Very Easy Beauty

Archive for July, 2009

We are all aware of the fact that most women cannot live without make-up. It is important though that if you know how to put them on, you should know how to remove them as well. Make-up helps us hide our imperfections and flaws, as well as enhance our natural beauty. But if make-up is not properly removed, it may cause some breakouts or skin related problems like blemishes and rashes if not properly removed. Our skin needs to take a break once in a while from all the cosmetics and make-up that we are constantly putting on it every single day. Cosmetic manufacturers have created products specifically targeted at this need. Make-up remover products range from eye make-up creams, cleansers and moisturizers among others.

There are certain chemical contents in make-up that cannot be removed by simple washing and so we need certain cosmetic products to help remove them. It is highly important that you don’t sleep with your make-up on especially eye make-up that could probably get inside your eyes. You can find a wide variety and different brands of eye make-up remover. If you are looking for alternatives some experts suggest the use of cloth moistened with lukewarm water or petroleum jelly. Baby oil is also a great way at removing eye make-up. Just placed a small amount on a cotton ball and gently rubbed your eyes to remove your eye shadow, eyeliner and mascara. If you frequently put on mascara using an oil based eye make-up remover would be very useful. It is essential to note that products for removing eye make-up should not be used to remove make-up on other parts of the face.

With regards the removal of other facial make-up, you could use a facial soap or cleanser. Wash your face thoroughly to ensure proper cleansing and to remove any traces of make-up. Other options aside from the facial cleanser include facial creams for make-up removal. Cleaning the face from make-up does not end with the washing, it is also important that you apply a toner to tone your skin and apply as well moisturizer to keep skin supple and soft. Moisture is very important to maintain healthy flawless skin.

Your face is one of the most important parts of our body and we need to ensure proper skin care to keep it flawless and healthy. Once in a while we cannot avoid but have occasional pimples, blackheads or white heads but with the right beauty regimen and discipline on your part, having great skin wouldn’t be that hard.

Mary Lorainne
http://www.articlesbase.com/internet-articles/removing-makeup-133765.html

EDUCATION in Africa has a history reaching back many centuries. Certainly the achievements of the ancient civilizations of Egypt and Ethiopia are well known. Then, early in the first millennium of the Common Era, the Moors and other peoples on the northern fringe of Africa made notable contributions to world education and culture. And during the past 1,000 years the Saharan and sub-Saharan peoples had several centers of learning—Timbuktu, Agadez, Gao, Katsina and Borno, where books written in Arabic were in great demand.

More than 800 years ago at Timbuktu, in Mali, colleges provided advanced education. Katsina, in northern Nigeria, has been a center of learning since before the sixteenth century. It was there that, about 200 years ago, Muhammed ibn Muhammed became noted as a specialist in numerology.

The aforementioned cities were dominated by Moslem culture, and mosques were the centers of learning. However, the cost of learning under the tutorship of the mallams was very high and so few persons could afford it. The educated minority exercised tremendous influence, and were the key administrators, lawyers and clerks. But the majority remained illiterate.

In the non-Moslem, sub-Saharan cultures, education was largely nonliterate, by oral instruction rather than by use of reading material. Educational systems varied from tribe to tribe, and there were different degrees and levels of training, depending on the social and cultural development of a particular tribe. The training covered a fairly wide range, with specialized instruction at different age levels. Each educational system had specific forms of preparation for the roles of individuals in society. A look at the system of education among the Yorubas in precolonial Nigeria illustrates this.

The Yoruba System

Among the Yorubas, training in obedience, etiquette, speech and counting came early in the child’s life and was given within the family circle. Children quickly learned to express themselves in their language. Progressively, they mastered the proverbs, poetry and folklore of the community or tribe. In this way they learned the history and the moral and philosophical attitudes of their people. They had to learn a variety of greetings, recognition of levels of social seniority and the proper etiquette in connection with these. Religious education included training in rituals, sacred festivals and the roles of diviners.

At an early age, children were taught to count up to 20 on their fingers and toes and to do simple addition and subtraction with the aid of stones. As they progressed in knowledge, they were taught weights and measures, the use of cowrie shells (which served as money) and the art of bargaining.

Specialized training for boys focused on farming, working in metals and wood, hunting and the use of herbs and drugs in medicine. Skills were passed on from father to son. Inclination and natural abilities also were considered, and children were encouraged to develop their aptitudes. Therefore, many were apprenticed to artisans outside the family clan.

Girls received training in weaving and dyeing cloth. They learned to make pottery, to plait mats and baskets and to produce cosmetics for use in beauty treatments and hairdressing. They were taught the art of cooking, of brewing beer and of extracting oil from the kernels of the palm nuts. Thus they were prepared for their role as women in the family and the community.

The tribes that had a rural, pastoral or bush culture concentrated more on farming, herding and hunting or fishing. Some educational systems restricted progress into new fields of knowledge by preserving a closed society. Membership usually was restricted to those of certain ethnic origins or religious beliefs. This circumstance contributed toward a stagnation of knowledge. Nevertheless, the education that was provided amply served the needs of those societies.

The Colonial Era

In the wake of the missionary explorer David Livingstone, European missionaries began to increase their activities in Africa in the second half of the nineteenth century. Mission schools started to be set up in towns and villages, and right out in the bush, where students attended in simple loincloths or were completely naked.

These schools were set up on sectarian lines, with Catholics having their own schools and the Protestant religions theirs. This tended to segment the people religiously, and whole areas came to be regarded as the province of a particular religion. Divisions in social levels developed between the literate and the nonliterate segments of each community, and there was a gradual undermining of family influence. Other imbalances were created because traditional patterns of education were being uprooted and were not replaced by any uniform standard.

