Before getting rid of dust and grime in your house, make sure your hands don’t take a beating in the process. Give your hands the care and attention they deserve by following these tips:

Lock in the Moisture: Applying moisturizer to damp skin immediately after a shower or bath allows skin to seal in the moisturizer. Choose a moisturizer that’s effective and safe for sensitive skin, and free of potentially irritating fragrances or dyes.

Guard Against Harsh Chemicals: Exposure to chemicals and detergents in household cleaning products can take a toll on hands and dry out and irritate sensitive skin. Look for gloves that are designed to keep hands looking their best. “Playtex Living Gloves have multiple layers of neoprene to provide superior protection, versus ordinary latex gloves, from the harsh chemicals found in common household cleaning products,” says Joe Hourihan, a vice president of research and development at Playtex Products, Inc. Get into the habit of wearing gloves every time you clean.

Fight Bacteria and Germs: Hourihan says Playtex Living Gloves have Ultra-Fresh anti-microbial protection to inhibit the growth of odor-causing bacteria, mold and mildew. The gloves also provide excellent hot-water protection.

Protect Your Manicure: Your hands are your ultimate accessory and you’ll want them to look good in any season. Wearing gloves whenever you’re cleaning will help your manicures last longer and keep your nails from becoming brittle.

Take Your Hands to the Spa: Warm a cup of milk in the microwave for 30 seconds (or until warm but comfortable to the touch). Soak your hands for five minutes to strengthen nails and hydrate skin.

Take a page from the model’s beauty handbook and wear gloves to keep your hands looking young and feeling silky.

“My hands aren’t just important to me, they’re my business. So I make it my business to take care of them,” says Ellen Sirot, top NYC hand model, Ford Models. “Whenever I do anything that can damage my hands, such as housework, washing dishes or even gardening, I always wear my Playtex Living Gloves.”

Following a few simple tips may be all it takes to keep your hands beautiful.

Acne scars can be a major inconvenience to anybody as it gives the idea of a bad skin complexion and sometimes causes a blow to one’s self confidence. That’s why it is important to understand and know the different ways of treating and clearing up scars left by acne. Here you will understand the different methods of getting rid of acne scars. Hopefully in the end your acne scars will be a thing of the past and you may have more good news to your skin’s health.

Aside from expensive acne scars treatment method which are found to be effective but not in the financial reach of most of the population, it is important to know that there are also some natural and much cheaper remedies in getting rid of acne scars. These are acne scars treatment methods that you can use to treat your acne scars right at the convenience of your home.

Natural acne scar treatment is the best solution method especially for those who possess a sensitive skin because natural treatment doesn’t create side effects or rashes that may further destroy your sensitive skin.

1. One of the leading methods of clearing acne scars is the use of oatmeal cleanser. It helps eliminate other skin defect like blackheads and also help in the effective removal of acne scars. The oatmeal method consists of a mixture of rose water and an oatmeal powder; together they will form a paste that you can apply over the areas of your skin affected by the acne scars.

After applying it allow for about fifteen minutes to pass then afterwards rinse it with cold water, this process allows the oatmeal to close all existing skin pores and helps clear up a lot of your existing acne scars. To see the best kind of results you should do this everyday.

2. Another leading acne scar treatment option is the use of honey. Considered as one of the best natural remedy for acne scars, honey plays a great role in defeating bacteria that actually causes acnes. After cleaning your skin, you can then apply honey to the affected part of your skin. Wait after ten minutes before rinsing it with clean water.

3. Others include applying lotions and gels that are available at leading pharmacies and are highly recommended by professionals. The most important thing to remember when dealing with acne scars is that you should be patient with one kind of treatment and use it until the remnants of acne scars are completely taken care of.

4. Other well known acne scar treatment is the use of the process called laser resurfacing. It’s a process that involves a laser being applied to the affected skin and with that it will kill the bacteria that forms the acne scars. This can take from a number of minutes until an hour or so and usually takes between 2 to 10 days before the skin to heal completely.

Remember there are now a lot of ways to clear acne scars. Just be patient in looking for a method that can fit your needs.

For most women, part of the morning and evening routines involve a skincare regimen of applying creams, moisturizers, tonics, lotions, and the like. Why do women put themselves through this? They do it primarily to combat the signs of aging, and to maintain youthful looks and beautiful skin! It is a safe bet, however, that most women haven’t put much thought into what is in the products that they are using.

