How to Look Flawless and Chic this Heat Period

Someone jokingly remarked on social media that it seems like the last person
to enter hell fire forgot to shut the gate hence the increasing rise in temperature.
Am starting to believe he/she is right in making that statement, if not what could
be the reason for the scorching sun roasting ones skin like it wants to bake it,
the sweats pouring out of ones skin like the rain heralding the start of seed sowing,
hot flushes, shiny oily face, itching scalp from sweats and hair sealed up by weavons,
darkening skin tone and seriously recently its hard to keep a flawless make-up because
the heat will not only melt out all the make-up but also give you a reason to wipe sweat
off your face at every few minutes interval and in a short while you are left wondering
about the where about of your once perfectly applied make-up.
Does this sound familiar to you?

" mmmhhhhh.....yeah I know it does describe a teeny-weeny bit of what

            you are going through right now".

Chill out and see how you can manage to still look chic and picture perfect
at every minutes of the day irrespective of the so called global warming.

Skip Oil-Based Moisturizers
You must have seen and heard enough reasons of why your skin needs moisturizer
and why you shouldn't skip its use.....ok thats righ!!! but if you are presently in
Nigeria and you have dry skin, my friend you don't need to apply moisturizer, the
sun and heat will automatically bless you with oily shiny skin free of charge and if
you have oily skin already like me, your guess is as good as mine~~~moisturizer and
oil-based products becomes your worst enemy while you silently pray for the next
harmatan season to come sooner than expected.
Applying oil-based moisturizers this heat period will cause your skin to sweat more
than usual, make your face too oily for make-up to hold on for long without fading
away.
But if you are brave enough and think your skin can take more moisture by all means
use non oil moisturizer, I would suggest water based  (mostly in gel form) because it
would keep your skin hydrated without looking too shiny and best of all water based
moisturizer can double as a foundation and base for your make-up application.

Heat Proof Make-up tips 
Make-up melts away easily in humid and high temperature, and if you are still using
fake foundations and concealers this period because you want to save some change,
you won't like your look after sun and sweat finish seperating the Mary from Kay
on your face.
~Your top most priority when applying make-up should be~~~to apply make-up
that will not melt out easily and can last all through the day- for this reason you would
need to stock up on not only quality but sweat-resistant foundation that can defy the
humidity and sweatiness that comes with the day's weather.
I was able to find out two best heat-proof foundations in the market and will put
up the brands name here just for you: Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation and  Mac 
Pro Longwear Nourishing Waterproof Foundation.

~Avoid heavy make-up and foundations layering this heat period as this can make you
sweat easily and melt away as it would require you to wipe your face more often leaving
you with a messy face. Apply foundations and concealer thinly and make sure to blend 
blend and blend it out perfectly with your brush.

"Don't forget Lessssss make-up is Bessssst this heat period"

~Use primer on your face before foundation and on the eyes before applying eye
shadow, primer helps the skin hold make-up for long and it also prevents make up
from fading out due to humidity, sweat, and excess oil.

 ~If you are not a fan of blotting papers, Well now is the perfect time to make it your
bestiee~~~  get a pack of blotting paper, once you start perspiring or notice excess
shine on your face, resist the temptation to apply powder on your sweaty face, do this
instead~~~gently pat (don't wipe) a piece of blotting paper over your face to soak up
the sweat and oil . Applying additional powder on a sweaty made-up face will give a
caked and tired look at the same time emphasizing all the lines, acne blemishes and
wrinkles you want to keep private.

~Water resistant mascara like Maybelline collosal volume is a good choice this heat
period, it can hold for as long as you want it to, its water-proof and won't slip out no
matter how much you sweat in fact you would need to soften it with oil before removal
at night. Liquid eye liner last longer than the usual pencil liner, pencil liner is moisture
affected and can smear into your face during all the sweating and heat waves.

Clothing Choice
Wear light clothes fabrics that absorb moistures and keep you comfy all through the day
cotton clothes are light and absorbent. For the duration of this heat period (Who knows
when its going to end?) keep away from black colored clothes, dark colored clothing
have a sort of cupid love and attraction to the sun fueling more heat into your body.
The weather is already too hot for comfort and whenever I make the mistake of putting
on a black top or dress, the heat I experience operates on a higher level. For now my
black wears are relegated to night wears. Sleeveless clothes are a life saver this heat
period~~~allows your body to trap the little available fresh air still in existence

Hair Style Choice
Going the ole natural way with convenient styles like wearing your natural hair out, braids,
weavings that allows your scalp to breathe and allows regular washing is the "koko"
if you don't want to experience the itchings and scratching that follows after a hot
sweaty day with weavon on and God help you! if you have dandruff~~~ small 
madness is the only term to describe the experience that comes with it.