Still, a start had been made toward widening the horizons of knowledge in Africa. As more people learned to read and write, the knowledge of the world, contained in books, became available even to the remotest tribes. The literate history of non-Moslem, sub-Saharan Africa began to be revived.

Although the people showed aptitude in learning, there were obstacles to overcome. The missionaries usually had to learn the local languages first. Then they had to teach the children in their own European languages, in which books were available. Some did good work in formulating alphabet systems and compiling dictionaries so that many of the local languages could be put into writing. This provided the basis for translating the Bible into many African languages.

In some areas an obstacle was posed by the custom of barring girls from institutional education. When, over 40 years ago, one of the emirs from northern Nigeria visited England, he was impressed at seeing a large girls’ school. He desired a similar provision for the girls of his people. Since the custom was to keep women away from public life, he realized that this would be opposed. So he told his council that he was opening a school in his palace for educating the girls in his household. Within a year the school had 30 pupils, and many of the leading citizens were petitioning the emir to allow their children to attend. A year later, on the pretext that he could no longer tolerate the noise of a school in his palace, he “turned the pupils, teachers, and equipment out into the open town and lodged them in a house adjoining the boys’ school.” (African Challenge, p. 63) Now every primary school in that section of the country is coeducational.

Since children were part of the labor force in each farm family, there was reluctance to lose them to the schools. Gradually, however, as the people recognized the value of the printed page and the advantages of reading and writing, more children were sent to school. So it was in mission schools that many of the outstanding educators and leaders throughout Africa got their early training.

The colonial governments, and the later sovereign governments of each independent state, encouraged the establishment of mission schools, giving financial and administrative help. Provisions were made for more uniform systems of schooling, and additional public and secondary schools and universities were established.

New Education Policies

Since 1970, in a further effort to ensure a more uniform standard of education, the Nigerian government has taken over control of private schools, including mission schools. This has given rise to the problem of adequate moral education in a totally secular school system. Therefore, the authorities have encouraged parents and teachers to provide moral guidance. Efforts have also been made to coordinate the Moslem and indigenous traditional systems of education with modern methods. It is hoped that this will stem the growing tide of unrest, immorality and drug abuse among youths.

In 1976 the Universal Primary Education scheme (UPE) was introduced to provide for free universal education throughout Nigeria. This will give children the opportunity to receive free primary schooling for six years, as well as junior secondary and senior secondary schooling for three years respectively. More schools are, therefore, being provided, and immediate plans are afoot to increase the number of universities to 13.

Adult Education

Because the majority of the adult population is illiterate, the various governments are giving increased attention to adult education. In Nigeria, where the literacy rate is 20 percent for a population of 70 million, the government has established adult education centers in most villages and towns. Many men and women are availing themselves of this opportunity to learn to read and write.

Much progress also is being made in adult literacy programs operating in Kingdom Halls of Jehovah’s Witnesses. By means of such classes, between 1962 and 1976, in Nigeria alone, 15,156 persons have been taught to read and write. Many of these were elderly and thought that they no longer had the ability to learn. They were mostly people from rural areas—farmers, hunters, fishermen, housewives. Their determination to obtain Bible knowledge and to be able to impart Scriptural instruction reawakened their desire to learn. Now they can read and write, and can help in teaching God’s Word to others in their own language and also often in English.

For example, Ezekiel Ovbiagele was trained according to the traditional system of education, but was not taught to read and write. After he received oral Biblical instruction from Jehovah’s Witnesses and was baptized in 1940, he saw the value of learning to read. He enrolled in one of the literacy classes and soon was reading the Bible to others. With further specialized training, he was qualified in 1953 to serve as a traveling overseer, having the responsibility to instruct many congregations in the territory assigned to him. Many others have made similar advancement.

When Jackson Iheanacho first attended meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses, he was literate only in Efik, his native language. He saw the need to learn to read in English, too, since the meetings were conducted in that tongue. With the aid of the congregation’s literacy class, he achieved this and went on to learn other languages as well. He is now able to read and write seven languages!

The literacy rate among Jehovah’s Witnesses is better than 77 percent. Most of the remaining 23 percent are attending literacy classes, either at their Kingdom Halls or at government centers, and so are in various stages of learning to read and write. They appreciate this program, which is reaching out to more and more people.

Purposeful Education

The value and necessity of education cannot be denied. An editorial in the Daily Times of December 29, 1976, spoke of education as “the greatest investment . . . for the quick development of . . . economic, political, sociological and human resources.” However, not just education, but purposeful education is essential. Modern methods have tended to establish materialistic goals, rather than productive ones. To many youths, the purpose of schooling is to obtain a certificate that will guarantee a prestige job and great financial reward. Parents should guide youths in carefully evaluating the purpose of their schooling. The goal should be to acquire real skills and thinking ability so as to ensure productivity in their adult careers.

It should be remembered, however, that the period of formal schooling is not all there is to the process of education. Parents can make use of preschool and out-of-school periods to instruct their children morally and in other ways that will build their personalities along wholesome lines. Much good can be achieved by using the Bible in inculcating decency, honesty and loyalty in the children.

