Body Care

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BEAUTYBEING.COM

Body Care Collection 1 http://beautybeing.com

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Contents Male Laser Hair Removal.....................................................................................................................3 Reducing & Removing Cellulite ...........................................................................................................5 Artificial Eyebrows When You Have No Eyebrows ..............................................................................7 Permanent Laser Hair Removal ...........................................................................................................9 Liposculpture Procedure & Cost........................................................................................................11 Revitol Cellulite Cream Review .........................................................................................................13 Pilates Exercise Equipment ...............................................................................................................15 Some Brazilian Waxing Tips...............................................................................................................17 Electrolysis vs. Home Electrolysis ......................................................................................................19 Body, Eyebrow & Bikini Waxing ........................................................................................................21 Are Partial Tummy Tucks Really Scarless?.........................................................................................23 Got The Belly Fat Blues......................................................................................................................25

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Male Laser Hair Removal by Jayna Davis There might still be some people and cultures out there that see lots of body hair on men as attractive, but generally speaking, the “manly” chest-rug look doesn’t really fly so much anymore. It used to be that hair removal for men would consist almost exclusively of shaving the face and trimming the hair on the head. Those days, the only members of the male species that voluntarily underwent procedures like laser hair removal for men, were athletes whose body hair get in the way of their performance. Things change though, and now, male laser hair removal isn’t such a rare thing anymore these days. Laser hair removal for men isn’t much different from laser hair removal for women; the same instruments and techniques are employed. What is Laser Hair Removal? Laser hair removal, regardless of which gender it’s to be performed on, is one of the more reliable permanent hair removal techniques out there. There are a lot of different machines and techniques that can fall under laser hair removal, but the one thing that holds them all together is the fact that this form of depilation, whether it’s female or male laser hair removal, uses intense pulses of light at particular wavelengths, to destroy the hair shaft. The best candidates for laser hair removal for men or women; would be individuals who have light skin and dark hair. In a single light pulse, the hair on a patch of skin about the size of a nickel (this might vary depending on the kind of laser being used) can be removed completely. This light works by targeting the darker pigment of the hair, which will absorb the light wavelengths emitted by the laser. Ideally, this light will only be absorbed by the darker hair shaft, and none of that energy would be hit by the lighter-colored skin. It doesn’t always work this way though, and some laser hair removal devices will also come with a cooling mechanism to cool the skin in the surrounding area around the individual hairs. There are a lot of things to consider about laser hair removal though; one really important factor is skin color, since this particular kind of depilation doesn’t work as well with people who have a darker skin color. In fact, if you have darker skin but still want to go for female or male laser hair removal, be forewarned that you might end up with a bit of skin discoloration, since the pulse could also inadvertently target the melanin in the skin, and not the hair. If your skin doesn’t take well to this particular kind of technique, you might end up with some burning or bruising, as well as a temporary change in the pigmentation of the area. Even if the treatment may have gone well though, expect a bit of itching, swelling, and redness. That’s normal. Also, to get rid of all the hair in a given area, a person usually has to come back for multiple sessions; usually six to eight initial treatments are needed over the course of six to ten years. Not all of the hair on a person’s head or body would be in the same stage; some of the hairs in the area could be in their “telogen” or resting stage, which means that nothing can get rid of them, because no one can be sure that they’re actually there, until these hairs actually grow out.

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What are the Differences Between Laser Hair Removal for Men and for Women? As far as the technical aspects of this kind of hair removal is concerned, there really isn’t much difference between how it’s done with men and how it’s done with women. The main difference, really, lies in where the male laser hair removal would be done. On one hand, women will usually go for laser hair removal on the legs and underarms. Laser hair removal for men, on the other hand, will usually be on the chest and back, as well as the neck and the abdomen. A lot of the reason why some men opt to get the hair on their bodies permanently removed is because these days, most women don’t really find excessive body hair on their men particularly sexy. Some men believe (and maybe correctly so) that getting rid of some of that body hair can improve their chances of being with a woman. Using a permanent method, like laser hair removal means that they’re more attractive to the opposite sex. Of course, even though sex appeal is often a big reason why male laser hair removal has gotten more popular lately, it’s not the only reason. Another reason why laser hair removal for men has gotten more popular is because it makes grooming habits easier. After all, sometimes, all that body hair can need daily maintenance. The hair on a man’s neckline, for example –what many might refer to as the “scruff” on their necks- can often require a lot of upkeep to make it look neat and tidy. Permanently removing the hair there would cut down that upkeep to nothing, and it would make a guy look a lot tidier and better groomed, too. What’s not to like about male laser hair removal?