Sun screen
Protect you skin from the sun, get a sun screen of up to 70 spf and your skin will thank
you now and in future years to come.

Water
 Don't wait until you are thirsty before drinking water, profuse sweating that comes with
this heat period cause dehydration which in turn results to dry and scaly looking skin.
Drink loads and loads of water. Start your day with water first thing in the morning and
all through the day.

Tips to Looking Young in your 40s

With an accumulated wealth of life's experience and knowledge, life really
begins at 40 but we can't say that for the skin, the skin is the first 
organ of the body that reveals the first sign of aging at 40 due to 
a decrease and breakdown of hormones and enzymes responsible 
for maintaining younger looking skin, with four decades of existence 
to boast of the skin has probably gone through damages from 
external factors like exposure to sun UV rays, use of harsh skin 
products and unhealthy life-styles.

Its not too late to remedy the situation,by embracing the wrinkles, greying hair
and the tell-tale bits and piece that comes with growing old and also incorporating
anti-ageing regimen into skin-care, diet, life-style will serve you a good looking
skin all through your 40s.

Invest in anti-ageing skin care products like Retinoid, retinoid is a 
vitamin-A derivative in cream and gel form. Its a medication usually recommended
by dermatologist for acne treatment but its especially effective for wrinkle control,
hyperpigmented and sun-damaged skin through activation of rapid skin cell
turnover giving your face lesser wrinkle and fine lines appearance, clear,spotless
and fresher looking skin in just 2 weeks of use. Retinoid comes in brand names
as Retin-A, Tretinion. its a prescription drugs but can be bought from pharmacy
while strictly following the instruction leaflet inside.
i.Foetus are affected by vitamin A so a pregnant or lactating mother
is advised not to use.
ii.The use of retinoid also increases the skin sensitivity to the sun so a good
sunscreen is required to use alongside with it.
iii.You would experience flaking and peeling of the skin in the first
few weeks of usage, if it becomes too unpleasant to deal with reduce
application to 3 times a week until skin adjust to it you can now resume to
nightly application (apply only at night time because of sun during the day),
iv.use a moisturizer to combat dryness and flaking skin while using Retinoid.
Your skin will experience an amazing result in few weeks of use.

Moisturizer should be a woman's BFF and especially indispensable
in your 40s because at this age, there is less natural oil production
from the body due to the reduction of the estrogen hormone, making
the skin look dry and dehydrated which in turn promote the formation of
early wrinkles.
Moisturizers serve as a make-up and replacement for the lack of
natural body oil. You mustn't spend a fortune on a good moisturizers,
natural and affordable oil like extra virgin olive oil is an effective
skin moisturizer, anti-oxidant rich in omega 3, vitamin A and E perfect for
youthful skin.
Apply on skin while its still wet for easy absorption or mix it with
lotion/cream.

Omega 3 is an essential fatty acid that promotes and maintain youthful
skin.Omega 3 are good fats required by the body and can be obtained
from dietary sources like Salmon, sardines, extra virgin olive oil, avocado,
walnut, pumpkin seeds and in the absence of omega 3 diet you get it from
supplement in capsule form like cod-liver oil etc.
Omega 3 helps to combat dryness by keeping the skin hydrated and moisturized
in turn preventing wrinkles and fine lines formation.