Some women probably do not realize that what they are putting on their skin may actually be undermining what they are trying to prevent to begin with. In fact the average woman puts twelve products on her skin daily, most of which contain harmful chemical preservatives. Dr. Myron Wentz, founder and chairperson of USANA Health Sciences, has this to say about beauty in the company magazine’s June/July 2005 issue: “Some say that beauty is only skin deep. Nonsense! I believe that true beauty is a reflection of true health, and true health begins deep inside each and every cell in the body. But true health and true beauty have an outer component, which is why we require protection from environmental insults such as solar radiation, pollutants in our environment and the drying effects of air. . . The fact is you simply cannot contain a healthy body if your skin isn’t healthy. And your skin can’t be healthy if your are subjecting it to toxic substances that are ultimately absorbed into your body.”

So, what can women do? How can they combat environmental pollutants, the affect of solar radiation, and the drying effects of air? How can they be sure they are using the very best products on their skin so they can be healthy inside and out? Here are 7 tips to assist in this process:

1. Be very aware of what is in skincare products. Use products that are all natural as much as possible.

2. Look for products that contain Dermal Surface Renewal Technology. DSR smoothes away existing signs of aging such as laugh lines, crows feet, and dullness.

3. Use products that have regenisomes. Regenisomes penetrate the skin to speed cell renewal after sun exposure. They also use the light of photosomes to undo sun damage, and have ultrasomes to renew skin while sleeping.

4. Find products with Proteo-C and Proflavonol-T. These two vitamins protect the skin from premature aging caused by the sun, pollution, and other environmental factors. They also provide advanced nutrition to the skin to keep it appearing smooth and firm.

5. If possible, use products that are paraben free. Parabens are synthetic chemical preservatives that are widely used in personal care products such as shampoos, conditioners, hair styling products, make-up, facial masks, skin lotions and creams, and deodorants. They also are typically ingredients in baby lotions, shampoos, and other personal care products for infants and children. In addition, parabens are in many foods and pharmaceutical products. Researchers are beginning to find parabens in benign and malignant human breast tumors. While some studies have challenged their toxicity in many products and question their long term affect on humans, using products that are paraben free can eliminate the risk of exposure to this harmful chemical.

6. Drink plenty of water! Water hydrates skin and hair as well as flushes toxins out of the body.

7. Limit stress or learn to manage it effectively. Stress is harmful both emotionally and physically. Find that stress reliever activity that works best and use it on a daily basis!

Follow the above 7 tips to true beauty and health.

A smile can last a lifetime-if you take care of it. For that reason, it’s important for parents to instill good oral health habits in children as early as possible.

According to U.S. Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona’s “National Call to Action to Promote Oral Health” report, children lose more than 51 million school hours and adults lose more than 164 million work hours each year due to dental disease or dental visits. The nation’s total bill for dental services was estimated to be more than $70.1 billion in 2002.

“Oral health disease is making disturbing inroads into communities across the country,” Dr. Marsha Butler, Colgate-Palmolive’s Vice President, Global Oral Health and Professional Relations, explains. “For children between the ages of 5 and 17 here in the U.S., tooth decay is more common than asthma, more common than hay fever, and it poses a significant threat to our children’s overall health and well-being.”

Recently, during the celebration of National Children’s Dental Health Month, Colgate and Dr. Carmona unveiled “The U.S. Surgeon General’s Seven Steps to a Bright Smile,” tips that were developed, with a grant from Colgate-Palmolive, to help keep teeth and gums strong and healthy:

1. Brush teeth and gums with fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day, especially after eating breakfast and before bedtime.

2. Visit the dentist regularly.

3. Floss your teeth daily.

4. Use fluoride rinse for strong, healthy teeth and gums.

5. Limit the number of times you eat snacks each day-and remember to practice healthy eating and get plenty of calcium.

6. Wear a mouthguard when playing sports.

7. Ask your dental professional about dental sealants.

Through its Bright Smiles, Bright Futures program, Colgate has reached more than 50 million children with free dental screenings, treatment referrals and oral health education. The company is more than halfway to meeting a public commitment it made to reach 100 million children with these services by the year 2010. Bright Smiles, Bright Futures empowers children to take control of their oral health and helps to generate greater awareness about the importance of maintaining good dental hygiene.

Ever since Eve took that first bite of the apple, the human race has been obessed with beauty.

The truth is we begin the aging process just as soon as we pop out of the womb. Every day of our lives our bodies slough off and regenerate new cells. The speed at which that process takes place when we are children is vastly different as we get older.

Every day you are bombarded daily with commercial messages and beauty tips that attempt to lure you into believing that the most recent miracle drug is just what you need to fight off the ravages of Mother Nature.

We are living longer as a whole. Singularly, that can be a curse or a blessing, depending on your perspective.