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Reducing & Removing Cellulite by Jayna Davis My cellulite has been a plague on my miniskirt- and short-shorts-wearing habits since I gave birth to my third child and starting pigging out on every junk food in site. While I haven’t exactly made it my life’s mission, finding effective ways of removing cellulite has become something of a preoccupation of mine. Even though there are a lot of products that claim to be completely effective at reducing cellulite, I haven’t really found anything that can cheaply and painlessly get rid of it –ALL of it- instantly. Then again, I have had some pretty good results. Here are some things to consider when working on reducing or removing cellulite though: Cellulite is Fat Despite that, obesity or being overweight doesn’t necessarily mean that a person will automatically have cellulite. Sure, a lot of obese people have cellulite, but if you’re one of those lucky types, you won’t have to add orange peel-butt to your weights woes as well. Cellulite is fat cells in the skin’s connective tissue that have accumulated and pushed against it so that the skin in the area ripples and puckers. Like an orange. Or like the skin of a freshly-plucked chicken. Or a badly-made sponge cake. In case you’re wondering, no, I don’t actually spend time thinking up unflattering similes for cellulite. It’s just that my cellulite really annoys me. Cellulite Can be Found on Different Parts of the Body Like most women, my cellulite was on my butt and thighs, where a lot of my body fat seems to have accumulated. Having cellulite in these areas might limit my summer clothing and swimwear options, but I guess I’ve still got it good compared to some other folks. Some people have cellulite in other places, too: like their arms and bellies –that means no sleeveless shirts and no bikinis or low-cut jeans. Some people have a whole lot more of it than others –eep! Forgive me if I indulge in a bit of schadenfreude here, but I’m glad I only have a bit of cellulite on my butt and thighs, and not all over, like a few unfortunates I know. Anyone Can Get Cellulite You don’t necessarily have to be fat to suffer from cellulite; I was actually pretty skinny at nineteen, but that didn’t change the fact that my backside looked like an irate golf ball even then. In fact, I’ve taken some rather… unscrupulous pleasure in discovering that without the protection of a graphic artist’s airbrush, even supermodels and Hollywood starlets can have cellulite. In my research though, I discovered, much to my envy, that men are a lot less likely to have cellulite. There aren’t any solid scientific reasons for this, but it’s still the way it is. Lucky boys.

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Ah well, at least we girls can still get multiple orgasms. We Still Don’t Know What Really Causes Cellulite, or How to Completely Get Rid of It, Short of Surgery Sure, modern science has brought man to the moon and found ways to create glow-in-thedark pet fish using recombinant DNA, but it’s still puttering around trying to find ways to cure cellulite or get rid of cellulite’s orange peel-ass effect without having to slice a person open. We’re not even completely sure about how cellulite starts in the first place. Some experts think that cellulite is caused by toxins in a person’s body; others think that it’s a hormonal –and therefore, a gender- issue, since women seem to comprise the bulk of cellulite’s unfortunate victims. Maybe it’s a combination of both. Whatever the case may be, not knowing exactly what causes cellulite in the first place means that completely and reliably preventing or removing cellulite still isn’t a scientific reality. There are Options for Removing Cellulite or Reducing Cellulite Even if we can’t quite make cellulite go the way of smallpox or the dodo yet though, hope isn’t completely lost. These methods won’t always work, and some will be more effective for certain people and a complete waste of time and money for others, but at least they’re out there for you to check out: Liposuction: Cellulite is fat. Therefore, getting rid of the fat will get rid of your cellulite. The good thing about liposuction is that it removes the fat cells themselves, which means that it’s a lot less likely for the liposuctioned area to get fat again. This means that it’s also a lot less likely for you to get cellulite there as well. This is one of the most surefire ways to get rid of cellulite permanently. Check with your doctor first though; liposuction might not be the best option for you and does come with some side effects. Diet and Exercise: Yes, yes; a healthy diet and exercise are good for you. The diet-andexercise combo solves a lot of problems; and it can play a big part in reducing cellulite. Keeping at this can get rid of any extra, unhealthy fat you might have in your body, which can, in turn, get rid of cellulite –since, like I’ve mentioned before, cellulite is fat. Also, fruits and vegetables –like berries, spinach, and carrots- are great antioxidants and can really improve your skin and your circulation. Moisturizers and Cellulite Creams: Even if cellulite happens below that top layer of the skin, a little moisturizer can really nourish your skin, which could actually go a long way in reducing cellulite –or at least, making it less visible. This is about all that most of those expensive cellulite creams can do. Even if these creams will claim to be effective in removing cellulite completely, try to take their claims with a grain of salt; they can only go so far.