After cheating on sun-screen these past years, its time to face the
reality of the importance of sun-screen and invest on a good sun-screen.
Aside hyperpimentation,sun burn,dark knuckles, red eyes,broken blood
vessels, exposing the skin to the harsh sun in this region can wreck a lot of
damage on the skin. Skin exposed to sun tends to develop wrinkles,fine lines
and age spots earlier than a sun protected skin as the sun breaks down
collagen and elastin-(these are enzymes that takes care of skin firming,
maintains skin elasticity, and keeps the skin plump.)
The good news is that its not to late, you can avoid further damage,
buy a good sun screen of up too  SPF 50 because of our hot naija sun.
Wear protective outfit if you will be staying long in the sun like
wide-brimmed hat, wear long sleeved and don't feel shy to carry
an umbrella after all your skin is more important than people's curious
stare.(In naija if you're not carrying a baby, people don't see the reason
why you should use an umbrella except its raining)

The key word for youthful skin at 40 is hydration and moisture, if
you don't want early wrinkles then you should by all means fight against
dehydration and moisture loss by getting enough good liquid from water,
smoothies,fresh fruit juice, green tea and other healthy liquid.
A good dose of water early in the morning before breakfast cleanses
the body system of radicals and oxidants giving you a clear skin and
healthy body.

When you are 40, your diet should be healthy because not only
your skin, your health is equally important, junk food, saturated fat
found in margarine, vegetable oils, heavy cream salad dressing,
high GI(glycemic index) carbs like white rice, pasta, white flour,
increase blood glucose level triggering insulin to action that result
into skin inflammation. Complex carbs like brown rice, acha, plantain
flour, wheat bread, honey, unsaturated fat contain in food rich in
omega 3 and 6 like nuts, avocadoes, pumpkin seed are great in
preventing wrinkles..

Take supplements that boost estrogen production e.g estroCare-25
The presence of estrogen in the body increases the production of natural
body oil, collagen and elastin enzymes this keeps the skin looking young as
a Sweet Sixteen even in your 40s.



Exercise and an active life-style are important principles to looking
youthful in at any age bracket. Exercise burns out the excess calories, helps
you maintain a healthy weight, cleanses your skin of toxins and waste through
sweating and elevates your mood which means a healthy body, beautiful
skin and a happy disposition in your 40s.

Get enough of your beauty sleep, minimum of 7 hours is recommended every
night. The skin cells are rejuvenated and renewed during sleep, dark circles
and eye bags will become an old story when you get enough rest.
Manage stress and if possible avoid stressful situations, stress has been link
to trigger acne.

Goat milk contains lactic acid an alpha hydroxy acid(AHA) and other
essential vitamins like A, E and C. Alpha hydroxy acid removes dead skin
cells on the skin giving your skin a fresher, smoother, younger look and an easily
absorbable skin surface for other skin care products to penetrate. Goat milk
also rejuvenate the skin and increases new cell growth which is exactly what
your skin needs at Forty.
Using goat milk on the face can also diminish the appearance of fine lines,
wrinkles, hyperpigmentation and spots on the skin because its rich in vitamin
A, it also repairs damaged skin tissue. Fresh goat milk is unrefined
and works faster but in the absence of fresh goat milk, you might want to
try out skin care products made with goat milk like soap  or bath wash

15 Reasons You Should Use Coconut Oil

Aside cooking healthy meals, coconut oil has proven to mean a lot more in the
life of women all over the world with numerous beauty uses at less cost and also
effective as home remedies in providing solutions to domestic challenges like
skin diseases, lice, mouth odor etc. Coconut oil is a life saver for this purposes:

Teeth whitener:baking soda is used as a home remedy to whiten the teeth but do
you know that baking soda is abrasive? and with time thins out the teeth cavity,
it also bruises the teeth enamel.
Want to whiten your teeth the safer way, soak cotton wool in coconut oil, and
brush it all over teeth,

Fight against mouth odor: by gargling two teaspoon of coconut oil
for 15 mins,coconut oil contains anti-bacterial and anti-fungi properties to kill
those pesky germs in the mouth that produces mouth odor.

Eye lash lengthener:Your eye-lash can be so long that you won't have need for
eye-extension, pour a little amount of coconut oil into a cleaned old mascara tube,
insert the mascara brush into the coconut oil  make sure to get excess oil out so
it doesn't get into your eyes now sweep it over eyelashes every night before
bedtime.

Eye-cream:Coconut oil can be used as an eye-cream to reduce wrinkles and
fine lines that comes along with age. Before retiring for the night dip a finger into
oil and massage your under eye areas to keep them moisturised, this under eye
areas are prone to excessive dryness hence wrinkling.

A MAGIC NATURAL OIL

Make-up removal:Instead of an acohol based face cleansers you can wipe
out your make-up completely with coconut oil. Apply coconut oil all over
face with a cotton pad allow for few minutes to soften make up, wipe make up
out with cotton pad.