The best route to natural beauty and healthy skin is to take care of what you have. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? The truth is that your skin takes a beating from the environment every single day. Here are some of our favorite beauty tips for keeping your skin fresh and healthy:

1: Stay hydrated and do it with plenty of water! That does not mean soda, caffeine or any other type of liquid, even if it is low cal. Soda (even diet soda) has a high concentration of sodium. Sodium retains fluids. You need fluid that will hydrate and flush your body free of toxins. Make sure you are drinking at least 8 glasses a day!

2: Protect your skin from harmful ultra violet (UV) rays. We all love the sun. We love being in it and we love having a beautiful tan. The truth is you can poison yourself with too much sunshine. UV rays cause skin cancer and if that isn’t bad enough it causes your skin to age faster than it should, contributing to unsightly wrinkles. If you must play in the sun, make certain you are using an adequate sun screen. Don’t leave home without it!

3: Keep your skin clean. Use a soft warm cloth. Skin does not require scrubbing. You will do more harm than good if you do.

4: The best cure for wrinkles is to never have them in the first place! If you are like most of us, you didn’t listen to your Mom when she tried to tell you to stay in the shade, stand up straight and stop squinting!

5: Eat healthy. Knowing how and what to eat, can make a huge difference in how you feel. Improper eating habits can cause depression, weight gain, illness and an overall lethargy.

Weight gain causes your skin to stretch. As you get older, it loses it’s elasticity and you’re left with sagging skin.

The best solution to this is to maintain a proper weight.

A rule of thumb for eating habits are…don’t eat more calories than you consume. Don’t go one single day without doing something extra and physical for at least 30 minutes per day. This can be three ten minute walks. Or 30 minutes of vigorous aerobics, or 12 minutes of weight lifting and 18 minutes of walking.

6: Don’t worry, be happy. A happy outlook appears to trigger the release of endorphins. Endorphins relax the cardiovascular system and cytokines which alert the immune system to pay attention in detecting abnormalities like cancer cells. Listen carefully to yourself. If you have put yourself down since childhood, over a lifetime, negative subliminal messages can take their toll by turning you into a pessimist. Spend one week writing down the phrases you use in your “self talk.” Chances are you will find that you repeat a dozen or so phrases over and over again that reinforce that negative image. If you know about them, you can change them. Outer beauty and inner joy go hand in hand.

Here are a few quick tips for increasing joy, hope and optimism that will work no matter what your age:

Make a list of at least 50 great things that happen to you every day.

Laugh a lot. You’ll heal your body and your mind.

Discover a new challenge each month.

Try meditating for just five minutes each day.

7: Sex After 50 Ha! How many of you jumped ahead to this section?

The importance of physical intimacy actually depends on the couple. An alarming number of men used to give up on sex after 60 and many women used to feel that their sex life ended with menopause. Thankfully, that is no longer the case.

Sex at middle age can actually become better and more satisfying than ever before. Maturity gives a couple more experience in lovemaking. The children are usually grown and left home. The pressures of building a career and day to day life are usually less stressful than in younger years.

Is beauty really skin deep?

The answer is yes and no. It’s a paradox, isn’t it? True beauty begins from the inside out. Don’t you wish there was some way to “wriggle your nose” and regain that soft skin you had as a child? Well, until someone comes up with the true “Fountain of Youth” we are stuck with what we have.

Just remember that getting older doesn’t have to mean getting old.

Your skin is the first thing that people notice about you and that is why a proper skin care regimen is so important. There are many products that claim to help improve skin tone and promote a flawless complexion, but the truth is that there is no such thing as instant results. An effective skin care regimen is one that is done consistently over a time before results will begin to develop.

Skin Care Tip 1:

Always use some type of exfoliation product, which will help to remove old skin cells and other debris and particles from your skin. This will expose the healthy cells and rid your body from the old ones.

Skin Care Tip 2:

If possible, avoid constant sun exposure and tanning beds. In addition to being dangerous where health is concerned, these may also lead to early signs of aging. Everyone loves a suntan, but there is no reason to sacrifice your skin or your health in order to achieve it. Therefore, many individuals opt for a self-tanning lotion instead. Back in the day, these products had a tendency to turn the skin orange, but that is no longer the case. Improvements have helped to give self-tanning products a more natural, streak-free look. Before applying the lotion to your entire body, apply it to a small test area just to make sure there is no irritation.

Skin Care Tip 3:

If your lips tend to become chapped in the winter months or wind burnt at other times, using lip balm or lipstick will help to protect the lips from nature’s worst.

Skin Care Tip 4:

Dry or cracked skin can be very unbearable. Not to mention the discomfort of tight red skin, it can be downright embarrassing. A container of Pacquin Plus hand & body cream will eliminate soreness, redness and help to add moisture back to dry skin.

Skin Care Tip 5:

Do not use products that irritate your skin in any way, including soaps that have harsh ingredients. If possible, use a moisturizing soap or that which is designed for sensitive skin.