Flor Ayag
http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/the-development-of-education-in-africa-731600.html

Aloe Vera has long been a popular houseplant. It is a succulent plant, a member of the lily and onion family. Aloe Vera has been found described in writings in many different cultures and as far back as the Greek, Egyptians, and Roman eras. References have also been found in writings from the Indian and Chinese early cultures. I remember my Mother grabbing a piece off her aloe Vera plant and applying its gel to a burn or minor wound. The aloe Vera gel comes from the inner portion of the leaves. For pharmaceutical use as a laxative, the aloe juice is taken from the tubules just beneath the outer skin of the leaves. It’s a bitter yellow and dried to become aloe granules that are dark brown in color. This is from being exposed to the sun

Aloe gel has been used for topical treatment for minor wounds and burns and skin irritations for centuries. Made into a beverage and taken internally, it has been used to help many other conditions. Some of them are constipation, ulcers, diabetes, headaches, arthritis, and coughs. Taking aloe internally does have side effects, which can include pain, electrolyte imbalances, and diarrhea.

There have been scientific studies made to determine whether aloe gel can influence wound healing if taken internally. There isn’t enough evidence to determine if it does promote healing from the inside out, but enough testing has been done to know that it does if applied externally help with treating the above mentioned conditions. It has been determined that it can also help with treating minor vaginal irritations.

Some key points to remember about aloe Vera are:

Internal use of aloe gel has not been successfully proven to be effective against any disease.

Aloe latex, another derivative of the aloe Vera plant has been approved by the FDA in use in over the counter laxatives.

Aloe skin care products have not been scientifically proven to be effective as per their claims.

Aloe Vera has been given wonderful names such as the Burn Plant, Medicine Plant, Plant of Life and Wand of Heaven plant. Cleopatra was said to have used aloe-vera in their regular daily beauty routines. Aloe supplies were said to have been used by Alexander the Great to treat his wounded soldiers.

Aloe Vera is best used when used fresh from the plant. It doesn’t store well but can be bought as a preserved product. Aloe Vera can be used topically as well as taken internally, although as mentioned there is no concrete scientific proof of healing form the inside out. It has been used for mouth sores, what we call stomach sores, or cold sores.

Aloe Vera has been especially helpful of patients with severe and various skin diseases. It acts as a rejuvenating action. It acts as a moisturizer and hydrates the skin. After being absorbed into the skin, it stimulates the fibroblasts cells and causes them to regenerate themselves faster. It’s the cells that that produce the collagen and elastin so the skin will get smoother and look younger.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome is said to affect as many as 12 million people just in Britain alone. Symptoms include:

Swollen abdomen

Unpleasant tastes in mouth

Diarrhea alternating between diarrhea and constipation

A diminished appetite

Stomach pains that occur low in the abdomen and frequently.

Gas and belching along with a rumbling in the gut in the bowel area.

General feeling of depression and lethargy.

Heartburn

Because Aloe Vera is natural, it works gently within the intestinal tract to help break down food residues that have become impacted and help clean out the bowel. When the bowel is cleaned out, it greatly reduces bloating, discomfort, and helps ease stress, which only leads to more attacks of irritable bowel syndrome. The sufferer of Irritable Bowel Syndrome must also begin watching his or her diet, as there are some foods that are triggers for an attack. We should stress that professional help should be obtained at the earliest onset of abdominal problems and pains.

James Calvin
http://www.articlesbase.com/advice-articles/all-about-aloe-vera-natures-soothing-agent-77121.html

Male Hair loss generally refers to the male pattern baldness. It is medically referred as “Androgenic Alopecia”. Male hair loss affects a person at any time after puberty. The hair usually recedes the letter “M” and the crown hair becomes thinner as age advances. It is common in men and women. But a lot more men suffer from it than women.

For the male Propecia is a good product that should not be used by women. If a women is pregnant Propecia may injure the baby in the womb.

Propecia will also cause hair growth on parts of the body where women do not like to have hair (body, face)
Hence Propecia is not recommended for women. Men can be treated with propecia but with some side effects which include impotency and lack of sex drive. You should always consult your physician before taking this medicine.

In the early days, Rogaine was used to treat high blood pressure, but now it is primarily used to stop hair loss. Rogaine should be used continuously for three to four months to have some fruitful results.

The reason for men losing hair is mainly due to the levels of DHT (Dihydro testosterone) in the scalp. The DHT is present in a person immediately after his puberty and the purpose of DHT is to develop secondary sexual characteristics. DHT gets attached to the hair follicle and prevents the assimilation of nutrients to the follicles which in turn cause thinning out of hair and finally shedding of hair.

In order to prevent this problem there are many products available on the market. The most important igredient is saw palmetto. It is clearly evident that saw palmetto blocks DHTs and is a natural medication. A product called Hair Genesis consists of saw palmetto and is used extensively.

Hair energizer hair products by Ferm-T are also being used for treatment. Even women can use this product without any side effect. The Hair energizer helps to stop hair thinning and loss of hair. The Hair Energizer kit comes with a bottle of Follicle spray, 15 ml tube Jojoba oil, a bottle of shampoo, and 60 tablets of vitamins & minerals. Advecia, is another product that helps with this problem. It is essential for revitalizing the hair follicles which are deprived of nutrients.

In contrast generaly Women’s hair loss does not result in total loss as like that of men. It is still devastating.

The psychological impact on women is extensive when compared to men since women consider their hair as a vital part of their beauty and find it to be an important part of their outer appearance.

Heredity is a cause for this problem in women. Moreover the treatment of women is entirely different than that of men, because the medication offered for re-growth of hair may cause the growth in other parts of the body such as chest, back, and face. Most women don’t like facial hair growth.

Women suffering from hair loss need to consult a doctor to find out what the causes are. Once it has been ascertained, the physician will be able to prescribe the suitable medication. For women, many physicians prescribe estrogen to correct the condition.

Loss of hair in women can be treated with cucocorticoids. Topical application of Minoxodil or Anthralin is the only recommended treatment available for women. The initial stage can be treated well and the response to the treatment is also extremely good.