Palm softener:Coconut oil helps to soften skin by helping skin to retain
moisture for a long time.Its a good remedy to soften hard calluse palms.
Apply it as a hand lotion every two hours intervals.You would be amazed
how soft your palm will feel in a short while.

Body lotion:Do you want soft moisturized toned skin? pour some coconut oil
into your daily body lotion and shake up together. Not just a soft baby looking
skin your skin will receive a bit of natural sun protection.

Body scrub:make a home made body scrub from a mixture sugar coconut oil
or alternatively pour few drops of coconut oil to your favorite body scrub,
your skin will retain the oil after exfoliating dead skin cells.

Massage oil: coconut oil makes a good massage oil, you can perfume
it with vanilla scent, your favorite scent or use it as plain coconut oil after
all it smells heavenly too.

Cuticle and nail oil: coconut oil can replace your cuticle cream during
a manicure and pedicure.
Coconut oil nourishes the cuticle and strengthens the nail from breaking easily.
coconut oil can also be use as nail cleaner to wipe out stains around nails
massage nails and cuticle with coconut oil for beautiful looking nails.

Dandruff treatment: After trying out virtually every dandruff remedies
available with no relief, only coconut oil could give me the needed cure
for my dry flaky scalp. Severe dry itchy flaky scalp do not just go away
simply by moisturizing scalp with any type of oil
I can't tell how but coconut oil performed the magic for me probably
because of its anti-fungi properties and its noted to be good scalp
conditioner.


Deep hair conditioning treatment: what better oil to add into your
prepared hair conditioning treatment than coconut oil. you can likewise
use as hot oil treatment for the hair by warming in the microwave and then
apply to hair cover up hair for a while to allow deep penetration into the
hair folicles. Coconut oil is rich in Vitamin E, Lauric acid and good fats
which helps to strengthen your hair from breakage, it also gives your hair
full body and shine.You won't have to worry about the cost of hair products
because coconut oil will give you all the lovely hair benefits of any hair
products in the market.

Pink pouty lips: want to have smooth, soft naturally pink pouty lips,
gently scrub lips with a combo of sugar and coconut oil daily, and use
coconut oil to combat  flaky dry lips all through the day.

Hair shine: restore shine and silky glow to your hair with a little amount
of coconut oil. Coconut oil can mask and hide the fact that you skip your
weekly shampoo that no one can tell because your hair still looks shiny.

Glowing skin: aside weight loss and other health benefit, taking 2-3
tablespoonful of virgin coconut oil as a dietary supplement gives added
advantage to your skin, hair and nails.
Your skin will glow naturally from the inside out, with healthy stronger
hair, with beautiful and longer nails.                                                                                              
  

5 Secrets To A Beautiful Skin

 With minimal or no effort at all some people are naturally endowed with flawlessly

clear and soft skin while some folks need the right beauty products and knowledge

to achieve a glowing skin.

Its easy as A B C to achieve a beautiful skin just by incorporating these simple habits

to your lifestyle.

GOOD SKIN CARE REGIME:
 The first step to getting gorgeous skin is having the right and quality products to work

with.Cosmetic experience has taught me a lesson about using the right products best

suited for your skin type which your skin can relate to. A product specifically meant for

dry skin will not get a desirable effect on an oily skin and vice versa.

As a woman crosses over from  the youthful age of 20s into to the Big 30s the needs

of the skin changes as well, the skin tends to get drier because at this stage the feminine

body system has reached the peak of maturity and produces less collagen and hormones

that helps to firm up and keep the skin supple.Products that once worked for you in

your 20s might not achieve the same result in your 30s and you begin to wonder if the

manufacturing quality of the product has been compromised.

A complete skin care requires cleanser,toner,moisturizer,exfoliation and sunscreen

protection.

Cleansing: cleansing the skin thoroughly from impurities, accumulated dirt and makeup

 involving bathing and facial cleansing is a starting point to getting beautiful skin.

#Fact1-Achoholic and astringents cleansers and facial wipes that tends to dry up the

skin's natural oil should not be used.

#Fact2- Avoid bathing with very hot water it drains off the oil on the skin giving it a

wrinkled appearance.

#Fact3-Your skin loves cool water(not cold) it seals up moistures into the skin and

close up pores.