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Artificial Eyebrows When You Have No Eyebrows by Jayna Davis People with no eyebrows can often feel like their faces don’t look complete, and even though there are a lot of different reasons for people not to have eyebrows, luckily there are also a lot of different options to take if you should happen to lose your eyebrows. You could fill in your eyebrows using makeup or tattoos, or you could opt to get artificial eyebrows. How Do People Lose Their eyebrows? The cause for a person losing their eyebrows could have been a freak lab experiment with an unfortunate miscalculation involving the Bunsen burner, it could have been because they got a bit overzealous with the tweezers a few too many times, it could be genetic, or it could be because of medical treatments like chemotherapy. Other possible causes are infections or nasty little parasites infecting the hair follicles in the eyebrow and thyroid problems or hormonal imbalance, and a good number of others. Whatever the reasons, eyebrow loss can be pretty hard on a person, psychologically. Of course, there’ll be those who won’t really mind and can simply shrug and go on with their lives, but for a lot of people, not having eyebrows can feel awkward and embarrassing. What Can a Person With No Eyebrows Do to Conceal The Fact That They Don’t Have Any? If your eyebrows aren’t so much “completely gone” as they are just “sparse,” you can try adding a bit of volume and definition to them by filling in some of the blank spots with a few strokes of an eyebrow pencil. It’s definitely a lot less trouble than having to go off and get a set of artificial eyebrows, and it’ll usually cost a lot less than hair regrowth treatments that are likely not to work anyway. If you have no eyebrows at all though, taking out the eyebrow pencil might not be the best course of action to take. Have you ever had any of those funny aunts whose eyebrows looked like they’d been drawn in with magic marker? You wouldn’t want to look like that. Of course, it’s possible to get a less… cartoony look using makeup, but it can take a bit of skill and practice to get it just right. It’s usually a lot easier to get a more flattering and realistic look using artificial eyebrows instead. What Are Artificial Eyebrows? Artificial eyebrows are usually made from actual human hair. Normally, they’re already preshaped and will either come with an adhesive backing so that all you need to do is apply them to the correct area on the face, or will require special glue application to keep them there. How Do You Pick Out the Right Kind of Artificial Eyebrows

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Whatever the case may be, make sure to check what the ingredients of the adhesive are to make sure that you won’t be getting any nasty reactions. Also, try to get artificial eyebrows that match your real eyebrow color. If you can’t really tell anymore, you can use your natural hair color (yes, the hair on your head) as a gauge. Normally, eyebrow hair is the same color as the hair on a person’s head, or it can be up to two shades lighter or darker. Whatever the case may be, if you have no eyebrows, don’t worry; the right set of artificial eyebrows, if applied correctly, can look even better than the real thing.

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Permanent Laser Hair Removal by Jayna Davis Okay, you guys are totally going to think I’m weird when I admit this… When I think “laser,” the first thing that enters my mind is “laser gun.” Which would then usually lead up to “laser gunfight,” which would then eventually become “epic interstellar battle set in the Thirtieth Century.” I know that most people’s thought-trains don’t travel in those –I’ll admit- somewhat off-thebeaten-track directions, but you’ll have to admit, a thirtieth century interstellar laser war sounds pretty cool. These days though, lasers are actually used for some pretty mundane things. Like permanent laser hair removal. If I had a choice, I’d really rather be zapping baddies with my laser gun than zapping my armpit hairs. I don’t have much of an opportunity to do this though, and I still think that lasers are really cool, so laser hair removal is, therefore, really cool too. What is Laser Hair Removal Anyway? Laser hair removal is when the hair on a person’s face and/or body is removed –usually permanently- using intense pulses of light set at a particular wavelength. This laser pulse targets the melanin –or pigment- in the hair shaft, and damaging it by heating the follicle so that the hair doesn’t grow back. If the person’s skin color is notably lighter than their hair, the skin in the area where the light pulse was targeted won’t heat up. Permanent laser hair removal treatment won’t take with some people, but on those who do, you can be pretty sure that the hair in that area won’t grow back. That’s why they call it PERMANENT laser hair removal. This form of hair removal is really reliable, although it’s usually considered to be less reliable than electrolysis, which uses a slight electric jolt to destroy the hair shaft, rather than an intense beam of laser light. Compared to electrolysis though, permanent laser hair removal is a lot less painful. Like electrolysis though, so that you can make sure that the area that you want treated will remain permanently hair-free, you’ll have to go back for multiple sessions over the course of a few weeks or months, so that any hair strands in their “resting” phase can be removed as they come out of that phase and begin growing again. Who Are the Best Kinds of Candidates for Laser Hair Removal? Since the laser beam targets the dark pigment in the hair shaft, people with very dark, coarse hair and light skin are usually the best candidates. Depending on the kind of laser being used, darker-skinned individuals usually tend to also end up with discolored skin around the treated area, since the light won’t be able to target their hair as well as it would with a stronger contrast between dark hair and light skin. The stronger the contrast between light skin and dark hair, the better the possible permanent laser hair removal results will usually be, and the less likely it would be for a person to suffer from side-effects. What Are the Side-Effects of Permanent Laser Hair Removal?

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If you’re thinking about getting this kind of treatment for your unwanted hairs, keep in mind that the results can vary between individuals, and that a person can run the risk of suffering from side-effects like acne flare-ups, scab formation, hyper- or hypopigmentation, swelling, soreness, burning, and a condition known as purpura, where purple or red-colored discolorations appear on the skin of the area where the permanent laser hair removal treatment had been performed. That’s definitely not as cool as an interstellar laser war.