An important condition called Androgenic alopecia is found to be affecting about 2% of the population. This condition causes complete loss of hairfrom the whole body. In this category women’s treatment is found to be difficult to cure. Doctors may prescribe certain medicines to reduce the symptoms of androgenic alopecia.

Women who have just given birth to a child also suffer from hair loss very often. This is usually temporary and may stop within 6 months after birth. This is mainly due to the fact that there is a higher estrogen level during pregnancy, which might result in keeping the hair follicles in the growth phase. Immediately after childbirth, there is a sudden withdrawl of estrogen. Hair may grow again after 6 months, but applying hair tonic may hasten re-growth of hair.

Sometimes crash diets may lead to women losing hair and also rapid weight loss over a short period of time. In addition to this, emotional and physical stress may also result in hair loss. Immediately after the alleviation of the stress, the hair fallout will be stopped.

Frequent dyeing and chemicals e.g. Perming solutions used on hair may cause a problem. This happens when chemicals are used frequently. The hair begins to break off. Treatments, when applied on the scalp may strengthen the follicles.

Once you have identified the main cause of the loss, choose the right treatment at the right time to ensure better hair growth. In most serious cases of women’s hair loss, it is always advisable to seek the help of a dermatologist for complete diagnosis and
treatment plan.

Hamant Keval
http://www.articlesbase.com/hair-loss-articles/hair-loss-in-men-and-women-is-it-a-real-nightmare-70922.html

Therapeutic use of natural and organic essential oils for medicinal purposes is just now on the verge of being recognized as a valid tool to compliment the diverse tools of natural healing. A significant amount of resistance is still apparent, perhaps due to the pervasive image of Aromatherapy being ‘feeling nice from smelling something pleasant’. Most degreed aromatherapists do not even consider this the most important function of healing with essential oils! There use in treating infectious illness is considered the realm of medicine of where they may be of greatest importance – and the fight of their image may be one ‘behind the scenes’. Big pharmaceutical companies are under pressure to continually develop and market new drugs – many with questionable safety and efficacy – to meet the demands of stockholders. At the same time, many bacteria and viruses are becoming resistant to these companies products, with alarming results.

Essential oils offer inexpensive, effective treatments to which microbes do not apparently easily develop resistance to. Whether the very limited and somewhat skewed presentation of Aromatherapy in the mainstream media is related to the pharmaceutical company’s demands remains to be clarified; in the meantime, you have the ways and means to include essential oils in your own natural health and wellness program.

Aromatherapy is the branch of botanical (plant-based) medicine using a particular class of compounds – no more, no less. It just so happens these compounds smell exceptionally nice – does medicine have to be nasty to work? And do drugs made by high-tech means always result in the best of these medicines? This seems unreasonable, given the fact that a very high percentage of today’s modern ‘drugs’ are extracts of wild plants, though they have been encapsulated and manipulated so that ownership may be granted under patent law.

This doesn’t mean a natural preparation of the plant can be any less effective! And what, physically, are essential oils? If you boil or send steam through plant matter, collect the steam and allow it to cool, an oil-like liquid will float atop the water. Essential oil. That’s it! The chemicals made by the plant that do not dissolve in water. Interestingly enough, this ‘lipophillic’ nature of essential oils makes them even more compatible and absorbable with our physiology than many other plant compounds. No reason to turn our backs on them as medicines, eh?

A backlash may be coming; more people are getting fed up with the high cost of healthcare and the soaring cost of prescription drugs. They are willing to investigate natural, inexpensive alternatives, particularly when ‘proven’ effective in the same arena as are modern pharmaceuticals. An important example is the use of Peppermint essential oil in treating irritable bowel syndrome. A study of 50 children comparing the effects of a common chemical preparation and peppermint oil capsules on alleviating their symptoms showed the peppermint oil to be drastically more effective, with fewer side effects, than the pharmaceutical drug. The nature of the essential oil is that it will eliminate bacteria causing disease symptoms, while leaving much-needed natural intestinal flora unharmed. This is the beauty of aromatherapy, and properly utilized natural medicines in general.

Another widely published effect of a particular essential oil is that of the powerful anti-viral (and anti-depressant) Melissa oil. Melissa herb has long been used in natural medicine, often for it’s stress relieving effects and nervous system support. Now, many university studies in Europe have confirmed it’s effect on treating Herpes outbreaks, the result of a viral infection that has, until now, been considered incurable by the modern medical establishment. Outbreaks tend to occur when an individual is under particularly stressful conditions – and although the aroma of Melissa is thought to relieve stress, one of it’s chemical components has been shown in the laboratory to eradicate certain virus types. Topical application of Melissa oil to Herpes legions has reduced the pain, duration, and frequency of the outbreaks in a significant number of study participants. Some have even experienced complete remission of the disease! A definite seal of approval for efficacy of essential oils as natural health and wellness medicine.

Then, of course, there is the ‘aroma’ therapeutic aspect of essential oil use. The hard facts show the olfactory sense of the brain is wired directly to vital control centers of the gray matter – particularly those governing emotions, stress levels and, well we’re not sure how this relates to your health, but sexual arousal as well. And with acceptance of the importance of one’s mental health relating to their physical well being continuing to grow, Aromatherapy may eventually find it’s place in hospitals and doctor’s offices alongside stethoscopes, syringes and cotton swabs. Many, many studies have shown the self-evaluated improvements in mood and stress levels when inhaling particular essential oils – and because stress is considered by many health professionals as THE number one cause of disease, it’s a short leap to believe the inhalation of spirit-lifting aromas can result in improved states of health.