#Fact4-Pour drops of virgin olive oil or coconut oil to foaming sponge while

bathing this is an attempt at restoring moisture loss.

#Fact5-Use soaps and bath wash with more of natural ingredients(local black soap

or moisturizing body wash like Aveeno active naturals)cleanses the skin leaving it

soft and smooth.

Local Black soap

Body Wash

Toner:natural  toners containing  rose water, apple cider vinegar,  glycerine are great

for the skin and should be used immediately after the cleansing step. It helps in

balancing the pH level of the skin, building the right foundation for other facial

products application. Make your home made toner with 1/3 part apple cider vinegar,

1/2 part water and 1/3 rose water.Apply toner to cotton wool and dab all over face,

don't scrub.

Moisturizer: Moisturizer is best absorbed when the skin is wet and moist. Oil-based

moisturizer is good for the face to combat dryness and keep face looking young and

healthy like Johnson tissue moisturizing oil makes the skin soft and supple also contain

sunscreen of spf15, gently massage into skin until oil is absorbed.

You can also add a bit of this amazing oil into body lotion it act as a moisturizer, skin

toner and sun UVA and UVB protection.

Moisturizing body lotion

Exfoliation: A weekly facial

Facial and Body Scrub

and complete body scrub

is essential to exfoliate dry dead

skin cells that dulls the skin,

unclog pores, removes

blackheads and impurities

giving the skin a brighter

complexion.Eden range

of body scrubs is great for

exfoliation and if you would

 love to brighten complexion a

shade or two lighter then Eden

Extra Whitening Apricot Face

and Body Scrub is for you.

Sunscreen Protection: Ever wonder why after using the

right products and following up on good skin care regime,

you are still left with a skin below expectation, the culprit

here is skin exposure to harsh UV rays.

Exposing skin to sunlight could warrant a number of

undesirable condition of the skin from sunburn, skin
cancer, skin melanoma ,

dryness,wrinkling and premature skin aging among others.

My recent favorite is Johnson tissue oil-its triple-purpose

serves as a moisturizer, sunscreen protection of up to spf15

and massage oil.


GOOD FOOD:Your diet reflects on your skin outlook,

Junk and fast food like pastries, indomie,carbonated drinks and saturated fatty diets

are a no-no to having beautiful skin.

What your skin need are foods rich in protein, veggies, fruits, fiber, less of refined

carbs(white rice,pasta,sugar,refined flour used in baking white bread) and good fat

contained in walnut,avocado,and mackerel fish are very wealthy when it comes to

omega 3 and 6 this gives a natural shiny look to the skin

HYDRATE: its medically proven that the body system  needs at least 9 drinking

 glasses of water to function effectively, the skin also needs water to look beautiful,

 inadequate water intake can create a number of conditions that would reflect on

your skin causing dry skin, and wrinkling of the skin,eye bags, skin losing its

luminosity and firmness. Carbonated drinks e.g coca cola,pepsi etc contains loads

of sugar artificial additives and should not replace water. Don't wait until you are

thirsty to drink water, your  body is already experiencing dehydration before it

send thirsty signal to your brain.

Have a bottle of water in your bag when on the go and beside you on your

desk at work.To spice it up add some squeeze of lemon and drops of honey,

this would indulge your taste bud and cleanse your internal system as well.

Your SKIN will thank you for it.

SWEAT OUT THE GLOW:the good old exercise goes beyond burning

calories building muscle and shaping the body. it helps to cleanses the pores

of the skin ridding it from radicals through sweating, it also fuels the blood with

enough oxygen to distribute around the body giving the skin a glow.

During exercise, the brain releases  feel good chemical this is why after

an exercise session, the muscle feel sore and exhausted while the mind feel

relaxed and your mood is elevated. Exercise is a stress-buster, stress can make

you less inclined to follow-up on good skin care regime. Research has shown

that stress is a  major acne-triggers. Simple fun exercise like skipping ropes,

dancing, jogging with a partner will do the trick.

ADEQUATE SLEEP: Getting a good night sleep of up to 8 hours is one key

to looking beautiful. Lack of sleep causes puffy under eye bag, dark circles and

tired worn out skin. Youthful looking skin occurs as a result of skin cell

regeneration and cell turnover and this happens when you get enough sleep.