In addition to these tips, skin care products are available as commercial or prescription based treatments. A dermatologist is often consulted for matters relating to acne or other skin disorders, especially if they are severe. Many skin care enthusiasts also believe in using plenty of moisturizing body lotion in order to replenish the skin’s natural moisture, which is often stripped in today’s harsh environment.

The information in this article is to be used for informational purposes. It should not be considered as, or used in conjunction with, professional medical advice. Consult your doctor prior to beginning any skin care regimen or if you have been diagnosed with any disorder involving the skin.

Your hair is your crowning glory. Look after it and it will shine for all the world to see. You don’t always need expensive treatments, or visits to a hair salon to manage your hair professionally. There’s so much you can do yourself.

1. For shiny, healthy hair think first of your body’s intake. Your hair is really just a reflection of what you are inside. A good balanced, nutritious and healthy diet will do more to make your hair shine than any shampoo or conditioner. And drink eight to ten glasses of water a day too; hair is 25% water, so don’t let yours go thirsty!

2. Dry your hair after washing in the ambient temperature of your room after using an absorbent towel to soak up the excess moisture, but don’t rub hard. If possible, don’t use blow-drying, flat irons, curling irons or hot rollers. Artificial heating will leave your hair brittle and damaged in time. Be natural whenever you can.

3. Prevent unnecessary hair damage by using the right kind of hairbrush. Only comb wet hair with a wide-tooth comb, combing from end to root, but avoiding touching the root. Detangling wet hair with a hard steel comb can create a lot of damage, so don’t!

4. Remove trichoptlosis, or split ends, like this: take small sections of your hair and carefully twist them in a gentle downward motion. The split ends will stick out. Using sharp scissors, carefully cut into the twisted section, but not right through, to remove the damaged cuticles and leave a natural layered look. Cut roughly the same amount from each twist to balance the effect.

5. Hair loss can be slowed, or even reversed by applying a few simple tips, though they probably won’t cure an underlying condition. Biotin can help to regenerate hair follicles: blend bananas with honey, yoghurt and low-fat milk, and drink it daily. Supplements such as Vitamin B6, zinc and saw palmetto will help too, but eliminating stress and getting plenty of sleep may work just as well.

We are all obsessed with our hair, whether we are 9 or 90, male or female. Look after yourself first and foremost and your hair will reflect that care and attention. The Biblical Samson’s strength lay in his fine flowing hair. Your hair reflects your strength too.

Aging of the skin is a natural process by which the collagen and elastin, that keep our skin looking firm and youthful, begin to decline, this results in wrinkles. Cell production and cell quality also diminish over time resulting in wrinkles. These factors unfortunately are out of our control, though diet and supplements can slow down the process, but it won’t stop it.

The influences that are within our control are largely environmental such as pollution (eg; smoking) and sun damage. Here are 20 easy ways to reduce wrinkles and slow down the aging process.

1. Stop smoking (It’s #1 for a reason)

2. Always wear sunscreen whether it’s cloudy or sunny and don’t sunbake.

3. Hydrate your skin by drinking about 8 glasses of water a day.

4. Use skin care products that contain antioxidants and AHA’s.

5. Moisturize the skin on your face twice daily.

6. Reduce stress. (Try reading, exercising, meditating) 15 minutes a day is a good start.

7. Reduce alcohol consumption. Over indulging can put enormous strain on your system and will accelerate wrinkles forming.

8. Eat healthily by incorporating plenty of fruits and vegetables in your daily diet.

9. Sleep at least 8 hours every night.

10. Eat fish three times a week. Great for the skin and general health.

11. Check with your doctor about taking supplements, your diet may be lacking some of the important ones.

12. Use an eye cream for the delicate skin around the eyes nightly.

13. Facial scrubs remove the build up of dead cells that can increase the appearance of wrinkles, try this weekly.

14. Use natural skin care products that will nourish your skin and give it lots of vitamins and minerals to help it stay fresh and healthy.

15. Jojoba oil resembles the skins natural oils. Dab this around the eyes to keep wrinkles at bay.

16. Take vitamin C supplements and use products that contain vitamin C, it will help boost your collagen.

17. Start a good skin care routine in your 20’s. Prevention is easier than the cure.

18. Honey is known worldwide for it’s beneficial abilities. Use a honey mask weekly. Simply apply the honey to your face and neck and leave for 30 minutes then rinse off. This mask will “feed” your skin with nutrients.

19. Aloe Vera and Avocado oil both have the ability to prevent the skin from drying out; they are both used to improve the skins elasticity.

20. A soothing way to help achieve a wrinkle-free face is to lie on your back with your knees elevated by placing a pillow or cushion beneath them.

Try this when you are watching TV or reading.