Aromatherapy is certainly not a cure all, but like any medical specialty, should be used when appropriate by knowledgeable patients and practitioners. How do you learn to use Aromatherapy most effectively for yourself? Education is the way! There are many wonderful, well-written books on the subject of medicinal usage of essential oils; of particular note are those by Dr. Kurt Schnaubelt: Advanced Aromatherapy and Medical Aromatherapy; also Jane Buckle’s Clinical Aromatherapy, and any publication by Robert Tisserand. These books can open a whole new world of alternative health and wellness, giving you more options to control your health care decisions than ever before. If in need, find a qualified, degreed practitioner – and remember, always consult a medical professional for any serious injury or illness. In some cases, aromatherapy can be used to as an adjunct to other treatments – discuss this with your doctor. Finally, there’s little harm in simply getting started with essential oils – learn, buy yourself some nice oils, and have fun!

Misty Rae Cech, Nd
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/a-new-age-for-aromatherapy-88366.html

Our Cypress Airboat tour was the ride of a lifetime. We took the whole family on this Everglade adventure, and it was a great experience for all of us. The special child pricing made it an affordable family outing during our Florida vacation, and I’m sure the kids will remember their airboat ride in the Everglades for a lifetime. We have wonderful memories and photos of our airboat ride in the Everglades to take home and share with friends.

Before our trip, I wasn’t even sure what an airboat was, but I’d heard it was the best way to see the Everglades! Many areas of the Everglades are only accessible by airboat, so I certainly recommend an airboat tour, if you’re interested in the ecology and wildlife of the Everglades. I was pleasantly surprised to find the airboat ride both smooth enough to be comfortable in the shallow waters of the Everglades and fast enough to be a lot of fun for all of us. For anyone who doesn’t know, airboats are light, small boats powered by a rear-mounted airplane propeller. While our group was small, Cypress Airboats can handle groups of up to 14 on their larger airboats. We took a two-hour tour, but both shorter and longer tours are available. They’ll even schedule night tours! We ruled that out because of the kids, but I imagine it would be wonderful for adults. While I didn’t expect the airboat to be fast, it can move quickly through the swampy waters of the Everglades. The kids in particular liked this part of our Everglades airboat adventure.

We chose Cypress Airboats over other companies in the area for several reasons. First and foremost, they are experienced and knowledgeable about the area, so we felt that they would provide us with a safe and fun airboat experience in the Everglades. Our primary reason for choosing Cypress Airboats over their competitors was the depth of the tour. Many airboat tours go just a few miles into the Everglades and do not offer a substantial amount of information, or a real chance to experience the beauty of the Everglades. Cypress Airboats does offer shorter airboat rides, geared toward speed and excitement, and we’d love to come back and give an adventurous airboat ride a try!

While I was a bit nervous about venturing deep into the backwoods of the Florida Everglades, our professional and knowledgeable captain made me completely comfortable for our airboat ride in the Everglades. The captain was, like all the captains for Cypress Airboats, US Coast Guard certified, and grew up piloting airboats in the Everglades. We had no worries at all about our safety on our airboat tour of the Everglades. The boat was equipped with floatation devices and first- aid supplies, as well, so we felt like we were well prepared if something did occur. Not only did our captain ensure our safety, but also he was also a great tour guide and shared many details about the ecology, animals, plants, and history of the Everglades.

Our two-hour airboat tour with Cypress Airboat was an approximate 40-mile ride through the River of Grass. The River of Grass is a shallow wide span of water, ranging from as shallow as six inches deep to as much as three feet deep. The waters of the River of Grass are home to many different plant and animal species, from alligators to orchids. Our captain was a knowledgeable and experienced guide and he freely shared his knowledge of the area. His skills as a guide and as a pilot of the airboat thoroughly enhanced our trip and made it fun and educational for the whole family.

Our airboat ride through the Everglades was a great way to experience this amazing, natural environment. We traveled through the River of Grass on our airboat tour and saw a huge variety of wetland plants and trees. We saw sawgrass, water lilies, bladderwort, and other marshland plants, as well as cypress trees, orchids, and ferns. We found the mangrove trees in the Everglades particularly interesting. Our captain was very familiar with the many interesting plants on the airboat tour.

We’re all interested in bird watching, and this was definitely a highlight of our airboat trip in the Florida Everglades. We were lucky enough to spot a white ibis and a great blue heron, but a number of other birds also inhabit the Everglades. We’d hoped to see a roseate spoonbill or one of the varieties of egrets in the region, but didn’t get quite that lucky.

We did see a number of alligators during our visit to the Everglades, including one big one! That was very exciting for all of us. It was interesting to learn more about the role of alligators, not only as a top predator in the area, but also the importance of alligators to the overall ecology of the Everglades. Alligators burrow out gator holes that provide homes for many aquatic species during the dry season. Manatees and dolphins also live in the open waters of the Everglades, but are obviously not seen in the shallow waters of the backcountry.

Our captain told us of a number of other interesting animal species in the area. We had hoped to spot the endangered Florida panthers, but didn’t get to see them this time. However, we did catch a glimpse of a white tailed deer, and our captain told us to watch for bobcats, opossums, skunks, raccoons, and other small mammals, which are common in the area, as well.

Our airboat ride in the Everglades was an experience none of us will ever forget. We all can’t wait to go back and definitely plan on taking another ride with Cypress Airboats on our next trip to the area. We’re even considering arranging a special full day tour to really explore and experience the beauty and wonder of the Everglades. Fortunately, Cypress Airboats operates 365 days a year, assuming the weather is safe for airboating, so we’re sure to be able to find time for another exciting adventure with the great folks at Cypress Airboats.