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Liposculpture Procedure & Cost by Jayna Davis A lot of people have problems getting rid of the extra layers of flab on certain parts of their body. I mean, I might occasionally love my flab, since it’s my sign of my triumph over a buffet, but it doesn’t exactly help me feel very pretty when I’m attempting to cram myself into last summer’s bathing suit. I’ve done the diet and exercise route, and sure, sometimes I drop a dress size or two, but there are some fat deposits that just refuse to go away. This is where plastic surgery procedures like liposculpture come in. A liposculpture procedure is a less invasive, but more precise form of liposcution. Instead of making big cuts over the parts of the body where the fat needs to be sucked out, a small incision is created, and a tiny suction mechanism is used so that specific fat deposits in the body can be targeted. Be warned though; liposculpture cost can be more expensive than normal liposuction techniques, and since this kind of procedure is a lot more likely to be considered cosmetic rather than therapeutic or correctional, health plans usually don’t support it. How is Liposculpture Done? When you get a liposculpture, you are essentially getting a high-precision kind of liposuction. Although here, instead of a large incision –as with normal liposuction- a small incision is made where the liposculpture suction device is inserted. A lot of the time, people can get confused about liposculpture, since it’s often referred to as “tumescent liposculpture,” and if you’re a little oblivious, like I am, you might ask, “Is that just ONE kind of liposculpture procedure? Are there any others?” If this question is bothering you, and the internet doesn’t seem to be very cooperative, well, worry no more. Here’s the answer: No. Tumescent liposculpture is basically just liposculpture. The tumescent technique is a cosmetic liposuction technique that made liposculpture possible. It’s a part of liposculpting. Created by Dr. Jeffery Klein during the tail end of the 1980’s, this particular technique involves making the fat in the specified area swell and soften considerably, using a salinebased local anesthetic. The saline solution is a double-whammy too: It softens up the fat and makes the procedure possible, and it numbs the area so that a general anesthetic usually isn’t necessary anymore. Also, by softening the fat in the area, it makes that fat a lot easier to simply siphon out using less invasive tools like syringes or suction tubes called cannulae. What’s So Good About Liposculpture? One of the great things about the liposculpture procedure is that it’s an outpatient one, since it’s so much less invasive than normal liposuction. This means that unless something goes horribly wrong, or you really ARE that squeamish, you won’t have to sleep over at the hospital. Most of the time, you won’t even need to worry about being too woozy from other

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anesthetics, since the saline solution used in the tumescent technique usually takes care of that. Depending on the doctor or the patient though, other pain killing drugs may be used for the procedure, on top of the saline anesthetic. Usually, after liposculpture, you can go straight home, but it’s kind of a given that if you’ve just had the fat sucked out of you, a couple of days of rest from work might be in order, and attempting to make your debut into professional Mixed Martial Arts or rugby should be out of the question. Another great thing about this particular kind of liposuction is that since it’s not as invasive, the side-effects are usually not as bad. Normally, there’ll be some swelling, tenderness, pain, and/or bruising in the affected area, but that usually goes away after a few days. You might also leak fluid from your injection sites, and while that might be really gross, it goes away after those first forty-eight hours post-liposculpture procedure. Is Liposculpture Right For Me? Liposculpture may not be the right kind of surgical fat reduction for everyone though, so check with your doctor before proceeding with a liposculpture procedure. After all, liposculpture costs can be really heavy, financially, and if there should be any complications during the procedure, or if you get results that really aren’t to your liking, then the liposculpture cost that you had incurred could multiply, or be a complete waste. It should be a given that you shouldn’t get liposculpture if you’re pregnant. This might cause complications with the pregnancy. Also, keep in mind that liposculpture is meant for getting rid of specific deposits of fat and trimming and shaping problem areas. If you have a lot of fat that you want to get rid of surgically, you might want to try liposuction or other kinds of fatreduction techniques to get rid of the bulk of the fat before refining and smoothing out the area with liposculpture. Unless of course, you want to keep on coming back for multiple liposculpture sessions. Another thing to consider is liposculpture cost. This kind of plastic surgery procedure can set you back anywhere from 1,200 US Dollars, to well over five thousand. And this is usually just for the doctor’s professional fees, and doesn’t include other costs either; like the price of the drugs used or use of the facilities. The liposculpture procedure can be a great investment though, since this usually guarantees that even though you gain weight, your problem areas won’t be that big of a problem anymore, since the fat cells there will have been permanently removed.

