently Rating: n/a

Ok so bleaching doesn’t remove your hair however it is used by mostly woman to hide small areas of hair like above the lip.

Advantages:

• No razors, wax kits or cream = no pain

Disadvantages:

• Can only really be used on small areas

• If you have dark skin this method isn’t really effective

Days Till Re-Growth: 2-4 weeks

Cost Score: 10/10

Efficiently Rating: 7/10

This method is usually avoided by the majority as it involves plucking out hairs one by one which as you will have guessed is quite painful. However if you feel like you want to use this ‘old school’ method makes sure you have plenty of free time on your hands as this is going to take you a while.

Advantages:

• Accurate

• Cost effective

Disadvantages:

• Very painful

• Time consuming

• Can cause scaring if done wrong

Days Till Re-Growth: Dependant on person – while some see re-growth after several years many find they don’t have to shave again. Most people see a 75%-95% hair reduction on the area they have treated

Cost Score: 9/10
(I know what you are thinking but laser hair removal is an investment and after you have completed your treatments you will never have to think about hair removal again).

Efficiently Rating: 9/10
(75%-95% hair reduction)

Laser hair removal is the modern way to remove your unwanted hairs. This method can seem quite costly upon initial inspection however this should be seen as an investment as after your treatments laser hair removal works out cheaper then most of the above methods in the long run saving a lot of money.

Advantages:

• Safe

• Quick

• Very effective

Disadvantage:

• Expensive in short term

• Several treatments are needed.