Cynthia Waldin
http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/florida-everglades-airboat-ride-62048.html

Hair brush is one of the most essential tools every person, man or woman, should have. Hair brush helps dealing with tangles and bed hair look; to some extend it even solves the problem of hair styling.

But the greatest thing that can be done with a hair brush is keeping our hair naturally moisturized as you transfer natural skin oil from the roots to the tips of the hair when brushing.

To help your hair grow healthy and shiny, you should brush your hair every day with careful gentle strokes that decrease the friction and smooth the hair scales. Harsh and rough brushing will only increase the damage to your hair. Moreover, such brushing increases the amount of pulled out hairs in two times.

The use of proper hair brush is essential for sedu hairstyles as it helps to avoid unnecessary damage, eliminates static electricity, and adds shine and smoothness to the hair. There are several hair brushes that should be at hand when creating and maintaining your sedu hairstyles:

1.Wide-toothed comb for detangling hair after and before washing. Every time you are preparing to wash your hair you should make a detangling first. This will help you lessen the risk of mechanical damage during washing and make the after-washing detangling easier, thus eliminating more mechanical damage. Such combs should be of antistatic material, so read labels carefully and make sure you won’t harm your hair with poor quality product.

2.Fine-toothed tailed comb for styling. You should use this comb when making heat straightening using a flat iron. Just follow the flat iron with fine-toothed comb to make sure that there are no tangles and frizz left in your hair after straightening. The tail of the comb will be handy in creating prom hair styles and dividing hair in separate tresses for straightening;

3.Massaging wooden hair brush that will help you to massage scalp after you detangled the hair and are preparing to sleep. Usage of this brush at least twice a week will help you increase the blood circulation in the scalp and improve the state of the hair cuticle after a couple of months of usage;

4.Boar bristle round brush for styling. This hair brush is a must for short to medium hair styles. It helps to obtain neat and sleek hairstyle. Boar bristles eliminate frizz and add shine to your hair;

5.Ceramic styling hair brush is good for medium to long hair styles because it helps to manage long hair and eliminate static electricity. You will be even able to create soft waves that will frame your face and make it look gorgeous.

The above mentioned hair combs and brushes should be of high quality so that your hair won’t suffer from the harmful materials and faulty workmanship. It is also recommended to wash combs with warm water at least once in two months in order to eliminate product built up.

To make correct brushing, follow these simple rules:

1.Before washing the hair, use a wide-toothed comb. If you have a long hair, start from the tips and move gently to the top of the hair. Do not pull the hair or comb too energetically, or you will lose healthy and mature hairs that hold firmly in your scalp. If your hair style is short just move brush through the hair from roots to the tips to eliminate frizz and arrange your hair before washing;

2.After washing DO NOT brush the hair while it is still wet. The hair should be at least dump when you start to detangle it, or you are sure to lose more healthy hairs. Do not be afraid to see hairs on the brush as long as you don’t feel any pain from their pulling off. It is a natural process of hair growth when up to 100 hairs are falling out every day to spare the place for new and young hair.

3.If you are using blow dryer quite often, you should use round brushes of 100 per cent boar bristle for styling of the short hair, and ceramic round brushes for styling of the long hair. Such brushes will make it easier for you to style the hair, add shine to your hair, and help you to arrange the hair into any style from spikes to soft sedu waves.

4.If you are using a flat iron, you should start straightening from the bottom of the hair. Separate the bottom layer of the hair from the top layers, and pin up the top layers using tail of the fine-toothed comb. Straighten the bottom layer of the hair, and proceed with the upper layers until you are finished. Every time you apply flat iron to the separate tresses follow the flat iron with the comb to make sure that there are no tangles left.

5.Before going to bed, apply massaging brush. Detangle the hair first, and then gently brush the hair, especially the root area to improve blood circulation and allow your head to relax after the long day of styled hair. You will see positive results of such technique just after a couple of months. Your hair will look healthier and shinier, your scalp will receive more nourishment through improved blood circulation, and if you have problems with hair falling out, they will be diminished.

So, hair brushing is the separate science, and knowledge of its rules will help you decrease the amount of money you spend on hair care products. Moreover, the state of your hair health will improve dramatically and your hairstyle will receive the status of the Sedu hairstyle because of the natural shine and smoothness of your hair.

Mary Anne Lionel
http://www.articlesbase.com/women’s-issues-articles/sedu-beauty-tips-the-dos-and-donts-of-hair-brushing-51620.html

Physical appearance usually becomes the innermost reflection of people, their lifestyles, and their personalities today. In a world where physical beauty matters, it’s not surprising that more and more people look for products that would maintain or even enhance their beauty.

One of the worst physical flaws people especially women consider is the occurrence of wrinkles and other visible signs of aging. And since they are more concerned about their physical appearances, women are more enthusiastic in trying different sorts anti-aging skin care treatments and products.

Causes of Aging

But despite all that has been discovered to help curb the aging process, no procedure or product has ever been discovered that is capable of completely stopping the aging process. This is not possible. The only thing that most procedures can do is to slow down the process or lessen the visible signs of aging.

The aging of the skin is actually caused by too much exposure to the sun as well as the loss of hormones such as testosterone and estrogen. These two processes lead to the oxidation of collagen and the elastin fibers of the skin. The loss of these two substances in the skin will result to dimples on the skin and of course the sagging.

Prevention the natural way

There are of course natural ways that you can do to help prevent aging. One of which is the cliched combo of eating well and physical activity. However often you cringe at hearing this advice will not change the fact that these two are the primary things that can help you save those skins from sagging.