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Revitol Cellulite Cream Review by Jayna Davis Cellulite is known by a lot of different names: orange peel syndrome, the mattress phenomenon, hail damage, cottage cheese skin, and really really annoying. Alright, I admit, I made the last one up, but I’m pretty sure that a lot of people wouldn’t be inclined to disagree. After all, cellulite on your thighs and lower belly can completely ruin a really great bikini look. Luckily, the cosmetics industry has come up with a lot of different products to help people deal with this kind of problem. Revitol Cellulite Cream is one such product, and this entry just happens to be a Revitol Cellulite Cream review. Fat or thin, male or female; cellulite can affect just about anybody –although a lot more women have to suffer this indignity than men- and let me make it absolutely clear that while there are a lot of treatments available, and that occasionally, they will be effective for some people, there is no one hundred percent guaranteed effective way to completely get rid of cellulite, short of invasive surgery. In this Revitol Cellulite Cream review though, we can learn whether or not this particular product at can at least show results and relieve some of that annoying orange peel effect. What is Revitol Cellulite Cream? Revitol Cellulite Cream is a topical cream meant to be applied directly over problem areas where cellulite occurs. Treatment for cellulite using this particular product doesn’t involve any kind of funky laser therapy or invasive surgery; all you need to do is apply it on the parts where you need to get rid of that nasty cottage cheese skin. What are Revitol’s Active Ingredients? Revitol claims a lot of different active ingredients to keep the hail damage under wraps. Some of the active ingredients in Revitol include: Algae or Bladderwrack Extract – this stuff supposedly helps detoxify and speed up the fat metabolizing process so that the stored up fat in the area will be broken down, and the toxins inside them released and disposed of. Caffeine – Yes, you’re reading it right; Revitol contains coffee. Aside from all of the other stuff in this little cream, it contains caffeine, too. Don’t drink it in the mornings with your toast though; this caffeine is supposed to facilitate circulation in the affected area, so that toxins, excess fluids, and fat are metabolized and flushed out more quirckly. Capsicum extract – Capsicum is basically pepper. The extract that this particular product uses as an active ingredient is likely to be the stuff that makes pepper spicy; capsaicin. This stuff works alongside the caffeine to ease the blood flow, as well as rejuvenate the skin and strengthen the connective tissues in the skin. Does Revitol Cellulite Cream Work?

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For the most part, this particular product does. It takes a bit of a while to take effect, but it does. I wasn’t able to get rid of my cellulite completely, but it was certainly a lot less visible, and the skin on my thighs and buttocks feel noticeably firmer and smoother. Like a lot of the other Revitol Cellulite Cream reviews out there, I’m giving this particular product a thumbs up. It’s not perfect, and maybe it won’t work on all women, but with regular application and a little patience, it does deliver.

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Pilates Exercise Equipment by Jayna Davis Pilates is a great way in improve posture, and flexibility, as well as balance weight. Originally called Contrology and developed by Joseph Pilates sometime during the early part of the twentieth century, it was part of a rehabilitation program for injured World War I war veterans, as well as a holistic approach to health and fitness that encompassed elements as basic as mental control, breathing, and posture. It was originally meant to be performed with Pilates exercise equipment; in particular, Pilates machines called Pilates reformers. What Is the Pilates Reformer? The most basic Pilates machine/machines is the Pilates reformer. Developed by Joseph Pilates himself after the WWI era, this particular machine hasn’t really changed much. This piece of Pilates exercise equipment is essentially a resistance machine designed for core strength, flexibility, and good spinal alignment. Since its beginnings during the 1920s, a lot of different forms of Pilates have developed, but all of them retain the same basic principles of core strength, mental discipline, and breathing control. Pilates reformers have evolved as well, to suit the needs of the different forms of Pilates that now exist. How Does a Pilates Reformer Work? For the most part, Pilates reformers are composed of a spring attached moveable carriage, two rope pulleys with hand/foot straps, and a foot bar. A practitioner is meant to build strength and flexibility with this machine by pulling or pushing against these moving parts. There are subtle differences for reformers of different Pilates types, but they all share these figures and are really useful for strength and resistance training. For all of its versatility though, this particular piece of Pilates exercise equipment can best reach its greatest potential when it’s being used in conjunction with Pilates exercises. This means that if you want to use this machine well, you should at least understand some of the basic principles of Pilates, like knowing your core and maintaining correct alignment and breathing. All of its elegance and effectiveness is really wasted if you don’t use it correctly. In fact, used incorrectly, you might even end up injuring yourself, so try to take a few lessons in Pilates basics and reformer safety before using this Pilates machine. Are There Other Kinds of Pilates Exercise Equipment? The Pilates reformer might have been the first machine developed specifically for Pilates, but there have been a lot of other Pilates machine/machines and Pilates exercise equipment since. Pilates Mats

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Most studios will have their own, but if you plan on doing Pilates at home, a Pilates mat is probably the first thing you should consider purchasing. Most beginner Pilates exercises will involve mat-work, and the mats for Pilates are generally thicker than yoga mats, since there are fewer standing exercises and more rolling exercises. The Pilates Magic Circle This particular piece of Pilates exercise equipment is often also referred to as an exercise ring, fitness circle, and magic ring. It’s a pretty versatile Pilates machine to use. These pieces of exercise equipment are usually made of flexible metal or rubber, and around thirteen inches in diameter, with pads on either side. They’re usually meant for gentle to moderate resistance training, and are lightweight and durable. It’s usually a good idea to get a magic circle with pads on both the inside and the outside and to stay away from the ones that are either too “squishy,” or too flimsy.

