Bizarre Beauty Ideas

Over time, women have done many weird and wonderful things in the pursuit of beauty. Here’s a few of our favourites.

1. Perfume was central to Egyptian civilization and was used for both cosmetic and medical purposes. For example, Kyphi, one of the most famous Egyptian perfumes, made from flowers, honey, wine and berries, was also prepared as a drink to cure lung, intestinal and liver problems.

2. In ancient Greece, blonde was considered to be the most beautiful hair colour. Women would lighten their hair with arsenic to get it to the colour they desired.

3. In the middle ages, women attempted to remove wrinkles with crocodile fat.

4. In the Heian Period in Japanese Culture, a woman’s beauty was judged by the length of her hair. Two feet below a woman’s waist was considered ideal.

5. In Renaissance Italy women created the ultimate red lip and cheek stain by mixing cochineal, sandalwood or cinnabar with wax or grease. The application process was complex, but the red colour lasted for over a week, even if she washed her face every day.

How To: Look Good After A Long Night

So you’ve come home late and crawled into bed only to wake the next morning to scarecrow face… Hair matted, skin looking patchy and big dark circles under your eyes.

Here’s your quick fix for gaining a brighter complexion in just minutes.

Step 1. Cleanse your skin! Warm water with your favourite cleanser will do wonders, especially if you ‘forgot’ to remove last night’s makeup. Make sure you leave the cleanser on for a few seconds to really penetrate your dried out skin.

Step 2. Re-balance the pH levels in your skin. This will help maintain an even complexion. We recommend Aloe pH Freshener.

Step 3. Hydrate your skin and prepare it for moisturising! Your skin will be depleted of moisture after a long night, especially if there was alcohol involved. It’s very important to let your skin return to its natural state by providing it with key products to get it appearing healthy again. We recommend 95% Aloe Hydrating Gel that will act as a barrier against over-evaporation of the body’s natural fluids, as well as acting as a mini tightening mask to refine surface lines and replenish moisture.

Step 4. Zap away those dark under eye circles with an eye cream or gel. This will help lessen the appearance of uneven skin tone and brighten your under-eye complexion.

Step 5. Moisturise your skin! Replenish the hydration levels of your skin by putting back what a difficult night’s sleep has taken away.

Couple Time Can Make A World Of Difference

It’s so easy to fall into a morning routine of getting up and getting ready for work – showering, having coffee, eating and travelling. Instead of these impersonal, assembly-line movements, why not spend 4 minutes a day with your loved ones? Make it part of your routine to just sit down and chat, even if it’s outside on the porch having your morning coffee together. Getting up those few minutes earlier instead of pressing snooze an extra time can do wonders for your relationship with your loved ones.

Wash those worries away

There have been several moments in fictional and factual history where decision makers have washed their hands to rid themselves of the moral uncleanness associated with the choices they have made.

According to a recent study released by the University of Michigan, washing your hands may in fact bring moral cleanliness!

The study, according to sciencedaily.com was run by two University of Michigan psychologists who asked students to pick ten CDs and rank them. In a seemingly unrelated test, they then asked students to survey soap. Apparently, due to the affects of choosing the cd’s, the students felt the need to justify the choices they made in the second study, however after they had washed their hands, that need was eliminated and the students no longer felt doubtful.

So next time you feel like you’ve made the wrong decision, wash your hands! Who knows? Maybe you’ll feel better afterwards.

Pampering over power tools

A recent survey has announced that Gen Y Men are just as likely to opt for a facial as they are for power tools.

Of the 1,251 men between the ages of 18 – 62 surveyed, 54% have had some type of beauty treatment, with 15% having had a facial. 20% admitted to having had waxing done recently and 1 in 5 have had their eyebrows shaped at a salon. Taking into account that a quarter of the men surveyed had never worked on their car and 60% have purchased no new power tools in the last 12 months, it’s easy to see that Aussie men are embracing good grooming habits. Thumbs up to them!

The Grace Guide To Body Language: Lesson 1

Body Language plays a big part in how you interact with people. Being more aware of how you may be displaying yourself can help improve your relationships with people you meet.

Attentive Body Language

If you are going to appear attentive to the person you are conversing with, you need to show that you are listening. There are several ways you can communicate this through the way you act, rather than what you say.

1. Ignore distractions. From phone calls to email alerts, show the person you are interested in what they are saying by ignoring these distractions.
2. Lean toward the person you are speaking to. This will show the person you are interested and want to hear every word they say.
3. Look the other person in the eye when they are speaking to you.
4. Concentrate on what the other person is saying and wait a while before formulating a response based on what they are telling you. Too often people respond before letting the other person finish what they have to say.  So show that you are really listening to them by contemplating everything they have to say, then responding.