Eating fruits and vegetables especially those that are rich in Vitamin C and D will help in keeping the skin supple and moisturized. Foods with anti-oxidants are also helpful as this directly prevents oxidation.

Physical activity, on the other hand, helps by toning the muscles and keeping blood circulation going. This means that nutrients and minerals are distributed throughout the body.

They are more into using products and availing of treatments that would protect their skin against the aging effects of the environment.

MINIMIZING THE EFFECTS OF AGING

Studies show that the first thing you need to do if you think your skin is being damage by aging is to provide the it with the essential nutrients it needs and take care of it by using proper anti-aging skin care treatments.

Most dermatologists also agree that a person can help minimize skin aging and damage caused by years of being exposed to chemicals, free radicals in the body, and several environmental factors by discovering anti-aging skin care treatment or wrinkle free skin care that can give them younger looking and healthier skin.

With the help of modern science and technology, having a flawless skin is still possible today despite the environment damages the skin endures. Most experts agree that people can minimize premature aging of skin by arming themselves with knowledge about the aging process, its causes, and look for possible natural solutions like going back to healthy living by doing regular exercise, having balanced diet and developing a healthy lifestyle.

But if these natural options can no longer work, various anti-aging skin care treatments and programs are available in the market today. Here are some anti-aging skin care treatments and products that can help you regain that youthful look:

1. Anti-wrinkle creams. The use of anti-wrinkle creams is probably the best anti-aging skin care treatment there is. Various anti-wrinkle creams that have powerful antioxidants prevent premature aging and wrinkling of the skin.

The use of such creams also help protect the skin against harmful free radicals in the body, the harmful effects of cosmetics, environmental damages. By using high-grade herbs and ingredients as major components, anti-wrinkle creams can minimize the spread of existing wrinkles and age spots by tightening the skin.

2. Anti-aging moisturizers. Since the ingredients of moisturizers penetrate deeply into the skin, the use of anti-aging moisturizers will help lessen the visible signs of aging like fine lines, wrinkles and sun spots. These moisturizers also all to the skins hydration level depending on the person’s skin.

3. Anti-aging sunscreens. With today’s global warming, it is a must that people wear sunscreen or sun block to avoid the harsh rays of the sun. If you want to maintain a younger looking skin, look for anti-aging sunscreens that are suited for your skin type.

4. Antioxidants. Antioxidants through the use of vitamins or by eating foods that have high anti-oxidant content can help your skin cells bind the free radicals that usually cause aging or death of skin cells.

5. Exfoliants. When you reach the age of 30, the capability of your skin to exfoliate decreases. This is why it is quite important to avail of an external form of exfoliation to keep skin renewing itself.

Low Jeremy
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/antiaging-skin-care-what-you-should-know-108740.html

Natural Face masks are more than just goofy tricks that women try to get their “beauty rest.” They are an important part of skin care. It is recommended that you use a facial mask at least once a week. While it is not necessary to go overboard and wear one every night, a weekly facial mask session cannot only help your skin receive moisture, but it can also lessen skin disorders. Facial masks can be soothing or energizing, and the actions and rituals often involved with applying a facial mask can be an effective anxiety reliever.

A facial mask is generally defined as a salve that is applied to the face, much like smearing on cream. It is thick, and normally resembles clay. Many masks make use of clay or gel as a base, as these will stay in place when applied, and they are typically harmless to most skin types (although gel is used most for sensitive skin, as heavy clays irritate it). Masks are meant to cover the entire face and then rest in place for a few minutes before washing off. The materials in most masks are safe to be washed down the drain.

Most facial masks include both deep cleaning and moisturizing ingredients in the mask. This allows the pores in the face to be cleansed totally, getting rid of oily build up and trapped dirt. This can help reduce or even prevent pimples. Additionally, many masks help slough off dead skin. The dead top skin is inert and lusterless. When it is lightly removed, the mask brings the top layer of dead skin cells off with it. This leaves younger, healthier cells exposed as the face’s surface. This means tighter skin and a more radiant complexion. It can also reduce the look of fine lines and small wrinkles to carry out a regular facial mask.

Another reason that natural face masks are so trendy involves the soothing and relaxing motions associated with applying a facial mask. If you decide to have one applied on for relaxation as well as the benefits it provides for the skin on the face, then you can have a very enjoyable experience. In spas, these masks are applied with special therapies and often include a massage. You can give your own face a soft massage just prior to applying the mask, and if you are systematic about it, you can apply the mask in a way that is singularly soothing. All masks should be applied to a freshly bathed face, rinsed with warm water. This opens the pores and allows the mask to do its thing. Warm water is very calming and relaxing, and many people find this part of the application to be one of the more enjoyable stages.

Apply the mask in a circular motion until it coats the face. This is comforting and stimulating at the same time. Let the mask sit on your face for 15 to 20 minutes (although some are meant to be worn all night). Many women like to lie down and relax. The effect can be enhanced by the addition of candles or incense and some calming music. Finally, when it is time to rinse the mask, do so in cold water. This will help close the pores, protecting them against dirt and oil, and also energize your face.

Many people enjoy making their own facial masks from ordinary household products like bananas (for wrinkles), avocados, and honey (antibacterial). Butter can also be used as a remedy for dry skin. Other masks can be created using different compositions of clays, and different essential oils can be used for different skin types. Fruit purees also have different properties (for instance, strawberry can act as an alphahydroxy), and yogurt and milk can soften the skin. Oatmeal is very soothing, and most sensitive skin types can use masks of this sort. Adding rose petal powder can augment your fragrance without the need for perfume, while citrus fruit peel powder acts as an astringent.