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Some Brazilian Waxing Tips by Jayna Davis Whether you’re male, female, or any kind of combination of both, a person’s pubic area is a really sensitive spot. It has lots of nerve endings and is home to some rather fragile portions of the anatomy. When you wax this area, it can hurt a lot, and one of the most popular bikini waxing variants, Brazilian waxing, is no exception. There are a lot of Brazilian waxing tips that you can try out to minimize discomfort and get the best kinds of results. Brazilian Waxing: A Definition If you’re squeamish about these kinds of things or aren’t very comfortable with having a stranger smearing hot wax all over your intimate bits and then brutally ripping off all the hair there by the root, Brazilian waxing might not be the way to go for you. The Brazilian wax is a type of bikini waxing design where all of the hair in the pubic region is removed, including the hair in your butt crack. What to Expect Since Brazilian waxing involves removing hair from a delicate and hard to reach area, it’s best to leave this particular form of depilation to a professional, like a licensed aesthetician. Normally, you will be left alone in a private room to take off your pants and your underwear. You will sometimes be provided with a disposable paper thong. If the hair in your pubic area is longer than a quarter-inch, the bikini waxer will usually trim it to the correct length. Afterwards, they’ll apply talcum powder to the skin in the area so that the hot wax won’t stick to the skin and damage or rip off that skin along with the hair. When that’s done, they’ll spread the wax over the skin and hair on the designated area using a waxing stick. A strip of cloth is then pressed onto the wax so that when the wax cools, it will adhere to both the strip and the hair. They will then quickly yank at the strip in the direction opposite to your hair’s growth so that it all comes out by the root. The process will usually be front to back, and will be repeated until all of the hair in the area has been removed. You might have to shift into strange or awkward positions to accommodate this. When the waxing is done, stray hairs are removed with tweezers and a lotion to soothe the sting that usually comes after. Sometimes, even with the best trained bikini waxers taking care of your delicate bits, bumps and ingrown hairs can still happen. Ask you waxer about how to deal with this, if it happens. Brazilian Waxing Tips Waxing hurts; and if you have a low threshold for pain; ask your aesthetician if there’s anything you or they can do about it. Sometimes, topical anesthetics can be applied. If you’re a woman, your pain tolerance will usually be higher right after your period ends, so it’s a good idea to schedule your Brazilian waxing appointments during those times.

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Brazilian waxing can be a sensitive business, and two of the most important Brazilian waxing tips to remember; are to get a licensed and reliable aesthetician to do your bikini wax, and to make sure that the area to be waxed is clean, so that you can prevent infections (and possible embarrassment).

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Electrolysis vs. Home Electrolysis by Jayna Davis In chemistry, “electrolysis” is when an electric current is passed through a chemically bonded compound; separating it into its component elements. One example is the way through which hydrogen fuel is created with the electrolysis of water (water is a chemical compound of hydrogen and oxygen); separating the hydrogen molecules from the oxygen molecules so that the hydrogen molecules can be harvested. If you aren’t a scientist or into fuel cell technology though, this kind of electrolysis probably wasn’t the kind you were thinking about when you typed “what is electrolysis” on your search bar. The permanent hair removal method referred to as electrolysis might be the answer to your query. Be careful of too-good-to-be-true claims though. Home electrolysis, for example, claims to be an easy and relatively painless way to get rid of hair “forever!” What is Electrolysis, Anyway? Electrolysis, the kind that gets rid of hair so that it doesn’t grow back, involves applying an electrical current to the follicles of every individual hair, so that the hair’s roots are destroyed. An electrode shaped like a very fine needle, is placed on the hair follicle for about a minute, allowing the electrical current passing through the electrode to do its work. What’s so Special About Electrolysis? Electrolysis is the only hair removal method that the FDA defines as permanent. Treatments like laser hair removal can sometimes get rid of hair permanently too, but out of all the permanent hair removal methods out there, electrolysis is the most reliable. Does it Work? Most of the time, yes. It can sting around as much as tweezing or waxing, but if it’s done correctly, most people don’t have to worry about having to deal with that discomfort anymore. It doesn’t work on everyone though. Even though electrolysis does get rid of hair, and even if the treatment is administered correctly, some people might still see hair growing back. Often, the hair will be finer and there will be fewer strands, which indicates how much the hair follicle has been damaged. In those cases, all that might be needed is a touch-up session. There isn’t any way to absolutely guarantee one hundred percent permanent hair removal, but out of all the different methods out there, electrolysis has the best track record. On top of that, unlike laser hair removal, which focuses on the pigment of the hair and can sometimes give you an uneven skin tone, electrolysis goes for the hair itself, which means that most skin and hair types can be good candidates for electrolysis. How Long does it Take? Since each individual hair follicle has to be subjected to a minute’s worth of electricity, electrolysis can take a really, really, really long time, especially if you’re trying to cover a