When you decide to make use of natural face masks, you are sure to feel the good effects of it later down the road. And if you apply them once a week, you can help keep your face healthy-looking and your complexion brilliant with a healthy luminosity.

Ron King
http://www.articlesbase.com/skin-care-articles/natural-face-masks-beautiful-skin-302950.html

You really want to take a cruise but you also really want to go to a spa for physical fitness and maybe a little pampering. In the world today you can do both. Years ago you were lucky to find a spa on a cruise ship. If there was one, it was in a really remote area of the ship. As for physical fitness there was very little equipment and most of it was tired. When people started to become more conscious of their looks and health the cruise lines revised their way of thinking. Cruise travel now can double as a spa vacation as well as learning a new physical fitness program.

The newer cruise ships have gone to great lengths to accommodate the cruise passenger who also wants to beautify and tone up. The cruise lines have installed state of the art equipment, added numerous exercise classes, and offer the newest beauty treatments available. Many of the cruise lines have relocated their fitness centers to the top decks of the ships with lots of windows so you can have a view while you are on the treadmill, bike, or lifting weights. Tucked up into the corner is a big TV so you can watch the news from back home. The cruise ships now have three distinct areas, one for fitness, one for spa treatments and one for the beauty salon.

As mentioned, the fitness centers on cruise ships are now a thing to behold. They all will definitely have treadmills, Stairmasters, free weights rowing machines and bikes. Some cruise lines even have complete Nautilus machines. Popular exercise machines, especially on sea days, may require you to sign up for a particular time of day and will limit the amount of time you can use the machine.

If you want to use your cruise travel as a vehicle to start an exercise regime there are physical trainers onboard. Their services, however, will cost you extra. The trainer will ask you lots of questions about your health and diet and then will come up with a personal regime for you. He or she will then book times through the week for you to work together.

All cruise lines offer exercise classes, yoga, aerobics, dance, water aerobics, even Pilates and kickboxing. Some of these may require a slight fee. To find out when these classes are held consult your daily bulletin for times and fees, if any.

Now, you’re thinking why would I start a physical fitness regime while on a cruise ship, especially since they serve all that food, 24 hours a day? Well along with the newer, shinier and better facilities the cruise lines have also instituted what they call spa cuisine. Everyday they will offer a “lighter side” menu if you are really serious about you new physical fitness regime.

Don’t assume that if the ship is older, it won’t have a decent fitness and spa area. Check with your cruise travel agent to find out what facilities are onboard the cruise ship you have chosen. For instance, the QE2 is an older ship but it has a beautifully outfitted spa with a large staff. Celebrity’s slight older Century has a Thalassotherapy pool for their passenger’s enjoyment and it has become quite popular among their cruisers.

When you board your cruise ship go to the spa area. Usually on the first day the staff will be explaining their treatments and occasionally demonstrate how it is done. Sometimes they will raffle off treatments, so go to the demonstration just for that reason. If you have definitely decided that you will be doing some treatments, book them on day one to get the best times. Any beauty salon appointments should be made then too, hair appointments for formal night go very quickly.

Many times the spa and beauty staff will discount their services on days when the ship is in port. If you are going to a few cruise destinations that you have previously visited, take advantage of these offers. You will find that you can pick your time of day to get these treatments done with little or no competition. If you are an early riser, choose an appointment in the morning and then get off the ship to enjoy that port. Or, conversely, disembark early to explore your new port, and then return to the ship in the early afternoon to take advantage of a discounted treatment.

When you go to your spa appointment, do not wear jewelry or fancy clothes. Most treatments are a bit messy and you don’t want to ruin any of your belongings. It is best just to wear a robe. When you get there an attendant will give you a towel and a private locker to put away your things. You may then be asked to wait in a room. Your technician will come out to take you to the room designated for that particular application. You will also fill out a form on your health and any surgeries that you have had. The room you are in will most likely have a shower. It will definitely have a sound system to play soothing music and there will be an array of exotic oils and creams.

The cruise ship spas have gotten quite creative. They now offer couples massages where you and your partner are in the same room with different massage therapists. Then there are four hand massages where two people work on you at the same time. Some of the cruise lines offer in suite massages and some even have massages on the deck.

By far the highest percentage of staff are women but there a few men. If you have a preference between male or female spa technicians, state it when you make your appointment. Some people are uncomfortable lying naked on a table with a therapist of the opposite sex. Check the cruise ships policy on tipping. Some cruise lines automatically tack on a 15% charge to your bill while on others you may have to pay in cash. To save embarrassment, check at the time you make your appointments.

There are three lines that allow you to make your spa appoints before boarding the ship. Princess, Windstar and Celebrity all offer this option. In some cases they even have packages that you can book in advance. Be careful here though, they may give you some very early morning appointments which means you have to go and change them on the very first day. This is not the best policy since they should be giving you prime appointments for booking ahead.

Beauty salons will offer a full array of services. You can have your nails done, your hair colored or hand and foot treatments aside from just a trim. Most of the beauty salons have Europeans staffs. That is not necessarily a bad thing. Places like Austria require their beauty students to go to the equivalent of our college.

See, it is possible to turn your cruise into a spa vacation or physical fitness week. Just follow what your trainer or your beauty technicians tell you and eat the spa cuisine. You’ve just achieved three goals, a little bit of pampering, a fitness regime, and a light and healthy diet. This may be a new way for you to view cruise travel.

Happy Cruising!

Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.

Mary Hanna
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/cruise-travel-for-physical-fitness-or-a-spa-vacation-54475.html