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large area like your legs or back. To clean up unwanted facial hair over a person’s entire face, for example, it can take up to four years to do. Most of the time, people will have to come back for multiple sessions, not just because a few hours’ worth of treatment might not be enough to cover the whole area, but because hair has a “resting” stage where it may not grow for a while, and hair in the body can be in different stages of growth at any one point in time. To permanently get rid of hair over one area then, even if it might look like you’ve finally zapped all of those hairs after one session, you’ll have to come back once the hair that had been in its resting stage at the time gets to its growth stage and comes out. How Much Does it Cost? What is electrolysis going to cost? On average, a half-hour session can cost about sixty US Dollars. Given the fact that a session can sometimes last longer than thirty minutes and that you’ll most likely have to come back for multiple sessions, the cost of electrolysis can be pretty steep. Considering the fact that it’s the most reliable way to permanently get rid of hair though, it’s well worth it. How About Home Electrolysis? What is the Difference Between Electrolysis and Home Electrolysis? Electrolysis actually requires a lot of training, and in the United States, in order for a person to administer electrolysis treatments, they need a license. This is because sticking an electronically charged electrolysis probe against an individual hair follicle takes a lot of precision, and if you get it wrong, the hair removal might not take, and skin could get infected or discolored. Home electrolysis, on the other hand, doesn’t involve having to get to the hair follicle, doesn’t hurt as much, and requires much less precision. Instead of using a needle-like probe to get to your hair though, home electrolysis uses a pair of electric tweezers on individual hairs, which sends a current of electricity down the hair shaft and supposedly destroys the root from there; supposedly offering the same kind of results as electrolysis, without the inconvenience and discomfort, and at a fraction of the cost. Sounds too good to be true? Well, keep in mind that there hasn’t been any clinical or scientific proof to the claims to permanent hair removal that most home electrolysis kits – often also referred to as electric tweezers- make. Some websites that answer the question of what is electrolysis, will even go as far as to warn consumers to stay well away from these products. They do have a point; home electrolysis claims are dubious, and the kits can cost a lot of money.

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Body, Eyebrow & Bikini Waxing by Jayna Davis Humans are mammals. Mammals have breasts and hair. On male human mammals, having large-sized mammary glands can make an individual the object of scorn, but having copious amounts of body hair generally doesn’t elicit much comment. On females however, large mammary glands are totally awesome, but having lots of body hair totally isn’t. In fact, lately, there seems to be a trend towards a cleaner, hair-free look even among men. This is why the means to apply hair removal methods, like shaving, depilatory lotions, electrolysis, and waxing are so common. The different hair removal methods available to people today all have their benefits and their setbacks: shaving can usually cause hair to grow back slightly thicker, and normally has to be done every day, depilatory lotions can irritate the skin, especially if a person has sensitive skin or is prone to skin allergies, and of course, waxing hurts like crazy. Out of all of these methods though, the longest-lasting and cleanest-looking approach is definitely waxing. Body waxing, bikini waxing, and even eyebrow waxing, are pretty normal procedures nowadays. Despite the considerable ouch-factor of having chunks of your hair yanked out of you by the root, home wax kits and professional waxing salons continue to do brisk business. The great thing about waxing is that even though it’s literally a pain, it’s a pain that a person normally has to suffer through just once every two to eight weeks, as opposed to measures like shaving, which often needs to be done daily. Another really cool thing about waxing is that over time, if it’s done regularly, less and less hair may grow back, and you would no longer have to wax as frequently, or, if you’re lucky, at all. When waxing, a wax combination –for body waxing, synthetic waxes are used, but for bikini waxing and eyebrow waxing, a wax combination of oil and beeswax is often used- is applied thinly over the area, and a strip of cloth or paper is pressed against it and –here’s the part where it people usually go “YEAOWCH!”- quickly ripped off in the direction opposite to the hair growth. There is another method that is also sometimes used, since it’s great for people with sensitive skin. It employs a kind of wax known as “hard wax” or “strip wax,” and it’s applied to the skin more thickly. No cloth or paper strip is placed over the area. Instead, when the hard wax cools and hardens, it is removed by the cosmetologist. Just about any part of the body can be waxed; the Brazilian wax or Sphinx wax –a bikini waxing variant where all of the hair in the pubic region is removed completely- is pretty much proof of this. Of course, when you’re waxing sensitive bits like your genitals or your nipples, it doesn’t matter if you’re male or female; it has to be done by a licensed professional, such as a cosmetologist or an esthetician, to make sure screw-ups and complications are minimized. There are certain parts of the body that shouldn’t be waxed though, even with professional help. Parts of the body where the skin is especially thin or sensitive, such as ears, nose, eyelids and the palms of a person’s hands shouldn’t be waxed. Normally, hair doesn’t grow in these areas anyway, but if and when they do, it’s best to use gentler methods.

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One of the dangers of waxing is that if your skin is weakened by medications or certain medical conditions, the skin can sometimes tear when the wax is removed. There’s also a small chance of infection occurring when you wax, and people who have circulatory problems, like those who have varicose veins or diabetes are usually discouraged from waxing, since they can be more susceptible. Waxing should also never be done on damaged skin or skin with warts, pimples, or rashes, since the procedure can hamper healing. On the less serious side of waxing drawbacks, there is, of course, the pain. And the pain. And have I mentioned how much waxing hurts? Sorry for being so dramatic – I’m having flashbacks of some of my earlier hair removal experiences. You actually do get used to the pain once you’ve done it a few times. Another problem with body waxing is that if it isn’t done right, it can disturb the hair follicles and cause the hair in the waxed area to grow in different directions, making it appear unruly when it does grow back. This can be really annoying when it happens after an eyebrow waxing; imagine having permanently messy eyebrows. It’s a make-up nightmare. Still another drawback to waxing is that it can often lead to ingrown hairs, minor bleeding, and red bumps, especially in areas where the hair is thick. The ingrown hairs can be avoided by cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing your skin regularly, but once they’re there, they’re virtually impossible to get rid of. Still, if you want long-lasting hair removal results without having to resort to prohibitively expensive and/or tedious methods like laser hair removal and tweezing, waxing is the best way to go; whether you’re body waxing, eyebrow waxing, or even bikini waxing.

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Are Partial Tummy Tucks Really Scarless? by Jayna Davis If you’ve just lost a lot of weight or have just had a baby, it’s likely that your stomach isn’t as firm as it used to be anymore. Usually, in cases like these, a tummy tuck can be a good way to firm it back up. A tummy tuck, which is also known as a complete abdominoplasty, is a cosmetic surgical procedure, where some of the extra skin and fat around your midsection – what some might refer to as a “spare tire”- is removed. A tummy tuck can do wonders for getting you to slip back into pre-baby weight jeans, but if you want to look good in a bikini or a pair of speedos, the scarring that can come with it can often be a bit of a problem. Fortunately, there are certain kinds of tummy tucks that reduce this little surgical issue significantly. With a partial tummy tuck, or a mini tummy tuck, a much smaller incision is made, and the subsequent scarring is much less evident. This kind of tummy tuck is sometimes also referred to as a scarless tummy tuck, but if truth be told, it’s more of a “really tiny scar” tuck. One of the reasons why mini/partial tummy tucks are referred to as “scarless” is because the smaller size of this kind of abdominoplasty’s scar tends to make it much easier to conceal, even if you opt to try on an outfit that’s more than just a little risqué. There are a number of differences between complete and partial tummy tucks, but general procedure is still mostly the same: excess skin and fat around the lower abdominal area are removed. With a complete tummy tuck though, instead of a small cut, the incision made is normally from hip to hip, above the pubic area. There are a lot of ways for a surgeon to make the scar less visible, even with a complete abdominoplasty. Nonetheless, a partial tummy tuck is still much easier to conceal. Whether you choose to get a complete or a partial one, you will first have to consult your doctor, to make sure that you are a good candidate for the kind of tummy tuck you want to get. For a partial tummy tuck, it’s usually great for people who don’t have as much extra skin or fat to remove. A complete tummy tuck, on the other hand, is a slightly more dramatic procedure, and it’s best for those with a lot of extra belly flab to get rid of. Because a complete tummy tuck is a procedure that’s considerably more invasive than the scarless kind of tummy tuck, the recovery period tends to be longer, and the risks of complications are higher. However, if you really have a lot of excess skin and fat, this kind of tummy tuck may be your only option. On the other hand, a partial tummy tuck can be a lot simpler, but may not cover as much area as the complete procedure. Among the benefits of the mini tummy tuck though, is the fact that usually, a patient doesn’t have to go completely under for the procedure. Most of the time, a local anesthetic and a sedative are used together, and the procedure can normally be done in about two hours or less. If a mini tummy tuck goes well, a patient can usually be released to recover in their own homes a few hours after the procedure is completed. For both complete and partial tummy tucks, it really isn’t a good idea to do anything too strenuous or physically taxing for a few

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days or even weeks after the procedure. However, for the scarless tummy tuck, a patient can usually go back to work or whatever normal activities they might have, within a few days. In any surgical procedure where a person with a knife and a mask slices you open and cuts out bits of you and gets rid of them, there will be a bit of pain involved. There are drugs for that. One of the great things about partial tummy tucks is that over-the-counter pain medications are usually enough to help you deal with whatever postoperative pain you might experience. For both kinds of procedures, it can take three to six months before your body recovers completely, and even though you won’t be able to avoid the scarring that can occur, those scars usually fade over time. Regardless of the kind of tummy tuck you opt to get though, whether it be the complete abdominoplasty, or the scarless tummy tuck/mini tummy tuck/partial tummy tuck, success isn’t always guaranteed, and sometimes, touch-ups or additional procedures might be necessary before you get the sculpted look you want. Whether or not that happens though, you should never forget to schedule follow-up consultations with your doctor so that they can detect any possible problems and help you manage your recovery.

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Got The Belly Fat Blues by Jayna Davis If you stomach is a little too pudgy for your taste, you’re not alone. As time catches up with us we’re all subject to those body changes that we just can’t stand. One of the most common in mend and women is the dreaded “spare tire” or pouch. Other times we get belly fat even without aging. I know that all the dietary temptation from restraunts, fast food joints and even the grocery store can also add to the problem. Not to mention hormonal problems, lack of activity, etc. Luckily, all is not lost. You can check out these natural ways to lose belly fat and work at getting a better body. With a little discipline and know how, you too can have the stomach you’ve always dreamed of. It definitely takes work and dedication, but I think it’s totally worth it to feel 100 times better about yourself. Learn to get rid of your belly fat blues and you’re bound to feel better about yourself and your life.

Want to know the 15 secrets supermodels and makeup artists are trying to keep to themselves? Visit http://youtu.be/l4sk9nEiVEE

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